《The Demon Prince goes to the Academy》 Chapter 1 There was a saying that if you¡¯ve committed a crime, you¡¯d absolutely get punished. It¡¯s a saying that almost never came to fruition. There was another saying. If you were to go to hell you¡¯d have to pay for all your wrongdoings, no matter how small. Of course, I didn¡¯t agree with that one either. This wasn¡¯t really a saying and more of something I experienced myself. If a situation was just too incomprehensible, a person¡¯s thought process would turn rather simple. In a certain office, I was forced to make a certain choice by some sour-faced woman wearing a suit. It was rather complicated, so let¡¯s put it simple. Simply put. This thing called Hell existed and I think I died. The cause of my death was also rather simple. It was ¡®Acute myocardial infarction due to high blood pressure, which caused a cardiac arrest¡¯. My blood pressure suddenly went up like this, because of a malicious comment I was reading. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been told. My blood pressure went up because of some bad comment? Just for that reason? Really? My eyes grew a bit distant. That¡¯s supposed to be my last memory? ¡°Please sign this quickly.¡± She threw a form in front of me. There was some stuff written on it, with a blank space presumably for my signature below. ¡°¡­¡­So, I¡¯m dead? I, I just saw some malicious comments which made my blood pressure rise and then I just died? People can die like this?¡± ¡°Do people always have to die for great reasons? There are a lot of people who die just by slipping on an icy road. Alright, hurry up and make your choice now.¡± Even if I didn¡¯t want to believe it, I didn¡¯t have a choice in that matter. ¡­¡­¡­Anyway, I was in hell now. It was up to myself if I took the deal or just went right down. I just had to sign. I was forced to make a choice that I never thought I¡¯d ever have to make. There were some lines written on this form that I was more than familiar with. [The City of the Dead] [Surviving in the Ruined World] [The Hunter became a Manager] [The Trash returned] [Somehow, the Game became Reality, but I¡¯m just a Janitor] [The Demon King is Dead] These were all titles of novels I wrote. My charges were ¡®Being a repeat offender¡¯ and ¡®Having no prospects at all¡¯. For that I was to be sent into the world of one of the novels I wrote. ¡°So, I¡¯ll get sent into one my novels?¡± ¡°Yes. As to which character or novel you¡¯ll inhabit is up to chance.¡± Shit. I should have written more peaceful novels. * * * This was the explanation I got from this person I presumed to be a Grim Reaper or a Hell¡¯s Employee. Every single person sinned. Except for very rare cases, no one immediately got sent to heaven. That¡¯s why everyone goes through the process of atoning for the petty sins one had accumulated through their life. Additionally, since there were a multitude of different sins, the method for atonement differed from person to person. I was a novelist. A web novel author who somehow managed to make ends meet with novels one could describe as second- or third-rate. My biggest sin was leaving behind a lot of work throughout the years as a commercial writer. I told the readers who were reading my stories well that it was a writer¡¯s biggest sin to leave a story unfinished, before calmly digging up my sub-account to publish other works. ¡°To be honest, sins committed by individuals are often only on the minor side, but if the number of these small sins accumulate, don¡¯t you think the scale of said sins would increase?¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­.¡± Was it decided by simple arithmetics? Was that really okay? Honestly though, just listening to her voice sent a shiver down my spine. The bitter voice coming out of the Grim Reaper¡¯s mouth seemed to directly pierce through my heart. This was on a completely different scale than normal bitterness. What if my blood pressure rose again? What would happen if I died again after I already died? My sins were just small ones that accumulated throughout my life. Anyway, the punishment I had to endure was being sent into a random character of a novel I wrote and surviving until the ¡®end¡¯. If I manage to do that, I¡¯d get sent to heaven. Apparently there were a lot of people that just got sent straight to hell, so I had it good, that¡¯s how the Grim Reaper tried to console me, though that didn¡¯t really work. ¡°As it is a novel you wrote, wouldn¡¯t you know everything about it and what would happen in it? This can¡¯t even be called a punishment, now can it? In fact, wouldn¡¯t it be rather easy for you?¡± The Grim Reaper didn¡¯t even look at me as she nonchalantly said this to me. ¡°No, see. That depends on the novel¡­.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, I, uh¡­¡­I only wrote novels in which a lot of people die¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well congrats then. Think of it as a trivial punishment for your disregard of life then. It seems you don¡¯t understand the preciousness of life.¡± You bastard, it¡¯s not like I killed anyone in reality, now did I?! It¡¯s just fiction! No, if I actually knew I¡¯d one day have to live in one of the worlds I created, I certainly would have written something with a dreamland amusement park as the setting, wouldn¡¯t I? How should I have known that I¡¯d get punished for writing things like that, but who¡¯d write a novel with that in mind in the first place? Who¡¯d write about a master gunsman in their novel and didn¡¯t give him a gun?! This was all just in my head! Just because I wrote down I could punch as fast as lightning, didn¡¯t mean I actually could pull that off. On top of that, I was afflicted with a minor case of pretentiousitis, so I wrote a lot of stories about disastrous situations in which a lot of people died. To add to that, I was addicted to writing bad endings to the point that people said that, if one of my stories had a happy ending, I¡¯d have gone crazy. Maybe my real sin was that I messed with my readers¡¯ feelings with my bad endings all year round. No, wasn¡¯t that actually rather convincing? So what actually were the novels I wrote? What would happen to me if I were transported into one of them? [City of the Dead] A zombie novel. I was quite sure I¡¯d die in a single day. [Surviving in the Ruined World] Post-Apocalypse. I was here in hell because I couldn¡¯t even survive in our peaceful, normal world, you know? Didn¡¯t I just get killed by some malicious comments? [The Demon King is Dead] This novel got the worst ratings, but in my opinion it was the best. Because this was a slice-of-life novel. As I was criticized by my readers for always writing bad ends, I wrote this novel that didn¡¯t have any serious global crisis from beginning to end. I actually didn¡¯t finish it, but the beginning was rose-colored, very refreshing and peaceful. This novel told the story of what happened after the heroes defeated the final boss in the prologue. That¡¯s why its title was ¡®The Demon King is Dead¡¯. This story took place after the death of the Demon King after all. At least it¡¯s not like my other stuff, where one had to fight for one¡¯s survival from start to finish. I must get this one. No matter what. I just had to get this one! Speaking of the results. It worked out just the way I wanted. As a result of a random lottery, I was to become the ¡°Demon King¡¯s son¡± of [The Demon King is Dead]. * * * The Demon King¡¯s son wasn¡¯t a character that even made an appearance in my novel in the first place. She told me that I¡¯d get put into a random character, however I actually got something that couldn¡¯t even be called a character. An unlucky person would break their nose even if they fell backwards, huh. That¡¯s what she told me. Didn¡¯t I just die because I got too mad about some comments which led my blood pressure to rise? Just as I was relieved that I drew the safest novel, I got put into a position in which I¡¯d die right at the start! I wouldn¡¯t even be the Demon King, but just a prince. It would have been much better if I were the Demon King. For example, if I were the Demon King I¡¯d also be the highest-level existence of the Demon realm, so I could have just stayed put, surrendered or ran away. Even though the Demon King dies right at the start, he¡¯s not to be trifled with. However, I was just a prince of the Demon Realm who just turned 17. Valier Jr. Age : 17 Status : [Force: 3.4(F)] [Agility 4.3(F+)] [Dexterity 5.2(D-)] [Magic power 9.9(C-)] [Strength 5.7(D-)] Race : Arcdemon Talent : None Abilities [Demon Domination D](Unique to Arcdemons) Comprehensive Ability Assessment ¨C Lowest Rank Demon Combat Level Assessment ¨C F Despite getting deceived by this novel, fortunately I was still able to find out who I actually was. A game-like screen appeared before me. I never put this setting into my novel, so was this something those guys who sent me here gave me out of pity? So, in terms of tropes, I was in a fairly common situation, in which an author somehow ended up in his own novel with a game system. However, no matter how common the trope was, it would never feel like a familiar situation if it suddenly happened to oneself in reality. I didn¡¯t appreciate this convenient ability in the slightest. Shouldn¡¯t the kin of the Demon King be of a different caliber? Arcdemon was a rather simple species, but wasn¡¯t my current condition basically the worst of the worst? This guy had no fighting capabilities. I saw something that seemed like an ability to rule over all demons, but all around me were just dead demons. What a hellish situation. It was the start of the prologue. [Event Quest: Downfall] [Description : The defeat of the Demon King¡¯s army is imminent, but you¡¯re powerless to do anything. Do your best to survive.] [Goal : Escape the Demon King¡¯s Castle] [Reward : 100 achievement points] All I could do was run. I didn¡¯t even pay attention to that mysterious system window that appeared in front of me. -Kabaang! Bababaaang! ¡°Crazy!¡± There¡¯s nothing I could do to stop the war. It seemed like the Demon King and the hero¡¯s party were already fiercely fighting inside the Demon King¡¯s Castle. The violent explosions and thunderous roars made me realize that this bloody war was really happening. Outside, there were shouts, screams and cries of monsters as a siege was taking place. They seemed to have already broken through. The hallways were already lined with dead or fallen demons. I couldn¡¯t even imagine a person dying in front of me, but it was even worse seeing monsters that have only existed in my head previously dying right there. Still, maybe because I felt like death was imminent, I kept running. I thought I¡¯d die if I stopped to vomit. Aren¡¯t I such a good prince of the Demon Realm? ¡°Damn iiiiiiiit!¡± However, having this title while the Demon Realm was falling apart was much more dangerous! I¡¯d rather replace it with Human Soldier 1! I¡¯m really confident that I can switch sides and bow down to whoever! Chapter 2 In this slice-of-life novel I¡¯ve written, I was experiencing the most violent event as an involved party, to be exact, as a victim. Strange letters I didn¡¯t recognize were carved into the walls above each entrance to the numerous rooms of the Demon King¡¯s castle. However, I was able to read them. Although this, too, was a common setting, it still felt uncomfortable, maybe because I was experiencing it myself. You didn¡¯t know how it felt to suddenly be able to read letters you were unfamiliar with, until you experienced it yourself. I passed by numerous rooms, including the dining hall, the kitchen, the armory, the magic item storage, the alchemy lab, the prison and the kennel. Of course, there were no signs pointing to a secret passage or something. I mean, it would have been weird If they put something like that on display, but couldn¡¯t they at least mark it like an emergency exit? I must say, it felt really strange being able to read a language I have never heard of before, but that couldn¡¯t be helped now. Naturally, the layout of the Demon King¡¯s castle, which never appeared again after the Prologue, didn¡¯t magically appear in my head! In those other possession stories, when a writer or an avid reader entered the book¡¯s world, they immediately knew what to look for. That was just ridiculous! I didn¡¯t have a single clue about these things, even though I wrote it! I¡¯ve never thought about stuff like that. Why should I describe or imagine places that weren¡¯t part of the main stage?! Although, I¡¯m pretty sure I wouldn¡¯t have remembered the layout even if I set it up properly! Even the things I was wearing were just those fancy clothes the demonic royal family wore, not a single special magical item. -Kugong! Kugogogong! This place was as complex as a maze¡­ I didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d ever find an exit, but in this situation I had no other choice, but to just wander around through this castle even though I hold the title of Prince of the Demon Realm. Let¡¯s think. I didn¡¯t really know what I was hoping would happen, but I had to think. There¡¯s no way to find out the structure of the Demon King¡¯s castle no matter how long I thought about it, as I didn¡¯t even know it to begin with. I didn¡¯t even see any of my loyal subordinates that could help me out or tell me where to go. Shouldn¡¯t there be someone like this sticking to my side? They¡¯d provide explanations on this world¡¯s common sense and the current situation without being prompted to. Something like: ¡°Oh, this is this and that, but in this and this situation, this is where you¡¯d blah, blah!¡± They¡¯d either die right after they fulfilled their role or they became my advisor! Why didn¡¯t I have someone like that?! Just because I was this novel¡¯s writer, did they think I didn¡¯t need someone like that? The Demon King would die in today¡¯s battle. I didn¡¯t know if there was a genre for this, but I tried writing this novel in the style of a Post-ending story. A happy world after the story came to its conclusion. The part where everyone lived happily ever after, after defeating the Demon King. The world after the story of the heroes¡¯ journey to defeat the Demon King came to its conclusion after his death. That¡¯s the stage of [The Demon King is Dead]. The hero and his party, who were the protagonists of the imaginary original story, are supposed to die here as well. Like this, the only way they get mentioned in the story is when they get praised as the heroes who saved the world. Except in the Prologue, they didn¡¯t have any other appearances. I had to come up with something. I had to come up with a way for me to survive. It had nothing to do with me that the Demon King, who was only my father, would die in this setting. If I was just a day earlier I could have maybe done something, but things were already set in motion. I needed someone to guide me, anyone who recognized me would do, the Demon King¡¯s attendant, anyone, but I didn¡¯t even catch the glimpse of a single hair of someone like that. They might already be dead or locked in battle with the human forces trying to besiege the castle outside. And the hero party who infiltrated through the castle¡¯s basement should¡¯ve been fighting with the Demon King in the audience hall. I could escape using that underground passage, but I had no idea where it was. The hero knows this Castle better than me, the Demon Prince! That was my situation! -Ruuuumble! Just the sounds coming from the main stage were really terrifying. After the Demon King died, the castle would fall. The strong magic barrier that was supported by the Demon King¡¯s Mana would be lifted, and human soldiers would rush in here like surging waves. I couldn¡¯t look in the mirror, but I could feel a pair of horns on my head. I didn¡¯t know how different I looked from humans, but this alone was enough to reveal that I was a demon. How was I supposed to survive in a situation like this? No matter how much you knew what was going to happen in the future, what¡¯s the point of that if you were born right before a truck drives you over? The Title of Demon Prince and the advantages I actually had were only useful if I was alive! I only found out that I died a few hours ago, but here I was already on the verge of dying again. ¡°Hah¡­. Haah¡­.¡± I was already out of breath, because I ran around the Demon King¡¯s castle without knowing where I was. Wasn¡¯t there anything special about the Demon King¡¯s bloodline? Or was it because I was still so young? No, this body was just hella weak. How could I be 17 and have such poor stamina? This body should be in its prime! I have no idea what talents this blood brought with it, but for now it was clearly useless. After running for some time, I finally was able to see my own face reflected in a window. I looked at it, but it didn¡¯t seem much different from a human¡¯s. I had horns on my head though. No. These horns were the only thing that stood out besides¡­ I looked quite handsome. ¡°Oh, oh¡­. Oh!¡± Handsome. No, now wasn¡¯t the time for this. Absolutely not. It was all over if I died! To think I¡¯d feel even the slightest bit of happiness in this kind of situation¡­. I felt more miserable about getting happy. I tried to endure not to shout out in fear or joy. If I survive this place, I¡¯ll treat this body preciously. I wish I could show my ex-girlfriend my current body, though I won¡¯t be able to see her ever again¡­ Let¡¯s calm down for now. First, the horns. The horns on my head were a problem. If the human army caught me like this, I should be grateful if they just quietly cut my head off. There¡¯s a good chance they¡¯d do even worse. If I knew how to use magic, maybe I could have changed my appearance with magic. Huh? I suddenly stopped running. ¡°That place!¡± I quickly turned around and ran back. That method might be surprisingly simple. So simple, one could call it ridiculous. Although I had no clue about the Demon King¡¯s castle¡¯s layout, I definitely remembered the places I passed by. Although I didn¡¯t know what¡¯s in those rooms or what I could do in them. In the places I passed by, there might be something that could save me somehow. -Rumble¡­. The quaking was starting to abate. It seemed like the fight had stopped. If the Demon King died, the castle would fall immediately. I had no time to lose. * * * ¡°Quickly¡­. Quickly¡­.¡± The first place I went into was the magic item storage. I didn¡¯t have a clue what was in there, but there had to be something in there that could help me out. There were a lot of magic items rolling around, but those weren¡¯t things I wanted. I went to the scroll storage where scrolls were piled up to the ceiling. There were some missing, but fortunately they were ordered and had the spells they contained written on them. The thing I was looking for was none other than a teleport scroll. Getting out of this place somehow was my top priority. I didn¡¯t know what I¡¯d do next, but that was something to think about after I got out of here alive. [Inferno] [Glacial Strike] [Blizzard] [Blazing Storm] . . . There was a scroll cabinet that was apparently once full of powerful magic scrolls, but now it was empty. As a writer, there were many things I had no idea about, but I did know about this world¡¯s common sense and world view. Scrolls that made it easy to cast spells were sinfully expensive and difficult to make. Scrolls containing such powerful attack magic were being treated as powerful strategic weapons by modern standards. Scrolls could even be used by those who didn¡¯t know how to use magic simply by opening them. So they were worth their price. However, currently, the magic scroll cabinet that contained those powerful magic scrolls was empty. We were in the state of an all out war now after all. They took whatever they could with them. Damn it, what if they took all the teleportation scrolls with them? I don¡¯t know how they were going to use them, but that was definitely a possibility. I searched the huge scroll storage and looked through countless scrolls. I didn¡¯t have much time. Most of the attack magic scrolls got taken out, but the storage was still overflowing with scrolls. There were some so small, I couldn¡¯t even tell what magic they contained. Many subtype scrolls were left behind, such as fascination, delusion, illusion etc. Obviously teleportation was one of the highest leveled magic spells in this world. Teleport scrolls weren¡¯t common, but this was the Demon King¡¯s castle, for crying out loud. And after looking at that highest-level scroll cabinet just now, it was pretty clear that they should have teleport scrolls as well. ¡°Found it!¡± Among the pile of countless scrolls, I finally found it. [Teleport] I didn¡¯t really know where to go. I¡¯ll just think about where to go after I cast the magic. As long as it wasn¡¯t this place, I was fine with anywhere. Even somewhere in the human realm was fine. It may have taken me 10 minutes or maybe an hour to find this, but death came closer with each passing second, so I just opened the scroll quickly. And then. Nothing happened. [Teleporting is forbidden in this area.] ¡°Oh my god!¡± The barrier made it impossible to use space related skills or magic that moved one through space inside of it. Even Though the Demon King was dead, was the barrier that interrupted space travel still active? Well, if that weren¡¯t the case the heroes would¡¯ve just teleported in and wouldn¡¯t have used a secret passage. I tried to justify my thoughtless rough writing. The heroes didn¡¯t have to teleport, they just entered the Demon King¡¯s castle through a secret passage. Wasn¡¯t it obvious? If they could teleport, why would they use a secret passage? There should¡¯ve been that kind of comment. If someone commented something like this while I was still alive, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten punished like this. I didn¡¯t know about warp gates, but teleport scrolls were out of question now. There might be such a gate somewhere, but even if there was, I wouldn¡¯t know where it was. -Waaaaaaah! Shouts began to echo from afar. The human army must be pushing the demon army back, after their morale had fallen to the bottom, like autumn leaves. Should I just die like this? If I just had some offensive magic scrolls here, I¡¯d have bought time with those. However, there were only auxiliary magic scrolls, that had no use in war, here. I was the Prince of the Demon Realm, but I turned out to be some loser dog with no power. The fancy clothes I wore on my body were only to show that I was the main character of the Demon Realm¡­¡­ A minute later. Fancy clothes. My appearance as a Demon. And. Magic scrolls scattered around the floor. There was still one straw I could grab onto. * * * I didn¡¯t know if this would work, but that was the only thing left I could do now. There might be other methods, but to survive, I had to gamble with my life anyway. In this situation in which I was completely surrounded and didn¡¯t know the location of the secret passage, I had only one goal. To survive. Where I arrived was. ¡°Haah¡­. Haah¡­.¡± The [Prison] As I descended to this dark, moldy smelling place, I threw away all my clothes and went in naked. It would have been nice to just have a few extra scrolls with me, but I had to gamble and throw everything away. If I had something with me, that would have been too suspicious. The magic spell I wanted to use was a low-level one. However, in my situation it was the most fitting spell. One, my plan wouldn¡¯t work without. [Casting Camouflage Magic.] I changed my appearance. I disguised myself as a human prisoner caught by the Demons. Chapter 3 The huge confinement facility was in the form of a prison. I couldn¡¯t help but be speechless at the disgusting stench and horrifying sight in front of me. If what I¡¯d seen up until now were the corpses of demons that got attacked by the heroes that infiltrated the castle, then what was found here were¡­. All corpses of humans. ¡°Urg¡­.¡± There were no guards, but it looked like they had just killed all the prisoners before they went to the battlefield. I felt vomit coming up, but I held it in. Most of them were horribly torn to shreds. They were disastrous corpses. I couldn¡¯t even tell what they were subjected to. I didn¡¯t have any time to hesitate, but my hands and feet just couldn¡¯t stop trembling. There was, of course, a difference between writing something and seeing something in person. The unrecognizable, torn corpses were very hard to look at. There was a mixture of blood and feces everywhere. Someone died right outside an open cell door, perhaps they tried to escape. It looked so bad that I didn¡¯t even want to look at it. I was on the verge of cussing myself out. This was what I was looking for. ¡°God fucking damn it¡­. damn it.¡­.¡± Were the sins I committed in my previous life so great? To the point that I had to strip off the clothes of corpses whose shapes were unrecognizable just to survive? I put down my fancy clothes to pick up rags and wear them. I stripped the rags from a corpse that should be called pieces of flesh rather than a corpse. I couldn¡¯t afford any unnecessary pride so I took off my underwear as well and rolled around on the dirty floor with the rags on. The feeling of having sticky blood on my face was terrible. I had no opportunity to look in a mirror, but I must have looked terrible. In the end, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore and kneeled over. ¡°Huueewek!¡± I gagged, but nothing came out. I could hear shouts coming from outside that seemed like distant echoes. With this my preparations were completed. I could either go into a prison cell in a corner and lock myself in or I could pretend that I managed to escape. From now on, all I could do was pray that no one could look through my camouflage magic. By the way, who the hell was I supposed to pray to? Shit. I wandered around the prison cell in a miserable mood. The prison cell, which was previously filled with so many people to the point of bursting, now housed nothing but corpses. Did they have to kill them all? Is that what demons are like? And. -Sob. Sob, sob¡­. I could hear someone crying somewhere. There were survivors. I didn¡¯t know who, but someone was still alive here. I instinctively moved towards that place. Fear rose, but I couldn¡¯t help, but go look. My body moved faster than I thought. Before anything else, I thought I should help whoever was alive in this horrifying place. These sentiments also gave me a sense of relief as it was proof that I was still a normal person. ¡°Wh, who¡­.. Is anyone there¡­?¡± ¨C Urg¡­. Sob. sob¡­¡­. It was a very quiet, powerless, fragmented cry, like the cry of a small animal. I passed by a few gruesome sights showcased in the prison cells. ¡°Sob¡­. uuh¡­. hnng¡­.¡± Soon, I could see a little girl crying in a cracked voice, hugging something shaped like a human. I could roughly guess what kind of situation this was. There was also a mass of bodies and flesh scattered about. I hated to assume this, but judging by the remains, there seemed to have been five of them there. The crying girl not included. She was crying while hugging a corpse with an uncertain form, as if she didn¡¯t even realize I was in front of her. I couldn¡¯t even tell how that corpse died or how this child survived. However, the only thing I could tell was that this corpse the girl was holding was probably someone precious to her. ¡°Hey, calm down¡­.¡± ¡°.¡­Urg, sob! Don¡¯t!¡± Only after I knocked against the cage did the girl lift her head and look at me. Although she was covered in blood, I could tell that she had blonde hair and golden eyes. She was very skinny. The girl looked at me, got startled and pulled back. ¡°H, huh! Wh, wh¡­¡­ Who. Who, how¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, do, don¡¯t worry! I¡­ I was stuck here too!¡± The girl was mumbling gibberish as if she lost all her reason. ¡°I, I¡­¡­ I¡¯ll get you out. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes were filled with fear and sadness. She seemed to think of something as she looked at me, a person in rags like her. The girl looked at my eyes, arms and legs. She was looking at me who was terrified by these harrowing sights I was never exposed to before. Then the girl nodded slowly and softly. She was shaking, but it felt like she had chosen to believe me. As if she had no other choice but to trust me, when she suddenly encountered me in this incomprehensible environment. Did she believe I was in the same situation as her, because I was affected by these sights? This was only possible because I wasn¡¯t a Demon Prince at my core. ¡°Hey, do you know where the keys are? I¡¯ll bring them over.¡± ¡°M, maybe¡­¡­ The, there¡­¡­¡± Without a word the girl pointed to the other end of the prison. It¡¯s true that I felt compelled to save this child. However, it was also true that I had these calculating thoughts that my chances of survival would increase if other survivors could testify that I was also imprisoned here. * * * I didn¡¯t know which one the right key was, so I brought all the key rings I could find in the warden¡¯s office at the end of the prison cells. While I was trying every key, the girl kept on crying. She was just crying. As if she lost all hope. ¡°Can you hear the sounds outside?¡± ¡° Yes¡­.¡± The shouts of the humans could be heard. I couldn¡¯t go into detail, but I somehow wanted to tell her that everything¡¯s going to be fine. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.¡± Inevitably, this war had already been won by the humans. At my fearful yet confident words, the girl continued to weep and nodded her head. Finding the right key took a lot of time. I wondered if it was really necessary to open the door, but I wanted to get her out of that miserable place for now. ¡°It might be dangerous to go out, but¡­. Let¡¯s open it up for now. Even if you don¡¯t want to go out of there¡± ¡°Ye, yes¡­¡­ ¡± The girl¡¯s voice was shaking violently. Rather, it seemed that she lost control of her emotions after meeting another living human like her. Still, I, as the older of us two, should put her mind at ease. ¡°Calm down¡­. We¡¯ll live. You¡¯ll be able to live.¡± That¡¯s also what I wanted to say to myself. You have to get out of this goddamn place and survive. I had to. I mumbled ¡°Let¡¯s calm down, let¡¯s calm down, we can live¡± to myself as if I was trying to hypnotise myself. Just looking at her I could tell that she was seriously skinny. I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how hungry she must be. Ah. Come to think of that. ¡°Wait, wait a minute.¡± ¡°H, huh? Huh?¡± I ran somewhere instead of continuing to try to open the door with one of the keys. The child seemed to be calling me, but I ran like the wind and rummaged through the clothes I had taken off. Then I came back with the stuff I pulled out from there. ¡°See. I found this in the place the keys were.¡± I didn¡¯t have to tell her the truth, so I told her a little lie and handed her a biscuit. It was a biscuit I had unnecessarily in my pocket. I just remembered that I threw it away together with my clothes. ¡°You must be hungry, so eat this.¡± The girl suddenly saw a palm-sized biscuit in her hand, which made her open her eyes wide. Yeah, things are sad and depressing, but you should also feel hellishly hungry. The girl was staring blankly at me who gave her the whole biscuit. ¡°Y, y¡­¡­ You?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. You eat first.¡± I started fumbling with the keys again. The girl was silently staring, as if she was trying to decide if it was fine for her to eat it or not. Time passed, then -Crunch! Along with that sound, something got pushed against my mouth, while I was still preoccupied with finding the right key. ¡°Y, you, too¡­¡­ You eat, too.¡± The girl wept and offered me half of the biscuit. How much determination did it take her to cut it and give me half of it? I felt emotional for some reason. Are we like this just to atone for some kind of sin we committed? Didn¡¯t I atone enough by dying after reading some malicious comments already? My eyes turned cold, as I started to feel indignant for no apparent reason. ¡°Thank you.¡± The girl started to cry again after she bit into the biscuit. I didn¡¯t know whether she cried because it was delicious or because she was sad. What does food taste like after having endured such terrible hunger? I didn¡¯t know, but I thought I knew to some extent why she cried. -Clack! As soon as I took a bite out of the biscuit, the iron door opened. * * * The cage was open, but the girl didn¡¯t come out. Perhaps she didn¡¯t want to leave that body she was holding behind. I was about to carry it out as well, however, I knew that it wasn¡¯t such a good idea to go outside. It might still be dangerous. It was for the best to wait here. So rather than opening the prison cell to let someone out I did this bizarre thing of walking into it. ¡°Can ¡­¡­. the Demon King be killed¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I think he¡¯s already dead. I wasn¡¯t fazed by the death of my unknown biological father. The girl quivered and murmured things while shedding tears, her head buried in her knees. ¡°Artorius said he¡¯d come rescue us¡­¡­.¡± Unfortunately, the Demon King probably dragged Artorius down with him. He wouldn¡¯t be able to save us, but the human side will most probably come here. ¡°Yeah. Someone¡¯s coming to save us.¡± This wasn¡¯t just a speculation, it was the truth. However, whether the army will come to save me or not was the most important thing. I mean, I wasn¡¯t the Demon King after all. ¡°I can¡¯t hear them anymore.¡± The girl trembled. The overflowing roars suddenly came to a halt. Thinking that the human army was defeated, the girl grew more and more afraid. I reached out and hugged her by the shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything¡¯s going to be fine.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The girl seemed surprised that I said that. ¡°You¡­. You are so calm¡­.¡± These words seemed kind of eerie and made me stiffen a little ¡°Oh, no. I, I¡¯m¡­¡­ Also very scared.¡± I think it was because I was next to a child, so I exaggerated a little, but it¡¯s true that I was scared as all hell. You¡¯d be fine, but I might get my head cut off soon. Still, the girl didn¡¯t seem suspicious of my calmness. ¡°What¡¯s your¡­. Name?¡± The girl asked for my name. My name was Valier Jr. here. Since the Demon King Valier was dead, my name must be Valier now. I couldn¡¯t tell her that name. That would be like I was asking to get myself killed. To begin with, even a normal human would get stoned if they named themselves after the Demon King. ¡°That, see¡­¡­. I don¡¯t remember¡­.¡± In the end, I gave her the first excuse that came to my mind. ¡°Well¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know, I can¡¯t remember anything. Who I am, why I¡¯m here¡­¡­ Everything.¡± That was the most convenient excuse I could come up with. Amnesia. I decided on going with the setting of having lost my memory after these endless days of merciless torture. I can¡¯t believe the day would come when I had to use this dog-like concept. ¡°Sob¡­¡­. What should we do¡­¡­¡± The girl hugged me as if she felt sorry for me. I felt a little guilty because she believed it so quickly. The girl held me in her slender arms, but she gave me a bit of strength as well. ¡°I, if I could get out of here¡­¡­ If I get out¡­¡­ I¡¯ll definitely get your memories back¡­¡­ I promise.¡± Hmm? How though? -Clack, clack Before I could finish thinking, I heard someone running from a distance. It wasn¡¯t the only thing I could hear. -This seems to be the prison! -They¡¯re all dead! Those were definitely human voices. People who I couldn¡¯t tell if they were knights or soldiers rushed to check the prison cells and finally met our eyes. ¡°Holy, survivors! We have survivors!¡± The emotional exclamation from the one who found us rang through the prison. Tears welled up in the girl¡¯s eyes, and my heart started racing like crazy in a weird mix of fear, excitement and relief. Then a middle-aged knight followed the shouts and finally stepped before us. As soon as he saw the girl, his face horribly contorted. ¡°Oh, oooh¡­¡­ Oh, woe, Her Majesty the Princess¡­.¡± No¡­.. No, what? Chapter 4 The girl I spoke with was none other than Charlotte de Gardias, the first princess of the Gardias Empire, the largest Empire on the continent. Let¡¯s say this was like these common situations. Let¡¯s say I was really a prisoner in the Demon King¡¯s Castle and I really suffered from amnesia. I then proceeded to try to get a crying girl out of her cell without knowing what happened, comforted her and even got her something to eat because I pitied her for starving like that. However, she turned out to actually be the imperial princess who was captured by the demon king army! Then let¡¯s say I was to be rescued together with the princess. So let¡¯s just say that the princess was to tell them to treat me with their utmost respect. The best expression that would fit this was ¡°what a cliche¡±. However. I was a demon who changed his appearance with low-level camouflage magic. What, wasn¡¯t I kind of screwed if things developed like that? I was led out of the Demon King¡¯s Castle like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse, and arrived at a place close to the barracks of the commander-in-chief of the Demon Conquest Army garrison far away from the battlefield. Countless wizards and priests got close to the princess and immediately jumped into action. They also took some measures on me. To my relief, I didn¡¯t have any undead attributes so the healing magic the priests cast on me didn¡¯t cause damage or something. It sure was fortunate that I didn¡¯t have a constitution that rejected sacred power. Of course, I already knew that that wouldn¡¯t be a problem. If it were, I wouldn¡¯t even have tried to get rescued by the human¡¯s side. Not long after I became a dirty bastard, a lot of people clung to me to wash, wipe and clean me. It was a hot day, but the fear that I might die if I made a mistake made me overcome everything. If a wizard cast a spell to, for example, dispel curses on me, everything would be over. Fortunately, a large number of troops were put into searching the Demon King¡¯s Castle, and it seemed difficult for them to just take care of the Princess as there were a lot of bleeding and injured people among the wizard forces. However, the question was, was Charlotte naturally good-natured or did she somehow take a liking to me? ¡°Please look after this person. He¡¯s my benefactor after all.¡± In the end, the problem was that she cared too much about me. Despite her own lack of energy, she was constantly instructing them to take care of me first. I bowed to the girl I put my arm around not too long ago. ¡°N, no. It¡¯s alright, Your Highness. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m really healthy. Yes.¡± Actually, I didn¡¯t even do anything special. ¡°You said you lost your memory. You must have had a severe curse put on you.¡± ¡°N, no, that¡¯s not it! I don¡¯t need to remember. Yeah, it¡¯s not such a big deal. Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± No, I know you¡¯re a nice girl, but won¡¯t you leave me some space? You¡¯re giving me much too much for just one biscuit. Eventually, I was allowed to lie in the private room next to the barracks after persuading the nursing staff who couldn¡¯t even catch a break taking care of me and the princess. They were close to collapsing. First of all. I felt like I just escaped a collapsing cave only to jump into the mouth of a tiger. [Event complete ¨C Downfall] [You have earned 100 achievement points.] I somehow broke through the first hurdle.. * * * The princess¡¯ consideration for me was persistent. After some essential first aid was over, the princess summoned me back to the barracks. There was a huge amount of food set on a table. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have eaten well. Go ahead and eat.¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­. Yes.¡± However, I couldn¡¯t easily touch it. There were too many eyes looking at me right now. The princess stared at me and nodded as if she understood what was going on. She seemed to think that I was someone that couldn¡¯t get even a single corn of rice down my throat if so many people were looking at me. The princess looked at the surrounding guards, wizards and priests. ¡°Go out and wait.¡± ¡°Bu, but Your Highness¡­.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the Demon King is dead and this place became safe?¡± At the princess¡¯ gentle command, everyone left the barracks, leaving only me and the princess behind. She looked at me quietly. ¡°Let¡¯s eat quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, huh? Ah, yes. Yes.¡± The princess grabbed the roasted turkey leg with her bare hands and began to bite into it. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It seemed like she kicked them out because she wanted to eat comfortably. ¡°E, erm¡­¡­ Uh. Wo, won¡¯t we get sick¡­¡­?¡± If one starved for such a long time and ate something like this, wouldn¡¯t it cause problems in the stomach that may lead to one¡¯s death? Do you trust the priests outside so much? ¡°You, too. Quickly eat.¡± There was no point telling her that. * * * The meal was quite large, so I had time to sort out my thoughts while the princess munched away. In the Prologue, the Demon King Valier died, but there was a situation that happened before that. An all-out war between the humans and the Demon Realm called the Demon World, the Demon World War. Naturally, since there was a war going on, the hero destroyed the Demon King. Although they ended up destroying each other. Although the reason behind the war wasn¡¯t known, it was started under the Demons¡¯ name. Demon King Valier had incredibly powerful forces and tried to make the Human Coalition surrender. Valier used his spies hidden in various parts of the Human Forces to kidnap key figures of the Coalition. He kidnapped politicians, kings, powerful warriors and wizards themselves or their families to prevent them from participating in the war. And the most important hostage was the First Princess of the Gardias Empire and her mother. Valier succeeded in kidnapping the Empress and the Princess. If the Emperor pulled out of the war, it was clear that the other forces would follow one after the other. However, the Emperor knew that giving up on the Demon World War would be a great mistake. If the Empire pulled out, it would¡¯ve been destroyed. In the end, he had no choice but to give up on the hostages and launch an all-out war. All the hostages were killed, but after many twists and turns, the princess survived. Was it something like that.¡­? No. I don¡¯t think so. Let¡¯s think about it. It¡¯s definitely a novel I wrote, but honestly, I couldn¡¯t remember each and every sentence. The prologue was relatively less memorable. I wrote that part the longest ago after all. The princess, who ate in front of me with a cute face, wasn¡¯t the main character of my novel, which was a school drama. To be honest, I didn¡¯t even know that her name was Charlotte de Gardias. It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t remember it, I didn¡¯t know it in the first place. It wasn¡¯t like not remembering the name of someone passing by, but later when seeing the name of said person written down going ¡°Oh, right there was someone like that.¡±. I couldn¡¯t remember the princess¡¯ name at all. Let¡¯s think about this some more. What I wrote had become reality. As a result, all the parts that I hadn¡¯t imagined got filled in. This was the world I knew and at the same time, it was a world filled with things I didn¡¯t recognize at all. The soldiers guarding the door outside each had their own pasts, but I didn¡¯t know them. Even though this is the world I thought up, it was natural that things were like this. This was like virtual settings suddenly becoming reality after all. Therefore, there would always be events in this world happening even though I hadn¡¯t described them and there should also be events that already happened. There were things in the past, present and future I had no clue about. However, the sentences I wrote would definitely come true. The Emperor gave up on the hostages and launched an all-out war. The subjugation of the Demon Realm was successful and if the Emperor pulled out of the war because of the hostages he would have received a lot of backlash by the other participants and the possibility of the Empire falling because of that wasn¡¯t small. This was true. And I never wrote anything about the first princess, which must be quite important for the main narrative. Of course, this was supposed to be just a normal slice-of-life school thing, however the imperial family¡¯s history got mentioned slightly as well. However, the first princess was right in front of me and yet I have never written anything about this girl. Although this might be misguided inference, what if there was a character with the role of princess abducted by the Demon King? Wouldn¡¯t I¡¯ve forced her into the narrative and made her more important? An important character that was sure to appear on the main stage, to deviate from the main narrative isn¡¯t something that should occur. Although the princess should occupy an important role later in the story, she doesn¡¯t even appear in the future. She was the first princess who survived the Demon World War, you know? However, why doesn¡¯t this character appear and why do I as the writer have no clue about her? I had no choice but to regard my own novel as some kind of prophecy. I had to do this strange thing where I had to interpret my own writing. The writer was usually ignorant of the vestiges of the story, however now I was experiencing said vestiges. They would now be and will be filled with things and I have no idea, with what. I had to locate the blanks of the story that were filled as this world became reality and connect them to the future I knew. I had to deduce how this bivalent narrative affected the future I knew. The princess was rescued like this right now, but she didn¡¯t appear in the future in the imperial family¡¯s story at all. I had to figure out the answer using two facts. There were two possible answers. First. My existence somehow made the princess who was supposed to die immediately live. It didn¡¯t seem strange that the princess who was crying all alone could maybe take her own life. Also, she was extremely malnourished. However, could that just be solved with a single biscuit? Anyway, there was a possibility that my existence saved the princess. It was very low, but it was there. Second. This possible answer relied on the assumption that there may have been a huge event happening in my novel of which I wasn¡¯t aware of. For instance, the big events I wrote would still flow as intended. There may be other reasons behind that. So, let¡¯s say event A happened. I did write a description for it, but behind the scenes, there might have been a completely different factor that caused event A to happen. Let¡¯s say I wrote, it just happened out of nowhere. What should I do in that case? Let¡¯s say the reasoning was written irresponsibly like that. However, it wouldn¡¯t be too absurd for there to be a backstory, a reason for this to happen the moment this world became reality. In other words, there might have been some kind of probability correction. That was what happened when I tried to use the teleportation scroll a while ago. So I¡¯d know what incidents were going to happen in this world, but not why. This was a very strange situation. This all happened because I wrote this story so irresponsibly and rough without explaining things properly. Was this my punishment for being imprecise? So, unless I was the reason for the princess¡¯ survival, there was only one more answer. She would be killed or would die soon. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± The cute little princess asked me calmly. * * * Even in slice-of-life stories, villains were needed. There may be slice-of-life stories without villains, but these were in the realm of masterpieces. The presence of a villain simplified the narrative process. If one just wrote a bad guy did it, one can explain away a lot of things. Why did he do that? If someone asked something like this, one could just explain it with ¡°Because he¡¯s a bad guy lol¡±. So, I wasn¡¯t skilled enough to write a slice-of-life story without a villain. [The Demon King is Dead]¡¯s main villain was Imperial Prince Bertus de Gardias. There were some minor villains, but the prince was a little different. If one would call the villains found at the Academy kind of sloppy and second-rated, the prince would be the real deal. He was the type to conspire to kill people. I gave him the setting that he¡¯d do anything to become the next emperor. From Bertus¡¯ perspective, the existence of the first princess who returned alive after getting abducted by the demons would only be a thorn in his side. Just because she had gone through such hardship, the princess would be in a position that garnered a lot of attention, and seeing as to how she was the First Princess their succession rights to the throne would be similar. Bertus would be embarrassed to know that the first princess was alive and not dead. He would have, of course, thought that she died, but she came back alive. If that were the case, then there was a good chance that Charlotte would soon be killed by Bertus or one of his people. Charlotte would die behind the scenes at the vestiges of the main story. She wouldn¡¯t even be able to join the main story. Charlotte would probably die soon. The possibility that she won¡¯t even make it to the Empire isn¡¯t that low either. Charlotte would be in danger soon. I don¡¯t know how though. While I was thinking about that, the princess was letting out a sigh as she was finally full. Would I be able to save this girl? My life was like a fallen leaf in the wind, so was I even in any position to care about someone else¡¯s life? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for me if Charlotte just died here and the wizards turned their gazes away from me? Just when that thought went through my mind, a sense of horror ran down my spine. I was an ordinary person. This wasn¡¯t an ordinary situation, but I was still just an ordinary person. Just the thought of planning to survive using such a young child¡¯s death already made me feel disgusted with myself. Charlotte was the closest to an ally I had and she was in a situation in which she wouldn¡¯t know when her head might get cut off. Having Charlotte on my side would make her a great force to have though, no matter what unexpected situation might happen in the future. Let¡¯s think like that. The only time we were able to talk was now. After the meal was over, the guards would come back in again. Then we couldn¡¯t talk about any important things. How the hell was I supposed to convey to her that her life was in danger? How was I supposed to explain why I knew that? Charlotte wiped the grease from the corner of her mouth as she looked at me. The look in Charlotte¡¯s eyes, which had been innocent and pure until now, seemed to have suddenly turned cold. Just when I thought that the atmosphere around her suddenly changed, Charlotte talked in a low voice. ¡°Now, listen carefully.¡± Charlotte¡¯s demeanor was more serious than before. ¡°Our lives are in danger.¡± Charlotte brought up what I had wanted to say before me. And she told me it¡¯s us who¡¯s in danger, not just her. I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s you. Chapter 5 I had no other choice but to give an evasive answer to Charlotte¡¯s words, that relieved me somewhat. ¡°Hu,huh?¡± The princess was already aware that her life was in danger. Rather, the way she stared at me so calmly confirmed to me that my guesses were correct. she was looking at me with such serious eyes, as if she was never so preoccupied with the food. ¡°It¡¯s difficult for me to go into detail, but my half-brother, Bertus, was probably blindly waiting for me to die. For him, knowing that I was still alive, would be like a thorn in his side.¡± The girl that was sitting in a prison cell holding her mother¡¯s body and crying was completely gone. Charlotte, who returned to her seat, was calm, as if she realized again that she was a member of the imperial family. However, Bertus actually had a lot of followers. He was a villain, but he sure wasn¡¯t incompetent. ¡°However, I don¡¯t know how he plans to kill me. I don¡¯t know who will do it, I just know it will happen soon.¡± She didn¡¯t know how she was going to be attacked and Charlotte didn¡¯t know who to trust in this chaotic situation just after the end of a war. Due to most forces searching the Demon King¡¯s Castle and cleaning up the stragglers, almost all the main forces were missing. ¡°And the people I turst aren¡¯t here. I think it was intentional.¡± When Charlotte was rescued, she realized that none of her own were around. Then something flashed through my mind like lightning. ¡°Hoh, so that¡¯s why you told the people to leave¡­.¡± ¡°Well, yes.¡± In the first place, she kicked everyone out except me because she couldn¡¯t be sure if any of them would end up being her killer except me. Rather, Charlotte was a lot more cautious than I was. She didn¡¯t know who to trust, or when she¡¯d be killed. How could one know if they hadn¡¯t poisoned the food? ¡°Hey, the food might gotten poisoned¡­.¡± At my words, the princess laughed. ¡°If they poisoned the food, I¡¯d just eat it and die then, in this situation.¡± She was so hungry she didn¡¯t care anymore. I couldn¡¯t imagine just how hungry the princess was, but it seemed like she was so starved that she¡¯d rather die than not eat the food in front of her. She was so hungry that she¡¯d even eat poisoned food. Fortunately, there wasn¡¯t any poison in it. ¡°Most people stationed in these barracks will be enemies.¡± ¡°Is¡­¡­ that so?¡± Charlotte was convinced that not just a few but most of them were her enemies. ¡°I tried to leave the barracks a few times before, but they didn¡¯t let me, with the excuse that I should relax. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re trying to lock me up.¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice was getting lower and lower. ¡°It¡¯s not known yet that I was rescued. They didn¡¯t want to announce this either.¡± Is that so? Even when she got rescued, she came out wrapped in something like a thick coat. Charlotte was convinced that there weren¡¯t other survivors inside the Demon King¡¯s Castle. ¡°They¡¯re probably waiting for instructions on how to deal with me. That¡¯s why they don¡¯t want it to be known that I¡¯m alive. After killing me, there¡¯s a high possibility that they¡¯ll just say I died in the Demon King¡¯s Castle.¡± They would make it out that she died in the Demon King¡¯s Castle, but would keep quiet about her getting rescued, so there they could say that they retrieved the corpse from inside the Demon King¡¯s Castle. Charlotte was looking at a number of possibilities. From the outside it seemed like they cared for the First Princess, however, in reality, it was more like hundreds of people holding Charlotte in custody. Just the thought gave me goosebumps all over my body. It didn¡¯t look like that at all. At least to me. However, Charlotte already knew their intentions. ¡°So I, who was rescued with you, am also in danger.¡± Obviously, Charlotte said ¡®our¡¯ life is in danger and not ¡®my¡¯ life is in danger after all. This wasn¡¯t just a matter of them finding out if I¡¯m a demon or not anymore. Bertus¡¯ followers would remove anyone who knew the first princess was alive, and I wasn¡¯t going to be an exception. In the end, I was in a position in which I had no other choice but to try my hardest to keep Charlotte safe. ¡°Listen. We¡¯ll leave the barracks now.¡± She was in even greater danger after getting rescued, so she was planning to escape from this non-surveillance. ¡°Are we even able to run away?¡± But with so many soldiers patrolling the grounds, was it even possible to escape properly? ¡°Of course we can¡¯t run away, but that¡¯s not the point.¡± Charlotte laughed. ¡°I want as many people as possible to know that I¡¯m alive.¡± Her purpose wasn¡¯t to run away, but to inform the ordinary soldiers of her survival. No. But. I was older. So why did she seem so much smarter than me? Charlotte rose from her seat, while I felt a strange sense of defeat. The meal was over. * * * No one even imagined that Charlotte de Gardias could still be alive, so there wasn¡¯t much surveillance in the barracks Charlotte and I were in. They were now waiting for instructions from above and didn¡¯t seem to think that we¡¯d be able to get away. Even if I called it barracks, it was really just a tent. Escaping from it was simple. I slightly cut the tent in the back with a knife provided for the meal and checked their movements outside. After cutting a hole in the tent, we crawled outside. We came out from the back and not its entrance so there were only a few troops walking around. It was quiet, which was understandable, as most of them were gathered in the Demon King¡¯s Castle and not the garrison. No one seemed to have expected that the princess would feel her life in danger and escaped as soon as she was rescued. Yeah, that was normal. I was surprised by her behavior as well. However, we couldn¡¯t walk around for long. They¡¯d soon find out we were gone. Charlotte knew that as well. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll be caught soon.¡± One might wonder why she came out when she knew that she¡¯d be caught soon, however, Charlotte¡¯s purpose was to reveal her own survival to everyone so it didn¡¯t matter. Just rumors about it alone would prolong Charlotte¡¯s life a little longer. Like this, the fact that she was still alive would spread among the ordinary soldiers, preventing her death from being made out as something that happened in the Demon King¡¯s Castle. This could keep her alive for a bit until she found an alternative method. That was Charlotte¡¯s purpose. ¡°You go ahead.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up a little as she looked at me. ¡°You have to come back as soon as possible.¡± At that moment, I was able to catch a glimpse of Charlotte¡¯s fear of having to face death again. Yes. You must live, no matter what. I left Charlotte behind and started running through the grounds. -H, her, her Majesty the Princess? -Her Majesty the Princess is alive! Soon after, the cries of the remaining troops could be heard echoing through the camp. Charlotte would be taken back to the HQ barracks, but that would leave me with greater freedom of movement. ¡®If they find out that you¡¯re gone, they¡¯ll naturally try to find you as well. Run as far as possible. They won¡¯t try to kill you right away, but they will definitely kill you.¡¯ ¡®Find Sir Francis and make sure to come back together with him.¡¯ ¡®I need you to find him and make him my escort.¡¯ Just before we left the tent, Charlotte told me as such. Sir Francis. She said she didn¡¯t know who¡¯d be her enemies and who¡¯d be her allies. However, she said that there was only one person who could never be her enemy. The knight who rescued us, Francis. If he had been Bertus¡¯ minion he would¡¯ve killed us right on the spot, but saved us himself. That was why he couldn¡¯t be one of Bertus¡¯ servants. From the moment she got rescued, Charlotte already had a hunch that she was about to face another crisis before she was even able to be happy about having gotten saved. Originally, Charlotte would eventually get killed even though she was aware of the danger to her life. Charlotte couldn¡¯t do anything on her own to survive even with her wits. Which meant¡­ My success or failure determined Charlotte¡¯s life or death. Charlotte couldn¡¯t find Francis on her own. Perhaps she gave orders to bring him to her, but those orders wouldn¡¯t have been carried out. In the end, I had to find him myself and bring him to Charlotte¡¯s side. The soldiers coming and going from the vast barracks only titled their heads when they saw me running around, but none came directly towards me. While Charlotte¡¯s face was well known, mine was not, hence, making this possible. I approached one of the passing soldiers who looked like an officer and asked him. ¡°Do, do you know where Sir Francis is?¡± He looked down at me and nodded. ¡°Well? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I have an urgent message from the Commander-in-chief.¡± If I mentioned the princess here, it might take me some time to explain, so I had no choice but to cover this up with lies. He scanned my body and clothes from top to bottom. Fortunately, I changed into luxurious clothes, so I wasn¡¯t just dismissed. If I had worn the rags, he would have told me to get lost. ¡°I don¡¯t know Sir Francis very well, but I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s searching through the castle. I heard that most of the knights were sent there.¡± Damn it. After rescuing us, it seemed like he had focused on his original mission, searching the castle, again. No. No, wait a second. Bertus¡¯ minions would kill anyone who knew that Charlotte was alive. It¡¯s clear that Francis¡¯ life would also be in jeopardy. He wasn¡¯t loyal to Bertus, so he wouldn¡¯t keep his silence. Bertus, however, would want to eliminate anyone who knew of Charlotte¡¯s survival. I wasn¡¯t the only one whose life depended on Charlotte¡¯s survival. ¡°We must go find Sir Francis! His life is in danger!¡± ¡°Wha, what?!¡± I had no choice but to urgently shout to this unknown officer. Chapter 6 Perhaps because of the credibility that came with these clothes I wore or my urgent look, the unknown officer immediately put me on a horse without saying anything. Initially, this was a garrison, so it was far from the Demon King¡¯s Castle. How did it come to this? I had worked so hard to get out of there not too long ago and now I was already rushing back to the castle. I¡¯ve never sat on a horse before, however the officer sitting behind me held my body tightly, so I was able to endure the shaking somehow. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me the details? The castle has already been captured, so why is a knight¡¯s life in danger!?¡± I didn¡¯t know if this person was one of Bertus¡¯ minions or not, but this guy was pretty young. Did Bertus reach out his grubby fingers even down to the level of junior officers? I thought about that for a little while, but this guy was helping me for now. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when we find Sir Francis!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± I didn¡¯t need to persuade him any more, as he was still helping me right now. Maybe because this was my first time riding on a horse, my hip felt like it was about to break, but this wasn¡¯t the time to care about something like that. The Demon King¡¯s Castle was a mess as a result of this war and on the surrounding plains, demons who seemed to have been taken captive were being dragged along looking like dried corvinas. Not all of them were dead. Some of the Demons surrendered and became prisoners. I felt relieved that not all of them died, however, at the same time I felt guilty for betraying them in the end despite being their prince. ¡°What will happen to those Demons?¡± Despite the urgency of the situation, I posed such a random question. ¡°If it were a war between humans, we¡¯d take a ransom for them, but they¡¯re demons.¡± He talked as if I asked something strange. ¡°We¡¯ve taken them prisoner for now, but what else would we do other than kill them?¡± Negotiations were meaningless as their races were different. This was inevitable, because this was originally a war of annihilation. It was only natural that they were trying to destroy all seeds before they grow. It made my heart heavy. Even though I was an ordinary man who just suddenly entered the body of the demon prince, I couldn¡¯t easily shake off this dirty feeling. The officer and I dashed past the endless procession of prisoners. * * * The wide, open walls were destroyed everywhere and filled with numerous bodies. It felt terrible just seeing the sight of demon and human corpses being lined up next to each other. ¡°It¡¯s not something a kid should see.¡± He showed my kindness by covering my eyes while he rode the horse as he considered me as a child. I couldn¡¯t tell just how many humans and demons had died. We passed through the destroyed gates. Numerous carriages were lined up before it. They continued to load them with materials they found in the Demon King¡¯s Castle. The Demon Realm was destroyed in this Demon World War, and this long-standing conflict was finally resolved by the humans.. But the most important was still the material aspect. All countries that participated in the Demon World War would gain enormous wealth from selling the goods of the Demon Realm. So it was set up that a long golden age would start for the land of humans. It¡¯s said that they gained a long peaceful period in exchange for all the blood. However, I would have never imagined I¡¯d get to see this scene from the perspective of the demons. In the end, as if they were treating war as just a simple reason to plunder, numerous military forces swept up all of the Demon King¡¯s Castle¡¯s wealth. Wagons filled to the brim with supplies continued to leave the area and empty wagons kept replacing them. The officer took me to the command post inside the castle where they conducted the transport and search operation. The officer gave a salute to what appeared to be the commander. ¡°Lieutenant Dyrus, commander of the 3rd Platoon, 11th Company, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Imperial Corps!¡± He shouted his official name with a stiff face. Lieutenant Dyrus. I somehow found out his name. He was in the cavalry, so that¡¯s why he could ride so well even with me being there. The commander opposite of him didn¡¯t seem to have any idea who he was. That¡¯s to be expected. Going by his title he was probably way below the commander. ¡°What is it?¡± The officer, who seemed to be a very high-ranking officer, frowned while he looked alternately between me and the junior officer. He seemed like he would severely reprimand him if he couldn¡¯t give a proper explanation why he brought someone who wasn¡¯t even a soldier to this place. ¡°I brought this boy here because he said he had to deliver an urgent message from the Commander-in-chief to Sir Francis. I presumed it to be confidential, so I didn¡¯t ask him what it was.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Seeing my small lie growing bigger, I felt a chill run down my spine. However, he didn¡¯t ask him why the commander had sent an urgent message through someone like me. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± His face slightly stiffened. He seemed to know something. ¡°Sir Francis¡­. I just received a report that he was killed in an altercation with one of the demon remnants during the search of the Castle..¡± Bertus was the first to use his hand. Not only my, but also Lieutenant Daryus¡¯ expression hardened. ¡°Is the message something I should know about?¡± ¡°N, no! I was meant to deliver it to Sir Francis directly!¡± ¡°What a pity. Those damn demons should just curl up and die.¡± The commander¡¯s expression was grim, perhaps because he thought that he lost a great knight to the demons. No, well, he was definitely killed by humans and not demons though. ¡°Sir, this is not a place for a boy such as him. Hurry back.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Fortunately, the commander didn¡¯t interrogate me about the message or my identity. It seemed like he was too preoccupied with conducting this full-scale search of the castle. After leaving the command post, Lieutenant Dyrus grabbed my shoulder. ¡°How did this happen? How did the Commander-in-chief know that Sir Francis was in danger?¡± I said Sir Francis¡¯ life was in danger, and he actually died. I looked at the lieutenant in front of me. It was clear that he had very little authority here. However, now that Sir Francis got already killed, I needed someone else to help me. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the Commander-in-chief.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hoping that it wasn¡¯t a mistake to bring this person in. ¡°Her Highness sent me.¡± I told him the truth. * * * I explained the whole story to him in a secluded area of the castle where soldiers didn¡¯t pass by. I started from the point where the princess was still imprisoned and got rescued. ¡°So Sir Francis was killed by someone from our army and not the demons?¡± ¡°Yes, maybe¡­.¡± ¡°Shit. I can¡¯t even imagine how painful it must have been, but they were even trying to harm Her Highness the Princess as soon as she got rescued?¡± He clenched his teeth, seeming shocked to hear that there were people who planned such things. ¡°Then you¡¯re trying to rescue the Princess, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright, I admire your courage.¡± He patted me on the shoulder as if he was proud of me, who tried to save the princess even though I was powerless. Then he seemed amazed by the fact that there were hidden battles going on on their side, just as they claimed victory. ¡°I can¡¯t let that happen. I also want to become the Princess¡¯ power.¡± Even in this place with so many eyes, somehow an ally got killed by another. That would mean that Bertus¡¯ minions were spread out throughout the whole Imperial Army. ¡°I have to get to her as soon as possible. I¡¯m not as skilled as Sir Francis, but just having one more pair of eyes should be meaningful enough.¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Fortunately, Dyrus seemed to have a strong sense of justice and couldn¡¯t let this slide. I didn¡¯t tell him anything like he had to risk his life. He seemed to think that it was only natural to give up his life if that meant he could protect her. Just when he was about to leave as fast as he could, I had a thought pass through my head. ¡°Lieutenant. Wait.¡± ¡°What is it? I have to go back quickly.¡± I pointed at the lot of carts. ¡°There¡¯s a way to protect the princess right now.¡± Yes, I dared to return to the Demon King¡¯s Castle. ¡°This is the Demon King¡¯s Castle.¡± ¡°Right. What about it?¡± ¡°I saw that there was a storage room for magic items there when I got rescued.¡± I¡¯ve come this far, so I couldn¡¯t just go back empty-handed. ¡°Why don¡¯t we look for a teleport scroll there?¡± Spaceshifting scrolls couldn¡¯t be used here, but they¡¯d obviously work in the garrison. Using that spell, the princess could be taken out of this dangerous place right away. I hoped that the scroll vault hadn¡¯t been plundered yet. If so, then the teleport scroll I was trying to use was obviously still there. We couldn¡¯t attempt asking a wizard to teleport us. They¡¯d surely trap us. Dyrus seemed hesitant. He looked doubtful whether it was the right choice to go look for some teleport scroll that may or may not exist. However, I knew the location of the teleport scroll. Once I confirmed that it had been stolen, we could leave immediately. ¡°Damn it, alright. It¡¯s clear that I wouldn¡¯t be much help even if I stuck to the princess ¡­.¡± He nodded as if he acknowledged the limits of his abilities. I still wasn¡¯t clear on the layout of the Demon King¡¯s Castle, however I had remembered some things when I came out of the prison. There was no one to stop us, as many soldiers were going in and out of the Castle. ¡°It¡¯s this way.¡± Some people seemed puzzled about me walking around unarmed, but I couldn¡¯t explain this to each one of them. Fortunately, I was able to trace my steps back to roughly where it was. The Demon King¡¯s Castle was very spacious and the prison I was in and the magic item storage were located deep inside, so there was a very good chance that it hadn¡¯t been plundered yet. ¡°This is ridiculously huge!¡± Eventually I got tired and ended up riding his back. I rummaged through my memory and pointed out the directions I remembered. Fortunately, we were able to reach it without getting lost. ¡°It¡¯s still fine!¡± Fortunately, it was still in good condition. It looked like no one had come here yet. ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t look that fine to me though. I think someone was here already, you know?¡± Oh. That was me. ¡°Ah, tha, that¡­¡­ I, I meant that the scrolls were still looking fine!¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s look for it.¡± I immediately picked up the teleport scroll that was spread out on the floor. ¡°I found it!¡± ¡°Already?¡± ¡°Yes, look.¡± The name of the magic contained in the scroll was written on it in common language, so he didn¡¯t ask me how I was able to find it right away. If it had been written in the Demon language, he would have suspected me for sure. I already knew two languages I had no previous knowledge of. It was like the staple cheats people get when they get sent to another world. I resealed the scroll that hadn¡¯t been triggered yet. Of course, the teleportation would only work on one person. I didn¡¯t know if there were mass teleportation scrolls, but I had to find more scrolls. Not only Charlotte, I had to get myself out of here as well and maybe Dyrus as well, as he¡¯d also be in danger. ¡°I¡¯ll need a few more. We don¡¯t know what might happen. We should also get some scrolls that might help us as well.¡± ¡°Little boy, take this.¡± ¡°Thi, this is¡­?¡± ¡°A Scroll Book, is this the first time you¡¯ve seen one? It was over there.¡± He handed me an empty book. ¡°N, no, that¡¯s not it. I know what this is.¡± ¡°Good then. Let¡¯s use it.¡± I knew what a scroll book was. It wasn¡¯t even a magic item, just a book one could put scrolls into and organize it in a way that one could rip out the pages one needed whenever one wanted. It was an object used by people who weren¡¯t wizards, but still needed to use magic in battle. Since it was an item I came up with, there was no way I wouldn¡¯t know about it. However, it felt really really strange actually holding this item I only imagined in my hands. It was good that I didn¡¯t have to crumble these scrolls into my pocket. I started filling the scroll book with useful magic spells, while Dyrus found another scroll book, filling it with magic as well. ¡°The Demon King¡¯s Castle sure is amazing. I heard that even low-level scrolls were more expensive than my salary.¡± He seemed to genuinely admire the vast stock of scrolls. ¡°I heard they¡¯ve almost used up all the scrolls in this war, but if we¡¯d take all the ones here it would be more than enough to make up for the lower level scrolls we¡¯ve used.¡± Dyrus rummaged through the scrolls while saying things like that. There were no aoe attack spells, but we¡¯ve swept up all the scrolls that might be helpful to us. I couldn¡¯t take them with me earlier because I had to throw everything away, but now I could actually pack them up. Useful Scrolls GET. Go, me. Then I opened my eyes wide at a sudden discovery. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Wha, what?¡± [Mass Teleportation] Multi-person space movement order. There was no more need to find more teleportation scrolls. ¡°Let¡¯s go Lieutenant!¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± Then, as soon as we stepped out the door, we couldn¡¯t help but stiffen. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Our eyes met with a soldier who was carrying some bundles. No, if you think about it, wouldn¡¯t we be seen as people who just arbitrarily took the spoils that should belong to the military? It was, of course, a felony to snatch loot without permission. What if they won¡¯t let us go? Dyrus, I and the soldier were looking at each other in silence. He clenched his teeth. Perhaps he was prepared for this extreme situation. In the face of his new mission to protect the princess, he seemed prepared to do anything. Even if it meant having to subdue his own allies right on the spot. ¡°That. Lieutenant.¡± The soldier cautiously opened his mouth after checking Dyrus rank. ¡°How about we¡¯ll just turn a blind eye on each other?¡± ¡­..¡­ You too? Chapter 7 I would¡¯ve never imagined that my life would one day be intertwined with a child who wasn¡¯t even a major character of my novel. But I also didn¡¯t expect to see soldiers looting in the Demon World War I described in it. There was no need or reason for me to imagine such things as I wrote the novel. Normally, things like these weren¡¯t woven into the main story in novels such as this, right? This wasn¡¯t related to the main story at all, but this world was on a much larger scale than just the main story, right? While the main character was waiting to enter the Gardias Temple letting his imagination flow, in the prologue section before the main story even started, a princess was about to be assassinated and the Demon Prince was fighting tooth and nail to save her. That was happening right now. This world I described, with all it¡¯s blank spaces filled in, was more realistic than I imagined. That made this whole thing even more scary. Dyrus didn¡¯t stop walking, while he did seem disappointed and angry at being treated the same as those mongrels who acted out of personal greed. While I was rushing to get out of the Demon King¡¯s Castle, Dyrus suddenly grabbed my arm. ¡°!¡± Dyrus suddenly slipped into the hallway next to him, not the way we were going to go, and hid me behind a Gargoyle statue in the hallway. Dyrus¡¯ expression was serious. ¡°The Knights of Duke Salerian.¡± I knew what he meant, so I immediately held my breath. Duke Salerian. Bertus¡¯ maternal family and the reason he could have so many followers. If Charlotte had judged Sir Francis to not necessarily be an enemy, Duke Salerian would absolutely be the princess¡¯ enemy. The overarching goal of Duke Salerian was to make Bertus emperor. It was very likely that Sir Francis was killed by them. Dyrus held his breath and tensed up. I didn¡¯t know what kind of status Dyrus had, but he said he was a Lieutenant. In addition, the Knights of Duke Salerian, one of the most powerful noble families in the Empire, would have prestige not comparable to any other noble. Although I¡¯m not really sure, they must be high-ranking knights far more superior compared to normal knights. Not to mention their skills. -Clang, clang, clang There were a large number of them. ¨C Are you sure they entered the Castle and haven¡¯t come out? -Yes, I am. ¨C Can¡¯t say if that¡¯s a good or bad thing¡­. ¨C What should we do if we find him? -Do I have to tell you? ¨C Are we going to do that officer in, too? ¨C It must have been his fate to end in such an unlucky way. They didn¡¯t mention a concrete person in their conversation, but it was clear who they were looking for. They were looking for me and Dyrus. Dyrus was holding his breath while clenching his teeth. They have to pass by. They can¡¯t notice us. Then. I realized how foolish it was to think that we could fool the senses of high-ranking knights. ¡°I think they¡¯re over there.¡± One of the knights said calmly, as if they were in no rush to find us. ¡°They¡¯re breathing pretty harshly. Looks like they¡¯re nervous. Hey, it¡¯s hard not to notice that.¡± A series of nearby knights arrived there after hearing the call. There were four knights in total. Dyrus and I stepped out from behind the statue and slowly backed away. Four knights in splendid plate armor came into view and were looking at Dyrus. The knight, wearing a relaxed expression, clicked his tongue slightly. Then the one who seemed the most senior opened his mouth. ¡°The princess really is a pitiful girl.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the only one, but he keeps making me kill the hardliners ¡± The knight sighed that he¡¯d have to kill 1 to 10 people. I didn¡¯t even feel like contradicting him. ¡°Shame on you. For the Knights of the Empire, laying hands on the imperial family!¡± Dyrus shouted. ¡°If you thought the whining of some kid I don¡¯t even know the name of would put even a small scratch on my honor¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry to say this, but I don¡¯t really care.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to care at all about the accusations he heard from people who weren¡¯t worth his time. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not a pleasant thing. I admit that.¡± He smiled bitterly to himself. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that I have to end the day drenched in the blood of demons by spilling human blood.¡± It seemed quite unpleasant for him to have to do such a thing. Just because the princess didn¡¯t die, he had to do something like this. Apart from that displeasure, however, there was no hesitation in his actions. -Sching! When that knight drew his sword, all the other knights did the same. We could run back, but we¡¯d surely get caught sooner or later. Their physical abilities should completely transcend not only mine, but even Dyrus¡¯. A Scroll. Could we break through this situation with any of them? However, while I was leafing through the scroll book to choose a magic spell, they would just run up to me and slice my head off before I could even take a single breath. I was finally able to escape the Demon King¡¯s Castle, but did I just come back here to die like this? The thought of dying just like a dog in such an absurd situation made me feel feverish. I had to die again less than a day after I first died. The knights began to slowly approach us, as my breath tightened. Despite being in a huge corridor, the three knights¡¯ presence was enough to fill it. Of course, that was just a figure of speech, they weren¡¯t really filling the corridor, it just felt that way. The presence of those approaching knights¡¯ couldn¡¯t even be compared to that gigantic gargoyle statue Dyrus and I had been hiding behind just a moment ago¡­. Wait a moment. Gargoyle? I stared blankly at the gargoyle statue. That. Don¡¯t these things usually move in places like this? Though that was a terrifying thought. -Whoosh! -Boom! The Gargoyle¡¯s giant halberd hit the knights approaching us from the front. Explosions. Astonishment. Death. ¡°Run!¡± And judgment. Now was not the time to think. * * * The huge Gargoyle¡¯s merciless surprise completely crushed the knights who were approaching us with raging force. I clearly saw those high-ranking knights were literally shredded to bits even with their armor on. They didn¡¯t even get the chance to scream. They may be strong but this was the Demon King¡¯s Castle. It was the place that held the strongest forces of the Demon World. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand that the gargoyle was a powerful monster compared to high-ranking knights who were monsters among humans. I couldn¡¯t even feel nauseous. I avoided the bodies before I could even think about it. -Thud! Boom! Thud! We were able to escape while the knights pursuing us were responding to the suddenly activated gargoyle. ¡°W, why is it suddenly moving?¡± ¡°I, I have no idea!¡± No, I did know. Obviously, all my physical abilities were close to 0, but I did have the ability to dominate demons. Perhaps my thoughts activated the gargoyle, or it sensed the knights¡¯ killing intent and acted on its own. Anyway, it clearly moved to protect me. I was born with the power to control demons. However, I couldn¡¯t tell him that, so running away was our top priority. No matter how many knights there were, they wouldn¡¯t have the ability to withstand the attacks of such a colossal monster. The castle, which was in the middle of getting searched, was thrown into chaos by the sudden explosions. Dyrus and I used that chance to quickly escape the Demon King¡¯s Castle. ¡°There¡¯ll definitely be others following us.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Knights of Duke Salerian were scattered and searched for us. Although there was a skirmish happening, they¡¯d definitely pursue us if they knew we escaped. Dyrus put me on his horse and we rode straight out of the castle. We earned some curious glances as we rushed out, but this wasn¡¯t the time to be concerned about that. -Doo, doo, doo, doo! As soon as we arrived at the garrison, we had to teleport the hell out of here with Charlotte. I almost lost my mind while riding on that horse. It was hard just holding on to it. ¡°Shit! They¡¯ve already caught up to us!¡± Their command system was in such perfect order, that the Knights of Duke Salerian caught up to us in no time. Despite there being so many eyes around, they wanted to catch us, even while risking there being rumors. That must have meant that even if they killed me and Dyrus right here, they¡¯d be able to take care of the aftermath themselves. It was impossible for them to kill the princess on the main road, but if it was just us they could do so easily. They¡¯d just make up some reason for that later. ¡°Damn it!¡± The horses the knights were riding on were far superior to Dyrus¡¯ steed. Even though they rode them while wearing armor they were still that fast. Despite being so far away from us at first, they were getting closer to us. The rapidly increasing number of pursuers was now over 10. The soldiers driving the loot wagons and the ones taking away the prisoners of war stared at this sudden chase blankly. ¡°Lieutenant! Hold my waist tightly and secure me!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Dyrus grabbed my waist and kept me from falling without asking what I was planning on doing. I opened the scroll book hanging from my waist, then I quickly looked for any magic spell that might help us in our current situation. Anything. Isn¡¯t there anything that we can use? [Haste] I opened the scroll and cast Haste on the horse. ¨C Doo, doo, doo, doo! In an instant, the horse¡¯s movements became faster. White foam began to form around the horse¡¯s mouth. ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s good that it got faster, but this might kill the horse before we even arrive!¡± Haste made one¡¯s movements faster, but it also made the target drain it¡¯s stamina rapidly. A horse wasn¡¯t an animal that could sprint for a long time in the first place. In addition to that, I applied acceleration magic, which insanely amplified its metabolism. This was like burning away the horse¡¯s life. It was going to be like that soon anyway. ¡°I¡¯d rather die after three minutes instead of one!¡± ¡°What a nut job!¡± Even in this situation, he had time to burst out into laughter as he was just that speechless. Dyrus rode like crazy. Despite it being a lot more difficult riding this faster horse, he kept on holding onto me and controlling his horse with one hand. ¡°Shit¡­!¡± Dyrus looked behind and cussed. ¡°They¡¯re going to shoot arrows!¡± The knights weren¡¯t even using swords. They were just firing arrows at us because they couldn¡¯t catch up to us. Fortunately, Dyrus was able to dodge the arrows in an almost acrobatic way, which deflected the arrows. ¡°The horse seems to get more and more exhausted!¡± The condition of their horses and our horse was so different. I mean, as I was in a hurry back then, Dyrus made his horse sprint to the Demon King¡¯s Castle a while ago as well. He made this already exhausted horse sprint and on top of that I cast Haste on it, so it was natural that it¡¯s stamina soon reached its end. I looked through the scroll book to see if there were any spells that could replenish the horse¡¯s stamina, but there wasn¡¯t any magic spell like that. There were only auxiliary type magic spells like Illusion, Fascination and Delusion inside. ¡°Do you think they¡¯d be affected by Fascination spells?!¡± ¡°They won¡¯t! Knights are required to undergo anti-magic training!¡± They were all equipped with anti-magic measures. Low-level auxiliary magic won¡¯t work on them, is what Dyrus told me flat out. Yeah, I kind of expected that it wouldn¡¯t work. It would be a bit ridiculous for melee experts to just die after getting peppered with magic, so they set up some training sessions on how to counter magic. I knew that, because I put the subject ¡°Anti-magic Training¡± into the academy¡¯s curriculum. Anyway, my set-up was pulling my legs right now. Nevertheless, I had to use a scroll. It was a risky gamble. I used Illusion. ¡°I told you it won¡¯t work!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not aiming for the knights!¡± I opened the scroll to use its magic spell. The targets weren¡¯t the knights. If you would shoot a general, shoot his horse first. I intended to carry out that old idiom. [Illusion] The spell activated. -Neeeeeeigh! -Clatter! Then, the sounds of Knights falling to the ground and horses neighing could be heard from behind us. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like the horses were trained to resist magic. If magic didn¡¯t work on the knights, I¡¯d just cast the spell on their horses. I just showed the horses an illusion of a dragon. Chapter 8 ¡°You¡­! Great!¡± I pulled out the Fascination scroll this time. The type of the spell didn¡¯t even matter. Anyway, any spell that could affect their horses would do. There was no other reason why I was taking on this risky gamble. Just as I was casting spells on their horses, they might cast some on our horse. However, Dyrus said clearly that the Coalition used up almost all their scrolls in this war. And none of them were magicians. I thought that even if they had a scroll book, they wouldn¡¯t have any more spells in them and it turned out to be the truth. The war was over and they couldn¡¯t get replacements for the scrolls they used and they obviously didn¡¯t have any more in stock. Most of them probably had attack spells in their scroll books that would have an intuitive immediate effect and they probably used up all of them. I started this gamble believing that. ¨C Neeeeeeigh! -Bang! My guess was right. The horses toppled over after being affected by the low-level magic, causing the knights riding on them to come rolling down to the ground. Those that didn¡¯t manage to land properly were highly likely to die by breaking their necks. Some may have died. I didn¡¯t actively think about the fact that I might have killed them, as they were trying to kill me. Guilt, remorse or justifications for my actions didn¡¯t even occur to me at that point. I had to do everything I could. I had no other thoughts but that. The situation was so urgent that all my judgement seemed to have focused on only this single point. All concerns regarding ethics and values were put off until later. Not consciously, but unconsciously. ¡°Shit!¡± However, I didn¡¯t have any more mental magic I could use to knock them all down There were two pursuers still chasing after us with rage filling their eyes. The horse we rode was already far over its limits. It was now slower than it was before I placed Haste on it. ¡°They¡¯ll catch up to us.¡± Dyrus shouted in a desperate voice. The horse was exhausted and there were two knights, who witnessed their comrades fall down, still chasing after us from afar with killing intent so sharp pointed at us that it really felt like I was getting cut. The horse now started to just trudge, while the knights¡¯ horses followed us at a frightening speed. Dyrus clenched his teeth and pulled out his sword, however it didn¡¯t seem like he thought he could win. Was this the end? And then, I saw a long line of wagons and soldiers watching this chase. And. There was also the procession of those demon prisoners that seemed to go on forever. And I saw the eyes of those demons looking at me. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± From Goblins to Trolls and unarmed Ogres, Orcs and countless other unknown types of demons. All these demons were watching this commotion. They were looking at me. Not even a single word was exchanged between us. I didn¡¯t say anything to them. They just looked at me without saying a word. They were demons of the Demon Realm who surrendered after losing their fighting spirit, knowing that their king died. As demons and monsters, they had to pay the price of defeat with their lives. Since no one would pay their ransom, the only thing they could pay with was their lives. They were looking at me. Because the Demon King was dead. And I was sure to be the last one. Seeing how I was betraying them. I didn¡¯t know how they were able to recognize me, but I felt like they knew who I was or were they able to read my feelings just by looking at me in this desperate situation? Or did the power sleeping inside of me ¡®Demon domination¡¯ activate because of this situation? The process and outcome were unknown to me. However, after giving up everything, they looked at me with eyes that seemed to have found their last hope. -Crank! An ogre broke his shackles that bound him and began charging at the knights rushing towards me. -Kuooooooooooooh! With a roar that seemed to shake the heavens and earth, the demons, who were tied up and quietly let themselves get dragged away before, immediately began to resist. ¡°Cr, cra, crazy!¡± In the end, the two knights who were following us were attacked by the ogre rushing at them. Once again everything got chaotic as the prisoners of war began to riot. This was the last resistance of the remaining demons in order to save their last king. * * * They didn¡¯t use ropes to tie the demons. It was impossible for others to break them except if they were large monsters like an ogre. Most of the demons were just struggling to make a commotion. Therefore, the prisoners began to be subdued and that suppression ultimately just turned out to be bloody slaughter. The only thing that changed was that they got killed here by the troops and not on the execution grounds. Because of the disturbance caused by the demons and the suppression of the last pursuers no one was chasing after us anymore. Dyrus seemed to find this absurd situation hard to accept. ¡°What the hell is this¡­.¡± The gargoyle activated to kill some knights just at the right time and just when we were in a desperate situation the demons decided to riot and attack the knights. Dyrus knew that this was abnormal. He just couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on exactly. However their main goal of escaping with Charlotte was yet unfulfilled. Dyrus seemed to hold back his doubts. He remained silent until we drew near to the garrison. The atmosphere at the garrison was definitely exhilarating. -Is Her Royal Highness really still alive? -Yeah, she just came out and shook hands with the soldiers telling them that she was alright. -She just went back to the barracks to get some rest¡­. ¨C What a relief, what a relief. ¨C That dog-like Demon King died and the princess was still alive. How blessed can we be? -Hey man, the Empress died though, so to call it a blessing is¡­¡­ -That¡¯s true, I hope that Her Highness will soon get back on her feet¡­. As Charlotte expected, the news that the princess was still alive had already spread throughout the garrison. It seemed like they hadn¡¯t gotten the report about the rioting prisoners of war yet. There were more eyes and ears here. But it was too early to feel reassured. The Knights of Duke Salerian tried to kill Dyrus and me, despite the presence of all those wagons and convoys. It was just the princess who was difficult to touch. Even if news arrived that Dyrus and I killed their knights, there would be nothing about them trying to kill us, so no one would care. They would have so many reasons ready why they had to immediately execute us. Soon, news of what happened close to the Demon King¡¯s Castle would reach this place. Before that happened, we had to get out of here. Fortunately, the soldiers¡¯ eyes were fixed on the HQ barracks where the princess was said to rest. They seemed to wonder if they¡¯d ever be able to see the princess¡¯ face, who was said to be still alive. However, because of that, the barracks were completely encircled. We had no way to sneak in. There was no way around it. Dyrus and I strode straight towards the barracks. The guard looked at me and shook his head before I could even say anything. ¡°Her Highness is resting. Go back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought the goods Her Royal Highness asked for.¡± It seemed like nothing would make this guardsman budge. ¡°There was an order from the Commander-in-chief that she needed absolute rest. Come back later.¡± The moment we¡¯ll try to go back, you¡¯d just try to kill us secretly. Even if that didn¡¯t happen, it would be over as soon as the news from the Demon King¡¯s Castle arrived here. We had to get in there somehow. ¡°It¡¯s urgent.¡± At those words, the guard¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Even if you were rescued together with the Imperial Princess, we can¡¯t let someone with an unclear identity like you be by her side. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re having some ideas?¡± You guys are more dangerous to her, though? That guard would certainly rather die than let me in. He was staring at me and pointing the end of his spear at me as if telling me that he¡¯d be forced to use violence if we tried to force our way in. I had no idea what Charlotte¡¯s condition was inside, but it seemed like she wasn¡¯t able to come out to me, even if she knew that we arrived. They wouldn¡¯t know what I was trying to do. However, knowing that I had received some instructions from the princess, they tried to prevent me from meeting her subtly. The problem was that I neither had the strength nor justification to break through their vague actions. ¡°Boy.¡± At that moment, Dyrus called out to me. ¡°Lieutenant.¡± He took a deep breath, sighing as if he had no other choice. ¡°It¡¯s plan B.¡± -Sigh! ¡°Kuek!¡± As if it was a sign, he drew his sword and stuck it right in the neck of the guard, before his opponent could do anything. ¡°You crazy!¡± The other guards just spat out swear words, completely in shock that their comrade was suddenly stabbed like this. ¡°Go!¡± While Dyrus cut one attacking guard after the other, I just stopped thinking and ran into the barracks. As I broke through several layers of tents, I could see Charlotte, who quietly sat in her seat inside and countless other people standing around her, not touching her, but they seemed to monitor her. ¡°!¡± Charlotte looked at me, opening her eyes so wide her eyelids seemed to be about to rip apart. An old man wearing a white priest¡¯s robe shouted in a brusque tone. ¡°I believe I made it clear that you were not to let anyone in¡­¡­ !¡± There was no time for conversations. [Flash] ¡°Kuerk!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± ¡°He¡¯s using magic!¡± ¨C Flash! In an instant a flash of light exploded inside the tent. While everyone was blinded by the light, I unblocked my eyes and grabbed Charlotte¡¯s hand, who was also affected by the sudden flash. Charlotte was equally perplexed as the others. Charlotte told me to get Sir Francis and not to break in here and shoot out a flare. [Mass teleport] [Please specify destination.] I cast mass teleportation. ¡°To Gardium!¡± Our destination was the Imperial Capital. We¡¯re going to Imperial Capital Gardium! [You have passed the Prologue sequence.] [Special Achievement ¨C Inflection Point of History] [A key figure (Charlotte de Gardias) who should not have appeared in the original story line has survived.] [The future has changed dramatically.] [Acquired 1000 Achievement Points.] I was finally done with that hellish prologue. Chapter 9 This was called teleportation. It was really unbelievable, experiencing this first-hand. As the flash of light subsided, the scenery was completely different. Unlike the Demon Realm, which was covered by a gray sky, a blue sky and a bustling city spread out before my eyes. The very place where the main story of my novel [The Demon King is Dead] unfolded. The Imperial Capital Gardium. It gave me a strange feeling seeing the place I had only described with words before¡­Like shit. Where are we? I don¡¯t know this place. No, well, to be fair, I didn¡¯t describe every single corner of the Capital. I mean, if I did I would have been cussed out for making the chapters longer by adding useless descriptions. Perhaps we were in a plaza somewhere in the in the capital. People were looking at me and the princess who suddenly appeared out of nowhere through teleportation with puzzled expressions. Teleportation was a super high-level spell, so it was definitely not commonly seen. So, in the end, I arrived in the Capital Gardium, a city I wrote about, but had no clue about. ¡°Haah¡­. Wha, what happened? Thi, this is¡­The Capital?¡± And next to me, Princess Charlotte de Gardias, who had teleported with me, held a puzzled expression on her face as well. I was supposed to bring her an escort, but I ended up kidnapping her using teleportation magic, so it was natural that she was surprised. ¡°Sir Francis has already been killed. So I went back into the Demon King¡¯s Castle to find some teleportation scrolls. I thought that the Imperial Capital would be the safest place for the princess.¡± After hearing my explanation, the princess widened her eyes. She was shocked to hear that Sir Francis had already been killed and seemed surprised that I was able to come up with an alternative method so quickly and saved her from a situation like that. Yeah, it¡¯s not like a normal 17-year-old would have that wit. But even considering my original age, this was hard to come by! I almost died again a few times Later. ¡°Yes, well done¡­. You did a really, really good job.¡± Charlotte plopped down on a nearby bench, apparently because she felt relieved. She had almost breathed her last. It was pretty scary thinking like that. ¨C Flash! Dyrus arrived in front of me with a flash of light. ¡°Gasp¡­. Gasp¡­.¡± Dyrus, who seemed to have been escaping from a rather desperate situation, arrived in front of us while breathing heavily. ¡°You¡¯re safe, Lieutenant!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­. A little later and they would have blown away an arm or a leg.¡± Dyrus took a deep breath and fell straight to his knees. Not before me, but before Charlotte. ¡°Lieutenant Dyrus, commander of the 3rd Platoon, 11th Company, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Imperial Corps. I give my sincerest greetings, Your Imperial Highness the First Princess.¡± Charlotte didn¡¯t seem to understand what was going on. * * * We had two teleportation scrolls. Plan A was rather simple. Just approach the princess and use the Mass Teleport Scroll if the guards let us through the entrance. Plan B was for Dyrus to open up a path for me and take the aggro off of me. Dyrus would escape with a single person Teleport Scroll, while I brought away the princess using the Mass Teleportation Scroll. Dyrus had confirmed that we got away and escaped himself. Of course, Charlotte was astonished seeing a stranger appear out of the blue, so I explained the whole story first. I explained that if it weren¡¯t for Lieutenant Dyrus, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to perform my mission properly. Charlotte nodded her head, still wearing a puzzled expression. ¡°Thank you. Lieutenant Dyrus.¡± Charlotte expressed her gratitude, saying that he greatly helped her. ¡°As a soldier of the Imperial Family, I shall always put the safety of the Imperial Family first.¡± Dyrus had made a difficult decision. No matter how much a soldier should say these words, putting them actually into practice was a completely different matter. He risked his life throwing himself into the forces who were trying to kill the princess as if it was natural. He had no hesitation or thoughts that he might die. I just did what I did because my life was intertwined with hers, but this dude was the real deal. Charlotte nodded as if she thought so as well. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t our enemies be able to come after us using teleportation magic?¡± That was our most pressing concern now. There definitely were wizards among our enemies, and I pretty much shouted out that we were teleporting to Gardium. They obviously knew where we were. Dyrus¡¯ expression hardened at my words. ¡°We must move quickly.¡± ¡°No, we don¡¯t have to.¡± Charlotte, however, was calm. ¡°There should be no wizards among the Coalition Forces who could successfully teleport from the Demon Realm to Gardium. We have moved an unbelievably far distance. This was originally impossible. Obviously, there were no Warp Gates near the Demon King¡¯s Castle either, so no one would be able to pursue us.¡± Informing us that the Demon¡¯s Scrolls had unbelievably great performances, Charlotte denied the possibility of pursuers coming after us using teleportation. ¡°However, They can report this matter using communication magic. Well, it will take a while, so that should be enough for us to reach the Imperial Palace.¡± Communication magic wasn¡¯t instantaneous. There would be delays. To be exact, the distance between these two locations was so great that there would be just as great a delay until the magic spell reached the right person. First he heard that the princess was alive, so he gave orders to kill her, this time it had to be reported that the princess had already teleported to Gardium. ¡°Could you explain what happened, Lieutenant Dyrus?¡± ¡°Yes, I shall explain.¡± So we didn¡¯t have that much time to spare, but we still took the time to explain what happened to the princess as we walked down the streets of the Capital. When we reached the part about me nearly dying to the Knights of the Duke, the princess seemed sorry while looking at me. I did this to survive, so she didn¡¯t have to feel sorry for me. Of course, I could have used the teleport scroll as soon as I left the Demon King¡¯s Castle if I just wanted to live, but that¡¯s not how I wanted it to be. I don¡¯t know why, but I couldn¡¯t just leave Charlotte behind even when my life was at stake. I knew one didn¡¯t need a reason to save someone, but this was the first time I risked my life for another. I could only say that it was something wholly unfamiliar to me. Anyway, all¡¯s well that ends well. But I¡¯m pretty goddamn sure that I wouldn¡¯t be able to pull something like this off more than once. Anywho, while Dyrus was recounting the incident, I felt a chill running down my spine.. Looking back at the story, there were just too many unnatural parts. A Gargoyle suddenly activated and blocked the knights. The demons suddenly rioted and for some reason the captured demons acted as if they were trying to protect us. The first one could be chalked up as a coincidence, but the second situation was just too suspicious. It was just too convenient. Dyrus just seemed to feel lucky to be alive, but I was watching the princess¡¯ expression harden. She was Charlotte, who had lived in the Imperial Castle, that could be said to be the main stage for political battles. She¡¯s been through some things, but she was extraordinarily smart. As soon as she was released from a situation where she was pushed to her limits both physically and mentally, she immediately foresaw her own death. Those strange incidents. A boy who lost his memory. A teleport scroll I found as if I knew exactly where it was. There were ample of reasons to be suspicious of me. I didn¡¯t know what conclusion they¡¯d draw from this, but as far as I could see it wouldn¡¯t be a good one for me. It was clear what conclusion the princess would reach. I didn¡¯t know what choice she¡¯d make, but I couldn¡¯t wait for her to decide on one. I slowed down a bit and walked behind them. Fortunately, Dyrus was close to the princess and was prepared for any unexpected events. That¡¯s good. It would be good if the princess owed me, but I wouldn¡¯t be able to stay close to her as I¡¯d risk my identity being discovered someday. It was a relationship that couldn¡¯t have lasted long anyway. This was the only time I could pull out. I walked slowly and silently, then I quickly entered an alleyway I passed by. Even if she was willing to give me a thousand gold, I could no longer be associated with the princess. The princess would be safe, but I, on the other hand, had entered another tiger¡¯s den. It was impossible for me to go to a place full of powerful and aristocratic people with my camouflage magic, that could get dissolved just by using weak dispel magic. How come I¡¯ve only ever been able to make short-term goals ever since I entered this world? And why did I alway have to risk my life to reach these short-term goals? Passing the alleyway, I hid so that the princess and Dyrus couldn¡¯t find me. They wouldn¡¯t be looking for me now. Going back to the Imperial Palace held priority. I first left that collapsing cave called the Demon King¡¯s Castle only to end up in the tiger¡¯s den, the garrison of the Coalition Forces, but that was just a stepping stone to enter the dragon¡¯s lair called the Imperial Palace. After walking around for a while, I finally stopped at a quiet spot and sat down on a bench. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± Leaving everything aside, I had to take a rest. ¡°Fuck¡­.¡± Using some common saying, my mind was exploding. It seemed that I had faced so many bloody trials, witnessed so many people getting slaughtered and I even caused some people¡¯s death with my own hands. While coming this far, my mind had already crossed its limits several times. Let¡¯s rest for now. Let¡¯s take a break and sort out all these horrible memories somehow. And think about what to do next. * * * This was the first time I could take a break after having met so many desperate situations and being driven into a corner so many times in this unfamiliar world. I felt a subtle sense of relief that I wasn¡¯t forced to go anywhere. I was currently somewhere in the Imperial Capital. As I saw it, the Imperial Capital was somewhat similar to Seoul in Korea. It went without saying that it was an incredibly large city, the largest on the entire continent. In this day and age, a city of that size wasn¡¯t all that common. I was now sitting on a bench on a promenade of some sort, it wasn¡¯t too deserted or too crowded. The Imperial Capital was already a bustling and flourishing city, but the Empire will prosper even more with the victory of the Demon World War. In any case, if I want to survive, I can¡¯t force myself to think about certain things. While trying to put my splintered heart back together, I somehow had to suppress these terrible memories and rationalize my guilt. From this point on I had to think about what I had to and was able to do. I had a few problems. I didn¡¯t have any money. I had no place to live or food to eat. It was even more nonsensical to go back to the princess for that. Working and somehow making money would also be rather difficult. What if my camouflage magic suddenly wore off while I was washing dishes in some restaurant? They also wouldn¡¯t give me any advanced payment and I had an unclear identity. I was now slowly realizing in real time why vagrants fell into crime. Except through criminal ways, I had no other way to make ends meet. Couldn¡¯t I somehow get into some sort of public childcare facility or something? Did places like this even exist here? No matter how crazy one was about creating settings, who¡¯d be so crazy as to set up a public childcare system in their novel¡­¡­? Oh. Now that I think of it. I indeed did such a crazy thing. A project to manage the large numbers of orphans caused by the casualties of the Demon World War would be carried out as a post-war measure. I knew this because there were some children from said public childcare facilities in Temple, the main stage of my school drama. I wrote that there were quite a few children of people who were killed in the Demon World War in Temple, among them were also major characters. However, the news of the victory against the demons had just been delivered. Such a large-scale policy wouldn¡¯t have been implemented so quickly. That was highly unlikely. I could try to go to some place similar to an orphanage and ask them to take me in, but regardless of whether they accepted me or not, this was still the Imperial Capital. Even if she didn¡¯t do so right now, there was a high possibility that the princess would try to find me. Whether she wanted to reward me or take action to find out who I was, it was very likely that the princess would try to find me for some kind of reason. And she should be able to infer that I¡¯d eventually go to some public childcare facility. She was smart after all. So, if I went to an orphanage, I¡¯d be able to survive for some days, but I¡¯d alway feel anxious about the princess coming to find me one day. She might not be able to find me if I went to a different city, but I didn¡¯t have the money to travel around. I didn¡¯t have much confidence about surviving in the wilderness either. And although I was a demon, seeing as I was carrying around biscuits, I was sure that I had to eat. Actually, I was hungry right now. I should have put in some convenient setting like ¡°Demons could survive solely through mana¡¯ or something! [Used the function ¡®Add Settings¡¯.] ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± [A total of 100000 achievement points are required to add the setting ¡®Race Arcdemon can supplement nutrition by consuming magical power¡¯.] A message suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. ¡­What¡¯s with this? Chapter 10 Then it occured to me that I should probably think more about these occasional message windows appearing in front of me. I never mentioned those in my novel. I wasn¡¯t all that sure about this subject, but what I had to think about the most right now were probably these achievement points. So, the way I understood it was, that the novel I wrote now suddenly had a game system implanted in it, making it some strange chimera.. Who the hell would read this shit? Even though I prayed so much on every holiday for some kind of cheat, this just wasn¡¯t right. Anyway, I might have been given some type of cheat skill. Even if this turned into some dog-shit novel, if I could live a comfortable life I¡¯d prefer that over anything else. I kind of understood now why the ¡®isekai¡¯ genre got so popular. I¡¯d have been living comfortably if I had just written more novels of that genre. No, I wouldn¡¯t have necessarily been reincarnated as the main character, so I might have ended up in an even more unfortunate situation. Maybe as just a normal high schooler or something. Moreover, I would have to watch some nerdy high school kid, who was also heir to his family¡¯s secret art of swordsmanship, holding a japanese sword, talking up a big game, wouldn¡¯t I? Aah, if I had to follow that kind of brain dead main character I might die of high blood pressure again. Anyway. I really hope I can become some godsend cheater in this dog-shit I wrote. Hoping that I was the owner of such a cheat, I tried to look through the system. Just by thinking about it, a message appeared before my eyes. [Congratulations, you have been granted the power to interfere with the world of ¡®The Demon King is Dead¡¯, your undisputed masterpiece, which was rated as ¡®Neither this nor that and a typographical crime¡¯ by the office of Atonement, Judgement and Evaluation] Why are you insulting me all of a sudden? I¡¯ve been calling this novel dog shit all this time, but hearing those things from someone else made me feel kind of depressed. [You will have to go through events from time to time. There are various types, from minor to major events. Most of the rewards will be in the form of achievement points.] I couldn¡¯t find anything as convenient as a settings window. I didn¡¯t need something like volume control, but couldn¡¯t you at least give me some kind of interface? It didn¡¯t seem like there was anything like that. [You can change the main story by preventing things that should happen or making things happen that shouldn¡¯t. In case you do such things you might get more achievement points than for normal events.] [Additionally, you can also earn some through ¡®Challenges¡¯. If you succeed in overcoming a challenge, you will get achievement points.] What did they mean with Challenges? [Challenges are challenges. If you would like to take on a challenge, please check the ¡®List of currently available Challenges¡¯. The entries are updated periodically. Some challenges may not appear again.] When I checked the Challenge list, I immediately understood what they were. [Slap the Emperor across the face (Full swing only) ¨C 10000 Points] [Get imprisoned in the Gardium Prison ¨C 1200 Points] [Escape from the prison after getting imprisoned ¨C 2000 Points] [Pickpocket a Knight without getting caught ¨C 100 points] [Buy an over 1067 m2 house with money earned from begging ¨C 1000 Points] . . . Somehow, I felt like there were no normal options on the list Slap the Emperor? You want me to exchange my life for achievement points? I think it¡¯s impossible for me to get an audience with the Emperor in the first place, you know? What¡¯s with this feature that made one feel like crap by just looking at it? So what else was there? I need to know these things first. [As a reward for clearing the Prologue, the privilege of using achievement points has been given.] [Achievement points are used for ¡®Revising¡¯ functions such as changing certain settings of this world, forcibly granting you certain talents, making events happen that shouldn¡¯t or prevent events from happening that should. Furthermore, the function ¡®Preview¡¯ can be used limitedly, to check the changes your actions have caused. However, interfering with big events or main characters is impossible or requires a fairly large amount of achievement points.] [Be careful not to cause a ¡®Setting Collapse¡¯. If you are not able to recognize the collapse of the setting and try to add new settings or try to ¡®revise¡¯ the event, you will be penalized. If your memory is bad enough to cause a setting collapse in your own novel, I recommend you to add the setting ¡®A cure for Alzheimer¡¯s exists in this world.¡¯] It didn¡¯t seem that serious in the beginning, but are you trying to pick a fight with me? Am I imagining things ? [Keep in mind, you cannot remove settings that have been added or already exist.] [For example if the setting ¡®The Dragon can¡¯t be killed¡¯ was already in place you won¡¯t be able to add the setting ¡®The Dragon can be killed¡¯.] [Of course, while you were alive you used to paste additional settings to your already existing one¡¯s later on, regretting the choices you made like an idiot, like ¡®Actually, the Dragon couldn¡¯t be killed normally, but it was possible using the Dragon Slayer OO¡¯. Frivolous behavior such as adding ¡®additional settings¡¯ Like ¡°It¡¯s XX but it was actually OO¡¯ will require more achievement points or will not be tolerated.] I definitely did not imagine things, it was the truth. You were really picking a fight with me. What¡¯s with this? It wasn¡¯t just here to help me. This felt like I was reading malicious comments written by someone who absolutely hated me. Why were these descriptions charged with emotions? There was clearly some malicious intent behind these mysterious messages. Just looking at the mention of what I did when I was still alive, made it obvious. And just hearing about the additional settings made me feel like shit. That seriously broke my heart. I¡¯m not joking. I¡¯m 100% serious. People tend to feel bad if they are faced with the uncomfortable truth. That was a fact. Just who was writing this? Was it in real time? Then a sudden thought went through my mind. Was everything that happened here actually broadcasted to the outside? ¡®Come, watch some asshole newbie writer get punished.¡¯. Maybe it was titled like this? No, well, I wasn¡¯t that bad, you know¡­. So if this was getting broadcasted, who was doing that? ¡®Cause Frick you. [Achievement point requirements are subject to change. A feature that may have cost you 100 points yesterday might cost 200 points or 50 points the next day. It might not even work anymore.] I wondered if it would respond to my thoughts, but I was a little disappointed as it didn¡¯t address any of them. Were you telling me that my thoughts weren¡¯t even worth dealing with? After that, numerous actions that could be done using Achievement Points were listed. I felt something the moment I saw that. So. It seemed like this was my cheat. It was a cheat, but an oddly uncooperative cheat. It seemed like I, as a writer who was sent into his own novel, had the ability to directly interfere with this world¡¯s common sense. I was pretty sure that was what the functions ¡®Revise¡¯ and ¡®Add Settings¡¯ were for. So my purpose was to rewrite my novel and make it a little more interesting. But. It had clearly stated earlier that it would take 100000 points to add something to race settings. Also, I was being punished, not rewarded here. Based on the developments so far, I don¡¯t think this will help me much. To begin with, the fact that I reincarnated as the Demon King¡¯s son didn¡¯t feel that random anymore. I could feel a lot of malice mixed into all of this. These functions might turn out to be important someday, but I only had 1100 achievement points. What could I do with these? [For example, take this situation: you can trigger the event ¡®The bakery owner gives you, a poor beggar, a piece of bread.¡¯ to satisfy your hunger, which wouldn¡¯t otherwise happen. Of course, if the subject is less altruistic it would require a greater amount of achievement points to trigger this event. This means that it would require a large amount of achievement points to cause something that would seriously violate the ¡®Law of Probability¡¯. You know the Law of Probability, right? the one you repeatedly screwed with? The biggest reason why you gave up on your novels after getting criticized for ruining the story and being unable to fix it, giving only ugly excuses .] What do you mean, a beggar? I¡¯ve got plenty of other opportunities! That¡¯s just too much. Reading that description, it felt like it was written by one of the victims of my bad habits. I didn¡¯t really know who they were, whether it was the will of this world or God, but they must¡¯ve really hated me. And why were there so many restrictions? So, big things, such as interfering with the main characters or causing the death of someone, who was unlikely to die, under the guise of an accident, would, of course, require an insane amount of achievement points or would be entirely impossible. No. But wouldn¡¯t I be able to do ¡®that¡¯ if I had a lot of achievement points? That. That ¡®Half die¡¯ move or something like that. Wasn¡¯t this actually one hell of a cheat? Achievement points could eventually be used to revise and add settings on a larger scale. In the end, it was a matter of scope and scale and it not deviating from those two frameworks. For example, one could understand this as being able to rewrite a novel. However, I wondered if I could break through my current situation with just 1100 achievement points. While looking through the functions that used achievement points, I discovered a peculiar one. [Function ¨C A Writer¡¯s advice] What¡¯s this? Advice from who now? [Sometimes, you may find yourself before a crossroad or you may not know how to proceed. In that case, you can execute ¡®A Writer¡¯s Advice¡¯ to receive advice from the writer on what to do next.] [This feature is of rather low cost, but usually it¡¯s unknown what consequences said advice will lead to or what purpose it serves.] [Sometimes the Writer¡¯s Advice is a trap. Following it could have bad consequences for you. It¡¯s common to receive both good and bad results simultaneously. There¡¯s rarely just a good outcome.] [Advice can be divided into ¡®Clear Advice¡¯ and ¡®Vague Advice¡¯. ¡®Clear Advice¡¯ suggests certain actions, but is more likely to lead to bad results, while ¡®Vague Advice¡¯ is more likely to have only good outcomes, although it is hard to guess the intent behind it.] [Wish you the best of luck.] [(???)] You don¡¯t even pretend to be an explanatory text anymore. I felt my heart breaking just by reading that description. * * * There were many things I could do with my current amount of points. If I went to a grocery store with a generous owner and caused an event, I would be able to get food. However, that was just temporary. It would be great if I made a kind, wealthy family accept me as their adopted child, but I didn¡¯t know how many points that would cost. And also, how was I to find out if they were a nice family or not? Also, who is that description person? Why do they hate me so much? If one told me they were a collection of people that hated my guts, I¡¯d believe it. After examining various possibilities, in the end, the only thing I could really try right now was ¡®A Writer¡¯s Advice¡¯. There was a possibility of the advice being a trap, but its price was low. [A Writer¡¯s Advice ¨C 150 Points] I was told that the achievement point cost was variable. After some time, the prices might suddenly inflate and it might end up costing more than a thousand points. It was also up to me whether I took the advice or not. I executed ¡®A Writer¡¯s Advice¡¯. [Clear Advice] [Vague Advice] There were two options. Clear Advice was easy to understand but was most likely a trap and Vague Advice was the complete opposite. And if one took the advice, most of the time good and bad things would occur simultaneously. I mean, it couldn¡¯t really get any worse than my current situation. Homeless and hungry. No, it could be worse. My life could be in danger. Still, to increase my odds even by a little I chose [Vague Advice]. [A Writer¡¯s Vague Advice] [How did so many people get kidnapped to the Demon King¡¯s Castle?] What. What¡¯s with this? This went beyond vague, and straight up had nothing to do with my situation at all. What¡¯s with that riddle all of a sudden? No, couldn¡¯t you at least tell me something like ¡®Go this way, go that way¡¯? I thought some voice would tell me what to do, but instead this riddle suddenly appeared. I was dumbfounded. Kidnapped to the Demon King¡¯s Castle. What was I supposed to do with this? Let myself get kidnapped? This obviously wasn¡¯t a trap, which I thought was good. If this were a trap, they would have made it a lot more clear, otherwise I¡¯d doubt their intelligence. ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± As I sighed deeply while looking at the ground, a guy passing by looked at me strangely. Do you even know how I feel? If I knew how these people got kidnapped, would my situation be any better? They were just kidnapped. I didn¡¯t know how vague that advice was supposed to be, but this was hella cryptic. I¡¯d rather it gave me some solid advice. ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± Oh, right Couldn¡¯t I try it one more time? [A Writer¡¯s Advice ¨C 150 Points] I wasn¡¯t told that I couldn¡¯t use it repeatedly. No, wait, why is it like this? Back when I was alive, I really hated these types of gacha games, so I didn¡¯t even try to play any of these, so why did I have to do something like this after coming to another world. It¡¯s not like I poured a thousand won into buying some gacha crystals or something. However, I did have to put my life on the line to get these points, so I couldn¡¯t help but cry bitter tears. I chose Clear Advice this time. [A Writer¡¯s Clear Advice] [Go to the Magic Tool Shop] Yes. That¡¯s the type of advice I was looking for. Who¡¯d have known. Chapter 11 Go to the Magic Tool Shop. It was an intuitive and clear message and I could immediately understand what this advice was about. One of the biggest problems I was facing was: Money. When I saw the word Magic Tool Shop, I couldn¡¯t help but get this idea right away. I didn¡¯t have anything other than the clothes on my body and my labour to offer. And the scrolls remaining in the Scroll book. If I were to sell the scrolls to a magic tool shop, I¡¯d, of course, make lots of money. Scrolls were expensive after all. The intentions I read out of this were to first put out the big fire by selling these to get money. However, I wasn¡¯t that reassured. The Writer¡¯s Advice would have good but also bad effects simultaneously in most cases. It advised me to sell the scrolls to raise money. A bad outcome I could think of would be the possibility of getting ripped off, of course. I didn¡¯t know the market price, so the store owner would probably try to rip me off. I didn¡¯t know the exact value of magic scrolls. But I clearly remember Dyrus saying something like: ¡®The Demon King¡¯s Castle sure is amazing, even lower level scrolls are often more expensive than my salary.¡¯ A lower level scroll was worth more or less the salary of a Lieutenant of the Imperial Army¡¯s Cavalry. So how much did a Cavalry Lieutenant earn? As a (Self-proclaimed) Medieval Fantasy Specialist, I knew a thing or two about this. There were always descriptions of how many gold coins one needed to feed a family of four, as well as, how much a regular person with an ordinary job would earn in a month. Of course, I also wrote about those things. In the case of this novel here, I had written that a gold coin was equivalent to a month¡¯s food expenses for a family of four. And a regular person with an ordinary job earned about 2 gold coins a month. So. I thought 1 gold coin = 1 million won. (T/N: ca 730 Euro) It was easier to work with if I converted it like that. How could a family of four live on just a million won a month? Wouldn¡¯t they want to eat out at some point? Our house spends about 400 on food, you know? I got these kinds of comments, but they¡¯ll get by somehow. These weren¡¯t living expenses, they were just food expenses. There were no such things as comprehensive insurance, health insurance or telecommunication costs in this world after all! I, as a (self-proclaimed) Medieval Fantasy Expert say: One who seriously researches about the historical background is but a rookie! There are just some things one wouldn¡¯t be able to see if one didn¡¯t empty their minds. I felt sorry for those who weren¡¯t able to enjoy this beautiful medieval fantasy world of magic, knights and social infrastructure that has virtually no science. I have lived by the following ideals: The focus of Medieval Fantasy isn¡¯t on the Medieval part, but on the Fantasy part! It¡¯s not a ¡®Medieval¡¯ Fantasy, but a medieval Fantasy! Most of them didn¡¯t even have anything to do with the Middle Ages! It was kind of like a buzzword! Anyway, How about we do OO with the setting of XX, lol? The genre Medieval Fantasy was created by such shallow thoughts, however what unfolded in front of our eyes is a fantastical world that had nothing to do with the Middle Ages! ¡­This was fantastical in a different sense. Let¡¯s sell the scrolls and live on to see another day. I was neither a wizard nor was I a knight, although I do have the ability to rule over demons, however as I was a Demon Prince who had fallen to the Imperial Capital, Gardium, there wasn¡¯t even a single demon around here. ¡°¡­.¡­Excuse me. Could you give me some directions?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? directions?¡± I tried to ask a passerby, who felt some silent embarrassment for the way I spoke, for the most important thing right now. ¡°Oh! Are you lost?¡± No, well, a little. * * * The ones who mainly used magic tool shops were adventurers and wizards. Of course, This wasn¡¯t an adventure novel, so while there were people who were adventurers, that didn¡¯t really describe what they did. They did have a job, but I¡¯ve never really thought about that. ¡­Come to think of it, how did adventurers make a living in this world? Did they get by with quests from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and monster subjugations? Was there even something like an Adventurer¡¯s Guild? There were adventurers, but I hadn¡¯t set up what they earn or through what means. If one thought about it, that was seriously weird. When I tried thinking of ways adventurer¡¯s earned their money, I could only think of dungeon explorations and monster subjugations. However, if that¡¯s how adventurers earned their money, that would also be a problem. There was a regular army, so why did freelancers like adventurers do things like monster subjugations? If the country outsourced personnel to get rid of security issues, such as monster dens and raids, why did that country even exist? What did the citizens pay taxes for? Although the Warrior Artorius actually killed the Demon King, but the Empire and its Principalities, that had enough military power to take on the Demon Army, solved their monster problems through the Adventurer¡¯s Guild? What were the soldiers good for then? So, if the regular army took care of monster subjugations and there were no such quests coming from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, then how did the adventurers earn their keep? Well, if the whole world was filled with dungeons for adventurers to plunder wouldn¡¯t that be weird as well? Why were rare magical items just rolling around in a dungeon and no country went to claim them for themselves? Wouldn¡¯t they usually do something like nationalizing the dungeons so that adventurers wouldn¡¯t monopolize them? Wasn¡¯t the existence of adventurers in and of itself a setting error judging by this world¡¯s common sense? ¡°¡­¡­¡± If one started to pay attention to historical accuracy, one would lose, but I started to worry a little. It really bothered me. Since I started to think that this was the world I had to live in, I seriously tried to move on from that topic. Let¡¯s not think about this anymore. It¡¯s not like hungry adventurers would just rush up to people asking for a penny. If adventurers didn¡¯t have jobs, they¡¯d just be robbers or even bandits. There was just one thing I really had to care about. To not get ripped off in the Magic Tool Store. I had to get at least 1 gold piece for each scroll. I was planning on keeping constant eye contact, to appear strong. I didn¡¯t think it was too much to ask for a regular price. However, if they were to whine about the quality being not up to par or something, I¡¯d never sell it to them. I planned to go eat somewhere after I got some money. I was so hungry. Afterwards, I should find an inn and take some time to organize my thoughts. There were positive points about the Writer¡¯s advice in that it clearly determined what I should do, regardless of whether the advice was right or not. If the advice was unconditionally good, I¡¯d just empty my brain and follow what it told me. Oh, is that why there were traps in there? They wanted me to stay on my toes? Did they want to see me struggle or something? * * * As the main stage of the story, I had to describe the Capital Gardium in quite detail. No, well, I didn¡¯t go quite as far as describing every single brick. It was just specific areas. However, setting up an imaginary place was quite cumbersome. It was pretty difficult, because there was a strong possibility that I might make mistakes and if it wasn¡¯t properly set up, one would just get confused later on. That said, the Capital Gardium was pretty similar to Seoul. Was it just similar? Well, I must confess, it was just Seoul with a different name. This was my description of the Imperial Capital. ¡®A great Irene river runs through the Imperial Capital Gardium, splitting it in the northern part where the imperial palace was located and the southern part where the temple was located. The river¡¯s huge tributaries serve as its borders.¡¯ Could you see it? Gangnam and Gangbuk. ¡®In the center of the northern part of Gardium lies the Imperial Palace Emperatos.¡¯ In other words, the Imperial palace in Jongno. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as big as Gyeongbokgung Palace, the entire Jongno District was the imperial palace after all. ¡®In the southern Eredian district, one of the Capital¡¯s two greatest landmarks, the Temple, the other one being the Imperial Palace, was located. It was also a gigantic educational facility and the cradle of many talented young people.¡¯ In other words, the Temple was in the Gwanak District. So Eredian District = Gwanak District. So I ended up setting up the Capital Gardium as a space so similar to Seoul that the only thing different about it was the name. The districts also had medieval sounding names. This was an actual sentence out of the novel. [The main character¡¯s party sprinted all the way from the Gehenna district to the Eredian district. The effect of their physical training was showing.] How the scene actually appeared in my mind: ¡®The main character¡¯s party ran from the Dongjak District to the Gwanak District.¡¯ It was kind of like that. I wouldn¡¯t even need to create a different map. I could just imagine Seoul¡¯s map and change the district names. It was convenient and I felt good about myself. If one just drew up an imaginary map, the readers wouldn¡¯t even be interested in it. I did that when I was in middle school, but there was no one who was even remotely interested in it. That was when it hit me. These maps of imaginary worlds were for the writer and not the readers. The reason Gardium seemed like Seoul was entirely because of my needs. The Temple was in Gwanak and the Imperial Palace in Jongno. The place I got teleported to was the Al Ligar District. Later it would be changed to Artorius District in honor of the hero. They would build a huge statue of him as well. Where was this Al Ligar District and later Artorius District located, you ask? This was Yongsan. Of course, it was just the topography and division that were similar, the buildings were completely different, so this was just like a neighborhood I never went to before. I arrived in Yongsan, so I headed towards the shopping district, which was about where the Yongsan Electronics Market was. Even though this was an imaginary place, maybe because it was that kind of region. ¡°What kind of crappy scrolls are these? Dude, where did you get this stuff?¡± As if proving that this was Yongsan, I encountered a gangster like bastard in my first try. * * * At the shop owner¡¯s first words, I went back out to the streets thinking that I wouldn¡¯t be able to do some immediate business with that owner, which I had already engraved as a gangster in my memory. He muttered something, but I didn¡¯t even listen to what he was saying. Every building around this area was a shop. Thousands of people were passing by, looking at things. Were all these people adventurers? How was being an adventurer lucrative? Was there some kind of way to earn money that I wasn¡¯t aware of? Actually, it had to be like thatt, otherwise there wouldn¡¯t be so many of them. It felt strange. As if someone filled my plot holes for me. Noise came from every corner of this place. ¡°Oh, young adventurer! I just opened up! Hey, since it¡¯s this store¡¯s opening, I¡¯ll sell to you at half the price, how about it?¡± ¡°Oh, so ya looked and touched all these things, but you¡¯re not gonna buy anythin? Ya not gonna buy even one thing? Ha, you¡¯re makin me laugh. Hey, follow me for a sec. Oh, come on, huh, ya won¡¯t come? No! Let¡¯s just talk for a sec. Who¡¯s harassing ya? Huh? Makin a thug outta me now, are ya? I¡¯m hurt. Ya want me to show ya what a real thug is? Huh? Want me to rough you up?!¡± ¡°Refund? Look at that bastard. Didja shit in ya lil panties and come crawling here for a refund? What kinda bitch are you, huh? Get your ass outta here!¡± ¡°Hey, bro, ya put a scratch on it! How can I sell it now, huh? Imma just cut it half, so take it! I¡¯m selling at a loss here, ya know? Still not gonna buy it? Really now? Should I call the guards, huh? Let¡¯s see who¡¯s right, huh? Ya sure bout this? Really sure? Where ya from? Argand? Ya know big bro Rand then? Never heard of ¡®im? Hah. What a son of a bitch! Hey, take it while I¡¯m still bein nice here. Don¡¯t make me angry.¡± . . . No. What¡¯s with this? Why did it really turn into Yongsan? What unfolded before me was the medieval version of Yongsan. ¡°Was everyone like this?¡± I felt like prey. ¡°Oh, well, erm. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll just look for some other place¡­.¡± I tried my best not to get devoured. ¨C Hey, don¡¯t make eye contact. Don¡¯t meet their eyes. There are some crazy bastards who won¡¯t even buy stuff and just unpack it and take it. ¨C They¡¯re all retired adventurers, so they¡¯re good at fighting. If you pick a fight, you¡¯ll get one of your arms or legs broken. Even the people who knew what this place was, came in groups. Just when I was imagining Yongsan, what spread out in front of me was really the Yongsan I had in my mind. And here I was, a 17-year-old push over that tried to sell magic scrolls from the Demon Realm to people who were even worse. Yongsan. Just that one word made me feel like it was an impossible endeavour. Chapter 12 As I found out later, the Al Ligar district¡¯s shopping district was notorious among adventurers. It was a place filled with unscrupulous merchants who nearly forced people to buy things, never refunded and charged them several tens of times of the market price. Nevertheless, it was the largest shopping district in the Imperial Capital and most items necessary for adventurers could only be purchased there, so it was a notorious place that, alas, couldn¡¯t be avoided. Well, it was the same as the old Yongsan Electronics Market. Just a fantasy version of it. It was a place novice adventurers were more scared of than dungeons. A place where it was common for people who wanted to start out as adventurers to give up on these thoughts. The victims were mostly just teenaged novice adventurers who came here with their saved up pocket money. Was it PTSD? I felt my whole body shaking. That bastard who sold me MP3s. Are you doing well, I wonder? You have to live a good life. If you just continue to live such a bad life, wouldn¡¯t that be sad, huh? Wouldn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s calm down. Among these many gangsters, I had to find a proper magic tool shop to sell these scrolls to. No, well, at first that felt easy enough, but it seemed like the difficulty just rose absurdly high suddenly. Somehow it felt impossible to do. Just by knowing the fact that this was Yongsan. There were many shops such as weapon shops, armor shops, tool shops, etc. however, I was looking for a magic tool shop. A magic tool shop was basically a place where a lot of money changed their owners pretty quickly, different from these other shops. ¡°What do you want? Don¡¯t touch anything and get out.¡± I couldn¡¯t even enter most of the shops because the owners were afraid I might touch a scroll and activate it. I also didn¡¯t look like an adventurer. The first store owner was actually rather kind as he let me in. Even though there were some who strangely let me come in, their reactions weren¡¯t that good. The merchant looked at the scroll that I said I was going to sell and frowned. ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s this? Were you gonna sell these for money? Look at that brat. Don¡¯t make a fuss and get out. Well, I can give ya two bronze coins for these.¡± What? Did all the gangsters collude or something? How could they slap me in the face like this? I wasn¡¯t sure about 2 gold coins, but you wouldn¡¯t even give me 1? Didn¡¯t that guy have at least that much conscience left in him? I didn¡¯t say anything, grabbed my scrolls and left. They were just a bunch of crooks not worth talking to. However, the response from the next shop was also poor. ¡°Haha, what¡¯s this? It¡¯s my first time seeing someone trying to scam me like this. Ah, what bad luck. Get out of here, bastard!¡± There were some who kicked me out as soon as they saw the scrolls. After getting turned down like this three times in a row, I realized that something was odd. What did they mean, scam? The next store treated me the same. I got sent off two consecutive times with the words ¡°What¡¯s with this nonsense?!¡±. ¡°What the hell do you think of people doing business here, huh? Do you think we wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the difference?!¡± . . ¡°Don¡¯t just doodle these weird things and actually learn how to draw.¡± It was a rather friendly reply, but I still got turned down. They looked at me as if I was some madman trying some weird scam by selling fake scrolls. This bizarre situation was going on instead of the good and bad outcomes I was expecting. Everything that the Writer¡¯s Advice hinted at went wrong. Were they thinking that the scrolls I took out weren¡¯t the real deal just because I looked young? Did they think these were fakes that just looked kind of similar? I had to show them that they actually worked, but if I activated a scroll I¡¯d just waste it. I couldn¡¯t blow my capital like that. If I showed them and then asked for money afterwards, I¡¯m pretty sure they wouldn¡¯t give it to me. The next place I went to was more out-of-the-way. ¡°Ho-oh¡­.¡± The shop owner glanced at the scroll and his eyes lit up. I thought he was someone who could finally recognize these scrolls¡¯ true value without being prejudiced. To be honest, I was exhausted, so I just wanted to finally sell them even if he ripped me off badly. The man suddenly fumbled through his drawers and pulled out a scroll. ¡°Hey, you shouldn¡¯t draw this, try doing these, these and these.¡± He did recognize the value. ¡°If you can draw the same thing, I¡¯ll give you five silver coins each. How about it?¡± The only problem was that he saw value in me and not in the scrolls. It seemed like that guy was misunderstanding something greatly, trying to make me mass-produce fake scrolls to sell. I was almost flabbergasted by this devilish idea that transcended dimensions. The owner kept on raising the remuneration even though I didn¡¯t do anything, and in the end, he offered me 1 gold coin per sheet. I had never seen such a vicious bastard before. ¡°Oh, come on! Fine! Let¡¯s go 50/50! Okay? But you¡¯ll have to rake in lots of money for me, got that? So young and already so ferocious¡­¡­ Huh.¡± It was tempting, but I wasn¡¯t the one who drew these so I really couldn¡¯t do it. However, I did feel in awe, seeing the eyes of that man coveting talent that I didn¡¯t have. He was such a crook that I almost genuinely wanted to punish him. No, well, scrolls were supposed to be used in emergencies. If the scroll turned out to be fake, that person trying to use it would most likely die, right? You were playing with people¡¯s lives here, you know? He was the top bastard among these petty thugs. I ended up sighing and nodded my head. ¡°Sure, can I bring you the finished products tomorrow?¡± Just looking at these complex shapes, it was probably impossible for me to replicate them here. ¡°O, ooh! Yes, yes! Can you bring it in tomorrow?¡± ¡°I might have to stay up all night.¡± ¡°Oh, good! Yeah! I¡¯ll give you the money as soon as I get it! The profit¡¯s 50/50, so if they get sold, we¡¯ll split the profits! You know there¡¯s no business like this, right, buddy?¡± You wouldn¡¯t tell me even if you sold one, you bastard. I left the shop with the scroll the merchant handed to me. ¨C You¡¯re going to make me a fortune! Hearing the sounds coming from behind me made me involuntarily sigh. What¡¯s with this? Was that guy¡¯s head only filled with greed? Was he the type of person that couldn¡¯t see clearly ahead of him because of his own greed? Anyway. I got a Fireball Scroll for free. * * * I came to sell a scroll and saw the extraordinary profit of earning one scroll. Fireball was an attack spell, and unlike other novels who treated this spell as one of the basics, Fireball was quite a powerful spell in this world. Why was a spell that created an explosion right in front of you only a basic spell? I was a stubborn bastard, that insistent on not caring about historical facts. However, these things bothered me. Honestly though, I didn¡¯t think that much about it. Could anyone just carry a fireball scroll or something? Shouldn¡¯t it be banned by law? Well, wasn¡¯t this like selling rocket launchers like RPG-7s on the street? Weren¡¯t these just fantasy versions of dynamite? Medieval Fantasies were just dreamlands for terrorists. I should have put various restrictions on magic scroll trading when I was writing about this. Back then I had no reason to worry about these laws and regulations, but now that I had to live here, I felt they were much too lax. Of course, I didn¡¯t create an entire set of laws for the Gardias Empire when I was describing it. However Imperial Laws should exist and it¡¯s obviously going to be a huge amount. It¡¯s not like the parts I haven¡¯t described didn¡¯t exist, however this environment where anyone could just use magic scrolls certainly didn¡¯t seem safe to me. This was dangerous¡­. People seemed to think my scrolls were fake. I had no idea if they thought that because I was just some kid who didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d be able to get his hands on scrolls at all or if there was some other reason. I walked endlessly and finally found another magic tool shop on this street filled with gangsters. Maybe I should check and see if there was just a problem with my wares. ¡°Um¡­¡­ Are you a customer?¡± There was a disheveled person who seemed to have slept on the table, raising her head in this scroll shop filled with the smell of paper and ink. She looked drowsy, not at all willing to do business. ¡°I¡¯m here to sell magic scrolls.¡± ¡°Huh? Sell scrolls? You?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I took out the Fireball scroll and put it in front of her. The merchant woman unfolded the scroll and glanced over it, frowned and then hit my head. -Bang! ¡°Argh! Why are you hitting me?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous for a kid to carry things like these.¡± The woman frowned and shook her head as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°I usually don¡¯t buy stuff like this, but I¡¯d rather buy it off of you, so that you can¡¯t carry this around with you anymore.¡± She said something like ¡°It can¡¯t be helped so I¡¯ll take it off of you¡±. What a gangster-like expression. ¡°4 gold. It¡¯s useless even if you don¡¯t want to sell it for that. I won¡¯t return it to you.¡± I got my hands on a lot more money than I planned on getting. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ask where you got this from, but if you¡¯re caught carrying these things around, you¡¯ll get scolded. You got that? I¡¯ll remember your face.¡± She wasn¡¯t a gangster who made hard sales but one that forcibly bought things. It was at that moment that I changed her name from gangster to kind beautiful shop owner inside my mind. No, actually, scratch that. It should be Great Beauty. Anyway, I sighed heavily. ¡°Tch, kids really don¡¯t know how to be afraid of magic.¡± It looked like she really bought it because this was something dangerous. Whatever, I got my money. ¡°Thank you.¡± I bowed my head and tried to leave the shop. I had to buy some things with these. I had to be careful not to let it get stolen or to get ripped off. I also had a lot on my mind. ¡°Wait.¡± The owner called out to me. ¡°You, come here.¡± With a very languid expression on her face, she told me to come to her, then she came out from behind the counter and approached me. ¡°Why are you wearing a scroll book? Take them all out.¡± It felt like I got caught red handed. ¡°Uh, I. There¡­.¡± It seemed like she¡¯d take it all away, if I had any more dangerous magic scrolls. She dragged me to a chair and took away my scroll book. ¡°You picked something up someone lost, didn¡¯t you? You didn¡¯t even try to return it to the owner and thought about selling it, huh? You brat. You must be mad.¡± She clicked her tongue while saying ¡°What are kids doing these days?¡±. She seemed convinced that there was absolutely no way that I actually got these on my own. Well, the source was actually pretty questionable. She pulled out a scroll, unfolded it, looked at it and frowned. ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s this?¡± She seemed puzzled, then she went to her counter and unfolded the Fireball Scroll I gave to her. ¡°¡­It¡¯s true.¡± It was at that moment, I realized that there must have been a good reason as to why so many merchants thought I was trying to trick and scam them. The merchant unfolded my scrolls one by one, and gradually became speechless. She sat next to me and gently wrapped her arms around my shoulders. ¡°Baby.¡± No. No matter how young I was, I absolutely wasn¡¯t like a baby. The woman¡¯s voice was endlessly sweet. ¡°..¡­¡­Ye, yes?¡± ¡°You have to be honest, okay?¡± Also, she bore a sense of ingenuity that seemed to want to peer inside of me. ¡°Where did you get all these scrolls?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­Yes?¡± ¡°This is the magic construction method used by demons. Why do you have these?¡± A Writer¡¯s Advice usually led to both good and bad outcomes. I could definitely see now what they meant with that. Chapter 13 There was magic. That¡¯s as far as my set up went, so of course I didn¡¯t know ¡®How¡¯ it worked. It wasn¡¯t my role to know how magic worked or how it manifested. How did magic work, what were the magic formula and what was mana¡­? Who the hell would want to read up on that bullshit in a fantasy novel? To begin with, what¡¯s even the difference between explaining how magic worked or how there was a black flame dragon sleeping in ones right arm? It was just a setup. If one got that, than one could also just move on. Even if you don¡¯t mention all the details of some old, dusty martial technique vault in martial arts novels, the reader would understand what was going on just by reading the line. In other words, that was what one called shared common sense. However, there was a principle and way that overthrew said common sense. The magic system of demons and humans were different. They used the same kind of magic, but in different ways. They were like how steam locomotives and modern trains ran on the same kind of track. Therefore, a scroll inscribed with demonic magic was capable of ultra-long distance teleportation, while a scroll containing human magic wasn¡¯t. It was impossible for me to distinguish between human and demonic magic just by looking at the formula. It was a mistake that stemmed from my ignorance and lack of understanding of just what I was trying to do here. The other merchants couldn¡¯t recognize the magic formulas of demons, probably because they weren¡¯t wizards, so they thought the scrolls were fake. However, this woman who was both the magic tool shop owner and probably a wizard recognized that my scrolls were working with a different systems. ¡°Won¡¯t you tell me? Please?¡± I didn¡¯t know what that woman would do to me. Could I somehow get through this situation using my achievement points? I had to make this woman think that my scrolls were insignificant. [To trigger this event 3000 achievement points are required.] Again, I needed more points than I actually had. I mean, it was highly unlikely to find demonic scrolls in the middle of the Imperial Capital after all, so that would seriously undermine probability. In the end, I had no other choice but to open my mouth. ¡°Tha, that¡­. Erm¡­. A, at the¡­ At the Demon King¡¯s¡­ Castle¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± I had no other choice but to tell her the truth. ¡°I bought them from the Demon King¡¯s Castle¡­¡­.¡± The woman frowned after hearing my words. ¡°What do you mean? You brought these scrolls from the Demon King¡¯s Castle?¡± The woman furrowed her eyebrows as if she couldn¡¯t make sense of my words. However, these demonic scrolls made what I said believable apparently. I recounted the whole story to her. The long story of how I ended up being imprisoned together with the princess in the Demon King¡¯s Castle and how we used teleportation scrolls to escape from there. Then I told her that, after arriving at the Capital, I found myself all alone with no money and somehow had to find a place to live, so I tired selling these scrolls. I even added that I didn¡¯t know who I was because I lost my memory. ¡°Oh, my god¡­. This is so absurd¡­¡­ Do you want me to believe that? The princess has been rescued?¡± Dumbfounded she furrowed her brows even more. She looked into my eyes and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re lying. If you actually rescued the princess, you¡¯d be given a noble title or whatever. Why are you alone, huh?¡± That was natural. The price for saving the princess¡¯ life was beyond imagination. To the extent that it would seem absurd to just reject it and wander around alone. The only logical explanation would be that I didn¡¯t save her, of course. However, I was a master of ¡®additional settings¡¯, that is, finding excuses. These settings were actually like that so as to avoid a setting error I¡¯d just rearrange some words. That¡¯s what it meant to be a specialist in making excuses! ¡°That¡­. When we escaped, a lot of Duke Salerian¡¯s Knights died. I might get rewarded, but I thought Prince Bertus was going to try and kill me¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡­ Retaliation¡­¡­ Yes¡­¡­ I guess, that makes sense¡­¡­ It would probably be difficult for the princess to protect you¡­¡­ Obviously¡­¡­¡± I was able to make use of the excuse I planned on giving the princess if she happened to stumble upon me in a completely different place by any chance. A reward would be good, but it was, of course, not as precious as my own life. Of course, this was just an excuse, albeit an understandable one. I also hoped for Dyrus¡¯ safety. I was sure they¡¯d plan to retaliate against him as well. She stared at me. ¡°Your story is too elaborate to be made up on the spot.¡± It seemed like her last doubts had been solved. She seemed to believe my story. With such a ridiculous thing in her hands it seemed like she had no other choice but to believe my exciting story. She sighed again. ¡°So, that means, the Demon King¡­¡­ is dead¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A strange light flashed in her eyes at my words. She seemed relieved, but I couldn¡¯t determine if it was sorrow or joy she actually felt. She had been silent for a long time. Eventually, she looked at me with sad eyes. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a relief. How hard it must have been for the young princess¡­ How hard it must have been for you.¡± She wrapped her arms around me and patted me on the back as if pitying me. No, well, I wasn¡¯t actually tortured. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t actually remember any of that¡­. So it¡¯s okay.¡± Let¡¯s moderately circumvent this situation. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m glad that you don¡¯t have to suffer from such a bad memory. Thank God.¡± She kept patting me on the back, telling me that it would be better to live without these memories and that it would be too painful to remember them. What, why was she being so kind to me? By the way, I was pretty hungry and had some things to sort out mentally, so I kind of wanted to leave, you know? ¡°Let me look at you for a second, kid. Still¡­.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There were definitely a lot of people who had memory problems after suffering sever torture, but you were trapped in a terrifying place such as the Demon King¡¯s Castle. Right?¡± No, it was originally my home sweet home, but the problem was that the hero¡¯s party just decided to pay us a visit. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a curse on your body. So I¡­.¡± She looked at me with warm eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll try to cast a simple spell on you. If you lost your memory because of a curse, your memory might return, but this spell can¡¯t remove curses that are too strong¡­.¡± She formed a sign. ¡°Uh, hey, wait a minute!¡± ¡°Dispel.¡± The spell had already been cast. ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± She looked at me as if she had no idea what¡¯s going on. Horns, and a skin color that was slightly different from a humans. It¡¯s not like she didn¡¯t know what that meant. She just couldn¡¯t accept it. ¡°Oh.¡± A Writer¡¯s Advice. From now on I shall call it a son of a bitch. ¡°Yo¡­. Your Highness¡­?¡± However, the words that came out of her mouth completely changed my mind. * * * Your Highness. Naturally I knew that¡¯s what one usually calls a prince. But why was there someone who recognized me in such a random place? Of course, I knew what that meant. It was just hard to accept. The shop owner immediately knelt down in front of me. ¡°I, I¡­. I, Eleris of the Demon Army¡¯s Gardium Invasion team, greets His Highness the Prince.¡± ¡°U, uh¡­.¡± Was this good? This was a good thing, right? My mind was working on overdrive trying to interpret this situation and how I should treat this woman in front of me, who definitely was a Demon. At least this wasn¡¯t a dangerous situation, right? ¡°I believe, it would be better if you came this way first.¡± She alternated looking at me and the store¡¯s entrance, then led me into the warehouse behind her. If a customer came in while we stood in front of the entrance like that, they¡¯d immediately discover that this store housed demons. She cast a spell and soon there was a subtle change to her appearance. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± Two fangs slightly peeked out from between her red lips. Red eyes and pale skin. I seemed to know what she was. ¡°A, a vampire¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Eleris Tuesday from the House of Seven Nights.¡± What the hell kind of chuuni setting is the House of Seven Nights? I never wrote anything about those kind of things. Anyway, the other party seemed concerned about me. She carefully put a hand to my face, while I was still dumbfounded. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡­ Have you really lost your memory¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, uhm¡­ Oh, I guess¡­ I don¡¯t remember much. Except for the fact that I was the Prince of the Demon Realm¡­.¡± I had no other choice but to be honest, as I thought it would be a hundred times better to just be honest than fake having memories I don¡¯t have. There was a strange light in her eyes again. I had no idea what kinds of emotions she felt. ¡°To leave the castle and come all the way here all on your own in such a situation¡­.¡± She held my hand carefully, looking like she was about to cry. ¡°What a stroke of luck. I don¡¯t know how this came to be, but I feel like I have to give my thanks to the Gods.¡± The vampire seemed to think that this was just an absurd coincidence, to the extent that she felt grateful towards God. However, when I thought that this situation came to be because of the Writer¡¯s Advice, it would probably be more fitting to thank the devil. It was a ridiculous coincidence for Eleris, however to me it was an inevitability. Go to the magic tool shop. Eleris might have recognized the demonic scroll because she was a wizard, but it was highly likely that she did because she was a Demon herself. So, going to the magic tool shop to sell scrolls was just a disguise, there were actually hidden intentions behind this advice. The message hidden in it was to find a demon spy who infiltrated Gardium and ask for help. However, if I had been caught by a human wizard who happened to recognized that the scrolls were made by demons, I might have been in a tougher position. The outcome could have been rather dangerous, but in the end I really did meet a Demon spy. After a moment. Come to think of it, the Vague Advice hinted to something similar in the end. [A Writer¡¯s Vague Advice] [How could so many people have gotten kidnapped to the Demon King¡¯s Castle?] Not ¡®Why¡¯ but ¡®How¡¯. I wrote that those people were kidnapped by spies from the Demon Realm who had infiltrated the Human Realm. The vague advice was a subtle message for me to find the spies, since they would still be in the Human Realm. However, I didn¡¯t even think of that, because I was completely lost and hungry. If I had understood the vague advice, I would have gotten a clue that I had to entrust myself to a demon spy in Gardium. If I had moved carefully, it would have been absolutely safe. The Writer¡¯s Clear Advice was quite risky but intuitive and the Writer¡¯s Vague Advice tried to hint at what I should be doing. Vague Advice was relatively safe and Clear Advice presented some risks. ¡°Erm¡­. Could there have been a human wizard capable of recognizing scrolls of the Demon Realm?¡± I spoke informally, however Eleris didn¡¯t seem to mind it. ¡°There are some weridos who study even the magic of demons. I¡¯m glad you came to me before you met any of them.¡± A chill ran down my spine at the thought what a disaster it would have been if anyone actually recognized these scrolls before I met Eleris. I could have seriously gotten myself killed. She went back outside into her shop again, locked its door and took me upstairs. ¡°I shall do my best to serve you from now on.¡± Saying so, she sat me down on a sofa. Soon, she began to tidy up her messy room. Wait, she was a vampire. So, why was this room so well lit? It wasn¡¯t a huge apartment, but wasn¡¯t there a lot of sunlight getting in? ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this kind of dangerous for Vampires?¡± She looked at me and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m a Vampire Lord. I can handle this level of light. Of course, it isn¡¯t good for my body though.¡± No, I could see you flinch a little every time light hit you while you were straightening out the table cloth. Were you really okay? ¡°This was an annex to the store, so I don¡¯t have to pay rent. I also would have wanted to live in a dream like residential area like a semi-basement where the sun doesn¡¯t shine all year round, but the budget for my actions are rather tight¡­.¡± ¡­How sad. I didn¡¯t exactly know what a Vampire Lord was, but wasn¡¯t this just too sad for a high-ranking vampire? I did understand that such an environment would be dreamlike for a vampire, but just hearing her say that she desired to live in a semi-basement was just too sad. A Vampire was worried about rent¡­. ¡°Uh, wouldn¡¯t it be fine if you just made the landlord your kin?¡± Come to think of it, wouldn¡¯t it be very easy for a vampire to get rich? Wasn¡¯t that common sense? ¡°I had a similar idea, but to create a kin, I would have to take on too many risks. It¡¯s not easy to create a kin while disguised as an ordinary person.¡± Eleris certainly was a strong vampire, but that didn¡¯t mean the ones she created would be just as strong. It was obvious that a normal man who suddenly avoided the sun and stopped eating would be considered suspicious. No. Wasn¡¯t it actually quite difficult for Vampires, who were the Nobles of the Night, to blend in with human society? After cleaning up moderately, Eleris looked at me. ¡°You must be hungry. Let me prepare some food.¡± ¡°Huh? Uh¡­.¡± Don¡¯t Vampires drink blood? Do you even have any normal ingredients here? As if aware of my concerns, Eleris put on a hooded robe. ¡°I¡¯ll be out for little while.¡± ¡°N, no. Will you be fine?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be alright.¡± Just because of me, this vampire went grocery shopping in broad daylight. I was dumbfounded at how easily she just said that. Thank you so much and I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m so ignorant and helpless! After she quickly bought something to eat for me she looked so exhausted. I was close to tears. Chapter 14 The Demons I saw at the Demon King¡¯s Castle ran rampant to save me. They seemed to recognize me even though I cast Camouflage on myself. However, Eleris, who was also a demon, didn¡¯t recognize me, before my real appearance was revealed. What was the reason for that? I pondered while Eleris was away, but I didn¡¯t come to an answer. My ability to control demons was incomplete. That was the only guess I could make. What Eleris bought were sandwiches and milk. She apologized to me for not having much to offer. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much leeway¡­. I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness.¡± As I ate gratefully, I tilted my head at the sudden thought I had. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you just buy a Fireball Scroll for 4 gold?¡± ¡°Oh. Tha, that was¡­.¡± She told me that it was too dangerous for a kid like me to walk around carrying something like that and just threw a huge chunk of money at me. ¡°I just thought it would be dangerous for a child to carry something like this¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness.¡± For a spy she was pretty sympathetic and compassionate. Was it fine to be so good-natured as a vampire? Was that how you spent all your money? I took out the 4 gold coins I had stored and put them on the table. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could spend so much anyway, so I¡¯ll return it to you.¡± ¡°Oh, that, that¡¯s¡­. Thanks.¡± Anyway, I got a guardian who happened to be a high-ranking vampire now, so having all that money would seem pretty meaningless. She was watching me eat with a sad expression on her face. What¡¯s good is good. Because of her good natured personality, I gained a vampire protector. She could help me out in emergencies. And. That awkward mood still lingered. There were some unknown emotions swiping over Eleris face when I told her that the Demon King was dead. It clearly wasn¡¯t anger at the loss of her master. It felt like relief. Although I continued to eat casually, I didn¡¯t stop thinking. Eleris seemed happy that the Demon King died and about the fact that the Demon World War ended in the human¡¯s victory. So was this vampire a pacifist or something while still being a spy? Or maybe she was influenced by the humans because she lived in Gardium for too long. Either way, this vampire was the kind of person who couldn¡¯t even overlook a young boy like me carrying around a fireball scroll, even though she didn¡¯t even know who I was. And the emotions she showed while I was talking about the princess also felt like genuine sympathy and compassion. She said, that she must have gone through so much hardship while still being so young. This vampire hated war and felt joyous about its end. I still didn¡¯t know if she was happy about the war¡¯s end or the human¡¯s victory though. She¡¯s taking care of me for now, but her loyalty towards the Demon King had disappeared a long time ago. So what was the surviving Demon Prince to those who hate war? Wouldn¡¯t he just be like the embers of a new war? Than it was obvious what her best choice would be if she wanted to avoid another war. I see. Beneath the hem of her robe, Eleris¡¯ fingertips were trembling violently. Maybe she just felt weak because of her exposure to the sun, but maybe she actually just made up her mind on something, but was too afraid to go through with it? Fear of having to completely end the Demon World, her hometown, with her own hands. Disgust towards herself who was trying to kill the young and helpless me to prevent any more war from happening. I wonder if she was really thinking like that or if this was just my imagination. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Uh, ah¡­. Yes.¡± ¡°Have you really, really¡­. Lost your memories, all of them?¡± When Eleris asked me this with a trembling voice, I was almost certain of what she was trying to do. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t remember anything but who I was. I don¡¯t even know why this happened and I believe I definitely wasn¡¯t cursed or possessed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, whatever. Not that searching for my memories would change anything.¡± I didn¡¯t know if these words would reassure her or not. ¡°I¡¯ve only gone through it for one day, but war sure is crazy.¡± At these words, an indescribable joy flashed across Eleris¡¯ face. ¡°The, then, ah, no! You are the master of the Demon Realm and the hope of all demons! You must have a strong heart and rebuild the Demon Realm and raise it up again¡­!¡± She was trying really hard to say things she didn¡¯t mean or stood behind. ¡°The Demon Realm has already fallen.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I neither intend to be the king of a country that doesn¡¯t exist.¡± Let¡¯s drive it home. ¡°Nor should you act like the subject of a country that doesn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± At these words, tears fell from the vampire¡¯s eyes. She proved her innocence by crying. There was a time when novels like that dominated my childhood. But vampires were able to cry in this world, huh? After saying, that she was sorry for her behavior, Eleris went down to the first floor and didn¡¯t come up for a while. It didn¡¯t seem like what I said had any negative impact on her. * * * That night. I lay in bed. Eleris said she¡¯d watch over me, so she sat down on a chair by my bed, looking out the window from where some moonlight was pouring in. It was said that Vampires were the nobles of the night. She was really pretty. I was looking at Eleris, who shone paley in the moonlight. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± ¡°.¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t call you anything else.¡± Eleris said so and kept talking without looking at me. ¡°You should never tell anyone else what you told me today.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason to. If I were to say these things, I¡¯d reveal that I¡¯m a demon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± That¡¯s not why, Eleris said powerfully. ¡°Excluding me, there are two other infiltrators that have infiltrated Gardium.¡± Yes. That¡¯s exactly what I expected, because she told me it was an Infiltration group. ¡°You will inevitably get to know the other two as well. It would be unacceptable for them if Your Highness continued hiding away from the world.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Count Argon Pontheus. And then there¡¯s the one known as Irene¡¯s Wild Dog.¡± ¡°One of them is a noble?¡± Wasn¡¯t that way more than a spy? ¡°Yes. He was the one who directly carried out the abduction of the princess and the empress.¡± When I heard that it was him who kidnapped the princess, I flinched. Naturally, the demons here must have carried out the abduction themselves. But it felt strange to think that the one who did it was someone like him and that he¡¯d definitely be someone loyal to the Demon Realm. I felt like I was faced with the uncomfortable truth that I was, after all, nothing more than her parents¡¯ enemy to Charlotte. ¡°Count Pontheus¡¯ real name is Sarkegaar. He¡¯s of the Dreadfiend race.¡± Fiends belonged to the demon tribe. Fiends were a sub-species of demons. But I didn¡¯t know what a Dreadfiend was. Why did I get sent into my novel, only to find mostly things I didn¡¯t know about?¡± ¡°Could you elaborate?¡± ¡°Dreadfiends are basically demons who specialize in transformation magic, including counter magic. That¡¯s why he was able to fool the humans¡¯ eyes and penetrate into the aristocratic society, the heart of Gardias. He wasn¡¯t detected not because of the level of his transformation, but because he changed his race itself. You can think of them as being able to use abilities similar to Polymorph, one of the highest level magic spells, from birth.¡± There were many types of transformation magic. There was camouflage, which was a low-level magic spell. It was the one I used. Then there was the method of creating optical illusions with illusion magic, and the method of transforming for a short period. However, polymorph was a highest level spell that could change one¡¯s very body structure. This kind of magic couldn¡¯t be lifted by using Detection or Dispel. Dreadfiends could use abilities similar to that polymorph from birth. All this would have been much easier if I had turned into that kind of demon. ¡°He¡¯s absolutely loyal to the Demon King. Not only would he go to war, he would be willing to sacrifice even his soul if it meant he could rebuild the Demon Realm.¡± Weren¡¯t Fiends usually in the position of stealing souls? How loyal was he? ¡°So if he came to know that I wasn¡¯t interested in rebuilding the Demon Realm¡­ it¡¯d cause some real problems, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be to that level, but he¡¯d try to make Your Highness want to.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t kill me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the last Arcdemon. Without you, the Demon Realm cannot be rebuilt. So he will try to change your mind somehow.¡± Were Arcdemons such an important race? Right now, I was just a kid who couldn¡¯t do anything on his own. ¡°What if I still don¡¯t change my mind, then what?¡± Eleris looked at me and smiled. Then she put her hand on my head. She had a low body temperature, but it felt good in its own way. ¡°Even if it means destroying everything you love, he will do it.¡± I had just arrived in this world, but Sarkegaar would do everything except kill me to make me the next Demon King. ¡°For now, please just go along with him. And it won¡¯t be too late to use your hand when you built up enough strength to overwhelm Sarkegaar.¡± ¡°.¡­Yes, well. Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°He¡¯s also very competent. He¡¯ll be able to help Your Highness in a lot more ways than I¡¯m capable of.¡± First of all, he was a spy, but he was also a noble. Sarkegaar is, after all, a loyalist. He wouldn¡¯t do anything that could cause me harm. Actually, the most dangerous person to me was Eleris before I told her I wasn¡¯t interested in war. It seemed like Eleris was trying to kill me, though she looked like she wouldn¡¯t want to do that anymore. ¡°Wait, just out of curiosity, if I became the actual Demon King after going along with what he said, what would you do?¡± ¡°..¡­ I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Eleris sighed with a bitter smile. ¡°When that time comes, you¡¯ll have to choose between me or Sarkegaar.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Perhaps killing me now would be her best option to burn the roots of war, but Eleris didn¡¯t seem like she was able to do that. ¡°You have to grow up to be good, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­I will try.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe that I was hearing these things from a Vampire. ¡°So what is that Irene¡¯s Wild Dog?¡± What was with that creepy nickname? Irene¡¯s Wild Dog? Were they trying to seem cool? She scratched her cheek slightly. ¡°They¡­.. There are illegal gangs in Gardium committing crimes in various places¡­¡­ Something like that¡­¡­ Irene¡¯s Wild Dog is the head of one such gang.¡± ¡°¡­¡­The demon sent as a spy became a gangster?¡± What kind of dog was he supposed to be again? Eleris wore an awkward smile showing her dumbfoundedness. ¡°Strictly speaking, rather than being a gang¡­ They are just some people that stuck together. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s inevitable for violence to occur because they are together.¡± ¡°.¡­Isn¡¯t that a gang?¡± ¡°What should I call this¡­.¡± Eleris seemed even more hesitant than when she was talking about Sarkegaar. ¡°That¡¯s how one turns out if the only thing one¡¯s good at is fighting.¡± Whatever it is, if the guy who¡¯s going to help me is the head of a big organization, what was the harm in that? Eleris sighed deeply and muttered openly. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ a beggar.¡± ¡°..¡­What?¡± ¡°The gang members are usually selling candies or something to people walking along the Irene River¡­. In fact, that¡¯s how they also earned our funds for our activity¡­.¡± ¡­Isn¡¯t this solicitng? So the guy who was sent to Garnium by the demons became the head of an organization. And that¡¯s also what they earned their activity funds? What kind of spy was that guy? Was this the medival version of the Beggars¡¯ Sect? Ah. Irene¡¯s Wild Dog. It wasn¡¯t just a chuuni name, but literally described them. They were the abandoned dogs found at the Han river! Chapter 15 So they were selling gum to people taking a walk by the Han River, or rather the Irene river. I had never seen a nickname so accurate before. Eleris¡® lips were trembling, seeming like she also found this quite ridiculous just thinking about it. ¡°They¡¯re a Lycanthrope.¡± ¡°¡­¡­If my memory serves me right, isn¡¯t that the one who peridocally turned into a wolf monster?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± To be honest, not even Eleris, who was a high-ranking vampire, didn¡¯t seem to be in the right condition to be a spy. Although she¡¯s able to walk under the sun, I could definitely see that she was having a hard time. But even so, Eleris was able to withstand sunlight. A Lycanthrope, who would lose their mind and become a monster as soon as the full moon hung in the sky, should act as a spy in the middle of Gardium? How come they hadn¡¯t been caught so far? Sarkegaar was the only one who was cut out to be a spy! ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that a bit disadvantageous for a spy?¡± ¡°Yes¡­. However, we only had few resources¡­. It seemed like a dangerous mission so there were not many who volunteered, and¡­.. We were in a hurry, so¡­¡­ Yeah.¡± Were they the type of person who were pretty slow but fiercely loyal? It was infiltrating into the heart of enemy territory after all, so it was no wonder none of the demons stepped forward. However, that Lycanthrope volunteered. ¡°So on the night of the full moon, it seems like they hide themselves in the sewers beside the Bronzegate Bridge.¡± The Bronzegate Bridge. Well. I did say that this place was practically the same as Seoul. If I remembered correctly, then the Brozegate Bridge should be the Banpo Bridge. When the day of their transformation neared, they¡¯d go into the sewers under the Banpo Bridge to hide. ¡°Living close to the Bronzegate Bridge was rather convenient, so they¡¯d rather not go too far from it¡­. As a result, thier appearance also became quite ¡­ unkept¡­ There were quite a few passersby who mistook them for a beggar and gave them money¡­.¡± ¡°So that wasn¡¯t their original goal?¡± ¡°Yes. So, thinking what they were doing was right, they just sat there and kept begging.¡± ¡°Huh¡­.¡± Didn¡¯t they have any dignity? Maybe it¡¯s because of the Emperor but the people here were pretty generous. They were a weirdo who I couldn¡¯t decide if they were living thier life comfortably or recklessly. Eleris hesitated and continued her explanation. ¡°As a result, there were a lot of fights for that position, but as they were born a Lycanthrope while they themselves were a strong person with good fighting skills, it seems like there was no one who could match their fists¡­. However, there were a lot of beggars there¡­ so they would always have a drink with the person they fought against yesterday, and then¡­ They just been hanging out with them and they go closer¡­ There were just too many, so¡­.¡± Haha. They were begging near Banpo Bridge and got into a fight over the position, defeated that guy and the next day the guy who got beaten up came over with a bottle of soju, saying something like ¡°Oh yeah, yeah. Yesterday was my bad, right?¡±, and with this scenario repeating they made a lot of friends while drinking a glass or two. A rather big friend group. It grew to such proportions that it couldn¡¯t be maintained properly so it turned into an organization. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really know them, but they seem to be like quite the person.¡± ¡°¡­Yes¡­. We also receive a lot of help from them¡­.¡± Eleris, who seemed to have no business skills at all, and Sarkegaar, who was sure to need a lot of money while living an aristocratic life. Neither of them seemed like they¡¯d be able to survive without the help of Irene¡¯s Wild Dog. ¡°Huh¡­. But Irene¡¯s Wild Dog¡­ That¡¯s quite the fitting name.¡± They could actually transform into one. ¡°They actually wanted to be called Irene¡¯s Wolf, but I can understand why no one would want to call them that.¡± That was kind of sad. Anyway, that was quite good. I just can¡¯t let Sarkegaar know that I have given up on the Demon Realm and Irene¡¯s Wild Dog seemed like a complete weirdo, but they also seemed to have a sense of camaraderie. They did help the other two spies after all. Eleris didn¡¯t seem to have any intentions to cause me harm at the moment. ¡°Sleep. Your Highness. I will arrange a place for you to meet them in the near future.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Don¡¯t you have to sleep as well?¡± This was probably Eleris¡¯ bed. She lay down next to me, saying she¡¯d go to sleep as well. No, isn¡¯t it actually kind of weird that a Vampire was sleeping at night¡­? ¡°Are you okay? If it¡¯s uncomfortable for you, I could also sleep on the floor.¡± ¡°.¡­¡­Uh, um. It¡¯s fine. Yeah.¡± It was fine, but at the same time it wasn¡¯t at all. This was a good outcome, but isn¡¯t it also kind of bad? No matter if I got a cheat or not, I wasn¡¯t happy with this in the least. This is life, huh. Cheat, fuck off. No one needs you. And when morning came. -Niaaarck! I woke up to a Vampire screaming at the touch of sun light instead of an alarm clock. * * * Waking up from that fuss, I stood up and saw Eleris with her hair all frizzy. ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t you have blackout curtains or something like that?¡± ¡°I¡­. I sleep a lot¡­. If I don¡¯t do this I wouldn¡¯t be able to get up¡­.¡± Explaining as such with a hoarse and cracked voice she went out of the sunlight. I knew that Eleris was a really unusual Vampire, but using the sun as an alarm clock, that wasn¡¯t something easy to imagine. If she couldn¡¯t wake up fast enough, wouldn¡¯t she die? A Vampire who lived in a sunny and well-ventilated place. I knew she was a high-level vampire who just got by, but this was just too sad. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you get Count Pontheus to give you a spare room in his house to live in?¡± ¡°It¡¯s inefficient for spies to work in the same area. If one gets caught, wouldn¡¯t the other go down as well?¡± Eleris sighed while she changed her clothes. ¡­¡­Don¡¯t do this in front of me. I was still a 17 year old teenager! ¡°No, but have you never felt that it was quite unfair that one of you gets to live as an aristocrat?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really like places with a lot of eyes on me. Rather, I think Sarkegaar is living a much harder life.¡± Ah. If one thought of it like that. Sarkegaar probably didn¡¯t have a single moment in which he could relax, right? While Eleris only had one enemy in this place. The sun. ¡°But if you feel uncomfortable living like this, I think you¡¯d be better off staying in Sarkegaar¡¯s mansion. We don¡¯t even have enough supplies here to live a decent life.¡± I really didn¡¯t want to say this but¡­. ¡°Bu, but I still want to continue living here¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± I didn¡¯t expect the day would come when I¡¯d throw such a childish tantrum again. No. I was sure that Sarkegaar already had his hands full even if I wasn¡¯t trying to mooch off of him. That wasn¡¯t necessarily the only reason. Uh. * * * Insects had different feeding systems for adults and larvae. For example, mosquito larvae lived in water and adult insects flew, so not only did they eat different things they had completely different ecologies. In that way, adult insects and larvae had completely unrelated prey, so they didn¡¯t compete for food with each other. So, right now I was feeling like an insect. It was because of Eleris, who watched me eating breakfast with a look devoid of any appetite. I was wondering if she just enjoyed watching me eat. I was thinking about useless things. ¡°I¡¯m just curious. Do you drink blood every few days?¡± ¡°Ehem¡­. Well, once a week is enough.¡± ¡°Does it have to be human blood?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, any lifeform with mana in their blood would do. I could use pigs or chickens as well. However, I would need a greater quantity of it. The blood of lower lifeforms contains relatively small amounts of mana.¡± Blood was blood, but it had to be blood containing a lot of mana. The ones that had blood with a high concentration of mana would be humanoids. But once a week. That energy efficiency was no joke. They were higher life forms compared to humans to begin with. Put into human terms, that meant that one didn¡¯t have to eat for another week after having a bowl of ox blood soup. Of course, the type of blood was important. ¡°By the way, if one were bitten by a vampire, wouldn¡¯t that make one a vampire as well?¡± ¡°In the case of wild vampires, there were often such cases where they weren¡¯t able to control themselves, but I¡¯m not like that. As I said, I don¡¯t have a higher rank for nothing.¡± ¡°Then¡­. Will the person you suck blood out of die?¡± ¡°Piling up corpses is never a good thing, you know? I only take enough for myself so they don¡¯t die. Because of that I had to turn a lot of subjects into vampires, but I¡¯m very good at magic. The condition can be controlled to the extent that it wouldn¡¯t impact their lives.¡± As expected, Eleris was a peaceful vampire. It seemed like such things as good demons existed, huh. ¡°Then you do it mostly at night¡­?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be night for me to do it. I take it mostly from customers. Well, take it as a slight punishment for those that went out of line¡­¡± Eleris smiled. When such customers came around, she would probably use some type of fascination magic and take blood from them, huh. ¡­¡­It was pretty scary now that I thought about it. ¡°Mr. Swinton from the store next door usually comes to mess around, so I get to eat deliciously every time. I¡¯m thankful to him. Of course, I can¡¯t do the things he wants me to do with him. He¡¯s married, you know?¡± ¡°Ah¡­. I, is that right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like men who lack fidelity.¡± Him, being a human wasn¡¯t the problem, huh? It seemed like the nearby merchants had their blood sucked by Eleris without their knowledge. Additionally, they came to this beautiful vampire on their own two feet. She looked nice, but in the end she had a scary side to her. ¡°Talking with you, it seems like you haven¡¯t only lost your memory but a lot of your knowledge as well.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve heard that one usually only loses one¡¯s memory, but in the case of Your Highness¡­.¡± Eleris tilted her head. She knew that I had amnesia, but it seemed like she felt weird because I lacked even basic common sense demons should have. ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯ve become a completely different person¡­¡­ I can feel it.¡± Ah. Did she notice? But come to think of it, yeah. In most possession stories, the main character tries to never reveal that he was actually possessing the body. Why do I have to do that? Why could I not tell the truth? It¡¯s not like I did that on purpose. Rather, Eleris would probably feel relieved if I told her I was really a completely different person. Still. It¡¯s a bit risky to gamble with this before I reached some level of trust with her. ¡°What kind of person was I?¡± So I asked a question and didn¡¯t give her an answer. I was the master of excuses and spouting bullshit. If the person in charge asked me when I¡¯d sent in the manuscript I¡¯d answer with: ¡°Why did that bastard ask me for a drink yesterday? If it wasn¡¯t for him, I would have already sent it, but phew, ah, I¡¯m getting pissed off suddenly.¡± I would keep on sprouting this kind of nonsense. Eleris was about to answer my question, with her arms crossed. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± That attitude. A worrying attitude! I kind of got a feeling. That damn game system¡­. ¡°Yo, you¡­. You weeere¡­ A great prince. Yes, of course! An i, i, inspiration for all demons¡­¡­ You¡¯ve been a role model¡­ Yes!¡± Were you trying to spout bullshit just now? Chapter 16 Looking at Eleris pale expression, I got a sense of what the former prince was like. Following this mixed up development, I figured that this guy was quite the jerk. ¡°By any chance, did you ever have contact with me?¡± Come to think of it, Eleris was able to recognize me right away. Of course, she might have seen me a few times, as a high-ranking vampire, but then Eleris muttered quietly. ¡°Well, I was your tutor¡­. So I did.¡± ¡°¡­Were we pretty close then?¡± Weren¡¯t we supposed to be on pretty friendly terms then? ¡°B, but it was only for a short time. My ability was too low to teach Your Highness properly ¡­.¡± It seemed like my personality was just too hard to bear with, so she either got fired or quit shortly after. ¡°Well, the past is the past. You have to life in the present, yes.¡±¡± Eleris seemed to want me to stop being curious about my past. I¡¯m sure I was a total mess, but just to what extent? ¡°Wait, so the other spies also know me personally?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­. Yes, definitely. But¡­.¡± Eleris grabbed my shoulders and looked me straight in the eyes. ¡°You¡¯re the last Arcdemon. They¡¯ll know what¡¯s important.¡± What. That¡¯s scary. * * * The Demon King died. The Demon World War ended in the Coalition¡¯s victory. Unfortunately, the warriors also fell in battle after a fierce fight with the Demon King and the Four Heavenly Kings. And, the Princess returned safe and sound. Soon, the news was announced. The street was filled with cheering people. The fact that people didn¡¯t have to die in the war with the demons anymore and the survival of the First Princess who was thought to be dead. Not only the Imperial Capital, but the whole continent must have been filled with cheers. ¡°Wow, this is good.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re just very generous.¡± Eleris and I were walking down the street. I was just eating some chicken skewers that the overjoyed Stall owner said were for free. Now that Eleris cast some magic on me I just looked like an ordinary boy to others. Eleris herself also used camouflage magic on her body. The Victory of the Demon World War made the people of this Gangster filled neighborhood distribute things for free. Eleris didn¡¯t seem to understand how I, who lost everything in a single day, could enjoy some chicken skewers at my own nation¡®s defeat party. She was glad that the war was over, but why didn¡¯t she look like it? ¡°If you can¡¯t avoid it, enjoy it.¡± ¡°Ah, that, yes¡­.¡± Rather, my tension was much higher. Well, it didn¡¯t really have anything to do with me whether the Demon Realm was destroyed or not, right? I was nothing more than a little kid protected by this beautiful vampire. I wanted to live peacefully until the end just like this. Being cared for by someone like Eleris was rather peaceful and comfortable. Of course, I knew best that this was almost impossible. ¡°Are they all there?¡± ¡°Yes, they are waiting for Your Highness.¡± We were moving to meet the other remaining demons in Gardium. -Long live the Empire! -Long live Her Highness the Princess! -Long live Artorius! Everyone drunk on the news of the victory, showed off their joy. ¡°Hurray!¡± I also shouted out a hurray, that¡¯s when Eleris finally pulled on my arm. ¡°Your Highness! Restrain yourself!¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s pretty fun!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe this¡­.¡± It was fun acting a bit immature. Of course, when I thought about my actual mental age, deadly humiliation engulfed me internally. * * * There were certain things one could only find in the Imperial Capital. One of them is the mana train. So, a fantasy version of a train. They were implemented on a large scale by the Imperial Government, as they couldn¡¯t handle everyone¡¯s transportation needs with just warp gates, bridges and wagons inside the Capital. They were eco-friendly trains, which were powered by this convenient item called mana stone, a staple of the medieval fantasy genre. The comments I received about this were as followed: Isn¡¯t that just ridiculous? Isn¡¯t that much too convenient? I mean, I¡¯m not the only one who wrote about things like these. Lol. I did it anyway lol. If you could make a train, wouldn¡¯t you also be able to make a cellphone? Dunno lol Well, that train was actually moving right in front of my eyes now. The city division was similar to Seoul¡¯s, and, the route map, of course, also aligned with the Seoul subway route map. We had to head south of the Bronzegate Bridge and to do that we headed towards the station to catch a mana train. We first had to head to the station located in the Al Ligar district and take the train to Bronzegate. Simply put, it went from Yongsan Station to the Express Terminal and then to Banpo Han River Park. It was so easy to convert. It would have been difficult for me to put my head around this if I came up with some strange map. If I did that, I would have made my life as a writer harder, not that of the readers. I should be able to write comfortably! I was so proud of my lazy former self. If I hadn¡¯t put in this convenient setting of mana stones, I would have had to take a carriage or walked there. That would have been pretty annoying. I didn¡¯t think of the places I put in the novel as these places, but as places in Seoul, that¡¯s how I¡¯d be able to know exactly where they were. In the moving train, Eleris murmured quietly engulfed her robes. ¡°Humans sure are incredible.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They know how to make things like this.¡± Were you actually praising me, because I made this basically, you know? Yeah, I¡¯m pretty good. I can¡¯t believe I made this with just a few lines. Maybe I¡¯m a god? In fact, I might have been this world¡¯s god. A stupid one that died of high blood pressure after reading some malicious comments. ¡°How great would it have been if we created things like these with our excellent magical power instead of powerful destruction magic and war weapons.¡± Eleris murmured in a self-deprecating voice. Certainly, demons seemed to be superior to humans in terms of magic. However, the demons only used magic for destruction rather than for their daily lives. Therefore, even with their awesome power, the Demon Realm looked rather dull, not prosperous at all. There wasn¡¯t really a city around the Demon King¡¯s Castle. It was just a huge fortress that stood alone. However, there were a lot of people living in this human Capital. She might have seen many magical tools that helped them in their everyday lives and magic being used in ways that were beneficial to humans. Did Eleris constantly comparing the barren Demon Realm with this place, while living here? Maybe that was the reason why she felt that the Demon Realm was wrong and backwards. So that was why she ended up hoping for the humans¡¯ victory and not the demons¡¯. I seemed to know what she as thinking to a certain extent. A world where only weapons to kill enemies were made. A world where people were struggling with all their might to make themselves happy. Although Eleris rejoiced about the end of the war and the human¡¯s victory, she was just blankly staring at the joyful sights in front of her not being able to fully be happy about the fall of the Demon Realm. No matter what kind of place one¡¯s home was, even if one didn¡¯t want to go back to it, it would always feel sad having lost one¡¯s place to return to. * * * The riverside of Irene was well-maintained. The green grass was trimmed well and there were people walking about the well-paved promenade. For ordinary people who couldn¡¯t afford to travel far, the park built along the Irene River was the best picnic spot in the area. ¡°It¡¯s a place that always lifts my mood when I come here.¡± Eleris wore a soft smile on her lips despite the strong sunlight. Maybe because she liked the scenery. It certainly seemed like Eleris could tolerate sunlight better than I would have assumed. ¡°Yeah, it would be even better if this scenery wasn¡¯t right next to it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­. Yes¡­.¡± Woah¡­. Waah¡­. ¨C Guweeeeeeek! ¨C Hey, you bastard! Huh! That son of a bitch, are ya cheatin right now? How did so many 3s come out?! Huh?! -Who¡¯s cheatin? I¡¯ve been livin an honest life! If it¡¯s 3 then it¡¯s 3! Below the Brozegate Bridge. People don¡¯t even dare to go there. Because of the shade the bridge threw, this place was a lot darker and gloomier than other places. A group of beggars were drunk, vomiting, eating, drinking, playing dice and trembling all while the sun was still hanging high up in the sky. Some beggars approached some passers-bys if they got close enough to sell them candy. ¡°So the cockroaches infesting this peaceful landscape are our allies and main source of income?¡± ¡°Yes¡­. That¡¯s right¡­.¡± Why were you feeling ashamed, when it¡¯s these guys who should? I didn¡¯t even want to get close to them. ¡°Hey, young lady, buy some candy from me.¡± Then a beggar popped out from nowhere and crept towards us, shoving candy in our faces with his dirty hands. It looked like we were also their targets. Eleris sighed and accepted the candy. She didn¡¯t really want to say no. ¡°Five bronze coins.¡± One gold coin was 1 million won and one silver coin was 10000 won. A bronze coin was roughly 100 won. That was how I roughly converted them. So 500 won for a candy of that size wasn¡¯t cheap. But was candy even that common in this world? Weren¡¯t you able to obtain carbohydrates anywhere in modern society? However, there was a beggar selling candy. Anyway, let¡¯s just leave it at that. I¡¯ll lose, if I continue thinking about that. Eleris seemed to be contemplating if she should give me that candy she bought for 5 bronze coins, maybe thinking I wouldn¡¯t eat it. ¡°It¡¯s too dirty for Your Highness to eat.¡± After agonizing about it, Eleris shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not so picky about these things.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I wasn¡¯t particularly craving candy, but I wasn¡¯t such a fussy eater. However, Eleris looked at me slightly surprised as if she didn¡¯t expect me to say something like that. No, that jerk attribute of that former prince was quite something. Was that jerk born to be criticised or something? Will I end up receiving praise like: ¡°Even though you¡¯re breathing, why aren¡¯t you causing any trouble today?¡±. To begin with, the restraint placed on my being reborn as this jerk actually had some merit. If I were reincarnated into some rising star of the century with tremendous abilities, that would be a huge advantage, but if one didn¡¯t work hard even for a single day they will be questioned saying things like one changed in a bad way. A bastard that gets complimented just by breathing vs. a genius that gets scolded just by breathing. The former was overwhelmingly good. Being reincarnated into a person who had already been perceived as negative throughout the world would be great for pretending to be weak. If I were the former prince would I have felt offended just by being approached by a beggar? ¡°Then would you like to eat it?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I peeled the wrapper off of the candy I got from Eleris and put it in my mouth. It just tasted sweet with no flavor. ¡°Did I like sweets?¡± ¡°I remember you did.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I don¡¯t like sweets though. However, it seemed like being young had its advantages. The beggar who approached us was approaching others now. Most of the time, it felt more like people wanted to get rid of the beggar than honestly wanting to buy these candies. It was a disgusting sight, but I was told that that was how they funded their activities. No, I still didn¡¯t like looking at it. Chapter 17 There was a good reason behind why we chose this place to meet up. Count Pontheus had servants who had no idea that he was a demon, there were also influential people coming to his mansion, as he was a noble. Eleris¡¯ shop and it¡¯s second story were a little too small for the four of us. The base of Irene¡¯s wild dog was a place avoided by all and swarming with beggars. I was told there were also quite the number of secret spaces. Eleris passed through the mess of beggars affected by hallucination magic. Even while we were passing right by the beggars they didn¡¯t notice our presence. There was a dark tunnel right under the bridge. This place seemed to be their real base. I was told that it originally served as a type of drainage channel that would lead the city¡¯s rain water to Irene when it rained. As this place wasn¡¯t really visited by people, it also served as Irene¡¯s Wild Dog¡¯s hide out when they turn into a Lycanthrope. There were beggars lying around and sleeping inside. There were blankets, mops and roughly built shacks. It really was a beggar colony. As we went even deeper inside, eventually even the shacks disappeared from our sight. As we entered the endless sewers, we saw a small light in the distance. Someone was sitting in front of a lit bonfire. Even though they were just the leader of some beggars, they still were a king in a way, however, they didn¡¯t seem like they had anything special around him. They were just like a dog basking in the fire¡¯s warmth. There was a person wearing a ripped shirt and tattered trousers, with thick gray hair on their head tied in random ways. Irene¡¯s Wild Dog. ¡°You¡¯re here, my lord.¡± Come to think of it, I was never told that the dog was a man.. * * * The King of Beggars. Irene¡¯s Wild Dog. The Leader of a Gang. ¡°Loyar greets His Highness the Prince.¡± She knelt down in front of me as soon as she saw me. That Wild Dog¡¯s real name was Loyar and as far as I knew she was a wolf-type Lycanthrope. ¡°¡­Yes, nice to see you. Although it¡¯s in a place like this.¡± We were inside Gardium, but here we were meeting up in the sewers. ¡°Is Sarkegaar still over there?¡± Loyar nodded at Eleris¡¯ words. ¡°All the nobles must be busy. There¡¯s going to be a victory celebration and stuff. He¡¯ll be here soon, though. This is a lot more important to us.¡± Eleris was a pacifist, however she was still surprised that I was still alive, Loyar on the other hand didn¡¯t really have any big reaction. How should I put it, it felt like she didn¡¯t really care much about all this? ¡°Loyar, I¡¯m telling you in advance, but he lost all his memories. Except for who he was¡­ He doesn¡¯t remember almost anything.¡± At those words, Loyar stared at me. ¡°¡­¡­For real?¡± ¡°Well, yeah¡­¡­It somehow turned out like that.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Her gaze was a bit uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± ¡°..¡­You¡¯re happy about that?¡± ¡°Yeah, because you¡¯d tell me stuff like I should lie down with my stomach exposed, saying that dogs should behave like dogs.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I, I did?¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯d even put me on a leash sometimes.¡± ¡°Huh¡­.¡± Loyar opened her mouth as she thought about those times. Oh no, you¡¯re telling me I treated Lycanthropes like some sorts of pets? Eleris¡¯ mouth twitched as she was smiling half-heartedly. ¡°Lo, Loyar¡­. As far as I can remember, you kind of liked that¡­¡­¡± ¡°When did I ever?!¡± Loyar¡¯s face turned red. What the hell were you talking about? Did I really treat a Lycanthrope who changes into a wolf every full moon as a common dog? Was she like my pet or something? ¡°Tha, that¡­. I can¡¯t really remember, but I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine.¡± Your expression didn¡¯t look fine at all though. If I were in her shoes I would have really hated being treated like that. Come to think of it, I was told she volunteered for this spy mission even though she was a Lycanthrope. Could it be she was forced to volunteer to get away from me? Come to think of it, that was pretty plausible. I managed to somehow escape and come here alive, but could I trust her? ¡°We, well¡­. I can¡¯t erase my past actions, but I¡¯m¡­. sorry. Let¡¯s try to get along from now on.¡± I reached out my hand to her, showing her that I meant no harm. -Pat ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I meant to shake her hand. However, she just put her hand on mine. She didn¡¯t grasp it; she just put her hand on top of mine. ¡°!¡± As soon as she realized what she did, Loyar was startled and then lowered her hand to hold mine. Wasn¡¯t that¡­¡­ Did she just do ¡®Give paw¡¯? ¡°Give paw.¡± ¨C Pat The moment I put out my palm, Loyar put her hand on my hand. She did it without realizing it and immediately pulled it back. ¡°Y, your Highness¡­. Why am I doing that?¡± Loyar said so in cold sweat. The speechless Eleris also added some words. ¡°It¡¯s like the body is reacting on its own without the head telling it to.¡± ¡°O, oh, no!¡± ¡°Your Highness. How about you try telling her to lie down and show you her stomach?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°She going to flip over. Try it.¡± ¡°N, no! Why would I do that!¡± I couldn¡¯t get myself to do that in the end. She¡¯d probably really do it. Why was she trained so well? How often did I bully you like this in the past? Rather, it was already on the level that her body reacted instinctively. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯d really sit if I tell her to sit. ¡°Uhm, erm. Sorry, I¡¯ll be more careful.¡± ¡°¡­Yes¡­.¡± Even though her heart doesn¡¯t like me, her body was that of a loyal dog. Thinking that I put my worries about Loyar aside. I sat down besides the fire. When Sarkegaar arrived we could start talking about the details. I felt something approaching from afar. There was a sound echoing through the sewers. ¨C Uooooooooaaaaah! I couldn¡¯t even see his face yet, but I was already convinced that he¡¯ll be the troublesome type. Just like I expected. When Sarkegaar arrived, he hugged me and began to wail loudly. ¡®Oh my goodness! For those wretched humaaaans to kill His Majesty the Great Demon King! They must have used some cowardly tricks! What are we going to do about this? What are we to doooo? But seeing that Your Highness is still safe, there¡¯s still a ray of hope left for the people of the Demon Realm. What a miracle! Wooaaaah! Please quickly grow up and rebuild the Demon Realm stronger than it was before and erase all traces of these filthy human beiiiiiings!¡® . . He roughly kept on mumbling and crying loudly for about 10 minutes. He started crying even louder when I told him that I had lost my memories. No, I thought I was some kind of super jerk? Why was he so sad? Ah. Seeing how he was acting right now, it seems like even the former prince, who was indeed a jerk, avoided him. His voice was so loud that it made the entire sewer tremble. It was so loud that Eleris was forced to cast noise suppression magic around us. ¡°Kuhuk¡­.Sniff¡­. Buhuuhuk¡­.¡± Even I, who didn¡¯t think much about his crying before, was almost brought to tears. No, well, maybe I was the type that would start crying as well if I saw someone crying in front of me. No, that¡¯s also not it. This guy was crying so sadly. What¡¯s with this? Anyway, Sarkegaar was a loyalist almost to the point of insanity. Sarkegaar continued to sniffle for a while, making snorting noises. I felt like he was going to run out of breath, so I felt like I had to somehow comfort him. ¡°Why¡¯s such a grown-up Fiend crying like that? Huh? It¡¯s like you lost your country.¡± Come to think of it, we really lost our country. Looks like that idiom became reality now. Sakegaar looked up at me, at my words. ¡°I see! You¡¯re right! Demons are still alive, so the Demon Realm has yet to die as well! What disloyalty I committed! The Demon Realm is still alive and well! Please punish meeeeeee!¡± That guy twisted my words weirdly, making his own determination flare up even more. Loyar and Eleris were looking at me as if they were trying to apologize for being helpless in this situation. They seemed to be tired of Sarkegaar¡¯s antics as well. After barely calming him down, we all sat down around the bonfire. What a perfect meeting place for a prince and servants of a fallen kingdom. Sarkegaar was looking at me with a firm expression. ¡°You must rebuild the Demon Realm.¡± Eleris stared at me. She seemed to want to remind me about our previous conversation about moderately playing along. ¡°Ah, uhm¡­. Well. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And to take revenge for the previous King, we have to build an even stronger and more powerful nation than ever before¡­!¡± ¡°Ah, you bastard! If you keep on sticking to these unfruitful rhetorics I¡¯ll rip out your tongue!¡± Loyar shouted. Yes, even in novels, if a character keeps on talking about similar things, the author will get cursed out for inflating the length of the chapter. Sarkegaar also fake coughed as if preparing to continue on with the third verse. ¡°Ehem. My apologies, Your Highness. It¡¯s just when I heard the news that His Majesty the Demon King had passed away, it seemed like the whole world was coming to an end ¡­.¡± ¡°Alright. I got it.¡± It seemed like he was the type of person who¡¯d finish what he wanted to say no matter what. Hearing the news of the Demon Realm¡¯s defeat must have felt like the sky was collapsing above him. However, since I was still alive, I was his last hope, hence reigniting his fighting spirit. ¡°Rebuilding the Demon Realm, huh. That¡¯s good and all, but there are only the four of us and I¡¯m still some useless, incompetent kid.¡± ¡°Calling yourself as such is an unfair thing to say! Your Highness¡¯ bloodline is the most noble! You are the only Arcdemon left in this world!-¡± ¡°Yeah, so that¡¯s it.¡± I cut off Sarkegaar¡¯s muffled words. ¡°Just what the hell is an Arcdemon?¡± Just what was an Arcdemon, for them to not even think of finding a new Demon King and simply clung to me? I had no idea about that yet. Everyone was looking at me with puzzlement apparent on their faces. Chapter 18 Eleris, who was shocked by me not even knowing what an Arcdemon was, started to explain briefly. Sarkegaar was about to open his mouth, but she told him to be silent because he surely would have just continued with his useless rethorics. ¡°Arcdemons are essential existences in order to create a society consisting of most of the tribes, often referred to as demons.¡± ¡°Society?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Arcdemons¡¯ unique ability. I confirmed that I had this ability to rule over demons. I remember it saying that it was at Rank D. ¡°Originally, demons couldn¡¯t exist as a large society. You know that Loyar is a Lyanthrope, I¡¯m a Vampire and Sarkegaar is a Dreadfiend, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Before the emergence of the Arcdemon race, many tribes of demons were at odds with each other as well as humans. On the western side of the continent there were large human nations, but on the eastern there was the Demon Realm called Darklands. In other words, there were various demons living in small groups in that place.¡± Even if there were no humans around them, the demons would just live by fighting each other. ¡°The Darklands were a land drenched in eternal war, so humans had no reason to care about us.¡± The humans were prospering, while the demons just kept on fighting and would self-destruct before long. Numerous races lived in that place, but with these ongoing battles, reaching any kind of prosperity was impossible and the population of each race was just too different. ¡°However, there was someone who showed up to mediate all the conflicts and battles between the tribes and showed them how to live together and integrated them into a society. They had a strange power to interfere with the demons¡¯ spirit.¡± ¡°Was that the Demon King?¡± ¡°Yes, he was the first Demon King Arcdemon.¡± It wasn¡¯t known where he came from or what he was exactly. However, he was able to control the demons¡¯ spirit, allowing them to live together, which was impossible before. Out of respect, the demons called him Arcdemon. Eventually, this term got used to describe the Demon King¡¯s race. Sarkegaar added. ¡°Under the influence of the Arcdemon, the demons were able to unite as one society under one leader. Its influence is still intact, but if several generations without an Arcdemon pass, the demons would be divided again and return to the era of eternal war. Back into the dark ages.¡± The Demon Realm would completely collapse if Arcdemons were to disappear. If so, that meant that there were still many remaining Demons that were able to get along with each other, however if this continued over generations, the Demons would go back to the time where they fought and killed each other over and over. I understood now why no one had the ambition to become the next Demon King. Unless they were an Arcdemon, there was no other race capable of performing the job of Demon King in the first place. I was now able to understand that Sarkegaar¡¯s loyalty was no longer just loyalty. Sarkegaar believed that the existence of the Demon King was essential in order to maintain the foundation of the Demon Realm¡¯s society. This was completely different from just simple loyalty to one¡¯s country. The Demon King acted as an emulsifier between water and oil. A being that made things that weren¡¯t able to mix together, mix together. ¡°¡­Then there¡¯s one more question I have.¡± ¡°Yes. go ahead.¡± ¡°Why did the Demon World War happen?¡± I just wrote down that there was a war, but not why the Demon World War happened. Humans tried to vanquish the demons. that¡¯s what I wrote. So this was supposed to be the first invasion from the human¡¯s side. Eleris looked into the bonfire, saying: ¡°The humans have always been afraid of the unification of the Demon Realm.¡± The probability of the event that I hadn¡¯t properly set had been fixed. It was quite bizarre to experience my messed up probabilities getting fixed like that. Humans had invaded the Demon Realm. Since I didn¡¯t state the reason for it, the world supplemented the possibility that humans feared the Demon Realm¡¯s unification and the setting of the Arcdemons. I had that strange feeling of guilt creep up inside of me, as this felt like someone else filled the holes I created while messing around. The demons of the Darkland began to form a society. Even the humans, who had been fighting among themselves had no choice but to be alert of that situation. ¡°The previous Demon Kings were aware of the fact that the humans would one day start to invade the Demon Realm. That¡¯s why the Demon Realm was continuously preparing for war.¡± I nodded at Eleris words. Even if they don¡¯t intend to invade each other, if they see the other side increase their arms the other side would do the same. ¡®Don¡¯t get us wrong, we were just increasing our military to defend against a possible attack from you.¡¯ Of course, no one would believe that bullshit. It was common for fights to happen because they feared each other. So, even though the Demon Realm and the Human Realm didn¡¯t have any intentions of attacking each other, they were preparing to attack each other, just because the other side existed. It didn¡¯t matter who started it. A war would eventually break out no matter what. The Demon Realm had the Demon King, but the Human Realm also had mighty forces, the Warriors. The warriors succeeded in taking down the Demon King with them. The death of the Demon King was on a completely different level than the death of a human king. So, the mere fact that the Demon King was dead would have completely destroyed the morale of many of the King¡¯s soldiers. In fact, the Demon King was comparable to a God in the Demon Realm. This explanation alone was enough for me to understand the importance of Arcdemons. ¡°Yes¡­. I can see now why Arcdemons are important.¡± Now I knew why it had to be me. ¡°Then what should I do from now on? Have you thought about that yet?¡± ¡°You have to build your strength. Also, Gardium is much too dangerous. We have to return to the Demon Realm, gather the scattered demons and reestablish your power, while you must continue your training.¡± Of course, if I returned to the Demon Realm, I would be welcomed by the demons who still remembered the Demon King, and it wouldn¡¯t be so difficult to gather some forces. The Darklands were vast, and even if the Demon King died, it was impossible for the humans to devour everything. I shook my head at Sarkegaar¡¯s words. ¡°Too dangerous. The humans can¡¯t occupy all of the Darklands, but they wouldn¡¯t neglect their surveillance. If a new demonic force were to emerge, they would immediately launch another attack.¡± They wouldn¡¯t just calmly sit by as we reconstruct the Demon Realm they just destroyed. If they noticed any sign of suspicious behavior, they would make a game of killing us all off. And above all, I just said that to go along with their words, because I had no intentions of rebuilding the Demon Realm and going to war again, you know? I was told that the demons would split up again without me, but, to be honest, that would happen in the distant future. It wasn¡¯t like it was happening now. And¡­ There was another point that wasn¡¯t as important. ¡°I think going back to the Demon Realm would be a bad idea.¡± Sarkegaar¡¯s eyes lit up at my words, as if he just got an idea. I didn¡¯t want to go back to the Demon Realm in the first place. I sure didn¡¯t like it there. I wanted to stay in Gardium for now. The city was pretty nice. I didn¡¯t want to live in a place without trains! ¡°This is the heart of the enemy territory. To defeat the enemy, one must know the enemy. Rather, we need to learn the ways of humans here.¡± It wasn¡¯t hard for me to come up with some reason, as I was the master of finding excuses. ¡°Ooh, you¡¯re definitely the ideal prince. That boldness and courage to strike right at the enemy¡¯s heart! A King¡¯s virtue worthy of imitatiooooon!¡± No, I just wanted to live close to the station, you know? There was also Eleris, so there shouldn¡¯t be chance of being discovered by humans while living here. The probability of getting caught should have been significantly lowered. There was no reason for me to leave Gardium. This was the best city to live in on the entire continent, and I didn¡¯t want to leave even if I were to die, unless there was a chance that I would be discovered to be a demon. I just wanted to while away my time here until the ending. It wasn¡¯t good for me to mess with the story any more, and the ending would come closer and closer as the years passed by while being cared for by Eleris. There weren¡¯t any specific conditions that I had to be active, right? Right? Did my excuses work too well? He almost cried at my kind of plausible excuse, believing that I would really be able to defeat our enemy by learning their ways. He seemed to admire my boldness and courage. ¡°Your Highness. If that¡¯s what you¡¯ve been thinking, then I have an even better idea.¡± ¡°.¡­A better idea?¡± No, I don¡¯t know what it is, but I¡¯m 100% sure it wouldn¡¯t be any good for me. ¡°Only by knowing the humans¡¯ way would we be able to bring them down! I admire your wisdom!¡± No. What are you going to say? ¡°By entering ¡®Temple¡¯ you would be able to thoroughly learn the humans¡¯ ways! Defeating them with their own weapons would only be true revenge!¡±¡± Oh. What¡¯s that nonsense? Loyar nodded her head at Sarkegaar¡¯s words. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s such a bad idea.¡± ¡°Hu, huh?¡± ¡°The Temple is the cradle of not only the Empire¡¯s, but also almost all of the human race¡¯s children. When you grow up, you¡¯d know all the people who hold important positions in human society. If you were to fight the Empire, you¡¯d know better than anyone else who your enemies are and their way of thinking. Or you might be able to subdue them. You would destroy the Empire from within.¡± No, wait. What? I had no intentions of interfering with the main story. However, Loyar looked at Sarkegaar seemingly agreeing with him as if what he said was something good for once. Sarkegaar added. ¡°Additionally, Temple is currently nurturing young talents with great power. They aim to nurture talents like the Warrior Artorius. I¡¯m certain it would be of great help to us, knowing what sprouts they are raising and we might be able to remove the too dangerous talents at their roots before they grow.¡± Yes. Temple was also an institution that nurtured talented people who would eventually become powerful forces. Even in that kind of place, there was a type of special calss that nurtured talented people who could succeed the Hero Artorius and his party, and yes, that was where the main characters were. However, there was no reason for me to go there. What the hell was I supposed to do there? I was going crazy. I started to get shoved into the story just because I said the wrong words. Eleris! Help me! You don¡¯t want me to turn into a war weapon, right?! Eleris just smiled at me when she noticed me looking at her with pleading eyes. ¡°I also think that that¡¯s a good idea, Your Highness.¡± What was she on about? Wouldn¡¯t she normally disagree? It was hard to understand why Eleris, who should be opposed to Sarkegaar¡¯s ideas, agreed. ¡°Now, just wait a second¡­.¡± I tried hard to come up with an excuse to avoid this strange development all three agreed to. ¡°No matter how much we can hide our appearances with magic, there will probably be wizards at Temple, don¡¯t you know what would happen then? It would definitely be dangerous if my identity got revealed.¡± Did these idiots want to kill me? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness.¡± With a smile Sarkegaar took off a ring from his finger. ¡°This is a ring that gets passed down from generation to generation in my clan.¡± ¡°Well, what about it?¡± ¡°Just by wearing this ring, you¡¯d be able to use my clan¡¯s power.¡± What? Why would you have such a thing? Why would such a thing appear so conveniently at a time like this? Huh? This was so unbelievable, honestly. Why the hell would these polymorphic bastards pass down a ring capable of granting the ability to polymorph from generation to generation? That would be completely useless to them! Wasn¡¯t this just some random setup for this moment?! [Do you find it weird to find such an improbable development happening in this novel suddenly?] [Idiot.] I felt like something just went by my vision. I didn¡¯t see it properly. What was that? ¡°That, that, how could I accept such an important ring that got passed down for such a long time? It, uh, must be very precious to you. Like a memento of your parents. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± I gradually ran out of excuses. ¡°Just what are mementos in the face of your great mission of rebuilding the Demon Realm! Please take it, Your Highness!¡± Sarkegaar pushed the ring towards me while shouting out his determination. ¡°A strong and prosperous nation is almost in our graaaaasp!¡± I fell victim to my own excuses. Anyway, it was pretty obvious. That person who sent me here didn¡¯t seem to want me to calmly get to the end. Chapter 19 The plan of my admission to Temple had been decided. Yes, obviously, I absolutely wouldn¡¯t get caught with that ring on. This wasn¡¯t on the level of illusion magic, this completely reconstructed my body. I wondered since Polymorph could reconstruct one¡¯s physical body, woudn¡¯t it be possible to improve one¡¯s physical specs as well? If I were to change my body to look like someone who¡¯d have 99 points in strength, wouldn¡¯t I get stronger as well? When I asked this, Loyar told me, strangely seriously: ¡°¡­.¡­Polymorph of that level would only be possible for someone with the same amount of mana a dragon would have.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t Arcdemons kind of like dragons?¡± ¡°Dragons are illusory monsters. Could there ever be a being in this world which could use magic without even properly casting?¡± What a sad excuse of a legend. I didn¡¯t believe in legends, they were on the same level as lies. ¡°What you¡¯re using isn¡¯t actually Polymorph. This is just the version our clan makes use of, so you must get stronger yourself. Strength obtained through transformation, wouldn¡¯t be your own strength. You should not rely on such cheap tricks.¡± I¡¯m oh so glad that you confirmed that I wouldn¡¯t be able to use such a cheat ever. Anyway, because I gained the ability of the Dreadfiend clan, I was able to completely transform, not only disguise myself. ¡°By the way, I have a question.¡± Of course, I knew that making myself look muscular by using polymorph wouldn¡¯t really make me muscular. ¡°For example, is there a limit to how dense I could make my hair?¡± ¡°Yes? What do you mean?¡± Sarkegaar didn¡¯t seem to understand what I was talking about. However, I was serious. ¡°Let¡¯s say I¡¯ve got hair loss, could I just transform myself into a from with a full head of hair? Well, that¡¯s what I was talking about.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a matter of course? That¡¯s not such a big deal.¡± Ah. ¡°Sarkegaar! You¡¯re history¡¯s greatest loyalist. Of course! Of course!¡± You¡¯re such a nice guy. I couldn¡¯t hold in my passion and hugged him. I held the Eternal Anti Hair Loss Ring in my hands! ¡°If you wish I shall even give you my liiiiiife!¡± Loyar and Eleris stared bankly as Sarkegaar and I hugged fiercely. * * * Gardias Temple. The main stage of the original story. Frankly, there was no reason not to go there. As Sarkegaar helped me concealing my identity, I¡¯d be fine. Even if I didn¡¯t intervene, the story would just proceed on its own, going straight for the set ending. In other words, the less involved I was, the better. However, just by intervening slightly, variables would appear. The story already changed a lot because Charlotte de Gardias survived. I didn¡¯t want to get too involved in a story that already had a predetermined ending. Also. There really was no need for me to go to school with all these kids. So why did I have to do it? However, once Sarkegaar would find out that I had no intentions of rebuilding the Demon Realm, I didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d do. As for Loyar, I wasn¡¯t so sure what she was thinking, but Sarkegaar definitely was loyalist, but in the end, he probably was the most dangerous person to me. In the end, Sarkegaar seemed to want me to grow stronger. Frankly speaking, I was neither suited for fighting nor was it my hobby. Just like everyone doesn¡¯t want to suffer pain, I felt like I wanted to escape to a place where my survival and well-being were guaranteed. However, in the end, whether or not I went to Temple, I had to somehow get stronger myself. In order to someday be able to escape Sarkegaar¡¯s clutches, I needed to have a certain amount of strength. It didn¡¯t matter if I was standing on Eleris¡¯ side or Sarkegaar¡¯s side. I would have to enter the Gardias Temple. ¡°But how?¡± ¡°If I took you as my adopted son, you would be able to enter Temple.¡± Using the position of Count Pontheus, he could take me in as his adopted son, enabling me to enter Temple like that. I¡¯d also become the son of a noble, so would I be able to live a more comfortable life then? ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous.¡± However, Eleris shook her head. As if not understanding, Sarkegaar frowned. ¡°What are you saying, Eleris?¡± ¡°Sarkegaar, you were the one who personally kidnapped the princess. Now that she has returned, they will restart the investigation of how the princess¡¯ abduction was carried out. They have the princess as witness after all. There¡¯s a chance that they¡¯ll catch your tail.¡± ¡°I left no traces.¡± ¡°Think of it as just a precaution.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡± A second investigation into the princess¡¯ abduction could draw suspicion to Sarkegaar. It was really just a precaution, but Eleris seemed to think that there was no need to take useless risks. That was how I thought it was. ¡°Then, as expected, Eleris would be best to be my guardian¡­¡­?¡± ¡°No, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± I thought she¡¯d obviously take on that role, but Eleris just shook her head. ¡°I am a Vampire. If it¡¯s discovered that I¡¯m a vampire, I¡¯m sure Your Highness of whom I was taking care of would also fall under suspicion. I¡¯m always careful with everything I do, but we don¡¯t know what¡¯ll happen.¡± Although Eleris was well integrated into human society, she always kept the possibility of being discovered to be a vampire in mind. ¡°What? How could I get into Temple if neither Sarkegaar nor Eleris are able to be my guardians?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± Eleris pointed at the last person present as if it was obvious. ¡°¡­What? Me?¡± ¡°What?¡± You want the beggar king to be my guardian? What the hell was this nonsense? Both I and Loyar were dumbfounded, but Eleris shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m just telling you, but it would be most beneficial for you to just be born as an orphan.¡± I understood what she meant. ¡°If you were adopted by Sarkegaar, you might be in danger if his deeds were discovered, and if you were to choose me as your guardian, you might be in danger if my true identity were discovered.¡± ¡°¡­I know what you mean, even if I¡¯m caught, my gang members don¡¯t know that I¡¯m a Lycanthrope, so he could just say that he didn¡¯t know. That¡¯s it, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The members of Loyar¡¯s pack didn¡¯t know that she was a Lycanthrope. So even if Loyar were to be discovered, even if they were questioned most of them wouldn¡¯t know a thing. There were a lot of members after all. In addition, there was a high possibility that I would not be connected to my collaborators even if they were discovered if I entered Temple as an orphan with no ties. Yeah, Eleris was right. ¡°¡­¡­So, you want me to live here from now on?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe Your Highness has to live in such a filthy place! That¡¯s just unreasonableeeeeeee!¡± ¡°Did you just call my place flithy? Are ya trying to insult me?¡± A fire blazed in Loyar¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ya want to let me know how it feels like to buy some bread from your own money starting today? Huh?¡± ¡°N, no. I, I , I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­¡­ The, there¡¯s just a bit of¡­ You know? I mean, see¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that a little too much, huh? Hey, if I¡¯m gonna sponsor such a great VIP, d¡¯ya have any idea what the fuck my kids are supposed to do?¡± Loyar was their financier. So, she actually had the greatest say here. Loyar threatened Sarkegaar with overwhelming force, and Sarkegaar¡¯s face turned completely blue as soon as he heard that she would stop giving him money. Eleris sighed watching those two fight. ¡°You don¡¯t have to live here. If you enter Temple, you¡¯ll be able to live in the dormitories. You just need to spend a few days here.¡± She gave me a kind of look that seemed to say: ¡°How could I let you live in such a dirty place?¡±. Well, I didn¡¯t really mean to become something as grandiose as a noble¡¯s son, but¡­. When I went to school, won¡¯t the other kids make fun of me for being a beggar? Mentally I was over 30, but no matter how old I¡¯m on the inside¡­. No, I was just saying if these little punks find out that I made my living by begging at my age, won¡¯t they hit me or something? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Still, I couldn¡¯t come up with a safer idea than Eleris¡¯ suggestion. Just a few days, a few days¡­. I have to live a few days in this place¡­. When I asked her if I had to stay a few days here, Eleris told me that I had to. I was an orphan and didn¡¯t even have a proper identity. It seemed that in order to obtain a new identity, I had to somehow prove that I¡¯m an orphan, and to prove that, I had to get the testimony of Loyar¡¯s group. I couldn¡¯t believe I had to acquire a new identity through the beggars¡¯ guarantees. What¡¯s with this? ¡°There are many of my little brothers who don¡¯t really exist on paper, so I know what to do, because some of the guys do end up needing an ID.¡± It was natural for her to call them little brothers as she¡¯s the head of this organization, so to speak, but it still was strange hearing it come out of her mouth. I couldn¡¯t believe a Lycanthrope being brothers with humans. Was this a live-action version of Tiger Brother? So would this Wild Dog also become my brother? No, rather my sister. Sarkegaar¡¯s words angered Loyar, but she seemed to think that staying in this environment for a long time would be a bad thing for me as well. ¡°Eleris will come up with the right excuse, so we can just do it like that.¡± Loyar seemed carefree. Eleris contemplated how she should get me out of here as soon as possible and admit me to Temple. * * * Sarkegaar and Eleris went back, leaving me and Loyar behind. I had already been told what to do. Loyar told me not to worry as no one would touch me anyway, but that wasn¡¯t really the problem¡­. There¡¯s nothing that can be solved easily. I don¡¯t really want to go to Temple, but now I had to go while wearing an identity given to me by a beggars¡¯ group. This made me want to go even less. But what could I do? This was the safest way. Loyar dragged me out of the deep parts of the sewers and took me to the shantytown. -Whistle! As Loyar whistled, all the beggars that were scattered all over the place slowly started to gather in one place. Everyone was limping, but they seemed to listen well. This must¡¯ve been the dark side of Gardium. ¡°Big sis, what¡¯s with that kid?¡± If it were Eleris or Sarkegaar they would have been furious at his words, but Loyar didn¡¯t show much of a reaction. She wasn¡¯t loyal in mind, but very loyal in body. She was that kind of bizarre being. ¡°He¡¯s a new member. He¡¯s called Reinhardt.¡± This was a new name, not my real name which was Valier. Reinhardt. No, I mean Valier wasn¡¯t actually my real name either, right? Anyway, it was an alias, an alias. Nothing more. Sarkegaar suggested it. He told me I should choose another name, not Valier, as my alias, so he asked me for my opinion. Ooh. I had some in mind. ¡®Gromm Hellscream.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­Hellscream? Isn¡¯t that name just too creepy?¡¯ The first suggestion got cut down by Eleris. ?Then Lich King?¡® ¡®What perfection! What a fitting name for a great Demon Kiiiiiiiiiiiiing! If it¡¯s Your Highness, you would certainly far surpass the magical capabilities of a lich!¡¯ ¡®Your Highness, your real name would be much more inconspicuous compared to that.¡® Sarkegaar agreed to it, but Loyar refused. She said something like: ¡°if you¡¯ll choose such an ugly name, you¡¯d be better off just using your real name.¡±. Well this name was the equivalent of Kim Eum Doom in Korean. ¡®Then Thrall.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­Your Highness, we can¡¯t possible use a weird joke like that.¡¯ Eleris quite seriously thought Thrall was a pun on ¡®Damn it¡¯. (T/N: Korean writing for Thrall =ssral, Damn it = jae gi ral or also written as X-ral (ekssral) Don¡¯t you know the Warcraft series?! Eventually, after arguing for a long time, we were able to decide on something. ¡®How about Reinhardt?¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­Oddly enough, it¡¯s a very main character-like name, but¡­..¡¯ ¡®I think it¡¯s a better name than Hellscream.¡¯ ¡®It wouldn¡¯t hurt to add a few more syllables. A King¡¯s name can¡¯t be too simple¡­.¡¯ ¡®If it¡¯s even longer than that it would be a pain to say. I also don¡¯t want to be mistaken as a noble or something.¡¯ That¡¯s how it got decided. It wasn¡¯t particularly flashy, nor was it something weird. It was just a name. Chapter 20 At Loyar¡¯s announcement, a sloppy but strong looking guy, who probably was the second-in-command here, chimed in. ¡°Big sis, where should we put ¡®im?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t make him do anything.¡± Loyar shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m gonna sent him to Temple.¡± At those words, the beggars made rather strange expressions. ¡°Did ya eat something wrong?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± One of the beggars who said something along those lines slightly shrank back, when Loyar raised one of her eyebrows as if they were talking bullshit. ¡°No, why didja suddenly accept dis kid when you stubbornly refused to let any in before, cause they dun even know anythin? And Temple?¡± There certainly weren¡¯t any children my age in Loyar¡¯s beggar group. Teenagers who derailed and ran away from home definitely were as hard to control as rabid dogs. So, it was quite natural that they asked something like that. Loyar shook her head. ¡°This guy¡¯s our future.¡± It felt weird suddenly becoming a bunch of beggars¡¯ future. Maybe I¡¯ve actually become the future of these guys to a certain extent. Everyone¡¯s expressions showed more and more confusion. Loyar looked at the beggars, who were thoroughly dumbfounded and placed her hands on her hips. The King of Beggars began her speech. ¡°As y¡¯all know, we have nothing and we don¡¯t know anything. Ain¡¯t that right? Some of ya keep talking about the good old times where y¡¯all were great, but look at ya now? Left to rot in some gutter. That¡¯s why we got together like this. So that the ones who don¡¯t exist can also live their lives.¡± ¡°But how long d¡¯ya plan to live like that? I don¡¯t care if it just were me, but you guys don¡¯t want to live like this, right? Ya want to get out of this life, right?¡± ¡°But, it¡¯s too late for us to learn anything new. So through our power¡­. Our, money. Yes, using our capital, we will nurture talented people who¡¯d be responsible for this gang¡¯s future.¡± Thinking what she said was quite plausible, Loyar seemed content. Somehow, this is the first time I¡¯ve witnessed such charisma in any of my lives. I instructed Loyar to briefly explain this as a strategy to nurture talent for the future of the gang and to first heavily focus their capital into one talent with the goal of optimizing the situation of all the beggars here. One of the beggars titlted their head at Loyar¡¯s proud declaration. ¡°Big sis, I dun think sending some guys to Temple would suddenly make us sleep on feather cushions, though?¡± A valid concern. Of course, Eleris and I came up with a lot of excuses to deal with this situation. ¡°If I say it¡¯s like that, then it is like that. You bastards!¡± However, Loyar just shouted at them, not tolerating any protests. ¡°If that¡¯s what the boss said.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± And everyone accepted that one sentence rather than millions of excuses. That was a boss for you. However, would it be worse to be found out to be a demon or the heir of a beggar organization? Aren¡¯t they both pretty dog-like existences? * * * Strictly speaking, Loyar¡¯s words weren¡¯t just cheap excuses. Everyone was just convinced by the feeling that whatever Loyar told them, they had to do. It was that kind of attitude. Perhaps, this wasn¡¯t the first time that Loyar made them do something absurd. Loyar took me to a rather big shack, and brought someone else with her. A man of strong stature. He was the one who looked like the second-in-command from earlier. Loyar introduced me to this man. Since Loyar was the boss around here, he promised me to treat me comfortably. ¡°Say hi to each other. This is our gang¡¯s future. Reinhardt. Reinhardt, this is my most trusted younger brother, so you can trust him, too. His name is Daibun.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Reinhardt, I¡¯m Daibun.¡± He was the younger brother favored by a Lycanthrope. Was this a friendship that transcended race? It wasn¡¯t even 1%, it was friendship with a few decimal places between them. (T/N: as in their positions) ¡°I¡¯m Reinhardt.¡± I shook hands with him. His hand was as large as a pot lid. Rather than a beggar, he looked more like a retired soldier in a slightly shabby outfit. He gave of a rugged impression. Perhaps because he trusted Loyar just that much, but he didn¡¯t question or ask anything about this stranger that appeared out of nowhere she suddenly offered to send to Temple. ¡°Take ¡®im to get an ID tomorrow. If you got time, swing by Temple.¡± ¡°Yes, big sis.¡± The three of us just sat around for now. It was messy, but it was worlds apart from that hallway inside the Demon King¡¯s Castle littered with corpses. This place was only dirty, so this was a literal heaven compared to that. I thought about the worst case scenario and affirmed my present situation. Although it was a bit uncomfortable, it could be worse. Then Daibun spoke up hesitantly as he looked at Loyar. ¡°Big sis, what are you gonna do about the tuition? I¡¯m not really sure, but ain¡¯t Temple for noble children? I heard it costs a lot of money.¡± It was a problem we were already aware of. We made the decision I¡¯d go, but didn¡¯t even have a way to solve the most important problem. It wasn¡¯t about getting detected, but getting enough money. For that reason, there were doubts whether it would be possible for Loyar to continue paying tuition for Temple. The Gardias Temple was the most famous educational institution on the continent. Not only members of the Empire but also members of leading families from all over the continent often came to study abroad there. Because of that the tuition was extremely high. The Temple itself was an educational institute, but it was also the place that gave the Empire the most revenue. Just by getting admitted to Temple one would be able to build connections with a lot of influential people. Nobles didn¡¯t hesitate to pay a lot of money just to send their children to Temple. However, it was doubtful that this beggars¡¯ organization could admit me to Temple and continue to support me by paying that sinfully high tuition fee. I already had a contingency plan though. Temple¡¯s tuition fee varied depending on the grade and major, however, ordinary students required to pay 50 gold per semester. About 50 million won. That was equivalent to 100 million a year. In addition, tuition wildly varied depending on the major. ¡®First of all, you only have to provide the tuition fee for a certain period of time.¡¯ ¡®Are you thinking of going for a scholarship?¡¯ Of course, I probably was smarter than the average kid, but honestly, there were definitely plenty of kids smarter than me in that place. However, that wasn¡¯t what was important. ¡®The Empire wants a second and third Artorius. So what if one definitely had the talent, but didn¡¯t have the money to get an education at Temple? In that case, the tuition will be waived!¡¯ It sounded like I was guessing, but that¡¯s what would happen. Students with outstanding talents, but with limited financial power, were specially managed within Temple. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t make you pay the huge amount of tuition fees. I was an Arcdemon. There should be something I could do. ¡®Once I enter the school and get some education, I should be able to find something I¡¯m talented in.¡¯ After that tuition would be waived. This isn¡¯t just nonsense as well, because I could make a talent bloom with my achievement points. It might not be possible at the moment, but there were plenty of ways to get achievement points if I started sticking close to the main story. Everyone nodded to this as if it was quite plausible. Before I was forced to go to Temple, I did say that I wanted to live a comfortable life, but if I had to go anyway, any thoughts about that went right out of the window. I had to become stronger, whether I liked it or not. So, it was important to gather enough money to attend the first semester. From that point on, I¡¯d get woven inside the main story, collect achievement points and develop my talents. That was my goal now. ¡°Can we even do that with our earnings?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know, but¡­¡­ probably not.¡± Loyar wasn¡¯t particularly sharp. Daibun hesitated before he opened his mouth. ¡°Well, how ¡®bout if we cut down on what big sis is taking from the gang¡¯s finances¡­¡­?¡± The money Sarkegaar spend on his aristocratic life. Perhaps Loyar didn¡¯t disclose what she used the money she was taking away for. If we do as Daibun said we¡¯d be able to save up enough money for me to go to Temple. However, Loyar firmly shook her head. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I had to use it to prevent crap from happening?¡± ¡°Yes¡­. You did.¡± Loyar seemed to have told them that she uses the money to bribe the guards, explaining why her gang wasn¡¯t cracked down on even though they were the way they were. Of course, I didn¡¯t know if she really did that or not. Well, Sarkegaar was a noble after all. He probably used his power to prevent this side from getting affected by anything. Either way, neither Loyar nor I could give up the support given to Sarkegaar. Daibun sighed. ¡°These days our revenue is decreasing. Big sis, no one is getting close to Bronzegate Bridge anymore.¡± There were rumors spreading that this place housed solicitors. For a long time now, people in the know didn¡¯t come close to this place. As such, the revenue was gradually decreasing. That was only natural. ¡°This is a serious problem¡­.¡± It seemed like Loyar only realized at that moment that things weren¡¯t going as planned. Then she glanced at me, as if telling me to do something. Yes, I was waiting for my turn to speak. ¡°Uhm¡­. How about we think about this a bit differently?¡± ¡°Huh? Differently?¡± Daibun furrowed his brows as if what I said was strange. No, these people just didn¡¯t have enough sense to improve themselves. The answer was actually quite simple. ¡°If the customers are avoiding us, we just have find them ourselves.¡± That was only natural. If one didn¡¯t have customers, one had to find some. I got quite restless seeing that they didn¡¯t even try to leave this place. It seemed like they were running around this area trying to sell their candy to people passing by. If one market was blocked, one should just open a new one. Who¡¯d help you if you just stayed on the ground saying you¡¯re screwed? ¡°Find them? Do you mean to expand our power to other regions?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Do you have something in mind?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ll sent them too far away, the kids might get exhausted too quickly.¡± Daibun seemed to think it would be difficult to realize because they had to walk long distances to expand our power. ¡°No, this¡¯ll make things more comfortable.¡± ¡°Comfortable¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, they¡¯d just have to go to one place. It¡¯s a place with a lot of people coming and going with a huge flow of people, you know?¡± As if wondering where such a dream-like place was located, Loyar and Daibun looked at me with dumbfounded expressions on their faces. ¡°The Mana Train.¡± That place had the largest flow of people in the whole capital. They¡¯d evolve from simple solicitors to subway vendors. Both Daibun and Loyar were astonished by my idea that could be called revolutionary. That was it. That was how things should be done. Chapter 21 Daibun continued to admire me, saying that he didn¡¯t know how he couldn¡¯t think of selling things in a place like that, and Loyar also seemed to think that that would be a good idea. I¡¯ve only been on that train once, but it didn¡¯t seem like there were any guards positioned on it yet. There might be complaints against the vendors getting filed, resulting in countermeasures, but that would be in the distant future. It didn¡¯t end there. This was my cash cow. Of course, things had to work out here. They had to earn a lot more and be more stable than they had ever been before. In fact, it was difficult for me to believe that either Eleris or Sarkegaar would bring in any income. Hence, this place was my lifeline. ¡°Of course, just selling candy alone like before would be a little weak. So we have to have something that would draw in everyone¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°Attention?¡± A place where a large amount of people gathered was overflowing with consumers. Of course, candy alone wouldn¡¯t garner much attention. It had to be a product that was specifically targeted at our customers. ¡°However, our financial situation isn¡¯t good enough to sell the good stuff, you know?¡± ¡°Right¡­.¡± Of course, it would have been nice if we could sell good quality stuff that people needed, but if that were possible for us, we¡¯d just start an official business. Simply put, something simple, inexpensive that attracted a lot of attention, something that focused on utility rather than quality. ¡°Toys would be the best thing to sell in our situation I believe.¡± ¡°Toys? I don¡¯t know what stuff they¡¯re selling elsewhere, but d¡¯ya think they¡¯ll sell?¡± Loyar seemed a bit hesitant. I chuckled. ¡°Toys are products who are demanded by a different comsumer group than the actual purchasers.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Daibun would probably understand, but Loyar wasn¡¯t the sharpest. Well, yeah, this was optimized for isekai characters. Not bad. An Isekai cliche. Talking about completely normal everyday things as if they were amazing in front of stupid characters. Depending on the level of the things the writer makes the main character say one could tell the writer¡¯s knowledge level. Something along the lines of: ¡°Aah, this is soap. Because of the surfactant in it you can wash your hands really well¡± There¡¯s a 100% chance that you¡¯ll feel great about yourself for using the word ¡®surfactant¡¯ and about 98.235% of people will think you¡¯re one smart cookie. Anyway. This time I was talking about toys. ¡°It¡¯s the kids who will be begging for toys, but it¡¯s the parents who have to pay for them.¡± Toys were something kids demanded, but the actual purchase happened through the parents. ¡°Let¡¯s say a toddler were to cry for that toy on a crowded mana train.¡± They were both staring at me talking. ¡°Then the parents would buy that toy, whether it was poor quality or not.¡± I didn¡¯t know how I should explain knowing this even though I lost my memory, but I was sure they¡¯ll hear me out. If they keep suspecting me, I didn¡¯t think it would be such a bad idea to tell them the truth. I could even tell them I was a writer, however that would probably sound like nonsense to them. I had no intention of acting careless purposefully though. Anyway. Loyar and Daibun were looking at me almost as if I was some kind of devil¡¯s spawn- Well, wasn¡¯t I kind of one? ¡°You¡¯re terrible¡­!¡± Without realizing it, Loyar¡¯s true intentions slipped out of her mouth. I was surprised myself. Even if you treat me comfortably because I¡¯m a kid. Huh? You want me to be good? Huh? Didn¡¯t you say we should live comfortably together? I was getting a little mad. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s do our best!¡± I reached out my palm. -Pat! Loyar, of course, gave me her ¡®paw¡¯ out of reflex. Her face was completely blank. Conclusion. I didn¡¯t have any more plausible bullshit but toys in stock. * * * There were many other conditions I added. For starters they needed some neat clothes and a sales book to keep track of the articles they sold. Like that they wouldn¡¯t be shunned at least. They would at first do it like they did so far, but I¡¯ve been trying to urge them to become more customer-friendly in the future. We also had to think about our products, though. Daibun was very impressed with the measures I had taken. He told me that he now understood why his big sis wanted to send me to Temple. He even generously praised me, saying that I¡¯d deserve being their gang¡¯s brain. He even mentioned that it would be great if I received advanced education there. With just a few words his attitude changed as if he just received a thousand dollars instead of having to pay off a debt of a thousand dollars. I joined amidst the group to get to know them a bit better at least. To be honest, it felt pretty uncomfortable, but I couldn¡¯t avoid them anyway. It seemed like Loyar usually doesn¡¯t do anything but sleep. She apparently did make an appearance when it was time to punch someone. ¡°I heard that Daibun praised that guy.¡± Although Loyar acted as the boss, it seemed like it was actually Daibun¡¯s role to manage the organization. Loyar said she¡¯d send me to Temple, and Daibun didn¡¯t hold back with his complements, claiming that I wasn¡¯t an ordinary person, so the other members seemed to be looking upon me quite favorably, albeit still a bit skeptical. ¡°Hey, have a drink.¡± They offered alcohol to me without hesitation. Although one could see I was a minor at first glance, it seemed like they didn¡¯t care about that. ¡°Hey, all of this.¡± I, who was in my thirties, also wanted to have a taste, but I was rather surprised. ¡°Hey! What¡¯re ya givin alcohol to some kid?!¡± There were some who said things like that, but I just giggled slightly and downed the drink in one go, before they could dissuade me. ¡°Woah, awsome.¡± Everyone burst into laughter seeing me do this. It¡¯s a little bitter, but who cares. Alcohol is alcohol and water is water. So it wouldn¡¯t matter anyway. The old man who poured me the drink chuckled. His breath didn¡¯t smell that good, but it didn¡¯t really matter. ¡°That young and already knows how to drink! Hah!¡± ¡°Is there a life without alcohol?¡± ¡°Well said!¡± ¡°This is it! Oh, we can become great friends!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been getting drunk ever since I was your age, now look at me! Hahaha!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get drunk again today! Let¡¯s goooooo! Let¡¯ssss gooooo!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s driiiink!¡± ¡°Here we goooooo!¡± Without them I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to live, so I couldn¡¯t be picky and ungrateful. I drank vigorously with the beggars until far into the night. Surprisingly, these gents knew how to drink the right way. No, well, I actually was an old man, so of course I couldn¡¯t help but match these old men¡¯s pace. They asked me this and that, and I wasn¡¯t that drunk, so I answered them as I planned. ¡°But how didcha get here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even remember anymore when I was abandoned. I was just drifting from place to place.¡± Too young to remember when I was abandoned, Loyar found me while I was wandering around the streets, so she took me in. My origins were unknown. Everyone patted me on the shoulder saying that I must have had a hard time while still being so young. I was also told that I should go to Temple and become a great man. ¡°Don¡¯t be like us.¡± They said. They gave me some advice that almost brought me to tears. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s the name of this gang¡­?¡± It seemed that Loyar was called by the nickname Irene¡¯s Wild Dog and she repeatedly called this organization a gang. Didn¡¯t they have another name for it? What the hell, the name can¡¯t just be ¡®Gang¡¯ right? ¡°Oh, yeah. There¡¯s a big intersection up there.¡± Intersection? What did that have to do with anything? ¡°What, does the newcomer not even know what this gang¡¯s name is?¡± One of the middle-aged man burst into laughter. ¡°Rotary gang, dude. Remember that.¡± Ah. * * * After seeing this drunken chaos in the middle of the night, Loyar got mad, saying: ¡°What gave ya the idea to make a kid drink alcohol?¡± It felt like I got drunk and my elder sister dragged me away to scold me. I actually did get nagged, but it was very different from my old days. Did the former Prince not drink before? Still, probably because I played around with the others at what felt like a welcome party, everyone seemed to see me as a very nice guy. The next day, I made it my goal to somehow sort out the situation of the Rotary Gang. Even though they were on my side, I didn¡¯t make the mistake of thinking that I knew everything about them. The reason I drank with them yesterday was obviously because I wanted to get to know the Rotary gang as well as its members as much as possible. The Rotary gang had about 200 members. That¡¯s quite the number. I didn¡¯t know what the exact income of the solicitors was, but if it was enough to support the everyday life of a nobleman, then one could assume that it was quite high. However, not only were they able to support a noblemen, but they were also able to cover food costs and received compensation money, you know? Just how many candies did they have to sell a day for that to be possible? Even if every single one of them sold one candy worth 5 bronze coins every day, which would just amount to a thousand bronze coins and 10 silver coins. That would just be a hundred thousand won. Even if everyone sold 10 pieces each, it would just be a million won. Moreover, not everyone is mobilized at once to sell candy. It seemed impossible to even maintain this group with just that. Of course, there were people who begged as well as those who solicited, but I didn¡¯t know if that would be enough to maintain such a huge group. The Rotary gang must have had a different source of income. There was no way that Sarkegaar and Eleris didn¡¯t know about this. It appeared that they didn¡¯t tell me on purpose. Loyar, Eleris and Sarkegaar kept some secrets from me about the Rotary gang¡¯s source of income. I was wondering what was going on, so I asked Loyar directly. Loyar usually hung around the bon fire deep in the sewers, where no one ever set foot in, whiling away her time or sleeping. I believe you have a different source of income somewhere else, but just what is it? ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± Loyar cut me off as if she didn¡¯t want to tell me. ¡°Okay, then just answer me one thing.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are you hurting people?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that, but sometimes that¡¯s what happens as a result of it.¡± That was how Loyar answered. It wasn¡¯t something that necessarily hurt people, but in some cases it might happen as a result of it. ¡°I heard that the gang has about 200 members.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°However, I believe there are only about 50 people living here.¡± 50 was still a large number, but it certainly wasn¡¯t more than 200. This was an indirect question pertaining as to where the rest of the members were. Loyar let out a short sigh. It¡¯s like she understood that I wouldn¡¯t back down so easily. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because I thought it would be better if you didn¡¯t know about these kinds of things. I had no intention of deceiving you.¡± ¡°Yeah, it might be a little dangerous if I knew about it, right? That¡¯s what you were thinking.¡± ¡°Selling candies is just a disguise.¡± Soliciting wasn¡¯t their main goal. ¡°We are supported by the Gardium Thieves¡¯ Guild.¡± Their main goal was collecting information that organization wanted, when they wanted. That¡¯s how it was possible to maintain a group of this size, Loyar added. So, I was right about this being the Fantasy version of the Beggars¡¯ Sect. The Rotary gang was the information gathering organization the Gardium Thieves¡¯ Guild outsourced. Even if beggars were driven out, they were rarely suspected. Then, at my question of whether my proposed change in soliciting method was meaningless then, Loyar shook her head. ¡°We are inextricably linked to the Thieves¡¯ Guild, but the more dependent we are on them, the more they will try to control us. If the gang can operate only with the gang¡¯s profit, that alone would be meaningful.¡± In the end, the proposal I made yesterday meant a lot to Loyar and Daibun. If the group couldn¡¯t maintain themselves without the support of the Thieves¡¯ Guild, they would try to use the Rotary gang more and more freely. However, if the Rotary gang¡¯s own revenue grew, it could be freed from further interference from the Thieves¡¯ Guild. I did notice that Daibun was unusually excited, so that might have been the reason. It¡¯s complicated in many ways, but in the end it was all about money. I could also understand now what she meant with that it could end up harming someone, as they didn¡¯t know what the Thieves¡¯ Guild would do with their information. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know much about this. You can just go to Temple using the fact that you are from this side and forget about us.¡± She told the gang members that I was their future, however what she truly meant was that I should just focus on training myself at Temple. I didn¡¯t have a reason to care about the Rotary gang¡¯s matters. Even if there were problems with the Rotary gang, Eleris suggested that I should just cut ties with them after I got them to pay tuition for me and I entered the school. If I developed some kind of talent, I would be exempted from paying tuition fees and I would no longer have a need to be involved with the Rotary gang. That was why Loyar, Eleris and Sarkegaar didn¡¯t tell me about the gang¡¯s secret source of income, which I didn¡¯t need to know about. ¡°If I¡¯ve satisfied you now, go with Daibun. You need to make an ID.¡± Aside from gathering the admission fees, I needed an identity first. Let¡¯s take a single step at a time. Shit. I had chosen a path when I was at the crossroads between just quietly waiting for the ending to pass and setting foot in the main story. I wanted to live comfortably, but in the end, I ended up having to join Temple. If it couldn¡¯t be helped, I would just have to do something about it, just like I did when I saved Charlotte the other day. After entering Temple, I had to clench my teeth. The future would change greatly depending on how strong I became. At that time, Sarkegaar, Eleris and Loyar. They all would find out that the Demon Realm wasn¡¯t that important. Chapter 22 I was told that Daibun created a lot of identities for people that had no origins. He took me to the Imperial City Bureau, so to speak, to a nearby district office. The person in charge looked tried as if he had seen Daibun many times, maybe even questioning why he had come again. ¡°You¡¯re looking quite neat today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯ve brought a child this time.¡± ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t know you actually cared that much.¡± Perhaps because Daibun played the role of my guardian today, he wore clean clothes and bathed today. I did the same. The person in charge didn¡¯t seem to be all that fussy, as if this had already happened frequently except that we looked rather neat. He didn¡¯t have any suspicions or questions, completing the procedure swiftly. When I received the Dreadfiend¡¯s ring, I thought long and hard as to what to change my appearance to. Naturally I should have a lot of hair. I shouldn¡¯t be too handsome or too ugly. I did want to live as a super handsome man, but I didn¡¯t want to attract too much attention with my looks. That was the first thing Eleris told me. So I tried to make myself look moderately good-looking. Blonde hair, slightly curly, blue eyes. Neither the hair color nor the eye color were especially rare. It was good enough to looks slightly better than average. I was a bit good looking, but not overwhelmingly handsome. ¡°Name.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Where were you born?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Whoa¡­. You don¡¯t even know from what town you come from?¡± The person in charge looked at me rather frustrated. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t really remember, because I was abandoned when I was very young.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t ask for much more information after that. He told me to put my hand on some mana stone in front of the table. He seemed to check something and then nodded. ¡°There¡¯s definitely no data on you¡­ You must have lived a rather righteous life.¡± He suddenly spoke some nonsense, but I could roughly understand what that meant. This seemed to be something like a fingerprint reader, so if I were caught by the guards after I committed even a petty crime, my data would¡¯ve already been registered. Homeless children like me were more likely to commit crimes, but seeing that I did not have such records, he presumed that I lived a righteous life. After all, my birthplace and address were unknown, but I couldn¡¯t just leave it blank, so I just made up a date of birth with those two. The birthplace was set as a suitable city that disappeared a long time ago and my address was south of the Bronzegate Bridge. It seemed like I owned the bridge, but I actually lived under it. Due to the advanced nature of the empire, they had a magic tool with which I was able to get a photo for my ID card. Daibun and I left the office, sent off with the reminder to periodically come around to renew the ID. So. It really was no different from a modern district office. They were too expedient! To a shocking degree at that! However, that was good! ¡°That was pretty easy.¡± ¡°We gave him some things after all, so of course our stay would have been comfortable.¡± I assumed that the person in charge was provided with a variety of things. I did feel that he was too easy going. If he got caught doing things like this, the outcome would be pretty clear. I checked my ID that was in the form of a metal card. It showed a picture, my name, date of birth and identification number. It wasn¡¯t much different from a modern ID card. The same went for the registration of biometric data. Only its appearance fit into medieval fantasy, but its convenience wasn¡¯t much different from the modern world. Once again, it was medieval Fantasy. Anyway. To sum it up in a single sentence. It was convenient. The town was still in an excited frenzy as a result of their victory. That atmosphere would last for a very long time. The improvement event when the war veterans returned would be on an even greater scale. A long festival would follow. Now that I had an ID, I decided to smoothly proceed with my admission to Temple. ¡°By the way, does Temple just admit anyone who has money? Wasn¡¯t there something like¡­ They won¡¯t accept commoners or something?¡± While we were on the way to Temple, Daibun tilted his head.. ¡°Well, I never heard anything like that.¡± The tuition fees were just so high that it was almost impossible to enter the school unless one was a noble¡¯s child, had wealthy parents or was part of a merchant¡¯s family. If one had the confidence to pay hundreds of millions of won a year, depending on what major one picked, one was free to go. If one wanted to pursue higher education one would have to expect to pay twice as much. 50 gold coins was the average. Depending on ones major, tuition fees could rise to unimaginable amounts. Of course, there was a scholarship system, and there were cases where children were exempted from the tuition depending on how much they contributed to the empire. So, after the end of the war, a huge amount of medals would be handed out, leading the Temple to be crowded with more freshmen than usual starting with the next year. Temple was so expensive because they reinvested that money earned from that huge tuition fee into talented children. Most don¡¯t get that much education. Daibun took me to the Eredian district. That would be where the Gwanak district and Seoul National University were located in Korea. The only difference was that Temple was a much larger educational institution covering the entire Gwanak district. Therefore, it was only natural that the number of students was also astronomically high, meaning the money that went into this school was equally astronomical. Not only that. In order to prevent non-students from wandering around the campus, Temple was equipped with physical barriers as well as large scale magic barriers that block those that weren¡¯t students, faculty or people who had permission to enter. The Temple¡¯s security, crime prevention system and barriers that I set up were exactly the same as the Imperial Castle¡¯s. There were children said to come from each country¡¯s powerful family, so they created an environment in which they could fully focus on their studies without worrying about their safety. That¡¯s why everyone was able to send their children off to a far away place with a peace of mind and it would be a big deal if any of the students were to get harmed or abducted while they were walking around the campus, so they put huge emphasis on the safety measures. Of course, there were loopholes, because an incident had to happen after all. If the defense and countermeasures were too perfect, incidents wouldn¡¯t be able to happen. No one wanted that. Especially me. Anyway, Temple was practically a town¡¯s name, so it wouldn¡¯t make a lot of sense to say we arrived at Temple to begin with. The mana train couldn¡¯t even go inside of Temple. We arrived at the admission office outside Temple. Daibun couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut. ¡°This is my first time coming here, so why are there so many people here?¡± The admission counseling center on its own was already huge enough to be called a school, and what was even more surprising was the number of people waiting near the entrance. They were people waiting to get admitted. They all pulled a number ticket, all of whom were children with their parents next to them. Daibun just couldn¡¯t understand that there were so many rich people out there trying to send their children to Temple. I knew what this was about. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s what it is?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Children with special talents can enter Temple for free. That¡¯s what they¡¯re trying to confirm here.¡± ¡°Will there even be cases like that?¡± ¡°One could never know.¡± I put it as if it was just a guess, however it was actually the truth. Even though it was difficult for them to pay the tuition, there were some parents who thought their child had special powers or was a genius. Parents who couldn¡¯t afford to pay the school fees would come here with their children, counting on that possibility. Of course, most of them get sent back disappointed that there was no talent to be found, but they definitely did discover children with special talents, allowing them to enter the school. The probability was just very low. There were four forces in this world as a great whole. Combat, Magic, Divine power. And a power that was completely different from those three, a power that hadn¡¯t been discovered even after a long time. Supernatural power. Combat wasn¡¯t just about being able to run well, but being able to display superhuman powers after one grew up. Such was the case with Artorius. The Knights of Duke Salerian who pursued me must have been those with similar powers. However, even on the side of the Demon Realm, there were monsters a lot stronger. There was a good reason why the Gargoyle was able to crush these veteran knights in a single blow. In any case, those that have the potential to develop superhuman powers will go on to learn martial arts. Children who were unusually smart or were discovered to have magic-related talents would go on to major in magic. Those who show talent in divine power would go down the path of a priest or paladin. And very rarely, children sometimes awakened to bizarre abilities. These powers, dubbed supernatural powers, had not yet been fully elucidated, because it wasn¡¯t an ability that could be learned and used like magic. Some people might not even be able to control them properly. That was why the Empire was taking special care towards these supernatural powers. They weren¡¯t used as resources in the Demon World War, but they could be very dangerous depending on the person. Depending on the level of danger, users with supernatural powers that were thought to be out of control would eventually be disposed of secretly. For children with supernatural powers, Temple served as an institution to socialize as well as learn how to control and develop their abilities. Of course, most of the children gathered here would most likely fall under none of these four classes. Having talent was rare. Really rare. ¡°By the way, with so many people here, would we even get our turn today?¡± Daibun seemed to be thinking about a much more realistic problem. I was rather sure that if we were to line up there we would have to wait for a really long time. Perhaps so long until they closed their doors, so we couldn¡¯t know if we would even be able to get in today. Of course, that was an unnecessary worry. ¡°We¡¯re here to apply for admission, not for consultation, right?¡± We didn¡¯t come here to try for the free admission, because we didn¡¯t have enough money or something. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± We proudly entered through the entrance to apply for admission, not into the admission counselation office. Unlike the admission counselation office, the place to apply for admission was quiet. Of course, there were people there, but the place they waited in was decorated very luxuriously. There were some parents who bawled their eyes out at the thought that they had to say goodbye to their children soon, perhaps because they came from afar, and some children who whined that they didn¡¯t want to go. No matter how good Temple was, you could always find people like that. What did they know? Just because they had to part with their parents. ¡°Ehm, this is the window for admission applications¡­.¡± Seeing me and Daibun, who looked rather neat but also rather penniless, the counter staff tried to gently guide us to the other side. ¡°U, uh¡­. That¡¯s¡­.¡± Daibun froze by my side, perhaps because that was his first time coming to a place filled with enormously wealthy people. No, why would my guardian be scared, huh? ¡°I came here to pay the admission fee.¡± On the contrary, when I spoke up calmly, the staff looked rather embarrassed. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 The Admissions counseling center was practically crowded with people, but the admissions application office was quiet and each student had a one-on-one meeting with a counselor to receive counseling. Said counselor said they came because we said we had the money to apply, but they looked at Daibun with a look of disbelief. ¡°Uhm¡­. This may sound rude, but may I tell you something in advance?¡± ¡°Yes. Go ahead.¡± Daibun was completely frozen, so I just stepped up. The counselor continued with a slightly apologetic expression. ¡°There are some people who only pay tuition for one semester¡­ Those who wish to first enter the school¡­.¡± It was true that 50 gold was a huge amount of money, but if they liquidated everything you had, there may be some people who could afford it, so there were some people who only payed for one semester like this. Was this about that? ¡°Can you not do that?¡± If we couldn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t that mean my plans wouldn¡¯t go through? The counselor also spoke respectfully to me. Perhaps it became a habit after meeting so many children of high-ranking people. ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t have the money to pay the tuition for this semester and the next¡­ It¡¯s a rule to expel these people after a certain period of time, but¡­.¡± ¡°So, if I don¡¯t have the money for the next semester, I won¡¯t be able to register?¡± ¡°Yes, in principle. However, there is no reason to sanction this just because of that¡­. As not all the students admitted like that would end up this way¡­. Sometimes, that is.¡± What? Was there an additional setting or environment created by some probability that I didn¡¯t set up? The counselor hesitated to speak. ¡°They would first pay the tuition for just a single semester and then, well¡­ They would try to build up friendships with other more financially stable children during that semester¡­. They then would ask them to pay the tuition for the next semester¡­. There were quite a few like that.¡± Oh. I seemed to know what they were talking about. ¡°Children would whine to their parents that a close friend of theirs had to leave Temple because they lacked money¡­. There were parents who would listen to them, but¡­ This is rather damaging towards Temple¡¯s image, in many ways¡­.¡± Even if the tuition for Temple was pretty expensive, that was of little importance to those who were very wealthy. In Temple, where nobles, commoners and royalty lived together, friendships transcending their social status sometimes occurred. Therefore, there were children who entered for one semester in the hopes of building such a connection, of course, it was mostly the parents that made them. Even if it wasn¡¯t just to make them pay their tuition fees, they calculated that it would be beneficial just to have an extremely wealthy friend. The children might make a fuss about their friends leaving, but the parents might just go complain to Temple why they would let beggars just casually wander around their grounds. I didn¡¯t even think of that when I set up Temple, but, indeed, short-term admissions could be used like that. It¡¯s ridiculous, sad, and pathetic that I didn¡¯t think of that! ¡°After this became a problem, we decided to no longer admit children whose parents cannot financially support them well enough to allow them to study here for a considerable amount of time while at Temple¡­. The other problem is, that if children just leave after one semester, the other ones who were close to them would also end up very hurt¡­.¡± Temple¡¯s stance on this was understandable if anything. Changing classmates to often was also detrimental to the children, even if that student was just trying to mooch off of other kids¡­. I would also want to implement such a policy if I were in their shoes. However, I was planning on developing my talent after entering the school to become a permanent scholarship student, you know? They probably wouldn¡¯t believe me if I started saying things like that. Wouldn¡¯t my path be immediately blocked if I told them I was the successor of the Bronzegate Rotary gang? Rather, I might have had a better chance if I had come from Sarkegaar¡¯s side. ¡°Once you have prepared the documents to prove your financial status, we can review them¡­. You don¡¯t seem to have that much leeway though.¡± The counselor was very politely dismissing the two of us, however I wasn¡¯t particularly offended by that. The Demon Prince couldn¡¯t enter Temple because he didn¡¯t have enough money. We came with the confidence that I¡¯d be easily admitted. That soon turned into the feeling of needing to beg to be let in. Daibun lowered his head as if he had committed a crime. No, if you don¡¯t have money, then you don¡¯t. It¡¯s not your fault, dude. What was I supposed to do? I didn¡¯t think I would come across such an obstacle. The Rotary gang had many people, but it was difficult to prove their finances. It may have been possible to borrow money through the Thieves¡¯ Guild, but that was just ridiculous, as that would rather prove that I had connections to a criminal organization. As expected, my only other option would be to change my appearance again, get another ID card and enter as Sarkegaar¡¯s adopted son. ¡°Sigh, there¡¯s nothing more I can do¡­.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we do that inspection thing or something?¡± When I was about to get up, Daibun said something out of the blue. An inspection? What inspection? ¡°If it¡¯s an inspection¡­.¡± Daibun had a desperate expression on his face. ¡°He might be a genius or have supernatural powers. Well, wouldn¡¯t that be possible? Does it cost money to do the inspection?¡± No, what¡¯s wrong with this man? The counselor looked puzzled at Daibun¡¯s sudden outburst. ¡°Of course, we conduct inspections at the application consultation center, not at the admittance office¡­. Inspections alone do not cost money¡­. However, the chances of a child having a talent are rather slim. Most children don¡¯t have a single talent¡­¡­.¡± What the counselor said was true. I didn¡¯t have any talent right now. So there was no hope for the thing Daibun suggested with such a desperate expression. ¡°He, hey. Let¡¯s just get out of here, Daibun.¡± ¡°Well, we wouldn¡¯t know about that if we didn¡¯t try. How long does it take to get tested? Does it take long?¡± ¡°Ah¡­. It doesn¡¯t take that long. You just have to touch the physical scanner¡­ but you shouldn¡¯t do this here in the admittance office¡­.¡± The counselor seemed troubled by Daibun¡¯s sudden obstinate attitude. They looked between me and Daibun and eventually sighed slightly. ¡°Okay, since you came all the way here already¡­.¡± The counselor rummaged through one of the counseling rooms and took out a magic tool, saying: ¡°It won¡¯t take that long¡±. A physical scanner, so to speak, was this world¡¯s talent and status meter. They determined one¡¯s current ability and potential talent with these things. This was the staple among convenient settings. If I didn¡¯t add something like that, wouldn¡¯t that have been too difficult? I would have had to describe it a lot more, and vague at that, so there was a need for a state window. Like that, one could immediately determine how strong a character was! Stat windows would quantify strength in numbers. Without it I would have had to describe the strength through events. I would have to explain it like ¡°Before I did this and that and I just couldn¡¯t do it, but now I feel like I got stronger¡±. That was just too annoying and difficult. Attack power increased by 1000! Wasn¡¯t that just too comfortable to write? I love it. But anyway, what Daibun was doing now was pretty much meaningless. ¡°I don¡¯t think this will be worth it, Daibun.¡± ¡°If you got nothing to lose by doing this, then just do it. Or is there something wrong with that?¡± It seemed like Daibun wanted me to take it as it was free anyway. He seemed to think that I desperately needed to enter Temple. I had another way, but Daibun didn¡¯t know about that. He was just thinking of me. He was such a nice guy. However, that didn¡¯t mean that I suddenly have some talent. ¡°You just have to keep your hands on the scanner. Wait for about a minute.¡± To determine my talent, I will have to put my hands on a crystal ball, my talents will then be printed out on a tablet like magic tool the counselor held. There¡¯s nothing I have talent for. It¡¯s not like they¡¯ll be able to see that I¡¯m a demon through this, right? Or see that I have that skill Demon Domination, right? I didn¡¯t think so. I had Sarkegaar¡¯s ring after all. Demon Domination was a unique skill of the Arcdemon race. It was completely sealed after I changed using the ring. Since it was an ability I could only use in the form of Valier, it should be hidden. Of course, it might not be as well. I should just run with the ring. Let¡¯s just go back and think about how to change my looks next. Yeah, let¡¯s do that. ¡°¡­¡­Hm?¡± The counselor suddenly tapped on the tablet. Was it that thing were you continue to tap on an iPad when it¡¯s not working properly? ¡°Did you find something?¡± At Daibun¡¯s question, they shook their head. ¡°Urg¡­. My apologies. It seems that it¡¯s broken. This item is only rarely used here.¡± They left the counseling room as if they didn¡¯t even know how that tool worked as they were actually more used to dealing with the wealthy, but didn¡¯t have any experience checking for talent. They said, they¡¯d bring a new tool over. ¡°Didn¡¯t they find something?¡± I shook my head at the expectant Daibun. ¡°No way.¡± I checked my status again, but, of course, I couldn¡¯t find a single talent in it. I knew my condition better than any magic tool could. ¡°I brought a new one. I even checked its functionality, so it should work this time.¡± It seemed like the counselor was gradually getting exhausted. It probably was because we caused them extra work just for someone who had no talent at all. I put my hand on the newly arrived crystal ball. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± And, the counselor was speechless. ¡°What¡­.Is it malfunctioning again?¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± The counselor furrowed their brows. ¡°How strange. I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before.¡± Perhaps because they were bewildered, but the counselor spoke informally this time. ¡°Is it something that breaks easily?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not a very complicated tool after all.¡± As if he couldn¡¯t understand what was going on, the counselor showed the corresponding part of the tablet screen to Daibun. Should I even call it a screen? It kept blinking. I kind of wanted to know what characters it displayed and why it just kept blinking. What was this, was that a talent? Do I have the talent to break machines? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I didn¡¯t have that kind of talent? That¡¯s one of the shittiest, most common talents I had ever heard of! It was as bad as that kitchen disaster attribute, it was so common that it wasn¡¯t even used anymore, but now when it gets mentioned, it feels rather novel, but it was still hella old-fashioned, you hear! Don¡¯t give me that! The counselor asked me to put my hands down and put his own on the crystal. ¡°¡­¡­Looks like the tool is working normally.¡± The counselor then asked Daibun if he had his talents measured before, then told him to put his hands on it this time. ¡°Certainly, the tool has no defects.¡± That screen blinked so much, it was apparent that I was the cause. The counselor asked me to put my hand back on the crystal. ¡°Just hold your hands on it for a second this time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± What the hell? I held my hands on the crystal ball for circa a second as I was told. The tablet screen was again blinking wildly. Soon after, the counselor opened their mouth speechlessly. ¡°What¡­. I think I know now. In that case¡­ There were all sorts of cases before, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen something like this.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Daibun approached the counselor with an excited expression on his face. ¡°There are cases where a subject doesn¡¯t show a specific talent, but ¡®aptitude¡¯. For example, it¡¯s not developed enough to be a talent, but if the subject works hard, they would be able to be outstanding it a certain field¡­. It¡¯s a kind of sub-concept of talent.¡± ¡°Aptitude?¡± Ah, I knew what that was. ¡°For example, someone with an aptitude for swordsmanship would be better in learning swordsmanship than archery or spearmanship. If a person with an aptitude for swordsmanship continued to study swordsmanship, he or she may become very gifted with the sword, or even excel more than someone who has talent in it, even if it isn¡¯t a talent.¡± ¡°So what does all that mean?¡± Daibun was excited. ¡°This device can read not only talent, but also what field the subject has an aptitude for. So they have this kind of service at the counseling center¡­ Even if a child doesn¡¯t have a talent, they will tell them what aptitudes they have. It was rare for a child who doesn¡¯t have talent to not have any aptitude as well¡­.¡± Identifying aptitudes. There were people who came from far away to receive counseling for the Temple admission, so even if the child wasn¡¯t a genius, they will tell them what route would fit the child best. ¡®Your child has no talent. However, since he has aptitudes in these and other areas, please make him study this and this.¡¯ Temple seemed to provide that kind of service. The counselor turned the tablet screen and showed it to Daibun. It seemed that this was the first time that for them witnessing such a case. Swordsmanship aptitude, Archery aptitude, Magic aptitude, Magic Sensitivity aptitude, Spiritual aptitude¡­¡­. The screen was filled, showing all the aptitudes I had. ¡°It seems that Reinhardt was born with an aptitude for everything in the world.¡± The screen wasn¡¯t blinkin. My aptitudes were almost infinite, so the screen was just constantly updating. Chapter 24 ¡°I really don¡¯t have any idea what to call this. Were you born with God¡¯s blessing¡­. Or was this some type of supernatural power¡­?¡± The counselor looked puzzled. However, I knew what caused this. I could certainly force an ability that I originally didn¡¯t have to become my talent using achievement points. Even if I didn¡¯t have enough points to do that, the possibility was still there. Therefore, I was currently in a state where I could have all the talents in the world. I was born possessing every aptitude in existence, so that it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for me to get certain talents. The counselor seemed dumbfounded. ¡°In this case¡­. I don¡¯t know if it would be possible. Having an aptitude in both swordsmanship and archery wasn¡¯t really a problem, but if this data is correct, then Reinhardt can use both black magic and divine power.¡± I could both wield the power of darkness, as well as holy power. Of course, it would be impossible to be able to use both of them at the same time, but it was possible for me. ¡°B, by the way¡­. There has never been a case¡­ that a child was granted a special admission only based on their aptitude a, and not on talent¡­¡­¡± The counselor seemed to think that this wasn¡¯t a problem he could solve with his authority alone. ¡°Then he could be admitted to Temple, right?¡± Daibun seemed to block out the details and only heard what he wanted to hear. ¡°Thi, this is such an unprecedented situation, but as this is such a special case¡­.¡± The counselor blankly nodded their head. ¡°Perhaps, I think.¡± ¡°Good for you, man!¡± -Hits! ¡°Urgh!¡± Daibun slapped me on the back and shouted. That almost killed me! In the end, it seemed it was just a delusion that I knew my condition best. Through Daibun¡¯s useless insistence, I could now see for sure what my condition was like. I didn¡¯t know something like this would happen. * * * ¡°An aptitude for everything?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what they said.¡± Loyar¡¯s eyes widened when I told her the inspection¡¯s results. It wasn¡¯t over just with the counselor¡¯s words, after that a professional wizard appeared to precisely check my talents. So after suffering for a while it was confirmed that the judgement on my aptitudes was true. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that a lot more than we expected?¡± That¡¯s what she said, but I could feel the tremendous admiration in her words. Even the previous Demon King wouldn¡¯t have been like that. Although I had no talent, I was born with the aptitude to acquire talents in any field. This may just be a correction caused by being able to interfere with my body using this system, but that correction in itself was already a tremendous ability. These aptitudes included even opposing aptitudes. It was possible for a person who had no talent or aptitude for swordsmanship to become a master swordsman by training swordsmanship, however it would be very difficult. One had to overcome this wall with effort. But why would a person who had no aptitude for it train swordsmanship? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just wake up from those delusions? No one could just have strengths. Even those geniuses who had many aptitudes and talents had also a good amount of inadequacies. For example, if a person had an aptitude for divine powers, of course, they wouldn¡¯t be able to use black magic. Conversely, a person who had an aptitude for black magic would not be able to learn divine magic. Some abilities rejected their counterparts. But I didn¡¯t have a single inadequacy. Of course, I didn¡¯t know if it was possible to give myself inadequacies, but like hell that¡¯s going to happen. Am I crazy? I went to Temple with the intention of paying the tuition for a semester, but ended up on a completely different path. I¡¯d have to return to the admissions office sometime later, but I¡¯ve been told that they¡¯ll most likely decided on granting special admission. I didn¡¯t think much of it right now, but if there¡¯s some guy capable of being good at anything, it would be rather weird to not let him enroll through special admission. This was an unexpected windfall. Just because they decided to let me enroll through special admission we didn¡¯t have to create a hole in the gang¡¯s funds. There was no more need to to leave traces behind by paying the tuition with their money. Everyone wanted me to have an environment in which I could completely focus on improving myself in Temple. Like this everyone would be satisfied. No matter what happened later with the Rotary gang, it wouldn¡¯t affect me. ¡°But you don¡¯t look very good, though?¡± I smiled at Daibun¡¯s words. ¡°N, no, it¡¯s nothing. This is great. Like this I can enter even without being part of the gang.¡± But just as Daibun said, I wasn¡¯t in such a good mood. Originally, my plan was to gradually develop my talents over a semester and then I was planning to be exempted from tuition leading me to join the main story through said talent. However, in terms of development, I might have a higher chance to enter the main story like this rather than as a simple scholarship student.. Temple had two types of special classes. The Royal Class, which one could enter through talent, and the Orbis Class, which one could enter through skill. Students with exceptional talent entered the Royal Class. Students who lack talent but gained outstanding abilities through hard work entered the Orbis Class. There was a certain rivalry between these two classes, but that would come into play later. It would be only after a long time that the Orbis Class was mentioned. Anyway. Entering the main story meant that I would soon join one of Temple¡¯s special classes, which will probably be the Royal Class. There was a high chance that I would enter the Royal Class, because I was recognized for my potential talent and not my outstanding ability. Originally, I planned to slowly enter the story by building my power for one semester and then climb to that position later. However, I would end up entering the Royal Class right from the beginning. That meant, that I would be together with the main characters right when the main story starts. I would bump into them without thinking much or planning to do so. If the story changed because of my actions, I would receive some achievement points, but the consequence of that would be that the story might bounce into weird directions, all the events would become unpredictable. I would have to use the achievement points I received by changing the future to see how the future changed, I would gain nothing from that. I could get other benefits, but those achievement points are the most important to me right now, so I couldn¡¯t just waste them. That¡¯s why I wanted to take that one semester to plan things out, but that opportunity got stolen from me. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± Therefore, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply thinking about the special admission. Anyway, I was pretty sure this development is happening purposefully. * * * What kind of novel was [The Demon King is Dead] you may ask? Although it was a novel I wrote, it was more like part of my dark history though. It got the worst ranking and tons of bad reviews. This was supposed to be a slice-of-life story that took place after the Demon King got defeated. The story took place in [Temple], located in the Imperial Capital Gardium, where people with immense power and wealth gathered. Although they nurtured talents specialized in combat, teaching things like magic and marital arts, Temple, who was recognized as the cradle of all learning, also encompassed elementary, secondary and higher education. The number of students, excluding the faculty, exceeded 100,000. From elementary school onwards, they adopted a similar teaching system as universities. On could apply for classes one wanted to take. Therefore, there were a lot of kids who never ran into each other even though they were in the same class if they don¡¯t take the same courses. Even in a place like that, the main stage was the Royal Class, one of the two most important classes in Temple, the other one being the Orbis Class. Those two classes were filled with the most talented of the Empire, the ones placed the most expectations on. Of course, they all held permanent scholarships. However, let¡¯s keep the Orbis Class out of this talk for now. I won¡¯t run into them anyway, for the time being. Anyway, one of the two flagships of Temple. Royal Class¡¯ Perks. Even if a course is already filled to capacity, one may still apply for said course. Even courses that go beyond one¡¯s grade could be applied for, as consideration for the geniuses. Therefore, the Royal Class was inevitably the object of envy and jealousy of ordinary students. In addition, Temple shoulders the cost to maintain a certain level of dignity as well as a luxurious dormitory exclusive to the students of the Royal Class. There were many who tried to get into the Royal Class using their money and power. However, one could only enter Temple through money, however the Royal Class didn¡¯t know status, rank or wealth. Only talent determined whether one could enter or not. Higher education at Temple started with high school. It didn¡¯t end there. Temple¡¯s higher education, including the Royal Class, consisted of 6 grades just like elementary school. That meant that a 6th grade Highschooler wasn¡¯t that uncommon in this world. Simply but, it was like graduating from middle school and then immediately attending collage for six years. In realtiy, it was more like starting from the first year of high school and ending with the third year of college. Of course, it was possible to attend for three years and then graduate, but the education is usually completed after the sixth year. After that, there¡¯s university, but that was more like a graduate school. The Royal Class, that could be said to be the best of the best, divided the classes based on talent. The main character belonged to 1st year Class B of the high school section. What was different about this was that the Royal Class, which selected people based on talent, divided the grades based on talents in the early stages of high school. That meant between Class A and Class B of the Royal Class, Class B was the inferior class, which was made up of children with lower ranking talents. Since the class was divided in order of talent, the members of the Royal Class remained the same even when they reached the next grade. Unless someone got eliminated or dropped out in the middle, or a person was added, the number of classmates didn¡¯t change from the first year of high school until graduation. Class B, who was the inferior group of talented elites, is where the main character appeared. He first got confused by his defeat-ridden classmates, endured humiliation and ridicule from the kids of Class A who were more talented and powerful and eventually they were able to overtake Class A with the power of love and friendship. That¡¯s the kind of youth drama I was planning to write. Not interesting at all? Sounds like it was no fun to read? Of course, it was hella boring. Stories about weaker students overcoming stronger students through hard work was rather common and nothing new. The Power of Love and Friendship? People are doing well on their own these days. If you let your classmates suck away your own life like carcinogens, they¡¯ll think their hot shit after you cared for them and helped them grow. I should have stopped writing right away after hearing what the person in charge told me. Anyway. It was now February. The main story would also start with the new semester in the same year as the end of the Demon World War. [You have been admitted to Temple Royal Class 1-A.] And, the Temple Admissions Office judged my ¡®infinite aptitude¡¯ to be an advanced talent. There was nothing really good about that. Class A would be the place I¡¯d receive my education in later. * * * ¡°Are you worried?¡± I was currently at Eleris¡¯ scroll shop. ¡°I¡¯d lie if I said no.¡± I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s nice that they think I have some crazy talent. Being able to get in through special admission is also good, but it seems difficult to actually meet these expectations as fast as they hope¡­¡­¡± I didn¡¯t have to be around the Bronzegate Bridge all day, so I went to visit Eleris. The Rotary gang was also relieved of its financial pressure thanks to me getting in through special admission. So until the entrance ceremony I was going back and forth between Bronzegate and Eleris¡¯ scroll shop. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do a good job.¡± Eleris gave me reassuring smile. Yeah, I could become anything. I knew that I was just nervous because I was nothing and hadn¡¯t done anything yet. Thanks to my aptitudes, which were judged as an advanced talent, I was able to bypass numerous procedures required for admission. If one had a highest-ranking talent, Temple didn¡¯t simply admit the student, rather they just take them in. That was why all the sloppy parts about my identity and origin were just glossed over. Rather, Temple itself became my guardian. Things worked out incredibly well. However, even if things worked out somehow, there was a definite future, so thinking about my friends from Class A made my head hurt. Above all else, living in the dormitory without Eleris, Loyar or Sarkegaar who were practically my guardians, was one more reason for my nervousness. In general, there¡¯s this widespread opinion that accidents did not happen at Temple. However, as a writer, I mean, I did add in many incidents to happen. I was well aware how sloppy Temple was, or rather than knowing, I made it that way. Eleris grabbed my hand while I was lost in my thoughts. The vampire¡¯s low body temperature felt unfamiliar, but at some point that coldness started to feel like warmth. ¡°We will support Your Highness with all our heart. And even if you enter Temple, does that mean that you are banned from going out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, but still¡­.¡± They wouldn¡¯t ban me from going out or something. If I wanted to see them I could come out and visit Sarkegaar, Loyar or Eleris. ¡°Anyway, are there any things you need to take with you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have that many things. I would wear a school uniform most of the time anyway though.¡± I would have to go to the dormitory tomorrow, so I had to take something there, but I didn¡¯t know what I should bring because I¡¯m literally in a position where I have nothing on me but my clothes. As I filled out various forms before my admission, and was told everything I needed to know, I didn¡¯t really think I need to take much. ¡°By the way, why did you want me to enter Temple?¡± I asked the question I couldn¡¯t find the answer to the other day. Eleris didn¡¯t want me to become stronger, but she still encouraged me to go to Temple. Eleris smiled at my question. ¡°Because I think if you were to stay close to humans, you would come to love them.¡± This was a slightly different logic from Sarkegaar, who wanted me to get to know humans to use their knowledge against them. Eleris seemed to want me to get to love them. Well, I mean I didn¡¯t feel any real love towards humanity in the first place. ¡°You might regret this later.¡± Eleris laughed at my words. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it when the time comes.¡± The strangest one of the bunch wasn¡¯t actually Sarkegaar, but Eleris. She brought over a trunk from somewhere. Rather she summoned it here with a snap rather than bringing it over. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°These are plain clothes you can wear. You can¡¯t just wear your uniform all the time.¡± It seemed like she didn¡¯t want to send me off empty handed. Eleris then took off her necklace and put it around my neck. ¡°This is¡­.¡± ¡°Do you remember that I called myself Tuesday?¡± ¡°Ah, I do.¡± I didn¡¯t really understand what it meant, but was it something about that seven nights something? ¡°I believe you have forgotten about this as well, so let me explain. There are seven vampire clans who call themselves the Houses of the Seven Nights.¡± ¡°Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, like that?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± Those were pretty simple names. ¡°Each Family specialized in the magic type of the corresponding element.¡± ¡°There¡¯s elemental magic based on the days of the weak?¡± ¡°Yes, the Monday and Sunday clan disappeared a long time ago, so it didn¡¯t get handed down which type of magic they held, but Tuesday is fire, Wednesday is water, Thursday is wood, Friday is metal and Saturday is earth.¡± (T/N: To carlify, this is based on the Hanja of the words for the days of the week. Each day except Monday and Sunday have a type of element in their name as mentioned by Eleris here. ÔÂê×, »ðê×, Ë®ê×, ľê×, ÍÁê×, ÈÕê×) While I still could kind of understand the power of the moon, I couldn¡¯t even imagine how vampires could use something like sun magic. Since Vampire Lords could withstand sunlight, maybe it wasn¡¯t that strange that that clan could use solar magic. ¡°This is an heirloom of our clan and the symbol of our house, the ¡®Flame of Tuesday¡¯. The necklace Eleris gave me held a small golden pendant studded with a blood drop like ruby. ¡°Eleris, then, does that mean¡­. They call the heads of a clan Vampire Lords?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it would be, but¡­.¡± Eleris seemed to be one of the most powerful Vampires and yet it still wasn¡¯t easy for her to stay out in the sun, even though it¡¯s not to the point of impossibility. ¡°So, why did you give me this necklace¡­.?¡± ¡°If this ring harbours the power of the Dreadfiends, what do you think this pendant could do?¡± A pendant harbouring the power of a clan that specialized in fire magic. ¡°It will enable me to use fire magic, right?¡± ¡°Of course, it would only work within the confines of Your Highness amount of mana. It¡¯s a little different from Sarkegaar¡¯s ring. You¡¯d be able to summon flames just by using mana, no need for complicated chants.¡± I didn¡¯t understand it fully, but just hearing her explanation just made me realize what a ridiculous item this was. Magic was a power only geniuses could use. This thing enabled even an idiot to summon flames if they have enough mana. Scrolls were only one-time use items, but with this I¡¯d be able to permanently use this magic. A great treasure, indeed. ¡°Do you want to try it out?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± By using the Flame of Tuesday I could use fire magic. My mana level was at 9.9 as far as I could remember. I knew that this was quite high for someone my age. I held the pendant in my hand and imagined flames in my head, just like Eleris told me a second ago. -Flare! Then a Flame appeared in front of my eyes. ¡°This is how it works.¡± ¡°But only this much?¡± I didn¡¯t expect something of the leven of a fireball to appear, but this was just on the level of a lighter flame. Did I actually have as much mana as a rat maybe? ¡°Your Highness isn¡¯t able to make full use of your mana yet. If you learn powers related to magic sensitivity or magic control, you would be able to create more powerful flames with the same amount of mana.¡± So in the end that¡¯s all I could do with this powerful treasure due to my lack of ability. ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡± ¡°There might be some emergencies in which Your Highness wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything, so having this would be advantageous, right?¡± I didn¡¯t really know what I could do with a lighter flame though. ¡°Still, something like the symbol of your clan¡­. Can you just give me something like that?¡± ¡°If I gave you something of similar value to what Sarkegaar gave you, wouldn¡¯t the chances increase that you¡¯ll stand on my side in the future?¡± Eleris spoke while laughing jokingly. Sarkegaar and Eleris both gave me their family¡¯s heirlooms. It was quite funny. Sarkegaar, the one that wanted war, gave me something that would help me live a peaceful life in the human world. The pacifist Eleris, on the other hand, gave me an item related to destruction. ¡°Also, it would be rather shameless to proudly wield that place¡¯s items while deciding to betray them.¡± Eleris seemed to want to relinquish all the responsibilities and obligations she held as a Clan Head as well as the last member of the Tuesday Clan with this. It seemed like Demons couldn¡¯t let go of their families even while betraying them. ¡°I just have one thing to ask.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°If I use this, just this little flame comes out, but what would happen if you were to use this?¡± I was just able to produce a flame the size of a lighter flame. The simplification of the magic chant would be a tremendous thing for a wizard, rather than someone as ignorant as me. So how much power could this little thing exert in the hands of someone like Eleris? ¡°I don¡¯t know, because I¡¯ve never used this before.¡± One could tell just by looking into her eyes that she was lying. It seems like there were some painful memories resurfacing in her, but I saw that this pain only briefly passed by her eyes. Eleris told me one last thing, looking straight into my eyes, holding my shoulders. ¡°Your Highness, this is by no means a good item.¡± Eleris didn¡¯t seem to appreciate this heirloom called Flame of Tuesday. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an object that responds to darker emotions. The more malice you hold against someone the greater the flame would be.¡± This seemed to be something I should be careful about while using. An object that could sense its owner¡¯s emotions, especially hostility and malice. It was an item that completely fit the preconceived image humans had of demons. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll understand why I offered the Flame of Tuesday to you.¡± She didn¡¯t want me to hurt anyone, but she was worried about me so she gave me something like that. If something happened at Temple, I should only use this if I was in a life-threatening situation. That¡¯s what Eleris meant. Eleris was afraid of me, but she valued me just as much. ¡°Thank you, I plan to never use this until I graduate.¡± Eleris smiled brightly, as this was what she wanted to hear the most. She really was the weirdest one. * * * The Heirloom of the Dreadfiend clan. The Heirloom of the Tuesday clan, which was part of the Seven Nights. I was the only heir to the Darklands, the Demon Realm that got unified as one nation, so it wasn¡¯t so strange for me to hold these items. Still, a beggar-turned-Temple student was now in possession of two great relics of the imperial level. That definitely was suspicious. The ring, of course, was a camouflage item, so it had transparency and dematerialization magic properties on its own, so it just looked like an ordinary metal ring, and Eleris put an old looking metal case around the exterior of the pendant that otherwise looked precious. It certainly seemed like the better option to put a normal looking casing around it than camouflage magic that might get detected. So in the end all I had was what looked like a worn-out ring and pendant. To be honest, I¡¯d believe it if someone told me these things were picked up by a beggar wandering around. Since I received some amazing items from both Eleris and Sarkegaar, I had the thought that Loyar might give me something as well, but then again how could I expect anything great from someone wearing rags, chilling around a bonfire all day? She should just take good care of herself and eat well. That was what I thought, but¡­. ¡°¡­¡­What is this?¡± ¡°Pocket money.¡± Loyar handed me a bag of gold coins to use at Temple. Loyar told me to tell her if I needed any more money, because the issue of the admission fee got solved anyway, and Temple would only pay for some of my living costs. Loyar was the most important instance to me in the long run. It seemed that their progress of spreading their power to the mana trains was going smoothly. Tomorrow, I¡¯d finally move into Temple¡¯s dormitory. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be good for me to continue living here, but I was exhausted just thinking about moving into an environment I knew nothing much about, filled with major characters. It wouldn¡¯t have been so bad just living at Eleris¡¯ place. I couldn¡¯t fall asleep that night, maybe because I was just thinking about all the trouble this would bring. However, I made a promise. I was going to do the things I set out to do and I would do them well. I felt it in Charlotte¡¯s case. It wasn¡¯t such a bad thing saving someone who was supposed to die. As a result, I could save people who died because of my karma. If you asked me, I believed this to be a good thing. This was a slice-of-life story. But even slice-of-life stories were written by people who were talented in that field. So the biggest reason for this novel¡¯s failure, the reason all the readers who kept going until the middle of it fell away, was¡­ I didn¡¯t have the talent for writing these kinds of stories until the very end. As the events and materials I had planned out were depleted, my writing lost its way and as a result I lost my motivation to move the story forward. Therefore. I just flipped the table. This crazy novel only came into being because of the author¡¯s lack of ability to create any more events. ¡­In the middle of that story¡­ ¡­I made Gates suddenly opened. Chapter 25 This was called self-satisfaction. Naturally, the readers dropped the novel in disgust of that sudden development. But what should I have done? At the time I thought that would be the best development. Of course, it would have been better if I had just ran away, leaving it unfinished as usual, but then I had a sudden compulsion to complete it somehow. If you do stupid things, one day you will end up paying for them. Because of that crazy development, I now had to eat the shit I produced myself. So whether I liked it or not, that chaotic situation in which gates suddenly opened in this world, sending this world to ruin was approaching with every moment. It was a slice-of-life story for one half and the other was some weird Gate diving story. I now had three options. I could wait for the ending to come in a safe place, ignoring the fact that I had knowledge about these Gates. I could train until I got to a state where I could fight before the Gates opened and jump right into the situation. And lastly. I could eliminate the situation of the Gates opening by using the ¡°Rewriting¡± Function. For the second option I didn¡¯t really have to join Temple, but the third option absolutely required me to be part of the main story to get achievement points. As I had already experienced several life or death situations in the prologue part, I had no confidence whatsoever in fighting or seeing someone die right in front of me, so I had no other choice but to somehow prepare for the Gate situation. If it were up to me I¡¯d choose to hide somewhere and just watch the fire slowly burning out without concerning myself with it. Even though it was cowardly, my life was more precious. However, Sarkegaar, Loyar and Eleris had pushed me away from that. As my excuses were blocked one by one, I had no other choice but to give up. Anyway, if this reality really is the shit I made, I had to take some responsibility. It¡¯s impossible for me to take full responsibility, but if I were able to do something about a given situation, I should absolutely do that. I didn¡¯t know if it were possible to stop the Gates from opening. It was probably impossible. If that didn¡¯t work, then I had to become stronger through achievement points and decimate the monsters coming out of the Gate. So, anyway, part because of my own self-righteousness, I somehow had to do something about this future only I knew about ¡°Phew¡­.¡± I arrived at the first page of the main story. Temple. I had to either become the strongest on the continent, or somehow get rid of that Gate situation. Or I might end up with useless talents, that were neither this nor that. I wasn¡¯t even good at the things I liked, so should I try harder on things I didn¡¯t like then? Cold sweat ran down my face. * * * Temple was divided into three main sections: the elementary, secondary, and higher education facilities. 6 years of elementary school, three years of middle school and 6 years of highschool. There was also a graduate school for further education. Of course, there were numerous subsidiary facilities and special purpose halls scattered here and there. In other words, there were stadiums and other special facilities, including concert halls. As the campus was just too large to traverse by foot, Temple also had a separate tram line that only operated inside of it. Of course, it was free. Entering Temple for the first time, I was able to get inside with my pre-issued student ID including my admission permit. The vast campus of Temple accentuated by the blue sky spread out in front of me. It didn¡¯t really just feel like my imagination came to life. ¡°Huh.¡± It was much grander, much bigger and neater than I imagined, so I couldn¡¯t keep my mouth shut. There was no way after all that I could picture this with just those limited written descriptions I gave. Among countless students wearing various uniforms coming and going, I stood blankly at the entrance, not knowing whether I should call this feeling I felt, being astonished or being moved. There were many different school forms in Temple, so I created this set-up of there being diverse uniforms, but seeing that variety right in front of me felt strange. The statues and street lamps placed beside the huge park-like streets, as well as the various educational facilities, seemed more like independent works of art rather than school decorations. The tram was also just running quietly along the tracks built on this huge campus. It was a mix between the Classical and the Modern, and in a way, it was a kind of disorder only I was aware of. Now wasn¡¯t the time for that though. I could admire it later. The place I should be heading to is the Royal Class¡¯ dormitory near the higher education facilities. As there were more than 100000 students, the dormitory facilities were bound to be enormous. The Royal Class of the Department of Higher Education had about 20 students per grade, and the high school segment had six grades, so there were 120 students in the Department of Higher Education in total. That was a fairly small number. This also showed that only very few people actually had talents. So the class I would be entering had on average of 10 students in each class. 20 students would be divided into class A and B. Although I got added in later, so there would probably be 21 students this time. I got off the Temple-owned tram at the place written in the guide. As soon as I got off, I saw a ramp lined with columns leading to the dormitory building. It felt incomprehensible to me how this 7-story dormitory only housed around 120 people. It was unbelievably huge. Although I wrote ¡®They receive great preferential treatment!¡¯, however, seeing this with my own eyes I began questioning if this was really okay. I didn¡¯t think that even a high-ranking lord could live in a place like this, you know? I was both bitter and happy because of the many things I wrote into my novel. I walked between those columns. As their shadows flitted past me at a regular pace I started feeling more and more nervous without realizing it. I felt like I was about to enter a place I wasn¡¯t supposed to enter. I thought it would be rather burdensome if I continued to feel this way everyday. Let¡¯s forget about the Bronzegate Underground Sewers, but Eleris¡¯ scroll shop was much more comfortable compared to this. Upon going through the entrance of the dormitory located at the end of the colonnade, I could see a high dome-shaped ceiling, looking up, and a marble staircase leading to the upper floors. The lobby was communal and was connected to the 1st and 2nd floor through the staircase on the left and right. I knew this because I set it up like that.. The 1st floor was for the 1st years, the 2nd floor was for the 2nd years, etc. Therefore, as their grade goes up, students become more and more annoyed. Of course, I wrote that there was something similar to an elevator. It worked with floating magic or something like that. The thing in the middle of the dome seemed to be that elevator. Looking at the structure of the building, the rooms for Class A were on the left and those for Class B were on the right. All the students belonging to Class A regardless of grade lived on the left side. The same went for Class B and the right side. I roughly knew what was going to happen from this point on. ¡°You¡¯re a freshman, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± A senior student, wearing the same uniform as me, approached me with a file folder. A person wearing a female uniform¡­. ¡°I¡¯m Ceres Van Owen, a 5th grader and the president of the Royal Class Student Council. Hello?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Hello.¡± Yes, that¡¯s how it was. Although the Department of Higher Education had an overall student body president and vice president, each school had their own separate student body president and vice president. Therefore, the Royal Class had its own student council president and vice president. The number of students the student council had to manage was enormous, so they had a lot of authority. To begin with, there were more than 50000 students who were part of the Department of Higher Education. However, the authority of the Royal Class Student Council, which had less than one-hundredth of the High School section¡¯s total number of students, was also quite high. This was the Royal Class after all, one of the the two pillars of Temple, and not some regular school. Of course, due to the relatively smaller number of members, the Royal Class Student Council had no other choice but to help out with certain things. Like guiding new students. No matter how well received they were from outsiders, there was no denying that there was a shortage of manpower within the Royal Class. I handed my Student ID to the senior student who introduced herself as the student council president and she looked through her files looking for my name. ¡°Reinhardt, no last name¡­. Class 1-A. You are assigned room A-11. Let¡¯s get along from now on.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± She reached out her hand and I grabbed it. Students of the 5th grade of High School were already adults since they were 21 years old. The student council president in front of me would be in her last year next year and would probably be busy, so we probably wouldn¡¯t have many contact points. However, leaving a good impression was never wrong. Regardless of her actual skills, the Royal Class Student Council President was the most powerful person in this dormitory after the faculty. She had a lot of real power. Then she spoke to me with a smile. ¡°Perhaps after everyone arrives, they¡¯ll make you gather in the central lobby to give a brief reception and some warnings. It¡¯s okay to take a short rest after you unpack everything, but don¡¯t fall asleep too deeply if you decide to. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I dragged my suitcase behind me and headed for the hallway on the left. The sunlight trickling through the window intertwined with the shadows formed a complicated net on the floor. I never imagined I¡¯d see a scene like this in my whole life. As soon as I passed the main lobby, a lobby dedicated to Class 1-A appeared before me. Although it was smaller than the other one, it was still a formidable hall equipped with sofas, tables and reading tables where one could sit down at and relax. That was where the kids of Class B got together, ate snacks, chatted and conspired, although that refered to the lobby on the opposite side. Starting from this hall there were corridors leading to the dormitory, the magic lab, the reading room, the indoor gym and many more additional facilities including a restaurant. It kind of served as a hub. The main hub would probably be the main lobby. There were some facilities added as one rose in grade, but they were mostly similar in layout. Now that I came to a place I could properly recognize in this world I felt more comfortable, but in the end, I was still missing the details so there was still some awkwardness left in me. It was a complicated feeling that was difficult to describe. I entered the hallway leading to the dormitory and headed for room A-11. Just by tagging my student ID, the door opened immediately. That wasn¡¯t new to me. Everything was just powered with magic. This room was quite large for a single person. There was a neatly arranged bed, a large wardrobe and windows. There was even an indoor shower facility. The inside of the room wasn¡¯t as fancy as the outside, but was designed with a clean, modern feel to it. Rather, this was much more convenient. If it were too flashy it would just hurt my eyes. Currently only the basics were present in this room, but if a student requested for it other things would be added. Whether it was training equipment for physical training or a magic research lab. As long as it was within Temple¡¯s power anything could be added to this room. This was the best environment in which one could completely focus on developing one¡¯s talents without having to worry about other things. When I opened the closet, I found many uniforms custom made to fit me hanging in it. This was a service ordinary students at Temple could only dream of. I took my things out of the suitcase and put them into the closet one by one. I didn¡¯t even bring that many things because I could get anything I needed just by asking for them. The thing I should always carry with me is the ring of the Dreadfiend clan and the Flame of Tuesday in case for unforeseen emergencies. After unpacking my belongings, I lay down on the bed. I didn¡¯t know how much earlier I arrived, but I was the only one that got off at the Royal Class Dorm station. Once all the students arrived, I had to face both the students of Class A and Class B when the student council summoned us. They said it would just be a simple reception, so more like a greeting and not a party. There I would get to see all the characters I had written. However, there was something that¡¯s been bothering me. My room. Room A-11. Temple was a place that liked to rank people. Of course, the room number wasn¡¯t just randomly given out. Room A-11 meant that the admission office saw my ¡°talent¡± as the lowest among the First-Year Class-A talents. Yes, me becoming part of Class-A was a miracle in itself. I had no talent at all after all, although my aptitudes were infinite. I was put into Temple¡¯s Royal Class, which was divided into Class A and B, and there I was, the lowest ranking one in Class A. What the hell? I could already imagine what kinds of disputes I will fall into. Oh, you¡¯re that ¡®infinite aptitude¡¯ guy I¡¯ve heard about? But aren¡¯t you actually all squishy? Hey, hey, aren¡¯t you just weak? You¡¯re in Class A? How the hell did that happen? I thought I¡¯d probably get to hear stuff like that. Haah. I would have rather gone to Class B. Sigh, would I be beaten up by students higher ranking than me? I didn¡¯t want to be first or last. It¡¯s just that this strange situation itself was like dogshit. And I didn¡¯t know if things would go well or not. It seemed that no one fell in rank because of me at least. Obviously, Class A and Class B were set to have 10 people in them, but here I was, number 11. So that meant that I came in as a member outside of the original quota. Wouldn¡¯t it be fine if some hot headed idiot got dropped out? Wasn¡¯t there someone like that, who would get kicked to make place for me? No, wait, they might have ended up going down the list and pushing someone important out. Thank god, it was the way it was. I could see various people getting off the mana train in the distance from my window. It seemed like they were arriving one by one. If my guess was true. There obviously would be things happening that deviated significantly from the first part right at the start. I wondered what would happen. I took out the notebook and writing instrument I had prepared. Let¡¯s get my thoughts in order. It would probably be hard for me to remember every single one and there might also be the possibility that there are some characters who had no presence so I didn¡¯t know them at all. There were some characters who only appeared in my setting notes and were otherwise like air. I set up all 20 students¡¯ personal details, but not all of them played a major part, because if all 20 of them played an important role my writing would have become a mess. Of course, my writing went to shit after the whole Gate opening thing in the middle. Anyway. Class A and B. I should organize the personal data of all the students that come to my mind. One, two, three. ¡°¡­..¡± Because there were more than seven people, I couldn¡¯t seem to remember properly. My memory was just great¡­. I worked my brain hard to figure out all the names of all the unused characters and organized them. Fortunately, although I couldn¡¯t remember all their names, I still knew what kind of people they were. * * * It was late afternoon or early evening. [All students of the Royal Class, please gather in the lobby. All students of the Royal Class, please gather in the lobby.] Finally, a broadcast calling for all the students of the Royal Class appeared. I came out of my room which was on the far left and was able to see the backs of my classmates walking around as they listened to the broadcast. Elite or whatever. I now had to act as a freshman in high school. As much as I thought, that I had to hurry up, my steps became heavier and heavier. I was already exhausted. The students of Class A and B gathered in the lobby on the first floor. The student council members stood on the high stairs that led up. And there were people on each floor leaning over the railings looking down on us. The 6th graders who were on the top floor, didn¡¯t even come out to look. But why did all the senior students decide to look at the new students coming this time? ¡°Come on, both Class A and Class B, line up in your room order, starting with number 1¡± Everyone lined up at the student council president¡¯s words. They didn¡¯t have any discipline though. Well, they were kids after all. I was at the back of Class A. Normally the senior students shouldn¡¯t come to see the new students, which was a rare event every year. However, here they were looking at all of us. I already found something that was different right at the start. ¡°Well, shall we start with A-1?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Bertus de Gardias!¡± Just hearing that name gave me goosebumps. Bertus de Gardias, I heard the voice of the man who almost caused my death serveral times. It was such a lively and bright voice for someone so evil. He didn¡¯t exude any form of authority and seemed like a hard worker. It was strange. Originally, Bertus entered Temple while hiding his identity, but now he was openly introducing himself with his last name. So the entirety of the Royal Class was aware of the fact that he was the Prince. So, originally, the other students shouldn¡¯t have been interested in the new students, but after hearing the news that the Prince entered the school, they became eager to come watch. The introductions continued. I simply said my name. Of course, no one paid any attention to me. ¡°Now then, shall we start the introductions of Class B? Now, B-1, could you introduce yourself to your friends?¡± It immediately became clear to me why the direction of this event¡¯s progress was different from the original one.. ¡°I am Charlotte de Gardias.¡± Someone who shouldn¡¯t have been here. Charlotte was in Temple¡¯s Royal Class. Chapter 26 The Imperial Prince and the Imperial Princess both entered the Royal Class and joined the same grade. They announced that the princess was alive, but she never appeared in public. But then she suddenly entered Temple. Of course, Bertus was aware of her admission. He was also the main villain of the story. However, Bertus didn¡¯t use his authority to join the Royal Class. As he was a major character, I was, of course, able to give a brief outline of the character. Number A-1. Name: Bertus de Gardias. Talent: Swordsmanship, Magic Sensitivity, Magic Control. Characteristic : Narrow eyes. (T/N: Like those characters that never open their eyes of which a lot are kinda two faced) Remarks : A Bastard. In front of others, he acted kind and got along with everyone, however, he, in fact, was someone who did a lot of bad things when left alone. A bastard who was originally good, but explodes once he got angry. I didn¡¯t even think that he even had naturally narrow eyes. And those three simple talents. Swordsmanship, Magic Sensitivity, Magic Control. Those were talents Duke Salerian forced to bloom by spending a great deal of money on Bertus. Ever since he was young, he had to undergo countless surgeries in order to get these three talents. With money and power, talent could also be made to bloom by force. Although that was only possible if one were the Imperial Prince. So what were these three talents? After a long study conducted by the Empire on why someone wouldn¡¯t be able to reach the master-class even though they trained hard for a long time, they came to the following conclusion. A combat-related talent, magic sensitivity and magic control. It was almost impossible to reach the Master-class if one had no aptitude for any of those three. There were some who had talents in combat related weapon skills, but it was very rare to have an aptitude for magic sensitivity and control at the same time. If having them as aptitudes was rare already, then, of course, it was even rarer to have both as talents. However, Bertus had all three as talents, not as aptitudes. His talent was swordsmanship and magic sensitivity and control were essential requirements. To become a master in swordsmanship, that is. In other words, he would become a Swordmaster. * * * The Imperial Family was also getting educated at Temple. It was a kind of advertisement and proof of credibility. If one said Temple was the best educational facility in the world and then went and taught the Imperial Family separately, anyone would probably have doubts about the reliability of those words. However, in the Empire, the Imperial Family was also educated here. So it was no wonder that its reliability and safety skyrocketed. Of course, the Imperial Family could just get educated separately , but with them deciding to sned their children to receive their education at Temple, other people couldn¡¯t help but place their trust in its security. Were they also living in the dormitory? Needless to say. That was why so many sent their children to Temple with such confidence. Because they thought their children would be provided with the same level of education and safety as the Imperial Family. Bertus had already known about that. So he was expecting Charlotte to come to Temple to some extent. It was rumored that he would come to this place, so I was a little hesitant to come directly to the Royal Class and not as just another regular student. There was a high chance that I¡¯d be caught by that smart guy. The reason why the Duke forced his talent to bloom was because no one of the Imperial Family ever belonged to the Royal Class. A place that one could only enter through talent and not through power. If the Prince entered the Royal Class and graduated with excellent grades, he¡¯d be able to build enormous authority just by doing that. Naturally. Imperial Princess Charlotte de Gardias could use the same method. What was possible for the Prince wouldn¡¯t be impossible for Charlotte, the Imperial Princess, either. So there was a good chance for Charlotte to also possess a talent, enabling her to enter the Royal Class. However, even if she was first ranked, was her talent inferior as she was in Class B? Or. Did they intentionally separate these two? Both of them were in the position that corresponded to the leaders of Class A and B. No one knew about their circumstances, but I did. Bertus obviously had great talent, but it wasn¡¯t the number one talent. Even though he was fit for Class A, he actually should have been in the third or fourth spot if they really only considered his talent. His power intervened in this decision. Strictly speaking, it was the judgment of the faculty that if the Prince were to enter the Royal Class and ended up in the third or fourth seat, they might end up going against Bertus for nothing. It was difficult for power to influence this place, but there was no place that couldn¡¯t be influenced by it somehow. There were people who knew how to bootlick no matter where one went. In the first place, it was just an implicit rule to line up according to one¡¯s room number, not a written one. So Bertus didn¡¯t really have the number one talent, but just the number one position. So what was going on with Charlotte? I wasn¡¯t sure if she became number one of Class B because of her talent or because some faculty member or even someone higher up. I had no idea if there were instructions behind this. However, the result was presented in front of us. The semester that was about to start would be far from the pleasant school life I had planned. ¡°Welcome to Temple¡¯s Royal Class!¡± ¨CClap, clap, clap, clap. All the plans I made for the future had collapsed and the fight between Charlotte de Gardias and Bertus de Gardias was about inevitable. And here I was in Class A. I was on Bertus de Gardias¡¯ side. ¡°Did you say your name was Reinhardt? Let¡¯s do our best together!¡± The guy standing next to me spoke to me. Even if I didn¡¯t look at him, I knew exactly who he was. Since we all introduced ourselves already. However, even if he didn¡¯t introduce himself I would have known. B-11, the one that was originally supposed to be number 10. This was the historic moment of the last ranked of Class A and B meeting. ¡°¡­¡­Okay.¡± You would do just fine on your own, the problem is me, you shitty main character. * * * Two people were added that originally weren¡¯t supposed to be here. One was me and the other was Charlotte. The story had already gone awry right at the start. It was like there were actually two writers to this story, the other making every change I made fit the narrative. That was probably how I even ended up having to fight the one I risked my life for at the side of the one who tried to kill me. Except for that short exchange I had, we didn¡¯t have to do something as troublesome as talking with these 100 plus students. The reception ended after everyone introduced themselves and everyone applauded. The student council president then announced the rules of the Royal Class to us. ¡°Those friends who have already received elementary and secondary education at Temple would know these things, but there are some among you who have just transferred here to the higher education division, so I shall explain.¡± ¡°First of all, all students of Temple are equals, the Royal Class isn¡¯t an exception. All your classmates are to be treated the same. There are no ranks in Temple, except the relationship between upperclassmen and lowerclassmen. Wherever you came from, whether you¡¯re a noble, part of a royal family or even the Imperial Family. If we start looking at lineage like that, Temple wouldn¡¯t be able to operate like that, right?¡± It wasn¡¯t a policy that came into existence because every student no matter where they came from had the right to a fair education and as such should be treated equally or something. It was made because Temple¡¯s system would become ridiculously complicated if they had to look into every student¡¯s lineage. There were kids coming from all over the continent after all. It would be possible to educate commoners, nobles, royalty and the Imperial Family separately, but things wouldn¡¯t end there. The nobles would say things like: ¡°I¡¯m a duke so how could I be placed in the same class as the mere son of a baron?¡± and the royal families would go on to say: ¡°How could I be placed in the same class as the prince of such a lowly kingdom?¡±. There would be no end, if it were decided to separate the students based on lineage. There were just too many people coming here for that. Status brought identity with it, so even among the students of similar status, there would be tens of hundreds of class divisions, to the point students wouldn¡¯t even be able to study properly, grouped together based on their lineages and said things like: ¡°You and I cannot eat together, your presence alone is insulting.¡±, to each other. So Temple had this rule of students to not reveal their status in school, not because they cared that much about the students¡¯ rights and interests or tried to prohibit discrimination. If people starting arguing about lineage, Temple wouldn¡¯t even be able to exist in the first place. Of course, this might be a bit difficult for people of very high status. So those guys might not even come here. Or they joined because of the connections, knowledge and recognition they would gain by graduating from Temple. There were still people who would reveal their status at Temple and tried to take advantage of others even after being warned a few times, eventually they would get expelled. Members of the Imperial Family weren¡¯t an exception. It might be a bit shameful for the people of the Imperial Family, who were far up in terms of lineage, to have their children expelled after creating such a mess, but the Empire rather welcomed that. It served as another example of the fairness and greatness of Temple to every single person of the continent. As I mentioned before, Temple was a place that brought in a lot of money, and sometimes money is everything in the world. The student council president, Ceres van Owen, who was in front of me was also the rightful heiress to a Royal Family of a Principality located in the southern part of the Empire, although I couldn¡¯t even remember what the name of her country was anymore. Judging by her name, I thought it must have been called something like Owenia. Now that she was about to graduate from the Royal Class, she was sure to be greatly welcomed back when she returned home. Still, Imperial Family members of the Empire came to Temple, what was more these two were potential candidates to become the next emperor, and she just casually told them not to reveal their true identities and to get along with everyone. That¡¯s the Gardias Temple for you. It wasn¡¯t like there were any cases where someone retaliated later on for what happened at Temple, but these guys would get heavily criticized. Well, put simply, all personal resentments created in Temple should be buried in Temple. That was this school¡¯s rule. Of course, that also included romantic relationships. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for a noble or someone of a royal family to fall in love with someone and then pretended not to know them or straight up ran away from their lover after graduating. ¡°The rank you have outside of Temple is completely useless in here. You can act like a military god outside of Temple as much as you want, but if I ever see any of you do this on campus, I will have to give you a warning using the authority given to me as the student council president. If you have accumulated warnings beyond a certain amount, a faculty meeting will be held, where the disciplinary action taken against you will be decided upon. Don¡¯t even think for a second that everything will end in expulsion. In some cases it might lead to diplomatic problems or jail time. If that is the case, keep in mind that you are to be punished by the special law that Temple students are subjected to, and not according to your original status. Of course, you might have been granted immunity as each country has different laws, but you should keep in mind this won¡¯t apply in these situations. If you force your classmates to call you in a specific way or tell them that just looking in your eyes is seen as an insult would hardly make you seem like the one in the right here.¡± The president and vice-president had the authority to interfere with the students. If it was inside Temple, even if they were the heir to the throne, if they did something against the rules, they would be scolded by the president. Of course, they could get revenge against them because they felt offended, however, if the Imperial Family started interfering with the affairs of students at Temple, it would not only be childish, but it would also seriously tarnish Temple¡¯s honor, which was the Empire¡¯s source of enormous income and a landmark. Therefore, these two would faithfully follow Temple¡¯s rules. If they were to brandish their authority and power here, ignoring all the rules, it would just be like spitting in their own faces. Temple was the Empire¡¯s face along with the Imperial Family after all. Throwing insults into one¡¯s own face was pretty inefficient. ¡°Another important thing. Do not intentionally drag what happened outside of Temple inside of it.¡± ¡°For example, using the various privileges that Temple students receive to commit crimes outside and then escape to Temple.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know and don¡¯t care if any of you were enemies outside of Temple or if there¡¯s some feud going on between your families. Temple is an educational institution, not a political arena. Competitiveness in good faith is permitted, but if you use unfair or unreasonable means or if external powers or forces intervene in these matters, the student concerned will be expelled and will be subject to numerous responsibilities.¡± In other words, don¡¯t drag outside powers into Temple. In the end, all these things she was telling us were more or less directed at Charlotte and Bertus. Everyone was secretly guessing that this would definitely play a part in the struggle for imperial power. ¡°Also, there is a message from the Imperial Family Gardias. Originally, this wasn¡¯t allowed, but this situation is somewhat special in many ways, so I will read it out to you.¡± Yet another thing that hadn¡¯t existed before sprung into existence. The student council president opened a letter and read it out to us. ¡°From the moment this letter is read out, if any problems arise with either Charlotte de Gardias or Bertus de Gardias, both inside and outside of Temple, even if it is just a simple accident, the other party¡¯s rights to the throne will be permanently deprived. Emperor Neliod de Gardias, Grand Admiral.¡± The student council president turned the letter over and showed us that the seal of the Imperial Family properly stamped on it. The Emperor blocked any future attempts for them to assassinate each other. There was a reason why the two of them were pushed into the same place in Temple just when the conflict over the succession to the throne was expected to intensify. Now that the Emperor¡¯s power seemed to pierce through the sky due to the victory in the Demon World War, his words held more authority than ever. In fact, the Emperor was the most powerful one since the founding of the Empire. That was the price he received in exchange for the hostages¡¯ lives. Now the Emperor could even appoint a completely weak member of the Imperial Family who had no real authority or base as the successor. That¡¯s why he was telling the two most influential successors to not think about hurting each other, but rather protect each other no matter what. They should win the Imperial Power through fair competition. Nelliod de Gardias, the current Emperor, was an unprecedentedly powerful Emperor who could make such ridiculous demands. It was as if he was telling them: ¡°Don¡¯t even think about trying to commit the perfect crime, because even if your opponent dies because of an accident, your right of succession would be void.¡±. Only this Emperor, who had the most power in the history of mankind due to his victory in the Demon World War, was able to place such an absurd condition. The letter wasn¡¯t only addressed towards Bertus and Charlotte. It was to all the students, faculty and the followers of Charlotte and Bertus who might be among them. From the Emperor¡¯s words, both Bertus and Charlotte should have realized that they should value the life of their opponent as much as their own. I couldn¡¯t see what kind of facial expression those two were wearing. Anyway, I was really grateful. I wasn¡¯t sure about Charlotte, but that Bertus guy would definitely cause bloodshed, in the near future at least. Chapter 27 There¡¯s the rule that all students had to treat each other equally, and the authority, power and status one had outside was meaningless in Temple. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s¡­¡­ Yo, your Grace¡­?¡± ¡°Come on, you should talk to me comfortably. It¡¯s the rule here to treat everyone equally.¡± However, this rule was rather tricky to implement for lower ranking people.. Could you just talk comfortably to a Prince just because he asked you to? They were afraid to someday hold this kind of conversation. Of course, Bertus wasn¡¯t that kind of character, but rather, it was just the lower class getting intimidated by his presence. After that, the student council president informed us about the general rules and told us to refer to the manual if we had further questions. It was mostly about the curfew, meal time, items that could and could not be brought in and when to wake up. Just some little things. We were warned not to wander around after lights out. Of course, it was possible to go out if necessary, but we were told to prepare for a scolding by the superintendent if they found out. ¡®Since the superintendents have a lifetime contract with Temple, if you don¡¯t have enough power to influence even the Temple staff, you¡¯d better wake up on time.¡¯ They even gave us that kind of dreadful warning. Temple was fully prepared to even counter act their teachers being weighed down by their students¡¯ authority and couldn¡¯t do their jobs as teachers properly. In the lobby on the left, the students that met each other for the first time today got together and talked with each other. I sat slightly further away and overheard what they were talking about. Bertus was a hidden villain to begin with. At the start, guys with a hot temper were the ones who started arguing with Class B. Bertus originally appeared as a good guy in Class A. He was amiable, didn¡¯t discriminate against others and was kind to everyone in Class B. He even hid the fact that he was a prince. He hid his identity and just enrolled into Temple¡¯s Royal Class as an outstanding student. He later revealed his true identity and character to the main character! That was how I set it up. But now, because of Charlotte¡¯s admittance his identity was already known. In other words, the development I had previously planned out disappeared like smoke. Even so, it wouldn¡¯t change the bigger framework of this academy setting. Going to classes, studying and training. Although the development would be different, the structure would be the same. ¡°Take it easy, take it easy. If you don¡¯t, I might be the one who gets a warning, you know? Aren¡¯t you worried about that?¡± ¡°Ah, Uh, uhm¡­ Yes, I am¡­.¡± Bertus was telling the students who had a hard time dealing with him to treat him comfortably, while teasing them slightly, just like I set him up to be. Class A, which consisted of 11 people, did not use different dormitories for men and women. Temple focused more on dividing the inferior and superior students than on dividing male and female ones. Right now, the person asking the Prince about various things was number 9 Erich de Lafaeri, the son of Count Lafaeri. I couldn¡¯t remember if he had talent in divine power, swordsmanship or something else, but it must be a talent suited for a Paladin. As an aspiring paladin, I set him up to be a shallow guy. Strong against the weak and weak against the strong. Typical. He was the one who despised Class B the most. He was also the prince¡¯s lackey. Ah. I feel like someone spoiled me here, because I already knew these developments in advance. That feeling of knowing someone¡¯s inner thought was both a good one and a bitter one. ¡°Have you ever been to Lafaerie? Oh, of course, you haven¡¯t been there before¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, Lafaerie, it¡¯s the great territory in the Northwest. I¡¯ve never been to it before, but I know it produces good grapes. I can¡¯t drink yet, but I know because the Emperor likes to drink wine from Lafaerie.¡± ¡°O, oooh! You know!¡± Erich was almost moved to tears just because the prince knew about his territory. Although I didn¡¯t find that matter all that moving, Bertus¡¯ ability to commit anything he saw to memory and to recall any of these things at will sure was amazing. Bertus smiled innocently. ¡°As a matter of fact, I had a few sips without the Emperor¡¯s knowledge.¡± ¡°Ah, re, really?¡± ¡°It had a good feeling to. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t remember too clearly.¡± ¡°No, no! No! Tha, thank you! B, by the way, you did it wi, without¡­ You did it without the Emperor knowing¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that much different from you, you know? I also do things I want to do secretly behind my parents¡¯ back. Then if I get caught I get scolded.¡± What a ghoulish bastard. It was so absurd watching Bertus make his first slave in real time right in front of me. After talking for a long while, Bertus got up and approached someone. They came down to the lobby, wiping down their hair with a towel as if they just came out of the shower. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°..¡­Huh. You got business with me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to get to know your classmates a bit more? I¡¯m Bertus. Nice to meet you. I saw you earlier, you were rank 2, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± ¡°I just wanted to introduce myself formally.¡± A girl with black hair and eyes. Even though this was the first time I saw her, I knew exactly who she was. ¡°Ellen.¡± The girl tried to walk past Bertus as soon as she said that. ¡°Huh? That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I know you.¡± Bertus smiled bashfully and extended his hand to her. ¡°I heard about it. Don¡¯t worry.¡± The girl that introduced herself as Ellen looked at Bertus before she held his hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Of course, you were supposed to be number 1. I guess there were some people meddling. I really wanted to apologize to you for taking your place.¡± Bertus spoke as if he knew something about Ellen. ¡°..¡­I don¡¯t care.¡± After Ellen said that she brushed away her hair and walked towards the restaurant. ¡°Hey, did you hear?¡­ She was supposed to be number 1¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah. Right.¡± A girl who was supposed to be number 1 got pushed down to number 2 because of Bertus. She introduced herself as just Ellen, but Bertus knew that the girl was hiding something. Of course, I also knew as it was part of the main story. What she hid was her real name. Her last name to be exact. Ellen Artorius. She was the sister of the Warrior Artorius. * * * Ellen Artorius. If Bertus was the villain who had slightly better talents than the main character, then Ellen Artorius was a powerhouse that the main character couldn¡¯t even dare look at. As such, she was the main character¡¯s real rival. Although she fell to Class A¡¯s second rank, she actually possessed such tremendous amounts of talent that just calling her first rank wasn¡¯t enough. She had a lot of talents I couldn¡¯t clearly remember. Things like weapon mastery, magic domination, magic resistance, spiritual sensitivity, psychic resistance, fast-learning and many more. She was a genius and good at everything. She was the beneficiary of that set up. That was why Ellen hid her vast amounts of talents from outsiders. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary number of talents after all. If I had infinite aptitudes, then Ellen was born with every type of combat talent there is, though it wasn¡¯t infinite. If Swordsmanship was a talent for just one type of weapon, then Weapon Mastery would be a type of comprehensive talent. It meant that one had a talent for all types of weapons. Even if she just had a talent for a single weapon and an additional one she would have been able to enter Royal Class, but counting Ellen¡¯s talents was just a meaningless task. She had so many talents that no one could match her in the class of warriors. In addition to her magic resistance she had one more resistance that no one except Ellen had. She had the talent to develop a resistance against supernatural powers. To begin with, I made her as a character that felt like a mountain the main character could never over look, so of course she was a Munchkin. As was etiquette in these types of novels, the main character would eventually rise to a level comparable to Ellen Artorius. Bertus was watching the leaving figure of that Ellen, who didn¡¯t seem to care much about him. Erich watched her with an expression as if he wanted to say something like: ¡°What? How dare you ignore His Grace?!¡± I heard all their names during that self-introduction, however, even though I was the one who set up their names, honestly, I still couldn¡¯t remember all of them. What did that guy do again? What were his abilities? There were so many characters and it wasn¡¯t like this was the last novel I wrote about the Demon King¡¯s death, so I couldn¡¯t help but forget. Bertus greeted each and every one of us in the lobby as if he was trying to get acquainted with us, I was no exception in this. While Bertus was talking, I again tried to recall the faces and names of the remaining people. ¡°I think you were called Reinhardt. Right?¡± ¡°Ah. Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do well together, my friend.¡± It seemed like we already had too bad of a relationship though to become friends, but, well, that wasn¡¯t a reason to act too unfriendly. The one I had to be on guard the most about wasn¡¯t Bertus after all. I had to be careful not to let Charlotte know who I was. Bertus didn¡¯t know anyway. I had some guesses about Charlotte entering the school, but I was actually pretty surprised that it actually happened. I had to be careful not to stand out too much. Even though Charlotte didn¡¯t know for certain that I was a demon, she did know that I was suspicious. That¡¯s what I noticed before I fled without a word. I was certainly uncomfortable with the idea of having to be in the same class as Bertus, but it was a lot more dangerous to be in Charlotte¡¯s class. I was glad that I got into Class A. It was that¡­. It was about time for that to happen. ¡°Hey, guys! Nice to meet you!¡± A guy approached Class A¡¯s lobby with a lively expression on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s get along in the future!¡± The one ranked last in Class B and the main character, Ludwig, was coming towards the lobby. * * * Technically, the A and B Class dormitories weren¡¯t off limits to the other class. It was more like an unwritten rule, so someone heading to the other class¡¯s dormitory didn¡¯t happen often. Even more so as the grades went up. That was because Class A clearly perceived Class B as inferior and Class B was also uncomfortable with or rather they disliked Class A. In fact, as one went up in grade, there wasn¡¯t even a way for class members to go back and forth between the two. In some cases, Class B was able to overtake Class A by working hard, but that just added to the annoyance of Class A. Of course, this was the first day everyone here joined the Royal Class, but those who have attended Temple since elementary school had heard about these facts. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t that unreasonable for the people in Class A¡¯s lobby to look at Ludwig, who came to Temple for the first time today and proudly introduced himself as Class B¡¯s number 11, with an expression seeming to ask ¡®What¡¯s with that bastard?¡¯. That was the event that took place right after the self-introduction after entering the dormitories. Ludwig just stopped by Class A to say hello, but was met with rather bitter reactions. There were five people in the lobby right now. I, Bertus, No. 9 Erich, No. 10 Cayer Vioden, No. 4 Harriet de Saint-Owan. Except for me and Bertus, everyone was frowning at him. Ludwig then readily reached out his hand to Bertus. ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Prince! Let¡¯s do our best together!¡± ¡°Okay, Ludwig. Don¡¯t call me Prince. That¡¯s against the rules.¡± ¡°Yes! Bertus!¡± Bertus smiled kindly and took his hand. Everyone looked at that scene with even more astonishment. It¡¯s like witnessing a friendship that only had a 1% chance of happening, happening right in front of their eyes. The prince had a good personality as well. I felt like I could hear voices saying that from everywhere. After shaking hands with Bertus, Ludwig greeted the other children as well. ¡°Oh, we meet again, Reinhardt¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do our best!¡± ¡°Oh, you too.¡± Let¡¯s not stand out. Let¡¯s just show a neutral reaction. Erich shook hands with Ludwig, even though he was quite speechless. No. 10 Cayer just sighed in astonishment and took his hand. ¡°¡­Hey, get out of here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Get out of here. This is the Class A dormitory.¡± However, No. 4 Harriet de Saint-Owan was blunt with Ludwig. ¡°Ah, so¡­. I, I can¡¯t come here?¡± Ludwig seemed embarrassed as he said that. Harriet sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you not being allowed here.¡± Harriet sighed again and pointed at the hallway Ludwig entered through. ¡°But it feels bad. Some B Class person just wandering in and out of the A Class housing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah, ah¡­.¡± ¡°If you understand, just go away already.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Ri, right. I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± Ludwig turned back with a puzzled expression. ¡°Come now. Aren¡¯t we all the same friends here?¡± Bertus appeared to rescue Ludwig from trouble. Harriet¡¯s face turned beet-red as she hadn¡¯t expected Bertus would step up. ¡°Ah, tha¡­. That¡¯s¡­. Ah¡­.¡± Her bewilderment, fumbling for words, was a stark contrast to her previous venomous look she sent out before. I guess she never thought the prince would cover for that guy. Harriet de Saint-Owan. Princess of the Duchy Saint-Owan. As the princess of one of the Empire¡¯s duchies she had to make a good impression on the Prince. That guy was a commoner without a surname and he boldly dared to come here as a B Class student, so she got annoyed and lost her temper, however when Bertus stepped in she got very quiet. Bertus, of course, didn¡¯t reveal that he was a prince in the original, but he overwhelmed her with his atmosphere. It was amazing how the initial development was the same, even though some things changed. ¡°Ludwig, we have some sensitive friends here, so let¡¯s be more careful in the future. If you have something to say to us, you can use the pager and if you don¡¯t know how to use it, I¡¯ll show you.¡± ¡°O, oh. Ehm¡­. Thank you.¡± Bertus walked out of the lobby with a grinning, but slightly dazed Ludwig. Harriet¡¯s face was still red and she couldn¡¯t bring out a single word. She usually lived with her nose in the air, so she completely forgot that there was a Prince next to her. She only pretended to be calm, after all she only heard of Temple and this was her first day here. By the way, was it so scary to suddenly see someone from Class B here? Well, anyway even though she was kind of a jerk, she was still ranked fourth. Her main talent was ¡®Magic¡¯. If Weapon Mastery was a comprehensive talent, then ¡®Magic¡¯ was of the same type. There was a person in Class B who had the two magical talents ¡®Alchemy¡¯ and ¡®Enchantment¡¯. In comparison, that girl¡¯s comprehensive talent, Magic, was a huge upgrade to the talent the person from Class B had. In any case, she was gifted with the ability to be able to master all types of magic, regardless of school or field. She wasn¡¯t 4th ranked for nothing. Of course, knowing that there were still 3 more people above her was amazing in itself. ¡°The Prince has a very good personality¡­.¡± Erich was admiring him, calling Bertus Prince again without realizing. ¡°Don¡¯t you think?¡± Erich looked at me as if he was asking me to agree. Originally, he was supposed to ask someone else, wasn¡¯t he? ¡°..¡­Yeah.¡± Looking at it like that, no matter how rotten he was on the inside, he did seem to have a good personality on the outside. Even I who knew his true colors couldn¡¯t believe it. He was so good at pretending that he could even deceive me, the creator. That was quite the thing. [You have accomplished the achievement ¡®First day at Temple¡¯.] [You have earned 100 achievement points.] I didn¡¯t know if it was because I saw the event with Ludwig or if this was a reward for safely passing the day, but I received some achievement points. Chapter 28 I was returning to my room. Getting involved in major events, such as just now with Ludwig, seemed to earn me achievement points. Of course, regardless of that, I knew that I could earn some by completing challenges such as ¡®Slap the Emperor in the Face¡¯¡­. But wasn¡¯t that just a bit unfair? I got 100 points for surviving and overcoming the risk of death, and yet I got 100 points just because Ludwig was getting humiliated in the same place I was at? Wasn¡¯t that completely insane? Were they telling me that my life was on the same level as Ludwig getting called a dog? While I was musing over the amount of achievement points earned, no message popped up. I guessed they must have their own rules. Just thinking about that made me feel tired. Most of the main story took place in Class B and its dormitory or classroom, so Class A could almost be considered a vestige of the main story. That meant, it was mostly filled with things I was unfamiliar with. When I returned to my room, I filled out the blank name spaces based on the names I heard in the self-introduction. Class 1-A. I couldn¡¯t remember all their talents. There were also some people I completely forgot. 1 ¨C Bertus de Gardias (Swordmaster, Villain) 2 ¨C Ellen Artorius (Munchkin) 3 ¨C Marianna de Grantz (Electrokinesis) 4 ¨C Harriet de Saint-Owan (Magic) 5 ¨C Cliffman (Something having to do with close quarter combat.) 6 ¨C Heinrich von Schwarz (Pyrokinesis) 7 ¨C Adelia (Something on the Magic side) 8 ¨C Kono Lint (Teleportation) 9 ¨C Erich de Lafaeri (Lackey 1, somehow will become Paladin?) 10 ¨C Cayer Voiden (Lackey 2, early game villain. Can¡¯t remember more.) 11 ¨C Me And Class B. 1 ¨C Charlotte de Gardias (Unknown) 2 ¨C Louis Ancton (Smart. Nerd) 3 ¨C Scarlet (Supernatural power, immune to magic.) 4 ¨C Ashir (Divine power¡­ Probably?) 5 ¨C Christina (Alchemy, Enchantment.) 6 ¨C Anna de Gerna (Black magic, not a bad girl.) 7 ¨C Ibia (Telepathy) 8 ¨C Destomolian (Witchcraft, Supernatural power, savage bastard.) 9 ¨C Delphine Izadra (Archery) 10 ¨C Lanian Sessor (Music) 11 ¨C Ludwig (Stamina, munchkin pretending to be weak, main character) Although I didn¡¯t have any detailed knowledge about a lot of the talents, I was roughly able to sort things out, as hearing their names kind of made me remember some things. Who I had to remember weren¡¯t the original main characters anyway. Most of the people I would run into were the Class A kids. Anyway, unlike in the original, Charlotte and I were added, so there were 22 students. Among them I had not a single clue what talent Charlotte had. What kind of talent would she have? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the same as Bertus¡¯? Since they were family, there was a good chance that they might have the same talents. However, now wasn¡¯t the time to deal with Charlotte. I got 100 points for escaping the Demon King¡¯s Castle. Then I earned 1000 points for saving Charlotte. After that I used ¡®A Writer¡¯s Advice¡¯ twice, spending 150 points each, so 300 points. And just then I got 100 points as a reward. I had a total of 900 achievement points available to me. To give myself a talent with achievement points, I needed at least 1000 points. [Swordsmanship ¨C 1000 Points] [Archery ¨C 1000 Points] [Magic Sensitivity ¨C 1000 Points] . . . In fact, this was an incredible ability. Bertus had to endure enormous pain undergoing that huge procedure to acquire three talents. However, I could just get talents by using achievement points. Of course, achievement point costs would be subject to change. Maybe after I get my first talent, the second one might be more expensive. It was a pity that I didn¡¯t know how expensive they would get. If I get 100 more points, I would be able to get my first talent, unless the prices suddenly changed. There were obviously some incredibly powerful talents. For example, those comprehensive talents. [Weapon Mastery ¨C 10000 Points] [Magic ¨C 20000 Points] One of Ellen¡¯s many talents, Weapon Mastery, required 10000 Points, and Harriet¡¯s Magic required 20000 Points. I could save up my points and then put them into one of those talents, but who knew how many years it would take until I got that many points saved up. I wasn¡¯t even sure if the price would still be the same at that time. When swordsmanship reached its peak, there were some cases where it evolved into Weapon Mastery, but what was with this? And Weapon Mastery and magic, swordsmanship included, could only create enormous synergy if there were other talents supporting them. Most of them had to be backed by magic related talents. In the case of Magic, even if one had that talent, one couldn¡¯t learn any if one didn¡¯t possess magic sensitivity, magic aptitude and, most importantly, a great deal of intelligence. I wanted to become a wizard the most. It was safe and powerful. However, would I be able to master the science of magic filled with technical terms that would make my head spin? Even if my talents for magic were fully developed, there was a strong possibility that I wasn¡¯t able to understand the science behind it. Or could I become a wizard after I upgraded my brain by getting learning-related talents? I¡¯d love to have a talent that would make me smarter, but¡­. Under the premise that I want to become a wizard, I would need at least four lesser talents to meet the requirements. One talent for the corresponding magic system, magic sensitivity, mana control and brain reinforcement. It would be nice to get all that before I die of old age. In the end, there was only one answer. A Supernatural ability. Supernatural powers could exert their strength with only one talents. A-3 had Electrokinesis and A-6 had Pyrokinesis. However, there was a problem with supernatural abilities. At a lower level, the abilities were either too weak or not controllable. In other words, it was difficult to make use of them whenever one needed them. Therefore, those who used supernatural powers had to develop them through continuous training and control. Just like others had to do swordsmanship training or magic research. But in the end, it would be better to dig the well early than uselessly dream of becoming a wizard by saving hard on my achievement points of which I didn¡¯t know when I would get some. Swordsmanship could evolve into Weapon Mastery and if one studied various schools of magic, those who originally didn¡¯t have the Magic talent could develop it. Some talents evolved. Especially supernatural abilities tended to do so. The reason for that was, as one became able to control one¡¯s ability and one¡¯s understanding of it deepend, one could discover the hidden aspects of the ability. A-3, who utilizes electricity, would later be able to use a power stronger than what she was able to use now, and A-6, who used flames, would later be able to ignite things without combustion.. If I were to buy a talent using my achievement points it should be something one wouldn¡¯t be able to obtain through normal means. With all my aptitudes, I could just acquire those normal talents by doing some repetitive training. The problem was that I didn¡¯t know how long it would take though. Supernatural powers couldn¡¯t be obtained through effort, regardless of one¡¯s inadequacies or aptitudes. However, I could buy supernatural powers with my achievement points. It might not be useful right away, but it had a strong potential for growth. So, there was no other option for me other than supernatural powers. So which supernatural power should I choose¡­.? At the lowest level it wouldn¡¯t be of much help anyway. I had to decide based on future developments. It was quite funny that I was planning away the 100 achievement points I hadn¡¯t even received yet. Let¡¯s go to sleep. * * * On the next day was the entrance ceremony. The entrance ceremony was held for children who had entered the higher education course in Temples gigantic square. The sight of more than 10000 students having their entrance ceremony here was truly breathtaking. Setting up that there was an entrance ceremony itself seemed like a pretty unreasonable move on my part. When one gathered tens of thousands of children in one place, it would naturally create some world chattering noise. However, the Royal Class¡¯ entrance ceremony was held separately. The reason for that seemed to be to make the Royal Class children focus on their work rather than get dragged to some large scale events. I didn¡¯t even bother explaining that bit. Come to think of it. making those other kids uncomfortable while giving us this comfort seemed pretty much like discrimination, didn¡¯t it? They basically put on some frivolous show, making the other students quite exhausted, while they kept the privileged away from it. That¡¯s how it was. I felt my face turn red in embarrassment at how carelessly I wrote these things. It was an entrance ceremony for only 22 students, so the procedure was rather simple. Even with the Prince and Princess there, it didn¡¯t seem much different. The attendance ended with the introduction of the general teachers of the Royal Class, that is, the principal and the people who will be in charge of us in the future. Then we were led to the class building dedicated to the Royal Class close to the dormitories and were told to sit in our classroom. That fast pace wasn¡¯t all that bad. Class A¡¯s homeroom teacher, Epinhauser. Unlike Class B¡¯s homeroom teacher, Mr. Mustrang, he had a very business-like, cold personality. He was looking at us with a stiff expression on his face. He was that type of person that thought he was the only smart guy in the room, so he was treating us no different from ordinary students. ¡°On Mondays and Thursdays, we will have a common class in this classroom.¡± ¡°On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you can take the classes you requested. The lecture list and their outlines are all written on the document distributed. Students who do not know how to proceed, come to me separately. You might not know which classes to take.¡± ¡°You children have great talent, but do not be fooled into thinking that you are geniuses in every field. What I¡¯m meaning to say is, don¡¯t try to take classes you won¡¯t be able to understand yet.¡± ¡°No. 1, you shall be the temporary class leader. If you want to replace your class leader, report to me after you do. Most things I have to tell you will be communicated through No. 1.¡± He didn¡¯t even call the Prince by his name and some of the students were rather taken aback at how casually he referred to him, but Bertus didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°Also, if you believe I might be of help with any grievances, problems or quarrel, please ask for help.¡± ¡°And, if there is a big fight, call me immediately, and while I wish to prevent any student from getting killed as much as possible, I cannot say that it never happened. So that you can be more cautious of each other, you have to know each other¡¯s talents, so we created a list. Check it out later.¡± Mr. Epinhauser was muttering some words with bloody content quite casually, like a narration. Someone raised their hand at that cruel closing remark. ¡°What would happen if you page a teacher when there¡¯s a big fight?¡± No. 8, Kono Lint. He probably was curious. I knew the reason he asked as well. If we were to fight among ourselves , would that be a problem that could just be resolved by getting a teacher involved? That seemed to be his question. It kind of showed his confidence orrather arrogance. Mr. Epinhauser seemed familiar with that question as well. ¡°You are under special supervision and valuable talents of the Empire, but you may also hold the power to endanger yourself and others.¡± Mr. Epinhauser explained calmly. ¡°As a teacher of the Royal Class, I have the authority to take emergency measures in case something like that were to happen.¡± ¡°Emergency?¡± ¡°It means that if the situation is not favorable, the student can be promptly disposed of.¡± Those words chilled the atmosphere in the classroom. This place only held precious people with great talent. And here someone was, standing right before them, telling them, if something goes wrong, he can kill them. He spoke calmly as if what he just said was a matter of course. ¡°Are you capable of that?¡± No. 10, Cayer Vioden remarked rather sarcastically. Mr Epinhauser didn¡¯t react much to that obvious sarcasm. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this for 10 years now.¡± This time no one dared to say anything sarcastically again. No, well, they probably were scared because they were kids. But why was I also scared? Why? Was I too old? Did I maybe grow soft? Was it because this was just too cruel? Can a teacher even do that? Contrary to that atmosphere. -Wahahahaha! One could hear laughter from the next classroom. It was Class B. ¡°Then I hope you have understood my words and be careful.¡± However, there was no laughter to be found in Class A. ¡°And No. 11.¡± Huh? ¡°You follow me.¡± Huh? Me? Why so suddenly? I didn¡¯t really expect that development, you know? Teacher? * * * The classroom building for common education was built right next to the Royal Class¡¯ dormitory, so there was no need to go around the entire Temple on the days of common education. About 100 students were getting educated there, but the building was slightly smaller than other Temple buildings. There, not only teachers, but also faculty and other personnel were second only in number to the students. ¡­However, I just set it up like that, I actually had no idea what they were doing. There were dozens of people in the first year teacher¡¯s office, excluding the homeroom teacher. I wasn¡¯t sure if all of them were teachers, but I was pretty sure that the other year¡¯s teacher¡¯s offices looked the same. Certainly, the number of students and staff should be about equal or even greater. Mr. Epinhauser took me to his private room and instructed me to sit down in front of him. I felt like a patient who just came to the hospital after being diagnosed with a serious illness waiting for some bad news. I wasn¡¯t really sure, but I felt like I was in some sort of trouble. He rummaged through some papers and talked to me without looking at me. ¡°No. 11, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Yea- Yes.¡± He looked at me calmly. ¡°You have a lot of aptitudes, but no talent, correct?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­. Yes.¡± Why was he talking to me as if I was a beggar? He was cruel and cold-hearted, but I didn¡¯t set him up to be human trash, though? ¡°What classes are you going to take?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± Something completely unexpected came out of Epinhauser¡¯s mouth. He put a document down in front of me. Each student¡¯s profile was organized there. The document he presented to me was the profile of No. 3, Marianna de Grantz. ¡°No.3, Grantz, a holder of supernatural powers.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± What about it? He rummaged through the papers and showed me another page. ¡°This is No. 5.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Cliffman is a Combat talent.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± So what? While I was having such thoughts while looking at him, Mr. Epinhauser was just staring at me silently. His eyes were scary. So there were people in this world that could scold someone with just their eyes. ¡°Students with supernatural powers usually sign up for special lectures on meditation and psychic control. There aren¡¯t many with supernatural abilities, so they need specialized lectures like that.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to take any of those lectures through, now do you, No. 11?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­. Well.¡± I didn¡¯t know about later, but I didn¡¯t think I needed to take them for now. ¡°Cliffman is a combat talent. It is rather rare. Hand to Hand Combat, Gladiator, Martial Arts, Archery¡­ They say it encompasses all kinds of combat talents.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He showed talent in everything to do with the way of battle. Cliffman only had one talent, but in terms of just that one talent, it was a comprehensive talent far superior to Weapon Mastery. ¡°No. 5 who is a combat talent, will take lectures centered on physical training, weapon skills and sparring. Do you agree?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Oh man, I now knew what he was talking about. ¡°Your other classmates have a set direction how they want to specialize. They roughly know what they need to learn and what classes to take.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But No. 11, you have aptitudes in all fields, but nothing you excel in.¡± I knew he wasn¡¯t trying to scold me, but I sure felt like he was. ¡°You probably have no idea what you need to learn. Correct?¡± He seemed to think that I needed help. Chapter 29 He was a teacher. Most students had specific aptitudes and talents, so one didn¡¯t have to tell them what they had to study. It was his job to just look over the list of courses the students chose and give a few words. However, from his point of view, it would be the first time having a student like me. A weird student who could do everything but wasn¡¯t specifically good at anything. ¡°You can do anything within the curriculum supported by Temple. However if you try to do everything, you would gain nothing.¡± So, Epinhauser brought me to the teacher¡¯s office in case I would get overly greedy and tried to do something absurd. To prevent a situation like me trying to learn everything but ending up with nothing. What a good teacher. ¡°Aptitude and talent did not always determine if it was suitable for one or not. I¡¯ve seen people who had a talent in magic but absolutely hated magic, and there were people who had great talent in swordsmanship, but would immediately faint as soon as a sword got pointed at them.¡± A talent for swordsmanship didn¡¯t automatically give one fighting spirit, and a talent for magic didn¡¯t automatically give one the desire to research and explore magic. That¡¯s what one might call the blind spot of talent. Mr. Epinhauser was already telling me a problem that would only occur after the beginning part. In the end, what was important was one¡¯s own mentality, one¡¯s interest in it and if one could apply it in practice. If one were forced to train in a certain field because one found a talent in you early on, one might come to loath that talent itself and one might just end up collapsing in a situation where one¡¯s life is at stake. What good would being talented in swordsmanship do, if you were afraid of violence itself? That¡¯s what he meant. ¡°So, you are better off than those guys at least. You don¡¯t have to force yourself to do anything because you don¡¯t have a talent that¡¯s restricting you. You can do whatever you want.¡± Eventually, he asked me what I wanted to do. I decided on that yesterday. ¡°I want to learn about supernatural powers.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For the first time today, his face showed some emotions. He was clearly pitying me. He looked at my profile and remained silent for a while. ¡°I heard that you have so many aptitudes that it just got shortened to a single line.¡± They weren¡¯t able to write all my aptitudes down on paper. That was why they just summed it up in a single line: ¡®Has aptitudes in all fields¡¯. If they actually tried to document all of them, they¡¯d waste a huge amount of paper. ¡°Do you also have aptitude for supernatural abilities?¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± Maybe I had it or maybe I didn¡¯t, I couldn¡¯t really explain it to him. ¡°So, let¡¯s just say you do, how do you plan on awakening such supernatural powers?¡± ¡°¡­By trying my best?¡± I couldn¡¯t exactly tell him that I could use achievement points to awaken them, so I said that, but that kind of made him look at me as if I was trying to break a rock with an egg. ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything else you want to focus on other than supernatural powers? Put simply, people who do not have supernatural abilities cannot attend those special lectures.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t?¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s a bit different for students of Royal Class, but the teacher in charge will find that very strange. There might also be the possibility that they will kick you out.¡± I nodded and told him that I would bear the full responsibility if I would get kicked out. He agonized for a long time and eventually began to write something down on a paper. ¡°Apply for this class, I will inform the teacher separately.¡± He seemed to think that I should realize on my own what nonsense I was trying to do. ¡°Instead, we shall keep it at a single lecture.¡± He wrote down this and that, saying that he would not introduce any other supernatural power-related lectures to me. After writing some things down in a flash he handed me the paper. ¡°This is your schedule for the semester. If you put anything else in it, I will not accept it.¡± Apparently he made a schedule for me instead. ¡°What lectures are these?¡± ¡°Rather than just focusing on that single subject, I¡¯d like you to do it like this. You¡¯ll be able to find something fitting.¡± He told me I could do anything I wanted at first. When he realized that I wanted to focus on something as bizarre as supernatural powers, he asked me to choose something I¡¯d like to do other than that. So rather than spending this semester on just supernatural powers, he told me I should try other lectures as well to find something I liked. It was common sense that it was impossible to awaken supernatural powers just through effort. In other words, that was the right judgement here, so I couldn¡¯t say anything against it. * * * It went without saying that just joining all the supernatural power classes wasn¡¯t a good idea. In fact, it might not be possible for me to fill the entire semester with just lectures related to supernatural powers, and I also wanted to see how the lectures of each major that I only roughly described in my novel went about things. So I just went back to Class A¡¯s classroom where no teacher was present. There I found nearly all the children, except a few, gathering around a bulletin board. As soon as I went through the door all of their eyes turned to me. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Why were they staring at me like that? The gazes from the guys gathered around the bulletin board were lukewarm. Rather than filled with mixed hostility, their gazes held curiosity and incomprehension. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have any talent, do you?¡± It was No. 10 Cayer Vioden who said these words. It was then that I realized why the kids were crowding around the bulletin board like that. Mr. Epinhauser posted each students profile on the bulletin board. They were posted with the intentions of getting to know each other¡¯s talents so that everyone knew what to be careful of. Of course, Ellen¡¯s tremendous talents weren¡¯t all written down, so she didn¡¯t get much attention. There probably were some kids who were curious what talents the others held, so they found out that the bottom ranked No. 11 only had aptitudes and no talents. So they found it weird. ¡°Yeah, so what?¡± It was true, so I didn¡¯t have anything else to say to him. I just went back to my seat and sat down. My seat was on the far left in the second row near the window, as the tables were arranged by numerical order. The classroom was spacious so there was no need for us to share desks. I had this huge desk all to myself. I tried to get rid of them, but these strange gazes seemed to follow me. Bertus was also looking at me with a strange smile on his face. ¡°No, hey. How does that make any sense?¡± Cayer came to my seat as if he didn¡¯t understand this at all. ¡°This is the Royal Class, a place not everyone can enter, even if they have a talent. How did you get into this place, which required one to have exceptional talent? What¡¯s more into Class A? Shouldn¡¯t you be at least in Class B?¡± I did set him up to be someone with a strong personality, but I didn¡¯t expect he¡¯d come at me like that on the first day of class. Cayer really didn¡¯t understand and to him my existence on its own seemed ridiculous. He seemed very angry. How should I even respond to this? He was ready to grab my collar and no one seemed to want to stop him. Bertus seemed to be just watching the situation. ¡°I seriously don¡¯t understand. Hey. What are you? How could someone like you be here?¡± ¡°Hey you.¡± ¡°¡­..¡­What?¡± I wanted to act more mature. To be honest, how old was I to be overreacting over something like a kid badgering me? I didn¡¯t want to stand out. I didn¡¯t mean to. But, so what. ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me, go ask the admissions office for all I care.¡± Seeing this situation happen right in front of my eyes, I snapped back a bit. Seeing me reacting not as he expected, Cayer¡¯s complexion drastically changed. ¡°Y, you punk, you, just now¡­. What¡­. H, how dare you not have any talent and¡­.¡± ¡°Why are you asking me about the decision the admissions office made? Do you think I came through some back door? Huh? I just came here because they sent me here, like you. Who do you think you are? And what do you mean with ¡®How dare I¡¯? Are you the admissions examiner or the head of the admissions office?¡± ¡°No. This¡­.¡± ¡°Hah, are you the head of the admissions office?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°Hah, are or aren¡¯t you the head of the admissions office? You bastard! Yes or no?¡± -Clatter! He was startled as I jumped up from my seat and approached him. He began to retreat step by step. ¡°Are or aren¡¯t you? What¡¯s taking you so long? Huh?¡± ¡°N, no¡­. I¡­ am not.¡± ¡°So why are you meddling in this?¡± He was definitely so scared that his face turned blue. ¡°Hey, Number 10. Number 10 who has this huge magical talent but can¡¯t feel mana for shit.¡± ¡°A,ah¡­.¡± One didn¡¯t have to be talented to be a jerk. Did you avoid poop because you were afraid of it? No, you avoid it because it¡¯s dirty. I couldn¡¯t become some scary guy right now, so I had to become a dirty bastard so that one wouldn¡¯t want to touch me. That guy in front of me wasn¡¯t even talented in combat anyway. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just treat each other well, huh?¡± -Thump ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to answer?¡± When I opened my eyes and stared at him, his complexion turned as white as a sheet of paper, then he slightly nodded. ¡°A, ah¡­.¡± I patted that naughty bastard on the cheek and sat back down. The atmosphere around my classmates watching the scene was chilly. I was tired. Like that I would be branded as some dirty bastard, who didn¡¯t even have an ability. But I wasn¡¯t wrong you know? I was sent here by the admissions office, you know? Afterwards. I really didn¡¯t want to stand out, but here I was standing out faster than lightning. I could foresee a dark future for my school days. * * * Thanks to No. 10 getting things turned on him while he was trying to pick a fight with me, no one else tired. They must have been shocked seeing a crazy person acting like a jerk, not in the least intimidated by his lack of talent. They just heard from the teacher that they might get killed if they use their ability first so only a completely crazy guy would have the guts to do anything. If he wasn¡¯t that than he was just totally ignorant. Well, something like that certainly would happen again in the future. Class B was a very friendly class. Sometimes one could hear laughter drifting over from there, but Class A was deathly silent. Except for the sound of pens moving, the teachers¡¯ lecture and the questions asked from time to time, it was completely devoid of laughter. Originally, this place was supposed to be a gathering of only that kind of people, but I couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the thought that the atmosphere of horror I created for no good reason must have played a part in this. Damn it, I seriously got angry at a kid. I¡¯m the worst kind of human being. I sat in class feeling shame. Common classes were like general classes that everyone had to take. For example, classes such as history, geography, mathematics, literature and ethics. Each teacher was in charge of a different subject, perhaps it was set that the homeroom teacher wasn¡¯t in charge of any classes. During the brief break between classes and the end of them, the children seemed to be chatting with each other, slowly getting to know each other. ¨C You have aptitude for magic? What classes are you going to take? -Well¡­. I¡¯m not sure yet. -Then would you like to ask our teacher what to take? -Huh? Ah, that¡­. Well¡­. Hm. -Royal Class seems to have exclusive lectures different from other general class kids. Maybe we could just get a lecture for just the two of us. -Oh¡­. Really? Kids with similar talents seemed to want to apply for the same classes. On the day you self-applied for a lecture, you would have to listen to the lecture with general class students, so they wanted to have one more person they knew as psychological crutch. So on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, people talented in combat would join combat classes, people talented in magic would attend magic classes and people with supernatural abilities would join classes for supernatural ability users. In the case of people talented in divine power, they tended to attend combat lectures as they often had another combat talent. And so, everyone was talking about what to apply for, others thought about it on their own. That was how the class time passed. Lunch time. Since there were only about 100 people in the Royal Class, all years ate lunch in a large restaurant. There was no need to stand in line with a plate in hand, and one could just take along whatever one wanted to eat. It was natural that senior students were also mixed in the crowd, but the zones were implicitly divided. Some seats were reserved for first years, others for second years and so on. Of course both classes A and B were mixed together, hence they had to eat in the same place. Class A gathered around Bertus and had a meal. He seemed like a good-natured person, so maybe he already gained some followers. Class B was no different. -Hey, Charlotte, try this. It¡¯s so delicious. -Ah¡­. Ah, No, thank you. I don¡¯t like oily things. Class B was centered around Charlotte, but the reason seemed to be a different one. -You have to eat a lot to be healthy! -Do you dislike vegetables? She was kidnapped to the Demon King¡¯s Castle and entered Temple shortly after returning. So it seemed like everyone was worried about Charlotte¡¯s health. Not only that, but even her seniors were looking at the princess with pity. They were clamoring to take care of Charlotte with Ludwig at the forefront, while Charlotte seemed to struggle dealing with this situation. I set up Class B to have a friendly atmosphere, but even with Charlotte added, the atmosphere remained friendly and the reason for that was Ludwig. He was a typical manga protagonist type character with an optimistic, friendly and energetic personality. I didn¡¯t have much contact with people like that, but I feel like I didn¡¯t really like people like that. Even though there were so many open seats, Class A gathered around Bertus and Class B gathered around Charlotte. And then there were five people eating on their own, as if trying to keep their distance from each other, including myself, who had a bit of an incident this morning. A-2 Ellen Artorius. A-5 Cliffman. A-11 Yours truly. B-2 Louis Ankton. B-3 Scarlett. Were all outsiders, introverts trying to keep their distance? All the outsiders, including me, were eating silently. -I¡¯m going to have an upset stomach¡­. Charlotte¡¯s melancholic voice sounded strangely sentimental. Chapter 30 Most of the general classes were decent enough. This was supposed to be my first year of high school and I didn¡¯t know this world¡¯s common sense too well, but it was understandable. The Royal Class was a place where people with outstanding talents gathered, but that didn¡¯t mean they were all smart. Rather, there were some guys sleeping in class. Those with good brains were completely focused, even some of the guys with physical talents managed to concentrate. But there were a lot of guys who were just average and some who didn¡¯t even attend, because they were kids. This class¡¯ students were chosen based on talent not on intelligence. However, for me, who had already finished my education before, these classes were usually either boringly easy or just reliant on memorization. By the way. -Run! Don¡¯t stop! Jump! ¡°Gasp¡­. Gasp¡­. Gasp¡­.¡± ¡°I, I ca, can¡¯t anymore¡­.¡± ¡°Wheeze¡­. Wheeze¡­.¡± ¡°Why do I have to do this?!¡± -Your middle school days are over! There¡¯ll be no one consoling you anymore if you¡¯re throw a tantrum! As for the physical training classes, I was literally sweating blood. We had to do this cycle of physical training exercises that were close to corporal punishment. ¨C Magic, supernatural power, studying and physical training must not be neglected. You are the future of the empire. If you do not meet a certain level of physical fitness by the end of this semester, I will fail you! Keep that in mind! It was an illusion that it was okay for wizards to be weak. If one relies too much on their supernatural power, one would get hurt someday. He who lacks stamina, won¡¯t be able to study properly. It was obviously me who wrote these sentences. Therefore, regardless of major, one had to conduct physical training during the common classes. There was no such thing as a major that would allow one to be weak after all. So it was said that children who had non-combat talents hated this class the most. It¡¯s like I¡¯m getting punished for my own words right now. -Hey, you there! Don¡¯t walk! ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± As I was receiving that high-intensity physical training now, I almost felt like throwing up the food I had not too long ago. -Run! I¡¯ve never seen anyone die from running! Hey, I can¡¯t see you over there! Look at that! Where the p.e. teacher was pointing was a guy that was running at a constant speed from start to finish. -Tok, tok, tok, tok! He was also sprinting at that, saying some refreshing words as he passed by me. ¡°Cheer up, Reinhardt!¡° ¡°I, I¡¯m going crazy¡­.¡± It was Ludwig. P.E. was one of the classes Class A and B took together. That guy had only one talent. Stamina. All physical abilities were ranked according to a system. I reconfirmed the settings I made in the past by looking at the rank classification criteria written next to the physical data table of my classmates. 0~4 (F Rank) 5~7 (D Rank) 8~13 (C Rank) 14~19 (B Rank) 20~30 (A Rank) 31~35 (S Rank) 36~40 (S+ Rank) In addition to that, there was an SS Rank, but having that specification was rather meaningless. Beyond that, would represent a superhuman¡¯s level of strength. Of course there were some who would reach that level. F~D Ranks corresponded to the lower grades. C Rank corresponded to intermediate level. B Rank corresponded to advanced, and beyond that, growth was extremely slow. Unless one was born with a certain type of physique, one might face the limits of one¡¯s growth there. No matter how hard one tried, one might not be able to reach A Rank. In other words, it is said that A Rank would be almost the limit a human being could reach. If one reached something like the A+ Rank that might already be the limit. From S Rank up, it was clearly at the level of a super human. Ordinary training alone wouldn¡¯t get one there. Ludwig¡¯s stamina is 30, which corresponded to A+ Rank. The average stamina someone our age normally had was D Rank, meaning 6~7, while that guy¡¯s stamina was already at 30. He was a nutcase who had the physical strength of humanity¡¯s top athletes. That was Ludwig. That was his only talent and specialty. ¡°Wha, what kind of monster is he¡­.¡± My other classmates had their mouths wide open when they saw Ludwig¡¯s crazy stamina. I didn¡¯t feel any jealousy or admiration towards that guy for being faster than me. I think I was just going to die that instant. Should I keep doing this? For the whole semester? Every time we had common classes? Twice a week? I was worried whether it would be okay to choose a supernatural power as my first talent or if I should choose stamina first. After all, that guy was just as fast on his feet as Ellen. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± -Pak! Ellen Artorius, who also ran at a constant tempo without any disturbance, passed me as well. * * * The P.E. class that turned people into super humans included not only running but also strength training. There was no distinction made between men and women. There were only five people who were able to stand properly: Class A No. 2 Ellen, No.1 Bertus, No. 5 Cliffman, Class B No. 3 Scarlett and No. 11 Ludwig. Everyone else made noises like zombies. there were some kids even crying. ¡°If you¡¯re able to cry then you¡¯re still pretty energetic!¡± However, the P.E. teacher, who looked like a demon from hell, was merciless. There was just one person standing beside him. Charlotte de Gardias watched us withering away like that. The P.E. teacher excluded her from training because she was still weak and needed absolute rest. She must have gone through a lot of hardship already in the Demon King¡¯s Castle, so no one objected. Students and teachers were amazed at how well she was taking classes. Even on the verge of death, my eyes were drawn to Charlotte. What kind of talent did she have? It must have been written on Class B¡¯s bulletin board, but I didn¡¯t want to attract more attention by checking it. Charlotte was just watching what we were doing. She faced a life or death crisis once, even though we faced it together that time. I realized again that I had no idea what personality Charlotte de Gardias actually had. It was because the personality she held during the crisis and her personality now seemed distinctly different. ¡°He, hey! It¡¯s too fast! I can¡¯t count!¡± ¡°Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!¡± Next to me, Ludwig was doing sit-ups at lightning speed and the child holding his legs and counting across from him was crying. Maybe because he was from Class B but I wasn¡¯t familiar with his face, so I couldn¡¯t remember his name. Now I knew for sure. It was the same with Sarkegaar. I hated these energetic guys. * * * After the two-hours of hellish P.E. classes, everyone washed up in the shower and changed their clothes. ¡°Why are the showers and changing rooms integrated?¡± Erich de Lafaeri grumbled loudly. The shower facilities themselves were impeccable. Although men and women got divided it was used by both classes. The men¡¯s and women¡¯s changing rooms and shower rooms were shared by Class A and B. He was complaining about that. I didn¡¯t even care about that as I felt like my soul was leaving my body. Except for those who had a certain level of stamina, there were some who collapsed to the floor altogether. A-8 Kono Lint was murmuring blankly. ¡°That¡¯s not the problem¡­. We have to do this again on Thursday¡­.¡± ¨C Aaaaarg¡­. Regardless of class, moans and groans of lamentation flowed out of nearly everyone¡¯s mouth. Everyone had to go through the same hardships again, so who cared about that single detail. Worked to death on Monday, rest two days, then get worked to death again on Thursday. Yes, there certainly was an intention behind that. -Hit! ¡°¡­.¡­What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± When I was getting angry at myself for writing such a dog-like novel and hit my head, everyone was looking at me with strange expressions. Anyway, sorry guys. However, I ran into a problem while changing clothes in the changing room. ¡°Hey, Number 11.¡± ¡°.¡­What?¡± Cayer Vioden spoke to me. I was still in pain and felt like dying, so what problem did that idiot have with me now? ¡°You¡¯re not in particularly good shape, are you?¡± ¡°¡­What about it?¡± I didn¡¯t know what the hell he was thinking, but he also seemed to be on the verge of dying because of how tired he felt. He wasn¡¯t particularly good physically either. ¡°Hey, are you any good at fighting? Huh?¡± What was with that childish quarrel. I guess he acted like that because he got scared after I acted a bit like a jerk. That was why his pride got hurt, so seeing me struggling during P.E., he seemed to think that I wasn¡¯t that much different from him. That was why he gained some confidence and started picking a fight with me in the changing room while I was tired. The men¡¯s only changing room. What a good place to fight for one¡¯s pride. ¡°I¡¯m not good at it.¡± I couldn¡¯t get mad at this guy again, so I would just put up with his antics for now. To be honest, I regretted my actions earlier. ¡°So what gives you such confidence then? Huh?¡± Ah, he¡¯s so childish, it felt like goosebumps ran up my neck and back. Was I too old for this? What gives you the confidence? What the hell was with that? I was just speechless and didn¡¯t feel like answering. ¡°Fucking with me again¡­. Hah, what weird nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°Fucking with you? Be respectful. Huh? Aren¡¯t you just a bitch?¡± -Tap! Cayer tapped me on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Why, wanna try me again? Huh? Go ahead. That¡¯s right, it¡¯s ridiculous for a bastard like you to come to Class A. Huh? What kind of trick did you use? Huh? A guy with no talent? Did you bribe them with money?¡± -Tap It seemed like that guy wouldn¡¯t step down to heal his damaged ego. I hurt his pride more than I thought. I had to admit that I was being pretty impatient at that moment. ¡°Arg!¡± -Thud! I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and threw him down. He was in a pretty weakened state so I could do it easily. The guy who fell over in an instant looked up at me in puzzlement. It was quite funny actually. The students of the Royal Class were chosen by talent. It was completely different from the Orbis Class, which used the exact opposite methode to choose its members. In other words, those guys weren¡¯t that skilled. ¡°There are children who understand things they are told immediately, and then there are brats who first need a beating to understand.¡± I had two fights with the same guy on my first day at Temple. ¡°I think you¡¯re a brat.¡± -Pow! ¡°Arg!¡± ¡°Let me give you that beating.¡± I kicked the guy who fell to the floor in the stomach. The Royal Class didn¡¯t have anyone who was as skilled as they were proud. There were a lot of students who put a lot of faith in their talent and didn¡¯t bother putting in any effort. That was the weak point of the Royal Class. The students were selected by talent and they wouldn¡¯t fail if they didn¡¯t decide to drop out themselves. Like that guy in front of me, there were people who considered themselves to be part of a very privileged class. In fact they didn¡¯t have anything else to show for themselves. Just some garbage with nothing else to offer but being part of the Royal Class. I trampled on Cayer¡¯s face. -Stop! ¡°Urggg!¡± -Bang! ¡°Cough!¡± I kicked him in the head. Strong bastards didn¡¯t really have to be strong. -Boom! ¡°Argh!¡± There were several types of bullies, but when it came to fighting, there were two types you absolutely shouldn¡¯t touch. One who¡¯s good at fighting. Or one who¡¯s a completely crazy bastard. If you touched someone who was good at fighting, you¡¯d obviously get beat up if you touch them. But it was a bit different in the case of a crazy bastard. People shouldn¡¯t touch someone like that because they wouldn¡¯t know what he¡¯ll do. There were guys who¡¯d really hit someone over the head with a chair, you know? I couldn¡¯t fight well, so I chose the latter option to not get trampled over. A person who could act strong was indeed strong. One just had to show some guy, who¡¯s all talk, that you yourself are not. I was going to act like that while everyone was watching. All I had to show them is that if you touch me for no good reason your life might get seriously endangered. I wasn¡¯t strong. I couldn¡¯t even be strong yet. But I could be cruel. Body data and rankings don¡¯t show everything. That¡¯s why I had to show them. -Pow! When I stepped on his face again, someone caught me as if they felt something unusual from me as well. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°Why, why are you doing this?!¡± Ludwig and Bertus took me away from him. ¡°Uh, urgh¡­.¡± ¡°Hey, if you¡¯re so confident in yourself, try me again, why don¡¯t you?¡± I spoke to Cayer as I was dragged away by Bertus and Ludwig. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you then.¡± Cayer, who lay collapsed on the floor, couldn¡¯t even look at me. * * * ¡°You fought?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He hit me first!¡± In the end, we were dragged before Mr. Epinhauser due to our fistfight. To be exact, Ludwig and Bertus said something like: ¡°Let¡¯s keep this between us, make up and move on¡±, but someone went ahead and told the teacher. I didn¡¯t know who tipped him off, but I knew these guys¡¯ attributes. I wrote down certain characteristics and personality traits for them. And I remembered all their names I had forgotten after the introduction ceremony yesterday. Someone who had the attributes of a tattle tale. It had to be B-2 Louis Ankton. Anyway, he must have rushed to tell someone about the fight and Mr. Mustrang was coincidentally in Class A so it got passed on to Mr. Epinhauser, so we were dragged to his private room. ¡°Getting into fights from day one, are we?¡± ¡°He hit me first! Oh, and he swore at me this morning!¡± Cayer, who had a stiff, unhappy expression on his face, began to argue that it was all my fault. He seemed to have forgotten how I beat him up in the dressing room. He felt wronged that I hit him, but seemed to have found this to be a great opportunity to get me kicked out. He wanted the teacher to protect him. ¡°It¡¯s all his fault¡­.¡± ¡°Silence.¡± Epinhauser looked at Cayer with a cool expression. ¡°You¡¯re noisy No. 10¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk when I haven¡¯t asked you to.¡± ¡°¡­.Yes.¡± Cayer, who was very scared, answered in a withered, quiet voice. Epinhauser¡¯s eyes had such a stillness to them that it felt down right creepy when he looked at you. I knew he wasn¡¯t a bad person, but this atmosphere sure made me feel nervous. ¡°No. 11.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± And him calling students by their number rather than their names felt like he was trying to keep a certain distance from them. ¡°Did you hit him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why did you hit him?¡± He asked me while wearing a very curious expression on his face. ¡°Cayer made statements that undermined Temple¡¯s authority.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°What are you talking about!¡± Epinhauser and even Cayer were bewildered by my sudden statement. They were surprised because it sounded like nonsense. Epinhauser started to stare at me. ¡°Explain what you mean, No. 11.¡± ¡°Yes. Teacher.¡± Watch me do this now, you punk. ¡°Cayer pointed out to me several times this morning that it was unfair for me to be admitted to the Royal Class with only aptitudes. He said it didn¡¯t make any sense for me to enter Royal Class and Class A at that, based just on my aptitudes without having a talent.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Yeah, watch me twist it like that. Mr. Epinhauser seemed to be surprised not by the content of what I was saying, but how I worded it. Yeah, it was a very serious way to put it. ¡°So I said to Cayer something to the effect of that students shouldn¡¯t question the decisions made by the Temple Admissions Office. Of course, in that process, I also asked Cayer maybe a bit strongly if he were the head of the admissions office, to which Cayer, of course, answered no. I believed the issue to end there, but I guess Caierre must have felt offended that I had dismissed his remarks at that time.¡± Are you the head of the admissions office, you bastard? That¡¯s what I said roughly. ¡°And just after the P.E. class, he asked me if I were good at fighting in the changing room. So I answered him honestly that I wasn¡¯t very good at it. Maybe he planned to physically subdue me to repay me for the humiliation he felt that morning after he saw me struggling with the physical training. He pushed me several times and asked how I could dare to talk to him like that when I wasn¡¯t even good at fighting. Cayer, do you admit that you said these words?¡± At my question, Cayer exclaimed with his face reddened. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s true, but I just pushed him! That guy hit me!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hit you because you pushed me.¡± Noticing that the talk was about to get more tangled up, Mr. Epinhauser raised his hand. ¡°Stop, so what did you mean by him undermining Temple¡¯s authority?¡± He looked at me, as if warning me to not go on to talk nonsense. ¡°As Cayer pushed me he said that it would be absurd for a person like me to get into Class A, then asked me what trick I had used to get in. He said that it was clear that I bribed the admissions office and that my admission was fraudulent.¡± Cayer¡¯s face paled with every passing moment. He was probably wondering why I gave a speech like that. Everything happened for a reason. It was true that I was feeling nervous because I was standing in front of Mr. Epinhauser, but, in the end, it was me who set up this character as well. ¡°I can tolerate insults against me, but Cayer¡¯s remarks casted doubt on the credibility of Temple, the pride of the Empire and the world¡¯s best educational institution.¡± I looked at Mr. Epinhauser. ¡°In other words, he questioned Temple¡¯s credibility and with it the great Gardias Empire. I couldn¡¯t bear my indignation anymore so I might have lost my temper without realizing it. I apologize for my carelessness. Teacher.¡± Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s characteristic was¡­ ¡°¡­¡­Is it true that you said that, No. 10?¡± Overwhelming patriotism. ¡°I asked if it was true that a student of Royal Class even spread groundless rumors about Temple¡¯s system being flawed.¡± ¡°Tha, that¡­. That¡­ That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Yes or No. Only answer with either of those two.¡± Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s cold anger wasn¡¯t directed at me, but I still felt my throat tingle. * * * Mr. Epinhauser was a cold-hearted patriot who took great pride in the Empire and Temple. Therefore, he was extremely calm about other things, but about matters that might damage the honor of either of those two, he was extremely sensitive. So it was no wonder that he got angry at a student that openly doubted Temple¡¯s decision not once but twice in a single day. Of course, there were some things that I left out of my recount, as this was a very serious matter. It was easy to make a man out to be the world¡¯s worst killer based on nothing depending how one interpreted his words. A problem doesn¡¯t become a problem until it¡¯s addressed. In other words, most words can be twisted in such a way that they sound problematic. He seemed that he was going to let go of the matter regarding the fight. He told me he would let me off the hook. It seemed to be common for classmates to get into fights in Royal Class. After that Epinhauser told me that I could go, but that Cayer had to stay. He also mentioned that I seem to have a talent that wasn¡¯t treated as one before. What he meant by that was that I didn¡¯t talk like a child my age should. But, so what. It¡¯s not like he¡¯d think I was actually an old man on the inside. Wouldn¡¯t it be strange for a complete incompetent to get into Temple¡¯s Royal Class, where talents gathered? Who¡¯d even doubt that there was some old man inside this bastard that is me? If I force myself to act like a child, I¡¯d just feel uncomfortable and it would only be more awkward. I was just going to roll with this character I build. In the end, Mr. Epinhauser focused more on Cayer but he wouldn¡¯t be severely punished. After all, Teacher knew that I exaggerated the situation a bit, and Cayer was just a kid. It would just be to the extent of a warning. When I came back to the classroom alone, there was a strange atmosphere hanging around everyone. Cayer didn¡¯t come back, only me. I didn¡¯t seem like I got scolded at all, so they were curious. There would be rumors floating around Class A and B about the fight. Even though he has no talent, he has such a bad temper. Ah. What was wrong with them just because of one bad apple? Although that bad apple was me, so I had nothing to say. And then. [Challenge accomplished] [Received 100 Achievement Points.] ¡­¡­What the hell? Chapter 31 I was so busy with managing to pass through the entrance ceremony and classes that I didn¡¯t even have time to think about how to earn achievement points, but without even realizing it I suddenly managed to beat a challenge. Come to think of it, they did tell me that the list of challenges would be updated periodically and one of them must have had something to do with this confrontation. It must have been a challenge for me to beat someone up or something. It seemed to be a good thing. While everyone was staying quiet I decided to check the list of challenges after a long time. The one at the top seemed to be the one that would give me the highest score among the challenges. [Get First place in the Integrated Physical Examination ¨C 4000 Points] The Emperor slapping challenge disappeared and in its place something else appeared. This would be impossible if I didn¡¯t somehow destroyed the legs of everyone who had better stamina than me. However, if I were able to destroy the legs of Ludwig and Ellen Artorius I wouldn¡¯t even need those 4000 points to begin with. [Be within the top 10 of the midterm exam ¨C 3000 Points] This wasn¡¯t just a midterm exam held for us 22 students, but a common subject exam taken by about 10000 people. The grades for each lecture are given separately, but common education subjects were tested to achieve an integrated score. Even though it was just a high school exam, it was just absurd to get into the top 10 without cheating. There were so many super geniuses among the students here after all. [Receive a love confession from one of your classmates ¨C 1000 Points] That was 1000 points just because you thought it would never happen, right? What are you gonna do if it actually happened, Huh?! [Write a Love letter to a Classmate ¨C 200 Points ] [Skip Classes (All Day) ¨C 100 Points] [Get punished by your teacher ¨C 100 Points] [Leave some graffiti on Temple¡¯s Main Street after curfew ¨C 100 Points] Why were the only things that seemed possible to do, things that a juvenile delinquent might do? Most of these were impossible or were bizarre. And of all these bizarre options¡­ [Fight ¨C 100 Points] (Clear) I accidentally managed to clear one of them. I felt somewhat bad because I didn¡¯t do that to clear the challenge. * * * P.E. was, in fact, the last of the common classes, because it was only natural for everyone to be exhausted after the class was over. That¡¯s why the teacher told everyone to go back after the fight broke out. So, shortly after Cayer came back, Mr. Epinhauser returned for the closing ceremony. Although Cayer was frustrated for being scolded, he sure wouldn¡¯t want to pick a fight with me anymore. I wanted you to realize that my mouth could hurt you more than my fists, kid. ¡°Everyone, please submit your course application forms. Those who are still undecided, stay.¡± The students who filled out their application forms handed them to the teacher. I submitted mine as is, as I already had it prepared for me in advance. It seemed that there were still plenty of guys who hadn¡¯t decided yet. ¡°Those who have submitted their forms should go back to the dormitory. Of course, you can also walk around Temple, but you shouldn¡¯t stay out too late, especially when you walk around outside. Please keep in mind that you can¡¯t go outside unless you get permission from me or the headmaster.¡± Mr. Epinhauser left with these words and half of the students got up to leave as well. How each person spent their personal time was widely varied. Some of them were dedicated to self-improvement. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go to Main Street.¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­. I want to go rest¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, I know a nice place there! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like it there, so want to come with?¡± Some put there best effort into playing, like for example A-8 Kono Lint. Class B¡¯s lessons also ended. ¡°Do you know any fun places to go to?¡± Ludwig was asking his classmates if they knew any fun places to visit as this was his first time at Temple. Of course, everyone was completely exhausted from the P.E. lesson they had not too long ago today. ¡°Woah, look at these accursed eyes.¡­.¡± Then, I suddenly heard some quiet swears coming from somewhere beside me. I knew what they were talking about. They were talking about a girl that just left the classroom of Class B. ¡°Whenever I see her, I immediately feel my luck slipping away from me.¡± ¡°She¡¯s so creepy.¡± Erich de Lafaeri said loudly as if he intended her to hear everything. She must have heard it, but Scarlett just continued walking ahead pretending to not hear a thing. She had red hair and red eyes. They made it hard for her not to stand out. B-3 Scarlett. ¡°Such an ominous thing can¡¯t possibly be born naturally.¡± Erich gritted his teeth while staring at Scarlett¡¯s back. ¡°I can¡¯t believe such a thing made it to the Royal Class. What bad luck.¡± What do you know, you bastard? You don¡¯t even know that you¡¯re standing right beside a Demon Prince? Idiot. Erich calmly walked over to Scarlett and bumped into the girl as he passed by. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Scarlett began to pick up the items she dropped without saying a word, as if she was already used to that situation. Ludwig tilted his head as he looked at Erich¡¯s leaving figure. ¡°What, he bumped into you and didn¡¯t even apologize. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± As if trying to refuse his help, Scarlett quickly picked up her dropped items, turned away from Ludwig and walked away. Erich wasn¡¯t the only one. Most of the Class A and B students were also secretly avoiding Scarlett. There were those who just avoided her and those who didn¡¯t care at all about her. Erich only directly bullied her, but with the exception of Ludwig, everyone treated her the same. Sheesh. It didn¡¯t feel all that good seeing the bullying I set up happening right in front of my eyes. * * * Red was an ominous color. Born with red hair and red eyes, Scarlett was abandoned by her parents at birth. Her setting was that she got picked up by a beggar who took pity on her. My fabricated origin was something similar, but she really was from the streets. She was dragged to the guards a few times for stealing some bread, but one day her talent was discovered by a wizard that happened to pass by coincidentally and was sent to Temple. She had a great talent, so becoming a scholarship student was a given. However, she got bullied by the students in Temple all the time, getting called ominous. Scarlett had no other place to go once she left Temple though, so she just clenched her teeth, endured this humiliation and just went on with her life. Therefore, although she was physically very adept and talented at that, she was still stuck with those children bullying her. If she caused trouble and got expelled, that would be the end. So she got a scholarship and ended up in Royal Class. However, Erich, who had been tormenting Scarlett countless times even in middle school, also entered Royal Class. It obviously was that kind of setting. Anyway, the bloody eyed Scarlett had been famous among her classmates for a long time now. In a negative way. However, I realized how irresponsible I was when I set her as a target for bullying just because she stood out a bit. I didn¡¯t think there was anyone else who would look so good in her red hair and eyes. She stood out even from a distance because she was such a pretty girl. Red = Negative, so she got bullied for it? Flammable trash, that¡¯s what that was. She should have been Temple¡¯s idol, but she got bullied anyway. Actually, Erich should have fallen in love with Scarlett and just teased her, like little boys would harrass the girls they liked. But looking at all the things Erich would do to her, it would definitely not be to the point of simply teasing the girl he liked. ¡°If I become an inquisitor, I will grab you first and tear you apart¡±, obviously wasn¡¯t something one would say to a girl one liked. Ah. How could he say such things to such a cute and kind kid? But wasn¡¯t it actually me who wrote this? Aren¡¯t I the piece of trash then? Yes, I am. How could I make characters say such harsh things to a child like that? Yes, I absolutely deserved to die from high blood pressure caused by malicious comments. ¡°Haah¡­.¡± When I saw Scarlett walking to the dormitory area from a distance, I sighed, feeling guilty about making this strange setting with my own two hands. If I left it as is, Erich¡¯s bullying would intensify, leading Ludwig to become angry and asked Erich for a duel for the sake of Scarlett. So, a fight broke out and after many turns, Scarlett was freed from her bullying and they became friends. However, I had to watch this shit until Ludwig decided to come out¡­. The rest of the kids also thought that the color red was ominous, so even those kids with a sense of justice would just remain silent. Sigh. * * * Those who returned to the dormitory would spend their time on their own until evening. Class B seemed to have gone to Temple¡¯s Main Street with Ludwig. Dinner time started at 6 pm. Since each dormitory had their own separate cafeteria in their dormitories, I would just eat at the dormitory cafeteria of Class A Year 1. Sometimes the whole student body would eat at the banquet hall, but that was rather unusual. Anyway, there was still time until evening. Class A was rather quiet compared to the noisy Class B. It felt more like complete silence actually. Well, there was no need to worry anymore since I had 1000 achievement points saved up. So I tried to decide which talent I should choose. [Self-suggestion ¨C 1000 Points] Self-suggestion. I acquired that talent without thinking about this any further. This was the most fraudulent supernatural power I could think of. As for how much of a cheat it was. I once wanted to give this power to one of the characters, but after thinking about it a bit more, I removed it entirely for how scammy that power was. So in other words, I had never used that setting. It seemed like data that I originally discarded got recycled. It was similar to the situation of the capital, which I imagined to have the same layout as Seoul, although I never wrote it anywhere, however, it actually turned out to have the same layout. Although, there were some abilities that definitely didn¡¯t appear. It was also great that it had the same point requirement as low level talents, as it was an ability that would evolve over time. I checked my status. Valier Age: 17 Current stats: [Strength 3.5(F)] [Agility 4.4(F+)] [Dexterity 5.2(D-)] [Magic 9.9(C-)][Stamina 5.9(D-)] Race: Arcdemon Talent: Supernatural ¨C Self-suggestion (Locked) Abilities [Demon Domination D](Unique to Arcdemons) (Cannot be used in current state.) [Self-suggestion](Locked) Comprehensive Ability Assessment ¨C Lowest Level Demon Combat Level Assessment ¨C F There was a subtle rise in strength, agility and stamina. That wasn¡¯t just because of the p.e. class today, but also because of my hard work up until now¡­. However. Wasn¡¯t there something strange? What does that (Locked) written behind the talent mean? ¡°¡­¡­¡± I was just lying in bed and I discovered a weird twist. I had that strong permonition that I had been fucked. Yeah, I had a cheat, but it was certainly an uncooperative cheat. I should have looked into that more when I was buying an ability. Supernatural powers could certainly be used with just a single talent, so there must have been a good reason as to why it was sold so cheaply. I had a vague feeling of what was going on. It was wide spread common knowledge that supernatural powers couldn¡¯t be awakened though sheer effort. However, reality was a bit different. All those who have been found to have a talent for supernatural powers had ¡°awakened¡± their powers. One could say, they were able to raise the level of their ability to such an extent in which it became apparent no matter if one could control it or not. However, there were actually a few people who had latent supernatural abilities. They just hadn¡¯t manifested yet. Such latent supernatural powers might awaken after being traumatized or being under immense psychological pressure. Even the one¡¯s with these abilities around me awakened after a traumatic experience. What? It¡¯s a common development. Awakening one¡¯s powers after exploding into anger. It¡¯s like those chuuni fantasies¡­. Right¡­? ¡°Shit.¡± I knew. I kind of expected it, but I still hoped it would be a little different in my case. I got it from my cheat, so I thought I could just use it right away. But I couldn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t buy an activated supernatural power. I bought a latent one. Yeah, I now knew why it was so cheap. Chapter 32 The only one who naturally awakened was Number B-3, Liana de Grantz. The rest of the supernatural power users awakened unintentionally after experiencing something traumatic. Natural awakenings were extremely rare and shouldn¡¯t be taken as the norm. I didn¡¯t know how long it would take my power to just awaken naturally. Then, it looked like there was no other way than going through a psychologically pressuring situation to forcefully awaken my ability¡­. I experienced something like that while I was escaping from the Demon King¡¯s Castle and I really didn¡¯t want to be thrown into such a situation again. Couldn¡¯t that experience be counted as a form of traumatic prepayment and just awaken me already? Of course, it couldn¡¯t. I thought I could maybe artificially awaken myself with achievement points, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Damn it, I wasn¡¯t expecting to be able to use it right away because it was still at a low level, but for it to not even be activated. What was even the use of this dog-like supernatural power, if I couldn¡¯t even use it yet? Okay, let¡¯s just think about the future first. I didn¡¯t intend to just settle with one talent. I had to think of a way to awaken my supernatural ability and what talent I should acquire next. I wished I had a talent that could be of help right away. When I confirmed the performance of Ludwig¡¯s talent today, I felt like it was incredible. [Swordsmanship ¨C 2000 Points] [Archery ¨C 2000 Points] . . . The prices doubled. That was what I pretty much expected. I thought it might just multiply by 10, completely shattering my hope, but it, at least, left me with some hope, huh? However, I currently had 0 achievement points. I had invested all of them into buying this inactive supernatural power. At this rate one wouldn¡¯t even be able to detect that I had a supernatural ability. If they could do that, the Empire would sweep all of them up. There are two things I had to do from now on. One, I have to put extreme psychological pressure onto myself to awaken my supernatural ability. Two, I needed to earn achievement points to buy an additional talent. If I were to earn 2000 achievement points through events and challenges that would usually give me about 100 points, I would be able to get a second talent unless the prices changed. Right now, I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what to do, so the only thing I could try now were the challenges. However, there were only those strange actions, crimes and things juvenile delinquents would do among them. However. [Write a love letter to one of your classmates and get dumped¨C 200 Points] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was very easy to achieve, but it was also very easy to see that this challenge wanted me to trample all over my dignity. I mean, that kind of corssed the line. Wouldn¡¯t that mean I had to confess to a highschool kid and then get dumped? But why did this give me twice as much points while other challenges just give me 100? Ah. What if¡­. Did they want me to humiliate myself? 200 Points. Twice as much as usual. If I were just to suffer for a bit, I would receive 200 points. Apparently, that filthy bastard named Reinhardt, some bully who beat up his classmate on the first day, suddenly wrote a love letter to someone? If rumors like that were to spread about me, my image as a jerk with a bad personality doing pervy things would be cemented in everyone¡¯s mind. The risk of that was just too great. These were my classmates whom I had to see for the next 6 years after all. There was even that restriction ¡°classmate¡±. So if I sent it to the wrong person everything would be meaningless. Did classmate include Class B or only Class A? No. No wait. Let¡¯s see. Let¡¯s think about this differently. Let¡¯s look at this from a different angle. Rather, I found a much better method. [Receive a love confession from a classmate ¨C 1000 Points] This, I think, this might be possible? * * * Of course, Temple, which was a huge educational complex, didn¡¯t only have schools. There was no reason for there to not be a commercial district where children of wealthy families gathered endlessly. There weren¡¯t only high-class restaurants, but also cafes, clothing stores and entertainment facilities. So, the kids who liked to play spend most of their time wandering around Main Street, it was also known as an area in which students came to the most. ¡°Isn¡¯t it great?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± ¡°This is where I¡¯ve been going to for the past 3 years, and almost everything there tastes good. I can assure you of that.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯ve been here a few times.¡± Erich nodded at Kono Lint making a fuss. Cayer had his arms crossed and wasn¡¯t even touching the dessert in front of him. On the table the three sat at, were cakes, pretzels and other desserts spread out in front of them. They just bought some hot dogs Kono Lint recommended at a nearby restaurant and came here for desserts. ¡°Hey. Just eat and relax.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°Just take a bite. It¡¯s sweet, you know?¡± Kono Lint smiled and pushed the plate towards Cayer. All of them, except Erich, were commoners, but it wasn¡¯t hard for Erich to get along with them, because the Lafaeli family were rural lords. Originally, those three didn¡¯t get along so quickly. However, they united on the first day because of one reason. ¡°Yeah, we have to pay attention to that madman.¡± It was Number A-11 Reinhardt. He didn¡¯t have any talent, but had a bad temper, so that madman threw punches and swore like a sailor starting the first day of the semester. Because of Reinhardt becoming their common enemy, the three of them became close on the first day. Cayer even got hit by that man without any talent, and got punished by the teacher even though it was he who got wronged. ¡°No, but why did you end up getting scolded?¡± Kono Lint didn¡¯t seem to understand. ¡°Yeah. What happened?¡± ¡°No idea. I don¡¯t even know what that bastard meant with what he said. Anyway, something about me insulting Temple.¡± Unfortunately, Cayer couldn¡¯t remember all the words Reinhardt kept on babbling out. But when Mr. Epinhauser heard Reinhardt¡¯s words, he rebuked Cayer with a serious expression. ¡°What are you talking about? Insulting Temple?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. That fucking bastard, I¡¯ll get him later and when I do I¡¯m going to kill him.¡± At Erich¡¯s words, Cayer quickly turned his gaze out the window with an irritated expression on his face. Every group needed to have a common enemy in order to form solidarity. Those three made Reinhardt their common enemy. ¡°Hey, but aren¡¯t all the girls in our class really pretty?¡± Kono Lint suddenly lowered his voice. Erich nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s true. Still I wouldn¡¯t tell them that face to face. We are classmates in Temple, but they wouldn¡¯t even give me a glance if we were outside.¡± ¡°But, hey, aren¡¯t we all in the same class now?¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t only good-natured people like the prince among them. You have to be careful. Not to mention the Imperial Princess, there¡¯s the Princess of the Saint-Owan Grand Duchy and the Duke of Grantz is also a high lord. They have more prestige than the Emperor.¡± Erich was clearly drawing a line. They mingled in temple, but outside, they were people of completely different standing. No matter how young they were, they weren¡¯t the type of people he could touch even a single hair of. ¡°But how about now? Wouldn¡¯t you be able to talk to them?¡± Kono Lint poked at them as if he was really interested in this topic. ¡°Who do you think is the prettiest? Huh?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Ah, I personally think it¡¯s the Imperial Princess.¡± As Kono Lint said so, Erich frowned as if he was unwilling to share. Erich and Cayer refused to speak, but after continuous prying on Kono Lint¡¯s part they eventually confessed. ¡°I think¡­. Number 2.¡± At Erich¡¯s words, Kono Lint tilted his head. ¡°Her? What¡­.? I mean, sure, but isn¡¯t she a little scary? I¡¯m speechless.¡± ¡°You asked me who I think looks best.¡± ¡°Ah, well. What about you?¡± ¡°If I had to say¡­.¡± Cayer thought about it and then finally spat it out. ¡°Duke Grantz¡¯ esteemed daughter¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, I can get behind that.¡± This was what kids and adults alike liked to talk about when they got together. Just when they were in the middle of talking about beauties. ¡°Erm¡­. Excuse me, but¡­.¡± Suddenly, all of them turned their heads hearing the voice of a girl coming from somewhere. ¡°Cou, could you give me a minute¡­. Would it be okay to talk for a bit?¡± There, a beautiful girl was shyly talking to Kono Lint. He nearly doubted his eyes. ¡°Well, here.¡± Kono Lint, who got dragged out of the dessert shop as if possessed, nearly had his head explode at this unknown girl shyly giving him an envelope. ¡°Thi, this. Erm¡­. What¡­ Might this be?¡± He started speaking formally without realizing it. ¡°Please read it¡­.¡± The girl¡¯s face was flushed and she wriggled her body, trying not to make eye contact. When he opened the envelope as if possessed by something, there was a single sentence written on a piece of paper. [I fell in love with you at first sight. Please go out with me.] ¡°Thi, this¡­. This is¡­.¡± Male, 17 years old. He just experienced a miracle he had never even dreamed of in his life. ¡°Ehm¡­. What do you think¡­?¡± To the girl¡¯s quiet question. ¡°I fell in love at first sight with you too!¡± Kono Lint nearly stumbled over his words. What the boy, however, didn¡¯t see was the corners of the girl¡¯s mouth slowly creeping up. * * * I sold my soul for points. [Achievement points: 1000 Points] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I thought about it, but when I actually put it to praxis I felt my heart break. Scared of confirming if the confession challenge was completed, I pretended I was busy and ran off. Then, I changed my clothes in a dark alleyway as to not get found out, turned back into Reinhardt and returned to the dormitory. It didn¡¯t say I had to ¡®Get the confession in the form of Reinhardt¡¯ in the challenge information after all. I noticed that blind spot and tried to exploit it right away, and it worked. It seemed like a good idea in my head, but when I actually did it, I felt like dying during every single second of it. I had preserved my dignity as Reinhardt, but I seriously tarnished my dignity as a human being and played with an innocent 17-year-old boy¡¯s heart, no matter how much I set him up to be a playboy. Kono Lint was a bit lacking, but by no means a bad guy. And here I trampled all over his heart. I feel like I¡¯ve become less then human feces¡­. [Challenge list has been updated.] A message appeared in front of me. The remaining ones stayed the same, but there were some changes. [From now on, unless stated otherwise, the condition that all challenges have to be completed as ¡®Reinhardt¡¯ has been added.] [Receive a love confession from a classmate ¨C 1000 Points](Clear) [Write a love letter to a classmate and get dumped ¨C 200 Points] [Get punished by your teacher ¨C 100 Points] [Leave some graffiti on Temple¡¯s Main Street after curfew ¨C 100 Points] Look at this bastard. Did you not expect me to take advantage of this weak spot? You added that condition immediately after I finished the challenge, didn¡¯t you? How annoying, fixing it right away, pah. The challenges were definitely only there to fuck me over. You didn¡¯t expect me to make use of an exploit, but I did, so you added that condition. You want me to write a love letter and get dumped so bad? Then, An unexpected challenge had been added. [Date Kono Lint as a pretty girl (Idiot) ¨C 1000 Points] Ah. Ah. Ah! That guy¡¯s watching me in real time! I don¡¯t really know how he¡¯s doing it but I bet he laughed his guts out while he watched me talk! My desire to disappear from the surface of this world grew ten times stronger. Even if the world were to collapse, I won¡¯t ever do that. * * * I sold my soul for 1000 points. I never thought I¡¯d manage to get that much in a single day. I wasn¡¯t sure, but I believe this wasn¡¯t the direction that voyeuristic ass wanted this to go. If I collect 1000 more points, I would be able to buy another talent. I wasn¡¯t even considering going on a date with Kono Lint. I returned to the dormitory thinking about how I should get the remaining 1000 points. Naturally, I threw the sweatshirt I wore while I met Kono Lint outside the shop, away and returned in another outfit. I didn¡¯t plan on leaving any traces behind. Evening. -Hehe¡­. Hehehe¡­. The sight of Kono Lint and the other two fiddling with their food looking at him with envious eyes made my stomach ache. I felt like I was about to throw up all my food because of this complex mix of guilt, shame and humiliation I felt. I felt so nauseous I couldn¡¯t get myself to eat the dinner. In the end, I wasn¡¯t even able to eat half of the prepared menu. I could certainly feel that the chef was really skilled though. However, I didn¡¯t think I could appreciate those skills today. Kono Lint seemed to be living in his happy delusions for a while. However, what will happen after that condition fades? Would he get depressed? No. Let¡¯s not care about him. As soon as I start to caring, I¡¯ll lose. Even though my supernatural ability hadn¡¯t even awakened yet. I left the restaurant while continuing to self-suggest myself. One might say this was a type of extreme psychological pressure in its own way. It had no effect though. * * * I¡¯d say I did a pretty impressive job for my first day. Although it was still inactive, I managed to get the supernatural ability I was aiming for and got a great amount of achievement points. If I somehow got 1000 more points, I would be able to get my second talent or I could use it for other purposes. It seemed I could, not only buy talents, but also randomly raise my stats, but I hadn¡¯t put that under consideration yet. My stats rose just by training normally. If I were to receive physical training similar to the one I had today, my stats would continue to rise. Unless it was a special case like the magic stat. And there was something I was worried about. If one saw profit once, one would crave for more. I earned 1000 points, but I was still hungry for more. You could never know when those challenges would disappear. I had no idea when that mysterious bastard changed his mind, right? The newly updated challenges probably wouldn¡¯t have any more weak spots and it seemed likely that their content would be more difficult or humiliating than before. Things, including skipping class, would lead to disciplinary actions. I didn¡¯t get into much trouble, but Epinhauser seemed to already have a certain picture of me because of the fight, and if I caused any more problems, I, of course, wouldn¡¯t get away with it. [Write a love letter to a classmate and get dumped ¨C 200 Points] It seemed to encourage me to write a love letter. I wrote a love letter earlier but I didn¡¯t get dumped, so I wasn¡¯t able to finish it. The condition was to get dumped after all. It was rather sad knowing that fulfilling that condition was just too easy. Under my current circumstances the probability of getting dumped was 100%.. If I just endured that humiliation for a bit, I would be able to get 200 points, but then I still had to get 800 more. Actually, if that idea of using the Dreadfiend¡¯s ring to get a confession didn¡¯t cross my mind, I wanted to try something else. The problem of all this was that I might get bullied after rumors about this came out, however what would happen if the person I gave the letter to would not gossip about it? They would just treat me as werido. So it had to be a person that wouldn¡¯t start gossiping about me and also wouldn¡¯t care that much about me after the act. Ellen Artorius. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Should I or shouldn¡¯t I? Should I or shouldn¡¯t I? Ah. First I sold my soul for points. Was I now going to trample all over my dignity for points this time? * * * There wasn¡¯t any need for us to talk for long. Class A dormitory¡¯s gym. It was obvious where I would be able to find her, so I headed to the gym after everyone was gone. Ellen Artorius, who received my letter stating my desire to date her, looked at the plain text, then looked at me and spoke briefly. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ah, oh¡­. Okay.¡± I knew she would answer like that. [Challenge ¡®Write a love letter to a classmate and get dumped¡¯ completed] [You have earned 200 achievement points.] ¡­I wanted to cry. Knowing that you¡¯ll get dumped and actually getting dumped were two completely different things. Leaving behind Ellen, who continued swinging her practice sword, not paying any more attention to me, I left the gym. Chapter 33 Ellen Artorius was blunt and chic. However, she wasn¡¯t the type to care a lot about things. She was by no means a bad kid, and rather than being clumsy, she just didn¡¯t know how to get along with others. She just tended to concentrate on her training. So she didn¡¯t try to approach anyone because she thought the other person would just push her away. She had tremendous talent, but she had no sense of superiority around her that usually came with it. She also didn¡¯t feel inferior that one would usually feel when faced with someone stronger than oneself. She wasn¡¯t acting all sweet, but she had a gentle heart. Of course, I set up a past for her, but that wasn¡¯t important now. Anyway, it didn¡¯t really matter whether I confessed to her or not. I wrote a love letter to Ellen because she wouldn¡¯t really care about this. I mean, I actually only did this for the points after all. However. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was bothering me. It was really bothering me. It wasn¡¯t because I liked her or something, but because I had now become very conscious of her! I felt so embarrassed and ashamed that I couldn¡¯t stand it. That bastard obviously wanted me to be in that state. This was just straight up bullying. -Now, move from this posture to this and¡­. Tuesday. Ellen was sitting next to me in the swordsmanship theory class and I nearly went completely mad about it. Of course, Ellen and I were the only Royal Class students taking this class. All the other students were regular class students. Students wearing various types of school uniforms gathered here. And among those, who could recognize the Royal Class uniforms we were wearing, kept glancing at us. I could read their thoughts just by looking at their eyes. Wow, they¡¯re from Royal Class, aren¡¯t they? That was the look they gave us. Although they sure were an object of envy, these school uniforms attracted way too much attention.. Bertus, Ludwig, Cliffman and Erich also should have taken lectures on swordsmanship, but they probably chose other lectures for this time slot. So, did she sit next to me because I was a classmate from Royal Class? Was it like that? You¡¯re usually not the type to care about these things though, now aren¡¯t you? Seriously, why did she decide to sit next to me? Sigh, was she not talking to me because of the sudden confession yesterday? Did she become conscious of me? That can¡¯t be. She wasn¡¯t like that. Then why did she sit next to me? What¡¯s this? Why was I fussing about this like some teenager? I¡¯ve become conscious of a kid like that just because I was trying to earn some points? Ridiculous! -Tok ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I dropped my pen because I couldn¡¯t stop fidgeting. Ellen picked it up silently and handed it to me. ¡°Ah, uhm. Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Was this a positive sign? Didn¡¯t she usually not help people pick up their things? Based on her personality, she wouldn¡¯t care about these things, now would she? Of course, she wouldn¡¯t care about me after picking it up and just listened to the lecture. Ah. no, it¡¯s definitely not normal for her to pick up pens for others. No, but what should I do? I¡¯m not interested in her at all. What if she suddenly told me that she liked me? I couldn¡¯t accept that at all. ¡­¡­. I had a problem. I started to imagine all sorts of delusional, ridiculous scenarios. Of course. At the end of the lecture, Ellen left the lecture hall without sparing me a single glance. Did she even recognize my face to begin with? She didn¡¯t even know who I was, did she? No, but we were wearing the same uniforms. My face was getting hot for no reason. * * * This was my class schedule, excluding common classes. Tuesday I would have swordsmanship theory, swordsmanship practice and magic theory. Wednesday was Magic Sensitization Training, Mediation and Supernatural Power Control. On Friday I had Divine Power Training, Alchemy and Integrated Martial Arts Training. Now, as someone of a lower grade, I only had to listen to three lectures a day, but as I got older I would have to listen to sometimes up to five or six lectures a day. The first three years were like high school courses, and the second half was like university courses. So, since I didn¡¯t have anything I specialized in, I was taking swordsmanship, magic, supernatural powers and divine power classes. Swordsmanship Theory and Swordsmanship Practice were combined lectures taught by the same teacher so it was a pretty long lecture in which one first learned about the theory in a classroom and then put it to practice in the gym. A class where one had to put to practice what one learned on the same day and even learn further things while practicing. Of course, as this was a general class as well, it wasn¡¯t a total mess, but there were a bunch of clumsy people among the students. ¡°Get your posture right! Put power into your hands!¡± The problem was, I was included in the category of clumsy people. Of course, I was constantly criticized by the teaching assistants for my poor basic strength as well as my poor posture. There were even a lot of general students who were so excellent that comparing them to me was completely meaningless, as they learned swordsmanship ever since their middle school days. ¡°Perfect. As expected from the Royal Class. She¡¯s on a completely different level.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ellen passed almost every task in one try because she had the physical constitution to imitate what she learned immediately, so her teacher praised her. The other students were also looking at Ellen, witnessing the skills of someone from the Royal Class. I didn¡¯t really know what the teacher was thinking, but she suddenly clapped her hands. ¡°As far as I was informed there was one more student of the Royal Class here. Ellen and Reinhardt is what I heard. Is your name Ellen?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Reinhardt!¡± I looked over to them as I heard the teacher call my name. It seemed like she came up with a good idea. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s have the first practice match between the Royal Class students!¡± No. I don¡¯t think that was a good idea at all. * * * They shoved a training sword into my hands all of a sudden, while I was still not done practicing my basic posture. Everyone gathered around, wanting to watch the battle between the Royal Class students. Everyone¡¯s eyes were sparkling. What kind of public execution was this? You want me to have a practice battle with the strongest person of my class? The teaching assistant who was training me just now, seemed like he wanted to say ¡°I don¡¯t think that is a good idea.¡± but couldn¡¯t bear to tell the teacher. What if I die here, huh? Ellen looked at me indifferently and held her training sword. ¡°I¡¯ll stop it when it¡¯s going too far, so feel free to fight as much as you want.¡± That teacher said some dangerous words without blinking an eye. No, I didn¡¯t want to do this though? Before I was able to come up with a solution to somehow deal with this situation¡­. ¡°Now, start!!¡± I. -Tak! I didn¡¯t even notice Ellen Artorius approaching me. * * * An unfamiliar ceiling. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± My head was buzzing. Wha, what happened? I thought that I was probably lying in some sort of bed. Seeing as to how my head hurt, I had probably been hit by something. At that moment, the situation that happened shortly before I passed out appeared in my mind. Ellen Artorius rushed at me as soon as the start signal was given, and then struck my head with her sword. And then I passed out, I guess? No, but where was I¡­. ¡°Urg!¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re awake.¡± When I looked to my right, a calm, cold-looking girl with dark hair and black eyes was looking at me. ¡°This is the infirmary, classes are over.¡± I probably got taken to the infirmary after I passed out. The teacher, who seemed to be in charge, checked up on me. ¡°The pain will subside soon. It¡¯s nothing serious, you don¡¯t have to worry, okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded at the teacher¡¯s words with a bewildered expression on my face. That damn swordsmanship teacher! Why did they do some practice match out of nowhere? You made someone faint! Can¡¯t you take your nose out of your ass?! Aren¡¯t you a teacher?! ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Ellen grabbed my shoulder as I was struggling to get up. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Were you trying to cheer me up? ¡°I didn¡¯t know you didn¡¯t know swordsmanship.¡± Ellen lifted me up and helped me put on my shoes, while she was talking in a sullen voice. Wha, what¡¯s wrong with her? ¡°Originally, I planned to aim for your neck after you blocked my sword and let my sword flow down your sword to finish it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I, see.¡± Her original plan was to force me to block with a straight strike then let her sword follow the flow down my blade and aim for my neck. However, I couldn¡¯t even react to the first hit, so she accidentally hit my head with her sword. In other words, this was an unexpected accident. An accident that occured because I was unexpectedly weak, that is. So. Was she doing this because she felt sorry? ¡°Ah, Look. I think I can walk on my own now¡­.¡± At my words, she lowered her arm supporting me. I had a headache, but I wasn¡¯t badly hurt. Anyway, how long had I been out? ¡°Ah, don¡¯t we have to go to our next lecture?¡± Ellen shook her head at my words. ¡°It¡¯s lunch time now.¡± After the two lectures in the morning, it was usually lunch time. The second lecture was already over, and it was lunch time now so there was still plenty of time. No. Did that mean we were going to eat together? Probably not. She was just answering the questions I asked. I mean, I confessed to her yesterday, got dumped and today she one hitted me. That wasn¡¯t even a fight, it was a one sided beating actually. I couldn¡¯t feel any more shame. However, the other person didn¡¯t seem to care much, making me feel even more embarrassed. ¡°¡­¡­ Do you want to have lunch?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± -Nod What I had come to realize is that after you pass a certain level of shame, it just didn¡¯t matter that much anymore. * * * At first, she seemed like a quiet kid indifferent to most things. Yesterday, I confessed to her and she refused me, but right now I felt conflicted, because I asked that same kid to have lunch together with me now. I wasn¡¯t that kind of person usually. The kind of person that didn¡¯t give meaning to anything. She ate when she was hungry and didn¡¯t care who she ate with. Thinking like that made my worries go away.. I just had to treat her however I wanted to as well. Unless I did something rude enough for her to slap me, that was just it. Because that was how she was. Thinking like that made my head clear. She was the type of person who would react the same no matter what happened, so it should be alright for me to treat her a bit more comfortably than the other kids, right? Because she didn¡¯t misunderstand me and didn¡¯t have any preconceived notions about me, she just judged me as I was. ¡°Is there anything you want to eat?¡± ¡°Anything¡¯s fine.¡± Eh? ¡°Are you really fine with anything?¡± ¡°Yeah, anything¡¯s fine.¡± No matter how much I thought about it, this wasn¡¯t your fault, but you dumped me and hit me. I started to feel like teasing you a bit. Be prepared. * * * Since this place was similar to Seoul, there were places similar to the one¡¯s found in Seoul in the Imperial Capital Gardium. Maybe that¡¯s why there were so many familiar things. For example, the beggars found in the Han River Park or the shopping street that was so reminiscent of the Yongsan District. And yesterday, when I went out to this street to meet Kono Lint, I found something I was shocked to see here. Wasn¡¯t that almost enough to make my whole worldview collapse? It was what I truly wanted. Ellen tilted her head at the sight of this food. ¡°It smells strange.¡± Cheonggukjang. Ellen was unable to take her hands from her nose when she saw the cheonggukjang in an earthen pot. A musty, savory smell permeated the entire store. I had no idea why, but it existed. Why did you exist? Well, it was what I wanted the most right now. Anyway, It was the food of my hometown! I was so happy to get to eat it again, no matter what! And that¡¯s how I brought her here. What¡¯s the matter? You said you¡¯d eat anything, you know? Huh? If you¡¯re scared just run away then. ¡°This smells like something I shouldn¡¯t eat.¡± I shook my head at Ellen¡¯s words and pointed at the people who filled the store. ¡°The people here eat it normally, you know?¡± Of course, all of them were adults as well as faculty members. Ellen tilted her head as she looked at the people eating. ¨C Temple sure is good. They even have eastern dishes here. -There are people from all over the world coming here. So yeah. Apparently, this was described as eastern food, although I had no idea about that setting. However, because Temple attracted students from all over the world, they had to prepare a lot of traditional food that one would usually not find anywhere but it¡¯s place of origin. If there there was demand, there would be supply. It was more expensive than somewhere else maybe, but where else would one go to get this kind of food? Well, that was pretty plausible. It was comparable to a New York food alley. As there were people from all over the world coming they sold a lot of international food. Anyway, cheonggukjang is one thing, but this was probably the first time that I felt happy that jjamppong and kimchi existed in this world. So did they also have kimchi stew and army stew? No, wouldn¡¯t it be weird for there to be army stew? There were no American soldiers in this world, so how could there be food introduced by the US army? No, if one thought about it, cheonggukjang also had its origin somewhere else, right? What the hell was going on with this place? Where was I even? ¡°Come on, look.¡± I started mixing the rice with the cheonggukjang, which I took out of the earthenware pot, sprinkled seaweed powder and sesame oil on it and then began to eat. Ellen watched me eat with a weary expression on her face. Are you discriminating against another culture right now? Do you want to get into trouble? To be honest, this wasn¡¯t really my favorite food, but it was something I kind of needed from time to time. She just continued to watch me eat in delight. Although it had a strong smell, I finally got to experience the taste of my hometown again after a long time. I was kind of touched by it, although not to the point of tears. What? This place actually made some great kimchi. That was it. The meaning of life. As expected, I was still an old man at my core. Did they have soju? They wouldn¡¯t sell it to kids, huh? Ellen was staring blankly at me with a long, thoughtful look in her eyes. ¡°Hey, Give that to me. I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± I took her bowl of cheonggukjang, mixed everything in her bowl, scooped up a spoonful and carried it towards her mouth. ¡°Open up. Try it.¡± ¡°Ah, uhm. Erm.¡± Ellen repeatedly opened her small lips, perhaps because of the stinging smell rising up into her nose. Her eyebrows and lips twitched, seeming as if she even doubted whether this was really human food. Looking at her reaction she seemed like a fish opening and closing its mouth. pretty cute, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°Ah, my arm¡¯s gonna fall off, man!¡± ¡°Ah, ah¡­.¡± When I complained, Ellen finally opened her mouth and I put the spoonful of cheonggukjang into it. That was revenge for her hitting me. Ellen chewed a bit of it with an uncertain look on her face. ¡°He,hehe. How¡¯s that? Feeling limp already?¡± ¡°!¡± Ellen squeezed her eyes shut as she put it in her mouth whole with a frown on her face. It seemed like her feelings of rejection maximized after she put it in her mouth. Unable to spit or swallow, Ellen started stamping her feet. A blunt, chic and beautiful 17-year-old girl? Hah, there¡¯s no such thing as a permanent concept! Chapter 34 Eventually, Ellen swallowed it by pressing hard on her mouth, too afraid to make a fool out of herself by spitting it out. Perhaps because of the savory taste of the cheonggukjang, Ellen drank from her water several times. ¡°Why¡­. Does it smell so much¡­.¡± Ellen continued to drink her water, while I continued to eat without being fazed. Ellen looked at me strangely as well as the other people eating it. You would end up like that as well if you ate it a few more times. Seeing me and the other people eat it with such fresh expressions, Ellen scooped up another spoonful and took it to her mouth with a slightly puzzled expression. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Then, with a regretful expression on her face, she was unable to spit it out again, forcibly chewed it and swallowed it. ¡°Am¡­ I the strange one¡­?¡± Ellen muttered blankly to herself, her lips trembling slightly. She couldn¡¯t eat it, but other people around her were eating it normally, so she was wondering if something was wrong with her. It¡¯s fine. That was just the type of food it was to begin with! I hated it as well as a kid! It tasted like shit, but then one day I suddenly¡­ Ah. Cheonggukjang. Do I want that? I do! Everyone around my age is eating it after all! That was how it started, man. Ellen wasn¡¯t exactly normal either. Even though she ate it and greatly regretted it, she still went on to eat half of her portion though she couldn¡¯t finish all of it after one or two sips of water, as if she was confused as to how people could eat it so easily. ¡®Wow. This is so incomprehensible.¡¯ ¡®Argh! Maybe like this? Will it taste delicious this time? Do I have to eat it again?¡¯ ¡°Urg¡­.¡± ¡®Every time I put it in my mouth, urgh!¡¯ That¡¯s how her thought process probably looked like. The face she pulled was just too funny. What. Did she have a child¡¯s palate? It was a bonus that the humble owner of this shop halved the price for us, impressed that children were eating choenggukjang so well. * * * ¡°I¡¯m not eating that again.¡± After we left the restaurant, Ellen returned to her usual chic expression. Oh my. ¡°You ate well for that.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a strange smell¡­. coming from my mouth¡­.¡± ¡°Does it smell like shit?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ellen glared at me for a moment at my shameless remark. Ellen narrowed her eyes as if she could smell her own breath. Yes, and one day, this moment would suddenly flash past her as part of her black history, wouldn¡¯t it? ¡°Why does it smell like that?¡± Ellen was deep in thought, as she couldn¡¯t understand why people would eat something that smelled like that, but what came out of her mouth was a more basic question. ¡°You aren¡¯t supposed to eat this, right?¡± ¡°Hey, why would they sell something one isn¡¯t supposed to eat and actually have a lot of people pay for it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡­Right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s edible, so I ate it.¡± Did I look like such a perverted bastard? My novels were all innocent, you know? No. If one thought about it, the genre already changed after I took a beautiful 17-year-old girl to eat cheonggukjang which she had never tried before. That in itself made me seem like a crazy perv, didn¡¯t it? If someone caught me doing this, wouldn¡¯t they call this torture? No, but I didn¡¯t force her to eat it. She ate it willingly. She later even ate more and did this to herself. Not caring about me suddenly scaring myself like that, Ellen nodded blankly. She didn¡¯t say anything for a while. Maybe her curiosity had been sated. I was starting to worry that her character maybe collapsed¡­. No, what would happen if something like that collapsed? Wouldn¡¯t the entire main story get completely destroyed? ¡°I¡¯ll go that way.¡± After walking for a while Ellen pointed to the tram route she had to take to get to her next lecture. I had to go somewhere else. ¡°Ah.¡± Then Ellen turned around and pointed her finger at me. ¡°Be careful with your head.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Said the culprit who whacked my head. As such, the 17-year-old beautiful girl disappeared from my view, leaving behind the savory smell of cheonggukjang. * * * My next class was Magic Theory. There were 4 students of Royal Class present in that lecture. A-10 Cayer, B-2 Louis Ancton, B-5 Christina and B-6 Anna de Gerna. As soon as Cayer saw me, he turned his head away as if he hadn¡¯t even noticed me and I wasn¡¯t acquainted with any of the students from Class B. That B-2 Louis Ancton guy, was a jerk who had a knack for being a snitch, so he probably told the teacher about that fight yesterday. I just let it go. I wasn¡¯t really that fond of fighting and he wasn¡¯t that bad of a guy, now was he? Currently five of my classmates were majoring in magic. Three of them were attending this class. Three of them were here right now, so why were there four people listening to this lecture? B-2 Louis Ancton had no talent for magic. He was an unusual guy who studied magic even though he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to become a wizard. I did mention that there were people like that. People who couldn¡¯t use magic but studied the science behind it. Those people were called magic researchers. Louis had the talent ¡®Academic¡¯ which was the highest talent in the field of research. He wasn¡¯t that physically capable, but he was smarter than no other. So he couldn¡¯t become a wizard, but he still pursued the study of magic. The magic class was quite different from what I expected. I first thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to understand a thing, but it wasn¡¯t that difficult to understand the proper terms, including jargon, because my knowledge seemed to be on the middle school level. The formulas were a bit difficult for me, but it wasn¡¯t like I couldn¡¯t keep up at all. What? Were there maybe still hopes for me to become a wizard? Magic was said to be the study meant for geniuses, but did it maybe feel easier for me because there was already an intelligence correction applied to me? Come to think of it, that might actually be the case. Would I have been able to grasp this with my original level of intelligence? Or did Ellen¡¯s hit to my head have some effect on me? Surprisingly, I had no idea what happened. Maybe it would be a bad idea to aim to become a wizard if I already had intelligence correction applied to me while only barely being able to understand magic¡­. ¡°Of course, this is only the basic level, but keep in mind that moving from theory to praxis will be much harder than just grasping the concept. You have to think carefully if you want to join the magic major. Also keep in mind the other students before you that have chosen this major. The Magic major brings forth a lot of failures as well.¡± Ah. That¡¯s right. I guess this was comparable to me thinking that Seoul National University would be a piece of cake while solving some elementary school tests. So, I was taking notes with the mindset that I would try as best as I could for the time being. It was better to use my head here, then do physical training at least. Then after a while. The teacher started explaining the existence of other types of magic systems. ¡°¡­As a typical example, demons implement magic in a completely different way from us because their mana system is completely different from ours. We still have to do more research on the subject of the demon¡¯s magic. However, even if we were able to learn how to use magic like them, we cannot be sure that we would be able to use it exactly like them.¡± Hearing that, my mind went blank. What was I even doing up until now? Come to think of it, even if I were to learn magic here, I wouldn¡¯t be able to use it at all, right? I had to go to Eleris to learn magic, and not to this place, didn¡¯t I? Why was I even staying here knowing it would be fruitless? ¡°Oh, student? Where are you going?¡± Let¡¯s make a clean cut. ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t think magic¡¯ll work out for me. Teacher!¡± I decided to drop it! * * * The next day. The first lecture. Magic Sensitivity Training. ¡°Gather the consciousness all over your body¡­. Clear the mind¡­.¡± I was lying on a mat with my eyes closed. I could faintly hear the teacher¡¯s voice reaching my ears. -Now¡­. Imagine the Universe is you.¡­. What? -Take a deep breath¡­. Breath in¡­. Breath out¡­. Spirit treatment? -Put your mind at ease¡­. Wasn¡¯t this yoga? ¨C Your body is becoming one with the univeeeeerse¡­. Wasn¡¯t that similar to the first line? Huh? No matter how I looked at it, that guy was just some charlatan. -Feel iiiiit¡­. The teacher¡¯s languid voice, sounding as if he drank alcohol starting this morning, made my whole body feel tired and relaxed, as if he was using hypnosis. -Now¡­. The world is you¡­. And yooou are the woooorld¡­. Oh. -Feel it¡­.The origin of this world¡­. Maaaaagic¡­. Ahh¡­. -With your whole body¡­. Accept it¡­. You feel so comfortable¡­. Your mind¡­ feels heavy¡­ It¡¯s going to siiiiink¡­.Oh¡­ Like this¡­. ¨C Your consciousness¡­. Is gradually¡­. Getting further away¡­. You feel sleepy¡­. After the Magic Sensitivity Training, conducted by this teacher that looked exactly like the head of a yoga class, was over, everyone looked like they had just woken up. ¡°That would be all for today. I hope you all have a magical day.¡± However, the teacher didn¡¯t really say much to us after we woke up and just told us to go out as the class was over. This Magic Sensitivity Training was an exclusive class for the Royal Class. Wednesday¡¯s lectures were usually only classes exclusive to the Royal Class. They were classes effectively taught in smaller groups. Except for supernatural power and divinity majors, it was normal for everyone to receive Magic Sensitivity Training. So with the exception of a few, every student of Class A and B were gathered here. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I know¡­.¡± ¡°Huh, what the-?¡± Everyone looked as if they just were possessed by a ghost. I was just listening to what he said, but everyone seemed to have fallen asleep. ¡°I heard that this class was very satisfying. I bet something will happen.¡± Bertus also yawned as if he had just woken up, and then laughed. I didn¡¯t think that a class that only required one to sleep would have a low satisfaction rating, but¡­. I didn¡¯t really know if this had anything to do with magic sensitivity. Anyway, it was an easy class, so it was fine. * * * The next class was Meditation, it wasn¡¯t a class exclusive to supernatural power users, but many with supernatural powers attended it. It was important for anyone to be able to keep one¡¯s composure. So, of course, it wasn¡¯t just for supernatural power users. Four of my classmates had supernatural powers. A-3, Liana de Grantz, Electrokinesis. A-6, Heinrich von Schwarz, Pyrokinesis. A-8, Kono Lint, Teleportation. B-7, Ibia Telepathy. There was one more person who took the meditation class even though they didn¡¯t have supernatural powers. He had white skin as dry as anchovies, which made one feel bad for him. However the look in his eyes seemed a bit dangerous. B-8, Dettomolian. His talents were witchcraft and spirituality. He came from a primitive tribe calling the northern snowfields their home. A guy who got admitted with a talent for an ancient form of magic called witchcraft. However, there was no way for Temple to have a curriculum on something like witchcraft only few practiced. However, Dettomolian wanted to enter Temple under the pretext of studying witchcraft on his own. He said he wanted to study in a safe and well-maintained environment. He looked insidious and was actually shunned just like Scarlett. He could also see ghosts. He was currently doing meditation not to control his mind, but to communicate with the spiritual world. There should have been only five people in total¡­. ¡°Charlotte de Gardias.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charlotte also signed up for the meditation class. They called us for attendance, which was rather fast as there were only few attending this class in the first place. This suggested the possibility that Charlotte had a supernatural power. I had no contact with Class B, so I still didn¡¯t know what talent Charlotte had. Of course, her taking mediation classes didn¡¯t mean that she absolutely had supernatural powers. I wasn¡¯t exactly a supernatural power user yet either. But Trauma. Awakening supernatural powers under extreme psychological pressure. Obviously, if Charlotte had a latent supernatural ability, she definitely would have awakened it in the Demon Realm. However, if she had supernatural powers, why didn¡¯t Charlotte use them then? She was in immediate danger, so wouldn¡¯t she have used it in that situation, even if it was on accident? Or did she awaken, but didn¡¯t know how to use it or couldn¡¯t control it? No, maybe she really didn¡¯t have supernatural powers to begin with? The meditation class went on, and I went into meditation with such questions spinning in my mind. -Tak! ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°Focus.¡± Of course, I couldn¡¯t properly meditate with such things floating around my mind. Chapter 35 My next class was Psychic Control. With this I couldn¡¯t help but be sure. ¡°Charlotte de Gardias.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charlotte had a supernatural power. What kind of ability did she possess? ¡°..¡­ Reinhardt. ¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As they called my attendance, the supernatural power teacher looked at me confused. ¡°This was Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s request, so I accepted it, but¡­. You don¡¯t have any supernatural abilities, do you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I heard that your aptitudes were very multi-faceted¡­. I don¡¯t know how I could teach you¡­. How to awaken a supernatural ability¡­.¡± The teacher looked perplexed and the other students also looked at me strangely. It was as if an herbivore came to an all-you-can-eat meat buffet. ¡°It¡¯ll work out somehow.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Including the Teacher and Charlotte¡­ Everyone was looking at me, dumbfounded. * * * -Bzzzt! Crackle! ¡°Excellent, Miss Grantz. You have the best control out of everyone in class.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Try to increase your power output in that state little by little.¡± Liana de Grantz sighed in relief as she succeeded to let sparks bounce between the index fingers of both her hands. Unpredictable things could happen in the supernatural power control class so the teachers were teaching the students one on one. -Flaaare! ¡°Good. Now let¡¯s see how long you can maintain it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Heinrich von Schwartz, who succeeded in lighting a fire on sand, was sweating profusely trying to maintain his concentration. -Wo, woah! Don¡¯t look! -I¡¯m not seeing anything. Anything at all. Lint. Get dressed. And I could hear Kono Lint¡¯s screams coming not from the classroom, but the containment room, followed by the teacher¡¯s fed up voice. Kono Lint. Although he was a total playboy, he had a pretty fraudulent ability, that is, the ability to teleport his body. But his biggest problem was that he couldn¡¯t teleport his clothes as well. So the biggest side effect of his power was that every time he used it, he¡¯d end up naked. He was often teased that his ability could only be used in public baths. Naked Teleportation. I kind of wanted it, but on the other hand, not at all. It wasn¡¯t a bad ability to have. ¡°You¡¯re going to go to Main Street to have crepe for lunch today. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go outside now. Try it again then.¡±¡± ¡°Yes.¡± And B-7 Ibia was using her telepathic abilities. The ability to send her own thoughts into the mind of an opponent. They seemed to be doing a range test at the moment. ¡°Reinhardt¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Teacher.¡± ¡°What do we do now?¡± My teacher had a perplexed look on his face as if he didn¡¯t know what to do with me who didn¡¯t have a supernatural power at all. I would find it weird as well if I were in his shoes. This was a place where supernatural ability users were trying to control and improve their abilities, not to awaken them. So my teacher was at a loss. ¡°Please put me under extreme psychological pressure.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°One might awaken a supernatural power in an emergency, right?¡± ¡°Wha, what?¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to actually try to kill me, just push me to the brink of death and¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask for something so strange!¡± The teacher freaked out, as if I was saying something completely outlandish. That teacher straight up refused, saying that he couldn¡¯t torture a student like that. He also added that there were times when one awakened to a supernatural power in such situations, but that wasn¡¯t always the case. If that were the case, the world would be full of supernatural power users. No. I know that. Actually, I did have a supernatural power. No matter how hard I tried to persuade them, they didn¡¯t seem to want to listen to me, so I just observed the class. And. Charlotte. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Charlotte was taken somewhere by her dedicated teacher after the class started. Were they doing an ability check in the containment room like they did with Kono Lint? Was it a type of ability that should not be seen by others? I looked at the teacher and asked. ¡°What type of supernatural ability does the Princess have?¡± I was just asking. Casually. You could ask such things out of curiosity, right? That¡¯s what I thought anyway. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± However, the teacher just shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a secret or something¡­.¡± Confidential. It was then that I understood why no one was talking about Charlotte¡¯s ability. Charlotte had awakened to a supernatural ability. And no one knew what type it was, except a few teachers. * * * I had no other option but to silently wait until the class was over. Charlotte, who went somewhere and returned shortly before the class ended, looked tired. The Princess¡¯ ability was confidential. Maybe her classmates didn¡¯t know either. For some reason they treated her abilities like some state secret¡­. Mr. Mustrang and the teacher in charge of her ability training were probably in the know. Did Mr. Epinhauser know? Charlotte was a supernatural ability user, and any talk about her abilities was under lock and key. If so, I should also consider the possibility that she didn¡¯t actually have one. There was also the possibility that she may have faked powers she didn¡¯t have in order to get into Temple as a member of the Royal Class. Well, whether that was possible or not is another question. So, did Bertus know what ability the Princess held? It was getting more and more troublesome. If the Princess didn¡¯t have any abilities and Bertus knew, then he wouldn¡¯t have a reason to stay silent about that. So, by that we can conclude that Bertus either also knew the Princess¡¯ supernatural power or he didn¡¯t know yet, no matter if the Princess had one or not. As the class was over, the teacher called me over. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I will allow you to join the class for now, but keep in mind that you will receive failing marks if you decide to continue.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, there¡¯s nothing I can do about that.¡± There was no way a person without a supernatural ability could be given any kind of grade in a class focused on supernatural abilities. When I nodded my head gently, everyone was looking at me as if I was crazy. No, well, I did get that they wouldn¡¯t have any other choice but to fail me like this. I had no intentions of failing though. After class everyone left the classroom. ¡°Hey, No. 11.¡± And then, someone called out to me. ¡°Huh, what?¡± It was A-6 Heinrich von Schwarz who called me. I could see at first glance that he wore a bad kind of expression on his face and everyone started to stand by and decided to watch what was going on. Charlotte was already gone though. She seemed tired after all. ¡°Is Temple a joke to you?¡± He looked pretty uncomfortable, even if I pretended not to notice. It was the same for the others who gave me dirty looks. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Then why does a person who doesn¡¯t have supernatural abilities worm their way into classes for supernatural ability users?¡± Why was that bastard asking something so obvious right now? ¡°Because I want to awaken one.¡± At those words, the expressions of the other kids, including Heinrich¡¯s, changed drastically as if they just heard something absurd. ¡°Do you seriously think that¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? You never know if you don¡¯t try.¡± Heinrich frowned as if he couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. ¡°I heard you¡¯re attending all major¡¯s lectures, right?¡± ¡°That I do.¡± ¡°Do you seriously think you could do anything just because of your infinite aptitudes? You really believe that? Huh? You want to be a supernatural power user. Hah! Do you think you can be a Swordmaster or Wizard just because you want to?¡± The other students looked uncomfortable as well. Yeah, it did look somewhat bad, huh? ¡°I¡¯m just doing this because I think I might get something out of it.¡± ¡°Haah¡­.¡± He looked exasperated. ¡°Never mind, just don¡¯t come to the supernatural power lectures anymore. If you come again, I¡¯ll grill you, you know?¡± It seemed like he didn¡¯t like the fact that I was taking the supernatural power classes. It looked like Heinrich tried to intimidate me by telling me he¡¯d grill me. ¡°Grill what? You wouldn¡¯t even be able to grill a potato.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my estimate after watching the size of your flame. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± He did make some fire burn in the sand, but it was definitely not as good as a bonfire. Heinrich turned red at my words. ¡°What a great ability you have. If all you can do is make your eye color change and make a somewhat big fire with your arms trembling, wouldn¡¯t a flint be much more useful than you?¡± ¡°Wha, wha¡­. What? Thi, this¡­.¡± ¡°Would you like to compete with it? You or a flint? Which one would be better? I expect a landslide victory for the flint. Flints don¡¯t run their smelly mouths like you do.¡± Heinrich, whom I compared to a flint, was stammering, probably never having imagined to get insulted like that. ¡°N, n, now¡­. D, do¡­. Do you, even¡­ know who you are in, insulting right now?¡± That guy eventually said some words that should never be said in here after getting pushed a little. ¡°The one I¡¯m insulting is A-6 Heinrich von Schwarz. No matter how much you are of some fucking noble family, who¡¯d care about that in Temple?¡± ¡°How dare you insult the royalty of the First Principality, subject to the Heave-¡­.¡± I raised my hand as I watched him chatter on. ¡°Ah, you should apologize to me.¡± ¡°Wha, what¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to mention your status in Temple. Did you forget that rule?¡± I looked around at the spectators watching us with stunned expressions. Everyone who took the class, except Charlotte, were here. Kono Lint, Liana de Grantz, and even Ibia, were watching from afar. ¡°We have witnesses here. Did you hear everything?¡± Heinrich¡¯s face turned blue as he realized that he had just broken that rule in his excitement. Everyone suddenly looked away and frowned, when I was asking for witnesses. ¡°If you don¡¯t apologize to me in three seconds, I¡¯ll report it to the student council.¡± ¡°Ooone.¡± ¡°Twooo.¡± ¡°Threeee.¡± I turned around with that momentum. One more rule violated. ¡°Sorry.¡­I was acting too reckless.¡± He was a little late, but I smiled at him as he did give me an answer straight out. Why would you start an argument if you can¡¯t even finish it? ¡°Watch your mouth next time, buddy.¡± I tapped his shoulder and whispered. ¡°This is a place where royals wouldn¡¯t be able to complain, even if they get beat up by a commoner.¡± ¡°Wha¡­. What?¡± ¡°That means, if you do, things will be turned right back at you regardless of your status.¡± No matter what status he held, he wasn¡¯t even good enough to be a portable lighter here. Just when I was about to go past him, I heard him hitting the back of my head. ¡°How dare you, you cheeky bastard!¡± ¡°Ah, what now?¡± The color in his eyes was getting more saturated. He looked like he was turning on a faucet. It seemed like he was trying to use his power. ¡°Frickin hell.¡± -Slap! ¡°Ugh!¡± I casually walked over to him and hit his forehead with my palm. Of course, he staggered and was unable to use his ability like he intended to. I disturbed his concentration after all. ¡°Ah¡­? Huh?¡± He looked like he didn¡¯t understand what happened just now. It was like something that shouldn¡¯t have happened, had happened and he couldn¡¯t even articulate properly. It almost looked like he had question marks in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m gonna give it to you, you fucktard.¡± Didn¡¯t these kids know that a fist would be way faster? Everyone was watching me blackly as I casually smacked the Prince of the First Principality. He seemed astonished beyond absurdity. ¡°Ho, how¡­ How dare that bastard touch my body!¡± ¡°It was legitimate self-defence. Weren¡¯t you trying to burn me just now?¡± He stared at me trembling while I just stood there nonchalantly. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you want to grill me? Huh? Go ahead. Try.¡± ¡°I will kill you!¡± The color in his eyes got more saturated again. -Smack! ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Did you think I would wait for you to charge up, you idiot?¡± Was he stupid? ¡°Every time you try to use your ability, you¡¯ll get a smack in the face. Okay? I¡¯m nice, so I¡¯ll keep it a secret that my dear classmate tried to attack me with his ability. Huh? You do know what a pain it¡¯ll be if I report this, right?¡± ¡°I, I, Iiiiiiirrrrrk!¡± ¡°What are you doing? Didn¡¯t you want to kill me? Come on.¡± ¡°Huup!¡± As soon as I raised my hand, he started holding his breath and pulled his head back. ¡°What a little coward.¡± ¡°Y, yo¡­. You dog-like bastard¡­.¡± Heinrich¡¯s face was flushed red. It seemed like he was terribly embarrassed by the fact that he got scared. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t endure his anger anymore and rushed at me. -Crash! ¡°Ugh!¡± I smoothly took that childish rush of his and threw him off. There was no way that a well-bred royal knew how to fight. He was also a supernatural power user. ¡°Well, you think you can manage with your body alone?¡± ¨C Stomp! ¡°Hey, hey! How about trying to get rid of these dirty feet of mine, huh?¡± I turned to the spectators who didn¡¯t even have time to close their mouths as I stepped on Heinrich¡¯s head. ¡°You guys clearly saw him trying to use his power on me, didn¡¯t you? Huh?¡± Liana de Grantz was staring blankly. Kono Lint was almost trembling. They never imagined seeing such a scoundrel in this place. Anyway, that was that, but having a fight with a classmate and using their powers on a classmate were two crimes of very different magnitudes. ¡°I know you have a lot of pride, but do it in moderation, you hear?¡± I mumbled coldly as I stepped on his head. ¡°Was I hurting you? I was just quietly taking this class. So why did you have to pick a fight with someone who was just staying quiet? The way I see it, shouldn¡¯t you be grateful to me? As I don¡¯t have any supernatural powers, aren¡¯t I laying the groundwork here?¡± I squatted down, grabbed Heinrich¡¯s hair and whispered into his ear. ¡°Your ability¡¯s range currently is 5 meters across, it takes 10 seconds of preparation time and its firepower is less than a bonfire.¡± ¡°!¡± I observed today¡¯s class. So, as Heinrich and Liana continued to learn how to use their abilities, I practically had no other choice but to figure out the extent of their abilities. As I accurately gasped the extent of his powers, he opened his eyes wide, almost tearing them apart. ¡°If you try to use your powers on me one more time in the future¡­¡± How could I stay still when I had nothing. If someone would stand completely still in front of someone who clearly despised you while not possessing anything, that would be asking to get yourself killed. ¡°At that time, if I don¡¯t suddenly change my mind in those 10 second, I might as well rip out your eyeballs.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Mr. Epinhauser say it before? Huh? Let¡¯s be careful of each other.¡± If you didn¡¯t do anything and just endured it, you will be looked down upon. Being a fool was acceptable, but one should never be a pushover. Chapter 36 On the first day I had to beat up Cayer. And on the third day I had to beat up Heinrich von Schwarz. This time, I wasn¡¯t called to see the teacher. If I were called in, I would just testify that he tried to use his ability on his classmate, although it would be a pain. However, this was different from the time with Cayer. Cayer was a commoner, Heinrich von Schwarz was the prince of Kernstadt, the first Principality of the Empire. Although he wasn¡¯t its successor, he was still a descendant. In other words, he was a descendant of the royal family, who had the second highest authority after the Imperial Family. This would be seen a shocking event by anyone, no matter how much they enforced the principle of equality and treated everyone fairly regardless of class. Rather than criticizing me, it seemed like everyone was avoiding me. They seemed to perceive me as a madman, someone actually crazy. At this point they didn¡¯t see me as just something dirty, rather I turned into a scary existence in their eyes. No, I mean, should I have let go of that guy who suddenly started arguing with me and tried to use his ability on me just because he couldn¡¯t stand the sight of me sitting still? Should I have actually gotten grilled, huh? After that, Heinrich would leave his seat as soon as he saw me, as if he saw something dirty. It seemed like he turned around in fury and anger, but he couldn¡¯t raise his hand against me in Temple. I didn¡¯t want to be seen as a pushover, so I became a nut job. Because if I didn¡¯t do this, some genuinely strong person might want to pick a fight with me. It would only be a matter of time before that would turn into a bloodbath, right? If that were to happen, I should absolutely get an ability I could actually use. Would my slow attacks even do anything against someone with a combat talent? My quiet life had been ruined, by none other than myself. So I had no other choice but take this route. It would be completely useless to pretend to be nice and kind to these people. And thinking back about it. I didn¡¯t think that I was ever really nice before. I mean, someone who gets actually mad at some kids in their thirties definitely had some problem with their head, right? The atmosphere of Class A, which had always been quiet, became even worse because of me. Did I actually become a type of villain in the story I wrote? I didn¡¯t do this on purpose, you know? No matter how one looked at it, I was the bad guy here. An initial villain who had no real power but a bad temper, right? After Thursday¡¯s common classes, evening. ¡°Reinhardt, could I talk with you for a second?¡± After dinner, Bertus finally called out to me. * * * After dinner, Bertus took me to a patio tea table. He still had a friendly smile on his lips. On the table was a teapot filled with black tea. He probably prepared this beforehand. ¡°Do you want some tea?¡± ¡°Well, sure.¡± Bertus poured the tea gently into my cup. He put milk into his tea, while I just drank it as is. The Prince didn¡¯t seem to have any hostility towards me. I couldn¡¯t figure out what he thought about me being so casual with him by his expression alone. I didn¡¯t let my guard down because his expression didn¡¯t tell me anything. He was an aspiring Swordmaster. Those who picked a fight with me were mostly physically weaker than me. However, the Prince was someone who could step all over me if he so wanted. Both physically and politically. I wasn¡¯t his match in either of those aspects. If Bertus tried to impose physical sanctions on me¡­ How should I respond? It was the right decision to just become one of those typical strong against the weak and weak against the strong types. Bertus looked at me with a soft smile. A friendly attitude that seemed devoid of hostility. Ludwig was deceived by that attitude. Countless other people were, too. It was a soft smile that could even deceive me, who shouldn¡¯t be deceived by it. ¡°They were all asking me to do something about this matter, so I¡¯ve decided to speak on their behalf with you.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°They are afraid of you.¡± He euphemistically said they were scared of me, but in the end they simply didn¡¯t like me. ¡°Of course, I can understand your behavior to a certain extent. On the first day, Cayer was rather aggressive towards you. Even in the changing room.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it was also Cayer¡¯s fault for saying that your admission was of fraudulent nature.¡± The Imperial Prince. It wasn¡¯t me, but the Prince who was upset by Cayer¡¯s remarks that undermined Temple¡¯s authority. Did you feel refreshed inwardly after you came to stop the fight? ¡°I heard that you acted because you were indignant about him insulting Temple, not you personally.¡± Whether he heard it from Mr. Epinhauser or through other channels, he knew about my appeal. That¡¯s why Bertus knew I pretended to be a patriot. ¡°As a student of Temple I have to look at every person fairly. I have no choice but to. Although it is true that my heart is drawn towards such patriotic people.¡± What? What¡¯s with that weird development? ¡°Reinhardt, I like you very much.¡± This. The storyline got really weird! My hands would tremble less if he told me that he was going to kill me. What¡¯s with this? What direction is this going to? Huh? Bertus heard what I said to Mr. Epinhauser, and was now admiring my patriotism? No, well, it was a matter of course that the Imperial Prince holds strong patriotism. So he was looking favorably upon me? Because he thought that I was enduring all these insults towards my person, but would punch out as soon as Temple was insulted because I was that much of a patriot? Bertus was fiddling with his teacup while still wearing a soft smile. ¡°Still, I think this time you have gone too far. Of course, touching someone of a royal family is far more dangerous than a commoner. I¡¯m not talking about that point though.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I believe our dear classmates¡¯ imagination is running a bit wild.¡± ¡°Imagination?¡± What did he mean? Bertus smiled as he looked at the nightly landscape of Temple as if he could see something beyond the horizon. ¡°There is no way that a man with no talent whatsoever would ever touch the House of Schwarz with nothing to rely on¡­. That is what they are spreading.¡± I began to understand what he meant. ¡®Even if he was crazy, he¡¯s so crazy that there has to be something behind him¡®, that¡¯s what they thought. ¡°So¡­. They think I¡¯m hiding something huge?¡± ¡°Correct. It could be a talent or it could be the power of your family¡­.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± If I were them I wouldn¡¯t be able to understand my behavior either, if there wasn¡¯t something like that behind me. They thought there couldn¡¯t be someone out there, not even a madman, who would beat up someone of a royal family out of rage. ¡°It¡¯s not common, but there are people like that. People who hide their own status and enter Temple as commoners.¡± I knew about that. There were students who couldn¡¯t live under their family name or those who had to hide their background for various other reasons, for example they don¡¯t want to get noticed. There were even such cases where they send a young nobleman here as a commoner, hiding his family background, and what he was met with was utter contempt, as such receiving true education. I was mistaken as someone like that. ¡°What¡¯s worse, even Heinrich is starting to believe it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hah?¡± Recently, Heinrich had been avoiding me, pretending to sleep as soon as he saw me. It wasn¡¯t because he thought I was dirty, but because he truly thought I was scary? ¡°By the way, how many families are there that aren¡¯t afraid of the Schwarz family?¡± Things were going into a completely different direction I expected it to. They thought I had some background that would enable me to punch someone of the Schwarz Royal Family without a care. If so, wouldn¡¯t there be only one option then? ¡°I believe the others think you are the hidden son of a Royal Family.¡± A child¡¯s imagination was sometimes even beyond an adults understanding. No, what stupid idiot would send their hidden son into an environment with two members of the Imperial Family? ¡°Huh¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, I know that¡¯s not true.¡± Bertus looked at me as if he wasn¡¯t such a fool to believe in the trivial imaginations of children. Then he tilted his cup, still having that gentle smile float on his lips. ¡°So, Reinhardt, let me ask you a question.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is there something you can place your trust in?¡± Bertus knew that me being from a Royal Family was nonsense. However he still was curious. About my true background. Even Bertus didn¡¯t seem to believe that I was just some ruthless guy in the end. However, the nature of my background could never be revealed. As it was on the level of turning the entire human race against me. ¡°As if.¡± I sighed and folded my arms. ¡°I don¡¯t need some crazy background to punch some fucker who¡¯s trying to walk all over me, now do I?¡± I¡¯ll just go with that route. It was already too late to fix this anyway. I¡¯m sticking with the nut job route. So what if I hung some dog-bastard out to dry? I also had the Dreadfiend ring, so I could disappear any time I wanted. Bertus looked at me blankly with a slightly dumbfounded expression. ¡°Huh¡­. You mean¡­. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s¡­. So, you don¡¯t have something like that?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You just did that because you were in a bad mood?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Huh¡­. Hah.¡± Bertus, who had been smiling all this time, slightly licked his lips. ¡°Haha, ha. Hahaha. Hahahaha. Haha!¡± Then he suddenly burst into laughter. Bertus laughed for a long time, like a man who lost his mind. After laughing for a while, Bertus looked at me. That look chilled my spine. His eyes felt like those of a snake. This was Bertus true face. Just by looking at him one could feel goosebumps run up one¡¯s back. He looked at me with those eyes and quietly tilted his teacup. ¡°In a situation like that, one would usually lie.¡± It was a lie. No, it could be seen as a lie, kind of, right? I did have a certain background. Ah. It might be a background that exceeded anyone¡¯s imagination though. ¡°If you told me you had some great background or something, I would have have ignored you in the future.¡± Bertus was showing himself to me completely raw. It was completely different from those guys who had been yelling and swearing at me before. It was indeed a young man¡¯s gaze, but it seemed frozen. ¡°It was wise of you to answer honestly. Reinhardt.¡± He seemed to have expected me to bluff my way out of this situation. I was just pretending to be that kind of person to not get beat up. Did he do a background check on me? Did he already know that I wasn¡¯t actually some big shot, and by saying these things was he trying to find out what kind of person I was? I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°I could have lied that there was nothing, though?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if there really is nothing about you, but you aren¡¯t a nobleman at least.¡± Bertus set down his teacup and stroked the rim with his fingers. ¡°There¡¯s no way that a nobleman wouldn¡¯t know how to hold a teacup.¡± The tea wasn¡¯t prepared for no reason. He looked through me just by observing how I held a teacup and drank the tea. When I realized that my unconscious actions gave away information about my background, I got goosebumps all over my body. I was the one who set up this character, but it was hard for me to put into words how this guy was scaring me. If I bragged about my background he would have just ignored me. But I told him that I wasn¡¯t much. So what? ¡°You should have bluffed, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Have you ever thought about what Heinrich von Schwarz could do to you?¡± I kind of thought about it. Of course, I rushed in with my body first, but I did organize my thoughts later. The price I would have to pay for touching someone of the Royal Family of Kernstadt, the First Principality of the Empire. However, I knew about Heinrich von Schwarz¡¯s background. I was pretty confident that he wouldn¡¯t be able to hurt me. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°The moment you step out of Temple, you might disappear without any trace for hitting someone from the House of Schwarz. Don¡¯t you worry about that?¡± ¡°Sure do.¡± No, I didn¡¯t really. Because something like that would never happen in the first place. ¡°Then when I told you that Heinrich was afraid of your unknown background, wouldn¡¯t it have been good if you kept these fears alive?¡± ¡°Sure would have been.¡± ¡°Then why did you tell me the truth? Heinrich is very likely to harm you, and you should feel afraid of that.¡± Heinrich was of a Royal Family, rather hostile and joined the Royal Class. However he was currently more or less in exile. No one in the Schwarz family looked favorably upon Heinrich. That was why Heinrich¡¯s status was just a shell. In reality, he was just some guy with no power or status. Therefore, I already knew that there would be no retaliation against me from that family he was practically abandoned by far in the distance. However, to tell him that I knew about these things would obviously be suspicious. So why did I deny this misunderstanding that would have kept me safe? ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been any good to tell such shallow lies in front of the Imperial Prince.¡± It would be better to say that I had foreseen this situation. I judged it to be more dangerous to deceive Bertus in order to keep myself safe from that guy called Heinrich. That was what I was going for. At my word, Bertus began to stare at me. ¡°I could tell Heinrich about this, you know? Wouldn¡¯t that be problematic for you?¡± I felt like walking on a thin sheet of ice. Turning Bertus against me would put my life at risk. I decided to use the nut job route, but he wasn¡¯t really picking a fight with me, so there was no reason for me to snap at him. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± ¡°You said that when I lied, you would have just ignored me in the future. Then wouldn¡¯t that mean you¡¯d do something if I didn¡¯t?¡± My hand was just a dog¡¯s paw after all. Then, in this situation, Bertus wouldn¡¯t ignore me, but would try to do something. Maybe he¡¯d offer me a solution. Maybe he thought something like I wasn¡¯t someone he should ignore. ¡°And I do think Heinrich wouldn¡¯t be able to touch me, whatever my background, assuming he¡¯s not completely braindead.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°No matter inside or outside of Temple, it wouldn¡¯t be normal for a Temple student, and a Royal Class student at that, to suddenly die in the Imperial Capital Gardium.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And if I actually were to die, the culprit would be all too clear. A Royal Class student from a commoner background fought with a member of the First Principality¡¯s Royal Family. If someone like that were to die suddenly, it would be very obvious whose knife stabbed him.¡± If I died with that timing, it would be obvious who killed me, so, of course, Heinrich would be the prime suspect. Bertus was smiling more and more. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be possible for the Schwarz Royal Family to use their power to cover up this case?¡± ¡°Of course, that might happen.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°However.¡± I looked at Bertus and smiled. I didn¡¯t know what would happen, but I couldn¡¯t stop now. ¡°I don¡¯t think our homeland, the Empire, would be swayed just by a Principality. Rather, wouldn¡¯t they be asked to pay for tarnishing Temple¡¯s honor?¡± Bertus¡¯ lips began to curl up at the expression ¡®homeland¡¯. Was he more patriotic than even Mr. Epinhauser? Now that I thought about it, my death would be a much bigger deal than I thought. I knew it wouldn¡¯t happen, but I decided to use my confidence in Temple and the Empire as the reason for that belief. Bertus seemed to admire my judgment. Bertus liked smart guys. He certainly picked up something about me, but it was different from our other classmate¡¯s judgement. Of course, it was because I knew a thing or two about this place¡¯s common sense. ¡°Great.¡± Bertus was grinning as if there was no more need to talk. ¡°It¡¯s the first time in my life that I came to like a cheeky guy like you so much.¡± What? What was with this situation? ¡°Reinhardt, let¡¯s enjoy our life at Temple together.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± Why was the first person I got close at Temple the villain? Chapter 37 Why do you think that the first friend you made at Temple would make a good friend? Talented Villain. 1. Nice to his subordinates. 2. Would be able to hide me, So, becoming Bertus¡¯ subordinate wouldn¡¯t be such a bad thing, but I was still scared. It did have advantages, but wouldn¡¯t it look like I¡¯m a double agent? Was he going to treat me like a subordinate in the first place? It would be hard to keep that going for a long time. If he were to place me under his wing, wouldn¡¯t he be the first and only member of the Imperial Family to ever make a Demon Prince their subordinate? Anyway, Bertus seemed to want to maintain a close relationship with me in our future Temple life. Of course, I knew Bertus. He was a talented guy. Whether they were commoners, nobles or royalty, if they had the ability, he would have serious interest in them. It didn¡¯t matter what kind of person they were, as long as they proved to be useful. That was the type of person he was. Bertus sat on the terrace railing this time. It was on the first floor, so one could go outside from it. He talked with his back to me. ¡°Do you love the Empire?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± That wasn¡¯t a lie. I really did love it. This was the best place to live on the whole continent after all. ¡°Why do you love it?¡± He didn¡¯t like obvious answers. ¡°Because of money.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What? Money?¡± Bertus turned his head to look at me. He¡¯d find out if we continued to be like this anyway, but I had to be a little more honest here. ¡°There¡¯s no reason not to love a place that allows a helpless beggar to live in a palace like this just because there¡¯s something strange about him.¡± ¡°.¡­Beggar?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It wasn¡¯t even on the level of not having any background, kid. ¡°I¡¯m from the streets.¡± I was a beggar! Bertus opened his mouth slightly as if he had never imagined something like that. That made it clear that this guy didn¡¯t run a background check on me. Bertus didn¡¯t say anything for a moment, perhaps bewildered or perplexed, he nodded blankly as if he came back to his senses. ¡°Ah, right¡­.Yes¡­. I know what you mean.¡± I had been wandering around the streets. ¡°If you dislike me for being a beggar, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± He was fine with commoners, but what about beggars? We weren¡¯t just a Prince and a Pauper, we were the Imperial Prince and a Beggar. ¡°No. I prefer it that way.¡± However, Bertus gave me an unexpected answer. I couldn¡¯t believe it. He preferred it? ¡°Because there¡¯s a strong basis for loyalty.¡± Not only did I get to live in this place just because I had some form of talent, but it was also possible for me to hold a conversation with the Prince like this. He seemed to think that one could take my loyalty to the Empire for granted then. Yeah, that certainly was a convincing statement. As if he found it funny that I put it as being loyal because of money, Bertus chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of light hanging out with a beggar would shine on you. Well, my origins aren¡¯t exactly a secret or anything.¡± I told Bertus another point I thought might be a problem. Surely it wouldn¡¯t paint a good picture and my origins would spread someday. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± However, Bertus cut me off. ¡°Reinhardt, do you know about ants?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± ¡°Did you know that they have a hierarchy in ant society?¡± ¡°Like queen ant, worker ant and so on?¡± ¡°Yes. Like that.¡± Bertus was staring outside, as if he was peering through the darkness. Why was he talking about ants out of nowhere? ¡°Queen ants, worker ants, soldier ants and so on, there might be even more complicated systems, or none at all, but I don¡¯t know about that.¡± ¡°What about it?¡± Were you proud of not knowing that? ¡°What do I know about classes among ants.¡± Bertus said coldly. ¡°Beggars, commoners, nobles, princes, dukes, counts, barons. Why would I care about that?¡± That was the type of guy Bertus was. ¡°They look all the same below me, Reinhardt.¡± Bertus laughed grimly. ¡°So, whether Heinrich von Schwarz criticized me or you criticized me.¡± He had pretty intuitive logic. ¡°It would be all the same to me.¡± All were equal below him. Whether it was a soldier ant or the lowest of those ants trying to criticize him, he wouldn¡¯t care either way. He put it in quite the dog-like way, but in the end it meant he didn¡¯t care what I was. He told me not to worry about that and not to be too nervous about these things. ¡°The core message is great, but the way you put was quite intense.¡± Look at that twisted bastard. ¡°That¡¯s what power is, Reinhardt.¡± Bertus giggled. ¡°Those who have it, have the freedom to be snobbish.¡± His choice of words were rather radical. Isn¡¯t it nice being treated comfortably? The powerful have the freedom to be snobbish. ¡°However you don¡¯t have that kind of power and yet you are the way you are¡± As for Bertus, he seemed interested in me because I was acting frivolous even though I didn¡¯t have any power at all. Because of that, some people judged me to be some mysterious person in the end. ¡°You¡¯re a beggar and yet you seem to have a good head on your shoulders. Your eloquence isn¡¯t normally found in someone born in poverty.¡± ¡°There are all sorts of people in this world.¡± Bertus looked at me. It was as if he was trying to peer through me. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s find out what you are really hiding.¡± He seemed convinced that a beggar wouldn¡¯t be capable of that. He¡¯d treat me as a friend, but Bertus was obviously suspicious of me. However, one couldn¡¯t just manipulate my origins. That said, I didn¡¯t even try acting like a stupid beggar. I wasn¡¯t all that disappointed, as it was an inevitable result. In the end, Bertus wouldn¡¯t fully trust my background or rather the lack thereof. He didn¡¯t tell me to come under him, nor did I say that I would go under him. ¡°But it is true that I don¡¯t have any abilities. So is there anything about me that you¡¯re interested in so much that you want to get closer to me?¡± ¡°Those talents as meager as a rat are useless as of now. That¡¯s not to say that a physical scanner could explain everything about a human being.¡± After Bertus revealed his true face, he didn¡¯t pretend to be kind in front of me anymore. Talents as meager as little rats. Bertus was criticizing the Royal Class students for being useless. He seemed to think that it was foolish to only believe in what that physical scanner showed. He was focused on indicators that that thing couldn¡¯t show. ¡°I¡¯d prefer someone who could use his head a little better a hundred times over some measly talent. Of course, someone with a good head on their shoulders punching people left and right is rather problematic. Well, as that was how you used to live, I can understand your behavior to some extent.¡± Bertus chuckled. It seemed like he judged me as someone who was smart and had good judgement, but as soon as someone started to argue with me I would use my fist first. Since I was a beggar, he seemed to think that that was why I acted like that. No, but¡­. I wasn¡¯t actually a beggar¡­. ¡°Well, what I wanted to say stays the same, in the end. Try to hold in your temper.¡± We came back to the beginning and he ended up saying the same thing. ¡°I¡¯ll try, but only if those brats can be communicated with.¡± ¡°Well, yeah. That¡¯s all for now.¡± Bertus came down form the terrace railing and stood in front of me. ¡°When I¡¯m sure you¡¯re mine, let¡¯s talk about some more important things then.¡± The time for Bertus to trust me. The time for me to trust Bertus. That time hadn¡¯t come yet. But Bertus did recognize my worth, which is why he threw out the bait first. Something like ¡°Don¡¯t forget who recognized your value first¡±. I knew without even thinking about it who came first. * * * I became friends with Bertus. No, we weren¡¯t quite friends yet. Anyway, even if I hadn¡¯t quite gained the Imperial Prince¡¯s favor yet, it did seem like he saw me in a positive light. I seemed to have been judged as a useful guy. There weren¡¯t any visible effects of that. He wasn¡¯t acting too friendly. Of course, we would talk casually, regardless of whether other people saw us or not. There were probably some rumors floating about by now, that the Imperial Prince was kind even so some crazy asshole. Classes on Friday included Divinity, Alchemy and Synthesis. Divinity studies were for those gifted with divine powers, so the only ones taking the class were Erich and Ashir from Class B. The rest were all regular class students who wanted to be priest or paladins. Of course, I understood what they were trying to teach, but I couldn¡¯t sense divine power at all. Using divine power as a Demon, would seem pretty funny, wouldn¡¯t it? Everyone who majored in Magic would study Alchemy as well. Unlike magic classes, Alchemy seemed quite doable. It was a fun class because it was a practical one. General Martial Arts. I almost fell behind while trying to understand it. In the end, this was close to P.E. Part 2. Fortunately no one, except Ludwig, even dared to make eye contact with me. It seemed like the rumor that I was a total nut job went around the Class A and B kids. When Erich saw me today in Divinity Studies, he seemed to avoid me and that man named Ashir who was also majoring in Divinity from Class B, immediately turned his head as fast as lightening after he made eye contact with me once. Well. I wasn¡¯t a bully, just some psycho they wanted to avoid. And the truth behind that rumor of me having some mysterious background still didn¡¯t seem to have spread yet. Did Bertus want the misunderstandings to be resolved on their own? It was true that I was an ill-tempered person, but I was also talentless. So if a strong guy came along, I was confident that that person, beating me up would set things right, but it seemed like those types of people were avoiding me because of that misunderstanding. Hidden royalty? Children and their imagination¡­. * * * As a rule, Royal Class students had to live in the dormitory. Of course, since most of the Temple students came from far away countries, most of them lived in Temple, but there were also some Temple students that lived in Gardium, so there were some cases of students commuting to school. Of course, Temple was huge, so one had to get up very early to leave the school and go outside. Among the members of the Royal Class, those who had a mansion in Gardium often went home on the weekends. There were no compulsory activities during the weekend. Everyone was free to study, play or do whatever they wanted. I could stay in the dormitory, but I¡¯d just be alone anyway. I had no clue how to awaken my ability. Well, I¡¯d better let them know how my first week went. * * * Where would I go? Of course to the Rotary Gang, the sewer area under the Bronzgate Bridge. ¡°¡­¡­So, you¡¯ve been beating up the kids, is what you mean?¡± ¡°¡­so to speak, erm, that¡¯s how it was.¡± When I told Loyar about my Temple life, she looked at me. She seemed to think I hadn¡¯t gotten rid of old habits or something. After all, the way I acted kind of felt the same as the original prince, huh? ¡°No, but it was them who picked the fight. Would I hit the back of the head of someone who was just minding their own business?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± At my plea, Loyar looked at me as if I would do that. What¡¯s with that guy? ¡°Paw.¡± -Pat ¡°Do, don¡¯t do this, Your Highness¡­.¡± ¡°If you keep looking at me like that, I¡¯ll tell you to show me your stomach.¡± ¡°I, I really don¡¯t want to do that, Your Highness¡­.¡± She was more straightforward than anyone I knew. Chapter 38 Naturally, Sarkegaar and Eleris weren¡¯t here. It was only Loyar. The gang members I met on the way asked me if I was doing fine in Temple, so I answered appropriately. Of course, I didn¡¯t tell them that I was beating up kids. ¡°I heard the Imperial Prince and Princess entered Temple as well.¡± ¡°Well, yeah.¡± ¡°What do you think? Will it be dangerous?¡± Loyar seemed worried about me. In a way, just entering Temple was quite the dangerous endeavor, but now two of my classmates were of the Imperial Family. ¡°So far, everything¡¯s fine, but I think the Prince is trying to lure me to his side.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. This feels dangerous.¡± ¡°If things seem to turn south, I¡¯ll somehow escape using the ring.¡± So, I told her not to worry too much about me. Loyar seemed to be worried that my life would be in danger at Temple. And I didn¡¯t only come here to report my life at Temple to her. ¡°And, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like you to look into if you could.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s something Sarkegaar should do, to be exact, not you personally.¡± I didn¡¯t know how far the reach of Count Argon Pontheus was, but Sarkegaar had the ability to transform, so it would be relatively easy for him to gather some information. ¡°It seems like the Princess has a supernatural ability, and that power is considered to be confidential.¡± ¡°¡­The Princess. You¡¯re telling me she has a supernatural ability?¡± ¡°Yeah. I want you to look into that. Of course, there¡¯s no rush. I just feel a bit queasy having something in front of me that¡¯s kept a secret.¡± I had a feeling that I needed to know what Charlotte was capable of. Perhaps Loyar hadn¡¯t even thought of that as she furrowed her eyebrows. I wanted to confirm if that confidential supernatural ability the Princess was said to have, was real, or if it was just a lie fabricated so that she could enter the Royal Class. If she held a dangerous ability, I had to be careful. ¡°I will relay the message to Sarkegaar.¡± ¡°How is it going with the train vendor strategy, by the way?¡± A smile spread across Loyar¡¯s face, hearing my words. The Rotary Gang had changed their strategy from selling candies to passers-bys to selling goods on trains. ¡°Very good.¡± ¡°Oh, how good exactly?¡± Loyar explained to me that their sales had risen to an unprecedented level. The items they sold also seemed to get good responses as they also sold simple snacks along with candy. Anyway, it felt rather weird for them to become general merchandisers. ¡°I was thinking about what toys to choose to sell, but I don¡¯t think things are running so badly as is.¡± ¡°Strictly instruct them not to fight with the passengers, tell them to just get off or go to another compartment if they seem about to get into one. If they start hurting the passagers, sanctions will be imposed at the Imperial level. Then our business would be over.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± This was an unlicensed business. If the vendors started to be shunned and caused the passengers inconveniences, there might be a possibility that the city guards would be dispatched to drive them away, or they might even permanently place guards on the trains. It would be nice if their income was stable enough to cut ties with the Thieves¡¯ Guild. It didn¡¯t feel particularly good for my group to potentially get controlled by someone else. I was about to go back after telling her those things, but Loyar called out to me. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t visit Eleris or Sarkegaar in person.¡± No, I was actually planning to stop by Eleris¡¯ shop though. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Since you are supposed to come from this place, it¡¯s alright to visit, but places like the mansion of Count Pontheus or Eleris¡¯ shop might be considered unnatural.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. Yeah, that¡¯s true. But do we have to implement that already?¡± ¡°Yeah, there was a tail on you already.¡± What? No, how did you detect that in the first place? ¡°I didn¡¯t take any actions because they seemed like Your Highness¡¯ classmates, but you will have to be careful with your actions in the future.¡± I never thought that there would be people tracking my actions for some reason. I was careless. Dropping by the Rotary Gang was a good thing, because I was supposed to come from this place. However, things would have gotten dangerous if I went anywhere unusual like Eleris¡¯ Shop or the mansion of Count Pontheus. However, I couldn¡¯t believe I got followed. I wasn¡¯t some super human, so I couldn¡¯t just suddenly stop in some alley and go: ¡°Hey. Come out¡±. That was just impossible. I didn¡¯t have to think much about the reason why they followed me, because I could roughly guess. They probably went after me, because they were curious about how great I really was. I should refrain from going to the Rotary Gang from now on. Loyar told me that she would send me a message from her side if necessary. There was the possibility that the Prince might put tails on me, so if I came into contact I seriously had to check my back. I was really very glad that I first stopped by the Rotary Gang. If I decided to go anywhere else first things might have gotten pretty troublesome. And. ¨C Here comes the beggar. I was now facing a less cumbersome situation compared to being caught. * * * Upon hearing Loyar¡¯s warning I immediately returned to Temple. I also went to talk to the guys I believed might have followed me. However as soon as I entered the lobby of the Class A dormitory, all the students who stayed behind were staring at me with a look of contempt. Apparently, the rumor had already been swept away. They knew I was a beggar. And the guys standing on the forefront, Cayer and Erich, were staring at me. ¡°Hey, why were you hanging out with the beggars under the bridge? Are you a beggar?¡± I nodded at Erich¡¯s words. ¡°Huh. You¡¯re just a bum from the streets?¡± When I readily agreed, the expressions of the people looking at me became spectacular. I guessed they were expecting me to deny having hung out with beggars. However, when I just came out as a beggar, they were dumbfounded. I stared at Erich and Cayer. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re trying to tease me for being a beggar and making a fuss about it. But, it¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t heard this crap once or twice before. It¡¯s annoying.¡± I sighed with my arms crossed. ¡°If I were you guys, I would rather not touch me if I knew that I was from the streets.¡± As I took one step closer, Cayer as well as Erich stumbled a step back.. ¡°Wha, what? You¡¯re just a beggar¡­.¡± ¡°Yo, you dirty bastard rolling around with beggars¡­. Stay away from me¡­..¡± It was kind of funny how they were running their mouths while feeling scared shitless. ¡°What do you think would happen if someone who lived a rough life on the streets suddenly came here and some bastards were staring down at them?¡± I took yet another step towards them while they took another step back. ¡°Huh? Your eyes are spinning suddenly. Yeah, you¡¯re supposed to be scared of this, right?¡± As I approached them with gleaming eyes, they tried to retreat. Eventually they reached the couch and fell on top of it. They looked white as a sheet as if they were intimidated by my words. ¡°I don¡¯t think you know this because you¡¯re still kids, but you don¡¯t mess with people who have nothing to lose.¡± You¡¯re glad that I was just a beggar? I don¡¯t have anything like a powerful background, so you think you can handle me? Adults, you see, are more afraid of people like that. People who had nothing to lose wouldn¡¯t think about what they could lose by doing certain things. ¡°If some crazy guy down on their luck feels threatened, huh. I don¡¯t know. Like this. They¡¯ll hit you. You want to feel that? Huh? If you want me to show you, just say so. Ah, don¡¯t you want to know? You do want to see it, don¡¯t you? So, do you want me to show you or not?¡± ¡°Tha, tha¡­.¡± ¡°Huh, should I show you or not!?¡± I shouted at Cayer. ¡°N, no¡­. No¡­.¡± ¡°Next. You, you bastard. Erich. Should I show you? Tell me.¡± ¡°Wha, what¡­. Show me what¡­. What do you want to show me!?¡± Erich frantically shouted. ¡°How about showing your right eye what your left eye looks like, huh? Do you think I won¡¯t be able to harm you even with a knife because you¡¯re stronger than me and you have decent stamina?¡± While I explained with a dirty look, Erich shook his head violently, his face blanched, perhaps imagining it. ¡°I see. If you ever feel like wanting me to show you that, you just have to follow me again.¡± When I smiled at them like a psycho, those kids looked like they were about to pee their pants. Those who were watching this scene weren¡¯t any different. They seemed to wonder what was wrong with a beggar bastard like me. In fact, they seemed to have realized that I was an even crazier psycho than they first thought. ¡°If you¡¯re so full of energy on the weekend, just play some ball. How could kids not know how to play like kids¡­. Tsk.¡± I patted the cheeks of those two who had just lost their face. * * * It seemed that it was Erich and Cayer who followed me. I also wondered if Heinrich would come at me all excited after he heard that I was just a beggar, but he didn¡¯t. The fact that I was a beggar would probably spread around rather quickly, but thanks to that scene I just showed them, the rumor that I was just some maniac who didn¡¯t know how precious life was would spread much faster. I was sure they would become even more reluctant to touch me, although it would probably be better for me if I didn¡¯t directly saw these kids giving me ugly looks. Well, right now I was just keeping them at bay with my crazy gangster bluff, but depending on the results of my training I would become a real hard hitter. I mean, what else could I do? Even if I got into a fight and acted tough, what was most important were my abilities after all, so it was important to unlock that damn locked ability. In the end, I couldn¡¯t think of anything even after the sun went down, so I was kind of worried. Just when I was thinking about my future. -Knock, knock. Someone knocked on my door. What? Is it finally time for me to show them something nice? Were they coming to pick another fight with me? Did they forget already? ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± When I opened the door, I saw a totally unexpected person standing there. It was a pretty girl who was wearing a track suit even though it was the weekend. My apprentice in the studies of Cheonggukjang. It was Ellen Artorius. ¡°Go to the gym.¡± Not ¡°Would you like to come to the gym¡± but ¡°Go¡±? What was she talking about? Who told her to bring me to the gym? ¡°Who wants me to come?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think she¡¯s a senior.¡± Senior? What nonsense was that? ¡°The others went, too.¡± What was the meaning of this? * * * Somebody had to go call me, but no one wanted to do it, so it seemed like Ellen went. But why the hell did a senior call us? The gym was in the form of a very large hall. All the Year 1 Class A students present in the dormitory were gathered here, except those that were away over the weekend. Everyone was there except Bertus and Liana de Grantz, who had a mansion in the Capital. So there were 9 people in total¡­. Why were they doing that? ¡°Is he the last one?¡± Ellen nodded her head. I could see my classmates in prone position and a little kid trying to keep as grim of an expression on her face as possible. That little brat spoke. ¡°What are you doing? Lie down.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you get down already?¡± She wasn¡¯t wearing a uniform, but she was indeed a kid. I mean, I was a child as well, but she was more of a child than I was. Wasn¡¯t she just a middle schooler? But that brat was supposed to be our senior? Ellen lay face down next to the other children. The little one then looked at the lying children and started to talk. ¡°Guys. I think your friend has rather bad ears.¡± The children were staring at me and seemed to cuss me out very hardly with their eyes. They were telling me to quickly lie down. No, but why were these prideful bastards doing this just because of one little brat? ¡°Don¡¯t you understand words?!¡± The little brat screamed. ¡°What kind of senior are you?¡± ¡°Wha, what¡­?¡± As soon as I said that, the little brat¡¯s expression turned into bewilderment. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you¡®re a senior? Someone as tiny as you? What¡¯s so crazy about this little thing that everyone is lying on their bellies?¡± The faces of my classmates who were lying down turned bizarre. ¡°Yo, yo¡­. You don¡¯t know who I am¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, get out of here before I flick you. So annoying.¡± ¡°Eeek!¡± When I raised my hand suddenly, the little brat stepped back in confusion. Her face turned blue. How could this girl be like that? That look. She seemed confused. ¡°Y, you¡­. You are done here.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± The blue faced little brat gnashed her teeth at me and strode out of the gym. Everyone was looking at me blankly, doubting their own eyes at this crazy thing I did again. Although, this time, my mad act seemed more welcome than before. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you getting up?¡± Everyone slowly began to get up with puzzled expressions on their faces. I looked towards Cayer, not the others. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± He was a pushover after all. ¡°Ah¡­. No, this.¡± Cayer hesitated to explain as it might hurt his pride. ¡°Ah, hey!¡± When I came towards him with a harsh look in my eyes, he hesitated first but then opened his mouth. Chapter 39 ¡°What a sight.¡± When I heard the explanation from Cayer, I was dumbfounded and burst into laughter. What transpired just now was a tradition passed down from generation to generation in Class A. They called this ¡®Draining¡¯. They did this to prevent the nobles and royalty, who were said to be narrow-minded, from acting up. It seemed that this absurdity came into being as a means to show everyone that they were equal. As a result the 2nd graders would come and knock down the 1st graders. They would also tell them at the same time that they should never lose to Class B and that they would kill them if they ever lost to them. They were trying to do that today, the first weekend after the start of the school year. That¡¯s why they were making people lie down regardless of their status, telling them that there were only the seniors who were superior to them regardless of their status. So it was rather ridiculous for me to act like that towards her, so that brat was dumbfounded. I had no idea something so absurd was a tradition in Class A. This was mainly due to my focus on the Class B dormitory. That unwillingness to lose to Class B of Class A was also coerced by their seniors. Something like that? The students of Class B would have fun, eating good food with some nice seniors¡­ Students from Class A sure had a lot of personality, regardless of grade, huh? Well, I was sure to be the one who had the biggest personality of them all though¡­ ¡°So a commoner upperclassmen would come here to teach the freshmen of Class A like this every year?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I heard¡­.¡± ¡°Who was that brat just now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a sophomore and her name is¡­ Her name is¡­¡± ¡°Redina, she didn¡¯t tell us her talent.¡± Kono Lint who was next to him told me in his stead. So originally, this was an important event of a commoner completely crushing the sense of authority of the royalty and nobility. This year, that little brat was the one in charge. Anyway, they probably felt it was ridiculous for everyone to be treated like that, but as it was a tradition they were clenching their teeth. Even if it hurt their pride a little, it would hurt a lot more having to leave Royal Class. They must have thought that all the other nobles and royals of the Royal Class had received that treatment. Anyway, the royals and nobles swallowed their pride and were quietly undergoing the process of de-authorization, to find out what it¡¯s like to be a beggar. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Everyone was focusing their attention on me for some reason. Everyone was just staying in the gym wondering if it would be alright to leave like this. ¡°Hey.¡± No. 4, Harriet de Saint-Owan, called out to me worriedly. That Harriet with the Magic talent. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Will you take responsibility if this goes wrong?¡± It was like she was asking me why I didn¡¯t just leave that pride that had already been bent, bent. She had a pretty face, but was ferocious, and a total jerk. ¡°And what would happen if it went wrong?¡± ¡°We¡¯d look bad to our seniors.¡± I thought she was talking about what image the seniors had of us. ¡°And what would happen if they see us in a bad light? What then?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What will happen if the seniors see us in a bad light?¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s it¡­.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you be able to go to class or won¡¯t you be able to sleep? If they beat us up, we should report it to the teachers. Why did you flop on your belly if that¡¯s all there is to it? Do you guys have no guts? How could you have even less pride than me who came from the streets? Tsk.¡± Sigh. When I looked at everyone disdainfully and tsked, everyone, except Ellen and Cliff, had red hot faces. They probably thought that if they didn¡¯t listen they would get into trouble, so they clenched their teeth, thinking about the honor and social recognition they would receive after graduating from the Royal Class. They felt like shit, but they tried to bear with it, but that¡¯s when I waltzed in and flipped the table. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s your responsibility! We did what we were told! There¡¯s nothing wrong with that! Okay?¡± Harriet yelled at me, thinking that she just had lost all her pride and face. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if this will mess up my life at Temple.¡± It seemed that Harriet thought that I would be no harm to her because I kept still and didn¡¯t touch her before. What a joke. ¡°Kill me? Were you just saying whatever came to your mind? Do you think I can¡¯t beat you?¡± ¡°Wha, what?¡± ¡°Where could status and rank, as well as the difference between man and woman be found in the Royal Class, which views everyone equal before talent? If you act big, you¡¯re gonna have my handprint imprinted on you cheek for the next few weeks. You hear?¡± I¡¯m quite experienced when it came to death. I had already died once after all. None of you have died before, right? Well, I have! As I took a step closer, Harriet slipped back in surprise. ¡°The only thing you got going for you his a hard head. So how are you gonna kill me?¡± ¡°He, he¡­. H, Head?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± When I treated the Princess of the Saint-Owan Grand-Duchy as someone whose only strength was her hard head, everyone¡¯s expressions became strange. ¡°Hu, huh¡­. Huh! Huh!¡± Harriet felt more insulted and humiliated then when she had to lie on her stomach, so her face turned apple red and she couldn¡¯t bring out a single coherent word. -Bang! ¡°Come forward, you bastard!¡± And. This time a group of people stormed into the gym. * * * There were a total of five people who stormed in. They were probably in their second year of high school, so they were 18 years old. Of course the kid from earlier was among them as well. ¡°Is it him?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The little brat called Redina hid behind a male classmate and pointed at me. What, you were just some cute little brat with your classmates, huh? This looked like a little sister calling her big brother after a fight. That guy looked like he was about to shout ¡°How dare you mess with our child with that attitude of yours?¡±. The senior who seemed to be the leader of the group, was looking at me with a twisted expression. Wow, it was so bizarre to see a high school student do this in real life. ¡°Hey, junior. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Huh. You¡¯re probably from some great noble family and don¡¯t know how the Royal Class operates¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a noble though?¡± It seemed like I was mistaken for some kind of aristocrat, and despite the circumstances, laughter erupted among my first-year classmates. ¡°Why are you laughing? What¡¯s so funny?¡± The atmosphere behind me became chilly again due to this senior¡¯s criticism. ¡°So what? Are you a royal?¡± ¡°Nope?¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± Then the boy¡¯s expression turned strange. I was neither a noble nor a royal. So there was only one conclusion. ¡°What are you saying? The only one from the Imperial Family here is supposed to be Bertus? You¡¯re Reinhardt, right?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s from the Imperial Family?¡± I laughed and then said: ¡°I¡¯m not a noble, nor am I a royal, nor a part of the Imperial family, but just a beggar from the streets, what about it?¡± Everyone was stunned by my bold declaration. ¡°¡­. A beggar? You are a beggar?¡± ¡°Yeah, a beggar.¡± Everyone seemed shocked at how casually I was saying that. The one that seemed like their representative looked at me with his arms crossed, completely speechless. ¡°No, then why are you acting so high and mighty like the nobles and royals do?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do something, you don¡¯t. What¡¯s the big deal? Can¡¯t a beggar have pride?¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± He clenched his fist and began to approach me. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to beat it out of you. Let me give you a good beating.¡± -Pow! I felt it as soon as I got hit. That guy was the real deal. * * * The atmosphere was even chillier than before. ¡°Urg¡­.¡± It hurt like hell. That was all I could think off. His fist hit really hard, no joke. ¡°And haven¡¯t you been really silent since earlier?¡± When I stepped back holding onto my stomach, he started approaching me slowly. I¡¯ve been acting like I was mad up until now, and I thought I would be able to get this guy like that. However, this was unexpected. This guy was a senior after all, not one of my classmates. It seemed clear that our physical abilities couldn¡¯t even be compared with. That was the difference a year could make. ¡°If you are part of Royal Class.¡± -Pow! ¡°Urg!¡± ¡°Follow the Royal Class¡¯ traditions.¡± -Pow! ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°If it were up to me, you would be long dead. Got that?¡± I was getting helplessly beat up by an 18 year old kid while he was casually talking. I couldn¡¯t stand getting beat up like that, so I ran towards him. ¡°Heh.¡± -Pow! ¡°Urrg!¡± ¡°Did you just try to hit a senior, huh?¡± Although he was startled by the fact that I tried to punch him, that guy avoided my fist just by moving his head a bit. He then laughed and grabbed my hair. ¡°This bastard is for real.¡± -Pow! He beat my chest. ¡°Really.¡± -Pow! ¡°Urgh!¡± He hit me in the abdomen. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± -Pow! ¡°Heup!¡± I got hit in my face. My classmates and seniors were watching me get beat up blankly. What was surprising, was¡­ The look on their faces wasn¡¯t a refreshed one. They were obviously looking scared. I realized it as I got hit in the head. Even though I couldn¡¯t fight. I felt like I had won. ¡°You¡¯re just a little bit-¡­.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± -Kak! ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Got you now, you fucking bitch.¡± ¡°Kuaaaaarg!¡± I grabbed that man¡¯s crotch with all my strength. It slapped me right in the face, so I just grabbed it like a crown of victory. Well. It was average for a high schooler. ¡°Say ¡°Spare me¡±. Go for it.¡± ¡°Arggghhgghgh! Hey. Hey. Let go. Let go, while I¡¯m still being niiiiaargh! Please!¡±¡± That guy was now being tested on the limits of his vocal cords and his balls. The other seniors who witnessed that astonishing scene now approached to stop me. ¡°I won¡¯t stop!¡± ¡°Ah, no! You, you crazy bastard!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer, you bastards!¡± ¡°Yaaaarggghghghg! Urrrgggggghhhhaaaah!¡± ¡°It¡¯s twisting. Huh? Ain¡¯t it twisting nicely? Huh? If you come any closer, I¡¯ll twist it all the way around! Oh, looks like he¡¯ll have to live as a seedless watermelon for all his life then. Ah. Dunno how long it will take, but if you come any closer, then this guy can say his descendants goodbye! Huh!¡± Hearing my threats everyone was unable to rush to his aid, as I put even more strength into my grasp. ¡°Le! Le! Let goooOOoOOOOoooh!¡± ¡°Say, please spare me.¡± The male students all cringed unconsciously at that scene of horror. ¡°S, sp, Spare! Spare me!¡± ¡°You have to add the please. Mind your language! Please! Do it!¡± ¨C Clennnch! ¡°Please spaaaaaheaaaare meeeiiiiik! Eerk!¡± Boy, you¡¯re starting to sound like a girl. ¡°Letting go now? Not a chance.¡± -Clennnch! ¡°Uwaaaarrrrrrrrkkkkkkk! Krrrrk! Aeeeek!¡± He just let out some really weird voice. I was getting goosebumps now too. ¡°Take your friends and get out.¡± I muttered grimly. ¡°You can come beat me up whenever, but if you do it, I¡¯ll really break your stuff here until it can¡¯t be fixed, so be prepared. Oh, and next time I¡¯ll really twist it all the way around.¡± I let go of him and then looked down at the man now collapsed on the ground. ¨C Kick! ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Take this thing away, you bastards.¡± As the finishing touch, I peppered a kick into his face. * * * Two of the seniors rushed to take him and then disappeared, perhaps because getting that bubble blowing bastard treated was more urgent. ¡°You crazy psycho pervert!¡± ¡°Keep the praise coming.¡± That little girl named Redina followed behind that kid who got taken away while crying. She seemed incredibly shocked. However, there was still one senior left in the gym. Although she looked like she had just seen something absurd and terrible, she was a relatively calm-looking woman. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going?¡± ¡°Junior, don¡¯t make the situation worse.¡± ¡°Then do you want to beat me up? Will you twist my thing off?¡± ¡°Junior, I just want to have a good conversation. Since there is no one else here, why don¡¯t you show me the least bit of respect?¡± I felt a certain sense of crisis from that invitation in this kind of situation. I don¡¯t know what it was about her, but she seemed strange. She looked like an adult, and I guess she just told me to stop this. I¡¯d talk nice to the people who talked nice to me, and the others seemed to have given up on thinking about this development. ¡°Yes, well. Sure. So what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Adriana, a sophomore at Royal Class, A-2. You said you were Reinhardt, right?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± She gave me her name. Did she really only want to have a good conversation with me? ¡°We don¡¯t want to do this either. It¡¯s been done for generations, so the upperclassmen put pressure on us, too. To do it quickly.¡± It was the classic hereditary system. How absurd. They forced them to do it, even if they didn¡¯t want to do it. ¡°Redina is a weak-hearted girl. She wouldn¡¯t be able to harm anyone, she would rather hurt herself than having to talk harshly to you guys. Her seniors nominated her and forced her to do it.¡± ¡°You could just not do it. Why do it, if you¡¯ll only get hurt in the process?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s been done like this for so long. I know it sounds weird. But if one would want to just stop a tradition that had been going on for such a long time for no good reason, things would become troublesome.¡± Adriana certainly didn¡¯t seem like she enjoyed doing this. However, with pressure coming from the higher grades, it was eventually decided for the small Redina to do it and she wasn¡¯t even that type of person. ¡°If we say that we didn¡¯t do it, maybe the third graders will come. At that time¡­. Will you be able to manage?¡± She asked me if I would kick out the third graders by doing some unspeakable, shameful thing again like just now. ¡°The higher the grade, the harder it is for them to hold back. You. You might actually get hurt.¡± Yeah, the more time one spent at Temple, the stronger one would get. I was beaten like a dog by a second grader, but I took advantage of his carelessness and got hold of his weak spot. There wouldn¡¯t be such a chance if the older students started coming. ¡°Do the teachers just watch this stuff?¡± ¡°They acquiesce to it¡± It would actually be quite comfortable for the teachers, if the troublesome guys got straightened out like this. They could use the seniors to rail in the ones that danced out of line and rehabilitate them. ¡°Let¡¯s just do things in moderation, Junior. If things get blown even bigger, we¡¯d get scolded by our seniors, but you would be in even greater trouble.¡± In conclusion, ¡°Can¡¯t you just bow down like it usually goes?¡±. She certainly seemed like a communicative person as she was even trying to gently advice me. Still, she didn¡¯t seem to want to take on the hassle to break this circle of absurdity. Don¡¯t make a fuss and be nice. Can¡¯t you just endure it for a bit and pretend that you¡¯ve been convinced? That¡¯s what she had been suggesting and requesting. Well, that was possible. I could see that she really was a communicative person. ¡°Tell the third years to come. Weren¡¯t they the ones who made you seniors do this? If those bastards want it to be done, they should do it themselves.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.What?¡± Adriana expressed her astonishment as she didn¡¯t expect me to go down that route. Second years, third years! Just come at me! ¡°Instead, they shouldn¡¯t come today or tomorrow.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Tell them to come on Monday. Monday night, to be exact.¡± I knew why they chose the weekend. Adriana bit her lips as she immediately understood what I was saying. ¡°Let¡¯s see whether those third years can tell Imperial Prince Bertus de Gardias to bend down. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to have all of us present? I really can¡¯t quite understand why you have to do it at this time. We should do it together. I promise that I¡¯ll accept this stuff when they come over on Monday.¡± I could see why they would do this on the weekend. They must have confirmed that the Prince returned to the Imperial Court over the weekend. No matter how much he was part of the Royal Class, they didn¡¯t want to touch the Prince. They could do these things to other nobles or royals, but I didn¡¯t think they would dare to actually touch the Prince. ¡°If those third years won¡¯t come on Monday, I believe something like this would never happen again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Everyone was astonished that I dared to mention the Prince. Adriana just sighed briefly with her eyes closed. ¡°You¡¯re really one great kid.¡± The senior with the calm demeanor left the gym with these words. She didn¡¯t think I was crazy enough to mention the Prince. I turned around and talked to Harriet de Saint-Owan. ¡°I took responsibility, alright, you idiot.¡± ¡°.¡­¡­Hey, don¡¯t call me an idiot! I, I¡¯m smarter than you!¡± ¡°Yeah, a high quality idiot.¡± ¡°Thi, this! This!¡± She shouted with her face red, but she seemed relieved that this situation had been resolved somehow. The looks they gave me seemed a bit different from before as they slowly dispersed one by one. They felt like they just found a bizarre use for this psycho, a beast that should be avoided. Chapter 40 At first, I obviously didn¡¯t want to stand out much, but that had become a thing of the past. I¡¯ve already caused too many incidents, to just get rid of this attention. Yeah, well, it would work out somehow. It was true that the looks my classmates gave me changed after I fought with the seniors. Of course, it wasn¡¯t even close to goodwill. I mean, the fact that I was still a wild animal in their eyes didn¡¯t change. I just told those guys that they should come back when the Prince is around after all. I somehow got into the position of a madman who was a bit better than they expected, I guess? ¡°¡­You sold my name?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I told Bertus, who returned to the dormitory on Sunday, the truth. I thought it would be better if I told him with my own mouth rather than him, finding out in a different way later. I talked to Bertus on the terrace from last time. There were few people around so it was easy to have a good talk. Bertus seemed speechless when he heard that I sold his name and forced our seniors to step down. ¡°I knew there was such a tradition in the Royal Class, but when I was wondering why they didn¡¯t come, they just looked at me¡­¡± Bertus didn¡¯t have to pretend to be friendly or talk nicely in front of me. Bertus knew that there were such traditions, but he seemed to have been more curious as to why they hadn¡¯t come. ¡°So, what if the seniors come on Monday? Knowing what you told me just now, wouldn¡¯t it be you who made me lie down rather than the seniors?¡± Bertus smiled insidiously, asking me with his eyes if I wanted to die. ¡°There¡¯s a very high probability that they won¡¯t come, but even if they do, it would be quite the funny sight.¡± ¡°Funny?¡± ¡°I mean, whether you do it or not, wouldn¡¯t they become quite restless?¡± It would be funny if he did end up doing it, but even funnier if he didn¡¯t. They¡¯d think things like: ¡°Do we beat up the Prince now?¡±. And even if he did lay down on his stomach, the guy who ordered would probably die from a heart attack. No matter how simple the system of Temple was, with the only type of status being senior and junior, the Imperial Prince and Princess were the second most noble aristocrats of this world as the Imperial authority was piercing the skies now. Reality was very different from rules. The son of a great noble could be worked with, but the Imperial Prince was just too high up in class. Bertus was smiling at the bastard who dared to sell his name. ¡°Fine, but still, selling the name of the Imperial Prince is a serious crime. You didn¡¯t refer to your classmate Bertus, but to Prince Bertus de Gardias. You obviously didn¡¯t refer to me as a friend, now did you?¡± ¡°I suppose that is what I did?¡± He was right though, as I didn¡¯t refer to him as my friend Bertus, but as the Prince. Was this guy mad? Should I use the ring to run away? ¡°Usually, it would make sense to kill your whole family for that sin. But I don¡¯t want to do that. You¡¯ve used me once, so wouldn¡¯t it be fair if I got to use you once as well?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Would there even be anything I could do for him? In any case, Bertus did offer me a rather fair deal. Speaking the Prince¡¯s name was certainly possible within the walls of Temple, but it would be a rather shocking thing to do on the outside. ¡°I know you take some classes with my half-sister.¡± He probably meant Charlotte. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much I¡¯m asking of you. Just let me know if you notice anything unusual.¡± I should keep an eye on Charlotte and report to him if I see anything unusual. He didn¡¯t want me to be friends with him or do anything behind the scenes. But in the end, wasn¡¯t I gradually becoming Bertus¡¯ pawn? It felt rather annoying. ¡°Sure thing.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± There was nothing special about it. We didn¡¯t talk much in the first place. In my current state I didn¡¯t have any leverage at all. He didn¡¯t seem to care much about me. Did he even know who I really was? ¡°And, uhm, get along with the other kids.¡± Bertus sighed, pretending to be angry. ¡°By my standard, I¡¯m trying to get along quite well here though? What. Didn¡¯t I save the kids from being harassed today, in a way?¡± At my absurd remark, Bertus burst out laughing. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s considered nice to call Princess Saint-Owan an idiot though?¡± Did she whine to you about that? * * * It wasn¡¯t really a secret that Bertus and I were speaking to each other. As a result, the way my classmates looked at me became quite strange. I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d ever get along, but we did talk to each other for a bit, and from a distance, it would seem that we were quite friendly with each other. I revealed myself to be a beggar, but Bertus didn¡¯t seem to be particularly mad with me, who actually dared to sell his name. My classmates didn¡¯t seem to quite understand this. ¡°Be, Bertus!¡± Erich seemed to have contemplated for a while and then ran to Bertus from across the terrace. ¡°Yes, do you have something to say to me?¡± ¡°B, be careful of that guy¡­.¡± ¡°Aah, Reinhardt? Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s just a bit clumsy.¡± ¡°Still¡­.¡± Well, no matter how one looked at it, even I would think that I wasn¡¯t like that just because I was a little clumsy. It looked like he had that nonsensical thought that I might end up harming the Prince because I was just some lowly bastard. I couldn¡¯t hear them that well as they were getting further away from me. Come to think of it, I was definitely more useful than Erich. At the moment, at least. That image that the Prince seemed to be closer to me than the other kids was spreading around, mystifying the other kids. About my job? I also didn¡¯t know what I was going to do about it. Bertus definitely was the type of person that would treat me well if I had proven myself to be useful. Even if I decided to leave after I made my profit later, it would be better to cooperate with Bertus for now. Unless he asked me to do something bad to Charlotte. As I was leaving the lobby and heading towards the dormitory, I saw Harriet sitting at a table, drinking tea and reading a book. When she made eye contact with me she frowned. ¡°Hmpf!¡± She turned her head sharply with a ¡°Hmpf!¡± as soon as she saw me. What¡¯s with that? She did it so obviously. Wasn¡¯t this rather cute? What the hell was she supposed to be? A noble high school girl? Hmpf! She said. When was that fashionable again? ¡°Idiot.¡± ¡°Wha, what?!¡± Her face turned red again, while I just shrugged. ¡°I was just saying a random word. What? Is your name Idiot?¡± ¡°U,uh¡­. Uuung¡­.¡± What¡¯s this? Had she already gotten used to getting called ¡°Idiot¡±? Would she turn her head now every time someone said ¡°Idiot¡±? ¡°You said, you were smart, right? This isn¡¯t good, you know?¡± ¡°This!¡± She sprang up and strode towards me. ¡°You just keep provoking me, so that I¡¯ll bring up my identity and when I do you¡¯d just run to the teacher to tell on me so that I get punished! Huh!¡± It seemed like she had a pretty vivid imagination. She seemed to think that I would go around provoking people so that they¡¯d say something like: ¡°How dare you, I¡¯m the son of XXX¡±, ultimately violating the school rules. Well, she might think that I¡¯d do that, because I was supposed to be a nut job. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t really thought of doing that¡­.¡± ¡°Then why are you doing this to me?! I¡¯m not an idiot! I¡¯m not right? So why are you doing this, you bastard?!¡± ¡°No, well. The payout is just too great. All kinds of reactions come out with every single word I say. Wouldn¡¯t you do this as well?¡± ¡°What? Pay¡­. Pay, what?¡± With every single word I told her all kinds of dramatic reactions came out, so I really just did this because it was fun. I walked past her who was looking to say something with a flushed red head. ¡°Cute.¡± ¡°Wha, what? What did you say¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯re cute, you¡¯re a genius but also silly and childish. It¡¯s to my taste. I like that you¡¯re so childish. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°What¡­. What do you mean?¡± She seemed confused whether I complimented or insulted her. It was so much fun teasing a beautiful noble young lady. ¡®Huh, how am I supposed to react to this? Is this for real? This can¡¯t be happening¡¯ The look on her face as she was trying to make sense of the situation, but just couldn¡¯t come to terms with it was really funny. I giggled to myself as I went back to the dorm. * * * Monday¡¯s common classes. There were a lot of things going on, on Monday. First. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± The second-year senior whom I caused a lot of trouble for came to the classroom. He didn¡¯t come alone. He arrived with the other seniors he was with last time. Four people, with the exception of Adriana, the calm senior, appeared. That little brat from last time stared at me as if she was going to eat me. It was also true that the atmosphere in the classroom suddenly froze over with the appearance of the seniors. He suddenly threw something at me before I could say anything. -Flop It fell on my desk, not my face or anywhere else. A glove. I knew what this was. ¡°You have seriously defamed me, Art de Gartis, the heir to the Gartis family.¡± He didn¡¯t look as excited as he did before. ¡°Therefore, I challenge you to a duel to restore my damaged honor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­A duel?¡± ¡°Yes, a duel.¡± What kind of horse shit was this? ¡°Choose a time and place. There, observers will overlook our duel.¡± Everyone reacted with disbelief when he applied for a duel against his own junior. ¡°So, let me get this straight. You¡¯re applying for a duel, because your junior, whom you tried to beat up, grabbed you down there making you scream, leading to you feeling embarrassed?¡± At those words, everyone who witnessed this scene tried to hold back their laughter. The seniors looked around and told everyone not to laugh, but I could see the corners of their mouths¡¯ trembling. It was funny, regardless on which side one stood. ¡°That was foul! Bad! Pervert!¡± Little Redina only pointed at me and shouted. ¡°You look like a mess. You have to use everything you can, you know? Should I¡¯ve just quietly gotten beat up? Is that it? If I can break your head, I¡¯ll break your head and if I can grab onto something, I sure as hell will grab it. Is that wrong? Should the weak only get beat up? Huh?¡± ¡°How longwinded. If you intend to refuse the duel and embrace that dishonor, then do it. That would mean that you¡¯re a just a man of such caliber. That¡¯s all. Admit that you would only be able to win a fight through dirty methods.¡± Art de Gartis seemed unmoved by my words. I knew, because he beat me up the other day. If I fought that guy, I¡¯d definitely get crushed. No, not only crushed, I would probably get seriously injured. A duel. I did include some duel scenes. Duels within the Temple can take place on the premise that the students do not use real swords. One might get hurt badly. However, one won¡¯t die. ¡°Yes, I accept.¡± Maybe because they didn¡¯t expect me to accept it, not only the person who applied for the duel, but also the other seniors and my classmates seemed to be astonished. ¡°Keep in mind, I won¡¯t fall for the same dirty trick as last time.¡± I required extreme psychological pressure. That was the reason why I accepted it even though I knew it would be too much for me. I didn¡¯t know if that duel would do it for me, but I had to try. Chapter 41 It was only natural that the atmosphere in the classroom became strange after the seniors left. ¡°Hey, you. Could I talk to you for a second?¡± ¡°What is there to talk about?¡± Even though everyone went back, the little senior, Redina, stayed behind and called out to me. She wasn¡¯t aggressive in the least when she asked to talk with me. She actually looked very scared even though she had been sending me death glares to up until now. She took me out and dragged me to the stair landing so that no one could hear us. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°What do you mean, crazy?¡± ¡°Art is Second Aear Class A¡¯s Number 3. Don¡¯t you know what that means? Do you want to die?¡± They naturally thought I¡¯d just embrace the disgrace and refuse the duel. I only won by taking advantage of his weak spot last time, so that guy knew I wasn¡¯t good at fighting. ¡°He won¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°You said you don¡¯t have any skill or talent. So what makes you so confident? Are you an idiot?¡± Adriana told me yesterday that this little brat was actually forced to do this and that she was a really weak-hearted girl. She actually looked pretty fidgety now. She was excited at the thought of throwing insults at me if I were to refuse the duel, but when I chose the other option, which was crazy, she was rather frightened. ¡°Duels aren¡¯t a joke. There were kids who got really badly injured in them. Go to Art quickly, apologize and beg him for forgiveness. Things are just getting too weird, you idiot! Art would have let you go if you sincerely apologized!¡± She also told me how embarrassed he was. Knowing that I wasn¡¯t good at fighting, he applied for a duel and tried to get an apology out of me if I didn¡¯t agree to it. After Adriana told me that she was a good kid yesterday, I was wondering what kind of person she actually was, but she really seemed like a nice girl. ¡°What is life?¡± I shrugged. ¡°If I get beaten to death, than that¡¯s what¡¯s gonna happen, I guess.¡± Redina seemed totally dumbfounded by my nonchalant response. The duel was decided to take place two weeks later in the First Year Class A¡¯s dormitory. During that week, what kind of miraculous talent could I get that would help me win against a second year student of the Royal Class in a duel? I just hope that this was psychologically pressuring enough. I really hoped that I didn¡¯t have to prepare a situation similar to when I was escaping from the Demon King¡¯s Castle and almost died. I hoped with all my heart that this would be enough. It was true that I was scared because I was sure to get beaten up badly, but I couldn¡¯t keep doing this with my ability locked. [Event Quest: Duel with Art de Gartis] [Description : Art asked for a duel for defaming him. The probability of you winning is very low.] [Goal : Go through with the duel.] [Completion Reward : 600 Points] [Consolation Reward : 200 Points] An event quest appeared as if it was natural. And in this case, even losing would pay off. I would be rewarded just for having the duel. The probability of me winning this duel was so low, there probably was a way to avoid it. So even if I wouldn¡¯t be able to make my talent awaken through this psychologically pressuring situation, I would get rewarded. Why was it giving me pity prizes now? Even though I did this to myself, I still felt a bit depressed. * * * Duels were allowed within Temple, but a teacher must watch over them. Otherwise, they might actually kill someone in that duel. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Mr. Epinhauser was staring at me silently. Since Mr. Epinhauser had previously stated that he would be the observer if a duel were to ever occur, so I reported this matter to him. ¡°If the duel has been agreed upon by both parties there is no problem. Write down the location, date and time.¡± The teacher didn¡¯t ask me if I was crazy. He was a good and interesting guy in that he worried rarely or wouldn¡¯t meddle unnecessarily. A-11 Reinhardt would duel with a sophomore. Naturally, that rumor was coursing through Class A and then spread to Class B. To be precise it was during the P.E. lesson which was joint. ¡°Reinhardt? What the hell happened? A duel? With a second grader?¡± Ludwig asked me after the short break between running exercises and strength training. I guess he became worried because he heard about this all of a sudden. ¡°This and that happened. I¡¯m too lazy to explain all that.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we could end this all with an apology? Won¡¯t you get seriously hurt?¡± Ludwig was stubborn and insisted on what If I were to get hurt, and how it would be better if I just ended this all with an apology. Although the classes were divided into A and B, maybe because we were still in the same grade, the Class B kids were also looking at me worriedly. And the kids who seemed to have heard the details were shocked. But for some reason, Charlotte was just staring at me. Her gaze somehow felt different from the other children. I was definitely not mistaken about that. Shortly after PE, Charlotte called out to me from behind as I was exhaustedly walking towards the changing room. ¡°You said you were Reinhardt, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yeah, so.¡± Charlotte walked over to me slowly and put something into my hand. ¡°Check it.¡± After leaving those cold commanding words behind, Charlotte walked her way towards her classroom. [Stay in the classroom after class] There was only one sentence written on the slip of paper. What? I was told by Bertus to keep an eye on Charlotte, but it seemed like Charlotte also had some business with me. * * * The common classes ended with the P.E. class. Mr. Epinhauser gave a closing speech, and then the students all exited the classroom. After our life-threatening escape and coming to Temple, Charlotte and I had never spoken with each other. Did she notice who I was? If that was the case, I had to immediately leave Temple. No. If she actually did, how did she know? After all the students left, I was the only one left in the classroom. -Katchak Then, the door opened and Charlotte entered Class A¡¯s classroom. This personality and the personality she showed me in that critical situation were bound to be different. Her being completely aware that her life was in danger, and Charlotte crying while hugging the body of her presumed mother in that dark prison cell. This Charlotte de Gardias, who gave off a cold impression, was like a completely different person. Was this Charlotte¡¯s original personality? ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Charlotte approached me while looking at me, then she sat obliquely in front of the desk next to me. ¡°I usually don¡¯t want to converse with people like you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± What was she doing all of a sudden? ¡°I heard you were all over the place? You like to stand out, you have a bad temper and even got asked to duel by a senior today¡­.¡± Charlotte had a very bad impression of me, probably because she heard the rumors about me. There certainly wasn¡¯t anything good about my actions, so it couldn¡¯t be helped if Charlotte viewed me in a negative light. Still, I felt a bit heart broken. ¡°Is it because you are from a humble background that you treat people more strongly, so you won¡¯t be ignored?¡± Charlotte¡¯s blunt words somewhat hit the nail on the head. I didn¡¯t want to seem like a pushover so I acted like a dog. As she continued to talk, it didn¡¯t seem that she noticed who I was. So what is that she wanted? ¡°I heard you¡¯re a beggar. I did some research.¡± Research? If I¡¯m a beggar, then I¡¯m just a beggar. Why did she do research? It must have been on Saturday that this rumor reached her ears, but she had been researching me? ¡°I know who you are.¡± She did? ¡°Where you¡¯re from, what kind of members your gang has, and what kind of organization stands behind them.¡± I had goosebumps all over my body. Charlotte didn¡¯t seem like she knew I was a demon, but she found out about something else. She knew about the Rotary Gang and that it was supported by the Thieves¡¯ Guild. ¡°Keep in mind that it is uncommon for me to deal with pests like you.¡± She was saying that she didn¡¯t only dislike me because of the kind of person I was. She didn¡¯t like me because she thought I was associated with a criminal organisation. Although Bertus¡¯ power was enormous, it seemed clear that Charlotte, who returned to the Emperor¡¯s side, could also wield formidable forces. How else could she find out all these facts in that short amount of time? She found out about the Rotary Gang just by finding out where I came from. and even gathered clues about the Thieves¡¯ Guild who supported them. They were tightly entangled after all. ¡°Wa, wait¡­. I¡­. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡­. I don¡¯t know¡­. What is this about?¡± ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m naive enough to believe that excuse that they sent you here simply to get educated at Temple?¡± Charlotte leaned against the desk in exasperation, then came up to me and looked down at me with sad eyes. She started looking at me deeply. ¡°Stop acting like that. If you keep pretending you don¡¯t know, I¡¯m going to mobilize the city guards right this instant to clean up those dirty sewers.¡± There was no point in denying my link to them. Like Bertus, Charlotte wasn¡¯t someone I could control. This was even more serious than that time with Bertus though. Bertus didn¡¯t seem to have made a background check on me, but Charlotte could even connect me and Loyar at this moment. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t have dealt with someone like me. But right now it wasn¡¯t a normal situation. In the end, Charlotte said that she had some business with me. Denial would only put the Rotary Gang at risk. ¡°What do you want?¡± Admitting it in the end, I waited for her answer. Charlotte took something out of her arms. A portrait was on the paper Charlotte gave me. ¡°This kid.¡± ¡°!¡± Of course, I knew who that was. It was me, who tried to use camouflage magic to hide my horns. ¡°Find this kid. If he¡¯s alive, tell me where he is. If he died, tell me where and why he died. And also who killed him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You must find him.¡± She stared at me coldly as if she would destroy everything before her if I couldn¡¯t find him. ¡°Wait, what should I do if I can¡¯t¡­. Are you asking me to find a kid whose name even you don¡¯t know? Rather, isn¡¯t your side more¡­¡­.¡± Charlotte frowned when I said something like ¡°What can I even do? I just belong to a Beggars¡¯ Organization.¡± and ¡°There must be a lot of other people available¡±. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that. It¡¯s important that you have to find his whereabouts faster than Bertus.¡± I killed the Knights of Duke Salerian. I didn¡¯t know what happened to Dyrus, but it was clear that both me and Dyrus were targeted by Duke Salerian.. Just as Charlotte was looking for me, Bertus was as well. Charlotte seemed to be looking for me with all the manpower she could mobilize. That was why she was trying to even mobilize this kind of organisation, she usually wouldn¡¯t even spare a single look. ¡°I¡­. Could end up handing him over to Bertus though?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± To begin with, I was in Class A which meant a lot closer to Bertus. However, Charlotte¡¯s eyes then lit up in cold anger. ¡°However, if that were to happen, I will surely kill you with my own hands as well as that organization of yours.¡± Damn it. I never thought Charlotte would be looking for me so desperately, because the man she wanted me to find was right in front of her. I just wanted her to forget about me, but it seemed like she couldn¡¯t. She thought that I¡¯d get killed if Bertus found me first. ¡°Hey, that kid¡­. Why is he so important?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. You have someone to find, so that¡¯s all you have to do.¡± Charlotte didn¡¯t seem to want to provide an explanation for me. She just pressed the portrait against my chest. ¡°Report to me regularly about the status of the investigation. It¡¯s not like your grades in Temple are your top priority. Right?¡± My life and the lives of the gang members relied on this. Chapter 42 A boy who saved her but then suddenly disappeared. Charlotte seemed to think that he became a beggar. That was why she asked me who also was a beggar to find the boy, because a beggar would know a beggar best. A student from a beggar organization that entered Temple. To Charlotte, I seemed to be the best option to look for that boy for her. But while Charlotte seemed rational, she wasn¡¯t. The emotions that flashed in her eyes when she told me to find him showed that Charlotte wasn¡¯t calm at all. She looked like she was about to lose her reason. Charlotte, who threatened me and insisted on me finding myself somehow, seemed unable to control her emotions. Charlotte carried out a meticulous background check on me in mere days, however she seemed unable to think rationally. I thought she¡¯d obviously think I was suspicious while listening to Dyrus recount, but she didn¡¯t seem like that at all right at that moment. She only felt desperate to find someone who was very dear to her. In some cases, there were people who never doubted anyone. Charlotte didn¡¯t seem to think that I was suspicious at all. Maybe she thought that I simply ran away or was kidnapped and killed. That was what I believed went through her mind. If she had even the slightest inkling that I was a demon in disguise, Charlotte should have doubted me. If she checked my origin as a beggar, the date my ID was issued, and interrogated the beggars personally, Charlotte would have noticed that I just appeared out of nowhere one day. However, Charlotte was so obsessed with finding Valier, that she just wanted to use me as a tool to find him for her, but didn¡¯t go around asking about me herself. I felt a little good, but on the other hand I didn¡¯t. I was now in a position where I had to deceive this kid who was looking for me so desperately. I had been given this bizarre order of finding and bringing myself to Charlotte. Appearing in front of her with the appearance of Valier would solve everything, but she wouldn¡¯t let me go. She¡¯d somehow try to keep me by her side. What should I do? One of my assistants, Sarkegaar, was the one who kidnapped the Imperial Princess. It would be absurd to reveal my true identity to her and standing in front of her in the form of Valier would be very dangerous. This was never a matter I could simply decide on my own. I had to discuss this matter with Loyar, Eleris and Sarkegaar. Anyway, I was now completely trapped between Bertus and Charlotte. Depending on my actions, it would be decided if the decision to come to Temple was the worst possible one we could have made. * * * The one closest to my body was Bertus, and the one closest to my heart was Charlotte. To be honest, I felt very sorry. I wasn¡¯t in a situation where I could just show up in front of her who was so desperately looking for me, and I actually had to help Charlotte¡¯s sworn enemy. And the gang was now on the Princess¡¯ radar. I didn¡¯t know about Bertus, but the princess would absolutely wipe out the Rotary Gang if I were to pull some crap. She¡¯d probably bring up my connection to the Thieves¡¯ Guild to the teachers and might even get me kicked out of Temple. It was useless feigning ignorance as well. Charlotte had everything figured out already. She didn¡¯t know the most important details, but she did know all the facts that would be bothersome to me. I couldn¡¯t tell Bertus what Charlotte instructed me to do. Just telling him would leave me with a servered head. If he asked me later, what I talked about with Charlotte, what should I tell him? Both Bertus and Charlotte were looking for me. Bertus for retaliation and Charlotte for protection. Things had become twisted. Anyway, what happened to Dyrus? I couldn¡¯t even ask Charlotte, but I was curious. If Duke Salerian retaliated against him, he wouldn¡¯t be in this world anymore. I could only hope that Charlotte was protecting him well. Who was I worried about now? Both heirs to the Imperial Throne wanted me to do something for them. It would have been better if I only had something to do with one side, but I was vaguely intertwined with both of them. What a dog like situation. That¡¯s what it was. Charlotte¡¯s matter needed to be discussed separately. And it wasn¡¯t just that. I also had to prepare for the duel with Art later this week. It was clear that he would beat me into a bloody pulp when that time came, but after that he wouldn¡¯t be able to do it so easily anymore. * * * I went back to the dorm, when someone called out to me. ¡°Hey, you beggar.¡± ¡°What?¡± It was Harriet de Saint-Owan. When I reacted she covered her mouth and laughed. ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t call you though? I just said a word. Are you a beggar?¡± Was she trying to get back at me using the same method I used on her? ¡°Huh, I am, right?¡± ¡°Hu, huh?¡± When I said yes, that girl¡¯s expression turned into a puzzled one as if this wasn¡¯t the reaction she was looking for. I never set her up as that kind of character, so why was she so cute? She was like a little kid that thought she was smart. She was so damn cute, I couldn¡¯t even get mad at her. ¡°I¡¯m a beggar, you¡¯re right. So what is it?¡± ¡°Huh, uhm¡­. Ah¡­.¡± What she expected me to say was: ¡°Don¡¯t call me a beggar!¡±, however what she got was a: ¡°You¡¯re right¡±. So, when I asked her what she wanted she seemed flustered, as she probably didn¡¯t have anything to say to me. ¡°I heard. That. I heard, you¡¯re going to have a duel?¡± Why was she pretending to have heard it from somewhere when she was right there when it happened? No matter how one looked at it, this was just a question she came up with on the spot. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°That senior is a very scary person. You¡¯re going to be beaten up pretty badly, you know?¡± ¡°Where you¡¯re right, you¡¯re right. I wonder if he¡¯ll kill me.¡± She seemed taken aback by my nonchalant response. ¡°¡­¡­Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± ¡°Am I scared? To the point where I¡¯m about to pee myself.¡± She seemed even more confused when I casually told her that I was, in fact, scared. She knew I was a troublemaker, but it seemed like my evaluation was being revised as a completely incomprehensible person. ¡°Then why did you accept the challenge if you¡¯re scared?¡± ¡°I know, right? Maybe I¡¯ll just happen to turn it around somehow.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything like: ¡°I¡¯m trying to awaken my supernatural abilities by putting myself into extremely psychologically pressuring situations¡±. Harriet stared at me as if I was crazy. Eventually, she shook her head. She even had a wicked smile on her lips. ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll have to watch if you really get beat up.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hmpf!¡± I headed to the gym And it seemed like our conversation was surprisingly calm just now. * * * My physical abilities weren¡¯t that far behind my classmates, they weren¡¯t comparable to those with combat talents, obviously. Of course, people like Erich Lafaeri who had a combat talent but didn¡¯t put in any effort was out of that equation. The Class A dormitory¡¯s gym, there were two students holding training swords and beating scarecrows alone or practicing their posture. A-2, Ellen Artorius and A-5 Cliffman, only those two. Those two practiced every day according to their own routine. They didn¡¯t go out to play on the weekends and just practiced all day long. However, the two of them were training separately while still being in the same space and there was a 100% chance that they haven¡¯t even held a single conversation with each other up until now. For now I just picked up a training sword. But how was I supposed to practice swordsmanship? They were just swinging around their sword by themselves. I usually described it as ¡°They did swordsmanship training¡± in my novel without going into detail. Leveling up was roughly the same, I¡¯d just say they ranked up or leveled up. Or it would just be as blunt as saying, they¡¯ve gotten better at this or that. I asked neither of them to teach me, so they didn¡¯t. I just started swinging my sword. Of course, it wasn¡¯t all random. I tried recalling the swordsmanship moves I learned last week and traced it while replaying that memory in my mind. I trained techniques and swordsmanship moves while looking at the provided manual. There was just too much work to be done to condense it in just a single word. I realized that the strength of my wrist and forearm muscles had to be supported, the foot work was important as well. I couldn¡¯t believe those two were doing this on their own every day. The two silently wielding their sword started to look incredible to me again. * * * ¡°Huff¡­. Huff¡­.¡± After dinner, Ellen continued to wield her sword, and even after Cliffman returned to the dormitory, she continued to train alone. Of course, she didn¡¯t just swing her sword, she seemed to be doing other things like going somewhere and coming back after. Eventually, after some time passed, I was the only one left training and wielding the sword. Would this even make a difference? I only did this for one day, but I already felt exhausted and tired. I had to get used to training in itself, not just because of the duel next week. I can¡¯t believe in my mad dog act forever. That¡¯s what I realized. The third graders didn¡¯t come even after it grew dark. In the end, as I expected, they didn¡¯t want to touch the Prince directly. And those guys forced the second graders to do such a thing for them. The third graders didn¡¯t come. However, an unexpected person entered the gym. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Junior. I heard you were here.¡± It was Adriana, the second year senior with a calm demeanor. She furrowed her brows as she looked at me sprawled out with the training sword beside me, sweating profusely. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°¡­Redina requested me to come.¡± ¡°That kid?¡± What did she ask her that for? ¡°Yes, Art seems to be looking forward to this a lot, so he might beat you half to death. She tried to stop him.¡± She was such a good girl, to the point that I felt really sorry for being so harsh to her. Adriana sighed when she saw how exhausted I was. ¡°But looking at you now, it seems that you¡¯re trying to do something at least.¡± ¡°Well¡­. More or less.¡± ¡°Just because you do this for around 2 weeks doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll be able to beat Art. You know that much, right?¡± Adriana didn¡¯t seem to understand what I was doing. ¡®Why the hell are you accepting a duel that you¡¯re obviously going to lose and wield your sword in the training hall until the point of nearly killing yourself? There¡¯s no chance of winning.¡¯ That¡¯s what she was trying to tell me. ¡°I have to do something.¡± ¡°You will lose. Miserably at that.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°¡­Just apologize now, before you have to suffer through greater humiliation. You certainly realize that you¡¯re going a bit too far. Art isn¡¯t as bad a kid as you think.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a bad guy.¡± I could fully understand why he threw the glove after being subjected to something like that. He was humiliated by his junior. Adriana slightly bit her lip. ¡°You know you will lose and you also don¡¯t think that Art is a bad person, so why do you want to go on with this duel and not apologize?¡± ¡°Just because.¡± I got up again with my training sword and started practicing my posture. ¡°I, have to get hit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± It¡¯s not that I want to get hit, just to get hit. -Whoosh! Swish! I had to get hit to overcome this difficult situation. Adriana stared at me for a long time, then sighed. ¡°Junior.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adriana slowly approached me as if she wanted to stop me and took the sword from my hand. Then she lightly performed the moves I had been trying to do up until now. Looking in the mirror, it was not comparable to the clumsy moves I displayed. They were nearly perfect moves, like a sword dance. ¡°¡­Why are you showing me things I can¡¯t even imitate¡­.¡± Adriana sighed as if she herself couldn¡¯t understand what she was doing and returned the training sword to me. ¡°Try.¡± I then tried to demonstrate the exact same movements Adriana just showed me using the scarecrow. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± We both looked at each other silently. She approached me, grabbed my arm and shook it around. It was definitely limp because I felt rather exhausted at the moment. ¡°It won¡¯t do you any good if you try to do this while you¡¯re all out of energy. You¡¯ll just hurt your wrist.¡± Adriana looked at me with pity, and then suddenly closed her eyes. A bunch of white lights appeared from her hands and began to tickle my body. ¡°Thi, this is¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, you don¡¯t know.¡± Then Adriana opened her eyes again. ¡°I want to be a Paladin.¡± She seemed to have talents in both divine power and swordsmanship. Second year, A-2, Adriana. If she was Class A¡¯s number 2, I was assuming that she had even more talents. She certainly was incredible, as she was able to use divine spells at her age. She restored my vitality with a divine spell just now. All my muscle aches and fatigue certainly had been completely relieved. ¡°Now, try again.¡± ¡°Yes, thanks.¡± My strength should have been restored. While carrying gratitude in my heart, I tried to trace Adriana¡¯s movements again. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Nothing had changed. Chapter 43 ¡®Your basic fitness level is too low. Junior, you should do physical training, not holding a sword.¡¯ Adriana let out a deep sigh when she said that. ¡®Why do I even care about this kid?¡¯ ¡®Wake up 2 hours earlier than the standard wake-up time and wait in the main lobby.¡± Whether she was concerned or just plain annoyed, Adriana didn¡¯t seem like she could leave me alone. Anyway, I did feel grateful for her help. I wondered why she was helping a rowdy junior who was about to duel with her classmate. The next day. I was in the lobby at 6 o¡¯clock, well before the standard wake-up time, wearing a track suit. As it was 6 o¡¯clock it was still dark out, but there were still some people here. This was because the students who wanted to train their physical strength in the morning gradually came out. Ludwig and Ellen were also there. ¡°Reinhardt? What¡¯s going on? So you want to exercise?¡± ¡°Yeah, well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good! So you want to do it together then?¡± It was good that he was so energetic, but I didn¡¯t think I could keep up with him. ¡°No, I think my heart would burst if I were to try to follow you.¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m pretty sure it is. Go alone.¡± Running beside him would mean committing suicide. Even Ellen couldn¡¯t keep up with that. That¡¯s what it meant to have A+ Rank stamina. ¡°Ellen! Do you want to run with me today?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ellen answered curtly and went out of the dormitory lobby. Ludwig looked at Ellen who gave him the cold shoulder like always and smiled at me. ¡°Does Ellen hate me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± She just doesn¡¯t care about any of us. After sending him off for his morning workout, Adriana, with her shoulder-length bob tied in a ponytail, came down from the second floor, after a while. This senior of mine was very calm and had a modern style beauty to her. She looked like a modern high school girl. I bowed my head slightly and Adriana nodded her head towards me to answer my greeting. Adriana was probably the most polite person I had dealt with up until now. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this make you look bad in front of your classmates?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Helping me with physical training.¡± ¡°Well, you need to be a little more physically fit if you want to have a duel¡­ Ung.¡± She started warming up by stretching. ¡°That way, rumors about Art bullying a weak freshmen kid because of his own stubbornness won¡¯t circulate.¡± So, to protect Art¡¯s honor was enough justification to help me out. That was what she meant. Anyway, I was pretty sure I would lose, but I was grateful anyway. She seemed to be good at swordsmanship and aimed to become a paladin, and seeing her waking up at this time, she really was sincere and calm. What the hell. Was she the perfect human being? Was she really a high schooler? It made me feel even shabbier for swearing at younger kids. ¡°Let¡¯s go, junior.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adriana ran ahead and I followed behind her. * * * ¡°This is serious.¡± ¡°Haah¡­. Haah¡­. Huff¡­.¡± I ran to the point that I had a sweet taste in my mouth, but Adriana wasn¡¯t tired at all. She restored my strength by injecting divine power into me. My wildly beating heart gradually calmed down and my breathing stabilized. What¡¯s this? I felt like I was running while taking a doping potion. My mind was exhausted but my body felt fine. This was a really strange feeling. ¡°Run faster. I¡¯m also training myself, so it¡¯s hard for me to also look after you, junior.¡± ¡°Ah, okay.¡± My body and mind were driven to the extreme, but due to Adriana¡¯s divine power, my body would always be restored to its original state. Rather, this almost drove me mad. My mind was worn out, but my body continued to be active. This was the first time in my life that I ever felt that way. I could continue to run, but my mind was in an even more extreme state. ¡°I, I feel really strange!¡± ¡°I mean, technically this is against the rules, but it would actually be stranger to not feel strange you know?¡± I shouted while running and Adriana answered me. Normally, I shouldn¡¯t be able to run anymore, but I kept running, so it was natural for me to feel strange. ¡°Huff¡­. Huff¡­. If Paladin candidates were to, huff, run a marathon¡­ Huff¡­ I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll all win¡­ Huff¡­.¡± ¡°If this method was actually allowed, then yes! And you¡¯ll run out of breath if you keep talking while running.¡± Adriana ran easily, even finding the time to rebuke me. There were quite a few people in Temple who trained themselves in the morning. ¡°The first year junior called Ludwig . He was the one sprinting around Temple, right?¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s¡­. How he was originally¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing, junior. He can do it, because he worked hard. Don¡¯t just work hard today, keep doing this in the future. The Orbis Class kids do this every morning as a group. Our Royal Class¡¯ lazy kids could learn a thing or two from them.¡± Adriana was talking about one of Temple¡¯s two pillars, the Orbis Class. It seemed like they would get up early in the morning and train together as a group. Regardless of major. Were they part of the army? ¡°Hey, you told me not to talk¡­. Huff¡­ Why do you keep talking to me¡­.¡± ¡°Yes. Sorry.¡± I ran, ran, ran, ran, ran, ran, ran and ran. I almost lost my mind every time she healed me. It wasn¡¯t just running I had to do. Adriana headed to the gym and let me do strength training. At that moment, I could truly feel how demonic her divine power was. When my muscles started to ache, she would heal them with her divine power, then send me to do more training and when the pain grew worse again, she¡¯d heal me. However, if she went on like that my muscle growth would be no joke. What would one call these kinds of steroids? Divine steroids? ¡°I¡¯m doing this because you just lack too much strength. You should do some strength training on your own, but don¡¯t overdo it or you could ruin your body.¡± Adriana told me that I should think about carefully growing my strength and kept on checking on me even though she had her own training to do. ¡°If you exercise while forcibly recovering using divine powers, there¡¯s one thing you have to do no matter what.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Eat a lot.¡± I was more or less forced to maintain my physical abilities even after I completely exhausted my energy. That was why Adriana advised me to eat a lot more and more often than usual because I would suffer serious nutritional losses. Especial protein. ¡°That¡¯s the only thing I¡¯m confident of doing today¡­.¡± ¡°Hah, I suppose so.¡± Adriana smirked as if I said something funny. I had never seen her smile before. * * * Even while completing her strength training she poured divine power into me and went back to it. She didn¡¯t use it on herself. Somehow, this seriously felt like I had a heal-pack stuck next to me, when she started her work out. If she were to travel to modern times, I was sure she would have great success as a personal trainer. People who would sell their souls for muscle growth would absolutely love her. Though my body was fine, my mind was completely exhausted when I returned to the dormitory. I took a shower, changed my clothes and headed straight to the dining room. It wasn¡¯t meal time yet, but I was so hungry that the world felt like it was spinning around me. No, I didn¡¯t think I really had that big of an appetite because the workout was just too intense, but I felt this strong compulsion to eat something, a feeling much stronger than just feeling hungry. When it was time, the chefs would bring the food they prepared into the hall, but that didn¡¯t mean there wasn¡¯t a kitchen here. It didn¡¯t only include simple meals, but also late-night snacks that could be eaten at any time one wanted, as well as a kitchen equipped with all kinds of ingredients. One could call upon the chefs to prepare some food for you, and sometimes the students even cooked themselves. But how many of them would even be able to make their own meal? They had to try and maybe grill an egg. And there was this setup I didn¡¯t know about. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ellen, who had already finished with her physical training, was carrying a bunch of beef jerky. She went out every morning to exercise, so she wanted to have something to eat before having breakfast. That¡¯s understandable. But I remembered that she also ate a lot more at breakfast than others. What kind of metabolism did she have? When I looked into the storage that held the snacks, I saw that it was empty. When I turned around, I saw Ellen eating the beef jerky little by little. ¡°Is that all there is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Was there only beef jerky in there?¡± ¡°No. Originally, there was bread and some other things.¡± Originally, they had prepared a lot of things, but it seemed like they didn¡¯t replenish it often as there weren¡¯t many people who ate those snacks. So it seemed like after eating this and that every morning, the only thing left was beef jerky. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Ellen shook her head. It seemed like she ate it only because it was available, not because she liked it particularly. No, how hungry was she? I didn¡¯t want to steal her food, so I ended up going into the kitchen. Fortunately, there were quite a few ingredients in the storage, so I didn¡¯t have to eat raw meat as is. I had no intentions of making anything amazing. I was about to die from mental exhaustion after all. I just took some eggs and bacon and fried them in a frying pan. The fragrant smell of bacon spread throughout the kitchen. Then I just threw some asparagus in there to fry. Since I was told to eat a lot, I used a lot of bacon and five eggs. I also wanted to eat some carbs, but I didn¡¯t feel like cooking noodles or rice. That was just too much work. After I was done, I placed the mountain of eggs and bacon, accompanied by asparagus on a large plate and brought it to a table in the dining room. Ellen was still chewing on her beef jerky. However, she could apparently not help herself twitching her nose when she saw me coming. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t eat that shabby food. Eat this instead.¡± I had a bad temper, but I wasn¡¯t a heartless person, you know? When I handed her the fork, Ellen accepted it and sat across from me. I sighed when I saw Ellen eat some of the fried eggs. ¡°Hey, the storage is full of meat and eggs, why don¡¯t you fry some instead of eating that tasteless stuff? Is it that hard?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never done that.¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t you done this before though? Isn¡¯t that essential?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ellen stared at me smirking suddenly. I didn¡¯t know why, but she looked somewhat sullen, like : ¡°Why are you talking to me? Are we in the same situation?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to, you should learn it. Kids these days¡­. Anyway, eat up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± What am I doing when one doesn¡¯t even touch a dog when it eats? I was going to eat too. -Nom, nom, nom No, why was she eating so fast? ¡°Hey, don¡¯t cross the line. Eat at a human pace. Huh?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like words would get through to her, so I picked up my fork as well. But that punk ate half of it already, even though it was me who made it. ¡°Are you kidding me? You eat more than a beggar who hasn¡¯t eaten for days.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m hungry.¡± After she said that, Ellen curiously avoided my gaze. She ate more than half of what I made in a single bite? This had crossed the line, honestly. ¡°You know that you have classes with me today, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Today was Tuesday, I was taking the two consecutive swordsmanship lessons with Ellen. To my words, she nodded. She was quite insensitive, although she wasn¡¯t stupid. ¡°Be prepared for lunch then.¡± ¡°?¡± We were going for 2 rounds of cheonggukjang. Chapter 44 It was a bit much to expect dramatic changes after just one day. Nevertheless. Current stats: [ Strength 4 (F+) ] [ Agility 4 (F+) ] [ Dexterity 5.2 (D-) ] [Magic 10 (C) ] [ Stamina 6.5 (D) ] My Strength increased by 0.5, Agility by 0.3 and Stamina by 0.6. I didn¡¯t exactly know why but I also confirmed that Magic also increased by 0.1. Of course, as I explained before, the lower the level the quicker one could see developments. Obviously, this might also be the effect of going through Temple¡¯s curriculum in addition to that one day of training, but it was clear to see that the effects of that training while being influenced by divine power were enormous. However, Adriana seemed to think that this wasn¡¯t a very good method, so there had to be a reason why it wasn¡¯t. In addition, the fatigue this caused was actually just as enormous as its effects, as it felt like my body and mind acted separately. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t quite sure if I would continue with swordsmanship in the future, but right now I could only learn things that were related to the body. I tackled the swordsmanship theory and practical training with a different mindset from last week. There were no major improvements. Ellen was an honor student and I was more on the inferior side of things even though I was also part of the Royal Class. I didn¡¯t care about the general class¡¯ people¡¯s looks. If I cared about something like that, I wouldn¡¯t be doing this. In the first place, there were a lot of talents found in the Royal Class! I wasn¡¯t the weird one here! This had nothing to do with hard work! That¡¯s what I wanted to plead, but I couldn¡¯t do that, because they weren¡¯t looking at me anymore. Of course, there were some guys who seemed to gossip about me because even though Ellen and I were both in the Royal Class, we were completely different. However, there were just too many things I had to worry about to even graciously give them True Education. To be honest, I didn¡¯t even know those guys¡¯ names. I had to be strong-minded. There would always be people wanting to pick a fight with me, and those who would want to repay the humiliation they suffered after they realized that I was just a weakass or after their skills had improved. The duel in two weeks was only one incident. I had to continue my physical training. From swordsmanship to martial arts. I couldn¡¯t learn magic properly here to begin with, my supernatural power hadn¡¯t awakened yet, and I didn¡¯t have a talent for divine power yet, so I had to start from a completely bare ground. The only thing I could believe in at this point was my body that would grow as I trained. I couldn¡¯t end up as just a bad tempered guy. I had to have real power and I had to get out of Bertus¡¯ and Charlotte¡¯s hands eventually. I didn¡¯t have any time to waste. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s not as strange as last time.¡± Regardless of how it went last time, Ellen challenged the cheonggukjang again and ate it unexpectedly calmly. As this was her second time eating it, she got used to it, didn¡¯t she? ¡°¡­That doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s delicious.¡± As if she tried to avoid any misunderstandings, Ellen added that. But if she didn¡¯t like to eat this, why did she follow me here? Was it because I was buying? Did I set her up to like free meals? Still, she ate more than last time, and even burped. She was quite the legend after all. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you more of a beggar than me for always eating the food I buy?¡± When I took a stab at her after we left the store, Ellen just looked at me. Rather than staring at me, it felt more like she was lost in thought. ¡°Then I¡¯ll pay next time.¡± What¡¯s this? She just smoothly answered with a promise to eat together again next time. Did she maybe think I was actually a pretty good guy? Ellen, of course, left without saying goodbye this time. Such an ungrateful kid. * * * Since I didn¡¯t have a specific skill yet I didn¡¯t have much to learn in class. I dropped the magic classes with the permission of Mr. Epinhauser, and horseback riding was added in its stead. I thought that I might end up having to ride a horse one day. I was so scared, I almost peed myself. I was supposed to ride on some wild beast and entrust my life to it? Were they crazy? I should have made the setting that mana cars or something existed. I also realized once again that the horse riding skills of Dyrus, who let me ride with him when we escaped the Demon King¡¯s Castle, were top class. I had already exhausted all my mental strength in the morning training, but I couldn¡¯t take a break. After class, I reviewed what I had learned today until evening at the gym, as well as some physical training. When I was completely exhausted and couldn¡¯t move anymore, I kind of missed Adriana¡¯s divine power. I wondered if she would also come in the evening, but she didn¡¯t. Honestly though, my conscience wouldn¡¯t allow me, making her help me out more than she already did. However I didn¡¯t forget what Adriana told me, I had a big dinner, and after a short digestive break, I went for a run, followed by some strength training. I thought I was overdoing it, and this would have originally been enough to hurt my body. However, thinking that Adriana would somehow be able to handle this, I kept on pushing myself harder. ¡°Gasp¡­. Gasp¡­.¡± The sweat on my hands made the training sword slip out of my hand. Did I really have to do it like this? I was far from a person who enjoyed exercising after all. I didn¡¯t really have the willpower to do something like that, and I just kept on writing stories in the corner of my room. I neither liked nor had a talent for putting that kind of effort in things. I had that thought a dozen more times when I felt out of breath and my fingers trembled in exhaustion. I was bound to lose that duel anyway. This was something I should worry about in the future. So I should just take it easy. Even if I do my best, I wouldn¡¯t be able to beat a guy who was a year older than me with just two weeks of training. Whenever such complacent thoughts entered my mind, I forced myself to hold my sword tightly. I was sure that I would lose that duel in two weeks. However, I shouldn¡¯t be complacent just because I knew I would lose. I wasn¡¯t doing this shit to beat a senior one year older than me. ¡°Hup!¡± -Pok! Pok! Pok! Because of my carelessly scribbled developments, gates would soon open, leading many people to die. I might die as well. I did this so I wouldn¡¯t die later. I might work myself to death now and it¡¯s still far in the future, but I¡¯d regret it later if I didn¡¯t do something now. I felt regret enough over the development of this novel. I didn¡¯t deserve to be complacent or lazy. Right now I was just some nasty bastard. I might even look like dirty, cruel bastard to some. ¡°Hup!¡± -Pock! There weren¡¯t any manwha-like developments like that scarecrow getting smashed to pieces by my swings. ¡°Hah!¡± -Pock! However, I added countless scratches to it. * * * In some dating simulations, there would be sequences in which you could decide where you would like to spend your free time. If the setting was a school then there were places like the music room, the gym, the science room, the rooftop etc. In the case of such games, one would find a specific character in each location. Girls who liked to play instruments would be in the music room, ones who liked working out were in the gym and those who were really smart were in the science room. So. ¡°.¡­Those are passable.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I felt like I knew all the locations one could encounter Ellen Artorius. She was sitting alone in the dining room eating sausages. She would be in the lobby early in the morning, before she started her training. After that she would go to the dining room, then go to the gym after school was over. And she would be at the dining room again, late at night. I came here to supplement my diet in advance, because I would feel super-dead after training with Adriana tomorrow, but Ellen was already here. She probably came here to eat after training like this every day. I opened the cabinet meant for snacks and saw that it still wasn¡¯t refilled. What? Then what was she eating? ¡°Are you eating that as is?¡± She had a tray full of sausages, munching away on them. At my incredulous attitude, Ellen pointed to the sausages she was eating. ¡°You can eat the sausages just like that.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe because they were smoked. But why do you just eat cold sausages?¡± She ran out of snacks, so she rummaged through the food storage and found those sausages. They were already precooked, so she probably just ate them as is. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have just turned on the stove, put them in a frying pan and rolled them around in there for a bit, before eating them? Is that so difficult to do?¡± Use some cookware, for pete¡¯s sake! I didn¡¯t put some kitchen disaster or ditz attribute on you! I mean, you were supposed to be smart! Why was this intelligent person acting like a bum? Ellen shook her head at my words. ¡°Too annoying.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know how, do you?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t tried.¡± You were telling me that you were too lazy to find out how to use them. She had such an annoying attribute. This scene made me angry just by looking at it. ¡°Give them here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ellen looked at me quietly when I took the plate of sausages. What? Were you telling me to give them back to you? If you really were a gluttonous character, that¡¯s what you¡¯d do, huh? However, she didn¡¯t tell me to put the plate back down, she just looked at me. Either way, I took out some more sausages, put them in a frying pan and heated them enough to consume at least. Why was she eating raw food that was of even higher quality than regular sausages made with the finest ingredients? When I took the sausages from the stove, Ellen was still staring at me. I could see now why she stayed still. ¡°Did she think I would make things for her in the future as well?¡± I felt like she knew for certain that I would fry the sausages. That was why she stayed silent. As I said, I may be an ill tempered person, but I wasn¡¯t completely cold-hearted. So even though I had that kind of temperament, I would still share this meal with this cold person. We started to eat the sausages with a fork. ¡°How good is this, huh? The juice is practically bursting out of it, and here you were trying to eat it raw like a dog on the street.¡± Ellen continued to eat, ignoring my nagging. It didn¡¯t matter what I said, she wouldn¡¯t particularly care. ¡®I¡¯ll eat it anyway, woof.¡¯ Was that it? I ate some sausages for a while, before I put down my fork. Ellen did the same. ¡°Salty.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen nodded at my words. Since we only had sausages, it tasted really salty with nothing added to it. Usually it would make sense to have rice as a side dish or maybe even a loaf of bread. I wanted to eat more as I only had water and sausages, but I was too tired to make more. Ellen didn¡¯t seem like she wanted to leave, I didn¡¯t either. There were still fifteen more sausages left. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± I thought I was about to die because I felt so tired all over. It would be a waste to just throw these away. That said, we should make something with the leftovers, but seeing that she is only ever made me work, I felt kind of annoyed. ¡°Hey. You do exactly what I tell you to do from now on.¡± ¡°?¡± I was done volunteering. She had to do something for her food now. * * * ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re doing good.¡± Seeing the onions finely chopped, I nodded my head. I didn¡¯t really know how different handling a sword was from handling a cooking knife, but Ellen was able to do exactly as I ordered. I guess it wasn¡¯t a matter of being able to handle swords well, but a matter of having high levels of dexterity. ¡°Do you really not know how to cook?¡± ¡°No, this is my first time.¡± It seemed like today was the first time that she touched a kitchen knife ever. But seeing the level of her skill, even as a chef she¡¯d do well. Of course, she was too talented in combat to actually become one. ¡°Next are the carrots, same thing.¡± -Kakakakaka Watching the carrots getting chopped up in an instant, I proceeded telling her the next step. It felt like I was controlling a virtual avatar. I could do that as well, but I couldn¡¯t at the moment. I was so exhausted that I was rather confident that I would cut my fingers if I were to take up the kitchen knife. I had no intention of doing anything too complicated. There were a lot of different cooking utensils and ingredients in the kitchen, but it was night time. It was just too annoying. They had rice, but I was too tired to actually cook it. Of course, I didn¡¯t want to make new bread out of the flour as well. So what I was going to do was stir fry vegetables along with rice in a pan with oil, then add water, put the sausages in, and boil it like porridge. It¡¯s visuals didn¡¯t really matter to me. So what if it was a sham version of a honey porridge, as long as it was edible. It could maybe be called a Risotto? It didn¡¯t really matter to me and Ellen , who successfully managed to finish my introductory class to cheonggukjang. To begin with, by my standards she seemed to have the taste buds of a wild dog as she was eating the sausages raw. She¡¯d eat anything as long as it was edible, or so it seemed. Ellen began to stir, adding in the vegetables and rice, including minced garlic, just as I ordered. She seemed to be the type of person who would do what they were asked to do in the right circumstances. She deserved to be called my best midnight snack cooking student. ¡°Remember it, and from now on, cook for yourself. You come here before me after all.¡± ¡°Annoying.¡± She didn¡¯t want to do it, but it¡¯s not like she can keep on getting fed by others. It was interesting though that she did something she thought was annoying when someone ordered her to do it. Of course, it was probably because the sausages tasted just too salty on their own. I put in the sausages and water at the right timing, and soon they began to boil in the pan. I put in some herbs. The sausages were already salty enough, so I didn¡¯t season them separately. After the random sausage porridge was completed, we brought it back into the dining room. Ellen scooped some of it up with her ladle as if there was nothing more to care about. ¡°!¡± Then she opened her eyes wide. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because it was particularly delicious. ¡°Did you think it wouldn¡¯t be hot, shoving it into your mouth right out of the pan like that?¡± ¡°!!!!¡± When I gave her a glass of water, she gulped it right down. She was obviously smart and she had a good physique. Was she the type that would get stupid because of her own hunger? Would she turn into an idiot faced with food? ¡°How is it? Much better, right? Huh? Isn¡¯t it delicious?¡± As I looked at her who kept eating after it cooled down, she stared back at me. ¡°I made it.¡± ¡°What? You just moved your arms, it was me who actually taught you how to make this.¡± ¡°But it was me who actually made it.¡± What? Was she arguing with me right now? Was she picking a fight? I¡¯m 100% sure that she would overpower me in a 1-on-1. Should I continue this? Ellen scooped up a spoonful and blowed on it this time, then she said: ¡°We made it together.¡± Somehow I felt like some petty bastard, so I didn¡¯t say much after that. No, I wasn¡¯t just like a petty bastard, I actually was one. * * * When I returned to my room after having a midnight snack with Ellen, I found that someone was in my room. I thought it was an employee. Since the dormitory employees cleaned the rooms of the Royal Class students. But they would usually clean up the room in the morning when I had classes. It was a little unexpected for them to be here at night like this. I had nothing in my room that shouldn¡¯t be seen. I organized and remembered the student list and then destroyed it. The worker in maid clothes seemed roam around my room, but didn¡¯t seem to pay any close attention to me. However when I entered, the employee came over and closed the door on my behalf. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± What? That was weird. The employee looked at me and spoke briefly. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°I¡¯m Sarkegaar.¡± I couldn¡¯t even imagine how they planned on delivering messages to me, but it seemed like they¡¯d actually just bring them to me personally! Chapter 45 Just like I was able to casually enter Temple, Sarkegaar would be able to do the same, even though Temple had many security measures. But coming to my room as a maid in the middle of the night¡­. Come to think of it, Count Argon Pontheus, Sarkegaar¡¯s cover, was a man. What was Sarkegaar¡¯s actual gender? Were they a species who didn¡¯t have something like that? ¡°How did you get into my room?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that hard to do.¡± Sarkegaar had the master key all maids had. Well, there should have been several ways for him to get that thing. I also had to talk to Sarkegaar because there were many events complicating my situation. ¡°In the future, instead of you coming to see me, I will come directly to you.¡± Sarkegaar was good at transforming himself, so it would be possible for him to contact me without being caught. Perhaps because of the time and place, Sarkegaar didn¡¯t lengthen his words with useless rhetorics. ¡°First, about the Princess¡¯ supernatural ability.¡± ¡°Yes, did you find out?¡± Sarkegaar shook his head at my words. ¡°I¡¯m here to report what I found first, although I could directly find it out if I take on some big risks.¡± Although he did not find out what her ability was, he decided that he needed to report to me what he found in the process first. ¡°First of all, even within the Imperial Family, the talks about the Princess¡¯ supernatural power are divided. In particular, those who belong to Prince Bertus¡¯ faction seem to be skeptical. They think the reason for the information about the Princess¡¯ supernatural ability not getting revealed is because it was fake to begin with.¡± ¡°Meaning that even Bertus doesn¡¯t know what ability the Princess has.¡± ¡°Yes. Your Highness.¡± The Prince didn¡¯t know what abilities she had. That could mean that Charlotte isn¡¯t really a supernatural power user. In the end, that just increased the possibility that her taking the supernatural power classes itself was just to cover up her lie to belong to the Royal Class. ¡°That means the Emperor is the only one who knows for certain about the Princess¡¯ abilities¡­¡­.¡± It was possible that the supernatural power teacher who took Charlotte to a seperate room knew, but even then there is a chance that she actually doesn¡¯t do anything in there. Even Bertus couldn¡¯t figure it out with his authority. ¡°Then there were only two other people beside the Emperor who knew about it. The Class B homeroom teacher Mr. Mustrang and the teacher in charge of Charlotte during the supernatural power classes.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± The authenticity of the Princess¡¯ supernatural power was highly confidential, so neither of them would go anywhere running their mouths about it. Both of them were great people who couldn¡¯t be easily touched. They were teachers at Temple. And they were a teacher in charge of the supernatural power lectures who had to control students with dangerous abilities and a Royal Class homeroom teacher. Neither of them were ordinary people. ¡°So, what did you mean by taking big risks?¡± ¡°If there were people who shared the secret, I could disguise myself as one of them, however it¡¯s difficult to find out a secret that only a few select people know.¡± Mr. Mustrang and the supernatural power teacher both resided in Temple. And they both weren¡¯t people that could be led on so easily. They held important positions among the Temple teachers after all. ¡°Hmm¡­. This certainly is a strange situation. Not knowing whether her powers are real or fake¡­.¡± Did she lie that she had supernatural powers as to not fall behind Bertus? If so, how long could that lie even last? That being said, the Emperor approved of her using a fake supernatural power to get in. Was that why only a small number of teachers, including the first-year Class B homeroom teacher, Mr. Mustrang, were aware of the Imperial Familiy¡¯s lie, to keep them in check? What if it was actually real? Why would they hide her ability, if it was real though? I didn¡¯t really have to think much to get the reason behind that. ¡°If she really has a supernatural ability, then it¡¯s something that can¡¯t be revealed to others easily¡­. It had to be a very problematic ability.¡± ¡°My thoughts exactly.¡± Imperial honor or Imperial prestige. It was an ability that could probably damage either of these, so what the hell kind of ability did she have? ¡°Okay, if it¡¯s too dangerous, let¡¯s just bury this. The truth will come out one way or another.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness. That is a wise decision.¡± Sarkegaar answered as such. We should forget about the Princess¡¯ ability for now. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Was there an accident?¡± I was going to have a duel next week, but I didn¡¯t think that was something I should tell that guy. He would probably just get angry, asserting his uselessly over-the-top loyalty. ¡°It¡¯s about the Princess again.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The Princess is looking for me.¡± Sarkegaar didn¡¯t seem to understand what I was talking about for a moment. * * * Hearing my story, Sarkegaar¡¯s expression turned grave. It was true that this was a serious issue that couldn¡¯t even be compared to that duel. If we did one wrong move, not only I but the foundation of our activity, the Rotary Gang, could be blown to smithereens. When I told him that even Bertus started paying attention to me, Sarkegaar¡¯s expression became even more serious. ¡°Temple is a much too dangerous place for Your Highness. You should avoid this place¡­..¡± ¡°Even if I get to live, the Gang would definitely get blown up.¡± If I were to disappear, Charlotte would wipe out the Rotary Gang. Money was very important for us. This kind of just happened by chance, but now the Rotary Gang had become our most important source of money. In my case, I didn¡¯t necessarily need that money anymore, but Sarkegaar needed it a lot. ¡°What a funny thing. For the Princess to become a problem like that, even though she should be in your debt¡­.¡± That was something that shouldn¡¯t come out of your mouth, Mr. Kidnapper. If it weren¡¯t for you, I might have been able to actually reveal my identity. Well, what happened, happened. ¡°Now I ended up having to do something as absurd as looking for myself, but I have no idea how to go about this. Should I just tell her that I died somewhere and fabricate some evidence?¡± ¡°That answer might satisfy the Princess. It would be the best course of action, but¡­. We don¡¯t know how the Princess will react afterwards.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­.¡± Suppose I would tell Charlotte that Valier was dead and show her some fabricated evidence. Assuming they would just take that manipulated evidence at face value. Wouldn¡¯t there be the possibility that they would just get rid of me and the gang after having exceeded our usefulness? It certainly would seem like a bad connection to have after all. ¡°If I bring them results, they might just get rid of me, and if I don¡¯t, they¡¯ll just get rid of me for being useless¡­.¡± I felt like I was in one hell of a dilemma. Whether I did it or didn¡¯t there would be problems popping up, but when I thought about it a little differently, my head suddenly felt clear. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just do it little by little.¡± ¡°Little by little?¡± ¡°Yeah. She won¡¯t touch us if we show that we are making some progress at least.¡± Damn it, I didn¡¯t want to have Charlotte as my enemy. Just to cover up for a small lie that got bigger and bigger over time, I would end up making up much bigger lies. ¡°Rather if they feel like we are seriously working on this, they would have to protect us, far from wanting to get rid of us.¡± Bertus would continue to show interest in me as long as he thought I was useful. He was no different from Charlotte in that regard. I had to make some progress in finding Valier. In the meantime, she would just continue to resent me, but wouldn¡¯t touch me, no matter what I did. Rather, she would try to help me if I or the Gang was in danger. Both Charlotte and Bertus hid their true selves from the ordinary students. That was something they had in common. Charlotte pretended to be a bit of a shy person in Class B, but the way she acted and spoke to me that day wasn¡¯t the least bit kind or shy. It was as if they were made out of the same mold, so it would be the same no matter who of them became Emperor. Anyway. This wasn¡¯t a good situation at all, but let¡¯s think positively. I didn¡¯t have to choose between Bertus and Charlotte anymore. ¡°Like this I¡¯d be in a position where I could use both of them.¡± Sarkegaar smiled at my bold words. ¡°I¡¯m amazed by your insight.¡± Could you stop smiling so creepily with that elegant face? It¡¯s giving me goosebumps. * * * My short-term goal was surviving that duel next week. My long term goal was to prove my usefulness to Charlotte, and keep my activities from Bertus. And my very long term goal.. ¡°Gasp¡­. Gasp¡­. Gasp¡­.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to just magically improve after just one day, but this is really serious, junior.¡± Physical training. Adriana made me recover my physical strength by injecting me with divine power after I was on the verge of exhaustion. A paladin was training the potential next Demon King with all her heart. Actually, wasn¡¯t Adriana constantly sinning by doing that? If Adriana went to hell, wouldn¡¯t that be entirely my fault? Anyway, we kept to that routine. To some extent, one needed a certain amount of physical fitness to be able to use swordsmanship. In terms of exercises, I was trying bench presses at the moment, but I didn¡¯t even have the strength to do a single one. What was the use of technology if one¡¯s basic abilities wouldn¡¯t be able to support it? So, even if I thought that I was about to lose my mind, I had no choice but to clench my fists again, while feeling that strange sensation of my exhausted body normalizing again. Following the morning training with Adriana and her advising me to eat a lot, I ate something before breakfast. Most of the time, I ate together with Ellen, who was a regular in the dining room. Since she requested for simple snacks, the storage soon got refilled with simple food that could be eaten quickly.. After listening to the lectures, I resumed my training until dinner. Then after dinner, I¡¯d train and eat something again before I went to bed. After a bit, I reached the point where I could feel my physical prowess improving little by little, perhaps because I started off with a very low level of physical fitness and the support of divine power. Thursday morning. ¡°Why don¡¯t you train using divine power?¡± It was easy and quick growing with it, so why did she not use it? I asked her if there was a specific reason behind that. ¡°If one takes stimulants every day, one¡¯s body could end up hurt. That¡¯s the reason. Hunger can¡¯t be restored with divine power. I don¡¯t know if one would call it blasphemous for me to say something like this, but it¡¯s not natural to grow with the support of divine power.¡± Divine power restored stamina, but it didn¡¯t replenish the nutrients spent. So, one could really call it a form of doping. So that was why she kept reminding me to eat a lot. Was that stimpack? ¡°This is just temporary, you hear? If you want to reach a certain level, you have to do it on your own, junior.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± As if she wanted to clarify something, Adriana more or less told me that she won¡¯t keep on being my stimpack forever. I knew very little about what was going on on Class B¡¯s and Ludwig¡¯s side, but they should be doing fine.. Originally, there would have been a scene where they were conflicting with the students from Class A who were trying to pick a fight over each and every little thing. I attracted all of Class A¡¯s aggro, so they didn¡¯t even have time to care about Class B. I, a big villain, took on all of the early villains¡¯ hatred and malice, so there was no ¡°aggro¡± left for the main character. What the hell? I didn¡¯t mean for that to happen. Anyway. I continued to train and train some more. So naturally, I ran into Ellen a lot. Our daily routine was almost identical. We mostly ran into each other in the dining room and the gym. That¡¯s how it was for the most part. When I saw her eating whatever she felt like, I really had the urge to give her some of the food I made. Of course, I took all the credit for that. ¡°You¡¯re really lucky that you came to Temple.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°With the amount of food you eat daily, you could ruin a whole household.¡± Looking at Ellen, who had just swallowed a huge amount of pasta that I just made, made me feel like dying. I really wondered if there was perhaps a black hole in her stomach. At my words, Ellen looked at me with a sour look on her face, spitting out: ¡°I didn¡¯t want to come here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Temple told me to come.¡± ¡°Huh, ah¡­. I see.¡± Was she arguing with me now, because I said that she could destroy a household like that? Wait, she was talking about herself, right? She didn¡¯t tell anyone about herself, so no one knew that she was that Warrior¡¯s sister except the Prince, but here she was telling me that she was told to come here, because I scolded her for eating like a black hole. She didn¡¯t want to come here. That was what she had said. Of course, I knew about her personal matters, but it was surprising that she told me a bit about herself like that. She was right. As soon as they found out that Artorius had a sister, they begged her to come to Temple. ¡°Are you mad?¡± ¡°No.¡± That made it clear. I was the first who ever succeeded in making Ellen sulk. * * * The training was harder on the weekends. Rather, it felt like I could rest during the lectures on weekdays. On the contrary, I worked a lot more intensely in my free time, so the weekends were a hell of my own creation to me. Adriana stayed longer than usual on those days, making me remember a lot of theoretical knowledge, trained me and made me eat a lot. Sunday. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not how you do it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In the kitchen, I strictly watched Ellen cook. She came into the kitchen, saying that she would like to do it on her own this time, because I kept cooking for her. She probably was tired of me taking credit all the time. The menu was presumed to be beef stew with a lot of tenderloin. When I asked her if she knew how to make that, she said that she ate it a lot at home. ¡°Hey¡­. Huh? J, just do it like that. I just told you.¡± ¡°Is there any salt in there?¡± ¡°Ah, this is overcooked¡­. You¡¯re teeth will hurt if you try to eat this, you know? Is this supposed to train your jaw?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s clearly missing in there¡­. I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Add in the herbs with this timing¡­.¡± . . . ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ellen looked at me quietly as I continued to give her instructions. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think you should look at people like that while holding a cleaver.¡± She continued to stare at me anyway. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rather, she seemed angry! She just quietly looked at me while holding a kitchen knife. That was hella scary! Ellen looked at me a moment longer, then continued to concentrate on cooking again. ¡°Look at your temper. Ready to put a knife into me if I just say one more word, huh?¡± Of course, my mouth never went into silent mode. She had a different kind of flavor from cute little Harriet. She didn¡¯t seem to react at all. Honestly, I felt like I had to admit defeat, because I was the one who got pissed instead. Ellen finished cooking regardless of my extreme critique. She then took the enormous amount of stew and set it down on a table. No matter what you tell me, I thought she really wanted to make me angry. I scooped up a bowl of the finished stew, and we each took a spoonful. I stared at Ellen. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I was half-joking, but the result was the same as last time. ¡°Salty.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She did say that she ate it often at home, not that she cooked it. Eventually, she went back to cooking according to my instruction, managing to make a decent stew. ¡°What do you think? Is it edible now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Of course, it is. Who do you think I am?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As I poked at her until the very end, I finally saw furrows appearing between Ellen¡¯s brows. I felt thrilled finally having made that stone Buddha angry. Ah, I was quite the sadist, wasn¡¯t I? And then, Monday evening. ¡°That¡¯s not how you do it.¡± Watching me wield my sword in the gym, Ellen spoke to me casually. ¡°.¡­What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t do it like that.¡± Ellen began to take revenge for my extreme criticism and rudeness she received from me. Chapter 46 The price for upsetting the stone Buddha was great. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Even weirder than before.¡± Ellen pointed out that all the sword techniques I displayed were wrong. Then, she demonstrated the right way to do the technique in front of me. ¡°This is how you do it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Uh.¡± ¡°Try it.¡± Damn it. This was like getting hit by a boomerang. I was paying the price for poking at this kid to make fun of her. It really pissed me off. As I clumsily followed her movements, she shook her head. ¡°No. That¡¯s completely different.¡± Ellen showed me the correct movements again step-by-step and told me to repeat them again. Of course, whatever I did, my moves were bound to look strange to her. I¡¯m totally unskilled after all. As a result, in exchange for making Ellen Artorius, who was like a stone Buddha, angry, she gave me specific training in swordsmanship. The strongest person in my class was teaching me, so, in the end, this was a good outcome. She was someone that wouldn¡¯t have helped me even if I personally asked her. However, she didn¡¯t do this to help me. Ellen, who got angry after my server criticism and teasing, gave me lessons to do the same to me. The result was good, but the process was strange. I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen, so I got more annoyed. ¡°Not like that.¡± Ellen repeatedly told me ¡°Not like this, not like that.¡± as if to retaliate for the lesson I gave her. Wha, what¡­. In fact, I should feel thankful right now, as the girl with the strongest talents in the world who was also busy with her own training went out of her way to help me with my swordsmanship training. That was how I should feel. ¡°¡­Why not?¡± I was angry. I was even more angry because I didn¡¯t deserve to be angry. I was so mad, I had to change this up, and get back at her. I. I was the the total incarnation of a hypocrite. I found it funny to tease others, but got annoyed as soon as someone did it to me. A child was a child, so there was no excuse for that. However I was a somewhat screwed up adult, so I was a bit twisted. ¡°Hey. I know you¡¯re good at it. Uh. So if you¡¯re giving me lessons, why won¡¯t you teach me properly, huh?¡± Facing my own ugly nature head-on, I became a little passive. ¡°So like this.¡± Ellen demonstrated moves that were close to picturesque. When she looked at me with curious eyes, wondering why I couldn¡¯t do it, it felt like she was poking at me thoroughly. Yes, I was the perfect incarnation of a hypocrite. See you later in the dining room. I¡¯ll get you later. * * * After that day, whenever we made something in the kitchen and Ellen cooked I would criticize her and nag while giving her instructions. And when I was in the gym, Ellen would give me extremely strict lessons while I was practicing my swordsmanship. It was like we were instructing each other. If one were just to hear these words, one might think what we shared was a beautiful friendship. However, I didn¡¯t think what grew between us was friendship by instructing each other, but malice. ¡°Frickin hell, why don¡¯t you know something as simple as that? Don¡¯t you know what a measuring cup is? Or how to read a cookbook?¡± ¡°Annoying.¡± In the kitchen. ¡°You have to move your arms by this much, to that degree, like this. Why can¡¯t you do it?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m exhausted. It¡¯s been a few hours, if I were able to move like that in this condition, that would be hella weird, man.¡± ¡°What about earlier?¡± ¡°¡­O, of course, I did better then! I was in better shape after all!¡± ¡°¡­If you thought that was better¡­. Maybe you need to suffer a bit more.¡± ¡°You¡¯re oh so great, huh?¡± In the gym. Like this we were building up that chain of malice caused by our extreme instructions. By the way, even though she always said it was annoying, she definitely had fun cooking. She seemed tired of snacks. I could see that she was doing what I taught here even though she wasn¡¯t that good at it. Technically, she genuinely seemed to want to learn how to cook for herself even after listening to my instructions, rather than just wanting to show off what she cooked to me. I had to learn swordsmanship to increase my physical abilities anyway, so I did what Ellen told me to. It wasn¡¯t just swordsmanship training. ¡°Try.¡± I also sparred with Ellen. When I rushed and stabbed my sword towards her, Ellen put her sword against mine and slid it outwards, and hit my solar plexus with her right shoulder. -Puck! ¡°Kak!¡± As soon as I fell, Ellen put her sword against my neck. ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± This couldn¡¯t even be called sword play anymore, it was just a one-sided beating. Whatever I did, she just sent me flying in an instant. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that a body blow? That¡¯s a foul, isn¡¯t it?¡± At my cheeky words, Ellen just tilted her head. ¡°There are no such things in a real battle.¡± Those were some cruel words for a child to say, but she was right, so I couldn¡¯t refute. After that, Ellen taught me various forms of swordsmanship, offensive and submission techniques while practicing like that. Ellen knew a lot of things we hadn¡¯t learned yet from the swordsmanship theory lecture. It was true that it was more beneficial to train with a living partner than just stubbornly training swordsmanship techniques on your own. I looked up her physical data out of curiosity. There weren¡¯t any details, and a lot of her talents were redacted, but it did get announced in the classroom. It was like a simplified form of the status screen, so to speak. This was also used in the original. Royal Class, Year 1, A-2, Ellen. [Strength 16.5(B)] [Agility 18.3(B+)] [Dexterity 20.2(A-)] [Magic 23(A)][Stamina 15.3(B-)] Talents [Weapon Mastery][Magic Control] It was very simplistic, compared to my status that the system displayed to me. Information that the physical scanner wouldn¡¯t be able to grasp would not be displayed on it. For example, the rank of one¡¯s swordsmanship or the skills one had. Ellen had a lot of talent, but the list got reduced a lot by Temple, only leaving Weapon Mastery and Magic Control. Although she already had the comprehensive talent, Weapon Mastery, Magic Control was another one. It included the talents Magic Manipulation, Magic Sensitivity and Magic Growth. Just by having these two talents, she was already far ahead of Bertus, and yet they dared to call her Number 2. She wouldn¡¯t even need a talent to be better. Even when considering her physical abilities, Ellen far exceeded mine which were mostly ranked as F or D. In the combat rank classifications, there is little change in the rank even if one¡¯s numbers increased and one reached a higher rank. In that classification system, Ellen was already at a ridiculously high level. Having a Status of S Rank and higher was at the level of a superhuman. In the first place, that rank could only be reached by someone of master level or higher. I didn¡¯t know what her combat rank would be, but it would probably be above A Rank. None of her classmates, or anyone from the Royal Class for that matter, possessed that level of physical ability. ¡°Urk!¡± ¡°Huk!¡± ¡°Kerk!¡± ¡°Uwark!¡± . . . Didn¡¯t it seem like that bastard was just using this as an excuse to beat me up? However, I also realized a lot of things through that. In the end, swordsmanship wasn¡¯t just about using the sword, but the whole body, including one¡¯s fists and feet. There were even techniques that implemented characteristics of grappling that included performing faints with the sword to grab the opponent¡¯s collar. That was how I came to the realization that the arm that didn¡¯t hold the sword was also very important, whether holding the sword with both hands, to deflect the enemy¡¯s sword, to subdue the enemy empty handed or to catch the enemy¡¯s blade. There were so many applications that I couldn¡¯t memorize all of them. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¨C Thud! At the time, she flicked away my sword, she almost crushed me, not forgetting that strange action of pointing her sword at my neck¡­ ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± ¡­telling me that I was dead after subduing me. ¡°You¡¯re heavy, man¡­.¡± Even if it was part of swordsmanship, don¡¯t ride on me like that. During our spars, Ellen showed me many different ways how one could get beat up with a sword. This time she showed me something dumbfounding. ¡°¡­¡­Are you making fun of me right now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you now holding your sword upside down to beat me up?¡± She was holding her sword blade and hit me on the head with the cross guard. When I saw that, I felt it was so ridiculous I almost froze. Was she insulting me? Ellen shook her head. ¡°¡­It¡¯s actually a way to use it. Against heavily armed enemies.¡± ¡°Is there really such a strange technique in swordsmanship? What if one ended up cutting their hand?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t cut that easily.¡± Ellen said that it wasn¡¯t only possible because this was a training sword, but I didn¡¯t trust her 100% on that. Anyway, as I already knew from first-hand experience, Ellen wasn¡¯t on the level of having to learn swordsmanship like my other classmates. Ellen tried teaching me her swordsmanship, including how to subdue an enemy, and told me to try it as well. In other words, she beat me up so much that my losses couldn¡¯t be counted anymore, so in the end, she had no other choice but to explain it to me slowly. She taught me how to deflect a sword, how to use my left arm without holding the sword, and finally something similar to toppling techniques to make your opponent fall, which seemed like they came straight up out of a martial arts game. Still, I was starting to wonder if I could ever do these kinds of things. ¡°You¡¯re too slow, and your motions are clumsy.¡± Even while I was getting crushed under her, Ellen shook her head as if this wasn¡¯t it either. No, well, if I were a real adolescent boy, I would be really excited to be in this kind of situation right now! This is really crossing the line! Couldn¡¯t she see that No. 5 Cliffman, who was standing beside us at the moment, clinging to his sword, was spying on us, wondering what we were doing? Couldn¡¯t she see him swallowing hard? Wait. Wh, why was she? He, hey, hey! She was looking at me as if I was just a little brat! ¡°Do it again.¡± Not only me, but Ellen was also covered in sweat as she was sparing with me for a long time now. I thought that now was the right timing. My opponent was extremely arrogant and saw me as just a child. As a result. -Kang! Kakang! ¡°My arm will rip ooout!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t.¡± We were both focused on swordsmanship practice and the lessons. * * * The date of the duel was just after lunch time on Sunday. And since Friday, Ellen was making me practice quit the strange things. ¡°Hold it tight.¡± -Bang! ¡°!¡± ¨C Clink! She slammed against the side of the sword I was holding while aiming forward. The training sword, which escaped from my grasp, clattered on the gym floor. ¡°Every technique in the world is useless if you lose your sword.¡± If you lose something that essential, you would end up dead. ¡°Your grip is too weak.¡± My grip was so weak that I would lose my sword with just a single hit like that. Ellen tried to test my grip strength on Friday, so she slammed away my sword rather than just suppressing me, demanding that I held onto it tightly. Not only did my hands feel tingly, the more we continued to train the weaker my grip became. And. -Katchin! How long have we been doing that? When Ellen hit the side of my sword once again, the sword shattered. ¡°Wha, what¡­?¡± As the sword got broken, my hand didn¡¯t hurt, but did she really hit so hard that she was able to destroy a sword? Ellen looked at the broken training sword and picked up the remaining pieces. ¡°Training swords aren¡¯t durable usually. They break easily.¡± It looked like she already broke a few of them before. ¡°That¡¯s what Temple uses though?¡± ¡°It would be a problem if the training swords had too high a quality.¡± Training swords had no edge at all. It would be a big problem, if one were to ever get hurt by using these. And it seemed like they purposefully used poor materials because if it turned out too durable nothing good would come from that. Even if it didn¡¯t have an edge, it could become a blunt weapon if one used enough strength. ¡°Don¡¯t let go of your sword.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as it sounds, okay?¡± After the sword broke I plopped down on the floor. I couldn¡¯t do anything anymore as my hands felt like they were about to break. Grip strength was important. As such Adriana kept on focusing on grip strength during her physical training. She continued training her grip, saying that a strong grip was essential in fighting with a sword. Today, Ellen kept on testing if I would drop my sword or not by hitting it in different angles. Cliffman also went back to rest, so it was just the two of us in the gym. Of course, there weren¡¯t always just us three here. Bertus and Erich also came by sometimes to train. Bertus had a strange smile on his face when he saw me train with Ellen. He didn¡¯t say much about my planned duel, although he seemed subtly proud seeing what I was trying here. He kind of gave the impression of watching his great subordinate No. 1 doing well even if left alone. In addition, there was little friction between me and the other children as I was completely focused on training for the duel. Well, some of my hindrances had already been cleared up, so the other children probably didn¡¯t dare to touch me. Still, all of the kids were looking forward to Sunday. It was the day when Reinhardt, the psycho bastard, would receive some true education. All those who hated my guts would come to see the duel. ¡°You will lose.¡± Ellen suddenly told me. This girl hadn¡¯t said anything up until now about my duel. It would be weird for her not to know, why I was focusing on training like that all of a sudden. ¡°I know.¡± Everyone told me that I was going to lose, and I knew that. Ellen also knew I wasn¡¯t particularly confident about this either, so why was she talking about that so suddenly? ¡°Do you want to win?¡± She even asked me things like that. I didn¡¯t know what her intentions were, but seeing Ellen ask these kinds of things, did that mean that we grew a bit closer at least? Do I want to win? ¡°Naturally.¡± It would be nice if I were able to win regardless whether it¡¯s possible or not. I would get three times the points as my reward after all, my friend. Ellen didn¡¯t even look at me up to that moment, but then suddenly she turned her gaze directly at me. Her calm dark-blue eyes stared at me. She really was picturesque. ¡°I know a method for you to win.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± What did she mean? No matter how much I thought about it, there was practically no way for me to defeat a guy with a high level swordsmanship talent as well as a sophomore. I had no idea what it was, but Ellen seemed to know at least one method for me to win this duel. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Think carefully what a duel is.¡± That was all Ellen said. ¡°Wait, what are you talking about?¡± I grumbled besides her, asking what the hell she meant, but she kept her mouth shut as if she didn¡¯t want to tell me any more. Chapter 47 The day before the duel. On Saturday, I did my strength training with Adriana in the morning as usual. She continued her training, while aiding me with her divine power. Even after breakfast, Adriana called me back and gave me more training. ¡°Haah¡­. Haah¡­.¡± I definitely felt that my stamina improved by a lot in that short amount of time. That rapid growth and this feeling across my whole body gave me some joy, even while I was in extreme physical and mental pain. ¡°Junior, don¡¯t do anything anymore tomorrow morning. Stay in good shape.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adriana could restore my strength, but if she did that and I did more, it would have adverse effects on tomorrow¡¯s duel. I knew that much, so I was only going to train up to that point. I didn¡¯t really know what difference it would make if I maintained my best condition for this duel that I was going to lose anyway. Adriana trained me in the morning as well as in the afternoon and sat with me on a park bench in front of the dormitory. She handed me a canteen. It was more than usual. Due to the intense training, I couldn¡¯t help but gulp down a ton of water. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± Seeing me exhausted, Adriana looked at me with a strange smile on her lips. ¡°Junior, you are really weird.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I believe you have enough patience and perseverance in you, to the point that you could follow my lead very well so far. Why are you so rude to others?¡± She seemed to have noticed that I wasn¡¯t such an impatient, short-tempered guy during this week of training. However, she didn¡¯t understand why I was being so rude to others, in fights and outside of them. To the point that I would disgrace my opponent like that. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be ignored.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Even if I put up with it once, there would be another guy picking a fight. Should I just endure it twice then? I¡¯d just get hit again and again, that¡¯s when you¡¯re already caught in this vicious circle.¡± Adriana sighed deeply at my words. ¡°Isn¡¯t that tiring? Getting angry, fighting someone, bumping into them because you felt a little upset.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just like that.¡± After I drank all the water from the canteen, I stared blankly at the lush park. ¡°I think it¡¯s better to get exhausted as a shitty bastard than a pushover.¡± ¡°Really¡­. I can¡¯t understand you at all.¡± Adriana shook her head as if she didn¡¯t understand a thing I said. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something I wanted to ask you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adriana stared at me as if she was willing to answer if it was within her capability. ¡°A classmate of mine said that there was only one way for me to win this duel, do you maybe know what she meant, senior?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Adriana thought for a moment, as if what I said was rather bizarre. The only way I could win. What was it that Ellen thought? ¡°That¡­. I honestly don¡¯t know.¡± Adriana shook her head as if to show that she really didn¡¯t know. Okay. Ellen wouldn¡¯t tell me even if I grabbed her collar and shook her. Rather, I should just give it my best shot. If I lose, I lose. * * * The time of the decisive battle had come. Thanks to the training I did over this week I was definitely in much better shape than I was before, as I trained while being heavily doped. Current stats: [Strength 4.8(F+)] [Agility 5.0(D-)] [Dexterity 5.9(D-)] [Magic 10.1(C)][Stamina 8.1(C-)] My strength increased by 0.8, my agility by 0.3, my dexterity by 0.7, and my stamina by 1.6. I trained with Adriana to increase my strength and stamina, and I presumed that my dexterity went up because of the spars I had with Ellen. So, why did my magic stat go up again? There were some changes in the sub-menus as well. Skills [Demon Domination ¨C D](Unique skill of Arcdemons)(Cannot be used in current state.) [Self-suggestion](Locked) [Pseudo Swordsmanship] Comprehensive Ability Assessment ¨C Lowest level Demon Combat Level Assessment ¨C F+ .¡­What¡¯s with that? What was pseudo swordsmanship supposed to be? It wasn¡¯t even Rank F. It was just pseudo swordsmanship. What was that? Were they telling me that I couldn¡¯t even do F Rank Swordsmanship yet? Was I even unable to use the lowest level of swordsmanship or something like that? The fact that my combat level went from F to F+ was also truly breathtaking. They should have just left it as F. F+ makes me seem even lamer. That pseudo swordsmanship I barely obtained after such hard work was nearly crushing my heart. In any case, there was a dramatic improvement to my physical fitness. My abilities seemed to have improved evenly, and if I continue to practice, I¡¯d hit my limit someday, anyway. At that time, I would have to use achievement points or something, but first, I had to achieve whatever I could with my own body. Afternoon. First Year Class A¡¯s dormitory gym. There were quite a few people now in this place where Ellen and I clashed swords repeatedly. A lot of people came just to watch me lose. Bertus was absent. It was the weekend, so it seemed likely that he returned to the Imperial Palace and wasn¡¯t particularly curious about my duel¡¯s results. Everyone of Class A, except No.1 Bertus and No. 3 Liana de Grantz, were present. It was rather surprising that Ellen came to watch my duel. All the classmates that were present when I messed with this senior were here. There were also some of Class B present. ¡°Reinhardt! Cheer up!¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Of course, the kind Ludwig came to support me. He seemed to have brought some friends with him with whom he was particularly close with. B-9 Delphine Izadra and B-10 Lanian Sesor. I never even held a conversation with either of them. It didn¡¯t seem like I would ever have anything to do with them in the future. Pretty funny that I didn¡¯t have any connection to the kids I wrote about the most. And she was a bit far from the others, but she also came to watch. Charlotte was watching silently from afar. That was weird. I was sure she didn¡¯t come to cheer me on. Rather, it seemed more like an investigation. Maybe she was curious as to how I would act in a duel, or she wanted to ask me about the progress in Valier¡¯s search. It somehow seemed like she was trying to confirm my usefulness. There were other people, I didn¡¯t expect to see here, for example, B-3, Scarlett. Her red eyes and hair made her stand out. I didn¡¯t have any connection to her either, so why did she come to look? I wouldn¡¯t be very interested in something that had nothing to do with me. Strictly speaking, if I were her I wouldn¡¯t want to go near Class A even more. ¡°Why did that cursed bitch come here? How unlucky.¡± Scarlett came to watch my duel, even though she had no reason to. Erich, who seemed desperate to bully her, was also here after all. Although I stood far away from Erich, she definitely stared at me. What was this? Since this event never happened in the original, there should have been some motive behind her actions that couldn¡¯t be found in the original. My classmates were made up of these kinds of people, and most of them would love to see me get horribly trampled. Ludwig excluded, I had no idea what Ellen was thinking. She was just squatting at some corner, looking at me. ¡°You¡¯re going to be in big trouble today, you beggar. Be prepared.¡± Harriet smirked behind her hands. ¡°Oh, Have fun watching.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Have fun.¡± ¡°Wha, what really¡­.¡± Harriet looked dazed again when I told her to have fun while watching me get beat up. Preconceptions seemed to be very important. At first, I snapped at her a bit because I got annoyed, but when I thought it over again I couldn¡¯t see her as anything but a cute little kid, so no matter what she did, it seemed kind of endearing. In other words, when I saw this girl, who I obviously set up as a villain, act like this I couldn¡¯t help but find it cute and she might have unexpectedly become my favorite character. Because she didn¡¯t seem to understand what was going on. On the seniors¡¯ side, it seemed like the entire Second Year Class A came. Seeing as there were more than ten people there, did some from Class B come as well? Did they want to see the face of the guy who dared to defy one of the seniors? Was it something like that? The faces I could recognize were the duelist I was going to face, Art de Gartis, Adriana and the little brat named Redina who looked between me and Art with a teary expression. I should really go buy her something later. I couldn¡¯t believe I said something like that to such a nice girl. My neck was going numb from just thinking about that. She was such a good and kind girl! Yeah! I deserve to be hit! And then there was the observer, Mr. Epinhauser. ¡°I think we¡¯re ready, so let¡¯s go ahead with this.¡± Actual duels were actually held with one¡¯s life at stake. However, duels between students shouldn¡¯t be death matches. Therefore, duels were only conducted under the supervision of a teacher who was able to restrain the students at any time. Mr. Epinhauser didn¡¯t question why we were fighting. He was just doing what the regulations stipulated him to do, so he allowed us to do this. If it were Mr. Mustrang, he would have told us not to do this. Their personalities were polar opposites. ¡°Art de Gartis who had his honor sullied by Reinhardt¡­. I¡¯ll just read it as it was written in the report.¡± Mr. Epinhauser began to read the report done on the circumstances of our duel. ¡°On Saturday, two weeks ago, First Year A-11 Reinhardt grabbed the crotch of Second Year A-3 Art de Gartis and squeezed it hard¡­.¡± -Pffft! -Kufufum! -Oh my god! Mr. Epinhauser read that part so seriously, that everyone around, no matter on what side they stood, began to laugh. Either way, the teacher just read it all to the end. I also found this quite funny and Art¡¯s expression became quite weird. But I gotta say, Mr. Epinhauser was one hell of a guy. ¡°He claimed that he suffered from extreme mental and physical pain as well as incredible humiliation, which consequently damaged his reputation. Therefore he requested a duel, demanding an apology from Reinhardt, No. A-11, who accepted this duel. Am I correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yees¡­.¡± Art didn¡¯t laugh, but I barely managed to answer in a slurred voice, because this was just too funny. ¡°State what you want in return for victory.¡± Art replied to Epinhauser¡¯s words. ¡°I want Reinhardt to kneel before his seniors and apologize for his disrespect and I want him to swear to always respect his seniors from that point on.¡± What he wanted for his victory was an apology and respect. What he meant was that whatever they decide in the future I should kneel before them and just nod my head. This time Mr. Epinhauser looked at me. My reward for gaining victory in this duel I had a slim chance of winning. ¡°I hope that these absurd acts that the seniors were trying to impose on us so far will not be forced either on me nor my classmates anymore. Of course, they should apologize as well.¡± At my words, the children¡¯s expressions became strange. Even if it was obvious that I was going to lose, they didn¡¯t expect me to say that I wanted them to stop bullying my classmates in return for victory. What were they looking at me like that for? It was a reward I wouldn¡¯t even be able to receive anyway. ¡°Good. Ars, the god of war, shall take the side of the righteous.¡± Dueling was, after all, a barbaric act. It was clear that God would only stand on the side of the righteous, so the one who won was always in the right. Whoever was chosen by Ars, God of War, would win. That just sounded like bullshit. And then, right when Mr. Epinhauser was about to announce the start of the duel. ¡°Teacher.¡± Art, unable to hide his displeasure, raised his hand. ¡°I will nominate a champion as my right as a duelist.¡± This. What the hell was he talking about? A champion? ¡°Name him.¡± ¡°My champion is Third Year A-7, Mayarton.¡± Art, with a distorted expression on his face, retreated and someone else took his place in front of me, receiving his training sword. The one who accepted it was laughing as if this situation was just too funny to bear. Only then did I realize. Even if all the second years, including people from Class B, were here, the number just wouldn¡¯t add up. That meant the guys from Year Three Class A came here as well. ¡°So you were the guy who told us to come when the Prince was around, yeah?¡± The third years were offended by what I said and took Art¡¯s duel seat. I dared them to try and come at us when the Prince was around, but they couldn¡¯t do it, so their pride was hurt, hence they wanted to take care of me themselves. Art also seemed to have gotten forced into this rather than this actually being his will, and Adriana looked at this scene wide-eyed. I guessed she didn¡¯t know that this would happen. The guy in front of me looked down at me with a fishy smile. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re just as skilled as your dog mouth, Junior.¡± At that moment I finally realized what the only way I could win was. Choosing a great warrior as my Champion. A duelist could choose someone to fight on their behalf with their right. Then I looked towards Ellen Artorius, who was squatting in the corner, staring at me quietly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± -Nod She looked at me and nodded her head. That was the only way I could win. At that moment, Ellen signaled to me that she could be my Champion. Chapter 48 Things were going differently from what I expected. I didn¡¯t think I would win this duel to begin with, but I never expected the third years to make their appearance. How cheap could these guys even get? You didn¡¯t want to mess with us when the Prince was around, but now you were trying to bully your juniors like this? The odds of winning, which were already slim, now became slimmer, though this probably wouldn¡¯t change much. However, that guy in front of me, Mayarton, kept staring at me as if he was thinking about how to truly educate me. My classmates were equally surprised by the sudden appearance of this third year Champion. If I named Ellen as my Champion she would be willing to come up. But no matter how good she was, would she be able to beat a third year? He had been at Temple for two years longer than her after all. Maybe, she would win. I had no idea what Mayarton was like, but she should be more than enough to win. If one wanted to beat Ellen, one had to be a superhuman or someone who had reached the limit of what a human is capable of. I didn¡¯t think that this guy was someone like that. Someone as strong as that was very rarely found in Temple, so they wouldn¡¯t do something meaningless like this. Perhaps because of this sudden change in circumstances, there was one more person whose mood changed slightly, besides Ellen. It was Adriana. She seemed angry beyond perplexity, confronted with this situation. That calm senior was looking at me quietly. I could tell just by looking at her eyes. Her eyes seemed to tell me that she would fight for me. Adriana, originally, hated this absurd hereditary tradition anyway. She even told me that she didn¡¯t like her seniors all that much. However, now that there was a third year standing before me, seeing that guy butt in in a duel against a first year, it seemed like she couldn¡¯t stand by anymore. Adriana spoke to me with her eyes. ¡®Make me your Champion¡¯. I thought I was going around fucking up my Temple life, but there were actually two people willing to fight for me. Had I actually been doing well? ¡°If there is no disagreement, the duel will begin immediately. If the outcome seems clear or if one side surrenders, the duel will end.¡± ¡°Teacher. I have something I would like to suggest.¡± Mayarton looked at Mr Epinhauser and said: ¡°Can¡¯t we just make it a rule that the duel will end if either side surrenders?¡± ¡°And what would be the reason for that?¡± ¡°The result is already pretty clear after all. However, I want to teach some manners to this rash junior here.¡± So, unless I explicitly said I surrender, the duel wouldn¡¯t end? He would definitely win with the normal rules, but he didn¡¯t want the duel to end as soon as his sword touched me. His purpose wasn¡¯t to defeat me, but ro crush me. ¡°Reinhardt, do you agree to these terms?¡± I¡¯ve been hoping for that, you bastard. ¡°Yes, but instead I have a condition.¡± ¡°Which would be?¡± Ellen and Adriana would both be willing to fight for me. Circumstances had changed, and I had been caught by a hell of a lot worse bastard than Art. Art probably would have wanted to fight me fairly. However, that guy definitely would treat me a lot worse than him. The situation changed and so did my judgment. ¡°Mayarton is a third year, and I¡¯m just a first year. There¡¯s a clear difference in ability in not just a single area.¡± Mr. Epinhauser nodded his head as if agreeing with me. ¡°I want to use my right as a duelist and¡­.¡± Who should I call? ¡°Ask the opponent for a handicap.¡± I didn¡¯t call for anyone. * * * When Ellen talked to me the other day she meant that if one thought about what kind of duel this was, one would think of choosing a champion. However, when Art nominated his champion, I thought of something else. A handicap. If there was just too much strength difference between you and your opponent, you could give the opponent a handicap. That was the kind of situation I was in right now. Neither Ellen nor Adriana seemed to have expected that I would use the handicap instead of nominating a Champion. Yeah, I wouldn¡¯t have thought to use the handicap either if this Champion didn¡¯t suddenly appear. Mayarton burst out in laughter at my words. ¡°Junior, are you seriously planning on beating me?¡± He was smiling, but seemed to be really angry. It was like he thought that I believed that I would be able to beat him if I just gave him a handicap. Mr. Epinhauser, the observer of the duel, nodded. ¡°Good. During the duel, Mayarton is forbidden from using his left hand.¡± It wasn¡¯t Mayarton who gave himself that handicap, but Mr. Epinhauser. Mayarton snorted at him and hid his left arm behind his back, as if that handicap didn¡¯t matter at all. Before I wouldn¡¯t have thought that to be a big handicap either, but I had learned what an important role the hand which didn¡¯t hold the sword played while sparring with Ellen. Having one arm sealed away was a huge handicap. Of course, it would be very unlikely for me to surpass this power difference with just that. Then, before everyone¡¯s eyes, Mr. Epinhauser declared: ¡°Start the duel.¡± Mayarton didn¡¯t immediately rush at me. He held his training sword in his right hand and slowly approached me with his left arm hidden behind his back. I didn¡¯t have a single strategy in my mind. Would the countless skills I learned from Ellen really work on someone like him? If I had some good skills, I might have been able to overcome this gap, but I only learned some things by sparring. I didn¡¯t even know proper swordsmanship yet. It would be arrogant to think that I learned it properly when I only just learned a few techniques. That guy approached me as if he just went out for a walk, he wasn¡¯t feeling wary of me at all. ¡°Did you freeze up?¡± When the man approached me with his sword pointed forward and tried to enter my range, I pushed his sword to the side and tried to push in. -Kang! ¡°Kurk!¡± However, as if he saw through all my movements, he powerfully slashed at the sword I was holding with both of my hands, while he held his with one hand. That shock forced me to take a few steps back. Even though I was holding my sword with two hands, it felt like my palms were going to tear apart. ¡°You¡¯re weak.¡± Mayarton stared at me, having been pushed a few steps back. I was very confident that he¡¯d be able to subdue me right at this moment, but he was trying to play with me. He was trying to trample my pride and make me realize that I was nothing in front of him. Mayarton leaned over his body and ran straight at me. -Kang! Then he started attacking me. -Kang! ¡°Kuk!¡± -Kang! He attacked the sword I was holding, to be exact. Intentionally. -Kang! ¡°Urgh!¡± ¨C Clink! As soon as I let go of my sword, he kicked me in the stomach. -Pow! ¡°Cough!¡± I realized something as soon as I collapsed to the floor together with my sword. Until I surrendered, until I bent my pride and surrendered. That guy would continue this. ¡°What are you doing, Junior? Letting go of your sword like that.¡± He kicked the sword I dropped towards me. ¡°Pick it up.¡± -Claaang! As soon as I picked up the sword, Mayarton rushed at me and hit the side of my training sword once again. The sword slipped out of my grasp and rolled to the floor again. Mayarton smiled at me. ¡°Pick it up.¡± I could see now why Ellen trained me to properly hold my sword and not let go of it. She knew that they would do this to me. * * * -Kaang! The power of my grip was gradually getting drained away. ¡°I really don¡¯t get it.¡± -Thud! ¡°Urgh!¡± Every time I let go of my sword, he would hit me with his elbow, kick me and knee me as if I was being punished for it. ¡°Someone like you, who has no skill or credibility.¡± -Puck! ¡°Krrk!¡± ¡°Why did you decide to mess with us?¡± He had no intention of subduing me. He saw me on the floor and kicked the training sword towards me. He blew away my sword and gleefully watched me pick it up again. The humiliation given by the act of having one¡¯s sword hit out of one¡¯s hand and made to pick it up over and over again was no joke. I felt miserable and ashamed at the thought that I was only on the level of a toy for my opponent. Nothing had changed about that even if he was just a piece of trash that found joy in beating up his juniors who were two years younger than him. I knew I would lose and I knew I would get humiliated like this. In addition to the humiliation I felt, the pain all over my body was enormous as what he was subjecting me to was more like corporal punishment than an actual fight. I held my sword again, and it got slammed out of my hand yet again. -Kaang! My palms were torn and bleeding. This was no longer a duel. It wasn¡¯t a duel to begin with. He didn¡¯t treat this as a duel from the start. He just casually walked towards me, swung his sword lightly and make my sword bounce off. Then he kicked and slapped me when I was defenseless, treating me like a joke. He looked down at me as if I was pathetic as I was continuously falling down and getting up. ¡°You¡¯re nothing before a Swordmaster.¡± -Pow! ¡°Urgh¡± ¡°Stay down, you bastard.¡± -Pow! ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°How good things would have been if you acted nicely.¡± -Bang! ¡°Uggh!¡± ¡°You lost. Come on, say you surrender. That would be more comfortable for you, right?¡± -Pow! ¡°Guh!¡± ¡°Do it.¡± -Pow! ¡°Urg¡­.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t?¡± ¨C Pow! ¡°Well, fine by me.¡± He kept insulting me, not showing the slightest bit of sympathy as I kept trying to get up. I was a filthy bastard, but that guy was a little different. That guy wasn¡¯t just dirty, he was cruel. As I was trying to cover up my lack of ability with acting dirty, that guy did it by acting cruel. And he was clearly incomparably stronger than me. The more I got up and tried to resist, the more he seemed to be pleased rather than showing admiration for my endurance. It looked like that guy felt delight at his victim¡¯s futile stuggle. I felt the atmosphere around me as I grabbed my training sword again. There were no emotions in Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s expression and eyes. However, most of my classmates¡¯ expressions were distorted. There were cases like that. In any kind of event, if one side was starting to lose miserably, there would be some who would unwittingly start to cheer for that team. They don¡¯t want the other team to be so helplessly crushed, so they want them to do a little better. Now I was on that miserably losing side. Harriet de Saint-Owan, who showed delight at first at me receiving some true education, was also at a loss. Her complexion was completely white. She looked between me and Mr. Epinhauser. It was as if she was asking with her eyes why he didn¡¯t stop this fight even though it was clear who the winner was. She had been imagining it, but she didn¡¯t think it would be like this. I didn¡¯t know I would end up this miserable either. Some were calm. Ellen was still looking at me and so was Charlotte. Rather, the people who loathed and hated me were the ones who got terrified. It seemed like they thought that I would end up dying like this. Even though duels at Temple could be called child¡¯s play compared to actual duels, it was still a duel after all. It wasn¡¯t at the level of a simple match. The duel wouldn¡¯t end unless someone surrendered. Even Mr. Epinhauser wouldn¡¯t intervene unless my life was at risk. I didn¡¯t even want that kind of intervention. Watching me crawl back up again, the other kids¡¯ faces distorted, not Mayarton¡¯s though. It seemed like he wanted me to surrender. He wanted me to admit defeat and back off. I didn¡¯t know why I was doing this. In a complete mess, I looked at Mayarton with my whole body aching as well as my hands. I wouldn¡¯t be able to win. However, the wind seemed to be picking up. Although I wouldn¡¯t be able to win. That wretched, cruel, fucking bastard. ¡°You, I¡¯ll get one in.¡± ¡°What?¡± Even if I got crushed and trampled over, I would definitely get in a single punch. ¡°I¡¯ll fucking get you at least once, you son of a bitch!¡± I would at least get one hit in. The reality of my coming defeat or any plans I had about developing my supernatural power by putting me in an extreme mental state, all of that was forgotten in my seething anger. I got hit too many times. I was hit so hard, that all the heat rushed up straight to my head. If I didn¡¯t get even a single bite out of that fucking bastard, I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep for the next month or so. I rushed at him with all the strength I still had left, and prepared to use something. If I would hesitate, he would either kick me or hit me with his sword. I never planned on using this for something like that. But, I was so fucking annoyed that I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. [Used the ¡®Revise¡¯ Function.] [20 Achievement Points are required to trigger this event.] I hit the sword that blocked my eyes and made ¡®something that originally shouldn¡¯t happen¡¯ happen right at that moment. His sword. It shattered the moment my sword hit it. ¨C Kaang! The sword that blocked mine broke, dyeing Mayarton¡¯s expression in surprise. ¨C Pow! ¡°Gah!¡± At the same time as my training sword struck his head, I rammed my knee into ¡®the place¡¯ that started this whole duel. Chapter 49 Training swords weren¡¯t made out of durable material. I remembered Ellen telling me that. And the constant use of this particular one made this event possible. The less probable an event, the more achievement points it would require. Conversely, if it was highly probable it would require relatively few points. The event of a training sword breaking after constant collisions, wasn¡¯t that improbable. So, I was able to trigger this event using a very small amount of points. It was definitely more probable than making someone highly trained in close combat suddenly fall over or surrender. In the end, I was able to land a blow using the methods available to me. Knowing this pain, Art put his legs together, and the man in front of me grabbed his thing and stepped back with a painful expression on his face. ¡°U, urgh¡­. This, this dog¡­. This dog-like bastard¡­!¡± Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t fall down even though he was sweating profusely. If he recovered from his stunned state, there would be more severe consequences for me. His sword was broken, so Mr. Epinhauser took out a new one and threw it to him. I couldn¡¯t give him time to pick it up. If he recovered from his damage, I would be dead. I rushed in while that man, who was shivering after being kicked in the crotch, clumsily tried to pick up the training sword. -Thud! ¡°Aah!¡± I didn¡¯t swing my sword, I hit him with my body. As I looked at Mayarton, who was still in pain, I held my training sword upside down. -Pow! Then, as Ellen showed me the other day, I slapped him in the head using the cross guard. She told me that it was used against heavily armed enemies, but now I was using this to stun that guy. -Bang! ¡°Argh! Y, you son of a bitch!¡± If I were able to use my full power, this would have ended in his head splitting open, but because I lost a lot of my strength it only made him feel some pain. I hoped he would at least faint. -Thud! Pow! Pock! Bam! While he still hadn¡¯t recovered yet from the pain, I kicked him, trampled on him and slapped him in the face. However, his body, which had been trained to the limit, didn¡¯t receive any meaningful damage. He squatted and endured all my powerless attacks. It was the same for him. The fight wouldn¡¯t end if he didn¡¯t surrender. He would just wait it out until he recovered. -Thud! ¡°Argh!¡± And that moment came pretty fast. As he pushed me away, he took a step back and got up. I had no time to relax. This senior¡¯s face was flushed red, probably because he got humiliated by a first-year junior. What kind of duel was this? It was just a dog fight. This was just a quarrel between children with no pride, honor or respect. His eyes gleamed with life. The expressions of the onlookers started to get weird. I was helpless, but because I unexpectedly counterattacked, did they start to cheer for me? Did they honestly think I could win this even remotely? ¡°Yes, don¡¯t ever surrender. Please.¡± That wasn¡¯t gonna happen. The senior was still waiting to recover or he was ready to stop me if I came anywhere close him. Right now, he was just watching. I could surrender now. I paid him back after all. I could give up now. It would be my win in a sense if I surrendered now. Something like: ¡°I¡¯m surrendering now to save your face¡±. That would be the best way to make him angry. That would be the case. ¡°Surrender? Yeah, won¡¯t happen. I have no intentions of doing that, you bastard.¡± I wanted to win. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll, win this.¡± After I gave him a kick to his damn jewels. Seeing his face distorted like that. I tasted how sweet revenge was. ¡°You just managed to get in one cowardly surprise attack, and you think you¡¯re gonna win?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I wanted to win. I wanted to defeat this guy and grant him some behavioral training. I wanted to make that bastard kneel in front of me and apologize. So. I wanted to win. If I were to lose, I would have to kneel before that guy and Art and apologize. Getting beat up was shameful, but having to say that I was wrong when I didn¡¯t even think that what I did was wrong was a lot worse. I didn¡¯t like that at all. I didn¡¯t need some grand reason or convincing probabilities, I just didn¡¯t want to lose. I mean, no one would want that. I had to get beat up by this jerk in this unfair fight and then kneel to him and apologize right after that? I wanted to see that. I wanted to see what that guy, so convinced of his victory, who taunted me, stomped on and kicked me, looked like after he lay defeated in front of me. I wondered what kind of miserable expression he would show me, denying his defeat and showing me an even uglier appearance. I wanted to make this person who made me like this even worse off. Hence. I wanted to win. I desperately wanted to win. The guy came up to me. This raging attack won¡¯t just blow away my sword, it would break everything in my body. If I allowed the next attack to hit, there would be no getting back up from that. There was also a limit to holding out through sheer tenacity. Breaking another training sword would be unlikely, so it would cost more points. Maybe it was impossible even. There would be no way for me to win if I wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand that next blow. ¡°How the hell do you plan on beating me, huh? Why don¡¯t you show me?¡± I didn¡¯t have anything like that. Still. I wanted to win anyway. Just because there was no way for me to win, that didn¡¯t mean I was forbidden from wanting to. I couldn¡¯t win, but I still could have the desire to win. I needed to see him lying under my feet no matter what. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± That was when I realized. I thought that I shouldn¡¯t have come because I would lose anyway. I knew I would lose, but I had to fight in the hopes of winning. No, this wasn¡¯t even what I wanted. It wasn¡¯t even close to the thing I wanted. There was no way to win, and yet I wanted to win even in this situation where I had no other choice but to lose, I wanted to grasp victory, and I wanted to be certain of my victory. I now vividly remembered what I had to do. I caught my breath as I watched that guy approaching. ¡°How the hell are you going to win?¡± He was slowly approaching with a sly smile hanging on his lips. How? ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What?¡± The answer had been decided long ago. I looked at the guy holding his sword. ¡°I¡¯ll win anyway.¡± I was being stubborn in this situation. I didn¡¯t know how I would win, but I knew that I¡¯d win anyway. This was just a farce. ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind.¡± Mayarton seemed to think that I had gone crazy because I was pushed to my limits. That was what the other¡¯s faces also told me. No. That wasn¡¯t it. I realized this by rationally thinking about it, not because I was driven into some extreme state. I just realized how my powers worked. The name of my power was Self-Suggestion, so I had to apply it to myself. I had to believe in it myself. It¡¯s not just about wanting to win. It wasn¡¯t even just a prediction of my own victory. Even with no chance of winning, I had to constantly think that I was going to win. I had to really believe it. That was how it was supposed to be used. That was the power I had. It wasn¡¯t about what one wanted, desired or longed for. There was no reason, cause or basis for it, but you had to blindly believe that it would happen. Whining like a child, insisting like an idiot. Only if I completely and whole-heartedly believed that it was going to happen would my power awaken. If you believed in it well enough, it would happen regardless of the cause or reason. The ability would grant myself power like that. ¡°Look.¡± The most powerful supernatural ability that would eventually evolve into Word Magic. ¡°I¡¯ll beat you anyway.¡± [Awakened ¨C Self-Suggestion] That was my power. ¨C Boom! After getting closer, as if he couldn¡¯t stand looking at me anymore, he lowered his upper body and rushed towards me. -Bang! ¡°Wuark!¡± I reacted to those movements that I shouldn¡¯t be able to react to and smacked him in the face with my sword. -Thud! Mayarton fell to the same part of the floor where he had started his rush. He was down on the ground. I couldn¡¯t feel the pain and wounds all over my body. I was in an extreme state of exhilaration as I grabbed this shivering bastard¡¯s hair. ¡°Kuh¡­ Urgh¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to get what happened just now. The reactions around us were the same. It would be unbelievable to see the guy who was barely able to move his body properly until just a while ago to suddenly display such power. I grabbed his hair and slammed his head back down on the floor. -Bam! ¡°Urgh!¡± -Bam! ¡°Gaaark!¡± ¨C Boom! ¡°Kurgh!¡± Mayarton¡¯s body trembled after I hit his head three times against the floor of the gym. Just as Mr. Epinhauser didn¡¯t interfere when I was getting beat up, he didn¡¯t intervene when I was smashing Mayarton¡¯s head against the gym floor. He was just watching. That was some scary level of composure. No one knew what was going on. ¡°Surrender.¡± ¡°Huh. Hah¡­. Ho-how¡­. How¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll lose anyway if you faint. Do you want me to smash in your head until you faint? Fine by me.¡± -Bang! ¡°Kurgh!¡± -Bang! Bang! Bang! Amidst this complete reversal without rhyme or reason I grabbed Mayarton¡¯s messed up hair again and made him stare straight at me. ¡°I told you.¡± ¡°Uuh¡­. Urgh¡­.¡± ¡°I was going to beat you anyway.¡± A reality forced to happen. Self-suggestion was that kind of ability. The greater my absurd belief the stronger my power grew. My vague belief in my own victory seemed to be just enough to win against Mayarton. The moment I realized how to use it, I managed to believe in this scenario. Anyway, I was sure I could win. Neither madness, nor cruelty, nor malice, nor joy could be found in his eyes. Those eyes were only filled with fear and incomprehension at this situation. Good. It was good to be an object of fear. It was even better as the one who feared me was the guy who had been holding me down and beating me up until now. ¡°Now, tell me, senior. You¡¯ve been going to Temple two years more than me, you have better physical abilities and your swordsmanship is much better than mine.¡± I couldn¡¯t help laughing and shouting. ¡°Now how about you try telling the first-year students that you¡¯re a fucking third year, huh!¡± I could feel the people around me get frightened by my maddened roar. ¡°Don¡¯t want to? Then how about I¡¯ll make you wake up to the infirmary ceiling then?¡± I lifted his head up high to slam him down against the floor again. ¡°I, I¡­. I lost.¡± I was finally able to crush his pride and get him to surrender. Mr. Epinhauser bluntly announced the result. ¡°I declare Reinhardt as the victor.¡± [Event Quest Complete ¨C Duel with Art] [You have earned 600 achievement points as reward for your victory.] Then. With the announcement of my victory everything went dark before me. Chapter 50 Damn it. I told that guy I would make him see the infirmary¡¯s ceiling, but in the end it was me who woke up to it. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was after Mr. Epinhauser declared my victory, so the results couldn¡¯t have been overturned. This was the infirmary, right? The curtains were drawn so I couldn¡¯t tell if someone was around. Soon, someone opened the curtains and appeared before me. ¡°You woke up.¡± ¡°Ah, senior.¡± It was Adriana. She approached me, put her hand on my forehead and nodded slowly. Did she judge that my condition was okay? ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You won the duel, junior, but then you suddenly collapsed. This is the dormitory¡¯s recovery room.¡± Recovery room? Was there such a thing? Was Mayarton also here? As I looked around, Adriana shook her head as if she knew what I was looking for. ¡°That senior is in another recovery room. I wouldn¡¯t let both of you use the same room.¡± I did hit his head quite a lot, so he would be in need of recuperation. Adriana sat down on the bed next to me and sighed. ¡°Junior, you knew what I wanted to do, right?¡± Maybe she was talking about the look she gave me before. ¡°Yeah, well¡­.¡± ¡°I could have fought for you.¡± She was asking me why I still insisted on doing such a reckless thing instead of choosing her. ¡°Were you expecting such nonsense as suddenly awakening your supernatural power at just the right time? Don¡¯t you understand things unless you get beat up?¡± Adriana seemed angry. By the way, they must have already scanned my body once while I was fainted. So they should already know the reason why I became so strangely powerful was because of my supernatural ability. ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine as long as the results are good?¡± ¡°Nonsense. Of course, I heard about your strange aptitudes, junior, but¡­. You did something very reckless.¡± I knew I had a latent supernatural power and realized how to awaken it just then. However, to others this might have seemed like I was hitting my head against the floor to break it. ¡°If it didn¡¯t go well, wouldn¡¯t it have been even worse than losing?¡± Adriana didn¡¯t seem to know what to say in response to my reaction as if there was something wrong with that. ¡°Junior, you still have six years to live in Temple. You just started your first year. You were able to awaken a supernatural power through great coincidence this time, but will you continue to do these kinds of reckless things in the future just to turn your other aptitudes into talents?¡± ¡°No, not really¡­.¡± Supernatural powers were just special cases, and the rest of the talents I wanted I could buy with achievement points, so there wouldn¡¯t be a reason to do these kinds of things anymore.¡­. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t do such reckless things anymore. Also don¡¯t be rude to your seniors just because you won that duel.¡± ¡°It will probably happen again in the not so far future though¡­.¡± I was sure that everyone was wondering if my damn temper would lead me to be cut down this time. Unfortunately for them, I realized how to use my supernatural ability and grabbed the third year senior by his hair and slammed him into the gym floor. So that would mean for them that Reinhardt has only become more insane. ¡°Really now. Then I seriously have to scold this junior of mine. Got that?¡± Adriana was staring at me terrifyingly. What would happen if this senior scolded me? I didn¡¯t know if that scolding would be in the form of words or in the form of a beating. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll try to restrain myself.¡± Anyway, I didn¡¯t want to be scolded by someone who was so worried about me to the point that she got angry. Just because she got angry with me about something like this didn¡¯t necessarily mean that she hated me. Of course, if I really were to fight the seniors I probably wouldn¡¯t get away with it so easily. Mayarton was off guard as well. If that were a real fight, it would have ended in less than 5 seconds. ¡°But honestly, I¡¯m grateful.¡± Even if you¡¯re thought to be crazy by everyone else, you should be nice to the people who would actually stand up for you. Adriana sighed at my words. ¡°I really don¡¯t like juniors who go around fighting all the time. I¡¯d rather have a junior that gets along with everyone.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s that guy in Class B called Ludwig.¡± ¡°You know, you¡¯re supposed to be that kind of person, so do you really have to say that?¡± ¡°I guess I got born into the wrong life then.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so.¡± -Hits! ¡°Ouch!¡± In the end, the angry Adriana hit my head. I feel like I could make anyone mad with ease. I think that was my real talent here. *** I was treated by the teacher designated to be the nurse in the recovery room. It was only natural that I ended up fainting. I forcibly raised my own strength far exceeding what my original body could handle, so it had reached its limits. Of course, I was able to leave the recovery room pretty quickly as there was no further need for me to recuperate there. Then, to my dismay, I had a consultation with Mr. Epinhauser. ¡°¡­¡­Self-Suggestion¡­.¡± Mr. Epinhauser seemed worried about my supernatural power¡¯s awakening during the duel. ¡°It¡¯s interesting, No. 11. You did say that there had to be an aptitude for supernatural powers among your countless ones, so it should be possible to awaken one. It seems to me that you accepted your senior¡¯s challenge out of necessity¡­. It¡¯s rather ridiculous, but you turned out to be right.¡± ¡°Actually, I did this because I wanted something else to happen, but it somehow turned out like this.¡± ¡°Luck is also a talent. Just as the other talented students hadn¡¯t necessarily acquired their power through hard work. I do not know if it was mere luck, but you are not allowed to use your ability to attack someone anymore. Unless it¡¯s in special circumstances like a duel. However your ability isn¡¯t an obvious one. The downside to this is that it is hard to recognize and judge. Of course, it might be advantageous for you though.¡± Depending on the degree I use my ability at, one might not be able to tell if I strengthened my body or not. It was extremely advantageous for the one who used it, but it was pretty disadvantageous for the teacher who had to make a judgement on it. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± ¡°Yes, although you seem to be quite violent, I don¡¯t believe you to be an idiot.¡± Mr. Epinhauser was still staring at me with his unflinching gaze. Whenever I met his eyes I always felt like this person¡¯s gaze was utterly terrifying. When he showed me this cold attitude I felt a similar type of fear I felt from Bertus. ¡°Ms. Rollendria will be quite surprised to hear about you. You can go.¡± Ms. Rollandira was referring to the teacher in charge of the supernatural power class. She¡¯d definitely be surprised as the one who casually said he¡¯d somehow get a supernatrual ability, actually got one. * * * Reinhardt awakened his supernatural powers during his duel with his senior. That rumor seemed to have already spread throughout the class as well as among the seniors. When a first year and a third year fought against each other in a duel, the first year actually awakened their supernatural ability and beat up his senior. The duel itself probably became the a hot topic around the entire Royal Class before it even started, but now it came out that the first year actually won. It would have been strange if there weren¡¯t any rumors. Still. I didn¡¯t know it would turn out like this.. ¡°Are you Reinhardt?¡± ¡°I heard that duel was no joke?¡± ¡°Mayarton, that bastard, should¡¯ve been beaten some more.¡± ¡°Oh my god. You¡¯re such a little baby! Cute! Can I hug you?¡± No, I wasn¡¯t a baby. I was still 17. And no matter how I looked at it, I wasn¡¯t really the cute type, or was I? ¡°Should this sister buy you something delicious? Do you like macaroons?¡± The First Year Class A dormitory was currently crowded with seniors who came down after hearing the rumors about me. In a way, this might have been a natural conclusion. In order to defeat a single first year, a third year forced himself into the fight of a second year as his champion. At this point, Mayarton would have already been imprinted as trash in the minds of those who weren¡¯t all that interested in disciplining the juniors. Not all Class A students were strict about traditions and such. As soon as they reached their fourth year, many students turned their attention away from such things. So, many of them were already dissatisfied with Mayarton for trying to beat up a first year. But he even lost. Therefore, those seniors were bound to develop a certain degree of curiosity and favor towards me, to the same degree they disliked Mayarton. Also, although I didn¡¯t make Reinhardt look super handsome, he was still good looking enough. It was understandable that those sisters would go: ¡°You¡¯re such a cute little baby¡±. ¡°How can he be so young and already so righteous? You told your seniors not to bully you and your friends anymore if you won, right?¡± As the rumor spread around that I participated in duel I was bound to lose anyway to make the seniors stop harrassing my class, it seemed that I now got known as a righteous guy who fought for his friends. ¡°Ah¡­Uhm¡­ I did say that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so nice.¡± Of course, my actual classmates who heard the seniors¡¯ fussing seemed to doubt their ears. The seniors were praising Reinhardt, the crazy dog bastard, as a good and nice guy after all. Their expressions showed that some of them seemed to want to fiercely shout, ¡°No, he isn¡¯t that kind of guy at all!¡±£® ¡°If anyone comes to bother you again after this, tell me. I¡¯ll scold them for you. See? If you have any problem, come straight to the Fifth Year Class A, okay?¡± -Rumble! Rumble! If she was in the fifth year then she was 21 years old. She was a college student sister. ¡­Of course, I didn¡¯t actually see her as an older sister, she was still just a child as well. She was trying to show off and made a small storm appear in her right hand. What? Why was she doing that? Since they were seniors, their supernatural abilities couldn¡¯t be compared to those of a first year. They told me I should be proud of myself and that there should be more children like me. My classmates, of course, would never agree to anything they said. If there were any more children like me, Temple would get destroyed. Still, if one were to take the rumors at face value, I did seem like just a good little kid. There were also times when some male seniors would pat my head, saying I did a good job, but there were also some female seniors who simply crossed the line. ¡°What do I do? I heard you had such a hard life.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah, well¡­.¡± She seemed to have heard about my origins, so a certain senior girl suddenly hugged me tightly, giving me a headache. N, no. Hey! Don¡¯t do this! Although my mind was still the same as it was before, my body was currently a healthy 17 year old! ¡°Oh my, good that you were able to get into Temple.¡± Don¡¯t do this! Th, this wasn¡¯t how this was supposed to go! When they found out that I was actually just a beggar from the streets, they couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how I was able to grow up to be so upright in that kind of environment. The seniors had that huge misunderstanding about me, to the point where I couldn¡¯t do anything about it anymore. Tired. I was really tired. I ended up becoming a star at Temple just because of one duel. * * * Regardless of the misunderstandings the seniors had about me, the looks the others gave me after they returned were a little different from before. Probably because they knew I awakened my supernatural ability. They might have also felt something from my actions, fighting so hard even though I was put into such a helpless situation by that senior. The people who hated me, Cayer, Erich and Kono Lint, looked at me then went past me with their eyes tightly closed. They felt like they were no match for me, not only in terms of skills, but also in terms of mental strength. It wasn¡¯t because I fought so well, it was because of my mental strength that didn¡¯t allow me to give up no matter how badly I got beaten up. Eventually, they would get more skilled and mentally strong, but right now they were just kids. No wonder I looked weird to them. And. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Harriet de Saint-Owan was looking at me, turned her head and passed by me without giving me a single glance. Well, that certainly wasn¡¯t what I expected£® Wouldn¡¯t this have been the perfect time to tell me something like: ¡°You should have gotten beat up more¡±? ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Wha, what£¡¡± When I called out to her, she stopped as if she was waiting for that, and looked at me angrily. I could see that she was blushing. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me?¡± Harriet frowned when I asked her that. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing though? What would I have to say to a bastard like you? Oh, yes, yes. You should have been hit a bunch more, but then you ended up using that supernatural power of yours like a coward just to win.¡± I got the exact response I wanted to hear. ¡°Really? Weren¡¯t you rather restless when you watched me get beat up though?¡± ¡°Wha, what?¡± Her face got even redder because she didn¡¯t think I was looking at her before. ¡°I saw you stamping your feet with a pale face, you know?¡± I told her with a grim smile. In fact, she kept looking towards me and Mr. Epinhauser in the hopes that he might stop this fight. I was able to see all that, even while I was getting beat up. To be exact, that was the only thing I could do at that moment. Anyway, I saw her getting more and more restless, wanting Mr. Epinhauser to bring an end to all that, but he didn¡¯t. So there was just one conclusion£® ¡°Were you worried about me? How cute.¡± ¡°Absolutely not! Never ever, nope! I, I. Wh, why would I, I be wo, wo, worried about the li, likes of you? Hah! Hah! It was so refreshing!¡± Judging by her red hot face, it seemed like she was absolutely worrying about me. In the end, there was not a single person who wouldn¡¯t feel sympathy if someone got beat up so pitifully. I went up to her and put my hands on her cheeks, squeezing them. The cheeks of that high-and-mighty princess of a Grand Duchy felt like two steamed buns. ¡°!¡± She wasn¡¯t even able to scream that was how dumbfounded she was. She didn¡¯t even imagine someone would dare do this to her. ¡°Leeh! Leeh goh! Shto!¡± It was really, really cute that she got surprised by me doing something as ridiculous as this. When I let go, this completely red-faced girl started trembling all over her body in total bewilderment. ¡°Ho, how dare, dare you touch my body! Someone like you? How absurd. How. How. How could a beggar¡­. How¡­.¡± She was so angry and embarrassed that she wasn¡¯t even able to scream properly. Her pupils were shaking very strongly, one might think they were affected by an earthquake or something. This time she didn¡¯t seem that angry, she was more dumbfounded and surprised. Not only did I dare touch her precious face, but I even squeezed her cheeks and laughed at her. She was the cutest when she was like this£® It seemed like she was trying to deny reality. She probably was thinking something like: ¡°This can¡¯t be happening to me¡±, or something. ¡°Hu, hnnk¡­¡­Sobsob£¡ Sniff£¡ Knnrk£¡¡± However£® Contrary to my expectations, she started to cry£® ¡°Hu, huh¡¤¡­¡± That wasn¡¯t it. ¡°Why are you doing this to me? You bastard, why are you picking on me? Why do you bully me like this? Stop it! Stop teasing meee!¡± Wha, what do I do¡­? Chapter 51 Harriet began to cry£® I could deal with bullies, but I came to realize that I had no idea how to handle a crying kid. I brought Harriet, who was crying in the hallway, to the dining hall and handed her some macaroons I had on me. Wha, what£® The way I try to appease a crying child seemed kind of like something an old man would do, so I felt rather embarrassed. ¡°I won¡¯t eat things you give me! They¡¯re dirty!¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t mine, the seniors gave me those, you know?¡± ¡°You touched them! So they are dirty! Throw them away, get them away, I won¡¯t eat them!¡± Harriet was crying bitterly. What should I do, what should I do. This was like a grandfather who teased his grandkids too much because they were just too cute and accidentally made them cry. It was so much fun. Although it is true that I bullied her a bit too much. It was like how old people would pinch a kid¡¯s cheek for just being cute. I was obviously in the wrong. Ah. I was the one at fault here. ¡°Come on¡­. I¡¯m sorry. Hey? My bad. Okay, I apologized. Don¡¯t cry anymore. Okay?¡± ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re always making fun of me, tease me, and bully me! No one ever did that to me. Not even my father, mother, and older brothers told me things like that, so why are you doing this to me when I didn¡¯t do anything to you?!¡± -Sobsob! I sighed as I watched Harriet continue to cry. ¡°Hey, you made fun of me for being a beggar as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a beggar, aren¡¯t you?! So why are you teasing me for calling a beggar, a beggar?!¡± Ah, I shouldn¡¯t poke at her more. If I said something like ¡°I called you an idiot because you¡¯re actually an idiot¡± it would just make her cry even more, so I kept my mouth shut. Ah, right£® I remembered a different method. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that I just teased you for no reason. I told you, you¡¯re cute, right?¡± ¡°Sobsob.¡­ Sniff£¿¡± I got a reaction from that. She looked at me as if I was talking nonsense£® Yes, it was true that she was hard to deal with but she was also pretty cute sometimes. ¡°Think about it. I never called you an asshole or anything, or did I? I just said you were cute. Calling someone cute is a compliment, so how was I teasing you? You called me a beggar, and yet I called you cute. When did I make fun of you? Huh? Wasn¡¯t it you who made fun of me? Is calling you cute, teasing you?¡± ¡°You squeezed my cheeks and laughed at me!¡± ¡°No, I just thought you¡¯d look cuter if I did that. It was really cute, you know? Huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hiccup!¡± She stared at me while hiccupping. She seemed to be deep in thoughts. I wanted to say a few more things as followed: ¡°Aren¡¯t you revealing your status just by saying that a low-class kid like me isn¡¯t allow to touch your body? Aren¡¯t we classmates? Huh? I don¡¯t know about after our graduation, but right at this moment we both are simply Temple students. We¡¯re the same, right?¡± I was about to say that, but that girl was murmuring something. If someone like her told me something like that, she was sure to get into trouble with the teachers. She thought for a while and then stared at me. ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t touch me with those dirty hands again.¡± That was what she eventually mumbled quietly. Was she feeling better now? ¡°Okay. My bad. I¡¯m really sorry. Now eat this and let it go. Hm?¡± Her expression seemed to change a little as I kept the apologies going. A bully who seemed like he¡¯d never apologize for anything, was doing so at the moment, so her attitude seemed to change a little. I mean, if someone like her came out like that, wasn¡¯t apologizing the right thing to do? That¡¯s how I felt at least. ¡°Here, I¡¯ve never tried them, but they should taste good. Eat.¡± She seemed to be uncomfortable as I kept pushing the macarons towards her. ¡°Ah¡­. Ah. I don¡¯t¡­. I don¡¯t want to¡­. Fine. I¡¯ll eat them! I¡¯m eating them! You are like my grandmother! How annoying!¡± In the end, Harriet took the macarons and groaned as if she had no other choice but to eat them. Ah. I really did seem like an old man. What? I wasn¡¯t actually that old, but I really didn¡¯t know any other way to soothe crying children¡­. So I really was too old! ¡°Earlier¡­.¡± After eating the macarons, she talked without looking at me. ¡°Huh, earlier?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t it hurt when you got hit?¡± ¡°It hurt like hell.¡± I recovered, but it really hurt horribly. Of course it would hurt if one were to get hit. Why was she asking something like that? ¡°Why did you continue to fight if it hurt that much? Why didn¡¯t you just surrender? If you weren¡¯t lucky enough to awaken your supernatural powers just then, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to win.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So why didn¡¯t you surrender? You said it hurt.¡± Harriet didn¡¯t seem to understand why I kept getting up just to get beaten again and again. Of course, I kept fighting because I knew I had supernatural powers. ¡°Well, have you ever felt like you absolutely didn¡¯t want to lose to some kind of bastard even if it killed you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°He was that kind of bastard to me.¡± He took over someone else¡¯s duel with the excuse of wanting to educate his juniors, and even though his opponent was just a first year, he went on to beat him to a pulp no matter the consequences. It was neither honorable nor admirable. I just didn¡¯t want to lose to that kind of bastard. That was the type of feeling I was going for. It was both similar to the truth and yet slightly different. Harriet pondered for a while, then smirked and spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re going to die an early death.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet though.¡± It was now time for her to let out a ¡°Hmph!¡± again to my bizarre answer. ¡°¡­¡­Actually.¡± Harriet, who had been munching away on the macarons for some time now, didn¡¯t give me the response I expected. ¡°You were a litte¡­.¡± A little what? ¡°A little¡­¡­.¡± Harriet, who had been mumbling to herself for a bit, suddenly rose from her seat. ¡°Hmph! I don¡¯t know, you idiot!¡± And after adding another ¡°Hmph!¡± to her sentence, she quickly disappeared from my view. Right. Sometimes having such an easy-to-see-through character was good as well. * * * Just because I won that duel, didn¡¯t mean things were over. My supernatural ability was still in its initial stage and I needed to get used to applying it to me. Self-Suggestion was just the starting line, my real goal was Word Magic. So I headed back to the gym. Arriving there, I found the NPCs that usually appeared here. Cliffman and Ellen. I hadn¡¯t spoken to Cliffman yet, but I was familiar with him, because I always met him here in the gym. Ellen was swinging her sword, but stopped when she saw me. I wondered if she had something to say to me, but she just stared at me. Should I brag about my victory? Or should I thank her for offering to be my champion? I was thinking about what I should tell her¡­. Ellen pointed with her chin to something. It was a basket filled with training swords. ¡°That¡¯s not how you should fight.¡± No. Was she preparing for another lesson? Still, now wasn¡¯t the time to ask to be congratulated on my victory, brag about my supernatural ability or thank her for the training. No matter what happened, she would always stay the same, so my slightly scrambled mind calmed down. I won, but I felt more like I had just reaffirmed that I still had a long way to go. Alright. It was still a long road ahead. I grinned while grabbing a training sword. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s going to be different from now on.¡± Like hell. I got severly beaten up. * * * Monday. I didn¡¯t stop my training. I woke up early and did some strength training with Adriana. She also declared that she would no longer assist me with her divine power anymore as there was no urgency in my strength gain. That was when I realized how nice exercising was with her assistance. I felt like dying. After that, my routine was the same as before. I made some food with Ellen and ate a bit before breakfast, then ate breakfast and went to class. I didn¡¯t get any more divine power recharges, so I didn¡¯t really need to eat that much anymore, but I was exercising quite a bit, so I decided to keep eating a little something in between meals, albeit not as much as before. Ellen was still chasing me around the gym, maybe a bit more than before, while I was a bit more timid in taking my revenge in the dining room. ¡°Wow.¡± Bertus, who returned to Temple and went straight to the classroom on Monday, was very surprised when he heard about the duel¡¯s outcome from the other students. The one who explained the whole situation to him was none other than Cayer. ¡°Reinhardt, isn¡¯t that incredible?¡± As soon as Bertus heard his explanation, he turned to me. ¡°Ah, well.¡± ¡°Although it was said that you had infinite aptitudes, for supernatural powers to actually be included in that.¡± As if apologizing for underestimating my potential, Bertus smiled softly. Among those who felt rather uncomfortable that I was able to awaken a supernatural power, the one who felt the most uncomfortable was Heinrich von Schwarz, who once threatened to grill me with his power. He was trying hard to not look my way, as if he didn¡¯t acknowledge me, who had awakened a supernatural power in such a ridiculous way. ¡°H, honestly though, he was just quite lucky¡­.¡± Cayer muttered timidly next to Bertus, but Bertus just dismissed him. ¡°I see? I find it more amazing that he kept on fighting in the state he was in than his supernatural power though.¡± ¡°I, is that so¡­.¡± Cayer first told him that I was being crushed thoroughly before suddenly awakening my ability and winning the duel. In the end, he just described me as some lucky guy. However, Bertus seemed to give higher value to the fact that I kept on fighting while being helpless than me winning with my supernatural power. Bertus wasn¡¯t particularly interested in the Royal Class¡¯ talents to begin with. Even if they were outstanding, in the end, they were just kids. So, while he was surprised that I managed to awaken my ability, he was actually impressed by the fact that I kept on getting up even though I was completely crushed by that third year again and again. He had more interest in intelligence and mental strength, than talent and brawn. He knew that no matter how great the skill one owned is, it would be useless if one didn¡¯t have the brains to use it, and even if one was intelligent enough, it would be even more useless if one didn¡¯t have the mental fortitude to face the dangers in front of oneself. Wait, wasn¡¯t I getting better and better in his eyes? Erm, one second? Was I getting brainwashed here? Wasn¡¯t it pretty problematic getting this much attention from this two-faced character I made? Wouldn¡¯t I be an actual fool if I got deceived while knowing he would deceive me? How could I, the creator, get led on by my own creation? Was I that pathetic? Just when I was about to fall into a delirium. -Clatter! Someone opened the door and entered the classroom. It was Art de Gartis, who was the actual other party of the duel. He came to the same place where he applied for this duel, although, this time, as the loser of said duel. Of course, his expression also seemed rather lifeless. Everyone watched the situation in silence as he approached me and bowed his head. ¡°I have lost the duel, so I will admit my faults, Reinhardt. In the future, I will not take any actions that would involve unreasonable demands or verbal abuse towards my juniors. I¡¯m sorry. I deeply regret my wrongdoings.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Seeing him apologize, I couldn¡¯t help but feel exasperated. A champion was just a champion after all. The price of losing a duel was not directed at the champion, so there was no need for them to pay said price. That was why Mayarton, who actually trampled on me, didn¡¯t come to apologize to me, because he was just a champion after all. He should have come out of moral reasons, but he didn¡¯t because of his stupid pride. He probably complained to Art about how he had no reason to go. Or maybe he couldn¡¯t even ask him to come. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Art, who raised his head, looked at me and apologized again. His expression held a plethora of very complex emotions. He was forced to choose a champion because he was unable to overcome the pressure of his seniors and then he came here alone without bringing Mayarton with him. He seemed to feel guilty about all these things. Just as Adriana and Redina said, Art wasn¡¯t such a bad guy. From what I could tell, Redina probably was someone who was loved by all her second-year classmates. I could only imagine how hard it must have been for her to be forced by her seniors to go educate the juniors. Obviously, the third years must have ordered her to go alone. They must have chosen Redina on purpose, knowing that she wasn¡¯t able to say any hurtful things to anyone. So this was nothing more than bullying. Eventually, she went to do this alone with sorrow in her heart, having to do something, she absolutely hated, but came back after getting severely insulted by a first year student. I was the one who was so harsh to her. From Art¡¯s point of view, this would have been enough for him to see red. I fully understood. After all, they were just kids. I had already shown plenty of ugly anger and ridicule towards these children, but I didn¡¯t want to stoop to the level of an idiot who would seriously hate those kids. Guys like Mayarton were seriously disgusting, though. Art deserved to be angry. I didn¡¯t really handle this too well, but I wanted to make it up to them somehow. I had done a lot of bad things to them as well after all. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ve done a lot of bad things as well. I¡¯m sorry, senior.¡± Everyone, including Art, was astonished at my words. Art looked at me for a while, before he opened his mouth with much difficulty. ¡°When I saw you persevering like that, I realized how shameful I was.¡± An incompetent and ignorant guy like me was able to stand his ground and fought against a senior, while he couldn¡¯t overcome his own senior¡¯s unreasonable demands and had to give up his duel spot to one of them. And in the end, he had to watch me win. Did he realize that it may take power to overcome injustice, but simply standing up to it, didn¡¯t? He seemed to regret not being able to stand up to this injustice in the end. After saying that, Art went back. I felt compelled to apologize to Redina as well later. Not long after, Mr. Epinhauser entered the classroom. ¡°You all should know that there will be a certain event starting next Monday, right?¡± -Yes! It had finally come. The main event of the beginning part. The Victory Festival. Chapter 52 The Victory Festival began after the triumphal army, who returned from their long journey after winning the Demon World War, entered the capital. If they actually marched all the way back from there, it would have taken a lot longer, but the time actually got reduced as they used super-large warp gates located at the outpost on the borders of the Darklands. I was in Temple right now so I wasn¡¯t too sure, but they must be pretty busy preparing for the return of triumphal army. Of course, I didn¡¯t describe every single day of their Academy life in huge detail. If I did, this would be more like a fantasy-style diary. Would that even be a novel then? I roughly wrote down when and what happened, but I mostly just put it as: ¡°Each day passed like a flicker until it was time for the Victory Festival¡±. That was how I wrote it. Up until now, I lived in these blank times and went through all sorts of events that didn¡¯t happen in my novel, but still existed in this world, so now it was time for the Victory Festival. ¡°Originally, Temple was supposed to close down for the duration of the Festival, but this is not applicable to you guys. As you know, Temple¡¯s tuition fee is quite high. So, if the school were to close down for more than a month, not only would that disrupt the flow of education, but there would be various complaints from students as well.¡± Did they think there was a single student who¡¯d hate some vacation time? It was the parents who¡¯d hand their asses to them. If the school, one spent a huge amount of money on, decided to close down for a month, they would have paid that tuition for nothing. And strictly speaking, I was kind of on the side of the parents, so I could sympathize. If Temple just decided to close its doors for a whole month, I¡¯d think they were thieves as well. ¡°Siiiiiiiiiiiiiigh¡­.¡± The kids, especially the ones who liked to play like No. 8 Kono Lint, let out a deep sigh. Regardless whether they were part of Royal Class or not, they were just like any other kid. Everyone would get a little excited when they heard news about the school closing down for a month, so I could see everyone¡¯s mood literally dropping to the floor. Hey, you little bastards. Listen to what people have to say until the end. ¡°Nevertheless, the victory in the Demon World War is the most memorable of all events written down in the history of mankind. Therefore, Temple will be closed for about one week, which is already unusual enough.¡± They couldn¡¯t give us a month off, but they decided to close Temple for a whole week. ¡°Ooooooh!¡± Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s calm words heated up the atmosphere again. Bertus didn¡¯t seem to be so enthused about this. As a member of the Imperial Family, he¡¯d have a lot of work to do during this huge festival serving as a Victory Ceremony. Rather it might be quicker than one might thought though. However, among my classmates, Ellen¡¯s mood seemed rather subdued. She didn¡¯t seem much different from usual, but now after I gained more experience with the stone Buddha, I could somewhat read her current mood. The reason was obvious. To Ellen this Victory Festival would just be something to commemorate the death of her older brother, who eventually died fighting the Demon King. ¡°Ooooh, hell yeeeeeaaaaah!¡± Of course, Kono Lint kicked up a fuss after hearing Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s words. Dismissing that rowdy guy, Mr. Epinhauser delivered an additional message to us. ¡°That would mean that you have to leave this Friday and come back two weeks later on Monday. If you want to return to your parents¡¯ house, please report to me. I will give you permission.¡± No matter how talented they were, there were some among the kids who were actually homesick. Given that it was a nearly 10-day-long break, those that live further away would be able to return home. Some of the children¡¯s eyes lit up at these words. ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. The break will start next week, so please attend class properly.¡± What he meant was: ¡°Don¡¯t think about causing any trouble just because you¡¯re excited¡±. Everyone would get slightly excited about the prospects of a break. No matter how problematic they were, in the end they were all just children. Looking at them like that, they were all pretty cute. And out of all of them who seemed to be the most problematic? ¡°He, he, he¡­.¡± Ten days. I wasn¡¯t going to let anyone keep watching me. I was going to go back to Eleris after such a long time. It had been just too long since I last saw Eleris. I could sympathize with the parents, but right now I was just a student. A break was nice after all. ¡°Number 11.¡± Then Mr. Epinhauser called me. ¡°Yes?¡± Now, just by him calling me, I could feel a chill running down my spine. Wha, what else did I do wrong? No, but didn¡¯t he accept my apology? Worrying about what I did wrong before knowing what the teacher actually wanted was a typical problem child¡¯s way of thinking, so I felt pretty pathetic about myself. Yeah well. Wasn¡¯t I more or less already a super-delinquent who even beat his senior in a fight? ¡°You are excused from class today. Come with me.¡± ¡­¡­Did I really cause some trouble? * * * Fortunately, I didn¡¯t actually cause any trouble. It seemed like I already passed the point of no return when I started worrying about what I might have done wrong without actually remembering having done anything wrong. Mr. Epinhauser took me to the outdoor swimming pool of our class building. ¡°He¡¯ll be here soon.¡± He sat there with me on a nearby bench and waited, although the teacher didn¡¯t tell me who we were waiting for. There was no water in the outdoor pool. The weather was still too cold after all. Swimming lessons were also part of the P.E. classes, however not until summer. Come to think of it, this set-up was rather weird. If one used a mana stone powered water heating system in an indoor pool, we¡¯d be able to have swimming lessons, even in winter, right? However, here in Temple, which recieved huge amounts of capuital, we still depended on the weather whether we would have swimming lessons or not? This was a set-up hole which stemmed from my weird delusion that swimming lessons were a summer thing in school. ¡­¡­I should have thought about that a little more. Wouldn¡¯t I end up in a much worse situation, because I set up so many improbable things? I¡¯m an idiot. No, now I got curious again. This was obviously a weird situation. It was clear that mana stone powered water heating systems were a known concept as there were shower facilities in which one could shower with hot water. However, I was stupid and created this bizarre situation of hot showers existing but no indoor pools. This world created some sort of probability for parts I did not include, but this strange part wasn¡¯t corrected. That was because I, the author, explicitly wrote that. I wrote that Temple didn¡¯t have swimming lessons outside of summer, so it was as such. However, this world had the technology to make indoor swimming pools and a way to provide hot water, so one was able to swim in winter. It was already unlikely enough that Temple, which swam in money, didn¡¯t have an indoor swimming pool, but as I, a braindead, second-rate author, wrote it like that, this was now the reality I was confronted with. One could say that it was just a swimming pool so I shouldn¡¯t care, but I was about to go crazy, because I kept on thinking that this unpredictable situation happened because of me. It felt like my dark history was being played out before me in real time. That was what I was curious about. What would otherwise not have been possible had become reality because of my description, but did this situation also get its plausibility supplemented? Did a plausible explanation get added to this highly improbable situation that my setting error created? ¡°Teacher.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± I didn¡¯t know why, but I felt like the teacher might know. Although not enough for the setting to collapse, it was definitely lacking. Was there any convincing reason for this? ¡°It¡¯s possible to take hot showers in Temple, so wouldn¡¯t it be possible to have swimming lessons in winter if we build an indoor pool and fill it with hot water?¡± Were there any other writers who¡¯d asked their own characters about their own novel¡¯s settings like this? No matter how hard I thought about it, this was just completely different from your usual ¡®Getting Transported into your own Novel¡¯ kind of deal. Usually, the main characters in these types of stories were the writers of the novel they got transported into and they were able to remember every detail of their own settings or they were readers who read the novel and knew absolutely everything about the book. While I got sent into that novel I only vaguely wrote, and rather than knowing everything, I, the writer, went in with nearly no knowledge. Among the things I should know were even a lot of things I didn¡¯t even remember. Knowing the future in a slice-of-life novel had no merit whatsoever, in the first place! What was the point of knowing what Ludwig and Delphine Izadra chatted about over dinner? Then they got all excited, gathered all their friends and had a snack party. How could I even use that?! There weren¡¯t that many military incidents in a slice-of-life, so even if the writer entered, there wasn¡¯t much he could do¡­. Of course, I knew about the gates, but that was a rather disgraceful thing to remember. So, for the parts that were not described, rather than the creator just knowing, it would be faster to ask one of their creations about the situation unfolding before them. As soon as I arrived at the main stage, the Capital, I wondered just where the hell I landed. I couldn¡¯t even recognize a lot of things that appeared because of my writing. Phew. If the creation myth was true, God might have watched the humans making airplanes, wondering what they were supposed to be. He might have thought something like: ¡°What the hell? You¡¯re not made to fly!¡±. This was already far beyond the scope of my imagination. Anyway. ¡°I suppose so.¡± The teacher answered that the possibility of a heated pool existing was there. ¡°But why don¡¯t we have one here?¡± It wasn¡¯t like Temple had no money and having one wouldn¡¯t be disadvantageous. Mr. Epinhauser just stared at me. What was the matter? Why was he staring at me like that? ¡°Temple¡¯s water supply is incomparable even to other cities. However, maintaining a large swimming pool all year round at every single educational facility would be rather costly. There¡¯s also the issue with the water use itself.¡± So the reason was made out to be a problem with the water supply, huh? Obviously, installing and maintaining indoor pools in all of Temple¡¯s many schools would cost a lot of money.. I wondered if only the Royal Class could maybe have an indoor pool, but it didn¡¯t seem to have been implemented. ¡°So, Temple¡¯s swimming pools do not draw water from said water supply, but use rainwater collected in summer, a time when it rains frequently. Magic is used to purify the water.¡± Swimming lessons were held in summer because of the lacking water supply, not because of the weather or temperature. Perhaps there was a water reservoir designated to collect rainwater for the swimming pools. It probably didn¡¯t directly get collected in the outdoor swimming pool. I hadn¡¯t set up where the water supply was supposed to be or from which source it drew water, but I thought it was taken from the Irine river, in other words, from the Han River. It would be possible to maintain a swimming pool with that water. However, I had a feeling that there would be water usage problems. There were several schools at Temple and if they all kept on changing the pools¡¯ water, other places might just get a few drops. It wasn¡¯t about the total amount of water available, but the usage of said water. Anyway, although the Capital was similar to Seoul, it didn¡¯t have its water supply facilities. There would also be huge costs to use that gigantic amount of water. It wasn¡¯t like we could draw the water directly from the river, after all. It was also unreasonable to create water using ice or water magic. The amount they had to summon would be enormous. Anyway, they just used rainwater. To purify it they either used magic tools or purification magic. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we keep on purifying the water even in winter?¡± ¡°No matter how much one were to use purification magic on it, if you were to swim in the same water all year round, you wouldn¡¯t want to step into that water anymore.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Yeah, that was true. Regardless of whether it was harmless or not, it would be rather disgusting. So, in the end, it was possible to heat up the water with mana stones, but the reason for not having swimming lessons in winter wasn¡¯t about the fact that it was cold, but that it didn¡¯t rain. And indoor pools didn¡¯t exist, because they could gather a bit more rain water with outdoor ones to save money. If it didn¡¯t rain, the pool couldn¡¯t be filled with water, so we had to use the water from the water supply. Mr. Epinhauser said that process would be expensive, but he didn¡¯t say it was impossible to operate such a swimming pool with the Imperial Capital¡¯s water supply. One way or another, the amount of water used was a problem and Temple was looking to save their money. Anyway. There definitely was a reason for every strange thing I set up. Who was it? Who was the guy who worked his brain instead of me? It made me want to go to that person and bow to them. ¡°Why are you curious about that?¡± Mr. Epinhauser posed a question back at me, as if he didn¡¯t understand my sudden curiosity. I just wanted to verify how that person cleaned my ass for me. I couldn¡¯t possibly tell him that. ¡°Ah, well¡­. I was just curious. Why was the swimming pool outside? Why couldn¡¯t we have swimming lessons in winter? That kind of stuff.¡± ¡°Do you want to have swimming lessons in the winter, is that why?¡± ¡°What? Ah, sure¡­. That would be good.¡± Why were you asking me that, dude? Mr Epinhauser looked at me silently, then turned his head. ¡°¡­Yes, you don¡¯t seem to have any impure intentions.¡± ¡°¡­Impure intentions?¡± Why would I have impure intentions asking for swimming lessons to be held in the winter? Ah. No way. ¡°Teacher, did you think I was asking something like that because I wanted to see my female classmates in their swimsuits?¡± You punk. That was 100% what he thought. When he was staring at me earlier, he probably wanted to check if my eyes held any sort of lust in them. He let it go because that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Mr. Epinhauser avoided my gaze at my straight forward remark. Was that guy flustered right now? ¡°Teacher, I admit that I¡¯m a problem child, but I¡¯m definitely not that kind of guy. I¡¯m as innocent as can be.¡± Okay! I¡¯m from a completely different race! I like women like Eleris! Yeah! No. Wouldn¡¯t that actually be even more problematic in this worldview. If demons and among them the undead were my preference, wouldn¡¯t I get hanged or something, no matter how much they are similar to humans. Would I be a necrophiliac then? But I was a demon as well, so there was no problem with that, right? Weren¡¯t the undead also demons? Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t even know where the demons originated from. ¡°The moment I cast such doubt on a student, I as a teacher would be more¡­. Ehem.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Do you know what your eyes look like, you punk? I was only thinking about a set-up error! ¡­The moment I decided on that setting I probably thought something like¡°Swimming has to be done in summer¡ï!¡± Or something like that¡­. I knew that I wasn¡¯t exactly a clean guy. But I wasn¡¯t thinking about that! At least not now! Mr. Epinhauser didn¡¯t even directly respond to my words, as if he had nothing to say about this. He still had his poker face on, but his internal embarrassment was apparent. Yes, he was human too, after all. He had to be human. ¡°Well, she¡¯s here. Listen well to the class.¡± After seeing someone coming from afar, Mr. Epinhauser fled from this place. It felt like he was actually running away. Did that punk really do that? Still, seeing Mr. Epinhauser panic like that made me feel content. He wasn¡¯t such a scary person after all. .¡­¡­I knew, because I set up his character like that in the first place, but it was kind of funny poking at that person and see them embarrassed. I also knew that he wasn¡¯t a really bad person. By the way, what did he mean with: ¡°listen well to the class¡±? What kind of class was this, for me to have to skip all of Monday¡¯s classes? When I saw the person who was approaching me, I instantly knew what kind of class it would be. It was a teacher in charge of the supernatural power classes of the first years in Royal Class. The same person that asked me why I was taking supernatural power classes even though I had no supernatural power. It was Ms. Rollendria. Chapter 53 At the outdoor pool, Ms. Rollendria couldn¡¯t hide her surprise when she saw me there. ¡°This is the first time I have ever experienced something like that.¡± ¡°This would be my first time as well.¡± If not, I would have had to have awakened a supernatural power twice in my life. At my remark, Ms. Rollendria sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the boy that came to my class with no talent at all awakened a supernatural ability in a matter of weeks¡­.¡± Of course, considering that such cases were rather rare, this was quite the bizarre situation. The guy who tried to take every lesson actually managed to get something out of it. That teacher probably thought I¡¯d end up failing. ¡°Today is more like an inspection than a lecture, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Inspection?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Supernatural powers were handled with great care. Since it was a type of power that science couldn¡¯t properly grasp yet, I would have to go through a certain process to get my abilities accurately judged. Those whose abilities were too overwhelmingly dangerous or uncontrollable are sometimes secretly disposed of. So, although I figured out how to use this supernatural power that I awakened yesterday, Temple needed to know specifically what kind of power I held, so that they could decide whether they could keep me here or not. They left me alone on Sunday, but as soon as Monday¡¯s regular classes started, they exempt me from them. They urgently needed to judge my abilities. I wouldn¡¯t be able to return to class before it wasn¡¯t fully determined that I could control my supernatural powers and what kind of power it was. My Self-Suggestion wasn¡¯t really a dangerous power at this stage. While I was passed out, they probably checked my physical condition, and as a result, they found out that I awakened a supernatural power. A supernatural power with the name Self-Suggestion. If the name of my ability was something like World Destruction, they probably wouldn¡¯t think twice about what to do with me. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t like I had that supernatural power, so it should be alright. Ms. Rollendria was sitting next to me, reading the report on my ability. She must have already figured out what kind of ability it was. The reason why they decided to use the outdoor swimming pool as the test site was probably because there were few people here and a spacious area was needed. ¡°According to the report, in a duel with an upperclassman named Mayarton, your physical abilities seemed to have suddenly risen dramatically after struggling for a while. Correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mr. Epinhauser probably wrote that report. He would have been able to give the most accurate recount of the duel. ¡°What exactly happened?¡± ¡°At first I felt completely exhausted and I couldn¡¯t even move properly because of all the pain. Then I suddenly felt like my body was filled with strength again and I was able to see Mayarton¡¯s movements that I shouldn¡¯t be able to see. And with it came the physical abilities to counter his attacks.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. Okay. However, if that¡¯s how it happened, then why is it called ¡®Self-Suggestion¡¯ when what you felt is ¡®Body Strengthening¡¯¡­¡­? Maybe what you said during the duel was the trigger.¡± Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s report was very detailed. He must have included the words I said as well. I¡¯m going to beat you anyway. There was no reason to hide my abilities anyway. If my supernatural power was written as Word Magic, maybe, but not at its current stage. It was only similar to body strengthening. ¡°I was placed in a pretty unfair situation, and as it is written there, I was helplessly getting beat up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ms. Rollendria nodded her head as she had already confirmed my statement by reading through the duel report. ¡°I was really angry and resentful, so I thought I wanted to absolutely win. It even went beyond the level of just wanting to. I suddenly though I¡¯d obviously win.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± Ms. Rollendria tilted her head as if wondering what I meant by that. It wasn¡¯t that I simply wanted to win in a situation where I practically already lost, but that I was completely convinced that I was going to win. Of course, I was under extreme psychological pressure, but I even realized how to use my ability. However, the teacher probably wouldn¡¯t understand the meaning of those words. Let¡¯s change the wording a bit. ¡°I thought that I, of course, had to win. I couldn¡¯t just lose to a guy like that. So that piece of trash would never be able to beat me. I would absolutely win. That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Anyway, I won. I just couldn¡¯t lose to someone like that. That¡¯s what I told her. I simply believed that it just shouldn¡¯t be like that. ¡°And that¡¯s what happened.¡± ¡°Huh¡­.¡± Teacher Rollendria didn¡¯t seem to understand. I couldn¡¯t afford to lose to that guy. I believed so strongly that I wouldn¡¯t lose that eventually my ability, Self-Suggestion, awakened. It was an ability that somewhat worked like hypnotizing myself. I would win for sure. It was a power that would only activate if one absolutely believed in something. ¡°Yeah, well, no one is too sure why supernatural abilities appear, neither its process nor its reason for awakening, so this might have been the trigger in your case.¡± Supernatural powers couldn¡¯t be explained. That also gave me an advantage. Because of that one sentence, no matter how one awakened their abilities, it could be explained away. It would be suspicious if I were suddenly able to use high-level magic. I had never learned anything about it, so I shouldn¡¯t have had any knowledge about it. However, it was possible for me to suddenly be able to use supernatural abilities. It was a power with unknown principles after all. That was why, even if Ms. Rollendria found it strange, she wouldn¡¯t find me suspicious. There was also the premise of my ¡®infinite aptitudes¡¯. That was enough to justify most powers I might obtain. ¡°Then¡­. Self-suggestion could be judged to be a kind of power that strengthens one¡¯s body under the premise that one alludes oneself to have that power. That should be it.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­. I think so.¡± I shouldn¡¯t have much knowledge about my own ability yet, so I only answered vaguely. ¡°However¡­. It really is a very unique supernatural power. It¡¯s not intuitive at all.¡± It really wasn¡¯t. Supernatural powers like Fire, Electricity, Teleportation and Telepathy were intuitive, because they were abilities that could be described in a single sentence. Self-Suggestion on the other hand was a bizarre ability one couldn¡¯t judge the limits of. That was why I didn¡¯t actually include it in the novel. It was such a pain to have a vague ability like that on someone who wasn¡¯t even the main character. ¡°So the first manifestation was physical reinforcement, but it might not end there. Let¡¯s say you were to strongly suggest something to yourself and you completely believed in it, your powers would manifest.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s say you strongly believe that your own body becomes water. Would you become water then?¡± No, is that woman crazy? Regardless of whether that was possible or not, what if something happened to me in that state?! ¡°Teacher, if I really became water, there¡¯s a good chance I won¡¯t be able to turn back. In that case, would that count as suicide or murder?¡± The teacher jumped at my specific question. ¡°It was just a hypothetical. I didn¡¯t tell you to actually do, you punk.¡± Ms. Rollendria more or less told me not to misunderstand, and fell back into her thoughts again. Initially, the curriculum of the supernatural power classes included controlling, developing and enhancing supernatural powers. However, because the teacher didn¡¯t exactly know how to test my powers, she was having some difficulties as well. As she pondered, her expression eventually hardened. ¡°Reinhardt, your powers might be very dangerous.¡± What? ¡°If what you absolutely believe in became realtiy, even if it only applied to yourself, wouldn¡¯t it be very dangerous?¡± ¡°Well¡­?¡± It was true that it would become rather dangerous later, but right now I wouldn¡¯t say this power held that much danger. ¡°If you believe yourself to be god, you might actually become god, right?¡± Shit. She was damn creative. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s gonna happen though¡­.¡± ¡°But still¡­. We don¡¯t know the limits of your ability yet¡­.¡± I knew that it wasn¡¯t such a crazy ability. ¡°Hmm¡­. Hmmmm¡­.¡± However, Ms. Rollendria began to deeply ponder about what could happen if my vague ability were abused. This was a pretty weird situation, but that misunderstanding was actually pretty dangerous for me. Even if it only applied to myself, if all the beliefs I held about myself became true, it might appear that my ability wasn¡¯t any different from World Destruction. Apart from its actual practical use, this line of thinking was indeed pretty logical making my ability seem dangerous. ¡°Teacher, I don¡¯t think that my power would be capable of something as crazy as that. In the first place I¡¯m not that delusional. How could I end up believing that I¡¯m god?¡± No. Not believing that would actually be weirder, wouldn¡¯t it? I was this whole world¡¯s creator. I wasn¡¯t a god, but something even above a god. I even named this place¡¯s gods, ya hear? This wasn¡¯t about believing it or not, it was actually true. Before Ms. Rollendria it would be the same though, whether I believed to be a god or the creator. But I actually was the creator! However, this world¡¯s creator was a pathetic one! So even if I used my ability, nothing would change! Creator¡¯s special ability) Dying from too high blood pressure after reading malicious comments. Could one find an even more absurd situation than this? Ms. Rollendria wrinkled her forehead hearing my defense that I wasn¡¯t a megalomaniac. ¡°We, well, you¡¯re already past that age, so it should be fine¡­.¡± What age? What did she mean? ¡°Well, you know? Sometimes there are some second year middle school kids who believe they are gods¡­. Seriously¡­.. And if it isn¡¯t gods it¡¯s some great evil beings¡­.There was one who thought he was a dragon who lost his memories¡­. It¡¯s surprisingly common.¡± Ah. She was talking about the 8th grade syndrome! ¡°There are some teenagers who have these kinds of believes, but¡­. If someone with your ability came to really believe in such things¡­. Maybe that would cause a different set of problems¡­. Something like that.¡± Ms. Rollendria was imagning that the world might collapse if I were to ever be affected by the 8th grade syndrome. Actually, when I was in my second year of middle school, I had a pretty bad case of it, but not anymore! Seriously! I did give myself nicknames like envoy of something, something, but that was in the past! I didn¡¯t do these kinds of things anymore! From your point of view, I might just have graduated from middle school, but it¡¯s been more than 20 years since I sat foot in it! I suddenly remembered part of my black history, which made me cringe. * * * So even in this world, in this place so similar to Seoul, existed this thing called 8th grade syndrome. Ms. Rollendria said that there were kids like that, but they were different from me. No, but I was actually a god. Even if I ¡°believed¡± to be a god, nothing would happen. I would just stay the same as before. Eventually, she started the actual testing. About the limits of my ability. We climbed down the ladder to the pool. The pool was about 2.5 meters deep. -Tak! As soon as Ms. Rollendria moved her finger, a stone the size of a baseball was summoned out of thin air. It was only natural that Ms. Rollendira, who had to be able to stop supernatural power users when their power went out of control, was a high-ranking wizard. ¡°Now, this is a stone.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a stone.¡± What was she trying to achieve by showing me that big stone? ¡°Try to self-suggest yourself that you¡¯re able to crush this stone with your hand.¡± Well. Crushing a stone with my hand. ¡°At times like these wouldn¡¯t we start with something like an apple and then slowly up the difficulty?¡± Right. One should first start with something easy before moving on to something harder. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t play with your food, you know?¡± The teacher just bluntly cut me off and that she wouldn¡¯t accept any excuses. Anyway, I just grabbed the stone. Believe it. My grip is strong enough to crush rocks. I sincerely believe that I can do that. Ms. Rollendria looked at me with intrigue. ¡°Huup!¡± Nothing happened. Chapter 54 Supernatural powers didn¡¯t have that good of a performance in its lower levels. That was why Heinrich¡¯s Pyrokinesis was the way it is. When it just awakened it was in a type of berserk state, so it exerted a lot of power, but now that it was in a stable state, it didn¡¯t really do much. ¡°Did you feel your grip becoming stronger?¡± ¡°I think so. My palms are tingling.¡± In fact, I clearly felt that my grip strength itself increased. If I just tried to crush it with my will power alone, my palms wouldn¡¯t hurt to the point that I was about to faint. ¡°Well, then try to run to the other end of the swimming pool. Run at full speed.¡± ¡°Eh.¡± Perhaps because it was determined that my power could enhance my physical capabilities, we ended up doing something that wasn¡¯t that different from physical training. Because I did a lot of training anyway, my reluctance to do these kinds of exercises was seriously reduced. I sprinted from one end of the pool to the other. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t really get tired by this much anymore. The teacher seemed to check something, then shouted towards me. ¡°Now! This time, sprint back here. But use your power this time! Try to convince yourself that you¡¯re the fastest runner there is!¡± She was measuring my running speed. Once without me using my ability and then once more with me using my ability. After I got ready, I tried to convince myself. I¡¯m Usain Bolt. After I finished sprinting about 50 meters again, the teacher slowly nodded her head. ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Reinhardt.¡± Did something change? I felt like my grip power got stronger, but I had no idea about my speed. ¡°Before using your ability, you took 8.3 second, after using it, it took you exactly 8 seconds.¡± ¡°¡­I honestly don¡¯t know.¡± I knew it was a little quicker, but did this actually have any meaningful effect? That might have been within the margin of error. After that, the teacher gave me various other tests. They were mainly tests pertaining to my physical strength, endurance and agility. And as I went through these, my mental state seemed to get more and more strange. Self-Suggestion made the suggestions you had made to yourself become reality. If I said that I was Usain Bolt while running, I¡¯d actually be able to use his speed or more if my ability was at a certain level. On the premise that I absolutely believed in my words. So, in the end, I had to keep thinking ¡°I¡¯m XX, I¡¯m XX¡±. Yes, I felt like I was transported back to my childhood. This supernatural power which made childish stubborn persistence reality, and the more stubborn I was the better my ability would work. So¡­. Rather than Self-Suggestion wasn¡¯t this more like a winning mentality or something? In fact, it did become true that I would have won anyway in the duel with Mayarton. So did that mean that I¡¯d win as long as I held a winning mentality? Regardless of my ability¡¯s efficiency, I was still pathetic. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Reinhardt?¡± ¡°Well, I was seriously thinking that I could break this tree if I punched it, so I¡¯m a little¡­ How should I put it? It¡¯s getting a little hard to bear.¡± Lolol My fists can break down trees lolol look, look. That¡¯s how it should be! But it¡¯s not happening! How could that be! Perhaps because I discarded this setting, I didn¡¯t really think about what kind of mental damage the person who actually used this ability would receive. I actually used that kind of skill. It was really pathetic. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of ability you have. Come on, try it.¡± Anyway. I can crush this tree with my fists! -Bam! ¡°Uwaark!¡± I made a mistake. I should have believed that I wouldn¡¯t break my wrist if I were to hit a tree like that full swing. * * * Ms. Rollendria tested my ability all day long. In addition to testing my physical strength and athletic abilities, she also conducted other tests. For example, we tested if I could derive other abilities from my ability. If I believed that I could use elemental supernatural powers, including Pyrokinesis, she wondered if I could really use them. We also tried Telepathy. Of course, it didn¡¯t work at all. I didn¡¯t know if I could do it later, but as of now, the level of my ability was very low, so other than strengthening my body I couldn¡¯t do anything else. Of course, since I always carried the Flame of Tuesday around with me, fire might actually come out, so I did the Pyrokinesis test a bit sloppily. After all the tests were done, Ms. Rollendria slowly nodded her head as she took notes. We took until lunch, so this skill test really lasted throughout nearly all the classes. ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that great¡­.¡± Obviously, it wasn¡¯t actually as strong as I thought it would be, but Ms. Rollendria shook her head. ¡°Obviously, the power displayed in its current state isn¡¯t very significant. But what is important is another aspect.¡± ¡°What do you mean? What other aspect?¡± ¡°The degree of body reinforcement is rather weak, but you¡¯re actually pretty proficient in using your supernatural ability. From my point of view, although the level of your enhancement is still rather low, you are able to use your ability successfully multiple times in a row. Almost instantly.¡± It seemed like Ms. Rollendria was more focused on my control on the ability rather than the ability itself. Even if the strengthening effect was pretty insignificant, it seemed that I still succeeded in activating it continuously. ¡°That means that you are quite familiar with activating your ability before you had it.¡± That surely would be considered great. Ability control was sometimes considered more important than the ability itself. I was already very good at using this ability of mine. I should like that, but I didn¡¯t feel so good about that. ¡°In other words, you are very gifted in self-suggestion.¡± So all she was saying was that I had a great winning mentality! Yeah, that¡¯s it, anyway. As I wrote shitty novels like this, of course, I would have a great winning mentality to keep being a writer. I got this ability because it was basically a cheat, but also because it suited me well. The level of my ability wasn¡¯t that high. However, activating it was quite easy for me. I already had the mentality fitting for that flimsy ability called Self-Suggestion, because I lived my life completely reliant on that type of mentality. It was like it was custom made for me¡­. That didn¡¯t make me happy. Anyway, I was almost able to convince myself that, if it was someone else who had this ability, they wouldn¡¯t be able to use it as skillfully as I did. Of course, since this is a fantasy world, I had an easier time believing that something would definitely happen. If I were in my old world, I¡¯d probably be like ?Supernatural powers? You crazy?¡±. So, as it was that kind of world, I could readily believe in certain things. Ms. Rollendria said that we were done with the tests and that I could go back to my regular classes the next day, as she realized that my abilities weren¡¯t capable of anything more than simple body strengthening for now. Of course, since its potential was tremendous, she would periodically check on my condition. After class, I stayed in the dormitory for today. I was going to skip my evening training and focus on developing my ability. At this stage, Self-Suggestion mainly had effects related to body strengthening. However, as I scrapped it after vaguely setting it up in the novel, I didn¡¯t really describe what difficulties the person using it would go through. In other words, there were a lot of things I didn¡¯t know about this ability. For example, the mental damage one had to suffer for always keeping up that winning mentality. I¡¯d feel pathetic all on my own for seriously believing that some nonsensical situation would actually happen just because of the ability¡¯s effect. There was one more thing. If I believed that my punches were strong, they would be strong, however what if I get into a fight while believing my punches were strong, but I had to actually kick someone? I would have to convince myself again that my kicks were the strongest. I was proficient in activating it, but it was rather cumbersome. It would be more versatile to believe that my whole body became strengthened. So, for example, I needed to generalize the way I used my ability a bit more to make it useful in a fight. Rather than focusing on punches and kicks separately, I needed to believe that my overall fighting capabilities were greatly improved. Hearing that faith made me stronger, would make one believe that I was a paladin, but that wasn¡¯t it, okay? The god and religion I believed in was myself after all. It was an unorthodox religion were the object of worship and the worshipper happened to be one and the same. That was the religion I had to believe in. I think I¡¯m going crazy. * * * For now I could only strengthen my physical abilities a bit, but later, other actions going beyond that would become possible for me. It would be such a waste of time to apply the skill in such detail for each and every part. Therefore, I should use it in a more comprehensive way and not just strengthen my punches or speed up my legs etc. This required selection and focus however. If I used my ability to strengthen my whole body, it would become less effective than just strengthening my punches. So, rather than being too broad in what to strengthen, it would be better to be a little more specific, such as my body being familiar with hand-to-hand combat. After my ability became stronger, it would be possible for my body to become proficient in anti-magic warfare or close quarter combat. Ultimately, this ability was well suited for me. I was a web novel author, and this action was no different from writing up character sheets in the end. I wrote something down in my notebook at the moment. Type A Setting: Overall muscle strength improvement, swordsmanship level improvement. Improve cognitive ability, improve reaction speed. I knew best that this was a necessary step. After setting up a Type A I also set up a Type B according to my own standards. So now if I thought about becoming Type A, not about which part to strengthen, my whole body would get strengthened as I should be able to remember the settings I set up myself. Self-Suggestion was literally the ability to become what I thought I was. If I memorized all the physical capabilities Type A should have, I would have these capabilities if I thought that I became Type A. That was the easiest way to use my ability. Later, I¡¯d obviously add Type Z: Can summon a Black Flame Dragon from right hand. I was going crazy! I didn¡¯t even use that kind of setting when I was in middle school! However, after I grew older and left school, I actually ended up making that kind of setting lol. I felt like dying. I should think that things were good, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Even though I should be the most mature among all the kids, I turned into the most problematic one, and now I locked myself in my dorm room writing up weird settings. There was also my personality, but this ability gave me the final hit. Just¡­. What is life?. While I was immersed in my self-reflection, the pager in my room suddenly rang. -Brrring! A pager. One could think of it as some sort of magic intercom. Someone was calling me. Who¡¯d be calling me? I first thought it was Ellen, but Ellen wouldn¡¯t call me just because I wasn¡¯t in the gym today. I turned on the pager. The voice was familiar and yet its tone felt wildly unfamiliar. [Come to the main lobby] It was Charlotte. Chapter 55 When I came to the main lobby, Charlotte was beckoning me to follow her, then we headed somewhere. Evening had already passed, so it was night. There were no students on the streets of Temple. There were no other dormitories around the Royal Class¡¯, so it was quiet. What would Bertus say if he saw me with Charlotte, I wondered. Nothing good, that was for sure. However, I had to be more wary of Charlotte, at the moment, so I couldn¡¯t ignore her words. Perhaps having understood my worries, Charlotte sat down on a dimly lit bench between two street lamps. It was obvious what this was going to be about. She was going to ask me how the search for Valier was progressing. I looked at Charlotte sitting on the bench. She didn¡¯t look at me and was just blankly staring towards the lamp post. I couldn¡¯t see her face well as it was pretty dark, but as always she gave off a calm and cold aura. It was completely different from Adriana. She was calm but gentle. Charlotte was calm but extremely cold. Her classmates would have a hard time with her, although she probably didn¡¯t show them this side of her. Both Bertus and Charlotte had one thing in common: They hid their true selves. ¡°How does it feel to suddenly have a supernatural ability?¡± As if beating around the bush, Charlotte asked me that, out of the blue. ¡°Good¡­. I guess?¡± Because I started with nothing after all. ¡°¡­¡­Really?¡± Charlotte was speaking in an uncertain manner. What kind of power did Charlotte hold? If it was true that Charlotte held some supernatural ability, it seemed like she didn¡¯t like her own power that much. ¡°I heard, it¡¯s called Self-Suggestion.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the kind of ability that activates when you strongly believe in something.¡± She was different from the ordinary students. Charlotte already knew how my supernatural ability operated. Well the abilities of the students, except for Charlotte¡¯s, weren¡¯t kept secret. It might just be something anyone had access to. ¡°Is it safe to assume that there was no progress in the search for the boy?¡± Finding a Mr. Kim in Seoul is extremely difficult even if that Mr. Kim actually existed. It was a bit hasty to ask if there was any progress when she commissioned for this search not too long ago. ¡°¡­I¡¯m trying.¡± Of course, I wasn¡¯t trying at all. There was no reason for me to. ¡°Yes, it would be impatient of me to assume there was already some progress. However, do keep in mind that if you don¡¯t produce any results, there is no reason for me to leave a useless criminal organization who would only bring harm to the Empire alone.¡± Charlotte said that as if she was trying to remind me that the countdown had already begun. My plan was to slowly report on my progress to extend my life. However, there were a lot of problems with that. In fact, no matter how hard we were trying to look for the Valier she was looking for, we wouldn¡¯t get any results, but if we were to ¡°find¡± a trace, what would it be and how should we answer the question of how we found it? It was the Prince and Princess who were looking for Valier after all. If they couldn¡¯t find him with the traces I gave them, they would be suspicious of me, no doubt. Even if beggars knew beggars best, they would still carry out their own search in secret. So it was best to do just a little bit of work, but I hadn¡¯t yet decided how to display it to her. Charlotte hadn¡¯t gotten to the point where she would urge me yet. That should have given me some time. Well, it seemed like Charlotte had some more business with me other than checking for progress. ¡°You, try it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you believe that you know where the child is, you might find out where he is.¡± Oh, that was what she was going for. Charlotte seemed to put some hope into my vague supernatural ability. Actually, my Self-Suggestion didn¡¯t have this kind of function. At its present level, I could strengthen my body, at best. There was no way I could acquire some unknown knowledge with it. That would be absurd. If one were absolutely sure to know what one¡¯s neighbor was doing next door, that wouldn¡¯t mean it would pop into one¡¯s mind like a vision. Of course, there were some parts of Self-Suggestion that even I didn¡¯t know about yet, so it might be possible at a later stage. I obviously should say no to her request. However, seeing Charlotte trying to grab at straws, I changed my mind. This. If I play my cards right, I might be able to extend mine and the gang¡¯s life. Rather, if I use my power as an excuse this just might be possible. Clues found by the gang or the Thieves¡¯ Guild might not be able to convince them, but if they were actually found through my supernatural power, they should have no doubt about them. And I was that Valier person Charlotte was looking for. Also, my power is quite the ridiculous one. It was something that made the impossible possible.. ¡°That¡¯s¡­. It probably won¡¯t work, but¡­. I can try.¡± Charlotte didn¡¯t look too expectant either. ¡°¡­¡­Do you, need this?¡± However, as if she wanted to do this properly at least, she took out the portrait of Valier and handed it over to me. ¡­¡­I couldn¡¯t believe that she would carry around that painting with her. Guilt crept into my mind. The thought that running away would be the best option here never left my head. Every time I saw Charlotte valuing me so much, I felt depressed. Damn it. But I had to deceive this kid again. No matter how difficult the lives of the gang members and Loyar were. I had to deceive this kid again. I intently stared at my portrait. This was absolutely useless, actually. To activate Self-Suggestion I had to absolutely believe that I knew where that boy was. But I didn¡¯t really have to believe that, I knew he was right next to her. It wasn¡¯t a matter of belief. If I didn¡¯t know where I was located, that would be a problem on its own! Anyway. It was impossible for me to track someone else¡¯s location with my skill, but I somehow had to act as if I knew where Valier was. I thought about what excuse I should make up. ¡°Hmmm¡­. Well, I can see a castle.¡± ¡°!¡± I began to explain what I went through with Charlotte. ¡°Castle. What castle?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s desolate¡­. There¡¯s this huge castle and the scene in front of it is¡­ someone Riding a horse¡­ I think¡­.¡± Instead of exactly knowing where the kid was, I tried to explain it similar to someone with psychometry. Charlotte didn¡¯t explain to me who the child she was looking for was. However, if I explained Valier¡¯s and Dyrus¡¯ escape from the Demon King¡¯s Castle, she¡¯d be able to see that my ability had potential. If I continued to prove my worth to Charlotte like this, she¡¯d leave me alone. Charlotte opened her mouth blankly, astonished that I knew about facts I shouldn¡¯t know about. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Men on horses were chasing after them. They were running away. there also seemed to be demons¡­. That¡¯s all I know for now.¡± I really wanted to bite down hard on my tongue as I was acting like that. Charlotte¡¯s lips trembled as she looked at me blankly. ¡°M, more¡­. More. Do it more. Look more. More. More¡­. A bit more¡­.¡± Charlotte suddenly got up from the bench, and told me to do it more. I wasn¡¯t confident that I was able to meet her desperate eyes. I felt like I was doing something incredibly bad, and it was actually a pretty bad thing to do. No matter how much I wanted to live, I was still playing with this girl¡¯s heart. I had to do it even though I knew that these small lies would eventually give birth to even bigger lies. ¡°I, I can¡¯t see more¡­. I¡¯d see the same scene again¡­. That¡¯s all. I don¡¯t know any more. We didn¡¯t do these kinds of things during the supernatural power test¡­. I don¡¯t know why I can¡¯t see more¡­. Maybe my ability is still too weak ¡­.¡± Even though I didn¡¯t give her the location of the kid she was looking for, just knowing these things I shouldn¡¯t know seemed to be enough for Charlotte to find hope. ¡°Can¡¯t you figure out¡­ Whether he¡¯s dead or alive? Even just that¡­. Even just knowing that fact¡­ Just that¡­. Please¡­.¡± Charlotte, who had been threatening me, pleaded with me now. Before she saw me as something lower than a bug because I was a lowly person who was part of a criminal organization. ¡°Please¡­. Please¡­. Find it out for me¡­. Please¨E¡­.¡± Now she was about to kneel before me. Her cold and stiff expression had completely distorted and before I knew it Charlotte was crying before me. Charlotte had to suffer through horrific events after she got abducted, and she knew that I was supposed to be the only survivor beside her who went through that suffering. And I eventually saved her life. Perhaps to Charlotte, I was the only one left in her world. Even that course of events was filled with lies, and now I had to do the same thing again. The only reason I had to do this was because my life was at stake. Then and now. I said to Charlotte who was begging me to find out if he was dead or alive: ¡°I don¡¯t¡­. I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s located.¡± I had a premonition that I would have to continue tell a lot more lies from now on. ¡°But I¡¯m sure he¡¯s alive.¡± I had no other choice but to give Charlotte at least a bit of the truth. ¡°Hng¡­. Sob, sob!¡± Charlotte grabbed my collar and let out a violent cry. ¡°Really¡­. Really¡­? He¡¯s alive¡­?¡± ¡°Huh¡­. Yes. I can¡­. Feel at least that much¡­.¡± ¡°Tha, thank¡­. Thank you¡­. Thank you¡­.¡± I couldn¡¯t do anything but bite my lips as I watched Charlotte sobbing, looking as if she was about to collapse at any moment. It was alright being called a plot destroyer and getting criticized by many people. However, having to deceive a person like this was something hard to accept. ¡°Thanks¡­.¡± The word ¡°Thanks¡± felt like it stabbed through my heart multiple times. * * * Among all the supernatural powers, my supernatural power was especially vague. ¡°This was the first time I have ever tried this. Really. I couldn¡¯t feel anything like that before, only in this case.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why it worked¡­. but, I¡¯m relieved.¡± Charlotte had no other choice but to accept this strange excuse, that it didn¡¯t work in any other instance, as I knew these things that no one else should know. The scenes I described were ones that I wouldn¡¯t know unless I was Valier. She didn¡¯t even suspect in the least that I was Valier. Of course, it might have been that my vague supernatural power had that much persuasive power. Charlotte told me not to tell anyone what I saw and asked me to never mention that I could do things like that. Unlike the orders she directed towards me up until now, these seemed more like favors she asked of me. ¡°You know why I¡¯m asking this of you¡­. Please, Reinhardt.¡± Now she even used my name. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± If Bertus found out about this, he might want to use me in that way as well. As it¡¯s an ability I didn¡¯t even have, I¡¯d rather have Charlotte be silent about this. If someone were to ask me why I was able to know these kinds of things, but not other things, I¡¯d be the only one in trouble here. Charlotte seemed to have become as desperate towards me as to my other self. At this point, I was the only clue she had towards finding Valier. Charlotte, after she calmed down a bit, had a reddened face. She now seemed to realize that she was begging and pleading in front of this guy she completely disregarded not too long ago. ¡°Uh, ah¡­ That¡­ Hn¡­.¡± From her point of view, she showed me one of her ugly sides. Charlotte seemed to have calmed down, but she fell into a more complicated mood. ¡°Never mind. I don¡¯t know who he is to you, but he must be an important person. Then this is a reasonable reaction.¡± When I told her that it was possible even for the Imperial Princess to lose her composure, as she was human, she bowed her head towards me. ¡°To think that¡­. The day would come for me to receive that kind of consolation.¡± Was it because you were being comforted by a commoner, or by a criminal, or was it because you felt pathetic getting comforted by another person like this? Charlotte looked blankly into the night sky, before she started to speak again. ¡°He¡¯s the one who saved me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Is that so?¡± ¡°If not for him, I¡­. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to return.¡± There was no one in the Imperial Capital who didn¡¯t know that the Princess was kidnapped by the Demon King. However, no one knew what happened to her while she was there and how she got out. Both Charlotte and Bertus seemed to want to bury this matter. Charlotte didn¡¯t have any real proof as she didn¡¯t actually suffer from an assassination and was able to escape. Dyrus¡¯ case was different. He faced direct death threats and even fought, but his link was too weak to the Princess for it to be connected to her nearly dying. All of this could have been made as the Princess running away on her own accord because she got surprised. Therefore, the assassination attempt on the Princess simply got buried without a problem. So, information on Dyrus or some kid who supposedly saved the Princess didn¡¯t come to light. So Charlotte wouldn¡¯t have come out with the truth if I didn¡¯t get that lead just now. Telling someone this truth was really dangerous. He was the one who saved her life. Hence, why she was looking for him. It seemed like a good enough reason to look for someone like that, but was it enough to lose one¡¯s rationale over? ¡°Honestly¡­. If he was just someone who saved your life than it¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something that simple. ¡° Charlotte looked at me. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for him, I would have gone crazy.¡± Even if she hadn¡¯t died, she would have gone crazy. Charlotte was weeping bitterly in that prison cell, cradling her mother¡¯s corpse in her arms. She certainly looked like she was in a dangerous state. She didn¡¯t even notice that there was someone in the hallway before I called out to her. ¡°We were in a place filled with corpses and the smell of blood. Anyone would have gone crazy in there.¡± Charlotte seemed to recall the time we met. ¡°In a place like that, he said that everything will be fine, that we¡¯ll win. He kept on trying to reassure me, trying to comfort me somehow.¡± The calm Charlotte started to tremble. At that time I had no idea who Charlotte really was. ¡°He told me that he had lost all his memories. He didn¡¯t know who he was. Even why he was in that place. In the midst of all that, even though it should have been scary for him as well, he tried to sooth me. He didn¡¯t even know who I was, so I was just trembling and crying in that disgusting place, while he tried to comfort me somehow.¡± I didn¡¯t take care of her, because she was Charlotte de Gardias. I just took care of her because she was a trembling, scared, little kid and about to give up on everything, even though I should have felt terrified for not having any memories. It was a lie that I had lost my memories, but it was true that I had no knowledge of her identity, my situation or the state of this world. It seemed like Charlotte wasn¡¯t just trying to find me because I saved her life. ¡°I made a promise.¡± Yeah. Charlotte definitely made one with me. ¡°I would definitely bring back his memory. I promised that¡­.¡± It seemed like she wanted to find me to keep her promise. Of course, I didn¡¯t actually have amnesia. I had the body of the Demon Prince Valier, but I wasn¡¯t that Valier. It seemed that my lies had become firmly engraved in Charlotte¡¯s mind. It was like she imprinted on me. Something that couldn¡¯t be erased easily. ¡°Would he really want that? Getting back his memory?¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he have suffered quite a lot in the Demon King¡¯s Castle, to lose his memory? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if he didn¡¯t remember? Of course, it¡¯s important to remember who you are, but there are some memories that are better left forgotten.¡± I was saying this in the hope that she would feel less pressured to keep her promise. I didn¡¯t really have any memories that I lost, but I would feel insanely guilty if she kept on trying to retrieve something that I actually never lost. Listening to my words, Charlotte looked at me with widened eyes. ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s possible¡­. Yeah. That could be¡­. Yes.¡± If one experienced something so terrible, wouldn¡¯t it be better to just forget everything? Charlotte seemed to agree with me to some extent. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not too late to talk it over after you found him.¡± In all my guilt I felt slightly relieved. Charlotte¡¯s expression, which seemed so infinitely sad ready to give up everything if she heard that I was dead, lightened up a little. She seemed to feel a lot of guilt that she lost me and couldn¡¯t keep the promise. She looked a little more energetic and even smiled at me for the first time. ¡°Find him.¡± Charlotte looked me straight in the eyes. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll do whatever you want me to do.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Isn¡¯t that quite the risky promise to make to a lowly and dangerous bastard like me?¡± Charlotte believed that I was the only string that connected her and Valier, so that would explain her sudden attitude change. ¡°You were quite reckless in that duel. You didn¡¯t seem to be stupid, but you went ahead and did something like that because of your pride. Although you have a strange personality, you didn¡¯t strike me as an idiot, and yet you acted like one at that moment¡­. That¡¯s what I thought.¡± ¡°You talk quite well in front of the subject you¡¯re badmouthing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I could see at that moment.¡± It seemed Charlotte had a different opinion on this than Bertus. Bertus admired my tenacity, getting up even after getting beaten over and over. However, Charlotte seemed to evaluate me as someone who would use force even in situations in which it would be better to yield, because of my pride. ¡°However, even though you should have lost, you won in such a nonsensical way.¡± If I had lost in that state, Charlotte¡¯s evaluation of me wouldn¡¯t have changed, but in the end, I was able to emerge victorious because of something as ridiculous as suddenly awakening a supernatural ability mid-fight. Seeing that outcome, Charlotte seemed to change her mind a bit. Returning to her usual calm and cold demeanor, Charlotte spoke quietly. ¡°There are times when one has to do something reckless, as it seems.¡± She wanted something so bad that she even came to a fellow classmate who was part of a criminal organization. That was why Charlotte went beyond just asking for cooperation with someone, with whom she usually wouldn¡¯t want to have been involved with. She even made such a dangerous promise with me. She was lucky, that I was actually Valier. What if I were some perverted weirdo? Huh? ¡°I feel like a shrimp caught in a whale¡¯s fight.¡± ¡°Are you talking about Bertus?¡± ¡°Yeah, you both might not realize it, but while you may be fine, I¡¯m completely exhausted. I have to watch my back every time I go out at night.¡± No matter how one might look at it, I seemed like a total opportunist.. Man¡­ The situation turned out like this even with Charlotte there. Later when I meet Bertus he¡¯ll probably ask things like: ¡°You¡¯re pretty close with Charlotte, aren¡¯t you?¡± How should I answer him? Or what if someone from Charlotte¡¯s side saw me with Bertus. They¡¯d probably complain saying something like: ¡°You¡¯re getting along quite well with Bertus, don¡¯t you? Huh?¡± That might actually happen. Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to have trouble with anyone, these two included, at this point. It would be near impossible for me to remain neutral between them. Charlotte smiled, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, after hearing what I said. It felt smiliar to Bertus¡¯ smile when he revealed his more insidious nature to me. ¡°I believe you know how to take care of yourself quite well. Reinhardt.¡± Even if their factions were different, they were still the same. Why did they act so similarily? In fact, if she appeared in the original novel, wouldn¡¯t she actually take Bertus¡¯ position? Chapter 56 My tightrope act between Charlotte and Bertus seemed to have started for real now. Charlotte actually needed me more at the moment, but I didn¡¯t know what Bertus would do if he found out that I was on Charlotte¡¯s side. I had no idea how to tackle this issue either. Charlotte would grow stronger with each passing day and she wouldn¡¯t touch me until I found Valier. So, now to Bertus. How should I deal with him? I decided to come clean, as I would be exposed anyway sooner or later. I clearly told Charlotte, that I didn¡¯t want to get on Bertus¡¯ bad side as I was part of Class A. I also told her that I was told to watch her to some extent. Charlotte also didn¡¯t want me to get harmed by Bertus as I still had to find Valier, so she said that I could give him some information on her. I really turned into a complete opportunist. In the end, I really became someone weak against the strong. Aren¡¯t I totally like those hyenas from my first life? ¡°Seems like she¡¯s looking for someone.¡± The next day, I talked with Bertus on the terrace of the dormitory. ¡­¡­In terms of dating simulations, if Ellen¡¯s fixed encounter place was the dining room and the gym, then Bertus¡¯ would be the terrace. Bertus listened to what I had to say and nodded slowly. He made it seem like this was the first time he heard about that, but Bertus actually already knew this. Therefore, even though it was nothing new to him, I still provided him with information that ordinary students shouldn¡¯t know. ¡°Hmm¡­. Did Charlotte tell you herself?¡± In the end, I had no other choice but to tell Bertus part of the truth. There was no way that Bertus wouldn¡¯t find out. ¡°She told me to find him.¡± ¡°To you¡­? Hm¡­. Ah. Yeah, that would be possible.¡± Bertus nodded, perhaps remembering my origins. ¡°Seems like you already know who she¡¯s looking for?¡± Bertus nodded at my question. ¡°Yeah, I knew that much¡­. Good. So she hasn¡¯t found him yet.¡± Just by hearing that she instructed me to find him, he inferred that Charlotte hadn¡¯t found me yet, so the information wasn¡¯t completely useless to Bertus. ¡°She probably told you to find him using the Rotary Gang, not you personally¡­. How is it? Any progress?¡± I felt goosebumps all over my body at Bertus¡¯ causal tone. I never told Bertus about the gang. I planned on telling him today, but he already knew. His attitude, as if it was only natural for him to know, was rather creepy. Bertus did a background check on me, and didn¡¯t even give any signs that he knew about those things. Just because he didn¡¯t say it outright didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t know. By saying this directly to me, Bertus wanted to show me that I was well within his own range of effect. It wasn¡¯t just the Rotary Gang. He should have also found out about its connection with the Thieves¡¯ guild. I knew he was probably aware of it, but I didn¡¯t think he would mention it like that in my presence. As I froze up slightly, Bertus grinned. ¡°You don¡¯t have to get so nervous just because of something like that.¡± ¡°If you know, just tell me in advance please. You¡¯re giving me a heart attack.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit too much to say you¡¯re just from the streets, is it not? So I just looked into you a little. Did you make any progress?¡± Fortunately, Bertus didn¡¯t think I was Valier himself, like Charlotte. It probably was hard to accept that the thing they were searching for was right next to them. However, unlike Charlotte, he didn¡¯t show any malice towards me even after knowing that I was related to a criminal organisation. I had no idea what he was thinking. Anyway, regarding progress. ¡°How could there be any? I only have one portrait and not even a name.¡± ¡°Well¡­. I guess so.¡± He seemed to have already expected that I made no progress. If I actually did, that would undermine the efficiency of his own forces. ¡°Did she tell you who he is?¡± ¡°No. She didn¡¯t tell me.¡± Even though I told him that, it didn¡¯t seem like I was expected to know. Bertus looked at Temple¡¯s scenery while enjoying his milk tea. ¡°Okay¡­. Good. The important thing is that I¡¯m also looking for him, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I figured.¡± ¡°If you come across any clues, please let me know if possible.¡± ¡°I think it would be best if I don¡¯t find any clues in this situation though.¡± ¡°Haha! That¡¯s true¡­.¡± If I chose either of their sides, I would become the enemy of the other side, so it would be best for me to not discover anything. As if agreeing to me, Bertus nodded. ¡°It¡¯s fine. After leaving her like this for a bit more she¡¯ll end up self-destructing anyway. Well, seeing that she even reached out to you, maybe she already did.¡± Self-destruction. Bertus seemed to think that if Charlotte didn¡¯t find me, she would become increasingly more self-destructive. It made me even more depressed knowing what that meant. Charlotte was focusing all her attention on finding me, so it seemed like she was rather negligent in regards to the fight for the throne. That was the reason why he told me I could just leave her alone and why he was rather relaxed about the situation. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be to that extent though¡­.¡± Bertus smacked his lips as if he was disappointed. Bertus was so wary of Charlotte that he made plans for her to never come back alive, but she ended up coming back. Therefore, he was wholeheartedly preparing to confront her, but the enemy of whom he was so wary of just kept on looking for some boy as if she was obsessed. Betus seemed regretful. Could he be sad seeing his biggest enemy falling apart like that? It was important to win, but it was also important how one won. ¡°Okay, if you can¡¯t find him at all, that¡¯s just how it is. By the way, speaking of which.¡± As if he was done talking about Charlotte, Bertus turned to look at me. He didn¡¯t seem to be wary of her any longer at this point. Did he not see her as a worthy rival anymore, because she was just focusing on finding some kid? He seemed to think that it was okay, now that he knew where Charlotte¡¯s priorities lay. ¡°Are you the next master of the Thieves¡¯ Guild or something?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Huh? Ah¡­. I know it¡¯s quite easy to misunderstand in this situation, but I¡¯m not. I¡¯ve never even been to the Thieves¡¯ Guild.¡± Although I said I had connections to it, I didn¡¯t even know where the Thieves¡¯ Guild was. That was the truth. Bertus was already aware that I was a beggar, but he seemed to think that there were some things about me that weren¡¯t normal for a kid from the streets. He seemed to be under the impression that it was because I was the next guild master being trained by the Thieves¡¯ Guild. So, I would have already received sufficient training before my enrollment. I sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe me or not, but I honestly want to cut my ties with them.¡± My original plan was to cut my ties with the Rotary Gang after awakening a talent. Somehow, I ended up in this situation where both the Prince and Princess found out about my background after doing thorough background checks on me. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to make a living by doing dirty work. I don¡¯t want to end up dead in a ditch.¡± That was also my honest wish. Who would want to spend their life fighting nonstop? My values weren¡¯t much different from ordinary people. I wanted to idle around and eat comfortably. I didn¡¯t think that was possible for now, so I chose the next best option. ¡°Hmm¡­. Really? Are you saying these things that you don¡¯t actually mean because you¡¯re in front of me?¡± ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, wouldn¡¯t that mean that you already failed to find out my true background then?¡± The person who was aiming to become the next Emperor failed to find out the identity of the Guild Master of the Thieves¡¯ Guild? He¡¯d already be unqualified for that position if that were the case. As if my words were plausible, Bertus burst into laughter. ¡°Hmm¡­. So you¡¯re closer to the Rotary Gang than the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡­. I must say, it¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡± ¡°What do you mean, disappointing?¡± What was so disappointing about me not being the heir to the Thieves¡¯ Guild? I thought there was a good reason why Bertus stayed calm even after finding out about my background. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Yeah .¡± ¡°I tend to believe that the empowerment of crime is inevitable.¡± ¡°Inevitable, you say?¡± Why was he talking about that all of a sudden? ¡°Even if the Thieves¡¯ Guild was to be uprooted, I believe that another group would take its place.¡± Even if one were to dismantle one criminal group, as time goes by, just like weed, new criminals would gather together and obtain power again, spontaneously. Therefore, eradicating criminal organisations resulted in others filling their places, so completely eradicating crime was impossible. Look at this kid. ¡°In that case, if one couldn¡¯t get rid of it, wouldn¡¯t it be good to take control of that shady power, to completely own it? If it¡¯s impossible to completely get rid of it, it would be the best option to get rid of the old power and monitor the new criminal power that would fill its place. Being able to handle things that could only be solved by the dark side would be a bonus, of course¡± I slowly got an inkling of what he was talking about. He looked at me with a creepy smile. ¡°So, won¡¯t you become the guild master?¡± I could see now why Bertus said Charlotte would end up self-destructing. Charlotte only thought of finding Valier through me. She ended up so nerve wrecking just to find Valier. However, Bertus was thinking of dominating the Capital¡¯s dark side through me. * * * In the past, the United States enforced the prohibition of alcohol, which consequently led to the tremendous growth of mafia organizations in America. This happened because if one were to ban easily producible goods, they would be continued to be made illegally, leading to organizations distributing these goods to emerge. If there was demand there would always be supply, and if the production and distribution of said product was illegal, there would be a number of criminal organizations producing and distributing them. The empowerment of crime was therefore inevitable, because there are always people who covet things they shouldn¡¯t, and someone supplying them. To facilitate the supply, crime got organized, and thus the concept of organized crime appeared. It wasn¡¯t something that could be stopped. Bertus judged that such a development was inevitable. Even if he were to uproot them, someone else would just take their place, so he thought it would be better to take control of it. That way, even if a new organization were to appear, he would be able to tighten his grip on it much faster. So, Bertus wanted me to become the next guild master. To take control of the whole underworld in the future by first taking control of the Thieves¡¯ Guild. He could also make use of it for personal purposes other than controlling and monitoring criminal organizations, so Bertus seemed to think that this was a pretty good plan. So, he proposed to me, who was a Temple student as well as a member of the Rotary Gang, if I had any intentions of becoming the King of the Imperial Capital¡¯s underworld. That was why he thought it was rather disappointing that I didn¡¯t have much connection to the Thieves¡¯ Guild. The size of our visions were completely different. No matter if this was the right thing to do or not, our way of thinking was just completely different. Bertus said there was no rush to come to a decision yet, and this plan was far too big to immediately implement anyway. This was just too big to just decide on the fly, and to be honest, this wasn¡¯t really appealing to me at all. If I were to get involved in a criminal organization like that and absorb it, I¡¯d be forced to do various things. I didn¡¯t even know if I¡¯d be able to do something like that and if my mind would be able to endure it. So, Bertus ended our conversation after he offered me this. The guild master of the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡­. It was true, that there was nothing bad about having power. Actually rather than bad things, weren¡¯t there many good things about it? Besides, Bertus, who was in the line of succession to the throne, said he¡¯d look after me. I was already part of something that was almost an illegal organization. And one could do a lot more with an illegal organization than with a legitimate one. However, I was actually someone with no ambition at all. I never had anything to do with organizational management, so I didn¡¯t know what I¡¯d have to do. Would I really be able to do something like that? My goal was to just eat and live well, nothing more. If it weren¡¯t for the gates, I wouldn¡¯t even have come to Temple in the first place. In any case, the Prince gave me something to think about, but it didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to push me to become the guild master though. Of course, he had no reason to actually use me for that. If he really wanted to have the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s guild master in his hands, he could just do it himself. In the first place, both Charlotte and Bertus knew the whereabouts of the Thieves¡¯ Guild, they just didn¡¯t want to get their hands dirty by interacting with them. He maybe just wanted to test my usefulness and my abilities. If that were the reasons, then that would mean that the Prince didn¡¯t have much interest in controlling the underworld yet. If it was really necessary for him, he wouldn¡¯t do it through me. In the end, it was more likely that he wanted to see how ambitious I was and whether my abilities were up to par. Anyway, there was no rush. It was a decision I had to slowly and carefully think about. * * * One could feel the atmosphere of the Victory Festival even inside of Temple. The training routine itself didn¡¯t change much, but one could feel this overall excitement floating about Temple. Some students packed their bags in advance in preparation to return home for the period the school was closed. So, while there were a lot of kids looking forward to the Festival there were also some who just looked forward to returning back to their home. Everyone had different plans. ¡°The Knights Templar?¡± ¡°Yeah, after watching the return of the Knights Templar I¡¯ll go back to the monastery. It¡¯s been a while.¡± Adriana was smiling brightly imagining the majestic appearance of the Knights Templar, who would soon return after accomplishing their great mission. The Five Great Bishops united their forces in an army for the Demon World War. Priests and Paladins of all religions gathered together and played a pivotal role in the Allied Forces, and now came back after leading the church to victory. Of course, I knew that part well. The Knights Templar would continue to exist even after that, and it¡¯s the place all Paladins and Priests dream to enter. Adriana also seemed to want to join them. ¡°And then you¡¯re going back to the monastery?¡± ¡°Yes, I grew up in the Towan Monastery of the Saint-Owan Grand Duchy.¡± Adriana said she grew up in a monastery dedicated to Towan, the god of purity. She was an orphan, but thanks to her outstanding talent, she was able to enter Temple¡¯s Royal Class easily. So, it seemed like she joined Temple starting high school. By the way, speaking of the divine power of Towan, the god of purity. It would be especially strong against undead. Of course, I wasn¡¯t an undead, but I really wouldn¡¯t get along well with that order. Towan¡¯s doctrine was fundamentally based on hatred towards Demons after all. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t remember all the settings in detail, but after living and studying in Temple for some time I was able to relearn quite some knowledge I had forgotten. For me, as this world¡¯s writer, it felt quite strange to have to study the content I just randomly pieced together to set up the Churches and their doctrine. ¡°By the way, weren¡¯t the paladins and priests of Towan not allowed to get married?¡± ¡°Yeah, what of it?¡± Adriana tilted her head as if asking me why I asked her something so obvious. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t decide something like that at such a young age.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be too late if you made that decision after you grew up, you punk. You could still become a priest after seeing what the world had to offer, you know? Adriana smirked at this young old man¡¯s whining. ¡°If you were to worship a god and attend masses, you¡¯d change your mind, Junior. There are people in this world who can live on faith alone. It¡¯s a full life in its own way.¡± I felt like she was trying to convert me, to the point where I started to get scared. Adriana slowly brought up this topic and she seemed to think that now was the right time. Adriana suddenly grabbed my hands and wouldn¡¯t budge at all. It was rather scary. ¡°So, do you want to go to a mass together with me after the school closes?¡± ¡°P, please don¡¯t do this¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even have to accurately follow the doctrine of Towan. Everyone deserves his grace, Junior. I¡¯m sure they will be able to fix your twisted personality as well. They are all good people.¡± At some point, Adriana started preaching to me. No, I was very grateful to her and I knew she was kind, but this was just pressuring! ¡°Bathed under the Saint¡¯s light, we can all find happiness, Junior.¡± Adriana suddenly turned into a church sister even though she wasn¡¯t part of the church yet. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t agree to that even out of gratitude. She probably prepared various methods to get me to come, both physical and psychological. Yes, I absolutely knew it would be like that! She¡¯d use a trick of first gently approaching me and when I was about to refuse she would make me feel sorry and naturally lead me to her church! This would happen once, twice, thrice until I can¡¯t leave anymore¡­. I thought you liked it¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­ I was just happy to share my happiness with you, I didn¡¯t want to drag you with me¡­ Sorry for misunderstanding¡­ Although, please do come to the next mass! If you won¡¯t come, I¡¯d be very sad¡­.. That was what this felt like! Ah. Sister. Are you doing well. I heard you got married¡­. I was curious about how things were in my old world suddenly¡­. ¡°I, I¡¯m already part of a different belief!¡± Adriana tilted her head as I shouted, appearing like I was about to be dragged to hell. ¡°Huh? You already have a god you follow?¡± ¡°Well. I wouldn¡¯t call him a god or something¡­ But there¡¯s something I believe in.¡± ¡°Huh¡­? Who?¡± I looked at Adriana with a determined expression. Yes, I was already part of a religion. ¡°Me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I, I believe in myself.¡± A religion where I was both the only worshipper and object of worship. In other words, I was the head of the Winning Mentality Church and its object of faith itself! I believed in myself. That was my source of strength. It was even more amazing because it was actually true. ¡°Eh¡­. Huuh?¡± Adriana didn¡¯t understand a word I said, so she looked dumbfounded for a while. After listening to my detailed explanation she slapped my back and told me not to say strange things anymore. Chapter 57 Friday. After classes were over, everyone got excited and started running wild, and the most annoying one among them was No. 8 Kono Lint. ¡±It¡¯s closing todaaaaay!¡± Those who planned on returning to their homes hurried back to the dormitory to pack their things, and the ones who would remain went on to do their own thing because a long break was about to begin. I would stay in the dormitory for today and leave tomorrow when things have gotten calmer. I was going to meet up with Eleris after all. As I was taking the mana train multiple times, to shake off any possible tails I might have, I planned on transforming to a different appearance using Sarkegaar¡¯s ring before going to Eleris¡¯ store. I could go to the Rotary Gang, but I was reluctant to go there because of various reasons. It seemed like the Prince and the Princess had already begun to look into that place. This might be an honor in its own way. When would higher ranked people pay so much attention to a beggar¡¯s organization after all? It wasn¡¯t intentional, but the outcome was moderately good. Charlotte would try to protect the Rotary Gang because it held the only clue to find Valier, while Bertus would try to use the Rotary Gang as a stepping stone to take over the Capital¡¯s underworld, so he wouldn¡¯t do anything to it. Depending on my actions, they might actually help me, far from trying to harm me. Eventually, by proving my usefulness to both of them, I seemed to have turned into one hell of an opportunist. Someone needed by both the Prince and the Princess. I might actually be quite the popular guy, huh? Everyone was excited. Both the ones who would return and the ones who would stay behind. Of course, there were three exceptions. Ellen Artorius, who¡¯d eventually become a hero never before seen, would continue to think about her brother¡¯s death. Perhaps this festival wasn¡¯t something Ellen could be excited about. The other two were Bertus and Charlotte. The two of them were going to be very busy during this festival, having to rush from one place to another. They tried not to show any exhaustion, but they seemed to be struggling. ¡°Charlotte.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Yeah.¡± Therefore, I was able to wittness a rare scene. I saw the two of them holding a conversation. No one said anything superficially, but the two of them tried to pretend not to know each other in Temple. Of course, they didn¡¯t get along at all. So, even though it had been a while since they entered the school, that would have been the first time seeing them hold a conversation in Temple for everyone. The two of them were talking as they walked side by side. -So, the order of protocol is¡­. -I already memorized everything. I don¡¯t have to hear it again. -As expected, you¡¯re smart. -No, you¡¯re the only oh-so-smart one. -Why does it sound like you¡¯re being sarcastic even though it¡¯s supposed to be a compliment? -Because I was being sarcastic. Bertus, who pretended to be kind, and Charlotte, who was being overtly blunt. They seemed to be talking about things related to the festival. Since it was an official imperial event, both Bertus and Charlotte would have to make an appearance. Everyone was staring blankly at the half-siblings holding their conversation, as if they couldn¡¯t believe this was happening. And, as if not in the least interested in this scene, I watched Ellen Artorius carelessly walking out of the classroom building. ¡°Get out of my way, you bastard.¡± -Pang! ¡°Urg!¡± Then everyone turned to the scene of A-9 Erich hitting B-3 Scarlett in the head while passing by. ¡°How unlucky.¡± Erich could be seen passing by, and A-10 Cayer briefly sweared at her before following behind Erich. I wondered where Ludwig was. I wasn¡¯t sure if he had already left. Scarlett kept her head down and didn¡¯t say a word. All the other students left, pretending they didn¡¯t see her at all. For just how long did I have to watch this? According to the original story, Ludwig would end up requesting a duel with Erich. However, this had already gone terribly wrong, just because I intervened once. Of course, Ludwig¡¯s personality itself hadn¡¯t changed, so Ludwig would end up saving Scarlett one day. So if I intervened now, the future would change again and it might become even more unpredictable. Fiery red hair and red eyes. Scarlett raised her head and met my eyes. Everyone had already left, so Scarlett and I were the only ones left in the hallway. Scarlett lowered her gaze again in fear after our eyes met. There were numerous sins I committed in this world, this grievous situation definitely was one of them. She¡¯ll get saved. Ludwig will be the one to save her. Those settings were made with such simple, careless thoughts. Both the reason for her bullying and the solution. However, I eventually got confronted with this reality I created with my own hands. This strange reality, it was me who created it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with red?.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± I looked at Scarlett as if I was talking to her. ¡°What¡¯s so important about hair color? Isn¡¯t it more important being the best in Temple?¡± Scarlett raised her head and looked at me again. She was treated like a bad omen by everyone, because of her red eyes and hair, so she got bullied because of it for a long time. I approached her. She backed off against the wall, as if trying to escape from me. I wasn¡¯t trying to threaten her. ¡°You saw it. The winner¡¯s always right.¡± Scarlett came to see my duel. ¡°Didn¡¯t you come to see that?¡± Why did Scarlett come to see my duel? She wasn¡¯t from the same class, but she came to see my duel with the senior. I accepted this duel with that senior without even having a talent. It was clear what the outcome would be. I didn¡¯t know why she came. However, she saw it clearly. I was able to emerge victorious against that senior in the end. She must have seen me stand back up again and again, despite our difference in origin and strength. ¡°Don¡¯t doze off.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Then I whispered to Scarlett, whose eyes seemed like those of a frightened rabbit. It was just like the sweet temptation of a devil. ¡°Should I tell you something?¡± ¡°Wha,t¡­. is it?¡± Right. Scarlett talked to me quite politely. Come to think of it, this was our first time talking. Anyway, I told her Erich Lafaeri¡¯s secret. It wasn¡¯t even that big of a deal. ¡°That guy¡¯s a pushover.¡± You were in the same year. How long did you want to get pushed around by that weakling? You already knew that much. ¡®The trouble maker Reinhardt went beyond just starting fights on his own and now egged others on to fight. He¡¯s said to be a devil¡¯s seed born to instill conflict, destroy friendships and disrupt other¡¯s peaceful life at Temple.¡¯ That was right. Objectively speaking, I was no longer just a villain, I was slowly transitioning into a supervillain. Put in Batman terms, I wouldn¡¯t be the Joker, but rather the Penguin. I even had the unprecedented luck to awaken a supernatural ability in the middle of a fight even though I was completely incompetent. It was even common for me to swear at nobles while being a beggar, and even laying hands on them. Not only was I able to beat up my senior, but I even got the college level seniors of the Royal Class, who didn¡¯t know about my true personality, to believe I was good and righteous. They even promised to take care of me if I ever got into trouble. Currently, I received support from both Bertus and Charlotte who were Number 1 of their respective class and were virtually the most powerful. In other words, I was rather free from their power which transcended Temple. They both had no intention of directly controlling me. I strangely didn¡¯t even have any problems with the ones that could subdue me. Ellen, who was pretty much the strongest among the first years and had no close friends, even taught me swordsmanship. Of course, that was because I only clashed with people who had seriously flawed personalities and picked a fight with me first. And now, no matter how big a problem the bullying was, I was even urging the victim to fight the perpetrator. The man who was behind every incident that took place in Temple and only thought about messing around. That was who I became. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Scarlett remained frozen for a long time after telling her that Erich was actually a total pushover. It wasn¡¯t like she didn¡¯t know that or that she didn¡¯t know how to fight. She didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble. She thought that her life would be over if she were kicked out of Temple. Strictly speaking, she didn¡¯t really need my help. I mean, she was a better fighter than me anyways. Objectively speaking, in the current first-year combat ranking, Scarlett would be among the Top 5. Of course, Ellen would take first place with a wide gap between the first and second place. She might jump between the 2nd and 5th place, but Scarlett would definitely keep being among the best. She wasn¡¯t able to do it because of her trauma caused by being bullied for all her life by a person, who she could defeat in a duel quite easily. * * * I was staying in the dormitory for today, as I was thinking of paying Eleris a visit tomorrow. So I just started doing my usual training. Adriana said she¡¯d leave today, so she only came by to train in the morning. Everyone was excited for this holiday, so there were many students who were rushing to leave Temple. Ludwig, who was still quite inexperienced, ran around Temple once a day every morning without fail. Of course, that was only possible for him. I still had a long way to go. Originally, I didn¡¯t have any interest or talent in exercising. Now that I thought about it, I wasn¡¯t really enjoying it either. I just clenched my teeth and powered through because I felt a certain guilt. I wasn¡¯t allowed to rest. I had something to do, so I had to work hard. That strong compulsion was the only thing that kept me going. ¡°Whew¡­.¡± However, after running for a while, at the place where Temple¡¯s Higher Education Department was located, I sat down on a bench on a hillside where one of the running tracks was. I was trying to catch my breath. I could overlook the vast landscape of Temple from there. Even if I wasn¡¯t as strong as Ludwig, my stamina definitely improved by leaps and bounds. I was even able to climb these hills without much problems, even though I was still slightly out of breath. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There wasn¡¯t any event like a sudden explosive growth in stats or my overall performance. My supernatural ability awakened, but that didn¡¯t mean I suddenly had the power to flip the world upside down. However, a short while ago, I wasn¡¯t even able to run properly without Adriana¡¯s support, but now I had enough stamina to run up a hillside and look down on all of Temple. It wasn¡¯t at the speed of an airplane or a car, but enough to feel my growth and the results of my training. I was growing little by little. Obviously, this wasn¡¯t the fantasy life I was dreaming of. My growth was rather slow, and even if the crisis was still far away, it was still definitely approaching. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± This felt more like a slice-of-life story than the one I actually wrote. This was completely different from casually describing that a character suddenly became stronger after years or decades of training. I had to fill these weeks, months and years with my own body. It was up to me to work hard in these months I described in the novel. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m thirsty.¡± But let¡¯s first drink some water and continue to run. * * * I¡¯m Type A. ¡°Come.¡± Type A was a preset setting specialized in close combat, namely swordsmanship and body strengthening. -Kaang! ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± I sighed as I watched the sword slip out of my grasp. ¡°Train your grip strength.¡± ¡°I am. I¡¯m doing it to the point where I can¡¯t feel my hands anymore.¡± Even if I used my supernatural power, I keep losing grip of my weapon after taking a hit from her. ¡°Then use your ability .¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ve been using it.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± She was a master in making me feel small. I slumped on the floor as I picked up my training sword. My hands felt numb and I had a hard time holding my sword properly. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t it strange?¡± ¡°What is?¡± Ellen tilted her head at my words. ¡°I know because I felt it, but aren¡¯t you a lot stronger than the 3rd year I was barely able to defeat by luck?¡± It was actually like that. I ended up like this even while she was going extremely easy on me. I could guarantee that if she had gone up against Mayarton that day, the duel would have been over in under 5 seconds. I wasn¡¯t exaggerating. That was Artorius, the greatest warrior of all mankind, for you. To be exact, she was even better in terms of talent than Ragan Artorius. If nurtured properly Ellen Artorius would become even more of a monster than him. ¡°What of it?¡° If you¡¯re strong, you¡¯re strong. ¡°I can understand that you don¡¯t gain much weight even after eating so much. There are people like that after all.¡± People with a super high metabolism or people with poor digestive efficiency. There were definitely people who wouldn¡¯t gain that much weight by eating a lot. I got up and pointed at Ellen¡¯s arms and wrist. ¡°What I mean is, how can you have that much strength when your body looks like this?¡± Yes. Mayarton was big. Ellen, however, wasn¡¯t muscular and, technically speaking, she had quite the slender build. It was totally mysterious how she was able to generate such power from such a thin body. It was just so strange, physically speaking! I disliked it even more, because I thought I knew the reason for that. Of course, it was because of me. Obviously¡­. She was supposed to have the best talents in the world, ahd excellent skills and was a total munchkin, but I described her as a ¡°Beautiful girl¡±, which was why she looked the way she looked. There might be 188cm tall muscular beauties out there, but they wouldn¡¯t look like young girls, now would they? So that was why there was a kid in front of me with a height of 163cm and a weight of 40 kg with the strength of a human tank. This physical discrepancy was purely caused by my unrealistic standards. She seemed soft everywhere as if she had no muscles. In fact, the skin on her arms looked as smooth as a baby¡¯s, when they were supposed to be weathered and packed with muscles. She wasn¡¯t even toned. Actually, we had some body contact while we were training so I found out that she was all soft. Of course, if one were to enter the superhuman stage, it was possible to have power that went far beyond what a normal human was capable of, using magic body enhancement.. However, she didn¡¯t know how to use that yet, so she was only using her body¡¯s strength. Right. I was god. I broke the laws of physics of this world with just a few lines of text. Ellen frowned slightly at my grumbling. ¡°Our family is strong.¡± Ah. Was the probability of that part just supplemented to that degree? Were your family¡¯s muscle fibers made out of adamantium wire or something? Seriously, even if they were the strongest family in the world, this didn¡¯t make much sense. I was born like that. What are you going to do about it? In three words, it was blunt. Well, I had never made that kind of setting, but her family might be descendants of dragons or something. This was a world where the probability which I flipped on its head got supplemented. In the end, it was me who violated the rules here, so I had no right to complain. I could just accept it. There was a limit to how much growth one could achieve through training alone, so one would supplement one¡¯s body using talents or skills. If one were able to do this long term, one entered the superhuman stage through magic body enhancement. ¡°Hold it again.¡± ¡°Hm!¡± -Kaang! ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Are you playing baseball? Seeing my training sword fly towards the other end of the gym, I felt dejected. It wasn¡¯t a homerun, but a hit. Chapter 58 After my extreme training and sparring, Ellen left me alone and focused on her own training. Cliffman had returned home, so he wasn¡¯t at the gym today. Cliffman was that type of guy to me. An unknown guy I¡¯ve encountered at the gym quite often. When we met, he¡¯d slightly greet me, but he didn¡¯t say a word. It was to the point where I¡¯d notice when he wasn¡¯t there, but we weren¡¯t on talking terms yet. -Hup! Ellen was busy, beating up scarecrows and honing her techniques. Actually, there was no reason for her to spar with me. To be that girl¡¯s training partner one had to have a certain level of skill. To her, I was only a little kid just starting out. I continued to cook dinner, but that wasn¡¯t such a big deal. I always ended up making too much for myself. That was all. Somehow, I kind of stopped being so strict in our cooking lessons and focused more on swordsmanship. She still looked after me, even after the duel was over though. I mean, wasn¡¯t that strange? I mean, I just wrote that letter for the sake of writing it, but still, she super dumped me. I was really curious what she was thinking about me, now that she was right in front of me. In fact, I only wrote that love letter to get dumped and get some achievement points. After that, we somehow ended up eating lunch together, then practiced swordsmanship and then ate dinner together. However, Ellen didn¡¯t act particularly close to me, and neither did I act close to her. To the extent that she would probably even ignore me even if we were to run into each other on the street. No, well, even the classmates who hated me like Erich, Cayer or even Harriet, would show some sort of disgruntled reaction when they¡¯d see me, but she wouldn¡¯t even look at me? We had late-night snacks and early morning snacks together almost every day. We¡¯d meet each other every morning when we did our morning training and we even stuck around at the gym after school. But we didn¡¯t really have any private conversations. We seemed to be close, but we weren¡¯t really. If we were to ever meet outside, I bet she would even ask me who I was. However, she did try to be my champion in the duel. She was always calm¡­. I don¡¯t know¡­. However, when I meet up with her, I can¡¯t read her well¡­. It wouldn¡¯t kill me. I just would have to ask her right? I wasn¡¯t some dense main character from some novel nor was I expecting anything. If one doesn¡¯t know something, one should ask. It was that simple, right? ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen looked at me. ¡°Do you like me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see.¡± It didn¡¯t really hurt because I expected her to answer like that. I really didn¡¯t care that much. Really! However, Ellen had a different reaction compared to last time. Ellen had a grim look on her face, turned towards me and asked me. ¡°Do you like me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing as she didn¡¯t say something like ¡°You told me you liked me some time ago though¡±, she might have forgotten about that incident. Anyway, seemed like we became close enough to ask about these things casually. I knew it would just be better to answer no to these kinds of things. I didn¡¯t even mean to ask about that in the first place. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then are we friends?¡± At my words, Ellen stopped swinging her sword and silently contemplated. She took a minute or so. Ellen opened her mouth again as she pointed her sword towards the scarecrow. ¡°I think so.¡± That was her answer. * * * So, it seemed like Ellen Artorius just recently seriously thought about whether we were friends or not for the first time. Hence, why it took some time for her to think about the answer. That being said, calling Bertus my friend was a little strange, as it felt more like a hierarchical relationship. So, Ellen could be said to be the first friend I made in Temple. If you thought about it, it was rather funny. She was extremely taciturn, so it should have been the hardest to get closer to her. In fact, it would have taken her a long time before she made some friends in the original story. However, knowing that Ellen didn¡¯t care about my reputation and didn¡¯t have any preconceived notions about me, was rather comfortable. As a result, we became like this. After my stamina recovered I went back to my usual routine, namely posture and strength training. Standard bedtime was at 11 o¡¯clock. I would train at the gym until 9, then I would come out and have a late night-snack at the dining room, usually with Ellen. So, Ellen and I both only trained until 9 so that we would still get to eat some food. We didn¡¯t decide on that, it just naturally happened like this. It was now 9 o¡¯clock. It was time to stop the training. ¡°Aren¡¯t you overdoing it today?¡± ¡°Haah¡­. Haah¡­.¡± Today, Ellen was a bit different from usual. Even if she didn¡¯t have the same amount of stamina as Ludwig, she still had almost as much. She had been beating the scarecrow without even taking time to catch her breath. She was breathing roughly, and I could see that her whole body was covered in sweat. I noticed that she was training harder than usual. I didn¡¯t want to be a cat that cared about tigers, but her condition was certainly a bit strange. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop and take a rest?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll train a bit longer.¡± Ellen said that without even looking at me. Well, she said that we probably were friends, but sticking my nose in anymore would be weird. She might tell me not to pretend to be close or something. ¡°Then hurry up and go rest. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t answer me as I left the gym. * * * Obviously, there were hardly any students left in the dormitory, and the ones that were still there probably went to sleep because it was close to curfew. Come to think of it, Temple sure provided dream like living conditions. They do the laundry, provide meals, give out pocket money, prepare whatever you might need and even give you a fully stocked kitchen you could use at your own convenience. They also give you four gold coins as pocket money per month. Of course, it was just small change to kids from good houses, but it was a lot of money for me. If it was for personal training or research, they¡¯d even give you additional support depending on its content. In other words, it was kind of like a research grant. In fact, it wasn¡¯t really important to graduate from Temple to live a good life. Actually, wasn¡¯t one able to live a comfy and cozy life just by being a Temple student? Wasn¡¯t this a dream school no one would want to graduate from? Wouldn¡¯t one want to live on as a Temple student until one died? This would lead to an infinite loop of procrastination. Wasn¡¯t this another setting error? One would want to continue attending Temple, and Royal Class, just for these benefits alone. I went to the kitchen while having these weird thoughts. Even though I didn¡¯t receive any more support in the form of divine power, I was still exercising a whole lot, even if it wasn¡¯t to the degree of Ludwig or Ellen. Hence I still had to eat a lot. I also felt like what I ate didn¡¯t really turn into fat. I originally cooked for myself, but I definitely improved ever since I started living in Temple. There were a lot of ingredients, and if one needed anything specific, one could just ask for it and they would provide it right away. I¡¯d get tired of always eating the same thing, so I made this and that. I didn¡¯t want to live off of snacks like Ellen, so I tended to make my own food. Someone who only lived from hamburgers and pizza would get tired of those one day. Living life routinely was fine, but I didn¡¯t want my diet to follow a routine as well. I looked through the ingredients kept in the kitchen pantry and thought about what I should make. Well, this didn¡¯t really fit my concept, but¡­. Still, I was indeed grateful. Besides, this was a sensitive time for her as well. I took out a bag of bread. I was thinking of making some sandwiches. There were two people in Temple I felt grateful to. Adriana, who recently turned to the dark side and became like a church nun. No, calling a nun part of the dark side was a bit much, wasn¡¯t it? Well, that was how it felt to me anyways. And Ellen Artorius. To be honest, I often told Adriana that I was grateful to her, I didn¡¯t do the same with Ellen because of the nature of our relationship. It wasn¡¯t like she was doing anything unusual anyway, she just ate what I made and trained in the gym. Ah. No matter how I tired to make it out to be, I was like nothing more than a high schooler who was happy about having made his first friend. A, actually¡­. I think I felt a little touched¡­. I had to admit that. I was kind of touched hearing that we were friends! How silly! Ah! I know! I made some club sandwiches. I didn¡¯t have to put as much effort into those. I thought it would probably be better to make a lot because she¡¯d probably end up eating a lot. I put in a moderate amount of vegetables, plenty of cheese and ham. This could probably be called a calorie bomb, but neither I nor Ellen cared about these kinds of things. We exercised too much to die of hyperlipidemia. I also found a food basket in the kitchen, so I packed the freshly made sandwiches in there and headed to the gym. ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± And I couldn¡¯t help but be a little surprised by the sight before my eyes. Ellen was lying in front of the scarecrow, the remnants of a broken training sword lying next to her. ¡°Ah! You¡¯ll catch death if you sleep here!¡± Although that was what I had said, I was running towards her. * * * Temple¡¯s Royal Class was one of the most intensive educational institutions of the Empire. Besides the ones I already mentioned there were numerous services provided for VIPs. So, that kind of meant that I didn¡¯t know what they were specifically. I just wrote something like: The service is great! Of course, I knew some of the services. One of them was a priest dedicated to us, who could use recovery spells and was stationed in a specific place 24/7. It was like the nurse office teacher. The only difference from an infirmary teacher was that they could also heal severe injuries, and not just perform first aid. I couldn¡¯t really remember, but I probably received that priest¡¯s help after that duel last time. I carried Ellen on my back and called for a priest. I went to the recovery room, where I once lay, and laid Ellen down on the priestess¡¯ instructions. While casting some divine spells, the she asked me about the situation. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°She looked exhausted or something like that. She was lying on the gym floor.¡± Other than the forehead being slightly wounded, she didn¡¯t seem to be seriously hurt. But she smashed her training sword, you know? Anyway, she didn¡¯t seem to have serious injuries. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you were able to find her so quickly. Well done.¡± Even if she just passed out because of exhaustion, it might have gotten dangerous if she was found too late, so the priestess praised me. She asked for my and Ellen¡¯s name and grade, so I answered. ¡°First year Reinhardt and Ellen. Mr. Epinhauser is your homeroom teacher, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good job, Reinhardt. I¡¯ll write down a merit for you.¡± What. I didn¡¯t think that would happen. The uniformed teacher looked at me with a kind smile. It was a benevolent smile that showed that she was a genuinely religious person. Ooh, it really does feel divine. I can¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry, I forgot about my roots¡­. ¡°I heard you were a mess, but it seems you are very different from the rumors.¡± Oh, my reputation had even reached the teachers. Anyway, she seemed to be quite impressed that I would carry my classmate on my back, contrary to the preconceived notions everyone had. But there were things like merits? I didn¡¯t even know those existed here. The priestess checked on Ellen¡¯s condition and said she would get up soon. She told me that I could go back, but I stayed by her side. The teacher looked at me with a mischievous smile, as if she knew what I was thinking. No, it wasn¡¯t like that. Just like the teacher told me, Ellen slowly opened her eyes after about 10 minutes. ¡°Urg¡­¡± Ellen raised her eyelids, let out a low groan and turned to look at me and the priestess, then opened her eyes wide. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± She seemed bewildered. That stone Buddha looked flustered. It was such a precious scene, so I tried to immediately burn it into my memory. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Ellen thought for a moment, before she seemed to realize what was going on. ¡°Hey, if you sleep in places like that, you might end up dead . You¡¯re so young. Do you want to be reincarnated so badly? Tch.¡± ¡°Pffft!¡± At my persistent words, the priestess burst into laughter and Ellen turned her head away from me. She clearly was very embarrassed right now. However, it wasn¡¯t just the two of us here. That teacher doubling as a priestess was also present. ¡°Ellen, even if he says that, Reinhardt still carried you on his back. He came in here with a totally pale face and said ¡°Teacher, do something!¡± Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Te, teacher¡­. Why did you say that¡­. ¡± No, you idiot! How could you tell her? Ellen was glancing at me when she heard what the teacher said. You didn¡¯t think, I¡¯d do that, huh? ¡°It seems like you practiced too hard. Don¡¯t overexert yourself. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes¡­. I¡¯m sorry.¡± With these words, the priestess left the recovery room, telling us that she would report this after the school closure. ¡°Why were you sleeping there on the floor?¡± At my question, Ellen stared blankly at the ceiling. ¡°While I was practicing my techniques and beating the scarecrow, my training sword suddenly broke¡­. I think I fell forward and hit my head because my balance was broken.¡± Ellen seemed to remember clearly how she fainted. Exhaustion wasn¡¯t the problem, it was because she head-butted the scarecrow. It seemed like an acute concussion. Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t that quite serious? No, that¡¯s not it. The reason probably was both exhaustion and the concussion. I didn¡¯t know if someone would have carried her out if I wasn¡¯t there. Well, it was fine now, seeing that she was okay. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t I save you then?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I did, didn¡¯t I?¡± I did say that I¡¯d let it go seeing that she was alright and all, but what if I didn¡¯t come back to share the sandwiches I made with her? She might have been found dead the next day. The girl with the best talents this world could offer nearly ended up dying after head-butting a scarecrow¡­. How could there be such an absurd situation. Ellen lay down and looked at me quietly, before she nodded her head slightly. ¡°¡­¡­Yeah.¡± It wasn¡¯t her usual voice, it was a little more subdued. How cute. Well, the charm of taciturn characters would appear when their concept collapsed. Ellen definitely overdid it today. She continued to swing her sword without resting, on the contrary, she trained even more intensely. Someone with usually good self-control went over her limits, and, in the end, after she tried to swing her training sword even after exhausting all her strength, she ended up hitting her head on the scarecrow. No one else knew the reason why she would do something like that, but I knew. This girl was in a more mentally shaken up state, completely different from her normal self. So, I didn¡¯t ask her why she overdid it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stand up?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Since she was treated with divine power, she should have completely recovered. There was no reason for her to continue to lie down. ¡°Let¡¯s just eat some sandwiches. I made a lot.¡± ¡°Ah. Okay.¡± Ellen jumped up. Look at her react right away when I mentioned food. I bet she would inhale all the food again. ¡°I made it for you, so you better be thankful.¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t forget to brag as per usual. Chapter 59 ¡°I want to shower.¡± Ellen sniffed her body and said she wanted to go shower. ¡°If you go wash up, it¡¯ll be past bed time, won¡¯t it?¡± There were a lot of things going on and before we knew it, it was almost 11 o¡¯clock. Of course, not keeping the curfew wouldn¡¯t be such a big deal, but if a superintendent found us while on their patrol, it would be a slight pain in the ass. Well, it wouldn¡¯t be very likely, of course. I wrote a lot of scenes where Ludwig wandered about past the curfew, after all. ¡°I hate this smell.¡± Ellen was sweating profusely and seemed to hate that sticky feeling. She must have sweat more than usual. I felt how sticky she was when I was carrying her. Even if I put the food in front of her now, she probably wouldn¡¯t have the appetite to actually eat it because of the smell. I decided to make a bit more than usual today. I thought Ellen would be rather depressed. That was why I ended up making sandwiches, so that I could bring them to her. ¡°¡­¡­Okay. Then let¡¯s go down to the dining hall.¡± I was planning on going to the dining hall, but Ellen shook her head. ¡°You might get caught by the teacher.¡± Hm? What should we do then? You want to eat, but then we would end up going past the curfew and we¡¯d be at risk getting caught by the superintendent, but she still wanted to eat after being so exhausted. What kind of greed was this? ¡°Can¡¯t we eat in my room?¡± Ah. Did I hear that right? * * * Temple didn¡¯t separate girls and boys into different dormitories, they just divided by class, so the boys could visit the girls¡¯ rooms and the girls could visit the boys¡¯ rooms. In Class B, they did it often to get together and hang out. In Class A there seemed to be only a few cases of students visiting each other¡¯s rooms. How could they put men and women in the same dormitory, when they were very different? What if they made trouble? The class parts were important, but the dormitory parts were also responsible for a huge amount of the narrative progression. If the dormitory were divided into male and female, I would have only been able to describe the male characters, as Ludwig, the main character, would live in the male dormitory. I, as the writer, was responsible for this merge of male and female dormitories, so that I could induce certain incidents and spur on relationships to form. It would have been safer to just divide them, but that would have been pretty boring probably. Just how could anything interesting happen in a dormitory full of guys? At best, they might wake up early in the morning and decide to play soccer or something. Therefore, there weren¡¯t any seperate dormitories for narrative purposes, not practical ones. I didn¡¯t have to come up with realistic settings, just one¡¯s I could use easily. So it became an integrated dormitory for this writer¡¯s convenience. Anyway. I didn¡¯t feel much when I entered the room of my classmate who was only a little kid from my point of view. There was a 100% chance that this girl didn¡¯t even think about the implications. I might have gotten kind of nervous if she was a college student. If that were the case, I probably would be stiff and stuttering. But even that wouldn¡¯t really work for me. All the Temple students only felt like little kids to me! I retrieved the basket of sandwiches from the gym and entered Ellen¡¯s room. As soon as we entered her room, she went straight to the shower room. -Shaaaaa¡­. I heard the sound of water coming from the shower, as I put the sandwiches on a table and sat down on a chair. It wasn¡¯t much different from my room. Although the room smelled a bit different. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the smell of cosmetics or something. The room was clean, as she didn¡¯t really spend much time here anyway. There didn¡¯t seem to be many of her personal belongings in here. My room also was fairly empty, but not to that extent. Although, they might be on a similar level. I didn¡¯t have any personal belongings other than clothes and textbooks in my room either. Rather than personal belongings, this room was filled with training equipment, probably intended for strength training, installed on Ellen¡¯s request. Our private rooms were spacious, so there was enough space for various training equipments. I had something similar in my room. The detailed composition was slightly different, but the larger framework seemed to be the same. Overall, it was a nice room. The only thing that made one think that this is a girl¡¯s room was the slightly different smell. However, although Ellen only had few belongings, she did have some. In one corner of the room, the place where others might have their magic research table or something of that sort, there was a trunk. It was a rather long truck quite different from a normal one. However, that trunk, painted black, was tightly sealed. It wasn¡¯t that big, so it seemed easy to carry around. It was a long rectangular case. Although I shouldn¡¯t, I knew what was in there. This was the only thing Ellen Artorius brought to Temple. After waiting a little longer, Ellen came out of the shower room. She shook her wet hair and shivered slightly. She wore a training suit and slippers. Come to think of it, she always opted to wear either of those, so did I. Either the school uniform or a training suit. She sat on the other side of the table, facing me. ¡°Let¡¯s eat and then go sleep. I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°Yes¡± We started eating and stayed quiet as if everything had already been said. To be honest, the time I slept was the happiest time I spent these days, as my daily routine involved torturing my whole body. There wouldn¡¯t be something happening, like a teacher suddenly bursting in. If anyone came in here, they might misunderstand why the two of us were in the same room and strange rumors might pop up. However, Royal Class and Temple were almost devoid of students and teachers at the moment, so nothing should happen. We just silently ate our sandwiches. It took quite a while to eat all of them though, because I made a lot. -Craaash! Thunder echoed outside the window followed by the sound of rain falling. Ellen stopped eating her sandwich and looked out the window. ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ellen stared blankly out the window and continued to munch on her sandwich. Seeing her so different from usual was slightly disturbing. I wrote the festival period only from Ludwig¡¯s point of view, never from Ellen¡¯s. Therefore, I never described in detail what Ellen was feeling at the moment. So I didn¡¯t know how sad she must feel. Ellen stared at the pouring rain and the occasional flashes of lightning. Was she afraid of thunderstorms or did she like them? I didn¡¯t even know that much. However, I didn¡¯t think she was afraid. Ellen wasn¡¯t good with talking about herself. Only if the object hidden away in the trunk got revealed would Ellen¡¯s identity, which was only known to Bertus and a few teachers, be known. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yeah?¡± I was a little startled at her suddenly talking to me. Ellen looked at me. That was also the first time she called me by my name. ¡°Thanks.¡± That was all she said to me, while her eyes rested on me. She wasn¡¯t smiling at all, she also didn¡¯t seem particularly blunt either. She wore an expression that seemed to be between those two. I also felt like I was gradually becoming more proficient in reading her expressions. I still wasn¡¯t certain, but my proficiency would rise more and more. ¡°People sometimes feel like shit. There may or may not be a reason. That¡¯s just how it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± Ellen stared at me sharply. ¡°Still, if you don¡¯t talk about it, it will eat you up from the inside.¡± It wasn¡¯t good to suffer in silence. Although Ellen had a blunt personality, she also had her own thoughts and feelings. Just like how she appeared rather easy going at first, but eventually got mad and ended up teaching me swordsmanship. Even the slightest bit of anger would sent me to a frenzy, while Ellen was able to maintain her composure no matter what. In retrospect, Ellen and I were direct opposites. And in my experience, people who were the opposite of each other would get along better than people who were similar. I talked too much and had a hot temper. Ellen spoke very little and had a calm temperament. In my opinion, that combination fit surprisingly well together. If two talkative people met each other, they¡¯d just talk each other to death, if two silent people met, they¡¯d just stay silent. She might feel like shit, but I wondered what Ellen was thinking when I told her that it would be okay to talk. Was she surprised I noticed that she felt depressed? Ellen, who had been silent for a long time, slowly opened her mouth while blankly staring at the thunderstorm. ¡°If you could save the world in exchange for your life, do you think you should?¡± It sounded nonsensical. However, I knew the meaning behind that question. Ellen thought that death was death no matter what one died for. Her brother saved the world but in the end she was the only one left behind. People adored Warrior Artorius, but in the end all Ellen could do was mourn her brother¡¯s death. So, while Ellen did miss her brother, she also resented him. Knowing that, I also knew what to say. ¡°Well¡­. I wouldn¡¯t know until the time came, I guess.¡± As long as I wasn¡¯t confronted with such a situation head on, no matter what I said would be meaningless. A person who said he¡¯d never do something like that, might end up actually doing it, and a person who said one had to make that choice, might not necessarily choose to do it. ¡°I¡¯d never die like that.¡± Even if she had the option to save the whole world in exchange for her own life, Ellen said, she would never make that choice. She only had one life, and she said she¡¯d never give it up, even if that would mean the end of the world as we know it. I looked at Ellen and nodded my head. ¡°Possibly so.¡± I knew that Ellen Artorius would risk her life for the world in the future though. * * * Ellen got up and walked towards the trunk. Without a word, Ellen removed the basket that contained the sandwiches before and placed the trunk on the table. -Click, click Ellen, who unlocked its lock, showed me the contents without saying a single word. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s a sword. It looks quite unusual at that.¡± Inside was a long-sword type sword. It wasn¡¯t a too flashy color. It was simply black. Although that didn¡¯t mean it was just a simple sword. In addition to smooth lines seeming like blood vessels, there were also ancient characters engraved upon it. It was a language I shouldn¡¯t know, but I knew what was written on it. Just as I could read and speak this world¡¯s language, I could read even this language. I would even be able to pronounce it. I actually never described what characters were engraved on the sword, so it was actually my first time seeing them. [ Forged through tears. ] I didn¡¯t know what that meant, but I knew well what kind of sword this was. Ellen Artorius¡¯ Sword. And prior to that, Warrior Ragan Artorius¡¯ Sword. ¡°This sword is called Lament.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± This was a memento left behind by Ragan Artorius for Ellen before he participated in the Demon World War. The Warrior Artorius was known to carry two divine swords. The sword of Als, God of War, Alsbringer, and the sword of Mensis, the God of the Moon, Lament. Alsbringer, which Ragan Artorius used to defeat the Demon King, became the Empire¡¯s national treasure. However, no one knew where Lament was, except for those that knew about Ellen Artorius¡¯ existence. Later, when Ellen¡¯s identity was revealed in the novel, Lament¡¯s whereabouts were also made clear. Now Ellen revealed her true identity to me. Although it would be hard for someone to recognize the sword just by looking at it, everyone knew its name. Lament was one of the two symbols representing Warrior Artorius after all. ¡°No wonder you were so strong.¡± I, in fact, already knew about her real identity, so I was forced to act surprised. Ellen was satisfied enough with my reaction. She raised the corners of her lips slightly, creating a smile. She hardly smiled properly. My heart felt like it was being swept away. [Ellen Artorius has revealed her identity sooner than expected.] [Achievement ¨C Ellen¡¯s Truth] [You have earned 500 achievement points.] In addition to that, I unexpectedly got some achievement points. Chapter 60 Ellen didn¡¯t tell me to keep her identity secret. It seemed she thought that it wouldn¡¯t matter anymore now that she told me. Maybe she also thought I wouldn¡¯t tell anyone else. Of course, if Ellen¡¯s identity were to be revealed there would be a huge commotion in Temple. I wouldn¡¯t want that to happen, so I didn¡¯t intend on spreading this info around. Still, Ellen did seem to feel a little better in the end. Did she feel comforted knowing that she had someone who understood her feelings? The next day. -Aah, hello, dear citizens of the Imperial Capital. -I¡¯m here to introduce to you a fantastical item while you are all busy returning home. -Please have a look at this. We carved this wood and inserted a metal core. Yes, in technical terms, this would be called a spinning top. -But it isn¡¯t just any ordinary spinning top. It¡¯s a magic spinning top. -I shall show you all a wonderful magic trick now. I was on my way to the Al Ligar district taking the mana train. I saw some vendors from the Rotary Gang appearing on every train. The gang members seemed to safely evolve into vandors, showing great skills in marketing their products and saying a lot without much substance. Parents who came to look holding their children¡¯s hands reluctantly bought them toys. They did say their income was pretty good. However, this business wouldn¡¯t last long. The mana train was a public facility, but they couldn¡¯t just do as they pleased in here. There were quite a few passengers who seemed rather annoyed by all this even though they didn¡¯t dare to speak up yet. This business¡¯ purpose was to create a different profit structure to resolve the gang¡¯s dependency on the Thieves¡¯ Guild. However, Bertus suggested that it would be better for us to just absorb the Thieves¡¯ Guild. That plan was on hold for now though. ¡°Heey.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. Yes?¡± ¡°Who gave you permission to do business here?¡± One of the passengers finally started complaining, perhaps finally having reached the limit of his patience. It was a rather tense situation. I strongly advised Loyar to tell the vendors to avoid getting into fights in these types of situations. Fights should never ever break out. The man approaching the vendor looked rather disgusting. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that if I see you on this line again, I¡¯d whoop your ass?¡± However, as I listened closer, the context of the situation seemed to be a little different from what I thought. ¡°Tha, that¡­. But we were here first¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, when would that have been? We said we¡¯d do this place. Huh?¡± What kind of situation was this? ¡°Ye, yes. I¡¯ll get off at the next station¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t show your ugly mug in front of me again. Ya hear?¡± I roughly grasped the situation. The flies started swarming after smelling some honey. ¡°So there were bastards with no sense of morality like this, huh? No matter how illegitimate this business is, you just go ahead and steal someone else¡¯s way to make a living?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Wha, what?¡± Even though I wasn¡¯t one of the vendors, I stood up and confronted him. ¡°You, what? Who are you? What do you want, little brat¡­.¡± I approached that disgusting looking man. The passengers were staring blankly at this bizarre situation that seemed to be about to get out of hand. There actually was a passenger who clashed with this gangster without any hesitation. ¡°Hey, jerk. If you enter a business late, shouldn¡¯t you do it quietly in your own little corner? Huh? If you enter such a business, d¡¯ya think you can just take your seniors¡¯ know-how and then piss all over their livelihood? You wanna fucking die?¡± ¡°Y,y,you¡­. You punk, wha, what¡¯s wrong with you¡­. Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m a student of Temple¡¯s Royal Class who happened to be an ally of justice.¡± While attending school a student of Temple¡¯s Royal Class is treated as someone with a special identity, no matter if they were a commoner or not. If you were to touch one of them carelessly, there would be no end to the trouble you would find yourself in. The vendor, one of the gang members, flinched after realizing my identity. He didn¡¯t know me personally, but he seemed to have remembered that one of the gang members went to Temple. ¡°Sure, you¡¯re from Temple. I don¡¯t give a fuck, you shitty brat.¡± He didn¡¯t believe me when I told him I was a Temple student.Thinking I was bluffing, that bastard immediately decided to give me some true education. He raised his right hand up high and swung it towards my head. -Woosh! I avoided the punch by slightly tilting my head. ¡°Have you gone deaf, you old bastard?¡± I was strong. Stronger than that slimy bastard. ¡°How dare you try to beat up a minor without any reason, huh?¡± -Pang! ¡°Urk!¡± I kicked him hard against his shin. I didn¡¯t kick him so hard that his leg would break, but it certainly pointed in a weird direction. ¡°Motherfucker, you think, just because I¡¯m a shrimp at Temple, I¡¯d also be a shrimp here?¡± Even if one were the lowest ranked athlete in the Olympics, one was still a top athlete, you bastard! I was someone that sparred with the ace of the national team every day, you know! While I didn¡¯t have any skills, I won using brutal methods. However, now I could beat someone coming at me with brutality using my skills. These were the results of Ellen¡¯s accelerated education. The passengers were initially nervous when they saw a gangster arguing with a vandor. And then suddenly, a young kid stood up against that gangster, which confused them, and when they actually saw that young lad beat that gangster up, they seemed to doubt their eyes. My physical strength and reaction speed certainly had improved through the training I did so far. If I threw my supernatural ability into the mix, even clumsy movements would be effective in beating someone like that. Since he let his guard down, it was quite possible for me to make him to land on his ass with just a single kick. Since I didn¡¯t want to do something as risky as brawling more with an adult, I threw him out at the next station. ¡°Ooh!!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you off for now, consider yourself lucky. If you were unlucky, you might end up eating food through a straw, you get me?¡± His eyes were as big as saucers as I threw him out. That situation just seemed ridiculous to him. The passengers were staring at me as if I was a monster. ¡°Sigh.¡± I didn¡¯t mean to interfere. However when I saw that guy trying to take away our business, I changed my mind. I thought I¡¯d only ever beat up some guys in Temple. I was becoming more and more like some sort of bastard, now that I had the grounded confidence provided by my supernatural power. The gang member was puzzled seeing me here. ¡°Please, tell big sis that I¡¯ll stop by later.¡± ¡°A,ah¡­.Ye, yeah.¡± Bring it on, you bastards. Who were they to try and take away our livelihood? My temper had been triggered, and I kept on growing more angry. People avoided me that day. * * * After getting off the train, I changed into clothes I had prepared beforehand and changed my appearance with Sarkegaar¡¯s ring. It seemed that no one was tailing me, but I should be getting tailed a lot in the future, so I tried making this a habit. My identity as a demon was problematic, but my identity as a Rotary Gang member wasn¡¯t without problems either. That ruckus on the train just now was still acceptable. Those two who actually knew my affiliation with the Rotary gang were actually the most dangerous to me, as they would keep an eye on me. Let¡¯s just live like water. I was already famous for being a delinquent in Temple, that wouldn¡¯t make me famous for that outside though, right? After passing through various alleys and side streets, I headed to the Al Ligar Shopping District. That Cutthroat¡¯s Paradise was still filled with the sound of breathtaking price negotiations. The battle of nerves between those that didn¡¯t want to be ripped off and those that wanted to rip them off went on like background music. When I entered Eleris¡¯ shop, I saw her sitting in the same position as when I first met her. She still had no customers. ¡°Eleris.¡± ¡°Huh? How do you¡­.¡± Eleris was using a pseudonym in this shop, so she couldn¡¯t help but panic when someone suddenly called her by her real name. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± She first wanted to question me, a stranger who knew her real name, but she soon realized who I was and jumped up from behind the counter. Then she came towards me, and locked the store behind me. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s dangerous coming to see me.¡± Eleris spoke reproachfully towards me while I stood there frozen for a bit. ¡°I was really careful, so it¡¯s fine.¡± I didn¡¯t get off at this district¡¯s station, disguised myself and came here using lots of detours. If someone found me even after all that, that person would have my praise. Eleris told me that she still didn¡¯t feel at ease and chanted something. Only after that she slowly nodded her head. ¡°Yeah, it should be fine.¡± Then she smiled brightly, as if that put her heart at ease. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I last saw you, Your Highness. How have you been?¡± ¡°Ah¡­. This and that happened.¡± Eleris went up to me and pulled my hand, saying we should slowly talk over tea. The vampire¡¯s low body temperature felt reassuring somehow. * * * ¡°Ah¡­.¡± After hearing all of my recounts, Eleris¡¯ complexion, which was already quite pale, became even paler. ¡°Oh, should I say it¡¯s like you were before¡­. No, you¡¯re still doing better than back then, but¡­.¡± Even if I wasn¡¯t as bad as the original owner of this body, It still seemed to be very shocking. Well, of course it would be. I entered Temple with no backing whatsoever and ended up chasing around the other kids. Not only that, I even had a duel with my senior, which resulted in the other seniors taking note of me Well. For the Prince of the Demon Realm to infiltrate the Royal Class and actually turn into a star in a matter of weeks, sure was a headache, huh? ¡°I¡¯m not really into getting beat up without even putting up a fight, so I didn¡¯t just pick fights for no reason.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­. Just what should we do about that temper of yours?¡± Eleris sighed heavily as if all the world¡¯s problems were riding on her shoulders. ¡°Still, I haven¡¯t used this yet.¡± I took out the relic Eleris gave me, the Flame of Tuesday. ¡°That¡¯s a relief, but¡­.¡± I seriously wondered what would happen if I were to use this properly, but there had yet to be an emergency, so I couldn¡¯t use it yet. Eleris rummaged through something and asked me if I was hungry before she took out some food. ¡°What? You have food here?¡± ¡°Yes, I stored up some frozen food, in case you might come by.¡± Oh. She was so nice. Eleris heated the frozen pasta with her magic and presented it to me. It wasn¡¯t that delicious, but she told me that she prepared it herself, so this was something that went beyond just taste. Watching me slurp up the pasta, Eleris smiled faintly. ¡°By the way, I could have never imagined you getting a supernatural power.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is. It¡¯s like it was meant to be.¡± Eleris seemed rather confused about the fact that I had awakened a supernatural ability, then I explained more about my ability. I had a lot to explain as it was a rather ambiguous ability. ¡°¡°It¡­. Seems to be a very powerful ability¡­. Quite, uhm¡­.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The mechanism of my ability to actually end up winning if I just kept a winning mentality seemed rather strange to Eleris. That wasn¡¯t all. I now had 2280 achievement points. I used up 20 achievement points during the duel to use the Revise Function. I got 600 points for winning the duel and after Ellen told me her secret I got 500 more points. Therefore, I could get a new talent. I couldn¡¯t have more than 1 supernatural power, so I was pondering about what talent to get next. Although I was growing quite slowly, objectively speaking, what I did was quite nonsensical. After entering the first year of Temple, I would be able to awaken two talents in less than a semester. People might feel suspicious of the existence of my infinite aptitudes, but it certainly wasn¡¯t impossible. At this point, it was rather hard for me to decide whether I should get a combat-related or a magic-related talent. Talking about Temple like that made me seem like a son coming home from a boarding school and telling his mother about everything he experienced there. Actually, Eleris¡¯ expression seemed rather similar to that of a mother¡¯s. Especially her sighs when she heard about the fights I was in. ¡°That¡¯s all I got to say for now. Is everything okay on your end?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. There had been a few things going on.¡± It seemed like something had happened while Eleris was guarding the store. ¡°First of all, coming here was very dangerous.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± That was why I did such conspicuous movements by going around town in weird circles to shake off any possible tail I might have had. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± However, at my words, Eleris just shook her head. ¡°It has been determined that this was the last place Your Highness had been seen.¡± ¡°Huh¡­. Really?¡± I didn¡¯t know if it was Bertus or Charlotte, but my pursuers knew that I had come to this place. It was inevitable for me to come to this district to wander around here and sell my scrolls. A kid was wandering around here trying to sell scrolls, but most merchants just thought they were fakes. It certainly wasn¡¯t a common occurrence, so there should have been some merchants who remembered that incident. I originally planned to get some money and then go into hiding. Meeting Eleris was a pure coincidence after all. ¡°Did they come in here as well?¡± ¡°Yes. They didn¡¯t seem suspicious of me, but they do keep an eye on this place as this is the only place where they were able to find some clues.¡± The only place I was spotted at was the Al Ligar District¡¯s shopping street. That was the reason why the one¡¯s searching for me kept an eye on this place. It wasn¡¯t someone tailing me who was the problem, but the fact that the Al Ligar shopping street itself was already under surveillance, so that was why Eleris told me that it was dangerous coming to visit her. ¡°And then I heard about it.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°I heard that you stole a fireball scroll from a store¡­. I heard it was from Mr. Borton¡¯s scroll store. I believe they got specific clues from there. Was it perhaps that scroll Your Highness was going to sell me?¡± Ah. I thought I knew what she was talking about. ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it, he gave it to me.¡± ¡°What? Mr. Borton was so furious, saying it was you who stole the fireball scroll.¡± ¡°That bastard is really a gangster among gangsters.¡± Eleris didn¡¯t seem to know what I was talking about. ¡°No, see, I was trying to sell Demon Scrolls, right? So everyone I was trying to sell it to thought they were pretty realistic fakes. That¡¯s what a normal person would think, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°All the others just told me to shut up and get lost, but do you want to know what that guy told me?¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± Eleris tilted her head. ¡°He told me to copy real scrolls and that he¡¯ll pay me a lot of money. There would be no one as bad as that guy. I felt like I was stuck in a weird dream. so I asked him to give me a sample. That was that fireball scroll.¡± Eleris frowned a little after listening to my explanation. ¡°¡­¡­¡­I never really thought of him like that, but he certainly seemes like a bad person. He even lied about that scroll being stolen¡­.¡± As if genuinely disappointed in him, Eleris shook her head. No, I didn¡¯t think there were any decent people doing business in this shopping street, though? What was there to be disappointed about? ¡°People who buy these fake scrolls thinking they would save their lives might actually die. Just how did he think of that¡­?¡° Magic Scrolls were expensive. I still didn¡¯t know how much adventurers earned, but an Adventurer Party, which didn¡¯t have a wizard among them, bought scrolls like these in case of an emergency. So what if that scroll simply didn¡¯t work if such a crisis occured? They¡¯d die 9 out of 10 times. So that Borton guy was actually like an MVP among all the evil bastards of this shopping street. Eleris looked at me and smiled. ¡°Well done, Your Highness. Someone like that should be subject to a bit of suffering.¡± ¡°Needless to say, he just got overly excited and gave me that thing on his own.¡± Blinded by greed, he couldn¡¯t see the forest for all the trees and gave me a fireball scroll. It was a real shame that his greed and intelligence weren¡¯t quite proportional. He was a scammer, stupid and would never amount to anything big. Anyway, since this was the last place I was seen in, I could understand Eleris¡¯ concerns. ¡°Tch, I was planning on staying here while the school was closed.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Temple much more comfortable?¡± Eleris didn¡¯t seem to understand why I wanted to come to a place like this. I had this ring so I didn¡¯t have to worry about getting caught. ¡°It¡¯s because you are here.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. I, is that so? Thank you, Your Highness:¡± Eleris smiled and nodded her head. ¡°I confirmed that there were no people watching this place at the moment. So I think it would be fine for you to spend some days here, if you want.¡± I didn¡¯t absolutely need to become a swordmaster or have supernatural abilities, or something. After all, the most convenient thing in this world was magic. I was trying to work out a plan before on how to convince Eleris to let me stay here for a bit, and I didn¡¯t want to just play around while Temple was closed. ¡°By the way, about the Rotary Gang. Looking at that situation earlier, it seemed like there¡¯s a similar organization making their rounds. Do you know about this?¡± ¡°Is that so? Loyar doesn¡¯t really tell us about the gang¡¯s internal affairs, unless it¡¯s very serious.¡± It wasn¡¯t an organization they planned on creating anyway. It was just created naturally as they lived their lives on the street, so, although Loyar was in charge of this group¡¯s finances, she didn¡¯t seem to discuss the operation of the organization with the others. ¡°It seemed like it¡¯s time for us to gather again.¡± We didn¡¯t hold something like regular meetings, but as I had similar thoughts I nodded my head. Chapter 61 That night. ¡°Your Highness. Are you sleeping?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± I was lying on the bed and Eleris was sitting on a chair by the bedside. I felt rather complicated about falling asleep like that, but it wasn¡¯t like I hated that subtle feeling. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, do you have something to say to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Eleris said neither yes nor no to my question. After being silent for a while, Eleris quietly opened her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t think humans are better than demons.¡± What was she talking about? Eleris was staring at me. The vampire¡¯s red eyes were filled with sorrow. ¡°In the first place, Demons were a mix of many different races while humans had always been one singular race.¡± I didn¡¯t know who was inferior or worse of. There were many demons with superior racial characteristics. However, while they were physically superior to humans, they might lack intelligence, and there might even be races that lack both. There would also be races that were superior in both these aspects. At my musings, Eleris shook her head. ¡°That isn¡¯t what I mean.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I told you that I do not believe that humans are better than demons.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s what you meant.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eleris seemed to think that it was more fortunate that the demon side lost, but in fact, she just didn¡¯t like war in general. Eleris was a traitor to the demons. ¡°Humans are a race that knows the meaning of prosperity.¡± Eleris must have watched the Demon Realm continuously increasing their arms, only thinking about war. However, humans were a race that was able to focus on life itself. When Eleris came to the Capital and saw this scene, it seemed that she didn¡¯t want this world to be destroyed. The Demon Realm was a world driven by just a single goal: A war with the humans, and Eleris simply didn¡¯t like that mindset. ¡°But humans also fight and kill each other.¡± However, humans also engaged in wars and slaughter among themselves. Eleris hated the Demon Realm, but she knew that even the Human Realm had such sides to it. In the end, did Eleris think that human society was the lesser of two evils? She didn¡¯t think humans were better than demons. ¡°So sometimes there are moments when I get fed up with the human¡¯s wickedness.¡± ¡°Like with that swindler?¡± ¡°You could use that as an example, yes.¡± Someone who played with someone else¡¯s life just for money. That could also be regarded as a great example for the wickedness of human beings. But Eleris didn¡¯t seem to talk about that. Eleris was silent for a while. What was she thinking about? Eleris was still trembling. ¡°Your Highness¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡­. You¡¯ll find out tomorrow¡­.¡± Was she unable to tell me herself? She didn¡¯t say anything more to me. * * * The next day. I went to the Rotary Gang with Eleris. The meeting place was the same as before. A large cavity inside the drainage channel. It had rained a while ago, so the sound of running water was noisily echoing around the cavity. Loyar was silently staring at the bonfire. I contacted her in advance. Sarkegaar had also arrived. While Eleris was busy applying sound proofing magic, Sarkegaar approached me and hugged me fiercely. ¡°I always believed it! I always believed Your Highness would awaken a powerful ability! You have inherited the bloodline that possesses every quality found in this world! I hope that you will dedicate yourself to training, grow as fast as possible and rain the wrath of the Demon Realm on those cowardly humans¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so loud. I think my ears are going to bleed.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± He was always such a talkative guy. I thought it would have been more effective if that guy had that winning mentality supernatural power. He still believed that I would become the great overlord of the Demon Realm. Well, for now I¡¯d just stay still. I didn¡¯t have to say twice that I had awakened a supernatural ability, because Eleris convened a short meeting yesterday and delivered the rough details to them. ¡°Don¡¯t you think, you stand out too much? I heard you were going around, beating up students and you even went ahead and had a duel?¡± I was dumbfounded by Loyar¡¯s words. ¡°If one sows wind one shall reap a tempest, you know? He was such a cowardly bastard. So I just had to stomp his face into the ground.¡± When I described how I made that guy surrender, Loyar¡¯s and Eleris¡® expressions were quite a sight. ¡°You were also born with the wonderful qualities of a monarch. That ruthlessness! Such pride! Such a strong fighting spirit! All of them are virtues of a great monaaaaaarch!¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s the stuff!¡± ¡°Your Highneeeeeeess!¡± When I responded to his rhetorics this time, Sarkegaar decided to express his admiration with his whole body. ¡°I¡¯m just worried that you¡¯re relying on violence too much¡­.¡± As Eleris said so, Loyar also let out a sigh. ¡°And I head you beat up a gangster on the mana train yesterday.¡± ¡°A gangster?¡± Eleris¡¯ eyes widened as if that was the first time she was hearing that. I didn¡¯t tell her because I thought she¡¯d just nag me. It seemed like Loyar wanted to nag me for what I did outside as well. However, I also had something to say about that. ¡°No, if one wants to get into someone else¡¯s business, wouldn¡¯t it be up to them to find a different area to start? But there that bastard was, trying to sit down in an already made bed. No matter how immoral the business, if someone tried to take away someone else¡¯s business, they still had to pay the price.¡± That idiot just came and said: ¡°From now on we¡¯ll do this here, so shut up and get lost!¡± No fucking way would I let that happen. Loyar stared at me with wide open eyes. ¡°Even though you do have a supernatural ability, but I have to say, Temple¡¯s education¡¯s pretty great. You¡¯ve been there for only some time and you¡¯re already able to defeat a grown man.¡± Was she being sarcastic right now? Did she mean I only learned how to fight at school? Huh? Right? ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± To put it bluntly, there¡¯d be no way for someone who studied at the best mixed martial arts center of the world to get beat up by a simple street fighter, you know? Of course, I also had my supernatural ability and my opponent was really careless. Of course, they¡¯d still be pretty young, but those Royal Class¡¯ 5th and 6th years with combat talents would be able to beat up anyone that came at them when they entered society. Even if the reason was part because of their talent, Temple wouldn¡¯t raise them sloppily either. ¡°Anyway, how come you tell us not to fight those guys, but you end up fighting them?¡± I told them to not fight on the train because we¡¯d have to stop doing business if they were to come up with sanctions. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that you should leave those robbers alone. Who told you to hold it in while someone was casually trying to steal your business?¡± If someone were to be about to steal something from you, you should properly defend yourself. ¡°So, does this happen a lot?¡± When I sat down next to her and asked, Loyar nodded. ¡°Our gang started a new business and it seemed like there were rumors circulating that it was going pretty well. So there were either those who didn¡¯t care or those who started to copy it. Mana trains were public spaces, so it was unavoidable that a certain group of people saw our guys sell things there. So, seeing that, it was only natural that they¡¯d start thinking: ¡°Huh? Should I try doing that as well?¡±. Hence, there were some who started doing it individually and some who started doing it on an organizational level. ¡°So those who are part of organizations usually plant some people on the train to drive other vendors away.¡± ¡°Brilliant bastards¡­. Like that they shut down this business altogether.¡± In fact, it was already bad enough that there were people placed on the trains who purposefully try to scare away others. If the other passengers started to file complaints, it would only be a matter of time before security guards were deployed. Then no one would be able to do business there anymore. Those who tried ruining their competition would eventually end up ruining the whole business. I told Loyar before that they shouldn¡¯t fight, so it seemed like she was just observing the situation. She was always complaining, but didn¡¯t she actually follow my orders quite well? Was she a real dog? ¡°Is it possible to track down their organizations and destroy them?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe that the various vendors on the mana train would have some sort of power fight. Only these types of absurd situations were happening around me recently. ¡°It won¡¯t work¡­. To begin with the gang members aren¡¯t any good in a fight.¡± Homeless people and beggars gathered here and even if they were capable to do bad things in order to stay alive, they weren¡¯t a match for organizations that gathered actually powerful people. ¡°In the end, I would have to make a move , but as you know, it¡¯s already pretty well known that I¡¯m form this place. If I were to destroy every single one, that might cause some friction with the guards, and if I were to be taken in that might have negative consequences for you as well.¡± Loyar was a Lycanthrope after all. If she were to be caught by the guards, chances were high that that would cause problems, and if it did, those problems would eventually lead to me. Bertus said he¡¯d look after me, but if Loyar was found out to be a demon, this situation would certainly turn rather strange. ¡°Hmm¡­. This is difficult.¡± Eventually, those violent gangs will try to monopolize this business to the point where they catch the attention of the guards, which would lead the entry of vendors to be completely blocked. If we continued to sit on our hands, we¡¯d find ourselves out of business soon, but if we took action, that would involve a huge risk. ¡°Can¡¯t you do something with magic?¡± I asked Eleris if she couldn¡¯t do something with magic, that universal cheat. She answered immediately. ¡°¡­First of all, I don¡¯t particularly like violence. Furthermore, if violent incidents using magic occurred, they would get investigated more intensely and the sanctions would also be much higher compared to just a simple gang war. Another method would be to make them my kin, but as I said before, that would be rather dangerous.¡± If someone were to commit assault or murder using magic, the Empire would obviously conduct intensive investigations. Magic was a dangerous force that could lead to massacre if left in the wrong hands after all. Likewise, turning them into Eleris¡¯ kin would be even more risky. ¡°Your Higness. If you plan on killing all of them, you can leave it to me.¡± Sarkegaar stared at me with sinister smile on his lips. Certainly, he had the ability to completely transform, so he¡¯d be able to attack the gangsters without leaving a single trace. Of course, Eleris¡¯ face immediately turned blue. ¡°Are you going to cause a genocide in the middle of the Empire? Regardless of whether that would actually work or not, I¡¯ll never allow that.¡± Moreover, hearing that guy use the word ¡°killing¡± so casually was seriously eerie. At times like these I felt like he was a real bastard, giving me goosebumps. Even if they were sickening, that didn¡¯t mean they deserved to be killed. Still, we needed to do something¡­. ¡°Hm.¡± While we were thinking about this problem, Loyar suddenly stood up. Then she started heading out of the cavern. ¡°What? Where are you going?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s a commotion outside. I¡¯ll go take a look real quick.¡± A commotion? * * * Sarkegaar and Eleris stayed behind in the cavern, while Loyar and I, who was part of the Rotary Gang, went out. Eleris told me to just stay with her, but I felt like I had to check what was going on outside. Going outside, I could see all the gang members gathered together. As I pushed through the crowd, I found myself in front of Daibun. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Big sis? Oh, Reinhardt? When did you get here?¡± ¡°Just now.¡± ¡°Never mind. Who are they?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± Across our gang members, stood dozens of men staring at us. ¡°That¡¯s him, bro!¡± And, a guy that seemed quite familiar to me pointed at me. Obviously, he was that asshole that wanted to touch one of our gang members on the train, but then got beat up by me. The guy whom he called ¡®bro¡¯ hit that idiot¡¯s head and shouted at him. -Pa! ¡°Urk!¡± ¡°You frickin bastard. You were beaten by a kid like that?!¡± ¡°Tha, that¡­. Even though he looks weak, he¡¯s actually hella strong!¡± It seemed like he guessed I was a member of the Rotary Gang and came all the way here to get revenge. Loyar looked at me with a reproachful look as if I caused some exceptional mess. The one they called bro looked at me and then at Loyar. ¡°Are you the famous Irene¡¯s Wild Dog? This is our first time meeting, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s your business?¡± ¡°I heard that your young friend over there hit my brother in front of everyone. Is that right?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what I heard.¡± Loyar was staring at him intently as if she wanted to say: ¡°So what?¡±. ¡°Although I do believe that this idiot who ended up getting beat up by a young kid is at fault here¡­. We also have something called a face.¡± ¡°Who are you supposed to be anyway?¡± At Loyar¡¯s question, he clapped in an excessive manner. What a bad guy. ¡°Ah, sorry about the late introductions. Have you heard of Seven Stars?¡± Wasn¡¯t Seven Stars a cigarette brand? No. ¡°I¡¯m Argent, the commander of Seven Stars¡¯ Assault Squad.¡± Not that Seven Stars. Were they supposed to be the Chilsung-pa? (T/N: Also means Seven Stars. It¡¯s a syndicate based in Busan) Chapter 62 Looking at that guy who introduced himself as Argent, commander of the Seven Stars¡¯ Assault Squad, Loyar sighed slightly. ¡°The Seven Stars Gang based in the Al Ligar district? Yeah, I¡¯ve heard of them.¡± The Rotary Gang was an information-gathering group. Therefore, it seemed that they already knew about that organization called the Seven Stars. So, I beat up a member of the Chilsungpa, who are active in the Yongsan District, on the train. ¡°Then you should know what would happen to someone who assaulted a member of the Seven Stars, right?¡± ¡°Well, it sure is a shame though. This all happened because the Seven Stars¡¯ members are just too weak that they even get beat up by a kid.¡± Having no intentions to apologize to them, Loyar spoke quite sarcastically. Hearing her words, Argent¡¯s as well as his other members¡¯ expressions distorted into an ugly grimace. ¡°Ah, he was so weak that he tumbled right out of the train.¡± Of course, I couldn¡¯t stand that guy either, so I butted in a bit. He¡¯ll regret it if he was going for a deal here. ¡°Hah¡­. I guess you don¡¯t quite understand the situation here. Don¡¯t you take the Seven Stars¡¯ members too lightly? I came here to talk it out to give you some face, but I guess¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you who doesn¡¯t quite get the situation, you bitch.¡± When I suddenly swore at that guy without hesitation, not only the gangsters¡¯ across from me, but Loyar¡¯s pupils slightly shook. ¡°Wha, what?¡± ¡°Did you come here knowing that I was a student of Temple¡¯s Royal Class fully supported by the Empire?¡± As I kept on rambling, my thoughts jumped into a completely different direction. ¡°Temple?¡± He might not know about the Royal Class, but there was no one in the Imperial Capital that didn¡¯t know what the word ¡°Temple¡± meant. ¡°Oh, yeah. You might not believe it. but yeah, I¡¯m a student with supernatural abilities, so I entered the Royal Class.¡± I smiled looking at them with my arms crossed. ¡°Did you know that you¡¯d get locked up for touching even ordinary Temple students for no reason? But I¡¯m actually part of an Elite Class.¡± Temple students were basically from very wealthy families or families of high status. Therefore, Temple students weren¡¯t only guaranteed certain special treatment inside of Temple but even outside of it, and their absolute safety inside of the Capital was taken very seriously. The Empire was most careful about the students¡¯ safety, as them coming to harm or being murdered would put major scratches on Temple¡¯s reputation and reliability. So what would they do if a student of Royal Class, who they nurtured with all their might, came to harm? I walked towards them and held out my cheek. ¡°Hey, hit me.¡± ¡°Wha, what?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re curious about what the guards would do with that organization called Seven Stars or whatever, after you dared to slap a Royal Class student, go ahead, hit me, bitch.¡± I had no intention of fighting. Rather, I asked him to hit me. I even had the intention of holding out my right cheek after he slapped my left. More than ten of them faltered as I stepped closer and approached them. ¡°The, these bastards don¡¯t have the means to send a child to Temple¡­.¡± Argent muttered in disbelief as I pulled out a metal card from my pocket. ¡°This is a Temple Student ID card. Would you like to take a closer look?¡± Of course, I had my Student ID with me. When they saw it, they seemed to be certain that I was a Temple Student even though they didn¡¯t know what the Royal Class was. Those guys would know well enough that they¡¯d shoot themselves in the foot if they harmed a Temple student. ¡°What sort of bastard are you?¡± Thinking he was angry, I saw him lifting up his hand to perhaps slap me. His judgement was flawed. The bastards who would never make it in life were the ones who threw their fists using their instinct rather than their heads. If one were level-headed, one wouldn¡¯t live like that. -Whoosh! I quickly lowered myself to avoid the incoming hand while quickly jumping up to hit his crotch with my knee. I used my trademark technique, Nut Cracker. ¡°Kuh ¡­. Kuaaaark!¡± ¡°You¡¯d seriously hit me just because I told you to?¡± He grabbed his crotch and collapsed to the ground. Was it because I got used to Ellen¡¯s attacks? His attack was very slow, so I didn¡¯t have to use my supernatural power to avoid it. Everyone was so dumbfounded they froze up for a while. ¡°Let¡¯s beat up that bastard!¡± The guys behind him ran up to me. -Pang! Suddenly, Loyar blocked their way and punched those guys running towards me square in the face. * * * There was no need for the other gang members to interfere. Loyar literally beat up ten sturdy men with her short figure. It took less than ten seconds for the situation to be sorted out. -Uh, uurg¡­. ¡°Uwah¡­.¡± Not only me, but the other gang members who were watching the situation were staring at Loyar, who was wiping her palms with a blank look on her face, as if they rarely got to witness something like that. She was so cool! Brilliant! Before I knew it, all the gangsters were already defeated. ¡°If you think I can¡¯t take care of you guys, then you¡¯re mistaken. It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t, I just didn¡¯t want to.¡± Loyar trampled on that babbling bastard¡¯s, Argent¡¯s head and spoke cooly. Her saying that after having proven herself in this one-vs-many fight was hella thrilling. ¡°Drag them all inside. People are watching.¡± Loyar thought those dazed bastards were a bad sight for those passersby, so she headed towards the sewers, telling us to bring them with us. The gang members picked them up from the ground and took them in one by one. Those that struggled got beat and tied up by the members. Daibun aside, the other gang members seemed like they couldn¡¯t believe that I overpowered the assault squad leader with a single hit, even if I hit a vital spot. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Loyar seemed to ask me for my opinion. Though what she meant was: ¡°If you start something, take responsibility for it¡±. Yeah, no problem. I¡¯ll take responsibility, alright. ¡°Hey.¡± I looked at Argent, who was still writhing in pain even while tied up. ¡°Urg¡­. How dare you, you brat¡­. Do you think you¡¯ll get away with this¡­?¡± It seemed like he still didn¡¯t understand the situation. They were probably planning to take further revenge. ¡°Just take it easy, okay? You¡¯re pretty ignorant, aren¡¯t you? You were trying to beat up a noble just now.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to know what it meant to touch a Temple student, so I tried to explain it in a way even idiots would understand. Even if our status was a little different from actual nobles, Temple guaranteed their students the same level of safety a nobleman of the Empire would enjoy. So he basically tried to hit a noble. Hearing those words, his expression turned weird. He didn¡¯t seem to understand what I was trying to tell him. ¡°How about I just go up to the guards patrolling around the streets and testify that some group called Seven Stars from the Al Ligar District tried to attack me? I have no idea what you guys have been up to up until now, but I doubt you did anything you could be proud of. So, do you have any idea what would happen next?¡± I wasn¡¯t completely sure where that organization Seven Stars was located in the Yongsan District, but Loyar or Daibun should know. This was an information collection group after all. Then the dude seemed to realize that trying to beat up this naughty bastard, which was me, was meaningless, even if he tore apart this whole organization. Presumably, there was the possibility that the guards would launch an investigation into Seven Stars just by my request. I wasn¡¯t just a regular student, I was part of the Royal Class. The mere fact that I encountered danger in the Capital would have the guards on high alert. If I died, that would literally be a disaster. And they were an illegal gang to begin with, right? So the guards would try their hardest to catch these guys no matter what. Partly to improve their performance evaluation. That guy just wore a bitter smile, not knowing what to say. I didn¡¯t know if this was a matter of pride or something. I just put my hand on the tied up man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Still, bro, it¡¯s a society we live in after all. Right?¡± Not only that guy, but Loyar as well, seemed sullen after hearing me say that it was a society we had to live in together. It seemed like they wanted me to quit spouting bullshit and get to the point. ¡°What benefit would it have for me to ruin your organization using such extreme measures other than being able to do our business in peace, bro? I get it. I really get it. It¡¯s only natural that you¡¯d get angry if some young guy comes out of nowhere and swears at you while you¡¯re only trying to make a living. Now, I don¡¯t know how many people I can mobilize with my words alone, but if I told you it would be enough for dozens of people to mysteriously die, wouldn¡¯t that be rather scary?¡± Suddenly, his expression started to twist strangely, while I was acting like an adult. No wasn¡¯t that even more annoying? Some high schooler patting his shoulder after kicking him in the balls and saying that he understands everything? However, the important thing was the part where I could send everyone to jail or get them killed with just a single word. ¡°If you agree to this simple thing, I could just let this go. Let¡¯s just forget about each other, huh? Let¡¯s just live in peace, in peace. We just want to do business without anyone¡¯s interference. Look over there.¡± I pointed to the water flowing down the drain. The water running in this water way flowed back into the Irine river. ¡°Honestly, if we just hang a big rock on your legs and throw you in there, no one would ever find you until the end of time.¡± When I told him that it was an easy thing to just kill him with a smile, his expression became quite a sight. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to do that. It¡¯s rather inhumane, isn¡¯t it?¡± Then I softly whispered, my hand not leaving his shoulder. ¡°So. If you put your hands on our business again, it¡¯ll be the guards that will come visit you, not the Rotary Gang. Even if the guards didn¡¯t make a move, that wouldn¡¯t change anything. It¡¯ll be enough if our big sis came over, right? You saw it earlier, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m 100% sure that she¡¯ll be able to beat you all to a pulp, whether it¡¯s 10 or 100 people coming at her. But don¡¯t feel too disappointed. If we have the chance later, we might be able to talk about something more constructive. We started on a bad foot, but why can¡¯t we use this opportunity to turn this into a beneficial relationship? Huh?¡± He ignored me at first because I was a young boy, but now he seemed to pay attention to what I had to say. After I threatened him with murder and the destruction of his organization, he instantly nodded at my words with a bizarre expression decorating his face. He might have thought that I bluffed about the guards, but he just witnessed Loyar¡¯s overwhelming fighting skills. ¡°O¡­.Okay¡­.¡± I got up from my crouching position and patted him on the shoulder. Loyar and Daibun looked at me, seeming like they heard my rambling. ¡°Let them go. He probably learned his lesson.¡± At my commanding words, Loyar and Daibun just blankly nodded their heads. * * * After solving this commotion, we returned to the bonfire, when a dumbfounded Loyar suddenly asked me something. ¡°Your Highness, do they teach you eloquence at Temple?¡± ¡°Huh? Not really.¡± Loyar, who just saw me bewitch someone with words alone, seemed to doubt my words. I wonder if I was just some run of the mill bully in the past. ¡°Sometimes I feel like you are a completely different person.¡± ¡°Well, I might as well be. I don¡¯t even know what the old me was like.¡± Loyar smiled bitterly at my calm response. So what if I became like a different person? I was still an Arcdemon, after all. ¡°By the way, you do understand, right? If you were able to move the guards, wouldn¡¯t it be better to do so? It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no possibility of them retaliating.¡± Loyar was right. There was a good chance that they might come again to seek revenge or something else entirely. ¡°If they really were that stupid, that would be rather scary. Tell me if you see any signs of them making a move.¡± There might be some people who just didn¡¯t understand simple words. I thought that guy would not try to hit me after I told him the facts, but he actually went for it. This was a good learning opportunity. I was able to realize that there might be some people among the powerful who just wouldn¡¯t be able to think calmly. Well, I didn¡¯t actually get hit, but ripped that guy a new one instead though. However, if they were able to understand what I tried to convey to them, there wouldn¡¯t be a need to call the guards on them. There was some reason for taking this risk. ¡°I don¡¯t know what might happen in the future, but they might become part of a bigger picture later on. That¡¯s why I left them be. How should I describe them? They are just a sketch for now, so to speak.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that bigger picture you¡¯re talking about?¡± I grinned at Loyar¡¯s question. The bonfire came into our view. ¡°I haven¡¯t made a decision on that yet, but I might have to absorb all the dark forces of the Imperial Capital in the future.¡± I haven¡¯t made a decision yet, but I might have to do it one day. I wouldn¡¯t be on the level of the Thieves¡¯ Guild master. But If I do it, I would have to show Bertus a performance that would make him fall off of his chair. ¡°N, no¡­. Your Highness, aren¡¯t your dreams a little strange?¡± Loyar seemed to be shaken by my declaration to become the King of the humans¡¯ dark side, while being the Demon Prince. He said he wanted to be the King of the Capital¡¯s underworld, when he should dream of becoming a great Demon King. ¡°Who was it again who created an organization instead of doing actual spy work?¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Loyar¡¯s face turned red, as she reflected on herself. She didn¡¯t have any right to say that to me since she didn¡¯t even practiced what she preached herself. * * * We were away for a while, so Eleris and Sarkegaar were waiting in front of the bonfire. The two didn¡¯t need to come out. Eleris probably thought that Loyar would protect me no matter what. Loyar explained to the two what just had happened. ¡°Your Highneeess! A decisive and confident move! I can¡¯t help but admire your conviction, Your Highneeeeess!¡± I somewhat expected Sarkegaar¡¯s reaction. ¡°¡­¡­Your Highness. Aren¡¯t you enjoying violence a bit too much? Still¡­. I think you did a good job, letting them go¡­. I think you need to learn how to be more respectful.¡± Naturally, Eleris¡¯ reaction was also within my expectations. Eleris sighed and shook her head again as if she didn¡¯t know what to do with me. ¡°Besides that, he said that he let them go because he wants to take over the dark side of the Empire.¡± At that, both Eleris and Sarkegaar looked somewhat sullen. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say I¡¯m going to do it, it¡¯s just a possibility. I haven¡¯t decided on anything yet.¡± If there was a need for me to do it later, or when I feel myself mentally ready to do it, I would continue the conversation with Bertus, but for now nothing had been set in stone yet. Still, just thinking about these things was rather strange, no matter if I wanted to go through with it or not. Anyway, I didn¡¯t plan on doing anything like that for now. For now, we sorted out the gangsters of the Al Ligar District, but the other districts were still crawling with them, so this matter wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°For now, catching those acting individually would be difficult. Inform me about those acting systematically. Try to figure out how big their organizations are. After that¡¯s figured out we¡¯ll take action, no matter if it¡¯s me or Loyar coming forward.¡± It sure would have been nice if this could be resolved peacefully and not through a power struggle between organizations. ¡°We can¡¯t be active on every train line anyway. Don¡¯t try to fight with newcomers, instead try to negotiate for a territory. That would be a good way to see if they are able to understand normal words or not.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± We couldn¡¯t cover every place anyway. It might just be better to communicate and pass on our own knowledge to the newcomers so that we can do our business in a symbiotic way. However, we should never give up on the best routes. It sure was funny. Forcibly creating rights that we didn¡¯t even have and negotiate on territories we just claimed as our own without actually owning them. I feel somewhat weird doing those bizarre gangster-like things. I sometimes feel like I was actually managing an illegal organization. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about that for now. Do you have anything else to report?¡± I looked at Eleris. Eleris somewhat made it apparent that she wanted to tell me something yesterday. It seemed like it was about human wickedness. She didn¡¯t tell me anything, only that I would find out today. At my words, all of their faces seemed to change. But all their expressions seemed to convey different emotions. Sarkegaar¡¯s showed hatred. Loyar¡¯s showed anger. And as for Eleris, I could feel sadness emanating from her expression. It was Sarkegaar who opened his mouth first. ¡°There is talk about the demons who have been taken as prisoners of war getting sold on the Empire¡¯s black market.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What did you say?¡± It was something completely unexpected. Chapter 63 A quest appeared as if it was natural. [Quest ¨C Rescue the Demon Prisoners] [Description: During the Victory Festival, Demon prisoners are to be sold on the black market somewhere in the Capital. As the Prince of the Demons, decide whether you want to rescue them or not.] [Reward: 50 Achievement Points per rescued prisoner] However, to my surprise that quest was pretty good. The source of that information was Sarkegaar, not Loyar. Everyone couldn¡¯t hide their sadness. ¡°It seems like there are auction tickets secretly traded among the nobility. Of course, the prisoners will arrive here through the Warpgate in time for the Victory Festival, so the auction hasn¡¯t started yet¡­.¡± I didn¡¯t quite understand why people would want to buy demon slaves, but it seemed like Sarkegaar caught some rumors about the black market auction tickets passed around among the wealthy. ¡°Why would they sell demon prisoners on the black market? What are they going to use them for?¡± Loyar answered my questions.. ¡°¡­¡­It could be out of a desire to collect¡­. Aren¡¯t those usually the reasons for people buying things in auctions?¡± ¡°What do you mean, usually¡­.¡± They would buy demons like Goblins and Orcs because they want to have them in their collection? Saying that these were usually the reasons¡­. ¡°No way.¡± It was then that I realized why they were making these faces. Eleris nodded at my absentmindedly spoken words. ¡°The demons with the highest price are, of course, succubi.¡± The most sought after item was, of course, a succubus, and the reason why was really obvious. It was then that I understood why Eleris was talking to me about the wickedness of humans yesterday. ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m not quite sure, but succubi¡­. wouldn¡¯t that be quite dangerous?¡± If my common knowledge was correct, weren¡¯t succubi the ones that stole a human¡¯s life force through their desires? But they want to buy a succubus exactly for that purpose? Did they want to die? ¡°Succubi obviously take away life force, but there must be a way to indoctrinate them to prevent them from doing that or even surgical procedures, perhaps.¡± They were able to eliminate the aspect that made a succubus dangerous and turn them into slaves. So, they would sell completely harmless succubi, with their only means of defense removed. ¡°The prisoners may not have arrived yet, but we estimated there to be a huge number of them. There aren¡¯t only succubi, but incubi and many other races that would make hot commodities for others as well.¡± I nodded with a firm expression on my face at Sarkegaar¡¯s words. Dyrus thought that most of the captured demons would be killed and so did I. But there was no end to human greed. They were literally trying to sell humanoid demons that were almost indistinguishable from humans like that. They were only of a different race, and yet they got sold on a slave market. In the original, I wrote that there weren¡¯t things like demon zoos. Considering this, that meant there might have been people who raised monster-type demons in some dark place I had no idea about. These things never reached the surface world at least. And it was clear that the ones who got sold would be used for sexual purposes. Loyar, Sarkegaar and Eleris all wore different expressions, but they all held similar emotions. ¡°So, do you want to rescue them?¡± As I asked them that, all three had sombre expressions on their faces. Sarkegaar shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s excruciating to watch those human bastards¡¯ behavior, my lord. But I know the weight of our situation. It¡¯s saddening, but if we go out to save them and we fail, not only will their anger fall onto us, Your Highness would also be at risk.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I think the same. Of course, they might not harm Your Highness, but we are the only three demons who can support you. If we lose even one of us, we¡¯d suffer a lot more by having a weakend foundation.¡± Loyar didn¡¯t want to admit that what Sarkegaar said was right, but she had no other choice but to agree. ¡°¡­¡­I agree.¡± Eleris also nodded her head while slightly biting her lip. All three of them wanted to save the captured demons, but they had a much more important goal than that. My safety. If it weren¡¯t for me they would have jumped in to rescue the demons like moths flying into open flames, as the Demon Realm had collapsed anyway, and they just couldn¡¯t stand seeing the humans¡¯ shameless behavior. They were three demons that didn¡¯t even appear in the original. That said, if I wasn¡¯t around they would have lived in a place completely unrelated to the main story. If I hadn¡¯t interfered, they would have lived their lives in places that had nearly no connection to the main plotline. Of course, there was also the possibility that they ended up dead somewhere along the line. I didn¡¯t know everything about this world. I knew the rough framework, but I had no idea about the details. I didn¡¯t describe passerby 1¡¯s life story, but that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t have one. They probably would have somehow entered the black market where the prisoners were being auctioned off and tried to rescue them. The plot of the original was just in it¡¯s very early stages. If these three demons actually infiltrated the black market held in a secret place in the Imperial Capital, were caught and ultimately killed while engaging with the humans to retake their comrades, the main character and his party wouldn¡¯t have necessarily known about these happenings. The beginning parts of the novel only dealt with the main character¡¯s daily life at Temple, which had absolutely nothing to do with events happening outside of Temple. The most that could happen right now was Delphine Izadra getting kidnapped while Ludwig was out playing with his friends and Ludwig somehow ending up rescuing her. Although it was said that the safety of the Temple students was the guards¡¯ highest priority, this was just too harmless an incident¡­. I believed that the probability of such an incident happening was quite high. I didn¡¯t interfere much with Ludwig and his party, and Charlotte, B Class¡¯ anomaly, was at the Imperial Palace. Ludwig would have to run around to find his kidnapped classmate, while I had to find a way to save my people who had been taken prisoner. No matter how I looked at it, I felt like I was getting caught up in a more protagonistic plot line. The only problem was that this incident felt far from something out of a slice-of-life novel. Well, a kidnapping case couldn¡¯t be called the epitome of that genre either. I was just a high school student, you know? Anyway. Without me, those three would have tried rescuing the demons, and they probably would have failed. If they were successful, there would have been a huge commotion within the Imperial Capital about the demon captives having escaped. Now, I was their highest priority, so they were probably only carrying their resentment in their hearts, being unable to even try. How should I go about this? To be honest, I wasn¡¯t even an actual demon, so I didn¡¯t really know why I had to do this. I had no intentions of actually rebuilding the Demon Realm. However, I didn¡¯t believe that only humans could be counted as ¡°human¡±. Those three in front of me weren¡¯t humans, but in my opinion, they were no different from humans. And in the end, they were bound to be much more important to me than others simply because they were absolutely on my side. Demons possessing intelligence, who were essentially my people, would be sold into slavery in the Capital and would end up leading miserable lives. Regardless of those various concerns, it was true that I would like to do something if I were able to. If I rescued them, they would also be absolutely on my side. However, the risks were just too great. If these three got arrested or their identities were revealed, there would be a high probability that they would all die. I sincerely wanted to save them, but it was also true that I was hesitant about risking my life for them. Because I knew best that I wasn¡¯t that great of a person after all. That was why this uncle who was able to return back to high school was nothing more than a common delinquent who had a bit more guts than others, but overall just ended up being a rude brat. Just thinking about infiltrating that black market, where numerous millionaires and nobles were sure to be gathered, to rescue those prisoners, I couldn¡¯t even imagine a way to get out of there unscathed. Security would be tight, and we might not even be able to enter in the first place. Even those three, who were much stronger than me, would have failed. Everyone had gloomy expressions on their faces as they had to accept that they couldn¡¯t do anything. Because protecting me was their highest priority. They didn¡¯t want me to make a decision on this, they were merely reporting to me what happened in the Capital. ¡°Still can¡¯t we think about it a little more? Whether we should rescue them or not.¡± No matter what I thought, I only had those three who absolutely trusted and followed me. And now those exact three wanted to do something so desperately, I couldn¡¯t just tell them not to do it outright. At my words, I could feel a rush of emotions rise in everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°No, Your Highness. The safety of the supreme ruler should be our absolute priority. It certainly is heartbreaking and excruciating, but the weight of it is completely different.¡± Sarkegaar was still against it, regardless of his emotions. He was someone who put my safety and the future first, so it made perfect sense that he would say something like that. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I haven¡¯t decided yet whether we should do it or not, let¡¯s just see if we have any good ideas.¡± I didn¡¯t even ask for Loyar¡¯s or Eleris¡¯ opinion and just said that we should talk about it at least. I certainly wouldn¡¯t even consider trying if only risky ideas would come up. If it¡¯s something that just can¡¯t succeed, that would be suicide. Eleris opened her mouth first. ¡°Assuming that you want to do something, there are three things you have to know beforehand. The location of the black market, the number of prisoners and their security.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± If we didn¡¯t even know that, we would just poke at bare ground. First, we had to know where the black market would open. At Eleris¡¯ words, Loyar nodded her head. ¡°Although we might be able to somehow find out, information related to the black market is high-level information that is spread secretly, even among nobility.¡± That was right. There was no way that information about the black market, which was only supposed to reach the ears of nobility, would float around the streets so it was highly unlikely that the Rotary Gang could gather that kind of information. ¡°I think it would only be right for me to find out these things, as it was me who brought this information in the first place, but we need a ticket to enter the black market first.¡± As it was a fairly covert market, one could only obtain information by getting a ticket. Sarkegaar could obtain information that only floated around the aristocratic circles. That was why he took on such risks to play the role of an imperial noble. ¡°How much is a ticket?¡± ¡°40 gold coins, as far as I know, Your Highness.¡± The entrance fee alone was already 40 million won. If one were to just go there to take a look, that would be a great loss, so they would try to bid fiercely to get at least something out of it. It was a psychological trick to make people want to spend huge amounts of money to not have wasted that entrance fee. ¡°Of course, currently we don¡¯t even know who exactly is selling the tickets, but I believe we can figure that out. Also, if you are fine with a bit of risk, we could steal the ticket from someone else and enter the auction in disguise. Of course, we first have to determine from whom we would take the ticket and what to do with that person after¡­.¡± It was possible to get a ticket, but the problem was the money, and if we enter using someone else¡¯s ticket, there would be the problem of what we¡¯d do with the person we stole the ticket from. No matter if we use deception magic or hypnotic magic, we¡¯d still create a situation where a person who can¡¯t remember ever attending the auction actually attended. We still wouldn¡¯t know where the black market was, and we didn¡¯t know the number of prisoners either. So, who were those great people who opened that black market anyway? ¡°What about those who opened the black market?¡± That was my next question. At that, Eleris answered me. ¡°There¡¯s nothing too difficult about that, Your Highness. It can be deduced that if a person was able to siphon off prisoners of war like this they¡¯d have a close relationship with the Allied Forces, because only then they¡¯d be able to take away prisoners to sell on the black market.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°If information about prisoners, who haven¡¯t even entered the city yet, getting sold on the black market is already spreading, that would mean that this plan had already been made long before the Demon World Conquest Army returned.¡± The prisoners hadn¡¯t even entered the city or had been siphoned off yet. However, there were already rumors about the black market opening, albeit not far spread yet. Among those who have such shady desires¡­. I nodded at Eleris words. ¡°That means that there had already been talk with the side managing the Empire¡¯s prisoners. The soldiers part of the unit managing the prisoners probably have something to do with some sort of organization, correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Even if not all soldiers at the commander level knew about this, any soldier with a rank capable of making decisions would surely know.¡± It would be impossible to siphon off prisoners of war without the permission of a commander or the leader of the prisoner management unit. ¡°Damn it, this is so high profile¡­.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Although the Prisoner management unit may have some status different from the conquest forces, it was almost certain that someone close to the top was involved in this. ¡°There¡¯s a certain possibility that it might even be related to the Imperial Family.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t rule out that possibility.¡± Loyar nodded her head at my words. If left alone, they would be destined to be beheaded anyway. I couldn¡¯t deny that it was rather common to think of selling them on the black market and sweeping away the money of some rich deviants. Therefore, there was a certain chance that the Imperial Family itself was already planning to sell some on the black market. It was obvious that a lot of money would flow into their pockets after all. They might think that selling demons, who had their fangs pulled and weren¡¯t dangerous anymore, would be a much more viable business than just killing them. This black market might be an underground event to commemorate this festival held by the Imperial Family. Taking away prisoners of war was certainly possible for someone of commander rank, but it was still quite risky. So it was very unlikely that the Imperial Family was unaware of the matter of that black market. One could come to that conclusion simply by knowing that such rumors were floating about noble circles. In fact, Bertus and Charlotte might already be aware of this. ¡°We aren¡¯t sure, but the people involved in this are just too high up.¡± It wasn¡¯t something so simple mere gangs could touch, including the Thieves¡® Guild. This was something planned by the Imperial Family, or a huge group with massive power. If so, then we¡¯d also be able to estimate the level of the security forces, the last thing we needed to know. I was sure it would have an incredibly high level of security. ¡°We would have to circumvent extremely tight security, rescue the demon prisoners of whom we don¡¯t know the number of, and then hide them somewhere¡­.¡± None of those three steps seemed feasible. ¡°Would that be possible with magic?¡± In the end, I had to fall back on that cheat again. Eleris shook her head as I gazed at her. ¡°As it should be a place were a lot of important guest are expected to come to, they would have a lot of security measures. There probably will be wizards among the security personal.¡± ¡°Would they be on the same level as you?¡± Eleris seemed like a pretty high-level wizard to me. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure. All the forces of the Demon World Conquest Army, including the forces of the Empire, should have been seriously weakened, and there shouldn¡¯t be too many elite forces left. But their wizards could be of similar level to me, and even if they aren¡¯t mixed in with the security personal, I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t not expect that someone might want to interfere with the auction using magic. They might use an Anti-Magic Barrier. After all, they wouldn¡¯t just be concerned about someone rescuing the prisoners. They might be more concerned about someone moving the auction to their favor using magic.¡± There might be someone trying to use a large-scale hypnosis or hallucination spell or similar mental magic to make their bid go through. Magic was rather flexible, so it was quite ambiguous what one might try using it for. They should have installed some countermeasure against it at least. No matter if it was because of the prisoners or some other reason. What would those three even have done in a situation like this? It might seem that they tried to do something in the original, but they might have just recklessly attacked the venue as they weren¡¯t able to bear their anger anymore. However, even after thinking about it, it was still really reckless. There were only the three of them and things wouldn¡¯t really change much even if I was added into the mix. Did those three really jump right into something that was logically impossible to achieve? Did they go through with their reckless attempt even though they knew they would most likely die? If it was Sarkegaar, he would have immediately rushed in out of flaming rage, not having any hope of reconstructing the Demon Realm, and Loyar would have thought that something like that just shouldn¡¯t happen. I didn¡¯t know what would have happened in Eleris¡¯ mind that she decided to go along with them in the end. Although it did seem that she felt a certain sense of guilt towards the Demons. However, because of me, they didn¡¯t decide to immediately jump into the fire. It was almost impossible to infiltrate the auction house and rescue the prisoners, and even if we somehow managed to do it, where should we take them? Even if we succeeded there¡¯d only be problems, because we didn¡¯t even know how many prisoners there were. However Eleris, who had been immersed in her thoughts for some time, tilted her head. ¡°Do we have to do it while the black market was opened?¡± Huh? What did she mean? ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be the worst time to rescue the prisoners while the black market was open, Your Highness?¡± I then realized what Eleris was talking about. The moment the auction started would be when the security would be the strongest. So, we were more or less talking about jumping in recklessly while it was the most dangerous for us. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to start our operation before the auction started or after the sales were over and the demons got handed over to their buyers? There would still be some precautions taken before the sale, but after the ownership was transferred to another individual, they had to manage their slaves on their own, so I think it would be easier to get them at that moment.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. You¡¯re right.¡± Loyar nodded her head slowly as if she hadn¡¯t thought of that before. Chapter 64 ¡°The auction participants will definitely pay quite the high prices for them, so even if they might treat the slaves poorly, they probably won¡¯t kill them. So I thought it would be better to steal them like that, rather than break into the auction house or raid it.¡± ¡°Sure enough¡­. That seems to be more feasible.¡± After all the prisoners were sold, they would be placed under the control of the individual who bought them. Like that, it could be possible to rescue them one by one using Sarkegaar¡¯s transformative ability and Eleris¡¯ magic. ¡°As long as we know who bought which demon, we¡¯d be able to rescue them, although it would take some time.¡± I was too focused on the black market and how to save them all in one go. It feels a bit uncomfortable thinking about the unspeakable suffering the demons who have been sold would have to suffer through, but¡­. Like that we¡¯d be able to eventually rescue them. The only difficulty would be to note down who bought which demon in a presumably anonymous auction. Eleris¡¯ method seemed very reasonable and less risky. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to rescue all of them that way, but it sure seems a lot safer.¡± Sarkegaar nodded. ¡°However, rumors about the enslaved demons having disappeared or having gotten stolen would start spreading. In that case, the others would significantly tighten their security or hide them away.¡± Sarkegaar¡¯s objection also had some reason to it. According to Eleris¡¯ words, we would be able to rescue some of them with certainty. However, there would be rumors circulating about the demon slaves disappearing or getting stolen among the ones who attended the auction, so they would obviously place them under much stricter surveillance. In the end, there was no way of saving all of them. Of course, we didn¡¯t have to necessarily rescue all of them. ¡°That¡¯s true, but I think that would be the only safe method we can choose at this point¡­.¡± I also thought that among all the ideas we had Eleris¡¯ method was our best option. It was pretty safe and the risk was low. Even though Sarkegaar¡¯s, Loyar¡¯s and Eleris¡¯ plan had their shortcomings, they seemed to think this was their best shot at rescuing some prisoners as well. However, my opinion was slightly different. Whatever the outcome, the disappearance of the demon slaves was a completely different matter than just some black market auction items disappearing. If Eleris¡¯ method succeeded, that would lead them to think that a type of criminal organization stole the demon slaves, which would cause a huge uproar in the Empire. Just knowing that some demons were hiding inside the Imperial Capital was a huge security threat. That would lead to a huge amount of guards sifting through the city. News about that incident would probably reach Temple as well. However, I never wrote anything about the students being blocked from going outside because some demons disappeared in the Capital and one could never know when and where they would reappear. In other words, that method of rescuing the demon prisoners by stealing them would have little effect, judging by the future I know. Eleris would have come up with that method even without me around. Sarkegaar¡¯s and Loyar¡¯s reactions seemed like they couldn¡¯t think of any other method, so they obviously would have gone with that if they took action at all. That meant that Eleris¡¯ method failed or they got caught soon after they succeeded. The trading of prisoners of war on the black market would have happened whether I was there or not. Their rescue attempt would have happened no matter if I was present as well. Therefore, there was a high chance that Eleris¡¯ method would not yield any great results or would completely fail. I knew these three facts. I didn¡¯t know how that empty causality was filled, I only knew the end result. In the end, every method those three could come up with or perform would fail. Unless my presence inspired them to think of a new method. The only variable in all this was my presence. I could only come up with an answer on my own. I thought about using A Writer¡¯s Advice, but I didn¡¯t really want to use it because if I followed it I might end up in an even worse situation. ¡°Do you have any other ideas?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. I¡¯m thinking.¡± Eleris posed that question. She must have noticed that I wasn¡¯t much of a fan of that method because I was just listening without giving any input. Eleris¡¯ solution wasn¡¯t something I could have imagined. I could only think of the obvious, namely raiding or infiltrating the black market. Hence Eleris came up with the idea to carry out the rescue operation after the auction was over, and it also felt right to me. No matter how much I thought about it, I really thought Eleris¡¯ method was the best, but I knew that it wouldn¡¯t end well. It didn¡¯t matter why it failed. It was only right not to go down a path that would only lead to failure anyway. Of course, knowing why it failed would enable me to make some changes to it, but let¡¯s try to come up with some other methods first. First, I needed to check how far our reach would be. ¡°Eleris, can you use the mass teleportation spell?¡± That was a large-scale transportation spell which I once used to leave the Darklands together with Charlotte. ¡°I can use it, but it takes some time to cast.¡± Seeing that Eleris was already at the level where she could use this spell that would make her a highly skilled magician. Even teleport was already considered a super high-level spell, and she could even use it on a large scale. ¡°How long?¡± ¡°About thirty minutes.¡± ¡°Do you have any Mass Teleportation Scrolls?¡± ¡°No, Your Highness.¡± Thirty minutes. That was pretty long. Mass Teleportation scrolls were, of course, even rarer, so Eleris obviously didn¡¯t have any. I once again felt how rare those two scrolls I used in the prologue were. ¡°It would be impossible for us to buy enough time to cast Mass Teleport on all of them after we reached the place where the prisoners are held. There probably are countermeasures against that inside the auction house.¡± I nodded at Sarkegaar¡¯s words. They probably were the most concerned about theft, especially using magic. ¡°Yeah, I guess so. But is it really that easy to prepare such extensive defense measures like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Your Highness. In the case of Temple and the Imperial Castle, such security measures were always in operation, but it was actually quite difficult to temporarily put them up and maintain them.¡± ¡°So I would be right in my assumption that places with barriers or defensive measures of a level where they could suppress spatial movement magic or the use of magic in general weren¡¯t a common sight?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± I found out another fact. Anti-magic measures would be temporarily applied to the auction house itself. The only places where such measures were permanently applied were the Imperial Castle and Temple. Of course, magic could be used inside of Temple, so they didn¡¯t use a barrier that would block every type of magic. That said, it was rare to find a place that had magic-related or anti magic measures applied to them. ¡°So if the prisoners were kept somewhere else other than the auction house, you would be able to move them with a Mass Teleport spell, right? Even given the 30 minutes of casting time. So, how many people can you teleport at once?¡± ¡°Twenty is my limit. If it¡¯s at night, I might be able to do fifty though ¡­.¡± Although she was able to withstand the sunlight, it seemed that she couldn¡¯t access her whole power during the day. Twenty people¡­. Just how many prisoners were there? It was so frustrating not knowing that. There should have been a huge number of them who got taken prisoner, but most of them would have already been executed. I hated to say this, but the demons that would get sold on the black market were usually individuals that had some commercial value to them. Succubi, incubi, and other humanoid demons I didn¡¯t know the race name of. I didn¡¯t think it would be such a huge number. I saw the prisoner procession when I escaped from the Demon King¡¯s Castle. Most of them were monsters. Loyar looked at me. ¡°Are you thinking of a different way?¡± ¡°I know it might be a stupid idea, but I think the best time to do our operation is when the black market opens¡­.¡± Stealing them would fail or have very little effect. I didn¡¯t have any eloquent method to convince those three why I thought like that. We couldn¡¯t use Mass Teleport inside the auction house where the prisoners were held. We somehow had to get them out of there so that we could teleport them away. Twenty by day and fifty by night. If we could get them out to teleport them, we wouldn¡¯t need to teleport in the first place. With such a huge guard force we would have to teleport them away as soon as we could. It was simply impossible for us with our current power. We wouldn¡¯t be able to do it. ¡­¡­That¡¯s right. ¡°Isn¡¯t the black market in itself illegal?¡± It wasn¡¯t just a normal market, it was a black market, so it was a secret auction. Secret transactions between bastards backed by wealth and authority. It was completely different from the normal underworld. Eleris answered my question. ¡°Thinking about whether this was legal or illegal would lead nowhere, because I doubt there are any concret laws relating to this situation. The sale of demon slaves isn¡¯t a common thing after all.¡± Selling Demons was neither illegal nor legal. Loyar added. ¡°However, it¡¯s clear that the Imperial nobles who decided to buy or sell demons, who had been declared as enemies to be killed, would be heavily frowned upon, Your Highness.¡± ¡°There might not be any problems legally, but there were some moral problems with this, so there was enough room to criticize them.¡± That¡¯s why the trade of demon prisoners wasn¡¯t happening in a public place. Raiding the auction house was impossible for us. If we couldn¡¯t do it, how about we made someone else do it for us. ¡°What if rumors were to come out that a black market would open for trafficking prisoners of war in the private sector?¡± At my words, the expressions of those three changed. They seemed to ask me why I would do something like that. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t enslaving and trading demons who were supposed to be destroyed undermine the prestige of the Empire and be worthy of the citizen¡¯s wrath?¡± It was rather self-evident that the citizens would be extremely angry if they knew that what the upper-class was doing wasn¡¯t in line with the justice they preached about. ¡°You mean the citizens would be so angry that they might even go so far as to raid the black market?¡± ¡°If they were to find out where the black market was located, there would certainly be one hell of a commotion at least.¡± Those who would attend the auction were by no means great men in fancy positions, even though they might be of higher standing. If citizens were to flood the black market and start hitting them, they would hurry and try to escape. Even though that wasn¡¯t a place the general public should know about, like this they would end up finding out about it. If they were trying to use the Imperial Family¡¯s authority as their shield to control the citizen¡¯s riot, they would be admitting that the government was supporting the sale of demon prisoners for money. ¡°But if the citizens were to do that, wouldn¡¯t that mean that the Empire¡¯s forces would come out to suppress them? They might even just disguise themselves as military forces, so that they can use violent methods to do something about the citizens.¡± At Eleris¡¯ words, I nodded. If one found a clue, one¡¯s thoughts would unravel like a thread. I found a different solution from Eleris¡¯ for this complicated puzzle. ¡°It¡¯s true that the Empire¡¯s power is piercing the sky. However, trade of the prisoners of war wouldn¡¯t only enrage the citizens, but would also go against the intentions of a certain powerful force. So I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s why they decided to sell them on a black market.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that powerful force¡­?¡± I smiled and gave my answer. ¡°Religious forces.¡± They dispatched religious forces for the pure purpose of destroying evil. They were a very important pillar of the Allied Forces. At the moment, the forces that participated in the Demon World War of all churches were currently gathering here. And even after the Demon World War they would remain the most powerful group of Paladins and Priests regardless of their beliefs. They were called the Knights Templar. ¡°The trade of demons in itself was already a great insult to the Knights Templar. So, there would be a huge backlash from all the religious factions from all over the continent.¡± The citizens weren¡¯t my main target. And since the Knights Templar were a religious group they wielded a separate power that wasn¡¯t under the control of the Empire. If those rumors were to spread, the Knights Templar themselves would come to destroy that black market. Chapter 65 The Knights Templar were religious armed forces not under the control of the Empire. Therefore, the reason for their actions had nothing to do with the national interest of the Empire and was only based on their religious beliefs. The fact that we were dealing with demons that were supposed to get completely destroyed would cause a huge conflict between those two groups. And the citizens would be on the same side as the Knights Templar. ¡°If the Knights Templar started to interfere, there would be a huge commotion, and eventually, the black market, the forces behind it and the auction¡¯s participants would have no means to object against them. In the end, they would have no choice but to hand the prisoners over to the Knights Templar.¡± The Empire would have to take a step back. They wouldn¡¯t oppose the Knights Templar just to make some money by selling demons. There was no justification for the Empire to intervene with the Knights Templar, so it would naturally result in that, no matter what actual power they wielded. It wasn¡¯t enough for them to just capture and kill them, no, they had to go ahead and actually sell the demons secretly. For the Knights Templar, who considered the Demon World War a sacred war, the actions of the Empire were already seen as an enormous betrayal. Religion was, of course, spreading throughout the Empire and its Principalities. Religion was, after all, a power that controlled people¡¯s minds. Antagonizing them was an option the Empire would never choose. Eventually, they would admit to their mistake or cut off their tail. Then the prisoners of war would be taken by the Knights Templar. In other words, my proposal was to destroy the whole black market in and of itself. Not using our own power, but somebody else¡¯s. Eleris nodded at my words. ¡°Your Highness, that will certainly deter the selling of demon prisoners on the black market. However, if we do it like that¡­. All the prisoners would get executed without exception.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± This operation would just make the demons change hands from those who want to enslave them to the ones who want to kill them. ¡°And yet you¡¯re trying to get the Knights Templar to come, who¡¯d block any way for us to take the prisoners away?¡± I slowly began to explain my plan. In the end, this was just another type of gambling. ¡°Obviously, the Knights Templar would take the prisoners, and they will surely be used as a tool for coercion. However, they would never expect someone trying to mass teleport the prisoners away. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be very angry. Of course, they may come in and slaughter the prisoners held in the auction house on the spot. However, as long as the prisoners are alive, they themselves were the living proof of the Empire¡¯s betrayal. They won¡¯t try to deal with them right away. They would use them as evidence to force an apology out of the Imperial Family.¡± Even if they would eventually kill them, they wouldn¡¯t want to deal with the prisoners immediately. At the very least, they will keep them alive for a few days, while they had some talks with the Empire. Although it might be more like a type of crusade than a regular chat though. ¡°Of course, you might be concerned that the market organizers decide to change their location after they heard rumors about the Knights Templar planning on raiding the place. Actually, that would be even better. The substitute venue would probably just be a hurriedly built place. They wouldn¡¯t have had time to apply anti magic measures. The substitute venue would most definitely get announced to the auction participants. So, we really need a ticket.¡± There would be a high possibility that they wouldn¡¯t be able to prepare countermeasures against magic as they had to change venues as fast as possible. In that case, it would be easier to infiltrate the auction and Eleris would be able to use Mass Teleport to get everyone out. ¡°If the Knights Templar take the prisoners, they will insist on holding on to them themselves, not the Empire. It wouldn¡¯t be any different in that case. We would have to infiltrate their place.¡± In the end, it was Eleris who had to use the Mass Teleport Spell. ¡°Or, well, there¡¯s another method. After figuring out the prisoner transport routes, Eleris could use her Mass Teleport Spell in a place we have surveyed before. So when the prisoner¡¯s convoy passes by, we could teleport them away and then run.¡± We could prepare the spell at a fixed place where the prisoners are supposed to pass by and wait, then intercept the convoy by teleporting the prisoners away. In the end, it all depended on Eleris¡¯ Mass Teleport Spell. There was a precondition to all this. Namely that the Knights Templar will take over the prisoners, but I believed that there was quite the high chance of that happening. ¡°Regarding the second option, it would be rather difficult to infiltrate the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters. Other than possessing anti-magic barriers, they probably would realize that I¡¯m an undead right after I set foot in their building.¡± ¡°As I thought.¡± ¡°The third option seems more feasible at the moment.¡± The black market changing venue would be beyond our control, so we could only react as things were happening. For now, it would be best to find out the location of the black market, predict the route which the Knights Templar would take to escort the prisoners away and wait for Eleris to finish casting the spell while on the move. ¡°But in the end, we would only be able to rescue 20 people. The rest of the prisoners would die¡­.¡± If there were less than 20 demons getting auctioned off at the black market, we¡¯d be able to rescue all of them, but if there were more, we¡¯d end up leaving the rest to die. Loyar, who had been silent up until now, opened her mouth. ¡°Your Highness, how about we use Warp Gates instead of Mass Teleport?¡± ¡°Warp Gates?¡± ¡°Yes, it would seem that we¡¯d just have to somehow make the Knights Templar lose control of the prisoners for a bit after they took them from the black market. Like that we could save everyone by using Warp Gates, not just a few by using Mass Teleport.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that only be possible if there was a Warp Gate in the transportation route of the Knights Templar?¡± It wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t think of that either. However, Warp Gates were only located in fixed places, so, as we didn¡¯t know the black market¡¯s accurate location at this stage, we wouldn¡¯t be able to come up with a detailed strategy. ¡°There are a great many Warp Gates in the Capital, Your Highness.¡± Since Loyar was running an intelligence organization, she couldn¡¯t help but know a lot more about the Capital than the three of us. ¡°Even in front of the Knights Templar headquarters, one of the major facilities of the Capital, was a Warp Gate.¡± No matter which way they went, they¡¯d eventually pass one of these fixed places with the convoy. There¡¯d inevitably be some Warp Gate on their route. ¡°Yes, I see, that¡¯s plausible.¡± If we used a Warp Gate, we could save as many prisoners as we needed. ¡°So when the convoy arrives before the Knights Templar headquarters we¡¯d just have to make a commotion and make the prisoners somehow run over to the Warp Gates. We wouldn¡¯t have to worry about them chasing after us through the gate. Eleris could just destroy the gate after we went through it.¡± ¡°¡­Good.¡± Eleris nodded while seeming slightly nervous. Warp Gates were two-way. If one of the gates were broken one couldn¡¯t warp to either of those places anymore. ¡°Okay. But we need to make a very thorough plan well in advance. Not everything would go as we think. First, we need to make sure the Knights Templar know exactly where the black market is so that they can find it. We can only hope that they don¡¯t immediately slaughter all the prisoners. We also would have to neutralize the troops stationed at the Warp Gates. We should also think of a way to distract the Knights Templar long enough for the prisoners to escape.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the disturbance.¡± It seemed like Loyar would take on that role. ¡°Will you be fine? You could die.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t have to fight against them, I just have to cause a disturbance. I might get hurt, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also help cause a disturbance with my magic.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Loyar, Eleris would support her with her magic. ¡°I will disguise myself as a soldier stationed by the Gate.¡± In a way, Sarkegaar played the most important role. Completely taking over the Warp Gate. After sending the prisoners away through the Warp Gate, Loyar, Eleris and Sarkegaar would all jump into the gate and proceed to destroy the other gate to prevent pursuers to come after them. To return they could just use the Mass Teleport Spell. If we were able to pull that off, it would be perfect. However, since there were so many prerequisites, we couldn¡¯t know if some variable would occur to mess everything up. I didn¡¯t really have a part in this, but I¡¯d keep an eye on the situation and how everything was unfolding. Getting ready to use ¡®Revise¡¯ in the event of a crisis. * * * The three of them, except for me, tried not to do anything dangerous because of me, but, in the end, they would carry out that operation to rescue the demons under my instructions. It would cause a great commotion in the Capital. This was never a secret and safe task. Even if they succeeded, the Empire would be on high alert for some time after. I mean, there would be powerful high ranking demons having a fight with a someone in the middle of the Capital after all. Even if things went as planned, we would have to live in danger for a while, but if things didn¡¯t go as planned, one of the three of them had to be sacrificed. Everyone agreed. If any of the three were to get caught or it failed, they had to expect to die, and if my identity was in danger of being discovered they told me to use Sarkegaar¡¯s ring to escape. I didn¡¯t know if the captured demons were even worth this much or not. However, those three just couldn¡¯t bear seeing the prisoners, who were from the same country as them, live such miserable lives without even being able to die properly. So those three risked their lives for them. Even if I wasn¡¯t directly risking my life, as the prince of that ruined country, I was trying my hardest for them. It was something I shouldn¡¯t even have considered. However, just by deciding that we should rescue them and giving them detailed instructions, it seemed like Loyar, Eleris and Sarkegaar had already gained unbreakable trust in me. I had no idea if it was just because they were demons or because they were directly in the service of the country that they respected me as their monarch. They already acknowledged my absoluteness only because I was an Arcdemon, but from the moment I decided to rescue the prisoners they seemed to give me even more respect than before. ¡°Your Highness, thank you.¡± So that night, while I was lying in bed, Eleris thanked me over and over. ¡°It¡¯s you guys who¡¯ll do most of the work, so why are you thanking me?¡± That was the truth. All I had to do was to use the Revise function to stop certain events from happening and realize events that shouldn¡¯t have happened in case of danger. ¡°I¡¯m thanking you for allowing us to do something as dangerous as that.¡± In the end, even if I wouldn¡¯t actually do much, I still allowed them to take action. Perhaps compassion wasn¡¯t something that belonged to the qualities of a king. If one viewed it as such, Eleris seemed to appreciate what I tried to do for them. If I cold-heartedly told them to just leave the prisoners alone, they would have understood, but they would have also been very sad about this. The funny thing was, seeing me allowing them to take such reckless actions and even coming up with a plan for them, seemed to have impressed even Sarkegaar who had a completely different stance from Eleris. Perhaps Sarkegaar viewed my actions as part of my attitude as a monarch who cherished all the demons of the Demon Realm. I still didn¡¯t know what stance Loyar had, but, in the end, she also desired to save the other demons. And there I was, coming up with a detailed plan, so it seemed like she was also impressed by that. ¡°Anyway, are you really okay with this? No matter what we do, someone might get hurt.¡± Eleris didn¡¯t like violence. However, she had no other choice but to use her magic to distract the Knights Templar. Just as those three were risking their lives to make this plan successful, of course, there was also the possibility that someone, whether they or the Knights Templar, would die or get injured. She might hesitate or make a mistake. That was my concern. ¡°¡­¡­I have taken away the lives of so many people already.¡± Eleris seemed dazed, her eyes closed. She looked endlessly sad. ¡°I¡¯m so used to it, that I¡¯m sick and tired of it.¡± It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t do it, she did it too often and much too well. I couldn¡¯t say anything to this sad Eleris, who told me that I had no need to worry. * * * The Festival started on Monday and Sarkegaar would also get the tickets for the auction then. That way we could pinpoint the location of the black market. They cost a huge amount, 40 gold coins, but it wasn¡¯t an impossible amount for us. I mean, we didn¡¯t even use the money we prepared for Temple¡¯s entrance fee yet. In addition to that, as Sarkegaar lived the life of a noble, he should have kept some emergency funds so that it wouldn¡¯t be completely impossible for him to maintain his lifestyle without the organization. That long Festival, which started on Monday, would run for an entire month. Monday. We were facing the streets of the Imperial Capital, already buzzing with a festive atmosphere. -Waaaaaaah! -Long live the Allied Forces! -Hurray for Atorius! -Hurraaaaaaaay! People cheered as the soldiers arrived from the large Warp Gate located in the Temtoan District, north of the Al Ligar District. An endless procession of soldiers kept on coming out of the Gate. A steady stream of them left the blue Portal and were marching towards the Imperial Castle. If we were to use the map of Seoul, then they started in the Jung District and went on to the Jongno District and people stood close to them cheering the endless parade of soldiers. The Knights and Cavalry on horseback arrived first, followed by the Infantry and other soldiers. They were all cheered for equally. Everyone sent endless cheers towards the Allied Forces, which achieved this miraculous victory in the Demon World War. Ludwig must be watching this scene from somewhere. There was also a high chance that Delphine Izadra was getting kidnapped by someone while watching the festive people celebrating everywhere and eating good food. If it didn¡¯t happen, well, that would be good then. A huge number of soldiers were walking at the same pace. A huge number of countries and groups participated in this War as the Allied Forces. They each carried a flag symbolizing their origin. The procession of this triumphal army would go on for an incredibly long time. They would be able to enjoy the honor of entering the Imperial Palace accompanied by the cheers of the citizens, as well as being treated with utmost respect inside of it. Those who earned merit would receive their due rewards. Among the cheers of this huge crowd, we chatted while keeping our distance from them. ¡°The prisoners of war might arrive through a different Gate than the Victory Procession.¡± ¡°Maybe so.¡± We weren¡¯t just here to watch this spectacle. It was a sight that made me lose my appetite anyway. The reason for me coming all the way here was to check whether the prisoners of war would be led through the same gate as the triumphal army. If they did, we could try taking them away at that moment. Even if we didn¡¯t do that, we could at least ascertain the amount of prisoners that got transported here. However, no matter how long we kept on watching, there was no convoy or procession that seemed to contain the prisoners of war. Since this was where the triumphal army passed through there might be a high chance that they would make the prisoners, who would cause people to frown, enter through a different Gate. ¡°Even if we succeeded, the only ones we¡¯d be able to safe were the ones getting taken to the black market, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The only ones we could save were the demons who had a certain market value and got sent to that black market. Chapter 66 The other prisoners who wouldn¡¯t be put on the black market would probably be managed by the Empire, and no form of trickery could help us rescue them. I wasn¡¯t sure if the Empire would kill those prisoners or do something else with them. It was possible that they would conduct experiments on them for research purposes. No matter what, we couldn¡¯t save them. It would be absurd to even try to save them. Even the operation we were going to carry out this time was extremely dangerous. ¡°Did you say it was on Thursday?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sarkegaar had already bought the tickets. Today was Monday, and the black market would open starting Thursday. It would stay open for a total of four days, from Thursday to Sunday. The question was, were all those prisoners put on the black market? If they planned on replenishing the prisoners every day, we could only save a quarter of the demons that were planned to get auctioned off. ¡°I think they will probably have all of them there, but¡­.¡± There probably were prisoners of war who¡¯d enter the Imperial Castle to be detained. It would be far more efficient to siphon off the ones they want to sell from the beginning, than take them out of there every day. So the auction would be held for four days, but the black market would keep all the prisoners they were planning to sell in the auction house. The best way they could go about this was to find out through which Gate the prisoners would get led and siphon them of immediately at that moment before detaining them in the auction house. There were dozens of Warp Gates in the Capital alone. It was impossible to monitor all of them. We didn¡¯t use the Rotary Gang to gather information for this operation. Only Loyar, Sarkegaar and Eleris would take action. Later, this incident might be seen as a terrorist incident caused by the demons, but if we used the Rotary Gang to gather information beforehand, that would just cause unnecessary suspicion. ¡°As we expected, they¡¯ll come from the Badelz Gate, won¡¯t they?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I think.¡± The location of the black market was in the Badelz District, which was the Mapo District in my mind. It would open in the basement of the Merchant Guild¡¯s headquarters. In other words, the Merchant Guild had a solid relationship with the black market owners. That fact was a nice bonus. When I learned the location of the black market, I wondered why I didn¡¯t think of that sooner. That was quite the obvious place for it to be. The Merchant Guild must have big storage units for all the expensive goods they had to store, so it would be enough to temporarily accommodate the prisoners in these units equipped with enough security, safety and scale. Of course, it would be easier to proceed with the auction like that as well. I didn¡¯t know how deep the Merchant Guild was involved in this. However, they would have had to agree to this drastic move of opening a black market in their headquarters. They probably judged that they wouldn¡¯t be able to stop this business, which was supposedly linked with many people with great authority. Of course, they might have been coerced, but we wouldn¡¯t be able to find out that much. The venue was the Merchant Guild¡¯s headquarters. Even in my opinion, there wasn¡¯t a more suitable place to proceed with the black market auction. In addition, as many merchants were rather rich, they were likely to directly participate in the auction. Even if there were rumors about a black market opening soon, the chances that they would change the venue were remarkably low. Even after I thought about it quite thoroughly, I couldn¡¯t come up with an auction venue that would be more optimized than the Merchant Guild¡¯s headquarters. Since Sarkegaar was a noble, he wouldn¡¯t be able to come out of the Imperial Palace for a while because he had to attend the Victory Ceremony and Party. He decided to only attend on Monday for now, and would find some excuses to join our side from Tuesday onwards. The prisoners would most likely arrive through the Gate in the Badelz District, where Loyar was stationed. However, I and Eleris were keeping watch on the side where the Victory Procession was continuing on endlessly, just in case. * * * Monday evening. The vicinity around the Imperial Palace was rather crowded with people, and one could hear the sound of magic used as fireworks bursting from afar. It seemed like some wizards were putting on a fireworks display. As alcohol and food were distributed free of charge, the streets were full of people drunk on alcohol and euphoria. There were many people who didn¡¯t even know each other before, sitting together at tables placed on the streets, talking while hugging and dancing. Of course, the miraculous survival of Princess Charlotte de Gardias was also one of the hot topics. Although it¡¯s been some time now since the Princess returned, Artorius¡¯ bravery, The Allied Force¡¯s greatness and the miraculous survival of the Princess were still in everybody¡¯s mouths. There were also talks about the Princess becoming a supernatural power user. Charlotte was so preoccupied with finding Valier at the moment, that she didn¡¯t seem to concentrate much on improving her power though. In fact, Bertus said that Charlotte was on the verge of self-destructing, and I agreed to that to some extent. -The Princess has to obviously become the Empress! -Ooh! True that! -After surviving through such hardships, she absolutely has to be blessed by God! However, the public didn¡¯t hesitate to say that the Princess should become the Empress, and there was no one refuting with that. The Public overwhelmingly supported the Princess. A princess who was rescued dramatically after being kidnapped by the Demon King. She was also the sole survivor. That was one hell of a story. Bertus didn¡¯t have anything he could beat that story with. Although he had the possibility of becoming a Sword Master that was still in the far off future. Also, becoming a Sword Master itself was great and all, but the Demon King was already dead. He had nothing to accomplish after becoming a Sword Master. That story alone wouldn¡¯t make her Empress, but it was only natural that huge conflicts would arise if Charlotte, who was supported by the public, didn¡¯t ascend the throne. In my personal opinion, the one who displayed superior abilities at the moment was Bertus. However, the public supported the Princess, and she wasn¡¯t that hugely inferior to the Prince. Therefore, Charlotte was still in a more favorable position in regards to the succession of the throne. Now that the Victory Festival was taking place, it seemed obvious that the citizens of the Empire would like to see Charlotte become the next Empress. Of course, regardless of that, at the end of the Victory Procession, we confirmed that no convoy with prisoners was among them, so we were about to go over to the Mapo District. At the confluence point, we were mixed up among a group of drunk passersby. -It¡¯s free! Free, I say! Eat and drink to your heart¡¯s content! There were quite a few stores that offered free food and alcohol to share the joys of victory separated from the Festival. For that purpose there were many tables placed before inns and restaurants. The Demon Realm had been a long time enemy of the humans. The mere fact that they were now forever freed from the fear they spread was enough to make everyone euphoric even handing out free food. If they had lived their whole life in the Imperial Capital, then they should have never even seen a single hair of a demon for their entire lives, and now they wouldn¡¯t ever see one in the future as well. However, where did their fear and hatred against demons come from? People were afraid of the unknown after all. In fact, the Demon Realm probably made plans to conquer the Human Realm as well. We sat at an empty table. Loyar was wearing a robe, Eleris cast a bit of disguise magic on herself, while I didn¡¯t wear any disguise at all. I had already transformed into a completely different form not comparable to Reinhardt after all. Loyar opened her mouth. ¡°I saw a lot of wagons covered in black sheets coming through the Badelz Gate.¡± ¡°Did you check what was inside of them?¡± Loyar shook her head in answer to my question. Our surroundings were very noisy, and Eleris cast some soundproofing magic so that no one would hear what we would be discussing now. Since this had nothing to do with the Rotary Gang we decided to hold our meeting here. ¡°I didn¡¯t see them, but I could tell just by smell and sound alone. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s them.¡± Loyar¡¯s sense of hearing and smell were particularly developed. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you actually a dog?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, I mean¡­ You¡¯re¡­ just very much like a dog.¡± I mean, she had a good sense of smell and hearing, she listened well to orders and when she slept she seemed no different from a wild dog as well. She was completely like a dog in human form. What was with this? Even in your human for you were like a dog, huh? Loyar seemed shocked by my words and Eleris covered her mouth and laughed. ¡°She¡¯s not a dog. She¡¯s just a very dog-like person.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± At Eleris¡¯ words, Loyar¡¯s face turned red. Eleris also seemed to be having fun teasing Loyar. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll trust what you said. You¡¯re sure, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Although the convoy¡¯s content was hidden, Loyar could tell by the sound and smell that the numerous wagons that came through Badelz Gate were filled with the demon prisoners. Loyar continued to recount what she saw. ¡°I don¡¯t know about the Victory Procession¡¯s side, but all the wagons were under strict escort. People seemed to be interested in them, but no one seemed to know what was in them.¡± Some might have contained things like spoils form the Demon Realm. They probably got transported through the same Gate. Some of the wagons also contained some of the prisoners. ¡°Most of the wagons seemed to be moving towards the Imperial Palace, but some were also heading towards the Merchant Guild¡¯s headquarters.¡± Loyar probably went up to a high place to watch the wagon procession. Some of the wagons that were supposed to go to the Imperial Palace actually went to the Merchant Guild¡¯s headquarters. ¡°There were a total of 30 wagons. Judging by their sizes and the sounds and smells coming from them, I¡¯d estimate there to be about 5 per wagon.¡± ¡°So about 150 people¡­.¡± Thanks to knowing the location of the black market in advance, it was rather easy to infer which gate the prisoners would get escorted from. 30 wagons, so about 150 prisoners of war were to be sold on the black market. ¡°No, Your Highness, I estimate them to be half that amount.¡± However, Loyar shook her head at my estimate. ¡°Why is the actual number smaller?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it, Your Highness. There were about a dozen wagons loaded with things other than prisoners.¡± ¡°What other things?¡± ¡°It seems that the prisoners of war aren¡¯t the only merchandise sold on the black market.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. Right. That might be the case.¡± Other than the prisoners they took from the Demon Realm, they also loaded the wagons with loot they wanted to take to the Merchant Guild. Twenty wagons were filled with prisoners and the other ten with loot. They would also sell the items they stole from the Demon King¡¯s Castle on the black market, not only the prisoners. ¡°Hmm¡­. I¡¯m not sure about the prisoners, but if it¡¯s stolen loot, there might be a possibility that this wasn¡¯t approved by the Imperial Family¡­. Or was that loot designated to be sold?¡± The chances that the Imperial Family had nothing to do with this slightly increased. There might also be the possibility that the loot that was to be sold were things the Imperial Family had no interest in. After all, there was little chance that the Imperial Family didn¡¯t know about this black market. Most of the wagons with prisoners made their way to the Imperial Palace. There was nothing we could do about that. However, about 100 prisoners would make their appearance on the Merchant Guild¡¯s black market. They could be rescued or slaughtered depending on how well we do. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that we were able to get some information in advance. Like that we were able to ascertain the amount of prisoners. How about security?¡± ¡°I have confirmed that it¡¯s tighter than usual. There were more than 10 guards at every entrance of the Merchant Guild¡¯s headquarters, and they were all disguised as mercenaries, but the atmosphere they gave off and their appearance were by no means ordinary.¡± High-level armed forces disguised as guards were stationed at the Guild headquarters. I didn¡¯t know if they were Knights or something, but leaving them unattended would be rather difficult. Of course, there¡¯d also be wizards inside. ¡°Okay¡­. Now we have to somehow force the Knights Templar to raid that place¡­.¡± As slaves, they might be able to save their lives, but they¡¯d stay demons no matter what. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was worth risking their lives to give them their freedom. However, as the last leader of the Demon Realm, I made a decision. I had no intention of rebuilding the Demon Realm, but I had decided to rescue them. Gradually I started to realize that a leader had to be a person that made a certain judgement before even discussing the rights and wrongs of that decision and perfectly carry out said judgment. If all of them were slaughtered by the Knights Templar because of the failure of our operation, would I be able to withstand that? Hundreds of lives could be lost due to my negligence, could my mind handle that? Some might want to sacrifice their freedom to keep their lives. I could never know. So, I decided to take it easy. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think of a way to pass on this information to the Knights Templar without getting caught.¡± I¡¯ll definitely succeed. My ability would make that belief reality. My power couldn¡¯t actually do that yet, but it helped me calm down at least. Chapter 67 he Knights Templar also returned together with the triumphal army. Their Victory Event was different from the Allied Forces Victory Event under the control of the Emperor. Although the Knights Templar were a huge pillar of the Allied Forces, it was originally an army of the Five Churches and if the Emperor were to praise them for their achievements, it would be the Emperor doing god¡¯s work. Therefore, the Knights Templar would return to their headquarters and receive a congratulatory and blessed speech from the Popes of the Five Churches. All of them, as distinguished guests, had come to the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters in person, coinciding with the Imperial Victory Ceremony. The headquarters of the Five Churches were located in different places, and among them, only the Great Hall of the mighty Als was located in the Imperial Capital Gardium. All the leaders of the FIve Churches, the Church of the God of War Als, the God of the Sun Salaam, the God of the Moon Mensis, the God of Purity Towan and the God of Courage Litel, were in the Capital. After all of them finished congratulating and blessing the Knights Templar, they would join the Emperor to commemorate this Victory. So, on the first day the Victory Ceremony is held separately for religious reasons, not because of any personal conflict. Originally, the Knights Templar also just returned from such a long and hard war, so after commemorating their victory they would take a long rest. And the religious leaders would also be happy to exchange some words with the Emperor about their victory. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± In that peaceful, friendly and festive atmosphere, I was about to cause a huge conflict between those two groups: The Knights Templar and the Imperial Family. Trying to sell and use the demons as sex slaves was a huge religious heresy, regardless of whether it was legal or not. Even the wealthy and nobles of the Empire wanted to buy them. you know? It would be strange for the Knights Templar and the religious leaders to not get enraged. There was no need to wait for the auction to start. As long as they knew that the prisoners were already in the Merchant Guild, there would be no problem at all for the Knights Templar to attack right no. I had no interest in arresting all the immoral Imperial nobles as they attended the auction. We were still sitting at the table placed on this bustling street, chatting. ¡°There are two ways to go about this. Give the information directly to the Knights Templar or create rumors.¡± Eleris and Loyar nodded their heads at my words. To leak the information to the Knights Templar directly, or spread rumors among the public so that it will reach their ears. We had these two methods. ¡°In the former case, a certain reaction can be expected, but they might have doubts about the individual that transmitted the information per letter or something. If they just thought about it for a bit, the Knights Templar would probably be able to guess that the ones who leaked the information were demons.¡± That was what Eleris said, and Loyar nodded to her words. It didn¡¯t particularly matter if the informant was a demon or whatever because what we were doing was already dangerous as is, but it wasn¡¯t hard to see that leaving traces was not a good choice. ¡°The method of spreading rumors to leak the information wouldn¡¯t leave behind any suspicious traces, but, we can¡¯t be sure that the Knights Templar will pick up these rumors and act on them.¡° ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Also, if the rumors start to spread further, there might be a chance that the black market¡¯s organizers will take action before the Knights Templar. Those who¡¯d be most sensitive about these kinds of rumors were them, so they might change the black market¡¯s venue or cancel it all together.¡± I also agreed to Loyar¡¯s opinion. The latter option had the disadvantage of not knowing when the Knights Templar would take action. By the time the rumors reached their ears and they decided to take action, the auction might already be canceled. ¡°The former would have a definite effect, but it would leave a tail behind and the latter would make it difficult to predict the flow of events¡­.¡± Both methods had their advantages and disadvantages. If I used my Preview Function, I would be able to check what would happen in the future, but I couldn¡¯t use it right now. [You are unable to make use of this function at the moment.] When I tried using it, I only recevied this message. Damn it, I had cheats, but I wasn¡¯t even able to use them however I wanted. They should have just kept silent about this useless function. An uncertain but safe method and a certain but slightly more dangerous method. ¡°Let¡¯s go with the direct method. If the black market or the Imperial Family got wind of this, we might not even get to try saving them.¡± I judged that way, the chances would be lower for them to predict our moves. ¡°Understood..¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do that.¡± They both nodded, agreeing to my judgment. * * * Passing on information to the Knights Templar. Just that wasn¡¯t that hard to do. I just had to send them an anonymous letter. On Tuesday, we met up with Sarkegaar after the Victory Event and sent a letter to the Knights Templar. The black market located in the Merchant Guild¡¯s headquarters where the demon prisoners were said to be sold would open on Thursday. We observed the Knights Templar¡¯s movements all Tuesday. Eleris and I were positioned in a place where we could easily overwatch the huge temple that was the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters, and Sarkegaar and Loyar decided to keep an eye on the Merchant Guild, because there might be certain movements visible over there as well. The Knights Templar were located at the Rosenak District, or the Yangcheon District in Seoul. If they wanted to head from the Mapo District to the Yangcheon District, they would have to cross the bridge first, as one had to do if one were to come from Gangbuk to Gangnam. Eleris seemed particularly uncomfortable, because we were close to the headquarters of those who held a power most dangerous to her, divine power. ¡°They don¡¯t seem to make any special movements.¡± It had been over six hours now since I sent them the letter. I sent over a second worry-filled letter to not get ignored, so there was no way that it didn¡¯t reach them. ¡°There¡¯s a good chance that they are questioning the information presented in these two letters. They might be discussing that internally at the moment.¡± Sending armed forces to the Merchant Guild was something that had to be discussed, and it was understandable enough that they wouldn¡¯t immediately believe an anonymous letter sent by an unknown source, telling them to dispatch forces. It seemed like they were still discussing at this stage. Since we didn¡¯t know when they would make their move, Eleris and I kept on from one inconspicuous place to another. As there were many people on the streets it was easy to mix in with the masses. The night was problematic though. One by one, the people would leave except a few drunkards. When night fell and the streets were covered in darkness, Eleris and I hid in a discreet place at the side of an alley. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯ll make their move today¡­.¡± It was already very deep into the night. It was probably too late for them to take action today. ¡°I think we¡¯d better go back.¡± Even if I stayed here, there would be nothing I could do, and if the situation worsened I¡¯d just put myself in unnecessary danger. Eleris¡¯ words were true, but I couldn¡¯t do as she said.. If I didn¡¯t know how this situation would unfold when a crisis strikes, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to ¡®Revise¡¯ it. ¡°No, my duty is to observe the situation.¡± That¡¯s what I softly mumbled, expressing my intentions of staying here, even if it was a little coercive towards Eleris. ¡°And the mana train won¡¯t run at this hour, so getting back would be more troublesome.¡± It was deep into the night, so it would be much more difficult to get back, whether to Temple or any other place. As if she knew what I meant, Eleris hid me and herself in the shadows. Even while a grand festival was going on, night was still night. The streets that were so busy by day, now only had some drunken husks of people passing by from now and then. But then- -Stomp, stomp From afar, sounds of heavy footsteps echoed through the street. Eleris poked her head out of the alley, then looked towards me and nodded. Midnight. That was when the Knights Templar began to move. 583 * * * It was night so we couldn¡¯t mix in with the crowd. After casting Invisibility on me and herself, Eleris and I followed them for a while. ¡®They might be able to see through magic. Don¡¯t get too close.¡¯ Eleris whispered to me as quietly as she could, and I nodded. Those Paladins were obviously veterans. A total of nearly 200 Knights of the Knights Templar were marching in front of us fully armed. Each of the knights held great divine power, so if they were to get hurt, they could simply heal themselves and continue to fight. Since I was on the receiving end of Adriana¡¯s recovery spells once, I could tell how mighty divine power could be. 200 such monsters were marching through the streets. They could be called elites. 200 weapon and divine power experts who engaged in battle after buffing themselves and could even heal any injury they might receive in battle. Monsters that were more like zombies than actual zombies. A Paladin. They were something that exceeded the Undead. 200 Elite Paladins who deserved to be called human tanks were now on their way to the Merchant Guild¡¯s headquarters. If they would engage in battle with the Merchant Guild¡¯s forces, that would create chaos. ¡®What about Sarkegaar and Loyar?¡¯ ¡®I sent a familiar over.¡¯ Since there was no tool capable of establishing two-way communication, Eleris seemed to communicate with them using her familiars. She passed on the information that the Knights Templar were on their way and would soon arrive soon to those two who were keeping an eye on the Merchant Guild¡¯s side. Soon, they reached the bridge leading across the Irene River. We continued to follow behind them. It was good that everything was going as planned up until now. But why were they taking action at night¡­? I had a bad feeling about that somehow. ¡®Why did they decide to move at night?¡¯ ¡®Wasn¡¯t it because they took so long to discuss this matter?¡¯ ¡®If it¡¯s like this¡­. They must have judged that this was an urgent matter.¡¯ It was good that they decided to take action at night. During night time, when Eleris¡¯ powers grow stronger, the success rate of our operation would increase even more. Obviously, if the Knights Templar were dispatched during the day that would cause be big commotion. If there were many people up on the streets while such a fight were to occur in the Merchant Guild, the citizens would come to know its circumstances. They would find out that people tried to sell demons on a black market. Naturally, that would lead to the prestige of the Empire to get tarnished. Did they move out during night time out of some form of consideration to save the Empire¡¯s face? They planned on getting rid of this disturbance silently and quickly at night.. However, this case would seriously raise the Knights Templar¡¯s prestige. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for them to let the public know of this? Though, considering the big picture, it couldn¡¯t be denied that the Knights Templar should take care of this incident quietly though¡­. Without questioning their actions further, I followed those 200+ Paladins marching forward. ¡®This, I¡¯ll give it back to you for now.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­Yes.¡¯ I didn¡¯t forget to return the Flame of Tuesday back to Eleis for a while. * * * Fortunately, this midnight march continued until they reached the Merchant Guild¡¯s headquarters. I was wondering if they were headed somewhere else, but so far everything was flowing as intended. We were in a place from where we could observe the building from a distance. Eleris used floating magic while hugging me to get us on the roof of a building. Loyar and Sarkegaar were hid in the place that they chose as an observation spot, reading the flow of the situation. Loyar looked at us and nodded seeming like she knew we were present even though we had invisibility magic cast on us. That showed that our location could be predicted by smell and sound. Because we had Loyar, we didn¡¯t need to look at the scene with our own eyes.. However, there was one thing we could notice even if we didn¡¯t have ears as good as Loyar. ¡®They aren¡¯t very loud.¡¯ The other two, including myself, nodded at Eleris¡¯ words. They were supposed to loudly shout something like: ¡°You blasphemed the Gods!¡± but they didn¡¯t do something like that. Loyar shook her head. ¡®Even though their voices are low, it seems like there¡¯s an argument going on in there.¡¯ Loyar told us that, although they try to not make as little noise as possible, they were still arguing. ¡®We got information that a black market was supposed to open here and that demon prisoners were to be auctioned of there. In the name of God, I demand you cooperate and let us search this place. If these allegations are not true, the Knights Templar shall promise to make a formal and respectful apology to the Merchant Guild.¡¯ Loyar seemed to be able to hear their conversations from this distance. ¡®The guards don¡¯t seem to make it easy for them.¡¯ However, even if the Knights Templar came to visit, the other party would let them search the place so easily. That was to be expected. Loyar seemed to concentrate on the following conversation as she fully focused on her ears. The three of us remained silent and only looked at Loyar, trying not to get in her way. I was wondering how the conversation would continue. -Rooar! We could clearly hear the sound of many people pulling out their weapons and going at each others. I didn¡¯t expect this battle to actually take place. ¡®The guards eventually made way.¡¯ They didn¡¯t want to open the way, but when the Knights Templar drew their weapons, they had no other choice but to open their doors in the end. They had no good reason to block the Knights Templar¡¯s way. They were disguised as Merchant Guild guards. If they started a conflict with them Knights Templar, they would have justification to call them blasphemers, giving the Empire a lot to explain. For example, why regular soldiers were disguised as Merchant Guild guards. They probably thought everything would be over once they started a fight with the Knights Templar. Of course, the moment they opened the doors for them and released the prisoners, things would be over for them as well. Anyway, the Knights Templar had entered, meaning I wouldn¡¯t have anything to do anymore from now on, although my job wasn¡¯t over yet. There was still a possibility that the Knights Templar would immediately execute the prisoners on the spot without escorting them to their headquarters. That was what everyone was most worried about. [The ¡®Revise¡¯ Function has been used.] The function that would make things happen that wouldn¡¯t normally and would prevent things from happening that should. The Knights Templar would escort the demon prisoners from the Merchant Guild to their headquarters without killing or harming them. [The ¡®Revise¡¯ function cannot be used.] ¡­¡­What? My heart froze over when I saw that message appear in front of me. If I couldn¡¯t even use the function it wouldn¡¯t even matter how many achievement points I had at my disposal. Seeing that message made me stop for a moment. I knew that an event that was too improbable would require a huge amount of achievement points or wouldn¡¯t be able to be revised at all. Was it something like that? Did that mean that the Knights Templar didn¡¯t even consider anything else but killing all of them out of resentment for those guys trying to auction off demons? ¡®Hey, why are you like this?¡¯ When Eleris noticed that I was acting a little strange, she asked worriedly. ¡®Ah, no¡­. It¡¯s just¡­ What if¡­ Those guys decide to kill all the prisoners¡­.¡¯ They didn¡¯t make this a public appearance, but it wasn¡¯t a cover-up either. I tried to make sure that they would escort the prisoners back to their headquarters using the Revise function. The prisoners that were supposed to be auctioned off could be used as evidence to force an apology out of the Empire. So, they could only use the living prisoners to put pressure on the Empire. I sincerely thought that was the most probable situation, but it seemed like I was wrong, wasn¡¯t I? If so, I had made a huge mistake, as all the prisoners that could have survived as slaves would now get collectively killed because of the choices I made. My heart was completely frozen and there was a chill running down my spine. What should I do? Should I save them by using Revise in a different way? But in what way should I use it then? I could only imagine the ground suddenly collapsing enabling all the prisoners to escape through a type of tunnel. Of course, I couldn¡¯t make that happen. After a while Loyar grabbed my hand. ¡®Your Highness, don¡¯t worry.¡¯ Loyar whispered to me?. ¡®The Knights Templar are taking the prisoners out.¡¯ With those words, I felt like my brain was freezing over again. I then realized why I couldn¡¯t use the Revise function just then. I could make things happen that wouldn¡¯t happen. However, How could I use Revise to create a situation that would happen anyway? The situation I was trying to create with Revise was the exact same happening at the moment. They had no intentions of killing the prisoners in the first place. So I couldn¡¯t Revise this scene. I was freaking out because I simply misunderstood the Revise function. Chapter 68 It seemed that the Knights Templar were taking out the prisoners one after the other with the guards watching, probably wearing some really strange expressions. They had no way to prevent this from happening faced with the clear justification the Knights Templar held. There should have been someone in command of these people at the scene but it seemed like he wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything. It would be pointless to say anything against the blasphemy charges or that there weren¡¯t any demon prisoners here when they were able to lead them out like a row of bound corvina. The Empire would wash their hands of this because they didn¡¯t want this case to get any more complicated than it already was. Even if they weren¡¯t able to catch the Empire, the Knights Templar were able to capture the greatest weaknesses of those involved in this case. It wasn¡¯t known if this case would pose a real problem for them or if they¡¯d be able to escape using secret deals. The most important thing, however, was that the day where the Knights Templar got to use the prisoners as evidence would never come. ¡®Looks like they found everyone.¡¯ Loyar said so and glanced at Sarkegaar. ¡®Okay Sarkegaar. Start to take over the Warp Gate as planned.¡¯ ¡®Yes, Your Highness.¡¯ -Slide! Sarkegaar slowly slid down from the rooftop and suddenly turned into a black bird taking to the skys. What¡¯s this? A bird? He could do something like that as well? ¡®What? Didn¡¯t you know he could do something like that?¡¯ Seeing my stupefied expression, Eleris smiled a little. ¡®He can¡¯t only transform into humanoid forms.¡¯ ¡®¡­Then could I do something like that as well?¡¯ I had this ring that enabled me to make use of his clan¡¯s powers, so I should be able to do that as well, right? ¡®I don¡¯t recommend it. It would probably be very uncomfortable and awkward. You also wouldn¡¯t be able to move as you want as well.¡¯ It might be hard for me to adapt to a completely new body structure, is what Eleris meant. Dreadfiends most likely had to undergo a lot of training to be proficient in using any type of transformation. I wouldn¡¯t be able to move properly, but just knowing that the possibility was there was enough for me. I didn¡¯t know when I might have to make use of that. ¡®About 100 people in total. Looks like they¡¯ll be leaving now.¡¯ ¡®Great. Let¡¯s move as well.¡¯ Their destination was the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters. I was sure of that. I wasn¡¯t able to use Revise after all, so this was something that would definitely happen. That was the Revise function¡¯s loophole. Revise wouldn¡¯t be able to be used unless it was something that wouldn¡¯t 100% happen. Using that information, I could check future developments without having to spend any achievement points. Of course, that system bastard didn¡¯t like me exploiting loopholes, so if I try to use this too often, they might take some action again. Anyway, we didn¡¯t have to follow the Knights Templar. Before we left, Loyar suddenly stopped trying to get up. ¡®What¡¯s the matter?¡¯ Loyar didn¡¯t respond to me and stayed focused as if she was still trying hard to listen to something. After being quiet for a while, she wrinkled her brows. ¡°The Knights Templar seem to be a slightly different group than we thought.¡± After saying that, Loyar stood up and jumped from roof to roof. * * * Eleris took me with her using her magic and Loyar moved as if sweeping through the darkness, quickly heading towards the Templar¡¯s headquarters. They passed the Warp Gate. Sarkegaar should be disguised as one of the soldiers guarding the Warp Gate. I didn¡¯t know with whom he swapped, but he did say he wouldn¡¯t kill that guy, so he must have done something else, like stunning or hypnotizing him. ¡°Your Highness, now you have to hide by yourself.¡± After arriving at the location they would launch their attack at, Eleris spoke to me, looking at me as if I shouldn¡¯t be here anymore. ¡°I know. But what did you mean earlier?¡± I looked towards Loyar. Her expression crumpled up as if she heard something very disgusting. ¡°As they started to escort the prisoners, they started to laugh to themselves after they left the Merchant Guild.¡± What did that mean? ¡°They laughed?¡± ¡°They have a lot to share, they said¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t figure out what that meant. Sharing? ¡°¡®We just got even more¡¯¡­. It seems like they had some to begin with, right?¡± ¡°That seems to be the case¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the black market that took some of the prisoners. Even the Knights Templar took some of the humanoid demons like succubi in. ¡°The guy that seemed to be the leader of that group responded to his subordinate¡¯s question, if this was going to be a problem¡­. That they could just say it¡¯s in the name of research, that¡¯s what the other members of the Empire¡¯s Allied Forces used as an excuse as well¡­. But selling them like this is a problem¡­ is what they said¡­.¡± Loyar seemed to feel aversion towards the Knights Templar. It wasn¡¯t just the Imperial Family, or the Merchant Guild. Even the Knights Templar kept demon prisoners. Judging by what they said, it was clear that all of the Allied Forces took away demon prisoners. If they were discovered, they¡¯d just say they would keep them for research purposes. However, the auction had no such excuse, because it was clear that they wanted to sell them. That gave the Knights Templar the right to take the prisoners away. That was the moment where I understood why the Knights Templar came out at night. If this information became known to the public, not only would it tarnish the prestige of the Empire, but also showcase that every faction of the Allied Forces kept demon prisoners for themselves. And among them, the Knights Templar were a group that no one expected to do something like that. Of course, if this were revealed, they would make it seem like they took them to do research on them, but everyone would know that that wasn¡¯t the actual reason. It¡¯s not like people wouldn¡¯t find out about this, just because they had some excuses prepared. Therefore, the Knights Templar were dispatched in the middle of the night to take the prisoners with them. That way only a few people would witness this. In the end, it turned out exactly like I predicted it would. They weren¡¯t going to execute the prisoners, they were going to take them to their headquarters. Seeing what they were doing, all other excuses were useless. Now that they had some form of justification, they were trying to take away the slaves from the black market on blasphemy charges. They had some as well, but still took the black market¡¯s prisoners with the excuse that their purpose was impure. ¡°The result is the same¡­. Their intentions are dirty though.¡± In conculsion. I overestimated their piety. * * * Even if we were to save them, it would only be a drop of water on a hot stone. There were so many demons taken prisoner. Each camp of the Allied forces, including the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters held demon prisoners of war. The number of prisoners we¡¯d be able to save from the black market was incredibly small. It was impossible to save them all. I mean, we had to plan out this whole operation just to save 100 of them. After splitting up from everyone, I went up a hill far away from the site. It was pretty far away, but it was still at a distance where I could see any big commotion happening. That was when I finally was able to use the Revise function. [You have used the ¡®Revise¡¯ function.] Today, all demon prisoners, Sarkegaar, Eleris and Loyar will safely escape through the Warp Gate. [To trigger this event 2000 achievement points are required.] There was a high probability that a significant number of them would be able to escape safely, but it was less likely that all of them would. Although it required a huge amount, I used the function without hesitation. There was no reason for me not to use it. [You have spent 2000 achievement points.] With that I felt at ease. I didn¡¯t know what would happen exactly, but I knew that tonight¡¯s operation would definitely be successful. -Bang! Then I saw it. Huge flames erupted from the square located before the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters. Now I knew what Eleris could do with the Flame of Tuesday. Fierce flames began to whirl towards the sky. A magnificent Firestorm ran havoc. -Ruuuuuumble! Bright light accompanied the storm raging through the air. ¡°N, no¡­.¡± This was supposed to be a spell to just distract them, wasn¡¯t it? Huh? Wasn¡¯t the strategy to minimize our damages and create chaos so that they could escape using that gap? You weren¡¯t trying to blow away both the Knights Templar and the prisoners of war, were you? ¡°Thi, this is kind of crossing the line, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡± Were you trying to kill everyone because how the Knights Templar were acting? That was when I firmly vowed that I would never try to get on Eleris¡¯ bad side. * * * Hell was let loose. -Roooaaar! Only after a gigantic firestorm erupted did the Knights Templar realize that they were caught up in a strange situation. ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± ¡°A wizard!¡± ¡°Defend!¡± ¡°Cra¡­zy! How could they¡­ Magic of such scale¡­¡± About 200 members of the Knights Templar as well as 100 prisoners of war seemed to have been left unscathed by this huge firestorm. At the center of these raging flames was a single woman. Wearing a robe that covered everything, they witnessed this unidentified wizard controlling these huge flames while holding a type of pendant in one hand. Her whole body seemed to have been covered in a magic veil. A wizard who could perform magic of this scale without chanting, most Paladins wanted to deny the reality that played before their eyes. -Kuoooooooooah! ¡°It¡¯s not just one!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a demon!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Werewolf!¡± Then, a silver furred monster appeared from behind that storm and roared loud enough to even absorb the flame storm¡¯s sound. This demonic beast¡¯s roar made every person who heard it stiffen up. It was a skill called ¡®Roar¡¯. ¡°Calm down! There are at least two enemies!¡± The Lycanthrope moved like lightning and rushed into the Paladins. Then a Warp Gate activated in the middle of that gigantic fire storm. The wizard pointed to the Gate while looking at the frightened prisoners. She didn¡¯t give them a detailed explanation nor did she call out to them desperately. Run away. This simple gesture made these prisoners immediately understand. They were puzzled by the appearance of that wizard, but seeing the Lycanthrope made it clear to them. They knew that they wanted to save them. -Bang! Bobooom! Bang! They were veteran Paladin. The Lycanthrope used its strong and agile body to fight off the Paladin who were escorting the prisoners, but some of them quickly strengthened their bodies using divine power to counterattack. All of them held the awe-inspiring titles of Survivors of the Demon World War. -Boom! Boom! However, the fire storm that surrounded them struck those that blocked the Lycanthrope¡¯s onslaught as if it were alive. The Paladin that got swallowed by the fire wouldn¡¯t die as they had protection spells cast on them, but they wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of there without help. There was a Lycanthrope strong enough to be able to destroy everything in its path with just a single charge and a highly skilled magician. But they were 200 veteran Paladin part of the Knights Templar. ¡°Let Als¡¯ protection descent on our swords and bodies!¡± -Flash! The Paladin, their swords and bodies wrapped in divine power giving of a tremendous amount of light, began to charge towards the wizard. There were only two of them. Even though they might have been somewhat surprised before, now they were enveloped in enormous protection magic. There was no way they would be defeated by only these two enemies. However. -Ruumble, rumble. Ruuuuumble! Suddenly something seemed to be growing larger and larger near the activated Gate. It grew bigger and bigger, slowly changing its form. -Rumble! Rumble! Something bizarrely inflated like a bubble about to burst, then it began to take the shape of a lizard with black scales. There was slight disbelief in the eyes of all Paladin who were rushing into battle. In the midst of this humongous Fire Storm, a winged lizard that was only supposed to exist in legends appeared. ¡°D, D¡­. Dragon?¡± -Rooooooaaaaaaaaar! The Lycanthrope¡¯s roar just now was nothing against this. A Dragon Roar, loud enough to blow one¡¯s ears away, paralyzed the Paladin. Chapter 69 At the southern end of the Empire, the border of the Kingdom of Kernstadt. Dyratanis Forest. I was facing a destroyed Warp Gate along with three demons and a total of 107 demon prisoners. Our rescue mission was successful. The destroyed Warp Gate was surrounded by a lush forest and there were no guards or back up to be found. This was an abandoned Warp Gate that didn¡¯t get maintained anymore to begin with. If we set our escape location as some large city, that would have been quite the headache, so we tried to escape to a Warp Gate that wasn¡¯t manned anymore. The Gate in front of the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters wasn¡¯t an Extra-large Gate, so it couldn¡¯t sent us that far away. Normal Gates, Large Gates and Extra-large Gates each had limitations in their movement distance. We had luck that the Gate in front of the headquarters was a Large Gate. Still, this was quite a distance away. After the operation ended successfully, Eleris broke the gate and teleported me here. ¡°Everyone has survived, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Great. Everyone did an excellent job.¡± Both Sarkegaar and Loyar were unharmed. The battle itself didn¡¯t actually last that long. The moment a dragon suddenly appeared, all the Knights Templar froze, overwhelmed with this absurd situation, while the prisoners ran through the Warp Gate with everything they got. If the battle had been prolonged, it was clear that all three of them would have been in grave danger. The prisoners who didn¡¯t quite understand this situation, held expressions switching between relief and fear. But it sure was strange. As a demon, I had horns and such, but neither the succubi nor the incubi had tails or horns. They didn¡¯t seem much different from humans. Well, that was that. [Quest completed ¨C Rescue the Demon Prisoners] [Number of rescued prisoners ¨C 107] [You have earned 5350 achievement points.] I used 2000 points to end up earning more than 5000 points. Sarkegaar, Loyar and Eleris began to untie the prisoners. First, I should introduce myself. ¡°I am Valier Jr. Although, since the previous king has departed from this world, you should refer to me as Valier now.¡± At those words, all the demon prisoners who seemed unsure at first, began to get on their knees one after the other. -Your Highness! -Your Highness! Numerous people began to bow down to me while shedding tears. It was as if they had found a single ray of hope at the moment where they thought everything was over. As such, everyone got on their knees, but there was one person who stayed upright. ¡°Valier¡­? You¡¯re Valier?¡± The woman who looked at me blankly seemed as if she doubted her own eyes. ¡°Co, could it be? Princess?¡± Seeing Sarkegaar¡¯s exceedingly shocked reaction surprised me even more. Princess? Didn¡¯t he say I was the only Arcdemon left in the world? * * * It soon became clear why Sarkegaar called her princess. ¡°She is the daughter of one of the former Four Heavenly Kings, Reina, the Succubus Queen.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. Is that so?¡± The Succubus Queen. The Four Heavenly Kings. I had no idea about the Demon King¡¯s side because I hadn¡¯t properly set it up, so I didn¡¯t even think about who the Four Heavenly Kings were supposed to be, of course. One of them seemed to be the Succubus Queen, and now her daughter somehow recognized me. On a surface level, it appeared like the Four Heavenly Kings¡¯ relatives were treated like royalty. This succubus, who didn¡¯t seem any different from a human, appeared to be of the same age as me. ¡­She also had pink hair. Pink hair? Seeing that in real life was hella weird. It¡¯s no like it didn¡¯t look good on her. It just felt¡­. Out of place? The succubus approached me while pulling at her clothes that seemed closer to rags and came to a hold in front of me. There was a mix of bewilderment and hesitation visible on her face. Was she nervous? ¡°¡­. Do you not recognize me? I¡¯m Airi. Don¡¯t you remember me?¡± The next Succubus Queen, who introduced herself as Airi, was stunned at me not recognizing her. ¡°His Highness almost lost all of his memories of the Demon Realm, Princess.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Why?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know either.¡± The pink-haired Princess seemed to be at a loss for words. The succubus, who called herself Airi, seemed very perplexed by Sarkegaar¡¯s answer. ¡°Did you know me? Although I do not know what kinds of memories you had with me, I¡¯m really sorry. I can¡¯t remember anything.¡± At those words, Airi, who was in front of me, as well as the numerours other succubi behind her held some weird expressions on their faces. What? What did I do to them? Were they glad I lost my memory? Airi rolled her eyes in confusion, but eventually nodded hesitantly. ¡°Whatever may have happened before¡­. Thank you for saving me. I didn¡¯t expect you to be alive, but¡­. I¡¯m glad¡­. That you¡¯re alive¡­.¡± Airi seemed to have thought that I died immediately on that day. Certainly, the way I ended up surviving was very pathetic. However, if it was the original Valier he wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything, but miserably shout ¡°Do you even know who I am?!¡± while getting his head chopped off. ¡°Good. Everything¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go over there and have a talk.¡± I took Airi to another part of the forest. I could feel her shyly following behind me. I didn¡¯t know what relationship she had with me before, but it certainly didn¡¯t seem like a good one. I felt like she was staring holes in my head. ¡°Like Sarkegaar said, I have lost all my memories of my time in the Demon Realm, and, to be honest, I don¡¯t feel like recovering them again. I apologize if I did anything to you.¡± I slowly got used to apologizing for things I don¡¯t even remember doing. However, Airi¡¯s eyes simply widened at my words. ¡°N, no¡­. That¡¯s¡­. You don¡¯t have to apologize to me. Ra, rather, I¡­.¡± Airi seemed very startled and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Ah, tha, that¡­. A, about that¡­.¡± What? Wasn¡¯t this flow different from the other times? Looking at it like this, she seemed very surprised that I actually saved her, right? She didn¡¯t keep staring at me because she was afraid of me, huh? Was it because she was sure that I would never come to save her? ¡°Did you bully me?¡± ¡°Ah, ah, that! That¡¯s! That!¡± That was right. I didn¡¯t know about the other guys, but I didn¡¯t think I bullied her. It was the exact opposite. ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Airi was so out of her mind, because she got saved by the kid she bullied in the past. * * * According to what Airi told me while trembling, we were something like childhood friends before the Demon World War broke out. To precise, she wasn¡¯t really my friend, but the kid in charge of me. It seemed like Airi would educate me through beating every time I acted like a bastard somewhere. Actually, this was only possible because we were both treated as royalty, even though we were of different races. So, whenever I saw Airi when I was on my own it seemed like I¡¯d book it or when I was next to the Demon King I¡¯d start trembling terribly. So we hated each other. Actually, I got beaten up by her all day long. Like I treated Loyar like a dog, it seemed like I got bullied a lot by the succubi. Every time Airi saw me she would beat me up. She probably was that strong because she was, different from the normal succubi, the descendant of the Succubus Queen. The Succubus Queen seemed to have been the number 2 of the Four Heavenly Kings. So, Airi was the daughter of the Demon Realm¡¯s Number 3. That meant that she was able to educate the Demon King¡¯s son when he was messing around. She had a very high status in the Demon Realm. Seeing as these titles were hereditary, I¡¯d become the Demon King and she¡¯d become the demon with the third highest rank. All of the Four Heavenly Kings died and Airi was taken prisoner after our defeat. And then she was saved by the Demon King¡¯s son, whom she thought would have already died, and had a bad relationship with since their childhood. So she seemed to find this situation hard to believe. Of course, she seemed to be convinced that I lost my memories to some extent. ¡°Let¡¯s leave what happened in the past behind us. I wouldn¡¯t want to take revenge on you anyway. Even if I don¡¯t quite remember how I was, I heard that I was someone who deserved to get beaten up.¡± ¡°Tha, that¡­.¡± Airi couldn¡¯t say anything to that. This sure made me wonder just how crazy I actually was. Still, seeing that she was the one in charge of me, it didn¡¯t seem to be that serious. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about this. Do you know the detailed composition of the prisoners here?¡± ¡°There are 85 Succubi, 15 Incubi, 2 Lycanthropes, 2 Doppelgangers and 2 Nightwalkers.¡± Most of them were succubi and incubi. I didn¡¯t quite know what Nightwalkers were, but all of them were humanoid demons. ¡°How about your strength? I heard that the humans have done something to you, but what did they do exactly?¡± At that, Airi closed her eyes. Just imagining it made her remember the pain. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Ah¡­. You said that you lost your memories, so could it be¡­.¡± Airi looked at me in disbelief that I couldn¡¯t tell just by looking at her. She eventually lifted her pink hair a bit after she recalled that I lost all my memories. I couldn¡¯t see it before because she was covering it with her long hair. There were hideous wounds at her temples as if something got ripped out from there. ¡°The humans¡­. Removed all of our horns and tails¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t like they simply didn¡¯t have any horns. In order to neutralize the succubi¡¯s and incubi¡¯s power, the humans forcibly removed their tails and horns. Tears were dripping down Airi¡¯s face when she remembered the disgrace she felt that day. Airi told me that the horns were usually the source of magical power for horned demons. That said, now that her horns were gone, Airi lost all her magical powers and all her growth potential. As a result, she also lost her racial skill. She lost all her abilities, such as absorbing spirit and entering other people¡¯s dreams. ¡°Wi, will they grow back¡­. Or are they gone for good?¡± ¡°They can grow back, but it takes a long time¡­ It would be the same as if I didn¡¯t have any to begin with. Not only that, the humans also took other actions.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Human wizards destroyed all our magic management facilities in our bodies. Even if our horns were to grow back, we wouldn¡¯t be able to use magic ever again¡­. That¡¯s how it is.¡± They were trying to sell absolutely safe toys to the wealthy and powerful. Therefore, while destroying their source of magical power they also made it impossible for them to ever manipulate magical power again. The wizards succeeded in completely neutralizing these prisoners. Although she was a high-ranking demon with the title of Succubus Queen, Airi lost all her strength and growth potential. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Valier¡­. We can¡¯t even fathom fully paying you back for saving us¡­. I¡¯m so grateful and I really want to help you in any way possible, but¡­. We¡¯ve all become useless¡­.¡± Airi looked down and started to cry. They all must have been demons with enormous powers. And among them, Airi, the Succubus Queen, had, or was very likely to have, the most power of them all. However, they had lost all their potential. So Airi seemed to feel guilty, knowing that she couldn¡¯t repay me for my help in any way. ¡°¡­¡­I didn¡¯t save you because of that though.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± At my words, Airi looked at me with a tear smeared face. ¡°I didn¡¯t save you because I planned on using you. I did it because I thought I could.¡± That was the truth. There was also the possibility to earn a ton of achievement points but that was only secondary. I had no interest in rebuilding the Demon Realm to begin with, but Eleris, Sarkegaar and Loyar wanted to save them so desperately, so I just told them how to do it. I wasn¡¯t interested in their powers enough to cause a riot in the middle of the Imperial Capital for just about 100 prisoners in the first place. It would be rather sad for them to have lost all their powers, but there was no reason for me to be disappointed about that. ¡°So, you guys can go back to the Darklands or whatever. My goal was to save you, so you don¡¯t have to be at my beck and call or something after this.¡± If they wanted to go back to the Darklands, Eleris would send them there using mass teleport. Airi was staring at me blankly for a long time. She never imagined she¡¯d ever hear me say something like that. Chapter 70 You don¡¯t have to be at my beck and call, so if you want to go back to the Darklands you can do that. After instructing Airi to deliver my message to all of the prisoners, I held a meeting with Sarkegaar, Eleris and Loyar in a secluded place. ¡°Everyone worked hard. No one got hurt, so we achieved the best result.¡± ¡°It is all thanks to your brilliant wit and bravery.¡± Sarkegaar sprinkled me with flattery again, while Eleris smiled. ¡°To be honest, we were lucky. They were frozen for quite a bit after they saw a dragon appearing in the middle of the raid.¡± ¡°That sure was surprising.¡± Sarkegaar took the form of a dragon, so it wasn¡¯t a real dragon that showed up. Dragons were legendary creatures to begin with, so there were no eyewitness accounts. He simply took the form of what people thought a dragon would look like. Dragons didn¡¯t exist, and even if they did exist, no one knew whether they¡¯d look the same as people imagined them to look like. If the Paladin awakened from their stupor a bit faster, some of the prisoners might not have been able to be rescued, or either Loyar or Eleris might have gotten seriously hurt or killed. I was terrified of what would have happened if I didn¡¯t use the Revise function to make sure everyone would be safe. Anyway, I was glad that it turned out the way it did. ¡°I heard you told the prisoners that they could decide where they would like to go themselves?¡± I nodded at Loyar¡¯s question. ¡°If they could go back to the Darklands and live in peace, that would be better. There¡¯s no need to overdo it.¡± Secretly infiltrating 100 people into the Capital wasn¡¯t something I could do at my level in the first place. They also lost their magic abilities. It was already difficult enough to protect myself, so it was impossible for me to protect them as well. Therefore, it would be best if they were to return to the Darklands, which was still relatively untouched by the humans. * * * After a while. After Airi told me that they were done talking among themselves, I returned to the place where the prisoners gathered. They all looked sad. They probably heard from Eleris and Sarkegaar what I was doing here. That I infiltrated the Imperial Capital and attended Temple to rebuild the Demon Realm. The Prince was plotting such a great thing in the middle of the enemy camp and they felt so pathetic that they couldn¡¯t help in the least. They felt like they were only a burden in their present state. ¡°Has everyone decided?¡± Airi nodded at my question. ¡°Almost everyone has decided to go back to the Darklands¡­.¡± We took the risk to save Airi and the rest, so they seemed apologetic that they couldn¡¯t do anything for us. She probably hated me a lot in the past, but she genuinely seemed sorry for having teased and bullied me. ¡°No need to be sorry. Forget about fighting and war. Just live peacefully.¡± As if they were touched by my consideration, they began to tear up. They would be sent deep into the Darklands where no human could touch them. Their pride as high-ranking demons disappeared along with their horns. There were other races here as well, but they seemed to have judged that they wouldn¡¯t be of any help to us either. It certainly seemed to be the much better option for them to live their lives freely in the Darklands than to live as slaves for humans. ¡°I shall prepare the spell then.¡± Eleris began preparing the mass teleport spell. It was night time and they were just that many. If she cast it twice, she should be able to teleport all of them to the Darklands. After about an hour or so, Eleris was able to send most of the prisoners to the Darklands. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I was staring blankly at those who were still left here. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys returning as well?¡± About 11 succubi, including Airi, remained here. They kept looking at me. No. She did tell me that almost all of them would return. Then that would mean that there were some who didn¡¯t want to return, huh? ¡°¡­We don¡¯t want to go back.¡± Airi spoke as their representative. ¡°¡­No, what do you want to do then, if you don¡¯t want to go back?¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t able to do much and we wouldn¡¯t be much help in a fight, but I¡¯m still a Royal of the Demon Realm. You¡¯re working so hard as well, Valier, so I can¡¯t just go back to the Darklands, forget about everything that happened and live comfortably.¡± Airi seemed to think that I, who had a dog-like personality before, was completely helpless hiding in the heart of the Empire, so she wanted to be of some help to me as a Royal of the Demon Realm. The other ten thought similarly. No, it seemed like they made up their mind. I knew that they really wanted to be loyal to me, and repay their debt to me, but what were they even going to do staying here? ¡°We have lost all our strength. I know we won¡¯t be of much help, but these bodies are the only weapons we have left to offer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­So what are you going to do?¡± Airi looked at me with determination radiating from her face. ¡°You need money to live in the Human Realm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And I know that sometimes huge amounts of money could pose a great threat to the Human Realm itself.¡± I didn¡¯t know if there would be a financial crisis in the Empire some time in the future, but there was no law that it wouldn¡¯t happen. So what was it she wanted to say? ¡°Doing business, Valier.¡± What did she mean by that? ¡°If we could achieve great commercial success and hold the Empire¡¯s gold coins in our hands, it would be of great help in restoring the Demon Realm.¡± ¡°Ooh, that¡¯s a great plan. As expected of Her Highness the Princess. I can¡¯t help but admire your wisdom.¡± I mean, she isn¡¯t wrong. Sarkegaar was nodding and responding as if her words were plausible enough. ¡°After re-establishing enough power, if we had a firm grasp on the Human Realm¡¯s money, we could win against the humans without fighting in a war. We could also divide the Empire and send it spiraling down into chaos. We have only used force up until now to fight wars, but this time we shall use any means available to us.¡± Listening to Airi¡¯s words, Eleris¡® expression became more and more complicated. It was an expression that seemed to shout ¡°No, what is that little brat saying to my kid?¡±. The Succubus Queen, a high-ranking demon, was advising me to first seize the monetary strength of the Empire to lead it to its demise. I get that she was trying to overthrow the Empire but wasn¡¯t that a rather unconventional advice? Rather than saying ¡°Let¡¯s destroy them with strength and magic!¡± she went ¡°Let¡¯s cause a great economic depression in the Empire!¡± instead. But in the end, she was right. However, what did that have to do with them not wanting to go back? ¡°Erm¡­ You¡¯re right. You¡¯re absolutely right, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯d be any good with commerce and finances. I¡¯m still attending Temple as well¡­ And as far as I know, commerce requires a huge amount of capital. We don¡¯t have that much money though.¡± There was nothing we could do but turn to crime or exploit Eleris¡¯ magic. I had no desire to do that though. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Airi pointed at herself and the remaining succubi, as if she had already thought about the capital issue. ¡°¡­What¡¯s with you?¡± ¡°If you sell us as slaves to humans, you¡¯d be able to make a lot of money. That money should be enough if you use it as capital¡­.¡± ¡°Huh? What kind of bullshit is this?!¡± I just saved you from becoming slaves, so why the hell are you telling me to sell you as slaves to get money? When I shouted at her, Airi cried out. ¡°Still, this is the best we can do for you! This is the only way we can be of use to you in this situation. Otherwise we are completely useless! If I can take revenge on the humans by throwing away my petty pride, I can do it hundred times over!¡± ¡°Frickin hell!¡± Perhaps because I told her that I forgot all about what I had done, Airi seemed willing to even die for this cause. ¡°Valier, we have made our decision. You don¡¯t have to worry. If it¡¯s for rebuilding the Demon Realm, tis but a cheap price to pay. So¡­.¡± -Your Highness! -Your Highness! Behind her, the succubi were calling out to me as if chanting. ¡°Shut up, you guys!¡± There was a limit to how much bullshit I could deal with. Regardless of whether I shouted at them or not, the succubi cried and begged me to sell them. This was driving me crazy. * * * After rescuing the succubi from the black market to the best of our abilities, they decided to become slaves again in the hopes of rebuilding the Demon Realm. Some of them returned, but there were 11, including Airi, who remained, trying to repay the kindness they received even if they had to do something like this, to become my starting point in seizing the Empire¡¯s finances for the reconstruction of the Demon Realm. Wasn¡¯t this just too weird, even if this story line was already crazy enough? They said that they want to sell themselves at a high price, raise capital for me, enabling me to seize the Empire¡¯s commercial sphere and create total chaos when we decide to go to war again. Of course, this was absolutely unacceptable. Sarkegaar did say that it would be a good idea, already moving the abacus in his head, but quickly shut his mouth when he saw that I was being serious. Apparently, they felt very desperate after having lost all their power, and seemed to have thought that this would be the only way they could be of any use to us. Considering Airi¡¯s words that we should have a firm grasp on the Empire¡¯s money, being able to shake their economy, this was certainly a very plausible scenario. Given that I was extremely gifted in commerce. Of course, I wasn¡¯t. I mean, I didn¡¯t even spare the stock market a single glance in my past life. I didn¡¯t have a single clue about all this. When I grew furious and told her that this would never ever happen, Airi began thinking of other ways. ¡°Then how about we all join a brothel and send you a certain amount of money every month? It won¡¯t be a huge sum, but still¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Why does your mind always wander into that direction?¡± Why was it like this? Was it because she was succubus? I thought I¡¯d rather die than get them to send me the money they earned after they sold themselves like this. Rather than accepting it, I¡¯d sent it right back to them. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you lost your horns and tails, but like this you wouldn¡¯t have much trouble fitting into human society. If you really want to help me, don¡¯t do things like that. The Capital is dangerous, so you have to keep your distance from it. For now you will need an identity.¡± Of course, I knew that succubi absorbed spirit to grow stronger through such actions, but weren¡¯t they made incapable of that? In that case, there would be no reason for me to earn money through these kind of things. ¡°Are we¡­. No good?¡± I sighed at her question. ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t know if that might come off as rude, considering you are succubi, but I really don¡¯t want you guys to do that kind of work, okay? And I don¡¯t even want to touch money earned like that. Being loyal and wanting to reconstruct the Demon Realm is good and all, but how could there be a Demon Realm without demons? There can be demons without the Demon Realm though. I really don¡¯t care if you leave and find your own way to live. You hear?¡± ¡°Well, Your Highness! If there is no Demon Realm, the demons as a¡­.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness¡­.¡± Sarkegaar tried to interrupted, but after I shouted at him he kept his silence, albeit appearing slightly crushed. The succubi began to shed tears again when I told them to find their own way to live happily, but they still wanted to remain loyal to me. Whatever I did was counterproductive. They just saw me as nothing more than a benevolent monarch, so no matter what I said it would only strengthen their loyalty towards me. No! I wasn¡¯t some benevolent monarch, I sincerely just wanted you guys to go on with your life! This was just too annoying! ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure what you can do, but I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something you can do well enough. How about driving wagons or carrying bricks?¡± I imagined a scene were the Succubus Queen was doing manual labor. Wasn¡¯t that even worse actually? No, I mean, it¡¯s true, right? ¡°But it would be very difficult to raise enough capital to take over the Imperial Financial World through such means¡­.¡± I had nothing to say to that. ¡°It¡¯s okay to do whatever you want as long as it¡¯s not these kinds of things. You could work in a bar, in an inn or start a transportation business, everything¡¯s fine.¡± Even just imagining the succubi becoming a continental transportation conglomerate made me almost laugh out loud, but there was nothing I could do about that. Airi kept her mouth shut and didn¡¯t open it again for a while, as if she was thinking about this. She said that she wanted to be useful to the best of her abilities, even at the risk of putting herself in harm¡¯s way, but she seemed really sad when I refused her like that. ¡°¡­Hmm¡­. Okay, Valier. I don¡¯t know how to do much else, but I¡¯d never do something you wouldn¡¯t like.¡± If I was the real Valier, I would feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment hearing my former bully say something like that in front of me. I, however, just felt really burdened by what Airi was doing. ¡°I will make sure to become someone who¡¯ll be able to help you in any way possible.¡± Seeing that expression on her face, saying that she would do anything I wanted her to do, made me feel insanely burdened because I felt like she would really do anything I asked her to do. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t be able to change her mind by force, so I had to find another way. I clearly knew that. But well. She¡¯s a succubus¡­. And a Queen at that¡­. That¡¯s. We¡¯re both something like royalty, so we would be of the same status¡­. Well¡­. Ah, I can¡¯t do that. I mean, I¡¯m still underage in this life! Chapter 71 I made Airi promise some things to me. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything dangerous until I tell you otherwise, and don¡¯t even think about starting anything without having a proper method to hide your identity from the humans¡±. The most important thing was getting an identity. Not in the Capital of the Empire or one of its Principalities, or any other large city, but in a rural place at the outskirts of some country. This part was provided by Loyar and Eleris. I didn¡¯t know what Airi would do from now on, but I was sure that she understood what I meant. Since Eleris was by my side, I was also able to go see her periodically using teleportation. ¡°You absolutely have to dye your hair.¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­, Yes.¡± Pink hair was just too much. She was at the black market, but there were surely some people who saw Airi. It was fortunate enough that she wasn¡¯t identified as the Succubus Queen¡¯s daughter. If she were, she wouldn¡¯t have appeared on the black market. Of course, only a few actually had seen a succubus before. Frankly speaking, even if she went to a city on the outskirts of the Empire, her identity wouldn¡¯t be revealed. No one would notice the marks left behind by the removal of her horns and tail unless she deliberately showed them to someone, and even if they were to see them, they¡¯d only appear like some severe wounds. No one would think that these were wounds left behind by removing horns and tails. ¡°First we have to decide where you should go¡­.¡± Airi was planning on raising money to seize the Financial World of the Empire. I honestly thought that this was quite impossible, but Airi seemed to need a goal for now. She needed something she could focus on to overcome her despair. That was why I was trying to think of something for her even though I didn¡¯t believe it was possible. Where could I send Airi to do business and her identity wouldn¡¯t be revealed? Let¡¯s think about that. ¡°First of all, it should be a place that housed a lot of travelers. If there are many people coming and going it wouldn¡¯t be considered weird if you guys suddenly appeared there.¡± Loyar nodded her head at my words. ¡°Yes, if they went to a small village where everyone knew each other, that might be rather suspicious. If we¡¯re talking about a place with a lot of travelers, that would probably be a trading hub.¡± Everyone agreed with Loyar. If it were city that served as a trading hub, it would be easy to do business there and it had a large floating population. Additionally, a trading city would be an important transportation hub as well. All cities with Extra-Large Warp Gates were playing that role. People who used Large Gates or Normal Gates usually flocked to these places. If we were to compare it to subway stations, an Extra Large Warp Gate was like a transfer station, so it naturally was crowded. In a nutshell, any place that held Extra Large Warp Gates would be a transportation hub. ¡°A place with an Extra Large Warp Gate would be very convenient. Places like that could be reached immediately after a person of the Empire passed through two or three other gates.¡± So I had to consider one possibility. ¡°Are there any maritime trading hubs that don¡¯t have any gates? Even a regular trading hub would be fine as long as they don¡¯t have any gates.¡± In the Empire, there was a huge number of Warp Gates, but that was only possible for the Empire. In the outskirts, there were many towns that didn¡¯t have any Warp Gates, and there still must be trade that depended on regular transportation using wagons. Of course, if there were no gates, the amount of money flowing around the city would be relatively small, but safety was our number one priority here. Right now we didn¡¯t have something like a Map of the Empire, so we couldn¡¯t make any judgements by looking at one. ¡°How about the Edina Archipelago?¡± Was there a place like that? I never wrote anything about it. There were many places like that so I wasn¡¯t actually surprised. It went without saying that I didn¡¯t know much about it. However, if it was an archipelago, it definitely was an island area. ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an island country beyond the southern waters of Kernstadt. I heard that their trade is only dependent on sea trade with Kernstadt, because it¡¯s too far away and there are no gates connecting them to the continent. I remember that there are gates connecting the islands together, but there are no gates connecting them to the main land.¡± ¡°It is an island¡­.¡± If so, even if her identity got discovered, it would take a long time until the Empire could begin their pursuit. It was a very distant country, so it was clear that they didn¡¯t have much interest in the Empire¡¯s internal affairs. The actual size of their economy might not be that large, but I didn¡¯t really want her to become a big player anyway, she just needed to have this awareness that she did something at least. ¡°What do you think?¡± As I was looking at her, Airi nodded. ¡°If the gates only connect to the other islands and foreign trade is conducted through ships, goods would be concentrated at the most prosperous port city on the islands. I¡¯m sure there would be a lot of people as well¡­.¡± I didn¡¯t know how big their population was, but if there were only a few people living there, it wouldn¡¯t be called a country. Airi nodded, saying that she could be at ease if we sent her there. However, I was still slightly worried. ¡°Will it really be okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She boldly said that she was willing to do anything. She looked about my age, so she was still a kid. I felt so bad for her that I felt like dying. And that wasn¡¯t why I asked if it would be okay. ¡°People in port cities tend to be rough, that¡¯s why I asked you.¡± A sailor would die if they weren¡¯t quick on their feet. So there were a lot of quick-tempered and rough people among them. It was basically a fact that there were a lot of gangsters near the shores where the goods gathered, but that affected the people living there as well, giving them no other choice but to adopt that rough behavior. I had no idea what kind of business they planned on opening there, but I believed they were very likely to go into the maritime trade. So the succubi would work as employees then? Just imagining it would make me think of many troublesome things coming their way. ¡°Aah¡­. We are only physically weakened for now. Although we won¡¯t be able to use magic anymore as our mana management facilities have been broken, our physical abilities will return soon.¡± It seemed like they were only weak for now, soon their strength would be restored. The other succubi also didn¡¯t seem to worry about that. ¡°Can you handle those people?¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± As if she knew what I was worried about, Loyar called out to me. ¡°Huh. What is it?¡± ¡°Well¡­. Put in different terms, Her Highness the Princess would be Your Highness¡¯ senior martial sister.¡± ¡°Senior martial sister?¡± Masters, disciples, senior martial brother, junior martial sister, senior martial sister. Was it that type of deal? Why did such a martial arts setting suddenly pop up? So did that mean she was older than me? Was I supposed to call her big sister or something? ¡°Yes. Your Highness and Her Highness both learned swordsmanship from Sir Larkan Simonstite, who was the first of the Four Heavenly Kings.¡± Who now? ¡°¡­¡­¡­Did we? But why can¡¯t I perform any type of swordsmanship at all? Is it because I lost my memory?¡± There was no sign of my body remembering any of that swordsmanship though? It was still called pseudo-swordsmanship in my status window. Of course it would be seriously weird for me to know any of that stuff because I didn¡¯t even have the original Valier¡¯s memory, but shouldn¡¯t there be at least something that had been ingrained into this body? Loyar shook her head with a firm look hearing my remarks. ¡°Even if you were to remember these days, you probably wouldn¡¯t gain any of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­So I was just loafing around and getting beat up all day?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Since I hadn¡¯t learned it properly to begin with, saying that I wouldn¡¯t be able to use swordsmanship even if I remembered those days was kind of harsh. Airi wore a vague expression on her face, hearing Loyar¡¯s words. It seemed like she had trouble overlapping the person she knew with the one I am today. ¡°So?¡± ¡°The Princess was an honor student on the other hand.¡± You¡¯re not even at a level where you could worry about her because she¡¯s on a completely different level. That was what Loyar was trying to tell me politely. ¡°So, even if you can¡¯t use your magic, you¡¯d still have enough power to give those bastards a beating?¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­. That¡¯s how it is¡­.¡± Although she was weakened at the moment, she was still the Succubus Queen¡¯s daughter and seemed to have been training her body all this time. I see. In fact, she was really good at fighting, so she must have beaten up this damn Valier a lot. Although we were taught by the same person, I just slacked off while Airi studied hard. So, even in this situation where she almost lost all her power she had at least one thing she could rely on. ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s do it like this, although it¡¯s a bit unfortunate that we don¡¯t have the means to contact each other in case of an emergency, but that¡¯s a small price to pay to avoid the Empire pulling anything.¡± I had no idea what they were capable of doing, but I hoped that they just would be able to live happily without getting caught. Considering my conduct at Temple, that¡¯s definitely not a path I could take anymore. For the time being, I decided to let Eleris take care of the ten succubi and the Succubus Queen. We would need some basic capital as well so Loyar also decided to send Eleris. Eleris started casting mass teleport to send me, Sarkegaar and Loyar back. ¡°The atmosphere of the Capital will soon tense up. You¡¯d better return to Temple right away.¡± I nodded at Eleris words. Eleris, who could do so many things with her magic, was also leaving for a bit to help out Airi. It would be best to just return to Temple and lay low. Airi looked at me with an expression displaying a complicated mix of emotions. Then she carefully opened her mouth. ¡°It is said that people show their true face when they are in a crisis.¡± ¡®People¡¯ refered to all humanoid intelligent beings, so it was not wrong to refer to me as ?People¡®. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°You said that you lost your memory¡­. That would mean that this is your true face.¡± Airi looked at me with a smile on her face, and placing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then you absolutely deserve to be our King.¡± Perhaps she just finished her re-evaluation of me in her mind, so Airi seemed to trust me. Someone I didn¡¯t even know who bullied and hated me ended up trusting me. Perhaps because the end result was the only thing that mattered to me, I felt quite good about that. Airi was the Succubus Queen, so depending on her growth, she could become a strong ally. However, she did say that she lost all her growth potential. I got one more ally, but I can¡¯t tell if I¡¯m happy about that or not. ¡°I was told you were my senior martial sister.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. Yeah. Although we didn¡¯t really have that many lessons together.¡± We shared the same teacher and we were both part of the Demon Realm¡¯s Royalty as well. ¡°Take good care of yourself. If anything happens, tell me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡° We didn¡¯t actually come from the same place, and she wasn¡¯t actually my childhood friend, but just knowing that she shared some memories with this body¡¯s former owner made me want to get along with her. * * * After hearing rumors about demons getting sold on the black market, we tried rescuing them and finally managed to save 107 demons. Among them was the daughter of the Succubus Queen who was Royalty same as me. Without my intervention, Airi would have ended up leading a miserable life. However, in the end, Airi couldn¡¯t be of any help to me so she tried doing something on her own. As such, Airi took off to do business in the port city of the Edina Archipelago south of Kernstadt, unknown to even me, the writer. The ending of this incident ended up being slightly boring. If I were to get my hands on an Elixir with which I could restore Airi¡¯s condition, things would be slightly different. Of course, I didn¡¯t know if I would ever get one of these. I had no clue what kind of existence the Succubus Queen was, but she was one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Realm. Even Eleris, who had overwhelming magical power, wasn¡¯t part of the Four Heavenly Kings. That might have meant that Airi¡¯s potential was far greater than Eleris¡¯. Of course, Airi seriously seemed to want to rebuild the Demon Realm, but I just really hoped to get one more strong person under me before the Gates eventually appeared. When that happened, it wouldn¡¯t matter whether one was a demon or a human. In the end, I got the Succubus Queen as my ally after this whole ordeal. She would travel to a place with no Gate connecting to the mainland in sight, so I could only meet her through Eleris, however, I felt more relieved that she would be in a safe place rather than feeling inconvenienced. The next day. I was listening to the superintendent¡¯s instructions along with the others who decided to stay behind. ¡°As for now, all students are prohibited from going out of Temple until instructed otherwise. If there are any people returning from outside, let them know as well.¡± In this chaotic situation, Temple issued a ban on going out. Shortly after the Victory Festival started, a terrorist incident presumed to be caused by demons occurred within the Imperial Capital. There were no fatalities, but the Knights Templar were attacked in the middle of the night and many saw a huge firestorm illuminating the night sky. Those who had already returned to their home didn¡¯t know about this piece of news, however, if they were to return they wouldn¡¯t be allowed to leave Temple until this case was settled. Therefore, there weren¡¯t many remaining inside of Temple. What I caused was rather abnormal, and I fully knew that. I pretty much expected what would happen next. ¡°The whole festival has been canceled.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This is just too abnormal.¡± Kayer nodded his head at Kono Lint¡¯s words. The Victory Festival should have lasted for the whole month, according to the original. However, it ended now after only a few days. It was only natural that the people who gathered here were overcome with a sense of fear by this sudden act of terrorism. During this grand festival celebrating the annihilation of the demons, something like that happened in the middle of the Imperial Capital. This was worse than smearing shit all over the Emperor¡¯s face. The Empire would do everything to track down those demons that had fled through a Warp Gate. This would lead to information about the black market coming to light. The truth that there were people trying to open up a secret auction with some prisoners of war they stole as merchandise, and some other demons tried to rescue their captured brethren. The Empire, that only mentioned that demons were able to infiltrate the Capital and that they should get destroyed, tried to sell them as sex slaves. I was the one who smashed the honor of the Empire to pieces. The atmosphere in the Empire would quickly turn into a grievous one, and it would stay that way for quite some time. [Achievement earned ¨C Deviation from the Original] [Due to your actions the main story has been changed] [You have earned 500 Achievement Points.] Along with those changes came some achievement points. The main story had been changed. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what that meant. The grand festival that took place in the Imperial Capital was more like a background setting, not really part of the main story. The main storyline was what Ludwig experienced and went through during the Festival, as I mentioned before. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that there were demons inside of the Imperial Capital¡­.¡± I could hear that Ludwig¡¯s nervous voice. ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­.¡± And B-9, Delphine Izadra, was muttering in fear. My actions caused the Temple students to get locked up in here, so the ¡®Delphine Izadra Kidnapping¡¯ event completely disappeared. Chapter 72 Originally, right now was supposed to be the Festival period, so Ludwig should have been so excited that he and his best friends, Number 9 and 10, Delphine Izadra and Lanian Sesor, decided to roam around the whole Festival area. Then they would have eventually lost Delphine in the crowd. Later they would find out that Delphine, who they thought just got separated from them, actually got kidnapped by a powerful gang. Ludwig would report this to the guards, however completely disregarded their order to wait at Temple, and would go around looking for Delphine together with Lenian Sesor. Ludwig would find the bad guys after some time and fought them to save his friend. And he somehow ended up dishing out a huge blow loaded with spirit that sent all of them flying. Ludwig, who was last ranked, didn¡¯t have that much confidence in himself, even though he was part of the Royal Class. However, this beginning part, after he studied a bit at Temple, was supposed to display that he was incomparably strong, completely different from ordinary people. In fact, Ludwig had a great physical talent, so he was quite athletic and strong. The kidnapping of a Temple student was still equal to a disaster, but I wrote this improbable development to showcase that Ludwig was really strong. Anyway, I thought it was quite fortunate that one of those stupid developments I created disappeared because of my actions. I really didn¡¯t want Delphine to go through this horrible experience. Of course, Delphine was already pretty close to Ludwig, but this event made them grow even closer. Anyway. That was a pretty bizarre experience. Delphine had no idea that she was actually about to be abducted, nor did she know that she was spared from that because of a different outlandish incident. She was just afraid that some demons caused a massive terrorist attack on the Imperial Capital. I didn¡¯t want to sound condescending, but wasn¡¯t it actually me who saved her? However, I was the only one who knew that. It was quite the subtle feeling. Anyway, Temple was drenched in a somber atmosphere because that huge incident happened in the Capital. The scenery outside would be in an even more grievous state. It was also clear as day that the Emperor was probably more than furious as well. * * * ¡°This means the Demons weren¡¯t completely destroyed.¡± ¡°Could it be that an even stronger Demon King is hiding somewhere? Nothing like that ever happened during the war.¡± The next morning. The children were competing who had the wildest imagination. They were only children, but for the adults this had other implications. It was obvious that they hadn¡¯t completely annihilated the Demon Realm, and just this level of terrorism was enough to throw the Capital into great chaos. This action of rescuing some prisoners consequently made the humans aware that now wasn¡¯t the time to celebrate a victory, but to be wary of the Demon Realm¡¯s remnants. Was this a good thing or did this doom the Demon Realm completely? However, this was the choice Sarkegaar, Eleris, Loyar, and I made. Although we were able to rescue 107 demons, as a result we greatly stimulated the humans¡¯ vigilance. There were a total of 6 people left in the Class A dormitory. Number 2, Ellen Artorius Number 3, Liana de Grantz Number 7, Adelia Number 8, Kono Lint Number 10, Cayer Vioden And me. Everyone except Number 3 were commoners, who didn¡¯t have a reason to go back home. In Number 3¡¯s case, her family had a mansion in the Imperial Capital, as such she returned home every Friday. So, despite this long break, she came back to Temple yesterday. Since there was a terrorist attack on the Capital, the Grantz Family probably thought that it would be better for her to return to Temple, which would be much safer than staying in the mansion. That was why this girl didn¡¯t seem to be in such a good mood. She was supposed to be resting in her mansion, but was forced to go back to school. Of course, the vacation would continue, so there would be nothing to do at Temple. Ellen was training as per usual, no matter if a terrorist attack broke out in the Capital or not, and I joined her. After sparing for quite some time, with my sword ending up clattering on the gym floor again, I flopped down on the ground exhausted. As Ellen quietly looked at me, she asked me something. ¡°Why did they do that?¡± I tilted my head at her question. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The demons. Why did they do that?¡± Ellen didn¡¯t really talk about this matter before, but she seemed to have some doubts. Just why would the demons attack the Imperial Capital? She held such curiosity. Our usually insensitive Ellen wouldn¡¯t pay much attention to such events, but she seemed to be curious on the inside. ¡°H, how should I know?¡± The fact that the demons were doing this to rescue their brethren who were about to be traded away on an auction wasn¡¯t known by many people. If that truth were to be revealed later, that would cause some serious waves. Come to think of it, that would be the case. It¡¯s highly likely that the truth would never come to light. ¡°I just don¡¯t know why they would fight the Knights Templar.¡± The Knights Templar were like a natural enemy to demons. Of course, not all demons would be affected by their powers, but all undead type demons were insanely vulnerable to divine power. In fact, Eleris, a vampire, was fighting her most powerful natural enemy. ¡°If they wanted to take revenge, shouldn¡¯t they have attacked a different place if they were able to infiltrate the Capital?¡± Ellen had quite many doubts. She didn¡¯t understand why the demons decided to attack the Knights Templar, because Ellen didn¡¯t know about the demon prisoners. As such, her question was valid. Most people, however, wouldn¡¯t even think about that. Because in their eyes, demons were simply evil. Just by believing in that single sentence most people gave up thinking about such matters. However, Ellen was putting herself in the demon¡¯s shoes, treating them as intelligent beings the same as humans. Ellen was raising a valid question. If they wanted revenge, it probably would have been better if they attacked the Emperor instead of the Knights Templar. ¡°I think they know something we don¡¯t.¡± Ellen believed that the demons had some purpose rather than just being angry at their actions. They had no reason to attack the Knights Templar. She was convinced that they had a hidden reason why they did something like that. In the end Ellen, who didn¡¯t seem to hate the demons nor choose to simply dismiss these events, inferred that they must have had a reason for all this. If I really were a Demon Prince dreaming of rebuilding the Demon Realm, this would have been the moment where I realized that Ellen had to be eliminated. She was dangerous. She wasn¡¯t an enemy that feared us or despised us, but an enemy that tried to understand our actions. ¡°If they had something like that, it would be revealed soon.¡± But honestly, the only thing I thought was that she was pretty smart. Come to think of it, I was quite weird. I was disqualified as a human being because I led the demons to terrorize the Imperial Capital. And I was also disqualified as a demon because the only thing going through my head while watching humanity¡¯s strongest hero growing more and more dangerous was that she was really smart. I couldn¡¯t believe that I wasn¡¯t qualified to stand on any of these sides. Just what am I even doing? * * * As there were still vacations and the school banned its students from going out, my routine like daily life continued. I did nothing but train with Ellen constantly. I ate breakfast after doing my early morning training, I ate lunch after my morning training, I trained more after lunch and even more after dinner before having some late night snacks. I didn¡¯t conduct my supernatural power training separately. The more one used a supernatural power, the more familiar one got with it, and I was training with Ellen, who could blow me away even if I used my power to its fullest. In other words, sparing with Ellen was already more than enough, so I didn¡¯t have to train my supernatural ability separately. Strictly speaking, I was somewhat familiar with these self-made voluntary routines. Most people had to continue this involuntary routine of going to work and returning home. It was somewhat passive, and yet compulsory. However, as a writer, I had to continue writing even though no one was forcing me to. The result was, well¡­ We see the result here. Even though it was like that, I still wrote it voluntarily though. So, I had the mental fortitude to continue this, even if no one asked me to do it. Writing just got replaced with daily physical training. However. Although I was fine with this routine, I sometimes felt like I was about to go crazy. Even though the outside world was thrown into chaos, destruction and despair because of the terrorist attack by the demons, inside Temple everything was calm and silent, as if we were in a different world. So even I, who caused this incident, almost forgot about it. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you bored?¡± So, the day before our regular school life would start again, on Sunday morning, I muttred as I looked at Ellen. I thought of myself as pretty patient, but she trained everyday as if it was the most natural thing in the world. I was doing it for quite some time as well, but didn¡¯t people need a break from time to time? ¡°?¡± Ellen, who was stretching in the lobby in preparation for her early morning training, tilted her head. Of course, there were many people in Royal Class besides us who would do some early morning training, but the majority of students weren¡¯t here, and there were only a few around as it was still vacation time. Ellen was one of those few people who were exercising every morning. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything you like to do on your days off? Is it working out? I hit the nail on the head, didn¡¯t I?.¡± ¡°Which nails?¡± I frowned at her counter question that had almost nothing to do with what I was asking. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± ¡°If you want to do it, follow me, otherwise don¡¯t.¡± Ellen started running as if she wasn¡¯t going to take part in this useless conversation, so I just followed Ellen. ¡°Hey!¡± Originally, I did my early morning training with Adriana, but that church sister had returned to the monastery of the Saint-Owan Principality. She¡¯d probably be back sometime this evening. Hence why I followed behind Ellen right now. Actually, I was just testing myself to see if I could keep up with that girl¡¯s pace. I made myself believe that I was a monster with insane stamina, activating my supernatural power. I certainly wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep up with her if it was a few months back, but we weren¡¯t sprinting, so I was able to run alongside her for quite some time. My physical strength had improved quite a lot, and it had improved even more thanks to my supernatural ability. That was some remarkable growth. ¡°Guys! Good luck today as well!¡± -Whoosh! Then Ludwig passed by me and Ellen in a flash. I knew that he wasn¡¯t trying to tease us, I knew better than anyone else that he was just a guy full of energy. You couldn¡¯t find anyone as genuine as him in either of the classes! ¡°¡­¡­Isn¡¯t that guy a bit too bubbly?¡± ¡­¡­It was bitter. I knew that he didn¡¯t mean anything by this, but it still felt uncomfortable. The writer was talking behind his main character¡¯s back. What kind of situation was this? The character I set up was the generic protagonist type: Kind, brave and unable to ignore injustice. What¡¯s more, he was right in front of me. ¡°¡­¡­A little.¡± I clearly heard Ellen mutter this as softly as she could. Right? I wasn¡¯t the weird one, right? Chapter 73 ¡®Quite frankly, I believe that we should play around just for today. It¡¯s the last day of our vacation, you know? Even if you¡¯re finished growing, you¡¯ll end up losing hair with each passing day if you keep this up, you know? Do you know how scary that is?¡¯ ¡®Losing hair?¡¯ ¡®Yeah, man. If you exercise too hard they will fall off. Your hair roots are more important than your life. Just go along with me before you end up regretting it.¡¯ ¡®Are you losing hair?¡¯ ¡®No, I¡¯m not! Absolutely not! Never in my life I shall suffer from that! This is called preemptive measures! You¡¯ll thank me later on.¡¯ After our Sunday morning training, I dragged Ellen out to Main Street. It didn¡¯t seem like she believed my talk about losing hair and all that. It just felt like she simply gave up. Still, in the past, she wouldn¡¯t let me grab her like this and would¡¯ve just flat out rejected me, but seeing her reluctantly following me, I felt like we got a little closer. Anyway, people needed a change of scenery from time to time. No matter how I looked at it, I was much worse than Baron Ashura. Looking back on the week, I caused a terrorist incident in the Capital and just a few days after I was whining to my classmate in Temple that I wanted to go out to play on the weekend. Just what am I doing? ¡°What do you want to eat? My treat.¡± Since we had skipped our lunch at Temple, we decided to go eat something first. We were forbidden from going out of Temple, so we could only move in the proximity of it. ¡°Not Cheonggukjang.¡± Ellen answered right away, because she knew, if she didn¡¯t say anything, I¡¯d drag her to eat that hellish thing again. No, did she hate it that much? ¡°I thought you liked cheonggukjang though?¡± ¡°I only ate it because it was in front of me.¡± ¡°How shocking¡­.¡± It looked like she didn¡¯t actually like it. How strange. I could have sworn that she did. Of course, that might also be, because she hadn¡¯t eaten it enough yet. Sheesh. It seemed like it would still take some time to turn this girl into an enthusiast. ¡°Then, do you mean to say that anything would be fine if it isn¡¯t choenggukjang?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like eating weird things.¡± Ellen cut me off again while looking straight at me. On Tuesday, I took swordsmanship classes along with Ellen, so we tended to have lunch together. So, every time she made me recommend something, I¡¯d pick something strange, causing her to go through some hardships while eating. A typical example would be durian. I didn¡¯t know why, but they had it here. After eating a bit of it, Ellen dumped it on the street, which was unlike her. Then she held onto a wall and slapped it. ¡°Why, these are all important experiences.¡± There should be some stinky tofu around here, so I really wanted to feed it to her. ¡°No. You only like weird things.¡± It wasn¡¯t that I especially liked eating weird things, I just enjoyed watching your reaction while eating these things. Seriously, if I were to eat this stuff continuously, I think I would get nauseous. ¡°I just want to eat some meat.¡± In the end, Ellen decided that she couldn¡¯t leave this to me, so she chose what she wanted to eat. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve finally managed to get over your problem of deciding for yourself for once.¡± I acted as if I was actually trying to teach her a lesson on making choices for herself. Ellen eventually took the lead without acknowledging my words, probably thinking they were nonsense. * * * ¡°I¡¯m satisfied.¡± ¡°Then eat more¡­.No, no. You can¡¯t.¡± When I reflexively told Ellen to eat more 400-gram sirloin steak, I quickly denied it again. If she ate any more, I feared that my pocket money would run out. ¡°Eating more than ten plates is seriously crossing the line.¡± This store was one with a fairly high price range among the stores on Main Street. Even if we got quite a decent amount of pocket money, to feed that girl you would have to be ready to rob a bank or something. Ellen seemed mildly sullen. Of course, she seemed the same in other people¡¯s eyes though. In fact, she was actually surprisingly easy to read. ¡°Ah, fine! But just one more!¡± ¡°Then, a Porterhouse Steak.¡± ¡°¡­There sure are a variety of dishes.¡± It was a mistake to invite her to eat out. * * * ¡°Going by the consensus, dessert is on you. That¡¯s an unwritten rule.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ellen, who absolutely destroyed those steaks I bought for her so that she wouldn¡¯t get grumpy, nodded gently at my words as we were on our way to get dessert. On Main Street, there were not only restaurants but also cafes and various entertainment facilities. Even though I set it up like this, I never described what kind of stores there were in detail, except a select few. There were a lot of them though. -Klang! And for some reason there were some places from which I could hear sounds one would expect coming from batting grounds. No, were they actually batting grounds? What did they replace the pitching machine with? Was it maybe a type of pitching machine that ran on magic stones, the explanation for everything? Ah, well, then it would be understandable enough. It wasn¡¯t just that. -Pang! At first I wondered what that sound was, but it actually came from bows. -Bullseye! It seemed like shooting games except that they used bows instead of guns. There also seemed to be some that used darts. Ah, just what was the difference between these stores and the ones in modern times? I guess it ended up like this because of my lack of imagination. Ah, this was all on me. Every time I remembered that I was stuck in a world of the bizarre modern Fantasy medieval times genre, I felt a tingling in the back of my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll find any here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡± We were looking for a dessert shop, not for an entertainment facility. As I was about to retrace my steps, I heard a voice that seemed somewhat familiar. -N, no! Ah. That¡¯s not right! Why! One could hear a hoarse voice of someone very angry coming from a nearby store. I could only see her back, so I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what she was doing, but she seemed to be struggling to pull back a bowstring, shaking pretty badly. -Peck! ¡°Ah! I missed!¡± It wasn¡¯t all that easy to pull back a bowstring without properly knowing how to use a bow. This just seemed like she was wasting her money. When I got closer and saw her face, I immediately felt like I knew her. ¡°Hey, senior.¡± ¡°U, urgh!¡± The little girl was startled when someone suddenly called out to her, immediately missing her target. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Y, you¡­. You?¡± It was Redina, a small senior I had some history with. ¡°Did you come here to play all on your own? What about your older brothers and sisters?¡± She seemed to be wandering around all alone. If someone were with her, they wouldn¡¯t have let this little girl struggle with this bow like that. It really seemed quite pitiful. At my words, Redina exclaimed. ¡°They aren¡¯t my older siblings, they are my friends!¡± ¡°Ah, why are you shouting like that?¡± Anyway, I felt sorry towards her for various things. Adriana told me that she was actually a very soft-hearted person and that she was really worried about me getting hurt during that duel. I really wanted to apologize to her, but I just didn¡¯t get the chance to do that up until now. I never imagined I¡¯d meet her in a place like this. When I got closer to find out what she was doing, she seemed to be at a shooting game that seemed more like an archery range than anything. Simply put, to get a prize one had to gather points by hitting targets. That part was the same. However, the targets were pretty far away, so I thought that that little kid would not be able to hit these. Maybe after 2 years. ¡°¡­No, I mean, you knew this was going to happen, so why did you get mad?¡± ¡°What!¡± She knew that she wasn¡¯t able to do this, but this girl still clenched her teeth. However, the owner who let her do it without blinking an eye also seemed rather problematic. Looking at the prizes, they all seemed to be dolls. What was up with this? ¡°I don¡¯t care what you say, so don¡¯t bother me and go away.¡± Redina pushed me away, telling me to not annoy her. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what you actually want, I could try helping you out, you know?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hearing these words, Redina¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m sorry for what I did last time. Honestly, I also heard a lot about you from Adriana. I tried to apologize to you, but I hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to do that yet. So, to apologize for what I said to you, I want to help you out.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Are you good at archery?¡± I wasn¡¯t all that good, but I was confident that I was more skilled than her. Redina sighed and handed me the bow. ¡°Which one do you want?¡± ¡°That one.¡± Redina was pointing towards a bear-shaped stuffed toy. When I asked her what prize she was aiming for she immediately pointed to it, like a real child. Anyway, it was pretty big, but¡­. ¡­¡­It was the 1st prize. ¡°Ah. Well.¡± I bought a ticket and pulled the bowstring. I am an archery genius. -Peng! Of course, it didn¡¯t go like I wanted it to. * * * One had to shoot 10 arrows and hit the 100-point target 10 times to get the maximum points of 1000. So, what Redina was aiming for was an item that could only be obtained with said maximum score. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­How are you different from me?¡± I scored 120 points in total for which one could only get the most basic prize. It wasn¡¯t much different from 0 points. Redina couldn¡¯t pull the bowstring properly. At least I knew how to do that, but the score was just too high a hurdle. If I didn¡¯t have my ability, I wouldn¡¯t even have hit any of the targets. This was my first time ever using a bow, so I¡¯d like to think that just hitting some targets was a great accomplishment. ¡°Ehem! Well¡­. Seems like it didn¡¯t go so well, huh?¡± ¡°What? Were you showing off?¡± Redina held an attitude as if she were better than me, saying I was just showing off. ¡°This was just the warm up, I¡¯ll get serious now, okay?¡± I bought a ticket from the owner again. ¡°I said I¡¯d get it for you, but I never said I¡¯d be the one to shoot.¡± I never thought I¡¯d be able to get enough points for the 1st place prize to begin with, no matter how many times I tried. ¡°Hey. Show it to us.¡± ¡°?¡± I boldly passed the bow over to Ellen. * * * -Puk! ¡°¡­¡­Wow.¡± Redina opened her eyes wide, staring blankly at the tenth arrow to hit the 100-point target. ¡°¡­¡­Woah.¡± I had a similar reaction. ¡°¡­¡­Huh.¡± Even the boss was perplexed. She only sloppily looked at the targets and lightly pulled the bowstring a few times, but every time she let go, the arrow would always strike the 100-point-target without fail. ¡°Have you used a bow before?¡± ¡°Not that much.¡± Her talent included the mastery of all weapons. How could she just say that she didn¡¯t use a bow that often while getting a perfect score here? Wasn¡¯t this just a scam? The targets weren¡¯t even that close. The boss handed Ellen a large teddy bear, which was the first place prize, while looking slightly disheartened. ¡°Hey, student. Pros shouldn¡¯t do something like this. I¡¯ll give you the first place prize this time, but there won¡¯t be a next time, understood?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes .¡± I could understand the boss¡¯ remark, because if someone with an archery talent would come here every day, that would ruin this stand. Of course, Ellen didn¡¯t actually have an archery talent. Ellen took the teddy bear that was almost as big as herself and stood there. Redina was staring at the teddy bear and Ellen who was holding it. She seemed extremely envious. Ellen silently handed the large teddy bear to Redina. ¡°H, huh? You¡¯re giving it to me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°W, woah! Thank you! You¡¯re a good kid!¡± Ellen was respectful to Redina, as she was still our senior. Redina seemed very moved, holding that teddy bear larger than her own body. She had to waddle around to carry it, but she seemed delighted. ¡°Hey, I was the one who paid for this, so shouldn¡¯t you pay me back?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Right.¡± Redina looked at me with something close to contempt. She seemed ready to throw the toy away because of my arrogant words. ¡°You have all sorts of problems, but the biggest problem about you is that you don¡¯t know when to shut up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my biggest problem? Only that? Well, thank you for that compliment.¡± Redina was happy that she finally received this gift, but her face turned red again as I teased her a bit. Only for a moment though. Redina looked at Ellen with twinkling eyes. ¡°That! Hey, junior, aren¡¯t you good at that as well?¡± ¡°?¡± What Redina was pointing at was a dart stand on the other side. I didn¡¯t know what the first prize was, but it probably was something similar to this stuffed toy. Ellen nodded her head slightly as if she had no other choice. No, these brats. ¡°Now, how are you going to carry another teddy bear of that size?¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s¡­.¡± Just holding one of them made her look extremely pathetic, but if she added one more, how was she supposed to get them back to her dormitory room? Of course, I could carry it for her, but that would be rather annoying. ¡°Never mind that, let¡¯s go get some sweets.¡± ¡°Oh! My stuffed toy!¡± I grabbed the teddy bear Redina was holding and tied it to her side. * * * We sat down at a nearby cafe. We each chose a drink and a dessert. The table was filled with sweets, from cakes to macarons to ice cream. Ellen was originally supposed to treat me, but I decided to pay, because Redina was now with us. I ordered black tea. Redina trembled after eating a little cake. Ellen didn¡¯t really react much, but as always, she diligently began to devour everything. I didn¡¯t really touch the desserts, only sipping on my black tea. Redina looked at me as if I did something weird. ¡°Do you like that?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s so-so.¡± I didn¡¯t know much about the taste of tea, but I still ordered some black tea. They also had coffee, but I didn¡¯t want to drink that. Redina opened her mouth slightly, tasting a bit of the tea, saying it didn¡¯t taste good at all. ¡°If that tea is just so-so, why aren¡¯t you eating anything?¡± ¡°Black tea is fine, but I really don¡¯t like sweets.¡± I hated sweets, but I was fine with black tea, hence I only ordered black tea. Redina looked at me as if I was some weird animal. ¡°If you don¡¯t like sweets, why did you come to this place for desserts?¡± ¡°I¡¯m treating you two. You seem to really like these sweet things after all.¡± Redina narrowed her eyes a bit. She seemed to be a little touched by the fact that I bought them what they liked even though I absolutely hated sweets. ¡°I don¡¯t really like sweet things either.¡± I snorted at Ellen¡¯s words. ¡°Welp, even if you don¡¯t really like sweet things, it wouldn¡¯t matter to you anyway. You just love eating too much.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What? Can¡¯t refute because I¡¯m right?¡± Although she didn¡¯t like sweets all that much, she ate the most out of all of us. Redina was also eating some with little bites, but she could only stare blankly at Ellen who was eating without resting. ¡°Junior. You¡¯ll gain a lot of weight like that.¡± Ellen responded plainly to Redina¡¯s slightly worried comment. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± At this answer that would make anyone angry, Redina stared at her with a firm expression on her face. Is it because she was still young? She seemed like she was thinking something like that. ¡°I have no idea what kind of constitution she has, but she¡¯s a crazy person that does nothing but work out all day, so she wouldn¡¯t gain any weight.¡± ¡°Aah¡­. She has a combat talent. I thought so. And why do you keep pushing back¡­. No. Never mind.¡± Redina shook her head as if she had to admit that she wouldn¡¯t get a straight answer out of me. ¡°I just wanted to say I¡¯m sorry.¡± When she brought up the main point, Redina sighed as if she was about to bow. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I won the duel anyway, so what¡¯s there to apologize?¡± After I won that ridiculous duel I already put everything past me, and Redina also didn¡¯t seem to want an apology. Then she started to laugh bashfully. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t like you either, but I like him even less.¡± Mayarton, the one who dueled with me, certainly didn¡¯t seem to have a good reputation. So it seemed that Redina was extremely exhilarated at my victory. ¡°Was he that bad?¡± ¡°It was that senior who forced me to go educate you guys. I don¡¯t even want to say anything more about him. I really don¡¯t.¡± He forced Redina, who was soft-hearted and the youngest, because she skipped a few grades, to go discipline her juniors. No, I was told that she wasn¡¯t able to even utter a single bad word to anyone, but she asked me if I was a pervert or something with great ease. Wasn¡¯t that too much? Of course, I couldn¡¯t complain, because I did do some pretty dirty things. ¡°By the way, how old are you?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m 15.¡± Of course, there was a huge age gap between her and her classmates as she skipped a few grades, but she was even 2 years younger than her juniors. She was 15. I¡¯m living among these children. I once again realized that I was living among children a lot younger than my previous self. ¡°What¡¯s your major?¡° ¡°Oh¡­. You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I would know if you told me before.¡± Just what the heck made it possible for her to skip 3 grades? ¡°My major is magic.¡± Her major was magic. Saying that, Redina held out her hand. And then, a small flame rose from her palm. Suddenly, the flame jumped from her hand with no further warning. ¡°¡­¡­You have a supernatural power, don¡¯t you?¡± Like Pyrokinesis? ¡°No. It¡¯s magic.¡± -Crackle! Crackle! The small flame disappeared making way for small sparks splashing from her palms. Ellen was also staring blankly at Redina¡¯s palm. ¡°What is¡­. this?¡± Without any warning, flames and electric sparks rose from her palms, and this time, she lifted the spoon in front of her without touching it. What was that? Multiple supernatural powers? Was there something like that? ¡°This is all magic, as I said.¡± Redina smiled as she took the spoon out of the air, scooped up a bit of her cake with it and put it in her mouth. A magic-related talent. ¡°They say it¡¯s called ¡®No casting¡¯.¡± It was then that I realized why it seemed like she was using multiple supernatural powers at once. She didn¡¯t cast to use that magic. Of course, this was only the lowest level of magic, and any high ranking wizard could activate such spells without casting, but she would be able to even use highest level magic without casting later on. What¡¯s with that? I never set up something like that. ¡°I¡¯m A-1 of the second grade.¡± Adriana, who had a tremendous talent for divine powers and had excellent physical skills, was only Number 2. The one who was deemed to have even more talent than her among the second years was none other than this child in front of us. Chapter 74 Skipping grades was basically only possible for those smart ones. So, I could guess that she held a magic-related talent. Her ability to use magic immediately without having to cast was certainly a praiseworthy one. She had to have a high level of intelligence to be able to understand magic and hold a talent related to magic control to begin with, so her talent to immediately use magic was probably her most outstanding talent, not the only one. She was someone worthy of the number 1 spot. ¡°It is a magic-related talent, but it seems similar to a supernatural power. I¡¯m not completely sure about the details. It¡¯s both a support ability as well as a magic-related talent.¡± At Redina¡¯s words, I and Ellen nodded our heads. There was no law that a supernatural power related to magic couldn¡¯t exist after all. Of course, it was quite surprising that she had a supernatural ability I had never set up though. ¡­¡­I mean, supernatural abilities would randomly appear in this world from time to time, so there was no real need for me to actually set up a limited few, so it wasn¡¯t all that strange that an extra had an ability I had no idea about. Still, this ability ¡°no casting¡± was actually a pretty powerful one in practice. Depending on how she grew, she had the potential to become someone hella strong. Redina sighed as she ate her ice cream. ¡°But what use has it? If I don¡¯t get a larger magic pool, it wouldn¡¯t even matter.¡± If one¡¯s magic power wasn¡¯t able to support such a fraudulent ability, it was worth even less than a pebble on the streets. Magic was the most convenient and powerful ability to have. Right now, there were only very few things the high-ranked wizard Eleris couldn¡¯t do, that included teleportation, camouflage and offence. Wizards were almost omnipotent. So there were a lot of conditions. The basic condition to become a wizard was being smart, having an enormous amount of magical power, also having a talent for controlling mana and one must have a talent for one of the corresponding fields of magic. These were, of course, the conditions to become a success. If even one of these aspects were less developed, it would be hard for one to actually succeed. The best example of the importance of the size of one¡¯s magic pool was Eleris. She had so much magical power that she could cast Mass Teleport in succession. If I used the Flame of Tuesday, which she returned to me, I¡¯d also be able to use ¡°No casting¡± to summon flames. However, I could only use it as long as I have magical power left. Redina seemed to have a strong talent for magic and she also seemed smart enough to easily skip grades, but it looked like her magic pool was quite small. Even if she knew how to use magic, if she didn¡¯t have enough mana, she wouldn¡¯t be able to use her knowledge. ¡°It¡¯ll grow larger with time. You¡¯re still young.¡± She was only 15 years old. Why was she already whining about having a small mana pool? ¡°That¡¯s what everyone says¡­.¡± Redina sighed as if she didn¡¯t know what to do. Saying that while eating those macarons only made her seem cute though. What if a 15-year-old kid had that much power in their hands? Looking at the lengths I have to go, I felt slightly ridiculous. ¡°Want me to tell you about who¡¯s much worse off than you? It¡¯ll make you feel better about yourself, you know?¡± ¡°Huh? What? Why would that make anyone feel better?¡± She looked at me and shook her head as if she had no idea why I suddenly told her that this would make her feel better. ¡°We¡¯re just normal people, you know? Hearing others being worse off than oneself makes one feel good about oneself. I¡¯m not that well off either, see? That¡¯s how it is.¡± It was a similar concept to what one would call catharsis. ¡°¡­¡­If that makes you feel good, then you¡¯re a garbage person.¡± ¡°No, I mean people are generally like that, you know?¡± I¡¯m someone who grew up being taught to always look at those worse off than myself and think ?Ah, I¡¯m still better than them¡°. They¡¯d tell us things like: ?There are countries where kids can¡¯t even go to school! You¡¯re better off than them, right? Huh? So be thankful and don¡¯t complain! Got it?¡±. ¡°In this world, there are people who have a gigantic mana pool, but lack an aptitude for using it.¡± ¡°Wha, what?!¡± When she heard my words, Redina¡¯s face turned pale and she even lost grip on the macaron she was holding. ¡°How could someone born with a huge amount of magical power be bad at controlling it? You¡¯re lying! There can¡¯t be someone like that!¡± It certainly sounded absurd. It was like telling someone that there was someone born with a huge amount of strong muscles, but they weren¡¯t able to make use of them because they didn¡¯t have tendons. Redina frowned, scolding me not to lie. ¡°He¡¯s talking about Cayer Vioden from our class.¡± I didn¡¯t answer her, but Ellen, who kept silent up until then. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It sure was surprising that Ellen answered in my stead when she kept quiet all this time, but it was even more surprising that she remembered the information about Cayer¡¯s talent. ¡°Did you memorize his info?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You told me before.¡± Ah. On my first day in Temple, she heard me say that Cayer had huge amounts of magical power but was unable to control it properly. It seemed like she remembered that. When Redina heard about Cayer¡¯s circumstanced of being cursed with having a lot of magical power but no way to use it, she was speechless for some time. That was the truth. Because Cayer was blessed with a naturally big mana pool he held a tremendous amount of magical power as well as an extreme magical power growth rate, but he wasn¡¯t able to use it because he had no aptitude for magic control. That was why he was in Class A, but ended up as Number 10, that was why he had such flaming hatred for Class B. That was the only way he could bolster his low self-esteem. He was like a dam without a floodgate. ¡°Wha¡­. What will happen to him?¡± Redina¡¯s face turned as white as a sheet. It seemed that she started to worry about her junior, who was bestowed with such a cursed blessing. ¡°Anyway, senior has it much better, right? How is it? Did your worries fly away after hearing that? Hm? Did you think something like ¡®I¡¯m glad that¡¯s not me¡¯?¡± ¡°!¡± After hearing about someone much worse off, Redina started to worry about Cayer, realizing that her situation wasn¡¯t that bad at least. She must have immediately felt relieved hearing that he was worse off than herself and felt guilty about that. Redina blankly opened her mouth, her face turning red, then she shouted at me. ¡°You evil bastard! You¡¯re such a bad guy!¡± Seeing me talk trash about my classmates while teasing my senior at the same time, Redina seemed to have had enough. * * * It seemed like Redina wandered around Temple on her own, because almost all of her classmates returned home for their vacation. It also looked like she was bored of being on her own, as she kept going around with us even after we finished eating the desserts. ¡°It¡¯s very quiet.¡± To Redina, who was always surrounded by people, Temple seemed like a completely unfamiliar place at the moment. ¡°Must be because of that incident.¡± The one I caused, to be precise. ¡°Huh¡­.¡± There were some people going around Main Street, but there were only very few students around. We were the only ones at that cafe. ¡°Did the Demon King resurrect to take revenge on us?¡± Of course, there were various rumors floating around and everyone had their own interpretation of the situation. The theory that the Demon King might have resurrected to take revenge on humanity was something not only Redina deemed as a possibility. ¡°Who knows?¡± At my words, Redina looked up at me. Her big eyes were filled with fear. That fear was completely understandable. This case just proved that the Imperial Capital was also within the demon remnants¡¯ scope. ¡°What if it¡¯s really like that? Artorius is dead. Who will kill the Demon King now?¡± The only Temple students who knew that Ellen was Artorius¡¯ younger sister were me, Bertus and probably Charlotte. So Redina was saying this without any ill intentions. Artorius went beyond just being a representative of humanity and was about to reach the level of a deity. And this representative who was close to getting deified wasn¡¯t held up to normal human standards. At this stage, they all treated him like some non-human. Redina was referring to Artorius, the hero of mankind, but Ellen would think of him as her precious brother and family member. Would Ellen think that they thought of her brother as just a tool to bring down the Demon King? I tried to meet Ellen¡¯s eyes. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what kind of emotions were lurking behind those calm eyes, but she certainly didn¡¯t look happy. I took the teddy bear to my side to balance out the weight. ¡°Then we should all just perish together.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Redina continued to babble on about what we should do if the Demon King really resurrected and tried to invade the Empire. Ellen kept completely quiet. How ironic. The Demon King was dead. However, there was still a Demon Prince who didn¡¯t want to become the Demon King. Artorius was dead. However, there was that hero¡¯s little sister who didn¡¯t want to become a hero. It all seemed like I¡¯d end up becoming Charlotte¡¯s enemy eventually. In any case, I again realized that I was Ellen¡¯s enemy as well. They were two of my closest friends in Temple. The fact that these two would be the people who¡¯d have the hardest time dealing with my truth suddenly made my heart feel cold. ¡°Thank you, junior! I¡¯ll cherish the Teddy Bear!¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± As we returned to the Royal Class¡¯ dormitories, Redina gave Ellen a tight hug, saying that she was grateful for the teddy bear. -Pat, pat Of course, she probably imagined this was a senior hugging her junior, but no matter how one looked at it, it looked like she was the one getting hugged. After hugging Ellen, Redina looked at me with a blank gaze. ¡°Reinhardt, you need to fix that habit of yours to behave so harshly on purpose.¡± As if she realized once more that I was some outspoken, weird bastard, she admonished me. ¡°I¡¯ll try that. In my next life.¡± ¡°Oh, come on!¡± -Bzzzt! ¡°Ah, that stings!¡± Redina eventually snapped and hit me with an electricity spell using her no-casting. Because of that tingling feeling, I jumped. ¡°Did you just use magic on your junior?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, you brat?! You¡¯re lucky!¡± If Redina was serious she could give me a real shock. She smiled mischievously at me. ¡°Anyway, thanks to you too. I¡¯ll buy you some desserts some time!¡± Then Redina stumbled up the stairs while holding that huge teddy bear. I actually made someone who couldn¡¯t bear insulting others to attack me with magic. ¡°Well, looks like I really have a talent for angering those who usually wouldn¡¯t get angry, huh?¡± Ellen, Adriana, and Redina too. I really felt like I was slowly accumulating some kinds of achievements by angering and teasing people. However, I didn¡¯t actually get achievement points for it. ¡°¡­Did you only realize that now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ellen looked at me as if I was crazy. We returned to the first-year Class A dormitory. In the hallway on our way back, Ellen quietly called out to me. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If the Demon King really had resurrected¡­¡± That girl still seemed to think about this. Ellen stopped and looked at me. ¡°Do you think I absolutely have to take up arms to fight him?¡± Redina was whining earlier, but she didn¡¯t think about a situation where she had to fight the Demon King all on her own. However, Ellen seemed to think exactly that. Redina thought that Artorius absolutely had to fight the Demon King. No doubt. Other people were also thinking like that. However, Ellen knew that she was much more capable than Artorius. So, if the Demon King were to resurrect and war would break out again¡­ If it was known that Ellen was Artorius¡¯ sister¡­ People would obviously think that Ellen had to fight the Demon King as well. They would think that there was no one else who could fight him other than her. Of course, she wasn¡¯t quite ready yet, but I firmly believed that Ellen would end up defeating the Demon King someday. Ellen had no intention of risking her life for the world. However, she knew she would be forced to do so. That was why she asked me if I thought the same as Redina. In a way, Ellen¡¯s question was quite arrogant. She was convinced that she was more than capable of defeating the Demon King after all. Of course, because it was the truth, it couldn¡¯t be called arrogant or overconfident. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want you to do that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ellen seemed curious about my reason. ¡°If you were gone, I¡¯d have to eat all alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m serious.¡± Ellen slightly furrowed her eyebrows, as if she had no patience for my bullshit. ¡°I¡¯m serious, too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I sighed and looked at the scenery stretching out before Temple, the sun almost set. My arms were crossed. ¡°I¡¯m not planning on eating with you for the rest of my life, but I don¡¯t want to spend the rest of my life not being able to share a meal with you.¡± I didn¡¯t want her to die. That was what I meant to say. Ellen was facing me with her back to the setting sun. I couldn¡¯t see what kind of expression she was making, because of that. ¡°So you mean to say that you don¡¯t want me to die because of your own needs?¡± ¡°There are plenty of people that demand others to die for them, so can¡¯t there also be people who ask others not to die for their sake?¡± I couldn¡¯t see Ellen¡¯s expression clearly. Perhaps she was smiling. ¡°Also, please think about the poor Demon King that has to fight you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You overestimate me.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m pretty damn sure that you¡¯d beat the crap out of him.¡± I mean, wasn¡¯t that already happening? The Reinhardt she was kicking around every day was actually the next Demon King after all! Chapter 75 Since the festival was cancelled, all other official schedules must have been canceled as well. So Charlotte and Bertus, who returned to Temple on Monday, didn¡¯t look particularly exhausted. Monday, the day our normal school life started again. The atmosphere around the entire Temple seemed to be very much subdued. It wasn¡¯t just the Royal Class that was like that, but the expressions of those passing by us seemed sullen and tense as well. The mood around Temple was so low that it practically hit the ground. Until yesterday there weren¡¯t any people around, so now it was more than obvious. The pressure sure was heavy. And the places in Temple that were the most subdued and depressed were probably none other than the first year Class A and B of the Royal Class. ¡°All of you must be aware that the security of Temple is equivalent to that of the Imperial Castle. As long as you do not go out of Temple recklessly, your safety is definitely guaranteed.¡± Mr. Epinhauser was delivering us this message. ¡°However, Temple is fully aware about the concerns your parents might hold because of the incident that took place in the Imperial Capital. We shall put your security first. However, if you believe it to be too dangerous here, I would ask you to apply for a leave of absence.¡± Since almost all the children here were part of some influential family, there was a possibility that the Emperor deemed it too dangerous to keep them here and sent them home. That was why Temple offered them to take a leave of absence during this semester, which was highly unusual. However, unprecedented situations required unprecedented measures. Wait, wasn¡¯t that another vacation, essentially? ¡°Teacher.¡± ¡°What is it, Number 4?¡± Harriet de Saint-Owan suddenly raised her hand. ¡°What happens if I take a leave of absence? Can I just come back next semester?¡± ¡°No, if you take a leave of absence now, you have to repeat the semester. We cannot allow students who have not yet taken all the common classes of the first semester to take the common classes of the second semester.¡± He basically said that he¡¯d allow us to take a leave of absence, but we had to be aware that we had to repeat the semester. Even though we individually took courses with other professors, common classes were held on Mondays and Thursdays. If one could just skip a semester by taking a leave of absence and immediately get into the second semester, they would have allowed us to just attend one semester a year then. I never actually introduced that leave of absence system properly, to begin with. It was like the system one had in college, but not really. However, now an unprecedented terrorist attack had occurred, so settings that I never even set up started to pop out here and there. The system of being allowed to take a leave of absence if one had to, only got implemented after graduating from Higher Education. Basically in graduate school. Now, they did allow it even in the Higher Education Department, although there was a price to pay for it. Seeing the future get tangled up like this in real time made my brain freeze over. Anyway, if one took a leave of absence it was guaranteed that one would be left behind. They were forced to repeat a year. There was no one who¡¯d actually want to repeat a year, but if it were judged to be too dangerous here, there was nothing that could be done about it. In other words, those who took a leave of absence would drop out from this class. Each member of this class was part of the main story, and if even one of them left, the story would definitely deviate from what I knew. Although it already got twisted beyond recognition, I wouldn¡¯t want it to get twisted even further. Right now it was just a slice-of-life story, but all of them would play important parts in the future, so what would happen if one of them just disappeared for a year? I was in quite the pickle. Moreover, it was Harriet who asked this. ¡°Number 4, do you want to take a leave of absence?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡®s.¡± Harriet seemed to take in her surroundings, then nearly burst into tears. ¡°My parents said it was too dangerous¡­.¡± Number A-4. Harriet de Saint-Owan, someone with a magic related talent. Someone I teased regularly because she was quite innocent and cute. She was the youngest and most beloved daughter of the Saint-Owan family. So it was quite plausible for them to get their daughter out of this dangerous city, even if she had to repeat a year. ¡°Follow me after this class.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± ¡°Teacher, I would like to receive some counseling as well.¡± ¡°Number 3, same goes for you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Not only Harriet, but even Liana de Grantz, a girl with electrokinetic powers who usually stayed silent, raised her hand. If this were to go on, this unprecedented situation of having two people less in class might actually occur. Damn it. My karma was flowing back to me in real time. This karma called Butterfly effect. ¡°And Number 11.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± While a lot of complicated thoughts were going through my head, Mr. Epinhauser called out to me. Most of the gazes landing on me all seemed to say the same thing. ¡®What did you do this time?¡¯ No, why was I getting treated like someone who¡¯d always create some sort of trouble? ¡°You were given 1 merit point. You¡¯ll understand even if I don¡¯t tell you why, right?¡± ¡°Huh. Ah. Yes.¡± Then I remembered that the nurse teacher told me that I¡¯d get 1 merit point for saving Ellen. Everyone was astonished that this troublemaker actually received a merit point. * * * Even if they had to repeat a year, their parents wouldn¡¯t allow their children to encounter any danger, but those guys were part of the main story in the end. Of course, this wouldn¡¯t matter so much if this story would only end with the peaceful Temple life section, but after the gates open, each one of them was an important, powerful player. Each one of them had their own sequence in which they grow and become stronger, but it was impossible to predict what would happen if they were to leave this class. They seemed like surplus fighting power, but each one of them had their place. While I was thinking what to do, Harriet and Liana, who seemed to have gone to counseling, silently took the classes. Regardless of whether those two decided to take that leave of absence or not, the atmosphere in the classroom was similar to all of us standing on a thin sheet of ice over a lake. It seemed like most of my classmates were wondering why I received a merit point, but that wasn¡¯t the reason. ¡°So, if we substitute this formula like this¡­.¡± I could even notice that the teacher was all flustered. The teachers should have educated a lot of precious children of noble families, but now they were acutely aware of a certain thing. It was Bertus¡¯ gaze. Last week, there had been a terrorist attack on the Imperial Capital, and demons were suspected to be the perpetrators. As a result, all festival activities in the Capital were cancelled and the honor and prestige of the Imperial Family as well as the Empire fell to the ground. There probably were rumors that their Victory in the Demon World War was actually a lie. Therefore, it was clear that Bertus was under a lot of pressure, so no one was willing to enter the Prince¡¯s line of sight. That was how uncomfortable they felt. I was in the last row, so I couldn¡¯t see what Bertus, who sat in the front row, looked like. However, everyone was just listening to the class in silence as if they were walking on very thin ice. Likewise, the teacher showed his desire to end this class quickly by only diligently going by the book. * * * Our Lunch break went on for an hour. And even then it still felt like everyone was walking on very thin ice. It was an incredibly bizarre view. It was true that the atmosphere of the Imperial Capital was quite bad, but even inside of Temple it wasn¡¯t any better. However, at lunchtime, when all grades were in the same room eating together, it was downright chilly. Only the sound of the tableware moving quietly could be heard. No one was talking loudly. Of course, Bertus was here, but there was also Charlotte. Although they were only first years, but because they were the Prince and Princess, who obviously were in a very bad mood, even the seniors only ate quietly. It could be felt once again that they had quite the big presence even if they did nothing special in the Royal Class. However, there were some people who had no awareness at all. -Munch, munch Ellen Artorius, who just started eating together with me at some point, was someone like that. Of course, she was normally the silent type, so it wasn¡¯t really all that noticeable that she didn¡¯t care. She would just eat, get seconds, and eat some more. But she seemed to be a little noisier than usual. There were about a hundred people sitting in this dining hall, so it felt really creepy just hearing the sound of tableware. Neither Bertus nor Charlotte looked particularly sullen, however, they didn¡¯t look particularly happy either. They were quietly eating. None of those two spoke even a single word. I couldn¡¯t take this either. To be honest, I was quite conscious of these young kids as well. How pathetic is that, someone in their 30s being so conscious of 17-year-old kids? ¡°Just looking around, there¡¯s no one as thick-skinned as you.¡± ¡°?¡± Ellen was pretty eager to eat without answering back to me. And in this silence, numerous eyes now moved towards me, who opened his mouth. No, I¡¯m just speaking with my own mouth. What¡¯s wrong with that? * * * I was now on a level on which I could somewhat follow the PE class. Of course, I still couldn¡¯t be compared with those stamina monsters though. Perhaps thanks to my steady training, I felt like my physical strength improved tremendously compared to those majoring in magic or other non-combat classes. ¡°Reinhardt, don¡¯t use your supernatural power. This is a warning.¡± Just when I thought I was doing the exercises quite well, the PE teacher called me over. He seemed to think that this sudden jump in strength was only possible if I cheated with my supernatural power. ¡°I didn¡¯t use it though?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you can physically strengthen yourself with your supernatural power. Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­. I didn¡¯t use it just now.¡± That was the truth, okay? Of course, when I was sparing with Ellen or training on my own, I kept using it to get used to activating it in real life situations. However, during class, I deliberately did not use it because I was afraid I¡¯d get to hear exactly what I was told just now. The teacher furrowed his brows at my plea. ¡°¡­Someone who wasn¡¯t even able to run properly just recently had his stamina improved to such a degree? Tell me, who¡¯d believe that?¡± Even if we had different teachers for each subject, all of them were aware of the kids¡¯ profiles. So even this teacher was aware of the fact that I awakened a supernatural power. This person who was just barely able to kind of run had a sudden jump in stamina, so it seemed like he was convinced that I was using my supernatural power. ¡°No, but I¡¯m really not using it though?¡± However, it was almost impossible to really prove whether I used it or not. The teacher¡¯s expression wrinkled at my protesting remarks. The atmosphere of the training grounds grew chilly. Everyone was watching me and the teacher while they continued to run. ¡°Are you protesting right now?¡± The PE teacher was even able to thoroughly torture the precious children of noblemen like this, so he was quite the stubborn and rough person. If one didn¡¯t have that kind of courage, one wouldn¡¯t be able to make those noble children roll down in the mud. However, when I suddenly confronted him like this, it seemed like a faucet had been turned open. ¡°I¡¯m simply stating the truth, so this can¡¯t be categorized as protesting. I didn¡¯t use my supernatural power.¡± I¡¯m telling you, I didn¡¯t do it, so that¡¯s the truth, alright? The teacher was opening his eyes wide and was about to say something. ¡°Te, teacher!¡± ¡°¡­¡­What is it, Ludwig?¡± Ludwig, who was running a bit further away, called out to the PE teacher. ¡°Reinhardt had been waking up very early every morning and exercised from dawn for some time now! I¡¯ve seen him do it!¡± Ludwig didn¡¯t even ask if I actually needed help and immediately jumped in to defend me. He was basically saying: ¡°Reinhardt is training a lot in the morning, so it was only natural for his strength to improve¡±. Wow, come here, you. Ain¡¯t that just touching, Ludwig? As expected of my main character! After hearing Ludwig¡¯s words, the PE teacher looked down at me. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve seen him train alone and with Ellen several times.¡± Ellen, who was running at the same tempo no matter what was happening around her, nodded slowly when she noticed the PE teacher looking at her. ¡°Oh, so you were trying hard, huh. Reinhardt, sorry for the misunderstanding.¡± The PE teacher meekly admitted his mistake. He seemed to have held prejudice against me. He probably saw me as a troublemaker who¡¯d just pick fights here and there. ¡°Yeah, well¡­. One can¡¯t be suspicious enough, I guess?¡± There was no reason for me to say anything more, because the misunderstanding got resolved. I could feel the other students concentrating on their stuff while pretending not to see me. ¡°Good going, Reinhardt!¡± ¡°Ah, thanks.¡± Meeting this guy every time when I did my morning training helped me out in a pretty weird way. * * * After that hellish training disguised as PE, the kids, with the exception of a few, were still writhing in the shower, letting out deathly groans. And before I knew it, I belonged to the side opposite of the death howl faction. At this point, I, Bertus, Ludwig and Cliffman belonged to it. As soon as they saw my body everyone started to gossip, and even those who didn¡¯t start to gossip seemed surprised by my appearance. When Ludwig saw my body while we were washing up, he winded his eyes in surprise. ¡°Reinhardt¡­. Why is your body like this?¡± ¡°What?¡± It wasn¡¯t like I was super muscular or something. ¡°Your whole body is covered in that. What happened?¡± It was my whole body being covered with black bruises. ¡°I sometimes get hit by training swords, fall over or have to roll away to dodge, so I ended up like this.¡± ¡°At this rate you might get some internal problems. You should really go see a priest.¡± ¡°Why should I do that?¡± These throbbing bruises would disappear when I go rest tonight. When I spar with Ellen, ending up like this was actually quite fortunate. Actually, there were people who wouldn¡¯t go get treatment to get used to this kind of pain, you know? I might get seriously hurt sometime in the future, but I wouldn¡¯t want to end up writhing on the ground crying because of the pain, leaving me incapacitated and unable to do my job. Everyone seemed to think that I really was some punk when they saw my body in that state. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re really working hard, Reinhardt. Good.¡± ¨C Tap, tap Suddenly, Bertus passed by me and tapped my shoulder. No, you bastard, did you think I¡¯d be happy hearing something like that while we were naked? Everyone seemed to be astonished hearing what Bertus told me. Those seemingly insignificant words were the first Bertus uttered today. Wasn¡¯t that even worse? It seemed like he said this without much thought, which made it seem even more mysterious. * * * After our PE class, it was time for the closing ceremony. After Mr. Epinhauser finished, the other children began to get ready to go back. Was it because of the stress caused by having to spend this day in total silence? Everyone rushed out of the classroom as if they were escaping from hell. Among them was No. 9, Erich de Lafaeri, who was the most affected. And, as always, he seemed to have this deep-seated compulsion to bully Scarlett, who was about to leave her classroom. As always, seeing Scarlett who was leaving, he hit the back of Scarlett¡¯s head as if on instinct. He seemed to have forgotten the chilly atmosphere from before. ¡°Hey. Cursed Eyes.¡± -Bang! ¡°Ack!¡± As the sound of the slap to the back of her head reverberated, Scarlett crouched down with a low scream. ¡°I told you not to stand out.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He¡¯d always pass her by, leaving some words of contempt like that. It had always been like that, and, as always, everyone just looked the other way, pretending not to see it. It seemed my words to just close her eyes and give him a good smack weren¡¯t effective enough. At this rate, Scarlett would get bullied for a much longer time. However, something happened today. Not to Scarlett, but to Erich. ¡°You, stand still.¡± A cold voice that made one¡¯s blood freeze, called out to Erich who was about to pass by. ¡°Huh¡­. Huh?¡± Not only Erich stopped in his tracks, but all the students that were about to leave halted their steps as well. It was as if time had stopped for this hallway. Just with a few words from this person, everything came to a halt. That person only told Erich to stand still, but her voice was so cold that everyone just froze in place. ¡°I was trying to stand back and watch just how far you would go, but I just can¡¯t do that anymore.¡° ¡°Huh, Wha¡­. What¡­?¡± Someone with a slightly cold gaze stared at Erich and got closer. Ludwig was the one who was supposed to save Scarlett. The only person who could change such a predetermined scenario was someone who wasn¡¯t part of the main story. One of them was me. ¡°Who are you to keep harassing someone under me?¡± And the other was Charlotte de Gardias. ¡°Tha, that¡­. That¡¯s¡­.¡± Scarlett came from a humble background, so he messed with her. Even if she was part of Class B, Erich had no intentions of picking a fight with the princess. ¡°What is it? Tell me.¡± ¡°I, I just¡­. She just made me feel bad¡­.¡± ¡°From my point of view, you make me feel even worse for hitting my classmate who was just standing there. And for what reason? Because of her eyes and hair?¡± Erich was doing what he normally did, but he happened to enrage Charlotte by doing that. Usually, she might have let this go because she didn¡¯t want to attract attention, but Charlotte wasn¡¯t in her usual state at the moment. Seeing this situation with how she currently was, probably was the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the matter? Okay. I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± Bertus intervened as the atmosphere was becoming more and more tense. Charlotte glanced at Bertus. ¡°You¡¯re going to talk to him?¡± ¡°Of course, he¡¯s done something horrible, so I¡¯ll make sure he won¡¯t do it again in the future¡­.¡± ¡°Okay, please do so. Take care of your people.¡± Bertus¡¯ face, who was trying to mediate the situation with a smile, froze at those cold words. Charlotte looked at Bertus and smiled, which was close to a sneer. ¡°Don¡¯t let your people do anything that would besmirch the Empire¡¯s honor. Do your best.¡± After Charlotte said that, she had a grin on her lips. ¡°Ah, you know I¡¯m talking about Class A, right?¡± Class B was hers and Class A was his. It seemed like she was talking about that, but I could read the hidden meaning behind her words. It was obvious after looking at Bertus¡¯ expression, which had practically hardened. Bertus was behind the ones who were running the black market. That was why she said that he should take good care of his people. It was an insult to Bertus, telling him to manage his powers and information network better. Charlotte turned around, grabbed Scarlett¡¯s hand, making her stand up and left the classroom together with her. Bertus was stunned for a moment, as if he had never expected to hear such words from her. Of course, it didn¡¯t take that long for him to regain his composure. ¡°Erich.¡± I didn¡¯t know what the exact cause was, but Erich looked extremely pale, maybe because he caused Bertus to be humiliated. ¡°Ah, ah¡­¨E.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re quite unlucky. My sister is in a very bad mood today.¡± ¡°Ah, uh¡­. Ah. Yes.¡± Bertus smiled softly and gently patted him on the shoulder. He looked towards the leaving Charlotte¡¯s back and smiled even more. ¡°I really hope that those two become good friends.¡± I thought I knew what that guy was thinking. He, rather than feeling insulted, now paid attention to the fact that Charlotte was treating Scarlett as her own. He knew that just by knowing that someone was important to you was some major information. So, it seemed like Bertus wanted Charlotte and Scarlett to become closer. He was one scary guy no matter how one looked at it. And that Bertus now suddenly turned towards me. ¡°By the way, Reinhardt, would you like to go back and talk with me for a moment?¡± Why me? Chapter 76 After school. Bertus called me to his room, not the terrace where we usually talked. Bertus¡¯ room wasn¡¯t much different from mine. It wasn¡¯t more glamorous or anything else one might associate with a room belonging to a prince. However, for a guy with the talents to become a Sword Master, there were quite a lot of books here. He also had some training equipment, of course, but there were even more completely filled bookshelves in here. What a hard-working villain. It wasn¡¯t all that bad, but it still was scary, as I was now seeing yet another side of him. ¡°Let us drink a cup of tea.¡± ¡°Ah, what? Sure.¡± Bertus brewed a cup of tea for me and himself. Rather than getting served by various people, like in the Imperial Palace, Bertus seemed to like doing things on his own. He didn¡¯t show any sort of overwhelming superiority towards anyone. That made him seem like a good person to others. ¡°So, did you have a good rest during the holidays?¡± ¡°No, things were actually more exhausting than usual.¡± In fact, during that terrorist incident, I felt like my head was about to explode, and after that, I was only focusing on training with Ellen. I worked myself to the extreme. Rather, it seemed like my days off were cut extremely short. Bertus laughed loudly. ¡°Looking at your body, it sure seems like it.¡± He probably reacted like that because he saw the bruises all over my body, not because of the muscles I build up. It seemed that me gritting my teeth and actually training hard left a good impression on Bertus. If he valued strength, he wouldn¡¯t have gone for me, but Ludwig, who would have been the perfect subordinate for Bertus. He was someone who could go up against Ellen in terms of stamina after all. But why did he call me over? I didn¡¯t think he called me here just to have some tea. ¡°Compared to how you were the first time we had PE, you sure are remarkable. Still, while training yourself is good, you shouldn¡¯t overdo it. You might end up hurting your body. We¡¯re still growing after all, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it should be.¡± Bertus warned me several times that excessive training wasn¡¯t good while one was still in their growing period. I was of the same opinion. I didn¡¯t ask him anything. I didn¡¯t want to appear too on guard after all. ¡°Honestly, I only called you over because I was curious about something, nothing more.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How did you and Ellen become friends?¡± Wasn¡¯t it enough for him to focus on his own situation? Why was he asking me something like this all of a sudden? Bertus shook his head and laughed. ¡°No, well, I tried talking to her a few times to get closer to her, but no matter what I did she¡¯d always just give me some curt answers¡­. But you actually trained with her. You two talk a lot, right? I wonder if there¡¯s a trick behind it.¡± Obviously, Ellen didn¡¯t speak to any other classmate other than me. If they knew about her background there probably would be many, who would try to forcefully get close to her, however, Bertus knew. Ellen¡¯s image in class at the moment was that she was extremely talented, but also really blunt, so she was a bit hard to approach. It probably was something like that. ¡°It¡¯s pretty hard to put it into words.¡± Come to think of it, it kind of just happened, so I couldn¡¯t really tell him how I got closer to her when he asked. ¡°Huh¡­. To be honest, I feel like I never actually had the intentions of getting closer to her.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You really have no idea.¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I see¡­.¡± Bertus sighed at my silly reply. I wasn¡¯t actually that nice to her. Strictly speaking, after I teased and poked at her, we suddenly became like this. Sometimes we would eat together, sometimes we would have some snacks together, and sometimes we would walk home together, then we suddenly just became friends. Of course, even though we did become friends, nothing much had changed. ¡°Anyway, Reinhardt, aren¡¯t you strangely capable? You¡¯re saying it was an accident more or less, but you did end up getting close to Ellen, who is the hardest to get close to, right?¡± And even Bertus, who said that talents at this level were worthless, seemed to severely overestimate Ellen¡¯s ability. Of course, he was probably more focused on her background though. ¡°I¡¯m asking just in case, but do you like her?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No, not at all.¡± We got along, but not like that. Why was Bertus asking me these things all of a sudden? He was staring at me as if he was trying to read my true intentions. ¡°Hmm¡­. Well. Yeah. What¡¯s strange about you is that you don¡¯t seem to have any interest in any of the girls at all. Didn¡¯t you tease Saint-Owan quite severely?¡± Bertus giggled, wondering if I just treated all girls that way. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not old enough to be interested in them yet.¡± ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you at the age in which one usually gets really interested in girls though?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe I am though.¡± I spoke as if I wasn¡¯t the one we were talking about. To me, they were just cute little brats. How nice it would have been if they were just a bit older. ¡°But why are you asking if I like her?¡± ¡°Hmm, why indeed?¡± Bertus smiled, but didn¡¯t give me an answer. He seemed to have some kind of intention, but I just couldn¡¯t fathom what it was. Well, I didn¡¯t see how this guy would ever tell me anything honestly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit late, but about this incident.¡± As if he didn¡¯t want to talk about this subject anymore he tried to change it. Still, considering what I knew about his setting, he probably was very interested in Ellen¡¯s power, not in her as a person. This wouldn¡¯t change, even in the future. So there wasn¡¯t any reason for him to be interested in whether I liked Ellen or not. Why did he ask¡­? ¡°So, what do you think about this incident?¡± Bertus brought up a topic that was much too large for just a simple subject change. ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± Hence, I doubted my ears when I heard him mention it. ¡°This incident. You heard about it, didn¡¯t you?¡± No matter how favorably he looked upon me, why would he ask someone from the streets for their opinion on something like that? Obviously, because I was someone from the streets, so he might think there weren¡¯t any clear boundaries that bound me¡­. ¡°Erm¡­. I heard about it¡­. I think it wasn¡¯t that big a deal though.¡± I tried to give a very vague answer that an ordinary person would give. The demons caused a terrorist attack in the Imperial Capital, but it wasn¡¯t actually that big an incident, right? Bertus nodded his head slowly while letting out a low hum. ¡°Is that all?¡± Bertus looked at me and asked me again, seeming as if there was an answer he was hoping for me to give. Of course, if I seriously thought about it, I didn¡¯t know if I could actually give him a satisfactory answer that was different from the perspective the perpetrator of the case had. It was already dangerous enough for me to comment on this. I might end up talking about things that I shouldn¡¯t know after all. Bertus didn¡¯t seem to doubt me though. He wasn¡¯t really interrogating me. However, he did seem to want me to give him an unusual answer. It felt like he was testing my insight. Then an answer I could give him appeared in my mind. ¡°Well¡­. I¡¯m wondering how this could happen just after the Demon World War ended. Why did they do it¡­.? Did they have some sort of conflict with the Knights Templar? Maybe they had a reason that wasn¡¯t generally known¡­. Something like that? I¡¯m still in Temple, so I don¡¯t really know the details.¡± That was the thing Ellen once told me. There might have been other reasons that were left unseen. Otherwise, there would be no need for the demons to fight the Knights Templar without any bigger goal. As if he found my words valid, Bertus nodded his head. ¡°The cause of this incident, huh?¡­. It¡¯s kind of hard to tell you the details, but yeah, those are valid questions.¡± Going by the analogy Charlotte used, it seemed that the one¡¯s behind the black market were part of Bertus¡¯ camp. No matter if Bertus took the initiative in this or not, they eventually tried to open an illegal auction, and information about that was leaked to the demons. That was why she sarcastically told him to manage his people better. It was the first time in history that there was a terrorist attack in the Imperial Capital, as well as this slaughter of hordes of demons. But Bertus didn¡¯t actually look all too bothered. Assuming that he actually showed how he felt right now. ¡°As you know, there is no one else in Temple to whom I could talk to normally, except you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. Yes.¡± Someone who knew his true self, he could talk to, to some extent. Even though he was part of the Imperial Family, Bertus actually didn¡¯t have anyone to really talk to in Temple. Everyone wasn¡¯t that strong yet, and Bertus held a gentle image at the moment. He folded his arms and furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s a mess. However, even though everything ended up like this, I¡¯m wondering if this really is such a bad thing.¡± This was quite the shocking remark for the Imperial Prince to make. Bertus didn¡¯t even bother to warn me that I¡¯d be dead if I told this to anyone. He probably thought, I¡¯d be smart enough to know that I shouldn¡¯t spread this around. But how could this not be a bad thing? The black market he planned on opening got destroyed. The prestige and honor of the Imperial Family got smeared, and they gave their political opponents a gap to attack. So how was this not a bad thing? ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Do you think the system of a single Empire dominating the entire human continent could have been possible without the demons?¡± My eyes twitched at Bertus¡¯ words. ¡°Without a common enemy, humans wouldn¡¯t be able to unite.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, shall I put it differently? Humans create enemies so that they can unite. That¡¯s how targets like Scarlett are created.¡± Humans needed a common enemy to unite. In order to unite, they deliberately made someone an enemy who wasn¡¯t actually one. In small groups this would be called bullying. On a bigger scale, it was the state announcing a country their enemy and inducing the people to unite under one banner. Humans only united when they had a common enemy. And those who wanted to induce such unity created artificial enemies. That was what Bertus was talking about. Examples for that were the Nazis and the Allied Forces, the communists and the capitalists and those other numerous conflicting factions. In the end, Bertus was saying that this concept wasn¡¯t much different from bullying. Creating enemies to unite. ¡°Now that the Demon World War was over, the Empire¡¯s situation would gradually become more unstable. The enemy we as a species faced together is now gone, so now would be the time to sate one¡¯s own greed again.¡± The existence of this gigantic adversary called the Demon Realm became a great cause for the humans to unite. That was how this Empire could exist. It was thanks to no one else but the Demon Realm, but now that the War ended in the humans¡¯ victory, they didn¡¯t have an enemy left to defeat now. So Bertus was predicting that the Empire would end up divided in the future. Actually, I once thought about proceeding with such a storyline after I ran out of slice-of-life material. I was planning on creating a scenario in which the Empire fell apart, leading to a war between the different nations. However, in the end, I decided on that Gate opening thing, not that scenario. Bertus, of course, didn¡¯t know about the Gates yet, so he was predicting the most likely scenario to happen with his current knowledge. Humans who lost their common enemy would end up dividing again, so although the Empire had entered its golden age at the moment, humans would start wars among themselves again because of various reasons. If the Gates didn¡¯t appear, history would certainly flow into that direction. ¡°But at a time like this, the demons did something like that in the middle of the Imperial Capital.¡± The power of the Demon Realm, which was thought to have died down completely, led a team to the Imperial Capital. Therefore, the people¡¯s fear of the Demon Realm got reignited, and the Empire would be able to maintain this solidarity just like before as long as this fear existed. ¡°Fear is very effective for governing a country as well as uniting its people.¡± Therefore, even though Bertus suffered a considerable loss, and the people were absolutely terrified because of this incident, he evaluated that this event was something necessary for the Empire. It was true that he took some damage, but Bertus was looking even further ahead. The demons¡¯ terrorist attack actually helped maintain the Empire. In fact, Bertus already knew that the Darklands wouldn¡¯t be able to pose a threat to the humans. So, he wasn¡¯t bothered about those demons, who were only remnants. They wouldn¡¯t be able to destroy the Empire or inflict any significant damage. In the end, their existence was beneficial for the Empire. I had to agree to a certain extent to Bertus¡¯ bold opinion. Looking at how he was at thinking, it actually seemed like he¡¯d be rather happy to know that a Demon King candidate was still alive. If the existence of an enemy nation helped keep the humans¡¯ unity, he probably would want the Demon Prince to rebuild his power. Of course, that was just another reason for me not to reveal my identity. Bertus seemed to try to see if I was able to think so far ahead. Or, maybe he just wanted to see if I agreed to him. I didn¡¯t know what reaction would be good. I also didn¡¯t know what Charlotte thought about this matter. It was quite the strange feeling, seeing the mastermind of it all analyzing this incident. I wondered if Airi and Eleris were doing well. That was it. I had more important things to worry about. Harriet de Saint-Owan and Liana de Grantz. I had to somehow stop these two from taking their leave of absence. I wasn¡¯t really a close friend to Harriet no matter how one looked at it, and I never even spoke a word with Liana de Grantz. What should I do? I could say something to Harriet, but in Liana¡¯s case, if someone she didn¡¯t even talk to usually told her to not take a leave of absence, she probably wouldn¡¯t even pretend to listen to me. * * * After dinner. Putting all my worries aside, I went to look for Harriet in the dormitories. And that was where the problem lay. ¡°¡­¡­Where did she go?¡± She wasn¡¯t in the magic lab, not in her private room, not in the lobby and not in the dining room. Come to think of it, I only knew Ellen¡¯s encounter spots. If Harriet wasn¡¯t in the dorm, she was somewhere outside¡­ Fortunately, there was still someone I could ask. Although Harriet wasn¡¯t in the magic lab, there was another person. I went back to the magic lab and opened the door abruptly. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Hu, huh?¡± The girl who answered back seemed slightly frightened. This person was the only one beside Harriet who majored in magic in Class A. So, they should know each other well. Number A-7, Adelia. Her talents were summoning magic and magic crafting. So her specialty lay in creating things with her magic. Her talent for magic crafting was very crucial. She could create things like Magic Lanterns on a small scale with her magic crafting, but later on, on a large scale, she¡¯d be able to design things like magic trains. I had never talked to her, but I thought she was quite scared of me because of the things I did. ¡°Where did the idiot go?¡± ¡°I, idi¡­. Idiot?¡± Just me calling Harriet an idiot made her feel terrified. ¡°Come on. Where did she go? I can¡¯t find her.¡± I visibly saw the gears moving in her head. If she told me where Harriet was in this situation, she¡¯d admit that her friend¡¯s nickname was Idiot. Her lips quivered while she quietly mumbled something. ¡°Fricking hell. Did I do anything to you? I¡¯m just asking you where she is.¡± Why was she trying to make me out to be the bad guy here? Honestly, I¡¯ve never kicked someone¡¯s ass who hadn¡¯t tried something with me, okay? Why was she like this? ¡­When I thought about it, that might actually be useful. When I went towards her, she nervously shook her head. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s¡­. She went to the communicator¡­.¡± In the end, she had to admit that Harriet¡¯s nickname was Idiot, so her guilt was evident on her face. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s there?¡± Although, the disadvantage of communicators was that the person one wanted to reach needed one as well, there were some places in the Royal Class¡¯ dormitory in which one could use magic devices for communication. I didn¡¯t really have a use for that, but if one¡¯s parents were powerful and rich enough to have such communication tools, one would be able to keep in touch with their parents regularly. Anyway, it seemed like Harriet was there at the moment. Adelia kept looking at me as if she wanted me to leave if my business with her was over. Harriet didn¡¯t go that far away, so this probably meant that she¡¯d go back to the dormitory pretty soon. Adelia kept looking at me as if she couldn¡¯t do anything else because of my presence. ¡°Hey, talk with me.¡± ¡°Hu, huh? Y, you and me?¡± ¡°Who else is here besides us?¡± Adelia was shaking hard. It seemed like she was about to die of fear. Chapter 77 If the regular encounter spot of the ones with combat talents was the training room, the encounter spot of the ones with magical talents was the magic lab. Although it was possible to set up a research area in one¡¯s private rooms, this facility was obviously better equipped. There were only two people with magical talents in Class A, so both of them used this place regularly. No one else but those two came into this room, so there were a lot of things that seemed like personal items scattered around the place. No one knew what of these things were actually important, so this place wouldn¡¯t get cleaned unless they requested it. Therefore, this place was a mess. ¡°You sure party in here quite a bit, huh?¡± I had no idea why there were plates that seemed like they were eaten from piled on one side. Why were there clothes scattered everywhere as well? I sat down on a sofa located next to a really messy table. Adelia also sat down across from me, with her face pale. ¡°Hey, ask someone to clean up here. Seriously. What¡¯s all this? Is it so hard to ask someone, when you don¡¯t even try cleaning this shit up yourself?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­. okay¡­.¡± Looking like a kid being scolded for something, Adelia lowered her head and answered in a teeny tiny voice. I didn¡¯t know a lot about these pieces of research equipment, but I was pretty sure this mess wasn¡¯t necessary to use them. ¡°By the way, do you think she¡¯ll take a leave of absence?¡± ¡°I think so¡­.¡± Adelia muttered in a sullen voice. Harriet and Adelia were in the same major, so they probably were pretty close. Harriet originally despised the lower class and had a strong sense of superiority, so she really hated commoners. But Adelia was a commoner. It looked like even Harriet couldn¡¯t stand being all alone, so she treated her well as an exception. That was how it ended up. ¡°What will you do if she quits?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­. I wouldn¡¯t want her to do that¡­.¡± It seemed that Adelia didn¡¯t like that Harriet would take a leave of absence from school. As I was in front of her, she kept wiggling her hands and feet like a small animal. It was true that I was putting her on the spot here, but this was really uncomfortable. It felt like I was harassing her. Anyway, Adelia hated the idea of Harriet leaving Temple. ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t it be good to try to convince her to stay here?¡± It sure would be nice if she did the work for me. At my words, Adelia raised her head and looked at me. She seemed astonished. ¡°H, how could I¡­.? Harriet is a very, very powerful noble, how could I ask something like that of her¡­?¡± Since both of them were still part of Temple, Adelia was able to be friendly with Harriet, but she would probably have a hard time communicating with her. The gap of their social status was very large, so Adelia was probably always thinking about what she could and couldn¡¯t say to her, or if she was even allowed to be friendly with a girl like Harriet. ¡°Fricking hell. If you wanna do something, do it. Why do you have to put so much thought into that?¡± First of all, students were to follow the principle of equality inside of Temple, meaning their status was not to be mentioned. Of course, there were people like me who took it literally as is, and there were people like Mayarton, who abused this system, however, there were also a lot of people who couldn¡¯t let go of their status. Most of them were royals and nobles, but there were also a lot of commoners with that problem. Commoners like Adelia. At my words, her eyes shook. ¡°I, I can¡¯t¡­. I¡¯m too scared¡­.¡± Adelia didn¡¯t seem to understand me, who was casually bullying all the kids. ¡°Who am I to say something against the Grand Duke of Saint-Owan¡¯s decision¡­?¡± She felt like she didn¡¯t deserve to say anything about this matter. Rather, she seemed to think that saying something would be rude towards Harriet as well as disrespectful towards her father, the Grand Duke of Saint-Owan. Woah. That was bringing negative thinking to a new level. Some of the kids in Class A were so self-confident that I could hurl, but someone with such low self-esteem also was a pain in the ass, albeit for slightly different reasons. ¡°Jeez, someone like you would end up suffering through hardship for her entire life.¡± ¡°Wh, why are you saying something like that to me¡­.¡± Adelia, who seemed quite restless, whined slightly to my harsh words and quickly covered her mouth in surprise. She thought I¡¯d get angry because she talked back to me. If Harriet was an idiot, then she would be a scaredy-cat. A cute little scaredy-cat. Harriet was difficult to deal with for her because she was an aristocrat, and she was afraid of me because I was a bully even though I was a commoner, same as her. She was someone who was scared easily like that. Adelia¡¯s eyes shook slightly again before she asked me in a quiet voice. ¡°B, but you¡­. You also don¡¯t want Harriet to take a leave of absence?¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t.¡± Her eyes widened at my simple answer. That reaction had a lot of meaning behind it. Weren¡¯t you guys on bad terms? I thought you would like it if Harriet took the semester off. Did that mean¡­. Do you like her? Oh, so that was why you¡¯ve been harrassing Harriet up until now¡­. Wow. This was the first time I held a conversation with this kid, but I could read her mind just by looking at her eyes. And then. -Katchak ¡°Adelia? Here you a¡­.¡± Harriet opened the bulky door to the magic lab and entered. When she saw me she immediately froze up. Harriet¡¯s face turned pale as she saw me placed in front of Adelia, talking with her. ¡°Y, you¡­. W, why. Why¡­. are you here?¡± ¡°What? Is there a reason why I shouldn¡¯t be here?¡± Was there some sort of rule that only magic majors could enter the magic lab? Harriet¡¯s face turned even paler, then it suddenly started to grow redder and redder. She was staring at me and this messy lab alternately. In fact, there weren¡¯t only dirty plates scattered about, but also various pieces of clothes. These guys totally used this shared space as a two-person studio. It probably felt like some guy just entered their room. She looked like the person she least wanted to see this just randomly strolled in here. ¡°Get. G, get ooooooooooooooooooout!¡± Soon, that girl let out a shout that was close to a scream. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t get out of here. No way in hell. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re paying rent for this place or something, so you can¡¯t just tell me to leave, you know?¡± ¡°Get out! Get out! Get out! Hurry and get out!¡± She turned so red that one might mistake her for a tomato, then she grabbed my arm and tried to drag me away. Look at that kid, who was so afraid of me even touching her cheeks, grabbing me directly like that. ¡°Hey man, you¡¯re wearing out my clothes! Do you have any idea how much these cost?¡± They were probably really cheap, right? It wasn¡¯t anything high quality, but they were still the casual clothes Eleris bought for me! ¡°Getoutgetoutgetoutgetout!¡± ¡°Hey, did I curse at you or was I mean? What the hell is wrong with you?¡± ¡°Aaaaaaaaaarg! Ag! Arg!¡± Harriet, who repeated ¡°Get out¡± like some broken record, eventually managed to drag me out of the magic lab. No, I mean, it wasn¡¯t like this was something you couldn¡¯t show anyone. It¡¯s normal for kids to be a little messy, so why were you doing this? After some time, she slightly opened the door to the magic lab and only poked her head out. The redness on her face indicated that she still felt quite embarrassed. ¡°What do you want?¡± That girl was asking me with such a vigilant look on her face, as if she was asking me what the hell I was doing in her magic lab. ¡°I was looking for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Me?¡± Somehow, her face managed to become even redder. * * * I thought she would shout something like ¡°Why would I even talk to someone like you?!¡±, but after staying quiet for a bit, she quietly came out of the lab. ¡°Can¡¯t we talk inside?¡± ¡°No! Only over my dead body!¡± Harriet screamed. I wasn¡¯t there to steal their research results or something, and I already saw how messy that place was. Nothing would change if I looked at it more than I already did, you know? Kids are just so¡­. In the end, I took her to the dining hall. Dinner time was still far away, so there wasn¡¯t anyone in the dining hall. Surprisingly, I didn¡¯t have to make her follow me at all. She didn¡¯t say much, but she did follow me there quite obediently. We sat down across from each other. ¡°What is it?¡± It was the attitude of someone who graciously decided to listen to whatever bullshit I had to say. She was surprisingly cooperative. Without much further ado, I went straight to the point. ¡°Are you going to take a leave of absence?¡± ¡°¡­¡­What is it to you? How nice. I don¡¯t have to see your ugly visage for a whole year, you bastard.¡± Harriet seemed kind of intimidated. It seemed like she wanted to tell me how nice it would be to live without having to see my face, and that it was none of my business. ¡°Don¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take a leave of absence.¡± Harriet¡¯s face contorted strangely hearing this request that sounded more like a command. Her face was growing even redder though. Suddenly, steam seemed to rise from her head, she was even fanning herself. She looked like she hit her face on a wall. ¡°Huh! H, huh! W, what¡­? What?! H, hah! Oh. Yeah, what¡­ What?!¡± A, aren¡¯t you making it a bit too obvious? Then she stared at me with her arms folded after she cooled down her face by fanning it with her hands. ¡°Why should I listen to you?¡± No, I only told you not to take a leave of absence. I didn¡¯t say that because I like you or something. Why are you looking at me with such anticipation? If I say it¡¯s because I like you, you¡¯d just go ¡°Hmph! But of course, it is such a great honor to talk to someone as angelic as me after all!¡±. I could clearly see that she was ready to say these types of things. ¡°Well¡­.I don¡¯t really know what you¡¯re imagining right now, but wouldn¡¯t this mean that you can only return to school next year if you take a leave of absence?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Harriet¡¯s expression hardened when she heard my words. It seemed like she had an idea what I was talking about. I smiled as I looked at Harriet. ¡°Then you¡¯d become my junior. Are you fine with that?¡± ¡°So, something like that won¡¯t ha, ha, happen! First-graders are just first-graders!¡± Hey, she seemed hella worried about that. Even if I always teased her by calling her an idiot, she really wasn¡¯t one. She must have clearly simulated what would happen after she came back from her one-year absence. She was obviously shivering in fear of what Reinhardt, who loved to torment her, would do. ¡°Next year, it will be my turn to educate our cute juniors, you know? Do you think you can afford that?¡± ¡°Nonsense! You said you didn¡¯t like this stuff! You said these kinds of traditions were bad!¡± So, in the end Harriet got all excited about the stuff I babbled during the duel. ¡°I don¡¯t really like being on the receiving end of it, but maybe I¡¯ll enjoy being on the other side though?¡± Harriet¡¯s mouth gaped wide open as I displayed my crazy hypocrisy. ¡°You¡¯re the worst! You¡¯re actually crazy!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see, how about 100 push-ups followed by goosesteps, fifty rounds around the training field.¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Harriet began to tremble and her face turned red again. Ah. It was so funny seeing her immediately react to my teasing compared to Ellen, who didn¡¯t have much of a reaction to most things. ¡°So if you don¡¯t want to be teased to death by me as your senior, wouldn¡¯t it be better not to take a leave of absence?¡± ¡°Yooou! This! You! You really! Really¡­. Really¡­.¡± Eventually, Harriet started to tremble. ¡­You see this shit? Following this narrative, I knew what would happen next. ¡°Uuuuuuurg! You¡­ You bad apple¡­. You garbage person¡­. Sob, sob!¡± Harriet suddenly burst into tears. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take off a semester either! I really don¡¯t want to¡­. Sob, sob! Booohooohoo! I¡¯d rather die than become the junior of a beggar like you! I¡¯ll never go bahaahack to Temple!¡± Even while we were classmates, she seemed to want to quit Temple just by imagining that I¡¯d become her senior. I got to know one thing though. Harriet de Saint-Owan had no intention of taking a leave of absence from Temple. Adelia was right. Judging by both of their words, her parents, the Grand Duke of Saint-Owan to be precise, were forcing her. Chapter 78 Harriet cried endlessly, so I eventually tried to pat her back. Obviously, she started to cry even more, telling me not to touch her. Not knowing how to soothe a crying kid, I took out some candy from the dining room¡¯s storage and gave it to her. She said that she didn¡¯t want to eat it, and when I forcibly pushed it into her mouth, she pretended like she wasn¡¯t going to eat it, while actually eating it. It was so fatally cute, seeing her eating it while crying and denying she would, just because I teased her a bit. 10 out of 10¡­. Seeing her bite and suck on the candy, there was nothing cuter in this world. ¡°Just because I was joking around a bit, you end up trembling and crying like a three-year-old brat. Are you a little brat? Do you actually think I¡¯d do that?¡± While that girl stopped crying and slowly sucked at her candy with her eyes closed, I couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and just shut my mouth. Then she suddenly opened her eyes and stared at me. ¡°You would! Even if you won¡¯t do it to other kids, you¡¯d definitely do it to me!¡± Huh. I thought she was being surprisingly straightforward. Even if I wouldn¡¯t do it to other kids, if she took a leave of absence and returned a year later, she thought I¡¯d absolutely tease her to death. She originally was a kid much smarter than me, after all. She accurately predicted a behavioral pattern I didn¡¯t even know I had. At first, she took my telling her not to take a leave of absence as a type of confession, then I teased her for that. That was how I was acting around her. If I had a daughter, I thought that I would absolutely tease her the same way I do to her. Gaaah! The more she cried, the more excited I would get, leading to more teasing. There was a 100% chance that I¡¯d treat her that way. Harriet seemed confident that if she took a leave of absence, she would end up leading a hellish Temple life as Reinhardt¡¯s junior. ¡°No, well¡­. Honestly, after listening to you, I can¡¯t deny that I would do it. So why are you even taking a semester off, then? Is there some sort of problem?¡± ¡°And what are you going to do with that information?¡± After asking me what I would do with that information, Harriet turned her head with a ¡°Hmpf¡±. No matter how much you ignored me, despised me and teased me for being a beggar, it was no use. You had already lost as soon as you followed me here and talked to me. ¡°What¡¯s the point of telling you? You don¡¯t seriously think that you can do anything for me, right?¡± Actually, I didn¡¯t really have any good ideas, but we might come up with something as we talked. And if we couldn¡¯t come up with something, and she still wants to absolutely stay in this class, I could always use ¡°Revise¡±. I wasn¡¯t sure how many points it would take to make the Grand Duke of Saint-Owan say that Harriet didn¡¯t have to take a leave of absence, though. Harriet seemed to stare at me, narrowing her eyes. She certainly didn¡¯t seem to trust me. This probably was similar to grabbing at straws for her. ¡°Won¡¯t it be good for you if I take a leave of absence? You¡¯ll get to bully me as much as you want then.¡± Harriet seemed to be thinking about this completely differently. She thought I¡¯d be happy, because I¡¯d be able to bully her to my heart¡¯s content, so she was wondering why I didn¡¯t want her to take that leave. ¡°Ah, that was a joke. I don¡¯t want you to take a leave of absence.¡± There were some very complicated reasons behind this, but it would be hard for me to explain them to her. ¡°Why¡­. do you not want me to leave?¡± Frickin hell. Why do I have to keep playing along with this girl? ¡­She was so excited. God damn it. ¡°It¡¯s fun just being with you.¡± Ah. Honestly, it really was kind of fun. Harriet wrinkled her brows, giving an impression as if she thought that she was an idiot for even expecting anything from me. ¡°Hey! You just want me not to take a leave of absence to keep teasing me after all!¡± ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, what¡¯s important are the results! You don¡¯t want to take the semester off! I don¡¯t want you to take a leave of absence! Regardless of my reasons, our purpose is the same, right?¡± Harriet seemed to cuss me out with her eyes. No, I mean, if our goals are the same, what did it matter what my reasons were? Just looking at her, her attitude was rather ambiguous as to whether she liked me or not. Now she had a really disgusted expression on her face. Well, people can like some parts and hate other parts that make up a person. In other words, people were like cheonggukjang. At first it might have smelled like ¡°Ew!¡± but at some point, one might start thinking differently like: Ah. This. Maybe I didn¡¯t actually hate it that much. I kind of want to taste it again after such a long time¡­. Was it something like this? Anyway, Harriet was really annoyed right now, but she eventually opened her mouth after probably thinking that it couldn¡¯t get any worse anyway. ¡°Dad¡­. told me to take a leave of absence. Repeatedly.¡± As was expected. * * * Harriet began to explain her situation. When the news of the terrorist attack on the Imperial Capital first got spread, the Grand Duke wasn¡¯t outside of the Saint-Owan Grand Duchy. He actually was in the Imperial Capital. As the Empire¡¯s victory celebrations were underway, almost all the powerful nobles should have been in the Imperial Capital at the time. Harriet didn¡¯t return to the Grand Duchy to meet him, she was still in the Capital. In that case, she could have just returned to Temple immediately, but she didn¡¯t. ¡°I was told that even Temple was too dangerous, because something like that happened in the middle of the Imperial Capital. That¡¯s why I stayed with Dad all the time¡­.¡± After the terrorist attack, the festival as well as all official events connected to it were canceled. Grand Duke Saint-Owan probably kept Harriet somewhere in the vicinity of the Palace or outside the Imperial Capital to protect her. He probably thought it was only natural for him to protect his own daughter with his own hands, at a time when the Capital¡¯s security was already compromised. The Saint-Owan Grand Duchy was incredibly advanced in the field of magic, and the Grand Duke¡¯s family was originally a wizard family. Therefore, it was more or less already set in stone that Harriet de Saint-Owan was born with the most outstanding talent out of all the wizard bloodlines. She was gifted with the tremendous talent to wield all kinds of magic, including summoning, offensive magic, support magic, magic crafting, mind spells, alchemy and even black magic. Harriet possessed a completely broken talent to masterfully comprehend and acquire any magic in existence. In other words, as the Saint-Owan family was a family with its roots in magic, the Grand Duke would already be a grand wizard of a high level. He actually participated in the Demon World War after all. Grand Duke Saint-Owan was currently one of the most powerful wizards the Empire had to offer. He was more than capable to look after his own daughter, as such he couldn¡¯t allow her to continue to attend Temple now that the Imperial Capital¡¯s security was compromised. He¡¯d rather have her attend a magic school in their territory or teach her directly, even if the education wouldn¡¯t be as good as what Temple could offer. Quite frankly, if that wasn¡¯t the case, she wouldn¡¯t have the need to attend Temple in the first place. ¡°Hearing that, wouldn¡¯t he just kept you at his side then?¡­. How did you manage to return to Temple?¡± It seemed like Harriet was only able to temporarily return after she whined, cried and made a huge fuss in front of her father who tried to stop her from going back to Temple. However, he probably heard that it was possible for her to take a leave of absence, so she could continue attending Temple, but only after a year. That was perhaps the compromise Grand Duke Saint-Owan acquiesced to. A year should be enough for them to catch the culprit and stabilize the Imperial Capital. The Grand Duke¡¯s words were rather reasonable, actually. Rather, Harriet, who insisted on not taking a leave of absence, was the unreasonable one here. However, the most important thing was that I was pretty damn sure that no more terrorist attacks by demons would occur from this point on. Of course, I couldn¡¯t actually predict the future clearly, but the possibility of Harriet being involved in acts of violence by demons was practically nonexistent. Although, she already was heavily involved in acts of bullying caused by a certain demon. Anyway, I was the only one who knew that the Grand Duke¡¯s worries were completely unwarranted at this point. ¡°Try crying and whining that you don¡¯t want to take a leave of absence.¡± ¡°I already di¡­!¡± Of course, what she tried to say was that she already did that, but that girl suddenly got startled and quickly covered her mouth. She thought that I might make fun of her again if she told me that she cried while whining to her parents. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine for kids to whine and cry. That¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of, you know?¡± It would be shameful for me to do something like that, but her doing that was fine. At my words, Harriet¡¯s expression turned into a gloomy one. Her face turned beet red again and she let her head hang down slightly. ¡°It didn¡¯t work¡­.¡± In the end, she confessed that she was crying and whining desperately. From the Grand Duke¡¯s point of view, he wouldn¡¯t just let his daughter go just because she was screaming and shouting. Her life was on the line, after all. ¡°Hmm¡­. What should we do?¡± I couldn¡¯t come up with any logical reason for the Grand Duke to let his daughter continue to attend Temple this year. At my vague musings, Harriet opened her closed eyes and stared at me. ¡°What? So you can¡¯t come up with anything as well after all.¡± ¡°No, I just said that we should think about this together. Did I say that I knew how to solve this?¡± ¡°Hmpf!¡± ¡°Shit needs some pushing force to get out as well, right? So, let¡¯s be that force together.¡± ¡°Eeeeew! You¡¯re so dirty! I feel like throwing up!¡± ¡°What? Don¡¯t you shit?¡± ¡°Eww! Urg! Aah!¡± As if she was pretending that she couldn¡¯t hear me, Harriet was covering her ears and screamed. It seemed that the more she talked with me, the worse she felt instead of coming to an answer. It wouldn¡¯t make any sense to tell him that she¡¯d lag behind if she were to take a leave of absence now. This kid was special in more ways than one, so the Grand Duke might just hire numerous wizards from his territory to personally train her. How about a childish reason like she doesn¡¯t want to be separated from her friends? Grand Duke Saint-Owan might just tell her she¡¯d see them again in a year anyway. There was little reason to let Harriet continue to attend Temple. Justification. I wondered whether it was really necessary for a kid to take such a long break from school, but we didn¡¯t have any justification. I was completely sure that it would be safe, but I doubted the Grand Duke would believe that¡­. No, I mean, even the Prince and the Princess were calmly attending Temple, so how come the Grand Duke was acting this way even though he¡¯s just some little fart compared to them? I suddenly got mad. Ah. Come to think of it, that¡¯s right. How about using that line of reasoning? ¡°The Prince and the Princess are just calmly attending Temple. Right?¡± Both of them didn¡¯t seem to have any intentions of taking a leave of absence. The Imperial Palace and Temple were both in the Imperial Capital to begin with, so taking a leave of absence was pretty much meaningless. ¡°¡­¡­Huh.¡± ¡°But if you suddenly take a leave of absence in this situation, wouldn¡¯t the two of them think slightly badly of the Saint-Owan Family?¡± ¡°H, huh? Tha, that¡¯s¡­. What are you talking about?¡± Harriet paled when I suddenly mentioned the prince and princess. ¡°No, that would work. Both of these precious people still went to Temple even after this incident took place in the Capital, you, on the other hand, who¡¯s just from a Grand Duchy, are taking a leave of absence because the Capital is too dangerous. If we just expand on this a little more, couldn¡¯t we make it out to be the Grand Duke ignoring the security Temple has to offer and thus completely ignoring the Prince and Princess¡¯ security?¡± ¡°Huuh¡­?¡± Of course, everything depended on how one said something. In fact, if one had to decide whether those two would or wouldn¡¯t care about this matter, it was safe to say that they probably didn¡¯t care. However, there was a possibility that it could turn into an issue as long as we brought it up like this. And these were quite sensitive times. The Royal Class also was on edge because of the Prince and Princess. So the atmosphere inside the Imperial Palace would be even more tense. To say something like ¡°I¡¯m making her take a leave of absence because it¡¯s to dangerous here!¡± would be quite the thing during these sensitive times. Besides, she was classmates with the Prince of all people, not just any ordinary Temple student. Depending on how one interpreted this situation, it could be possible to infer that this was quite offending towards the Prince. While the Prince was still devastated by this terrorist attack, the little princess of the Saint-Owan Grand Duchy decided to take a leave of absence, because she thought Temple was much too dangerous. This could be read as the act of throwing boulders at a very thin sheet of ice. ¡°Bertus and you are even in the same class. And even though it might not be intentional, you might end up hurting the Prince with these actions. Additionally, though the Capital might have experienced this type of incident, the Imperial Family still held the most authority since its foundation right now. If you lose favor of either of them, you might face a lot of problems later on. It¡¯s also very important to note that this isn¡¯t even a matter of choosing a side, as you might end up offending both with your actions.¡± It wasn¡¯t a matter of abandoning one side and switching over to another. One might end up losing both of their favor. Harriet¡¯s face had gone completely pale as she heard my words. No matter how strong her sense of superiority and nobility was, she tended to cower before those of higher rank than her. ¡°S, so¡­. So, what should I do? Isn¡¯t this really bad?¡± ¡­¡­No, why was she like this? ¡°¡­Hey, you idiot. I¡¯m telling you to persuade your father with these words. Why are you the one getting persuaded here?¡± ¡°Ah¡­. Huh?¡± Harriet was so surprised by this that she couldn¡¯t even respond properly to me. If we really stretched it like this, it would certainly seem like a pretty serious problem, but in reality it most likely wasn¡¯t one. That was why I tried to tell her to use this reason that they might offend certain people in these sensitive times by making her take a leave of absence, which would cause a lot of problems. However, this girl thought this was a real situation happening right now, so she was shaking in her boots. ¡°Do you seriously think they¡¯d get that offended if you just took a leave of absence?¡± It was true that the family of the Grand Duke Saint-Owan were very powerful. They were a family that wouldn¡¯t even flinch by something like that, even if they might offend someone a little. In other words, the only ones who were of a comparable rank, except the Prince and Princess, were A-3 Liana de Grantz, the daughter of Duke Grantz, and A-6 Heinrich, who was part of Kernstadt¡¯s royalty. ¡°It¡¯s just something I fabricated. In reality, there¡¯s a high chance that they wouldn¡¯t care, but it¡¯s important for your father to take this seriously. So let¡¯s just put it this way. If it was really that dangerous in Temple, why were they still staying there? So this would actually mean it¡¯s safe. Also tell your father that you won¡¯t bend.¡± ¡°O, ooh¡­.¡± Harriet nodded her head, showing her understanding. I wasn¡¯t sure if this would work or not, but it was worth trying at least. ¡°Now, there are two reasons. The first is that the current situation was quite sensitive, so taking a leave of absence might make a very bad impression on the Prince and Princess. The second is that they both continue to attend Temple because they are confident that it was safe there, and even if it wasn¡¯t before, right now Temple¡¯s security is even higher than before, so it should be even safer than before as well. Put it like that.¡± ¡°Ah, ye¡­. yes.¡± Harriet nodded at my stormy words. Well, I really couldn¡¯t vouch for its success, but it was better than nothing. I mean, Harriet kind of reached out to me, so if she had a better idea later on she could just use that as well. It would have been even better if it was Bertus who told her not to take a leave of absence. If Bertus requested her not to take one, the effect of my reasoning would have been maximized. Wouldn¡¯t it be even better if he put it a bit more round about, as well? It would be sufficient if he just expressed that desire indirectly. That way, the listener could interpret the message however they wanted. Even if Bertus only told her that because he didn¡¯t want his classmate to repeat a year. Should I ask Bertus to say something to Harriet pertaining to the leave of absence story? This would make things clear, but I was extremely reluctant to owe him something. I thought I should push that thought back for now. Anyway, after having listened to everything I had to say, Harriet was staring at me blankly. ¡°Wha¡­. What¡¯s with you?¡± If one were to carefully listen to this, one would realize that it was a lie, maybe that was why she was looking at me like that. However, it could also be that she was surprised that I actually came up with something like that. ¡°In the end, something will come out after squeezing hard enough.¡± ¡°What?¡± Herriet¡¯s expression grew even weirder, as if she didn¡¯t know what I was talking about. After that, Harriet and I continued to talk about the specifics. ¡°No, you can just say whatever comes to mind¡­. Well, we could also write a script if you want, you know?.¡± ¡°I would get nervous and forget all the lines!¡± ¡°Fricking Hell. Are you really a magic major student?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot!¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t even call you an idiot just now, you know? Are you really some kind of idiot, though?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t say it right now, but you did before! You idiot!¡± As such, we kept on bickering and talking in the dining hall. Before I noticed it, night had already fallen. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Oh. You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± And that was when Ellen Artorius appeared, like always. Chapter 79 She was staring intently at us while we were scrambling to come up with solutions. Tonight, I wasn¡¯t able to take even a single step into the training room, because I was brainstorming with this girl the whole time. Ellen was wearing her towel, which she always took with her after she ended her training, over her shoulder. Harriet looked at her and stiffened slightly. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t talk to anyone but me. Although Harriet was openly dismissive of commoners, the atmosphere around Ellen was slightly different even though she was a commoner as well. Even if she pretended to be otherwise, she was still the type that was hard to deal with. In fact, just by looking at the power datasheet posted on our class bulletin board, one could see that Ellen had physical abilities incomparable to those of her classmates. She was special. Everyone recognized her as such. So Harriet seemed to freeze up when she looked at Ellen, although for different reasons than when she was in front of Bertus. Harriet was weak in front of the strong. She despised people who she could afford to despise, but she had difficulties with those who had more power than her, making her turn completely shy. In the original, I didn¡¯t really set her up as such a character, but as I was constantly around her, I could observe that aspect of her very clearly. Anyway, it seemed that it was now time for Ellen to come here to eat her late night snack. Come to think of it, I got so used to eating at this time that I got hungry even if I didn¡¯t train at all. ¡°Hey, what do you wanna eat?¡± ¡°What¡­. Eating?¡± ¡°No, well, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Harriet seemed confused when I suddenly posed such a question. Ellen was still standing there, so I beckoned her to sit down next to me. It was always just the two of us, so it was a first that we had a third person eating with us. ¡°Wait.¡± Before I knew it, Ellen had gotten quite used to eating the things I made. She also made something from time to time, but in terms of ratio it would be four to one. For every four times I could, she would do it once. I glanced at Harriet and Ellen sitting across from each other. Ellen just sat there blankly with her chin propped up on her palm, not thinking about a thing, but Harriet¡¯s face was slightly red again, perhaps because of this extreme awkwardness. It sure was a funny sight. * * * I made some simple chop steaks. Usually I only made simple things for late night snacks. I was almost always completely exhausted, so I couldn¡¯t really afford to make anything complicated. Because the meat was of such a high quality, one could honestly just grill it with a bit of salt and it would be good to go. I tended to make some side dishes as well. However, I didn¡¯t train today, so I had plenty of stamina left, as such I decided to put some work into this. Of course, it still wouldn¡¯t be anything difficult to make, though. ¡°Ah, if someone¡¯s cooking for you, doesn¡¯t politeness dictate that one should set the table?¡± ¡°H, huh?¡± Harriet suddenly showed me a bewildered expression. Ellen, however, got up as if she was already familiar with this, took out the utensils and dishes, and placed them one by one on the table. Harriet looked even more bewildered when she saw Ellen listening to me obediently. She was just staring at this scene of Ellen moving about as if she was familiar with this motion, as if she didn¡¯t understand what was going on. And also¡­ ¡°Why¡­. Why are there so many?¡± Looking at that plate filled with an enormous amount of Chop steaks, Harriet had her mouth slightly open. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see what happens next.¡± Watching Ellen take the food, I wondered what kind of expression Harriet would make next. Munch, munch, munch Ellen was eating at an abnormal speed right from the start. Harriet, wearing a surprised expression, stabbed a chop steak with her fork, a mystified look in her eyes. ¡°¡­¡­You knew how to cook?¡± ¡°Rather than calling it cooking, it¡¯s just enough to make stuff edible. Don¡¯t look down on life on the streets.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± It didn¡¯t look very delicious, but that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t edible at all. Compared to the food her professional chefs made, this is probably far below in quality. However, she seemed surprised that I made something that was actually edible. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself to eat it.¡± That was what I told her while I stabbed my fork into the chop steaks in front of me. She didn¡¯t have to force herself to eat this stuff, because we had a certain someone sitting right across from her that would absorb anything that was left. Harriet ate slowly while playing with her fork. To be honest, I imagined her spitting it out after eating a bit of it, saying it was tasteless. In fact, she probably only ever ate high-quality food. However, even though she was only eating at a slow pace, she was still eating quite well. * * * ¡°Wow¡­.¡± Harriet couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut when she saw that the pan was already completely empty. Ellen ate everything like nothing, and only took a sip of water with a calm expression on her face. Yeah, although I saw this phenomenon all the time, it even surprised me all the time. Sometimes I felt like punching her for being so shameless to eat almost everything by herself and then looking like she ate nothing at all. It felt like she¡¯d act all ¡®coy¡¯ after eating everything on her own like a pig. After eating, Ellen put all the utensils in the pan and started clearing and cleaning the table. If I made the food, she¡¯d clean up, and when she made the food, I¡¯d clean up. Harriet was staring blankly at Ellen¡¯s practiced behavior. ¡°¡­¡­You seem to be very close. Do you eat like this every night?¡± Harriet asked with her voice lowered. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯d usually have a meal around this time after I got beaten up enough.¡± ¡°What? You get beaten?¡± Harriet had a startled expression plastered on her face when she heard me talk about fighting. Well, she had no reason to visit the training room, so she wouldn¡¯t have any idea what was going on in there every day. She probably thought I wasn¡¯t the type to be beaten up even if someone were to hit me, but now she heard that I got beat up by Ellen every day. Her eyes oozed disbelief. Well, she wasn¡¯t in the changing room, so she didn¡¯t see. I smiled slightly and lifted my shirt, revealing my bruised abdomen and flanks. ¡°Wha, what are you doing¡­.! Y, you, what happened? What¡¯s wrong with your body?¡± When I suddenly lifted my shirt, she was slightly startled and freaked out, but when she saw my bare skin full of bruises, her complexion immediately blanched. ¡°My pseudo-swordsmanship is so terrible, that I¡¯m always in her care.¡± ¡°P, pseudo-swordsmanship?¡± Yes, pseudo-swordsmanship. It still hasn¡¯t evolved yet! ¡°And, hey.¡± I looked at Harriet, who was staring at my wounds in a daze, and called out to her. ¡°Wha, what?¡± ¡°Ya know? If someone cooks for you, you should at least clean up the table. Don¡¯t you think you have to get a move on if you take the hint?¡± You have to follow the rules of the restaurant as well. ¡°What are you doing? Haven¡¯t you started making some coffee or tea yet?¡± ¡°Wha, what¡± When I ordered the great princess to make some coffee, she looked absolutely shocked. * * * ¡°W, why¡­. Why do I have to do this¡­?¡± Harriet brought a can of black tea to the table, even while her face was blushing hot red as if her pride got damaged. Even though she grumbled and asked why she had to do something like that, followed by my reply that she had to do something at least. However, she never threw a complete tantrum or said that she would absolutely never do it. Well, it was probably her attendants who did these things for her back at home. However, this was Temple. Although there were some personnel, they weren¡¯t present around this time. ¡°Wha, what the hell is this¡­?¡± Her expression, contorted by contempt while pouring tea into Ellen¡¯s and my teacup, was excellent. She was probably thinking something like: ¡°Why, why me? Why do I have to be treated like that? This just doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± All of that could be easily read from that expression of hers, still, she obediently did what was asked of her. So cute. You¡¯re really the best, idiot. ¡°Jeez, did you ever try Bertus¡¯ tea before?¡± Actually, Bertus treated me to black tea earlier today. In fact, every time we talked on that terrace, he tended to brew me some tea. Of course, he didn¡¯t do that out of respect for me, but because he knew that I was a complete stranger to tea and all that in the first place, so he¡¯d rather do it himself than let me do this. If it were me who brewed the tea, he wouldn¡¯t even touch it. ¡°Bertus¡­? Brewed you tea?¡± However, it seemed like Harriet was only astonished to hear that Bertus brewed tea for someone like me. ¡°So if we were to compare your tea with his, it wouldn¡¯t even deserve to be on the same table.¡° ¡°H, huh! Hah! Wha, what¡­. What¡­.¡± Me bragging about this, even though it was the Prince who brewed the tea, managed to make Harriet¡¯s face red again. We usually didn¡¯t have something like a tea time after our late night snack, but I still made Harriet brew some tea just to make her do something. I mean, ingesting caffeine before going to bed wasn¡¯t good after all. Ellen began to dismiss that tea and focused on the cookies she took out. ¡°Are you only drinking tea right now so that you can eat these cookies? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± As if to emphasize her answer, Ellen kept on shoving cookies into her mouth. Harriet was staring blankly at that scene, seemingly exhausted. I quietly nodded after noticing her gaze that seemed to ask if Ellen was always like that. ¡°¡­If you eat that much,¡­. won¡¯t you get fat?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Harriet looked at me blankly. I felt like I had a d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Redina asked something similar recently. Did they share the same brain cell? They even had the same expression. I didn¡¯t explain this time, because I was too tired to even start. Ellen left some cookies for me and Harriet to eat and then quietly drank her tea. Thanks to having told her not to cross the line myriads of times, she didn¡¯t eat everything on her own. Harriet seemed restless. Well, even though she despised me for being a beggar, she seemed to have difficulties, being in Ellen¡¯s presence, even though she was a commoner. I mean, the atmosphere around Ellen did kind of make it hard to approach her. Harriet seemed especially unfamiliar with her silence. Even when she was with me, she didn¡¯t talk all that much. ¡°How did you two¡­. become friends?¡± No matter how one looked at it, there seemed to be no reason for Ellen to befriend the mad dog Reinhardt. Ellen looked between me and Harriet alternately, sipping her tea, before she put down her cup. She looked at me limpidly. It felt like she was debating whether she should say it or not. What the hell was she trying to say¡­. No way. ¡°At first, he gave me a letter¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it!¡± Why did she start from there! When I suddenly jumped up like that, Ellen closed her mouth and Harriet stared at me. No, well, I thought she forgot about it, because she never mentioned that incident again, but she actually didn¡¯t! Of course, it was only natural for one to remember something like that, but I thought she didn¡¯t give it any meaning, so why? Of course, it was usually something quite meaningful, but that wasn¡¯t the point right now. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s right. W, we take swordsmanship classes together, and because of that duel the other day, erm, I asked her to help me with my training, so she did. Yeah, that¡¯s how it went!¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± Ellen nodded her head quietly at my fierce stare, asking her to agree. I mean, it wasn¡¯t wrong after all. Perhaps because I was just too flustered, what came out of my mouth was this stuttered explanation. Harriet just nodded her head, seeming slightly surprised by my fussy explanation. After I was done, I felt a sudden embarrassment come over me for moving so abruptly like that. ¡°A, anyway. L, let¡¯s talk tomorrow. Make sure to tell me how it went. Got it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know why I should do that, but fine.¡± After saying that, Harriet told us that she was tired and got up from her seat, returning to her dormitory room. It was almost past curfew. ¡°Hey¡­. What were you going to say¡­?¡± Ellen tilted her head at my whining. ¡°That you wrote to me, you fell in love at first sight with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry. Please spare me.¡± Ellen held the attitude of someone not involved in this matter. What she said was obviously true though. I wrote a love letter to a classmate and then got dumped. There were 200 Points on the line at that time. If I had known that I would receive over 6000 points later on, I wouldn¡¯t have done this! I was blinded by the allure of 200 Points! ¡°Was it a lie?¡± At the sound of Ellen¡¯s subdued voice, I looked straight at her. It was a lie. I was sure that she wouldn¡¯t spread any rumors about this, even if she ended up rejecting me. Ellen didn¡¯t say anything other than her refusal at the time. However, now she admitted that this was how we got to know each other and asked me if my confession was a lie. If I tell her the truth, would she be hurt? Wouldn¡¯t it be even weirder for me to lie about this kind of stuff? ¡°¡­¡­Ehm.¡± In the end, I had no other choice but to tell her that I lied to her in exchange for 200 Points. Ellen took a sip from her tea again, then nodded. ¡°I thought so.¡± Ellen was already aware that I was lying the moment I gave her that letter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I had no excuses to tell or grounds to give a rational explanation. I could only apologize. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± After she said that, Ellen just continued to quietly drink her tea. She didn¡¯t even ask me why I lied to her like that. Chapter 80 The next morning. I went down to the lobby to prepare for my morning workout as usual. ¡°Hey, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Hello.¡± The usual members of the early morning exercise squad began to appear one after the other. They were all part of the high school section, but I didn¡¯t know most of them. The seniors that I got to know because of that duel greeted me warmly. ¡­¡­What might this be? This uncomfortable yet pleasant feeling. Among the first years there were three members of the early morning exercise squad: Me, Ludwig, and Ellen. The ones that only appear occasionally were Bertus, Cliffman and Scarlett. Ellen went ahead first while I was waiting for Adriana. We didn¡¯t make any plans, but I was sure that she would show up. ¡°Heya, Reinhardt. Out early again today?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ludwig, who was in sportswear, greeted me brightly, to which I nodded. ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± In addition to him, two other people in sportswear were walking out of the first year dormitory. ¡°If you feel tired, you have to rest. Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± B-3, Scarlett. ¡°Yes, yes. I got it. And talk comfortably to me. We¡¯re in the same grade.¡± And Number B-1 Charlotte de Gardias. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s¡­. I can¡¯t help it. It became a habit¡­.¡± ¡°Fufu. You¡¯ll get used to it bit by bit.¡± The two of them came out to do their morning workout together. ¡°If I¡¯m disturbing you, you can just leave me behind. I don¡¯t want to force myself on you. Your training is more important after all, right?¡± ¡°No, no. You still have to look after your health¡­. I¡¯ll just watch.¡± Yesterday, when Charlotte saw Scarlett getting bullied by Erich, she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. I had no idea what happened in the dorms after that, but Charlotte seemed to have decided to work out with Scarlett in the morning. It seemed like Charlotte made it clear that she wanted to make Scarlett her own. The two of them made eye contact with me, as I was standing around in the lobby. ¡°Erm, Hello? Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Huh¡­. Hello.¡± Charlotte smiled slightly at me as she greeted me. Since she came to know that my power would help her find Valier, she wasn¡¯t so harsh on me anymore. She was slightly different from Bertus in that sense. Scarlett just looked at me and slightly bowed her head towards me. We weren¡¯t really close, but it seemed like she held a certain sense of unity towards me. In the end, she didn¡¯t move according to my advice, but Scarlett¡¯s suffering would come to an end now that she is under Charlotte¡¯s protection. All her problems would be solved, albeit in a different way. The kidnapping of Delphine Izadra never happened, and Scarlett¡¯s bullying was taken care of by Charlotte. ¡­¡­It felt like Ludwig¡¯s existence was becoming more and more redundant. The one who was supposed to be the main character was gradually become just the guy in the last place of Class B! Nothing more nor less! Was it really fine for the main character¡¯s influence to become less and less? However, wasn¡¯t it kind of prejudiced that the main character had to hog the attention of all the other characters around him? Was this really so bad? Wouldn¡¯t his future destination still be the same, even if he took a different way? Ludwig was a crazy hard worker, so he would thrive in any kind of environment. He¡¯d end up overpowered no matter what happened. In the midst of my contemplation whether the story was heading towards a really strange direction or whether it was still okay¡­. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, junior. I kept you waiting.¡± The always calm and kind church sister was walking down the stairs. * * * Adriana praised me for my increase in stamina while we were working out together after a while. ¡°You worked hard, junior. It isn¡¯t that big a change, but your stamina has certainly increased.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s keep it up.¡± In the week Adriana was gone, it was clear that my physical abilities had improved a little. I definitely felt less tired than before. ¡°So shall we pick up the pace a bit then?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± Of course, I was still far below Adriana¡¯s standard. ¡°Pant¡­.Huff¡­. Haah¡­.¡± It was good and all that my stamina increased, but Adriana increased the difficulty just as much as I improved, so I was exhausted again. So what would happen when I improved even more? That monster would work me until I was completely drained, no matter what. My future still seemed bleak. ¡°Still, you did great for being able to follow me up to this point.¡± After running a lap, doing some muscle training and some aerobic exercises, Adriana and I sat down on a bench to rest. ¡°By the way, I heard that Demons attacked the Knights Templar.¡± Even though Adriana had just returned from the monastery located in the Saint-Owan Grand Duchy, she, of course, heard about this piece of news. ¡°That¡¯s what they said.¡± I could see slight anger in Adriana¡¯s calm eyes. ¡°These demons have not yet been exterminated.¡± This sentence was loaded with her will to participate in the hunt immediately. Even Adriana, who was always gentle, hated the demons with all her being. I was kind of curious about what kind of expression she would make if she ever found out that I was actually a Demon Prince. Would she look at me superficially, or would she take my inner self into consideration? It would probably be hard for her to see me as someone on the good side, though. ¡°They say there were no fatalities.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m honestly glad about that. They were surely under God¡¯s protection.¡± Sure, God¡¯s protection. It was me who took care that no one would end up dying. Of course, I managed to do that using the Revise Function, but it was still fortunate that none of the Knights Templar ended up dying. Well, I was kind of this world¡¯s God of Creation, so me using the Revise Function to ensure no one died could be called God¡¯s protection, right? What? So she was wrong, but actually right. ¡°There might be a second Demon World War happening soon.¡± That was what Sarkegaar hoped for, but it wasn¡¯t something I wanted to happen. Come to think of it, Adriana seemed to have longed to join the Knights Templar. ¡°Are you going to join the Knights Templar?¡± Adriana was already able to use her divine power very well. She was even using them right now. With that level of talent, the Knights Templar would probably let her join with no questions asked. Adriana nodded to answer my question. ¡°Originally, I was planning on attending Graduate School, but now I want to go join them as soon as I graduate from Royal Class.¡± Adriana originally wanted to go to Graduate School. However, because of this incident, she seemed to want to join the Knights Templar immediately after she finished her 6 years in Royal Class. Because Demons ran rampant inside the Imperial Capital, Adriana decided to change her course of action. ¡°Well¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, junior?¡± Adriana looked at me, wondering if there was something wrong. From what I had seen before, the Knights Templar seemed to be a corrupt organization. The reason why they took the succubi from that black market was because they had similar intentions. If that were to be discovered, they¡¯d just say they took them for research purposes or something. They would just give some reasonable excuses to appease the masses. It wasn¡¯t known to me from where that corruption originated from or how obvious it was, but the Knights Templar were already one of the most powerful armed forces, so it was pretty hard to simply believe that they were completely innocent. I can¡¯t deny that I was a little worried about Adriana joining a group like that. If Adriana were to join that place, would she get disillusioned and leave the group? Or would she become an equally corrupt Paladin? ¡°No. It¡¯s just¡­.¡± Adriana¡¯s eyes were so pure. I had no right to tell Adriana to not join the Knights Templar. In fact, this was still quite far off in the future at the moment. Anyway. It felt really strange seeing the incident I caused making such big waves everywhere around me. For me, this was just a simple incident I caused to rescue some demons. However, it ended up becoming a reason for the unity of the Empire to become stronger. For some it was the reason to take a leave of absence from Temple. For others it became the reason to quickly join the military. Witnessing with my own eyes how a single event triggered hundreds and thousands of connected events, it honestly felt unreal. I knew that everything in the world was somehow connected, but because this connection was now pushed right in front of my eyes, I was experiencing this new feeling. It wasn¡¯t in the least predictable what my actions would cause. -Shall we take a rest? -Haah¡­. Haah¡­. No¡­. W, we can still do some more. -I think you should rest for a bit, Charlotte. -No¡­. No¡­. I¡¯m fine¡­. I could see Scarlett and Charlotte running in the distance. Anyone could see that her stamina was already exhausted, but it seemed like Charlotte was trying to continue with her teeth clenched. In a way, this scene wasn¡¯t that much different from my training. The silent pressure Charlotte put on Erich stopped his bullying behavior. That was probably also why Charlotte was talking with Scarlett like that. Everything in this world had a cause and effect. But it was giving me a serious headache, thinking about how a single cause would lead to hundreds of events, and those events would lead to hundreds of different effects. There just had been too many consequences for my actions. Hundreds of thousands of them. If that were the case, causal reasoning would become completely meaningless. Because these vast amounts of causal effects could only be called chaos. In the end, there was only one conclusion. ¡°The Princess sure is enthusiastic.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± I couldn¡¯t smooth out all the consequences my actions brought. * * * In Harriet¡¯s case, I wasn¡¯t exactly sure how her situation would conclude. There was also Liana de Grantz left. If she were to decide to take a leave of absence, I wouldn¡¯t know how to stop her from doing that. We didn¡¯t even exchange a single word yet. In Harriet¡¯s case, we had this bad relationship connecting us. Even a bad relationship was still a kind of relationship after all. So I could talk things over with her¡­. The solution to that problem came from a rather strange place. After breakfast, I could see Bertus having a conversation with Liana de Grantz. ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°As I was saying. I believe it would be better to avoid taking a leave of absence if possible.¡± Liana tilted her head at Bertus¡¯ straight words. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you. It is your choice, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to stay together in the same class than changing our relationship into a vague one like senior and junior after already having paid tuition for this year?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± Bertus was speaking very kindly. He wasn¡¯t forcing her, he was just telling her that he would feel sad if the class fell apart. However, the intention behind that smile of his was very obvious. ¡®If you quit the class, prepare yourself for the consequences.¡¯ That was what he actually meant. Liana slightly nodded her head with a firm expression, not clear if she understood his intentions or not. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll let them know.¡± After all, a Prince was still a Prince. In fact, a request from Bertus was no different from an order. Rather, it was even more compelling because he worded it as just a request. ¡®Look, I¡¯m honoring you so much, I¡¯m even asking you favors.¡¯ That was how this was to be understood. What? Obviously, Bertus was the best choice if I wanted to dissuade them from taking a leave of absence. Actually, asking him to persuade the children to not take a leave of absence was my ace in the hole, even if I would be in Bertus¡¯ debt. However, even though I didn¡¯t ask him to do it, Bertus was dissuading them of his own accord. * * * It was only natural. ¡°Wha, what should I do!¡± Harriet came to me with her face completely pale. Tuesday was the day I had the lectures I personally signed up for, so I wouldn¡¯t really run into Harriet. She dragged me to the front door of the Royal Class dorm when I was on my way to my morning lectures. I could guess why she was doing this. ¡°What? Did Bertus tell you not to take a leave of absence?¡± ¡°H, how did you know?¡± ¡°I saw him telling that to de Grantz earlier.¡± He told Liana de Grantz, so, of course, he would also tell Harriet the same thing. That was why she got very confused and immediately came to find me and ask me what to do in that situation. ¡°What do I do? I don¡¯t want to get on his bad side.¡± Harriet was in tears, thinking that she would end up dying if she went against the Prince¡¯s wishes. She didn¡¯t know how he was on the inside, only his facade, but if what he said was enough to make her come whine to me, he seemed to let a bit of his intentions slip. ¡°What do you mean, what should you do? This is a good thing.¡± ¡°A good thing¡­?¡± ¡°No, wasn¡¯t that what we planned your excuse to be. Now it actually became true. It would be easier for you to convince your parents now, so how is this something difficult to deal with?¡± Her primary excuse was that Bertus didn¡¯t want her to take a leave of absence, so she shouldn¡¯t, to save the Prince¡¯s face. However, Bertus actually told her just that. So this would make it the truth and not an excuse. Rather, Bertus prepared the best stage one could hope for. I couldn¡¯t thank him enough, but here she was trembling like a newborn calf because she thought she really annoyed Bertus. ¡°But still¡­. Even if I convince them that I shouldn¡¯t take a leave of absence¡­. Doesn¡¯t Bertus hate me now?¡± Of course, the chances that she wouldn¡¯t get forced to take a leave of absence rose pretty steeply, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that she tried to take one, so she wasn¡¯t exactly erased from Bertus¡¯ black list. Rather, he might have some plans for the future. ¡°Idiot. Can you hear me? I think it would be more rude to just write him off like that.¡± ¡°Huh? Wha, what¡­.what?¡± I found out one more characteristic that that girl had. If she was in a state of heightened stress or fear, she wouldn¡¯t even retort when I called her an idiot. She had already accepted Idiot as a word that was used to address her. That acceptance even reached her subconscious. ¡°Maybe he just told you that with completely pure intentions. Maybe he just didn¡¯t want our class to get split like that, you know?¡± ¡°I, I see¡­.¡± ¡°The fact that you think Bertus is being stubborn or annoyed by you already means that you treat him like some kind of jerk.¡± Worrying like this, if the Prince got annoyed or angry, was the same as thinking that the Prince was a total jerk to begin with. That was the moment Harriet realized what she was doing, her face turning even paler than usual. ¡°N, No! It¡¯s not like that! I¡­. I didn¡¯t think that at all.¡± ¡°Then just relax. Because that guy¡¯s much more broadminded than you think.¡± He was so broadminded, in fact, that he didn¡¯t give a damn if nobles, commoners or beggars spoke informally to him, because to him, they were all the same. Harriet¡¯s eyes widened as I spoke about Bertus as if I knew him very well. She seemed to ask me with her eyes how I knew these things. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s right¡­. You said he brewed you some tea as well¡­.¡± She might have thought something like ¡®Are you telling me that you two are close enough to drink tea together?¡¯ or ¡®Bertus is so generous to brew a lowly beggar like him some tea?¡¯ I¡¯d put my money on the latter, knowing this punk. Harriet¡¯s face, that had been very pale up until now, seemed to return to its usual color, her expression seeming more reassured. ¡°What a relief¡­. A, anyway, tha, tha¡­. thanks¡­.¡± No, no matter how relieved she felt, she even managed to thank me? Of course, it wasn¡¯t something easy for her to do, so her face seemed a little red again. That girl began to stumble as if she lost the strength in her legs and walked towards the tram stop. ¡°Where are you going? I have to ride the next one as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± It was quite the cringy situation, having to take the same bus as a friend one just said goodbye to. ¡°What exactly were you thankful for? Tell me in detail.¡± As I spoke, her face turned cherry red again. ¡°Go away! I¡¯ll just walk!¡± Harriet huffed and distanced herself from the station. Then she began to realize that she would have to go quite far, so she returned with an even redder face. Chapter 81 On Tuesdays, I had swordsmanship classes with Ellen and learned horseback riding in the afternoon. Perhaps my pseudo-swordsmanship skill was still a type of swordsmanship, my dedicated swordsmanship teacher praised me, saying that my skills seemed to have improved quite a bit. ¡°You seem to practice a lot, right?¡± ¡°This is much better than before.¡± The teaching assistants told me that they could see that I had been working hard even while there weren¡¯t any lectures, so they complimented me quite a lot. On the other hand. -Hmm¡­. I don¡¯t think this is enough yet, Ellen. -Yes. -Let¡¯s try a little more. It was a little disappointing, you know? You need to lower your center of gravity. -Yes. Ellen was directly learning from the swordsmanship teacher not one of the assistants, but she was getting scolded a lot more, rather than receiving praise. Actually, it was Ellen who received the most criticism here. That was only natural. I started from 0 after all. So even a little bit of progress got praised excessively. However, Ellen¡¯s starting point was at 100. She did extremely well to begin with, meaning no real improvement, so there was nothing to really praise. These were classes, not some sort of competition, and the teachers, no matter how perfect a student was, had to somehow teach them something. So, Ellen, who had swordsmanship skills incomparable to her other classmates, got subjected to incredibly high standards. It¡¯s like someone who previously got 0 points for a test getting 10 points, so they get praised. On the other hand, someone who had 90 points on their test and would continue to just get 90 points. They would be questioned why they didn¡¯t improve even a bit. That was the advantage of being a trash character. What would have happened if I entered into that sword genius, Ellen¡¯s body? -It¡¯s still not enough. Your sense of distance between the swords is still lacking. They probably would have questioned why this gifted kid suddenly became so sloppy. ¡°Hup!¡± ¡°Okay, Reinhardt! Let¡¯s do that one more time! You¡¯re doing great!¡± I was actually pretty fortunate that I entered that incompetent Valier¡¯s body. However. ¡°Reinhardt? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ah, no. I just got a little discouraged¡­.¡± I got slightly disappointed in myself for thinking that I was lucky for having entered such a loafer¡¯s body. * * * As always, I had lunch with Ellen after our lessons, then I went to my horseback riding class. Harriet probably hadn¡¯t talked with the Grand Duke yet. I wondered how things would go. In Liana¡¯s case, Bertus talked to her, but I didn¡¯t actually know how things would go on her end. Anyway, it would be nice if none of the children took a leave of absence based on Bertus¡¯ sudden action. With these thoughts occupying my mind, I returned to the dormitory. Arriving there, I found someone quite unexpected waiting for me. ¡°Ah, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Charlotte?¡± ¡°Do you have some time?¡± It was Charlotte who was waiting for me there. She then made quite a weird request of me, without an inkling of hesitation. ¡°How about we go outside for a bit?¡± ¡°Huh. Will that be alright?¡± She only asked me to go outside with her. No, but at this time? ¡°We won¡¯t be able to go out yet, though¡­. The ban hasn¡¯t been lifted yet, right?¡± The investigation into that demonic terrorist incident shouldn¡¯t have been completed yet. So the ban on Temple Students shouldn¡¯t have been lifted yet, either. Hearing my words, Charlotte looked slightly sullen. ¡°There are some exceptions.¡± I couldn¡¯t refute that the Prince and Princess were pretty much treated like a special existence even in Temple. ¡°But without any escorts? Is that really okay?¡± ¡°It should be fine.¡± It seemed clear that Charlotte was just trying to leave Temple with me alone. What? Is that what one called denseness? Charlotte covered her mouth and laughed, seeing the look on my face. ¡°At the moment, there are only three people inside the Empire who are probably the safest at the moment.¡± Charlotte pointed a finger somewhere. She roughly pointed in the direction of the Imperial Palace. ¡°I¡¯m sure, you know who one of them is.¡± Then she pointed towards the dormitory. ¡°Then there¡¯s Bertus.¡± After that, she pointed at herself. ¡°And me.¡± I didn¡¯t know what the basis for this theory was, but she seemed convinced that she wouldn¡¯t be harmed in the least. * * * Charlotte would only be with me, but she wasn¡¯t the least bit nervous. No one was allowed to go outside at the moment, Charlotte, on the other hand, was able to go out and even take me with her just by talking to the people positioned at the entrance of Temple. They didn¡¯t even ask why we wanted to go out. Classes ended at 3 pm, so there was still a long time until the sun set. Charlotte slipped over a robe that seemed to have been prepared in advance. Charlotte¡¯s face was much more well known than Bertus¡¯ at the moment. As I kept feeling anxious, Charlotte just faintly smiled at me from inside her robe. ¡°You really don¡¯t have to worry. No matter what might happen, there are defensive measures in place.¡± Charlotte walked ahead as if she had no worries at all. ¡°But where are we going?¡± ¡°The Aligar district¡¯s shopping street.¡± That was the moment I realized why she wanted to go out today. The wanted to go to the place Valier was last seen. Charlotte planned on investigating herself. * * * Charlotte in her robe and me wearing my casual clothes boarded a mana train. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we just use Warp Gates?¡± Of course, there were only a few people who actually used warp gates to travel between districts. The Warp Gates weren¡¯t something one could use for free usually, but if it was the Imperial Princess, I was pretty sure that we would get a free pass. While we were shaken around by the train, Charlotte froze at my words. ¡°Since the incident last time, the Warp Gate management procedures have been strengthened a lot more. I don¡¯t want to leave a record.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The demon prisoners escaped via the Warp Gates. Although that fact wasn¡¯t known by the public, because of that, the forces guarding the Warp Gates increased and the security checks done on the Warp Gate¡¯s users seemed to have gotten considerably stricter. I should also have been among the ones not in the know why the security measures around the Warp Gates had been strengthened. ¡°What do the Warp Gates have to do with that incident?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. I¡¯ll tell you when we get off.¡± Charlotte gestured to me to wait. She probably didn¡¯t want to talk about these things in such a crowded area. We went out like that because we wanted to visit that place with just the two of us, but wasn¡¯t there a possibility that Bertus or one of his subordinates was following us? Could we be sure that we didn¡¯t have a tail on us? Or did Charlotte not care about that? She might be one of the people safest in the Empire, but I wasn¡¯t, you know? Bertus was already treating me like someone firmly attached to him, or at least he had his eyes pretty strongly focused on me. So what excuse should I give him, if he caught me doing this? Anyway. I was riding a mana train with the Princess who suddenly asked me out. This sure was a unique experience one wouldn¡¯t encounter every day. * * * We got off at the Aligar District station and headed towards the shopping street. ¡°The suspects who caused that incident escaped via the Warp Gates. That¡¯s why.¡± Charlotte didn¡¯t tell me about the demon prisoners black market trade. ¡°Didn¡¯t they follow them through the Gate?¡± ¡°They were cautious. They activated the Gate by force, went through it, and destroyed the Warp Gate on the other side after they came out.¡± It was quite arduous to ask her questions like someone who had no idea about this incident as someone who knew all about it. Charlotte calmly told me what she could. ¡°Anyway, why are you taking me to the Aligar District shopping street. Can¡¯t you see that I feel like I¡¯m walking on an extremely narrow tightrope right now?¡± If I got stuck between Bertus and Charlotte like that, I¡¯d lose a lot of my freedom of movement. Rather than having to escape because my true identity got discovered, I might actually have to escape because those two got wind that I¡¯m a sort of double agent. Bertus should already know that Charlotte and I have a certain connection. He just didn¡¯t tell me yet that he knew. The same should go for Charlotte. ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about.¡± Still, it was true that I leaned more towards Charlotte because of the guilt I felt towards her, so I could speak more frankly to Charlotte than to Bertus. ¡°I need you for my own reasons, I don¡¯t know about Bertus, but in the end, it should be the same for him. Right?¡± Charlotte probably saw me or even heard me speak to Bertus herself. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what Bertus is thinking, but it¡¯s not a bad relationship we¡¯re having.¡± ¡°As long as you are in Temple¡¯s Royal Class, Bertus won¡¯t do anything to you. You can relax. Strictly speaking, the one you should be careful of would be me, but you know I need you.¡± Charlotte was a bit different from Bertus in that she spoke to me directly like that. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine as long as I¡¯m in the Royal Class? Why?¡± Just because we were classmates? ¡°As you know, Temple gives us exams and corresponding grades, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yeah?¡± ¡°And you also know that there are not only individual exams, but also group exams. There are also classes and activities that require teamwork, which also count in one¡¯s evaluation, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Of course, I knew. Class A and Class B would compete against each other, and that was pretty much reflected in these grades. Of course, there had to be fields in which the classes could compete directly with each other. That way the main character¡¯s class, the inferior one, would later on have the pleasure of winning over the superior class. Although the rationality behind grading everyone as a group was pretty much non-existent, it was a setting I deliberately put in so that there could be a direct competition between the two classes. ¡°With that in mind, wouldn¡¯t it be disadvantageous for him to harm his classmates, badger them or treat some more preferentially when there are such group activities, right?¡± ¡°I¡­ guess so.¡± This wasn¡¯t on the same level as someone missing from a sports team, but just by having too few people on one¡¯s side would certainly carry a lot of disadvantages. I made a lot of weird group activities for Class A and B¡¯s competition, after all. In other words, if one were to lose, all our grades would drop. ¡°So, Bertus won¡¯t do anything to me because he doesn¡¯t want his grades to drop?¡± ¡°Yes. So, unless you go too far over the line, he will most likely leave you alone.¡± Bertus was smart, but was he really the type to obsess over grades to such a degree? ¡°This sounds a bit unconvincing¡­. Are grades so important to him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if they were in the past, but now they are very important to him.¡± Saying that, Charlotte turned her eyes to me. Their performance at Temple might not have been that important in the past, but right now it was something incredibly important to both of them. That was why Bertus wouldn¡¯t try to kick me down if I didn¡¯t do anything beyond reason. ¡°Do you remember? The Emperor¡¯s message that we would be deprived of our right to the throne if something were to happen to either of us?¡± ¡°I remember¡­.¡± On our first day after entering Temple, the Emperor sent a decree to Temple¡¯s Royal Class. It was a message directed to both Charlotte and Bertus, as well as their followers inside the Royal Class, to warn them not to try anything. Clearly, those two would be unable to harm each other until it was fully settled who would succeed the throne. The Emperor knew full well how Bertus tried to kill Charlotte. I didn¡¯t really know what exactly happened, but the Emperor didn¡¯t seem to hold Bertus accountable for this. However, he wanted to prevent future bloodshed between family members. He now created a situation in which both Charlotte and Bertus were now desperately trying to keep each other alive, far from trying to kill each other. The current Emperor held so much power that, even if they got harmed unintentionally, he could make some completely unrelated person the Emperor. That was the situation they were in. ¡°Then, taking this situation into consideration, do you think our evaluation at Temple would matter now, or not?¡± ¡°!¡± Even if Temple was the best educational institution on the continent, it was completely absurd to assume that the one who graduated with better grades would become the Emperor. This wasn¡¯t a matter one could decide using their grades. However, even if it wouldn¡¯t be the only factor leading to a decision, it would most certainly still play a big part. Bertus and Charlotte were even in the same grade. So this would be a type of indicator who between those two would be superior. And Temple didn¡¯t only give grades for individual strength as well. In many cases, one had to achieve certain feats through teamwork. Whether it was group tasks or group activities. The grades in Temple were bound to have some impact on the throne succession. There was no doubt that they had a significant, if not absolute, effect on that decision. ¡°Meaning, if even one person was missing, it would be a huge loss.¡± ¡°I see¡­.¡± If they were even one person short in a group activity, it would be a great disadvantage. Therefore, Bertus wouldn¡¯t do any direct harm to me. That was what Charlotte was getting at. Only then did I understand why Bertus took the initiative in discouraging the others from taking leaves of absence. If two kids decided to leave we would be down to only 9. Two less than Class B. Appealing, that evaluating the group activities like this was unfair, would be useless as well. Bertus had to somehow outperform Class B. In usual times, his performance at Temple wouldn¡¯t be so important to him, but now it was very important. That being said, it was, of course, just as important to Charlotte. ¡°Was it intentional then? That the two of you got put into Class A and B respectively?¡± ¡°Well¡­. I can¡¯t say that it wasn¡¯t now, can I?¡± I still didn¡¯t know what kind of supernatural power Charlotte held, but it was pretty clear that the two of them got put into different Classes and placed as Number 1. Both were in the class leader position. They were ultimately put into such a position to test their leadership skills on their classmates. In the end, what Charlotte wanted to convey was that I didn¡¯t have to fear Bertus too much. And it also made sense that I didn¡¯t have to be afraid of Charlotte as well, because she needed me for her own reasons. Then there was a different matter that bothered me. ¡°By the way, wasn¡¯t it a bit harsh¡­. putting you in Class B?¡± The Classes were divided by talent. Class B corresponded to the inferior Class. Wasn¡¯t Charlotte dissatisfied with that treatment? Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I think this was better for me, though?¡± ¡°Ah¡­. I know what you mean.¡± The honor student¡¯s dilemma also applied here. It went without saying that Class A far outperformed Class B. However, if Class B were to surpass Class A even once, then it would seem like Class B created a miracle. Charlotte seemed to think that Class B was currently in a pretty low position but could rise higher. However, although the story won¡¯t play out like in the original, in the story I wrote, Class B would end up outperforming Class A. ¡°Anyway, aren¡¯t you telling me a bit too much. I¡¯m still a member of Class A.¡± ¡°Do you think? Even Bertus knows this much, though.¡± Charlotte smiled, as if her telling me this much wouldn¡¯t pose a big problem to her. ¡°Okay. No more chit-chat.¡± We arrived at the Aligar District shopping street. A place where many adventurers met their financial end even today. ¡°The last place the boy I was looking for was seen was in this shopping street.¡± Charlotte came here to look for traces of Valier. ¡°Huh¡­. Really?¡± With Valier standing right next to her. Chapter 82 There was a reason why Charlotte had to take me with her. ¡°Tell me if you feel something.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. I don¡¯t really know if anything like that will happen though.¡± She didn¡¯t know what kind of miracles my supernatural power could work, so she brought me here on a whim. Maybe I would be able to give her a clue about Valier¡¯s whereabouts if I visit the place he was last seen. That was probably what she was thinking. Charlotte probably already had all the information she could get out of this place. However, there still seemed things she wanted to check out personally, and she thought, if she brought me, things might change, so that led to this situation. ¡°Have you ever seen someone that looks like this?¡± Charlotte wandered around, carrying Valier¡¯s portrait, and began questioning people. I was pretty sure that she already went around the scroll shops, but Charlotte still went ahead and wandered around the shopping street asking passers-by. Have you seen him? If you have, do you know where he went? Of course, this was still the Aligar District shopping street. A place where you¡¯d earn hatred if you didn¡¯t spend any money. ¡°What are you brats doing here? You can¡¯t look around. Scram.¡± Charlotte was wearing a robe, but she was still very small, so one could see her as anything but a minor. I couldn¡¯t see her as an adventurer either. Neither did the person in front of her. He didn¡¯t even allow us to take a look. How very gangster-like. He let some choice words fly our way, saying stuff about some kids just wandering in willy-nilly without even buying anything. He even asked us if we were crazy. He sure had some fragrant words to offer. So fragrant that he¡¯d immediately bite his tongue off if he knew he was directing them to the First Imperial Princess. In that case, we should have just worn our Temple Uniforms, not our casual clothes. That way they¡¯d think there was big money to earn from us. ¡°¡­I knew it was going to be tough, but there are a lot of people who don¡¯t even want to listen to what I have to say.¡± After walking around the place for quite some time and getting pushed out of store doors, she was obviously tired. Charlotte let out a sigh. ¡°¡­¡­I feel like the point you¡¯re focusing on is kind of wrong. Aren¡¯t you supposed to get pissed off by commoners treating you like that?¡± Charlotte did grumble a bit after she got kicked out and treated the way she was, but she didn¡¯t seem angry. Hearing my words, Charlotte laughed helplessly. ¡°He swore at me while I was in disguise. Wouldn¡¯t it be really weird if I suddenly said something like ¡®You peasant! Do you know who you are talking to¡¯?¡± She was intentionally hiding her identity, so Charlotte seemed fully prepared for what kind of treatment she¡¯d receive when no one was able to recognize her as the Princess. It seemed like what was important for her at the moment wasn¡¯t her honor or pride. When I witnessed Charlotte getting back up on her own feet, I could feel just how desperate she was. ¡°Can you sense anything?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No.¡± ¡°As I thought¡­.¡± As if she didn¡¯t expect much from this, Charlotte didn¡¯t seem very disappointed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± However, she didn¡¯t seem to have any intention to give up just yet. * * * The only place one could get any information was at the scroll shops. Fortunately, not everyone was slamming their doors in our faces. ¡°Just who is that brat that everyone¡¯s looking for ¡®im? Did that brat cause some incident with those fake scrolls of his?¡± The Scroll Store owners who remembered me generally reacted like that. A boy who came to them to sell some fake scrolls, and that group of people who were rushing about looking for him ever since then. They seemed to think that I got involved in some huge crime. ¡°People who looked like Guards just came around askin bout ¡®im, and now some kids like you are after ¡®im as well.¡± The store owner seemed to find this situation very strange, saying that everyone suddenly started looking for that boy. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you why we are looking for him, but it¡¯s very important. Could you tell me everything you know about him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothin¡¯ much to it. A few months ago, a young boy came here tryin to sell some scrolls. Although they were very well-made, they were very shoddy. So I thought he was tryin to sell me fake scrolls. In the end I kicked him out. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Okay¡­. Thank you.¡± ¡°Sigh, that brat must have gotten into some serious trouble. That¡¯s why people should earn their money through honest means. You should be mindful of that as well.¡± The shopkeeper came forward and gave Charlotte a warning, then we left the store without saying a word. ¡°Sigh¡­. In the end, they only told me things I already knew. Nothing changed.¡± Even if one went to investigate and question the same witnesses personally, it was only natural that their testimony wouldn¡¯t be any different from what was written in the reports. ¡°What did they mean by fake scrolls?¡± Of course, I wouldn¡¯t know why Charlotte was wandering around in this place and why Valier even came here with my current presumed level of knowledge. Charlotte looked at me from inside her robe and opened her mouth slightly. ¡°I told you that this boy escaped with me from the Demon King¡¯s Castle, right?¡± ¡°You said, he saved your life¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you everything, but this boy had his reasons for separating from me.¡± Because of the possible retaliation from Bertus, Valier fled. That¡¯s what Charlotte believed to be the reason. Of course, she didn¡¯t know that I actually ran from her because I was a demon. ¡°But what can a kid with amnesia and no proper knowledge do? He ran away recklessly, so the future seemed rather bleak at first. But he had some magic scrolls from the Demon King¡¯s Castle. Perhaps that¡¯s why he tried to raise some funds by selling them to the Scroll Shop owners on the Aligar District¡¯s shopping street.¡± Charlotte deduced the truth from only these bits of information. A boy who sold fake scrolls. From that, Charlotte might have concluded that those fake scrolls were actually demon scrolls, and that boy would be Valier without a doubt. ¡°However, the structure of demonic scrolls are vastly different from the scrolls we use. Merchants who have no magician-background would probably think he was trying to mess with them, trying to sell them fake scrolls.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. Is that so?¡± Demon scrolls and the one¡¯s humans used had structural differences. Without that knowledge I ignorantly wandered in every scroll shop and tried to sell them before I finally met Eleris. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether he felt like something was wrong and realized that he wouldn¡¯t be able to sell the demonic scrolls, but I heard he took a Fireball scroll from one of the stores to sell. That isn¡¯t the weird part however. There were eyewitness testimonies that stated that he took a Fireball scroll, but no one ever bought one around that time.¡± Eleris falsified her testimony, so that was where the trace got cut off. ¡°Maybe he stole it, got scared and simply ran away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible. Then I would have to investigate shopping streets located in different places¡­.¡± Charlotte nodded her head after listening to my intentionally misleading comment. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the store from where he stole the Fireball scroll.¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t actually steal it. That guy handed it over willingly, but I couldn¡¯t correct her on this point. Charlotte walked ahead to lead the way. That must have been information she had already been aware of, so did she really think that she would get any different results just because she decided to investigate herself? * * * Like that we arrived at the shop of this guy who gave me that Fireball scroll, blinded by greed. -Squeak I never thought I¡¯d ever return to this place. ¡°¡­¡­What? What do you kids want?¡± Eleris told me this shop owner¡¯s name, but I couldn¡¯t remember it. He still looked as grumpy and greedy as before though. Charlotte took the lead and walked towards the counter. ¡°Are you Mr. Borton?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yeah, so what?¡± When she called out the guy¡¯s name, he seemed slightly surprised. Charlotte seemed to have compiled almost every piece of information about him prior to this. ¡°You reported that someone stole a Fireball scroll from you the other day, is that correct?¡± ¡°¡­¡­What? You¡¯re asking about this again? I told those Guards everything I had to say. Are they even having kids look into this now?¡± It seemed like he was sick and tired of talking about this incident, as if he constantly had to repeat the story. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask about this again. Still, this is very important to us, so we¡¯re still looking into it. Could you tell me what happened back then one more time?¡± Rather than pushing her point in an authoritarian way, Charlotte asked him politely. ¡°If I were to catch the guy, I was told that I would get lots of money in addition to my Fireball scroll, but I haven¡¯t even found a single hair of him, so what does it matter? Just what kind of incident did that brat cause?¡± That scammy merchant seemed almost convinced that the reason for so many people digging up information on me was that I got involved in some big incident. ¡°I can¡¯t divulge such information. It¡¯s classified.¡± ¡°You want me to tell you everything, while not giving me even a bit of information?¡± Borton smiled as if what we asked for was absurd. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t get any rest anyway before I get that brat in my fingers.¡± He was talking as if he held a deep grudge against the one who stole his precious Fireball scroll. Watching that greedy bastard getting angry in front of me made my blood pressure rise through the roof. Normally I would have flipped the table right that moment, but I would get into some pretty serious trouble if I were to step up now, so I just clenched my fists and tried to endure it. He explained the situation, his face contorted by anger as he thought back to that time. ¡°So a couple of months ago or so, some well-young brat came to me with a scroll book and tried to sell it to me. However, they were all just really well-drawn fake scrolls. So I asked him, ¡°Why are you trying to sell that shit? Get out of here!¡±, but when I kicked him out, he swiped a Fireball scroll. I was so angry when I found out later on. I tried to sniff him out, but it was useless. That¡¯s it. Then there were a ton of people rushing around to catch that bastard. Who knows what kind of accident he caused.¡± It was quite an arbitrary explanation. And the part where he handed me the scroll himself was drastically changed to me having swindled him. ¡°But what leads would you even gain from this? That guy might as well have disappeared into thin air or burrowed deep into the ground. I don¡¯t even know his name.¡± Borton sighed, thinking that no one would be able to find someone just based on such an eyewitness account. It seemed like he still spent restless nights thinking about the money he lost. Charlotte looked at Borton and smiled from within her robe. ¡°We definitely gained some leads from this.¡± ¡°From this?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Charlotte looked around the store, not at Borton himself. ¡°I¡¯ve already found one, you know?¡± Charlotte already noticed something that wasn¡¯t in the report. ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± Borton¡¯s expression turned sickly pale when Charlotte suddenly said that she already found a lead. As if not noticing his state of mind at all, she pulled out a scroll from under her robe. ¡°I¡¯ll give you this scroll for a quarter of the regular price.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fake. Please confirm.¡± When that little girl suddenly took out a magic scroll and showed it to him, Borton laid it out on the counter and looked at it, a smirk evident on his lips. ¡°¡­¡­Lightning Scroll¡­. It¡¯s genuine. The market price for this scroll is 1 gold, so a quarter of it would be 25 silver.¡± ¡°You can buy it or not, it¡¯s up to you.¡± Charlotte mentioned that 1 gold was the correct price, so she didn¡¯t have anything to complain about, so Borton handed her 25 silver as if they were candy. It wasn¡¯t exactly a lead, but we could see that he was extremely elated having been handed something basically for free. After receiving the silver coins, Charlotte smiled. ¡°Now then, during this whole process, when would I have had the opportunity to steal your scrolls?¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have an appraising machine somewhere in the back, and it seems like you¡¯re able to directly appraise if the scroll is fake or not at the counter. You said as soon as you noticed that the scroll the boy handed to you was fake you kicked him out. Please remind me. Just how did he manage to steal a Fireball scroll from the scroll cabinet behind you?¡± Charlotte pointed to the big cabinet behind Borton. It was placed in a way that guests wouldn¡¯t be able to access it. If Valier showed him the scroll and Borton had to take it to the back to appraise it, he would have had the opportunity to secretly steal a Fireball scroll. However, to stop the shop owner from sprouting such excuses Charlotte deliberately sold him a scroll at a very low price and watched how that transaction would proceed. From the start, Charlotte was trying to see if it was even possible for someone to steal a scroll or not, taking the store¡¯s structure into consideration. Charlotte laughed, with her head slightly tilted. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely impossible that he took a Fireball scroll like that. You¡¯re hiding something. Out with it.¡± Charlotte saw through Borton¡¯s lie and completely cut off any form of excuse. ¡°Wha, what are you saying?! If I tell you he swiped it, he swiped it, you little bitch¡­.¡± His face swelled, confronted with this absurdity and he tried to step out from behind the counter. ¡°Hey, you idiot, watch what you say.¡± ¡°What?¡± It was me who spoke up, not Charlotte, who was still wearing a robe. The fact that she didn¡¯t reveal her identity seemed to mean that she didn¡¯t want to pressure him using her authority. ¡°I¡¯m a student of Temple¡¯s Royal Class. If you don¡¯t want this to get bloody, keep talking, you hear?¡± Since Charlotte didn¡¯t want to reveal her identity, I just revealed mine. Be thankful, you bastard. If I hadn¡¯t stepped up you might have gotten exiled or worse. ¡°Te, Temple¡­?¡± I waved my student ID right in front of his face, and I could see that he was slightly pissed off by being talked to like this by some young bastard. ¡°Yeah, Temple. You¡¯d lose no matter what you¡¯d do anyway, but are you sure you¡¯re even capable of beating me up? Well, I¡¯m pretty dang sure that I can hand your ass to you in a fight, no matter what. So, how about it? If you have the confidence to put a scratch on me, come at me.¡± As I muttered these words with a threatening force behind them, the store owner seemed to struggle between his feelings of indignation after being looked down on by a young boy and not wanting to get into trouble by laying hand on a Temple student. Charlotte seemed a little surprised. She didn¡¯t seem to have expected that I would interfere like this. Anyway, Charlotte already saw through Borton¡¯s lies. She would have found out the truth sooner or later. Assuming that to be the case, I¡¯d rather get myself involved and show Charlotte my good side. ¡°If he stole it, you¡¯d surely know how he did it, right? If you can¡¯t even do that, just spit out what you¡¯re hiding.¡± I would most certainly appear much more intimidating than Charlotte, who covered her face. When I stepped up, Charlotte fell into silence as if she planned on just watching from the sidelines. More than anything, I just couldn¡¯t stand that bastard talk for even a second longer. ¡°Don¡¯t you get that this isn¡¯t just your run-of-the-mill case? You¡¯re gonna be accused of obstruction of justice by spreading misleading information, you know? Are you gonna tell the truth now, or would you rather have someone you don¡¯t know drag you to some dank basement and beat the shit out of you?¡± I had no idea what kind of expression Charlotte made, hearing these ridiculous, threatening statements I made. It wasn¡¯t like I could control Charlotte¡¯s and Bertus¡¯ forces. These were just a list of scary words meant to get a reaction out of someone. Misleading information. Obstruction of justice. Getting kidnapped. If people hear these types of words lined up in a sentence, they¡¯d rather swallow swords than gambling on the option that these were just empty threats. I mean, it¡¯s just simple blackmail backed by empty threats. I didn¡¯t have a shred of authority to do anything like that after all. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s¡­. That is¡­.¡± However, it was difficult to think of this as just simple blackmail from Borton¡¯s standpoint. I had no intention of backing down either. When I saw him like that, I really wanted to see this bastard getting severely punished. Chapter 83 Borton eventually confessed. ¡°¡­So you gave it to him?¡± ¡°Ye, yes¡­.¡± However, he didn¡¯t confess completely, but as defensively as possible. He said that he wasn¡¯t robbed, in fact, he just gave it to him. ¡°Why would you just give him a Fireball scroll?¡± ¡°We, well, the guy tried to sell fake scrolls like that, so I just gave him a real one out of pity!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Why are you telling us such a nonsensical lie? Didn¡¯t you call him a thief first? But now you¡¯re telling us you gave him the scroll because you felt sorry for him?¡± ¡°Y, yes! I just gave it to him!¡± Charlotte had an incredulous look in her eyes, as if questioning that dude¡¯s intelligence. Although I had similar thoughts the moment he gave me the Fireball scroll, but that guy sure was seriously stupid and shameless. In the end, I got annoyed. It wasn¡¯t difficult for someone like Charlotte to completely break this guy¡¯s lies, but he just kept on sprouting new lies. ¡°Hey, you bastard, do you think we¡¯re stupid? You probably just thought the guy was great at drawing fake scrolls, so you planned on making him draw more fake scrolls for you! You probably gave him the scroll and told him to copy that one. However, a few days after you gave it to him, you realized he took off with it. That¡¯s what happened, right?!¡± In the end, I couldn¡¯t bear with it anymore, and blurted out the truth I knew. ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking as well.¡± She didn¡¯t seem too surprised by my reasoning, as if Charlotte already guessed as much. Borton¡¯s complexion grew perplexed when he was completely exposed. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it! D, do you have evidence? Are you just making people out to be scammers without proper evidence?! What did I even do!? I¡¯m the one who lost a Fireball scroll here! I lost money!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± Charlotte sighed. ¡°Hey, Mr. Borton. The Imperial Law does not punish those with the intent to commit a crime. You¡¯re not scamming anyone because you didn¡¯t actually sell fake scrolls yet, even if you were planning on doing that, although this is quite the moral issue it¡¯s not a legal one. I just want to know the truth. So this kid didn¡¯t steal the Fireball scroll. That¡¯s it, right?¡± After Charlotte spoke to him in a very mature way, Borton started to regain his composure again. ¡°That¡¯s¡­. Fine. You¡¯re right. He didn¡¯t steal it. Well¡­. Anyway, I gave it to him myself. That¡¯s the truth.¡± In the end, he still refused to admit that he was trying to scam people by selling mass-produced fake scrolls. Although I wasn¡¯t able to see Charlotte¡¯s expression, it was quite obvious that she disliked the person in front of her to a great extent. Then, as if her business with this place was over, Charlotte turned on her heels and left the store. ¡°I, I¡¯m telling the truth! I just gave it to him!¡± He pleaded his innocence until the very end, but Charlotte didn¡¯t respond to him anymore. The two of us went back out, standing on the Aligar shopping street, illuminated by the setting sun. Charlotte let out a deep sigh while covering her face with her hands. ¡°Siiiigh¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Are you angry?¡± ¡°Just what was wrong with that person¡¯s head?¡± Charlotte was so angry that her face was completely red. ¡°Uurg¡­. Uuuuurrg!¡± Charlotte trembled, seeming like she was trying to contain her anger. She seemed so mad, however, I felt a little apologetic to her, because I thought she looked pretty cute like that. Charlotte got so angry. So angry, in fact, that she grabbed me, looked me straight in the eyes and started to talk. ¡°Seriously. How could he tell such a stupid lie without even flinching? Did he think I¡¯m dumb? Huh? Did he really think I¡¯d believe that? Just what¡¯s with this?¡± It seemed like Charlotte was most angry at that brazenness to just go with such a stupid lie, rather than Borton¡¯s lack of morality. ¡°How can a person be so stupid? That¡¯s why the Empire needs to start a public education system as soon as possible! That way, there won¡¯t be any more stupid people like that idiot, right?¡± What? Hey, wasn¡¯t she throwing a fit over something pretty weird? The reason idiots like that exist is because there¡¯s no public education. Was that it? So, in the end, did she feel like it was the responsibility of the Empire to educate people, so she blew her top? Was that why she seemed to feel ashamed and angry every time she saw people like that? ¡°Y, you really have a unique point of view, in many ways, yeah¡­.¡± She was the Imperial Princess. Her way of thinking was completely different from that of a criminal¡¯s. Even if public education was properly implemented, I couldn¡¯t agree with her opinion, because the world I lived in, which had such public education, was filled with similar idiots. ¡°B, by the way¡­. How bout trying to calm down?¡±¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­.. Ah. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She was so excited and spoke with such enthusiasm that she didn¡¯t notice that she was only inches away from my face. It almost seemed like she was attacking me. It was rather difficult for me to understand someone who got angry at people for not being too bright instead of doing something morally wrong. After a while, Charlotte calmed down, taking a few deep breaths. ¡°Okay¡­. I did find it a little strange that he would steal something. So that is one problem solved.¡± Charlotte seemed to have held some suspicions after reading in the report that I stole the Fireball scroll. So in the end, she seemed quite satisfied by finding out the truth behind this matter. ¡°By the way, Reinhardt, you are quite amazing as well.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°When you were pressuring him.¡± It seemed like she was talking about the part where I tried to blackmail him to get him to tell the truth. Charlotte smiled at me. ¡°You must have a lot of experience, right?¡± I sighed at that sinister smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t done this kind of thing before, but not that often, you hear?¡± More than anything, I only stepped up and sprouted some nonsensical bullshit because I got extremely annoyed by that bastard. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with knowing how to do something like that. I enjoyed it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should take you telling me I¡¯m good at blackmailing as a compliment or criticism. Thanks, I guess.¡± It seemed like Charlotte revised her evaluation of me once again. Then she pointed to one of the stalls lining the streets. ¡°Let¡¯s eat something to cleanse our minds.¡± She jingled the bag of silver coins she received for that Lighting scroll she just sold while saying that. ¡°For the day to have come where the Imperial Princess would actually treat me to street food. I feel so honored.¡± At my expression of gratitude, Charlotte gave me a slight look. Although I was taller than her, I could clearly see Charlotte¡¯s face hidden by her robe. ¡°¡­I heard that you are quite disrespectful towards Bertus.¡± ¡°To be exact, what you should have heard is that I¡¯m extremely rude.¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s quite the sight.¡± Charlotte said that I was quite the strange person. On one hand, I was someone very wary of both the Prince and Princess, on the other hand, however, not in the slightest. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t come to Temple, wouldn¡¯t you have died several times already?¡± Charlotte told me that I would have had quite the early death if I lived as a normal commoner. They did have the principle of treating every student as equals, but no matter how one looked at it, I was going far beyond just being blunt. ¡°That¡¯s why I think you¡¯d get into serious trouble the day you graduate from Temple. Have you considered being held back indefinitely?¡± ¡°If I want to live even a day longer, I might have to do that.¡± Charlotte burst into laughter, saying that that might be the case. * * * Charlotte and I bought food similar to churros from a stall near the shopping street and ate them. It was a long piece of bread dipped into sugar. It looked like churros, but it tasted like twisted breadsticks. No matter how one thought about it, sugar was quite the rare commodity in medieval times. What the hell? Although, I gave up thinking about that when I saw the other vendors selling candy. Right. A medieval Fantasy has nothing to do with the medieval times! Anyway, that¡¯s just how it is! Yeah! ¡°By the way¡­. Me saying that might be quite useless, but you¡¯re a princess, so why are you eating stuff sold on the street?¡± These types of food had very little nutritional value and were often undercooked. It wasn¡¯t like I really wanted to eat this, but I was really surprised at how casually she just bought and ate this. She even asked to eat this herself. Charlotte smiled strangely at my words. ¡°Actually, I was a really picky eater in the past.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Really?¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, and I was exactly like you are imaging.¡± The type who¡¯d absolutely hate street food or any kind of low-quality food. It was even more interesting because Charlotte said that she WAS like that in the past, but not anymore. She didn¡¯t look like that type at all. In situations such as these, I realized how prejudiced I was. No matter how kind he looked, Bertus was still a type of villain. Charlotte didn¡¯t seem like a bad or mean person at all. She probably only acted that way because she had some reasons. I was like that as well. That is what one would call the law of the first impression. In that regard, I was probably the strangest person here. ¡°If a person was close to dying of thirst with no water anywhere near them, they would even lick up the stagnant dirty water gathering on the floor. Not to mention when someone is close to dying of starvation. They would even eat a leather shoe.¡± Charlotte looked at me and smiled. It wasn¡¯t a happy smile, but a grimace she pulled because she was unable to cry. ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t find the right words to say to Charlotte, whose face was pulled into such a grimace. ¡°After humans are about to reach their end, all of us become the same. Noble or commoner, in the end we all are just the same.¡± Faced with the absolute desire for survival, she found the mask she had worn all her life and that pride she had about her completely insignificant. She also realized that she wasn¡¯t any different from other people, either. ¡°Do you know what the scariest part was? It wasn¡¯t the torture, the threats and curses they hurled at me or having to look at their backs.¡± I watched Charlotte, who was wearing an exceedingly dark expression on her face, as she stared at the churros she was eating a while ago. ¡°There were people who ate each other because they couldn¡¯t take it anymore. And after they ate, they went crazy, shocked at the very fact that they did something so terrible.¡± Charlotte looked at me. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the demons. The humans were the scariest.¡± What she feared most were the humans. ¡°The fact that the people around me became like that also meant that I could turn out like that as well. That was the most terrifying thing to me.¡± Because she might become like them, Charlotte didn¡¯t fear the demons as much as she did these broken humans. She wasn¡¯t sure how she¡¯d turn out when she was completely at her wits end. ¡°That¡­. was so terrifying and frightening that I thought I was going crazy¡­. No, I probably already went crazy¡­.¡± I could clearly remember it. At the time I found her, Charlotte was crying while holding a certain someone¡¯s body. Charlotte didn¡¯t go into any more detail. However, since I could remember what Charlotte was like back then, I could tell what Charlotte meant. She was cradling that body. She seemed to be in excruciating pain. ¡°At that time, a certain boy came to me. Other than me, there was one more child that survived¡­. I couldn¡¯t believe it, but he appeared right in front of my eyes.¡± When Charlotte¡¯s tears were just rolling down from her dead eyes, unable to even cry properly anymore, I appeared in front of her. The only other survivor besides her. ¡°He gave me the only food he was able to find. He didn¡¯t even think of taking it for himself.¡± It was only a biscuit. It was much too little to fill one¡¯s stomach. ¡°Thanks to that boy, I was able to remain as a human¡­ No, I had already gone half-crazy at that point¡­ I was finally able to let my sanity resurface¡­.¡± He was a boy who freely handed over the food he should have been so desperate for as well. He was the only other survivor except herself. At that time, Charlotte seemed relieved by my very existence. It seemed like she was touched just by knowing that she wasn¡¯t the only one left. Knowing that all of this was nothing more than a dirty lie, I was hardly able to look Charlotte in the eyes. Charlotte said some heavy things, so she ended up laughing somewhat exaggeratedly. ¡°After that, I never complained about food again.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. After that, whatever you ate tasted delicious¡­. Something like that?¡± Charlotte shook her head. ¡°After that, I just realized that nothing would be more delicious than that biscuit I had back then. Whatever I put into my mouth, it just tastes so-so.¡± She didn¡¯t become grateful for the food that she could eat freely after that. Knowing that nothing she would eat for the rest of her life would taste as divinely as that biscuit she had eaten after almost starving to death. That was why Charlotte stopped being a fussy eater. No matter what she ate, it just tasted bland, so it didn¡¯t matter what she ate. ¡°¡­¡­Isn¡¯t that kinda pessimistic?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it much better that I became a pessimistic person instead of a crazy one?¡± Charlotte frowned slightly while smiling. It was a bit sad to hear that it was already good enough that she hadn¡¯t gone completely crazy in that situation. However, Charlotte¡¯s smile was so beautiful that I forgot to breathe for a short while. ¡°Why do you keep telling me things, I shouldn¡¯t hear? Let¡¯s just keep it at that. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you suddenly told me something like: ¡°Now that I told you this, you have to die¡±.¡± To be honest, we weren¡¯t actually that close right now! Of course, it certainly seemed like she opened her heart to me to some extent, but wasn¡¯t she rushing a bit here? Did she want to talk to someone about this, but didn¡¯t have anyone she could actually turn to? So what was the point of grabbing me of all people and complaining to me? Charlotte laughed at my words. ¡°Aren¡¯t you smart? Yeah, I need you to die now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going now. Bye. Sorry for being rude.¡± I jumped up from my seat without hesitation, but Charlotte grabbed the hem of my clothes. ¡°Hey, it was just a joke!¡± Charlotte seemed to be having fun teasing me like that. Chapter 84 ¡°¡­By the way, you didn¡¯t even eat half of those, you know?¡± Charlotte muttered as if she found it incredulous that I barely touched my churros. ¡°I don¡¯t like sweet things.¡± Refined carbs fried in oil and sugar added to it on top? I felt my heart burn just thinking about it. Why were we eating this? Of course, I did eat the candy Eleris gave me, but that was it. At my words, Charlotte opened her mouth slightly as if what I said was ridiculous. It was as if she was telling me that I was seriously missing out. ¡°You think it¡¯s weirder for a beggar from the streets to not like sweets, than a Princess that eats anything regardless of quality? Am I really that weird?¡± A princess who would eat anything, no matter what it is. And a beggar who stopped eating after a single bite simply because he didn¡¯t like sweets. Both of us were pretty rare sights. To be honest, the Princess had a reason for her behavior. It was a bit harder to explain why I was like this, though. ¡°Well, I¡¯m different from you, Princess. I always had to eat cheap stuff, but now that I get to eat the highest quality food, I realized what it really means to eat. That¡¯s how it is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I apologize for asking, but are you truly satisfied?¡± ¡°Of course. How could I not be? I get to study in the world¡¯s best education institution and eat the highest quality food.¡± ¡°¡­I have no words.¡± Charlotte was completely speechless, looking at me as if I was a weirdo. ¡°What do you like to eat then?¡± ¡°Something like hot meat stew.¡± Charlotte¡¯s expression grew more and more bewildered when I told her what I liked. ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s with this? When I talk to you, I sometimes feel like I¡¯m sitting in front of some stubborn minister. The way you talk, your tastes¡­.¡± Did she mean I act like a geezer? Well, to be fair, looking at my mental age and the Princess¡¯, it might feel that way. ¡°Why thank you. I take it as appearing mature then.¡± ¡°Maturity isn¡¯t always a good thing, though.¡± I clearly understood that what she meant wasn¡¯t that I was actually mature. She was being sarcastic. After that, I forcibly stuffed the rest of the churros into my mouth. ¡°¡­What? Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t like sweets? Why are you eating it all of a sudden now?¡± After forcing down that terribly sweet thing, I mumbled something. ¡°Throwing away the gift the Princess gave me, would be a waste though, right?¡± I didn¡¯t know what Charlotte would think of me if I threw away the thing she gifted me. Well, there was nothing good about wasting food anyway. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that important to me that a Princess bought it for me, but that Charlotte bought it for me. ¡°¡­It¡¯s truly ridiculous that you care about these types of things.¡± It seemed like Charlotte was on the verge of giving up trying to understand me. It looked like she doubted whether I was conscious of my actions or not. Our brief break was over. We sat on a bench and kept on watching people passing by. ¡°It seems like there are some things you have to experience yourself to come to a proper conclusion.¡± ¡°Uhm, Well¡­. Seems to be the case today.¡± Charlotte sighed heavily. Apparently, Charlotte had someone search through the Aligar District¡¯s shopping street. However, he failed to uncover the truth behind the scroll robbery. ¡°I knew my people were only capable of doing what I told them to do, so this could be called a harvest in its own way.¡± They only do what they are told to do. I didn¡¯t think she meant that in a good way, but in the end, just by getting to know that her people lacked a certain something, Charlotte seemed to judge this as a big harvest. It wasn¡¯t anything difficult to find out, but they took that testimony at face value and only reported its contents to Charlotte. They never even questioned the credibility of this information. Of course, we were only able to come to this conclusion because I knew the truth, and Charlotte thought fiercely about this incident because she was just that desperate. If I didn¡¯t actually know the truth, I might have dismissed this as well. ¡°If I asked someone to dig a well, they should know that my intention was to look for water¡­.¡± Charlotte seemed disappointed by her subordinates, but she remained firm. She asked them to investigate Valier¡¯s actions on Aligar District¡¯s shopping street. This instruction contained the intention of finding Valier, and here they were just returning with some testimonies. So, they even brought information that lacked credibility to her. ¡°I was able to find out a lot more just by checking myself.¡± ¡°What else is there?¡± Charlotte stared at me. No, her gaze seemed to ask if I didn¡¯t even know that much, either. ¡°In the report I received, the testimonies of the owners and their store names were written down. All testimonies were arranged in a neat document¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­. yeah?¡± ¡°However, by coming here myself, I¡¯m able to see everything. The location of the stores, for example¡­. Like this, it would only be natural for me to find something.¡± Charlotte pointed to the other side of the shopping street. That was where we came from. ¡°His path.¡± Those words sent a chill down my spine. ¡°He came in from over there and went into every scroll shop he saw at least once. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to enter the stores we were kicked out of today, either. Only the ones that gave testimonies.¡± Then Charlotte pointed towards the other end of the shopping street. ¡°And, after that Fireball scroll shop, there were no further eyewitness reports. We don¡¯t have to visit these places in person. His movement suddenly ended there.¡± She found out these things right away. I knew Charlotte was smart. A lot smarter than I could ever be. The location of the stores weren¡¯t written down in their report. However, if one were to visit this place themselves, one would find out rather quickly. If one were to connect the store¡¯s positions, one could read his movements quite clearly. ¡°If he stole that Fireball scroll, it would make sense that he stopped. He might have run away with it to not get caught after all.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess.¡± ¡°But we just found out that this scroll wasn¡¯t actually something he stole. So, he wouldn¡¯t have had any reason to run away like that.¡± If he had stolen it, he would have tried to sell the scroll elsewhere outside the shopping street. Then, it would make complete sense that the trace cut off there. However, the truth was that he hadn¡¯t stolen the scroll. The shop owner actually gave it to him. So, there was no reason for him to run away, making his disappearance not as plausible. ¡°If he wasn¡¯t able to sell the demonic scrolls, then he would probably have tried to sell that Fireball scroll he got from that shop owner. Either way, he was pressed for money. This leaves us two possibilities. The Fireball scroll store owner lied again¡­. There¡¯s the possibility that he hurt the kid himself and is now pretending not to know anything more than he said, but it¡¯s probably not possible for that idiot to come up with something like that taking his lacking brain into consideration¡­.¡± I felt like my whole body was getting colder and colder. ¡°Or he went over there. The next store.¡± Charlotte pointed somewhere. ¡°There¡¯s a very high possibility that his movement ended at the Fireball store or that place.¡± It was Eleris¡¯ Scroll shop. Charlotte was able to reach the truth only with her extremely limited amount of information. * * * I couldn¡¯t let Charlotte enter Eleris¡¯ shop. ¡°Erm¡­. It might not necessarily be that place, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible. Maybe they actually kicked him out, but didn¡¯t remember it.¡± She didn¡¯t seem to be that suspicious of Eleris at the moment. ¡°But the fact that we didn¡¯t have any eyewitness accounts from this part of the street means that there were some people among the shop owners that lied. It¡¯s very likely that one of them did something to the boy.¡± Damn it, I didn¡¯t have any good justification. Charlotte was having reasonable doubts, so it was impossible for me to keep her away. Even if it was somehow possible, Charlotte wouldn¡¯t want to leave a single stone unturned. Even if there was only a small chance that she might find traces of Valier, she would try to investigate no matter what. ¡°He didn¡¯t necessarily have to visit another scroll store¡­. Isn¡¯t there a possibility that he left because of another reason?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. You¡¯re right. As soon as you walk around openly carrying a scroll book, you¡¯re already a prime target for pickpockets or other criminals.¡± Charlotte nodded at my suggestion to not focus too much on the scroll stores. There was still the possibility that he might have gotten pickpocketed or targeted by some criminals after walking around the shopping street with his scroll book for quite a while. ¡°It¡¯s not too late to consider this possibility after we¡¯ve secured the testimonies of the next few scroll shops.¡± The more information, the better. So, she was willing to keep that possibility in the back of her mind. She planned on checking that option after visiting these scroll shops and finding out if someone among the store owners lied. In the end, there was absolutely no reason for Charlotte to not go into Eleris¡¯ store. And more importantly. At the moment, Eleris went to the Edina islands to take care of Airi and the others. It was obvious that she hadn¡¯t come back yet. It was unclear to me whether Eleris¡¯ absence was a good or bad thing, however, this situation was just too unpredictable. I¡¯m pretty sure Charlotte wouldn¡¯t find out my identity by doing this, but if she were to suspect Eleris in any way, there was a high chance that her identity as a vampire could be brought to light. I couldn¡¯t let that happen. So, I tried using the Revise function. Charlotte thinks it¡¯s not worth examining Eleris¡¯ shop. [10.000 achievement points are needed to perform this Revision.] Damn it. Charlotte¡¯s determination to find just a single clue was so strong that it was almost impossible for her to even consider not investigating every nook and cranny of this place. So, the probability of her ignoring this place was abysmally low. -Rattle! Rattle! ¡°Hmm¡­. It¡¯s locked.¡± Charlotte tilted her head after she found out that the door to Eleris¡¯ store was locked. Eleris hadn¡¯t returned yet. ¡°¡­¡­It could be their day off today.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t we take a look at other places? They have to return to this place some day, right?¡± I talked as calmly as possible, pretending nothing was wrong. However, Charlotte was still fixated on this locked door. It seemed like she was starting to get some doubts, realizing a certain possibility. I could clearly see subtle joy radiating from her face. Her expression seemed to express that she was finally able to come across a clue she never thought she would ever find. It was surprising. Charlotte was able to find out at what place my traces really ceased, with only these insignificant eyewitness testimonies. Charlotte went straight to the next store, which was a weaponry store, not a scroll store. I thought we would go to the next scroll shop. There was no way this person would have any information. ¡°¡­¡­ What business do you little kids have here?¡± ¡°Does the scroll store next door have a day off today?¡± The middle-aged owner with a shaggy beard shook his head and smiled. Charlotte asked him about the owner next door, not Valier. ¡°No? Miss Elena seemed to have gone quite far away. She doesn¡¯t open her shop these days.¡± I now knew that Eleris¡¯ pseudonym was Elena. It had been a while since Eleris closed up shop. Of course, it was like that, because she was in a situation in which she couldn¡¯t be here after all. This was unexpectedly getting worse and worse. ¡°Since when has the shop been closed?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. Since last Monday. So right when the Festival started. She might have gone somewhere far away to relax. That¡¯s what young people do.¡± Hearing that, Charlotte had a slightly sullen expression on her face. The owner¡¯s reasoning that she might have left for somewhere further away in time of the Festival was quite plausible. The Festival was now over, but she may have just extended her vacation. ¡°Is that owner young?¡± ¡°She¡¯s young and very beautiful. There are a lot of guys gathering around her¡­ No. What am I saying?¡± He shook his head, wondering why he even said this. The thing he talked about was obviously something Eleris was greatly troubled by. ¡°Why are you looking for Elena? If it¡¯s a scroll shop, even if I feel sorry for sending Miss Elena¡¯s potential customers away, there are quite a few of those around here.¡± He was talking quite gently, because he thought we were her guests. Obviously, he seemed a lot kinder than the other shopkeepers around here. ¡°I have my reasons. Do you know when that person named Elena will come back?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. Not really. I don¡¯t even know where she went. I mean, she just left without a word.¡± ¡°Do you know anyone who knows?¡± I want them to stop, but I wasn¡¯t able to just put a hold to this conversation. ¡°Well¡­. Miss Elena doesn¡¯t even attend the merchants¡¯ meetings, and although she does get along with everyone, she isn¡¯t particularly close with anyone or anything like that. She doesn¡¯t even go out with others to eat lunch together. However, people say she has a very kind heart. That¡¯s why it¡¯s said that she doesn¡¯t have the right constitution to be a merchant or do business¡­.¡± She got along well with everyone, but never got really close to anyone. Although she makes a living as a merchant, she wasn¡¯t like the other Aligar merchants, who could only survive by scamming others. Slight doubts turned into suspicion, and that suspicion would soon turn into complete certainty. She hadn¡¯t yet grasped all the details, but it seemed like she got a feeling that this person was very strange. ¡°Hmhm¡­.¡± As if she had made up her mind, Charlotte started to laugh. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. Huh?¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± Charlotte, leaving the wide-eyed owner behind, dragged me outside and went back to Eleris¡¯ store. ¡°We have to force our way in.¡± As her suspicions grew closer to certainties, it seemed that Charlotte was ready to make use of any method possible. From inside her robe, blue light emanated from the earring Charlotte was wearing. There was a reason after all why she was able to go around all alone. Charlotte wore some kind of artifact, similar to my Flame of Tuesday. I was pretty sure that this wasn¡¯t the only one either. ¡°Break it.¡± -Kruuaaak! With just a short phrase, an explosion rang out from Eleris¡¯ shop¡¯s door. An invisible shock wave smashed through it. -Wha, what! -What¡¯s going on! ¡°You! What are you guys doing!¡± The street was drowning in a huge commotion caused by this sudden explosion. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Charlotte, however, didn¡¯t seem to care about anything else going on around her, and walked through the smashed door without hesitation. Chapter 85 Eleris didn¡¯t put any protective magic on her door, so it was easily broken. However, if she had put some protective magic on it, that in itself could be seen as a piece of evidence. That locked door would have caused trouble no matter if it was able to be broken or not. The moment this place caught Charlotte¡¯s eye, it was already over. This situation was no longer stoppable. I couldn¡¯t do something crazy like smacking Charlotte in the back of her head, either. Leaving the commotion brewing outside behind, Charlotte entered the shop. ¡°Hmm¡­. The cabinet is locked¡± The scroll cabinets everywhere in this shop were now literally shuttered down. Charlotte went over to the counter and carefully checked over every scroll cabinet. ¡°There are magic locks installed. Still, everyone uses these, though¡­.¡± The property of scroll shops were the scrolls themselves. So it was only natural for the cabinets to have magic locks to prevent theft on them. Charlotte tapped on one of the shuttered cabinets that occupied one of the walls. ¡°Reinhardt, if there were any Fireball scrolls in there, what do you think is the probability of it being the one from that other shop?¡± ¡°Well¡­. Pretty low, right?¡± ¡°Hm¡­. Right? Although it¡¯s quite expensive, it isn¡¯t a rare type of scroll. Even if there were any in there, they could simply be up for sale¡­¡± Charlotte knew that even if there was a Fireball scroll in there, it certainly wouldn¡¯t make good evidence. She took a book out of her pocket. It was a scroll book. After flipping through the pages, she immediately pulled out a single scroll. ¡°Still, it wouldn¡¯t be a waste to check. It might contain the demonic scrolls he had with him.¡± Eleris might have taken the scrolls and killed me. There was a good possibility that she was thinking like that. It was obvious what kind of magic scroll Charlotte took out. I didn¡¯t even have to look at it. It was probably a scroll of type Unlock or Dispel. The moment Charlotte was about to rip apart the scroll to cast the spell. ¡°Huh¡­? No, what is this mess?¡± Eleris, who should not be here, appeared on the stairs leading to the upper floor. ¡°Y, you! Who are you¡­?¡± She was looking at me and Charlotte, who was about to cast Dispel, alternately with a startled look. She simply asked who we were. Thanks to these words, I realized that she completely knew what was going on here. I didn¡¯t exactly know what happened, but Eleris was back in her shop, and she knew what was going on. She was pretending not to know me. That was the proof. ¡°Ah¡­. You were there?¡± After some confusion, Charlotte took off her robe. ¡°My name is Charlotte de Gardias. As the Imperial Princess, there are a few questions I would like to ask you.¡± Charlotte judged that now wasn¡¯t the time for her to continue to hide her identity. * * * Ignoring the commotion outside, Eleris appeared quite flustered and immediately bowed her head in front of the Princess. ¡°F, for her Highness the Imperial Princess to come to such a shabby place like this¡­.¡° ¡°I have no intentions of dragging this out any longer than necessary. I would like you to answer some questions.¡± After revealing her identity, Charlotte began to speak in a coercive and cold manner. Eleris was certainly acting like a normal commoner of the Empire. I had no idea in what direction this would lead, but I prayed that this would resolve all this. I fiercely hoped that Eleris prepared a plausible excuse. There was nothing I could do to help at this point. I didn¡¯t even imagine I¡¯d ever enter this place with Charlotte and even meet Eleris, so my mind was in total chaos at the moment. ¡°You should know that there are many people looking for a single boy around this area.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware of that, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I heard you said you never saw that child. Are you sure of that?¡± Charlotte, who completely revealed her identity, still remained somewhat respectful, but as a member of the Imperial Family, she had an attitude that it was only a matter of course that her questions would be answered. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I am sure. I¡¯ve never seen a child like that anywhere around here before.¡± ¡°Look into my eyes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Look into my eyes and tell me.¡± As if she was trying to see if Eleris was lying, Charlotte stared into Eleris eyes with a completely blank look. Eleris also struggled to move her head facing Charlotte away. ¡°Have you really never seen him?¡± ¡°Yes. Definitely.¡± I wondered what she saw in Eleris eyes, as she was clearly lying. Charlotte looked like that at her for a long time, then pointed her chin to a specific place. ¡°Unlock the scroll cabinet.¡± The Fireball scroll. Charlotte was trying to see if she had any. I didn¡¯t even know where she placed it. Only Eleris knew. She trembled in fear and soon unlocked the magic lock. ¡°Please show me your ID.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­. Here you go.¡± Charlotte checked the ID Eleris had given her, and soon lost interest, then she went to open the scroll cabinet and began to rummage through it. While rummaging, Charlotte asked a few more questions. ¡°Is Count Pergia a decent lord?¡± It was a pretty meaningless question. What the hell did she want to achieve by asking something like that? ¡°Tha, that¡­. Count Pergia¡­. The one in charge of the region is Bishop Rendry. Count Pergia isn¡¯t actually a lord¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, is that how it is?¡± And, as I heard Eleris¡¯ sudden response, I felt a chill running down my spine. Charlotte was questioning Eleris about her origins. I didn¡¯t know where it was located, but it seemed like Eleris set up Pergia County as her place of origin. If Eleris said that Count Pergia was a pretty decent lord, Charlotte would have mentioned that it was actually ruled by Bishop Rendry. It was a trap. If one wasn¡¯t from that place, one wouldn¡¯t actually know that it was ruled by someone of the church. If she wasn¡¯t actually from that place, there was no way for her to have known such a tidbit. However, Eleris answered correctly. Charlotte was, of course, aware of such issues within the Empire. Eleris did some preliminary research about that place as well, to be able to answer questions about her supposed place of origin. Both were rather creepy in my opinion. As she continued to rummage through the cabinets, Charlotte didn¡¯t stop asking questions. ¡°Are you a wizard?¡± ¡°No, Your Highness. But there are tools that I can handle using magic power.¡± ¡°Hmm, wizards wouldn¡¯t have a reason to run a scroll store. However, it¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t any such cases.¡± After she was done going through that cabinet, Charlotte looked at it with crossed arms. ¡°There aren¡¯t any Fireball scrolls¡­¡± Anyway, it seemed like the Fireball scroll was already disposed of. ¡°This seems to be quite the unique store. They don¡¯t sell any attack magic scrolls whatsoever.¡± Charlotte noticed a peculiarity that made Eleris¡¯ store different from other stores. ¡°Bring the ledger.¡± It seemed like Charlotte wouldn¡¯t leave this place until all her suspicions had been answered. * * * I realized again how meticulous Eleris was. Regardless of whether the business was going well or not, Eleris thoroughly managed her books. She was placed into the Imperial Capital as a spy of the Demon Realm, but one would never know when she might get discovered. So, it seemed like everything was meticulously prepared so that she wouldn¡¯t leave anything suspicious behind. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you selling attack magic scrolls?¡± ¡°That¡­. Because attack magic can be easily abused for violent crimes. It would be fine if they were just used against monsters, but I know there are quite a few cases where they aren¡¯t used as intended¡­¡± Eleris kept in mind that the scrolls she sold could be used for crimes. That was why she didn¡¯t sell attack magic scrolls. That was absolutely something Eleris would do. However, in the end, this aspect turned into a weakness in a way. Eleris wasn¡¯t as meticulous in that area. ¡°But aren¡¯t attack magic scrolls in high demand?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± That was why her business wasn¡¯t doing all that well. It was impossible to find fault with the fact that the merchant herself refused to sell certain things, though. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± After Charlotte looked through the whole ledger, she closed the book. ¡°It seems like you have nothing to do with the boy I¡¯m looking for.¡± Charlotte predicted that the one who recognized the true worth of these demonic scrolls probably took it from the boy and did him in. However, Eleris didn¡¯t deal in attack magic scrolls, and according to the people around her, she didn¡¯t really have any business sense or drive. It goes without saying that she wouldn¡¯t even consider stealing something from someone else. So, this made it seem like all doubts had been cleared on that side. However, Charlotte still pointed at the ledger. ¡°But it seems like you didn¡¯t write down the store¡¯s maintenance fees here.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± After having taken a look at Eleris¡¯ shop, Charlotte seemed to have some more doubts. Having taken a look at Eleris¡¯ sales, she must have noticed that they were really little. ¡°Where do you take the means to maintain this shop? Refusing to sell attack magic scrolls, which are in high demand. It seems that you don¡¯t have the smallest intentions of making money¡­.¡± The maintenance fees are covered by the Rotary gang. However, if Charlotte managed to figure out things up to that point, it was very likely that she¡¯d come to the conclusion that I was entangled in this as well. I was getting goosebumps. Would she really manage to do that? ¡°That¡­. I¡¯m actually losing money¡­.¡± Of course, Eleris told her that she was doing business while gnawing away at her own capital. In the end, she chose this simple excuse that was just incapable of doing business. She jumped into the business world half-heartedly, but she was stubborn, so ended up bleeding herself dry. ¡°And yet you went on vacation during the Victory Festival?¡± ¡°Ah¡­. That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Where did you go?¡± ¡°I just¡­ went camping near the Capital¡­. Then I heard that there was a terrorist attack, so I decided to stay there a little longer and only came back today¡­.¡± If she said that she went somewhere using the Warp Gates, one could easily check that by going through the gate usage history, so she probably tried to avoid saying anything about that for that reason. ¡°Camping¡­. Camping, is it¡­.?¡± ¡®You had a good time, huh?¡¯, was what Charlotte¡¯s expression seemed to express. Why? It seemed like Charlotte¡¯s feelings towards her were slowly changing, didn¡¯t they? She seemed to find her truly pitiful. ¡°I heard that all the Aligar district merchants were filthy savages. I now believe, that not all of them are like that.¡± As if she never heard of anyone who was willing to go bankrupt for their principles, Charlotte seemed happy in many different ways. It seemed like all her doubts had finally been cleared. That was what I thought until she pointed towards the stairs. ¡°Could I go up there?¡± Charlotte pointed towards the stairs leading up to the second floor. * * * The upper floor was where Eleris lived. There was only a living room and another room. ¡°¡­¡­It doesn¡¯t seem like much of a living room.¡± Charlotte said so after seeing this minimally furnished room. There was only a single table and some chairs in the room, and a bed with a blanket in the other room. ¡°That¡¯s¡­. because I can¡¯t afford more¡­.¡± It was true that she lived in great poverty. It seemed like Charlotte didn¡¯t find anything but the reality of someone living in poverty in this barren room. Eleris squeezed herself in and showed Charlotte around while my heart was about to burst from tension. Actually, these types of rooms were found in many households, but there were some that were actually worse off. In her kitchen there was just a simple fridge and some cookware. -Rattle ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Charlotte was now looking through Eleris¡¯ fridge, took account of the frozen snacks she had in there and nodded slowly. Eleris started preparing some food in case she had to give me some. I wasn¡¯t sure if fridges were expensive in this world or not, but having it justified her having bought this food, but not having eaten any of it. At the moment Charlotte thought Eleris to be the prime suspect of causing Valier¡¯s disappearance, so she looked through her place, but she was actually investigating the living space of a vampire who infiltrated the Imperial Capital. If Charlotte was actually suspecting her to be a demon, then she¡¯d be able to find many suspicious things in this place, but she was only looking for traces that could lead to Valier. Then Charlotte went into the bedroom. All it held was a window near the bed, a blanket draped over the bed, and a wardrobe. Occasionally, Eleris¡¯ and my eyes met to avoid Charlotte¡¯s gaze. ¡®Are you alright?¡¯ ¡®I think so!¡¯ We held such conversations with our eyes. Charlotte kept looking at the bed and then grabbed something. ¡°Elena.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°This hair. Whose is it?¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°!¡± There, on her bed, was a hair that was clearly blonde. Completely different from Eleris¡¯ red-brown hair. When I hid my horns and took on my human form, my hair turned blonde. And the hair Charlotte picked up was exactly the same blonde tone. That was obviously my hair. I was here at the start of the Festival for a few days. Charlotte probably would mistake that hair for Valier¡¯s hair. That¡¯s right! My hair was my hair. That much was obvious! However, would it still be my hair if it fell from the head of another me? Not Valier¡¯s hair, but Reinhardt¡¯s hair? I, in the first place, why did that hair even fall out? No, well, one usually loses one or two hairs, right? It just naturally happened when one slept. It was fine as long as it wasn¡¯t black! No, how could it even turn black? I was blonde like this, after all. I clenched my fists and held back the desire to immediately check how many hairs were missing from my head. ¡°I asked whose hair this is.¡± Of course, Charlotte, who had a view completely different from me on this, began to question Eleris again. Eleris¡¯ face was already getting red. For the day to come where I got to see a vampire¡¯s face turning completely red. Did vampires actually have that much blood in them? Charlotte was questioning her on this hair that was obviously from someone else. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s¡­. m, my¡­. My Bo¡­.Boyfriend¡¯s¡­. It¡­. It seems¡­.¡± What else could Eleris say to that other than this? ¡°Gasp!¡± Charlotte freaked out and immediately let go of that piece of hair. ¡°Tha, that¡¯s¡­. I see¡­.¡± ¡°Yes¡­. Your Highness¡­.¡± As Charlotte was still rather young, she seemed to have pretty low tolerance to these kinds of things. Both Eleris and Charlotte had tomato red heads for varying reasons. Charlotte couldn¡¯t even look at Eleris¡¯ bed again, as if she just saw something she shouldn¡¯t have. That little kid. What was she imagining, that she couldn¡¯t even lift her head because it turned so red? Huh? ¡°Tha, that¡­. Boyfriend¡­. What¡¯s his name?¡± Of course, Charlotte still continued her interrogation even though she felt such shame. At that moment, I thought that she was pretty great in many different ways. Chapter 86 Eleris quickly came up with her ¡®boyfriend¡¯s¡¯ personal information in detail. She came up with something so fast that I almost thought that fake boyfriend was actually a real person. No, this might be the personal information of an actual person. There was a high possibility that Charlotte would run a background check on him after all. Finally. She was indeed a bit strange, but Eleris seemed to have been cleared of all her charges. That was how Charlotte seemed to judge her, at least. There was no evidence after all. She only had a suspicion, but there was no physical evidence to support said suspicion. What would have happened if Eleris wasn¡¯t here? There was no evidence in the scroll cabinets, but there was this blonde hair she could presume to have fallen off Valier¡¯s head on her bed. Charlotte would have persistently dug up information on Eleris just by finding some circumstantial evidence alone. ¡°¡­¡­For the door repair fee.¡± Charlotte handed two gold coins to Eleris. ¡°T-Thank you, Your Highness¡­.¡± It was probably a much larger amount than required to repair the door. ¡°Then excuse us, Miss Elena.¡± Charlotte decided to leave the shop, probably because she didn¡¯t have anything more to ask Eleris. Before leaving, Eleris¡¯ and my eyes met. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± We spoke no words with each other, but it felt like we conveyed a lot of things. * * * After we went back onto the street and walked for some time, she suddenly stopped. ¡°No matter how much I think about it, it¡¯s very suspicious.¡± It seemed like Charlotte still hadn¡¯t put her doubts aside. She dragged me into an alley and stared at me. ¡°Then¡­ do you think that her testimony was all a lie?¡± ¡°Even if she has nothing to do with his disappearance, she, as a person, is just too suspicious.¡± At these words, I felt like my head completely froze over. I thought Charlotte didn¡¯t care about anything else but Valier. I was wrong. ¡°Attack magic scrolls are the most sought after among a scroll shop¡¯s products. However, she doesn¡¯t sell any, because there¡¯s a possibility that they could be used to commit a crime? Meaning that she never had the intention of running a proper business in the first place, right? More like, she has no interest at all. I looked at her ledgers and she wouldn¡¯t be able to even pay the rent with the measly amount she makes. And yet, judging by her records, she¡¯s been running this store for about 2 years now. That would mean that she was able to continue her business without making any proper sales for these 2 years.¡± That was suspicious. A scroll store that didn¡¯t sell attack magic scrolls. Even though she made nearly no sales at all, she was somehow able to maintain her store. Doing business didn¡¯t seem to be her purpose at all. ¡°And the rooms upstairs. Putting the thing with the hair aside, there were only a few household items.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right.¡± Regardless whether she was involved in Valier¡¯s disappearance or not, Charlotte had already marked Eleris as a very suspicious person. ¡°No matter if the owner is there or not, what did she even do in these rooms? One can¡¯t even see that someone actually lived there.¡± Another suspicious point. The rooms seemed rather sterile. One couldn¡¯t tell at all what type of life she lived in there. It wasn¡¯t strange to call Eleris¡¯ apartment, which was completely void of a sense of being lived in, totally empty. Leaving the problem with Valier aside, it seemed like Charlotte came to the conclusion that the shop owner called Elena should be thoroughly investigated as she was highly suspicious. What should I do if the thought that Eleris might be a demon spy came across her mind? Of course, Eleris would be able to escape on her own, but that would mean that I wouldn¡¯t be able to see her in the Capital ever again. I had to do something. Whether I muddy the water or not, I wasn¡¯t the one who was in immediate danger, but Eleris. She already became convinced that the store was just a front and that she actually had a different goal. And, in order to prove that conviction, Charlotte would absolutely investigate every aspect of Eleris using all her might. It was only a matter of time before she realized that Eleris was a demon. ¡°Charlotte, don¡¯t get me wrong here. Just listen.¡± If that was the case, then it might be the better course of action to stop Charlotte¡¯s train of thoughts by telling her some of the truth on my part. ¡°I think we should stop here.¡± This became too big a deal. * * * We should stop here. Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows hearing these words, as if I was talking nonsense. ¡°Stop? What do you mean?¡± She finally was able to find a clue, so she, quite understandably, wore an expression as if she couldn¡¯t understand why we should stop now. It wasn¡¯t the most conclusive evidence, but anyone could see that this situation was suspicious. Charlotte thought, if she dug up anything about Eleris, she would be able to find Valier. ¡°As you said, this person is running this shop for some other reason, right? But she¡¯s deliberately shooting herself in the foot by doing something as strange as not selling attack magic scrolls, isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charlotte listened quietly, showing me her willingness to listen to what I had to say. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for her to act like that, so couldn¡¯t that mean that this person is just so kind bordering on stupidity? I wouldn¡¯t know for what other purpose she¡¯d do something like that.¡± She had this strange principle of not selling attack magic scrolls because she was afraid that they¡¯d be used to commit crimes. There was nothing else to it, but her being simply that kind. Hearing that, Charlotte nodded subtly, although she didn¡¯t seem conceived yet. ¡°I guess so. But what does that have to do with us having to stop here?¡± ¡°The boy you¡¯re looking for must have entered that store, just as you guessed. That¡¯s certain.¡± I was trying to stop Charlotte from thinking any deeper into this by telling her the truth backed by plausible reasoning. ¡°And that kid obviously realized that there was something wrong with the demonic scrolls he was trying to sell. He¡¯d try to sell the fireball scroll in the next store, right? That¡¯s only logical.¡± ¡°It must have been like that.¡± ¡°What would you have thought seeing a kid carry around something as dangerous as that if you were someone like that shopkeeper?¡± What would the shop owner, who is so wary of crimes to the point of not selling attack magic scrolls, do, faced with a kid running around with a fireball scroll? ¡°I would have taken it¡­¡­. Something like that, right?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have let the kid carry around that thing with him, no matter the price, right?¡± In fact, Eleris was trying to buy that fireball scroll off of me without even knowing who I was. It was also true that she became angry with me for carrying something so dangerous with me. ¡°Additionally, she must have seen the scroll book he was wearing when he sold the fireball scroll, right?¡± ¡°That¡­ could be the case.¡± Eleris thought I was someone who stole and sold scroll books. So she almost took away my scroll book as well, saying that I probably had more dangerous scrolls in there, too. Then she found the demonic scrolls. It seemed like Charlotte wasn¡¯t able to understand what I was trying to express with this lengthy explanation. ¡°What I¡¯m going to say now is pure speculation.¡± I wasn¡¯t actually guessing, these were hard facts, but I had no choice but to sell it to Charlotte like that. ¡°That person probably checked the contents of the scroll book, so I¡¯m guessing she was able to recognize them as demon scrolls. Going by that, we could assume that she probably is a wizard.¡± Although she was actually a vampire who happened to be a wizard, I only told her the second half of that truth. If she asked me how I could know that, I would have nothing to say to her. ¡°Assuming she recognized that they were demon scrolls. She must have questioned him about where he got them, right?¡± ¡°I guess so. What are you trying to say?¡± Charlotte asked me, as if she still didn¡¯t get what I was talking about. Charlotte always lost her composure when it involved Valier. Of course, now was the right time to hit her with a sudden revelation. ¡°I think she¡¯s somehow trying to protect that child in some way.¡± Before landing in a much more dangerous situation, I opted to tell Charlotte some half-truths. ¡°If it¡¯s true that this person is a wizard, is able to recognize a demonic scroll, and is indeed a good person, she must have tried to help him once she found out that he was in danger.¡± Hiding him or sending him far away. I didn¡¯t tell her the specific method of how she was protecting him, but she seemed to think of various possibilities already. ¡°If we¡¯re so sure we can find him through her, we should dig even deeper. And how do you even know that this person is actually protecting him? Your conclusions are only based on guesswork. Yes, your guesses could be true. Then why do we have to stop here? According to what you said, there are no other clues than what that person knows.¡± ¡°It might be more dangerous for him if we found out his whereabouts.¡± ¡°!¡± Charlotte opened her eyes wide at my words. ¡°If we find out, so could Bertus.¡± Charlotte thought it would be good if she were able to find the boy, but she didn¡¯t think that far ahead, apparently. ¡°We¡¯ve already caused quite the commotion on this street. I don¡¯t know how far this news will spread. But if we were to actually find a meaningful clue, Bertus would be able to find out. If you start moving people to dig further into the shopkeeper, of course Bertus would know.¡± Charlotte might be able to find out his whereabouts that way, but there was a chance that this information could reach Bertus¡¯ ears. Then he¡¯d also move to find the boy, throwing him into a very dangerous situation. ¡°I confirmed that the boy is safe with my supernatural ability. I don¡¯t exactly know how he¡¯s doing, but if we were to forcibly find out the information that person is hiding, things would become even more dangerous for him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I didn¡¯t have enough evidence to prove my speculations. The assumptions of Eleris being a wizard, recognizing the demon scroll and being a very kind person that would do everything to protect a single child, should all be true. However, I told her just now that we shouldn¡¯t touch Eleris, especially because she might hold important clues. If she knew nothing, then it wouldn¡¯t be right to dig deeper, and even if she did know something, we shouldn¡¯t touch her further. That¡¯s what I told her, basically. ¡°We can¡¯t be sure of that. Of course¡­¡­. It¡¯s not like I doubt your ability, but we can¡¯t know if that person is really protecting him or not¡­. We just can¡¯t be sure.¡± In the end, it was all just speculation, right? It was true that Eleris might hold a clue, but she might have nothing to do with this as well. The boy might have disappeared somewhere else, but she seemed unsatisfied to stop like that. ¡°Fine. Then let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Again?¡± ¡°Yeah, if we give her the impression that we aren¡¯t going to step down so easily, she might tell us the truth even if it¡¯s just a bit, right?¡± Of course, this was all bullshit. All I had to do is give Eleris a sign that it was okay to talk a bit about this. * * * We returned to Eleris¡¯ shop. We had no problem seeing into the store as the door was open. Eleris was sitting idle in a place we could clearly see, and when we returned, she jumped up from her seat. ¡°Y-You returned¡­. Your Highness.¡± Some time had now passed, and the number of people passing by was getting smaller and smaller. People directed their gaze towards the shop while passing by, but none seemed to have any intention of eavesdropping. Charlotte regarded the open door and pointed towards the stairs. ¡°How about we go upstairs?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Eleris hesitated slightly, then led us upstairs again. She wore a very nervous expression. ¡°I won¡¯t take much of your time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Okay.¡± Charlotte wasn¡¯t here to interrogate her. ¡°I think you have a clear connection to the disappearance of this boy.¡± When she voiced her convictions, Eleris clearly revealed a look of perplexity. ¡°But I also know that he is in a lot of danger. So I have this hypothesis, that you are hiding or protecting him, because you think he might get harmed, and that it would be just as dangerous to leak information about his whereabouts to me, so you lied¡­.¡± Charlotte thought this was too much of an exaggeration. Even I wouldn¡¯t agree to something like that. Charlotte was only presenting this reasoning because of my conjecture, thinking that she should do everything she could. ¡°I will investigate you in any way I can, whether you tell me something or not. If there¡¯s anything you are hiding from me, you should tell me now. If it is true that the boy will be in more danger if the truth is revealed, I was thinking of stopping here for now.¡± After taking a few deep breaths, Charlotte was looking at Eleris. ¡°Elena, do you think it would be dangerous for him if I were to find out where he is? Is that why you are hiding information from me?¡± I looked at Eleris from behind Charlotte. I gave her a sign by slightly nodding my head. And, Eleris clearly understood what I meant. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°!¡± Charlotte was so surprised, she froze up and just blankly stared ahead. * * * On the way back to Temple. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Charlotte was walking as if her soul had been drained out of her body. ¡°Look where you walk. You might fall down.¡± ¡°Huh, ah. Yes¡­.¡± Eventually, Charlotte collapsed onto a nearby bench after we left the shopping district, saying that she felt too exhausted to walk any further. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Charlotte sobbed quietly, covering her face with her hands. People would do these things, no matter if they were happy or sad. Charlotte was crying out of happiness. ¡®Yes, I¡¯m protecting the boy.¡¯ ¡®I already know from what the kid told me that Your Highness does not intend to harm him.¡¯ ¡®But there are just too many people after him.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t tell you the truth. Please forgive me for this.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m telling you this because Your Highness said that you¡¯d use all powers available to you to find out everything, no matter what.¡¯ ¡®He is doing well. I think it would be better for Your Highness to not know where he is located or what he is doing at the moment.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m a wizard. Although I¡¯m not the strongest, I¡¯m good enough to protect him. It may be difficult for you to believe in me, but I hope you¡¯ll find it in your heart to place some of your trust in me.¡¯ In the end, Charlotte saw my conjecture become true right in front of her eyes. After being frozen for some time, Charlotte¡¯s knees buckled and she sat down where she was, seeming like she was about to collapse. Then she cried until she was out of breath. In order to protect Eleris, I had her expose this much. Charlotte was protecting me for being her only connection to Valier. Therefore, she would also protect Eleris, who was protecting Valier. ¡°He¡¯s okay¡­. He¡¯s safe, so everything is okay¡­. He¡¯s fine¡­.¡± Although she wasn¡¯t able to see him directly, she did find someone who said she was taking care and protecting Valier. Charlotte was so moved by her findings. ¡®It seems that it¡¯s possible to exchange information through a more inconspicuous method. Through letters, for example.¡¯ ¡®However, meeting in person is too dangerous for me and the boy. So, I think it would be better if you send someone else to send and receive information.¡¯ Eleris was going far beyond what I signed her to do. ¡®For example, this boy who came with you today¡­.¡± Eleris even created an excuse for me to visit her store as Reinhardt. We didn¡¯t know what this revelation of some of the truth would lead to in the future, but if we had stayed still, the fact that Eleris was a vampire would have come to light. It might not be ideal, but that was the best I could think of at that moment. Still, Charlotte learned that the boy was safe, and although she wasn¡¯t able to meet him, she was able to send him letters as well as receive some from him. After regaining her composure, Charlotte looked at me and took a deep breath. ¡°This must never reach Bertus¡¯ ears.¡± ¡°I know.¡± What she meant to tell me was that I had to watch my mouth, as well as that this couldn¡¯t reach Bertus any other way either. My absurd speculation was nothing more than just that. The reason Eleris suddenly decided to open her mouth was because I ordered her to. Charlotte might find it strange that Eleris¡¯ revelation came so suddenly, even though she was so adamant before. However, she wasn¡¯t able to deny that she was able to find the boy because of me, so after some time Charlotte turned to me. ¡°Thanks, Reinhardt.¡± Charlotte carefully grabbed my hand as she thanked me. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± I couldn¡¯t bear to meet Charlotte¡¯s gaze. She was smiling. Her smile even reached her eyes. Her hands were a bit cold though. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. It¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Of course, this wasn¡¯t the end. Charlotte would now do everything to protect Eleris. Chapter 87 We were inside the mana train to go back to Temple. Since it was night already, there weren¡¯t many people on the train. Charlotte seemed to calmly organize her thoughts, trying to calm her beating heart. ¡°Anyway, what is that store¡¯s true purpose?¡± She was so surprised that Eleris knew the boy¡¯s whereabouts that she forgot that line of thought. It looked like she successfully managed to organize her thoughts. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know much about this topic, but don¡¯t wizards usually have a lot of secrets?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­ It¡¯s hard to accept, though. Wizards are usually pretty much weirdos, but¡­.¡± Among wizards, being weird was rather common. Even if harmless, there are a lot of people with strange personalities among them. So, even if one didn¡¯t really understand why they did certain things, since there were a lot of weirdos among the wizards, there might not even be a reason for them to do something as nonsensical as that. ¡°I should think more about this after I fully confirm that she is indeed protecting him.¡± It was still just an oral testimony. No matter if she could send letters or not, as long as she was sure that Eleris was protecting the boy, Charlotte would do her best to protect her. In Charlotte¡¯s current state, as long as Valier¡¯s safety was confirmed, she would be able to let this matter go, even if she found out that Eleris was a vampire. ¡°I hope she isn¡¯t some member of a magic association¡­.¡± ¡°Magic association?¡± Charlotte let out a mournful voice and tilted her head. ¡°Sigh¡­. There are organizations that focus on magic research. They often try to evade the public¡¯s eye.¡± Of course, I knew these things. Secret magic associations. It sounded pretty chuuni and I took a liking to it, so I just shoved it into the novel. Underground magic organizations focusing on magic research and experimentation, or simply advocating the freedom of advancing in the field of magic. There weren¡¯t just one or two of these associations, and their tendencies were widely different. Some were conducting experiments going against any moral code in existence, while others were moving to prevent threats caused by magic from the shadows. As for Charlotte, she still seemed to have some doubts about Eleris, wondering if she was actually part of one of these organizations. It was a lot tamer than wondering whether she was a demon spy or not. ¡°But looking at how she¡¯s running the store¡­. I don¡¯t think she¡¯d be part of something like the Black Order¡­.¡± Curiosity is like a disease. That would probably fit Charlotte to a T at this moment. * * * It had been a long day. Running around different places and leaving Temple even though it was prohibited. Charlotte found Eleris through simple interrogation. It was truly thrilling to see how she reached the truth by taking such simple actions. Just randomly asking the shop owners about a boy that was trying to sell scrolls led to the creation of a clear movement pattern, and finally setting her sights on Eleris¡¯ shop simply because it was slightly suspicious. After walking a few more laps outside, we decided to return to Temple. I didn¡¯t actually do any evening training after all. It didn¡¯t seem like Bertus had tracked Charlotte and me, so he shouldn¡¯t know where we went. To be honest, Bertus probably didn¡¯t have any time to care about me and Charlotte. It turned out that his people were behind the black market, so he probably had to focus on solving this incident amicably. His head was probably about to explode. Anyway, Sarkegaar¡¯s trail shouldn¡¯t get exposed. As soon as I returned to the Royal Class dormitory after exercising, there was a single person waiting for me. ¡°¡­Where have you been all day?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been training.¡± Harriet de Saint-Owan. She looked a bit annoyed for having to wait quite a long time for me. I hadn¡¯t really thought about that ¡°preventing Harriet¡¯s leave of absence¡± matter, because I was following around Charlotte all day. ¡°How did it go?¡± Well, if the matter got resolved, she probably wouldn¡¯t want to meet me. Why was she waiting for me like this? There was also Betus who objected to her leave of absence, so it should have been resolved well. Harriet was just¡­ crossing her arms and not saying anything. ¡°What? Are you actually going to take the semester off?¡± ¡°¡­No, that¡¯s not it. They told me I don¡¯t have to take a leave of absence. They can¡¯t help it if it¡¯s something Bertus requested after all.¡± ¡°¡­Then, isn¡¯t everything well?¡± That was what she wanted, so she could have just told me directly. Why did she seem so restless? ¡°What? Are there any problems? If there are, out with it already. I¡¯m losing it here.¡± When I put my hand next to my ear, Harriet¡¯s expression changed subtly. I felt something very ominous about the way she acted. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s¡­ My father wants to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± What kind of nonsense was that? Harriet was just a kid, but Grand Duke Saint-Owan wasn¡¯t someone I could handle at my current level, you know? ¡°No, why is your high and mighty father looking for me?¡± Harriet¡¯s eyebrows twitched a little at my remark, but it seemed like she gave up getting angry over every little thing I did. Rather, Harriet fidgeted around with her fingers. It was incredibly cute how she looked at me with upturned eyes. But why was she looking at me like that? ¡°I-It¡¯s just¡­. He didn¡¯t believe his daughter would come up with something like this. So¡­ after I told him what you told me to say, that I can¡¯t take a leave of absence because of this and that,¡­ he asked me¡­ who came up with this,¡­ so¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± No matter how talented and smart she might be, Harriet was still just the cute little daughter of the Grand Duke of Saint-Owan. She probably only said cute things like ¡°I love you forever, dad! Dad is the best! I wooove you!¡± to him. Well, she was set up as a character that grew up being loved by her entire family. So she probably was the world¡¯s nicest, cutest, and most adorable daughter to him. She probably was the kind of girl that would only say things like ¡°I hate you¡± as a form of rebellion. Something like ¡°Buy me that! No, I hate that!¡± Then his little girl suddenly started saying things like: ¡®Father, I believe that it would seriously offend Prince Bertus if I were to take a leave of absence. The Prince even talked to me directly about this matter, requesting me not to take the semester off. If I were to be forced to go against his wishes, I fear for my family¡¯s safety¡­¡¯ From Grand Duke Saint-Owan¡¯s point of view, this had to be quite the bizarre situation. So naturally, he must have thought that she was saying something, someone told her to say or made her read from a script, because Harriet was doing something she had never done before. Actually, Harriet did say that she might forget what she had to say, so we did prepare something close to a script. ¡°¡­Anyway, I told him it was me who wrote the script.¡± ¡°¡­Oh god. He didn¡¯t believe you now, did he? You aren¡¯t someone that could talk like that.¡± Even if she had a good head on her shoulders, she was still too young, so no one would believe bullshit like that. The child who wasn¡¯t able to even put her opinions into logical sentences suddenly matured, so he thought that there was some force (?) pulling the strings from behind, and that was the correct answer. So, for some reason, the Grand Duke now wished to see me. Harriet eventually couldn¡¯t resist her dad¡¯s coercion, so she mentioned me to him. That¡¯s why she seemed so apologetic. You little brat, that was why you¡¯ve been waiting for me until this late at night, looking all fidgety? ¡°It¡¯s fine, what happened, happened. So, how did you introduce me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­. That¡¯s¡­.¡± Harriet looked into my eyes again, unable to properly open her mouth. ¡°Surely, you didn¡¯t say something like I¡¯m a beggar with a very dirty personality that beats up people left and right, right?¡± ¡°!¡± Harriet¡¯s complexion grew paler. It seemed like that was the correct answer. ¡°Come here, you little punk. Seems like you really want to get beaten up.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sooorry!¡± As I slowly approached, Harriet wept bitterly while retreating. So the day came when this brat actually let the words ¡®I¡¯m¡¯ and ¡®sorry¡¯ leave her mouth, huh? ¡°I¡¯m really surprised that you actually apologized, but you threw me into some deep shit right now, so I¡¯m going to hit you even more now, you know?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it!¡± Even if she was acting cute, it won¡¯t help that punk in the least right now. ¡°Come here, let me give you a finger flick.¡± -Tack! ¡°Ouch! Y-You¡­ really hit me! You actually hit me!¡± ¡°Did you think I¡¯d fake it?¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t believe it¡­ How preposterous¡­ You really hit me¡­.¡± Harriet looked at me with a bewildered expression plastered on her face, rubbing her forehead. It seemed like her last doubts about my willingness to hit her had finally crumbled. ¡®H-How dare you? You didn¡¯t just say you¡¯d flick my forehead? You actually did it!¡¯ That was what kind of expression she was showing me. Also, she really was the cutest. ¡°Welp. I¡¯ll keep it at that for now.¡± Her face reddened again at my words. ¡°What¡¯s with that look? You hit me! You bad guy! You bastard!¡± Harriet eventually ran back to her room, huffing angrily. * * * Wednesday, the next day. I had magic sensitivity training and supernatural power classes on that day. The magic sensitivity training was filled with only the first-years of the Royal Class. Students majoring in divine powers and supernatural powers didn¡¯t usually have to take these classes. Of course, I majored in supernatural powers, but I was still taking this class. I planned on sitting through it later. As magic had its own uses different from supernatural powers. -Uaaaaaah¡­. Feeeeeel iiiiiiiiiit¡­. This class had a teacher that was more like a yoga instructor who made all the students lay down and mumbled some suggestions to them. When I listened to him, I felt somewhat strange and fell asleep. Weren¡¯t we actually getting hypnotized by this yoga master? Of course, I never mentioned anything about falling asleep, but every time I woke up I felt really refreshed, so I actually liked that class. Actually, the only thing I had to do in that class was standing up on time after being idle all throughout it. -Feeeel the universe¡­. Receeeeive¡­ its streeeeength¡­. Woah. It was coming. The god of sleep¡­. When I woke up from my slumber, everyone had serene expressions on their faces. It felt weird. If I had to describe it, it felt like waking up after being dead for a bit. By the way, was that Yoga Master dude actually a wizard? He looked more like a swordsman than a wizard at first glance, though. ¡°There will be a midterm evaluation next week.¡± At those words, all the kids were rather dumbfounded. I was also confused. Of course, the exam period which would be corresponding to the midterm exams would start next week according to the schedule. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve learned anything though, so how will we get evaluated?¡± Cayer Vioden from Class A posed the question that everyone seemed to have. How could one evaluate a class in which one only slept? What did he even teach us? ¡°This course won¡¯t have any exams. We are just checking your performance up to this point.¡± ¡°Performance?¡± Everyone was almost shouting these words. I could understand that we weren¡¯t taking any exams in this class, but what the hell did performance mean? We were never taught anything, but we somehow were supposed to achieve something? That was what everyone seemed to want to say. ¡°I will check if your magic power has increased. You will be given points the more it has increased, understood?¡± Magic power increases. That was the measure of our evaluation. ¡°As you all should know, during this class, you have been continuously trained to increase your magic power as well as your sensitivity to it. Of course, we should use your magic power increase as the evaluation criterion.¡± We weren¡¯t just sleeping. We were somehow still training while sleeping. Actually, I didn¡¯t really know why, but the amount of my mana had continuously increased regardless of what I trained in. I started with 9.9, but now it has risen to 11. It didn¡¯t just randomly rise, the class was helping us increase our magic power. ¡°Now then, I hope you¡¯ll have a magical time until next week.¡± Everyone was just staring blankly at him, as if they just realized how great this yoga master in front of them was. * * * I could now properly participate in the supernatural power control training as well. The power of my supernatural power was more on the lower side, but the speed at which I could activate my supernatural power could not be replicated by almost anyone in the class. Of course, there was just one other person who had an even faster activation speed than me. I still needed time to convince myself, after all. However, that person could use their power as soon as they thought about it. That was Kono Lint¡¯s teleportation. Of course, it was still rather useless, because he¡¯d be naked the moment he used it. He really was a poor guy in that regard. Anyway, next in line would be Liana de Grantz. As the King of the winning mentality, that was just too much. ¡°It¡¯s all good, but it¡¯s just very subtle, to the point where one can¡¯t tell if you became stronger because you are using your supernatural ability or because you¡¯ve been training hard. I heard you¡¯ve been working yourself quite hard.¡± During my training, my teacher didn¡¯t seem to be able to tell if I was properly using my supernatural power or not. Of course, that didn¡¯t really matter much to me, because I could clearly figure out whether my power was activated or not. I could even feel that the power was developing to some extent. But in the end, it was still that kind of supernatural power¡­. This type of ability was like a chuuni¡¯s dream. An ability that developed when one was under extreme psychological pressure. Actually, I already knew that it would be like that. The power¡¯s development wasn¡¯t that apparent. Then in a crisis it would suddenly evolve and destroy everything around me¡­. Something like that¡­. Anyway, it seemed pretty cool and convenient, so that was why I put in that setting. However, I was now feeling the pain, because I was now in a position where I had to practice such a ridiculous power. In the end, it was more efficient to just get pushed into an extremely dangerous situation to quickly raise it instead of doing this. That said, I didn¡¯t really want to do something as stupid as actively seeking out dangerous situations, either¡­. -Prrrzt! Brzzzzzt! ¡°Oh, Grantz. Your control has definitely improved. Your output has also gotten stronger.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Liana de Grantz. She was a perfect example of a genius supernatural power user. It sure would have been nice if I was someone like that as well, whose ability grows quickly even if I just stand still. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like its growth rate was especially slow, I¡¯d say. In the end, it was my fault for setting up the condition of having to be in a crisis to level it up after all. * * * There was someone among the supernatural ability class students whose expression grew worse and worse every time he saw me showing off the use of my supernatural power. A-6 Heinrich von Schwarz. I gave him some true education after he questioned my presence in this class when I didn¡¯t even have a supernatural power. Now I could see the guy, who wanted me to get a talent the least, freak out over me actually awakening a supernatural power. Of course, after he found out that I was quite similar to a mad dog, he didn¡¯t openly argue with me again. ¡°Tch.¡± However, every time he saw me, he would turn away his head in disgust. Harriet was cute, but that guy wasn¡¯t cute at all. I didn¡¯t really intend to play around with him, so I just let him be. On my way back from class, my eyes met with Charlotte¡¯s, who came out of her private room. She and I shared a lot of secrets with each other, so it was dangerous if we acted like we knew each other in the open. I didn¡¯t really greet her, but Charlotte looked at me and slightly smiled instead. Unlike before, Charlotte seemed to be in a good mood. It looked like she was finally relieved of a heavy burden that weighed her down. The other guys thought Charlotte was smiling at me, so they seemed a little dumbfounded. Hmm. Come to think of it, I had to go to Eleris¡¯ store to pick up some letters. Of course, I¡¯d only pretend that I went there to pick them up. I¡¯d actually had to write them myself. * * * I decided that I¡¯d go pick up the letters after the ban on leaving the campus of Temple had been lifted. It was impossible for me to leave without Charlotte, and it would be highly suspicious for us to go out together again. So, I was back training my swordsmanship with Ellen. Ellen didn¡¯t really seem to care whether I came by or not. When I was around, she¡¯d look after my sword training, and when I wasn¡¯t there, she¡¯d do her own thing. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to study for the midterm exams?¡± ¡°No.¡± Next week, we¡¯d have to take the integrated midterm exams and do our given midterm assignments for each lecture. I didn¡¯t pay that much attention to it, but everyone was studying on their own during the midterm exam period. It was more than obvious that Bertus and Charlotte were still studying even while they were busy with many other things. Ellen, on the other hand, was still acting the same as before. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you lucky that you actually still get to be the top student of the whole school while acting like that?¡± ¡°?¡± I¡¯m 100 % sure that I set her up as a character like that. If it was just brains, then B-2 Louis Ankton would be more superior. However, since that guy was a weakass, he wasn¡¯t able to get any good grades in sports-related subjects. So, Louis Ankton would only rank first for the integrated subjects, that is, written exams, while Ellen would always rank first going by total score, including the grades given by the subjects of individual professors. Even though I had no intentions on studying a single bit, I still felt weird talking so casually to the person who would snatch the school¡¯s number 1 rank like nothing. Didn¡¯t I have to study? Why? No, I think it would feel a bit degrading to realize how much worse my brain would be compared to these kids. Ellen looked at me standing still and shook her head slightly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you studying?¡± Of course, she was simply asking. But what I heard was: ¡°You¡¯re not as smart as me, so don¡¯t you have to study really hard?¡± That was what that sounded like. That made me angry for some reason. ¡°Since you don¡¯t need to study, I don¡¯t either!¡± ¡°How does that correlate?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Anyway, I won¡¯t do it!¡± I went into crazy mode. Grades? Let us happily throw them out the window. The moment the Gates open, Temple grades and such would become completely useless after all. I just had to study hard in my own way! -Clack Then the gym door opened suddenly and someone came in. ¡°Number 11, you have a visitation request.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± It was Mr. Epinhauser. Chapter 88 I already knew who came to see me. Harriet¡¯s father, Grand Duke Saint-Owan. Was that gentleman so impatient as to come to Temple immediately the next day? Mr. Epinhauser said that I could decide whether I agreed to meet that person or not, as they weren¡¯t my parents, but I wasn¡¯t someone brave enough to actually refuse to meet someone like the Grand Duke. I¡¯m weak against the strong, after all. I went to the main lobby of Temple¡¯s Royal Class¡¯ dormitory. Mr. Epinhauser took me to a visitation room and disappeared. He said that this was a visitation room, but it was completely unlike what I knew from my time in the army. It was just a colorful reception room. ¡°Are you Reinhardt?¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± He was a middle-aged gentleman wearing a black suit, a black fedora, a gray cane, and a stylish beard. Rather than a wizard, he just looked like an ordinary, neat aristocrat. ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Grand Duke.¡± I didn¡¯t know the proper etiquette used for greeting nobles, so I just went with that. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I sat across from the Grand Duke. He didn¡¯t even have to make a single gesture for a tea cup to float towards me, and it was slowly filling up with black tea as well. No matter how I looked at it, magic sure was convenient. He didn¡¯t say anything else to me, so I was just sitting there while he stared at me. Was he thinking that he was gracious enough to even let me sit across from him like that? ¡°I heard it was you who instructed Harriet. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He was blunt and came right to the point. It was rather rude, but it was a good thing for me. Because he was such a powerful person, I didn¡¯t want to deal with him for an extended amount of time. He was rather dry but not overly aggressive. I thought he¡¯d absolutely hate me, but he didn¡¯t show any signs of that. Till now, that is. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°She said that she didn¡¯t want to take a leave of absence, so I just gave her my opinion on what would be the best course of action to take to achieve just that.¡± ¡°Harriet asked you to help her herself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Of course, I did tell Harriet that I didn¡¯t want her to take a leave of absence either, but in the end, it was her who asked me how she would be able to avoid taking one, so I didn¡¯t lie. ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. This case has been concluded without any further damage as well, so it wouldn¡¯t be harmful to keep Harriet in Temple, is what I¡¯m thinking.¡± There was Bertus¡¯ request as well, so this couldn¡¯t be easily ignored. Grand Duke Saint-Owan seemed to have given up on forcing Harriet to take a leave of absence. But why did he want to see me? Was he just curious about the person¡¯s identity who dared to manipulate his daughter? ¡°But Harriet wouldn¡¯t do something like that.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± At my question, the Grand Duke just looked at me. ¡°Harriet would never ask a child of such a lowly background like you for their opinion.¡± Grand Duke Saint-Owan stared at me after he finished what he wanted to say. Why was he acting up all of a sudden? ¡°That might be true, but she did ask me.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Reinhardt, I¡¯m not trying to insult you for your humble origins.¡± Grand Duke Saint-Owan placed his cane on his thighs and clasped both of his hands. ¡°Harriet wouldn¡¯t want to talk to someone of a humble background. So, of course, Harriet wouldn¡¯t have wanted to speak to you, based on your origins¡­ Alas¡­ She actually asked for your advice, and even accepted it.¡± Harriet was someone that didn¡¯t want to mingle with commoners, because she thought they were dirty. She came to have such an opinion because she lived intoxicated by some sense of superiority she felt. So she tended to despise anyone that she didn¡¯t seem fit to be around her. ¡°So, does Harriet like you or something? Or do you like her?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know about her, but that wouldn¡¯t be the case for me!¡± What was he doing now?! ¡°You don¡¯t like her? How does that make sense? Do you perhaps have some problems with your eyesight¡­?¡± ¡®How could you not take a liking to my daughter!¡¯, that was how the Grand Duke was looking at me. He sure was startled. What was with that guy¡¯s sudden change? He was just someone completely crazy for his daughter, after all!. And then -Bang! ¡°D-Dad! W-What are you talking abooooout!¡± Harriet, whose face was tomato red, barged into the reception room. Having obviously eavesdropped from outside, her face was completely shriveled up. She then pointed towards the door. ¡°G-Get out! You, get out! Wait there!¡± ¡°Wait! Wait just a moment! Please wait, Reinhardt! Let¡¯s talk more!¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re loud! Dad, please be quiet!¡± I left the reception room, leaving behind the Grand Duke, the continent¡¯s strongest wizard, and his daughter. -I¡¯m so embarrassed! Why did you have to come here?! Why did you ask him that?! -N-No¡­ Sweetie. What I meant was¡­ -I don¡¯t care! Get out! Don¡¯t stay here any longer! I told you not to come! -I just wanted to know who you like as your father¡­! -Aaaaaaaah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Don¡¯t say anything anymore! Just don¡¯t! Ah! Ah! I could hear Harriet¡¯s screaming from inside the room and Grand Duke Saint-Owan just stuttering, not knowing what to do. ¡­I was quite the fool worrying about getting harmed, I guess. She grew up under such a father, so it was no wonder that she turned out the way she did. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± -I hate you, dad! I absolutely hate you! You¡¯re so annoying! -N-No! I just did this all for your¡­! -I don¡¯t caaaaare! Like that, I also got to know how Harriet was usually talking with her father. If she was behaving like that, it was quite obvious that she read from a script, huh? I didn¡¯t want to be involved with either of these two anymore, so I ran away. Fortunately, the Grand Duke didn¡¯t look for me afterward, thanks to Harriet¡¯s admonishment. * * * Of course, I wasn¡¯t actually sure if Harriet kicked out the Grand Duke or not, but after some time, she came knocking on my door, her face completely red. ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t me! You know, right?¡± As soon as she saw me, she shouted that. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Dad misunderstood!¡± I believed she was talking about the thing her father asked me. Whether I liked her or not. That was why her face was so red, and she was all fidgety. It made me want to tease her even more, you know? ¡°Huh¡­? You don¡¯t like me?¡± ¡°Wha, what?!¡± When I threw a fastball, that girl¡¯s face went even redder. ¡°I-I! W-Why would I like you¡­? I don¡¯t even like your looks! D-Don¡¯t talk any nonsense! Why would I like a lowly beggar like you? Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± Harriet was stomping her feet as if she didn¡¯t even want to imagine something like that. ¡°Or not. Why are you getting so angry? You seem like a person that¡¯s about to stab someone.¡± After I said that, I closed the door with a smile. -Hey! Hey! Reinhardt! Open the door! -Clang, Clang, Clang, Clang! -I won¡¯t stab you! I really won¡¯t stab you! Open the door, you jerk! No way. I didn¡¯t open the door, fearing for my own life. * * * After Harriet went away, exhausted from her rampaging, I sat down in front of my desk. I currently had 6130 achievement points. If I made one more talent bloom I would have 4000 points remaining. If my assumption that the points required to get talents doubled every time I bought one was right, then I had enough to add 2 more talents at the moment. However, going by my past experiences, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to leave some points in case of an emergency. If I used the Revise function in such cases, I might get myself out of a crisis. Spending too much at the moment, seemed to be a bad choice. After thinking about what kind of talent I should develop next, I narrowed it down. This decision would also decide my future path. [Magic Sensitivity ¨C 2000 Points] [Magic Manipulation ¨C 2000 Points] These two talents were required to become a master in the field of combat, and were also necessary talents for a wizard. They were the basis for everything having to do with magic power. In the wizard¡¯s case, they were necessary to evoke magic and move magic power, and in the case of combat masters, they were necessary to strengthen their body using magic power. Anyway, both were talents with multiple uses, so it would be far better to have them than not. Since I had Ellen training me in swordsmanship, I didn¡¯t think it was necessary for me to buy a talent in that area. Both were necessary talents, but I needed Magic Sensitivity first. It was a type of talent that contributed to the growth of one¡¯s magic power, and at my current level, it was more important to increase my magic power pool than being able to manipulate it. [You have spent 2000 Achievement Points.] With that, I had two talents. Self-Suggestion and Magic Sensitivity. My remaining points were 4130. As I expected, it would take me 4000 points to get my third talent. I refrained from hastily spending my remaining points. In the first place, Magic Manipulation wasn¡¯t something that they taught yet, so acquiring it beforehand would be useless. I decided to postpone the decision whether I should get a third talent or not until after the midterm exams. Of course, I had no reason at all to do well in the exams. However, there was no reason for me to get bad results in most classes either. If I really were to focus on the midterm exams, I¡¯d only do so for achievement points, not to get good grades. [Reach the Top 10 in the midterm exams ¨C 3000 Points] The challenge related to the midterm exams that I saw when I last checked was still there. This wasn¡¯t talking about just within my class, no, it meant that I had to reach the Top 10 of the whole first grade of Temple¡¯s high school section, which had about 10.000 students. Even if I was smarter than most of the kids, this was obviously something very difficult to do. In addition, two more midterm exam related challenges had been added after the challenges were updated. [Cheat during the midterm exams and get caught ¨C 500 Points] [Get the lowest rank in the midterm exam ¨C 1000 Points] ¡°¡­¡± If I were to rank last among 10.000 people, I¡¯d get a thousand points. I¡¯d automatically get the lowest rank after I got caught cheating, so I¡¯d get 1.500 Points. Both were very easy to do. If I were to purposely try to get 0 points, there was literally nothing that could go wrong. It was overwhelmingly easier than getting into the Top 10. That punk was doing this on purpose, wasn¡¯t he? I¡¯ll show you. I¡¯ll get to 10th place. * * * That evening. In the dining room. My evening training had ended, but I was still eating some late-night snacks with Ellen as always. Today¡¯s menu was fried rice. Ellen made it. Kids like her were supposed to be good at cooking after all, right? She didn¡¯t even need my advice anymore and can pretty much make everything on her own, right? After some time, my cooking won¡¯t even be able to compare to hers anymore, right? ¡°¡­You said, you wouldn¡¯t study.¡± ¡°There are some things people just ought to do.¡± When I told her that I would study until the midterm exams and would take a break from training, Ellen just nodded while shoving some fried rice into her mouth. My goal was to get into the Top 10 of the integrated exams. The individual professor¡¯s subjects didn¡¯t count to that particular ranking. So, the only things I needed to study were what we learned during the common classes. ¡°I think you¡¯ll do well in your studies.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s with that so suddenly?¡± Did she just give me a compliment without a shred of hesitation? That caught me off guard. Then Ellen told me calmly something pretty surprising. ¡°Yes, you are smart.¡± I really didn¡¯t know what was going through that girl¡¯s head. What was with this? Of course, I might think that way because of the words she was usually using with me. ¡°Oh¡­ Thank you.¡± Well, yeah. It did feel pretty good. I also felt like I already lost after getting happy by being praised by a high schooler for being smart. Also, she was probably a lot smarter than me as well. ¡°Hey, would you like studying with me then?¡± ¡°No.¡± Of course, Ellen would refuse my request of mooching off her intelligence. Anyway, I had a new short-term goal. Cramming, that is. Even if they were just first year high school students, was it even possible for me to beat 10.000 students and make it to the Top 10? I¡¯d see the answer to that question next Monday and Thursday during our common classes. The other professor¡¯s classes would also hold their midterm evaluation next week, but I didn¡¯t pay that much attention to those. I could study on my own, and was pretty confident that I would reach a high rank. However, I had to get the best results, not just pretty good ones. How did the midterm exams go in the original again? It was one of the parts that were supposed to showcase Ludwig¡¯s tremendous improvement. Wasn¡¯t there that common old-fashioned main character trope? The energetic protagonist with a strong sense of justice, who was pretty much an idiot. So even though Ludwig studied really hard, he would still end up at the bottom of the rankings. Of course, after he studied together with a certain guy named Louis Ankton of Class B, his grades gradually improved. As far as brains goes, Louis Ankton was the smartest one of the Royal Class¡¯ first years. Of course, that guy was highly selfish on Top of being a nerd. He also was someone quick to run away. He wasn¡¯t a bad guy, but he was the type of guy I would have loved to give 100 finger flicks to, because he was just so annoying. In fact, it was probably that same Louis Ankton who went to tattle to the teacher about Cayer¡¯s and my fight in the changing room on my first day in Temple. Only after Ludwig helped and took care of that guy would he open his heart to others and help out. It should have been right when they got into 2nd grade. Ellen had no intention of studying at all, while I was trying my hardest to get myself to rank 10 if possible. That was the conclusion. * * * ¡°Hey.¡± Thursday evening. ¡°Huh?¡­Uhm? Me?¡± I called out to Louis Ankton, who was on his way back after the common classes. ¡°Who else is there other than you, huh?¡± I approached Louis, who was shivering out of some form of fear, and placed my arm on his shoulder. ¡°I have a question for you.¡± ¡°Erm¡­ Huuh? W-What do you want to ask?¡± If I were to study with that punk, my chances of getting into the Top 10 would be very high. The fact that I, who was pretty much infamous among the first years, spoke to him made Louis¡¯ complexion grow very pale. ¡°Hey, am I hitting you? Why are you acting like that?¡± As I laughed loudly, his complexion grew even paler. The delinquent route was actually surprisingly good. Chapter 89 In the original novel, Louis Ankton openly ignored Ludwig for his stupidity and he looked down on anyone who wasn¡¯t smarter than him. Even in Class B, that got along well with each other, he was an outsider. He looked down on everyone in class as lowly humans with no influence, and lived intoxicated in his belief to be intellectually superior. So, after receiving some true education a few times, he would later turn into someone open-minded who cared for his fellow classmates. That was Louis Ankton, the annoying guy. ¡°W-Why are you in our dorm¡­?¡± However, notoriety was also a type of fame, right? Louis knew that I was quite crazy, so he just crawled before me. I entered Class B¡¯s dormitory with Louis Ankton, who just came back from his classes, with my arm forcibly placed around his shoulders. That was actually my first time entering Class B¡¯s dormitory. Of course, there were quite a few instances of me running into students from Class B during classes, but I never held much of a conversation with any of them. Charlotte, Ludwig and Scarlett. These were the only people I knew there. When Reinhardt, the first year¡¯s super villain, suddenly appeared here, people felt like they were about to get swept away as soon as they made eye contact with me. I was even dragging around Louis Ankton like a prisoner. ¡°Oh, Reinhardt? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Charlotte smiled when I ran into her in the hallway. It seemed like she didn¡¯t find it strange for me to be here. My heart tightened as she smiled at me. On one hand I felt guilty and on the other I felt quite happy as it seemed that we finally managed to get along. It was complicated. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to study.¡± ¡°Aah¡­. With Ankton?¡± ¡°Yeah. I heard he¡¯s smart. Right?¡± So she thought I came with him. That was why she smiled. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± Charlotte nodded her head and moved her gaze to Louis Ankton. ¡°Would you mind, if I joined you?¡± I had to get some good grades in the coming exams, but so did Charlotte. When I said that I was going to study with that guy, she seemed to want to come along. If this were the original, he would have said something rude like ¡°Why should I help you with something like that?¡± and coolly passed by us. However, these developments were quite different from the original. Super Villain Reinhardt and the Princess were standing before Louis Ankton and asking him to study together. ¡°Huh, no. Not at all!¡± I didn¡¯t know what he was thinking on the inside, but that was the answer he gave us. On top of that, something that I didn¡¯t expect happened. ¡°Huh? Reinhardt? Why are you in our dorm?¡± Ludwig, the empty head, appeared. ¡°Oh, Ludwig. We are going to study together. How about you come along?¡± And then the cute, pretty, lovely and kind Princess¡¯ proposal reached our ears. ¡°Sure!¡± No! That guy¡¯s a black hole! * * * Ludwig was unable to study, that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t, though. He studied hard because he was a very hardworking person. However, his grades were still disastrous. My original plan was to get private tutoring from Louis Ankton. However, I was fine with having Charlotte around. She was smart. ¡°Uhmmm¡­.¡± ¡°Urgh¡­.¡± ¡°Aah¡­.¡± However, all my plans were thwarted by that destructive idiot, Ludwig. We were now sitting around a table in Class B¡¯s common reading room with textbooks piled up next to us. ¡°Ah¡­. That. Ludwig.¡± ¡°Oh, Charlotte. I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°So. Going by the context, you can see that the speaker is denying his or her own fault, right?¡± While solving some literary problems, Ludwig asked if we could explain that part to him, saying that he didn¡¯t understand it. ¡°That. I don¡¯t know what you mean with denial. They said that they were wrong, right?¡± ¡°Right. That¡¯s what they say, but they¡¯re trying to change the subject, saying it was actually someone else¡¯s fault, right?¡± ¡°Uhmm¡­. Is that so? Even though they said that they were wrong¡­.¡± ¡°No, no. So you see¡­.¡± That void headed idiot was bad in all subjects, but he was worst in literature. He was unable to read between the lines and could follow context even less. He was a madman who just read a single line and only continued reading after he supposedly solved a problem. Charlotte was patiently trying to teach Ludwig little by little, while Louis just watched them mouth agape. How could such an idiot even exist? That was what his expression seemed to say. ¡°No, you gorilla. How can you pretend not to know that, huh? What do I even need to explain?! How the hell did you even learn how to write with that shit brain of yours?¡± In the end, when I actually said something, Ludwig just shook his head and laughed. ¡°Sorry, seems like I can¡¯t study that well¡­.¡± ¡°Reinhardt! Don¡¯t be too harsh.¡± Charlotte looked at me with her brows slightly furrowed, asking me why I was talking so harshly to him. I didn¡¯t want to go against Charlotte, so I tried to calm my anger and just remained quiet. Wow. So that was what my main character was like. This was all my fault, everything. Anyway, with the appearance of that black hole called Ludwig, we were not just studying, we were working on a miraculous salvation project out of nowhere. ¡°Now, what is the name of the largest and first vassal state in the southern part of the Empire?¡± Ludwig¡¯s expression seriously hardened at Charlotte¡¯s cheerfully conveyed question. ¡°Ke¡­. Ke something. Kern? Kernheight?¡± ¡°Kernstadt! It¡¯s Kernstadt, you idiot! How can you get the same question wrong 10 times in a row?! Huh? Even 10-year-olds know this! It¡¯s so easy that it probably won¡¯t even appear in a test! You can¡¯t even memorize that?!¡± It wasn¡¯t me this time, but Louis Ankton who jumped up with zeal. Louis, who had begun to go beyond simple astonishment to straight up disgust, jumped up in fury, however when he saw Charlotte and me looking at him he paled and slowly sat back down. He did mock some kids, but he wasn¡¯t someone that was easily angered, however he got so angry at that moment that he completely forgot us two and jumped up. Charlotte didn¡¯t say anything to Louis, seeming to understand what he was feeling at the moment. However, Charlotte only looked a little sad and carefully placed her hand on Ludwig¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ludwig¡­. When I was young, I had a very serious head injury. Has anything like that ever happened to you?¡± She seemed to think that Ludwig was that way because of some type of injury or disease. Wow, the nicest person in this room actually said the worst thing. ¡°Huh? Nothing like that ever happened to me, though¡­?¡± ¡°Huh¡­. Huh?¡± Nothing like that ever happened to him, so why is he like that? Charlotte had her mouth slightly open. It seemed like she sincerely wanted to ask that question. ¡°As I thought, the Empire should really start implementing a public education system¡­.¡± Charlotte, who expressed similar sentiments before, seemed to seriously contemplate the implementation of public education while staring blankly. Temple wasn¡¯t part of a public education system, but an elite system. And Ludwig somehow got into the high school department of Temple the same way I did. He did say that he never received proper education before. Neither of us were supposed to have any chance to get an education, and yet there were two dramatically different cases sitting at the same table, Ludwig and Reinhardt. It was no wonder that I got some strange looks. Charlotte began to talk to the innocent looking Ludwig with firm eyes. ¡°Ludwig. It¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s the Empire¡¯s fault for not providing free basic education to its people. Yeah, you¡¯re not the problem.¡± Charlotte, did she actually hate Ludwig? Her choice of words was the worst at the moment. ¡°R-Really? That¡¯s a relief then!¡± ¡°Yes! In the future, the average intellectual level of the common people must absolutely increase. There should never again be a case as sad as this!¡± ¡°Thank you, Charlotte!¡± As such chaos unfolded, in which Charlotte was shooting out one venomous remark after the other without actually realizing it, Ludwig actually thanked her for that. That moment was enough to showcase Ludwig¡¯s level of intelligence. I shouldn¡¯t get distracted by this. ¡°Hey, what do you think would be good to study for this exam?¡± ¡°Huh¡­. Huh?¡± ¡°Quickly, tell me.¡± In that chaos, I somehow had to fulfill my original goal. * * * It was impossible to study quietly as I wanted because of that void headed idiot, Ludwig, but I at least succeeded in getting some exam question predictions from Louis Ankton. Evening. I casually ate in Class B¡¯s dining room. ¡°Y-You¡­. Aren¡¯t you supposed to eat with Class A?¡± Louis Ankton asked me, while his eyes were questioning why I would even eat here. ¡°There isn¡¯t any rule stating that, though?¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t like we weren¡¯t allowed to go in and out of each other¡¯s dorm, we just didn¡¯t. Everyone else was staring at me with strange expressions on their faces as I entered Class B¡¯s dining room and casually ate there. I really wanted to say something like ¡°What do you want?!¡±, but I just decided to eat quietly, because I was afraid that I¡¯d hear something unpleasant from Charlotte. Charlotte was my suppressor. ¡°Phew. Thank you, everyone. This made me realize just how bad my brain actually was.¡± Ludwig smiled as he said so, while Louis and Charlotte¡¯s expressions became a sight to behold. ¡°The fact that you realized how stupid you are is actually quite something already.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ludwig only laughed after hearing my words, as if I praised him. The guy wouldn¡¯t get angry no matter what one said to him, after all. Was it because he was dumb that he didn¡¯t understand when someone was criticizing him? Still, I¡¯m pretty sure he was just a good-natured guy. There was this awkward atmosphere floating in the room because of my presence. As soon as I started to talk casually with Ludwig, everyone started to eat and talk loudly. Obviously, Class B had a completely different atmosphere than Class A. Everyone seemed to be friendly. Someone even suddenly began to play an instrument. It seemed to be an instrument similar to an ukulele. As if it was a common thing, everyone was just listening to the exciting and fast melody getting played while they were eating. ¡°The performance is good, right?¡± Ludwig asked as if asking for my approval. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s good.¡± Although, it made the dormitory suddenly seem like a medieval tavern. The one playing the ukulele or something similar was B-10 Lanion Sessor. His talent was music. He along with Delphine Izadra was one of Ludwig¡¯s best friends. The guy was the mood maker of Class B. He was someone who¡¯d play some kind of instrument at any time while he was at the dormitory, and if someone requested a song from him, he¡¯d practice it and tried his best to make his listeners happy. He seemed oddly useless, but without him, everyone in Class B would quickly get bored. So, that guy held a surprisingly important role. ¡°How is it?¡± Charlotte asked me again. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± I felt like I should hold a beer in my hand instead of this fork, faced with such an exciting performance. It was definitely much more exciting than Class A¡¯s dinners, where one could only hear the sounds of cutlery clinking on plates. Charlotte was still smiling at me. Putting everything aside, Charlotte apparently seemed to like the kids from Class B quite a bit. I felt like it was pretty good here as well. While listening to that rhythmical performance going dongdididang dongdududangdang¡­ I honestly¡­ Craved for a drink. Class B was seen as the inferior class, but everyone was having fun in there. It hit very differently seeing that with my own eyes. It wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t like my life in Class A, but everyone was just focusing on improving themselves and training over and over. To be honest, Ellen did nothing but train, ignoring all the fun things this world had to offer. ¡°One more time!¡± Lanion Sessor, drunk on his own performance, shouted for an encore himself. Watching that scene, I realized that I had long forgotten the concept of enjoying life. It was a night that made me want to go to sleep with no worries and no thoughts. * * * Even after dinner, I continued to study in Class B¡¯s reading room. Ludwig excused himself and went off to do strength training. It seemed like he felt really sorry about that. It really wasn¡¯t something he had to feel sorry about though. No, really. There were only three people left in the reading room: Me, Charlotte and Louis. Louis Ankton checked over the list of expected exam questions, and memorized them. To be honest, I didn¡¯t really need any help from these brainy people except for memorization. ¡°Reinhardt. Just asking, but since when were you the type to care about grades?¡± I was kind of caught off guard by Charlotte¡¯s question. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no reason not to, right?¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t want to care about them, but I had to do this for achievement points. Charlotte seemed to think that it was very unexpected for me to even study for exams. ¡°Hmm¡­. I thought you¡¯d have more of a ¡°Why should I care?¡± attitude about it.¡± Charlotte smiled to herself. She was correct. She knew me so well! Charlotte was smart, and my brain wasn¡¯t that bad either, so, unlike when Ludwig was still around, we managed to get a lot of work done. I managed to answer almost all the problems I practiced. At this level, literature and mathematics weren¡¯t that difficult, and as my job required me to memorize a lot of things that that action almost became an occupational disease, I had no problem in that department either. I couldn¡¯t write while checking the story settings every few seconds after all, so I had to memorize huge chunks of the story. So, memorization was actually my forte. Louis Ankton was staring at me strangely. ¡°¡­¡­What? You got a problem?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah. No¡­.¡± ¡°What are you so surprised about?¡± ¡°No, well¡­. You actually were smart¡­.¡± He must have thought that I was an idiot comparable to Ludwig due to my role as a bully, but as he continued to watch me, he seemed to realize that I was able to quickly memorize things and replicate them without hardly making any mistakes. That seemed to surprise him. ¡°Just what the hell did you think of me before?¡± When I asked him that with a dangerous glint in my eyes, he audibly flinched. ¡°Hah, no! That¡¯s not wh-what I meant¡­.¡± ¡°I knew you were smart, but I also didn¡¯t know that you were good at studying as well.¡± Charlotte seemed to smile because she didn¡¯t expect me to do so well either. Both Ellen and Charlotte seemed to think that I was smart. Yes, of course, I had to be. That was only natural. If I was dumber than you guys, that would be rather shameful. However, actually, compared to these four people, Charlotte, Bertus, Louis, and Ellen, I really had a much worse brain. How shameful¡­. Ellen in particular. I¡¯d lose against her in both studies and a fight. I was getting so tremendously overwhelmed in every aspect by a single high schooler. ¡°Oh well. Let¡¯s just quickly move on. The exams are just around the corner.¡± Let¡¯s just study. Following that, after all our classes were over, I would study with Louis Ankton and Charlotte in the Class B dorms. I was a little worried what Bertus would say if he found out that I was studying in Class B, but I realized that I didn¡¯t have to be that careful because of what Charlotte told me before. By the way, although both of these two were smart, they had different approaches on how to study. Charlotte usually took notes on the things she had already grasped and memorized them. Louis Ankton¡¯s approach was slightly different. ¡°This is going to be a problem.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is the only question I could ask about this.¡± This guy studied while thinking about how he¡¯d pose the questions if he were to make the exam. Of course, he memorized the whole thing, and studied by checking the parts that were likely to be asked. He was even preparing for the midterm evaluations of the professor¡¯s individual subjects, seeing as he was already quite confident in his preparations for the common classes. He was studying magic formulas. Something I wasn¡¯t really familiar with. Since my goal was to only get high marks in the common subjects, I wasn¡¯t really that well prepared for the professor¡¯s individual evaluations. Almost all the exams were written, so the only subjects that actually had practical exams were alchemy and divine studies. Anyway, Louis Ankton was trying to figure out what problems he might create for this subject, which was the most necessary for him. ¡°Phew¡­. They should really hurry up and lift that ban on leaving.¡± Charlotte muttered in a daze, completely spacing out. ¡°Yeah.¡± I was the only one who knew what she meant by saying that. Charlotte had to be more careful from now on, so she wouldn¡¯t be able to directly go to Eleris¡¯ shop. Only when the ban had been lifted would I be able to go outside and quickly run to Eleris¡¯ store. That seemed to be the only thing that occupied her mind at the moment. * * * All weekend, except for my morning training, I didn¡¯t do any physical work out, and only studied. Even though I was pretty sure I memorized everything, I felt exhausted in a different sense than before because I studied so hard. So, in the end, I stopped working on the common subjects and studied for the professor¡¯s individual subjects. I felt like I was going to go crazy if I continued to stare at the same thing over and over. It was pretty much certain that I would do pretty well, but considering the outcome, I thought it would be okay to get a single question wrong. However, If there were more than 100 people who got a perfect score in all the subjects, one might not even reach the top 100 if one got even a single question wrong. Anyway. I really got only one question wrong on the midterm exam. Therefore, my ranking for the integrated midterm exam was 784th place. I only got a single one wrong, and that was what happened. Everything went to crap. However, there was something even more troublesome. ¡°This is the overall ranking after combining the grades of the professors¡¯ individual midterm evaluations and the integrated exam.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Mr. Epinhauser compiled the results of the professors¡¯ midterm evaluation and posted the overall ranking of the Royal Class¡¯ first years. Everyone was shocked to see the results. [1st Place ¨C Reinhardt] [2nd Place ¨C Ellen] [3rd Place ¨C Bertus de Gardias] [4th Place ¨C Louis Ankton] I got 1st place on the wrong ranking. Chapter 90 In the integrated exam I reached rank 784, however my overall score got me to 1st rank among all the first years of Royal Class. The reason was very simple. Simply put, I got an A+ in all midterm evaluations of the professor¡¯s individual subjects. Thanks to my training with Ellen, my knowledge about swordsmanship theory as well as my swordsmanship skills improved, so I won against all my opponents in the midterm students¡¯ tournament competition until I encountered Ellen. Did that mean that these guys weren¡¯t even as good as my pseudo swordsmanship? Or perhaps the requirements for turning swordsmanship into a talent were just that strict. I didn¡¯t even have to use my supernatural ability except when I was fighting Ellen. Of course, when I faced her I was beaten down in less than 5 seconds as usual. Anyway, Ellen obviously got an A+ for the swordsmanship classes, and I, who showed tremendous improvements, also got one. The regular class students, with whom I took the classes together with, initially ignored me for being nothing special, even though I was also part of the Royal Class. However, that day when they witnessed the tremendous improvement my skills underwent in just a few months, they also seemed to acknowledge me as someone from the Royal Class. I also wasn¡¯t very good at Horseback Riding at first, but I now knew how to ride a horse better than anyone else in that class, so I got an A+. The evaluation for the Magic Sensitivity class was done by checking the total amount my magic power increased, and that yoga master told me that mine had increased abnormally fast. My score was only surpassed by Cayer Vioden, who had a huge magic pool, so I got an A+ there as well. As for the Supernatural power classes, it was inevitable that I would get the highest score in them, because I had enormous control over my power after all, and it seems like I received the highest score in Meditation because apparently my concentration was just as tremendous as my control. I was just pretty patient though. And since Divine studies and Alchemy were reliant on memorization, I simply got the highest score by studying normally. As for comprehensive physical education, with the assistance of my supernatural power, I was able to clear all the physical tests, also giving me the highest score. Ellen and I were the only ones who received the highest score in all of the professor¡¯s individual subjects. However, Ellen got 2 questions wrong in the integrated exam. So I ranked first. I was only aiming to be among the top 10 of the integrated exam, but I ended up reaching 1st place on the wrong ranking and because of subjects I didn¡¯t even properly prepare for. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± All the students except Ellen, even Bertus, were looking at me somewhat strangely. Just what is that bastard? Their expressions showed a complex mix of surprise and doubt. * * * Apart from me, Bertus also seemed to have been victorious in his competition against Charlotte. Charlotte¡¯s total ranking was 6th. She did well on her written exams, but she couldn¡¯t get a grade for the physical classes because of her weak constitution, so this result was only natural. ¡°What the¡­. How are you ranked first? How does that make sense?¡± Harriet asked me something like that, ready to fight the results. It seemed like she didn¡¯t understand how this could have happened. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you think it makes sense or not. It¡¯s reality after all, you know?¡± ¡°Lies! I can¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°Sure, by the way, good work reaching 8th place.¡± Harriet was placed 8th. At my slight provocation, her face turned bright red. ¡°I-I¡¯m majoring in magic, so my magic subjects are all that matters! I don¡¯t have to do well on something like some lowly integrated exam!¡± Of course, Harriet was only interested in magic, so she didn¡¯t even spare a glance on any other subject that didn¡¯t have anything to do with her major. ¡°I see, so what? You still lost.¡± Her face turned even redder when she heard me say that she ¡®lost¡¯. All our classmates were watching what was happening here, so I stood up and tapped Harriet on her shoulder. ¡°Hey, 8th place. Someone ranked 8th should just live like someone ranked 8th. Just stay quiet.¡± ¡°W-What!¡± ¡°What? Are you jealous? That you can only admire the life of someone ranked 1st from afar? Hahahahahahahahahaha!¡± Now Harriet¡¯s face turned bluish as I showed her a deliberate and malicious smile, teasing her to the limit. Bertus covered his mouth and was quietly chuckling at this rather funny scene, and the others seemed to suffer from cognitive dissonance, because they just witnessed me teasing Harriet so openly. They knew I was rather blunt with Harriet, but they didn¡¯t know that it was to such an extent. ¡°Y-You! You! You dirty beggar!¡± Harriet, calling me a dirty beggar, hurt me as much as an ant¡¯s kick. ¡°And you¡¯re the young lady of a Grand Duchy who lost against a dirty beggar¡­. No! You didn¡¯t even barely lose! You¡¯re 8th place! You lost to me by miles! Hehehehe! Our Grand Princess truly is great and sublime.¡± ¡°Aaaaah! You! You! You¡¯re deeeeeead!¡± Harriet couldn¡¯t stand my teasing any longer and charged towards me, so I just opened the classroom door and left. ¡°Heeeeeey! Stop!¡± ¡°Just chase me! Try following me at the speed of someone ranked 8th!¡± ¡°Aaaaaarg!¡± I didn¡¯t mean to place 1st, but now that I did, it kind of felt good. * * * At lunchtime, Bertus sat down next to me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you amazing, Reinhardt?¡± ¡°To be honest, it just somehow ended up like this.¡± Bertus was satisfied as long as he got to win over Charlotte. In fact, Ellen kept on outperforming him in the original novel, but he didn¡¯t really care. Rather, he¡¯d appreciate that person even more as a talent he needed to acquire. I didn¡¯t really know if I was treating that whole being 1st thing too lightly, but I just didn¡¯t care all that much. ¡°I knew you were rather hard-working, but it¡¯s still surprising.¡± Apparently, Bertus decided to rate me even higher. Then he looked towards Ellen, who was sitting across from me. ¡°I truly thought that it was rather strange for a troublemaker to get Royal Class¡¯ 1st place, over a certain someone, right?¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that a bit harsh?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the truth though, don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t deny that.¡± It seemed like Bertus thought that Ellen would be the undisputed number 1. However, I was ranked 1st, not Ellen. Bertus found that quite amusing. Ellen didn¡¯t respond to his words. She was the type of person that wouldn¡¯t care whether she placed 1st or not. And then there was Ludwig who stopped as he passed by the table Class A was sitting at. ¡°Reinhardt! You got to first place, right? Congratulations!¡± That guy got an A+ in everything that involved moving his body, but he was just awful in any written exam, so his rank would never change. ¡°Ah, yes. Thank you.¡± It was Ludwig who landed in last place without a doubt. Charlotte also passed by my table, giving me a slight smile. I knew what it meant without having her to tell me. Whenever she smiled while looking at me, I thought I might die, not in the literal sense. It was always that complex mix of joy and guilt that bubbled up in me. She got pushed back by Bertus this time. Did she not care at all about that? ¡°By the way, Reinhardt, you seem to have become quite close with my sister, right?¡± These words sent a soul numbing tingle down my spine. I didn¡¯t know if that was all he knew, or if he found out anything more. However, even the other guys in my class knew that Charlotte and I had a pretty good relationship. ¡°Well¡­. Kind of.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. No need to be so nervous.¡± Bertus told me that he didn¡¯t really care about that, so I didn¡¯t need to worry. If anyone else told me that, I wouldn¡¯t have minded, but this was Bertus, so I couldn¡¯t just believe that. When he told me to not be nervous, I got even more nervous. ¡°Since the midterm exams have come to a conclusion, the group missions will start soon.¡± Hearing Bertus¡¯ words, I now felt that the next event was inching closer. ¡°Are they going to follow the normal schedule?¡± ¡°Since nothing has happened ever since that incident, the ban on going out will be lifted soon, so the schedule won¡¯t be changed.¡± Group missions. They were exams disguised as a trip. They were fast approaching. * * * It was May. The weather was getting warmer during that month. During the monthly physical scan, it was revealed that I had developed a new talent called Magic Sensitivity, so there was quite the uproar. A lot of people were skeptical about my infinite aptitudes, so it was quite surprising that I actually awakened two talents already. It caused such an uproar that I decided to postpone the awakening of my third talent. If talents just popped up one after the other, that would be suspicious in itself. Also, there was no further reason to ban us from going out. As Bertus said, after our common classes on Monday, Mr. Epinhauser announced the start of the group missions. Even if it was called a mission, it was still ultimately an exam. ¡°Once per semester we shall conduct group missions starting with the first year of Temple¡¯s high school department.¡± ¡°The group missions are a competition between Class A and B, but it is also a strict exam that tests your cooperative spirit and your unity as a class. Keep in mind that the more one cooperates with the group and contributes, the more points said individual will receive.¡± ¡°The grades given for group missions are reflected in your grades for the whole semester. Of course, the winning class will receive better grades.¡± ¡°Group missions can take place inside or outside of Temple.¡± ¡°This is the Royal Class, much different from the regular classes. Therefore, the tasks will be more difficult than what is given to the general classes. Be aware that very dangerous situations may arise. In fact, a lot of people might get hurt or incapacitated.¡± ¡°Of course, you are allowed to not participate in the group missions on your own judgement. In that case, the group¡¯s score will be reduced.¡± This was the biggest reason why Bertus needed competent class members and dissuaded the other kids from taking a leave of absence. Because the group missions held every semester were an important factor when calculating one¡¯s final grades. If even one person was missing, there was a very high possibility that we would be at a disadvantage. For example, even if Bertus surpassed Charlotte during the midterm exam, if Class B won in the group mission, Bertus might get pushed back by Charlotte in the end. I also put in that setting to cause some real sparks to fly between Class A and B by introducing something similar to a competition. Anyway, the genre was still slice-of-life, so they mostly just went on a picnic, but things wouldn¡¯t be fun like that, if all they did was go out to play. Without any action, there would only be occasional small fights and maybe some battle of nerves, but that was it. Of course, as with every event I planned out, not all the missions would go as the teachers planned. There would be unexpected accidents, completely bizarre things happening, and sometimes they would even face real threats or emergencies. Group missions. The best recurring event for convenient plot development. If one thought a bit more about this, making such precious children do such dangerous things in itself was quite daunting. Who¡¯d even do that? Well, it was me who wrote it, so it would just happen like that. If I wanted to shout at someone, then that would be at me from the past! I really had a lot of questions for past me! Anyway, this would be the first group mission. ¡°The theme of this group mission is ¡®Survival¡¯.¡± We would go to a deserted island. There was no real reason why I chose an uninhabited island as the mission¡¯s venue. I was just watching an episode of Law of the Jungle while I wrote that arc. * * * The theme of the group mission was survival, but Mr. Epinhauser didn¡¯t even tell us that we would be going to a deserted island. That was because they would only tell you the theme of a group mission, but only after arriving at the venue would one realize what it actually meant. Of course, I knew exactly where we were going. I thought it might get canceled because of the terrorist incident, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. It was only natural that everyone was somewhat confused by this absurd sounding theme. There was also one piece of good news. The ban on going out was lifted, and the group mission would run for about five days, from next Monday to Friday. The other high schools would also conduct their group missions during that period of time, so all lectures would be stopped around that time. ¡°Have you noticed anyone keeping an eye on this place ever since that day?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been more careful since then, so I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°It seems like Bertus is definitely convinced that I¡¯m absolutely gone¡­. So I guess he didn¡¯t even see the need to look for me any further.¡± As the ban had been lifted, I immediately left Temple and headed to Eleris shop. Now I was able to come to this place even while I took the form of Reinhardt, however I didn¡¯t want to take any unnecessary risks, so I took several detours then changed my appearance before I dared to enter the store. As always, Eleris and I went upstairs to talk. ¡°Are you really fine with this? No matter how much Charlotte has become our ally in some capacity, this situation would put you in quite a lot of danger. You might get exposed.¡± ¡°I thought a lot about it as well, but if there were to be an emergency, I would be able to make myself disappear quite effectively. Sarkegaar and Loyar also decided to only watch the situation for now.¡± Eleris had already discussed this matter with the other two. ¡°By the way, weren¡¯t you somewhere else at the time we entered the store?¡± Eleris had obviously locked the shop door when we arrived here, but when Charlotte came in, she suddenly appeared from upstairs. ¡°I haven¡¯t cast any protection magic on the door, but I did set up a type of alarm magic on it. I sensed that the door had been destroyed, so I came back as fast as I could.¡± Until that moment, Eleris had been with Airi on the Edina Islands. However, she sensed her alarm magic installed on her door going off, so she returned using teleport. She was improvising at tremendous speed. If she hadn¡¯t returned in time, Charlotte might have been unaware of the truth, but she might have lost her whole store as a result, because Charlotte might have found something suspicious. ¡°What about Airi?¡± ¡°They are located in Rajak, the main port city of Edina. I¡¯m occasionally checking if things are progressing without any major problems, so you don¡¯t need to worry about them too much.¡± Eleris could check on Airi and co at any time using her Teleportation spell. So she told me that there was no need to worry and that I could leave everything to her. For now, we had decided to keep maintaining the status quo. If there were any problems on Eleris¡¯ side, she¡¯d be able to manage on her own. Until then, maintaining this relationship with Charlotte would be of help to us. ¡°Anyway.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± I still had a small thing to brag about, albeit a little childish. ¡°I got ranked 1st.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°I said I got ranked 1st.¡± If it was Sarkegaar he¡¯d react quite violently, going ¡°Uwoooooooooaaah!¡±, but Eleris reacted a bit differently. ¡°That¡¯s incredible, Your Highness.¡± She just smiled and complimented me, which made me feel quite good. Chapter 91 I left as soon as the ban was lifted to get Eleris¡¯ progress report and tell her about my current situation; however there were even more important things I had to take care of. ¡°¡­¡­This?¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d be waiting, so I went there right away.¡± Since I frequented Class B occasionally, the others didn¡¯t really care whether I came in or didn¡¯t. So, as soon as I returned to Temple, I dropped by Class B¡¯s dorm and gave Charlotte a letter when no one was watching. Knowing what kind of letter this was, Charlotte quickly embraced it. Charlotte¡¯s pupils were shaking violently. ¡°Thank you, Reinhardt¡­. Thank you.¡± I knew she was waiting for this letter ever since the ban had been lifted, so she was deeply impressed that I would run out right away to get the letter. She continued to express her gratitude to me. Whenever the words ¡°Thank you¡± left her mouth, I felt like my heart was getting stabbed with needles. In the end, all of this was just a lie, so I had to keep lying. The contents of the letter were basically as follows. I¡¯m sorry for leaving without a word. I¡¯m fine. This person is protecting me well. I hope you are safe. I only elongated it a bit, but that was all I wrote. I also mentioned some things that only Valier would know, so that Charlotte wouldn¡¯t question its authenticity. ¡°Well, that was all. I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± I couldn¡¯t stand seeing Charlotte¡¯s face while she was in this state any longer, so I just turned around to leave. ¡°Congratulations on reaching 1st rank, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Huh¡­. Thanks.¡± Leaving behind Charlotte, who congratulated me, I exited their dormitory. It would be best if my lies weren¡¯t exposed. I was getting more and more scared of how Charlotte would look at me if my lies were to be revealed. * * * The midterm exams were over. In the end, I wasn¡¯t able to accomplish that challenge. Well, people would just fail sometimes. However, it sure was funny how I aimed to reach 10th place, but ended up being ranked 1st somewhere else. Although, it didn¡¯t really give me any benefits. Anyway. Everything went back to normal. -Kang! ¡°Sigh, really now.¡± I picked up the sword that got hit out of my hand again. Ellen, as always, was just standing there looking at me. We did this almost every day. She¡¯d always work me to the bone until I started losing grip of my sword like this. Unless she served as a demonstration target, I was never able to land a single attack on her. ¡°I think I got a bit rusty after taking a break from training.¡± It was only about a week, but it seems like I got rusty over that period of time, because I was doing even worse than before I took that break. ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m not?¡± What did she mean by ¡°No¡±? I felt like I was more sloppy than before. ¡°I raised the difficulty a bit.¡± ¡°Ah¡­. Really?¡± I didn¡¯t get rusty. Ellen, who had only been using 1% of her actual skill and power, was now using 1,5% of her strength. That would probably mean that I had become that much stronger. ¡°I feel a bit happy about that, but I¡¯m a little curious. Just how easy are you going on me?¡± Ellen looked a little troubled at first, but then she pointed her training sword towards the ceiling. ¡°Me.¡± Then Ellen looked at the floor. ¡°You.¡± ¡°Are you pointing at the ceiling? You didn¡¯t mean the sky, right?¡± I¡¯d even believe it if she meant the difference between us is like heaven and earth, not just the ceiling and the floor. Ellen shook her head, saying that she wasn¡¯t that good. ¡°If you use your supernatural power, it¡¯s around this much.¡± Ellen was now pointing at a place located at approximately the height of her knees. Without using my supernatural powers, the difference between us was as wide as the distance between the floor and the ceiling, so about 5 meters; and when I used my powers, I would reach the height of her knees. That was a huge difference. If the gap in skill between me and Ellen had already closed to such an extent, I should have gotten quite a lot stronger. ¡°You¡¯ve practiced so much with me, to the point that you couldn¡¯t tell how much you have improved.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I know that you¡¯re not actually that conceited and that you¡¯re only pretending to be. But don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit too much?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true.¡± She naturally was just that much stronger than me, so I had nothing left to respond to her. In fact, Ellen was constantly improving, at a much faster rate than me. Ellen was a wall that I would never be able to overcome. ¡°Well, I did feel it during the last swordsmanship evaluation.¡± I meant the swordsmanship tournament held between students. ¡°Everyone else was moving so slow, I could see their every move.¡± If I strengthened my body using the swordsmanship-focused preset through Self-Suggestion, I felt like my physical abilities underwent a correction of about 2-3 points. My current stats were as follows. [Strength 5.9 (D-)] [Agility 6.5 (D)] [Dexterity 7.4 (D+)] [Magic 11.1 (C)] [Stamina 10 (C)] If the correction values were applied, the rank of my physical abilities would be slightly different. Compared to when I first came here, my stats had almost doubled except for my magical power. Now I would slowly enter a period where my growth would slow down, but anyway, the fruits of my efforts were clearly visible. If the correction offered by my supernatural powers were added to that, I already had quite the considerable level of physical strength, surpassing some of my classmates. Therefore, even though I didn¡¯t have the proper swordsmanship talent yet, I was able to defeat all of my classmates majoring in combat using just my reflexes and physical abilities. Even if they weren¡¯t actually part of the Royal Class, they were still first year high school students who majored in combat. As I was only ever training with Ellen, I felt a bit disheartened, but when I tried fighting my other classmates, it just felt too bland. In fact, I didn¡¯t even use my supernatural power until I had to face Ellen. I didn¡¯t really try that much. I won nearly every duel anyway. Did they ever realize that my swordsmanship was only on the level of Pseudo Swordsmanship? It didn¡¯t seem to be the case. The displayed information wasn¡¯t everything after all. I¡¯ve faced a certain high-level opponent so many times, that I knew how to deal with those guys who¡¯ve only learned some swordsmanship. This wasn¡¯t even considering my swordsmanship level. As I continued to train together with this overwhelming training partner of mine, my level increased tremendously without me realizing. This was a value that wouldn¡¯t show up on any measurement. Of course, it seemed like some of the more skillful students actually didn¡¯t join the class. So the results might look very different the next time I took another lecture on swordsmanship. ¡°Come.¡± ¡°Here I come.¡± After I fixed my stance, I stabbed my training sword towards Ellen. -Kaklang! Ellen tried to hit her own sword against my sword that was approaching her. She hit it from up top, pressing it down. As she pushed down my sword, she grabbed me by the collar with her left hand and threw me down, then dug into my solar plexus with her right elbow, making me drop my sword, and then with a flowing motion she hit me with the hilt of her sword. She then placed her sword against my neck. She had subdued me so overwhelmingly with dozens of derivative movements linked into a single flowing move. I then copied her moves. I guided Ellen¡¯s sword, which stabbed forward with my own, and proceeded to push my elbow into her solar plexus. I tried to make the methods she showed me my own bit by bit. Then, as soon as she caught me trying to hit her solar plexus, she leaned to my left, turned sideways, making me fall forward slightly. Damn it. I shifted my center of gravity so far forward that she was able to take my back. For that brief moment, while I wasn¡¯t able to react, Ellen had already pointed her training sword towards the back of my head. ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± Knowing how to count to one didn¡¯t mean I could count to ten. This kid who knew how to count to ten, would show me how to count to two when I could barely say one, and when I managed to somehow count to two, she¡¯d demand I count to three. Then, when I could count to 10 one day, she¡¯d probably demand me to count to 50. Learning sure¡­is hard. * * * Morning training. Adriana stared blankly at me, with her mouth slightly open, when I told her that I ranked 1st on the first-year midterm evaluation ranking. ¡°I already know that I don¡¯t have the best image, but ain¡¯t it a bit sad that everyone¡¯s reacting like that?¡± When I said that I felt a little sad about this, Adriana¡¯s expression immediately turned into a frown. ¡°Ah¡­. I-I¡¯m sorry, junior. I knew you were pretty hard-working¡­.¡± Adriana patted her cheeks a little. ¡°But you really don¡¯t have a smart image, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Can¡¯t deny that.¡± Smart troublemakers were quite the rare breed. Everyone, no matter where I went, just held that prejudice that I was a bastard. Well, it¡¯s not really prejudice, though. ¡°The more I get to know you, the more I get surprised by you, junior.¡± At first, she must have thought of me as nothing but a mad dog who¡¯d openly swear at his senior, so no matter what I did, I¡¯d end up surprising her. On top of that, I even apologized to the 2nd year¡¯s A-1 Redina. I was now in good enough shape that I was able to talk with Adriana while we were running. My classmate¡¯s average stamina scores were about 6-7, D rank, however my score was at 10, C rank. It was definitely above average, and it would be even higher if I applied my supernatural power. Of course, I wasn¡¯t talking about the average score of the guys with combat talents. I didn¡¯t think I could sprint around Temple at full speed like Ludwig. He had a stamina score of 30. That would be A+ rank. In that regard, he was an even more monstrous kid than Ellen. ¡°By the way, your first group mission will start soon, right junior?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The first mission¡¯s theme is survival, right?¡± ¡°Is the theme supposed to be fixed?¡± ¡°Well¡­. It¡¯s usually something like that.¡± The first group mission usually had something to do with survival. I didn¡¯t actually know this. ¡°What is your theme this year, senior?¡± ¡°Scramble.¡± Scramble. In some cases, it was a capture-the-flag kind of battle; in other cases, it had to do with a team acquiring an object at a specific location, and who got it first won. Of course, since it was quite a large scale mission, it wasn¡¯t only a battle that lasted for a long time, but it was also something close to an actual battle between classes. We wouldn¡¯t be allowed to do something like that right now, because we weren¡¯t able to control our powers properly yet. However, the survival mission also came with many risks. ¡°If it¡¯s survival, I think you¡¯ll do well, junior.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You think I¡¯ll do well because I¡¯m from the streets, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny that.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m from the streets. I didn¡¯t say I grew up in a jungle.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. It¡¯s not really about that, though.¡± Adriana smiled as she ran next to me at a constant tempo. ¡°The survival mission is the one the kids from noble families give up on the most.¡± They suddenly told the precious children of noble families to live in some damp and humid environment filled with bugs. Of course, there would be a lot of kids who wouldn¡¯t be able to accept that. * * * It was May at the moment. In this world, May was a rather pleasant month. Honestly, with weather like that, it was best to just leave everything behind and lie down on the grassy riverside of the Han-River. There were actually people who did just that. The festival was cancelled, but people seemed to have returned to their daily routine. The terrorist incident ended up concluding with its perpetrator still at large. Anxiety about the Demon Realm¡¯s revival still remained, but the people regained their original vitality. The Empire secured a lot of loot from the Demon Realm, and all the nations that participated in the war came to great wealth. Eventually, the Golden Age would begin with the wealth obtained from the Demon Realm. May was the beginning of said Golden Age. The weather was perfect for camping. ¡°Urg¡­. Why is it so hot?¡± ¡°Rather than hot¡­. It feels so sticky.¡± All the first years of Temple¡¯s Royal Class went through a large gate and were teleported somewhere by some Temple officials, who seemed to be high-ranking wizards, and that somewhere was an uninhabited tropical island. [Event Quest ¨C Group Mission] [Description: The theme of the group mission is survival. Please survive until the end of the mission.] [Goal: Don¡¯t get eliminated before the mission is over] [Reward: 1000 Achievement Points] And, of course, an Event Quest appeared. Chapter 92 22 students, me included, were standing on a white sandy beach from which the clear water of the sea could be seen. Everyone was instructed to wear comfortable clothes, not the school uniforms. We were also told to wear long sleeved shirts and long pants if possible, so we were all dressed in similar things. Of course, Class A and B were located far apart from each other. Mr. Epinhauser stood before Class A. The students seemed confused by their sudden arrival at a place like this. The only one who wasn¡¯t flustered was Ellen, who was ready to do anything no matter what happened. Even Bertus seemed a little puzzled. Mr. Epinhauser started briefing us. ¡°We are currently on an uninhabited island located within the Empire¡¯s Kamsencha Archipelago. The island is about three times the size of Temple.¡± Although it was an uninhabited island, it was rather big. The island was covered in a rainforest and the beach was filled with white sand. ¡°You have to survive on this island for about five days starting today, meaning from Monday to Friday evening. We will provide you with a box with supplies. Whether you hunt or gather common supplies found in this place, no matter what, you will have to survive until Friday.¡± We have to survive here for 5 days. That might seem like a daunting task, but it wasn¡¯t impossible. As they heard these words, everyone just stared blankly with their mouths open. The nobles in particular were astonished, as if it didn¡¯t make sense to them why they had to survive in such a harsh environment.. ¡°I-Isn¡¯t this dangerous? W-We don¡¯t know what might happen¡­. If we get hurt or something, what should we do¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t this too irresponsible to just throw us here, leaving us to fend for ourselves¡­?¡± As Harriet was mumbling about how unreasonable this situation was, Heinrich von Schwarz started to complain as well. ¡°It¡¯s not compulsory. If you want to give up, you can at any point. You would just fail.¡± Of course, it was crazy to ask children to just survive on their own on some deserted island for five days, whether they were from noble families or not. However, the people gathered here were the best talents the Empire had to offer, only in terms of talent though, not in skills. That was why they received special treatment. And those who receive special treatment would also be given special trials. Going by such logic, they¡¯d give us more difficult tasks like this. ¡°You will be given a button shaped artifact.¡± Mr. Epinhauser pulled out something that looked like a button. ¡°Use this if an emergency has occurred or if you want to give up. After activating it, you will be sent to a safe place immediately. However, keep in mind that if you use it, you¡¯ll be eliminated.¡± We could give up whenever we wanted, and in the event of an accident, actions could be taken immediately. I could already see some people ready to press the button as soon as we were to get them. However, if one were to continue to fail in group missions, there was a possibility that one had to repeat a year if their results were especially bad. Of course, there was no one who had to repeat a year in the original novel. However, the development had changed, so I didn¡¯t know what might happen. Mr. Epinhauser only explained the facts in an indifferent and cool manner, as always. -Don¡¯t overdo it, guys. Good grades are one thing, but your safety comes first. This place is safer than you guys think, but if you really can¡¯t take it anymore, you have to use this artifact. Understood? And I could hear Mr. Mustrang, the opposite of Mr. Epinhauser, briefing his class. However, wasn¡¯t it even more unsettling putting it like that? ¡°Let me know if you have any questions.¡± At Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s words, Bertus raised his hand. ¡°Are there any dangerous monsters on this island?¡± Bertus¡¯ question was to see if they sent us here without even checking that. ¡°It is one of the rules to not provide you with any information about the island. However, I can tell you one thing.¡± Mr. Epinhauser was speaking calmly. ¡°This mission is designed to test your crisis management skills and how you¡¯d act in real emergencies.¡± Nothing could be guaranteed. They already determined that we had abilities. Now they were trying to see how we would make use of these abilities. Would we act selfish, hateful, cold-hearted, or irrational? ¡°You guys are part of the Royal Class. Even within Temple, you are a privileged class, so you have to prove that you are better than the general class.¡± There are people who possessed great power but flatter and become dispirited, faced with hurdles; and then there are those who¡¯d struggle with all their might to overcome all difficulties on their way, even though their power wasn¡¯t all that strong. The group mission was to confirm exactly that. Being a student of the Royal Class brought a lot of privileges with it. Therefore, it was only natural that we had to overcome even harder trials. The teacher wasn¡¯t even allowed to tell us if it was dangerous or not. ¡°I won¡¯t give you a lengthy explanation. If you want to give up, press the button. If you don¡¯t think that you are able to survive until Friday, giving up in advance is also fine.¡± However, if we did that, we would lose. Everyone could fully guess what Mr. Epinhauser was trying to say. ¡°And one more thing.¡± It was now time for Mr. Epinhauser to tell us the most important thing. ¡°If you¡¯re able to meet certain conditions, you might be able to complete the mission sooner than the expected time. Additionally, the class that satisfied said conditions would receive additional points.¡± Special missions. If certain conditions were fulfilled, the mission could end earlier, and the class that managed to do that would receive more points. ¡°Of course, this is only an optional mission. It won¡¯t cause any problems if you aren¡¯t able to fulfill it. With this, I have conveyed all the information I can give.¡± Mr. Epinhauser took out one more button-shaped artifact similar to ours, from his bosom pocket and disappeared. He probably was still watching us from somewhere, but he really wasn¡¯t anywhere close to us. ¡°D-Did¡­he really leave?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. How¡­¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± The kids were really shocked that their teacher had left. Actually, strictly speaking, wasn¡¯t this abuse? It was at that moment that I realized what kind of thing I actually made them do by writing up this development. -Shaaa¡­ Clear water was constantly crashing against the shore from afar. We were literally children who had been abandoned by the sea. * * * The far-off Class B was also soon left behind by Mr. Mustrang. It seemed like both Class A and B had lost their spirits. Bertus was deep in thoughts with his arms folded. He probably knew beforehand, but only after seeing this with his own eyes, did he realize just how ridiculous this situation was. It was rather useless to count on those, who were at the time out of their minds. Except for me, Ellen, and Bertus, who were seriously thinking about what to do, everyone else seemed to be out of their minds or speechless. ¡°What¡¯s with this? Why do we have to do something like this? How would that help us?¡± Kono Lint was complaining. ¡°So¡­¡­ What now? What do they want us to do after leaving us here so suddenly¡­¡­¡± That was Cayer Vioden speaking. Just because they were commoners didn¡¯t mean that they were happy with this situation. It was humid and hot. No one would be accustomed to something like that. The guys from noble families already seemed to have their heads filled with thoughts of giving up. They thought this situation was so ridiculous that they couldn¡¯t even put it into words. Even the commoners couldn¡¯t stand the situation. The only fortunate thing was that the noble kids, who only knew how to wear good clothes, eat good food, and sleep in soft beds, didn¡¯t start crying. In the original, Class A, which had a lot of nobles in it, somehow managed to survive the first day, but then most of them gave up voluntarily. Everyone gave up one by one until only Ellen remained. Class B would be able to complete the mission led by Ludwig¡¯s initiative. As the development had greatly deviated from the original already, I didn¡¯t know what would happen in Class B¡¯s camp. So, I had no intention of letting the current Class A follow that development either. First of all, I needed those achievement points, so I had to be patient; furthermore it would be impossible for me to survive alone, so I had to drag these guys along no matter what. I opened the communal supply box left behind where Mr. Epinhauser stood before. Everyone stared at me as I moved. In this situation, it was more normal to whine and complain. It was more unusual for a 17-year-old to be so calm. I took out the contents of the box and organized them. Everyone was just staring at me blankly. Two machetes. Ten arrows and one shortbow. A bundle of rope. Three types of pots, one large, one medium, and one small. Three throwing javelins with barbs. One axe. Three small knives. One firestarter. Eleven canteens of water. And eleven button shaped artifacts. I thought that was a decent amount of supplies. They were just the basics, but they provided enough tools to leave us alone here. Everyone was just staring at what I was doing. I just ignored the other guys and looked at Ellen. ¡°Hey, you won¡¯t give up, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen nodded. ¡°Bertus, you¡¯re not going to give up as well, right?¡± Bertus nodded when I called out to him, albeit with a somewhat more serious expression. Unlike in the original, Class B had Charlotte in it, so Bertus wouldn¡¯t give up. There were two more people who wouldn¡¯t give up no matter what, aside from me. I grabbed the machete and handed the short bow and arrows to Ellen. ¡°I¡¯ll go in there. You take care of this side, okay?¡± ¡°Ah¡­. You¡¯re going? In there?¡± ¡°I have to. I need to find something.¡± ¡°N-No. Are you going to be okay? We don¡¯t know what¡¯s in there, you know?¡± ¡°Will I die?¡± When I said that I would go inside the jungle without much hesitation, Bertus looked really flustered. It would be a hundred times better to leave the overall leadership of the other kids to Bertus. He seemed a bit perplexed at first, but soon found his composure again. ¡°O-Okay, Reinhardt. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± Anyway, this was Bertus we were talking about. He wouldn¡¯t want to do a bad job, either. However, what I asked of him was a pretty simple job, which was taking control of the kids and taking up the leader position. He must have felt some reluctance to this situation as well, as he grew up in an extremely good environment. ¡°Come with me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I took the lead, and Ellen followed me without saying much. Ellen and I were probably the most abnormal in this situation. * * * Ellen was good with bows as well. So, when any beast appeared, I told her to follow it, leaving the hunting to her. -Chk! Chk! Ellen and I slowly moved further in, while sweeping through thick bushes and lush greenery located in the jungle. ¡°It¡¯s fricking hot.¡± ¡°It is.¡± Both me and Ellen were drenched in sweat. Ellen found her long hair rather cumbersome, so she tied it up with a string. There were sweat drops all over her face, nape and neck. Fortunately, there were no mosquitoes, the worst fiends usually found in a jungle. This was an exam as well as a mission. Even though Epinhauser only gave us next to no information about this island, I knew a lot about it. This island was a controlled environment. Therefore, mosquitoes, which could spread dangerous infectious diseases that could cost our lives, were completely eradicated. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that there weren¡¯t any bugs. There was an obvious possibility that unexpected accidents might occur, but we wouldn¡¯t be faced with the uncontrolled dangers an uncontrolled environment would house. -Flap, flap, flap! We could hear birds flying away, because of the noise we caused by cutting down the bushes. ¡°Can you shoot down those flying birds?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m not that good.¡± Ellen was pretty good at archery, but she wasn¡¯t a professional. She didn¡¯t have such advanced skills yet. I didn¡¯t really intend to go much deeper. I¡¯d soon be able to find what I was looking for. ¡°There it is.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± I grinned and pointed to some densely packed trees. ¡°Is this your first time seeing a coconut?¡± They were a staple for uninhabited island scenes. There¡¯d definitely be coconuts. Chapter 93 Survival on a tropical island. The most important thing to secure first was water; afterwards came food. One could end up in a pretty dangerous situation because of dehydration. So coconuts were the perfect food for survival as they covered both aspects. I twisted off one coconut after the other. It was my first time ever climbing a tree, but I was able to climb them surprisingly easily because of my increased physical abilities. I felt like I could climb even better than monkeys. Ellen also climbed up a different tree and easily picked some coconuts. I mean, I also climbed up the trees without any hesitation, but just who is so good at climbing trees? After picking some coconuts, I climbed back down and landed on the ground. While carrying five coconuts each in our arms, we returned to the beach. ¡°Wha¡­ What?¡± -Clack, clack, clack. When we put down the coconuts we were carrying, the others were still looking at us in a daze, but they did seem glad to see us. Even Class B further away from us seemed to do something, while our Class A still seemed undecided. ¡°No¡­ Why did you bring all of this here?¡± Bertus looked astonished at my behavior. ¡°Once we run out of water, we can drink from those.¡± There were eleven canisters, but after we ran out of that water, we could drink as much as we wanted from these coconuts. Everyone already held a canteen and an artifact in their hands, making it seem as if the distribution of the supplies had already finished. Everyone was sitting idly in the shade, seeming like they didn¡¯t know what else to do. Even Bertus was like that. Well, it would be even weirder if this Prince actually managed to set up a camp in this situation. First, the most urgent matter of securing a source of drinking water could be put off for a bit. And it didn¡¯t seem like anyone had given up. ¡°Reinhardt, let¡¯s talk for a second.¡± ¡°Ah, sure.¡± Bertus led me to a place slightly farther away from our classmates. ¡°Have you done something like this before?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯ve done something like this before, It¡¯s just that I¡¯d rather do something instead of just sitting on my ass. One has to rest to preserve one¡¯s stamina, but before that, certain things have to be done.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± It seemed to him like I was familiar or very experienced with situations like this. However, although I had a lot of indirect experience with these things, this was actually the first time I landed in a situation like that myself. I was just like Bertus, who ended up losing his cool in our current situation. It looked like I had to give him some advice. ¡°First, we need a place to sleep, no matter how crude it is. A place to avoid the heat of the sun as well as to protect us from rain.¡± We needed something like a hut, even if it was just something crude. Bertus nodded his head, seeming to have understood what I meant. ¡°But how do we make something like that in this situation?¡± He had to make something he had never made before. There also weren¡¯t any famous shows depicting the eternal battle between humans and nature in this world. It was only natural that Bertus was stumped. ¡°There are trees, vines, and palm leaves all over the place. I think we¡¯ll be able to make something that would help by roughly intertwining them.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Can we really make something helpful with only leaves?¡± Even before the survival mission started, I was already thinking about what we should do. I kind of knew how to make a hut, but I wasn¡¯t really confident that it would turn out good. I mean, if I had no other choice, I probably would have tried at least. ¡°Neither you nor I need to think about that too much. There are others much better at these kinds of things.¡± However, there was no need for me to actually do it when there was someone much better at these kinds of things than me. ¡°Number 7 Adelia. If we leave it to her, she¡¯ll be able to do a good job.¡± Her ability was magic tool crafting. Of course, I didn¡¯t really know how related the crafting of magic tools and the building of a hut was, but she was very talented at designing and making things compared to a normal person. If it was her, she¡¯d at least be able to come up with a plausible blueprint. Better than anything I could come up with. It kind of felt like how the military made students paint fences. ¡°Hmm¡­ Is that so?¡± Bertus didn¡¯t seem to have any clue about all this. * * * Bertus returned to the shady area where most of Class A, who were severely mentally exhausted, had gathered, and called Adelia. Then he said to her that he was of the opinion that we should make a hut, and asked if she had any idea how to go about that. ¡°That¡­ If you asked me to make something so suddenly¡­ I don¡¯t even have any equipment or tools here¡­¡± She was someone specialized in magic tool crafting and summoning magic. However, if she was asked to suddenly make a hut like this, it seemed that she was evidently flustered. ¡°The pillars can be made of wood, and the roof could be tiled with something like palm leaves. Do you have any good ideas?¡± At Bertus¡¯ words, Adelia, who was quite cowardly, murmured in a timid, crawling voice. ¡°Ermm¡­ I think, we could structure it like a tripod¡­ Do we really have to sleep here?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to give up, we have to, right?¡± Bertus was smiling, and there was no one around that would go and say ¡°I really can¡¯t do this.¡± directly to his face. Of course, after spending a night here, they¡¯d probably want to give up even more than they do now. Harriet didn¡¯t say a thing, her face buried in her legs. She might end up crying. I mean, it was a situation that made one cry, after all. ¡°Hmm¡­ If I were to make this, I¡¯d need¡­ wood and vines. Really big ones. I think we¡¯d need a lot of leaves as well¡­¡± Adelia murmured as if she was already drawing up blueprints in her head. ¡°Great. Then let¡¯s do it like that.¡± Bertus didn¡¯t feel that great about this situation either, but losing to Class B was even worse. So he forced himself to raise the tension. ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s try doing something, at least. If we really can¡¯t go on, we can always give up, but don¡¯t you think we should try at least? It¡¯s kind of weird just giving up before we even did anything, right?¡± Bertus pointed at Cayer, Erich, and Kono Lint, who were silent. ¡°You three are in charge of getting us vines and leaves from inside the jungle. As many as possible.¡± Everyone had their assigned duties. All of them looked a little reluctant, but they didn¡¯t have the guts to refuse Bertus¡¯ instructions. After Bertus decided on actually giving this a try, his thoughts seemed to flow smoothly. ¡°Saint-Owan. Can you use magic right now?¡± At Bertus¡¯ call, Harriet raised her head with her eyes wide open. Her expression showed bewilderment. ¡°Ah¡­ Huh? Well¡­ I can¡¯t do anything of a high level yet¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. It just has to be something of a level that can cut some trees about that size. How is it?¡± What Bertus pointed to was a regular-sized tree. ¡°Uhm¡­ I think I can do that¡­¡° Harriet nodded, a little depressed, but it didn¡¯t seem like something she was completely adverse to. ¡°Great. Cut down as many trees as possible, but it¡¯s pretty dangerous, so be careful not to get hurt.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Harriet got up from where she sat. It seemed like she would do what was asked of her, even while she felt rather depressed. ¡°Ellen and Cliffman. Could you help set up the camp as Adelia requested?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ellen and Cliffman were the strongest in this class in terms of physical strength. So it was only right for those two to be in charge of the physical labor. There seemed to be a bigger picture gradually coming together in Bertus¡¯ mind. Was he the type that, if told one thing, would realize two? Or maybe it was just his mentality slowly recovering, leading to his sudden motivation. He was someone that would become active as soon as he got someone to order around. Villain or not, he was a born leader. The only ones that were not given a role for now were me, Liana de Grantz, and Heinrich von Schwarz. ¡°Bertus, could you leave me in charge of those two?¡± At my words, Bertus tilted his head. Additionally, when they heard me ask if I could be in charge of them, both of them had some sullen expressions on their faces. Heinrich hated me, and I haven¡¯t even spoken to Liana yet, so they obviously didn¡¯t have any good reactions to my words. ¡°Hmm¡­ Do you have any plans?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I think the two of them are actually the most important out of all of us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Really?¡± Their expressions became quite strange after they were subjected to my sudden, uncharacteristic compliment. * * * Heinrich von Schwarz, Pyrokinesis. Liana de Grantz, Electrokinesis. These two supernatural powers were key to survival in this jungle, in my opinion. ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± Heinrich¡¯s eyes were filled with distrust, as if he only ever got lied to. ¡°Till when are you going to stay mad at me? We¡¯re in the same boat here, so let¡¯s cooperate.¡± Heinrich quickly turned his head, saying that he didn¡¯t want to deal with private things right now, even though we literally had to work together to keep our heads above water. ¡°¡­¡­Tch.¡± ¡°¡­Why me?¡± ¡°Just wait. I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± It seemed clear that Liana was just as wary of me. I didn¡¯t want to explain everything to them just yet, while they were like this. I didn¡¯t want to get closer to them, either. Since the situation was the way it was, I would make as much use of them as I could. If they didn¡¯t like it, I would make them listen, even if I had to crush them. ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll be able to light fires whenever we want to. So, for now, we¡¯ll start making some fresh drinking water.¡± ¡°¡­Fresh drinking water?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll need water. You¡¯re the only one here except Harriet who can light fires whenever he wants.¡± Although, I once said that he wasn¡¯t even as good as a flint, of course he was much better to maintain than one, though. As long as he kept his mouth shut. ¡°I asked Adelia to make a vapor condensing device. After that, we can keep making water.¡± ¡°¡­A-Are you treating me like a flint? And do you seriously think that you can order me around?¡± Heinrich frowned as if he had been insulted just now, then I sighed. I¡¯m so fucking annoyed. Should I just hit him? No. Let¡¯s not make the situation worse. ¡°Phew¡­. Whether you hear it from my mouth or Bertus¡¯, it doesn¡¯t matter, mate. Do you want to get us into trouble? If you don¡¯t do this, the water will run out within two days or so.¡± In this tropical environment, dehydration would be a serious threat. I mean, I was indeed treating him like a flint, but if we didn¡¯t do this, we would have to keep hydrate using coconuts only. After we had something like a vapor condensation machine, we could make drinking water from seawater continuously. It was a simple but important role. Even if he told me that he didn¡¯t want to follow my orders, he¡¯d just end up hearing the same order from Bertus shortly after. ¡°¡­¡­.I¡¯m doing this for everyone, got it?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, got it. Work hard.¡± After having understood what I was telling him, Heinrich just disappeared as if he didn¡¯t want to speak with me any longer. Heinrich was gone, leaving only Liana de Grantz, who seemed a bit reluctant, behind. ¡°You have to hunt.¡± ¡°Hunt?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I pointed towards the beach. ¡°Fishing might be the more correct term, though.¡± I was going for something similar to stunning fish by electrifying water with a car battery. * * * If I were to introduce a car battery to a pool of water or a river, all the fish within it would be stunned, floating to the surface. Of course, that was highly illegal. However, there were no such laws in this world, and even if there were, we had to survive on this deserted island no matter what and through any means. I took Liana to the beach. -Shwaaaaa¡­ ¡°You won¡¯t get electrocuted or something, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Liana, who was full of surprises, was basically immune to electricity. Liana still seemed quite reluctant. ¡°Try using your supernatural power on the water.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I doubt it¡¯ll work.¡± She hesitated for a bit, but then began to concentrate. I then backed away, fearing that I might get electrocuted. -Brzzzt! Brrrrzzzzt! Blue electric currents flew from Liana¡¯s hands, and were soon raging among the waves. This girl certainly had excellent control over her supernatural power. -Shwaaa¡­. And, nothing really happened. Liana clicked her tongue slightly. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to get wet.¡± Saying so, she slowly walked down to the water, immersing her arms into it this time. Well, she seemed rather picky, but she did what I asked of her. This time, she activated her ability after her hands were fully submerged in the water. Although I couldn¡¯t really see it. Of course, there was nothing different from before. The sea was quite, and there were no stunned fish floating up. Liana looked back at me. ¡°I told you. It won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Right.¡± I¡¯ve only ever heard of car battery fishing, but I never actually tried it myself. I didn¡¯t know if it was because Liana¡¯s abilities were still lacking, or if there was some other problem. Liana came out of the water and frowned, seeing her wet shoes. It seemed that she was royally pissed, that the only thing my request did, was get her shoes wet. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do, but for that to happen, I would have to get close to the fish, whether by diving or swimming. My range isn¡¯t that wide. And I can¡¯t swim.¡± She seemed feisty, but she still seemed to properly explain things to me. How very strange. Anyway, I thought with electricity alone, I would be able to cover a fairly wide area, even if it wouldn¡¯t affect the whole ocean. That wasn¡¯t the case. The Korean Department of Education should make a public apology because of this. ¡°You can¡¯t swim¡­ So what if I were to carry you on my back while we go in there and you electrocute¡­ Oh, right, I¡¯d get electrocuted as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Weren¡¯t you first ranked in the exams?¡± Liana looked at me with a rather strange look. It seemed like she was doubting how someone like me could take first place. It sure was a waste, but if I couldn¡¯t use her, I wouldn¡¯t be able to catch any fish. ¡°What¡¯s the range of your ability?¡± ¡°5 meters.¡± Her output wasn¡¯t that strong at the moment. Looks like I had to struggle some more. Liana just sighed and started to tie her hair up. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can just walk around the place and electrocute a fish if it gets close enough.¡± Liana headed towards the sea again, saying that I should go out of her way because I¡¯d just bother her. Liana de Grantz. She only ever said slightly harsh and chilly things, so in the beginning, she was seen as a somewhat harsh person with a bad temper by the class. However, later, after the separation between Class A and B got resolved, it was revealed that she wasn¡¯t actually bad-tempered. It was just the way she spoke, and since the kids from Class B didn¡¯t cross ways with Class A very often, they didn¡¯t know what kind of person she was. That was how I set her up, but it was still strange seeing her act like that right before my eyes. It was a subtle feeling, she being kind of nice, while still speaking pretty harshly. As she entered the water, Liana suddenly turned back and looked at me. ¡°Come to think of it, I can¡¯t even touch fish.¡± Another absurd characteristic I gave her was that she was clumsy. Chapter 94 Although Liana said that she wasn¡¯t able to even touch fish, she decided that this wasn¡¯t a situation in which she could make such excuses, so she eventually walked back towards the ocean again. I had never been to a tropical resort in any of my lives. So, I never imagined that I would end up witnessing such beautiful scenery on an uninhabited island like this. Of course, this scenery was really breathtaking, but I didn¡¯t have any time to enjoy it at the moment. ¡°Get out of the way! It¡¯s falling!¡± ¡°Uwah!¡± -Wruuuush! After the tree began to fall into one direction, it made a thunderous sound as it hit the ground. Harriet just felled a tree; however, she seemed to be the most confused about that. ¡°Gyaaaa! Bugs! There are buuuuugs!¡± Or more like she was busy being terrified of the bugs that fell from said tree. She was probably the one most uncomfortable with this situation, in many ways. But we needed her the most as well, as she was the only one that had many different types of magic spells available to her. ¡°I think¡­this should be enough trees. Now¡­let¡¯s cut them smaller together.¡± At Adelia¡¯s words, Harriet nodded helplessly. She managed to fell 5 trees. Now those trees had to be trimmed down and then turned into either pillars or flooring. Cliffman was cutting down some bushes to create a road in the jungle, and Ellen was cutting the trees with an axe. Palm leaves and vines were still in the process of being procured, and Bertus was directing the workers and helping out when needed. ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡± Bertus seemed to be curious about Class B¡¯s progress. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re doing the same thing as us.¡± Class B, located on a distant place along the coast, could be seen bustling about making something as well. ¡°Just what is that special condition¡­¡± If we were able to meet a specific condition, we could end this mission early, and we¡¯d receive additional points. If we didn¡¯t want to stay here for a long time, it would be better if we explored the island a bit more. Even Bertus didn¡¯t want to stay in this place for too long. That was why he¡¯d much rather find a way to fulfill that condition. ¡°Reinhardt. Well¡­¡± After trying to tell me something, Bertus just sighed. ¡°No. Forget it. We don¡¯t even know what it is, so it would be foolish to just blindly fumble around. Let¡¯s not do anything dangerous for now. Let¡¯s think more about this after we complete our camp.¡± No matter how much I went into the jungle without any hesitation just a few minutes ago, it seemed like he didn¡¯t want to burden me with that. After talking for a bit, Bertus and I began to roll away the trees. -Someone catch this! Then an urgent voice could be heard from the beach. * * * ¡°Wow¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that¡­?¡± ¡°Why is it so big?¡± ¡°Eww! It¡¯s so gross!¡± Liana caught something, but she wasn¡¯t able to touch it herself, so when they saw me bringing that thing to the camp, everyone just stopped working, standing there in a daze. Harriet and Liana were evidently grossed out by it. It wasn¡¯t a fish. We caught something that looked similar to a crayfish. It was five times bigger than a common lobster. ¡°This thing is absolutely delicious!¡± Ellen nodded violently when she heard me say that. She seemed to be thinking about devouring it already. It went without saying that the bigger the crustacean was, the better it tasted. ¡°¡­I think we should first check if this is edible or not.¡± Bertus expressed some concerns and tried to calm me down, who had his eyes completely focused on that delicacy that unexpectedly appeared before me. ¡°Won¡¯t it be fine if we just cook it well?¡± ¡°Uhmm¡­. Still, we don¡¯t know if it¡¯s poisonous or not.¡± In fact, Bertus¡¯ concern about what would happen if we were to eat something unknown like that was completely rational in this environment. ¡°I mean, the teachers are probably watching us from somewhere, they¡¯d probably give us a warning, if we were to try to eat something weird.¡± If the kids were to try to eat something like a poisonous mushroom because they were just that hungry, they would be stopped immediately. This wasn¡¯t an actual life-or-death situation, but only a mission. Going by that reasoning, Bertus seemed to agree with me. ¡°But how do we prepare this?¡± Its taste aside, Liana seemed terrified at how disgusting it looked. She was probably someone with Kabourophobia. ¡°Why are you making this so complicated? We¡¯ll just cook it, simple as that.¡± The nobles, especially the girls, grimaced as they imagined grilling something over an open fire in this place. ¡°But one of these won¡¯t be enough.¡± We caught a huge lobster, but this wasn¡¯t enough to feed 11 people. At Bertus¡¯ words, Liana, who had been drinking some water from her canteen, seemed to feel like they were directed at her. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go back.¡± It seemed like she was going to a battlefield, having to catch something she couldn¡¯t even touch. By the way, everyone was sweating buckets as all of them had to do their assigned jobs in this extreme heat. So, everyone was guzzling water from their canteens, not knowing that it was quite the waste. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it, if you don¡¯t conserve your water.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay since you gathered those coconuts?¡± Kono Lint¡¯s nonchalant remarks earned a glare from me. ¡°Hey, d¡¯ya think it¡¯s easy climbing trees? You wanna do it?¡± ¡°H-Huh? N-No, that¡¯s not¡­.¡± He said it so easily, because it wasn¡¯t him who picked those coconuts¡­. No. Wait a sec. Number 8, Kono Lint. His ability was teleportation. ¡°¡­Come to think of it, you really should be the one to pick them.¡± If he used his ability, he¡¯d get naked as a side effect. So if no one was watching, there wouldn¡¯t be a problem with him using it, right? ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll be in charge of gathering coconuts.¡± ¡°H-Huuuuuh?¡± As everyone in class knew the side effects of Kono Lint¡¯s ability, everyone started laughing. * * * After making Kono Lint the designated coconut shuttle, I entered the jungle alone. I didn¡¯t know how it would go, but honestly, I wasn¡¯t that interested whether we won or lost in this group mission. The condition of completing my quest was to survive; it didn¡¯t mention anything about winning. As long as we could hold out until Friday, I would receive my achievement points, so Class A didn¡¯t have to win for that. Also, I kind of wanted Charlotte to win. So I didn¡¯t really assert myself to complete these conditions. I didn¡¯t even think that it was possible to begin with. I wasn¡¯t confident in my archery skills, so I was currently carrying around a machete and three javelins. Although I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d actually be able to do some hunting, I still took them with me. However, my current goal wasn¡¯t to hunt for food, but to secure a new freshwater source. The island was quite large and also had some mountains. Therefore, if I were to search carefully, I¡¯d be able to find a water flow. Then, instead of having to bother constantly picking coconuts, we could just fetch water from there. I was trying to find it because I actually knew that it existed somewhere around here. Of course, I didn¡¯t exactly know where it was. ¡°Phew¡­¡± I had to somehow get through this thick forest, so my stamina consumption was extremely high. In fact, it was highly difficult to even make ten consecutive steps. Of course, my path wasn¡¯t completely covered in vines, so I could navigate myself quite well. After walking for some time, I finally came to a halt. I might end up exhausted and unable to move, so I decided to go back first, after I cleared a significant portion of the path. -Kwiiiiiik! And then the cry of some animal rang out from somewhere. Seeing that it was screaming, it didn¡¯t seem like this was normal. I looked towards the direction the cry came from and saw someone running through the jungle chasing something. -Fling! -Kwiiiik! The scream of the beast was getting louder as someone was chasing after it with a bow, shooting arrows at it, and actually hitting. It was a girl with long braided hair fluttering behind her, who was running through the forest like a squirrel. It was B-9, Delphine Izadra who had an archery talent. -Fllling! Fling! -Kweeeek! Apparently the chased beast had fallen, as the girl holding a bow also stopped her charge. Not only was she able to rush through the jungle as if she was flying, she was also able to shoot down a beast that was running with all its might. She was Ludwig¡¯s best friend as well as one of the main heroines of this novel. ¡°¡­¡­How can I take this back?¡± She caught something, but it seemed like she didn¡¯t know how she¡¯d take it back. ¡°Hey, should I help you?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Huh? Who¡¯s there?¡± Delphine was startled when she suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice. When she saw it was me, her expression softened slightly. ¡°A-Ah¡­ Reinhardt¡­ That was you just now, right?¡± I frequently came to Class B¡¯s dorm, so even if we didn¡¯t talk directly, she had at least seen my face before. ¡°What? Did you catch that big thing?¡± It was a pig-like thing, almost the size of a large dog. It had been hit by four arrows, and one of them was lodged in its head. ¡°If it¡¯s too hard for you to carry alone, I could help you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­. Yes, please! Thank you.¡± She caught it, but wasn¡¯t sure how to carry it back, so she felt quite fortunate meeting me here. * * * She and I took a short break while dragging the dead pig behind us. ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s quite heavy¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± How could it be so difficult to move a dead beast? ¡°Your archery is no joke, you know?¡± To be exact, it was amazing how she was able to run around and shoot arrows at the same time. Delphine smiled at my words. ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yep, I¡¯m from Talprad. Almost everyone there learns how to hunt from a young age.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Is that so?¡± Of course, this was something I was already aware of. Delphine Izadra came from a long line of hunters, calling the mountainous country, Talprad, located in the northern part of the Empire, their home. Talprad was quite known for every citizen to know how to use a bow, and even among them, Delphine was considered a prodigy. That was why she was able to enter Temple¡¯s Royal Class with only her archery talent. She had been out hunting ever since she was a child, moving through rough terrain, so she took to this situation like a fish to water. Although she only had her archery right now, she¡¯d later become able to use an unusual power called Spirit Magic. In fact, there was this setting that the hunters of Talprad actually inherited the blood of elves, who had been annihilated a long time ago. Delphine inherited their powers the strongest, so she had tremendous talent for archery, as well as an affinity with spirits, which would develop later on. Of course, it would still take a long time for her to awaken that talent. Seeing as she was best friends with Ludwig, she was quite the kind and affable person. It didn¡¯t seem like she was scared of me or anything. I mean, she did see me frequenting Class B¡¯s dorm quite often, after all. ¡°What are you guys up to? Is everything going well?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re doing this and that, but I have no idea how it¡¯ll turn out.¡± ¡°Really? There are so many outstanding students in Class A, so I¡¯m sure everything will turn out well.¡± Originally, Class A and B were supposed to be bitter enemies. However, because I tanked all the aggro since the start of the school year, the students from Class A didn¡¯t hate Class B all that much, even though they still looked down on them a bit. The students of Class B didn¡¯t hate Class A because they were just that good-natured. So, the relationship between the two classes wasn¡¯t as bad as in the original, or actually it wasn¡¯t bad at all, so that was why we were able to casually ask questions like that during this cooperative mission. As Delphine said, Class A was definitely full of bright people. However, they were just as whiny as they were talented, so I was rather uncertain about the outcome. ¡°After tonight, I bet there¡¯ll be more than one or two kids that will feel like they¡¯re about to die.¡± ¡°Really? Well¡­ You¡¯re right. I¡¯m used to camping, but I¡¯m still worried about the others.¡± Delphine had hunted a lot in the past, so she was used to sleeping in the open. However, she was worried about the others, who weren¡¯t as experienced. That was why she jumped into the forest right away to secure some food. After taking some breaks in between, we were finally able to drag the pig to the beach where Class B¡¯s camp was located. ¡°Phew¡­ Good job. Thank you, Reinhardt.¡± Delphine smiled brightly as she stepped on the beach. If she had been alone, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to bring the pig along. ¡°Wha¡­ Wh-What is this?¡± All the Class B kids, who had been struggling to create a camp, were shocked to see that a pig had been caught. ¡°Wow¡­ How did you do this?¡­Huh? Reinhardt? What brings you here?¡± And just as Bertus was leading Class A, Charlotte was leading Class B. She smiled seeing the pig we dragged here, but she was just as surprised seeing me here. * * * With her wavy, pretty, blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, she walked around with the sleeves of her shirt and the legs of her pants rolled up. Seeing that her palms were also quite dirty, it seemed like she was also actively participating. ¡°Ah, we met inside the jungle, and he helped me move that thing. If I had been alone, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to drag it all the way here.¡± At Delphine¡¯s words, the expressions on the Class B students¡¯ faces, Charlotte¡¯s included, became strange. He did what now? That was what everyone¡¯s expression was saying. Charlotte just sighed heavily and smiled. ¡°Reinhardt¡­ Although this is a cooperative mission, it¡¯s still a competition. How could you just go and help the other team?¡± She rebuked her opponent for helping her. I laughed at Charlotte¡¯s words. ¡°No way. How could I work without receiving anything in return?¡± Charlotte burst into laughter when I asked them if I could take one of the pig¡¯s legs as a reward. ¡°What do you mean, reward? So you did have ulterior motives after all, huh? Well, Delphine caught it, so the decision is hers to make.¡± Delphine froze up, hearing Charlotte¡¯s words. ¡°Well¡­ Sure, we already have enough anyway.¡± Delphine pointed towards the beach and chuckled. -Woah! -Guuuuuys! I caught another ooooone! ¡°Because a certain idiot is about to gather enough food for the whole week in just a single day.¡± I could see Ludwig holding a big fish stuck on a javelin, shouting excitedly. Chapter 95 Delphine did the dismantling herself. Perhaps because she had hunted a lot in the past, she was also good at handling knives. There were some who watched her with interest, and others who couldn¡¯t watch her because the scene was too gory. Even though I¡¯d much rather not watch, I kept my eyes on her, trying to internalize how she was doing it. I mean, there was no one among Class A¡¯s precious kids who could do something like this. I didn¡¯t either, so I watched. ¡°Wow¡­ Is it as difficult as it looks?¡± ¡°Hmm, definitely. I don¡¯t know how to do it properly either. I¡¯m just trying to follow what the adults did before.¡± After removing the pig¡¯s intestines, Delphine hung the pig upside down and slit its neck to remove the blood. She naturally removed the arrow from its skull as well. I felt kind of sick, seeing the blood dripping down its throat. Delphine, who did this by herself, had her hands completely stained in blood. But this was¡­ I knew it would be fine. However, there were no parasites in there, right? Although I set it up as there being ¡°no such problems¡±, was it really fine? We could just eat it if we cooked it well, right? ¡°It takes some time to remove the blood and skin. If you come by later, I¡¯ll give you your share.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? Okay then.¡± As I was about to go back, Ludwig came over with his shirt off and a javelin with a fish stuck on it in his hand, his eyes wide open in surprise. ¡°Woah¡­ Delphine! What¡¯s going on here? Urgh! There¡¯s so much blood. Huh? Reinhardt?¡± He seemed to be a little surprised to find me here. ¡°Welcome. Do you want some fish? To be honest, I think we got a bit too much.¡± Of course, our kind-hearted Ludwig just gave me the fish he caught not too long ago. No one even seemed to care that he wanted to give that fish to me. When I looked over to their bonfire, I could see fish stuck on skewers getting grilled. B-2 Louis Ankton was watching over them, with an expression on his face that seemed to say: ¡°Why do I have to do this?¡± It definitely looked like they had a lot. This survival mission was originally intended to show that Class B was stronger in praxis. It was supposed to showcase that even though Class A had a lot of talented students, they were rather reluctant to do tough jobs, while the students of Class B, who were seen as less talented, knew better how to make the best use of what they got. That¡¯s right. There were many practically inclined kids in Class B. There wasn¡¯t anyone among them that would go: ¡°Oh my, why should my noble self have to do something like this?¡±. Hence, it was pretty much inevitable that they would perform better than Class A. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll eat it well.¡± Ludwig smiled at my words, saying that I should tell him if we didn¡¯t have enough. ¡°Jeez. Looks like everyone has forgotten that this is a competition.¡± Seeing this, Charlotte only shook her head, but I could see that her eyes contained some joy. ¡°Come get the meat later!¡± Delphine shouted as I was on my way back. It seemed that her preconceived notions about me had been completely erased after I merely helped her move that pig. * * * ¡°¡­¡­How did you get that?¡± Bertus had a rather sickly expression when I told him that I was given that fish. ¡°Uh, they just said that they had too many.¡± ¡°How did you get to their camp?¡± ¡°Ah, Delphine caught a pig in the jungle, and I helped her carry it back because it was too heavy for her. So we decided that I would get part of its meat later on.¡± ¡°There are normal pet pigs in there?¡± Bertus seemed shocked that there were pigs in the jungle, before he could even process that I helped Class B. It was the same for the others. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean that there are dangerous animals in there? What if we get attacked late at night?¡± It was Cayer whining around. Hey, buddy, pigs aren¡¯t exactly ¡®dangerous animals¡¯, however, wild boars could be pretty dangerous. ¡°It seems like we have to keep watch at night then.¡± Ever since he heard that there were pigs inside the jungle, Bertus seemed to have become very vigilant already. ¡°Okay, Reinhardt, well¡­ Securing that raw meat itself is indeed beneficial.¡± Deciding not to think about it any further, Bertus seemed to have chosen to think that it was a good thing that I helped Class B secure more food for our class. ¡°By the way, is it ready?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty much complete.¡± It didn¡¯t entirely look like home yet. ¡°It¡¯s quite surprising that making something like that was much more realistic than I initially thought.¡± Harriet was sweating profusely, but she still continued to cut logs with her magic. They constructed it by putting the wooden logs they had cut against each other. Like a camera tripod. The main pillar was reinforced by tying vines around it to prevent everything from collapsing, and the sides were bound together by vines as well. Then palm leaves were inserted to create walls. ¡°I think about two people can sleep in there at the same time.¡± I nodded at Adelia¡¯s words. It was cramped, but it was enough for two people to sleep in there. Since we were eleven people, we had to make either six more or five more, leaving three people to share a single hut. If we tried to construct larger huts, there was a bigger risk of them collapsing, so it seemed like the right choice to make smaller ones. Adelia seemed to have a lot of things to worry about. ¡°Rain will probably leak through the roof¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just have to bear with that.¡± Making a completely waterproof cabin in this situation was pretty much impossible. Just knowing that we now had a place to lie down in and rest was good enough. Adelia seemed to be struggling with how to make this place a more bearable environment for us. ¡°Still, if we were able to cut the logs into planks, we might be able to make something similar to flooring.¡± Of course, the only problem was that Harriet had to do that all alone. I passed the construction site and headed to the beach. There was our person responsible for the fire, Heinrich von Schwarz, keeping the simple distillation device running. In this sweltering heat, he continuously picked up firewood to keep the bonfire running, and lit the fire again if it ever went out. Perhaps it was because of the heat; but his face, that usually had a vain look to it, seemed rather ripe. He just continued to stare on with dissatisfaction, too tired to even argue. The small pot was hanging in the bigger pot and had quite a bit of water in it. It wasn¡¯t enough to drink, but he had to keep it running so that everyone wouldn¡¯t run out of water. He just had to hold on until I found the water source in the jungle. ¡°What¡¯s with the fish?¡± ¡°I got it.¡± ¡°You got it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I put the fish on a large palm leaf as a substitute for a chopping board and started to fillet it. I didn¡¯t know how to do it exactly, but I had a rough idea. -Chop! ¡°Urgh!¡± When I chopped off the fish¡¯s head, Heinrich freaked out. Ignoring the last struggles of the flopping fish, I gutted it. I removed the bladder and intestines, then descaled it. I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of fish this was, but it should be edible. It kind of looked like a sea bream. Heinrich looked at me, terrified, as I calmly cut up the fish next to him. I put the fish on a skewer I prepared beforehand, and stuck it into the ground next to the bonfire on which the pot was steaming. ¡°Tell me when it¡¯s done. It¡¯s going to take some time. Oh, and if there¡¯s any salt in that pot, collect it. We don¡¯t have any condiments, so we should at least put some salt on it.¡± ¡°H-Huh¡­ Okay.¡± The one with the knife in his hand was indeed the boss, so Heinrich replied straight away. * * * Everyone worked as if they were possessed, even if they didn¡¯t have much motivation, so time went by quickly. The water canteens, which everyone received one of, were immediately emptied. However, we still had the distilled water, and since Kono Lint had continued to harvest some coconuts, we had sufficient ways to keep us hydrated. ¡°¡­¡­It doesn¡¯t taste as delicious as it looks.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s delicious, though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only because of the heat, that¡¯s all.¡± Kono Lint and Erich expressed their opinions about the taste of the coconuts. Whether they liked it or not, they had to keep drinking from them until we found a new water source. Fortunately, Liana de Grantz was able to stun a few more fish by electrocuting them, although she still couldn¡¯t touch them. Nevertheless, we were able to get a total of five fish that day. So, on the first day, at sunset, after we finished constructing the camp, we made a big bonfire in the middle of it and started grilling the fish and lobster. I also started grilling the pig legs I obtained from Class B. I sprinkled everything with salt before grilling them. ¡°¡­There are no¡­ forks and knives.¡± Harriet muttered softly with a sullen expression on her face. ¡°What do you expect in a place where we have to use leaves as plates?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Even though I criticized her like that, Harriet didn¡¯t even answer; that was how depressed she was. Even though she was in that much of a daze, she actually worked the hardest today. Without her magic, it might not have been possible to construct this camp. Harriet just looked towards the distant shore and pouted. ¡°What are those guys even doing? What is so fun about this?!¡± At Class B¡¯s camp, after their food was ready, most of them jumped right into the sea and played around. No matter what the future might hold for them, they¡¯d do their best to enjoy it. We, on the other hand, were just sitting around the bonfire somberly. Even though everyone was hungry and we actually had some food, they didn¡¯t really look like they looked forward to eating it. ¡°Everyone, I understand that you are having a hard time. I know you find it unpleasant sleeping here and eating things like this.¡± In the end, Bertus had to step forward. ¡°However, this is our first group mission. We don¡¯t know what other missions we have to face in the future, but we still shouldn¡¯t fail our very first mission, right?¡± He was smiling, but everyone knew that Bertus was one of the people who suffered the most under these conditions, so there was no one who dared to make a fuss in front of him. Bertus picked up a skewered fish, ate a little of it to make sure it wasn¡¯t too hot, and began to properly bite into it. Everyone stared blankly at the Imperial Prince, eating a fish like a beggar on a deserted island. ¡°It¡¯s good to eat.¡± Bertus smiled with fish oil around his mouth. ¡°So, let¡¯s eat.¡± Bertus chose to take the first step to stop the high-and-mighty nobles of Class A from being fussy. Maybe it was fine, even if he was someone who wore a perfect mask on his face as well as on his heart. Charlotte was someone like that as well, after all. I really didn¡¯t know anymore. * * * Bertus distributed the cooked food to all the class members. He knew, after all, that they¡¯d have to eat it, if it was something he gave to them. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Harriet took a bite out of the gigantic lobster¡¯s meat, then her eyes widened. She then looked at Adelia, who was seated next to her, and ate the same thing. Both of them looked surprised. They probably felt the same way. I was pretty sure that both of them had eaten lobster before, but they probably had never eaten one of such a monstrous size before. ¡°I feel kind of bad because he was right¡­¡± Harriet murmured in a rather desperate tone, feeling a sense of defeat, probably because she found the lobster delicious. Although it was huge, if divided in 11 pieces, it was just a small amount of food. While she ate only half of the fish Bertus gave her, it seemed like she liked the lobster a lot. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It looked like she was slowly regaining her appetite. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°Eat it.¡± I gave Harriet a wooden skewer with bundled lobster meat on it. Her eyes widened. ¡°W-Why are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t ask me stupid questions, just eat it. I have no energy to argue with you.¡± When I forcibly shoved it towards her, she accepted it silently. She suffered the most today. She was also the one least used to this kind of environment. She would continue to have a hard time during this mission, so I decided to take care of her a bit. Even if one felt sad and depressed, you should still eat well if one had food sitting before yourself. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Harriet seemed thoroughly exhausted; she simply began to nibble on the lobster meat I gave her. And then. ¡°Ellen? Where are you going so suddenly?¡± Ellen Artorius suddenly jumped up from where she sat and walked off somewhere. Bertus, seemingly surprised, called Ellen, but she didn¡¯t answer him. She just picked up a javelin and eventually ran off. ¡°Wha¡­ What is she doing¡­?`¡± Harriet looked towards Ellen, who suddenly jumped into the sea, colored red by the sunset. ¡°Something great.¡± I kind of knew what she was doing. About 30 minutes later, Ellen Artorius came back with three similar lobsters as the one we just ate on her javelin. ¡°Wha¡­ What is she?¡± Everyone started to reevaluate the pretty Ellen, looking at her with shocked eyes. Chapter 96 In the end, thanks to Ellen, who spontaneously went on an evening hunt, everyone was able to stuff themselves with lobster meat. Lobster just tasted better than grilled fish or the chewy pig legs, which irritated those nobles¡¯ picky taste buds. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m full¡­¡± At that moment, everyone felt so blessed, even while they were still stuck on this uninhabited island and undergoing a survival mission. Of course, Ellen was still eating the wild boar meat, slicing it with a knife. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Ellen. We lived thanks to you.¡± Bertus smiled after finishing his food with a satisfied expression on his face, then Ellen pointed towards the beach. ¡°There were a lot of very big clams as well.¡± ¡°Oh really? That¡¯s good.¡± It looked like she was already thinking about what to eat tomorrow. Pigs ate while thinking about what they¡¯d eat next. Everyone probably thought that Ellen was a calm and capable person, but, in reality, they didn¡¯t actually know all that much about Ellen. But today, they got to know Ellen a bit more. They saw her suddenly jumping up after eating, silently, going to the beach to hunt. That was how they found out that she was actually pretty good at hunting. When she was helping chop the wood, they witnessed just how powerful her axe swings were. -Munch They also got to know her bottomless appetite. Up until now, they might have thought that she ate slightly more than others when we sat together in the dining hall, but today they got to see just how much she could eat. ¡°I¡­ I did see her eat before, but she sure does eat a lot.¡± Harriet muttered blankly. She felt strange that Ellen still managed to maintain her monstrous appetite even in this kind of situation. ¡°Hey, eat this.¡± ¡°Wha¡­ What is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s edible. Try it.¡± Harriet carefully took a bite out of that thing that looked like a white squid leg, then her expression turned bizarre. ¡°W-What is this? Is this coconut?¡± ¡°Yeah. You shouldn¡¯t waste any food.¡± Harriet, who ate some coconut flesh, swallowed after chewing on it a bit. Everyone just stared at me while I was eating the coconut¡¯s insides. ¡°You can eat this too, so don¡¯t just throw it away. Use a knife or something to cut it out and eat it.¡± Then, one by one, they drank some coconut water with rather exhausted and casual expressions, and began to collect the empty shells. * * * The sun set completely, transitioning to night. ¡°Everyone worked hard today. Don¡¯t go out into the forest at night. It¡¯s dangerous. Let¡¯s just stay around the beach. Those who want to sleep early should go sleep first.¡± As soon as we finished eating, Bertus naturally started to take control of his classmates. ¡°And we will set up a night patrol. We don¡¯t know what might happen. I think it would be best if we take turns standing guard. We¡¯ll switch after 1 hour has passed. Although I¡¯m not sure how to measure time in this place¡­¡± I heard that one can tell the time by watching the night sky, but do we have anyone here who can do that? ¡°I think¡­it¡¯s about 8pm right now.¡± Adelia, who had been blankly staring at the sky, piped up. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re able to tell the time. That¡¯s a relief. Then, let¡¯s make 10pm our official bedtime. From that time on, every hour, one of us will stand guard in order of our class number. Adelia can¡¯t keep checking the time, so I shall leave the measuring of the time to each of you.¡± In other words: ¡°End your shift when you think it has been an hour.¡± That might seem rather vague, but there was no other way. Going by that, Bertus would be the first to stand guard, and I¡¯d be the last. I mean, being last didn¡¯t feel like I¡¯d be standing guard at all. ¡°Now, everyone, just keep in mind that you shouldn¡¯t go into the forest. Those who don¡¯t have to stand guard should try to sleep well, and those that are to stand guard, try to rest.¡± In this extreme situation, he had to spend the first night struggling to control and soothe these mentally exhausted children. The most weary one out of all of us would probably be no one else, but Bertus though. * * * Most of my classmates must have been extremely exhausted, both mentally and physically. Therefore, even the kids who asked how they would be able to even sleep in something like this, or what they¡¯d do if insects got in there, went into that cramped tripod hut, but didn¡¯t come out again. They probably fell asleep as soon as they lay down on the floor. Fatigue could beat anything. As for Heinrich, he was still managing the fire, making distilled water, and filling the emptied canteens. As he spent the day, he realized just how important water was, so that was probably why he came to think that what he was doing was very important. It was a moonless night, so one could see a huge amount of stars. It looked like the Milky Way. I moved closer to the beach and sat down. I watched the clear water and the night sky. This really was a scenery to kill for. Now I was finally able to enjoy this landscape with a little less to worry about. Class B¡¯s camp still looked really lively. It almost seemed like they came here for the sole purpose of playing around. ¡°Phew¡­ Why are these guys wasting their stamina like that?¡± -Slump Bertus sat next to me after he saw me sitting here. ¡°Looks like they still have a lot of energy left.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ I envy them.¡± What Bertus said was rather vague. Maybe he was envious of them for being able to enjoy this situation so much, or that they still had so much energy left to play till this late at night. ¡°Reinhardt, you did well today.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°If not for you and Ellen suddenly going into the jungle, we all would have given up right then and there.¡± As soon as I took some abrupt actions, the kids, who had been set on giving up, faltered, and above all, Bertus stopped thinking of giving up. ¡°One side is constantly crying ¡®Why does my noble self have to do this? How could that make any sense¡¯¡­ I was like that as well¡­ And then we have the other side, that seems so excited by all this, that it makes it seem as if they came here for vacation and having the time of their life¡­¡± Class A, who was uncomfortable with this. Class B, who was thoroughly enjoying this. Even Bertus could feel this gap now. ¡°¡­This isn¡¯t even a competition anymore.¡± He smiled bitterly. We were struggling while they were enjoying this. The result of the mission seemed quite obvious, even if the mission had only just begun. In a way, he looked kind of weak. It seemed like Bertus was so mentally exhausted to the point that he had to say such things. Although it was a fabricated situation, in the end, getting food, clean clothing and shelter were very difficult on this uninhabited island. However, Bertus would never admit that he was stressed out because of this inconvenient situation. If he did, he would admit that he was merely that small of a human being. It would hurt his pride. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to have you here.¡± That certainly sounded sincere. * * * Class A consisted of 7 boys and 4 girls. There were 6 completed huts. So two people had to share one hut, but one of the huts could be inhabited by just one person. That hut went to Bertus. He was playing the role of the leader in this situation; moreover, he was a Prince after all. Of course, everyone knew that this wasn¡¯t the best. It was still early in the morning. Cayer Vioden, the one standing guard before me, woke me up. It was obvious that he had major problems sleeping in a place like this. ¡°Keep filling the pot with water, and if you notice anything dangerous, wake everyone up, also don¡¯t turn out the fire. That¡¯s all you gotta do.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He still hated me, but I didn¡¯t care about that guy anymore. Honestly, from my point of view, he was nothing more than a small fry, so I didn¡¯t really like or hate him. The fire was still burning as the one on guard would keep it running. As I saw Cayer crawling into his hut, I left mine and threw the remaining wood into the fire. I didn¡¯t have to wake anyone else up because I was the last on guard duty. Well, there wasn¡¯t any set wake-up time, so there was no need for me to wake anyone up just because it was bright outside. They¡¯d just have to wake up on their own. The huts were built circularly around the bonfire. The six bell shaped huts had their entrances slightly obscured by palm leaves, but one could still look into them a little. Everyone was sleeping in them as if dead. After pouring some seawater into the pot, and replenishing the firewood, I had nothing more to do. How long has it been? -Rustle. I could hear a rustling sound coming from one of the huts, then I saw someone poking their head out of the entrance. ¡°Did you see anything?¡± ¡°No.¡± A disheveled Liana de Grantz appeared from her hut. She crawled out of it and staggered to her feet. Her whole body seemed to creak. Why did she come out, when she evidently hadn¡¯t slept enough? Then she suddenly started walking towards the forest. ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± She ignored my words and just walked in silence. ¡°Don¡¯t go into the jungle. It¡¯s still dark outside.¡± ¡°What is it? Why are you talking¡­¡± -Clasp! I grabbed her arm. Then she violently shook me off and looked at me. Her eyes seemed so cold, as if she could freeze me by just looking at me. What¡¯s going on? Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go shit. Are we done?¡± With that, she disappeared into the jungle, seeming like she would kill me if I were to speak to her any longer. It was probably very urgent, seeing as she blurted it out like that. * * * The girl that went on her merry way to shit, didn¡¯t come back. ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s going on?¡± I quietly mumbled to myself in front of the campfire. Did something happen to her? Or was she just constipated? If something happened to her, I would have to go to help her, but what if I just ended up embarrassing her? Wouldn¡¯t that leave a permanent scar on the young lady¡¯s psyche? No, but wasn¡¯t it really strange for her to not come back after more than 20 minutes had passed? I didn¡¯t hear her scream, though. Or was she just too tired and fell asleep right when she did her business? No, that can¡¯t be. Or maybe? Was there really a problem? I got up from where I sat and walked towards the jungle. Maybe she was just too embarrassed to say that she had a problem. ¡°If you¡¯re alright, spark once! If there¡¯s a problem, spark twice! If you don¡¯t do anything, I¡¯ll just go in!¡± It was quiet for a while. And then. -Brzzt! Brzzt! I could see electric sparks flickering in the forest. Did she go in that deep? She was still conscious, but something was wrong. I had a feeling what it was. ¡°Oh, erm. Do you need something to clean your¡­¡± -Brzzt! As soon as I got there, sparks flashed before me. That idiot just went in without thinking about that matter because she had to go urgently, but now she realized that there was nothing to clean herself with. ¡°Hey! Just wipe it off with a nearby leaf! There isn¡¯t much else here!¡± -Brzzt! Brzzt! Brzzt! Brzzt! Brzzt! I didn¡¯t really know what she meant with that, but what I could read out of it was that I shouldn¡¯t talk nonsense. There wasn¡¯t any toilet paper here, you know? She should ask for something more reasonable. ¡°Or do you want me to get you some seawater?¡± -¡­¡­. After some silence. -Brzzt! She sparked once. * * * I put some seawater in the medium-sized pot, went close to the spot where I believed her to be, and carefully placed it down. ¡°¡­¡­You can use it. But be careful¡­ We still need it to cook and stuff¡­ Okay?¡± There was no reply, but we just tacitly agreed. After some time, Liana emerged with an empty pot. She looked like someone, who had their base dignity as a human being severely trampled on. This must have been an unbearable experience for the young lady, someone who grew up protected and held dear by her family. What the hell did these guys even think, giving them that kind of mission? It should have been her who felt most embarrassed about this, but here I felt even more ashamed on her behalf. As if she walked forward like a marionette controlled by somebody else, she began to sob and went towards the beach, not even looking at me. Then she just silently washed the pot in the sea. Her butt was slightly wet. ¡°I¡­ want to give up.¡± That was what she told me as she put the pot back in its original place. The pot was definitely well-cleaned. But I decided I won¡¯t eat from it anyway. Never. That was the resolution I made. Anyway, after she did something like that, it seemed like she fully realized our current reality. A seventeen-year-old girl who came from a noble family, never worrying about money, had to go through something like this. I couldn¡¯t even ask her to not give up. I mean, even Bertus would feel the same way. ¡°Well¡­ Erm, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste to give up after you¡¯ve done something like this?¡± If you didn¡¯t want to do something like that, you should¡¯ve just given up sooner. At my words, Liana looked at me with a clear expression. ¡°¡­¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. I mean, wouldn¡¯t it be rather unfair if you gave up after suffering like that, making your suffering invalid?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Looking at Liana, I realized that if she felt so ashamed it went even beyond shame, her face wouldn¡¯t blush, she¡¯d just get very quiet. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve already defiled my body¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± She suddenly made such a self-deprecating comment and then crept back into her hut. Resignation, conviction, and self-suggestion. I was looking at an unprecedented phenomenon in which someone found conviction out of desperation. I already rolled in shit. I¡¯m already dirty. So what does it matter anymore? What level of self-suggestion even was this? -Sniffle After a while, I could hear something that sounded like snoring from Liana¡¯s hut, but I couldn¡¯t tell if it was actually snoring or crying. Just what is shit¡­? I was contemplating such things under the beautiful night sky dotted with brilliant stars. It was a rather thought-provoking night. * * * Then, after a long time passed. -Rustle I heard rustling from another hut. From it someone appeared. ¡°R-Reinhardt¡­.¡± It was none other than Harriet who suddenly called out to me. She was staring at me with a look on her face, as if she was about to cry. ¡°W-What should I do¡­?¡° She looked at me as if this matter was pretty urgent. Even so, it seemed like she thought that I would absolutely help her out after I took care of her for a bit. I didn¡¯t know if it was because of her useless pride, but looking at her face, it seemed like she wanted to ask me to do something. She didn¡¯t say anything at first, however. That look was also quite cute, but in a different way. A bit pitiable. There was nothing more difficult than having to watch Harriet being like that. ¡°Th-This is¡­?¡± ¡°Get some water.¡± I quietly put a medium-sized pot into her hands. Chapter 97 That girl was so afraid of going alone into the forest, she just stood there in front of it for a considerable amount of time. And she kept looking back at me. I knew she wanted to ask me if I could go with her, but I also knew that much worse things would happen if I were to go with her. Eventually, Harriet went alone into the jungle. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Harriet, who was prone to blushing, returned with a staggering complexion after she finished. She also quietly went to the beach, washed the pot thoroughly, and, seeming as if she had given up on everything, put the pot back in its place. This pot. Shall never be used. ¡°¡­I-If you tease me with this¡­ If you make fun of me, I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll really, really die.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything to her, but Harriet, who felt like she had stepped into a trap, just looked at me. Tears pooled in the corner of her eyes, while her face was completely white. She seemed exhausted. I could clearly feel her sense of shame just by Harriet saying that she¡¯d die if I were to tease her, rather than that she would kill me. If you tease me with this, I¡¯ll die. Do you really want to see me die? Do you hate me that much? That was the type of expression Harriet showed me. I had no intention of teasing her with this. If I were to tease her, I might hurt her for real. I mean, I am a bastard, but I¡¯m not that much of a bastard. ¡°Huh? Did something happen? If you have no business here anymore, you should go to sleep.¡± As she saw me pretending as if nothing had happened, Harriet eventually shed some tears. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Harriet wiped her eyes with her hands. No, you¡­ That hand. Well. I shouldn¡¯t make fun of her, even if it was just in my mind. * * * When people were subjected to extreme stress in an environment they were completely unfamiliar with, there were usually two things that would happen. They would either get an upset stomach, or get constipated. In general, these things happen a lot in military training centers. It wasn¡¯t all that uncommon for said constipation to last for more than a week. Some guys, who were lactose intolerant, just got an upset stomach because of all the milk they had to drink in the morning. Of course, there were also some that just got stomach aches. So, at this point, it was inevitable that some of the students got some very bad stomach aches, because of this very unfamiliar and shocking situation. Their stomachs would hurt even more, after they ate things they weren¡¯t used to as well. I¡¯m grateful that I only ended up with constipation. I was prone to it after all. Strangely enough, that fact hadn¡¯t changed, even after my body changed so much. Of course, I never described any of this, while I was writing this novel. However, as soon as this became reality, I came to a realization. The hardest thing in this group mission wasn¡¯t actually survival, but pooping. How gracious it was to have toilet paper. What a blessing it was to have fresh underwear to change into. That morning. Those, who had been shamed by having to do their business like that, seemed to be mentally exhausted in a different way from yesterday. Their expressions were ash white, as if they were completely burned out. The female students seemed to feel particularly embarrassed. Of course, there was also the desperate wish to wash up etched into their faces. It was the same for me. ¡°What? Did something happen last night?¡± Bertus looked at Liana and Harriet, whose expressions were the worst, and asked if they were sick. ¡°Huh? Ah, no¡­ Sleeping was just uncomfortable. That¡¯s all¡­¡± ¡°Nothing happened.¡± As they turned around, they didn¡¯t look at Bertus, but at me. Harriet looked at me, as if she was pleading, ¡®Please! Please don¡¯t tell anyone!¡¯. Liana wore a determined expression, as if she was trying to tell me, that if rumors about this would start to float around, either me or her would have to give up their lives. It was true that I was a bad guy, but I wasn¡¯t that bad. I think, by the time I acknowledged that I was a bad guy, I had already screwed up. ¡°Should we eat the leftover meat from yesterday for breakfast today? Although, I don¡¯t think we can just eat it. It¡¯s probably too hard.¡± Kono Lint said as such, while holding the medium-sized pot. ¡°No!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°No!¡± Me, Liana and Harriet. The three of us shouted towards him at the same time. * * * Ellen, who swam out into the sea last night and caught three lobsters, and I, who was able to swim, were in charge of catching fish. Liana¡¯s style of catching fish, by waiting for them to come by and electrocuting them, took much too long. ¡°Are you going out into the sea?¡± Harriet called out to me and Ellen when we were about to go into the sea. ¡°Yeah, we need to get some food for breakfast.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Are you good at swimming?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m particularly good at it, but I know how to do it.¡± Harriet had a slightly reddened face. Apparently, during this group mission, her perception of me was changing rapidly. ¡°Do¡­ Do you maybe need something like¡­ erm¡± Harriet looked at me and Ellen alternately as she spoke. ¡°Like underwater breathing magic.¡± Oh. You should¡¯ve told me sooner that you could do that. * * * Harriet put an underwater breathing spell on me and Ellen. She said it would last about 30 to 40 minutes. It felt strange, being able to breathe underwater. It didn¡¯t feel like water was flowing into my lungs. It was hard to describe the feeling. However, if the magic were to suddenly wear off at an inconvenient moment, wouldn¡¯t I swallow all the water and drown? Let¡¯s plan in some time to resurface. It wasn¡¯t too difficult for me to open my eyes underwater. Both me and Ellen knew how to swim, and we had the underwater breathing magic cast on us, so we could dive in a little deeper. Then, this spectacular underwater scenery filled with coral reefs unfolded before us. For a moment, I felt like I wanted to stop to take in this scene. Ellen gently swam under the sea, letting her limbs and waist run idle, and began to pick up the abalones attached to the rocks. Ellen looked like a mermaid as she moved through the water. It was pretty, but she was also able to move through the water just as freely as one. She really was good at everything, no matter what she did. Her swimming prowess went beyond only good; it even felt elegant. -? Ellen looked at me with her head tilted when she noticed that I wasn¡¯t picking up any clams. I shook my head, trying to tell her that it was nothing. I mean, I would just stand around, staring blankly sometimes. I picked up some abalone and clams, and then put them into a net Adelia had woven out of vines yesterday. I didn¡¯t bother picking up the ones that were too small, because they obviously would slip out. I hoped we would catch some lobsters as the other kids ate them without complaining, but we didn¡¯t see any at all. Wandering through the jungle required a lot of stamina, but moving underwater wasn¡¯t easy either. If it weren¡¯t for the underwater breathing magic, it would have taken me twice as much stamina. I could feel again that Harriet¡¯s talent, which enabled her to use any type of magic skillfully, no matter from which field, was truly amazing. I continued to collect abalone and clams. If I came across a big fish, I¡¯d try to stab it, but there didn¡¯t seem to be any in this area. And. I saw Ellen fumbling around a ledge, when suddenly a camouflaged octopus appeared. It tried to get away by shooting out jets of water, but Ellen reflexively stabbed it with her javelin. -? Ellen tilted her head as she looked at the octopus she had unwittingly hunted. She showed me the end of her javelin, from which it was hanging. -Caught a monster. She mouthed to me underwater. Apparently, that was the first time in her life seeing an octopus. * * * It was only natural that everyone else was shocked by the giant octopus¡¯ appearance. ¡°Hi-Hiiiiiiik!¡± ¡°I feel like throwing up¡­¡± Harriet, her expression completely pale, couldn¡¯t even look at it, and Liana just staggered into the jungle feeling nauseous after seeing it. ¡°¡­¡­I know it¡¯s edible, but seeing it now, I don¡¯t feel like I can eat that.¡± Bertus had eaten octopus before, but seeing a live one made him a bit reluctant to eat it. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to eat it, suit yourself. I¡¯ll just eat it on my own.¡± Additionally, we caught a lot of clams, including abalone, so they could just grill those to eat. I picked up the octopus by the head, removed its intestines, and rubbed salt on it. Since we had quite a bit of salt, there was no problem with me using it for something like this. Ellen was watching me wash the octopus with sea-water. ¡°Is that delicious?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I think it is.¡± It seemed like Ellen didn¡¯t really care about its appearance. All she needed to know was whether it was tasty or not. After cleaning the octopus, I returned to the camp. At my request, Adelia and Harriet cut a large stone into a plate shape using their processing magic. It was a stone grill. After fixing it in a suitable position, Heinrich collected some firewood and set fire under the rock. When the clean stone grill gradually dried up due to the heat, I placed the clams, abalone, and octopus on top of it. -Sizzle! ¡°Urg! It¡¯s gross!¡± Everyone watched the octopus twisting on the grill with terrified expressions on their faces. In the end, it was just me and Ellen who helped themselves to the octopus. * * * We set up a camp, and finding food wasn¡¯t that difficult using underwater breathing magic. However, we were still busy. Because humans, when their most basic needs are satisfied, crave to reach the next level. -Craack! ¡°Sigh¡­ We barely made one¡­¡± The camp was completed, but we were now trying to upgrade it. After spending a day here, they all came to the same conclusion. That they felt extremely uncomfortable, because of the floor¡¯s moisture. So, our current goal was to cut some logs in half and stick them together to make flooring and put the tents on top of them. Most of the trees were cut down with magic by our two magic officials Harriet and Adelia, but the others were also busy picking up vines and palm leaves, just like yesterday. I entered the jungle together with Ellen. ¡°Is there really water here?¡± Ellen seemed unsure whether there was any drinking water on this deserted island. She came with me on my search for a water source on Bertus¡¯ behalf. ¡°The fact that there are wild animals on this island means that they have some place where they hydrate themselves. There must be something like a creek with drinkable water, or a place where rainwater gathers.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Ellen seemed convinced by my words, assuring that there should definitely be a water source somewhere on this island. Ellen and I slowly made our way through the jungle, although not as slow as with Delphine Izadra yesterday, cutting down bushes in our way. I was armed with three javelins and a machete, while Ellen had a short bow and a machete. I even packed a water canteen, so we should be able to push forward for quite some time. We didn¡¯t really have to look for a water source just to get drinking water, though. If my predictions were correct, there would be rain tomorrow. According to the original novel, all of Class B¡¯s poorly built tents would be blown away, leaving their bodies soaked and making their body temperature drop. So if we made enough rainwater collectors, we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about drinking water soon enough. However, what I was looking for now was water for use, not drinking water. One could see that everyone was rather stressed out because they couldn¡¯t change their clothes. But if we knew of a location with fresh water, they could go there to wash themselves or their clothes, even if we didn¡¯t move our camp there. At this rate, it was highly likely that the others would voluntarily give up one by one because they couldn¡¯t endure not being able to wash their clothes. Although I seriously disliked their whining, I did need some of their abilities, so it would be good for me to hang on to them. Although this uninhabited island was mostly covered in jungle terrain, it had something in the form of a mountain rising up in its middle. Although it was difficult to see due to the overgrown trees, there was a chance that there were pools of water in the mountain¡¯s valley and folds. We determined the valley¡¯s location by climbing up a tree. ¡°I feel terribly tired.¡± I wondered if it was because of this terrible heat. It felt all around unpleasant just wearing these sweat-soaked clothes on my body, to the point where I wondered if my whole body had become liquid. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± Ellen was exhausted as well. Her breathing became labored. ¡°Should we go back?¡± She might become even more exhausted if we were to go in even further, so I asked Ellen that, but Ellen just shook her head, although it seemed to be really tough for her. ¡°I think I can hear the sound of water.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Aren¡¯t you just hallucinating?¡± Of course, I did think she had a much better hearing than me. However, wasn¡¯t it just that thing? You know, that thing that would make one mistake, seeing an oasis in the middle of a desert. Something similar to a mirage. ¡°No¡­ I really think I can hear it.¡± Ellen just spoke to me as such with a blank expression on her face. No, come to think of it, I could also strengthen my hearing, right? I have super hearing. That was what I was self-suggesting myself with. Certainly, as I focused completely on my hearing, I felt like I could pick up sounds more precisely. I wonder since when I was able to use these kinds of reinforcements. I could hear the sound of leaves rustling in the wind, the cries of some unknown insects, and the chirping of birds. In the midst of all these sounds. Something like splaaash or gurgle. I could clearly hear something similar to the sounds water made. ¡°I can hear it. Over there.¡° ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When I finished checking, Ellen took the lead, as if there was nothing else to do anymore. * * * According to my settings, there was supposed to be a stream flowing through the valley. The stream, that I presumed to have its source at the top of that mountain, was flowing down as if descending. It was quite large. Some places of the stream were quite wide, and, looking into the deep-blue water, quite deep as well. The flowing water was clear. Not muddy at all. Originally, drinking this kind of water would kill you. It would be infested with parasites and germs. However, this wasn¡¯t an authentic jungle. We could drink this water with unknown origins, because it was under strict quality control. They probably used purification magic or whatever. There were no dangerous beasts around as well. Ellen carefully approached the pool of water and cautiously scooped up some of it with her hands to moisten her throat. It must have been incredibly hard on her. This was my first time seeing this kid act so actively. After she drank some of the cold water, even her body trembled as if she had just come back to life. Of course, I was the same. ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡± -Splash! I didn¡¯t need anything else and just threw myself into the water. * * * Since it was a pretty deep stream, there were places where the water was just as stagnant as the water found in a swimming pool. In a fairly wide part of the stream with a maximum depth of about 3 meters, I was sitting in a somewhat shallow area. Ellen swam through the water like a seal, diving from time to time. It didn¡¯t show on her face, but she seemed like she was excited. Because of the clear, blue water, I could see all of Ellen¡¯s enthusiastic swimming movements while she was submerged. It was like watching a real seal swim at a zoo. Although she was more like a mermaid than that. Normally, one had to check first if the water was drinkable, but as I already knew that it was, I just filled the empty canteen and drank as much as I could. ¡°Phew¡­¡± However, would the kids want to come here, even if they knew there was a stream here? Even if they came here to wash themselves or do their laundry, they would get sweaty again on their way back. That said, I think they¡¯d get upset as well if we were to move our camp to this place, because it would just be a repeat of yesterday¡¯s hard labor. Hmm. Let¡¯s leave the decision to Bertus. Ellen came out of the water after she swam for a while. She squeezed her hair, looked at me, and pointed down the stream. ¡°Go over there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to take all my clothes off.¡± ¡­¡­Ah. You¡¯re that excited, huh? Of course, she probably did this, not because she wanted to swim naked, but because she wanted to wash her clothes. I also went down the stream and rubbed my clothes under the running water, shook them out, and placed them on some rocks on which the sun was shining. The sunlight was strong, so they would be bone dry pretty soon. No, they might not dry well because of the moisture, right? I didn¡¯t know what it would be. -Splash, splash! I couldn¡¯t see her, but I could hear Ellen swimming upstream. It looked like she took turns washing her clothes and herself again. Well, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to wash myself once. Originally, Delphine was supposed to find this stream. Probably not today, though. Of course, the variable Charlotte got thrown into the mix, so I didn¡¯t know what would happen. -Reinhardt! And suddenly, Ellen called me in a loud voice. * * * ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Ellen, wearing some clothes that weren¡¯t fully dried yet, had a stiff expression on her face. She felt nervous. ¡°Why? Did something happen?¡± ¡°This place is kind of weird. I don¡¯t think we should stay here.¡± Ellen began to point at certain places up- and downstream. ¡°There are animal bones all over the place.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re right.¡± If Charlotte is considered a variable that started to stir the original development into a different direction, me bringing Ellen here would also be considered a variable. Ellen didn¡¯t just enjoy the stream; she also noticed some suspicious things and got some clues. ¡°And over there.¡± Ellen pointed to the other side. There were animal bones as well as traces that were a little different from the others. ¡°Someone made a fire over there. They shouldn¡¯t be traces left by the teachers. I think this is related to those special conditions¡­¡± Ellen carefully concluded something. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a deserted island.¡± Someone other than us was living here. Ellen just took one step closer to the secret hidden on this island. Chapter 98 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 98 Seeing the traces of a fire and food, Ellen concluded that there were others living on this island separate from Class A and B. ¡°Then is this somehow related to those special conditions?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ellen was a lot more vigilant on our way back. She knew that nothing life-threatening should happen because we were still within the bounds of the mission. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean there wouldn¡¯t be any emergencies. Ellen vigilantly took the lead while I followed her. Perhaps because she was smart, she was able to find hints regarding the special condition right away. Anyway, we were so nervous that we wore our wet clothes and returned to the camp immediately. This was important information, so Bertus immediately stopped all work and gathered everyone in one place when I reported it to him. The kids became happy when they heard that we had discovered a stream but looked surprised when we told them that there was someone or something else on this island besides us. ¡°Wh-what should we do? Are they cannibals?¡± ¡°Wha-what are you even saying?!¡± As Kono Lint¡¯s face turned pale, fear began to slowly spread among them. It was only natural that everyone¡¯s faces turned completely white. ¡°The fact that this island isn¡¯t actually uninhabited is probably part of this mission. This must have been planned by Temple. There¡¯s nothing to be scared about; I think this is related to the special conditions¡­¡± Of course, Bertus stayed calm. Since this was only a mission, he came to the natural conclusion that this situation was a controlled one. ¡°That means if we find that person that isn¡¯t part of our group, we¡¯ll be able to finish this mission right away, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I hope for, but we can¡¯t be sure if that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°I guess so¡­¡± If the presence of this other person besides us had something to do with those clear conditions, the mission would end if we found that person. At Bertus¡¯ words, the mood changed drastically. ¡°Th-then, do we just have to find that person?¡± Harriet¡¯s mood suddenly became bright. It was everyone¡¯s dearest wish to quickly get out of this environment. Bertus nodded his head as if he understood the feelings behind Harriet¡¯s words. ¡°I don¡¯t know that much yet. But it¡¯s true that it would probably help us finish the mission early if we were to find that person.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s search the island! If we find that person first, we can go back!¡± Cayer shouted¡ªand everyone seemed to agree with him. It was only right to quickly find that mysterious person and put an end to this mission. ¡°Hmm¡­ That seems to be the right choice, but¡­¡± Bertus pondered while looking at me. ¡°Reinhardt, what do you think?¡± At those words, everyone¡¯s eyes focused on me. I knew that their opinion of me had drastically changed. Those guys¡ªwho¡¯d been treating me with indifference before¡ªhad become all fussy over whatever I did. They seemed to think I was something like a vending machine that would spit out the right answers. Even those guys who hated my guts felt that it was only right to listen to what I had to say for the time being. But honestly, I didn¡¯t want to give them any more hints; it was true that I wanted Class A to get better results than they did in the original novel, but if I were to give them a hint, Class A would win. To be honest, I wanted Class B to win this mission so that Charlotte¡¯s side gained more strength. ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure, but how about we all go to the stream first?¡± I didn¡¯t know about any of those complicated things, but my suggestion about going to play in the water was probably the best answer I could give in that situation. * * * Ellen was of the opinion that it would be dangerous but failed to convince any of them; the only thing they wanted to focus on was talk of that stream. It took about 30 minutes for all eleven of us to reach the stream through the route Ellen had laid out. Everyone was sweaty and exhausted but, spurred on by the hope that they¡¯d be able to wash up at the end of the journey, they kept on following Ellen without complaining. ¡°Uwaah¡­¡± As soon as we arrived at the stream, their eyes widened. The stream was even bigger than they had imagined. After a moment of silence, everyone plunged into the stream all at once. ¡°Urg! It¡¯s so cold!¡± ¡°Be careful, there are some deep areas in there.¡± However, those guys who threw themselves into the water didn¡¯t seem to hear me. Ellen also threw herself in again and started splashing around. She told them not to go there because it was dangerous, but when she laid her eyes on the water again, she seemed to lose all sense of caution. -Woah! In a situation where they had felt like they were about to turn into puddles of sweat, those kids immediately began to play in the water like the kids they were as soon as they arrived at the stream; Bertus also jumped in without hesitation, smiling unpretentiously. Yes, that was what kids should be like. * * * * * * * * * The water in the stream was quite deep, so there were some guys who ended up thrashing and squealing after they stepped into deeper places. Of course, Ellen, Bertus, and I¡ªthose of us who knew how to swim¡ªfished them out. There were also times when things got a bit bizarre. ¡°Nuwoah!¡± Kono Lint suddenly appeared outside of the water. Perhaps he had fallen into the deep parts of the stream. ¡±Kyaaa!¡± ¡°Y-you! You crazy bastard!¡± ¡°H-hey!¡± Naturally, he escaped by teleporting¡ªleaving his clothes in the stream. The female students who saw him screamed, and the male students burst out into laughter when they witnessed that scene. ¡°U-uwaah! D-don¡¯t look!¡± ¡°Clothes! Someone bring him some clothes!¡± Harriet shouted in agitation while covering her eyes with her hands. Bertus giggled after fishing Kono Lint¡¯s clothes out of the water as he handed them to him. It made sense that he used his teleportation in the face of death, so I put up with it. Everyone was playing in the same pool as the girls started to chatter among themselves. ¡°Erm, Bertus.¡± Harriet called out to Bertus, who was sitting idle in the water as our representative. ¡°Ah, Saint-Owan, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°We¡¯d like to¡­ Erm. Wash up¡­ further upstream¡­¡° Harriet mumbled with her face reddened, too embarrassed to say what she meant directly. Of course, Bertus nodded his head, understanding what she was talking about. ¡°A-aah. I know what you¡¯re trying to say. But are you sure? We don¡¯t know what¡¯s up there¡­¡± It seemed like he fully understood that they wanted to go wash themselves and their clothes. However, Bertus didn¡¯t know what might be up there, so he asked them if it was okay for them to just take their clothes off over there. ¡°Ellen said she¡¯ll be on the lookout.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m relieved. Okay. I won¡¯t let any of the other guys go up there.¡± The other female students along with Harriet began heading upstream to a place that couldn¡¯t be seen by the boys. ¡°You roughly know what they are doing, right?¡± Bertus announced as if he didn¡¯t want to explain it with his own mouth. Everyone nodded quietly, becoming a little shy. Just thinking about their female classmates being naked up there seemed to make their hearts flutter. It wasn¡¯t hard to read that they were imagining things they shouldn¡¯t imagine. Were they all lewd devils? These kids. Kono Lint stared at the female students going up with a sullen expression. He seemed to think about using his teleportation to peep on them. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about doing something so useless. You¡¯d be caught right away.¡± ¡°W-who said I¡¯d do something?¡± At my warning, Kono Lint shook his head violently. Of course, they eventually forgot about these things, washed their clothes, hung them on rocks, and started playing in the water again. It didn¡¯t really matter because the two places were so far apart that one couldn¡¯t see the place upstream from below or the place downstream from up top. The biggest pain in the ass was Kono Lint. ¡°Look!¡± -Pat! When there were only men around, he started to play around with his teleportation. He suddenly teleported to the water¡¯s surface after diving in and did some bizarre things. ¡°Water Walking!¡± -Papapapapat! Kono could teleport continuously, the only problem his power had was the fact that his clothes would come off. His activation speed and control were actually top-notch. However, he was a pitiful fellow whose true worth only came to the surface after giving up all his dignity as a human being. Bertus took off his clothes as well. It wasn¡¯t that unusual for us to see each others¡¯ naked bodies because we¡¯d often see them when we used the shower rooms after P.E. ¡°Hmm¡­ There¡¯s definitely something over there.¡± Bertus seemed convinced that the island wasn¡¯t so uninhabited after seeing the traces of meals being eaten¡ªincluding the hardly visible bones of animals. Bertus looked at me as I was just sitting around idly. ¡°Would it be too risky to move our camp here?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, it has its merits and demerits. It would be good to find that person, but wild animals might appear quite frequently.¡± Bertus nodded at my explanation. Since the stream was filled with plenty of drinking water, it would be good to set up our camp there¡ªand we might also be able to find that other person. However, we wouldn¡¯t know what kinds of threats would await us at night. We would also have to throw away the camp we¡¯d already built up. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that with everyone else later.¡± Bertus put this decision off for now. After some time¡­ After we finished washing up and drying our clothes, we regrouped again. The female students, obviously, had a much more cheerful expression adorning their faces. Harriet was smiling for the first time ever since we had arrived at the island. I thought it was good seeing her mood improve some. ¡°Everyone is of the opinion that this would be a good place to set up our camp, right?¡± Everyone nodded at Bertus¡¯ words. ¡°Let¡¯s think about whether we want to make another camp here or go back to our old camp.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we can make one here.¡± Liana, who seemed to have something to say about this, shook her head. The other female students did the same. Except for Ellen, all of them looked a bit exhausted. ¡°A snake came out¡­ Up there.¡± ¡°This one.¡± Ellen held up a fairly big, dead snake¡ªstabbed through its head with a javelin. Snake. With the single mention of that word, it was unanimously decided that we¡¯d withdraw from the stream. * * * After we returned to our camp, everyone let out a sigh again. Still, one couldn¡¯t say that we hadn¡¯t achieved anything that day¡ªwe were able to refill our water canteens, after all. Of course, they drank as much as they could from the canteens. However, we filled up the large pot with water so we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it for a while. ¡°Should we rest today?¡± Bertus came to me to speak as the sun was beginning to set. If we were to sweat again, what we had done just then would become useless. ¡°How about we take a break after we finish the camp?¡± However, I disagreed; we weren¡¯t done making the wooden flooring for the tents yet. At my words, everyone glared at me with daggers in their eyes. They wanted to rest, but I criticized them, asking them to work more. ¡°No, I just think that it¡¯s only appropriate that we finish what we started first.¡± You punks. Get ready to bow down to me tomorrow. * * * After working on our camp, Harriet cast underwater breathing magic on Ellen and me before we went hunting for our dinner. Just walking underwater with that magic cast on us was amazing, even if we weren¡¯t hunting. Ellen was probably thinking similarly to me, as she stopped sometimes to admire the little fish moving through the coral reefs. Ellen looked at the small yellow fish that were biting her finger as she reached out for them. While I was watching that scene, Ellen met my eyes. -¡­ -¡­ We weren¡¯t able to speak while underwater, but we could tell what we felt at the moment just by looking at each others¡¯ faces. Ellen¡¯s black hair that moved with the flow of water was quite impressive. Our harvest was three lobsters and two large fish that resembled snappers¡ªthey were so large that it seemed like we could feed all eleven of us with just those. After leaving the water, completely drenched once again, we stood on the beach and watched the sunset. Ellen didn¡¯t follow me back to the camp. When I looked back, I saw Ellen still staring at the flaming sunset. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you coming?¡± ¡°Yes.¡° Ellen stopped admiring the scenery after I called out to her and walked towards me with her back to the setting sun. I wasn¡¯t able to see what kind of expression she wore with the light shining from behind her. ¡°I think this is fun.¡± Perhaps she was smiling. ____ ____ Chapter 99 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 99 We cut the logs in half and stuck them together to form rectangular floorings. Next, we put the prepared huts on top of the flooring. We finished another hut that day, so we had as many huts as there were people. The children acquiesced to securing every hut by using vines to tie them to logs in order to prevent them from getting blown away by the wind, as I requested. If we¡¯d left them as is, they¡¯d be carried away and smashed by the rain the next day. Like we had done the previous day, we kept watch at night. Thanks to the wooden flooring, everyone seemed to feel a little better than the day before. Of course, most of them kind of felt ashamed of themselves for feeling good about having a better place to sleep in this situation. All of us were thoroughly exhausted, so no matter what kind of accommodation they had, everyone just fell asleep right away, as did I. * * * A dark night. -Shaaaaaa¡­ The sound of rain. -Rumble! Ruuumble! Lightning. -Woooosh! Wind. Because of the heavy rainfall and the wind blowing through the hut, I couldn¡¯t help but wake up. It was impossible to build a completely water and wind-proofed hut in the situation we had found ourselves in. ¡°What?! Rain!¡± One or two people began shouting like that inside their huts. It was impossible for anyone to sleep comfortably in that chaos. Dark clouds covered the sky, the bonfire got extinguished, and our view was completely dyed in darkness. The flashes of lightning that flickered across the sky from time to time was the only thing that allowed us to see our surroundings. A storm was coming. -Don¡¯t go outside! Stay inside for now! It was Bertus who shouted that. It was raining, so it was only natural that one would get wet as soon as they left their hut. It was best to just stay inside where one was slightly more protected from the rain and wind. We probably couldn¡¯t go back to sleep, so our only option was to hold on until the sun rose and the rain let up. If we were to go out now, the only thing that would happen was that our body temperature would drop rapidly due to the cold rain and wind. -I-it¡¯s about to be blown away! However, it seemed like some huts were still about to break¡ªeven after we firmly fixed all of them to the ground. -If it gets smashed, go to another one immediately! Even in that situation, Bertus calmly gave instructions to the confused and scared children. If we hadn¡¯t reinforced the floor with the wooden flooring, we¡¯d had have been laying in wet sand by then. -Crack! In the end, the hut couldn¡¯t win against the strong wind. I could hear the sound of someone¡¯s hut breaking. -Kyaa! That was Harriet¡¯s scream. -I-I can¡¯t see anything! What do I do?! In that deep darkness, Harriet seemed to panic. It would be good if she could use something like light magic, but there was no way that she was able to calmly use her magic in her situation. -I-I can¡¯t see anything! What do I do! I feel like I¡¯m about to be blown away! -Saint-Owan! Go into another hut! -I-I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t see anything! -Flash! There was a single flash of lightning. At that moment, I left my hut after I located Harriet through the flashing lightning. I found her lying on the floor, fumbling around. ¡°W-who¡­?¡± She seemed to feel some relief as well as fear when she felt someone grabbing her in the dark. I traced my steps back through the darkness and returned to my hut, all while dragging Harriet with me. ¡°Calm down, idiot.¡± ¡°R-Reinhardt?¡± It was kind of funny and sad that she was able to tell that it was me in the chaos just because I called her an idiot. After I called her ¡®idiot¡¯, she immediately felt relieved. ¡°Bertus! I have her!¡± -Alright, Reinhardt! Good job! ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s just raining.¡± I slowly patted Harriet¡¯s back. She was drenched in rainwater, trembling in fear. ¡°The rain will stop. You know that much already, right?¡± Aside from simply feeling scared, she was also trembling because of the cold. ¡°Use heat magic or whatever to maintain your body temperature. If you do that, this¡¯ll be nothing.¡± ¡°O-okay¡­¡± It seemed like she was trying to calm herself by taking deep breaths as I talked to her. -Ruuuuumble! ¡°Hieek!¡± However, it didn¡¯t seem to be easy for her to calm down with strong wind and thunder constantly echoing through the area. Before she could even adapt to the unfamiliar environment, she was faced with the worst possible situation that could occur in that place. She couldn¡¯t calm down easily. The huts creaked, and it seemed like a few more got smashed. Children were screaming, and I could see some trying to fix the huts. ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡± Because it was too dark, I couldn¡¯t see what kind of expression Harriet was making, but I could definitely feel that she was shaking. I wondered if my patting on her back had helped because she was soon calm enough to cast magic. Perhaps she cast something like thermal magic, as a shining yellow sphere appeared in the hut that spread warmth around it. ¡°Okay, well done.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The brightness of the sphere¡¯s light was rather weak, but it was enough to barely discern our surroundings. Although there was strong, cold wind blowing outside, the sphere had a similar effect to a small bonfire placed inside the hut. Harriet gradually calmed her heart and began to summon more spheres of light, this time placing them into the other huts. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I didn¡¯t know she¡¯d do something like that, so let¡¯s say I was slightly surprised. Harriet looked at me as if she was doing something wrong. ¡°¡­Nothing. Continue.¡± In times of crisis, we had to help each other. It was a simple concept, but it made me feel quite strange seeing Harriet act on it. Did she think that it was only natural to help out the others, as she also received help? She wasn¡¯t supposed to be that kind of character. Fortunately, the spheres of light Harriet summoned seemed to successfully quell everyone¡¯s anxiety. -Ruuuumble! ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± A storm was raging outside. It would be difficult to fall asleep again, but at least it didn¡¯t feel cold anymore. * * * The storm that had been raging on throughout the night let up in the morning. Of course, the rain didn¡¯t completely stop. It was still raining cats and dogs. It was close to a torrential downpour. Waves were thrashing about wildly, crashing onto the beach. Looking into the distance one could see overwhelming waves jumping up and crashing down. No matter if we had underwater breathing magic cast on us or not, going out into the sea when it was in such a state would be suicide. It was morning, so our view became a bit clearer. It would be best to avoid going out until the rain stopped, but the rain would continue until nightfall. If we stayed like this, we would not only be unable to act that day, but we wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything until the next morning. Securing drinking water wasn¡¯t a problem but securing food was. ¡°W-where are you going?¡± As I scrambled to get up, Harriet looked at me, perplexed. She seemed exhausted from summoning heating spheres all night long. She must have been the most exhausted out of all of us. ¡°I have to do something. Go rest.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As I walked out into the pouring rain, Bertus, who had already come out before me, looked at me, a hand raised in greeting. ¡°It¡¯s a mess.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I didn¡¯t know if it was really necessary to come out, but it seemed like Bertus had been checking the three smashed huts all night. He probably tried to make sure that all of us were safe. ¡°Reinhardt, there¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°A problem?¡± Bertus¡¯ expression hardened. ¡°Cayer is gone.¡± Originally, all of Class A except Ellen should have given up at that point. So the things that normally should have happened to Class B instead started happening to Class A. * * * * * * * * * Cayer Vioden was gone. Bertus was trying to figure out the situation. ¡°It¡¯s strange. Normally, the one standing guard was supposed to wake up everyone else in case of rain¡­ Why didn¡¯t he do that?¡± Cayer¡¯s turn was before mine; he was supposed to wake everyone else if he noticed a storm was brewing so that we could prepare for it, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°Erich, who was standing watch before Cayer, said that he woke him up, and he said that he went back to sleep as soon as he saw him take up the post¡­¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t wake me up.¡± Cayer didn¡¯t come to wake me up. We all just got woken up by the storm¡¯s sounds. ¡°Something happened to Cayer while he was on night watch¡­ At least that¡¯s what I think.¡± So, before he was able to wake me up, something happened to Cayer, and he went missing. ¡°There¡¯s the possibility that something happened to Cayer and he gave up voluntarily, or maybe this situation in itself is part of the mission, or he might have accidentally run into the jungle and gotten lost¡­ It¡¯s complicated.¡± Bertus nodded his head at my guesses. ¡°Are you sure that this might be part of the mission?¡± ¡°I mean, wouldn¡¯t that make the most sense?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± It seemed like Bertus needed certainty. I wasn¡¯t sure if Cayer gave up, wandered into the jungle, or what really happened. We didn¡¯t know if the situation was controlled or if Cayer¡¯s life was in danger. But the teachers wouldn¡¯t give us any further hints. Everything had to be resolved with our own judgment. Whether we searched for Cayer, gave up, or uncovered the truth, it was our choice. ¡°We have three strong possibilities at the moment¡­¡± Bertus continued his calm speech in this heavy rain. ¡°Number one: Cayer went into the jungle in the middle of the night for some reason. If he went there to do his business, it would make sense. And while he was at it, the storm started¡ªleading him to get lost after wandering around the jungle.¡± ¡°Number two: the other people on this island kidnapped or harmed Cayer in some way. If that is the case, there is a high possibility that Cayer gave up or was eliminated. You said that these others were part of the mission, so this situation was under the teacher¡¯s control.¡± ¡°Number three: class B kidnapped Cayer or something like that.¡± Bertus considered a possibility I would never have thought of. Bertus suspected Class B. ¡°Class B? Why?¡± ¡°The only way to complete this mission is to hold on until Sunday. However, that¡¯s not the only way to win.¡± Surviving until Sunday was the clear condition for this mission, but that wasn¡¯t the way to win it. After all, this was a cooperative as well as a competitive mission. Bertus considered all possibilities, which involved being suspicious of one¡¯s competitors. ¡°There are different ways to win this mission other than meeting the special conditions.¡± I understood what Bertus was trying to say. ¡°If one made one¡¯s opponents give up, one could win just by holding on until Friday.¡± Bertus already thought of other methods of winning in the mission that even I, the writer, hadn¡¯t thought of. He truly was an incredible kid. Of course, Bertus also knew that it was unlikely. However, he thought that there was no way that Charlotte couldn¡¯t come up with something like that. Although the possibility of her using such a radical method was low, it seemed like he judged that it still was a possibility. Therefore, he asked me to go check on how Class B was doing as a form of reconnaissance. I was the only one among the students of Class A who had frequent contact with Class B, so he said it wouldn¡¯t be all that suspicious. He also told me to take care of issues such as sharing our situation at my own discretion. * * * After the heavy rain let up a bit more, I went to Class B¡¯s camp¡ªit was a mess. All their huts were destroyed to the point where they couldn¡¯t be salvaged anymore, and everyone had left the camp. If I hadn¡¯t known that there would be a storm of that level and gotten Class A to reinforce their huts, we would have been in a similar state. Class B decided to check the situation as soon as the rain let up and abandoned the camp for the moment. It would have been impossible for them to salvage the situation at the moment, as everything had happened in the middle of the night. They probably gathered under a big tree somewhere in the jungle. ¡°Charlotte! Ludwig! Delphine!¡± I went into the jungle and randomly called for Charlotte and Ludwig. After walking for a short amount of time, Ludwig appeared from behind a large tree. ¡°Reinhardt!¡± ¡°Oh! Are you okay?¡± As I approached, Ludwig came over to me through the rain with a welcome expression on his face. ¡°Phew, this sure is one hell of a mess.¡± ¡°Are you all gathered over there?¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s right, but everyone¡¯s condition isn¡¯t all that good.¡± As I followed behind Ludwig, I could see Class B¡¯s students all huddled under a large tree, trying to take shelter from the rain. Fortunately, there was a single light sphere floating amongst them¡ªalthough it was a bit different from the ones Harriet summoned, it still emitted warmth, so they were only barely able to hold on. At that moment, I understood that the guy named Ashir, who had divine powers, had used his divine power to summon that sphere which could give a minimal amount of warmth. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± Charlotte, who had been sitting completely still, got up, pulled at me, and sat me down near the sphere of light. ¡°What? Did you come here to spy on us?¡± As if doubtful of my intentions, Charlotte continued to smile helplessly even in this dire situation. ¡°I can¡¯t say that it¡¯s not like that. The situation sure doesn¡¯t look very good.¡± ¡°It certainly doesn¡¯t; that storm was like a bolt out of the blue last night.¡± I could see that everyone in Class B was trembling. Ashir looked overwhelmed just by having to maintain his divine magic. ¡°How¡¯s the situation over there?¡± ¡°Some of our camp got destroyed as well, but not as much as yours. Still, things are very bad.¡± Charlotte just said, ¡°Is that so?¡± to my words and nodded her head. I counted their members and finished assessing the situation. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem like someone is missing?¡± Everyone¡¯s expression slightly hardened at my words. There weren¡¯t as many people in Class B I really knew, so it was pretty obvious. ¡°Louis Ankton, did he go missing as well?¡± Hearing what I said, Charlotte¡¯s expression changed. ¡°What? Is it the same for your side?¡­ What happened?¡± ¡°Yeah, we lost Cayer.¡± Those disappearances weren¡¯t restricted to just one side. It happened to both classes. In the original, it was Lanian Sessor who was supposed to disappear. Only, that part changed slightly. And that was how the possibility Bertus suggested, that Class B had something to do with it, disappeared. Class B would go out to search for Louis Ankton as soon as the rain stopped. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you a lot of things in my position,¡± I said while looking at Charlotte. One student from both Class A and B went missing. With these clues alone, Charlotte should have been able to deduce many things. ¡°But there¡¯s a stream running from the mountain. You¡¯ll find it if you go in that direction. The water¡¯s drinkable. I found it yesterday.¡± ¡°Drinkable water?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions changed at those words. It was true water was literally dropping from the sky, but the location of a water source was still very important information. Charlotte¡¯s expression turned a bit complicated when she saw me give out that information for free. ¡°Be careful, Charlotte.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, Reinhardt. Be careful as well.¡± Charlotte watched me for some distance as I returned to Class A¡¯s camp. ____ ____ Chapter 100 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 100 ¡°Class B also has someone missing¡­ ¡± Hearing my report, Bertus nodded slowly. ¡°It would be a bit unreasonable to say that one person from each class suddenly wandered into the jungle and got lost at the same time.¡± In the end, Bertus decided that it was only right to look for those other people on the island. ¡°Our side is also a mess, but I didn¡¯t think that we¡¯d actually had it better¡­¡± Bertus couldn¡¯t hide his laughter when I told him that Class B¡¯s camp was completely ruined. Although we had suffered, we had it a lot better. ¡°Okay. So someone attacked us, and we have to catch that person whether we like it or not. Maybe that¡¯s the specific condition the teachers mentioned. That being what it is, we still have to gather food to keep going.¡± The first objective was searching for the culprits, and the second was to find food. It was already hard enough to do just one, but suddenly I had to work on both tasks at the same time. ¡°I, Cliffman, Ellen, and Grantz are probably the only ones who are able to fight properly in an emergency situation¡­¡± Harriet¡¯s magic required casting time, and Adelia didn¡¯t learn any attack spells. In Heinrich¡¯s case, he wasn¡¯t ready yet to attack with his ability. In Kono Lint¡¯s and Erich¡¯s cases, they weren¡¯t on a level where they could fight properly either. So there were actually only five people who had actual combat abilities; we also had no way of reliably knowing what kind of opponent we¡¯d be facing. ¡°Among us, Ellen is the only one that can act alone, right?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Okay, fortunately, we have Heinrich, who can light fires even during this rain, so it won¡¯t be difficult to cook whatever we catch. If we don¡¯t find anything, we will have to eat coconuts.¡± Bertus went towards the camp. ¡°Okay! Although it might be a bit hard because it¡¯s raining, please come out, everyone!¡± he shouted loudly. Everyone started crawling out of their huts like beggars at Bertus¡¯s call. Cayer had disappeared, so there were only 10 people left. Everyone was wet from the rain and¡ªafter the storm had hit us¡ªnone of us could sleep anymore, so everyone looked extremely tired. * * * Bertus explained to them what we talked about step by step. Cayer Vioden was missing. There was also someone missing from Class B¡¯s side. It looked like the two of them had been kidnapped by the other inhabitants of the island, who might hunt us every night or target those who entered the jungle alone. We had to find and subdue them before any more of us got caught by the inhabitants. Otherwise, we¡¯d get completely destroyed, and both our classes would fail the mission. ¡°From this point on, I, Ellen, Grantz, and Cliffman will be divided into three groups to search through and hunt in the jungle. Those remaining should organize the camp and repair the damaged huts. And, if you could, make some rainwater collectors; make as many as possible so that we can secure enough drinking water, but don¡¯t go too deep into the jungle. I don¡¯t know what might happen.¡± After instructing the remaining people on what to do, Bertus gathered the ones that were selected to go into the jungle. ¡°Ellen, I think you should go in alone. Are you okay with that? If you think it¡¯s dangerous, you can move with others as a three-person team.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go alone.¡± Ellen took a shortbow, some arrows, and a knife. That was enough. ¡°Okay, Cliffman, you¡¯ll go with me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Grantz, you¡¯ll move with Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Like that, we managed to organize three groups. ¡°Don¡¯t just try to subdue the inhabitants as you come across them. Please try to first check what type of people they are, if possible, then come back. We¡¯ll make a plan together then. For now, our top priority is securing food.¡± Everyone nodded at Bertus¡¯s words. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± -Shaaaaaaaaa! Accompanied by the heavy rain, we entered the jungle. * * * Liana was a bit different from the other Class A students who entered the jungle. She was a supernatural power user. Of course, I was also one, but my talent was actually closer to a combat talent. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± That was why Liana had much less stamina than the other guys, and she was really suffering from the drop in her body temperature due to the rain. The sphere Harriet attached to her had also disappeared, so she was struggling to move through the rain. ¡°¡­Should we go back?¡± ¡°No, just keep going.¡± This girl was completely exhausted, but she still walked ahead with her eyes squinted, seeming as if she didn¡¯t want to be a burden. I could feel that my stamina had increased tremendously, but I also noticed that this girl had incredibly little stamina. Of course, in a combat situation, her Electrokinesis would be much more useful than my abilities. After walking for a while, we had no other choice but to stop. ¡°We can¡¯t go on like this. Get some rest.¡± ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± As if she had no more energy left to speak, she just sat down and leaned her back against a tree. Her lips turned blue, and her body temperature seemed to have dropped drastically. ¡°Is your condition worse? I think we should go back now.¡± Liana struggled to raise her hand instead of giving me a response. ¡°Give me that.¡± ¡°That? Erm, Ah¡­ You mean this?¡± ¡°Yeah, that.¡± Liana grabbed the machete I held in my hand and suddenly began to focus her strength in her eyes. -Crackle! Raindrops began to evaporate as soon as they touched the machete. It seemed like she was heating it up by applying electricity to it; she let it cool down slightly using the rain and then hugged it like a hot pack. It looked like she already knew how to attach her power to things. ¡°I want to burn it all down.¡± Liana was muttering nervously¡ªit seemed like she didn¡¯t like roaming through the jungle in such conditions. Of course, who the hell would? After doing that for some time, Liana¡¯s complexion turned back to normal. She then handed the machete back to me. ¡°You do it too.¡± The machete was heated to a somewhat hot level. ¡°Uh, Uhm¡­ Okay.¡± The more time I spent with her, the more she seemed like a kind weirdo¡ªrather than just kind. * * * Due to Liana having a low level of stamina, our progress was a lot slower compared to the other teams¡ªwe had to take a lot of breaks. She would hug the machete hot pack to recover her body temperature; then we¡¯d move forward again. ¡°But what if we get lost while we¡¯re searching around? No, aren¡¯t we actually already lost?¡± The rain was very heavy, so Liana seemed to have already lost her sense of direction. I pointed to the sky. ¡°We can climb up a tree to check.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It would be enough to just climb up on a tree, and then we could figure out our approximate location. Like that, we could find our way if we ever got lost. If one still didn¡¯t know where one was, one just had to look towards the ocean to find the direction of the closest beach and go around to our camp. As if she was satisfied with that answer, Liana just hugged the machete like a doll. ¡°But how are we even supposed to find any animals to hunt in this heavy rain¡­¡± Liana grumbled, then her eyes suddenly became wide. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that one?¡± As I looked towards the place Liana was pointing at, I could see a roe deer drinking rainwater from a puddle. I made a shushing gesture, to which Liana nodded with a firm expression on her face. It hadn¡¯t noticed us yet. * * * * * * The distance between us and it was about 15 meters, which was too far for Liana¡¯s ability to reach. I had a javelin, but I wasn¡¯t familiar with using them. Even with the support of my supernatural power, could I even graze it? ¡®Let¡¯s get close to it slowly.¡¯ Liana silently nodded her head when she heard my words. Fortunately, the deer didn¡¯t notice the sound of our footsteps because of the heavy rain. After slowly moving five meters closer to it, we were able to reduce the gap to about 10 meters. At this distance, I thought I¡¯d be able to hit it well enough. But if I can¡¯t kill it in a single blow, it would just run away. What should I do? I only had one javelin, only one chance. I took it out and showed it to Liana. Was this possible? -Can you leave electric energy in there? A while ago, I found out that it was possible for her to attach electric energy to metallic objects, but was she able to make electric energy remain in an object? Under normal circumstances, that would be impossible, but she already knew how to attach her ability to objects. To put it simply, I wanted her to put an electric enchantment on my weapon. -Uhm, I think I can do that. Liana concentrated and began to attach her electric energy to my javelin¡¯s tip. And. -Brzzzt! ¡°Ugrrrrr!¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Of course, Liana and I both forgot that if she were to let electric currents run through a rain-soaked javelin, my hand would also get electrocuted while holding it. * * * Fortunately, I didn¡¯t die. However, the roe deer naturally ran away, surprised by my loud scream after I got electrocuted. Ditzy and stupid. Both of us just stood there in the rain staring blankly into the distance, ashamed at how we stupidly lost that deer. ¡°Hey, even if I asked you to do that, you¡¯re electrokinetic. Shouldn¡¯t you have known what would happen?¡± Liana glared at me with her eyes wide open. ¡°And you won first place with such an empty head.¡± ¡°Did you just call my head empty?¡± ¡°Be glad that I didn¡¯t call you stone-headed. Oh, but it would have been better if your head was made of stone, then you wouldn¡¯t have gotten electrocuted. You¡¯re an electricity conducting empty head.¡± She was way different from Harriet. She was not one to lose in a fight of words; even beyond that, she didn¡¯t get affected at all and even dealt out quite a bit. If I argued with her anymore, I think we might have ended up at each other¡¯s throats, so I decided to be more lenient. ¡°¡­Fine, I lost. Let¡¯s stop this.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hunting using Electrokinesis? It seemed like we wanted to die of a heart attack. Anyway, both of us got overly excited about finding prey that we couldn¡¯t think clearly. Thinking back, even I thought that asking for a Lightning enchantment on a rainy day made me seem just as bad as Ludwig. The same goes for lashing out at the kid whom I asked to do it. ¡°Sigh. Let¡¯s look for it.¡± ¡°I think it already ran away.¡± We resumed walking in the direction the roe fled to. The ground was muddy because of the continued heavy rainfall, so there weren¡¯t a lot of traces to follow. Neither of us had any tracking talents nor any other related skills. Just because I watched Law of the Jungle or Bear Grylls videos a few times didn¡¯t mean I perfectly knew how to track animals. We had no other choice but to walk around randomly. ¡°It couldn¡¯t have gone far¡­¡± ¡°Shh. ¡± Fortunately, the roe deer didn¡¯t run that far. After walking around for about 10 minutes, I could see some grass shaking in the distance. -Rustle! The bushes were shaking quite unnaturally. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the roe deer or something else, but there definitely was something over there. Liana and I slowly approached the place while keeping completely silent. I prepared my javelin so that I could react at any time. -Groooowl! Then we heard a clear, low-pitched growl that made our muscles stiffen. It was an animal. What we were able to see when we got closer was a jaguar that had hunted down the roe deer we were chasing, giving us a warning growl. ¡°!¡± When Liana saw the beast, she froze up. I wasn¡¯t much different, though. Just looking at that beast¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t even an actual monster or something¡ªI felt my whole body growing weak. What was with this? Crazy. This didn¡¯t come up in the original novel. I mean, they did exist in the original, but they shouldn¡¯t be found here. I grabbed the stiffened Liana¡¯s arm and slowly backed away from it. The jaguar that spotted us would run after us at full speed if we were to get even a little closer. I didn¡¯t know if I was able to react to the speed and agility of a wild cat-like predator. Liana looked at me and tried to call out to me by only moving her mouth without letting out a sound. -Why is something like this here?! -Because it is. Questioning how there could be a mission like this out there, Liana seemed to be on the verge of delirium while I was trying to calmly lead her to back up. It caught its prey, so it probably wouldn¡¯t try to chase after us. We had two options. -Let¡¯s choose whether we drive it away, kill it to take away its prey, or retreat as is. -Is that even something we had to consider? It seemed like Liana was swearing me out just with her eyes. Her eyes seemed to ask me if I had gone mad. -It¡¯s possible to chase it away with the javelin like before, using electricity. -¡­Is your head really made out of stone? Did you forget that you got electrocuted last time? It seemed like Liana was now actually worried if my brain had some serious defects or not. -I¡¯m not throwing it, but you are. Of course, I didn¡¯t forget that I got shocked before when trying to throw an electricity-enchanted javelin. However, I wasn¡¯t the only one able to throw it¡ªthat girl was immune to electricity after all¡­ -Me? You want me to throw the javelin and hit that thing? You think that¡¯ll work? -Who told you that you have to hit it? I pointed towards the bush the beast was in. -There¡¯s a puddle over there. You just have to throw it in there. Because of the rain falling, the puddle was almost overflowing, and the place where the jaguar caught the deer was clearly in the water. It was only then that Liana seemed to understand what I was going on about. -What if it dodges? Won¡¯t it attack us? -If that thing comes at us, I¡¯ll do something about it. -What do you mean ¡®you¡¯ll do something¡¯? -Anyway, you¡¯ll be able to do it well, so just do it. My physical abilities might not have been on par with a wild beast, but if it was a jaguar rushing straight at us, it would come into Liana¡¯s range. Rather, if I were to aggro it and kite it for a while, Liana could attack it with her electric shock. This mission wasn¡¯t supposed to be life-threatening, but we were able to do whatever we wanted. Liana seemed worried, but she eventually grabbed the javelin¡­ After I got further away to avoid getting electrocuted, Liana threw the javelin with all her might with an unsure look on her face. And. -Pak! ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°¡­How does this even happen?¡± It was a fairly large puddle; however, the javelin was horizontally embedded in a tree in the area. She had not only missed it completely, it seemed like she had aimed at a completely different place. -Snaaarl! The jaguar sensed our intent and ran towards us. ¡°Wha-what should we do!¡± ¡°What do you mean what should we do?!¡± I picked up my machete and aimed at the rushing jaguar. The speed of the beast¡¯s charge was unbelievably fast. So fast one couldn¡¯t even follow it with one¡¯s naked eyes. If I tried to stab it, it would just evade it¡ªso I grabbed the blade of the machete and held it horizontally. It was the half-swording style Ellen had occasionally shown me. Rather than attacking it, it would be better to block it; my purpose wasn¡¯t to kill it but to stop its charge. ¡°Just shoot at it!¡± Self-suggestion. I didn¡¯t use it to enhance my physical strength that time. I told myself that my body had become an insulator! -Kakang! Just as the jaguar bit into my horizontally held machete, ice blue sparks flew around Liana¡¯s eyes. -Snaaarl! ¡°Uurrg!¡± I felt a throbbing pain run through my body as if the electric current was forcing my muscles to continuously relax and contract. The jaguar that pounced at me staggered. I didn¡¯t miss that chance. I forced my stunned body to move and rushed towards the jaguar. -Crack! I slammed the machete right into its head. Rather than the sensation of cutting something, the sensation of crushing something got transmitted to my hands. ¡°Gasp¡­ Gasp¡­¡± The battle didn¡¯t even last 5 seconds. However, Liana sure could activate her ability quickly. If we both weren¡¯t able to activate our abilities so fast, the situation would have ended very differently. ¡°Are¡­ Are you okay?¡± ¡°Phew¡­¡± I looked at Liana and grinned. ¡°Sometimes, you just gotta get electrocuted a bit to get rid of all the parasites on your body.¡± ¡°Wha¡­ What are you even saying?¡± Hearing my ridiculous bullshit, Liana was genuinely worried that I had lost my mind after getting electrocuted twice in a row. Damn. I was amazed that I was able to react properly when that beast had rushed towards me. Had I made a mistake, I would have gotten eliminated. ____ ____ Chapter 101 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 101 It was already difficult enough to take the roe deer with us, so we didn¡¯t take the jaguar. I had heard from somewhere that the meat of carnivorous animals wasn¡¯t edible, so that was one more reason why we didn¡¯t take it with us. Just moving the one roe deer with Liana, who severely lacked physical strength, was already enough in our extremely exhausted state. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± When Liana returned to the camp, she almost collapsed near a tree in front of the bonfire Heinrich was struggling to keep lit. The pouring rain kept on extinguishing the fire, but there was still steam rising from it because Heinrich maintained it with all of his effort. ¡°Grantz, are you okay?¡± Heinrich asked her with worry. Liana just stared at him while her limbs shook. Right. Heinrich was set up to like Liana. ¡°You¡­ Does it look like I¡¯m okay¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­ Right.¡± ¡­I now knew what it was. That uncomfortable feeling. Wasn¡¯t she just a female version of me? She was a female Reinhardt, right? Wasn¡¯t she like me? Rude and ready to do whatever it took? ¡°Aren¡¯t jaguars like tigers?¡± When I told Harriet how we were able to catch this roe deer, she was surprised to hear that we actually encountered a wild beast. ¡°They aren¡¯t exactly like tigers, but they are somewhat similar.¡± ¡°¡­You killed it? You?¡± She looked at me as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. Surely, if someone heard that two 17-year-olds caught a jaguar, they¡¯d wonder if pigs started flying. I pointed at the roe deer. ¡°Then do you think I made those bite marks?¡± Ah. Looking back at it, it seemed like Grantz and I really did talk similarly to each other. Anyway, the bite mark on the roe deer¡¯s nape¡ªthe one that had killed it¡ªwasn¡¯t something one could achieve with human teeth, only after showing her that did Harriet believe that we had really encountered a beast. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get hurt?¡± Harriet looked at me with slightly teary eyes. ¡°¡­I got electrocuted, but I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Electrocuted? Why did you get¡­ Ah.¡± Harriet nodded blankly, seemingly having remembered that Liana was with me. It was obviously Liana that almost killed me, not the jaguar. By the way, it didn¡¯t feel all too bad that she asked me if I got hurt. The camp had been heavily rebuilt during the rain; the smashed huts were repaired again, and when the kids felt too cold, it looked like they¡¯d return to the campfire maintained by Heinrich to warm up before getting back to work. As I spun around, I tied up the hind legs of the roe deer with vines and hung it from a thick tree branch. And¡ª -Thud! ¡°Hiik!¡± -Puck! ¡°Urg¡­¡± -Crack! ¡ªI struck the deer¡¯s neck with an axe to cut it off. I could have just cut its artery, but it was already soaked in rainwater, and the part that the jaguar had bitten into was probably severely infected with bacteria. Blood started to gush out, and honestly, it didn¡¯t look all that pleasant. Then I cut open its stomach and removed the intestines. All my classmates who were watching me seemed terrified. Harriet, Liana, and Adelia were even trembling. They wore expressions that seemed to question how I could do such a thing. I was also disgusted and about to vomit! But they wouldn¡¯t be able to do it, so I was the one who did it instead! ¡°You bastards. Do you think I want to do this? What are you looking at me like I¡¯m some bloodthirsty butcher for? Do you want to do it instead? Huh?¡± When I nervously shouted that, everyone slowly evaded my gaze. Of course, my face, hands, and clothes were completely covered in vermillion blood¡ªmaking me seem really creepy. * * * The camp and hunting teams both had to do tremendous amounts of manual labor in the heavy rain without even eating breakfast. Even if no one was showing signs of dehydration, it was only natural that everyone was extremely exhausted. Even with Heinrich, grilling meat in the rain was still very difficult. Therefore, I let it bleed out and completely skinned the roe deer with the axe and machete. Rather than calling it cutting it up, the expression crushing would be more fitting, as the process was that radical. It couldn¡¯t be helped because my chopping and butchering skills weren¡¯t all that good. I put the meat¡ªcut up into chunks¡ªinto a large pot. And then we boiled it. It was only a simple meal. If we had seasonings and other ingredients, we could make proper meals, but we didn¡¯t have such things there. The only seasoning we had was salt. Together with Heinrich and Liana, who applied electricity to the pot, we heated it up. When the water in the pot started to boil and the meat started to cook, I could definitely see the looks in the kids¡¯ eyes change. It had been only three days, but their eyes were about to spin because of how hungry they were. They were ready to eat anything, as long as it was tasty¡ªso they just waited for the meat to cook. Right when the meat was about done, Bertus and Cliffman returned. ¡°Oh, you caught this?¡± Bertus¡¯ eyes grew wide as he saw the remaining chunks of deer meat. Perhaps because he also hadn¡¯t found any traces, Bertus caught a total of seven birds and small animals. ¡°No, I mean, how did you catch so many?¡± In a way, one could say that we stole this prey from something else but he actually caught seven animals. I felt like I forgot that Bertus was actually an amazing guy with both great physical strength as well as intelligence. ¡°There aren¡¯t actually that many pieces you can eat from those.¡± Still, I thought it was amazing that he was able to catch seven. Bertus started to chuckle as if he had read my thoughts. ¡°Reinhardt, hunting is a fairly common hobby among nobles. Of course, it isn¡¯t that kind of hunting, though.¡± Oh. That seemed to be the reason why Bertus, the epitome of wealth, was familiar with hunting. Wasn¡¯t aristocratic hunting just shooting arrows at prey driven by hunters? Bertus seemed a little more skillful than that. Ellen took the bow, so he hunted like that only with a single spear. Bertus¡¯s hunting skills were excellent, actually. He looked around the camp and directed a question at me. ¡°Ellen isn¡¯t back yet?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± * * * * * * Ellen had yet to return. I didn¡¯t know where she was or what she was doing. Of course, Ellen wasn¡¯t one to get into grave danger, so neither I nor Bertus was all that worried. The other kids seemed worried, though. ¡°I don¡¯t think Erich is here either.¡± Come to think of it, Erich de Lafaeri wasn¡¯t in the camp either. At Bertus¡¯ observation, Heinrich hesitantly opened his mouth. ¡°Erich, that guy¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He said¡­ That he was going to look for Cayer.¡± His friend went missing, and no one seemed to actually look for him, so he went into the jungle himself. Kono Lint was also staring blankly into the jungle. Kono Lint, Cayer Vioden, and Erich de Lafaeri. Since those three were best friends, it was only natural that they worried about each other. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°He went in before I could stop him¡­¡± He took individual actions at a time when doing that couldn¡¯t be worse. Bertus frowned, seemingly pondering a bit, before sighing. ¡°We¡¯ll think about this situation later. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± The deer meat was enough for now, so everyone stopped working and gathered together to eat the meat on wooden skewers. It was chewy but not to the level that we couldn¡¯t eat it as it was salted. ¡°A jaguar?¡± While answering Bertus¡¯s question about how we caught the deer, we talked about the jaguar. After hearing the report that Liana and I teamed up to take down a jaguar, Bertus seemed slightly stunned for a second. ¡°It¡¯s surprising to hear that this island has things like these, and even more surprising that you were able to kill one.¡± To be honest, I simply hit what Liana stunned, but, in a way, it was also because of my ability that I could block its rush. After eating for some time, Harriet suddenly burst into laughter. ¡°Ha, haha¡­Ha¡­¡± ¡°Idiot¡­ What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡± Seeing the kid who seemed depressed and annoyed all the time suddenly laugh blankly like that as if she were mesmerized by something, everyone felt shocked. Harriet smiled blankly while munching on the tough deer meat soaked in rainwater. ¡°Saint-Owan? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Seeing Harriet¡¯s complexion, Bertus seemed worried as well. Did she eat some weird mushrooms while I wasn¡¯t looking? ¡°N-no¡­ It¡¯s only been a few days, but I¡¯ve already started eating like this as if it¡¯s a given¡­ I just suddenly¡­ suddenly thought it was funny¡­¡± Everyone was eating this deer meat, boiled in saltwater in the middle of heavy rain. It was only a few days, but everyone, regardless of status, was sitting on the bare ground totally engrossed in wolfing down the meat. Actually, everyone was happy enough just to be able to eat. No one was complaining. Everything just tasted a lot better because they were hungry. They were deluding themselves. Harriet didn¡¯t even get mad anymore; she just found it ridiculous and funny. ¡°Yeah, that indeed is pretty funny.¡± Bertus continued to eat the meat while chuckling as if he had nothing more to say about the absurdity. It was especially weird that the nobles were just laughing, not looking like they were in a bad mood. Everyone looked like they had just realized that new fact. * * * Even after we finished our protein-filled meal, Ellen and Erich had yet to return. Even after we cleaned everything up they hadn¡¯t come back. Kono Lint seemed especially anxious about Erich not returning. If I left him alone, he would also jump into the jungle, wouldn¡¯t he? ¡°I¡¯m not worried about Ellen, but Erich might be in danger.¡± Bertus seemed to deeply struggle with whether he should worry or not. If we were to go in to find them, we might get caught up in a situation again, it was pretty much a pain in the ass. ¡°Okay. The camp team should continue with what they were doing, while the hunting team will go and look for Erich as well as scout. Don¡¯t go in too deep.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do anything more today.¡± Liana sat down and held up her hand. She had replenished some of her energy, but she had dragged that roe deer here together with me, so she spent more stamina than she could. ¡°Are you that exhausted, Grantz?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to move even if you threatened to beat me to death.¡± Grantz seemed to talk to Bertus without any hesitation either. ¡°Okay. Nothing we can do about it then. Then just the three of us¡ªCliffman, Reinhardt, and I¡ªshall go in to look separately. We¡¯ll be going in there on our own, so don¡¯t walk in too deeply. Let¡¯s just look around in the outer layers of the jungle and then come back. I think we should be back after an hour or so.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Because one person decided to act alone, three other people had to do the same. Erich probably left the impression of being a useless, unhelpful bastard on Bertus because of this incident. Bertus and I had a machete, and Cliffman took a javelin and axe into the jungle. All of us entered the jungle in different directions. * * * Class A¡¯s low-ranking trio. The three arrogant brothers. Cayer Vioden, Erich de Lafaeri, and Kono Lint. Cayer was a minor villain who hated and ignored members of Class B, Erich played the role of Scarlett¡¯s bully and was fated to receive some true education from Ludwig, and Kono Lint didn¡¯t bully anyone in particular, but he lusted after women. It was supposed to be the entirety of Class A that was like that, but honestly, it was just those three. I, who was placed last in Class A, was able to crush them after they picked fights with me and received my true education. The talents they possessed were excellent in and of themselves, but their lack of effort put into developing their talents led to them having the ability worth maybe half a penny, or their talents were outrageously tremendous but had fatal flaws. Still, those three were very close to each other. It was only natural that Erich rushed into the jungle on his own as he was really worried about the missing Cayer, but it was still somewhat surprising. It was pretty clear that Cayer was probably eliminated, but if we were to go by typical horror movie logic, Erich would also end up eliminated. He might have ended up thinking something like: ¡°Although they told me I should stay here, it should be fine, even if I go out to search for him.¡± Then, while we entered the jungle alone, every one of us would end up being sacrificed one after the other¡ªthat was the standard development. When I thought about it as a standard horror movie, I found it kind of funny. Of course, Ellen Artorius, who was thought to be the final girl, would probably end up dying while trying to save the main character at the climax. And Harriet, who was whining non stop, wouldn¡¯t survive for long, obviously. No, would that mean that Adelia, who was scared of everything and everyone expected to die first, would be the final girl? So, in the end, Adelia would be the main character; that was roughly how horror movies went. At that moment, we were at the stage where we were going around trying to find that one person that wouldn¡¯t listen, which would end in the tough-guy character getting killed. Then of us three, would get sacrificed first? I don¡¯t think it would be Bertus. It was either me or Cliffman. Wouldn¡¯t it be Cliffman in terms of physique? Putting skills aside. Or the camp with all the non-combatants might get attacked while the three of us were out. I walked around while thinking about useless things. I wasn¡¯t all that concerned about what would happen tonight after all. What would happen to Erich was honestly no skin off my back. I had no intention of seriously looking for Erich, so I just walked around the jungle. As long as I survived until the last day of the mission, I would be awarded with achievement points. So whether we won or lost didn¡¯t concern me. So it was enough to just go out and act like I was looking for Erich, while I wasn¡¯t really. Another reason was that, if possible, I wanted Class B to win. That said, I couldn¡¯t do suspicious things, such as giving Class B direct hints. I was able to take in the jungle¡¯s scenery as I was walking alone in the pouring rain. If there was a hell on earth, I think it would be that. Nature was beautiful but if there was too much of it, one would realize just how shitty it was. Everything in moderation. -Shaaaaaaa¡­ Since I was in a place like that, I wouldn¡¯t ever need rain sound ASMR again. Of course, hearing it in person like that was pretty shitty as well. Even if the rain stopped, it would cause problems. Although I might be able to sleep with a dry body that night, as soon as I entered the jungle the next day, it would be so much more humid than usual. I might die from that humidity. While I was thinking about the next day and feeling like shit in advance, I heard it right when I was about to head back. -I said get out of my way. -And what would you do if I don¡¯t? I could hear the sound of a conversation through the rain. ____ ____ Chapter 102 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 102 A strange scene unfolded before me as I carefully walked through the bushes. Erich and Scarlett were facing each other. There was something next to Scarlett, from where I stood, it looked like a beast, so it seemed like her hunt was successful. The fidgeting Erich stood before Scarlett, who blocked his way. It seemed like that bastard started arguing with Scarlett as soon as he encountered her out of some kind of habit. -Hey, cursed eyes, looks like you grew a lot, huh? Talking back to me and all. ¨C ¡­ -Leave while I¡¯m still being nice. It seemed like he was trying to steal away the prey Scarlett hunted. Why did this punk go in and find this kid just to make fun of her? Right when I decided to step out before that guy tried to do anything more¡­ -Bam! -Urg! I could clearly see Scarlett strongly kicking Erich in the abdomen, making him fly. Then she slowly walked towards him, gently trampling on the fallen Erich¡¯s face. -You know, the Princess told me something. -Y-you cursed bitch¡­ -No matter what I do to you, she¡¯ll protect me. -Wha¡­ What? Scarlett landed a second kick into the bewildered Erich¡¯s stomach. I could clearly see him sharply inhaling and rolling his body around. Scarlett looked down at him with cold eyes. -The only reason I¡¯m not returning everything you did to me a hundredfold is because I don¡¯t want to be someone like you. -Kick! -Urg! Finally, after kicking Erich in the face, Scarlett left while muttering. -Be careful. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if I were to lose my reason. It seemed like Scarlett held back and ended her vengeance there. She seemed to think that she might end up killing Erich if she were to lose her self-control even the slightest. Erich couldn¡¯t even look at Scarlett, who was leaving, his complexion ashen. He must have known that Scarlett was far superior to him. However, once he found out that Scarlett would just tolerate his bullying because she was terrified of getting expelled from Temple, he turned into a villain that just continued bullying her. However, now that she had a strong ally, Scarlett wasn¡¯t afraid anymore. Different from the original, Scarlett now had Charlotte as her ally. So, instead of having Ludwig help her, she overpowered Erich with her own hands. After waiting for Scarlett to completely leave, I made my way through the bushes and was confronted with the scene of Erich sitting there, completely terrified. ¡°Rei¡­ Reinhardt?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me.¡± I grabbed the arm of that dude that just continued to sit there stupidly and forced him to stand up. ¡°Y-you s-saw it. You saw it! You saw that bitch beating me up!¡± ¡°I saw it.¡± ¡°Th-that cursed-eyed bitch finally showed her true colors! She¡¯s like a demon¡­¡± ¡°Oh, shut up.¡± I was annoyed at hearing him whine, so I just stared at Erich. ¡°Are you proud of getting beat up for your fucking actions, you bastard?¡± -Bam! ¡°Urg!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you just sit still? Why do you always have to cross the line?¡± The guy just got hit by me for no reason. He knew that I was a crazy bastard, so he didn¡¯t shout nonsense like ¡®how you dare to touch this noble body¡¯. Because, if he did, he knew that I was crazy enough to just hit him more. ¡°However, that¡¯s the least you gotta worry about. You should be worried about what Bertus will say, you know?¡± ¡°Wha¡­ What?¡± Three of his classmates had to risk going into the jungle alone just because he decided to take independent actions. His expression turned pale, not because Scarlett beat him up, but because of my words. He wasn¡¯t sure what he should expect when he returned to the camp. * * * ¡°It¡¯s okay to be useless. When people gather, there are bound to be such people after all.¡± Bertus leaned against a tree and talked to Erich while the latter had his head lowered. Bertus had a smile on his face, but I could see that his mask was on the verge of slipping off. ¡°By the way, I think there¡¯s a clear difference between a useless person and an unnecessary one.¡± Usefulness and necessity were different concepts. It was okay to be useless. At least those people didn¡¯t cause any harm to the group. An unnecessary person, however, meant someone that would only cause harm to the group. Someone like that was better off thrown away. He wasn¡¯t strong enough to scout the jungle like me, Cliffman, and Ellen, nor did he have supernatural powers or knowledge about magic like Harriet, Adelia, and Liana. Kono Lint played the role of steadily supplying the group with coconuts. He was able to use divine power similar to Class B¡¯s Ashir, although they were still very weak, but that guy couldn¡¯t even help out with that. He got put into Class A because his talents included swordsmanship, divine power, and close-quarter combat, but he was incredibly lazy and liked to show off, so he didn¡¯t put much effort into the development of his talent at all. Erich was the perfect example of talent and skill not being actually proportional. Therefore, along with Cayer, Erich just did chores anyone could do, and then he decided to take the unnecessary risk of acting alone. Bertus explicitly pointed out that he was even beyond useless¡ªhe was unnecessary. ¡°Erich. Do you want to be someone unnecessary?¡± ¡°N-¡­ No. No, no. Sorry. I¡¯m sorry, Bertus.¡± His tone of voice was rather gentle, but the content of what he said was very creepy. Bertus, who was under a lot of stress, was trying to keep his calm with all his might. However, that idiot acted alone even though he was told not to. He offended Bertus while the situation was as bad as it was. Perhaps this would have an effect for quite a while. This must have lowered Erich¡¯s usefulness by several steps in Bertus¡¯s mind. Erich trembled as he heard Bertus say such things for the first time. The others might not be able to hear what they said properly, but they looked over here from the side. ¡°Okay, since you made a mistake, let¡¯s give you a punishment: From tonight on, there will be two people standing guard at night.¡± Cayer, who stood guard alone the previous night, disappeared. So, starting then, Bertus decided to increase the number of night watchers to two. ¡°Stand guard for the whole night. Let¡¯s end it with this.¡± One of the people having to stand guard would be regularly switched out; Erich, on the other hand, would have to stay as a guard for the whole night. That was why he decided the night watch would consist of two people. ¡°Th-thank you, Bertus.¡± Erich, however, was grateful to Bertus for being so generous. * * * * * * The camp had been reorganized, and we had enough food for dinner. Everyone was eager to make rainwater collectors to store the rainwater. After the rain stopped, we would have to go back to making distilled water. By evening, the rain gradually stopped, and Ellen returned. ¡°¡­Wha-what is that?¡± Adelia widened and murmured. Everyone was more surprised by what Ellen was carrying on her back than her return. -Flop Ellen laid it on the floor and spoke calmly. ¡°I picked it up on my way here.¡± It was the jaguar we killed and couldn¡¯t bring back. It sure was amazing that she was able to bring it back all on her own. It must have been wet from the rain and unwieldy. Everyone looked curiously at the dead jaguar with the cracked skull. Ellen tilted her head when she heard that Liana and I were the ones who killed the jaguar. ¡°Oh¡­ Poor thing.¡± ¡°I was almost killed by that thing, you know? How is it a poor thing?¡± Harriet found the jaguar with its broken head somewhat pitiful. Heinrich seemed to have a different opinion. ¡°By the way¡­ What should we do with this? Can we eat this?¡± They were of the opinion that it was fine to eat some deer and pig meat, but they felt somewhat averse to eating the meat of this kind of beast. ¡°I¡¯ll never eat this.¡± Liana seemed to hate the idea of eating it, and everyone seemed to agree with her. ¡°Even so, Ellen went through all the trouble to bring it here¡­ It would be kind of a shame to just leave it like this.¡± That was what Bertus said. Honestly, even though she was monstrously strong, it should have been a lot of work to bring it to us all on her own. Well. However, I suddenly remembered the myth that cat meat was good for one¡¯s waistline. If that were true, just how good would wild cat meat be for one¡¯s nether region? That. That would be. Just. Ah. Stop! Would it be that formidable? I thought about that for a moment, but I didn¡¯t want to actually check. I was still fine down there. So I had no use for it. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really know what to do with it, but I think if one were to skin it, one would be able to sell the leather for quite the high price.¡± Bertus gave us an answer after contemplating for a while. He seemed to be thinking about what we could do with it after the mission, not during. ¡°Reinhardt and Grantz caught it, and Ellen brought it here, so do you want to share the proceeds between the three of you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Liana shook her head as she wasn¡¯t that interested in money. Ellen and I made eye contact, but it felt somewhat lukewarm. ¡°Even if I wanted to sell the leather¡­ I¡¯m not really confident in my skinning skills.¡± ¡°Really? Well¡­ I thought you were good at skinning.¡± Bertus scratched his head as if it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°What a pity, these kinds of things could get you about 20 gold coins, though. Even if the condition was slightly bad, I think one could still get about half of that¡­¡± 10 gold coins. 10 million won. ¡°¡­I think I can do something about this.¡± Nothing beats money in forcibly unleashing one¡¯s creativity. * * * I wasn¡¯t confident in my skinning and processing skills. However, if we left it alone, it would just rot away by the end of the mission. Ellen and I dragged the jaguar carcass to Class B¡¯s camp. Class B was almost done rebuilding their camp, and it seemed like they were about to sit down to eat something. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡± When Ellen and I suddenly appeared, dragging a jaguar corpse behind us, it was only natural that they¡¯d start panicking. They stared silently at the large cat as if they were completely amazed. ¡°Delphine.¡± ¡°Yes, Reinhardt. What is it?¡± ¡°Could you remove this thing¡¯s leather cleanly?¡± I wasn¡¯t good at skinning, but that girl should know how to do it. When I asked her that, she clapped her hands, knowing what I was getting at. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I can do it well. I¡¯m no expert. Are you fine with that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. After the mission, we¡¯ll sell it and share the proceeds with you. If you want to have the meat, you can have it.¡± All I needed was the leather, so I decided to shove the meat onto Class B. Everyone on our side was averse to eating it, after all. Me, Ellen, and Delphine. The three of us decided to share the proceeds between us. Of course, we had to take into account, depending on the situation, that the leather might rot away or that it had no commercial value at all. ¡°It¡¯s just ridiculous that things like these are on this island, and it¡¯s surprising that you were able to catch it, but it¡¯s even more surprising that you thought of selling its leather.¡± Charlotte shook her head, saying that she was so surprised she didn¡¯t know what to say. You don¡¯t care about this mission at all, do you, you punk?! That¡¯s what her eyes seemed to scream. No, strictly speaking, it was Bertus who told me to sell the leather and not waste its meat, you know? *** Somehow, I became the bridge between Class A and B, so while they still had to compete with each other, they kind of cooperated with each other, but not really. It was cooperation bound by money. When the sun went down, the rain completely stopped. Everyone sighed in relief. Heinrich and Liana began to burn the wet wood, and soon a small bonfire was made. Everyone dried their bodies near the fire. Bertus hung the meat he hunted over the bonfire, going for something similar to smoking. If we left it alone, it would quickly decay in the humid weather. Seeing everyone huddled together basking in the fire¡¯s warmth like that, we seemed like a small-sized day labor market at dawn. ¡°Sigh¡­ I think it would have been better if it continued to rain until tomorrow.¡± Everyone laughed at Harriet¡¯s grumbling. She hated the rain, but when it didn¡¯t rain, she got annoyed as well. While eating smoked meat for dinner, we dried our soaking wet bodies. ¡°Ellen, you¡¯ve been in the jungle the longest. Did you find something?¡± Because Ellen suddenly appeared carrying the jaguar on her back, we didn¡¯t have the opportunity yet to ask Ellen what she had been doing all day. ¡°I found the others¡¯ camp.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes grew wide hearing that earth-shaking information. Everyone seemed to want to tell her that she should have said that sooner. ¡°I waited for them to come back, but they didn¡¯t, so I gave up and returned. They probably set up several camps in different places, living in whichever one they like.¡± She found one of the others¡¯ camps. However, she also presumed that they had several, not just one. That wasn¡¯t all. ¡°And there was something like a bone graveyard. There were also human bones there.¡± ¡°Hieeek!¡± The others were presumed to be cannibals. It felt like everyone was intimidated by these words. ¡°What a nasty setting¡­¡± Bertus seemed to suspect that it wasn¡¯t a Temple group mission but an event meant to instill traumas in us. ____ ____ Chapter 103 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 103 Everyone seemed scared, no matter if it was part of the mission or not. They seemed to question whether it was really part of the mission. At the rate things were going, they were sure to give up. However, more and more clues were gradually gathered about the others. The others would raid our camp at night. They had their own camps all over the island; it seemed like they ate there as well. However, we didn¡¯t know in which camp they mainly stayed. They appeared to be cannibals. It wasn¡¯t clear whether there was just one of them or more. Everyone understood that catching these others was that special condition. Catching them was a way to finish the mission early, but it included many risks. Eventually, after dinner, everyone prepared to sleep with anxiety in their hearts. ¡°I installed the alarm magic.¡± Harriet had installed alarm magic around the camp, and it would sound if anything other than us approached; that was the only safety measure we could take at the moment. Everyone went into their huts, the anxiety apparent on their faces. Erich would stay up all night to stand guard. * * * -Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! The camp was thrown into chaos when the alarm sounded. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± The people that came to their senses the quickest crawled out of their huts. The first to react were me, Cliffman, and Ellen. The alarm went off, but it had already happened. -Waaaah! S-save meeee! -Aaaaaaaaah! We could hear two screams sounding from the darkness of the jungle. The others also crawled out of their huts at that point. Everyone was terrified as they knew what had just happened. ¡°Wh-wha¡­ What should we do?¡± Harriet¡¯s complexion was pale. We increased our night watchers, but both of them were captured. ¡°It seems like both Erich and Adelia have been captured¡­¡± The ones kidnapped were Erich, who was a permanent guard, and Adelia, whose turn it was to be guard number two. ¡°Taking both of them should definitely slow them down significantly. If we go after them now, we might be able to catch up to them.¡± Bertus silently nodded his head to Cliffman¡¯s words. ¡°We should, but¡­¡± Everyone gazed towards the jungle drenched in darkness, which made it difficult to enter. Would we be able to dive into that dark void of trees and catch the kidnappers? It was rather clear that we wouldn¡¯t be able to see a single thing, and it was highly likely that we¡¯d fall into danger again. ¡°I can use light magic.¡± Adelia was abducted right in front of her nose, so Harriet stepped forward, seemingly trying to somehow press down her fears. Bertus looked at her and nodded. ¡°Okay. Then let¡¯s go right away.¡± Ellen and Cliffman¡ªwho had had the highest fighting power¡ªtook machetes while Bertus, Liana, and I each took a javelin. ¡°It might be more dangerous to stay in the camp. Everyone, you should come with us. And take everything you can with you, including the small knives.¡± Everyone nodded at Bertus¡¯s words. If we were successful, we could soon be released from that hell mission. We could recover our two kidnapped classmates and leave that damn deserted island. It was a rather rare opportunity. * * * The jungle at midnight was terrifyingly dark. ¨C Float¡­ Float¡­ Harriet, who was at the forefront, summoned a sphere of light to illuminate our way, and Ellen and Cliffman walked beside her as if they were her bodyguards. Bertus and Kono Lint walked in the center while Liana, Heinrich, and I walked in the rear. Heinrich also lit some wood to use as a torch, maintaining it with his power. Both the vanguard and the rearguard had their own means of illumination. ¡°There are some footprints left behind.¡± ¡°Where? Let me see.¡± Ellen was able to locate footprints the raiders left behind as the rain had stopped. Bertus wrinkled his eyebrows when he saw them. ¡°Is that right¡­? If so, they should be giants.¡± Judging by the size of their footprints, it was clear that the kidnappers were giants of considerable height. Even if they took two kids, they were simply able to put them on their shoulders like that. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s keep following these traces.¡± If we followed those footprints, we¡¯d be able to catch the raiders. Everyone felt extremely nervous because it might lead to a battle. ¡°I-is it¡­ Is it really¡­ going to be okay?¡± Kono Lint expressed his doubts, wondering if this was really part of the test. The rest of us also had similar thoughts. Was this really part of the test? What were the teachers even doing? Actually, wasn¡¯t this real? Even these doubts and fears were part of this group mission. I saw these kids right in front of me being tortured like that. That made me wonder if this was really okay for just an exam. However, waiting around would be even worse. Everyone moved forward with heightened vigilance, staying completely quiet¡ªthey momentarily forgot their excruciating fatigue because of the eerie tension. After we walked for a while, the vanguard suddenly stopped. ¡°There¡¯s something over there.¡± Everyone held their breath at those words. There was the faint glow of light coming from the place Ellen pointed at. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we follow them?¡± During that brief exchange of opinions, the distant light began to approach us. Soon, we found out who they were; someone appeared before us¡ªrunning through the jungle like the wind. ¡°Are you guys also searching for them?¡± It was Delphine Izadra. * * * * * * * * * It wasn¡¯t only us who searched through the jungle in the middle of the night; Class B was doing the same as well. That was our first proper meet-up ever since the group mission started. A few of us were missing, though. Class A and B gathered in one place. So, Charlotte and Bertus started to talk to each other as they both wanted to quickly resolve this situation, although this couldn¡¯t be called cooperation. ¡°Two people were abducted?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charlotte and Bertus were talking with each other as our representatives while the rest of us warily watched our surroundings. It was a competitive mission, but both of them were mentally exhausted. Focusing on winning was good and all, but it seemed that both Charlotte and Bertus just wanted to get the mission over with as quickly as possible, so they even shared their information with each other. ¡°Lanian and Christina got kidnapped on our side.¡± Both sides had lost a person on the previous day and had lost two more on that night. Each class had eight people remaining. Bertus folded his arms and stared into the dark jungle. ¡°This time, I¡¯m pretty sure there isn¡¯t just one raider¡­¡± It was impossible to attack both camps at the same time like they had if there was just one. Bertus seemed to think that there were at least two of them. Charlotte agreed to Bertus¡¯ guess. ¡°There are actually more than one.¡± ¡°¡­Did you check?¡± ¡°We were a little further ahead. We found traces going in different directions.¡± Because they had Delphine, who was good at hunting and tracking, Class B moved a lot faster than us and was able to gather more information. ¡°Since we¡¯re here now, let¡¯s follow one trail each.¡± Two trails. Charlotte suggested that Class A and B should follow one each, and Bertus agreed. One trail led to the middle of the island, and the other trail seemed to lead to the other side of the island. Charlotte gave Bertus the right to choose first¡ªhe chose to follow the trail leading to the middle of the island. ¡°By the way, if the condition is catching both of the raiders, what will happen when we catch one each?¡± Liana said curiously, meaning to say that there was no way for both our classes to be victorious. ¡°Since we¡¯ll get additional points, I think they¡¯ll probably evaluate the other parts as well. Rather, if we absolutely have to catch both¡­ That would be a headache¡­¡± If we had to catch both of them to finish the mission, things would be difficult. Bertus seemed troubled by that thought. It was nighttime and, no matter how bright a light we had with us, our view was still limited. Class B had Delphine; due to her tracking background, she would be able to move a little faster than us. We were able to hear various howls of beasts in the nighttime jungle. -Rustle! ¡°Wh-what was that?!¡± The kids were so anxious that they jumped at every rustle of a bush. I wasn¡¯t much different, though. Cold sweat was trickling down everyone¡¯s faces and necks. ¡°Nocturnal animals might end up attacking us suddenly. Stay vigilant.¡± It had also been confirmed that there were large cats and other wild beasts in the jungle. There was the possibility that we might get attacked by such a wild beast, apart from the raiders. Everyone seemed to have only just realized how crazy it was to enter such a thick jungle at night. -Splaaaash! ¡°The stream¡­¡± Soon, we reached the stream we had discovered the other day. ¡°I think they crossed over.¡± As Ellen said, the trail cut off at the stream. However, due to the recent heavy rain, the stream was almost overflowing. ¡°How can we get over there?¡± With the stream as it was, it wasn¡¯t possible to jump over it, so Bertus was posing that question. If it was just us, we¡¯d be swept away the moment we set foot in the stream. But it seemed rather obvious that the raiders somehow crossed the stream. ¡°Th-there¡­ Can we use those, maybe?¡± Kono Lint put down the bundle of rope he had slung over his shoulder. ¡°Oh¡­ Right, we had that. Okay. Well done for bringing it with you.¡± Following Bertus¡¯s instruction,.Kono Lint brought whatever he could carry. Honestly, that guy probably didn¡¯t think it would be of much help, but he couldn¡¯t just leave it in the camp, so he brought it with him¡ªit had actually turned out to be quite helpful for us. ¡°If we tie this to a tree on the other side and this side, I think we can somehow cross the stream¡­¡± Of course, everyone had that thought floating in their heads. ¡°How do we get it to the other side, though?¡± However, that didn¡¯t change the fact that we had to take one end of the rope to the other side. Bertus looked at Ellen. ¡°Ellen, do you think you can jump across the river?¡± ¡°No.¡± When Ellen said it was impossible for her to leap across a river of such breadth, Bertus just nodded, saying, ¡°Is that so?¡±. Anyway, we somehow had to cross over to get one end of the rope to the other side. Wait, there was a way. ¡°If we tie the rope to something like a rock and throw it over there, we could send it over to the other side.¡± Bertus nodded after listening to my explanation. ¡°¡­ We could do that. We can send it to the other side like that, but we won¡¯t be able to tie it to a tree. In the end, one of us has to cross the river to tie¡­¡± Bertus suddenly closed his mouth as if he had just realized something. It wasn¡¯t just Bertus. There was only one person that could cross the river safely. Everyone wordlessly stared at Kono Lint. It was possible for him. ¡°Ex¡­ Excuse me? G-guys¡­? M-me¡­ Why me?¡± Bertus put a hand on Kono Lint¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We believe in you. Lint.¡± Kono Lint didn¡¯t have the guts to refuse Bertus¡¯s gentle coercion. * * * The plan proceeded without a hitch, with all the female students covering their eyes, not looking across the stream. Kono Lint teleported to the other side. Naked, obviously. Cliffman tied one end of the rope to a rock and threw it over, then Kono Lint hurriedly tied it to a nearby tree. After that, with both ends of the rope tightly tied to trees on both sides, I crossed the river, handing him his clothes. ¡°Wha-what is it¡­¡± ¡°You really can do this anywhere, huh?.¡± At my words, Kono Lint shouted with his face tomato red. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do this!¡± Still, Kono Lint¡¯s ability was quite useful during the mission. Just by giving up his dignity, he would have no equal among the supernatural power users. ¡°Ooh! Now we can cross the river!¡± Terrifyingly powerful torrents were raging below, and they had to rely on that single rope to go across. Of course, all those that had no combat-related talents were rather reluctant. Harriet shivered, looking like she would absolutely refuse to do it, her face particularly pale. It was Ellen who came after me, then Cliffman tried to cross over. By the time he climbed about halfway across, Ellen, Kono Lint, and I could see it. Something was approaching our party from behind. ¡°Tha-that¡­ That. What is that¡­?¡± Kono Lint muttered as his complexion grew ashen. ¡°Run away! ¡° Ellen shouted. ¡°Run away, you fucking idiots!¡± Only after my shout was added did they turn around to look behind them. Something was approaching the kids, its eyes shining red in the darkness. The others living on that island. Bertus looked at the approaching giant and muttered blankly. ¡°They weren¡¯t¡­ humans¡­?¡± What came after us wasn¡¯t human. ¡°Rooooooaaaar!¡± It had green skin and red eyes. ¡°Gaaaaaaah!¡± With the appearance of the orcs, the kids began to run away, scared to death. ____ ____ Chapter 104 The Demon Prince Goes to the Academy Chapter 104 The orc was neither grabbing them nor attacking them. -Thud! It cut the rope with its stone axe, making it impossible for us to climb back or climb over. ¡°!¡± ¡°Cliffman!¡± -Splash! ¡°Urg! Urk!¡± Naturally, Cliffman, who was hanging from the rope, fell into the stream and was about to get swept away. Ellen, Kono Lint, and I were isolated on the other side of the stream, and the orc pursued the kids who began running away. ¡°Wha-what is that?! What is this?! Can they make it?¡± Kono Lint seemed to want to deny reality when he saw Cliffman getting swept away by the stream¡¯s rapids and a huge orc appearing, chasing the other kids. The orc. It was a monster that made a regular appearance in medieval fantasies, and I also set it up to appear in my novel, but seeing it in person gave me goosebumps. Orcs weren¡¯t just ordinary mobs in this world to begin with. Why was a race boasting overwhelming physical strength incomparable to humans deemed as a regular mob? As I said, I didn¡¯t care much about historical accuracy, but because of my strange youthful stubbornness, an orc attacked. Anyway. Wasn¡¯t it kind of strange seeing a green-skinned Dwayne Johnson roaring at us with a stone axe in his hand? ¡°What a load of crap¡­¡± I didn¡¯t expect it to appear like that, so I had chills running down my spine. Kono Lint muttered in shock, his face as white as a ghost. ¡°Cliffman¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s out. The teachers will save him.¡± Because it was more or less confirmed that he¡¯d drown, they probably already rescued him. The button-shaped artifact we were provided with in the beginning was a tool with which we could give up the mission, but it was also a tool that would activate in an emergency, casting a recall spell. Sensing that Cliffman¡¯s life was in danger, he must have been summoned to where the teachers were. In the end, the mission wasn¡¯t supposed to be life-threatening. It would just create situations that were rather close to it. The orc was also a puppet that only listened to its summoner¡¯s orders. In fact, as soon as the students were in any danger of being killed by that orc¡¯s attack, the Recall spell would immediately activate, automatically eliminating them. But even though I knew all of that, I still felt kind of queasy. I didn¡¯t know how many unfamiliar settings had been added. ¡°If we kill that thing, the mission will be over, right?¡± Ellen asked casually. ¡°¡­It should be?¡± ¡°A-are you going to hunt that thing?¡± Kono Lint seemed to be dumbfounded by Ellen¡¯s casual words. She was looking at the twinkling light in the distance, fixing her posture with her machete. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Although it was just a single orc, it still was a monster with a height incomparably taller than an adult man. Because of that, Ellen wasn¡¯t all that confident that she was able to kill that thing. ¡°We¡¯ll know after we try.¡± * * * The orc was on the other side of the stream, and our weapons were a broken rope, a machete, a javelin, and a knife. However, our biggest problem wasn¡¯t our weapons. ¡°How are we supposed to see something¡­¡± Kono Lint was right. We didn¡¯t have the most important thing, a light source, anymore. Harriet, Heinrich, and Liana, who could create one, were all on the other side. We had no light, and we had to somehow cross the river to face that orc. ¡°If you connect the rope again, we can cross over to the other side.¡± ¡°A-are you serious? Are you really planning on crossing that river?¡± Kono Lint was startled by my words. The rope was cut, but the part that got cut off on the other side wasn¡¯t that long. The rope¡¯s slack was enough to just reconnect the two pieces. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go over, then stay here.¡± In the end, although he said that he¡¯d never do that again, he still used his teleportation. While Ellen turned away, Kono Lint tied the rope I threw over again. We could hear screams of kids and the orc¡¯s roars echoing from the jungle. I delivered Kono Lint¡¯s clothes. After he got dressed, Ellen came over. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± We couldn¡¯t walk that fast because of the darkness, but we started going in the direction from which we heard the screams. Ellen walked in the front, carefully checking the path ahead, Kono Lint walked in the middle, and I walked in the back. ¡°N-no matter how I think about it, this isn¡¯t possible¡­¡± Kono Lint trembled, saying that he thought that it wasn¡¯t a good idea. No matter how I thought about it, the past me must have been a psycho. How could I make high school students go through something like that? They¡¯d get mental scars that would last for a lifetime. -Rooooooaaaaar! -Gyaaaaaa! Hearing those roars and screams from afar made me even more convinced that I had been completely crazy. * * * The students of Class A fled, and while fleeing, Heinrich¡¯s feet got caught in a vine, and he ¡®died¡¯. The orc that was chasing after them attacked Heinrich immediately. He then disappeared¡ªcovered in the halo of the recall spell. That reassured the kids a bit. It was part of the mission, and it reminded them of the fact that even if they were attacked by that thing, they wouldn¡¯t actually die¡ªthey would just get eliminated. There were only three left. Bertus, Liana, and Harriet. ¡°Saint-Owan! Can you use attack magic?¡± ¡°I-I can, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to cast now!¡± She needed to focus her mind to use magic, but that wasn¡¯t possible at the moment. It was difficult enough to focus on running away. -Roooooaaaaar! -Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! The orc no longer tried to move around secretly, chasing the kids while roaring. Bertus ran with his teeth clenched. It was merely a setting for this mission, but there was no way humans could live peacefully in a place filled with beasts. He had been complacent in thinking that the others were just really tall humans after seeing those big footprints. If one were to think about it more deeply, the situation of them getting chased around by an orc happened because they ignored the clues they should have noticed. ¡®That guy is intelligent.¡¯ The orc had been raiding the camps and had aimed for the moment the party split up to cross the river. It even cut the rope while someone was hanging on it, leading to Cliffman crashing into the violent torrent. This monster shouldn¡¯t be mistaken for a simple mindless beast. ¡°Grantz! Can you beat it with a lightning bolt?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Harriet could use magic, but it was difficult for her to concentrate in that situation, and¡ªalthough Grantz could activate her lightning ability quite quickly¡ªit was hard to say if she could actually beat the orc with it. Cliffman got swept away by the river, and his machete had been swept away with him; they only had Bertus¡¯ and Grantz¡¯s two javelins. Bertus had also been trained in combat, although not to the degree Cliffman and Ellen had been. Since he was the only one with a combat talent at the moment, he knew that it was up to him to face the orc. -Roooooaaaar! ¡°I think it¡¯s catching up!¡± Harriet¡¯s desperate cry implied that the chase was about to come to an end. ¡°Grantz! I¡¯m going to face it, so try and see if you can hit it with your lightning while I¡¯m at it!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Saint-Owan, although it might be difficult for you, try to prepare your attack magic. Try to focus.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll try!¡± ¡°Try to climb up on something like a tree. It might try to attack you.¡± ¡°Ye-yes¡­¡± This was all or nothing. ¡®I should have had Ellen with me. Or even Reinhardt.¡¯ Not knowing what choice the guys who crossed the river made, Bertus could only fight the orc with only three of them. If Liana struck the orc with her lightning while Bertus bought time, they might be able to hunt down the orc. If the lightning didn¡¯t work, Harriet would attack it with her magic. Defeat didn¡¯t mean death. -Thud¡­Thud¡­ However, when faced with a towering orc of more than 2 meters packed with such huge muscles that they seemed to be about to explode, those that gave up running away from it had no other choice but to believe they¡¯d die. ¡°This mission probably exists to determine if one would give up when faced with extreme fear, even if it¡¯s just an artificial situation. If one succumbed to it in this situation, one would be even more useless in an actual emergency; it should also test one¡¯s teamwork and leadership.¡± He somewhat knew what intentions lay behind the mission. But knowing that wouldn¡¯t make the use of this giant green monster any more reasonable. Even if that violent strength was just something artificial, sometimes that was the only thing one would perceive. It was a monster they only saw in textbooks, one of the more common demons. It was said that they were all killed after the Demon World War. The humans fought a war with an army consisting of such monsters and won. Even monsters that were several times more dangerous got killed off and beaten. As such, the humans were victorious. And those humans, who rose to the most dignified positions of the Empire, couldn¡¯t afford to be beaten by just a single orc, let alone by one that was presumed to only be a summon. The students were allowed to lose, however. They were still young, after all. ¡°Grrrrrrrrrr¡­¡± ¡°Huu¡­¡± Still, they should not be afraid, though. Those who want to inherit the throne should not be afraid of such things. ¡°Come at me, monster.¡± Bertus pointed his javelin at the orc. * * * -Flash! Flash! -Roooooaaaaaar! ¡°I think they¡¯re fighting.¡± -Boom! Boom! Along with the sound of the orc running rampant, we could see some flashes of lightning from time to time in the distance. Ellen and I sped up our steps. What the hell was going on? Heinrich wouldn¡¯t be able to use his ability in a real battle as he was, so the ones fighting had to be Bertus and Liana. Harriet probably wouldn¡¯t be able to calmly use magic either. As we came closer, I could somewhat understand what was going on¡ªeven though they were still pretty far away. There was literally a desperate battle going on over there. -Crack! * * * * * * ¡°Kuuak!¡± After the orc got hit by Liana¡¯s lightning bolt, it frowned and took a few steps back. Her lightning was definitely effective, but it wasn¡¯t effective enough to kill the orc. A javelin was already stabbed into the orc¡¯s abdomen, while Bertus parried the orc¡¯s charge with the javelin he had received from Liana. Just how the heck did Bertus endure all that? His body was completely torn. He couldn¡¯t have had enough strength to fight with that thing head-on, so he should have done whatever it took to dodge its attack and roll on the floor. Lightning did some damage, but all it did was make it stagger for a bit, and javelins didn¡¯t seem to be able to deal lethal damage to the orc. ¡± Kuaaaaaaaaah!¡± The orc ran towards Bertus with its stone axe; Bertus tried to dodge it by turning to his side, not trying to stab out with his javelin. And then¡ª -Bam! ¡°Thi-this¡­ !¡± ¡ªBertus¡¯s foot got caught on one of the many vines covering the floor, then he lost his balance and fell. It was a mistake that could only happen in a state where one¡¯s view wasn¡¯t clear. The orc¡¯s axe slammed down on Bertus¡¯ head. ¡°Bertus!¡± -Flash! With a flash of light, Bertus¡¯ body completely disappeared. Bertus was eliminated. ¡°Rooooooaaaaaaaar!¡± The orc, roaring as if celebrating its victory, rushed towards Liana next. -Crack! ¡°Kwok!¡± However, Liana calmly defended against its rush with a lightning strike, pushing him away with her electricity as soon as the orc came into her range. After learning that Liana would keep attacking it with electricity, the orc didn¡¯t try to get closer to her anymore. The orc changed its tactics. It raised its axe and threw it towards Liana with all its might. ¡°!¡± It was thrown at such a fierce speed that Liana didn¡¯t even have time to react to it, so her body was also immediately covered in light and disappeared. Two of them got eliminated right before my eyes. Harriet, who somehow managed to climb on a tree, was the only one left. The orc retrieved its axe and tried throwing it towards Harriet next. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Harriet¡¯s face turned completely white when she saw the axe pointed at her. Then, the moment it threw the axe. -Kangg! Ellen appeared, accurately knocking the flying axe from the air. * * * In the island survival arc, I had tried to showcase two things. One: the students of Class A were actually pretty difficult to work with because many of them were just too whiny, while Class B¡¯s students, although not as talented, did what they needed to do without complaining and were highly motivated, so Class B was actually better than Class A. And two¡ª ¡°Roooaaar!¡± ¡°Hap!¡± -Swoosh! ¡°Kwak!¡± ¡ªEllen Artorius was the only one from Class A that didn¡¯t give up. By showing Ellen hunting an orc alone, I had been trying to show that she was incomparably stronger than her classmates. In the island arc, Ellen was shown to be someone important for the first time. In the original, everyone of Class A¡ªexcept for one¡ªvoluntarily gave up, while none of Class B¡¯s students chose to give up. Although Class B was the one who won the group mission in the end, only Ellen managed to fulfill the special condition. That special condition was¡­ Hunting an orc. -Kagak! -Swoosh! ¡°Hup!¡± -Kang! Of course, she got overwhelmingly pushed back in terms of power. However, Ellen was gradually adding wounds to the creature¡¯s flesh as she ran around and dodged its attacks. The machete wasn¡¯t suitable for stabbing, and the orc¡¯s hard body wasn¡¯t easily wounded. Compared to its huge body, the wounds added to it seemed like mere scratches. However, it was apparent that the damage on its body was slowly accumulating while Ellen parried or avoided all of its attacks. It was to the point where one could call it bullying. I could only stare blankly at Ellen, who was fighting to the best of her abilities with such strange movements. However, that wasn¡¯t the time to just watch. Of course, it would be difficult to approach it to fight. If I stepped in for no reason, I would only get in Ellen¡¯s way. ¡°Hup!¡± While strengthening my body, I threw a stone at the back of the orc¡¯s head. -Pok! ¡°Rooooaaaar!¡± The orc looked back at me and roared; Ellen didn¡¯t miss that chance and slashed at its back with her machete. -Poc! ¡°Kuaaak!!¡± It got attacked from both the front and the back, so it tried to put both me and Ellen in its field of view. The fact that it was struggling against such small ants was already enough to royally piss it off. The orc, whose body seemed to have become tired, looked as if it thought about whether it should first deal with Ellen or me. Ellen was the more dangerous opponent, but was it really not able to ignore her for a moment to get rid of me? Although I knew I wouldn¡¯t die, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill running through my body. ¡°Rooaaaaaar!¡± The orc rushed at me; I then turned sideways to let it run past me. -Bang! It swung its stone axe but only hit a tree. However, it sure was terrifying seeing that large tree getting cut in half by that stone axe. It was like an unstoppable force. Ellen rushed towards the rebounding orc, to which the orc reacted with a vertical slash of its stone axe. -Boom! Ellen avoided the axe, letting it smash the ground, then she grabbed the javelin stuck in the orc¡¯s abdomen. It probably was Bertus who had embedded it into it. -Pull! ¡°Kuwaaah!¡± Elle pulled out the javelin from its giant body and then stabbed it towards the orc¡¯s eyes without any delay. -Squish! ¡°Kuwaaaaaaaaah!¡± Her movements were intricately connected, making it look as if she was dancing. There were no unnecessary movements, they flowed like water, and the orc had no chance to even react. After having one of its eyes neutralized, the orc staggered and began to step back. Without giving me a chance to step in, Ellen almost defeated the orc on her own. And¡ª ¡°I-it¡¯s working¡­¡± ¡ªa faint exclamation sounded from somewhere. -Rumble! And following that exhausted shout, a more threatening sound could be heard. The jungle was tinged in red in an instant. I looked behind me and saw a big fireball burning next to Harriet¡¯s face, who still sat awkwardly on that tree. ¡°Grrr.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to pay back everything it did to us!¡± The orc, whose eye got hurt, began to step back, but Harriet¡ªwho had already finished casting her magic¡ªwas faster. -Siiiizzle! Both me and Ellen threw ourselves backward, getting away from the orc at the same time. Soon¡ª -Kuwaaaah Babaaaaaang! ¡ªthe sound of a roar and an explosion engulfed the jungle. * * * I set fireball up to be a spell comparable in performance to an anti-tank rocket if put in modern terms. -Jiiiiiiiiing! The explosion was so loud that I could hear a ringing in my ears. So it was only natural that the orc, which got directly hit by that, was completely torn apart. Harriet, who had cast that spell, lost her balance from the aftershock of the explosion and stumbled from the tree she had climbed. ¡°U-urg! Aaah!¡± If we didn¡¯t do something, she might get eliminated because she fell down from a great height right after killing the orc. The distance between us was too great for me to catch her. I immediately called out to Kono Lint, who was rather far away from me. ¡°Hey! Catch her!¡± ¡°Wha-what?!¡± ¡°Catch her, you idiot!¡± At my urgent shout, Kono Lint seemed to be struggling between keeping his dignity or saving his classmate; however, soon he teleported several times and caught Harriet mid-fall before landing softly. Naked, of course. ¡°Tha-thank y-¡­ Hieeeeek!¡± ¡°I-I couldn¡¯t help it!¡± Harriet was surprised that someone caught her and then was shocked that it was the naked Kono Lint. He put Harriet on the floor and then disappeared, teleporting several times again. He looked extremely embarrassed. Just how many times would he have to get naked and put on his clothes again that day? A puzzled expression on her face, Harriet alternated looking between Ellen and me. Soon, her face twisted up, then she crawled towards me and hugged me recklessly. ¡°Hi-hick! Sob! I-I was so scared, so so scared! Hihick! Sob, sob!¡± Now that the tension was gone, Harriet clung to me and started crying. While she was casting the fireball spell, she probably didn¡¯t even know how she actually managed to do that. Also, the one who saved her was Kono Lint; why was she clinging to me? Wouldn¡¯t he be very upset if he knew what was going on? What should I do? I thought I might have demanded a bit much of her during the mission. ¡°What¡¯s there to be scared of after you completely tore it apart? You did a hella good job.¡± ¡°Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± I patted Harriet on the back while she was crying bitterly. In the original, it was Ellen who hunted the orc. Of course, Ellen still landed a critical hit. However, Harriet, who gave up immediately in the original, showed great performance while fighting the orc. ____ ____ Chapter 105 Four students of Class A survived. Ellen, Harriet, Kono Lint, and me. After getting exposed to a great amount of fear and stress and using high-tier attack magic¡ªsomehow maintaining focus¡ªHarriet almost immediately fell asleep, seeming as if she fainted. I returned to the camp carrying the sleeping Harriet on my back. Then, after laying her down in one of the huts, I went to the campfire. The fire was extinguished, but it was already dawn, the sky was getting brighter. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t the mission supposed to be over with this?¡± We found out that the others weren¡¯t actually humans but orcs, and we killed one. Kono Lint made the hopeful connection that the mission should be over. ¡°There might be one more left.¡± ¡°Tha-that¡¯s¡­¡± There were two targets. If the trail Class B followed also led to an orc, the correct answer would have been that there were two orcs. ¡°Then, do you mean we have to go out and hunt that other orc as well?¡± ¡°If Class B managed to kill that orc, the mission would be over.¡± But there was the problem. Class B didn¡¯t have the ability to actually fight an orc. So originally, they would just be chased around by the orc, getting eliminated one by one, leaving only Ludwig and Delphine, then Ellen would dramatically appear and block the orc. In the original, Ellen had already hunted the other orc by herself, and she also killed the remaining one on her own as well. At that moment, seeing Ellen displaying her skills for the first time, Ludwig started growing¡­ Because Ellen was right in front of me, that probably wouldn¡¯t happen. While Class B would self-destruct while trying to fight the orc, Ellen was sitting next to me, staring blankly into the sky. What should I do? I would have liked to help Charlotte, but for that, Ellen had to step in, not me. Although it seemed that she¡¯d come along if I asked her. That was what she was like. ¡°H-huh¡­ Wha-what is this?¡± Suddenly all of our artifacts began to light up. -Flash! And, with a flash, we were all transported somewhere. After the recall artifact suddenly triggered, we landed on the shores of a different island, similar to the one we were on before. The only difference was that there were a lot of bungalows one could only find in a resort built near the beach. ¡°The special mission has been completed. As such, the group mission will now end.¡± Standing in front of us were Mr. Epinhauser and Mr. Mustrang. Harriet seemed more surprised than us because she had been transported all of a sudden while she was asleep. The sky gradually brightened. * * * ¡°Class A had a total of four survivors and killed the orc. The student who killed it was A-5 Harriet de Saint-Owan.¡± Mr. Epinhauser looked towards Class B. ¡°Class B had one survivor and killed the orc. The student who killed it was B-1 Charlotte de Gardias.¡± Charlotte frowned as if she wasn¡¯t happy with the result, crossing her arms. There was only one survivor in Class B, and Charlotte was the one who killed the orc. There were so many implications coming with that simple result that I couldn¡¯t help but be a little dazed. Since Charlotte wouldn¡¯t have been able to hunt the orc using a weapon, she must have used her supernatural power. Although it was not known what kind of power Charlotte held, that confirmed that it could be said that it was strong enough for her to kill an orc on her own. Originally, Ellen was supposed to kill both, but although the rest of Class B didn¡¯t manage to kill one, there was the variable, Charlotte, who actually killed an orc. ¡°We will inform you of the overall results of the mission and who won at a later date. Go rest for now.¡± After telling us to use the bungalow found at the back, Mr. Epinhauser walked away. Blunt as usual. ¡°You guys have been through a lot. Take a good rest today.¡± Mr. Mustrang guided us to the bungalow, telling us to rest regardless of class. The group mission was over. [Quest completed.] [You have earned 1000 achievement points.] My strongest desire at that moment was to go to sleep, disregarding the points I earned. * * * The ones that got eliminated first had been summoned there as well by the recall magic and had to wait until the mission was over. Although they had to wait, it was a place completely different from the wilderness we stayed in before; it was decorated like a resort. The island was shaped like a crescent moon. The bay-type beach was calm and perfect for swimming, and we were served proper food and fully equipped accommodations¡ªcompletely different from the rough housings and food we¡¯d eaten thus far. After the mission was over, we had time to play in that place for the whole weekend. Therefore, in a way, the ones who were eliminated first had it quite good. I fell asleep as soon as I lay down and woke up around noon. Of course, they prepared a new set of clothes for me, so I changed out of all my clothes, from my underwear to my coat. I could see Ludwig and the other guys from Class B playing on the beach. The only thing that was different before was that they were wearing proper swimwear. ¡°Hey, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Bertus, dressed in comfortable clothes, looked at me and raised his hand. He held a cup filled with a lemon-flavored smoothie in his right hand. I, too, was lying on a sunbed, absentmindedly sipping at a fruit punch. I didn¡¯t really like sweets but sometimes I craved them¡ªespecially after going through something like that. I was replenishing calories. I just completely spaced out because something cool went down my throat while I was that mentally exhausted. The way Bertus looked seemed like a wealthy, handsome young master. He collapsed on the sunbed next to me and burst into laughter. ¡°If I knew things would end up like this after giving up, I would have done that sooner.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It seemed that Bertus found it rather ridiculous that the ones who got eliminated the earliest got to live the high life while he was working his butt off. Of course, those who had survived the longest would get a higher individual score, so if one cared about their grades, it would be the best to survive until the very end. He sighed as he laid down on the sunbed next to me. ¡°It¡¯s like heaven because we are now supported by our environment.¡± When I thought of the place as an uninhabited island, I was so sick of it and wanted to leave as soon as possible, but now that the place was properly equipped with the required facilities, I could finally enjoy the scenery; it was an outrageously beautiful place. ¡°But I sure hope I won¡¯t have to do anything similar to this in the future.¡± ¡°I wholeheartedly agree.¡± It felt even more terrible because I had to experience all the dog shit I wrote myself. How could I have made kids go through an episode of Law of the Jungle? It was even more amazing how I managed to sleep peacefully after doing that. Anyway, the group mission ended on Thursday morning, earlier than the originally scheduled Friday evening. We could spend our weekend and the remaining time at that jewel-like beach. In other words, that was the start of our real trip. Bertus got up from the sunbed, looked down at me, and laughed. ¡°Anyway, you did a great job, Reinhardt. Tell Ellen and Saint-Owan the same. It seems that both of them are sleeping.¡± ¡°Okay. You suffered a lot as well.¡± Ever since I took the initiative and told him that we had to do something, Bertus led the kids. It was true that he had to suffer through a lot¡ªhe even had to face an orc on his own. I made eye contact with Liana, who was lying calmly in the sunbed to my other side, sipping on her drink. ¡°You went through a lot as well.¡± Liana nodded her head to my rough praise while lying. ¡°You too.¡± What was that? Was it a stretch to think that the group mission created some form of camaraderie among the Class A students? That reminded me again that if we were to go through school together, there was a possibility that a unique bond might form between us. * * * * * * As the day advanced past noon, the dead asleep people also started to wake up. ¡°Urg¡­ My whole body is aching. I think I¡¯m going to die.¡± ¡°A-are you okay?¡± ¡°No¡­ What about you, Adelia?¡± ¡°I-I just¡­ After I got taken, I just ended up here¡­ I was scared and surprised, but I wasn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief¡­ Let¡¯s go eat something.¡± ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s a restaurant over there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m finally getting something proper to eat¡­¡± Harriet came out with an empty expression on her face and then headed towards the restaurant together with Adelia; it seemed like she was physically as well as mentally exhausted because of the spell she cast in the jungle in the middle of the night. When she walked past me to get to the restaurant, Harriet met my eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± She avoided my gaze for some reason. After reaching a safe environment, she might have recalled many things, like how she hugged me and cried while whining to me. It seemed like she came to her senses after she entered a safe zone and remembered how she relied on me when she had a mental breakdown. Wha-what have I done? Just what did I say? I must have gone crazy! That just had to be it! It seemed like that was what she was thinking. She¡¯d probably be that way for a while. -Reinhardt, won¡¯t you come swimming as well? In the distance, I could see Ludwig, who was playing with the other boys up until then, beckoning me to come over. Since the mission was over, these guys were frolicking about just because. ¡°I¡¯m sick and tired of swimming, you bastard!¡± -Is that so? Then there¡¯s nothing we can do about that! Were those guys actually crazy? How could they keep on playing like that? -Puhak! And I could see a girl in a swimsuit splashing around in the sea outside the bay far off in the distance. That girl. Ellen shook her head for a while and eventually returned with some lobsters skewered on a javelin. She trotted over to me in her swimsuit and pointed the spear¡ªand the large lobster¡ªtowards me. ¡°Let¡¯s eat this.¡± ¡°¡­Again?¡± It was a little surprising that she asked to eat together with me. Did she really want to eat that again? * * * The restaurant. The children ate different types of food and a lot of them; only Ellen went ahead and caught another lobster for herself. She only wore one of her training suit jackets over her swimsuit. In fact, there were quite a lot of students only wearing their swimsuits to eat. ¡°¡­Do you really want to eat that again?¡± ¡°I want to eat it properly cooked.¡± That girl seemed to wonder what the giant lobster would taste like if it were properly cooked, so that was why she handed the lobster over to the restaurant staff at the time. All the staff there were people who worked at Temple. So if the chef of that place was the same person that made our dinners, then they were definitely skilled. Of course, Ellen didn¡¯t want to only eat lobster. She already stuffed fried rice, sausages, and pasta into her mouth. She ate even more than usual because she couldn¡¯t properly fill her stomach for the last few days. Soon, lobster grilled in garlic butter with gratin on the side got brought to our table. When I tried that properly cooked version, it tasted even better. It was only natural that the eyes of the students who were stuffing themselves with various dishes in the restaurant crowded over to us because of the delicious fragrance. However, there was only a single lobster dish as Ellen hunted it herself. ¡°You can eat some.¡± When I said that, Harriet, Liana, Adelia, and Bertus came over and tasted some of it. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I might be sick and tired of this, but it certainly is still very delicious.¡± Everyone said that the cooked version of the lobster was even more delicious. ¡°I do like it, but I think the one we had on the first day was a lot better¡­¡± Harriet seemed to remember the lobster she ate on the first day to have tasted even more delicious because she didn¡¯t expect it to taste good. It was a psychological thing. Seeming as if she really hated remembering that time, her face turned really red. Those factors couldn¡¯t be ignored either. The guys from Class B also came closer and asked Ellen if they could eat some of it. They even took turns tasting a bite. ¡°Did you learn how to share your food now?¡± ¡°I can just catch more.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± It was a rather simple way of thinking. If there wasn¡¯t enough, she could just catch more. I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to eat lobster for a while, but when I put it in my mouth, it was so delicious that I ate quite a bit of it. Then I remembered something I had completely forgotten. ¡°Ah, the leather!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ellen seemed to have only recalled it at that moment. * * * After dinner, Ellen and I went to Mr. Epinhauser. In the end, he also wanted to enjoy the same things we enjoyed, so he was lying on one of the sunbeds wearing an Aloha shirt. To be honest, I certainly felt it again at that point. That the world there was really weird. There were even things like Aloha shirts. It was like my mind was in a complete mess when I put in these costumes. There were even synthetic fibers. I had no idea how they fabricated them, though. It was a ridiculous world that could be better described as a mix of modern and contemporary medieval fantasy. ¡°If it¡¯s about that, you can take it back with you. I¡¯ve been entrusted with processing these things, so you should be able to get it by the time you¡¯re back in Temple.¡± When we asked what happened to the jaguar leather, Mr. Epinhauser gave us a really unexpected answer. The mission was over, so I didn¡¯t even know that he had that kind of role. ¡°Think of it as your spoils of this mission.¡± Perhaps they left that job to a person who was experienced in handling animals. After selling it, Elle, Delphin, and I would share the money earned between us. After my hunger was sated, I laid back down on a sunbed, and Ellen laid down on the one next to me. I felt like I could sleep there for two days. The pocket money Temple gave us was also quite large, so there was no need to rush to get more money. There was nothing wrong with just relaxing there. ¡°What are you going to do with the money?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± Ellen also didn¡¯t think that much about it either. Even if she didn¡¯t say anything, she also must have been very tired, so she immediately fell asleep¡ªonly the sound of her steady breathing reached my ears. She had done a brilliant job without uttering a single complaint or whining. In fact, I saw Ellen getting very exhausted a lot while we were roaming through the jungle. She had gotten really dirty and sweaty in the jungle, but at that moment, her face and hair were clean and soft. I put a towel over that sleeping girl¡¯s legs and got up. It was a bit sad. Really. All it took was a proper place to sleep, something delicious to eat, and fresh clothes to wear that made the most fierce hell into a paradise. I guess living life wasn¡¯t anything special after all. -Reinhardt! Come on! It¡¯s fun! ¡°Are you that crazy about swimming?¡± Ludwig had eaten and gone back into the water, making a huge fuss again. -Pat ¡°Who cares?¡± Suddenly, Bertus approached me from behind and placed his hand on my shoulder. ¡°Opportunities like that won¡¯t come often, so how about we go and play?¡± That reminded me that Bertus never actually went into the sea up until then. It was the boss¡¯s order, after all. ¡°Haaa¡­ Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± I¡¯ll show you just what it means to play in the water. ____ Chapter 106 Chapter 106 We went to mess around in the water. As soon as Bertus and I entered the sea, the three incompetent brothers of Class A (Erich, Kono Lint, and Cayer) soon followed us. Except for Delphin, the only ones other than us who were there were the guys from Class B. Of course, a little while later, two unexpected people began to approach the water. ¡°I-I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Doesn¡¯t it look fun? Let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m shy¡­¡± Charlotte, wearing a swimsuit, approached the beach, dragging Scarlett with her. Of course, they wore swimsuits provided by Temple, not bikinis or something¡ªthey were just school swimsuits. Still, all the guy¡¯s eyes turned in their direction momentarily, staring blankly at them. They were obviously great beauties, so it was impossible not to stare. Erich couldn¡¯t even look in Scarlett¡¯s direction, perhaps because he remembered her beating him up. ¡°Can we join?¡± Charlotte asked us as she was approaching, while Scarlett stood behind her with a red face. ¡°Sure, Charlotte!¡± Ludwig warmly welcomed them, while Bertus just smiled. As soon as Charlotte came into the water, Bertus poured water over her. ¡°Kya!¡± Charlotte, covered in water, looked at Bertus. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± She stared at him with a chilly look in her eyes. ¡°This is how you¡¯re supposed to play. How could you be so serious? Really?¡± -Woosh! ¡°Arg!¡± ¡°Really now? How could you get so serious when we¡¯re just playing? Can¡¯t you let it go? That¡¯s all you can do?¡± -Woosh! ¡°Hey! Stop it!¡± In the end, some harsh words came out of Charlotte¡¯s mouth. ¡°Hey, hey, if you came over to play, you should play. How could you get angry? Hahahaha!¡± ¡°Aaaarg! You¡¯re crazy!¡± Bertus suddenly burst into laughter and continued to splash water on Charlotte, to which she screamed and reciprocated his actions. So they ended up splashing water at each other like crazy. ¡°Hey, guys, help me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother Charlotte!¡± Charlotte eventually asked for help, and everyone, including Ludwig and Scarlett, started attacking the Imperial Prince. ¡°Urgh! Uuurgh!¡± The scene wasn¡¯t really a brutal one. Bertus didn¡¯t pretend to be a good person and openly fought with the Princess. Of course, it was more like a prank, so it was rather fun and didn¡¯t make the atmosphere turn sour. The plot of the earlier parts I had written down had completely changed direction. I didn¡¯t know whether that scene could be described as friendly or antagonistic. Why couldn¡¯t those two just get along? ¡°Guys! I also need some help here!¡± Eventually, that crazy prank turned into a class competition. * * * The fierce water fight ended with Class B¡¯s victory, as they had a larger number of people on their side. ¡°You¡¯re the worst¡­¡± However, due to Bertus relentlessly attacking only Charlotte, she had the advantage, but her eyes and nose were completely red. It seemed like she was made to drink a lot of water through her nose. Of course, Bertus was the same. ¡°You lost, but you fought well¡ªthat¡¯s what you¡¯re supposed to say.¡± Bertus spoke while groaning, earning him a glare from Charlotte. Those two were actually after each other¡¯s lives, but looking at them like that made them seem like just a pair of siblings that bickered with each other. Charlotte murmured grimly, giving Bertus a cold stare. Her glare seriously seemed like she could shock freeze someone with it. ¡°Let¡¯s play ¡®crack the watermelon¡¯. The winner gets to knock the loser on the head.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that all of a sudden?¡± Bertus seemed a little perplexed by Charlotte¡¯s casual tone of voice. It looked like Charlotte really wanted to defeat Bertus completely. No, how did she know about ¡®crack the watermelon¡¯ anyway? ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°Ahahahahahaha!¡± Bertus burst into laughter at Charlotte¡¯s obvious provocation, then looked down at Charlotte with a grim look in his eyes. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Bring me a watermelon!¡± On their own, Bertus and Charlotte seemed rather kind and sweet. However, when they were talking with each other, their personalities made a complete 180. * * * A watermelon was placed on the sandy beach, and before it, Charlotte and Bertus were facing each other. The one who broke the watermelon first while blindfolded and after spinning ten times would get to hit the loser on the head. Both their eyes were covered with a towel. ¡°Th-that¡­ Guys. Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± Mr. Mustrang seemed anxious when he saw the kids holding a rod trying to crack open a watermelon. ¡°Whoever manages to crack open the watermelon first after spinning around ten times, wins!¡± Ludwig served as the referee. Everyone stood around and watched the sudden watermelon cracking competition, which seemed a little odd but very interesting. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s start!¡± Bertus and Charlotte began to spin around in place. In fact, the slight hope that they might end up forming a good relationship was nothing but that, a slight hope. Then, after some time. -Whack! ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Ah, I made a mistake.¡± Charlotte hit Bertus¡¯ head with her bat and not the watermelon. Everyone knew that that swing was never supposed to hit the watermelon, as she hit from right to left, not from top to bottom. As she wandered about, she kept gravitating towards the direction of Bertus¡¯ voice, not towards the watermelon. ¡°Hey, how could you do this to me?!¡± ¡°It was a mistake!¡± -Whack! ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Ah, another mistake.¡± Charlotte. She actually wanted to play ¡®crack the head¡¯, not ¡®crack the watermelon¡¯. Bertus ripped off the towel and glared at Charlotte with cold eyes. ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°It was just a mistake, you know? Are you really going to get mad at me for making a tiny mistake? Wasn¡¯t it you who told me to not take things so seriously while playing around?¡± ¡°You did that on purpose!¡± In the end, a wild chase ensued between Charlotte and Bertus, who had both taken off the towels. Charlotte, who would obviously fall behind Bertus in physical abilities, got caught with no way of escape. Bertus, who was seriously pissed off, picked up Charlotte and threw her into the sea. ¡°Die! Drown and die!¡± ¡°You crazy bastaaaard!¡± -Splash! The two ended up laughing at each other¡¯s actions, so everyone also ended up bursting into laughter seeing the scene. * * * * * * Their fights couldn¡¯t get any more intense than that because if either of them died, the other would be deprived of their right to the throne. So in the end, this just seemed like they were quarreling. In fact, the funniest part was that both of them ended up getting mad at each other. It seemed like the students of Class A and B were able to talk peacefully with each other, although they weren¡¯t on friendly terms just yet. It was totally different from the original, where they would be at each other¡¯s throats at all times. Evening time. After dinner, the teachers told us to gather together. As a precaution against parasite infections or something similar, there were wizards and priests casting various types of purification spells on us. Of course, I got a bit nervous, but thanks to Sarkegaar¡¯s ring, I wasn¡¯t exposed or anything. After the medical check-up, the teachers announced the results of both classes. ¡°It seems that both Class A and B have fulfilled the special condition. However, there were four final survivors in Class A and only one in Class B. As a result, taking various other factors into account, the mission ended in Class A¡¯s victory.¡± Additionally¡­ The arc that should have ended in Class B¡¯s victory ended up being Class A¡¯s as the plot had gotten completely twisted. Charlotte didn¡¯t end up winning. Mr. Epinhauser put up a piece of paper on the wall on one side of the restaurant. ¡°Of course, although the students of the winning class receive extra points, that doesn¡¯t mean that everyone else got a bad score. Please check the individual evaluation scores recorded on this paper.¡± Not everyone part of the winning class would get high scores, and not everyone in the losing class would get low scores. Someone who just lazed about wouldn¡¯t get a lot of points just because their class won. That wasn¡¯t the end of it. ¡°In addition, extra merits will be given to individuals who have greatly helped the group or played an important role during this mission. In Class A, that would be Number 1, 2, 5, and 11. In Class B, it would be Number 1, 9, and 11. The reasons are attached to your personal evaluation record.¡± Merits. Bertus, Ellen, Harriet, and I got some merits as well as Class B¡¯s Charlotte, Delphin, and Ludwig. It was probably because Bertus worked hard taking on the role of the leader, and Ellen and Harriet played a decisive role in the orc hunt, so it was only obvious that they would receive merits for that, and I probably got some because I worked hard in various ways as well. The ones from Class B probably received merits for similar reasons. ¡°Merits will be included in your evaluation record, and the person who receives the highest amount by the end of the semester will be given a special award. Also, keep in mind that merits and demerits can cancel each other out.¡± If one got demerits for violating the rules or causing accidents, one would be able to get rid of them with one¡¯s merits. For example, they could give one temporary immunity. Of course, everything would be reset after the semester ended. Anyway, although Class B lost, Charlotte should have received a pretty high score. I didn¡¯t know how, but she ended up completing the orc hunt on her own. While Mr. Epinhauser was explaining one thing after the other, Mr. Mustrang handed out notes to the sitting students one by one. ¡°Lastly, write down who you think played the biggest role in this mission from each class.¡± Finally, only the MVP vote remained. I was deliberating whether I should put down Ellen or Harriet, but in the end, I wrote down Harriet. I thought about writing down my name for a second, but after thinking about it, I felt like I really went crazy, so I refrained from that. Class A¡¯s voting results were: 2 votes for Bertus, 2 for Ellen, 4 for Harriet, and 3 for me. Class B¡¯s voting results were: 6 votes for Charlotte, 3 for Delphine, and 2 for Ludwig. Like that, Harriet and Charlotte were voted as the MVPs. ¡°Me¡­ Me? W-why?¡± Harriet¡¯s face turned bright red as she probably hadn¡¯t even suspected that she¡¯d get elected. * * * The MVPs would be given one credit each, so both Harriet and Charlotte would receive credits from the group mission. At night, the students from Class B suddenly made a campfire for some reason. The guys from Class A didn¡¯t seem to understand why they would make merry around a campfire after they had to sit around one every day before. However, Lanian Sessor played his instrument and sang some songs, so it wasn¡¯t all that bad. Most of Class A¡¯s students were extremely exhausted and opted to enter their bungalows and sleep early. ¡°Don¡¯t those guys ever get tired?¡± Harriet muttered as she dumbfoundedly watched that scene. When we were on that uninhabited island, their tension was already out of this world, but somehow they got even more excited after they were told to rest. ¡°Ain¡¯t it fine?¡± I was lying on a sunbed while watching them, and Harriet was sitting on the sunbed next to me. ¡°Anyway, if you have something to say to me, say it.¡± ¡°Wha-what?! Wha-what would I even have to say to you¡­¡± Even at night, I could very clearly see Harriet blushing. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I was lying still while she got a bit closer to me. She sat down next to me, neither moving nor saying anything properly, she was just mumbling for some time. I was looking forward to what she had to say to me. Finally, after muttering for a while, she properly opened her mouth. ¡°Well¡­ Tha-tha-tha¡­ Thank you.¡± Was she fumbling about just to say that? Apparently, she wanted to thank me for taking care of her during that mission. Of course, I ended up grinning at her. ¡°Hehe. really?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°Specifically, what are you thankful to me for?¡± ¡°Wha-what?¡± ¡°You said ¡®Thank you¡¯, so tell me what you said thank you for?¡± When I jumped up, asking her that with a smile, she slowly pulled back. ¡°So? What are you so thankful for? Huh? Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Harriet frowned when I suddenly entered my teasing mode. ¡°Aaarg! I hate you! You¡¯re the worst!¡± ¡°I see, so why did you say thank you to me then?¡± ¡°Go away!¡± Her face turned even redder before she yelled at me and ran to her bungalow. * * * It was a pretty long break. In Temple, I only trained and trained some more almost every single day, so it had been a very long time since I had a moment where I could just let go of everything and laze about. During the mission, I had to endure a lot as well, more than just training, so that felt like a long-needed vacation in a way. Ellen asked Harriet to cast underwater breathing magic on her, as she found it rather fun exploring the underwater world with it. ¡°¡­Is it that fun?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Harriet sent her off, then cast the spell on herself and went out to the sea with Adelia. After returning from her trip, I could see them excitedly chatting with each other. Perhaps it was a very interesting experience for them. As I said, it had been a while since I had an actual break, so I was just stretching out and relaxing on the sunbed except when I had to eat. When I got back to Temple, I would have to go back to my tight schedule filled with training. I wouldn¡¯t get a day off any time soon after that. So I was resting with all my might. Except for eating and sleeping, I just kept on hanging out. ¡°¡­Are you a mollusk?¡± After staying in that state until Sunday, Charlotte approached me. ¡°Hm? Why?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just because you¡¯ve been barely moving since yesterday.¡± It seemed like what I did looked quite strange to her as I was only hanging around the sunbed as if I was bound to it. ¡°I have to work hard again when I get back, so I¡¯m trying to rest the best I can for now.¡± ¡°Hah, that¡¯s funny.¡± Charlotte had her pretty blonde hair tied in a ponytail. Her hair was thick, so it looked good in any hairstyle. She wore a white sleeveless dress, seeming as if she didn¡¯t plan on swimming. She sat next to me, sipping on her drink. Charlotte hunted an orc. Her supernatural power was a secret, but it seemed like it was powerful enough to kill an orc. However, after the mission ended, Charlotte seemed to be dissatisfied about something. ¡°Did you kill the orc on your own?¡± Charlotte seemed a bit dazed after hearing my question but nodded after some time. ¡°How I did it is a secret, but I did.¡± All of Class B got eliminated one after the other. The mission ended with the only survivor remaining, Charlotte, killing the orc. ¡°Why are you asking?¡± She tilted her head as she was asking me. ¡°No, it just looks like you aren¡¯t really happy about that.¡± I only asked things to the extent I could. I had gotten a bit closer to Charlotte, but we weren¡¯t close enough yet for me to ask any sensitive questions. She had a powerful ability, but one that had to be kept a secret. I seemed worried about her, so she smiled at me. ¡°Well¡­ I hate relying on my supernatural power.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Charlotte laughed after that. It seemed like that was all she could tell me. I didn¡¯t know what ability she had, but she hated it. She lost her composure when the orc approached her so she ended up using her power. As a result, she managed to kill it, but she was dissatisfied with the fact that she had to rely on her supernatural power. Were there any supernatural power users that actually hated their own power? That made me even more curious about what Charlotte¡¯s ability was. ____ Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Around Sunday evening, we finally returned to Temple. ¡°There¡¯s no place like home, right?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little strange to say for the guy that seemed to have had the most fun?¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Ludwig chuckled as he listened to my words. I wasn¡¯t sure if the dormitory could be called home¡­ Anyway, it was similar to one. After everyone laid eyes upon Temple, they realized that they had returned to their normal daily life; the same went for Ludwig. It wasn¡¯t just us who returned. ¡°Junior!¡± Adriana and her class also came back from their group mission, so there were second years rushing towards the Royal Class dormitory as well. Seeing how happy she was, my heart fluttered a bit. ¡°Oh, senior.¡± ¡°Did you also just arrive?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s just Reinhardt.¡± Next to Adriana stood the second year¡¯s A-1, Redian, the little kid who skipped a grade. ¡°For me to meet you as soon as I come back to Temple. Next week will be an unlucky one.¡± She crossed her arms and shook her head jokingly. ¡°Did you only learn how to flap your lips during the group mission?¡± ¡°What? Flap my-? Are you picking a fight?¡± ¡°Stop, stop.¡± When she saw two fires light up in Redina¡¯s eyes, Adriana intervened and stopped her. ¡°Please understand, junior. Redina just feels bad after losing in the group mission, okay?¡± ¡°What?! That¡¯s not it! And we won!¡± ¡°So you feel bad because you lost.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it!¡± It seemed that the second years lost to Class B in their mission. I giggled at Redina. ¡°So that¡¯s the reason. I¡¯m in a good mood after winning, so I¡¯ll cut you some slack.¡± As I spoke to her teasingly, Redina¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Adriana! Please scold him!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± -Whack! ¡°Urgh! Why are you hitting me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really gotten better at purposely doing exactly the things I hate, junior.¡± Adriana took Redina¡¯s hand and headed towards the dormitory, seeming so angry that she didn¡¯t know what else to do. ¡°Anyway, congratulations on winning, junior! See you tomorrow then, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Adriana! Scold him more!¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry, let¡¯s go in and have dinner.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± When I saw the two of them walking hand in hand, I couldn¡¯t help but think they looked like sisters. They didn¡¯t look like classmates at all. Although they had quite the height difference between them, it wasn¡¯t just that. * * * After having our dinner at Temple after a long time. ¡°¡­It¡¯s kind of weird for me to say this since I¡¯m here as well, but isn¡¯t it a bit too soon to go back to your daily routine already?¡± ¡°?¡± On the day we returned, Ellen began wielding her sword and training in the gym right after dinner. Of course, I was also here getting back to training as soon as possible. ¡°Hold it tight, if you can.¡± Ellen threw one of the training swords towards me, and my reflexes were trained enough that I could catch it easily. ¡°Sigh¡­ I¡¯m going to be in pain again.¡± Ellen had so many talents that it was difficult to name them in one go. However, behind that talent stood the years that she had trained and put in every bit of effort. Erich de Lafeari was also talented, but how could someone who barely put any effort into training their talent beat someone like her? Ellen trained her own talents every single moment of her life. She was a hard-working genius. In fact, when I was watching Ellen fight that orc, I thought she was simply incredible¡ªshe didn¡¯t even allow a single attack of that giant muscle pig to hit her. Even her noticing the javelin stuck in the orc, pulling it out, and immediately stabbing it into its eye made me seriously doubt my eyes. I¡¯d never be able to defeat her. Ever. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± However, being able to trade blows with someone like her for free every single day was a huge benefit already. -Kaang! ¡°¡­¡± Of course, things always ended with the same result. * * * After returning to my usual routine, I did my morning training and practiced my swordsmanship in the gym even after classes were over. Perhaps because I had to go through some less than ideal environmental conditions during the mission, I felt like my normal training schedule was like heaven. I finally realized how incredible it was that I could drink water whenever I wanted and eat whenever I wanted. Drinking water could be found everywhere here. Even the gym was air-conditioned. It was a rather fresh outlook on things, making me feel fortunate to be able to train in such a divine environment. That was it. After experiencing absolute poverty once, one¡¯s small little studio apartment felt like a hotel. It was something like that¡ªit was something similar to having a winning mentality. Actually, that was kind of funny as my supernatural power was also based on keeping a winning mentality, so that way of thinking fits me quite well. Anyway, it was good that my motivation to train had gotten even stronger after experiencing having to survive on an uninhabited island. Meanwhile, on Wednesday. Bertus called me and suddenly handed me a big bag. ¡°¡­Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°What do you think it is? It¡¯s money.¡± It was a red bag that seemed to be made of silk. It was full of shiny gold coins. Oh, right. ¡°For the jaguar leather?¡± But it was still in the process of being treated, right? ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s easier for me to find a buyer than you on your own, right? They paid in advance already. I¡¯ll tell Mr. Epinhauser where he¡¯s supposed to send it.¡± I already thought that it would be pretty hard for me to find a buyer for such expensive leather, so it seemed like Bertus had already looked for one before I could even start. It also looked like they paid in advance. Anyway, wasn¡¯t it quite touching how much he was taking care of me? Well, it felt more like payment for doing various things for him during the mission though. ¡°No, but¡­ Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± I thought I heard that I would get about 10 gold coins, but judging by the bag¡¯s weight, its content far exceeded 10. ¡°To tell you the truth, the buyer is my grandfather on my mother¡¯s side, so he gave me quite the generous payment. I won the first group mission of the Royal Class, so it was only natural that he would be quite generous when it came to buying loot that came out of that.¡± The Family of Bertus¡¯s mother was Duke Salerian. So, the person Bertus meant was, of course, Duke Salerian. Having been in the position of being almost killed by Duke Salerian¡¯s knights before, Bertus¡¯s words were quite eerie. His grandson, who might become the Emperor in the future, won his first group mission of the Royal Class. To Duke Salerian, the jaguar leather signified his victory over Charlotte. Everything depended on the meaning someone gave it. So Bertus just sold it to the person who would offer the most money for it. It felt kind of nasty that it was the head of the group that tried to kill me once. ¡°Anyway, thank you.¡± I even got indirectly involved with Duke Salerian, something I would have never dared to imagine while I was trying to escape the Demon King¡¯s Castle. * * * * * * I received 30 gold coins as payment for the jaguar leather¡ªthat would be about 30 million won. What I almost left to rot in the jungle turned into a huge pile of money when I came back, so I was rather startled. If Ellen hadn¡¯t brought it back with her, and if Delphine hadn¡¯t properly skinned it, I wouldn¡¯t have received that much money. Liana was also involved, but she said she wasn¡¯t interested in the money, so I didn¡¯t bother going to her. After school, I took Ellen to Class B¡¯s dormitory and called out Delphin; then, I held out bundles with 10 gold coins in each of them to the two. ¡°Since we got 30 gold coins for it, let¡¯s take one-third each. That would be 10 gold coins.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ You sold it for so much?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it directly. Bertus sold it for me.¡± Delphin couldn¡¯t believe it when she saw the bundle of 10 gold coins in front of her. She was hesitant to take the money I was giving her. ¡°I mean, all I did was skin the jaguar with my poor skills¡­ Can I even accept this¡­?¡± It wasn¡¯t that big a deal, but it seemed like she felt a bit guilty accepting such a huge amount of money. ¡°If we follow your logic, I got this money by simply hitting a beast¡¯s head while it was electrocuted. What¡¯s the difference between mine and your contribution? Just take it.¡± If we were talking about who worked the hardest, that would probably be Ellen. ¡°I-is that so¡­? Well, thank you anyway. I really wanted to go eat something delicious with the others.¡± Delphin seemed to have planned to buy the others something with the huge amount of money. With the exception of Charlotte, all of Class B were commoners. Ellen put her 10 gold coins in the pocket of her school uniform and looked at me. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat something delicious.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you want to go eat something expensive, not just something delicious? Like something that you usually wouldn¡¯t be able to eat because it¡¯s too expensive?¡± ¡° Yes.¡± ¡­She was only thinking about eating the same food prepared differently. In the end, Ellen and I went to eat a full course at one of Temple¡¯s most luxurious restaurants where only the kids of noble families went. It was delicious. It was delicious, but¡­ ¡°How could they ask for one gold coin for a dish? How does that make sense?¡± It was a bit more expensive than we thought it would be. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°I mean, it was tasty, but I¡¯m not paying that money just to eat that!¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± It was delicious, so Ellen seemed to be alright with it. ¡°The amount was just too little.¡± ¡°¡­Seriously, there just has to be a dimensional crack in your stomach.¡± I was completely convinced that the Gates already opened disguised as Ellen¡¯s stomach. Anyway, Ellen said that she was still hungry, so she bought three hot dogs from the street. * * * After I returned to my daily schedule of studying and training, nothing really happened. If there was one thing that changed, it was that my physical abilities gradually rose. And¡­ And! [Strength 6.2 (D)] [Agility 6.7(D)] [Dexterity 7.7 (D+)] [Magic 11.3 (B-)] [Stamina 10.8(C+)] [Demon Domination D](An Archdemon¡¯s unique ability) (Cannot be used in current state.) [Self Suggestion D] [Swordsmanship F] Comprehensive Ability Assessment ¨C Lowest Level Demon Battle Level Evaluation : D+ As one could see. My pseudo-swordsmanship had finally evolved into swordsmanship. I did it. I¡¯ve got it. Self-suggestion also rose to D rank, so my combat level rose to D+ Rank. It jumped right up from F+! ¡°Kuhuk¡­¡± It might feel like insignificant growth to some, but to me, it showed the results of my hard work. ¡°¡­?¡± Ellen tilted her head as if she didn¡¯t know why I suddenly sat down on the gym floor and looked thrilled. That girl was 90% responsible for the evolution of my swordsmanship. ¡°Thank you! It¡¯s all thanks to you!¡± ¡°¡­Are you sick?¡± When I teared up and expressed my extreme gratitude to her, Ellen put her hand on my forehead and said: ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever, so what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Kuhuk¡­ I-I could actually do it. I¡­ Always believed I could do it!¡± It was such an emotional thing for me to have finally escaped pseudo-swordsmanship. Every time I checked my status and saw that I felt dirty! ¡­Of course, it was a bit disappointing that my evaluation only rose to D+ after all the shit I did, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Life was long. In other words, there was still a lot of time left for me to work hard. Only one semester had passed, but when I remembered the simple fact that I still had several years of that shit left to live through, I suddenly felt like my body had lost all its strength. ¡°¡­Sigh, I want to quit.¡± When I despaired by myself after I got all happy, Ellen just turned around and started swinging her sword on her own. However, thinking about all the people who were a lot stronger than me¡ªwho was just a D+ Rank¡ªI found my motivation again. * * * In any case, I wasn¡¯t leading an idle life, but there just wasn¡¯t anything special happening during my daily training sessions. The only small pleasure I had was checking my gradual growth in stats occasionally. In the morning, I exercised with Adriana, and after class, I did strength training until dinner, then I would practice my swordsmanship in the gym. However, there was a problem. I was getting more and more afraid of my morning training. ¡°Let¡¯s just go once, okay? Please, Junior?¡± The church sister was getting more aggressive with her preaching. My biggest problem was that I had to keep in my temper because I received too many things from her up to then. I couldn¡¯t curse at her after she had been so good to me, but I didn¡¯t know how to politely refuse someone kind of close to me asking such things of me. ¡°If you decide that you don¡¯t like it after going there just once, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to come anymore. So just come with me this once.¡± Sister, you¡¯re killing me! ¡°Aah! Fine!¡± Eventually, I fell to her persistent missionary work. ¡°However, just once.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, Junior! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll also come to like it!¡± It was nice to see Adriana smile so broadly. With that, I eventually accepted my defeat. ____ Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Of course, Temple also had clubs¡ªthe staple of every school life novel. There were clubs focused on magic research, swordsmanship, or any other field having to do with one¡¯s major; there were also music-related clubs or other more recreational ones, as well as some unspecified ones. There were also clubs with a religious focus. Since the student population exceeded one¡¯s imagination, it was a fruitless endeavor to count every club in Temple. Although I created the club setting, the main character, Ludwig, wasn¡¯t part of any, so I didn¡¯t describe them in much detail. If I made him join a club, the main story would unfold within it. I chose to follow the second of the two ways a school life story could unfold. I wasn¡¯t sure if any of Class A¡¯s students were part of any clubs at the time. Anyway, Adriana was trying to take me to one of the Royal Class¡¯ clubs. Adriana served Towan, the god of purity, but it was said that there were many people who were part of the club and followed another of the Five Major Churches. Of course, there weren¡¯t only clubs, but five shrines built for each religion in Temple. They offered classes related to religious studies, and on weekends, students with faith in any of the gods could visit to worship them even if they didn¡¯t major in divine powers. There were many religious students in Temple, who had different majors, so I knew that the shrines were full every weekend. So, rather than taking me straight to the weekend service, Adriana would try to first open my heart to religion by talking to me about it. Of course, I had no intention of going to any of the shrines. She said that her club activities were every Thursday after dinner. It seemed like they had a dedicated club room on the top floor of the Royal Class¡¯ dormitory. The club¡¯s name was ¡®Silver¡¯, and it was also said to be the club with the most members in all of the Royal Class. It was probably like that because the believers of the five churches gathered there. In the end, having skipped my evening training, I went down to the lobby with the conviction in my heart that it would be the first and last time. ¡°Ah, junior, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adriana was waiting for me in the lobby. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± It was also my first time taking the elevator installed in the dormitory. I had used them frequently before, but it was pretty strange that I never even took the one located in the dormitory. The 7th floor had a different structure than the lower floors where the dormitory rooms were located. There were many rooms and written on their doors were names of clubs. Due to the nature of the Royal Class, where only the most talented elites gathered, there were hardly any clubs that were simply recreational. ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡± Adriana walked into a hallway to our right and then stood before a rather large door. ¡®May the Grace of the Five Lords be with us.¡¯ That phrase was engraved on a silver plate in beautiful handwriting hanging on the door. A silver gate plate, that was the Royal Class for you. ¡°Let¡¯s go in. They¡¯re all very good people, so you don¡¯t have to be too nervous.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m one to get nervous?¡± Adriana frowned at my joking answer then smiled. ¡°Okay, then let me tell you something else. Don¡¯t cause any trouble, junior.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Adriana opened the door, and I followed her in. * * * It couldn¡¯t be said that this applied to everyone, but those believing in religions had some common characteristics. Assuming that they aren¡¯t fanatics, but ordinary people that just started believing in a religion or have a healthy dose of faith in them. Should I say they didn¡¯t seem to have a shadow cast on their face, or that they don¡¯t seem to have any worries? It felt like they had some passive skill that made them extrude gentleness. ¡°Oh, is this friend the new arrival you said that would come by? Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Agerton. A fourth-year.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, this is Reinhardt, a first-year.¡± They usually had that kind and wrinkle-free expression on their face. It seemed like not all of them were there yet, but they all seemed to make a fuss and welcome the arrival of a new face. ¡°If you¡¯re a first-year, does that mean that you¡¯re classmates with Ashir?¡± ¡°Yes, although we¡¯re in different classes.¡± It seemed that B-4 Ashir¡ªwho was someone who had a talent for divine power in Class B¡ªalso belonged to the club. He looked at me from afar and seemed to want to say, ¡®Why is he here?¡¯. ¡°Ah¡­ Hello.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± I barely had any interaction with him, so I could only say that much. Most of my seniors knew me from that duel; it certainly left a huge impression on them at the time. I didn¡¯t know whether it was because of that incident or because of their personalities, but I was treated quite favorably by both men and women. ¡°Have you eaten dinner yet?¡± ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, there are some snacks in the cabinet. You can eat whatever you find there.¡± I felt like I fell into a completely different world because I was welcomed so warmly by people that seemed to never frown. I could see that they were very excited to have someone new around. ¡°Reinhardt only came here to take a look around today.¡± Adriana tried to clarify that she brought me there but that I shouldn¡¯t be mistaken for a new member. That didn¡¯t mean, however, that they lost their spirit. ¡°Yes, yes, okay. Looking around is fine as well. You can come anytime you want, even if you just want to come hang out when you¡¯re bored.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right; there are many people that come here just to pass the time without signing up. You can think of it as getting closer to your seniors.¡± I was surrounded by people that were happy just by me being around¡­ I just couldn¡¯t get used to that. I hate bad guys, but my twisted mentality makes me feel uncomfortable when I¡¯m faced with someone who seems too nice. It makes me wonder if I¡¯m comfortable around people like Bertus. Positive energy and I don¡¯t mix well with each other! There were about 20 members. Since the total number of students of Royal Class was about 120, that was a pretty big number. Of course, since the high school section had about six grades, the age range was also pretty wide. ¡°Oh, is that the first year, Reinhardt?¡± And the person who greeted me with a bright expression seemed rather familiar; we met for the second time that day, actually. ¡°I¡¯m Ceres van Owen from the 5th year. Long time no see, right?¡± The president of the Royal Class¡¯ student council, whom I remembered seeing when I was admitted, also belonged to the club. The student council president said that although she wasn¡¯t majoring in divine powers, she personally believed in the Sun God. She continued to say that she also served as the club¡¯s vice president. I felt like she was someone that got her work-life balance all messed up. She was the student council president, but she also ended up being that club¡¯s vice president. Wasn¡¯t that kind of weird? Seeing that everyone was taking their eyes off of me, it seemed that they were about to start. But was there a problem? ¡°Hmm¡­ It seems that almost everyone is here, so shall we start?¡± Ceres van Owen, the student council president and the club¡¯s vice president, said with a rather awkward expression on her face. ¡°What about the president?¡± At Adriana¡¯s question, the student council president wore a subtle smile. ¡°Ah, ahaha¡­ The president said they want to take a break, it seems¡­¡± At those words, the overall atmosphere seemed to darken a bit. It seemed like the club¡¯s president had been absent for a while. Eventually, they started their club activities without the president. I didn¡¯t really know what I should do, so I did nothing. It seemed like they started to do some ritual for which everyone had to close their eyes and recite some common prayers. It was certainly different from the religions I knew from my previous world. -Blessed are the five Gods¡­ While everyone was chanting some prayers, the room didn¡¯t only fill with a solemn atmosphere, but the bodies of some people gave off a subtle glow. The prayers of those who could use divine powers became power itself, to the point one could see it with one¡¯s eyes. All it was was some kids getting together and praying, although one could feel a certain type of majesty from it. The club room was only filled with a few desks and some miscellaneous furniture, but I felt like I had seen a similar room before. In fact, I even felt that the divine power emanating from their prayer actually had an effect on me as well¡ªI felt my fatigue vanish, leaving behind a pleasant warmth. I wondered if that place served as some kind of Fountain of Life. I was full of energy. That surely wasn¡¯t the reason why Adriana said that it was a nice place, but it definitely felt different from the religious gatherings I had imagined. After the prayer was over, everyone¡¯s eyes fluttered open. Adriana smiled at me. She seemed to want to say, ¡°It¡¯s different from what you thought, right?¡±. * * * ¡°Let¡¯s first discuss the main agenda, then. As we all had our group missions last week, let us talk about our experiences.¡± Since the president wasn¡¯t there, the vice president and student council president Ceres van Owen took charge of the schedule. ¡°First of all, all outside volunteer work has been restricted because of the attack that happened in town before, right? It has been resolved as of now.¡± The attack on the Knights Templar seemed to also have had an effect on this club as well. ¡°However, the schedule was totally thrown into disarray last time, so the plan to send out some people to treat the injured soldiers was canceled; they said everything had already been resolved. I think we should find some other way to do volunteer work.¡± Since the club actually had people that could use divine powers, it seemed like they were volunteering to help in places where the power of a priest would be needed. ¡®¡­What¡¯s with this?¡¯ I thought. ¡®Are there only people possessed by some holy spirit present here?¡¯ I didn¡¯t think that it would be a place for me in many ways. Why were they all such angels? Anyways, it seemed like they were trying to provide free divine magic services for wounded soldiers and civilians who weren¡¯t able to get any help somewhere else. The event got canceled because of the incident with the Templar. So they were looking for another way to volunteer. ¡°Any opinions?¡± ¡°I heard there were a lot of orphans after the war. There seems to be a shortage of caretakers in public childcare facilities, so how about helping out there?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s a very good idea.¡± Listening to one member¡¯s opinion, Ceres nodded, saying it was a good idea. Someone who seemed like a scribe wrote it down. Various ideas on new volunteer activities were brought up one after the other; then they got organized. ¡®Just what is this?¡¯ I was surprised because it was a place filled with so much positive energy in a different way than I thought. It seemed that only people who thought it was natural to help someone out if one had power gathered there. I thought it would be a gathering where they talked about God, recited prayers, and reinforced their faith, but it wasn¡¯t like that at all. Wasn¡¯t it more like a volunteer club? After going through various discussions, it was eventually narrowed down to two plans: Helping out in the public daycare facilities and providing medical services in remote areas and the slums. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the teachers about some public childcare facility locations; as for the medical service in remote areas and slums, it would take some time to find appropriate locations due to local circumstances or safety issues.¡° I was again reminded that Temple was a place with great social influence. Even if we were part of Royal Class, in the end, it was only a club, but they could obtain the support of the whole institution. Ah. I wanted to leave. Their existence in itself was sacred, so I didn¡¯t think I should continue to be here. I guess I was a demon. Rather than being confronted with an arrogant bastard, being in front of such holy and good aristocrats was kind of, kind of¡­ A lot more painful! Before going there, I was afraid because of a completely different reason. * * * * * * Their new volunteering schedule had been decided, so it was then time for everyone to talk about the group mission. They simply discussed whether they won or lost or if it was fun or not. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this the first group mission for the first years? Ashir, Reinhardt, how was it for both of you?¡± Ashir was calm and said that it was a survival mission and that they, unfortunately, lost. He said that he had no idea that an orc would come out and that he was a bit embarrassed that he just ran away because he had been too horrified confronting it. ¡°Haha¡­ The first group mission certainly is a bit difficult.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a purpose behind that. Should we call it humbling?¡± The seniors also talked about the time they had to go through that, reminiscing about the past. The vice president then looked towards me. ¡°That would mean that Reinhardt¡¯s class won, right? How was it?¡± ¡°Winning is good and all, but in the end, it was a huge pain in the¡­ Arg! Why are you pinching me?¡± Adriana, who was listening to me, suddenly pinched me in my thigh when I was just being honest. No, that bastard. If I were to say something wrong again, she would beat me up, right? ¡°Can¡¯t my junior say some nice things?¡± ¡°What do you want me to do when my personality is like this?¡± Adriana was also my senior, but from the perspective of the college-level seniors, she was only a little second-year kid, so they were looking at her and me as if our arguing was cute. Everyone seemed surprised to hear that we fought that orc head-on¡ªeven Adriana. ¡°It¡¯s not like it was me who did it; it was that girl named Ellen who took care of everything¡­ and a kid called Harriet, who finished it off with a gigantic Fireball, so I didn¡¯t really do anything.¡± ¡°Still! It¡¯s great that you were ready to fight it.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s amazing, Reinhardt.¡± Ah. I felt like I was sinking into the floor because I was surrounded by people who praised me so casually! In the end, except for the praying in the beginning, it didn¡¯t really seem all that religious. Everyone was just talking and chatting. ¡°Okay, that should end our official talk. Then let us pray. Those who would like to stay can stay, and those who want to leave can leave.¡± Like that, their club activities ended. To be exact, after it was over, they gathered into groups of twos and threes to talk and eat some snacks together. Like it had at the start, the prayer again created quite the majestic atmosphere. After praying, Adriana stayed with me a bit longer. I asked if I could go, but I ended up getting forced to eat some of the snacks. ¡°Don¡¯t you follow any type of faith?¡± ¡°Ah, erm, not really¡­¡± The seniors asked me this and that, as I was new around there, and I tried to answer appropriately. If I told them I believed in myself, Adriana would probably have an even bigger reaction than before. ¡°Still, it¡¯s not bad to have a place to pour your heart out. Think carefully. Because the Gods reward us just as much as we put faith in them.¡± If they were talking about divine power, that senior¡¯s words were indeed true. No, they were right, but¡­ I was the creator of the five Gods. I was the world¡¯s actual creator, so to speak. So, how paradoxical was it for the creator to follow his own derivatives? That would be a real pain in the butt. Give me strength, my babies; I¡¯ll put my faith in you~ That was just ridiculous! In the end, they only told me to think carefully about this; they didn¡¯t force me to do anything. Everyone talked to me, but they also talked with each other. ¡°By the way, the president¡­ Will they never show up again?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m trying to persuade them, but I¡¯m not sure.¡± The high school seniors were talking about such topics in a hushed voice. It must have been a while since the president last showed up in the club. ¡°By the way, I heard that the Demon God Church seems to have reemerged¡­¡± ¡°The Demon God Church?¡± ¡°Yes, because of that incident, there are rumors that the Demon Realm is still intact, so it seems that their belief is spreading again. I heard about it from my uncle, who is an Inquisitor of the Church of Ars. ¡°I-isn¡¯t that a pretty big deal!¡± I also remembered the setting of the Demon God Church because Ludwig butted heads with some of its remnants. The Demon God Church. They were a pro-demon force from within humanity. The one they served was the Demon God, a concept opposite of the other Gods. However, after the Demon Realm completely collapsed, they should have died out naturally¡ªleaving only a few remnants behind. However, the attack in the capital caused the misunderstanding that the Demon Realm hadn¡¯t yet collapsed but was still hiding tremendous power. That was why the Demon God Church, which should have died out, had found its glimmer of hope and maintained its faith. I had to keep promising myself that I wouldn¡¯t do anything that would have too many consequences that would spread like wildfire everywhere I went in the future. The whole atmosphere turned solemn after hearing the news about the Demon God Church. For the ones believing in the orthodox religions, the Demon God Church was their main enemy and an organization to be purged. The female senior, who said her uncle was an inquisitor of the Church of Ars¡ªa heresy inquisitor¡ªcautiously opened her mouth again. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not completely sure about this¡­ But I heard there might be students who believe in the Demon God¡¯s religion inside of Temple¡­¡± ¡°L-lies!¡± ¡°Stop! Darissa.¡± Ceres, who had been gentle from the start to the end, furrowed her eyebrows and glared at the senior named Darissa. The girl shuddered at Ceres¡¯ warning. ¡°I know who you mean. They aren¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°B-but still¡­ Isn¡¯t it dangerous?¡± What were they talking about? Ceres seemed to know who she believed to be Demon God Cultists. ¡°I¡¯m done talking with the student president. I got a definite answer that they weren¡¯t like that in the least.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°Silence.¡± Ceres glared at her with a cold gaze, continuing to frown. ¡°They are just kids that tend to say things that might be misunderstood. If these rumors spread, innocent children might get arrested by the heresy inquisitors. And you don¡¯t know how those kids might get treated after they get arrested by one, now do you?¡± If rumors based on mere speculations were to spread, the kids might get arrested by a heresy inquisitor and tortured to death. I mean, she should just stop talking bullshit and shut her damn trap because that made her look like someone who got off on spreading shitty rumors. I had just been mentally praising that group for being full of good people too¡­ ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Darissa said that she was wrong with a quivering voice and a completely white complexion after getting scolded. Ceres looked around, seeming not as kind as before¡ªemitting a type of pressure. ¡°Wherever one goes, I hear people talking about the spreading of the Demon God Church; the same goes for Temple, so don¡¯t ever say things like that.¡± Everyone froze up and said they understood. That girl. Maybe because she was the student council president, she emitted a kind of authoritative aura. [Quest appeared ¨C The Demon God Church inside Temple] [Description £º There are rumors that there are Demon God worshippers inside Temple] [Goal : Find out the truth behind the rumors.] [Reward : 300 Achievement Points] A pretty terrifying quest suddenly appeared. ____ Chapter 109 After the club activities were over, I went down to the first floor with Adriana. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°It was fine. They all seem like good people.¡± They didn¡¯t force their beliefs on me, and I was slightly embarrassed seeing people thinking so hard about how they could help others with their power. When one was before people that seemed too good, one felt a certain kind of shame for some unknown reason; the club had made me feel like that. ¡°You don¡¯t have to sign up; you can just come over if you ever feel bored. If you have any troubles, you can share them there; they can also help you in deciding what career you want to pursue with your studies and many more things.¡± In the end, Adriana was more interested in introducing me to some good seniors than in forcing her belief on me. They were people who were willing to help whenever it was needed, even if they didn¡¯t share the same faith. Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t that huge? There were many children of prominent families in the Royal Class and many of them were excellent individuals¡ªespecially the older seniors. I had just created a link with them, meaning I could meet them at any time and ask them for help. Wasn¡¯t it weirder not to agree to that? ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll come hang out sometime.¡± ¡°You thought well, junior!¡± Adriana smiled broadly because she was happy that I decided to visit the club occasionally. It was nice to suddenly have such a large number of connections, but I also had a question. ¡°By the way, what did they mean by there being Demon God Cultists in Temple?¡± Achievement points were very multifaceted¡ªthey were also more valuable than money. Adriana tilted her head at my question. ¡°Well¡­ I think the student council president and some of the seniors know something about that, but I don¡¯t really. It¡¯s not something you can just ask¡­ Since they said it¡¯s not a big deal, it probably isn¡¯t. Darissa is probably just someone that worries a lot in general.¡± Apparently, Adriana didn¡¯t know anything. She mentioned a senior called Darissa and the student council president, although the latter said it wasn¡¯t that big a deal. With that, I figured I had to get behind it on my own. And there was another question. ¡°By the way, is there a problem with the club president?¡± Everyone seemed to know something, but no one was talking about it. ¡°A-ah¡­ That.¡± Adriana was also reluctant to talk about it, scratching her cheek. She told me that we shouldn¡¯t talk about it there, and she took me out of the dorm. It was midnight, so we tried to walk quietly and sat down next to each other on a bench with the light of a street lamp quietly illuminating us. ¡°Do you know who the club president is?¡± ¡°No, I have no clue.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re really not interested in the seniors, are you, junior?¡± They were the president of the club with the highest member count in the Royal Class. ¡°She¡¯s famous. It¡¯s Olivia Lanze.¡± Olivia Lanze. I didn¡¯t know that name. It seemed like she was someone existing in the margins of the story as well. ¡°The president is pretty famous, but there¡¯s someone even more famous than her.¡± ¡°And who would that be?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s Riverrier Lanze. Haven¡¯t you heard of him?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t know him.¡± I hadn¡¯t heard of that guy either. ¡°He¡¯s the commander of the Knights Templar.¡± Ah. I had completely forgotten about him. He was that guy. I felt terribly ashamed that I completely forgot about a character I wrote myself¡ªand someone with a lot of power at that. ¡°Then¡­ Who¡¯s the president?¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s the commander¡¯s daughter.¡± Olivia Lanze. A fifth year. She was the daughter of the Knights Templar commander. * * * The Knights Templar was a group consisting of paladins and priests of any of the Five Churches. After the end of the Demon World War, it should have naturally been dissolved, but it would remain as it was. In other words, it was a group that moved according to the Five Popes¡¯ will, but in the end, the Commander of the Knights Templar had a lot of power as well. Religion is a concept independent of the state, so even the Emperor had to step back when faced with the influence and actual power of the Knights Templar commander. Olivia Lanze, daughter of Riverrier Lanze, the Commander of the Knights Templar. She even had the nickname ¡®Saint of the Eredian District¡¯. Not only was she incredibly passionate about volunteer work, but she also seemed to have incredible skills. ¡°To tell the truth¡­ My dream was to be someone like her.¡± She was such a perfect person in almost every way that she was Adriana¡¯s role model. ¡°She said that she wanted to join the Knights Templar after she graduated.¡± It seemed that she immediately wanted to join the Knights Templar instead of continuing her studies. She was such a kind person that people called her model student and saint¡ªthat was the kind of impression she left on others. ¡°But, for some reason, she hasn¡¯t come to any of the meetings lately¡­ I heard that she doesn¡¯t attend any of Temple¡¯s classes anymore as well.¡± Adriana seemed worried about her. The student who had only been leading an upright life up until then suddenly became truant. The girl who was so devoted to volunteer work suddenly didn¡¯t come to her club meetings or classes. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what is going on with her because she¡¯s a senior. I guess the teachers are also having a hard time.¡± If someone who was undisciplined from the start did such things, they would be expelled or disciplined, but instead it was a case that involved the student among students. Therefore, it seemed like the teachers were trying to lead her to the right path again. She was even graduating soon. If she wasn¡¯t careful, she wouldn¡¯t fit into her uniform anymore. A truant student. ¡°Things have just felt a little off recently. I¡¯m frustrated because I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m really worried.¡± It seemed pretty hard on Adriana, seeing her role model and mental support gradually falling apart. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just go and ask her what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ Pardon?¡± ¡°Although she doesn¡¯t go to class, she¡¯s still in Temple, right?¡± ¡°Ah. Yes. Yes, but¡­ She¡¯s such a lofty senior and¡­¡± Really, that girl. Well. She wasn¡¯t wrong. She was only a second year in high school, after all. It might be a bit difficult for her to tell a senior that had been around much longer that she was worried about her recent behavior. ¡°You¡¯re frustrated, aren¡¯t you? So are you just going to wait until your stomach explodes or something? If you¡¯re curious, go ask.¡± ¡°I mean¡­¡± Adriana fell silent for a moment, but then she nodded firmly, seeming as if she had made up her mind. * * * * * * The next day, morning. Adriana, who came down for her morning training, looked worse than she had the previous day. ¡°Did you go visit her yesterday?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­ Yes. Yes¡­¡± Looking at her expression, it seemed like she didn¡¯t get a very positive answer. Or did she get told that it was none of her business? Normally, she would just tell me right away, but instead, Adriana led me to a bench and sat down next to me. ¡°Reinhardt, good work today!¡± ¡°Uhm, thanks.¡± Ludwig and the others who were there for their morning training greeted me as they rushed past me. Scarlett and Charlotte were also exercising every morning. Ellen was already too far away. Adriana looked very pensive. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Adriana looked like she had experienced something unbelievable. ¡°The president¡­. wants to quit.¡± ¡°¡­She wants to quit? The club?¡± Of course, she would feel somewhat betrayed, but was that really something over which one had to make such an expression for? ¡°No, not the club¡­¡± There was the reason why Adriana was so shocked. ¡°She wants to quit Temple¡­¡± With her graduation just around the corner, Olivia Ranche wanted to quit Temple. ¡°Not only that¡­ She also said that she abandoned all her faith.¡± From what I heard, this story wasn¡¯t all that simple. The seniors didn¡¯t say anything, but they probably all knew. I guessed that they didn¡¯t tell their juniors because they feared it would cause confusion. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ She didn¡¯t tell me.¡± I didn¡¯t exactly know what they talked about, but she probably just told her that she would quit everything without getting into her reasons as to why she would do that. She didn¡¯t only deviate a little; she was about to turn her whole life upside down¡ªabandoning both her faith and Temple. She was even called Saint of the Eredian district, the area where Temple was located. Just what the hell happened to her? Did she join the Church of the Demon God? Was there a possibility that it had something to do with my quest? However, I wasn¡¯t sure if she would be able to completely abandon her religious life and make a total U-turn in the opposite direction. Adriana seemed absolutely devastated. That was understandable because she had suddenly found out that her idol decided to give up on her faith and Temple, after all. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something going on¡­¡­¡± It was clear that something tremendous had happened to Olivia Lanze. However, she was a far-off senior, so we wouldn¡¯t be able to find out anything more. ¡°Well¡­ Even if we knew what happened, I doubt we could do much about it. She said she wants to quit, so we couldn¡¯t just tell her to come back to her senses, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s true.¡± Adriana looked towards the ground, disappointed. Seeing Adriana, who had always been calm and collected, looking down like that¡­ What the hell. Wasn¡¯t that strangely cute? ¡­¡­ I had similar thoughts when I was with Harriet. Was I a sadist? No, I mean, if I compiled all the things I did up until then, wasn¡¯t there a 100% chance that I was a sadist? Or was I simply weird? ¡°Junior, would it be rude if I tried finding out what happened to the president?¡± Adriana mumbled in a sullen voice. She knew she couldn¡¯t change that person¡¯s decision, but she still wanted to know why someone with such strong convictions and beliefs suddenly decided to give up on everything. Why would she be scared? However, Adriana seemed to think that it was rather rude for her to try and find out the reason. ¡°That would be rude.¡± ¡°I guessed as much¡­¡± Adriana let out a sigh of relief. As expected, she wanted to stop thinking about it, but she couldn¡¯t. It was rude to dig up things on a senior behind her back. Something like that didn¡¯t suit Adriana at all. ¡°I¡¯m an expert in being rude.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be rude in your stead.¡± When I told her that I¡¯d find out these things for her, she seemed greatly perplexed. Being rude was my specialty. ¡°Ju-junior¡­?¡± The flustered Adrianna was cute as well, but I liked her usual self a lot more. * * * I would get achievement points for finding out the truth behind the rumors about the Demon God Church, I wouldn¡¯t get any for the thing with Olivia Lanze. I figured that the connection between those two things was either not there or very vague. Still, despite my rude behavior and mischievous acts, Adriana had taken care of me up until then. Even though she must have seen me as a very bad person, she was still kind to me and helped me out. Adriana was like Temple¡¯s version of Eleris to me. In the end, it was only advantageous for me to have made a connection with that club. Although she would have been happy if I found a belief, she just took me there so that I could get to know various people. As I kept on receiving help from her, I wanted to give her something back. Adriana was grateful, but she asked me to not pick a fight with the seniors or cause any trouble. She was grateful for my intentions but still worried that I might punch someone again like usual. Of course, it was highly unlikely that I would end up hitting someone. I mean, they were in their fifth year. Someone who reached the fifth grade in Royal Class and had a combat talent should be pretty confident in winning a fight if they weren¡¯t completely stupid. There should be some monsters among them that already reached a superhuman level, and wasn¡¯t Olivia Lanze the same? The fifth-year, Olivia Lanze. Why did that girl want to quit Tempel and abandon her faith? I had shouted out quite confidently that I would be rude in Adriana¡¯s stead, but I couldn¡¯t really think of any reason. If it was for a personal reason, wasn¡¯t it pretty much impossible to find out? If I didn¡¯t move, I would never find out a single thing. I started my investigation by going to see Bertus after class. ¡°Ah, Reinhardt. What¡¯s the matter?¡± After the group mission on the uninhabited island, I felt like Bertus was pretty kind to me. While he was busy contemplating whether he should give up or not, I was able to make him move to action. He might think, deep down, that they might have lost the group mission if not for me. Urgh. It was definitely a good thing to build a good relationship with the guy. How should I say it? It felt a bit scary and a bit uncomfortable. I had rather complicated feelings about it. Still, it wasn¡¯t something I had to keep a secret. I didn¡¯t have to be wary of Bertus and Charlotte. ¡°I just want to ask you something.¡± ¡°What might that be?¡± We were at the tea terrace adjacent to the dormitory, the sun was still up, so it wasn¡¯t quite evening yet. ¡°Do you know Olivia Lanze?¡± ¡°Aah, are you talking about the daughter of the Knights Templar Commander?¡± Bertus nodded, saying he knew her as she was quite the celebrity. Since she was the daughter of the Knights Templar leader, one couldn¡¯t help but know about her. ¡°Do you know her personally?¡± If she was acquainted with Bertus, he might be able to find out those things a lot easier than me. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ve seen the Knights Templar Commander in official settings a few times, but I have never seen her before. Although she is quite famous, she doesn¡¯t have any actual title or position. I¡¯ve heard quite a few rumors, though. What did they call her? Saint of the Eredian district? Pfft¡­ Hm, yeah, that¡¯s what they call her.¡± Bertus burst into laughter, sounding as if he got tickled by the remaining sunlight when he brought up the word saint. He saw the Knights Templar Commander a few times but didn¡¯t know his daughter. That was right. The Commander was an important person, but that title wasn¡¯t hereditary, so therefore she wasn¡¯t all that important. It couldn¡¯t be helped that she wasn¡¯t acquainted with Bertus. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Bertus seemed curious as to why I asked him about one of our seniors so openly. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that she seemed to have said that she would quit Temple and abandon her faith¡­ I was wondering why she would do that. It¡¯s not anything big.¡± ¡°¡­¡­She¡¯s quitting?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I heard.¡± Bertus seemed surprised as if it was the first time he heard of that. ¡°Hmm¡­ I thought I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the senior years, and yet this happened.¡± It seemed like Bertus didn¡¯t intend on gathering information that didn¡¯t concern him. He began to ponder over the strange piece of news reaching him out of nowhere. ¡°That¡¯s certainly strange; even though I don¡¯t know her that well, she wasn¡¯t only famous inside of Temple but outside of it as well.¡± ¡°Just how famous is she?¡± Although Bertus didn¡¯t know much about the fifth-years, he knew more than I did because he was in a position where a lot of information converged. ¡°She was a Temple student¡ªso she couldn¡¯t participate in the Demon World War¡ªbut I heard that her abilities were already at a level where they could be used in actual combat. She knew that she wouldn¡¯t be able to participate in the war, but she took a special leave of absence for a year to give out free medical support. I know that she has returned now that the Demon World War is over. She was already thought to possess divine powers similar to a High Priest. There were a lot of people saved by her, so she became famous as the rumors far and wide. That¡¯s how the nickname ¡°Saint of the Eredian district¡± was born.¡± Her divine powers weren¡¯t merely on the same level as a regular priest, but a high priest. She was still a student, so she couldn¡¯t participate in the war, but she ended up saving a tremendous amount of people during the Demon World War. ¡°She¡¯s an amazing person.¡± ¡°She sure is. If she were to join the Knights Templar, she would be their next Commander. If she were to join the Church of Towan, she would be its next pope.¡± She had excellent abilities and strived to use them for the people. With the reputation gained from her actions, there would be no one against her becoming the next Commander of the Knights Templar. ¡°But she suddenly decided to abandon everything¡­ Hmm. This is troubling.¡± Bertus frowned for some reason. Why was he so troubled? ¡°Troubling?¡± At my question, Bertus took a sip of black tea and crossed his arms. ¡°No, I just wanted her to be the next commander of the Knights Templar.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice for someone like her to sit in such a position?¡± That was what he said, but I was able to read the intention behind Bertus¡¯s words. The Knights Templar was a huge and powerful organization, difficult to deal with for the Empire. He thought there should be some nice, virtuous person at their head so that they wouldn¡¯t get any dangerous ideas. In other words, judging by those words and his tone of voice, it seemed like the current Commander wasn¡¯t someone that suited Bertus¡¯s taste. Obviously, the Knights Templar had demon slaves, and during the incident last time, they actually tried to take those succubi for themselves. Since Bertus knew what was going on inside of their organization, it was clear that he didn¡¯t like them all that much. Hmm? Come to think of it. No way¡­ ¡°Perhaps the reason for her decision is one of two things,¡± Bertus said while looking at the scenery unfolding outside of the dormitory, where there was still some gentle sunlight kissing the ground. ¡°One would be that she became disillusioned when she learned that the Knights Templar were a very different group than she first thought¡­¡± Bertus looked at me and smiled. He looked like he was about to tell a pretty nasty joke. ¡°The second would be that she found herself a man.¡± At that moment, I remembered something I had forgotten. Priests of Saint Towan couldn¡¯t marry. ____ Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Bertus didn¡¯t mention the type of people the Knights Templar actually were. If he wanted to do that, he would have had to tell me first that the country divided the demonic prisoners among themselves to sate their lustful desires. Of course, even if Bertus didn¡¯t explicitly tell me, I knew about it. I had no idea what became of Olivia Lanze in the original novel. Her desire to quit Temple and abandon her faith might or might not be a result of this terrorist incident. However, since it was an event that had a significant impact on the Knights Templar, Olivia Lanze, the daughter of the Knights Templar Commander, might have been affected as well. Of course, her leaving might have happened no matter what. If she had found out that the Knights Templar were keeping the demon prisoners as slaves, she would have felt an incredible sense of betrayal. After graduating, she had planned on joining them; if she found out that such ugly desires actually corrupted the Knights Templar, it was more than understandable that she would want to quit Temple and give up on her faith from the sense of betrayal. She devoted her whole life to that group, but because she found out that it was all rotten inside, she couldn¡¯t keep going as if nothing had happened anymore. She could have found out that both the Knights Templar as well as the Church of Towan were completely corrupted. Just listening to the stories told about her, one could get a sense that she was someone with a strong sense of justice, with a deep faith and kindness in her heart. That was the first possibility. As for the second possibility Bertus had mentioned as a joke¡­ Priests of Towan couldn¡¯t get married, so she might have wanted to let go of her faith because she actually had a lover. It wasn¡¯t entirely impossible, but if that were the truth, that would be kind of shocking. Just what kind of fiery love was that? Bertus remained silent for a while after stating those two speculations. ¡°Hmm¡­ I think this might be a serious problem, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Is it that serious?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s going to get into some serious trouble?¡± Bertus even looked slightly nervous; it was really unlike him. What did he mean by trouble? It was already pretty troubling that someone like her had decided to throw away her faith and quit school voluntarily, but she was going to get into even bigger trouble? ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you much in detail, but if she were trying to abandon her faith and quit Temple because she found out about the corruption in the Knights Templar¡­ Wouldn¡¯t she try to reveal it out of guilt?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± I would think so. ¡°The ones causing the most trouble aren¡¯t slick guys like you but honest bastards like Olivia Lanze.¡± Bertus simply described the Saint of the Eredian district Olivia Lanze as an honest bastard. No, but why was he saying that all of a sudden? * * * She had discovered the corruption of the church¡ªcorruption so great that she was compelled to give up on her faith. However, her disposition was honest and good. She would try to reveal that the organization she believed in was internally corrupt¡ªeven if it was her father who stood right in the center of such corruption. The image of the Knights Templar and the whole religious group would be severely damaged. Of course, something like that didn¡¯t happen in the original novel. I wasn¡¯t even aware at that moment that the Knights Templar was like that. I mean, that wasn¡¯t even the main focus of their description. I wrote that they were just a group called the Knights Templar and that they mainly consisted of paladins and priests and that they also fought when the gates opened; that was all the description they got. In other words, one could conclude that the incident was caused by the butterfly effect as a reaction to my terrorist incident. Another possible outcome was that Olivia Lanze wouldn¡¯t even be able to make her move. At that point, we couldn¡¯t know how the events would unfold. However, Bertus was aware of that fact. ¡°Hmm¡­ If I can, I¡¯d like to just wait and watch it crumble¡­¡± Bertus didn¡¯t like the Knights Templar anyway. Even if one wasn¡¯t an insider, it would be a huge deal if the reputable saint suddenly went public and revealed things like that. However, if that were to happen, the truth about the demon prisoners getting divided among the participating countries would also be revealed. The general public had no clue about the true story behind the terrorist incident at all. It would be a lethal blow not only to the Knights Templar but to all the nations that participated in the Demon World War. ¡°I want to go meet her.¡± Bertus was the Imperial Prince. No matter how young he was, she wouldn¡¯t be able to turn down Bertus¡¯ request for a meeting. Bertus stood up, saying that he would talk to her. The nature of their talk wasn¡¯t something that could be shared with me, so he didn¡¯t bring me with him. ¡°Uhmm¡­¡± How come things felt like they were getting blown more and more out of proportion? Did I stir up a hornet¡¯s nest just then? * * * * * * Bertus returned around evening. After dinner, he called me back to the tea terrace. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­How should I say it? She herself felt like a good person, but I felt strangely uncomfortable around her. There¡¯s nothing wrong with her though¡­ Hmm¡­ It was the first time I felt that way.¡± Ah. Interesting. It seemed like he felt what I felt when I went to that religious club before, that strange uncomfortable feeling when faced with someone simply too good and nice. As expected, I had that strange feeling because my nature was closer to Bertus¡¯s, huh? He sighed and sipped on his tea. ¡°Of course, it was as bad as I expected. I can¡¯t even communicate with that idiot.¡± Being good was nice and all, but Bertus seemed to have seen her as an idiot he couldn¡¯t communicate with. I didn¡¯t know what they talked about, but he had probably tried and failed to negotiate with her. However, one had to admire Bertus¡¯ toughness, being able to call someone with a grandiose nickname like ¡®Saint of the Eredian District¡¯ just an idiot. ¡°To answer your questions. You just need to know this¡­¡± Bertus was actually giving me an answer to my original question. ¡°She discovered a problem within the Knights Templar; that is why she wants to give up on everything. And also¡­¡± Bertus wore a strange smile and tilted his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t just a matter of her wanting to quit Temple and abandon her faith. If she keeps being like that, she won¡¯t have a simple death.¡± Looking at Bertus talking about someone¡¯s death with a smile reminded me again what type of person he originally was supposed to be. ¡°You can¡¯t be thinking¡­¡± Of killing Olivia Lanze, are you? I couldn¡¯t even finish posing that question. Olivia Lanze was an influential person who could cause a lot of trouble if left alone. This also involved the image of the Empire, after all. If so, Bertus might try to get rid of her before she could cause any damage. ¡°No way, I won¡¯t do something like that.¡± As if he knew what I was thinking, Bertus expressed his displeasure. ¡°Aren¡¯t we in Temple?¡± Bertus added that to make me understand. I nodded. Yeah, Olivia Lanze blabbing carelessly was a problem. However, it would cause a lot of problems for the Empire if something were to happen to one of Temple¡¯s Royal Class students. Causing a bigger problem just to cover up another one was a tremendous disgrace¡ªthat was what Bertus was trying to say. Hence, Bertus wouldn¡¯t do something like that, but¡ªto be honest¡ªI wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°By the way, she doesn¡¯t know you, so why did you suddenly become curious about her?¡± Bertus seemed more curious as to why I suddenly got interested in an unrelated senior¡¯s personal affairs. ¡°¡­A senior I know is worried about her.¡± ¡°Ah, that one?¡± Bertus nodded his head, knowing that Adriana and I were pretty close. ¡°This won¡¯t end well for her.¡± No matter if Bertus would do something or not, his tone of voice betrayed a feeling of certainty that a big incident would happen soon. The palms of my hands were covered in a cold sweat. * * * I couldn¡¯t give Adriana such information as is. Honest bastards would cause big problems. Adriana was probably one of those bastards as well. If she found out about it, she would definitely try to do something herself and put herself in danger. Damn it. The life of someone I hadn¡¯t even met yet was in danger. Bertus had a conversation with Olivia Lanze, who was obviously going to do something stupid for the prestige of the Empire. However, I realized that they couldn¡¯t communicate at all. Because of me, things might have gotten worse. Although the odds were very slim, Bertus might still take some drastic measures. I decided to go up to the fifth floor myself. Talking to Adelia would only have only increased the number of troublemakers. When I reached the Class A year five dormitory lobby, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on me, opened wide. They were probably wondering why someone of the lower years would come there. ¡°I, erm¡­ I¡¯m looking for a senior named Olivia Lanze.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see. Okay. Wait here a second.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± As if they knew what was going on, the senior I asked just let out a sigh. Olivia seemed to have played a certain role in the creation of the gloomy atmosphere permeating the Class A year five. The senior who told me to wait in the lobby for a bit kindly went in person to call her. The students that were in their fifth year in Temple¡¯s high school section were 21 years old. They were already adults. However, because she had shut herself in for a year, she would be 22. I was told that Olivia Lanze, whom I was about to meet, already possessed immense divine powers to the point where she could use high-ranking divine magic. I didn¡¯t know if she was just as talented combat-wise, but I guessed she was. After some time, someone that seemed to be her¡ªwearing a Royal Class uniform¡ªwalked towards me with that other senior beside her. She must have fallen into the deep pits of despair, so her expression seemed a little stiff, but she couldn¡¯t hide her gentle personality and good nature¡­ ¡°There have been a lot of people looking for me recently. What¡¯s going on?¡± I didn¡¯t know much about her, but I could tell that she was a stunning beauty. * * * Just seeing her goddess-like appearance was enough for me to understand why they called her Saint of the Eredian district. Her rich platinum blond¡ªalmost white¡ªhair came down to her waist, and her face was adorned with beautiful slanted, green eyes as well as slightly warm, pink lips. Even just looking at her, I wondered how such a picturesque person could even exist. She was so perfectly beautiful that it almost felt unnatural. ¡°U-uhm¡­ Well. My name is Reinhardt. A first-year student.¡± ¡°Ha, aah¡­ So you¡¯re Reinhardt. Yes. I see.¡± She smiled and patted my head a little, perhaps because she heard about me a little from Bertus. ¡°You seem to worry about me, although I don¡¯t know why. Thank you, Reinhardt.¡± Even though she had only touched me a little, it felt divine. I clearly felt my heart pounding. No. I was in trouble. I didn¡¯t go there for that. I couldn¡¯t concentrate. It wasn¡¯t like it was love at first sight or anything, but I felt like someone who had just dived into a completely different world. I wondered whether I was even allowed to face her like that. What was it? There were a lot of kids, even in my grade, that were able to turn others¡¯ eyes, but for some reason, I felt so embarrassed meeting this person¡¯s eyes. I felt like I was faced with the world¡¯s most beautiful woman. ¡°So, what do you want to talk about?¡± ¡°Eh, uhm¡­ Could we talk in a more quiet place?¡± I couldn¡¯t even make proper eye contact with her, but I had no choice but to say it. My behavior was bound to cause some misunderstandings. No matter how one looked at it, it was the perfect picture of a first-year kid falling in love at first sight with their fifth-year senior! Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Olivia readily agreed when a junior that she had never seen before showed up and asked to talk to her; she didn¡¯t show the slightest amount of reluctance, suspicion, or disdain towards me. We ended up deciding to talk in one of the empty clubrooms on the seventh floor. ¡°No one should be able to hear us here. Are you okay?¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± She dragged over two chairs before sitting down on one. She was probably about 170 cm tall. Why did her face seem so small? Even if she hadn¡¯t been religious, her benevolent expression made her seem like she would have been a great and successful person. It was the first time I felt so intimidated just by facing someone. It wasn¡¯t because I was afraid of her or anything but instead came about because of her appearance. It was the first time I had felt that way, so it was especially bizarre. I sat on the chair across from her and finally forced myself to make eye contact. ¡°Well, I heard you talked with Bertus.¡± ¡°Ah, the Prince. Yes. I did.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were talking about exactly¡­ But I know the general situation.¡± Her expression darkened slightly when she heard my words. ¡°I see. But before that, do we know each other from somewhere? I¡¯m really sorry¡­ Although I have heard about you, Reinhardt, this is my first time meeting you¡­ I was a little surprised when I was told that you were concerned about me.¡± She seemed quite surprised that a junior unfamiliar to her was concerned about her. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not me really¡­ Adriana is the one worried about you. She seems worried about what¡¯s going on with you, senior, but was hesitant to ask in case she appeared to be rude, so I tried asking around in her stead.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Adriana¡­ Okay, I understand¡­¡± As I spoke of Adriana, Olivia lowered her head with a miserable expression on her face, making it clear that she knew what I was speaking of. ¡°I think I¡¯m worrying far too many people¡­¡± Regardless of her intentions, it seemed that she found it difficult to bear having caused the people around her so much worry. ¡°I don¡¯t know you that well, senior, but I heard that many people expect great things from you, and there are many that see you as their idol. I know this might be out of my place to say, but¡­ Won¡¯t you change your mind?¡± Even while hearing such things from a young junior who appeared out of nowhere, it was enough evidence for Olivia¡¯s great personality that she didn¡¯t even flinch at that. Olivia continued to look at me. Her eyes were still gentle, but they showed a bit of stubbornness. ¡°If I were to change my mind¡­ Do you mean that I should just put up with everything and let it go?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m trying to say, but you shouldn¡¯t act so hastily until you reach a position where you can actually cause some change. If you decide to act up now, your safety will also be compromised¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying the same things as the Prince.¡± My words seemed no different from Bertus¡¯s. Reach a position influential enough to cause change and then make it happen. What you¡¯re doing right now will only put yourself at risk, and you won¡¯t be able to change a single thing. You¡¯d cause a brief uproar, but in the end, you won¡¯t be able to achieve anything. Put differently; it was quite the arrogant remark. Telling her that all she had to do was get appointed and she would be able to eliminate any absurdities in the organization. However, I couldn¡¯t think of anything else to convince Olivia with. ¡°You¡¯re called Reinhardt, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes .¡± Olivia looked at me quietly. ¡°Justice knows no compromise.¡± I could see now why Bertus called her an idiot. What would a writer who wrote down such cheesy things be if not a fucking idiot? Of course, her mindset in itself was admirable, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that she was an idiot. ¡°After making one compromise, I would just end up making another. While I acknowledge and realize that this is realistically impossible, if the scope of these compromises becomes broader and broader, I would eventually end up having to give up on a lot of things, and I would only start resembling those things I want to change.¡± Once things become difficult and I just keep on enduring it, I¡¯d become similar to the ones I so desperately wanted to change¡ªall in the name of being realistic. ¡°Senior, if you call those that keep on compromising cowards, then those who can¡¯t compromise would be people that end up doing terrible things.¡± Those who had excessive confidence in themselves would end up becoming the most fearful people in the world, regardless of whether their initial intentions were good or bad. How much harm did people like that do to society? Olivia Lanze seemed like one such confident person. Wouldn¡¯t even more terrifying things happen if someone like her silently became the Pope or the Commander of the Knights Templar? She might even end up carrying out a widespread purge. A completely different question rose up in my mind. If that were to happen, what would I do? ¡°You sound like you¡¯ve already seen someone like that.¡± I knew of many such cases. It was just that they weren¡¯t part of this world. ¡°Reinhardt, I think I know what you¡¯re trying to say. You think I¡¯m an extreme fundamentalist¡ªsomeone who can¡¯t tolerate even a little bit of injustice and thinks that all priests should be part of a one and only true religion.¡± She didn¡¯t tell me that I was too young to even comprehend what she was trying to do. She was trying to talk to me properly. ¡°Reinhardt, although justice knows no compromise, this is the only compromise I was willing to make¡± Olivia understood what I was trying to say. She said that her current behavior was a compromise already. ¡°If I were to endure this to save the rotten tree from its roots, I would end up becoming one of two things. Either by acknowledging reality and keeping on compromising, I would become like the people I want to change. Or I might end up sacrificing many people in the name of changing everything the right way.¡± Olivia was an idiot, but she wasn¡¯t stupid. She wanted to show me that she had already contemplated deeply about it, as it was her own problem. She knew that there were only two paths lying before her: the path of a fallen priest or the path of a slayer covered in the blood of millions in the name of Reformation. ¡°I want to become neither of the two.¡± She only wanted to escape both these inevitable futures she would have to face if she went on in the same manner. It wasn¡¯t just a decision made out of her disillusionment with her faith or disappointment in the Knights Templar¡ªshe had put in much more thought. She made her decision while considering that she might turn into a monster. It was a problem to fall to corruption, but it was also one to not fall to it. The decision was a necessary one for herself and many others. Olivia eventually made a compromise that she wouldn¡¯t bend on. She would give up on everything. Bertus and I had told her how she should compromise a bit and hold on for the time being but neither of us knew her well enough. We didn¡¯t know that if she were to endure, only terrible things would happen to her. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for speaking out of turn. I¡­ I think there has been a misunderstanding.¡± I could only say that much. I went overboard. I could only judge someone¡¯s thoughts and opinions with my own limited knowledge of the truth, but Olivia Lanze was a completely different person from what I had imagined. She was already prepared for her own death. I knew this without having to ask her. ¡°No, Reinhardt, thank you for being so concerned with me, even though we don¡¯t really know each other. I mean it.¡± She hugged me gently as if she was truly grateful. It felt like she had lost a lot of things. ¡°Be happy.¡± It sounded like a final goodbye. * * * * * * Olivia wasn¡¯t someone that one could convince by just telling her that her life would be in danger. In a way, I couldn¡¯t deny that her choice was the best she could make for herself. Would it be Bertus who¡¯d take action, or would it be the other side? I would see the results on the weekend. After my morning training, Adriana and I acted the same as usual. I found out the truth, but I was still thinking about whether I should tell Adriana or not. If she knew why Olivia made her decision, it would be a devastating blow to Adriana¡¯s faith. She would be seriously shocked if I just bluntly told her. I didn¡¯t know if I had the right to tell her those things, so I had no choice but to remain silent. Both Adriana and I were both very low in tension. Adriana was depressed for her own reasons, and I felt guilty that I knew the truth but didn¡¯t know whether I should tell her or not. Then we saw something on our way back from training. ¡°Ah¡­ Senior¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Adriana. Reinhardt¡­¡± It was Olivia Lanze, who had just come out of Temple¡¯s dormitory; a man stood next to her. She dragged around a large trunk as if she was about to go somewhere far away. ¡°Are they your acquaintances?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Father.¡± Father. With those words, the man¡¯s identity was immediately revealed. The Commander of the Knights Templar, Riverrier Lanze. He looked at the two of us and briefly spoke up. ¡°Study hard.¡± Adriana couldn¡¯t say anything when faced with the Commander of the Knights Templar, there was also the fact that Olivia Lanze was leaving right in front of her. However, I could clearly see that Olivia¡¯s eyes were red, and her cheeks were a little swollen. She wasn¡¯t leaving on her own accord. She said she would voluntarily quit, but it felt more like her getting dragged away than her voluntarily quitting. ¡°Goodbye, both of you.¡± They looked like a prisoner and her jailer, rather than father and daughter. Adriana was chasing the back of this girl who was about to get further and further away. ¡°Senior¡­ Are you leaving¡­?¡± ¡°¡­I think so.¡± ¡°Senior, if I didn¡¯t see wrong¡­ I think you cried, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Olivia said that she would quit Temple, but for some reason, she was getting dragged away in such a manner. Bertus knew that he wouldn¡¯t have to take any action. Of course, Riverrier Lanze would have known the condition Olivia was in, and he obviously would have predicted what she wanted to do. In a way, the appearance of the Knights Templar¡¯s Commander was an inevitable result. If the Knights Templar forced themselves into Temple and tried to take Olivia Lanze, Temple would have the right to refuse. However, they could not prevent her father from taking away his child. * * * Keeping Olivia Lanze, of whom he didn¡¯t know what she might end up saying, in Temple must have been rather unsettling for the Commander of the Knights Templar. So he decided to drag her away earlier than she originally planned. Even though I only witnessed it for a brief moment, the coercive, vertical relationship between them was plainly visible. In the end, even if it wasn¡¯t the time she wanted to go, didn¡¯t she still get what she wanted? But her expression looked so miserable while she was getting dragged away. ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s going on, junior.¡± Adriana and I didn¡¯t go back to the dormitory and sat down on a bench, staring blankly. ¡°Actually, I talked with Olivia yesterday.¡± ¡°Re-really?¡± It seemed impossible at that moment to keep on hiding it from Adriana. I wasn¡¯t supposed to know the details of the incident, so I had no choice but to explain it to her rather vaguely. Olivia discovered the ugly side of the Knights Templar, so she concluded that joining the Knights Templar or the Church would hold terrible consequences for her and many others. Adriana was stunned at my explanation as to why she decided to give up on everything. Was she shocked that Olivia told me everything but not her, or was she shocked that the Knights Templar she planned on entering herself had an ugly side? ¡°¡­I see.¡± Adriana couldn¡¯t even imagine just what Olivia had to go through to come to such a decision. I believed she found out about the demon slaves, but they might have committed many other atrocities I didn¡¯t know about as well. ¡°I¡¯m so confused¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do anymore¡­¡± It seemed clear that the Knights Templar took Olivia away to cover up their dirty secret. Adriana had lost focus in her eyes, perhaps because the values that had made up her foundation had been shaken. Anyway, the conclusion was that Olivia would never return to Temple ever again. Riverrier Lanze had forced his own daughter to quit, dragging her by her wrist. Daughter. No, wait a minute. Olivia Lanze served Towan, the God of Purity. ¡°¡­Which God does the Commander of the Knights Templar serve?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­ As far as I know, he serves Towan.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t priests of Towan unable to marry? How can he have a daughter¡­?¡± She must have inherited the belief in Towan from her parents, but how could the Commander of the Knights Templar, who followed Towan¡¯s doctrine, have a daughter? ¡°Senior is¡­ his foster daughter.¡± Olivia Lanze was adopted. All the pieces fell into place. She didn¡¯t have strong divine powers because she was the daughter of the Knights Templar¡¯s Commander. She was adopted by him because she had such a strong talent. Her father had meant to foster the next Commander of the Knights Templar or the Pope. The girl he raised for that purpose suddenly decided to give up on everything and even tried to damage the Knights Templar and the Church. Wouldn¡¯t the Commander get really angry in that situation? ¡°Junior, don¡¯t tell anyone what you told me just now.¡± Adriana muttered blankly as if she came to a conclusion. ¡°Regardless of whether this is true or not, you might get arrested by the heresy inquisitors for slandering the Knights Templar. Don¡¯t even tell your seniors.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± We weren¡¯t celebrities on the level of Olivia Lanze, so we wouldn¡¯t be in any position to just open our mouths as we wanted. Adriana jumped up from her seat. She looked full of determination. ¡°I¡¯ll have to follow her for now.¡± ¡°¡­Things won¡¯t change, even if we go and see what¡¯s going on.¡± I decided to follow her because I felt uncomfortable not knowing what the situation was like. ¡°If we are to get caught, we¡¯ll just say that we followed our favorite senior because we don¡¯t want her to leave, okay?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Even if they caught us following them, we could just act like stubborn children. Plus, if he really wanted to touch us, he had to be prepared to collide with Temple. The Commander might be able to take his daughter, but he wasn¡¯t able to take us. ____ Chapter 112 Fortunately, it was the weekend, so we were free to go out even though it was early in the morning. There weren¡¯t many people up and about so early, except for those hard-working students, but we were able to follow those two across a fairly long distance. Olivia Lanze walked with her head hanging down like a criminal, and the Commander was walking next to her without saying a single word. They exited Temple and headed towards the station. There was a problem. Adriana and I couldn¡¯t help but simply look at each other. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mana trains weren¡¯t free to ride. It was only natural that we didn¡¯t think of bringing any money with us because we spontaneously decided to follow them after our morning training. Therein lay the problem. It was an emergency mission that had to end as soon as we two idiots started following them. ¡°Wha-what do we do?¡± ¡°We could leave our Student IDs as a deposit¡­ I didn¡¯t even bring my student ID through.¡± We only came out with the clothes on our bodies, nothing else. Of course, if we¡¯re talking about valuables, there was Sarkegaar¡¯s ring and the Flame of Tuesday that I was always wearing, but those weren¡¯t things I could pawn off. It was early in the morning, but there were already quite a lot of people at the station. Even though it was the weekend, there were still some people that came to Temple for work. We had to come to a decision as fast as possible. I just walked up to a man wearing a suit, not knowing if they were part of the faculty or someone from the shopping street. ¡°E-excuse me. Teacher?¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°We¡¯re Temple students, but¡­ we forgot our wallets, and we have to quickly take the train¡­ Couldn¡¯t you give us some money for a ticket¡­?¡± D-damn it. I never thought I would have to do something like that one day. It felt like capital punishment! Ah¡­ I forgot my wallet, can¡¯t you give me 5000 won for a ride home? That was what it was! ¡°¡­Really? Your Student ID¡­ Looks like you don¡¯t have it with you either. Can you tell me which school you¡¯re part of?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Reinhardt, first year, Class A, number 11 of the Royal Class, and this is Adriana, second year, Class A, number 2. Yes. If you contact us later, we¡¯ll pay you back.¡± ¡°Royal Class? Huh¡­ I don¡¯t know what it is that is so urgent, but I guess you¡¯re in a hurry. Don¡¯t forget your wallets next time.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Fortunately, he believed me and kindly handed me the money for a ticket, probably because he was part of the faculty. He seemed to have realized that I was telling the truth as soon as I stated my affiliation. The people¡¯s hearts were so pure. Was it because we had entered the Golden Age? Adriana stared at me blankly as I obtained the money for our tickets by begging. ¡°Co-come to think of it, you were¡­¡± Adriana nodded, perhaps remembering that I told her that I was from the streets. That¡¯s not it! That was only a fabricated story! It was my first time doing something like that as well! I felt quite shitty being seen as someone skillful in this because of how fast I decided to do it. * * * We bought some tickets and followed them again. We didn¡¯t get on the same train compartment as them, but we did wait for them to board before taking the compartment next to them. There weren¡¯t many people on the train¡ªperhaps because it was dawn. Because of that, we opted to talk in whispers. ¡°Where are they going?¡± ¡°They probably live close to the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters in the Commander¡¯s residence. We¡¯ll have to get off at the station close to the Knights Templar headquarters in Rosenak.¡± Rosenak was the Yangcheon District. To be honest, I couldn¡¯t remember all the districts, so I had put a map of the Imperial Capital in my room. Anyway, I had already been to the Rosenak District¡ªwhere the headquarters of the Knights Templar were located¡ªwhen we were rescuing the demon prisoners last time. Last time, I hadn¡¯t gone there with good intentions, but my business there was completely different this time. They changed their routes a few times while we kept following them. They seemed to be talking about something with each other, so when I strengthened my sense of hearing, I was able to distinguish their voices from all the noise around us. It seemed like they didn¡¯t notice at all that they were being followed¡ªwe were still in their blind spot. They spoke in low voices so that no one could eavesdrop on them, but I could hear them clearly. -Do you really want to go down the difficult path? -¡­I¡¯m sorry, father. ¨C You¡¯ll give in sooner or later anyway. -Can¡¯t¡­ can¡¯t you just excommunicate me? What I saw and heard, I¡¯ll forget everything about those things. -That¡¯s not going to work. -¡­ -You can change your personality, you can change your mindset, but you cannot change your talents. You cannot change what you are born with. You have been born holding everything: appearance, talent, and skill. You were born with everything. That¡¯s why you became my daughter. -¡­ -Groups always have their good share of noise in them. Those who want to be perfect in every aspect cannot be leaders¡ªthose humans only live drunk on their own good looks. You are destined to be a leader, not some outstanding individual. This is only one aspect you simply have to accept. I wasn¡¯t all that surprised that you criticized me. There are times where certain things have to be said and done. -I¡­ I can¡¯t do this. I¡­ like you said, Father¡­ I¡¯m just a wretched person living intoxicated by my own good looks. So please, father¡­ -Rather than stupidly getting hurt, it is wiser to just accept how things are at the moment. Getting hurt. It looked like something exceeding my expectations was about to happen. It seemed like if she didn¡¯t accept this on her own, he would continue to pressure her until she did. He wasn¡¯t trying to punish Olivia, but he had no intentions of letting Olivia go. -I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever change my mind. So, father¡­ Please¡­ Please¡­ -Stop. -¡­ -I won¡¯t listen to your drivel anymore. After that, the Commander didn¡¯t speak a word. * * * ¡°They didn¡¯t say anything specific, but I heard him mention something about ¡®getting hurt¡¯.¡± ¡°Getting¡­ hurt?¡± ¡°Yes. Something like that¡­ I think he might be talking about coercive methods.¡± Adriana¡¯s eyes shook as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she heard. Coercion. Adriana could only think of one thing, hearing this word. The thing that was bound to come to mind was heresy interrogation. ¡°The-there¡¯s no way¡­ Does he want to do a heresy interrogation or something¡­ Is that what it means¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not completely unlikely.¡± While she said that she was innocent and would live quietly, he still tried to change her mind¡ªeven if he had to do so forcibly. The Commander, who had been careful with his words in a public area, had not said anything ever since; because he didn¡¯t say anything explicitly, Adriana and I could only think about the most extreme things Olivia could suffer through. Upon arriving at the station close to the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters, the Commander and Olivia headed towards the headquarters and not their home. We had no choice but to just stare blankly at the scene. She just said that she wanted to quit Temple and forget everything about her religion, but the Commander was about to force her to accept everything. It would probably involve a lot of violent methods. Olivia probably wouldn¡¯t have thought that he¡¯d do something like that to her, even though he¡¯s her stepfather. Had she known, she would have run far away. She thought it would be enough to promise to keep her mouth shut forever, but it seemed like she didn¡¯t understand the depth of her stepfather¡¯s obsession. ¡°Why do they have to do this¡­? Where the hell are they taking her¡­¡± Adriana sobbed and hid in an alleyway, covering her face with both her hands. It was true that Olivia Lanze was a great person, but why was he trying to force her to become his successor by torturing her even though she didn¡¯t want that? The Knights Templar weren¡¯t the least bit ashamed by Olivia Lanze discovering their ugly side. They thought it was something she had to know in order to become their next Commander. Olivia would have been faced with this situation no matter if the terrorist incident happened or not. However, the character Olivia Lanze never had to play any major role throughout the whole novel I wrote. In other words, she didn¡¯t even show up when the Gates opened, even though she was such a powerful person. This meant that the Commander failed in changing Olivia¡¯s mind. She would either get completely ruined by this incident or, in the worst-case scenario, die. And the thing that confirmed my reasoning¡­ [Special Achievement Quest ¨C The Inflection Point of History (Olivia Lanze)] [Description £º If Olivia Lanze is rescued, the future will undergo dramatic changes.] [Reward : You will receive one characteristic of Olivia Lanze at random.] An inflection point of history. If a person that wasn¡¯t supposed to exist continues to live and that person could exert a tremendous amount of influence, that was what would be called an inflection point of history. It meant that history would change drastically. I knew this because of Charlotte¡¯s case. In fact, due to Charlotte¡¯s survival, the main story had become greatly twisted, making events unpredictable. Olivia Lanze was someone on the same level. The mere occurrence of such a quest made it crystal clear that something fatal would happen to Olivia Lanze that day, and she would either die or suffer greatly. In other words, it was like the system told me what her future would be. ¡°This¡­ This is ridiculous. This shouldn¡¯t happen.¡± Adriana continued to cry for a long time before she looked at me with a firm expression on her face. As she said, I didn¡¯t know Olivia Lanze very well, but I didn¡¯t want to let her die or get ruined. If I could save her, I wanted to do so. The compensation was only of secondary priority; I just wanted to save her. It annoyed me that such a kind person had to be either broken or killed after getting treated so unfairly. I didn¡¯t even know what I should make of Olivia¡¯s quest reward. To begin with, it was the first time something as abstract as that was given to me as a reward. I never set up any ¡®characteristics¡¯, after all. This was an additional setting that the system just created on its own. ¡°I¡¯m of the same opinion¡­ So, what should we do?¡± It was impossible for just the two of us to simply enter the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters and rescue Olivia. None of us had any reason to even be close to their headquarters in the first place. We might be able to get in somehow, but we wouldn¡¯t be able to get even a centimeter closer to where Olivia Lanze was being held and tortured. We had to fight power with power. Charlotte or Bertus might be a good choice, but I couldn¡¯t think of a single reason why they would want to save Olivia Lanze. First of all, even if the Prince or Princess was to put pressure on the Knights Templar, that would cause some tremendous uproar¡ªas they were interfering with their affairs. Interference in their internal affairs was already a serious diplomatic issue in and of itself. The Knights Templar weren¡¯t a nation, but they weren¡¯t much different from one. No, rather, it might be an even bigger problem that a secular power was trying to interfere with a religious group. Charlotte and Bertus could be of help in that situation, but it would probably have been rather hard to get their help. ¡°If a lot of people found out about this¡­ Wouldn¡¯t things be different?¡± Adriana found out that the Knights Templar was trying to do something completely outrageous. What if thousands of people heard the rumors that the Saint of the Eredian district was being tortured by the Knights Templar? The public was sure to get angry about what those guys were pulling. ¡°Something would definitely change. However, the moment they admitted to these things would be the moment the Knights Templar crossed the river of no return, so they¡¯ll do anything in their power to deny these ¡®groundless accusations¡¯.¡± If they were to admit that they did something as outrageous as this, they could throw their image into the fucking garbage. Of course, they would deny it with all their might. Their religious groups already had a huge following¡ªthey might regard those rumors as ridiculous slander against the Knights Templar. What should we do? It was more than clear that spreading rumors would take a long time, and there wasn¡¯t a guarantee that Olivia Lanze would be safe while we made our move. The fastest way was to mobilize one of the big powers of the nation, but Bertus took his attention off of the situation, thinking that the Knights Templar would take care of Olivia Lanze on their own. Even if he wanted to have her as the next Commander of the Knights Templar, whether they achieved that by brainwashing or not had nothing to do with Bertus. They¡¯d make her into something that wouldn¡¯t be able to cause any trouble anyway. In the end, Charlotte and Bertus would have to carry a high risk, and they had no reason nor justification for why they should make a move. A huge power. Mobilize big powers¡­ Come to think of it¡­ I was only considering the ones with the most power I knew of. There were many powerful people around me, but I had just realized that there was another huge power I could make use of. Power that would have a lot of influence as well as a justification to move. ¡°Urg¡­ Senior, don¡¯t laugh at what I¡¯m about and just listen to me.¡± ¡°Di-did you think of something?¡± However, bringing the words over my lips was a little difficult. ¡°H-how about we talk to the teachers about this?¡± Let¡¯s just go to the teachers! I found what I said quite ridiculous as well, so I stuttered a little. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Adriana¡¯s expression began to deteriorate as she heard my words. I put it that way, but what I meant was to use Temple¡¯s power! Although, it wasn¡¯t any different from saying ¡®let¡¯s go and tell on them¡¯. Huh. ____ Chapter 113 Not every teacher of Temple was actually strong¡ªsome would only teach and guide the students in their classes. However, the leaders of Temple were also made up of those faculty members, so they shouldn¡¯t be ignored. Although Temple was an institution affiliated with the Empire, it still held enormous amounts of power. Of course, they couldn¡¯t exercise this power outside of Temple-related matters, but if it had something to do with Temple, then their authority was incredibly strong. If it concerned the safety of Temple¡¯s students, of course, it would be a matter of concern for Temple. Protecting the safety of their students was one of Temple¡¯s highest priorities. Adriana looked at me with a puzzled expression after listening to my explanation. ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure if this¡¯ll work¡­¡± In the end, it wasn¡¯t any different than us just running up to them and saying, ¡°Teacher, there¡¯s a big problem!¡± It wasn¡¯t just that¡­ ¡°This would also attract the attention of the student council.¡± Another influential power¡ªTemple¡¯s student council. Ceres van Owen, the student council president of Royal Class, was part of the religious club ¡°Grace¡±. She could talk to the student council president of the whole student body¡ªwhich encompassed 100,000+ students¡ªat any time. They were the president of Temple¡¯s student council, where the sons and daughters of prominent families gathered. I didn¡¯t know who they were, but it was clear that they wouldn¡¯t get ignored if they decided to push for something in the name of Temple¡¯s student council president. If the faculty and the student council made a move, even the Knights Templar wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore it. The combination of both of those powers could be seen as the Empire itself making a move. When people gathered, power would arise; if extraordinary people gathered, extraordinary power would arise. Additionally, the justification that they were worried about a student¡¯s safety was absolutely perfect. ¡°Okay, junior, I understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± A first-year and a second-year in a dingy alleyway were conspiring to move the entirety of Temple. ¡°But¡­ Will it be okay?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is very dangerous. If something goes wrong, junior and I might get sent to the inquisition or taken in directly by a heresy inquisitor for insulting the Church.¡± In any case, if we were to take that route, we would have to go to the teachers as well as the Royal Class¡¯ student council president and tell them the whole truth about the incident. We didn¡¯t have any proof for our story yet. If we played our hand badly, or if Temple ended up colliding with the Knights Templar and they were able to identify the two of us, we would become their target. Of course, the whole thing was rather risky. ¡°Let¡¯s act a bit more discreetly.¡± I was of the same opinion. ¡°Let¡¯s start things off with an anonymous letter.¡± ¡°Anonymous?¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll just write them a letter telling them what happened.¡± ¡°¡­Would they trust an anonymous letter?¡± ¡°Of course they would.¡± An anonymous letter saying that the Commander of the Knights Templar was torturing his own daughter¡ªwho the hell would believe such slander without any hard evidence? However, the people that receive the letter would believe it. ¡°They can¡¯t help but believe it because we¡¯ll be the ones to deliver it to the club.¡± Adriana and I would send this anonymous letter by delivering it ourselves, acting as if we found it. We would probably say something like: ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is about, but we should check things out first.¡±. We would create some suspicion within the club and make them cry out for action. The club¡¯s opinions would then get delivered to the student council and the faculty members. Doing it that way, the source of all those rumors would remain unknown, but it would still lead to decisive movement. * * * Our plan of action had been decided. We had to move quickly. We didn¡¯t know when they would start to torture Olivia or how long she would be able to hold out without breaking or dying. We had no actual proof. After all, I had only overheard the Commander¡¯s and Olivia¡¯s conversation. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go back¡­¡± Adriana and I were about to enter the station when we had to stop in our tracks again. We stared at each other numbly once again. ¡°Money¡­¡± ¡°¡­Right.¡± When I begged someone for money, they only gave me enough for two tickets; I didn¡¯t even think about getting enough money to buy a ticket back. ¡°¡­We think so hard about these important matters but end up making stupid mistakes like this.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Up to that point, we were thinking hard as if we were planning the coup of the century, but we didn¡¯t even have enough money to go back to Temple. Adriana looked at me expectantly. ¡°J-junior¡­ Erm¡­¡± I pretty much knew what those expecting eyes meant. These eyes made me regret having done what I did earlier. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°H-huh.¡± ¡°You do it this time, senior.¡± ¡°J-junior¡­¡± Adrianna looked at me with tearful eyes, but I just crossed my arms and smiled at her. Were you trying to sit back and not move a finger? ¡°No. You go and do it.¡± ¡°Uuurg¡­ O-okay¡­¡± In the end, Adriana started begging for the money to buy two train tickets in front of the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters. Adriana succeeded immediately, perhaps because this elegant and cool-looking girl looked like she really was about to cry. -Thank you! Thank you! May the Five Gods be with you! -W-well¡­ It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to do this¡­ -Thank you! Adriana thanked the passerby for giving her the money so much that he seemed to feel sorry for her. It looked ridiculously cute from a distance. ¡°¡­¡± Adriana¡¯s face turned bright red as she probably had never thought that she might end up having to beg for some money in her life. She seemed to be deathly embarrassed. I just laughed with my arms folded. ¡°You succeeded on your first try! Aren¡¯t you talented?¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t¡­¡± Adriana stared at me and trembled. Oh, she was cute in a different way than Harriet. And did she forget that I was a crazy bastard that would do even more if I was told to stop? ¡°I feel like your true calling isn¡¯t with the Knights Templar. Although your major is¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± -Bam! ¡°Urk!¡± Adriana hit me seriously that time, and not on my back, but on my head. I wondered if I would end up fainting from that hit. ¡°Are you trying to fucking kill your junior just because he joked around a bit?!¡± ¡°Shut up! Just shut up and follow me!¡± Adriana grabbed my arm and started to drag me behind her. It was also kind of interesting making Adriana, who only spoke elegantly and politely, talk roughly. * * * After begging two more times, we managed to return to Temple. I couldn¡¯t help but feel insanely grateful to have money in my pocket. The sun was already pretty high up in the sky, as dawn had already passed. Our mission was simple. We had to bring the letter I wrote to the clubroom. Club meetings were held every Thursday, but the club members often gathered in the room on other days as well. I was told that bored members sometimes gathered in the club room to pray, study, or chat. If we just left it in the club room, someone would end up finding it and checking its content. Since its contents were so unusual, they would pass the information to the vice-president, Crese van Owen. After that, they would hold a club meeting, so Adriana and I had to play along. This was necessary to prevent it from revealing that the two of us were the sources of the information. I immediately wrote up an anonymous letter and handed it to Adriana. Since I wasn¡¯t an official member yet, Adriana would draw less suspicion when she snuck the letter in. ¡°But can I really not take part in the meeting?¡± I didn¡¯t know if Adriana would be able to manage without me, but I doubted that people would understand why I had to be present in an emergency meeting. ¡°You haven¡¯t signed up yet, but¡­ I could say that I brought you along because this involved Olivia, junior. Can¡¯t I just use that? You actually talked to Senior, right?¡± ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s a good excuse.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adriana nodded her head with a serious expression on her face. It was just a letter, but depending on how we acted, Temple¡¯s student council¡ªas well as Temple¡¯s leaders¡ªmight end up battling the Knights Templar. It was unclear how things might turn out, but Olivia Lanze¡¯s life was at stake. Adriana knew fully well what we were trying to do, so she probably was nervous. Would the student council and Temple¡¯s faculty actually move because of this? Would it really be possible to pressure the Knights Templar enough to rescue Olivia Lanze if they actually moved? Nothing was certain. It was the best we could do at the moment. * * * It was my usual time for my training on weekends, but I just stayed in my room to organize my thoughts. I didn¡¯t know Olivia Lanze well, but she left a strong first impression on me. Putting the achievement points aside, someone like her¡ªwho tried her best to help people¡ªshouldn¡¯t face such an end after only 22 short years. Good people should live a long and happy life. I wanted something as unrealistic as that to happen right in front of my eyes at least once in my life. It was hard to predict how things would unfold, but I really wanted this to succeed. I was trying to use the Revise Function to ensure that Olivia Lanze would manage to safely escape from the Knights Templar. [Overly abstract Revisions will not be carried out.] The order ¡®Olivia Lanze will escape safely from the Knights Templar¡¯ was too abstract¡ªI had to come up with a more detailed plan. There was a limit to my mental capability to organize things, so I wrote down the specific steps of the event I wanted to happen. The Temple student council and faculty members will try to bring Olivia Lanze back to Temple, and the Commander of the Knights Templar will be forced to hand her over to them. [You are trying to do too many things at once. To make events happen as stated, 10.000 achievement points are required.] [Just start writing a novel, but¡­ lol.] ¡°This little fuck.¡± It had been some time since I wanted to punch the people behind that notification window. They were intentionally trying to insult me. Don¡¯t put ¡®lol¡¯ at the end! I got even madder because I felt like I knew what it was trying to say. Just write a novel. Oh right, you already did that, right? But your skills are just¡­ lol. That¡¯s what you meant, right?! You little fuck! Anyway. If there were too many parts¡ªeven if it was probable enough¡ªit required a truckload of achievement points, as various scenarios had to be generated while removing any variables. Then, how about this? [Preview] It was a function I had never used before. It was explained that it was only available in certain situations, but at that moment, it was shown as available. Damn it, how could there be a cheat I couldn¡¯t use at all times? Still, I was glad that I was able to use it then. Anyway, I decided to try working with it. With it, I would be able to see how events would unfold in the future; if a problem arose, I would be able to correct it through my actions in the present so that it wouldn¡¯t happen in the future. [The limitedly available ¡®Preview¡¯ function allows you to see the results of future events.] [If you use a great amount of achievement points, you can grasp the overall flow of events. However, as you probably already know, you won¡¯t be able to do this.] Previewing the entire version of the future is expensive, so don¡¯t even dream about it. Why couldn¡¯t you just keep it to yourself? Why did you have to mention my achievement points? You weren¡¯t going to let me do anything, right? In the end, even if I had 200,000 points, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it because I would need 200,500! I realized that this fucking bastard would tell me that I was short on achievement points every time I tried to do something slightly more convenient for myself with achievement points! They did that intentionally! Like: I see what you¡¯re going to do with that Revision, so don¡¯t even dream about it. [How surprising¡ªyou figured it out.] What? Something flickered in front of my eyes, but it was gone so fast I couldn¡¯t read what it said. What did they write? They insulted me again, didn¡¯t they? Now that my level of anger had exceeded a certain point, I was about to give up. [Anyway, Preview will show you major future events of the scenario you wish to see. Usually, there are multiple major events, so they will be subdivided. Of course, every event holds its own hints.] That meant it wouldn¡¯t do something as stupid as show me the events happening in some neighborhood bar somewhere in the southern parts of the continent. I would be able to see the future of something of my choosing. But wait, what kind of events would they be? If I preview them, wouldn¡¯t my way of thinking change? That would mean that the future would change accordingly, right? [Considering this case, it will be assumed that you had not used the Preview Function. Thus, your behavior leading to these outcomes won¡¯t be affected by any future knowledge your current self may have.] Damn it. The rules of this Preview function seemed unnecessarily twisted. I had to be really aware of how I¡¯d usually act in these situations without knowing the future. That way, I could take other actions during those major events. Of course, Preview might also just show me the result of everything. Well, I was only using it right then because I really didn¡¯t know how things would turn out. Please, I hope everything goes well. Let¡¯s use Preview. [Do you want to use the ¡®Preview¡¯ function?] [Since this is the first time you are using this function, a discount will be given.] [The prices may be subject to change the next time you use this function.] [1000 Points][500 Points][200 Points][100 Points] As if I was supposed to choose between products, four prices appeared before me. It was my first time using that function, so these were supposed to be discount prices. Goddamnit, there were multiple options. The more I paid, the more definite the hint I would get would be. Since I could use it several times, I chose the 100-point option. [You have spent 100 achievement points.] One of the key events involving Olivia Lanze began to unfold in my head. I saw a completely different scenery around me as if I was dreaming. The 100-point option showed me a stationary picture, not a video. It was nighttime. I could see the date. June 28th, the 323rd year of the Imperial Calendar. Around 10pm. The current date was Saturday, May 23rd. This scene was from about a month later. Even though I wasn¡¯t absolutely sure what happened, I could guess. Olivia Lanze was sitting on the cold stone floor in rags¡ªthey were tattered and covered in blood. There was saliva dripping down the corner of her slightly opened mouth. Her eyes were unfocused. Whatever happened to her, one could see something that seemed a little too artificial to be scars on her bare skin visible through the tears in those rags. It was a stationary image, so I couldn¡¯t properly see what they were, but I could guess that they were traces from certain magic circles. The strange thing was that, even though her clothes were covered in copious amounts of dried-up blood, I couldn¡¯t find a single wound or scab on her body. All I could see were those things that seemed like magic circles. However, there were fragments of things all around her. A closer look revealed that they were blood-stained toenails. It was clear that she was tortured by getting her finger- and toenails pulled out. However, her toenails were still attached. I roughly understood what had happened. ¡°Motherfuckers¡­¡± It was the Knights Templar. They tortured her, restored her to her original state using recovery spells, and then tortured her some more. It was an infinite loop. Witnessing with my own two eyes what insane things could be done with divine powers, I felt goosebumps rise up all over my body. You couldn¡¯t stay sane if something like that was done to you. Olivia Lanze was completely broken. After she was imprisoned in something similar to a dungeon and tortured, Olivia Lanze was thoroughly destroyed. If we continued as we had been, we would definitely fail. ____ Chapter 114 Chapter 114 I memorized what I believed was important in the Preview world and returned to reality. The fact that Olivia remained imprisoned for more than a month meant that we would fail even if we tried to save her with what we had planned. During that time, Olivia would become completely broken after enduring unending torture and magical treatment. If we went on like that, we would end up failing, although I didn¡¯t know why. The 100-point option showed me the key event depicting our failure, but it didn¡¯t give me a reason as to why we had failed. It was just too vague. I had to do it one more time. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± I picked the 200-point Preview option next. I had already confirmed our failure using the 100-point option, so I hoped I would be able to use the 200-point option to get a clue as to why we failed. The 200-point option showed me a short dialogue. The date was around 4pm on Sunday, May 24th of the 323rd year of the Imperial Calendar. That would have been the next day. It was a place I knew¡ªit was the club room of ¡®Grace¡¯. All of the club members¡ªincluding myself¡ªwere sitting in a circle. ¡°When I asked if I could speak with the president for a moment¡­ I was allowed to.¡± Olivia was in her fifth year, but she took one year off to do volunteer work related to the Demon World War. Therefore, Ceres seemed to be really respectful when speaking about the president. ¡°However¡­ The atmosphere was definitely weird. She had a very hard expression on her face. I think there was something she was hiding. Like something she couldn¡¯t say while the Commander was around. I asked him several times to let us speak alone, but it seemed like he wouldn¡¯t allow her to be unsupervised for even a second.¡± It seemed like Ceres van Owen stopped by the Knights Templars¡¯ headquarters to figure out the situation. She had met both Olivia and the Commander. However, Olivia couldn¡¯t say anything because the Commander was close to them. ¡°The Commander said that his daughter decided to quit Temple, so he was only respecting her decision.¡± It was definitely suspicious but didn¡¯t serve as a confirmation. Olivia wasn¡¯t able to say anything out of the ordinary; it was as if she had been silenced. Ceres went directly to them but wasn¡¯t able to get a definite answer to those suspicions. She had her doubts but wasn¡¯t sure. It would have been impossible to petition for Olivia to be taken back without any hard evidence. So did things just end there without anything happening? Even if we were to meet up with Olivia, she wouldn¡¯t be able to ask for help because the Commander watched over her at all times, right? ¡°First off, I went to the teachers¡­ but they told me that it would take some time because they had to go through a faculty meeting first.¡± Since the students had failed, did the teachers fail as well? * * * After the Preview was over, my head hurt even more after I returned back to reality. Olivia couldn¡¯t talk freely. I knew that she was deathly afraid of Riverrier Lanze just by having overheard a conversation between her and him. We weren¡¯t able to turn those suspicions into certainty. So, knowing what happened after, I knew that we wouldn¡¯t be able to save Olivia. However, if that was the case, I had no idea what else to do. The teachers would have to go through a faculty meeting, so it would take some time before they could act. ¡®Should I watch the 500-point Preview?¡¯ The 100-point option indicated we¡¯d fail, and the 200-point option indicated that even if we went to see Olivia Lanze and tried to talk to her, she would be too terrified to say anything. ¡®Will the 500-point option show me something more decisive?¡¯ After much deliberation, I finally decided to use the 500-point option. [You have spent 500 achievement points.] I had instantly used up 800 achievement points. As long as I was able to save Olivia Lanze, it didn¡¯t matter. Besides, I would quickly get more points anyway. Please don¡¯t be anything vague, but be something certain. * * * It was June 3rd in the 323rd year of the Imperial Calendar, around 5pm. That was 2 weeks from then. What appeared before my eyes was a place I wasn¡¯t familiar with. It looked like a conference room, and there appeared to be a group of people sitting around a large table¡ªthere were about 20 of them. I wondered who those people were, but then I saw two familiar faces among them. Mr. Epinhauser and Mr. Mustrang. I knew what I was seeing. It was Royal Class¡¯ faculty meeting. There was one teacher of each class, the headmaster, various assistant teachers, and even executive-level teachers present. -Bang! ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± Someone shouted angrily. It was a woman. I didn¡¯t know who she was. ¡°I¡¯m sure Olivia is going through something! Didn¡¯t she already turn down the personal visitation request? If there was nothing going on, why did she reject it? Other students also said that Olivia looked very bad when they saw her, so something must be going on!¡± The headmaster of the Royal Class, who looked slightly older than her and sat at the head of the table, sighed in response to her exasperated exclamation. ¡°It¡¯s not like we don¡¯t know that. You know this as well, Ms. Sabrina. The decision of the Temple General Assembly came fast enough¡­ There¡¯s nothing more Temple can do at this time. This has fallen into the Investigation Agency¡¯s jurisdiction. However¡­ I wonder if we are able to investigate the Knights Templars¡¯ Commander without any evidence¡­ This situation is too unclear.¡± ¡®What happened?¡¯ ¡°Just one day¡­ Really. If it had just been one day earlier¡­ No, if I just paid more attention to her concerns a little sooner¡­¡± The teacher, who I guessed was Olivia¡¯s homeroom teacher, eventually began to cry¡ªtears flowing down her face. I didn¡¯t know why, but Temple¡¯s response was delayed due to several meetings. Something was definitely wrong. What did she mean by being just one day earlier? What did that mean? ¡°Unfortunately, Olivia Lanze is no longer a Temple student. There¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± Only after I heard those words did I feel like I could put the puzzle together. Olivia Lanze had dropped out the previous day, so Temple lost all justification to do anything about Olivia Lanze¡¯s situation. He might have sensed something and quickly forced her to drop out officially, telling the Temple official something like,¡± Who are you to take away my daughter? She isn¡¯t even a Temple student anymore.¡± If the General Assembly had come to a conclusion just a few days earlier, the faculty would have been able to do something, but just a single day threw a wedge in everything. They might also have been able to tell the administration office in advance that Olivia Lanze might unexpectedly drop out and that they should delay the handling of her case a day. I didn¡¯t waste those 800 points. Now I knew for sure where the problem lay. Ceres van Owen was able to meet up with Olivia early on, but she couldn¡¯t say anything because Riverrier was around. It might be because she was scared of him, but there were many other possible reasons for that. Considering the various magical procedures that seemed to have been performed on Olivia, there might be a possibility that one of them prevented her from speaking. After that, the student council president would have asked the teachers for help. However, they had to be cautious so as to not act against the Knights Templar without any evidence, so they debated whether to send them an official request to hand over Olivia or not. After Temple finally decided to take action, Olivia Lanze was no longer a Temple student. This led to Temple being unable to meddle in Olivia Lanze¡¯s personal life. The rest fell into the jurisdiction of the Investigations Agency¡ªand it was more than clear that they didn¡¯t take any actions. In the end, the Commander seemed to have failed in brainwashing or subduing Olivia, so he hadn¡¯t achieved his goal. If things went on like that, there would have been a catastrophic outcome for everyone. * * * After dinner ended, Adriana called out to me. ¡°Let¡¯s go, junior.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Judging by the look on her face, it seemed like things worked out as we had planned. After dinner, all members¡ªsave for those that had yet to return to Temple¡ªwere gathered in Grace¡¯s club room. All the people sitting on one side seemed to have read the letter, as they had serious, frozen expressions on their faces. ¡°Ah¡­ You said your name was Reinhardt, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ceres van Owen, the student council president and vice club president, looked at me with a somewhat ambiguous expression. She seemed to be unsure whether I could stay or not. ¡°Hmm¡­ That¡¯s right. I was told you went to visit the president. Come, sit here.¡± It looked like she didn¡¯t want to kick me out because she realized that I had visited Olivia, who was in the same grade as her. She probably somehow found out that I was somewhat concerned about her for some reason. Before her lay the anonymous letter I had written. Ceres waved my letter around to a silent crowd. ¡°If this is a prank, it¡¯s a very tasteless one¡­ However, no matter how I look at it, this doesn¡¯t seem to be a prank.¡± ¡°What does it say?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Those who knew¡ªas well as those who didn¡¯t¡ªhad a gloomy look on their faces as if they were wondering if something bad had happened. ¡°There might be some among you who don¡¯t know yet, but the Knights Templar Commander came to Temple personally and took the president away with him.¡± ¡°Th-the president? He came personally?¡± ¡°Yeah, it was too early in the morning, so I couldn¡¯t see it myself, but I think some people did.¡± As of that moment, only her classmates would have known that Olivia Lanze was gone. It made sense that everyone else seemed rather confused. ¡°And this letter states that the Commander is going to do something very horrible to her. Something like¡­ torture.¡± Torture. They couldn¡¯t help but be surprised that such a horrible word came out of the vice-president¡¯s mouth. It was already surprising enough that the Commander of the Knights Templar took his daughter away early in the morning as if kidnapping her, but now there was an anonymous letter telling that he was torturing his daughter. ¡°What¡­ What nonsense is that?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Who would pull such a prank?¡± So it was inevitable that the other¡¯s reactions were quite negative. The atmosphere immediately turned chaotic. With all of those unbelievable stories raining on them all at once, it was only natural. ¡°Now, now, calm down.¡± Ceres calmed the others down and put more power into her gaze. ¡°This is a vicious prank as well as a tremendous insult to the Commander of the Knights Templar.¡± Hearing those words, both Adriana and I got chills running down our spines. It was only natural that they questioned the authenticity of the letter, but seeing it happen right in front of us made us realize that getting caught might far exceed the level of just being troublesome. ¡°¡­¡­However, no matter if the letter is telling the truth or not, there were actually people who saw the president getting taken away by the Commander this morning¡ªthose who went to train in the morning saw it clearly.¡± It seemed like Ceres was informed about Olivia¡¯s disappearance by people who actually witnessed it. ¡°Another common point in their recounts was that the president had been beaten by the Commander. They said she seemed as if she was getting dragged away forcefully.¡± Olivia had been beaten by the Commander. It wasn¡¯t just Adriana and me who saw that. It seemed certain that the Commander actually used violence against his own foster daughter. That alone surprised everyone. ¡°I don¡¯t care who wrote the letter or who brought it here; I believe we need to make sure that the president is absolutely safe.¡± Ceres seemed to be convinced that the letter¡¯s contents were false, but she seemed sure that the Commander would do anything to rectify her behavior of abandoning her own faith. It had already been confirmed that he was willing to use violence against his foster daughter. He might not end up torturing her, but Riverrier Lanze might do something drastic to fix his wayward child¡¯s thoughts. Adriana and I didn¡¯t have to say anything to make the letter seem more credible. Ceres had already decided to check things out with her own eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll go and check on her tomorrow. I¡¯ll tell you if she¡¯s okay or not, so please be careful until then.¡± It was already late, so it would be difficult to go visit her. Therefore, Ceres decided to visit the headquarters of the Knights Templar tomorrow afternoon, as I had seen. Judging by the situation, neither Adriana nor I would have ended up saying anything because Ceres had already reached the conclusion we wanted. It was the path that led to the future I had seen. Ceres would head to the headquarters of the Knights Templar on her own, returning with unanswered questions. She had doubts but had no definite evidence. The Commander would let her meet Olivia, but he wouldn¡¯t allow them to be alone in the same room. I wasn¡¯t sure if she was able to mobilize the student council to meet Olivia after that. There was a very high chance that they didn¡¯t get to meet. The moment Ceres returned empty-handed, I would have to think about other measures on how to secure evidence, a method that would provide absolute answers. I had to think of another method because I had confirmed that we could meet Olivia but that we wouldn¡¯t be able to find anything noteworthy, which I, of course, thought of as a result of having seen the future. Because I had seen that things didn¡¯t turn out well, I could deduce that the Commander only let us meet her once. That meant we only had a single chance to meet up with Olivia. Olivia wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything either because the Commander was next to her or because they cast some spell on her to force her to keep her mouth shut. ¡°Vice-president, I think we should consider one thing.¡± When I voiced my opinion, all eyes turned to me. The moment I opened my mouth, they might have suspected that it was me who wrote the letter, but it was time to step up. If things went on like that, everything would end terribly. ¡°One thing? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know her well, but is the president very scared of the Commander?¡± At my question, Ceres slightly nodded. ¡°Hmm¡­ Although the president is a fifth-year student, she is a senior, so the sixth-years might know more about her than I do.¡± Olivia was only living with her juniors because she had been gone for a year. For that reason, the sixth-year students might know more about her. Of course, we had two sixth-years there with us, so Ceres looked over to them. They were a male and female senior. ¡°Hmm¡­ Now that I think about it¡­ I think she tried to not talk too much about the Commander.¡± Those were the words of the male senior. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s scared of him. Every time the topic came up¡­ How should I call it? The atmosphere around her dimmed. I¡¯ve seen that quite a few times. She seemed to be trembling a bit.¡± The female senior seemed to know her a little better. Everyone found out that Olivia was afraid of her stepfather, Riverrier Lanze. I looked at Ceres. ¡°If you go visit her like this¡­ I don¡¯t think she will be able to answer properly¡ªno matter what you ask her, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Well¡­ But if I asked to be left alone with her¡­ Wouldn¡¯t she be able to tell the details?¡± No, the Commander wouldn¡¯t allow that. ¡°This may or may not be true. But wouldn¡¯t it be better to be prepared for all scenarios?¡± It didn¡¯t seem that they would belittle me for being just a little junior who didn¡¯t know anything. It was good that they all had such nice personalities. If there was one among them having only a little bit too much pride, they would have yelled at me to shut my fucking mouth. Ceres didn¡¯t have to, but she agreed with my opinion.. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s always the possibility that we won¡¯t be able to have a good conversation. However, how are we supposed to prepare for that?¡± There was a way to listen to what Olivia, who was silenced either by fear or by a magic spell, really had to say. ¡°I think it would be good to take one more person with you.¡± She shouldn¡¯t go alone but should instead take one more person with her. ¡°One more person¡­ Reinhardt, do you want to come with me?¡± Most of their expressions seemed to ask me something like: ¡°Excuse me, but what are you going to do there?¡± ¡°No, not me.¡± I wanted her to take someone else with her, not me. ¡°Ah!¡± B-4 Ashir, who was sitting in his seat in complete silence, suddenly exclaimed. ¡°There¡¯s a student named Ibia among Class B¡¯s first years.¡± Number B-7, Ibia. She wasn¡¯t a character that got a lot of action, but she was needed more than anyone else in that situation. ¡°Why do you think I need to take her with me, Reinhardt?¡± ¡°She has telepathic abilities.¡± Everyone was surprised at my words. ____ Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Ibia was someone who had no connection to the club whatsoever. However, if the student council president asked her to come with her, she probably would do it. At that moment, the level of her ability was still rather low¡ªso it would only be possible for her to send telepathic messages unilaterally¡ªbut later in my book she was able to establish a two-way communication. However, that was enough for the moment. She could tell her things like, ¡°If you are being threatened right now, touch your nose. if you are being tortured, touch your hair.¡± Everyone agreed that someone like her, who had such a talent, should be brought along; they even complimented me, saying that it was a great idea. If we got her direct testimony, we wouldn¡¯t get the same lukewarm response from Temple that I had seen in the preview. This would be enough basis for Temple to immediately move, and if we wanted to go a bit further, we could also go to the guards. But I still felt a bit anxious. There was a high possibility that the Commander of the Knights Templar might consolidate them with words. If he started torturing her or cast magic on her just a bit later, they wouldn¡¯t be able to meet Olivia at that stage. But the die had already been cast. * * * The next day, after lunch. ¡°It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s nothing to be anxious about.¡± Ceres stood in front of the headquarters of the Knights Templar, holding the very anxious telepath Ibia¡¯s hand. ¡°W-will it really be okay? I¡¯m scared that I¡¯ll make a mistake¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just in case. Everything will be fine. If you think that we¡¯re in a situation in which we have to ask a few questions, then you can do that at your own discretion.¡± ¡°O-okay¡­¡± Ibia, who had a gloomy and timid personality, couldn¡¯t quite believe that she suddenly had to come to the Knights Templar¡¯s headquarters. The previous day, the Royal Class¡¯ student council president, whom she didn¡¯t know really well, suddenly came to her and said that she needed her help with a very important job. Obviously, it wasn¡¯t a very difficult task. She even said that she might not have to do anything. They were just going to meet someone, and if that person seemed to be unable to speak freely, she was supposed to ask her some questions telepathically. They were really easy questions like: ¡°If you need help, do this and that¡±, ¡°if you are getting tortured or something similar to it, do this and that¡±, and so on. It wasn¡¯t difficult at all, as she did those kinds of things until she got sick and tired of it in the supernatural power classes. However, anyone would have been nervous when they suddenly had to apply their ability in a real-life situation. She couldn¡¯t even believe that she might have to ask the daughter of the Commander of the Knights Templar if she was getting tortured while he stood right next to her. Only Ceres van Owen and Ibia were present. The student council president of the Royal Class stood in front of the headquarters of the Knights Templar with no hesitation apparent on her face¡ªit was the place where the strongest paladins who had the greatest achievements in the Demon World War gathered. Most students who majored in divine powers in Temple dreamed of entering the Knights Templar. Faced with that, Ceres van Owen, not intimidated whatsoever, walked along the mighty colonnade and stood right in front of the gatekeeper. ¡°What is your business here, Temple student?¡± Although it was the weekend, the two of them were wearing their school uniforms to show their affiliation. ¡°I¡¯m Ceres van Owen, the student president of Temple¡¯s Royal Class.¡± She pulled out her student ID and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious; I¡¯m just here to visit my friend Olivia Lanze, the daughter of the Commander of the Knights Templar. Could I see her for a moment?¡± ¡°Erm? The Commander is busy at the moment¡­¡± ¡°Please, can¡¯t you ask him for me?¡± Ceres had a bright smile plastered on her face. ¡°Olivia suddenly disappeared, and the students are wondering if she got kidnapped. There is quite a commotion going on in Temple.¡± Ceres even added some slight pressure to her words, saying that she wanted to see that Olivia was safe with her own eyes. * * * The Commander of the Knights Templar was a busy person¡ªhe wasn¡¯t someone one could just meet because one wanted to. However, she wasn¡¯t just a normal student of Temple, but the student council president of the Royal Class. Although her title didn¡¯t hold much power outside of Temple, it made her hard to ignore, at least. She even agreed to go to the Templar headquarters to make sure that the student that suddenly disappeared overnight was okay. She also added that there was already an uproar in Temple, so if she wasn¡¯t able to see her with her own eyes, then they might take more drastic measures next time. Therefore, without any intention of stepping down, Ceres, who had never been there before, managed to make them open the doors for her. The Commander wasn¡¯t present at the moment, so Ceres and Ibia had to wait quite a long time in his office after they got escorted there. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t be nervous.¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Ceres comforted the nervous Ibia by holding her hand. Just how long had they waited? -Clank The door to the office opened, and Riverrier Lanze entered the office with a cold expression on his face, Olivia Lanze following behind him. Without having to ask a single question, both Ceres and Ibia were absolutely convinced about one fact. There was something going on. Olivia¡¯s gloomy expression told them everything. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Commander. I¡¯m Royal Class¡¯ student council president, Ceres van Owen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ibia¡­¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Riverrier Lanze, the Commander of the Knights Templar.¡± After introducing himself briefly, the Commander sat Olivia down next to him and looked at the other two. ¡°I heard that you were worried because my daughter suddenly disappeared from Temple?¡± ¡°Yes. She disappeared without saying a word, so the other students went a bit crazy¡­ Fortunately, we found you here. I thought something bad might have happened to you¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I correct in the assumption that Temple students are allowed to leave on the weekends?¡± ¡°That is right. Still, it was just so sudden¡­¡± . . Like that, a vague back and forth started between Ceres and the Commander. He said that Olivia was in an unstable state of mind and body due to something that happened recently, so it would be difficult for her to continue her life at Temple. That also correlated with Olivia¡¯s recent behavior. However, the current situation didn¡¯t seem voluntary at all but highly involuntary. The Commander also added that Olivia wasn¡¯t in any condition to meet people, so she didn¡¯t want to talk to anyone, and that they should have confirmed that she was safe now. What he meant was that they should go back. On the other hand, Ceres asked if she could talk alone with Olivia, but was rejected. Therefore, it was Ibia¡¯s time to step up. Ibia stayed completely still and focused all her mental power on her ability. [Don¡¯t be surprised, senior. I¡¯m a telepath.] Olivia flinched slightly, suddenly hearing a voice inside her head. Fortunately, the Commander didn¡¯t notice it. [Senior, are you currently unable to talk with us? If your answer is yes, touch your hair once.] Olivia touched her long platinum blonde hair once with her right hand. Ibia¡¯s heart pounded. [If you are in need of help right now, please clench your fist.] Olivia clenched her right hand into a fist. [Are you maybe suffering or¡­ getting tortured?] Olivia nodded her head subtly. Ibia¡¯s complexion began to turn pale.. ¡°Why is this student so nervous?¡± And, of course, Riverrier Lanze seemed to have grasped her abnormal expressions. ¡°A-ah¡­ Well, she is probably nervous because this is the first time she met the Commander of the Knights Templar.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± However, it was impossible for him to notice that she was telepathically communicating with his daughter. Around dinner time. Grace had called for an emergency meeting again. This time, Ibia was also present. It seemed clear that they had grasped the situation. Ibia was terrified, and Ceres¡¯ eyes were full of anger. ¡°It was true.¡± It didn¡¯t matter anymore who sent the anonymous letter. Everyone was shocked at Ceres¡¯ words. ¡°They silenced the president with some kind of trick, but we are sure that she is getting tortured. She also asked for help.¡± Ibia telepathically confirmed Olivia¡¯s request for help. ¡°This is no longer a problem students can solve.¡± Eventually, this event began to grow in scale. ¡°This is already a serious crime.¡± This news had to be delivered to the faculty as well as the guards. Mine and Adriana¡¯s eyes met. After much effort, we managed to turn the case into an event that could move huge powers without revealing that it was us who put things in motion. * * * We had secured evidence that the Commander of the Knights Templar was torturing his daughter. No matter if they were father and daughter, this was reason enough to mobilize Temple as well as the guards. As long as there was some proper justification as well as this testimony, Temple could take action right away¡ªrather than being stuck unable to do anything as I had seen in the Preview. It was Sunday night. Temple¡¯s faculty¡ªincluding the Royal Class¡¯¡ªmoved in groups. The teachers started to lead armed forces and the guards stationed at Temple to the headquarters of the Knights Templar. I didn¡¯t follow them. However, with just that, I could confirm that we had succeeded in taking a completely different path. ¡°Reinhardt, you sure make things interesting.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re denying it, huh.¡± Instead, I was watching the troops and teachers frantically taking off in the middle of the night together with Bertus on the terrace. ¡°It very much looked like you were running around trying to save Olivia Lanze somehow.¡± Even though he had no clear evidence, it seemed like he guessed what I was trying to do by asking about Olivia and visiting her. Bertus seemed to have intuitively noticed that I was the cause for all the chaos. It was more or less just a guess, but it was accurate enough that I got goosebumps. ¡°It sure is amazing that all of Temple started to move just because a little first-year did some groundwork.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything, though.¡± Bertus sipped on his tea and grinned. ¡°Although you¡¯re saying that you didn¡¯t do anything, wasn¡¯t it you who said that they should bring someone with telepathic abilities to secure Olivia Lanze¡¯s testimony?¡± He already knew that much? It was seriously scary because it seemed like this guy knew nothing but also seemed like he knew everything. I just couldn¡¯t tell if he really knew everything. ¡°Anyway. Whatever the reason, I¡¯m really happy that you¡¯ve been running around so much trying to save Olivia Lanze.¡± ¡°¡­Happy? Didn¡¯t you want to get rid of her?¡± ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Bertus was dumbfounded. ¡°The Knights Templar will be disbanded, so what does it matter now?¡± What? I think I just heard something pretty huge. ¡°I-isn¡¯t that a pretty big deal?¡± This incident was rather big, but was it enough to disband a huge group like the Knights Templar? ¡°In some cases, this might have been seen as a case of a parent abusing their child.¡± Bertus giggled. ¡°But His Majesty has no intention of letting this end as just a small incident.¡± They had an excuse. So now they were going to smash them to pieces. It might just be a small incident¡ªbut neither Bertus nor Charlotte¡ªbut the Emperor himself would intervene from then on, increasing the scale of the incident enormously. ¡°However, there¡¯s no way that the Knights Templar will just accept this. There would be a lot of opposition from the religious community. So, in the worst-case scenario, the Knights Templar might end up aiming their sword at the Empire.¡± They wouldn¡¯t be able to completely disband them. The Knights Templar, which had already amassed a great deal of power, combined the powers of the Five Major Churches, so there was no way that they would let go of that power completely. If the Emperor tried to dismantle the organization under the pretext of this incident, they might point their swords at the Empire, calling the Emperor¡¯s actions religious oppression. ¡°Congratulations, Reinhardt.¡± Bertus patted me on the shoulder. ¡°You just started a war to save a single person.¡± I felt my whole body freezing over. What did he mean by war? My brain seemed to have stopped working as soon as I heard that the act of saving Olivia Lanze might develop into a war between the Five Major Churches and the Empire. The Imperial Family was always sharpening their swords, waiting for the right moment to get rid of the eyesore that was the Knights Templar, and that conflict was growing even more heated after the incident with the black market. That was where I had triggered this huge incident of the Knights Templar¡¯s Commander torturing his own daughter. As Bertus said, I created a situation in which hundreds and thousands of people might die horribly because I wanted to save a single person. Something like that. Is something like that even possible? Was everything I had done developing into such a tremendous situation? How was that possible? The only thing I did was follow them and instigate Temple to move with an anonymous letter, you know? A war would happen just because of that? As I sat there completely frozen, Bertus looked at me calmly. ¡°Do you want me to stop it?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ Huh? What?¡± ¡°The war.¡± Bertus still looked at me. ¡°Are you going to stop it?¡± ¡°You seem to have a hard time dealing with this flow of events. Do you want me to stop it?¡± Bertus looked at me, his face adorned with an unreadable expression. ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded my head blankly. ¡°Please.¡± Bertus smiled at my short but sincere request. ¡°Okay.¡± The future had changed. It had changed on a huge scale. However, it changed once again with just a short request. * * * It hadn¡¯t been revealed that the Knights Templar¡¯s Commander had tortured his daughter. Strictly speaking, they were still at a stage where they tried to convince her with words, but she knew that if she kept on denying them that she would be subjected to physical and magical torture. Temple mobilized their forces, but with Bertus intervening, I believed that the Imperial Family took the initiative in this case. The Imperial Family wanted to dismantle the Knights Templar, but if they did that, they would face tremendous backlash, so they reduced the case to a personal one, not a big scandal happening within the Knights Templar. Instead, the Imperial Family seemed to demand that the current Commander be dismissed and insisted on the appointment of a new Commander who happened to be pro-empire. While the Imperial Family was negotiating such things behind the scenes, Temple seemed to have decided to keep their mouth shut after asking for Olivia Lanze¡¯s opinion on this matter. Olivia Lanze hadn¡¯t been tortured yet, after all, so it would have been difficult to press any further charges. Not long after, on Monday, Olivia Lanze returned to Temple. She had decided to quit Temple and abandon her faith, but in the end, she was able to return safely because she was a Temple student. [Special Achievement ¨C The Inflection Point of History (Olivia Lanze)] [A character (Olivia Lanze) who should no longer exist in this world has survived.] [The future has changed dramatically.] [You have received 1000 achievement points.] In addition to earning some achievement points, I got another reward for clearing a special quest. [You have acquired Olivia Lanze¡¯s trait ¡®Sacred Spirit¡¯.] Trait : Sacred Spirit Description : Olivia Lanze was born with enormous mental strength. Therefore, she had great resistance against magic that affected the mind. Sharing that trait with her, you have also acquired enormous mental strength. Your resistance to spells interfering with your mind has increased significantly. The reward was much bigger than I had expected. This might have been the reason why Olivia Lanze didn¡¯t fall until the end, even after getting brainwashed multiple times. ¡ª Chapter 116 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 116 Sacred Spirit. I wasn¡¯t expecting it at all, but the reward was so huge that I was left wondering just what kind of situation I was in. Although it was only limited to mental interference, it was still a tremendous anti-magic skill that one could only receive after rigorous training. Olivia Lanze returned safely, so there seemed to be a brief uproar among the seniors. As the incident didn¡¯t escalate, the details weren¡¯t spread among the students. The members of Grace didn¡¯t spread around anything about Olivia Lanze getting tortured either¡ªprobably because the teachers told them not to. Nothing got leaked. The Imperial Family wanted to deal with this case quietly. Adriana and the other members of Grace seemed to be crying out of joy and rejoicing about Olivia¡¯s safe return. I already confirmed that she was safe, so I didn¡¯t join that tear-filled reception. I just took classes, ate dinner, and trained as usual. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± However, Olivia Lanze came down to the first-year dormitory to meet me. ¡°Can I talk to you for a moment?¡± Her expression was slightly gloomy but not as disastrous as the one I had seen her having in that potential future. * * * She suddenly came to me in the middle of the night and took me outside of Temple¡¯s dormitory. It was quiet around the Royal Class at night. ¡°I heard you played a huge part in my rescue.¡± ¡°¡­What? Actually, wasn¡¯t it Ibia who did everything?¡± ¡°Yeah, I thanked that child as well. You have my thanks, Reinhardt.¡± Adriana and I had come up with the plan, but in the end, Ibia¡¯s telepathic ability played the most crucial part. Olivia walked beside me without saying a word for quite some time. It felt more like we were taking a walk, as we weren¡¯t going that fast. ¡°I thought it would be enough to quit Temple and abandon my faith. I wanted to live a quiet life without hurting anyone¡­¡± Riverrier Lanze couldn¡¯t give up on Olivia Lanze. It was why he tried to manipulate her to the point of completely destroying her, but when he discovered that mind interference magic and brainwashing didn¡¯t work on her, he saw no other choice but to kill her. Her strong mind would have been her downfall. ¡°I guess I was just too naive.¡± She thought he would let her go, but he didn¡¯t. He locked her up and threatened her, and tried to make Olivia live like he wanted through torture and brainwashing. Just what did she have to endure during her days of captivity? After only a few days, Olivia¡ªwho first seemed so gentle and friendly¡ªexuded a lonely atmosphere. ¡°What are you going to do now in Temple?¡± Olivia had been about to quit Temple. However, she was rescued from the Knights Templar because she was a Temple student. ¡°¡­Quitting Temple would be rather dangerous at the moment.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, I know too many things that I shouldn¡¯t know.¡± Olivia had discovered the secrets of the Knights Templar, the corruption within their group, and just how horrifying they could be. She was rescued before they could harm her, but she saw too many things. Without the protection of Temple, she would get taken away by them again¡ªnot to brainwash her, but to silence her. In the end, she decided that she would remain in Temple, even if it was just to protect herself. ¡°Could we sit down for a moment?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± After walking for a while, Olivia sat down on a bench, and I placed myself next to her. A relaxing scent wafted over from both her body and hair. ¡°Are you¡­ going to abandon your faith?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be part of a group to have faith, right?¡± Olivia Lanze didn¡¯t say that she would simply give up on wanting to join the Knights Templar, but instead, she said she would abandon her faith itself. It wasn¡¯t entirely impossible to believe in God all on your own. I wondered why she was trying to abandon her entire faith. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± Olivia nodded and smiled slightly. ¡°Do you want me to show you something?¡± ¡°Show me what?¡± -Glooow¡­ * * * A group of bright, white lights danced in her right hand¡ªit was the manifestation of her divine power. ¡°This is the power of Towan, the God of Purity.¡± ¡°Wes¡­ Well. I guessed as much.¡± ¡°Why can such corrupt, impure people use this power?¡± Olivia looked at me with sad eyes. ¡°Why can so many priests and paladins who act in violation of their faith and its doctrine use such strong sacred power?¡± The Knights Templar was filled with priests and paladins that directly went against their doctrine and committed countless horrible crimes. However, their divine powers were still strong. They didn¡¯t get judged or punished by the heavens. ¡°And why can I, after deciding to not serve Towan anymore, still wield this power?¡± Although she rejected her faith, her divine powers still remained. Oliva seemed to have too many questions. ¡°Divine power isn¡¯t proportional to one¡¯s faith, and one could still use it even if one didn¡¯t live strictly by the doctrine.¡± She was calmly saying things that could immediately earn her a visit from the inquisitors. It seemed that¡ªas she saw those corrupt priests and the power they had¡ªshe began to question the Five Major Churches themselves. ¡°The Gods lend us power, but they don¡¯t really seem to care what we do with it. That¡¯s probably the reason why the Knights Templar that should have been smote down still exist.¡± The Gods aren¡¯t watching over us. They just lend us their power, but they don¡¯t seem to care what we do with it. ¡°Then what use do all these prayers and hymns have if they aren¡¯t even there to perceive them?¡± After experiencing such helplessness and disappointment, Olivia eventually came to the conclusion that faith itself served no purpose. Those numerous sermons and teachings had nothing to do with the Gods whatsoever. Olivia gave up her faith not only because of emotional reasons but because of logical ones as well. Anyway, I learned that one¡¯s divine powers would continue to be strong regardless of their faith. ¡°But who knows. Maybe it¡¯s just those Gods.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Hm? I-it¡¯s nothing.¡± Olivia seemed to have said something rather strange, as if it was a slip of the tongue. The Gods weren¡¯t interested in this world. If so, the existence opposed to them, the Demon God, might be different, right? That was probably what she meant. Why did she suddenly say something so dangerous? Olivia chuckled and shook her head as if to gloss it over so I couldn¡¯t ask her about it anymore. It can¡¯t be. Did she go over to the dark side? ¡°By the way, Reinhardt, why did you help me?¡± Olivia asked me that as if she wanted to change the subject. ¡°I know that it was you and Adriana who wrote that letter.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ So you knew, huh?¡± Everything went well, so all was good, but everyone seemed to have realized that it was us by the time I left the meeting. It seemed like Adriana confessed to everything. That being said, Olivia came to know that the key people behind her rescue were Adriana and me. ¡°Was it because Adriana asked you to?¡± Olivia looked at me with a smile on her face. It felt like my heart was about to explode. She was such a dazzlingly pretty person that I felt like my brain had stopped functioning. What was this? Was that really happening to me? Olivia looked at me, smiled mischievously, and whispered. ¡°Have you fallen in love with me at first sight?¡± ¡°Wh-what?!¡± No, what was that? Why did she ask that so suddenly?! Honestly, I hadn¡¯t fallen in love with her, but I felt like I was going to go crazy! If I lowered my guard for even a second, I felt like my soul might get sucked out! ¡°Just kidding. Why are you so surprised?¡± Olivia laughed while covering her mouth. What¡¯s that? After letting go of everything, you have also become able to say such weird things, yeah? Olivia narrowed her eyes and suddenly brought her face closer to me. She got closer to my ear, actually. Then she whispered to me in a very soft voice. ¡°I told you I wouldn¡¯t serve Towan anymore, you know?¡± Priests of Towan weren¡¯t able to get married. However, since she gave up on that faith, she was free to do whatever she wanted. Did she mean that? Olivia continued to whisper in a strange voice. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re still too young, Reinhardt. Maybe¡­ When you¡¯re in your fourth year?¡± ¡°Wh-what¡¯s wrong with you!?¡± Olivia looked back at me making a fuss. ¡°You see, I heard that it¡¯s bad to be modest in such matters, so I think it¡¯s better to be more honest with these things.¡± Olivia smiled at me again while fiddling with her hair. ¡°Aren¡¯t I pretty?¡± Yeah, I did have to admit that. Honestly, I¡¯d even call her the school¡¯s greatest beauty. I mean, she wasn¡¯t a child anymore, so that was fine; compared to her, my appearance was just too ordinary¡ªit was more like I looked 1000 times uglier. But her calling herself pretty¡­ felt a little strange. ¡°W-well, yeah, but isn¡¯t calling yourself pretty with your own mouth a little¡­?¡± Her personality had blackened. Her mindset also seemed to have blackened in various ways. Seeing that I disliked this, Olivia raised her lips up into a seductive smile. Wow. She wasn¡¯t that kind of person originally, but now this saint that had her sensual sides locked away for many years had her seal lifted. Wasn¡¯t that a disaster in its own right? Olivia pulled at me slightly. ¡°Anyway, thank you, Reinhardt.¡± -Kiss She kissed my cheek, making a wet noise. ¡°Let¡¯s do even more things when you¡¯re more grown-up, okay?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I was frozen in position for about ten seconds. It was really like my brain froze over. The corrupted and blackened saint became a vixen that flirted with a little first-year kid. * * * ¡°¡­So, this is probably kind of a big problem.¡± ¡°Se-senior¡­?¡± The next day, when I came out to do my morning training, I explained to Adriana what Olivia did last night. Her complexion turned completely white. It seemed like her idol and role model¡¯s personality suddenly made a 180-degree turn going far beyond just having forsaken her faith. Her behavior was more like she was saying: ¡°I gave my fucking life to that doctrine of purity, so now I¡¯m going to do everything I want!¡± It was scary because she was pretty much a late bloomer with such things, and she was the most beautiful woman found in the Capital, so no one would reject her. ¡°Uhmm¡­ A-although it¡¯s a bit embarrassing¡­ Shouldn¡¯t you like that, junior?¡± Adriana was shocked, but she said that I should have liked it if someone like Olivia¡ªwho was even called the Saint of the Eredian district¡ªkissed me. ¡°I know she¡¯s just teasing me, but because I know she is doing that, I don¡¯t know how to deal with it when I¡¯m right in front of her.¡± I was sure she enjoyed watching me writhe in embarrassment. In fact, she probably thought of me as just a child. However, when she did those things, I didn¡¯t know what to do, leading to my brain to freeze. The person that gave me resistance against mental attacks was attacking my mind! ¡°Well¡­ What can you do? S-still, isn¡¯t it a good thing¡­?¡± It seemed like Adriana was of the opinion that I should think of it more like a compliment if I couldn¡¯t handle it. But. How was I supposed to do that? This was just too much for my poor heart. After running for some time, Adriana spoke up as if she had just remembered something. ¡°Erm¡­ Senior said just now that she wanted to eat with you and me, junior¡­ She seemed so happy.¡± ¡°Ca-can I not go¡­?¡± ¡°No.¡± Adriana was adamant. ____ ____ Chapter 117 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 117 To Olivia, Adriana and I were her life¡¯s saviors. Because the two of us had followed them, we had found out what was going on and were able to alert Temple with an anonymous letter. Olivia was afraid of her foster father, so she couldn¡¯t do anything independently. It seemed that she had decided to stay with Temple to solve all her problems, including the ones with her parent. In any case, she wasn¡¯t just troubled by personal matters; she was also a target of the Knights Templar and the believers of the Five Major Churches. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t be able to put their hands on her as long as she was a Temple student. Anyway. On Tuesday, after class, I went to Mainstreet with Adriana. Olivia seemed to be doing well in class by then; she knew that being a Temple student was her only way to survive, so she wouldn¡¯t go out of her way to cause any major problems. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait a little. Senior takes more classes than we do, after all.¡± ¡°Yeah, well. I guess so.¡± Adriana and the other members of Grace didn¡¯t seem to think that Olivia was a traitor just because she abandoned her faith. They actually started to question their own beliefs after hearing what Olivia had to suffer through and what she had been about to experience. What if everyone in Royal Class suddenly ended up abandoning their faith or something? ¡°Anyway, how¡¯s she doing in the club?¡± ¡°Well, she doesn¡¯t pray anymore, but she still comes around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± It wasn¡¯t a place that strictly enforced faith anyway, so Olivia seemed to want to return to the club. However, it was strange for someone who abandoned her religion to be the club president of a religious club. While we were killing time near the Main Street Tram stop, we soon saw Olivia getting off a tram. ¡°Oh, Adriana, Reinhardt. Did you have to wait long?¡± ¡°No, we arrived not too long ago as well, senior.¡± Olivia¡¯s Royal Class uniform looked so good that it seemed to have been made just for her. Naturally, she drew in all the gazes from the people passing by. I hadn¡¯t been aware that Olivia was so famous, but everyone seemed to know her. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Olivia grabbed our hands and started to walk. ¡°Wh-why do we have to hold hands¡­¡± ¡°Why? Do you not like it?¡± No, we just didn¡¯t need to hold hands. I didn¡¯t like it because it felt like she was holding hands with a boyfriend rather than just a friend, you know? The sharp stares of all the students stung my back. They seemed to think something like, ¡°What are you doing, holding Olivia¡¯s hand?¡± ¡°N-no¡­ It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it¡­¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± She even winked at me. She was doing it on purpose! I was sure she was doing it on purpose! The people¡¯s glares seemed to sting even more. * * * The three of us went to a restaurant Adriana liked and ate some pasta. It was a pretty good place. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not going to join the Knights Templar.¡± ¡°Well¡­ You must have gotten confused because of me. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°N-no¡­ You have gone through much worse, senior.¡± Adriana also seemed like she had given up on joining the Knights Templar. It was already a well-known fact that the Commander changed, but they didn¡¯t seem to expect that the group would change significantly. Those two would talk about many different things, and Olivia would say something to me from time to time as well. ¡°By the way, I heard that you had supernatural powers, Reinhardt. Is that true?¡± ¡°What? Ah, well¡­ Yeah, it is.¡± ¡°What kind of power do you have?¡± Olivia seemed to ask those things because she was surprised that I turned out to be a supernatural power user. ¡°Well, the power¡¯s called Self-suggestion¡­¡± ¡°Self-suggestion? Is it self-hypnosis or something like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s similar.¡± ¡°What effect does it have?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s a little¡­ vague. It¡¯s like, if I give myself a certain suggestion, my body would be strengthened accordingly, or something¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± That was my power¡¯s biggest weakness. ¡°Anyway, if I believe that I can run really fast, I¡¯ll end up actually being able to run faster¡­ Yeah.¡± I got a little embarrassed while explaining it. Saying that my ability made me win as long as I kept a winning mentality was kind of embarrassing! ¡°Reinhardt¡¯s ability was actually really helpful this time.¡± ¡°Oh? Was it?¡± Adriana followed up, telling Olivia how we followed her and how I strengthened my hearing to eavesdrop on them, after which we decided to help. Yes, my supernatural power certainly did play a role in it. ¡°I see. Thanks again, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± Olivia seemed a little gloomy after remembering those things again, but then she thanked me. ¡°Well. looks like I can¡¯t help it, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Olivia smiled at me bashfully. ¡°You¡¯ll have to marry me after you graduate from Temple, okay?¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Cough, cough!¡± I exclaimed at her sudden proposal, and Adriana coughed for a bit with tears in her eyes¡ªit seemed that she choked on her food. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I have received so much grace from you, so it would only be polite to repay you for what I received, regardless of doctrine, faith, and morality.¡± Olivia smiled softly. Goddamnit, that face was such a cheat; I couldn¡¯t handle it. What did she mean by repaying me for everything she received? ¡°Reinhardt, you saved my life, so I¡¯ll have to give you something of similar worth as my life. Isn¡¯t that fair?¡± Please. If she kept on doing that, people might think she was serious. ¡°You¡¯re going to forget people like me when you graduate from Temple, though.¡± When I told her to stop talking bullshit, Olivia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m going to attend Temple¡¯s Graduate School anyway, so I¡¯ll stay in Temple until you graduate, Reinhardt. I¡¯ll come to visit often~.¡± Damn. Originally, she planned to join the Knights Templar after graduating from the High School section, but since she decided to stay in Temple for a very long time, that girl would be there until I graduated from High School. Adriana watched the senior she had admired freely flirting with a first-year boy. Her face was completely expressionless. It looked like she wanted to deny reality. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is there someone else you like? For example¡­ Adriana?¡± ¡°Senior!¡± Was she doing this to test me? Adriana squealed at her senior, telling her to not be ridiculous. Although she had decided not to join the Knights Templar, Adriana still served Towan, the God of Purity. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Adriana? Loosen up, loosen up and be more comfortable, like me.¡± ¡°I-I won¡¯t!¡± Olivia was trying to corrupt Adriana as well. She had already become a complete heretic and let go of all the problems around her. If she were to be taken in by a heresy inquisitor and put on trial, she wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything. It seemed like Olivia became quite attached to Adriana and me. Adriana was originally close to her, but they seemed even more intimate after that incident. Then there was me¡ªit seemed that she found my reactions interesting, so she kept on teasing me. Seeing her flirting in such an unbridled way, I wondered how she managed to endure it thus far. I didn¡¯t know how Adriana felt about it, but I was a man, so I felt like I was going crazy every time she suddenly hugged me or casually grabbed my hand. Rather, I felt like she was merely playing around with me and not seeing me as a man at all. That had to be why she was able to act without hesitation like that. Harriet¡¯s reactions were great, so I kept teasing her. That was how it felt to be in her position. I felt like I was dying. No, strictly speaking, I didn¡¯t simply hate it. Rather than hating it, I felt complicated about it. Because if I were to say, ¡°I actually love you!¡± she would undoubtedly say something like, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t think you would take this seriously. Sorry, I hurt you a lot, didn¡¯t I¡­?¡± I could see that development happening clear as day. I could never fall for those things. ¡°Today was fun. See you two at the club.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­¡± ¡°Have a safe trip, senior¡­¡± I felt like I got my soul sucked out, and Adriana stared ahead foolishly for a different reason. Perhaps she was like that because she saw her senior, who she admired dearly, showing her depraved side all day long. ¡°I feel like a toy¡­¡± ¡°Senior¡­ How were you able to endure for so long?¡± Adriana seemed to admire Olivia for managing to suppress that personality of hers for such a long time. * * * * * * Although the conflict between the Knights Templar and the Imperial family had yet to be resolved, Olivia would be fine for the moment. I didn¡¯t end up joining ¡®Grace¡¯¡ªI already gained the members¡¯ trust without having to put my name in their roster, so nothing would change. I didn¡¯t want to cram even more things into my schedule. Of course, when the seniors from Grace saw me, they would greet me, especially Olivia, who found it very fun to tease me. As soon as she saw me, she would act all intimate. She would do things like suddenly approaching and hugging me or stroking my hair and just walking off without saying anything. Even her kissing me on my cheek was a daily occurrence. A pet or a toy. That was my position. Even more problematic was that she would do those things regardless of others being around or not. That was how things had been going. ¡°¡­¡± People who didn¡¯t know me at all often looked at me with an expression that seemed to ask, ¡°What¡¯s with this bastard?¡±. They couldn¡¯t even touch her hand while I didn¡¯t have to do anything to get such treatment. ¨C Although he pretends not to do these things, isn¡¯t he actually flirting with every woman he meets? -That¡¯s right. -What¡¯s with this? Why is that bastard so close with all the girls? Even with the seniors, even though he has such a dirty personality. -He¡¯s only nice to girls. Unlike he is to us. Those who knew me, mostly the guys in my class, started gossiping about me. I wanted to say something, but I couldn¡¯t actually refute any of it because it was technically true. In the end, Bertus was the only male student I was somewhat close to in Class A. And after I got closer to Ellen, Harriet, Charlotte, and Adriana, I grew close to Olivia, who was a far older senior. I knew best that they wouldn¡¯t listen to anything I had to say in that situation. ¡°Hey, erm¡­ Reinhardt.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Kono Lint came up to me and chirped. ¡°What¡¯s your¡­ secret?¡± Besides those gossips, there was also someone who wanted me to pass on my¡¯ secret method¡¯ to him. * * * It was Thursday. Time for our common classes. During our short break before lunch, while I was sitting quietly outside the class building where we had our common classes, Kono Lint suddenly approached me. He whispered quietly to me as if he was asking for dirt on someone. Even those guys behind me who had been gossiping about me waited for my answer with bated breath¡ªalthough they were pretending like they weren¡¯t interested. They couldn¡¯t stand me, but the reason for that might be because they were jealous. They were guys as well, after all. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®secret¡¯?¡± ¡°How¡­ How you only got close to girls.¡± The word ¡®only¡¯ was kind of offensive, but I couldn¡¯t deny it. The secret method to get close to girls. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know.¡± I really didn¡¯t know. In Harriet¡¯s case, I really only teased her at first. Harriet still went ¡°Hmpf!¡± or ¡°Tch!¡± when she saw me. Ellen and I just happened to take the same classes, and honestly, we only became closer after eating together. Because it was only Ellen and me who would go for a bite, even in between meals. Concerning Charlotte, she threatened me at first. Then things started to take one crazy turn after the other, and I became something like a letter courier for Charlotte and ¡®Valier¡¯. So that was that. Adriana¡¯s first impression of me was incredibly bad. She had thought I would one day end up head-first in a concrete floor, so she got closer to me to stop me from doing stupid things simply because she was such a nice person. Olivia¡¯s case was a little special, but everything had happened partly because of Adriana, so I didn¡¯t really mean for it to happen. Honestly, I hadn¡¯t actually meant to get close with any of the girls I was close with. So, how could I answer a question like, ¡°How does one get close to girls?¡± Simple, I couldn¡¯t answer. I had no clue either. Kono Lint seemed to think that I didn¡¯t answer him because I didn¡¯t want to tell him, not because I actually didn¡¯t know. ¡°Ah, anything¡¯s good, so just tell me something, please?¡± Among the three useless brothers, Erich and Cayer were the ones who had shit personalities; Kono Lint, however, was only similar in competence to them. Kono wasn¡¯t actually all that bad¡ªhe was just very interested in his female classmates. That guy¡¯s tenacity was really a force to be reckoned with. He even went to ask the crazy bastard Reinhardt himself. ¡°Who do you even want to get close to, huh?¡± ¡°H-huh?¡± When I asked him that, he seemed embarrassed. Asking him who he wanted to get close to was almost the same as asking him who he liked. ¡°Huh¡­ Rather than being interested in someone specific¡­ I-I¡¯m just, uhm, asking¡­ That¡¯s it.¡± Rather than being interested in someone specifically, he answered quite vaguely. An expected answer because that was just the kind of guy he was. I wasn¡¯t a dating master, I was single, actually, but I still ended up in that situation somehow! That bastard was talking to the wrong guy. I was able to act like that in front of those girls because they were nothing more than kids to me, and I was treating them as such. I couldn¡¯t do shit in front of an adult woman like Olivia. I was actually a completely different person in front of adult women. I was just comfortable with our classmates because they were kids¡­ Huh? Was that it? ¡°¡­ Can¡¯t you just treat them more comfortably?¡± I didn¡¯t see them as women, so I was able to treat them like any other person. Was that the right way? ¡°Comfortably?¡± ¡°Yes, you bastard. If you approach them with weird intentions, it¡¯s all too obvious. Just empty your brain and talk to them.¡± ¡°Empty your brain?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, just ask them to eat together.¡± That was what happened with Ellen. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. Don¡¯t falter.¡± That was what happened with Harriet. ¡°If you think they need help, just help them.¡± Although it was a little different, that was what happened with Charlotte. ¡°Just do it like that. If it doesn¡¯t go well, then it didn¡¯t go well. No big deal. Wouldn¡¯t it make them feel more reluctant to be close to you if you act all nervous and insincere?¡± I didn¡¯t know if that was correct. That was how it was for me. ¡°O-oooh¡­ So that¡¯s how it was¡­?¡± However, Kono Lint was taking my words seriously, as if I was a love guru explaining a secret strategy to him. I felt like I should¡¯ve just kept my mouth shut. ____ Chapter 118 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 118 After Lunch. Kono Lint went straight into action¡ªhe headed right towards a certain someone preparing for her next class. ¡°Hey, Grantz.¡± ¡°Huh, what?¡± His target was Liana de Grantz. Was he thinking about getting closer to Liana? However, I didn¡¯t know if that was the best choice. She was the female version of me after all, you know? ¡°Hey, would you like to go eat something together with me after class? There¡¯s a good new shop on Mainstreet.¡± What the hell? I didn¡¯t know what to say either. He just looked like he was openly flirting with her. ¡°¡­With you?¡± Sure enough, she completely looked like she wanted to say something like, ¡°Why do I have to eat while looking at your ugly mug?¡± Wow, although it was happening to someone else, I felt even more ashamed. Erich and Cayer couldn¡¯t even look at the scene because they felt similarly to me. ¡°H-huh?¡± ¡°We have P.E. next. I¡¯m too tired to even move after that.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Okay. Yeah, come to think of it, that¡¯s true!¡± Kono Lint was as stiff as a creaking wooden doll. He turned around, returned to his seat, and sat down. Ah. I already knew that it wouldn¡¯t go well, but seeing it directly like that made it hard to bear for me. * * * After some time. ¡°¡­It didn¡¯t work.¡± Before P.E., Kono Lint came up to me, whispering under his breath again in the locker room. I could also feel Erich and Cayer paying keen attention to our conversation. ¡°Well, first of all, what you did wasn¡¯t natural at all. It was no wonder that when you ask someone out for dinner like that, they would ask, ¡°Why?¡±. It probably felt burdensome.¡± There was more! Natural, huh. I didn¡¯t even know what natural meant anymore. Was it really natural to just ask someone out to eat or to go out to play? How does one even do that? I was confused. Of course, Ellen was actually the one who¡¯d asked me out to eat at that point, and if I asked her to go play, I was somewhat sure that she would come. If it was Harriet, she would say something like, ¡°Why should I do that with you?¡± However, if I forcefully dragged her along, she would let herself get dragged¡ªeven though she would grumble. That was only possible after I built some kind of relationship with those two. Kono Lint wasn¡¯t close to our female classmates to begin with. We had to start from zero, but how could one act naturally with zero progress? I mean, I wasn¡¯t even good at that either. I was just lucky. So I wouldn¡¯t know how to do it again if someone asked me to. ¡°What are you talking about so secretively?¡± Bertus approached me with a smile after he finished changing his clothes. ¡°No, well, he wants to know how to get close to the girls¡­¡± ¡°S-stop!¡± Kono Lint covered my mouth when I tried to say something, but Bertus had already heard everything. ¡°Ah¡­ So you were in the middle of consulting him?¡± Bertus had a subtle look on his face as he looked at Kono Lint. His expression looked quite ambiguous. ¡°That¡­ There are probably more important issues¡­ No. Don¡¯t mind it. Cheer up.¡± -Pat, pat Bertus patted Kono Lint on the shoulder with a knowing attitude and then left the locker room. ¡°¡­To be honest, I¡¯m not completely sure, but I think your target is simply the wrong one.¡± Harriet and Liana, who both had a prickly side, would probably answer with ¡°Why should I?¡± when approached like that. He¡¯d get the same reaction no matter what. In Class A, Ellen might go along with him if he were to ask her out to eat, and types like Adelia might agree as well. When I told him to try someone else, he nodded and said that he would give it a try, regardless of him liking Liana or not. * * * During P.E., Kono Lint was busily wandering around during our breaks. No, how many people was he flirting within a single day? Weren¡¯t you supposed to take your time? Did he want to be portrayed as a philanderer? ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Ellen refused sharply when Kono Lint asked her if she had some time later. He skipped Harriet because the results were rather obvious without having to try. Then he approached Adelia, who was completely exhausted because of the continuous physical training. How would it go with Adelia, who would probably go along with it after hesitating for a bit? Kono Lint started by handing her a water bottle instead of immediately badgering her. ¡°Oh, ah¡­ Thank you¡­?¡± Adelia smiled slightly when Kono Lint suddenly showed her some kindness by handing her a water bottle. ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°Ye-yes¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°After P.E., would you like to go out to drink something cool together?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± At Kono Lint¡¯s shamelessness, Adelia just smiled apologetically. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I planned to go buy some magic tools together with Harriet later. Let¡¯s eat together some other time.¡± ¡°Oh, I-is that so? Then it can¡¯t be helped. Ha, hahaha!¡± Adelia refused him as well, but at least she tried to not hurt him too badly. Kono Lint¡ªwho created some kind of record and got dumped by all the female students of Class A except for Harriet in a single day¡ªcame back to the male students completely deflated. It was truly a hard to watch sight, so Cayer, Erich, and I couldn¡¯t look at him properly. ¡°I-I got dumped by everyone, Reinhardt¡­ Well, Adelia said that she would eat with me later¡­ Is she actually interested in me?¡± ¡°No, she was just saying that. Don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°As expected¡­¡± The boy sat down next to me, his expression seeming as if his soul had left his body. ¡°Ah¡­ Well, most of them had plans already¡­ So that couldn¡¯t be helped¡­¡± I was unusually careful with my words because if I rebuked him too harshly, he might fall into a serious depressive state. I didn¡¯t really like that guy, but more than not liking him, I pitied him. ¡°H-hey, is that even the right way? Just asking them to go out to eat with me normally¡­ That¡¯s the wrong method, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kono Lint threw me some resentful looks. He seemed to believe that I gave him some strange method which was actually to blame, not himself. W-well¡­ Seeing it play out right before my eyes, it really seemed to be the wrong way to go about it. When a guy they weren¡¯t even close with suddenly asked them to go and eat together, they would be kind of at a loss for words. Still, shouldn¡¯t they be a little more understanding and be more like, ¡°If there¡¯s an opportunity, sure, let¡¯s eat something together!¡± or something? ¡°W-well¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem to be the right method, I think¡­ yeah.¡± I could invite Ellen or Harriet out to eat without a problem, but Adelia was scared of me, so she would probably cry and run away. I don¡¯t think I would be able to invite Liana. ¡°Hey, Reinhardt¡­¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Kono Lint fell into despair, but it didn¡¯t seem like he had given up yet. ¡°Can¡¯t you demonstrate?¡± ¡°W-what do you mean by demonstrate?¡± He wanted to see the demonstration of an actual ¡®pro¡¯. I¡¯m not Casanove! How did this happen?! ¡°P-please, just show it to me once. Pleeeaase.¡± Kono Lint, who got mentally damaged slightly due to my wrong instructions, was seriously about to grab at my pant leg. I thought those guys absolutely hated me. Kono Lint. They might brand you as a traitor, you know? Did he want to do something like share his girlfriend with his two friends? ¡°No, I¡¯m not even that skilled in those kinds of things.¡± Ah. Come to think of it, that¡¯s right. Would they bother me less if I let them see me get dumped? I didn¡¯t want to be treated as some kind of casanova. ¡°Sigh¡­ Yeah, see, I¡¯m no different from you.¡± If they saw me flirting and getting dumped right in front of their eyes, they wouldn¡¯t be able to call me a playboy who would only hang out with women. So I reluctantly got up from my seat and headed to the girl who was most likely to do me that favor. I turned to Liana de Grantz sitting on a bench drinking some water. She seemed exhausted. ¡°¡­Hey.¡± ¡°¡­What? I¡¯m tired.¡± Liana looked at me as if she didn¡¯t even want to bother talking to me. She certainly looked worse than before P.E. ¡°Want to go eat something after you¡¯re done?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± I didn¡¯t do anything different from what Kono Lint did. She wasn¡¯t really in a good mood so she¡¯d definitely reject me¡­ ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not really hungry, but I really want to drink something cool.¡± Huh. What? This wasn¡¯t what I wanted. What¡¯s with this? Why did I succeed? Even after exercising so hard, which should have put her in a worse mood, she gave me that kind of response to my sudden question. I thought she would reject me no matter what, telling me that she didn¡¯t want to move anymore because she was exhausted from P.E. Liana asked me to see her in the classroom after P.E., then she went off. Feeling like I got possessed by some ghost, I returned to Kono Lint. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah, well¡­ She said she wasn¡¯t really hungry¡­ But wanted to drink something cool with me¡­¡± ¡°Wha-what?¡± Kono Lint, as well as the other guys who eavesdropped on us, seemed skeptical. They also seemed to think that I would get rejected after they saw Liana in such a bad mood. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t really know? I didn¡¯t do anything different. I just said, ¡°Want to eat something?¡±¡­ That¡¯s all.¡± I was actually the one most baffled about it. I went to her, who was the most prickly in our class, while she was in a really bad mood, and I didn¡¯t act any different from Kono Lint, so I had thought I would get rejected without a doubt. The situation was even more unfavorable than before. Kono Lint started whining to me again to tell him my secret, and I couldn¡¯t even say anything to him. * * * * * * * * * Like that, I tried showing them that I had no actual skills to seduce women by getting rejected, but I failed, so as a result, that misunderstanding got aggravated. And, incidentally, I went on a date with Liana de Grantz, which I hadn¡¯t really planned to do. Of course, we were only going to drink something cool after school. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go all the way to Main Street. Let¡¯s go somewhere nearby.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After P.E., Liana and I decided to go to a place close by rather than going to the main street. What was going on? Wasn¡¯t she completely uninterested in me? Did she like me? Although I asked her out, I still felt somewhat uncomfortable. Of course, we weren¡¯t really talking much. We also had a canteen inside the class building, but we opted to go to a nearby street where some cafes were located and sat down at one of their terraces. I could feel those three idiot brothers tailing behind us. ¡°Why are they following us?¡±¡± ¡°¡­Who knows?¡± Liana also noticed them because they were tailing us so clumsily. Ah, those guys were called incompetent for a reason. Liana ordered a yogurt smoothie, and I ordered an iced lemon tea. Those three also sat down at a table on the terrace quite far away from us, watching us. Liana didn¡¯t seem to care that much that they were following us. ¡°Haah¡­ I¡¯m so exhausted from P.E.¡± She said that her whole body felt stiff as she drooped in her chair. She drank her yogurt and didn¡¯t really seem like she actually held any interest in me. She seemed about to go back because she was so exhausted. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange that you¡¯re still having such difficulties? Shouldn¡¯t you get used to this by now?¡± Although it had only lasted one semester, we had to do that hard training twice a week. It was actually more surprising that she was still struggling so much. Well, those who had no combat talents usually would still struggle, I guess. At my words, Liana glared at me. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re working out every morning.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± She knew that I was training at dawn. I thought only those who came to exercise in the morning knew. Those two training sessions a week would improve one¡¯s basic physical strength, but it would still be difficult. ¡°Why do supernatural power users even need physical strength? The same goes with those magic majors¡­ But you¡¯re also a supernatural power user. No, but your supernatural power is used to strengthen your body.¡± Liana continued to grumble that she didn¡¯t have any use for something like physical strength. ¡°It still has its advantages. Didn¡¯t your physical strength improve?¡± ¡°¡­You sound like a teacher. How annoying.¡± Liana didn¡¯t even look at me, saying that she was tired of talking about that. I didn¡¯t really think that she was interested in me, so why did she go there with me in the first place? I mean, I also went there with her while not being interested in her. Nothing was bad about it. ¡°I¡¯m curious about something.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°When Kono Lint asked you out earlier, you refused.¡± ¡°Yeah. I did.¡± Then why did she come when I asked her out? I said the exact same thing as him, but you actually accepted my invitation. This seemed a bit like I was bragging, but I was really curious. What was the difference between us? ¡°Oh, are you curious why I did that?¡± ¡°So to speak.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t know?¡± No, why would I have asked then? Would I ask something I already knew? Liana took a sip from her yogurt then folded her arms. ¡°Oh, you really don¡¯t know.¡± She thought I knew, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, so she found it strange that I didn¡¯t know. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, you don¡¯t need to know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Liana didn¡¯t say anything more to me. * * * Eventually, I returned to Royal Class¡¯ dormitory with Liana without finding out the reason. We didn¡¯t really talk about anything important other than our classes and things we found hard. ¡°How was it? What did she say?¡± Kono Lint glanced at Liana as she was returning to her room with a curious expression on his face. If that idiot actually liked Liana, he wouldn¡¯t have reacted like that. I guess he was just flirting with girls because he found it fun or something. ¡°What we talked about? Mostly about how P.E. was difficult and stuff like that.¡± ¡°Strange¡­ What¡¯s the difference between you and me?¡± Liana seemed to have a distinct reason for her actions, but when she had found out that I had no idea, she didn¡¯t want to tell me. That made me even more curious, that punk. ¡°And, dude, why did you follow us?¡± ¡°No¡­ I was just¡­ curious¡­¡± ¡°She might think you¡¯re even a creeper, so be more careful.¡± Kono Lint kept on asking me if I had any special skills he didn¡¯t know about, and then at the moment I was about to tell the guy to fuck off¡­ ¡°¡­ Are you guys still talking about this?¡± Bertus looked at me and Kono Lint alternately with a slightly exhausted expression. ¡°Sigh¡­ There¡¯ll be no end to this, huh? You two, follow me.¡± Bertus dragged the two of us to our usual terrace. Kono Lint seemed a little anxious that he was called out by Bertus just for something like this. ¡°Lint, you¡¯re curious why Reinhardt is so friendly with the female students, right?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ so to speak.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wondering if Reinhardt has some special technique or method or something similar, right?¡± ¡°Ah, well.¡± Kono Lint was ready to grovel in front of Bertus if he told him that ¡°technique¡±. Bertus covered his eyes with his right hand and sighed slightly. What? Did this guy know a secret I didn¡¯t know about? The reason why I attracted girls like that? ¡°Lint, don¡¯t get hurt, okay?¡± ¡°Yes. I won¡¯t get hurt.¡± Bertus lowered the hand he used to cover his eyes and directly looked at Kono Lint. ¡°Reinhardt is handsome.¡± His eyes were filled with pity. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± There was no other reason. Bertus went straight to the point, wrapping it up. ____ ____ Chapter 119 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 119 I didn¡¯t really think much about my own appearance because I was able to change it whenever I wanted with Sarkegaar¡¯s ring. When I had originally set my appearance with it, I had made sure to make it so that I wasn¡¯t too ugly. I didn¡¯t make it so that I was so handsome that I could turn heads wherever I went, but I definitely had a handsome face. Until then, I had been living without thinking too much about it. When Bertus had seen me consulting Kono Lint, he had told him that there was instead a more fundamental thing that he should take care of, although he had stopped his advice midway through. He didn¡¯t say something like, ¡°This doesn¡¯t have anything to do with something he does or says. Reinhardt is just handsome¡­¡± because he was afraid that it would hurt Kono. Even so, Kono Lint tried to make something work that he wouldn¡¯t be able to pull off, so Bertus had told him directly. ¡°¡­S-so that¡¯s what it was¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not saying that you¡¯re ugly, Lint. Reinhardt is just¡­ very handsome.¡± Kono Lint¡¯s mouth hung open; he was completely speechless. I didn¡¯t need rhetorics or special methods. ¡®Reinhardt¡¯ was just handsome, so it was only natural that Kono Lint¡ªwho was comparatively less handsome¡ªdidn¡¯t get the same results. I mean, it was obvious that a snake wouldn¡¯t get different results even if it tried to act like a stork. ¡°By the way, Reinhardt, it¡¯s a bit strange that you didn¡¯t notice this at all either. Have you never looked in a mirror?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ What do you mean?¡± ¡°Haaah¡­ Although you got into a lot of conflicts with your classmates, you still kind of get along in the end. I think your face plays a role in that.¡± I-is that what it was? Did my appearance really play such a large role without me noticing? Was that the reason why Liana, who wasn¡¯t really interested in me, still came along with me when I asked her out? If I were really ugly, I would have already been treated unfavorably and completely ignored by the time I started teasing Harriet, but we were still on talking terms¡ªwas that because of my appearance-buff? Then what about Adriana? One¡¯s appearance seemed to be more important than I thought¡­ Even if I wasn¡¯t a super handsome man, I should have felt relieved that I set my face up to be handsome enough. Kono Lint remained silent for quite some time, then he turned his gaze towards me. To be exact, he was kind of staring at me. ¡°Reinhardt¡­¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be every man¡¯s enemy from now on.¡± ¡°What are you even saying?¡± ¡°Somehow, this guy who has such a terrible personality still manages to talk with all the girls! In the end, it was all because of your face, you fucker!¡± Kono Lint jumped up in anger and shouted. ¡°I-I can¡¯t accept someone like yoooooou!¡± He was making such a fuss that I couldn¡¯t even get angry at him. Rather, the situation was kind of funny. No, I mean, if Bertus knew that this was because I was handsome, shouldn¡¯t he have noticed as well? Didn¡¯t he have eyes? It was kind of ridiculous that he was acting as if he found out about that only then. ¡°Huh¡­ What¡¯s wrong with that idiot?¡± ¡°What else but him being innocent and pure?¡± Bertus laughed as he said something rather uncharacteristic of him. Anyway. Starting the next day, the three idiot brothers¡¯ hostility towards me grew even stronger. * * * * * * * * * ¡®Reinhardt¡¯ was already pretty famous because of that duel with the senior at the start of the first semester. And, although it was originally supposed to be a duel with a second year, in the end he had to fight their champion, a third-year. He became even more famous because that champion lost hard against him. That was a pretty positive image. However, the atmosphere had changed subtly, as he was often seen hanging out with someone as famous as Olivia Lanze. Who¡¯s that guy? What¡¯s with him? That was what most people were thinking. Olivia had walked the path of a priest of Towan, the god of purity. Therefore, there had never been any kinds of scandals surrounding her, although she had been subject to a lot of attention. Of course, it was publicly known that she had abandoned her faith, then questions about this man named ¡®Reinhardt¡¯¡ªwho suddenly began to seize all of Olivia Lanze¡¯s attention¡ªhad started to be raised. Of course, there was some hostility mixed in that curiosity. That subtle hostility towards ¡®Reinhardt¡¯ wasn¡¯t isolated to the first-years; it also rose up to the higher grades. There were some clubs in the Royal Class¡ªthe largest one of them was a religious club called ¡®Grace¡¯, but there were many other smaller clubs, although there were only a few. Among them, there was one called ¡®Monthly Royal Class¡¯, a journalism club that published newspapers every month which consisted of only three people. Of course, a monthly newspaper published by only three people didn¡¯t really garner any attention from the students of Royal Class. Now, if we consider the faithfulness of the content when compared with the ¡®Temple Times¡¯, a media club belonging to the central clubs encompassing the entire middle school section, it was on the lower side. That club also had more than 50 members. No matter how special the Royal Class was, their sales number was absolutely lacking. The content of the Monthly Royal Class was mostly just a summary of the Temple Times content or vague gossip¡ªthey were just trivial things such as who didn¡¯t get along with whom, who seemed to have a crush on whom, or popularity rankings divided by class. However, no matter how indifferent everyone was towards it, it was still a really important matter to the members of the club. What topics should they include in their newspaper? What news was circulating these days? What were people interested in? However, all their featured articles they planned to publish went to nothing. The hot topic of the Royal Class at the moment was Olivia Lanze¡¯s renunciation of her faith and Reinhardt, her new favorite. ¡°Everyone has a skeleton or two in their closet.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± And the president of the Monthly Royal Class, who was a fourth-year, Layton Zabry, hated the sudden rise of Reinhardt. The other two were the same. They even doubted that it wasn¡¯t him who corrupted the Saint of the Eredian district. Although the reason was something completely different, to those who didn¡¯t know the details about the incident, it was wholly possible for them to infer that Olivia gave up her faith because of the man named Reinhardt. In fact, Olivia had never treated anyone like she treated Reinhardt. ¡°Look into him. If you find any dirt on him, sink your teeth in it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s show him the power of the media.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± These three were people who should never get involved with the creation of a newspaper. * * * Except for the president, the other two members were dispatched to Year 1¡¯s Class A and B respectively to investigate the man called Reinhardt. They then talked to whoever they managed to catch, interviewing them. They weren¡¯t rejected, as they were seniors. ¡°Reinhardt? Ah, he¡¯s my friend. He¡¯s really hardworking.¡± They interviewed Bertus first. His answer was rather simple. The next one they caught to ask what kind of person Reinhardt was, was Kono Lint. ¡°¡­They say he¡¯s pretty handsome, but honestly, I don¡¯t really know. Tch, that parasitic bastard¡­¡± Kono Lint, who praised ¡®Reinhardt¡¯ without realizing it, told them that he didn¡¯t want to think about it any further. The third-year student, Edian¡ªwho was in charge of questioning Class A¡ªhad never actually seen that Reinhardt guy, so he added the question ¡°Do you think Reinhardt is handsome?¡± to the list of questions. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± That was Ellen¡¯s answer to if she thought Reinhardt was handsome. Then she was asked what kind of guy Reinhardt was. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen pondered for a long time about this question before she eventually gave him an answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± After Ellen answered, she turned around and went on her way. ¡°He¡¯s such a bad guy! I don¡¯t even want to think about him! He¡¯s bragging about being a beggar and is soooo annoying! He keeps bothering me!¡± That was what the first-year Harriet de Saint-Owan said. Thinking that he had found some dirt, he started asking her more. She definitely hated Reinhardt. ¡°How exactly is he bothering you?¡± ¡°Eh¡­ What? Oh, well¡­ What do you mean? Why are you asking?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m a member of the ¡®Monthly Royal Class¡¯. We¡¯re going to do a special segment about Class A¡¯s Reinhardt.¡± Harriet looked surprised at his words. ¡°Ah¡­ So what do you want to ask me?¡± ¡°Then. How is he? Do you think Reinhardt¡­ is a bad person?¡± Harriet looked around and lowered her voice to make sure no one heard what she was about to say. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t think he¡¯s necessarily bad¡­ I got a lot of help from him recently¡­ That¡­ That¡­ I-I don¡¯t know anymore¡­ He¡¯s a bad guy¡­ but he isn¡¯t too bad¡­¡± ¡°I-is that so? Then I heard that Reinhardt was handsome. What do you think?¡± ¡°Y-yes?! T-that beggar? Handsome? How is he handsome? I-I g-guess he isn¡¯t th-that ugly a sight¡­ Aaargh! Harriet uttered some nonsensical gibberish before disappearing as if she was running away. The next interviewee was No. A-5 Cliffman. He said that he met him often because he was always practicing in the training hall but never actually talked to him before. ¡°¡­ He¡¯s got a mean personality, but he¡¯s sincere. I consider him someone with a lot of guts. Seeing him keep going after getting beaten up so badly like that every day¡­¡± Cliffman Highly praised Reinhardt¡¯s tenacity to continue training despite getting defeated by Ellen so overwhelmingly every day. Cliffman evaluated his appearance as okay. Next was Cayer Vioden. ¡°That crazy guy¡­ Wait a minute. You said you were asking this for your monthly edition, right? Then what I¡¯ll say will be printed in a newspaper, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Then I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Cayer thought that if Reinhardt found out later that he said anything, he¡¯d get beaten up, so he just threw him out. Then he met Liana de Grantz. ¡°Is he handsome? Well¡­ I think so.¡± ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°He had a huge influence on the last group mission. His personality is a bit weird, but it¡¯s rare to find people who don¡¯t dislike someone hardworking, right? So rather than thinking that he¡¯s handsome, I feel like everyone kind of acknowledged him for that¡­ I¡¯m not really close to him, so I don¡¯t really know him that well.¡± It seemed that Liana had a moderate degree of favor for Reinhardt. Then he met Erich de Lafaeri. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really know a lot about him, but I think you would be better if you don¡¯t interview Reinhardt himself.¡± ¡°Why? After interviewing his classmates, I was planning on interviewing Reinhardt as well.¡± ¡°With his personality, he¡¯ll probably go crazy.¡± ¡°No way¡­ He wouldn¡¯t do that to a senior, right?¡± ¡°Did you forget that his duel opponent was in his third year?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± That was the moment he realized that it probably wasn¡¯t a good idea to interview Reinhardt personally. ____ ____ Chapter 120 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 120 Class B¡¯s coverage went better than Class A¡¯s. Most of the guys didn¡¯t know Reinhardt that well, so it was Charlotte, Louis Ankton, Scarlett, Delphine, and Ludwig giving some answers. ¡°Although he can be a bit old-fashioned, he¡¯s a good friend. He can be kind and knows how to help those in need. He was also ranked first during the midterm exams. In our last group mission, he even helped our class, who were supposed to be his opponents. He is rather strange, but you¡¯d also get to like Reinhardt as soon as you get to know him. Appearance? Well¡­ He¡¯s definitely handsome.¡± The Princess, Charlotte de Gardias, praised him highly. ¡°¡­I thought he was a bully at first. He definitely is one.¡± Those were the words of Louis Ankton. When asked if he could give some more details, he said that he didn¡¯t want to get caught and ran off. ¡°¡­I often find myself being jealous of him because he has a lot of things I lack. Namely, courage¡­ I think he¡¯s a good person. I want to get closer to him, but¡­ I don¡¯t have the courage.¡± Scarlett answered vaguely. ¡°I don¡¯t know him that well, but I think he¡¯s a good guy.¡± That was Delphine Izadra¡¯s answer. ¡°Reinhardt? I think he¡¯s a great guy! He¡¯s hard-working, smart, and can use his ability really well, you know?¡± Ludwig answered cheerfully. * * * The club president Layton Zabry, who reviewed the results of the interview in their club room, pulled a very strange face. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t tell if his reputation is good or bad.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it good enough?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s good, but I heard that those that didn¡¯t like him ran away without saying anything, right?¡± Certainly, most answers were positive in nature, but there were some that didn¡¯t dare answering¡ªafraid that they might get harmed. ¡°And even among the positive answers, they all said that his personality was bad¡­ So that bastard was actually a villain whom his classmates were scared of.¡± In fact, there were many people who mentioned that Reinhardt had a rather bad personality. How notorious was Reinhardt for his victims to run and refuse to answer when they heard they would publish their statements in a monthly newspaper? ¨¨rich even warned them that if they were to go interview Reinhardt in person, he would react very harshly. ¡°This¡­ this guy isn¡¯t your regular bully.¡± The president shook his head, convinced that Reinhardt wasn¡¯t your regular crazy bastard. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ But I think there were more people who liked him, though¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, who cares about that?¡± Layton chuckled. ¡°Even if he wasn¡¯t that kind of guy, we just have to make others believe that he is.¡± The pen was mightier than the sword! Even if he wasn¡¯t like that, those words would get deeply embedded in people¡¯s hearts. * * * ¡°¡­What? A newspaper?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When I heard about that when I had dinner with Ellen, I wondered what it was all about. It seemed that some senior went around Class A asking about me. I had no idea they did something like that because I was training outside. What was going on? Why were they digging up information on me? How are they going to use that? ¡°He asked me what kind of person you were.¡± ¡°¡­Why did he ask that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± This was weird. Why did those seniors who I didn¡¯t even know cover my life in their newspaper? Anyway, I was royally pissed because my neck hurt from all these weird looks I got. Still, I didn¡¯t want to cause any more trouble, but even if I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t just barge into those seniors¡¯ club. It was also my first time hearing about something like a newspaper club. However, it was clear that they went around here and there to ask questions. It seemed they also asked Ellen some questions. ¡°So, what did you say?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t answer.¡± No, did she mean that she couldn¡¯t say anything even when we had so much contact with each other? Ellen seemed to ponder a long time about this, then she tossed a question at me. ¡°What kind of person are you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What? If she asked me those kinds of things so suddenly, I could only draw blanks. What kind of person was I? ¡°Huh¡­ Come to think of it, I don¡¯t know either.¡± I didn¡¯t know how I could describe myself. Ellen seemed to think about it from a similar point of view but couldn¡¯t come to a conclusion. ¡°Let¡¯s just keep on doing what we¡¯ve been doing.¡± I held my training sword, and Ellen also faced me holding hers. It was a bit annoying, but once I meddled with what those seniors were doing, I¡¯d just get served a feast of nonsense. * * * It was June. The first weekend of June. Editions published by the Royal Class club¡¯ Monthly Royal Class¡¯ that almost no one knew about were placed in the lobby of each class. Most people knew that there would be something about me published in that newspaper, so everyone took one with them as soon as it came out, and I, who was rather curious and concerned, also took a copy of it and opened it in the lobby. I skipped all the small details and only looked for my segment. [ Celebrity Special ¨C What kind of person is Reinhardt, Royal Class¡¯ A-11?] ¡°¡­¡± Now, this Demon Prince even made it into the Royal Class¡¯ internal newspaper. It was such a ridiculous situation in more ways than one. [Reinhardt, the first year that has been a hot topic in Royal Class lately, just who is he? We strive to uncover this truth¡­] What truth are they talking about? Did they think I¡¯m some evil mastermind? No¡­ Actually, if my true identity is revealed, not only Temple but the whole Empire would get overturned. It felt like those guys did a lot of research about me. They even wrote that I wasn¡¯t from some noble family but just a beggar from the streets. They mentioned that I had a supernatural power as well. Of course, those things weren¡¯t really secrets. [¡­Many students praised Reinhardt, but we were able to read between the lines of their statements¡­] ¡°¡­What?¡± [¡­We were able to find out that a significant number of students were actually afraid of him. An interviewee who shall remain anonymous clearly described Reinhardt as a ¡®gangster¡¯.] ¡°¡­Which bastard wrote this?¡± Was I a gangster? Well, yeah, it could be thought of like that. I went around doing this and that, after all. In the end, the segment¡¯s content didn¡¯t confirm any specific criticism about me, but one could definitely deduce from it that I was a bad guy based on the fact that there were several people who refused to give any statements¡ªscared that I would retaliate. No, what the hell? I could clearly see that they wanted to paint me as a bad guy, you know? They deliberately picked at my shortcomings and went on about them. Ultimately, the purpose of the article was to paint Reinhardt as a type of bad guy that was an object of fear for his classmates. They even evaluated me as a playboy who only conversed with women because I only got a good reception from the female students. After reading that part, I got a slight idea of what it was all about. They were just the petty actions of some seniors that didn¡¯t like me getting close to Olivia Lanze. Otherwise, there was no reason for those seniors a few years older than me to do something ridiculous like that. ¡°¡­¡± I could feel the other people who read the newspaper in the lobby slowly turning their eyes towards me. Fuck. That bastard¡¯s going to cause trouble again. That was what their expressions were saying. ¡°Hey bastards, if you look at me like that, you make it seem like this fucking article is true!¡± As I shouted that, I could feel the atmosphere becoming even chillier. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± What I shouted more or less proved that the article was true. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re getting criticized like that. Idiot.¡± Harriet laughed while covering her mouth when she saw my red face. It seemed like she was pleased that a malicious article about me got published. ¡°Hey, did you tell them that I was a gangster?¡± ¡°What? I-It wasn¡¯t me! I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± Harriet seemed shocked and shook her head. ¡°It was you for sure.¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s not me! You dummy! I-I¡­ I was just trying to help you!¡± Harriet just rushed back into her room with red eyes, huffing and puffing all the way there. Seeing that she was so disappointed, it was clear that she wasn¡¯t the one. ¡­I should apologize. I really have to apologize for this. * * * Eventually, I called Harriet into my room and apologized to her for saying those things. She must have been really upset because I could see that she seemed to have cried a little. Her eyes were red and puffy, so I really wanted to pinch those cheeks of hers. * * * https://dsc.gg/reapercomics * * * Of course, I didn¡¯t do that because I thought she wouldn¡¯t forgive me for that for the whole week. Instead, I took her to the dormitory-adjacent terrace and sat her down. She didn¡¯t even look me in the eyes, keeping her head turned and saying, ¡°Hmpf!¡± ¡°You were really too much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. So what did you say?¡± When I asked her that, her face turned red because of a different reason. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­ I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡­She definitely complimented me, not slandered me. The guilt I felt grew even heavier. ¡°By the way, what are you going to do now?¡± Harriet folded her arms, trying to change the subject so that I couldn¡¯t dig any deeper. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I mean, are you going to let this slide? Aren¡¯t you going to make a fuss like you usually do?¡± Ah. People held certain expectations even towards troublemakers. The guys who read the newspaper in the lobby earlier looked at me as if I was going to cause trouble again, but they actually pretty much looked forward to that. With how things usually go, Reinhardt would always get at least one hit in; he wouldn¡¯t be able to sit still, right? He¡¯s going to turn everything upside down again. Will he give it to them? He¡¯s going to give it to them, right? I could clearly read that this was what they were thinking. Harriet must have also thought that I was the type of person that wouldn¡¯t be able to let this go. Just what was with this? What people wanted to see was me acting aggressive towards those arrogant people because that was ¡°just how I was¡±? Should I really do it? Still, although I really wanted to beat them up while they twisted a lot of things and wrote that article with malicious intentions, some of the things they wrote were partially true. ¡°All the seniors will think that you¡¯re that kind of person, so are you just going to sit still?¡± ¡°¡­Some things are partially true.¡± Harriet turned her head at my words. She looked really surprised. ¡°Y-you¡­ You really, erm, only think of doing pervy things to women¡­ Is that so?¡± ¡°No, not that part!¡± Harriet suddenly became scared and covered her chest with both of her arms. No! Do you think you¡¯d have to hide those two insect bites of yours? ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ You¡¯re only close to women¡­ The boys don¡¯t even talk to you, except Bertus¡­¡± She seemed to think that I just admitted that another part of that article was partially true, not the one I meant. In fact, everything Harriet said was true except for the part where I only think about doing pervy things to girls, so I couldn¡¯t really retort. ¡°Come to think of it, even the female seniors¡­¡± Low life. That was how Harriet was looking at me. ¡°That¡¯s not it, okay? I didn¡¯t intend for that to happen!¡± ¡°T-then who do you like? Do you have someone you like or something?¡± If I said ¡°It¡¯s you¡± at that point, I could predict that her face would explode into red again, but if I did that, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the aftermath. That could leave permanent scars on her mind, after all. ¡°I don¡¯t really have anyone like that¡­¡± Put differently, I liked all the girls I was close with; I didn¡¯t like them as members of the opposite sex, though, because of reasons! ¡°¡­So, you want to be close with everyone, is that it?¡± ¡°Why are you saying that?¡± ¡°My brothers say that guys like you are the worst in the world.¡± Why did she bring her personal grudges into it? And why did she even talk with her brothers about me? B-but what she said was true¡­ Someone like that was nothing but utter trash¡­ It seemed that the impression that I was a playboy that didn¡¯t really like anyone but flirted with everyone was about to solidify in Harriet¡¯s mind. Damnit. Why did that shit happen just because of some fucking newspaper? ¡°Haaaa¡­¡± I really didn¡¯t want to worry about those small things, after all. I didn¡¯t even know what I could do about what my seniors already did. The Prince of the Demon Realm, Valier, might be able to endure it and be patient¡­ ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck them up good.¡± But the gangster, Reinhardt, couldn¡¯t stand that shit! ____ https://dsc.gg/reapercomics ____ Chapter 121 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 121 I didn¡¯t really know what to do, so I just recklessly went up to the seventh floor and knocked on the ¡®Monthly Royal Class¡¯ clubroom door. -Bang, bang! If they weren¡¯t in, I planned on going to every class to look for them, but the door opened up. The clubroom was definitely smaller than Grace¡¯s, but it was still pretty large because this was Royal Class, after all. There were three people sitting at a table that looked like a conference table. The one who opened the door was a man that looked like a senior. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Reinhardt?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± I was planning to at least shout something like, ¡°What the hell do you bastards think you¡¯re doing?!¡± However, the people who seemed to be that club¡¯s members had gloomy expressions on their faces, and there was, of course, one more person that definitely wasn¡¯t part of this club. ¡°¡­Reinhardt.¡± Charlotte, with her chin resting on her right hand, sat at the table¡ªlooking at me as if I was pathetic. ¡°Sigh¡­ You really came in person, huh?¡± Charlotte shook her head in disbelief as if she was actually disappointed. * * * All the seniors sitting opposite Charlotte kept their mouths tightly shut. They were surrounded by a rather solemn atmosphere. What? Why was she here? ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°¡­I was sure you¡¯d come over here to fight, so I came here in advance to stop you before you end up destroying everything.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Charlotte expected how I would act. But I tried to hold back first, you know? I only became so angry because Harriet kept on egging me on, you know? ¡­Anyway, I ended up going there, so Charlotte read me correctly, I guess. She went there in advance, expecting that I would cause a scene. Still, it was pretty creepy that she ended up reading me so accurately. Although the other guys were our seniors, they were all frozen solid¡ªprobably because the Imperial Princess ended up coming to their club room. Charlotte smiled subtly as she looked at the monthly newspaper that got published that day lying on the table. ¡°Of course, I also came here because I noticed that the article differed greatly from what I said in the interview.¡± I felt all the seniors flinch at those words. In front of Charlotte, who was a lot higher in status than them, they were like mice before a cat. By the way, that club only had three members? The Royal Class had so few students, so that might not be too surprising, actually. Charlotte smiled and looked into their eyes one by one. ¡°Seniors, I definitely said something to the effect of Reinhardt being a good person in the interview. So how did the content end up like this?¡± Charlotte was scary when she was angry, but her smiling like that was scary in its own way. It was creepy in a different sense than Bertus¡¯s. One of them opened their mouths in response to Charlotte¡¯s interrogation-styled question. ¡°Tha-that¡¯s¡­ When I compiled the answers of all the interviews of the first years, it seemed like there were a lot of them scared of Reinhardt and¡­ We wanted to focus on the unspoken.¡± ¡°Ah, so because of that gap you felt, you wrote a speculative article telling others that Reinhardt might bully his classmates and those other things?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just mere speculation; we judged most of those things to be kind of true¡­¡± They seemed to switch between polite and informal speech a lot, and the one who spoke just then felt extremely polite but still talked informally. ¡°You¡¯re saying that you chose uncertain facts that you gleaned from unspoken words over the certain content of the interviews? You just picked out some uncertain circumstantial information and built the article around¡ª¡± ¡°Tha-that¡¯s not it!¡± The president cut off Charlotte¡¯s words while she was still talking, but she kept on smiling. ¡°Anyway, you completely ignored when I said in my interview that Reinhardt is a sincere and good person, didn¡¯t you?¡± The problem isn¡¯t that you insulted Reinhardt but that you ignored the statement of the Imperial Princess, you know? That was what she meant. Scary. She was sometimes scarier than Bertus! * * * https://dsc.gg/reapercomics * * * ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Of course, it is true that Reinhardt is only close to the female students. In fact, because he caused one problem after the other at the beginning of the semester, his image as a problem child became ingrained in everyone¡¯s mind.¡± Why are you doing this all of a sudden?! If you want to insult me, at least look at me! This feels like you¡¯re talking to someone else, so it hurts even more! ¡°But since then, he hasn¡¯t caused a single problem, and I don¡¯t think Reinhardt is actually a lecherous person. He only maintains healthy friendships with the people he¡¯s close with.¡± Is this the carrot after the stick? Anyway, Charlotte expected that I would come over and flip the place upside down myself. She was worried about me, after all, so she took action first to meet me there. I was grateful, although I felt a little complicated, as it still seemed like Charlotte saw me as a crazy bastard. ¡°I think it is very bad practice to harm individual students by releasing such uncertain information.¡± They did publish some insults about me, and, no matter if they were a student club or not, they still published a monthly newspaper. It seemed unacceptable to Charlotte for them to report based on implications rather than facts under the guise of journalism. The seniors listened to her, looking even more nervous than when confronted with a teacher¡¯s scolding. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you wrote such an article about Reinhardt; however, there¡¯s no law that forbids you from doing as such¡­ Unless you¡¯ve done similar things before.¡± Charlotte looked towards the president and blinked. ¡°Did you keep your old publications? I want to take a look at them.¡± ¡°Uh, ah¡­ Yes¡­¡± Looking at the situation, it became clear that the Prince and Princess seemed to abide by Temple¡¯s rules and yet not at all. In Temple, there was a hierarchy between seniors and juniors, but the Princess, whose status was excessively high, ordered that fourth-year around with no hesitation at all, although it was only a nominal request. The president handed Charlotte the previous editions of ¡°Monthly Royal Class¡±, which they kept in the club room. Charlotte asked me to sit next to her, requesting that we look through them together. So there I was, sifting through those previous publications together with Charlotte. It seemed like she wanted to see if they slandered anyone else by spreading malicious rumors without any proper basis like they did with me. If Charlotte determined that the club crossed the line multiple times, would she get rid of it somehow? -Flip¡­ Flip¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­ This is a monthly paper that¡¯s only available inside the Royal Class, right?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. That¡¯s right¡­¡± ¡°Do a lot of people read it?¡± Charlotte didn¡¯t stop asking questions while reading through the articles. ¡°Well¡­ To be honest, hardly anyone ever reads it¡­ But there are still some people who read it when a new issue is published¡ª¡± ¡°Well, actually, even if they look through it, they tend to prefer reading the weekly Temple Times, not ours.¡± While the president murmured, another senior interrupted him. Those guys were accurately evaluating the value of their publications. The president glared at the other senior, who had suddenly intervened as if he was talking nonsense. They still seemed to have some pride in what they did. ¡°So¡­ This is a newspaper one wouldn¡¯t read unless one was curious about Royal Class¡¯ internal news. It¡¯s also a monthly newspaper, and even the people that are interested in it prefer to read the weekly newspaper published by a larger club called Temple Times instead of this internal publication, is that right? ¡°T-they certainly have a lot more members than us¡­ So we can¡¯t even compete with their level of writing and amount of information.¡± It was a monthly newspaper, but barely anyone read it. In fact, if people wanted to get some information, they¡¯d rather read the weekly newspaper made by a much larger number of people than the monthly newspaper made by only three¡ªthat much was obvious. It couldn¡¯t even be called a third-rate tabloid. No one read it in the first place, so why the hell did they publish something about me in there? They wanted to get people reading. The first-years knew they were going to cover me, so all of them read their newspaper, and those seniors that were curious about me or disliked me were likely to read it as well. Charlotte sighed. ¡°I¡¯m rather glad about that. All your content is weird speculative reports, dripping in conspiracy theories and circumstantial evidence¡­ If people actually ended up believing this stuff, it would cause a lot of trouble¡­¡± Charlotte continued to talk while reading the articles, then she suddenly stopped her breath. She was reading last month¡¯s, May¡¯s, publication. The attack on the Imperial Capital, why did it happen? The attack on the Imperial Capital, presumed to be the work of demons, caused great chaos in the Capital as well as the whole Empire. This incident is presumed to be the work of remnants of the Demon Realm, and although it had been announced that they are currently being pursued, there have been no clues or news of them catching the perpetrators up until now, about a month after the incident. However, we didn¡¯t even consider very fundamental questions that we should have. This time, apart from the identity and purpose of the perpetrators, we would like to consider some questions the authorities did not present. The incident took place at night, taking advantage of the dark hours when all citizens of the Imperial Capital were deep asleep. We have a brief overview of events. They seemed to have clashed with the Knights Templar in front of their headquarters and escaped by seizing the Warp Gate located there. But, just why were the main forces of the Knights Templar outside that night? The Knights Templar did not give their statement about this. They didn¡¯t mention anything else other than claiming that they had been attacked. So it¡¯s only natural to wonder just why the most elite unit of the Knights Templar wander around outside of their headquarters late at night. This question needs an answer. Therefore, after pondering deeply about this matter, one might come to the conclusion that there has to be a different reason behind the demons¡¯ attack on the Knights Templar. Charlotte fell silent after looking at the article. Why did the most elite members of the Knights Templar wander around outside, fully dressed in armor at night? Weren¡¯t they actually on some kind of secret mission for which they had to go around like that at night? Why were there no casualties when such a large-scale attack took place, and why did they just run off through a warp gate? If it was an attack, wouldn¡¯t they have chosen a different place? What would they gain by attacking those elite troops? The article pointed out various suspicious things and said that there was something else going on behind the scenes we didn¡¯t know about. They were convinced that there was more to this, although they didn¡¯t base this on facts but mere suspicions, and their tone was so confident that it was pretty much an insult towards the Empire. With a firm look in her eyes, Charlotte looked at each of the club members. ¡°¡­These people will end up creating a lot of trouble. Really.¡± ¡®Did you guys go fucking crazy, or do you actually want to die?¡¯, That was what she tried to signal to them. Of course, Charlotte was furious. ¡°No, it¡¯s a relief that no one has read nor cared for this newspaper so far. Do you think you can say whatever you want just because you¡¯re Temple students? This is both an insult towards the Knights Templar and the Imperial Family! Thank the Gods that no one has ever cared enough for your nonsensical speculative articles!¡± Charlotte was very furious and shouted wildly at her seniors. But I couldn¡¯t help but know the real reason behind her anger. The article drew quite a few conclusions that came very close to the Imperial Family¡¯s as well as Knights Templar¡¯s hidden side. I mean, all of it was very suspicious to begin with. However, Charlotte got so angry because she knew that if other people carefully read this article without a filter, their lives would be in danger. It was as if they were asking to be dragged to the streets to get killed. Everyone was trembling at the Princess¡¯ extreme anger; I was no different. I was hella scared! Charlotte didn¡¯t stop shouting as she looked over the other publications beside that one. ¡°These are all just rumors and misinformed speculations! ¡®Are there believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church in Temple?¡¯, ¡®Are there any Revolutionary Forces in Temple?¡¯, ¡®Are there members of the Magic Society inside of Temple?¡¯, seriously¡­ Do you just write whatever comes to mind?! This isn¡¯t even worth writing about. ¡®Are there ghosts in Temple?¡¯ Why are you writing articles like that?!¡± There was also a problem occurring on my side. [Quest appeared ¨C Revolutionary Forces] [Description: There are rumors that there are Revolutionary Forces hiding inside Temple.] [Goal: Uncover the truth behind the rumors.] [Reward: 300 achievement points] [Quest appeared ¨C Magic Society] [Description: There are rumors that members of the Magic Society have infiltrated the Temple.] [Goal : Uncover the truth behind the rumors.] [Reward: 300 achievement points] [Quest appeared ¨C The Phantom of Temple] [Description: There are rumors that ghosts are haunting Temple.] [Goal : Uncover the truth behind these rumors.] [Reward: 300 achievement points] Three quests emerged instantly. What? Was that place like a quest vending machine? ¡°And what is this? Great. I don¡¯t know if you thought this was a big concession not by saying that they are in the Empire, but by stating that there are demon spies in Temple? Really¡­? Temple has its own barrier that repels demons. How do you think demons could get in here like that?¡± [Quest appeared ¨C Temple¡¯s Demons] [Description: There are rumors that demon spies have infiltrated Temple¡­ Oh, that¡¯s you!] [Goal: lol¡­ sorry¡­! LOL¡­!!] [Reward : ????????] [¡®Quest ¨C Temple¡¯s Demons¡¯ has been deleted.] That crazy fucker again. Charlotte shook her head and turned her eyes towards those three as if she couldn¡¯t leave them alone. ¡­What Demon spies? Was everything those idiots wrote unexpectedly correct? Charlotte burst into laughter as she rummaged through other editions, wondering if they could get even more absurd. ¡°Just what is this¡ª¡± ¡°Ch-charlotte. Stop, let¡¯s take a break.¡± Otherwise, I was going to be swamped in quests! ____ https://dsc.gg/reapercomics ____ Chapter 122 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 122 Charlotte left the club after half-coercing them to gather all their publications and correct them immediately. It seemed that she didn¡¯t want to deal with them anymore. I was in the first-year dormitory drinking tea with her. ¡°They are so outrageously stupid¡­¡± Charlotte sipped her black tea and then just shook her head as if she thought of those crazy members of ¡®Monthly Royal Class¡¯ who only published crazy stories and stupid rumors as articles as nothing but outrageous fools. ¡°No matter how I look at it, there definitely wasn¡¯t a teacher in charge of this. There¡¯s no way that those articles would have been approved otherwise.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± If there was a teacher in charge of that club, Charlotte was convinced that such ridiculous articles wouldn¡¯t have seen the light of day. In fact, they exclusively published weird rumors to the point of absurdity. ¡°I¡¯ll have to do whatever I can to close down that place.¡± Charlotte seemed highly determined to dismantle that club of idiots. However, I thought a bit differently about the matter. ¡°Hmm¡­ Do you really have to do that?¡± Rumors were just rumors, after all; also, every single one of them turned into a quest. I would receive achievement points just by checking if they were true or not. There was nothing bad about having them around. They could compile all those rumors on my behalf or something. That time, the situation was a bit different, but there was no disadvantage to keeping them around in the long run. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re in the position of a victim here, Reinhardt.¡± Charlotte probably wondered why she should leave that club alone. ¡°No one even reads their newspaper. Rather, no one even views it as Royal Class¡¯ official internal newspaper, so shouldn¡¯t we just give them a warning that they shouldn¡¯t write about sensitive topics any more?¡± Honestly, they only raised some suspicions but didn¡¯t actually know the truth, so after they got scolded by Charlotte like that, they¡¯d probably think twice before writing such articles again. They had looked like they never thought about what consequences their actions might have. ¡°Hrm¡­¡± ¡°Think about it, if you leave those idiots together, they¡¯ll only do one stupid thing; if you split them up, they will do three.¡± It was probably better if we gathered those idiots in one place, and since they were given a severe scolding, they wouldn¡¯t do anything crazy like writing something that could harm someone or question larger organizations. They had gotten burned for it, after all. Charlotte seemed to agonize over this for a long time, but eventually, she sighed heavily with her brows slightly furrowed. ¡°Fine, it¡¯s funny enough that you, the victim, are telling me this. Should I not have come forward?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m really grateful that you came. If you didn¡¯t, things probably wouldn¡¯t have ended that well.¡± I was really grateful that Charlotte came to mediate. If I had gone alone, I might have gotten in trouble with some seniors again. ¡°Yeah, it won¡¯t be too late to decide on this after we take a look at their next edition. No one even reads this newspaper, to begin with.¡± It seemed like Charlotte would really raze the club to the ground if their next edition was the same as the other ones. In the end, I was able to gather four quests¡ªall of them came from those rumors. The Demon God¡¯s Church, Revolutionary Forces, Ghosts, and the Magic Society. All of them could be true, or they could be just rumors. However, if they were just rumors, then I had nothing to lose. Achievement points were even more valuable than money. The more I had, the better. Just finding a place from where quests would pour out of was already a big boon for me. Charlotte rested her chin on her hand as she sipped on her tea. ¡°Still, some of these rumors might be worth looking into.¡± ¡°looking into?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get swayed by those ridiculous speculative articles. Keep that in mind.¡± Charlotte looked at me sternly as she spoke. ¡°The Demon God¡¯s Church and the Revolutionary Forces.¡± I obtained some information about the Demon God¡¯s Church rumors not only from the Monthly Royal Class but also from Grace. According to the Student council president, there was nothing to worry about. ¡°After the incident last time, there have been rumors about the emergence of the Demon God¡¯s Church making its rounds. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if there were some believers in Temple, where people from all over the Empire gather.¡± Charlotte wasn¡¯t certain, but she seemed to think that the possibility of there being believers of the Demon God¡¯s Church in Temple was quite high. ¡°And the Revolutionary Forces¡­ It¡¯s only natural for people to have strange thoughts when their heads grow bigger, and this place certainly makes people¡¯s heads grow overly big, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Thinking back, Charlotte was very cold-hearted towards me as well at first. So I knew that she had no hesitation piercing people with harsh words like a master. Both Bertus and she let their masks fall when they stood before me. Both of them showed their true faces to me. Was that a good thing? Anyway, Temple was a place of learning and a place that nurtured people, after all. So, eventually, some might get big heads, leading to them having strange thoughts. ¡°It would be stranger if these so-called Republicans weren¡¯t in Temple.¡± There might be some believers of the Demon God¡¯s Church in Temple. However, it would be strange if there weren¡¯t any Revolutionary Forces in it. That was how Charlotte judged the situation. She looked at me and smiled. ¡°How about it, Reinhardt? Do you want to investigate them together with me?¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°Yeah. I heard that you like the Empire quite a bit, isn¡¯t that right, Reinhardt? The Demon Church and the Republicans are both enemies of the Empire, aren¡¯t they?¡± That was what I told Bertus, that I liked the Empire. Actually, things seemed good and all, but I was originally from a world ruled by democracy. Then shouldn¡¯t I be on the side of the Revolutionary Forces if I followed those typical developments? Wasn¡¯t it my job to bring democracy to this world or something? However, how did I suddenly end up becoming an imperial loyalist? ¡°This time, you won¡¯t have to be careful of Bertus, so you shouldn¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡± Who would have thought that I would end up as the Empire¡¯s forerunner in suppressing democracy and republicanism. I heard that I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the Demon God¡¯s Church, but if we actually found these ¡®Republicans¡¯, they¡¯d get 100% beheaded, wouldn¡¯t they? I mean, I was neither a democrat nor a republican, to begin with. I was the enemy of mankind, the Prince of the Demon Realm, you know? So wasn¡¯t this a ¡®the enemy of my enemy is my friend¡¯ kind of deal? With that in mind, shouldn¡¯t I actually push those forces into action to cause chaos in the Empire? It was supposed to be like that, wasn¡¯t it? I felt like I was about to lose my mind for a second. * * * * * * https://dsc.gg/reapercomics * * * It was the weekend. Charlotte told me to look for those Demon God believers and the Republicans, but that was for later. She handed me a letter after saying she had something to do within the Imperial Family that day¡ªit was a letter for Valier. ¡®I¡¯d like you to deliver this letter today, but you also have your own plans, don¡¯t you? Thank you and sorry for bothering you all the time, Reinhardt.¡¯ ¡®Oh, this is nothing much.¡¯ Charlotte hurriedly left Temple, apparently because she had some business to take care of, but she had seen my newspaper article and put it off. Had I become close enough with her that the Princess would spend her precious time on me? Of course, she¡¯d care a bit about me because I had the role of a carrier pigeon. There was no real reason for me to deliver the letter either. Since Valier was me, I didn¡¯t have to bring the letter anywhere else. However, I couldn¡¯t let anyone see me just nonchalantly writing a reply to it there, so I went out of Temple. I didn¡¯t use detours or a disguise. Since I already made contact with Eleris as Reinhardt, there wouldn¡¯t be any problems from Charlotte¡¯s side, at least. Rather, it would probably be more dangerous if I disguised myself, used some detours, and went to Eleris as a different person because it might look like Reinhardt gave the letter to someone else entirely. Bertus¡¯s people might follow me, but it seemed that he had other things to focus on than the kid Charlotte was looking for. So I was able to go to Eleris¡¯ store more comfortably than before. ¡°You¡¯re here, Your Highness.¡± Eleris greeted me with the same smile as always. * * * It had been a while since my last visit, so I told her everything I did up to then. When I showed up Eleris, locked the store. Of course, no one would actually go in there even if she didn¡¯t close it up. ¡°¡­A deserted island, you say?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much? No, how could they leave 17-year-old children on some island to fend for themselves, even if they were talented?¡± Eleris didn¡¯t seem to comprehend why we had to go through something so absurd as a group mission. ¡°The mental capacity of those in charge of Temple who planned this mission is seriously lacking. What nonsense¡­¡± I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ I had actually been the one to plan it¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have watched Law of the Jungle back then. Eleris continued to complain about the ones in charge of Temple who planned such nonsensical missions, and she seriously started worrying about me after I went through something so difficult. Of course, that only made me feel even more ashamed because those things were basically my fault. ¡°There were orcs? Two of them? Don¡¯t those guys underestimate orcs too much? A heavily armed orc could easily crush ten well-trained human soldiers. Even if they were summons, what are they making kids deal with? No matter if they managed to finish the mission or not, mentally weaker children might experience some serious trauma that would scar them for life¡­ I¡¯m sure that the person who planned that mission never experienced actual combat before!¡± ¡­ That¡¯s right. Okay! It¡¯s my fault! I already know that! I realized too late that all of this was problematic. How should I have known that they would have to face them for real one day! ¡°By the way, it¡¯s amazing that you managed to hunt them.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, though.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s already amazing enough that you managed to survive in that environment, your Highness.¡± Eleris was smiling at me as if she was proud of me after completing that harsh and absurd mission. Just what on earth was that happy yet painful feeling I felt after getting sworn at before getting praised? ¡°Did you come here just because of the letter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I last came around, so I wanted to see your face. Are you doing okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I noticed that all the people that were snooping around the area are gone now. I think you can lower your guard a bit when you come here.¡± Charlotte achieved her goal, and Bertus eventually gave up the chase. So, Eleris¡¯ store seemed to be rather safe; I was to read and write those letters in peace. ¡°How about Airi?¡± Airi, the successor to the Succubus Queen. Her ambition was to earn a lot of money in the southern island nations and topple the Empire¡¯s power that way. I heard that her business was doing well. ¡°Things aren¡¯t going that smoothly yet, but that¡¯s not a matter of concern.¡± ¡°¡­How long has it been since she started doing this?¡± I couldn¡¯t pay attention to everything they did, but it should have only been a few months. Eleris scratched her cheeks and showed me an ambiguous smile. ¡°Uhmm¡­ Well¡­ I think they are focusing more on connections with people rather than earning money.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Ehem! Well¡­ They want to win over influential people¡­ Yes.¡± What did she mean with ¡®win over¡¯? Weren¡¯t they running a bar? Could the word ¡®winning over¡¯ really be used in this context? Weren¡¯t they actually seducing them? She censored herself, didn¡¯t she? ¡°Captains, loan sharks, and major officials¡­ They run their business¡­ by embracing such people.¡± Airi and company settled in Rajak, the Capital and largest trading port of the Edina Archipelago. It seemed that those types of people became their regulars. Airi decided that creating connections to such economic giants would help her more in growing rapidly than earning some small change. What was with that? I sent her there to keep her busy, but it seemed like their scale was growing bigger and bigger. I mean, the end justifies the means, so it should be fine even if the method was bizarre, but wasn¡¯t that just too crazy? ¡°¡­So, they are borrowing money from those loan sharks at a low rate and getting permission for their actions from these major officials. I don¡¯t really know yet what they are going to do with those captains, but they are winning all those people over by flirting with them, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I think so.¡± Even if their eyes were rotten, it would still be a piece of cake for a succubus to seduce people of such caliber, with or without our abilities. Magic? Do we need something like that just to seduce these types of people? That was probably how they thought. Anyway, it seemed like everything was going well on Airi¡¯s side. ¡°But still, tell them to be careful. Things could turn for the worse in an instant.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll pass it on to them.¡± The pink-haired succubus queen was steadily realizing her dream of becoming a businesswoman, so I didn¡¯t know what direction this world would take. I opened Charlotte¡¯s letter¡ªits contents were on the calmer side. Her first letter contained her sentiments of guilt, that she wanted to see me and that she was sorry; this letter didn¡¯t hold anything like that. They were things like: How are you doing, I wonder. This happened to me last time. These days, those kinds of things have been going on, and I think this and that. [By the way, the friend who delivered this letter is called Reinhardt, and although his personality is a bit rough, he¡¯s still a gentleman, so he won¡¯t open and read these letters before delivering them, right? I shouldn¡¯t worry like this. He isn¡¯t that kind of person.] ¡­I felt my conscience getting pricked. No, but if I didn¡¯t read them, I wouldn¡¯t be able to write a reply. It couldn¡¯t be helped. [We had group missions in Temple recently. All members of our classes were gathered together to do certain tasks. It would have been great if you also came with us. It was hard, but in the end, it was a fun experience. There were times when I wondered if we were able to get through this safely, and at times I thought we were doing really well, but then people started to collapse in that situation. It was hard, but I understand why they make us do these missions. To be honest, I thought I¡¯d be able to do well because of what I went through, but that wasn¡¯t necessarily the truth.] [I regretfully had to depend on that power at the end. I didn¡¯t want to depend on it. In the end, even in the face of a completely artificial crisis, I had to use that power, so I feel a little disappointed in myself.] At the end of the letter, she briefly mentioned her supernatural power. Charlotte seemed to greatly dislike depending on her power. [Take care, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to see your face again. I hope that day will come soon.] I wrote a reply filled with lies to Charlotte¡¯s letter again. I was curious if she would answer if I asked her about her supernatural powers like that, but I didn¡¯t actually put that question in there. I didn¡¯t want to force her to reveal what she was trying to hide so desperately. Rather, now that I think about it, if I have to act like I don¡¯t know about those things anyway, it would certainly be better if I really didn¡¯t know. I wrote down some acknowledgments to Charlotte¡¯s recount of her daily life and told her about my fabricated daily life. Lies beget lies. Wrongs beget wrongs. I didn¡¯t believe that I could keep up those lies forever. Until when would I have to lie like that? I didn¡¯t only lie to Charlotte. I knew that everything would fall apart as soon as the truth came to light. All the relationships I built in Temple would get completely destroyed the moment my secret was revealed. That was bound to happen. ¡°Haaaa¡­¡± After writing for a long time, I put down my pen and rubbed away the tears that came from my eyes. Eleris just quietly hugged me. Your Highness¡­¡± As if she knew why I was suffering, Eleris just quietly held me. It was impossible, both for Charlotte and me. ____ https://dsc.gg/reapercomics ____ Chapter 123 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 123 I stayed at Eleris¡¯s store for a while longer, even after I finished writing the letter. ¡°Eleris, do you know about the Demon Gods¡¯ Church?¡± I wrote a scene in which remnants of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church appeared, but I never specified what the Demon Gods¡¯ Church was in detail. I just popped in some incident about the remnants trying to do something but ending up clashing with Ludwig¡ªwho was traveling around for his vacation at that time¡ªand getting completely destroyed. So I didn¡¯t actually know much about them as I didn¡¯t properly set up their organization. At my question, Eleris tilted her head slightly as she looked at me. ¡°Why are you curious about the Demon Gods¡¯ Church so suddenly?¡± Her attitude of asking why I was suddenly so curious about something like that showed that she seemed worried that I thought about building my power by using the Demon Gods¡¯ Church. ¡°No, it seems like the Demon Gods¡¯ Church is rising again because of what we did or something like that.¡± ¡°Aah, is that so?¡± Eleris placed her hand on her chin and revealed a subtle smile. ¡°Your Highness, there is no such thing as a demon god.¡± Huh? There wasn¡¯t? ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t exist? Not at all?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Did those gods turn into a non-existent concept because I didn¡¯t set it up properly? So, did that mean that the believers of the Demon gods¡¯ Church believed in gods that didn¡¯t even exist? However, when I described the clash with the remnants of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church, I clearly wrote that they used divine powers. How could they use divine power if the god they believed in didn¡¯t even exist? This bordered on cognitive dissonance. Eleris began to explain further while still wearing that subtle smile. ¡°There were some religions in the Demon Realm, although there were only a few believers, so there were also priests. In other words, the religion the demons in the Demon Realm believed in ended up being called the Demon Gods¡¯ Church by the humans.¡± What? So the demons had religion as well, but if demon gods didn¡¯t exist, did that mean that the demons believed in non-existent gods? ¡°¡­But you said that demon gods don¡¯t exist? So do the demons believe in gods that don¡¯t exist, then?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Eleris shook her head. ¡°There are two gods the demons believe in that are actually quite well-known by the humans¡ªSuiran, the God of Slaughter, and Nox, the God of Darkness. Other than those two, there is the God of Corruption, Kier, and the God of Conflagration, Tallard. There¡¯s also the God of Hatred, Egrsian, but he isn¡¯t that well known.¡± Although I had learned about the Five Major Churches in my divine studies class, they didn¡¯t tell us about the existence of the gods the demons believed in. Therefore, that was the first time that I heard those names. ¡°So what do you mean by there not being any demon gods?¡± ¡°They are getting misrepresented.¡± Misrepresentation. What did she mean by that? ¡°There are Five Major Churches represented by five gods. The God of War, Als, The God of the Sun, Salaam, The God of the Moon, Mensis, The God of Purity, Towan, and the God of Courage, Ritter. These are the five, right?¡± ¡°¡­Huh. Yeah.¡± ¡°Slaughter and War, the Moon and Darkness. The Sun and Fire, Hatred and Courage, aren¡¯t these concepts rather similar? Of course, Corruption and Purity are opposing concepts.¡± The God of Slaughter and the God of War. The God of Darkness and the God of the Moon. The God of Conflagration and the God of the Sun. The God of Hatred and the God of Courage. The God of Corruption and the God of Purity. They were either the opposites or had a similar feeling to them. Didn¡¯t they actually correlate? Eleris looked at me and smiled. ¡°The humans didn¡¯t want to admit the demons believed in the same five major religions they believed in, so they started by changing the gods¡¯ names. They serve the god, Als, but that Als is actually Suiran, the God of Slaughter. The Mensis they believe in is actually Nox, the God of Darkness. And in the case of Towan, they turned their concept completely upside down.¡± Some humans who found out the demons¡¯ faiths did not want to admit that they actually believed in the same gods as themselves; therefore, they changed their gods¡¯ names as they wished. ¡°And after the communication between the two Realms was cut off, they began to change the belief system of the demons and called it whatever they wanted. As a result, this became the truth to the humans. There were even some humans who started believing in that false faith. These are the believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church.¡± The Demon Gods¡¯ Church had nothing to do with the demons¡¯ actual faith. Among the demons, those who had faith actually believed in the Five Major Churches and didn¡¯t even know what a demon god was supposed to be. Humans didn¡¯t want to admit that they worshiped the same gods as the demons, so they wanted to make their gods distinctly different from the demons¡¯. Therefore, they created that artificial existence, the demon gods. Like that, they were able to call the demons¡¯ gods evil ones and their own gods true gods. However, there were some people who started following the false demon gods after seeing that fabricated truth. They would form the Demon Gods¡¯ Church. ¡°¡­So, the Demon Gods¡¯ Church is actually unique to humans.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Highness. We actually believe in the same gods.¡± There were no demon gods. Those who believed in Als, the God of War, and those who believed in Suiran, the God of Slaughter, ultimately believed in the same entity. Nox and Mensis were no different, either. ¡°So the reason people who believe in the demon gods can use divine power is because they ultimately still believe in Nox or Mensis, Suiran or Als, and so on. They received their divine powers from the other gods using the demon gods as a type of proxy.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. However, the nature of this power changes depending on how it¡¯s used.¡± So, in the end, even if they used the same divine power, if they used it for wicked causes, it would turn into an evil power. Even if they served the same being, the way they manifested their divine power could be completely different. The divine power of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church and its priests expressed themselves like that. ¡°Then there¡¯s actually no reason to oppress the Demon God¡¯s Church, right?¡± ¡°Basically, since they actually worship the same gods, but do you really think that will happen?¡± Eleris tilted her head, wearing a vague expression. ¡°The humans will never admit that the demon gods they created were actually the same entities as their Gods. So no, that probably won¡¯t happen.¡± If one were to slander or deny the demon gods, that would actually mean that they insulted their own gods. Humans, especially priests and paladins, would never admit to this truth. ¡°Also, most of that Church¡¯s believers gained strength by praying to an entity disguised as a demon god for no virtuous reasons. There is no guarantee that they aren¡¯t dangerous.¡± No one would join the Demon Gods¡¯ Church with good intentions in mind. In fact, they would turn into very dangerous people after they actually gained power¡ªthey would be willing to use whatever underhanded and evil method there was. ¡°Therefore, while the demon gods as such don¡¯t exist, they might as well, with how things are.¡± They weren¡¯t real, but they might as well be. The demon god were concepts created by humans, but it still affected the real world. So even if it was the Five Major Gods disguised under the title of demon gods, it wasn¡¯t actually that much different from them actually existing. ¡°Even if their doctrines were well-intentioned, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean that holding faith in them was a good thing.¡± Eleris smiled. Their laws might be good, but faith in those laws wasn¡¯t necessarily good. Eleris¡¯ words were deeply engraved into my heart. Eventually, the illusions called the demon gods led to the creation of the very real Demon Gods¡¯ Church. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a rather complicated matter.¡± In the end, the humans¡¯ desire to separate themselves from the demons gave rise to the demon gods that didn¡¯t exist beforehand, and because of that, the Demon Gods¡¯ Church¡ªwhich served these gods for impure reasons¡ªemerged. This was actually all the humans¡¯ doing, but they ended up falling on their noses. If the believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church actually happened upon demons and they told them what they actually believed in, those believers would probably react as such: ¡®What are these bastards talking about? Who the hell are Nox and Suiran?¡¯ In the first place, if the gods actually cared how their divine powers got used, the believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church wouldn¡¯t even be able to use these powers. However, they didn¡¯t care¡ªjust as Olivia had concluded in her desperation. The Five Gods lent their power to whoever believed in them, but they didn¡¯t care what they used them for; that was why corrupt priests and this organization called the Demon Gods¡¯ Church could exist. ¡°They are gods, and yet they just randomly give out their power to whoever believes in them. Isn¡¯t that too irresponsible? ¡°What do you want to do about it? They probably were created to be that way, to begin with.¡± After all, the holes created by my complacency got filled like that. It explained why corrupt priests could still use their divine powers and how the Demon Gods¡¯ Religion could exist even if I hadn¡¯t properly set up those demon gods. There were also parts in the original where those corrupt priests made their appearance as well, not only the believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church. How could corrupt priests use divine powers? =The Gods don¡¯t really care about humans or what they do. What is the Demon Gods¡¯ Church? Why aren¡¯t you explaining their belief system clearly? =Actually, they believe in the same gods, yep. In the end, that shitty situation got created because of my irresponsible story writing. Hence¡­ The person to blame for all of it was me. Everything I did actually came back to bite me. It was all my fault. It was a really big mistake. * * * https://dsc.gg/reapercomics * * * * * * I had just casually asked about the Demon Gods¡¯ Church and actually found out the rather shocking truth. The artificial creation of the demon gods because of the humans¡¯ misrepresentation of the demons¡¯ religions. Although there were only a few among the demons that followed a religion, they actually also believed in the five major gods. That misunderstanding had grown deeper to the point where no human actually knew the truth anymore. And if someone claimed such things, then not only the Knights Templar but society as a whole would want that person dead. Accepting something like that as the truth was the same as denying their entire religious history. Humans would never admit that they had the same belief system as the demons. So, in conclusion, I ended up agreeing with Eleris that while there is no such thing as a demon god, they still existed. The Demon Gods¡¯ Church was already a very dangerous force, after all. If the believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church, who wished for the world to fall apart, believed in the Gods in such a twisted way, they absolutely had to be prevented from achieving what they wanted to do. I handed the letter from Valier over to Charlotte, who returned to Temple around Sunday evening. ¡°¡­Have you seen him in person?¡± Charlotte seemed to be wondering if I actually met Valier. ¡°No. I only got this reply from that person.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Yes, thank you, Reinhardt.¡± Charlotte returned to her dormitory with the letter cradled in her arms as if it was the world¡¯s most precious treasure. I felt like I had a thorn stuck in my heart. It seemed like I hadn¡¯t grown numb yet. It sure stung. * * * I didn¡¯t really know where to start with Charlotte, who wanted to search for the rumored believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church and members of the Revolutionary Forces inside Temple. I decided to wait for Charlotte to approach me first. It was already June. It was definitely summer by then. Which meant the development that would fit certain peoples¡¯ delusions happened. Monday. When it was time for our common classes¡­ ¡°As the weather is getting hotter, we will replace your P.E. classes with swimming lessons from today onwards.¡± According to my personal opinion that swimming lessons were indispensable in the summer for a novel of the school life genre, Mr. Epinhauser announced that all P.E. classes would be replaced with swimming lessons from that day on. ¡°Oooooh!¡± The one most excited about the development was Kono Lint. The reason for his exhilaration was rather obvious, so that earned him some glares from the girls, ending in the guy just awkwardly scratching the back of his head. It seemed like that guy couldn¡¯t be helped but get disliked by the girls. -Swimming classes would be easier, wouldn¡¯t they? -Is that so? -¡­I can¡¯t swim. Of course, the female students of Class A seemed rather satisfied with the fact that the hellish physical training got changed into swimming class. All except Ellen, who had a combat talent. Well. Wasn¡¯t swimming actually the most exhausting out of any other exercise? We wouldn¡¯t just play around in the pool; it was still training, you know? * * * We had P.E. after lunch. After everyone changed into their swimsuits, we gathered at the outdoor swimming pool. P.E. classes were jointly attended by both members of Class A and B, so there were 22 first-year students gathered there. Anyway, I had heard they used gathered rainwater as water for the swimming pool, so did they gather it little by little up to then and use up everything in one go? There wouldn¡¯t be any problem with the quality of the water because they regularly used purification magic on it, or so I had heard. It seemed like they cleaned and reorganized the whole poolside before swimming classes started. They removed the sunbeds, but there were some shade-throwing umbrellas. Both the teachers and assistant teachers that were in charge of our P.E. classes wore swimsuits as well¡ªthey¡¯d probably act as something like lifeguards from then on. The boys¡¯ swim pants were of a square cut, and the girls¡¯ swimsuits were also just ordinary swimsuits; they were both navy blue in color. They were just simple swimsuits with a plain design; there was nothing special about them, and yet there were some among the male students who turned to look around unconsciously. Among all of us, there was one who stood out the most. ¡°Miss Grantz, I believe you have heard that it¡¯s forbidden to wear your personal swimwear.¡± The P.E. teacher singled out Liana de Grantz, who stood out quite a bit¡ªshe was wearing a white tube-top bikini. She was even the last to come out of the changing room. It looked good on her, but she sure stood out by being the only one wearing something like that. ¡°¡­The one I was given was too small, and I couldn¡¯t wear it. So I brought my own one from the dormitory.¡± Ah, so that was why she took so long. When they heard that the swimsuit was too small for her, both the male and female students started to stare and Grantz. Her lips trembled slightly, seeming a bit embarrassed. Yeah. It probably was too small. That was plausible enough. Still, it was given to us at the start of the semester, but it was already too small for her¡­? Was she still growing that much? The P.E. teacher was slightly flustered when he heard that her swimsuit was already too small for her. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s, ehem. You should get a new swimsuit in a size that fits later. I¡¯ll allow it only this once.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eventually, swimming classes started with Liana, who was the only one wearing a bikini. ____ https://dsc.gg/reapercomics ____ Chapter 124 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 124 There were three outdoor pools. One with a depth of 1.3 meters, one with a depth of 2.5 meters, and one with a depth of 4 meters. They were divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level pools. -M-my feet can¡¯t reach the floor! -Calm down, don¡¯t be nervous. -I-I¡¯m scared! D-don¡¯t let go! Don¡¯t let go! D-dooooon¡¯t! After checking if they were able to keep themselves afloat in the intermediate level pool, those that weren¡¯t able to float were sorted into the beginner¡¯s pool, those that could float were sorted into the intermediate pool, and those that could swim around in the intermediate pool were sorted into the 4-meter deep one. So, the ones that got sorted into the beginner or intermediate pool learned basic swimming skills to survive. Basically, they learned how to keep themselves afloat and how to swim. Each pool was pretty huge; it was spacious enough for 22 people to learn in them. Harriet, Liana, and the other non-combat talents didn¡¯t get sorted into the advanced-level pool because most of them didn¡¯t know how to swim. Of course, Ellen, who was more mermaid than human, got sorted into the advanced pool. Including her, Bertus, Cliffman, and I, there were a total of four Class A members in there. There were three Class B students there: Scarlette, Delphin Izadra, and Ludwig. I learned how to swim quite some time ago, so I could still do it quite well. ¡°Now, we have confirmed that you guys know how to swim and have mastered basic swimming skills. Everyone is in good physical condition as well.¡± Originally, Temple¡¯s P.E. classes were rather tough, but I wrote the swimming class scenes with light novel developments in mind. Therefore, they only taught us for one hour out of the two-hour long swimming class. The other hour we were allowed to spend playing around. Kids should be allowed to play around during swimming lessons! Don¡¯t you think? That was how I wrote it. All we had to do was work for an hour. In other words, I only described how they played around, not what kind of training they had to do. I only roughly wrote something like, ¡°They finished training and then played around~¡± So, I had not the slightest clue what kind of training we would have to go through. ¡°From this point on, you guys will do a 1500 meters race. I¡¯ll be taking your time.¡± ¡®¡­What?¡¯ * * * ¡®Playing¡¯, my ass. ¡°Gasp¡­ Gasp¡­¡± After swimming those 1500 meters, I crawled out of the water and stretched out in the shade. It was impossible to finish swimming that distance without a break. I wasn¡¯t a professional swimmer, either. I finished it by taking some breaks in between. ¡°Reinhardt, you look exhausted.¡± ¡°¡­ D-don¡¯t talk to me¡­¡± Ludwig still had a pretty good complexion, as if that was nothing. Yeah, Ludwig was able to finish the lessons and still have the energy to play after. However, that was because he was someone with monstrous stamina completely different from a human! No matter what P.E. class he had to take, Ludwig could handle them with ease. It might be because he was such a monster, but stamina wasn¡¯t the only problem. Swimming required a lot of strength if one didn¡¯t know how to do it properly, but it was even more difficult because I had to compete with him. I mean, I knew how to swim, but I wasn¡¯t a professional. ¡°Ellen was swimming really well, but she doesn¡¯t look tired at all.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± That was probably why she ranked first with an overwhelming margin. Ludwig was only second. His physical prowess was excellent, but Ellen was a much better swimmer. It didn¡¯t seem like it took her much effort, and yet she was so fast. Scarlett placed third, Bertus placed fourth, I finished in fifth place, and Delphin in sixth place. Everyone, save Ellen and Ludwig, was just sitting around in a daze afterward. It was already a miracle that I managed to complete the race. I even used my supernatural power. ¡°Huff¡­ Huuff¡­ Gasp¡­ Huff¡­Gasp¡­¡± -Flop Delphin approached Ludwig and sat down next to him; her legs were shaking. ¡°Delphin, was it so hard?¡± ¡°D-do¡­ Don¡¯t talk to me¡­ Don¡¯t¡­¡± Delphin said the same thing as me, then she froze up, seeming like a corpse, for a while. With that, 6th place had been decided, so the last place, the 7th place¡­ -Puhak! I-I got a cramp! Kuoohk! ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon!¡± Cliffman seemed to get a cramp because he tried to swim too forcefully. We still had some time left, so the teacher made us swim another 1,500 meters. The results were pretty much the same except that Bertus and Scarlett switched rankings. Of course, our times were much slower as everyone was doing it for the second time. ¡°You guys should rest now. You can continue to swim if you want or rest beside the pool.¡± The P.E. teacher gave us time to rest, telling us that we did everything we had to do for the day. Sure enough¡­ ¡°Uuurgh¡­¡± ¡°Did that guy even have the right to tell us to rest like that after he squeezed us out like a mop¡­?¡± -Splash! Except for Ellen¡ªwho dived into the depth of the 4-meter deep pool¡ªand Ludwig, all of us felt sick and tired of water. * * * Originally, I had planned to investigate the Demon Gods¡¯ Church and the Revolutionary Forces with Charlotte after P.E. ¡°R-Reinhardt¡­ Let¡¯s not do this today¡­¡± ¡°I get you.¡± ¡°Maybe tomorrow¡­ No, I think tomorrow would be even worse¡­ Anyway, sorry¡­¡± ¡°Go and take a rest.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± After our classes were over, Charlotte, whose face seemed really exhausted, returned to her dormitory with Scarlett¡¯s help. Charlotte, who was sorted into the intermediate course because she did know how to swim a bit, lost all her stamina. It looked like it wasn¡¯t just the advanced course that was extremely difficult. Although we all were given a one-hour break, it was only the beginner course guys, who only practiced floating in the water, that played properly. The rest of us were almost completely exhausted. Of course, Ludwig jumped into the beginner pool to play with the others. All of the day¡¯s plans had been canceled because Charlotte was too exhausted. The outdoor swimming pool could be used by anyone after class hours. Of course, one might come across the seniors as the pool was right in front of the class building where students of the Royal Class had their common classes. Anyway, rather than there being swimming classes, it was more important that the swimming pool could be used at any time so pool events could occur. Ludwig would go there with his friends a lot. As I had no other plans, I just went back to my usual schedule. I¡¯d usually do some physical training outside before dinner, and after dinner, I would do some swordsmanship training with Ellen in the training hall. ¡°¡­Should I skip today?¡± Perhaps it was because I had to swim like that earlier in the day, but my whole body felt numb. It would get easier once I got used to the training, but that time hadn¡¯t come yet. -Pitter patter¡­ Just while I was thinking that, I saw rain splashing against the window. It was already getting dark as well. That was a pretty good excuse. Let¡¯s just rest today. I really planned on doing that, but when I went back to Class A¡¯s dormitory and saw Ellen entering the training hall, I changed my mind. Fine. There was no time to laze around. Even that overly-gifted girl still worked hard. How could I just play around? I immediately changed my clothes and headed towards the training hall. * * * * * * * * * That day, things went a little differently. -Kaang! Kang! Kang! My spars with Ellen always ended after a few clashes, but that time we exchanged a lot more strikes. I even succeeded in pointing my sword at Ellen¡¯s neck by deflecting her sword that was about to slash at me. ¡°¡­¡± That didn¡¯t happen because my skills improved or my hard work paid off. ¡°¡­Are you not feeling well today?¡± Ellen seemed to be in a worse condition¡ªshe couldn¡¯t concentrate properly. Even if I pushed her like that, I never thought she¡¯d end up losing or conceding the round to me. ¡°Just¡­ a bit.¡± ¡°Are you tired?¡± Did she spend too much stamina during our swimming classes? However, Ellen shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± -Rumble¡­ It was raining outside. Come to think of it, it was raining that night when she somewhat revealed her identity to me as well. ¡°Do you feel down when it rains?¡± On rainy days, Ellen seemed unusually sentimental. I had never given Ellen the attribute that she hated rainy days, but there were a lot of things I didn¡¯t know, after all. Ellen shook her head at my question. ¡°No, I like rainy days.¡± She wasn¡¯t feeling down because of the rain; rather, she liked it, but why couldn¡¯t she focus? No, was it because she liked the rain so much that she wasn¡¯t able to focus? ¡°Want to step out for a bit?¡± Ellen nodded at my words. * * * Ellen and I left the training room and stepped onto the terrace. It wasn¡¯t the same terrace on which Bertus and I often met; it felt more like an open-air corridor. Since the rain couldn¡¯t reach us there, Ellen and I just watched the rainy scenery outside; it quickly turned into heavy rainfall. Students were running around in the rain not holding umbrellas because it started raining so suddenly. ¡®Come to think of it, does this place have a rainy season as well? Since the Capital is based on Seoul, would the rainy season be similar to Korea¡¯s?¡¯ If there was a rainy season, it would start around that time. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you liked the rain.¡± Was she unable to focus on training because she wanted to look at the rainy scenery? ¡°What about you?¡± Ellen asked me suddenly while still looking at the falling rain. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen surprisingly took the initiative to ask me something. ¡°Do you like rain?¡± It was shocking that she asked me something like that so suddenly. ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t really think I like it.¡± I didn¡¯t like it because I thought I might lose my hair in the rain, though I didn¡¯t really care about that anymore. Ellen nodded quietly to my answer. She just continued to stare blankly at the scenery drenched in rain. ¡°Are you close to Charlotte?¡± ¡°¡­ What¡¯s that all of a sudden?¡± Why did this girl that usually didn¡¯t show any interest in things suddenly ask me so many questions? ¡°I¡¯ve just¡­ seen you talking with her a lot. ¡° Even if we weren¡¯t on super friendly terms, she probably saw me talk to Charlotte quite a bit, although they were just normal conversations. In fact, she must have known that we studied together in Class B¡¯s dormitory during the midterm exam period. ¡°We¡¯re pretty close¡­ that¡¯s all, I think?¡± Our relationship could be said to be closer than others, I guess. It was kind of weird of her to ask such things all of a sudden when she didn¡¯t usually do that. Did she only pretend to not care? Was it because even though she pretended to be calm, she actually felt kind of lonely? Ellen had observed the rain up to that point, but then she turned towards me. ¡°Are you really just close friends?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Why was she asking me that? She didn¡¯t seem to be questioning or interrogating me, though. ¡°Is¡­ there anything else between you two?¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± Was she asking me what I felt about Charlotte? If so, what kind of reaction did she expect from me? But I didn¡¯t really want to answer that. It wasn¡¯t like there was anything else going on between us. ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s just that some things happened that concerned both of us. There really isn¡¯t anything between us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Her head drooped a little after she heard my answer. Then she raised it again, turning her gaze towards me. ¡°You¡¯re like my brother.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± She suddenly told me that I was similar to her brother. How could I be similar to a hero like Artorius? Ellen was smiling. However, she looked sadder than ever. She turned her gaze away from me and continued to stare into the rain outside. ¡°It was a rainy day like this.¡± Ellen seemed to be recalling past memories. ¡°My brother told me that he would be going on a long trip. He just returned from another one of his long trips, but he told me he¡¯d be leaving soon again. He said that he only came around to see me before he left. He told me that he¡¯d be gone for a while but that he would definitely come back and that I shouldn¡¯t worry.¡± She was smiling, and yet she didn¡¯t look like she was smiling as she recounted the events of the past she held dearest. ¡°If he believed he was coming back, then why did he give Lament to me?¡± By ¡¯long trip¡¯, Ragan Artorius probably meant his participation in the Demon World War. He probably told her that he would be back soon while knowing that he wouldn¡¯t. And¡ªwhile saying he would return¡ªhe gave Ellen the divine sword Lament as a keepsake and then left. She didn¡¯t mean to say that I was similar to the Hero, Artorius. She only said that I was similar to her brother, Ragan Artorius. However, I didn¡¯t really know in what way we were similar. ¡°You know everything about me, but I don¡¯t know anything about you. What are you thinking, and what are you trying to do? What do you value? You didn¡¯t tell me anything about yourself.¡± It was then that I realized why Ellen brought up that story. She wasn¡¯t asking about my relationship with Charlotte. She was asking how Charlotte and I got closer. ¡°I knew he cared for me and that I was important to him, but he never told me anything.¡± Ellen watched the raindrops crashing into the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about you.¡± Not too previously, Ellen had told me that she wasn¡¯t sure what kind of person I was. It wasn¡¯t because Ellen was slow, it was because I knew exactly who she was, but she didn¡¯t have a single idea as to who I really was. Because Ellen was the closest to me, I knew most about her. And yet, although she was closest to me, Ellen was the only one that knew next to nothing about me. It wasn¡¯t that Ellen didn¡¯t care about me. She was the one who thought the hardest about me. Just who is Reinhardt? He¡¯s a beggar, a supernatural power user, and he¡¯s got a rough personality. Other than that, I didn¡¯t reveal anything else. Neither my family, my background, nor my past. Ellen realized after she had to think about it that she actually had no idea who I was. It wasn¡¯t that she just found it hard to define who I was in one word. That was why she talked about those things. I also realized that I actually never really talked about myself to her. I thought it was because of the rain. But was she actually unable to concentrate because of me? Did she think that I was suspicious? ¡°¡­You never asked.¡± At my feeble protest, Ellen just looked at me. ¡°If I asked, would you have told me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why did you look so similar to my brother after he told me that he was going to go on a long trip when I saw you with Charlotte? How could a beggar like you know so much and be able to do so many things? Why do you train every day as if you¡¯re being chased by someone? Why are you so anxious? If I asked that, would you answer me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I could give her answers, but those would only be lies. I couldn¡¯t tell anyone the real truth. I¡¯m the beggar Reinhardt, but, in reality, I¡¯m actually the successor of a gang called the Rotary Gang. That was a lie. I¡¯m not actually a member of the Rotary Gang, but the son of the Demon King, and I¡¯m attending Temple to prepare for the Gates that will appear later after completely adapting to the Human World. That was also a lie. I¡¯m the one who made this world, and I¡¯m here as my punishment for my deeds, so I know the future of this world. I¡¯m the one to blame for all the sad things that happen in this world you had to go through or will go through. That was the truth. I was someone wrapped tightly in many layers of lies. There was no way I could tell Ellen the whole truth. She wouldn¡¯t believe me. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I don¡¯t know anything about you. You never tell me anything. Just like my brother did. Charlotte didn¡¯t notice, but Ellen knew that I would sometimes look at her weirdly because of the guilt I felt. That was why she was asking me about Charlotte. Why do you look at Charlotte like that when you¡¯re only close? Why do you look at Charlotte with such sad eyes? Why do you look as if you were forced to tell some sad lies? That was what she wanted to ask. ¡°¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t tell her anything. She would look through all my clumsy lies. She knew me too well. Ellen was still looking at me. ¡°That¡¯s why I feel like you two are similar.¡± Someone who cared about her but never told her anything. That was how Ellen saw her older brother, Artorius. Not the warrior, Artorius. ¡°That is what I think.¡± Ellen stared at me. ¡°And, just like my brother, I feel like you¡¯ll also suddenly disappear one day.¡± If things didn¡¯t work out well, that would probably happen. If it was discovered that I was a demon, I would have to disappear from the Capital; I might not even be able to say goodbye to her. When Ellen thought about me, it seemed like she seemed to have come to the conclusion that I was no different from her brother in that way. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go through something like that again.¡± The thought that I might suddenly disappear was just in Ellen¡¯s head. However, I knew that it might happen one day. Therefore, I couldn¡¯t tell her that it wouldn¡¯t. At that moment, no matter what I said, I felt like she would be able to look through all my lies. Ellen didn¡¯t ask me what secrets I was hiding¡ªshe might think that I wouldn¡¯t give her an answer, even if she asked. Ellen then smiled. ¡°Actually, I hate rainy days.¡± There was no reason for Ellen to like rain, as it was during the rain that her brother left her. ¡°I also don¡¯t like people like you.¡± I didn¡¯t see Ellen in the training room after that. ____ ____ Chapter 125 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 125 A few days had passed. It had been raining hard ever since that day. It did stop, sometimes, but it would just rain even more after. It seemed like the rainy season had started. Charlotte told me that we should start our investigation after the rain stopped and put the Demon Gods¡¯ Church case on hold. Really, it was Ellen¡ªnot Charlotte and the investigation¡ªthat mattered. She didn¡¯t just not come to the training room¡­ She didn¡¯t even do her morning workout anymore, and she didn¡¯t appear in the dining room at the times she¡¯d usually eat some snacks, either. I couldn¡¯t help but know what was going on. She was avoiding me. She tried to evade any situation in which she was likely to encounter me unless she couldn¡¯t help it. Even when I saw her in the dormitory, she would only pass me, pretending that I was air. Normally we would not really greet each other or act all close¡ªwe would just practice together when the time came and eat together. However, things felt different from usual. Even when she didn¡¯t greet me, she used to at least still make eye contact with me. Ellen didn¡¯t even look at me¡ªshe was completely ignoring me. I had a lot of secrets, and I couldn¡¯t reveal any of them. Ellen eventually couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of her brother. A person that cared for her but never told her anything, someone that knew everything about her but never told her anything about himself. She didn¡¯t want to be close to another person that was like that. She was sure that I would only end up making her sad, so she decided to just avoid me. In the end, the newspaper club didn¡¯t manage to achieve their original goal of slandering me and ruining my reputation. However, that whole ordeal made Ellen realize a different truth, creating trouble for me in a different way. It was difficult. People like Harriet, who would just get irrationally angry, were rather easy to deal with because we could still hold conversations. However, Ellen was really calm and simply concluded that it would only hurt more to be close to me, so she acted the way she did. She didn¡¯t even try to find out my secrets or spread rumors about me for acting suspiciously. She was very open-minded and told me her secret first, but she never asked me why I never told her anything about me. She just quietly pushed me away. Her feelings were understandable. If she were to continue to be close to me while I didn¡¯t tell her anything, it would only stimulate Ellen¡¯s trauma; she would keep getting reminded of her brother when she looked at me. So for the next few days, I just swung my training sword on my own without Ellen. I didn¡¯t know whether she locked herself up in her room or trained somewhere else because she didn¡¯t want to run into me. -Whack! Whack! I was beating up a scarecrow with my training sword. Ellen and I wouldn¡¯t really talk while sparring, as it was a time to focus on our swordsmanship. However, I felt really bored because I was doing it alone. And besides that, there was another problem. ¡°¡­¡± -Whack! Whack! ¡°¡­¡± -Whack! Bang! Whack! There were three people who regularly appeared in the training room: Ellen, Cliffman, and me. When Ellen and I sparred with each other, Cliffman would just whack the scarecrows on his own, whether we were there or not. However, since Ellen hadn¡¯t shown up there in the last few days, Cliffman seemed to feel the strange atmosphere around me because my expression was still so stiff. You guys fought, didn¡¯t you? He was able to tell that much without having to ask. It was the first time Ellen hadn¡¯t come there for such a long time during that semester. He seemed convinced that this was the cause. Fuck, it was awkward. I had never talked to that guy before, and he had only been focused on his training up until then. I could feel him fucking pitying me! -Whack! Whack! Whack! ¡°¡­¡± -Babang! ¡°¡­¡± We didn¡¯t exchange any words, but I had that weird feeling that we were sharing some kind of comfort and appreciation towards each other. Idiot, if you did something wrong, go and apologize immediately. What? Huh. Ah. I don¡¯t know. We hadn¡¯t said a single word the whole time, but it strangely felt like we were having that kind of conversation. Was that what one called a soulmate? ¡°¡­Good work.¡± He even spoke to me when I was leaving after I finished my training. ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± That was the first conversation I held with Cliffman, with whom I hadn¡¯t spoken since my admission in March. * * * It was raining all the time, so I couldn¡¯t really go out for my morning workout. I had no one I could talk to. If I told someone that Ellen seemed to avoid me because I had too many secrets, wouldn¡¯t they get curious as to what my secrets were? And, to begin with, I couldn¡¯t just tell everyone that she felt uncomfortable around me because I reminded her of her brother¡ªArtorius¡ªand the trauma he caused her. I couldn¡¯t tell those things to my classmates or even my seniors. I hadn¡¯t spoken to Ellen since. ¡°¡­Hey. Can I talk to you for a sec¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡± In that way, she would just pass me by without even facing me. Like that the weekend came around before I could solve a single thing. Those who were quite sensitive to the change in atmosphere noticed that there was a strange air around Ellen and me. Bertus was an example of that; he somewhat seemed to understand the situation, but he didn¡¯t want to interfere. He looked at me as if to tell me, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but be strong.¡± Only Bertus and Cliffman managed to guess what was going on. ¡°¡­Did you guys fight?¡± ¡­And Harriet de Saint-Owan. ¡°What do you mean, fight?¡± At my words, Harriet tilted her head. ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t it called a fight if you suddenly don¡¯t talk to each other at all after you were practically joined by the hip?¡± Were we that close? Wasn¡¯t that expression kind of strange? We weren¡¯t that close with each other, right? ¡°That¡¯s right. Seems like she had enough hanging out with a weirdo like you for so long.¡± And that girl¡­ She somehow looked kind of happy. ¡°Well, you looked so pitiful that I decided to hear you out.¡± She seemed motivated to give me advice to help me get through my predicament. In the end, she actually wanted to help me, didn¡¯t she? How cute. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± ¡°¡­ What¡¯s with this? I really want to do my best to help out. Tch.¡± However, it wasn¡¯t a problem I could tell her, so I had no choice but to only extend my gratitude to her. ¡°Thanks for caring, though.¡± ¡°Wha-what?! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m caring about you or anything!¡± Harriet¡¯s face turned tomato red at my empty remarks. I smirked. Normally, that would have been the best opportunity to drop another line, but she really might have been worried about me, so I decided to leave it. ¡°Did you¡­ really not fight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ ¡° Harriet didn¡¯t ask any further, as she was sure that I wouldn¡¯t tell her anyway. Although, I felt happy to know that she did care about me. She was probably like Adriana¡ªshe saw me as a bad guy at first, but we somehow ended up in a good relationship somehow. I wondered if that had something to do with human nature. Or it might have to do with my appearance, as Bertus said. Harriet and I were just staring absentmindedly out of the window in the hallway. It was raining. Harriet muttered something as she watched the heavy rain drenching everything in water. ¡°It sure rains a lot.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s raining so much, the river might overflow.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± The Han river might overflow because of the continued heavy rainfall. Yeah, that could happen. ¡°I actually planned on going to the riverside with Adelia this weekend. That river overflowing ruined everything.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Come to think of it, Ellen or the Demon Gods¡¯ Church weren¡¯t that important at that moment. It seemed like the Han River had already overflowed¡­ So what happened to the Rotary Gang that lived under the Banpo Bridge? Had they been washed away? ¡°Huh? W-where are you running off to all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I have to go somewhere!¡± They didn¡¯t get all washed away, did they? * * * * * * * * * I immediately grabbed an umbrella and ran outside of Temple. -Shaaaaaaa! It hadn¡¯t turned into a storm yet, but the wind was still very strong, so it was impossible to not get wet even if one had an umbrella. When I got on the mana train to the place where the Bronze Gate Bridge was and got off again, an unbelievable scene unfolded before me within the heavy rain. -Rumble! The muddy Irene River was certainly overflowing. The access to the riverside park was obviously controlled by the guards, but even if they didn¡¯t take control of the situation, it wouldn¡¯t have made any difference. The entire park had already been locked down. The places under the Bronze Gate Bridge, where one could usually see the gang members drinking and playing dice, were also completely submerged. It seemed pretty clear that everything got destroyed. Something like that didn¡¯t happen in a day or two, so it didn¡¯t just happen that day. They didn¡¯t get washed away in their sleep, did they? There weren¡¯t many people around because of the heavy rainfall, and the people that were around seemed to be passersby. The gang members didn¡¯t seem to be anywhere around either. I walked over to the guard who was guarding the park¡¯s entrance. He looked rather pitiful standing in the rain, only wearing a hooded coat without an umbrella. ¡°Mister!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Hey, do you know something about those guys living under that bridge?!¡± ¡°Huh? Ah. Those guys? Why are you asking?¡± The guards seemed to know about the Rotary Gang. They did stand out quite a bit, after all. ¡°What happened to them?¡± ¡°Aah, they should¡¯ve run away pretty early on. I mean, they have eyes as well. What¡¯s the point in staying under there if they¡¯d just get swept away and die?¡± Fortunately, it seemed like nothing serious happened to them. ¡°Although, those messy shacks and everything else got swept away. It¡¯s actually rather refreshing that things got cleaned out like that.¡± ¡­However, it seemed like something else happened that would pose a big problem. Also, if they weren¡¯t under the bridge, where were they? It was raining, so they probably went somewhere where they could protect themselves from it. ¡°If it continues to rain so often, we probably won¡¯t see those beggars gathering under that bridge again. But it wouldn¡¯t change anything because they¡¯d just flock to other places.¡± ¡°Where are those other places?¡± The guard sighed. ¡°They probably went to the Wenster Market over there. There aren¡¯t any other places where one can hide from the rain around here, you know? It¡¯s also filled to the brim with beggars.¡± The Wenster Market Alley near the Bronze Gate Bridge. It seemed like there was no other place they could have gone to hide away from the rain in that situation. * * * There was a large market street where Seoul¡¯s express terminal area should have been. While Yongsan¡¯s Shopping Street was a market aimed at adventurers, that huge market street mostly sold food and other daily necessities. Although the market was open for business, there were only a few people around, perhaps because of the heavy rain. Fortunately, there were awnings and roofs covering the market, blocking out the rain. It certainly looked like a good place to hide from the rain. Of course, my purpose for going there wasn¡¯t to shop, so I just went into a quiet alley with no people in it. I¡¯d just have to find one of the gang members and ask them where Loyar was. I wanted to help take care of things, but I had to find her first. I also wanted to talk to her in general. To be honest, I also wanted to confide in someone about my head-breaking situation. The only people I could think of who I could tell about what happened with Ellen were the three demon spies. Of course, telling Sarkegaar might be too dangerous; he¡¯d probably run rampant on the streets shouting that we had to kill her right away as soon as the name Ellen Artorius came out of my mouth. I honestly thought that Loyar probably wouldn¡¯t think much of it, but would she give me a proper answer? It probably was best to talk about it with Eleris. However, since I was already there, I thought I might as well talk to Loyar about it. I ended up shaking someone that looked like a beggar pretending to sleep while squatting in that alley. ¡°Mister. Mister.¡± ¡°Hrmm¡­ Hm. Huh? What d¡¯ya want?¡± ¡°Are you a member of the Gang?¡± ¡°Gang? What gang ya talkin bout¡­ Shut up and piss off!¡± The beggar slapped away my hand and shooed me away as if he didn¡¯t want to get caught. Was that guy unrelated to any group? Well, not all beggars around there were part of the Rotary Gang. According to what the guard told me, that place was originally filled with a lot of beggars. It was also true that I felt rather impatient because I was wandering around alleys located between the buildings and not where the shops were. Water was pouring out of drainage channels, and the places that had no eaves were letting the rain down unhindered. Even if it was the Capital, it was still a place inhabited by people. Perhaps because the market buildings were pretty much concentrated there, a lot of trash was scattered about in the alleys. No one would probably notice either if someone died in there. ¡°¡­¡± I felt like I shouldn¡¯t have gone there. What if I met gangsters not part of the Rotary Gang? ¡°Hey kid, this ain¡¯t a place you can just go in and out of.¡± Sure enough, as soon as I thought about it, some bastard that basically had gangster written on his forehead appeared before me in that alley, looking at me and talking to me like that. Judging by his appearance, he didn¡¯t seem to be a beggar. ¡°Get out of here before ya see some bad shit.¡± Fortunately, it seemed like he thought I had lost my way, so he kindly told me to get out. Just because they were bastards didn¡¯t mean they went around beating up everyone they came across. I was going to ask him about the Rotary Gang, but stopped myself. I had a strong feeling that I shouldn¡¯t stay there for too long. ¡°Ah, yes. Thank you.¡± I didn¡¯t want to make a big deal out of it because my opponent also didn¡¯t seem to want to fight me. At first glance, he looked like some ruffian, but was he the type of guy who had a soft spot for kids? Well, he might also think that he wouldn¡¯t get much money out of me even if he fleeced me. ¡°Hmm, kiddo.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± However, that bastard suddenly called out to me and stopped me. ¡°Ain¡¯t that the Temple sigil engraved on that umbrella?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Since that umbrella was provided by Temple, it had its sigil emblazoned on it. I wasn¡¯t wearing my school uniform, but he seemed to recognize that sigil. ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡± I tried to avoid that situation, but then things became quite annoying. ¡°If ya a Temple student, then ya must have lotsa money, dontcha?¡± He was originally going to let me go because I was still a kid, but after he noticed that I was a Temple student, he changed his mind. It was true that it was quite the serious offense to harm a Temple student, but that guy probably thought he¡¯d get away with shaking me off, at least. ¡°Imma look inside ya pockets for a sec.¡± I didn¡¯t really bring that much money, but I definitely had some on me. That guy seemed like someone that had a soft spot for kids, but his attitude made a 180 as soon as he found out that I was part of Temple¡ªwhich only rich people could attend. He slowly approached me. ¡°Money sure is nice, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No need to worry, kid. If ya just give me some money, imma send you on ya way¡­¡± I used Type B. Type B was the preset dedicated to close-quarters combat. ¡°Crazy fucker.¡± -Bam! ¡°Urk!¡± I punched him in the abdomen before kicking him in his groin. -Kick ¡°Cough!¡± -Crash! In an instant, that man collapsed into a pile of garbage, letting out a moan. ¡°Who are ya to tell me that, huh?¡± Who was he to decide whether I could leave or not? It was up to me whether he left that place walking on his own legs or crawling, to begin with. ____ ____ Chapter 126 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 126 The choice of what would happen to the robber was mine from the start. ¡°U-urg¡­Cough. You punk¡­ I was tryna do it the nice way¡­¡± ¡°So, you think you¡¯re in a position to decide what should happen to me¡­¡± ¡°Do it!¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Something was wrong. As soon as I looked back, I could see two people swinging clubs at me. Fuck. He wasn¡¯t alone! Those two were already too close to me for me to react. -Whack! * * * When I regained consciousness, it felt like my head was about to crack open. I realized that I had been tied up. I was firmly bound to a chair with rope. Shit. Should I have just listened to him? But wasn¡¯t it fucking stupid to let myself get robbed if I was strong enough to overpower a bastard like that? I had made sure before that he was alone, and my perception wasn¡¯t that low. When did those guys arrive? Did I not notice them because of the rain¡¯s noise? The place they tied me up in seemed to be inside some building. I could see a faint light coming through the closed wooden windows; other than that, it was completely dark in there, so I couldn¡¯t properly see what was in the room. ¡°Wake up.¡± Then I heard the voice of a man sitting on a chair opposite of me in the darkness. Judging by his voice alone, I was sure that he wasn¡¯t the bastard I had just met in that alley. The guy was probably in his late twenties or early thirties. However, I couldn¡¯t find out anymore. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if you know how to fight, if you just swing around your fists recklessly, this is what happens.¡± That was right. I punched out because I didn¡¯t want to get robbed but ended up getting beaten on the head and dragged to some unknown place. I had to admit that I was too careless. I was strong enough to tear apart the rope. ¡°Hmpf!¡± -Creak! Creak! ¡°¡­You sure are causing a lot of trouble.¡± However, the rope didn¡¯t budge a single bit. I was completely tied up, so I had no way to escape. I wondered if I should tell him that things would not end up well for him if he touched me. Although it was true, there were also some stupid bastards that would just get angry and lash out as soon as they heard those kinds of words; there was a high possibility that the man before me was one such bastard. I knew from experience that not everyone could be reasoned with. Some would just get carried away by their emotions and let their fists fly. In fact, I had done the same thing. Damn it. The biggest problem was that all my belongings got stolen. While Sarkegaar¡¯s ring that had invisibility magic cast on it wasn¡¯t stolen, the Flame of Tuesday was gone¡ªthey probably wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize its worth, as it was disguised as some rusty old pendant. If I had that with me, I could have just used those flames to get myself out of that situation. Should I get it back somehow? No, that would be too suspicious. He seemed to be examining my belongings spread out on a table. He examined my student ID in the weak light shining through the window. ¡°Temple Royal Class first year, the name¡¯s Reinhardt¡­¡± He read the text slowly, muttering a bit. ¡°If you¡¯re Reinhardt, then you¡¯re the guy the Rotary Gang sent to Temple, huh?¡± ¡°¡­How did you¡­?¡± ¡°What? Surprised that I know that?¡± The man started chuckling in the darkness. ¡°There¡¯s no way the Thieves¡¯ Guild wouldn¡¯t know what the Rotary Gang is up to, kid.¡± What? Did I touch the Thieves¡¯ Guild and not some random street gang? The Rotary Gang and the Thieves¡¯ Guild enjoyed a somewhat symbiotic relationship. With that in mind, I thought he might release me without any major incidents. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± He started muttering some strange things. ¡°They should¡¯ve just kept doing what they had always done, not trying to do this kind of bullshit. Sending some kid to Temple¡­ Expanding their business¡­ Now they are openly trying to get out of this.¡± The Rotary Gang and the Thieves¡¯ Guild shared a symbiotic relationship. However, without the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s support, the Rotary Gang wouldn¡¯t be able to survive¡ªtheir relationship was actually pretty hierarchical. Loyar was doing everything she could to get out of that structure; after they actually managed to become self-reliant to some extent, she was trying to get out of the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s control. Soon, there would have been an open conflict between the Rotary Gang and the Thieves¡¯ Guild. I thought they would just ask for some ransom or something, but that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡®Shit.¡¯ ¡°As long as Irene¡¯s Wild Dog disappears, the Gang will also disappear. I heard she isn¡¯t usually that annoying to deal with, but recently she got really hard to control and get a hold of, so this is good.¡± It seemed it was the worst possible scenario that I encountered someone of the Thieves¡¯ Guild. I wasn¡¯t fortunate at all. I felt like that guy was smiling at me in the dark. ¡°You¡¯ll be the bait to lure out that wild dog.¡± They were trying to kill Loyar and disband the Rotary Gang. I fucking screwed up. How could I get out of there? It was impossible to get out of my bindings, even if I used my power¡ªthe rope was tied too tightly. If I had the Flame of Tuesday on me, I could have done something with its fire, but that was impossible. If things continued, wouldn¡¯t Loyar or Eleris come to investigate what was going on? I wasn¡¯t completely sure if those two would come, but Sarkegaar would definitely barge in there, wouldn¡¯t he? Well, when I thought about my helpers, I felt somewhat relieved. As long as those bastards didn¡¯t aim for my life but Loyar¡¯s, there was no reason for them to kill me. It would be dangerous if they actually managed to target her life. On top of that, if my predictions were right and I wasn¡¯t able to return to Temple after a certain amount of time, they would go crazy looking for me. Maybe Charlotte and Bertus would come forward and do something. While Bertus might not do anything, Charlotte would definitely do everything in her power to find me. ¡°Huhu, the Master will definitely be pleased when I tell him.¡± The guy was cutting his own throat without realizing it. That was right. It seemed like a rather tricky situation, but it wasn¡¯t actually, right? After I thought about it, being kidnapped by those guys wasn¡¯t that bad; actually, it was a godsend. Wasn¡¯t I actually pretty lucky that I ran into the Thieves¡¯ Guild? ¡°Don¡¯t be too scared, kid.¡± I grinned at that man¡¯s words. Yeah, don¡¯t get too scared later on as well. Because you messed up big time, buddy. * * * * * * * * * Saturday passed and Sunday soon arrived. -Shaaaaaaaa! It was still raining. Harriet de Saint-Owan quietly looked out the window in the lobby of Class A¡¯s first-year dormitory. ¡°Harriet, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­¡± Adelia, who majored in magic just like Harriet and was her best friend, asked her the question. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the lab.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, you go ahead. I¡¯ll come by in a bit¡­¡± ¡°Yes, okay.¡± Adelia walked off to the dormitory¡¯s magic lab while Harriet continued to look out of the window with her brows furrowed. ¡®Why isn¡¯t he coming back?¡¯ Reinhardt hadn¡¯t returned to Temple since the previous day. Of course, it wasn¡¯t rare for students to be absent from Temple on the weekend. Bertus and Charlotte, for instance, who went back to the Imperial Palace on the weekend to work, and Liana de Grantz, who liked to spend her weekend in her mansion. However, Reinhardt tended to remain in Temple over the weekend. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t go out at all. Were there any other places for him to stay outside of the beggar colony under the bridge? Seeing him rush out like that in that heavy rain, it seemed like he went to check on the colony. However, he couldn¡¯t have spent a whole day there. Harriet was staying in the lobby to wait for Reinhardt to return. She even pushed all her magic research tasks back. ¡®What? This makes it seem like I actually worried for him.¡¯ Harriet frowned at that thought. The moment she was about to go to the magic lab, saying that it was completely useless¡­ ¡°Ah.¡± Number A-2 Ellen came out of her room, making Harriet stop in her steps. She clearly felt that the relationship between those two had drastically frozen over the days. While they didn¡¯t really talk much together, they always seemed to be together, even eating together, but she had hardly even seen them in the same room recently. It seemed like Ellen was one-sidedly ignoring him. Reinhardt always wore a complicated expression that was pretty hard to read. ¡®Reinhardt, that filthy bastard, did something wrong again,¡¯ Harriet thought. However, every time she watched that scene, she felt really unpleasant. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Harriet called out to Ellen. She stopped to look at Harriet. Every time she looked into those dark blue eyes, Harriet felt slightly nervous. Nothing really happened between those two, but Harriet was a little reserved towards Ellen; even a bit scared. ¡°You¡­ What happened between you and Reinhardt?¡± ¡°¡­Why do you ask?¡± She didn¡¯t say that everything was fine between them but instead asked why she was curious about it. ¡°N-no, well, just because¡­ That beggar keeps on making that unpleasant face. Also, he went out yesterday and didn¡¯t come back¡­ That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°¡­He didn¡¯t come back?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know? He wasn¡¯t there for breakfast.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I thought he just didn¡¯t come down to eat.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t seem to know that Reinhardt had been gone since the previous day. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s going on. He just suddenly left in a hurry yesterday and didn¡¯t come back.¡± ¡°¡­I guess he¡¯s probably at someone¡¯s house,¡± Ellen said as if trying to toss out an answer. ¡°Would a beggar like him know someone with a house?¡± ¡°¡­It could be.¡± Did Reinhardt have any acquaintances like that? Harriet didn¡¯t think Reinhardt would know anyone who had a house, but she wasn¡¯t sure. Harriet, who openly despised beggars, didn¡¯t even consider that thought. Ellen, however, even questioned the fact that Reinhardt had always been a beggar. Ellen eventually walked away without telling her what happened between her and Reinhardt. She then abruptly turned around and headed towards the training room. She didn¡¯t have any specific place in mind, so she just went there, thinking that would be a good plan. -Rattle When she opened the door to the training room, Cliffman was there, alone, wielding a training sword. He noticed Ellen, stopped swinging his sword and looked at her. Like Reinhardt, Ellen had never held a proper conversation with Cliffman before. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Reinhardt.¡± Cliffman said as if he knew what she was thinking. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t say anything, though.¡± When Ellen said that with some hesitation, Cliffman looked a little sullen. ¡°Huh. Well. Hm. Indeed.¡± Pretending that she wasn¡¯t concerned at all, Ellen shut the door to the training room. Next, Ellen went to the dining room. No one was there, of course. ¡°¡­¡± Reinhardt, who suddenly left the previous night, had not returned. Ellen stood absentmindedly in the dining room for a while and then eventually went back to her room. ¡®He probably just went out for the weekend.¡¯ ¨CRuuuuumble! She didn¡¯t really know where he would go while such a storm was raging on, but what else could it be? And what did it have to do with her? She decided to place a lot of distance between them, after all. It was weird that she was even concerned about it. Ellen tried to stop thinking about Reinhardt. * * * Monday. ¡°I heard that No. 11 didn¡¯t return yet,¡± Mr. Epinhauser said, looking at the empty seat in his classroom. ¡°It¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t manage to return on Monday; he¡¯s completely absent¡­¡± The children all looked towards Reinhardt¡¯s empty seat. Even though he was seen as a troublemaker, he wasn¡¯t the type to skip class. Although he was seen that way because of what happened at the start of the semester, his grades were actually excellent, and he did well in the group mission. Reinhardt¡¯s was a typical case of a person¡¯s reputation getting completely ruined because of a terrible first impression. Because of that, he still had a somewhat bad reputation. ¡°He didn¡¯t even apply for an overnight stay, and it was reported that he only planned on going out for a bit, but he hasn¡¯t returned yet¡­ There must be a problem.¡± Harriet¡¯s complexion grew pale. ¡°Did anyone talk to No. 11 before he went away?¡± ¡°I-I did!¡± Harriet de Saint-Owan raised her hand with an exhausted look on her face. A-11, Reinhardt, went missing. Harriet told Mr. Epinhauser that Reinhardt suddenly left when he heard that the Irene River might overflow. At first, everyone didn¡¯t think he actually went missing. They thought that he might have gotten into some trouble and couldn¡¯t return to Temple for a bit. Anyone would have had that reaction as it was something that seemed plausible in Reinhardt¡¯s case. Of course, contrary to what the students thought, the teachers began to move a lot faster when confronted with a situation in which a student, especially one of Royal Class, might have gone missing. The Temple Guards, as well as the Imperial Guards, were mobilized to launch a thorough search. What people thought to be an easy case, or just a small incident, changed when Reinhardt didn¡¯t show up until Wednesday. Everyone realized that something strange was going on. Rumors circulated that he might have touched someone he shouldn¡¯t have touched, knowing his temper. Most students thought that Reinhardt might have done that. It wasn¡¯t just the Guards being active. ¡°His name is Reinhardt; this is his basic information.¡± Inside one of the mansions of the Imperial Palace, Bertus handed out Reinhardt¡¯s photo to someone. ¡°Find him. His rough location is¡­ Wenster market. Near the Bronze Gate Bridge.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Of course, don¡¯t just look in that place; think for yourself.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The person that received Bertus¡¯s orders then retreated. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually went out in this kind of weather.¡± Bertus sipped on his tea and smiled while looking out the window; he observed the pouring rain, his teacup remaining in his hand. ¡°Annoying bastard.¡± ¨CShaaaaaa¡­ It was raining cats and dogs outside the window. The same day, a different place. ¡°His name is Reinhardt; this is a picture of him.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± This time it was Charlotte who had given a picture of Reinhardt to someone. The person checked over the picture before placing it under his arm. ¡°Perhaps something happened when he went out, worried that his organization¡¯s base might have become flooded. So, first, check around the Wenster Market.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The fact that Temple¡¯s employees aren¡¯t finding him is because the tracking magic on his student ID isn¡¯t working. Reinhardt obviously took it with him. That means the suspect is aware of the card¡¯s functions. What I¡¯m trying to say is that they aren¡¯t ordinary hoodlums. It¡¯s probably our best option to look for an organization rather than an individual.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Please find him as soon as possible. He¡¯s a precious friend to me.¡± After the person got his instructions, they quickly stepped away. Charlotte seemed to be unable to hide her melancholy while sitting on her sofa, her chin placed on her hands. ¡°Sigh¡­ It would have been nice if you just ran into some slight trouble, like usual.¡± She mumbled that she wished that he hadn¡¯t gotten kidnapped but rather just flipped some things upside down, like usual. The Temple Guards and the Imperial Guards weren¡¯t the only ones on the move. The Imperial Prince and Princess also began to look for the missing Reinhardt. ____ ____ Chapter 127 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 127 Despite many people looking for him, there was no progress in finding Reinhardt until Friday. -Shaaaaaaaaaa¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Reinhardt was still missing. Them not finding Reinhardt until Friday might mean that things had already become irreversible. Ellen trudged through the rain, carrying her umbrella. It had let up a bit, but the damn rain had yet to completely stop. Class was over, and she had nothing to do. However, Ellen couldn¡¯t even remember what classes she had that day. She couldn¡¯t focus on anything because the only thought that went through her head was that Reinhardt might be dead. Ellen aimlessly walked through Temple. ¡®I made another mistake again.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Everyone had memories that they wanted to erase¡­ Or a past event they wanted to change. ¡®Don¡¯t lie.¡¯ ¡®Ellen¡­¡¯ ¡®You don¡¯t love me at all. Don¡¯t say you love me.¡¯ ¡®Ellen, what are you saying? I¡¯m your brother¡­ I love you so much.¡¯ Ellen was a quiet person. However, things hadn¡¯t always been like that. ¡®Really? Then why are you leaving me again, giving me this sword while throwing me away like this? Where are you going? What are you going to do? How long will it be? Will you be gone a few years this time? You never tell me anything! You just tell me that you love me! If you¡¯re going to be like that, you don¡¯t have to ever come back! How many days has it been since you last stayed here? You always just tell me that I¡¯ll be someone better than you. So what does that mean? That I should work hard? Why? Why should I work hard? What¡¯s the point of wielding this sword well? Everyone calls you a great hero, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯re such a great person!¡¯ ¡®Ellen¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I have to do this. All I have to do is¡­¡¯ ¡®Fine! So, that¡¯s what¡¯s important! Everything¡¯s more important than me! More important than family! You won¡¯t even tell me what you¡¯re going to do! Those things have always been more precious to you! Those things you can¡¯t even tell are more precious than me to you! You don¡¯t love us at all! I hate you, brother!¡¯ Then she got slapped. It was her dad, not her brother. ¡®F-father!¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t act like a child.¡¯ ¡®H-hick! sob, waah!¡¯ ¡®Go, son.¡¯ ¡®¡­Ellen. I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ ¡®Sob! I hate you! I hate all of you! I-I hate every single one of you! And I hate you the most!¡¯ Ellen Artorius hated her brother. However, she hated herself more than anyone else. That day. It also rained just as heavily that day in her memories. She hated herself for saying those things to her older brother, who left after agonizing over it. She told him that she hated him, not that he loved him. Those were her last words to him. She didn¡¯t immediately realize what was going on. She just thought her brother had left on some very long journey, but she was convinced that he would return to her in the end. She thought he would suddenly appear on their doorstep again after a few years or so, like always. However, when she found out that her brother didn¡¯t just go on one of his adventures again but went to the Darklands to fight the Demon King, she was convinced that he would never come back again. It was then that she realized what he had been trying to tell her. He was prepared to die and finally went to his family to say his goodbyes, only to be attacked by her harsh words. Thinking about what her brother must have felt back then made Ellen want to kill her past self. The last face she showed her brother was a crying one, only shouting that he hated him. How hurt he must have been. Just thinking about it made Ellen suffer. So, since then, Ellen had become less talkative. Her words hurt someone so deeply before, so she decided to say as little as possible, afraid she would make the same mistake again. She only gave short answers and only held short conversations. Ellen gradually hid herself in her shell like a snail. That¡¯s how it was. That was why she didn¡¯t say much. ¡®I hate people like you.¡¯ She made another mistake. She hurt someone because of her own selfish reasons. She hurt Reinhardt by forcing her own standards on him¡ªstandards he had no reason to live by. The thought that she made a mistake once again came to her after Reinhardt disappeared. Naturally, she thought Reinhardt might disappear one day, but she didn¡¯t think it would be right away. However, almost as soon as she told him that he actually disappeared¡­ Reinhardt went missing. He might have already died. The last memory of herself that Reinhardt would hold was of her telling him that she hated him. Did her words turn into a curse that actually made Reinhardt disappear? Or did he hide himself because her words hurt him that much? Ellen¡¯s thoughts were thrown into such disarray that she came to those ridiculous conclusions. She had told Reinhardt those words because she thought she¡¯d be okay even without him. She did it because she thought she had to push him away before he became too precious to her. When he suddenly disappeared, Ellen couldn¡¯t help but realize something¡­ She wasn¡¯t okay without him. She thought she would be, but she wasn¡¯t. ¡°¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t easy for her to ignore him, but she wanted to get away from him somehow. Whenever she saw Reinhardt, she thought of her brother, so she couldn¡¯t bear it. She felt pained because she remembered how she wronged her brother that night every time their eyes met. Eventually, she ended up doing the same thing to Reinhardt; as soon as the words slipped out of her mouth, Reinhardt disappeared. She was careful, and yet she still ended up committing the same mistake again. In the end, she just did the same thing as before. Was she getting punished for it? Was she getting punished for breaking her oath to never make the same mistake again? Ellen wandered around for a long time until she found someone sitting on a bench. She was standing on a promenade, and it was still raining hard. The only ones around were her and the person in front of her. It was a girl crying in the rain without an umbrella. She covered her face with both her hands. ¡°¡­Hick, sob! Waah!¡± Ellen approached the girl quietly and held her umbrella over her. ¡°¡­Sobsob¡­ Huh?¡± The girl suddenly raised her head when she noticed that someone was holding an umbrella over her. It was Harriet de Saint-Owan. Normally, she would have been extremely embarrassed if someone caught her crying; Harriet had no intentions of acting like that; she only lowered her head again and continued to cry. Ellen knew why Harriet was crying. She knew why she was hiding away, crying in the rain without even an umbrella. Because she wanted to do the same. Seeing her like that, Ellen knew what she had to do. She didn¡¯t want to do nothing. She didn¡¯t just want to sit around crying all day like she did when her brother left. ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­Sob! Sobsob! H-huh? W-where to?¡± Ellen looked down at her, speaking calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s go find him.¡± Harriet looked up at Ellen, her eyes wide open. She had cried for a long time, so she rubbed her eyes before she nodded to her words. She didn¡¯t specify who they would look for. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± However, even if she didn¡¯t, both of them had the same thought in mind. * * * * * * * * * Harriet reported to the teachers that she would be resting in her residence in the Capital for the weekend, and Ellen gave them the excuse that she would sleep over at Harriet¡¯s house. It was Friday. Their classes were already over, so they could go outside of Temple for the weekend. Harriet changed out of her wet clothes, and Ellen changed out of her uniform into some casual clothes before they left Class A¡¯s dormitory. -Shaaaaaaaaa! ¡°What do we do now?¡± Both Harriet and Ellen wanted to find Reinhardt, but they didn¡¯t know how. They just took their umbrellas with them; they acted rather impulsively. Harriet tried to wrack her brain for any piece of information she might hold. She knew that Reinhardt belonged to the group of beggars living under the bridge. ¡°I think he belonged to some beggars living under a bridge¡­ I think he went out to check on them.¡± She didn¡¯t know how things developed since then, but she presumed that was his destination at first. ¡°Do you know which bridge he went to?¡± ¡°I¡­ Don¡¯t.¡± There were more than ten bridges going across the Irine river from north to south. They didn¡¯t know which one of those bridges was inhabited by the beggars. Since both of them weren¡¯t from the Imperial Capital. Harriet also what Ellen had figured out before. She doesn¡¯t really know much about Reinhardt. She teased him for being a beggar but had no idea where he lived, what he did, and how he came to Temple. She didn¡¯t even question it. Ellen tilted her head. ¡°But did Reinhardt say he lived with the beggars under the bridge?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Right.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t really know any details, but Harriet at least knew some things because of the rumors. Cayer Vioden and Erich de Lafaeri followed Reinhardt once, so they saw Reinhardt hanging out with the beggars under a bridge, which meant he wasn¡¯t from some great family. ¡°Vioden and Lafaeri, those two, they would know which bridge he went to.¡± Harriet knew exactly who to ask. * * * The two went to find Cayer and Erich in Class A¡¯s dormitory and get some clues. Those two didn¡¯t remember all the details, but they said he seemed to live under the Bronzegate Bridge, so they guessed they were right. The two asked why they were curious, but Ellen and Harriet didn¡¯t say anything further and just got going because if any of it ever reached a teacher¡¯s ear, they might get told not to do useless things. The two were ready to leave the dormitory; however, just then, they encountered a group of people coming out of Class B¡¯s dormitory. ¡°Stop!¡± Charlotte seemed a little angry. ¡°Cha-charlotte¡­¡± ¡°But we have to do something¡­¡± And it seemed like she was scolding Ludwig and Delphin Izadra for some reason. ¡°What are you guys even going to do? On the contrary, this might even put you two in danger!¡± Charlotte was staring at the two who were about to leave the dormitory with both her hands on her hips. ¡°You¡¯re not the only ones worried about Reinhardt. The teachers of Temple are also mobilizing everything they can. Don¡¯t make things worse; just rest in the dormitory. Reinhardt will be okay. Trust me.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°We will¡­¡± It seemed that Delphin and Ludwig planned on going out to look for the missing Reinhardt as well but were caught by Charlotte. The two of them seemed unable to bear with the situation, as they grew rather close to Reinhardt ever since the island group mission. In the end, Ludwig and Delphin had no other choice but to return to Class B¡¯s dormitory, disappointed. It seemed that they couldn¡¯t go against Charlotte¡¯s extreme momentum. As Charlotte was about to enter after the two of them, she glanced at Ellen and Harriet, who were prepared to go out. They weren¡¯t really close, but they did know each other. ¡°¡­Where are you guys going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re le¡ª¡° Harriet intervened as soon as Ellen tried to say something. ¡°We¡¯re, erm, going out for dinner.¡± ¡°Oh, really? It¡¯s raining, so be careful.¡± ¡°Y-yeah! Thanks for worrying about us!¡± Harriet grabbed Ellen¡¯s hand and left the dormitory in a hurry, just in case they would get caught. Charlotte had a stern look in her eyes. They were from different classes, so she couldn¡¯t do much, but if they were from Class B, she probably would have dragged them back. Harriet stared at Ellen, who nearly told her the truth subconsciously, but she only tilted her head. ____ ____ Chapter 128 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 128 The two left Temple with umbrellas in hand. It was Friday, so they had the whole weekend to look for him. For that reason, Harriet took quite a bit of money with her. Of course, she could just sleep in the Saint-Owan mansion close to the Imperial Palace instead of an inn, but she didn¡¯t know what may happen. The two took the mana train to the Wenster district where the Bronzegate Bridge was. The train wasn¡¯t that crowded, but it wasn¡¯t completely empty either. -Aah, hello, dear citizens of the Empire. -Could you please lend us your precious time for a bit? I would like to introduce to you one of our new items. Those days, that kind of scene had become common. Harriet sighed as she looked at the chattering vendors. ¡­It wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t like what they were doing. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Huh? O-oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± When Ellen asked her if something was amiss, Harriet just shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I find it strange that I¡¯ve gotten so used to these kinds of things.¡± ¡°?¡± She sighed because she had grown very used to those kinds of people, to the point where she found it absurd. Mana trains only ran inside the Imperial Capital. Originally, Harriet mainly traveled by carriage in her daily life as the young lady of the Saint-Owan Grand Duchy. Since she entered Temple¡¯s high school section, she had a slightly different mindset than the nobles who had been educated there since elementary school. How are we to be expected to use the same transportation services as the poor? In the beginning, whenever she had gotten on the Temple intern tram, that was what had gone through her mind. After classes were over, it was virtually impossible to find a seat on the crowded tram, and it was rather annoying to just stand. Harriet disliked riding in it. However, she had no choice but to get used to the tram because it was forbidden to use one¡¯s carriages inside of Temple. The same thing was true for when she went outside of Temple. Harriet was even more reluctant to use a strange, gigantic, elongated vehicle filled to the brim with the poor and commoners. Of course, she could ride a carriage outside. There were many people who offered that service. But very few people living in the Capital actually made use of that option. Riding a carriage wasn¡¯t as fast and cheap as a mana train, after all. Riding a horse-drawn carriage inside the well-developed Capital was more of a waste of time before one even considered the costs, and time was much more precious there than money. There wasn¡¯t anything like a nobility-only carriage in the mana train. There were many nobles who strongly requested for something like that, but the Imperial Family had no intentions of implementing it. Riding it was uncomfortable for Harriet, but the mana train was the fastest means of transportation¡ªsecond only to the Warp Gates. However, the use of ultra-short-distance Warp Gates wasn¡¯t permitted. If Warp Gates were to be used for such trivial things, they would get overloaded with the amount of people using them. The speed of the mana train was beyond one¡¯s wildest imagination¡ªit couldn¡¯t even be compared to a mere carriage. She really didn¡¯t like it, but if she wanted to get from point A to B as fast as possible, she had no other choice but to take the mana train because anything else would be foolish. At first, she wondered how one could ride such a thing, but in the end, she had no choice but to succumb to its convenience. Although Harriet was a noble supremacist, she eventually got used to talking to common people and riding the crowded mana train. ¡®It¡¯s all because of Reinhardt.¡¯ That kind of guy that should not have even dared to make eye contact with her, far from someone she would have called her peer, actually talked carelessly to her, even going so far as teasing her. He had even touched her. He was irritating and ridiculous, but after getting teased by him so much, she grew somewhat immune to such treatment. So, no matter what happened, and no matter what she had to endure, nothing would be worse than Reinhardt¡ªthat thought was going through her mind. That was how Harriet, who was a noble through and through, was able to endure things she normally wouldn¡¯t have. ¡®But now I¡¯m actually on my way to look for that bastard¡­¡¯ Harriet didn¡¯t know what the hell she was doing. * * * * * * * * * -Whooooosh¡­ The water level of the Irene River around the Bronzegate Bridge had risen dangerously due to the continuous heavy rainfall. The riverside park had already been completely locked down for days. The two arrived at the place Reinhardt had gone to. ¡°In this situation, there definitely isn¡¯t going to be anything or anyone under that bridge.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ellen nodded her head at Harriet¡¯s words. If anyone was under that bridge, they would have been washed far away to begin with. They didn¡¯t know much about Reinhardt, so they had to infer Reinhardt¡¯s behavior using circumstantial information alone. Just what happened? ¡°You said he rushed out after hearing that the Irene River might overflow, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°Reinhardt must have been worried about the people living there.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± Reinhardt was part of the group of beggars living under the Bronzegate Bridge. So, after hearing that the Irene river might overflow because of the heavy rain, he must have gone there to check if his people were safe. ¡°But the river already overflowed, and all of them have already gone off somewhere. I think he went to find them.¡± Up to that point, Ellen and Harriet could reconstruct the situation. Reinhardt must have gone somewhere to look for the missing beggars. ¡°Then¡­ Could he be late because he was helping them out? But¡­ It¡¯s been so long¡­¡± Harriet said so, holding slight hope in her heart. Even as she said it, she knew that it was very unlikely. Ellen shook her head. ¡°If that were the case, he could have gone back to Temple to explain the situation to the teachers, but he didn¡¯t. Of course, there¡¯s still a possibility that it¡¯s like that, but¡­ It¡¯s very small.¡± He might not have had the time to go back to Temple simply because he was so busy helping out those beggars that suffered because of the heavy rain. They both thought that there was a low possibility of that being the case, but that would be better than the other possibilities. ¡°Anyway, Reinhardt should have gone looking for the place the people living there went to.¡± ¡°So we should also look for them¡­ But what if they don¡¯t know what happened to Reinhardt, either?¡± Harriet¡¯s words, which showed her concern that something might have happened to him even before he was able to find him, were met with a shake of Ellen¡¯s head. ¡°First of all, even if they don¡¯t know where Reinhardt is, we should still let them know that Reinhardt is missing. And¡­ they probably know more about Reinhardt than we do.¡± No matter if they knew where he was or not, the conclusion they came to was still the same: they had to find them. ¡°Okay¡­ so where did they go?¡± Where did the beggars who lived under the bridge run off to? They were overcome with the same worries as Reinhardt. ¡°Let¡¯s ask that person.¡± A guard was blocking the entrance to the riverside park. Ellen came to the same conclusion as Reinhardt had. * * * Ellen and Harriet succeeded in following the same path as Reinhardt after questioning the guard. The only place that would protect someone from the rain around there was the Wenster Market street. The Wenster Market street. While adventurers opted to go the northern Al Ligar district to do their shopping, the Wenster Market street was the largest market visited by the general public. While they headed there, Harriet hesitated for some reason. ¡°¡­My brothers told me not to go to the Wenster Market.¡± She looked a little scared. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ My brothers graduated from Temple, so they know the Imperial Capital pretty well. However, I would never go to that kind of place because it¡¯s so dirty, but they still told me to never go to the Wenster Market.¡± ¡°Why did they do that?¡± ¡°There are a lot of criminals there. Usually, people wouldn¡¯t hurt you as long as you¡¯re a Temple student, but there are a lot of crazy people there who wouldn¡¯t even consider that. They told me to stay away from the back alleys in particular. There are also some criminal organizations¡­¡± Harriet already knew some information Reinhardt lacked. She suddenly muttered something as if she had just realized something important. ¡°Ah¡­ No way.¡± ¡°¡­I think I know what has happened.¡± The Wenster Market was a place where criminals hid that would attack you whether you were a part of Temple or not. Reinhardt had gone there looking for some beggars. If one were to combine those evil criminals with Reinhardt, who had a terrible temper¡­ It would have been a miracle if nothing actually happened. * * * When they started to combine the truth of the Wenster Market with Reinhardt¡¯s personality, they seemed to come to a rough conclusion as to what happened. Harriet gathered her thoughts as they walked towards the Wenster Market. ¡°So, Reinhardt must have known that the beggars came here to hide away from the rain, and he ended up arguing with someone while he was walking through the back alleys asking where those beggars were?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°So, in the end, he couldn¡¯t reel in his temper, and a fight ensued, but something went wrong¡­ That¡¯s the rough outline of events. It¡¯s probably something like that.¡± As they spoke, their faces darkened. It would have been better if he was just kidnapped or something like that. However, he might have already ended up getting stabbed by one of those criminals. Reinhardt might have already died. Since that conclusion was pretty plausible, they couldn¡¯t help but make very serious expressions. Not only that. ¡°Will¡­ will we be fine?¡± They stood before the huge entrance to the Wenster Market. Harriet was wondering whether they should really go in there or not. Although Reinhardt¡¯s temper was terrible, he ultimately had a talent that could strengthen his body; it was comparable to a combat talent. While he wasn¡¯t as strong as Ellen, after training for a while, he had become pretty strong for his age. Reinhardt was beaten, so she was wondering if they¡¯d really be fine. ¡°Let¡¯s look around the market for now.¡± Ellen also suggested that they should first investigate and not do anything risky. * * * The two entered the market and began to look around. Harriet didn¡¯t look so good, perhaps because of the overflowing smell of food coming from the market, including the fishy smell of seafood. She had already gotten used to a lot of things, but it was the first time in her life that she ever experienced something like that. Ellen, as always, didn¡¯t seem fazed. ¡°Oh, you mean that little blonde kid?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes! Have you seen him?¡± Harriet¡¯s eyes lit up at the shopkeeper¡¯s words, as he seemed to know something. She threw away her pride as a noble. At that moment, she felt nothing wrong with being respectful towards commoners. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen him. But a lot of people are looking for him, so I couldn¡¯t help but hear some gossip here and there. Not only the Guards but also people from Temple are running around looking for him; they don¡¯t even buy anything.¡± The Guards¡ªas well as Temple¡¯s forces¡ªwere poking around Wenster Market. Charlotte and Bertus had already known that Reinhardt went missing in Wenster market just by considering the outside factors as well, so they had ordered people to focus on the area. ¡°It must be nice being a Temple student. Just because one little kid went missing, all those people stopped whatever they were doing and searched for him in a frenzy. I sure wish I could send my kids to Temple when I have enough money.¡± The shopkeeper suddenly started to ramble. Even though it was just a single Temple student, seeing so many people turning the whole market upside down just to ensure the safety of a single person made one realize how great Temple¡¯s prestige was. Of course, not only was Reinhardt a Temple student, he was also part of Royal Class; he was already on a completely different level than an ordinary student. Reinhardt¡¯s classmates were the Imperial Prince and Princess, for crying out loud. The two continued to walk around the market, asking around the shops, but they only heard that other people had already combed through the area to find Reinhardt; they didn¡¯t find even a single eyewitness. ¡°This is strange.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Both of them felt that it was strange. Harriet dragged Ellen to a place that smelled less fishy and began to describe what exactly was strange. ¡°I think both the Guards and Temple¡¯s forces already knew that Reinhardt disappeared in this place.¡± ¡° Yes.¡± It wasn¡¯t a difficult conclusion to come to, so those forces that were looking for Reinhardt already paid great attention to the Wenster Market. ¡°Then why couldn¡¯t they find him?¡± If they searched the market, they should have searched the back alleys as well. There was no reason for them to be afraid of the criminal gangs roaming the back alleys. Reinhardt¡¯s disappearance was believed to have occurred last Saturday, and the search began on Monday. However, they made no progress until Friday. Why couldn¡¯t the Guards and Temple¡¯s forces find Reinhardt? If he was dead, they should have at least found his body, but they didn¡¯t. They could see some Guards patrolling the entire market even then. ¡°If they are looking for him so hard and couldn¡¯t find him, there probably isn¡¯t anything in the back alleys either¡­¡± Harriet mumbled sadly. ¡°But let¡¯s go look anyway.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They didn¡¯t think they would find any clues in the back alleys, but they had no other choice but to check there as well. ____ ____ Chapter 129 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 129 Ellen and Harriet cautiously proceeded through the maze of complex alleys between buildings. ¡°If they see us, the Guards will tell us to leave because it¡¯s dangerous. We have to stay far away from them.¡± Unlike before, because of Reinhardt¡¯s disappearance, the back alleys were lined with guards, not criminals. Harriet nodded at Ellen¡¯s words. ¡°I learned a noise-canceling spell this time. Let me cast it on us and move along.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It would¡¯ve been nice if I actually learned invisibility magic, but we¡¯re not that far ahead yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Harriet had learned some new magic spells since the island mission; she learned them because she had already experienced a situation in which the magic spells she thought of as useless were actually very useful. The underwater breathing spell and the heating ball summoning spell were two such examples. They were the lowest level of magic spells that one could learn without much effort, and yet they were such a great help to Ellen and Reinhardt in gathering food for the group and in helping everyone maintain their body temperature during the torrential rain. In fact, many of the attack spells she learned, even if they were powerful, didn¡¯t actually see much action. Due to how long it took to cast them, their practicality was greatly reduced as well. In the end, after the group mission was over, Harriet started to think a bit differently about what was and wasn¡¯t useful magic. Low-level magic, such as noise suppression magic, would have been a great help when they were hunting on that island. So Harriet had passed on higher-level magic to learn more useful magic which could be used right away, noise canceling was one of them. After the short casting time was over and the magic activated, the noise Harriet and Ellen emitted was greatly reduced, if not completely gone. Ellen took the lead. It was raining, so the smell wasn¡¯t that intense, but if it had been hot, that space would have been filled with a nauseating stench. Piles of unidentifiable garbage, food remains, and traces of urine were scattered everywhere¡ªvisible for anyone to see. Harriet was not used to something like that; she tried not to look. She was so upset when she actually saw a rat running past her, it was a miracle that she didn¡¯t scream. Fortunately, it was raining and they had noise-canceling magic cast on them; the Guards couldn¡¯t hear those two girls moving about. ¡°What are all these buildings?¡± Even while being uncomfortable, Harriet seemed to be curious about the buildings they found in the back alleys of the market. ¡°They are probably homes.¡± ¡°Homes? At a place like this?¡± How could people live in buildings so close to each other? Aren¡¯t these places like anthills? Harriet showed the typical reaction of a noble that couldn¡¯t understand the way commoners lived. The back alley streets behind the market, which were as complex as a maze, were completely silent except for the occasional Guard passing by. Sometimes they would see homeless people crumpled in the alleyways, sleeping. When Harriet saw one, she froze and wasn¡¯t able to even get close to him. Ellen approached him instead. ¡°Mister.¡± ¡°Hey, be careful¡­¡± ¡°Uh, uhm¡­ What? Who are ya? Oh~ what are pretty ladies like you doing in a place like this?¡± ¡°We¡¯re looking for a guy with blonde hair about this tall. His name is Rein¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t know. How many times do I have to say that I don¡¯t know that guy?¡± The homeless guy couldn¡¯t give them an answer, seeming as if he had been asked several times before. Following that, Ellen found a few more people that seemed to be homeless people, not criminals, but all of them only told her that they didn¡¯t know anyone called Reinhardt, as if they were already tired of it. After wandering around for a long time, trying to evade the Guards, Ellen and Harriet ended up with no new results. ¡°¡­I think everyone here has already been questioned about Reinhardt¡¯s disappearance.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They were beggars, but none of them knew Reinhardt, and the criminals that haunted those places already hid away because of all the Guards. Did they even have to break into those buildings to ask if they were criminals or if they knew Reinhardt? However, it was already pretty clear that the Guards already did something similar. They both wanted Reinhardt to return safely, yet hadn¡¯t been able to find him. Harriet then spoke her next words rather carefully. ¡°Everyone has already searched every nook and cranny of this place¡­ And if they didn¡¯t find any clues after such a long time, I don¡¯t think it would make sense for us to wander around here even more.¡± In the end, they came to the conclusion that it would be meaningless for them to continue to search through the Wenster Market. * * * Harriet and Ellen left Wenster Market, going out onto the street again. The Market was already covered by others. It wouldn¡¯t change a thing if they were to be added to the mix. ¡°Did Reinhardt actually not come here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± The fact that the Guards hadn¡¯t found Reinhardt yet, even though they combed through the place Reinhardt supposedly disappeared at, might mean that it wasn¡¯t the place of his disappearance. It was possible that Reinhardt didn¡¯t actually go to that place. The reason why all the criminals that could have been kidnapped disappeared like that all of a sudden could be because they felt threatened by the sudden appearance of so many Guards. Then where the hell should they start to look for Reinhardt? ¡°There are a lot of strange things about this situation.¡± Harriet raised another question. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The guards¡­ questioned most of the beggars here, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They did it to the point that the beggars were sick of hearing that question. ¡°The criminals ran away, but the beggars stayed in this place.¡± ¡°However, it seems like none of the beggars that lived under the bridge came here. None of them knew Reinhardt.¡± The beggars that lived under the bridge. According to the Guard, the beggars should have come over to the Wenster Market to take shelter from the rain. If they didn¡¯t want to get completely soaked, they would have no other choice but to go there. The Guards weren¡¯t really kicking them out of that place. That¡¯s why the beggars remained in the back alleys whether the Guards were patrolling or not. There were beggars, but none of them were the ones that knew about Reinhardt. ¡°They never went to the Wenster Market.¡± Ellen nodded at Harriet¡¯s reasoning. ¡°I think we have to find those people first.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wenster Market, the most clear trail, was already crowded with people. If that place held any type of clue, it would be found someday, even if they weren¡¯t there. The two decided to look for the beggars of the Bronzegate Bridge, a group no one really cared about. Everyone else had only focused on the Wenster Market. * * * Their theory was correct. Neither the forces of Temple nor the Guards focused on that lead under the assumption that Reinhardt disappeared in Wenster Market. They were trying to find some criminal gang that was connected to Reinhardt¡¯s disappearance. Reinhardt hadn¡¯t even found the group of beggars he was looking for at that point. That was the problem with people who only did what they were told to do. That was the reason why Temple¡¯s forces and the Guards were only concentrating on the fact that Reinhardt definitely went to Wenster Market. So Ellen and Harriet came to the decision that they should go somewhere else because other people were already covering that place. Those beggars that lived under the bridge were a bunch that stood out quite a bit, even the Guards knew them well. Although they didn¡¯t seem to impose any sanctions on them, they didn¡¯t really like them, either. Ellen and Harriet hadn¡¯t seen them in person, but they imagined them drinking booze and chattering under the bridge. That definitely wouldn¡¯t have been a pretty view. Ellen and Harriet reached the entrance to the riverside park where they first gathered information to look for that guard again. However, there was a different person standing guard, probably because that other guy¡¯s shift was over. ¡°Oh, those beggars? At times like these, they¡¯d probably go to Wenster m¡ª¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t there.¡± When they were about to get the same answer as before, Ellen cut him off. It was highly likely that Reinhardt went there, but the beggars were definitely not there. ¡°Hmm¡­ Really? Then where would they have gone on rainy days like this? They don¡¯t even have houses or anything, you know?¡± It rained a lot those past few days and they couldn¡¯t stay under the bridge in that situation, so the only choice they seemed to have was to head towards Wenster Market. One of the guards chimed in after hearing the other talk. ¡°Well, don¡¯t they make a lot of money these days? Maybe they don¡¯t have to go to the market anymore. Who knows? Maybe they even found some inn to stay in.¡± ¡°Money? What money would beggars have? And an inn? That¡¯s funny.¡± When the other guards were laughing at his statement, treating him as if he was talking complete nonsense, he started to chuckle. ¡°Those bastards aren¡¯t selling cheap candy anymore, you know? They are now selling knick-knacks on the mana train. Didn¡¯t you notice? That¡¯s why we don¡¯t get any complaints from people visiting the riverside park anymore. But I¡¯m sick and tired of seeing those guys every time I go to work.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re telling us that those vendors were those beggars?¡± ¡°Yeah, they are pretty active, aren¡¯t they?¡± Ellen and Harriet¡¯s eyes met as they were listening to the Guards¡¯ conversation. ¡®Aah, greetings, dear citizens of the Empire.¡¯ ¡®Could you please lend us your precious time for a bit, I would like to introduce to you one of our new items.¡¯ The two had already found their target without even knowing. * * * * * * * * * The only people interested in the job change of the beggars from under the bridge were people of the same ¡®trade¡¯ and the underworld. So there were only a few people among the guards who knew that the beggars became train vendors. Beggars were still beggars, people often didn¡¯t care about who they actually were, and the vendors were just a mild annoyance, so no one wondered about their background. Anyway, unlike the solicitors in the riverside park, the mana train vendors could continue their business regardless of whether it rained or not. They were still going from train to train to sell their wares even during the rainy season. Ellen and Harriet immediately boarded a mana train, not caring where it went. ¡°I hope they know where Reinhardt is.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Both hoped that nothing bad had actually happened to him and that he was absent from Temple for such a long time because of something else. The two moved from compartment to compartment of the mana train, looking for those junk sellers. They didn¡¯t have to look for long. After moving through four compartments they found a vendor who was twirling a spinning top on the floor and talking excitedly about the ¡®magic spinning top¡¯. It was no wonder that people wouldn¡¯t connect the vendors with the beggars living under the bridge. According to Reinhardt¡¯s instructions, the merchants riding on the train were properly dressed and cleaned up. ¡°Aah, everyone, let me tell you about this spinning top¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me, mister.¡± As was to be expected, Harriet was still pretty shy, so Ellen stepped up to the guy. When Ellen called out to him, the merchant smiled. ¡°Hello there, it¡¯s only one silver coin.¡± He seemed to think that she talked him up because she was interested in the spinning tops lying on the floor. Of course, Ellen had no interest in those things whatsoever. ¡°Do you know Reinhardt?¡± ¡°¡­Reinhardt?¡± The vendor tilted his head when she said that name out of nowhere. * * * Fortunately, he knew Reinhardt. ¡°That guy¡¯s missing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as he heard that he immediately picked up his spinning tops and got off at the next station. Harriet and Ellen followed him, and when they reached a quiet place, they started to talk. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of this¡­ This is a big problem. I should let big sis know about it.¡± What did that mean? However, the peddler seemed to feel compelled to immediately report the matter to someone. ¡°Thank you, you two. But you guys¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re Reinhardt¡¯s classmates.¡± It seemed like he wanted to send them away, but Ellen and Harriet were burning with determination; they would follow him no matter what. The vendor couldn¡¯t win against those two, who¡¯d inevitably follow him whether he liked it or not, so he had no other choice but to head towards the Rotary Gang¡¯s current base with them. Ellen and Harriet were forced to realize that it was only natural that they weren¡¯t able to find the Bronzegate beggars in the Wenster District¡¯s market street. The vendor was heading towards the southernmost area of the Imperial Capital. ¡°I heard that you were staying close to Bronzegate.¡± The vendor shook his head at Ellen¡¯s words from underneath his umbrella. ¡°It was like that at first, but we¡¯re gradually trying to settle down properly.¡± They were slowly trying to get away from Bronzegate. That was why they moved their base completely while it was raining, that was how he explained it. However, where they were going was close to the border between the Capital and the outside area. Only after riding the train until the end did they get off. This was a remote area with only a few buildings and even fewer people. They couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous because they were heading to such a deserted place. ¡®What if this person wasn¡¯t a good person?¡¯ These types of thoughts bubbled up in them. ¡°¡­I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Harriet was speaking in halting words as if her voice was failing. As a response, Ellen whispered to her that she had nothing to worry about. That put her mind at ease when she thought about how great Ellen, who was able to fight orcs on her own in the jungle, was. Even if that vendor thought about harming them, it would be in vain¡ªhe was definitely easier to deal with than those orcs. Fortunately, she could lay those worries to rest, as they were able to see a huge tent after they walked with the vendor for some time. It was set up in a distant and quiet vacant lot. Inside the tent, one could hear the loud roaring of people. They could also see a construction site. It seemed like they were building something. ¡°Are¡­ are they constructing a building?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± It was raining, so they weren¡¯t continuing the construction at the moment, but looking at the pillars and constructions, it seemed like they were trying to build a fairly large building. ¡°Alright, you guys followed me here and I brought you here, but once you get in here, you have to be careful of what you say.¡± ¡°Careful?¡± The vendor saw Ellen tilt her head and nodded his head. ¡°Big sis¡¯s personality is quite¡­ Just know that she doesn¡¯t care whether you¡¯re a Temple student or not.¡± Ellen nodded and Harriet sighed in slight annoyance that she had to be careful around a mere beggar. Harriet was a great noble who shouldn¡¯t have a reason to talk to such lowly people in normal circumstances. The large tent was completely open at one side so that people could look into it from outside. They thought that those beggars¡¯ appearance and conduct would be incredibly shabby, but they were a little different from what Ellen and Harriet had imagined. Although they seemed to have a hard time managing due to the heavy rain, compared to the shabby beggars they encountered in the Wenster Market, they seemed like nobility. Everyone was wearing proper clothes, after all. ¡°¡­Yo, what¡¯s with the kids?¡± Their eyes widened slightly when their colleague returned with the two girls following him. ¡°¡­These girls grew up fine, didn¡¯t they?¡± Even though Harriet was wearing casual clothes, one could still recognize her as a first-class noble or someone very wealthy, and Ellen looked far from a beggar as well with the energy she emitted and the clothes she wore. Their bearing and attitude were also indicative. Harriet looked a little exhausted, and Ellen was calm. Still, the people started to mumble at the sudden appearance of those two pretty girls. A young woman with messy white hair stood before them. Her attire wasn¡¯t much different from the others, but the pressure those golden eyes emitted showed that she wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. Irene¡¯s Wild Dog. ¡°Who¡¯re these kids?¡± Loyar frowned when she saw Ellen and Harriet standing before her. The two introduced themselves as Reinhardt¡¯s classmates. ¡°¡­Is that so? But how did ya find this place?¡± Loyar seemed wary about why those two who seemed to be Reinhardt¡¯s classmates went there. The only reason she could think of was that they might have found some clues to Reinhardt¡¯s hidden identity. ¡°Reinhardt went missing.¡± ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Not only Loyar, but all the club members present were completely shocked. Originally, the Thieves¡¯ Guild planned on using Reinhardt as bait to catch Loyar. However, a long time had passed since then, and the Rotary Gang was completely unaware of Reinhardt¡¯s disappearance. ____ ____ Chapter 130 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 130 Ellen explained to Loyar about what happened at Temple and the events following it. She told Loyar that Reinhardt was worried about them, so he headed to Bronzegate, and he was presumed to have disappeared after heading to Wenster Market; so Temple¡¯s forces and the Guards were scouring the area at the moment but hadn¡¯t found a single lead as of Friday. ¡°Damn it. In this situation, he¡­¡± Loyar ground her teeth. Things weren¡¯t going well. The Rotary Gang was about to move there with all its members except those that worked on the trains when that heavy rain had suddenly swept away their base under the bridge. They had started building some basic constructions, but they weren¡¯t finished yet. However, while they were doing that, Reinhardt went to visit Bronzegate and encountered quite a weird situation. Loyar wasn¡¯t in any position to relax¡ªfaced with the fact that Reinhardt had gone missing. It was an unprecedented situation. ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll take care of this from now on. You guys go back to Temple.¡± If those two hadn¡¯t appeared out of nowhere, the Rotary Gang might have overlooked such a serious matter. Although she felt grateful towards them, Loyar thought that those two girls¡¯ roles were over. ¡°We want to look for him with you.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± However, the girl who took the initiative shook her head, saying she wouldn¡¯t be going back. ¡°Well, I know what you¡¯re thinking¡­ You guys are still young. Just go back; you might end up seeing some real ugly things.¡± Loyar lightly grabbed Elen¡¯s shoulder and tried to shove her outside the tent. -Swish However, Ellen slightly pivoted to avoid Loyar¡¯s touch. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Did she just avoid me? Loyar tried once again to grab Ellen with one of her hands. ¨CSwish However, Ellen took a step forward to avoid Loyar¡¯s hand. After those two failed attempts, the slightly buzzing atmosphere started to cool down. What were they going to do now? That¡¯s what the people around them were thinking. ¡°Hoh.¡± Loyer decided to go with a slightly rougher method rather than trying to get it over with gently. To her, that girl seemed like someone that wouldn¡¯t listen to words, after all. She tried to grab Ellen a lot faster¡ªher hands moved incredibly fast. -Swish ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± However, Ellen avoided her touch with just a single step again. The atmosphere around them was really chilly. Loyar had gotten pretty serious, but that little girl still managed to avoid her with just a single step. Harriet already felt really exhausted by the strange war of nerves going on before her; she figured it wasn¡¯t such an unusual thing. ¡°Because you¡¯re Reinhardt¡¯s friend, this is the last time I¡¯ll let this slide. Go back while I¡¯m still being nice.¡± ¡°We can help too.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± There was some slight anger flickering in Loyar¡¯s golden eyes. Was it because she was a Temple student? She seemed confident in her physical prowess. In that case, she wouldn¡¯t mind rougher treatment, right? Loyar struck her hand out almost as fast as lightning. She intended to grab Ellen by the nape, not her shoulder, and throw her out. -Swish! However, after reading the hand¡¯s trajectory, Ellen moved her head down to the right to evade it and took another step back. ¡°I have no intention of fighting you.¡± Ellen calmly avoided her move again; she even expressed that he had no intention of attacking her. ¡°Huh¡­¡± However, it was that type of behavior that made people with a fiery temperament like Loyar attack even harder. I have no intentions of fighting you = If I get serious, you¡¯d only get hurt. That was the only thing she could glean from that. The gang members had their mouths wide open as if they couldn¡¯t believe their own eyes. None of them had ever seen Loyar lose when it came to close-quarter combat. Whether they were twenty or thirty people, she was able to beat all of them without getting hit even once. In fact, some of the guys there served her as their boss after they got beaten by her personally. However, that little girl was avoiding Loyar¡¯s hands quite easily, which made her angry. Was it because she was from Temple? Were all Temple students like that? Everyone had a startled expression on their faces. ¡°Brat, just listen to me. I¡¯m doing this because I¡¯m worried for you guys. I think I know what¡¯s going on here and, if I¡¯m right, Reinhardt might still be fine. If you go back, I¡¯ll promise you that Reinhardt will be back at Temple soon, safe and sound.¡± It was her last attempt at persuasion. If Ellen made another move, Loyar¡¯s patience would really snap. She was already at the edge of her patience. Ellen was Reinhardt¡¯s classmate, and she had gone all the way there to let her know that Reinhardt was in trouble, so she felt rather grateful. As such. she was willing to at least concede that much. However, Ellen still shook her head. ¡°I want to go with you.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¨C Crack, crack Loyar¡¯s golden eyes gleamed. ¡°Let¡¯s do this then.¡± -Whoosh! Loyar rushed towards Ellen and punched out at her. Ellen¡¯s eyes widened slightly as she saw Loyar rushing at her at a speed that made her first attempts seem like a joke. ¡®Too¡­ Fast!¡¯ -Bang! ¡°Kuhuk!¡± ¡°Arg!¡± As Ellen got hit, Harriet cried out. She wasn¡¯t able to dodge it but she still guarded. Ellen crossed her arms to block Loyar¡¯s punch but still bounced back and even got sent flying for a bit. Ellen managed to get up after rolling a few times. ¡°Hah, huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± She only got punched once, and yet she was wondering if that had broken her arms. Loyar, who had completely lost her temper, seemed unwilling to stop at only that; she rushed towards Ellen, who had already landed outside the tent. ¡®That person, just who is she?¡¯ Not only was Loyar incredibly fast to the extent that it almost felt like an invisible ghost was attacking her, but she also seemed to put an invisible pressure on her body as well as her spirit. Ellen didn¡¯t know that it was the type of pressure Lycanthropes usually applied to their opponents, but there were alarm bells ringing in Ellen¡¯s head that she wasn¡¯t fighting an ordinary person. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to die if I fight her halfheartedly.¡± Just as Loyar was sincerely facing her, Ellen also started thinking that she might really die if she just focused on avoiding her attacks. She didn¡¯t know what Loyar was thinking, but those shivers that rushed all over her body and made all her hairs stand on end made Ellen come to that conclusion. -Whoosh! Loyar punched out again, but Ellen didn¡¯t avoid it. She leaned forward and got closer. -Pang! She punched Loyar in the stomach. The solar plexus was one of the human body¡¯s weak points. ¡°Just now¡­¡± However, Loyar seemed more angry than hurt. After she got hit in her stomach, Loyar¡¯s eyes filled with even more rage. ¡°Did you go easy on me?¡± ¡°!¡± Ellen thought that her opponent might die if she used all of her power, so she had controlled her strength, which annoyed Loyar. That punch was enough to make an ordinary person faint, but Loyar didn¡¯t even flinch. The places that were supposed to be weak points weren¡¯t actually weak points to her. Ellen couldn¡¯t help but freeze up. -Bang! ¡°Urg¡­ Huk!¡± Loyar hit Ellen in the stomach with her knee, making her fly away and roll on the floor. * * * * * * * * * The Temple student and Irene¡¯s Wild Dog were fighting in the rain. Ellen was barely holding out, even though she tried not to appear as such. -Punch! Pow! Punch! In the middle of nowhere, a huge hand-to-hand battle was taking place, but the results were already pretty clear¡ªeven in regards to technique. In terms of physical strength, Ellen was definitely lacking. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you have to stop her?!¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re right, but¡­¡± ¡°If we were to touch them now, how many of us would end up getting our arms and legs crippled?¡± Loyar¡¯s eyes completely lost any sort of reason, so she wasn¡¯t in a state in which she could be stopped. Harriet was shocked for a different reason. Ellen was able to beat an orc with ease, but she was getting pushed back at the moment. The gang members were surprised that a little kid was able to fight against Irene¡¯s Wild Dog so well, while Harriet couldn¡¯t believe that Loyar was able to overwhelm Ellen, the strongest of their class¡ªeven if Loyar was an adult. ¡°Huff¡­ Urg¡­¡± Loyar was still staring at Ellen, gasping in the rain. It was true that Loyar had flown into a rage, but she didn¡¯t stop thinking. ¡®She¡¯s worse than a beast.¡¯ The other party was inferior in strength, skill, speed, and dexterity compared to herself, but the only thing that had kept Ellen going and withstanding her attacks had been those ridiculous reflexes of hers. Not only did she manage to avoid a lot of her attacks, she even managed to guard when she was able to. Loyar seemed to be serious, but she wasn¡¯t actually. Loyar was planning on only beating her opponent slightly. Otherwise, Ellen would have already ended up with two broken arms after her first attack. She tried to only apply enough force to make her give up, but it wasn¡¯t that easy. ¡®They are raising monsters in Temple, it seems.¡¯ Even though she was still young, defeating her wasn¡¯t that easy if she didn¡¯t have the determination to actually kill her. Were there more monsters like that in Temple? No. ¡°Gasp¡­Huff¡­¡± The girl in front of her was special. Wasn¡¯t the other girl that came with her actually trembling in fear at the moment? ¡®Should I kill her?¡¯ That was what Loyar was thinking while keeping her distance from Ellen. An unprecedented monster raised by Temple. If she already reached that level of skill at her age, she¡¯d only grow into even more of a monster as the years went by. If she killed a Temple student, she would have to leave the Capital, or else she would harm the members of the Rotary Gang. She would be unable to come back to the Imperial Capital ever again. However, if she left that girl alive, she would pose a tremendous threat to the reconstruction of the Demon Realm. They had said that they were Reinhardt¡¯s friends, but they probably only grew closer because they had no idea about the truth; they¡¯d surely end up becoming mortal enemies in the future. Monsters like those had to be killed off before they could grow. No one would be able to kill them in the future, after all. Why did Reinhardt become friends with such a monster? How did they even become friends? She couldn¡¯t pass any judgment on her without Reinhardt. Loyar believed in Reinhardt¡¯s words: that he planned to rebuild the Demon Realm. However, his friendship with Ellen might also be some kind of scheme he came up with, right? She had to come to a decision on her own at that moment. This punk. Obviously, he¡¯d be very upset if I did this. Even though she was all prickly on the outside, Loyar never intended to betray Reinhardt in the slightest. If I killed her, would His Highness get into trouble with Temple? Would it be more difficult if I kept her alive? If she killed her, it would cause problems for her master. But it was more troublesome to keep her alive. She firmly believed that Ellen would be a fatal threat to the reconstruction of the Demon Realm. If they didn¡¯t kill her now, they wouldn¡¯t get a second chance. It would be better to kill her and evacuate her master out of Temple and plan out their future moves in a different place. No, I can¡¯t leave her alive. Loyar boosted her whole body¡¯s senses. It wasn¡¯t just a normal battle anymore; she entered into her real combat mode. She used the powers of a Lycanthrope, not Irene¡¯s Wild Dog. ¡®Your Highness.¡¯ Ellen swallowed her saliva as she witnessed Loyar strengthening her body to such a degree. ¡®I¡¯m going to commit an unforgivable sin to you.¡¯ No matter how right she thought her decision to be, she was still planning on killing her master¡¯s friend. Loyar leapt forward with both her hands outstretched, not punching out with her fists. She didn¡¯t even need to do that. In that situation, if she was able to get even a single finger in, she would make her opponent explode. ¡°!¡± Ellen felt it clearly when she saw Loyar rushing towards her. It was in her opponent¡¯s gate. It was killing intent. She was trying to kill her. Ellen was able to sense it almost instinctively. With her eyes wide open, Ellen swung her right arm at Loyar, rushing towards her. At the same time, something was suddenly summoned into Ellen¡¯s hand. -Whoosh! ¡®This¡­this is!¡¯ Ellen, who didn¡¯t have anything with her previously, suddenly held a sword in her right hand. -Kaklang! And Loyar reflexively blocked the sword being swung at her with her right hand. The sword came to a halt after cutting halfway into Loyar¡¯s hand. ¡°!¡± Everyone was staring at the unidentified sword that suddenly appeared in the girl¡¯s grasp with astonishment. ____ ____ Chapter 131 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 131 Silence fell over the vacant lot veiled in rain. The sword that suddenly appeared wasn¡¯t able to cut off Loyar¡¯s hand; it got stuck after cutting into it halfway. A sword had suddenly appeared in the little girl¡¯s previously empty hand. And Loyar had managed to block that sword with her bare hands. Two very unbelievable things happened at the same time, leaving everyone¡¯s mouths hanging wide open. -Kick! ¡°Kuhuk!¡± Loyar didn¡¯t grab the sword, even while it was still stuck in her right hand, and instead kicked Ellen¡¯s stomach and stole the weapon. -Scatter¡­ However, the stolen sword immediately disappeared from Loyar¡¯s hands¡ªit was as if it had never even existed; then it appeared in Ellen¡¯s right hand again. Loyar glared at that sight. It clearly wasn¡¯t a sword made using summoning magic. ¡®Soul bound?¡¯ A sword that was bound to the owner¡¯s soul¡­ That was a possibility. However, there were only a few swords capable of such a feat in the world. ¡°Urg¡­¡± Ellen staggered while trying to stand up. Her whole body was drenched in rain, but Ellen still stared at Loyar with a firm expression etched on her face. Loyar couldn¡¯t explain it, but she felt that Ellen wanted to kill her as much as she wanted to kill her at that moment. The others didn¡¯t realize that Loyar was actually trying to kill Ellen. However, Ellen had already accumulated a lot of damage. If Loyar charged at her as she had before, Ellen would surely die. ¡°Why are you¡­ doing this to me?¡± Ellen couldn¡¯t understand the situation. Loyar silently looked at Ellen. She was a completely unknown girl carrying something like a soulbound sword. It wasn¡¯t possible for her to recognize what that sword was, but it was clear that it held extraordinary powers. Why did a girl like her carry something that shouldn¡¯t exist in the world anymore? Her heart told her that she should go on and kill her, but Loyar was even more confused than before. Did Reinhardt know this girl¡¯s identity? Or did he not know? If he knew, why didn¡¯t he tell me about this monster yet? Could it be that this girl¡¯s existence was already part of Reinhardt¡¯s grand plan? She had no idea who the girl was, but it was clear that she was an even bigger existence than she initially thought. And someone like that was running around in the rain looking for Reinhardt. She was destined to be their enemy no matter how she thought about it, but Loyar was inclined to think that Reinhardt wouldn¡¯t have become friends with someone like her without having a plan in mind. Loyar wasn¡¯t able to strategize as well as Sarkegaar or Eleris. ¡®I¡¯m glad I failed.¡¯ I shouldn¡¯t have done something without any orders. Loyar¡¯s mind was buzzing with so many thoughts that she almost caused a massive disturbance in Reinhardt¡¯s grand plan. She didn¡¯t know who Ellen was, but she was someone she shouldn¡¯t touch. ¡°You should know the difference between us now.¡± Loyar looked down at Ellen, who was shriveled up in a sullen mood. She didn¡¯t want to hurt her any further, but she still didn¡¯t plan on taking her on her search for Reinhardt either. The girl was dangerous, but she wouldn¡¯t be of much help as she was. ¡°Go back. You¡¯ll only get in the way.¡± How the fuck are you going to help me when you¡¯re so fucking weak. That was what Loyar was trying to communicate with her eyes. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen had no other choice but to hold her head low while clenching her teeth. * * * ¡°Is this really okay¡­ ?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± In the end, Loyar was able to subdue Ellen and told them that she would return Reinhardt to Temple safe and sound, so they should just take their mind off of the matter and go back to Temple. Ellen just silently walked through the rain, letting go of her umbrella, and Harriet followed her, carefully trying to cover the two of them with her umbrella. Harriet couldn¡¯t tell what Ellen¡¯s expression looked like as she was walking with her head down. However, after suffering an overwhelming defeat for the first time in her life, Ellen¡¯s expression completely hardened. ¡®I even summoned Lament¡­¡¯ She summoned Lament because she felt her life was in danger, but that sword was only able to slightly dig into that person¡¯s palm. She wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. A normal person wouldn¡¯t have been able to block that divine sword with their bare hands. No, normal people wouldn¡¯t even be able to block normal swords like that. However, her opponent managed to completely block the divine sword like that. That gray-haired woman seriously tried to kill her, but when she saw her sword, she changed her mind and let her go. Ellen didn¡¯t know why Loyar tried to kill her, and she understood even less why she had decided to keep her alive in the end. ¡°W-well, there were a lot of people¡­ They probably know something¡­ They¡¯ll definitely find Reinhardt. Yes.¡± Harriet made some exaggerated gestures, trying to paint the situation as positively as possible when she noticed that Ellen didn¡¯t say anything. She was dying to know what that sword that Ellen summoned was, but Ellen¡¯s condition didn¡¯t look so good at the moment. What the hell. Despite how quickly Ellen swung it at the head of that beggar organization, she still managed to block the divine sword? Just what was that gray-haired woman and just what is Reinhardt? She didn¡¯t think that Ellen was the strongest in the world, but she also didn¡¯t think that she would be so overwhelmingly beaten like that. It was arrogant to think that she would be able to help them. After her overwhelming loss, Ellen couldn¡¯t continue to protest the woman¡¯s order to ¡®get out because she would just get in the way¡¯. After all that, she had no other choice but to realize the fact that she would really only get in the way of the gray-haired woman if she followed her. She didn¡¯t know who that gray-haired woman was. She had found out that there were even more things that she didn¡¯t know about Reinhardt. ¡®I¡­ After all, I really know nothing about him.¡¯ She wanted to know the things she didn¡¯t know about him, so she ended up hurting Reinhardt. She wanted to make it up to him somehow, so she wanted to save him. She wanted to do something. But she wasn¡¯t even able to do that. Helplessness. Ellen trudged through the rain, forced to feel such utter helplessness for the second time in her life. * * * * * * * * * ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone what you saw just now. You didn¡¯t see anything.¡± After Ellen and Harriet left, Loyar put a gag order on anyone about the fight that had happened. A strange girl with a soulbound sword had appeared there. ¡°But that girl sure was no joke. Are all the people in Temple like that?¡± Loyar frowned when she heard one of the gang members talk about it. ¡°Shut up. Don¡¯t even talk about this among yourself. I don¡¯t know what that girl was, but she wasn¡¯t someone ordinary. If you talk about this, Temple or the Empire might do something against us.¡± To be exact, it was because Reinhardt decided to keep quiet about the girl for some reason. Loyar¡¯s words were absolute within the gang, so everyone just nodded. The Rotary Gang¡¯s Number Two, Daibun, came forward. ¡°Big sis, what about Reinhardt¡­?¡± Setting that fight aside, everyone was shocked by the information that Reinhardt had been kidnapped. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out. You guys get ready to go back to work as soon as the rain stops. Though it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯ll let up any time soon.¡± According to her prediction, Reinhardt should still be safe, but there was no time to delay. ¡°Are you going to be okay by yourself?¡± Daibun asked as if she was worried about Loyar going alone. Of course, Loyar just snorted to that. ¡°I kicked out that girl that actually managed to cut my hand like this, so do you think you¡¯d be any more useful?¡± Ellen had taken it as an overwhelming defeat, but Loyar evaluated her as a never-before-seen monster. Of course, the other gang members weren¡¯t a match for Ellen. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Loyar, covered in a robe, began to run into the rain. * * * As a result of their actions, although Ellen and Harriet were unable to find Reinhardt on their own, they played a decisive role in the search for Reinhardt. It was already enough to inform Loyar, who had no idea that Reinhardt got kidnapped. ¡°His Highness is¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Loyar usually didn¡¯t get into contact with the others, but due to the nature of the situation, she had gone straight to the shopping street in the Al Ligar District and met up with Eleris. Ellen and Harriet were still lacking in ability. To be honest, Loyar wouldn¡¯t have minded taking the two of them with her¡ªassuming Eleris wouldn¡¯t be involved. If she went to rescue Reinhardt with the two of them, she would be unable to take Eleris with her. Of course, Eleris could do far more things at that point than Ellen and Harriet. It was hard to find something an Archmage wouldn¡¯t be able to accomplish. Eleris trembled slightly when she heard that Reinhardt had been kidnapped. ¡°How did that happen?¡± ¡°The amount of money the gang is earning now has grown exponentially and the complaints about us have also grown quite a bit, so we are trying to officially establish a base somewhere. During this heavy rain, everything we built up had been washed away. I thought we might as well move to the area we wanted to build our base altogether.¡± Loyar crossed her arms and shook one of her legs. She seemed anxious. ¡°Incidentally, it seemed like His Highness came to see us directly to see if we were okay. He was worried, I guess. He thought he¡¯d find us in the Wenster Market Street, so he wandered around that place¡­ I think he got harassed by some guys over there. They probably ended up kidnapping him. Damn, what¡¯s with this bad timing. Even if I had known in advance, there¡¯s no way for our side to contact Temple¡­¡± ¡°So, who did it¡­?¡± There was confusion and anger visible on Eleris¡¯s face. It was only a guess that he got kidnapped, so she was already imagining the worst. ¡°I think it¡¯s the Thieves¡¯ Guild.¡± ¡°Why the Thieves¡¯ Guild?¡± Loyar didn¡¯t share much about her organization¡¯s internal matters, so Eleris had no idea what was going on within the Rotary Gang or its connections. ¡°I think they want to smash the gang apart. That¡¯s also why I tried to avoid Wenster Market. That¡¯s their turf. Perhaps they were waiting for us there because they didn¡¯t manage to touch us directly¡ªthey were probably trying to figure out what they should do. But then His Highness, who they knew as our gang¡¯s successor, basically ran into their arms. Of course, they had that much information.¡± The connection was quite vague, but Loyar¡¯s reasoning was pretty plausible. Reinhardt entered the Market without knowing that he was actually stumbling into a tiger¡¯s den. If the gang and the Thieves¡¯ Guild still had a friendly relationship, there wouldn¡¯t have been a problem, but Reinhardt was completely unaware of how the situation had progressed. Eleris got up from her seat, seeming as if she didn¡¯t want to hear any more. The flame of rage was flickering in her calm eyes. ¡°Where is the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s headquarters?¡± Intense anger was boiling inside Eleris¡¯ eyes at that point as if she was about to destroy everything in her way. Loyar lightly tapped her shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. ¡°Calm down for a sec.¡± ¡°¡­His Highness is in danger, so we have to move quickly.¡± ¡°I mean, isn¡¯t it kind of weird?¡± ¡°Weird? What is?¡± Loyar felt like the whole situation was very suspicious. ¡°Right now, Wenster Market is teeming with Temple¡¯s forces and Guards. That being said, they realized that His Highness had disappeared there. Then the Thieves¡¯ Guild would, of course, be on the very top of their suspect list.¡± Loyar knew that the Wenster district was the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s turf, but if Temple¡¯s forces and the Guards were also investigating that place, they should have the same information. Although Loyar didn¡¯t know it, the Prince and Princess¡¯ forces were also trying to find Reinhardt. ¡°They aren¡¯t complete fools either. They should know that the Thieves¡¯ Guild is pretty much the prime suspect. So why haven¡¯t they found him yet?¡± ¡°You mean to say that the Thieves¡¯ Guild might not be the culprit?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know. Maybe the search party is only focused on Wenster Market and isn¡¯t looking anywhere else.¡± It was more than obvious that the Thieves¡¯ Guild were the most likely to do something like this, so why hadn¡¯t they found Reinhardt yet? Did that mean they weren¡¯t the culprit? That was what Loyar found suspicious. ¡°That¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll find out if we pay them a visit. Like that, we¡¯ll find out if your guess is right or not.¡± Eleris opened a map of the Imperial Capital on a table. ¡°Point where the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s headquarters are,¡± she said with a sullen look on her face. It seemed like she was about to teleport to the place and destroy everything she found there. Things were going more than smoothly thanks to the information Ellen and Harriet gave to Loyar. ____ ____ Chapter 132 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 132 The Thieves¡¯ Guild was, of course, well hidden. It wasn¡¯t an official group like the Merchant¡¯s Guild¡ªthey were just a group of criminals, so their main sphere of influence was in the back alleys of the Wenster Market, where countless branches of the Thieves¡¯ Guild were hidden under the complex maze of buildings. ¡°There are a lot of guards in Wenster Market, so they should have looked all over the place already. We don¡¯t have to go there.¡± ¡°They try not to have something like a fixed headquarters. No matter how big their group is, the Guards could show up at any time and arrest all of them, so they try not to leave any traces.¡± Loyar pointed at some completely far-off spots that were not in the Wenster District. ¡°These guys change their headquarters periodically. Maybe that¡¯s why all the investigations have turned up no clue as to where the Thieves¡¯ Guild is located.¡± The fact that the Thieves¡¯ Guild didn¡¯t have fixed headquarters meant that they would have places that were easily exposed. In the Wenster Market, although it was their turf, they only had a few scattered bases there, not their headquarters¡ªthey were places they could easily abandon at any time. ¡°Do you know where they are?¡± ¡°Ah. Here, here, here, here¡­¡± Loyar pointed at various spots on the map with her finger. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that too many?¡± The places Loyar pointed at were scattered throughout the whole Imperial Capital, and there were about 20 spots as well. There were so many potential spots that she was afraid they¡¯d run out of time if they went to every single one of them. ¡°Do you know what these locations have in common?¡± Loyar answered as if she knew what Eleris would be thinking. ¡°That¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You know what the reservoir is?¡± ¡°Reservoir? What is that?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ It¡¯s like a rainwater collection facility.¡± Reservoirs were facilities that temporarily collected rainwater to prevent rivers from overflowing when it rained. They discharged the excess water when the water level of the river stabilized. ¡°It¡¯s so huge that there¡¯s no better place to use as a hiding place. It¡¯s not a public facility, but if one paid off one or two officials who are managing that facility, it¡¯s as easy as pie; they¡¯re using these large underground reservoirs as their headquarters.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really get what it is, but¡­ They use that facility as their headquarters, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Loyar knew that they were changing their headquarters like that because she had once had a close connection with them. However, Eleris only tilted her head. ¡°Wait, but hasn¡¯t it been a while since the rain really began to pour down?¡± It was a rainwater collection facility, but because it had been raining for quite some time, the reservoirs should be pretty full already. Wouldn¡¯t that mean that the Thieves¡¯ Guild had lost their headquarters? Loyar shook her head. ¡°No, if one closes the floodgates, rainwater won¡¯t be able to get in.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Right.¡± In fact, even if it rained, if they closed all the floodgates through which the rainwater flowed, those reservoirs wouldn¡¯t be filled. That was how they prevented their headquarters from getting flooded. ¡°But if they closed all the floodgates of all the reservoirs, preventing them from functioning properly, it would be clearly obvious where they were. They only close the floodgates in the places where their headquarters are located at the moment and open them up again when they change places.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s raining right now, right?¡± ¡°¡­So they can¡¯t move their headquarters at the moment.¡± The weak spot of this method was that they couldn¡¯t move their headquarters while it rained. They wouldn¡¯t be able to use an already full reservoir as their new headquarters, after all. ¡°We just have to find a reservoir with its floodgates completely closed; that should be the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s headquarters.¡± At Loyar¡¯s words, Eleris¡¯ expression turned strange. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you supposed to be bad at using your head?¡± ¡°You punk, I¡¯ve been doing things like this for a long time now, so don¡¯t you think I¡¯m getting better at things like this?!¡± Loyar shouted, conveying that if Eleris wanted to compliment her, then she should do it properly. * * * -Shaaaaaaaaaaa¡­ It kept raining. ¡°Ellen, let¡¯s go in now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ellen sat on a bench in front of Royal Class¡¯ dormitory staring forlornly into the distance. As Ellen was sitting on that bench completely immobile, Harriet carefully grabbed her arm. ¡°That person was really strong. You couldn¡¯t help it either. Y-you fought really well.¡± From Harriet¡¯s point of view, Ellen still seemed to be brooding over her overwhelming defeat. She thought that Ellen fought well, however, and that she had shown off just how skilled she was. She thought it wasn¡¯t something she should feel so depressed about. She was also wondering about that summoned sword, but she didn¡¯t dare ask. As if that summoned sword never existed, it had disappeared like a mirage as soon as the fight ended. ¡°You¡¯re going to catch a cold. Let¡¯s go in.¡± Ellen stared at her, hearing Harriet¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s not because of that.¡± Water dripped down on Ellen¡¯s face from her hair. Perhaps because of the water droplets, it seemed to Harriet as if Ellen had been crying. ¡°Let me stay like this for just a moment. It¡¯ll only take a moment¡­ okay?¡± What was difficult was that Ellen didn¡¯t even consider moving. The sun had already set, making way for the moon. Why was she sitting in the rain in the middle of the night? What was she thinking? ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Harriet couldn¡¯t comfort Ellen. She wondered if Reinhardt would be able to comfort her if he ever returned. Harriet didn¡¯t know Ellen well. However, she had a feeling that she¡¯d become even more miserable if Reinhardt were to comfort Ellen. Contrary to her words that she¡¯d only be there for a little bit longer, Ellen only sat there staring into the rain for a very long while. * * * * * * * * * Harriet returned to the dormitory, leaving Ellen behind. Since it was Friday night, she could see everyone was spending their free time as they liked, as it was the last day of the week before the weekend. Even though she went out with an umbrella, it wasn¡¯t enough to stop the heavy rain. Hence, she looked like a wet mouse. ¡°Harriet! Where have you been? Why did you only come back now?¡± ¡°Uh, ah¡­ Nowhere really.¡± ¡°You have to be cold. Hurry up and come inside.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you¡­¡± Harriet only smiled weakly at Adelia¡¯s worried words. It was true that she felt cold, so she wanted to take a quick warm shower. As she was about to enter her own room, she saw someone raising their hand slightly from the opposite side. ¡°Where did you go?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Bertus.¡± Bertus approached Harriet with a polite, gentle smile. ¡°Did you go out to look for Reinhardt?¡± ¡°N-noo! W-why sh-should I?¡± Bertus burst into laughter as if he found it very funny listening to Harriet trying to come up with excuses. He was always gentle and likable ever since he just entered school. Of course, people were afraid of him because of his status outside of Temple. However, at some point, Harriet started to feel a bit reluctant towards Bertus. This uneasiness had its origin in her inability to tell what he was thinking, not only because of his status. What was the difference between someone that smiled all the time and someone who was completely expressionless? That was what Harriet had started thinking those days every time she looked at Bertus. She found him a bit creepy and scary, not only because of his identity. ¡°So, how was it? Did you find something out?¡± She said that she didn¡¯t go out to look for Reinhardt, but Bertus didn¡¯t even bother calling out her excuses. ¡°¡­Not really.¡± Harriet answered in a crawling voice. Bertus was still smiling as he nodded. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Reinhardt is going to be back.¡± Those didn¡¯t sound like mere comforting words. It sounded like he was talking about something that had already been confirmed. It sounded more like a prophecy, so Harriet raised her head. ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As always. Bertus didn¡¯t let any details slip. * * * Loyar and Eleris started to conduct their own desperate search. They had to check on quite the large number of reservoirs and see if the waterways around it were overflowing. However, there was a problem. ¡°Damn it, it rained too much, I can¡¯t tell if the waterways are overflowing because the floodgates are closed or because the reservoirs are full.¡± Eleris nodded, hearing Loyar¡¯s anxious words. As it turned out, it was impossible to distinguish if the reservoirs had exceeded their limit on how much water they could hold or if their floodgates were closed because of the Thieves¡¯ Guild. ¡°I¡¯ll use Life Detection Magic.¡± Fortunately, Eleris had a solution for this problem. High-level Detection magic, such as Life Detection, couldn¡¯t be used by just anyone, but Eleris could be called an all-rounder wizard. ¡°Must be easy, livin¡¯ as a wizard.¡± Eleris laughed at Loyar¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ve been reading books for hundreds of years, if I wasn¡¯t able to do this much, that would be rather weird.¡± Hearing those words, Loyar started staring at Eleris. ¡°¡­Just how old are you, by the way?¡± ¡°You beast, do you really think I¡¯d give you an answer after you asked so rudely?¡± ¡°Are we talking about race now?¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t ask a lady for her age.¡± ¡°What lady? A granny, that¡¯s what you are.¡± ¡°What did you say, you brute?¡± ¡°What? A brute? Not a beast but a brute?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m a granny, then you¡¯re a complete brute. After we find His Highness, you¡¯ll get an earful from me, so be prepared. This happened because of you not sharing information. His Highness came to me not long ago, and I told him everything was fine because you didn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± ¡°¡­Fucking hell, how should I have known that this would happen?¡± ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m almost done casting.¡± Eleris finished casting her spell while bickering with Loyar. The Life Detection Magic was activated. ¡°They aren¡¯t in there.¡± Eleris gave a very simple answer and got ready to head towards the next destination. ¡°By the way, how did you hurt your hand?¡± While they were moving, Eleris started to ask Loyar something. Loyar¡¯s right hand was wrapped in a bandage stained with blood. ¡°¡­I told you that two of Reinhardt¡¯s friends gave me this information, right?¡± ¡°You did.¡± ¡°I tried to kick them out because they insisted on following us. One of them completely folded, she only trembled¡ªshe might have been a non-combatant. But the other girl remained persistent, so I handled her a bit rougher¡­¡± Hearing Loyar¡¯s recount, Eleris seemed to get mad again. ¡°¡­Are you telling me that you got hurt while fighting with a kid?¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t some ordinary brat, alright?!¡± ¡°Did you actually become nothing more than a wild dog because you keep calling yourself Irene¡¯s Wild Dog? Now you¡¯re even getting hurt while fighting little kids.¡± Eleris was asking her if her power actually regressed in a tone that didn¡¯t betray if she was seriously worried or teasing her. ¡°I don¡¯t know, damn it. They¡¯re raising monsters in Temple. I was able to overpower her this time, but in a few years, she¡¯d be able to sack me even if I used my full power. That girl¡­¡± When Eleris heard those words, her expression hardened. She had thought she got hurt after getting careless while messing around with the kid, but Loyar had actually just said that she wouldn¡¯t be able to beat the girl even if she used her full power after the girl got older. Eleris knew that Loyar wasn¡¯t the humble type. She wasn¡¯t one to say such things. ¡°What? It wasn¡¯t because you got careless?¡± ¡°I did go a bit easy on her, but¡­ she had a strange sword.¡± ¡°¡­Your opponent even used a sword? Against you?¡± Eleris seemed astonished, wondering just what had happened. Loyar looked a little shaken as she walked through the rain. ¡°N-no¡­ She hasn¡¯t used it since the start. Sigh. Seriously. I accidentally¡­ No, it wasn¡¯t an accident. At that moment, I felt like that girl shouldn¡¯t be kept alive. So I got serious against her. Then that sword suddenly appeared in the girl¡¯s hand.¡± At first, Eleris was surprised that Loyar had wanted to kill one of her master¡¯s friends, and then she was surprised that a sword suddenly appeared in her opponent¡¯s hand. ¡°It was a soulbound sword. I don¡¯t know who she is, but she sure ain¡¯t ordinary, and that sword¡¯s not normal either. When I stopped it my hand ended up like this. Fuck, I don¡¯t think this¡¯ll heal quickly either.¡± Loyar shook her bandaged right hand. ¡°You¡­ How could you try to kill such a wonderful kid¡­? Are you crazy? You¡¯re crazy, aren¡¯t you?¡± You dared to try to kill a stranger who came to you just because you were slightly worried about His Highness? That was what Eleris¡¯ blazing eyes were trying to convey. She was truly furious. ¡°Th-this isn¡¯t the time for that! We have to find His Highness now!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have a talk later.¡± Eleris continued to step forward, full of anger. The way she was talking to Loyar seemed to convey that she should be prepared for what was waiting for her after they found Reinhardt. ¡®A soulbound sword?¡¯ She had only heard rumors that Temple was a place that nurtured monsters, but when Loyar came back, wounded in a fight against a child, Eleris started to believe those words. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t tell Sarkegaar. He would run off trying to kill her no matter what.¡± ¡°¡­Fuck, wouldn¡¯t it be better to get rid of her? I still think that¡¯s for the best.¡± ¡°Shush! If you ever let these words slip in front of him, you will die, I will die, and Sarkegaar will die as well!¡± Of course, apart from that, her Lord¡¯s friends were unconditionally precious to Eleris. * * * Saturday morning. It was about to dawn. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Eleris and Loyar couldn¡¯t locate their headquarters before they arrived at the thirteenth reservoir, north of the Irene River. Eleris was able to detect several vital reactions underground. Of course, it was impossible to identify specifically how many people were there and who they were because she could only feel their vitality. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take it from here.¡± Loyar, in her role as Irene¡¯s Wild Dog, would retrieve Reinhardt. That was why she couldn¡¯t ask the demonic spy wizard, Eleris, for help. ¡°Will you be alright on your own?¡± ¡°There are some dangerous ones among the guys of the Thieves¡¯ Guild. If things don¡¯t work out as planned, I¡¯ll just transform and kill everyone.¡± They were the Thieves¡¯ Guild, a huge criminal organization. That was why they were wildly different from a gang that was just a small gathering of people. Hence there were quite a few dangerously talented individuals among them. However, if she judged that her Master¡¯s life was in danger, she wouldn¡¯t continue to hide her identity. She first had to secure her Master¡¯s safety after killing all of them, and then think about how to deal with the aftermath. ¡°It sure feels like you¡¯re truly loyal, and yet you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Eleris would continue to watch the situation after casting invisibility magic on herself and help Loyar if things got dangerous. Loyar began to wander about to find the entrance to the reservoir leading to the basement. There had to be an entrance for people to get inside, not just waterways for water to get in, so she was looking for that. Loyar started looking around impatiently. * * * ¡°Teacher. So what you¡¯re saying is¡­¡± ¡°Why did I turn into your teacher? I¡¯m a great deal younger than you.¡± ¡°The-then how should I¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me that you don¡¯t know what my name is after saying it a fuck ton of times? Keep this up and I¡¯ll make you lose everything here. Ya hear?¡± ¡°No, I know what you¡¯re saying, but¡­ If you suddenly tell me to hand over the whole organization like this¡­¡± ¡°Who said I wanted to take the whole place? D¡¯ya guys have connections like me? Did I try to extort money out of you all?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯d rather give you money though¡­¡± ¡°Ah? That wouldn¡¯t be fair, now would it? You¡¯ve been pouring your blood and tears in all of this, so why would I covet that? You bastards don¡¯t really get what I¡¯m saying, huh?¡­ I never said I¡¯d crush this place or destroy you all, I just want to have a good time, ya hear me?¡± ¡°No, but¡­¡± ¡°But what? Wanna go till the end? You wanna try me?¡± ¡°N-no that¡¯s what I meant¡­¡± . . . While this mysterious quarrel went on, suddenly some noise seeped in from one side of the reservoir, which was just supposed to be a huge empty hall. -Bang! -Who are you! -Where¡¯s Reinhardt, you punks? Imma kill you all! -Bang! Boom! Clang! The noise seemed to come from its edges rather than the center which was lit by orange lights. The expressions of the people sitting around the roundtable became rather strange all of a sudden. ¡°¡­What is going on?¡± And among them, a boy was sitting in the most prominent seat, tilting his head. Sometime after the fighting noises came to a halt, the assailant soon appeared in front of them, her face full of anger. ¡°¡­Reinhardt?¡± The grinning Reinhardt, as well as a multitude of other people, were sitting around this round table. ¡°Big sis, aren¡¯t you a bit late?¡± From Loyar¡¯s point of view, Looking at Reinhardt like that made it seem rather doubtful whether he actually got kidnapped. ____ ____ Chapter 133 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 133 To sum things up, the day Reinhardt was taken to the Thieves¡¯ guilds headquarters on the day he was kidnaped. There, he got the opportunity to face all the key members of the guild. Reinhardt hadn¡¯t done anything or even said anything. He just stayed still. ¡®You crazy punk!¡¯ -Punch! Punch! Punch! ¡®Are you crazy? Don¡¯t you know what¡¯ll happen if you kidnap a Temple student?¡¯ ¡®But¡­ M-master!¡± ¡®You complete idiot! What¡¯s with your head? Do you want to blow up this place to catch a single rat?!¡± -Punch! The guy who said that he finally found a way to catch Irene¡¯s Wild Dog and had brought Reinhardt to that place while feeling triumphant was only rewarded by getting beaten half to death. The Thieves¡¯ Guild Master was a surprisingly smart person. The guy that wanted to take advantage of Reinhardt seemed to be the head of a branch, but in the end, he was just a small fry; he was so stupid that he couldn¡¯t even figure out what kind of consequences kidnapping a Temple student would have. However, the Guild Master realized as soon as he saw what was going on. His subordinate was much too short-sighted. He had captured this man called Reinhardt, who was said to be the successor of the Rotary Gang, and had planned on using him as bait to kill off Irene¡¯s Wild Dog, who had been a huge thorn in their side. But that was actually like burning a house down to remove a wasp¡¯s net. The Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s headquarters was thrown into chaos because of what that crazy idiot did. ¡®What should we do¡­?¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s get rid of him.¡¯ ¡®Shit, the place he disappeared at is also our turf. Their attention will definitely be on us.¡¯ ¡®But what else are we supposed to do in this situation¡­¡¯ ¡®Hey, you bastard! Take everyone that was around there at the time and torture them! Only a few people saw it, but one of them will definitely sing!¡¯ If Reinhardt got kidnapped in a more neutral place, things would have been different. However, the place he had disappeared from was the Wenster Market, the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s turf. Just by knowing where he got kidnapped, anyone who was aware of the conflict between the two organizations could easily infer that the Thieves¡¯ Guild was the culprit. Silencing everyone involved was their best option, but it was only natural that the incident would get traced back to the Thieves¡¯ Guild. Although they could put a gag order on the members of the organization, there were already too many people who had witnessed it. The Thieves¡¯ Guild was too large for them to shut everyone up all at once. They were still a criminal organization. If their members were to be interrogated and tortured, this fact would definitely come to light someday. The Guild Master was close to a heart attack because of this incident one of the lower level members caused. In the end, the Guild Master did whatever he could. He freed Reinhardt. He didn¡¯t completely release him, but he freed him from his bindings. He did it to avoid the accusation that they had treated him harshly later on. ¡®Hey, buddy. I¡¯m really sorry. One of our members made a mistake¡­ Okay? Understand? You saw it earlier, right? How I¡­ Erm¡­ scolded him?¡¯ ¡®Oh, well, mistakes happen. I get the situation.¡¯ The Guild Master¡¯s lips spread into a wide smile; Reinhardt was very calm as if he knew things would happen the way they did. ¡®Could you return my belongings to me first?¡¯ ¡®Huh? Ah. Of course! Idiot! Where¡¯s his stuff?¡¯ The Guild Master was acting extremely favorably to Reinhardt. He wanted to get rid of him as fast as he could, but he knew that if he got rid of him immediately, things would only grow bigger, so he was cautious of even touching even a hair on his body. After Reinhardt got back his belongings, including the Fire of Tuesday, he stretched his body and slowly loosened his stiff muscles. ¡®What are you going to do about this? Are you going to dispel it, or¡­?¡¯ Reinhardt handed over his student ID to the Guild Master. ¡®¡­This?¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s tracking magic on this, you know? If you keep this, they¡¯ll find me as soon as they realize I¡¯m gone.¡¯ ¡®Wha-what¡­?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s still the weekend, so they wouldn¡¯t have started searching for me yet. They would realize that I¡¯m gone by Monday; that¡¯s when Temple will start looking for me.¡¯ It was still Friday, so even if Reinhardt didn¡¯t return, they would just wonder where he went over the weekend. The problems would start on Monday. ¡®Huh? E-erm¡­ I see.¡¯ The Guild Master only nodded blankly at Reinhardt¡¯s words. The situation had turned into a bizarre one in which the kidnapped person was actually helping his kidnappers. ¡®E-excuse me¡­ Reinhardt? Why are you telling me that¡­?¡¯ The Guards would rush into the place and rescue him if he just stood still and did nothing, so why was he doing this? The Guild Master couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what the intentions behind that strange boy¡¯s, Reinhardt¡¯s, actions were. ¡®We all just try to make a living. Do you think I really need to burn all the people here just to get by?¡¯ His words seemed well-intentioned, but his smile was absurdly evil, so the Guild Master felt slightly numb. * * * The Guild Master couldn¡¯t release me that easily. If I went to the Guards and told them that I was kidnapped by the Thieves¡¯ Guild, that would be the end for them. And if they were to kill me, the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡ªwhich was a big group¡ªwould still get interrogated, so they were bound to get discovered. In other words, the whole organization was facing annihilation because of the crazy actions of a single member, and they couldn¡¯t even do anything about it. As they couldn¡¯t release me or silence me, I ended up receiving a fairly hospitable treatment in the Thieves¡¯ Guild. I couldn¡¯t go out, but they didn¡¯t threaten or torture me. I didn¡¯t really know how things might turn out, though. Even when the search started, the Guild hadn¡¯t come to an answer. ¡®They started searching the Wenster Market. They¡¯re combing through the whole place.¡¯ They just continued to stay silent. In times like that, there was a certain thing called precise timing. As I spent my days in that not-quiet-captivity, it became Wednesday. ¡®Reinhardt¡­¡¯ ¡®Yes, what?¡¯ ¡®Just¡­ who are you¡­?¡¯ The Guild Master stood before me, his face completely pale. ¡®Why¡­ Are the Prince and Princess looking for you?¡¯ ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ I laughed. ¡®Because they are my friends.¡¯ At that point, the Guild Master seemed to seriously contemplate just committing suicide. * * * * * * * * * Wednesday evening was the perfect timing for what I wanted to do. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ A group of people had entered the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s headquarters. The guild members were so nervous that they couldn¡¯t even open their mouths properly. The Guild Master was the same. Only the group of people that arrived there and witnessed the whole place with everyone frozen in shock were calm. All of them were wearing swords on their waist. Their clothes were plain, but just by looking at them, one could tell that they were either knights or something equivalent. They weren¡¯t wearing uniforms of gauntlets or something, but they definitely were the Knights of Duke Salerian. They immediately found me as soon as they started looking for me. They had quickly found out that the culprit behind everything was the Thieves¡¯ Guild; they even found out where their headquarters were. Their efficiency sure was terrifying. ¡®So, you aren¡¯t going back yet?¡¯ ¡®Yeah.¡¯ ¡®Weren¡¯t you kidnapped?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s true that I got kidnapped, but¡­¡¯ ¡®These people are just the scum of society. Is there really a need to keep them alive?¡¯ They asked me if it would be okay if they killed everyone there. Their attitude showed that they could just kill them regardless of the law since those people lived outside the law, after all. Duke Salerian¡¯s Knights in front of me were much crueler than the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s guys. They were talking about killing someone as if it was just a chore. How did I even manage to survive their pursuit back when I was escaping from the Demon King¡¯s Castle? ¡®Even pests have their own use¡­ Don¡¯t you think so? If you tell these words to His Majesty the Prince¡­ He¡¯ll know what I mean.¡¯ ¡®¡­Hmm. Okay.¡¯ ¡®Can you keep my status as ¡®missing¡¯?¡¯ ¡°¡­It seems like you¡¯re planning something. Understood.¡¯ The knight, who appeared to be the group¡¯s commander, looked at me and then turned away. ¡®We¡¯ll go back.¡¯ Bertus had confirmed that I was there. After a slight delay, the personnel I believed to have been sent by Charlotte also arrived at that place¡ªI said the same things to them as I had to Bertus¡¯s people and sent them back. Although the Guards and Temple¡¯s forces weren¡¯t able to find me, Charlotte and Bertus managed to find me right away. Both of their factions had so much information that the public authorities couldn¡¯t be compared to them anymore. Both of them were intensely terrifying. The Thieves¡¯ Guild thought that they were moving about sneakily, but, in fact, there were many people who knew what they were up to¡ªthey were just dancing on someone else¡¯s palm. If Bertus and Charlotte understood what I was trying to tell them, then the Guards and Temple¡¯s forces would only pretend that they were still looking. They should be able to guess what I was trying to do. All the powers trying to trace me would only keep up the image of looking for me. With that, everything had been laid out as I wanted it to be. * * * Even if I confidently walked out of their front door after Wednesday, those guys wouldn¡¯t be able to stop me, but I didn¡¯t do that. The Thieves¡¯ Guild had already been discovered by Bertus¡¯ and Charlotte¡¯s forces, and I asked them to leave for the moment and keep my status as ¡®missing¡¯ because I had some business with those guys. The Thieves¡¯ Guild had already turned into an organization whose fate could be determined by a single word of mine. They couldn¡¯t even silence me anymore because people had already discovered my whereabouts. Since then, I¡¯d become the sole decider over those peoples¡¯ life and death. I somewhat expected Loyar¡¯s arrival as well. Of course, it was a lot later than I expected. I explained the situation to her when she swung by and told her to step down for the moment, but she insisted on staying with me to see how things were getting organized. ¡°¡­Hah.¡± Loyar was stunned when she heard my explanation. ¡°Weren¡¯t you afraid?¡± How could you even think of something like that in your situation Loyar seemed slightly angry. ¡°I somewhat knew that things would turn out this way even if I stayed still.¡± The Thieves¡¯ Guild didn¡¯t really have anything to do with me at the start. Everything had only happened because I wandered around over there. The moment I got captured, I had thought that I had really been on the losing end of things, but¡ªafter I organized my thoughts¡ªI realized that it was also an opportunity in a way. Additionally, ever since I got the Flame of Tuesday back, I was rather confident that I would be able to run away if things went wrong, so I moved forward rather aggressively. This obviously was quite the risky venture, but it still was a venture worth its risk. Ever since the forces of the Prince and Princess had come visiting that place, it had practically turned into a mourning house. Was this what one called cutting off one¡¯s nose to spite one¡¯s face? The entire organization was facing destruction because they tried dealing with a single unruly subordinated organization. Loyar thought that I got kidnapped and rushed to where I was, but she seemed to have difficulties understanding how I managed to place the whole guild under my feet. Yeah. That was what power could do. I thought that it was quite wise using others¡¯ power as my own. Do you even know who I am? Do you know who I know? I¡¯ll tell your mom everything you did to me! It was basically just an extension of that. It sure was good to have such great friends. ¡°Well¡­ Since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s just wrap this up, now shall we?¡± The Thieves¡¯ Guild executive seemed to find it difficult to accept that everything was about to get handed over to the Rotary Gang, who had been just a lowly subordinated organization before, especially the Guild Master. ¡°I¡¯m just going to pretend that I have nothing to do with the Thieves¡¯ Guild after this is over with. Instead, how about we¡¯ll make big sis the next Guild Master?¡± ¡°Wha¡­ What?!¡± The one most shocked about hearing that wasn¡¯t the Guild Master but Loyar. ¡°Hey! No! I can¡¯t!¡± ¡®Hey, you punk,¡¯ I thought to myself. ¡®Is it so hard to just eat the meal I worked so hard to serve you?¡¯ ____ ____ Chapter 134 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 134 Damn it. After laying everything out so neatly, it all got swept aside by someone I hadn¡¯t expected. Loyar strongly objected to it, saying she¡¯d rather die, so the Thieves¡¯ Guild executives had a rather strange expression on their faces. They seemed conflicted about whether they should feel relieved about it or not. Although she could articulate it properly, Loyar was looking at me as if I was asking to get killed; in the end, I had no other choice but to retract that remark. After some arguing, I eventually left the headquarters, telling the guys from the Thieves¡¯ Guild they only managed to survive because I decided to bury the case. ¡®Well, this is also fate, so let¡¯s get to know each other well in the future.¡¯ ¡®Y-ye¡­ Yes.¡¯ ¡®Ah, people can make mistakes. Why are you all so stiff? Let¡¯s get along well in the future. Good, good. Let¡¯s not fight.¡¯ ¡®Understood¡­ Thank you¡­ Honestly, we don¡¯t know what would have happened¡­ Really.¡¯ At my casual words, the Guild Master looked as if his soul had just left his body. Anyway, it was true that I had prevented the Thieves¡¯ Guild from getting destroyed, even if I had only sat still. I definitely felt the sincerity in the executives¡¯ words. Although she already showed her strict ambition, it seemed like they were also rather grateful to Loyar for refusing to take the seat of the Guild Master. Not everything went as intended, but it still ended well. Even though I had been released from my captivity, I still felt a bit dissatisfied. After we left the headquarters, we went to a place with no people, then I complained to Loyar. ¡°Fucking hell, why can¡¯t you just eat the meal I set before you?¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­ I¡¯m already exhausted from controlling about 200 kids, so how could I manage to take control of a large organization like the Thieves¡¯ Guild all on my own? I can¡¯t even count how many members that thing has.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­ I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay¡­ But this is really going beyond my imagination.¡± ¡°¡­Eleris? You were there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eleris looked a little angry, as if she was wondering why she even bothered worrying about me. Take responsibility for making me worried! That was what her face seemed to convey. It seemed like she had watched everything with invisibility magic cast on her. ¡°It¡¯s already hard enough to keep my body hidden every full moon; being the Guild Master is just too much.¡± Loyar said that things wouldn¡¯t last long if she were to take control, which made sense. ¡°Tch, and here I was happy that a free meal just fell from the sky.¡± No matter how much I thought about it, it was such a waste. Still, I managed to stop the Thieves¡¯ Guild from touching the Rotary Gang, so I couldn¡¯t say I hadn¡¯t gained anything. It was also clear that I could exert some influence on the Thieves¡¯ Guild. ¡°By the way, what excuse are you planning on giving Temple?¡± I wouldn¡¯t say something like the Thieves¡¯ Guild kidnapped me, but what other excuse would I give them for my five-day absence? That I went on a long trip to find myself? Seriously, what should I tell them? ¡°¡­First you¡¯re talking about what you should do with the Thieves¡¯ Guild and the next moment you worry about very typical things for a student¡­ I really don¡¯t know anymore.¡± Eleris seemed to feel confused about how I could worry about things a student would never even think about and then suddenly worry about very typical things. Loyar and Eleris asked me to explain from the beginning what happened, so I tried my best to add more detail. Both Eleris¡¯ and Loyar¡¯s faces stiffened as they listened to me. ¡°Your Highness, you have to keep in mind that you could get into serious trouble.¡± ¡°¡­Would it kill you to not act on your temper?¡± Of course, both of them nagged me. ¡°¡­I know, I was really fortunate that it was the Thieves¡¯ Guild that caught me.¡± If the ones who kidnapped me weren¡¯t from the Thieves¡¯ Guild, things would have been a whole lot more dangerous. In the end, I managed to overcome the situation in my own way, but if I had touched some other gangsters instead, I could have really died. The situation worked out well for me in the end, but if one looked at the whole picture, I had gotten really close to dying there. The consequences of my carelessness weren¡¯t bad, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that I had been acting really carelessly. ¡°Sorry.¡± In the end, I had no other choice but to sincerely apologize to the two of them who went all the way there because they were worried about me. * * * After that, I heard about what had gone on while I was stuck from Loyar and Eleris. Only then did I find out why the Rotary Gang was nowhere to be found in the Wenster Market. It was quite unexpected. I then entered the Guard Post in the Wenster District, identified myself, and gave my statement. I said that I got kidnapped by an unknown group. They seemed to have kidnapped me to get a ransom for me, but they abandoned me somewhere and disappeared when the situation got more serious. I told them I didn¡¯t know who they were because they covered my eyes. I didn¡¯t even know where I was held. I just ran away after I got released. Since I was officially missing, I figured that would resolve things. Charlotte and Bertus had confirmed that I was safe, but the Guards and Temple¡¯s forces probably didn¡¯t know. I spent the rest of Saturday giving them my fabricated statement. In the end, I just repeatedly said that I didn¡¯t know anything; the investigators didn¡¯t know whether they should believe me or not, but they didn¡¯t bother me anymore after that. After checking that I was alright and securing my statement, they brought me to the front gates of Temple. -Shaaaaa¡­ ¡°Great job, kid. From now on, don¡¯t go to dangerous places anymore, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± They held me up all day, so it was already close to the evening when I reached Temple, I would have to go inside and talk to the teachers again, which meant I would have to give out another round of fake statements. I got on the tram and arrived in front of the Royal Class dormitory. Wearing the clothes the guard had given me and an umbrella, I tried to enter the dormitory. -Shaaaa¡­ I wondered when the stupid rain would finally stop. The Thieves¡¯ Guild didn¡¯t turn out to be that dangerous to me. Although making Loyar the new Guild Master eventually failed, things somehow worked out, and I managed to establish a connection to them. That should be rather good. As Bertus said, I somehow created the starting line for something kind of cringe like becoming the ¡°King of the Underworld¡±. Still, my heart felt heavy. ¡°¡­Hey.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± I didn¡¯t know how long I had been doing it, but I was looking directly into the eyes of Ellen Artorius, who was sitting on a bench in the rain. ¡°Rein¡­ hardt?¡± She stood up and staggered towards me. I had heard that she got beaten up by Loyar. I didn¡¯t know why she was sitting in the rain. But I thought I knew what was going on. Ellen was about to distance herself from me, but that girl actually went out to find me when I disappeared. I didn¡¯t know what she was thinking specifically or for what reason she put so much effort into finding me. However, while searching, she met Loyar and got beaten by her when trying to interfere. She even summoned the divine sword Lament but still lost. I had no idea what Ellen was feeling at that moment. She tried to look for me but ended up getting kicked out because she would be in the way; she had even gotten beaten up. She stood there looking at me with unfocused eyes. ¡°¡­Sorry .¡± I tried to find some words to tell her, but that was all I could say in the end. Losing to Loyar must have been devastating, and she must have wondered just who on earth that person who could defeat her so easily was. She must have realized that I had even more secrets than she thought. ¡°My secrets¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Ellen interjected when I was trying to say something. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The corners of her pale blue lips trembled slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ curious about that anymore.¡± What kind of emotion were those lips trying to convey? It was probably a smile. She seemed happy. She trembled and then suddenly hugged me tightly. -Shaaaaaaa¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± Her voice and body trembled. She felt so cold to the touch. She buried her face in the nape of my neck. Close to her eyes, I felt something hot flowing down. They seemed to be tears. That sensation forced me to freeze up. Ellen was crying¡­ Because of me. ¡°I-it¡¯s okay¡­ it¡¯s enough. It¡¯s enough that you¡¯re¡­ fine.¡± It seemed that she had forgiven me, but my guilt only grew. * * * * * * * * * Like that, the commotion came to pass. The news that I was found had already been reported to the teachers, and I gave my statement separately to the teachers who were looking for me even though it was the weekend. Mr. Epinhauser seemed to be absent. The statement I gave the teachers wasn¡¯t much different from what I gave the Guards. Alas, it also took the same amount of time. The news spread that I had returned, so countless people were waiting for me there when I came back to the dormitory. ¡°Junior! Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I didn¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°I-I was ¡­ I was so worried¡­ Huk¡­ Sobsob!¡± Adriana hugged me and cried loudly. She wasn¡¯t able to go looking for me personally, but she seemed to have spent some sleepless nights because of me. Not only Olivia but all the other members of Grace also flocked to me and asked how I was feeling. ¡°I¡¯m so relieved, Reinhardt¡­¡± Olivia was also tearing up. Grace¡¯s club members wanted to go look for me on their own, but it seemed like the teachers had stopped them. ¡°¡­You¡¯re the worst person I¡¯ve ever known.¡± ¡°Is that a compliment?¡± ¡°Yeah, in a way, it is.¡± Charlotte, who knew my circumstances, just shook her head as if she was tired of it all. ¡°Let¡¯s talk more about this later.¡± Bertus was smiling at me as well. Neither of them seemed to have been worried, as they knew what I had been up to. Those two had played a big role in my survival. Then, Ludwig and Delphin, as well as some classmates of theirs I wasn¡¯t familiar with, came up to me to greet me. I thought my school life was completely ruined, but it seemed like I was actually doing better than most. People around me kept telling me that they were worried about me and that it was good that I was safe until deep into the night. Actually, I was never in any real danger to begin with. I wondered if they would kill me if I told them that I kept putting off my release by threatening my kidnappers. I was very grateful for their sentiments, but my guilty conscience grew bigger and bigger. Everyone left one by one as the night grew longer, and¡ªafter I was finally released¡ªI let out a sigh of relief. I had met up with Ellen first, and she had cried for some time, but it seemed that she had gone to her room. I was able to greet everyone, but there was just one person I didn¡¯t see anywhere. -Knock, knock I knocked on her door. -Knock, knock Was she sleeping? I didn¡¯t think she would be asleep yet, though. After I waited for a little while, the door opened slowly. She didn¡¯t show me her face; I could only hear her voice. -Can¡­ Can we¡­ talk tomorrow? Listening to her voice, I understood why she didn¡¯t come to see me. ¡°¡­Sure, let¡¯s do that.¡± ¨C Okay¡­ She probably cried a lot, so her voice was hoarse. The condition of her face wouldn¡¯t be any better. Still, she went to such lengths to find me, so I wanted to at least talk to her a bit. Well, it couldn¡¯t be helped; I would have to wait. ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way then¡­¡± -W-wait. But¡ªin the end¡ªshe opened her door, grabbed my arm, and pulled me in. -Katshak She closed the door behind me. She had her head bowed down, not wanting to show her face to me. ¡°I heard that you went looking for me.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She suddenly hugged me without saying a single word. ¡°Sob, sob! Hick! sob! I-I¡­ I was so worried¡­ Hick!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hick! Waah! Sob!¡± Harriet cried until she couldn¡¯t breathe anymore. I reciprocated her hug and patted her back. ¡®Fucking hell,¡¯ I thought to myself. ¡®I should have come back earlier.¡¯ Harriet cried for almost an hour, perhaps because she was just that worried. I was about to go back to my room after comforting her, but then, with her head still bowed, Harriet asked me a question. ¡°Were you not scared¡­?¡± ¡°¡­I was scared.¡± Before Wednesday, although I had been acting curt and casual, it was actually pretty terrifying. I could have died at any time depending on the Guild Master¡¯s whims. I might have landed myself in a situation in which I would have had to use the Flame of Tuesday, my supernatural power, and all my achievement points. And I still could have died even if I had used all of that. Of course, I would have had to kill those people. Although my thoughts were slightly different from normal kids¡¯, I was actually kind of scared. ¡°Then it¡¯s even weirder.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°You should be crying¡­ You must have been really scared¡­¡± I was the one who should cry after going through something like that. I should cry in relief and have others comfort me. However, there I was comforting others who were crying out of relief after finding out that I had come back safely, just like how I did for Harriet. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Weird.¡± Harriet seemed to feel that I was acting strange. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m an adult.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Harriet didn¡¯t respond to my condescending attitude. ¡°Yeah¡­ That¡¯s right¡­¡± I had no choice but to feel slightly embarrassed, as that answer wasn¡¯t what I had been expecting at all. ____ ____ Chapter 135 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 135 The day after I came back, on Sunday, I didn¡¯t see Ellen in the dining hall during breakfast. I somewhat knew what was going on. After talking to Harriet for a bit, I got a feeling for what it could have been about. ¡®I was just following her around¡­ She suffered a lot. It¡¯s just, see¡­ I don¡¯t know if I should say this¡­ She got into a fight¡­ with your boss¡­¡¯ I had heard something along those lines. ¡®After we returned to Temple, she just kept on sitting on that bench in the middle of the rain, waiting for you¡­ She wouldn¡¯t even listen to me¡­¡¯ Maybe she did that because she wanted to be the first to see me when I came back; or maybe she was just out of her mind, I wasn¡¯t really sure. Anyway. She probably caught a cold. -Knock, knock I went to Ellen¡¯s room and knocked on her door. After waiting for some time, Ellen opened the door, looking quite messy. ¡°¡­What?¡± She didn¡¯t even seem to have the energy to talk properly. ¡°If you¡¯re sick, you should go visit the priest on duty, what are you doing here?¡± I didn¡¯t know if it was just a slight cold, but was it right to just keep it in while one was so sick? ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Ellen was trying to close the door as if she was saying that I should leave if that was all. ¡°¡­I knew you were going to say that, so I made you porridge.¡± Sigh. I felt quite sorry for a lot of things, so I planned on doing whatever I could for her. * * * ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t wind up dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She was lying down and eating the porridge I brought her. I never thought I¡¯d live to the day I would witness something like that¡ªthe day that someone caught a summer cold that not even dogs would catch. ¡°Why were you sitting around in the rain?¡± Just because she was sitting in the rain like that didn¡¯t mean I would come back faster. Ellen had sat in the rain for almost a whole day. ¡°I¡­ I thought this was all my fault.¡± That was what she muttered, avoiding my gaze. Why did she feel like it was her fault that I got kidnapped? There was no reason for her to think that way. ¡°I told you those things, so I felt like this was my fault.¡± Ellen knew best that this was utter nonsense, but that was how she felt. After making a few mental leaps, it seemed like this happened because of what she said. ¡°I wanted to do something, but in the end, there was nothing I could do.¡± ¡°So¡­ Because I felt so pathetic. Because I couldn¡¯t bear it¡­¡± Ellen closed her eyes. ¡°If I didn¡¯t do that¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have been able to go on.¡± She hated herself for not being able to do anything, so she had been torturing herself. ¡°I don¡¯t hate that you have secrets.¡± Ellen looked at me. Her eyes were red. ¡°I hate to helplessly lose someone precious to me. That¡¯s what I hate¡­ Being unable to do a single thing¡­ I absolutely hate that.¡± When she had found out that her brother had left to participate in the Demon World War, Ellen couldn¡¯t do anything about it. When I had gone missing and she had come looking for me, she had no other choice but to leave it in someone else¡¯s hand. At that time, Ellen seemed to have reflected on what she really hated. Even without Loyar coming for me, I hadn¡¯t been in any real danger. Although I hadn¡¯t planned on getting kidnapped, at one point it had become a staged act. In the end, it had been pretty meaningless for Ellen and Harriet to come looking for me to save me. It had no effect on me, and I had been completely safe. But I couldn¡¯t tell her that. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t be.¡± Ellen looked at me silently after I apologized. ¡°I¡¯m more sorry.¡± We stared at each other in silence for a while. * * * The kidnapping case had largely been settled and a tumultuous period came to an end after talking with Mr. Epinhauser privately on Sunday . Mr. Epinhauser seemed rather sullen, seeming as if he didn¡¯t believe me, but he didn¡¯t ask anything more. Like Bertus, he was someone I couldn¡¯t read at all. After my kidnapping, Class A underwent several changes. ¡°Ellen!¡± ¡° Yes.¡± * * * ¡°The rain has stopped. Should we eat out?¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Harriet and Ellen became much closer. To be exact, it seemed like Harriet had become able to approach Ellen much more comfortably since they had gone out together to look for me. Harriet, Adelia, and Ellen. Those three ended up doing everything together. Naturally, the only girl that still went around on her own was Liana de Grantz. Harriet felt that her being an outcast was a somewhat strange situation. ¡°Would¡­ Would you like to come with us as well, Grantz?¡± That was why Harriet tried inviting her as well. ¡°Sure.¡± After my kidnapping, the girls of Class A began to unite. Harriet turned into the center point all the girls flocked to. She evolved from a headstrong and stuck-up noble girl to the center of the girls. In the original novel, she would have stayed the same until the end. This made me wonder if all of them were changing. There were more changes¡ªanother example. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± After that incident, Ellen would slowly avoid my gaze when she looked at me. I did the same. However, it definitely felt different from before. Before, she was just trying to pretend that she didn¡¯t know me; her behavior afterward was different. It felt like she couldn¡¯t look at me properly. It seemed like she did this either because she was embarrassed that she called me someone precious to her or because she showed her weakness in front of me by crying. There were a lot of things for which I felt guilty towards her, and I felt really sorry, so I couldn¡¯t really approach her either. I felt rather awkward because they started to care so much for each other. I didn¡¯t know what the hell was going on, but it felt really weird! As for the third change¡­ ¡°¡­Good work.¡± ¡°¡­Thanks.¡± Cliffman and I were on speaking terms. ¡°With her?¡± ¡°¡­It kinda feels like we made up but didn¡¯t¡­¡± Our conversations didn¡¯t last long, just long enough to call them short conversations. Didn¡¯t it actually feel like we were flirting or something? We both cared about each other but were too shy to approach each other, something like that? Anyway, it seemed like Ellen didn¡¯t come to the gym because of a different reason than before. She could, of course, swing by, but it seemed like she didn¡¯t have the time because she was hanging out with Harriet a lot. It wasn¡¯t like she was the one who asked to hang out first, but she did follow around Harriet, seeming as if she got dragged around. Hence, the only regular visitors to the gym were Cliffman and me. ¡°¡­Would you like to spar?¡± I wasn¡¯t that good at wielding a sword, so when I asked him that question, Cliffman looked at me. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± We two quiet men started practicing swordsmanship with each other. * * * I felt like I had gotten left behind, but the reversal of Class A¡¯s atmosphere was straight-up ridiculous. Ellen and I made up, but things turned kind of awkward, Harriet became Class A¡¯s unrefuted center of attention, and I became friends with Cliffman after I only had female friends before. A week after I got kidnapped, Thursday. ¡°The Thieves¡¯ Guild is just the beginning?¡± ¡°Yes, but I haven¡¯t really worked out a detailed plan yet. I got kidnapped so suddenly, after all.¡± I talked to Bertus last. His goal was to absorb the Empire¡¯s underworld and keep a firm grasp on it. However, he couldn¡¯t possibly control everything on his own, so he tried to make me his proxy. That was why I decided to take advantage of my kidnapping situation. ¡°I knew you were bold, but this is just amazing.¡± Bertus grinned, asking me where I took that confidence from. ¡°Take care of it, although I can¡¯t really help you. I can give you some advice, though.¡± Bertus couldn¡¯t have anything to do with the underworld. I had to keep in mind that if I got caught doing this dirty work, I would be the only one to suffer. Of course, I hadn¡¯t even absorbed the Thieves¡¯ Guild yet, so there wasn¡¯t much I could do at that stage. * * * * * * * * * Ellen didn¡¯t go to the training room, but that didn¡¯t mean she gave up on her training. She just didn¡¯t do it in the training room. ¡°¡­Why are you here again?¡± Ellen had just arrived at the Rotary Gang¡¯s new base located in the southern part of the Imperial Capital. Loyar seemed surprised to see Ellen appearing there so suddenly again. ¡°Teach me how to fight.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± What kind of nonsense is this? That was what Loyar seemed to think, but Ellen shamelessly continued to approach her. ¡°Teach me how to fight..¡± ¡°Why would I do that¡­¡° ¡°You¡¯re good at fighting.¡± What kind of situation is this? Loyar¡¯s brain was about to freeze. ¡®¡­You crushed her? You even tried to kill her?¡¯ ¡®Tha-that¡¯s¡­¡¯ When she remembered the expression on her master¡¯s face when he heard that she had beaten Ellen up, contemplated whether it would be better to kill her, and even tried to kill her, Loyar¡¯s head felt numb. ¡®Don¡¯t do things you aren¡¯t ordered to do.¡¯ Her master didn¡¯t even swear like usual; he just said those things. However, because of the anger these words carried, Loyar honestly felt like screaming because it was so scary that her head stopped working. Was it because he was of the Archdemon bloodline? Loyar realized at that point that she would have wound up dead if anything had happened to Ellen. As a result, she didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with that girl ever again, and yet that girl had approached her. She was asking her to teach her how to fight out of nowhere. ¡°Hey, kid. There should be a whole lotta people much better and smarter than me in Temple, so why do you want to learn from me¡­?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re different from the teachers, auntie.¡± Ellen clearly realized just how different real combat was from sparring and training in her brief clash with Loyar. She thought that the only person who could teach her was Loyar. I want to learn how to fight better. I want to get even a little stronger. Hence, Ellen came to Loyar. Of course, Loyar focused on something else entirely. ¡°¡­Auntie?¡± Loyar¡¯s eyes flashed at the word ¡®Aunty¡¯. Ellen just tilted her head. ¡°Yes, aunty.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Loyar was really angry. ¡°¡­Shouldn¡¯t you call me big sis?¡± ¡°If you teach me how to fight, I will.¡± Ellen drove it in as she prepared for round two. ¡°Auntie.¡± -Pop! A vein grew prominent on Loyar¡¯s forehead. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do this then, kid.¡± ¨CSwish! Loyar rushed at Ellen like lightning. -Boom! And Ellen took on Loyar¡¯s hit just like that. * * * With Ellen absent, I mainly practiced with Cliffman. His talent was ¡®Combat¡¯, a talent for everything having to do with fighting. It was a comprehensive talent just as great as Harriet¡¯s ¡®Magic¡¯. It went without saying that weapon handling was included in this. Even Ellen, who was like a walking talent vending machine, didn¡¯t have that talent. Cliffman was also a monster similar to Ellen in the field of combat, so it was only natural that he was far superior to me. Their styles were a bit different, though. While Ellen had quickly subdued me with her sophisticated techniques, that guy fought almost like a beast. -Kang! Kakang! Although Ellen wasn¡¯t lacking in strength, she strived to reach the extremes of technique itself. She calculated every sword strike so that she couldn¡¯t help but win. It went without saying that she was excellent at improvising. However, Cliffman¡¯s style was to push his opponent using his strength, reflexes, and animalistic intuition rather than technique. It felt like his fighting instinct was forcing him to choose the most optimal path. Ellen had to calculate the correct path first, but that guy just swung his sword in a way he felt would be best. -Kang! ¡°Wahk¡­ Woah¡­¡± I staggered to get up. When Ellen completed a match and subdued me, she would stop before making her last move and say, ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± If what Ellen did was subdue me, then what that guy did was overwhelm me. His style was incomparable to Ellen¡¯s. ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± After we were done fighting, that wild, boar-like man would grab my hand, help me up, and ask if I was seriously hurt. What was with that? Is that what one called gap-moe? ¡°I can¡¯t control my power well¡­ Sorry.¡± ¡°No, no. I¡¯m just hella weak is all.¡± ¡°¡­But you¡¯ve improved a lot compared to the start of the semester. A lot.¡± Ah. Why were we being so sappy when it was just us two men there? Complimenting and praising each other like that¡­ Anyway, his technical skills were lacking, so he wasn¡¯t good at controlling his strength; it was a lot harder than when I sparred with Ellen. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s stop for today. It¡¯s late.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± It was already rather late, so I nodded to Cliffman¡¯s words. I should just eat something and then go to sleep. When it got closer to curfew, I went towards my room but then saw someone wandering about. The hallway was dark, and everyone should have been in their rooms, but I saw someone coming into the hallway from afar. It was Ellen. ¡°¡­¡± It looked like she had gone out somewhere because her whole body was covered in dust. She wasn¡¯t just dusty either. Her face was somewhat red, her head was a complete mess, and she seemed seriously injured, as she was limping. When she made eye contact with me, she lowered her gaze and tried to run past me. Oh, come on, what¡¯s her problem? A kid who usually wouldn¡¯t act that way suddenly acted strangely. It made me feel somewhat crazy. That girl who¡¯d say that she was going to do it her way no matter what other people said or thought, who didn¡¯t care much about other people, suddenly acted like that towards me. I knew that she felt guilty and sorry towards me, but no matter how I thought about it, she had no reason to think that way. I thought she was doing it because she thought she had been too harsh on me. No, it really was true that I had a lot of secrets; I felt really sorry that I couldn¡¯t tell her any of them, so why did she have to feel sorry? And thus a vicious circle of guilt was created, to the point where I was about to go completely crazy. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°How¡­ did you get hurt like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing really.¡± Did she get into a fight? I usually would let it slide because things were still awkward between us, but seeing her like that, I just couldn¡¯t let it pass. Even if she got beaten, she wasn¡¯t the type to get beaten up so badly, though, right? ¡°Well, it is what it is. Let¡¯s just go and get you some treatment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡± ¡°Fine? What¡¯s fine? Follow me.¡± I grabbed Ellen¡¯s arm. ¡°I-it hurts¡­ B-be more careful¡­¡± When I grabbed her arm and tried to drag her with me, Ellen staggered and almost fell. I felt like I saw Ellen¡¯s weak side quite a bit over those past few days. I never knew I¡¯d see Ellen in such a pathetic state like that. Looking at her like that made my heart tremble, but more than that¡­ I was worried about her. If people changed too drastically suddenly, that meant they were about to die! ¡°Ah¡­ Yeah. Okay.¡± Ellen followed behind me while limping. -Sting! ¡°Urk!¡± And, after I got beaten up by Cliffman all day, I wasn¡¯t in peak condition, either. ¡°¡­While we¡¯re there, I should probably also get myself treated¡­¡± We went to see a priest while supporting each other. ____ ____ Chapter 136 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 136 ¡°¡­Did you two fight?¡± ¡°No.¡± Both of us were in a complete state of exhaustion, so the priest on duty¡¯s doubts were reasonable, but both of us just shook our heads. After having a recovery spell cast on me, I felt my condition improving quickly. However, when I glanced over to Ellen while my wounds were recovering, I noticed her condition was much worse than mine. Her arms and legs were covered in long sleeves of bruises, and one could only assume that there were more on her torso and lower body. ¡°She looks like she was in a fight; what did you do when you went outside?¡± The priest looked over her body and asked her what she did to end up like that, but Ellen shook her head. ¡°The same as usual.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t say anything more, and then me and her, who had been cleaned up using recovery magic, left the infirmary and headed back to the dormitory. ¡°¡­I thought you went out to play. What did you do?¡± I thought the four girls went out to play together, but Ellen seemed to have gone to a completely different place. ¡°I went to the auntie with gray hair.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± A gray-haired auntie? What was she talking about? ¡°I asked her to teach me how to fight.¡± ¡°¡­You. Are you talking about big sis?¡± She and Harriet already knew about the Rotary Gang, so I had nothing to hide regarding them. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Wait, she went back to Loyar? Even after she had beaten her up like that? I thought I knew what she was thinking. It was the first time she had ever lost so badly, so she was rather shocked. Had it been so shocking for her to hear that she should fuck off because she would get in the way? Enough to ask the person who had tried to kill her to teach her how to fight? ¡°Hey¡­ I know why you¡¯re doing this¡­ You better stop.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I had given Loyar a firm warning to be careful, but she was the type of person that would lose reason if she got angry. I had seen her fight before. ¡°If she hits you in the wrong place, you might end up¡­ you¡¯ll be dead before you know it. You have to choose your opponents more carefully.¡± I had no idea why Loyar agreed to fight with her, but Ellen¡¯s physical condition was obviously completely messed up. If Loyar ever made a mistake in controlling her strength, Ellen might die. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be like that ever again.¡± She didn¡¯t want to experience that feeling of being too weak to do anything¡ªthat helplessness was the reason Ellen had ended up sitting in the rain in such a daze. She didn¡¯t want to feel that way again. Ellen held her hands still as we reached the lobby. She didn¡¯t look at me and kept her head low. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ Yeah .¡± She spoke as if she wanted to request something of me. ¡°Who are you? Who is that person? Why did she try to kill me? Why did she end up not killing me? Why did you lie again after you got released after you got kidnapped?¡­ I won¡¯t ask you to answer these things.¡± Harriet and Ellen knew that my statement after being released was a complete lie. They just simply released me after they went through the trouble of kidnapping me, but I had no idea who they were¡ªthat was the false statement I had made when I got back. However, both Ellen and Harriet knew that I got released after they went to find Loyar. She said that she wouldn¡¯t ask about Loyar¡¯s or my affairs, so I shouldn¡¯t be curious about her¡¯s. ¡°So I¡­ I will continue to do this.¡± Ellen wouldn¡¯t be curious about anything having to do with me anymore. That was her answer to me asking her to not train with Loyar anymore. This wasn¡¯t even something I had the power to decide over. Loyar was supposed to be my boss, after all. However, I was actually Loyar¡¯s superior, so I did have the right to decide over this. Usually, one would think that Ellen was asking the wrong person, but she had actually asked the right person. She wanted to get stronger. In my opinion, she was already strong enough, but she was actually quite enraged that she had met someone who was so much stronger than her. It was a strange feeling. Ellen was originally supposed to be a character that completely lacked any desire to win. She was simply good at anything she did, so she was someone who would always win, no matter if she aimed for it or didn¡¯t. She was just that talented. However, Ellen had gotten involved with me and that incident, and eventually, she wanted to save me on her own but got completely overwhelmed by someone a lot stronger than her, so she could just sit by and watch. She despaired. So a new feeling¡ªa desire to get stronger¡ªbloomed in Ellen. ¡°¡­Do what you want.¡± I would have to warn Loyar that she should be gentle. ¡°By the way¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you care about me anymore after you¡¯ve made some new friends? I¡¯m going nuts here.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Ellen was a bit dazed after hearing what I said. Then she murmured softly, her eyes slightly lowered. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°¡­N-no. I didn¡¯t say that for you to tell me this.¡± I didn¡¯t want her to say sorry; I just wanted her to react like usual. She was so conscious of me! I thought it would take a lot more time for her mentality to normalize again. * * * * * * * * * Even if Ellen¡¯s condition was incredibly serious, she returned to full health immediately after getting recovery magic cast on her by the priest on duty. Of course, she ate a lot more to prevent getting malnourished, as I had in the early stages of my training when I had very low physical strength. After classes ended on Friday, I went to tell Loyar that she should go along with what Ellen wanted and be careful. Loyar expressed her displeasure about it. Nominally, she was my boss, so I was merely asking for a favor, but in the end, it was nothing short of an order. ¡°So, big sis, please take care of her.¡± ¡°Ah¡­This is difficult.¡± Loyar signaled something like, ¡°I hate this! Why do I have to do this?!¡± with her eyes. Even though I didn¡¯t do much, my eyes were telling her, ¡°You better fucking do this, you bastard!¡±. On the outside, I appeared to be very polite, but I was essentially ordering her to do it. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not my fault if you end up breaking something because I couldn¡¯t control my strength properly.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s fine.¡± Ellen just bravely stepped forward and said that. Loyar seemed to have thought that Ellen wouldn¡¯t want to go through it anymore if she was a little harsh after she annoyed her so much; however, knowing her, she would probably be right back the next day and continue with the training until she is satisfied. Ellen had quite the strong mentality as well. Even if she ended up not doing it, Loyar really wanted to kill Ellen before, and Ellen knew that. But she still casually went up to her and asked Loyar to teach her how to fight. The gang members seemed interested in watching them fight, but Loyar didn¡¯t want them to see, so she dragged Ellen to a deserted place. The others seemed very disappointed by that. I also went to look around the new gang base. The house was large enough to accommodate the entire gang, which had about 200 members. The construction work was directed by Daibun, the gang¡¯s Number Two. ¡°¡­Will you be fine without any experts?¡± I didn¡¯t think they hired any professionals. They were probably building it on their own, right? ¡°We¡¯ve been to many places and experienced a lot of things, so don¡¯t you think that some of us built something like a house at least once?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Since the backgrounds of most beggars were rather turbulent, some among them seemed to have worked in construction and architecture before. Daibun didn¡¯t seem like he was one of them, but he seemed to have experience supervising guys that had experience in those fields. As there were many people, there were many different skill sets. It was truly fascinating. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°I just said a few words.¡± ¡°A few days ago, the Thieves¡¯ Guild gave us their full support to build an even bigger building.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± They seemed to have provided them a lot of funding to build a new gang base to save some face after receiving so much help from me while they were actually planning on getting rid of the Rotary Gang. Even among criminal organizations, they still cared about things like face. For what I did for them, all their members should bow three times in my direction each day. Still, if it actually came to a full-blown fight, someone might have died, but I was fortunate that I didn¡¯t have to see any blood after getting kidnapped. I looked around the gang base¡¯s construction site a bit longer before heading to where Ellen and Loyar were training. They had changed locations to a place in the southernmost part of the Imperial Capital, so there weren¡¯t many people there. If one walked a bit further, one would reach a forest. Ellen rolled on the floor as if she got beaten quite badly by Loyar again, and then she rose to her feet. ¡°Can¡¯t you just use that sword?¡± she asked Ellen calmly. ¡°I won¡¯t use it¡­ I can¡¯t summon it anymore.¡± Ellen threw one of the two training swords stuck in a tree close to her towards Loyar, and Loyar caught it. I was wondering why she took some training swords with her, but it seemed to be for this purpose. ¡°Hmm¡­ Haven¡¯t held a sword in a long time.¡± After saying that, Loyar seemed to hold great skill in swordsmanship. Of course, she still pushed forward with just her strength and reaction speed, but in the end, Ellen was still no match for Loyar. Ellen tried to counter when their swords touched, tried to lead it, changed her center of gravity, and even staggered into different directions. However, the moment she blocked Loyar¡¯s sword, her training sword received so much damage by the swing that it shattered. Loyar¡¯s swings were incredibly fast as well. Ellen had no other choice but to evade, as her counters and blocks were totally impossible to achieve, then she messed up. Their physiques were completely different. Faced with such overwhelming differences in weight class, technique became absolutely meaningless. Ellen seemed shocked by that. However, rather than despairing, she seemed to have realized what she needed to focus on more. I didn¡¯t tell Loyar or Eleris about Ellen¡¯s true identity. I had just said that she was an extraordinary individual. How would Loyar react if she knew that Ellen was the younger sister of Artorius, the warrior that killed the Demon King? She¡¯d say that we have to kill her, wouldn¡¯t she? Anyway, I, the Demon Prince, was watching the Demon Realm¡¯s spy, a Lycanthrope, training the hero¡¯s younger sister. * * * After training all evening, Ellen and I ate together with all the gang members. It wasn¡¯t really a proper meal, just some rice balls. A sign to show that the gang¡¯s finances had improved was that they weren¡¯t just plain rice balls but actually had something similar to meat in them. ¡°Hey, little lady, you got hurt quite a bit. Are you okay?¡± ¡°You have quite the dirty temper, big sis.¡± ¡°How could you beat her up like this?¡± ¡°Shut up, you punks! Should I have stood still, then?¡± All the gang members had something to say as they watched Ellen munching away on the rice balls. When she arrived, she seemed like such a sweet and pretty child, but now she was eating the rice balls, appearing even more like a beggar than the gang members, so they couldn¡¯t help but pity her. Her hands were trembling while eating the rice balls. Ellen couldn¡¯t really put a handicap on herself. Loyar wasn¡¯t someone she could take on halfheartedly; if she wanted to get trained, she had to put up with this. ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine.¡± Ellen, who blankly munched on her rice balls, staggered to get up. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± -Woah! Waah! Everyone was clamoring as they saw her staggering like that. ¡°Haah¡­ Hey. You make me look like the bad guy here.¡± Loyar clicked her tongue as if Ellen annoyed her terribly. ¡°I¡¯ll come back later¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± I supported the staggering Ellen, accompanied by the gang members¡¯ obvious heckling. -Reinhardt, you. You¡¯re also a man, huh? -But he¡¯s probably weaker than that girl, right? -Now that you mention it¡­ -If they were to get hitched, she¡¯d have him under her thumb. -She does seem to be an unusually strong-willed girl¡­ Seeing her get up even after getting beat up so much by big sis. ¡°Fucking hell¡­¡± It seemed like some weird misunderstanding was formed in the minds of the gang members. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ellen didn¡¯t even have the strength to walk on her own. It was a very strange feeling, seeing Loyar overwhelm Ellen, whom I had never been able to defeat before. Of course, Loyar hinted that she wouldn¡¯t be a match for her after a few years. Although I knew that Eleris was very formidable, only then did I realize that Loyar was also incredibly strong. Ellen passed out halfway through the walk back, so I had to carry her to Temple. It seemed like I ended up doing some additional strength training that day. ____ ____ Chapter 137 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 137 Ellen had suddenly decided to start training with Loyar, so I mostly only sparred with Cliffman. Although some quite strange events had occurred, I quickly returned to my daily life at Temple. Like that, it became July. -What are you going to do during the vacation? -Shouldn¡¯t you worry about finals first? Kono Lint was excited, as our vacations were fast approaching; Erich advised him to first think about the final exams. What had I done for the finals to be already so close? However, after our final exam, we would be given about a month of vacation. During his first vacation, Ludwig would go to Delphin¡¯s hometown, Talprad, to train his ranged weapon mastery. They would encounter events like fighting bandits. Class B¡¯s Ludwig, Delphin, and Lanian had already become close friends, as intended by the original story, so their vacation event should proceed without any problems unless Charlotte suddenly decided to do something with all the Class B kids. And even if the ranger training didn¡¯t take place, it wouldn¡¯t be such a big deal. Of course, as Ludwig got trained as a ranger in the original story, he got used to things like mountainous terrain and developed his tracking and hunting skills. I mean, there weren¡¯t many incidents connected to military matters at that point, the slice of life part, so it would only become serious if there was another big deviation from the original development. I didn¡¯t really study for the final exam. Some challenges related to the final exam appeared, but they were really similar to the ones before. I had failed the first time, so I didn¡¯t think I would succeed that time either. Instead of studying hard for nothing like last time, I planned on relaxing. After all, I hadn¡¯t really studied to get good grades but to get achievement points. I wondered what I should do for my vacation. I had no intentions of simply playing around. I could just train as I usually did, but I could still go out of Temple for longer periods of time, so I could take some more advanced actions, things I wouldn¡¯t normally be able to do. I was thinking about spending my vacations completely differently from what Kono Lint, who only wanted to play around, was planning. It was Wednesday, and I had just returned to the dormitory after all of my classes were over. ¡°Hey, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I turned around when I heard someone calling out to me; there were the four girls from Class A. The one who called out to me was Liana de Grantz. What did they want? Liana indicated towards the window with her chin. ¡°We¡¯re going out to get some dessert. Wanna join us?¡± ¡°W-why are you inviting him!?¡± The face of Harriet, who was with her, immediately turned red, perhaps because she didn¡¯t expect it. Of course, Liana, who was very my-pace, just shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Just because.¡± She really didn¡¯t seem to have a reason. The instant she said that, Kono Lint and Erich, who were chatting about their vacation plans, turned towards me. Ah, I want to kill that fucking normie. That was what their expressions conveyed. Ellen, who apparently wanted to hang out with me again after a long time, was also part of the group of girls. Adelia¡¯s expression showed uneasiness. She was still afraid of me. Harriet¡¯s expression showed her obvious bewilderment at Liana suddenly pulling me into their plans. Although Ellen and Harriet¡¯s attitudes towards me had changed a bit ever since the kidnapping incident, Harriet still had her unique aspects. What should I do? Hmm. I felt the gazes of Erich and Kono Lint on me, emitting intense killing intent. ¡°If you¡¯re the ones buying.¡± ¡°I was planning on treating the others anyway.¡± Hearing Liana¡¯s reply that she would pay for everyone as if it was natural, the faces of those two watching me distorted even more. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you.¡± I didn¡¯t really think much of it, so I just stood up from my seat to make those two even more upset. ¡°Th-that¡¯s! Then! Le-let¡¯s invite the others as well!¡± Harriet exclaimed, with her face slightly shriveled up. She probably simply didn¡¯t want to be around me alone. Hearing that, the two bystanders¡¯ eyes lit up: ¡®Maybe they¡¯ll take me too?¡¯ ¡°Are you guys also coming?¡± Liana turned towards Erich and Kono Lint, who had been watching the whole exchange from a distance, as if she didn¡¯t really care much. The price for seven people¡¯s worth of desserts would be pretty high, but she was a Duke¡¯s daughter, so things were different. ¡°H-huh? U-us?¡± ¡°Tha-that¡¯s¡­¡± When she directly asked those two if they wanted to come, their faces turned bright red, and they started stuttering. In the short period of time Erich and Kono Lint spent just looking at each other without answering, Liana took the lead. ¡°Never mind. Let¡¯s go.¡± I felt sorry for those two, who couldn¡¯t even take a hint when it was being spoonfed to them. If you continue to be like that, you¡¯ll stay single for the rest of your life, idiots. That was what I tried to tell them with my eyes. * * * * * * * * * I had thought that Ellen and Liana¡¯s personalities were slightly similar, but after comparing them, I felt how hugely different they were. Ellen was just the calm type. And Liana was the cool type. It was the subtle difference between calm and cool. ¡°¡­¡± -Munch munch Ellen rarely showed any reactions. ¡°This is delicious. There¡¯s too much cream, though.¡± Liana showed her reactions, but she was quite blunt and straightforward. There was definitely a difference between being calm and just being straightforward. ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s so good! Try this, Adelia.¡± And then there was Harriet, who had big reactions to everything. That was especially true when I teased her, but she was someone who had her heart on her sleeves to begin with. In the past, she had seemed incredibly rude, but with time her personality made a complete change, almost evaporating that aspect of her. It might have happened because I strengthened her immunity to those things. ¡°Isn¡¯t it delicious? It¡¯s delicious, right?¡± ¡°Mhm, it¡¯s good¡­¡± Adelia only expressed herself with a few words. ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating anything?¡± Liana asked me, who hadn¡¯t even touched his dessert yet. ¡°Reinhardt hates sweets.¡± Ellen, who had stayed quiet up until then, as fitting her personality, suddenly said something. Come to think of it, she was around when I told Redina that I didn¡¯t like sweets a long while ago; she seemed to have remembered that. At that, all the girls turned towards Ellen. Of course, Ellen was still eating her parfait even after she said that. ¡°Oh¡­ You hate sweets?¡± Harriet was curious because it was her first time hearing of it. I nodded at her words. ¡°It¡¯s not like I absolutely hate them, but I don¡¯t really like eating those things.¡± Come to think of it, the only classmates who knew that about me were Ellen and Charlotte. ¡°¡­You came here knowing that we would eat sweets, though, right?¡± Liana looked at me as if I were crazy. ¡°I didn¡¯t really come for the desserts, I only came because you are buying.¡± Liana clicked her tongue at the absurd statement that I had gone there even while not liking sweets just because I¡¯d get free food. ¡°Hey, you should at least eat what you ordered.¡± Of course, I only ordered a piece of cake, but I couldn¡¯t even touch it. At Harriet¡¯s remark, I nodded towards Ellen. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter anyway because she¡¯d eat everything regardless.¡± -Munch, munch, munch If there were leftovers, they would get absorbed into that girl¡¯s stomach anyway, so it didn¡¯t really matter that much. Ellen, who was treated like a leftover disposal unit, was still eating her own food without even paying any attention to us. The girls¡¯ faces showed a bizarre expression again at my words. Ellen ate a lot. They knew that by then. Those guys are pretty close, aren¡¯t they? That was what their expression seemed to mean. Of course, even though I didn¡¯t eat anything, I still drank my tea. Liana looked at me with her eyebrows slightly furrowed. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say such weird things. It sure makes me wonder how one could become as twisted as you.¡± ¡°You just have to try really hard.¡± ¡°Pfffft!¡± Adelia, who was drinking some iced tea, spat out her drink after hearing my absurd words. ¡°A-ah¡­ I-I¡­ I¡¯m s-sorry!¡± Fortunately, she didn¡¯t hit anyone with that, but she still cleaned up what she spilled with a tissue. She laughed at what I said, so she was scared that I would get angry. Even her ears turned bright red because she felt so embarrassed. ¡°B-but I sure am jealous of Ellen¡­ She eats so much but doesn¡¯t gain any weight.¡± Adelia tried to subtly change the subject to divert attention from her. ¡°Adelia, if you train your body all day like her, you wouldn¡¯t gain any weight either, you know?¡± At Liana¡¯s words, Adelia¡¯s face darkened. ¡°B-but Ellen has a combat talents¡­ I¡¯m majoring in magic¡­¡± Adelia wanted to eat desserts just as wildly as Ellen did, but she seemed hesitant because she worried that she would fall into the hell of irreversible weight gain. She actually looked at Ellen, who could eat everything she wanted, with envy. -Munch munch munch Seriously now. It really was pretty annoying seeing such a thin person doing that in front of others. Why did she have to eat as if she had nothing when she had basically everything? It was driving me mad as well, that punk! I usually wouldn¡¯t feel ashamed of things, but I felt really ashamed when I was out eating with her. There were times when I wanted to slap the back of her head to make her stop shoving food in, but one didn¡¯t touch a dog while it¡¯s eating, right? So I held it in. ¡­I held it in because I might actually die if I had really slapped her. ¡°Anyway, where are you guys going during the vacation?¡± Everyone began to ponder after hearing Harriet¡¯s question. ¡°Hmm¡­ I think I¡¯ll stay in Temple.¡± It seemed like Adelia wanted to stay in Temple. It wasn¡¯t impossible for us to just stay in Temple during our vacation. Since we were part of Royal Class, we would receive full support, even during our vacation. At Adelia¡¯s words, Harriet tilted her head. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want to go home after such a long time?¡± Adelia¡¯s face turned red at Harriet¡¯s words. She seemed a little embarrassed. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t do any magic research at home.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you research ma¡­ A-ah. S-sorry¡­ R-right¡­¡± Harriet mumbled without thinking properly and then quickly apologized, realizing her mistake. Adelia was a commoner, and Harriet was the young lady of the Saint-Owan Duchy. It was impossible for commoners to have facilities to research magic in their homes. Harriet couldn¡¯t even imagine a life without such things¡ªshe just took it for granted. In Temple, they were friends, but they wouldn¡¯t even be able to make proper eye contact anymore once they graduated. Both Adelia and Harriet had remembered it at that moment. Adelia blushed out of embarrassment, and Harriet blushed because she thought that she hurt her friend with the words she unwittingly uttered. Temple was a place where people who would never have met on the outside could easily meet and become friends. Temple was the only place in the whole continent where I, a beggar, and Adelia, a commoner, could talk about our vacation plans with the daughter of a Duke. Anyway, it seemed like Adelia would be staying there for the entirety of the vacation to use the magic research facilities. ¡°But isn¡¯t it better to take a little break from that, though? Do you just want to continue studying for your whole vacation?¡± At Liana¡¯s question, Adelia just shook her head. ¡°Uhm, I¡­ I don¡¯t have that much time to master my magic crafting to get my enchanter¡¯s license before graduation.¡± ¡°Enchanter¡¯s license?¡± As far as I knew, her talents were summoning magic and magic crafting, right? She was trying to learn enchanting instead of summoning magic? Why was she trying to study something other than her own talents? And what was that about a license? My question made Adelia¡¯s face turn even redder as if she didn¡¯t want to answer. She somehow seemed to be embarrassed by the smallest things. ¡°Enchanting brings in a lot of money.¡± Liana gave an answer in her stead with a sullen expression. ¡°Enchanting pays well?¡± ¡°Do you think a wizard who can chant the Fireball spell or the one that can make Fireball scrolls earns more money?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure?¡± ¡°In order to make money, wizards specializing in destruction type of magic either try to become court wizards or escorts for noble families. The pay varies greatly depending on who one serves, and there aren¡¯t many open spots. Since the Demon World War ended, there had been no demand for these wizards. I mean, you¡¯d even have to fight for your life in some situation if you take on that job, right? Enchanting, however, is safe and earns you money quite easily.¡± Thinking about it, what Liana said was actually quite obvious. Magic Scrolls were items that enabled anyone to simply use magic, and the guys who made them would be raking in tons of money. On the other hand, wizards specializing in destruction-type magic would have a hard time getting jobs and earning money. The Demon World War, where those wizards were most needed, had ended. ¡°¡­What? Doesn¡¯t that mean that all those wizards specialized in destruction-type magic would become unemployed?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess so?¡± As the War had ended, the demand for fighting power had sharply decreased, so many wizards had become unemployed. ¡°¡­Couldn¡¯t all of them become enchanters then?¡± It was safe and made a lot of money, so wouldn¡¯t it be the best for all of them to learn that? ¡°What are you talking about?¡± It was Harriet, not Liana, who answered me that time. She looked at me as if I were an idiot. ____ ____ Chapter 138 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 138 Harriet began to thoroughly explain the matter after hearing my statement that everyone should just become an Enchanter if it brought in that much money. ¡°If just anyone could become an Enchanter, the value of Scrolls would plummet. It¡¯s said that Enchantment techniques are highly confidential, even in the Magic Association, and licenses are only issued to a small number of people to allow them to make use of those techniques. If someone were caught arbitrarily passing on the Enchantment techniques, they would be mercilessly pursued by the Magic Associations Hunters. This magic system is much more highly secured than you might imagine. That¡¯s why they can¡¯t teach those things in Temple. You can only learn those techniques after getting an Enchanter¡¯s license from the Association.¡± In order to maintain their price, the Magic Association strictly controlled the number of Enchanters. There seemed to be something called an Enchanter¡¯s license test. I thought it was something like a public exam organized by the Magic Association. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying they have a monopoly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an oligopoly. The Magic Association isn¡¯t the only organization that has a hold of the enchantment techniques. However, wizard organizations with access to secret magic techniques such as Enchantment can¡¯t be completely unrelated to the Association, so they are also very restrictive about the techniques.¡± As I listened to them, I felt both puzzled and excited. ¡°Becoming a Battle Wizard is more or less a dead-end, so the smart wizards become Enchanters or Magic Crafters. A Wizard capable of Teleportation also has great prospects, but that¡¯s all there is to it. Magic Crafters who are capable of magic Warp Gates and Mana Trains are considered much greater.¡± To begin with, becoming a Wizard was reserved for those geniuses, but even among them, the ones who were deemed overwhelming geniuses majored in Magic Crafting, which was safe and could earn one a lot of money. Magic Crafters enjoyed a much better public reputation as well. However, choosing that major was like trying to pick stars from the sky. It was similar to saying that the geniuses of any medical school should go into plastic surgery, orthopedics, and dermatology. Actually, when people thought of doctors, they thought of surgeons, but in reality, when medical students thought about which field they should go into, becoming a surgeon was a dead-end; applying that to Wizards, normally, people thought about wizards chanting great destructive spells, but becoming a battle wizard was a complete and utter dead-end. So Adelia was trying to get an Enchanter¡¯s license to make money, even though she didn¡¯t actually have that talent. Of course, Magic Crafters also seemed to make a lot of money, so she didn¡¯t absolutely need that Enchanter¡¯s license. It was quite the strange setting that I had accidentally stumbled upon that was solidly integrated into this society. Magic Scrolls were expensive. Just because of that simple statement, the background that not everyone could simply make them was created, leading to the additional detail that Enchanters had to be the cream of the crop of wizards. So, Adelia, a character residing in the main story, was also influenced to try getting an Enchanter¡¯s license, even though she didn¡¯t hold an enchanting talent. I found it to be quite mysterious. ¡°Of course, this only concerns magic to earn money. Harriet is an exception.¡± There was bound to be a difference between people who decided to become wizards to earn money and those that didn¡¯t. Harriet had no reason to try and earn money with magic because she was the daughter of a lofty noble family¡ªmoney was never even a concern. There were people who went into the medical field just to become doctors and for no other reason, after all. In Harriet¡¯s case, she had the freedom to choose any major she liked. Of course, she was already so talented that she could learn any magic in existence. ¡°I don¡¯t think approaching magic purely as a research subject is the right attitude for a wizard. I don¡¯t like people like that, either.¡± How dare you think about making money from magic¡­!! Magic is an art form¡­ not a means to make money¡­! Screeech! Both Adelia and Harriet trembled as if they knew quite a lot of wizards who spoke like that. Apparently, there was someone like that among the teachers of a class they had to attend. That was why Adelia felt so ashamed that she went against the pure pursuit of magic, and Harriet seemed apologetic even though she didn¡¯t have to¡ªher and Adelia¡¯s circumstances were simply different. Adelia studied magic to earn money. Harriet, on the other hand, simply studied it to master magic itself. There was a reason why Adelia felt lesser when standing next to Harriet¡­ because no one was better than Harriet in her field. Adelia¡¯s talents, magic crafting, and summoning magic were already included in Harriet¡¯s talent. Even though they were close¡­ Actually, she must have felt absolutely inferior to Harriet. Would they be okay if this went on? In the original story, nothing serious happened between the two. ¡°Hey, what is life? Adelia slowly raised her head at my open remark. ¡°No matter what other people do or say, money is the best, you know? What¡¯s wrong with wanting to make money? It¡¯s something praiseworthy.¡± There was nothing greater than money, girl. So what if you want to earn some? Adelia¡¯s face slightly reddened at my words. She was definitely the best friend of that habitual blusher, Harriet. ¡°Ah, yes¡­ Thanks, Reinhardt¡­¡± ¡°Are you doing this to offend me? You shouldn¡¯t say those words again. They make others feel bad.¡± Adelia nodded slightly, and Liana just sighed at my remark that she felt was rather nasty. ¡°So what.¡± ¡°Do you stand behind those words, even after someone pointed it out to you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You¡¯re seriously crazy.¡± Liana clicked her tongue as if she didn¡¯t want to deal with me anymore, and Adelia just had her mouth slightly open, staring blankly, watching me quarreling with the young lady Grantz like that. ¡®Yeah, I knew that you were that kind of guy, but I still don¡¯t get it¡¯, that was what her expression seemed to say. Liana smiled and looked at Harriet. ¡°Hey, when we graduate, let¡¯s start with getting rid of this crazy guy.¡± Harriet lightened up at Liana¡¯s suggestion and nodded. ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s do that, no matter what! You¡¯re dead when you graduate!¡± Adelia¡¯s complexion turned snow-white hearing the two¡¯s plot, and Ellen, who also seemed to have noticed that something was happening, looked over. I simply smiled. ¡°¡­If that¡¯s the case, do you really think I would let you graduate without a hitch?¡± Did you actually think you would be able to graduate safely? At my words, Harriet¡¯s and Liana¡¯s faces seemed to say, ¡°Oh, he was someone capable enough of that, wasn¡¯t he?¡± * * * * * * * * * ¡°I¡¯m going to relax.¡± When we went back to talking about our vacation plans, Liana said she would simply relax. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°I usually tour around the places my family has villas in.¡± It seemed that Liana was planning to relax by traveling around the places her family owned villas in. ¡°Right. But I think I will just go to the Edina archipelago this time.¡± ¡°Edina archipelago? Where is that place?¡± It looked like none of them had heard of the Edina archipelago, but I flinched slightly. It was the southernmost island country of the continent where Airi had opened a bar. ¡°It¡¯s an island country south of Kernstadt, but there aren¡¯t any Gates connected to it, so people don¡¯t go there often. I heard it¡¯s a great place. It¡¯s like a secret tourist destination.¡± ¡°If there aren¡¯t any Gates connecting to that place, are you going there by boat?¡± Liana shook her head at Adelia¡¯s question. ¡°If I went there by boat, vacations would be over before I even reached the place. I¡¯m going with my butler.¡± ¡°Your butler?¡± ¡°Yeah. My butler is a wizard. We¡¯re going to teleport there.¡± Adelia was completely stunned by those words. Her butler wasn¡¯t just some servant; he was actually a high-ranking wizard skilled enough to use Teleport. Only Duke Grantz would be able to hire someone like that just for simple trips. Adelia seemed to feel that she was rather distant from them every time Harriet and Grantz said things like that. Of course, our little glutton was munching on the cake I had ordered but hadn¡¯t touched yet. ¡­Although she went out with us, she was no different from usual. She showed no reaction at all and only ate a lot. ¡®Why did you go with them? No, why did they even take you with them? Were these three just that nice?¡¯ I found it really upsetting! I felt like a parent seeing their daughter not properly getting along with her friends. Her friends are so nice, but why is my kid like this?! Sorry for raising such an ungrateful kid, everyone! Anyway, Liana planned on traveling during the vacation. ¡°I¡¯m just going back home, but like Adelia, I¡¯m going to continue my magic research with my brothers¡¯ help.¡± Harriet seemed like she wanted to return to The Saint-Owan Grand Duchy and study. Temple had good facilities, but they absolutely couldn¡¯t hold a glass to the ones in the Grand Duchy; since her brothers were also wizards, she would be able to ask them for advice. In many ways, Harriet was in a position in which she didn¡¯t have to come to Temple to study magic. Next, their eyes turned towards me. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really have any plans.¡± I really had no idea whether I should go out or stay in Temple. I could stay behind and train, but I also wanted to do something more meaningful. The only one left was Ellen. ¡°What about Ellen?¡± I described how Ludwig spent his vacation, but not Ellen¡¯s. When a question was directed at her, she started to talk while she cut off a slice of her cake and ate it. ¡°I originally planned on staying home and resting¡­¡± It seemed like she originally planned to go back to her hometown to rest, but it looked like she had changed her mind. ¡°I¡¯m going to register as an adventurer.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°¡­All of a sudden?¡± ¡°Why an adventurer?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± All of us were shocked about her bombshell reveal in our own ways. ¡®What? You wanted to become an adventurer? What kind of bullshit is that?¡¯ ¡°I want to go to the Darklands.¡± I felt like my hair was turning white from shock. That punk had finally turned crazy. * * * Everyone fell into a frenzy at her declaration. ¡°Ellen, Not all demons are dead yet, even if the Demon World War ended.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Ellen just nodded at Liana¡¯s words, saying she already knew that. ¡°Why do adventurers go to the Darklands?¡± ¡°The Darklands haven¡¯t been explored well yet, so if you find an undiscovered area or something unusual in the Darklands and report it, it seems like the Adventurer¡¯s Guild will pay you. They¡¯re called dungeons or something like that.¡± At Adelia¡¯s question, Ellen started talking about money. Like that, I finally found out how the hell adventurers made a living. However, she wasn¡¯t going to the Darklands to earn money, right? That was just something extra. ¡°Y-you aren¡¯t going alone, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going alone.¡± ¡°No! Y-you¡­ This. I know you¡¯re strong, but¡­ What are you going to do if you run into a strong Demon?!¡± Harriet, who knew that Ellen could summon that mysterious sword, seemed to think it was completely absurd for her to do this, even though she was a bit stronger than others. ¡°I¡¯ll take a teleportation scroll from Temple with me. If things get dangerous, I¡¯ll use it.¡± It was crazy. It looked like it wasn¡¯t just a vague thought; she had already reported her vacation plans to Temple, and they even decided to give her a teleportation scroll, one of the most expensive ones. Even if she was part of Royal Class, why would they do that? Was Ellen that special? Everyone asked her worried questions one by one. Except for me¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± I spoke firmly, not worriedly. ¡®Do you want to die after wandering about that dangerous place? What is this kid even talking about?¡¯ This development definitely didn¡¯t happen in the original. ¡°Don¡¯t go. Why are you even doing this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± After answering the other kids¡¯ questions thoroughly, Ellen just kept staring at me silently for a long time. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Everyone¡¯s expression turned quite strange when they heard her give up on her plans so suddenly. What? That was what was written on everyone¡¯s faces. ¡°I won¡¯t go¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t just those three. I also felt that it was quite strange. ____ ____ Chapter 139 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 139 In the evening, when we returned to the dormitory. ¡°Hey.¡± After the others had entered their rooms, I called out to Ellen. ¡±¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a bit.¡± * * * I took Ellen to the park in front of the dormitory. She followed me, trailing slightly behind me. After confirming that no one was around, I turned towards her. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me like that these days?¡± She had been looking at me a lot since my kidnapping incident. She had said that she wanted to go to the Darklands, and it had felt like she was very determined in her decision. Then I told her to not go to such a dangerous place. The Ellen I knew would have at least acted stubborn, or that was what I expected, so I found it very weird that she had simply said that she wouldn¡¯t go just because I told her not to. The kid who had never looked at me properly before suddenly couldn¡¯t keep her eyes off of me. I knew the reason. Some time ago, she had decided to keep her distance from me, but then that strange kidnapping incident had occurred. She thought she didn¡¯t need me, but when I actually disappeared, she was greatly shocked. Then, she regretted uttering the words she directed at me and felt apologetic towards me, and it seemed like she even blamed herself that I got kidnapped. It wasn¡¯t her fault, of course. She said that she couldn¡¯t stand it because her brother and I, who both had a lot of secrets, kept on overlapping in her mind. However, in the end, she realized she couldn¡¯t cut me out of her life, so she felt guilty, thinking everything was her fault. That was why she tried to read my face a lot. She was afraid of making another mistake. ¡°Did you do something bad to me? Maybe. Then something unfortunate happened you couldn¡¯t have predicted. My kidnapping has nothing to do with you. You even went looking for me. I¡¯m really grateful for that, so thank you. What are you so sorry for?¡± While I was saying this to Ellen, she had her gaze lowered. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Ellen held her head low; she couldn¡¯t even meet my eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t know¡­ what?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to make the same mistake again, but I don¡¯t know how to avoid doing that.¡± She still seemed to regret her actions from back then. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ why this keeps happening.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t want to say anything else she would regret as she had before. She seemed to think that what she had said before was a huge mistake. That was why she had been tiptoeing around me like that. That was why she said she didn¡¯t go to the Darklands after I told her not to. If she insisted on going after I told her not to go, she thought I might get angry or feel hurt. Ellen had looked fine up to then because Ellen usually didn¡¯t care much about others¡ªshe just did what she wanted to do. She didn¡¯t care about anyone¡¯s opinion. But ultimately, she was still very inexperienced in dealing with other people. That was why she didn¡¯t know how to treat people who disagreed with her. Before, she didn¡¯t care at all about others, but she had found that care growing over time. Can I do this? Can I say that? Ellen couldn¡¯t find a proper answer for these concerns she had, so she eventually started to watch me closely. She had already made a mistake once, so she didn¡¯t want to make another one; she became a lot more careful. She didn¡¯t know how to treat me. It was good and all that she was treating me as an important friend, but I didn¡¯t want her to look at me like that. It just wasn¡¯t like her. I didn¡¯t want her to be so self-conscious around me. ¡°Sit down.¡± I made her sit down on a bench, and I sat down next to her. In the end, even though she had the best talents in the world, she was such a clumsy person in terms of interpersonal problems. I was the first person she could call a friend, after all. After experiencing my disappearance once, she must have thought about what I meant to her. She thought that she had to do better when she was around me. However, she didn¡¯t know how to act to make that happen. ¡°You know I lied, right?¡± ¡°¡­About the kidnapping?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± -Nod Ellen said that she was no longer curious about my secrets, telling me that it was fine as long as I was all right. But that was wrong, she must have still been curious, and she must have still been struggling because she didn¡¯t know much about me; it made me overlap more and more with her brother in her mind, and she would only get more and more stressed about it. Of course, Ellen knew that had I lied about the details of my kidnapping. However, she didn¡¯t know the truth behind it. She probably thought that Loyar must have done something. ¡°Actually, I was kidnapped by the Thieves¡¯ Guild.¡± ¡°The Thieves¡¯ Guild?¡± Ellen seemed to know about the Thieves¡¯ Guild. Then again, maybe she didn¡¯t really know; I couldn¡¯t see Ellen as someone taking an interest in the criminal gangs of the Imperial Capital. ¡°Yeah, you went to visit big sis, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Her gang is like a subcontractor to the Thieves¡¯ Guild, so to speak. Our gang consists mostly of beggars, so they easily pick up information and rumors from the streets. We give that information to the Thieves¡¯ Guild in exchange for money. Do you understand what I¡¯m talking about?¡± ¡°Subcontractor¡­?¡± It seemed like that was the first time Ellen had heard that word in her life. Right, it wasn¡¯t a word she needed to know. ¡°Like a minion.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Okay.¡± I figured I could tell Ellen the truth about this much, at least. She wasn¡¯t an untrustworthy person that would go around and spill things¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t tell anyone. Honestly, it was quite touching. In the end, she had acted like that because she had thought of me as an important person to her. I was going to tell her everything about it. I¡¯d realized I would rather tell her all of it. * * * * * * Ellen¡¯s eyes widened as she realized that I was confiding in her. She didn¡¯t seem to think that I was actually going to tell her anything. ¡°As you know, our organization is a gathering of beggars, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy for such a group to send someone to Temple. The tuition of Temple is just too expensive, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°As you know, I have a bit of an advantage in certain matters right?¡± I strangely knew a lot for my age. It was even stranger knowing my origins. ¡°That organization wanted to raise me as its successor; that was why they sent me to Temple. ¡®When you graduate, let¡¯s live more like people.¡¯ That¡¯s what they told me. Yeah, although our group isn¡¯t really a criminal gang, they were trying to raise me as the heir to a criminal organization.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°However, when I came to Temple, it was assessed that I had infinite aptitudes or something, so they sent me to Royal Class.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Ellen nodded blankly. ¡°Anyway, I want our organization to break free from the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s influence. As you know, I was originally planning on quietly going to Temple as a regular student, but then I ended up in the Royal Class, and there were so many influential people in there. If my circumstances had been revealed, there would have been a lot of sparks flying.¡± The Royal Class was full of children of incredibly influential families as well as the Imperial Prince and Princess, so I wanted to break off my connection with any criminal organization because I was afraid that I would get sucked into the fight between influential people and explode in the process. Of course, not all of that was true. ¡°Anyway, I wanted our organization to sever ties with the Thieves¡¯ Guild, so I planned out some things, but it seemed like that went against their intentions. They were trying to get rid of us. However, when I went into the back alleys of the Wenster Market without knowing it was their turf, I got caught by them during the rainy season. They didn¡¯t kidnap me because they knew it was me, but they found out after they tied me up. They planned on using me as bait to lure big sis to them to kill her.¡± Ellen silently listened to my recounts of the underworld¡¯s affairs, looking as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. She probably thought that Loyar and the beggar group were a little strange, but it seemed like she couldn¡¯t believe my story portraying the power struggle between the Thieves¡¯ Guild and our organization in the underworld. She seemed shocked to find out that I came from such a world; she also seemed surprised at how calmly I was talking about someone potentially killing someone else. Of course, I wasn¡¯t the heir to some huge organization. However, Ellen was an outsider. She seemed to think that I was some huge boss living in a constant battle against other huge organizations. She felt like I lived a completely different life from her. No¡­ It wasn¡¯t really like that, though¡­ ¡°How¡­ did you manage?¡± They are such a terrible criminal organization. You were kidnapped by the Thieves¡¯ Guild, a much larger organization than Loyar¡¯s. How did you manage to stay safe? That was what Ellen was asking. ¡°My organization wasn¡¯t the deciding factor there, but, rather, my status. I¡¯m a Royal Class student. The Imperial Prince and Princess are in our grade. It was a mistake to even consider kidnapping me.¡± In fact, as soon as the Guild Master had seen me, he had realized that he would be in a lot of shit, and he had almost had a mental breakdown. ¡°The Guild Master knew that it was a mistake as soon as he saw me. It¡¯s a bit hard to go into any details, but Bertus and Charlotte immediately found out that they were the culprits on around Wednesday.¡± ¡°Wednesday?¡± I had come back on Saturday. They already found the culprit on Wednesday, but why did you only come back on Saturday? It seemed that Ellen was curious about that. ¡°I asked them to not tell anyone that they had found me. I had some business to take care of in the Thieves¡¯ Guild.¡± My status remained as ¡®missing¡¯. Ellen seemed to understand less and less about what had happened. ¡°I did that because I was trying to absorb the Thieves¡¯ Guild into our organization.¡± Ellen looked as if she had given up on thinking. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you didn¡¯t want to be involved with criminal organizations anymore?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± I didn¡¯t want to be found, but Charlotte and Bertus had found me right away. ¡°Depending on the situation, I might change my mind. So anyway, I failed to completely absorb the Thieves¡¯ Guild, but they said that they would one day pay me back for saving them by covering up the incident.¡± I didn¡¯t tell her anything about me becoming the King of the Underworld. I wasn¡¯t really sure if I wanted to do that or not. Even if I decided to do it, I would be completely in Bertus¡¯s palm. And I sure didn¡¯t know if I would be any good running all that. I told Ellen about the rough outlines of my background and the truth behind my disappearance. ¡°I¡­ I see¡­¡± Ellen nodded her head. I was the heir to a criminal gang and had such enormous guts that I even made plans to absorb the Thieves¡¯ Guild in such a risky situation. Ellen nodded again, as if she somewhat understood what had happened, even if it didn¡¯t explain everything. She seemed shocked that I was a greater person than she first thought. It was clear that she had a lot of misunderstandings about what I told her, though. She was making a face as if she thought I was actually quite the dangerous person, but that was just how great I really was. No. It wasn¡¯t enough yet. ¡°But actually, that¡¯s just a disguise.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I still had more to say. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m the last remaining heir to the Demon Realm.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t really care about war, so I just infiltrated the human realm to live comfortably.¡± Ellen¡¯s expression slightly distorted as if she wanted to say, ¡°What kind of bullshit is this?¡±. I could see question marks appearing in her eyes. Why are you saying that now? A demon? Are you kidding me right now? Are you crazy? That was what her expression seemed to convey. No. It was still too early to be surprised. ¡°But actually, that¡¯s also just a disguise.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± A disguise piled on top of a disguise piled on top of another disguise. I was telling her the complete truth. ¡°I¡¯m actually the creator of this world but was forced to possess one being of this world as punishment.¡± Ellen¡¯s feelings went beyond bewilderment and absurdity and became as quiet as a lake. The level of absurdity went beyond what she could grasp, so she just calmed down instead. Ellen¡¯s eyes were so cold. I had never seen her looking at me like that before. It was like the frightening look Charlotte and Bertus sometimes showed me. However, Ellen¡¯s seemed somehow different. I didn¡¯t just feel pressured¡­ I felt like I was really going to die. I even felt like she might really murder me right there and then. D-did I cross the line by saying something about Demons in front of Ellen? B-but she said that she wanted to know more about me¡­ I was telling the truth¡­ ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell me.¡± Cold. ¡°Just say nothing.¡± -Bam! ¡°Urg!¡± Ellen slapped me with all her might for the first time. She cursed at me, jumped up, grunted, and went back to Temple. ¡°Owow, This seriously hurts.¡± Yeah. Who the hell would believe that shit? It seemed that the talk about Demons was a bit much, but since she felt like I was kidding, she lost all feelings of guilt towards me. You know who my brother is, and you still say this shit? Are you actually crazy? She probably was seriously angry with me. However, it was the whole and complete truth she so desperately wanted to know, even if it was very hard to believe. Perhaps because of my ¡®teasing¡¯, Ellen treated me normally the next day. ____ ____ Chapter 140 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy Chapter 140 Ellen seemed to somewhat believe what I told her about the criminal organization stuff, but when I started talking about demons and being the world¡¯s creator, she felt like I was making fun of her. As she became rather angry and thought I was joking with her, Ellen went back to treating me like usual. Ellen didn¡¯t go to train with Loyar every day. Sometimes, she would come to the training room and spar with me. Of course, since I had been practicing with Cliffman a lot those days, things had changed a bit. ¡°Hey, you two should try sparring.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°¡­With me?¡± Ellen and Cliffman usually ignored each other in the training room, but because I was on somewhat better terms with Cliffman, I tried to serve as a middle man so that they could talk with each other. Ellen¡¯s attitude was confident, while Cliffman seemed rather nervous. ¡°¡­¡± He had given me that impression ever since I had been sparring with him. He didn¡¯t really talk much to anyone, and he was a bit awkward, even when facing me. However, his opponent would be Ellen. She was Ellen Artorius, who more than deserved the title of the most beautiful girl of the region. Of course, someone who wasn¡¯t good with people wouldn¡¯t be any better with someone of the opposite sex. Cliffman couldn¡¯t even properly look Ellen in her eyes as they faced each other. Could someone who even acted so awkwardly properly fight with Ellen? Wouldn¡¯t he end up feeling so nauseous that he might throw up? ¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have proposed this¡­¡¯ They hadn¡¯t even started, but Cliffman seemed so nervous that I could see his eyes swimming. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± -Jump! Ellen jumped forward. -Bam! ¡°Uuurk!¡± Cliffman was beaten before he could even react to the training sword coming down on his head. -Plop ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ellen stared at Cliffman with her usual expressionless face. No, she wasn¡¯t expressionless, actually. She looked very confused. Ah, that reminded me of the first time I had sparred with Ellen. I didn¡¯t lose because I was nervous that time, though; I had just lost because I was totally inexperienced. Ellen blankly stared down at Cliffman, who she overpowered in a single blow. ¡°What should I do?¡± Ellen looked towards me and muttered. It was as clear as day that she was really perplexed. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the priest on duty¡­¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Ellen and I had to fully support the fainted Cliffman from both sides as we took him to the priest. * * * Fortunately, he didn¡¯t get seriously injured and quickly came back to his senses after the priest cast a recovery spell on him. ¡°¡­¡± Cliffman¡¯s face was red; he felt so embarrassed that he got knocked out after getting hit on his head with a training sword that he couldn¡¯t even open his mouth. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you block?¡± Ellen saw him train as well, so she knew that Cliffman was quite the talented fighter. However, he didn¡¯t even manage to block, parry, or avoid her first move but got hit right on the head as he was spacing out. I knew to some extent what happened, but Ellen didn¡¯t seem to understand why he had frozen up. Well, I didn¡¯t know if everyone was like that, but definitely knew that there were a truckload of people who would get so nervous they wouldn¡¯t manage to get even a single word out in front of a girl like her. Unfortunately, Cliffman was one of them. ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s¡­¡± Cliffman was so flustered that he even began to stutter because he couldn¡¯t possibly tell her the reason. They were the original two outsiders of Class A: Ellen, and Cliffman. They both, in their own ways, had serious problems maintaining interpersonal relationships. ¡°You did just fine against Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­ That¡­¡± ¡°¡­Can you only say that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­! Th-that¡¯s not it¡­¡± There was nothing as crazy as watching those two with their poor interpersonal skills trying to communicate with each other. * * * Due to Cliffman fainting, our evening practice came to quite an early end. He wasn¡¯t seriously injured, so he left the priest¡¯s office and went back to the dormitory. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat something. Do you want to come with me?¡± When I asked Cliffman this, his face turned red again, and he shook his head. ¡°N-no! I-it¡¯s okay! I¡¯m full! Yeah!¡± He had probably already used up all his social energy for the day, so if he stayed close to Ellen even a bit longer, he might actually start crying and vomiting before finally collapsing. Was he that much of an outsider? It seemed like it was especially bad when he was confronted with girls. ¡°I-I¡¯m off then!¡± Cliffman took off at full speed and disappeared into his room. ¡°He¡¯s a weirdo.¡± How serious was it to be treated by Ellen as a weirdo? Of course, Ellen immediately walked towards the dining room, completely forgetting all matters concerning Cliffman. ¡°I want to eat steak.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what one calls a snack, though?¡± ¡°Stew. With beef.¡± ¡°Are you doing this on purpose?¡± Ellen looked at me and nodded her head. ¡° Yes.¡± It felt pretty nice that she had gone back to her normal self. It was a good sign. ¡°Then how about you make it, huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to.¡± Ellen seemed to have realized that treating me like she normally would was for the best. Maybe it was because she realized I wasn¡¯t easily hurt or something. ¡°Since I don¡¯t know how to make it, you do it once. I¡¯ll cook next time.¡± Why did she seem more brazen than usual, though? * * * * * * * * * Eventually, I made some beef stew in the middle of the night. -Munch, munch, munch ¡°I must have gotten your habits wrong.¡± Since we had been eating like that almost daily, I ended up getting tired of things I could easily make. If one ate fried eggs or sausages every day, one would get sick of that, eventually. So, sometimes, I made more complicated food, but that girl remembered all the meals I made. Of course, she had stopped asking me to cook for a bit because she felt so conscious of me, but she immediately turned into a hungry swarm of locusts again when she returned to her usual self. She had also seen me make that dish before, so she should know how to make it to a certain extent, but what others made always tasted more delicious. Yeah, even noodles tasted better if someone else cooked them, so it should also be true for other foods, right? ¡°Where did you learn this?¡± Ellen asked curiously. If it had been just the previous day, she wouldn¡¯t have asked, but she decided to not be so conscious of me anymore and just said what came to mind. Of course, I had learned to cook by watching Youtube videos. You just had to search what you¡¯d like to make, and you would get millions of results. ¡°What do you mean with ¡®learn¡¯? I read some cookbooks, that¡¯s it.¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t just remember all these recipes; I had actually bought a cookbook and thoroughly read it. I bought it to check if I remembered the recipes right, rather than learn how to make them. However, there were many dishes in there I didn¡¯t originally know how to make; one of them was beef stew. I learned it from the book. Ellen was a little surprised when she heard that I had bought a cookbook. ¡°What? Are you impressed? I didn¡¯t buy it because of you, though.¡± Ah¡­ Shit¡­ That was like the standard phrase of a Tsundere. I seriously wanted to turn back the time a minute. I had bought the book so that I could make those meals, but I don¡¯t actually cook when I¡¯m alone! In a way, I had bought it because of her. There was no one else who would make those meals for you her, after all! ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°¡­Could you just hit me, please?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to cook.¡± She refused to hit me. Ellen was really eager to eat that stew. I had something to ask her now that she had returned to normal. ¡°Hey. Why did you want to go to the Darklands?¡± Money couldn¡¯t have been her goal. If her goal was money, she should have just sold those Teleportation Scrolls that she was supposed to get from Temple. ¡°Practical experience.¡± ¡°¡­Practical?¡± ¡°Yes. Last time I felt like I didn¡¯t have any practical experience when I was fighting.¡± Ellen wasn¡¯t the most conceited person. However, as she lost to Loyar, it seemed to have been a huge shock to her. It was a grave reminder that she didn¡¯t have any practical experience. Of course, she wasn¡¯t intimidated or nervous when it came to sparring, but one could only find the real danger of death in actual battles. Ellen was shocked by her defeat, but it seemed that it ended up being a big stimulus to her. Not much time had passed since then, but it seemed like she had already improved tremendously. She was terrifyingly strong, to begin with, but the speed of her improvement was even more terrifying. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little much to head there because you want some practical experience? And why would you even take that risk to get stronger? The Demon World War is over.¡± I was training so strictly because I knew that the Gate Incident would happen later on. Ellen becoming stronger was a good thing, though, if I thought about what would happen in the future. However, Ellen had no reason to be in such a rush to get stronger. What if she died for nothing while fighting with someone in the Darklands in order to gain practical experience? ¡°There are many reasons to become strong; that reason doesn¡¯t have to be something like the Demon World War.¡± Ellen only said that, but I could guess the meaning behind those words. She didn¡¯t want to feel helpless and lacking in strength when it mattered. Eventually, she became stronger, but there wasn¡¯t a place where she could use that strength freely. ¡°And I heard that there are many dungeons and hidden treasures in the Darklands other than the Demon King¡¯s Castle.¡± I didn¡¯t know how adventurers made a living, but the Darklands weren¡¯t completely calm yet; people probably went there to explore and look for treasures. Ellen seemed to look for something like a powerful magical item that might hide there. I had no idea about that place because I never set it up properly. There were parts in which Ludwig went to explore some dungeons, but they were in the Human Realm, not in the Darklands. Anyway, the job description of an adventurer wasn¡¯t part of the main story. I didn¡¯t even know what adventurers did for a living. At the moment, their main target seemed to be the treasures of the Darklands. Ellen seemed fascinated by them as well. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t Lament enough?¡± Even if she went there and sacked everything she could find there, nothing would be as good as her sword Lament. That sword was a crazy cheat item with the added passive skill of being abnormally sharp¡ªit was something one could call a trope of fantasy novels. Loyar, who was able to block Lament with her bare hands, was just incredibly strong; it wasn¡¯t that the sword was weak. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with getting more. Right?¡± Ellen¡¯s longing for power seemed to have spread to her martial belongings as well. Ellen wanted to find the Darklands¡¯ treasures, even though she had no idea what they would be. Of course, finding treasure was only secondary; she wanted to get stronger and gain some practical experience in the Darklands. If things got dangerous, she had planned to just run away by using the Teleport Scroll. ¡°I¡¯m not going, anyway.¡± I told Ellen not to go, so no matter what her reasons might have been, it seemed like she changed her mind and decided not to go anymore. I didn¡¯t know whether I could call her obedient or not. There were many powerful magical items in this world I had never actually set up. An example of that was Sarkegaar¡¯s ring and the Flame of Tuesday that I wore. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡° Yes?¡± Going to the Darklands might not be as bad as I thought. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°¡­? It would be dangerous if she went there alone, but I was sure that things would be far less dangerous if I went with her. I finally decided what I wanted to do for my vacation. ¡°No.¡± As I was already drawing out the plans in my head, Ellen resolutely shook her head. ¡°You can¡¯t fight.¡± Ah. Right. Were we really that different? Didn¡¯t she know that I could help her with various things? I mean, she was right, so I couldn¡¯t retort¡­ But wasn¡¯t that just too much!? ¡°¡­I¡¯m hurt.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry, but that¡¯s the truth.¡± Bitch¡­ I felt the strong urge for a drink. ____ ____ Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Certainly, Ellen was abnormally strong for a single person; however, my physical strength and technique also couldn¡¯t be compared to a normal person either. I¡¯m also a supernatural power user. But, of course, there was a huge difference between Ellen and me. It was only natural for her to think that I would be in danger if I followed her to the Darklands to gain practical experience. The reason she had told me not to go with her wasn¡¯t because she thought I would get in her way but because I might be in danger. ¡°If you don¡¯t go with me, I¡¯ll just go alone.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± In the end, I had to try such a strategy. ¡°You told me not to go.¡± You told me not to go because it¡¯s dangerous. Why are you suddenly saying that you want to go? That was what was written on her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Anyway, come with me! I¡¯m good at fighting too! I¡¯m not as good as you, but I¡¯m still good enough! I¡¯m going! You know I improved quite a lot, right?¡± ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± Ellen looked at me in shock when I suddenly said these things. She looked somewhat tired. ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± It seemed like Ellen also had thought of going there, but she seemed puzzled when I told her that I wanted to go without any hesitation. ¡°You said there were treasures.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s money to be earned.¡± In the end, the only excuse I could come up with was money. No, I mean, if we found something like some amazing treasure and got some money out of it, it would also help with my organization, and Airi wouldn¡¯t have to work so hard. Wasn¡¯t that good? That was why I needed money. Ellen should also have somewhat grasped this. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go somewhere safe then; this is not the only vacation we will have.¡± In the end, she just sighed as if she had given up. * * * Ellen reluctantly agreed to it after I told her that I would follow close to her and that I would stay in safe areas. I insisted on going even though she told me I shouldn¡¯t go. I know I was dog scum, but when I heard her reason for going to the Darklands, I also felt like it was worth going there. Ellen didn¡¯t know, but it was actually a lot safer for her to be with me. I didn¡¯t pay much attention to our final exams, so I didn¡¯t do anything different even during the exam period¡ªI didn¡¯t care about grades. I found myself in Eleris¡¯s store after my classes at Temple were over. I went there with the excuse of delivering the letters. It was right after I wrote a reply to the letter Charlotte gave me. The area really didn¡¯t get monitored at all anymore, so I could go in and out of that place as much as I wanted. ¡°Eleris.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I heard that adventurers are going to the Darklands. Is that true?¡± Ellen seemed quite troubled about taking me with her, but if she didn¡¯t take me, it was very likely that she wouldn¡¯t get anything out of it. I had three people with me who were very familiar with the Darklands. ¡°Ah, it seems like the number of adventurers has been increasing lately. It¡¯s probably because of the Darklands.¡± And the Al Ligar Shopping Street, where Eleris¡¯s shop was located, was a gathering place for adventurers of sorts. Even if Eleris didn¡¯t know about the situation of the Darklands that well, she couldn¡¯t help but know about places where adventures would flock to. ¡°Are there that many treasures in the Darklands?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ The Allied Forces must have already plundered the Demon King¡¯s Castle, but since the Darklands is very large, there should be treasures scattered here and there that the adventurers covet. There are more than can be found in the lands of humans, where the adventurers usually roam, at least.¡± Originally, adventurers wouldn¡¯t go to dangerous places like the Darklands. However, since the Demon World War ended with humanity¡¯s victory, they slowly gravitated towards the Darklands. But her wording was rather strange. There were many. That didn¡¯t mean there were a lot. ¡°You don¡¯t know if there are any treasures left in the Darklands, do you?¡± Eleris smiled at my words. ¡°The land is just too large, so there are many things I don¡¯t know. However, since there are a lot of Demon Tribes, wouldn¡¯t they all have their own treasures? There should also be some dungeons hidden around.¡± Eleris said that one person couldn¡¯t know everything about the Darklands, and that should be right. But what did she mean about Demon Tribes? ¡°Weren¡¯t all Demon Tribes destroyed during the Demon World War?¡± ¡°Ah, I think I know what you mean.¡± Eleris seemed to have remembered again that I had little knowledge about the Great War and the Darklands because I lost my memory. * * * * * * ¡°The previous Demon King called upon the most powerful Demon Tribes before the Demon World War. However, not all demons had been summoned, so there are still countless Demon Tribes remaining in the Darklands. Each Faction that participated in the war probably left their successors behind as a last resort.¡± It was true that the Demon King had issued a general mobilization order, but he had not summoned every demon. So, when the Demon King died, the Demon Realm collapsed, but it wasn¡¯t completely destroyed. ¡°There were also some that didn¡¯t heed the call. They should be pretty strong.¡± ¡°¡­Did you not heed the call?¡± ¡°Yes. This was mainly the case for Demon Tribes located on the outskirts of the Demon Realm, far from the influence of the previous Demon King.¡± That was another thing I didn¡¯t know. Those demons who lived far away from the Demon King and never saw him refused to comply with the order because the Demon King¡¯s control on them fell short. They just pretended that they didn¡¯t know whether the Demon Realm was facing destruction or not, as they were far away from the War anyway. ¡°Hmm¡­ So, the Allied Forces basically did something like a focused attack on the Demon King¡¯s Castle to capture it, but since a total occupation was impossible, they just withdrew after achieving their goal, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It would cost a huge amount of money and manpower to protect the occupied areas. The human forces, including all of the Allied Forces, just couldn¡¯t afford to occupy the entirety of the Darklands. It was also true that the larger Demon Tribes, including the high-ranking demons of the Darklands, suffered devastating damage and lost a lot of power while trying to counter the humans. However, in the end, the humans hardly looted any other place in the Darklands other than the Demon King¡¯s Castle. And thus, adventurers were slowly flocking to the place to steal the remaining treasures of the demons who had already lost their power, and such treasures actually existed. ¡°Why are you suddenly so curious about the Darklands?¡± I frowned at Eleris¡¯s question. ¡°We¡¯re in need of money.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± Honestly, although we had no urgent need for it, there were a lot of things we needed. ¡°I¡¯m going to go treasure hunting during my vacation.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Eleris couldn¡¯t help but be astonished at my plan on plundering my home country because I needed money. Yeah, seriously. Now that I thought about it, it made me look like a real bastard. From the point of view of adventurers, they were just going out to defeat some evil Demons and bring back some treasure, but if I were to do it, things would be very different. It would turn into the crazy situation of the heir to the Demon Realm looting the Darklands. ¡°If you need treasure, you don¡¯t have to go there; I could go alone¡­ Even though I don¡¯t exactly know where they are, but¡­¡± Although Ellen was a wall that I couldn¡¯t possibly cross, even Ellen couldn¡¯t compare to Eleris at that moment. If my sole goal was to hunt for treasures, I didn¡¯t need to go with Ellen; I could just send Eleris to do it for me. ¡°I¡¯m not going alone.¡± Of course, treasures were nice and all, but there was something else as well. ¡°You¡¯re not going alone, you say¡­ Are you talking about the kid Loyar was complaining about?¡± ¡°Yeah. She wants to gain practical experience.¡± It was much more important to make Ellen¡¯s desire for practical experience as safe as possible. It was important for me to become stronger, but in order to prepare well for the future, it was far better for Ellen, who had a much higher level of potential than me, to become strong. Technically speaking, it was better to turn Ellen into a monster than to make myself stronger. Eleris, who didn¡¯t seem to understand the reason behind it all, also seemed unable to comprehend that I was trying to help Ellen build up some practical experience. Rather, if I were to go there to start the Reconstruction of the Demon Realm, Eleris would understand it even though she would dislike it, but she seemed unable to understand why I would help out my classmate like that. ¡°It would be dangerous if she went there alone, so I decided to go with her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I understand what you¡¯re saying, but¡­ It could also be dangerous for Your Highness as well.¡± ¡°¡­I know. I can¡¯t rule over the Demons in this state.¡± My Demon Domination ability was sealed while I was disguised as a human using Sarkegaar¡¯s ring. I had to return to my original form as a horned Demon to use my ability properly. Demon Domination itself was a characteristic unique to Arcdemons, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. However, Eleris shook her head at my words. ¡°It would be the same even if you turned back into your true self.¡± ¡°¡­What? Why?¡± It would be dangerous for me even if I could use Demon Domination? Why? Didn¡¯t that power make demons basically harmless to me? ¡°Your Highness¡¯s power is still weak. If you were to meet an opponent you can¡¯t control, they might attack Your Highness.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t the case at the Demon King¡¯s castle, though?¡± I mean, orcs basically jumped forward to protect me. ¡°¡­They were the Demon King¡¯s soldiers, right? They had already been trained, so there¡¯s a high possibility that the demons of the outskirts and unintelligent demons won¡¯t recognize Your Highness and that you won¡¯t be able to control them.¡± What?! I thought I would be invincible in the Darklands! I had thought I would only be in danger if I sealed Demon Domination on purpose! ¡°Actually, Your Highness can¡¯t rule over demons like Sarkegaar or Loyar either, right?¡± ¡­That was right. They followed me out of loyalty, not because I exercised control over them. At my level, any demon could easily stab me in the back, and those who didn¡¯t know me wouldn¡¯t even recognize me. Even if they knew who I was, I might not get the reaction I wanted. No matter if I went with my true appearance or as Reinhardt, I would be in danger. ¡°Eleris.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Is there really only one good thing about being an Archdemon?¡± I bought my talents with achievement points. The ability to dominate the demons was still seriously lacking¡­ I couldn¡¯t even use it in that state, and I felt really uncomfortable because I was a demon. What was good about any of it? The Demon King Valier was such a fucking munchkin, so why was I useless? Did I not have anything because Valier was actually supposed to die or something? ¡°Hmm¡­ Archdemons have a very long lifespan, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± That was a good thing! Yeah! It was unbelievably good, but it was a long-term advantage, so it didn¡¯t really help much with the situation I was in! The previous Demon King was originally like me, but after living for a long time and training hard, he became strong! The demons living in the outskirts didn¡¯t even heed the previous Demon King¡¯s order. There obviously were hostile forces in the Darkland that didn¡¯t really care about the Demon King. Anyway¡­ I realized I shouldn¡¯t go with just Ellen alone. It would be dangerous if it was just us two. ¡°Eleris, you should integrate yourself into our party as if you were going to the Darklands yourself. You just have to make an excuse; it doesn¡¯t have to be anything detailed.¡± Eleris had already disguised herself as a former adventurer wizard, so we just had to put her in our party. In the end, my ability to rule over demons couldn¡¯t be our insurance. ¡°You could just pretend to be some kind of eccentric wizard and come protect us in case of an emergency.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± I made Eleris our insurance instead. ____ Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Eleris thought about it for a bit before she nodded and said that she would do as I said. Sarkegaar was disguised as a noble, and Loyar was busy running her gang. Eleris, on the other hand, had nothing else to do but run her job that didn¡¯t have much business to begin with, so it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for her to take some time during my vacation. Leaving Eleris¡¯ store, I returned to Temple and handed Charlotte my reply letter. ¡°Thank you as always, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s nothing difficult, after all.¡± It should have been about time that she got used to it, but when I saw Charlotte secretly responding to my messages, she still seemed extremely excited, so I continued to feel guilty. I even made sure that I used different handwriting to write those letters. I felt like a professional scammer. ¡°By the way, about what we wanted to investigate last time¡­ let¡¯s slowly start on that, okay?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ That?¡± The Demon Gods¡¯ Church and the Revolutionary Forces. We had put it off for a long time by then, so I still hadn¡¯t found out anything about them. There was not only the rainy season but also my kidnapping incident. It seemed like she thought that if we put it off any further, it would be our vacation, so it couldn¡¯t be delayed anymore. ¡°¡­What about the final exams?¡± Charlotte looked a little displeased at my mention of the final exams. ¡°Reinhardt¡­ Although you sometimes seem to forget this fact, I¡¯m the Imperial Princess.¡± From my point of view, those two matters were obviously more important than the final exam. ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as serious as I thought. I¡¯m still preparing well enough for the final exam, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Charlotte¡¯s attitude showed that she would do well on something like a mere final exam. ¡°Ah, come to think of it, Reinhardt, you might be concerned about this¡­ Well, should I just go investigate on my own then?¡± Charlotte asked, remembering my grades from the midterm exams. She thought I might be seriously concerned about my grades and all that. Even though I didn¡¯t really look like someone good at studying, I had still reached 1st place, so it looked like I had to completely give up trying to appear like a normal student for the rest of my life, huh. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t really care much about the finals.¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t plan on studying at all. Hearing that the person who ranked first in the midterms decided to more or less throw the finals made her eyes go round. * * * There were rumors that believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church and Revolutionary Forces were hiding inside Temple. I was unsure whether the believers were really here, but Charlotte seemed positive that there were members of the Revolutionary Forces somewhere in the school If one spent a long time in Temple¡¯s special environment, one would inevitably accumulate useless pride and dissatisfaction with the status system itself. It was a place where commoners could see people who were much dumber and inferior to them, although those people were nobles in society and looked down on them condescendingly in the wider world. I¡¯m so much better than that piece of trash, yet they are supposed to be superior to me just because of the parents they got born to? Those were the thoughts that were bound to appear in a place structured like Temple. However, there were no events in the original novel in which conflict between the main cast and the believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church and the Revolutionary Forces happened inside Temple. After all, they either didn¡¯t have an important role right until the end of the story or only existed outside of the main story. Anyway, whoever they might be, they were probably only petty threats because, in the future, there would be one big event that would devour all the small ones. After our common classes on Thursday, Charlotte and I met at a cafe near the class building. ¡°I hate¡­ Swimming¡­¡± ¡°Should we put it off for today?¡± Charlotte shook her head at my words. Her blond hair draped over the table like the tentacles of a jellyfish and fluttered along with her movements. ¡°It¡¯ll be like this every day¡­ If we decide to put it off today, we¡¯ll never get to it¡­¡± PE would always be the last of our common classes. So, after the day¡¯s swimming class, Charlotte could only lie on top of the table like that and mutter. There was my kidnapping incident and other things, but in the end, what prevented us from doing anything was the much harsher PE classes, our swimming classes, to be specific. Monday¡¯s common classes (Swimming) ¡ú Charlotte¡¯s physical strength got completely depleted, so she would be out of order for two days ¡ú Thursday¡¯s common classes (Swimming) ¡ú Charlotte would be out of order for the whole weekend ¡ú Monday¡¯s common classes (Swimming) ¡ú Completely exhausted. Because of this infinite loop, Charlotte was always left completely exhausted. Of course, those swimming classes and her daily morning training together with Scarlett would be a big reason why Charlotte couldn¡¯t replenish her stamina. Still, she was quite harsh to her own body. One couldn¡¯t get a lot better after just a few months, but I believe that her stamina had improved quite a bit by then. Of course, the after-effects of being kidnapped by the Demon King seemed to last quite long as well. Charlotte laboriously lifted her head and took a sip of her lemonade. Sometimes, she really looked just like a doll. ¡°Siiigh¡­¡± At some point, I just went to meet Charlotte without even thinking about Bertus. I had no idea what Bertus was thinking about it all, but it didn¡¯t seem like he planned on causing me any harm. To be honest, if I cared too much about what Bertus might think, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything while living in Temple. I was just trying to make things work, somehow. I figured I was part of Class A and that I was rather capable, so Bertus would need me in the future. I just decided to do what I wanted to do while still walking a tightrope. We weren¡¯t alone in that spacious cafe; some of our seniors were also there. ¡°By the way¡­ how do we even find those who believe in the Demon Gods in all of Temple¡­?¡± Right when Charlotte was about to begin her investigation, it seemed like we had already hit our first roadblock. It seemed like she wanted to look for the believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church first rather than the Revolutionary forces. ¡°Did you find out anything?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ If there was anything suspicious, it would¡¯ve already reached my ears, but there was nothing like that. I mean, if there even are any of them here, they would be a small, hidden group.¡± In the end, she was searching for a needle in a haystack on the premise that this needle was actively trying to hide. Charlotte and I were sitting by the window, so we could see all the people passing by through the glass. -Huh? ¡°!¡± -Reinhardt! ¡°Ah, shit.¡± So, naturally, I ended up making eye contact with a particular passer-by. ¡°¡­What¡¯s the matter?¡± Charlotte tilted her head, wondering why I was acting like that all of a sudden. Ah. I saw someone I really didn¡¯t want to meet right then. The person I made eye contact with boldly entered the store, whereas others would have just gone on their way. ¡°Reinhardt! It has been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡± The one I made eye contact with was Olivia Lanze, the 5th year who had told everyone that she would marry me after I graduated and that no one should lay hands on me. * * * * * * * * * Olivia Lanze wasn¡¯t on her own. She was together with Ceres van Owen, another fifth-year student (and the student council president). ¡°¡­Why did you come here?¡± ¡°Why, how could I just pretend not to know my most beloved junior?¡± -Rub, rub Olivia sat very close to me, hugged me, and rubbed my cheek. ¡°H-hey, don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Why- Don¡¯t I smell good?¡± ¡°Please¡­ Go away.¡± ¡°Hehe, I guess this is a bit much for you, huh? You¡¯re a man as well, after all, right?¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± ¡®Don¡¯t do this to me, lady!¡¯ Not only Charlotte, but the student council president who came with her, looked a little shocked seeing Olivia¡¯s frivolous behavior. What Charlotte¡¯s expression showed: What the hell is this? What the student council president¡¯s expression showed: Why did she become like this? That was what I thought their expressions meant, at least. ¡°Oh, the Princess was also here. Hello, my name is Olivia Lanze, a fifth-year student.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Feel free to call me Charlotte¡­I heard a lot about you.¡± Charlotte¡¯s face held a bizarre expression seeing the weird actions and personality of the person in front of her. ¡°A lot? What did you hear about me? Did Reinhardt talk about me?¡± This immediately piqued Olivia¡¯s interest. Why did she have to keep making those kinds of comments?! ¡°¡­No. I didn¡¯t hear about you from Reinhardt but from other sources¡­¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Olivia, on the other hand, just stared at me as if she was completely uninterested in what Charlotte had to say. ¡°Reinhardt, why aren¡¯t you telling others about me?¡± ¡°And why the hell should I talk to others about you, my senior?!¡± ¡°Why? You have to tell others that I¡¯ll be your future wife. Isn¡¯t that something to be proud of?¡± ¡°Why would I say that?!¡± It was really hard to deal with her. I felt like I was about to go crazy! When I said that, Olivia glanced at Charlotte opposite of her and smiled darkly. ¡®What¡¯s with her?¡¯ ¡®So she could make a face like that as well?¡¯ ¡°Hey, Reinhardt, there were rumors going around in Temple that said you had a lot of girls around you, right?¡± ¡°And whose fault do you think this is?!¡± It was because she was flirting with me so aggressively that I landed in all that mess with that newspaper club! ¡°Looks like I have a lot of formidable rivals. I thought things would be easy.¡± No matter if Olivia was a senior, it was still the Imperial Princess she was staring at, she even looked a bit mischievous. Rivals? It might seem that way. However, why would a Princess want to marry a beggar? Wasn¡¯t that basically a crime? After she abandoned her saint title, she always went too far. Charlotte was puzzled by Olivia¡¯s provocative gaze. ¡°????¡± ¡®What kind of reaction should I have to this treatment?¡¯ Charlotte¡¯s brain seemed to have completely shut down. * * * ¡°Reinhardt is my friend.¡± Charlotte spoke calmly after she regained her composure. ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s good then.¡± Olivia leaned even closer to me as if she had just gotten permission to do so. Seeing that, Charlotte only smiled subtly. ¡°He isn¡¯t just a mere friend¡­ he¡¯s my precious friend.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°So I would ask you to not trouble my friend any further.¡± At Charlotte¡¯s polite request, Olivia seemed to ponder for a bit, pouted, and let go of me. I was really about to go crazy. I disliked Olivia¡¯s frivolous behavior the most. ¡°Reinhardt, you sure are popular, aren¡¯t you?¡± Charlotte looked at me with a subtle smile decorating her lips. I felt a chill run down my spine for some reason. W-what¡­? What¡¯s going on? Was I wrong, or was there a subtle war of nerves going on between Olivia and Charlotte? Was I just being delusional? Charlotte only cared about Valier, right? Although that was also me. Urg. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Charlotte. The president usually isn¡¯t like this. She only acts this rude if it concerns Reinhardt. I hope you can accept this as an apology.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The student council president brought over drinks and desserts to the table and sat down. ¡®When the hell did she order all this?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m not acting rude; I¡¯m just expressing my affection, Ceres.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying you¡¯re being rude.¡± Charlotte tilted her head when she heard the word ¡®president¡¯ come out of her mouth. ¡°But aren¡¯t you the president?¡± She was puzzled as to why Ceres, who was the student council president, called someone else president. ¡°Ah, she is the president of the club I¡¯m part of.¡± The president of the president. Olivia raised her shoulders in pride. ¡°Hmpf! I¡¯m also Reinhardt¡¯s president!¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t sign up for the club, though.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a quasi-member!¡± ¡®Who decided that!¡¯ ¡°Reinhardt, you¡¯re in a club?¡± ¡°No, no¡­ I only went there once.¡± Seeming as if she had never heard of that before, Charlotte gazed at Olivia this time. ¡°Which club is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a religious club. Its name is Grace. Of course, I¡¯m not a believer anymore, though!¡± A religious club¡¯s president being a non-believer¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ That¡¯s what it was.¡± It seemed that Charlotte knew a bit about the religious club, but it seemed hard to believe that someone like that was its president. The incident with Olivia Lanze was quite well known in Temple, so Charlotte shouldn¡¯t be unaware of that information either. Did Charlotte not know why Olivia Lanze was acting like that towards me? I knew that Bertus knew, but what about Charlotte? ¡°By the way, what were you talking about? Something about Reinhardt¡¯s crush? So were you talking about me?¡± ¡°We were talking about the Demon Gods¡¯ Church.¡± As soon as Olivia started to make stupid comments again, Charlotte completely batted them away. In that instant, Olivia¡¯s and Ceres¡¯s expressions stiffened. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 ¡°The Demon Gods¡¯ Church?¡± Ceres looked at me as she asked Charlotte. I obviously remember that there had been a senior talking about the Demon Gods¡¯ Church when I visited Grace. At that time, Ceres gave everyone a strong warning to not talk about it so carelessly when outside. She probably looked at me like that while interrogating Charlotte because she thought I had told her the details. Of course, I hadn¡¯t. ¡°A while ago, I stopped by the newspaper club called Royal Class monthly or Monthly Royal Class or something. Among the articles they released in previous issues, there was an article about rumors about believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church being in Temple.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, the monthly newspaper of the Royal Class?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charlotte hadn¡¯t gotten that information from me but from the members of the newspaper club. When Ceres confirmed that I wasn¡¯t the source, she looked at me rather apologetically and then frowned. ¡°I told them to not spread useless rumors¡­¡± Ceres sighed as if dumbfounded. Except for the article that covered me, it seemed rather clear that no one was reading that monthly newspaper. It seemed like that was her first time hearing about that article. Of course, Charlotte wouldn¡¯t just let go of the matter. ¡°Do you know anything?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ No, I don¡¯t¡­ know anything about that.¡± Ceres did know something, but she didn¡¯t want to reveal anything, which was obvious. She had previously said that if we talked about the Demon Gods¡¯ Church carelessly, people might get severely punished or even die. Since the Imperial Princess was digging about this matter, it was clear that the student council president wouldn¡¯t want to tell us anything else. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Of course, Charlotte didn¡¯t seem to believe her. ¡°Ceres, there¡¯s no point in hiding this from them.¡° However, before Charlotte could even say anything, Olivia opened her mouth. ¡°Pre-president! What are you talking about!¡± It seemed that not only Ceres knew something about it, but Olivia as well. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the Princess; if we don¡¯t tell her, she¡¯ll find out through some other means.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Even if they hid it, the Princess would find a way to get to the bottom of it. It was completely meaningless to hide anything from us. Ceres¡¯s face turned red as she immediately got caught lying in front of the Imperial Princess. ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about, so I don¡¯t really mind that you lied¡­ As long as you tell me what you know.¡± Charlotte seemed to have roughly guessed that Ceres was worried about innocent people getting taken in by some inquisitors and ending up dying. As Olivia already revealed that she knew, Ceres just sighed, wrote something down on a notepad, and handed it over to us. ¡°Here, it¡¯s really not such a big deal, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Exodium That was what Ceres wrote down on the note. * * * After Ceres and Olivia left, we just sat quietly in the cafe. ¡°This really seems like nothing, but it¡¯s incredibly suspicious.¡± Of course, we had been told some bizarre information about the club. ¡°They only get together on Saturday nights, and¡ªexcept for the president¡ªthe members don¡¯t know each other¡¯s identities.¡± Club activities were often held during weekends, but club members of any club would also usually meet up during the week as well. It was incredibly suspicious. It was supposed to be nothing? Even if they weren¡¯t believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church, they could easily be misunderstood as some. [Exodium] That seemed to be the name of this club that got misunderstood as part of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church by a great number of people. It gave off the strong impression of a closed-off secret society. It had been said that the club¡¯s purpose was to ¡®study special phenomena¡¯, but I didn¡¯t know what ¡®special phenomena¡¯ was supposed to be. There were just too many suspicious points about that club. ¡°They aren¡¯t accepting any new members¡­ so we have to disguise ourselves as one of their members.¡± Charlotte seemed to think that there wouldn¡¯t be any reason not to infiltrate it, as it was very suspicious. It seemed like she was already planning on how to investigate the club. ¡°I could ask the Temple student council president to give me their roster, but¡­ That would be a bit daunting.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m the Imperial Princess, I¡¯m just an ordinary student in Temple, so I have no authority to order around Temple¡¯s student council president. Of course, I could put pressure on them, but in doing so, other problems might occur if we anger them.¡± Since matters regarding clubs were under the Temple¡¯s student council¡¯s management, teachers weren¡¯t allowed to touch that information carelessly. Even Ceres wouldn¡¯t be able to get their roster, as it was a regular school club, not a club of Royal Class. In fact, Ceres had told me that she had heard ¡°from Temple¡¯s student council president¡± that the club wasn¡¯t anything dangerous. In the end, Ceres didn¡¯t investigate the club personally. So, Charlotte wouldn¡¯t have any justification whatsoever for asking Temple¡¯s student council president to hand her that roster. Temple students were granted autonomy, so such an event would show that the Imperial Family was infringing on that. Therefore, if we angered the president of Temple¡¯s student council, they would end up in a big conflict with Charlotte right then and there. They were the student council president of more than 100,000 students, so they had more than enough justification and the right to do so. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t like she couldn¡¯t do anything about it, but it wouldn¡¯t end well. The president seemed to respect the autonomy of that club called Exodium. I crossed my arms and sighed. ¡°You say it isn¡¯t anything suspicious? There¡¯s hardly anything that is not suspicious about them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying¡­¡± It was impossible to just join and spy on them. It was rather unlikely that it would be seen as reasonable to ask for their roster and look through the club¡¯s members. ¡°Based on what we found out, they¡¯ll have a gathering somewhere in the club building on Saturday night, right?¡± Charlotte nodded at what I said. ¡°Then how about we just go there and eavesdrop on them?¡± I grinned. ¡°I have pretty good ears.¡± My hearing enhancement should be enough to eavesdrop on what they were discussing in there. * * * * * * Friday passed, and then it was Saturday. ¡°Are you ready?¡± The sun had already set, so the two of us got ready to leave. Both Charlotte and I were wearing hooded capes. It had been said that Exodium¡¯s club room was located in Temple, which had a building exclusive for clubs. Since that building was used by more than 100,000 Temple students for their club activities, it was probably rather big. However, I had never come across it. Charlotte and I got on the tram and headed to the club building. It was late at night, so most of the tram passengers were staff members with only a handful of students. ¡°I sure hope this is nothing, like the seniors said.¡± ¡°It should be.¡± There were more than one or two clubs that seemed rather suspicious. The best-case scenario would be that the club was harmless. If they were found out to be real worshippers of the Demon Gods, the club and Temple¡¯s student council president would have to be held accountable. The tram soon came to a halt in front of a cluster of club buildings. Charlotte seemed slightly surprised as she saw the club buildings occupying a large area. ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t think that club will be the only one that holds their club activities at night, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± There were some sports-related clubs that practiced at night, so there were quite a few students practicing in the stadium, which was flooded in light. In fact, I could see many rooms inside the club buildings with their lights turned on. I even heard singing and the sound of instruments getting played from some places. There were many people passionate not only about their life at Temple, but also their hobbies. I know I¡¯d that Temple is a vast place, but my main focus usually lay on the Royal Class, and I hardly described anything about outside clubs and such. Therefore, that scene was like some additional setting I had never planned out. It was a really strange feeling. ¡°Supposedly, Exodium is located on the third story of that building over there.¡± Charlotte pointed towards one of the buildings and walked towards one that looked similar to our class building. ¡°Do you see them?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± As the time for Exodium¡¯s club activity drew nearer, we could vaguely make out some students in robes entering the building. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Charlotte seemed like she was thinking about something as she looked at those figures covered in robes. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Hm? N-no, it¡¯s just¡­ I thought that all of them looked so small.¡± As Charlotte said, the people wearing these black robes, hiding their appearances, actually seemed pretty small. The place was a three-story building, structured similarly to our class building, but it somehow seemed completely different as well¡ªperhaps because it was one of the club buildings. Not only were miscellaneous unidentifiable pieces of furniture lined up in the hallway, but each door had the name of a club written next to it. It was one of the places some of the 100,000 people pursuing their hobbies gathered, so it was only natural that there were multiple buildings and that their interiors were kind of messy wasn¡¯t really surprising either. Some people were definitely pursuing their club activities at night, but things seemed a lot calmer than they would be during the day. Charlotte and I went to the second floor, not the third. We planned to eavesdrop on them from right below Exodium¡¯s clubroom. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t any club members present in that second-floor room. ¡°I think it¡¯s nearly time¡­ How is it? Can you hear any sounds?¡± I could hear that people were gradually gathering above us. I could clearly hear footsteps around the hallway above. -Black. -Trumpet. I heard something like a conversation. A short one made up of only single words. After a while, I heard the exact same words. -Black. -Trumpet. Since the conversation had been repeated twice, I had an idea about what they were doing. ¡°¡­What are those bastards up to?¡± I was speechless, and Charlotte looked at me, wondering what had happened. ¡°They are using passwords or something.¡± ¡°¡­Passwords?¡± Black, Trumpet. Those guys made passwords for some simple club? At the word ¡®password¡¯, Charlotte also went speechless for a bit. ¡°I can¡¯t hear anything from that room. I don¡¯t think they are talking.¡± Not only that, but they didn¡¯t seem to utter even a single word during that gathering. Whenever a person went in, I could only hear the password back-and-forth. It was already past the time their activities were supposed to start. I could no longer hear anyone say the password again. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t hear anything anymore.¡± Charlotte tilted her head at my words. ¡°They gathered together but aren¡¯t saying anything?¡± ¡®It¡¯s been a while, but they aren¡¯t talking? What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡¯ Charlotte didn¡¯t seem to understand. However, that wasn¡¯t it. ¡°¡­No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s like that.¡± I didn¡¯t know how many people were already in the room beforehand, but I did hear the password conversation five times. That meant that there were at least five people in there. ¡°There are more than six people in there, but I can¡¯t hear anything¡­ no dragging of chairs or even a cough.¡± There was no sound at all coming from the direction I presumed the club room to be at. ¡°¡­I think they cast noise canceling magic on that room.¡± It was clear that they had cast something like that on the room to prevent any of their conversations from leaking out. ¡°What?¡± ¡®Why the hell did no one find this suspicious?¡¯ Charlotte¡¯s expression distorted. ____ Chapter 144 Chapter 144 They used passwords to enter and cast noise canceling magic on the room. That club called Exodium was filled to the brim with suspicious things. ¡°Could it be that the student council president is also involved in this club?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a possibility. The Royal Class¡¯ student council president also said that there shouldn¡¯t be any problem with this group, but she clearly didn¡¯t know the truth.¡± I nodded at Charlotte¡¯s valid doubts. I didn¡¯t know who Temple¡¯s student council president was, but why were they covering for such a suspicious club? Charlotte and I were in the hallway just downstairs from the club room where those guys were doing who-knows-what. We were thinking about how we could find out what they were doing there. ¡°I could just open their door and ask them what¡¯s going on, but¡­¡± Charlotte seemed to be contemplating some rather risky methods. Since eavesdropping had become impossible, we had to come up with some other method, but would they fess up just because we asked them? Such a method would be rather extreme, after all. ¡°We could wait for them to finish their activities and then grab one of them and make them spit it out.¡± I came up with another risky one. They wouldn¡¯t stay in there forever; after all, they were bound to come out eventually. If we caught one of them and interrogated them, we would easily find out what that club Exodium was up to. ¡°Hmm¡­ In the end, both of these methods involve violence, so we should prepare to receive disciplinary actions if this really is nothing.¡± I nodded at Charlotte¡¯s words. Disciplinary actions would be fine as long as they didn¡¯t involve expulsion. I had already been branded as a troublemaker anyway. Charlotte and I leaned against the window at the end of the second floor¡¯s hallway, thinking about what we should do. ¡°¡­I guess they weren¡¯t at capacity yet.¡± ¡°What?¡± Charlotte pointed out the window. There was a student covered in a black robe walking into the building. A late student, sure enough¡­ ¡®No, wait a minute.¡¯ ¡°¡­Come to think of it, didn¡¯t they say that the members don¡¯t know each other?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, what about it?¡± The student council president said that they didn¡¯t know each other personally because they wore robes at their gatherings. ¡°Why don¡¯t I just go instead of that guy?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± I already knew the password after eavesdropping. ¡°No. There¡¯s too big a height difference. You¡¯ll definitely get caught. Additionally, the president of the club surely memorized that person¡¯s voice.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just say that I recently recovered from a cold or something?¡± ¡°¡­Do you think the president who even went so far as to use passwords for his club would believe that?¡± Charlotte¡¯s attitude was rather negative towards my undercover infiltration plan. In the end, the best decision I could come up with in that situation was catching one of their guys after their club activities were over. -Clack And then both Charlotte and I saw a door to the second-floor hallway on the far side opening up. I didn¡¯t care if we were seen by people, as long as they weren¡¯t the guys from the third floor. However, as Charlotte saw that person coming into the hallway, she tilted her head. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that Detto?¡± He was still far away, but I could still recognize him. It was Number B-8, Dettomolian. * * * B-9, Dettomolian, his talents were witchcraft and supernatural abilities. Along with Scarlett, he was one of the people that most of Class B avoided. Of course, thanks to Charlotte¡¯s protection, Scarlett was no longer bullied, but it didn¡¯t seem that they had much contact with Dettomolian yet. He was the type that people felt reluctant to get close to¡ªa creepy and eerie aura surrounded him. His hair was always messy, dark circles framed his eyes, and he was as skinny as a stick and seemed like a dried anchovy. Scarlett was labelled an outcast just because, but Dettomolian¡­ he actually makes you feel uncomfortable. It was that kind of deal. In fact, he would often see ghosts and say some really creepy things. Why was he there at that hour? ¡°Detto!¡± Of course, Charlotte, who was sweet and kind to most¡ªexcept for Bertus¡ªimmediately ran down the hallway as if she was pleased to see Dettomolian and called out to him. What did she mean by ¡®Detto¡¯? Was that his nickname? ¡­She never called me such cute nicknames. ¡°¡­Charlotte.¡± When Charlotte called out to him, Dettomolian moved his dried, skinny body to look at her. ¡°I was wondering why you left every weekend at night. Are you in a club?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Charlotte tended to look at people with gentle eyes, smiling as if she didn¡¯t feel an ounce of discomfort. I approached him because Charlotte was there, but that was kind of creepy in a different sense. ¡°What club are you in?¡± -Point Dettomolian pointed towards the door he came out of instead of answering. [Occult Research Department] It was kind of obvious that it would be that kind of club. I once again realized that the members of Class B, who weren¡¯t part of the main cast, were busy doing various things outside of the story that I had no idea about. Dettomolian definitely wasn¡¯t among the guys that got close to Ludwig in his first year. He was just the slightly creepy kid of the class. After having such a ghost-like presence in the story, he would later gain some more weight in it. ¡°Ah. Tha-that¡¯s right¡­¡± As Charlotte saw the sign of the Occult Research Department, she let out an awkward laugh. Although I always kind of thought it when I saw him, facing him like that sure felt like seeing a living skeleton. Wasn¡¯t he eating well? How was he even able to successfully go through Temple¡¯s strength training? No, it was also my fault. It was clear that his constitution didn¡¯t allow him to gain much weight because I set him up to be the skinniest anchovy there was. I¡¯m sorry, my friend. He slowly dragged his skinny body towards the bathroom. He was someone who took care of his needs first, no matter if the Princess stood before him or not. It was nigh impossible to guess what he was thinking, and he always did things at his own pace. That was the type of guy Dettomolian was. ¡°Hey, wouldn¡¯t Detto know about this?¡± Why did Charlotte call him by that nickname? Why was I getting annoyed for no reason? Was I jealous? Of course, Charlotte didn¡¯t seem to have any particular reason behind it. Anyway, Charlotte¡¯s question of whether Dettomolian knew about the suspicious club was quite valid, as they had their clubrooms in the same building. ¡°Let¡¯s ask him.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± Soon, he came back from the bathroom. ¡°Detto, do you have some time? Could we talk for a bit?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The guy answered with silence before pointing towards the clubroom. I thought he meant that we should talk inside the room. ¡°¡­Are there any other club members around? Won¡¯t we get in the way?¡± He shook his head at Charlotte¡¯s words. ¡°¡­I¡¯m alone.¡± He was doing his club activities all on his own. The club¡¯s research topic was the occult. ¡°I-I-is that so?¡± Charlotte and I felt a slight chill run down our spines. * * * * * * * * * -Clack Charlotte and I followed after Dettomolian, who opened the door to the Occult Research Department. ¡°Uhmm¡­¡± All lights were turned off, and the dark curtains were drawn, even though it was already night. The only light source in the room was a single candle placed in the middle of the room. Something like a circle was drawn around the candle. It definitely didn¡¯t look like a magic circle¡­ it somehow seemed too hideous to be one. It seemed to be drawn with something red, but that surely wasn¡¯t blood, right? ¡°Hey, it¡¯s a little too dark. Can I turn the lights on?¡± Charlotte asked cautiously. ¡°¡­Then the ceremony would be over.¡± He didn¡¯t explain just what he was doing there. Charlotte¡¯s lips began to tremble slightly. He didn¡¯t say what kind of ceremony he was holding or whether we could turn on the lights or not. If you want to talk about it, then explain everything, you bastard! I couldn¡¯t even tell him that because I was afraid that I¡¯d get cursed if I touched him. ¡­Ah. Wasn¡¯t I acting just like Erich, who had bullied poor little Scarlett because he thought she was cursed? Let¡¯s not be prejudiced¡­ Let¡¯s not be prejudiced¡­ Let¡¯s not be prejudiced¡­ I¡¯m an adult. ¡°So¡­ So you¡¯re saying I shouldn¡¯t, right?¡± ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t matter. I can just do it again later. It took about a week, though¡­¡± ¡°A-as I thought, I shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t exactly sure, but it seemed that Charlotte gave up on the idea of turning on the lights, thinking that if she turned on the wrong lights, Dettomolian¡¯s week-long hard work would get completely ruined. Before sitting down in front of the candle, he dragged some chairs close to it. ¡°¡­Sit here.¡± Maybe because the atmosphere in the room was just too eerie or maybe because of his words, a strange feeling of fear crept up, telling me that something bad would happen if I sat anywhere else but there. ¡°O-ookay¡­¡± Charlotte. I could read her exact thoughts at that moment. She probably also thought that the occult research department, which only Dettomolian was part of, was a lot more suspicious than that Exodium, right? Charlotte and I sat exactly where Dettomolian told us to sit. ¡°Are you¡­ The only club member?¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m recruiting members¡­ No one is joining.¡± Like hell anyone was gonna join, you punk! That place¡­ beyond just feeling eerie, it actually felt like something would pop out at any moment. Just looking at those strange tools illuminated by that single candle gave me goosebumps. It seemed like Dettomolian had created the club on his own. Keeping that in mind, Charlotte had another question to ask him that didn¡¯t pertain to the creepy atmosphere in the place. ¡°Well¡­ Can you actually create a club by yourself, though? Wasn¡¯t it required to gather at least a certain number of people first¡­?¡± Yeah. It should have been impossible to create a club all alone. There should be a requirement of a minimum number of members, right? ¡°¡­I can.¡± Charlotte tilted her head at his bizarre words when he told us that he could do it while no one else could. ¡°¡­Temple¡­ Can¡¯t teach me witchcraft¡­ so I self-study here¡­ This is just like¡­ my private study room¡­¡± ¡°Aah¡­ Certainly¡­¡± Charlotte nodded her head, seemingly having understood his reasons. I wasn¡¯t all that familiar with Dettomolian, but I had described him in the novel. His talents lay in witchcraft and supernatural abilities, but Temple had no curricula related to witchcraft because it was like a super ancient type of magic that wasn¡¯t really practiced anymore. Dettomolian didn¡¯t actually have to go to Temple, but he still did to comfortably study and research his magic with the school¡¯s support. Hence, Temple let him create the club for his own convenience to study his witchcraft. They couldn¡¯t teach him, so they just let him self-study as his major. That was why he could create a club while being the only club member. ¡­Dettomolian didn¡¯t get taught how to use his type of magic, but later on, he would still manage to use it very skillfully. I didn¡¯t give any reason for that whatsoever, so this background setting that he self-studied in the one-person club was created. However, it wasn¡¯t one of Royal Class¡¯ internal clubs, but a general one¡­ He wanted to have more members. It was pretty much impossible to secure any more members from the Royal Class, as there was only a very limited number of students. It seemed pretty much impossible to gain any more members because of the research topic of this club and what he was actually doing. It seemed pretty serious as well. If someone went along with that guy, a ghost might really pop up one day. He might even end up saying something like, ¡° And that¡¯s how you do it. It might be a bit dangerous now.¡± ¡°B-but¡­ Does that mean you¡¯re trying to call a real¡­ ghost?¡± Wasn¡¯t it much more dangerous that someone was trying to summon real ghosts on campus rather than those who might be believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church? Charlotte seemed to seriously contemplate whether she should shift her focus on that place instead Exodium or not. ¡°Ghosts are everywhere already¡­ I¡¯m not calling them¡­ It feels more like they are already here¡­¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ Calling would be the wrong word¡­¡± Ah, I felt like I was about to go crazy¡­ ¡°Of course¡­It¡¯s not necessarily wrong either¡­ Because this ritual¡­ makes them flock to this place¡­¡± There were already a lot of ghosts around us; however, Charlotte and I couldn¡¯t see or feel them. At that moment, Charlotte grabbed my hand gently. ¡°!¡± I guess she grabbed it unconsciously, as she seemed more surprised than me and immediately let go. It looked like she got scared. However, I didn¡¯t know how to fight ghosts either¡­ I¡¯m actually¡­ really weak against jump scares¡­ Even in a fantasy world, I felt like I would get a heart attack if I ever came across a real ghost. Those were the things I hated most in the world¡­ [You have found out the truth about the Ghosts of Temple.] [Quest Completed ¨C The Phantom of Temple] [You have been rewarded 300 achievement points.] ¡°U-uwark, fuck!¡± ¡°Wh-wh-wh-whaaat? What happened?!¡± I was so surprised by that quest completion window that I jumped up suddenly. ____ Chapter 145 Chapter 145 When I suddenly jumped up like that, Charlotte looked at me, her face completely white, seeming as if her soul was about to leave her body. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s wrong¡­ Wha-what happened?¡± ¡°I-I suddenly saw something go past my eyes just now¡­¡± ¡°Eeek!¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t a ghost that I had seen, but Charlotte¡¯s complexion seemed to go even paler at my words. I didn¡¯t know Charlotte was so afraid of ghosts. No, even someone who was immune to horror was sure to jump up from their seats in such an eerie place¡ªit was tremendously creepy there. I was grateful for the achievement points, but that hadn¡¯t just sent me that quest completion announcement like that to scare me, right? If something like that popped out all of a sudden, of course I¡¯d get surprised! Anyway, while trying to find out the truth about the Demon Gods¡¯ Church, I ended up completing the quest related to ghosts in that strange place. Ghosts were everywhere. However, we couldn¡¯t perceive them. The fact that the quest was completed after I heard Dettomolian¡¯s words meant that he was telling the truth. Ah. Hehe. Right. Ghosts were already everywhere around us, huh? I wished I didn¡¯t know about that, but because I did, I felt like something would pop up behind me if I slept with my back to the windows. -Shake, shake, shake ¡°Re-Reinhardt¡­ Calm down.¡± Charlotte placed her hand on my thigh when she noticed that my legs were shaking quite intensely. Rather than reassuring her, I had gotten even more scared than her! I got more objective answers to it because of that system message! ¡°Ghosts¡­ don¡¯t usually harm others¡­¡± So you¡¯re saying there are situations in which they harm people, you bastard! Dettomolian. I felt even more exhausted than I expected to be when we actually ended up talking. I felt I understood why people avoided him¡­ I knew it wasn¡¯t his fault, though. Don¡¯t just put the truth others wouldn¡¯t want to hear into their brains! ¡°By the way¡­ There was something you wanted to ask.¡± ¡°A-ah¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Our original purpose was to ask about that club called, Exodium. However, it felt like we had tried to enter a rat¡¯s den to catch some rats but actually found out that a cobra was living there. We had found a place that seemed to be even more dangerous and insidious than Exodium. ¡°A-above this place¡­ There¡¯s a club called Exodium¡­ Do you know about it?¡± Still, since we had to do something about our original purpose, Charlotte plucked up her courage and asked him the question. Dettomolian nodded his head at the word Exodium. ¡°It¡¯s the place¡­ Upstairs.¡± It seemed like he knew because both he and Exodium held their activities at night. Charlotte perked up a bit, thinking that she might get a clue out of him. ¡°Oh really? Do you know what the members of the club are doing?¡± That guy didn¡¯t seem like someone that would be interested in his surroundings, though. I was sure that he didn¡¯t know much about it. ¡°¡­I signed up for it.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± However, his answer was completely different from what I expected. * * * It seemed that Dettomolian was initially trying to find some people that studied in the same field as himself rather than forming a club of his own. There were a lot of clubs, and there were even more people with varied interests, after all. However, spirits and witchcraft were quite the niche interest, and as he was digging through the list of clubs, it seemed that the club called Exodium caught his eye. On the surface, the purpose of that club was the ¡®Study of special phenomena¡¯, so Dettomolian wouldn¡¯t have had any other choice but to get interested in it. Witchcraft and spirits could also be seen as special phenomena, after all. ¡°Their conditions for membership were quite strict¡­ and it was a bit vague, but I was able to sign up¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know how the hell he managed to sign up, but Dettomolian somehow seemed to be a member of the club. ¡°So? What kinds of activities did you do there?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dettomolian slightly tilted his head to the side as if pondering something. ¡°They don¡¯t research special phenomena¡­ They are just weird kids.¡± How weird were those guys for him to call them weird? Dettomolian began to explain things about the members. ¡°See¡­ There are some kids who believe that the power of darkness sleeps within them¡­ There were some who said that they were the reincarnation of dragons but lost their memories¡­ Some said that they were the successors of the Great Devil who rebelled against the heavens and got banished¡­ Those people always fight with some guy who says he¡¯s the reincarnation of an angel¡­¡± No. What? ¡°¡­?¡± Charlotte seemed a little confused as if she didn¡¯t properly understand what he was talking about. ¡°Anyway¡­ They are just weird¡­¡± I was wondering why those guys were so short¡­ Wasn¡¯t that just a club for middle school students with 8th-grade syndrome, then? Were they role-playing? Did they cast noise cancellation magic on the room to prevent others from making fun of them for what they were doing? Charlotte began to organize her thoughts with a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°So¡­ That club called Exodium is¡­ for people who think they have amazing powers to get together and talk about things concerning their circumstances, but in reality, they are just¡­ How should I put this? Is there a word to express this¡­?¡± ¡°Role-playing.¡± ¡°Roleplaying? R-right¡­ Role-playing¡­ That¡¯s what that club is for?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes shook violently as if she felt that what she was talking about was completely absurd. ¡°Why would they¡­ want to do something like that?¡± What¡¯s the matter with them!? Charlotte didn¡¯t seem to understand why those guys were doing those kinds of things. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Even Dettomolian didn¡¯t know why they did it¡ªhe didn¡¯t have 8th-grade syndrome after all. N-no, I mean¡­ Still¡­ Didn¡¯t they ever think something like ¡®¡­Maybe I¡¯m actually someone special?¡¯ when they were in middle school? Was it something so bad? Did they never have such thoughts? Was it just me? Did they really not understand such a manner of thought? Seriously? Was I actually closer to those Exodium guys than those two¡­? ¡°Those kids talk about having the power of darkness and being beings of pure darkness, so there are a lot of rumors that they are believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church¡­¡± Charlotte nodded her head blankly as if she finally understood why those absurd accusations of that Exodium club being filled with worshippers of the Demon Gods became so widespread. Some of what they were talking about leaked to the outside. The Exodium members were all kids inflicted with 8th-grade syndrome, so they would sometimes say some strange things about being evil or being an existence of pure darkness, which is why rumors about them being believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church cropped up. That was the moment I also realized why Temple¡¯s student council president and Royal Class¡¯ student council president didn¡¯t tell anyone the details about the club and had just said that it was nothing big. They were trying to protect the integrity of Exodium¡¯s members. They didn¡¯t announce it properly because they were afraid that the members get teased if such things were revealed! Temple¡¯s student council president¡­ I didn¡¯t know them, but they were actually a good person! ¡°I feel empty¡­¡± Charlotte had hoped that it would be nothing big; however, since the situation had actually ended up being nothing to worry about, she sighed as if she was disappointed. The Occult Research Department turned out to be much more dangerous than Exodium. Anyway¡­ We confirmed that Exodium was just a trivial club without even having to go in there. I also completed the related quest of finding out the truth behind the rumors, receiving 300 achievement points. What believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church? There were none in Temple at all. ¡°But why did you leave the club?¡± ¡°¡­When I first went to one of their meetings, they asked me what my hidden power was¡­ So I showed them.¡± Ah. I could already imagine what went down. ¡°All of them started to cry and go crazy¡­¡± The dark circles around Dettomolian¡¯s eyes cast an even deeper shadow. The puzzled Charlotte asked another question. ¡°Wha-what did you show them?¡± ¡°¡­Possession.¡± Crazy bastard. Charlotte¡¯s face went completely pale. ¡°¡­Ah. I-I¡¯m just saying this just in case, okay? You don¡¯t have to show me that skill like ever, okay?¡± That crazy bastard went to a place filled with people faking madness and showed them what real madness looked like. For those guys who were just role-playing and saying things like, ¡°I¡¯m a supreme being of darkness, lol,¡± It wouldn¡¯t be weird that they all ended up peeing their pants after that guy showed them what he could do. Everyone would have fallen into chaos when they were shown the real thing, so Dettomolian didn¡¯t seem to have gone to Exodium again after that. Anyway, the truth was revealed. The rumors about the Demon Gods¡¯ Church were completely fake. ¡°W-well then, Detto¡­ See you at the dorms.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Goodbye¡­¡± However, Charlotte learned about the existence of the Occult Research Department, which seemed to require some countermeasures to be taken against. * * * * * * After leaving the club building, Charlotte and I walked towards the tram stop. ¡°Sigh¡­ I¡¯m glad, but I also feel pretty empty¡­ What is this feeling?¡± Charlotte sighed deeply. If there really were believers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church inside of Temple, that would have been a huge deal, but just like Ceres said, they were nothing more than some role-players. The older they get, the less they would be afflicted by such mannerisms. Charlotte was relieved, but she seemed to also feel disappointed and weirded out that it had amounted to nothing more than that. ¡°Why the hell are they doing such things?¡± ¡°W-well¡­¡± Charlotte didn¡¯t seem to understand why people would do something like that, never having heard of something like that her whole life. She didn¡¯t understand because she had never caught that disease before. I didn¡¯t even have such a bad case of it. So what did cause people to get afflicted by the 8th-grade syndrome? Although I thought about it, I had no clue. And then my thoughts wandered to a completely different place. ¡°Hmm¡­ Come to think of it, actually, I think¡­ I heard about those Exodium guys before.¡± ¡°You heard of them before?¡± When I had listened to what Dettomolian had to say, I remembered where I had heard about people like them. ¡°Yeah, when I took my supernatural power test¡­ we did some experiments using my power.¡± ¡°Aah¡­ Yeah. I know about that.¡± I didn¡¯t know what Charlotte¡¯s supernatural power was, but she nodded her head as if she knew what I was talking about. She probably went through a similar test. ¡°However, the teacher in charge was a little worried about something.¡± ¡°Mrs. Rollandria?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Charlotte and I were part of the class taught by Mrs. Rolandria, who was in charge of anything related to supernatural powers. Perhaps she also knew about Charlotte¡¯s supernatural powers. ¡°Because my ability is self-suggestion¡­ She said that if I was that type of person, things might get really dangerous.¡± ¡°Huh? What kind of person was she¡­ Ah.¡± After thinking a bit about it, Charlotte¡¯s seemed as if she came to a realization. ¡°So if you believed that you were some kind of dark being, that¡¯s what you¡¯d become¡­ So-something like that?¡± The corners of her mouth twitched as she spoke as if she found it just too bizarre. No, it didn¡¯t have to be some dark existence, just something really great. That was how it was. ¡°To be exact, she worried that I would actually become a god if I believed myself to be one¡­ But it was useless to worry about that because my ability didn¡¯t turn out to be so omnipotent.¡± ¡°But why would she worry about something like that?¡± Mrs. Rollendria had clearly told me about a group like that. ¡°Well, some kids seriously and wholly believe that they are some great beings¡­ For example, they believe that they are dragons who lost their memories just for the sake of acting out a character¡­ Some kids are just like that.¡± She had asked me if I was that type of person because that might have led to a lot of trouble. ¡®Well, you know? Sometimes there are some second-year middle school kids who believe they are gods¡­ Seriously¡­ And¡­ if it isn¡¯t gods, it¡¯s some great evil beings¡­There was one who thought he was a dragon who lost his memories¡­ It¡¯s surprisingly common.¡¯ Mrs. Rollendria had certainly said that. Charlotte listened to me with her mouth slightly agape. ¡°Ah¡­ Then what you said¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Teacher¡­ Just what kind of fight had you been fighting in the background? We headed to the tram stop, praying for Mrs. Rollendria¡¯s mental health. Because it was so late at night, only a few people returned after finishing their club activities. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The silence of three people was permeating the tram station. One belonged to me. Another one belonged to Charlotte. ¡°¡­¡± And the last one belonged to Redina, the small senior. She was a second-year student with a magic talent. We didn¡¯t exchange any words. We didn¡¯t even act as if we knew each other. However, when I saw that her face was red with her expression practically begging me not to talk to her¡­ I knew what went on here. She was biting her lips, and I could even see some cold sweat on her forehead. Hm, she had said that she was 15, right? There were 15-year-olds who¡¯d get afflicted with 8th-grade syndrome, right? I didn¡¯t ask her anything. However, there could only be one reason why she acted like that, right? Is that what one meant by, ¡°a guilty conscience needs no accuser¡±? Right. They were wearing robes when they went to the gathering, but when they were going back, it would be less suspicious if they just wore casual clothes, so was that why she wasn¡¯t wearing it at the moment? I could see from behind her that there was a piece of black cloth sticking out of her bag. That made it 100% sure. As I continued to stare at her, her neck slowly turned towards me, moving like a rusty tin doll. ¡°J-ju-ju-ju¡­ Junior¨J? Uhm! Hmm! Ahem! Hm! W-what are you doing here? So late at night? Is¡­ There something wrong¡­?¡± Redina was on her way back from her club activities, feeling ashamed, then she encountered her junior, who shouldn¡¯t have been there. She must have been thinking something like, ¡°What the hell is he doing here?!¡± Put it into other words: it was like meeting a friend from school after coming back from shopping in Akihabara when she was pretending to be a normie in school! It was a rather awkward situation. ¡°Oh, you were here, senior. Hello?¡± Before I could respond, Charlotte responded to her first. ¡°A-ah. P-p-priiincess, thi-thiiis is our first me-meeting, isn¡¯t it?! Ni-ni-nice to meet you¡­¡± ¡°¡­Why are you so nervous?¡± ¡°N-no¡­ I-i-it¡¯s nothing.¡± What should I do? To tease her or not to tease. To tease her or not to tease. ¡°So, what¡¯s your setting? A Dragon? A Devil?¡± The answer was to tease! Redina almost collapsed. ¡°Did you maybe start thinking that you were actually a dragon because you have the no-casting ability¡­?¡± ¡°!!!!¡± It looked like I hit the nail on the head. ____ Chapter 146 Chapter 146 That Dragon role-player I heard Mrs. Rollendria talking about¡­ They were closer to me than I had thought. Even though she did nothing wrong, Redina, who had become my prisoner, went back to the Royal Class Dormitory, stuck between Charlotte and me. Redina didn¡¯t say a single thing, and her face was as pale as a ghost¡¯s. She didn¡¯t even ask me how I had found out. Her expression seemed to convey that she had no other choice but to die. Charlotte looked at Redina, whose soul seemed to have been sucked out when she heard my words, and then she directed her eyes at me. Why did you have to say something like that to her!? Charlotte seemed to admonish me with her eyes. ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s just what kids your age do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was like that too when I was younger! Yeah!¡± ¡°¡­¡± No matter how much I comforted her, Redina, who was completely crushed, didn¡¯t return to her former self. ¡°I mean, just Charlotte and I know about this. I¡¯ll keep it a secret, I swear, okay?¡± Redina was moving like a broken doll. My words didn¡¯t seem to reach her ears. That kid who was smart enough to skip grades actually went to a middle-school club for people with 8th-grade syndrome and did some role-playing. Just imagining that scene made me burst into laughter. ¡°P-pfft! Ah, no¡­ Sorry. I-I just laughed because I suddenly felt something tickle me, not because I find this whole thing hilarious¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± So, even while I was trying to comfort her, a stupid grin kept returning to my face¡ªwhich had the exact opposite effect on Redina. Charlotte didn¡¯t understand why people would role-play such bizarre things, so she didn¡¯t know how to comfort her either. Hence, she just stood there, frozen. Upon arriving at Royal Class¡¯ Dormitory entrance, Redina turned her head towards me. Her face was red, and I could see some tears around her eyes. ¡°D-don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t tell anyone¡­¡± The expression on her face looked so desperate that Charlotte and I had no other choice but to nod our heads. After that, Redina went into the dormitory as if she was running away from us. That was when Charlotte and I made eye contact. ¡°¡­I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± While investigating the rumors about the Demon Gods¡¯ Church¡¯s believers, I came across some completely useless information that one of my seniors had a serious case of 8th-grade syndrome. * * * My early morning workout with Adriana was still going on. However, that day was a bit different from usual. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff.¡± ¡°¡­Why are you having such a hard time with this?¡± Redina was taking part in Adriana¡¯s early morning training with me. Just as all the students with magic talents had a hard time working out, that girl was no different. However, for some reason, she had decided to go exercise with Adriana. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break. I was surprised when Redina asked me to train with her so suddenly.¡± We took a short break, sitting on a nearby bench because of Redina, who couldn¡¯t keep up with us at all because her physical strength was severely lacking. Redina stared at me, completely exhausted. Don¡¯t tell her! Don¡¯t tell her! Her eyes kept signaling this at me. Since she knew that I was doing my morning workout with Adriana, she got worried that I would tell Adriana about the thing I had found out. I didn¡¯t really mean to tell her, but would she still continue to follow us during the workout? Could she even survive that? ¡°Drink some water, Redina.¡± ¡°Huff¡­ O-okay¡­ Huff¡­¡± It was clear that none of Redina¡¯s classmates knew about her club. So she joined my morning workout to keep an eye on me. But wasn¡¯t she more or less Year 2 Class A¡¯s mascot to begin with? Even if her classmates found out, they probably wouldn¡¯t look at her strangely; rather, they would say this trait made her even cuter. Of course, she herself kept on putting pressure on me with her eyes so that I wouldn¡¯t even think about spilling it. After all, having 8th-grade syndrome wasn¡¯t so bad as long as it wasn¡¯t so serious. Most of them knew to some extent that they were just role-playing. Redina wasn¡¯t so deep into her role-play that she needed intervention. It was only a temporary condition, after all. She would be healed after some time passed. * * * There was a problem. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why do you keep following me?!¡± Even though I finished my morning training, that kid didn¡¯t even think about stopping there. As soon as breakfast was over, she came down to the first floor to monitor me closely. As it was Sunday, there were no classes, so she watched while I sparred with Ellen and Cliffman in the training room. ¡°J-just do whatever you usually do. I-I¡¯m just here to watch.¡± She was sweating so obviously. If she was going to be that embarrassed by it, why did she join that kind of club? If she followed me around all Sunday like that, what did she plan on doing the next day? Eventually, I put down my training sword, grabbed Redina, and dragged her out by her arms. After confirming that no one was in the hallway, I looked down at Redina. ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who knows your secret. Charlotte also knows, so why are you only chasing after me?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t think the Princess would tell anyone¡­¡± ¡°So you think I¡¯m a cheap bastard that would just blab around, huh?¡± ¡°Tha-that¡¯s¡­! That¡¯s not it¡­¡± It looked like she didn¡¯t believe my words because of what I had done. It was me, after all, who started teasing her about it. I regret it now. If I knew what a hassle it would be afterwards, I would have just ignored her. It was all my fault, after all. ¡°I won¡¯t tell a soul. You get it? I won¡¯t tell anyone, okay? What would I get out of spreading weird rumors about you?¡± Redina flinched when she saw me glaring at her. ¡°And do you actually think it¡¯s such a big deal for others to find out about that? Those kids over there would just say something like, ¡°I see¡±, and go on with their life if they found out, you know?¡± She wasn¡¯t as amazing as she thought she was! My classmates, who bore much greater secrets, wouldn¡¯t be interested in that at all! Even if they found out that their second-year senior was a role-playing junkie who believed herself to be a dragon, anyone would have a period in their lives where they thought something like that. There wasn¡¯t much to it. ¡­Except for that, it was incredibly weird. Ah. ¡°Re-really¡­ You won¡¯t tell anyone?¡± Redina looked up at me with a desperate expression on her face. Usually, I¡¯d say it was cute, but it seemed more annoying than cute at that moment. ¡®Just get lost, kid!¡¯ ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone, okay?¡± Redina stared at me for a long while before she nodded and put on a warmer expression. ¡°W-well then¡­ L-let¡¯s talk for a bit¡­¡± After promising to keep a secret, that should be the end of it, so what was there to talk about? * * * Eventually, after my training was over, Redina and I headed towards the park near the dormitory. ¡°The only ones who know about this are¡­ You and the Princess, right?¡± Exodium was an anonymous club, so the members didn¡¯t know each other¡¯s identities; they only knew their settings. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your club president know?¡± Didn¡¯t the club¡¯s president know every Exodium member¡¯s identity? At my question, Redina turned red. ¡°¡­I¡¯m the president.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± So she wasn¡¯t just a regular member but had made that den herself. That little Redina, who skipped some classes, seemed to do a lot of strange things. Her face was completely red. ¡°A¡­ Actually. I know this is nonsense. I also know that the members are exaggerating a bit when we gather¡­ But everyone knows that we all gather together for fun¡­¡± Redina also acknowledged that her club was a place where a bunch of role-players gathered, but why was she telling me this? Redina was fidgeting with her fingers as if she was trying to tell me something that she found pretty difficult to say. ¡°W-well, see¡­ I¡¯ve been seriously thinking things like¡­ Aren¡¯t I really a dragon?¡­ things like that.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± What was she saying? My mind went pure static at her sudden words. Had she already surpassed the stage of role-playing? Of course, she seemed to be aware that her thoughts were a little strange. She wasn¡¯t proclaiming it proudly, after all. She didn¡¯t seriously think that she was a dragon but still seriously questioned whether she actually was one. Wasn¡¯t that an incredibly strange thought to have? Did she have a severe case as well as a minor one? Was it even 8th-grade syndrome that she was afflicted with? Redina¡¯s face was so red that it seemed like even her tears would turn red if this went on. She seemed to know that what she was saying was ridiculous and nonsensical. Of course, I could also see that she was pretty serious about it in her own way. She seemed to be really struggling with that idea. She wasn¡¯t just joking around or role-playing. At her gatherings, she would probably say something along the lines of, ¡°I¡¯m a dragon lol¡±, but she seemed to seriously want to consult with me about it. Of course, the topic of the consultation was, ¡°I think I¡¯m a dragon.¡± Any normal counseling wouldn¡¯t be possible at such a point. ¡°What the hell made you think like that?¡± ¡°¡­This.¡± Redina stretched out her hand and summoned sparks, lightning, and some wind. The ability to realize magic spells without casting. No casting. That was Redina¡¯s talent. ¡°They say¡­ Dragons can use magic without casting.¡± Dragons could skip the casting phase and immediately use magic, so she was wondering if she was a dragon as well. ¡°¡­That¡¯s a supernatural power.¡± ¡°N-no. I was told it was unclear whether this was a magic-related talent or a supernatural power.¡± That was what Redina had explained to me before. It was a magic-related talent, but at the same time, it was also a supernatural power, an ability not even Temple knew about. It did seem that calling it a supernatural power related to magic seemed a bit vague¡ªit was a supernatural power that wouldn¡¯t manifest unless one learned magic. ¡°A-also, it¡¯s said that one awakens supernatural powers when one is put in a difficult situation. It wasn¡¯t like that for me. Just¡­ as soon as I learned magic, I could just use it without casting.¡± In most cases, supernatural powers awakened in extreme situations, but there were exceptions to that rule. In Liana¡¯s case, she could naturally use her supernatural powers. Did Redina also make up such an exception? Redina seemed to doubt that her no-casting ability was a supernatural power but was instead a racial characteristic of a dragon. However, just because of a single thing, she suddenly started to believe that she was a dragon? ¡°Is that it? You don¡¯t have a lot of mana, right, senior? Dragons should have a really large magic pool, right?¡± Putting no-casting aside, ff she was a dragon, she would have a lot of magical power, but she seemed to be worried about her low amount of it. ¡°Tha-that¡¯s¡­ Maybe my power got sealed away¡­ or something¡­¡± Redina crawled to a whisper, knowing that what she was saying didn¡¯t have much persuasive power behind it. She seriously seemed to wonder whether she was a dragon who lost all her memories. If one started to believe in things just for the sake of believing, then there was no limit. Once she thought that she was a dragon and started to put some things together, everything would just end up making sense to her. She should have gotten this self-suggestion power, not me. With that kind of thinking, she might even be able to change her race into an actual dragon if she had it. ¡°What about your parents?¡± If the parents who gave birth to Redina were around, then there was no possibility that she was a dragon. Both of her parents would have to be dragons, then. ¡°¡­I came from an orphanage.¡± Redina spoke in a slightly gloomy voice. ¡°Uhm, sorry¡­¡± ¡°No, you said you were the same, right? Anyway, I don¡¯t really remember who my parents were.¡± Redina¡¯s birth was unclear. It was also unclear whether her power was a supernatural power or not. Only these very weak hints made Redina think that she was a dragon. She seemed to explain her lack of magical power with a type of seal put on her body. It was utter nonsense. ¡°I know you must think that this is ridiculous. But¡­¡± ¡°Ah, then you might be a dragon.¡± ¡°!¡± Her pieces of evidence were poor, and her logic was insufficient. ¡°Y-you believe me?¡± ¡°Who said that? I only said that it might be possible that you are.¡± However, I kind of thought that her bizarre delusions might be true. Was she really a dragon? Redina seemed to be happy when I said that she might be right, rather than making fun of her or ridiculing her. ¡°I-I thought¡­ You would make fun of me¡­¡± Redina muttered with her face slightly red. She certainly held quite baseless beliefs, but she seemed to have prepared quite a bit and plucked up all her courage and determination to confess those things to me. ¡°Thank you, junior¡­¡± Whether she actually was a dragon or not wasn¡¯t important. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t acknowledge you¡¯re a dragon, okay? I just heard what you said and thought that maybe there was a tiny possibility that you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Simply because I seriously listened to Redina, she seemed to have been moved. Later, I heard from Eleris that it was impossible to find out whether Redina was a dragon or not if she really had lost all her memories. Of course, Eleris affirmed that dragons were monsters that only existed in legends. ____ Chapter 147 Chapter 147 We were able to find out the truth behind the rumors of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church, but we found nothing on the Revolutionary Forces. We were pressed for time. And¡ªbecause of how our last investigation had ended¡ªCharlotte seemed to think that even if there was some truth to those rumors, it wouldn¡¯t be anything serious. Redina treated me quite friendly whenever we saw each other. She seemed to be quite grateful that I had listened to her to the end without making fun of her ridiculous story. ¡°These are the results of the final exam. Please check over them.¡± The final exam period was finally over. 1st ¨C Ellen 2nd ¨C Louis Ankton 3rd ¨C Bertus de Gardias ¡­ 7th ¨C Harriet de Saint-Owan 8th ¨C Reinhardt Since I didn¡¯t study, my grades obviously fell. Still, 8th place wasn¡¯t all that bad. It was almost right in the middle, right? Everyone stared at me when they saw that the former first-place fell to eighth place. All of them were wondering if my luck had run out. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no way someone like him could study well.¡± That was what those who hated me probably thought. ¡°Hah! Last time you made fun of me for being placed eighth, but this time you¡¯re in eighth place! I won, right?¡± Harriet probably remembered that I had teased her after our midterms, so when she saw that her grades were better, she immediately returned the favor. ¡°Wow, you remembered that? What a petty person you are, oh Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°What? Pe-pe¡­ Petty?¡± ¡°Yeah, you small-minded idiot.¡± ¡°Small-minded?! Did you just call me a small-minded idiot?¡± ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°E-eek! J-just admit that you aren¡¯t good at studying!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not good at it; I didn¡¯t do it to begin with. If I had studied, I would have beaten you easily. Oh, and did you know? Taking the mid-term exam into consideration, your score average is still lower than mine, you know? Huh? Didn¡¯t you lose again, then?¡± ¡°Tha-that¡­ can¡¯t be¡­¡± For our midterms, I got ranked first, and for the finals, I got ranked eighth while she got ranked seventh. Harriet¡¯s overall score for the first semester was irrefutably lower than mine. When I informed her of that fact, Harriet¡¯s complexion turned pale. She tried to tease me, thinking that she had won while she actually lost. Harriet always ended up taking a hit when she tried arguing with me. I didn¡¯t even dislike it anymore, and it just made her cuter when she argued with me like that. No matter what she said, I had no intention of seriously fighting with her, so she would always end up losing. ¡°Number 11, Number 4, be quiet.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± At Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s words, both Harriet and I quieted down. In the end, the final exam followed the original novel¡¯s development with Ellen in first and Ludwig in last place. Charlotte seemed to have been beaten by Bertus because of her lacking physical strength. Their performance at Temple mattered greatly, but it was just too disadvantageous for Charlotte to surpass Bertus. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ll have vacation starting next week. Royal Class won¡¯t give you any specific exercises to do during that time, but we hope that you will spend it as meaningfully as possible.¡± Mr. Epinhauser wasn¡¯t one for long speeches. I could see that everyone got really excited at the word ¡®vacation¡¯. No matter how great Royal Class¡¯s environment was, it was still best to take a break from everything. ¡°Number 2 and Number 11, please follow me to the office.¡± Mr. Epinhauser ended his closing ceremony by calling Ellen and me to him. * * * Mr.Epinhauser hadn¡¯t called us to him because something had happened.. ¡°You said you were planning on going to the Darklands for your vacation.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mr. Epinhauser had received the notice Ellen and I had sent to him. Usually, there was no need to send any notice on where we would like to spend our vacation. However, it was unconditionally better if we did. ¡°I believe it would be better to have a teacher with you, but you refused.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Of course, Temple would be reluctant to send two students from Royal Class to a dangerous place such as the Darklands while they were still first years. So the original plan was for Mr. Epinhauser to follow us as our homeroom teacher, but both Ellen and I refused. She was going there to gain practical experience, not for educational purposes. Of course, I didn¡¯t want Mr. Epinhauser to come with us because Eleris was going to join us after we reached the place. ¡°Teacher, you should get some rest during the vacations as well.¡± This guy, did he want to keep looking after his students even though he could finally take a rest? Mr. Epinhauser looked at me as I told him that with a smile. ¡°Just because the students are gone doesn¡¯t mean the teachers can take a break.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Anyway, Mr.Epinhauser said that vacations weren¡¯t any different than work for him. What did that guy even do for fun in his life? It piqued my curiosity again. ¡°Anyway, we decided to give you our utmost support during the faculty meeting.¡± It seemed like they had held a faculty meeting about the matter of us two going to the Darklands; Ellen was originally supposed to receive some teleportation scrolls. They probably would have left it at that if it was just Ellen who went there. After all, she had proved to be capable enough, but then I had stuck my nose into it. Mr.Epinhauser took a wad of paper that had been placed on his desk and handed it to Ellen. ¡°A teleport scroll for each of you, and these are requisition documents with Temple¡¯s seal on them.¡± A total of two teleportation scrolls were given to us. They were probably meant to be used in emergency situations to escape. Additionally, we received requisition documents. They were key items necessary to become an adventurer. ¡°If you show these documents at Temple¡¯s Armory, they will open it for you. Make sure to not requisition something useless. All requisitioned items are Temple¡¯s property, so be careful not to lose them.¡± They weren¡¯t just some slips of paper but documents with which we could requisition weapons and equipment for practical use. They were weapons created by Temple, which received tremendous support from the Imperial Family. They certainly were on a very different level from the items one usually found in the Al Ligar District, which was full of cutthroats. That was Royal Class¡¯ majesty. They provided us with such great support; it almost felt strange that he handed those things out to us after just saying a few words. That wasn¡¯t all. Mr. Epinhauser took out a bag filled with gold coins as well. ¡°These are 50 gold coins for your travel expenses. I don¡¯t believe you would do something like this, but don¡¯t spend the coins on nonsensical things.¡± In addition to the requisition documents, we also received a subsidy equivalent to about 50 million won. He told us not to spend this on nonsensical stuff, but he would never find out if I decided to do just that. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t do that. ¡°You will work through the Adventurers Guild, so there is no need for you to prepare separate reports. We will check their records later.¡± Of course, that meant that they would find out about our actions anyway if they checked the Adventurers Guild¡¯s records later. Since our vacation would start the next week, and our final exams were over, all individual courses had been completed. Except for Mondays and Thursdays, the days when we had common classes, we had no classes at all. It wasn¡¯t actually that much different from having vacations even before they started. ¡°That¡¯s it for the briefing.¡± Mr. Epinhauser looked at Ellen and me. ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt.¡± I was really surprised because I didn¡¯t expect him to say something like that. * * * Our summer vacations started at the end of July and would end at the beginning of September. During that one month, Ellen and I would go to the Darklands. However, Ellen said that she wanted to go back a week earlier, even though it would have been fine to stay in the Darklands for the whole month as well. The reason for that seemed to be the three people she had been hanging out with. Liana de Grantz said that she would travel between her various villas during her vacation with her end goal being the Edina Islands¡ªwhere she would stay for a week. Ellen told me that Liana had invited her three classmates to visit, so it seemed that she would be resting in Duke Grantz¡¯s villa for the last week of our vacation. Of course, if the situation wouldn¡¯t allow it, she also wouldn¡¯t be able to go there. ¡°Are you really leaving?¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m bullshitting, then?¡± Harriet was shocked that Ellen still decided to go to the Darklands and that I chose to go with her. She didn¡¯t seem to understand why we wanted to go to such a dangerous place. ¡°What if you get hurt?¡± Harriet was teary-eyed. It seemed like she couldn¡¯t help but worry about us. ¡°If we get hurt, then we¡¯ll get hurt. You think we¡¯ll die from that?¡± I wouldn¡¯t want to go either if it was just Ellen and me. I wouldn¡¯t have let Ellen go all on her own, either. I was feeling confident because we were protected by our insurance called Eleris. Harriet looked at me and sighed deeply. She wanted to follow us, but she was too scared, and she definitely wouldn¡¯t get permission from Grand Duke Saint-Owan. Rumors spread throughout class A that Ellen and I planned on going to the Darklands. ¡°Isn¡¯t that place a bit too dangerous for a date, Reinhardt?¡± Bertus seemed to be quite surprised to hear that I was going there as well. The three idiot brothers seemed to have realized that I wasn¡¯t someone on their level. They talked about what they would do during their vacation while Ellen and I decided to walk down a much harder path that couldn¡¯t be compared to our school life up until then. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yeah. Got it, thanks.¡± Cliffman expressed his worry as shyly as ever. Why did it always feel like I was talking to some girlfriend when I talked to that guy? It felt really uncomfortable. We still felt rather awkward around each other, so those kinds of situations kept happening! ¡°I don¡¯t understand you two.¡± Liana didn¡¯t seem to understand in the least why Ellen and I decided to go to the Darklands. ¡°If you¡¯re still alive in the last week of the vacation, go along with Ellen and visit me to hang out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Liana told me to come to the Edina Islands if I had nothing better to do. That was something I decided to keep in mind. -E-erm¡­ As Liana went on her way, I could see Heinrich von Schwarz calling out to her from a distance. He was set to have a crush on Liana. -What do you plan on doing¡­ during the vacation? -Just traveling and playing around. -Where are you going? -I¡¯ll be going here and there, but for the last week, I planned a get-together with some people in one place. -A-ah, is that so? Liana had a cool personality. -Do you want to come as well? -H-huh?! C-can I?! -Sure. I¡¯ll give you the date and location, then. -Tha-thank you! That easy-going and cool personality¡­ The more I looked at it, the more problems it caused. Heinrich¡¯s face was tomato red as if he had never even dreamed of getting invited somewhere by Liana. There were also some students from Class B that came over. ¡°¡­The Darklands. You must have gone crazy. I have no words.¡± Charlotte could only sigh, as she had found out that I was planning on going to the Darklands too late. If she had known, she definitely would have prevented me from going somehow. ¡°Do you really know no fear, or what¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°I heard there are treasures in the Darklands. I need the money.¡± Charlotte¡¯s mouth was slightly agape as if she found the whole situation absurd. ¡°Will you not go if I give you that money?¡± She meant that she would simply give me money if I needed some, so I shouldn¡¯t do anything dangerous. Urg. That explanation was hard. ¡°Then Ellen would have to go alone.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t actually think that you¡¯d be much help to her, do you?¡± Hey! No matter how well you mean it, wasn¡¯t that a bit too harsh? I can get hurt, too! ¡°Anyway, this isn¡¯t just about the money. We won¡¯t go to any dangerous places.¡± ¡°Would adventurers go to the Darklands if they knew which places were dangerous and to what degree? Adventurers flock there because no one knows.¡± Charlotte raised her voice even while she was in Class-A¡¯s dormitory, which she rarely went to. She didn¡¯t even stop when Bertus was slipping by. It was really quite moving that she was so worried about me that she openly showed that side of herself. Charlotte sighed when she saw that I was very unlikely to change my decision. ¡°¡­Really, it¡¯s ridiculous I even tried.¡± No matter how much we were friends, it was rather absurd that I didn¡¯t listen to her when she, the Princess, told me not to go somewhere, and it was even more absurd that she just gave up instead of ordering me not to go. ¡°Come to me before you leave. I have something to give to you.¡± Charlotte stared at me for a moment as if I went completely crazy and then turned around, going back to her dorm. ¡°Reinhardt. Is it true that you¡¯re going to the Darklands?¡± Ludwig also appeared before me. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Will you be okay? Isn¡¯t it dangerous there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going with an almighty weapon by my side, so what could happen?¡± When I said that I would have an almighty weapon by my side, he burst into laughter, thinking that I meant Ellen. Of course, he would think I meant Ellen, but I was actually referring to Eleris. ¡°I¡¯m going to Delphin¡¯s hometown for the vacation.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, I decided to take their ranger training. It¡¯s going to be fun. Reinhardt, do you want to receive their training with me sometime?¡± ¡°If I have the time.¡± Like in the novel, it seemed like Ludwig would go to Talprad, Delphin¡¯s hometown, to train as a ranger. It sure was strange, seeing so many people saying they were worried about me. I kind of felt like I became quite popular. Anyway, rumors about me going to the Darklands spread throughout the whole first year, so things were pretty noisy even before the vacations even started. * * * Monday through Tuesday. ¡°Junior, I heard you¡¯re going to the Darklands.¡± Adriana talked to me during our early morning training. She seemed to be worried. ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m not going anywhere dangerous, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­ I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure things out on your own, but¡­ I wish I could go with you.¡± Adriana seemed to think that it was a little much to only send Ellen and me to such a dangerous place. Come to think of it, Adriana could cast recovery spells, so it would have been nice if she went along with us, she was also skilled enough. Adriana sighed. ¡°I decided to go back to the monastery to receive training during the vacation¡­¡± However, it seemed that Adriana had planned out her vacation already. She hadn¡¯t given up on the path to priesthood, although she did struggle with her own faith because of Olivia and what the Knights Templar had done. I smiled when I saw that she felt sorry for not being able to accompany us. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°If you ever plan on going there again, let me know in advance. I¡¯ll make sure to find some time.¡± After that, Adriana had been nagging me throughout our whole workout session, telling me not to get hurt and never to wander off to dangerous places. ____ Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Although our vacation would only start after our common classes on Thursday, Ellen and I went to the armory on Tuesday. Temple had enough practical weapons in stock to equip all students who had combat majors in case of emergency. Actually, that rule only existed in theory, as they wouldn¡¯t send Temple students into battle. However, after the Gate incident, all Temple students would be called to action. So, the fully-stocked armory in Temple was kind of an additional setting to give enough justification for how all students of Temple managed to go to battle during that Gate situation. In fact, I actually set up Temple¡¯s armory when I wrote about the Gate incident. Before that, there never was any mention of something like an Armory, and I never even thought about Temple having something like that. After all, I had set it up after the end of the school life part. Why would a school need an armory with enough weapons in stock to arm all its students? When I thought of myself back then, I sure was an absurd person. Although the Armory was one of Temple¡¯s main facilities, it was a place students didn¡¯t usually have to go to, so when we stepped out of the tram it was the first time for both of us seeing the facility, even after we had spent a good amount of time in Temple. ¡°I thought it would be like a warehouse.¡± Ellen seemed a little dazed. Temple¡¯s Armory looked more like a huge museum than a warehouse, though. Although it was pretty much deserted, we could still see quite a few guards guarding it, as it still held a great number of Temple¡¯s weapons. We showed our requisition documents to the manager at the guard post outside of the Armory. ¡°It¡¯s B-Class.¡± After he looked at our documents, he exclaimed and then nodded slowly. ¡®B-Class? What does that mean?¡¯ Was there some kind of setting I wasn¡¯t aware of again? The manager started to provide answers to my mental questions. ¡°That means that you can even borrow B-Class equipment. Access to S and A-Class equipment is restricted, but you can borrow anything below Class B.¡± ¡°Ah, okay.¡± It seemed that Temple organized its equipment by grades. Still, we were part of Royal Class, so even if we couldn¡¯t access S-Class, we couldn¡¯t even get A-Class equipment? I thought that was a bit of a shame, but the manager just crossed his arms. ¡°Even just seeing B-Class equipment on the market is extremely rare. A-Class equipment is already treated as a county¡¯s treasure. Not to mention S-Class equipment¡­ These types of equipment can¡¯t get transferred carelessly.¡± I didn¡¯t know anything about the rating system, but it seemed to be true that Temple¡¯s Armory was full of weapons on the level of artifacts. No matter if you¡¯re a Royal Class student or not, they couldn¡¯t give out that kind of equipment so easily. There wasn¡¯t even any type of crisis at the moment. S-Class equipment was probably items that were slightly inferior to Alsbringer, which was the hero Artorius¡¯ weapon, or Ellen¡¯s Lament. I wasn¡¯t sure if Alsbringer was kept in Temple at that point. It was probably kept in the Imperial Palace. History had changed a lot, so I didn¡¯t know if Ludwig would be able to get it as he did in the original. Ellen and I had a guide next to us. ¡°Is there anything you want specifically?¡± ¡°I think we would need some kind of weapon and armor,¡± I answered the guide¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, understood. Then, I would ask you to come this way.¡± The inside of the Armory was so incredibly vast that one would probably get lost without a guide. As we had B-Class requisition documents with us, the guide took us to a place where B-Class equipment was displayed. Ellen stared blankly at the endless sea of weapons, armor, boots, and various other items in front of us. The guide started explaining while we were walking. ¡°Most of the B-Class equipment found in Temple could be called antiques. They are expensive items, so you have to return them after use.¡± Their quality was one matter, but that was just the intro. The word ¡°antique¡± immediately made an item even more expensive. In Al Ligar¡¯s shopping district, there were only a few of those types of items, but they were lined up endlessly in the armory. Even if one went to buy something like that in Al Ligar it would pose a troublesome challenge. However, we could requisition them in Temple just because we were Royal Class students. There was no need to bargain at all. That was the majesty of Temple. ¡°Let¡¯s look at the weapons first, shall we?¡± The guide stood in front of a display box filled with weapons. My eyes were practically flashing. The box was divided into sections for swords, spears, axes, bows, and blunt weapons. However, the swords were also divided again: shortswords, longswords, bastard swords, two-handed swords, as well as that ¡°Hellblade¡± thing. There were a ton of different weapons on display. Ah. I had a really hard time choosing. There were so many that I had no idea what to pick. ¡°May I hold the swords?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± The guide opened the display box containing the swords. It seemed like Ellen didn¡¯t plan on using Lament. Ellen tried to check the weight and balance of the swords as she held them. ¡°Oh, it seems that this sword has hardening magic on it. And if one activated it, one could temporarily use it as a blunt weapon¡­¡± ¡°Oh, this one¡¯s good as well. It has fire magic enchantment on it, so it could be used in place of a torch. It¡¯s useful in many ways, especially when one needs to make a bonfire, but the mana stone intake¡­¡± ¡°This would be a good choice, but do you have the strength to handle a two-hander¡­? Wow, you¡¯re stronger than I thought, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ellen examined the dozens of swords while the guide informed Ellen about what kind of enchantments were placed on the weapons. What the fuck, how did that guy memorize what enchantment all those swords had? And why did it take her so long? I thought she would choose one after looking at a few. Ellen, who was very serious about weapons, was completely engrossed in shopping around, while I was blown away by the guide explaining the swords¡¯ details without getting tired. After looking around for a long time, Ellen chose a simple-styled longsword with an automatic restoration function. ¡°There are many other weapons that look really good.¡± ¡°There are, but you should also use something like this.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t those with lightning enchantment or something better?¡± She could choose any magic weapon there, so wasn¡¯t one with only automatic restoration far too simple? As I looked around, I saw many with very strange features. Ellen shook her head at my words. ¡°It¡¯s much more comfortable if the weapon can maintain itself.¡± ¡°¡­Ah. Right.¡± Comfortable¡­ No, it was extremely convenient. It probably was something she had heard her brother say. If her brother recommended something like that, it felt like it would be a cheat key. I couldn¡¯t say anything against it! It was later explained that swords would wear out rather quickly if one didn¡¯t maintain them properly and oil them, different from swords in games, regardless of whether they were magic weapons or not. The burden on a sword would continue to pile up, so it seemed that the swords would lose their function quite quickly if a battle went on for a long time. A weapon with automatic restoration would keep the sword in good condition on its own, so there was no need to maintain it after every battle. In the end, Ellen had chosen a weapon best suited for actual battle. She then contemplated whether she should take a bow with her or not, but she soon turned away. We were on our way to be adventurers, not fight in a war, so she decided not to take unnecessary equipment. After that, Ellen and I chose some leather armor. There were chan mails and plate armor with lightweight enchantment as well, but they restricted one¡¯s movement, so they were inconvenient. The complete set of armor didn¡¯t even cover the entire body. Ellen and I were only wearing something like a breastplate and something that looked like shin guard. ¡°Is that really enough?¡± Our neck, arms, and thighs were completely exposed, so I didn¡¯t get the sense that it would protect us well. ¡°¡­It¡¯s summer.¡± Right, she was more or less saying that if we wore more than that, it could be seen as asking for death. It was actually pretty frustrating, though. Of course, I couldn¡¯t feel the weight of the armor at all because all parts were enchanted with lightweight magic. The guide also added that the armor could sufficiently protect us because it was fire-resistant, acid-resistant, and had hardening magic enchanted on it in addition to the lightweight magic. After choosing two backpacks with weight reduction magic cast on them and some boots suitable for long-distance travel, I felt ready to start our journey. As we were picking our armor and weapons, I finally realized that I was walking into a very dangerous area with my own two feet, no matter how many safety measures I took. After we chose our gear, Ellen and I packed all of it into our backpacks. ¡°Do you think we should take some horses with us?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know how to ride a horse.¡± I knew how because I had taken some horseback riding classes, even if I couldn¡¯t say that I was that good at it yet. Ellen didn¡¯t know how to do it at all. However, if she decided to learn it, she would do so really quickly. ¡°And we won¡¯t be able to afford to take care of those horses.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but agree with Ellen¡¯s words. It would be really hard and troublesome to take care of those horses in the place we planned on going to. We would depart on Friday, right after the Thursday we had our last classes on. After we chose our basic equipment, we were basically done there. ¡°Let¡¯s pack everything up and leave.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was time to plan our schedule. * * * * * * * * * ¡®We are going to the Darklands.¡¯ That statement was pretty vague. Put in different terms, it was the same as saying we would go to the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth. The Darklands referred to the eastern half of that huge continent. We had to meticulously plan out which region of the Darklands we would travel to and which paths we would take when we were there. Ellen planned on recklessly going to the Darklands after registering as an adventurer, wandering here and there. However, the story changed after I decided to join her. As Charlotte said, it would be suicide to just wander around thoughtlessly without knowing what dangers hid inside the Darklands. ¡°There are a total of three major outposts built in the Darklands.¡± Loyar spoke while examining a huge map unfolded before her. Ellen and I had left Temple and gone to the newly created headquarters of the Rotary Gang. Not too long prior to that, I had given some instructions to Loyar. ¡®I¡¯m going to the Darklands with Ellen.¡¯ ¡®¡­Yes?¡¯ ¡®Get some information from the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡­ Some information on the Darklands that humans would have.¡¯ ¡®¡­Yes?¡¯ ¡®And I bet you have some things memorized as well, right? Like places that we could safely go to.¡¯ ¡®Yeeees?¡¯ ¡®Why the questioning tone? If your boss tells you to do something, you have to do it, you know?¡¯ ¡®¡­Yes.¡¯ If we had a map of the Darklands made by someone from the Demon Realm, we could avoid doing all the troublesome things, but getting something like that would usually be impossible. Instead, I ordered her to retrieve a map of the areas of the Darklands that had already been explored from the Thieves¡¯ Guild. ¡°This area is where most adventurers are active¡ªthe Exian Outpost.¡± That outpost was built by humans during the Demon World War. The outpost was furnished with a super-large Warpgate. That was also the area from which the Allied Forces reached the Demon Realm during the Demon World War and the point from which they returned to the Empire. Before that, bases and warp gates were shirked for supply issues and various other reasons, and because most humans had withdrawn, most of those bases got destroyed. It seemed to be pretty hard to install and maintain bases deep in the Darklands. Therefore, except for the abandoned bases, the only outpost left on the front lines was the Exian Outpost. Because the Demon World War had ended, the outpost had transformed into a base for adventurers who craved the treasures the Darklands held. ¡°Adventurers have secured safe zones around that area, and they are constantly expanding their bases. The eastern part, which the Allied Forces had gone through, has been developed quite a bit; however, very little has been covered in the northern and southern parts.¡± The eastern parts, where the Allied Forces had advanced to, had been developed in a flash, so it was relatively safe and secure. However, some danger might lurk to the south and north of the outpost. ¡°They¡¯ve recently started to explore the northern part, but there have been some bad rumors making their rounds. There are some who made a fortune by going there; however, there are quite a few who never returned.¡± There were many cases where groups of adventurers never returned from there. That probably meant that something was in that area. ¡°In the south, there¡¯s a wide forest area. It isn¡¯t a jungle or anything, and there don¡¯t seem to be many dangerous things in there, but they lack the means to properly secure the area.¡± Loyar continued to explain to that point, then alternated between looking at Ellen and me. ¡°The safest areas would be to the East of the Exian Outpost and the Maginot Line around St. Point. I think it would be best if you explored those areas. I heard that they pay you well enough just by filling out some unknown areas on the map.¡± The Adventurers¡¯ Guild paid out money just by providing them information on the Darklands¡¯ topography. Even if one wasn¡¯t all that eager on hunting monsters, there were many ways to get some money. It was a place where greedy people would either hit the jackpot or die trying. Loyar seemed pretty much against Ellen and me going to the Darklands. Of course, she seemed quite relieved when she heard that Eleris would be joining us midway. It had yet to be confirmed what lay in the north and south of the Exian outpost. That was why Loyar told us that it would be best if we stayed in the safe eastern part. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ellen thanked Loyar for her advice. ¡°Aunty.¡± Of course, Ellen tended to provoke Loyar by saying things one shouldn¡¯t, under no circumstances, say to her. ¡°¡­Follow me.¡± At Ellen calling her Aunty, I could see some veins bulging on Loyar¡¯s forehead. ¡°Let me beat you up until you¡¯re all nice and tender today.¡± Of course, if she didn¡¯t do that, Loyar wouldn¡¯t fight her, so there was a reason for that, at least. ____ Chapter 149 Chapter 149 ¡°Kuhuk!¡± ¡®What an incredible growth rate.¡¯ Loyar¡¯s eyes widened as she watched Ellen roll on the floor. It had only been about a month since that girl had asked for fighting lessons. However, in that single month, she had grown at a ridiculous rate. Her reaction speed and dexterity were already incomparable to what they were a month ago. If she learned how to strengthen her body with magic power, in that state¡­¡¯ Even in Ellen¡¯s current state, without knowing how to strengthen her body, Loyar had a hard time against her. The difference between knowing and not knowing how to strengthen was like the difference between heaven and earth. People who could do it weren¡¯t called monsters for nothing. Ellen was able to fight head to head with her without knowing anything about that. No matter how similar a Lycanthrope looked to a human, they couldn¡¯t be compared to humans in terms of strength in the least. Even still, Ellen managed to catch up with her little by little, even with Loyar¡¯s magical body strengthening. Loyar had never seen or heard of a human being like that. Ellen staggered and brushed the dirt off her body. Both her eyes, filled with pain, still looked at Loyar unwaveringly. Although Ellen seemed really depressed after she collapsed last time, she just continued to rush towards Loyar even if she fell over and over again. She was just like the ground that hardened after rain. ¡°My turn.¡± ¡°Come.¡± After Ellen had fallen once again, her mental fortitude got even stronger. -Kakang! Loyar slashed her sword at Ellend¡¯s shoulder while attempting to thrust her fist into Ellen¡¯s abdomen. -Spin! However, as if she foresaw that attack, Ellen turned her body to dodge while not forgetting to attack Loyar¡¯s temple with her left elbow. -Swish! But at that time, Loyar lowered her stance to evade it, putting her arm between Ellen¡¯s legs and slamming it sideways into them. -Bang! ¡°Kuhuk!¡± ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ what a monstrous girl¡­¡± Loyar looked down at Ellen, who was coughing, exhausted. There were a lot of people in the world who were stronger than that girl. However¡­ In ten yersno¡­ Would there be anyone stronger than her in five years time? For the first time in her life, Loyar felt fear when looking at a human. Why on earth was her master telling her to help Ellen train and saying that she needed more practical experience, even attaching Eleris to her side to help her out? Loyar probably wouldn¡¯t even feel that way if she was faced with the Emperor. She didn¡¯t think she would even feel that way if she saw a dragon¡¯s egg laying before her, about to hatch. Ellen seemed to be like some mysterious being Loyar wasn¡¯t able to understand. That tremendous pressure and fear she felt wasn¡¯t just because of her strength but also at the speed in which she grew stronger. It confused Loyar. I don¡¯t think I should do this. Why was the Lord circling around this girl so much? ¡°You, let me ask you a question.¡± Ellen staggered to her feet as she heard Loyar¡¯s words. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you die for Reinhardt?¡± At Loyar¡¯s sudden question, Ellen seemed to feel a little taken aback. She pondered about it for a long time before speaking: ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± In the end, Ellen couldn¡¯t help but answer as such. ¡°No, I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Loyar just silently looked at her and smiled. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s enough.¡± She answered that she didn¡¯t know. However, she seriously pondered whether she would be able to die for Reinhardt or not. Loyar thought that this was already sufficient enough for an answer. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°¡­Okay?¡± At Loyar¡¯s sudden words, Ellen only tilted her head a bit and nodded. * * * After our last class on Thursday ended¡­ ¡°Uwooh! It¡¯s over!¡± Everyone exited the school, led by Kono Lint, who was the most excited about school being over. It seemed like Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s words when he advised us to spend our vacation in a meaningful way, even if we didn¡¯t have any assignments, completely left Kono Lint¡¯s mind. There were quite a few among the people there that were born with the silver spoon of talent in their mouths, so they didn¡¯t know how to work hard. A typical example was those three idiot brothers. I mean, the setting was that they were the way they were because they were only selected based on talent. There would be quite a few cases where they clashed with the Orbis Class, who consisted of incredibly hard-working people. Still, I wondered how those ¡°best talents¡± could be so incompetent. We were leaving the next morning, so I decided to finish up my training schedule beforehand. After returning to the dormitory, I first visited Charlotte. She had told me to come see her before I left. ¡°Here.¡± What Charlotte handed to me was a medal. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t this the Imperial Crest?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I held the Imperial Family¡¯s Crest in my hands. ¡°With this, you should get most public institutions to cooperate with you, and it should serve as a sufficient enough threat.¡± The medal proved that I was someone under the protection of the Imperial Family. I didn¡¯t know if that thing had any magical abilities, but it was clear that there were some problems I could solve just by having it. ¡°I can¡¯t just give this to anyone, okay?¡± Charlotte made some big gestures as she said that. ¡°I mean, you always anger people by doing useless things. Sigh.¡± Charlotte nagged me for a while longer, seeming slightly annoyed. No matter how strong Ellen was, if I continued to lose my temper as I had during that kidnapping case, things might turn ugly. There was a good chance things wouldn¡¯t end so well next time. ¡°You¡¯re leaving tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, in the morning.¡± Charlotte stared at me with her arms crossed. ¡°If I may give you one piece of advice¡­¡± Charlotte smiled subtly. ¡°Be careful of other people.¡± ¡°I will.¡± I fully understood what she meant by that. She had given me the Imperial Family¡¯s Crest to ward off other people, not monsters. * * * Our vacation started on Thursday; the ones who were especially impatient hurried to leave Temple. What was surprising was that Harriet, who I thought would return home as soon as she was able to, saw Ellen and me off on Friday morning. It wasn¡¯t just Harriet; there was another unexpected person beside her. Adelia had also come to see Ellen off. It seemed like both of them had stayed awake all night. We had already finished our preparations, standing before them with our armor on and the backpacks on our backs. ¡°H-hey, Ellen¡­¡± ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Could you¡­ accept this?¡± Adelia fidgeted a bit and handed something to Ellen: It was a bracelet made of blue metal. ¡°Re-Reinhardt¡­ You too¡­¡± And showing that she didn¡¯t only have something for Ellen, she held out a bracelet with a similar shape towards me. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± Adelia began to mumble when she heard my question. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a disposable¡­ protective charm. So when you¡¯re in danger¡­ This might help you. We made it in a hurry, so it can only be used once¡­ sorry.¡± Ah. It seemed that they stayed up several nights to make those bracelets. I was sure they didn¡¯t just make them in a day. Adelia¡¯s talent lay in magic crafting, meaning making magic items, but Harriet was also able to do the same thing. They worked together to make the two magic bracelets. Harriet turned away from my gaze, not wanting to talk about it. I could see the dark circles under her eyes, though. ¡°Thanks.¡± Ellen thanked them briefly. But did Adelia seriously apologize for not being able to give us a better gift? How low was her self-esteem? ¡°Thank you, you two.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to come to the Edina Islands.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She meant to say that we should come back safely and take care not to get hurt. * * * We would head towards St. Point via the Exian Outpost, and¡ªon the way¡ªEleris would join us. Of course, I would pretend as if I didn¡¯t know her and just make her join us as a useful adventuring wizard. She would just act like a novice wizard who wasn¡¯t that adept in using her magic, and if we were met with danger, she would reveal her true skills. That was the plan. Ellen and I registered as adventurers at the Adventurers Guild located in the Exian Outpost. Then, in an inn somewhere in St. Point, we would naturally come in contact with Eleris. Then we would form a party and just explore the area around St. Point. With Eleris by our side, we could even go to slightly more dangerous places. Although the equipment we received from Temple was of great importance, there was also the Imperial Family¡¯s Crest, an object which we could use to politically resolve a certain type of trouble we might run into, and the protection bracelets in case of an emergency. Insurance layered over insurance layered over even more insurance. Ellen and I moved to the gigantic Warp Gate located in the Imperial Capital. Unfortunately, even if we were students of Royal Class, they wouldn¡¯t let us use the Warp Gate for free. ¡°¡­This is hella expensive.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± After calculating our expenses, Ellen also nodded to my statement. After seeing the fee we had to pay to use the Warp Gate, we understood why Temple gave us so much money. The Exian Outpost was located at the easternmost tip of the humans¡¯ territory, so we had to travel a very long distance. It would take four trips through super-large Warp Gates to reach the Exian Outpost. It would take two gold coins per warp. Since Ellen and I were two, we would need four gold coins just for one warp. A one-way trip would cost us sixteen gold coins, and to make a round trip, we would need 32 coins. Then the money we could actually spend on our trip was sixteen gold coins. Still, that was more than enough as travel expenses, but that seemed to be the reason why Temple gave us 50 gold coins, a huge amount, for one month¡¯s travel expenses. It seemed very expensive compared to a flight with an airplane, but considering that it wasn¡¯t required for us to physically travel that distance, it was actually quite reasonable. No, in fact, it couldn¡¯t be compared to a simple flight at all, as this was far more efficient. We applied to use the Warp Gate and then waited for our turn. Since that terrorist incident, it seemed that the security around the Warp Gates had become much tighter. Their identity verification process was also very thorough, and they even did a body search of anyone who wanted to use the Gate. There weren¡¯t just guards, but personnel that looked like Knights were also deployed to guard the Warp Gate. ¡°Next.¡° Ellen and I handed our IDs to the guard. Our Temple Royal Class student IDs. ¡°¡­Pass through.¡± The two of us moved towards our first stop. * * * However, there was a problem with that. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t expect us to run into this kind of problem.¡± ¡°¡­Me neither.¡± Ellen and I stared blankly at the long queue stretching from the super-large Warp Gate. We couldn¡¯t even get into the line. ¡°Well¡­ I should have expected as much, though.¡± We were in a place called Salam, a trading city located in a part of the Empire. I didn¡¯t really know much about Salam. I didn¡¯t need to, after all. It was just a transit point. However, if it was a trading city, it surely was a passageway for numerous merchants, suppliers, and supplies. So even though the super large Warp Gate was right in front of us, it was so far away. ¡°I think we were too used to how things worked in the Capital.¡± ¡°Yeah, probably.¡± There were more than ten super-large Warp Gates located in the Capital, So crowds were equally divided between them, greatly shortening the queues¡ªexcluding that time when the Victory Festival was taking place. However, the places outside of the Capital had at most two to three super-large Warp Gates; usually, they would just have one, though. In general, a place with just one such Gate would become a huge city simply because of that. Those super-large Gates that could move you over a long distance were mostly connected to the surrounding small and medium-sized Gates as well. Therefore, it was inevitable that bottlenecks occurred around the super-large Gates¡ªthey were both an exit as well as an entrance, so people just kept on pouring in and out at all times. That was the difference between the Capital and some provincial town. There were many people waiting to use it, including what looked to be merchants, wagons, and travelers. Although the queue was right in front of us, we wouldn¡¯t be able to even get into the line. We simply couldn¡¯t. ¡°Even if we managed to get a waiting ticket, we probably won¡¯t be able to reach the Gate before tomorrow.¡± That was what Ellen said after she went to ask someone about the situation. It was only natural that they limited the number of users for the day. ¡° I don¡¯t think things will be different at the next Gate either, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± It was good that the Gates could transport people faster than a plane, but if we had to wait for two days to use it, what was even the point? If something like that happened at the next Gate as well, it would take us another two days and another two days at the Gate following it, so it would take us six days to get to our goal. It seemed like Ellen hadn¡¯t even thought of that as she just blankly stared at the start of the queue. The cost of going back and forth was also immense, but if we just wasted our time waiting, spending that money was completely useless. ¡°Alright.¡± I made up my mind. ¡°¡­Have you thought of something?¡± When Ellen asked me that, I put my hand on her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s use our power.¡± I took out the Imperial Family¡¯s Crest, to which Ellen¡¯s eyes widened. I¡¯m sorry, Charlotte. I¡¯m going to sell your name! Chapter 150 Chapter 150 ¡°Please pull a waiting ticket and¡ª¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± ¡°!¡± There was no place in the human territory where touting the Imperial Family¡¯s name wouldn¡¯t work, as the whole human territory was part of the Empire. As soon as they confirmed the authenticity of the crest, they let us use the Gate right away with no questions asked. It seemed that they wanted to exempt us from paying the fee as well, but I insisted on paying as it would probably cause some problems in the future. Getting the highest priority in the use of Gates already seemed like an unfair advantage, but if we were also exempted from paying, that would reach someone¡¯s ears. ¡°¡­I think what you¡¯re doing is bad.¡± I shook my head at Ellen¡¯s words. ¡°I was told to use this in emergency situations, so what¡¯s the problem with using it now?¡± If you asked me, the situation clearly was an emergency. Our travel plans had been about to go down the drain, and she didn¡¯t think it wasn¡¯t an emergency? No, didn¡¯t Charlotte actually give me the Crest because she knew such an event was going to happen? Wasn¡¯t she thinking a bit too far ahead? Did Charlotte know everything? ¡°¡­Winning mentality?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you saying that right now? And this doesn¡¯t have anything to do with a winning mentality or anything.¡± ¡®His ability¡­ is already at that level, huh?¡¯ I bet that¡¯s what she was thinking! And my ability¡¯s name wasn¡¯t winning mentality, but self-suggestion! ¡°We can just wait two days, then.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± She was a nice kid, after all, but she was impatient as well. Ellen and I were able to reach the Exian Outpost in just a day, ignoring any queues lined up before the next Gates we had to go through using the fast pass called the Imperial Family¡¯s Crest. * * * The Exian Outpost was the first human base built in the Darklands. Their Demon World War campaign started from that place, and they also returned to the Empire through the same Gate. It was their starting point as well their exit. That was the Exian Outpost. [Quest appeared ¨C Adventures in the Darklands] [Description: Complete your adventure in the Darklands safely.] [Rewards : Rewards may vary depending on your performance. Rack in some results; don¡¯t just cling onto others.] And I was even given a quest. However, it didn¡¯t tell me what reward I would get; it just told me to rack in some results. Cling? What did those guys think I went there for? It was clear it was worded like that because it thought I would just cling to someone and easily get some rewards after I returned. What was it going to give me?! It might just give me a single achievement point after judging my performance. I was really worried that would actually happen! Anyway, I decided that I shouldn¡¯t worry about it for the moment¡ªI¡¯d lose as soon as I cared about what it did. ¡°It¡¯s not much different here.¡± ¡°Did you think the sky would be all dark and ominous just because we are in the Darklands?¡± The sky was dark around the place the Demon King¡¯s Castle used to be, but where we were wasn¡¯t much different from the Empire. Although the place could be called rather barren, even during the rule of the Demon King, I was rather certain that the sky was just overcast that day. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t this be called a city rather than a base?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± The word ¡®city¡¯ felt more appropriate than base because the army had almost completely withdrawn already, leaving only a bare minimum. The site, once a large military base, was the new hotspot for adventurers. The surrounding buildings didn¡¯t seem much different from the ones found in the cities we had passed through. The people seemed different, though. Since most of the people there were adventurers, they differed from the soldiers in that they were armed in light armor rather than heavy armor. That was a completely different kind of city, with only a small number of civilians and a large number of wanderers coming and going. The city could be called a City of Adventurers. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Demon World War ended at the start of that year, and only half a year had passed since its end. Therefore, the exploration of the Darklands had only just begun, and the pioneering process hadn¡¯t progressed much, so it was impossible to proceed further. Adventurers were just pouring in, aiming to get rich quickly, as the exploration of the Darklands was still in its infancy. That was why both veteran adventurers and newcomers who were just about to become adventurers flocked to the Exian Outpost. As there were a lot of wandering adventurers pouring in, it was only natural that the inn businesses, providing their accommodations, flourished. Merchants selling equipment and supplies flocked towards that place as well as entertainment businesses for wealthy adventurers. ¡­The shadowy forces who planned on devouring that quick money also grew by the day. There would be gambling houses as well as many thieves. Seeing the number of people coming and going and the countless new buildings being built every day made it clear that the rapid expansion of the city was tremendous. As such, it was only natural for those who wanted to become adventurers to visit that place¡¯s branch of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. One didn¡¯t need any qualifications or have to fulfill any kind of requirements to become an adventurer. Anyone could become one. However, they had a grading system in which one would start at the lowest rank, F-rank, and improve it through their performance. Naturally, F-rank adventures couldn¡¯t receive any support from the Guild. At that level, adventurer¡¯s licenses granted one neither rights nor proved one¡¯s qualification, so it was fine to just give it out. The Adventurers Guild didn¡¯t seem to actively manage the adventurers, and they probably shouldn¡¯t. By the way, when I first visited the Capital, I had wondered what the adventurers were actually doing for a living, and there I was about to become one myself. Well, I really didn¡¯t know what to expect in this world. The procedure for getting a license was rather simple. Without having to wait very long, we managed to get our adventurer¡¯s licenses in the form of something like an ID card. Both Ellen and I were then F-ranks. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen stood blankly in front of the crowded Adventurers Guild counter. Although our business was over there, she didn¡¯t take a step from where she stood. I had an idea for why she was doing that. At the end of Ellen¡¯s gaze, there were some hanging pictures¡ªhuge paintings hanging high above the counter. Names were written below them: [Adventurers¡¯ Guild ¨C Hall of Fame] [Ragdna Olfi] [Shaden] [Ragan Artorius] [M¨¹ller] [Sezaria] There were pictures of five people. The middle picture showed Ragan Artorius. It was the party consisting of the five heroes that had defeated the Demon Lord. They were adventurers as well. They had even reached the SS rank. After the Demon World War, the Adventurers Guild raised their rank to such a legendary level. That high a rank didn¡¯t even exist at first. As the greatest adventurers in history, all of them kind of became something like role models. Ellen was staring at her brother, who had become a legend, stuffed between the other pictures. What was she thinking, I wondered. She didn¡¯t look like she was proud of him, at least. There was no need for us to raise our adventurer rank. We would only work as adventurers for a month while on vacation. Our registration with the Adventurers Guild was merely a formal matter; however, it sure would be nice if we could make some money. So rather than taking up any requests, we would explore the area and report things to the guild to get paid once we found anything special. Of course, if there were any good requests, we would try for those as well. ¡°We¡¯ll have to take a carriage to reach St. Point.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There were no trams or mana trains there, as it wasn¡¯t the Capital. We would have to rely on primitive means of transportation like carriages from then on. We made our way to St. Point, where I would pretend to meet Eleris by chance and then make her join the party. After that, we could take up a request from the Adventurers Guild Branch located there or wander around as we pleased. Ellen and I headed to a nearby carriage station. There were countless carriages lined up everywhere around the station. ¡°We want to go to St. Point.¡± ¡°Ah, then hop on. Price is two silver coins per person.¡± Ellen paid four silver coins before we both boarded the carriage. ¡°Just one more person, and we¡¯ll be off!¡± There was no set departure time, so it seemed like they¡¯d leave as soon as the carriage was full. There were five people in the carriage except Ellen and me. All of them seemed to stare at Ellen. ¡°Ooh, little girlie, you already an adventurer at your age?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Ellen tilted her head at the sudden question. ¡°Are ya even strong enough to hold a sword?¡± ¡°Also, you look like an aristocrat. You¡¯ll get hurt, you know?¡± ¡°Hey, maybe that other kid is strong or something! Is he her escort?¡± -Hahahaha! I didn¡¯t know whether the people in the carriage all knew each other or not, but it seemed rather strange to them to find young children in a place where usually only adventurers gathered. It looked like they thought she was a noble girl trying to play adventurer and that I was her escort. If you were to ask me, it should be the other way around. But those bastards? Weren¡¯t they even more cheeky than me? If something happened, would she actually protect me? ¡°Be careful, kids. This isn¡¯t a good place.¡± ¨C Tap, tap The man who seemed to be in his thirties next to me patted my shoulder with his pot-like hands. I didn¡¯t know if that guy was a veteran or something, but I felt somewhat gloomy. Certainly, just by looking at our appearance, one would think we were youngsters; well, we actually were youngsters. Because of Charlotte¡¯s words that I might make more trouble for Ellen if I gave in to my temper, I had planned on putting up with their rude behavior to some extent. I didn¡¯t even want to start a useless fight. We weren¡¯t in Temple anymore. Ellen and I were holding swords, and so were they. It would be a fight with blades, not fists. ¡°Phew.¡± Soon, the last passenger boarded the carriage. ¡°How are you all doing?¡± It was a young man with dark blue hair. He somehow gave off a gloomy impression. The adventurers didn¡¯t seem to be well acquainted with each other, but they did greet each other briefly. -Alright, we¡¯re departing! The coachman spurred the horse on, and soon the coach started moving while greatly rattling. As I was used to mana trains, the rattling of the carriage was completely unfamiliar to me. Ellen was sitting across from me, and the last passenger, the young man, sat beside me. ¡°Oh, how unexpected to see friends that are even younger than me. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± He smiled somewhat sadly and held his hand out to me, I couldn¡¯t refuse, so I shook it. ¡°I¡¯m Dara Austin. And you are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Reinhardt.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± The man next to me kept chatting away. He sure was annoying. However, I couldn¡¯t just tell him to shut up because he didn¡¯t seem to hold any ill will towards me, smiling at me like that. I didn¡¯t know how long it would take to get to St. Point, so I didn¡¯t want to cause any conflict with that person next to me. Austin said he turned twenty that year. He mumbled that he thought that he started at a fairly young age but was surprised that there were people even younger than him, like Ellen and me, around. ¡°Are you two in a party?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When I told him Ellen and I were a team, Austin nodded slowly. ¡°Then would you like to join our group? The others are waiting for me at St Point. It would be safer if we moved together¡­ There is also a B-ranked adventurer in the party. He¡¯s a veteran, so if you follow him, you should be safe. I¡¯m still an F-rank.¡± Austin said that it would help me build my career. ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± However, Ellen flatly refused, as if she didn¡¯t want to hear anything more about it. The sharp refusal made Austin feel a little ashamed, so he scratched the back of his head. ¡°That¡¯s that then.¡± ¡°Ah, well. Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Hey buddy, ain¡¯t it too obvious that you¡¯re flirting around here?¡± ¡°Tha-that¡¯s not what I¡¯m¡­¡± The men around us jeered at him, leading to Austin¡¯s face turning bright red. Apparently he was interested in Ellen. Not only Austin, but that old man that patted my shoulder also talked a lot, although some of his stories were actually useful. ¡°Is the northern part of Exian still so difficult to get to?¡± ¡°Well yeah. No one¡¯s coming back from there, after all.¡± ¡°Not sure why. Some say there¡¯s an orc colony around there; others say it¡¯s a swarm of goblins.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t a subjugation squad of more than 50 go there last time?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all missing.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Whatever it is, it has to be something really strong.¡± The most dangerous place around there was that area, the northern part of the Exian Outpost they were talking about. St. Point was relatively safe, as it was one of the bases the Allied Forces built in the east. Most of the adventurers heading to the northern part never returned. ¡°How about the south?¡± ¡°They say it¡¯s completely covered by a forest. There¡¯s nothing else.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been there for more than two weeks, and I didn¡¯t find anything but trees. It¡¯s not any different than a desert there.¡± ¡°There are rumors that it isn¡¯t a forest actually, but something like a barrier. A maze, maybe.¡± ¡°Why would there be a barrier in such a place?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. It seems that this place was once a dragon¡¯s tomb, but the land got cursed¡­¡± I would have liked to have known the truth about that place, but there were so many useless rumors floating about. I felt like a quest might actually pop up, but nothing like that happened. If there were too many rumors, one would never find out the real truth. The carriages leaving the Outpost followed the route the Allied Forces had taken. The surrounding landscape wasn¡¯t particularly different or anything. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange that they call it the Darklands, even though it isn¡¯t particularly dark here?¡± Austin muttered absentmindedly as he looked out, watching the scenery outside of the carriage. It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that the place didn¡¯t look much different from the Human Realm. Rather, the vast landscape spread out before us looked much more beautiful. And yet people called that place the Darklands. ¡°Yeah.¡± It wasn¡¯t me who answered him, but Ellen. Austin seemed a little surprised that Ellen actually answered him. -Rattle, rattle, rattle. The carriage was moving slowly. Feeling it swaying back and forth like that made me remember some old memories. It¡­ It was kind of uncomfortable, but I somehow felt like I could sleep very well in there. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± Right when I was about to fall asleep, Ellen called out to me in the softest voice. ¡°¡­?¡± As soon as I looked at Ellen, I couldn¡¯t really explain what it was, but I could feel something. She seemed calmer than usual. A determined look. I was able to tell what she was thinking to some extent by just looking her in the eyes at that point. -Rattle¡­ Rattle¡­ The carriage was getting slower. There was no reason for it to slow down, but it did. Stay alert. That was what Ellen was trying to tell me with her eyes. The surrounding landscape had already changed¡ªthere were some trees growing around a wide road. It seemed like we were heading towards a sparsely populated place. I could see the adventurers inside the carriage pretending to be calm, not even holding their weapons in hand. They were looking at us while pretending not to. As if they were waiting for the right moment. Watch out for people. That moment had finally arrived. Were they actually watching us as they were pretending to talk about banal things? I had goosebumps all over my body. -Bam! ¡°Kurg!¡± The next moment, I could see Ellen mercilessly slamming the hilt of her sword into the person sitting next to her. ¡°!¡± ¡°Wha-what!¡± Before they could even try anything, Ellen began her attack. They didn¡¯t know this was going to happen, so it seemed like the adventurers were greatly surprised. Austin, in particular, was startled by the unexpected situation. That made it clear. Austin was not on their side. I activated my supernatural power to strengthen my body. Close combat type. -Bang! ¡°Kuhuk!¡± I also hit the person next to me with the hilt of my sword. I didn¡¯t know what those guys were planning on doing. However, if we acted before they could, nothing would happen to us. It was the Darklands. Laws didn¡¯t apply to that place. There, the one with the stronger punch was justice. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 The carriage was just too narrow to fight properly. Ellen smashed her sword into another man and then got out of the carriage herself. It completely stopped in its tracks. The coachman was on their side. ¡°What quick-witted kids.¡± The three adventurers that were still unscathed climbed out of the carriage; their expressions showed that they were greatly alarmed. Two of them had been beaten in an instant before they could even attack us. ¡°How did you know?¡± one of the men asked. -Shiing He drew his sword. Ellen drew her sword as well, standing before the guy. ¡°I heard that most adventurers aren¡¯t any different from thieves.¡± Adventurers¡­ They lived in places where the law couldn¡¯t reach. Ellen seemed to have heard about the real nature of adventurers from Artorius. There were no robbers among adventurers. ¡­But all of them had the potential to resort to robbery if there was an opportunity. ¡°There are a lot of adventurers who, rather than taking actual risks, target novice adventurers armed with expensive gear.¡± Ellen and I were decked out with rather expensive gear, and we were novices on top of that. We were also really young. Those guys might not have been robbers. However, as soon as they saw us, they felt like they had no other choice but to resort to robbery. Ellen seemed to have known that it would turn out like that. The Darklands weren¡¯t some fairytale-like lands full of romance, adventure, and mystery. ¡­They were the lands of robbers infested by adventurers who sought money, not an adventure. Adventurers risked their lives to earn money. If they had the opportunity to earn some money without much risk, then there was no reason for them not to take it. They knew that stripping Ellen of her equipment and selling it would get them a lot more than them taking risks by hunting demons and getting paid for exploring unknown terrain. He kept looking at Ellen and me as if we were just holding a normal conversation. They must have robbed others more than just once. ¡°N-no way¡­ H-how could you do that¡­¡± Austin staggered to his feet while also drawing his sword. I didn¡¯t know if he would be of much help. He seemed to be on our side, making it a three-on-three situation. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± The man who seemed to be the group¡¯s leader nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t regret it, brats!¡± They started running towards us. They approached Ellen, Austin, and me, respectively. In an unexpected twist, I actually had to face humans in real battle, not demons. I had been nervous and tense before, but I didn¡¯t even feel the smallest bit of nervousness at that moment. The guy before me swung his sword down on me. I was a little confused, seeing him slashing down from top to bottom like that. How could he come at me like that? It was my first time in a real sword fight, but I had seen that attack over a hundred times already. ¡­And I had countered that attack over a hundred times as well. There was just one big difference¡ª It was much too slow. I grabbed the handle of my sword with my right hand and the blade with my left hand. It was the half-swording technique Ellen had shown me. I blocked the sword as it came down by holding my sword horizontally in front of it. -Kang! Deflecting and stabbing at the same time: defense and offense were simultaneous. His sword got pushed down to the right, and the tip of my sword was aimed at his neck. If I pushed it further in, I could stab his cartoroid artery. -Clink! ¡°S-spare me.¡± In just a single hit, I managed to place my sword against the nape of his neck, and he immediately let go of his sword. He looked very pale. -Bang! ¡°Kuork!¡± Ellen didn¡¯t even need to use her sword. She incapacitated the man who was rushing towards her with a low kick. With only that single kick, the guy fell to his side, screaming. ¡­However, there was a really big difference in their body weight, and she just ignored all of that. How great was her leg strength? ¡°¡­¡± -Clink! And the guy who was about to fight Austin, after seeing the other two getting subdued so quickly, instantly let go of his sword. ¡°I-I surrender.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure about Austin, but he quickly realized that he wasn¡¯t a match for Ellen and me. The fight ended as soon as it started. A win was a win. We managed to emerge victorious from a life-threatening situation. ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on?¡± However, it felt empty. Why was it so easy? It started similar to my training sessions with Ellen, but the actual battle ended in just a single stroke. Of course, it would be like that, huh. ¡°Anyway, you bastards. Let¡¯s start with the center, shall we?¡± It was time to rob the robbers. * * * There were five adventurers and one coachman. After disarming all of them, I made them sit on their knees. I squatted down in front of them and shook six money pouches in front of their eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the point in hiding anything when you¡¯re faced with death, huh? Give me everything while I¡¯m still nice.¡± ¡°Thi-this is all we have¡­¡± ¡°I already said that we don¡¯t have anything else¡­¡± My threats seemed to have made them cry. Ellen just leaned her back against a tree, not caring about what I was doing, and Austin was staring blankly at me. He seemed to find it unbelievable that I was in the process of reverse-robbing the robbers we had just overpowered. ¡°Looking at the party setup you have going, plus even employing a coachman, it¡¯s more than clear that you¡¯re habitual offenders. And yet, you have less than ten gold coins in total?¡± ¡°That¡¯s! That¡¯s¡­ We used it all to buy equipment!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Then we¡¯ll just take that equipment.¡± Those guys were trying to steal Ellen¡¯s and my equipment to begin with. ¡°Take it all off.¡± At my words, those bastards started taking their gear off. They might have been tempted to attack us using their bare hands, but Ellen and I were far beyond their skill level. I sighed when I saw them completely undressed before me. ¡°Oh, yeah¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say you should take everything off? Do you think you have any human rights now?¡± I rummaged through the clothes of those men that were naked except for their underwear and found five more gold coins. * * * Five adventurers and one coachman were sitting there in nothing but their underwear. ¡°What should we do? It¡¯s difficult to take all of the equipment with us. It doesn¡¯t look very useful either.¡± We would get some money if we sold them, but their quality wasn¡¯t anything to write home about. They had probably lied when they said that they spent all their money on buying equipment. Maybe they just left it or hid it somewhere. And we weren¡¯t really there to earn money¡­ Ellen shook her head at my words. ¡°Money isn¡¯t an issue. Let¡¯s decide what to do with these people first.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± They didn¡¯t just suddenly turn into common robbers. I mean, they had even conspired with that coachman to rob us. What happened to all the novice adventurers and weaklings they had robbed? The fact that they hadn¡¯t been caught yet after doing those kinds of things with their faces exposed meant that not all the adventurers they got their hands on survived. Ellen was asking a rather normal question, but it had a subtle meaning. It was up to us to decide whether we should kill those vicious criminals or not. Regardless of whether we were able to do something like that or not¡­ If we had been defeated, they would have robbed and killed us. Killing people¡­ I wondered if I was even capable of doing something like that. I had blown up some knights while I was trying to escape from the Demon King¡¯s Castle, but I wasn¡¯t actually sure if they died or not. However, I had seen people die right in front of me, and I had seen a vast sea of corpses. Killing¡­ I didn¡¯t know if I could do something like that with my own hands. When I thought about doing it using a sword¡­ would I be able to handle that feeling? I was familiar with violence, but I wasn¡¯t familiar with the concept of killing someone, and I didn¡¯t want to be, either; that should have been the same for Ellen. But what was Ellen¡¯s opinion about it? I mean, if I absolutely had to do it, I probably could do it, but I wouldn¡¯t be happy about it in the least. ¡°How about¡­ We hand them over to the Exian Guards?¡± Austin, who was listening to the conversation between Ellen and me, gave a careful suggestion. The six naked people before us sitting on their knees trembled terribly because our decision would decide whether they lived or died. We didn¡¯t have to handle them. We could just leave them to the guards. ¡°¡­Anyone who looked at them would think that they were the ones robbed, not the ones who tried to rob us.¡± ¡°¡­I suppose so.¡± I had no other choice but to agree with Ellen. We didn¡¯t get hurt at all, and I had taken everything from the robbers except their underwear. If we took those guys to the guards and told them they were trying to rob us, we would actually be the ones ending up in jail. ¡°If these bastards told them we were actually the ones who robbed them, we¡¯d get in trouble.¡± ¡°N-no, no! We won¡¯t! If you let us live, we¡¯ll stay quiet! We¡¯ll just go to jail quietly!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Please, have mercy on us just this once! We¡¯ll live a good life!¡± Up until then, they had dismissed us as some brats, but it was quite funny seeing them being so polite to us when we had their lives in our hands. ¡°Would you fuckers believe me if I explained to you how I¡¯d wake up tomorrow before I even went to sleep?¡° Of course, I wouldn¡¯t believe anything that came out of those guys¡¯ mouths. It might have been even more troublesome for us if we handed them over to the guards. In most web novels I had written, one of the standard developments was that the main character cooly cut off the heads of mobs before moving on. Rather, if I didn¡¯t kill them off, I would get a lot of bad comments asking me why they hadn¡¯t gotten killed. Although I knew it was the right thing to do, I couldn¡¯t make that decision so easily because of the situation I was in. Most people couldn¡¯t even twist a chicken¡¯s head with their own hands. However, if they suddenly got into a situation in which they had to kill a person, they would be rather disconcerted, right? Of course, I wasn¡¯t someone that never had to twist a chicken¡¯s neck before. Austin and Ellen stared at me after I uttered these words. Those gazes. I knew what they meant. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that even crueler?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s so detailed. I¡¯m scared.¡± Ellen¡¯s complexion was a bit pale. How rare. ¡°¡­¡± Austin¡¯s face turned kind of blue, and he couldn¡¯t utter a single word. Ah. No, I didn¡¯t want to kill those guys, so I thought about a proper punishment to give them. However, if we cut off their hands at their wrists, they might die from the bleeding, so wasn¡¯t it rather considerate of me to suggest closing it up with fire? Without that, they might die, you know? I was trying to be merciful there, you know? ¡­Is that a problem for people who are used to describing extreme violence in writing? Come to think of it, didn¡¯t I come off as a total freak just then? Let¡¯s pull out your eyes~ but if I do that, your face might collapse, so I¡¯ll put some pebbles that resemble them in your eye sockets. It¡¯s all because I care for you, see? Did it sound something like that? Austin seemed to be getting more and more afraid of me as time passed. Of course, the robbers who heard about my plans were trembling like crazy, not taking into account their ghostly pale faces. They seemed to regret having gotten on the bad side of a madman. ¡°I¡¯ll let you go.¡± It seemed that Ellen didn¡¯t want to have any blood on her hands after all. ¡°However¡­¡± Ellen pointed to the leather armor they had taken off and the equipment and regular clothes. The equipment was just too worn down, so it was unlikely that we would get anything for that stuff. And if we were actually trying to sell it, we might get suspected of having robbed some adventurers. ¡°Burn all of this.¡± For the crime of having tried to rob us, those guys were punished by having to return to the Exian Outpost in nothing but their underwear. * * * * * * We burned up the robbers¡¯ equipment after saying we wouldn¡¯t sell it. Things that couldn¡¯t be burned were destroyed by Ellen personally. No matter if I was wearing shin guards or not, the scene of her breaking swords with her shin like they were wooden baseball bats made me shiver. One usually couldn¡¯t break blades by kicking them, right? That¡¯s what I thought, at least. The robbers must have realized that they tried to lay hands on one absurd monster, as all of them looked rather drained. Even though they just lost everything they had on them, they bowed their heads as we left, thanking us for letting them live. Anyway, we managed to secure about eight gold coins and a carriage with three horses tied to it. Austin, who had driven a carriage and went to St. Point before, was in charge of driving the carriage. Looking at how he was acting earlier, he was weak, so he didn¡¯t seem like the two-faced type. Ellen and I sat on the remaining room on the box seat on either side of him, not inside the carriage. ¡°But aren¡¯t horses pretty expensive?¡± Even if it was supposed to be a medieval Fantasy, this world had little to do with the actual Middle Ages. But still, weren¡¯t horses incredibly expensive in the Middle Ages? No, they were pretty expensive, even in modern times. I felt like we earned a lot of money just by having stolen those robbers¡¯ horses. I was just talking to myself, but Austin still answered. ¡°Ah¡­ Well¡­ That¡¯s true for horses a knight would use. Of course, these horses aren¡¯t cheap either, but¡­¡± I nodded at Austin¡¯s explanation. The horses tied to the carriage looked bigger than ponies, but they probably couldn¡¯t be ridden well¡ªthey looked to be on the older side as well. They definitely seemed to be of different breeds and weights from those I saw in Temple¡¯s horseback riding class. Austin was stuck between Ellen and me, so he was shivering terribly, probably feeling quite the pressure in having to drive the carriage properly. ¡°Yeah, I was also pretty surprised.¡± ¡°Surprised?¡± Yes. I mean, I was really surprised that I managed to defeat them so easily. ¡°Even if they were specialized in robbery, I thought they were adventurers who had quite a bit of experience under their belt, so I didn¡¯t expect them to go down in a single strike.¡± Since they were vicious criminals, they should have had some experience in killing people and enough practical experience in fighting humans. However, the fight ended with just a counter of a simple downward slash. If I hadn¡¯t stopped my sword there and had cut his carotid artery, I would have instantly sent that guy to hell. ¡°There aren¡¯t many people who have been professionally trained in the use of weapons.¡± Ellen answered me in a low voice. Ellen crossed her arms as she watched the passing scenery. ¡°To be exact, most adventurers get by with those skills, but few have been actually trained in technique and the like.¡± ¡°I-is that so¡­¡± Austin muttered in a daze as if he had been stabbed by Ellen¡¯s words. Being an adventurer was a job for idiots who liked to rush into battle without a thought; they did all sorts of other things as well. They carried weapons and wielded them, but most weren¡¯t professionally trained fighters. It was possible to become good with the sword while living as an adventurer. But what one learns is more akin to survival swordsmanship than the systematic swordsmanship we had learned. ¡ªSwordsmanship meant for survival. In other words, it was like a fight between a street fighter and an MMA fighter. Of course, one could push their opponent down just with the big weight difference, but techniques were great in controlling an opponent that didn¡¯t know anything about them. So that was probably why it felt so easy to subdue them. ¡°Most techniques are based on the assumption that the opponent is armed. It¡¯s something one doesn¡¯t need to know if one is only going to pursue a job as an adventurer¡­ except in cases like we just witnessed. Ellen¡¯s words were really sensible. Adventurers fought against demons and demonic beasts; they weren¡¯t armed, for the most part. Of course, there were some among them that wielded weapons, but those were very special cases. However, what Ellen and I had learned was how to subdue and kill an armed opponent. In other words, they were techniques against armed humans. Adventurers didn¡¯t need to know those kinds of things, so if one was only going to do the work assigned to adventurers, there was no reason for them to really learn proper swordsmanship. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to know, but it wasn¡¯t necessary. Anyway, Ellen and I had continued to hone our skills in subduing armed humans. So, no matter how much experience they had on us, they would never be an opponent for someone who had been trained systematically. The swordsmanship they used on clumsy monsters and novices could be described as something that someone on the street might use at best. Such a level of swordsmanship would never work against us. I would never be able to surpass Ellen, and it was only a short time that I had been training, but regular people like them would never be able to defeat me, who had trained every day until I dropped. After all, most adventurers¡¯ swordsmanship wasn¡¯t even beyond my pseudo-swordsmanship, which I had managed to level up not too long prior. It was a new feeling. ¡°Did you two¡­ learn professional swordsmanship?¡± ¡°¡­Well, if you ask like that, I¡¯d say yeah.¡± I learned swordsmanship from lectures, but I learned the most from Ellen, so my swordsmanship teacher was actually Ellen. ¡°I envy you¡­¡± The emotions carried by Austin¡¯s vague words didn¡¯t come to me so easily. I thought I was quite weak compared to Ellen, and that still rang true. I thought that I was quite average in battle strength for someone of the Royal Class. However, Austin didn¡¯t even seem to have gotten the opportunity to learn swordsmanship. I didn¡¯t know if it was because of money, the lack thereof, or something else. In Temple, they didn¡¯t just train the students in Royal Class how to use weapons. There were a lot of general students who chose combat majors. Those guys would be treated like amazing talents in places like the Darklands. After thinking about it, I understood what it meant to be a student of Royal Class, which could only be visited by a select few. I had even practiced daily and sparred with the strongest person in that place. ¡°¡­It would have been weird if it wasn¡¯t that easy.¡± It would have been rather strange if I hadn¡¯t overpowered them so easily back then. Before I knew it, there was already a big gap in combat capability between me and the general public. Even life-threatening fights felt pretty easy. Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Austin had asked us how one could become stronger after he found out that we learned swordsmanship systematically. Perhaps he got curious after that. ¡°¡­All you need is a genius close to you.¡± ¡°Her. It¡¯s her.¡± How to become stronger¡­ All one needed was to stick to some ridiculous genius and make them teach you every day. If one did that, no matter how ordinary one might be, one would get stronger, even if not to the level of that genius. It could only be achieved if the genius was kind enough to give up their own progress to teach someone ordinary. After thinking about it, Ellen was a real angel, wasn¡¯t she? No matter why she started teaching me, she still took good care of me. I thought about what I should do. There was nothing I could do to repay her, or was there? Anyway, I pointed at Ellen, and Austin looked at her with a sickly expression on his face. ¡°A-are¡­ Are you such a genius?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t casually answer that she was. A way to get stronger¡­ I was a little confident in my punches, but I didn¡¯t know if they would be effective in an actual battle. It wasn¡¯t to the point of calling them all-powerful, but they were still enough to easily suppress active criminals who didn¡¯t shy away from killing either. ¡°People like me are too old to enter something like a swordsmanship school. Fortunately, I heard there were some veteran mercenaries among the adventurers. I heard there were cases where they would teach some people certain things if they made you their disciple¡­¡± I thought I had become stronger because I added some effort to my cheat-like abilities. However, after listening to Austin¡¯s circumstances, it seemed to be slightly different. I wondered if learning at Temple could be called a cheat in itself. It seemed that one of the few ways Austin could actually get stronger was by becoming the disciple of a retired mercenary and learning their swordsmanship, which they may or may not share with him. He couldn¡¯t even become an esquire of an active knight. Getting to train in Temple¡¯s environment could already be seen as a cheat to the general public. Not only did we have teachers with outstanding skills who were enthusiastic about their student¡¯s education, but there were also a lot of monsters among our peers. Austin talked about learning from some retired mercenary as if it was a life-changing opportunity. I got taught by teachers who far exceeded the skill level of regular knights, and I could practice as much as I wanted every day with the strongest prospects in the world. Being able to make use of that environment truly was incomparable to the lousy cheats I had. ¡°What are you going to do when you become strong?¡± I asked Austin out of curiosity. I was doing it for my own reasons, but for most people, it was supposed to be the start of a peaceful era. The Darklands had already been completely defeated. What reasons did someone have to become strong in a world that didn¡¯t require one to be strong? It seemed that most adventurers were gamblers and crooks with the goal of making a fortune quickly. Austin didn¡¯t seem to be that type of person. ¡°I want to be like Artorius.¡± At that, both Ellen and I fell silent. Artorius was one of the most popular topics in the world, but it was a topic that was rarely brought up between Ellen and me. Artorius had become a legend among adventurers. For those adventurers who weren¡¯t greedy for money and still dreamed of romance and adventure, Artorius inevitably became their role model. ¡°Ahaha, I mean, of course, I¡¯ll never be like him¡­ But it¡¯s something like a dream for me to be similar to him.¡± Austin laughed awkwardly, saying that he could dream at least. ¡°Then, do you even want to die like him?¡± Ellen spoke quietly. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Is it your dream to die like him as well?¡± She spoke quietly, but her tone was as sharp as a knife. Austin¡¯s expression hardened slightly at her sudden words. Do you want to be like Artorius to the point that you were willing to die while killing the Demon King? The question was rather aggressive coming from Ellen. ¡°E-erm¡­ W-well¡­ If I could give my life for a great cause like Artorius¡­ It would be an honor for someone like me. Of course, it¡¯s much too presumptuous for me to put this in words!¡± Austin apologized wildly, asking if he was too presumptuous, as that might be a bit unpleasant to hear for people who greatly admired Artorius. Ellen didn¡¯t say anything for a while, but then she opened her mouth again as if to spit something out. ¡°Do you have a family?¡± ¡°Family? Ah¡­ I have a sister and parents at home.¡± Austin¡¯s family composition was very similar to Ellen¡¯s. Ellen seemed to ponder for a long time. The guy was probably wondering why she was asking something like that. ¡°¡­¡± One could tell that a multitude of words were running through her mind. Austin was a novice adventurer. He wanted to be strong, but he wasn¡¯t. If he hadn¡¯t met Ellen and me that day, he would have already been a goner. She probably wanted to tell him to just go home and stop dreaming about such useless things. However, Ellen was indifferent to the lives of others, and she probably also thought about if she even deserved to say those words to him. Telling him to go home just because he was weak would certainly hurt Austin. That was why Ellen was thinking so deeply. In the end, she said nothing. * * * The trip to St. Point took a total of four hours. We lost some time between using the Gate and getting here, so the sun had already set. ¡°But I¡¯m glad we made it; otherwise, we would have to camp outside for the night.¡± Austin smiled happily as we drove the carriage through St. Point¡¯s entrance. This place really felt more like a base than a city. If Exia was a big city, that felt more like a village. Those Points, which acted as supply bases for adventurers, were spread out along various parts of the Allied Forces¡¯ old route. With such momentum, if their exploration progressed just a little more, a large urban area might be born with the Exian Outpost as its center. It was night, but there were still quite a few buildings in St. Point that still had some lights turned on. Even if it was not that big, it still felt like a place where people lived. ¡°But what do we do about this carriage?¡± The carriage didn¡¯t belong to us. Because we had reached our destination, we had to do something about it. ¡°Take it.¡± Ellen said such as if she didn¡¯t really care, and I felt similarly, as I didn¡¯t really want to have the carriage. ¡°I-is that really fine? With these three horses, one could earn more than a penny or two¡­¡± They were stolen goods, but the horses didn¡¯t even have name tags on them. ¡°Whether you want to sell them or get rid of them, you can do whatever you want with them.¡± ¡°I-is that so¡­? Thank you, you two.¡± ¡°Just go back home with the money you get from selling¡­ Well, never mind.¡± Ellen was about to say something but stopped herself mid-sentence. Austin was an adventurer with an uncertain future. It seemed like she wanted to tell him to just go home with the money he would get from selling the three horses. However, she had no reason to meddle in other people¡¯s affairs, so she stopped herself. ¡°My people are staying at the Lockhill Inn over there. If you want to find our party, just ask for a Mr. Hugson at the inn.¡± We got down from the carriage, and Austin started to maneuver it towards the inn where his party was staying. We somehow managed to get to St. Point. ¡°Let¡¯s rest here for today; then, we¡¯ll make our schedule and leave tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was time to look for Eleris. * * * * * * Eleris was supposed to come across us there by chance and join our party. Since she was a wizard, she had plenty of arguments to persuade Ellen to let her join. That was the plan, anyway. -Noisy, noisy However, as soon as I entered the House of Giants, I had to admit that I hadn¡¯t considered something very important. -Hey Miss! Come with us! -Hey, didn¡¯t I ask her first? -If you come with us, I¡¯ll make it 50/50! The five of us would take 50, and you alone take the other 50. How about it? -This bastard has no business ethics! How could you try to win her over with money! -We¡¯ll give you three gold coins in advance on top of a 50/50 rate for all later proceeds! Even if we don¡¯t get much! See it as an opportunity to unconditionally earn three gold coins no matter what! We¡¯ll even pay you more! Okay? The first floor tavern of the inn was in total chaos. ¡°Ah¡­ Ahaha¡­ Tha-that¡¯s¡­ Well¡­¡± There, amongst the countless recruitment calls of various people, there was a woman who was probably Eleris. Her face shape was completely different from her original one, perhaps due to her disguise, but her facial features stayed the same. Her stature had gotten slightly shorter. Her changes were rather subtle, creating an effect of only seeming to resemble herself, but she was still really recognizable. ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± But what the hell was going on? Thousands of people around Eleris were begging her to come with them. There were some who said that they would give her money, and then there were some who said that she just had to take care of their performance as she would take everything they made. They said that she could just go around with them while promising her the best treatment for some reason. Why the hell? I went to the innkeeper at the counter and slowly looked around. ¡°Do you have any vacancies?¡± ¡°Would a double room be enough?¡± A double room. ¡°Do you want to have a private room?¡± Ellen shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen. Let¡¯s share one.¡± She seemed to consider the possibility that something might happen to one of us and that the other wouldn¡¯t notice at all because we were in single rooms. We¡¯d been almost robbed the first day we reached the Darklands, so one couldn¡¯t be careful enough, I guess. ¡°Five silver coins.¡± I handed the innkeeper five silver coins and pointed at the bustling scene around Eleris. ¡°¡­By the way, what¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Oh, that.¡± The innkeeper sighed. ¡°There were rumors about a wizard being here, so even people from other inns came here to visit; that¡¯s how this mess occurred. I¡¯m not even going to sell alcohol in this atmosphere. If a fight broke out, that would be a big deal¡­¡± Wizard. ¡°¡­What¡¯s the big deal about wizards anyway?¡± At my words, the innkeeper furrowed his brow. ¡°¡­I mean, I thought as much, but you¡¯re a total greenhorn, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You might find just a single wizard among 100 adventurers.¡± Ellen gave me an explanation. It was only then that I understood what was going on. I thought wizards were rare, but I never imagined that they would be that rare. * * * 97 of them would be people with combat-related jobs. Two of them would be priests. And just one of them would be a wizard. That was the terrible ratio the group called adventurers were made up of. They were idiots that jumped into the fray in hopes of making it big. Among them were many robbers who didn¡¯t care about reputation or earning a big fortune, living off novice adventurers¡¯ equipment. ¡ªGuys like the ones we had run into. Most adventurers were simple idiots, nothing but thugs. Since anyone could become one, extremely few talented individuals were among them. However, it was only obvious that the elite occupations, priest and wizard, were extremely rare, even among the very few talented people. So, whenever a wizard appeared, a riot to recruit them would follow. In MMORPGs, there was a great shortage of healers, as a lot of people thought they were no fun to play, but priests and wizards were treated as extremely valuable individuals due to their usefulness here. It was a little funny, remembering the time when I was talking about the strengths of each magic major with Liana and the others. Wizards that came to those kinds of places were usually battle wizards that majored in destruction ma; however, they were treated as unfavorable jobs in the wizarding world, so they weren¡¯t really popular. However, in places like the Darklands battle wizards were a hot commodity. Wizards were a well-recognized profession no matter where one went, like doctors. I didn¡¯t know how they caught wind that Eleris was a wizard, but it sure caused quite the problem. Like that, my plan of accidentally bumping into her and then just naturally including her into our party became impossible. ¨C Well, please take care of us well. -Huh? I thought we already won her over to our side, though? If we approached Eleris, who enjoyed quite the popularity among those adventurers, and asked her to go with us, and she agreed, I was pretty sure we would immediately provoke our competitors. It became impossible to make her join our party quietly. I even tried making eye contact with Eleris, who seemed unable to do anything surrounded by all those people. ¡°!¡± I really wanted to pretend that I knew her, but I simply couldn¡¯t ¡®Your Highness! Help me!¡¯ ¡®How should I do that!?¡¯ We could only communicate with our eyes in that situation. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ellen didn¡¯t know what was going on, so when she thought I was spacing out, she said that we should hurry to our room; however, I couldn¡¯t just leave Eleris behind like that. I had no other choice but to use a more aggressive method. ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t it be pretty good if we had a wizard with us?¡± ¡°?¡± Ellen tilted her head at my comment. I hadn¡¯t figured out how I should go about inviting Eleris to our party with all those people around, but I had to persuade Ellen first anyway. ¡°Why?¡± Ellen tilted her head to the other side, as if she had no need for more people to join the party, even though there was a wizard right in front of her. ¡°No, I mean¡­ It wouldn¡¯t hurt, right?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true, but we won¡¯t be able to meet the conditions, though.¡± The place was overflowing with people who were willing to give her enough money to buy houses just to win that wizard over to their side. Ellen was asking if getting her on our side was worth enough for us to spend all our money on her. No, she wouldn¡¯t really need any of our money. I couldn¡¯t explain that to her though. ¡°I mean, it won¡¯t hurt if we asked her once, right?¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Ellen went up to the room first as if it didn¡¯t concern her. She probably seemed to think that I wouldn¡¯t succeed. I somehow had to push through that crowd to get to Eleris, who was exploding in popularity. If Eleris, who had rejected all proposals, suddenly accepted mine, people would probably think it was strange, but I had to endure just that much then. -Bang! The door to the inn opened quite violently, and someone came in. Everyone who had been shouting turned to look at the person who came in after they heard that sudden loud noise. ¡°They say there¡¯s a wizard here?¡± It was a man with an axe strapped to his back. He gave off a sharp, rough impression. After that person appeared in the inn, silence permeated its walls. -It¡¯s Hugson. -Hugson? -Why is he here? He¡¯s the only B-rank around. -That¡¯s him? People were whispering in quiet voices. Hugson. Austin had said there was a B-ranked adventurer in his party. He had also said that they were staying in the Lockhill Inn, where we should ask for Hugson if we ever wanted to find their party. The man who came in seemed to be that Hugson. -Ah, it¡¯s over. -That guy will take her, won¡¯t he? -Why is a B-rank even here¡­ ¨C Why is he in St. Point¡­ Listening to them made me cringe a little. Aah, that guy is a B-rank? He¡¯s so high level! Ah! Why did this happen? Why is a guy like that here? Damn it! ¡­I felt like I was about to go crazy just watching them. Anyway, it seemed like being a B-rank was actually quite high-ranked for an adventurer. He approached Eleris as if he couldn¡¯t even see the other people around him. ¡°Join our party.¡± He spoke to her in quite a straightforward manner. She seemed a little stunned by that. ¡°Huh¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°Join our party. You can achieve so much more with us than with any other party.¡± Of course, Eleris wouldn¡¯t be swayed by those conditions. She was waiting for me, after all. Hugson seemed to find it absurd for her to choose anyone but his own party, so, without waiting for her answer, he grabbed Eleris¡¯s arm. ¡°Ah! H-hey! Excuse me! I¡ª!¡± ¡°Just follow me.¡± When I saw Eleris getting dragged away so roughly, I felt as if the string that had been keeping my reason together finally snapped. ¡°Hey, old man.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± That motherfucker. ¡°Let go of her, will ya?¡± Who did he think he was touching? Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Everyone was looking at me as if I had a death wish. Even Hugson tilted his head at my words. What did I just hear? That was what he seemed to be thinking. The gesture was only cute when Harriet did it, if some old geezer did it, it was simply disgusting. ¡°Do you want me to repeat myself? Let her go.¡± ¡°¡­Who are you to order me around?¡± Hugson spoke to me in a commanding tone, looking down on me as he approached me. ¡°Then who are you to order her around and just tell her to follow you, even though she hasn¡¯t answered yet, geezer?¡± You don¡¯t want to get ordered around, then why do you do it to others? Well. It wasn¡¯t anything special¡ªhumans want to just passively depend on each other, after all. I was similar, sometimes. However, I couldn¡¯t stand it if someone did that to my people! Eleris looked at me with a strange expression tugging on her lips. It seemed that Eleris was the most surprised about my sudden actions, more so than anyone else. ¡°Do I need to wait for an answer? Our party can offer her the best conditions and the best results. There¡¯s no need to even think about it.¡± St. Point wasn¡¯t a very large base, and according to Loyar, its surroundings were rather safe. So it wasn¡¯t a place high-ranking adventurers would go to. Hugson¡¯s party was the highest-ranked party in the area. The others seemed to accept that as well. In other words, someone from a big corporation came to scout a talent that was getting recruitment offers by countless small businesses, so why did he have to even ask for her opinion on that? Of course she would say yes to that offer. Well¡­ After I thought about it, he was kind of right¡­ No. It was different in that case, though. It didn¡¯t matter if he was part of some huge conglomerate or some rich second generation! ¡°Anyway, you can¡¯t just drag someone away without asking for their opinion.¡± ¡°You¡­ Yeah, Miss Wizard. So are you going to come along or not?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Eleris, her expression rather vague, looked at Hugson, who was glaring at her slightly. ¡°¡­I must refuse, after all.¡± At those words, Hugson and the people watching had quite bizarre expressions on their faces. That girl. She turned down the offer of a large corporation! For who does she even wait for her to turn him down! That was what their expressions seemed to shout. Hugson stared at her, seeming as if he had never even imagined that his proposal would get turned down. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what rank you have as a wizard, but do you think you can afford to reject my offer?¡± Hugson was asking if she was a wizard strong enough to demand such high prices. At those words, Eleris shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡­ But I hate people who act like you.¡± Eleris looked at me while gently pulling her arm out of his grip. ¡°Rather than someone who has excellent skills but is much too dogmatic, I¡¯d like to work with someone¡­ who may lack skill but at least asked for my opinion first.¡± And like that, Eleris directed the conversation to wanting to join my party. She declined that guy and¡ªat the same time¡ªadded a natural reason why she would want to join me. That¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t step in for nothing. Not only Hugson, but everyone inside the inn was astonished at Eleris¡¯s declaration. * * * In the end, Hugson said that he didn¡¯t like it but couldn¡¯t force Eleris to join him. Even if he managed to drag her away, Eleris wouldn¡¯t have joined his party, but Hugson still glared at me with an overbearing look, perhaps thinking that he lost the wizard he was about to bring over because of me. ¡°¡­You look like a rookie, but it would be better if you didn¡¯t act so unruly.¡± I was going to say something, but the look in Eleris¡¯s eyes told me everything. ¡®Don¡¯t talk any nonsense!¡¯ That silent pressure forced me to just nod slowly. ¡°Ah yeah. Excuse me for being a rookie.¡± ¡°¡­¡± You were still alive because of Eleris, got that? Hugson left the inn. Eleris then rushed up to me and reached out her hand. ¡°I¡¯m Relya. Nice to meet you.¡± I had never met Eleris in that form before. She promised to act as if she didn¡¯t know me and that it was our first meeting, even if it was just to prevent Ellen from suspecting anything. ¡°I¡¯m Reinhardt.¡± Ellen had wiped her hair with a towel and slipped into her casual clothes, probably while I was causing a fuss downstairs. And then, I brought Eleris into the room to introduce her. ¡°¡­You really brought her.¡± Ellen was a little dazed as didn¡¯t expect me to actually bring the wizard to our side. ¡°I¡¯m Relya.¡° ¡°¡­I¡¯m Ellen.¡± They shook hands. Ellen seemed rather awkward as she didn¡¯t expect to welcome another member into her party. ¡°I don¡¯t know what conditions Reinhardt offered you, but¡­ we don¡¯t have the money to pay a wizard like you.¡± ¡°Conditions? Oh, I don¡¯t need anything.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± I explained to Ellen what happened downstairs. Of course, Ellen still wasn¡¯t convinced. It seemed strange that she turned down all those amazing conditions to join us, no matter how much I kind of saved her from a tough situation. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not really a high-ranked wizard¡­ However, seeing how much those people offered me, it¡¯s clear that they are expecting a lot from me¡­ So I felt really troubled¡­ Rather than getting treated preferentially, I feel much more comfortable working with someone on equal footing. People think that all wizards are Archwizards.¡± It seemed that Eleris had already thought of an excuse. If one received preferential treatment, people would have great expectations of one¡¯s abilities. She said that she had been refusing every offer because she was afraid of disappointing them if she wasn¡¯t able to meet their expectations later on. ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± Ellen nodded her head slowly as if she had found her explanation plausible. Of course, she probably hadn¡¯t fully loosened her guard yet. ¡°I can use some attack magic and some support magic.¡± Eleris didn¡¯t specify what magic spells she could cast. She only used vague expressions like, ¡°some¡±, ¡°a little¡±, and ¡°to a certain extent¡±. Anyway, Eleris ended up joining us, so I could stop worrying so much about unexpected situations occurring. ¡°By the way, how did you end up in that difficult situation anyway?¡± I was most curious about that. Wizards didn¡¯t have ¡®wizard¡¯ written on their foreheads, nor did Eleris wear a robe or show off her magic. How did people get wind that she was a wizard? On the surface I was just asking her, but it was actually more like an order. Eleris scratched her cheek with a vague smile on her lips. ¡°Aah¡­ Well, there were some people that had been bothering me, so¡­ I punished them a bit with my magic¡­So¡­ That¡¯s all¡­ I didn¡¯t know it would turn out like this¡­¡± It seemed like she used some magic to get rid of some guys who kept on hitting on her. She succeeded in driving them away, but when it got out that she was a wizard, things became even more troublesome. Even Eleris didn¡¯t seem to know that wizards were so sought-after. Eleris changed the subject, perhaps because she didn¡¯t want to talk about that anymore. She seemed to feel great shame reporting these things to me. She told me to not get led by my temper, but she couldn¡¯t even keep hers in check, and even ended up using magic. Ellen shook her head when she asked if we had any plans. ¡°We were going to make our plans tomorrow.¡± ¡°How about we come up with something together?¡± We sat around the table in our double room. We came to the Darklands because we needed practical experience, so we chose St. Point, which was the safest place around there. ¡°Do you have a map?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen and I opened up the map of the Darklands we had gotten from the Thieves¡¯ Guild. Most areas were left blank, but they would continue to be filled out depending on how much progress the adventurers made. The Exian Outpost was located in the westernmost part of the Darklands, and the eastern part was gradually getting explored. The adventurer¡¯ bases spread out like spiderwebs around the route the Allied Forces had taken towards the east, with the Exian Outpost being their starting point. If I had to use a different simile to describe its shape, it would be a tree root. St. Point was one of the places seen as relatively safe. The further north one went, the more dangerous the areas would get, and the deeper eastern parts were also very dangerous. Higher-ranked adventurers were probably pioneering those areas at the forefront. Of course, there was no reason for lower-ranked adventurers to go to those places, so there were some who went there so that they wouldn¡¯t miss out. Ellen and I also did some preliminary research, but Eleris definitely knew more than just the basics. ¡­And she obviously also knew more about the Darklands than any other adventurer. St. Point was located to the south of the eastern advance route, so the area we would mainly explore was the south, not the north. ¡°Actually, the exploration of this area is almost complete, so it would be difficult to obtain any new information. There are no particularly dangerous areas, and at best, there are only requests to make a more detailed map of the area¡­ Do you know how to draw maps?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Eleris knew more detailed information than us because she got there long before us, which meant she understood St. Point¡¯s situation a lot better. St. Point was safe, so the only requests available were creating detailed maps of the area. However, none of us knew how to draw maps. ¡°As you know, this place is just a waypoint before Klitz Point, which would be a day¡¯s journey going south. It seems that a lot of the area has already been pioneered, but there are rumors of demons appearing in its vicinity. There were quite a few eyewitness reports, or so it seems. Of course, there weren¡¯t any casualties, though.¡± A full day¡¯s trip going south¡­ Then we would reach Klitz Point. St. Point was just a waypoint, preparing one for the journey to Klitz Point. The area around Klitz Point had been explored, but not completely. It seemed that there were some eyewitness reports of demons appearing in the area. ¡°And further south from Klitz Point¡­ that¡¯s where problems had been cropping up from recently.¡± ¡°Problems?¡± Eleris nodded at Ellen¡¯s question. St. Point wasn¡¯t too far east from the Exian Outpost, so they were still pretty close to each other. St. Point was located south of the Eastern Advance Route. Since its purpose was to enable adventurers to explore the South further, new Points would be built when they found appropriate regions for those bases as they continued south. Eleris placed her finger on the map. St. Point, that split off the Eastern Advance Route, and the other Points that were located along the way deeper into the south. Als Point, the main base located deepest in the south, was split into three different bases, Als-1, Als-2, and Als-3. This might have been done to broaden the exploration area. As for the Southern Exploration Route, stretching from St. Point: Als-1, 2, and 3 made up its forefront. Eleris pointed to the Als Point. ¡°Recently, we lost contact with the bases furthest to the south, including Als Point. A specific reason or cause for this has yet to be discovered. Rumors say that some adventurers set out to investigate, but it doesn¡¯t seem like they have found anything yet. Speculations suggest that Als Point was probably attacked or destroyed.¡± ¡°¡­So what happened to the other three Points connected to Als Point?¡± Ellen¡¯s expression hardened, seeming to know that the situation was more than unusual. ¡°They must have become isolated.¡± Als Point should have played an important role in providing supplies to the other three bases in the south. However, since the waypoint bridging them to the other bases collapsed, it was impossible to deliver supplies to the frontlines. Therefore, the people who were at Als-1, 2, and 3 are probably isolated from everything. For some reason, the waypoint had been destroyed recently, and adventurers went to investigate, but there hadn¡¯t been any results yet. ¡°Unless one planned on staying in St. Point and only doing work around the base, the biggest request in all the other bases in the south is to escort convoys storing supplies for those isolated bases. The convoys also seem to contain material to reconstruct Als Point as well as supplies for the three Points further south.¡± It was presumed that Als Point collapsed. However, the truth behind the incident had yet to be revealed. It was still necessary to provide the three frontline bases, cut off from any normal supply road, with supplies as soon as possible. Therefore, convoys were organized to deliver supplies to the three southernmost bases, and escorting those convoys was the biggest task available in the south. There wasn¡¯t much one could do if one decided to stay in St. Point. However, if one planned on leaving St. Point, treading into more dangerous areas, then the thing most requested was escorting convoys. I looked at Ellen. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The choice was left with Ellen. Exploring the vicinity of St. Point might not be very tempting for Ellen. ¡°Let¡¯s join the convoy.¡± As I had thought, Ellen chose to do something bigger. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Therefore, the Guild intended to put together a convoy to restore the waypoint base while also providing supplies to the isolated bases. A large-scale supply convoy would soon start its journey. It was probably supposed to be quite large as well. Eleris, Ellen, and I went to the Adventurers Guild branch in St. Point to apply for the corresponding quest. That was where we received some pretty bad news. ¡°Ah, the convoy escorts are no longer accepting any new members. We already have the required number of members.¡± As we were probably one step too late, the Guild Guide showed us an apologetic smile, as if they were feeling troubled after showing us the convoy escort member list. One could clearly see that the list of about fifty people was already completely filled out. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen stared at the list. The names and ranks of every member of the convoy escort team was written on it. And the top name was quite familiar, although Ellen didn¡¯t recognize them. Written there in clear handwriting was: ¡°B Rank ¨C Hugson.¡± ¡°However, with the permission of Mr. Hugson, the leader of the escort team, we may be able to add additional personnel. You can find Mr. Hugson at the Lockheed inn.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± That B-ranked adventurer was in charge of the convoy escort team. It was only then that I understood why people couldn¡¯t go against anything Hugson said. He was not only a B-ranked adventurer but also someone who had some form of authority. Did the Guild give him this authority because he was the highest-ranked adventurer in St. Point? ¡°I-I didn¡¯t expect for this to happen¡­¡± Eleris did some research, but she also seemed puzzled that Mr.Hugson was someone with such authority. ¡°¡­What?¡± Eleris and I turned pale, while Ellen just tilted her head, wondering what was going on. ¡°¡­Hugson is the guy we had trouble with earlier.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Ellen nodded her head, seeming as if she got the gist. It was more than obvious that our request to get accepted as additional members wouldn¡¯t get approved. * * * We went back to our inn and gathered together again. ¡°We could just go down there by ourselves, couldn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ You¡¯re saying that we should go investigate the situation at Als Point ourselves, without the convoy, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There had been a team of adventurers that went there before us, however there had been no news of them yet. It wouldn¡¯t be such a bad plan to go to Als Point ourselves to investigate and report our findings to the Guild separately rather than joining the convoy escort team. ¡°Making money is good and all, but there¡¯s no harm in moving on our own.¡± We finally decided to give up on the convoy mission. ¡°To think that a B-ranked adventurer is someone so great. To be given enough authority to take on the role of an escort team leader.¡± Eleris seemed quite surprised that the B-rank was actually higher than expected. Honestly, I was surprised as well. After I thought about it, it was a pretty high ranking, wasn¡¯t it? Ellen just mumbled with her arms crossed. ¡°He just became a big fish in a small pond.¡± I tilted my head at her quiet comment. ¡°The road to St. Point is safe, so escorts or something wouldn¡¯t be needed. This escorting job had to have its origins in St. Point.¡± ¡°¡­Right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually a request only available in St. Point¡¯s Guild office. However, there aren¡¯t many well-paying requests in this place, so there aren¡¯t any high-ranking adventurers around. The highest-ranked adventurer in this place is that man called Hugson.¡± In fact, Ellen also didn¡¯t think that someone of B-rank deserved to be put in the position of an escort team leader. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that he got lucky by being here, essentially becoming a big fish in a small pond?¡± ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. He might have a connection to someone from St. Point¡¯s Guild branch as well.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess.¡± Hugson might be in close contact with someone from the local guild, enabling him to monopolize good requests, so he might have actually come to St. Point because of that. In that case, he was even assigned to be the leader of the requested escort team. Normally, that position would belong to a much higher-ranking adventurer. Eleris and I nodded our heads at Ellen¡¯s quite plausible explanation. ¡°And looking at the list, except for Hugson, all of the members were either D or F-ranked adventurers. Almost all of them are newcomers.¡± ¡°¡­Newcomers?¡± Certainly, Austin had also bragged about being in the same party as Hugson. Ellen carefully looked over the list and seemed to come to a realization. ¡°What¡¯s his reason for hiring only new adventurers?¡± ¡°There must be a certain budget allocated for this request. Low-ranking adventurers are usually paid less. He was probably planning on pocketing the rest.¡± At Ellen¡¯s words, my mouth opened in surprise. If a total of 100 gold coins were given as a budget to the request as payment for the participants, if he let high-ranking adventurers join the escort team, he would get less money in the end, so he decided to fill the ranks with only newcomers. He was pretty sure that the route they would be going down was safe anyway. Their purpose wasn¡¯t to go to battle but to simply escort a convoy. ¡°Well¡­ Ain¡¯t he one hell of a guy?¡± Aside from the fact that Hugson turned out to be quite the greedy individual, it had nothing to do with us anyway. We had already decided that we didn¡¯t want to take part in the mission, after all. We wouldn¡¯t have any more business in St. Point after we left. We decided to head towards Als Point, regardless of the convoy. Since we hadn¡¯t had dinner yet, Ellen and I went somewhere to eat. After telling us that she had already eaten, Eleris went back to her room. Of course, I already mentioned it before, but it seemed like it wasn¡¯t completely impossible for her to eat our food. However, she said that she wouldn¡¯t eat with us to avoid suspicion. Although it had gotten quieter, as the wizard recruiting frenzy had ended, the first floor was still noisy because of all of the drunkards making merry. -Is that him? -Yeah. -Huh¡­ Why did she decide to refuse to join a B-ranked party and go hang out with some kid like him? -Maybe she wasn¡¯t as good as she seemed to be. -Well, even if she isn¡¯t skillful, a wizard is still a wizard¡­ From time to time I also heard some people talking about me appearing from out of nowhere and stealing away the wizard. I didn¡¯t really care about them. I would have to stay in St. Point for more than a week to deal with all those guys. Ellen added three hamburger steaks and a lot of potato salad to her order, while I only ordered one steak. ¡°¡­Do you plan on eating those huge amounts here as well?¡± Where the hell did her bottomless appetite come from? Ellen looked at me with a sullen expression on her face at my comment. What! That was what she was trying to convey. ¡°You¡¯ll have to move around a lot more, so you should eat more.¡± Woah, woah, look at her talking back. ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± She was right that we should eat a lot. We wouldn¡¯t have to replenish the preserved food we had gotten at the Exian Outpost here in St. Point. Was that why she didn¡¯t eat a lot while we were on the road? ¡°¡­¡± Anyway, I had quite the problem. -Yees! Seeing the barkeeper pour the people drinks after they ordered made me think that he might pour me some as well, as long as I paid. Something like that was impossible to even think about in Temple, but wouldn¡¯t it be nice if he just poured me some alcohol if I gave him money? ¡°¡­Should we have a drink?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Ellen only looked at me after hearing my words. She didn¡¯t seem to understand what I was trying to say at all. ¡°¡­A drink?¡± ¡°¡­I-I was just saying¡­¡± I felt a certain sense of crisis that she might kill me as soon as I put some alcohol in my mouth. She didn¡¯t tell me not to drink, but seeing her eyes telling me, ¡®What did you say?¡¯ scared me a bit. ¡­It hurt my pride a bit. I-I mean, wasn¡¯t it completely natural to be scared of the world¡¯s strongest person, regardless of how much older I actually was? Was it much uglier to make excuses for being pathetic? Still, I was just afraid of Ellen sometimes, in a different sense than Bertus and Charlotte! I was always getting beat up by her in the name of training! That was what one called a bully! ¡°Have you drank before?¡± Ellen asked me something as she ate her hamburger steak. Of course, I had drunk. I had drunk a lot in the past. However, I only had a single drink after I possessed this body¡ªit was some unidentified sour drink that the beggars of the Rotary Gang drank. However, alcohol was alcohol. ¡°¡­Why can¡¯t I?¡± At my timid attempt at protest, Ellen shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°But not today,¡± she said firmly while shoving the hamburger steak in her mouth. ¡°I can¡¯t drink?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to drink some, do it later.¡± So, I can¡¯t have any, huh? ¡°¡­With me.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± She said something completely unexpected after I was about to feel really disappointed. I understood why one wouldn¡¯t want me to drink, but she had actually asked to drink with me later? ¡°I want to have a drink as well.¡± Ellen was probably curious about the taste of alcohol. To be honest, Ellen was sincere in everything she did, but she wasn¡¯t the type of person that advocated for people to live a righteous life. She did her best with a given task, but she wasn¡¯t someone who pursued absolute justice. It wasn¡¯t so out-of-character for her to want to try drinking once. I suddenly became very curious about what would happen if she were to become totally drunk. While I was still surprised at Ellen¡¯s surprising words¡­ -Bang! Suddenly, the inn door swung open, giving me some serious d¨¦j¨¤ vu. What was with this? Not too long ago, something similar happened. Just like that time, the inn fell completely silent. And unlike before, it was a group of people that came into the inn. They were a group of uniformed people, fully armed. The B-ranked adventurer, Hugson, was among them. ¡°¡­¡± Austin was also among them, shaking and completely pale. He pointed to me without a word, and those armed people came to the table where Ellen and I sat. I then realized what uniform that was. ¡°I¡¯m St. Point Adventurer Guild Officer Zaler.¡± It was the uniform worn by the Adventurers Guild staff. ¡°Reinhardt and Ellen. Am I right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The cold-looking officer confirmed Ellen¡¯s and my identity before speaking to us. ¡°I have received reports that you both are suspected of having partaken in robbery.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hugson grabbed Austin by the shoulder. Austin¡¯s complexion turned blue. ¡°Austin, tell me what you saw.¡± ¡°Tha-that¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± Fucking hell. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me the truth, your carriage will be taken away from you, you know?¡± I pretty much understood what was going on. Hugson was threatening Austin right in front of me. ¡°Tho-those two¡­ Attacked the adventurers and the coachman when they were in the carriage¡­ They extorted the wagon and their equipment from them¡­¡± Austin was trembling with fear. The man who introduced himself as a Guild Officer came forward, pointing his chin towards Austin, and then looked at Ellen. ¡°We¡¯ve already got witnesses. Are you going to cooperate?¡± ¡°What kind of¡­¡± ¡°Reinhardt.¡± As I was about to go mad, Ellen called out to me. Was she worried that I¡¯d flip out again and get dragged away to some place? Ellen whispered. ¡°Take ¡®that¡¯ out.¡± That¡­ I immediately knew what she meant. Oh, right. It wasn¡¯t really some magic tool, nor was it some great relic. ¨CRustle ¡°¡­!¡± It was an invincible cheat item limited to humans. The Imperial Family¡¯s Crest was in my hands. Ellen also took out her Temple student ID. The Imperial Crest and the Temple Student ID, which guaranteed our identity as students of the continent¡¯s most prestigious educational institution, Temple. Without even looking at the Officer, Ellen muttered as if they were just a passing nuisance while eating her hamburger steak. ¡°If you can afford it, by all means, take us.¡± How could she say ¡°Get the fuck out of here¡± so gracefully? The inn was completely silent because of a different reason that time. ¡°What are you doing?! Those are definitely fake!¡± Hugson, who opted to simply watch the situation before, broke the silence. ¡°Hu-Hugson! Those items are something that would cause all three generations of your family to get executed if someone dared to create counterfeits of them!¡± The officer called out to Hugson, who was suddenly coming towards us. This wasn¡¯t always the case, but it would be incredibly troublesome and dangerous if it was found out that someone dared to do something like that. ¡°They couldn¡¯t have grown so bold that they resorted to something like that!¡± That bastard was the type of person that would shout around with a bright red face if things didn¡¯t turn out as he wanted. ¡°Hah! You bastards, I only thought you were robbers, but you were actually traitors! Faking the Imperial Family¡¯s Crest and impersonating Temple students? You guys will be executed immediately!¡± -Thud! Thud! Thud! He began to stride closer to us, axe in hand, seeming as if he had lost control. ¡°If you move just a single step closer.¡± Ellen muttered in a cool voice. ¡°You die.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to die.¡± Ellen got up from her seat and stared at Hugson, whose face had turned even redder. I had never seen her like that before. Silent anger was raging in her expressionless face. It seemed even more expressionless than usual. Even though that rage wasn¡¯t directed at me, I still felt a chill run down my spine. In fact, Hugson, who was about to draw his weapon, also backed away unconsciously when Ellen stood up. ¡°What? You want to have a duel then?¡± Ellen stared at Hugson with a steak knife in her right hand. ¡°This is all I need.¡± No one even dared to laugh at Ellen¡¯s ridiculous statement that she would take on that axe with a steak knife. The pressure she emitted made everyone think that she could really do it. ¡°If you don¡¯t, then get out of here.¡± That time, Ellen wasn¡¯t as elegant as before. The Imperial Family¡¯s Crest, the Temple Student ID¡­ And that mysterious confidence she was showing at the moment. They were more than convincing. However, if they were to touch her, they might get sent flying far away. No, she might send them flying even before they could do that. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go back, Hugson.¡± ¡°¡­Tch.¡± In the end, they made the wise choice before taking that last step towards their death. ____ Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Even after Hugson and the men from the Adventurers Guild left, the silence had yet to subside. Of course, the reason for that was Ellen and me. The people who had watched the scene were slowly retreating to their rooms, cutting their drinking party short. ¡°It seems that the St. Point Adventurers Guild is in that guy¡¯s pocket.¡± It looked to me that the guild officer was treating Hugson as if he was his master or something. I had already finished my food, so I was watching Ellen as she finished eating the leftovers. ¡°¡­By the way, you sure have a temper.¡± I was quite surprised because I didn¡¯t expect Ellen to tell them that they would die. I had never seen her say such harsh things to anyone before. ¡°It¡¯s better to simply scare him away than actually kill him.¡± ¡°¡­Your words certainly were scarier just now.¡± If she left Hugson alone, he certainly would have given in to his temper and started attacking, which meant that she would have had to kill the guy, so she did this instead. She put enough pressure on them to make them think they might really die, which made those guys actually withdraw. It was quite unbelievable, even though I had witnessed it with my own eyes. ¡°He was threatened, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Ellen seemed to be thinking about Austin, who had stood beside them, trembling and pale. ¡°¡­I guess so.¡± Austin was a fresh F-ranked adventurer at most. He belonged to that B-rank Hugson¡¯s party, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that he was still a newcomer. Austin had probably bragged about what happened earlier without knowing that we had some conflict with Hugson. He had told him about two rookie adventurers who had almost got robbed but ended up turning the tables and managed to rob the robbers. He probably told them about the sudden appearance of the carriage as well. When Hugson heard that story, he seemed to have realized that one of those two rookies was me¡ªone could infer as much if one heard a detailed description of my appearance and character. So he must have put pressure on Austin when he realized that he could actually charge us with the crime of robbery. He would have said something like, ¡°if you don¡¯t testify against them that they robbed those adventurers, then you¡¯ll be charged, and your carriage will be taken away¡±. So if he wanted to use it, he probably was told that he had to testify against us. Through an Adventurers Guild officer, who was in charge of rewards and punishment, they tried to get us arrested or tried for the crime of robbery. They probably didn¡¯t even imagine that they would get into deep trouble if they touched us recklessly. ¡°Fucking hell. He tried to accuse us of some crime just because I managed to get the wizard on our team.¡± ¡°The biggest problem is that something like that would have been actually possible to realize.¡± If it weren¡¯t for those special items we had, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to defend ourselves, even if they treated us the way they did. I realized once again that we were in a lawless land. Adventurers who could easily turn into robbers, there were people who could even control other peoples¡¯ lives by having connections to some mildly powerful people. Seeing the lawless behavior displayed by the humans there, it finally sunk in that I was in the Darklands. This atmosphere actually had nothing to do with demons. ¡°I was told that the humans were the scariest in places like this.¡± That must have been something her brother told her as well. * * * Although it was Ellen¡¯s first time getting involved with adventurers, she was well informed about their behavior¡ªshe¡¯d probably heard a lot from Artorius. It was Ellen who first noticed that we were about to be robbed when we were in the carriage, and it was also her who solved the conflict with Hugson. It seemed that Ellen had already been well aware that the ones she should be most wary of weren¡¯t the demons but the humans. ¡°¡­Do you want me to change rooms with Relya?¡± ¡°¡­No, I don¡¯t trust her.¡± Ellen shook her head at my offer. She didn¡¯t even want to share a room with Eleris. Ellen wouldn¡¯t trust a person she had just met, after all. So she decided that it would be better to share a room with me. I noticed that before but had decided to not say anything. I thought I might get in trouble just by mentioning it. The innkeeper had said it was a double room. However, it obviously wasn¡¯t. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think the innkeeper actually knows what a double room is.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Just because the bed is slightly bigger, he labels the room as a double room?¡± ¡°¡­¡± There weren¡¯t two beds in the room but one bed that was large enough for two people to lie in. However, because it was time to sleep, I didn¡¯t really know what I should do about it. ¡°¡­How about sleeping on the floor?¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have to make yourself uncomfortable because of me¡­¡± Ellen muttered softly at my words. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t talking about me; I was talking about you.¡± Ah, I didn¡¯t know anymore. Like that, I just lay down on the bed. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen looked down at me with a cool look on her face. Piece of trash. That was what her eyes were telling me. ¡°¡­What? Shouldn¡¯t the strong be considerate of the weak?!¡± Was I wrong? It was only obvious that the strong should take care of the weak! She was the strongest there was! So she should be sleeping on the floor! Ellen pushed me with her feet as l was lying there. ¡°Get lost.¡± -Bam! ¡°Ouch! You crazy-!¡± Ellen pushed me to the edge of the bed, then lay down on it herself. Did she just say something as hateful as ¡®get lost¡¯? Really? ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± My efforts to calm the atmosphere by spouting nonsense were in vain. When we were lying next to each other like that, I felt uneasy. There was no reason for me to feel so uneasy, but we had a long march ahead of us the next day! I had to sleep! I was actually very tired after traveling for thousands of kilometers! Although we did that using Warp Gates. ¡°¡­Hey.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°What if they decide to attack us at night?¡± Hugson had retreated for the moment, but seeing how he acted showed that he was very vindictive, so I was somewhat worried that he might come at us again deep in the night. ¡°Then I¡¯ll actually kill him.¡± Ellen had given him enough opportunities already, so she said that would really kill him. She wasn¡¯t really worried about him coming back to kill us. Her words sure were brutal. If anyone heard her, they would think that she had killed a lot of people already. I felt that Ellen¡¯s attitude had undergone quite a change ever since we came to that dangerous place compared to the safe environment Temple provided. I had to make sure not to stand on the wrong side of her blade. Still, Eleris was there, and Ellen was also close to me, so I felt my anxiety greatly lowering I was also just a person, even if I went there on my own two feet, I was bound to feel some anxiety in that place where one wrong move could cost me my life. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Ellen spoke to me while staring at the ceiling. ¡°Thank you for coming with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It seemed like Ellen felt the same way as me. If she had gone to that place on her own, she would have felt a lot more anxious, the same as me. It was a completely separate matter from one¡¯s personal strength. ¡°Are you saying that because you can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°¡­Whatever.¡± Ellen turned around as if she didn¡¯t want to listen to any more of my nonsense. * * * * * * Fortunately, Hugson didn¡¯t come to cause trouble during the night. The next morning¡­ I couldn¡¯t remember when I fell asleep, but when I woke up I felt something fluffy on my face. It felt kind of soft. Ah. Huh? ¡°¡­¡± That. It was tight. I couldn¡¯t believe something as cliche as that would happen. My face was buried in something at the moment. No, it felt more like it was getting buried in something. It didn¡¯t feel like I had crossed any lines yet! When I slowly raised my head, I saw someone else¡¯s face before me. ¡°¡­¡± You. What. What are you doing right now? She was looking at me with those kinds of eyes. ¡°W-wait a minute.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Wait. I don¡¯t know what you think I¡¯m doing, but¡­that¡¯s not it, okay. Ah.¡± ¡°Forget about it.¡± Ellen pulled up her collar, sat up on the bed, and then arranged her disheveled hair. Then she looked at me, speaking curtly. ¡°Things like that happen.¡± Why was she looking at me as if she wanted to kill me then? If one shared a bed, things like that could happen when one tossed and turned! Ah! You hear?! Damn it, no matter what I said, it wouldn¡¯t make me look any better, so I kept my silence. Ellen slowly yawned, then stood up and stretched. ¡°Let¡¯s get ready.¡± Ellen should have screamed and slapped my face going by the usual developments found in fiction! However, she didn¡¯t give me that standard response. In fact, she acted as if nothing had happened and looked at me like that. The development was romcom material. However, her response was not. At times like these she should feel ashamed and shy, but she didn¡¯t seem to feel that way. Actually, I was pretty terrified that I might end up killed if I said anything wrong. * * * After getting ready for our departure, Ellen and I had some breakfast. Eleris also came down on time. ¡°Good morning, you two. I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°You have to eat.¡± At Ellen¡¯s words, Eleris smiled and shook her head. ¡°Oh, I ate something earlier before you came down. I¡¯m ready to go.¡± Eleris didn¡¯t wear any armor like we did. She was just wearing a robe, not the simple dress she wore previously. Rather than wanting to show off that she was a wizard, it seemed to serve to cover her from the sun. After a light breakfast, the three of us left the inn. Our current goal was to get to Als Point to investigate what happened there. Of course, our actions would be completely useless if other adventurers had already reached the place and found out the truth, but there was no telling what might happen to them along the way. We would arrive at our next destination, Kiltz Point, if we headed south of St. Point. We would take a full day to get there. Eleris probably felt pain, standing directly in the morning sun, but she didn¡¯t make it obvious. She had to be in pain, but I didn¡¯t know how tolerable it was for her. As if she noticed me looking at her, Eleris met my eyes and smiled. It looked like I didn¡¯t have to worry about her. At St. Point, we came across a sight we hadn¡¯t seen before. Numerous wagons were being loaded. ¡°What¡¯s this? The convoy?¡± ¡°It should be.¡± Wagons were arriving one after the other from the northern entrance of St. Point. That was probably the convoy the escorting mission led by Hugson was for. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± There seemed to be dozens of wagons coming into the base. Since there were a lot more people escorting the convoy, they would reach Als Point much later than us as well. Seeing those kinds of things made me realize how cheat-like magic really was. By casting Mass Teleportation just once, one could move all those supplies in one go without having to gather as much manpower in a much shorter time. Of course, spells like Mass Teleportation were very high-level spells that could only be used by wizards on Eleris¡¯s level or higher. Even Eleris needed to chant for quite some time before she could actually cast it. There shouldn¡¯t be that many wizards of that level on the continent. That was why alternatives like Warp Gates were created. However, one still had to replenish supplies in places where no Warp Gates or a wizard who could cast Teleportation were around. By the way, I didn¡¯t manage to talk to Eleris alone, so I couldn¡¯t ask her anything. However, if it was Eleris, she probably already knew what happened at Als Point. She just had to cast Teleportation one herself once, so she probably already investigated the incident, right? However, since we had already departed, I didn¡¯t get a chance to talk to Eleris separately. Well, she might not have had enough time to find out the truth. We passed the area crowded with countless wagons and headed towards the south exit. On our way, we saw Hugson yelling orders from close to the Lockhill inn. -Not there, this way, you bastard! What a great personality he had. Well, I was in no position to criticize him, though. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± And then I saw someone who was rushing about, probably on an errand, stop and look at us. ¡°¡­¡± Then he just lowered his gaze and walked away. It was Austin. ¡°Do you know him?¡± Ellen softly nodded her head at Eleris question. ¡°Rather than actually knowing him, we¡¯re vaguely acquainted.¡± Austin didn¡¯t want to be accused of robbery himself, so he had accused us. He probably did it due to Hugson¡¯s threats, but in the end, he was still his accomplice and accused us of things we weren¡¯t guilty of. I saw Austin running away from us as fast as he could. I actually felt more pity towards him than hate. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen seemed to think similarly. She continued to look at Austin, who seemed to feel too ashamed to face us. ¡°I wish I could have stopped you.¡± Ellen took the lead, leaving behind those words whose recipient was unknown. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 In order to get to Klitz Point before heading towards Als Point, we had to choose between traveling through some rough terrain or along an already paved road. If we went through unexplored areas, there was a possibility that we might make a new discovery, but our pace would be rather slow, and we would have to go through dangerous areas. If we took the established roads, we would arrive at our goal the quickest, but we would have little to gain from that journey. ¡°Since Miss Relya is with us, it would be better to take the easier path.¡± Taking the poor stamina of wizards like Eleris into consideration, Ellen seemed to have decided to take the established roads. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m fine, really¡­¡± Of course, it was pretty pointless for her to worry about Eleris¡¯s stamina. I didn¡¯t know how strong vampires were, but she was probably even stronger than Ellen at that moment. Now that I thought about it, although her specialty was magic, was Eleris also capable of close-quarter combat? I had never asked her. ¡°The exploration of this area is almost finished anyway, so we wouldn¡¯t gain much even if we went through the rough terrain. So let¡¯s just go.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­ Thank you for your consideration.¡± Eleris smiled. She probably felt pain because of the sun, but it seemed like Eleris was pretty good at acting as if everything was fine. We took the paved road south of St. Point. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business, but those wagons probably won¡¯t be able to drive easily on this road.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± The road wasn¡¯t very wide, and south of St. Point were some hills and mountains as well, although they weren¡¯t very high. They would have to travel uphill and downhill multiple times. I thought it would be pretty hard for a convoy with so many wagons to easily travel along that path. Of course, we didn¡¯t have any wagons or carriages with us, so we just had to walk. Ellen and I wouldn¡¯t have any problems with that physically, and Eleris didn¡¯t really need Ellen¡¯s consideration either. Of course, I didn¡¯t feel completely comfortable because I was wearing armor, although it wasn¡¯t a full set, and I even had a backpack on my back. It was also summer. ¡°¡­It¡¯s hot.¡± After walking for some time, I said such. I then understood Ellen¡¯s words that we would probably have died from the heat if we had taken a whole set of armor with us. Of course, it was still more comfortable than the island survival mission we went through before. That place had incredibly high humidity on top of high temperatures, so it felt almost suffocating. Although it was pretty hot there, the humidity wasn¡¯t as high. Ellen¡¯s situation seemed to be a bit different. Although she didn¡¯t look that tired, she still seemed to feel hot. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s hot.¡± Eleris looked at Ellen and me, told us to stop for a second, and cast a spell on us after chanting for a bit. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°It feels cool.¡± With a cool sensation spreading throughout my body, I could feel the heat leaving my body. ¡°This is a low-ranking spell called Chilling Touch.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Small things like this are what low-ranking wizards are for.¡± Ellen expressed her gratitude quite sincerely. However, Eleris just answered by humbling herself. Also¡­ Both supernatural powers and combat talents were nothing like magic. Its acquisition conditions were the highest, but in the end, magic was still the best! Even low-ranked magic was incredibly convenient depending on how one used it. With the refreshing feeling of air conditioning on our bodies, we continued walking down the road. The area wasn¡¯t dangerous, so it was no different from hiking on a slightly uncomfortable trail. Eleris picked up her pace a little, ending up walking next to Ellen, who was walking in front of her. ¡°By the way, what kind of relationship do you two have? Is it¡­ like that?¡± What?! Why was she asking something like that all of a sudden?! Looking at Eleris¡¯ expression, I could see that she had trouble hiding her own curiosity. I immediately answered. ¡°We¡¯re friends. Friends.¡± That¡¯s what I said. My eyes conveyed something different, however. ¡®Why are you asking something like that?!¡¯ ¡®Because it¡¯s interesting!¡¯ Eleris couldn¡¯t hide her glee at the situation. Don¡¯t make a face like a mother curious about her son¡¯s relationship with a female friend! I thought she was going along with my setting. Was she curious about what kind of person Ellen was? ¡°Yes, we¡¯re friends.¡± Ellen looked at me as she spat out this answer at Eleris¡¯s question. ¡°So you two are close enough to journey together, right?¡± Eleris, who seemed to be saying whatever came to her mind, didn¡¯t stop with her first question. ¡°Yes. I think so.¡± Ellen answered that question while looking ahead that time. Phew, that was making me feel touched for no apparent reason. * * * After walking for a while, at around noon we took a break under the shade of some trees near the road and ate lunch. I didn¡¯t bring any tools for cooking with me, so all we ate was preserved food. I ate some beef jerky and biscuits. Eleris also nibbled on a biscuit. I didn¡¯t know what it tasted like to her, but she still ate it. It also didn¡¯t seem like she was forcing herself to eat it. Ellen was still staring at Eleris, who was eating and drinking some water. ¡°Miss Relya, you don¡¯t seem to sweat at all.¡± Ellen¡¯s sudden words made a chill run down my spine. Certainly, Eleris, whose physical condition should be worse than ours, was completely sweat-free. ¡°I keep using Chilling Touch on my body. I also usually don¡¯t sweat that much.¡± As if Eleris had already prepared for the situation, lies were easily coming out of her mouth. After she cast her spell on us, we didn¡¯t really sweat that much either, so Ellen simply nodded her head at that. She didn¡¯t seem to be suspicious of her. She simply asked because she was curious. Ellen didn¡¯t eat as much as usual because she wanted to ration the food. Of course, it wasn¡¯t really delicious enough to make one want to eat more of it. ¡°¡­It probably is usually like this, but there sure aren¡¯t any people here.¡± Ellen murmured softly as she looked from one end of the road to the other as far as she could see. ¡°It¡¯s a road one usually wouldn¡¯t have to use, except for a few people.¡± ¡°I guess so¡­¡± Although it was a road, it was only used by adventurers. It was probably quite natural that there were no passersby around. Eleris tilted her head. ¡°By the way, the Adventurers Guild sure is amazing. I can¡¯t believe they keep on building and maintaining these small towns and even rebuild them once they get destroyed.¡± Eleris seemed to greatly admire the power of the Adventurers Guild. Ellen replied to her words. ¡°The Adventurers Guild is an organization run by the Empire.¡± ¡°Aah¡­ Is that so?¡± That was why that Adventurers Guild officer was able to speak the way he did yesterday. ¡°The Empire only supports its foundation; the exploration and pioneering are carried out by those individuals called adventurers. Both risks and rewards are very much individual matters.¡± The Empire granted them financial support. However, the individuals called adventurers actually took on the risk to step into those kinds of danger zones on their own two feet. The territory in the Darklands secured that way would become a new village depending on necessity. It seemed that one could also purchase powerful magical artifacts from the Guild as well. Anyway, the original backer is the Empire, while the Adventurers Guild was like a subcontractor, and that subcontractor¡¯s subcontractor would be the adventurers. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± We would reach our next destination, Klitz Point, if we continued to walk all day. ¡°¡­The sky has suddenly become really cloudy.¡± Eleris looked up at the sky and uttered those concerned words. Eventually, after we set off again, it began raining an hour later. * * * -Shaaaaaa¡­ It wasn¡¯t just raining; it was raining quite heavily. The three of us continued walking, wearing raincoats we had prepared in advance. The road became very muddy as it wasn¡¯t a very well-paved road to begin with. -Rumble¡­ ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Eleris continued to let out such noises as we walked, perhaps because of the bad weather. No, it didn¡¯t seem like it was simply because of the bad weather. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± As Eleris kept acting like that, Ellen asked if something had happened. ¡°N-no, I was just wondering if the convoy¡¯s departure would be delayed because of this weather.¡± She seemed to think that the massive convoy wouldn¡¯t be able to cross those muddy roads. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have anything to do with you, so why do you care about that?¡± ¡°Ah¡­Tha-that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Eleris scratched her cheek, a vague expression on her face at my words. ¡°If the supplies arrive late at those three isolated bases in the south¡­ It might be quite troublesome for them.¡± It seemed like she was worried about those other people because they might not get the supplies in time. The roads would be muddy as long as it rained, and the convoy might get delayed. It seemed that she thought that the people and adventurers in those isolated bases might travel too far south and possibly die. ¡°For how long have they been isolated?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ As far as I know, for more than ten days.¡± We would take one day to walk to Klitz Point. To the next base, Als Point, we would take three days. Additionally, the branches Als 1, 2, and 3 were located in places that would take four days to get to. In other words, it was quite obvious that they suffered from a major food shortage. If the convoy didn¡¯t reach them very soon, adventurers might end up dying, and not because of monsters. It was just a concern, but something like a large-scale famine might really occur, as Eleris feared. ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± Ellen, who had been listening to our conversation as we walked through the rain, tilted her head. ¡°If their supply road collapsed, wouldn¡¯t it be better for them to go back to Klitz Point instead of just sitting there isolated from other bases¡­?¡± It took at least seven days to get back to Klitz Point after passing the completely collapsed Als Point from the front lines. However, given that no information on the situation had been reported, it seemed that no adventurer ever went back to Klitz Point. ¡°Maybe there are some circumstances that prevent them from returning¡­ At least, I hope it¡¯s just that.¡± Judging from Eleris¡¯s words, it seemed that she wasn¡¯t able to confirm Als Point¡¯s situation beforehand. The people on the frontlines located in Als Point one, two, and three were isolated. They would have no other choice but to return to Klitz Point. However, the adventurers that went to investigate the situation of Als Point hadn¡¯t returned yet. I didn¡¯t know they ran into some kind of trouble or if they were just delayed. Anyway, I could only speculate that the cause for Als Point¡¯s collapse was at the heart of all those problems. * * * However, the sudden downpour delayed our journey, so we weren¡¯t able to reach Klitz Point¡¯s vicinity until long after the sun set. In the darkness, we had to move carefully, step by step, relying on Eleris¡¯s light magic. ¡°I think it¡¯s over there.¡± -Shaaaaa¡­ Standing on a hillside, I could see a dim light shining in the rain. Ellen pointed to that place. ¡°Fuck, I can¡¯t wait to get some rest.¡± Although I was wearing a raincoat, it had been raining for a very long time, so my shoes seemed to be full of water. Ellen and I were exhausted from walking in the rain for such a long time. We were getting closer and closer to Klitz Point. Its size should be similar or smaller to St. Point. As we got closer to our destination, we naturally increased our pace. As we were walking towards that dim light, I felt like a ship that had finally found a lighthouse after having drifted astray. However, Ellen, who had been walking before us, suddenly stopped us. ¡°Kill the light.¡± ¡°What? Ah¡­ Yes!¡° At Ellen¡¯s sudden command, Eleris seemed puzzled at first but did as she was told and canceled her light magic. It seemed that she noticed something strange, so I talked to her in a subdued voice. ¡°Did you notice something?¡± At my question, Ellen continued to stare at that light through the rain. ¡°Why is there just a single light?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± A single light? Ellen seemed to have noticed an abnormality I hadn¡¯t even thought of. ¡°Klitz Point is about the same size as St. Point. However, this is just too different from the scenery we saw there yesterday.¡± Prompted by Ellen¡¯s words, I remembered the night view of St. Point I had seen the day prior. It wasn¡¯t anything to call home about, one couldn¡¯t even call it night view, but one could still see light coming from multiple buildings. Looking at it from afar made one feel like looking at a village. However, we could only see one faint light shimmering through the rain at that moment. Strictly speaking, it shouldn¡¯t be just one. It seemed like only one building was lit up. The many other buildings that should be engulfed in darkness were out of our sight. Even if it was an inn that had its light turned on, there should be several, so it was weird that just a single one was lit up. Even though it was night, not everyone would sleep at that hour. ¡°I think there¡¯s a problem.¡± The incident that had occurred at Als Point might have spread to Klitz Point. ¡°Let¡¯s take a different route.¡± We decided to leave the road we were on, with our breaths held, and approach Klitz Point from a different direction. ____ Chapter 157 Chapter 157 She probably acted that way because she heard from Artorius that it would be difficult to survive as an adventurer if she didn¡¯t stay vigilant at all times. We had to be wary of both monsters and people. Careless idiots would pay the price for their ignorance one way or another. The three of us left the road and approached Klitz Point from a different direction. Unlike the relatively safe St. Point, Klitz Point had a type of barrier erected around it that seemed to serve as a prevention method against unexpected attacks. The pouring rain and darkness severely limited our view. However, the weather was also hiding us from any potential enemy in the area. Right when we were reaching the general vicinity of the area¡­ ¡°Can you hear anything?¡± Ellen asked me, remembering my strengthened hearing when we reached the barrier. However, even after I strengthened my hearing, I could only hear the sound of falling rain. ¡°The rain is too loud. I can¡¯t hear anything else.¡± I tried to somehow catch any sound that came from the only lit-up building; however, any sound that might have come from there was completely buried by the rain. It was also too far away. Ellen nodded as if she thought as much and then took off her raincoat and backpack. ¡°Ms. Relya, wait here. Reinhardt and I will be back in a second.¡± ¡°Will you be alright?¡± Eleris seemed worried, but Ellen only nodded her head to her question. Like Ellen, I took off my raincoat and backpack and followed her. The wooden fence was about three meters high. -Pack! Ellen stabbed a knife into the middle of the fence. Then she applied some more force, driving it in till the handle. ¡°Let¡¯s step on this and jump over.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She wanted to use the knife handle as a stepping stone and told me to cross the wooden fence in the same way. Originally that would have been impossible, but my physical abilities were at a high enough level that I could manage to do something like that. -Whoosh! Ellen lightly jumped on the knife handle, grabbed the sharpened part of the fence like a lever, and pulled herself over. One could never know what might await us on the other end of that fence. A fight might break out. Ellen had already crossed over. However, Eleris was just silently holding my hand still. She didn¡¯t say anything, but I fully understood what she was thinking. -Jump! I lightly jumped on the knife¡¯s handle and crossed over the wooden fence as Ellen had. The rainy weather was quite in our favor in that situation. Any noise we would make would get drowned out, preventing anyone from spotting us like that. However, we wouldn¡¯t be able to discern objects except for those that were close to us. All I could see was the light shining from that building located in the center of Klitz Point. We didn¡¯t approach it immediately. ¡°Let¡¯s move slowly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ellen and I moved in a lowered position. Even in that darkness, there were still even darker places, so Ellen and I moved slowly, little by little, taking advantage of the darkness within the darkness. -Shaaaaaa¡­ -Mumble¡­ Mumble¡­ And as we moved further in, I started to hear something through the rain. It seemed that it was only audible for me after I strengthened my hearing, as Ellen was about to move forward again. I ended up grabbing her. -It sure is raining like crazy¡­ A mumbling voice. It was a person. I whispered to Ellen after that person had gone by. ¡°It¡¯s a person.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then there was a person who walked through the rain without a lamp or anything with him. With that, we couldn¡¯t really find out if it was safe or not. On the contrary, things had gotten even more suspicious. Ellen whispered to me, telling me that we would move even more carefully. ¡°Let¡¯s not get too close to that area yet.¡± It seemed that Ellen wanted to investigate the dark buildings rather than the lit-up building for the moment. We continued to move slowly because we couldn¡¯t even see if someone was walking around in front of us. We reached a wall of one of the dark buildings. ¡°Not to the door, the window.¡± Ellen whispered quite curtly, leading to us following the wall of the building to one of its closed windows. She carefully tried to open the window from the outside. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t locked. Ellen grabbed the windowsill and slipped inside the completely dark building, and I followed after her. We couldn¡¯t see a single thing once we jumped inside; however, it didn¡¯t take long for us to realize something. ¡°Hup!¡± ¡°Urp!¡± We covered each other¡¯s mouths reflexively. We didn¡¯t even try to cover our own mouths but each other¡¯s. We both felt like we¡¯d be fine but were afraid that the other would start shouting. After we realized that, we slowly reached out to each other. The reason was simple. Although we couldn¡¯t see anything, we could still sense it. ¡°This¡­¡± I nodded in the dark after hearing Ellen¡¯s voice. ¡°It smells of blood.¡± It was a smell I knew. Back when I was in the Demon King¡¯s Castle, horribly disfigured corpses were strewn about everywhere¡ªthe air was pregnant with this smell. We were inside that building where we couldn¡¯t even see our hands before our eyes. We couldn¡¯t detect any sign of movement, but the smell of blood permeated the whole building. We could tell, even if we couldn¡¯t see anything with our eyes. That smell wasn¡¯t just at the level of someone bleeding somewhere around there. There was a corpse in there. Actually, a great number of corpses, so strong that the smell seeped into the walls. As I had already smelled something rather similar to that stench, I could guess that there weren¡¯t just one or two corpses around there¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t give off such a strong smell. ¡°There are corpses in here. A lot of corpses.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen nodded at my whisper. It seemed that a massacre had taken place in Klitz Point for some reason, and it was most likely the work of the guys located in the only lit-up building. Or they were people who locked themselves in that building when the massacre took place. Survivors. Even without talking with each other, we seemed to have come to the same conclusions. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. I can¡¯t see anything.¡± It was much darker inside than outside, and if we continued to wander around the building like that, we would only end up stumbling over one of the corpses. Ellen and I went out through the same window again. For some reason, a massacre had occurred at Klitz Point. We presumed that there were bodies in each of the dark buildings. So who were the people in the lit-up building? ¡°The bodies haven¡¯t been buried.¡± Ellen whispered as she organized her thoughts. Looking at the state of the bodies left unattended in the buildings, one could assume that they didn¡¯t view the dead favorably. If they were survivors of an unexpected attack, wouldn¡¯t they have at least recovered the bodies? So Ellen¡¯s suspicions were more than plausible. Bandits or robbers. They might have attacked the close-by Klitz Point. If so, it was quite logical to assume that Als Point, located further south from there, and the other Points connected to it, were also ransacked by those guys. After they looted Als Point, they traveled to Klitz Point. It was more than clear why we hadn¡¯t heard anything of the adventurers that went down there to find out the truth behind the collapse of Als Point. Those adventurers needed to go through Klitz Point to reach Als Point, after all. They came across the robbers who had already occupied the Point and were killed or ran into them as they were heading towards Als Point. Adventurers, who probably had to stop by Klitz Point, not knowing what had occurred here. And the corpses left inside those buildings¡­ A small group of adventurers wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with such a large group. Klitz Point had been completely occupied by robbers. Having confirmed as much, we had no other choice but to come up with something else. ¡°Wait¡­ What will happen when the convoy gets here?¡± I could feel Ellen holding in her breath. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Those robbers would let the convoy enter Kiltz Point, probably feeling like a pie just fell from the sky, kill all of the people, and take all the supplies. There had already been a massacre, but there would be another one soon. Of course, there was an escort team accompanying the convoy, so I wasn¡¯t too sure how it would end, but it was rather obvious that a big fight would take place no matter what. ¡°We have to warn them.¡± I could only agree with Ellen¡¯s subdued words. -Hey, hey! Hurry up and get a move on! Then, I could hear a loud voice penetrating through the rain. People were coming out of the lit-up building. Ellen and I hid ourselves around the walls of the building we were close to and watched what they were up to. All of them were rushing about with lanterns strapped to their waist. ¡°What are they doing¡­?¡± The streams of people started to flow into a perfect structure, prompting us to lower our posture even further. -Bang! Then I heard the door of the building we entered not too long ago open loudly. Fortunately, we were much closer to the barrier, so they didn¡¯t come towards us at all. I focused on the sounds they gave off with my strengthened hearing. It wasn¡¯t just one person who entered that building but a group of them. I could hear their footsteps. ¨C Urg, it smells. ¨C Can we even clean this up? The smell will probably stay. ¨C We¡¯ll just clean it. ¨C What about the bloodstains? . ¨C I was told to cover them up with rugs or leather. . . They seemed to be trying to dispose of the bodies. It seemed like Ellen could also hear what they were saying as they were close by. -By the way, it¡¯s raining like crazy. Are you sure the convoy will come here tomorrow? Ellen and I couldn¡¯t help but feel our hearts drop at those words. ¨C They¡¯ll have to pass through here sooner or later. If they¡¯re delayed, the smell might have gotten weaker, and we have plenty of time to remove our traces, so ain¡¯t it a good thing? -You¡¯re right. After disguising the place as if nothing happened there, they were going to kill all the members of the escorting team while they were distracted, resting at Klitz Point. -If people end up assuming that this is the work of the Demons, we might be able to do this a few more times. -What do you mean? Aren¡¯t you going to retire? After this one¡¯s over, Imma quit. I didn¡¯t earn just a penny or two. after all. -You¡¯re naive, kid. They weren¡¯t robbers or bandits. They were adventurers planning to steal the Adventurers Guild¡¯s supplies. They were just casually chatting about those things while moving around. * * * Ellen and I made our way out of Klitz Point and returned to the place where Eleris was waiting for us. The more I heard those guys talk, the more unbelievable the situation seemed. Ellen and I led Eleris away from Klitz Point without uttering a single word. I had taken off my raincoat, so my whole body was really wet. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s too complicated to put it in words.¡± Ellen hesitated to answer Eleris¡¯ question. Klitz Point had been occupied by an unidentified group, and all the original residents had been killed. That was why I thought they were bandits, but it turned out that they were some adventurers who got together and turned to robbery. ¡°Th-that means that the convoy that¡¯s supposed to arrive here sooner or later is in grave danger.¡± Eleris was flabbergasted to hear that a massacre had already taken place in the base and was terrified when thinking that the people with the convoy were about to face the same fate. ¡°They already knew that a convoy full of supplies would come here.¡± They had already predicted the actions of the Adventurers Guild. They predicted if Als Point fell, the guild would send supplies to rebuild the base, so they planned to loot it. They even planned on disguising their actions of destroying Klitz Point and robbing the convoy as the work of demons; they might even try to do it a few more times. If all went according to their plan, no one would actually know if it was done by a band of bandits or adventurers. They might just continue to calmly work as adventurers, or they might simply disappear after one last big cue. It was unclear if they would keep on being adventurers. They would have to live, hiding that they killed countless people like that, and after some time, the memory of that incident might also just fade away. ¡°This is just¡­ ridiculous¡­¡± Eleris was so flabbergasted that she was unable to close her mouth. ¡°So it seems like all those who weren¡¯t part of their group that previously occupied Klitz Point have been killed.¡± Those guys wandering around the base seemed to keep a lookout for adventurers going to that place in order to catch them. If Ellen hadn¡¯t realized that the place was suspicious, we might have been forced to fight with those bandit adventurers as soon as we entered. The convoy wasn¡¯t the only one in trouble. It was clear that the group completely occupied the midpoint between Als Point and St. Point, so they probably also killed all the people that tried to go there from Als Point 1, 2, and 3¡ªthat was why none of the people ever managed to return from the isolated bases. Eleris seemed prepared to leave us somewhere and do something about it herself. However, she wouldn¡¯t act without my order. It was unknown how many bandits had taken over Klitz Point. However, I estimated that there should be at least 20 of them. ¡°We have two choices.¡± ¡°We could deal with them ourselves or go back and warn the convoy team.¡± ¡°¡­Do you want us to deal with them ourselves?¡± ¡°Yes. It might be dangerous, though.¡± Ellen took the option of going directly into the bandits¡¯ den and beating them up into consideration. Of course, Ellen was more than capable of that. However, those guys didn¡¯t just murder one person; they had caused a massive massacre. I didn¡¯t know if Ellen could handle all that. No matter how much Eleris and I assisted her, she could die if she made a single mistake or slipped up. ¡°I think our best option would be to go back and warn the convoy team.¡± Of course, Ellen also acknowledged that danger. The safest option at that point would be to go back and notify the others of the threat. ¡°But we talked about it, right? The list.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Right.¡± Hugson formed the escort team for the convoy entirely out of newcomers to increase his own income. All of them were the newest of the newbies. If a fight broke out in Klitz Point, they might die without being able to do a thing. In the worst case, they might all run away. On the other hand, the adventurers occupying Klitz Point were more than accustomed to killing, although we didn¡¯t know their level of skill. I mean, they casually chatted while removing the corpses. ¡°Do we really¡­ Have to take this risk?¡± Eleris seemed a bit reluctant and negative about dealing with them on our own. Out of all the aspects, the fact that she might end up killing someone with her own hands seemed to make her feel the most reluctant. ¡°If the news reaches them, the convoy might collapse just because the people start panicking.¡± Even if Hugson was with them, all those newbies thought that they would just go down to the Als Points. However, there was a possibility that things would completely fall apart before anything even started, just because they had heard that a large band of bandits was waiting for them there. That way, the convoy would completely collapse. I had no choice but to agree to Ellen¡¯s words. ¡°If the convoy collapses, the only thing left behind would be¡­ Right. Supplies.¡± I realized something as I spoke. The purpose of the convoy was to rebuild Als Point; however, it was also very important to deliver food and other supplies to the isolated bases at the front lines. So they would have a huge amount of materials with them. If the convoy collapsed, the adventurers stranded at those three points might starve to death. Ellen was looking at the whole picture. It would be safest to go back and warn the convoy team. However, the supply delivery to the Points would be delayed even further, so it would cause huge problems. If the Guild was informed that a massacre had occurred at a point and that it had gotten completely taken over, the Guild¡¯s forces might get dispatched. However, for that to happen, they would have to report it to the Exian Outpost. ¡°Besides, if these bastards notice that things took a bad turn for them, they might run away to St Point and scatter completely. There¡¯s no evidence for all this, after all.¡± When they united, they became a band of bandits, but when they scattered in all directions, they were just individual adventurers. There were no eyewitnesses or anything, so there was no way of proving that those particular adventurers were responsible. We had only heard some voices as well. We didn¡¯t even know what those guys looked like. I realized once again that the Darklands was a place that wasn¡¯t ruled by any laws. In the end, dealing with them ourselves was the best option. It was easy to make that decision, but what would come after wasn¡¯t as easy. Both Ellen and I had to kill people. Directly, with our own hands. It didn¡¯t matter whether they deserved to die or not. It was a completely separate matter if I could go through with it and endure the feelings that would come after. However, I couldn¡¯t avoid dirtying my hands forever. There would come a day when my hands would be completely stained with blood. I didn¡¯t think I would manage to reach the story¡¯s end completely untainted. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± If it was something I would have to experience anyway, it would be good if I got used to it as soon as possible. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 It was a rainy night. It would make traveling a lot harder, but it was the perfect environment for what we were planning to do. The rain¡¯s noise drowned out anything else, and everyone¡¯s field of vision was a lot more limited than usual. Eleris didn¡¯t object to mine and Ellen¡¯s decision. The plan was simple. Those guys were patrolling in the darkness; they probably did so to kill off any unsuspecting adventurers that stumbled in to prevent them from informing anyone else. Fortunately, it seemed like we were the only adventurers located near Klitz Point, probably because of the bad weather. Just like they made use of the darkness to stay hidden, we took advantage of it, along with the rain¡¯s noise, as well. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll use a Scroll.¡± Eleris took out a Scroll book from her robe. ¡°A Scroll?¡± At Ellen¡¯s question, Eleris simply nodded her head with a firm expression on her face. ¡°It¡¯s a Night Vision scroll.¡± A Night Vision spell. There was no better spell for us in our situation than that. With that, our mission became even easier. They couldn¡¯t see in the dark, but we could. Also, about the Scrolls¡­ She was disguised as a low-ranked wizard, so she probably prepared them as an excuse in case she needed to use high-ranking spells. The Scrolls Eleris was holding definitely didn¡¯t actually contain any magic. She was just pretending to use a Scroll while she cast her magic in secret. She came up with a very plausible excuse. Scrolls were expensive, so she couldn¡¯t just use them willy nilly. However, if she wanted to use high-ranking spells and used them as her cover, she could just say that she had them as a form of insurance for emergency situations. Eleris unfolded the scroll casted Night Vision on Ellen and me. In a world of complete darkness I could clearly distinguish bright and shaded areas. It felt a little different from looking through an infrared camera. It was a strange feeling, similar to when I first got underwater breathing magic casted on me. My eyes weren¡¯t really able to penetrate through the rain, but I shouldn¡¯t have any problems in the darkness. Ellen looked straight into my eyes and spoke to me. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I didn¡¯t feel like my heart was about to explode. In fact, I felt rather cool-headed and my heartbeat was even calmer than usual. I felt like I should be nervous, but I couldn¡¯t believe how calm I actually was about everything. I speculated that it might be due to the ¡®Sacred Spirit¡¯ I received after Olivia¡¯s Quest. The description read that it would give me very high mental strength as well as resistance to mental magic. I wasn¡¯t sure whether it had anything to do with it or not. Anyway, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d make any mistakes due to tension or excitement in the state I was in. Eleris decided to watch the situation from the rear. Once she had sorted out her internal struggle, she would join us. When I looked back, I saw Eleris staring at me with sad eyes. It was a gaze someone would have used to send off a loved one to a dangerous place one didn¡¯t want them to go to. The situation was different from before. Due to the Night Vision magic, things that were indistinguishable before were very clear. People with lanterns hanging from their waistbands were still walking around, seeing if all the bodies had been removed. They couldn¡¯t use torches because of the rain. We decided to avoid that side for the time being. We first lowered our posture and tried to grasp the situation of Klitz Point. They were piling up the bodies on one side of the Point like luggage. We watched that scene from the darkness. Just how many had died? There were about fifteen guys walking around and a total of five digging the ground. It seemed that they planned on dumping all the corpses in a big hole and filling it back up. I could also hear some sounds from inside the building as well. They were still working on removing all the bodies and bloodstains. However, it seemed that they mostly tried to cover up those with carpets. They only needed to be able to fool the convoy team for a short time. It looked like they wanted to try selling the lit-up building as a type of inn. There were a great many ways to get rid of some defenseless people, like poisoning their food or killing them in their sleep. When I tried to count the bodies getting moved, I counted more than 30 corpses. How many people had to die just for the materials transported with that convoy? Ellen and I pressed ourselves against the wall behind the inn, which we presumed to be their hideout, avoiding the people with the lanterns and the well-lit areas. -Wahahahahaha! -Ah, I wish I could take all this with me. -Just do it, kid! -Really? * * * While the others were working outside, there seemed to be a drinking party going on inside the building. Those people were probably the higher-ups of the group. They were intoxicated, which would only make it easier for us to deal with them. Ellen murmured to me in a low tone of voice. ¡°There are at least 20 people.¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡­About 20 bandits who were used to killing against a team of 50 newbies accompanying the convoy. And they would be faced with a surprise attack on top of that. It was clear that the convoy would get completely wiped out. However, there were only two of us there. They didn¡¯t know that their enemy was lurking close by, but would we really be able to kill all of them in one night? ¡°Once their work is done, they will enter the inn. Let¡¯s take care of them all at once.¡± For the moment, we had no other choice but to wait until all the rats had gathered in one place. * * * We sat still in the dark until they completely finished their work. That was why Night Vision¡¯s effect still remained even after more than two hours. Or she might have cast the spell on us again after its effect ran out as she was watching us from a distance, so we didn¡¯t have to worry. After some time, the guys walking around with the lanterns went back into the inn; that was when we took action. -Shaaaaaaaa! It was still raining. ¡°There should be one entrance to the north and one to the south. Let¡¯s start with the north entrance first.¡± The north entrance of Klitz Point. There were two guards without a lantern standing there, perhaps to attack any unassuming adventurers trying to enter. They seemed to be watching for any kind of light indicating wanders or adventurers coming close to the place. If Ellen hadn¡¯t figured out beforehand that something was strange and told Eleris to cancel her light magic, those guys would have noticed us approaching the Point. ¡°You take the one on the right.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ellen and I approached them slowly, each holding a knife. ¡°Cover their mouths and slit or break their necks. Don¡¯t give them room to scream.¡± Although it was her first time doing something like that, Ellen spoke as if she had already done it a thousand times. They were taking cover from the rain under a poorly made roof close to the north entrance. -Are there even any people who¡¯d want to come here in this weather? -If they got caught up in the rain while on their way here, they would try to come here even quicker, don¡¯t you think? -Didn¡¯t like three guys come during the day? -I¡¯ve heard Durtman whining about getting stabbed in the shoulder by one of em. -That idiot got stabbed because he couldn¡¯t kill the guy in one go. They were chatting calmly. Ellen slowly slipped behind them. We didn¡¯t just suppress them¡ª ¡°Hurp¡± ¡°Urp!¡± -Slash! ¡ªEllen and I attacked the two guards from behind at the same time. I stabbed the nape of one guy¡¯s neck with my sharp knife. It was an eerie feeling. I forcibly covered the mouth of a man desperately struggling to live. The feeling was completely different from simply cutting meat. Ellen and I kept on covering their mouths until they stopped struggling. Of course, even if a human¡¯s carotid artery was cut, they would still live on a little bit after that. During that ¡®Wait-time¡¯¡­ I clearly saw just how much blood could pour out of such a little wound in just a short moment. However, feeling a human¡¯s essence of life leaving their body with the blood pouring out at the moment of their death was just grotesque. I desperately grabbed on to him until the guy I cut was about to die. Don¡¯t move. Don¡¯t scream. Just die in this darkness. I didn¡¯t allow him any kind of freedom until he completely stopped moving. As soon as I confirmed his death, I could just feel it instinctively¡­ I would never forget that feeling. Crushing that dying life under my feet felt so terribly eerie. ¡°Let¡¯s clean up.¡± Ellen and I dragged the two bodies that had completely ceased all movement into the tall grass outside of the Point. I had killed a man. Ellen and I had blood all over our hands and clothes. It was only at that moment that I clearly felt that the Sacred Spirit skill was taking effect. Normally, the moment someone experienced something like that, their hands and legs would shake incessantly. One would feel scared, nauseous, and want to sit down. However, I showed no such physical symptoms. I was just extremely confused. That was the moment the fear that I was capable of something like that so calmly swept over me. Ellen looked straight at me. Her eyes were still calm. I couldn¡¯t feel any kind of excitement or confusion in them. Ellen just put her hands on my cheeks and brought her face closer to mine. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it now.¡± She looked straight into my eyes. It wasn¡¯t the time to think about it. ¡°Let¡¯s do what we have to do.¡± Ellen¡¯s deep, calm eyes that seemed like a tranquil lake erased all the remaining confusion from my mind. Thinking about it could be confusing, and it could even feel scary. ¡°Yes.¡± However, I resolved not to think about any of it for the moment. * * * There were two guards at the south entrance as well. We killed these two people positioned by the south entrance in the same way as we did with the guards at the north entrance and dragged them into the thick grass outside. Kiltz Point had already been completely seized by the darkness. All the other guys were in the inn. There were no members patrolling outside. So I brought Eleris, who was waiting outside the Point, inside. ¡°We have to finish everything before the next shift of guards arrives.¡± Eleris had a dark expression on her face when she saw the corpses outside while entering the Point. They wouldn¡¯t let the same guards keep watch for the whole night, so there surely would be others to replace them. I didn¡¯t know how long each shift was, though. However, that was the time we had to kill all the people in the inn. Things would be easy if all of them were just peacefully sleeping in their beds. There might be some night-owls among them, however. The rats were in the trap. We just needed a way to kill all those rats. We could surprise attack those that were holding that drinking party, but that battle would be very different. An all-out fight wasn¡¯t something out of Ellen¡¯s expectation, but I would keep that as a last resort if possible. If there was a way to subdue them without fighting them head-on, that way would always be the better option. If Eleris used her true power, she could do that with a single magic spell, but that was out of the question. If we wanted to use magic, Eleris would have to hit all of them at once only by using some low-ranking magic spells. It was pretty much impossible to just go in and fight them. Regardless of whether it was actually possible or impossible, the risk was just not something we could take. Eleris gave us a fairly simple answer. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just set the building on fire?¡± Set the inn on fire. ¡°It¡¯s raining, though?¡± Ellen tilted her head as if it wasn¡¯t really possible. Due to various circumstances, almost all the buildings in the Points were made out of wood. However, it was raining at that moment. ¡°The most dangerous thing in a fire isn¡¯t the fire itself but the smoke.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± People usually died in fires not by burning alive but by suffocation due to the smoke. ¡°Couldn¡¯t they just run out of the door?¡± That time it was me who posed that question, and Eleris shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m aiming for.¡± Eleris pointed at the entrance of the inn. ¡°Among the low-ranking magic spells, there is one called Dig. It¡¯s a spell used to dig the ground quickly.¡± Dig. ¡­A spell that enabled the fast creation of holes in the ground. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they will try to escape through the front entrance if we set a fire. We¡¯ll just have to make a big hole before the door.¡± They would try to escape if they noticed the fire. They should be completely out of their minds and just run out the door without looking at where they set their feet. Eleris dug a huge pit in front of the inn¡¯s only entrance¡ªthey would all end up falling into that pit while trying to escape. Eleris had to do two simple things in the time limit we had set, nothing like casting a high-ranking destruction magic spell like Firestorm or anything. Set a fire¡­ Dig a bit¡­ Eleris gave us a solution for our problem in the blink of an eye. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Ellen stood by in case some guards left the inn for their shift while Eleris and I wandered around Klitz Point. We were looking for supplies. The Point was the size of a small town. So there were inns, guild offices, and shops. All the people that should have been in those places probably all got killed. ¡°¡­Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Ellen was speaking more comfortably without Ellen around. ¡°¡­Are you disappointed in humanity?¡± Eleris chose humans over demons. However, she was asking me if I was disappointed in it after I had seen some of the ugly sights of humanity. Eleris already knew a lot about that ugly side¡ªthat was why she seemed to feel a little despaired taking in those sights. She had gotten angry during the slave trade incident, but it didn¡¯t seem like she just suddenly gained awareness of that side of humanity at that moment. Eleris seemed highly concerned that I lost faith in them after I saw that form of humanity. ¡°What¡¯s good is good, and what¡¯s bad is just that, bad.¡± Some people lived virtuous and good lives, and some lived evil and ugly lives. Some people even stood in the middle or swayed between those two sides. ¡°Some of them are good, and some of them are evil. Not all of them can be just good.¡± Why would I be disappointed in the whole race just because there were some bad people among them? Bad people are just bad; that doesn¡¯t mean all of humanity is bad. On the other hand, good people are just good, but that doesn¡¯t mean all of humanity is good. Good and bad could only be attributed to individuals. The whole species couldn¡¯t be attributed as good or bad just because one group of them fit those terms. Therefore, even if I was a real demon, I couldn¡¯t be disappointed in the species as a whole by such sights. Some of them were just like that. They were just crazy bastards¡ªthat was how I thought of it, at least. So those guys had to die not because they were human but because they were crazy bastards. ¡°¡­I was being presumptuous, Your Highness. My apologies.¡± Eleris smiled at my words as if she had worried for no reason. ¡°Let¡¯s just do what we have to do.¡± ¡°Yes. Your Highness.¡± At that moment, Ellen¡¯s words flitted through my mind. It wasn¡¯t the time to think. * * * Eleris and I went to a nearby tool store and packed all the flammable materials we could find. I couldn¡¯t really differentiate what was and wasn¡¯t, so I left it to Eleris while I just placed it in my backpack. We also took a bow and arrows with us at Ellen¡¯s request. When we got back, Ellen pointed towards the inn. ¡°We can enter the kitchen through that window at the back of the inn. The fire would go out if we did it from outside, so we should lay it in there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of setting the fire.¡± It was my job to enter the kitchen and set the fire. In the meantime, Eleris would make the pit by using her Dig spell in front of the entrance of the inn. It should be deep enough that they couldn¡¯t climb out on their own. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the ones who try to escape through the windows or other channels.¡± Ellen, who had the highest individual combat power, would handle those who wanted to escape through other routes and not the entrance. I headed to the back of the inn, carrying a bunch of flammable substances. When I got to the window leading to the kitchen, the wooden frame wasn¡¯t locked, and the lights were turned off inside. It was a bit high up, but I managed to get inside after throwing my bag with the substances inside. Then I opened the stopper of each bottle and poured its contents in all directions. It seemed to be some kind of oil. There was also something among them that smelled like alcohol. After spreading all the contents of the bottles across the kitchen, I went outside. There was a reason why I took the role of setting the fire. Ellen couldn¡¯t see what I was doing as I was behind the inn. I grabbed the pendant hanging at the height of my chest. The Flame of Tuesday. At first, sparks about the size of a lighter flame came out. I¡¯d rarely used the artifact. Before then, I had almost no use for the powerful magical relic. I actually had used it only once before then. Eleris could create a firestorm that would pierce the skies with it. It would create a flame proportionate to the user¡¯s magical power. Compared to my peers, my magical power seemed to be quite strong, and my growth rate was also very fast. Since I had acquired the talent of mana manipulation, I should have been able to unleash an even more powerful flame. However, while magical power was important, there was something even more important. ¡®This is an artifact that responds to the darker emotions, causing a greater flame if one were to use it against someone while holding malicious intent.¡¯ Eleris had said that the relic was by no means anything good, as she advised me as such while handing it to me. It was the first time I used it in an offensive way. I would use it to kill someone. I would use it to kill more than a dozen humans that were in that building. I shouldn¡¯t worry about at the moment. I had to put off my thoughts for later. They had to die, that was all. With those kinds of feelings swimming in my heart, I held the Flame of Tuesday. Flames sprung out. A huge flame to kill those bastards that were worse than any demon. No, Wait a sec. If I did that, wouldn¡¯t my self-suggestion get triggered? ¨CFlare! At that moment, I felt like I would be in trouble. ¨CFwooosh! ¡°Huge!¡± The flame immediately engulfed the entire kitchen and reacted with the flammable substances, creating a flame that came closer to an explosion. I instantly sprinted backwards and rolled on the floor. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± After I rolled on the floor, I was able to witness what I had done. ¨CFrrroooooh! ¡°This is¡­ Crazy.¡± One side of the entire inn was completely engulfed in huge flames. I didn¡¯t know if it was because the Flame of Tuesday exerted a lot more power than I expected or if it was the reaction with the flammable substances that caused it, or maybe it was the synergy between my supernatural power and the Flame of Tuesday. Maybe all those aspects led to that. -Fireee! Anyway, it was a huge success. * * * I almost set myself on fire with my own flames. The fire that was supposed to slowly spread to the rest of the inn, starting from the kitchen, ended up spreading to the other parts of the inn at a tremendous speed. The pit trap in front of the entrance had been completed already. A huge pit with a diameter of about 5 meters had been created in front of the entrance after multiple casts of Dig. Since it was considerably deep, they wouldn¡¯t be able to escape from it without help. ¨CBump! ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¨CBaam! Those who tried to escape the inn because of the fire and smoke began to fall into the pit before they even knew it. Completely oblivious to the trap, all of them fell into it one by one as they were trying to outrun the smoke in utter disorder. If they were unlucky, they might have broken their necks and died immediately. ¨CCraaaaaash! Some of them broke through the windows of the burning inn, taking deep breaths and trying to jump into the rain. ¨CSwish! ¡°Kehk!¡± However, Ellen began shooting down the guys sticking their heads out of the windows with her bow. Ellen wasn¡¯t skilled enough with a bow to hit running beasts with her arrows like Delphin Izadra, but she was still able to shoot at any number of slow-moving targets. Arrows once shot to win Redina a doll were killing a man with each shot. -Outside! There are some bastards out there! Someone had become aware of the bow-wielding enemy outside, but it did him no good in the chaos. ¡°Kehk! Kehok!! Kehok!¡± As people started falling down into the pit one after the other, the ones still inside the building started to realize that there was a trap in front of the entrance that one couldn¡¯t get out of easily. However, the inside of the building was filled with smoke. If they didn¡¯t escape quickly, they would suffocate and die, but if they wanted to go out using the entrance, they would have to jump over a huge pit of five meters in diameter. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place. -The windows! Leave through the windows! There were some among them who could still think clearly in the midst of flames and smoke. Perhaps some of them had quite the mental strength as well. There were some on the first and second floor who crashed through the windows and popped their heads out. * * * ¨CShing Then Ellen and I drew our swords. ¡°Kehoohk! Cough! Gasp!¡± However, those guys who had just escaped without even being properly armed were unable to see us because they inhaled too much smoke and panicked. ¨CSwish! Ellen ran towards the adventurer from their blind spot and killed him with a single stroke. She was like a ghost, killing with no hesitation. I didn¡¯t stay still either. ¨CPuk! ¡°K-kuhuk!¡± The sword I received from Temple was of considerable quality. It was really easy to kill those people who were trying to escape and couldn¡¯t pull themselves together. Thinking as such, I put my sword in the back of my opponents who weren¡¯t even able to resist, ultimately killing them. There was a massacre right in front of the burning inn, and those who were supposed to do the slaughtering were getting slaughtered by just two people. By the time the fire raging around the inn was extinguished by the pouring rain, our mission had been completed. ¡°Phew¡­ ¡± I wiped my forehead with my trembling hand after we were done with the slaughter that almost felt like hard labor. I¡¯m tired. That was the only thought I had when faced with that sea of blood and death. * * * Even if we managed to do it by making a three-person surprise attack on them, we still succeeded in killing the whole group of twenty bandits. Ellen and I were covered in blood. Even though it was raining, the bloodstains didn¡¯t wash off so easily. Not all of them were dead. ¡°He-hey¡­ Sp-spare me¡­¡± ¡°Wh-why are you doing this¡­ why¡­¡± The guys who fell into the pit were mostly alive, although some of them were more or less injured. It was more than four meters deep, after all. It was impossible to climb up for them, and three of them seemed to have died, probably because they broke their necks. Ellen and I were peering into the pit. They seemed to have realized that they had fallen into a trap, that most of them were dead, and that their survival depended on our choices. I didn¡¯t want to let them live. However, it wouldn¡¯t be such a bad idea to keep a single one of them alive. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to keep one alive?¡± I though we should leave at least one witness alive for when we reported our findings. Ellen nodded slowly at my words. ¡°If we want to report this to the guild, we¡¯d better do that.¡± I took out my sword from my waist and threw it into the pit. ¡°Kill each other.¡± I looked down as I spoke curtly to them. For just a brief moment, they didn¡¯t seem to understand the situation they were in. ¡°You¡¯re Hi-¡­! Wh-what on earth are you doing?!¡± When Eleris realized what I had just done, she almost made a mistake. Ellen looked up at me with a look that seemed to ask if that was really necessary with her eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Why did you do this?¡± I separated my gaze from the pit, looked at those two bewildered faces, and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s better if we let these pieces of garbage take care of each other rather than killing them with our own hands.¡± I just made them do the deed on their own, as I didn¡¯t want to feel that disgusting sensation anymore. I didn¡¯t want to do it with my own hands. Those who understood what I was trying to convey started groping around the dark floor, looking for the sword I had thrown in there. ¨CPuk! Puk! Puk! ¡°Arg! Aaarg! Y-you bastard! How dare you!¡± ¡°Aaaaaah! Help me! Spare me!¡± They seemed like incompetent bastards. In the end, I was able to confirm that there was no such thing as camaraderie or companionship among those guys. After some time¡­ ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m¡­ I¡­ I-it¡¯s me! I¡¯m still alive! I¡¯m alive!¡± There was only one survivor shouting in that pit of hell. Ellen watched the jubilant demeanor of the last survivor who had killed all her colleagues. ¡°Let¡¯s fill it up. I don¡¯t feel good looking at this.¡± Ellen seemed to have lost all interest in saving that person when she saw that scene. Her eyes held disgust as well as contempt. ¡°A-aah! Ah! Y-you promised! That¡¯s different from what you promiiiiiiiiiiised!¡± ¨CCrush! Eleris filled up the pit she had dug up. The survivor was immediately buried alive, so I couldn¡¯t hear her anymore. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± Ellen was still looking at me. Then, she suddenly grabbed my hands. ¡°Don¡¯t do things like this.¡± Ellen and I both had hands miserably covered in red blood. Her statement had no subject, but I knew well enough what Ellen was trying to say. The madness brought about by slaughter, violence just for the sake of relieving one¡¯s own anger. Ellen seemed to be afraid that I might fall for such emotions. From how I looked, Ellen seemed to feel that I was about to fall for that madness. ¨CShaaaaaaaaa¡­ The fire was extinguished, and everyone but us died. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± I nodded while holding Ellen¡¯s cold hand in the rain. * * * The situation was settled. However, there was not a single witness left alive to testify to the bandits¡¯ actions. If we reported to the guild that something like that had happened and we were the ones to clear up the situation, they might recognize it as an achievement. Of course, they would probably impose private sanctions on us, but it could be said that the situation was rather unavoidable. ¡°If we report this and something goes wrong, we might get blamed for this.¡± Of course, there was enough evidence scattered everywhere, but there was still a possibility that we covered all of it up. I still had the Imperial Family¡¯s Crest, but I wasn¡¯t sure whether I¡¯d be able to solve this situation with only that. Ellen pondered, and¡ªas if she had just come to a decision¡ªshe alternated between looking at Eleris and me. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to St. Point.¡± Going back to St. Point¡­ ¡°There¡¯s something I want to check.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t tell us what she was thinking. However, since I had met her, I never had a problem with just listening to Ellen. Ellen began to rummage through the corpses. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Adventurer IDs.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t destroy the corpses but began to retrieve their Adventurer IDs. ¡°Gather all you can find.¡± Ellen, Eleris, and I began rummaging through the corpses and the burnt inn out of the blue. ____ Chapter 160 Chapter 160 It rained all night, and we had to return on a much more muddy road. I was absolutely tired, but I couldn¡¯t sleep because of the rain. We took turns compiling a rough outline of events that we would report to the guild. ¡°It had to be those guys who attacked Als Point. They knew that if they attacked Als Point, an important supply base, the guild would organize a large convoy to support the Points at the frontier.¡± Ellen nodded. The Adventurers at the frontline had no idea what was going on because they went up to Klitz Point after destroying Als Point. ¡°And the adventurers who traveled down here to investigate what happened at Als Point, and those from the isolated Points who decided to return, probably were all killed.¡± Anyone who went there, whether they came from the south or the north, were all killed. So no one knew what actually happened. Adventurers had no other choice but to use the route going through Als Point and Klitz Point to be the most time-efficient, so they would helplessly fall into that trap, not knowing that bandit adventurers were waiting for them. ¡°Just how many people did they kill? Only for the sake of money¡­¡± Eleris lamented and muttered quite spiritlessly. They destroyed two Points and killed all the adventurers that were in them or came to them. No matter how many supplies they would have been able to acquire, would it really be worth the countless lives they robbed of others? Ellen shook her head. ¡°They didn¡¯t just do it for the supplies.¡± ¡°¡­Were they aiming for all those adventurers¡¯ possessions as well?¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°I noticed that they kept quite a bit of their loot in the inn. Not all were burnt, so we could use that as evidence.¡± There were no witnesses, but the loot remained as evidence. Ellen seemed to think that if we used that stuff, our report wouldn¡¯t be seen as a complete lie at least. As we had been walking all night, we could see the sky gradually getting brighter. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± We returned to St. Point around the same time we started our journey the previous day. There were numerous wagons waiting at St. Point, as one could see from afar. The rain probably prevented them from leaving. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Guild office immediately.¡± Ellen said that she had something she wanted to check. We went to St. Point¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild branch as soon as we arrived. The present clerks seemed a little freaked out when they saw us. Ellen and I were covered in blood, and that fact didn¡¯t change even if we were drenched by the rain. ¡°It¡¯s an emergency. Please call an officer.¡± Ellen immediately asked for an officer. The guild officer who tried to persecute us last time showed up as soon as we prepared to wait. Perhaps because of our appearance and behavior, not only that officer but also some guards employed by the Adventurers¡¯ Guild surrounded us. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You said there was an emergency?¡± The uniformed officer looked at us with furrowed brows. It seemed that he believed that we just came back after going through something outrageous. Ellen shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s a matter concerning the convoy. I think Mr. Hugson should also be here.¡± ¡°¡­Mr. Hugson?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He had already seen that we were in possession of the Imperial Crest. With that in mind, the officer pondered for a bit and then ordered someone to call Hugson. After some time, Hugson came to us as well. ¡°¡­Who are you to order me to come here?¡± Unaware that it had something to do with him, Hugson looked at us with a very displeased expression. Because of the weather, the schedule of the convoy had changed, so he still seemed to be very annoyed about that. Ellen slowly began to explain. ¡°Our group left St. Point for Klitz Point yesterday.¡± Hugson¡¯s expression twisted slightly at those words. ¡°Yeah, what about it? Why¡¯d ya come back?¡± ¡°Klitz Point had been occupied by a gang of about twenty bandit adventurers, and all the people originally living there had been killed.¡± ¡°¡­What?!¡± ¡°!¡± Their faces looked as if Ellen¡¯s words had struck both Hugson and the officer over the hand. Everyone inside the Guild was very quiet as well. Completely speechless in astonishment. Not only Als Point, but Klitz Point as well. What¡¯s more, robbers? Ellen spoke while looking at Hugson with a slight smile. ¡°We killed them all last night; then we decided to come back to St. Point to report about it.¡± There was a gang of bandits. However, they were all killed. ¡°What? What are you¡­ by small brats like you?¡­ What nonsense¡­¡± Hugson frowned, thinking we were blowing one outrageous bluff. ¡°See for yourself.¡± Ellen took out a collection of ten cards from her chest and put them on the table. Some were still soaked in blood, and some were relatively unscathed. ¡°That-that¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t retrieve all of them, but these are some of those bandits¡¯ Adventurer ID¡¯s.¡± I was wondering why she suddenly started searching their bodies, so it was to have some evidence backing us in case people didn¡¯t believe us. She didn¡¯t get all of them, but she still had more than ten of them. ¡°¡­S-so you guys really¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The officer¡¯s eyes were shaking violently. Just hearing that we took care of such a huge bandit group was ridiculous. However, there was evidence backing that absurd story right in front of him. Evidence that our group of three had really exterminated all those bandits. Ellen said that she came to St. Point because she had something she wanted to check. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be very good at controlling your facial expressions.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Ellen stared coldly at Hugson, pointing at the various Adventurer¡¯s IDs. ¡°What? Do they look familiar?¡± It seemed that Ellen got her answer. An Accomplice. Ellen suspected that the convoy leader, Hugson, was the bandits¡¯ accomplice. Everyone was startled at Ellen¡¯s unexpected words. Wha-what¡­ What nonsense is this?¡± ¡°They knew when the convoy would be leaving today, on the dot.¡± Ellen noticed something very suspicious in those words we had overheard. ¡°Of course, the convoy¡¯s schedule isn¡¯t exactly a secret. They could have heard it from one of those adventurers that wandered into their arms and got themselves killed. Yes.¡± The fact that the bandits knew the convoy¡¯s schedule wasn¡¯t any conclusive evidence on its own. However, there was one more suspicious part. ¡°By the way, all the members of the convoy, except you, are all E or F ranked adventurers. Most of them are people whose skills aren¡¯t worth considering. You must have had some purpose behind this.¡± The composition of the escort team. When Ellen and I first saw that list we had thought that he was doing that to line his own pockets even more, we had both agreed on that. However, if we were to add the information that bandits were waiting in Klitz Point, Ellen began to suspect something else. Wasn¡¯t he just filling the group with easy-to-kill guys? They would be very easy to kill if the whole group was only made up of newbies who couldn¡¯t even be compared to those bandits. He didn¡¯t even feel any remorse about getting the dozens of convoy members, the escort team included, completely eradicated by that group that had already committed massive massacres. There were two suspicious aspects. ¡°And the look on your face after you saw that ID.¡± Ellen pointed to Hugson¡¯s face, revealing it to be the last piece of evidence, which was the thing she wanted to check. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re their accomplice.¡± Hugson was unable to retort to her words. The guild officer¡¯s lips were trembling. ¡°M-mr. Hugson¡­ Tha-that¡¯s¡­ your brother¡­ Hudson¡¯s ID¡­ but¡­¡± Seeing that scene, it seemed like the officer wasn¡¯t in the know regarding it. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you bastaaaaaards!¡± Hugson stuck out towards Ellen with the axe he was carrying on his back. -Crash! ¡°Right.¡± Ellen closed the distance between her and Hugson, avoiding his attack. There was no way that Ellen would get hit by such a heavy and slow weapon. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it.¡± Ellen had already realized that Hugson wasn¡¯t very patient after only meeting him once. He was easily agitated, couldn¡¯t control his emotions, and acted impulsively. He accused us of robbing adventurers because we had won over the person he was trying to get on his team. He didn¡¯t manage to get us in trouble, so he tried to hit us. She deliberately provoked him because she knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to remain calm when faced with evidence that we killed his colleagues. His aggressive reaction towards the situation was already evidence enough. -Bam! ¡°Kuuaaark!¡± Ellen didn¡¯t even unsheathe her sword and only punched that giant¡¯s solar plexus. -Baam! ¡°Le-leeet gooo¡­ Urg¡­¡± Ellen then grabbed Hugson¡¯s hair, making him bend his back and struggle. -Puuuuuull! Ellen grabbed his hair in such an awkward way that she was able to pull it out just by holding it like that. ¡°It¡¯s not because of your strength that you can act superior to others but your cruel nature.¡± ¡°K-kuuaaark!¡± -Bam! Ellen smashed Hugson¡¯s head onto the floor. Like most adventurers who were easily tempted to commit robbery, he only came that far because of his cruelty, which he mistook for actual skills. That was the kind of guy Hugson was. In the end, he couldn¡¯t even touch a single of Ellen¡¯s hairs. ¡°Don¡¯t mistake something like that for skill.¡± Ellen looked down at Hugson with contempt in her eyes. * * * The three of us had to rest our completely exhausted bodies first. I noticed that Ellen was still reluctant to rest because she thought we weren¡¯t over the hill yet, but she was already close to her limits, both mentally and physically. She eventually fell asleep at the inn; it almost seemed like she had fainted. It was only natural that we got a triple room, just in case of any unforeseen situations. No matter what happened, I thought things would somehow turn out well as long as Eleris was with us, so I just evacuated to the sidelines and decided to watch the situation. Hugson was detained in the temporary detention cells attached to the Guild Office. Naturally, he denied all the charges against him. The guild officers were busy moving about, sending reports to their headquarters in the Exian Outpost, as they didn¡¯t know that Hugson was planning something of that extent. If they didn¡¯t deal with Hugson properly, it might be their heads that got cut off. We woke up around noon. After reorganizing ourselves over meals and drinks, the guild officer came to us. He said that we should be part of the investigation as important witnesses. We told the investigator, who appeared to be a high-ranking officer who came there from the headquarters as fast as he could, everything we had seen, heard, and done. He seemed to have nothing to do with St. Point¡¯s affairs. ¡°¡­It¡¯s rather difficult to call this self-defense when you actively murdered them. Of course, given the circumstances, you might think that you¡¯ve made the best decision. However, it was dozens of them, not just one. You can¡¯t be exonerated for killing all of them, so you¡¯ll need to be arrested¡­¡± Before he started to go off on some long rant, I took out the Imperial Crest and my Temple student ID. ¡°¡­¡± He looked down at both of those items in silence and sighed. ¡°As Temple students, you have a clear-set identity and are protected by the court, so we don¡¯t have to be afraid that you¡¯ll run away. There¡¯s no need for restraints, huh.¡± He added that he wouldn¡¯t place any restraints on us. Murder was common, but in the end, it wasn¡¯t fine to just kill people. Those who killed someone and hid it could get away with it; however, those who killed people that absolutely should be killed would be judged, not rewarded, if they revealed their deeds. Hiding our actions was the correct answer, but Ellen chose to report everything to the guild to catch Hugson. As a result, Hugson would get investigated, but we would also be held accountable for our actions. How absurd. However, I wasn¡¯t particularly dissatisfied with how the situation panned out. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll just conclude that your actions were completely justified in that situation. That¡¯ll do.¡± It was an absurd situation, but we were even more absurd. Murder, whether one deemed it good or evil, was ultimately wrong. However, we were part of a privileged class that could get away with something like that, to a degree. If one covered absurdity with even greater absurdity, no harm would be done to oneself. That was all that mattered. ____ Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Ellen, Eleris, and I stayed at St. Point for a few more days after we returned. We wanted to stay to observe how things would pan out and also had to be interrogated. Hugson was under investigation at St. Point. If the allegations turned out to be true, it would be quite difficult for him to come out of the case alive. After all, he was just some condescending guy located in St. Point. The chances of us getting tried for those murders were rather slim. Therefore, we would be judged according to how many benefits we brought to the guild, completely excluding the punishment we deserved. We didn¡¯t complete a request. Therefore, there wasn¡¯t any reward set for it, and we didn¡¯t know how reasonable our actions in that situation were. Additionally, it was treated as a criminal case. We couldn¡¯t know what our merits or rewards would be until the investigation was complete and the truth was revealed. St. Point and the Points a bit further south were places low-ranking adventurers frequented. Confronted with the conclusive evidence of a massacre having taken place as well as having secured suspects there, the Exian Outpost sent a considerable amount of manpower. Warriors, not adventurers, were deployed to places where usually only bottom-of-the-barrel kinds of people flooded the streets. ¡°It seems that the escort team request will be completely taken down and carried out by those professional troops.¡± It was a reaction to the Bandit Adventurers, plus the destroyed Klitz Point. They had even planned to induce the guild to send more supplies so they could rob them. Hence the guild had to deploy more specialized personnel. For the guild, it must have been shocking enough that the leader they picked for a request had actually dreamed of eating their supplies. We did all the research we were supposed to do during our stay of a few days, so we were ready to move again. -Is it them? -That¡¯s right. -Only the three of them killed all of them? -No way¡­ -Is this wizard really that amazing? Is that what it is? -Anyway, thanks to them, we were able to keep our lives. We were becoming celebrities in St. Point. Even though we caused the request to get canceled, they would have fallen for Hugson¡¯s trap and died otherwise. We killed a lot of people, but as a result, we saved even more lives. Dead men tell no tales. It felt like the praise of the living was tickling the back of my head. Ellen, Eleris, and I woke up late, so we were having lunch. We were somewhat busy with being investigated and resting our exhausted bodies. The case had been solved by Ellen from start to finish. It was Ellen who noticed something suspicious first, guessed what was behind it, and found out everything. I felt like my thoughts had become sluggish ever since the clash with that large bandit gang. Acting normal after killing so many people just wasn¡¯t possible, so my mind just didn¡¯t work as fast as usual. I couldn¡¯t afford to think about anything else as my mental capacity had already reached its limit. Honestly, it was quite weird that I¡¯d been holding up as well as I did, but Ellen was even weirder. ¡°I said I needed more experience, but we ended up having the wrong type of experience¡­ Damn it.¡± We knew that we had to be careful of other people, but neither Ellen nor I wanted to have that type of experience. ¡°¡­I kind of expected it, but I didn¡¯t know it would turn out like this.¡± However, she seemed to have known what we were about to witness. Ellen was certainly on guard. It looked like she was the one who kept being wary of other people above anything else in mind. Like that, the biggest event spread around St. Point, the collapse of Als Point, had been resolved. Because the largest requests had been resolved, it was safe to say that there was nothing more to do there. If one wanted to do requests, one would have to go further south. However, the newly formed supply convoy team would most likely resolve all the problems. ¡°Should we go back to Exian again or¡­¡± ¡°E-erm¡­¡± As we tried to sort out our next move, a voice interrupted us. Ellen, Eleris, and I looked in the voice¡¯s direction. ¡°¡­¡± Austin was standing there with misery, shame, embarrassment, and countless other emotions etched into his face. He struggled to open his mouth while enduring all that shame. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I came here to thank you¡­ If it weren¡¯t for you, our convoy team¡­ everyone, including me, would have died.¡± Without our interference, the convoy would have taken off as is, and all of them would have been helplessly slaughtered. He came to us to thank us for that but also to apologize. Even if he did it because he was intimidated, he still tried to frame us. It seemed like he was still feeling guilty about that. He didn¡¯t have to come to us like that. We didn¡¯t do this for Austin¡¯s appreciation. However, Austin still came to apologize to us when he didn¡¯t need to. That was enough. ¡°Yeah, well. Don¡¯t worry about¡­¡± ¡°Quit.¡± Just as I was about to say something, Ellen looked straight at Austin and spoke to him. ¡°H-huh¡­?¡± ¡°Just quit all this.¡± Ellen was speaking in a very imperative tone, so unlike her. Austin¡¯s complexion went pale at her sudden words. Ellen stared at Austin and spoke in a cold tone. ¡°You don¡¯t even have the skills to take care of yourself.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have the insight to recognize dangerous people.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have the discretion to consider what risks this job entails.¡± ¡°You should at least be shameless, but you aren¡¯t.¡± That was the first time that I heard Ellen use such abusive language. I was just as perplexed as Austin. No skill, no insight, no discretion¡­ However, he felt shame. ¡°Hugson may be a failure as a human being, but he was successful as an adventurer. He was bold, cruel, and shameless.¡± Ellen seemed to have decided that he had to stop being an adventurer as soon as Austin came to apologize to us. He should have just been shameless and not apologized, but he couldn¡¯t do that. If one lacked as much as he did, one should also lack conscience to get through the job at least, but Austin actually tried to maintain his conscience. Those types of subhumans could survive better than anyone else as adventurers. If one didn¡¯t have the skills to do anything in any way, one shouldn¡¯t become an adventurer. I didn¡¯t know much about Hugson¡¯s skills, but he had his mindset going for him. If one didn¡¯t have the skill, one had to at least be clever. If one was neither skilled nor clever, one had to at least be cautious. If one wasn¡¯t any of that, one had to throw away one¡¯s conscience and shame. If one was too kind, one had to have the ability to overcome the weakness caused by one¡¯s own kindness. That guy didn¡¯t belong anywhere. That was what Ellen had pointed out. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you are a failure as a human or not, but as an adventurer, you are definitely bound to be a failure, so quit.¡± Ellen seemed to hate anyone who wanted to become an adventurer because they admired Artorius. They were just people in pursuit of the romance of adventure without actually knowing what an adventurer was. They were just helpless scapegoats. They didn¡¯t even know that they had to risk their lives just for their clumsy, unrealistic dreams. They didn¡¯t even consider that they might get robbed by bandits and stabbed in the back or hit over the head by their allies instead of simply dying while fighting against monsters. Ellen¡¯s honest criticism left Austin in a state of indignation. ¡°Ah¡­ Y-yes¡­ That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s right¡­¡± He shook his head with a miserable expression spread across his face. The fact that he couldn¡¯t even refute Ellen¡¯s cold remark was rather pitiful. Austin, who had boasted that he was part of a B-ranked adventurer¡¯s party, didn¡¯t even know what he could call his own. Was it really good to just break apart all the hopes and dreams of someone who had nothing but that and just send them home? Ellen chose to break everything apart now that cracks had formed. She told him to live a normal life. He wouldn¡¯t have listened to her if she had spoken to him gently, so she had to use harsh words. I watched Austin leave the inn with his whole body slumped. He might give up and actually go home, but he also might just go and take on a new request even after hearing those words. Ellen probably thought it would be better to be alive and well than to chase after one¡¯s hopes and dreams. ¡°¡­¡± However, Ellen opened her eyes wide as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she had just said. She didn¡¯t think she would actually say something like that to someone. ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a sec.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± I helped Ellen up and led her into the room. Eleris looked at us as we went up to the room with a complicated expression on her face. * * * After we returned to the room, I faced Ellen. She had no idea what to say to me. She had no reason to say anything either. Ellen stared at the floor with her head down. ¡°Should we go back?¡± However, that was all I asked Ellen, who was only staring at the floor blankly. That was one hell of a harsh experience we had. Not only was it one person, but we had ended up killing dozens of people. I told myself that I should think about it later, but I didn¡¯t actually have the time nor the power to seriously process all of it because of various factors. Ellen kept standing upright, trying to figure everything out. Not even I would have been able to do it, and yet Ellen managed it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡± So it was only natural that Ellen was more mentally strained than I was. She acted that way because she thought that her actions didn¡¯t only affect her own life but mine as well. She probably was already anxious and stressed enough because of that, and then everything else had happened. It was strange that she didn¡¯t end up collapsing in that extreme state of exhaustion. Her emotions finally exploded when she saw Austin. He looked so pathetic that she couldn¡¯t bear not saying anything to him, and even Ellen herself was surprised by her own words. ¡­By her loss of control. That was why I asked her something like that. If she wanted to go back, we could. She didn¡¯t have to force herself to keep going. ¡°No¡­¡± Ellen put her head against my chest. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ tired¡­¡± She didn¡¯t start crying suddenly or something. However, as she said those words, she rested her head on my chest and didn¡¯t say anything for a while. I simply stood still, holding her head with one hand. But that was when Ellen began to tremble slightly as if her emotions were getting stronger and stronger. After she showed me some of her weak sides, it was as if her walls were collapsing, letting her weakness burst through the cracks. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m scared¡­¡± Ellen was trembling. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m starting to resemble my brother¡­ It¡¯s scary¡­¡± ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡± ¡°I vowed to ¡­ not care whatever happens to other people¡­¡± There seemed to be something else that added even more to Ellen¡¯s stress. ¡°And yet, I¡¯m¡­ doing the same thing as my brother¡­¡± Countless people would have died if we didn¡¯t get rid of the bandits who occupied Klitz Point. So Ellen had decided to annihilate all of them. She didn¡¯t hesitate to get her hands dirty with blood. She would think about her actions later. She had to think about her next steps first and put her decision into action. However, as she gradually processed what happened, Ellen became aware of something. She vowed to live her life without sacrificing everything for the sake of others like her brother did, but when such a situation came up, she ended up taking risky actions without even considering her own well-being. She had killed someone to save the lives of others. Ragann Artorius must have acted similarly to that as well. At first, he must have had just a normal sense of justice. If it was something within his power, he would do it¡ªsomething like that. However, as he repeated such actions, a sense of duty would have cropped up inside of him. First, it was just a few, then it was a dozen, then hundreds, until it was beyond thousands. Eventually, he came to be revered as a hero to whom it was a matter of course to save someone¡¯s life. And in the end, he reached a point where he saw it as a matter of course to sacrifice even his own life for the sake of others. So, like that, he managed to kill the Demon King in exchange for his own life. Ellen was terrified when she realized that she had started to have the same thoughts as her brother. She never wanted to be like that, but she had almost immediately taken her first step in that direction. She didn¡¯t regret it. It wasn¡¯t regrettable to save someone¡¯s life, after all. She realized that she was taking the same actions as Ragan Arotirus in the end and started to feel afraid. It almost felt like it was something ingrained in her, as if it was running in their blood. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I mumbled and pulled her head a little closer to my chest. Right. I knew what she was worried about. ¡°Anyone would¡¯ve made that choice in that situation.¡± However, in the end, it was nothing much. ¡°Everyone would have done this if their abilities allowed it.¡± There were people who could and couldn¡¯t do something like that. There were plenty of people out there who would have made the same choice as us. ¡°We could do it, so that¡¯s why we did it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There was no other reason.¡± We had made a common decision. The process and the ending were anything but normal, but our decisions were more than normal. She didn¡¯t make that choice just because she was the younger sister of Artorius. That was what she had to believe. She wasn¡¯t ordinary, but she had to believe that she was ordinary. I couldn¡¯t leave any room for her worries and anguish to breed. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how it is.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ellen¡¯s trembling slowly subsided. ____ Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Perhaps because of her extreme mental, not physical, exhaustion, Ellen went to bed early, even though the sun hadn¡¯t set yet. She might not have been able to sleep properly up until then because of her anxiety and tension. It was a bit much for her to call that place safe, after all. Seeing that girl sleeping with a furrowed forehead, I felt somewhat sorry for her. It was more than obvious that she still felt that anxiety even though she was sleeping. I was thinking of leaving her. I might feel reassured with her around, but as long as I was together with her, her burden would increase as well. As it was a three-person room, Eleris also entered the room. ¡°Shall we take a walk?¡± I glanced at Ellen at Eleris¡¯s whispered words. There might be relatively less dangerous factors there in St. Point, but I still thought it was a little too much to just leave a sleeping kid all on her own. ¡®It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll set up an alarm spell.¡¯ Eleris only mouthed those words. She seemed to try to reassure me. It looked like she had something to say to me. * * * Eleris and I left the inn and took a walk around St Point, looking at the guys busily preparing for the new convoy. St. Point wasn¡¯t very large, but one could still take a walk around the place. ¡°You have made a good friend.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± It was the first time ever since I came there that I had such a casual conversation with Eleris, except for that short moment at Klitz Point. ¡°But it also worries me.¡± ¡°Worry?¡± Eleris looked towards the inn where we were staying, and her eyes turned slightly sad. ¡°She is so strong that she¡¯s about to break.¡± Her words seemed to signify that she was worried about Ellen, not about me. She was too strong, so she was about to break. I think I knew what she meant. Ellen had continued to march on strongly all the way to St. Point. She was sharp and doubted everything. As a result, we were safe, but Ellen suffered from extreme mental exhaustion. She was so sensitive to everything that we were able to avoid every danger on our way and uncover the truth behind that incident. However, if she kept going like that, she might end up collapsing soon. Eleris seemed worried about that. ¡°Everyone needs someone to show their weak side to.¡± No one could be simply strong. Everyone had a weak side. One needed someone one could show their weak side to ¡°It seems like you¡¯re someone like that to this girl.¡± Someone whom she could show her weak side¡­ Eleris said that I seemed to be that kind of person to Ellen. Yes, Ellen had often shown me her weakness for some time, a weak side she would never show anyone else. ¡°I think that¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s good then.¡± ¡°Please treat her well.¡± Eleris looked at me. ¡°Is that so?¡± Then Eleris smiled as if she was happy. ¡°¡­What happened to you was terrible. It was obviously painfully sad and ugly. Your Highness has been through something I didn¡¯t want you to go through¡­¡± Eleris spoke as she looked at the sunset, her eyes filled with a complicated mix of emotions. ¡°I think I can rest a little now.¡± I had killed someone. However, it was to protect others. It wasn¡¯t anything good, but Eleris, while sad, seemed to be a little relieved. ¡°But¡­ Are you still okay?¡± Eleris seemed to wonder if my mind was in agony. She wondered about the guilt and sorrow from the murders I had committed. How was I? Ellen told me to think about those things later. I first had to do what I had to do. The result of organizing my thoughts was only one: ¡°I should be fine.¡± I decided not to think about it for the moment. * * * We decided to go back to the Exian Outpost and plan our new schedule the next day, but I actually thought it would be fine to take a few days to rest. Ellen needed to spend some time in a safe place where she didn¡¯t have to work her brain all the time. It¡¯s something I¡¯d been through, and if Ellen stayed in that state any longer, she might suffer from stress-induced hair loss. That would be a grave problem. Just how miserable it was to not have a single hair on your head! However, I was completely fine because that wouldn¡¯t happen anymore! After all, I had a ring that made me immune to hair loss! I had to protect Ellen¡¯s hair. That night¡­ After eating, I planned to go straight to bed. Ellen was sleeping like a log, so she skipped dinner. What if she woke up in the middle of the night because she was hungry? Eleris was also getting ready to sleep. I didn¡¯t know if she would actually sleep or not, though. I thought she was only pretending to go to sleep and would actually watch us all night while we were sleeping. And¡­ -Knock, knock We suddenly heard a knock on the door of our room. I was sure that the Guild¡¯s business was almost over. Ellen got woken up just by that sound; however, she was already quite awake. Was she really sleeping back then? I slowly approached the door with my sword in my hand, just in case. ¡°Who is it?¡± -The Adventurer Guild¡¯s investigator. ¡°¡­What?¡± I heard a voice outside. He was an investigator sent from Exian¡¯s Adventurers¡¯ Guild. I thought I was done for the day, but it seemed like I still had some business to take care of. When I opened the door, there was that investigator looking at me with a cold expression on his face. It seemed that he tried to assure me with that addition to his words. * * * Perhaps it was something confidential, as he walked into our room and sat down at the table. Ellen, Eleris, and I were all wondering what the investigator came there for. ¡°You guys assumed that the guys that attacked Klitz Point were also responsible for the attack on Als Point after they came up North, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Both Ellen and I nodded to his words. The bandits who attacked Als Point had traveled north and raided Klitz Point as well. We also told the officer in charge of the case that we suspected that they were trying to plunder the goods transported in the convoy. ¡°We have secured testimonies regarding the alleged raid of Klitz Point from Hugson. It has been said that they sent out an advance party that was supposed to occupy Klitz Point and raid the convoy¡± ¡°¡­So what?¡± I didn¡¯t know whether Hugson simply admitted to all the charges or if they used some kind of trick to get a confession out of him. However, it seemed that the investigator somehow managed to make that Hugson confess. Ellen and I nodded. What did he want to say with that? ¡°That so-called ¡®advance party¡¯ started from this Point traveling to Klitz Point; they didn¡¯t start from Als Point. Hugson said he didn¡¯t know anything about Als Point, which lost contact with every other Point.¡± He admitted guilt to the attack on Klitz Point but claimed that he had nothing to do with Als Point¡¯s case. He claimed that these two cases weren¡¯t connected at all. ¡°We have confirmed the travel path of the bandits that we had obtained from Hugson by looking at the Guild¡¯s data. They all went down to Klitz Point via St. Point and never came back. I also confirmed that it was impossible for them to attack Als point due to time constraints.¡± Hugson didn¡¯t commit perjury. Investigators had already confirmed, based on the data collected from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, that they absolutely had nothing to do with the attack on Als Point. Our reasoning was wrong. The reason for the loss of contact to Als Point and the other Points connected to it was still unclear. But why was he telling us that? We weren¡¯t investigators, so we had no reason to take responsibility for our wrong guess. However, Ellen seemed to know why. ¡°¡­You want us to find out what happened, right?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re sharp.¡± The investigator clicked his tongue slightly. ¡°Currently, we are very short of manpower because we have to organize a new convoy. The Exian Outpost and the Guild can¡¯t provide any financial support. There are no other skilled adventurers here in St. Point either.¡± Hugson, who was the Point¡¯s highest-ranking adventurer, had tried to pull something ridiculous like that. However, although we three were only F-ranked newbies, we were bold and skilled enough to destroy the bandits who occupied Klitz Point. From the investigator¡¯s point of view, if they quickly found out the reason for Als Point¡¯s collapse and it turned out its threat was very serious, they would need to attach more escorts to the convoy. ¡°We expect it to be a very dangerous mission, as no one has yet to return from Als Point. So the choice is yours. I¡¯m just here to present you with this offer.¡± It was impossible to force adventurers to take on a request. If he was an investigator of the Adventurers Guild, then he probably was in a fairly high position. ¡°Your task would be to scout out Als Point. If you come across a threat, keep in mind that this mission only entails reconnaissance, not extermination or subjugation.¡± He was willing to entrust us with that mission in that situation where manpower was very scarce. ¡°The estimated level of risk for this mission is B-rank, so it¡¯s a very dangerous request. The reward would be ten gold coins each. If the information you provide is decisive, you will receive ten more gold coins.¡± He promised us a pretty huge reward. Just for going down to Als Point to see what happened, we would be able to receive thirty gold coins. If the information was decisive, we could get thirty more. It wasn¡¯t an extermination quest but a reconnaissance mission, and yet we would still receive 10 million won per person for it. The pay was insanely high, in my opinion. However, it was definitely dangerous. We didn¡¯t know what happened in Als Point, after all. ¡°We¡­ we¡¯ll do it!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°?¡± Before Ellen or I could even say a single word, Eleris suddenly shouted. What? Instead of waiting for our opinion on it, why did Eleris suddenly rush into it? ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­ N-no. It would be nice if we could¡­ That¡¯s what I meant. Yes.¡± Ah. That was when I remembered. Eleris¡¯ Scroll Store had very little revenue. Her living conditions were the worst as well. She lost her mind the moment money came into play. ¡­Eleris thought she could make a lot of money, so her body moved before she could think straight. Ellen seemed to pounder for a moment after Eleris¡¯s sudden outburst and then nodded her head. ¡°It¡¯s not a subjugation quest but a reconnaissance quest. I think it¡¯s something we¡¯re capable of doing.¡± Ellen looked at me after she finished her sentence as if she was asking for my opinion on the matter. ¡°Then let¡¯s try our hand at it.¡± Money. I quite liked it as well. * * * As St. Point didn¡¯t have any manpower, they commissioned adventurers on Hugson¡¯s level to do certain requests. There were no skilled people in St. Point, so they had no other choice but to entrust that important task to us, the rookies that appeared out of nowhere. If one went down South, one might encounter some really skilled people, but they were in a situation where they couldn¡¯t hire those people. It would take time to recruit powerful people from other regions. The investigator explained to us that we should go to Exian Outpost¡¯s or St. Point¡¯s Adventurers Guild. He also wrote up a formal request with his signature on it and gave it to us. ¡°It¡¯s just a reconnaissance mission, but its pay is so high.¡± After the investigator left, Eleris spoke up. ¡°If we fail or die, they wouldn¡¯t have to pay us. As it¡¯s a request made by the Adventurers Guild, we won¡¯t receive any advance payment either, as it¡¯s basically guaranteed that they will pay us. That¡¯s why the commission fee is quite high. ¡° That was Ellen¡¯s answer. It was a job we would only get paid for if we succeeded. One wouldn¡¯t get paid so much if one took the request of one of the Adventurers Guild¡¯s clients. However, there was no need to pay the dead after all. If we failed or died, the Adventurers Guild wouldn¡¯t pay out a single penny. There were a lot of cruel and ruthless adventurers, but the world of requests was rather strict and tough in the end. So they promised a lot of money and sent adventurers out on dangerous missions. And only those who manage to return alive were actually paid. The Adventurers Guild was rather cruel as well, after all. Adventurers jumping into danger like moths into the flames were pretty stupid, but those moths wouldn¡¯t fly into the fire if the Adventurers Guild wasn¡¯t shaking huge amounts of money in front of them. Eleris looked quite glum after listening to Ellen¡¯s explanation. That was a place where one¡¯s dignity as a living being became worthless in front of money. ¡°We¡¯ll leave early in the morning tomorrow. We should sleep early.¡± We had plenty of time to rest up during the investigation of Hugson¡¯s case. We decided to move south again the next day as soon as possible. * * * It took about four days for us to reach Als Point. Before we set off, we completed reorganizing and stocking up on preserved food, and at the investigator¡¯s request, we stopped by the Adventurers Guild of St. Point. ¡°We can provide you with horses if necessary.¡± The outcome of our mission determined the fate of the convoy. As many people had to move along with it, the damages caused by binding those people down as well as to the isolated front lines would exacerbate with every passing day. That was why we had been promised quite the sum as our reward. Of course, Ellen told me that she couldn¡¯t ride a horse. She hadn¡¯t learned how to yet. ¡°I know how to ride a horse.¡± Eleris said that she could afford to brush up her horse-riding skills along the way. She didn¡¯t seem to think that it would be a bad idea to take the horses, as the matter was very urgent. Of course, my horse riding skills weren¡¯t that great, but as long as I didn¡¯t have to participate in a race or something, I thought it would be possible to simply move. ¡°Then I could ride together with you¡­¡± However, Ellen seemed to think of something else, regardless of whether we could ride horses or not. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a rough journey. Let¡¯s not take them.¡± She seemed to have decided that it would be inefficient to travel by horse, as we didn¡¯t know when or where an emergency might occur. I didn¡¯t think it would have made any difference if we rode those horses anyway. The terrain was rather curved, so even if we went by horse, we wouldn¡¯t be much faster. Eleris and I agreed with Ellen¡¯s decision. ¡°I hope that the three of you will return safely.¡± We all nodded at the investigator¡¯s words. * * * We made our way back to Klitz Point, from where we had left not too long previously. Since Eleris casted Chilling Touch on us again, we had almost no trouble with the heat. ¡°¡­But come to think of it, it only takes a day to get to Klitz Point, so we¡¯ll reach it by tonight, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Ellen nodded at my words. ¡°Uhmm¡­ We¡¯ll have to rest in a place filled to the brim with corpses then.¡± Eleris looked exhausted. ¡°You could camp outside.¡± ¡°What choice is sleeping in the wilderness and sleeping in a place where tons of people have died¡­?¡± I hated both choices! Anyway, even if we didn¡¯t rest at Klitz Point, we would have to camp at some point. The road to Als Point was destroyed and broken. ¡°By the way, what do you think actually happened to the people in the other Als Points?¡± At Eleris¡¯s words, neither Ellen nor I could give any sharp answers. After some time, it was more than clear that Hugson¡¯s gang of bandits wasn¡¯t related to the destruction of Als Point. Those punks knew that a large convoy with supplies and commodities would be put together following Als Point¡¯s collapse, so they immediately headed to Klitz Point from St. Point. They didn¡¯t even get to Als Point in the first place. ¡°I¡¯m not completely sure, but there are two possibilities. Ellen took the lead and presented the possibilities. ¡°One, those who returned from Als Point were actually killed by the bandits in Klitz Point.¡± There must have been some adventurers who noticed that they ended up isolated from the other Points and tried to return. On their return, they were killed by the bandits who occupied Klitz Point. That was why we didn¡¯t get any news from any of the Als Points. That was one possibility. ¡°Two, there were bandits or similar people occupying Als Point as well, and those who were trying to go back died in Als Point.¡± The second possibility was that they couldn¡¯t even go back to Klitz Point. We didn¡¯t even know if the incident at Als Point was already over or still ongoing. ¡°Anyway, our goal is to scout. Let¡¯s not overdo it.¡± If it was something we couldn¡¯t seem to deal with, we could just watch and report back to the guild. Ellen¡¯s words seemed to serve as a reminder of the nature of our mission. We didn¡¯t know what might happen if we tried to annihilate the bandits like we did in Klitz Point and something beyond our expectations happened. In other words. we should really think of fighting against the threat as a last resort for once. ____ Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Apart from our journey down to Als Point, we had to make a certain choice that day. We could see Klitz Point from a distance as we slowly approached it. ¡°¡­What should we do?¡± Neither Ellen nor Eleris could give me an answer to my question. Last time we were there, it was raining and midnight, but that time the weather was quite nice, and we were able to reach the vicinity of Klitz Point just as the sun started to set. Klitz Point, which was enveloped in a gloomy atmosphere unique to ghost towns, looked even worse than when I had seen it last. We had to choose between sleeping in that dark and eerie place or just sleeping outside. Sleeping outside was pretty dangerous. We could rest relatively safely, protected by Klitz Point¡¯s fence and houses. Of course, we had to put up with that creepy atmosphere and the smell of blood. As safety was our top priority, I thought it would be better to stay at Klitz Point, even if it was somewhat uncomfortable. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go in for now. If we can endure the smell of blood, we¡¯ll be able to rest there pretty safely.¡± Ellen seemed to have judged as such after taking a look at it. I decided to rest inside the Point as well if the smell of the scattered corpses was somewhat tolerable. Just thinking about it made me feel terrible again. Just looking at the bodies before felt like a bitch, but as a few days had passed already, the corpses must have decomposed somewhat, and maggots must have started feasting on them. I didn¡¯t have the confidence to take in that sight and stay sane. There would even be the corpses of the ones we killed among them. Eleris also looked very terrible as she was probably thinking about something similar to what I was. ¡­ But weren¡¯t vampires undead? So wouldn¡¯t that make Eleris a corpse as well? ¡­What was with that? I only thought about it, but I felt like I was actually bad-mouthing Eleris. I was thinking about something extremely rude. After apologizing to Eleris in my heart, we entered Klitz Point. Ellen suggested that we should sleep outside if the smell of the rotting corpses was too strong. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± We couldn¡¯t detect any scent of the rotten corpses Ellen was worried about, even after we entered Klitz Point. However, that wasn¡¯t the only reason why we were surprised. ¡°Where¡­ did all the corpses go?¡± The corpses that were supposed to be scattered all over Klitz Point were all gone. * * * The corpses of the people that originally resided in Klitz Point were all thrown into a hole by the bandits, so they were kind of buried in the ground. We had dug a trap at the entrance of the inn and buried the bandits who fell into the pit alive. However, those who tried to escape through the windows were stabbed or shot to death one after the other. We had no time to dispose of their corpses. So the corpses of those bandits should have still been strewn about. However, all the corpses just seemed to have disappeared. Ellen and I had eliminated the guards at the entrance of the Point and thrown them into the bushes; their corpses that were supposed to be still there were also missing. Not only that¡­ ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think anyone buried them either.¡± The pit in front of the inn, and the hole the bandits put the corpses in, seemed to have both been dug up. Did what happened at Als Point really come up to Klitz Point? Or was that a completely different case? Anyway, something unusual seemed to have happened at Klitz Point again. ¡°Did something like a beast¡­ Eat all of the corpses?¡± Eleris carefully gave her opinion. A beast wouldn¡¯t be able to eat so many corpses, and there would have been bones or scraps left over if that were the case. ¡°Does a beast exist that can devour all of the corpses aboveground, dig up pits, and also devour all of the buried corpses as well?¡± At Eleris¡¯s words, Ellen asked her that with a completely serious expression. ¡°Hmm¡­ I wouldn¡¯t say there isn¡¯t one.¡± I could see the possible suspects running through Eleris¡¯s mind. Eleris seemed to know some monsters that were that gluttonous. All the corpses had disappeared, and the situation was more than suspicious. The area was obviously dangerous. Ellen was thinking deeply. ¡°I don¡¯t know if sleeping outside or staying here would be more dangerous.¡± It would be dangerous if we continued to act at night. Sleeping outside would leave us vulnerable to raids in a wide-open place. However, it would also be dangerous to stay at Klitz Point, as we didn¡¯t know what happened there. We had to pick one risky situation between the two. We were being forced to make a very uncomfortable choice. ¡°There¡¯s also the method of staying up all night like last time, but¡­¡± That method would consume too much of our stamina. In that situation where we couldn¡¯t be sure if the southern route was completely safe, it would be a very bad idea to unnecessarily lose our stamina. That option couldn¡¯t even be considered. ¡°Let¡¯s rest here for now and check the situation. It would be impossible for us to hide if we slept outside. I think that would be a lot more dangerous.¡± There were multiple buildings there in Klitz Point. If we hid inside one of them, no one would be able to clearly see us. As the leader of the party, Ellen had made her decision. * * * We settled in at another inn, not the one we burned down. We decided to sleep in the dining room on the first floor rather than in a room from which we couldn¡¯t escape quickly in case of something unexpected happening. We picked the dining room as it was a wide enough area for us to act freely in case of an emergency, and we could clearly monitor the situation of most of the Point through the windows. By lighting all the torches we could find in the Point, we could secure enough light sources to identify any possible threats in advance. However, another option would be to not use any light at all. ¡°Let¡¯s not light up the area. We might get targeted.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen chose the latter. People had been massacred inside that inn as well, so the smell of blood rose up from the carpets and leather furniture. However, it wasn¡¯t unbearable. Enough time had passed, and the smell was pretty much gone. There was a kitchen in the inn, so we could even cook inside, but we were in no position to worry about something like that in the tense situation we found ourselves in. However, we still ate dinner, which consisted of preserved foods, including bread and ham, inside the inn. Some of the ingredients had already started to decay, so we didn¡¯t touch them. ¡°We don¡¯t know what might happen, so we should eat as much as we can.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Ellen seemed like she needed to refill her stamina, so she was devouring all the preserved foods we could find inside the inn because it wasn¡¯t part of our provision. I didn¡¯t want to tell speak up about it in that situation, but didn¡¯t she just want to eat a lot? ¡°Let¡¯s get some rest and leave early in the morning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Eleris nodded, agreeing with Ellen. We decided to sleep on one of the inn¡¯s wide tables. However, we would just take short rests. As we didn¡¯t know what might await us, we decided to hold guard. The first guard was Ellen, the second was me, and the third was Eleris. We would take turns sleeping for about two hours. Ellen decided that she would spend the most time as a guard among us. ¡°I can do it twice. You don¡¯t have to push yourself.¡± Eleris said that she would spend four hours as a guard in her stead. It seemed like she was worried. However, Ellen simply shook her head at that. ¡°No, Miss Relya, you need to preserve your strength the most among us.¡± She seemed to be considerate towards her as she was a wizard. Of course, Eleris thanked her for that consideration, but she was still restless. I¡¯m fine! Really! Actually, I like the night a lot more because it¡¯s cool! It seemed like she was holding in what she actually wanted to say. We would go to bed early and wake up at dawn when it was still dark. We all wanted to shorten our stay in Klitz Point as much as possible. * * * -Tok, tok ¡°¡­Huh.¡± If one¡¯s nerves were constantly on edge even after falling asleep, one could wake up so quickly as if one had never slept in the first place. Moonlight was seeping in from the window on the dark inn¡¯s first floor. Looking at Ellen¡¯s expression, it seemed like nothing of note had happened. ¡°Good work. Sleep well.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen nodded and climbed onto the table, immediately laying down. She wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep right away, but it would be better for her if she got some rest at least. Ellen should be even jumpier than me when I tried to sleep. She might jump up if she heard the slightest rattling noise, so I sat down on a chair and moved to look through the windows around me with my arms crossed. I didn¡¯t want to wander around and drive Ellen crazy. Even though it was midsummer, the vicinity was so silent it almost felt chilling. ¡°¡­¡± I had just realized how strong my nerves actually were, sleeping peacefully in a place where so many people had died. If I came back safely from that place, I didn¡¯t know if my skills would have improved, but I was 100% sure that my mentality would have grown a lot stronger. I could see why Ellen wanted to gain some practical experience. There was a limit to what one could achieve with training and practice alone. One could only improve further with practical experience. I never wanted to experience killing someone. However, both Ellen and I gained something out of it while also losing a certain something. I didn¡¯t think we could call it growth, but we had definitely changed, and we would never be able to go back to how we were. ¡°¡­¡± Eleris was lying on her side on the table, looking at me. She probably never even fell asleep in the first place. Just as Ellen and I were extremely nervous, Eleris must have been even more nervous. She might have been on edge, constantly preparing for any accident that might occur. Had Eleris ever slept decently since we started that journey? Just as Ellen was mentally exhausted, Eleris probably felt the same. She didn¡¯t show any signs of feeling burdened, though. She just looked at me quietly in the dark and smiled. No matter what happens, I¡¯ll protect myself and Ellen. So don¡¯t worry. That was what her smile seemed to convey. My nerves, which had been pulled taut up until then, loosened a bit as I relaxed slightly. Her smile blew away my stress and fatigue. Yes. I was safe. ¡®Go sleep.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s alright. Your Highness should sleep. I¡¯ll keep watch.¡¯ How did Eleris become so stubborn? I didn¡¯t fall asleep when Eleris told me it would be fine if I did. I just whiled away the time as I kept an eye on my surroundings. Eleris would most likely not wake up Ellen at all, even after her guard time was over. She would let her sleep. How long had it been? ¡®Your Highness.¡¯ Eleris¡¯s expression as she looked at me suddenly hardened. ¡®You have to get ready.¡¯ Get ready. At these words, all my muscles hardened. ¡®Something¡¯s coming.¡¯ It seemed that something had been caught in the surveillance web Eleris had spread out. I went straight to the window to check the moonlit Klitz Point. It was dark, so I couldn¡¯t see really well. I couldn¡¯t use the night vision spell. However, I could use self-suggestion to strengthen my eyesight. I wasn¡¯t sure if I could give myself infrared vision, but I sure wanted to see a bit better than that. It wasn¡¯t the same as when I was under the night vision spell, but things definitely started to become a bit clearer. Something was gathering around Klitz Point. There were a decent amount of them as well. ¡°Wake up!¡± ¡°!¡± Both of them rose up at my shout. Unidentified figures had been advancing in great numbers towards Klitz Point. I couldn¡¯t check properly, but it seemed like a group of people were walking towards the Point. Both Ellen and Eleris stood up and armed themselves. The shapes I saw through the window could immediately be distinguished under the moonlight. ¡°What¡­ are those¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Crazy.¡± Ellen was stunned for a moment at the absurd sight, and so was I. ¡°¡­Zombies.¡± Seeing that scene, Eleris muttered a single word. Hordes of zombies were heading towards Klitz Point, no. To be precise, they were running towards the inn we were in. ¡°Rooms! Get into one of the rooms!¡± Eleris urgently exclaimed. ____ Chapter 164 Chapter 164 The dining hall on the first floor of the inn was rather spacious. There was a good chance that the zombies would come through its windows instead of the entrance. It would be impossible for us to defend against the swarm of zombies pushing in from all directions if we stayed in there. So we went into a guest room on the second floor and locked the door behind us. We could always jump out of the window in case of an emergency. ¨CBang! ¡°Block the door!¡± After locking the door, Ellen and I moved a wardrobe, the bed, and all other heavy objects we could find in front of the door. I didn¡¯t know how long we¡¯d be able to hold on, but it would be able to buy us some time at least. -Bang! Bangbang! Bang! The zombies charging into Klitz Point had already reached the inn and were breaking down its doors. ¡°Did all the corpses¡­ turn into zombies?¡± ¡°¡­I think so,¡± Ellen muttered in disbelief. Along with goblins and skeletons, one of the most representative mobs in fantasy stories were zombies. I never really introduced mobs like zombies, so that setup seemed to have been randomly generated. The zombies didn¡¯t seem to be the slow-moving type but were able to run at great speeds. Those slow-moving zombies had been used so much in all types of media that the running types seemed to be the trend more recently. Fucking hell, why did you decide to go with the trends here?! Anyway, we were able to find out what happened to the corpses¡ªthey weren¡¯t eaten or simply disappeared; they just left on their own two feet. I couldn¡¯t use Demon Domination like that. Nothing would change even if I were able to use it. Because zombies basically lost all reason, I was also one of their targets. Ellen¡¯s complexion grew ghostly pale as she watched the zombies swarm into the inn from the window of the room. ¡°Urg¡­¡± Ellen, whose mind hung from a single thread, covered her mouth with her head as her face turned completely white. She looked as if she had seen something she shouldn¡¯t have seen. ¡°¡­Fucking hell.¡± After looking at them for some time, my mind also took a hit. Not only were those rotting corpses trying to come up there; just by looking at them, I felt like my mind was about to collapse. Living corpses would never be a pretty sight after all. The Undead. They were the type of monster one would never want to encounter, not only because of the danger they posed¡­ They were also utterly disgusting-looking. They were about to tear down the inn door and barge into our room. It would be impossible for it to block them out forever. We had to do something. Eleris began to explain something to us calmly. ¡°Zombies can only be killed by bashing in their heads. They don¡¯t die from any other injury. Their physical abilities, especially their strength, are far more superior to when they were alive. Don¡¯t let them grab you because they will rip your flesh apart. You can¡¯t give them any chance to get their hands on you.¡± Ellen couldn¡¯t even raise any doubts at her sudden outburst of large amounts of information. That was just how big our need for information was. We had to urgently take action. However, the biggest problem was actually something else¡­ ¡°Are their bites infectious?¡± ¡°¡­Infectious? Yes, the bite of those corpses are poisonous, so if they bite you, the wound will get infected¡­¡± Seeing how Eleris was answering, she didn¡¯t seem to understand what I was trying to say. What she was saying was that only a bite of those rotting corpses would be fatal enough to us. But that was already enough information. It didn¡¯t seem that we¡¯d become zombies as well after getting bitten by them. -Growaaaah! -Grrrr! Graaah! -Gruaaaah! -Bang! Bang! Crack! Craaaaack! The zombies soon managed to break down the door and began to pour into the inn. We could presume that they knew where we were without even seeing us. They were headed to our room. Ellen clenched her teeth, a look of determination on her face. ¡°¡­Ms. Relya.¡± ¡°Yes>¡± ¡°I hope you won¡¯t tell anybody about what you¡¯re about to see.¡± -Shiing Ellen immediately summoned Lament, apparently because she judged that it wasn¡¯t the time to keep it hidden anymore. Even when she annihilated the bandits, she never took out Lament up to that point. It seemed that she thought that it would be much too difficult to overcome our situation without it. Seeing that, Eleris opened her eyes wide. She had known about it, but it was her first time actually seeing it. She had probably heard from Loyar that Ellen was carrying a soul-bound sword. Loyar had said that the sword was rather unusual, but she didn¡¯t know just what exactly Ellen¡¯s sword was. I also hadn¡¯t told either of them about Ellen¡¯s identity. However, Eleris immediately recognized the sword Ellen summoned as Lament. ¡°H-Hey. This¡­ this is¡­ I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Naturally, she inevitably found out about Ellen¡¯s true identity as well. Eleris was briefly dazed by the truth that far exceeded her expectations. She was startled by the fact that I, the last Prince of the Demon Realm, was actually friends with the person that possessed the Divine Sword Lament. Originally, Lament was Ragan Artorius¡¯s sword. And for some reason, that girl had it. Eleris should have realized by then who Ellen actually was. ¡°There¡¯s no time to panic.¡± -Bang! Bang! Bang! Zombies started to slam against our room door. Eleris quickly calmed down again as she realized that she didn¡¯t have the leisure to be surprised. She had to make a decision, as she was the only one who knew a lot about zombies. ¡°Just buy some time, and if you think all the zombies have entered the inn, escape through the window.¡± ¡°And then?¡± I didn¡¯t know anything about this world¡¯s zombies, so I had no other choice but to believe Eleris¡¯s judgment to be correct. ¡°Then we¡¯ll just do the same as last time.¡± Eleris suggested that we should use the same strategy we used the last time we were there. ¡ªDig a pit at the entrance of the inn. If we left, the zombies would also run out of the inn, so digging a pitfall in front of the entrance would work. ¡°Do we have enough time for that?¡± However, it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise attack like before, so there wouldn¡¯t be enough time to make a large pit. As such, she determined that she had to stack-cast the Digging spell, but she wouldn¡¯t have time for that. ¡°I¡¯m going to stack cast the magic from the side, so please just hold on until the pit is big enough.¡± -Crack! Craaack! The door to the room was gradually giving in. Eleris would try to cast the digging spell from the window of the second floor room, aiming for the area in front of the inn¡¯s entrance. We had to hold out until the pit was big enough so that we could throw all the zombies in there and then escape. Any zombie that would leave through the entrance would fall into that pit. Ellen nodded her head with a determined expression on her face. ¡°¡­Yes .¡± Eleris opened the window and started casting her magic. -Craack! ¡°Kuueee!¡± -Crunch! Ellen slashed at the zombie¡¯s head with her sword as it tried to squeeze its head through the cracked door. She didn¡¯t cut its neck but split its head. Due to the zombies¡¯ strength, the bed and wardrobe that we pushed in front of the door were gradually getting pushed back. We were stabbing and cutting the zombies that were trying to push in through the cracks of the broken door. -Thrust! Puush! Bang! ¡°Fucking bitch! Urk!¡± I felt like I was about to lose my mind in a different sense from last time. Burnt corpses, corpses without limbs, half decomposed black and blue corpses, and each of them very spirited. There were maggots writhing in their flesh. It felt terrible stabbing those corpses while looking at them with my eyes wide open. I didn¡¯t have to look at the bodies so thoroughly before. I had to cut off their necks to kill them for good, but I couldn¡¯t do that in the chaotic citation. I was just poking my sword through the broken door, after all. ¡°Kuaaaaaaaark! ¡°Shut up!¡± -Bang! * * * In order to protect my fragile mind, I screamed profanities at them. My eyes were wide open when I stabbed those things several times. I felt like I was being tortured. Ellen was also holding Lament, but she was somewhat struggling because she couldn¡¯t get rid of them by simply stabbing them. Seeing all the flesh, blood, and oil from the corpses on her sword was also a terrible sight. However, fortunately, the blood and oil disappeared like smoke from her blade. Her sword apparently had a self-maintaining function. I understood then why Ellen said that swords with that function were the best in combat. The sword would always return back to its peak condition on its own. However, it wasn¡¯t the time to admire her sword. -Creaak! Craaaack! The zombies managed to gradually break the door and push back the barricade we created. If there was just a little gap, those guys would come pouring into the room like water. Then, no matter what we did, we would get attacked by those bastards. We wouldn¡¯t be able to stop dozens of zombies with just two swords. -Creeeeaaaak! As they pushed again, they added more strength, and our barricade was shoved away almost in an instant. ¡°Hey! Is it ready yet?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s ready! Let¡¯s escape!¡± ¡°Reinhardt!¡± I immediately went to the window and jumped out of it with Eleris by my side. -Thud! It wasn¡¯t that far a fall, and even though I was carrying Eleris, the impact I felt wasn¡¯t that great. That must have been thanks to strengthening my body. Ellen then also threw her body through the window and landed quite harshly. There was a huge pit in front of the inn¡¯s entrance for the zombies to fall into. Ellen looked at me while gasping for air. ¡°It¡¯s the same as last time. Let¡¯s deal with the ones who try to escape through the window or any other way that isn¡¯t through the entrance separately.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Our mission was exactly the same as before. Our opponents were just zombies instead of people, that was all. Some of those zombies might have died by our hands. There were some corpses that seemed to have been burned to death, and others had either been stabbed to death or gotten their arteries cut by Ellen and me. We had to kill the guys we had already killed before again. -Grooooooooooaaaar! The zombies that gathered on the second floor scrambled to get outside, falling over each other and getting tangled after we ran outside. ¡°You have to cut their heads off or bash them in. Don¡¯t worry about that, though. We have to keep our distance after all.¡± However, there was an added difficulty that time. ¡ªThey wouldn¡¯t die unless they suffered a fatal trauma to the head or their head got cut off. They were rather difficult to deal with, but some things had gotten easier as well due to the change. ¡°Kuwaaaaaaark!¡± Zombies ran out of the inn and fell into the pits Eleris dug one after the other. They didn¡¯t even have a shred of intelligence in them. That was why they fell into the pits as if they got sucked into them, not caring whether the zombie before them fell into them or not. They didn¡¯t have the intelligence anymore to understand the concept of a trap. ¨CBang! However, it seemed like some impatient bastards still tried to get to us through the windows of the second and first floors. Usually, it would be impossible for us to deal with such a large group on our own, but in that situation, it would be possible to defeat them one by one. ¡°Reinhardt, please protect Ms. Ralya.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ellen entrusted Eleris¡¯s protection to me and jumped into the fray to kill the spirited zombies. Eleris¡¯s advice to cut off their heads was correct. It was also quite the convenient way to instantly kill them. However there was no need for that, as the sword she held was Lament. ¨CSlash! The reason for that was because that insane weapon could be swung however one liked and it would end up dissecting a zombie horizontally at its waist or diagonally from its right collarbone to the left side of its lower back. Ellen killed all the zombies that tried to get out through the windows. ¡°Kuh¡­Hum!¡± ¨CSlash! Although my weapon was rather good as well, it¡¯s performance couldn¡¯t compare to Lament. Therefore, my actions had to be a bit more detailed. The zombies¡¯ attack pattern was quite straightforward, and their movements didn¡¯t seem to have any form of strategy behind them. They would just run around and try to bite you. It wasn¡¯t really difficult for me to predict their attacks and respond to them. I cut off a zombie¡¯s head by angling my sword properly. With more than half of its neck cut through, the zombie just fell to the floor, groaning. If you simply smacked the sword against their necks, it wouldn¡¯t be cut off. Rather than hitting directly, one had slightly slant the blade as if one was about to flip meat. You couldn¡¯t just slash at it with force but more as if you were trying to sweep it down by its neck. You had to carefully calculate the angle at which the neck could ideally pull on the blade and slightly saw with it to cut the head off When you felt the sensation of hitting bones, you had to apply even more force, as if you wanted to utterly destroy them. Because the tip of the sword wouldn¡¯t have much power behind it, one had to use the part slightly lower than the middle of the blade. You had to adjust it so that it could properly make contact with the neck. I got to know something I never wanted to know. Rather than just knowing, it was engraved into my mind as I was cutting down the zombies rushing at me. ¡ªHow to mutilate those bastards that didn¡¯t even die after they got stabbed. I didn¡¯t want to know those things, but I was forced to learn them. ¨CPak! ¡°Ke¡­ Keeeergh¡­¡± ¡°Hmpf!¡± ¨CSquish! I stabbed my sword into the neck of one of the zombies rushing at me again. That time I didn¡¯t just cut it off. I actually twisted my sword while it was stuck in there and destroyed its cervical vertebrae. Afterward, I kicked away the fallen zombie. Ellen had told me to protect Eleris, but they couldn¡¯t even be called playmates for her. -Bang! Just by hearing that smashing sound, I knew that one of the zombies rushing towards us had gotten its head destroyed before falling backwards. This feat wasn¡¯t accomplished through magic. -Swish, swish, swish, swish! I could see Eleris swinging around some rope, and when she let go, I heard a menacing banging sound. She was using a sling. -Woosh! A zombie that was running around in the distance was hit smack on the head, leading to it getting smashed apart, meaning it died. Eleris began to put one sling projectile after the other into it and started swinging it around, carefully looking for her next target. She actually used a sling in that situation. I would call it ridiculous.,, However, Eleris playfully spinning around a sling seemed to support my collapsing mind in the horrible situation. There was no need for her to use some strong magic for those weaklings after all. I could feel the ease with which Eleris killed them. ¨CBang! Eleris smashed in every zombie¡¯s head one after the other while I was shuddering and struggling to cut off the zombies¡¯ heads. She had a terrifying accuracy to her shots. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡±. ¡°Haa¡­ It¡¯s¡­ Almost over¡­¡± After about half an hour of fighting, the zombies were almost all sorted out. In addition to the twenty or so bandits, everyone who had originally resided in the Point had turned into zombies, so their number was huge. There were the zombies that fell into the pits and more than thirty zombies that had gathered around us and finally been returned to being normal corpses. The smell and cruel sight akin to a hellscape made me feel dizzy. Ellen, who had killed the most zombies among us, came back after sending Lament back. That was not the end. ¡°Let¡¯s burn up all of them.¡± ¡°¡­Yes .¡± Although I didn¡¯t think that the corpses would come back to life again, we decided to burn all of them up, even after they had already drawn their last breath, to prevent something even more bizarre from happening. -Kwaaaaaark! -Grrrrrr! Graww! The frenzied snarls of the zombies rang out from the pit. ¡°It might start moving again. Be careful when you carry it.¡± After listening to Eleris¡¯s words, Ellen and I were very careful as we began to collect the corpses and put them in one place. After we dealt with the zombies, their bodies were severely damaged. Touching their rotten meat felt horrible. No matter how many zombies I killed, I would never get used to that. When I was fighting them, I had to look at them straight and kill them, but after everything was over, I couldn¡¯t even look at their faces anymore. Had death always been so disgusting? It took only a few days for a human to completely lose their original form. Humans felt utter disgust towards something that only had a crude resemblance to human beings. That was the essence of the uncanny valley. Those zombies were terrifying examples of beings that belonged to that uncanny valley. The discomfort they produced was even bigger because they actually used to be human. As I was carrying the bodies and their heads separately, I couldn¡¯t think about anything else. Although the zombies had attacked me first, I felt like someone who was trying to destroy the evidence after utterly mutilating and killing someone. We collected all the zombies except for the ones trapped in the pits and poured the flammable substances Eleris had brought over them before setting everything on fire. ¨CHroow! After that, we poured the flammable substances and oil into the pits before we set it on fire. ¨CKieeeeeeeeeek! Accompanied by terrible screams, two flames climbed up from Klitz Point. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± We each sat still, staring blankly at the two flaming pillars. Why had the corpses scattered around Klitz Point turned into zombies? Did something like that happen at Als Point as well? So did that mean that the three Points at the front line were similarly affected? ¨CTak Ellen, who was next to me, rested her head on my shoulder. There were just too many unanswered questions. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± However, we were too tired to share our thoughts. ¡°Sleep.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Leaning on my shoulder, Ellen closed her eyes. ____ Chapter 165 Chapter 165 The next day¡ª Both Ellen and I woke up as it turned to dawn. We fell asleep, leaning on each other, with our backs against the wall of a building. We were so exhausted that we had stopped thinking about what might happen. We just completely gave up thinking and fell asleep. Well, it was more like losing consciousness than falling asleep. ¡°Are you up?¡± Eleris greeted us calmly as if she had been awake for quite some time already. Ellen looked confused. ¡°Could it be that you haven¡¯t slept at all¡­ Because of us?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve been sleeping like a lot¡­ That sure was quite risky, for all of us to be like that.¡± She said that, but she obviously didn¡¯t sleep. When I woke up, I found it quite unfathomable that I had managed to sleep in that kind of environment. There were piles of charred corpses and flesh as well as blood scattered everywhere. The smell of those burned corpses was also incredibly rancid. ¡°There¡¯s some cold water at the inn. Let¡¯s eat something and leave. We should clean this place up a little first though.¡± We decided to clean up our mess first. * * * The zombies had been turned to ashes. Like that, they wouldn¡¯t be able to ever rise again. I didn¡¯t know if the fire we lit was just that powerful or if Eleris did something while we were sleeping. Ellen and I washed our dirty bodies in the inn where the zombies had been roaming around. We could change our clothes, but we couldn¡¯t really do anything about our armor¡ªwe had to put them on. We also had time to maintain our swords, but I only wiped mine with some oil since they had an automatic repair function. After a simple breakfast, we got ready. ¡°Should we just keep going South?¡± Eleris tilted her head, posing that question. It encompassed various meanings. We had already encountered a large number of zombies that mysteriously appeared in Klitz Point. The further down south we went, the more dangerous things would get. She asked if we would continue even while knowing what might await us. Eleris would protect us if anything were to happen, but she still left the decision up to us. ¡°What about you, Ms. Relya?¡± Ellen asked for Relya¡¯s opinion. We were faced with an unexpected threat the previous day, but we knew that things might get very dangerous for us going forward. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave the choice up to you.¡± Relya left the decision-making up to us. At that moment, Ellen looked at me. Up to that point, Ellen had made the decisions on her own and took action, but at that time, she included all of us. My life had been threatened the previous day; that could happen again, or I might fall into an even more dangerous situation. She was asking me if I still wanted to go, despite knowing the risks. ¡°¡­If you go, then I¡¯ll go as well; if you won¡¯t, then I won¡¯t either.¡± Of course, I left it up to Ellen. Both of us suffered from some mental damage when we annihilated the bandits, though in different ways. Dealing with those Undead was more of a mental issue than a physical one as well. It was incredibly taxing to deal with the abominations. ¡°¡­Will you be fine?¡± Ellen stared at me as she asked me that. She was asking if I could really endure any more of it. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think I would have been okay if I was alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll manage somehow.¡± Ellen nodded when she heard my answer. ¡° Yes.¡± Ellen looked between Eleris and me. Just being with someone helped one endure even the greatest of horrors. It seemed that Ellen was the same as me in that regard. In the end, we decided to continue to go south. * * * We headed south along the road to Als Point. Ellen was warier of her surroundings than before but still posed various questions. ¡°How did the zombies know where we were right away? It was a question directed to Eleris. The previous day, Eleris gave us an immediate answer as to what zombies were and how we could deal with them during our small crisis. As a wizard, one had to play one more role as well. A limitless encyclopedia of knowledge¡ªthat was what Eleris had seemed like. Of course, she didn¡¯t know about those things because she was a wizard, but because she came from the Darklands. Ellen seemed to have misunderstood her knowledge as part of her being a wizard, though. ¡°Zombies can track down living creatures. I don¡¯t know if they do it by smell or by some kind of instinct, so there¡¯s no point in even attempting to hide from zombies.¡± So the battle was inevitable. ¡°We¡¯d have to fight if we come across zombies again.¡± ¡°Yes, but zombies usually only come out at night, so we should be careful during the night.¡± According to Eleris, zombies were nocturnal creatures. ¡°Then they are sleeping during the day or¡­ something like that?¡± At my question, Eleris put her index finger on her lips as she looked far away. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you could call that state sleeping or not. It is said that zombies move to shaded or cold places during the day¡­ They¡¯ll probably wait there until nightfall, but I¡¯m not sure if they are sleeping or something similar.¡± ¡°Why do they go to cold places?¡± That was when Ellen expressed her doubts. ¡°Probably to limit the speed of their decay.¡± Decay¡­ Their decay would progress rapidly during the day because of the high temperature. ¡°Zombies are usually dead beings. As their bodies are already dead, they would continue to decay, right? So if the decay continued, the only thing remaining would be nothing but bones in the end.¡± Eleris lifted her index finger and explained as such. She explained something pretty horrible while making some pretty cute gestures. A zombie was a reanimated corpse, more or less, but their decay would eventually progress like normal. Flies and maggots would feast on them. So they actually had a very short life span, if one could call those things living beings, that is. In the end, only bones would remain. Although zombies didn¡¯t have a shred of intelligence in them, they still wanted to extend their lifespan instinctively, huh? ¡°And when they have reached that state, their behavior changes completely.¡± Didn¡¯t they have a limited lifespan? How would they change? Seeing the look on my face, Eleris smiled strangely. ¡°What would you call a zombie moving around with nothing but bones left?¡± Ah¡­ Is that what it was? ¡°¡­A skeleton?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± When the progress of a zombie¡¯s decay reached its final stages, they would turn into a skeleton from a zombie. They were both undead monsters, after all. * * * ¡°You know a lot.¡± Eleris was a bit startled at Ellen¡¯s words, thinking that she might suspect something. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­ I read these things from books. I thought I should at least skim them, just in case.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± To me, Ellen didn¡¯t really seem particularly suspicious of anything. Ellen turned her gaze back to Eleris, who wondered what she wanted to ask next. ¡°You¡¯re quite skillful with a sling¡­¡± ¡°On my level, I can¡¯t just blindly believe in my magic. I have to prepare other means to defend myself. I¡¯ve been using it as a hobby since I was little, so I¡¯d say I¡¯m pretty good with it.¡± Since she was supposed to be a low-ranking wizard, she couldn¡¯t just solve everything with her magic, so she prepared a secondary weapon. Of course, her accuracy when using her sling was more than ridiculous, and as soon as the shots hit the zombies¡¯ heads, they had exploded. There was great power behind her shots¡ªincomparable to any low-level magic spell. Eleris took out the slingshot she used previously from her bosom. ¡°There are even some enchantments placed on it.¡± ¡°Enchantments?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± So that wasn¡¯t just a normal slingshot but secretly a magical artifact? ¡°The enchantment placed on it is ¡®Weight increase¡¯. The things that you shoot with this sling gain more than double their weight for a very short period of time.¡± ¡°Ah¡­So it had that kind of power¡­¡± So there was a reason why the zombies¡¯ heads didn¡¯t just break but exploded. Even a very light object could become as heavy as a cannonball if thrown using that slingshot. Ellen didn¡¯t ask her why she didn¡¯t bring it out during our annihilation of the bandits. Did she already think of it as a thing of the past? ¡­But was that really a magic artifact? Didn¡¯t she just cast some weight-increasing magic on the projectiles as she tossed them with the sling? I couldn¡¯t really ask Eleris those things at the moment, so I couldn¡¯t help but be confused. ¡°Then how are zombies made?¡± That was the most important question. Eleris furrowed her brows and tilted her head at Ellen¡¯s question. ¡°Well¡­ Zombies can occur naturally, or they can be made artificially through black magic.¡± Zombie outbreaks could be either a natural occurrence or artificially made. ¡°However, if the zombies were created by a black mage, they¡¯d be controlled by the same wizard. Yesterday¡¯s zombies, however¡­ There was no sign of them being controlled, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zombies had just suddenly appeared from all directions, drawn to us. It didn¡¯t feel like there was any kind of strategy behind their behavior or movement. ¡°Of course¡­ There¡¯s still the chance that black magic was involved in all this, but at this point, I¡¯m assuming that they were natural zombies.¡± Eleris seemed to think that the zombie outbreak was unlikely to be the work of a black mage. ¡°When do zombies naturally occur then?¡± Eleris frowned again at my question. ¡°Well¡­ There are so many causes that I can¡¯t put them into words, but if I had to explain it in simple terms¡­ Strange phenomena occur in places filled with unclean energy, and the occurrence of zombies is one of those phenomena¡­ I think that should be enough.¡± Unclean energy¡­ It was a bit too vague to actually understand how that incident happened. However, simply put, a lot of strange things happened in ¡¯unclean¡¯ places, and zombies were one of those strange things. That meant that the place had already turned into such an unclean place. Eleris looked at the winding road stretching into the south. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to find out just what on earth is causing this energy to accumulate.¡± We were all aware that things would become more dangerous the further south we got. ¡°If such phenomena spread all the way from Als Point¡­¡± ¡°Yes, something truly unusual must have happened, to say the least.¡± If Als Point was the core of that incident, to the point that such strange phenomena even occurred in Klitz Point, which was a three-day journey away, then it was more than clear that something outlandishly unusual was taking place there. ¡°Yes?¡± Ellen quietly called out to ¡®Relya¡¯. ¡°You can go back, Ms. Relya.¡± She tilted her head when she was told that she could go back if she wanted. ¡°Reinhardt and I have Teleportation scrolls, so you can just go back separately. If an emergency were to occur, we could always escape with these scrolls.¡± It would be dangerous if we continued to go together, and we had an escape route, but she didn¡¯t, so Ellen suggested that she go back. She worried about ¡®Relya¡¯. ¡°You¡¯d get paid pretty well if you just went back and reported that Zombie incident we came across in Klitz Point.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Eleris nodded quietly as if she knew what Ellen was trying to say. She smiled a little. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I also have at least one trump card up my sleeve.¡± She might ask what that would be. ¡°Something like the sword that Ellen took out yesterday.¡± I didn¡¯t ask about your circumstances, so don¡¯t ask about mine That was what she was trying to convey, so Ellen couldn¡¯t really bring herself to ask. She bit her lip before murmuring silently. ¡°If it becomes dangerous, I hope you won¡¯t blame us for teleporting away without you.¡± ¡°Of course. If you have a way to survive, you should use it.¡± Ellen seemed to find it increasingly harder to comprehend that wizard called Relya. However, in the short time we had known each other, we had ended up fighting for our lives together twice. So Ellen couldn¡¯t simply disregard Relya¡¯s opinion. She seemed slightly less suspicious of her. * * * It was a three-day trip to Als Point. We would arrive there after approximately two more days. We walked all day southbound. Nothing really unexpected happened during our march. ¡°More zombies might come out again like yesterday. We should avoid camping completely in the open.¡± Eleris and I agreed to Ellen¡¯s judgment. If there were any zombies around us, they could immediately pinpoint our location, so hiding was more than meaningless to begin with. ¡°I wish we could camp somewhere close to a cliff where Zombies couldn¡¯t climb up¡­ Although, I don¡¯t see anything like that close by. Then, maybe on a big tree, while that would be a bit uncomfortable, we have no other choice but to sleep in a place like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± We might not be able to sleep properly, and we might fall off if we fell asleep on top of that tree; however, it was the best resting place we could choose at that moment, as zombies wouldn¡¯t be able to get to us even if they appeared again. We continued to walk until the sun was about to set, making sure that we found an appropriate tree to climb up and sleep on. Soon, the thin twig-like trees parted before us, allowing our gazes to fall on a beautiful, thick, old tree. ¡°That one looks pretty sturdy.¡± Zombies couldn¡¯t climb trees, so it seemed like we could rest on one of that tree¡¯s thick and sturdy branches. Ellen and I had experience climbing palm trees on that deserted island. ¡°¡­But how do we climb this?¡± But we managed to do that because we could actually grab around the tree. It was impossible for us to climb up the tree we were looking at with our bare hands. Ellen didn¡¯t answer, rummaged through her backpack, and pulled out a rope. ¡°¡­Right.¡± I didn¡¯t even think about using other tools but single-mindedly thought about somehow doing it only with my body. A slow brain would make one¡¯s body suffer. Ellen tied a stone to one end of the rope and threw it over a branch. The rope with the stone on its end rotated around the branch three or four times, tightly winding itself around it. Ellen tested the stability of the fastened rope by pulling on it a few times, then grabbed it and started climbing. Ellen, after climbing more than six meters in but an instant, landed on a branch, making the branch sway a few times with her feet. There didn¡¯t seem to be any problem. I grabbed the rope and started climbing as well. Things that wouldn¡¯t have been possible in the past became effortless, so I was a little surprised when I managed to climb up so well. When I got up and decided to look down a bit, I felt dizzy. Of course, the branch was considerably thick, so I honestly thought that I could lie down on it without a problem. However, regardless of how sturdy it was, wouldn¡¯t I still end up breaking my neck if I fell asleep there? Ellen looked down and shouted. ¡°Ms. Relya, if you hold on to the rope, I can pull you up.¡± ¨C Okay. Since not everyone could climb a tree like that, Ellen seemed to want to try and pull Eleris up there herself. Eleris grabbed the rope, and Ellen pulled her up quickly¡ªas if she wasn¡¯t heavy at all. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re so strong.¡± Eleris looked at Ellen, who had just lifted her up without exerting much strength, talking to her with admiration. At that height, even if a whole horde of zombies came, they would have no choice but look up at us dumbly. Ellen quickly moved and leaped over to other branches, climbing up even higher. It looked like she was searching for an even better place. As a result, she found something like a cave inside the huge tree trunk¡ªit was like a crack that one usually saw in old trees. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll fall if we stay in there. It¡¯s spacious enough.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although it would be a bit cramped, it seemed that three people could somehow sleep in there. Even if we tossed and turned a bit in our sleep, we would be inside the tree, so we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about falling down. Of course, our posture would be a bit uncomfortable. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± I was in the hollow tree, Ellen was in my arms, and Eleris was sitting opposite me. It wasn¡¯t that big after all, so Ellen was sleeping with her back against my chest. It kind of seemed like I was hugging her from behind. We both had to sleep in that posture. ¡°Hey, you seem to be getting along very well¡­¡± Eleris looked at me with a soft gaze, teasing me a little. Stop talking nonsense! ¡°Let¡¯s eat something.¡± Of course, Ellen had her back to me, not even giving the whole setup a second thought and talking about food. * * * It was a relatively safe place. We still could hear the sound of zombies slowly gathering, but we couldn¡¯t do anything about that. We set up a guarding rotation again. ¡ªTwo hours each. I took the first shift that time. The darkness of night fell over us, and Eleris and Ellen both fell asleep. I didn¡¯t know if Eleris was really sleeping or not. However, wasn¡¯t she staying up for far too long, considering that she didn¡¯t sleep much at all? She must have been under a lot of pressure. I thought it would be nice if Eleris found some rest as well. We were safe for the moment, after all. Ellen was fast asleep, her breath low and even. She wiggled for a bit as if she felt slightly uncomfortable, but it seemed like she didn¡¯t care much. Normally, even if one didn¡¯t really pay attention to those kinds of things or didn¡¯t care for them, one would still feel their heart pounding a bit in that kind of situation. I was just as sensitive to the situation as Ellen seemed to be. I felt like it wouldn¡¯t even be strange if a ghost were to suddenly appear. I was originally the type that hated jumpscares or anything having to do with ghosts. However, because I had seen so many things that were even more frightening, I felt like I wouldn¡¯t actually mind seeing some. If zombies were to pop up, how should we respond? There weren¡¯t any tree-climbing types among them, right? All sorts of weird thoughts swam around my mind in that darkness. ¡°Uurg¡­¡± However, nothing much was happening except for Ellen wiggling and letting out strange groans in her sleep. ____ Chapter 166 Chapter 166 ¡ªThe next day. Fortunately, nothing really happened, and we could simply continue our journey after climbing down the tree. What would we do if the incident was something even Eleris couldn¡¯t handle? Of course, we could just escape using the scroll, and Eleris could use Teleportation. We continued south, believing in our own countermeasures. If we kept up our pace, we would be able to reach Als Point by the next day, and if we managed to get back safely to St. Point, after taking a look at the situation over there, our mission would be over. After a light meal, we diligently walked ahead. Judging by the previous day¡¯s situation, there didn¡¯t seem to be any zombies present, but we had no other choice but to be concerned about our safety. We climbed on top of a rocky protrusion of a cliff and rested on its flat surface. As it was placed on top of a mountain, we could see far in every direction. However, no matter where we looked, it was just mountains upon mountains, so we couldn¡¯t really see anything suspicious at all. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It feels creepy.¡± I could feel an unidentifiable eerie feeling tickling at the back of my head. It would have been better if something actually showed up, but nothing like that happened, so it felt even stranger. * * * ¡ªThe next day. We set off early in the morning. If we started walking only after the sun rose, we would arrive at Als Point after sunset, so we decided to set off very early, take a look, and then go back during the night. ¡°Let¡¯s be very careful and rush back if we find out that Als Point is threatened by something serious.¡± Ellen felt just that nervous to the point where she would say those kinds of things, even though nothing had happened yet. With the awareness that we would be heading straight to the heart of all those incidents, we kept on walking, except for a few short breaks in between. It seemed to be around five in the afternoon. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Als Point.¡± As we crossed over another hill, we found Als Point located at the foot of said hill. We stopped for a moment, not approaching it immediately. We had to first understand the situation of Als Point. ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be any problem with it when looking at it from the outside¡­¡± At Ellen¡¯s words, I also tried to enhance my eyesight a bit, but I couldn¡¯t find anything other than that Als Point seemed rather gloomy and that I couldn¡¯t see anyone walking around. ¡°I¡¯ll use a Telescope spell.¡± Eleris used a low-ranking spell to view the situation more clearly from a distance. After casting for some time, Eleris stared intently at Als Point. ¡°It¡¯s a little different¡­ From what happened in Klitz Point. There aren¡¯t any zombies. None at all¡­¡± Eleris murmured blankly. ¡°It seems more like the corpses have been eaten¡­ I can see leftovers everywhere¡­ Bone fragments and such¡­¡± Remnants that seemed to hint at all the corpses having been eaten. That¡¯s what one would see if one were to zoom in on the Point. ¡°What ate them?¡± ¡°¡­I think zombies did this.¡± Hints of Zombies having eaten people could be seen. However, as time had passed, there were only remains left. ¡°Although it rained quite heavily recently, we should still see some footprints if anyone came or went since then, but there are none.¡± It had rained when we went to annihilate those bandits. At that time, any traces, footprints included, were completely washed away. However, there were no footprints or other traces of anyone coming or going ever since then. ¡°It seems like Als Point has been abandoned for a while already. If zombies appeared here as well, they would be all over the place.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± If zombies had appeared there before, they had long left Als Point. The Point had been devoid of anything for quite some time already. If one wanted to return from the front lines, namely Als Point one, two, and three, one had to pass through Als Point. Ellen seemed to have organized her thoughts and spoke quite curtly. ¡°So no one came back from the other three Points ahead¡­¡± ¡°¡­I guess so.¡± The other three Points might have been wiped out already. None of us could deny that it was quite likely. ¡°Let¡¯s go check for now.¡± There didn¡¯t seem to be anything strange about the place at first, so we decided to get a closer look at Als Point. * * * Just seeing a village completely devoid of any person gave one a creepy and eerie feeling. However, if one were to see blood all over the buildings of that village, it would instill fear in anyone who saw it. There were bits of bones all over the place as well. Als Point was the waypoint to the three frontline bases ahead; hence it was three times the size of St. Point and Klitz Point. However, there wasn¡¯t a single soul in that huge Point. We searched Als Point¡¯s vicinity with tension in our hearts. We didn¡¯t see any survivors or zombies, but we didn¡¯t know what might come out to attack us. Acting separately could be dangerous, so we went through each building together. There were bloodstains and bone fragments scattered everywhere. The bones were already completely dry; they didn¡¯t even emit the usual rotting smell, perhaps because the maggots had already gotten to them. ¡°Did they really get attacked by zombies?¡± Looking at the pieces of the bones that had been eaten clean, Eleris expressed her doubts, her expression very serious. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so.¡± Ellen shook her head, however. She looked at the bloodstains smeared on the wall. ¡°If zombies had attacked them to the point of destruction, there should have been more bones. However, while there are some pieces of bone scattered around that seemed to have been eaten clean by zombies, we can¡¯t really say that these were all the people of Als Point.¡± There were clear signs of predation, but their number was just too small. ¡°Perhaps they weren¡¯t eaten while they were alive, but after they died.¡± Ellen picked up one of the dry pieces of white bone. ¡°Because decapitated corpses probably can¡¯t turn into zombies.¡± The bones seemed to have been cut through with a blade or something as sharp. ¡°The people in Als Point were slaughtered by someone or a group holding weapons, and after the massacre took place, zombies came and cleaned up the place.¡± They didn¡¯t devour living people but corpses that couldn¡¯t turn into zombies. That was the conclusion Ellen seemed to have reached. * * * Traces of sword cuts could be found on some of the bone fragments. I didn¡¯t know who the culprit was, but it could be concluded that they had very sharp blades with them¡ªthey had to be sharp enough to kill people in a single stroke. And such weapons were by no means common. Creating something with that sharpness wasn¡¯t possible with common smithing, after all. We carefully searched through the Point again. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Adventurers Guild.¡± There were traces of blood everywhere in the Adventurers Guild building. There was a reason why Ellen had gone there. ¡°We need to find the Adventurers Guild¡¯s log. Most of what went on at Als Point should be recorded there.¡± There seemed to be a high chance that we would gain a major clue. Ellen already knew what to look for. While searching through the Adventurers Guild¡¯s building, she found a huge book in the manager¡¯s office. ¡°I think this is the manager¡¯s log.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a look.¡± Ellen opened the log. The last recorded date in the log seemed to be Tuesday, July 21st. For us, it was Friday, August 7th. So the incident in Als Point had taken place three years prior. * * * Tuesday, July 21st, Year 323 of the Imperial Calendar. -I shouldn¡¯t have sent people to that tomb. Snoton will kill us all. That was the last entry. What tomb? Was the tomb the reason for everything? And that name, Snoton¡­ Ellen turned the pages, looking for the first mention of the tomb. Thursday, July 2nd, Year 323 of the Imperial Calendar. -Three adventurers, A-Rank Snoton, B-Rank Paijin, and B-Rank Lyzer, reported finding unusual structures about two days east of Als Point. According to their sketch, it is presumed to be a tomb due to its enclosed nature. Since they are a party with high integrity, there is only a low possibility that the information provided is false. As the information has already spread, it seems like a large-scale expedition team is being formed to properly research the place. Adventurers of Als Point had discovered a tomb more than a month prior and set up an expedition team to search it. They didn¡¯t know what dangers might await them, hence why they put together a team. Sunday, July 12th, Year 323 of the Imperial Calendar. -An expedition consisting of A to C Rank adventurers, who left to investigate the tomb to the east of Als Point, returned. According to their reports, it was composed of three tombs, and there were no dangerous Demons or other threats in them. They returned with a large amount of jewelry and precious metals. It was a considerable haul. There were also some items that seemed to be enchanted among them. Detailed results will be available after the appraisal. In such cases, conflicts with bloody ends might crop up among them to gain even a little more, and such a situation must be prevented by all means. As a special note, they said that they found a sword in one of the three tomb¡¯s coffins. It seems that Snoton, the leader of the expedition team, had decided to keep it as his loot. No one seemed to have objected to that. ¡®A sword found in a tomb¡¯s coffin.¡¯ ¡®Maybe the adventurers touched something they shouldn¡¯t have.¡¯ I felt a certain sense of unease. Tuesday, July 14th, Year 323 of the Imperial Calendar. We could identify a total of two magic artifacts: There was a pair of earrings and a bracelet, which were taken by the other two. Snoton¡¯s sword was also believed to be a magical artifact. However, the man himself said that it didn¡¯t need to be appraised. Wednesday, July 16th, Year 323 of the Imperial Calendar. -Last night, I had a nightmare. Curiously, all the people in Als Point had nightmares. The content was different and completely incomprehensible, but how is it possible that everyone was plagued by night terrors at the exact same time? Thursday, July 17th, Year 323 of the Imperial Calendar. -Zombies suddenly rose from the burial site next to the Point and killed three people. Action was taken immediately, but why did this happen? I keep getting this ominous feeling. Friday, July 18th, Year 323 of the Imperial Calendar. -Snoton is acting strange. I was told that he would sleep while holding that sword he brought from the tomb. He became less talkative, and it seems like he doesn¡¯t eat anything. It¡¯s as if he became a completely different person. Snoton¡¯s comrades have reported that the sword must contain some ominous magic. Will investigate that matter tomorrow. Saturday, July 19th, Year 323 of the Imperial Calendar. -Snoton didn¡¯t give any reaction to my suggestion that the sword might be a product of black magic. He only smiled strangely and said strange things. No, what left his mouth didn¡¯t even sound like words. It was more than certain that Snoton was under some kind of curse. When we tried to take the sword away by force, he killed three guild members, even his two old comrades who were with him, and ran away. I became increasingly afraid to get to the bottom of this. Snoton¡¯s sword was definitely cursed. A search party has been created to track down Snoton. Sunday, July 20th, Year 323 of the Imperial Calendar. -The search party organized to subdue Snoton was slaughtered by him as soon as they left the Point. After killing the search party, Snoton disappeared again. Snoton was known to be outstanding, but he shouldn¡¯t have been that skillful. Everyone was thrown into confusion. There were those who said that they wanted to escape the Point and those who said that they¡¯ll get killed by Snoton if they did, creating chaos. That tomb. That tomb is the root of all this. ¡°¡­¡± Having grasped everything, we looked at each other. That gave us a rough idea of their situation. ¡ªThe adventurers touched something they shouldn¡¯t have touched. They left the tomb with a cursed sword. A crazy adventurer named Snoton, who claimed ownership of this sword, was actually the culprit of the incident. He caused carnage at every turn, spreading the curse of turning the dead into zombies around him. The curse seemed to have gradually spread on its own. ¡°It could be the type of sword that brainwashes its owner.¡± Eleris spoke with a firm expression on her face, guessing that the problem was caused by that sword. Ellen put the log into her backpack. ¡°Let¡¯s return. Our mission is over.¡± Our mission was to figure out what happened at Als Point, and we could prove that with that log. With that, our mission was over. Now that we knew the identity of the person who ended up destroying Als Point, we could leave the rest to someone else. ¡ªA cursed sword, and an adventurer who went crazy because of its curse. This should be judged as a catastrophe brought about by someone touching something they should have left undisturbed. We left the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and proceeded to head outside of Als Point. The area had to be dangerous, so we planned to leave the vicinity of Als point as fast as possible without even resting. ¡°¡­Of course, it has to turn out like this again.¡± Someone was standing at the entrance of Als Point, the place we had passed before. It was a man with sparse, gray hair, empty eyes, and gray skin. He was simply standing there holding a certain sword. It seemed like he was trying to stop us from leaving. ¡ªSnoton, the culprit behind Als Point¡¯s destruction. It was more than obvious that it was him. The man didn¡¯t come closer, but he didn¡¯t move away either. He was simply blocking our way out. ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s alive.¡± Those were Eleris¡¯ words. That man clearly seemed to have neither will nor ego. It was enough to look into that guy¡¯s eyes to see that. The owner was already dead, and that body was only driven by the curse of that sword. He wasn¡¯t the only one around. -Kweeeeek! -Grrrr! Grr! ¡°¡­Zombies as well?¡± At the other entrance of Als Point, zombies were appearing one after the other. We had fallen into another dangerous situation. Snoton, who was under an unknown curse, was in front of us, and behind us was a horde of zombies. If we got surrounded by the zombies, it would be over for us. At Klitz Point, we were only able to break through them by killing them one by one, but if they were to attack as a group, we wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them. There weren¡¯t that many Zombies yet. ¡°¡­We have to get past him.¡± Although we didn¡¯t really know who he was, that cursed man was marking the entrance. If we weren¡¯t able to get out of there, we¡¯d die. Ellen didn¡¯t seem to consider using the Teleportation scroll yet. She seemed to think that Relya would end up dying if we left her. She never said that the trump card she held would help her get out of a situation like that. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that trump card you were talking about is, but can it stop those zombies?¡± Eleris nodded her head with a hard expression at Ellen¡¯s question. ¡°¡­Use it. But if it gets dangerous, you have to escape. Don¡¯t care about us.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± It seemed that Eleris had decided not to stop Ellen from her risky plan. -Shiiing Ellen, after she summoned Lament, looked at me. ¡°Let¡¯s fight together.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± We had one opponent. His combat power was unpredictable, but he¡¯d have to face us two-on-one. ____ Chapter 167 Chapter 167 The difference between Snoton and us was quite obvious. -Kaang! Just by blocking his sword, I was pushed back a few steps by the sheer force behind it. I felt a sharp pain run through my hands. It was incomparable to the time I fought with Mayarton. It was a good thing that I didn¡¯t end up letting go of my sword. Before, I would have definitely let go of it. ¡°¡­¡± -Grooooowl! The zombies behind us were charging at Eleris. -Gruaaaaar! -Gruuaaaarg! Eleris had probably decided to stop pretending that she was a low-ranking wizard. The fireballs she kept throwing were proof of that. However, Ellen didn¡¯t have the leeway to be shocked at Eleris¡¯s prowess. -Kang! Kang! Kakag! ¡°Ku¡­Huk!¡± Just blocking his strikes was almost unbearable. Aside from his skill, his strength and reflexes were already on a completely different level from mine. -Kaaang! ¡°Kuhk!¡± Fortunately, there were two of us. If he attacked one of us, he would always be exposed to the other¡¯s attack. -Whoosh! I swung my sword at his back as he was deflecting Ellen¡¯s sword. However, he didn¡¯t seem to care about any wounds inflicted to him, so he just swung his sword right at me. I pulled out the sword in an instant and stepped back. However, if that guy had swung even a little farther, he would have managed to cut my head off. I stabbed him deeply, but it didn¡¯t seem that he would die from that wound any time soon. ¡°What bullshit¡­¡± -Heal¡­ However, I didn¡¯t expect that the wound would almost instantly heal itself. Both Ellen and I looked at that scene in disbelief. ¡ªRegeneration. ¡°We should cut, not stab him.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± We had to cut him and kill him in a single strike. If it were a one-on-one, we wouldn¡¯t have been a match for him, but the effects of our well-coordinated cooperation showed great results. Like that, the overwhelming power difference could be overcome. Ellen and I practiced a lot with each other. Although we had never practiced for cooperative battles, we were able to predict what the other was planning on doing to some extent. It wasn¡¯t really because we had fantastic chemistry or anything but because we were used to fighting against each other. The guy focused more on Ellen as if he instinctively realized that she was the more threatening party. After a few exchanges of blows, I swung my sword towards his neck. -Puck! Snap! Like slashing off the zombies¡¯ necks before, I managed to slice through his neck while he was blocking Ellen¡¯s swing. His head was cut off in a single swing. ¡°That¡­ Crazy¡­¡± The fallen head began to attach itself to his neck again. Even though his head was just cut off and immediately returned back to him, his expression didn¡¯t change a single bit. We couldn¡¯t read any form of emotion from his eyes, it was as if they were completely devoid of any form of life. When I looked at that guy, he gave off a completely different feeling than those zombies. I felt like I was looking at a completely different being, neither human nor undead. ¡ªOverwhelming power, reaction speed, and regeneration. ¡°That sword.¡± In that situation where information about the enemy was scarce, all we could do was guess. ¡°We have to get that sword out of his hands.¡± The only clue I had was that the sword was the source of everything. If that guy¡¯s regenerative powers also came from that sword, then we would have to get that sword away from him, no matter what. If that didn¡¯t work either, we could still think of our next move after we tried. In the worst-case scenario, we could always escape by teleporting away. Snoton lunged at us. I was his target. ¡°Hap!¡± If I tried to block that, I would be pushed away by his sheer force. Hence I had to use his own force against him by deflecting it or following his strike. He obviously had the upper hand in terms of strength, but his technique was lacking. His swordsmanship couldn¡¯t even be compared to Ellen¡¯s. That Ellen had been my sparring partner for quite some time. I had learned how to react when faced with an opponent with overwhelming strength. I had to learn those skills, as Ellen far outstripped me in sheer power as well. I was used to fighting with someone with overwhelming power! -Kakang! ¡°Kurk!¡± He was distracted while attacking me and didn¡¯t notice Ellen¡¯s sword coming in from the side. Ellen definitely had the technical advantage, and I was also a bit superior in technique; we were also attacking him at the same time. I wasn¡¯t sure how things would end if we were to face that infinitely regenerating enemy one-on-one, but with the two of us, we were able to take him on. -Baam! ¡°!¡± Something unbelievable happened. Ellen took that bastard¡¯s sword strike with her body. However, rather than blood spurting out, she was covered in a light blue light. Rather, she actually hugged that sword as if she didn¡¯t intend to let go of it at all. The disposable protective bracelet. I remembered it at that moment. A single defensive artifact could create such a huge gap, huh? ¡°Reinhardt!¡± My body was already reacting when she shouted. ¡°Just give me your fucking arm!¡± -Crunch! I swung my sword with all my might, cutting off Snoton¡¯s wrist. -Klaang! Ellen immediately kicked the sword away as soon as it hit the ground. ¡°Kuaaaaaaark!¡± The guy screamed all of a sudden and ran towards his severed hand. It was as if he just suddenly lost his temper, even though he had been completely calm up until then. The hand did not stick back to his wrist anymore; it didn¡¯t regenerate, either. The sword that had been kicked away was shaking and trembling. With that, one could say that separating the sword from him was the right answer. -Thud! Ellen hit the man in the stomach after he tried running towards the sword and knocked him out. ¡°Weak¡­!¡± As if that monstrous power just up and left his body, he went out really easily. A babbling man and a humming and trembling sword were both lying on the ground. Ellen swung Lament at Snoton, who didn¡¯t move, and cut off his head. ¡°Keeeaaark!¡± With that, the man¡¯s body, which had been trembling like crazy up until then, fell completely limp. -Wooooh! However, it didn¡¯t end there. The sword began to float in the air all of a sudden and flew off towards none other than one of the zombies Eleris was annihilating. -Kwak! ¡°¡­¡± And then, one of the zombies ended up catching it. To be precise, it was as if he had ordered one of the zombies to catch it. The cursed sword flew towards its next owner. * * * A zombie with its abilities strengthened ran towards me with that sword. -Kaang! ¡°Kuhuk!¡± Just a single swing of the sword pushed me far back. The sword strengthened whoever its host was. Even if we cut off that zombie¡¯s arm again, the sword would just fly off to a different zombie. It seemed more than clear that it controlled all the zombies around it. If we didn¡¯t do something about the sword itself, the situation would only repeat over and over. Eleris was doing the most important thing in getting rid of the zombie swarm. It was best to kill off all the zombies and then cut off the host¡¯s hand. I couldn¡¯t keep up with that thing with my physical strength alone. The good thing was that the thing put a lot of trust in its own power, so it just pushed ahead with that. Like that, it was possible for me to stall it a bit. However, the burden on my body was increasing by the minute. My whole body ached. -Swish! ¡°¡­¡± And I felt like that sword was actually learning. It dodged Ellen¡¯s attack that was aimed at its arm. Knowing that we were aiming to cut off its arm, it was only focused on those attacks. All its other wounds would regenerate anyway. The zombie kept on recovering with the power of the sword. -Bang! Babang! Bang! Eleris couldn¡¯t keep blocking that zombie horde as well. Did she think we could manage on our own? Would she be able to protect us if it really became dangerous? Asking those kinds of questions was impossible in that situation. I had no idea if Eleris still had enough strength left, and I don¡¯t think I would have actually believed her if she did say she could handle everything. We had to come up with something on our own without asking Eleris for help. I shouldn¡¯t lean too much on my insurance. My whole body felt numb. My wrists and shoulders felt like they were about to break every time I had to deflect those blows. ¡°We can¡¯t let this become a war of attrition.¡± We had to avoid a war of attrition at any rate. However, the opponent¡¯s stamina and strength seemed endless, and just after engaging with it for a short period of time, it was already clear that we were about to be totally defeated. It was obvious that Ellen had also suffered from severe physical strain. But how were we supposed to avoid that situation? During that standoff, Ellen called out to me. ¡°Yes.¡± If it just kept exchanging owners, then it wouldn¡¯t be a threat anymore, so we just had to keep cutting off the host¡¯s arm. Ellen seemed to have determined that she was able to cut off that zombie¡¯s arm on her own. But if we didn¡¯t cooperate, how were we supposed to deal with it? ¡°Don¡¯t interfere from now on.¡± Ellen took a deep breath. * * * ¡ªBefore leaving for the Darklands. ¡®Hey. Hit me hard.¡¯ ¡®¡­What?¡¯ It was the day Loyar asked Ellen if she could die for Reinhardt, and she said she didn¡¯t know. Loyar told her that she had something to say to her. ¡®Try to hit me wherever you want, as hard as you can.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡¯ ¡®What? Ya wanna get hit instead?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll do it.¡¯ As she ordered, Ellen whacked Loyar in the stomach with all her might. A sound that almost seemed like a roar could be heard, but Loyar seemed to be completely unharmed, although she got only pushed back slightly. When she had first encountered Loyar, she controlled her strength a little, but that time, she definitely used all her power. Although Loyar wasn¡¯t hurt in the least, she wondered if the fist that hit her was completely broken. ¡®You know what I did, right?¡¯ ¡®¡­Body strengthening using magical power.¡¯ ¡®Correct .¡¯ Loyar was able to protect and strengthen her body with magical power. ¡®There is a huge difference between someone who knows how to do this and the one who doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s like magic. Not everyone can do this. Just as there are only very few wizards, there are just as few people who have the talent to manage to pull off this skill.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡¯ ¡®I won¡¯t tell you why I can do it, so there¡¯s no point in looking at me like that.¡¯ Just as there were few people with the talent to become a wizard, there were few people who were able to strengthen their bodies with magical power, and those who could were considered to have entered the realm of superhumans. There were even fewer who managed to master this skill. ¡®I mean, if you can¡¯t use magic, you won¡¯t be able to beat me until you kick the bucket. It would be different if you used that weird sword of yours. However, it wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference.¡¯ They were on markedly different levels. Therefore, Ellen would never be able to defeat Loyar to begin with unless she exceeded her limits. ¡®I don¡¯t think they¡¯re gonna teach you that at Temple. Not yet, at least. If you practice this the wrong way¡­ It¡¯s hard to put into words, but you will die after bleeding from every pore of your body. You can¡¯t learn magic if you aren¡¯t smart, but this skill will cause you to bleed out if you can¡¯t do it properly and still want to use it, so one should be very careful when teaching this skill.¡¯ Magical Body Strengthening. It was a double-edged sword. Therefore, only people with appropriate talents were selected to learn it and they were taught with utter care. If one did a bad job teaching them, that would cause the loss of valuable talents and lives. ¡®If it¡¯s a skill only geniuses are eligible to learn, then only geniuses can actually use it, right? So even among these geniuses, there are ordinary ones, just like there are exceptional talents among all the wizards out there. That¡¯s how it is.¡¯ Loyar looked at Ellen. ¡®You¡¯re going to learn this really easily.¡¯ In her view, Ellen was a monster that couldn¡¯t be put in any category, so she didn¡¯t have to be all too careful teaching her it. ¡®Honestly, if it¡¯s you, you probably don¡¯t even need anyone to teach you this stuff, right?¡¯ It didn¡¯t even seem necessary for her to have a teacher. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t know how to do that.¡¯ At Ellen¡¯s words, Loyar only shook her head. ¡®You never tried doing it.¡¯ She never learned it, so she never tried doing it before. That was only natural. Why would she use something she never learned how to do? Ellen thought that the gray-haired aunty was talking weirdly. ¡®You feel the magical power in your body, use it to your will, and then strengthen your body with it. Simple.¡¯ That was an overly simplistic explanation of the concept of Magic Body Strengthening. It wasn¡¯t something that could be summarized in just a few words, after all. ¡®It sounds simple, but why can¡¯t anyone learn it then?¡¯ ¡®It only sounds simple to you.¡¯ Loyar was confident. ¡®Even though it¡¯s hella difficult for anyone else, it¡¯ll be hella easy for you.¡¯ ¡°¡­Why are you so sure about that?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve never seen anyone who¡¯s as crazily talented as you are.¡¯ Loyar judged that no one she had ever met in her life was more talented than Ellen. Hoping that she would always be on Reinhardt¡¯s side, Loyar decided to teach her this. She didn¡¯t really have to wait for someone to teach her this skill. It might be difficult for others, but for her it would be more than simple. ¡®If I do it wrong, I¡¯ll end up vomiting blood and die.¡¯ ¡®Then that¡¯s your fate.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s how it is. If you ever feel sick of waiting for someone to teach you, just try to do it carefully yourself. Don¡¯t overdo it, though. If you aren¡¯t in a hurry, you can always just wait for Temple to teach you, right?¡¯ ¡®Can¡¯t you teach me?¡¯ ¡®Why should I?¡¯ But she was somewhat thankful to her as well. That was what Ellen remembered. And now, Ellen was faced with an incomprehensible enemy. She didn¡¯t give her that advice so that she could use it immediately in a real-life situation. But now¡ª ¡°¡­¡± ¡ªEllen realized that she had to do it to get out of her situation. There was no reason for her to try something she had never properly learned. She didn¡¯t even want to touch it because she knew how dangerous that technique was. However, she had no other choice but to use it. Now she had a reason to try using it even though no one had taught her anything. It was more than ridiculous to try to use magic without knowing a single thing about how it was done. She could simply run away with Reinhardt using the Teleportation Scroll. But she didn¡¯t have the courage to simply run away. She didn¡¯t know how that wizard named Relya, who said that she was a low-ranking wizard, managed to fire off so many high-ranking spells all of a sudden. After all, she still was just a single wizard. She wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with that monster. It was her and Reinhardt¡¯s job to take care of that thing. The wizard was doing her job. Perfectly, at that. She couldn¡¯t just leave her behind and run away. She didn¡¯t have the courage to leave someone to die just to save herself. She didn¡¯t know her well, but they had fought together multiple times. She was neither someone precious to her nor was she someone she knew well, but she was someone that stuck with her and complied with all of her unreasonable demands. She didn¡¯t object and followed her will without saying a single word. Ellen didn¡¯t know what secrets she was hiding, but for now, it wasn¡¯t something she should think about. Relya had seemed so saddened when she told her that they were going to kill countless people, but she eventually complied even with that unreasonable plan. She could always dig into Relya¡¯s secrets later. She decided not to leave her behind for now. She couldn¡¯t abandon someone who fought for her. It was what she told Austin. If one wasn¡¯t strong, one should at least be shameless. Going by her words, she just completely failed by not choosing the option of abandoning her suspicious party member and shamelessly running away when faced with an overwhelming enemy. She couldn¡¯t choose that option. In that case, she just had to be strong. One actually had to be strong to be shameless. One had to be strong to shamelessly survive. So now, she had to gamble with her life on the line. ¡ªA gamble that risked her life by using a skill she had never used in her life nor learned anything about. She didn¡¯t have the courage to run away, so she risked her life in the name of growing stronger. ¡ªJust like her brother did. Since she couldn¡¯t suppress her conscience, she ended up following the same path her older brother took, who clung so dearly to his life while under constant pressure to grow strong enough to keep his conscience. She didn¡¯t know how¡­ But she was going to do it. The magical power in her body¡­ It would further boost the capabilities of its shell. It would also add armor-like protection to her skin. That gray-haired woman who could perform magic body strengthening so skillfully could take a full-blown swing with Lament like nothing just by using that skill. Ellen wasn¡¯t even on the same level as her. Just because she knew how to enhance her body with magical power to some extent didn¡¯t mean she could stop Lament¡¯s strike so easily, though. She probably was in the master class. That was what Ellen guessed. She wasn¡¯t even sure if she could utilize that skill properly. She knew the desired result but not the process of how to get there. Body strengthening. That gray-haired aunty was sure that she would be able to use it without anyone having taught her. ¡°Haaaah¡­¡± The raw material was embedded in her body, and she was going to use it to explosively boost the overall performance of her body. Had she ever been so focused in her life? Had she ever been this nervous in her life? Ellen opened her eyes as a certain kind of sense was slowly awakening in her. At that time, Ellen¡¯s eyes seemed to shine blue. Her opponent was watching her. -Pat! Ellen¡¯s body suddenly disappeared. Her speed was beyond what a human should be able to achieve. While hovering in the air, the tip of Ellen¡¯s sword swung precisely towards the arm the zombie held its sword with. Blue energy was swirling all around Ellen¡¯s body. However, the zombie blocked her attack. ¡°This¡­ Crazy.¡± The sound of Reinhardt¡¯s silent muttering reached Ellen¡¯s ears. That monster, which they hadn¡¯t managed to push back with strength alone before, was now getting pushed away instantly. She couldn¡¯t run away. If she couldn¡¯t run away, then she was bound to get stronger. Ellen calmly continued her attacks, assisted by her enhanced senses that would blow up her brain if she was careless. * * * I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. Ellen was pushing back that monster that had easily overpowered us in physical strength up to that point. -Bang! Kakaang! Kang! Kang! It tried to block Ellen¡¯s sword strikes, but it was just getting pushed back. It seemed to be hard-pressed to defend itself. ¡ªMagic body strengthening. It was a core subject in Temple¡¯s curriculum and a very important part of the main story. We were supposed to learn it starting the next year. Although everyone started learning it at the same time, only Ellen would be able to awaken to it as soon as she was taught. All combat talent students had to practice that skill and go through various trials and errors. It was a well-known fact that some people wouldn¡¯t awaken that skill even after graduating. After awakening to the skill, Ellen quickly reached the level of a superhuman. However, history had changed. Ellen succeeded in awakening her magical power through her own strength. [Achievement reached ¨C Superhuman (Ellen Artorius)] [Ellen Artorius entered the path towards becoming a superhuman faster than originally intended.] [You received 500 Achievement Points.] Ellen changed history, but I couldn¡¯t care less about that achievement at the moment. I couldn¡¯t intervene in her fight. -Pang! Papang! ¡°Kuhk!¡± I killed some Zombies that Eleris had missed one after the other so that they wouldn¡¯t interfere in Ellen¡¯s fight. Their degree of decay was much higher than those of Klitz Point, and it was hard to fight them with such a disgusting smell coming from those things and their even more disgusting appearance. Cutting off their heads, I managed to kill every zombie that tried to approach Ellen. -Bang! Bang! Bang! I couldn¡¯t even call that the sound of swords hitting against swords anymore. It sounded like the roar of heavy weapons whacking against each other. Ellen, who used magic body strengthening, was giving off blue energy from all over her body. She looked like a bonfire. -Swoosh! And with a single blow, she opened the zombie¡¯s chest. -Swish! Ellen went straight for the monster¡¯s defenseless arm. Like that, the sword left another pair of hands once again. -Whoosh! Then, Ellen beheaded the zombie after it lost the sword. Ellen had succeeded in cutting off the sword¡¯s host¡¯s arm for a second time. -Urg! Cough! Cough! ¡°Ellen!¡± However, as soon as Ellen dealt with the zombie, she began to cough up blood. It was already a miracle that she managed to use magic body strengthening, which he had never used in her life before. Of course, there had to be some side effects. The situation was dire. The sword began to move on its own again. It was trying to find its next host. Ellen was incapacitated. If that thing found its next host, there would be no way out. I couldn¡¯t afford to completely rely on Eleris. I had to do something. I had to do something! ¡°This¡­ Fucking shit!¡± I flung myself forward and grabbed the handle of that sword that was about to fly through the air again. I used Revise. I can¡¯t be controlled by that sword! [The Revision cannot be performed.] However, my expectations were completely betrayed. Couldn¡¯t I do something so that I wouldn¡¯t be controlled by the sword? Was there such a powerful curse placed on that sword? But that wasn¡¯t the reason. [Your Talent ¡®Sacred Spirit¡¯ is protecting you.] The Attribute I got from Olivia Lanze, Sacred Spirit, was protecting me. ____ Chapter 168 Chapter 168 As soon as I held the sword in my hands, the zombies that came running towards me began to fall down like dominoes. It was as if the cursed power that radiated from the sword itself somehow got cut off. ¡°Let go of it, Reinhardt!¡± ¡°Let go of the sword!¡± However, both Ellen and Eleris seemed more preoccupied with the fact that I grabbed the sword rather than the fact that the fight had finally ended. Of course, they didn¡¯t know that I wasn¡¯t controlled by the sword. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think this thing is affecting me at all, though.¡± ¡°Let go of it!¡± ¡°Let go! Hurry up!¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± -Pok! Seeing them both telling me to let go of it so frantically, I plunged the sword into the ground. Both of them were staring blankly at my action of letting go of it so arbitrarily after holding it like that. The sword had moved on its own before. However, when I let go of it, it just stayed still as if it was dead. It didn¡¯t move or react. At that moment, Ellen and Eleris came over to me because they realized that the fight was over. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­I think I¡¯m just a little exhausted.¡± Ellen seemed to be exhausted, perhaps as a side effect of using magic body strengthening. She even coughed up blood, you know? Ellen had suddenly used magic body strengthening, which she had never used or even learned before. I was still fine, even after I had made direct, active contact with that cursed sword that would control its host. And Eleris, who pretended to be a low-ranked wizard, had suddenly launched one high-ranking attack spell after the other. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± All of us had done something that was rather hard and complicated to put into words. * * * All three of us had done things that couldn¡¯t be explained with just one or two words. Ellen did something that was generally known to be near impossible¡­ I was somehow immune to that cursed sword¡¯s mind control, incapacitating it¡­ And Eleris had been hiding her actual power until then. Ellen just stumbled over to my side, as she seemed completely drained. ¡°For now, I won¡¯t ask why you have been hiding your power up to this point.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°This sword. Do you know what it is?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ No, I don¡¯t know either. I¡¯ll do a quick inspection of it first.¡± Eleris put her hand near that bizarre sword, which completely ceased all movement. She didn¡¯t touch it, just in case. The sword itself didn¡¯t look like anything special. It wasn¡¯t as fancy as Lament. The only color it had was from the glowing runes engraved on it. Notably, the sword didn¡¯t have a crossguard. It was a straight sword. Its form was that of an ordinary longsword, albeit with a slightly darkish color. However, it didn¡¯t really look like a cursed sword at first glance. The grip was wrapped in wrinkled leather, and the pommel was studded with a black, water drop-shaped obsidian or something similar. Eleris, who seemed to be inspecting the sword for a while, sighed in the end. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ If this were an enchanted object, I¡¯d be able to tell what kind of enchantment had been used, but as for this sword¡­ I have no idea. It might have been cursed¡­ As to what curse it¡¯s under, I don¡¯t know. Curses aren¡¯t a standardized form of magic, so there could be many causes and effects. I mean, it can¡¯t be helped, as it wasn¡¯t something that has been consciously placed on it, I think.¡± It¡¯s not that she couldn¡¯t tell if it was cursed or not. She actually presumed that it had a curse placed on it, but she couldn¡¯t identify it. Perhaps that was just how curses were. ¡°But even if we don¡¯t know what the cause for the curse is, the effect is just like what we saw. This sword will control a person¡¯s mind and spread so much evil energy that it will cause undead to arise wherever it is.¡± ¡°This thing¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Yes, very.¡± I wasn¡¯t controlled by the sword due to Sacred Spirit¡¯s protection. However, it would be very different for other people. It was unknown what would happen if Ellen or Eleris decided to hold that sword. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can somehow dispose of this sword¡­¡± ¡°No, wait a sec.¡± It was me who cut off Eleris. ¡°I think I can use this.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Reinhardt!¡± Both Eleris and Ellen seemed to have been caught off guard by my words. ¡°No, look, I¡¯m fine, right?¡± Ellen¡¯s face heated up when she saw me grabbing that sword without hesitation. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Ellen lost her composure and yelled at me. It was my first time seeing her with such an angry expression on her face. ¡°Le, let go of it! Please!¡± Neither of them seemed to believe that I would be able to wield that sword. No, I mean it was wicked and suspicious-looking, but it was still a powerful weapon, and if we were able to make use of it, why shouldn¡¯t we? Why should we dispose of it? Was I the crazy one there? Ellen, Eleris, and I were all so frustrated that we were about to burst. * * * In the end, I had no other choice but to let go of the sword after we argued for a while. I couldn¡¯t refute their reasoning that it might be dangerous if I was exposed to that thing for a longer period of time. Rather, it might be even more dangerous because my mind wasn¡¯t taken over right away. Ellen rubbed her temples as if she was even more exhausted after she had to go against my stubbornness. Anyway, Eleris¡¯ actions and Ellen¡¯s sudden awakening to magic body strengthening¡­ And then my ¡®Sacred Spirit¡¯ could be added to the list of surprising turns. With that, the complex and difficult Als Point scouting mission ended in the complete resolution of the incident. ¡°Now, please explain.¡± Ellen silently looked at Eleris. She didn¡¯t even need to explain what she meant by that. Why did you deceive us and pretend to be a low-ranking wizard up to this point? The corners of Eleris¡¯s lips twitched. Her expression had turned into a completely bewildered one. ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s just one of these things. R-role¡­playing¡­?¡± She probably already prepared an excuse for everything, but she seemed to have some difficulty bringing it over her lips. ¡°¡­Roleplaying?¡± ¡°Well¡­ A beginner wizard who just went on her first adventure¡­ That¡¯s the concept.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± Ellen glared at Eleris as if trying to tell her to stop joking around. Role-playing? ¡°I-I¡¯m actually¡­ A dragon that came out to play a bit¡­ That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± I tended to tell Eleris almost everything I did in Temple. I also told her about my little Senior named Redina, who told me that she thought that she was a dragon. So I had asked Eleris if it was possible that she was a dragon that lost her memories. Eleris¡¯s answer had been negative. But she decided to use that excuse. I could have never imagined that she would pull something like that. * * * Eleris continued her explanation while stuttering. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I just wanted to try going on an adventure like all those humans and experience all sorts of things. If I showed you my skills¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be a real adventure¡­ Yeah. So¡­ I hid my abilities¡­ But that was an emergency just now. I thought you might be in danger if I continued to act. I had no other choice but to¡­ Abandon my concept¡­ Th-that¡¯s what happened¡­¡± A Vampire Lord was claiming to be a dragon that came out to play. Well, the truth was more troubling, I suppose. It would be better if she really was a dragon. ¡°Th-that¡¯s why¡­ I was looking for some nice people who would be easy to get along with rather than some high-ranking adventurers, as I said in St. Point¡­ Reinhardt helped me when I was in trouble¡­ So¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± She was looking for someone she could enjoy an adventure with rather than strong ones because she was already strong enough to play around leisurely, so we were chosen. That was the explanation she wanted to give. ¡°There are no such things as dragons.¡± Ellen, of course, cut her off as soon as possible, trying to keep her from speaking any more nonsense. ¡°Wh-why are you saying that? I¡¯m here¡­¡± Looking at Eleris, who suddenly turned into a dragon roleplayer, I felt like I was about to lose my mind. Was it a trend? ¡°A-and I¡¯m a dragon, alright¡­ Anyway, I saved you from a¡­ very dangerous situation, right¡­? I just wanted to help you guys. That¡¯s all¡­¡± It was a complete mess. ¡°There is no evidence that beings such as dragons exist. Also, it¡¯s been said that they can cast magic without casting.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s a myth.¡± Eleris just sprouted more poor excuses. However, everything we knew about dragons was actually a myth. No one knew if they were true or false. Eleris also doesn¡¯t believe in dragons to begin with. ¡°Uh-uhmm¡­ It¡¯s a bit hard to show you my true appearance¡­¡± Eleris suddenly closed her eyes and opened them again. They were blood red. Her pupils also turned into vertical slits. ¡°These are Dragon Eyes¡­ A characteristic of dragons.¡± After she showed us those Dragon Eyes, Eleris closer her eyes again before opening them once more. Her eyes had returned to their original state. I guess that was some kind of Illusion spell. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes, really¡­¡± The stories about dragons had a major weak spot: there were many legends about what dragons were supposed to be like, but nothing was actually clear about what kind of existence a dragon really was. It wasn¡¯t even clear if they were actually winged lizards. Even if someone were to ask you to prove that you¡¯re a dragon, people didn¡¯t even know anything about them, so there was no way one could prove something like that reliably. There wasn¡¯t any evidence if those were really Dragon Eyes or something else. No one had ever seen a dragon, after all. So Eleris was using that random illusion as proof that she really was a dragon. Maybe Ellen will fall for this because she doesn¡¯t know anything¡­? That was what she was probably thinking. Ellen seemed to be deep in thought. It was definitely too much to call Relya a low-ranking wizard. Her physical strength, her incredible accuracy with a slingshot, spells we needed that appeared at the exact right time. She had quite a lot of knowledge as well. And that tremendous amount of magical power, enough to cast one high-ranking spell after the other without a break. ¡°¡­Dragons aside, I did suspect that you might not be human.¡± It seemed that Ellen already had some doubts that Eleris might not have been human. ¡°Ah, is¡­ Is that so?¡± Ellen was only half-confident about her suspicions. However, she wanted to see whether Eleris held any hostility towards us or not. It was a bit frustrating that she used her magic body strengthening to protect someone she didn¡¯t need to protect. Anyway, Ellen knew that Relya held no hostility towards us, no matter if she really believed that she was a dragon or not. Meanwhile, I had a hard time pretending to be all surprised. Eleris was talking so much nonsense, I knew that it was utter bullshit, but I had to give responses like ¡®I would have never imagined that it was something like that!¡¯ We gathered the zombie bodies and burned them all. The sword¡¯s curse on them was gone, but we still did it just in case. Once that was done with, I wrapped the cursed blade in something like bandages, sealing it completely, and then hung it on my back. I didn¡¯t know if those countermeasures were sufficient enough, but if I didn¡¯t do it, those two wouldn¡¯t leave me alone. No matter what I said, they absolutely didn¡¯t want me to hold that sword because we wouldn¡¯t know what might happen. ¡°By the way, let me have a look at your condition, Ellen. I heard you didn¡¯t know how to use magic body strengthening before¡­¡± Eleris remembered that Ellen coughed up blood not too long ago. ¡°Right. Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. I feel a little dizzy.¡± Ellen seemed to have realized that her condition wasn¡¯t all that good. ¡°Can I take a look?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ellen seemed a little reluctant, probably because she still found Eleris suspicious, but in the end, she allowed her to touch her body. ¡°Hmm¡­ It seems like her magical power has been almost completely drained. Perhaps she overdid it a bit while using that skill.¡± She wasn¡¯t taught how to use the skill, so she just released too much power, which strained her body. ¡°I¡¯ll share my magical power with you.¡± A blue light flowed out of Eleris¡¯s body and into Ellen¡¯s body. After some time, her complexion had majorly improved. ¡°Do you feel better?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯m no expert in treating injuries like this. There¡¯s also a limit to divine power. When you get back to Temple, find someone who specializes in this and get the right treatment.¡± Injuries caused by magic body strengthening weren¡¯t something that could be treated with divine power. I was aware of that, of course. Ludwig had a very hard time learning that skill, after all. To heal those kinds of wounds, one had to find a specialist in these types of matters, for example, a person that is skilled in magic body strengthening. And those types of people were in Temple. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± She was a mysterious wizard who claimed to be a dragon. Although Ellen was still uncomfortable around her, she seemed to have understood that Eleris was genuinely trying to help us. One could have said something like, ¡°If you really wanted to help us, you could have just solved everything on your own.¡± but Ellen didn¡¯t go that far. Everything ended quite well anyway. ¡°Now that this is over with, let¡¯s teleport away. I¡¯ll do it. It¡¯s a waste to use scrolls, after all, so don¡¯t use them.¡± Eleris said that we didn¡¯t have to go back on foot now that her roleplaying was over. ¡°Hmm¡­ Wait a minute.¡± ¡°Do you still have business here?¡± Ellen seemed somewhat overbearing. All the work was done. So Als Point was safe. ¡°The treasures they secured are still left here.¡± There were still many valuable treasures all over the place. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any reason why we shouldn¡¯t take them for ourselves, right?¡± In other words, ¡°Why were you trying to throw away such precious things? If we just left them there, the Adventurers Guild or some other party would take them away.¡± ____ Chapter 169 Chapter 169 We collected the other treasures left behind at Als Point. There were small jewels and precious metals, but among all those riches, there were three things that we absolutely had to take with us: the three artifacts described in the log. ¡ªThe cursed sword and the earrings and bracelet they had said to be magical artifacts. However, I couldn¡¯t find the bracelet anywhere, only the earrings. Through Eleris¡¯s appraisal, we were able to confirm that they weren¡¯t cursed objects. ¡°These earrings have Tranquility magic engraved on them.¡± ¡°Tranquility?¡± At my question, Eleris started to explain. ¡°It¡¯s a type of magic that puts its target¡¯s mind into a calm state. It¡¯s a mental spell that is used to calm someone who has been thrown into confusion.¡± The item¡¯s passive skill fulfilled the same function as a mind clearing pill or a tranquilizer. Was that really something good? ¡°¡­Is that a good option?¡± Eleris nodded at Ellen¡¯s question. ¡°It certainly is. It¡¯s important to stay calm in times of crisis, right? It isn¡¯t easily made either. Of course, I don¡¯t need it, though.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it either.¡± Ellen simply handed me the earrings. In times of crisis and such, Ellen was able to stay a lot calmer than I, who had the skill ¡®Sacred Spirit¡¯. She didn¡¯t need that kind of magical artifact. However, I didn¡¯t really need this either because I had ¡®Sacred Spirit¡¯ playing that spell¡¯s role. ¡°Hmm¡­ I could use or sell them.¡± I put the earrings in my backpack for the moment. No matter their uses, they were still very expensive items, so there would always be the option of selling them. In addition to that, we were able to pack plenty of jewels and gold coins from the inn those bastards were supposed to be staying at. I just took ownerless items with me, but I felt strangely guilty. I had found about 20 gold coins and some precious metals whose values were pretty hard to determine for me. We decided to split it among us. However, it was pretty much impossible to split it cleanly into three parts because there were more precious metals around than money, but I decided to let that much go. ¡°You can have all the magical items. I don¡¯t need them.¡± Since Eleris was supposed to be a dragon, she wouldn¡¯t be greedy for such items, as per her setting. Of course, I took precious metals and other things I could turn into money. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the Teleportation spell then.¡± It would take five days for us to return to St. Point normally. Eleris tried to shorten our travel time by using mass teleport. ¡°¡­It would be stranger if you weren¡¯t a dragon.¡± ¡°Ah, ahaha¡­ It¡¯ll take some time to cast, so how about you take a rest until then.¡± When she said that she could use the highest-ranking space magic, Ellen seemed to believe Eleris¡¯s claims that she was a dragon more and more. We waited those thirty minutes it would take her to cast until she completed the spell. ¡°How did we even end up like this?¡± However, I didn¡¯t think we would end up solving the whole case. Although Eleris supported us a lot, the two of us somehow ended up solving a pretty huge case. ¡°Don¡¯t keep this on you for too long. Let¡¯s report the incident and leave it in Temple¡¯s care.¡± Ellen was staring at the cursed sword strapped to my back, probably still worried. It was quite understandable why she was concerned. * * * After we returned to St. Point by using Teleport, we told the Adventurers Guild officer what went down at Als Point. The administrator¡¯s log we took from there was evidence enough. ¡°Zombies¡­ And a cursed sword¡­¡± As he processed the sequence of events, he realized that the situation was even worse than what he had imagined. ¡°By the way, not only did you take care of the horde of Zombies at Als Point but also that cursed sword, right?¡± ¡°Yes. We couldn¡¯t avoid the fight.¡± After entrusting that reconnaissance mission to us and returning after having solved the incident completely, the officer simply stared at us with astonishment. He glanced at the sword I had tied to my back, unable to hide his uneasy expression. ¡°Normally, it¡¯s a rule to leave whatever the adventurer finds to them. However, the guild will take care of dangerous items for a certain price.¡± He seemed to think that my possession of the cursed sword would lead to another dangerous situation, and he wasn¡¯t entirely wrong to think that. After all, that mess was created by adventurers who decided to recklessly mess with dangerous items. Neither Ellen nor Eleris directly said that they thought that it would be even less desirable for the sword to be left in the guild like that. ¡°That¡¯s fine. We planned on taking it to Temple to get it analyzed.¡± ¡°¡­Oh yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Only then did that guy seem to recall us having Temple student IDs as well as the Imperial Crest. ¡°Although I¡¯ve only ever heard rumors, but Temple sure is amazing¡­ For children that young to¡­ I would have never thought in my wildest dreams that you would end up solving such a big case.¡± He didn¡¯t know all the details, so he felt it was quite strange that we managed to deal with such a huge case on our own. He knew Temple was supposed to be an amazing place, but it just hit different when one witnessed its greatness in person. Of course, Eleris had supported us heavily, and we were quite different from ordinary Temple students, but we didn¡¯t really have to explain all that to him. ¡°The predicted risk level for this mission was supposed to be B, but it should suffice to say that it completely exceeded that level. We¡¯ll give you ten more gold coins in addition to the original then, so twenty gold coins in total. We may also pay you more based on the case analysis later on.¡± The Adventurers Guild was quite generous. The mission was actually more dangerous than predicted, and we did a lot more than what was requested, so they would reward us with a lot more money, and they might even pay us even more after they investigated the case more thoroughly. ¡°We can just send the money for you two directly to Temple¡­ I¡¯m aware that this wizard isn¡¯t a Temple student¡­¡± ¡°Could I just go to one of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild¡¯s branches to retrieve it?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll do that.¡± He stared at the three of us. ¡°All of you are supposed to be F-ranked adventurers, but due to this and the other case, your ranks might get updated.¡± We had only solved two cases, as he said, but just with that, we were able to immediately raise our adventurer rank. That was quite huge. He filled out some kind of document that stated that we were to be given the discussed reward and then handed one out to each of us. It seemed like we would receive our reward if we handed in the paper at the Exian Outpost¡¯s Adventurers Guild. ¡°You did a great job. On behalf of the Adventurers Guild as well as many other adventurers, I want to thank you. We will do our best from the Guild¡¯s side as well.¡± Even though we were still pretty young, he faced us with respect apparent on his face. It felt quite strange. Ellen looked at me. Did we actually end up helping someone? I thought we were just killing a ton of people, and what was worse, even after we killed them, we murdered them one more time after they came back as zombies. In the end, we never found out how the Points beyond Als Point were faring. They might have already completely collapsed after getting attacked by hordes of zombies. Ellen, who wanted to gain experience, gained exactly that. However, she didn¡¯t know if she should be happy about that. I didn¡¯t know yet either. Ellen looked at me and spoke softly. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡° Anyway, with that, our short adventure came to an end. * * * It was already late, so we rested at St. Point. The next day, we returned to the Exian Outpost and received our reward from the Adventurers Guild. We each received twenty gold coins, and our Adventurer Rank would be updated after their investigation. That and other things would be communicated through Temple. It was then time to part from the wizard Relya, who claimed to be a dragon who came out to play around. Eleris wished us farewell in front of Exian¡¯s Warp Gate. Looking at Eleris, Ellen posed a question. What are you going to do now that we¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure. I might just wander around again¡­ Or something like that. To be honest, this was quite an intense experience¡­ so I think I might not want to continue this.¡± In the past, Eleris had told me that she was sick of killing others. I might have made Eleris suffer by telling her to protect us in case of an emergency. Those thoughts suddenly surfaced in my mind. ¡°Although we only knew each other for a short time, I enjoyed being with you¡­ Although I can¡¯t say that what we went through was that enjoyable¡­¡± It was quite fruitful, but I couldn¡¯t say that the experiences we had were good. Killing people and mutilating corpses couldn¡¯t be seen as a good experience, after all. ¡°It was nice traveling with you. Really.¡± Ellen wasn¡¯t able to completely believe her until the very end, but she could see that Eleris was being sincere. She continued to look at Eleris. After staring at her for a long time, Ellen finally opened her mouth. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe what you told us, and I also don¡¯t know just what you were trying to achieve with this.¡± She didn¡¯t know why she acted the way she did. However, Ellen still held her hand out. ¡°Still, thank you for traveling with us.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Eventually, Ellen seemed to have accepted that we were greatly helped by that mysterious wizard called Relya and thanked her. Eleris just looked blankly at Ellen¡¯s outstretched hand. Somehow, she seemed to be about to cry. ¡°¡­I hope we can travel together again someday. However, not in such a dangerous place. Somewhere a little more beautiful. We could go on a trip¡­ and only look at the beautiful sides of the world.¡± Eleris eyes were slightly red as she held Ellen¡¯s hand. ¡°I hope so, too.¡± Ellen, who had trouble dealing with people, was able to say such words. I would call that a positive change that the journey had brought about. Like that, we left Exian. [The Quest has ended ¨C Darkland Adventurer] [Measuring Performance¡­] [You did your best! Great job!] [Reward: Randomly receive one of Ellen Artorius¡¯s attributes.] [Attribute Acquired ¨C ¡®Hero¡¯s blood¡¯.] Then, I suddenly acquired a completely unexpected reward. * * * Attribute: Hero¡¯s Blood Description: Heroes are blessed with the potential to grow even more powerful than ordinary humans. Their growth limit is so tremendously high that it can¡¯t be compared to ordinary humans, and their growth rate never falls either. Neither that Hero¡¯s Blood nor the Sacred Spirit I received from Olivia Lanze were attributes I had set up. There were some things in the original story that couldn¡¯t be explained with just talents alone, like why Ellen Artorius continued to grow so rapidly, completely exceeding everyone else¡¯s growth limits. In the end, ¡®because she¡¯s the hero¡¯s younger sister¡¯ was made into a characteristic. Those weren¡¯t all of Ellen¡¯s traits, though, so she probably had other settings added to her as well. However, I had no way to determine her actual characteristics. The characteristic dealt with one¡¯s growth limit and growth rate. Just because one trained every day didn¡¯t mean one would constantly grow at the same rate infinitely. After one reaches a certain level, one¡¯s growth rate would slow down until one reaches their limit. After someone managed to gradually lower and lower their record time for running, it would be harder to get even lower, ending up with only 0.01-second differences. All growth had a certain limit and individual differences, after all. For some, their upper strength limit might be B or A rank; some might reach S-rank. That characteristic tremendously raised that limit. If my original strength growth limit was supposed to be B rank, it would raise that limit to A+ or even S-rank. While Sacred Spirit was also widely advantageous, Hero¡¯s blood would tremendously raise my potential, even if it wasn¡¯t to Ellen¡¯s extent. Soon, I would need that characteristic more than any other talent. It was a trait that would allow me to transcend the limits that have been placed on me as an individual. It was described that I would be rewarded based on my performance in the Darklands Quest, and surprisingly, those guys actually concluded that I tried my best that time. For the first time after a long while, I received a satisfactory reward. I never thought that there would come a moment where I was actually thankful to the system. [HP: 8.1(C-)] [Agility: 8.1(C-)] [Dexterity: 9.5(C-)] [Magic: 12.4(C+)] [Stamina: 12.8(C+)] [Demon Domination: D] ( Arcdemon¡¯s unique ability) (Cannot be used in current state) [Self-Suggestion: C] [Swordsmanship: C] Combat level assessment: B- No matter how I looked at it, I couldn¡¯t deny that those real battles led me to reach the next level. The rank of my self-suggestion had risen by one rank, and my swordsmanship had also risen to C rank, thanks to my constant training. Even before my Darklands adventure, I was able to reach that rank. Levels weren¡¯t everything, but they were still an indicator of one¡¯s strength. Compared to my past efforts, that was a tremendous level rise, but in the end my overall assessment was still B-. There was still a long way to go. Of course, I was already skilled enough to call it an achievement. And I would have entered into the segment in which my growth rate was supposed to slow down. However, due to the Hero¡¯s Blood characteristic, that restriction was as good as gone. My adventure had ended, and an unexpected reward had fallen into my lap. However, I could not return with light steps because the memories I had to carry back with me could not be called happy. ____ Chapter 170 ¡°¡­It was a hasty decision. I shouldn¡¯t have let you go.¡± Even that calm and cold-hearted teacher Mr. Epinhauser showed signs of regret after hearing what we went through. The two of us, mere students, went ahead and completely annihilated bandits and wandered around the lands tainted by that cursed sword before actually dealing with said sword. The explanation about the wizard Relya was kept as short as possible. Ellen and I decided to hide her claims and abilities. Ellen was unable to understand Relya; however, she seemed to have a good opinion of her. Even Temple didn¡¯t know what happened in Exian and about the workings of the current Darklands. There were many adventurers frequenting the place, so I thought things would be fine. I never expected that said adventurers would be one of the place¡¯s dangers. Most people who¡¯d never been to Exian would think like that. Although Ellen was very careful of adventurers, she also witnessed a lot of things that were just too hard to believe. If Temple knew the reality of the Darklands, they wouldn¡¯t have let us go there. However, Temple did more than enough. They had tried to add Mr. Epinhauser to our party, after all, but we had refused, and they had even given us Teleport Scrolls so that we could escape if we ever encountered a crisis. ¡°And that would be the cursed sword, I presume?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I laid the sword I had wrapped in bandages on the table. I told him not to touch it directly, just in case. Mr. Epinhauser was still staring at the cursed sword intently. ¡°You didn¡¯t fall under its curse?¡± ¡°Yeah, I have some guesses as to why¡­ Maybe I¡¯m naturally resistant to these kinds of curses¡­ Or something like that.¡± Anyway¡­ I couldn¡¯t explain it any further than that. A characteristic was a kind of state that a talent scanner wouldn¡¯t be able to pick up. ¡°I see, I will inform the corresponding department of Temple to analyze it. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be informed if it¡¯s too dangerous. Of course, it will still be yours. If Temple decides that it¡¯s something you are allowed to use, I won¡¯t interfere any further.¡± If Temple determined that there wouldn¡¯t be any safety issues, they would allow me to use the cursed sword or whatever it actually was. Although it was quite an ominous object, it was clear that it housed some incredible powers. ¡°If you need therapy, please let me know.¡± Mr. Epinhauser thought that it might be necessary because of all those terrible experiences I had been through. Neither Ellen nor I decided to get therapy. Mr. Epinhauser seemed almost surprised when he heard that Ellen managed to awaken magic body strengthening all on her own. It was something universally thought to be impossible. It was quite interesting seeing his surprised expression. Of course, Ellen had undergone some treatment. Those kinds of injuries couldn¡¯t be treated by an ordinary priest, after all. Someone quite unexpected ended up giving her said treatment. ¡°It¡¯s like letting a dragon loose in a narrow alleyway. Student Ellen.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Now¡­ Breath iiiiiiiin¡­Breath ooooout¡­¡± ¡°????¡± ¡°The energy of the universe¡­ Try to feel iiiiit¡­¡± It was the yoga master. Or one might call him a hypnotist as well. It was the magical power sensitivity teacher. He was the one who taught that class where we only slept and woke up when the class ended. It seemed that he was unparalleled in the field of magical power control on the continent. One might call him a master. He didn¡¯t seem to be a swordmaster, but he just seemed to be THAT kind of master. A master of masters. A grandmaster or something. Anyway, the Grand Yoga Master guy treated Ellen with something like qi healing. Injuries caused by magic body strengthening weren¡¯t really all that common to begin with. If one were to use martial arts terms, they would be like injuries left behind by qi deviation. If one never learned that technique, one could never get those kinds of injuries. So there were even fewer people who could treat those wounds. However, there was someone among Temple¡¯s staff that could completely heal them. Anyway, I once again realized that the personnel at Temple was not to be trifled with. ¡°What about magic body strengthening?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t use it. It¡¯s too dangerous. When school starts, you¡¯ll receive one-on-one training.¡± In the face of that unprecedented situation, it seemed like the Grand Yoga Master decided to teach Ellen personally. It was akin to teaching a kid who casually played around with nuclear weapons in their free time how to use them properly. Anyway, our adventure in the Darklands was then complete. It hadn¡¯t been that long since I had left the Royal Class dorms, but it felt like I had finally returned home after an incredibly long time. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± However, the view of Temple¡¯s dormitory seemed unfamiliar to both of us. It wasn¡¯t just because there were very few people around because we had vacations. We didn¡¯t exchange any words. Both of us felt great relief at having safely returned to our home, but something within us had changed. Complicated emotions were swirling in my mind, but I couldn¡¯t quite put a finger on what they were. It was difficult to put into words. Eventually, we both ended up in the lobby after we went into our rooms, unable to rest. It felt like we should talk because we had finished our mission or something, but we just sat next to each other without exchanging any words. It was as if we had forgotten how to talk. Only then did I realize something¡­ So now that everything finally came to an end, we completely lost our vigor. Everything that had happened in the Darklands was just one terrible memory after the other. I didn¡¯t want to put it into words. Although the incidents were all resolved, all of them were horrible and absolutely terrible. We had to wrap it up and move on, but I didn¡¯t seem to have the confidence to actually wrap it up with words. Although we were forced to do it, it left some indelible scars and imprints in both our hearts. Verbally confirming that fact might just hurt a lot more. Ellen rested her head on my shoulder without saying a single word. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± We stayed like that for a while, completely silent. * * * Although we returned from the Darklands, it was only natural that we resumed our training. Three days had passed since we had returned to Temple. We still had vacations. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡° ¡°Yes.¡± Only a few people remained on campus. Except for us, the only one around was Adelia. So we did our early morning exercises together. I was finally able to keep pace with Ellen with a little help from my supernatural powers. Earlier that year, I would have been crawling after that much, but I was able to manage. That was the result of my hard work, my supernatural powers, and my cheat. After a long workout session, we wet our throats with some water and sat down on a bench. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± After returning from the Darklands, we had not a single conversation. It wasn¡¯t because I felt awkward. I just couldn¡¯t figure out what to say. Ellen was very talkative back in the Darklands. She had a lot of things to think about, a need to discuss things, and a lot of doubts. However, after she returned to Temple, she spoke as little as possible again. It was a bit different from Ellen actually returning back to her original state. We never even tried to discuss what happened in the Darklands. It practically felt like the topic was taboo. However, neither of us could have a conversation about something different without bringing that up. It was only natural that it was the only thing continuously swirling in my head. But that talk would be about the people we killed, the ones that almost ended up killing us. Although it somehow ended, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that it had left some trauma. The people we killed, the zombies we fought. I actually kept having nightmares. I couldn¡¯t sleep at all because I kept remembering slaughtering those maggot-filled zombies in my dreams. When I was over there, I had no nightmares whatsoever, but as soon as I had to process everything after I finally reached a safe place, all those thoughts kept rushing in. ¡ªThey blew through my head like a hurricane. I decided not to think about it further, but apart from the guild, all those terrible images continued to flood my mind. So we avoided talking about the Darklands, resulting in us making very little conversation. Even after we returned, we were still together all the time, except when we were sleeping. I didn¡¯t know what to say to her, so I just continued to train and train some more. Do you want to eat some dinner? -Yes. Let¡¯s go train. -Yes. That was all we talked about. Of course, aside from becoming less talkative again, she was a bit different from before as well. Ellen seemed to be a bit more open-minded towards me than before. She would lean on me often, and she would even fall asleep on my lap after training, saying that she was tired. It did feel nice that we seemed to have grown a bit closer¡­ However, it also felt rather strange because we seemed like a couple while not exchanging even a single word with each other. * * * A lot had happened, but only two weeks had passed since our vacations had started. We were in the Darklands for only a week or so, and yet so many things happened that changed both Ellen and me forever. Thinking that she had probably returned already, I went to Eleris¡¯s shop and found her sitting inside. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Eleris had taken off her Relya disguise and returned to her true form. ¡°You went through a lot. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Although it wasn¡¯t enjoyable¡­ it was quite the meaningful experience.¡± Eleris smiled sadly. ¡°That child. As I expected¡­ She¡¯s someone related to Ragan Artorius, right?¡± ¡°¡­His younger sister.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡ªThe younger sister of the Artorius who had killed the demon king. ¡ªThe son of the Demon King who had killed Artorius. Eleris seemed rather confused about whether our relationship would end up being an ill-fated one or not. ¡°She¡¯s a good kid. Upright, strong, and good.¡± Eleris quietly took my hand. ¡± With all my heart, I hope that your bond with that child won¡¯t turn into a tragic one, your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Although she had said that, her expression seemed as if she was watching a story coming to its end. ¡°You should never ever tell the others about this. Especially Sarkegaar.¡± If Sarkegaar found out, he would do everything in his power to harm Ellen. Loyar wouldn¡¯t put a finger on her if I told her to stand down. No matter how strong the relationship between Ellen and me was, in the end, it was nothing more than a giant glass castle that would shatter no matter what with just a single truth coming to light. ¡°Contact Loyar.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°And give her this.¡± I put my backpack in front of Eleris. It was filled with jewelry and precious metals from the Darklands. I was going to sell them through the Thieves¡¯ Guild. I didn¡¯t know how much all those things were worth, but they were definitely worth more than a penny or two. I didn¡¯t only bring my part of the loot but Ellen¡¯s as well. She couldn¡¯t sell it herself. She obviously found it much too annoying to take care of that herself, regardless of whether she was able to do it or not. Additionally, I also packed some for Eleris so she wouldn¡¯t have any financial problems for some time. ¡°Also, go look for that sunless semi-basement you said you wanted. I mean, what¡¯s the use of earning money if not to spend it, right?¡± ¡°C-can I really do that?¡± Eleris was so thrilled to the point that she was shivering. She seemed happy just imagining what awaited her. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 We continued our training. In the past, I had thought that my usual routine was quite boring, but over time, I felt like it was relaxing. Ellen, in particular, gradually managed to return to her usual self after always being on edge, doubting everything around her when we were in the Darklands. She was like a cat with its fur raised. When I thought about it, it almost seemed that Ellen was hissing at everything. As I imagined that scene¡­ I thought that it might have been rather cute, actually. Of course, Ellen technically seemed more cool than cute when we were in the Darklands. She was very charismatic. Unlike how she usually was, she had talked a lot. However, every word she had said was nothing but the truth. Anyway, although she acted a bit different from before, she was mostly back to how she originally was. ¡ªExpressionless. Ellen¡¯s vulnerable appearance I had seen in the Darklands was a stark contrast to her usual self. After returning to Temple¡¯s safe environment, Ellen was also returning to her original self. Of course, we weren¡¯t able to have a proper conversation as usual. We only trained together in the morning and at the gym. However, it felt more like we were simply working with each other. ¡ªIt wasn¡¯t because we were awkward with each other. We just had no idea what we could say to each other, so we only had some short word exchanges. Originally, we had conversations with me joking or arguing where Ellen would respond with sarcasm, sometimes even going along with my words. The words just weren¡¯t coming out. Even when we went to eat at night, I just made it myself, and Ellen just quietly ate it. It wasn¡¯t like we suddenly became uncomfortable around each other; it was quite the opposite, that girl definitely became a lot more comfortable with me. However, only the topics I didn¡¯t want to bring up kept spinning in my head, so no words left my mouth. As such¡­ At the time we usually had lunch¡­ There were only three students of Year One Class A remaining at Temple around that time. ¡ªEllen, Adelia, and I. Adelia seemed to have been so worried about us that she almost started to cry when we came back. Of course, I was still suffering quite a bit, and so was Ellen. We didn¡¯t tell her what happened in the Darklands, though. All we could tell her was that the protection bracelet she made for us was a great help. Actually, the first time, when we managed to cut off Snoton¡¯s hands, Ellen activated its enchantment, blocked the sword, and so on. I hadn¡¯t used mine yet, so I was still wearing it. ¡°Uhm¡­ Are you really not going to tell me what happened?¡± Seeing Adelia pose such a question, it was apparent that she didn¡¯t believe us when we told her that nothing much had happened. ¡°I said nothing happened though?¡± ¡°Ye-yeah! I-I¡¯m sorry! I-I shouldn¡¯t have asked¡­¡± She was startled and almost speechless at my rather sharp response. No, I wasn¡¯t angry. Why did she always treat me like I was angry all the time? I was really getting mad, you know? Ah¡­ That was why. ¡°¡­¡± Of course, Ellen just sat there eating her food quietly, her eyes underlined with dark circles. She probably didn¡¯t get any proper sleep. * * * -Bang! ¡°Keuk!¡± I jumped back and rolled over the gym¡¯s floor a few times before I finally spoke up. ¡°Hey¡­ Do you want to kill me?¡± Regardless of what happened to us, we were still sparing in the training room like we used to. That girl. She was a lot rougher than usual. Ellen took her training sword and pointed it at me. ¡°Let¡¯s do it one more time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ellen ran towards me and struck my sword. Rather than fully blocking the sword, I tried to avoid it by turning sideways and aiming at the nape of her neck. -Thud! ¡°Ugh!¡± However, as soon as I side-stepped, she kicked my leg as if she had already expected it. -Bam! I eventually lost my balance and fell, followed by her pointing her sword at me on the ground. ¡°So¡­ Were you trying to break them¡­?¡± She didn¡¯t just simply trip me; she actually full-on kicked my ankles. It was quite hard to even get up properly like that. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen looked down at me before grabbing my hand to lift me up. My skill level couldn¡¯t even be compared to before. However, even after using my supernatural powers to strengthen my body, I still couldn¡¯t reach Ellen at all, even if she didn¡¯t use magic body strengthening. While I got stronger, that girl also kept on getting stronger. The more I took steps to close the gap between us, the further ahead she walked¡ªmaybe to an even greater extent. I just kept on getting beaten up by her, but as I kept getting beat up like that, I actually started improving a lot without even realizing it. ¡°Again.¡± Ellen raised her sword again and stabbed it towards me. -Kaang! However, that time, she didn¡¯t push my sword away but just hit the blade of my sword as she was stabbing forward. ¡°Kuhk!¡± I didn¡¯t let go of my weapon like I had used to do. However, the sword got pushed aside quite easily, leaving my chest wide open. Ellen knocked away my sword while simultaneously stabbing her training sword into my stomach. -Bam! ¡°Urg!¡± ¡°!¡± The blunt tip of the training sword was strongly stabbed into my abdomen, so I was forced to sit down on the floor. I had tried to stop that blow, but I couldn¡¯t. ¡°Are you okay? I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Ellen sat down in front of me, not hesitating to check on my condition. She seemed a little flustered. ¡°Hey¡­ Can it be that you¡­ Have trouble controlling your power¡­?¡± She looked extremely tired with big circles under her eyes. If someone was so exhausted and tired, they should be easier to defeat, but Ellen was actually just fighting a lot rougher than usual because she couldn¡¯t focus on controlling her strength at all. If we went on like that, she might have accidentally ended up beating me to death. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Sorry. It¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Stuff like this happens.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I slowly got up while staggering. Usually, I would just take a short break, but that day I would have to go see the priest on duty. ¡®At this rate, I might get permanently hospitalized.¡¯ * * * Ellen stared blankly at the training room door through which Reinhardt left. She couldn¡¯t sleep well, so she would sleep five to six times a day. Ellen had a good memory. Once she was affected by those terrible memories, those horrific images would appear in her dreams as well if she just went to sleep like that. She couldn¡¯t sleep well at all. The faces of the people she killed, the horrifying zombies that rose from the dead¡ªwhen those things appeared in her dreams, she would always wake up covered in sweat. It should be the same for Reinhardt as well. She didn¡¯t want to keep having those nightmares. She didn¡¯t want to fall asleep to those horrifying images haunting her. It wasn¡¯t like that when she was in the Darklands. In fact, she didn¡¯t have any nightmares while she was there. Ellen knew that she hadn¡¯t been able to have any long conversations with Reinhardt recently. Their conversations were more like a question-and-answer game than an actual conversation. They only had short exchanges of words that immediately ended¡ªthose weren¡¯t conversations. She just wanted to say something, but she couldn¡¯t even ask him what he was worried about because she didn¡¯t want to talk about those things herself. However, even before that¡­ Ellen became aware of a more fundamental problem. It wasn¡¯t because she had changed that their conversations had let up. Reinhardt, who always took the initiative in striking up conversations, also talked less. Ellen had always been silent¡ªshe was like that before as well. No matter if her mind was in disorder or not, she had always been silent. The reason why there were no conversations between them anymore at the moment was because Reinhardt was unable to start proper conversations with her. ¡®He¡­ He¡­ had always been the one to start our conversations.¡¯ Reinhardt was always the one to strike up conversations with her. Everything between them started with Reinhardt¡¯s words. Her own answers had always been curt: yes or no. However, Reinhardt would continue their conversation despite her blunt answers. No matter what she said, the conversation would carry on. Reinhardt had continued to talk to her even if she didn¡¯t respond to his words. Strange stories, rude words¡ªhe just said whatever. Reinhardt would always continue the conversation. It was as if he was still waiting for her to answer him while persistently talking about this and that. Reinhardt had grown silent, so their conversations had let up as well. Ellen realized for the first time how passive she had been all that time. She then stood up from the training room floor after pondering for quite a while. * * * Ellen locked herself in her room and didn¡¯t come out. However, even without Ellen, I continued with my training on my own. I practiced my stance and swordsmanship while I was hitting a scarecrow¡ªI had become quite accustomed to that already. I had originally done my physical training alone in the first place. That night. After my evening training, I made some food for myself, even without Ellen around, and went to bed. -Knock, knock However, right when I planned on sleeping, someone knocked on my door. ¡®Just who could it be?¡¯ They didn¡¯t usually have something like a roll call in the dormitory, and since we had vacations at that moment, there shouldn¡¯t have been any patrols either. ¡®Is it Sarkegaar?¡¯ I thought that he might be able to pull off something like that because he had actually come to my room once while disguised as a maid. However, when I opened the door, I found someone completely unexpected. ¡°¡­What are you doing here in the middle of the night?¡± Ellen, wearing her pajamas, was standing right in front of me. Of course, we were told not to visit each other¡¯s rooms at night. However, we had vacations at the moment, so the supervisors were a bit looser. We were advised against it, but it wasn¡¯t anything noticeable. Ellen didn¡¯t even ask if she could come in and just strode into my room. My room held nothing to be ashamed of, so I didn¡¯t really care whether she came in or not. However, what she did next was something I didn¡¯t expect at all. She lay down in my bed. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°I want to sleep here.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± My brain shut down for a second. What was she saying? Did she lose her mind as an aftereffect of our Darklands travels? Ellen glanced at me. ¡°I keep having nightmares these days.¡± I could guess that she couldn¡¯t sleep well because she had such dark circles under her eyes. I was the same. But what did having nightmares have to do with sleeping in my room with me? ¡°I didn¡¯t have nightmares when I was with you.¡± ¡ªSo she wanted to sleep with me. That seemed to be the conclusion she reached. ¡°¡­Even if the teachers don¡¯t patrol around much because we have vacations, that doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t do it, you know? What if we get caught?¡± Ellen shook her head as she lay down on my pillow. I didn¡¯t tell her that she couldn¡¯t do it, so I thought things were a little off as soon as I asked her what would happen if we¡¯d get caught. ¡°Dunno.¡± If we were to get caught, then we¡¯d just get caught. So what? Yeah, the chances of us getting caught by a teacher were very low, but the chance was still there. ¡°And why didn¡¯t you ask me first?¡± ¡°¡­We already did this once.¡± We¡¯d already slept together before, so why shouldn¡¯t we do it one more time? Even if I tried to force her to leave, it was pretty obvious that things wouldn¡¯t go my way. No, I knew she became more comfortable with me and less hesitant, but that went too far! How could she just casually walk into a guy¡¯s room and tell him she was going to sleep there?! ¡°¡­If someone catches us, I¡¯ll just say you forced your way in and wouldn¡¯t leave.¡± ¡° Yes.¡± As if things had been settled, Ellen covered herself with a blanket and prepared to go to sleep. Just what the hell was going on there?! Did those things we were half-forced to do in the Darklands give Ellen some kind of immunity or something?! We couldn¡¯t just do the things we did in the Darklands at Temple. Did her thought process change that much? ¡°Turn the lights off.¡± -Flip! Anyway, I turned off the lights, pushed Ellen towards the wall with my foot, and lay down. There wasn¡¯t just one pillow, so that didn¡¯t really matter, but there was only one blanket. Ellen turned and stared at me. Dim moonlight shone on her face. Why was she looking at me?! What did that mean?! ¡°Do you¡­ get nightmares?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Although at that moment I felt like I¡¯d be better off actually getting some nightmares. Ellen looked at me quietly and then suddenly spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why are you sorry about it all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Because I took you to a place¡­ like that¡­¡± She was gazing at me with sad eyes. All those terrible memories were terrorizing the both of us in the form of nightmares. Just going to the Darklands seemed like one bad memory, so she was sorry. It¡¯d already been a while since we came back. However, only in that strange situation was I able to bring up those things. ¡°It was me who wanted to go.¡± Ellen told me I shouldn¡¯t go there after I told her I wanted to go there. Rather, it was me who encouraged and dragged her along. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t talked about my plans before¡­ You wouldn¡¯t have thought of going there either.¡± However, she seemed to think that it was her fault I ended up going because she brought going to the Darklands up first. ¡°¡­Then let¡¯s just say that we are both at fault here.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± I had gone there ready to take on whatever was awaiting me, and so had Ellen. What happened there was beyond our expectations, but we didn¡¯t go there expecting rainbows and sunshine anyway. I had decided to go through it and experienced such things, so the only thing left to do was overcome our trauma. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking.¡± Ellen still seemed to have something to say. ¡°About what?¡± It seemed that Ellen was also concerned about the fact that we weren¡¯t able to hold proper conversations. ¡°It¡¯s been hard since you didn¡¯t say anything. I wanted to talk. I wanted to sort this out somehow, but you didn¡¯t say anything, I didn¡¯t¡­ That¡¯s what I was thinking¡­ So I realized something.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was guilt in Ellen¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It has always been you who talked to me first.¡± When I thought about it, I guess I always had. I always spoke to Ellen first. Whether it was about going to eat, train, argue or simply chat, I was always the one who spoke first. Not every conversation we had was like that, but most of the time, it was me who started them. Even if Ellen only gave me short answers, I would continue to talk, no matter what. Ellen was a quiet person to begin with, and she wasn¡¯t someone to strike up a conversation on her own. So the answers she gave were always curt, even before it was quite difficult to continue a conversation with her for long. Ellen was thinking about the fact that I wasn¡¯t talking to her as much anymore. That was when she realized that she always waited for someone else to start a conversation without her even trying to put any effort into it. Ellen held my hand, still covered with the blanket. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Reinhardt. Up until now¡­ I haven¡¯t even tried to do anything.¡± So Ellen came to visit me in the middle of the night. She wanted to be the one who started talking to me first that time, quite unlike her. ¡°¡­What do you have to be sorry for? I like to talk, and you didn¡¯t react to every little thing I did, so it felt really comfortable. I wasn¡¯t trying to act cool¡ªthat was the truth. Ellen didn¡¯t care about those rumors regarding me that were floating around our class. She didn¡¯t care about my shitty reputation at all. Those things didn¡¯t interest her, after all. No matter what I said, her reaction was always quite dull, so it was easy to be around her. Ellen had always been passive, so I didn¡¯t have to put much effort into anything either. I usually spouted a lot of stupid bullshit, after all. ¡ªA silent person and someone who was always talking about something. Our personalities just happened to complement each other quite well. Ellen smiled at my words. It was quite painful seeing Ellen smile like that under the moonlight. It was keeping me from sleeping. Ellen just slowly closed her eyes while holding my hand. ¡°Good night.¡± Yeah. I didn¡¯t think I would have any nightmares that night. I had to worry whether I would be able to sleep like that first. * * * The next day. -Bam! ¡°Huh! Wh-what!¡± I woke up because of a sudden pain in my head. ¡°¡­¡± When I woke up, I saw Ellen, whose hair was completely disheveled, looking at me with half-closed, cold eyes. ¡°What the fuck are you doing?! Why the fuck are you hitting the head of a sleeping person all of a sudden?!¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t touch weird places.¡± ¡°¡­D-did I?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wha-what did I touch?!¡± ¡°¡­Want me to tell you?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± I couldn¡¯t respond properly under Ellen¡¯s infinitely cold gaze. I, once again, had no other choice but to shut up because if I said anything wrong, I would be beaten black and blue. ____ Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Anyway, I woke up at the same time as usual at dawn. We woke up early for our morning training every day, so our bodies seemed to naturally wake up around that time. Ellen changed her clothes in her own room and met me at the dorm¡¯s front door. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± We didn¡¯t have proper conversations up until then, but Ellen had tried to initiate a conversation with me for the first time the day prior, so things seemed to have worked out somehow. We didn¡¯t really have any feelings for each other, but I felt a strange feeling of relief for some reason. However, there still wasn¡¯t much of a difference from before. We chatted while we jogged. ¡°Did you have any nightmares last night?¡± ¡° No.¡± Looking at her face, her eyes seem less tired than before. ¡°I had a dream. It wasn¡¯t a nightmare.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t tell me what she dreamed of. ¡°You?¡± Perhaps it was because she had been thinking about the fact that she always gave short answers and never tried to continue our conversations, but Ellen was even able to ask some questions to her conversation partner. Was she trying to change? She didn¡¯t have to do that. ¡°I didn¡¯t have any nightmares either.¡± Before, I would have tossed and turned multiple times before barely falling asleep. I was so tired I didn¡¯t even have any dreams. Did she think that I could just casually fall asleep with her next to me? It didn¡¯t matter how old she was, but wasn¡¯t that a bit problematic? It was more than clear that Ellen Artorius was not feeling flustered in the least. Anyway, there was a question occupying my mind. ¡°You¡¯re not planning on sleeping in my room today as well, are you?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like that, you can just come to my room.¡± ¡°Why the hell would I do that?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re worried about the teachers, we are having vacations, so we could just sleep somewhere outside. We have a lot of money, after all.¡± ¡°Why is this conversation going in that direction?¡± Why was she giving suggestions as if it was already a given that we would share the same bed? Did she not know the concept of men and women? Of course, I knew she felt very comfortable around me. Did I have to get ¡®Self-Control¡¯ as my next talent? Ellen didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of listening to me. * * * After our training, we sat down on a bench to rest. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s just do this until the vacations are over.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After we returned from the Darklands, Ellen, who obviously suffered much worse from nightmares than me, became stranger and stranger. Anyway, I wasn¡¯t quite sure why, but it seemed like she wouldn¡¯t get nightmares when she slept next to me, so I couldn¡¯t really refuse when she asked me to stay with her until her nightmares let up. It was also an opportunity to train my mental strength. ¡°And as you should know, I¡¯m a very gentlemanly guy. Ya hear?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± This is¡­ Hey! Did she not know how great I was? My second life was built on excruciating effort so that I could be considered a member of the general public! ¡°Don¡¯t ever do this with anyone else.¡± Ellen stared at me after I said that. She seemed a little confused about what I was trying to say. ¡®Did I offend her by what I said just now? Was I talking a bit too carelessly? Should I apologize?¡¯ Ellen thought for some time and then opened her mouth cautiously. ¡°A while ago, before I went to the Darklands¡­ The gray-haired aunty asked me something.¡± ¡°¡­Did she?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Loyar¡¯s nickname was Irene¡¯s Wild Dog, and no one knew her name except for me, Eleris, and Sarkegaar. That was why the gang members called her Big Sis, other people called her Irene¡¯s Wild Dog, and Ellen called her gray-haired aunty. Whenever that happened, she would get beaten black and blue. However, it seemed like Ellen was aiming for that. So Loyar had asked Ellen something? ¡°She asked me if I could die for you.¡± Why did Loyar ask her something like that? She thought Ellen was incredibly dangerous, so she might have asked her that as a way to realize the instructions of not hurting Ellen I gave her. ¡°I¡­ said that I didn¡¯t know back then. I wouldn¡¯t know something like that unless I was put in an actual situation where I had to.¡± Ellen fiddled with her water bottle. She seemed like she was pondering something. Could one die for someone? One might be willing to protect someone in situations where one wouldn¡¯t die. However, things might be different in an emergency where one might actually die. One had to be put in that kind of situation first before one could know how they might act. So that was why Ellen said she didn¡¯t know. She was never in a situation like that before, after all. However, the answer ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± wasn¡¯t the same as saying she couldn¡¯t die for me. Ellen and I had been to the Darklands as well. She had also experienced taking someone¡¯s life at the risk of her own. Ellen spoke without looking at me, fiddling with her bottle. ¡°I¡­ think I can die for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ellen seemed convinced that she could die for me. I didn¡¯t know whether she came to that conclusion when fighting with me in the Darklands or after we returned. After finishing what she had to say, Ellen looked at me. ¡°You¡­ You aren¡¯t just anyone to me.¡± Okay. I then knew what she thought of me. However, it was then that what Eleris had told me came to my mind. No, I was already aware of it, even if Eleris hadn¡¯t told me. The truth would much too easily destroy our relationship, and I never thought that my lie would last forever. We weren¡¯t in danger anymore. No, we had always been in grave danger already. Ellen Artorius and I. We might end up in a much worse state than anyone else. Someday. That could be the case. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± I¡¯m sorry. I apologized for speaking such reckless words, but that wasn¡¯t the only thing I felt sorry for. ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± -Pak! ¡°!¡± I flicked Ellen¡¯s forehead. ¡°D¡¯ya really want to die so unluckily?¡± Ellen¡¯s eyes widened as she couldn¡¯t understand why I had flicked her. ¡°Just shut up, and let¡¯s go eat.¡± Ellen ignored me as if she had nothing to do with me, pouting all day. * * * ¡ªThe Imperial Palace, Emperatos, located in the Imperial Capital, Gradium. ¡ªInside the Palace. Originally, it was the Empress¡¯s residence, but after her death, the place naturally became the living space of the Imperial Princess. It was in the exact opposite area where the Imperial Prince resided, so the Prince and Princess rarely met each other unless it was for an official agenda in a common area in the Imperial Castle. There was no threat of assassination, as multiple safety measures had been implemented, including tight security and protection. Even if such measures weren¡¯t in place, the Prince and Princess had never made any attempts to assassinate each other like that before. Anyway, everyone inside the Palace was under the control of the Princess. No one would dare to leak any secrets discussed there. And inside the bedroom of said Imperial Palace, where the Imperial Princess resided¡­ There, Charlotte sat on a rocking chair, not in a dress but in her casual clothes. Almost no light came into the room because of the blackout curtains she had placed in her rather dark room. The room looked as if it was night, even though it was midday. Someone was kneeling in front of Charlotte. ¡°¡­Your Highness. You¡­ You have to accept it.¡± ¡°¡­We decided not to talk about this anymore, didn¡¯t we?¡± The man bowed his head even further at the sound of the Princess¡¯ quiet voice. ¡°Your Highness, I have put all the information I could find together. I searched all over the continent for personal accounts and information. I¡¯ve been double-checking, triple-checking, quadruple-checking. I¡¯ve looked over your command over and over in case I might have missed something, but the results were always the same.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The man was close to banging his head on the ground. ¡°The total number of people kidnapped was seven. There was no boy who was even close to his appearance and age group among them. That¡¯s a fact.¡± ¡°Dyrus.¡± ¡°The boy wasn¡¯t kidnapped! You already know as much!¡± ¡°Dyrus.¡± ¡°He was much too healthy to be someone who got kidnapped and held captive for such a long time! He didn¡¯t show any signs of starvation. The chances of him being someone who got kidnapped recently, as Your Highness said, are very slim!¡± ¡ªDyrus. After making some brilliant contributions along with the unidentified boy in the Princess¡¯ escape from the Demon King¡¯s Castle, he had become Charlotte¡¯s escort knight. After organizing his thoughts, it became obvious to him that it was just too suspicious. Unlike Charlotte, who was just skin and bones when he saw her, the boy had looked far from that. He had found the magic scrolls straight away. The demons had even moved to help that boy. And he had purposely ran away¡­ He had already obtained the complete list of kidnapped people, but none of the people described were in any way similar to that boy. However, no matter how often he explained that, it was no use. He told Charlotte countless times that the boy was strange and that he should be properly investigated, but she never gave him the order. ¡°Dyrus. Are you done talking?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Dyrus raised his head quietly and looked at Charlotte. ¡°What difference does it make?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°What difference does it make if he¡¯s suspicious?¡± Charlotte spoke in a quiet, powerless voice while still looking at Dyrus. ¡°He could have escaped on his own as soon as he found the teleport scroll. However, he came back to the garrison to save me, and he somehow managed to do it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Dyrus, no matter how often you tell me such things, it won¡¯t change anything. Even if the boy is suspicious and we aren¡¯t able to identify him. It¡¯s all useless. It doesn¡¯t make the slightest difference.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There were so many suspicious circumstances surrounding him, but it wouldn¡¯t change anything. The boy had risked his own life to save hers. Although he was surrounded by various lies, that fact was the truth. Charlotte leaned her body against the backrest of the rocking chair, slightly making it rock. ¡°My order will stay the same.¡± A ray of light entered the room, flashing across Charlotte¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t investigate the boy anymore.¡± Every time light shone on Charlotte¡¯s face, her eyes lit up for but a moment. Charlotte¡¯s eyes, which became visible for a moment, didn¡¯t shine with their usual golden luster, but were dyed in black darkness, seeming like an endless void. It was such a deep and dark color that they felt like they led to a limitless abyss. ¡°Your Highness. He might be the only one who knows how to cure Your Highness¡¯ condition, even if the chance is low.¡± ¡°I said it before¡­¡± Charlotte¡¯s black eyes gleamed grimly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to put his life in danger after he has given me the chance to live just a bit longer.¡± A glimmer of hope. That was why Dyrus had tried to find the boy so desperately, however the Princess refused that. She felt no need to bring him out into the world as long as she knew that he was in a safe place. ¡ªA certain wizard¡¯s Scroll Shop. Charlotte and Reinhardt were the only ones in the world who knew that the place was connected to that boy. Charlotte didn¡¯t tell that information to any of her people. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Leave.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Highness.¡± After Dyrus left, Charlotte stared blankly at the ceiling. ¡®Just¡­ who are you?¡¯ There were a lot of things she didn¡¯t want to accept. However, with each passing day, she grew warier, so she gradually came to accept some of the facts. ¡®Are you¡­ really my enemy?¡¯ Charlotte took several deep breaths, covering her eyes with her right hand. ¡°Haaaaaah¡­¡± When she removed her hand, Charlotte¡¯s eyes were back to her usual golden color. ¡®Is this cruel?¡¯ ¡®Wh-why are¡­ Why are you doing this to me? Why me? What are you trying to do to me?¡¯ ¡®Do you think this is cruel?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t do this! Stop!¡¯ ¡®This is a war between species. It¡¯s a fight that started with the annihilation of the other as a goal.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t touch me! Leave! Leave me alone!¡¯ ¡®So there¡¯s no reason for us not to have some insurance just in case.¡¯ ¡®Uuhurk! Urg! Hurrrg! Kyaaaaaark!¡¯ Charlotte¡¯s body trembled slightly as she closed her eyes¡ªit almost seemed as if she was convulsing. She remembered absolutely terrible memories. -Gorge! Bite! ¡®U-u-uwa¡­ Uwaaaaaaark!¡¯ ¡®U-uhuurk! Uwaark! Uwaaaaaaarg!¡¯ When she had seen humans eating each other, her bonds of reason had been broken. Watching people ripping off the flesh of corpses and even trying to eat the living with no rhyme or reason. And seeing her mother, who had fed on someone else¡¯s flesh like a hungry ghost. All of it had made Charlotte lose all reason. She knew¡­ She already knew¡­ She already knew all those things, even if Dyrus didn¡¯t say anything. She just didn¡¯t want to accept it. That kid¡¯s presence was the only form of hope she had. So all those words were just unacceptable to her. ¡®Sob, hurk¡­ Sob¡­¡¯ ¡®C-calm down¡­¡¯ She just wanted to believe that the boy who had been kidnapped like her had somehow survived. She knew in her head that it was unlikely, but her heart just couldn¡¯t accept that. However, she had to accept it. There was so much evidence, so many truths she had no other choice but to accept. ¡®Hu-urg! Wh-wh¡­ Who. Who are you¡­ How¡­?¡¯ ¡®N-no! I mean, I was trapped in here as well!¡¯ But how could there have been any survivors? She had been startled by the boy¡¯s presence. With that, she seemed to have confirmed that she hadn¡¯t lost all her reason and killed everyone. She even felt a certain sense of joy. So she didn¡¯t doubt anything. However, she had to accept the simple truth that no one could have survived in that situation. ¡ªThat boy wasn¡¯t a survivor. She already knew that there were several suspicious points about him in the countless moments that passed by in the blink of an eye. The boy¡­ he didn¡¯t know she was locked up there. He was completely unaware of the gruesome and horrific massacre that left that scene. That was why she tried to only focus on the most important facts. ¡ªHe had saved her life while risking his own. She just wanted to remember that one absolute truth. ¡°¡­¡± Tears slipped through Charlotte¡¯s closed eyelids. * * * Nothing had changed since then. We still had few conversations, but we did both exercise and spar together. The only thing unusual was that Ellen started sleeping in my room, completely abandoning her own room. However, humans were very adaptive animals. After a few days of doing that, I didn¡¯t really mind it anymore. Ellen told me she would leave Temple to go visit Loyar, she she came back in the middle of the night that day after she had obviously gotten beaten up by Loyar. Time passed, and our vacations were coming to an end. Ellen, Adelia, and I packed our bags and left Temple. Liana de Grantz, wearing casual clothes, was waiting for us at the entrance. ¡°You¡¯re just in time.¡± We were going to her villa on the Edina islands to play before our summer vacations would finally come to an end. ____ Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Although we were given priority to use the Gates by utilizing the Imperial Crest, through the power and prestige of Duke Grantz, we were granted the same right to use the Gates first. We would head to the southernmost part of the continent using super-large Warp Gates. ¡°What about Harriet?¡± ¡°She said she would go ahead and wait for us. Heinrich will be there too.¡± Liana answered my question. A total of six people would go to Duke Grantz¡¯s villa on the Edina Islands to hang out. ¡ªEllen, Liana, Adelia, Harriet, and me. ¡­As well as Heinrich von Schwarz. Liana had said she would just relax for her vacation, and she probably did just that. Liana¡¯s Electrokinesis was growing stronger at a fast pace. Even if she didn¡¯t put in that much effort, she just got stronger and stronger. Ellen still put a lot of effort into her training, but Liana did no such thing. She just had that kind of talent. ¡°How were the Darklands?¡± Liana asked, as she seemed most interested in our visit to the Darklands. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t anything worth mentioning.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± Ellen nodded in agreement with my words. We didn¡¯t want to talk about what happened in the Darklands. It wasn¡¯t anything pleasant, and it wasn¡¯t something that would be comfortable knowing. ¡ªA massacred village, a gang of bandits, a hoard of zombies, a cursed sword. What we had been through was much too terrifying to be anything to brag about. ¡°Hmm, by the way, you¡­¡± Liana alternated between looking at me and Ellen and then gave a slight nod and tilted her head. ¡°The atmosphere around you two seems a bit different.¡± Something had changed, but it was rather hard to pin down¡ªthat was what Liana seemed to think. We didn¡¯t say much about our trip, and Liana didn¡¯t seem to be that curious either. * * * We headed south via Warp Gates and then teleported to the Edina Islands by one of the Grantz Family¡¯s wizards. Mass Teleportation could move all of us immediately, but it was a lot of ranks above Teleport, so the wizard just casted Teleport on us one after the other to transport us to the villa. There was a pub run by the Succubus Queen Airi on the Edina Islands, but there was no reason for me to go there. I did want to see what they were up to with my own eyes, but I didn¡¯t have time to do that. Like before, we passed through several super-large Gates to reach the shore where the wizard would be waiting. ¡°Ellen! Liana! Adelia!¡± Harriet, who arrived before us and was waiting, ran towards us. Heinrich von Schwarz, who stood around a little awkwardly, also approached us. ¡°You¡¯re safe, Ellen!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I was so worried.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Harriet nodded, saying that she was glad that Ellen was safe. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it dangerous?¡± ¡°No. I wasn¡¯t much.¡± Our lives were just on the line several times, but I didn¡¯t say that. Harriet looked at me after she greeted everyone. Then it was time for her to greet me. She¡¯d probably say something like, ¡°Why¡¯d you come back?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°¡­Huh. Yeah.¡± I didn¡¯t think she would say something like that with such a bright smile, so I felt a little embarrassed. She looked so happy that I couldn¡¯t even say anything more. * * * We teleported to the villa one after the other; I was the last one. Like that, we crossed the great ocean to the southern islands. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The others who had arrived before me were admiring the scenery before they even went to unpack their luggage. The mansion was standing before a privately owned beach with no people around. The scenery of the uninhabited island we were on before was also good, but it was much too humid. However, the new place¡¯s humidity was very low, and it had such a clear view that it seemed like the sky merged with the sea. Ellen stared quietly at the scenery. A servant that came out of the villa took our luggage. After we spent our last week there and returned to Temple, our second semester would start. ¡°Our wizard is rather busy, so he went back already. Like it or not, you guys have to stay here for a week.¡± Of course, the wizard who transported us there didn¡¯t seem to have the leisure time to play around. He went back to his original job after transporting all of us. In other words, we couldn¡¯t go back just because we got sick of the place. However, there was no real need to go back, in my opinion. That would be our first and last real break during our summer vacation for Ellen and me, as we had been moving about and fighting all the time, and even after we had returned to Temple, we had just resumed our training. ¡°Let¡¯s get something to eat first.¡± Liana dragged us into the villa, telling us that although we came to play around, we should first grab something to eat. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s all this¡­?¡± Adelia and I were startled by the splendidly prepared food. Harriet, a noble, Heinrich, someone of a royal family, and the young lady owning the villa, the young Duchess of Grantz, didn¡¯t seem particularly impressed. ¡°¡­¡± And Ellen¡­ It seemed like her eyes were even more attracted to all the food laid out before her than the vast and beautiful ocean view she had just seen. ¡°I don¡¯t really care about formalities. Eat as much as you want, however you want. If it¡¯s not enough, just tell me.¡± Liana declared it as if to tell us that we could just forget table manners and such, so even those who weren¡¯t familiar with table manners could sit down and eat comfortably. Of course, I started eating as Ellen started shoving the food into her mouth. To be honest, I also tended to eat a lot compared to others, although the amount Ellen would stuff into herself was just too much. If one were to use a metaphor, Ellen¡¯s appetite was in the realm of Gods, and mine was the strongest among humans. * * * Liana said that we were in a suburb of Rajak, the main port city of the Edina Islands. Airi also opened her pub in Rajak as well. However, that city seemed to be something like the capital of the Edina Islands, so I wouldn¡¯t be able to find her even if I wanted to. ¡°If you get sick of the beach, you can just go to Rajak to play around. Of course, you can¡¯t go alone or you¡¯ll get lost.¡± Liana told us to just relax and do whatever we felt like doing. Rather than touring around together, it seemed more like she was letting her friends rest in the same villa she happened to be at. ¡°¡­Did you have a good trip?¡± Heinrich talked to me during our meal. ¡°Ah, kinda.¡± I didn¡¯t have that good of a first impression of that guy. He had picked a fight with me for being someone with no supernatural power crawling his way into the class and got beaten up. After that, he had avoided me because he thought I actually was the son of some huge bigshot, but when he found out I was just a beggar, he ignored me completely. Since then, we hadn¡¯t really met each other¡ªother than that one time on the deserted island when he was all nervous. However, that situation¡­ All of the others, except us two, were girls, and that guy was attracted to Liana. There was no way that the guy could talk comfortably, so even if he didn¡¯t like me even a single bit, he tried to talk to me first. ¡°Did you see any demons or something like that?¡± ¡°¡­No. Nothing really happened.¡± I just answered his questions vaguely. It really wasn¡¯t something worth telling everyone. ¡°Then what did you do when you went there?¡± ¡°Just toured around. It wasn¡¯t that dangerous.¡± ¡°¡­So you just wasted your time?¡± Wasted our time¡­ That remark made me want to grab that bastard¡¯s neck. Ellen, who was still eating, also seemed to flinch a little. It was clear that he was being sarcastic. We didn¡¯t waste time; we had gone through more terrible experiences than he could ever imagine. I had no intentions of bragging childishly. Wasting our time¡­ Maybe it would have been better if we actually had just wasted our time. ¡°¡­Maybe.¡± Heinrich seemed startled by my casual admission to his words. * * * If one thought of summer, one would inevitably think of the sea. Going by the staple development of a romcom, we decided to go for a swim after lunch. ¡ªSo everyone changed into their swimsuits. ¡°¡­Are you doing this on purpose?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± At Liana¡¯s absurd remark, Ellen tilted her head and just answered bluntly. ¡°¡­Somehow, I knew the two of you would do this.¡± Harriet nodded, looking a little exasperated as if she had already expected Ellen and me to act like that. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you really have to wear the swimsuits provided by Temple, even here?¡± Yeah¡­ Both Ellen and I wore swimsuits provided by Temple. All the others were wearing their private swimsuits. Liana was in her tube top bikini, Harriet was wearing a bikini with a frilly skirt, and Adelia was wearing a modest, one-piece swimsuit. Heinrich was also wearing swimming trunks. Anyway, Ellen didn¡¯t really get why she should care about what swimsuit she was wearing, and I also just bought a Temple swimsuit with me because of similar reasons. Liana didn¡¯t seem to mind about it that much, and Harriet seemed to have expected it to some extent. ¡°How are swimsuits important when you can¡¯t even swim?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Girl, as long as you can swim, how are swimsuits important? Aren¡¯t you nitpicking on something really petty?¡± No¡­ I did know that swimsuits were a lot more important than being able to swim. Liana frowned at my questions. ¡°Ah, I haven¡¯t seen you in a while, and I already hate you.¡± Liana shook her head as if her hospitality had completely disappeared from her face, then she stared at me in my Temple swimsuit. ¡°¡­Ah¡­You¡¯re right. Swimsuits aren¡¯t that important.¡± She looked at Heinrich and me alternately. What? Why was she looking at us like that? It felt kinda bad. ¡°¡­¡± For some reason, Heinrich suddenly put on his shirt. Swimsuits weren¡¯t important¡­ I felt like I knew what she meant. Adelia, and Harriet, of course, couldn¡¯t even look at me straight. Obviously, Heinrich, someone who used pyrokinesis, didn¡¯t bother to exercise. I was also a supernatural power user, but I was still someone who fought in close-quarter combat. Any swimsuit would look different depending on who was wearing them. I had quite a well-built body. ¡°Wow, they must be as hard as rocks.¡± Liana came up to me without an ounce of hesitation and touched my abdomen, so I jumped in surprise. ¡®What the hell is this?!¡¯ ¡°¡­Are you worn out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem here!¡± ¡°Just stay still. Try tightening them.¡± ¡°Are you crazy? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Will you only stay fucking still after I knock you out? Do you want me to electrocute you?¡± Liana de Grantz¡¯s level of self-indulgence was high enough to surprise even me. Harriet, Adelia, and Heinrich were watching the scene with puzzled expressions on their faces. ¡°You bastard, then I¡¯ll do the same!¡± When I counterattacked, I found Liana wide open. ¡°Sure, go ahead. What are you gonna do?¡± ¡­I didn¡¯t expect her to react like that. ¡°So there are lines that even you don¡¯t cross? Isn¡¯t that unexpected?¡± Liana covered her mouth as she laughed when she saw me standing there dumbfounded. I could feel Heinrich¡¯s rather uncomfortable gaze on Liana and me. * * * Once that whole mess passed by, we went swimming. However, what we did was a little different from normal swimming. Remembering the times when I swam in the sea with underwater breathing magic cast on me when we were on the uninhabited island, we all got that spell cast on us by Harriet and took a look around the underwater world. Heinrich and Liana seemed surprised, as that was the first time that they had experienced it. Heinrich subtly showed that he wanted to go around with Liana, and she caught on to that, so she shoved him away underwater. What an unsociable fellow she was. Ellen and I usually went around to hunt back when we were on the island. Of course, the scenery we saw was different and similar at the same time. Harriet dragged Adelia with her to show her around. It was the first time for her, after all. Ellen just leisurely swam through the sea, occasionally meeting my eyes. It somehow seemed that she wasn¡¯t really enjoying herself. When we were on the deserted island, she busily absorbed the scenery around her as long as she could, even saying it was fun. I felt similarly. We were still too distracted to concentrate on simply playing around with no care. * * * We swam all day long. That was only possible because Harriet kept on recasting her underwater breathing spell on us. ¡°I-I feel so tired¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Walking on the ground¡­ Is so awkward¡­¡± Everyone except Ellen and I suffered from extreme exhaustion. It was incredibly hard to move in the water all day long, even with underwater breathing magic cast on oneself. After everyone had changed into their clothes, they hung around in the mansion¡¯s living room. The dinner was just as sumptuous as lunch. Since not all of us had been freed of exhaustion, we were each doing our own thing. There were enough rooms in the mansion for all of us to have our own. After finally getting to take a break, Liana muttered dejectedly, saying that she went there to rest but almost ended up losing all her strength. Resting was actually the most difficult thing to do, you punk. * * * I had nothing to do, so I went out on a nightly walk. My body felt a little sore, but I would soon be working hard again, except for the time I would spent there, so I decided I should rest properly during our last few days of vacation. I wanted to take the time to recover mentally as well. ¡°Hm?¡± When I looked towards the beach, I could see flashes of fire in the darkness. A flame that was about two feet high was burning on the sandy beach, and in front of it stood Heinrich. What was he doing over there? He sure was passionate about his training. I didn¡¯t really want to pay him much attention, so I just passed by him and walked around the beach before I returned to the mansion. Liana and Adelia had fallen asleep quite early, as they were insanely exhausted. Harriet was sitting across from Ellen in the lounge, chatting about this and that. ¡°¡­Why can¡¯t you tell me about it? ¡°I just¡­ think that it¡¯s not something pleasant to hear.¡± ¡°¡­¡± However, the atmosphere around them didn¡¯t seem very lighthearted. Harriet looked at Ellen, then noticed me and talked to us both. ¡°You two, what happened to you two was certainly not nothing.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The Protective Bracelet. You told Adelia that it was very useful.¡± Ah. Was she talking about that? Ellen had only said that she made good use of her bracelet, not for what she used it for. However, when Harriet heard about that, she knew that we were most certainly put into a situation in which the bracelet could demonstrate its usefulness. Adelia also guessed as much but didn¡¯t ask. Harriet immediately asked Ellen what kind of danger we had put ourselves in, but Ellen remained silent. Harriet really seemed to want to know what kind of hardships we had been through. I was still wearing it because I hadn¡¯t used it yet, but Ellen didn¡¯t. ¡°As Ellen said. It¡¯s not something pleasant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What was the point of hearing our story? Why did she want to know about how we killed people and slaughtered their reanimated corpses after? Harriet¡¯s expression changed. She was clearly hurt. She gave us those bracelets because she was clearly worried about us. However, we didn¡¯t want to tell her anything about what happened during our journey. She couldn¡¯t help feeling frustrated and sad because she didn¡¯t know what the content of that recount would be. I knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to treat Ellen and me the same way as before if she came to know about those things, so I couldn¡¯t tell her anything. ¡°¡­You guys treat me like a little kid.¡± After murmuring something we couldn¡¯t properly understand, she went off somewhere. Her Eyes met with Ellen¡¯s, who was still seated. They were sad eyes. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We¡­¡± Ellen¡¯s voice was trembling. She simply couldn¡¯t tell others of her experiences that might lead others to treat her with disgust or fear. I could talk about those things except for some parts, but in the end, I felt the same about our struggle with the zombies. ¡°Did we¡­ really waste our time¡­?¡± No, what we did wasn¡¯t a waste of time. We had definitely gotten something out of it. If it was a complete waste of time, nothing would have changed. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a waste of time. Absolutely not.¡± If everything we did was just a waste of time¡­ If nothing had changed¡­ That might have been for the better. However, we couldn¡¯t just solve that problem in secret on our own. But it could be overcome. What we felt was just momentary confusion. I couldn¡¯t help but stare at Ellen, who was looking out of the window with a gloomy expression on her face. Harriet seemed hurt. Unfortunately, that wound we made in her heart wasn¡¯t something we could do anything about. Did she feel like we bullied her? No, she probably felt a lot worse than that. ____ Chapter 174 Chapter 174 That night, we slept in our own rooms. Ellen and I shared a bed in the dormitory those days. However, the other students were with us at that moment¡ªEllen didn¡¯t even try sleeping with me in that situation. She didn¡¯t seem to have any nightmares anymore, but would she be able to sleep well on her own? Thinking about those things, I found myself unable to sleep. The others seemed to have fallen asleep rather quickly because they were completely exhausted, but my stamina had become unnecessarily higher, so I didn¡¯t have much trouble playing around underwater all day. If overworking one¡¯s body became a daily routine, one wouldn¡¯t get tired even if one overworked it a little bit, so I couldn¡¯t sleep. In the end, I didn¡¯t manage to fall asleep, so I decided to leave the room and get some tea. Since the servants slept in a different building, there were none around at that moment, so we were the only ones in the mansion. ¡°¡­What? Weren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± ¡°¡­I woke up.¡± Ellen was sitting absentmindedly on the terrace at the end of the second floor¡¯s hallway, so I approached her and asked her why she was there; that was her answer. She had fallen asleep. I couldn¡¯t help but notice that her pajamas were slightly wet. She had experienced another nightmare and was sweating profusely. I also had nightmares, but not to the point where I couldn¡¯t sleep as Ellen did. It seemed that Ellen was a lot more traumatized by our experience than I was. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± I sat down on the chair next to Ellen, but we had nothing to say. When it was just the two of us, it felt like things were getting better, but when I saw our classmates, I couldn¡¯t help but realize it once more. ¡°Liana seemed to have improved her abilities a lot during our vacations.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, she was acting like usual, but I heard she improved a lot.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t wait for me to talk to her first but took the initiative. Ellen had obviously changed. ¡°Adelia¡¯s magic crafting is still not there yet, but it seems like she¡¯s able to do some basic permanent enchantments and magic artifacts.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ That¡¯s a fast improvement.¡± As Adelia was stuck in Temple, all she did was study, but she spent her time to the fullest, so she was able to do a lot more things. ¡°Harriet seemed to have studied some destruction and support magic that can be used in practice.¡± It looked like Harriet had studied a lot of practical magic during the vacation. Judging by what I had seen on the beach, Heinrich¡¯s ability also underwent some major improvements. Although what I saw wasn¡¯t quite on the level of a bonfire yet. Everyone had grown in their own way. ¡°Everyone worked hard.¡± ¡°Yes. I think so too.¡± Ellen stared out at the waves crashing on the shore. Everyone had grown in their own way. ¡°I think we were in too much of a hurry.¡± We had become stronger, that was for sure. Ellen dipped her foot into the realm of superhumans, and I had also seen some major improvements in my abilities. We had made a lot of money, and I had acquired a powerful, albeit cursed, sword. However, even if we had chosen normal ways to improve, we would have steadily become stronger. We had gone through terrible things, and we had to lie or shut those up who were asking about them. Those children lived their own lives during the vacations, and they grew in one way or another. We might have made a mistake while trying to take a shortcut to become stronger just a bit faster. In the end, we were even forced to hurt Harriet. Ellen seemed to have felt a lot of different emotions when she saw her classmates growing step by step using different methods from us. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± I took a deep breath. As someone who had gone through the same, I didn¡¯t want to say it¡­ ¡°Although what we experienced wasn¡¯t positive, let¡¯s try thinking positively.¡± ¡°Positive¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah, even though what we experienced was terrible, we can¡¯t say that the results are bad.¡± What Ellen needed was a cruel duality of things. I looked straight into Ellen¡¯s eyes, who seemed a little confused. ¡°We saved more than we killed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It was terrible, but definitely nothing we have to be ashamed of.¡± At least 50 people would have died if it wasn¡¯t for us. Although the experience was incredibly tough and terrible, it couldn¡¯t ever be called worthless. It seemed like Ellen was drowning herself in shame, thinking that our deeds were completely worthless. ¡°It might have been a mistake that we went to the Darklands, but we didn¡¯t make any mistakes while we were there.¡± We made the best choices we could while we were there. There was no reason to be hunted by shame and nightmares. ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded at Ellen¡¯s question. * * * The next day. We had a simple breakfast prepared by the servants. ¡°¡­What¡¯s with this atmosphere?¡± Liana tilted her head as she seemed to sense the slightly strained atmosphere. Harriet¡¯s expression was noticeably sad, and Ellen didn¡¯t really seem to react much, but she did stop eating her food. Harriet would usually just pout and go, ¡°Hmpf!¡±, she wasn¡¯t reacting like that, though. It was seriously hard to bear seeing her hurt. When she was really sad, Harriet wouldn¡¯t get mad. ¡ªShe would just internalize her pain. I came to know that fact all over again. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to Rajak today, but if you want to come with, you can. If you don¡¯t want to, you can just rest here.¡± I didn¡¯t really know what she was planning. I thought that it would be more annoying to go with her, so I decided to stay behind and rest. ¡°Ellen, come with me.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± For some reason, Liana seemed to want to take Ellen with her. ¡°Looking at your swimsuit is just unpleasant. We¡¯ll go buy a new one. I¡¯ll pay.¡± It seemed to have bothered her a lot seeing Ellen play around at the beach in a Temple swimsuit. No, was it really that unpleasant? Well, how could I understand the likes and dislikes of a Duchy¡¯s young lady? Ellen didn¡¯t seem to have any objections. No, but I also only brought a Temple swimsuit, you know? Why did she only want to buy something for Ellen? ¡°Hey, what about me?¡± ¡°Wow, are you seriously asking me to buy you something with such confidence? How about no?¡± ¡°Ah, fine.¡± Of course, I was only asking to ask; I didn¡¯t really want her to buy a swimsuit. Heinrich said that he would tag along, and Adelia also said she would go after some hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here.¡± ¡°Yeah, do that.¡± It seemed like Harriet wanted to rest in the mansion, not feeling like going anywhere. I thought about following after her, but looking at Harriet¡¯s expression, it seemed like she wanted to be left alone. I had to give her something, though. I didn¡¯t know if it would make her feel better. ¡°I want to stay here as well.¡± I decided to stay in the mansion, too. * * * Everyone left the mansion and headed towards Rajak. It seemed like they would be taking a carriage, as we were in a suburban area, so it was quite a distance away. Harriet and I were the only ones left in the mansion. -Knock, knock ¡°¡­What?¡± When I knocked on the door of Harriet¡¯s room, she opened it while wearing an incredibly depressed expression on her face. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Harriet came out of her room without saying even a single word. We went to the terrace at the end of the hallway where the guest rooms were located¡ªthe place where Ellen and I had talked the previous night. Harriet sat down on one of the chairs. Of course, it was daytime by then, so we were treated to a refreshing view quite different from the night view. ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± Harriet muttered with a melancholic look in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I was so worried about you guys. And yet you said something like I didn¡¯t need to know about these kinds of things¡­ It felt like you were saying that I wouldn¡¯t understand even if you told me about what happened¡­¡± Harriet clenched her little fists. ¡°That¡¯s why I feel so disappointed.¡± She had stayed up all night worrying about us and had even made some artifacts for us. As she knew that it was able to protect us, she was both worried and slightly excited to find out in what way it helped us. However, the only answer that came back was that she didn¡¯t have to know. She couldn¡¯t help but feel incredibly disappointed. Ellen felt guilty for being unable to tell her anything, so that was what caused that chilly atmosphere that morning. If one were to just leave them alone, it was pretty much clear that the funeral-house-like atmosphere would continue. ¡°We aren¡¯t dismissing you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Something hard to talk about. That¡¯s all.¡± Back in the Darklands, we had felt like we had to do something, as if someone was chasing after us. However, after we returned to a safe environment, we realized what we had done. Harriet looked at me, as I was speaking in a tone that I had never used before. I pulled something out of my pocket and placed it on the table. -Clunk It was a pair of earrings. ¡°What¡­ are those?¡± ¡°I picked these up on the way here.¡± (T/N: Korean pick-up line in the sense of I picked up my heart on the way to you.) ¡°¡­?¡± I just wanted to say something like that once, but Harriet didn¡¯t seem to understand. ¡°I got them while we were over there. You use them.¡± ¡°¡­What are they?¡± ¡°Earrings. Don¡¯t you even know that much?¡± They were useless to me. Ellen, who had an even stronger mentality than I¡ªwho was supported by Sacred Spirit¡ªalso had no use for them. I could sell them, but then I started to think about who would need them, and eventually, I came to a conclusion. ¡°I heard they are artifacts that have Tranquility magic enchanted on them. Neither Ellen nor I really need these, so I¡¯m giving them to you. If you could stay calm when using magic, you¡¯d have an easier time casting, right?¡± Harriet seemed quite bewildered at my words that the object before her was an artifact with a permanent enchantment engraved on it. Above all, she couldn¡¯t understand why I was giving it to her. ¡°Where¡­ Did you get these?¡± ¡°As I said, that¡¯s hard for me to talk about.¡± I smirked at her. ¡°Although this is kind of a bribe¡­ Please take this and let go.¡± ¡°However, to tell you one thing, I risked my life to get them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I didn¡¯t give her any details, but I managed to tell her that we only managed to get those after a lot of hard work¡ªsomething we risked our lives for. They fell into her hands. Harriet grabbed the earrings and just shook her head. ¡°I¡­ also wanted to be of help.¡± ¡°Your bracelets really helped.¡± ¡°¡­I also wanted to go with you.¡± Tears dripped on Harriet¡¯s hands as she looked down. ¡°But there was no way that they would let a kid like me go somewhere so dangerous. When I asked, I-I almost got in trouble¡­ Dad almost locked me up in my room in case I ran away. Only after Dad confirmed that you two were back¡­ was I able to leave my room.¡± Harriet wanted to goto the Darklands with us, but of course, her parents wouldn¡¯t allow something like that. So Harriet seemed to have been incarcerated, not spending a fun vacation. Only after it was confirmed that we had returned to Temple did the Grand Duke of Saint-Owan allow Harriet to go out. That was the decision the Grand Duke of Saint-Owan made. If Harriet had followed us, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to deal with those things. It was actually weirder that Ellen and I, who suffered from that much trauma, managed to hold on like we did. It wasn¡¯t that we treated her like a child. It would be weird for anyone to be able to handle something like that with ease, to begin with. ¡°Me too¡­ I¡¯m good with magic, I¡¯m better than anyone¡­ So¡­ Then¡­¡± Harriet was sobbing while clutching the earrings I gave her. ¡°Why was I not allowed to go with you guys?¡± Harriet seemed to feel frustrated all on her own because she thought she wasn¡¯t recognized as a proper wizard. It seemed that she thought that if she was able to play her role better than anyone else, then she would have been able to travel with us. Because her parents didn¡¯t recognize her abilities, and she herself knew that she wasn¡¯t good enough. ¡ªHarriet seemed to have felt deep disappointment during her vacations. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped this time, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She could already use more than enough practical magic. Her skills should have improved by a lot since the time we were on the uninhabited island. However, she only lacked cooperative abilities. If she wanted to, we could have gone together. However, there was still the question of whether she would be able to handle herself or not. If I ever decided to do something like that again, I had no intention of taking her with me. What Harriet seemed to need at that moment was that lie, however. ¡°Thank you¡­ Reinhardt.¡± Harriet didn¡¯t ask any more questions about what we went through. ¡°I¡¯ll cherish them.¡± She was crying while clutching her earrings. ____ Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Harriet seemed to be more sad than angry because she was unable to help us. She was dismissed by her family because she was still a kid, but she felt even more sad because even we seemed to dismiss her. So what she felt was slightly different from being angry. Eventually, Harriet seemed to feel better because of my words that time around. She and I talked a bit more on the terrace. Harriet wore the pair of earrings I had given her¡ªthey weren¡¯t that fancy; they were simple button-type earrings with an emerald half the size of a baby¡¯s fingernail embedded in them. They didn¡¯t really stand out much, so they felt just right as jewelry for a girl. ¡°Th-this¡­ Thanks¡­ I feel a little weird.¡± The corners of Harriet¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. She had a slightly blank look in her eyes. ¡°What do you mean, weird?¡± ¡°How should I describe it¡­ If I had to put it into words¡­ I feel a little nauseous¡­?¡± I definitely felt that it was a magical artifact, but it seemed like she felt a little weird because the tranquilizing magic was stabilizing her mind. Was it because the spell kind of forced Harriet, who had always been rather high strung, to seem more like Ellen? That might actually feel really strange to her. I believd one could think of those earrings as an automatic tranquilizer administrator. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wear them all the time, got it? Only when it¡¯s necessary.¡± ¡°O-okay¡­ Sorry.¡± I gave them to her as a gift, but she felt sorry that she couldn¡¯t wear them all the time. No, I actually gave them to her while thinking that she should only wear them when it was absolutely necessary. ¡°But I don¡¯t know how valuable these things are, so just how rare were these things? If it¡¯s your family, you probably have a warehouse full of much better items, right?¡± That was what I was worried about before giving her that gift. The Duchy of Saint-Owan was a territory famous for its magic. The Grand Duke of Saint Owan, whom I had seen before, was an Archmage, so there was a good chance that there were hundreds of better magic artifacts in their warehouse, even if Harriet would hang onto my gift. So I was debating whether I should give the earrings to her or not. However, I felt a lot better after giving them to her. Harriet took off the weird earrings and held them to her chest, thinking for a moment. ¡°There are three main categories for determining the rarity and price of magical artifacts. One: the number of uses. Two: what type of magic it could evoke. And three: the object that got enchanted.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah. A single-use magic scroll is also deemed as a magic artifact, you know?¡± Magic scrolls were disposable items. Harriet told me to wait for a moment and then went into her room, bringing something back with her¡ªit was a wand about thirty centimeters long. ¡°What¡¯s that? A magic wand or something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a self-defense weapon. I took it with me in case something unexpected happened. There are usually two types of magic wands and staffs. Some help to stabilize or control the user¡¯s mana flow, and others are charged with magic spells. The difference between those and magic scrolls is that only people who know how to use magic can use them.¡± A wand or staff might help one in the use of magic or may be charged with magic spells. ¡°There are ten charges of Chain Lightning stored in here.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a lot more valuable than a scroll, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. In some cases, these items become useless as soon as the number of spells stored in them had been used up, and there are some that can be recharged. Of course, the rechargeable kind is more difficult and expensive to make. This one¡¯s a rechargeable artifact.¡± Using that artifact enabled one to use the high-ranking destruction magic spell called Chain Lightning 10 times, and one could recharge it¡ªit probably was a very powerful magic artifact. ¡­There was a reason that she felt so confident in being able to follow us, as she had something like that she could place her trust in. ¡°However, there are exceptions. These earrings are a little similar to my wand. The magic spell was permanently engraved into the artifact itself, so if you pour in your own magical power, the magic spell imprinted on it gets activated.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°These types are the rarest. Because one could cast the engraved spell directly without having to cast it. Things like these are incredibly rare. As far as I know, it takes every technology and practice I know of to make something like these earrings.¡± In other words, artifacts with permanently imprinted magic spells were incredibly rare. I realized then what a ridiculous item the Flame of Tuesday hanging around my neck was. Even a wand or staff with a single spell permanently engraved in it was treated as an ancient relic, but to use the Flame of Tuesday, one didn¡¯t even need to be a wizard¡ªit could create fire just by one¡¯s will. It was an item that enabled one to use one type of element and not only one type of spell. I already thought it was a great treasure, but hearing those things from Harriet made me realize just how powerful a magical artifact it was. It was probably one of the greatest treasures one could find on the continent. ¡°However, that¡¯s only the case for destruction magic. Things like defensive and support magic are often engraved permanently. Engraving destruction magic that can be triggered is really difficult after all.¡± Harriet showed me the earrings I had given her, holding them between her index finger and her thumb. ¡°They are small.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s easy to permanently engrave spells on such small objects? It¡¯s not even a low-level spell like Lightweight¡ªit¡¯s a spell to stabilize one¡¯s mind. Although Tranquility isn¡¯t a spell of the highest order, it¡¯s a mid-to-high-ranking mental spell. Just by wearing these little things on one¡¯s ears, one could enjoy their effects. It couldn¡¯t have been easy to make these.¡± The third way to determine the rarity of a magical artifact was to look at the item itself. In other words, the size mattered. Large items such as armor and swords were easy to enchant. However, in the case of ornaments and jewelry, it seemed like a very high level of skill was required to enchant them. And the earrings I had given Harriet were half the size of a baby¡¯s fingernail. ¡°So¡­ they are very valuable..¡± Harriet looked at me and smiled. There was only one reason why Harriet would give me such a long explanation to my question of how valuable they were. ¡°Thank you, Reinhardt.¡± She was trying to explain to me the worth of my gift that I was completely oblivious about and thank me. ¡°Erm¡­ esteemed guests?¡± And as we were chatting away on the terrace, someone suddenly came to us. It was the mansion¡¯s head maid. ¡°What?¡± In response to my words, she muttered something in a slightly perplexed tone of voice. ¡°There¡­ There has been a problem.¡± ¡°A problem?¡± ¡°¡­The young lady left her wallet behind.¡± ¡®Ah. That clutz idiot.¡¯ She would forget her own head if it wasn¡¯t attached. * * * Being a clutz idiot was a bit different from being an idiot. Although one seemed to be doing quite well for themselves, one would make unexpected mistakes at weird times. That was what applied to Liana de Grantz. She planned and prepared everything before she left to shop, but when she arrived and wanted to pay for something¡­ she couldn¡¯t seem to find where she put her wallet. That was what kind of situation she was in. The servants probably were incredibly surprised when they saw a bag of gold coins just lying on Liana¡¯s bedside table when they were cleaning her room. Of course, since she was a great noble, her name held more than enough credits, so she could just act like that with Duke Grantz as her shield. However, that wasn¡¯t the Imperial Capital. Even though she was a noble, I wasn¡¯t sure if the prestige of Duke Grantz would suffice on those distant southern islands across the sea. She didn¡¯t even take any attendants, except one coachman, with her. ¡°¡­Adelia didn¡¯t take her wallet with her either.¡± ¡°¡­I think the same goes for Ellen.¡± We looked through everyone¡¯s luggage. While we couldn¡¯t confirm whether Heinrich took some with him or not, we ascertained that Adelia and Ellen didn¡¯t take any money with them. Although we were sure, we didn¡¯t believe that Heinrich actually took it with him. He didn¡¯t go with them to buy something. He just wanted to follow Liana. Duke Grantz¡¯s wizard could teleport those things to them, but the guy seemed to be busy until the day we would return to Temple¡ªthat seemed to be the reason why the servants tried asking us, as they didn¡¯t have much of a choice. At that rate, something like the Grand Duchy¡¯s young lady, excited to treat her friends to something, unable to pay for anything because she stupidly forgot her money, would happen. They would have to wash dishes because they didn¡¯t have enough money after eating¡ªthat would be a huge disgrace. ¡°Well¡­ Now that I think of it, they should have already reached Rajak, so how are we even going to get there if we wanted to take their wallets to them?¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be better to wait for them to come back after they were done with whatever they were doing? I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be able to find them if we just went there. Harriet nodded silently. ¡°Did one of them take their student ID with them?¡± What Harriet said, that one of them might have taken their student ID with them, was quite plausible. Well, although Ellen might not have taken it with her, one of the others might have. Our Temple student ID could be treated as a regular ID card. One never knew when one might need something like that. ¡°Can you locate their student IDs?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Harriet nodded her head. ¡°I now know how to access the tracking magic placed on the student IDs.¡± That seemed to be a result of my sudden disappearance a while back. During that incident, Harriet seemed to have studied how to access the tracking magic placed on our student IDs. Of course, I had actually artificially blocked the spell at that time. How should I put it? I felt proud, sad, and grateful. That was it. * * * The servant requested our help as if grasping at straws in case that girl would suffer from humiliation, but that somehow seemed to have been the correct decision. Harriet and I borrowed a horse from the mansion to catch up to them as fast as possible ¡°¡­Do you know how to ride a horse?¡± ¡°¡­I learned how to do it a while ago.¡± Harriet¡¯s eyes widened at the fact that I knew how to ride a horse. Obviously, Harriet knew how to do it, as it was a basic skill for any great noble. Of course, it would have been a rather big problem if we fell off the horse while in a hurry to get to Rajak, so Harriet and I only rode at a slightly faster pace. We weren¡¯t too far away from Rajak. We also rode a horse there, so, soon we reached the outskirts of the city where horses and wagons were placed. ¡°Look, that carriage¡­ It has Duke Grantz¡¯s crest.¡± We left our horse with the waiting coachman and entered the city of Rajak. ¡°¡­This feels like a port city.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Although the sea was pretty far from the place, I could still smell the scent of the sea wafting over it. However, the smell was more refreshing than unpleasantly fishy. Rajak was a very busy city, however not as much as the Capital. Placed on a hilltop and a steep cliff some distance away, I could see a building that seemed to be the Royal Castle of the Edina Kingdom. When we went into the city, it went slightly downhill, like a slope, giving us a panoramic view of the city. There were numerous ships coming and going at the great harbor and docks. ¡°This place hasn¡¯t implemented Warp Gates yet.¡± Harriet was staring at the moving ships in amazement. Due to the Warp Gate technology, trade routes had been drastically shortened, so that way of transportation seemed to be a thing of the past. Overall, there were many white buildings, so the city looked rather clean than eye-catching. I could see then why Liana said that the place was only a lesser-known tourist destination. Looking at those huge ships sailing back and forth in the transparent sea made me feel kind of good for some reason. The port town was like out of a painting, not dirty or filled with an oily and watery smell about it. ¡°Let¡¯s go look for those guys.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Harriet closed her eyes and fell silent for a short moment as she casted the tracking magic. After some time, Harriet opened her eyes again. ¡°Uhm, over there.¡± Harriet pointed her finger in one direction, but I couldn¡¯t quite tell where exactly she was pointing. Harriet took the lead, and I followed after her. ¡±Magic really is fascinating.¡± Harriet wore a strange smile as we walked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°To be honest, I learned that student ID tracking magic because of what happened last time¡­ However, even if it¡¯s not you, someone might disappear again, so that¡¯s why I tried hard to learn this.¡± It seemed that Harriet studied such magic because she held regrets like, ¡°I wish I knew more, I wish I knew magic that I could have used in that situation.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m using this spell just to return someone¡¯s money bag¡­¡± She had studied that spell in case someone went missing again, but she would have never imagined that her first application for it was to return a friend¡¯s money bag to them. She ended up using it in a way completely different from its original purpose. Harriet found that quite curious. ¡°Well, the same happened with the underwater breathing spell as well.¡± ¡°So you just learn some magic because you think it¡¯s interesting and just use it right away, huh?¡± She would completely skip all the middle steps. If you want to learn a spell, just learn it. What¡¯s so hard about it? I wasn¡¯t a magic major, but I had a feeling that if her major classmates heard her talking like that, they might hit her. A genius was still a genius. ¡°Well, I always said that I was smart. Why are you acting as if you just found that out?¡± ¡°When did I ever say that you weren¡¯t smart? I just said that you¡¯re a bit of an idiot.¡± ¡°There it is! Y-y-you called me i-idiot again!¡± Harriet blushed as she complained to me. I liked that girl¡¯s tension way better. It had been a long time since I saw her angry, so I instantly felt better. Ah. It seemed like I really was a sadist. Only limited to her, through. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s hurry up and find the others, idiot.¡± ¡°Are you doing this on purpose to make me angry when I was just about to forget about that?! You act all nice to me, but you always do this to me! It always ends up like this!¡± Sorry. To be honest, it felt like I was doing a daily quest. I didn¡¯t really have to do it, but if I broke my chain, I would feel kind of upset. ¡°How did you know? Rather, why did you notice that only now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so annoying!¡± -Hit! She huffed and clenched her fist in anger, then hit my chest. ¡°What? Did you hit me just now?¡± ¡°And you¡¯re not even hurt! My hand hurts even more!¡± The situation was rather embarrassing, as I couldn¡¯t even feel that punch of hers. * * * Just where were those kids, and what were they doing? After we wandered around the city for quite a long time, Harriet suddenly sighed. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°¡­This situation seems to be more complicated than we expected.¡± Well, there might be more to it than we first thought, but how did she know that something was clearly amiss? ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Their location hasn¡¯t changed. They are still in the same place.¡± I believed that I vaguely knew what she was talking about. The location of the others Harriet sensed was exactly the same even after we walked around for such a long time¡ªthat was why we could make some guesses. Maybe they were stranded somewhere, or maybe they realized that they didn¡¯t have any money on them. That would mean that Heinrich, our last hope, didn¡¯t have any money on him either. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. It¡¯s over that way.¡± The place Harriet was pointing towards was a pretty big restaurant. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Harriet and I entered the restaurant where the traces of the others had led. As soon as we entered, four people who were sitting before a table with a huge amount of emptied plates, seeming unable to leave, caught our eye. It was just as Harriet predicted. ¡°Hey, those idiots are really here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me an idi¡ª! Ah. U-urg¡­¡± I didn¡¯t refer to her that time, but she still reacted to the word on reflex, her face turning completely red. Every time she heard the word ¡°Idiot¡±, she would think that I was calling her. I had trained her so well. Heinrich, Ellen, Liana, and Adelia, who went there without any gold, were all staring blankly at the two of us. ¡°There¡¯s a limit to how careless one could be. You completely forgot to bring any money on a shopping trip? Should I also call you an idiot?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot!¡± -Shove Liana opened her mouth wide as she looked at the gold coin pouch right in front of her. * * * Before starting their shopping spree for real, it seemed like Liana wanted to have something to eat first, telling the others that there was a really delicious restaurant in Rajak. She knew that Ellen always ate a lot, so she ordered many different dishes from the menu, and just when they were about to leave after eating their fill, she realized that none of them brought any money with them. And as I expected, it seemed like Liana making a fuss about being the daughter of Duke Grantz didn¡¯t work. So all of them just sat back down, staring blankly and thinking about how to overcome the situation. That was when Harriet and I had appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Student ID tracking?¡± When Liana asked how we were to find them right away, Harriet provided an answer. Adelia looked a little surprised that she actually studied such a spell. ¡°When did you learn that again?¡± ¡°I just learned it on the side.¡± Adelia studied magic that would earn her money, but Harriet studied magic that caught her interest. She felt like she lost against her again that day. Just talking with Harriet normally made Adelia feel inferior. Ellen¡¯s eyes met mine. Harriet seemed to be feeling better, so she seemed to be curious about the reason behind the change. I just gave her a slight shrug. I couldn¡¯t really tell her the truth right then. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m glad¡­ Thank you, you two.¡± Liana sighed in relief. Heinrich didn¡¯t look very pleased for some reason. Honestly speaking, it was Harriet who played the biggest role there, so I wondered if I really helped her. Liana just said, ¡°Whatever.¡± as she looked at me. ¡°Hey, you worked hard, so I¡¯ll buy you a swimsuit as well.¡± ¡°¡­So, you think I came all the way here just to get you to buy me a swimsuit? I only had 100 percent, absolutely, perfectly, pure and good intentions here, you know?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re capable of something like that? You didn¡¯t do this for some kind of reward?¡± Liana made an overly surprised gesture as if she never expected me to do something like that. ¡°Even if I¡¯m a beggar, I¡¯m not that much of a jerk, ya know?¡± ¡°Oh, but I do know that. You have some kind of conscience, after all, right?¡± ¡°¡­I shouldn¡¯t go against you, huh?¡± What was the difference between Harriet and her? Any provocation I sent her way never really struck a nerve, and¡ªquite the contrary¡ªI always end up with a slap to the face. Their conversational skills were just on completely different levels. As I shut my mouth as if fed up with her bullshit, Harriet stared at Liana with admiration etched into her face. ¡°Liana, just what is your secret?¡± ¡°¡­My secret?¡± ¡°Only you are able to make that guy shut up like this. Just how are you doing it?¡± ¡°If you wanna talk about that shit, how about doing it somewhere, where I can¡¯t hear you, huh?¡± ¡°Oh, stop being noisy.¡± ¡°He pretends to be all crazy, but he actually isn¡¯t that crazy, you know? Just act boldly.¡± ¡°So you just let me hear everything.¡± ¡°Bold¡­ Boldly?¡± Harriet tilted her head and seemed to recall the previous day¡¯s occurrence. Oh, touch it¡­ if you can. That was probably what she was thinking about. Harriet then gazed at me, giving me a meaningful look. ¡°¡­Hey, there¡¯s this thing called personality, you know?¡± ¡°What? Pe-Personality?¡± ¡°Yeah, I might not be able to do anything against her, but things are different for you.¡± It wasn¡¯t about what one said, it was about who said it. No matter how much she learned from her, she would never be another Liana de Grantz. She was Harriet de Saint-Owan, so the results might be completely different. Even if two different people said the same old joke, some would make it fall flat, and others would get reactions like, ¡°Wahaha, you¡¯re such a witty guy and so eloquent!¡± That was just how it was! Even though it was the same joke, there would be so many different reactions depending on who said it! Isn¡¯t that just unfair? It¡¯s not like I experienced that or anything. ¡°I have no idea what bold action you¡¯re thinking of doing, but I advise you to just behave. Because I might make you hate me for real.¡± As I smiled with quite the creepy expression on my face, Harriet¡¯s face began to blanch. I can¡¯t do anything to Liana, but to you? What do you think I¡¯ll do to you, huh? Harriet seemed to imagine quite a few things in her head. ¡°Wha¡­ Wha-what. Y-you pervert! D-don¡¯t come closer, you crazy pervert!¡± Harriet¡¯s face turned red, and she covered her chest as she screamed. No, I didn¡¯t actually say anything about that kind of stuff, you know? Why was she making a fuss all on her own? ¡°What kind of bold thing were you thinking of doing for you to react like that?¡± ¡°N-no! No-nothing really. I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± ¡°Then why did you call me a pervert?¡± ¡°I-I¡­ I don¡¯t know!¡± No matter how much Liana taught her, it wouldn¡¯t change anything. Her and my personalities just perfectly complemented each other. Anyway, they received their money, so they ended up shopping for swimsuits, which was their original purpose. By the way¡­ I really don¡¯t think that the actual Middle Ages have anything to do with Medieval Fantasy, but wasn¡¯t that just too much? There were specialized swimwear stores, and I couldn¡¯t even tell the difference between the fabric they used and the fabric we used in modern times, you know? I knew synthetic fibers and modern clothing were also pretty blatant, but what the fuck? Well¡­ What should one call this world, which had a lot more modern aspects than medieval ones? What kind of crazy world did I create? As I thought, my conclusion was still the same. If I thought any more about that, I¡¯d lose. There were swimwear stores. And we were there to buy a swimsuit. Anything else didn¡¯t matter! Our purpose was to buy a swimsuit for Ellen, but Liana also tried some on while looking for one for Ellen to see if she saw one she wanted to buy for herself. ¡°How is it?¡± When she tried on a swimsuit, she would ask me and the others for our opinion. ¡°Uhm, that¡¯s¡­ Erm, very¡­ I think it suits you very well.¡± ¡°Look properly and tell me. How can you even know that it looks on me when you aren¡¯t even looking?¡± Heinrich stumbled over his words, telling her she looked good even though he didn¡¯t manage to look at her. The cold sweat rolling down his face increased even more after he was to look at her properly first before opening his mouth. After hearing Heinrich¡¯s reply, Liana looked at me next. ¡°Hey, look at me.¡± ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t even try to look, did you?¡± ¡°Well, what clothes wouldn¡¯t look good on the beautiful and noble young lady Grantz?¡± ¡°Are you trying to piss me off?¡± I looked elsewhere and answered quite half-heartedly, so Liana just asked the other kids if the swimsuit looked good on her. Ellen would just wear whatever Liana picked for her, no matter what it looked like. ¡°¡­¡± It seemed that she didn¡¯t feel any way about what she was wearing as she looked in the mirror. Of course, our young lady Grantz was obviously superior in height and style, but Ellen couldn¡¯t just be dismissed either. Adelia and Harriet were looking at her in a bikini. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°I-I should also¡­ exercise more¡­¡± Both were looking at her with clear envy in their eyes. She was wearing a basic black bikini. ¡°It suits you.¡± I couldn¡¯t look at her for long because I started feeling strange. It wasn¡¯t that I liked her, more like I felt guilty? So I just said that it looked good on her, which was the truth. After that, Ellen looked at herself in the mirror for quite some time. * * * Liana and Ellen changed into a lot of different swimsuits as if they wouldn¡¯t get tired from trying on every single one in the store. Adelia and Harriet also looked around for one they might take a fancy on. Of course, I also chose something for myself, though I just picked some swimming trunks that seemed to fit properly, although I didn¡¯t try them on. ¡°Can you only buy one after you tried on dozens first?¡± I really hated shopping for extended periods of time! If you just walked around for two hours going from store to store only to realize that you liked the one you saw first, you¡¯d feel like you wasted a ton of time. Although this was like some kind of modern medieval fantasy, there was no need for something like that, so why was it still like that? Liana tilted her head as if she didn¡¯t know what I was talking about. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®buy one¡¯?¡± Liana pointed to the stack of swimsuits she had tried on. ¡°I¡¯ll buy all of them.¡± Ah. The Duke of Grantz, who had mansions all over the continent, was well aware of the young lady¡¯s spending. * * * In the end, both Ellen and Liana bought a lot of swimsuits. ¡°What if something you bought now doesn¡¯t fit you anymore later on¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just buy new ones.¡± ¡°I see.¡± What if it didn¡¯t fit anymore? Just throw all of them away and buy new ones. Rich people really were on a completely different level with a completely different way of thinking. Because we finished our errand, we could go back to the mansion and play around again, whether we¡¯d be swimming or resting. Liana was on an outing with her friends, so it was somewhat understandable that she didn¡¯t bring one of her attendants along. She might have thought that Adelia would feel out of place. So, both Ellen and Liana were carrying their own full shopping bags. Ellen was a complete monster, so she wasn¡¯t really struggling with carrying all that stuff. ¡°It¡¯s good that you have enough money to live the way you do, and yet you didn¡¯t even think of taking it with you?¡± ¡°¡­I know.¡± A clumsy beauty. She was always messing up something in some way. ¡°Give it here.¡± I took half of Liana¡¯s luggage. If we were talking about strength, I was second after Ellen there. When I just took half of her stuff, Liana stared at me and held out the rest of it. ¡°Girl.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll take it!¡± ¡°Huh¡­ Sure. Thanks.¡± In the end, Heinrich von Schwarz took the rest. Of course, Harriet, Adelia, and Liana split up again as I was wondering just how little strength she actually had. I felt a small amount of pity for her as we followed them. In fact, they bought quite a lot of things. As we were trying to get out of Rajak, I overheard some people making a lot of noise in the crowd. -Why did you drink so much in the middle of the day!? Huh? -I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m alright¡­! Yeah! -Have you been to the bar of that bitch Airi or something again?! I just don¡¯t get it! -I¡¯m not¡­! Urg, drunk. -You¡¯re going to ruin your whole home, you idiot! Only drinking and not working! What could I say? Although I didn¡¯t run into Airi, I sure could hear her name floating around everywhere. Her liquor business was going so well that she was even getting customers in the middle of the day. -Clank! -I¡¯m going to find that fox bitch and kill her! That was¡­ I heard stories about households being led to ruin everywhere. She was doing fine, right? She wanted to make a lot of money, and she actually managed to do just that. Making a lot of money was good and all, but if things kept going like that, wouldn¡¯t she end up stabbed in some alley? Of course, she had told me that she was confident in her strength and skills. ¡®Since I had a lot of free time on hand, maybe I should just go to Rajak on my own and visit her.¡¯ With those thoughts, I left Rajak. * * * After returning to the villa, We went to the beach like before. Ellen and Liana wore their new swimsuits and played on the beach like before as well, although they decided not to explore the underwater world. I lay on a sunbed and watched them from afar. I didn¡¯t really feel like going into the water that day. ¡ªAdelia, Ellen, Harriet, and Liana. I drank something as I watched the four of them having fun. Harriet seemed to be in a much better mood than the day before, so all was good. I just sat back and blankly watched the scenery. I was thinking about just working out. However, it was quite funny for me to work out there when I planned on thoroughly resting. ¡°Hey.¡± Heinrich von Schwarz called out to me. ¡°Huh, what?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to play?¡± That guy was wearing his swimsuit as well as a shirt. Of course, I didn¡¯t wear my swimsuit because I didn¡¯t intend to go swimming. ¡°Not today, at least.¡° ¡°¡­Really?¡± Was it too much for him to be all alone with the girls? He just stood beside me and murmured quietly. ¡°Did¡­ Did really nothing happen in the Darklands?¡± ¡°Yeah, I said so, right?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the Darklands. Isn¡¯t it dangerous?¡± He seemed to be wondering if I just didn¡¯t want to talk about what happened in the Darklands or if really nothing happened. ¡°¡­If you didn¡¯t plan on going anywhere dangerous, why did you go there in the first place?¡± Hmm. Why was he asking me that? ¡°Did you want me to gamble away my life? We just thought it would be better to be careful.¡± No matter what I said, it would only be lies anyway, so I felt too lazy to even think about it properly. I didn¡¯t care what that guy thought of me. ¡°So, you were making a huge deal of going to the Darklands, but acted like a coward and didn¡¯t do anything there?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I glanced at Heinrich. He seemed a little dazed when I looked at him. ¡°Oh, well.¡± ¡°Hah, if it were me, I would¡¯ve at least taken a Goblin¡¯s head with me.¡± ¡°And how do you think you¡¯d do that?¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m not the same I was before.¡± ¨CFuooosh! After concentrating for a bit, a fire was lit in the middle of the sand. I didn¡¯t want to pay him any attention, but it seemed like his activation speed and level of control had risen considerably since that one night I saw him practice. It seemed like he had put a lot of effort into his ability. ¡°I see. You must have worked really hard.¡± Heinrich seemed a little taken aback by my casual reaction. Perhaps he was hoping that I would be a little more surprised. It seemed like he wanted me to be envious or something like that. However, I could already do what Heinrich just showed me with the Flame of Tuesday. Even if I didn¡¯t have the Flame of Tuesday, I would have no reason to react strongly. My ability was my ability, and his ability was his ability. ¡°So, you finally realized that it would do you no good to argue with me like before.¡± With that, the boy walked towards the beach with a grin on his face. There were a few things I wanted to hurl at his turned head. Want me to wipe the floor with you? Why the fuck are you trying to build some kind of rival relationship with me? If it were the past me, I would have hit him right away, but I didn¡¯t really want to. I felt too tired already to get angry over such trivial disputes. I felt like my mentality had reached the next level. * * * After swimming, everyone washed up and had some dinner. They didn¡¯t look as tired because they didn¡¯t decide to swim all day as they did previously. However, all of them seemed to plan on going to bed early because they wanted to be up early the next day. ¡°Will you be okay?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ellen was also plagued by nightmares the night before. I asked her because there was no guarantee that she would have such dreams again, but Ellen just vaguely nodded her head. By the way, there was still a lot of time left, so I was thinking of going back to Rajak to meet Airi, but I would have to tell the others that I¡¯d go on my own. I thought about it before going to sleep, and right before I slipped into unconsciousness¡­ -Knock, knock Someone knocked on my door. I thought it was Ellen, so I went to see, but it was actually Liana. ¡°Come out.¡± ¡°¡­Why so suddenly?¡± ¡°Just come out.¡± What did she want from me in the middle of the night? Liana grinned at me. ¡°One should have a drink on nights like these, you punk.¡± ¡®Ah.¡¯ ¡®Big sis.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re the best, big sis!¡¯ ____ Chapter 177 Chapter 177 The place where Liana took me was the largest room in the mansion. Only illuminated by a single weak light, the room was filled with a soft yellow light. It wasn¡¯t only me; the others were also sitting around the table or on the sofa in the room. I was the last to arrive. And there on the table were ice buckets filled with unnamed bottles. ¡°¡­Wow.¡± ¡°If the servants saw us drinking, they would make a fuss, so I waited until they went to their accommodations.¡± I had arrived as fast as lightning because I heard there¡¯d be alcohol. The situation was like some kids secretly drinking some alcohol on a field trip. It was something very common, but it actually happened in this world, so it felt kind of weird. Just how much was this world mixed with our modern one? Although it was still a bit different. because the alcohol on the table wasn¡¯t soju, but some liquor with high alcohol content. By the way, I wasn¡¯t actually sure if minors were allowed to drink stuff like that in this world. Harriet¡¯s expression showed some slight excitement, and so did Heinrich¡¯s and Adelia¡¯s. ¡°Have you drunk before?¡± ¡°Yeah, not much, though.¡± I nodded my head at Liana¡¯s question. Ellen just sat still. It seemed that Liana actually ate and drank a lot of things in secret. Wasn¡¯t she a complete problem child? She was even trying to make her classmates drink alcohol. The more I got to know about her, the more surprised I was. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to drink, no one will force you.¡± Liana skillfully opened one of the bottles and poured its content into each of our cups. Then she put some ice in them. ¡°B-but¡­ What if we get in trouble?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never drunk before¡­¡± Harriet and Adelia looked a bit nervous and scared. ¡°Who¡¯s gonna scold you? Just do it once and you¡¯ll see.¡± She was someone who would be forgiven, no matter what she did wrong. Ellen stared at the golden liquid in her cup. Come to think of it, back when we were in the Darklands, Ellen had told me that if I were to drink, she wanted to drink together with me, so she was probably curious about it. However, it felt like that promise would get fulfilled in a very different setting. Heinrich was looking at the alcohol in his glass with some nervousness apparent on his face. I wasn¡¯t really worried. I immediately downed the whiskey in my glass. ¡°Kuaah¡­ That is it.¡± I had no reason to refuse the drink, as I had already decided to play around there anyway. Everyone was staring at me blankly as I drank the stuff without hesitation. That hot sensation down my throat¡­ That was it. It has been so long that I had almost forgotten how it felt. ¡°W-well¡­ Th-then me, too!¡± Heinrich stared at his glass and then drank it as if he had made up his mind. ¡°Cough, cough, cough!¡± Then he coughed multiple times, seeming as if he had choked. ¡°Haaah¡­ Haaah¡­ M-my throat feels like it¡¯s burning up.¡± Liana, who patted Heinrich on his back for a bit, sighed. One had to be prepared for what one poured down one¡¯s throat, or else one¡¯s body would just reject it, you idiot. ¡°This isn¡¯t a drink you can drink in one shot. That guy¡¯s just weird.¡± Liana warned Heinrich not to follow my example because I was being weird by drinking it like a shot. Adelia and Harriet tilted their heads and drank a bit of the whisky by sticking their tongues into their glasses. ¡°Bitter!¡± ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Ellen also took a sip before she slightly narrowed her brows. ¡°Bitter.¡± Yeah, what did those guys even know about the taste of alcohol? Liana seemed to have expected that they would react like that, so she uncorked another bottle. ¡°Then you guys should drink sweet ones.¡± Liana, who seemed to prefer sweet liquors, poured some into those three¡¯s glasses and her own. After seeing her differentiating the alcohol like that, she couldn¡¯t have just drunk one or two bottles, could she? She left Temple every weekend to return to Duke Grantz¡¯s mansion in the Capital. Could it be that she didn¡¯t do that because she felt more comfortable at home but because she couldn¡¯t drink in Temple? After all three of them drank the sweet wine, they nodded. ¡°Woow, this is delicious.¡± Harriet. ¡°Yes¡­ It¡¯s sweet.¡± Adelia. ¡°This is okay.¡± And Ellen¡¯s reaction. ¡°Is that so? Then you can just drink this.¡± Liana looked at me, grabbed a bottle, and giggled. ¡°You don¡¯t like sweet things, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± She seemed to have remembered the time when we went to the dessert cafe and I had mentioned that. Of course, I could clearly see Heinrich¡¯s eyebrows narrow a bit when he heard that. ¡°How about you, Heinrich? Want some of this, too? If it¡¯s too strong¡­¡± ¡°¡­No, I¡¯ll stick with this.¡± Liana probably had no idea that Heinrich was actually interested in her, so she probably didn¡¯t realize that her words were provoking him quite a bit, either. Why was he always trying to compete with me? That brat. Of course, I knew that he didn¡¯t want to appear weak before the girl he was interested in. ¡®I¡¯m not your rival or something, you bastard.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t really tell him that, so I just sat back and watched. * * * Liana, Heinrich, and I had whiskey. Ellen, Harriet, and Adelia drank the sweet wine. We had chocolate and cheese as snacks. As that was the first time for most of them, everyone just casually drank a glass or two. However, usually in those cases, one suddenly started thinking something like: Huh? This is delicious, isn¡¯t it? And I¡¯m not even drunk! Then, all of a sudden, one would wake up to an unfamiliar ceiling. ¡°H-hey. That¡¯s not juice. Drink it slowly. Then you¡¯ll get a bit tipsy.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Listen, the feeling of drunkenness only comes after some time. So drink slowly, Ellen.¡± ¡°Okay. Understood.¡± Ellen kept on gulping down glasses of wine like grape juice, so she had to be extra careful. Harriet and Adelia, who did the same as Ellen, began to restrain themselves at my words. ¡°But I sure wonder what Ellen would be like when drunk.¡± Liana stared at Ellen with a subtle smile on her lips. I was definitely curious about what she¡¯d be like. Would she talk a lot more? She might just fall asleep as well. One wouldn¡¯t know how one would act while drunk if one hadn¡¯t been drunk before. ¡°By the way, what are you all planning on doing next semester? Like classes.¡± Liana asked us what our plans would be for the next semester. So far, we hadn¡¯t really talked that much with each other, as we were too busy playing around. So the only time we actually got to have a proper conversation was at that drinking party orchestrated by Liana. ¡°Well¡­ I think things will be pretty similar to the first semester for me. I mostly attend magic classes¡­ I think Adelia is in almost all of them as well. If anything¡­ I might take more classes on alchemy this time around.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ My plans are pretty much similar to Harriet¡¯s.¡± Those two were the only ones in Class A who majored in magic, so it seemed like they planned on sticking together, even throughout the second semester. Next, her eyes turned to me. ¡°Why would I do anything differently? Supernatural power training, meditation, and magic sensitivity training are more or less mandatory. Swordsmanship¡­ I can¡¯t really think of anything else.¡± I thought about taking the same swordsmanship class as Ellen. It was more than obvious that I would have supernatural power training with Heinrich and Liana. The bigger picture didn¡¯t change, after all. Ellen seemed to ponder for a moment. ¡°I probably won¡¯t do anything different either. If I had to say something¡­ Maybe a Demon Ecology class.¡± ¡°¡­Demon Ecology?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen probably realized when she dealt with the zombies that she had no prior knowledge about them, so it seemed like she wanted to learn more in case she ever came across beings she didn¡¯t know again. Well¡­ Right. Actually, when I thought about it, I would probably have to learn those things the most. I might have to take that class with Ellen as well. ¡°Hmm¡­ Demon Ecology. That sounds interesting. Should I take it too?¡± Liana also seemed interested in that Demon Ecology class. ¡°By the way, why would you want to take a class on Demons when we won¡¯t ever meet¡­ Ah.¡± Harriet immediately shut her mouth as she was posing the fundamental question of why she would want to pick a class like Demon Ecology in the first place. Something had happened in the Darklands. Something we couldn¡¯t tell her. She thought that this was the reason, so she stopped asking. Ellen¡¯s expression darkened as she realized that she had made a slight mistake and let something slip. When the mood got a little weird, Liana raised her glass. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned classes while we still have vacation, so let¡¯s just drink.¡± When at a drinking party, one could just drink when the atmosphere got a bit awkward. Was she really a high school student? Wasn¡¯t she actually someone possessing the soul of someone in their thirties or forties? We chatted away about various things in that room illuminated by a dim yellow light. * * * ¡°Come to think of it, there¡¯ll be a festival in our second semester.¡± That was a standard development in stories of the school life genre. In Summer, it would be the sea. In Winter, it would be hot springs. ¡ªAnd school festivals. School life had gotten a bit boring lately, but I definitely put in something that would make one sad if they missed it. Therefore, the Temple Festival, which more than 100,000 people attended, was very grand. ¡°Umm¡­ But as far as I know, the Royal Class wouldn¡¯t just enjoy the festival¡­ I heard¡­¡± Harriet spoke a bit hesitantly. Liana nodded her head. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯ll be a battle.¡± A competition. ¡°With the Orbis class?¡± There were two special classes in Temple. ¡ªThe Royal Class for talent, and the Orbis class for skill. The Orbis class and Royal class would have a friendly match during the festival. That was actually one of the main events of the Temple Festival. In the original, there was a fierce rivalry between Class A and B within Royal Class, and outside of the class, it would be with the Orbis Class. Those were the two types of rivals found in the novel. So, in the first semester, Class A was introduced as the rival, and in the second semester, a new rivaling party called the Orbis class was introduced through the Festival. To tell the truth, there were only a few people who had some skill, because students of Class A were purely chosen for their talent. If I had to pick some people to represent Class A, it would be the three idiot brothers: Cayer Vioden, Erich de Lafaeri, and Kono Lint. Of course, in Kono Lint¡¯s case, it wasn¡¯t because of a lack of effort but because of the penalty of his ability. However, students of the Orbis Class were purely chosen based on their actual abilities, no matter if their talents were inferior or not. That was why there were almost no lazy people among them¡ªthey were all very hard working. In the original novel, the Royal Class would end up being defeated by them in their first year. Some of the most talented students would still win their individual matches, though. Anyway, our confrontation with those guys was getting closer and closer. ¡°Close quarter combat majors can actually get hurt really badly, so watch out, the two of you.¡± Liana looked at Ellen and me alternately. Even though I was someone with supernatural powers, I somehow ended up as a close-quarter combat major. ¡°But¡­ Do the guys from the Orbis Class really¡­ hate us?¡± Adelia asked cautiously, a little frightened. It was Harriet who answered. ¡°My second brother was in the Orbis Class. So he really hated it when I was chosen for the Royal Class. He didn¡¯t tell me not to go, though.¡± I didn¡¯t know just how many brothers she had exactly, but she had at least three. All of them seemed to be graduates of Temple, and her second brother seemed to be a graduate of the Orbis Class. Everyone looked at her, surprised, as that was the first time we had heard about that. ¡°As far as I know, they believe that we only believe in our talents and nothing else. The Teachers also deliberately try to motivate them like that, so it seems like they feel like they absolutely must not lose against us. This belief is actually really deeply ingrained in them.¡± That was what I knew as well. ¡ªAn elite group that received special treatment only because of their talents. ¡ªAnd a group that only managed to become elites after a lot of hard work. The Orbis Class hated the Royal Class a lot. However, the Royal Class was pretty much indifferent towards the Orbis Class. In the end, it was just one-sided hate, which also came to be due to the Orbis Class¡¯s limitations. To tell the truth, the Orbis Class actually made those lazy geniuses of the Royal Class into hard-working geniuses. Effort could never surpass talent. Because of that absurdity, the Orbis Class, who was all about effort, couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of inferiority to the Royal Class. Liana crossed her arms. ¡°I heard that the Royal Class¡¯s and Orbis Class¡¯s dormitories were built so far apart from each other so that students from either Class wouldn¡¯t encounter each other because, in the past, they would fight with each other whenever they had free time.¡± Whenever they had a chance, quarrels would ensue, and acts of violence would occur. They weren¡¯t even ordinary students but Temple¡¯s elite. If something went wrong, it wouldn¡¯t just end with a case of assault but murder. Therefore, they had moved the Orbis Class¡¯s and Royal Class¡¯s dormitories far apart from each other so that they wouldn¡¯t even have a chance to encounter each other. Harriet sipped on her wine and sighed. ¡°But they say it¡¯s a lot better now. In the past, it seemed like they would go around in their school uniform, and as soon as they spotted someone from the other Class, they would quarrel.¡± I didn¡¯t even know what the Orbis Class uniform looked like. However, I had never gotten into any quarrels with someone just because I was wearing the Royal Class¡¯s uniform. Things had gotten better, so it wasn¡¯t like the past where they glowered at each other just for wearing their respective uniforms. Still, the two Classes would never be on good terms. And the official clash between those two opposing classes was scheduled for our second semester. The Orbis Class would be sharpening their blades at the moment to defeat us. The Royal Class would lose in the team battle due to teamwork issues, and only some would win their individual battles. Ludwig would go up against Orbis Class¡¯s strongest first-year and would lose his individual match. By the way, I had no idea what those matches would look like now that we had more people. Liana looked in Ellen¡¯s direction to ask her something. ¡°By the way, Ellen, will you take part in the tournament?¡± ¡°Tournament?¡± As it was a festival, there wasn¡¯t only the battle between elites, but there were also battle events open to all of Temple¡¯s students. The biggest among them was the tournament divided by grades. Mainly those who specialized in close-quarter combat would participate. In the original, Ellen would compete in the tournament, where she would win in her first year. Ellen¡¯s opponent in the finale was Orbis Class¡¯s strongest first year¡ªthe one who immediately caused Ludwig to get kicked out of the tournament. Ellen would barely beat him. That sequence would also serve as a moment to show that Ellen would be Ludwig¡¯s wall to overcome, like that one time on the deserted island. Of course¡­ The ratings were utterly disastrous. The readers were probably bored of that martial arts tournament arc. It was a popular pattern, after all. Fight and win, fight and win. Ah, I¡¯m just going to skip this arc. Where does it actually end? I got a lot of those kinds of comments. So after I wrote that arc, I had to take a sedative because of all those malicious comments¡­ That fucking boring part was slowly approaching me in reality. ¡°¡­Well.¡± However, Ellen¡¯s reactions seemed to be a little negative. Originally, she would have just participated and won, but things seemed to be a little different. After some time, Ellen shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to participate.¡± ¡°Why? Honestly, I think you¡¯d easily win first place.¡± I knew why things had turned out like that. ¡°Just because¡­ I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any reason for me to participate.¡± Ellen had learned how to strengthen herself with magical power. Ellen seemed to think that there was no reason for her to participate in something like that at that point because the difference between her skills and her classmates¡¯ was already overwhelming. I put my hand on Ellen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably a good idea. Don¡¯t participate.¡± ¡°?¡± I grinned at Ellen. ¡°If you participate, I wouldn¡¯t be able to win first place.¡± My sudden declaration made the others widen their eyes. ¡°¡­Even without me there, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to win.¡± At Ellen¡¯s sudden words, everyone burst into laughter. My sudden declaration that I would participate in the tournament and Ellen¡¯s contemptful comment seemed to have caused great joy for the others. ¡®Did you guys have to laugh at the expense of a man¡¯s suffering? What a bunch of cruel bastards.¡¯ ¡°Why won¡¯t I be able to win?!¡± ¡°¡­Do I have to tell you?¡± I tried hard to get along with her, but Ellen just stared at me as she drank the rest of her wine. ¡°You¡¯re no match for Cliffman. What if he decides to participate?¡± ¡°¡­Right.¡± Ah. I couldn¡¯t say anything against those facts. Even with my supernatural power activated, I couldn¡¯t defeat Cliffman. Although my skills had improved a bit during the vacation, Cliffman probably wouldn¡¯t have just sat around doing nothing either. I couldn¡¯t beat Cliffman. Then, if there were some talented guy among the participants who could actually beat Cliffman, that would mean I wouldn¡¯t be able to get past that person either. ¡°Hmm, Fine then. I¡¯ll just go and break the legs of all the ones of the Royal Class and Orbis Class who are stronger than me, and then I¡¯ll participate.¡± ¡°¡­It feels like you¡¯d really pull something like that, so how about not saying that out loud?¡± Liana looked at me at my remark. Harriet also commented. ¡°¡­How are you going to break the legs of those who are stronger than you to begin with?¡± ¡°By surprise attacking them?¡± ¡°Are¡­ are you really going to do that?¡± Harriet¡¯s face blanched as if I might actually try to put that bullshit plan into action. ¡°Dunno. I was just joking because I got annoyed.¡± I was just joking. I also didn¡¯t think that I¡¯d be able to land first place just because Ellen wasn¡¯t there¡ªthat was also meant to be a joke. I didn¡¯t even think about participating in that tournament. Rather, it was a lot better to just spar with Ellen to improve my skills. Starting from the second semester, I also planned to focus more on other tasks, so I didn¡¯t have any time to play around in that event. Going to some festival? Some martial arts tournament? I wouldn¡¯t participate. Some clash between classes? I¡¯d just be absent. I was living on borrowed time. I couldn¡¯t just live like a real student. ¡°Still, participate.¡± But then, all of a sudden, Ellen said those nonsensical things. ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you say I wouldn¡¯t get first place, though?¡± What was she talking about? First, she told me that I wasn¡¯t good at fighting, and then she wanted me to participate in something like that? ¡°Just curious.¡± Ellen was staring at me. Was she curious about my skills? She should have witnessed the extent of them to some degree while we were in the Darklands. In the original story, Ellen would participate in the tournament and win the whole thing. However, Ellen had become incomparably stronger than how she was in the novel, so she decided to not take part in the Temple tournament, as the results were more than obvious. She wouldn¡¯t participate herself. ¡°You have to make it to the quarterfinals.¡± So Ellen seemed to wonder how far I would be able to go after learning swordsmanship from her. She wanted her student to participate, not herself, and she wanted to watch. ¡°¡­Are you drunk?¡± Suddenly, Ellen¡¯s expression became strange, as if she was trying to pretend that things were normal. She wasn¡¯t actually that kind of person, but she still said that I had to reach the quarterfinals after learning from her. Looking closely, not knowing if it was because of the yellow light illuminating the room, that girl¡¯s face looked really red. ¡°If you can¡¯t make it until there, I¡¯ll scold you.¡± It was oddly difficult to look at that strange smile dancing around her lips. It would have been better if she had just gotten into a drunken frenzy or fallen asleep. After seeing her act like that, my whole body felt as if it froze over. ____ Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Ellen didn¡¯t seem to be completely drunk but only slightly tipsy. It wasn¡¯t only her; everyone seemed to be a little drunk. Both Adelia and Harriet, while tipsy, were excitedly chatting away about something. ¡°So, why don¡¯t we just make some trigger-type magical weapon?¡± ¡°Tha-that would be too difficult for us¡­¡± ¡°Okay, okay, let¡¯s do it. We can ask for the components from Temple, and if they don¡¯t have something, I¡¯ll get it!¡± ¡°Re-really¡­? I-I¡¯m sorry to burden you¡­¡± It seemed like they were rambling on about the ideas that were floating through their heads. Ellen sat on the sofa, hugging her knees. I figured it out. She was the type to start acting all cute when she got drunk. She was looking at me with her chin propped up on her knees. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Eat this.¡± ¡°¡­Not this.¡± It seemed that the cheese and chocolate weren¡¯t enough. Her expression showed that she wanted me to cook something for her. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t think there are any other snacks around here.¡± Liana thought about preparing something else to eat when Ellen said that she was hungry. However, it seemed like she couldn¡¯t think of anything. Heinrich was just drinking without saying a word. That guy. He really was no good. I was a bit concerned about Heinrich, but it was Ellen who mattered. She looked like she was planning on holding her breath until I made her something. At least, that was what her continued stare made me believe she was planning. ¡°Haah, aren¡¯t you creative today¡­?¡± Eventually, I looked at Liana. ¡°Do you have any ingredients around here?¡± ¡°Probably?¡± Liana said that there was only one way to find out. ¡° Are you going to cook?¡± ¡°Dunno, I¡¯ll just throw something together.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you drink?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not that drunk. Arg!¡± As I said that, I slightly twisted my foot while trying to get up from the sofa. ¡°Hey, hey, I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Liana followed me out of the room, thinking I was drunk. ¡°I¡¯m not drunk, okay?¡± ¡°¡­Do you know where the kitchen is?¡± ¡°¡­I know.¡± The place was a mansion¡ªa place I would absolutely get lost in if I wasn¡¯t told where the kitchen was. Was I actually drunk? * * * The kitchen Liana guided me to had a food pantry filled with ingredients. I took some random things out. Liana was watching me with an anxious expression on her face. ¡°Do you know how to cook?¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m not confident that I can satisfy the refined taste buds of our esteemed young lady, I can whip up something that would satiate that bottomless hole back there at least.¡± ¡°Are you actually trying to make me mad?¡± I didn¡¯t plan on making snacks that would go well with alcohol. My purpose was to satisfy that hungry carnivore. ¡°Be careful with the knife.¡± I cut some sausages into bite-sized pieces and chopped some onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms; then, I put everything in a frying pan. I added some ketchup, sugar, pepper, and a pinch of salt. It didn¡¯t really take that long to make either. Luana looked down at the almost instantly finished dish and tilted her head. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Sausage stir-fried with some vegetables, then mixed with ketchup, sugar, and pepper.¡± ¡°I was asking for the name of the dish, not how you made it.¡± Would she understand if I told her it was called ¡°Soyah¡±? She should just leave it at that and eat it! I made a huge amount, of course, because it was meant for Ellen. I also found some baguettes, so I sliced one up and put it in a bowl. Liana cautiously tried some of the food, then smirked. ¡°I can¡¯t say it¡¯s all that tasty, but¡­ Surprisingly, It¡¯s actually quite edible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Harriet said last time as well:¡± Both of them were used to luxurious food, so they wouldn¡¯t be able to call that delicious, but it wasn¡¯t bad. Then Liana looked at me and folded her arms. ¡°The more I get to know you, the weirder you get.¡± ¡°I get that a lot.¡± Now that I thought about it, most people I had met actually told me that. * * * Everyone¡¯s eyes widened when I returned with the bowl of sliced baguette and sausage-vegetable stir-fry. Ellen, of course, just started shoving the sausage vegetable stir-fry into her mouth with a fork without even saying a single word. Liana also ate a little of the food placed before her. Adelia¡¯s eyes widened as she ate. ¡°Reinhardt, you¡¯re¡­ surprisingly good at a lot of things¡­¡± ¡°Ah, thanks.¡± Her face was pretty much flushed, as she was slightly drunk as well. ¡°At first, I just¡­ thought you were someone very scary¡­ But now, I don¡¯t think so anymore¡­¡± That girl who couldn¡¯t even look me in the eyes when she talked to me while sober was speaking quite frankly when she was drunk. Liana nodded her head quietly. ¡°That¡¯s true. Honestly, you looked like a completely different person to me during our group mission last time.¡± Everyone had nearly given up during the group mission, but Ellen and I had decided to move first. Honestly, though, it was Bertus who led all the kids, but I did end up giving him a lot of advice. ¡°Y-yes, back then¡­ he was a little¡­ cool¡­ right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Huh? Uhm, erm¡­ Well, I-I don¡¯t really¡­?¡± Adelia looked towards Harriet to ask for her confirmation, leading to Harriet just shaking her head in embarrassment. To tell the truth, I felt that my classmates¡¯ opinions of me had greatly changed since that time. Liana looked towards me and smiled softly. ¡°We only have to fix that guy¡¯s crooked personality¡­¡± ¡°God damn it.¡± -Bang! At that moment, a quiet swear broke the mood. The atmosphere instantly froze over as if water had been thrown over it. ¡°You keep yapping on about Reinhardt this, Reinhardt that. What¡¯s so good about him?¡± Heinrich von Schwarz, with his eyes half-open, muttered vacantly as he roughly placed his glass down. That bastard was¡­ Completely drunk. ¡°What¡¯s so good about that lowborn guy with a terrible temper, who punches every person he comes across, doesn¡¯t know his place, and just keeps on talking casually with nobles and royalty, whom he normally wouldn¡¯t even be able to look at!¡± Adelia shuddered as that idiot started yelling. Ellen began staring at Heinrich, and Liana furrowed her brows. Harriet seemed perplexed. Wow, that punk. I kind of felt that things were piling up on him in that situation, but I didn¡¯t think he would explode like that. ¡°Hey, shut up.¡± I looked at him and said some brief words. ¡°If you talk more, you¡¯ll regret it tomorrow.¡± To be honest, if I wanted Heinrich to completely fuck himself over, I could have just kept on sitting there without saying a word. So to tell him to shut up was the limit to the mercy I was willing to give that guy. That was my limit. It was clear that my judgment had been twisted in some ways on that trip, so I wouldn¡¯t really react much, even when he tried to badmouth me. However, it seemed like my words only added fuel to the fire. ¡°¡­Who the hell are you to talk to me, part of Kernstadt¡¯s Royal Family, like that? Do you still think this is Temple, you bastard? Just because you got into Temple, do you think you¡¯ve become a great noble or royalty? Do you think you¡¯ve become something better because you take the same classes as the Prince and Princess¡­?¡± ¡°Hey, stop.¡± Liana de Grantz placed her head on Heinrich¡¯s knee. His body was trembling terribly after he heard Liana¡¯s words. ¡°Why are you being like this all of a sudden? If you¡¯re drunk, just go and sleep.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That was probably the last thing he wanted to hear from Liana. If one treated a drunk person as a drunk person, that would be the same as pressing their detonate button. If you¡¯re drunk, just go to sleep. Don¡¯t act like some gangster. Hearing something like that from the person one liked would make one all the more angry as well. ¡°Hey, who do you think you are?¡± He looked at me as he said that. ¡°This bastard. You¡¯ve been kicking up a fuss about going to the Darklands this time around, and you¡¯ve been acting all high and mighty, but then you just came back telling us that you just wandered around in some safe places, not doing anything at all. Can that even be called an adventure? Isn¡¯t that just a picnic? What¡¯s even the difference between playing around here then?¡± There were a lot of things that he seemed to have kept bottled up. I was rather tired, so I didn¡¯t have the energy to get angry. Dealing with that was just tiring, and if I actually got angry at a drunk person, it would be my loss. It would just seem pathetic in that situation. I had seriously endured enough. And I didn¡¯t particularly like or dislike Heinrich von Schwarz. Did I seriously have to take care of the person who was bad-mouthing me like that? There was only one thing I needed to do while he was being so obnoxious. ¡ªJust sit still. He would soon dig his own grave. I just had to leave him alone. The best thing that could happen to him was if I actually slapped him. Why would I even hit him when that would just end up biting me in the ass? I was just going to stay put. That would be the worst thing for Heinrich. ¡°Hey. I told you to stop¡­¡± ¡°Wait a sec. You¡¯re nothing more than a bully in Temple who just one-sidedly attacks the ones weaker than you. Are you scared to do it in a place like this? What¡¯s the matter? Huh? You coward.¡± He was just pointing his finger at me without even listening to Liana¡¯s advising words. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the matter? Are you going to punch me? Like always? A guy like you who can only be strong against the weak probably couldn¡¯t even do much in the Darklands. Just fucking hit me. It¡¯ll be as easy as befo¡ª¡± ¡°Hey.¡± It was neither Liana nor I who cut off Heinrich¡¯s words. ¡°If you talk any more¡­¡± Ellen was gazing at Heinrich with cold eyes, picking up a whiskey bottle. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± She was about to strike Heinrich¡¯s head with that thing. * * * At Ellen¡¯s harsh remarks, the atmosphere that had already turned cold froze over even more. I took the whiskey bottle from Ellen¡¯s hands. ¡°Hey, girl. Calm down. Why are you like this all of a sudden?¡± Ellen glared at the frozen stiff Heinrich with a deathly look in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t open your mouth when you don¡¯t know a thing.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean by, ¡°you don¡¯t know a thing¡±¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk like you don¡¯t even know that.¡± Just as Heinrich completely lost his mind, so had Ellen. Her anger had erupted when she heard Heinrich insulting me for being a coward and wimp when she was already in a really unstable mindset due to stress. Although those weren¡¯t memories we were proud of, we had never acted cowardly. However, that wasn¡¯t something one could easily shake off just by falling for that obvious provocation. Heinrich paused for a moment, his face flushed red in embarrassment as I stopped Ellen from hurting him, then his attitude changed all of a sudden. ¡°¡­Ah, you went to the Darklands together, right?¡± Heinrich smiled at Ellen as if he had just remembered that fact. It was an obvious sneer. ¡°Stop it, you! Why do you keep going?!¡± ¡°Tha¡­ That. Why are you doing this, Heinrich?¡± Even Harriet and Adelia told him to stop, but he seemed unwilling to listen to them. ¡°Siigh¡­¡± Liana de Grantz¡¯s expression turned freezing cold. ¡°How annoying.¡± -Brrzzzzt! ¡°Kurk!¡± Lightning left Liana¡¯s body and struck Heinrich. In the end, her patience ran out, so she took things into her own hands. ¡°¡­If I knew that he would act like that, I wouldn¡¯t have brought him here.¡± Liana was staring at Heinrich, who was almost immediately knocked out by her lightning bolt, lying there squished like some insect. After she put out the sudden disturbance in a flash, she just went back to sipping on her whisky. ¡°It¡¯s okay. He isn¡¯t dead.¡± Her saying that so casually sure was scarier, though. Anyway, Heinrich had done something he shouldn¡¯t have done out of jealousy and some sense of rivalry with me, so he was firmly embedded as an annoyance in Liana de Grantz¡¯s mind. Maybe I should have hit him earlier. Of course, there was no reason for me to do him that favor when he was deliberately trying to piss me off. Anyway, a lot of my personality had mellowed out completely. If it was some time ago, I would have flown at him at the drop of a bead, no questions asked. Of course, that was when my position was still unstable and when I didn¡¯t have any other choice but to do that to not get ignored. I had no reason to care for something like that anymore. I didn¡¯t even want to get angry over some drunk¡¯s ramblings. Leaving him to his own devices was the biggest punishment for that drunkard, so I just sat back. So, like that, he received retaliation without me even having to lift a finger. I felt rather good because I got to drink some alcohol after a long time, so I didn¡¯t really want to get upset. Having fainted, Heinrich was placed on the bed in his room. After something like that happened, it felt like it was about time that we left, but Liana seemed to have other intentions. ¡°By the way, you two.¡± She looked between Ellen and me alternately. Ellen was still upset at Heinrich¡¯s obnoxious words. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe even for a second that nothing happened in the Darklands¡­¡± Liana seemed to have realized something after hearing Ellen¡¯s outburst to not talk without knowing anything. And she didn¡¯t actually believe our words that nothing happened. ¡°Seeing that it¡¯s something you don¡¯t want to talk about but react to when you hear the word coward or something¡­ I have a rough idea of what might have happened.¡± Liana looked at us after she took a sip of her whiskey. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Liana seemed to have guessed to some extent why we were unable to speak about that. ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk about it if you don¡¯t want to.¡± She poured wine into Ellen¡¯s glass and whiskey into mine. ¡°However, whatever you ended up doing, I think there must have been an unavoidable reason for your actions.¡± ¡°¡­¡± No matter what you did, there must have been a good reason for it. That was what Liana said. ¡°You might be wondering why I¡¯m so curious about this.¡± Liana raised her glass with a smile. ¡°Because we¡¯re friends. That¡¯s why.¡± Friends. Liana de Grantz thought of Ellen and me as friends. I didn¡¯t expect such words to come out of her mouth, so I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little dazed. The relationship between us wasn¡¯t that long. We also didn¡¯t really talk much. But people didn¡¯t have to know each other for a very long time to become friends. After she drank a bit, Liana seemed to be a lot more honest and talkative than usual. That was why she was acting like that and telling us that we were friends, which was why she was so curious about it. She was the complete opposite of Heinrich, who only talked about his status and asked me if I still thought I was in Temple when he got drunk. No matter our status, we can be friends. I think of you as my friends. Ellen was quietly staring at Liana, seemingly slightly startled by her words. I knew what that gaze meant. Can I tell them? It seemed like she didn¡¯t tell them anything before because she was worried that everyone would just be afraid of her and shun her. However, continuing to hide those things even after Liana said those words would be rude to her, as well as Harriet and Adelia. It looked like she didn¡¯t want to hide it anymore in front of those people who definitely could understand her. I gazed into Ellen¡¯s eyes and nodded slightly. She took a few deep breaths for some time. She was already pretty drunk. ¡°We killed people.¡± Ellen continued to speak in a calm but slightly trembling voice. With the exception of Liana, Adelia and Harriet both seemed to hold their breath in surprise. ¡°26 in total.¡± Unlike me, Ellen could even remember the exact number of people we killed. * * * Ellen calmly continued her recounting. Slowly, from the beginning. Everyone listened to how our journey through the Darklands went with bated breath. ¡ªHow we noticed and preemptively stopped a robbery attempt on us while we were traveling from Exian to St. Point. ¡ªHow we made a wizard join us in St. Point. ¡ªThe conflict we had with a B-ranked adventurer called Hugson. ¡ªHow we chose between going to Als Point ourselves and joining the Convoy mission. ¡ªHow we ended up choosing to take a look ourselves and went south. ¡ªThe massacre in Klitz Point as well as the annihilation of the bandits there. ¡ªOur return to St. Point and how we found out that Hugson was their accomplice, leading to his arrest. ¡ªHow we were asked by an investigator of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild Headquarters to return to Als Point. ¡ªThe disappearance of all the corpses in Klitz Point, how they came back to life as zombies and attacked us. ¡ªThe mysterious case of Als Point, caused by a cursed sword. ¡ªAnd the battle between us and the cursed sword along with the zombies it controlled. Ellen didn¡¯t reveal anything about the ¡°true identity¡± of Relya, the suspicious wizard. Then she told them that, after all those battles, she finally realized how to use magic strengthening and how we recovered the cursed sword and left it with Temple. After having listened to the whole story, the three of them had dazed expressions on their faces. ¡°Too many people had died, and we even killed some ourselves. I just thought that it wasn¡¯t anything pleasant to listen to, so I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell you.¡± Ellen then looked at Harriet. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡± She apologized to her for not telling her anything. Harriet bit her lip and shook her head. ¡°No¡­ No. It¡¯s okay. I think¡­ I think I can understand why you couldn¡¯t say anything. I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know¡­ That something like that happened to you¡­¡± After Harriet heard the whole story, she was more than convinced that we had reasons enough for not telling her. Rather, she actually ended up apologizing to Ellen. With that, even the last bit of enmity between them seemed to have melted away. ¡°¡­It must have been hard for the two of you. You did well.¡± That was what Liana told us. Her words were short, but she seemed to have understood how we felt. Rather than just understanding, she even thought what we did was good. ¡°¡­It¡¯s scary¡­ It¡¯s very, very scary, but¡­ Both of you did great. If it were me¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything. I¡­ I! You two. I think you did really well! I think you did what you had to do! And thinking that you fought without even thinking of running away¡­ Is so amazing¡­ So¡­ don¡¯t feel so sad. Yes.¡± Adelia seemed slightly frightened but confirmed Liana¡¯s words that both of us did great, seeming as if she was squeezing out every last bit of courage in her. Harriet looked between Ellen and me. ¡°Both of you¡­ saved so many people.¡± We thought that the kids would be afraid of us or distance themselves from us after hearing what we did. ¡°I mean¡­ It¡¯s not something one should brag about, but¡­ I think you can be proud of yourselves. I don¡¯t want you to suffer from this.¡± That whole thing was our misunderstanding. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Ellen drank her wine with a warm smile tugging on her lips. It felt like that shadow that seemed to have been cast over Ellen¡¯s face after we returned from the Darklands had finally disappeared. ____ Chapter 179 Chapter 179 The next day¡­ Naturally, Heinrich von Schwarz, who had been completely drunk, said that he didn¡¯t remember anything from the previous night. However, it seemed like he was the only one who had some missing memories, meaning everyone remembered what happened. Ellen seemed to have said to Heinrich that she ¡®doesn¡¯t like him¡¯. Harriet seemed to think that he was ¡®pathetic¡¯. Adelia seemed to have said that she ¡°Doesn¡¯t really like him¡­¡±, but it was clear that what she felt on the inside was ¡®extreme hatred¡¯ towards him for what he had done. The most important was Liana de Grantz. ¡°¡­Why should I apologize to him?¡± ¡°Just do what I tell you to do.¡± ¡°¡­But I don¡¯t remember anything.¡± ¡°Then go tell him you¡¯re sorry for not remembering anything.¡± Of course, one of the servants seemed to have scolded Liana a bit. The smell of alcohol was wafting from all of us, so there was no way that they didn¡¯t know. Anyway, during lunch, Heinrich was arguing that he shouldn¡¯t have to suddenly apologize for something he didn¡¯t even remember. He had no idea what was going on. ¡°Fine. What¡¯s even the point of such an apology? How could he sincerely apologize for something he doesn¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Heinrich frowned at my words that were telling him it wasn¡¯t necessary for him to apologize. It was so easy to screw that guy over. The more he showed off his uglier side, the more he would only destroy himself. Liana looked at me with round eyes. ¡°Huh, did Reinhardt mature? You can even tolerate things like that now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I can keep acting childish like a certain someone, right?¡± ¡°¡­Are you talking about me?¡± At Heinrich¡¯s words, I just smirked as I ate some bacon. ¡°Why do you think so? Do you feel guilty about something?¡± ¡°How about we settle this now?¡± Heinrich seemed pretty confident about his skills because he had improved a bit, it was the same as before when he was completely drunk. We probably needed to sort it out at some point. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°What?¡± I took a fork and stabbed it into a marbled steak. ¡°After eating this, how about we go out for a bit to talk? Just the two of us.¡± I had been patient once or twice. I didn¡¯t really feel like it, but I still thought that I should clean that mess, up after all. * * * I used to use rough words. I used to talk in confusing ways that were akin to poking the kids¡¯ eyes. However, my calm words that I wanted to talk to someone felt like a serious warning sign, so the others tried to stop me. ¡°I¡¯m just going to talk.¡± Heinrich seemed to be confident in whatever he had learned, and after I finally shook everyone off, I left the mansion with Heinrich. I went around the mansion, to a place where no one could see us, and then I faced Heinrich. I had let that guy do whatever he wanted once or twice, badmouthing me and whatnot. ¡°What? You want to try me? If you want to come, then come.¡± Heinrich didn¡¯t seem to be afraid. It looked like he had gained tremendous confidence in his improved ability, and he seemed to think that I wasn¡¯t anything big anymore because I had just bummed around in the Darklands. ¡°What?¡± It was more than clear that I didn¡¯t really care for that brat, even when he accused me of things and bragged about being a noble, mostly because I had other things to worry about. However, if one looked at it from a different perspective, I was acting very considerate towards that guy to the point of actually leaving him be. ¡°Anyway, seeing that you¡¯re so confident, let¡¯s do it then.¡± As if he had been waiting for these words, he looked at me with shining eyes. ¡°You might die, you know? I can¡¯t control my strength properly, after all.¡± He felt confident that he¡¯d be able to immediately bake me by just moving his hand. I sighed at him. Unlike punching, Pyrokinesis wasn¡¯t something that could be used in an actual practice match. He seemed very excited at the thought of finally paying me back for the humiliation he had suffered in the first semester. ¡°I¡¯ll show you today that I¡¯m not the same as before.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± That guy focused his mind. ¡°You fucking punk.¡± ¨CFizz! As I strengthened my body, I ran towards him while he was preoccupied with focusing. -Baang! I strongly kneed him in his stomach. ¡°Kuh¡­Urg!¡± ¡°Did you think I just played around?¡± Why did that bastard think he grew stronger through? ¡°Kuh¡­Kuhuk! Huk! Huk!¡± He collapsed to the floor as I looked down on that disgusting idiot. He had already lost his concentration. A kick to the abdomen¡­ That was the end of it. There wasn¡¯t some flashy fight between supernatural power users. There was just too big a gap between our levels¡ªa gap between our basic physical abilities. ¡°Just like you¡¯re not on the same level as a flint anymore, I¡¯m not the man I used to be either.¡± I stood before him until he came back to his senses again as he crouched there. That guy who used to take about five seconds to focus his mind in order to create fire seemed to have reduced that time to about one second. But a second was still pretty long¡ªit was enough time for me to tear him apart, so I couldn¡¯t possibly lose to Heinrich von Schwarz. As things were, I could have crushed him and squeezed the life out of him in his exhausted state, but I didn¡¯t go that far. He staggered away from me and stared at me with a confused expression on his face. We had been quite the distance away from each other, and yet he hadn¡¯t even seen me approaching him. His supernatural power had gotten stronger, but I had gotten stronger as well. Even I didn¡¯t think things would turn out like that. It was just one knee kick. He couldn¡¯t even avoid it. ¡°If the others had seen this sight, how shameful would that have been?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I purposely did it in a place with no one around. If I had beaten him in front of the others, that surely would have been utterly humiliating. If I wanted to trample over his pride, I could have done that at any time. However, I had kept it in, so I told Heinrich von Schwarz that I was being considerate towards him. ¡°This is the last time I¡¯ll protect your pride.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And don¡¯t try to build some kind of rivalry with me. I¡¯m not interested in Grantz at all. Why are you so mad at me?¡± ¡°Wh-what?!¡± He seemed to feel greatly embarrassed when I said those things out of the blue. It looked like he didn¡¯t think I¡¯d know that he was interested in Liana de Grantz. ¡°Wh-wh-whaaat do you mean? Wh-what are you talking about?¡± ¡°N-no. It¡¯s not like that, okay? Not at all, you know?¡± ¡°Really? Then why do you always look so upset when Grantz talks to me?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s!¡± He was stuttering with a completely flushed face. That bastard, even that arrogant, rude, idiot of a royal was ashamed of those sorts of things. He was still just a little kid. ¡°Well. Anyway, I¡¯m not interested in her, so stop trying to mess with me. If you don¡¯t stop, don¡¯t blame me for trampling over you before the others. I¡¯m only willing to let these things go once or twice, ya hear?¡± I spoke those words in a low voice as I passed him. ¡°And when you get back, apologize to the kids. If you don¡¯t do that, things will only get worse for you.¡± He didn¡¯t bother me anymore after that. * * * I reluctantly blessed Heinrich, who thought he had grown a bit stronger, with some ¡°True Education¡±. I could have handled that a lot more violently, but I didn¡¯t. In the first place, we were classmates, so we should look out for each other a bit. I knew I couldn¡¯t get along with everyone, but I sure didn¡¯t want to make all of them enemies. In the first half of the semester, I had acted a bit over the top because I didn¡¯t want to get ignored, but I didn¡¯t have to do that anymore. It wouldn¡¯t do me any good if I got on the bad side of my classmates to the point where they would end up stabbing me in the back. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that I saw Heinrich as any less of a bastard to the point that I wanted to help him in any way. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry, everyone¡­ I was a little, a little rash.¡± Heinrich apologized for ruining the mood previously before Liana and the others as soon as he returned to the mansion. He didn¡¯t remember what had happened the day before, but he believed that he made a mistake and he added that he was sorry. The others had no idea what I did to make Heinrich apologize all of a sudden. They couldn¡¯t see any obvious injuries, so it didn¡¯t seem like I had hit him. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just don¡¯t do it again.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Liana seemed to be trying to wrap the whole situation up. After saying that, she looked at me and Heinrich alternately. ¡°By the way, you two didn¡¯t fight, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°W-well¡­¡± Heinrich seemed a little hesitant, then smiled awkwardly, hunched his back, and scratched his head a bit. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that, while we were talking, I just realized¡­ That I made a mistake.¡± I didn¡¯t think Heinrich would say something like that, so I, along with everyone else, was a little stunned. Heinrich realized that he was no match for me. I could have beaten him up in front of everyone, but didn¡¯t. I had only called him to a remote place so that he could confirm the gap between our skill levels. Would he still resent me for beating him up, or did he actually realize that I was being pretty considerate? Well, he didn¡¯t seem to appreciate it too much, because, in the end, I had still hit him suddenly. However, it didn¡¯t seem that he really hated me. He seemed to have noticed that I really limited myself a lot and that it wasn¡¯t for my sake but his. Liana felt the subtle atmosphere around us and smiled. ¡°Great. Then should we have a drink for your reconciliation today?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Be careful, Heinrich, if you drink too much again like yesterday, I¡¯ll knock you out again.¡± That crazy alcoholic. She wanted to drink again? Did she reach the level that she was using every little thing as an excuse to drink? ¡°Kn-knock¡­ You knocked me out yesterday?¡± Heinrich¡¯s face grew pale because he had just found out that he didn¡¯t simply forget what happened and passed out but that Liana actually made him faint. * * * So far, Heinrich had been feeling a little out of place. To be exact, he was so conscious of me that he wasn¡¯t able to play around properly. He was only paying attention to what I was up to. When I hit him, he seemed to have come to his senses and noticed that I was stronger than he thought. When I told him that I wasn¡¯t interested in Liana in the least, he also seemed to be able to act more comfortably as well. Of course, it would be hard to revert that bad image the others had of him. Anyway, Heinrich didn¡¯t try to mess with me anymore. Of course, I felt like he was looking at me with different eyes, but I wasn¡¯t that concerned about that. In the end, Heinrich was able to fit in with the others much better because he cared less about me. Liana, the owner of the mansion, said all was well, so nobody showed any dissatisfaction on the outside, although they still felt a bit skeptical. Ellen, well, she always had a neutral expression, so she didn¡¯t really show anything either. And I found out another trait of Liana¡¯s that I had no prior knowledge about: She was a heavy drinker. In the end, we gathered up that night as well to drink under the pretext of celebrating our reconciliation. Heinrich didn¡¯t just drink his alcohol alone in the corner like before but chatted with us about this and that. The situation was completely different. ¡°You looked down on people with a normal background¡­¡± ¡°I¡­ I did?¡± ¡°Yesh¡­ Hei-heinrich, I know that you¡¯re from a very big royal family, but¡­ Hearing what you said¡­ made me really sad¡­¡± When Adelia got drunk, she told Heinrich what he had said before and made a fuss about it. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m calling you a jerk, but what you said to Reinhardt hurt me as well, so I got sad. ¡ªIt was a variation of that. ¡°Th-that¡­I-I did that¡­? I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Adelia.¡± When Heinrich heard how much alcohol he had been drinking and what he had said, his face turned completely red. He didn¡¯t know what to do. He seemed to understand why Liana wanted him to apologize. ¡°But Reinhardt sure was amazing yesterday. Normally, he should have punched you black and blue in that situation, but he kept holding it in.¡± At Liana¡¯s words, he continued to stare at me¡ªeven while he was apologizing to Adelia. He didn¡¯t seem to be able to believe it. Judging by the quick temper I had shown up until then, I should have let my fists fly immediately after hearing what he had said, but I had kept holding it in. Of course, I had only stayed still because that was the quickest way to screw that guy over. However, Heinrich seemed to realize how much consideration I had given him. Even though he had said things like that, I hadn¡¯t punched him. He realized that I really had been holding it in a lot. ¡°Ah, erm¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Reinhardt.¡± Eventually, he even apologized to me. ¡°As long as you know it.¡± I wasn¡¯t that picky, after all. Of course, no one told him that Ellen had actually tried to kill Heinrich or what had really happened in the Darklands. Fortunately, no one got so drunk that they ended up making a scene that day. Before that happened again, Liana would knock them out cold. Before I went to bed, I walked to the beach in the middle of the night to cool off my head. It was similar to the one on the uninhabited island, and yet a little different. Just as I sat down on the beach, someone came to sit next to me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± ¡°In a little while¡­ I will.¡± Ellen sat down next to me as if it was natural. And then, again, as if it was natural, she placed her head on my shoulder. I was used to that by then. For a while, we just stared blankly at the waves crashing on the beach over and over. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± I felt relieved that some of her pain could be lifted by confiding in the other kids. ¡°I didn¡¯t have nightmares yesterday.¡± ¡°It could be because of the alcohol.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Alcohol or not, I¡¯m glad that you didn¡¯t have any nightmares.¡± I didn¡¯t care whether it was because she drank too much or because had she told the others. Ellen hadn¡¯t suffered from the nightmares that had been torturing her for all that time. Maybe because she had drunk quite a bit of alcohol, I could feel Ellen¡¯s breathing become a little softer. Just how tired was she? ¡°¡­Are you sleeping?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t sleep like this.¡± Ellen suddenly fell asleep while leaning on my shoulder. * * * Harriet was getting ready to go to sleep in her room. She felt dizzy, probably because she was drunk, so she felt like she¡¯d immediately fall asleep if she lay down anywhere. After she changed into her pajamas, she went to close the curtains in front of the window because the moonlight shining through it was too bright. One had a good view of the beach through said window; it was an absolutely beautiful sight. Although it didn¡¯t look much different from what they had seen on the uninhabited island, they were in a much calmer environment. She didn¡¯t have to worry about the heat, staying hydrated, and surviving¡ªunlike on that deserted island¡ªso she was able to purely enjoy the scenery with a clean smile on her face. But Harriet didn¡¯t actually dislike her memories of that time. She should have hated them, in fact, they should have been the worst memories of her life, but she thought they weren¡¯t necessarily all that bad. Harriet looked out of the window into the night. She saw someone walking towards the beach, quietly sitting down, and starting to gaze upon the sea. ¡®Reinhardt¡­¡¯ She could tell that it was Reinhardt just by seeing his back. Was he unable to sleep? Should she also go out and talk to him a bit? Harriet stood before the window, pondering for a moment. However, after some time, she could see another person heading onto the beach. It was Ellen. She sat down beside Reinhardt as if it was natural and placed her head on Reinhardt¡¯s shoulder. Reinhardt didn¡¯t react as if he was familiar with that. She didn¡¯t know what they were talking about. But she knew¡­ The fact that those two were very close. And after going through such terrible experiences, she knew that it was only natural that they grew to rely on each other, hence growing even closer to each other. It was inevitable. Seeing Ellen get angry on Reinhardt¡¯s behalf as if it was her who had been insulted, she had already noticed that their relationship had undergone a slight change. She knew, but it was still painful to see it happening before her own eyes. -Charaan! Harriet couldn¡¯t bear to watch that scene any longer, so she closed the curtains. If she had gone with them, things would have been different. Harriet felt miserable. Her memories of the uninhabited island should have been the worst, but they weren¡¯t. She wished to make her best memories in that mansion. ¡­But she couldn¡¯t seem to accomplish that. ____ Chapter 180 Chapter 180 If I hadn¡¯t beaten him down, Liana would have hated Heinrich a lot more. Needless to say, he would have held an even deeper grudge against me. After having beaten him up, I should have finally been able to rest, but we would soon return to our life at Temple. I didn¡¯t stop by Airi¡¯s pub in Rajak after all. They seemed to be doing well without my interference, and I didn¡¯t really want to leave any clues by suddenly visiting that place I supposedly had no connection to. After resting at Liana¡¯s mansion until Sunday, we returned to Temple. ¡°That was fun, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adelia recounted that she had made quite a lot of fond memories of playing around at the mansion, to which Harriet smiled and nodded. She seemed a bit down, though. All of us who had been at Liana¡¯s mansion returned to Temple together. Of course, other than us, most people had already returned to Temple, as our vacation had come to an end. ¡°Sigh¡­ Even though I feel like haven¡¯t played enough yet, it¡¯s already over¡­¡± The first thing I could see was Kono Lint hanging out in the lobby of Class A¡¯s dormitory. The three idiot brothers had been reunited already. ¡°By the way, Erich, you¡­ You¡¯ve changed quite a bit.¡± ¡°Oh. Really?¡± Cayer looked at Erich de Lafaeri, who then smirked. ¡°I exercised a bit during the vacations.¡± He pretended as if what he did wasn¡¯t a big deal and slightly flexed his arm as if to say something like: ¡°Although I¡¯m not that kind of guy, I actually worked out during the vacations, you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll go take a rest. All of you should, too.¡± Liana said that she was tired and went to her room to rest. Although she had been playing around for the whole vacation, she was exhausted from the journey back, so she immediately went into her room, saying that we should also go rest. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Ah, yeah.¡± As if in passing, Heinrich left us these words as he made his way towards his own room as well. It somehow felt like the bad blood between us had been subtly resolved, to some extent. ¡°Hey. It¡¯s Reinhardt.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± And Erich de Lafaeri, one of the three idiot brothers, who saw us coming back, looked at me and waved. What? Why was he doing things he had never done before? ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°So, so.¡± ¡°How was your visit to the Darklands?¡± ¡°It was nothing much.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ What?¡± Hearing my words, a strange smile crept up on his face. I somewhat knew where that guy¡¯s confidence came from. ¡®Does he think that he acn take me on because he worked out a bit during the vacations?¡¯ I thought I was done controlling those guys, but guess I wasn¡¯t. Heinrich wasn¡¯t the only one. It was the second semester. It seemed like I would have to have a second go at those idiots who suddenly gained some unnecessary confidence. Those losers kept trying to come at me for some reason. Was that a villain¡¯s fate or something? * * * Ellen seemed to have been cured of her nightmares. And since I said that we¡¯d only be sharing our bed during the vacation, I would have kicked her out even if she came in. In the end, our vacations ended as quickly as they started. The second semester of our first year had started. There were some things that changed but also some that stayed the same. For example, my early morning training with Adiana. ¡°Hey junior! Long time no see!¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°I was so worried about you! I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay!¡± Adriana sincerely congratulated me for my safe return, blessing me with a very bright expression. When she asked me what happened in the Darklands, I gave her an appropriate answer. I did tell some of the kids, but in the end, I had still decided it wasn¡¯t something I should brag about. Of course, I also met the other people I saw around dawn: Ludwig, Ellen, Scarlett and Charlotte. Everyone gave me a simple greeting as they passed by. Charlotte looked at me and gave me a strange smile as if she already knew everything that had happened. ¡°Reinhardt! Long time no see!¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± Ludwig had probably undergone ranger training during his vacation. His personality was still the same, but I felt like something changed about him, even if he pretended to be the same as before. One might say that some of his foolish parts had disappeared. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it dangerous?¡± ¡°It was fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± It seemed almost mandatory for everyone to ask me and Ellen about how things went in the Darklands as soon as they saw us. That¡¯s just how surprising it was. ¡°What did you do during the vacation?¡± ¡°Well, I trained my faith, so to speak. I did some volunteer work and prayed. I had a good time.¡± It seemed that Adriana enjoyed her vacation. She got her satisfaction from helping others. There were times when I felt utter respect for her because she was so completely different from me. ¡°Wow, junior, you sure changed a lot. Well, you had a month of vacation, after all.¡± ¡°Whe-where are you touching me!¡± I felt slightly embarrassed when Adriana was touching my forearm so casually. It seemed that my strength improvements were visible to the eye. ¡°O-oh? That¡¯s¡­ Ah. Erm. Sorry.¡± Adriana¡¯s face slightly reddened when she saw me so flustered and she apologized. We went through our early morning training for the first time in a month. ¡°Wow, you¡¯ve grown so much. Did you keep at it in your free time during the vacations? I couldn¡¯t do that.¡± Of course, it had been a long time since I had last had my training with Adriana, so I had trained with Ellen in the meantime. Of course, I did nothing but play in the last week of vacation, though. But I still couldn¡¯t keep up with Adriana during our training, so I was completely exhausted towards the end. ¡°Haah¡­ Haah¡­¡± ¡°Phew¡­ You really did work hard. I¡¯ll admit it.¡± Of course, it was only natural that she was much stronger than me, so Adriana didn¡¯t skimp on the compliments. * * * I couldn¡¯t keep Adriana company until her stamina was drained, but she was a little exhausted by the time I dropped out, at least. After our morning training, we sat on a bench to rest for a bit. ¡°Phew¡­ It sure feels nice to exercise again after such a long time.¡± She seemed to feel good after working out, but although I kept doing it, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever felt that way before. ¡°Did you take a break from it until now?¡± ¡°Yeah, I was busy.¡± Praying and volunteering, it seemed that Adriana didn¡¯t have any time to exercise between those two things. Adriana then nodded her head and muttered something. ¡°¡­Actually, it was kind of hard.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean, ¡®it was hard¡¯?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I felt a bit lost. Something like that.¡± There was Olivia Lanze¡¯s case and also the disappointment she felt towards the Knights Templar. Adriana seemed to have been agonizing over whether she should continue believing in her faith or not. So it looked like Adriana had a lot of worries haunting her during the vacation. ¡°However, I couldn¡¯t even tell whether my concern was really about faith itself or giving up on it¡­ I couldn¡¯t readily come to a decision.¡± She didn¡¯t know whether she was contemplating her faith or thinking of giving it up. I couldn¡¯t say I knew what Adriana meant by that. ¡°I think I know now.¡± Adriana looked at me and smiled. She thought about it and came to a decision. I couldn¡¯t sympathize with Adriana¡¯s agony, but it seemed like she eventually decided to not give up her faith. I didn¡¯t really know what to make of that resolution, though. Anyway, it seemed like Adriana found an answer to her worries that had been haunting her during the vacation. * * * I believe she had some complicated thoughts about everything, but she didn¡¯t elaborate on it, and I didn¡¯t really know what to say to that. It felt refreshing to enter our classroom after such a long time. During my vacation, I had met the girls and Heinrich, but I hadn¡¯t seen Bertus, Cliffman, and the three idiot brothers for quite some time. Of course, I saw the three idiot brothers in passing the day before. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Reinhardt.¡± Cliffman still greeted me quite awkwardly, albeit in a friendly manner, to which I nodded. ¡°Ah, yes. How have you been?¡± ¡°Fine. Right¡­ How was it in the Darklands?¡± ¡°So-so, nothing really happened.¡± I answered the other¡¯s questions as I usually did, but as I did, I heard some laughter from behind me. -Pfft. -Pffffft. -Why did he go there, then? Those three idiot brothers. They were laughing at me. Heinrich seemed to have been of the same opinion. They treated me as some kind of poser who made a big deal of going to the Darklands and returned with nothing to show. ¡®Why the fuck are they cutting into their own flesh? Did they start itching all over now that a new semester started? Do they want me to beat them up again?¡¯ ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± I didn¡¯t really talk to Bertus about what happened. He just smiled softly at the people behind me who seemed to look down on me. ¡°Great job.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It seemed like he already knew what Ellen and I went through during the vacation. I couldn¡¯t really hide anything from him, so saying anything would have been meaningless, hence I just shrugged my shoulders. -Ratter. ¡°Sit down.¡± Then, Mr. Epinhauser entered the classroom. Some of us had already done so, but I hadn¡¯t yet, so I had to fill out my course application form by that day. Mr. Epinhauser, as always, simply conveyed what he had to convey without any rhetorics. ¡°Except for the midterms and final exams, there are two other big events during your second semester: the group mission and the festival. A detailed schedule will be announced later. And in your first class today, there will be a physical scan.¡± He was like a well-oiled machine, so he didn¡¯t ask us how we had been or something similar. I thought that he was done conveying his message, but then Mr. Epinhauser pulled something out of his pocket. ¡°Number A-2 and Number A-11, your new Adventurer IDs have arrived from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± New IDs. Only then did I remember that they told us that they would upgrade Ellen¡¯s and my adventurer rank when we left the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. The new cards were to be sent to Temple. Everyone was puzzled when the talk was directed towards the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. ¡ªExcept for the ones who knew what had happened. Mr. Epinhauser simply looked at the ID cards and handed them to me and Ellen one after the other. ¡°They have been upgraded from F to B rank. That¡¯s rather unusual. This just shows how serious the issue you two solved was. You can feel proud of yourselves.¡± Mr. Epinhauser even gently patted Ellen and me on our shoulders, a rarity. He wasn¡¯t someone who just did those kinds of things, so everyone including myself had their eyes opened wide. He also asked us if we wanted to undergo psychological treatment because of what we went through¡ªhe thought that we might suffer from extreme guilt and trauma. That was also why he tried to comfort us in a rather unusual way¡ªin case we were still suffering from what we did. You can be proud of your actions, don¡¯t feel ashamed. ¡°Your additional reward has also arrived: one hundred gold coins each.¡± An extraordinary rise in rank from F to B Rank. Furthermore, 100 additional gold coins for each of us. Everyone seemed even more surprised, except for those in the know. I had told everyone that nothing happened, but for some reason, our Adventurer Rank had dramatically risen. There was a material reward as well. ¡ªA huge amount of one hundred gold coins as an additional reward. It was our remuneration for the annihilation of the bandits of Klitz Point and for solving that cursed sword case. Everyone should have realized by then that I was lying when I had said that nothing happened and that we actually resolved quite an unusual situation. Heinrich and the three idiot brothers in particular were immensely surprised. They had been looking down on me as someone who was all talk and just bummed around, but seeing how things had turned out, that was absolutely not the case. It looked like I didn¡¯t actually have to dirty my hands again. They¡¯d simmer down on their own. ¡°And I have something to tell you about the item you have acquired. As such, please come to my private room along with Number two.¡± There was one more thing¡­ The cursed sword. It seemed there was something he wanted to tell us about that item as well. ____ Chapter 181 Chapter 181 We got a short break after that morning meeting. Ellen and I went to Mr. Epinhausers private room, leaving our classmates, who were looking at us as if they were thinking things along the lines of ¡®What the hell did they do?¡¯, behind. ¡°After securing it in a safe space in which the sword¡¯s power cannot run rampant, several wizards are studying it.¡± It seemed that Temple was very thorough with their safety measures so that the sword¡¯s curse wouldn¡¯t affect anyone or anything else. ¡°First of all, for now, the sword belongs to you, but there is a possibility that your ownership might get revoked.¡± Mr. Epinhauser confirmed that I had ownership over the sword for the moment. Temple was assessing the item for me. However, there was only one reason why my ownership might get revoked: The item was much too dangerous to be allowed to be held by an individual. Understandable. It did destroy a whole village and turn the surrounding areas into a land where corpses turned into zombies. However, that sword never actually appeared in the original. If we hadn¡¯t solved the issue, someone else would have done it¡ªit didn¡¯t have to be us. The cursed sword was dangerous, but we were able to deal with it on our own. If people with a much higher degree of skill than us dealt with that case, it would have been resolved easily. Of course, there were a lot of complex conditions at work there, but I didn¡¯t think that it was an issue that no one but us could have solved. We had just happened to take care of an issue that would have been resolved anyway just a bit earlier¡ªthat¡¯s what it felt like, at least. ¡°Currently, they are considering disposing of the item. I felt like I had to inform you two.¡± Disposal. They were considering disposing of the sword because it was too dangerous. That would mean that the cursed sword would completely disappear from the fringes of the story. ¡°Did you find out what that sword is?¡± At Ellen¡¯s question Mr. Epinhauser swept his hair back and folded his hands. ¡°No, not much has been elucidated yet except for the fact that a very unconventional curse was placed on it.¡± Eleris also said that, due to the nature of curses, nothing much could be found out about them. ¡ªBecause their cause and effect were very different from each other. However, Temple had come to the same conclusion. Eleris¡¯s brief examination and Temple¡¯s detailed analysis led to the same conclusion in the end? ¡°One might judge that Temple¡¯s power is insufficient, but I am rather confident that this is not the case. Temple, as you may remember, has a curriculum centered around black magic, albeit limited. In other words, warlocks who have mastered the black arts serve as instructors in this institution.¡± I was aware of that. Black magic was seen as evil, but in the end, it was one of the most powerful magical systems of all time. So, although limited, Temple gave lectures on black magic as well. So there naturally were people who could teach the subject¡ªwarlocks that served as instructors. Of course, the staff consisted of clean warlocks who hadn¡¯t caused any social controversy. In fact, Class B¡¯s Anna de Gerna, someone with a talent for black magic, was calmly studying black magic in Temple. Of course, there was a setting in place that the careers of black magic majors had to be clean, although they were seen as a minority in the world of magic. Because of that, warlocks preferred to stay hidden in the shadows sometimes. It wasn¡¯t like Temple was ignorant of black magic. They were even more knowledgeable about curses than Eleris. However, even though they knew so much, they still couldn¡¯t find out what that cursed sword was. ¡°They say that the power sealed in the sword is too ancient for them to find out anything detailed about. In other words, the curse, and the ancient magic associated with it, aren¡¯t used in our current era anymore. Therefore, it¡¯s rather difficult to analyze it and near impossible to know what kind of power that curse might exert. Hence, currently, it has been evaluated that our best move would be to dispose of it as soon as possible after researching it properly.¡± Anyway, they had ultimately decided that the cursed sword was too suspicious and dangerous to allow me to use it. ¡°Of course, as we are essentially taking away something that belongs to you, depending on what is decided in the faculty meeting, you will be given an item that has been judged to be of considerable value, although we cannot be sure if its value will be similar to the sword. However, we can promise to provide you with a piece of equipment of at least A rank or higher.¡± Still, Temple took my situation into consideration as well, so it seemed like they were trying to appease me with another item. But it was still disappointing. I wasn¡¯t affected by the sword¡¯s curse to begin with, so I could use that sword without a problem. Of course, I couldn¡¯t be sure that nothing dangerous would happen just because I was holding it. That cursed sword was even more ancient than I had initially thought. An ancient item that even warlocks had no knowledge of¡­ Practical magic. ¡°¡­Teacher.¡± ¡°Do you have something to tell me?¡± I wasn¡¯t that greedy for that cursed sword. While it was a top-notch piece of equipment, if I were to receive an A-Rank piece of equipment, that would be like getting handed a treasure. I had no reason to refuse if they decided to give me something like that. But it sure was a shame. I was pretty sure that the sword was something much too good to just miss. Even if they were going to throw it away, I wanted to first know what it was before it got discarded. Ancient magic¡­ An old curse¡­ A practical skill¡­ ¡°If it¡¯s ancient magic¡­¡° One last possibility came to my mind. ¡°Sorcery¡­ Could it be something like that?¡± An ancient power that no one had information about, even inside of Temple, and therefore couldn¡¯t be taught to anyone. Sorcery. ¡°So how about we ask Class B¡¯s Dettomolian to analyze it just in case?¡± I had a strong feeling that Class B¡¯s sorcery talent, Dettomolian, might be able to figure out what that cursed sword was. Or maybe not. Mr. Epinhauser responded only lukewarmly to my suggestion that we should try to find out the sword¡¯s origins using sorcery. One could never know what would happen if one used an unknown power to probe something one had no information about. He said that he would have a word with Mr. Mustrang and Dettomolian before he sent us back. The hallway on our way back to the classroom. ¡°Do you really need that sword?¡± Ellen still seemed apprehensive towards me keeping the sword. That was only natural, as it was cursed and ominous. ¡°It¡¯s a waste to just throw it away without knowing what it is.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Although I was able to use it, it would just get thrown away. Ellen still seemed unhappy but didn¡¯t want to act too stubbornly. * * * As it was the start of the second semester, the physical scan intended to measure our physical data replaced our first class. That¡¯s right, it was just a physical examination. Of course, its focus was more on checking how much one¡¯s physical abilities had improved than just making it a regular physical examination. After entering the measuring room, touching the physical scanner, and undergoing some tests, each person¡¯s physical abilities were announced on a bulletin board. Even during the semester, that information would be constantly updated, as those scans were a monthly occurrence. A-11 Reinhardt [Strength 8.3(C-)] [Agility 8.5(C-)] [Dexterity 9.6(C-)] [Magical Power 12.8(C+)] Talents [Self-Suggestion] [Magic Sensitivity] My physical data had risen slightly ever since I returned from the Darklands. I had been about to enter the period in which my growth would slow down, but then I had received that trait from Ellen, Hero¡¯s blood, which allowed me to easily overcome that period. It was an overall even improvement. If compared to my stats from the beginning of the first semester, it could be used as an ideal example of physical growth. If I strengthened my body with Self-Suggestion, they might even go up to B-. The rank of Self-Suggestion had also risen quite a bit, so the reinforcement it granted was quite substantial. Thinking about the time when my physical abilities were still shown as F and D, I felt kind of nostalgic. I was going to imprint my third talent soon. Unless something big happened, it would be a talent related to magic. ¡°Erich! You¡¯ve grown a lot, you punk!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Is that so? I still have a long way ahead of me.¡± Kono Lint hit Erich on his shoulder when he saw his updated physical data table. I did hear that he worked out during the vacation. ¡®Let me check.¡¯ A-9 Erich de Lafaeri [Strength 10.2(C)] [Agility 6.4(D)] [Dexterity 5.40(D-)] [Magical Power 4.10(F+)] [Stamina 8(C-)] [Divine Power -] Talents [Divine power] [Swordsmanship] [Martial Arts] Did he just do some weight training? That bastard wasn¡¯t really interested in those kinds of things at first, so his old physical data wasn¡¯t even good to begin with, but he had definitely improved. His agility, dexterity, and stamina were too far behind his other stats. ¡®Dude, you have to grow in a balanced manner.¡¯ Still, Erich¡¯s strength was higher in rank than mine. Although his potential was overflowing, he never put any effort into anything, so I had no idea why that deadbeat decided to try now. He had more talents than before, but he had neglected training his divine powers to the point that he didn¡¯t even get a rank for it. ¡°Hey, if you keep this up, won¡¯t you reach first place in no time?¡± ¡°Come on, how could that be?¡± Erich shrugged his shoulders at the praise of his brothers, acting humble. ¡®Speaking of, what about Kono Lint?¡¯ I was rather sure that his stats were freaking bad. A-8 Kono Lint [Strength 3.1(F)] [Agility 7(D+)] [Dexterity 5.1(D-)] [Magical Power 1.4(F-)] Talents [Teleportation] Wow. Even the words ¡°freaking bad¡± weren¡¯t enough to describe it. Didn¡¯t the physical training we had to do in our common classes show any results? He wasn¡¯t like Erich. That guy got put into the Royal Class purely because of his supernatural powers while having such abilities, right? Kono Lint¡¯s physical abilities weren¡¯t even as good as mine in my first semester there. No, I didn¡¯t plan on looking at those pieces of garbage to begin with. A-2 Ellen [Strength 18.5(B+)] [Agility 20.3(A-)] [Dexterity 23.1(A)] [Magical Power 27.2(A+)] [Stamina 20.5(A-)] Talents [Weapon mastery] [Mana Control] At the beginning of the first semester, most of Ellen¡¯s stats were at B-rank, but almost all of them had reached A-rank. She was getting closer and closer to the limits of a human being, so her growth was somewhat slower compared to someone like me. As we got closer to those limits, our rate of growth was bound to decrease. The Hero¡¯s blood wasn¡¯t an ability that allowed one to simply push past the limits of man. Although none of our classmates could have been her equal in the first semester as well, it was clear that she had grown stronger. If she were to use magic body strengthening, her physical abilities would explosively improve. I wasn¡¯t sure by how much, but I wondered if she would be able to go up to S-rank when using it. If one thought about it that way, she really was a tremendous monster. All the others were looking at Ellen¡¯s physical stats and were bound to just stare wide-eyed. She had been a monster before, but she was even more of a monster. Of course, Ellen Artorius wasn¡¯t interested in that. She was just sitting in her seat, staring blankly at the blackboard with her chin resting on one hand. * * * Even though we had reached our second semester, the contents of our common classes were pretty much the same. As it was still summer, our P.E. class was still replaced by swimming classes. At the start of the first semester, I was completely drained by the P.E classes, but after vacations, I was able to handle the curriculum without too much difficulty. That day, there were some that didn¡¯t return after class and just stayed in the classroom. -This one, let¡¯s take that class. -Yeah, yeah. I think that¡¯ll be quite fun. Adelia and Harriet, who wanted to apply for the same lectures, and Ellen and I did that. The three idiot brothers were also talking among each other, probably trying to take the same classes as well, although they were of different majors. And.,, Ellen filled in her course registration form at her seat and immediately left the classroom. No, that was it? I immediately got up from my seat and called out to Ellen, who was on her way to the teacher¡¯s office. ¡°¡­What?¡± That girl just tilted her head as if there was something wrong with me. No, seriously. Wasn¡¯t that a bit sad, huh?! ¡°Hey, shouldn¡¯t we also discuss which classes we should take together?¡± During those times, we had gotten so much closer that I had completely forgotten how awkward she was. Now that I think about it, even when we got closer during our first semester, we had never even made proper eye contact when we met in the hallways or anything. ¡°¡­Why do we have to take the same lectures?¡± I felt like she probably didn¡¯t understand what being close had to do with attending the same classes. She was someone who had trouble with the social aspects of life. It had been a while since I felt it. She was rather slow when it came to those things. Yeah, there wasn¡¯t any reason for us to go to the same classes. Strictly speaking, we didn¡¯t have to. Erm. Yeah. Obviously. ¡°If there are any classes that overlap, then we could go to them together!¡± She wasn¡¯t a supernatural power user, but even if she couldn¡¯t go to the supernatural power classes, we could still take swordsmanship classes together! ¡°¡­Do you want me to show you?¡± Ellen showed me her course registration form as I made a fuss. She didn¡¯t know why I was so angry, but it seemed like she didn¡¯t mind if I wanted to go to the same classes as her. It felt kind of strange how she showed me her registration form so casually. What? Why did I feel like I was kind of obsessed about that? No, was that obsession? S-still¡­ wasn¡¯t it good to have someone one was close with in one¡¯s course? Wasn¡¯t it like that? Wasn¡¯t she acting like someone who didn¡¯t really care about me? Even though I had such thoughts running through my mind, I wrote down the swordsmanship class Ellen had applied for as well as the Demon Ecology class. Her timetable contained various individual professor¡¯s lectures on magic enhancement instead of Mana Sensitivity Classes, meaning they were classes that I couldn¡¯t take with her. ¡°By the way¡­¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Ellen looked at me and asked something as she watched me fill out my registration form in the hallway. ¡°Do you want to be together with me so badly?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± It felt like she was asking me because she was really curious, not because she wanted to tease me. ¡°We¡¯re always together anyway. We¡¯ve been training together as well:¡± Do you want to be with me so bad that you even want to take the same classes as me, even though we are practically together all the time regardless of our classes? Why? That was probably what she was thinking. There were no signs that she was trying to tease me like saying ¡®Do you like me that much?¡¯ So my guess was that she was really just curious. Was she actually a real monster who was unable to understand a human¡¯s mind? What was she even saying to me? Cold sweat was running down my spine because I felt a form of shame that is rather hard to describe. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Get out of here!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± I had seen Ellen getting upset from time to time but that was the first time I got upset. And the fact that I was so upset with a kid made me want to hide myself in a hole. ____ Chapter 182 Chapter 182 This was my schedule for the second semester: Our common classes still took place on Mondays and Thursdays, and the subjects also remained the same. There wasn¡¯t any significant change in the individual professor¡¯s classes I chose either. Tuesday ¨C Swordsmanship Theory II, Swordsmanship Training II, Swordsmanship Application. Wednesday ¨C Meditation II, Supernatural Power Control, Supernatural Power Application. Friday ¨C Mana Sensitivity Training II, Comprehensive Martial Arts II, Demon Ecology. The classes I chose were similar, and most of them were just advanced forms. The only differences from the first semester were Demon Ecology, Supernatural Power Application, and Swordsmanship Application, and there were two other practical classes among them. The content of those practical classes was to subdue or fight beings summoned through summoning magic or something similar. Swordsmanship Application entailed subduing one¡¯s enemy with one¡¯s sword, of course, and the supernatural power class was doing so with one¡¯s supernatural power. I both wielded a sword and used my supernatural powers to strengthen my body, so those two classes would end up being the same for me. Demon Ecology was a lecture that taught its students basic knowledge of Demons, and Supernatural Power Application was to test my supernatural powers in a practical setting. On Tuesdays, I¡¯d probably spend my whole day with Ellen as I only had swordsmanship lessons on that day. After classes, in the dormitory. ¡°It was useful .¡± I stopped by Class B¡¯s dormitory to return the Imperial Crest to Charlotte. She smirked as I handed it over to her. ¡°So you thought it was very useful? Did you now? To skip the queue to the Warp Gates? As soon as you picked a fight, you pulled it out right away, didn¡¯t you?¡± How did it feel like being treated like royalty? With that massage, Charlotte gave me a stern look. ¡°Y-you know all that?¡± ¡°If you keep flashing the Imperial coat of arms like that, of course, I would know everything you do with it, don¡¯t you think?¡± There was no way just anyone could carry around something like that, so it seemed like all reports about what we did at the Warp Gates came back to her. The same went for when I used it in the Darklands. ¡°Well, didn¡¯t you give that thing to me so that I could use it at times like those?¡± ¡°That is true.¡± Charlotte laughed while covering her mouth, saying, ¡°I was just teasing you for a bit.¡± Certainly, the Imperial Crest was one of the most useful items we had taken with us. Not only did it help us to save time, but it also helped us to avoid unnecessary conflicts and situations in which we might have faced murder charges. With just that little crest, we had managed to end our journey to the Darklands safely, so Charlotte had been a great help. ¡°I¡¯ve read all the incident reports. You¡¯ve worked hard, Reinhardt.¡± Just like Bertus knew what happened, it was only natural for Charlotte to also know what we went through in the Darklands. ¡°Shall we take a walk after such a long time?¡± There was no reason for me to reject Charlotte¡¯s offer. * * * Charlotte and I walked around the park in front of the dormitory. There were hardly any people in the vicinity of the Royal Class¡¯ dormitories, so the chance that we would run into someone was rather low. By the way, since the vacation was over, I thought she would ask me to deliver more letters to Valier or something. Charlotte wouldn¡¯t be able to send him any letters without me around to deliver them; she couldn¡¯t go to Eleris¡¯s store with her own people. ¡°It must have been hard. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary incident.¡± Charlotte still walked as she let out those words. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t even deny that.¡± Certainly, both Ellen and I had suffered a lot of trauma ever since that case. I felt like I was finally getting over it. ¡°Ellen Artorius¡­¡± Charlotte let that name softly roll out of her mouth. The only people who knew Ellen¡¯s real name were Charlotte, Bertus, and I. Charlotte was speaking slowly as if she was savoring the surname Artorius as if she was saying Ellen¡¯s name for the first time. Charlotte seemed to admire her a lot, speaking as if she never would have thought it to be possible. ¡°Ellen Artorius isn¡¯t just a hero¡¯s younger sister. In the end, Ragan Artorius might end up being remembered as just Ellen Artorius¡¯s older brother.¡± Ellen might become a lot stronger than Ragan Artorius and achieve feats far surpassing her older brother as well as his fame. It seemed like Charlotte thought things might end up like that. ¡°It¡¯s not easy for someone like you to come back unscathed after going on an adventure with such a great person.¡± Ellen had great potential. I, however, didn¡¯t have any expectations placed on me, but I had still completed that journey with Ellen unharmed, so Charlotte seemed to think that I definitely wasn¡¯t some ordinary person either. ¡°¡­I¡¯m glad that I didn¡¯t get in her way.¡± Charlotte smiled at my words. ¡°Still, you two went on a trip together¡­ so, have you ever felt something like palpitations?¡± Charlotte¡¯s expression changed as she was asking about her friend¡¯s love story. ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± ¡°No, but, well, you never know, right?¡± What was with her expression? It was so weird. ¡°What we did over there was far from those kinds of things to begin with. All I could do was try to hold on to my senses, you know?¡± Charlotte¡¯s expression hardened at my words. ¡°Ah¡­ That¡¯s right. Sorry. I made a mistake.¡± Charlotte apologized to me, as it was a rather thoughtless question to ask someone who had just gone through a rather traumatic experience if they had a fling while at it. ¡°By the way, thanks to what you guys have done, the Imperial Family will soon take action. In the end, everything will be fine.¡± ¡°Taking action?¡± ¡®Why would the Imperial Family take action?¡¯ Charlotte tilted her head at my question. She seemed like she was saying ¡®Why wouldn¡¯t we?¡¯ ¡°The Adventurers¡¯ Guild is an organization supported by the Imperial Family, isn¡¯t it? But some adventurers actually dared to steal supplies from the Guild. Isn¡¯t that quite shameless?¡± They provided support to develop the Darklands, and yet there were people coveting those supplies. It seemed like that greatly besmirched the Imperial Family¡¯s goodwill. ¡°We have to tighten our grip on the Exian Outpost and their adventurer management system. Although we can¡¯t prevent such stupid things from happening ever again, we have to make sure that it doesn¡¯t happen too often.¡± The Imperial Family was supporting the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, but they had no idea how the Exian Outpost was run. And with news of the resolution of that case reaching the Prince and Princess, the state of the Exian Outpost also reached the ears of the Imperial Family. Originally, the bandits would have tried to rob some guild supplies and disguise their actions as the doings of Demons. However, because we managed to intercept their plan, the Imperial Family saw the need to fine-tune the Exian Outpost¡¯s management system as well as their Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡°There¡¯s a huge shortage of manpower, while there are a lot of people around, so it seems like there are a lot of criminal organizations ruling the place from the shadows, so we sent them more manpower. Anyway, thanks to what you guys have done, Exian will become a little bit safer than it used to be.¡± What Charlotte seemed to say was that what Ellen and I had done was much greater than we actually thought. -Slap! ¡°Arg!¡± Charlotte suddenly slapped me on my back. ¡°So, neither you nor Ellen has any reason to be so depressed.¡± ¡°¡­Did we look like that?¡± Charlotte smiled with her index finger close to her mouth. ¡°Both of you have been acting as if what you did in the Darklands was a huge sin, saying things like, ¡°nothing happened at all¡±. What do you think it looked like?¡± Nothing happened in the Darklands¡ªthat was what Ellen and I had told everyone who asked us. Charlotte knew what we had done; that was why she told me about the results of our actions. Because of what we had done, the crimes committed by adventurers in Exian would be greatly reduced in the future. ¡°Well then, I shall return¡­ Urgh!¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± Charlotte, who had been talking calmly, suddenly stopped, covering her right eye with her hand. Charlotte trembled slightly with her back twisted. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you feel sick?¡± ¡°No, just wait¡­ Wait a bit¡­¡± Charlotte took some deep breaths while she covered her eye, then sighed and raised her head after some time. It seemed like she had sweated a little. ¡°Phew. I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just like that sometimes.¡± Charlotte pretended to be fine and as if nothing happened, but she didn¡¯t look fine at all. ¡°It¡¯s just something of an aftereffect. It¡¯s been like that ever since I came out of the Demon King¡¯s Castle.¡± I guessed that it was something like a panic disorder, but Charlotte told me that it really was nothing, so I shouldn¡¯t worry too much. Although I didn¡¯t think it was like that, I felt like she would tell me what was really going on. Charlotte said that she needed some rest and that she would return to the dormitory, so we walked back together. Charlotte took out a letter while we were on our way. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry to ask this of you every time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. It¡¯s fine.¡± However, different from before, the expression on Charlotte¡¯s face as she gave me the letter was a little sad. * * * The content of the letter wasn¡¯t much different from before. She wrote about what she did during the vacation and what happened; she also asked me how I was doing. I was getting used to writing her replies filled with nonsensical lies. The more I grew accustomed to what I shouldn¡¯t, the more guilty I felt towards Charlotte. After writing my reply in Eleris¡¯s store, I went to its first floor. Eleris had a large bag on the table. The proceeds from selling the precious metals from the Darklands we sold through the Thieves¡¯ Guild had come in. It was a total of 3500 gold coins. That was a huge amount of money, equivalent to about 3.5 billion won. It was said that the amount they obtained from the grave was enough to satisfy a whole expedition team consisting of 20 adventurers, after all. It was only natural that we would get that much, as we took everything for ourselves. Since we would divide all of that into three equal parts, it would be more than 1 billion won for each of us. ¡°Leave my cut to the Rotary Gang, I¡¯ll take Ellen¡¯s money to her.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Look for a house or a room with that money. Don¡¯t just invest everything into the Rotary Gang, you hear?¡± ¡°Is that¡­ Is that really okay¡­?¡± Eleris seemed to be at a loss for words as to whether she could really spend that huge amount of money just for herself. Although I had told her to do that from the start, it seemed like she felt dizzy with that much money in front of her. If I were to spend that money, it would just be related to the Rotary Gang, so I didn¡¯t need that money right away. I was thinking of saving it as capital for a new business venture or something. So the only thing I was going to take with me was the money I had agreed to give to Ellen. ¡°But it¡¯s way too heavy.¡± -Clang Money is good and all, but it was heavy as hell! ¡°I¡­ I should have exchanged them for platinum coins, but¡­ if I had gone to a financial institution¡­ It might be rather uncomfortable if they¡­ started asking about how I obtained this money. So, I just brought it here first¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll just treat it as a work-out.¡± It wasn¡¯t too heavy to carry yet. * * * A school day. I only had classes related to swordsmanship all day. In the end, even though I was a bit upset with Ellen, I still applied for the same classes as her. I turned into some character that got upset at the simplest thing but still clung on like some obsessive man. Just who the hell did I turn into? If a side character, who definitely wasn¡¯t the protagonist, acted like that, readers would comment something like ¡®I fucking hate him. When are you going to kill him off?¡¯ Swordsmanship Theory, Swordsmanship Training, and Swordsmanship Application. All of those subjects were one bundle. After the application training, I would be given an extra lunch break. The classes were taught by a different teacher than the one we had in our first semester, so there was quite a difference. In the first semester, the only student of the Royal Class who took the swordsmanship classes was Ellen. About fifty people attended the classes in the second semester. Among them were four Royal Class students, including me. Ellen, me, B-2 Scarlett, and B-11 Ludwig. Somehow, I ended up taking the same classes as the main character. ¡°Reinhardt! Did you apply for the same class as me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Ellen is also with you. Hey!¡± -Nod Our lively, allrounder protagonist, who was always energetic, was still more than energetic. Ellen just nodded at Ludwig¡¯s words, who looked rather tense. Ludwig naturally sat next to me. So there was Ellen on my right and Ludwig on my left. Did Ellen take the same classes as Ludwig in the second semester of their first year in the original? I didn¡¯t think so. I felt like the development had changed a little. Maybe it was just Scarlett who initially took the class. Ellen wouldn¡¯t act like her character in the original novel because too many things had changed around her because of me. ¡°Scarlett! Scarlett, come here as well. Let¡¯s sit together.¡± ¡°Ah¡­Yes.¡± Scarlett, who was sitting far away from us, sat next to Ludwig when he called out to her. However, I could clearly see how awkward she felt. Scarlett nodded slightly when she made eye contact with me. That was all she did. Just what was different from the original? She should have become close friends with Ludwig after she saved her from her bullies during the first semester. However, it was Charlotte who settled Scarlett¡¯s situation. So it seemed like Ludwig wanted to get closer to Scarlett, but she seemed to have a hard time dealing with him. Proof of that would be that she still spoke rather formally with him. That situation came to be because one of the major incidents involving a main heroine had completely disappeared. Of course, Scarlett didn¡¯t seem to hate Ludwig, she just seemed to feel uncomfortable around him. So now Ludwig was nothing more than maybe air to her. Actually¡­ What did I care? That wasn¡¯t enough to worry me. Who cared about the main character, anyway?! Just like the Gates would always appear no matter what I did, they would also always appear no matter what Ludwig did or didn¡¯t do! Anyway¡­ Our situation could still exist in the confines of the main story. -There are¡­ Four Royal Class students in this course. -There are also two Orbis Class students. -The standard of this class is just too high¡­ Ludwig would meet some of the Oribis Class students right when the second semester started. After following Ellen there, I suddenly became acutely aware of that situation. Temple had hundreds of uniforms with different designs. Of course, I didn¡¯t what school they were part of, even if I looked at them. All I recognized was the Royal Class uniform that I wore. However, there were two that were the most famous. To those who wore them, they served as both a business card and an identification card. The Royal Class, and the Orbis Class. The Orbis and Royal Classes were small groups of elites with, at most, 20 students in each year. There were six such students in that course, so it was only natural that the other participants were rather noisy. Some of them seemed to have high expectations, others seemed to lament the fact that their grades had basically been fixed. Anyway, that was the first time I saw Orbis Class¡¯ uniform. ¡®So that was how it looked like.¡¯ Royal Class¡¯ uniform seemed prettier. The theory class teacher entered the classroom and took attendance, each student raising their hand one after the other. ¡°Royal Class A-2, Ellen.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Royal Class A-11, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Royal Class B-3, Scarlett.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Royal Class B-11, Ludwig.¡± ¡°Yees!¡± . . . After calling out each name one after the other¡­ ¡°Orbis Class A-8, Adler Belkin.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Orbis Class B-3, Nilssonia.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Like Royal Class, Orbis Class was also divided into Class A and B. Even within our special class, they deemed one class superior to the other. I believed that the Orbis Class was no different. Of the fifty students present, four were from the Royal Class and two from the Orbis Class. As Harriet had said the other day, the students of Royal Class didn¡¯t care about the Orbis Class. However, the Orbis Class continued to train intensely with the aim of never losing against the Royal Class. As they obtained their position through effort, going through grueling training was just a daily routine for them. They were a class that hated talent. Therefore, it was only natural that the looks in the eyes of the two Orbis Class students, who stared at us, sitting in the order of Scarlett, Ludwig, me, and Ellen, weren¡¯t pretty. According to the original, Scarlett and Ludwig were the only ones who were supposed to take that class. Ellen and I were never supposed to be there. So I had no idea if the development would change or not. The lesson after the theory class was swordsmanship training. Originally, during that class, Ludwig would have suffered a crushing defeat in a practice match against one of the Orbis Class students. It was a scene to give impact to the first appearance of the Orbis Class students, showcasing how different they were from the sloppy Royal Class students, who only believed in their talents and didn¡¯t put any effort into them. ¡ªThat Orbis Class couldn¡¯t be compared to guys like Erich and Cayer, and that they were blinded by jealousy and hatred towards the Royal Class. That was the first appearance of the second semester¡¯s antagonists. However, since two additional characters had been added to the class, there was a possibility that Ellen or I might have to have a practice match against them. I wasn¡¯t so sure about myself, but if Ellen ended up having that practice match, she¡¯d blow them away for sure. Would that be okay? ____ Chapter 183 Chapter 183 The practical class after the theoretical one. My worries were useless. As soon as the practical lesson began, the teacher in charge gathered us all up in the huge practice room and spoke as if they had something interesting planned. ¡°We have six students from special Classes here. Do the Orbis and Royal Classwa want to have a practice match against each other? Is there anyone among you who wants to try?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± The first one to jump up after they asked for volunteers was Ludwig, who was more than motivated. ¡­That was the kind of guy he was, after all. Everyone¡¯s eyes twinkled hearing that there would be a practice match between the Orbis Class and the Royal Class. Ellen was spacing out as if she didn¡¯t care, and Scarlett seemed slightly nervous, being addressed like that. ¡°Then, someone from the Orbis Class¡¯s side.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± A determined-looking girl walked out from the Orbis Class¡¯s side. Number B-3, the one who was introduced as Nilssonia. Adler Belking of Class A just watched with his arms crossed. Nilssonia, she had horribly beaten Ludwig in the original, and from that, Ludwig learned that the Orbis Class guys were extraordinarily strong. ¡°Take care not to get too violent.¡± It was clear that the teacher in charge pitted the two special classes, the Orbis Class and Royal Class, against each other on purpose, even though they knew that they were rivals. Ludwig and Nilssonia faced each other holding their training swords. ¡°You said your name was Nilssonia, right? I¡¯ll be in your care.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That girl named Nilssonia didn¡¯t react at all to Ludwig¡¯s greeting. Her expression seemed as if she viewed it as a real match. The atmosphere around her was kind of scary. ¡°Start.¡± ¡°Hap!¡± Nilssonia wildly rushed towards Ludwig as if she didn¡¯t care for anything else. I couldn¡¯t properly remember how their duel was supposed to go. He probably lost because of the overwhelming difference in technique or something like that. That was the reason why Ludwig got motivated to train even more¡­ Something like that. -Kaang! As soon as the training swords hit each other, Nilssonia let her sword slide across the other sword in an attempt to brush off Ludwig¡¯s sword. At the moment when she was about to push his sword away, the look in Ludwig¡¯s eyes changed. Up until then, he had worn a rather silly expression. -Kang! In spite of her attempt to deflect his sword, Ludwig applied more strength to his sword. ¡°Urg!¡± -Kadang! And, Nilssonia, who had been pushed down by that light push, fell down on the floor. The match was decided in a flash. ¡°Ah, I-I¡¯m sorry! Are you okay?¡± ¡®What was that?¡¯ ¡®Why did he win?¡¯ Although it was Nilssonia who lost, it was my brain that was on the verge of freezing. * * * There was only one reason for Ludwig¡¯s victory: An overwhelming difference in strength. Ludwig¡¯s physical strength was simply so great that it was pretty much impossible to do anything against it using technique. He had just hit his sword against hers and pushed her away before she could do anything. Even in the original, Ludwig didn¡¯t lose due to strength, but due to his lack of technique, so he would lose all five of the practice matches.. -Bang! ¡°Urg!¡± . . -Kadang! ¡°Uhuurk!¡± . . -Pak! ¡°Urg!¡± ¡°A-are you okay? I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry.¡± In the next three practice matches, Nilssonia was nothing but pushed around by that guy¡¯s overwhelming strength. In the end, Ludwig hit her hard enough to see the difference between them. Nilssonia threw herself on the floor without hesitation, her mouth gaping open. It was as if she never imagined that she would get so horribly beaten. Even Ludwig was nervous and worried about her, which seemed to make Nilssonia feel even more miserable. He sure had a knack for making people feel bad with his stupidly good nature. ¡°Stop, stop. I think the strength difference is just too great. Stop.¡± In the end, even the teacher declared that the results would be more than obvious even if they didn¡¯t finish the practice matches, which were scheduled to be five rounds. Nilssonia limped back to her seat and sat down with a wretched expression, hiding her own shame, on her face. The face of the Orbis Class Class A guy was also seriously stiff. Ludwig came back to our side and sat down with his head down. It seemed like he also didn¡¯t expect that things would turn out like that. The one that was supposed to be defeated ended up winning. ¡ªAnd by a landslide. Just what was different? ¡°Teacher.¡± Then, the grimacing Orbis Class Class A guy, who had been watching, raised his hand. ¡°Ah, do you want to try?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The situation couldn¡¯t be ended by Orbis Class¡¯ defeat. How could the Orbis Class lose so badly against the Royal Class? That class was almost like the army, so if it got out, they might get gathered up and beaten by their seniors. First, that guy¡¯s face showed anger at their loss, but he also seemed contemplative. He seemed afraid of what would happen if it became known. ¡°Who¡¯ll be your opponent? Ludwig again?¡± The teacher looked towards Ludwig. The guy just grinned stupidly, scratching the back of his neck . ¡°Ah, i-if it¡¯s someone from Class A¡­ I, as the last place in Royal Class, wouldn¡¯t be a match for him¡­¡± ¡°!¡± Last place. When they heard those two words, I could see the two Orbis Class students, as well as the regular course students who were also attending the class, flinch. Although he had fought someone from Orbis Class¡¯ Class B, it was still like saying that the No. 3 lost against Royal Class¡¯ last place. ¡®Wow.¡¯ ¡®This bastard.¡¯ Did that guy finally learn how to piss people off? Was he some kind of master? Of course, if we were to go by his actual skills, things would obviously be different, but it was true that Ludwig was ranked last in the Royal Class. But if he said it like that, didn¡¯t that make him seem totally arrogant? Wasn¡¯t he totally scolding the Orbis Class in front of everyone? Even the last place of the Royal Class is much stronger than you. That was what it sounded like, you punk! The teacher completely fell for Ludwig¡¯s weakling act. That guy, Adler or something, was looking at us as if he preferred someone from Class A. ¡°Hey.¡± -Tug ¡°¡­?¡± I poked Ellen, who just looked at me and tilted her head. ¡°Go up there. What are you doing?¡± ¡®Go and beat him up!¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to deal with that guy who looked like a pain in the ass! Ellen just looked at me with a sullen look and shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Go.¡± Ellen murmured quietly. ¡°Go beat him up.¡° I suddenly remembered that time when we were drinking in the mansion on the Edina Islands. She had told me to participate in the tournament and go up to the quarter-finals. It seemed like Ellen wanted to see how I¡¯d do against someone of the Orbis Class. I could see Adler¡¯s face crumple up at the words ¡®Go beat him up¡¯. Did he hear something like ¡®He¡¯s not even worthy for me to deal with him¡¯? ¡°If you lose, I¡¯ll hit you.¡± Of course, Ellen wasn¡¯t even looking at me. Was I her Pokemon or something? Did I have to go and fight if she said ¡°Go, Reinhardt!¡± ¡°Fucking hell, If I win, I¡¯ll hit you then.¡± I felt like I was being treated like a Pokemon, but I went out anyway. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren My opponent was Adler Belkin, A-8 of the Orbis Class. Nilssonia was a woman, whereas he was a man. He gave off a cold impression, but I could see in his eyes that he felt really tense. The Royal Class didn¡¯t change their numbering, as they arranged it in order of talent, but the Orbis Class was different in that regard. Classes and numbers changed continuously based on competitions held every semester. Since it was a Class that valued effort, the rankings would get changed according to one¡¯s effort and performance. Since we were in our second semester, there would soon be a change in their rankings, unlike in the first semester. In the Royal Class, those numbers weren¡¯t exactly rankings. However, in the Orbis Class, those numbers were most definitely the most important. So, that Nilssonia, who Ludwig had just faced, was probably ranked 13th in the Orbis Class. Of course, there were also magic and academic major students among them, so that ranking didn¡¯t necessarily reflect their physical strength. Anyway. Orbis Class A-8 would mean that he was the 8th strongest in Orbis Class¡¯ first year. To put these things in a slightly wider perspective¡­ Temple had more than 100,000 students. If we only look at the first years in the High School section, it would be around 10,000. Royal Class students were selected by talent, but Orbis Class students were selected by skill. To put it bluntly, that guy in front of me should be the eighth-best person in terms of skill among all combat majors, including the general students, except for his talent. That was why he was chosen for the Orbis Class. If one put it like that, he sure seemed amazing. And that guy was staring at me as if he was about to grab and kill me. ¡°Now, this will be the first of five matches. Don¡¯t get too riled up.¡± ¡®Teacher? Isn¡¯t my opponent already more than riled up? Why are you pretending to not see that?¡¯ They announced the start of the practice match, and I was waiting to receive his blow. ¡°You said you were Class A Number 11.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re the last place of Royal Class¡¯ Class A?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± If I wanted to make him feel even worse, I had to answer yes to that question. But did I really need to? ¡°Well? The Royal Class doesn¡¯t go by the same system as you. These numbers aren¡¯t really rankings and don¡¯t reflect our skills, after all, right?¡± I shrugged as I said so. ¡°You must have gone crazy now.¡± I pointed to my classmates in the Royal Class who were watching me with a slight smile on my lips. ¡°Although I¡¯m in Class A, I¡¯m actually the weakest in the Royal Class.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Did I really have to make him feel bad? Of course I did! People make mistakes when they start seeing red, after all! ¡°So, if you lose to me¡­¡± Ellen had said ¡°Go, Reinhardt!¡± so I was giving it my all. ¡°You¡¯re really nothing more than dogshit.¡± Reinhardt used Taunt! ¡°¡­Get ready to lose.¡± It was very effective! * * * That bastard definitely hit pretty hard. -Kang! Kaaang! His physical strength, his agility, and his sword skills were certainly considerable, so I continued to fight him while taking steps back to prevent that guy from getting a chance to slash his sword at me. No matter how much I had learned my swordsmanship from Ellen, it had been just half a year at most. I also had practical experience, but I never had to deal with a guy like that before. It was Temple, a place filled with guys professionally trained to wield weapons. And that guy had entered Orbis Class on his skills alone. He wasn¡¯t someone who just kind of learned how to swing a sword like the guys I encountered in the Darklands. He was someone who had been sharpening his sword skills for much longer than I had and had put a lot more effort into it than I. -Kang, kaang! Kang! ¡°Do you only know how to run away? Is it because you¡¯re the weakest?¡± When I kept backing up and didn¡¯t try to get closer or slash at him at all, he sarcastically tried to poke at me. He was superior to me in strength. ¡­And it was also more than certain that he had the upper hand in terms of technique. However, because he was so riled up, his sword strikes were rather rough. I could almost feel how anxious he was to finally get a hit in. Unlike when Ludwig was fighting Nilssonia, our confrontation was prolonged, as I kept on calmly stepping back and gave him no chance to slash at me or stab me. I couldn¡¯t keep backing away, so I tried to grab his sword, which he thrust towards my chest using half-swording. A quick counter-attack after pretending to be pushed back again. ¡°Hap!¡± However, as if he had predicted what I was planning on doing, he stopped the sword that was thrusting at me and spun around. What I did felt like a desperate attempt to turn the scales while being thoroughly beaten. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with me.¡± He pointed his sword at my neck. His expression showed utter contempt as if he was looking at a bug. ¡°The first match is Orbis Class¡¯ victory. Get back in position.¡± It was a match consisting of five battles. Ludwig and Scarlett seemed quite surprised that I had lost. Ellen was looking at me with a sullen expression on her face. She looked dissatisfied. That guy was definitely quite hard-hitting, and in our first match, he won against me, who was supposed to be the weakest, though not easily. ¡°I heard that the Royal Class was full of people who only believed in their talent. I guess you¡¯re just one of those people as well.¡± Adler beat me once and was already openly looking down on me. It looked like he already made an estimate of my strength. I had kept backing up and had even failed my clumsy attempt at a counterattack. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to fight you anymore. How about the stronger one steps up now?¡± It seemed like he thought he could pass on to the next person now that he already had an estimate of me. ¡°Hey, while we¡¯re at it, let me tell you something.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been going on about my talent.¡± I grinned at him. ¡°Actually, my talent is a supernatural ability.¡± I pointed my training sword at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t use it, though. I thought you¡¯d find it unfair otherwise.¡± I was treated like someone who blindly believed in his talent and someone who never put any effort into anything. However, I just said that I didn¡¯t even use my talent. ¡°Am I allowed to use my supernatural power from now on?¡± I had simply fought with him without using my supernatural power at all. That was the reason why Ellen looked a bit angry¡ªI didn¡¯t use my supernatural power. It seemed like I was just playing around with that guy, completely giving up on the fight. ¡°Should I go and really trust in my talent starting now?¡± What are you gonna do? His eyes turned completely cold at my second taunt. That guy bore complete hatred for talent inside of him. He thought I was someone who would blindly believe in his talent, never even thinking to put in any effort, and yet I had faced him with the skill I had acquired purely through my effort. If that guy wanted to surpass the Royal Class, then he had to overpower me while I was using my supernatural powers. ¡°Do it. Whatever.¡± Those words were enough to provoke Adler. ¡°Then shall we start?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Type A. I could have used the melee sword fighting preset, but I decided to do it a little differently. ¡ªStrengthening my physical power. I only strengthened the power of my muscles to the max. That guy approached me and stabbed his sword towards my body. It was a sword strike aiming to clash against the opponent¡¯s weapon and continue from there. Before, I would have blocked that strike and backed away, but I wouldn¡¯t do that after activating my ability. ¡°Hap!¡± I simply hit the incoming sword with my own. -Kaang! ¡°!¡± Fragments of the training sword, which had been smashed to pieces by my single swing, were scattered on the floor of the training room. That guy was just staring blankly at me and his broken training sword with a puzzled expression on his face¡ªthe training sword broke in just one attack. If the sword hadn¡¯t been broken, he would have been sent flying along with it or lost his grip on it. Silence fell upon the training room. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to fight you anymore, ain¡¯t that right?¡± The moment our swords clashed, his training sword would shatter, or if it didn¡¯t, he¡¯d lose his grip on it as soon as I hit it. So the more we fought, the more obvious the results would become. Like that, I simply returned the words Adler Belkin had said to me just a few moments before. ____ Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Before using my supernatural powers, I had been losing through a long, drawn-out battle. After I started using my supernatural powers, I was able to decide the match in a single strike. Adler seemed unwilling to step down, though. After that, we had three more practice matches, and I used my supernatural powers to their full extent in all of them. However, as long as I strengthened my body with my power, my abilities would be overwhelmingly superior to Adler Belkin¡¯s. I only broke his training sword once, though. I was stronger, faster, and more accurate than him, and I was also superior to him in technique due to the aid of my supernatural ability. My supernatural power, which got increasingly stronger, didn¡¯t just strengthen my physical power anymore¡ªit even helped me improve my level of swordsmanship. Eventually, Orbis Class¡¯ A-8 Adler Belkin returned to his seat, a look of defeat etched onto his face. Class B¡¯s Nilssonia lost to Ludwig¡­ And Class A¡¯s Adler Belkin lost to me, the self-proclaimed weakest. The practice match between the Royal Class and the Orbis Class ended in the devastating defeat of the Orbis Class. ¡°Are you ready?¡± -Tak! ¡°¡­Why did you flick me?¡± When I went back to my seat, I flicked a finger against Ellen¡¯s forehead. She then covered it with her palm and stared at me. ¡°If I lose, I¡¯ll get hit. If I win, you¡¯ll get hit, right?¡± ¡°¡­I never agreed to that.¡± ¡°I never agreed to getting hit either.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ellen was speechless as if she couldn¡¯t find any words to throw back at me. She sulked like that sometimes. It was insanely cute. It was equal to if not better to Harriet¡¯s sulking. However, unlike Harriet, she was a little trickier to deal with, so that was a problem. ¡­But why was I even thinking so hard about that? ¡°Reinhardt, how are you so good? You really improved your skills a lot.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ludwig was muttering beside me, thinking that I was able to overpower that guy with my supernatural ability. My fight was what it was, but I was wondering just how the hell he became so much stronger. Just what had changed? Scarlett didn¡¯t really talk to me, but her expression was slightly flushed from excitement. She must have been really impressed. ¡°By the way, what did you mean with you¡¯re the weakest? I¡¯m not sure I could ever beat you, you know?¡± Ludwig didn¡¯t seem to believe that I was the weakest among the four of us. ¡°That statement was based on the premise that I didn¡¯t use my supernatural ability.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ But I still think that I¡¯m still far behind you.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t speak fucking bullshit, Mr. Main Character.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t sure about the outcome if I used my supernatural powers, but if I fought that guy without them, I would, without a doubt, lose. He only had one talent, Stamina, but he was the ¡®main character¡¯, after all. Just like Ellen had the trait Hero¡¯s Blood, there have should be other traits I wasn¡¯t aware of. Ludwig should have a lot of such corrective traits. Why? Because he was the main character. Maybe he also had Hero¡¯s Blood? He would eventually become just as strong as Ellen, after all. And to begin with, even if I used my supernatural ability, I could never defeat Ellen, even if she didn¡¯t use magic body strengthening, and it wouldn¡¯t work against Scarlett either. Scarlett¡¯s skills were enough to compete with even Cliffman, who had a combat-focused talent. Still, thanks to my self-suggestion getting stronger from all those experiences, I felt like my physical abilities had explosively improved. Now, if I could just enhance my magical power, I wouldn¡¯t want for anything more. Improving my physical abilities with magic body strengthening and then buffing them again through my self-suggestion¡­ I¡¯d be able to beat up anyone coming at me with that double buff cast on me. But could I even do that? I thought it really was about time for me to get my third talent. I had been really patient for such a long time, after all. Anyway, the class commenced without the Orbis Class trying to take unprovoked revenge on the Royal Class. * * * After the class ended, I looked up Ludwig¡¯s physical data and found out why he ended up becoming so strong. B-11 Ludwig [Strength 14.2(B-)] [Agility 10.4(C)] [Dexterity 9.7(C-)] [Magical Power 9.2(C)] [Stamina 32.2(S)] Talents [Stamina] Ludwig¡¯s physical abilities were improving so rapidly that they couldn¡¯t even be compared to his stats in the original novel anymore. His stamina had already surpassed human limits and reached the S Rank. Not even Ellen had reached S Rank in any of her stats. There was only one reason: Because of my involvement, Ludwig had not gotten involved in any incidents or problems within his class. He didn¡¯t have to pay attention to anything else and had just focused on his own training that¡ªwas why his physical ability had risen so much more than in the novel. As all his burdens had disappeared, the main character was able to become stronger than usual since there was nothing to distract him. Even if I used my supernatural ability, I might not be able to beat him. What was with that? * * * * * * To summarize, there were no more fights with the Orbis Class, and we just trained as we took the classes together. I felt like the losing side¡¯s mood had been put down by a lot, but anyway, the class ended without any incidents. There were no quarrels with them after that either. However, when I returned to the dormitory, the atmosphere turned a little strange. -Just tell the teacher. -No. It¡¯s too embarrassing. The three idiot brothers were sitting in the lobby seriously talking about something amongst themselves. What was the matter? What did they not want to tell the teacher? It looked like Erich was the main topic of their talk. When I looked closely, I could see that the boy¡¯s face was slightly swollen. ¡°What? How¡¯d you become like that?¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°R-Reinhardt¡­¡± Cayer, Kono Lint, and Erich were all stunned when I suddenly approached them. Looking at Erich de Lafaeri¡¯s face, it was more than obvious that he had been beaten up. Erich, who seemed to have worked out a little during the vacation, at first had wanted to try me again, but when he found out that I did something very unusual in the Darklands, he gave up all thought of that. All three of them seemed surprised because they didn¡¯t expect me to show any interest in them. ¡°What? I¡¯m asking you something, you punk.¡± Why were those bastards so slow to answer my question? Did they want to get hit more? * * * Sitting diagonally across from Erich on the armrest of the chair Kono Lint was sitting on, I listened to what happened to him. ¡°¡­Did you get into a fight with the Orbis Class?¡± ¡°¡­Uh.¡± It seemed like Erich had gotten involved in a similar incident to us that day. That guy took a different swordsmanship class, and it seemed like there was an Orbis Class student among its participants. So I was pretty sure that I had hit the nail on the head. ¡°You fucking bastard. Did you or did you not get into a fight with them? Talk already.¡± ¡°Yes! I-I was about to tell you!¡± -Flinch! Erich¡¯s whole body strongly flinched when I raised my hand. ¡®Do I just have to raise my hand without even hitting them now to make them tremble?¡¯ It sure was interesting how they immediately rebounded after just having lost their fear of me. ¡°Ya think it¡¯s a good thing that you got pissed off after they defeated you during practice and then got beat up by them after class? And you, Cayer¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°What are you so proud of that you wanna go and tell the teachers all about it?¡± ¡°B-but he got beaten up and¡­¡± Cayer shut his mouth when he saw me frowning. What happened to him was similar to what went down in my case, but the results were the direct opposite of each other. While attending the swordsmanship class, Erich had a practice match with the Orbis Class like myself, and after being miserably beaten, it seemed like his pride had gotten severely hurt. ¡°If you tell people who are very sensitive to the word ¡°talent¡± that you¡¯ll be able to step on them next year because they don¡¯t even have a talent, you¡¯d be very lucky if they didn¡¯t send you flying. You met someone with one hell of a good personality¡ªhe just beat you up a little and then let you go.¡± After losing to the Orbis Class kid, he had told him, ¡°You don¡¯t even have a talent, so I¡¯ll be able to step all over you next year, anyway. Enjoy it while it lasts, okay~?¡± He looked like a complete piece of shit. That punk should be glad that he didn¡¯t get stabbed. Anyway, it seemed like he struck one of the opponent¡¯s nerves, so he had got beaten quite viciously before crawling back. Erich got squashed without even being able to refute. However, Erich was slightly different from how he was in the original. He was someone who didn¡¯t know how to put effort into anything, although he did end up making an effort later on, it was at a much later time. However, looking at his physical stats, that guy seemed to have worked out a little during the vacation. Of course, it was just weight training, I believe. Seeing that he was acting really strangely towards me as soon as school started again, I could guess why he did that. ¡°I think you did a bit of training during the vacation to stick it to me to begin with, am I right?¡± ¡°!!¡± ¡°Seems like I am.¡± I could see Erich¡¯s complexion grow pale, perhaps because my guess was correct. It seemed like that bastard decided to train during the vacation because he felt pressured by me, and it looked like he had planned to deal with me during the new semester. It was more than clear that the three idiot brothers were looking down on me, and there was also a time in the past where I had beat up Erich like Cayer. However, it was clear that he gave up on those plans pretty early on. He probably had a strong hunch that he wasn¡¯t the only one who had gotten stronger. Still, he had gained more confidence in himself, so he had to play big before someone, but it seemed that the other party was someone of the Orbis Class. Erich and the other two, whose thoughts had been laid bare, seemed like they were slowly dying in real-time. ¡°Shameful little bastards. If you can¡¯t beat me, don¡¯t try to mess with me. Same goes for the guy you got fucked up by today.¡± He was so overconfident that it hurt. Why was he so rude when he knew he couldn¡¯t beat that guy? Erich couldn¡¯t even raise his face as I was insulting him. ¡°Beating up the other kids again¡­ Are you some thug?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± I turned around at the sudden voice coming from behind me and saw Harriet looking at me with her arms crossed, sighing. ¡°¡­Beat up who?¡± ¡°Otherwise, why does his face look like that?¡± Looking at Erich¡¯s beaten-up face, it was only natural that she thought that it was me who had hit him. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me, right? Hey. Did I hit you?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­ N-no. He didn¡¯t do¡­ it.¡± When I glared at him with a grim look in my eyes, Erich immediately answered. What the hell? Now it looked like I was threatening him to pretend like I didn¡¯t hit him after I did just that. No, I really didn¡¯t do it! Harriet was looking at me as if I was crazy. ¡°¡­Wow, you look like a real thug¡­ Now you¡¯re even threatening him¡­¡± That brat. She looked like she was actually a bit disappointed in me, didn¡¯t she? I felt like crying. I felt like the boy who cried wolf. Harriet let out a sigh, and¡ªlooking at Erich, who had crumpled up¡ªshouted at him with a shrill voice. ¡°You too! Don¡¯t you feel ashamed always getting beat up by that guy? If you don¡¯t like it, just tell the teacher or something so that he can¡¯t do these things anymore.¡± ¡°H-he really didn¡¯t hit¡­¡± ¡°What happened to your face then? If he hit you, you should just say that he hit you!¡± ¡°That, that¡­ That¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡®Wow.¡¯ ¡®He might get PTSD from this school year.¡¯ Hearing those things from a third party hurt a lot more than getting hit. Harriet didn¡¯t seem to realize that she was slowly shattering Erich¡¯s dignity. ¡®What is this?¡¯ I was just trying to talk some smack to them because I saw them grumbling behind my back and they had seemed like they wanted to jump me. Then Harriet had suddenly intervened and went even beyond the level of true education. I didn¡¯t want to smack them down that hard, you know? I didn¡¯t actually beat him, either! ¡°He¡¯s actually nothing. He just has a dirty temper, so if you really stick it to him and are bold, he can¡¯t do anything against you.¡± ¡°Ah. That¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± Harriet kept on beating Erich up with her words without a single break. He didn¡¯t even know what she was talking about. ¡°Harriet? What¡¯s going on?¡± And when Harriet was muttering some words that felt like a good old sermon, she attracted some attention. That time, Liana de Grantz seemed to have gotten curious and approached us. Harriet sighed as she pointed at me. ¡°That bastard just can¡¯t let go of his habits and is bullying the others again.¡± No. ¡®I was just asking him what happened! I didn¡¯t actually hit him. I was a bit rough with my words, but I really didn¡¯t hit them!¡¯ ¡®And now you¡¯re just picking on me!¡¯ She didn¡¯t even realize that I actually felt like I was being bullied. Looking at Erich¡¯s face¡­ Because Liana had also come over, he seemed like he wanted to actually die. The other two didn¡¯t look much different. ¡°¡­It¡¯s just been two days of school.¡± Liana looked at me as if I was a dog who couldn¡¯t hold his poop in. She couldn¡¯t help but look at me as if I was pathetic. Then she looked down at Erich, smirked, and said: ¡°Why are you even getting hit?¡± After Liana gave him the final blow, she simply slipped away. ____ Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Erich was turned into a living corpse. He was beaten up by the Orbis Class and whined to the others, but he only got his mentality completely shattered by the guys from the Royal Class. Thinking of it, Erich was already made into a permanent sandbag, as he had been the main instigator of Scarlett¡¯s bullying. That wasn¡¯t what I wanted to talk about, though. ¡°Why are you suddenly acting like you¡¯re worried about them? And I really didn¡¯t hit them.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Seriously! I really didn¡¯t hit them!¡± No matter what I said, she wouldn¡¯t believe me. Anyway, I didn¡¯t expect Harriet would intervene after seeing me like that, so I was strangely bewildered. The three brothers had snuck out of the room, so after looking around, there was only Harriet and me left in the lobby. ¡°And why would I care about them? I¡¯m just saying that you shouldn¡¯t do these things. I hate seeing you like that.¡± Her focus wasn¡¯t on the kids getting bullied but on the fact that I bullied people. That was kind of sad as well. Harriet¡¯s character had changed so much that it couldn¡¯t even be compared to the one she had in the original. Where the hell did the Harriet go who treated kids from lowly backgrounds with utter contempt? It seemed that such contempt for commoners forcibly disappeared the more involved she got with me. ¡°What was it this time?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What did they do this time to piss you off?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Harriet seemed to be curious as to why I did what I did, believing that it wasn¡¯t for no reason. ¡°Nothing really, I was just asking that guy where he got the bruises from and what he did to get them.¡± ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t beat him up?¡± ¡°No! I didn¡¯t beat him up, okay?¡± You really didn¡¯t? I could clearly see what she was thinking by the look in her eyes. She was just that convinced that I did that. Weak, it couldn¡¯t be helped that things were like that. I was the boy who cried wolf in that situation, after all. No one would believe me, no matter how I tried to explain myself. ¡°Looks like he got beaten up after getting in a fight with the Orbis Class, so that was why I just said a few words that they should stop picking fights and stuff¡­¡± ¡°¡­The Orbis Class?¡± ¡°Yeah. Seems like he got beat up after picking a fight with them after class because he lost in their practice match.¡± Harriet seemed to have fallen in a slight daze when she heard that things were a lot different from what she thought. ¡°Just what is wrong with him?¡± ¡°If you ask a leaky bucket why it¡¯s leaking, would you get any other answer but because ¡®it¡¯s leaking because it¡¯s leaky¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how that guy is.¡± When Harriet heard that idiot got so mad after he lost in the match and got beaten up for it, she felt that Erich seemed even more pathetic. He was just someone who was bound to get beaten up wherever he went. Harriet¡¯s evaluation of Erich seemed to have fallen even lower. She was staring at me with her arms folded. ¡°¡­Come to think of it, aren¡¯t you like that as well?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°If you go around and piss people off and create grudges, you¡¯re bound to get beaten up.¡± ¡°¡­What are you on about?¡± ¡°Or you¡¯ll fight with them over nothing as soon as you bump into students of the Orbis Class.¡± No matter whether Erich got beaten up or not, taking my personality into consideration, it seemed like she was convinced that either of those two situations would occur. ¡°¡­Something similar happened to me already, though?¡± ¡°¡­What? You fought?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a fight! Hey! Do I look like some crazy bastard that punches everyone he sees? ¡­I know what you think! We just had a practice match this time!¡± ¡°¡­Yes, you didn¡¯t just brawl.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also someone who greatly cares about manners and dignity, you know? It might be hard to believe, though.¡± ¡°¡­Hah, you deliberately lost without using your supernatural powers, then overwhelmingly won when you used them and were intentionally rude to him. I know everything, you know?¡± ¡°¡­No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Why did she know me so well? Did she know exactly when and how I lost my temper? Harriet and I chatted about various things in the lobby until I heard someone calling me from behind. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah .¡± It was Ellen, who had changed from her school uniform into training clothes. She pointed her chin towards the training room. It looked like I was going to have some training with her. ¡°It¡¯s fine to win using your supernatural powers, but you do know that you would have been completely defeated if you didn¡¯t have them, right?¡± ¡°I know, okay? I¡¯m not proud of that either, you know?¡± ¡°You seemed very proud, believing in your supernatural power.¡± ¡®Damnit.¡¯ Anyway, it was time for training. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, okay?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­Yes ¡± Harriet nodded with a slightly blank expression pasted on her face. * * * That day¡¯s training session wasn¡¯t all that long because I had to hand over something I couldn¡¯t the previous day. ¡°¡­Are all of these gold coins?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Ellen looked surprised when she saw that huge bag filled with gold coins that I carried into her room. ¡°Exactly 180. If you want to count, go ahead.¡± ¡°Annoying.¡± It would certainly be quite difficult to count them. Ellen seemed surprised at the amount of gold she received, but she didn¡¯t seem to be that thrilled over it. One could buy a lot of things, like food and clothes, with that money The real reward we took with us from the Darklands wasn¡¯t the earrings I gave to Harriet or the cursed sword, but the money. It was a huge amount of money worth billions of won. However, since we were in Temple, a place in which we were 100% guaranteed to receive food, clothing, and shelter, Ellen and I weren¡¯t that impressed by it. As Ellen simply lifted and let go of the pouch filled with gold coins with a clunk, she leaned over and looked at me. ¡°It¡¯s burdensome.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t seem to feel anything much about that enormous amount of money. ¡°Then give it to me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want to.¡± She shook her head and refused my attempt at getting more than a 1,000 gold coins like that. Tch, I thought I would get even more money like that. Ellen was glancing at the pouch filled with gold. Did she think nothing more of that money than she would of a sack of rice or something? * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren * * * If there was one difference from before, it would be that Ellen could eat with the other girls again. And I was included in that. Of course, Ellen still wasn¡¯t much of a talker, and she had little to no reaction to things. She mostly tended to leave Liana and Harriet to do the talking and Adelia to react to them. I also wasn¡¯t the type of person to say anything unless someone talked to me first. The kids also knew that I was like a broken vending machine that would only give rude answers even if they put a coin in it, so they didn¡¯t really talk to me often. On that note¡­ ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± Rather unusually, Ellen was the first to talk. She wasn¡¯t looking towards me, but towards Liana and Harriet. ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°This is the first time Ellen is asking me something. Yes. What is it?¡± Both of them were surprised as Ellen did something she didn¡¯t usually do, which was strange. Ellen nodded her head, seeming slightly troubled with something. ¡°You have a lot of money, right?¡± ¡°Money? Well¡­ I guess so? Same would go for Harriet.¡± Duke Grantz had villas all over the continent. And the young lady of the Saint-Owan Grand Duchy, Harriet, was more of a princess than a mere noble to begin with. Asking those two if they had money was the same as asking a human if they were breathing. It was obvious. But why was she asking about money so suddenly? ¡°If you have a lot of money, what do you do with it?¡± That girl¡­ What should I do with that stuff in my room before dinner? What should I do to spend that money well? It looked like she was struggling with those questions. I imagined Ellen struggling like that all alone in her room, which would be kind of cute. I didn¡¯t think that kid would do that, though. What did one do with a lot of money? The two of them were a little startled because they didn¡¯t know Ellen, of all people, would ask them such a question. ¡°Ah¡­ The reward you received from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Is it about that?¡± The additional reward we received was also rather high. We got it through Mr. Epinhauser the day before. However, that was just a cute amount for the two of us. ¡°Additionally, there is the money we got from selling precious metals and such. We got so much money that I don¡¯t know what to do with it.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°More than a thousand.¡± A thousand gold coins. ¡°Cough! Cough, cough! Cough!¡± ¡°A-Adelia! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Drink some water!¡± While listening carefully, it seemed like Adelia was so surprised to the point her eyes almost popped out, and she started coughing like that. She calmed down, her face flushed red, after she drank some water. 1000 gold coins¡­ Over a billion won. ¡°It¡¯s quite a lot¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Even Harriet and Liana didn¡¯t deny that it was quite a lot of money. The amount itself probably wasn¡¯t much to them, but we earned it in a single go. Of course, as they knew the details, they were aware that it wasn¡¯t earned easily. What did they do when they had too much money? Where did they usually spend their money? Ellen seemed curious about those things. ¡°Well¡­ I would buy some magic tools or rare magic stones to research them¡­ I think. While this certainly is a large amount of money, I think it¡¯ll be quickly used up if you go with that.¡± ¡°Yeeah¡­ I also often think that I¡¯d like to do that if I had a lot of money.¡± Adelia agreed to Harriet¡¯s words. Temple provided various items as support, but that investment wasn¡¯t unlimited. It was clear that there were quite a lot of things that they couldn¡¯t do due to their financial limitations. ¡°I usually buy clothes and other stuff. Although you made quite a lot of money, I also think that it¡¯ll be used up soon if you do that.¡± You bastard, we¡¯re talking about a billion! You¡¯re telling me you would just spend all that on clothes? Would you even be able to wear all that?! I managed to hold back my retorts, almost jumping at Liana¡¯s words which would make any commoner cringe hard. Anyway, Liana seemed to be able to spend large sums of money on her own personal hobbies and preferences. ¡°¡­That reminds me.¡± Harriet hesitantly opened her mouth after listening to Liana. When she said it, I also realized something. ¡°Ellen, you don¡¯t have any other clothes besides your school uniform, right?¡± ¡°I have more.¡± Ellen pointed at the clothes she was wearing. Liana and Harriet looked rather pale at her words. ¡°¡­I mean, casual clothes that aren¡¯t training clothes.¡± Harriet was right. Ellen was always either wearing her school uniform or a training suit. She didn¡¯t have any casual clothes. I had never seen her wear anything like that, at least. Even right at that moment, Ellen was just wearing her training suit. After class, all of us changed into our casual clothes and decided to roam around. Adelia wore a gray dress, Harriet wore a luxurious lacey black dress, and Liana wore trousers and a blouse. We didn¡¯t really agree to dress up, but everyone ended up wearing their casual clothes. However, Ellen was still dressed in just a tracksuit, and it had almost the same design as the one she wore earlier. There weren¡¯t that many differences in tracksuits anyway. Liana just opened her mouth blankly as if she came to the same realization again. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any normal one-piece dresses?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± The only time I saw Ellen wearing skirts was when she wore her school uniform. Liana grabbed Ellen¡¯s hand as she entered her berserk mode. ¡°I can¡¯t leave you like that. Let¡¯s go buy some clothes.¡± ¡°?¡± Liana had bought her a swimsuit the other day because she couldn¡¯t bear seeing Ellen in her school swimsuit. Next, it seemed that she was bothered by the fact that Ellen didn¡¯t have any proper casual clothes. Liana decided to shop for some casual clothes for Ellen; that was when she looked towards me. ¡°Hey, you, come along as well.¡± ¡°¡­What? Why me? I didn¡¯t ask you how I should spend my money, you know?¡± Liana frowned at my words. ¡°How are you any different? You only ever wear your uniform and your tracksuit as well.¡± Just as Ellen didn¡¯t own any skirts and such of her own, I didn¡¯t even have a proper pair of pants other than the ones from my training clothes. Although we were of different genders, my and Ellen¡¯s clothing styles were exactly the same. I mean, why would one need casual clothes if the only thing one did all day long was train? I wouldn¡¯t even have a chance to wear them anyway, right? Ah. I was pretty sure that Ellen was thinking the same thing. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll go shopping tomorrow after class. We¡¯ll meet up in the dormitory.¡± Was it just my hallucination when I felt like Liana de Grantz had the most authority right then? * * * I had meditation, supernatural power control, and supernatural power practice classes on Wednesday. Meditation and supernatural power control were classes I already had in my first semester. The previous day¡¯s practical swordsmanship class consisted of performing actual combat with a summoned practice dummy. There were also some cases where they summoned monsters, so it was literally a class where we fought against remote-controlled dolls with our swordsmanship. It was simply fighting against golems holding swords. Supernatural power practice was just another version of that; it was also Royal Class-only. There were a total of six supernatural power users in the Royal Class Year 1. Liana, Kono Lint, Charlotte, Heinrich, Ibia, and me. Class B¡¯s Ibia had telepathic abilities, so she didn¡¯t take the class, as she hadn¡¯t discovered an offensive use for her powers yet. Although she would later on, no one knew that yet. Of course, in Kono Lint¡¯s case, his teleportation ability was a little vague. Depending on how one used it, there were ways to use Teleportation offensively. However, due to the fatal side effect of his ability, appearing naked, he couldn¡¯t take part in the practical classes. Of course, all of Royal Class¡¯ supernatural power users had improved in their own ways, so Kono Lint¡¯s ability should have improved as well. Before the supernatural power practice class¡­ The supernatural power control class. -Oh¡­ Ooh! Lint! Unbelievable! For that to be possible! -T-teacher¡­! I did it! I finally¡­ finally did it! -Well, still! Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t come any closer to me wearing just that! -Urgh¡­ Uuh. Yes¡­ Kono Lint was sharing some intense emotions with the teacher in charge of the closed-off classroom where he usually practiced his ability. ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± After completing her ability test, Liana heard Kono Lint making a fuss and turned to look away. I didn¡¯t see Charlotte anywhere around, as she might have still had her lessons somewhere else. -Bang! ¡°Everyone! Good news!¡± Then, Kono Lint¡¯s training teacher opened the door to the closed-off room and cried out, their voice filled with emotion. ¡°Our¡­ our Lint! Lint can finally¡­! He can finally teleport together with his underwear!¡± At those words, everyone in the class stopped what they were doing, even the teachers in charge had bewildered expressions on their faces. It came as a great shock to everyone. ¡°Re-re¡­ Really?!¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Lelin! It¡¯s not a coincidence either! I did it three times in a row!¡± ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be!¡± That¡¯s right. Kono Lint¡¯s ability had evolved so that he could teleport along with his underwear after rigorous training! ¡°Kuh¡­ Kuhuk¡­¡± Kono Lint, who seemed to have gathered all of his clothes, was so moved that tears came out of his eyes as he covered his mouth. Heinrich and Ibia were also astonished by his remarkable growth. That ability, which forced him to give up all of his dignity to use, now only required him to give up about 90% of it. Liana looked rather pale as if she had fallen into a daze. ¡°It feels¡­ really incredible¡­ What is this feeling¡­?¡± That fatal side effect had finally disappeared, so it was only right to celebrate. But¡­ it was rather subtle. I definitely remembered that part. From then on, Kono Lint¡¯s ability would continue to evolve. He was able to teleport with his underwear, but later on, he would be able to teleport with all his clothes on. His ability would increase in power to the point where he wouldn¡¯t have to give up his dignity anymore. However, going by how it progressed¡­ I guessed that his next evolution would make him able to teleport with his socks or something. Kono Lint, who succeeded in teleporting with his underwear, eventually would be able to teleport along with his socks as well, but I didn¡¯t know if it would be the socks or not. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I knew I could do it¡­!¡± However, at the moment, we couldn¡¯t help but cheer for Kono Lint, who was so greatly moved by the moment. It was such a strange moment that seemed both happy and yet sad. Anyway, that day¡¯s protagonist was Kono Lint. ____ Chapter 186 Chapter 186 However, Kono Lint still couldn¡¯t participate in the subsequent practical class. He only managed to teleport with his underwear, but his offensive abilities were still the worst. In fact, even if he managed to teleport along with a weapon, his skills wouldn¡¯t even be enough to twist a child¡¯s wrist. Except for Ibia and Kono Lint, there were four people participating in the practical class: Charlotte, Heinrich, Liana, and me. As soon as the class started, Charlotte went off somewhere alone. Her abilities had been strong enough to defeat an orc by herself when we were undertaking the mission on the deserted island. The performance should be outstanding in practice. Heinrich was busy dodging and rolling around in the practical class, probably because of the activation time of his ability. ¡°Hyuok¡­ Huuk! Hyuok!¡± -Flare! Flare! (SFX for fire igniting) He wasn¡¯t able to hit the goblin in front of him, although he was able to keep it from approaching by setting fire to the area around him. In Liana¡¯s case¡­ -Flash! Bang! When she hit the goblins, who were either rushing at her or standing still, with her lightning bolt, they would disappear like smoke. As if the time when her range was barely five meters was a lie, her output and range had increased tremendously. When we were on the deserted island, Liana¡¯s ability wasn¡¯t even able to properly damage the orcs. However, with her current abilities in the practical class, those orcs would have been thoroughly roasted as soon as they came closer to her. No matter how I looked at it, that was totally a cheat skill. Lightning¡­ Lightning sure was invincible¡­ What I did was simple. -Baam! The summoned goblin simply disappeared in a puff of smoke after I kicked its head as it was rushing towards me. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know whether your supernatural power or your body has grown stronger.¡± My teacher told me that they didn¡¯t know whether it was my physical abilities that improved or my supernatural ability. * * * After my classes on Wednesday, Liana de Grantz and I went back to our dormitory together. All of us would meet up at the dorm to go shopping, after all, so there was no reason to go back separately. Ellen had awakened her magic body strengthening too early, so I knew that she was taking private lessons. She should be taking a lot of classes related to that topic. I didn¡¯t really know if they were all taught by that yoga master-like teacher. though. After returning to the dorm and waiting for a bit, Harriet and Adelia returned. They both went back to their rooms and changed into some casual clothes before coming out again. ¡°Did you put on makeup?¡± ¡°Yes, and?¡± When I asked her that after noticing that Harriet¡¯s lip color had changed slightly, she nodded. I didn¡¯t know exactly how and where she applied her makeup, but she felt somewhat different from usual. ¡°I heard that it¡¯s best to apply makeup in a way that isn¡¯t noticeable.¡± Harriet glared at me when I uttered those words. ¡°¡­So, are you trying to make fun of me for not being good at applying makeup now?¡± ¡°No, I was going to say that you did a good job¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­ I mean. I didn¡¯t do it to hear something like that from you or anything, okay?¡± No. If she said something like that, my tongue would just begin to move on its own. ¡°I was just saying that to make you feel better about yourself as well, you know?¡± ¡°Feel better about myself?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel good? Aren¡¯t you grinning from ear to ear because I praised you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not grinning from ear to ear! And I don¡¯t feel good because of that either!¡± ¡°Even if I praise you for being good at applying your makeup, you get angry. What¡¯s your problem, girl?¡± ¡°Argh! You¡¯re so annoying!¡± Harriet eventually came to the realization that talking to me was a waste of time, so she stuck herself to Liana¡¯s side. ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time that you realize that just exchanging more than five words with that guy will make you mad?¡± ¡°Urg!¡± Liana patted Harriet on the shoulder as if trying to make her realize that trying to deal with me was just a huge waste of time. Anyway, after waiting for a bit longer Ellen was the last one to arrive at the dorm. * * * Liana told us that she only rarely went to buy clothes directly to begin with. In most cases, they were custom made, or she would just contact a boutique, telling them to bring some clothes to her from which she would buy some she liked. That was the way of rich people. Another rich person, Harriet, said that she didn¡¯t really care that much about clothes. If it was just a new robe she needed, she would just have someone make her one according to her current size. Although she didn¡¯t look like that at all, Harriet was quite the nerd. A nerd that only put her everything into exploring the subject she majored in. She wasn¡¯t as extreme as Ellen, but Harriet was also the type of person who would only focus on her major, so it didn¡¯t seem like she had a lot of casual clothes either. Adelia was also a nerd and an ordinary student who lived on the allowance given to her by Temple, but she had no interest in buying anything fancy with it. Anyway¡­ With the exception of Liana de Grantz, who brought us along with her, almost none of us would go out to buy clothes or were interested in them. I wasn¡¯t particularly interested in that stuff either. ¡°It sure has been a long time since I¡¯ve come here in person.¡± That was what Liana said when we arrived at the luxury street lined with multiple clothing stores. Although there were many clothing stores within Temple, Liana wanted to really go out to shop. ¡°Ellen, if you just close your eyes and buy stuff here, don¡¯t you think a thousand gold coins would disappear in no time?¡± What the hell were they trying to buy? Even though it wasn¡¯t my money, I already felt like it would be a huge waste. * * * Of course, that time, Liana wouldn¡¯t be the one buying stuff for us. We would buy clothes with our own money as we went around to shop. Ellen was rather blind when it came to fashion, so she stuck close to Liana, who recommended her various things. As she went around the various shops, she was busy trying on and buying a lot of different clothes. I also didn¡¯t have any casual clothes, so I wasn¡¯t really any better than her, so I also bought a few clothes that caught my eye. ¡°¡­Try them on before you buy them.¡± ¡°They should be about right, though.¡± ¡°Are you guys twins? How can you actually end up saying the exact same thing?¡± Harriet and Adelia also bought some clothes. ¡°¡­¡± Harriet looked at herself in the mirror after she put on a dress, some other clothes, and shoes. Then, wearing a white dress and some pink shoes, she made eye contact with me as she looked into the mirror. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t say anything.¡± Her face was flushed red out of embarrassment. Why? It did look good on her, though? Did she think I wouldn¡¯t be able to resist picking a fight with her? ¡°¡­¡± She told me to not say anything, so I just kept my mouth shut. ¡°¡­I did tell you not to say anything, but you really aren¡¯t saying anything!¡± ¡°¡­What do you want me to do, you punk?!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not going to say anything, why do you keep st-staring at me like that?!¡± It seemed like she got annoyed because I kept staring at her in silence. ¡°Will it kill you if I look at you? I was looking because it suits you! It¡¯s cute! Huh?!¡± ¡°Wha-what?! Why are you complimenting me in such an angry voice?!¡± Harriet¡¯s lips twitched as I complimented her, although my tone was rather harsh. Eventually, she trembled a bit and ran into the dressing room. ¡°Hey. Hey. Come here.¡± Liana called out to me suddenly. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Shut up and look at this.¡± Liana dragged me to where Ellen was. ¡°¡­I feel naked.¡± Perhaps feeling a little awkward in that outfit, she tugged on the hem of her dress. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren * * * Ellen was wearing a black, shoulderless, frilly dress, and her feet were encased in black enamel shoes. Because of her naturally white skin, the contrast between her white legs and the black dress was very eye-catching. If Harriet was cute, then Ellen was breathtaking. ¡°Why do you always only wear tracksuits when you look so good?¡± Liana murmured as she looked at Ellen vacantly. She looked wistful as if thinking: ¡°I can¡¯t believe she let her potential rot away like that!¡± ¡°This stuff is uncomfortable.¡± Ellen looked quite uncomfortable wearing such revealing clothes, no matter how good they looked on her. She made eye contact with me. Harriet told me not to say anything just then, but suddenly Ellen was the one who looked at me without saying anything. ¡®Should I say something?¡¯ Of course, even if I didn¡¯t say anything, Liana would continue to talk all on her own. ¡°Hey, just look at her waist. Where is all your strength actually coming from?¡± When she touched Ellen¡¯s waistline, Liana was more than stunned. Surprised by her thin waist, she seemed unable to comprehend how she could be the current No. 1 in terms of physical stats in the Royal Class. ¡°No, I mean, you eat so much to begin with, so how does it make sense for your waist to be like that?¡± It seemed like Liana was starting to question the fallacy of this world¡¯s laws of physics. ¡®¡­This is my fault. I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Ellen posed a question towards me all of a sudden, as I was looking away not saying anything. What? Did she want me to tell her that she looked good? Liana grinned when I was acting a bit dumb and not replying. ¡°So that¡¯s what it is.¡° Liana looked at me as she wrapped one hand around Ellen¡¯s waist. ¡°She¡¯s usually only sweating while swinging a sword around with you, but seeing her wearing these kinds of clothes¡­ Hm? What is it? Does she seem different to you?¡± ¡°Wha-what the hell are you talking about?! Shut up!¡± What was that brat talking about?! ¡°What? Cat got your tongue? Come on, say something. ¡®It suits you well.¡¯, ¡®You¡¯re pretty.¡¯ Don¡¯t you have anything to say? Why can¡¯t you even say these simple words?¡± ¡°Shut up! It¡¯s not like that.¡± That¡¯s not how it was! What I felt was a bit more complex. I couldn¡¯t explain it properly! ¡°It looks good on you, yeah.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± What would she do next? Ellen ended up buying those clothes. * * * After shopping, everyone returned to Temple, having bought a lot of clothes. All of us wore some of our new clothes on our way back to Temple, and our respective closets were filled to the brim ¡°This, try this on.¡± ¡°¡­Annoying.¡± ¡°No, why don¡¯t you try this on?¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Not returning to her own room, Liana followed Ellen into her room and made her try on one piece of clothing after the other. This was also the day Liana de Grantz found out a new fact¡­ It was quite fun dressing someone else up. With a model in front of her that looked good in anything she wore, she kept on getting greedier as well. She couldn¡¯t believe that Ellen would only ever wear the uniform or tracksuits. Liana firmly believed that it was a total waste of potential. While trying on skirts, one-pieces, accessories, and boots, Ellen expressed her annoyance, but Liana¡¯s tension was so high that she couldn¡¯t brush her off. ¡°Oh, let¡¯s go buy some more dress gowns later. You¡¯d look absolutely stunning in them.¡± ¡°Dress gowns?¡± Liana wanted to see her in a proper dress gown, not just a casual outfit. Liana was sure that everyone would see the exercise addict in a different light. ¡°Yeah, that Reinhardt, you saw how he went dumb when he saw you wearing that one-piece today. How mindblown do you think he¡¯ll be if he sees you in a dress gown?¡± Reinhardt¡¯s reaction was also very interesting. It was strangely refreshing seeing him unable to even make eye contact with Ellen. ¡°¡­Why?¡± However, Ellen only tilted her head at Liana¡¯s words. It was as if he didn¡¯t understand how her wearing a dress gown and Reinhardt correlated. Liana stared at her. Am I wrong? ¡°Don¡¯t you like Reinhardt?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Ellen tilted her head to the other side. ¡°Then do you dislike him?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t dislike him.¡± Ellen remained silent for a while before she spoke once more. ¡°Ah¡­ I know what you mean.¡± They just thought of each other as very close friends. Liana didn¡¯t know them for that long, but as she observed Ellen, she realized that although her abilities were incredibly excellent, she was very clumsy and inexperienced in a few areas. She liked Reinhardt, but she didn¡¯t know whether she liked him as a person of the opposite sex or not. She had never loved someone like that, after all. Ellen definitely liked Reinhardt, but she didn¡¯t know where to place her feelings. Liana grinned. ¡°Hmm¡­ Do you get nervous when you¡¯re with him? Did you ever¡­ feel like that?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± She had felt nervous before¡­ When she had to kill for the first time together with Reinhardt when they were in the Darklands or when she had to fight the swarm of zombies. However, Ellen knew that she wasn¡¯t asking about something like that. Still, she had never felt nervous around Reinhardt. ¡°Did your heart ever pound at the thought of your fingers touching or did you ever tremble when your bodies were close to each other?¡± ¡°Never.¡± In the first place, their daily routine was practicing their swordsmanship together, so that was normal. Reinhardt would start shaking a lot. However, that was just out of exhaustion. He couldn¡¯t put any strength into his limbs anymore. By the end of the training, he would be very shaky. Liana, who showed more and more interest in the topic, slowly cooled down. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel anxious for no apparent reason or do things you usually don¡¯t do? Something like that?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel annoyed or upset when he gets closer to other girls?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Ellen had never really felt that way. She felt comfortable when she was with Reinhardt. She had no reason to feel nervous around him. Liana sighed with a grim expression on her face. ¡°I thought there was something between you two after you went to the Darklands, but there¡¯s nothing in the slightest. You guys are just normal friends, well, I don¡¯t know how Reinhardt feels about you, but I¡¯m sure that¡¯s all you see him as.¡± Liana sat across Ellen¡¯s bed, exhausted, saying that Ellen just confirmed that she really thought of Reinhardt as just a friend. ¡°Do you feel like that when you fall in love?¡± Getting nervous for no reason, getting upset if they get closer to others, and doing things one usually didn¡¯t do. Ellen was wondering whether Liana¡¯s words were true, that one would act like that if they fell in love. Liana seemed to ponder for a while; then her expression suddenly turned blank. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Come to think of it. I¡¯ve never loved anyone either. I mostly read all of these things in romance novels and such.¡± Liana de Grantz suddenly realized that she had never fallen in love herself and yet she said that one would feel upset and nervous if one were to love someone. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± A kid who didn¡¯t even know enough about the topic to teach another was arguing about it as if she was an expert. Ellen thought about Reinhardt. ¡®It looks good on you, yeah.¡¯ That was what he had said when he had seen her wear clothes she usually wouldn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t really put it into words, but when he said that, she felt rather strange around her chest, a little ticklish. It was a weird feeling she had never felt before. Was that proof? ¡®Probably not¡¯, Ellen thought. ____ Chapter 187 Chapter 187 The evening after we went shopping¡­ -Kaaang! Kang! ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡± In the end, we, wearing training clothes and sparring in the training room, didn¡¯t really change. I did buy casual clothes, but I had no idea if I would ever get to wear them. I was wondering whether the day would come where I would be able to wear the things I bought that day even once. Like always, there were the usual three people in the training room. Cliffman, Ellen, and me. Ellen and I were sparring, and Cliffman was training on his own. Occasionally, Cliffman and I would have some sparring matches. Of course, it still felt rather awkward though. However, he couldn¡¯t even make eye contact with Ellen. That guy¡¯s awkwardness came close to a genuine illness. After fighting for a while and finally getting pushed to my limits, I lay down on the gym floor. I was still no match for her. Of course, Ellen was a lot stronger than me, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. Ellen sat down next to me, who had lain down. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Got something to say?¡± She didn¡¯t actually say anything, but it felt like she wanted to talk about something, so I asked her. After staying silent for a long time, Ellen finally opened her mouth. ¡°Have you ever liked someone?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me that so suddenly?¡± ¡°No reason. I¡¯m just curious.¡± That question went far beyond what I was expecting. Had I ever loved someone? Of course, there should have been a time. Before I entered this body, that is. ¡°Yeah.¡± But¡­ well, being seventeen didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t have had my first love already, so that was what I answered. It wasn¡¯t really weird, after all. ¡°Then how did it feel?¡± Ellen didn¡¯t seem particularly surprised. ¡°¡­Felt like shit.¡± ¡°Felt like shit?¡± ¡°Yeah, it felt like shit.¡± I didn¡¯t know about those that started dating after going through some heart-pounding ups and downs, but if one were to fall in love and the other person didn¡¯t reciprocate the feelings, wouldn¡¯t that feel like shit? ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you supposed to feel happy?¡± Ellen stared at me as if she couldn¡¯t understand why I would say that it felt like shit. I sat up from my lying state and looked at Ellen. ¡°Well. Let¡¯s think about this.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone who always appears in your dreams. They are the first thing you think about in the morning, while you¡¯re eating, and while you¡¯re working. Just being with them is nice, and if it feels good just to make eye contact with them, while they are still the only thing filling your mind.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°But what¡¯s this? They are already dating someone? And no matter what you do, they¡¯d never be interested in you? They just treat you like a piece of trash. Or are they maybe treating you like some annoying guy that keeps talking to them? What about if they start avoiding you?¡± ¡°????¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that feel like shit?¡± Ellen tilted her head at my sudden show of disgust. ¡°Did you get dumped?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happens after you confess, you know? I couldn¡¯t even do that. You get it?¡± What crazy bastard would confess to someone when they were sure to get dumped?! One would just keep on praying all alone before one eventually forgot about it. ¡°¡­Anyway, you know what it feels like to love someone.¡± ¡°Yeah. Still, why are you so curious all of a sudden?¡± Ellen stayed silent for a while, then grabbed my hand that was placed on the floor. It wasn¡¯t anything new to me that she would lean on my shoulders once or twice those days. ¡°Do you feel anxious?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Are you trembling?¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Why should I? I don¡¯t have any hand tremors or anything, you know?¡± When I drank too much to the point that I could be called an alcoholic, I would tremble a little as if anxious, but not with this body! It shouldn¡¯t be like that! No hair loss or hand tremors. I was reborn! ¡°I¡¯m not trembling either.¡± Ellen nodded to herself as if she had confirmed something. What was wrong with her? Did she eat something wrong? * * * After our evening training, Ellen changed her clothes in a private room. After that, she went to the dining room to eat something. It was her fixed routine to eat late-night snacks with Reinhardt. Unless Reinhardt was particularly busy, it was common for them to always eat together like that. Liana de Grantz said that when she fell for someone, she would get anxious and tremble when she was with the other person. Ellen had never felt that way when she was dealing with Reinhardt. Reinhardt said that when he fell for someone, he would dream about them and would think of them all the time. And he said if they weren¡¯t interested in him, he would feel like shit. He seemed to have an intense dislike for the fact that he fell for someone. On the other hand, Ellen didn¡¯t think of Reinhardt wherever she was. She didn¡¯t particularly care if they made eye contact or not. So she had just grabbed his hand to make sure, but Reinhardt himself wasn¡¯t even shaking or anything. Like usual. He didn¡¯t mind. So Ellen came to her conclusion quite easily: She liked Reinhardt, but not in that way. That was what Ellen thought. She didn¡¯t know much about herself, but when she combined both of their accounts with her own feelings, she came to said conclusion. However, there was another question arising in her mind: We¡¯re just friends, but haven¡¯t I been much too friendly with Reinhardt? She obviously had done a lot of things with Reinhardt that she wouldn¡¯t have done with a normal friend, and she still did. Am I perhaps acting strange? Liana was obviously surprised when she found out that Ellen just thought of Reinhardt as a friend. That was the first time that Ellen thought that what she did with Reinhardt was a little strange. She arrived at the dining room and was about to enter but stopped when she noticed that there was some noise coming from inside. -If you eat a lot at night, you¡¯ll gain weight! -Well, then you just have to work out more. -Why do you keep telling me to eat when I don¡¯t want to!? I¡¯m not hungry, you know? -You¡¯re talking a lot for someone who got dragged here after eating snacks in the magic lab. Don¡¯t make a fuss, and eat properly! -Urg! I-I didn¡¯t though? -Huuh, how about brushing off the crumbs from your mouth first? Harriet and Reinhardt were arguing. As always, Harriet ended up with a burning red face. Reinhardt was grinning while teasing her. Ellen was watching them quietly. -Anyway, I thought you were hungry, so I brought you here to eat together, but if you don¡¯t want to eat, oh well. It seemed like she had been eating something in the magic lab when Reinhardt dragged her there, thinking that if she was going to eat something, they might as well do it together. As soon as he brought Harriet, there they started fighting. It happened from time to time. Just like Ellen and Reinhardt would train until late at night, Harriet would stay in the magic lab for that long. At the words ¡°If you don¡¯t want to eat¡±, Harriet sat at the table, her lips pressed together. -¡­I¡¯ll see what you made, at least. -Sure, wait a sec. Ellen alternately looked at Reinhardt¡¯s back as he entered the kitchen, and Harriet, whose face was slightly flushed, from the entrance of the dining room. She had no particular thoughts when she saw Reinhardt being close with others. Why wouldn¡¯t she like it if her friends were getting along with each other? ¡°Oh, Ellen.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen entered the dining room and sat opposite Harriet. Harriet, whose face was still slightly flushed, twisted her lips slightly. ¡°I told him I didn¡¯t want to eat anything, but he still forced me to come here. That bastard.¡± Harriet shook her head in exasperation. Ellen looked at Harriet silently. A slightly flushed face¡­ A sharp and high-pitched tone of voice¡­ She also seemed to tremble slightly. Ellen had a good impression of Harriet de Saint-Owan. Originally, she didn¡¯t have any opinion about her. They were strangers before, after all. However, as they started to get along, she was able to get to know many aspects of Harriet. She didn¡¯t know how she used to be, but it seemed that at some point, Harriet stopped doing things like looking down on others, trying to reveal her identity, or bragging about her talent. When she was talking to Adelia, her friend but also a commoner, she would immediately apologize if she made a mistake while still speaking to her comfortably without being too considerate. She tried not to say any hurtful things to begin with. When Ellen, Harriet, and Adelia were planning on going out somewhere. she felt like she would leave out Liana, so she also invited her to come with them. She was someone who knew how to care about the people around her. She was different from herself. When she was with her friends, she tended to direct the mood and also kept conversations going. There was almost nothing she didn¡¯t know about magic as well. When she was around Reinhardt, she behaved a little differently. She didn¡¯t act sweet or kind, and they were almost always fighting. Of course, it would always be Reinhardt who teased her first. She only acted differently towards Reinhardt. She didn¡¯t act like that when she was dealing with anyone else. There were things she would say or do only when Reinhardt was around. She became completely different from her usual self when she came across Reinhardt. ¡°Anyway¡­ I appreciate that he tries to take care of me, but that guy sure isn¡¯t that appreciative of others, huh.¡± Her face was slightly more flushed, and a subtle smile that only appeared when she talked about Reinhardt without him around decorated her lips. Ellen wasn¡¯t able to understand her own mind. It¡¯s probably not like that, she thought. ¡°What is he making?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± However, she could clearly see that Harriet de Saint-Owan liked Reinhardt. If so, what about herself? She just couldn¡¯t figure it out. However, if she were to treat Reinhardt as casually as she had up to then, it would hurt Harriet. That was what Ellen thought. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren * * * Thursday¡­ Mr. Epinhauser soon told me the answer to the question I asked him previously about the cursed sword. ¡°Your suggestion that we should investigate the true origins of this sword through sorcery has been accepted.¡± We would use an unknown power to learn more about that mysterious sword¡ªthat was the decision Temple seemed to have made. I wasn¡¯t sure, however, if Dettomolian would be able to find out the origins of that sword through his sorcery. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t have to be present for the investigation myself¡ªI would just have to wait for the results. I didn¡¯t know what kind of ritual he would carry out, but I was sure that it would take some time to get results. ¡°A ritual will be held in the temple of Towan, inside Temple.¡± In order to prepare for any unforeseen disasters, priests and wizards would try everything to prevent any unclean energy from flowing to the outside world. That was why they were using such a sacred place to facilitate the ritual and why they let such an unclean object enter Temple. ¡°Can I attend?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know if this is something you really need to see. As long as you keep your distance, your presence might not matter.¡± Even though I figured it wouldn¡¯t be necessary for me to be there in person, I still decided to go there because I might have to use my Revision skill in case something unexpected occurred. * * * Thursday night¡­ When Ellen heard that a ritual involving the cursed sword would be carried out, she followed me, saying that she wanted to see it as well. Dettomolian had missed all of his classes to prepare for the ritual. Ellen and I took the tram and headed towards Saint-Owan¡¯s Temple. ¡°I hope everything will turn out fine.¡± Ellen voiced her concerns. ¡°It should be.¡± If something we brought led to a huge accident in Temple, it would be entirely my responsibility. After all, it was me who dragged that thing, which disposing of or throwing away might not be enough to deal with it, there. Those who majored in divine powers would go to that place a lot, but that was Ellen¡¯s and my first time seeing the inside of one of those temples inside of Temple. The Temple of Saint-Owan looked more like a huge church than a temple, though. Its huge front door stood wide open, but they strictly controlled who was going in. We were able to enter after showing our Student IDs, as we had received permission to attend the event prior. After passing through a few corridors and walking through another huge door, our eyes fell on a dome-shaped chapel. In the middle of it was a statue of the God of Purity Towan. That cursed sword was capable of unleashing its power to raise the dead. Therefore, it had been decided to do the ritual there because they thought the temple of Towan was filled with a power that was its complete opposite and¡ªin conclusion¡ªcapable of suppressing it. The dome-shaped chapel was crowded with people; almost all of them were Temple officials. There were also many people wearing priest cloaks and wizards around. Everyone was busy preparing various things because they didn¡¯t know what might happen. They prepared protection measures with magical and divine power in advance in case of possible accidents. All I could think was that all of those people were troubled because of something I had brought with me. And as the priests were doing their jobs, they would glance at the center of the chapel with anxious expressions. The center of the ritual¡­ The cursed sword was floating about 30 centimeters above the ground of the chapel. It looked like it was stuck in some sort of crystal. It seemed like some sort of magic was applied to it, and yet it was different. Dettomoluian was there moving slowly and doing something. ¡°¡­It feels ominous.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Both Ellen and I couldn¡¯t help but have the same evaluation of the situation. I had no other choice but to realize why the priests kept staring at me like that until my back started to itch. That bastard was drawing an unidentified shamanistic circle with blood on the floor. He drew an unidentifiable shamanistic circle with blood inside the Temple of Towan, the God of Purity, and to top it off, in front of the god¡¯s statue! I didn¡¯t know what kind of blood that was, but I saw another bucket filled with the same crimson fresh blood to the side. I wondered whether Dettomolian had any awareness that what he did was something that could be called blasphemy itself. All of us were doing those things after getting permission from Temple, but they still had an unsure expression on their faces, wondering whether it was really okay to do something like that in a place like that. If that was what we felt, then just how were the priests feeling about it? The magic circle was quite simple, completely different from the complex circles I had seen on scrolls. Why were those lines so crooked? I thought that maybe they were supposed to look like that, so I investigated a bit, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Then I looked at Dettomolian and muttered blankly. ¡°¡­Are his hands shaking?¡± ¡°¡­Will it be fine?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Did I think wrong? Dettomolian was nervous, so his hands shook a little, but the lines sure seemed very messed up. My hands started to shake as well. Would things turn out well? ____ Chapter 188 Chapter 188 People were standing around the chapel. Regardless of how many safety measures had been prepared, we observers were watching that scene from the furthest edges of the chapel. As the priest chanted protective spells, a sacred kind of atmosphere enveloped the chapel. The whole chapel was surrounded by a soothing atmosphere, making one feel like everything would end without any mishaps. Then, Dettomolian, who was sitting cross-legged before the cursed sword, began to mumble something. I didn¡¯t know the details, but I guessed that him doing so would start the ritual. I hoped I could figure out that cursed sword¡¯s origins and if the curse on it could be broken. Everyone felt nervous, and we were too far from the center of the chapel to clearly hear the contents of his mutterings. I might have been able to hear it if I strengthened my hearing, but I didn¡¯t really want to. A long time passed. However, nothing really happened. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ellen and I made eye contact, but we couldn¡¯t really chat in that solemn atmosphere. However, our thoughts were the same. When will this end? About an hour after the ritual started, Dettomolian was still mumbling something and the people standing around were still invoking protective measures. Now that I think of it, it kind of reminded me of when I visited Dettomolian¡¯s Occult Research Club with Charlotte. At that time, Charlotte had said it was too dark in the room, so I had asked if I could turn on the lights, and that was when Dettomolian had said something. If you do that, the ritual will end. He said that we could turn on the lights, but then he would have to go through a week-long ritual again. No, wouldn¡¯t that mean that the ritual wouldn¡¯t just end in few hours but would take a few days or even weeks? If so, the people assigned to the place would end up dying because of exhaustion. Could Dettomolian even stop in the middle to eat and drink something? I didn¡¯t know how many hours it had been since I arrived there. I couldn¡¯t ask Dettomolian or the priests and wizards about those things anymore. I couldn¡¯t disturb them, as all of them had to fully concentrate on their task. When I thought about going out, I saw that the chapel doors were firmly closed. I was thinking that I could just open them and leave. We could do that, but¡­ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Could it be that if we opened the chapel door, we would ruin the ritual, or that we would distract Dettomolian, leading him to make mistakes? It was so quiet that everyone would hear it if we were to slip out. Ellen and I ended up locked in that prison from which no one could leave until the ritual was over. Ellen and I sat side by side on a bench in the chapel, watching the ritual intently. * * * Time advanced past midnight, and we were unable to return to the dormitory. I didn¡¯t want to see her swaying around like that anymore, so I just pulled her towards me and laid her head on my lap. That was all. Those types of things were nothing much to her or me anymore. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen woke up slightly, looked up at me, and tried to get up. I pressed her head back down, conveying to her that she should just sleep if she felt tired. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen seemed to resist a little, but then simply gave up and closed her eyes. That kind of casual physical contact had become a lot easier for both of us. It wasn¡¯t anything bad, but¡­ ¡®What¡¯s with this?¡¯ I had that strange feeling as if we simply skipped the dating phase and straight-up turned into a married couple that had been together for 10 years already. The ritual was still in progress, and fatigue was slowly manifesting on the priests¡¯ and wizards¡¯ faces. Unlike what they had feared, the cursed sword didn¡¯t emit any kind of ferocious energy and just kept on maintaining its original state. The only proof that the ritual was still in progress was that Dettomolian was still continuing to mumble something. At first, I thought he was weak, but in fact, he wasn¡¯t. Although I could only look at him from far away, I couldn¡¯t see a trace of tiredness or exhaustion on his face. Many hours after it started, Dettomolian continued to do the ritual in the same posture in which he started. In many different ways, that guy was amazing as well. In the end, I couldn¡¯t win against my exhaustion and fell asleep while sitting. * * * It was someone¡¯s shout that woke Ellen and me. ¡°Stop! Stop it now!¡± ¡°!¡± Of course, Ellen and I woke up because of that sudden roar. A high priest who appeared to be in control of this operation exclaimed loudly. ¡°Any more than this will be dangerous! You have to stop!¡± Colorful lights were shining down upon us through the stained glass of the dome. It was morning already. However, Ellen and I couldn¡¯t help but focus our attention on what we could see happening under the light pouring through the stained glass windows. A strange black energy rose up from the cursed sword and was wiggling threateningly under the vibrant light. It was a huge amount of black energy, comparable in size to the statue of Towan. Everyone was anxiously watching that bizarre energy moving about as if it was alive. ¡°Still, it takes time to¡­ terminate it¡­¡± ¡°U-understood. Just hurry. Come on. Stop it. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen if this keeps going.¡± It seemed that the bizarre energy getting emitted from the sword hadn¡¯t cause any accidents yet, but it kept on growing bigger and bigger, so they seemed to be convinced that the ritual shouldn¡¯t continue any longer. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because Dettomolian had it under control or because of the priests¡¯ barriers, but it didn¡¯t seem to attack anyone. However, that enormous, insidious cursed energy that seemed to live and breath could only astonish every one of us gathered in that place except for Dettomolian. ¡°That¡­ What was that¡­?¡± Ellen seemed to have some fundamental questions. We knew that the sword was very dangerous, but neither Ellen nor I thought that it would be that dangerous. Dettomolian eventually stopped the ritual in the middle, mostly because of everyone¡¯s fear that something irreversible might happen if they were to proceed any further. After the black energy disappeared, the wizards began to take action by sticking to the cursed sword. Things seemed to have calmed down, so Ellen and I walked towards the center of the chapel. ¡°Are you the students that brought this thing here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He quetioned me with a serious look on his face. The only students around there were Ellen, Dettomolian, and I, and we had said that we would come to observe the ritual. ¡°I won¡¯t scold you. You have prevented this dangerous object from threatening the world. You did a good job.¡± It didn¡¯t look like he wanted to scold us. ¡°However, it¡¯s too hideous of an object. I have no idea what it is, but we can¡¯t keep it in Temple any longer.¡± That was what he said. It wasn¡¯t just some moderately dangerous thing. However, we still didn¡¯t know what it was. Therefore, their decision to discard it or seal it wouldn¡¯t change. I couldn¡¯t ask to give it one more try. ¡°No¡­ I know what it is¡­¡±. However, at that moment, Dettomolian staggered towards us, maybe because he stayed up all night. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren * * * I had no idea what he originally planned on doing, but the ceremony got cut in the middle. However, Dettomolian still found out the origins of that cursed object. ¡°Re-really? You were able to find out what that¡­ hideous thing is?¡± ¡°Not exactly, but¡­ Yes¡­¡± The person in charge looked at Dettomolian as if to urge him to tell us quickly. ¡°It¡¯s something¡­ very old¡­ Its origins are ancient¡­ so ancient that one can¡¯t see when it started existing¡­¡± Although he couldn¡¯t find out what it was, it was something more ancient than anything in this world¡­ An object older than stones and rocks. ¡°It¡¯s something that was created before¡­ the world existed.¡± Something older than the world¡­ I couldn¡¯t understand what he meant, but the priest seemed greatly astonished. ¡°Th-then¡­ Then¡­ No way. Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Ellen¡¯s expression became serious as if she just realized something. She muttered in a daze. ¡°A Divine Relic¡­?¡± That object existed before the conception of this world because it was something belonging to the gods who made the world. An object that was older than anything found in this world¡­ A god¡¯s Divine Relic. Dettomolian found out that the cursed sword was actually a Divine Relic. Something that old had to be something like that. ¡°You two¡­¡± ¡°If that is true, what you found¡­ Seems to be a Divine Relic of the demons. The Demon Gods also seemed to have brought their Divine Objects to this world¡­¡± A Divine Relic of the Gods that spread impure energy which revived the dead¡­ If it really was like that, it had to be a Divine Relic of the demons, not the Five Gods. The high priest didn¡¯t seem to have any other choice but to come to that conclusion. ¡°The Demon God who is known to have such power is¡­ the God of Corruption. Kier¡­ Is that thing a Divine Relic of Kier?¡± Kier, the God of Corruption, corresponded to the God of Purity. For the first time in human history, a Demon God¡¯s Divine Relic had been discovered. The guy seemed to feel confused as if he didn¡¯t know where to feel joy or fear in this situation. ¡°¡­A Demon God¡¯s relic¡­? Kier?¡± The same went for Ellen, who seemed lost in thoughts. However, I was stunned because of something else. There are no Demon Gods. The demons and humans actually believed in the same gods¡­ Then, going by that, there couldn¡¯t be any Divine Relics of Demon Gods either. The Church of the Demon Gods did exist, and those who believed in it could also use divine power, but there was no way a ¡°Demon God¡± could send down their Divine Relic. There was no such thing as Kier, the God of Corruption. Kier, the God of Corruption, was just another name for Towan, the God of Purity. If Dettomolian was right, it was certain that the cursed sword was a Relic. There were five Divine Relics representing the Gods. However, only two of them were featured in the original novel. Alsbringer, the Sword of Als, the God of War, and Lament, the sword of Mensis, the God of the Moon. As for the other three Gods¡¯ Relics, I had never set them up, as there was no need for them to appear in the story. After all, there was no reason to show all five of them. However, now that the novel had become reality, even the Relics that wouldn¡¯t have appeared on the main stage of the story would exist somewhere and have their own history. Ellen and I found something that was supposedly the Divine Relic of Kier in the Darklands. There were no Demon Gods and no Demonic Relics, but that thing was still a Divine Relic¡ªit had the power opposing Towan¡¯s concept of purity. Therefore, in the end, it could be concluded with quite a high probability that its true identity was the Divine Relic of the God of Purity, Towan. It was only by some complicated circumstances or because of the Church of the Demon Gods that the power of the sword had been manifested in the complete opposite direction. I had originally only set up Alsbringer and Lament. However, when I entered this world and took some religion-related classes in the first semester, I learned about the other three Divine Relics. I was certain that it was the Holy Sword Tiamata. * * * [Quest appeared ¨C Holy Sword Tiamata] [Description: You found out that the item you dragged back from the Darklands was actually the Holy Sword Tiamata, misunderstood as a Divine Relic of a Demon God?! What an incredible coincidence?! Like everything in your novel.] [Reward: It has already been given.] It had already been given¡­ Was the reward confirming that it really was the Holy Sword Tiamata? That system message was more or less directly saying that the thing was the Holy Sword Tiamata. That proved that my inference was correct, and it seemed like that was the reward¡­ Did it mean to tell me that I should try taking it somehow now that it confirmed that it was that Holy Sword? I knew that the cursed sword wasn¡¯t just some ordinary object. That thing that could spread evil energy into the vast area surrounding it and bring back the dead, basically creating a land filled with zombies, couldn¡¯t be something trivial. So, even though I knew it was dangerous, I just couldn¡¯t give up on it easily. However, naturally, I could have never predicted that its true identity would be on the level of a God¡¯s Divine Relic. The three Divine Relics I hadn¡¯t set up had their own place in this world, and Ellen and I happened to find one during that incident in the Darklands. If it weren¡¯t for me, it would have been discarded or sealed off as some sort of ominous sword without even getting misunderstood as a Demon God¡¯s Divine Relic. Of course, Temple would never allow anyone to own that sword and would try to hide or destroy it. I wasn¡¯t sure if they were capable of destroying a Divine Relic, but it was clear that they wouldn¡¯t let anyone have it. I found it, but it wasn¡¯t mine in the end. In that situation, if I insisted on having that sword, they might mistake me for Demon worshiper. You bastard, we thought it was suspicious that you were so obsessed with it before! It was possible that Temple would come out like that. Tiamat was the reward that had already been given to me. Please take it. It seemed to be like that. * * * ¡°The Divine Relic of a Demon God¡­¡± On our way back to the dorm, Ellen kept mumbling blankly. I was the only one who knew the truth. The opposite of the God of Purity, Towna, the God of Corruption, Kier. Very few, including myself, knew that the two Gods were actually one and the same. But there was one question: If there were no Demon Gods, why was the Holy Sword Tiamata wielding a power that diametrically opposed the attribute of its Deity? The Demon Gods had similar or opposing domains to the original Gods. In the case of Towan, the God of Purity, its corresponding Demon God had the opposing domain. However, it was originally the God of Purity. If I believed in Towan as the God of Corruption, would I be able to wield the power of corruption? So did the worshipers of the Demon Gods¡¯ Church corrupt the Holy Sword Tiamata? Was that possible? Anyway, with things as they were, people couldn¡¯t help but believe that the cursed sword was the Divine relic of Kier, the God of Corruption¡ªit was actually spreading evil energy, after all. If someone were to say that it was actually the Holy Sword Tiamat, rather than calling it blasphemy, people would worry whether you hit your head or something. That was how ridiculous that situation was. If I left things as is, I would get my reward stolen from right under my eyes. I had to find a way somehow¡­ First I had to make all possible preparations, but I couldn¡¯t let that Holy Sword that appeared from out of nowhere get taken from me. Ellen and I went back to the Royal Class dorm in total silence. ____ Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Temple demanded to Dettomolian, Ellen, and I to keep quiet about the demons¡¯ Divine Relic. It was the first time in human history that a Demonic Relic had been discovered, and because of that reason, it wouldn¡¯t be good if that information got to the demon god worshippers or the general public. Even if what we brought back turned out to be the Divine Relic of a demon god, Ellen and I were still told that we did a good job. We had brought it there before it could pose a bigger threat, and before it could cause more chaos in this world. However, since the item we had found was a Relic, it couldn¡¯t be revealed openly, so it might have been a historic moment, but it would eventually just be buried beneath the shadows, as it was something no one should ever know. I couldn¡¯t go back to the dormitory the prior day, but that didn¡¯t pose any problems. On Friday, I had Magic Sensitivity Training II, Comprehensive Physical Education II, and Demon Ecology with Ellen, Liana, and Harriet. The Demon Ecology class started with a brief overview of demons. In fact, most people had never encountered demons The Demon World War had also ended, so it was all unnecessary knowledge unless you were someone who planned on going to dangerous places. Ellen put her all into that class, but honestly, I couldn¡¯t concentrate at all. What was more urgent to me than learning about the ecology of goblins and orcs was somehow getting my hands on the Holy Sword Tiamata before it got sealed. After all of my Friday classes, Ellen, Harriet, Liana and I went back to the dorm together. ¡°That was interesting. I never thought goblins would build houses. I guessed they¡¯d live in caves or something.¡± Liana seemed to enjoy having acquired that useless knowledge. ¡°B-by the way¡­ I was more shocked to hear that an orc village consists of more than a thousand of them if it¡¯s a large one¡­¡± Harriet¡¯s face turned pale at the thought of an orc village containing a thousand of those rugged orcs she had encountered on the deserted island. Ellen looked into the distance as she reviewed the contents of the class without even uttering a single word. No, she probably wasn¡¯t actually reviewing, but instead thinking about dinner. ¡°Shall we eat out for dinner today?¡± Classes were over, so we had more than enough free time over the weekend. Harriet asked us if we wanted to go out to eat dinner. Ellen and Liana nodded to her suggestion. ¡°I have to go somewhere.¡± However, I had to check something, so I didn¡¯t plan on having dinner with them. Harriet looked at me with a mischievous expression on her face. ¡°Huuh? I didn¡¯t even ask you to begin with, you know?¡± ¡°Oh, okay. Imma go, then.¡± ¡°Eh¡­ Huh? Ah, okay.¡± Harriet seemed a little surprised when I just left without retorting like I usually did. * * * I was in the Royal Class dormitory¡¯s library. If one went through the middle way and not the left and right ways where the dorm rooms were located, one would find multiple auxiliary buildings like banquet halls, and one of them was a library. I didn¡¯t know how many books it contained, but it seemed to be an incredibly huge amount. Harriet and Adelia would often borrow many books from the place to study magic, but that was actually my first time going there. Tall bookshelves and ladders to climb them filled the area. It actually looked like the building was completely made of books. I couldn¡¯t believe that they built such a huge library for only about 120 students. The more I witnessed just how privileged the Royal Class was, the more I thought that it was a bit too excessive. ¡°What book are you looking for?¡± A man who appeared to be a librarian came towards me as soon as I came in. ¡°I¡¯d like to read some books about the five Divine Relics.¡± ¡°Ah, Yes. Understood. Please wait here.¡± Since the volume of books in the library was so vast, it seemed like students didn¡¯t look for the books they wanted to read themselves but rather let the librarian get the books for them. The librarian went off somewhere and soon brought about five books with him, putting them down in front of me. ¡°I will put them back, so you can just leave them here. If you want to borrow them, make sure to fill out this card. The rental period is a week.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± I didn¡¯t plan on renting any of them, so I took a seat at one of the reading room tables and opened one of the books¡ªthey weren¡¯t really thick. [The History of the Five Divine Relics] I opened the book. [God of war, Als ¨C Alsbringer] [God of the sun, Salaam ¨C Lapelt] [Goddess of the moon, Mensis ¨C Lament] [God of courage, Ritter ¨C Alixion] [Goddess of purity, Towan ¨C Tiamata] The table of contents contained the names of the Five Divine Relics. I wasn¡¯t interested in the others, so I went straight to the page on Tiamata. [Sword of Purity, Holy Sword Tiamata] Towan, the goddess of purity, is a deity that rejects all unclean beings and sincerely desires for all of them to be purified and eradicated. Therefore, Tiamata, the Holy Sword imbued with the power of the goddess, is known to exert power incomparable to the other Divine Relics in its role of destroying unclean beings. That is why in all periods Tiamata appeared, the land was ravaged by undead, vampires, and other unclean things opposed to anything pure. Each time, Tiamata has purified the world in the hands of a champion who executed Towan¡¯s will. It can be said with certainty that there is no unclean being which could resist the Power of the Holy Sword Tiamata. As such, it is the strongest power in terms of exorcism among the other Divine Relics. The first time the Holy Sword Tiamata appeared¡­ . . . . Following that was a complete list and description of every person who had carried the sword Tiamata. It described what they had done with Tiamata and which evil beings they had repelled. It wasn¡¯t something I needed to know, but I was able to find out what kinds of powers the Holy Sword Tiamata held. It was the strongest weapon against the undead. I pondered if I really needed something like that, but the weapon¡¯s specs alone weren¡¯t bad. There was nothing wrong with having it. As I carefully read through it, I came to the last entry. Towan¡¯s last champion, Leigorn. The numerous achievements he made after acquiring the Holy Sword Tiamata were listed under his name. He wasn¡¯t a powerful hunter of the undead. What he mainly hunted weren¡¯t the undead, but demon god cultist believers. He crushed numerous Demon worshipers that were spreading throughout and devouring the Empire. Many such feats were listed in succession, and soon I reached the last record. It was a record in the year 30 of the Imperial Calendar. We were in the 332nd year of the Imperial Calendar, so it was about 300 years from our time. Year 30 of the Imperial Calendar¡­ During an incident that occurred, an unknown group seized Tiamata. In the process, Towan¡¯s champion, Leigorn, was killed. It has been presumed that they took Tiamata and then fled to the Darklands. Towan¡¯s biggest Paladin Order has been sent to the Darklands to track them down, but none of them returned. From that point on, priests and paladins of Towan were sent to search the Darklands to retrieve Tiamata, but none of them could bring back any results and only increased the number of people sacrificed to the Darklands¡¯ demons. In the end, the Church of Towan failed to recover Tiamata to this day. Nothing conclusive can be said about that unknown group that killed Leigorn or why they stole Tiamata. However, the theory considered as most convincing is that the believers of the Church of the demon gods, the cult Leigorn was ordered to eradicate at the time, systematically killed him and hid Tiamata out of fear that another champion of Towan might appear. 300 years ago¡­ * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren * * * I believed that was the time when the power of the Church of the Demon Gods was faltering. Leigorn, the champion of Towan, the goddess of purity, did many things to exterminate the Church of the demon gods, another of his main enemies, not the undead. However, he was eventually killed by the believers who later fled to the Darklands. There didn¡¯t seem to be any conclusive evidence, but going by the circumstances, it seemed to be almost certain. The Holy Sword Tiamata had disappeared somewhere in the Darklands. And more than 300 years later, an unknown cursed sword had been discovered in the Darklands. The believers who served Kier, the god of corruption, must have hated the believers of Towan and their deity, who was diametrically opposed to theirs. And it went without saying how much they hated her champion, Leigorn. As such, that strange situation where those who actually believed in the same god hated each other the most came to be. Anyway, Kier¡¯s believers killed Leigorn, then stole the Holy Sword Tiamata and fled to the Darklands. They probably tried to corrupt the Holy Sword, fitting for those who worshipped the god of corruption. The result of their actions was that cursed sword. I didn¡¯t know why that sword ended up in some grave somewhere in the Darklands. Though I could come up with some reasons, like the paladins of Towan had actually found the believers of the Church of the demon gods who stole Tiamata and somehow succeeded in annihilating them all after fighting them. Or there was also a big possibility that the believers couldn¡¯t handle the corrupted sword themselves and had decided to seal it. That sword was able to control one¡¯s mind, after all. So either Towan¡¯s paladins or the demon gods¡¯ believers themselves sealed it. Of course, I didn¡¯t really care what really happened in the past. ¡°¡­¡± The important thing was the strange situation of the Holy Sword Tiamata demonstrating the powers of Kier, an opposing god. Maybe there wasn¡¯t any set attribute for ¡®Divine Power¡¯. If one followed the doctrine of Purity and believed in Towan, one¡¯s divine power would be pure. If one followed the doctrine of Corruption and believed in Kier, one would be able to use the divine power of corruption, even though they also believed in the same being. It was true that they actually believed in the same being. However, in the end, depending on the orientation of their faith, two totally different types of power could be realized. It wasn¡¯t like there were no demon gods. Those entities didn¡¯t have any kind of attribute to begin with, so were they only lending strength according to their beliefs? There was neither Towan nor Kier¡ªthose gods were merely divine power dispensers. If one believed in the goddess of purity, they would give you the power of purity, and if one believed in the god of corruption, they would lend you the power of corruption. Put differently, deities could either be demon gods or human gods. What determined one¡¯s divine power wasn¡¯t some god, but the direction of one¡¯s faith. The fact that the power of a demon god already existed itself had already been proven by Tiamata¡¯s corruption, after all. In conclusion, Tiamata was corrupted. They had corrupted the relic of their most hated goddess, but in the end, they both still believed in the same deity. The power of the deity was used to change the same deity¡¯s relic¡¯s orientation itself. Like that, the Holy Sword Tiamata became a cursed sword. After corrupting Tiamata, did the demon gods¡¯ believers realize that Kier and Towan were the same entity? Just as the orthodox believers wouldn¡¯t be able to accept that, the believers of the Church of the Demon Gods wouldn¡¯t have been able to acknowledge something like that either. If corrupting it was possible, then it should also be possible to reverse it. The demon gods believers corrupted Tiamata. Then if a priest who believed in Towan purified the cursed sword, it should return to being Tiamata. However, up until then, Temple had taken various measures. Wizards might have tried to recognize and interpret the curse placed on the sword or even tried to release it. Then why didn¡¯t it return to its original state? The way the priest had done it up to then might be wrong. The demon gods¡¯ believers deliberately tried to corrupt the Holy Sword Tiamata¡­ However, the priests of Towan only tried to identify and purify or remove a curse. That was the wrong way. First of all, that sword wasn¡¯t a cursed sword, but it had its orientation twisted. There was never a curse to begin with. They had to ¡°Restore¡± it, but all they did was continuously push the ¡°Delete¡± button. If only they knew that the sword was actually a Holy Sword, then the priest would be able to restore Tiamata. However, before that¡­ Would the priest of the Church of Towan even accept that the Holy Sword Tiamata had been corrupted? They had to accept the fact that it was possible to corrupt Divine Relics. They also had to accept that the Relic of Towan, the goddess of innocence and purity, had been corrupted to the point where it held the opposite power. The priest would never acknowledge that the Relic was Tiamata. Just saying that the cursed sword was Tiamata would likely lead to me being put on trial for heresy. Knowing the truth that the cursed sword was Tiamata enabled me to get some clues. However, the priest might not believe me, and even if they did, they might not accept the possibility that a Divine Relic could be turned into a Relic of a demon god. Even if they knew how to do it, it just had too many prerequisites such as convincing the priests, and something close to a Religious Reformation had to happen to their thought process to proceed. And what authority did I even have to say anything more about that Relic that had already been identified as a Relic of a demon god? It was no longer the business of some student, so no matter how many things I had been able to find out, my words would fall on deaf ears. The Imperial Family and the Five Great Churches would also pay a lot of attention to the discovery of the first Divine Relic of a demon god. And then I would come in saying something like that? ¡®I know that it isn¡¯t a Relic of a demon god, but the Holy Sword Tiamata. (17-year-old)¡¯ It would be weird if I were able to escape with my neck still attached to my body. That incredible event would go down in history. Even if I was the one who discovered it, the adults wouldn¡¯t believe me at all. What was even the point of finding a way to turn it back? Tiamata had been gone for a long time already. Should I try something with the help of Charlotte and Bertus? However, it would also look quite bad if I were to obsess over something that was believed to be a demon god¡¯s thing as well. For the moment, I was certain that it was impossible for me to exert any kind of influence over Tiamata unless some other force, not my own, helped me out. Eventually, I left the library and trudged back to my private room. ¡°¡­?¡± Then, right when I returned to the room, I saw something strange. ¡°¡­What?¡± I was unable to comprehend the situation to the point where I could only just stand there, completely dumbfounded. Why was that here? A longsword without a cross guard and a slightly blackish blade. ¡°What¡¯s with this?¡± The cursed sword was placed on my bed. Why was something I absolutely shouldn¡¯t have in my room right at that moment? I didn¡¯t know what happened, but the bottom line was this: ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t I screwed?¡± Totally screwed. It had just been taken away. I had no idea why it happened, but the situation could be perfectly misunderstood as me having stolen an item that had been identified to be a demon god¡¯s Divine Relic. ____ Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Nothing good would come from telling the teachers that the cursed sword had suddenly appeared before me. Up until then, I had been thinking about how I should take Tiamata because people mistook it for something that was not Tiamata, but something that belonged to a demon god. Just for having it, they would probably kill all three generations of a family. If I was caught having it, they would cut off my head¡ªno questions asked. Just why did it appear there so suddenly? That would create an even bigger commotion. Although I couldn¡¯t see the situation in the temple right then, I figured it should be in quite the mess because the demon god¡¯s Relic suddenly had disappeared. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ ¡®Who the fuck is doing this to me?¡¯ If they found me like that, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to make any excuses. I would die not because they found out that I was the son of the Demon King, but because they would treat me as someone possessed by a demon god¡¯s divine Relic. I immediately brought a training sword from the training room and put the cursed sword in the training sword¡¯s scabbard. It wasn¡¯t that unusual to walk around with a training sword hanging from one¡¯s waist, so there was no reason for anyone to be suspicious. I tried my best to pretend to be calm and went out of the dormitory towards the temple in the middle of the night. Then I threw it to some place where people couldn¡¯t see it too well and returned to the room. Temple should be in quite the hurry to find it, so someone would surely find it. They also should have heard that they should be careful not to touch it, as it was a dangerous item. And¡­ ¡°¡­¡± I soon found out that no one had actually brought that cursed sword into my room to fuck me over. ¡°What¡­ the¡­?¡± On my bed, lying in the same position as before, there was the cursed sword. It wasn¡¯t a person who brought it there. No one could do that in such a situation¡ªI threw that cursed sword away several times in a similar fashion. But no matter how many times I did it, the sword would return to laying on my bed like before. No one would be capable of putting it back every single time. The sword had come back by itself¡­ ¡ªThat was the only explanation I could think of. Wasn¡¯t it that? A cursed doll that kept coming back even if one threw it far away¡­ Was that thing the magical sword version of that? I then understood what the reward message of the latest quest had meant. ¡ªIt said that the reward had already been given. It wasn¡¯t that it confirmed the identity of the sword Tiamata¡­ I had already become the owner of the corrupted Tiamata which kept coming back to me. The purpose of that quest wasn¡¯t to purify and acquire Tiamata. Tiamata, the Holy Sword that had been mistaken as a demon god¡¯s divine Relic¡­ ¡ªA cursed sword that kept coming back to me no matter how I tried to throw it away. It seemed like that sword had already accepted me as its master. I felt like the previous day¡¯s ritual had influenced it somehow, as it had been quiet up to that point. Its weakened power might have awakened. Was it because the ritual wasn¡¯t completed but had stopped halfway through? Even if I threw it away, it would just come back to me wherever I was. I was obviously soul bound to that demonic Holy Sword. It was useless to tell anyone that I had nothing to do with it, that it just came to me on its own¡ªno one would believe me. If I told them that it was actually the Holy Sword Tiamata, no one would believe me either. I was in a situation where, no matter what I did, I would always fall into some trap. The goal of that quest was actually to somehow deal with that situation. * * * Then wasn¡¯t the time for me to go to the library to read books. I presumed that I had already become the sword¡¯s owner the moment I grabbed it in the Darklands, but until then, it had never returned to me like that or anything. However, the ritual had caused some changes in Tiamata, and the sword, which had been calm up to that point, kept on coming back to me, its owner. For there to have been a day where I was kind of obsessed with that sword¡­ Could it be that it had a will of its own? Was it thinking something like ¡®Let¡¯s see how long you can keep throwing me away¡¯? If it was Tiamata, I would be treated as Towan¡¯s champion, but I was the only one who knew the truth for the moment. That mess happened right after they started to believe that it was a demon god¡¯s Relic. Temple must be flipped on its head by then because said demon god¡¯s divine Relic had disappeared, and it was clear that they would soon approach Ellen and me, the ones to have discovered it. I had no idea if they would harbor any suspicions against us. I just couldn¡¯t figure out what to do in that situation, but then I suddenly heard someone knocking on my door. -Knock, knock -Reinhardt, come with me. I was Ellen¡¯s voice. Signs of unease could be heard from it. For the moment, I hid the cursed sword under the clothes in a drawer of my closet, not under my bed. Ellen absolutely shouldn¡¯t see me in that situation. I¡¯d just keep it a secret, nothing good would come from seeing that damn thing, after all. -Rattle ¡°Wh-why?¡± Ellen¡¯s expression was dead serious. ¡°Mr. Epinhauser told me to get you.¡± Knowing that Tiamata had disappeared, it seemed like Temple had started their investigation right away. Cold sweat ran down my spine. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren * * * Mr. Epinhauser was waiting for us outside of the Royal Class dormitory. Although he normally looked quite cold, he seemed even more serious than usual. ¡°The demon god¡¯s divine Relic has disappeared.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± Ellen widened her eyes when she heard that the demon god¡¯s divine Relic had disappeared, while I couldn¡¯t help but shiver slightly. Tiamata¡¯s owner was called Towan¡¯s champion. The fact that the divine Relic of Kier, the god of corruption, kept coming back to me meant that the demon god¡¯s Relic had chosen me as its owner. In other words, people would think that I was Kier¡¯s apostle or champion. I¡¯d be lucky if they just ended things by decapitating me. I was pretty sure I would go through a lot of suffering before they would at last allow me to die. I had to keep it a secret. Ellen was out of it, and I was as well, though for different reasons. ¡°Do you know something about that?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, me neither¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, I see. You wouldn¡¯t know much, as it was B-8 who performed the ritual¡­¡± After the ritual got interrupted in the middle, the divine Relic had suddenly disappeared. That seemed to be the reason that he thought that Dettomolian would know something about it, but not us. And his homeroom teacher, Mr. Mustrang, would take care of questioning him. ¡°Aren¡¯t we in a very dangerous situation right now?¡± Ellen asked Mr. Epinhauser with a nervous look in her eyes. ¡°Indeed, our current situation isn¡¯t a safe one, to say the least.¡± Even as a joke, he wouldn¡¯t be able to say that things were okay. A dangerous object presumed to be demon god¡¯s divine Relic had suddenly disappeared in the middle of Temple. ¡°Well, perhaps, can¡¯t you try¡­ tracking the aura of that relic?¡± At Ellen¡¯s worried question, the teacher just shook his head. ¡°That is not within my area of expertise, so I can¡¯t say for sure, but it quite literally just disappeared all of a sudden. It has been said that the aura of the divine Relic seemed to have completely disappeared¡­ and that it would be better if it just disappeared like that. However, I don¡¯t think so.¡± That was some good news, at least. The evil energy that flowed out from the cursed Tiamata had disappeared completely, so the wizards and priests had quite the hard time tracking the divine Relic. If they could do that, they would have stormed into my room right away, but they didn¡¯t. They weren¡¯t trying to track it anymore. ¡°First of all, this wouldn¡¯t be good if the other students found out. Keep quiet about this matter. We will do something about this. Don¡¯t even try to find it on your own.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. ¡± If rumors about a demon god¡¯s divine Relic appearing and suddenly disappearing spread, there would be just as much confusion among the people as the terrorist attack on the Imperial Capital last time. For the time, it seemed like Mr. Epinhauser wasn¡¯t suspicious of Ellen or me. After he went back, I started to ponder for a bit. ¡®Should I tell Ellen the truth? That the cursed sword chose me as its owner, and even if I keep throwing it away, it just keeps coming back to my room.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Ellen was looking at me. When I saw that look in her eyes, all my thoughts of speaking the truth completely disappeared. See, I told you not to bring that ominous thing. That was what her eyes seemed to tell me. Certainly. Ellen had always been against bringing that sword back with us. She wanted to leave it in the Darklands or with Relya, the suspicious wizard. It was true that I ended up in this situation because I was greedy. She wouldn¡¯t even believe me if I told her that it was actually the Holy Sword Tiamata. For some reason, it was in my room. And it kept coming back no matter what I did. If I told her the truth, I felt like I¡¯d get beaten up! She¡¯d tell me something like, ¡°What did I tell you?!¡± Sh-shit. I was fucking scared¡­ I was more scared of getting hit by Ellen than getting dragged away by the inquisition¡­ Was that how a husband felt right before he got caught having bought a game console behind his wife¡¯s back? No, not just a game console, wasn¡¯t it more like having bought some kind of supercar without your wife¡¯s knowledge? That wouldn¡¯t just end with some slaps on the wrist but with a huge beating and a divorce. Of course, we weren¡¯t like that. Quite honestly, I would probably get beat up more than simply scolded! Faced with Ellen¡¯s fierce gaze, which seemed to want to devour me, my lips trembled. ¡°S-sorry¡­¡± I muttered as such in a crawling voice with my head bowed. ¡°It¡¯s better that it¡¯s gone. If you were to go around to find it because you want to use it¡­¡± ¡°What then¡­?¡± Ellen stared at me with her eyes gleaming almost red. That look seemed like she would kill me. ¡°Do you want to know?¡± ¡°N-no! N-not at all!¡± I-I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s in my closet! I want to get rid of it, but it won¡¯t let me! At that moment, I really wanted to cry. * * * Past the curfew¡­ I sat on my bed with all the lights in my room turned off. In front of me, sitting on my bed, was the corrupted Tiamata, which kept returning to my room like a cursed doll. I thought that I had become the master of that corrupted Tiamata. Even if I tried to throw it away, it didn¡¯t matter where, it wouldn¡¯t work. I didn¡¯t know what made it return to my room and not my hands, though. It seemed like I had already become its owner from the moment I grabbed it. Honestly, as soon as I held the sword in my hands, all the zombies that were still ¡®alive¡¯ and moving around had immediately turned back into corpses. That was the moment that I had become Tiamata¡¯s owner. Was it some kind of concept like only those who could overcome the curse laid upon the sword could become the master of the corrupted Tiamata? However, during the examination they conducted on it in Temple, nothing like the sword returning to me ever happened. It was more than clear that the ritual Dettomolian conducted had some effect on it. It might have led the sword to regain its power. That was why it kept coming back to me, as it seemed to consider me as its master. Holding the corrupted Tiamata in my hand, I stared at it. By the way¡­ ¡®Do I really have to purify it?¡¯ That was what suddenly came to my mind. Unless I used it with malicious intent, the corrupted Tiamata didn¡¯t seem to evoke any bad effects. To put it bluntly, it didn¡¯t seem to be affected by the demonic curse placed on Tiamata, evoking the opposite effect of the Holy sword, and didn¡¯t seem to have any particularly bad effects on its surroundings. And since I was its complete master, it couldn¡¯t be used for any impure purposes without my consent. If I really had to purify it and turn it back into Tiamata, I would need someone to do it for me because I couldn¡¯t do it. If it got known that I had become the master of a demon god¡¯s divine Relic, I would lose my head, but if it got known that I had become the master of Towan¡¯s Holy Sword, I would receive unnecessary attention¡ªthe whole continent would have its eyes on me. Ellen didn¡¯t hide her identity as Ragan Artorius¡¯ younger sister and owner of the Holy Sword Lament for no reason. Even if I wasn¡¯t the son of the Demon King, there was nothing good about leading such a troublesome life. I had a lot of secrets to hide, so I didn¡¯t want that at all. I mean, that situation couldn¡¯t be all that bad for me, right? I found out that the cursed sword was actually a divine Relic, and it had come into my grasp. It wouldn¡¯t cause anyone any harm as long as I was its owner. However, there was a huge uproar in Temple because the demon god¡¯s divine Relic had suddenly disappeared, so to calm that commotion, was it necessary for me to purify the corrupted Tiamata and announce that the cursed sword was actually Tiamata all along and that I was its master? Why would I have to do that? If I just did nothing, I would already be halfway at my goal, which was exactly what I planned on doing. However, even if I used it as is, there still remained one important issue¡­ Although its orientation was slightly different, it was still the Holy Sword Tiamata. And it should have been capable of soul unity, like Ellen¡¯s Lament and Alsbringer. If so, then was that sword already soul bound to me? Ellen could summon and recall Lament as many times as she wanted. It was usually stored in a sword case in her room, but she could call it and send it back whenever she needed it. I raised my hand in the air. Summon Tiamata. ¡°¡­¡± Shit. As expected, nothing happened. The sword relic didn¡¯t even move an inch from the bed. After that, I tried everything I could think of to call the sword, but the corrupted Tiamata didn¡¯t even budge a little bit. I didn¡¯t know if it was soul-bound to me or something, but it sure didn¡¯t respond to my will. There didn¡¯t seem to be any specific way to summon a soul-bound sword either. Either way, that made it clear that it was only half bound to me. In the end, the corrupted Tiamata was only a half-relic at the moment, and I was only half its owner. Leaving it hidden in my room was just a temporary solution. Staff assigned to the Royal Class¡¯ dormitories would visit every room to clean them, after all. If I told them I would take care of the cleaning myself, they might not enter for a day or two. However, if I kept doing that, it would seem suspicious. For the moment, I could hide it somewhere in the room where the staff wouldn¡¯t find it, but if they suddenly decided to clean all the rooms without my knowledge, that would be useless. Even if I left it as is, it wouldn¡¯t harm anyone unless I, as its owner, willed it. However, in order to ensure that nothing happened, the soul bond between me and the sword had to be properly established so that I could summon and recall it freely. It would be crazy to just leave the corrupted Tiamata in my room while I couldn¡¯t do that. Something¡­ I had to do something about that. ____ Chapter 191 Chapter 191 The disappearance of a demon god¡¯s divine Relic¡­ Although things were a complete mess for the teachers, the students had no idea about what was going on. Anyway, I felt a little guilty about making them look for something they wouldn¡¯t be able to find¡­ What should I do? If I told others that I had it, my head would go flying, so I couldn¡¯t do that. Saturday¡­ I didn¡¯t go out to do my early morning exercise. It would have been impossible for me to just calmly exercise while knowing that the nuclear bomb in the form of a sword might explode in my face. Adriana seemed to be waiting for me, but I just couldn¡¯t leave. Even when I was just sitting still in my room, I couldn¡¯t sleep properly because of the pounding of my heart. What if someone finds it? If the Temple teachers find out about all this, would I be able to get out of Temple somehow? With Sarkegaar¡¯s ring, is it possible to somehow get away from Temple? I didn¡¯t really mean it. However, it sure was a huge mess when my thoughts wandered to the worst cases that could happen. A Royal Class student brought a strange item back to Temple that was thought to be cursed. However, it was later found out that it was presumed to be a demon god¡¯s divine Relic. Then it suddenly disappeared, but it turned out that the same Royal Class student who had brought it had it with him. When investigating the student, it turned out that he was the descendant of the late Demon King, the Demon Prince that had survived. ¡ªIf all that got revealed, it was obvious that not even 100 million achievement points were enough to get me out of that! Anyway, that situation seemed so contrived and much too coincidental. The cursed sword I found in the Darklands somehow turned out to be a god¡¯s divine Relic, and it had been mistaken as the Relic of a demon god, then it suddenly appeared in my room. That just didn¡¯t make any sense unless someone artificially created the situation to screw me over! Damnit. I felt like the world itself hated me. Certainly¡­ Nothing would have happened if I just threw that thing away in the Darklands, saying that it felt too ominous or something. Even if someone had created that situation, I couldn¡¯t say anything against it because the situation was the result of my decision, after all. I had many opportunities to give up that cursed sword, but I tried to take it for myself somehow, and that was how that situation came to be. I didn¡¯t go out for my early morning exercise and wasn¡¯t able to sleep properly, but I still tried to organize my thoughts on how to deal with the situation by lying on my bed. The corrupted Tiamata¡­ Once it reached Temple, they had tried to interpret or lift the curse placed on it. However, they didn¡¯t seem to be aware of the detailed mechanisms behind divine power. Wouldn¡¯t the results be a little different if they were to approach it not as a cursed item but just as a corrupted divine Relic that had to be restored to its original form? Those were my thoughts on the matter. I wasn¡¯t a priest or a wizard, so I knew their methods were wrong, but I couldn¡¯t tell how they were wrong. However, in fact, I couldn¡¯t leave it in the hands of Temple¡¯s priests anymore. Telling them that the cursed sword that had suddenly disappeared had returned to my grasp would be suicide. I would be mistaken as an apostle of a demon god, and whether I wanted to or not, every religious force would try to catch and kill me. If I said something like, ¡°I¡¯m really not a demon god¡¯s apostle, you know?¡± they¡¯d just go, ¡°Yeah, right.¡± and cut my head off. Who the hell would believe someone who had something like that? I wouldn¡¯t believe myself, either. The lost Relic of a demon god¡­ Me having it¡­ A situation in which I couldn¡¯t get any help from Temple¡­ There were only three people I could ask for help in that situation. One would be Ellen. She trusted me completely and would probably help me. Of course, I had to be prepared to get a beating. However, I didn¡¯t know if Ellen could actually help me at that point. Next would be Dettomolian, who had performed the ritual. I could ask him what the ritual he did before was actually supposed to do and then make him proceed with the rest of it to complete it. I didn¡¯t know what the goal of the ritual was, but I was more than certain that it awakened the corrupted Tiamata¡¯s powers or ended up making some changes to it. The result was that Tiamata, which had been kept somewhere else, suddenly returned to me. If I completed the ritual, it might complete our soul bond, enabling me to control the sword. As the corrupted Tiamata didn¡¯t really have a negative effect on its surroundings on its own, I could just toss it somewhere hidden from others and leave it there and summon it when I needed it. And the third person¡­ One of the biggest reasons why I didn¡¯t get brainwashed by that cursed sword. Trait ¨C Sacred Spirit. Its original owner, Olivia Lanze. Olivia Lanze was so powerful that she was even called Saint of the Eredian District, but she ended up abandoning her faith. Although she had already been disillusioned by her faith, she still held enormous divine powers. I had saved her life. There was a pretty good chance that she would help me. If she presumed that the sword was actually Tiamata, the Holy Sword, and not the divine Relic of a demon god, she might be able to perform a purification or restoration ritual on it. And she might be able to take over the ownership of the sword from me as well. Regardless of whether it was possible to transfer the ownership of that sword to others, I wouldn¡¯t know anyone to give it to, even if I could. Anyone who touched the sword would get their mind taken over, after all. The only ones who were definitely immune to that curse were Olivia Lanze and me, who had the trait ¡°Sacred Spirit¡±. Just as I became the master of the sword after I grabbed it, Olivia wouldn¡¯t be affected by the sword¡¯s curse either if she held it. If it was possible to transfer the ownership, the only one I could transfer it to would be Olivia Lanze. It was the weekend¡­ Eventually, I was forced to leave the room, so I locked the corrupted Tiamata in a drawer. Even if a staff member came in to clean, they wouldn¡¯t open that. However, I kept feeling uneasy even while I was eating breakfast. I felt like I had gone out after I watched some porn on my pc and had forgotten to close the tab. No one would come into my room, but what if someone did? What if they saw? My head was full of such thoughts. The crucial difference between those two situations was that if I got caught, it wouldn¡¯t just end in my humiliation, but in the loss of my head. Anyway, it felt the same! I felt fucking uneasy! Fortunately, no one was able to sense my abnormal state of mind, which meant that my anxiety wasn¡¯t evident on my face. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren * * * After breakfast¡­ I first tried to visit Dettomolian in Class B¡¯s dorm. However, he wasn¡¯t in his room. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for Detto, he hasn¡¯t returned after Mr. Mustrang called him yesterday.¡± When I asked Charlotte if she had seen Dettomolian after meeting her in Class B¡¯s dorm, she just shook her head slightly as she answered me. ¡°Oh¡­ Is that so?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ You must feel worried as well.¡± Charlotte sighed slightly as if she was aware of the situation and patted me on the back. It was quite the huge deal that a demon god¡¯s divine Relic had been discovered, so it seemed like she thought I was going to try something. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Reinhardt. The teachers will take care of everything. Don¡¯t worry too much and rest. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Urgh. Charlotte¡¯s eyes that showed her unconditional trust in me hurt my heart. The Imperial Family must have been thrown into a state of turmoil by the appearance of an item believed to be a demon god¡¯s divine Relic, and its disappearance would have caused an even bigger uproar. I didn¡¯t know much about the internal affairs of the Imperial Family, but the atmosphere inside of it should have gotten quite serious. Damnit. The item I brought was so incredible that it had managed to turn the whole city upside down. It was just like a rotten apple spoiling everything around it. Of course, if it were known that it actually was the Holy Sword Tiamata, they¡¯d be in a festive mood, but that was only if they were willing to accept that it was Tiamata. Was it really Towan¡¯s will that cursed Tiamata to hold her opposing power, the power of corruption? Was that really the corrupted Tiamata or not? If the divine Relic of the god of purity could be corrupted and restored again, would it still be a Relic representing the power of purity? ¡ªThey would fight over the verity of the matter like that. It wasn¡¯t just a nuclear bomb in the material sense, but in the ideological one as well. The fact that divine Relics weren¡¯t absolute items would cause an enormous uproar in the religious world. Anyway, I was planning on asking Dettomolian what ritual he was trying to perform, but it seemed like he was still held up by the teachers. I hoped that he wasn¡¯t going through any hardships. After all, the most suspicious individual in this incident wasn¡¯t me but Dettomolian. After he performed the ritual, Tiamata had disappeared. That ritual certainly didn¡¯t seem all that sacred to them as well. It was such a blasphemous sight. However, Dettomolian didn¡¯t perform the ritual because he wanted to, but because Temple ordered him to. Since I couldn¡¯t consult Dettomolian first, I immediately headed to the fifth-year dormitory and asked for Olivia Lanze. ¡°Reinhardt! Long time no see. It¡¯s so nice to see you!¡± ¡°A-ah! What¡¯s wrong with you?!¡± As soon as Olivia Lanze saw me, she instantly became happy and came rushing towards me, hugging me recklessly. ¡°I¡¯m sad! Didn¡¯t you miss me? Hm? Didn¡¯t you take much too much time to come visit me? Hmmmm?¡± ¡°H-hey! Let go!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waaaant tooo!¡± I knew things would turn out like that! * * * Olivia Lanze. She had been a believer of the god of purity, Towan, and everyone expected her to become the commander of the Knights Templar. However, after learning of the Knights Templar¡¯s corruption, she tried to renounce her faith, and originally, she should have already left the main stage of the story, ending up being broken or dead. Some time back, Adirana and I had been able to save Oliva Lanze from Riviere Lanze, the former commander of the Knights Templar, by doing various things. As such, Olivia Lance lost all trust in her faith. She was beyond disillusioned with the corrupt Knights Templar, she was deeply disappointed in the faith¡¯s god itself. Every time she saw me, she would tell me something like, ¡°Don¡¯t see anyone else, Reinhardt, because you¡¯ll marry me later, after all.¡± That was why I would be peppered with jealous girls by others, and I even got the title of ¡°guy who only hangs out with girls¡± by them. In fact, things weren¡¯t that different from that, after all, so I couldn¡¯t really say anything against it. Anyway, if I was asked how close I was with Olivia Lanze, I¡¯d say not that close. That person just showed some one -ided affection towards me. The only problem was that the way she showed her affection was a little too aggressive. ¡°I felt sooo sad¡­ I had nowhere to go, so I was stuck here all vacation, and you didn¡¯t even visit me once. I thought you¡¯d come here to tell me about what happened in the Darklands¡­¡± ¡°Why would I tell you about that?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to know everything about each other?¡± ¡°What the hell are you saying?!¡± When I was with that person, I felt like I was having a mental breakdown in real-time. Anyway, we talked about various things outside of the Royal Class¡¯ dormitory. I couldn¡¯t even look into her eyes as she clung to my arm and smiled. ¡°I heard a bit. You¡¯ve solved some huge incident, got rewarded, and ranked up a lot as an adventurer.¡± ¡°Where did you hear that from?¡± ¡°My, there are actually fewer people who don¡¯t know about you two, you know? You and the girl called Ellen went to the Darklands, although no one knows the details, there are rumors that you came back after solving a huge case, right?¡± It had already been weird for two freshmen to go to the Darklands, and it was obvious that we came back after solving some huge incident there. It seemed like that story had already spread. ¡°So, I was kind of expecting you to tell me some things¡­¡± Olivia Lanze pouted and showed her disappointment. ¡®No, if you were so curious, you could have come and asked me yourself.¡¯ Why was she waiting for me to come visit her? ¡°Senior.¡± ¡°Hm, what?¡± She pretended to be upset, but she obviously wasn¡¯t. She was doing that on purpose. ¡°I asked you to meet up with me because I wanted to consult you on a certain matter.¡± ¡°A certain matter¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Before that, I want to ask you something¡­¡± I looked directly at Olivia Lanze as I posed my question. ¡°What I¡¯m about to say¡­ can you keep it a secret, no matter what might happen?¡± ¡°Of course~?¡± Olivia Lanze, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, tilted her head and smiled bashfully. ¡°I¡¯m not joking around.¡± However, after she returned safely after being held captive, I could trust her no matter what she said because her attitude to most things seemed as light as a feather. I had no idea if she was joking around or sincere in her words. She always had that mischievous and flirtatious look in her eyes, no matter what she said. Olivia Lanze¡¯s expression tensed up as I was saying that I wasn¡¯t joking. ¡°You need help.¡± The smile completely disappeared from Olivia Lanze¡¯s face, realizing that I was really serious. She gently let go of the arm she was clinging to and looked at me with a firm expression on her face. ¡°¡­Yes. I need your help.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe me or not, but¡­¡± Olivia smiled slightly, unlike the wide grin she wore up until then. ¡°I¡¯m on your side.¡± It somewhat resembled the slightly sad smile she had on her face when she was called The Saint of the Eredian District. ¡°Trust me.¡± It felt like she was telling me that she would be ready for anything I would tell her. ¡°Because I trust you as well.¡± Olivia spoke those words so very calmly. ____ Chapter 192 Chapter 192 They say a human¡¯s nature never changes. Olivia Lanze was quite the quirky senior who liked to tease me, but in the end, her base nature hadn¡¯t changed. She still seemed to feel a certain obligation to help others, and it looked like she thought that would be a given to help the one that saved her like that. When I seriously asked for her help, I immediately knew from the look in her eyes that she would do whatever she could. Someone who was usually light-hearted, but would always try to help out if needed. ¡ªThat was who Olivia Lanze was. Most students might not be aware of it, but Temple was thrown into chaos at the moment, so I wanted to discuss that rather delicate story outside of Temple. However, it wouldn¡¯t be possible for me to take the corrupted Tiamata outside of Temple. Even if I try to disguise it as a training sword, I would obviously get caught at the exit. Because a possible demon god¡¯s divine Relic in the shape of a sword had disappeared, it would just look suspicious if I went around wearing a sword at my waist for no good reason. So I gave her a brief explanation in the park in front of the dormitory. I talked about what happened in the Darklands, the cursed sword, what occurred after I brought it to Temple, and what we found out through the ritual Dettomolian performed. The cursed sword was presumed to be a demon god¡¯s divine Relic. ¡ªAnd my predicament where it suddenly kept coming back to me no matter what I did. At that rate, I might get suspected of being a demon god¡¯s apostle. If Olivia Lanze went to a teacher or the church accusing me of something like that, I would be dead. However, I believed that she wouldn¡¯t do something like that. Olivia furrowed her brows after hearing the whole story. ¡°This is all really hard to believe¡­¡± Quite some time passed. It was a very long story, after all. Olivia was silent for a bit as if she was trying to retell my story in her head. ¡°Yeah¡­ you couldn¡¯t have just told these things to just anyone. If the church finds out, they would kill you, no matter if you had the sword on you or not. They wouldn¡¯t even grant you a heresy trial.¡± She served Towan, so she would know best what the priests and heresy inquisitors of Towan were like. I, who was chosen as the owner of the god of corruption, Kier¡¯s, divine Relic, the god diametrically opposed to Towan, would face extreme prejudice. ¡°They are going to think that you were chosen by the divine Relic because you were a corrupted being to begin with.¡± No matter what the truth was, if a person was chosen by such an unholy power, then they would have had to be evil to start with. Olivia Lanze knew that they would kill me with that kind of logic as a basis because she once served Towan. ¡°However¡­ I don¡¯t know how I should help you with this¡­¡± Although she was shocked to hear that it was a demon god¡¯s divine Relic, Olivia didn¡¯t seem to know how to help me, who was chosen by that thing, no matter how much she thought about it. However, I already planned out what I was going to say. ¡°Senior, although this is just my guess, I don¡¯t think this is actually a Relic of a demon god to begin with.¡± Olivia Lanze was taken aback when I told her that it wasn¡¯t actually a demon god¡¯s divine Relic after stating that it was one without a doubt. ¡°Then¡­ you think¡­ it isn¡¯t a divine Relic but just some ominous object?¡± I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think there are such things as divine Relics of demon gods in the first place.¡± These words seemed even more confusing to her. ¡°¡­divine Relics of demon gods don¡¯t exist?¡± ¡°At least, that¡¯s what I think.¡± There were no such things as divine Relics of demon gods. ¡°Then what do you think it is?¡± ¡°My guess is that it¡¯s Towan¡¯s Holy Sword, Tiamata. I think it¡¯s like this as the result of getting corrupted.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Olivia, of course, completely denied my ridiculous reasoning. It might have been any other divine Relic, but its characteristics were the exact opposite of the Holy Sword Tiamata. ¡°I don¡¯t have any hard evidence. However, after hearing that assumption that it¡¯s a divine Relic of a demon god, I looked into the divine Relics of the five great gods. From what I could tell, the relics of the five great gods have appeared continuously over thousands of years. There were people who used them, and their history is clearly written down.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I know that better than anyone.¡± Olivia Lanze knew more about the five gods than I, who only did some brief research the day before, so she should have known a lot more about the divine Relics of the great gods and what they achieved in this world. Not all divine Relics of the five great gods had appeared in history all the time. However, recounts of people doing great things with them had continued to appear. ¡°However, in all of human history, there had never been any recounts of a demon god¡¯s Relic overturning humanity.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Nothing was known about the divine Relics of the demon gods, not even their existence was confirmed. Dettomolian¡¯s testimony¡­ An unknown but incredibly strong power of the cursed sword¡­ Its power that could bring the dead back to life¡­ The fact that it had been discovered in the Darklands¡­ Based on that, one might be able to speculate that it might be the divine Relic of a demon god. They only assumed that it was a Relic belonging to Kier, the god of Corruption, to begin with. Temple didn¡¯t immediately guarantee its veracity, either. Olivia was convinced that the cursed sword I had was a divine Relic. However, I refuted that there was no way that it could be something like a demon god¡¯s divine Relic which had never appeared in history before. ¡°It has been said that the last time Tiamata had appeared was 300 years ago, and believers of the Church of the demon gods who killed the last champion of Towan stole Tiamata and fled to the Darklands.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. After Towan¡¯s last champion, Reigorn, was murdered by the church of the demon gods, their believers¡­ stole Towan¡¯s Holy Sword¡­ and took it to the Darklands¡­¡± Olivia went over the story she knew of, but gradually slowed down when she realized that I had found that sword in the Darklands as well. ¡°No way, could it be that the cultists cursed Tiamata to be the way it is now?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s far too speculative. I can¡¯t believe that a Holy Sword could become something like that. I just can¡¯t.¡± Well, it was very hard to convince Olivia. No matter how much she abandoned her faith, she couldn¡¯t turn away from Towan completely. It was just too much a guess that it was possible to corrupt a Relic of Purity to hold the exact opposite power. It would just be conjecture if I couldn¡¯t convince her that the demon god Kier and the god Towan were the same entity. And I couldn¡¯t explain to her why it was like that. For me to know the fact that there weren¡¯t any demon gods would mean that I knew about the actual belief system of the demons, and that would be really strange for me to know. It would actually make no sense for me to know such things, so I couldn¡¯t tell her the truth of the church of the demon gods. Tiamata, the Holy Sword that had the power to smite the undead, could become a demonic sword that ruled over the undead. To be honest, that wouldn¡¯t make sense to anyone. Even Eleris, who knew about the demons¡¯ belief system, wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told her. Olivia claimed that the Holy Sword had disappeared somewhere in the Darklands and that cursed Relic was also found there, so she simply couldn¡¯t trust my claim that it was Towan¡¯s Holy Sword. ¡°Couldn¡¯t it be that no demon god¡¯s Relics had been found because the Darklands haven¡¯t been fully explored yet? They might have only appeared among the demon tribes who served the demon gods.¡± Olivia¡¯s guess was reasonable. Just as there were Relics of the five great gods in the human realm, wouldn¡¯t there be Relics of the five demon gods in the Darklands and the humans just don¡¯t know about them? And by chance, I had found one. There was one point I could refute here. ¡°¡­The Demon World War. If they had items like that, the demons would have used them in the war. However, the Demon King ended up killed and all his treasures were taken away, but among them, I don¡¯t think they found anything like a demon god¡¯s divine Relic. If they had, there would have been rumors spreading about it everywhere.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true. You¡¯re right. I volunteered to participate in the Demon World War, although I didn¡¯t actually fight in it. I never heard about anything like a demon god¡¯s Relic being sighted.¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren * * * If there were such thing as demon god¡¯s divine Relics, there was no way the demons wouldn¡¯t have used them in the final war against the humans. Olivia actually participated in the Demon World War with the purpose to treat and support wounded soldiers. She knew better than anyone what information they had back then. She hadn¡¯t heard about demons using powerful items such as divine Relics of the demon gods or something. They had plundered the Demon King¡¯s Castle of all its treasures and magical items, but there hasn¡¯t been a word about them finding Relics of demon gods there. Olivia would know better about those things than I. If they had such powerful items like the demon gods¡¯ divine Relics in the Darklands, why weren¡¯t they used in the Demon World War? So Olivia seemed increasingly unsure about my words that there weren¡¯t any demon gods¡¯ divine Relics to begin with. It was an inference that started out with its conclusion. If that was the case, the cursed sword could absolutely not be a demon god¡¯s Relic. If so, there was only one conclusion one could get to: It was a divine Relic of one of the great gods. But why had a divine Relic of a great god turned into something like that? Tiamata disappeared along with the demon god worshippers who took it to the Darklands. Along the way, the worshippers did something to the divine Relic. ¡ªThat had been my guess so far. ¡°First, here¡¯s what I think. There are no such things as divine Relics of demon gods that could just suddenly appear out of nowhere. However, it¡¯s impossible for an item to be so old and hold such power if it wasn¡¯t a divine Relic. So that¡¯s why I think that this divine Relic of one of the five gods had been corrupted to become like that.¡± If what I said was true, I might end up being mistaken as the owner of a demon god¡¯s divine Relic that didn¡¯t even exist¡ªit actually was Tiamata that got slightly corrupted. ¡°Yeah, I know what you¡¯re talking about. Before, I would have never believed a thing you said¡­¡± If I had told her that when she was still a faithful believer in Towan, she would have treated it as a gigantic act of blasphemy against her goddess. ¡°If what you said is true, I would be just a little bit more disappointed in the gods.¡± However, she no longer served Towan, so she didn¡¯t get angry at my words, no matter if it was possible to corrupt the divine Relic of Towan or not. None of the other priests of Towan would believe me, so they wouldn¡¯t have any reason to try restoring it, either. One had to firmly believe that the cursed sword was Tiamata and that one had to restore its original form. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at it. I don¡¯t know if I can purify it, but I can try, at least.¡± However, Olivia was willing to try without much resistance. * * * The demon god¡¯s divine Relic had disappeared. It had left Reinhardt¡¯s and her hands, so she thought that it was a matter for the teachers to take care of. However, she also felt a little anxious. In such situations, Reinhardt would usually try to do something. Maybe he was doing something reckless on his own, causing even bigger trouble. Ellen was worried, so that was why she tried holding him in the training room to prevent him from doing anything useless. However, Reinhardt went off somewhere in a hurry after breakfast. He surely was off doing something reckless again. Thinking that she would drag him away if she found him, Ellen waited in the lobby for Reinhardt, who had gone off to who-knows-where. -And you really just want to look around my room? -Why, of course. What? Do you think I¡¯ll eat you up? -Please¡­ Don¡¯t say things like that. The scene that was approaching her completely destroyed Ellen¡¯s anxiety. She was practically sticking to his arm. They didn¡¯t see each other often, but as soon as she was together with Reinhardt, she would act overly intimate with him¡ªthat was what she knew. -Is there a specific reason why you try to get into my room like that? -I wonder. Hehe. Why? -If you try anything weird, I¡¯ll scream. -Ooh~ What were you thinking? So you¡¯re also a man, huh~? Reinhardt wore a disgusted expression while the female senior hanging from his arm was smiling brightly. ¡°¡­¡± She was worried for nothing. That female senior wanted to enter Reinhardt¡¯s room, and he seemed to have reluctantly agreed. Reinhardt made eye contact with Ellen but just passed by her pretending not to know her. -Don¡¯t you have any snacks or tea? -No. What are you even expecting of me? Ellen felt a bit anxious as she watched Reinhardt¡¯s back as he got dragged away. She was worried that he would cause trouble, but he wasn¡¯t up to anything. He was just normally spending his weekend. Anyway¡­ ¡°¡­¡± There seemed to be an unknown emotion wiggling in her heart. It was a strange feeling she had never felt in her life. -Get off of me! -Why? You like it too though. -I¡¯m not! I don¡¯t like this?! -So now you¡¯re talking informally to me, huh? Do you want to get in trouble? -Ah¡­This is annoying¡­ It felt like something was crushing her heart or tightening around it. It was like a bug was crawling around on her heart and in her head. It was really¡­ unpleasant. What a strange feeling it was. ____ Chapter 193 Chapter 193 I let out a sigh when I walked into my room. ¡°I told you that we should pretend that everything¡¯s normal, but that didn¡¯t mean I wanted you to stick to me like a bitch in heat.¡± ¡°Bi-bitch in heat? Y-you¡­ There really isn¡¯t anything you can¡¯t throw at your seniors head, huh?¡± If we entered the room with serious expressions on for no reason, we would draw suspicion, so I had told Olivia to just act casually as if she was just going to hang out in her junior¡¯s room, but she was acting way too casual. I meant for her to just act casually, not to let out those kinds of comments. Anyway, we couldn¡¯t just go to my room with firm expressions on our faces. Others would think what we were about to do was something serious otherwise. Let¡¯s just pretend that we¡¯re doing pervy things! It would be better to be seen as a pervert than a demon god¡¯s apostle! I closed the door and drew the curtains. ¡°¡­¡± I brought my female senior into my room, locked the door, and drew the curtains. Anyone who saw that would think something like, ¡°How impure!¡± Olivia Lanze also wasn¡¯t able to meet my gaze and slightly patted her cheeks. ¡°Ha, haha¡­ I-I¡¯m feeling a little¡­ nervous¡­¡± That girl¡­ At that moment, she genuinely felt nervous. It became totally clear to me that her usual mannerisms and flirting were purely just jokes. When the atmosphere between us had become a little weird as if it was the real deal, she got cold feet. Yeah, that girl, no matter how old she was, she still was someone who had never dated a man, let alone had any experience with them, as she had been busy serving Towan. Seeing her clenching her fists like that, her hands seemed to sweat profusely. ¡°He-hey. You know. I¡¯m actually pretty good at fighting¡­ Erm, how should I put it? I¡¯m not like that, okay?¡­ So, uhm, be prepared.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?!¡± ¡°A-anyway! Th-th-that¡¯s right¡­¡± It felt like she thought that I was trying to do something weird to her and¡ªbecause she felt so scared¡ªshe told me something like, ¡°If you dare do anything weird to me, be prepared to get hurt!¡± I just pretended that I would do something, but I didn¡¯t even do anything yet, just how scared did she actually get? Did she just treat me as a little kid, and not a man, after all? However, when things ended up like that, she started imagining things and got scared, was that it? Did she realize just then that I was a man as well? Just what was with her? Was that cold sweat I saw on her forehead? I carefully opened the locked drawer and took out its contents because I thought the atmosphere between us would only become even worse if things kept going like that. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Superficially, it just looked like a sword with no special features, making one wonder if it was just some old sword. Although it had been mistaken as the Holy Sword of a demon god, I assumed it to be the Holy Sword Tiamata, a corrupted Relic. Olivia was looking at me holding the sword with a grim expression on her face. ¡°You said that the sword can control the minds of people¡­¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t do anything to me in my case because it seems like I¡¯m inherently resistant to these kinds of curses¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Will I be alright, then? I¡¯ve always been quite resistant to mental attacks¡ªI¡¯ve learned that from my magic resistance measurements.¡± Fortunately, Olivia Lanze knew of her high mental magic and mental attack resistance, so Reviere Lanze must have known that, even if he tried to brainwash her, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to control her like that. That was why he tried to break Olivia Lanze¡¯s will after all that torture. However, in the end, her will was just as strong as her mental magic resistance, so without doing anything, she turned out to be a nuisance to him. ¡°Could I try holding it?¡± ¡°¡­Just be careful.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Although I knew that she would be safe, I still ended up saying that. I pointed to the sword¡¯s hilt towards her, holding the blade in my hand. I knew I¡¯d be fine, but Olivia Lanze wasn¡¯t actually sure that she would be. Still, she didn¡¯t seem to hesitate. The nervous-looking Olivia Lanze cautiously grabbed the corrupted Tiamata¡¯s hilt. I wasn¡¯t sure if the ownership over the sword would be transferred like that or not. However, Tiamata didn¡¯t seem to react when OIivia Lanze grabbed it, just like when I first held it. ¡°Hmm¡­ I definitely¡­ get what you mean. I feel something very powerful, a kind of manipulation attempt.¡± I hadn¡¯t felt anything, but it seemed like Olivia Lanze sensed that the corrupted Tiamata was trying to do something but failed. ¡°This might be the Holy Sword Tiamata¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Except for you, I¡¯m the first person to touch this sword, right?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± It was a cursed item, so it had to have been handled quite carefully. After all, I had firmly warned them that the sword could control the minds of others. With the exception of me, Olivia Lanze was the first person to hold the sword safely. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± Olivia Lanze had a blank look in her eyes as she was looking down at the corrupted Tiamata. ¡°This kind of power is completely different. I have ever felt something so evil and ominous before¡­¡± Then she smiled sadly as she held the sword. ¡°And yet, it¡¯s such a very, very familiar force.¡± The power shared the same source, after all. Olivia Lanze seemed capable of feeling it slightly. I had no idea what divine power actually was, but Olivia Lanze had lived her whole life honing it. She could feel the sword¡¯s power itself more clearly than the other priests because she was touching it directly. Therefore, Olivia Lanze, who could use divine power on par with a high-ranking priest, immediately realized it just by holding the sword. ¡°Towan¡¯s powers were more geared towards determination rather than purity.¡± ¡°Determination?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Olivia was silently looking down at the sword. ¡°Rejection and annihilation of all unclean things. Disgust and hatred for all beings who go against providence. They have no tolerance for the existence of such things¡ªthat¡¯s why it¡¯s closer to determination than purity.¡± Just the mere existence of such things wasn¡¯t allowed. It was a level of determination that made one shiver¡­ Such was the doctrine of Towan. ¡°Tiamata is supposed to be a symbol of that will.¡± ¡ªThe will to not forgive those who go against providence, but annihilate them. Determination close to Loathing¡ªthat was Towan¡¯s doctrine. ¡°But¡­ This sword is the exact opposite.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean by, ¡®the exact opposite¡¯?¡± ¡°It holds utter loathing for all living things and providence, and possesses the will to overturn this world¡¯s providence¡­ That¡¯s what I mean¡­¡± Olivia Lanze was feeling the sword. ¡°It¡¯s a different kind of¡­ determination.¡± Tiamata as the Guardian of the Providence¡­ It was a symbol of determination against those who had gone against providence. The corrupted Tiamata¡­ It was a symbol of Loathing against providence itself and it was obsession as well as determination to completely deny it. ¡°¡­They hold very different powers, but ultimately, they hold the same ¡®will¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­You mean it holds determination for opposing values?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Olivia Lanze seemed to have realized something. ¡°Although it holds powers so far removed from Towan, it¡¯s fundamentally just too similar.¡± It was just too similar to the determination that symbolized Towan¡¯s powers. Therefore, Olivia, familiar with its power, couldn¡¯t help but feel the corrupted Tiamata¡¯s similarities as well as vast differences to Towan. ¡°Of course, there is still a possibility that this is a Relic of Kier, the god of corruption. However, if it really was Kier¡¯s Relic¡­ then their powers are weirdly similar to Towan¡¯s. The way the power is expressed is the total opposite, but the source of that power is extremely similar. This simply cannot be a power that hails from another being.¡± ¡ªThat was the conclusion OIivia reached. ¡°This is Tiamata. But¡­ The Relic of Towan¡­ The fact that it¡¯s emitting the exact same type of power as is attributed to the demon god Kier¡­¡± The expressed power was of the opposing type. However, its source was insanely similar. A corrupted Relic. Olivia, however, felt that the underlying origin behind the power itself didn¡¯t change. There was common ground between these two opposing gods: Determination. ¡°Kier and Towan are actually¡­ the same¡­ aren¡¯t they?¡± Olivia got stunned as she realized the shocking truth herself. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Although Olivia Lanze had abandoned her faith, she was stunned after speculating that Towan might be the same entity as Kier, the god of corruption, who she was taught to utterly hate. She had questioned and abandoned her faith, but she never thought that the truth would be so absurd. Olivia felt an unfamiliar power of a demon god from the corrupted Relic, but eventually, she found that demon god¡¯s power was just too familiar. ¡ªIt was very similar to Towan¡¯s power. So she instinctively knew that Towan and Kier were the same entity. It was something none of the priests could figure out. However, it was only natural that the priests didn¡¯t realize anything. After all, it was practically impossible for one to look at that cursed sword and think that it might be Tiamata, so they would never start to doubt the entity they believed in. Olivia was able to look at the situation objectively because all her preconceived notions caused by her religion had been removed. And in the end, she came to the conclusion that Towan and Kier were the same entity. What followed was a certain chain of thought. She probably reached the point that she questioned whether all she knew about the demon gods¡¯ faith was just an illusion. It wasn¡¯t unusual for her to be so shocked, so I waited until Olivia came back to her senses. ¡°Huu¡­ Okay. I think I just found something out that I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± The truth about the Knights Templar was only a slightly bitter pill compared to what she realized just then. If it came out that a demon god was the same entity as the goddess, the foundation of their whole faith itself would completely collapse. Of course, before that could happen, one¡¯s words wouldn¡¯t even earn a bit of credibility, though. ¡°So, can you turn it back into Tiamata?¡± If Kier¡¯s priests could corrupt Tiamata, the opposite should also be possible. ¡°Uhm¡­ I could try once. Though I¡¯m not sure what the results will be. My strength might not suffice for something like that.¡± No one but OIivia could help with something like that, so she would try purifying Tiamata with her own power. ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s going to take some time, though. Can¡¯t we get it outside somehow?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Probably not.¡± It would be better if we held the purification ritual in a more secret place. It was also pretty dangerous to recklessly take the sword out of the room. The day before, I had disguised it as a training sword and tried to throw it away, but that was before it was known that the demon god¡¯s Divine Relic had disappeared. If we were willing to take that risk, we could take it out, but we wouldn¡¯t be able to take it out of Temple. Olivia touched her cheeks, seeming troubled. ¡°Then¡­ I think we should hold the ritual in this room¡­¡± It was a very time-consuming task, as was shown by Dettomolian last time. ¡°Wh-what do we do¡­ Reinhardt? I-I think I¡¯ll have to stay over in your room today¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Olivia Lanze was very nervous because she would be staying in a boy¡¯s room for a day. If she was going to be like that, then why act like that to begin with? What was the point of acting all flirty, but then getting scared when she actually got into a situation like that? * * * It would have been nice if we could hold the ritual in a safer place, but we didn¡¯t have a choice. In the end, we had to hold the ceremony in my room. Although we could proceed with it there, someone might come in. So, ultimately, we could only hold the ritual in a certain place in my room. ¡°¡­Is this really okay?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s the only place we can use. Absolutely.¡± Olivia decided to hold the ceremony in my shower room. If we closed the door, no one would know who was inside of it. Of course, the shower room wasn¡¯t that big, but it wasn¡¯t too small, either. A purification ceremony for a Divine Relic was held in the shower room attached to a dorm room¡­ What the hell was that situation? ¡°I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take, so I¡¯ll just start right away.¡± ¡°Approximately how long do you think it will take?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ve never done something like that before, so I don¡¯t really know. It might take the whole day. It might take more than that.¡± Fortunately, it was Saturday, so we had plenty of time. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you ate something first?¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. This is nothing.¡± Olivia smiled as if she was trying to say that she wouldn¡¯t suffer any physical problems. Laying down the corrupted Tiamata on the floor of the shower room, Olivia Lanze knelt before it. What? She was going to sit in that position? All day? Flabbergasted, I got some cushions and handed them to Olivia. ¡°Jeez, you¡¯re going to hurt your knees like that.¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­ Yes. Okay. Thank you.¡± Olivia laid out a cushion and knelt down on it. ¡°What¡¯s there to be thankful for? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s grateful.¡± After all, she went through all that trouble for me, not for herself. More than that, I was insanely thankful that she was actually trying everything she could for me as if it was the most natural thing, even if I didn¡¯t tell her much. She seemed to think that, as long as she could help someone, she should, of course, do it. She had probably lived her whole life with that mindset. She was completely different from me, so I just silently watched her start praying. I quietly watched as the power of the god of Purity wrapped her whole body, and the goddess answered the false prayer of the one who had already abandoned her. Towan still lent her power. I wondered whether Olivia Lanze would feel grateful or thankful for the power lent through insincere prayers. I watched her praying from outside the shower room in silence. * * * I was told that it would take a long time, so I had nothing really to do other than watch. The divine power flowing out of Olivia¡¯s body enveloped the cursed sword. It seemed like something was happening, but the process was incredibly slow. Olivia, who was performing the ritual, might know more, but as I could see her concentrating, I couldn¡¯t just interrupt her. If things kept going like that, she would end up not eating anything. Would she be fine? I didn¡¯t even have to be there. Whether I was there or not, the ritual would continue, so there was no reason for me to keep watching. However, I didn¡¯t eat lunch either. I couldn¡¯t calmly eat and rest when there was someone telling me they would go through so much hardship for me. Of course, Olivia Lanze wouldn¡¯t mind no matter what I did, but I wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable with that. I decided to stand guard in case someone came in, but honestly, there was pretty much no way that anyone would come. If anyone were to come, it would be Ellen, but she was the type that would just do her own thing. She might be thinking that I was up to something if I didn¡¯t show up at the gym, but she wasn¡¯t the type to ask why I didn¡¯t go. Time passed, and no one came over to visit me. * * * There were some rules to training with Reinhardt. They weren¡¯t rules to be exact, it was just something they naturally did. If they came there together, they would train together, if not, they didn¡¯t. Ellen went to the gym almost every day, but Reinhardt sometimes had other things to do and wouldn¡¯t go to practice. In cases like that, Ellen would just train alone, but she would never go look for Reinhardt. Of course, if they ran into each other, she would gesture to him to come train with her, but she didn¡¯t force it. It had always been like that. So, if Reinhardt didn¡¯t show up, Ellen would just train without him. But on that day, that didn¡¯t work. Why isn¡¯t he coming? Such thoughts were continuously running through her mind. -Pak! Papak! Pak! Cliffman was the only one in the training room except for herself. Is he still with her? That senior? She should have already left. Having found out from the lobby that the fifth-year Olivia Lanze would go to Reinhardt¡¯s room, she just went to train in the gym. A long time had passed already, so of course, she should have gone back. Reinhardt didn¡¯t seem to enjoy having her look around his room. Of course, she already went back. It¡¯s past lunchtime after all. However, Reinhardt didn¡¯t come to eat lunch. Are they still together? Just what the hell are they doing in there? Why the hell do I even care about that? So what if she didn¡¯t leave yet? She¡¯s gone already. No, she¡¯s definitely still in there. She didn¡¯t even know why she cared about it so much. Her thoughts were conflicting with each other. That mysterious bug was crawling on her heart again. That confusion alone felt unfamiliar and refreshing to her. It was a feeling she had never felt before. Did she feel uncomfortable with herself having that feeling? What nonsense. This feeling doesn¡¯t help me at all. That feeling didn¡¯t help her with growing or in her relationship with Reinhardt. Reinhardt was only doing his own thing. She had no reason to overstep his boundaries like that. Friends. They were just friends, after all. Although he was very precious to her, she decided to think of him as just a friend. So she had to throw it away. She had to throw away that feeling. -Pak. Pak! Pak! Bam! Bam! Craaack! ¡°¡­¡± Ellen was looking down at the completely broken and smashed training dummy, her eyes cold. The dummy broke, not her training sword. ¡°A-ah.¡± Cliffman, who was beating a dummy not too far away, was frightened at seeing Ellen look down at the broken scarecrow with such ferocious eyes. Could those things even break? What happened? Cliffman looked at the scene as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°¡­What?¡± Ellen asked curtly, looking at Cliffman, who was staring at her with fear in his eyes. He looked like he had something to say. ¡°Ah, erm- No. It¡¯s nothing¡­ Nothing at all, Ma¡¯am.¡± Without even being conscious of it, Cliffman started speaking formally to Ellen. Reinhardt also didn¡¯t even show up at the restaurant in the evening. Ellen slept badly that night. ____ Chapter 194 Chapter 194 The ritual began around 10 am. It was already past 1 am, long past bedtime. The ritual kept progressing. They didn¡¯t do something like roll calls, so there was nothing really to worry about. Meanwhile, Olivia Lanze continued to fully concentrate without even drinking a drop of water. I didn¡¯t have to, but I stayed with her as well. My hunger wasn¡¯t that great. I couldn¡¯t tell how hard it was or how tired she was, so I felt rather restless watching her from the sidelines. What could I do for her? Should I wipe off her sweat? To be honest, no one would have cared if I just went to sleep, but I didn¡¯t have such shameless thoughts. So I just kept watching. She was focusing on a single task for 12 hours straight without even trembling. However, it certainly seemed to be working. Over a long period of time, at an incredibly slow pace, her progress was visible to the naked eye. The appearance of the cursed sword was changing as if it was shedding its outer skin. The corrupted Tiamata was slowly returning to its original form¡ªthe darkened sword was gradually regaining its milky white color. Olivia Lanze¡¯s purification ceremony was clearly working. It didn¡¯t just return to being a Holy Sword in a tremendous brilliant white flash. It was a gradual process. However, like scales coming off one by one, as if the curse was getting burned away by the divine power, the cursed sword¡¯s layers came off one after the other, gradually getting dyed red and disappearing. Slowly but surely, the Holy Sword was getting restored. It wasn¡¯t a dramatic change, but it was a constant one. ¡°¡­¡± Olivia silently sat in my shower room and continued to pray in the same posture in which she started. I was watching that scene as if I had to witness it, leaning against one of my room¡¯s walls, the lights turned off. Like Olivia Lanze, I didn¡¯t change my posture either, staying completely silent. In that silence, the only thing that changed over that long period of time that felt like an eternity was the cursed sword. And then¡­ When the last scale of the cursed sword had been peeled off¡­ ¡°¡­It¡¯s over.¡± ¡°You worked hard.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± With the first light of dawn, the ceremony had concluded. ¡°Get some rest. Thank you.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I should do that.¡± I helped Olivia Lanze, who didn¡¯t have the energy to stand up properly, up and led her to my bed. She fell asleep right away as if she had forced herself to stay conscious up until then. I raised my hand towards the sword lying on the shower room floor. -Sliiip¡­ The sword disappeared from the shower room floor and, before I knew it, appeared in my hand again. With Tiamata¡¯s restoration, it seemed like its spirit bond with me had become complete. Olivia Lanze seemed to have taken over and finished what Dettomolian started. The ivory-colored blade seemed to have a warmer texture than ordinary iron. The sword, which looked as if layers of it had come off, still didn¡¯t have a crossguard, but like on other Divine Relics, there were letters engraved in the Bo-Hi/blood groove cut in the middle of its milky white body. I could read them. [I shall purify the world with wrath.] Wrath¡­ It was quite the ominous phrase to be engraved on a Holy Sword. The Holy Sword Tiamata¡¯s restoration had been completed. [Quest completed ¨C Holy Sword Tiamata] I was able to complete the reward that was given to me in a corrupted state. [An additional reward shall be given] [You were able to become Tiamata¡¯s owner as an effect of ¡®Sacred Spirit¡¯, a trait you share with Olivia Lanze.] [Reward : You are able to share the Holy Sword Tiamata with Olivia Lanze.] And it also came with an unexpected reward. * * * When I sent Tiamata back, it went into my desk drawer. It would move to the place I wanted to keep it. If I wanted to sense where the sword itself was, I could naturally grasp its location. It was what one called true soul-bonding. And I shared it with Olivia¡ªit was an item under joint possession. Olivia Lanze had fallen asleep as if she had fainted, and I was very tired as well. Of course, I couldn¡¯t just sleep next to her, so I put Tiamata in a drawer, locked it, and went out into the hallway. It wasn¡¯t time to wake up yet, so there was not a single soul in the hallway around early dawn. I had planned on lying down on something like a sofa in the lobby to take a nap. I was dead tired. After fasting for a bit, I felt rather hungry as well. It didn¡¯t matter if people found out about Tiamata in its purified state. No matter if people could believe that the cursed sword was Tiamata or not, it was still the truth. What could they say when the results were like that? The world was such a consequential thing. I was convinced that the cursed sword was a Holy Sword, so I managed to purify it and returned it to its original holy state. Temple just mistook the Relic as a demon god¡¯s Relic and had tried to discard or seal it. No one could say anything against me because I was right. The stress I received those past two days because of the corrupted Tiamata was no joke. It was to the point where I thought that my head might actually turn bald. As I staggered into the lobby, I saw that someone was languidly sitting on the sofa. It was Ellen. ¡°¡­What are you doing here?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing much.¡± Ellen was just blankly sitting on the sofa, and when she noticed that I was around, she looked at me. It also didn¡¯t seem like she was going out to do her early morning training, either. Ellen seemed hesitant, so I asked her cautiously. ¡°Are you going out to train?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± I sat opposite Ellen. I hadn¡¯t slept yet, but she didn¡¯t seem to intend to sleep at all. Ellen didn¡¯t say anything. I didn¡¯t say anything either. It would be rather strange if I started explaining things to someone who didn¡¯t even ask. It would seem like I was making up excuses out of nowhere for something she didn¡¯t even ask about. Well, I wouldn¡¯t know what to say either if she actually asked. Still, I was able to fix everything somehow. ¡®Let¡¯s talk about it.¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s just comfortably talk about it.¡¯ ¡®Even if it¡¯s a bit much¡­¡¯ ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Promise me something.¡± ¡°Promise you what?¡± Ellen tilted her head at my sudden words. ¡°Don¡¯t beat me up before you listen to everything I want to say.¡± I don¡¯t care if you want to hit me after you¡¯re done listening, but don¡¯t hit me while I¡¯m explaining. Just beat me up after I¡¯m done¡­ Please¡­ ¡°??¡± Ellen looked bewildered because she didn¡¯t know what I was talking about. I took Ellen to the quiet training room. Even if we made a lot of noise, no one would be able to hear us while we were in there. ¡°Well¡­ Actually, you know. About the demon god¡¯s Relic. See, uhm. The thing is¡­I had it with me.¡± ¡°Wha¡­ What? What did you say?¡± Ellen didn¡¯t seem to understand what I was trying to say for a bit. ¡°To be precise, it kept coming back to me, maybe because it thought of me as its owner¡­ So it¡¯s not like I stole it. It just kept coming back to me. Even after I threw it away, it would still re-appear in my room¡­ That¡¯s what happened. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡®Fuck.¡¯ Her expression got worse by the minute, so I didn¡¯t even know what I was talking about anymore. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen¡¯s expression turned cold. The atmosphere seemed to freeze up around us as I continued to talk. Ellen was silently staring at me. She wasn¡¯t shouting at me or punching me¡­ She was just staring. However, she obviously looked very angry. Okay, tell me more. That was what she seemed to try to tell me. ¡°Well¡­ Do you want me to continue?¡° ¡°Yeah. Continue.¡± I felt like she would kill me if she noticed anything wrong. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Confronted with Ellen¡¯s cold eyes, I felt nervous as I finally managed to explain everything. From the cursed sword suddenly appearing before me, to me requesting Olivia Lanze to help solve the problem somehow. And also how Olivia helped me by performing a purifying ceremony all night long after she found out that the cursed sword was Tiamata. I hurriedly summoned TIamata to show it to Ellen. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ It really was Tiamata¡­¡± Ellen couldn¡¯t believe that the cursed sword had been transformed into Towan¡¯s divine Relic as if it shed its skin. However, even if she couldn¡¯t believe it, the truth was right in front of her. What was presumed to be a demon god¡¯s Divine Relic was Tiamata in a corrupted state. She had the facts presented right in front of her, so there was no point in trying to say anything more. In the end, she only told me to leave it be because she thought it was a dangerous object, as we had witnessed in action, but that was the result of my actions. We had actually recovered Towan¡¯s divine Relic from the Darklands, not a demon god¡¯s Relic. It would have been great enough to find a demon god¡¯s divine Relic, but recovering Towan¡¯s Relic, which had been lost 300 years ago, was bound to be treated as a huge achievement. And I actually soul-bonded with the Holy Sword of Towan. That meant that I was the god of Purity, Towan¡¯s champion as well. ¡°Ultimately¡­ You were destined to have it¡­ Was it something like that?¡± The cursed sword didn¡¯t have an effect on me. Ellen seemed to think that it was inevitable for me to become Tiamata¡¯s owner in the end. ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence. Senior didn¡¯t fall under its curse either.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s possible.¡± I also explained to her that Olivia Lanze helped me purify the sword. I sent back Tiamata, then glanced at Ellen. ¡°Uhm¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t listen to you.¡± Now should be the time for her to get angry. Just how many times did she tell me to throw that thing away. I had no words. No matter how good the result turned out to be, I landed in a dangerous situation because I had continued to act stubborn. Ellen glanced at me with her mouth pulled in a slight pout. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t mention it. Just don¡¯t do something like that again.¡± She clearly looked a little upset and shocked at first, but now her mood seemed to be a bit better. I was ready to take a hard beating. Ellen looked fine, if a little bit upset. Did she¡­ buy that? ¡°As you said, I won¡¯t be uselessly greedy anymore. Until I die.¡± I was being sincere. Although the results were good, if I just made one wrong move, I would have to run away from Temple at best, and at worst, my head would have gone flying. Of course, without going through that ordeal, I wouldn¡¯t have obtained the great weapon called the Holy Sword Tiamata, however, things couldn¡¯t always end well. Ellen took a deep breath as she sat down on the training room¡¯s floor. ¡°So, what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you going to report to Temple that the cursed sword was actually Tiamata?¡± Temple was still in chaos. All those people were probably still struggling to find that lost demon god¡¯s Divine Relic. Hiding Tiamata wasn¡¯t difficult for me anymore. I could just summon and send it back from any place. It wasn¡¯t necessary anymore to hide it in my room. I could even just throw it into the Irene River and call it whenever I needed it. ¡°I think it would be the right thing to report it, but¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll get annoying. Very.¡± ¡°I know.¡± There was a reason why Ellen was hiding the fact that she was Artorius¡¯ sister and the owner of the Holy Sword Lament. The people¡¯s high expectations as well as that useless popularity would pose a great annoyance to Ellen. And people would implicitly exert a lot of pressure on her during her school time, naming her the next Hero. ¡°Don¡¯t tell them, this incident will soon be forgotten. As Tiamata, it won¡¯t cause any more major problems.¡± It would be a huge problem if it was a true Relic of a demon god, but as it returned to being Tiamata, there wouldn¡¯t be any more problems, so Ellen seemed to think that it would be better to just hide that I had become Tiamata¡¯s owner. ¡°Yeah, that would be for the best.¡± They would make a huge fuss to find the lost demon god¡¯s divine Relic, but in the end, if nothing more happened for a certain period of time, like with the terrorist attack on the Capital last time, things would eventually quiet down. * * * The cursed sword problem had been solved, and the Holy Sword Tiamata had been restored again. And, prepared to take a beating from Ellen, I told her the whole truth about the incident. Ellen seemed upset but also relieved that all the problems had been solved in the end. Ellen and I sat with our backs against the training room¡¯s wall. ¡°Did you not sleep at all?¡± Ellen noticed that I didn¡¯t look so good as asked me. ¡°¡­Yeah. I couldn¡¯t just sleep comfortably while someone was working through the night because of me.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± She wouldn¡¯t have cared if I slept or not, but I had just kept watching her perform the ritual until the very end out of a sense of guilt, regret, and gratitude. ¡°I left her sleeping in my bed, so I tried to sleep in the lobby. But then I met you¡­ Well, and we ended up talking like this.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Ellen¡¯s eyes widened slightly, as she realized that I was on the verge of dying from exhaustion and that I actually couldn¡¯t sleep because of her. ¡°¡­Sleep here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do just that.¡± I lay down on the training room¡¯s floor. The floor was pretty hard, but I was dead tired, so it didn¡¯t really feel uncomfortable * * * Ellen looked at Reinhardt, who was lying on his back, sleeping. The bug that had been crawling on her heart was gone. She was angry. She felt so upset when she heard what had happened. She was beside herself with rage. She told him so many times, but he eventually gave in to his greed and got himself into a dangerous situation. Still, she held it in, thinking that she should listen to his whole story first. However, as she listened to his story, Ellen found herself unnoticeably freed of her anger. She thought that she should be angry because Reinhardt obviously got himself into danger because he did something stupid. However, her anger had already dissipated, so she couldn¡¯t hold on to that rage anymore. She only had one thought in her mind: She didn¡¯t really care much about the Holy Sword Tiamata. She was only slightly surprised by the sudden appearance of something as important as a divine Relic of the five gods. Okay. That¡¯s how it was. That¡¯s what happened. It couldn¡¯t have been anything like that. There was a reason for everything. Her thoughts were filled with such a strange feeling that all her feelings of relief, slight disappointment, and that unknown feeling immediately disappeared. The recovery of the Holy Sword Tiamata¡­ The world would most certainly be surprised by it, but Ellen wasn¡¯t really. Rather, it seemed something else was of much more importance to her. Ellen hugged her knees as she stared at Reinhardt, who had fallen asleep as soon as he closed his eyes. She seemed like a child looking closely at some animal she had seen for the first time out of pure curiosity. She had looked at him so many times, but it felt like she was looking at him for the first time. At that moment, Ellen seemed as if she was looking at Reinhardt for the first time in her life. She thought that it should be quite uncomfortable for him to sleep like that. Ellen loosened her arms around her knees and stretched out her legs. Then she lifted Reinhardt¡¯s head slightly and placed it on her thighs. I¡¯m doing this because sleeping on the floor like that should be rather uncomfortable. That¡¯s the only reason. Just because he¡¯d feel uncomfortable. And I¡¯m sorry¡­ Sorry for misunderstanding. I¡¯m sorry for being suspicious of you and getting angry. I¡¯m just doing this because I feel sorry.. I chose not to think about these things anymore. Just what is wrong with me? I decided not to think about it. Ellen carefully ran her fingers through the sleeping Reinhardt¡¯s hair. She then started to smile slightly without realizing. ____ Chapter 195 Chapter 195 This incident had come to a close. The most worrisome thing in that situation was that Dettomolian might have to suffer quite a bit because of me. It seemed like he had already returned to the dormitory after he had been investigated throughout Saturday, maybe because he was a Temple student or because the investigation revealed that they had reached a dead end. Olivia Lanze had already realized that she and I were the joint owners of the Holy Sword. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really want to use it, so I think it should be all yours, Reinhardt.¡± Olivia Lanze tried to help me regardless of it being a Holy Sword or not, so she seemed a little soured that she was also soul-bound to Tiamata. By the way, that girl slept in my room until after lunchtime like that. Despite seeing her disheveled state, her beauty hadn¡¯t been ruined¡­ What? How come her beauty hadn¡¯t reduced even after just waking up? ¡°Hrmmmm!¡± Olivia Lanze stretched and then slowly opened her eyes and looked at me. ¡°By the way, I want to show you something really interesting, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Wh-what would that be¡­?¡± If it was something weird, I didn¡¯t want to see it! Sh-she shouldn¡¯t! It couldn¡¯t be that she had gotten used to all that in just a single day or something like that, right? ¡°Look at this.¡± Olivia Lanze raised her right hand and closed her eyes. -Uuung ¡°¡­What is this?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but be shocked at the energy gathering around Olivia Lanze¡¯s hand. That young lady was able to use tremendous amounts of divine power. Just the day before I saw her using Towan¡¯s divine power during the ceremony. ¡°Hehe¡­ I think I understood the true nature of divine power.¡± However, the energy enveloping Olivia Lanze¡¯s hand was too evil and too dark to be considered Towan¡¯s divine power. ¡°No way¡­ This¡­ Is it that?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I felt a certain insidiousness, completely different from before, emitting from Olivia Lanze¡¯s eyes as she opened them. ¡°I think I now know how to use the power of Towan¡¯s other side, so to speak, Kier¡¯s power.¡± Towan was Kier. Olivia had understood that Towan¡¯s divine power could also be used as its opposing force if one manifested in a different way. And the day before, while performing the ceremony to restore Towan¡¯s Relic to its original state, she seemed to have understood the principle behind that power. It looked like Olivia Lanze was able to use Towan¡¯s divine power, the power of purity, as well as the power of the demon god Kier, the god of Corruption. She was able to use both sides of that divine power even though they were completely different from each other. The power of purity, and the power of corruption. ¡°Does that mean¡­ I¡¯m the only true believer of Towan? That¡¯s kind of funny.¡± She was able to completely understand her Goddess because she forsook her. She might be able to call herself the one and only true believer of Towan for understanding her power as well as her ambivalence, enabling her to both use the power of Towan, who she abandoned, and Kier¡¯s power. Anyway, Olivia Lanze had become the only person in the world who could use both the power of a goddess and a demon god. Just what should I say? I felt like I had just witnessed the birth of a monster, an event much more important than the Holy Sword, Tiamata¡¯s appearance. ¡°Ah, so what about this?¡± -Blink Sitting in the bed, Olivia Lanze summoned the Holy Sword Tiamata to her hand. As we were sharing its ownership, Tiamata was mine as well as Olivia Lanze¡¯s. She looked at me with a sinister smile on her lips and an ominous gaze in her eyes. ¡°Should I corrupt the restored Holy Sword Tiamata and turn it back into the demon sword Tiamata again?¡± ¡°Wh-what are you talking about, you bastard!¡± Hey, I¡¯m just kidding, just kidding-.¡± If I hadn¡¯t stopped her, she would have totally done it! Ultimately, it was true that Olivia Lanze had saved me from a serious crisis. To be exact, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to use the item in its cursed state, but I was very pleased that the soul-bond had been properly established so that I could completely control Tiamata. It was a secret that I had the Holy Sword in my possession, so, as I had thought, I dumped it at the bottom of the Irene River where no one would find it. I didn¡¯t even have to go there to place it there. Just by thinking of sending it there, I could feel that it actually traveled to that place. Although I had saved Olivia Lanze¡¯s life, I still expressed my gratitude in my own way. Olivia was quite magnanimous. She said, ¡°If you¡¯re so grateful, just buy me a meal later¡±, and went back to her own room to rest for the remainder of the day. * * * Ellen felt rather refreshed, so after Reinhardt woke up and went back to his room, she also returned to her room to wash up. Sunday¡­ She couldn¡¯t concentrate properly the day before, so she wanted to try to stay a little more focused. Reinhardt might also come to the gym, as the problem holding him back had been resolved. Of course, he might not come if something else happened, but what would she do if he didn¡¯t? Ellen left her private room to go to the gym when her eye met with someone else¡¯s. ¡ªSomeone who looked slightly tired but couldn¡¯t help but draw others¡¯ attention nevertheless. It was Olivia Lanze, the senior who had helped Reinhardt. She had probably spent the whole day in Reinhardt¡¯s room and was just then returning to her own dorm. ¡°¡­?¡± Olivia Lanze tilted her head as Ellen looked at her. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Reinhardt¡¯s friend, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°Do you have something to say to me?¡± Reinhardt had certainly been in danger. He would have been in huge trouble if that person hadn¡¯t helped him. In that case, she should have felt grateful towards her. Before, she had felt weird and offended for no reason whatsoever, so now she felt guilty towards her. She felt like she showed contempt to the person who helped Reinhardt with nothing but good intentions for no reason. Ellen looked around. No one was around them. ¡°Thank you very much. Erm¡­ I heard that you helped Reinhardt. It must have been really hard, but thank you for helping him.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. You¡¯re really close to Reinhardt, aren¡¯t you?¡± Olivia only smiled sweetly and nodded whole saying that she only did what she should have done. She really was someone who helped Reinhardt with pure intentions. Ellen became a little ashamed of herself for that feeling she felt yesterday. ¡°By the way, you do know that Reinhardt is mine, right?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Olivia showed her a slightly sinister smile as she left her with those words. Ellen only stared at Olivia¡¯s back. At the same time¡­ I don¡¯t like that person. I like Harriet, so why do I hate that person? Ellen couldn¡¯t explain why she felt that way. * * * Getting my hands on Tiamata didn¡¯t really change anything. Unless a huge incident like an army of undead appeared in the capital, I had no real use for it. I wasn¡¯t sure if I would go back to Darklands again or not, but even then, the item was only powerful against undead monsters. Of course, according to what Olivia Lanze had demonstrated, Tiamata could also use its opposing power. Although she was joking, it was true that she would be able to corrupt the restored Tiamata again. The Holy Sword Tiamata was a weapon that could exert incredible strength against unclean beings. In its cursed state, on the other hand, the Demonic Sword Tiamata could make use of its opposing power. It would exert its absolute power to eliminate the living. In the end, Tiamata could become a weapon that would exert absolute power against both the living and dead, depending on whether it is used in its original or corrupted state. Of course, it was impossible for me, who couldn¡¯t wield divine power, so I would need Olivia Lanze¡¯s help. It was both a Holy Sword and a Demonic Sword at the same time. With Olivia¡¯s help, Tiamata could become a very versatile weapon. Of course, it would be best not to use it in its corrupted state. However, I did know that I would definitely end up having to use it someday. Monday¡­ After our common classes ended¡­ ¡°What did you say? You want to treat Detto to a meal?¡± ¡°He went through a lot because of me, so I should pay him back somehow.¡± ¡°¡­Seeing you care about such things sure is really surprising, isn¡¯t it?¡± I was heading towards Main Street with Dettomolian and Charlotte de Gardias on my way back from school. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * It seemed like B-8 Dettomolian didn¡¯t have to go through anything bad. Still, he was a suspect. Anyway, he was released, in the end, at my request. Tiamata was secured as well, and I was just as indebted to that guy as I was to Olivia Lanze. I personally felt quite sorry for him because of various things, so I wanted to do something for him, even if I didn¡¯t know the details of what went down. In the end, he also told me that all I needed to do was buy him a meal. And I didn¡¯t actually call Charlotte; she simply tagged along. When I said that I would buy Dettomolian a meal when I was in Class B¡¯s dorm, Charlotte tagged along with me as if she just witnessed something incredible. It seemed like the Princess had a lot of time to spare. Still, I was rather happy with the outcome. Dettomolian was originally quite the gloomy and silent guy, so when I told him I¡¯d buy him a meal, he simply followed me, however, he didn¡¯t really say anything. That silence devoid of conversation was resolved by Charlotte, who tagged along out of boredom. ¡°Siigh¡­ I won¡¯t ever get used to those swimming lessons. I¡¯m dead tired.¡± It was still September. The last lesson among our common P.E. classes were still swimming lessons, as the days were still rather warm. Still, I didn¡¯t feel as tired as I did when we first started our lessons. Dettomolian was also tired, but he didn¡¯t seem like he was about to die of exhaustion. ¡°Is there anything you want to eat?¡± ¡°¡­Sashimi. Beef Tartare.¡± What should I say? It was kind of like him, wasn¡¯t it? Of course, I knew that him hailing from a primitive northern tribe didn¡¯t have anything to do with him wanting to eat raw food. How should I put it¡­? It just seemed to fit him¡­ I looked towards Charlotte. ¡°Are you fine with that?¡± ¡°Huh? I told you I don¡¯t really care about what we eat.¡± In the end, we decided to go for beef tartare. * * * I was aware of the fact that there were all kinds of restaurants located inside of Temple, but I didn¡¯t expect there to be a restaurant specializing in beef tartare. Dettomolian seemed to go to that place often on his own, so he led the way. He continuously ate pieces of beef tartare, opening his eyes wide as if that was the first time eating something like that, then he stuffed more into his mouth. Like the real thing. I knew it was really disrespectful and rude to think about him like that, and I did feel sorry for him, but¡­ Seeing the skinny Dettomolian stuffing his face with beef tartare was a little¡­ Anyway, it just sort of felt like that! Of course, the taste of the dish itself was pretty decent. Most of the food sold at Temple was made from the best ingredients. ¡°Detto, try this too. It¡¯s very delicious.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± By the way, Charlotte had been calling Dettomolian by his nickname, so I kind of felt like shit on the inside. Wasn¡¯t I the epitome of a twisted hypocrite? Did she call others by nicknames as well? Or was it just her classmates? ¡°Do you usually treat everyone like that?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­¡± Charlotte smiled bashfully when I asked her that as I watched her putting aside various things for Dettomolian. ¡°Hm¡­ Well, it¡¯s just¡­ he reminds me of the past, so¡­ I just do these things unconsciously¡­¡± Oh. Was it like that? Dettomolian always looked as if he was starving. The reason for that was because I set him up as the scrawniest anchovy that would never gain any weight in this world. That was why Charlotte was taking care of him like that¡ªit reminded her of when she was nearly starving to death in the Demon Realm. Wh-what the¡­ What a sad reason for taking care of someone¡­ ¡°No matter how much I eat¡­ I won¡¯t gain weight¡­¡± When Ellen said something like that, the other girls looked at her as if to say ¡°Are you bragging?¡±. Even though that guy said exactly the same thing, he looked kind of sad. Then what if he ate butter bibimbap every day? Wouldn¡¯t he gain weight then? Well, before he gained weight, he might actually get heart problems first, right? ¡°Erm, well¡­ Anyway, I¡¯m sorry. I dragged you into this. You must have had a hard time.¡± That was the main point of all of that. ¡°Aside from just buying a meal, I do have some money, even though I¡¯m like this. And if you don¡¯t want to have any money, just tell me if you need any help or want me to get you something.¡± It was unknown to me what would have happened if the priest of Towan decided to actually make a move. I wasn¡¯t all that sure if Temple or Charlotte would have been able to protect him, so Dettomolian certainly was in a great deal of danger because of my unnecessary request. I couldn¡¯t even tell him the truth about everything, so I felt double the guilt. Dettomolian slowly shook his head at my words. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ Temple prepares¡­ anything I would need¡­¡± He answered slowly while still stuffing himself with the meat. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you¡­ If I need help with anything¡­¡± ¡®A-ah¡­ Okay.¡± I wondered what Dettomolian would need help with. I hoped it didn¡¯t have anything to do with ghosts¡­ Although I would be able to exorcise any ghost with the Holy Sword in one shot¡­ I couldn¡¯t be sure I wouldn¡¯t die of a heart attack before I could! I was the kind of person who had died from a heart attack just by reading some malicious comments before! Dettomolian would let me know later if he needed help with something, so it seemed like things were settled for the time being. I wasn¡¯t sure what reputation that guy had in Class B at the moment. However, in the original, everyone still felt quite reluctant towards him. He had a gloomy air about him, was quiet, and always muttered strange things to himself. However, because he had the invincible connection, Charlotte, who was taking care of him by his side, I wondered if he had gotten closer to the others. ¡°By the way, out of curiosity, what were you trying to achieve with the ritual the other day?¡± ¡°Ah. That¡­¡± Charlotte wasn¡¯t there to witness it in person, but she must have gotten briefed on it. Dettomolian had attempted to perform a ritual on the cursed sword, after which it just up and disappeared. Dettomolian began to explain as he continued to nibble on the beef tartare. ¡°I wanted to talk to it.¡± ¡°¡­Talk to it?¡± ¡°I was trying to communicate with the energy housing the sword¡­ But the energy was dormant¡­ So I tried to slowly wake it up until it would be able to answer me¡­ Well, I managed to half-awaken it, only getting very little information from it¡­ Then the ritual got interrupted mid-way.¡± Primordial magic¡­ It was completely different from the modern standardized magic we knew. Dettomolian had been trying to talk to the energy inhabiting the sword itself. But he couldn¡¯t communicate with it properly because it was asleep, so he had kept poking it until it had woken up. Hey, are you asleep? Hey, wake up! Hey, I got something to say. Huh? You don¡¯t want to wake up? Even if I do this? Or that? You¡¯re strong. You¡¯re still not waking up. Something like that? It seemed to have woken up slightly, enough that he managed to grasp something akin to sleep talk, but the ritual got interrupted in the middle. In the end, he managed to awaken Tiamata¡¯s weakened energy while trying to talk to it; that was why the sword suddenly moved to my room and why the soul-bond between me and it was so awkward. Then, if things had continued like that, the energy of Tiamata in its corrupted state might have fully awakened. Olivia Lanze had managed to return it to its state as a Holy Sword, but if Tiamata got awakened in its corrupted state, wouldn¡¯t that have caused a huge accident? Anyway, I was still its owner. In the end, we wouldn¡¯t know if things would have gotten dangerous if Dettomolian finished the ritual. It was good enough that no accidents happened after it got stopped in the middle. ¡°By the way, are you sure that it was a demon god¡¯s divine Relic?¡± Charlotte tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ Sure either¡­ All I know is¡­ that it¡¯s something very old¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± The one who started assuming that it was a demon god¡¯s divine Relic wasn¡¯t Dettomolian but one of the high priests who were in charge of securing the safety of everyone during the ritual. It wasn¡¯t actually confirmed that it was a demon god¡¯s divine Relic. I eventually managed to apologize to Dettomolian, and we continued to eat. With that, I decided to wrap things up and continue to focus on my life in Temple again. ¡°By the way, what exactly is sorcery? I¡¯m really curious about it.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Charlotte tilted her head as Dettomolian stared at her. ¡°I don¡¯t know about it, you know? It feels like you can do a lot with it. You managed to find out things that Temple¡¯s black magicians weren¡¯t able to find out, right?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to find out everything, though¡­¡± ¡°But you found out a little bit, right?¡± Dettomolian shuddered slightly at Charlotte¡¯s praise. ¡®What the hell. Is he acting shy now?¡¯ ¡°Erm¡­ Actually, when I visited Detto¡¯s club room the other day¡­ It seemed a bit creepy. I think I misunderstood, though. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ Everyone is like that¡­¡± He responded as if it was nothing new. ¡°But Detto, really, just what exactly is sorcery?¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well¡­ In magic, there are the fields of destruction magic, illusion magic, alchemy, enchantment, and magic crafting. One would roughly know what kind of magic they encompass, right? But sorcery is¡­ I mean, I know that you can do a lot with it, but I can¡¯t think of anything specific. So what¡¯s the difference between sorcery and magic?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± Because Charlotte had mentioned it, I started to wonder about it as well. Of course, I was the one who had set up Dettomolian¡¯s talent to be sorcery, but as he isn¡¯t the main character, I didn¡¯t really delve into it that much. To put it bluntly, specializations like destruction magic, illusion magic, alchemy, enchantment, and magic crafting were all just types of magic. Sorcery couldn¡¯t be categorized as just a type. Sorcery was primordial magic, and in the past, sorcery was referred to as just magic. That meant that sorcery referred to something like universal magic¡ªit didn¡¯t just describe a type of magic. So, simply put, even though Harriet had a talent to master any type of magic, she wasn¡¯t able to use sorcery because it wasn¡¯t just a type of magic, and she didn¡¯t have a sorcery talent. Sorcery was the magic that existed before our magic. On the other hand, Dettomolian didn¡¯t have a talent pertaining to modern magic but could master any technique of sorcery. Sorcery was a comprehensive talent as well, after all. That was how I had set it up. But how would Dettomolian, the owner of that talent, explain it? ¡°If I had to name a clear difference between magic and sorcery it would be¡­ The clarity of causality¡­¡± ¡°Clarity of causality?¡± Charlotte had a bad feeling about that. However, I kind of understood what he was talking about. ¡°Magic has magic formulas and certain methods of mana management to use the spell Fireball¡­ If you follow these certain procedures, the spell named Fireball will be activated¡­ But it isn¡¯t like that for sorcery¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I get it. You mean that there are no standardized techniques, right?¡± ¡°Something like that¡­ Even if one tried to use the same spell, sometimes its effects would be more powerful, other times it doesn¡¯t even activate¡­ Or it could even lead to a completely different outcome¡­¡± Sorcery was an ancient magic system whose causes and effects were really vague. It was also called Super Random Magic. (Aren: This sounds a bit lame¡­ I¡¯d call it Roulette Magic but well Super Random Magic was written in there) After hearing his explanation, Charlotte looked a little tired. ¡°It¡­ it seems rather dangerous¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m careful when using it¡­¡± Although he said he would take precautions, we wouldn¡¯t know how careful he was really acting. Charlotte nodded as if she understood him somehow. Seeing that Charlotte was a little scared, Dettomolian shook his head. ¡°Well¡­ Not all rituals and ceremonies are necessarily dangerous¡­ There are many simple ones¡­ Astrology, physiognomy, palm reading¡­ Rituals pertaining to fortune telling and clairvoyance¡­¡± Palm reading and physiognomy. Charlotte tilted her head, seeming as if these things were familiar concepts to her even if they weren¡¯t really considered magic. ¡°Do you also use sorcery to do these kinds of things?¡± ¡°Yes, sorcery is¡­ more about perceiving vague things, in the end¡­ I¡¯m rather used to performing these kinds of rituals¡­¡± In other words, it was more likely to see a sorcerer telling someone¡¯s fortune or holding blessing rituals than performing rain dances. ¡°So something like foresight? Can you predict the future?¡± ¡°As I said¡­ I don¡¯t know how to put it.¡± Then Dettomolian looked at me and Charlotte alternately before asking us in a low voice. ¡°Do you¡­ want to see it in action?¡± ¡°Now? Can you do something like that right now?¡± N-no. I felt a little scared because it seemed like he was going to predict an ominous and dark future for us. However, Charlotte was looking at him with shining eyes brimming with curiosity. I felt a bit nervous when Charlotte smiled at me. ¡°How about it, Reinhardt? It looks fun.¡± ¡°Huh, what?¡­ Fine.¡± Charlotte seemed so excited although he tried to look serious, so I nodded my head even though I didn¡¯t want to. ¡°Keep in mind that I¡¯m just saying what I¡¯m seeing¡­ I don¡¯t know any specifics¡­ Even if you ask me¡­ Just remember that I don¡¯t know everything¡­¡± ¡°Yes, got it.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Dettomolian stared at Charlotte for about three minutes, doing the same for me. He didn¡¯t say anything and just stared at us, so I almost felt myself break out in cold sweat. ¡°Your palms¡­¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Here.¡± Dettomolian gazed at Charlotte¡¯s palm. Afterwards, he also checked mine. ¡­By the way, were my palms still the same as when I was Valier? I actually wasn¡¯t sure. Then there was my face¡­ Wasn¡¯t it pretty meaningless performing physiognomy on me the way I was at the moment? ¡°Both of you¡­ Have a secret you can never reveal to anyone¡­¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°!¡± At those words, mine as well as Charlotte¡¯s expressions completely hardened. What? What did he see to come to that conclusion? Charlotte¡¯s and my eyes met. Charlotte knew some of my secrets. I was the successor to the Rotary Gang and I knew ¡°Valier¡¯s¡± whereabouts. And I knew some of Charlotte¡¯s secrets as well. She had been helped by a boy named ¡°Valier¡±, and she was in contact with him, keeping it a secret from Bertus, and she also had an unknown supernatural power. Secrets that we couldn¡¯t tell anyone. Charlotte knew some of my secrets, so she thought I knew what I was hiding, but the reality looked very different. I had many secrets, one being that I created this world¡ªsomething no one would believe even if I told them. He might be wrong, and he wouldn¡¯t know any details, he was just saying what he saw. However, Dettomolian quickly found out that both of us held secrets. I could feel goosebumps spreading all over my body. Then Dettomolian stared at me. ¡°¡­Reinhardt. You¡­ have to behave yourself.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯re going to have some trouble with women¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡­ I couldn¡¯t say anything, as I couldn¡¯t really refute that something like that might happen. Hearing him say that I should be on my best behavior made cold sweat run down my back. Actually, I hadn¡¯t done anything recently. However, I knew that I was a bit of a bastard. However, having it pointed out directly like that¡­ How should I put it? I had nothing to say! What should I do?! ¡°Ah¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s something one could find out even without fortune telling¡­ Reinhardt is a bit of a delinquent, after all, right? Charlotte looked at me with a pitying smile tugging at her lips. She seemed to be able to tell that something like that might happen without even knowing how to palm read because all the people I was close to were mostly girls, after all. But wasn¡¯t that gaze just too much? Didn¡¯t she look at me as if I was pathetic? ¡°You hear, Reinhardt? Just do as Detto said, and¡­¡± ¡°And¡­ Charlotte.¡± ¡°Ah, uh¡­¡± ¡°You will marry Reinhardt.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Charlotte was taken aback by that sudden declaration. ____ Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Charlotte would marry me. Not only Charlotte was shocked by that outrageous statement, but the same was also true for me. ¡°Hey, what the hell? What nonsense are you spouting all of a sudden?¡± At my words, Dettomolian looked at me intently. ¡°I¡­ was just telling you what I saw¡­¡± ¡°N-no, I mean. How does this even make any sense?¡± ¡°W-well¡­ Yeah, he¡¯s right. I-I don¡¯t want to put it like this, but¡­ I¡¯m, erm, part of the Imperial Family, right?¡± Charlotte¡¯s face turned white as she spoke, and the corners of her mouth were twitching. She didn¡¯t want to say something like, ¡°I¡¯m part of the Imperial Family and Reinhardt is just a commoner, so how could we ever get married?¡±, because we were in Temple, but she couldn¡¯t help it because he had predicted something so ridiculous. ¡°People don¡¯t know¡­ how things might happen¡­¡± Yeah, that made sense. No one would know when, where, what, and how things might happen. But I still had goosebumps running up my back. I wasn¡¯t really sure, but did that mean that Charlotte would find out later that I was Valier? So was he telling me that after that I would end up marrying Charlotte or whatever because things turned out well between us? No. Before that¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that actually make Charlotte suspect that I was Valier? If Charlotte began harboring such doubts, her discovery of my true identity wouldn¡¯t be too far off in the future. That would be a big problem. Things would get really complicated if Charlotte came to strange conclusions after simply trying to get her fortune read. ¡°As I just told you¡­ I only told you what I saw¡­¡± ¡°Yeah! Then you interpreted it wrong! A-ahaha. Well, I¡¯m not doubting your ability. though. It just doesn¡¯t make sense, right? Just how huge is the difference in our status? Yeah. That would be a big problem. S-setting our difference in status apart, it¡¯s something that could never happen! Of course!¡± ¡°Tha-that¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s true, right? Yes.¡± Charlotte nodded with a bewildered expression on her face. ¡°That¡¯s right. Something so nonsensical could never happen.¡± I had to cut things off before Charlotte started to misunderstand iy in a weird way. Dettomolian did say that there was a possibility for his readings to be wrong. ¡°Indeed! Me¡­ Me marrying Reinhardt? Ha, th-that¡¯s preposterous! It¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°I-I mean, how could something like that even happen? Yeah, there¡¯s no way, right?¡± Charlotte and I made eye contact as we were both denying that something like that would happen in the future. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Somehow¡­ We ended up not being able to properly look at each other anymore. * * * After returning to Royal Class¡¯ dormitory, Charlotte took off her uniform and washed herself in the shower. She had just asked him to read her fortune for fun, but she was shocked that he found out that she had a secret she couldn¡¯t tell anyone. At that time, her spine had turned numb. He didn¡¯t know what kind of secret it was, but she did guess that she held one such secret. Sorcery was something to be feared; it was such a strange power¡ªthat was what she thought. ¡°Hah. No way.¡± However, the words that followed were ridiculous. Reinhardt and herself were to be married. As soon as she heard that, she was completely dumbfounded, not sure what he was even talking about anymore. Her brain stopped functioning for a second and she didn¡¯t know what she should say to that. Marrying Reinhardt¡­ If she had to give an example for something with a 0% possibility, that would be it. Since there was a huge gap in their status, they would obviously face opposition from the Imperial Family, and that would be the end of it. Even most of the great nobles couldn¡¯t even be considered to be candidates for the position of her husband. But a beggar, not even a commoner, who was even part of a criminal organization, even if he managed to get into Temple, becoming her husband? That was ridiculous. Charlotte never thought of Reinhardt as more than a friend to begin with. She wasn¡¯t so sure if it was that boy. If it was him, she might do whatever it took, even going against the Imperial Family¡¯s opposition. Even if she had to leave the Imperial Family. If that was the case, she wasn¡¯t so sure. But Reinhardt? Dettomolian simply answered that people wouldn¡¯t know what might happen. Charlotte knew that as well. No one could tell what someone might end up doing. Just like she was one day suddenly kidnapped by the Demon King after living a blissful life in the Imperial Family where everything got provided to her, it was just what a human¡¯s life was like. So¡­ The only one who knew the whereabouts of that boy was the wizard named Elena. And Reinhardt was something like a link between her and the boy. What if something ended up happening to him in the future? Reinhardt was the only one Charlotte could consult regarding the boy. If she ended up leaning on him too much, ending up becoming dependent on him¡­ Was it really so impossible then? No one knew what might happen. It might not be as impossible as she thought. Could she be sure that it was impossible for her to end up falling in love with Reinhardt? ¡°What¡­ What am I even thinking¡­?¡± When she was working on a task she would always think about the worst-case scenario first, so she was the same thing right that moment. She was thinking about what might happen if something happened to the boy that she might seek solace in Reinhardt. That was just too rude to the boy and Reinhardt. It was impossible. She wasn¡¯t doubting Dettomolian¡¯s abilities, but there was no reason for her to get swayed by his words. Didn¡¯t he say that he might interpret things wrong himself? And while it was true that she thought that way, what about Reinhardt? His reaction also showed that he thought it was something absolutely impossible. He vehemently denied it. With great intensity as well. ¡°¡­¡± No. Charlotte felt quite strange when she thought about it. No, what did he say again? ¡®¡­What nonsense are you sprouting?¡¯ He was right, it was nonsense. He had been denying it so vehemently, even seeming a little angry. Did he have to go that far? What was there to be dissatisfied about? Although they were living irrespective of their actual status as Temple status, she was a noble Princess only second to the Emperor on the continent. She was quite proud to say that she wasn¡¯t lacking in intellect, financial power, or ability. Her character¡­ was quite good, if she had to say so herself. But who did that lowly guy think he was? That type of guy whom she wouldn¡¯t even spare a glance usually even if he went to his knees and begged? What did he dare to say? He had the personality of a filthy scumbag, was of low status, and had a lot of bad rumors about his private life floating around the campus. The only good thing about him was his face. It was just crazy. Her marrying that kind of guy? How ridiculous. However, if she seriously thought about it, he wasn¡¯t necessarily like that. It was true that he had quite a dirty personality and that he acted quite violently, but in the end, he helped her keep her secret as well as he did. He might have been close to Bertus, but he didn¡¯t hesitate to be friendly with her as well. She knew that the rumors about his private life were just people¡¯s misunderstandings and simple gossip. He was courageous, bold, and quite skilled. Rather than just being skilled, there weren¡¯t many people in their classes who could compare to him. If she thought about it¡­ If she thought about it really, really hard¡­ His status put aside, he could be evaluated as a great guy. ¡°¡­¡± As she thought about it, Charlotte had to admit it. It was true that he was only paying attention to him because of the boy and that she didn¡¯t think much else of Reinhardt. However, Dettomolian¡¯s sudden remarks led Charlotte to constantly think about Reinhardt out of the blue, making her feel a little strange. ¡°¡­Ridiculous.¡± However, in the end, Charlotte got mad because Reinhardt denied her so intensely that she ended up punching her shower¡¯s wall. -Thump! Thump! Of course, she wasn¡¯t able to produce loud sounds with her weak-ass body, so Charlotte just lightly punched out. Even if she gave herself to him, he wouldn¡¯t have her. Even if she actually liked him, she would get rejected by him. What? How could that even happen? Right then, there was nothing she was able to do, but if she became Empress, there would be no one, not even the Imperial Family, that would be able to object to her decisions or something. But what did he dislike about her? Wasn¡¯t he too much? Charlotte was upset as she looked in her mirror while she was getting drenched by the shower¡¯s water. She saw herself in the mirror. ¡°¡­¡± Charlotte angrily glared at the mirror, thinking of the only reason why he might dislike her so much. ¡®Am I¡­ not attractive?¡¯ She was just blankly staring at her own reflection. That was when Charlotte suddenly realized that she wouldn¡¯t be able to view herself in an objective light. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * With no time to organize my thoughts, I briefly left on Monday night. I felt like it was necessary to tell my people about the thing with the Holy Sword Tiamata. But seriously, I was still quite confused by Dettomolian¡¯s words. Charlotte and I would get married? Of course, it was also quite possible that he had interpreted it wrong, so it didn¡¯t necessarily mean that it would absolutely happen. However, if it was true, why would something like that happen? She would find out that I was Valier and forgive me for how I acted in the end. Was that how it would happen? Still, my status was basically completely incompatible with the Imperial Family. My standing was only possible because I was a Temple student. Assuming Charlotte would become Empress, there was a good chance that wouldn¡¯t want to marry me. Of course, it would be a different story if Charlotte made use of her imperial power to force a wedding despite objections being voiced. Or Charlotte might lose in the fight for the throne, run away somewhere, and would marry me anyway¡ªit might turn out like that as well. Of course, if what he saw would really happen, although the process was unknown, there was only one result¡­ Charlotte and I would safely survive through the Gate incident. It meant that I would reach a certain ending, in other words, marriage. If Dettomolian¡¯s words were true, the important part wasn¡¯t the possible marriage, but the fact that we would survive. All those lofty thoughts made my mind feel rather complicated. And¡­ It felt rather strange to suddenly think why it would happen if it actually took place and what the outcome would be, aside from some kind of personal hope. I didn¡¯t even think about whether I liked her or not. As I walked out of Temple and down the street, a sudden thought occurred to me. ¡ªI was so obsessed with that baseless causal inference that I felt like something important within me was gradually disappearing. * * * ¡°Is it here?¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± I had just arrived at Eleris¡¯ new residence. It was near Aligar¡¯s shopping district. Eleris had bought a semi-basement, as she had dreamed of, and immediately moved there. Her expression showed just how fond she was of it. ¡­It was damp and humid, but Eleris seemed to like it. That vampire who used the pain caused by the morning sun as an alarm before had certainly looked more than pitiful. That certainly wouldn¡¯t happen there. She seemed to have found a good apartment. There were no annoying neighbors, and because the upper floor was a shopping mall and not a residential area, it would be empty of all people at night. Eleris¡¯s preparations were meticulous, so she managed to get a room in a place that was eerie and pretty much unpopulated, so it was okay for me to visit from time to time. Seeing Eleris that happy with her new apartment made me feel slightly happy as well. However, under normal circumstances, that place wasn¡¯t where people usually wanted to live. First of all, I didn¡¯t know if it was because there were just too few household items in there, but it felt like a haunted house. ¡°It needs some cleaning up, but I¡¯ll do that little by little. I also want to have some decor this time.¡± The atmosphere of that damp and gloomy apartment and Eleris, who was contemplating how she should decorate her new house, were quite the mismatch. ¡®¡­She¡¯d use normal decorations, right? She wasn¡¯t going to put a coffin in there, right?¡¯ ¡°By the way, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Ah, about that.¡± It was dangerous to visit her often just because I felt bored, so I wouldn¡¯t go for no reason unless it was to deliver Charlotte¡¯s letters or something. ¡°Do you remember the sword from the Darklands?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, did Temple find out what it was?¡± ¡°Well, yeah¡­ though it wasn¡¯t really Temple who found out.¡± It was rather hard to show her. ¡°It turned out to be the Holy Sword Tiamata.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Eleris, obviously, couldn¡¯t understand what I was telling her. ____ Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Even after my lengthy explanation about the circumstances of the Holy Sword Tiamata was over, Eleris looked puzzled. So it wasn¡¯t until I finally showed her Tiamata, to which I was spirit bonded, that she understood the situation. However, it was quite problematic because she reacted to it as violently as a terrified vampire faced with garlic. She was even more startled than the time when she was directly hit by the sun. She jumped out of her apartment and clung to a wall as if she was about to make her escape, trembling. ¡°¡­Do the undead take damage just by looking at this Holy Sword?¡± ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s not it, but¡­ Well, maybe. Since it¡¯s our polar opposite¡­¡± Eleris sighed in relief when I sent Tiamata back. She explained that she didn¡¯t take any damage, but she felt like shivering just by looking at it. ¡°How fascinating¡­ That the sword actually turned out to be Tiamata¡­¡± Eleris seemed very surprised by the fact that the Holy Sword Tiamata could actually be corrupted in such a way. ¡°I would like to congratulate you for becoming the master of a Holy Sword, but¡­ Well, for me, it¡¯s just¡­ Yeah.¡± ¡°I know what you mean.¡± Since I had become the master of a weapon most lethal to her, Eleris seemed a little terrified. ¡°Still, thank you for telling me.¡± Eleris thanked me, seeing my honesty about Tiamata as proof that I trusted her. Eleris and I had been talking for a long time about the difference between the demon gods and the orthodox gods. In the end, the word ¡°orthodox¡± was completely meaningless, as the gods¡¯ power would vary depending on one¡¯s direction of belief. Olivia Lanze was able to use the power of Kier after she had changed the way she used Towan¡¯s power. ¡°Gods seem to be even stranger than we first imagined.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± That problem came to be because I didn¡¯t set them up properly. ¡°But I don¡¯t really need this thing. I just happened to get my hands on it.¡± If I continued to take classes in Temple and sparred with Ellen, I would become strong on my own. And although Tiamata was a powerful weapon, it was very limited. There was no way I would get to fight undead monsters there, and even if it was the corrupted Tiamata, wouldn¡¯t that mean that I would have to kill people to raise them as undead? My conscience wouldn¡¯t be able to allow that to begin with. I had brought it with me because it was something good, and it was true that it turned out to be an even better item than I expected, but in the end, there was nothing I needed to use it for. Eleris was lost in thought, as she kept her mouth closed as if she was agonizing over what I had just said. ¡°At the moment, its use as a symbol would be much stronger than its use as a weapon.¡± ¡°If you say using it as a symbol, do you mean using it as the Divine Relic of the Church of Towan?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I had a rough idea of what Eleris was talking about. ¡°If it were to be discovered that my Lord is a demon, but also the master of Towan¡¯s Divine Relic, Tiamata, then¡­¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Then the Church of Towan has to choose between two things: Either deny that it is Tiamata, or admit that demons can also become Towan¡¯s champion.¡± I knew exactly what she meant. The Church of Towan strictly followed the doctrine of purity, which rejected all undead races and demons. That meant that demons, the demon king¡¯s race, the archdemons, included, shouldn¡¯t be able to become Tiamata¡¯s, master. However, a demon prince had actually managed to become Tiamata¡¯s owner. In that case they had to either state that my Tiamata was fake or that demons could become Towan¡¯s champions as well. ¡°But as you may know, the high priests would be able to tell that it was the real Tiamata right away. Even if they aren¡¯t the most faithful, they wouldn¡¯t be able to deny that the sword¡¯s power was the same.¡± No matter what one did, one couldn¡¯t cover the sky with one¡¯s palm. Denying that it was Tiamata or admitting that demons could become Towan¡¯s champion¡­ Both were incredibly difficult for believers of Towan. ¡°The fact that your Highness is the owner of Tiamata would be a major issue that could shake all of the five great religions.¡± ¡°¡­I guess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the entire Church of Towan would be on your Highness¡¯ side. However, in cases like that, Tiamata would be a very powerful tool to gain political and religious protection.¡± Tiamata was an object that had a lot of other uses other than its use as a weapon. If the worst-case scenario became reality, the Church of Towan might actually try to protect me if they found out that I was actually Tiamata¡¯s owner. Of course, there was also a good chance that they would try to get rid of me. Once Eleris informed me of Tiamata¡¯s other uses, she didn¡¯t seem to be too concerned about me becoming Tiamata¡¯s owner. Of course, I didn¡¯t just go to her to report about Tiamata. I had to earnestly start to prepare for the Gates incident from that point on. As my main focus of preparation, I repeatedly trained and trained some more to make myself stronger. Of course, that wouldn¡¯t be enough. The Gates incident was basically a disaster. ¡ªA disaster that no one was prepared for. That was the reason why there weren¡¯t only enormous amounts of casualties, but also, because of the gigantic level of damage that couldn¡¯t be recovered from, they had called kids, who were still just students, even high-ranking Temple students, to arms. I was the only one who knew about that disaster, no one in this world could predict it at that point. If everyone could make some preparations in advance, we would be able to reduce casualties astronomically. The moment the Gates would occur, how it would happen, and the flow of events¡­ If they were able to know those kinds of things in advance, no matter if they were part of the Empire or some nobody, they would be able to prepare adequately. There was no reason not to do it, after all. Of course, just strengthening myself wouldn¡¯t be enough. If I were able to make use of more people, I would be able to do a lot more. But how should I even explain and persuade people that I actually knew that an extraordinary and unprecedented large-scale disaster called the Appearance of Gates would happen in the future and that all of us had to prepare for it? While it was true that the prince and princess who could move countless people were among my acquaintances, what should I do if they asked me how I knew about those Gates and was so confident that they would appear? Even the fact that I was a demon prince would explain that. So before doing anything else¡­ I had to get my hands on the best tool to gather people. ¡ªMoney. I needed an astronomical amount of money to prepare for the Gate Disaster, not to control the Empire. Money was just a means to my goal. I didn¡¯t know yet what to do with it or how much I would need, but once I made a lot of money, which was the basic requirement, I could earnestly start preparing for the future. The first source was the Rotary Gang. ¡°How¡¯s Airi been doing recently?¡± And the second was Airi, who solely lived for the purpose of making money itself, residing on the Edina Islands. Eleris, Sarkegaar, Loyar, the Rotary Gang, the Thieves¡¯ Guild, and the connection I had to the Prince and the Princess¡­ Airi on the Edina Islands and her close relationship with the local wealthy¡­ Influence and power in the Capital¡­ Money on the Edina Islands¡­ ¡ªI had to make thorough preparations for the Gates by means of those two things. Eleris tilted her head at my question about Airi¡¯s situation. ¡°Well¡­ According to my most recent information, things seem to have progressed quite a bit since the last time I checked.¡± ¡°What do you mean by, ¡®progressed¡¯?¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s shipowners or loan sharks, it seems like she made quite a lot of acquaintances within the local populace. Rather than making more money, she is now able to move the people who are responsible for moving capital itself¡­ Apparently, she has achieved what she intended to achieve.¡± Airi said that money was fine and good, but what she wanted was to control those that owned gigantic amounts of capital. I didn¡¯t really know how she did it, but it seemed like everything went as she expected anyway. Being able to control people who moved money wasn¡¯t much different from being rich yourself. However, Eleris seemed a bit worried. ¡°We don¡¯t know how much money is needed to shake up the Empire, but the Princess might be able to place the Edina Islands under her complete influence if it continues like this.¡± I just suggested she do it on a whim, but Airi had actually managed to do a great job. Less than a year later, she now located in the Capital of the Edina Islands, where she had already established many connections to local wealthy and powerful people. That was what Eleris was worried about. She was worried that Airi might do so well that she might cause great chaos in the actual human realm in the future. ¡°She makes a lot of money, so that¡¯s all I need to know. Though they only move according to my words, if they actually do something like that, we can take our own actions then.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Eleris still seemed anxious, even after I assured her that they were under my complete control. I would use Airi¡¯s wealth in a slightly different manner than she intended. It couldn¡¯t be helped that Eleris felt so anxious, but Airi doing well only had great merit for me. The more tools I could use, the better. ¡°How¡¯s the Rotary Gang these days?¡± ¡°Oh, are you talking about that?¡± The only topic missing was the Rotary Gang. The headquarters, the new home for the Gang, had already been completed, and I knew that all of them were trying to escape from being beggars, posing as proper citizens. After that bizarre incident of the Thieves¡¯ Guild kidnapping me, Loyar continued to share the Gang¡¯s progress with Eleris and Sarkegaar to prevent something like that from happening again. In Airi¡¯s case, things became kind of problematic because she did too well, but judging by how Eleris narrowed her eyebrows when I mentioned the Rotary Gang, there seemed to be a problem with them as well. ¡°Selling products is becoming harder and harder. There are just too many other competitors, so it seems like the mana train passengers are increasingly shunning them.¡± It was getting harder and harder to do business on the trains. Of course, I expected as much. ¡°I guessed as much. I never thought that this would be a long-running business anyway.¡± ¡°The gang members¡¯ living standards are much better than before, so the amount of money they need to keep it up has increased as well. It seems like they have no idea how to run the gang, and it¡¯s rather difficult to keep reaching out to the Thieves¡¯ Guild as well.¡± There were certain things one needed to live like a proper human. The living standards of the club members had improved, but the train business, which had become their support, was bringing in less and less income. I was thinking that it was about time to implement a different revenue model. It was kind of weird calling it a revenue model. Anyway, Loyar seemed to have a lot of worries. Her head was about to explode because she suddenly had to take care of a lot more things after she had only ever lived a rough but simple life. ¡°How about this¡­?¡± ¡°What do you¡­?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do business legally.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Eleris tilted her head as she heard the word ¡°legal¡±. ¡°We¡¯ll literally make peddling inside mana trains legal. It¡¯s a good business, right?¡± ¡°¡­Are you going to borrow the power of the prince and princess?¡± The sale of goods on the mana trains wasn¡¯t illegal at the moment, but it would soon become illegal because it inconvenienced the passengers. ¡ªBut we could still make it legal. It wasn¡¯t me who would be able to do that, but the prince or the princess could. ¡°Yeah, we won¡¯t just carry around stuff and sell them anymore like we¡¯re doing now, we¡¯ll do proper business.¡± At first, I thought about those kinds of businesses that sold snacks from carts they would drag around the trains, but that wouldn¡¯t get approved. If someone were to move around a cart in a mana train, which didn¡¯t only have seats, that would be rather uncomfortable for the passengers. Sometimes the passengers had to stand to ride the train, after all. ¡°Every station the mana trains stop at is pretty much empty at the moment, they are just stations. Let¡¯s set up stores there and do proper business.¡± Every station simply served as a boarding platform. There were no stores or anything similar placed there. Why were they teasing me like that when it was such a waste? After opening stores or something similar in those places, we would have to think about what to sell there. Stations were places with a huge amount of floating population, after all. We had started with hawker trains, but we would move on to do completely legal business. Bertus or the princess certainly would give me their permission. It wasn¡¯t an unprofitable proposition, in the end, so their responses should be rather positive. If they didn¡¯t, I could still think about what to do when the time came. ¡°¡­It certainly seems like a good idea. But¡­ even if you get permission, wouldn¡¯t it cost a fortune to set up stands and shops in so many stations?¡± We would have to set up more than a dozen stores. Even if we got permission, we¡¯d end up as fools if we didn¡¯t even have enough money to set them up. That woman, really¡­ ¡°Who even starts a business with their own money? We can get an investment. There are a lot of places that would do something like that.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°The Imperial Government will give us exclusive business rights, and there are no other competitors besides us. Why would we use our own money to start it up? One has to use other peoples¡¯ money, of course.¡± Business was supposed to be done using other people¡¯s money! If things worked out, we would be holding a monopoly over that business with the government¡¯s permission. Monopoly¡­ Oh, what a beautiful word it was. The Rotary Gang would have an exclusive contract with the government. One would be crazy not to invest their money in our business. Eleris looked rather stunned. While she was very knowledgeable in the field of magic, she didn¡¯t know a thing about business. You want to run a business without putting in your money? Is that possible? Can we really do something like that? That was what she seemed to be thinking. Sometimes, Eleris was pretty cute as well. ¡°First, one place that will unconditionally sponsor us would be the Merchants Guild. They¡¯ll come running to us like starving dogs even if we only give them the rights to supply our goods.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess so.¡± Although the Merchants Guild didn¡¯t particularly like us as a group, they lived by the saying, ¡°Don¡¯t hate the money, even if you hate the people.¡± They should have a lot of money already, but if we decided to get all the goods to supply our Mana Train Station Shops through the Merchant Guild, they¡¯d faint from joy. Besides investments, we would also be able to do something about the price of goods. If we asked them to compete in bidding for the supply rights internally, they would quickly turn to glare at each other before trying to crush each other. Merchants would ultimately try to compete with each other. We would receive investments from the Merchants Guild while also being able to sell goods supplied by them. In the end, the Merchants Guild would shoulder everything while the money went to the Rotary Gang. Of course, the Merchants Guild was sure to make huge profits as well. The Rotary Gang would only have people and the monopoly to offer, but those two things alone were enough to make a lot of money. Having that kind of power was just that good. It was easier to make money with power than to buy power with money. ¡°Tell Loyar what we discussed here. I¡¯ll go talk to Bertus and Charlotte.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± It would be good if they allowed us to do it, if they didn¡¯t, we just had to think of another way. Airi seemed to be doing well on her own, and if the plan worked, the amount of money the Rotary Gang would earn would be on a completely different level from whatever they had seen before. Eleris seemed to be worried about a different matter next. ¡°But¡­ Your Highness, can Loyar even handle a business of that size?¡± ¡°Hmmm. True.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to worry much about running her Gang as it is now, but if she had to take charge of such a large business, I think things would end well.¡± In Eleris¡¯ mind, Loyar was hella stupid. I felt like it had gotten a bit better after she started managing some people, but she was originally a muscle brain. Technically, she had a dog¡¯s brain, though. Eleris was worried that Loyar wasn¡¯t capable enough to take charge of a project that size. I had to go to Temple, so I couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°Eleris, are there any beggars that don¡¯t have a story?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Beggars and tramps are all people with stories, no matter how big or small they may be.¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­ You¡¯re right, but¡­¡± Eleris tilted her head as if she thought something like, ¡°What does that have to do with this topic?¡± ¡°We have more than 200 beggars in our rows holding many stories within them.¡± A famous quote from one of Tolstoy¡¯s novels, Anna Karenina, goes as follows: All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. The Rotary Gang was one such unhappy family. Each of them had to go through two hundred different kinds of misfortune. ¡°Among all those people, wouldn¡¯t there be at least one person who¡¯s done business for a long time and ended up getting betrayed or had it all blow up in their face?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± There wouldn¡¯t be just one or two among them who had lost money due to a failed business. Loyar wouldn¡¯t be alone in taking charge of that business¡ªshe could just proceed while getting advice from those kinds of people. Eleris nodded wildly at my words, saying that it had to be like that. * * * After I gave Eleris some rough instructions, I went back to Temple. I had to slowly proceed with the next step. ¡ªThe take-over of the Capital¡¯s underworld. I had to think about how to go about that as well. I could either do it through the Thieves¡¯ Guild, or I could do it differently and proceed with the Rotary Gang. However, I thought it would be better, for many reasons, to take the path through the Thieves¡¯ Guild. I wondered just what kinds of things I would get done with them. If I could control the whole underworld, I might be able to destroy all the Warp Gates inside the Capital all at once. Warp Gates¡­ That was the key point. Two years from then, meaning the beginning of the first semester of my third year, all the Warp Gates on the whole continent would connect this world with another world, from which monsters would start to pour in. ¡ªThat was the Gate Incident. I had to figure out a way to stop that incident at its source, or at least minimize the damage it would cause if I couldn¡¯t stop it completely. ____ Chapter 198 Chapter 198 The Gates Incident was such a disastrous event that I absolutely wanted to do something about it, but I didn¡¯t really know what. I finally had to pay the price for writing so many novels with tragic endings in which tons of people died. A group of people was needed to prevent that dreadful situation or at least minimize the damage it would cause. After all the Warp Gates were transformed into portals connecting to another world, travel using said Warp Gates would become completely impossible. And the Capital had the largest amount of Warp Gates among all the cities on the continent. As the capital owned the highest number of them, most people would die there as well, but ultimately, it was still the capital. The Imperial Palace also had the largest group of combat forces, and Temple was located there, as well, so even if the damages were quite severe, the Imperial Capital itself was safe. From that point on, they tried to destroy all the Warp Gates or somehow cut off their connection to the other world. The Imperial Capital was the only place that was able to deal with the situation. With almost the entire continent thrown into chaos, leaving all territories that were part of the Empire completely disconnected from each other, only the Imperial Capital was unharmed. After that, The Empire, with only the Capital remaining and Temple, began a long and exhausting fight to destroy the Warp Gates scattered across the continent or restore them to their original form. I never really explained why the Gates just suddenly appeared. They were just there all of a sudden¡ªthat was just how it was. However, they added something called probability to this world. There had to be some reason why the Warp Gates suddenly connected to a different world. If I knew the reason, I could prevent the Gate disaster from happening. That was probably the biggest punishment I received for writing the novel the way I did, skipping over explaining certain parts because it was just too bothersome. I didn¡¯t explain the most important thing about the incident, so I had to find out how it would happen on my own, if I could even do that. Was that what it was all about? If I didn¡¯t find out, more than millions of people would die horrible deaths. The conclusion of the Gate disaster was known, and yet its cause remained unknown. My first idea was to just crush all the Warp Gates all over the whole continent. However, that would be impossible. I might be able to get rid of the Warp Gates in the Capital, but it was rather impossible for me to destroy all Warp Gates in every location. While I was busy traveling from place to place, they would just rebuild the Warp Gates. To humans of this world, Warp Gates had become indispensable. If someone were to destroy them, of course they would retaliate against the ones who destroyed them, and they would just rebuild them. In the original work, they gradually restored the Empire by destroying the Warp Gates and making them anew with magic. If the Gates were destroyed or neutralized, those alien beings would no longer be able to come out of them. Although the Capital was able to manage, ultimately, a lot of people still had to die. As the Imperial Capital had the most Warp Gates, the place got invaded by the most monsters as well. The Capital had to suffer devastating blows. If all the Warp Gates in the Imperial Capital got neutralized or destroyed before the Gate Disaster even happened, wouldn¡¯t that mean that no monsters would appear in the Capital? It was impossible for me to destroy all the Gates on the continent, but if I limited my range to the Capital, wasn¡¯t that kind of possible? Of course, I still didn¡¯t know the real cause of the incident. Even if I destroyed all of the Gates, something similar might still end up happening. So it would be best to find out the actual cause of the disaster and prevent it from happening to begin with. The next best thing would be to break as many Warp Gates as possible before things went to shit. However, there was also a chance that breaking the Gates in advance wasn¡¯t a good idea. There was a possibility that something completely unexpected would happen. Anyway¡­ First, I needed money and power. I didn¡¯t think just telling Bertus and Charlotte that by the time we would start our third year, all the Warp Gates across the continent would suddenly connect to a different world, leading to shit hitting the fan, meaning that we had to destroy all of them before that would happen, would lead to anything. If I wanted to go that way, I needed to have concrete proof. Proof that what I claimed was definitely going to happen. I didn¡¯t know whether I would be able to get something like that, but if I did, I could use it to persuade them. Although there still seemed to be a lot of time until it would happen, there wasn¡¯t. I needed powerful forces that could take care of things beyond my reach. Money¡­ People¡­ And power¡­ ¡ªI had to acquire all three of those things. * * * ¡°¡­So you want to start stall businesses at the stations?¡± ¡°¡­Put simply, that¡¯s what I¡¯m planning on doing. Isn¡¯t that okay?¡± Bertus looked at me with a slightly puzzled expression. The next step in my plan to prevent a catastrophic crisis equivalent to the destruction of the world was asking a certain someone to open businesses at the magic train stations. ?. Just what is this¡­? Bertus looked pretty bewildered at my sudden suggestion before showing me a sinister smile. ¡°Your income has become dangerously unstable because of all the competition these days, hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Well, yeah.¡± Bertus, of course, knew about the Rotary Gang and its source of income. I wasn¡¯t really surprised about that. Quite the contrary, I was surprised that he let them be up to that point. Bertus groaned as he nodded his head. ¡°It certainly does seem like I let areas with a high amount of floating population lie idle for far too long. It surely wouldn¡¯t hurt to develop it a bit more.¡± Bertus seemed to look positively at my suggestion. ¡°There also have been talks of chasing out all the vendors from the trains, as there have been many complaints raised by the passengers of the magic trains¡­¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± In fact, that wasn¡¯t the first time that the issue had been discussed. At my question, Bertus simply nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I had been blocking them from taking any actions up to this point, but it seems like I don¡¯t have to do that anymore.¡± ¡°Huh? You blocked them?¡± What did he mean? Blocked? Bertus¡¯s lips began to twist, as he saw the surprise on my face. ¡°The precious family members of one of my classmates are forced to live on the streets¡­ No, well, they had inhabited the back alleys since a long time ago. Anyway, you would have been in trouble if you didn¡¯t have a source of income, am I right? So I just told them to leave you alone.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ I¡­ I felt seriously touched at that moment. No, I wasn¡¯t supposed to feel touched! ¡°It¡¯s rather disturbing for you to make that kind of face. I¡¯d prefer if you wore your slightly rotten expression as usual.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Bertus seemed kind of petrified as if my touched expression was repulsive to him. It looked like Berts valued me a lot more than I thought, taking care of me in ways that I didn¡¯t even notice. Yeah. Having a villain on your side was actually pretty good, wasn¡¯t it? He might be a son of a bitch, but that son of a bitch was my ally! ¡°Anyway, you obviously want a monopoly on this, right? But even if you guys get exclusive business rights, you don¡¯t really have the capital to start these kinds of businesses, do you?¡± Bertus was able to understand my greed but still asked if we were able to handle something like that. ¡°We¡¯ll get investments.¡± ¡°Investments, I see. So you thought about that. In that case, from where?¡± ¡°For now, I was thinking the Merchants Guild.¡± ¡°Hooh ¡± Bertus grinned as he looked at me. ¡°Were you secretly studying that field as well?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll work out well, but I feel like it¡¯ll be successful.¡± It seemed strange to Bertus that I had come up with that kind of business plan and thought of a pretty plausible place to get investments. I wasn¡¯t actually thinking about those types of things too thoroughly. No, really, I really wasn¡¯t that kind of person. I had no idea how to run a proper business. I just had the idea, and the ones who would run the actual operation would be some other guys. There might be downsides to mixing other people into it, but there had to be someone in the Rotary Gang that had some business experience, and with all their experiences and expertise combined, they should be able to run the business decently. I just needed to get permission. ¡°Alright. Nine to one.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡®What to how many now?¡¯ What did he mean by that? Bertus furrowed his brows when I got stunned by his sudden mention of numbers. ¡°If you thought you could get something like that for free, wouldn¡¯t that be rather unrealistic? Should I just take the nine? Do you want to take one as your income, then?¡± ¡°No! No! No! One! It¡¯s a matter of course that I should at least give you a tenth. Of course! I should! Man, I¡¯m so slow-witted! I hear that a lot!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to invest separately, you know? Are you still going to give me a tenth?¡± ¡°Of course! My, oh my (Aigo, aigoo). I feel sorry that you are only taking that little!¡± ¡°Is that so? Should I take two tenths, then¡­?¡± ¡°Tha-that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about, my friend! Hoho! Goodness! Goodness, gracious!¡± Bertus was looking at me as if every word that came out of my mouth at that moment seemed funny to him. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Bertus said that he would regard my proposal quite positively, although he added that nine to one condition. It seemed like I would get notified when everything was decided later. Anyway, it was quite shocking to find out that things worked out the way they did wasn¡¯t because the government just didn¡¯t bother with us but because Bertus had blocked any actions they would have taken. Of course, it probably wasn¡¯t that big an effort for him, just one word from him would have sufficed, probably. Well, it was better than nothing. There was no deep reason behind why I went to Bertus with my proposal instead of to Charlotte. Because of Dettomolian¡¯s shocking announcement the other day, I wasn¡¯t confident that I would be able to look at Charlotte¡¯s face properly. I know we were just told that we would get married or something, but then I suddenly walked around the magic train station and thought of doing some commercial business there, so could you please give me permission to do so? Doing something like that was out of the question! I knew that I had nothing to worry about, but still. Nothing to worry about. Uhm. Anyway, yeah! In fact, after Dettomolian¡¯s world-shaking revelation, there had been a slight change in my relationship with Charlotte. ¡°Uhm, ah¡­ Reinhardt.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Well, erm¡­ Classes are over, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°So¡­ Erm. Yes. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± ¡°¡­Oh. Okay.¡± Things had become ridiculously awkward between us. Before, when we ran into each other, Charlotte would always smile brightly and give me a friendly greeting, but after, she would only laugh awkwardly. We would smile and look at each other for a moment, but we would just end up passing by each other because we had no idea what to say. Although we should¡¯ve just assumed that the future Dettomolian saw was false, both of us seemed to have gotten quite confused trying to predict just how something like that would come to be. I felt like I heard a prophecy that she would someday find out that I was Valier, which would lead to things taking a strange turn, and I had no idea how Charlotte was feeling about those things. Anyway¡­ The weird result of those thoughts was that Charlotte and I became very awkward with each other because of the huge stone Dettomolian threw into the calm lake that was our relationship. Ludwig, who was next to me and noticed that the atmosphere between Charlotte and me was a little strange, tilted his head. ¡°Did you two fight?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± It was Tuesday. It was the day I had my swordsmanship classes, so I returned to the dormitory with Ellen after our classes. Ludwig seemed to be worried that Charlotte and I had a fight when he saw us kind of avoiding each other. ¡°You both did a great job.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yeah. Goodbye.¡± ¡° Yes.¡± Scarlett bowed to me and Ellen before she returned to Class B¡¯s dormitory with Ludwig. Scarlett didn¡¯t change in the way she did in the original, but that seemed fine in its own way. I could see that she was slowly changing. I wished she would talk more comfortably. How long did she intend to continue being so overly respectful? Nothing special happened in that day¡¯s swordsmanship class. We didn¡¯t hold another sparring match with the Orbis Class like the week before. I sparred with Scarlett and Ludwig while Ellen watched us. Without using my supernatural power, I lost to both of them. While using my supernatural power, I had a slight advantage against Ludwig. On the other hand, I completely lost against Scarlett, thought it wasn¡¯t as overwhelming as before. I had already predicted how Scarlett¡¯s skills would develop, so in a way, it was an obvious result. While her potential wasn¡¯t as overwhelming as Ellen¡¯s, she was incredibly strong as well. She would play a big role during the Gate Incident. She was nicknamed Spellbreaker due to her powerful anti-magic ability that could almost be called magic immunity. Scarlett also had quite a fast growth rate, and Ludwig was the main character, so if I let my guard down even a little, the gap between me and Scarlett would only widen, or Ludwig would soon catch up to me. Ludwig would probably catch up to me first. He was the main character, after all. And Ellen was able to defeat all of us without even using her magic power. Overwhelmingly so. In other words, we were able to measure our own combat capabilities. Normally: Ellen}Scarlett}}}}}Ludwig}Me when I¡¯m at my best. Ellen (Using Magic Body Strengthening)}}}}}}}Scarlett}Me (Using my Supernatural Power)}Ludwig That was how it was. I wasn¡¯t sure how much stronger I was with Tiamata, so I couldn¡¯t really consider it properly. Then there were those who had combat talents and trained, to add to it, which were Bertus, Cliffman, Erich, and Delphine. However, Delphine wasn¡¯t technically a close-quarter combat-type fighter, as her talent lay in archery. It was more than obvious that Cliffman and Bertus would also be much better than me in combat. I sometimes felt Cliffman¡¯s power on my own body during our spars, and while I hadn¡¯t actually faced Bertus in a spar, he was similar to Cliffman in strength, or even stronger. So what I was trying to say was that, in my state, I could only definitely win against Erich and Ludwig among Royal Class¡¯ students with close-quarter combat talents. A bastard who didn¡¯t put much effort into his training and the late blooming main character¡­ What¡¯s more, I had to use my supernatural power to win against them. Although I had grown to a point that I couldn¡¯t compare myself to how I was in the past, I was still very lacking. I headed to Class A¡¯s dormitory together with Ellen. As we were walking back to the dorm, the scene that unfolded before my eyes seemed like I experienced a deja vu of what happened the previous week. -Hey, why don¡¯t we just tell a teacher? -Ah¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ that dog bastard. Those three idiot brothers sat there just like before. Erich de Lafaeri, who had been beaten up by the Orbis Class, was again surrounded by Konno Lint and Cayer, his cheeks swollen. Before, he provoked someone from the Orbis Class, saying that he would just end up beating him later anyway because they didn¡¯t have any talents. So I had told them not to pick any fights with them, which was when Harriet, who thought that I hit Erich, entered and started nagging me. ¡°Hey, go ahead first.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen walked towards her room at my words while I headed to those guys. As I approached them, I could already clearly see that they were more than fed up. ¡°Hey, what did you do this time to get beaten up?¡± It probably was the same pattern as before. They had probably picked a fight with the Orbis Class and ended up getting beat up, returned to the Royal Class¡¯ dorm, and would end up getting nagged by me again. Erich frowned and shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s not how things happened this time, okay?!¡± ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Y-yeah! I didn¡¯t do anything this time! A-are you going to tell me that I¡¯m a crazy idiot again?¡± He said that he didn¡¯t do anything that time, so it wasn¡¯t him who started the fight, that was why he yelled at me as if to tell me not to nag him. ¡°¡­Oh, is that so? Why are you yelling at me like that then, huh?¡± How dare he yell at me with his eyes wide open? ¡°Ah, th-that¡¯s not¡­¡± Erich shut his mouth when I rather quickly approached him. I sat on the sofa across from him and folded my arms. ¡°What was it this time?¡± If Erich told the truth¡­ Did he actually get hit, even though he didn¡¯t do anything? Before, he was in the wrong, but things were different that time, weren¡¯t they? ¡°Hey! I told you to cut it out!¡± And I had another moment of deja vu. I could hear Harriet¡¯s voice echoing from behind me. ¡°You¡¯re bullying the others again!¡± Perhaps just having returned from her classes, Harriet looked at me with her eyes wide open. ¡®No!¡¯ Why was she actually doing that to me? ¡°No! Hey! I didn¡¯t do anything last time and this time as well! I explained everything to you! Do you think I¡¯ll just go beat up some kids when I get bored? I wouldn¡¯t! It has been a while since I actually did something like that! Why do you keep doing this to me?¡± Seriously, the last time I hit one of my classmates was when Heinrich said that he wanted to fight me, so I had punched him lightly! And we had honestly mutually agreed to that! If we went further back, then back when we were on the deserted island, I had hit Erich after he got more or less slaughtered by Scarlett when he bothered her and then tried to whine to me! That had been so long ago! Her expression changed slightly when she noticed that I was actually getting upset. ¡°Ah¡­ Really?¡± The corners of her mouth twitched strangely. What? That girl, did she think it was funny that I found her treatment unfair? She was usually the one who would always get teased, but it looked like she knew the taste of teasing someone else. It was as if she finally got a taste of sweet revenge. Come to think of it¡­ Why are you doing this to me! Why are you doing this to me! That was the phrase Harriet would always say when I teased her. I was saying it that time around. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious what a bastard like you, who only knows how to bully and beat up others, is doing right now? Don¡¯t lie. It definitely was you.¡± ¡°No! I didn¡¯t do anything last time and I didn¡¯t do anything right now, okay? I know that the sins I have committed are endless, but I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± No fucking way! She had figured out how to beat me at my own game! While Harriet and I were bickering, Erich de Lafaeri¡¯s expression grew more and more deadly pale. He had come back to vent his anger, but in the end, he had just turned into a punching bag again. In the end, Erich endured the shame and explained to Harriet that it wasn¡¯t me who beat him up. I felt kind of sorry for him. No, but I really didn¡¯t hit him. I wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°By the Orbis Class? Again?¡± ¡°Urg¡­¡± Harriet¡¯s pointed remarks made him contort his expression, but it seemed like he really got beat up by some Orbis Class guy. It seemed that it was also the guy who beat him up last time. With my arms folded, I asked him something. ¡°What happened this time?¡± Although it was rather difficult to trust Erich¡¯s words, he said that he didn¡¯t pick a fight with them like last time. ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t do anything this time¡­ But after class¡­ He hit my shoulder¡­ all of a sudden¡­¡± It seemed like Eruch was terribly embarrassed to explain the truth to Harriet and me. Cayer and Kono Linz were also looking at Erich with pity as he was explaining. Harriet frowned. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that, last week, it was your fault that you got beat up, but this time, they just hit you for no reason whatsoever?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Apparently, Erich was deeply hated by that Orbis Class guy who was attending his Class. So after class, the guy just punched his shoulder and picked a fight with him. It certainly seemed like quite an unfair situation. I also understood Kono Lint for suggesting to go tell a teacher about it. However, it looked like that bastard¡¯s way to judge people was very twisted. It was true that Erich crossed the line the week before, but to go and pick a fight with him a week later¡­ ¡°That guy sure is weird. Why did he beat you up even though you didn¡¯t do anything?¡± Harriet mumbled quietly while frowning. She seemed to act a bit different from usual. The week before, as well, when she was nagging me, saying that she didn¡¯t want to see me bully others anymore. What should I say? Had she actually evolved into a class president kind of character? ¡®No, I absolutely hate that trope. I hate it as much as Ludwig¡¯s cheerful, bubbly, righteous character.¡¯ Harriet looked at me. Just looking at her expression, she seemed majorly grumpy. ¡°What¡­ What?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± No, why should I be angry? I wasn¡¯t even the one who got hit. Did she mean that I should be angry as a fellow classmate of the Royal Class? I didn¡¯t have that kind of sense of belonging, though? What did she want from a demon prince who didn¡¯t even have any sense of duty towards the demon realm? What an idiot. That was all I thought about that situation. ¡°That¡¯s strange. I thought you would immediately take off to beat that guy up.¡± ¡°Why the fuck would I do something like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the person you are, after all.¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Not only Harriet, but Cayer and Kono Lint were also looking at me like that. ¡®Show us something! Reinhardt! You¡¯re the hands-on kind of guy, after all! You didn¡¯t even mind beating up our seniors either!¡¯ I could read their thoughts quite clearly. What was with their eyes that seemed as if they wanted me to do something? They looked like they were hoping that I would go cause some trouble like usual, right? It seemed like they wanted to direct my troublemaking towards the Orbis Class. Those expressions dripped with their desire for revenge. Please cause trouble for them! Avenge us! ¡­What the fuck? Was that, in a way, also a type of trust they had in me? ¡°Idiot. If you feel wronged, then you should just go tell a teacher, or train harder so that you can get your own revenge just a day faster. What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± Oh, right. He hadn¡¯t said anything¡­ Erich seemed to feel more and more wronged. Harriet murmured softly with a pouting look on her face. ¡°I know that the Orbis Class doesn¡¯t like us, but aren¡¯t they a little too much¡­? They did something to me as well.¡± ¡°¡­What? To you?¡± Harriet didn¡¯t just suddenly turn into a class president type of character. She was already pretty pissed off because she had been beaten by the Orbis Class, but when she heard that they beat up another classmate as well, she got even angrier. But Harriet actually got beaten by someone? ¡°Yes, in today¡¯s Practical Destructive Magic Class, someone set off some lightning magic near me. They said it was a mistake, but¡­ I think they actually meant to do that. Well, he got a demerit, though.¡± ¡°¡­Huuh.¡± I felt something snap inside of me. ¡°Those¡­ fucking bastards.¡± I felt my patience completely snapping. ____ Chapter 199 The Demon Prince goes to the Academy [Translator ¨C KonnoAren ] [Proofreader ¨C ilafy ] Chapter 199 ¡°Wh-where are you going?!¡± ¡°Let go, I¡¯m going to fucking crush all of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine! I¡¯m fine, okay? I¡¯m not even hurt!¡± ¡°No, that bastard can¡¯t just get away with fucking with you. How could he cast a destruction magic spell close to others? That fucker has to get beaten up to fucking learn his lesson.¡± Harriet immediately grabbed the hem of my shirt and held me back before I could run out of the dormitory. It seemed like she was rather shocked because she thought I would cause a major commotion. The three idiot brothers immediately ran away as soon as they noticed that my judgment was seriously twisted, saying that it was bullshit. ¡°I told you he already got a demerit, and he got reprimanded and told that he shouldn¡¯t do something like that again! That guy won¡¯t do something like that again in the future, so you don¡¯t have to be so worried!¡± Eventually, after arguing for a while, I gave up. Harriet told me to calm down and dragged me to the tea terrace, sitting me down. ¡°I seriously can¡¯t tell you anything¡­ It really wasn¡¯t that dangerous a spell, even if it actually hit, I would¡¯ve been alright.¡± ¡°It still was hella reckless, dangerous, and¡ªwhat¡¯s more important¡ªit was done on purpose.¡± No matter how mischievous one might be, how could they target spots close to people with their magic during magic lessons and just call it a mistake? Just what the fuck was wrong with that bastard¡¯s head? Harriet kept staring at me nervously as I got more worked up. She seemed to be worried that I just might break into the Orbis Class¡¯ dormitory while she wasn¡¯t looking. She told me to calm down and even poured me a cup of tea, which was rather unusual. ¡°Although I¡¯m curious if we would get the reaction we wanted, but I¡¯m also quite scared of what might happen. I can¡¯t predict what you¡¯re going to do, after all.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? I didn¡¯t really cause that much trouble, though?¡± The corners of Harriet¡¯s mouth twitched, her expression a puzzled one, at my small protest. ¡°It¡¯s only the beginning of the second semester of our first year, and you don¡¯t think that having caused that much trouble already is problematic¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Right.¡± The others were living a quiet life without causing any trouble, so it was already quite ridiculous to say that I didn¡¯t cause that much trouble when I did what I did. ¡°And when Erich said that he got hit, you didn¡¯t really care, but why are you so angry when I didn¡¯t even get hit?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Well¡­ Just when I was about to say something, I was tongue-tied. What should I say? I had a really bad impression of that guy Erich, so I didn¡¯t really care whether he got hit or not. Of course, I was the one who set that punk to behave the way he did, so even if I didn¡¯t like what he did, I would just be shooting myself in the foot. Harriet slightly raised her face. It seemed like she was somewhat happy that I got angry on her behalf after all. ¡°¡­You¡¯re a friend.¡± That was all I had to say. ¡°¡­And Erich isn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Why would I be friends with that guy?¡± Yeah, it¡¯s true, so to speak, that I snapped in the end. It wasn¡¯t the action, but who they did it to that mattered. ¡°Friend¡­¡± Harriet seemed to let the word roll in her mouth. She didn¡¯t look disappointed or sad, rather, she seemed relieved and somewhat happy. She was showing me an expression I had never seen on her face before. ¡°¡­¡± Then Ellen, wearing her training suit, went up to the tea terrace and met my eyes. Since it wasn¡¯t really a public place, it seemed like she probably went all the way there looking for me. Did she really go there just to ask me to go to the training room with her? However, she just looked at me and Harriet for a moment before she turned around without saying a word. Was she not looking for me? ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t cause any trouble because of me. I can take care of my own problems.¡± ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Harriet was sitting in a position where she couldn¡¯t see Ellen, so she just nagged me for a while and told me not to get into any trouble and behave. Finally, after giving me a long lecture Harriet sighed and sipped her tea. I did have some business with Harriet, actually. ¡°Hey, you know what? Don¡¯t you want to make something like that?¡± ¡°Make something? Like what?¡± Harriet tilted her head at my question. ¡°Like a club.¡± ¡°¡­A club?¡± Harriet looked surprised as if she was wondering why I was mentioning clubs all of a sudden. ¡°You research magic.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Mostly with Adelia. Right?¡± ¡°Yeah, but what does that have to do with clubs?¡± Harriet seemed a little impatient, as if telling me that I should quickly get to the point. Just like Ellen, Cliffman, and I practically lived in the training room, Harriet would often stay locked up in the magic lab unless something out of the norm happened. Adelia was the same. While she didn¡¯t think so, she was one heck of a nerd¡ªfor magic only. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if you got together with others more often?¡± ¡°Got together?¡± That school building wasn¡¯t a club building. However, as my novel had become reality, there was no law that would forbid us from doing something like that. Of course, I had no intention of joining any club, though I did have some connection with the religious club ¡®Grace¡¯, but they wouldn¡¯t limit me. Just like Ellen had become stronger earlier than she had in the original, I hoped that the others would also become stronger than they were in the novel. Ludwig was the only case where it would be best to just leave him alone. Harriet worked hard just short of me, but there was no reason why I couldn¡¯t show her a slightly better way of doing things. ¡°For example, if you got together with the wizard majors from Class B and created a Magic Research Club, wouldn¡¯t it be nice to talk with them about magic and get to know some spells that you might not have known of? You¡¯re not limited to any particular field of magic, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­ With students from Class B?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well¡­I¡¯m not sure about the Magic Research Society of Royal Class, but I do know the clubs that are out there. However, the standard of discussions and research at a student¡¯s level couldn¡¯t be higher than just consulting a teacher. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t go to places like that¡­¡± Harriet seemed to have reasons as to why she hadn¡¯t joined any magic research clubs on her own. She seemed to think that research subjects students could cover weren¡¯t at a high enough level for her. However, that reaction alone could be called a success. In the original, just mentioning doing research with the inferior B Class students would have disgusted Harriet. However, Harriet¡¯s personality was completely different at the moment. Her attitude was more like, ¡°What good would come from joining a club where just some students gathered together¡±, not, ¡°Why with students from Class B?¡± She didn¡¯t hate the idea, she just didn¡¯t understand why she would do something like that. That was how much she changed. ¡°No. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be of help to you.¡± ¡°¡­Why do you think so?¡± There were two students with magic talents in Class B. Christina, who had talents in Alchemy and Enchantment. And Anna de Gerna, who had a talent in Black Magic. Both of them also had very strong talents in their own right and would become forces to be reckoned with during the Gate Incident. However, it wasn¡¯t those two who had magic-related talents that would help Harriet grow further. ¡°That guy called Louis Ancton from Class B would be a great help to you.¡± ¡°What¡­ That guy? But he isn¡¯t a wizard, right?¡± Harriet wasn¡¯t really interested in Class B, but she obviously knew who was who. That was why she also knew about Louis Ancton¡¯s talent. ¡°You do research on magic.¡± ¡°Yes, I know¡­¡± Louis Ancton had an ¡®academic¡¯ talent. He was just smart. Although he couldn¡¯t use magic, he was walking down the path of a wizard who would only study magic as a science. He was outstanding in the theory of it, but couldn¡¯t put it into practice. Class B¡¯s Cristina and Anna de Gerna would often take Louis Ancton¡¯s advice to further their magic later on. After acting all prickly, he would start to grow closer to his classmates after a while. He was like a growth potion when it came to kids with magical talents. If it were the original novel, Harriet would absolutely hate the idea, but her personality had become very soft compared to the past, so I told her that, thinking she would accept. If they studied with Louis Ancton, both Harriet and Adelia, as well as the Class B kids, would benefit from it. Of course, it seemed a bit heavy-handed that I had already finalized the plan in my head without asking the concerned party what his intentions were even once. They wouldn¡¯t just do it for one or two days. I was sure, though, that all of them would have a good time. Harriet seemed to think about it. ¡°Hmmm¡­ I¡¯m not really sure.¡± ¡°Then you could just get together and have a chat. If you think it¡¯ll be helpful for you, then do it, if you don¡¯t think so, then don¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­If it¡¯s like that, I could give it a try.¡± Harriet nodded, saying that she could try if it was just that much. Alright. I just had to carefully lay one paving stone after the other to create our road to the future. I wasn¡¯t sure how much they would be able to achieve together, but I could at least suggest some research projects, including the possibility that the Warp Gates could connect us to a different world. It would be great if they could figure out the cause behind it, but it also didn¡¯t really matter if they didn¡¯t. They might also end up making things that would have taken much longer to develop. It also rang true that their achievements in the field of magic would increase tremendously just by meeting and acting together. Louis Ancton, who wasn¡¯t a wizard but knew a lot about magic, could help all of them achieve something greater. That was the picture I was painting in my mind, but then Harriet asked me something, her face a little flushed. ¡°B-by the way, you¡­ Why would you be interested in something like magic research? Y-you¡­ You have a supernatural power, right? If you joined a club like that with me¡­ You probably would be really bored¡­ Will you be okay?¡± Huh? What did she mean? ¡°Me? Why would I do something like that?¡± ¡°¡¯¡­Huh?¡± I mean, I was just suggesting that the kids who were really knowledgeable should get together twice or thrice a week and discuss and research magic together, I wasn¡¯t saying that I would join them, was I? Harriet looked a little puzzled by my words. ¡°Y-you won¡¯t join?¡± ¡°No, of course not. I¡¯m not a wizard, and I don¡¯t even know a single thing about magic. What could I even do to help you?¡± Harriet seemed to have gleaned, ¡°Let¡¯s make a research club together!¡± from my words. No, come to think of it, it was only natural that she thought I meant that. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have a reason to say things like, ¡° Let¡¯s get some kids together and create a club!¡± So Harriet thinking that my idea was to create a magical research group together with her was probably more natural than I thought. However, it was still rather obvious. When Harriet realized her mistake, her face got redder and redder. I reached my limit! ¡°Did you want to be in a club with me?¡± ¡®H-huh? Wh-what?¡± As I poked at her with a smirk on my face, Harriet¡¯s face seemed to grow hotter. ¡°Why do you want me to be there?¡± ¡°Wh-what?! I¡­ I¡­ What do you mean? Ha, haha! Why would I want to start that kind of club with you, who doesn¡¯t even know the basics of magic? I¡­ I thought you meant that because you put it like that! So what could you even do when you joined something like that? That¡¯s what I meant! Even if you wanted to join, I¡¯d reject you! It¡¯s not like I wanted to create it with you or something. I don¡¯t! And I never will!¡± As soon as I poked at her, Harriet flew into a rage and rapidly fired words, just as I expected. Seeing Harriet so angry after some time, I felt refreshed as if a ten-year congestion was finally going down. ¡°No, if you don¡¯t want me there, then just ignore me. Why are you getting so angry? You¡¯re even wearing the earrings I gave you. You know, it¡¯s kind of unhealthy to have such severe mood swings all the time.¡± ¡°Aah! Seriously, why are you doing this to me? I mean, just be nice or be mean, just pick one! H-hmpf!¡± ¡°H-hey. Hey. Girl, p-put that down. You¡¯re not supposed to throw these things. Ah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to throw it! I¡¯m really going to throw it, no matter what you say!¡± Harriet had lifted up a teapot containing hot tea and glared at me as if she was about to throw it at me any time. The hands holding the teapot shook, and she eventually put it down without throwing it. Of course, she was still huffing and puffing. I didn¡¯t know if that was a good or bad thing because she ended up overplaying her embarrassment with extreme anger. Of course, even though I wouldn¡¯t sign up for the club, that didn¡¯t mean I would leave all the work to Harriet. ¡°You¡¯re not that close to the students of Class B, right?¡± ¡°¡­I just know what they look like. We don¡¯t even greet each other.¡± Harriet had become very close to Class A¡¯s girls, but she still treated the boys of her class like before except for me. Not to mention the students from Class B. ¡°I won¡¯t join, but I¡¯ll try to convince the Class B kids. I don¡¯t want you to do everything yourself.¡± ¡°¡­You are?¡± Harriet seemed surprised that I would go so far. ¡°Yeah, as you said, I¡¯m just an outsider who doesn¡¯t even know the basics of magic, but I¡¯m quite the bastard, so I¡¯m very confident that I¡¯ll be able to make some people gather up, even if they don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯ll just drag them here by force if one of them doesn¡¯t want to come?¡± ¡°No, do you really think I would do something like that?¡± ¡°I really think you would, though? You thug.¡± ¡°No¡­ Girl, I was just kidding.¡± Harriet also had a means to tease me, as did I, so she immediately targeted that spot as soon as she saw a chance. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m quite good with words, so I should be able to convince them to gather up. The rest would be up to you and the other kids.¡± For the common goal of improving their skills in magic, the magic majors of both Royal Class A and B would be working together. Originally, Class B would be the only one that¡¯d do something like that, and that would only include Class A a lot later. I was just making it happen ahead of time. Just as Ellen had learned how to strengthen her body with magical power in advance, I could also make Harriet become a much more powerful wizard earlier. Harriet seemed to have let go of some of her worries when she heard that I would be in charge of gathering people for the time being. However, Harriet was still pouting. ¡°¡­Hey.¡± ¡°What? Do you have something more to say?¡± ¡°If you really want to work together to make the club, I could let you in.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°What?! Even though I really hate the idea, if you really want to or something, I could at least let you join!¡± What was she talking about? I didn¡¯t even intend to join in the first place, and I had no clue about magic, so it would be meaningless for me to join. So what did she mean by, ¡°If you want me to, I could let you join?¡± While I was thinking about that, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the pained look in Harriet¡¯s eyes. Her expression looked the same as before, but her eyes didn¡¯t. ¡®This¡­¡¯ She was asking me to create the club with her. Then she should¡¯ve just asked me to do that. Did she not want to ask me that first, so she made it as if I really wanted to join? Requesting something like that sure fit her quite well. Her worries didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Sure, I guess there should be at least one person in charge of chores and odd jobs.¡± I didn¡¯t know a single thing about magic, so I wasn¡¯t sure what I would be doing in a Magic Research Society, but I was sure there would be some tasks I could do. To be exact, it didn¡¯t really matter. If I said no there, I could predict what kind of expression she would make. I didn¡¯t want to see her look like that. ¡°Then let¡¯s do our best together.¡± ¡°Hmpf, it can¡¯t be helped then.¡± Did she notice that her expression and tone didn¡¯t match at all? I had never seen her smile so brightly before. Chapter 200 Chapter 200 In my first semester, it was already hard enough to look out for myself, so I couldn¡¯t afford to worry about anything or anyone else. I¡¯d been put in a situation where it was unclear whether I would be able to even take care of my own safety first. Of course, after starting my second semester, while I hadn¡¯t gained enough strength to ensure my safety, I had become a lot stronger. However, for a time, my routine had pretty much stabilized. Because my personal training and performance routine was stable, I could focus on other things as well. Airi¡¯s business, the new business plan for the Rotary Gang¡­ And even promoting the growth of the main story¡¯s characters. I had to keep working on myself while also making progress in the other fields. First¡­ While it had not been decided yet if it would be a magic research circle, a magic research society, or a magic research club, it was clear that I had to talk to each student of Class B one by one, so I planned on visiting them after classes were over. * * * The next day. Wednesday. Dawn¡­ I did my early morning training with Adriana. Of course, compared to Adriana, my stats were still a lot lower, but I didn¡¯t fall behind anymore. I couldn¡¯t do any morning training the previous two days because of the Tiamata incident, but Adriana seemed to have kept doing the training alone during that time. When she asked me what happened, I said that I had simply overslept. I did wonder how Adriana would react if she knew that I had become the Holy Sword Tiamata¡¯s master. It was the divine Relic of the goddess Towan whom she served, after all. I was pretty sure she would be surprised. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I would tell her. Adriana had a weak heart, after all. ¡°Phew¡­¡± After one set, Adriana and I rested on the bench on the hill. ¡°Summer is almost over.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± By October, the summer heat would have left, making room for Fall to take over. And after a short Fall, Winter would be upon us. Adriana looked at Temple¡¯s landscape stretched out before the hill. ¡°During winter, the view from this place is really nice, you know?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adriana had lived a year longer in Temple than I had, so it was no wonder that she knew the scenery one could see in Temple during the winter. She guaranteed that Temple looked amazing in the snow. ¡°So does that mean that you¡¯ll do your morning training during that kind of weather as well? What if you slip and hurt yourself?¡± ¡°Did you forget this?¡± Adriana smiled as she showed me her hands emitting divine power. Even if she got hurt, she would be able to recover with that, so it didn¡¯t really matter if it snowed or not. That only made that girl seem even more clumsy. ¡°By the way, have you ever gotten into a fight with the Orbis Class?¡± There had been some incidents the day before, so I was a little curious. The incident taking place between the Orbis Class and Ludwig was scheduled to happen during the school festival, but we were already getting entangled with the Orbis Class because of trivial things. Did Adriana, who had been in that place for one year longer than me, ever have a fight with the Orbis Class? ¡°The Orbis Class? Why? Did you get in trouble with the Orbis Class?¡± As if wondering what she should do with that personality of mine, Adriana distanced herself from me while looking slightly tired. No! Seriously! I knew that I had accumulated a lot of karma, but no matter what I said, people would always connect me with the image of a troublemaker! ¡°No. I never got into a fight with them, and I only sparred and practiced with them in a normal way a few times.¡± Of course, I¡¯d overdone it a little, but I didn¡¯t tell her that because she would only feel disappointed in me if I did. Right¡­ Come to think of it, I never picked a fight with them, but they did, right? If you were asking me, they were the ones who asked for it, right? And because I¡¯d won, they didn¡¯t come to me to cause trouble afterwards, either. Adriana nodded at my words. ¡°Hmm, the Orbis Class isn¡¯t really fond of us. A lot of our kids also don¡¯t really like the Orbis Class kids either. Art, for example, has been in a few fights with them.¡± Art de Gartis, the second-years¡¯ A-3. He was the one I was supposed to have a duel with. Of course, I¡¯d actually ended up fighting the third-year, Mayarton. I hadn¡¯t seen that dude ever since that duel. I only knew that his reputation had completely fallen to rock bottom within the Royal Class because he¡¯d tried to punish a first-year through a duel. Anyway, it seemed that the second-years, who attended Temple longer than us, had problems with the Orbis Class as well. ¡°How did the fights go? Did he win?¡± ¡°Well, they would be about equal. The students of Orbis Class are really hard-working, after all. Of course, that¡¯s just because I stopped the fights before they became too heated.¡± I didn¡¯t know how strong Art de Gartis actually was, but it seemed to be rather difficult to tell whether he or the Orbis Class students were superior in their fights. Adriana sighed as she took a sip of water from her canteen. ¡°It¡¯s understandable. We¡¯re talented, and there are a lot of kids in the Orbis Class who really think that we would just get strong without having to put in any effort.¡± There were some students that only relied on their talent and nothing else, but there were also students like Adriana who continued to train hard, so the dislike the Orbis Class held for the Royal Class was rather twisted. ¡°Worst of all, the Orbis Class is pretty much forcing its students to hate the Royal Class. Teachers and seniors alike. They tell them things like, ¡®Do your best if you don¡¯t want to lose to those bastards¡¯¡­¡± The Orbis Class had deliberately stimulated the student¡¯s inferiority complex towards the Royal Class to make them work harder. ¡®You guys don¡¯t have any talents, so do you think you can afford to be lazy? How are you going to deal with the Royal Class if you don¡¯t work harder?¡¯ Something like that. I heard it was almost as if they were in the military. Adriana knew that there were some of her classmates who hated the Orbis Class, but she had no particular opinion about them. She seemed to worry more about structural issues. ¡°So you don¡¯t like or dislike them?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it is. It¡¯s not like nothing happened.¡± Adriana wore a slightly awkward smile as we talked about that topic. ¡°Something happened?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­ Yes. We didn¡¯t get into a fight. The matter was¡­ quite difficult.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± At my question, Adriana scratched her cheek slightly, wearing a somewhat bewildered expression. ¡°Well¡­ One of the Orbis Class kids¡­had been following me for quite a while¡­¡± ¡°Follow you? For what re¡ªAh. No way.¡± Adriana¡¯s slightly flustered look made me realize what had been going on. ¡°Did some guy fall in love with you at first sight or something?¡± ¡°¡­Y-yeah¡­¡± Adraina nodded her head slightly, her face red. Certainly, it wasn¡¯t really that strange or surprising that something like that happened. ¡°Well, even when I told him that I was planning on becoming a Paladin of the Church of Towan, he didn¡¯t give up¡­ that guy was kind of troublesome.¡± Since she was going to be a Priest of Towan, she couldn¡¯t accept his heart, no matter how much she liked her. She¡¯d told him that many times, and yet he was still unable to understand her words. It seemed like Adriana hadn¡¯t gotten into a fight with them, but she¡¯d still had some trouble with them. ¡°Things are probably really difficult for you, too. If anything happens, then tell me¡­¡± This didn¡¯t only apply to the Orbis Class, Adriana was in a position where she couldn¡¯t accept anyone¡¯s love, even if she liked them. ¡°Uhm¡­ that might be a bit troublesome. So¡­ While I do think of you as a friend, I want us to be a bit more cautious because others might think otherwise.¡± Adriana was just reasonably comfortable with people of the opposite sex, but other people might believe that it was something more, so it seemed like I had unknowingly caused her harm. Her expression darkened slightly. Adriana stretched her body. ¡°Urg¡­ I just feel relaxed around you, junior. You don¡¯t seem like someone who has that kind of interest in me.¡± ¡°You can tell?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s obvious.¡± Adriana smiled at me. I¡¯d thought she was just nice and pleasant to everyone, but that was the first time I realized that she was actually quite the careful person in regards to those kinds of things. Was it because I hadn¡¯t been showing any signs that I was trying to get closer to her more than we already were? Adriana smiled, seeming lonely as she was fiddling with her canteen. ¡°If someone I thought of as a precious friend tried to be more than just that¡­ What should I do in that situation¡­?¡± She wouldn¡¯t be able to accept their love. A situation in which she just wanted to stay as friends while the other party didn¡¯t. It seemed like Adriana found herself in that kind of situation at the moment. ¡°Pretending to not notice their feelings¡­ would be bad, right?¡± That seemed to be a separate matter from what happened with the Orbis Class. Someone liked her, but that person was a very precious friend to Adriana. They couldn¡¯t be anything more than friends, and she also didn¡¯t want them to be anything else. However, Adriana seemed unable to decide whether it would be right to pretend that she didn¡¯t notice the other person¡¯s feelings or not. ¡°That would be bad indeed.¡± I answered curtly before I took a sip from the canteen as well. Did I really mean those words that I spoke to Adriana? I didn¡¯t know. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * There¡¯s a saying that even ten bodies aren¡¯t enough to get everything done. It meant that one was just that busy. To be honest, I didn¡¯t even need ten. I wished I had just three, no more or less. One placed at the Rotary Gang, one located in Temple, and one for my private life. Spending some personal time was necessary because, in the end, my human relations within Temple were very important as well, so I couldn¡¯t just neglect them. I didn¡¯t know if I could solve everything with my own strength alone. However, nothing like that was possible. Of course, splitting myself into three was impossible, even with ¡®Additional Settings¡¯, so I had to do everything myself. I had to live such a damn hard life, even though no one asked me to. No, but honestly, if someone actually asked me to do all that, I don¡¯t think I would work as hard as I was. I entered the dormitory of Class B because of my work for the Magic Research club. Harriet and Adelia were the only ones with magic majors in Class A. I wasn¡¯t in charge of persuading Adelia because that was Harriet¡¯s job. What I planned on doing was talking to the two students with magic majors from Class B and number B-2, Louis Ancton. Louis Ancton once helped me to prepare for the midterm exams in our first semester, though I¡¯d half-forced him. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s been a while, right?¡± ¡°Uhm, Ah¡­ Reinhardt. Ehm, yes¡­¡± Louis Ancton, that nerd, still stiffened when he saw me. Honestly, I had never done anything to him. I had just asked him to study together, and I hadn¡¯t said anything harsh to him or tried to blackmail him. ¡°I¡¯m going to make you an amazing offer.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°So come to the magic lab. Bring Anna and Christina as well.¡± ¡°Huuuh?¡± Damn it. Although I didn¡¯t really bother him, who¡¯d like a guy who talked to people in such a commanding tone? Well¡­ To be honest, it was a lot easier to just act like that than to give detailed explanations every time. When I said, ¡°Hey! Give that to me!¡± they¡¯d just give it, and when I said, ¡°Hey! Do this!¡± they¡¯d just do it. It was very comfortable¡­ It seemed like I had already long passed the point of no return. I just couldn¡¯t help it anymore¡­ * * * There were two students with magic majors in Class B: B-5, Christina, who had a talent in Alchemy and Enchantment. B-6. Anne de Gerna, who had a talent in Black Magic. Then there was B-2. Louis Ancton, who didn¡¯t have a magic-related talent but studied it. Enchantment was a very expensive field of magic, as I heard from Harriet. It was a magic system that wouldn¡¯t be taught easily and whose methods were strictly guarded. However, that didn¡¯t mean that it was a rare type of magic or that it was a higher-ranking magic system. A-7 Adelia had talents in summoning and magic crafting. While enchanting was merely used to enchant objects, magic crafting was used to create machines powered by magic. A typical example would be the mana train or the warp gates. Magic crafting was a higher-level magic system that couldn¡¯t even be compared to the field of enchantment. Of course, Harriet, who had a talent for magic in and of itself, held the absolute best talent among all magic-related talents. So, what was unique about No. 6 Anna de Gerna? Her talent was black magic. While it was quite the insidious and evil type of magic, there were black magicians among the teachers in Temple. Not every part of black magic was used to curse others after all. They were simply studying the field of magic and science called black magic. ¡°So. Erm¡­ I bought them.¡± ¡°Oh, well done. You did a great job, man.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Anyway, Louis Ancton went to Class B¡¯s magic lab with the other two, just as I told him. I could see Louis¡¯ expression slightly stiffen when I told him he did well. It seemed like he felt slightly humiliated, totally being treated like my henchman like that. No, but I really just meant that he did a great job, though. While they both had seen my face before, we hadn¡¯t spoken with each other. Neither of them had any idea for what reason I called them there, so they were rather curious as well as bewildered, each in their own way. However, the most important thing was that they came, even though it was some guy that they weren¡¯t even close to who¡¯d called them. In the end, I was still of the opinion that first impressions were very important. I hadn¡¯t done anything like that before ever since I¡¯d acted like a rabid dog in our first semester. After the second semester had begun, I¡¯d stayed quiet, except for that time where I sparred with a student from the Orbis Class during my Swordsmanship Classes. Of course, there were still rumors about my unusual actions in the Darklands floating about. However, that was vastly different from acting like a scumbag. Anyway, both of them came when I said that I was looking for them, and I don¡¯t know what I would have done if they hadn¡¯t. Christina wore a pair of glasses on her nose and had her orange hair tied in braids. She was wearing a white robe, which looked similar to the gown worn by doctors, with various stains on it. Some of them could be presumed to come from drug ingredients, and others appeared to be dirt. It was quite well known that her clothes would always appear like that because she frequently dealt with alchemical reagents as well as plants and herbs. Anna de Gerna didn¡¯t give off the same gloomy feeling as Dettomolian that made me want to ask if he was okay. Her eyes just seemed somewhat hollow all the time. She had black hair, black eyes, and wore a black robe. Her skin was a little pale, however. If Dettomolian seemed like a Skeleton, then she seemed like¡­ A Vampire who really needed a blood bag. Even Eleris didn¡¯t have that bad a complexion. She seemed slightly sickly with her somewhat pale skin. If one was looking for an example of a pretty girl that exuded a very dark aura, that would be her. Anyway, all of them were staring at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t make you come here to cuss you out or something. This is your dormitory. Just sit down, guys.¡± I was trying to talk nicely, but I ended up uttering commands again. What the fuck? Did I get too used to that? Was Reinhardt¡¯s personality, the embodiment of the saying, ¡°Strong against the weak and weak against the strong¡±, ingrained in my body? All of them, including Louis Ancton, sat down. Those guys all had pretty different personalities. Class B was the main focus of the story and all descriptions, so I knew all the characteristics of each individual character. Of course, I¡¯d gotten to know the guys from Class A better as well. Louis Ancton was a man who had a great sense of superiority and an idiot who looked down on anyone who was dumber than him to the point that he would even ignore them. Christina was bright, cheerful, and curious. Anna de Gerna gave off a rather ghastly and gloomy vibe, but she was actually not that bad. However, in front of the supervillain that seemed to be me, all three of them froze up like mice before a cat, even though they all had different personalities. Oh well, it was a good thing, I guess. It was a lot easier to talk to them when they were calm like that. ¡°Do you guys have any thoughts of creating something like a magic research group?¡± ¡°¡­Magic research group?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°?¡± All of them seemed rather perplexed because they never expected that these words would ever come out of my mouth. I was pretty sure that they were seeing me as some kind of super villain, but I wasn¡¯t actually planning anything villainous or anything, all I did was plan things to make those guys successful later on. How would they regret listening to my words? Those guys would thank me later. Although¡­ I didn¡¯t know when that would be. ____ Chapter 201 Chapter 201 When I finished my rough explanation, I felt rather surprised at the very different facial expressions the three of them showed. First of all, I had proposed the creation of a joint club between Class A and B, who were like cats and dogs before. Second, the one who proposed something like that, namely me, wasn¡¯t someone with a magic major, but someone completely ignorant of magic. The proposal is amazing, but why are you the one making it? I could feel them wanting to ask that question. ¡°That is what I had planned out. I will also join the club.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re¡­ A supernatural power user.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand, but I¡­¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± All three of them expressed their own doubts. Since the talk I brought up was related to creating a club, not some kind of scolding or something, the remaining anxiety within them seemed to have disappeared. Because it wasn¡¯t Harriet but me who made the request, they didn¡¯t seem to understand what I¡¯d be doing there. To be honest, it seemed rather difficult for me to participate in all of the activities. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s nothing much I can do. I¡¯ll just be present. Just think of me as a kind of bridge. In other words, I¡¯ll be someone in charge of the chores.¡± ¡°Chores?¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re lying.¡± No, why were those guys, who didn¡¯t even know me that well, looking at me as if to say ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll do that¡± when I told them that I would take care of the chores? I didn¡¯t know if anything would come up, but I¡¯d most definitely do it. What else would I be able to do there? Did they want me to teach them magic circles or something? They should¡¯ve just thought of me as a useless, decorative folding screen. ¡°Anyway, I think it¡¯s a good opportunity for you and the Class A kids. In the end, the key to all of this is you, Louis Ancton.¡± ¡°¡­I should teach the others magic?¡± I had already told them that Louis Ancton would teach the other students. Their reaction was quite something. All three of them had their mouths wide open and were like, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even use magic, so what kind of magic do you want me to teach them? I only study magic theory, but I can¡¯t put anything I learn into practice.¡± As he felt quite embarrassed for having to say something like that himself, Louis Ancton¡¯s face reddened. While he couldn¡¯t become a wizard, he still dreamed of becoming a magi. But what magi didn¡¯t want to be a wizard? They were people who completely understood the principle behind magic with their heads but couldn¡¯t actually put their knowledge to practical use. As such, Louis Ancton must¡¯ve certainly felt resentful and frustrated that he was unable to use magic. That was why his face went all red when he said something like that¡ªhe felt some kind of repulsion towards himself. ¡°Why not? I heard there are a lot of amazing spells that have been created by magi. According to Harriet, there are as many great people among the magi as there are among wizards.¡± That was what I¡¯d heard from Harriet. When I carefully laid out how I could tell Louis Ancton to teach others about magic, I found out there were actually cases like that. That was what happened, after all. Louis Ancton, who couldn¡¯t use magic, had actually greatly succeeded in improving the magic skills and ranks of spells of the other students in the original. That was why there was a background setting that even magi were more than capable of teaching wizards. According to Harriet, some of the greatest magi had actually accomplished far more than any archmage and were held in high regard. When I said that there was nothing a great magi wouldn¡¯t be able to teach a wizard, he shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ but¡­¡± I could feel that he appreciated my words. A magi who couldn¡¯t use magic had to live with the fate of someone born with a plastic spoon in their mouth. I¡¯d heard that among wizards the enchanter and magic crafter jobs were seen as high-ranking, while Battle Mages had lost their places in the job market. However, he wasn¡¯t a battle mage or any kind of wizard, he was a magi. Even if they didn¡¯t do anything wrong, the scorn they would earn from scholars and wizards would be immense. However, depending on their achievements, they could also become even greater figures than archmages and leave big marks in the world of magic¡¯s history. Louis Ancton was still a student. The reason why that guy grew so twisted and looked down on and ignored anyone who was less intelligent than him was he had nothing else he could trust other than his intellect. On the inside, he was a mess of indignation, resentment, and frustration because he was unable to use magic. So while his self-esteem seemed to be incredibly high, it was actually really low. Louis Ancton, B-2, owner of an academic talent. ¡°Can I¡­ really do it?¡± I folded my arms and frowned at his words. ¡°Who else but you would do it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If not you, who else would be able to do something like this? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re the only one who is capable of this. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can just try it for this semester. If it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll crawl through your legs like a dog.¡± ¡°H-huh? Y-you¡¯d do that?¡± Not only did his expression become brighter at my show of determination, but the people who were listening were also shocked. ¡°Fuck, why would I have to do something like that?¡± ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no fucking way it won¡¯t work out. You punk.¡± If things didn¡¯t work out, I would crawl through Louis Ancton¡¯s legs like a dog, but I had no intention of actually doing that. ¡ªBecause there was no fucking way that it wouldn¡¯t work out. Louis Ancton¡¯s expression turned a little strange when he witnessed my wild conviction. It showed something other than joy, sadness, or any other emotion. He looked like it was the first time in his life that someone had recognized him. * * * We still had a long discussion after that, but in the end, they all gave their okays. Louis Ancton, who felt inferior to wizards, seemed to hold a lot of expectations of being able to actually teach magic to wizards. So, while he didn¡¯t seem to believe in what I told him for the moment, he was willing enough to at least give it a try. Christina, who had a pretty cheerful personality, said something along the lines of, ¡°It sure looks fun if that¡¯s how it is,¡± and ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡± She slightly scratched her cheek as she gave her consent. ¡°Actually, I was a little scared. I wondered if I¡¯d crossed you in some way.¡± ¡°No, you didn¡¯t do anything like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± At first, she seemed a little tense, but Christina¡¯s expression quickly brightened when she realized that I held no ill will towards her and actually wanted to request something. That bastard Reinhardt is calling me? Did I do anything to that guy? Now that I thought of it, when Louis, Anna, and Christina all came in they wore the same expression. They seemed to think something like ¡°Who annoyed that lunatic this time? Is he trying to blame us this time?¡± However, in the end, I wasn¡¯t looking for them for that reason. ¡°I completely misunderstood you.¡± ¡°¡­Most of the things you know about me aren¡¯t misunderstandings, but I¡¯m not the kind of guy who would beat up others for no reason.¡± ¡°Is¡­ is that so¡­?¡± It was true¡­ None of the facts they knew about me were wrong¡­ It was just that I wouldn¡¯t hit anyone who didn¡¯t actually do something first! ¡°By the way, Reinhardt, you aren¡¯t a wizard, right? You said that Louis would teach us magic, but why would you recommend creating such a club for us?¡± That was a valid question. I wasn¡¯t even that close to those three. I¡¯d only talked to Louis a bit at most. While we did see each other often, that was as good as our first meeting. They asked a similar question to Harriet, after all. ¡°Do I need a specific reason? What¡¯s bad about trying something that could benefit you, right? You guys might end up improving because of my suggestion. Let¡¯s say you buy me a meal later if all works out, hm?¡± ¡°¡­A meal? That¡¯s all you want?¡± Was a meal too little to ask for? ¡°Well, if you want to give me money, I¡¯d take that as well. I do like money, after all.¡± Louis and Christina grinned, knowing that I was just joking. ¡®Yeah, you got it now, you guys? I wouldn¡¯t do that stuff for no reason. I¡¯m not the type of dog that bites others if they don¡¯t touch me first, got it?¡¯ That was why I was living calmly. Anna looked at me as she nodded silently. ¡°You¡­ were a good guy¡­¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Anna was smiling at me as she was talking. What was with her? Why was I getting goosebumps from her looking at me with that smile? While Dettomolian simply seemed gloomy, Anna had a similar vibe about her, and yet it was slightly different. Should I call it dreary? Feeling like there were cold shivers running down my spine, I tried taking control of the conversation again. ¡°Anyway, all of you agreed to participate. Then let¡¯s get together and talk about the details.¡± Some might have said ¡°See you in a few days¡± in that situation, but I wanted to get things done as quickly as possible. So I said, ¡°Let¡¯s get together today to plan out how we are going to move forward from this point on and decide on what research projects you would pursue.¡± One semester wasn¡¯t that much time, after all. * * * We had no specific plans for the club yet, and Harriet was of the opinion that we should figure things out once we all met up and talked. So once I persuaded the three students from Class B, I left the dormitory, just as Harriet and Adelia left Class A¡¯s. We could have had our talk in the dormitory, but to switch things up, we decided to go out to the cafe alley not too far from our classroom building. As we arrived at the cafe, there were a total of six people seated around a large table, myself included. A-4 Harriet de Saint-Owan. [Talent : Magic] A-7 Adelia. [Talent : Summoning Magic, Magic Crafting] A-11 Reinhardt. [Talent: Self-suggestion, Mana Sensitivity] (Useless) B-2 Louis Ancton. [Telent: Studying] B-5 Christina. [Talent : Enchantment, Alchemy] B-6 Anna de Gerna. [Talent : Black Magic] All of the first-year students with magic-related talents and one teacher were gathered there. There was also one useless person. We sat around the table with our ordered drinks before us. ¡°¡­¡± ¡ªIn silence. No one was saying anything. All of them were sipping on their drinks, but no one uttered even a single word. They were all trying to read the room. ¡°What? Why are you staring at me?¡± They were only looking at me. Of course, they didn¡¯t seem scared or intimidated by me. All their expressions seemed to shout, ¡°Just say something!¡± No, I was just a useless person. Someone in charge of chores. I hadn¡¯t actually planned on joining at first, but Harriet had whined that she wanted me to join, so she came up with the idea that we¡¯d create it together! I did have some responsibility for bringing up the idea, so I bit the bullet, but suddenly I also had to play host? I was the least suitable person present to do something like that, but all of them were just looking at me. Harriet was only close to the Class A girls. Of course, one could also say that she was rather close to me, though I feel like I was the first one to approach her. I mean, that girl also wasn¡¯t really the sociable type. Then there was Adelia. The word that best described her was, ¡®coward¡¯. If she were to become the center of attention, her blood pressure would go through the roof. Louis Ancton¡­ While he was smart, he was pretty much a snarky guy. He also didn¡¯t know how to properly socialize with other people. Christina¡­ Although she was a pretty lively girl, she seemed rather nervous having the two Class A magic majors sitting before her. Anna¡­ Scary! Don¡¯t look at me with those gloomy eyes of yours! Yeah, let¡¯s not mention Anna. No¡­ But if one looked at me as a character as well, wasn¡¯t I just as bad? I should¡¯ve been the least sociable one there, right? How could they look at me like that, asking the guy who¡¯d let his fists speak first to lead the conversation, even after they all heard the rumors going around that I was a twisted bastard? Shouldn¡¯t I be the last person to ask to do something like that? I wasn¡¯t sure if my having brought up this whole thing also meant that I had to take full responsibility for it as well. ¡°I wanted you guys to get together and talk about your personal views, desires, direction and so regarding magic, but with how things are going now, all of you will just end up finishing your drinks and then go back to the dorm to sleep.¡± I wanted them to talk freely among themselves, but they¡¯d left the stage to me, who had nothing to do with magic. ¡°Anyway, all of you already know the gist of this. I think Louis Ancton here has the qualities of an excellent magi. Of course, that is not all, you can also freely select a research topic and work on it in your own way, or something like that. Or you might be able to solve some of the problems you are struggling with right now by acquiring knowledge of other fields of magic. While I have no clue about magic, I do know that if I struggle with something, I often find the answer to my problems in completely unexpected places.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if they had concepts similar to ¡°Confluence¡± or ¡°Convergence¡± in magic, but knowledge was power, right? ¡°So, you do know that all of you will be part of a Magic Research Club, right? I wanted you guys to talk things through and discuss if you really want to do it or not¡­ If all of you are acting like this, we won¡¯t get anywhere, guys.¡± Let¡¯s decide after a lively discussion about magic with each other! No! I don¡¯t want to join! Far from coming to that conclusion, those guys were far too shy to utter a single word. I didn¡¯t have the ability to lead a debate about magic. Everyone seemed to gesture for me to do something about the situation, so I just had to do whatever, I guess. -Slap! I pounded on the table. ¡°Are you gonna join or not? Those who won¡¯t, raise their hands.¡± Everyone opened their eyes wide, staring at me, at my sudden declaration asking for a show of hands. ¡°No one? In that case, it¡¯s decided then. You¡¯ll join.¡± Confused at my sudden suggestion to vote and hurriedly concluded it like that. Harriet stared at me in astonishment as I concluded it so quickly that none of them had the chance to voice their opinion. ¡°H-huuh? Hey! How could you just decide that so suddenly? We still need to talk¡­¡± ¡°Then tell me, who was it that looked at me like a bunch of kids who didn¡¯t have a clue as to what to say and couldn¡¯t come up with a solution until just now?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s have a very lively discussion about magic research then. Yes?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s just¡­¡± Harriet blushed when I told her to immediately start the discussion, and while she trembled, she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to hurry the process, start the discussion now.¡± It wasn¡¯t only Harriet, but all of them, as if they had become mute, they didn¡¯t say a single thing. Yeah, what normal person would just go, ¡°Yeah, sure¡± when told to suddenly start a discussion? So I suggested a show of hands. Usually, more people wouldn¡¯t raise their hands than raise them in those kinds of votes. So if one wanted something to get passed, it was better to suggest those who were against it to raise their hands instead of the people who were for it. Because they didn¡¯t want to stand out weirdly, they wouldn¡¯t raise their hands¡ªthat was just how humans were. That was why I said that those who wanted to join shouldn¡¯t raise their hands, and those that didn¡¯t should. Ah, no one raised their hands, so it was unanimous. Done. No redoes. ¡°Anyway, we already decided to go through with it. You decided you would do it, but now you wanna bail or say you can¡¯t do it? Huh?¡± ¡®You left the speaking to me, so now you have to pay the price for not doing anything.¡¯ ¡°I was just¡­ telling you how it is.¡± Being perceived as some kind of delinquent sure was advantageous. Every time a topic came up that I didn¡¯t like, I could just act like that to suppress it quickly. Although all of them went there to talk, they were forced to form the club because they didn¡¯t actually talk. Everyone was looking at me with a puzzled expression. ¡ªExcept for one person. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°¡­Huh? What? Got something to say?¡± Anna de Gerna showed me an eerie smile. ¡°Who¡¯ll be¡­ the club president, then?¡± ¡°President?¡± Right. A club needed a president and a teacher in charge. For a Royal Class Club, six people were quite a lot, so would they just assign us a teacher? While we didn¡¯t really need a vice president, we did need a president, as we had six members. Anna seemed to think that we needed to decide who would be in charge of the club because we had decided that we were going to go through with it. ¡­But why did she keep looking at me? ¡°¡­What?¡± It wasn¡¯t only Anna who looked at me, the others did as well. ¡°No. Seriously, that can¡¯t be right.¡± Don¡¯t say anything weird, you punks. Whether we called it the Magic Research Club or Magic Research Society, it would be a magic-related club. Shit. You¡¯re fucking kidding, right? I was just someone who¡¯d be in charge of chores, someone completely useless. There was nothing else for me to do in that club. Being a club president was a huge responsibility. And of course, the president had to be able to use magic. If anything club-related came up, I would be called to various places, have to talk to teachers when we needed to get permission for something, and I might have some run-ins with the student council. There were so many things to do, so I, who was only in charge of chores¡­ Ah¡­ Huh? Weren¡¯t those chores? Harriet looked at me with a satisfied smile decorating her face. She was planning something. That look¡­ ¡°Those who don¡¯t want Reinhardt to be president, raise your hands!¡± Harriet shouted. ¡°Me!¡± I was the only one who raised his hand. I¡­ I became the president of the Magic Research Club while being completely unable to use even a bit of magic. ____ Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Sunday¡­ The Imperial Palace, Emperatos. Charlotte sat on a sofa in the Emperor¡¯s office, dressed in court robes. ¡°¡­¡± And opposite of Charlotte sat Bertus, who was also dressed in such a robe. The two of them were waiting for the Emperor, so it was just the two of them in that spacious office at the moment. They hadn¡¯t gathered there because something big had happened. The Emperor would just call them to come to that place periodically. His purpose was to hear from his children how they were doing in Temple. Acting like any other parent, he was just checking on if his children were doing well. Of course, the only little difference was that if those children weren¡¯t under strict orders directly from the Emperor, one of them would have surely ended up dying or completely destroyed. There was no conversation between them, as they weren¡¯t exactly on good terms. If they made eye contact, only unpleasant things would leave their mouths. However, there was one topic that wouldn¡¯t cause any more hate between them. ¡°Reinhardt plans on setting up stores in every mana train station?¡± To be precise, that topic was Reinhardt. Bertus liked Reinhardt, even though he had a really dirty temper, as he still was someone who¡¯d do whatever he had to do, and he¡¯d actually showed quite a good performance during the group mission, and although he didn¡¯t seem to have much ambition, he properly displayed his greed when he had to, that was why he liked him. In fact, Bertus actually helped him out and overlooked various things. A good example would be that he overlooked that he¡¯d got close to Charlotte de Gardias, who was in Class B and his direct competitor, as someone from Class A. Bertus actually didn¡¯t say anything to Reinhardt about that matter. In fact, both of them had tried hard to find Reinhardt in their own ways when he had disappeared. Anyway, Reinhardt was a common point both Charlotte and Bertus shared. Bertus had something to suggest to the Emperor that day, so he tried to shut up Charlotte before she could ruin it, telling her that it was Reinhardt who planned all that, not him. The content of that suggestion was to set up shops in all the numerous mana train stations throughout the capital. The current train stations only contained facilities to carry out their function as stations, meaning boarding and departure points and ticket booths. The history of mana trains wasn¡¯t that long yet that people had thought about how they could use the empty space. However, then Reinhardt came along, saying that he wanted to utilize it. ¡°To be precise, Reinhardt only made the suggestion, the actual owners would be the Rotary Gang.¡± ¡°Why are you helping him with that?¡± Bertus grinned at Charlotte¡¯s question about why he was helping Reinhardt. ¡°We¡¯re going to share the profit. 90/10.¡± ¡°90%? You¡¯re a bastard, you know?¡± Charlotte was so sure that Bertus was such a bastard that she just casually believed him to do something like that. Of course, he was a bastard¡ªfrom Charlotte de Gardias¡¯ standpoint, that is. Bertus slightly opened his mouth in disbelief. ¡°¡­Sister, I know you hate me quite a lot, but don¡¯t that¡¯s a bit much? How could I take 90%?¡± ¡°¡­ Really? Isn¡¯t that quite unexpected?¡± ¡°I know that I¡¯m someone who lacks faith and trust, but I still have my business ethics.¡± ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m surprised that you know that much, and even more surprised that you didn¡¯t fix that part of you even though you know.¡± ¡°My dear sister, you aren¡¯t much different from me, so why are you like this?¡± It seemed that sparks were flying between them, as they were staring at each other. ¡°Anyway, this isn¡¯t my business venture, it was Reinhardt¡¯s proposal, so if it doesn¡¯t pass through, it¡¯ll be Reinhardt, not me, who will suffer, so I want you to give me a break and not uselessly cause problems.¡± ¡°Well, fine. It¡¯s none of my business, but I didn¡¯t know that you cared so much for Reinhardt.¡± At Charlotte¡¯s slightly sarcastic smile, Bertus took a sip from his tea, signaling that it was nothing big. ¡°My sister¡¯s precious person is also precious to me, after all.¡± These words seemed meaningless, but actually contained countless messages, some couldn¡¯t even be recognized. The precious person of one¡¯s enemy was also precious to oneself. The first and last precious in that phrase held two completely different meanings. However, Charlotte¡¯s expression was calm, even after hearing those words. Not even a single emotion could be read from Charlotte¡¯s perfect poker face. ¡°So you think so as well?¡± At Charlotte¡¯s words declaring that she was just like him, Bertus smiled. ¡°What? So we value him only as each other¡¯s precious person?¡± ¡°So what? What about it?¡± Neither of them revealed how and why they were helping and caring for Reinhardt. The only thing that remained was the result. Reinhardt was basically stuck between Charlotte and Bertus. That might be favorable for him for the moment, but it wouldn¡¯t be like that forever. In a version of the world¡¯s most dangerous tightrope walk, Reinhardt had to continuously look out for his own life With that, the talk about Reinhardt came to an end. Once again, silence spread between Charlotte and Bertus for a long stretch of time. Those two didn¡¯t talk with each other that much to begin with, and even if they did, they only had some veiled, pointed comments towards each other. Charlotte was the first to break their long silence. Her expression was obviously quite grim, and it was clear that she was about to force herself to say something she actually didn¡¯t want to talk about. ¡°Hey¡­¡± ¡°¡­What now?¡± ¡°It greatly irks me that you are the only one I can ask about this, so let me ask you a question.¡± ¡°¡­If this is about the ongoing mining rights issue, I don¡¯t have anything to say to you. You didn¡¯t actually think I would answer if my competitor asked me about those things, right?¡± That was all Charlotte could possibly ask him, so Bertus shot her down, as he had no intentions of telling her anything. Charlotte clicked her tongue and folded her arms to Bertus¡¯s act of cutting her off like that. ¡°It¡¯s not about that.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s about the issue with the Merchants Guild, I keep telling you that they have nothing to do with me. Of course, if Reinhardt gets those business rights, I think I might get involved a bit, technically, it would be Reinhardt¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty enough, right?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± At Charlotte¡¯s unexpected, completely uncharacteristic question, Bertus¡¯s thoughts froze for a moment. Did I hear wrong? I heard wrong, right? Bertus had clearly heard her question, but he came to the conclusion that he must have heard wrong because Charlotte couldn¡¯t have asked something like that. There was no reason for her to ask him something like that. Charlotte frowned as she looked at Bertus, who didn¡¯t answer her even though he clearly heard what she¡¯d asked. ¡°¡­Why are you silent? You should answer when people ask you something.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? What did you say again?¡± Bertus eventually decided to confirm once again what her question was. Charlotte sighed with her arms still crossed, seeming annoyed that she had to say such things herself. ¡°What I mean is, am I not attractive enough?¡± ¡°¡­Wh-what? Wh-what¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡± When he confirmed that he hadn¡¯t misheard, Bertus turned ghostly pale. What¡¯s with her? What is she trying to do this time? Bertus was gripped by a serious type of fear he had never felt before in his life. His head was about to burst because of the unpredictable context and purpose Charlotte¡¯s question held. Bertus was actually terrified because Charlotte had suddenly made such an unpredictable move. Charlotte just frowned at Bertus¡¯s sudden hesitant behavior. ¡°Are your ears clogged? Just tell me straight, I¡¯m pretty enough, right?¡± ¡°Why¡­ Just why would you ask me something like that?¡± Bertus couldn¡¯t figure out why his half-sister and competitor who he was fighting against was asking him if he thought that she was pretty or not. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can ask, okay? The maids, like parrots, would only spout rhetoric like, ¡°You¡¯re as radiant as the sun like always.¡± My people aren¡¯t any different. As far as I know, you are the only person who would give me an honest answer to this question. It¡¯s fine if you criticize me or mix in some malicious comments, so just say something.¡± Charlotte obviously lived among people who, when asked for their opinion on something like that, would only give answers they thought she wanted to hear, regardless of the truth. That was why she got the idea that she would be able to get a proper answer if she asked someone who hated her. Bertus didn¡¯t really know what that was about, but he could tell that Charlotte didn¡¯t have some other kind of purpose by asking that question. ¡°Hmm¡­ Sister. You¡¯re attractive enough.¡± ¡°Well, I guess I was rig¡ª¡± ¡°Among fish, that is.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Bertus grinned with his arms folded. ¡°Sister, didn¡¯t you know that your mug resembles a fish¡¯s more than a human¡¯s?¡± Of course, that was just a malicious comment, but Bertus actually saw Charlotte¡¯s face distort as she smiled bitterly. ¡°Mug? Did you just say mug?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, sister. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a good mate for you among the fish. Looking carefully, I do think your face looks pretty good in that case.¡± ¡°Are you done talking? Do you want me to kill you now?¡± The more hateful the words coming out of Charlotte¡¯s mouth were, the bigger Bertus¡¯s grin grew. ¡°Hey, I answered your question honestly. That¡¯s what I think, so what did I do wrong? Oh, and if you pull that face, your mug looks more like a deep sea fish than just a normal fish, you know?¡± ¡°Alright. Shut up. It¡¯s my fault for asking you.¡± Charlotte turned her eyes towards the window as if trying to distract herself. Seeing Charlotte¡¯s angry expression, Bertus grinned widely. Of course, he wondered why his half-sister had suddenly asked him if she was attractive or not, but Bertus couldn¡¯t figure out the reason. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Sunday¡­ Charlotte had returned from the Imperial Palace. The day before, she¡¯d asked Bertus a rather worthless question, and it was obvious that no matter what she asked that guy, she would only receive malicious answers, but she still felt bad hearing them. Fish? A Fish? It was such an unexpected insult that she felt like her face was about to explode. It was rather hard to look at oneself objectively, but Charlotte really thought that she was definitely attractive. She even believed that it was a pretty modest assessment as well. She wasn¡¯t like her maids who habitually called her things like the shining goddess of beauty. She could tell just by looking at herself. Just a single glance in a mirror was enough to see that she was so lovely and beautiful that it was shocking. Well¡­ I¡¯m pretty enough, right? I don¡¯t know if my looks are the best there are, but I¡¯m still sure that I look pretty good. It was enough for her to have some faint, modest confidence in her looks. And yet, Reinhardt, that guy, had jumped up, displeased at the prospects of marrying her? She just thought of him as a good guy who helped her out quite a bit, but that scratched her pride quite a bit. What was there to complain about, marrying someone like me who has money, power, ability, and beauty? Did he think that there was someone on this continent that had any better prospects than me? Charlotte gradually started to get self-conscious about the fact there actually was someone out there who had better prospects and abilities than herself. Who might that be? I have never thought about it, but is there actually someone out there that is far beyond me? Those things were not something she should worry about too much just because of some guy she didn¡¯t even like in that way, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel bad. Charlotte believed that she was charming, no doubt, but for the first time in her life, she was contemplating her own existence. That wasn¡¯t all¡­ The Rotary Gang¡¯s new project¡­ Mana trains were one of the most important technologies that were almost equivalent to warp gates inside the Imperial Captial. She agreed that setting up stores in the stations was a pretty good idea. However, that wasn¡¯t the problem. Why did he ask Bertus and not me? I¡¯m also the daughter of the Emperor, so he could have asked me to get his permission as well. It wasn¡¯t something only Bertus was capable of. While they didn¡¯t see each other every day and didn¡¯t always get along that well, she still thought that their relationship was close enough that they could share secrets they wouldn¡¯t be able with anyone else with each other. However, he¡¯d still consulted Bertus instead of herself for something as important as that. Why? Did Bertus seem more reliable and capable than her? Obviously, Reinhardt did declare that he would stick to both her and Bertus, acting like a double agent, which Charlotte thought was ridiculous. So he worked hard to look good to both Bertus and herself. Bertus was in the same class, so he could talk to him easier and ask for favors like that¡ªshe understood that. She understood it¡­ But she still got mad. Why did he tell Bertus and not me? Does he actually hate me? When her thoughts reached that point, Charlotte stopped in her steps. Charlotte couldn¡¯t help but stand there in a daze as she was about to enter the Royal Class¡¯ Dormitory. Reinhardt might actually hate me. She¡¯d forced Reinhardt to accompany her in her search for that boy when she found out that he knew things that he shouldn¡¯t have. Reinhardt didn¡¯t cooperate with her out of his own will, but he just obeyed her when she asked him to cooperate. He only reluctantly worked for her because the lives of the Rotary Gang¡¯s members were at stake to begin with. He only acted because he had no other choice but to do her bidding, and in reality, he might have been reluctant to do those things. He might fear that if his secret got leaked or discovered he might disappear without anyone knowing. That secret¡­ No one would actually want to get to know something like that. In the end, her own circumstances were just that, her own circumstances. That was the first time Charlotte realized¡­ She had always only used Reinhardt. She¡¯d never wondered how he felt about things or what his thoughts were and how much she was actually pressuring him. She really felt grateful and thankful for his help, even though the tasks she made him do were always accompanied by such danger. However, that was it. Reinhardt sympathized with my situation, my plight, and my sorrow; that was why he was helping me. That was what I had always thought.. However, Reinhardt was actually reluctant to cooperate, crushed by the weight of her authority. He wasn¡¯t actually worried about her at all. He might have only begrudgingly dealt with her as well. She was so selfish. Reinhardt might actually be more comfortable with Bertus than her. ¡ªBecause Bertus wouldn¡¯t ask Reinhardt to do anything dangerous like her. That was what Charlotte realized, leading to her standing there in a daze for quite a long time. * * * Charlotte headed to Class A¡¯s dormitory without even knowing what she should tell Reinhardt. She felt like she had to apologize. But how? She had no idea what she should say. I¡¯m sorry for making you feel pressured. I¡¯m sorry for taking it for granted that you would take such risks. You don¡¯t have to do something like bring me letters anymore. But how would she get in touch with the kid then? Charlotte couldn¡¯t even ask her own people to do those things. Those guys couldn¡¯t even find any clues to the whereabouts of the boy while she¡¯d immediately found a lead when she was investigating with Reinhardt. Only Reinhardt knew that truth because she wanted as few people as possible to know about it. However, Dyrus and her own people had already changed their perception of the boy. They had judged that he might be the only lead to solve her condition, so they had stopped the search. If she wanted Reinhardt to stop doing dangerous things, she would have to stop sending letters through him. However, then the only link she had with the boy would be lost. She would forever be cut off from the feelings that got conveyed to her through the letters. Only by continuing to use Reinhardt for her own selfish reasons could the link with the boy be kept alive. He had to continue to expose himself to all that pressure and danger. I¡¯m grateful to Reinhardt, but I don¡¯t think it would be fair to him to make him keep doing this just for my gratitude. What¡­ What should I do? This is something I really don¡¯t want to lose. However at that rate, she would have to keep sacrificing someone else¡¯s safety for herself. She might even continue to sacrifice those who treated her with goodwill that actually came out of hostility, until one day they might truly get sacrificed. Charlotte continued to head to Class A¡¯s dormitory still not knowing what she should say. The voice that had become more than familiar to her by then, was ringing in the hallway. She knew who it was, even though she couldn¡¯t actually see his face. -No seriously, hey. You idiot! Why should I do that? -We¡¯ve already decided! Hmpf! And even if you call me an idiot, I won¡¯t feel mad at all? You know why? Because you¡¯re even more pissed off, you know? -Sure, idiot. -Sure, president. -I am not the president?! I¡¯M NOT! No! I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t do it! -¡­Ah, so this is how it feels, huh? I-I might get why you always tease me. What¡¯s it called again? Tra, tra-something? Trading blows? I heard that¡¯s what it¡¯s called. Right, Mr. President? I¡¯ll be in your care going forward. -Aaaaaah! I¡¯m really not doing it! Please, spare me! -How could I, a mere member, make such a decision, Mr. President? -I told you already that I won¡¯t be the president! ¡°¡­¡± What is this? When Charlotte heard Reinhardt fighting with someone, she wondered whether her worries were rather stupid. Was I mistaken¡­? Was he not burdened by any of that? He seems to be living a happy everyday life in Temple, feeling no pressure, nor tension, nor fear about anything, right? -I beg you! Please! Anything but that. Hm? Give me something else to do. It¡¯s a pain! You get it? A pain in the ass! I¡¯m also busy, you know?! -You said you¡¯ll be in charge of the chores, so aren¡¯t you supposed to do all the chores, including being the president? You promised, didn¡¯t you? -That¡¯s not what I promised! Charlotte somehow lost all her strength, letting her shoulders sink, trudging back to Class B¡¯s dormitory. However, Charlotte¡¯s heavy heart didn¡¯t grow lighter so quickly. I¡¯ve put this off for much too long. It¡¯s time that I make a decision on these things I had held back for such a long time. I think I really need to organize my thoughts now. That was what Charlotte thought. ____ Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Monday¡­ I stopped by the teacher¡¯s office after our common classes for the day were over in the classroom building where we had our common classes. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± ¡°Well, this¡­ It¡¯s a club application form¡­ Yeah.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Mr. Epinhauser narrowed his eyes when he saw the piece of paper I had handed him. Even that guy, who rarely showed any emotions on his face, reacted to that. ¡°If my eyes aren¡¯t playing tricks on me, it says ¡®Magic Research Society¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And the president is Royal Class Year 1 Class A¡¯s Number 11, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°However, as far as I know, you are a supernatural power user with an auxiliary ability called ¡®Self-Suggestion¡¯, and you are currently getting trained in close combat.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The teacher lowered the application form for creating our new club, placed it on his desk, sat down on his chair, and looked up at me. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mr. Epinhauser didn¡¯t say anything, and neither did I. It was really scary when he just stared at me like that. After staring into Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s eyes, who was believed to be able to kill anyone with just his eyes, I felt kind of suffocated. Mr. Epinhauser had helped me out with various things in my first semester because I hadn¡¯t really known what to do. ¡®I bet what he wants to say is something like ¡°You even want to dabble in magic now? Are you crazy?¡±¡¯ ¡°Teacher, please just say something.¡± It was scarier if he just continued to stare at me. ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t out of your mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m completely sane. Yes.¡± It seemed like Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s patience also had limits. He glared at me, pressed down on a corner of his eyes, and spoke his next words as if vomiting them out. ¡°Then explain.¡± If it had been a normal incident like before, he wouldn¡¯t have shown that kind of reaction. No¡­ Actually, those incidents themselves were supposed to be unusual enough already. I guess they were normal for me, though. If I couldn¡¯t give him a proper explanation, I felt like I would really get hit. Did my hidden talent of making anyone pissed off finally succeed in making even that iron-faced Mr. Epinhauser mad? No, but it wasn¡¯t that weird. I was trying to create a magic research club without being able to use magic, after all. ¡°Well, It¡¯s¡­¡± I began to explain everything. * * * ¡°Oh, so it was like this?¡± Fortunately, Mr. Epinhauser didn¡¯t react like ¡°You little punk, did you take the wrong medicine or something?¡± after listening to my explanation. His eyes even seemed to soften a little, so I was about to breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do it either, but I was basically forced to. Yeah.¡± ¡°Why are you forcing yourself to do it if you don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°Ah, well, the situation is kind of complicated, but¡­¡± ¡°Were you coerced?¡± ¡®Yes! I honestly think this could be called coercion! Why did I have to become the president?¡¯ I truly believed that it was quite the bombshell, but Mr. Epinhauser just shook his head instead. ¡°Hm, You¡¯re not the kind of guy who would just take a loss like that, so there must be some reason behind it.¡± Ah¡­ Yeah, I was used to it by then. That was the way I had lived, so I didn¡¯t think I could even deny it anymore. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s quite impressive that you managed to gather quite a few people, and from both Class A and B at that. Do you already have a club room club advisor yet?¡± ¡°Not yet. I believe you are free to assign us a room and teacher.¡± ¡°Okay, then I shall let you know if your club has been approved at a later date.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± It certainly was strange that the president of the club wasn¡¯t a wizard, but almost all of the club members were either wizards or magi. Therefore, there was no reason to not permit the creation of the club. ¡°Number 11¡­¡± I was about to leave Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s private office when he called out to me again. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He just stared at me without saying anything. After a short period of silence, he added something briefly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one merit point.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Mr. Epinhauser didn¡¯t really seem to have a reason to give me a merit point. However, even if he didn¡¯t tell me why, I had a feeling that I understood. The merit point I¡¯d received in the first semester disappeared when they calculated our final grades for the first semester. Quite frankly, I didn¡¯t really care much about my grades at Temple, so I wasn¡¯t that impressed. However, merit points weren¡¯t only useful for grades. If one were subject to disciplinary actions or received demerits, one could offset them with merit points. I didn¡¯t have to use them in that way in the first semester. Of course, I shouldn¡¯t cross certain lines, but I could offset small incidents with that merit point. So¡­ In other words, I had just earned myself temporary disciplinary immunity or the ability to offset a demerit for my second semester. * * * ¡°Did you do it?¡± ¡°Of course I did.¡± Harriet was waiting for me in the hallway, and that was the first thing she asked when I came out, her eyes sparkling. She¡¯d followed me to the teacher¡¯s office because she¡¯d thought I might bail in the middle because I hated the idea of becoming the club¡¯s president. Did she really like it that much that I was made president of the club? Did she want me to get annoyed to death? Huh? Shit¡­ She¡¯d gotten ahold of my weakness. I just wanted to join in name only and show up whenever I felt like it like I did with Grace. However, as the president, I had to be present all the time. If I didn¡¯t show up, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be furious. ¡°The results will be announced later. It¡¯ll take a few days.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± I really loved seeing her mad, but it sure was upsetting seeing her so happy about all of that. No¡­ Wasn¡¯t that kinda bad? Why were my insides churning just by seeing her in a good mood? How far gone was I? ¡°I didn¡¯t mean this when I said that I wanted to be in charge of the chores¡­¡± While it was true that a club president¡¯s job included various miscellaneous things, I didn¡¯t want to do something of that scale! Seeing the rotten expression on my face, Harriet just grinned widely, covering her mouth with one hand. ¡°You know that you have to come to the club room all the time now because you¡¯re the president, right? You can¡¯t skip even once, okay?¡± ¡°Are you that happy about this?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡­!¡± As Harriet was about to say something, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide open, and shook her head wildly. ¡°No! I¡¯m not! I-I¡¯m only happy because I was thinking about how annoyed you would get by all the things you would have to do as the president! That¡¯s what I think is good about all this! Serves you right!¡± ¡°¡­Hey, you brat. This is something I did for you, something I don¡¯t gain anything from, okay? Is it that difficult to say thank you?¡± ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re always like this as well! Every time you are nice to me, you just irritate me in the end! So I¡¯ll do that as well!¡± ¡°No, you weren¡¯t even nice to me first. It¡¯s more than clear. Didn¡¯t you try to irritate me from start to finish?¡± ¡°Oh, what did you saaay-? All the luck for the future, Mr. President!¡± Harriet just said, ¡°Serves you right!¡±, then covered her ears and ran out of the hallway. What ¡°Mr. President¡±? Did she completely forget that the word was supposed to be used as an honorific? * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * My original plan was to bring the magic major students of both classes to the next level, which would have happened a lot later originally, so that they could become stronger just a bit faster. So I made the proposition that they could research magic and hang out together like that, but then I got caught up in it, and in the end, I became their club president as well. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like I could make time for them at all. No matter how much I trained with Ellen every day, I would be able to make some extra time somehow. The location of our classroom as well as the identity of our club advisor would be announced with the discussion results by Mr. Epinhauser. Safe to say, it wasn¡¯t just a matter of getting permission to create the club. It wasn¡¯t a regular club, but a club focused on magic research. We didn¡¯t only need a club room, but facilities in which we could actually perform magical research, and there had to be enough space. It wasn¡¯t something that could be solved by having a meeting, sitting around a table, and chatting. We could use the equipment already present in Temple, but if there was a need to acquire new equipment or anything like that, they would have to report it to the school so that they could buy what they needed within the assigned budget and if their usage was permitted. But wouldn¡¯t I have to do all those things as the class president? I felt depressed¡­ Anyway, after that was done with¡­ Club-related problems wouldn¡¯t crop up for some time, and before that, there were only a few things I had to do which were related to it. Harriet was rather excited and was talking to Adelia about what kind of research she would do when they got permission. Of course, since I was the president, I had to be part of that discussion, but honestly, I had no idea what they were talking about. In the end, it was a quiet day, even though I was a little busy. Of course, just because the day was quiet didn¡¯t mean it was uneventful. I had to keep up with my tight everyday schedule of training. And I had made a big decision. My total achievement points were more than 6000. I¡¯d deliberately saved up my achievement points in case of an emergency because I didn¡¯t know what might happen. Also, my talent-acquiring speed was much too fast. The Royal Class was a place where people who already had talents gathered, and only a few people would manage to awaken new talents. However, I¡¯d managed to awaken two such rare talents in less than a year. As I grew too quickly, I was afraid that people would get suspicious of me, so I¡¯d decided to not awaken a new talent. However, there would be no major crisis in the near future as far as I knew, so it was time for me to gradually awaken my third talent rather than continuing to save up and regretting it later. There was no time like the present. [Mana Control ¨C 4000 Points] The time to bloom my third talent had finally come. Self-suggestion, mana sensitivity, and mana control. I was thinking of slowly starting my mana control training. [Achievement Points have been used.] My new talent, mana control, had been awakened. There were no major changes within my body. While mana sensitivity had also accelerated the pace of my mana growth, the only way I could make use of it was by using the Flame of Tuesday, which directly used mana, until I managed to use magic body strengthening. Valier Age : 17 Race £ºArchdemon Current Status [Strength 8.5(C-)] [Agility 8.8(C-)] [Dexterity 9.9(C-)] [Magical Power 13(C+)] [Stamina 13.2(C+)] Talents Supernatural ¨C Self-Suggestion Mana Sensitivity Mana Control Characteristics [Sacred Spirit] ¨C Increases resistance towards mind magic [Hero¡¯s Blood] ¨C Growth limit has increased dramatically. Increase in growth rate. Abilities [Demon Domination C] (Archdemon¡¯s unique ability) (Cannot be used in current state.) [Self-Suggestion C] [Swordsmanship C] Comprehensive Ability Assessment ¨C Low-ranking Demon Combat Level Assessment ¨C B- Compared to my stats at the beginning of the semester, there were some slight improvements in my physical stats, even though not much time had passed yet. My growth rate seemed to be a lot faster than before. It should have slowed by then, but it instead grew even faster. The reason for that was probably the effect of ¡°Hero¡¯s Blood¡±. Due to the characteristics I shared with Ellen, my growth rate had been dramatically boosted. At that rate, some of my stats might reach B rank by the end of the semester. If I wanted to reach the B- Rank, I would have to get 14 points in a state. That was quite possible. I then had two magic-related talents, but my magical power was still quite low. It was just an investment for my future, after all. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. [Talent ¨C Mana Sensitivity] [Talent ¨C Mana Control] [Sub-talents have been acquired.] [When Magical Power reaches A Rank, ¡®Mana Sensitivity¡¯ and ¡®Mana Control¡¯ will evolve into ¡®Mana Mastery¡¯.] What did that mean? Talent evolution¡­ That concept didn¡¯t exist before. I¡¯d set up comprehensive talents, but for two talents to combine to evolve into one¡­ What the hell was that? Anyway, it was a good thing. There was a possibility that I would receive something rather than nothing. There were a total of four students in the Royal Class who had comprehensive talents. Ellen¡¯s ¡®Mana Mastery¡¯ and ¡®Weapon Mastery¡¯ Cliffman¡¯s ¡®Combat¡¯ Harriet¡¯s ¡®Magic¡¯ Louis Ancton¡¯s ¡®Studying¡¯ Furthermore, Dettomolian¡¯s ¡®Sorcery¡¯ could be added to this. Anyway, comprehensive talents had overwhelming advantages. When I bought my first talent it cost me 1000 points, after that, when I got my first magic talent, it only cost me 2000 points. But what about now? [Swordsmanship ¨C 8000 Points] Far beyond the 1000, 2000 and 4000 Points I needed before, I needed 8000 achievement points to awaken my fourth talent. I didn¡¯t even know what I had to do to earn that many points. So what about comprehensive talents? [Magic ¨C 50000 points] [Combat ¨C 50000 points] [Weapon Mastery ¨C 30000 points] [Studying ¨C 30000 points] It wasn¡¯t just twice as expensive, all of them had gotten a lot more expensive than what they used to cost. I couldn¡¯t even dream of spending or earning that many achievement points to buy a comprehensive talent. And suddenly I had the possibility of receiving one. Mana Mastery, one of Ellen¡¯s talents, was a combination of Mana Control and Mana Sensitivity. [Mana Mastery ¨C 50000 points] Among the comprehensive talents, it was the priciest second only to Magic and Combat. They were necessary talents for wizards as well as close combat fighters who were dreaming of reaching the Master Class. And then the talent above these two, Mana Mastery. While it wasn¡¯t at the level of Magic Body Strengthening, one would definitely be able to reach the Master Class using it, while not as easily. However, its acquisition conditions were rather strict. ¡®A¡¯ rank in Magical Power¡­ In other words, the concept behind it seemed to be that my talents would be forced to evolve as my understanding and control over magic itself would become a lot stronger after I reached Rank A in my Magical Power stat. Bertus also had Mana Sensitivity and Mana Control, however, his rank in Magical Power wasn¡¯t A, so if he were to reach Rank A in that stat, would he also acquire Mana Mastery? Actually, Ellen¡¯s Magical Power Rank had been A ever since I¡¯d first seen her. Ellen¡¯s magical power was on the level of a monster, too. So that meant that Mana Mastery wasn¡¯t an innate talent, but one that could be acquired if certain conditions were satisfied. My Magical Power was 13 at Rank C+ at the moment. Rank specifications were as follows. 14~15(B-) 16~17(B) 18~19(B+) 20~22(A-) 23~25(A) 26~30(A+) My magical power had to go up by 10 points to reach Rank A. My initial magical power stat was 9.9. So far, it had risen by 3.1 points, and according to that Yoga Master, that was pretty fast. It had risen by 3 in half a year, but if it kept growing at that rate, I would take me more than a year to go up by 10 more. Of course, it would be a different story if I completely focused on my magical power growth rather than anything else. In any case, a new goal had appeared like a bolt from the blue and it was also different from anything I had expected as well. A new talent¡­ And talent evolution¡­ Mana Mastery was the talent I needed most at that moment. ____ Chapter 204 Chapter 204 I had a lot to do, and in the end, even my training had to be supplemented. My training routine ended up being different from my first semester. Part of it was due to the enhancement of my supernatural power. -Kwaking! ¡°I definitely felt it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I think it would be good if you did more of that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Ellen took my blow and nodded. Self-Suggestion was quite the ambiguous supernatural power. So, up to that point, I had used it by recalling the strengthening type preset in practice. That was when I had come up with a more efficient way to use it, and it seemed to be quite effective. It was a bit cringy to talk about it in detail, and it was also rather cringy to use it, but as long as it worked, that didn¡¯t really matter. Rather than general strengthening, it was closer to a specialization¡ªit was a way to diversify the use of my supernatural ability. One was the specialization of my Self-Suggestion. And then there was another thing¡­ ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t even know how to teach you that either.¡± Ellen was staring at me as I stood there with my eyes closed doing nothing. I had taken my first step towards Mana Mastery. I was trying to learn Magic Body Strengthening. Ellen had realized how to use Magic Body Strengthening on her own. Since then, she had been focusing on adapting and mastering her Magic Body Strengthening through one-on-one lessons. Ellen was quite the unique case, so only she could take those classes during her first year. I wouldn¡¯t be accepted even if I applied. While I did have my supernatural ability, I still needed to be able to strengthen myself using magic as well. While trying to handle magic like that, I would also speed up the growth of my Magical Power stat. That was why I trained in the training room for a long time and then received one-on-one lessons on Magic Body Strengthening from Ellen. However, Ellen was quite literally a genius beyond any other genius, so she just looked at me as if to say that she just knew how to do it, wondering why I didn¡¯t. ¡°I can just do it, but why can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Fucking hell, are you and I the same? You¡¯re the weird one for just being able to do it!¡± ¡°¡­But still.¡± ¡° ¡®But still¡­¡¯ what?¡± ¡®Were you and I the same?!¡¯ Since I had two talents related to magic, I wondered if I could maybe get a feeling for Magic Body Strengthening. But I didn¡¯t feel a thing. 4000 points¡­ Was it really worth spending all of those points? I had no idea what changed! Well¡­ Bertus would already be a Swordmaster if it would just work as soon as one had those two talents. He had them since the beginning, after all. Mana Mastery¡­ That was the deciding factor. ¡°Hmm¡­ Hmm¡­¡± Ellen also seemed to struggle with how to explain the technique to me, saying that she just released her magical power and ended up doing it. Yeah¡­ I also wouldn¡¯t be able to explain to someone how to breathe. I just knew how to do it. Magical Body Strengthening was just like breathing to Ellen. Ellen just started to frown, mumbling to herself, and shook her head, seeming as if she just couldn¡¯t come up with a proper way to explain. What¡¯s that? Wasn¡¯t she pretty cute, acting like that? It put me in a good mood somehow. ¡°Just try again.¡± ¡°¡­Again, you say. That would mean that I did something before, though.¡± I really hadn¡¯t done anything¡­ I had no idea how to even start. If she just asked me to try again, nothing would happen, just like before! ¡°Anyway, just do it.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Ellen sat in front of me as I tried to focus. Of course, I didn¡¯t fucking know what to do. There was that thing called magical power in one¡¯s body, but I had no idea how to even feel it, so how could it be possible for me to strengthen my body with that stuff? ¡°Did it fail?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Ellen just clasped my hands with a puzzled expression on her face. Was she able to detect anything? However, Ellen suddenly put my hands down as if something startled her. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°¡­No. Keep going.¡± What happened? Did she get shy suddenly? She didn¡¯t seem to care before, though? After that, Ellen didn¡¯t grab my hands again. She just stared at me like that. We sat facing each other as I kept on groaning for hours. It was hellish training. I felt like a blind man trying to grasp what an elephant looked like by touching it. No, that couldn¡¯t even be called training because I didn¡¯t even know how to start the process. * * * If one invested time in things such as swordsmanship or physical training, one would get results mostly equivalent to the time spent on them. Even if one¡¯s growth rate grew slower eventually, it was obvious that the physical pain one felt would lead to more growth in the end. However, that didn¡¯t apply to Magic Body Strengthening. Ellen was too gifted and only gave unrealistic and vague explanations, and I only ended up wanting to shit because all I did was put my strength in my stomach. ¡®Should I wait until it¡¯ll be part of our regular curriculum?¡¯ But I didn¡¯t know if I would be able to do it even if I took those lessons. I thought that I would be able to do something because I had all the necessary talents. If I managed to be able to use Magic Body Strengthening before the end of that year, I would be called a genius, while not to Ellen¡¯s level. I wasn¡¯t expecting too much. Everything would be solved if those two talents evolved into Mana Mastery. So, except for the midterm exams, the group mission, and the final exam, there were no incidents or special events planned for Temple. Of course, I didn¡¯t have any time to just be idle because I had to train, take care of the Rotary Gang¡¯s business, and look after the Magic Research Society. Most of the main story during the second semester took place during the festival and the group mission, however, I didn¡¯t know what might happen in the future. During the first semester, I acted a bit hateful and disgusting because I didn¡¯t want to be looked down on by the others, so no one dared to do that. That was why I planned on staying out of trouble after that. There was no reason for me to pick fights with others anymore, after all. I was trying to act in a more constructive way. I wanted to focus on things like making money, getting stronger, and gaining influence. It wasn¡¯t exactly stressful, but in the end, I still had a lot of things I had to take care of, so I was suffering from fatigue, if not chronic fatigue. And so, a few days later¡­ There was another thing I was rather concerned about. ¡°Uhm. Ah¡­ Hello. Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh¡­¡± Charlotte still wasn¡¯t comfortable around me. I felt something more from her behavior than awkwardness. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * After Dettomolian¡¯s fortune telling, things had become awkward between Charlotte and me for no apparent reason. However, there was no reason for us to believe what he told us at all. I thought things would get better after a while, but they didn¡¯t. No, rather, things had gotten even more awkward than when we¡¯d just heard his prophecy. Technically, rather than awkward, she just seemed incredibly uncomfortable around me. She couldn¡¯t even make eye contact with me, and if we ever ran into each other in the hallway, she would only greet me briefly before quickly passing by. What the hell? Did she become overly conscious of me because she had been thinking about that too much? That didn¡¯t seem to be the case. If that were the case¡­ shouldn¡¯t she seem more¡­ energetic? It didn¡¯t seem that she became conscious of me in that way, but it was more than obvious that she was very aware of me for a slightly different reason. But I didn¡¯t really have much contact with Charlotte. For what reason did she feel so uncomfortable around me? D-did I cause trouble without knowing? I had reached the point where I even doubted myself. However, I couldn¡¯t think of any particular reason why Charlotte would feel like that except for the incident with Dettomolian. What the fuck? Did she really just become conscious of me as a man? I don¡¯t think so, though? Unless¡­? Ah¡­ Was that what one called being delusional? What the hell was I thinking? I seriously started thinking stuff like ¡°What if the Princess suddenly fell for me after hearing that divination?¡±, but Charlotte was still completely fixated on Valier, right? No, well, that was also me, though. But what should I call it if Charlotte, who seemed to have fallen in love with Valier, suddenly turned to me? A change of heart? But both of them were me, so it couldn¡¯t be that. Well, maybe it could still be called a change of heart. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Why?¡± ¡°You look frustrated.¡± Eventually, Ellen, who was going back with me after our classes ended, spoke up. * * * I had many problems, but I felt like Charlotte¡¯s attitude changing all of a sudden was rather strange, which threw my thoughts into disarray. Charlotte was a person dear to me, after all, regardless of my personal needs and reasons. She was the first person I¡¯d met in this world, and she was also the person who¡¯d made me realize that I was capable of risking my own life to save someone else. After various twists and turns, we¡¯d reunited, and while our direct meeting wasn¡¯t that good, we¡¯d ended up with a normal¡ªmaybe even moderately friendly¡ªrelationship. But something had changed ever since we talked with Dettomolian. Charlotte would pass me by while greeting me awkwardly as if she felt embarrassed ever since then, but she didn¡¯t only seem embarrassed, it looked like she found it difficult to greet me and would shuffle past me with her head bowed. While I didn¡¯t know what exactly happened, I understood that the situation was getting weirder. Let¡¯s just assume¡­ Let¡¯s just say that Charlotte really liked me (Reinhardt)¡­ Then what would that mean for the future? What if Charlotte confessed and I said I didn¡¯t like her in that way? What would happen then? Wouldn¡¯t they say something like, ¡°How dare someone of such humble standing refuse the courtship of the Imperial Princess?¡± and send my head flying? But what if I said something like, ¡°It¡¯s my honor, Princess.¡±? Wouldn¡¯t they say something like, ¡°There is no place for someone like you in the Imperial Family!¡± and send my head flying? Whatever I did, my head would go flying. I was pretty sure that wasn¡¯t her view on things, I was just arbitrarily thinking stuff like, ¡°What if the Princess actually liked me?¡±. I didn¡¯t know what Charlotte was thinking. Or was she perhaps afraid? Was she afraid that Dettomolian¡¯s prophecy would come true, so she tried to put some distance between us? What should I do if that was the case? I had no intentions of marrying her, so should I just tell her to treat me like usual? Then wouldn¡¯t they say stuff like, ¡°How dare you discuss something like marriage with the Princess?¡± and send my head flying? No, no matter how I thought about it, it would just end in my head being sent flying. I didn¡¯t really know her reasons. It just seemed that Charlotte was uncomfortable around me. Sometimes I felt like she was trying to avoid me somewhat. It might be something like that. Although we had only spent one day together, Charlotte liked me (Valier). That was certain. However, she¡¯d been told that she would end up marrying the other me (Reinhardt). Did she try to avoid me because she thought that her feelings for Valier would end up fading otherwise? Of course, I didn¡¯t believe that Dettomolian¡¯s words would come true. But let¡¯s say it really was a prediction of the future. If it was some kind of oracle, for example¡­ Rather, wouldn¡¯t the actions one took to avoid the oracle¡¯s fulfillment turn into actions that actually led to it? Just like King Laius¡¯ action of abandoning Oedipus after hearing the oracle that his son would end up killing himself and marrying his wife became the decisive event that led to its fulfillment. If that was the case, the action Charlotte took to distance herself from me would only become the decisive action that would make the oracle come true. Of course, that was only under the assumption that Dettomolian¡¯s words would really come true. In the end, all stories involving oracles had the same message: Fate was unavoidable, and what would happen had to happen. The actions one took to avoid said fate would only bring one closer to its fulfillment. While I was thinking about that problem involving Charlotte, I felt an eerie feeling burning my spine. I started to think that everything I did to stop the Gate Crisis would either have no effect or might cause a slew of other completely unexpected problems. The Gate Crisis was fated to happen. And I was trying to prevent it. Would the measures I took to prevent it actually work properly? And even if they worked, would there just be a different kind of Gate Crisis? I couldn¡¯t tell. The Gate Incident would happen later. Charlotte seemed to really feel uncomfortable around me, and I wasn¡¯t sure why, but I thought it might have something to do with Dettomolian¡¯s words. That was the problem. If Charlotte had decided to distance herself from me, what was I supposed to say to her? That she didn¡¯t have to do that? Did I even have the right to say anything? Charlotte could do whatever she wanted, and it was rather weird if I just told her what to do or what not to do. Eventually, while I was thinking in my room, my communication device rang. [¡­Reinhardt.] Charlotte¡¯s slightly gloomy voice came out of the device. [Can we¡­ talk for a moment?] Judging by her voice, it seemed like she had come to a decision. * * * At Charlotte¡¯s request, I left Royal Class¡¯s dormitory. Charlotte was waiting for me at a bridge stretching over a small pond, deep in the park in front of the dormitory. There was no one around because people usually didn¡¯t venture that deep into it. Although only a few people ever went there, it was well maintained, and the pond¡¯s water was transparent and clear. With her arms on the bridge¡¯s railing, Charlotte looked at me, then nodded. ¡°You came.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She had a slightly different feeling about her than the Charlotte who had just passed by me up until then. Before, she¡¯d seemed beyond awkward and uncomfortable. Seeing her there, she had an incredibly sad look in her eyes. Charlotte leaned against the bridge railing, looking in the direction of the pond, and I leaned against the other one looking in the opposite direction. We didn¡¯t face each other. I thought that would be more comfortable for Charlotte and me. I didn¡¯t know what to say to Charlotte. ¡°I have been acting strangely these days, haven¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t say no to that. Yeah, you¡¯ve been weird.¡± ¡°After hearing something as embarrassing as that¡­ I just couldn¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°I was like that as well¡­¡± Dettomolian¡¯s words¡­ He¡¯d told us we would get married in the future. That might have been why Charlotte had been acting like that. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous, right?¡± Charlotte and I getting married¡­ She said it was ridiculous; I agreed with that. ¡°Yeah¡­ You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel bad when I say something like that?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Charlotte looked at me with a slightly mischievous smile tugging at her lips. I was slightly taken aback by that. ¡°Well, you know. I don¡¯t think of you in that way, but because you denied it so vehemently, I felt annoyed for no apparent reason. ¡®Am I really that bad a catch?¡¯ was what I was thinking.¡± ¡°N-no. No! That¡¯s not it! You know what I meant when I said that!¡± It¡¯s not because I hated the idea of marrying her that I said that it would never happen, I had just been saying that from a realistic point of view. It could never happen! She knew that! It wasn¡¯t like I wasn¡¯t low-key happy to hear that I might marry an Imperial Princess, but I¡¯d just gotten freaked out and denied it, saying that it would never happen. Right, that might have been upsetting. ¡°¡­That wasn¡¯t my intention. I¡¯m sorry if that made you feel bad.¡± ¡°I know. I know. I know what you meant. It¡¯s just¡­ It¡¯s something that has no hope of happening. I think¡­ it would have been even worse if you were actually happy when you heard it. That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Charlotte was smiling at me. Well¡­ If I actually said something like, ¡°I¡¯d love that. Marrying an Imperial Princess in the future. Life sure is good,¡± that would have been seriously weird. It wasn¡¯t that she felt awkward, Charlotte just avoided me out of her own sincerity. It seemed like she actually believed the prophecy, so she¡¯d got scared or something. ¡°Well, he did say that there was a chance that he was wrong, but I still ended up thinking about it seriously, like, ¡°What the hell would have to happen for me to get married to you?¡± something like that.¡± ¡°¡­Seriously?¡± ¡°What? Can¡¯t I do that?¡± ¡°N-no, that¡¯s not it¡­ There¡¯s nothing wrong with that, but¡­ Isn¡¯t it a bit strange to talk about that in front of me?¡± I actually had done that as well. What would have to happen for me to get married to Charlotte? ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not like I like you or am interested in you in that way. I was just thinking, if that were the end result, whether there was a reasonable scenario that would have led to it. I was just curious.¡± Charlotte spoke with a strict expression on her face as if telling me to not misunderstand. Charlotte simply pondered whether there was a reasonable explanation for that outcome. She was watching the fish swimming in the pond. ¡°Reinhardt, you see¡­¡± ¡°¡­Hm?¡± ¡°I think¡­ me ending up marrying you¡­ isn¡¯t so impossible.¡± ¡°¡­Huuh?¡± The answer Charlotte gave me was far beyond anything I could have imagined. She smiled at me, who was completely dumbfounded. I didn¡¯t know what she was thinking, but that smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ____ Chapter 205 Chapter 205 A marriage between me and Charlotte¡­ Just like I thought about it, Charlotte thought about it as well. Charlotte seemed to think that it wasn¡¯t that impossible. I actually didn¡¯t think that it was completely impossible either. However, It wouldn¡¯t be between her and Reinhardt, but between her and Valier. However, what Charlotte was saying was that she didn¡¯t find it that impossible that she would end up marrying Reinhardt, not Valier. Charlotte looked at me with narrowed eyes when she saw me panicking. ¡°What? Do you want to deny it again? Do you hate me that much?¡± ¡°N-no! It¡¯s not that I hate you! It¡¯s because you said something like that so suddenly!¡± Didn¡¯t she basically ask me to marry her? Wouldn¡¯t it be weirder if I didn¡¯t get flustered? ¡°That¡¯s not what it meant? Does that mean you like me then?¡± ¡°W-why are you doing this to me¡­?¡± I¡¯d said I didn¡¯t hate her, so that meant I had to like her? What the hell did she want from me? Charlotte clicked her tongue. ¡°So you can¡¯t even say that you like me. You¡¯re a very strange person. Just what do I lack?¡± ¡°P-please. I¡¯m about to go crazy here. I can¡¯t give you an answer because this feels like a trap no matter what I do.¡± ¡°Hmhmm. Fine. I¡¯ll stop bullying you then.¡± When I basically pleaded to her on the cold, hard ground, Charlotte¡¯s smile reached her eyes as if telling me that she would stop for the moment. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ I don¡¯t know how you think or feel. I mean, do you know what thoughts I hold in my heart?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Charlotte said that she¡¯d imagined what would have to happen in order for her to end up marrying me in the future. She didn¡¯t know my thoughts, but she did know her own, so she just imagined those scenarios according to what she knew. ¡°You and I share a certain secret. Because of that, I might become emotionally dependent on you after some time, I might even come to love you¡­ That¡¯s what I thought.¡± The matters concerning Valier. If she was talking about secrets, it would be that. I was personally delivering those letters to her as well. However, wasn¡¯t I just a kind of contact person? In fact, Charlotte wasn¡¯t actually emotionally relying on Reinhardt, but Valier. So how did she end up thinking that she might end up being emotionally dependent on me to the point where she might start to love me? ¡°¡­Not on that boy?¡± As if she knew that I would ask that, Charlotte smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to deliver those letters anymore.¡± Charlotte was wearing the saddest smile I had ever seen in my life. * * * ¡°¡­I have been acting quite selfish so far. While you were taking so many risks, I never even thought about how dangerous these things actually were or how you felt about all this. I know you feel troubled because you¡¯re basically stuck between Bertus and me. All this might be burdensome to you, you might even be scared. However, I never thought about that possibility.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I think I took too many things for granted, only voicing my gratitude and nothing more.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Reinhardt. I don¡¯t think it was right of me to ask something like that of you just because I¡¯m the Imperial Princess.¡± ¡°You might have reluctantly cooperated with me because you risked losing your gang members who are like your family if you turned down my request, but I never thought of that. Maybe you weren¡¯t actually worried about that, but I still should have considered it.¡± ¡°As someone asking another person to undertake such dangerous work, I should have considered just what kinds of risks that person had to shoulder, how pressured they would feel, how scared they had to be¡­ I didn¡¯t even think about such matters.¡± ¡°I was negligent. It¡¯s all my fault, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°The only reason you walk on this tightrope is because of my request.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be better off just being on Bertus¡¯s side in Class A.¡± ¡°However, because of me, because of my greed, you got involved in this dangerous tug-of-war between us.¡± ¡°I put you in danger, I made you suffer, and then I acted as if my gratitude was already payment enough for what you did.¡± ¡°You had no reason to help me. What I have done to you up to this point was nothing more than coercion:¡± ¡°So, Reinhardt. I want to apologize for my actions up to this point.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to deliver those letters for me anymore. I already received so much from you. You can finally stop that dangerous tightrope walk. You can finally choose to be just on one side.¡± ¡°On Bertus¡¯s side.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not upset about it, I don¡¯t deserve to be.¡± ¡°If you were to stand on my side, you would become Bertus¡¯s enemy. If you stand on Bertus¡¯s side, however, I won¡¯t ever be your enemy.¡± Charlotte just looked at me quietly after she finished talking. She wasn¡¯t worried about that marriage prophecy or something like that. The letters¡­ She felt disappointed in herself because she didn¡¯t consider how much pressure I must have been under for delivering those letters. That was why Charlotte felt so uncomfortable around me. I didn¡¯t really find it difficult, though. And yet she felt apologetic towards me. I had no clue where she¡¯d gotten that idea from, but Charlotte was telling me that I could stop delivering those letters. ¡°Then¡­ Will you deliver those letters¡­ through someone else then? Is it something like that?¡± If I stopped, someone else would have to visit Eleris in person. I didn¡¯t think of that before. That would complicate things quite a bit. However, Charlotte just shook her head. ¡°No, I won¡¯t let anyone else deliver the letters.¡± Her answer was completely unexpected. ¡°You didn¡¯t know, right? There are only three people who know that boy¡¯s whereabouts. You, me, and that wizard.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even tell any of my people. For certain reasons, I have become completely unable to tell anyone else now.¡± So if she wouldn¡¯t let anyone else deliver them, would Charlotte herself bring them to Eleris? ¡°So¡­ What are you going to do, then?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t contact him anymore.¡± When Charlotte called me on my communication device, her voice seemed full of determination as if she had just decided on something. She wasn¡¯t trying to negotiate with me or anything like that. She¡¯d decided to break off any contact she had with Valier. Charlotte didn¡¯t tell any of her people about Valier¡¯s whereabouts, keeping it a secret. At first, she did it because she thought the fewer people know, the better, but then she simply couldn¡¯t tell them for a completely different reason. Every time I had to pretend to deliver letters to her, write them, and read her replies, I felt guilt stabbing my heart. I wouldn¡¯t have to write these hellish letters anymore. That would be great. ¡°What I mean to say is, you don¡¯t have to take on any more risks.¡± However, if Charlotte was scared that she¡¯d exposed me to danger and felt guilty because she thought that she¡¯d forced me to do something, she didn¡¯t have to be. She shouldn¡¯t force herself to break off something she didn¡¯t want to break off while wearing such a sad expression. ¡°Looks like you still have no fucking clue about me?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± While Charlotte spoke very gently and softly, I talked pretty roughly. The way someone would talk if they felt pissed. The way that bastard Reinhardt would. ¡°I¡¯m the kinda bastard that would fucking yell at ya if I didn¡¯t wanna fucking do something.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Charlotte looked at me, slightly perplexed when those harsh words suddenly left my mouth. I guessed that she didn¡¯t expect me to react like that. Yeah, the Reinhardt everyone knew was a crazy bastard. He was the type of guy who would get annoyed if things didn¡¯t work out his way, which would lead him to act on his temper. And if someone was acting like a fucking jerk, he would directly ask them why they were acting like a fucking jerk¡ªno matter who that person was. Speaking harshly to Charlotte for the first time, I asked her if she fucking forgot what kind of guy I was. ¡°If I thought your request was shit, I would have fucking said that it was shit. So, did I ever do that?¡± ¡°No¡­ You didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°See? I did that stuff ¡®cause I wanted to.¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened at my words. ¡°I just shout out whatever comes to my mind and do whatever I want to. You¡¯re no exception.¡± No. Charlotte was kind of an exception¡­ And so was Bertus¡­ But for the moment, I just had to put it like that! ¡°I did it because I wanted to. I mean, I wouldn¡¯t have fucking done it if I didn¡¯t want to, so your worries and apologies are meaningless.¡± Clear droplets were gradually forming in the corners of Charlotte¡¯s eyes. ¡°So if you want me to deliver those letters again, don¡¯t think about that useless stuff and just give em to me.¡± ¡°You want to deliver them?¡± ¡°You want to have them delivered, right? I mean, what¡¯s so hard about delivering those small pieces of paper anyway?¡± Tears rolled down Charlotte¡¯s eyes; then she looked at me with a helpless smile on her lips. She was crying, and yet, she was laughing. ¡°Yeah¡­ So that¡¯s what you¡¯d say, as expected.¡± Did she even expect that that would happen? Did she know I would react like that? Charlotte wiped away her tears with a handkerchief. ¡°Still, it¡¯s okay, you really don¡¯t have to deliver those letters anymore.¡± Charlotte spoke these words with a sad look in her eyes. It seemed like she had already made up her mind about Valier, the problem she had with me aside. ¡°Why¡­ if it¡¯s not too rude to ask?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not rude. It¡¯s just a difficult question to answer.¡± Charlotte bowed her head slightly as she faced me. I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised because I didn¡¯t expect her to act that way. ¡°Thank you very, very much, Reinhardt.¡± I didn¡¯t have to deliver Charlotte¡¯s letters anymore from that point on. I didn¡¯t have to torture myself by writing those replies lined with nothing but lies anymore. However, it was far more torturous for me to see Charlotte struggling with her own sadness like that. But there was nothing I could say to her. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Charlotte didn¡¯t weep loudly, however she shed some tears that she wiped away. After some time, she found her composure again. She turned to me again wearing a rather awkward smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I always end up showing you this ugly side of me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just think of it as an honor.¡± Wasn¡¯t it actually pretty bad that the Imperial Princess was the only one who would end up revealing her weak side every time? ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s what I wanted to say. You don¡¯t have to deliver any letters from now on. So you don¡¯t have to walk that tightrope between me and Bertus anymore.¡± Charlotte said she wouldn¡¯t resent or see me as her enemy even if I completely joined Bertus¡¯s side. When I thought of it, I only had contact with Charlotte because of that request. If I didn¡¯t have to deliver those letters anymore, there would be no reason for me to have any connection to Charlotte. So she was essentially letting me go. No. ¡°So should we pretend that we don¡¯t know each other from now on or something?¡± ¡°We¡­ should, shouldn¡¯t we¡­?¡± Charlotte seemed a little dazed when I said that without a hint of hesitation. ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of sad?¡± ¡°H-huh?¡± When I threw the fastball that I would be sad at her, Charlotte seemed even more shocked. ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t say that I enjoy almost getting squashed between Bertus and you, but if you just tell me to stick to Bertus, doesn¡¯t that mean that you were actually just using me? Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°W-well¡­ I would, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I thought we were friends. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been helping you so far.¡± ¡°F-friends?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that shocked reaction? Did you really just think of me as Henchman One?¡± ¡°N-no! No! Not at all! I never thought of you like that!¡± Charlotte¡¯s face reddened and she wildly shook her head. I felt like I had been squirming before Charlotte up until then. However, as she felt very apologetic towards me, she seemed very flustered when I uttered those words. One could say that the tables had turned. Even though what I was talking about was pretty much nonsense, Charlotte still ended up stuttering like that. ¡°So¡­ are we friends?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± When I asked her that with a big smile spreading across my face, Charlotte¡¯s lips trembled slightly as she slightly raised her head. It might have been unbearably embarrassing for her to say with her own mouth, or maybe the situation just seemed utterly ridiculous to her ¡°So, yes or no?¡± ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s¡­ Urg¡­¡± That was something I used to say when I was trying to pressure someone. It¡¯s what I¡¯d used when Cayer was picking a fight with me. In my second semester, I could say those words to the Imperial Princess¡ªalthough the details were slightly different. It¡¯s not like I was friends with that other guy, after all! ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s correct¡­¡± Maybe because she felt ashamed or humiliated, she nodded slightly, her face red, and body trembling slightly. ¡°So, you can obviously ask a friend for help or something, you can also meet up with them on your way back and talk to them, so don¡¯t think too much about this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re too smart. Sometimes that¡¯s the root of your problems.¡± If she wanted to interpret a situation badly, she would always imagine the worst-case scenario. I just did what I did because Charlotte requested me to, and after she started to think that she might have forced me, she became convinced that she¡¯d somehow made a big mistake. Spending too much time alone with one¡¯s thoughts would lead to problems, after all. Of course, I also spent an unhealthy amount of time alone with my thoughts. I¡¯d also noticed that Charlotte was uncomfortable around me, so I¡¯d also let my imagination run in very weird directions. My imagination was so far apart from what actually was going on. Both Charlotte and I had deeply thought about the other on our own, making various assumptions. And both of us were completely wrong. In the end, we had to confront each other to find out the truth. Charlotte was a little dazed when she heard that the root of the problem was that she was too smart. She then took a few deep breaths. When the color of her face returned to normal, Charlotte looked at me with a somewhat playful smile on her face. ¡°Right, we¡¯re friends. So let me ask you something. ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± ¡°Is Bertus also your friend?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I was a little surprised by that question, which appeared at a rather unexpected time. ¡°Is Bertus your friend as well?¡± ¡°I mean, that¡¯s¡­ Well. It would be nice if he thought that way, I guess¡­¡± Were Bertus and I really friends? I definitely thought of Charlotte as a friend, but I didn¡¯t know how Bertus actually thought of me. With her head slightly tilted, Charlotte smiled at me. ¡°Well, don¡¯t you think that you are actually a lot closer to Bertus than to me?¡± She certainly was smiling, but it somehow seemed a little threatening. What? She thought that I was closer to Bertus? That had to be a misunderstanding. While I had been a bit surprised by Bertus¡¯s behavior, if I had to choose who I was closer to, it would obviously be her! Bertus didn¡¯t only try to kill her, but me as well! ¡°N-no? I don¡¯t think so, though? What makes you think that?¡± ¡°Then why did you ask Bertus to help with your Gang¡¯s new business and not me?¡± Ah. I felt my brain freeze for a second when I heard Charlotte¡¯s words. It was because of that! Bertus told her, so she¡¯d found out! ¡°You had to think that I was unreliable, or you believed that Bertus could do better than me, or you just asked him because you were closer to him personally, right?¡± Why did you ask Bertus when you could have asked me? I thought we were friends. Oh, so you asked Bertus because you were even closer friends with him, is that it? That was what Charlotte seemed to ask with her eyes Did she become upset after she heard about that? No, did she come to the conclusion that I might actually hate her or be afraid of her after thinking about it for a while? ¡°W-well you know, because of the situation between us and that atmosphere, I really couldn¡¯t help but¡­¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t help it? Why?¡± ¡°I-I mean¡­ if I just came up to you and suddenly asked you for a favor right after Dettomolian told us that we were going to end up marrying each other. Aah! That would have been a bit much!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It seemed that Charlotte only just realized when I had made that request. It would have been really weird if I just acted as if I didn¡¯t care at all, so there was no way I would have been able to ask her like that! ¡°¡­¡± Both Charlotte¡¯s and my face were red. After much talking, we eventually came back to the first topic which started everything. Dettomolian¡¯s prophecy¡­ We didn¡¯t say anything for a while. Finally, Charlotte opened her mouth after stammering for a bit. ¡°But really¡­ Honestly, let me ask you one more question.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± Charlotte stared at me. ¡°Am I not good-looking enough for you?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°So, am I attractive enough or not?¡± ¡°W-why would you ask me something like that?!¡± ¡°No! You! You¡¯ve been so strangely repulsed by the idea of marrying me! Shouldn¡¯t you have been glad? No matter how good-looking Ellen Artorius is, how am I inferior to her? I know that there are a few things in which I¡¯m far below her, but I have a lot of good parts as well, right?¡± ¡°Why are you talking about her all of a sudden?!¡± ¡°Anyway, my looks are fine, right?! Just tell me! Yes or no!¡± Yes or no. Charlotte shot the question I asked her right back at me. We were talking about quite heavy things up to that point, but after we declared that we were friends, why did the conversation suddenly turn out like that? ¡°Yeah! You¡¯re attractive! Ah! I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°¡­Hearing that from you, it seems like I forced you to do it, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s even worse?¡± ¡°¡­What do you want from me?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure either.¡± Charlotte¡¯s answer grew even more rotten when she heard my answer. Charlotte simply stretched with a sullen expression on her face before she let out a sigh. ¡°Friends¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± She then smiled at me. ¡°Congratulations, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For becoming the second friend of the Imperial Princess of Gradias.¡± She seemed to get along with everyone in Class B. However, it seemed like she drew a line between them and herself in her mind. Did being friends mean a lot to Charlotte? I knew who the first one was without her telling me. The second one¡­ So, in the end, I would be Charlotte¡¯s only friend. Seeing me like that, Charlotte frowned and smiled a bit mischievously. ¡°Consider it an honor.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, it¡¯s an honor.¡± ¡°You seem to be getting more and more comfortable with me, so I shall just think of it as a good sign. Though you did act a bit dirty¡­¡± Charlotte was watching the fish swimming in the pond. The deep sorrow hidden inside of her was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Let¡¯s do our best¡­ Or something.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I didn¡¯t know in what we should do or best. But we should just do our best. That somehow seemed like a form of consolation to me. ____ Chapter 206 Chapter 206 After returning to her private room, Charlotte changed into some comfortable clothes and lay down on her bed, curling up her legs. Had she done well? She had always thought that she had to do that someday. He was already far out of her reach, so she¡¯d thought that she should cut off contact someday. However, she couldn¡¯t make that decision because she felt like the moment she cut off that weak link, everything just might completely disappear. He was within reach¡­ That feeling of being able to see the boy whenever she wanted was very important to her, even though she was unable to actually see him. It was hard for her to have that feeling just disappear. However, eventually, Charlotte decided to break that link herself. She did it because, for one, she realized how much she was endangering Reinhardt with all of it, but she couldn¡¯t keep having contact with that boy anymore for her own sake as well. He was just some boy whose identity was completely unknown. Even he himself didn¡¯t know who he was. Keeping up that link was a foolish act driven by her emotions, and cutting off their connection was, in the end, the most logical choice. ¡®May you be happy in that place where neither Bertus nor I can find you.¡¯ It was the right thing to do for that boy that had been thrown into danger from his involvement with her. If it would really help him, then she¡¯d made the right move. While no one knew who he was, and he was highly suspicious, Charlotte wanted him to be happy. She didn¡¯t know where he was or who he was¡­ But she wished the boy happiness. Charlotte was trying to forget him completely. However, not everything had disappeared. Among all the stupid things she did to find the boy, Charlotte had made another connection. ¡ªA classmate who¡¯d made a rather bad first impression on her and was surrounded by bad rumors. Reinhardt¡­ After helping each other out in various ways, they¡¯d become friends. While trying to find someone she cared for, another person appeared for whom she cared. Charlotte felt guilty. She thought that having such feelings in itself was a form of cowardice. Because she was afraid of treading on the dangerous path, she simply chose the comfortable one instead. She didn¡¯t like Reinhardt in such a way. However, she was worried that those feelings of worry would grow into something else. Charlotte de Gradias was afraid of that. ¡®Detto.¡¯ ¡®I hope it¡¯s true that I will end up marrying Reinhardt.¡¯ Charlotte hugged her pillow and put her face in it. ¡®Because that would mean that I¡¯ll still be alive until then.¡¯ The pillow was gradually getting wet with tears. She felt greatly disappointed in herself that those strong and anxious feelings she had held for that boy could be changed so easily. However, even more than that¡­ She didn¡¯t want to die. She didn¡¯t want to lose the precious life that the boy had saved for nothing. Her life was a gift the boy had given her. It was the only thing remaining from their relationship. She wasn¡¯t that greedy to live. It wasn¡¯t like she desperately wanted to live more. Her life itself was simply precious to her. It was the only and last gift from the person that was most precious to her in the world That was why she didn¡¯t want to lose it. So she¡¯d rather hope that the prophecy would come true. If that were the case, that would mean that she wouldn¡¯t lose this precious treasure until then. It meant she would be able to hold on for a bit longer. Reinhardt thought that If the prophecy of his marriage with Charlotte de Gardias came true, that would mean both of them would survive the Gate Crisis. Charlotte had similar thoughts. * * * You don¡¯t have to deliver those letters anymore. Charlotte hadn¡¯t told me why she had made that decision. I was also wondering why she didn¡¯t even try sending the letters through someone else. I had some doubts and some guesses, but in the end, all speculation was simply meaningless. Only Charlotte would know the truth. In the end, the big stone Dettomolian had thrown into the pond brought about one change after the other. However, things hadn¡¯t really changed. To be exact, things had gone back to normal. ¡°Hello, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°¡­Hi? Hi, and that¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Then what do you want me to say?¡± ¡°¡­Basically, you utterly lack any form of courtesy towards others. It¡¯s not your status that made you that way, there¡¯s something fundamentally wrong with you, you know?¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do then?¡± ¡°You should fix that attitude.¡± Correction. Things hadn¡¯t gotten back to normal, I actually talked a little more with Charlotte than I had in the past, and whenever Charlotte saw me, her eyes would turn sharp and she¡¯d scold me for not being friendlier. It felt like our relationship was neither good nor bad. Since there was nothing tying us together anymore, Charlotte and I had become more comfortable with each other, and as I had gotten more comfortable, I sometimes tended to act more crudely, but Charlotte always had something to say about that, so we would fight. It was a little different from how things were between me and Harriet. If we lived in the same dormitory, we might have fought more often, but I didn¡¯t really meet Charlotte that frequently unless we had Supernatural Power Class or our Common Classes. Anyway, Charlotte really wanted to fix my personality. ¡°I¡¯ve been living quite well even though I¡¯m like this, though?¡± ¡°Hooh. Just how could such a beggar be born in the Empire?¡± Sorry, but I¡¯m not from the Empire. I¡¯m what you call an immigrant. Charlotte¡¯s body shook seemingly in disgust before she took Scarlett and went away. Of course, Charlotte was still Charlotte, so even though we quarreled, she smiled and waved to me when she said that she would get going. There was something about Charlotte¡¯s smile that put my mind at ease. It might be because she was the first person I saw when I got there. Charlotte¡¯s mere existence meant a lot to me. Alright¡­ Things that I actually wanted to happen didn¡¯t happen, and events and incidents were popping up in front of me when I least expect or even considered that they might happen. Dealing with those things would only lead to unexpected results. In the end, I didn¡¯t find out what happened for her to stop sending letters, but it was clear that it was over and done with. As for the Magic Research Society, we just needed to wait for those results. I had yet to hear from Bertus regarding the Rotary Gang¡¯s new business as well. That problem with Charlotte had also been settled for the moment. It was clear that things had gotten better just when things had gotten worse. * * * ¡°O-oh! I can feel something!¡± ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°I need to go, I really need to shit.¡± ¡°¡­¡± -Hit! ¡°Ack! Why did you hit me? Why did you hit my head? Will you take responsibility if I turn stupid?¡± ¡°¡­Can you even get more stupid?¡± Ellen stared at me with her eyes narrowed. Her Magic Body Strengthening training didn¡¯t really make any sense to me, so that was all she would say. ¡°Y-you, aren¡¯t you being too fucking harsh? I¡¯m gonna cry, ya hear? At this age! Do you wanna fucking see that? Huh?¡± I, who was in my thirties, would actually start crying after getting hit by a 17-year-old! Just who would want to see that? ¡°Shut up, hurry up and go to the bathroom.¡± I didn¡¯t make any progress in my Magic Body Strengthening training. After I went to the bathroom, I sat back down together with Ellen and resumed my training. ¡°Here.¡± -Glooow¡­ Ellen¡¯s whole body was enveloped by blue magical power, even her eyes were shining blue. Ellen was showing me her Magic Body Strengthening as if asking me to copy her. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been wondering, you know¡­ Can you actually use this as a light source when it gets too dark?¡± ¡°¡­I haven¡¯t tried. And stop talking nonsense. Hurry up and copy me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you get that I keep spouting this nonsense because I just don¡¯t understand how it¡¯s done?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. Hurry up and sit down.¡± Ellen stared at me as if she was ready to hit me with her magically strengthened fist if I said any more nonsense, so I sat across from her, afraid I would piss myself. ¡°And you over there as well.¡± ¡°¡­Me? ¡°Who else is there besides you?¡± She even called Cliffman, who had been beating up a scarecrow on his own, with a single hand gesture, and sat him down as he wore a rather nervous expression on his face. ¡°Well, I seriously don¡¯t get¡­¡± ¡°Try it. You might as well.¡± ¡°¡­I really can¡¯t.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t get it, doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯ll never get it?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s not it!¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * ¡°You¡¯ll have to learn it someday. Just think of this as studying ahead of time.¡± Cliffman was basically pretty unsociable. Dealing with other people seemed to exhaust him a lot more mentally. He was unsociable in a different way than Ellen. The one he had the most difficulty with was Ellen. While I wasn¡¯t sure when it started, at some point, he didn¡¯t just seem to find it difficult to deal with her, he¡¯d actually started to get scared of Ellen. I believe it started around the time when I got caught up in that whole Corrupted Tiamata debacle. He struggled like a mouse before a snake when faced with Ellen, and sometimes, without even meaning to, he would end up being overly polite towards her. As such, the usual training room visitors were training to realize Magic Body Strengthening under Ellen¡¯s tutelage, however, both Cliffman and I showed zero results. Well¡­ If the goal of the Magic Research Society was to raise the strength of the magic major students, Ellen was also just trying to teach us her own way of strengthening her body with magical power. ¡°Erm¡­ It¡¯s said that if you use this technique incorrectly, you would end up getting seriously injured¡­¡± One might get gravely hurt if one did what we were taught, not the teacher. Cliffman tried his utmost to express his refusal, however, Ellen just shook her head. ¡°You two aren¡¯t at the level yet where you could hurt yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± If one were to get injured while poorly controlling one¡¯s magical power, that would mean that one could at least control one¡¯s magical power. Both Cliffman and I couldn¡¯t say anything against Ellen¡¯s verbal attack saying that we first had to know how to do something with which we could hurt ourselves, so we didn¡¯t have anything to worry about for now. ¡°You¡­ Sometimes you talk pretty harshly, you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± In the end, what she said was true, so neither Cliffman nor I could say anything more. * * * I planned on being a little more active starting from the second semester, which was why I started doing various things. My only worry was that Ludwig would only get stronger after going through various ordeals, but there were a lot of plot points missing, so I was slightly concerned about what would happen if Ludwig didn¡¯t manage to get as strong as I¡¯d planned, but I deemed that worry to be useless. That guy actually got stronger the less he had to do. And if things really didn¡¯t work out, I could still make Ludwig stronger with all the knowledge I possessed. There wasn¡¯t only one type of event that I was aware of. While it might change the future, I could still use the events that were available to me. Those events were variable. However, there were some events that would happen no matter what I did, just like there were some that would absolutely never happen no matter what I did. I was going to lay my hands on those little by little. Basically, Temple was equipped with protective barriers and anti-magic measures, however, incidents and accidents would just end up happening constantly. I mean, if there weren¡¯t, it would be difficult to move the plot forward, so some parts of it had to be more lax. Otherwise, nothing would happen in that perfectly safe school environment other than going to class. Fights between students¡­ Evil outside forces¡­. Or inner strife¡­ Originally, I was planning on letting things run their course without interfering. However, as soon as I found out that Ludwig would actually grow a lot stronger through self-improvement as long as nothing happened, I came to the conclusion that it would be fine if I took some preemptive measures in case of such incidents in his stead. In other words, I was acting as the protagonist in order to reduce the burden on Ludwig, the actual protagonist. Ludwig didn¡¯t have to be the protagonist of this world. He wasn¡¯t important, but the Gate Incident was. That was the only thing that had to get resolved. Like that, Ludwig wouldn¡¯t have to go through pain and suffering to grow stronger. There were some things that would definitely happen later on anyway, so there was no reason to let him suffer through those unnecessary things before then. If Ludwig were a coward and would only be able to shake off that cowardice after going through a certain process, I would have let those events happen, but Ludwig was a very righteous guy from the get-go. He wouldn¡¯t be one to run away out of fear in the face of battle. He was someone who would do everything in his might if he had to. Even if he just kept getting stronger through ordinary training, he would be able to carry his own weight later on. I¡¯d already taken measures to strengthen the magic major students. There were a lot of ways through which the combat major students would be able to get even stronger as well. And those ways would be beneficial for me as well, unlike the measures I took for the magic major students. In my first semester, I¡¯d focused on strengthening myself, and during my vacations, I¡¯d also gotten the Holy Sword Tiamata, which I could bring with me wherever I wanted. In my second semester, I¡¯d turned my attention to something other than me, people, and events. If there was something that would happen anyway, I should use everything I had to reduce the damage it would cause, and if it was something that was preventable depending on my behavior, I should consider the gravity of the incident and the impact it would have if I decided to prevent it from happening or let it go. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I would neglect my basic training. I had to do a lot more while still maintaining what I had been doing. My comprehension of Magic Body Strengthening wasn¡¯t really progressing, though it would be a lot stranger if my progress was fast. I didn¡¯t think I was a genius, after all. Using Self-Suggestion, believing that I was a master over magical power, didn¡¯t really work. However, I still kept going, feeling that it would work out somehow, and it also had been less than a month since I started training to strengthen my body using magical power. Although I don¡¯t know if I should call these things projects, anyway, these were my five projects: The Edina Islands business. The Gang¡¯s new business. The Magic Research Society. Magic Body Strengthening training. Interfering with future events. And lastly¡­ The Alpha and Omega of everything. The achievement points. [Achievement Points : 2,430] Of the original 6,430 points, I¡¯d used 4,000 achievement points to awaken a new talent, Mana Control. Talents were inherently rare, so I was a rather talent-rich person having three of them. At the beginning of the first semester, I only had infinite aptitudes, but now I had three talents. I even had a supernatural power, which was incredibly rare, that was why I kept on calling Ellen a genius. Magic Body Strengthening wasn¡¯t actually something possible for a teenager, to begin with. Even those that were talented would only be able to use it after long periods of training. Even in that place, where only talented people gathered, Magic Body Strengthening was a power that only a few would be able to realize. In fact, there were a lot of students that had no idea how to do it until their graduation. So it wasn¡¯t strange that I didn¡¯t have a single clue even while possessing all the essential talents, Mana Sensitivity and Mana Control. Ellen was just extraordinary. Still, even if the skill was beyond me that year, I was sure I would be able to do it next year. Anyway, I didn¡¯t really need any further talents at that point. It would have been nice to have a weapon-related talent, but I didn¡¯t really have any particular one I wanted, and the level of my swordsmanship kept on rising due to my training with Ellen. Furthermore, the achievement points to acquire my next talent would be double 4,000 points, 8,000 points. What really mattered were the achievement points as-is, though. Whether I used them for Revisions or Previews, or, although I had never done that, to add settings or whatever. To me, they were more important than money, especially because I wasn¡¯t sure what might happen, so I¡¯d kept a large amount of them for quite a long period of time, however, I had spent a lot of them this time around. They had a lot of uses, so I wanted to save up a lot of them in case something unexpected happened. There were no quests or events I could complete at the moment, so there was only one way for me to earn achievement points¡­ Just by completing challenges. [List of Challenges] [Take control of the Edina Islands ¨C 40,000 Points] [Take over the Imperial Capital¡¯s underworld ¨C 20,000 Points] [(Festival) Win the Open Tournament ¨C 15,000 Points] [(Festival)Win the First-Year Tournament ¨C 10,000 Points] [Place first in the overall midterm exam ¨C 8,000 Points] Unlike before, there were a lot of additional challenges that gave a lot of points, as well as ones related to the festival. That was the second semester¡¯s main event, after all. But why did they give so many points? What the hell was up with that? Taking control of the Edina Islands? I mean, Airi was there, but they were actually telling me to take over the whole country right that instant, weren¡¯t they? If I remembered right, there was once a challenge that asked me to slap the Emperor. Were the top challenges always things I couldn¡¯t possibly achieve at the moment? What about taking over the Imperial Capital¡¯s underworld? I had no idea what might happen if I decided to do that. [(Festival) Become Miss Temple ¨C 1,100 points](Doesn¡¯t have to be achieved with Reinhardt¡¯s appearance.) [(Festival) Become Mr. Temple ¨C 1,000 points] [(Festival) Win the Cross-dressing Contest ¨C 1,100 points] And what the fuck was that? I understood the part about becoming Mr. Temple, but why was there a challenge telling me to become Miss Temple?! And why did that give me 100 more points than becoming Mr. Temple? That bastard was telling me to do what I did last time! That fucker wanted me to transform with the ring or whatever! And a Cross-dressing Contest? Why did that give me 1,100 points as well? Fuck off! [(Festival) Become Miss Temple ¨C 1,500 points] [(Festival) Win the Cross-dressing Contest ¨C 1,500 points] ¡­What the? Did the number of points I would get as a reward change right in front of my nose? You won¡¯t do it for 1,100 points? Is that so? How about 1,500? That was what that ass was doing, right? I¡¯m not fucking doing it, okay? [(Festival) Become Miss Temple ¨C 2,000 points] [(Festival) Win the Cross-dressing Contest ¨C 2,000 points] The numbers changed yet again right in front of me. No. Did that fucker want to see me dressed up as a woman or using the ring take part in the ¡®Miss¡¯ pageant that bad? ¡®I¡¯m not fucking doing it, ya hear?!¡¯ [(Festival) Become Miss Temple ¨C 4,000 points] [(Festival) Win the Cross-dressing Contest ¨C 4,000 Points] ¡°God damn it.¡± Why was that bastard so generous when it came to shit like that? ¡®4,000 points? I wouldn¡¯t do it even if you gave me 40,000 points!¡¯ W-well, if it actually gave me 40,000 points¡­ with that many points, I might be able to change the future, right¡­? That¡­ Should be enough, right? Would, that guy¡­ give me 40,000? ¡­Yeah, that bastard wouldn¡¯t, right? Perhaps thinking that giving me 40,000 points crossed the line, the rewarded points didn¡¯t change to 40,000. As I looked further, I seemed to find even more challenges that only seemed to serve to deal me mental damage. There were also challenges related to the midterm exam, nothing seemed different from before. As I had already failed that one once, I didn¡¯t plan on touching it again. That was all there was to those challenges after all. They were either too difficult for me to beat or scarring. It was full of strange things like sneaking out of Temple in the middle of the night or getting drunk in the dormitory until I passed out, and the number of points I would get for those was really small. And¡­ [Get your first kiss ¨C 500 points] ¡°¡­¡± Why was that there? And¡­ [Fight against the Orbis Class ¨C 500 Points] Now that bastard was just blatantly encouraging me to actually become a delinquent. ____ Chapter 207 Chapter 207 I was somewhat troubled that the achievement points I¡¯d piled up little by little were spent in one shot. I¡¯d spent a lot of them to get a talent before I¡¯d started my Magic Body Strengthening training. However, since I didn¡¯t know when some kind of incident might happen, I needed to always save up a certain amount of achievement points just in case. So, to make up for the points lost, I tried to collect some through challenges¡­ If I were to win the first-year tournament, I would get a huge amount of points, but I decided to consider it an impossible feat for the moment. Ellen, who was originally supposed to be the winner, had announced that she wouldn¡¯t participate the other day, but there certainly were participants a lot stronger than me. There was Scarlett, Bertus, and Cliffman, while they couldn¡¯t even come close to Ellen, they were definitely stronger than me. Of course, I could ask them not to participate as a favor. However, even if I persuade those three to not participate, I was sure to get crushed by the Orbis Class students. As such¡­ With great regret, I had to admit that none of the challenges, except those having to do with delinquent behavior and such, were possible for me. And on top of that¡­ [(Festival) Become Miss Temple ¨C 4000 Points] [(Festival) Win the cross-dressing contest ¨C 4000 Points] [Get your first kiss ¨C 500 Points] [Fight against the Orbis Class ¨C 500 Points] Those four¡­ With great sadness in my heart, I had to admit that it was more likely for me to become Miss Temple or win the cross-dressing contest than to become Mr. Temple! It wasn¡¯t that impossible to conceal my identity with Sarkegaar¡¯s ring! My appearance as Reinhardt was pretty good, but it wasn¡¯t the best in all of Temple. Well, since the cross-dressing contest was only for those that actually prepared for it, I felt like there might be fewer contestants. Of course, I didn¡¯t care about any of them, though. However, trying to get my first kiss or fighting against the Orbis Class was just as strange. It was my first kiss! Were they telling me to just randomly get it from anywhere?! Those challenges seemed giddy to turn me into a complete weirdo for some reason. Normally, challenges should have been something difficult to achieve, but were those challenges made to be as strange as possible instead? What did that bastard want me to participate in the cross-dressing contest for?! It would have been better if I didn¡¯t check. That was why I didn¡¯t regularly go through the list of challenges¡ªit only ever contained those kinds of challenges. If I suddenly went up and fought with Orbis Class students, those bastards, it was more than obvious that those punks wouldn¡¯t just sit around and respond to my actions. But why would I even do that? While I was known as a mad dog all around the place, that didn¡¯t really fit with my principle. If someone didn¡¯t touch me first, I wouldn¡¯t beat them up. I mean, I had no real justification. I would never move unless I had some basic justification to do so. If they didn¡¯t pick a fight with me first, I sure as hell wouldn¡¯t go and pick one with them. I didn¡¯t want to do something like that. Getting my first kiss¡­ That wasn¡¯t something I could just do either. ¡®I should just stop thinking about this.¡¯ Those challenges were bound to be trash or just crazy, no matter what! As such¡­ I decided to not tackle any of the challenges. I only had a few achievement points left, but it wasn¡¯t like I needed them right then, and there wasn¡¯t some kind of life-threatening crisis lurking around the corner, either. By the way¡­ ¡°¡­Sigh, seriously¡­ What should I do about my swordsmanship class? That bastard¡¯s gonna bully me again¡­¡± Erich de Lafaeri talking to the other two idiot brothers in the dormitory lobby caught my eye yet again. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just tell the teacher about this?¡± ¡°Right. How long do you want to get bullied by that guy?¡± Kono Lint and Cayer were trying to persuade the deflated Erich. ¡°No, that¡¯s not the problem here. If we have sparring duels, he¡¯d just continue to beat me up¡­ And I can¡¯t really do anything about that¡­ And the other students who are taking the class with us¡­ just laugh at me¡­¡± ¡°They are such jerks.¡± ¡°That teacher is far too irresponsible.¡± Recently, Erich de Lafaeri had been getting bullied throughout his swordsmanship class because he¡¯d messed with one of the Orbis Class guys. That guy¡¯s bullying itself wasn¡¯t actually the problem. As the one getting beat up was someone from Royal Class, it seemed like the other ordinary Class students ignored him or ridiculed him. To put it simply, he was getting mobbed. As I watched those three indignant brothers, it suddenly occurred to me. The justification I had been looking for¡­ It was staring me in the face. ¡°Hey, you punk.¡± ¡°Huh¡­. Oh? R-Reinhardt? What?¡± As I approached him, he flinched and started to stutter. It was only natural to get scared if a crazy bastard appeared right when you were talking about one. ¡°Hey, that asshat that¡¯s been bullying you¡­ Let me meet him.¡± I clenched my fist and gave him a sly smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the guy for you.¡± Some bastard was bullying one of my classmates. Wasn¡¯t that justification enough? ¡°Huuh?¡± ¡°Y-you?¡± ¡°Seriously?!¡± All three of them looked at me as if they¡¯d just found a ray of light in their moment of darkness. They seemed to think that it was good and all that I¡¯d decided to step up, but still questioned whether I really meant it. That was fine, but couldn¡¯t they hide their shock a little at least? I was just doing it for some achievement points, but it looked rather different from the outside. The expressions of those three were a sight to behold when they heard that Reinhardt, the mad dog, had decided to step up to avenge his classmate who had been beaten up by Orbis Class students. Those guys, who got scared shitless whenever I spoke to them, looked at me as if there wasn¡¯t anyone more reliable than me in the world. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * This wasn¡¯t about winning the fight or something. I might actually lose because I didn¡¯t who the guy was. If he was the top student of the Orbis Class, I¡¯d absolutely lose. However, the condition of the challenge was to fight them. It didn¡¯t matter whether I won or lost. I would feel like shit if I lost, but it wasn¡¯t like I would die. It was by far better to just get beaten up than to participate in a cross-dressing contest or turn into a real girl and participate in that school beauty pageant! I wasn¡¯t sure if Olivia Lanze would participate, but I felt like I could actually beat her. Furthermore, the Orbis Class was holding both a leading as well as supporting role in many parts, so there was reason enough for me to properly look them over once. Anyway¡­ The fight would give me 500 points. There was a similar challenge in my first semester as well. At that time, I hadn¡¯t even known that there was a challenge related to that and had just beat Cayer up, which had ending up completing the challenge. Kind of ridiculous. With the intent to strike the iron when it was hot, I took the three incompetent brothers along with me. Erich de Lafaeri, Kono Lint, and Cayer Vioden¡­ Those three were following behind me. That made it seem as if I was the leader of those three incompetent brothers. No, come to think of it, wasn¡¯t I just slightly different from those guys? Some of my aspects were worse than theirs were. The leader of the three idiot brothers¡­ Reinhardt, the mad dog. I actually had all the attributes to be seen as their leader. Was that what they called fate? If it wasn¡¯t for those achievement points, I wouldn¡¯t have had a reason to do it, and I would have never imagined until five minutes beforehand that I would be dragging those guys around like henchmen. ¡°A-are you really going to be okay? He¡¯s really¡­¡± ¡°What of it? Even if I lose, it doesn¡¯t really matter. I¡¯ll just get someone stronger to take care of this.¡± If I could be considered their boss, I would also have someone who was like my boss who had my back. Ellen Artorius¡­ -If I get beaten up, big sis Ellen will take care of everything! So don¡¯t be scared! -Kuhuk, that guy, Reinhardt, was just the mid-boss!? -The strongest first year of Royal Class, Miss Ellen Artorius, will deal with those bastards! I wouldn¡¯t actually say that, though. Anyway, even if I were to lose, that was how things would roughly turn out. ¡°But¡­ Where are we going?¡± Cayer, a little frightened, hesitantly posed a question. ¡°Where do you think we would be going if we wanted to beat up some Orbis Class kids?¡± I pointed at one of the stops on the tram route map. [Orbis Class Dormitory] ¡°Y-you¡¯re going there directly?¡± ¡°What? Should I just go to Main Street and yell ¡®Come out, you Orbis Class Bastards!¡¯ then?¡± Wasn¡¯t it only natural to knock on their front door if one was looking for someone? At that moment, all of them realized that we were about to enter the tiger¡¯s den, so their faces grew pale. We were about to wander into the middle of the enemy¡¯s camp after all. They knew that I was a crazy bastard, but when they heard that we would be going straight to the Orbis Class¡¯ dorm, they seemed to want to go back as fast as possible. ¡°If you want to go back, then go. It doesn¡¯t really matter whether I go alone or you come with.¡± I told them that with my arms folded as we waited for the tram. Those guys seemed kind of worried when they heard me say that they could go back. ¡°Go back, and just live like that for the rest of your fucking life.¡± Go back¡­ Go back, and continue to live like cowards. I didn¡¯t know what they felt when they heard those light words of mine, but one of them said that they would go back. * * * The day was Thursday. On Friday, some of the students might go back home or go out to play, but in all likelihood, our targets would remain in the dormitory. If not, we could just wait for them there. The Orbis Class Dormitory was on the opposite end of Temple, far away from the Royal Class Dormitory. Unless we ran into each other on Main Street, in a lecture, or went close to their dorm, we would never encounter Orbis Class students. Of course, I regularyly saw the Orbis Class kids running in rows during my morning training with Adriana, which covered the entire ground of Temple. The students of Royal Class would just train on their own terms, but Orbis Class acted as one unit. ¡ªThat was why they were able to easily annihilate people like Erich, who had talents but didn¡¯t put in any effort. As we rode the tram to the Orbis Clas,s Erich was restless on the entire ride. ¡°B-but Reinhardt¡­ Even if you win, won¡¯t he get even angrier instead¡­? What if things just get worse?¡± What did that guy want from me? I didn¡¯t really care if he got beaten up or not to begin with. I only did it because that guy gave me a reason to stick to. ¡°¡­What? I even have to take care of the aftermath?¡± ¡°N-no. Th-that¡¯s not¡­ erm¡­¡± When I glared at him with wide eyes, he backed off with his tail between his legs. Cayer and Kono Lint also seemed skeptical, perhaps because they also suspected that the situation might just get worse after I whooped that guy¡¯s ass. I sat on my tram seat, folded my arm,s and sighed. ¡°Do you think the guy bullying you is a fucking bastard?¡± ¡°¡­O-of course¡­¡± ¡°Then if you think like that, why did you do this to someone else?¡± That guy had been slapping the back of Scarlett¡¯s head and picking on her for no apparent reason. While that was no longer possible for him, Erich actually became a victim of bullying himself. Erich wore a bitter expression because he knew what I was talking about. He wouldn¡¯t have known while he was the one bullying. How the victim would feel. He had to go to swordsmanship lectures almost every day. After his poor skill got revealed there, he got looked down on by not only the Orbis Class student, but by the normal class students as well. I wondered whether Erich reflected on his actions and understood how it felt. I didn¡¯t know though. Usually, people like that tend not to remember what they did before. The worse they were, the more they would pretend as though nothing had happened. They¡¯d just say something like ¡°Did I do that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Erich didn¡¯t say anything. I didn¡¯t know if he actually felt guilty, but it seemed like he at least felt something. ¡°No. Actually, it¡¯s not your fault. It should be the fault of the person who made you do that.¡± Just as Scarlett was the victim of those weird settings I¡¯d come up with, Erich was also a victim because I¡¯d made him the main perpetrator of this strange setting. Every problem in this world originated from me and would eventually end up biting me in the ass. What I criticized Erich for was, after all, something akin to a boomerang. ¡°Did you just curse out my parents?¡± However, Erich ended up raising his voice ever so slightly at that. Ah¡­ No, that wasn¡¯t what I meant, though? Well, but if one heard that without any context, it would definitely sound like I was bad-mouthing his parents, wouldn¡¯t it? The ones who made him do something like that, of course, would be his parents, right? Kono Ling and Cayer also looked rather shocked because I¡¯d suddenly started flaming him. You really don¡¯t have a bottom line, do you? That was what their expressions seemed to say. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m sorry if it sounded like that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too much¡­¡± Erich was just passively mumbling things like that, so I just apologized because one could misunderstand what I said rather easily depending on the way one took it. No. But come to think of it, wasn¡¯t it a privilege to actually have parents and a wealthy family that could be bad-mouthed? I had neither, you know? ¡°You know, fuck it. I don¡¯t have none and I¡¯m not even allowed to say that to you, who has everything?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that right? I heard that those fuckers who have everything want even more. Ain¡¯t it such a fucked up world we live in? Huh?¡± ¡°N-no, but you¡¯re the one who said that, so why did you get mad all of a sudden¡­?¡± Their faces became something to behold when I started to cuss him out all of a sudden after I apologized. You have it much better than me who has nothing, so shouldn¡¯t you hold it in a bit more even if I bad-mouthed your parents? Even I thought that this was complete bullshit. No, I didn¡¯t actually bad mouth his parents, though. ____ Chapter 208 Chapter 208 The atmosphere of the Orbis Class¡¯ dormitory was slightly different from the Royal Class¡¯ dormitory. The Royal Class¡¯ dormitory, with its path lined with columns leading to the entrance, felt like a huge temple in a way. Its architectural style felt curvy and rounded. The dormitory of the Orbis Class felt a little stiff, however. I wouldn¡¯t call it crude, as it still was a magnificent building. If the Royal Class¡¯ dormitory felt like a splendid temple, then Orbis Class¡¯ felt like a castle. A serene castle. That heavy, overbearing architectural style already made us feel the atmosphere that enveloped the whole Orbis Class. While the Royal Class was more free-spirited, the Orbis Class was a place where military-style discipline reigned supreme and hierarchies were very clear. The building itself seemed to show that order and unity the Orbis Class valued. It was a magnificent place, but it also seemed incredibly breathtaking. ¡°Wow¡­ This is the first time I¡¯ve been to this place¡­ It¡¯s fascinating.¡± ¡°I thought it would be similar to ours, but it¡¯s completely different.¡± Kono Lint and Cayer also expressed their appreciation. The atmosphere surrounding the dormitory buildings of the two classes was just as different as the classes. Unlike the other two, who were simply expressing their thoughts about the building, Erich seemed rather uneasy. ¡°Everyone is staring at us¡­¡± ¡°I guess so. We¡¯re in our school uniforms, after all.¡± Although there were only a few Orbis Class students, there were still some students who hung around the dormitory who had gotten used to only seeing the Orbis Class uniforms. They passed by and stared at us. They didn¡¯t talk to us or try to pick a fight, but they were looking at us as if they wanted to say something like ¡°Why did they come here?¡± They didn¡¯t know us specifically, but they recognized the uniforms we were wearing. We were faced with that pure hostility just because we were part of the Royal Class. It was then that we realized that we were in a place filled with people who hated us. Erich¡¯s words seemed to have startled the other two. Feeling the enemy¡¯s hostility in their gazes, it seemed to have finally hit them just where they were. The Orbis Class, like the Royal Class, also only consisted of a small number of students. At most, there should¡¯ve been around 130 people who were part of it. The conflict between the Royal Class and the Orbis Class was one-sidedly caused by the Orbis Class. In other words, the Orbis Class simply one-sidedly hated us, and because the students of the Royal Class felt that they hated them, they also started to dislike the Orbis Class. The Royal Class didn¡¯t have a need to surpass anyone. There were only some individuals who didn¡¯t see the need to put in any effort, but if they overcame their own laziness and worked hard, they would be able to achieve outstanding achievements in their respective fields of study. Since they had no one set as their ¡®goal¡¯, the Royal Class didn¡¯t see the need to use something like the feeling of inferiority or hatred towards someone else to use as stepping stones to promote the students¡¯ growth. However, the Orbis Class practically forced their students to see the Royal Class as an enemy to overcome. So it was only natural for them to act that way. All the students coming and going, regardless of whether they were seniors or in the same grade as us, reacted as if we were invaders who had entered their territory. ¡°You look like you¡¯re in the lower grades. What¡¯s going on here? Didn¡¯t your seniors teach you that you won¡¯t have a good end if you recklessly waltz into the Orbis Class?¡± Judging by the other students¡¯ hostile gazes, it was only natural for someone who appeared to be a senior to appear before us and tell us something like that. Their momentum was kind of crude, but it seemed to be a warning. They didn¡¯t know why we¡¯d gone there, but they were telling us to get the fuck out because we would only be met with hostility. He seemed to act considerate because we looked like we were in the lower grades. He was a handsome guy with blonde hair and golden eyes. When someone who appeared to be a senior suddenly approached us and said something like that, those three immediately got scared. ¡°I¡¯m here to fight someone.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Of course, I wasn¡¯t scared at all. * * * I might win, I might lose, I might get beaten up like a dog. But so what? The shame of defeat and humiliation were nothing. I wouldn¡¯t end up dying, after all. I didn¡¯t know if I could call that a major growth in terms of my mentality, but after visiting the Darklands, there had been a clear change inside of me. I had already seen what lay beyond mere violence. I¡¯d seen people rise from the dead and had cut the necks of these corpses rushing at me and smashed their heads in. Winning or losing in that kind of fight was just that, after all. There was no reason to feel happy about winning or despair over losing. Even though I had said that I¡¯d come to take revenge for my classmate who got beaten up by someone, those weren¡¯t my true intentions. I was there to earn achievement points. That was all. B-but since I had undergone such big mental changes, shouldn¡¯t it be fine dressing up as a woman and taking part in that beauty pageant to get some points¡­? No. That was just a little¡­ It was something that far surpassed humiliation and shame. I didn¡¯t think I could handle that! I could easily take a beating, though! Anyway, while my mentality had changed, I couldn¡¯t handle something of that level yet! It felt like I¡¯d lose something else other than my life if I did that. I was still traumatized after playing with Kono Lint¡¯s feelings. I didn¡¯t want to do that again! ¡°¡­You¡¯re here to fight someone?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± That person, who seemed to be a senior in the Orbis Class, seemed rather dumbfounded by my nonchalant comment that I had come to fight someone. ¡°I¡¯m Reinhardt, Royal Class¡¯ Number 11 of Year 1 Class A. To be exact, this friend here seems to be getting bullied by a first-year of the Orbis Class for no reason, so I personally came here to resolve the situation.¡± I explained my purpose with no hesitation to that senior¡¯s face, who wasn¡¯t even part of the Royal Class, but the Orbis Class. All three of the idiot brothers were looking at me with admiration in their eyes as I proudly stated that I had come to fight with one of the first-years. A bastard among bastards. He¡¯s the real deal. That was what their expressions seemed to say. ¡°Bullying?¡± ¡°Yeah, I wanted to leave it alone for some time, but it seemed to be pretty serious. So could you go and call that guy?¡± ¡°¡­¡± That senior just stood there and looked at me and the three others alternately. He seemed to be beyond bewildered and even a little interested now. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m not going to order you around when you¡¯re here to solve your personal problems. I¡¯ll get the guy for you. Who is it?¡± Right¡­ Come to think of it, I hadn¡¯t even asked who he was. I wasn¡¯t even the slightest bit curious about who was bullying Erich because I didn¡¯t even care about whether I won or lost. When I looked towards Erich, he hesitantly opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Orbis Class Year 1 Class A Number 5 Lilka Aaron.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡­Wasn¡¯t that the name of a female student? * * * Orbis Class A-5 of Year 1. Lilka Aaron. She wasn¡¯t someone that had any screen time. Nilssonia and Adler Belkin, who took swordsmanship classes with me, had some importance, as they fought against Ludwig at the beginning of the second semester, but that girl didn¡¯t even have that kind of role¡ªShe was outside of the scope of the original story. It was somewhat understandable why Erich just kept on getting beat up by that girl and didn¡¯t even try to tell a teacher. I was more than sure that he felt ashamed that he¡¯d got beaten up by a girl. Even Kono Lint and Cayer didn¡¯t seem to know that it was a female student up until then. No. But why the hell would he be ashamed of that? To begin with, wasn¡¯t Ellen the strongest first year in the Royal Class? Did that not matter? I was getting beat up by her every day, but I didn¡¯t feel the least bit ashamed, I was just grateful. ¡­To be honest, sometimes I got annoyed, though. Anyway, that was what one called useless pride. The Orbis Class senior who called out to us was a fourth-year. Even though we belonged to the Royal Class, he didn¡¯t seem to be that upset about our request because we were first-years. Some first-years came to get some revenge for bullying them in a so-called confrontation. That concept itself seemed quite strange and interesting. Unlike the Royal Class, the Orbis Class operated like an army. ¡°Gilliot!¡± ¡°3-B-4 Gilliot! Present!¡± The senior, who introduced himself as a fourth-year, made a passing junior sprint over to him with a single word. I didn¡¯t know what 3-B-4 meant, but it seemed like they were stating their position if put into military terms, right? Was he saying that he was the Number 4 of Year 3 Class B? Looking at the junior who approached us at a quick pace, he pointed towards the Orbis Class dormitory. ¡°Make the first-years gather in the public training hall. All of them.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Without even asking why, as soon as that order was issued, the guy disappeared towards the dormitory, sprinting at top speed. -Good day! -Good day! When I thought of it, I saw a lot of juniors who would bow at a 90-degree angle to greet their seniors on our way. The atmosphere there was so different from the Royal Class. All three of the idiot brothers stiffened at the sight of that. In fact, it seemed like they got even more scared seeing the Orbis Class go about things like that. ¡°Let¡¯s go, guys. Everyone¡¯s going to gather up now.¡± And while he spoke in a commanding tone to his juniors, he spoke rather gently to us. There was something even more frightening about that. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * The Royal Class also had that public training hall that the unknown senior mentioned. However, I had never been there because each dormitory floor had a training room in their annex. There probably weren¡¯t many students of the Royal Class made use of it, either. Since we¡¯d gone there and went straight to the training hall as they were gathering up, we should have been the first to arrive there, but the first-years had already arrived there as if they had used some kind of magic. Perhaps they¡¯d rushed there as soon as they heard someone say, ¡°Gather up!¡±, I could see a lot of them holding their breath, keeping their mouths shut. Apparently, it was the place the seniors used to discipline their juniors. The Orbis Class¡¯ public training hall was definitely well-used. The worn floor, the training swords that showed signs of heavy use, and the multiple scratches on the scarecrows were evidence of that. Those that worried that the seniors were going to beat them up to punish them suddenly realized that the situation was completely different from what they expected when they saw their senior bringing us wearing our Royal Class uniforms to the training grounds. There were about twenty people gathered there, including us. Maybe those were all of Orbis Class¡¯ first-years. There were four of us. And there was also the fourth-year senior who¡¯d ordered them to gather up. I also saw Nilssonia and Adler Belkin, with whom I was already acquainted with. Both of them had their eyes wide open, having no idea why I was there. I had gone to the Orbis Class to gather achievement points, but there were other reasons as well. Starting from the second semester, the Orbis Class would start getting more involved in the main plot. I also had the personal desire to see what kinds of guys the characters I¡¯d described were. The starting point would be the festival, so no matter whether I intervened then or not, those guys and the Royal Class were destined to be intertwined. The clash between the Orbis Class and the Royal Class was bound to eventually happen, no matter what I did. There was someone among them who was supposed to be the villain of the second semester arc, but later became Ludwig¡¯s rival. Of course, I couldn¡¯t just immediately recognize him just by seeing his face. Although I had described his looks, I couldn¡¯t remember everything, and even if I did, I couldn¡¯t actually draw up a face from just a few lines of writing in my head. However, there were people who can be recognized by their atmosphere alone. The guy who was just watching the situation with calm eyes even though he was suddenly called there stood out to me. He was the only one that didn¡¯t seem nervous at all. That might actually be Grayden Amorell, Year 1 Class A¡¯s Number 1 of the Orbis Class. He was the strongest of the Orbis Class¡¯ first years. His role was to overwhelmingly beat Ludwig during the festival before losing to Ellen. However, just like Ellen was a real monster, that guy was as well. I was no match for him at the moment. If he¡¯d been the one that¡¯d bullied Erich, I would have unconditionally lost to him, but as it Lilka Aaron who did it, that wasn¡¯t necessarily the case. He had a cynical and cold personality. At first, he seemed similar to Ellen, but he was completely different from her. That didn¡¯t mean he was a bad guy. However, there was another guy I was paying close attention to. He stood out like a sore thumb for different reasons than Grayden Amorell. If Grayden stood out because he was really calm and not showing any nervousness, unlike the others, that guy was completely different. His eyes seemed kind of unstable. Something about that bastard was just a bit off. The feel about him was slightly different from Dettomolian or Anna de Gerna. That bastard¡¯s eyes made it look like he would end up causing a huge incident. Obris Class Year 1 Class B Number 10. The last place of the Orbis Class. He was the real villain of the semester. Ender Wilton¡­ I couldn¡¯t read that guy properly, but I could see in him as much as I knew. Aside from the fear and nervousness caused by this assembly itself, I could see those twisted feelings of inferiority and blazing hatred in his eyes. He was placed lowest in the Orbis Class, which valued hard work and training. He was in Class B Number 10 in a school where all the teachers and seniors were teaching them that they could overcome anything with effort alone. In that place where their rankings were rearranged every semester, he had been B-10 for both the first and second semester. He was slowly going crazy due to his utter disillusionment and ever-growing inferiority complex because he couldn¡¯t get stronger no matter how hard he tried. In the original, that guy got defeated by Ludwig, the last place of the Royal Class, during the preliminary round of the festival¡¯s tournament. Currently, Ludwig was overwhelmingly stronger, but in the original, he should have been completely defeated by B-3 Nilssonia during that spar. Ludwig and that guy were the last ones to compete. The battle between the strongest of the Royal Class and Orbis Class ended with the Royal Class¡¯ victory. In the fight between the last places, he was also defeated. He was never able to show any results, even though he tried, and he even lost to Ludwig, who was part of their rival class. As such, he was recognized as the weakest of the weak. He had no talents, and although he wanted to overcome everything through effort, he couldn¡¯t even do that. That guy eventually ended up going down the wrong path by dabbling in black magic to become stronger. And in the first semester of his second year, he beat up everyone in the Orbis Class and rose up to Year 2 Class A Number 5. Then he¡¯d challenged Ludwig, who¡¯d defeated and humiliated him during the festival, to a duel. However, Ludwig didn¡¯t just play around either. After losing to Grayden Amorell during the festival, he¡¯d gone through rigorous training during his winter vacations, so Ludwig, who had become a second year, was a lot stronger than he was at the time of the festival. Ender Wiltson became stronger, but Ludwig still ended up defeating him after some struggling. He was defeated even though he¡¯d resorted to black magic¡­ He was still the same as he was when he was in last place, the only difference being he¡¯d gotten stronger through black magic, but that guy got stronger without any of that. The only difference between them was that Ludwig had a talent while he didn¡¯t. Ender Wilton despaired before that wall which he simply couldn¡¯t overcome, even by using forbidden powers, which eventually drove him crazy. He became more and more dependent on black magic, and he couldn¡¯t stop himself, even though he knew that it was simply a shortcut to his own ruin. Ludwig heard from Anna de Gerna, a gifted black magician who watched their duel, that Ender Wilton seemed to have gotten involved with black magic, so she investigated him. Eventually, Ludwig would find out that Ender Wilton had become stronger through a forbidden power and would try to stop him before he would cause bigger problems. Ludwig would meet up with Ender Wilton alone. It was to give him one last chance to turn back, even though he had already crossed the line so many times, but it didn¡¯t work Ender Wilton had no intention of listening to him, after all, and when he realized that he was found out, he planned on killing Ludwig by stabbing him with a knife to keep his mouth shut. However, he was just defeated yet again by the one who had beaten him so many times before. And then he¡¯d gone berserk. Ender Wilton¡¯s body, which had been exposed to too much black magic, was left in an incredibly unstable state, so the black magical power dormant in his body started to overflow, turning him into a monster. Ludwig fought him in his monster form engulfed in black magic, and after many twists and turns, he succeeded in killing Ender Wilton. To summarize, there was a crazy bastard in Temple who tried to get strong by even using the power of black magic who had ended up turning into a monster which Ludwig got rid of. That was it. This wasn¡¯t only a major plot point but the start of another one. How did Ender Wilton, a combat major student, get his hands on black magic? Who was it that cast forbidden black magic on him? That was what led to the next event. The fake villain, Grayden Amorell. And the real villain, Ender Wilton. I checked both their faces. Of course, while he wasn¡¯t present, the mastermind behind the curtains was a man named Aaron Medera, a spy of a secret magic society called the Black Order. That was an issue I would have to take care of later. ____ Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Ender Wilton¡¯s fall to ruin¡­ As a result of that incident, rather than growing, Ludwig broke mentally. No matter how much of a monster Ender had been, Ludwig has still ended up killing someone. Ludwig reported the whole incident to Temple. While he wasn¡¯t punished for it, he eventually developed a trauma from the act of killing. So Ludwig wasn¡¯t quite there mentally for quite some time, leading to a period of stagnation for him until he recovered. There was only one conclusion¡­ I had to eliminate the incident having to do with Ender Wilton to make Ludwig even stronger than he was in the original. Like that, he wouldn¡¯t stagnate because of the mental breakdown he suffered from. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t come up with any countermeasures for that yet. I needed to think about it more once the reason I was there in the first place was handled. I first had to do some things to get achievement points to experiment. I also managed to confirm what Ender Wilton looked like. -Clap! The senior who brought us there smiled brightly, clapping his hands to attract everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°It¡¯s okay. As you can see, I didn¡¯t call you here to scold you, but because we have a visitor. Don¡¯t be so nervous.¡± An unknown fourth-year senior¡­ He didn¡¯t tell us his name, but he seemed to be one extraordinary guy. He spoke briefly, looking at his first-year juniors who had been standing in two rows, frozen in fear. ¡°Lilka Aaron.¡± ¡°1-A-5 Lilka Aaron!¡± As soon as her name was called, a certain someone raised her hand. ¡°Come forward.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± When she was called forward, she immediately stood up and rushed towards us. What did they do in half a year to turn those kids into soldiers already? Seeing those kids act like that should have made me cringe, but instead, I felt goosebumps running all over my body when seeing that they were so well-trained. Orbis Class Year 1 A-5 Lilka Aaron¡­ She had brown hair and brown eyes. She was about 154 cm tall. She was rather small. ¡®¡­Erich, did you get beat up by her even though the physical difference between you two was so huge?¡¯ Of course, if I compared myself to Ellen, it would seem that my physique was better, but I was still getting beat up. But wasn¡¯t she a bit too small? The atmosphere she gave off was rather sharp, but that just made her seem cute. ¡°I heard that you bullied a Royal Class student, so they came to get their revenge.¡± ¡°!¡± Lilka Aaron¡¯s eyes widened at these words. However, her gaze didn¡¯t turn to Erich. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, do I have to ask you twice?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s true!¡± It seemed like a normal question, but the fourth-year senior¡¯s words seemed to have an unusual weight to them. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± At that, Lilka Aaron cast her eyes on Erich. She seemed nervous because the seniors had suddenly gathered them there, but there were some other very obvious emotions visible in her eyes. ¡ªContempt, hatred, disgust¡­ And ridicule. ¡°That over there is Erich de Lafaeri, Year 1 A-9 of the Royal Class. He told me that, because students from the Orbis Class do not have a talent, all of the students from Royal Class would simply catch up to us eventually. I was merely checking to see if he had already caught up.¡± That cold and calm atmosphere about her was further supplemented by her words. Talent¡­ That word was the Orbis Class students¡¯ trigger. I could feel the nervous atmosphere in the training hall turn to anger after hearing Lilka Aaron¡¯s words. I already knew that Erich had said something to that effect, but now that I was there, I realized what it meant if it was recounted in front of those guys who would hate to hear those words the most. If the atmosphere were to be turned into some kind of attack, Erich would have died on the spot. ¡°Oh, is that so¡­?¡± Even the senior who had brought us there seemed repulsed by those words. He glanced in Erich¡¯s direction. He wore a subtle smile. The emotions he seemed to feel were rather hard to guess, but anyway, Lilka Aaron¡¯s words had completely changed the mood. ¡°Okay. Aaron. Whatever the reason, it seems like you still bullied the Royal Class student Erich, so a friend of Erich came here to seek revenge for the violence he suffered as his proxy.¡± A proxy¡­ At those words, laughter erupted from the Orbis Class. What a pathetic guy. Did you bring a friend to do it for you because you couldn¡¯t do anything on your own? He only got lucky by getting some talent. Laughter and ridicule openly spread around the area and Erich seemed to get smaller and smaller in that atmosphere. ¡°You said your name was Reinhardt, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It seems like he wants to get revenge on you, what are you going to do?¡± Lilka Aaron¡­ She stared at me. ¡°I can deal with that guy however long he wants.¡± The girl nodded with confidence permeating her face, not because she noticed the way her senior was looking at her. Due to mutual agreement on the matter from both sides, the senior nodded happily. ¡°Alright. Then there¡¯s no reason to wait for much longer.¡± He pulled Likla Aaron and me to face each other as if trying to mediate the situation. ¡°While this isn¡¯t a duel, fights like these do need to have something at stake, right? Reinhardt, what will you promise if Aaron wins?¡± Promise¡­ Well, what could I promise? I was just there as a proxy in response to some bullying, and then I had to promise something if I were to lose. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t really care if you roast or stirfry that guy. I won¡¯t report any of that to the teachers or anything.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think these are particularly desirable conditions, though¡­ Aaron, did Erich ever formally apologize for insulting his classmate and the whole of Orbis Class?¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then, in the name of the whole Royal Class, apologize for the insults made against the Orbis Class. How is that?¡± The senior tilted his head as he said that. ¡°I would if I could, but I don¡¯t think that I can speak for the whole Royal Class. If I were the student council president, maybe, but I¡¯m just a first-year student.¡± I couldn¡¯t speak for the whole Royal Class, but I could only apologize as one of its students. ¡°Hmm, is that so? Then all four of you who came here should sincerely apologize for the insults made by Erich de Lafaeri. How about that?¡± Getting down on our knees¡­ Shattering the pride of Royal Class students¡ªthat was what the Orbis Class wanted. Trampling the Royal Class, standing on top of it. Was that senior any different? Lilka Aaron¡¯s eyes were shining, and Erich was already broken. However, someone had appeared to take revenge for him. She seemed to think that I¡¯d gone because I was insanely confident in my skills. So did she believe that, if she broke me, that she would truly surpass the Royal Class? We had to get down on our knees if I lost. ¡°Hm, there¡¯ll be one more condition.¡± The fourth-year senior pointed to himself and grinned. ¡°If Lilka Aaron loses, I shall take responsibility by kneeling down and apologizing for the bad management of my juniors. Of course, I shall take care that Erich won¡¯t get bullied anymore in the future.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°!¡± The atmosphere, which had reached its climax because of his previous words, froze over again. What a lunatic. I didn¡¯t imagine things would get that good. He sure knew how to convince someone that one could never lose no matter what. Lilka Aaron¡­ There was one more emotion added to the ones I could see reflected in her eyes as she was about to fight me. ¡ªUtter fear. It was a completely different matter for getting humiliated as a result of one¡¯s own defeat versus having others take responsibility for that loss. The Orbis Class was almost like the army. In a place like that, Lilka Aaron would fight as a result of her own actions, but she wasn¡¯t wagering her own honor or face, but her senior¡¯s. If she won the duel, she would have won over the Royal Class completely, so there was a certain sense of fairness about it. But what if she lost? Because of her defeat, her senior would have to kneel in front of some first-years that were far below him, and even from the Royal Class to boot. If that was all that would happen, it would still be fine. As a fighter who had tarnished her senior¡¯s reputation, Lilka Aaron had no idea what that senior would do to her. Even if that fourth-year didn¡¯t do anything, the second and third-years certainly wouldn¡¯t. They would take care of everything that would come after. It might not end with Lilka Aaron alone. It might extend to the whole first-year of Orbis Class. There was no need for the guy to tell her ¡°Don¡¯t lose.¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * ¡®If you lose, I¡¯ll have to kneel down.¡¯ That unknown fourth-year didn¡¯t only plant fear in Lilka Aaron but all the other first years as well. You¡¯d rather die than lose. That was what he meant when he said that he would kneel down. A strict hierarchy between seniors and juniors¡ªa system that was similar to the one of the army. Its absurdity was even more terrible than the efficiency it held. That violent and absurd system of the Orbis Class was what led Ender Wilton to ruin and eventually turned him into a monster. A desire for strength and an inferiority complex¡ªThose were what I had written as the reasons for the outcome, but when I saw it in person, I felt like it was actually a lot different. Ender Wilton would have been placed under a lot of pressure by his seniors as well because he was in last place. Judging by the atmosphere, it was more than certain that the seniors actually beat up their juniors. The atmosphere hanging over the Orbis Class was certainly even more eerie when I actually went to their dormitory. Even though I was a complete outsider, I felt suffocated by the fear and pressure those guys felt. As the fight was about to begin, the fourth-year senior led the three idiot brothers to the edge of the training hall. Naturally, the space around Lilka Aaron and me was completely emptied. It wasn¡¯t a practice match, it was a fight. It wasn¡¯t my intention for an audience to be around, but it wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. The senior raised his voice. ¡°A Declaration of surrender or incapacitation.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make these the losing conditions.¡± ¡°Let us not only look at their skills but their grit as well.¡± ¡°Well then, First Year Royal Class A-11 Reinhardt and Orbis Class A-5 Lilka Aaron¡­ Wait, this is a fight, right? Oh well, then let¡¯s just get started.¡± At first glance, they seemed like ordinary words said before a duel, but I could see all the Orbis Class students flinching at them. Hard work and perseverance. Those were the most important virtues imposed on the students of the Orbis Class. Those losing conditions, a Declaration of surrender or incapacitation, only meant one thing: If they surrendered, something much more terrifying would await them afterwards. Even if they thought they wouldn¡¯t be able to win, they were forced to fight until they were incapacitated. I could see strong determination bruning in Lilka Aaron¡¯s eyes as well as fear equivalent to it. I can¡¯t lose. I can¡¯t lose. I can¡¯t lose. I can¡¯t lose. I can¡¯t. It seemed like she was constantly repeating that to herself. Was that really the one who bullied Erich de Lafaeri? That little girl was like a cat bristling up its fur, its claws out and its eyes gleaming, but she didn¡¯t actually seem to look at me because she was so focused on what would happen after her defeat. It was just pitiful. I could either lose or win. There was a chance I might lose or I might win, but I didn¡¯t actually care about the result. If I lost, I just would have to work a bit harder, and if I won, I just had to stay vigilant. However, if one thought that there was an ¡°After¡± if one lost, people would be on the verge of collapse even before the fight started. We hadn¡¯t even fought yet, but she was already half-defeated. That method would make one desperate, but was that the right way to help someone grow? Did that girl know about me? She probably did. Adler Belkin was overwhelmingly defeated by me using my supernatural power. The Orbis Class was a little different from the Royal Class. Two such differences were the atmosphere between seniors and juniors and the atmosphere inside each class. However, not everything was bad about all of that. Those guys underwent rigorous training and lived under strict rules. Most of the time, students would grow very close under such conditions. Those guys had a very strong sense of camaraderie between them. They had no other choice but to¡ªfaced with those harsh rules and their hard everyday life. So they most definitely internally shared information about the Royal Class students who they designated as their rivals. She should have already heard information about me. That was why Lilka Aaron was looking at me quite nervously even though I was Number 11, two places below Number 9, Erich. ¡°Hey, how strong are you really?¡± What was my real level of skill in the Royal Class? I¡¯d told Adler Belkin that I was the weakest. Of course, that wasn¡¯t actually the case. Among the combat talents of Royal Class, how would I be ranked? Even if I used my supernatural power, these four had a definite advantage over me: Ellen, Cliffman, Bertus, Scarlett. Although I had never crossed swords with Bertus before, I simply knew just by looking at him. While it could be said that we¡¯d tie, I had a slight edge over Ludwig. My opponent, A-5, Lilka Aaron. ¡°Similar to you.¡± In the two special classes, both me and Lilka ranked fifth. It would be revealed which of the fifth-ranked of both classes was actually stronger, right there and then. Of course, I had only excluded Delphine and Erich from the five I¡¯d mentioned above. Since Delphine had a talent related to archery, she was out of question. In the end, only Erich and Ludwig among the combat talents were below me. I was simply third from below, so calling me ¡°The weakest¡± wasn¡¯t all that wrong. It didn¡¯t matter if I lost or won. However, I had no reason to lose on purpose. At those words, Lilka Aaron slowly stepped forward and then rushed towards me in a single jump like a whirlwind. -Babang! ¡°Kurk!¡± With tremendous speed and powerful rotation, she kicked out, hitting my upper arm. It was surprising that she was able to launch such a sharp roundhouse kick at an angle steep enough to hit my head while she was so small. What was more surprising was the destructive power contained in that kick. I instinctively felt it the moment I was hit. That girl¡­ She wasn¡¯t specialized in swordsmanship but close-quarters combat. The arm that blocked her kick was still tingling. It made me wonder how so much power could come from such a small body, but I had already seen Ellen, who defied all laws of physics in that regard. It was probably because of a similar reason. She dished out a roundhouse kick and quickly stepped away and widened the distance between us. Those movements seemed even more amazing, maybe because of her small frame. It seemed like she¡¯d estimated my strength after hitting me once. Strengthening myself physically didn¡¯t just mean that I would increase my physical abilities. I had become able to ¡°harden¡± my body to a certain extent as well. It should have felt like kicking a rock. However, she was still carefully examining my movements to see if I really could deal with her kick. It definitely felt like she was more specialized in personal combat, not swordsmanship. It was because of her footwork, movements, and the roundhouse kick that flew at me which I was completely unable to avoid. However, Erich had met her in a swordsmanship class and gotten completely beaten with the sword. Once again¡­ Lilka Aaron lightly stepped up to me. She was small, but so very nimble. -Paaang! However, her attacks were incredibly heavy. I reached out with my hand while allowing a low kick to fly at my thigh, but she simply turned her shoulder to avoid me and moved away from me. Close-quarters combat wasn¡¯t my speciality. It was too late to ask for a training sword. First of all, that wasn¡¯t a match or something. We would just aim at each other¡¯s neck with training swords and that would be the end of it. It wasn¡¯t that kind of fight. In the end, one of us had to either surrender or be unable to fight anymore to lose that dogfight. If I had a training sword in my hand, I would¡¯ve had to knock her out with it or something like that. And at my level, if I didn¡¯t do it right, I might end up killing her. I wasn¡¯t really that skilled in close-quarters combat, but I had my supernatural ability. She was very good at it, however. Lilka Aaron approached me very carefully and seemed to have adopted a hit-and-run strategy, hitting me and then kept her distance again. There was a very real weight difference between us, so if she actually allowed a hit in even once, she might fall. She didn¡¯t look down on me just because she knew that I was a supernatural power user. Her main attack style was kicking. The reason for that didn¡¯t seem to be because she was skilled at it, but because it helped to secure the distance between us. If that little girl came in to punch me, she would enter my reach. So she inevitably had no choice but to adopt a hit-and-run strategy focused on kicking. ¡°Hap!¡± -Bang! She rushed at me and hit my thigh with a front-kick, so I took a few steps back. She didn¡¯t stop there, when she saw that I was pushed back, she gradually followed after me, linking low-kicks and high-kicks. I backed away calmly and slowly. I shouldn¡¯t assume that she could only kick and nothing else. That wasn¡¯t a fight protected by rules. If she was pretending that kicking was her only means of attack and got ahold of my arm, she might suddenly grapple me. It would be over then, no matter what. If she was skilled in close-quarters combat, she wouldn¡¯t have only learned how to kick. She definitely would¡¯ve had no other choice but to learn how to effectively subdue an opponent with a huge weight difference due to her size. It was only natural that she was proficient in grappling, including submissions. She just calmly but quickly pushed me back. While she did her high kicks, low kicks, and frontal kicks that seemed to push me away, I slowly stepped back before I finally got hit in my stomach. It was so heavy that it almost threw me to the floor. -Bam! ¡°Kurk!¡± The weight behind it was incredibly heavy because she¡¯d kicked out as she rushed at me. My posture was a little shaken. That was when her eyes lit up. A small gap¡­ When I couldn¡¯t react in time and backed off, she quickly lunged at me, launching her body up with her left leg. It was absolutely ridiculous. It was like¡­ It felt like I was getting hit by a combo in a fighting game, right? Anyway, the body of the girl who had pushed me into a corner was rotating in mid-air. A kick with a strong revolving force behind it¡­ ¡°Hap!¡± -Paaaaang! ¡°Kuurg.¡± Hit the back of my right arm. ____ Chapter 210 Chapter 210 For a brief moment, my vision went black. The shock that felt so distant made me lose consciousness. If I had lowered my guard for even an instant, that powerful kick would have hit the side of my head directly, which would have led to me waking to an unknown ceiling once again. The girl quickly retreated in case of an unexpected attack. Although the atmosphere was rather chilly, Lilka Aaron kept on attacking, which was why the Orbis Class guys seemed rather nervous at first, but with time became a little excited. However, Lilka Aaron didn¡¯t look that good. ¡ªShe was clenching her teeth. That was when I remember something Ellen once said: ¡®My fist hurts.¡¯ ¡®¡­You¡¯re lying.¡¯ ¡®¡­It really hurts.¡¯ Ellen and I mostly trained in swordsmanship, but we also frequently practiced close quarter combat. The reason was simple¡ªshe taught me because, looking at what I was up to, she thought that I would have to fight more with my fists rather than a sword. How should I put it? I was grateful for her consideration, but it did feel rather awkward. However, I didn¡¯t have any reason to refuse. She pretended not to, but she actually cared a whole lot about me. Ellen had told me that her arms and legs hurt a lot when she fought with me while I strengthened my body. So after thoroughly beating me up, it was her who asked for a rest. Although I, as the one who got beaten up, was rather upset that she, as the one who did the beating, whined about her hurting even more, Ellen¡¯s words were true. When even Ellen Artorius said that, then that would mean that I would be able to defeat my opponent just by letting them hit me¡ªunless a decently strong attack managed to hit my vital points. That was why I just defended as much as possible. ¡®If you deal with someone specializing in close combat, don¡¯t attack them if you can.¡¯ ¡®Why?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll show you. Try.¡¯ Ellen took up a stance in front of me. She meant that she was just as good as someone specialized in close combat, so if I tried it on her, I would know¡ªthat didn¡¯t really surprise me. As I looked for the gaps in Ellen¡¯s stance, I clenched my fists and launched a jab and a straight at her. And just like that, Ellen grabbed my arm and put me in a flying armbar. ¡®Hey! Hey! Damnit! I got it! I saw it! You¡¯re gonna kill me!¡± ¡®You got it?¡¯ ¡®Yeah! I got it! I got it! I really got it!¡± Even though I went through such a hard time because she was trying to teach me like that, that was the advice she gave me in the end. At one time, when I caught her foot when she launched a frontal kick towards me, She rotated her whole body, putting me into an arm bar again. She showed me many weird and special movements. In any case, she showed me in various ways that if I punched out and they could grab hold of my arms, I would be in danger. ¡­What the hell was that? It was rather shameful that I became a bit embarrassed by all the physical contact. However, it hurt a lot more. ¡®Grappling can be used in many more situations than you can imagine. There are still a lot of things you don¡¯t know yet. You can¡¯t possibly cope with everything that it encompasses.¡¯ ¡®¡­Right. What should I do, then?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t lower your guard. Don¡¯t get caught. Don¡¯t catch them.¡± If I got caught, they¡¯d grapple me. If I caught them, they¡¯d grapple me. Anyway, if I made even the tiniest mistake while attacking, I might get hit by a lethal move which would be the end of it. I couldn¡¯t become a master of close combat when even my swordsmanship was still severely lacking, so Ellen taught me how to deal with someone specialized in close combat. So the main point was that I shouldn¡¯t mess around if faced with someone like that. If I recklessly trusted in my own strength and attacked, they would destroy me with their technique. That part wasn¡¯t really about close combat itself. I bet she told me that because she thought that I would get into more fist fights than sword fights. I couldn¡¯t believe that I was using those things in that situation. ¡®You know that guarding is important, right?¡¯ ¡®Yeah.¡¯ ¡®Do you know which part you need to guard the most?¡¯ ¡®Shouldn¡¯t it be my head and face?¡¯ ¡®The chin.¡¯ Ellen pointed at her own chin. ¡®It¡¯s over if you get hit on the chin. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you to not let your guard down.¡¯ When one gets hit on the chin, the shock reaches the brain, making them faint. So it had been said that the most important places to protect were the head, the face, and the chin. I shouldn¡¯t get caught. I shouldn¡¯t grab them. I shouldn¡¯t get hit in the chin. ¡ªSo I shouldn¡¯t drop my guard. ¡®Then you want me to just get hit?¡¯ ¡®¡­Don¡¯t get into fights in the first place.¡¯ ¡®No! You know how things will turn out!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just once or twice where Ellen thought that I was pathetic, so everything was fine. Ellen could teach me more about close combat, but that wasn¡¯t her main goal. She only gave me some basic training in case I got into a fight with someone specializing in it. ¡®If you just strengthen your body and don¡¯t get hurt seriously, your opponent will just tire themselves out as long as they don¡¯t manage to grab you.¡¯ ¡®Well, I mean, winning is good and all, but isn¡¯t winning by getting beaten up even sadder than losing?¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to win like that! I¡¯d rather lose! Aah, I¡¯m too tired. It¡¯s my loss. It was just sad! It was just like my winning mentality! ¡®¡­¡¯ ¡®Is there really nothing?¡¯ Ellen sighed briefly at my whining, then looked at me. ¡®You are much harder to deal with than others, especially in close combat, because of your supernatural ability.¡¯ ¡®¡­I guess?¡¯ Because of my ability to strengthen and harden my body, I could even make Ellen say that she was in pain in close combat with me. ¡®So, just hit them as you get hit.¡¯ ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ ¡®Deliberately allow them to attack excessively, and then hit back harder.¡¯ Ellen furrowed her brows as she said so. ¡®Think about it. In every fight involving close combat, they have to close in to attack, As long as they don¡¯t use any tools, every time they get in your reach would create another gap. Every time they attack just creates one big gap in their guard.¡¯ ¡®Just trick them.¡¯ ¡®Let them think they are keeping you in check and hold on. Don¡¯t be reckless. Just pretend that you don¡¯t care and let them hit you. Don¡¯t even try to clumsily respond to their attacks, and just act like an idiot. That way, your opponent will get careless because they¡¯ll think that you¡¯re clumsy.¡¯ ¡®Then they¡¯ll make bigger and bigger moves to knock you out. If you just let yourself get hit, they¡¯ll get impatient and try to end it, mostly by using some big technique or move. What I¡¯m trying to tell you is to make your opponent drop their guard.¡¯ ¡®While you¡¯re just getting hit, your opponent will exhaust themselves. If you don¡¯t drop, the one on the offensive will get more and more tired, and they will want to finish it as fast as possible then. That¡¯s when the big techniques will appear.¡¯ ¡®Big movements, of course, will create huge gaps.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s when you attack.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t try to block them.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t block them, and just hit them at the same time.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s what¡¯s important. Deceive your opponent, pretend that you¡¯re clumsy. Pretend that you only know how to get hit. That way you¡¯ll either make them feel impatient or make them think that you¡¯re a weakling.¡¯ ¡®Then you¡¯ll hit them with a counter.¡¯ ¡®You just have to knock them out with that single blow.¡¯ I was better than anyone else in taking a beating. Her advice was to wait for them to make a big move and then hit them harder. If I allowed enough hits without collapsing and KO¡¯d my opponent, I¡¯d win no matter what. I just had to trust in my stamina, which was unusually greater than others. Every attack would create a gap. It was essentially a loss to offset those gaps by uselessly going on the defense. A counter that would pierce through that gap called an attack¡­ Counter. While the opponent attacked, I couldn¡¯t prepare to defend. It wasn¡¯t an exchange of attack and defense, it was an exchange of attacks. Since I had my supernatural power to physically reinforce me, I had to trust in it and just throw one powerful hit and knock them out. Ellen told me that I wouldn¡¯t be able to beat someone specialized in close combat with technique, so I should just believe in my supernatural ability and let them just cut my flesh to cut through them. Victory belonged to the last person standing anyway. No matter if one had the upper hand before or not, the one who fell in the end would lose. I had the advantage in a war of attrition. Even though the damage slowly accumulated, it wasn¡¯t unbearable. Lilka Aaron was keeping her distance, looking for another opportunity to go in. As Ellen said, if I tried to grab her prematurely or try to land an attack directly, It might¡¯ve be fatal. And although I had been slightly trained in close quarter combat, I hadn¡¯t delved too deep into it yet. I knew a bit about the sword, but I certainly didn¡¯t know all the takedowns martial artists could perform. Her main attack was kicking. I presumed it was because that was the only method for someone of her small stature to ensure a wide reach. ¡°Hub!¡± -Pak! Pow! Pak! Her leg strength was amazing, but that was all. She wasn¡¯t as good as Ellen. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Actually, maybe my stamina wasn¡¯t the way it was because of my supernatural power, but because I had been getting beaten up so much every day that it couldn¡¯t be helped but get raised, right? In fact, that seemed to have played a big part in it. It hurt, but it wasn¡¯t unbearable. I was still fine, but my opponent was getting tired. ¡°¡­¡± My body was a little harder than that of a normal person, so while she wasn¡¯t getting hit at all, she still seemed to be in pain. Even if I wasn¡¯t as hard as a rock, it was only natural that she looked the way she did because she continued to kick that hard body of mine. Winning by just getting hit wasn¡¯t a pleasant way to win, but it actually looked to be happening. There were various emotions showing up on Lilka Aaron¡¯s face. Why isn¡¯t he going down? He should have gone down just now. His guard is very firm and he doesn¡¯t look tired at all, nor does he look like he took damage. I have to quickly finish him somehow¡­ Or I might be the one to fall first. That was the kind of anxiousness and impatience she was showing. As Ellen had said, Lilka Aaron seemed to have fallen into the mindset that she might go down first at that rate. She was going to do something. She approached me quickly and kicked me in the abdomen. -Pow! As soon as I was pushed back and my posture was in disarray, she leaped up into the air again. An aerial back kick¡ªthe rotational force behind it was much stronger than before. Therefore, the gap she left was much bigger as well. The kick was directed towards my left side. I didn¡¯t back off, but rather rushed into it, keeping my left guard up. My left arm would take care of guarding. While I pulled back my right hand¡­ I would hit her as I was getting hit. -Baang! I felt a heavy shock running through my left arm. -Baam! ¡°Kuu¡­Huk ¡± And the strong sensation of having hit something ran through my right. -Thud! Lilka Aaron flew backwards and rolled along the floor as soon as she landed her aerial back kick. I felt a bit dizzy because I had been hit by such a kick without guarding properly, but I didn¡¯t fall down. ¡°Huu.¡± ¡°Kuhuk! Arg! Urg! Hub!¡± Lilka Aaron, on the other hand, was lying on the floor of the training hall, belly up. She wasn¡¯t even able to breathe properly. It was only natural, as she was hit by my counter when she least expected it. Everyone was just staring at me after I knocked my opponent down in a single attack. The fight was over. In the end, even though she succeeded in landing numerous attacks, she was downed in a single blow. ¡°Cough ¡­ Ugh¡­ H-huu¡­¡± However, Lilka Aaron shuddered and forced herself to stand up. ¡°¡­¡± I could see horror permeating her eyes. I was looking into the eyes of someone who had been utterly defeated but had still forced herself to stand up because she couldn¡¯t afford to lose. The fight had already concluded. I could see her legs trembling: Just standing was hard enough for her. That was only natural after unexpectedly getting punched into the stomach like that. I even strengthened my body with my supernatural power. It was already miraculous that she managed to stand up. However, even though her legs were already shaky, she got into position and confronted me with her teeth clenched. It had to have felt like I was a fortress that wouldn¡¯t collapse no matter how much she attacked me. She had attacked a plethora of times and was hit just once. However, it seemed like she couldn¡¯t believe that she was driven to that point by just that one attack. She had lost her will to fight, but she couldn¡¯t give up. It wasn¡¯t her who had to kneel down, but her senior who would have to take responsibility. She was far too afraid of the price she would have to pay for the humiliation he would have to experience. Lilka Aaron simply couldn¡¯t fall. ¡°Hap!¡± However, even though her concentration and body had already reached their limit, Lilka Aaron rushed at me once again. Her movements weren¡¯t swift and nimble to the point where I couldn¡¯t grasp them like before. However, she was still fast. Avoiding her kicks, I punched out, aiming at her face that time. However, as if she had predicted that, she dodged my fist by slightly twisting her head. That wasn¡¯t all¡­ She grabbed my wrist and at the same time she propped her body up and placed her legs against my neck. ¡ªFlying Armbar. However, I had already foreseen that she would come at me like that. I¡¯d given her that arm on purpose. If I fell down like that and got completely caught, it would be over. ¡ªPhysical Strengthening. It strengthened my muscles to the extreme. She tried to grapple me while her body had already reached its limit. Even though I was in a more disadvantageous position, I was able to force myself out of it. ¡°Haap!¡± -Bang! I forcefully flung that girl hanging onto my arm against the training hall¡¯s floor. ¡°Kuhuk!¡± Lilka Aaron, who hit the floor with her back, got the wind knocked out of her lungs. Although one could overcome the gap in physique with skill, one couldn¡¯t overcome that rather big weight difference when one¡¯s body had already been pushed over its limits. So even if she tried to lock my joints, I could get myself out of her holds through my own strength. ¡°Arg¡­ Huk¡­¡± I watched her quietly as she forced herself to stand up after I had thrown her on the floor. There was no sense in fighting anymore. It had already ended after I¡¯d landed that counter into her stomach. However, the moment I could forcibly release myself from her armbar, it was definitely more than over. She was in no state to continue when she couldn¡¯t keep me in a suppression hold like that, much less win that fight. Everyone knew that it was Lilka Aaron¡¯s defeat. Everyone knew that Lilka Aaron couldn¡¯t win against me. It was my victory by a large margin. Even that unnamed fourth-year senior who watched over the fight had to have known. However, Lilka Aaron still stood up, her legs staggering. ¡°¡­¡± If neither of us surrendered or was completely unable to fight, neither of us would lose. There wasn¡¯t anyone who would do something like declare someone¡¯s defeat. We didn¡¯t have a judge. It wasn¡¯t a duel, it was just a fight. She would never utter a single word of surrender. Her eyes were telling me that she¡¯d rather die than declare her surrender with her own mouth. She looked like she was going to experience something horrible otherwise. The senior had asked to see our guts. Lilka Aaron had to prove herself, even in that situation where defeat was inevitable. She had to prove that she¡¯d done her best. She had to show that she had done everything she could in every way to protect her senior¡¯s honor. She had to fight until she became completely incapacitated to reduce the price she had to pay for her weakness, if even only by a little bit. That was why that girl, who couldn¡¯t even stand properly anymore, just clenched her teeth and got up again and again. The Orbis Class¡­ One of the special Classes inside of Temple along with the Royal Class. A place in which one had to prove oneself through one¡¯s effort, not talent. That was why I¡¯d set it up as a place in which military-like discipline, strict training, and a clear hierarchy between seniors and juniors existed. I always felt surprised or uncomfortable when I found those unexpected ways in which my settings specifically worked. In that case, I felt really uncomfortable. This world was created based on a few words I¡¯d strung together. There were people who had to suffer from all the absurdities I had placed into this world. Every time I saw someone like that, I would feel a certain sense of responsibility, guilt, and discomfort. Lilka Aaron had already been defeated, but she still stood up, even while shaking, just to prove that she had done her best. -Pow! ¡°Kurk!¡± When I lightly kicked her thigh, the girl¡¯s posture completely crumbled, making her land on her butt. My only thoughts were that I couldn¡¯t bring myself to attack an already collapsed opponent with all my might. She stood up again, trembling like a newborn calf. The girl came towards me again to attack me as much as possible just to be beaten again. Her attacks didn¡¯t hurt anymore even when I didn¡¯t strengthen it. It was mere desperation. Giving up wouldn¡¯t work. On the contrary, it wouldn¡¯t mean anything if I surrendered. Everyone could see that Lilka Aaron wouldn¡¯t have won. Everyone present watched that long concluded fight in total silence. All the Orbis Class¡¯ first-years wore miserable expressions. Some of them wanted to step in, but because that senior was there, that wasn¡¯t possible. The senior was just quietly watching over the fight with his arms crossed. I felt like I was being bullied. I had to beat up that girl who had already lost her will to fight, incapable of keeping going, who just kept on standing up again and again, her eyes completely dead. ¡°¡­¡± She was looking at me. It seemed like she wanted to say something with her eyes. I couldn¡¯t make out any details, but I could read her one desire from them. Please, make me faint. Don¡¯t let me get up. ¡ªThat was what her eyes seemed to plead. Yeah, even though it couldn¡¯t be called a fight anymore, my opponent was forced to keep going. Surrendering wasn¡¯t the best I could do for that opponent of mine, who was made to keep fighting, all I could do was end the fight. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Come on, sleep.¡± I got close to Lilka Aaron and dug my fist into her stomach once again. ¨CThud! ¡°Ku¡­Huk!¡± Lilka Aaron, after receiving a strong hit to her abdomen once again, was left lying on the training hall¡¯s floor, her head looking up. She didn¡¯t get up. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± The senior who had been watching from the sidelines briefly declared the fight¡¯s end. ¡°Hey, take her to the priest on duty.¡± At those words, some of the first-year students rushed forward and carried away the collapsed Lilka Aaron. I¡¯d hit her quite hard. If I hadn¡¯t, she might not have fainted. Maybe I ended up rupturing her gut or something. That was something for the priest on duty to take care of. She wasn¡¯t going to die. [Challenge completed ¨C Fight with the Orbis Class] [500 achievement points acquired.] I could also confirm that the main purpose of the fight had been accomplished. ¡°You won, Reinhardt.¡± The unknown fourth-year senior approached me and placed his arm on my shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You should be happy about your victory. My, for her to lose so overwhelmingly, even if she was just ranked fifth¡­ I didn¡¯t expect that to happen. That would mean that everyone below fifth place would also lose to you¡­¡± The senior grinned, scanning the faces of the other Orbis Class students who remained in the training hall. ¡°Was I a bit too lax as your senior¡­?¡± I knew what those words meant. Everyone¡¯s expressions, which had completely hardened before, were colored in fear. It was Lilka Aaron who lost, but in the end, that meant that I had defeated those below her as well. All of them had to pay the price of defeat. ¡°Anyway, a promise is a promise, I shall apologize as a representative of¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your apology.¡± I looked him straight in the face and shook off the hand he placed over my shoulder. I couldn¡¯t help but realize it after seeing it with my own eyes¡­ That place was bound to create many more monsters like Ender Wilton, over and over again. His case was just slightly more radical and somewhat unusual. It was impossible not to get completely broken in that kind of environment. No one could be free in that system that promoted and enforced loathing, jealousy, hatred and feelings of inferiority. There was no way that anyone could remain sane under that constant pressure to improve. ¡°Just fight me, you fucking bastard.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± In the end¡­ No matter how one put it, I was taking it really bitterly. ____ Chapter 211 Chapter 211 I felt like not only the three idiot brothers but also the Orbis Class students were really shocked by my sudden declaration. What¡¯s wrong with him? That was what their expressions seemed to say. The same went for the fourth-year senior. ¡°Ha-haha¡­ What did I just hear? Fight? With me? Why?¡± ¡°Cause I feel like it.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Looking at you, you really are the most fucked up bastard around here, aren¡¯t you?¡± I glared at him as I clenched my fists. He would have been a victim of that system in the past as well, and after enduring it, he became the perpetrator himself. He could still be a victim. ¡°Every time I see fucking bastards like you, I feel hella sick.¡± He was an Orbis Class fourth-year student. I was going to lose. ¡°So I don¡¯t care whether I win or lose. I¡¯m doing this because I want you to know what a fucking bastard you are. Got that?¡± It wasn¡¯t just everyone else¡¯s expressions that turned rather weird as they heard my aggressive words, but the fourth-year¡¯s smiles gradually stiffened as well. ¡°Fucking shame on you, you bastard. Seriously, how could you fucking tell a 17-year-old kid from a different year to just go and die? Do you find shit like this fun? Picking on younger juniors again and again? Are you fucking touched in the head? Huh?¡± ¡°The Orbis Class¡¯ problems are to be solved by the Orbis Class. I don¡¯t think this is any of your business.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re messing up a bunch of kids, that ain¡¯t a fucking class problem, it¡¯s a social problem. You goddamn social evil!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I looked at the fourth-year senior whose expression seemed to get more and more twisted. ¡°It¡¯s fucking weird that the Orbis Class is operated like this, but what can I do ¡®bout that? However, though this place is weird, this place got even weirder because of a bunch of circle jerks like you.¡± He hadn¡¯t even threatened her directly, he¡¯d just done it through vague and indirect actions. He didn¡¯t even have to tell her that he¡¯d kill her if she lost. He wouldn¡¯t dirty his own hands with Lilka Aaron¡ªhe would just delegate that task to his juniors. He wouldn¡¯t directly threaten or hit anyone. He was a guy who didn¡¯t want to take on the title of the ¡®bad guy¡¯ and just solved everything with his words. He was the type of guy who¡¯d want to deny everything by saying things like ¡°What? I didn¡¯t do anything though?¡± Even in that fight, he didn¡¯t say anything like ¡°If you surrender, be prepared to go through hell.¡± He¡¯d just said that he would kneel down if she lost. With just those few words, he managed to make the others¡¯ imaginations run wild. He was a coward before he was a bad guy. That guy was a damn bastard in his own right in that problematic system. The faces of the Orbis Class guys were twisting more and more at my direct verbal attacks. What¡¯s wrong with him? Did he go crazy? The three brothers seemed a bit different, though. Ah, he¡¯s causing trouble again. ¡ªThat was what they seemed to think. It also seemed like they were secretly anticipating that. Get a taste of Reinhardt¡¯s ferociousness, you punks. ¡°What good would it do me if I fought with a first-year? Why would I?¡± That guy didn¡¯t want to fight either. It was only natural that he would end up winning, but there was nothing good about that. Losing was unimaginable for him, but he couldn¡¯t just win either. However, it seemed like that guy was actually constantly pressuring his juniors after all, not just that day. It was more than certain that he wasn¡¯t known to be a good senior, however, in the end, he was still just the type who would never try to do anything rough himself. So he didn¡¯t see a reason to fight a losing battle, even if he was on the winning side. The real cause of Ender Wilton¡¯s fall was the abuse he¡¯d received from his seniors. It was inevitable that a case like Ender Wilton¡¯s would occur in that vicious cycle in which the victims ended up becoming the perpetrators. I didn¡¯t know whether I could break it¡­ But I could convey something with my words. If they didn¡¯t like it, they could stick it to their seniors. They weren¡¯t going to get killed. ¡°Are you scared, you bastard? If you¡¯re so scared, just fuck off. Don¡¯t spout any more bullshit. Why the fuck are you meddling with the first-years¡¯ problems when you¡¯re already that old? Aren¡¯t you fucking embarrassed? Don¡¯t you have anything better to do? Oh, or could it be that you¡¯re such a fucked up bastard that you can¡¯t do anything but terrorize your juniors?¡± You¡¯re already that old and you still have nothing better to do but meddle with the problems of the lower-year kids. It seemed like my words had finally made him reach his limits. ¡°¡­Hah.¡± He glared at me as he swept his hair back. That was the first time I had met a narrow-eyed character. ¡°Cheeky bastard.¡± However, the guy just widened his eyes without much buildup. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do it then.¡± A fight with nothing to lose. It seemed like that senior had finally decided to truly educate his cheeky junior. ¡°Oh, you still don¡¯t know my name, right? Alright, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± The guy smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Orbis Class¡¯ Year 4 A-1, Oscar de Gardias.¡± No. No, wait just a sec. This dude is imperial royalty? It was then that I properly looked at his face. ¡ªBlonde hair and golden eyes. Certainly, th0se were the characteristics of the Gardias family. Were the eyes of the Gardias family special or something? When I thought about it, Bertus and Charlotte also kind of felt like narrow-eyed characters. Oscar de Gardias. That bastard pretended to be kind and then showed his true colors, giving off a pretty bloody atmosphere. I was wondering whether there was something special about that jerk. However, out of all things, the guy I cursed out for being a fucking bastard turned out to be part of the imperial family. No, I mean, not all blondes on the continent belonged to the Gardias Family! I should carefully look at other people¡¯s eyes from now on. But well, no use crying over spilled milk. It would be pretty difficult to take all that back¡ªI didn¡¯t even want to do that. It was a wall I had to crush anyway. ¡°I¡¯ll be rather disappointed if you changed your mind now that you found out who I am.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen, so let¡¯s do this.¡± I didn¡¯t know how hard that guy hit or what his position in the imperial family was. I couldn¡¯t just say ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were from the imperial family. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll take it back.¡± I couldn¡¯t just take back the words that I had already said. No matter if he was imperial royalty or whatever, I had to go through with it. Things didn¡¯t work out like I planned, but I just had to continue moving forward. ¡°Yeah, there are two members of the imperial family in the first year of the Royal Class as well, after all. You wouldn¡¯t get scared by just that, right?¡± Oscar de Gardias pulled out one of the provided training swords. He was someone who had been trained in the handling of weapons. I also took a sword. Not only was he a member of the imperial family, he was also A-1 of the fourth year. He shouldn¡¯t be the type of person who would seek to raise his self-esteem through his juniors because he wasn¡¯t skilled enough or something. On the contrary, he was very talented. Regardless of whether he was of the imperial family or not, I had no chance of winning. ¡°The rules are the same as before. Whoever surrenders first or is incapacitated will lose.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The guy looked at me and smiled. After he introduced himself as part of the imperial family and number A-1, the three arrogant brothers seemed to think that I had already stepped on a landmine, and the Orbis Class first-years seemed to think that my future was already very obvious because I had touched someone I shouldn¡¯t have. The rules were the same as before. ¡ªWhoever declared their defeat or was incapacitated would lose. But it seemed like I wouldn¡¯t even have the time to declare my defeat¡ªit looked like he wanted to end things in an instant. -Kakaang! * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * After rushing up to me, he instantly hit my training sword. I felt my palms tingling with intense pain. However, I didn¡¯t let go of my sword. I used the Body Strengthening and Swordsmanship preset. Oscar stabbed at me, and I pushed my sword against his. -Scraaape! Scrape! While pushing against each other¡¯s swords, we were both trying to press our swords against the others¡¯ neck. If the balance of our power was disturbed by even a little or either of us slipped, our attacks would immediately get let through. He grabbed his sword with his empty left hand and tried to get the upper hand. Half-swording¡­ I also tried to avoid getting pushed back in our power struggle by holding the tip of my sword in line with his movements. -Scrrrrrape! ¡°You¡¯re faithful¡­ to the basics, huh?¡± He looked at me with a sly smile on his lips. He¡¯d tried to push me away in an instant, but was honestly surprised when I actually responded to his attempt. ¡°You seemed to have learned from a pretty competent teacher, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Was he showing off that he could talk casually even in that situation? ¡°Yeah¡­ She¡¯s incomparable to a bastard like you.¡± As far as I had learned from Ellen, I had a talent in swordsmanship that exceeded rank itself. I intuitively knew how to respond to any situation, when I should hit and when I should retreat, from that girl who was born with a natural talent for combat each and every day. -Hit! ¡°Kurg!¡± However, while our swords were scraping against each other, he kicked my ankle. When I was losing my balance from that, he stabbed at me. -Bam! ¡°Ugh!¡± He jabbed my stomach with the blunt training sword, after which I quickly retreated to catch my breath. ¡°Did you know that, if this was a real battle, you would have died?¡± He stared at me, his expression completely relaxed. ¡°But this is just a fight, so I haven¡¯t won yet.¡± I¡¯d let one attack through. Had it been a real battle, I would have been killed by Oscar de Gardias. However, it was just a brawl. It wasn¡¯t over yet¡ªI would get beaten up until I surrendered. There was no shame in doing that. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like I will hear the words ¡®I surrender¡¯ leaving your mouth, though.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just have to beat you until they do.¡± -Kang! Kakang! Kang! After he succeeded in landing his first attack, he came at me more fiercely. As if he was done testing the waters, he went on the offensive. ¡ªSide, bottom. Top. Stabbing through the middle. He didn¡¯t just attack me with his sword. If he saw a gap while I was blocking one of his attacks, he would punch me with his left fist or kick me or the training sword itself. -Hit! Bam! Bang! ¡°Hurk!¡± ¡°You¡¯re full of gaps, junior.¡± He couldn¡¯t even be compared to Lilka Aaron, whom I¡¯d fought earlier. That guy was better than me both physically and in swordsmanship. I wasn¡¯t a match for him, and if it was a practice match, I would have lost more than five times already. However, since it was a fight, he would punch, stab, and swing at me until I was knocked out. It was also largely due to the accumulated damage from the fight I had with Lilka Aaron. -Baam! ¡°Kurg!¡± A frontal kick hit my abdomen, making me take a few steps back. He rushed at me, hitting my training sword as if he had no intentions of letting me go. I can¡¯t. I have to use ¡®that¡¯. -Kaang! ¡°!¡± As I hit his sword from the bottom up, I lifted up his arms, leaving his chest wide open ¡°Haap!¡± -Boom! ¡°Uuurg!¡± As soon as I hit his side with my right foot, he fell to the floor and rolled over. ¡°Haah¡­ Haah¡­¡± ¡°¡­What is this?¡± He hurriedly got up, fixed his posture, and titled his head. ¡°You¡­ what did you do?¡± He looked a little flustered, as if something had occurred that shouldn¡¯t have happened. Yeah, it must have felt weird. ¡°Did you know? I¡¯m a supernatural power user.¡± Supernatural power¡­ Lilka Aaron seemed to know, but Oscar de Gardias looked like he didn¡¯t know that I was a supernatural power user. However, I hadn¡¯t used ¡®that¡¯ in my previous fight. ¡°Supernatural powers¡­¡± Oscar put more strength into his gaze when he heard me say the words ¡°supernatural power¡±. Something strange had happened just then. It was because I¡¯d managed to suddenly break his guard with a different kind of explosive power than I had shown before. He must have sensed how much strength I had before, so it must have seemed strange to him, feeling such formidable power suddenly filling me. I had been using self-suggestion as a physical strengthening ability. However, not too before that, I¡¯d realized a more advanced use of the supernatural power of self-suggestion. ¡ªThat was ¡®Skills¡¯. I started another chuunibyou session, created an image of a skill in my mind, named it, and became able to use it. As always, that power was rather destructive for my mentality, but its effects were powerful. The one I¡¯d used just then was called ¡®One Strike¡¯. ¡ªI used my supernatural power solely on powering up a single attack. ¡°Here I come.¡± That time, it was ¡®Rapid Movement¡¯. ¡°!¡± Before he could react, I reached him and stabbed my sword at him. -Kadadang! ¡°Kuhuk!¡± As that guy blocked my sword stab, I went a little further and gave him a headbutt. ¨CBam! ¡°Kuhurg!¡± -Thud! I smiled at him as he grabbed his ringing head and took a few steps back. ¡°What? Is it that unusual?¡± I¡¯d been deathly embarrassed when I¡¯d set up those skills, but they were the most effective thing I had! ____ Chapter 212 Chapter 212 My discovery of self-suggestion¡¯s other use was purely coincidental. There was a time when I was sparring with Ellen as usual when I¡¯d gotten really annoyed by getting beaten up like that. Of course, that probably wasn¡¯t the first or second time, though. Anyway, I only wanted to break through Ellen¡¯s iron-wall-like guard at least once, just once. Only one time¡­ I just wanted to make her drop her sword once. I just wanted to create a single gap and get one hit in. And then, when I swung my sword¡­ ¡®¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­¡¯ Nothing really happened. As was to be expected, I¡¯d failed to make her drop her weapon and was hit by Ellen¡¯s counter right away, her sword stopped against my neck. ¡®That attack just now was a little weird.¡¯ ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Although my attack had failed, Ellen stood there tilting her head. ¡®It was different from usual.¡¯ Ellen had been sparring with me for quite a long time, so she knew every detail about how my attacks would feel when I did and didn¡¯t use my supernatural power. However, my attack just then was a little more powerful than usual. ¡ªTo the point where one could call it strange. While I couldn¡¯t break through her defense, the blow was still a lot stronger than usual. ¡®Do it again.¡¯ I didn¡¯t really know how I¡¯d done it, but Ellen told me to try it again, so after some trial and error, I realized a new way to make use of self-suggestion. By focusing my ability on one specific thing, I could strengthen certain aspects a lot more compared to when I strengthened my whole body for a short period of time. A certain attack, reinforcement of a body part, or heightening my agility. Just like the time I¡¯d set up various reinforcement-type presets before and pulled them up whenever I needed them, I did something similar that time around as well. If I familiarized myself with a certain usage method, named it, and committed it to memory, I would be able to activate the corresponding reinforcement just by recalling its name. ¡­I had to focus on the name of a skill I¡¯d come up with and recall the delusion that was connected to it, so it felt rather shameful. I was glad that I didn¡¯t have to say it out loud. Just thinking about it in my head was enough to cause me mental damage. And after, it¡¯ll be that Asura-something! I absolutely believe it¡¯ll happen! I definitely had potential, though¡­ ¡­So, those days, I was trying to get familiar with using the skills that resulted from my delusions as I was fighting Ellen. Of course, only Ellen knew what I was thinking about in my head. ¡®¡­No matter how I look at it, it¡¯s a strange supernatural power.¡¯ ¡®¡­I think so, too.¡¯ Ellen seemed to think that my ability, which was rather vague and up to interpretation, was a rather strange ability, regardless of its effects. It was great that everything worked pretty well, but its output itself was still weak, so it was more of a strange ability rather than an overpowered one. Anyway¡­ That was my first time trying to use those skills I¡¯d set up using self-suggestion on someone else other than Ellen. Oscar was observing me from a distance. He¡¯d successfully landed several attacks on me, but hadn¡¯t caused enough damage to knock me out. ¡°¡­How annoying.¡° My skills inevitably gave me a significant advantage. If I suddenly used my supernatural ability, my opponent wouldn¡¯t be able to predict my movements, speed, and strength. Ellen also had a hard time dealing with that in the beginning when I started using the ability. It was so anomalous that it was hard to respond to. Of course, after some time, she started to beat me easily again. The reason for that was that Ellen had become accustomed to me using my skills as well, so she just read when I would use them. I couldn¡¯t win against her because she was able to predict what people might do. However, that Oscar de Gardias in front of me wasn¡¯t Ellen. He was definitely superior to me, but he didn¡¯t know what supernatural power I was using. He could only roughly guess that it was a power of the physical strengthening kind. My opponent didn¡¯t know what my exact abilities were. That was a clear advantage. The number of skills available to me were three: ¡ªOne Strike, which strengthened the destructive power of an attack. ¡ªRapid Movement, which increased my reflexes and both my movement and evasion speed. ¡ªHardening, which maximized my body¡¯s defense in case I wasn¡¯t able to block an attack. I had a lot of other skills in mind, but I hadn¡¯t gotten used to them yet. Only those three were practical enough at the moment. -Kang! Kaang! Kang! ¡°Kurg!¡± However, the gap between us was too wide. Even though I had been working insanely hard, I had only trained for about half a year at most. And that effort I¡¯d put in was just everyday life for the Orbis Class. While its system was absurd, it forced its students to put in every bit of effort they could muster up. They maintained it, no matter what happened, because it worked in the end. That system couldn¡¯t just have shortcomings, after all. Fourth-year Oscar de Gardias was a man who consistently worked hard in the Orbis Class. My talents were Mana Sensitivity, Mana Control, and Self-Suggestion. The two magic-related talents were practically useless to me at that point. I also didn¡¯t have any talents related to swordsmanship or any other weapons. Except for my supernatural power, I didn¡¯t have any advantage over him as a member of the Royal Class. The only difference between me and an Orbis Class student was that single supernatural power, nothing more. My opponent had trained for more than three years longer than me. No, if he¡¯d actually started his training before he¡¯d joined Temple, then the gap between us was even bigger. Therefore, I couldn¡¯t close that gap in training with just that supernatural power. A supernatural power user who had just trained for half a year¡­ And someone who¡¯d gone through three bloody years of intensive training¡­ I couldn¡¯t beat someone like that. -Bang! ¡°Kurg!¡± He stabbed his sword into my abdomen, after which I took a few steps back while holding my stomach. If I hadn¡¯t blocked that blow with Hardening, my stomach might have burst. Even a training sword could cause fatal damage if stabbed into the abdomen, after all. He had no mercy at all. ¡°I didn¡¯t think a first-year would make a good match for me. You¡¯re quite the monster, aren¡¯t you?¡± Oscar de Gardias smiled wryly at me, who hadn¡¯t gone down due to that rather powerful blow but only held my stomach. Monster¡­ That meant that, in the end, he acknowledged me. However, his smile seemed more annoyed than pleased or delighted. ¡°Isn¡¯t it absurd?¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing my swordsmanship since I was little.¡± He was still smiling as he pointed his sword at me. However, there were many twisted emotions contained in that smile. ¡°But isn¡¯t it absurd that you¡¯re able to stand up to me even though you look like you just started practicing the sword? You endured my attacks several times, and while you aren¡¯t on par with me, who is a senior in a much higher year, you are still able to put up a fight anyway.¡± ¡°¡­Only because you have a supernatural power.¡± ¡°I mean, how does that make any sense?¡± There was hatred mixed in that smile. I didn¡¯t know where that hatred originated from, but his smile showed twisted anger and hatred. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * I should have been overpowered by that guy with just one blow due to our gap in experience. However, I didn¡¯t fall, even when I was beaten, and that guy even used several attacks aiming at my vitals. Wasn¡¯t that absurd? While I couldn¡¯t ignore the gap in experience between us, I was able to put up a fight like that just because I had a supernatural power. Oscar de Gardias was rather furious. I couldn¡¯t really say anything. I wasn¡¯t actually that talented, but I¡¯d actually got these powers through a cheat that was even far beyond a mere talent. I couldn¡¯t say that I didn¡¯t work hard to get where I was, but I also couldn¡¯t say that everything was due to my own effort. I couldn¡¯t say anything to Oscar, who spoke of his resentment and hatred as well as the time and effort he had accumulated becoming meaningless in front of a talent. I didn¡¯t even want to laugh. No matter what a naturally talented person said to someone untalented, they would only end up angering the other. ¡°I hate ¡®effort¡¯ more than anything else in the world. There are so many things that one cannot achieve just by that alone.¡± ¡ªOscar de Gardias. I had a vague idea of what he meant. That guy didn¡¯t only hold hatred for talents, but for effort as well. He was full of hatred for all the things he couldn¡¯t get just through effort. He was someone who was from the imperial family but could never become the emperor. No matter what he accomplished or did through his own strength, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get what he truly wanted. So he just ended up hating everything¡ªTalent, effort, everything. In the end, it was meaningless to say that he led a blessed life because he was born into the imperial family. That person who had lived a life deprived of so many things couldn¡¯t even see me properly. Oscar hated effort to such an extent. He couldn¡¯t enter the Royal Class but managed to reach rank one in his fourth year in the Orbis Class. With the exception of the Royal Class, that guy stood at the top of all fourth-years in Temple. Someone who devoted everything to effort would turn out to be one of two kinds of people: Either a person who completely believed in their own effort and nothing else, or someone who utterly detested it. Oscar de Gardias was the latter. That was usually the case for those who ended up with nothing after all the fucking effort they put in. I was speechless. ¡°Why are you forcing your juniors to do these things when you hate effort so much?¡± He said that he hated effort more than anything in the world, and yet he forced his juniors to do those kinds of things. Didn¡¯t he fucking hate that shit, so why? The faces of the Orbis Class students who heard those words were also slightly distorted. ¡°If that¡¯s all you can do, then you should do it the best you can, am I wrong?¡± No matter how much one hated it, there was nothing one could change about it. If all one had was effort, one had to put one¡¯s all into it. ¡°If you aren¡¯t born with talent, you have to work your hardest.¡± That sounded like some intense self-deprecation. He seemed to think that not being born with talent was a sin in itself. It was a sin to be untalented¡ªone had to atone for that sin through effort. ¡°What would even change if one resented the world? There¡¯s nothing else I can do but work hard, so that¡¯s what I should do.¡± It was a twisted, miserable, and self-deprecating mentality.. Just like the Obris Class students were broken by that system, Oscar de Gardias was also a broken human. No, that guy probably entered that place already broken. There was no one better suited to enter the Orbis Class than that guy. I didn¡¯t know whether Oscar de Gardias was right or wrong. ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then just live that way, you bastard. Don¡¯t make these kids live as harshly as you.¡± One couldn¡¯t force others to put a disproportionate amount of effort into something by making them feel like sinners as well. He was a madman who was trying to drag everyone around him into the same hell, knowing that he could never get what he wanted no matter how much effort he put in. Oscar was that kind of guy. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± -Clank! He suddenly threw his sword to the ground. ¡°By the way, hearing these things from someone like you makes me feel rather confused.¡± Anger flashed in the guy¡¯s eyes. It seemed like he would get serious, as if he was disgusted hearing me talk about those not born with talents while I myself had one. The act of throwing away his sword didn¡¯t mean he would give up. -Srrrrrr¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s finish this quickly.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I was silently watching the changes in his body. His golden eyes began to glow with blue energy, and a blue aura covered his whole body. ¡ªIt was Magic Body Strengthening. He was in his fourth year. Seeing that he was Orbis Class¡¯ Rank One, it could be said that he was the strongest among the 10,000 or so fourth-years excluding the Royal Class. It wasn¡¯t unusual for him to be able to use magic body strengthening. No, maybe it was rather normal. However, having talents or whatever were already meaningless when one was learning how to do magic body strengthening. In fact, just being able to realize how to use it already meant one was blessed with talent. Realizing how to do it in one¡¯s fourth year was by no means too late or something. That guy didn¡¯t get anything from his efforts? As if. He¡¯d obviously gained something. Nevertheless, he still abhorred effort. Magic Body Strengthening was too low a reward compared to what he really wanted. ¡°You¡¯re a genius as well, you bastard.¡± ¡°Really? I don¡¯t think so, though.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not a genius, then who is?¡± ¡°Maybe my standards are simply too high, then.¡± Everyone was staring blankly at Oscar, who was using Magic Body Strengthening so effortlessly. He¡¯d thrown away the training sword because he didn¡¯t need it anymore. Rather, it was just too cumbersome to continue to use that training sword while using Magic Body Strengthening in situations other than actual battle. Oscar showed off his Magic Body Strengthening to finish the fight quickly, as it seemed like he would just end up feeling more and more disgusted the longer he dealt with me. Even if he didn¡¯t strengthen himself with magical power I had no chance of winning. My defeat was inevitable, so nothing really changed. How painful would it be if I got hit by his fist after it got strengthened by his magical power? ¡°Here I come.¡± -Bam! Oscar¡¯s fist, which rushed at me at a speed far beyond what I could perceive, planted itself into my abdomen. ¡ªHardening. -Boom! ¡°¡­!¡± Not even a scream was able to leave my mouth at the sudden shock running through my body. ____ Chapter 213 Chapter 213 -Bam,bam, bam! I rolled several times on the training hall¡¯s floor before stopping on my back after that single blow. The training sword had already fallen out of my hand. It was already good enough that I¡¯d only let go of my sword. ¡°Ugh!¡± Just like Lika Aaron had before, I got up while gagging a few times. Even though I¡¯d reduced the impact of the blow as much as possible with Hardening, I still felt like my stomach had been turned upside down. It seemed like he wanted to end the fight quickly. -Bam! Once again, that guy rushed at me, throwing his fist at my face that time. ¡ªRapid Movement. However, I couldn¡¯t avoid it completely. -Baaam! Fortunately, what he hit was my left arm, which I used to guard, but when it got hit, it felt like it was about to break. However, it didn¡¯t break. -Hit! ¡°Kurg!¡± A sharp kick to my thighs made me roll on the floor once again. He had no intention of letting me off the hook. I was kicked, beaten, and knocked away before I could fix my posture. More pain was added even before I could feel the strangely intense pain of the previous hit. -Hit! . -Baam! . . -Pow! . . -Hit! Oscar¡¯s attack combo while using Magic Body Strengthening was fierce. In less than a minute, I was completely beaten up and pushed to the edge of the training hall. I felt like I was about to break. No, maybe I had already broken. I thought that I had already gotten used to the pain. I was in so much pain that my whole body was trembling. If I hadn¡¯t already gotten used to pushing my body to its limits, I probably wouldn¡¯t even be able to keep standing for a while. The situation was similar to that time I had fought Mayarton. At that time, most of my classmates really hated me. However, as I was getting beaten over and over until I got pushed to my limits, but kept getting up, they became a little supportive of me. They¡¯d cheered for me, as they felt sympathetic towards me. That part was also similar. The expressions of Orbis Class students, who had stared at me with hostile eyes after I¡¯d easily defeated Lilka Aaron, after seeing their senior attacking and trampling all over me, became more and more bizarre. Stop. Why are you still going on? ¡ªThat was what their expressions seemed to say. It was the same during the fight with Mayarton. However, it couldn¡¯t be compared to the time I¡¯d fought with Mayarton, though. My opponent was far superior to me, even in his normal state, and as long as he continued to use Magic Body Strengthening, I didn¡¯t even have the slightest chance of winning. ¡°You punk, you didn¡¯t really think that you could win against me, did you?¡± ¡°I already knew that I couldn¡¯t, you bastard.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Oscar was looking at me as if he was dumbfounded at the fact that I could still talk back in my situation. I couldn¡¯t win. I never even thought I would be able to win anyway. Oscar didn¡¯t seem to understand me. ¡°Then I can¡¯t understand why you¡¯re continuing to fight a losing battle.¡± ¡°I told you¡­¡± I stumbled slightly and stared at him. ¡°You should be called out for what you are, a fucking asshole, by a junior who is a whole fucking lot weaker than you. You¡¯re such a fucking bastard that a junior from a completely different class has to tell you.¡± Even though I knew that it was a fight I could never win, I needed to let that guy know just what a fucking asshole he was, so I¡¯d stepped up. Because no one else could tell him. Because there wasn¡¯t a single person in the Orbis Class that could tell him something like that. ¡°If no one ever told you, you¡¯d never know, so I¡¯m doing it for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I fucking knew I¡¯d lose, but you needed to know this. Whatever reason you use as an excuse, you¡¯re just a sadist who enjoys tormenting his juniors. You¡¯re a fucking cowardly bastard who doesn¡¯t even dirty his own hands as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a coward?¡± ¡°Yeah, your way of taking that constantly creates a way out for you? That¡¯s just a bunch of bullcrap.¡± An absurd system¡­ However, that guy was actually a perpetrator who didn¡¯t want to play the role of the perpetrator, even in that system. ¡°¡­It¡¯s rather reassuring to be in the same class as the imperial prince and princess, huh?¡± These words finally left his mouth. He thought that I believed that the prince and princess would have my back, which was allowing me to act like that. ¡°Nah, I always act like this. I don¡¯t need backing or some shit. What? You can¡¯t even tell a fucking jerk that they are a fucking jerk if you don¡¯t have someone behind you? So what if I got beaten up here in the Orbis Class. Aren¡¯t you enjoying your status as the perpetrator right now?¡± I looked at him as I smiled and shook my fingertips. ¡°That¡¯s just the kind of bastard you are. Yeah, environment and shit like that isn¡¯t important, it¡¯s what you¡¯re born with. Just like talent determines a person, you were also born with a talent.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You were just born to be a fucking bastard. You¡¯re a coward, you¡¯re mean, you¡¯re not willing to get your own hands dirty. Rather than getting rid of problems, you¡¯re just a punk who lives with and thrives through them. And then you blame it on your environment. You feel fucking sorry for yourself because you don¡¯t have a Talent. And then, after you feel bored from tormenting yourself, you get your second-hand satisfaction from bullying others. You enjoy yourself by making others feel miserable. You¡¯re such a fucked up little piece of shit who just wants to see the misery you see in yourself in others as well.¡± He had a Talent as well. A talent for being a fucking bastard. These were very good words to offend and piss him off. ¡°You just made me angry now. There¡¯s nothing good about that, is there?¡± He came rushing at me with his eyes wide open. Oscar¡¯s movements, even after he started using Magic Body Strengthening, became even faster and more unpredictable than before. However¡­ He lost his composure. After he rushed to me, he used his left leg as an axis to roundhouse kick me. ¡ªRapid Movement. I turned to my side¡­ And elbowed his temple. -Bang! ¡°Kuhuk!¡± Magic Body Strengthening also provided some protection. I felt a certain sense of rigidity through my elbow, but he apparently fell to his side. I¡¯d uselessly bothered him and made him move more honestly. So I¡¯d succeeded in landing a blow, making him fall to the side. I stood still, watching him slowly rise, holding his temples. Embarrassment and anger appeared in his eyes. He seemed to wonder how he could have allowed an attack to land even though he was using Magic Body Strengthening. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hah. I made a mistake¡­¡± Now. Let¡¯s just surrender. Let¡¯s just finish this now. Now that I¡¯d landed one last hit before I surrendered, that guy wouldn¡¯t be able to hit me anymore. It was a fight I couldn¡¯t have won to begin with, so it was fine if I just won mentally. I¡¯d just smirk at the guy, mockingly say that he did a great job, and go get my injuries treated by the priest on-call. I¡­ Because I wouldn¡¯t be able to win¡­ I¡¯d picked that fight while knowing it was unwinnable, so I should¡¯ve put an end to it then. It wasn¡¯t like my life was at stake anyway. If defeat would mean death, then I would have struggled some more, but that wasn¡¯t the case there. What I was trying to convey there wasn¡¯t even that great a message, either. I just had to tell him what a fucking son of a bitch he was, even though I knew that I wasn¡¯t a match for him. Everyone was scared of the seniors, afraid of the collective of seniors, but none of them dared to say that they hated the way they were treated. None of them would even say that they were scared of them. However, there I was, simply continuing to speak even though I was getting beat up in a fight I had no chance of winning. If something was fucked up, one could just say that it was fucked up. Even if one was weak, one could still say that much. I was showing them that there was nothing wrong with calling a bastard who tormented younger students without even having the guts to wear the title of perpetrator that he was a fucking bastard, even in that fucked up system. Other than getting beat up a little, nothing would happen. It was okay to lose. That was the only message I wanted to convey to them. -Baam! ¡°Kuhg!¡± However, even while I was being hit by his follow-up hits and rolling on the floor while still trying to avoid his punches that kept flying at me again and again by very narrow margins, I managed to land a knee kick into his face. I didn¡¯t surrender. I can stop now. I thought that I had done enough, but I just couldn¡¯t. I can¡¯t win. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * As those kinds of thoughts kept appearing in my mind countless times, I realized something. When I was in the Darklands, I¡¯d fought with my life on the line. And after returning to Temple, I¡¯d become somewhat aloof towards practice matches at Temple or quarrels and conflicts with others. Guess that¡¯s what¡¯s happening. What the hell¡¯s wrong with that guy? How annoying. That was how I let most things slide. When Heinrich tried to pick a fight with me, I hadn¡¯t even tried to respond at first, although I had ended up throwing some punches. I also hadn¡¯t responded to the three idiot brothers¡¯ attempts to start a fight with me in the beginning of the semester. Guess that¡¯s what¡¯s happening. What¡¯s the big deal? I hadn¡¯t gotten stronger since I¡¯d gone to the Darklands I had actually grown weaker. It wasn¡¯t like I had matured, saying things like I should ignore it just because my life wasn¡¯t on the line. This is a fight I can¡¯t help but lose, so let¡¯s just be satisfied with a mental victory. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to die or anything. How was that different from resignation? I was able to gain a certain amount of strength after all my training, which made me complacent. I still had a long way to go. I would get stronger in the future. I wasn¡¯t that desperate at the moment, though. I¡¯d worked hard and done some immediate training, but whatever the situation was just wasn¡¯t too desperate yet. I was fighting a losing battle against some fucked up jerk. However, even if I lost, I¡¯d managed to call him exactly what he was¡ªa fucked up jerk. It was fine because Ender Wilton and the other Orbis Class first-year students, whose fear of their seniors¡¯ abuse had been engraved in their minds, saw the scene. I tried to be satisfied with something like that. I could lose because my life wasn¡¯t at stake. My mind was just all over the place. I shouldn¡¯t be like that. At that moment, I finally realized that I had become a lot weaker ever since I¡¯d come back from the Darklands. That wasn¡¯t how my power should be. That wasn¡¯t how it should be used. I completely forgot what the basis of my power was. As I continued to use that supernatural ability, I ended up forgetting the essence of it. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t be able to win a fight I already thought I was going to lose. I had to fight while believing that I could win. Even if I couldn¡¯t win, I still had to believe I could. I had come to a standstill. I had been stuck ever since I¡¯d come back from the Darklands. It didn¡¯t matter whether I obtained Tiamata or not, my mind itself was stagnant. I shouldn¡¯t just solely rely on the results of my training and my slight improvements. Something like that had happened again. I had to believe that I would win every fight. ¡°For a guy who doesn¡¯t even know how to stand properly, you have quite the foul mouth.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I might be a coward, but you are just pathetic. Your tenacity is commendable, but isn¡¯t this enough to call it obstinacy? You have to be able to give up when it¡¯s time to give up, and don¡¯t you think that time has already come?¡± Oscar, who watched me trembling as I stood up, wore a sly smile on his lips. ¡°Even if you have a supernatural power, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be much of anything when you become a fourth year.¡± A weakling¡¯s obstinacy¡­ Oscar laughed at me. The first years, however, were amazed. I could feel the wish of just getting knocked out slightly take shape inside of me. Lilka Aaron had just wanted to collapse, so I¡¯d knocked her out. However, I didn¡¯t actually want to collapse. ¡ªSo I didn¡¯t. I would lose, but I completely forgot to even think about that. I couldn¡¯t stay stuck in place. I couldn¡¯t just run away on the pretext that it wouldn¡¯t cost me my life. I had to retrieve my most powerful weapon¡ªI needed it to fight properly. I¡­ I completely forgot the pain. The pain was simply gone I¡­ My body returned to its best condition. My hands and feet just stopped shaking. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Things I hadn¡¯t thought about for a long time. I looked at Oscar de Gardias. ¡°I¡­ will¡­¡± Words that made me who I am today. ¡°Win.¡± As I recalled those words, I stared at him. In the end, Ender Wilton wasn¡¯t the villain. The system, the events ahead, nothing mattered. At that moment, there was just one thing I could feel¡­ ¡ªI wanted to fuck up that son of a bitch. After all, I was just a mad dog who was swayed by his own feelings rather something fucking vague as selflessness or whatever. I wanted to win. ¡­So I would win. ¡®Why can¡¯t you do it?¡¯ Ellen¡¯s words came to my mind. ¡®I can just do it.¡¯ ¡®Am I the same as you?¡¯ I¡¯d given up because I couldn¡¯t do it. Of course, that was just what I thought. I¡¯d thought that Ellen was a genius and I was just average. ¡®Just trust that you can strengthen yourself with your magical power.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m already doing that, though?¡¯ ¡®Why can¡¯t you do it then?¡¯ ¡®Am I just no good?¡¯ No¡­ I didn¡¯t really believe that I could do it. I tried to believe that I could strengthen my body with my magical power, but I didn¡¯t properly believe in myself. Ellen can do it because she¡¯s just Ellen. I wouldn¡¯t be able to just do it. I subconsciously had such doubts. I had been following Ellen for too long, getting to know just how absurd she was, so I¡¯d subconsciously believed that I could never achieve what she could. I had to eliminate that subconscious doubt. I had to have complete conviction of my absolute victory. I¡­ I could feel my magical power. I¡­ I could control my magical power. -Krrrrr! ¡°Wh-What?¡± I¡­ I succeeded in strengthening myself with magical power. Adding to that¡­ ¡ªI sped up further using Rapid Movement. ¡ªI reinforced my attack power with One Strike. ¡ªAnd I reinforced my body itself with Hardening. I used all of my three skills¡­ With the power of Magic Body Strengthening on top of that. -Kabooom! I rushed towards Oscar with enough strength put into my legs that I managed to break the training hall¡¯s floor. -Gooong! ¡ªAn attack with three skills stacked on top of each other. I didn¡¯t know what to call that yet.. After strongly stomping the ground, I rushed forward. And then, using one of my legs as the axis, I launched a side kick packed with all my strength into Oscar de Gardias¡¯ abdomen. -Boooom! ¡°¡­Kuh ¡­Huk!¡± With an incredible roar that was hard to believe could be made by a human body, he flew off to the other side of the training hall. -Baaam! I saw him fly into the opposite wall of the training hall and then collapse on the floor as he fell down. -Thump! Everyone stared with their eyes wide open upon seeing him planted in the wall and then falling to the floor, not moving anymore. [Achievement ¨C Path of a Superhuman] [You have earned 500 achievement points.] Astonished silence fell over the training hall. Even A-1 Grayden Amorell was astonished. B-10 Ender Wilton had his mouth wide open. However, my body was also a wreck. The pain in the places I¡¯d got hit wasn¡¯t actually the problem. I could feel my consciousness gradually fading because of that unfamiliar pain, as if my whole body was about to be torn apart. Did I¡­ Did I actually endure all of this? As my consciousness was fading, I shakily walked forward, desperately holding onto it. I then spoke to the frozen Orbis Class students. ¡°Did¡­ you¡­ see?¡± I spoke while putting as much force into my gaze as possible. ¡°Fuck, even if you mess with your seniors¡­ a bit. Besides beating you up. They. Can¡¯t. Do. A damn¡­ Thing.¡± My eyes were shaking violently as if I felt embarrassed and nervous to suddenly say things like that since I was a stranger to most of them. ¡°So¡­ Damn it. What I mean¡­ Just follow what I did.¡± Even if you get beaten up that badly, you won¡¯t die. Rather, you might even make a miracle happen and knock out a senior. ¡ªThat was what I was trying to say. ¡°Don¡¯t get scared! If they act like a fucking bastard, you just tell him to their damn face! Don¡¯t just endure it! Just say somethin¡ª¡­Kuhuk!¡± -O-ooh! -What¡¯s wrong with him?! ¡°Uurg! Cough!¡± I became unable to speak as I ended up throwing up blood. No! Listen to what I have to say! -Priest! Call a priest! -I-I¡¯ll get one! I could faintly hear the desperate voices of the Orbis Class students. That was the last thing I remembered. ____ Chapter 214 Chapter 214 It had been a while. An unfamiliar ceiling? No, that should¡¯ve been a familiar ceiling by then, right? It was the ceiling of our dormitory¡¯s recovery room. It felt like I was always waking up there in similar patterns, so I was used to it by then. It wasn¡¯t because I fainted often but because I needed treatment from the on-call priest quite frequently. ¡°¡­Ugh ¡± And then I felt it¡ªpain, as if all the blood vessels in my whole body were getting torn apart. It hurt so much that I couldn¡¯t speak properly. I didn¡¯t know if that was what it felt like having my blood vessels torn, but my whole body felt like it was on fire. -Flinch And it seemed like I greatly startled someone next to me with my soft moan, making them jump up. It looked like they had fallen asleep at my bedside. ¡°Y-Y-Y-You¡¯re awake! You¡¯re awake!¡± Not knowing whether she was surprised or happy, Harriet de Saint-Owan let out a shout and hugged me. ¡°A-arg! H-hey! I-it hurts, dude!¡± ¡°I thought you were deeeeaaaaad! You! Yoou! You bad guy! You evil bastard!¡± Harriet suddenly clung to me, crying, and the more she did that, the more I felt like my whole body was hurting and burning up ¡°Hic! Hic, sob! Y-you bad guy!¡± ¡°I-it hurts, It hurts. Hey¡­¡± I felt like I was going to faint again. Still, I somehow managed to pat Harriet on the back. * * * Ellen had also ended up vomiting blood when she¡¯d been forced to use Magic Body Strengthening for the first time. It was a side effect that occured if one used it without having learned the proper way. I¡¯d done the same thing. It was successful, and I was able to make use of some explosive power for some time, but the price I had to pay was a lot higher than in Ellen¡¯s case. Ellen just vomited up blood but didn¡¯t faint. I vomited up blood and ended up fainting. Four days¡­ That was how long I had been unconscious. I¡¯d fainted, and while in that state, I was moved to the Orbis Class¡¯ recovery room. After that, I believe I was transferred to the Royal Class¡¯ recovery room. Not only the other students, but the faculty members were in a mess as well. It was already enough that I¡¯d stormed into the Orbis Class dorms and fought with students, but then I¡¯d suddenly used Magic Body Strengthening and had even ended up fainting while vomiting blood. The results of that fight, so to speak, could either be deemed as my victory or a draw. Oscar de Gardias had only fainted for a moment and stood back up, whereas I was truly unconscious. I felt like I¡¯d won, but I also felt like I¡¯d lost. It was really vague. Of course, I didn¡¯t really care whether I won or lost, but anyway, as I made that guy pass out with my last hit, I¡¯d say I won mentally, though I didn¡¯t really win. It seemed that the Grand Yoga Master who took care of Ellen¡¯s condition before was summoned once again to check out my condition. He reassured the others that, while it would take some time for me to regain my consciousness, my life wasn¡¯t in danger, however, I was told that the others still came to visit me to check on me from time to time. Harriet looked after me and ended up falling asleep on my bedside¡ªthat was when I¡¯d regained my consciousness. At the news that I had woken up. all the others flocked in. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen was looking at me with an angry expression etched on her face. Harriet was so surprised when I woke up that she ended up hugging me. Realizing what she had done, she couldn¡¯t even look me in the eyes, her face bright red. ¡°¡­Junior. Do you know how worried I was?¡± Adriana seemed glad that I had woken up. It looked like she was insanely worried as well as slightly happy after she heard that I had done something so outrageous again. ¡°I was so worried that you might die and leave me behind!¡± Olivia also came to visit, making a fuss. ¡°¡­What a sight. Do you have to do things like that to learn new tricks or something?¡± Liana de Grantz shook her head. She probably said that because I¡¯d ended up awakening my supernatural power in a duel and also managed to use Magic Body Strengthening during something similar to a duel. Adelia carefully hid behind Liana¡¯s back and asked me if I was okay in a mumble. ¡°¡­I¡¯m really getting tired of getting surprised by these things. Are you okay?¡± Charlotte also stood there with her arms crossed, clicking her tongue. Surprisingly the three idiot brothers and Cliffman also came to see me. Everyone came to speak to me. What the hell? It felt like I was a good kid who was the center of everyone¡¯s attention. However, in reality, I was just a guy who¡¯d passed out after fighting with another class. But actually, rather than only worrying about me, they also said things like ¡°Did you cause trouble again, you punk¡­?¡± Ellen in particular seemed really angry. She might have been worried about me while I was unconscious, but once I¡¯d woken up again, she was angry. ¡®B-but I¡¯m a patient right now, so she won¡¯t hit me¡­¡¯ ¡°If you have any excuses, give it your best shot.¡± Ellen came at me with ferocious force. I really had no excuses to give because I¡¯d ended up unconscious for four days after I¡¯d suddenly felt like picking a fight with the Orbis Class. I had to say something. ¡°It¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It hurts so much¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t think of anything else, but I really felt like I was going to die there! I didn¡¯t know if it would hurt like that if all my blood vessels ruptured, but it hurt a whole damn lot. It didn¡¯t hurt that much when I passed out before I died of high blood pressure! So, to be exact, it felt like the tendons in my whole body just crumbled. Although I¡¯d never felt anything like that before. If I had to describe the type of pain, it was a burning and bruising pain. While it felt like I was getting roasted in fire, I also felt really sore at the same time. However, that pain wasn¡¯t external, but internal. What I did was really crazy. When I said that I was in that much pain, the on-call priest sent all of them back. As soon as he heard the news that I¡¯d woken up, that Grand Yoga Master came to the recovery room. The man, who I usually saw as a hypnotist, then appeared like a god to me. He was the teacher who¡¯d also treated Ellen. ¡°Teacher¡­ It hurts so bad¡­¡± It hurt so much that manners and such all flew out of the window. Do something! ¡°Do you know how bad it burns?¡± At my direct complaint of the intense pain, the Yoga Master smiled as softly as he did during class. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that you are in pain, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Th-the level of this pain isn¡¯t normal¡­ Seriously¡­ I think I¡¯m going crazy¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a relief that you only ended up in pain. In Ellen¡¯s case, her excellent qualities protected her. However, that doesn¡¯t apply to you, Reinhardt. You almost destroyed all your magic circuits in your body.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You almost became unable to use Magic Body Strengthening for your whole life. If what Ellen did could be compared to her trying to drive a much too big wagon on a narrow forest trail, then what you did would be like trying to drive one straight through the forest, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to say¡­¡± ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that you almost destroyed the whole forest by trying to drive on a nonexistent road.¡± I could understand what he was trying to convey to some extent. Ellen had already been prepared to use Magic Body Strengthening, but she just put in too much power, which was why the road she built got destroyed¡ªshe¡¯d used force beyond what the road could handle. Ellen¡¯s magical power was ranked A+. It¡¯d probably ended up like that because the situation was really urgent and she¡¯d put in everything she had. However, although the amount of magical power itself was lower, I¡¯d tried to strengthen myself when I wasn¡¯t ready yet. It was inevitable that my body would be damaged even more in that condition. I¡¯d tried to drive my wagon prematurely and while completely unprepared. Furthermore, I¡¯d tried to drive it through a forest with no roads going through it, so I¡¯d ended up breaking the trees in my way as I drove through. Basically, the forest was a metaphor for my body. Ellen¡¯s wagon was simply too large for her forest road. And I¡¯d just driven my wagon into a forest with no road and cut down all the trees around. What I was doing was a lot more dangerous than I¡¯d initially thought. I could have become unable to strengthen myself with magical power for the rest of my life. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * If put in martial arts terms, I almost went into qi deviation. If I used just a bit more power, I might have gotten crippled. I was glad that it only ended with that pain. ¡°Fortunately, you awakened your new talent, Mana Control. That¡¯s why things ended up the way they did.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right.¡± Mana Control¡­ Because of that talent, my condition wasn¡¯t any more serious than it could have been. Without that talent, I would have had to pay a much greater price for using Magic Body Strengthening through Self-Suggestion. If I hadn¡¯t awakened Mana Control by spending a lot of achievement points, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of fighting with the Orbis Class either, so that was what it was. I¡¯d lived thanks to that talent. If it wasn¡¯t for Mana Control, wouldn¡¯t it have been completely impossible for me to use Magic Body Strengthening in the first place? I had no idea. In Ellen¡¯s case, thanks to her highest-level magic-related talent ¡®Mana Domination¡¯, she¡¯d only ended up vomiting some blood and feeling dizzy. I¡¯d fainted because I had a lower-ranked talent and was then in intense pain. In the end, I took a risk and managed to break through, huh? ¡°Then¡­ Am I also going to learn¡­ Magic Body Strengthening now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. For now, you should observe Ellen¡¯s private lessons. I¡¯m sorry, Reinhardt, but your qualities are far inferior to Ellen¡¯s. Don¡¯t be too disappointed. Ellen is just far too talented. It¡¯s dangerous to learn how to control mana in a clumsy way. I¡¯ll be a little more careful with you.¡± The Grand Yoga Master patted my head lightly. Just like Ellen had managed to realize how to strengthen herself with magical power through her own power, I¡¯d managed to do that as well. However, it was still different. Ellen had managed to use Magic Body strengthening for quite a long time the first time she¡¯d used it while I could only use it for a short while¡ªless than five seconds, in fact. No, it was even questionable to say that I¡¯d awoken the ability. I didn¡¯t really know what I¡¯d done, after all. So I would just observe them rather than actually learn to strengthen myself with my magical power. My qualities were far inferior to Ellen¡¯s, so it was too early for me to actually learn it. ¡°First you have to recuperate. It will be rather difficult for you to move around for now.¡± The Yoga Master teacher rolled me over for some time, then sat me up and gave me some sort of therapy. In fact, the pain seemed to let up a little at that moment. The aftereffects of Magic Body Strengthening couldn¡¯t be healed with divine power. Therefore, that Grand Yoga Master was the best teacher and therapist in the field. If not for that man, I might have been unconscious for much longer or really ended up crippled. ¡°¡­How long will it take?¡± ¡°It will take some time for you to fully recover.¡± Anyway¡­ It seemed like I had to stay in bed for a while in exchange for having used Magic Body Strengthening. * * * After the Yoga Master went back, I just lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The priest on duty said that there was nothing they could do for me, but still told me to call for them if I needed anything. Divine powers couldn¡¯t do anything about my condition. There was always someone stationed in the priest¡¯s room in front of the recovery room 24/7, so it couldn¡¯t be said that there was a shortage of personnel. The pain let up a little, but it was still awfully intense. Every time I moved my body, my muscles and tendons seemed to scream as if to tell me ¡®You¡¯ll die if you move even an inch.¡¯ To eat, I had to set up my bed to do so, and the only thing I could eat was porridge. Let¡¯s forget the pain. Fucking hell! Self-suggestion didn¡¯t work either. Why didn¡¯t it work?! It worked when I was fighting Oscar! If I looked at it that way, it seemed that the effect of my self-suggestion was obviously amplified in actual battles. Of course, the fight with Oscar couldn¡¯t be called a real battle. It seemed rather logical that one unleashed greater powers in emotionally intense situations. No matter how many doubts I held, I was able to use Magic Body Strengthening, which I couldn¡¯t even fathom using in the training with Ellen, in the battle against Oscar. In the end, from a writing standpoint, that was the type of supernatural power I liked. Exploding with power in extreme situations¡­ or something like that Getting stronger when one gets angry¡­ That kind of thing. I liked those kinds of tropes when I¡¯d written stories, however, if one actually had to use those powers, it was utter crap! Like, why couldn¡¯t I just use it to its fullest at any given time? Although I was the second one who¡¯d managed to successfully strengthen myself with magic power by myself, I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be that big an issue. ¡°While he did manage to strengthen himself with magical power, he almost ended up crippled.¡° That would be it. After all, there was the very overwhelming case of Ellen. I thought that people would just think I was some idiot who¡¯d flown too close to the sun and gotten burned or something, that I was nothing but a cheap imitation, that I was just a cat trying to be a lion and got hurt while tying. (HELP¡­) ¡®Pft, he goes around with Ellen all the time, and now that idiot thinks he¡¯s the same as Ellen.¡¯ Would I hear things like that? Anyway¡­ I did a lot more than anticipated and got rewarded with 500 points for that achievement. [Achievement Points : 3430] I earned 500 points for finishing the challenge, and gained 500 additional points for managing to strengthen myself with magical power. I earned 500 points more than I¡¯d expected. Still, I didn¡¯t know yet if that was a good or bad thing. It seemed like I would be bound to the bed for a while, so I won¡¯t be able to go to class. Not only that¡­ It was clear that the conflict between the kids would grow more intense. No matter how much I thought about it, I would face disciplinary actions. I wondered whether the merit points would be enough to offset that. But I¡¯d just leave future problems to future me. Right then, I was in pain and about to go crazy! ¡°Teacher¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Reinhardt. Do you need anything?¡± Eventually, I called a teacher with my communication device. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ but could you call Harriet de Saint-Owan of my class¡­?¡± ¡°Hm? Do you have something to say to her?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir. I have a big favor¡­ to ask of her¡­¡± In the end, I decided to use a cheat. * * * I couldn¡¯t move on my own, so I asked the priest on duty to help me out. It was already evening, so Harriet went straight to the recovery room. Harriet seemed a little puzzled that I¡¯d called her there. ¡°Idiot¡­ You came¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you call me¡­? Sigh. Seriously. I¡¯ll let it slide this once.¡± She seemed about to get angry, but when she saw my pained face, she sealed that anger inside of her. Was she letting me off the hook because I was in that state? What the hell? Wasn¡¯t she even cuter than usual? Should I just get hurt every day? No, well, I didn¡¯t want to be in that much pain, though. Instead of being in pain for the rest of my life, wouldn¡¯t it be better if Harriet acted like that every day? Well¡­ I was in so much pain that I¡¯d rather die. I didn¡¯t know whether that was normal or something, but I couldn¡¯t really focus on anything because of the fucking pain. ¡°Are you in pain?¡± I felt like I was dying, so I was breathing quite heavily, making myself seem rather small. If I had been fully there, I might have thought of another way to answer, but I was in so much pain that I felt like I might faint again. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m dying¡­¡± ¡°Oh no¡­Then why did you do something so crazy¡­? Just for some petty revenge¡­¡± ¡°Not only because of that¡­ there were.. circumstances¡­¡± I was like that, so I couldn¡¯t really rebuke. Harriet sat down on the chair located close to the bed and looked at me. ¡°So, what favor do you have to ask of me? Can I get you anything? Do you need something?¡± Ah¡­ Although I really didn¡¯t like being in pain¡­ This might be surprisingly good. That kid who always acted prickly towards me looked at me with eyes filled with worry. It felt like she would do anything I asked of her¡ªthat was good. Although she acted like that because I was in pain, I was 100% sure that it wasn¡¯t good to be in pain. That waxing and waning mental state of mine was the clearest proof of that. I didn¡¯t mean to ask anything hard of Harriet when I¡¯d called her. ¡°Make me sleep¡­¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Harriet asked, rather perplexed by my sudden request. ¡°I really want to sleep, but I can¡¯t because I¡¯m in too much pain. So I have to somehow force myself to sleep¡­¡± It was just too painful to stay awake, so I wanted to sleep. It didn¡¯t matter whether it was through sleep magic, sleeping pills, or narcotic painkillers. I wouldn¡¯t be in pain if I was asleep. ¡°Th-that¡­ That¡¯s all?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± I really hoped that I would just sleep until I got better, waking up in a much better condition. Sleep magic could be cast on enemies in Fantasy worlds like this, but there were no rules that stated that she couldn¡¯t cast it on me. Sleep was a good thing. ¡ªThere was nothing better than that when you were sick. However, I couldn¡¯t sleep because I was in too much pain. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­ I¡­ I¡¯ve never done anything like that before¡­ okay¡­?¡± For some reason, Harriet¡¯s face turned red, and she seemed to hesitate a little, then she suddenly put her hands on my chest. ¡°L-lullaby¡­ And good night¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± -Pat, pat I was completely speechless as I watched Harriet patting my chest. She was so ashamed of what she was doing that she couldn¡¯t even look at me, her face dyed crimson. No, are you an idiot? I was utterly blown away by her sudden, idiotic actions. If I was in my usual state, I would have teased her, saying, ¡°Oh. my, you idiot. Did you not get it or something?¡± but she seemed so embarrassed that I felt suffocated as well. I never imagined she would do that. No, putting the misunderstanding aside, she actually went through with that? ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­ Not what I meant by¡­ Sleep magic¡­¡± ¡°!!!!¡± Harriet seemed like she would die sitting in that chair. ____ Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Night time. Ellen finished her training in the training room. She then headed to the restaurant. She was speechless. He¡¯d just gone to the Orbis Class¡¯ Dormitory and fought with their students, and what¡¯s more, he¡¯d fought with a senior and then passed out after forcing himself to use Magic Body Strengthening. He had ended up unconscious for four days. When Reinhardt woke up, all the worries she had before up and disappeared. He was alive. He was safe. She didn¡¯t have to worry anymore. Right after she felt relieved, she became angry. She was so angry that it was incredibly hard to bear for her. She and Reinhardt both paid the price for the clumsy attempts. However, she had been in a situation where her life was at stake, while Reinhardt only quarreled with a senior. Ellen couldn¡¯t think of any reason for him to do something so crazy in such a situation. She had a lot of things to say to him. Just why are you in such a hurry? Why do you always choose to do such dangerous things? Don¡¯t ever do that anymore from now on. I always feel like I¡¯m about to die seeing you like this. I felt like I was going to die, not you, when I saw that you didn¡¯t wake up. If she said those things, would he stop? She didn¡¯t know, but that was what she wanted to tell him. Would he maybe refrain from doing those dangerous things just a little bit? Just what was the point of doing those things? Why was he overdoing it like that? Ellen could only think of one thing. Ever since the Darklands, the gap between them had grown even wider. She¡¯d learned how to strengthen her body with magical power, and while Reinhardt had also become much stronger, the absolute difference in their strength had become even bigger. So he¡¯d even asked her to teach him how to use Magic Body Strengthening. It didn¡¯t work, but she¡¯d tried to force it anyway. However, what frustrated Ellen wasn¡¯t that Reinhardt couldn¡¯t do it but that she couldn¡¯t teach him properly, but she¡¯d tried to do it anyway. So was that why he did something that reckless again? Did he think he might be able to gain something if he did something like that because he¡¯d awakened to his supernatural power by doing something reckless? He did that because he wanted to follow her, who had gotten too strong. Ellen thought that was the reason for Reinhardt¡¯s impatience. You don¡¯t have to do something like that. Did Reinhardt not want to be apart from her? If she put it that way, she could understand Reinhardt¡¯s impatience to some extent. She was angry, but she could somehow accept that. As such¡­ As Ellen reached the dining hall¡¯s kitchen, she grabbed a knife. She was always told that she ate far too much, however Ellen knew that Reinhardt also ate plenty. Something like the porridge they had in the recovery room wouldn¡¯t be enough for him¡ªshe was going to make something. -Tok, tok, tok, tok Ellen used the knife without saying anything. She chopped up some vegetables and chicken meat. She thought that it might be hard for him to move his jaw, so she only used the soft leg and thigh meat. She cut it a bit smaller than one normally would so that he wouldn¡¯t have to chew much to swallow it. Previously, she hadn¡¯t known how to cook or anything like it. There was no need to. At home, her parents prepared meals for her, and at Temple, it would be the chefs. If she got hungry between meals, it was enough to just eat some snacks. Various types of bread, jerky, sausages, and biscuits. ¡ªThose things were enough for her. However, they didn¡¯t satisfy her anymore. When Reinhardt couldn¡¯t cook anything for her from time to time, she didn¡¯t feel like letting those types of snacks enter her mouth anymore. She was tired of them. At those times, Ellen would cook on her own or didn¡¯t eat at all. When Reinhardt wasn¡¯t around, she was more likely to not eat anything, though. She used to sit in some corner by herself and eat various things, but now that she was on her own¡­ She felt slightly¡­ Lonely. No, I don¡¯t feel lonely, I¡¯m just bored. corrected Ellen. Ellen was no longer eating by herself. She didn¡¯t know how to cook and there was no reason for her to learn it before. However, she had learned. She learned a lot by watching over his shoulder because Reinhardt teased her a lot that she should cook some food as well and serve it later instead of just eating his food. Ellen was dexterous and had a good memory¡ªthat was why she knew how to cook most dishes Reinhardt made for her. Sometimes she would make them herself. There were some things she could do without having to try. Ellen was able to bring those results because of her excellent specs. Cooking wasn¡¯t an exception to Ellen¡¯s talent. Honestly¡­ Quite frankly¡­ Ellen thought that she had gotten even better at cooking than Reinhardt. She could make things that she hadn¡¯t seen before, but she could imagine how she could make the dish even more delicious after seeing how Reinhardt made them. She didn¡¯t even have to try to know. Reinhardt cooked by vaguely measuring the seasoning and ingredients, so had learned to predict how much seasoning should be added to make it taste even better. So after watching Reinhardt cook a dish, she was able to cook it even better. However, Ellen usually didn¡¯t bother taking the knife in her own hand. When Reinhardt got grumpy and forced her to do it, she wouldn¡¯t make it perfect¡ªa little bland, a little too salty. Or she might deliberately leave out a core ingredient. She would do those things on purpose. Reinhardt would then ask her why she wasn¡¯t able to do it before eventually fixing it himself. She was aware that what she was doing could be considered bad, but she had no ill intentions. She just thought that if she managed to do a better job than Reinhardt and he found out, that he wouldn¡¯t want to cook for her anymore. She was aware that those were just immature thoughts and that it was rather rude. However, Ellen knew Reinhardt to some extent. If she managed to cook better than him, it would hurt Reinhardt¡¯s pride. She often saw Reinhardt pouting while grumbling to himself as he cooked something for her in the kitchen. He pretended to not enjoy it and to be annoyed by it. However, when he thought that she wasn¡¯t looking, he would smile while cooking. Ellen knew that he enjoyed cooking. If he found out that she was actually better at cooking than him, that would take away all the pleasure Reinhardt felt while he cooked¡ªEllen knew that much. He believed that he was paying her for learning swordsmanship from her. However, if it turned out that she wasn¡¯t only better than him in swordsmanship but also in cooking, that might hurt him. She wanted to leave him something that he was better at than her. She hoped that doing so would preserve Reinhardt¡¯s joy. That was why Ellen never properly held the knife when she cooked in the kitchen. Ellen still didn¡¯t know how to properly deal with people, but when it came to Reinhardt, she seemed to have figured out some things in order to get along with him. No. In fact, that might not be the reason why he liked it. Just because. There were times when Reinhardt would cook just for himself as well. Reinhardt would always cook for himself. If he wanted to eat more, he would just go back into the kitchen while accusing her of being too gluttonous. If there was something he said he wanted to eat, he¡¯d go and just cook it while grumbling. If he was unable to cook it because he didn¡¯t have the ingredients, he would ask the staff to replenish the ingredients and would cook it the day after. Well, he just seemed to like it for no particular reason. It would taste better if she made it herself, but then he wouldn¡¯t begrudgingly ask her anymore what she wanted to eat and such. If she didn¡¯t say anything, he would make some food she had never seen before, going ¡°How about this then?¡±, placing it before her and pretending as if he didn¡¯t particularly care while still secretly waiting for her evaluation. If she liked it, he would give her a condescending look and tell her to be thankful. If she said that it didn¡¯t taste good, he would take away her plate and tell her to stop eating. That wouldn¡¯t happen anymore. All those little things¡­ They were great. That was the type of guy Reinhardt was. He talked too much, was crude, and would only pick the most hateful things to say for no reason whatsoever. However, he would still do whatever she asked him to do. He pretended not to, but he actually cared a lot about others. And yet, strangely, he still had quite the dirty personality. He would get caught up in fights or pick some himself. She still didn¡¯t know Reinhardt that well. However Ellen thought that this much was enough. She was angry. However, her anger disappeared before she knew it. Ellen didn¡¯t even remember that she¡¯d ever felt angry. She prepared the ingredients and boiled them into a soup without noticing that she was starting to smile. Just as Reinhardt did, she cooked while unconsciously smiling. She placed the chicken and the vegetables into the soup. She would boil them until the vegetables were crumbly. If they were that well-cooked, one could get away with not properly washing them. If it was too salty, it would be harder to eat, so she made it less salty. Because Reinhardt ate a lot, Ellen made quite a lot. She thought that if he ate a lot, he would get better faster. She poured the finished soup into a pot and then headed to the dormitory¡¯s recovery room. There were none of her classmates anywhere in the hallway or the lobby, probably because all of them had gone to sleep already. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * She saw the priest on duty dozing off in the recovery room. They were sleeping with their arms folded while sitting on a chair, so they didn¡¯t even notice that Ellen came in. While sleeping on duty might not have been a good thing, Ellen didn¡¯t bother to wake them up. As she entered the recovery room, Ellen could see that Reinhardt was sleeping. That was plausible, as it was late. ¡°E-Ellen?!¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re here.¡± However, she ended up meeting the eyes of Harriet de Saint-Owan, who was stroking the sleeping Reinhardt¡¯s head. She seemed terribly surprised and retracted the hand that was patting him. Seeing that her face was incredibly red, it looked like Ellen had stumbled upon a scene that she shouldn¡¯t have seen. ¡°Th-th-that¡¯s. It¡¯s. Uhm. He-he asked me to put him to sleep. No! I-I mean not in that way! Yes. With s-ss-sleeping magic¡­¡± Harriet was grasping for excuses, though they weren¡¯t really great, as Ellen just stared at her. Was it really something that shameful? Ellen didn¡¯t know. While it was only for a brief moment when she entered the room, Ellen had seen Harriet¡¯s face as she was patting Reinhardt¡¯s head. ¡ªShe¡¯d seen Harriet¡¯s warm and gentle smile. She was making an expression she would never make in front of Reinhardt when he was awake. She would never be able to show it to him, but when he was asleep, it appeared a lot on her face. If affection was a type of substance, then that expression and that look seemed to be oozing with it. It almost seemed like it was overflowing. Was it really that shameful for someone else to see that expression? Ellen was a little envious that Harriet was able to make such an expression. She didn¡¯t know why she envied her. She just wished that she could also show an expression like that. Ellen felt like it was useless envy, though. ¡°B-by the way¡­ What¡¯s that? It smells delicious,¡± Harriet asked while looking at the pot Ellen had brought with her, perhaps to change the subject. ¡°I made soup.¡± ¡°Soup? Is it for¡­ ¡± Harriet seemed a little bewildered, wondering whether she made it for Reinhardt, but Ellen just nodded her head blankly. She¡¯d made it for Reinhardt, but he was already put to sleep with sleep magic, perhaps because the pain was just too severe. She had made a lot anyway. ¡°Want some?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­ C-can I?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although she¡¯d made it for Reinhardt, there was no reason not to give some to Harriet. The two of them suddenly ended up sharing a bowl of soup with each other in front of the sleeping Reinhardt. Harriet¡¯s eyes widened as she took a bite. ¡°It¡¯s delicious¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Ellen, you¡¯re also good at cooking¡­?¡± The word ¡®also¡¯ revealed that Harriet thought that Reinhardt was also a good cook. Harriet knew that Reinhardt and Ellen would cook something every night and that Reinhardt was usually the one who would cook. However, Ellen was also good at cooking, but after listening to Reinhardt¡¯s grumbling, she knew that she would hardly ever cook. But because Reinhardt was sick, Ellen had managed to cook a whole pot of soup by herself. Even Harriet¡¯s taste buds, which had been accustomed to luxurious food, were satisfied by it. Just what couldn¡¯t she do? Harriet ate the soup, little by little feeling a strange sense of defeat. Reinhardt learned swordsmanship from Ellen, so he was stuck in the training room all day long if nothing happened. She had watched that a few times already. The curiosity she felt towards their swordsmanship training was different from her interest in magic research. No, she wasn¡¯t actually curious about that. She just wanted to see what the two of them were up to all day long. Those two naturally became closer as they kept on training with each other. There was also another thing she had in mind. At the beginning of the first semester, Reinhardt, who had no talent, definitely had gotten a lot stronger. To be honest, Reinhardt in the first semester was a weird guy who tried various things without knowing a single thing and only had his hot temper going on for himself while he was physically rather weak and had 0 knowledge of swordsmanship, weak physical strength, and 0 knowledge. However, he had learned to somewhat handle a sword. It was all thanks to Ellen. Harriet knew that Ellen was talented beyond compare in swordsmanship as well as close combat. It was only natural that Reinhardt got stronger after having learned swordsmanship from her. That was why he still sparred with Ellen. But¡­ There were some thoughts floating through Harriet¡¯s mind. Reinhardt was smart, so he could have learned magic. If Reinhardt had learned magic instead of swordsmanship¡­ Ellen was someone with no equal in the field of swordsmanship. So Reinhardt spent all of his days with Ellen, as such, he got to where he was. Harriet wasn¡¯t someone to be underestimated, however. If Ellen¡¯s talent could be called the pinnacle of all close combat talents, Harriet¡¯s could be called the pinnacle of all magic talents. So, if he had instead decided to study magic with her instead of swordsmanship with Ellen¡­ Perhaps they would have spent their time together in the dormitory magic lab all day. This is how you do it. That¡¯s what it causes. This magic formula can be activated a lot easier if you think of it like this. She would have kept teaching him like that. While he wouldn¡¯t have been as good as herself, he would have become a wizard good enough to be put in battle. He could have stayed with her all day until their curfew passed. However, that ship had already sailed. Reinhardt had made his choice. ¡ªReinhardt was learning swordsmanship from Ellen. And they didn¡¯t spend that much time together. Harriet had thought about learning some swordsmanship in her spare time at one point. Learning the art of the blade was standard practice for noble children, after all. She would have come up with some kind of excuse to include herself in their practice, or she might have joined his physical training. She would pretend that she didn¡¯t know about her own desire to just be close to him. Of course, she was also very curious as to what those two were doing in there for such a long time. So she¡¯d ended up observing Reinhardt and Ellen¡¯s training. Their training was a lot different from what Harriet had imagined. She thought that they had become close after sparring and talking a lot with each other¡­ But just watching them gave her goosebumps. Ellen attacked him instantly while Reinhardt tried to hurriedly block, but he just fell, got beaten, and knocked around over and over. As Harriet watched Reinhardt getting beaten up like that, she shuddered. How can he do that? Doesn¡¯t it hurt? No, how is that training? Do they have to go that far? Such thoughts appeared in her mind quite often. There was hardly any conversation between them. ¡®You¡¯re dead.¡¯ ¡®Be a bit more¡­ gentle. I know, already¡­¡¯ They only exchanged such short sentences with each other and repeated the same routine almost every day. Of course, there was quite the amount of subtle physical contact between the two that Harriet was deeply concerned about. However, it was just part of their close combat and submission technique training that was closer to punching, bruising, and pounding than physical ¡®touch¡¯. If his heart was pounding during those situations, Harriet thought, it would be due to fear and nothing else. She thought they became friendly with each other after training, but it wouldn¡¯t have been weird actually if Reinhardt held negative feelings towards her, in Harriet¡¯s eyes. So Harriet didn¡¯t continue to watch Ellen and Reinhardt train because she felt uncomfortable doing so. She couldn¡¯t watch them any further because just looking at them made her feel out of breath. The desire to learn swordsmanship had completely disappeared from inside of her. Reinhardt just kept on falling down before getting back up again. Ellen continued to overpower him without being swayed by any form of emotion, not even properly looking at him. She just held the same posture and attitude towards him throughout the whole session. Harriet thought that they were both people of extraordinary mental fortitude. If it was her, she would have just ended up crying in some corner if she got knocked down once. Harriet had realized how complacent it was to think of learning swordsmanship as a hobby. She realized once again how blessed she was that she just had to sit at a desk and read some magic books. So¡­ In the end, Ellen taught Reinhardt swordsmanship. ¡°Did you know how to cook before?¡± ¡°No.¡± So, as a way to pay her back, it seemed like she learned how to cook from Reinhardt¡ªthat was what she thought, at least. ¡°As I thought¡­ Did you learn from Reinhardt as well?¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s say it¡¯s like that.¡± Ellen¡¯s answer was rather cryptic. Harriet was still imagining Reinhardt teaching Ellen how to cook. Boiling potatoes, cutting vegetables with a knife, and the appearance of Reinhardt kindly informing her to be careful not to cut her fingers. ¡°¡­¡± Only by thinking about it did she get goosebumps. She didn¡¯t even know why she was so grumpy. However, in reality¡­ ¡®Oh, Put that in there.¡¯ ¡®Heeh, you¡¯re done. Let¡¯s see if this is worth eating.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s totally bland, you know? Are you on some sort of low-salt diet or something?¡¯ ¡®If it¡¯s bland, you should add some salt or sugar, got it? Hey!¡¯ ¡®Hey, I keep telling you not to stare at people like that while holding a knife.¡¯ Harriet¡¯s imagination and reality were completely different. Not realizing that, Harriet became depressed for no reason after imagining Reinhardt tenderly teaching Ellen how to cook. Although she knew that that guy wouldn¡¯t be able to kindly teach anyone for the life of him, she didn¡¯t consider that. Still, Harriet¡¯s situation was better than before. She¡¯d managed to force that guy, who had been locked up in the training room from dusk to dawn, to become the president of the Magic Research Society. Every week, on a fixed day, Reinhardt would have to show his face, even though he would grumble. That was the kind of guy he was. He would say strange things for no reason whatsoever and even said weird things to make her angry for no reason. However, she knew that he would always help her out when it was important. But¡­ Harrit looked at Ellen, who was still eating the chicken soup. Did Ellen like Reinhardt? Ellen definitely liked him, she thought. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have cooked him that soup in the middle of the night. However, she didn¡¯t know what she was thinking because Ellen¡¯s expression didn¡¯t really change much. She hardly even reacted to things, so such occasional actions as her cooking soup like that stood out even more. Ellen was someone so different from her¨C-sShe wasn¡¯t easily shaken and possessed great mental fortitude, enabling her to endure everything no matter what it was. Harriet felt jealous of Ellen. Just as Ellen was envious of Harriet in some ways, Harriet was also envious of Ellen in some ways. What did Ellen think of Reinhardt? While she didn¡¯t know the truth, she noticed that there was something between them at least. She wished that the two of them were just friends. They are just close friends, that¡¯s all there is to it. I know that¡¯s all. I know that they would never be like that. Harriet could feel her cowardly desires welling up¡ªthe desire to believe in those thoughts. ____ Chapter 216 Chapter 216 That whole being in pain thing kind of made me feel like a king. Of course, only because I had so many people around me who genuinely cared about me. I mean, even Harriet was willing to sing a lullaby and pat me to put me to sleep when I asked her to, even though she was very embarrassed by it. What happened the day after was even more shocking. On a school day, Ellen came to visit me in the recovery room early in the morning and brought some chicken soup with her for me to eat. ¡°¡­When did you make this?¡± ¡°Yesterday.¡± ¡°Yesterday? Ah¡­ I must have been asleep then.¡± I thought that she had come by while I was put to sleep through Sleep Magic. For some reason, I thought she would scold me or beat me up in the worst case, but she actually came and brought food with her that early in the morning. It was really cheating to do something like that all of a sudden. I tried to take a spoonful of the food from the bowl, but of course it didn¡¯t work out. Because my body wasn¡¯t in its best shape, it was only natural that my hands were trembling quite badly, making all of it spill from the spoon. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± For some reason, Ellen stared at me for quite a long time as if she was thinking about something. Eventually, she took the spoon and brought it to my mouth without saying a single word. Somehow, her doing that without saying anything¡­ felt weird. ¡°¡­Did you really cook that?¡± That was the first thing that came to my mind as soon as I tasted it. ¡®What the hell? Why is it so good?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe she actually made it. ¡°¡­¡± When she heard my shining praise, Ellen stared at me. Well, look at that mouth of hers. Well, well, well. ¡°I¡¯m good at cooking.¡± Ellened retorted as if she had actually been offended by what I¡¯d said. She didn¡¯t cook often, and yet she was that good? Although she acted like that, Ellen gave me a couple more spoonfuls of the soup. When I finally emptied the bowl, she scooped some more from the pot into it. ¡°Eat more.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Not ¡°Do you want to eat more?¡± but ¡°Eat more.¡±? ¡°You need to eat a lot to get better faster.¡± Ellen forced the soup she¡¯d cooked into my mouth with the spoon. It seemed like torture, but in the end, it didn¡¯t feel all that bad. * * * Being sick really made one feel like a king. Harriet told me that I should call her whenever I needed her, and Ellen made soup for me and even fed me herself. However, I still didn¡¯t want to be there because I was in pain, I just wanted to get better It really fucking hurt. Anyway, I couldn¡¯t go to class for a few days, and it was even hard to just leave the bed. The hardest thing was going to the bathroom. I vehemently refused the offer of the (female) teacher on duty to support me, so I had to get there while using crutches. It was fine getting there, but when I tried to get back, I fainted. It was a good thing that I only fainted on my way back and not during the act. I almost gained a new entry to my black history. ¡°Reinhardt, it¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of if you¡¯re unable to get out of bed as a patient.¡± ¡°¡­Teacher.¡± ¡°Well then, just put this on. If you go back and forth like this on your own and you faint, your recovery will be slowed.¡± ¡°P-please don¡¯t.¡± When I strongly objected to wearing diapers, the teacher on duty put a finger close to her mouth and looked at me. ¡°My, you were unconscious for four days, you know? What do you think you were wearing during that time?¡± ¡°!!!!!¡± A terrible memory¡­ Although I couldn¡¯t remember it, I had already gained one. I¡­ I seemed to have forgotten about that. When I¡¯d woken up, I strangely wasn¡¯t wearing them, though. Ah¡­ ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to wear those anymore, though! I don¡¯t even remember wearing them, so it never happened!¡± ¡°Nooooooo!¡± We ended up arguing like that for some time. ¡°Ehem.¡± ¡°Ah, Mr. Epinhauser.¡± As the door to the recovery room opened, Mr. Epinhauser appeared. ¡°T-teacher! Save me! It¡¯s still too early for me to wear diapers!¡± The priest on duty let go of the pants of my patient¡¯s gown when she noticed that Mr. Epinhauser had entered. No, but it was somewhat weird for me to put it that way, that would mean that I would wear them later. While I didn¡¯t know whether I would have to wear them later on or not, the words had already left my mouth. The priest on duty looked at me as if I had promised him that I would wear them later and went back to the priest¡¯s office. ¡°Seeing you acting like this, it seems like this isn¡¯t that big of an ordeal for you. Number 11, your voice sounds quite energetic.¡± ¡°¡­N-no, I actually feel like I¡¯m about to go crazy¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it though if you still have the energy to say things like that.¡± No, it really hurt a lot. However, Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s words that I wouldn¡¯t be able to speak at all if it hurt that much were true, so I had no choice but to shut my mouth. He looked at me as cold as ever¡ªhis face held little to no emotion. While he seemed and acted rather coldly, Mr. Epinhauser wasn¡¯t a bad teacher. He didn¡¯t really scold his students, and he didn¡¯t kick up a fuss or anything. If he wasn¡¯t a bad teacher, would that make him a good one then? I wasn¡¯t so sure about that either. While he was stingy with his criticism, he was just as stingy with praise. Of course, he did end up giving me a merit point that one time. Mr. Epinhauser performed his duty as a ¡®teacher¡¯ rather mechanically. Did he hold any form of affection for his students? I didn¡¯t know. He didn¡¯t really discipline us, either. He would give demerits if what we did crossed the line and gave us merits if we did well. If it was within the rules, we could do it, and if it wasn¡¯t, then we shouldn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t let his emotions affect his work. I didn¡¯t know whether you could call someone like that a good or bad teacher. In conclusion, I liked teachers like Mr. Epinhauser. He wouldn¡¯t unnecessarily interfere with us. He didn¡¯t ask things like ¡°Are you okay?¡± or say things like ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re awake again.¡± He just said whatever he had to say, as usual. ¡°There will be a disciplinary committee meeting soon.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°You will receive a summons as soon as you have recovered enough to move freely. Take note of that.¡± I had crossed the line that time¡ªand by a lot. Mr. Epinhauser only said what he had to say to me like a machine. He didn¡¯t say that I did something wrong or ask why I had done something like that. That was why I didn¡¯t say anything like ¡°it wasn¡¯t my fault¡± or something. Well, I mean, it wasn¡¯t like I hadn¡¯t been at fault there. ¡°What part of what I did is subject to disciplinary action?¡± ¡°Two unauthorized duels with other classmates, and the use of supernatural powers during said duels.¡± Fighting was permitted in the name of a duel, but we hadn¡¯t gotten permission, and I¡¯d used my supernatural abilities during those fights. While my abilities weren¡¯t extremely dangerous like Pyrokinesis or Electrokinesis, they were still supernatural powers in the end. Using supernatural power offensively like that was certainly one of the biggest violations of the school rules. ¡°Is there a possibility that I will be expelled from school?¡± Mr. Epinhauser shook his head at my question. ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± He seemed rather certain about that. It wasn¡¯t that easy to kick a student of the Royal Class out of the school. ¡°However, this isn¡¯t just an internal issue of the Royal Class. The Orbis Class is also involved. Besides you, two Orbis Class students are also being subjected to disciplinary action.¡± It was problematic that I¡¯d gone and picked those fights, but those guys who accepted those challenges were also quite problematic. Therefore, Lilka Aaron and Oscar de Gardias were also subject to disciplinary action. ¡°If this was just an internal matter, the disciplinary committee would be composed of Royal Class¡¯ faculty, but since this matter involves both classes, the disciplinary committee will be formed by faculty members of both Classes.¡± The trouble I caused that time was different from last time; it couldn¡¯t be solved by the Royal Class alone. Therefore, the faculty of the Orbis and Royal Classes would form a disciplinary committee and would hold a meeting for Lilka Aaron, Oscar de Gardias, and me. I was rather sure it wouldn¡¯t end well. It wasn¡¯t just the students of the Orbis and Royal Class who didn¡¯t get along with each other, right? Weren¡¯t the teachers like cats and dogs as well? However, in the end, they would still follow Temple¡¯s rules. No one would tell me something like I had to pay for raising my fist against the imperial family, right? I didn¡¯t know what the disciplinary committee would end up doing. What I did know was that if I received an extended or indefinite suspension, I wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in the dormitory for that period of time. I knew that because I¡¯d written a scene where Ludwig received that kind of punishment for an incident. He got caught up in an argument outside of Temple with his friends that turned into an actual quarrel, so he and his friends were suspended. Later on, they found out that it was actually one of Bertus¡¯s tricks * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Anyway, during that suspension, Ludwig, Scarlett, Lanian Sessor, and Delphine Izadra took a short trip using the warp gates since they couldn¡¯t enter Temple¡¯s dormitory. In fact, I did that because it was just too difficult to progress the story if they just stayed inside Temple, so I made them get suspended to force them out into the world. I¡¯d just wanted to write about other kinds of incidents. Anyway, I didn¡¯t know whether those incidents would still happen to Ludwig, but they would actually hold a disciplinary committee meeting against me. I wasn¡¯t going to be expelled, but other than that, I didn¡¯t know what kind of disciplinary action would await me. Even if I ended up getting suspended, I didn¡¯t really think that it would be that bad since I only had a bit of time left. There would be a lot of things I would have to do in that time. * * * There were quite a few people coming to visit me even though I was just lying in bed. Although I didn¡¯t have that much energy to talk, some of the guys who came by would just chat among themselves while I lay there. Although we weren¡¯t actually that close, Ludwig even brought a bunch of his friends along to visit me. He might¡¯ve thought of me as his friend, but I actually didn¡¯t reciprocate such thoughts, though, you know? Was I actually surprisingly shy? Anyway, not only Ludwig, but even Lanian Sessor came around. He even offered to play some comforting music for me. It got rather noisy, but that wasn¡¯t actually that bad. I was the only patient in the recovery room anyway, so no one told them to leave even though the B-Class guys gathered in there and made a lot of noise. The priest on duty didn¡¯t seem to care at all. ¡°Are¡­ you in pain?¡± Scarlett hesitantly asked me. ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± I couldn¡¯t just give her some empty words and deny it, so when she heard my confirmation, Scarlett closed her mouth and stared at me. I didn¡¯t have that much contact with that girl. We¡¯d just taken some swordsmanship classes together during the second semester. We did do some morning training together, but we usually wouldn¡¯t talk or anything like that. But she seemed to have some difficulties dealing with me, but well, how should I put it? She seemed to have a good impression of me. Quite a good one at that. Why though? I had a feeling, but I didn¡¯t actually know. Scarlett said some more words like she hoped that I would get well soon. All the guys from B-Class said a few words to me as well. Although we hadn¡¯t started our activities as the Magic Research Society yet, its members, Anna de Gerna, Christina, and Louis Ancton also asked me whether I felt better than before Huh. The others¡¯ reactions were quite favorable, considering that I¡¯d picked a fight with a senior from the Orbis Class. They comforted me even though I¡¯d caused an incident. I thought that I¡¯d lived like an outcast, so I wondered how that ended up happening. * * * Time passed as I continued to lay in bed. Harriet told me that she would cast sleep magic on me if I couldn¡¯t bear the pain, so I should just call her whenever I needed to. Olivia and Adriana also came by from time to time, and unexpectedly, even the little senior Redina paid me a visit, nagging me for always getting in trouble as if she was an adult even though she was younger than me. I couldn¡¯t talk back to her because she wasn¡¯t really wrong. I would only ever get into trouble with guys who were older than me¡­ However, I wasn¡¯t actually just a year older than her¡­ I was a lot older. That was even more pitiful. Redina also continued to nag me with her hands placed on her hips. ¡°It¡¯s even more problematic since you barely succeeded by using Magic Body Strengthening.¡± ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t it fine? I got hurt pretty badly, though.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to cause bigger trouble now?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°After you fought a third-year, you went and fought a fourth-year because you got a little stronger. Aren¡¯t you going to fight a fifth-year next if you continue like that?¡± ¡°No, those weren¡¯t my intentions at all.¡± While it was me who¡¯d picked the fight first, I didn¡¯t have any plans on fighting the fifth-years. Redina just went on, shaking her head, saying something like ¡°I don¡¯t know what I should do with a junior like you.¡± Although I hadn¡¯t expected Redina to visit, while she was already there, there was something I wanted to talk about with her. ¡°Anyway, since you came here, let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°What? Talk about what?¡± ¡°Whether you¡¯re still in that Exodium or whatever pla-hmpf!¡± ¡°Sh-shut up!¡± Redina covered my mouth as her face turned bright red. Then she groaned. That chuunibyou club Redina was the president of¡­ She seemed to think that just mentioning it openly like that was fatal. ¡°N-not now! Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t even bring it up!¡± It seemed like she¡¯d stepped down from her position as Exodium¡¯s president after she was discovered by Charlotte and me. After Redina lifted her hand from my mouth, I asked her a question. ¡°Then, what happened with your other delusional friends?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ve passed down the position to another¡­ Th-they aren¡¯t delusional!¡± Redina huffed, perhaps because she thought that I insulted her friends. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing that you quit.¡± Redina had a Talent that couldn¡¯t be simply called a supernatural power or a magic related talent. No Casting. That was why she thought she might be a dragon. I¡¯d planned on talking to her about it later, but since she went there to meet me in person, though for a different reason, I thought I could tell her. ¡°I¡¯m going to create a magic research club with some other first-years. Join us.¡± ¡°¡­A Magic Research Society?¡± Redina tilted her head at the invitation to join my club. No casting. The only problem was that her magic power pool was rather small, but it was true that Redina was the owner of a great talent as well. She was already stronger than she was before, so she didn¡¯t really have anything she could improve. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it¡­ Alright! Alright! I won¡¯t force you to join, but it¡¯ll be a lot more useful to you than you think.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t even think of joining, so what do you mean with ¡®Join us¡¯? You¡¯re my junior, so why are you ordering me around?¡± Redina frowned, perhaps because the manner in which I¡¯d asked her was weird. Of course, I didn¡¯t respond to those complaints at all. ¡°Ask Harriet for details. It¡¯s kind of difficult for me to talk right now¡­ By the way, do you know how to cast sleep magic?¡± ¡°Sleep magic?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I know how to cast it.¡± As to not cause any misunderstanding, like with what happened with Harriet the last time, I mentioned it from the start. When that Harriet suddenly started singing and patting me, I¡¯d felt like I was about to lose my mind. I couldn¡¯t even say anything because I thought that she would strangle me on the spot if I teased her. Seriously¡­ I felt a ticklish-yet-strange feeling when she did that stuff. It was hard to describe. It wasn¡¯t a bad feeling, but because I didn¡¯t feel bad about all that, it felt even weirder! ¡°Cast it on me. I want to sleep a bit¡­¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± ¡°It is¡­¡± Redina looked at me, saying, ¡°I guess it does hurt a lot if you¡¯re looking at me like that.¡± Of course, sleep magic wasn¡¯t some high-ranked spell. And it wasn¡¯t like one could just unconditionally put one¡¯s opponent to sleep. There weren¡¯t any crazy spells that would knock out one¡¯s opponents right away. I had to accept its influence without even thinking of resisting the spell¡¯s effects. I could feel that it was what one called magic resistance, and I also knew the concept of giving up that resistance. It might not be as strong as Scarlett¡¯s, but everyone had some form of magic resistance, and so did I. So in order to be affected by sleep magic, I had to fully accept its effects on me. If the level of the spell was too low, I wouldn¡¯t be able to fall asleep whether I gave up my resistance or not. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll put you to sleep now.¡± I got ready to fall asleep by closing my eyes. -Tak! Red Sun! I slowly lost consciousness. ____ Chapter 217 Chapter 217 ¡°Hmm. Are you sleeping?¡± -Tap, tap ¡°Urgh¡­ ¡± ¡°Reinhardt, get up.¡± Someone was waking me up from my sleep-magic-induced slumber. As I had been forced to fall asleep to begin with, I was quick to regain consciousness again. ¡°Urg¡­ Uhm. Hmm. Bertus?¡± It was Bertus who¡¯d woken me up. After that incident, Charlotte often came to see me, asking if I was okay and nagging me a bit, then she would go back, however, Bertus had never visited before then. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for waking you up. I don¡¯t have that much time.¡± I looked out of the window to note that it was still night. The day seemed to have passed. Bertus apologized, but he didn¡¯t look particularly sorry. He sat in a chair opposite of me with his arms folded. ¡°Do you have some kind of disease that makes you unable to live without doing these kinds of things every year?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not really what it is¡­¡± It was probably because of the challenges that gave me points when I fought. Of course, I couldn¡¯t say anything to his scolding because it was still me who¡¯d decided to do it. It seemed like Bertus tried to come and visit me to see how I was doing, but couldn¡¯t bring up the time for one reason or another. ¡°About that business preposition from last time¡­ I got the permit.¡± ¡°Oh¡­Really?¡± ¡°I was going to leave it with you, but looking at your current situation, I don¡¯t think you can afford dealing with it¡­ Especially with the disciplinary committee meeting coming up soon.¡± ¡°¡­Probably.¡± ¡°Should I send the permit to the gang?¡± ¡°That would be good.¡± Anyway, I was just acting the part, the ones who would specifically do the work were the gang members. So even if I was far away, there was nothing I could do about it. There was nothing I could have done in the first place, other than asking for investments and such. With Bertus¡¯s help, the issue of the Rotary Gang¡¯s new business would go smoothly. I would have to pay him 10%, but that was still something we could afford. Spending 10% of our earnings couldn¡¯t even be called a loss. They were rather good conditions. It could be considered a business in which Bertus held a stock worth 10% of our income, so it might give the impression that the Prince was involved in the business. In that case, there wouldn¡¯t be any dumbfucks who would intervene in our business, try to gobble us up, or try to cut the prices. One could end up in a lot of trouble if one were to mess with a business the Prince was involved with. I wasn¡¯t sure if Bertus was aware of that when he asked me to pay him 10%, but I actually would have paid him a certain amount anyway, even if he hadn¡¯t asked for it. Did Bertus come here just to talk about the new business? However, Bertus hadn¡¯t left yet. ¡°Did you have anything more to say to me?¡± ¡°No?¡± It seemed like he had nothing else he wanted to talk about, but he just stayed in his seat. He didn¡¯t mean to act like a nurse or something, right? That would give me goosebumps. Bertus just looked at me with a grim smile on his lips. ¡°You should have something to say to me.¡± ¡°¡­Ah .¡± While Bertus had nothing to say to me, I should have something to say to him. I knew what he meant by that. ¡°About that senior?¡± I should have been wondering about who that member of the Imperial Family I fought, Oscar de Gardias, was. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°Well, I guess I should be curious¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± I was pretty sure I hadn¡¯t ended up touching the wrong person. I came to that conclusion because of what Oscar de Gardias said to me as we fought. He was a person who was completely uninvolved in the succession of the Imperial Throne. There were only two, Bertus and Charlotte, who were next in line. The rest of the Imperial Family, while they still were Imperial Royalty, were far away from the Imperial Throne. Those that were far away from anything involving the succession were privileged but were also in highly unstable positions. Those family members were always subject to purges because they might be used as sacrifices for sudden coups. Of course, such things weren¡¯t going to happen in the situation where the Imperial Power was strong. Still, while the members of the Imperial Family were able to enjoy luxury, their lives were rather cheap. And since Oscar appeared to be completely disillusioned and hated his life, he wouldn¡¯t be an important member of the Imperial Family. ¡°You seem like you already know the gist of it.¡± I had no desire to ask about him. It seemed that Bertus had already understood that I¡¯d somewhat grasped Oscar de Gardias¡¯s position. ¡°Some people would rather be born as beggars.¡± Although they were part of the Imperial Family, they were rather envious of those born as beggars. Oscar de Gardias seemed to be such a person. Just what rank did Oscar hold in the Imperial Family? Neither Bertus nor Charlotte said anything about me fighting someone of the Imperial family when they found out what trouble I had caused. ¡°If we wanted it to be a problem, we could make that happen, but you just need to know that it won¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°You have nothing to thank me for. I¡¯m not going to do anything in particular, after all.¡± Something might happen if Bertus and Charlotte were to accuse me of attacking a member of the Imperial Family, but neither of them intended to do that. Doing nothing was already helping me. Bertus didn¡¯t know much about Oscar. Oscar was obsessed with something he obviously couldn¡¯t have. To be precise, he seemed to be mad at his position that was far, far away from the Imperial Throne. Did Bertus and Charlotte not know about his obsession? Would he die if they found out? Oscar wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything, after all. No, if Bertus ended up taking action while keeping me in the dark, I wasn¡¯t so sure that he wouldn¡¯t end up dying later. Oscar was a bastard, but that didn¡¯t mean I thought he deserved to die. ¡ªSo I didn¡¯t tell him Oscar¡¯s thoughts and what he¡¯d told me. However, it was Bertus who opened his mouth first. ¡°Reinhardt¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me?¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± Bertus had no further business with me, but he seemed to think that I had some more with him, asking me things like ¡°You don¡¯t have anything else to say?¡± ¡°Is there anything my dearest brother told you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Oscar, Bertus, and Charlotte¡­ ¡ªThose narrow-eyed characters. Bertus, the pinnacle of all narrow-eyed characters, asked me with his friendly smile remaining on his lips. What more did I have to say about Oscar? No. He wanted to know if Oscar had said anything to me. It seemed like he was asking me if Oscar had said anything to me when we met. Actually, I guess I should¡¯ve looked at the things that he didn¡¯t say and go from there. But well, he¡¯d already told me a lot by not saying much. Oscar de Garidas seemed to presumptuously dream of the Throne. Should I have told that to Bertus? ¡°While you don¡¯t seem like it, you strangely try to avoid really extreme situations. You seem like someone who would take extreme measures, but strictly speaking, you¡¯re not.¡± Bertus looked out the window with his arms folded. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like someone who would cover their bases, but in the end, you do.¡± I didn¡¯t know whether Bertus was disappointed in me or not. However, it might seem strange that I kept my mouth shut because that revealed that something might happen to Oscar depending on what I said. Even though we fought, I would¡¯ve still felt bad if something happened to Oscar. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ he seemed a little jealous of the things you were born with.¡± In the end, Bertus asked me that while knowing of Oscar¡¯s jealousy, so I had no choice but to tell him what impression that guy gave me. Bertus grinned at me. ¡°As I thought, did you not tell me because you thought I would do something?¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * ¡°¡­Should I say I didn¡¯t want to cause any more trouble? What¡­? Fine. I have nothing to say. Sorry for hiding this from you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that much is deserving of an apology¡­¡± Bertus was still smiling as he heard my apology. ¡°Reinhardt, do you want to be Emperor?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± What kind of bullshit was that? As I froze, Bertus asked me again as if nothing had happened. ¡°Do you want to be Emperor?¡± ¡°¡­No? Not at all.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°¡­Well, because I think it¡¯s a tough-ass job. I feel like it would be more of a pain than something good, and I would fucking hate not being able to do anything.¡± I wasn¡¯t just saying that because I was in front of the Prince. That was my honest opinion. A rich guy or the Emperor¡­ If I had to choose between those two, I¡¯d rather be some rich dude. With great power comes great responsibility, and I hate responsibility the most. I mean, I already felt like I was about to explode at having to take responsibility for so many things ever since I entered this world. Emperor? I wouldn¡¯t do it, even if you let me. Bertus nodded, knowing that I¡¯d answered truthfully. ¡°Yeah, that sounds about right.¡± ¡°What are you even asking me all of a sudden?¡± If you made me Emperor, I wouldn¡¯t really do a good job, but I would just kick up a fuss, making everything fall apart. ¡°But what if you wanted to become Emperor?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°More specifically, if you told me that you wanted to become Emperor to my face, what do you think I would think?¡± ¡°¡­That I¡¯m crazy.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Bertus grinned and laughed. Oh, I could see his eyes slowly opening. Just looking at that made me feel slightly bitter on the inside. ¡°You can¡¯t become Emperor.¡± While his words were completely natural, they had a deep resonance to them. I felt like I knew what Bertus was going to say. ¡°I mean, no matter what Oscar thinks, I wouldn¡¯t really care. I¡¯d just think ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± and that would be the end of it.¡± I wouldn¡¯t be able to be Emperor. The fact that I might covet the position didn¡¯t actually anger Bertus. Oscar de Gardias would never be able to become Emperor, so his greed itself didn¡¯t offend Bertus. There was something Bertus once told me. -What do I know of classes among ants? Beggars, commoners, nobles, princes, dukes, counts, barons. Why would I care about that? He¡¯d said that they all looked the same below him. Oscar de Gardias was an ant. He was just a delusional ant who dreamt of becoming the Emperor. Even if I was the one who said it, it wouldn¡¯t have made much of a difference to him in the end. I shouldn¡¯t have hid it. I¡¯d just made his impression of me worsen for nothing. ¡°He might become dangerous.¡± However, Bertus was just looking out of the window as if he wasn¡¯t all that interested in my actions. ¡°There are some people who would try to destroy something if they can¡¯t have it.¡± Bertus mumbled in a tone of voice that seemed unfamiliar to me. Anyway, it seemed like I wouldn¡¯t get punished for having laid hands on a member of the Imperial Family. Of course, I would have to pay the price for having broken Temple¡¯s rules, though. * * * If I had known that the consequences of forcibly using Magic Body Strengthening would be that severe, I would never have done that. Feeling the time fly past me was even more terrible than the pain. Was that what one called Catobophobia? I was going crazy because I couldn¡¯t exercise! I was literally wasting time to the point where I felt all I had built up disappear, so my impatience grew greater with each passing second. I had to work out, but the more pressing issue was that, as time passed, the start of the Gate Crisis was ever approaching, so I couldn¡¯t just stay still. Of course, my body was slowly recovering to the point that my legs didn¡¯t hurt anymore, and I could move around, albeit with crutches. So even if I couldn¡¯t exercise or train, I could go to class. I had gotten used to that pain, so I could bear with it. ¡°As of now, we shall conduct a disciplinary committee meeting on the issue of an unauthorized duel between the Orbis and Royal Classes.¡± Of course, the first place I would have to go to was the disciplinary committee meeting, not class. * * * There was a quest. It looked like a real pain as well. I had no idea when it had appeared. No, well, there was a quest when I had that duel with Art de Gritis before, but no such quest appeared even after I fought two duels. I did earn 1000 achievement points, though. [Quest appeared ¨C Disciplinary Committee Meeting] No, but why did those kinds of quests suddenly pop up? [Description: After causing trouble numerous times, you were finally called by the disciplinary committee. Rewards may vary depending on the punishment you received.] [No punishment ¨C 0 points] [Volunteer work on campus ¨C 10 points per day] [Definite Suspension ¨C 20 points per day] [Indefinite Suspension ¨C 40 points per day] [Expulsion ¨C 5000 points] Really, why was that bastard doing that to me? Shouldn¡¯t it be the other way around? Why did that bastard want to give me more points the harsher the punishment was? Was he telling me to start a fight in there and get expelled? That asshat just wanted me to crossdress and act like a madman. I didn¡¯t know how I would have felt about all of that in my first semester, but I didn¡¯t want to get expelled after getting all the way to that point! * * * The place where the disciplinary committee meeting was held was neither in the Royal Class nor the Orbis Class, but in the general headquarters of Temple. Each school in Temple had an executive-level faculty member, the principal included, and the general headquarters was where the faculty members who managed all of Temple were located. Of course, their authority far exceeded that of simple teachers, and they actually had nothing to do with education or anything. Ludiwig had only ever gone there once. After he became the master of Alsbringer, they held a long, long meeting about whether he was allowed to carry it or not. They¡¯d held a long debate about whether they would recognize Ludwig as the rightful owner of the Holy Sword. And eventually, they had no other choice but to admit that Ludwig was the owner of Alsbringer. He hadn¡¯t been there to undergo punishment like me. So those guys weren¡¯t really important character-wise, but in Temple, they were very important faculty members who gathered there and took care of Temple¡¯s management to the point where their heads might explode. Lilka Aaron and Oscar de Gardias were both sitting next to me in the center. Although I¡¯d lost, I wasn¡¯t actually defeated by Oscar, so it couldn¡¯t be seen as his win. ¡ªSo that was why his expression didn¡¯t look particularly good. Lilka Aaron was originally a rather cold person, so she didn¡¯t even look at me. However, she kept frowning because she seemed to feel rather uncomfortable because of the position she was sitting in. Was she in pain? She should have already recovered from the wounds I¡¯d inflicted on her? I wondered whether she was simply in a bad mood then. Around a long round table, the teachers of Royal Class were sitting on its right, those I believed to be the Orbis Class teachers sat on the left, and three faculty members of the general headquarters were sitting opposite us. As soon as I saw the hostility emitted by the Orbis Class teachers towards the Royal Class teachers, it was more than clear that the problem didn¡¯t only lay with the students. I couldn¡¯t see any particular emotion on the faces of the Royal Class teachers, including Mr. Epinhauser and Class B¡¯s homeroom teacher, Mr. Mustrang. The only thing Mr. Mustrang did was look at me and try to see if I was doing okay. However, the expressions on the Orbis Class teachers literally spewed hostility. Even the teachers had an inferiority complex. It was driving me crazy. And the faculty members of the general headquarters¡­ I could see a name plate reading ¡®Temple Vice-Chancellor Assyria Walken¡¯ in front of an old-looking man. Vice-Chancellor would be the second-highest-ranked among all the Temple faculty members. As there had been acts of violence between the Orbis and Royal Class, two schools specially managed by Temple, Temple¡¯s number two even showed up, although it was just a fight between some kids. One of the most important subjects in the Empire, Temple¡¯s number two. That guy would be treated as someone of much higher rank than most great nobles. If it was just an internal problem, they would just solve it within the respective class, but it was a conflict between two different schools. ¡ªAnd they were special schools, so the disciplinary committee had to be just as special. The elderly Vice-Chancellor, Assyria Walken, spoke quietly. ¡°The details and circumstances of the case have already been reported to me, so we shall leave it at that and proceed.¡± The teachers had already investigated each of the three of us separately, so they didn¡¯t intend to repeat that again. He read out some text on a piece of paper. ¡°First, Orbis Class, Year 1, A-5, Lilka Aaron.¡± ¡°The student has continuously used violence both inside and outside of class against Royal Class, Year 1, A-9, Erich de Lafaeri any time they had swordsmanship lectures. Furthermore, they took part in an unauthorized duel with Royal Class, Year 1, A-11, Reinhardt, who went to her to retaliate, and she was defeated. As a result of the duel, she suffered injuries extending to internal organ ruptures.¡± Internal organ ruptures¡­ I had hit her with enough force to knock her out, though she was safe because of the priest on call. I did that thinking that there wouldn¡¯t be any major problems afterwards, but I still felt uncomfortable when I heard that she¡¯d suffered from internal organ ruptures. ¡°Next, Royal Class, Year 1, A-11, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°The student decided to directly go to the Orbis Class¡¯s dormitory and impose private sanctions on the aforementioned in place of Erich de Lafaeri, as previously stated, without trying to make use of the recommended procedure of reporting the incident to a teacher. In the process, in cooperation with Orbis Class, Year 4, A-1, Oscar de Gardias, he engaged in an unauthorized duel. Then, after injuring Lilka Aaron, he also requested a duel with Oscar de Garidas, who had organized the previous duel. As a result, he fell unconscious due to forcefully using Magic Body Strengthening. However, in addition to that power, he also used his supernatural power against both of his opponents. He should be the cause of all this.¡± The cause of everything¡­ I won¡¯t actually get expelled, right? ¡°Next, Orbis Class, Year 4, A-1, Oscar de Gardias.¡± ¡°The student accepted to hold a private duel among students and attended it as its organizer without reporting to a teacher or having one accompany him. In the process, Lika Aaron¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t immediately dealt with. He also accepted a fight with someone of the lower years. In the course of that duel, the student of the higher year, who should have been responsible for their safety, fought the other student himself and even used Magic Body Strengthening in said duel.¡± Oscar de Gardias had also caused a lot of trouble. While my use of supernatural powers was also quite problematic, using Magic Body Strengthening in a duel was certainly equally or even more problematic. Even the fact that he, a senior, fell for his junior¡¯s provocations added to his crimes. The one with the lowest amount of guilt was the one who was actually the underlying cause of that incident, Lilka Aaron, who had accepted a fight with me and lost, and the one with the highest was probably Oscar de Gardias or me, who directly went to the Orbis Class with the intention of fighting. It could be either of us, I didn¡¯t know. ¡°Do you have any objections?¡± ¡°¡±¡°None, Sir.¡±¡±¡± None of us had anything to add or subtract to the report. They were just facts, that was all. I was told that I wouldn¡¯t be expelled. Whatever punishment I might receive, I just wanted the disciplinary meeting to end soon. My whole body ached because I hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet. I wanted to lie down and sleep. I wouldn¡¯t say anything in particular in the course of the meeting. It obviously wouldn¡¯t help my case if I opened my mouth right now. It was also because of something Mr. Epinhauser had said to me¡ªthat my dirty temper would end up killing me, so I should just learn to shut my trap. I couldn¡¯t say anything to that. It was only natural to think that anything the guy who caused the whole incident said would be detrimental. Additionally, knowing my personality, he doubted I would have had anything good to say. I was just going to keep my mouth shut. ¡°Then we shall now discuss the level of their punishment from this point on.¡± After he finished his sentence, one of the Orbis Class teachers raised their hand. ¡°I¡¯m the teacher of Orbis Class, Year 1, Class A, Jaden. I suggest that Royal Class¡¯ Reinhardt, who holds the highest amount of guilt in this case, be expelled.¡± The high-score development appeared right at the start. ____ Chapter 218 Chapter 218 The solemn atmosphere became heavier at the word ¡°Expulsion¡±. At that abrupt remark, the Vice-Chancellor opened his mouth. ¡°What makes Reinhardt the most guilty?¡± At the Vice-Chancellor¡¯s urging, the teacher continued his explanation with a calm expression on his face. ¡°He tried to resolve a case of assault by punishing them privately, even though it could have been concluded by just reporting the incident to a teacher.¡± ¡°During said private punishment, Lilka Aaron was seriously hurt with her internal organs rupturing, which is enough to interpret his actions as deliberate attempted murder.¡± ¡°Additionally, he asked Oscar de Gardias, the former duel¡¯s organizer, to fight afterwards.¡± ¡°And throughout the whole process, he used his supernatural powers that should never be used to ¡®injure¡¯ others. There was also another risk factor called ¡®Magic Body Strengthening¡¯.¡± ¡°Taking all this into account, we can only say that Reinhardt bears the greatest guilt in all of this.¡± ¡°In cases or quarrels between students and the exacting of private punishments, according to the school rules, depending on the level of violence, we can hand out a wide range of disciplinary actions ranging from community service, definite suspension, indefinite suspension, and expulsion.¡± ¡°Therefore, we assert that Royal Class A-11 should be expelled.¡± They were just interpreting things however they saw fit. She¡¯d wanted to faint, so I¡¯d punched her with the intent of knocking her out, but they¡¯d turned into an attempted murder. The way I¡¯d used my ability to strengthen myself became me using my supernatural power to actively try to kill my opponent. They interpreted my use of Magic Body Strengthening similarly, I guess. They were saying that I¡¯d almost killed another student, and that I was the cause of all the fights. Then they were saying that was why I deserved to be expelled. The expressions of the Royal Class teachers, except for Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s, seemed rotten. The Vice-Chancellor gave no opinion as to whether they should go with that punishment or not. ¡°Teachers of Royal Class, would you please speak about Reinhardt¡¯s usual conduct.¡± It seemed like he wanted to check how I usually acted. ¡°I-I¡­ I¡¯m Mustrang, the teacher in charge of Royal Class¡¯ Year 1 Class B. Reinhardt is an excellent and good student who holds a strong friendship with the others and values everyone equally. This time, he just couldn¡¯t stand his classmates getting bullied like that, so I want you to know that he didn¡¯t do this with evil intentions.¡± No. Teacher¡­ While it¡¯s good that you are on my side, that¡¯s a lie. I had the overly powerful urge to retort as I was listening. ¡°I-in this case, Reinhardt was just careless. Originally, he was a good boy who wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone¡­¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Even Mr. Epinhauser, who had been silent, cut Mr. Mustrang¡¯s excessive statement off in the middle. ¡°Don¡¯t lie, Mr. Mustrang.¡± ¡°Ah. That¡¯s¡­¡± Mr. Epinhauser intensely looked at Mr. Mustrang as he spoke. No, well, it¡¯s true that he was very insensitive, but how could he outright say that what Mustrang said was a lie even though he was supposed to be on my side? The Orbis Class teachers were laughing and snickering at the ridiculous development as if they enjoyed seeing that sudden internal strife. ¡°I¡¯m Epinhauser, the teacher in charge of Royal Class¡¯ Year 1 Class A. I¡¯m Reinhardt¡¯s teacher, so I should know the best about Reinhardt¡¯s usual behavior out of all of us here.¡± ¡°His behavior¡­ could never be called good by any means.¡± Hey! You said I won¡¯t be expelled! ¡°Reinhardt has been continuously causing bigger and smaller incidents since the first semester¡ªfrom small fights between his classmates to picking fights with his seniors, and he even had a duel with a third-year student.¡± Those comments seemed baffling to the Orbis Class and the faculty members of the general headquarters, as well as Lilka Aaron and Oscar. That was the first time I realized what an absolutely random guy that dude was. ¡°It cannot be denied that he has caused small and big problems since then, but this is by far the biggest one. He responded positively to minor disputes and didn¡¯t have a very good reputation among his classmates.¡± ¡°Yeah, this isn¡¯t the only time, so seeing what the student has done so far is more than deserving of expulsion or even more¡ª¡± ¡°Mr. Jaden, I¡¯m not done talking.¡± After cutting off the Orbis Class teacher¡¯s words who wanted to bite into me, Mr. Epinhauser continued. ¡°It was only in the first semester that his reputation was very bad. This is a report from the officer on-duty of the recovery room. The on-duty officer of the recovery room? What does that person even have to report? Mr. Epinhauser presented some papers he had prepared beforehand to the faculty members of the general headquarters. ¡°Both students of Class A and B visited the recovery room at least once. Also, a significant number of students, seniors included, often came to take care of Reinhardt.¡± The priest on duty¡­ They hadn¡¯t just guarded the recovery room, they¡¯d also recorded all the students who¡¯d come by to visit me. However, it sure was amazing that even those that weren¡¯t close to me came to see me at least once. Did some of them come by when I was unconscious or sleeping? ¡°In the first semester, as well as at present, Reinhardt¡¯s behavior can¡¯t be said to be good, but I believe it has to be said that his reputation among the other students has improved a lot.¡± My conduct was still bad¡­ However, my classmates as well as my seniors liked me. ¡ªThat was the message Mr. Epinhauser wanted to convey. My conduct was bad, and my personality was bad as well, but in the end, I was still doing well in my daily life at Temple Damn, I almost thought that Mr. Epinhauser was throwing me under the bus. Although I was behaving badly, my reputation was good. Maybe because the report contained more information, the Vice-Chancellor read it thoroughly and nodded. ¡°Apart from his conduct, it can be confirmed that he has very healthy relationships with his friends.¡± ¡°Wh-what is so important about his usual conduct and relationships! In the end, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that Reinhardt violated numerous school rules to a great extent! Temple¡¯s school rules! Those are Temple¡¯s laws! That student has violated more than enough of them!¡± That Orbis Class teacher with foam at his mouth seemed to try his hardest to get me kicked out of the school. However, Mr. Epinhauser just continued his statement with an expressionless face. ¡°I understand the importance of the rules, and all the faculty members and students should also be well aware of these facts.¡± ¡°Mr. Jade, were you aware of the following rule within Temple?¡± ¡°Article one, paragraph one of Temple¡¯s rules: Every Temple student is to be treated equally regardless of status and is to be granted the same educational opportunities.¡± His words completely chilled the atmosphere in the hall. ¡°Temple¡¯s school rules deny the existence of instances such as the Orbis and Royal Class to begin with.¡± While he didn¡¯t say such things there in Temple¡¯s general headquarters, what he meant to say was ¡°What rules are you ranting about when Temple never even followed article one, paragraph one?¡± Those words seemed to make both the Orbis Class¡¯ teachers and the faculty members of the headquarters as well as the Royal Class teachers uncomfortable. However, Mr. Epinhauser was completely calm. ¡°The purpose should come first, not the rule.¡± ¡°Temple¡¯s purpose is nurturing talented people to allow them to contribute to the Empire¡¯s society and elevate the value of mankind as a whole¡ªthat was the purpose behind the establishment of Temple.¡± ¡°The school rules are only meant to support that purpose, and if they are consistent with said purpose, then they are only secondary¡ªthat is what I think.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, regardless of status, regardless of the school rules, Temple enrolls a chosen few students in the Royal and Orbis Class and offers them special treatment.¡± Mr. Epinhauswer was talking about Temple¡¯s purpose, not the rules. Hearing those words, the Orbis Class teacher Jaden, who kept on arguing, exclaimed. ¡°What does that have to do with this case?¡± ¡°At the time of his admission, Reinhardt wasn¡¯t a supernatural ability user.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°While Reinhardt had no talent, and was rather lacking in physical strength, he was gifted with infinite aptitudes, so he was granted special admission into the Royal Class on his potential alone. He was an exception.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit too late to go more in detail about this, so I¡¯ll just give you the gist of it.¡± ¡°At the time of admission, Reinhardt was a below-average student with no talent.¡± ¡°In his first semester, Reinhardt awakened his supernatural ability during the duel with the aforementioned third-year, Mayarton. Additionally, a bit after that, he awakened the talent Mana Sensitivity.¡± ¡°Reinhardt is enthusiastic about all of his classes and training, and to this point, he has repeatedly trained with A-2, Ellen, an exceptional student, every day.¡± ¡°During their summer vacation, the students named Ellen and Reinhardt went to the Darklands. There, they cleared an S-Rank Mission, raising their adventurer rank from F to B. During their travels, they acquired a magical artifact. While I can¡¯t go into detail about it, it can be said that it was a very important find.¡± ¡°Now, in his second semester, Reinhardt managed to use Magic Body Strengthening on his own, although he lost his duel with the fourth-year Oscar de Gardias as a result. In addition, it has been confirmed the talent Mana Control has blossomed within him.¡± Mr. Epinhauser looked at Jaden with calm eyes. ¡°Put in simpler terms¡­¡± ¡°Reinhardt, who was deemed incompetent at the time of his admission, won a duel against a third-year in his first semester.¡± ¡°During his vacation, he put his life on the line to save at least 50 people, uncovered the truth behind the devastation of some villages, and repelled more than a hundred zombies during which he recovered magical artifacts.¡± ¡°And in his second semester, while he didn¡¯t win his duel with this Orbis Class senior, he also didn¡¯t lose.¡± ¡°I shall tell you once more. Temple¡¯s Purpose¡­¡± ¡°Excellent talent.¡± Mr. Epinhauser looked at Vice-Chancellor Assyria Walken that time. ¡°Reinhardt is the most talented person within Temple.¡± Mr. Epinhauser valued me higher than Ellen. Depending how one put it, the circumstances of the incidents may change. The Orbis Class teacher wanted to frame it as a case of intenional attempted murder. However, Mr. Epinhauser put it into a different perspective. I was admitted as an incompetent bum, then fought and won against a third-year during my first year, and then, in my second semester, I did something as ridiculous as fight with a fourth-year resulting in a draw. Would they expell such a talented person just because he¡¯d violated a few school rules? Had they forgotten Temple¡¯s real purpose? When I asked Mr. Epinhauser whether I¡¯d get expelled or not, he said that it wouldn¡¯t turn out like that because I was a student of Royal Class. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * However, depending on what the disciplinary committee decided, there still was a good chance that I might¡¯ve gotten expelled. That was when he said that he wouldn¡¯t let me get expelled from school. ¡°Reinhardt¡¯s rapid growth also proves that Temple¡¯s education is very advanced and effective. Reinhardt knows his shortcomings and always asks for guidance from students who are superior to him. This could be called the real function of these special classes.¡± Ellen entered that school with masteries in many fields while I had nothing. The reason why I became so strong was because Temple¡¯s education was excellent. What if it wasn¡¯t just Ellen who¡¯d made me stronger? It was the synergy effect because of the excellent talents who had been gathered there¡ªthat was also something Temple did well. He offset his remarks about ignoring the school rules with praise about things Temple implemented well. The VIce-Chancellor was looking at me. In the end, Temple¡¯s purpose was to cultivate excellent talents, so if I was a person who matched that purpose, he seemed to be thinking about lowering my punishment. I could clearly see that the thought of expelling me had completely disappeared from his head. However, the eyes of Jade, who wanted to expel me no matter what, were still burning. ¡°From what Mr. Epinhauser said, Reinhardt certainly seems like a great talent, but his abilities aren¡¯t everything. The personality to go along with it is also important, and students who constantly cause trouble even though they are still in the lower years are not excellent talents, but dangerous talents. Continuing to support and educate a person such as him is dangerous! If Reinhardt had attacked her any more, Lilka Aaron might have died!¡± Attempted murder¡­ That bastard seemed like he really wanted to continue pushing that narrative. The Vice-Chancellor¡¯s expression seemed to indicate that he couldn¡¯t just ignore that. ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case.¡± However, Lilka Aaron, who had been silent up to then, suddenly opened her mouth. At that sudden remark, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on Lilka Aaron. What? Why did she suddenly speak up? ¡°I wanted him to do that. Really.¡± Hearing Lilka Aaron¡¯s words, Oscar¡¯s as well as the teacher¡¯s expressions hardened. She then looked at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to get up anymore. Although I didn¡¯t convey that to him verbally, Reinhardt still tried to make me stay down because he understood what I thought¡ªthat is what I believe, at least.¡± ¡°Wha¡­ What?¡± Lilka Aaron, who was supposed to be the victim, suddenly defended me. To that, Mr. Jaden¡¯s expression turned rather dark, as did the other teachers¡¯ expressions. Lilka Aaron looked at me with calm eyes. ¡°Right?¡± She was correct. Of course I knew. ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Lilka Aaron didn¡¯t want to get up anymore, so she begged me with her eyes to make her faint. That was why I did that. However, I never imagined that the girl would admit that there. The Vice-Chancellor stared at Lilka Aaron. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand. You intentionally wanted to be attacked so hard that you would faint, and Reinhardt only complied with that wish?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°A defeat is just a defeat. It would have been fine to simply surrender, why didn¡¯t you do that?¡± Oscar¡¯s eyes widened at that moment when Lika Aaron suddenly rose from her seat. ¡°Wait just a moment, excuse me.¡± She started doing something no one expected from her. -Rustle¡­ She started to unbutton her school uniform blouse out of the blue. ¡°Wh-what are you doing, Lilka!¡± ¡°I have something to show you.¡± While all the teachers were completely speechless, Lilka Aaron suddenly took off the blouse. No, they couldn¡¯t help but know what she was trying to show them even before she took it off. She took off all her clothes, wearing nothing but her underwear. Everyone was appalled. Not because she suddenly took off her clothes, but because of a different reason¡­ Her shoulders, arms, abdomen, sides, and so on¡­ Her whole body was covered in bruises. ¡°Reinhardt! Lilka is still so badly hurt! Just how severely did you-¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t Reinhardt.¡± Lilka Aaron looked at her homeroom teacher, Mr. Jaden, and spoke. ¡°I got hit by my seniors.¡± ¡°You asked why I didn¡¯t just surrender? I thought that my seniors would treat me harshly if I lost.¡± ¡°Furthermore, if I actually surrendered myself, I believed that my seniors might¡¯ve killed me.¡± ¡°I fainted, but I still got beaten this badly. Under no circumstances are we allowed to give up the fight if we don¡¯t pass out. If I had given up, they might have hit me even harder.¡± ¡°So, I wanted to get knocked out on purpose¡ªthat was why Reinhardt did this.¡± Lilka Aaron finally broke and shed tears. ¡°What Reinhardt did to me was attempted murder? He should be expelled because of that? Then¡­ Then¡­¡± She glared at Oscar de Gardias, her face stiff as she sobbed. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t all the seniors of the Orbis Class get expelled? So why are you so angry about such trivial things? You all know what is going on. All the teachers know what the seniors are doing to us. The teachers even want them to do it, saying things like, ¡®It seems like the kids aren¡¯t trying hard enough. It looks like they have become lazy,¡¯ that¡¯s how they make them hit us. You did that¡­ Knowing everything that would happen¡­¡± Lilka Aaron shouted out to the Orbis Class teachers with a stern expression on her face. ¡°If he gets expelled because of something like this, shouldn¡¯t all students and teachers of the Orbis Class just quit? It¡¯s completely true that the Orbis Class should be abolished sooner rather than later. I¡¯m more frightened and terrified of getting hit by my seniors and the teachers pretending not to notice then of getting a bit hurt in a fight with this boy.¡± ¡°I heard that Reinhardt fought with my senior because of that.¡± ¡°Everyone is scared, but no one can speak up. Everyone hates this situation, but if we complained or said something against them, we would only get hit harder.¡± ¡°We knew that nothing would happen, even if we told the teachers.¡± ¡°Reinhardt told us that we should just call things shitty if they are shitty¡ªthat¡¯s why I¡¯m saying this here.¡± ¡°The Orbis Class is a shitty and disgusting place. It¡¯s a place that turns people into monsters driven mad by feelings of inferiority, and the ones that were victims before just turn into the same kinds of monsters to torment others.¡± Lilka Aaron went to the disciplinary committee meeting with a completely different purpose: It was to reveal the true nature of the Orbis Class. The reason why she¡¯d seemed so uncomfortable since the beginning of that meeting was because she was in pain and hadn¡¯t gotten treatment from a priest on duty after getting seriously injured. ____ Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Lilka Aaron, who¡¯d shown us her tattered body, put on her clothes again. Her trembling fingertips showed just in how much pain she was. She¡¯d endured the pain and hadn¡¯t gone to a priest on duty just to show them that right at that moment. One could even see new bruises on her. It wasn¡¯t over after she got hit once, she was continuously beaten up. It was a disciplinary committee meeting to decide students¡¯ punishments. However, the Vice-Chancellor of Temple was also present. If the meeting was just held within the Orbis Class, Lilka Aaron¡¯s words would have been useless. The teachers didn¡¯t want to destroy that system either. They didn¡¯t hit them directly, but with just a few words they made the seniors want to make the other students work harder on their own. Far from wanting to destroy it, they even encouraged its existence. Oscar de Gardias¡¯s expression seemed a little strange. While it seemed stiff, he wore a strange smile on his lips. ¡ªAs if he found the situation amusing. Vice-Chancellor Assyria Walken looked at the Orbis Class teaching staff, whose faces were deathly pale. New sinners to be judged had appeared. ¡°Is what Lilka Aaron said true?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°As it appears, I guess it¡¯s true.¡± Just by looking at the Orbis Class teachers who couldn¡¯t give him an answer, Assyria Walken seemed to have already gotten the answer. Extreme violence committed among students and teachers who even encouraged it. A new problem had come to the forefront. ¡°I knew the atmosphere surrounding the Orbis Class was coercive and rigid, but was it to such an extent?¡± As Temple¡¯s Vice-Chancellor, it seemed like Assyria Walken had some guesses, but it didn¡¯t look like he expected that the level of violence the seniors inflicted on their juniors would be that high. Mr. Epinhauser didn¡¯t look that surprised, and Mr. Mustrang seemed startled and very worried. No, was that guy actually sniffling? However, in that atmosphere, one of the Orbis Class teachers spoke up. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is something we should discuss here. We should only talk about the matters we decided to hold the current disciplinary committee meeting about, we can hold this discussion in another place later¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that is right.¡± Assyria Walken nodded at his words.. ¡°It isn¡¯t something we should discuss here. However, before we are even able to hold another disciplinary committee meeting, or mediation committee meeting, this student named Lilka Aaron¡­ It seems obvious what the other Orbis Class students would do to her. No, I don¡¯t think we will be able to talk about this any other time.¡± Cruelty and violence is what she would receive. If Likla Aaron went back to the Orbis Class dorms like that, she might¡¯ve been better off dead. ¡°It seems like we have to take immediate actions against the Orbis Class.¡± Assyria Walken gathered up the report and shoved it into his desk. ¡°This disciplinary committee meeting is on hold.¡± Will you look at that hot-blooded guy? ¡°I believe the Orbis Class¡¯ issue is a far more pressing matter.¡± Assyrian Walken decided to focus on that topic immediately, setting the current one aside. ¡°All first years of the Orbis Class are to be summoned to the main building.¡± And he also predicted that, if they put off the matter for any amount of time, they might use their power against the students inside Orbis Class. My crazy act of fighting with the Orbis Class¡­ It was transformed into a completely unexpected event that might blow away the whole Orbis Class. If that was the case, what would happen next was more than obvious. [Special Achievement ¨C Inflection Point of History (Orbis Class)] [History has changed dramatically due to your actions.] [Acquired 1000 achievement points.] My total achievement points, which had fallen to 2000 points, had recovered to around 4000. That was why I just couldn¡¯t stop making trouble. * * * The disciplinary committee meeting event ended up with no conclusion, as the meeting itself was put on hold. As someone who knew the future to some extent, if not completely, I felt quite strange whenever I experienced the results of the butterfly effect. When I¡¯d first seen Erich de Lafaeri beaten up by Lilka Aaron, I didn¡¯t think things would turn out like that. I¡¯d gone to the Orbis Class dorm to earn some achievement points, check on the Orbis Class¡¯ key figures, and to fight Lilka Aaron. And then, unable to push down his own temper, I¡¯d fought Oscar de Gardias, who constantly acted arrogant. What I showed those guys was that, even if they went against their seniors, they wouldn¡¯t beat them to the point of killing them. I was right in a way. Even though Lilka Aaron did end up passing out, she was still nearly beaten to death. No matter what they did, they would just end up getting hit anyway. So why didn¡¯t they just rebel then? While what I did could be called unnecessary meddling, it¡¯d still brought about a reaction. That was how much they had suffered. They were just hoping for someone to make the first step. How someone of the Royal Class could take that step, and not someone of the Orbis Class, felt like a slap to the face to them. Anway, the disciplinary committee meeting had been put on hold, so we, as well as the teachers, left the main building. The way the teachers were looking at Lilka Aaron was more akin to how one would look at a traitor, not a student. I didn¡¯t really have a proper conversation with Lilka Aaron. To be honest, even though the situation was bad, she had no good reason to actually step up. Was it something like, ¡®We conveyed our feelings through our fists back then.¡¯? She¡¯d wanted to faint, so I¡¯d made her pass out. It was weird. I couldn¡¯t believe that was how I¡¯d ended up buying someone¡¯s favor. I really didn¡¯t know how this world worked. Standing still in front of the main building, I asked Lilka, who stood with her head turned to me, something. ¡°You¡­ are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t want to hear that from someone in your condition.¡± While Lilka Aaron was also in tatters, I was walking on crutches, still limping. It seemed rather ridiculous for me to ask her if she was okay. ¡°If nothing changes even after I did this much, I¡¯ll drop out or move to one of the regular classes.¡± She seemed to have been prepared for everything. She had to sacrifice too much and was subject to too many obligations just for the privilege of being in the Orbis Class. Lilka Aaron seemed to have realized that it would be much better to just give up on all that than try to bear with it any longer. All those students held on because they didn¡¯t want to be stigmatized as someone who dropped out of a special class. However, she had finally decided to not put up with it any longer. ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who wants to drop out. We all think alike.¡± Lilka Aaron wasn¡¯t alone in her mindset. She didn¡¯t just do things on her own accord, but Lilka was the one who decided to take the lead. So I could somewhat understand why that event turned into an inflection point in history. This incident might lead to a mass dropout of all Orbis Class first-years if nothing changes. ¡°Anyway, I didn¡¯t really want to say it, but¡­¡± Lilka Aaron, whose stature was rather short, looked up at me. ¡°I¡¯m grateful to you.¡± A lot of things had changed because of that single fight between us. All of them came together and were determined to change the system. Hopefully, with that, Ender Wilton¡¯s incident would disappear as well. There shouldn¡¯t be a need for him to get involved with black magic and turn into a monster if history changed. If that guy¡¯s desire for power came from the abuse and coercion of his seniors, if that case was resolved successfully, then that incident would disappear quite easily. However, if Ender Wilton involved himself with black magic out of his personal desire for power and sense of inferiority, then it still might happen. It was still up in the air. I had to take action as soon as things were clear. If he got involved in it because of someone else or inevitably got in contact with it somehow, I had to do something about that. And¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Oscar de Gardias, who left the building a little bit later than us, looked at the two of us. Then he passed us by without saying a single word. He wore a strange smile on his face. The teachers and seniors of the Orbis Class were literally about to get kicked out¡­ So, why was he smiling? An unfamiliar chill ran down my spine. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy Join our discord for updates on releases!! * * * On my way back to Royal Class¡¯ dormitory after splitting up with Lilka Aaron¡­ I was on the tram with the Royal Class teachers who¡¯d attended the disciplinary committee meeting. ¡°Really, how could they do that? How could the teachers condone those seniors¡¯ actions¡­¡± Mr. Mustrang let out a sigh in anger as he felt sorry for the Orbis Class students who were exposed to such a coercive and violent environment. ¡°Reinhardt. The disciplinary committee meeting isn¡¯t over yet, it¡¯s just put on hold, so don¡¯t cause any more trouble, okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Mr. Mustrang warned me quite a lot¡­ Mr. Mustrang, the teacher in charge of Class B, was a very compassionate teacher. I¡¯d set him up as someone who was nice, good-hearted, and good to his students¡ªhe was a teacher who fit right in with Class B¡¯s atmosphere. Most of the kids who were part of Class A were rude and arrogant, so I¡¯d set their teacher up to be cold and distant as well¡ªhe also fit very well to the Class¡¯ atmosphere. However, I was able to witness a different facet of Mr. Epinhauser that I hadn¡¯t been familiar with. He¡¯d defended me in a cold and collected tone. It was more than certain that my conduct was bad, but my relationships were very healthy. Temple¡¯s purpose was to cultivate excellent talents, and Reinhardt, me, was the most excellent power in Temple. There was no reason to kick someone like that to the curb. His way of defending me was very much like him. Mr. Epinhauser was still looking out of the tram¡¯s window, no matter what Mr. Mustrang mumbled, as if nothing had happened. However, I had to say what I had to say. ¡°Teacher, thank you for today.¡± I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Epinhauser to defend me that much and even exaggerate my worth to such an extent. Temple¡¯s greatest talent¡­ He hadn¡¯t meant Ellen Artorius with that. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°You have no reason to thank me.¡± Mr. Epinhauser kept his eyes fixed on the window as he spoke to me. It seemed like he didn¡¯t even think that it was something to be grateful for. He didn¡¯t praise me or wish me good luck for the future¡ªhe said nothing like that. It is a teacher¡¯s job to protect their students, that was all I did. That was how he seemed to think. Mr. Epinhauser didn¡¯t even want me to thank him. The more I looked at that guy, the stranger he seemed. Was he embarrassed? ¡°Well, I can¡¯t really believe that I¡¯m supposed to be the most talented. Isn¡¯t that a bit exaggerated?¡± So I tried to subtly ask him why he¡¯d deliberately used such a forced lie to shield me. To be honest, I didn¡¯t think that much of it. At that moment, Mr. Epinhauser turned to look at me. ¡°Opinions may vary from person to person, but I certainly think that you are.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± No. Was that guy serious? Seeing that I didn¡¯t seem to understand what he meant, Mr. Epinhauser continued to speak quietly, still looking at me. ¡°Number two entered the school already completely trained, but you are reaching your completion in Temple.¡± Unlike Ellen, I had been growing at a frightening pace after I¡¯d entered the school without any previous training. Mr. Epinhauser seemed to evaluate me by the speed I had reached my strength, not by how much strength I possessed. No, but I still was very flustered. What should I say to that? It felt really weird to be praised by someone wearing that kind of expression. ¡°Ellen already knows how to use Magic Body Reinforcement, though?¡± ¡°You managed to use it recently as well:¡± No, but the side effects we suffered from were vastly different, right? With that, I was completely sure that the guy really thought that I was the most talented person in Temple. ¡ªBecause he spoke so seriously when he said it¡­ Still, this is a bit¡­ * * * My work involving the Orbis Class had finished, but that was only the beginning. The Temple Headquarters had realized that the circle of abuse spreading inside of the Orbis Class could never be resolved from within. They seemed to have decided to take reasonable and immediate action to start with. Because, if they waited just a little bit, it was certain that the students would be internally silenced. It seemed like they decided to first put the Orbis Class first-years, who were merely victims, under the protection of the Temple headquarters. Soon, the entire Orbis Class was issued an emergency order to immediately close down the school. Additionally, that school closure was not to be lifted until all of the Class¡¯ internal problems were completely resolved. A significant number of students as well as teachers were also at risk of expulsion. Those who were part of special classes were treated like special entities, both in Temple and the Imperial Capital. However, as long as there had been internal problems and their degree was severe enough, some might even be sentenced to serve time in prison. To be honest, the marks engraved on Lilka Aaron¡¯s body seemed terrifying, even to me. How could someone beat another person up like that just because they¡¯d lost a fight? It was quite appalling. Because I could finally move around again, I could go to classes again with crutches. Friday. We were on our way back after our Demon Ecology class. Ellen, Liana, Harriet, and I all took part in that class. ¡°You destroyed the whole Orbis Class with just a single fight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the disciplinary committee who did all that. I didn¡¯t even say anything, you know?¡± I mumbled nervously at Harriet¡¯s half-teasing remark. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect the incident to get that big. I wasn¡¯t the one who¡¯d talked to the disciplinary committee about that. It was Lilka Aaron and the other first-year kids who¡¯d set the stage to fuck over their seniors. With that being said, I couldn¡¯t say that I didn¡¯t have any influence on them, though. In the end, it was true that I was the one that¡¯d pushed over the first domino in the chain. If I¡¯d left them alone, the Orbis Class would have just gotten worse. Harriet, in a slightly sulky voice, asked me if I felt good about myself. ¡°The scale of the trouble you cause is getting bigger and bigger, you know? Honestly, what are you going to do next? Destroy Temple?¡± Wow, I had gotten used to being teased, so I tried not to lose it anymore during those kinds of debates. That¡¯s right, my tolerance had grown. My temper really evolved¡­ ¡°Harriet, I¡¯m afraid that bastard might actually do that.¡± Liana looked at me, seeming a little scared that Harriet¡¯s teasing words might actually come true. ¡°I knew that this nut job was on a totally different level, but to barge into the Orbis Class on his own, fight their students, and even put hands on a senior in his fourth year¡­¡± Even Liana, who was quite cool-headed, seemed to have been genuinely shocked by my deeds that time. In my head, I could see that my career as a crazy bastard had advanced several levels. Ellen, who was also with us, just quietly walked next to me, not reacting no matter what we talked about. ¡°Slower.¡± However, Ellen then suddenly opened her mouth. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s walk slower.¡± She pointed at me. Only then did they realize that they had been walking a bit too fast for me, who had to walk with crutches, so they slowed down a bit. Harriet¡¯s face was slightly red, and Liana scratched her cheek slightly. ¡°Oh, did you now realize that you¡¯ve been cursing out a patient, you devil spawns?¡± No¡­ I mean, the spawn of the devil would be a demon, right? So I was the actual devil spawn there. Both of them seemed to feel a bit apologetic towards me after they heard that, so they didn¡¯t complain. As expected, the only one on my side was Ellen! I looked towards her. ¡°While you¡¯re at it, could you carry me on your back?¡± Give me a piggyback ride! You fed me last time! Take care of me more! ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to do that.¡± Ellen distanced herself from me slightly, put off by my blatant shamelessness. Liana and Harriet both looked at me in astonishment. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re totally acting like a baby.¡± Liana¡¯s venomous words left me completely speechless. No, but If one was sick, wasn¡¯t it normal to regress just a little bit?! Of course, with the way I was acting, one might suspect that I had dementia! Those crutches.,, They were really fucking annoying. Actually, the pain hadn¡¯t completely faded away yet, so my whole body was still tingling. -Trip! ¡°Urg!¡± I was walking rather well until I was about to trip over my crutches. Ellen caught me at lightning speed. When she helped me up, she anxiously asked me something. ¡°Are you okay?¡± What the hell? I couldn¡¯t believe how quickly she¡¯d caught me as soon as I was about to fall. Did my heart skip a beat just then? I trembled, unable to figure out what to do. ¡°Should I give you a piggyback ride?¡± ¡°!¡± Ellen actually was ready to give me a piggyback ride because she thought that I was having a hard time. Harriet, Liana, and I felt as if our hearts had just stopped at Ellen¡¯s serious proposal. ¡°I-I was just kidding, man¡­ I can walk¡­¡± What Liana said while we were in her villa on the Edina Islands was right¡­ I would talk big, but when it turned out that the other person was actually serious, I would chicken out. Ultimately, I was similar to Olivia Lanze in that way. ____ Chapter 220 Chapter 220 An inflection point in history. So far, there had been three in total. The first was the survival of Charlotte de Gardias. As a result, the events of the main story changed significantly, but the survival of such a character was inevitably worth the effort of changing history. The second one was the survival of Olivia Lanze. Olivia had strong divine powers, and although I don¡¯t know what to call it, she could also use a different form of divine(?) power. Whatever she might do in the future, she would be a great person that would achieve at least one great thing. The special achievement ¡®inflection point of history¡¯ seemed to focus on changing the whole history of this world rather than just the main story. Of course, history was constantly changing and shifting, in big or small ways, as long as I existed to change it. The terrorist attack on the Imperial Capital from last time was also quite the big event, but I wasn¡¯t granted the inflection point of history achievement for it. This world did whatever it wanted whenever it wanted anyway, so it would give me that achievement at times and at others it simply wouldn¡¯t. However, at that time, it did. In any case, that event was definitely going to change history by a lot. The third inflection point of history. The Orbis Class Incident. The whole Orbis Class was put under an emergency closure. That would lead to major changes in the character compositions. I was actually able to confirm one thing that had changed directly. ¡°It looks like we won¡¯t be able to compete against each other anymore during the festival.¡± ¡°We definitely won¡¯t. Even if things get resolved, they surely aren¡¯t in any position where they could show their faces at official events like that for some time.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± That was the answer I gave upon hearing Harriet¡¯s words. Rumors about the Orbis Class¡¯ internal problems seemed to have spread all over Temple after some time. So, that incident aside, they didn¡¯t have the luxury to leisurely enjoy festivals or any other enjoyable activities. The main event of the second semester¡­ It immediately evaporated because of the fight I caused. It was correct to call that an inflection point of history. A big part of the main story had been blown away, after all. The tournament and all related activities were gone. I couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d destroyed that arc¡¯s main event while trying to stop Ender Wilton from falling into ruin. Was that¡­ was this the right thing to do? Anyway, that wasn¡¯t what was important. Harriet and I were standing in front of a building, and I still had my crutches with me. Since I couldn¡¯t do any personal training, I¡¯d decided to push that part of my schedule aside for the period I¡¯d be in recovery. When my body recovered more, I would completely focus on my personal improvement. Even though I could still be considered a patient, I was still working all over the place while supporting my body with those crutches. Wasn¡¯t I hella diligent? I was about to faint from the admiration I felt for myself. ¡°Is this our club room?¡± ¡°Yeah. Although, I don¡¯t know if we should call this a room.¡± There wasn¡¯t just Harriet and me, but all the others as well. Louis Ankton, Adelia, Christina, Anna. And our little senior, Redina. She had accepted my offer. All of them were members of the Magic Research Society. [Royal Class Magic Research Society] That was what stood engraved on the plaque before me. However what I was standing in front of wasn¡¯t a room but a fairly large building. That couldn¡¯t be called a club room, it was a whole-ass club house, or even a club research institute. What the hell was up with that? The Magic Research Society wasn¡¯t just some club where we would gather to chat, but it still took a while to get permission because there was a lot of equipment required for our activities. So they had a lot of things to prepare on Temple¡¯s side before we could officially start club activities. It seemed like Royal Class¡¯ magic majors tended to do a lot of personal research without being part of any club, so we were the first to create a club like that. As such, the faculty of th Royal Class seemed to have agonized over what they needed to prepare for us, and eventually came up with a rather special alternative. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe they actually emptied out one of the labs for us.¡± They didn¡¯t prepare anything, they just gave us a place where we¡¯d find anything we might need. It was said that the place was used as a research lab by one of the wizard professors, however when they¡¯d asked if the Royal Class could use it, he¡¯d willingly given it up, saying that we could just take it. He would just need to get a bigger research lab. That building wasn¡¯t actually that large of a facility, but it was still large enough that I wondered if we could really use it. I mean, it was just too luxurious to use as a students¡¯ club ¡°room¡±. Everyone was looking around the club villa, admiring it each in their own way. I didn¡¯t really know much about the equipment, so I just sat somewhere in the middle of the hall. -Wow. What¡¯s this? -This is my first time seeing something like this¡­ -This is a mana stone fusion furnace¡­ -Junior, junior. What¡¯s this? -Ah, this is¡­ Even the magic majors seemed to have seen a lot of that equipment for the first time that day, while Harriet and Louis Ankton were able to name quite a lot. Harriet recognized most of it because she was the young lady of the Duchy of Saint-Owan, famous for their advancement in the field of magic, and Louis seemed to recognize a lot of them because he¡¯d seen them in books. After they took quite a long time to go around the building once, everyone gathered at the main hall again. ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction? We were able to get such a great place.¡± Harriet stared at me, seeming annoyed by my dull reaction. ¡°What the hell am I supposed to like about this place¡­?¡± I didn¡¯t even know what most of those things were. Well, they looked pretty cool. What other reaction did she want me to have? I still didn¡¯t get why I was that club¡¯s president! ¡°This place holds a lot of equipment specialized for studying magic of all fields. These kinds of facilities aren¡¯t common, even in the Duchy.¡± It seemed like that place was on a different level from the dormitory¡¯s magic lab. Seeing that everyone had such positive reactions, I guessed that it was something insanely good. ¡°Well, I guess this place is decent.¡± ¡°Be more sincere!¡± ¡°Haha! It¡¯s soo amazing!¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting angry!¡± It seemed like she was in a great mood, but seeing my dull and bored expression seemed to send her fuming. No, I mean, what did she expect after she basically forced me to give some sort of reaction in that situation? It was like she kept asking me ¡°Isn¡¯t this fun? It¡¯s fun, isn¡¯t it?¡±, while we were watching a movie that I absolutely didn¡¯t like. It was like a garbage movie full of jumpscares! After everyone was done looking around, they sat down at the round table in the main hall. And I was actually the president of those guys. It was a strange picture no matter how much I thought about it. The president was the least qualified person for the job, and yet all of those talented people were still only looking at me. It felt like I was the leader of some heretical cult. They would do the research, so I had to be in charge of coordinating human affairs. All of them seemed to get along well with each other at first glance, but they were actually just looking at me, as I was their only connection. In particular, Redina, the little senior, looked at me anxiously. While she did ask the others questions going, ¡°Junior, Junior.¡± I was still the person she was most comfortable with. ¡°Let¡¯s skip the boring opening speeches and procedures and whatever. I don¡¯t have a fucking clue how to do them, and I don¡¯t want to, either.¡± The first gathering of the Magic Research Society. Started that day. ¡°Anyway, this isn¡¯t some club room, but a whole club house, so if you have the permission of the superintendent, you can stay over in this place on weekdays as well as weekends.¡± I only stayed in the main hall, but I knew what that mansion contained because Mr. Epinhauser had informed me about it prior to that. Separated labs and equipment enabling one to research almost every field of magic. ¡­And a bedroom. The existence of that bedroom made me feel an eerie sort of fear. That was originally a professor¡¯s lab. However, maybe it wasn¡¯t the professor who slept in there, but the student assistants¡­ ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Then does that mean we don¡¯t have to go to bed at the usual time?¡± ¡°¡­As the superintendent won¡¯t come around here, I guess.¡± When they heard that they could research all through the night, their expressions brightened considerably. Harriet and Adeila seemed especially pleased. I was going to tell them that if they got caught playing outside after they got permission to spend the night there they would get in trouble, but it seemed like that wasn¡¯t necessary. Those guys loved magic to the point that nothing else filled their brains, apparently. ¡°The club advisor is supposed to be Mr. Mustrang. So if you don¡¯t know how to use some of the research facilities properly or you want to do some dangerous research, you¡¯ll have to observe first or get permission from him.¡± The Magic Research Society wasn¡¯t a general club, so the club advisor had to be a wizard. And Mr. Mustrang happened to be one. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * So, that guy, who never had this kind of role in the original, became the club advisor of the Magic Research Society. I heard he¡¯d actually volunteered to take that position. Both students of Class A and B with magic majors gathered in that club to do magic research, so he¡¯d stepped up. However, to be honest, I didn¡¯t like Mr. Mustrang all that much. Well¡­ No matter how one thought about it, I was a pretty weird guy, wasn¡¯t I? With how positively I portrayed Mr. Mustrang and Ludwig, for me to not like them after I met them in real life was pretty unbelievable. I didn¡¯t like those guys filled to the brim with positive energy. Instead, I liked Mr. Epinhauser. ¡®Oh sure, do it or don¡¯t, it¡¯s your life. You are responsible for your actions, after all.¡¯ I liked those kinds of people. Mr. Mustrang was extremely compassionate and thought too much about his students to the point that he would definitely interfere in what they did in one way or another. The club advisor was just that, a teacher who was supposed to give us advice, so he didn¡¯t actually have to show up. However, taking Mr.Mustrang¡¯s personality into consideration, I knew he was certain to come around often. Unfortunately, Mr. Epinhauser was unable to become our club advisor, as he wasn¡¯t a wizard. Ultimately, that wasn¡¯t enough to whine and complain about, but it was still rather regrettable, having Mr. Mustrang as our club advisor. Still, since he was a good person by nature, he wouldn¡¯t pose that much of a hindrance. I went around to take a look at that club mansion so that, later, when we held a formal club meeting, Mr. Mustrang would be present as well. ¡°Formal meetings will take place once a week, but the facilities are pretty well kept, so it doesn¡¯t really matter if you come around any time you want. The place is protected by a magic lock, so you won¡¯t be able to get in unless you¡¯re registered. We don¡¯t have to worry about robberies and such because of that, but still, try not to leave anything valuable in here.¡± Well¡­ I felt like I was talking more like a teacher than the club president. Everyone was looking at me like that at least, nodding their heads at my words. Ah. All of them were acting pretty cute. They were so cute I just wanted to eat them up. I could just bite them to death. Why was I acting like that? ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s all the information I got from the teachers¡­¡± Of course, since I had been made club president, I had my own thoughts as well. I didn¡¯t know how to use magic. So whether it was research or holding lectures, it would be them who would do that. ¡°Louis, how are the preparations for your lectures going?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll go well, but, well, I¡¯m preparing for them.¡± My role as the president was just organizing everything. Louis was studying and preparing even before our club activities and had started to improve his skills. He was studying separately from his preparations for exams or grades¡ªhe showed great enthusiasm to become a magician who could teach wizards. ¡°Great. You can hold them whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Because I held the title of club president, they treated me differently than they used to. In the past, that guy would have only listened to my words because he was scared of me, but then he listened to me because I was the president. Good. Louis was preparing for his lectures. He might even be able to start right away, but it would have been rather awkward if I made him do it right that instant. ¡°I can¡¯t really help you with your research, but there are some things I want you guys to look into. Can I tell you?¡± All of them looked a little suspicious at that sudden remark but still nodded. I was surprisingly nice, being the president, wasn¡¯t it? Even if I couldn¡¯t participate in their research, I could give them some research topics and goals to work towards. Originally, there were six members, including me, in that club, but as the senior Redina joined, we then had seven. The Gate incident¡­ It would be best if we were able to make sure that plot point wouldn¡¯t happen. The core element of the Gate incident were the warp gates, which connected a different world to this plane. However, if we weren¡¯t able to stop it, we had to fight. To do that, everyone had to become stronger. Therefore, the results they had to produce should lead to their improvement. The improvement of their combat capabilities, to be precise. So I was going to give each of them an individual research topic to improve their practical skills. ¡°First, senior.¡± ¡°Huh? Me?¡± The first one was Redina. When I suddenly called out her name, she tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re mana pool is still miniscule, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s mean!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, though.¡± ¡°Damn it! I hate you! I knew it! You¡¯re the worst!¡± Redina snapped at my words, but because I only said the truth, she kind of looked like she was about to cry. Her talent was No Cast. It was one hell of a cheat she had there, but she also had an extreme weakness¡ªher mana pool was extremely small. When I looked at her physical data, it turned out that her magical power wasn¡¯t just low, but really low. Magical Power: 4.2 It was only at F+ Rank. That was very, very low compared to her classmates. I was at 13, making it C+ Rank. She had half of my magical power. Mana Sensitivity was very important for the growth of one¡¯s magical power. It seemed like it had been judged that her mana sensitivity was very low or inadequate. It was even lower than Cayer¡¯s, who didn¡¯t have Mana Control. If one had to give up either Mana Sensitivity or Mana Control, it would be less advantageous to give up Mana Sensitivity. Although Cayer was blessed with a gigantic mana pool, he was unable to control that magical power, so even though he had a lot of magical power, he had no way to use it. Anyway, Redina lacked something different from Cayer. Even if we did something at that point, her natural growth rate wouldn¡¯t change much. We would soon take some measures to enhance all of their magical power, but Redina¡¯s problem was unlikely to get solved by that. As such, we needed another alternative. ¡°Senior, don¡¯t use your own magical power for now.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Everyone stared at me and tilted their heads as if they didn¡¯t know what I was talking about. ¡°Is there any law that says that you have to use your own magical power to activate magic? If you extract the magical power stored in a mana stone to activate a spell, is that not magic?¡± ¡°Huuh?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°?¡± Everyone seemed shocked by my radical idea. ¡°No, He¡¯s just someone completely ignorant of magic. Is that why he¡¯s able to talk such bullshit?¡± That was what they seemed to think. However, there was one person who seemed to know what I was talking about. ¡°Are you talking about Stone Magic?¡± Harriet de Saint-Owan¡­ I could only trust in our little idiot. As expected, she was the best! ____ Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Stone Magic¡­ It was a spell activation method that used the extracted magical power stored in mana stones. Although I didn¡¯t actually know much about magic itself, there were some things I couldn¡¯t help but know, as I created this world. Of course, if one couldn¡¯t control magical power, one couldn¡¯t use Stone Magic either, so that didn¡¯t mean that Louis could become a wizard using that method. Most of them seemed to have never heard the term ¡®Stone Magic¡¯ before. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what that Stone Magic you talk about is. I just thought that you might be able to do something like that.¡± By asking things like ¡°Can¡¯t you do something like that?¡± I hoped that someone would say ¡°Yeah, there is.¡± and Harriet answered accurately. She looked perplexed. ¡°But that would be extremely difficult to do¡­ To the point that it¡¯s like having to learn magic from scratch. While it¡¯s possible, it¡¯s so difficult to do that no one uses that method.¡± Yeah. I know because I set it up like that. Stone Magic entailed controlling external magical power, so casting spells in that way was completely different from using one¡¯s own magical power. So while the system existed, it had been completely buried. However, I wasn¡¯t recommending Redina to that completely different magic system called Stone Magic. ¡°Then we just have to find a mana stone with which one could use external magical power like one¡¯s own.¡± ¡°¡­You keep talking as if that¡¯s easy.¡± Yeah, my words were rather weird and impossible. But what could I do? I knew that something like that would appear in the future. Harriet seemed to think that I was talking utter nonsense after all, and Redina looked like she was annoyed when she heard that she would have to learn a new magic system because of her small and empty mana pool. Oh, come on. Fine, you don¡¯t have to listen to me if you don¡¯t want to! But not only am I an adult, I¡¯m also God! I¡¯m right! ¡°Adelia.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Yes? Me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adelia looked at me with glazed eyes as I suddenly called out to her. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, make it work.¡± Adelia¡­ That girl would later create such mana stones, or to be precise, an artifact that was able to do that. A powerful artifact that could store magical power and made it possible for one to use external magical power like the power present in one¡¯s own body. I knew that she would develop something like that, in fact, she would even call it a Power Cartridge. The Gate Crisis would start in the first semester of our third year, inevitably throwing the kids into battle. Of course, after the initial chaos caused by the start of the battle passed like a typhoon, the Temple students would come out to earnestly support the ones fighting. However, the Royal Class would also get divided into combat and non-combat units. After all, there were some students among them who simply couldn¡¯t fight. It couldn¡¯t be helped because you couldn¡¯t just throw students whose talent had nothing to do with combat into battle. But they also had their own roles and duties to take care of. For example, Louis taught the other students majoring in magic how to use their spells properly in his spare time. Adelia was part of the non-combat unit because, while she had a talent in Summoning Magic, she also had another one¡ªMagic Crafting. The students that majored in magic always suffered from constant magic power exhaustion because almost all the battles they had to fight in were long, drawn out ones. They were only 19 at most. Except for some special cases, they couldn¡¯t help but constantly hit the limit of their magical power before the limits of their talents. It wasn¡¯t just a problem among Royal Class students, but all wizards who participated in the battles. Magic was a powerful weapon, but it couldn¡¯t be constantly used. However, those battles couldn¡¯t be avoided. So as Adelia witnessed that situation on the battlefield, she¡¯d struggled to come up with a solution for that problem She¡¯d built an artifact which could make use of the magical power stored in mana stones and enable someone to use that power like one¡¯s own. A Power Cartridge. It was different from Stone Magic which Harriet mentioned, but its goal was similar. What Adelia created was a cheat item similar to a magical power amplifier, and I was telling her to develop it earlier. ¡®If it doesn¡¯t work, make it work.¡¯ After hearing those words, Adelia¡¯s face turned sickly pale. ¡°Uhm, I¡­ I don¡¯t know what you mean. Make it work¡­?¡± Although she was the one who would end up developing something like that, she was contemplating if that kind of nonsense was even possible. Harriet was also glaring at me, burning anger in her eyes. ¡°If she could quickly make something like that just because you told her to, Adelia would end up going down in the history of the whole magic world. How is that making any sense?¡± Yeah. She would actually go down in history, after all. Still, just going by my words, she was reacting as if an outsider who only knew how to dream big asked something impossible from them, the others didn¡¯t seem much different. All of them had luke-warm expressions on their faces as if they didn¡¯t have any idea what I was talking about. ¡°That¡¯s right. So you think that my mana pool will be like this for my whole life! You¡¯re so mean!¡± Redina shouted so hard that she almost fell over. She even teared up. No, I was doing all this to make you stronger, okay? I¡¯m God! I¡¯m right! I couldn¡¯t really convince her with just that. ¡°Ah, fuck¡¯s sake.¡± Eventually, I furrowed my brows, looking at the others with a rather sullen expression on my face. ¡°You seem to think that I¡¯m easy these days, huh? You punks.¡± Ultimately, I had no other choice but to pick the easiest and fastest method. ¡ªI had to take a step back. Did you forget that I¡¯m ¡°That Reinhardt¡±? Do you think it¡¯s funny seeing me walking around with crutches after I fought with a fourth-year? You want me to show you how funny I can get? When I suddenly started to act crazy again, all of their faces grew pale. ¡°You guys so desperately wanted me to be the president to the point of forcing me into the position, so just do what I¡¯m telling you to do, you bastards. Don¡¯t fucking dare to question whether I¡¯m right or wrong. Hey! Adelia!¡± ¡°Y-Yes! Yes!¡± Adelia replied, her complexion growing paler and paler. ¡°If I tell you to make something, you make it. Even if you have to flip the world upside down to do it.¡± ¡°Erm, Y-yes¡­¡± ¡°Is that how you reply?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll definitely create it!¡±¡± ¡°Good. That¡¯s how it should be.¡± I looked at Adelia, who answered me loud and clearly, her face deathly pale, with a satisfied expression on my face. As they made me president that day, it was their duty to roll around the club if I told them to. In the end, faced with my coercion, the pale Adelia nodded wildly, and the others, Harriet included, just looked at me in shock. However, no one could say anything to me. ¡ªBecause that was the kind of person I was. I then muttered something, my arms crossed. ¡°Can¡¯t do it, huh? You¡¯re saying that you can¡¯t do it without even having tried, idiots. Hah. Tsk. Kids these days don¡¯t know what it means to be persistent anymore.¡± I didn¡¯t forget to spout some more nonsense. They didn¡¯t have to worry about me making them make something completely impossible. Having ordered her in such a way, Adelia seemed to be terrified of what terrible thing I might do to her if she didn¡¯t manage to make what I¡¯d ordered her to. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * She would start developing that artifact feeling that she would die if she was unable to make it. ¡°And Redina will help Adelia with her research. She¡¯s making it for you, after all.¡± ¡°M-me too¡­?¡± Redina wore a shocked expression as she opened her mouth. ¡°Wow, were you planning on freeloading? You have to contribute at least.¡± ¡°Do you really think I can make something like that?¡± ¡°Stop objecting and help.¡± I made Redina Adelia¡¯s research assistant, not accepting any objections. ¡°Next up is Christina.¡± ¡°M-me?¡± ¡°Yeah, you .¡± All of them seemed to have gotten pretty comfortable with me, but when I suddenly acted the way I did, they finally realized who I actually was, their expressions turning bewildered. Christina, who had a talent in Alchemy and Enchantment¡ªanother member of the non-combat unit. ¡°You have to help me directly.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®helping you¡­?¡¯¡± I gave the excuse of Redina¡¯s lack of magical power for Adelia¡¯s research, so there was another good excuse I came up with. ¡°As you can see, I tried to use Magic Body Strengthening, albeit clumsily.¡± The side effects of Magic Body Strengthening. ¡°Make something like a drug that can make the body more sensitive to magical power or something that makes it easier to control magical power.¡± The others¡¯ expressions sure were a sight to behold after I said some more nonsense comparable to a nuclear bomb. Seriously, you punks. You are going to make these things later! It might not make any sense to you now, but you¡¯ll really make these things later! The Gate Crisis was in the first semester of our third year. There were many who wouldn¡¯t realize how to strengthen themselves with magical power even until their graduation. I¡¯d actually only planned out the story until the second year, so I didn¡¯t really have anything more to write after that, that was why I just threw in that Gate Incident and called it a day. Faced with that disaster, they would even make Temple students participate in the battles, but when I thought about it a bit more, while the kids were excellent, they were far from the best the Empire had to offer. At that point, only Ellen, Bertus, and Ludwig would be able to use Magic Body Strengthening. The rest of the combat major students wouldn¡¯t, so when they were thrown into battle, they had to quickly realize how to use it. That was why Christina would develop a special drug with which everyone could quickly adapt and be able to use Magic Body Strengthening. Its name was Moonshine. I thought it was just a popular term for moonlight¡­ Later on, someone in the comments explained that Moonshine didn¡¯t actually refer to moonlight, but illegally produced liquor, which made me feel really ashamed¡­ Anyway, I could just name it something else after Christina made it again. It wasn¡¯t just a drug that helped one realize how to use Magic Body Strengthening, it also helped one familiarize oneself to it. In fact, it also helped increase one¡¯s magical power. Harriet eventually lost her patience. ¡°You only just tell us to ¡®do this, make that.¡¯ Why do you only want things made that would go down in the history of the magic world even if one managed to only do one of these things? If you were going to ask us to develop such incredible things, you should have gone to the Temple Graduate Center of Research, or the magic tower, not here!¡± Harriet was right. I¡¯d ordered them to develop two items that would resound throughout the whole world at once. It was crazy to ask members of a high school club, not a graduate lab, to create such things. It was beyond crazy. Graduate lab? If they would be able to make things like that, I wouldn¡¯t have made the club. I would have just gone there and commissioned them to make it. Why would I ever do something like make the club if I could just do that? However, those guys were the only ones in this whole world who would be able to do it. I didn¡¯t even know if the members of the graduate lab would listen to my ideas, and even if they listened to me, that didn¡¯t mean they could actually develop those items! I couldn¡¯t convince those high school club guys that they were the only ones who could create things like that. So, in the end, the only solution was coercion. ¡°Idiot. Do I have to say the same again? Anyway, as long as we are in this club, I¡¯m the king.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t call me an idiot!¡± When I called Harriet ¡°Idiot¡± in front of the Class B guys, her face turned red from embarrassment and anger. ¡°Anyway, make it.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll try, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll work¡­¡± Christina nodded her head gently as if she was trying not to annoy me any further. I had one more thing to tell her, though. ¡°And I have another question.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why do you only enchant objects?¡± I was trying to give her some practical tips that she could apply immediately. ¡°Why could only objects be enchanted?¡± I was basically questioning that common sense. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try enchanting things like potions?¡± ¡°¡­Uhm?¡± All of them looked slightly surprised at my completely different and new approach. ¡°Well¡­ I think I might manage to do something like that, but would that be¡­ actually useful?¡± That preconceived notion that only objects could be enchanted would get broken later on. Moonshine was a product of adding elements of enchantment to the formulation of the drug. ¡ªAn enchanted potion. It seemed like everyone was thinking about that new concept, however, that time, their eyes seemed to glitter at the thought. ¡°Anyway. I¡¯ll think more about this.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Power Cartridges for the students majoring in magic¡­ Moonshine for the combat major students¡­ That would be the start of the development of these two powerful items. If they managed to complete them, both the combat and magic major students would get even stronger. Louis was preparing for his lectures, so there was nothing I could give him. Then there was our Grand Duchy¡¯s idiot, who could do anything and everything. And Anna de Gerna, the one talented in Black Magic. In Anna de Gerna¡¯s case, she wouldn¡¯t make anything special. She would take the role of a combatant who used her Black Magic directly in battle. So I decided to take care of the people who needed improvement first. Next, I looked at Harriet. ¡°Now that I think of it, you¡¯re the best among us here, right?¡± ¡°¡­Th-the best?¡± ¡°In terms of talent, you¡¯re top class.¡± Even in that place where monsters with tremendous talents gathered, the one who stood above them was the one holding the simple and straightforward talent called ¡°Magic¡±. In the original, Harriet de Saint-Owan, who was temperamental and arrogant, was still the one with the best talent in the end. She had become just a cute girl. When I looked at her, it seemed like she felt like she would be in big trouble. I just couldn¡¯t help myself. I really didn¡¯t know she would end up becoming that cute. Harriet¡¯s expression changed rapidly when I said that she actually was top class among all the students majoring in magic. ¡°Wh-what are you saying¡­? You just called me an idiot, and now you¡¯re praising me¡­ Just decide on one thing¡­¡± She got really shy and twiddled her fingers. No, why was she acting like that? I don¡¯t know about any other time, but then wasn¡¯t the right time for her to act like that, right? ¡°So, you can do anything, right?¡± ¡°!!!!¡± Only then did Harriet¡¯s expression turn tense, her mouth wide open. I¡¯d just ordered two students with talents for Alchemy and Magic Crafting to make ridiculous magic items that would go down in human history. It seemed like she couldn¡¯t even imagine what ridiculous thing I would request of her, who was talented in all fields of magic, to make. She seemed convinced that I would make her do something absurd. Unfortunately, Harriet never invented anything special or innovative in the original story. She merely acted as a battle mage of the combat unit who swept away the enemies with her overwhelming magic. Harriet de Saint-Owan, supplemented with Power Cartridges, was literally a monster that could be called a mass-destruction weapon. Of course, that was the reason why she became even more stuck-up and arrogant. Anyway, it was fine for the moment because she was cute. I would ask Harriet to do something she never did in the original. Most of the things I had made them do so far were things to prepare for ¡°When the gates burst open.¡± I would have her do something completely different. ¡°How about studying Dimensional Magic?¡± ¡°Huuh?¡± ¡®Getting rid of the Gate Incident itself¡¯ ¡ªThat was what I ordered Harriet to do. ____ Chapter 222 Chapter 222 ¡°¡­Dimensional Magic?¡± Harriet only seemed a bit confused, not displeased. I¡¯d told the others to make incredible items, but then I¡¯d suddenly told her to research something as impractical as Dimensional Magic. She had no idea what my purpose or reason for that choice was. ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Dimensional Magic the highest ranked among all magics known to man?¡± Dimensional Magic¡­ That was when Louis Ankton interjected. ¡°Actually, rather than it being a field in itself, the concept of dimensions is dealt with in small parts in various fields of magic. Spatial Magic and Summoning mMagic have a lot to do with dimensions, after all.¡± Harriet nodded at that. ¡°And you should know that these spells are usually very high-ranking spells, right? Just think of magic that lets one teleport through space, the concept behind warp gates, or Summoning Magic that could open portals to another world.¡± Most of the magic involving dimensions was super high-ranking. ¡°So, there is no field of magic that exclusively deals with dimensions itself.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There were some fields of magic that had something to do with dimensions, but there actually wasn¡¯t a field called Dimensional Magic yet. ¡°We can just make it, then.¡± I looked into Harriet¡¯s eyes. If it doesn¡¯t work, make it work. If it doesn¡¯t exist, just make it. ¡°You¡¯re a genius, after all.¡± ¡°H-huuh?¡± ¡°You can do it. Idiot.¡± ¡°H-how could you give the most difficult task to someone you call an idiot?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how much I trust you.¡± Harriet¡¯s face, which was about to turn red at my words, seemed to have gone red because of a different reason. Her lips were trembling. ¡°You can do it, right?¡± ¡°Y-y-yes¡­ I-I¡¯ll try¡­ I¡¯ll do it.¡± She nodded subtly at my words while cold sweat ran down her face. Dimensional Magic research¡­ I also had no idea what might come from that, so I also had no way of knowing what outcome Harriet might reach. ¡°S-so¡­ Why Dimensional Magic¡­? Just because you think I might be able to do something like that if I tried?¡± She asked, her face flushed. I honestly had no good excuse prepared for that decision. ¡°I want to go to another world.¡± ¡°Huuuuh?¡± So, for the moment, I just uttered some complete bullshit. Everyone¡¯s brains seemed to have frozen over at my novel, nonsensical bullshit. * * * The Gate Incident¡­ Warp gates connecting to another world. My first plan was to destroy all of the warp gates across the entire continent. However, there was a possibility that it would still happen. The next step was to develop powerful magic items before they were supposed to appear to improve the others¡¯ and my individual combat abilities. Of course, if the incident did end up happening, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to just supply the Royal Class with them. We might have to supply all of Temple and even the whole continent. There was also a possibility that the over-accumulation of power would cause other problems, but I had yet to reach an answer to that question. If it really ended up causing problems, we could just secretly use them only inside of Temple or in the Royal Class, and if Harriet actually succeeded in her research on the field of Dimensional Magic, the incident might never happen in the first place. As long as this world was destined to be connected to another world in the future, it meant that there surely existed other worlds, even as we spoke. So, rather than waiting until the invasion happened, we might as well invade the other world first. To conclude, I had three requests: The creation of Power Cartridges. The development of Moonshine. And the research of Dimensional Magic. In exchange for making me their president, those guys had to listen to every one of my ridiculous orders. Of course, rather than listening to me because I was the president, they had just realized again that I was a crazy bastard and went along with what I said because they were scared of what I would do if they didn¡¯t. Anyway, those guys couldn¡¯t just use the lab during club meetings, so it seemed like they would use it as a magic lab dedicated to the first-years. The equipment there seemed to be much better than the dormitory lab¡¯s or their private ones. Now, with that, it was ensured that the magic major students could research smoothly on their own. After Moonshine was developed, I¡¯d make rapid progress in Magic Body Strengthening. If Ellen were to use it as well, wouldn¡¯t she rise to the level of Sword Master within the next year? Anyway, I was exhausted from walking around with that aching body of mine. Those who wanted to stay there could stay, those who wanted to go back could go back. Harriet and I were the only ones who went back right away. I felt like she was following me while pretending that she wasn¡¯t because she still seemed worried about me, who still had to use crutches. ¡°Do you really think there are other worlds like that?¡± Harriet was still dumbfoundead by my desire to go to a different world. Regardless of whether I did or didn¡¯t, from my point of view, this place was a different world already. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want to find out.¡± ¡°Then why do you want to do that?¡± ¡°Just because? I¡¯m curious.¡± I had no excuse other than something as vague as that. ¡°You¡¯re really such a weird person. I¡¯m also curious, but I really don¡¯t like how you just order others to do things.¡± ¡°Well, then you shouldn¡¯t have made me president.¡± ¡°Seriously! I really regret making you the president!¡± Harriet intended to tease me with that but seemed to regret it a lot as it blew up in her face. She folded her arms and pouted because she had to research Dimensional Magic, a field that didn¡¯t even exist yet. ¡°Anyway, since it¡¯s something you ordered, I¡¯ll call you whenever I need you.¡± ¡°What could I even do to help you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Anyway, I¡¯ll just call you! You do whatever you want, so I¡¯ll do the same!¡± That girl¡­ Did she think she just had the right to call me whenever she wanted? No, when I thought about it, didn¡¯t she seem to gradually come to like the idea of her research topic more and more? ¡°Right! Then I should go visit the warp gates on the weekend!¡± ¡°Why the warp gates all of a sudden?¡± ¡°While there is no field in magic called Dimensional Magic, wouldn¡¯t it help your research if you studied warp gates, which are like permanently open dimensional doors? You¡¯ll come with me.¡± Harriet looked at me, a smirk on her lips. Don¡¯t lie! You just want to play around! ¡°Can¡¯t you see these crutches right now?¡± ¡°Ah, right¡­¡± It was only then that she realized that she was just trying to drag an injured person around on the weekend. No¡­ I was just teasing her for acting like an idiot. At times like those, she really did look like a real idiot. That was why she was cute. ¡°Hey, if you feel sorry, give me a piggyback ride. I feel tired.¡± ¡°Wha-whaaaat?! Wha-whawha-what-what are you talking about!¡± ¡°Anyway, carry me on your back. Oh, young lady of the Grand Duchy. Please, carry this humble beggar on your back.¡± ¡°Th-this! This guy! You! You! Why is it you, not me, who brings up my identity now? Are you actually crazy?!¡± Harriet blew her top at my absurd remarks and eventually tried to give me an actual piggyback ride. In Ellen¡¯s case, she simply lifted me up, however, that time was different¡ªshe seemed to be a lot more flustered as well. But in the end, she didn¡¯t even have enough strength to stand up with me. ¡°You¡¯re so weak, young lady. You can¡¯t even carry this humble one¡¯s body.¡± ¡°Iiiirk, seriously! I really hate you! You! I seriously hate you! Really!¡± At my words, Harriet eventually burst out in a roar. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * The battle between the Royal Class and the Orbis Class during the festival had gone up in smoke. ¡ªAnd so had the challenges associated with it. Things I never actually considered doing anyway disappeared, so that was good. That way, the others would have a lot more time as well. The Magic Research Society would be able start their activities full-throttle. By the way, the entire Orbis Class shutting down¡­ I asked myself if that would really happen. I didn¡¯t want things to go that far. Although I would soon be able to ditch the crutches, my physical condition was still shit. It was completely impossible for me to train. I couldn¡¯t do my early morning training with Adriana nor could I do any joint training sessions with Ellen. Just because I hurt a bit. While I knew that I didn¡¯t just uselessly let time pass, I still felt like I was about to go crazy. ¡°Are you still in pain?¡± ¡°I have already recovered from the incredibly painful stage. I have now reached the going crazy stage.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was night time. I guessed that she¡¯d just finished training, however, she had already washed up and dried herself. Ellen would always ask me if I was still in pain when she ran into me. Ellen gave me a bewildered look after hearing me say that I felt like I was going crazy, though it wasn¡¯t enough to kill me She looked slightly grumpy. I had been out of commission for quite a long period of time by then. I hadn¡¯t been to the training room for quite a while, either. Was that the reason? ¡°¡­Are you mad?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Ellen shook her head, immediately answering. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault that you¡¯re in pain.¡± Ellen spoke without looking at me, leaning against a window. ¡°Still, if you ever get hurt like this again in the future¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be really, really mad.¡± Ellen hadn¡¯t actually gotten mad at me in the end. While it felt terrifying, there was another strange feeling bubbling up. ¡°Well, though I didn¡¯t exercise, I haven¡¯t eaten anything yet .¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat something. I¡¯ll go make something.¡± While I couldn¡¯t use my body that well yet, I was confident that my condition had gotten good enough that I could handle a knife. ¡°No.¡± Ellen shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll make you something.¡± As expected, being sick really made me feel like a king. ¡°Are you going to feed me as well?¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t need me to do that anymore.¡± Ellen stared at me as if she wanted to say that I shouldn¡¯t cross the line. * * * Ellen sat down in front of Reinhardt, who was eating the cream risotto she had made. She did the same. She was thinking about holding back a little while cooking, but she¡¯d ended up doing her best instead. He was a patient, after all. It tasted very, very good. She had to cook with the ingredients she could find in Temple, which were nothing but first-grade, and Ellen was also very skilled, so it wasn¡¯t easy for her to cook badly on purpose. ¡°You can do it all now, huh?¡± She thought that Reinhardt would feel disappointed or sad if he found out that she could cook better than him, but she seemed to have been mistaken. Reinhardt only said that he was glad now that there was one less annoying thing for him to do. ¡°I¡¯m only doing this until you get better.¡± Ellen, of course, emphasized that it was an exception and that she wouldn¡¯t cook again later on. Reinhardt simply nodded, saying that there was no need to make such a big fuss about it. Reinhardt¡¯s injury was much worse than her own had been, so he didn¡¯t heal as quickly as her. However, even though he should¡¯ve quietly rested and waited for his body to recover, he still kept wandering around here and there. Would it hurt him more to just stand still? ¡°What about the Magic Research Society?¡± ¡°Oh, I went there today. I was good. Looks like we¡¯ve gotten a whole lab, not just a room.¡± The Magic Research Society¡­ When Ellen had heard that Reinhardt was going to be the president of the Magic Research Society, she¡¯d really doubted her own ears. Why magic so suddenly? How did that make sense? However, when she found out more details, she thought it might actually be quite plausible. Reinhardt had only made that suggestion because he thought it would be good if the magic major students gathered and did some magic research together. He hadn¡¯t meant to become a member. But he didn¡¯t just become a member of that club, he actually became its president. Ellen thought that it might have been because of Harriet. She couldn¡¯t help but think that way after she saw Harriet de Saint-Owan¡¯s expression¡ªshe¡¯d looked so happy when she talked about the Magic Research Society while standing next to Reinhardt. Harriet liked Reinhardt, Ellen knew that. However, Harriet, who majored in magic, other assisting abilities, and combat magic, rarely had any overlap with Reinhardt during class or in their daily lives. He practically lived in the training hall, after all. There weren¡¯t many occasions for her to see Reinhardt. Maybe that was the reason why she brought him into the club. Ellen felt like she¡¯d gotten a rough idea of what¡¯d happened. However, Reinhardt had actually taken on the role of the Magic Research Society¡¯s president, which was of no use to him. What was the meaning of that? ¡°Yawn¡­ Now that I¡¯vr eaten, I feel pretty tired.¡± Ellen frowned as she glanced at Reinhardt eating the risotto. He had to have been busy with his own affairs, but he¡¯d still taken care of the magic major students and even taken over the role of club president. What was the reason for that? He was in so much pain that he could only barely move around with crutches, but he was still working so diligently. ¡ªNot for himself, but for someone else. For Harriet. That might only mean one thing. Reinhardt¡­ Towards Harriet de Saint-Owan. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up with that expression?¡± ¡°¡­What? ¡°Why do you look so desperate? Is someone going to die?¡± Ellen didn¡¯t know what expression she was wearing. What expression was she making? Ellen really couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°I¡¯m not eating this slowly because it¡¯s not tasty, it¡¯s just hard to move my jaw.¡± Reinhardt was slowly nibbling at his food with a spoon, so, thinking that Ellen was put in a bad mood because of that, he said something like that. Reinhardt didn¡¯t go to the training hall those days because he couldn¡¯t. She knew that. He would come back to the training room again, wield his training sword, bicker with her all day and whining after he got better However¡­ Ellen felt anxious that something that¡¯d never actually belonged to her would get taken away from her. He didn¡¯t belong to her, so he couldn¡¯t be stolen from her either. She had no reason to think that way. However, Ellen couldn¡¯t stop her thoughts from unconsciously wandering in that kind of direction. Ellen ended up leaving more than half of the risotto on her plate. * * * It was such a relief that I could take classes again, although I couldn¡¯t attend practice-oriented classes at all. However, I still got to observe the newly assigned Magic Body Strengthening Class with Ellen. Rather than using my own magical power, though, all I got was something similar to a Ki Therapy from the yoga master. Should I call it refreshing? I could feel a certain type of energy flowing and swaying through my whole body. I roughly guessed that it would feel like that if one properly used Magic Body Strengthening. I felt like I might end up failing the midterm exams at that rate. I didn¡¯t really have any attachments towards my grades, but I didn¡¯t want to end up flunking. Of course, there was also the possibility of some people trying to do something to me while I was that weak. But it somehow seemed like everything had gotten resolved already. There were four people who hated me: The three idiot brothers and Heinrich. Heinrich¡¯s hatred for me seemed to have reduced a bit after we¡¯d gone to the Edina Islands. We weren¡¯t close friends or anything like that, but he didn¡¯t openly show any contempt for me or actively try to avoid me anymore. And regardless of the outcome, I¡¯d fought for the sake of Erich¡¯s and the arrogant brother¡¯s revenge and got seriously injured in the process. They still seemed to be afraid of me, but they didn¡¯t seem to hate me. I¡¯d somehow managed to sort things out with those whom I had been on bad terms with to some extent. Rather than hatred for me, the only feeling they had left for me was fear. While that wasn¡¯t all that good either, it meant that there wouldn¡¯t be any accidents, at least. Ultimately, I still couldn¡¯t focus on my training, even if I wanted to, because of my injury, so I paid more attention to work involving the Magic Research Society than staying in the training room. Of course, I couldn¡¯t actually help with their research itself. All I could do was take care of things as the club president. The budget, for example¡­ ¡°So you want me to triple your current budget?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Your current budget is 5,000 gold coins. You know that this is an unusually high amount, right?¡± I was attending the Royal Class club meeting at that moment. ____ Chapter 223 Chapter 223 As a club president, I had to attend those small events. There were a total of 120 people in Royal Class. Because the amount of students was low, the number of clubs wasn¡¯t that large either. Attending the club meeting were the Royal Class Student Council President Ceres van Owan and the Vice President. Oliva Lanze, the club president of ¡®Grace¡¯, was also there. Also, Layton Zabry, the president of ¡°Monthly Royal Class¡±, who¡¯d caused a certain incident and gotten severely scolded by Charlotte for it. Then there were five more seniors who seemed to be the presidents of other clubs. That made me realize that the size of the Royal Class was certainly small. However, there was still a lot of budget meant to support clubs left, and since a club with such a huge focus like the Magic Research Research Society had been created by us, we received quite the budget as well. Magic research was bound to cost a lot of money. Five thousand gold coins¡­ Five billion won¡­ That was far too much for a high school club¡¯s budget. Other clubs didn¡¯t really need that much money to spend, so they didn¡¯t take much. However, magic research was rather special in many ways. For one, it was like a money-eating black hole But it was only natural for the president¡¯s expression to twist when I asked her to triple our club¡¯s budget. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? It¡¯s not like they¡¯ll use it to play around, they need it to study, so if you still have some left, then it should be given to them~¡± Olivia Lanze, who was overwhelmingly on my side, simply smiled softly as she looked at Ceres. Ah, she was usually a bit silly, but she was definitely on my side at times like those. -¡­¡­ Of course, those who seemed rather dissatisfied with Olivia¡¯s tremendous affection towards me looked like they were just put in a bad mood by her words. Was it really such a good thing that she was on my side¡­? Who are you? Who the hell do you think you are? I really didn¡¯t know what to do when people looked at me as if they were asking, ¡°Who are you? Who the hell do you think you are?¡± It wasn¡¯t like they were saying anything to me directly. Of course, the student council president couldn¡¯t do anything but sigh. ¡°Reinhardt, there are limits to everything, even the Royal Class. I allocated the highest budget to your club that I could. Did you know that a faculty meeting was held over that? Not just on the student council level.¡± ¡°¡­You did?¡± ¡°Of course. It wasn¡¯t easy to provide adequate facilities and research funds. Well, if you were in a Graduate school club or a club with a lot of achievements, it wouldn¡¯t be so impossible to get an additional budget, but you are neither.¡± At my reckless request, Ceres provided me with a calm explanation. ¡°I know that there were a lot of participants of the faculty meeting who had quite the negative opinion about all this as well. Still, Mr. Epinhauser and Mr. Mustrang strongly insisted on it, which is why you were allowed to receive so much support.¡± That was another thing I didn¡¯t know. Those two first-year teachers were so enthusiastic about giving us as much support as possible, so it seemed things turned out the way they did because of that. I couldn¡¯t imagine that Mr. Epinhauser had actually voiced his enthusiasm like that. ¡°Of course, I know that magic research requires an uncountable amount of money as long as you are set on doing it, but the only thing I can tell you is that the support you received is already considerable, Reinhardt. Asking me to triple it is basically impossible.¡± ¡°Ah, Why~ We¡¯re a special class, special class. They should just do whatever we ask them to do~¡± ¡°Senior, please be quiet for a bit.¡± Ceres, who didn¡¯t really care about what she said, glared at Olivia Lanze in my stead, to which she flinched. That girl only ever got scared when someone got serious. No, but even though I didn¡¯t actually look up her physical data, it seemed like that she not only was talented in her use of divine powers but also had wide knowledge of close combat as well. I did think that it was true that she was good at fighting, and yet she was such a coward. It wasn¡¯t like I simply wanted to cause trouble by suddenly asking for an increase in the amount of support we received in a club meeting where my only job should have been to simply show my face. ¡®Money.¡¯ ¡®Get some money.¡¯ It was because Harriet had issued that strict order. The three things I¡¯d ordered them to develop were, of course, impossible to even start to research without anything. Dimensional Magic was a high-ranked type of magic that wasn¡¯t actually a field of magic yet, and as for the Power Cartridges, we had to gather various types of mana stones to research them properly, and Moonshine also needed numerous reagents to experiment properly. It was unclear at that point whether they would be able to succeed or not, but their research was sure to consume a lot of money. I mean, no matter how much money we had, it would never be enough, so Harriet had ordered me to get us more money if I wanted them to develop such ridiculous things. Damn it. Why did that feel so much like a wife begging her husband to raise more money for their starving kids cowering in the corner of their home? Harriet wasn¡¯t my wife, and the wizard students weren¡¯t my kids! But why did that situation feel like it? Anyway, Harriet had told me to ¡°Go and get money!¡± so I went to that place to do something about it. I was originally going to go and ask Harriet, who had a lot of money, why she didn¡¯t just use her own money for the club. But then I thought that that would very much cross the line. So, anyway. I was in the middle of getting some more money. I didn¡¯t just simply go to that rigorous place for the sake of it¡ªit was where they did the budgeting. It was actually true that we had already received a huge budget for our activities, but it was more than clear that it would be insufficient in the end. That sure was weird. If it was my money, I¡¯d just say ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great!¡± and that would be the end. As I simply received that money from other people under the name of receiving a budget, it simply didn¡¯t really feel like my own money, and it actually wasn¡¯t just my money, either. That was why it seemed not sufficient enough. Ceres had told me that it was practically impossible for her to provide any more support at that point. ¡°Is it really impossible? Can you really not do anything about this?¡± ¡°I want to give you more, but I simply can¡¯t. That¡¯s it, Reinhardt.¡± Ceres seemed troubled by my stubbornness. ¡°Ceres, this isn¡¯t the only place from where one can get money, right?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Olivia Lanze tilted her head and pointed to some place. I didn¡¯t know what she was pointing at. ¡°Oh, maybe¡­ the Temple Student Council?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Olivia smiled brightly. ¡°If we got some money from them, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to actually triple our budget?¡± Seeing Olivia proudly declaring that we should take money from somewhere else because we didn¡¯t have enough¡­ How should I put it? I was kind of a delinquent as well, but even I thought that she was just as strange as me. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * The Temple Student Council. There were student councils for each school, and then there was a general student council that presided over all the others. Temple¡¯s secondary education began at the age of 17 and ended at 22. That meant that the Temple Student Council presided over all other ones over the course of six years. Of course, there was a lot of budget allocated to them, so it was possible to request more from them. The money they had rolling around was bound to be different from the Royal Class¡¯s. Ceres van Owen, the president of the Royal Class student council, also had some sway in the Temple Student Council, but in the end, she was outnumbered. The Temple Student Council itself was already a huge power within Temple. The level of support we could receive from the Royal Class had its limitations. Of course, they could always ask for more, but they had already held a faculty meeting in which the teachers had decided how much was to be given to us. It was highly unlikely that we could ask for any more. I wasn¡¯t sure what would happen later, but usually, if a new club asked for more money, they would be told that they were spouting weird nonsense. So the only way for me to get more money was by getting it from the Student Council. After our club meeting, I went down to the dormitory. ¡°The Student Council?¡± ¡°Yeah, the money we got is already the most they could give us, so they are the only ones who could give us more.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Harriet was the one who¡¯d recklessly told me to get more money, but when she confirmed that the reaction I received wasn¡¯t that good, she seemed troubled, her mouth twisting slightly. But I¡¯d also made them do something weird all of a sudden, so I wanted to get them a generous budget from somewhere. ¡°Will the Student Council increase our budget that easily?¡± ¡°I doubt it.¡± ¡®Ceres needs more money? Why?¡¯ It seemed like the Student Council President didn¡¯t have much of a reaction to our request. Harriet seemed to feel a little sorry, thinking that she had asked too much of me. ¡°Still, we¡¯ll be able to use more money than our actual budget.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We¡­ We decided to use all the funds we receive as the club¡¯s budget.¡± Magic major students received more research funding than other students, and on request, would receive a lot more than the standard amount. It seemed like the members had already agreed to spend all their research funds they¡¯d received as the club¡¯s budget. Separate from my coercion, it looked like they were interested in those research projects. ¡°Then how much do we have in total?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ It varies slightly from field to field. Adelia and I receive the most, which is 1,000 gold coins a semester. I know that Christina gets 700 and Anna 500. Maybe if we try to request a bit more¡­ We would have more than 3,000 gold coins in total.¡± Adelia, whose magic talent was rather money-consuming, and Harriet, who held a talent in all fields of magic, received about 500 million won as funds every semester. Magic majors really received support beyond any imagination. In any case, it could be estimated that our budget would approximately amount to 8 billion won. ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about money?¡± Liana de Grantz stopped by and sat on the sofa near us after hearing us talk as she passed by. ¡°Is it about that Magic Research Society?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liana nodded, knowing about the Magic Research Society, she seemed to understand what we were talking about. ¡°What do you even need so much money for?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to develop various things, but we don¡¯t know how to make them yet, so we feel like we¡¯ll need a lot more money than our current budget.¡± We had no way of knowing how much money we would have to spend to get the results we wanted. We had a huge budget and the members¡¯ funds, but we still didn¡¯t know if the research would bear any fruits with that. If all amounted to nothing, we would have literally blown all the budget we had into the wind. ¡°We have already received as much support as we could get from the Royal Class, they even went all the way to the Student Council to knock on some doors.¡± At Harriet¡¯s words, Liana simply tilted her head. ¡°Do you really have to only get money from inside of Temple?¡± My eyes lit up at Liana¡¯s words. ¡°Why? Will you give us money then?¡± Don¡¯t you have a lot of money? ¡°¡­Seriously. I hate to say this, but sometimes, you¡¯re simply too much of a beggar. Man, it¡¯s just¡­ ugly.¡± I didn¡¯t even say that much, but when I started talking about her giving us money, it seemed like Liana¡¯s evaluation of me dropped quite a bit. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to make, but if you succeed, will you be able to make money off of it?¡± Harriet tilted her head at Liana¡¯s words, but the answer came out rather fast. ¡°It¡¯s not just on the level of being able to make money off of it, it would be a historical moment.¡± Moonshine and Power Cartridges¡­ I wasn¡¯t so sure about Dimensional Magic, but we could definitely turn those two things into money. ¡°Hmm, then, wouldn¡¯t it be fine to sign a business contract with an outsider to receive research funding?¡± Why did we only want to get money from Temple? We should just find some place that would invest in us. After Liana pointed it out, I finally realized that, while I came up with that plan for the Rotary Gang¡¯s business, I haven¡¯t even considered it for our club. ¡°Are you a genius?¡± ¡°Anyway, if you can draw up a business plan or research plan, you should. You know that much, right?¡± Liana crossed her arms and smiled confidently. ¡°Money, that¡¯s something my family has a lot of.¡± Objects that might change the course of history if they got developed¡­ The Duke of Grantz could afford to invest in such items however much he wanted. ¡°Huh? Then, should I ask my dad as well?¡± Harriet de Saint-Owan also nodded her head. If it was an investment, and not just simply giving away one¡¯s own money, that wasn¡¯t too much to ask. The Grand Duke of Saint-Owan¡­ The Duke of Grantz¡­ If we received the support of those two families, our budget would be limitless. * * * A few days later¡­ ¡°I was scolded by my father.¡± When Liana returned to Temple, she shrugged her shoulders and said as much. ¡°¡­You got scolded?¡± Liana seemed a little embarrassed after hearing my question, so she scratched her cheek slightly. ¡°He told me not to talk any nonsense and that the research plan was too abstract and completely groundless.¡± It was only natural if one thought about it a bit more. ¡®We (some 17-year-olds) will make items that will change the world, so give us money.¡¯ Who the hell would invest in some kids? Temple gave us money because it was Temple. Of course, external forces wouldn¡¯t simply trust us. Even if we handed it to Temple¡¯s Graduate Research Center or the Magic Tower, they would call our plans unbelievable. Anyway, no matter how much money an organization or person had, they wouldn¡¯t just invest their money into some research that was obviously going to fail. Just because one had a lot of money didn¡¯t mean one could just spend it on whatever one came across. I mean, they obviously had no real reason to invest in us. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What are you sorry for? I¡¯m already happy enough that you even handed our proposal to the Duke.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, really? Then why don¡¯t you start respecting this daughter of a duke more often?¡± ¡°When we graduate.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s stop here.¡± It was bound for her to clumsily mess up like that. Whenever she did something really well, she would always slip up at the most crucial point. Liana de Grantz, who always acted rather cold and cool, showed her charm when she slipped up and started to act all flustered. Liana had failed. Soon after¡­ Seeing Harriet come back with her head bright red, I felt like I already knew the result of her talk. ¡°I¡¯ll never talk to my dad ever again!¡± It seemed like they had gotten into a big fight. ____ Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Liana was scolded by the Duke of Grantz for asking to invest in us. Harriet had gotten into a fight with her father. The last time I¡¯d seen her interacting with her father, she¡¯d seemed like a constantly yapping dog. The Grand Duke of Saint-Owan had probably said something like ¡°My dear daughter, what nonsense is this?¡± That reaction was only natural. And then she¡¯d probably responded with ¡°I don¡¯t know! Give me money! Invest in us! We can make all of this!¡± Still, it seemed like Grand Duke Saint-Owan was rather strict with things like that. I thought he was simply an idiot for his daughter, but when his daughter told him to give her tens of billions of gold coins for something weird, he¡¯d clearly told her that there was no way that was happening. I could fully understand the positions of the people who didn¡¯t want to invest in us. Even the kids I¡¯d asked to develop those items thought it was impossible, but it sure was fortunate that they didn¡¯t get offended when asked to put their own money into the projects.. Anyway, because even immediate family members had rejected our request for investment, it was pretty much obvious what would happen if we asked an outside party to invest in us. In the end, it just reminded me how amazing it was that Temple had actually granted us a budget of 5,000 gold coins. It seemed like Mr. Epinhauser and Mr. Mustrang had worked hard in places we couldn¡¯t see. At the end of the day, I wasn¡¯t actually that disappointed that we didn¡¯t get more money. While it was an unconventional method to approach others for investment, it was also rather risky. The Duke of Grantz and the Grand Duke of Saint-Owan¡­ If those two families had agreed to invest, they would¡¯ve held some stakes in Moonshine and the Power Cartridges. We would have had to have shared our findings with them so that they could create more and sell them however they saw fit. In other words, even if we were the ones to develop the items, they weren¡¯t actually ours. They were very dangerous goods that would cause a rapid increase in strength all across the continent. We had to never lose control over those objects. The cooperation of those two prestigious families¡­ Regardless of how advantageous it might have been, it was also more than dangerous to take their money. So even if we didn¡¯t receive any investment, it was fine, as we would take on a huge risk if we actually received the money. However, it was still true that we needed more money. A lot more money than we had. Apart from their study time, everyone was also working hard on their research. As such, we started to organize everything into items that had already been purchased and items that still needed to be purchased. As a result, a necessary event had taken place within the club. Louis Ankton, the smartest among us, had taken on a new post as our general secretary because the amount of work was simply too much for me, the president, alone. That guy was like a human calculator, so he was able to handle numbers quite quickly, and he had stuffed a lot of knowledge about magic into his brain. Louis¡¯s role was actually rather important. I had no clue about magic, so I¡¯d given the members permission to use some of the budget money if they needed something. However, Louis knew why they needed those things, and he also knew if they didn¡¯t actually need some of those things. Louis was a non-wizard version of Harriet¡ªhe had knowledge of almost all fields of magic, so he was able to pin-point the intentions behind their demands and verify whether they were valid. When Louis Ankton listed all necessary equipment, supplies, the members¡¯ reasons for requesting them, and finished talking to each member, he would bring the list to me and I would approve the use of the budget and request Temple to buy those supplies. I was in charge of the external affairs, while Louis was in charge of internal and specialized affairs. In the end, that was more than necessary because the members were already spending their money quite fiercely. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough information to create a statistic to show our average expenditures, but at this rate, our budget will be exhausted in a week or so after our next group mission.¡± ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± ¡°Yeah. There are a lot of materials that need to be prepared, and while we don¡¯t have to buy a lot more new equipment, there are still some things we need. Our expenditures will be a lot less after everything is bought, but they won¡¯t completely stop.¡± ¡°¡­Geez.¡± No. Could it be that the signs of an impending financial crisis were already visible? I mean, we had five billion won? No? When did it turn into 4.5 billion won? How did that make any sense? ¡°You¡¯re the one who told them not to worry about money and just buy whatever they needed first¡­ Should I limit their spendings?¡± Louis looked me in my eyes as he spoke, but I simply shook my head. ¡°No. Let them buy it if they need it. I made them develop some ridiculous things, so I can¡¯t just tell them to save money.¡± Louis predicted that the required budget had already far exceeded what we had. There was still some room, but it would soon be completely gone. ¡°I¡¯ll do something about this.¡± Guys¡­ Daddy¡¯ll get you some money! If not, I¡¯ll make some! * * * After preparing various things and having been kept busy with a lot of things other than training, I could finally ditch the crutches. Of course, I still couldn¡¯t go for runs or do strenuous exercises. That, too, was an order from the yoga master teacher. It seemed that, just by receiving some treatment, I had already learned something about Magic Body Strengthening, though I of course didn¡¯t feel anything different. Anyway, I was slowly recovering. The Orbis Class¡¯ problem seemed to have gotten prolonged. In the end, that was also trouble that I had caused, but as it revealed the internal absurdities of the Orbis Class, I wondered whether they would still say what I¡¯d caused was trouble. Because if they couldn¡¯t resolve those absurdities, there was a possibility things could have only gotten worse. I felt a bit anxious. However, the Orbis Class issue had already left my hands. What I needed to focus on next was the Magic Research Society¡¯s problem. Money¡­ Couldn¡¯t I just make some money through Self-Suggestion? No matter what, money will come our way. I sure wished that something like that would work, but there was no way it actually would. ¡°This is an absurdly large budget increase you¡¯re requesting¡­¡± ¡­So I went to the student council room. There were two people there. Temple¡¯s Student Council president, the fifth-year Rain Kali. And the Vice-President, the fourth-year Hermann von Rogarius. Well, while it was certainly possible, it was still rather interesting that the president was actually a commoner and the vice-president was an aristocrat. The vice-president seemed to be a noble and high-ranking aristocrat of Kernstadt, while Rain Kali was a commoner directly under the control of the Empire. That was all stuff I had heard from Ceres. She didn¡¯t come with me. She said that it could be interpreted as the Royal Class trying to put pressure on them if she came along. She went on her own first and said that if things didn¡¯t go well, I should go on my own and ask them to think it over again. The president, Rain Kali, was a beauty that gave off quite the cold impression. The vice-president, Hermann von Rogarius, similarly seemed cool-headed and calm. Both had faces suited for their positions as student council executives. And there was one more thing they had in common¡­ They both had thick, dark circles under their eyes. ¡®There are more than 100 students in the student council. It was almost the same amount of students the Royal Class had.¡¯ ¡®There could only be one reason why they had so many members, right?¡¯ ¡®They just have that much work.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s why the work of the student council president and vice-president doesn¡¯t allow them to properly take care of their studies. As such, just being the student council president and vice-president for one whole year would replace all the first-year curriculum.¡¯ The student council presided over more than 100,000 Temple students. The vice-president and president didn¡¯t visit classes at all because they just had too much work to do for the student council. They couldn¡¯t, to be exact. Therefore, just working for the student council was considered to be a completion of the curriculum. Nonetheless, dark circles still formed under their eyes. ¡®They are a lot busier in the second semester, so both of them should be very sensitive at the moment.¡¯ ¡®Why?¡¯ ¡®Because of the festival.¡¯ The school festival¡­ Planning and implementing it was the student council¡¯s main task in the second semester. Therefore, it was obvious that the two of them would be really busy at that moment. And there I was going there to make quite an unreasonable request to drastically increase our club budget to those two people. Rain Kali glanced over the papers I handed over with a rather businesslike expression. ¡°I read your statement. There is a shortage of research and development funds. However, for your existing budget to be insufficient even though you received about 5,000 gold coins, which is most of the Royal Class club support budget¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She didn¡¯t just tell me to go away because she couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with it. ¡°Of course, the Royal Class clubs are also able to receive support from the student council, but this is an unprecedented issue. Originally, each special class has to solve these issues with their internal budget.¡± ¡°Are you refusing then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying that we won¡¯t do it just because there isn¡¯t a precedent. If there¡¯s a valid reason, there¡¯s no reason not to agree to a budget increase.¡± They seemed quite businesslike, but their attitudes and the way they thought were actually rather flexible. I couldn¡¯t help but to silently stare at her. What the hell? ¡°President, your nose is bleeding.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Suddenly, while wearing an expression befitting of an iron mask, blood was dripping from Rain Kali¡¯s nose. The vice-president took out a handkerchief and handed it to her as if he was already familiar with that situation, and she used the handkerchief to wipe away the blood. ¡°Hey, erm. Are you okay?¡± ¡°It happens a lot.¡± I thought as much, neither of them seemed surprised. What the fuck. Didn¡¯t that seem kind of weird and sad? I mean, wasn¡¯t she actually in a pretty dangerous state? * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Of course, Rain Kali continued to speak smoothly while holding her nose with the handkerchief, not seeming to care about it. ¡°The amount requested is 15,000 gold coins. There is no other club that has received that high of a budget before.¡± ¡°I know that magic research requires a large amount of money. However, even the largest magic research club in Temple only receives a budget of 5,000 gold coins.¡± ¡°You might think that it¡¯s just a bit bigger than the Royal Class¡¯ club, but their club actually has 200 members. It¡¯s by far not as small as your club.¡± ¡°Also, that club has achieved excellent results in their magical research, which is why it receives support to such an extent. They didn¡¯t get that level of support right from the start.¡± ¡°Even if your members are a part of the Royal Class, the club has only six members. It¡¯s just a newly-created club that hasn¡¯t accomplished anything yet.¡± ¡°I mean, there is nothing. No results. Nothing at all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s completely impossible for us to provide financial support on such a scale just because you are part of a special class.¡± ¡°A budget of this size is only handed out to specialized graduate research institutes. They are ¡®labs¡¯ that couldn¡¯t even be compared to a mere club, overviewed by a professor whose prowess in magic has already been officially verified. Of course, if you meet these conditions, you would be able to get even more than 15,000 gold coins, but you do not.¡± That was right. Both of them just said that it was impossible. In the end, the newly created club hadn¡¯t accomplished anything yet, and it was impossible to receive such a large amount of funding just because we had big plans. ¡°We need the money for our research, but we¡¯ll only get funds if we have a good track record? Isn¡¯t that putting the cart before the horse? In order to achieve results, we need the research funding.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have any research funds, though, you say that it¡¯s lacking. I can¡¯t grasp with any form of common sense why you need more even after receiving such a large amount of support.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think we need a budget going beyond any common sense when we plan on developing things that go beyond any form of common sense?¡± The president and the vice-president stared at me after I said those words. I felt like they really wanted me to give me a mouthful. ¡°Temple is a place which enjoys the Imperial family¡¯s great support and thrives through the tuition fees paid by its students. However, we do not have unlimited capital.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t spend money on things that are not well-founded. It seems unlikely that the items you are planning on developing will actually be developed. That is a fact. The reliability of your ability to create such items is also very low. This, too, is a fact.¡± Rain Kali didn¡¯t seem to be criticizing me. She was the one who¡¯d protected Exodium, a club for kids suffering from 8th-grade syndrome, quite a lot when they were getting suspected for being worshippers of the demon gods. I could predict to a certain extent that she was a good person with a good heart, but that didn¡¯t mean that she was a pushover. ¡°People lean on possibilities. Because there is no way of knowing the future, we can only judge matters based on their probability. You insist that you will make items with a very low likelihood to be made with a group with unclear capabilities for which you require a large budget. The student council simply cannot afford to sink its money into such a place.¡± ¡°Of course, if you were just a hobby club that didn¡¯t actually have any serious club activities, we could support you with a club room, take over your dining expenses, and grant you the supplies needed for your activities.¡± ¡°However, such clubs usually have small budgets to begin with. With that scale of support, they are able to do whatever they want to do.¡± ¡°However, faced with a huge focus such as magic research, the necessary budget has to be very, very large.¡± ¡°What I mean to say is that I can¡¯t grant you a budget of that size without any grounds. Do you understand?¡± Her answer ended up being very long, but I had expected as much. We can¡¯t give you anything. You have nothing with which to prove your ability other than being part of the Royal Class. If we didn¡¯t have any achievements, we wouldn¡¯t be granted more research funds. However, we required research funds to achieve good results. ¡°Then you need us to have achievements, right? Proof of our capabilities, to be precise, right?¡± ¡°We would review your request then.¡± In other words, they wouldn¡¯t even consider it with how things stood. I took something out of my pocket and placed it on the president¡¯s table. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± It was a blue bracelet. ¡°It¡¯s a bracelet with a disposable protection magic cast on it.¡± It was Ceres van Owen¡¯s last piece of advice. ¡®Oh, right. There¡¯s something you need to know about the student council president¡­¡¯ ¡®Rain Kali is majoring in magic.¡¯ The protection bracelet. Ellen had used hers, but I still had mine. ¡°What is this about?¡± ¡°It was made by a first-year in my class.¡± Rain Kali¡¯s face showed a slightly surprised expression. ¡°In two days.¡± Those words were enough to turn slight surprise into astonishment. * * * Rain Kali looked at the protection bracelet on her desk with her eyes wide open. ¡°¡­You said they made an enchanted item in two days? A first-year?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I had no idea just how amazing that achievement was. However, I could predict to some extent what those members from the student council would say. We hadn¡¯t achieved anything yet¡­ I was 100% sure that they would talk about our performance. So I had asked something of Harriet. ¡®Hey, you remember this? This here.¡± ¡®Yeah? Uhm, Why?¡± Before going to the student council, I¡¯d asked Harriet about the protection bracelet. ¡®Is something like this hard to make?¡¯ ¡®Oh? E-erm¡­ Well¡­¡¯ Harriet was extremely proud of her skills, but she wasn¡¯t one to boast, so her face seemed to shrivel up at my question. ¡®In how many days did you make them?¡¯ ¡®Two¡­ days?¡± ¡®How long would it usually take? Let¡¯s say¡­ the other first-year wizards who are in your class, how long would they take?¡¯ ¡®Oh, uhm¡­Tha-that¡¯s¡­ Urg¡­¡¯ Harriet couldn¡¯t speak properly, just mumbling slightly while wiggling her fingers, too embarrassed to say these things with her own mouth. ¡®Ah, this is important, so hurry up and tell me. What¡¯s wrong with you now?¡¯ ¡®I-is that so¡­?¡¯ ¡®Are you going to talk properly now? How long would it take for the other general class students to make an item like this?¡¯ ¡®Well, that¡¯s¡­¡¯ ¡®Hey!¡¯ ¡®Why are you getting mad, you idiot! They can¡¯t! Alright!¡¯ Harriet screamed at my urging and went away in a huff. Anyway¡­ The disposable protection bracelet was produced in two days. Her classmates were not only unable to create something like that in that period of time, they were completely unable to create it. That was why Rain Kali was so dumbfounded. ¡°They made two, to be exact. It was a collaborative work between two magic major students from Class A: one who specialized in magic crafting, the other only had introductory-level knowledge in the field.¡± Harriet and Adelia. While she was pretty much overshadowed by Harriet, Adelia was also one heck of a genius. Adelia had been in charge of the basic designs of the bracelets while Harriet had helped. They both majored in magic, but they were both first-years and still beginners in the field. They¡¯d both managed to make something like that. ¡°Making something like that¡­ In two days¡­¡± Rain Kali murmured blankly. ¡°Ms. president. Your nosebleed.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± That was when her nose started spilling blood again as she stared blankly. She wiped her nose with the handkerchief again. No, that girl¡­ Wasn¡¯t what she needed a serious rest? I felt like she might die if that went on. ¡°You said it¡¯s disposable, so I can¡¯t just activate it to check its effect. But if it¡¯s like that, I won¡¯t be able to judge whether the protection actually worked properly. Two days is just too short of a production period.¡± The president¡¯s doubts about whether the magic worked properly were reasonable. ¡°You said two were made?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°So that means you used one.¡± I grinned. ¡°In the Darklands.¡± That meant that we had already verified their ability. ____ Chapter 225 Chapter 225 I briefly explained how and under what circumstances the other protection bracelet had been used. The detailed verification was based on the Adventurers¡¯ Guild¡¯s assessment, which had already been reported to Temple, so what I said was credible. If she wanted to check further, she could just use the disposable protection bracelet. ¡°Royal Class¡­¡° The president seemed as if she was just reminded again about the Royal Class¡¯ overwhelming capabilities. ¡°That¡¯s what one of us is capable of if they work on their own. The Magic Research Society is a group that brings all the magic major students of Royal Class together.¡± Our claims weren¡¯t entirely unfounded. It was by far not enough evidence, but it definitely was a piece of evidence at least. ¡°I¡¯m absolutely convinced that those guys that go beyond all common sense are definitely going to produce results that go against any form of common sense as well.¡± The Royal Class wasn¡¯t a place to which common sense applied. It was a place which gathered people who should never be judged by ordinary people¡¯s standards. It was a place where those bundles of absurdities called talents grew to do things that shouldn¡¯t have been possible according to any form of plausibility. The pinnacle of those absurdities were people like Ellen Artorius. Harriet de Saint-Owan was also someone like that. However, that was not sufficient enough to persuade them. ¡°If our achievements are insufficient, we could just make something like this or a bit greater than this for now.¡± Our budget wasn¡¯t exactly lacking. If we needed achievements to get a higher budget, we would opt to create some plausible items rather than absurd ones for a bit. Christina¡¯s Alchemy¡­ And Adelia¡¯s Magic Crafting. If I combined those two, we would automatically end up with some decent results. ¡°I just came here because I don¡¯t like to waste time with unnecessary interim goals just to reach our main goal.¡± However, the only thing that mattered to me was time. Both the president and the vice-president fell silent. ¡°We¡¯ll review it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As such, I made it possible to get our request reviewed even after I was told that they wouldn¡¯t even glance at it because of our circumstances. Leaving those words behind, the student council president continued to stare at me. ¡°Just between us, you aren¡¯t a magic major, right, Reinhardt?¡± ¡°¡­No. I¡¯m not.¡± ¡®What the?¡¯ I had introduced myself, but I hadn¡¯t told them what I was majoring in. ¡°Why are you the president of the Magic Research Society?¡± ¡°¡­Since those guys only know how to study, they need someone to make them do these kinds of things, so I¡¯m the one who forces them to stay on task.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re nosy. As expected.¡± Nosy¡­ What did she mean by ¡®as expected¡¯? ¡°Do you know me?¡± I tilted my head at her words that made it seem as if she already knew me beforehand. ¡°Yeah, we know all about you.¡± The one who answered my question wasn¡¯t the president, but the vice-president. ¡°We have to pull all these all-nighters because of what you did, after all.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean by ¡®because of what I did¡¯?¡± ¡°The Orbis Class.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The Orbis Class incident¡­ Although it was rather obvious that the student council would know about it, what did they mean by saying that they had to pull all-nighters because of it? The vice-president opened his mouth, a calm expression on his face, as he handed another handkerchief to Rain Kali, whose nosebleed had started again. ¡°As the Orbis Class had to undergo an emergency closure, the festival competition was canceled.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°So all of us had to stay up all night to prepare something else to fill its spot.¡± The Orbis Class¡¯s emergency closure¡­ As a result, certain events had been canceled. The student council was struggling to fill those holes with something else. How should I put it? That was what one called the butterfly effect. Being confronted with the consequences of my actions in such unexpected places was quite uncomfortable for me, no matter how many times I experienced it. So that was why the student council already knew me before they¡¯d even met me. Naturally, it was really obvious what kind of impression they had of me. And yet I couldn¡¯t believe that they didn¡¯t even swear at me after I went to them to request more money. I would have bashed my head in as soon as I went through that door if I were in their shoes. In the end, I had to admit that those two were a lot more generous than I¡¯d initially thought. * * * The student council hadn¡¯t decided to give us more budget, they¡¯d only said that they would review our request, so nothing was certain yet. I wasn¡¯t sure if the money would suffice, even if we were granted a budget increase. Anyway, the more money we got, the better. It¡¯s said that no one knows what might happen in the future, but there were just too many things I didn¡¯t know. In the first semester, I would have never guessed that I would go around collecting research funds in my second semester. I had thought about doing various things outside of training, but running around to borrow money wasn¡¯t one of those things. If the student council¡¯s answer was negative, I was wondering whether we should really just work on other projects to forcefully create achievements first. Anyway, we had no other choice but to wait for the student council¡¯s answer. ¡°Reinhardt, what happened?¡± Upon returning to the Royal Class dormitory, I saw Olivia Lanze waiting for my return in the first-year dorm. ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡± ¡°What? I just wanted to see my future husband. Aren¡¯t I allowed to come visit?¡± ¡®I¡¯m really upset!¡¯ Saying something along those lines, she pretended to be sulky and turned around. She was doing some crazy things again, but she was actually acting really cute, so I felt like I was about to go crazy myself! The way the other students passing by looked at me was getting really weird again! I was trying to take care of my image those days, but every time she appeared, things took weird turns! Liana, who also passed by us, was totally looking at me with an expression that seemed to scream, ¡°Ah. That damn playboy¡¯s at it again. Tsk tsk!¡± ¡°I never agreed to anything like that, and I don¡¯t want to, either, so please stop doing these things in front of all the other students!¡± ¡°Oh, then, what if no one else sees us¡­?¡± Goddamnit. You¡¯re just going to get scared again. Isn¡¯t that right? ¡°Oh. Okay. Shall we go somewhere private then?¡± As I coolly murmured those things, Olivia Lanze flinched. ¡°Ah. Th-that¡¯s¡­ I was just¡­ I was just kidding, just kidding!¡± Olivia was making quite exaggerated gestures, seeming so nervous that she might actually faint if I really dragged her somewhere. I knew how to handle that girl very well. ¡ªI just had to act fierce. It was a different kind of fierce from how I acted towards Adelia and the others. ¡°So what is it?¡± ¡°W-well, I just wanted to ask if the budget negotiations went well¡­ Why do you always get so mad when you see me¡­?¡± She seemed a little upset. Genuinely upset. Oh, was I a bit too harsh? ¡°I got them to say that they would review our request, though they declared that they would absolutely refuse it at first. Well, I don¡¯t know what¡¯ll happen yet.¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Knowing that it was something I was troubled by, it seemed like she¡¯d come in person because she¡¯d gotten curious as to how things were progressing. Well, I shouldn¡¯t be too harsh to her, considering that she is on my side. I¡¯d actually received a lot of help from her. No, but she was still much too aggressive. I noticed Ellen looking at us from afar. I didn¡¯t know why, but I felt pretty scared at that moment. I knew that she was just looking at us, but her expression seemed to scream, ¡°Huh? Why is she here?¡± I felt like I was about to panic! Was I about to get killed? I seriously felt like I was about to die. I had no idea what reason might have caused it, but I was convinced that I would die that day for sure! ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about some things. Regarding your budget¡­ There might actually be a different way you could get some money.¡± Fortunately, Olivia didn¡¯t continue to say strange things and changed the subject. No, but¡­ A way to increase our budget? How did that girl come up with something like that? While I didn¡¯t know what kind of method it was, the more money we could get, the better, and it was Olivia Lanze who came up with that alternative way. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You could take donations.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Never in my life would I have been able to come up with something like that If you don¡¯t have money, just take donations. Just what line of thought was that? * * * No one was willing to invest in us. Having our budget raised was also difficult¡­ So we should just get some donations. Just what kind of nonsense was that? Olivia said, ¡°How about that? Aren¡¯t I smart?¡± with a confident tone, her nose almost piercing the sky. ¡°¡­Well, It seems like you came up with that because religious groups make a lot of money that way. That won¡¯t work.¡± You don¡¯t have any money? Then a good, pious, and rich believer will just give you some! Was it only possible for someone who was part of such religious groups to have such out-of-the-norm ideas? Was she unable to let go of that way of thinking even though she had already given up on her faith? Olivia Lanze looked genuinely shocked at my words. ¡°You, you¡­You think¡­ That I¡¯m a complete idiot, don¡¯t you¡­?¡± She looked incredibly upset. Olivia wore a tearful expression. No, how could her mood go up and down like a rollercoaster? As far as I knew, she definitely wasn¡¯t that kind of person before. I think it¡¯s what one would call bipolar. Olivia started pouting her lips in addition to her tearful expression. ¡°I was talking about the sponsorship group meeting, you idiot.¡± ¡°¡­Sponsorship?¡± Seeming slightly excited, Olivia went, ¡®Hmpf!¡¯ What the hell were that girl¡¯s actual character traits? She seemed like a strange amalgamation of all the character attributes one could find. Sometimes she was cold and cool, other times she was super sweet, then she acted like a heroine of justices at times, and sometimes she was a complete ditz. All those different attributes seemed to mix together quite a bit, which made it even crazier. Olivia crouched slightly with her cheeks puffed and her arms crossed. Soon, she started talking a little more. ¡°The Royal Class is run with Temple¡¯s capital, but it also has its own sponsorship groups. The more free money one can get, the better, after all. Your club is in a similar situation, right?¡± Sponsorship groups¡­ I had no idea such things existed. ¡°Do a lot of rich people participate in that?¡± ¡°If they aren¡¯t rich, why would they be part of something like that? The purpose of a sponsorship itself is to create connections with future talented individuals, Temple teachers, or the entire Royal Class in advance. I¡¯ve been attending voluntarily since my fourth year, so I¡¯m not sure how things go for students of the lower years. Anyway, that¡¯s how it is.¡± One could participate in sponsorship meetings starting from the fourth year. The Gate Incident would happen when the main characters reached their third year, so it¡¯d never even appeared in the original. ¡°It¡¯s not just rich people, but there are also many influential figures like members of the Magic Association, some prestigious knights, and other similarly influential people attending. They can provide you with personal sponsorships as well as sponsorships intended for the Temple and the Royal Class as a whole.¡± Sponsorship meetings were held to support, recruit, or create connections with the Empire¡¯s future outstanding talents. When I thought about it, it made sense that something like that existed. The best talents of the entire Empire were gathered at Temple. If they were students majoring in magic, they would go to the Magic Association, and those majoring in combat would join places like the Knights Templar. What about supernatural power users? They would also join a knight corps. Anyway, they would receive recruitment offers from places that needed them. ¡ªThe same went for students majoring in non-combat subjects. A smart guy like Louis Ankton might be treated even better, actually. ¡°That¡¯s why I was planning on going to the sponsorship meeting this time to look for someone that might want to support your club, and here you are treating me like an idiot.¡± It seemed like she had been deeply shocked by my saying she could only make such absurd claims because she had been part of a religious group that¡¯d received a lot of donations. ¡®Wow, he thinks I¡¯m a real dumbass.¡¯ That was what she thought. Right, I really went too far. She was a real angel who wanted to try getting money from the sponsorship meeting for my sake. ¡°Well¡­ I-I¡¯m sorry, I was the one in the wrong.¡± ¡°So what if you¡¯re sorry?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s the end just because you said you¡¯re sorry?¡± Olivia tapped her cheek. ¡°You should give me a kiss.¡± ¡°Oh, fuck off!¡± In the end, it still turned out like that! ____ Chapter 226 Chapter 226 I wasn¡¯t even sure anymore if what I¡¯d made was a club or a startup. I should¡¯ve been resting because of my injury, but there I was focusing on something else because I couldn¡¯t train. There was still some time before the regular Royal Class sponsorship meeting that would be after our next group mission. Although it had been suggested that students of the fourth year or higher could voluntarily attend, there didn¡¯t seem to be a problem if students of lower grades wanted to attend either. I could¡¯ve just left it to Olivia Lanze, but if I sent her alone, I felt like she might¡¯ve ended up saying something she shouldn¡¯t¡­ I was grateful to her in many ways, but I was just concerned, as I couldn¡¯t predict what she might do. There was actually one more thing I had to take care of besides the Magic Research Society¡¯s matters. ¡°We don¡¯t really have to do anything.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± The Rotary Gang¡¯s headquarters¡­ I was listening to Loyar¡¯s report in her office. ¡°Yes, the people dispatched by the prince are taking care of everything including investment negotiations and licensing issues. We literally only need to dispatch some people.¡± It had been decided that Bertus would take 10% of the business¡¯ profits. However, even if he asked for 90%, it wouldn¡¯t have been weird, as the people he¡¯d dispatched seemed to take care of everything. It felt like the profit he stood to gain would be far too little to go that far. ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t to the point that I would lose track of the whole picture. Some of the experienced people from the gang are tagging along with them.¡± It seemed like Bertus¡¯s people and the gang members that¡¯d dipped their toes into the business world before were working together. ¡ªThat was what one called personal connections. The more I experienced those kinds of things, the less I could call our situation helpless. ¡°For now, we plan to set up about 50 shops in advance, giving priority to stations with a lot of floating population.¡± The business seemed to be progressing quite well. Loyar, who actually hated paying attention to those kinds of things, was actually able to do a proper business report. Hadn¡¯t she said that she hated administrative work and work that needed her to use her brain when she¡¯d refused my plan to absorb the Thieves¡¯ guild? However, in the end, Loyar was actually able to manage the business, although it would take quite a lot of brain power. With the help of the people sent by Bertus, the construction of our shops in each station seemed to proceed with no problems. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your head hurt?¡± She didn¡¯t like that sort of thing, so she should¡¯ve felt stressed, but when I asked Loyar about it, she just shook her head. ¡°I just have to nod my head when they say that they¡¯ll do something or that they¡¯ve done something. I don¡¯t really have to use my head that much other than to memorize the things I¡¯ve been told.¡± ¡°Hmm, are you sure that they¡¯re doing a good job then?¡± ¡°They even present me estimated sales and expected net profit approximations without being prompted. What else could I expect?¡± What the hell? It was basically Bertus¡¯s business at that point, so wasn¡¯t it just too nonsensical that I actually took 90% of the profit? It seemed that the people Bertus had sent did things before she even knew what needed to be done, so it looked like she¡¯d decided to just stop caring. However, Loyar seemed somewhat uneasy. It was as if she had some other concerns. ¡°Your Highness, will you be alright?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting too deeply involved¡­ In everything.¡± Was it about that? Loyar had already been outed as the Rotary Gang leader and had been connected to Prince Bertus. Of course, Loyar was originally known as Irene¡¯s Wild Dog. Bertus might already have somewhat known of Loyar. However, he didn¡¯t know that she was actually a demon. And I would also have no other choice but to be exposed to the outside world. as I¡¯d created such big businesses and had such deep connections to the Imperial Prince and Princess. I wasn¡¯t so sure about Loyar, but the Magic Research Society was also one such place where I had to expose myself. ¡°This might place you in danger.¡± Apart from that business, the things I¡¯d done in Temple had absolutely nothing to do with the demon realm. ¡°They are things I have to do, so what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Loyar fell silent after I said that I had no other choice. It wasn¡¯t like I had to do those things for the sake of rebuilding the demon realm. They were the things we had to prepare for the Gate Crisis. It wasn¡¯t for the sake of the demon realm that I created that club at Temple or threw myself into such ridiculously burdensome projects. I grouped the kids together in advance so that they wouldn¡¯t absolutely need me. One never knew what might happen in life, and so I didn¡¯t know when my identity would be revealed. If that were to happen, I would have to flee the Imperial Capital as well as Temple. The way I set things up, the kids would get stronger on their own, even without me. I believed that would be all it would take. However, would it actually work? I didn¡¯t want to leave Temple. I had made too many precious connections there. * * * I had been severely injured and could finally get rid of my crutches, however, I had to face the consequences of my actions in the end. 1st Place ¨C Ellen 2nd Place ¨C Louis Ankton . . . . 21st Place ¨C Ludwig 22nd Place ¨C Reinhardt These were the results of the midterm exams. I ended up in last place. I even fell under Ludwig. Something that hadn¡¯t happened in the original happened once again. What a miraculous plunge from my 1st rank in the midterms of the first semester. -¡­ Everyone was looking at me with slight agitation. [Achievement reached ¨C Get placed last on the midterms] [Received 500 Achievement Points.] [Special Achievement ¨C Fall to the same place as the Idiot (Ludwig) or lower] [Received 100 Achievement Points.] Ah¡­ I ¡®d done it intentionally¡­ And yet I got pretty ticked off again. To get placed last on the midterm exam for the second semester, I¡¯d purposefully done very badly. There were also quite a few days where I¡¯d missed class as a whole because of my fainting and my severe injuries. Unlike subjects that were part of our common classes, most specialized classes were practical. The strain that was put on the body in classes such as Swordsmanship, Supernatural Power Control, and Comprehensive P.E. was really large. The only specialized subjects that didn¡¯t include practical lessons were Mana Sensitivity Training and Demon Ecology. As such I pretty much failed because I couldn¡¯t participate in all the midterm exams. Of course, due to that being an unavoidable situation due to my injuries, the midterm evaluation would be revised to reflect my actual score during the final exams, but as of then, I had failed the midterm exams. There wasn¡¯t any big difference in our common class subjects either. There were many days where I wasn¡¯t able to go to class, and I hadn¡¯t been able to properly concentrate on them at all because of all the other things I had to take care of. Of course, I could have done a lot better if I¡¯d actually wanted to study, but that was just how it turned out. I¡¯d simply thrown it. If I¡¯m going to fail, I should fail properly to get achievement points. I didn¡¯t really want to fail on purpose, but because of my injuries, it pretty much became impossible to get any good grades, so I just blew it big time to get more achievement points. As such, I received 500 achievement points because of that challenge, as well as 100 more for completing some strange achievement. Shit. I couldn¡¯t believe that I¡¯d fallen lower than that idiot, Ludwig. No, ¡®idiot¡¯ was Harriet¡¯s nickname. I was more stupid than Ludwig. Wasn¡¯t that a bit too harsh? No one made fun of me because they knew that I had been busy with a lot of things in addition to getting seriously hurt. No¡­ Still, getting last place was a bit¡­ I knew that all of them were thinking something similar judging by their expressions. But so what? I believed that getting achievement points was more important. Anyway, an achievement was an achievement. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Harriet de Saint-Owan was shocked upon seeing the results of the midterm exam. Reinhardt, who had been ranked first in the overall ranking during the midterm exams in the previous semester, came in last. While they weren¡¯t that close, she did know that guy by the name of Ludwig, who had always been ranked last¡ªan extraordinary idiot. They weren¡¯t on friendly terms, but whenever he met her, he would always greet her with a bright smile. She wished that Reinhardt had half of that guy¡¯s personality. No, she might actually hate it if he resembled him even by an ounce. Reinhardt looking at her and smiling brightly? If he did something like that¡­ She felt like she would absolutely hate it. Did you eat something wrong? ¡ªThat was probably what she would say if she saw him acting like that. Anyway, that was the only impression Harriet had of Ludwig. Not too long ago, during a Magic Research Society meeting, she¡¯d heard from Louis Ankton, who was that guy¡¯s classmate, that he was a devastatingly stupid guy. However, Reinhardt had gotten even lower grades than that devastatingly stupid idiot. Normally, she would have enjoyed teasing him for getting placed last, watching his face turn beet red, but she couldn¡¯t do it that time. Reinhardt had placed first during the midterms in the first semester¡ªhe wasn¡¯t stupid. He¡¯d just failed all practical exams due to his injuries. However, if he¡¯d scored just a few points on the written exams, his grades wouldn¡¯t have been lower than Ludwig¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t study¡­ He couldn¡¯t. ¡®Bring in more money.¡¯ ¡ªBecause of what she¡¯d said. All of their classmates were astonished in their own way by Reinhardt placing last. Even Bertus was surprised. As always, the only one who remained expressionless was Ellen. Reinhardt didn¡¯t seem to care that he was in last place either. However, Harriet couldn¡¯t help but care about that result. She had told him to get more research funds. She had actually meant it as a joke. She¡¯d just been teasing him, saying something like, ¡°Since you make us do such unreasonable things, you should get to work as our president as well.¡± In the end, Reinhardt went around trying to gather some money with an attitude as if it was a matter of course that he should do something like that. So she felt very embarrassed. Just what was he talking about? Matter of course? As if it was natural, he was determined to get more money for their research. She¡¯d heard that he¡¯d gone to club meetings and even visited the Temple student council, which one normally didn¡¯t have to go to until one graduated from Temple. He¡¯d also talked to that strange fifth-year senior, Olivia Lanze, who seemed so dazzling that one would get blinded just by looking at her, so she felt strangely uncomfortable by that, but she knew that he was probably talking to her for the sake of their research funds as well. Reinhardt had been very busy. Even though he had been injured, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to study at all, not only because of the research fund problem, but also because of her words that he should join their club meetings even while he was still walking on crutches. So Harriet couldn¡¯t make fun of Reinhardt. She felt guilty. Harriet glanced at Reinhardt, who was just blankly staring at the blackboard. Did he despair because he didn¡¯t expect his results to be so disastrous? It¡¯s all because of me. Everything¡¯s my fault. Harriet really wanted to cry because it seemed like she had done something horrible without even realizing it. * * * After their common classes ended, Harriet went up to Reinhardt, who was trying to get his shaking body back to the dorm from their P.E. classes. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± As she called him, it was Reinhardt who grabbed Harriet and told her something as if he had just remembered. ¡°Did I tell you yet? We might get more funds through the sponsorship meeting.¡± ¡°Huh? Uhm¡­ Yes. You roughly told us that this would solve our problem.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah. Looks like I told you.¡± Reinhardt was distracted to the point that he seemed to have forgotten things he had already told her. No, had he been that shocked by his midterm results? ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t worry about the research funds anymore. Although I don¡¯t know how the sponsorship meeting will turn out, if it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll just find another way.¡± Why? She didn¡¯t know why he was acting like that even though he wasn¡¯t even a wizard and had only joined the Magic Research Society due to her pressure. Then he told them to make some really ridiculous things, but in the end, it was him who was running around the most. ¡ªEven while his body wasn¡¯t in its best condition. When she thought about it, Reinhardt had always been that way. He was blunt, said things no one even wanted to hear, picked fights on purpose, and got annoyed easily. However, whenever he was asked for help, he would always help. He didn¡¯t even want anything in return. Harriet realized that she had received so many things from Reinhardt in such a short period of time. During the first semester¡¯s group mission, when she¡¯d tried persuading her dad, giving her relics, creating a magic research group¡­ She felt like she just one-sidedly received his help. Even then, he was trying to fulfill her unreasonable demand of getting more money from who-knows-where. He was even placed last on the midterm exam because of that. What could she even say? She wondered why he was doing all of that for her. Harriet was looking at Reinhardt, who was standing in front of her, rambling on about the research fund problem. ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Hic.¡± She suddenly burst into tears. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s the matter? Why are you crying all of a sudden? I didn¡¯t do anything this time. Huh?¡± Reinhardt shook his hands wildly, wondering what he¡¯d done to make her cry out of the blue. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Huuh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Because of me¡­ You came in last all because of me¡­¡± ¡°Huuuuh?¡± Reinhardt was evidently shocked when he saw Harriet burst into tears so suddenly. ¡°Just because of me you came in last¡­ E-even lower than stupid Ludwig¡­¡± ¡°No, why are you crying because I got last? And why are you bringing up Ludwig?¡± Reinhardt seemed incredulous, not understanding why Harriet was crying like that. ¡°Sob, sob, I¡­ I made you do something weird¡­ That¡¯s why you went so far. I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it anymore. Hic¡­Sob¡­¡± ¡°Jeez, are you talking about when you told me to get more money?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I didn¡¯t know that you would actually do it¡­¡± As soon as he figured out why she was crying, Reinhardt put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s so important about some school grades? I don¡¯t really care about things like that.¡± Grades weren¡¯t important¡­? Then what was important to him? Did that mean that the request she¡¯d made was more important than his grades? Some request she made as a joke was more important than grades that would follow him for the rest of his life? Harriet didn¡¯t know how sincere Reinhardt was, so she could only guess at what his words meant. She felt sad. However, while she felt sad, her heart seemed to be warming up, and a strange feeling she was feeling for the first time in her life seemed to fill it up. ¡°Hic! Sob! Sobsob¡­¡± ¡°Why are you crying even harder now? I already said it¡¯s fine?!¡± In the end, the things he said that were meant to stop her from crying made Harriet cry even harder, which troubled Reinhardt greatly. Some of their classmates who were watching the scene from afar had expressions that seemed to say, ¡®Ah, that crazy guy has gone and made another kid cry.¡¯ ____ Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Ranked last in the midterms¡­ Everyone knew that it¡¯d happened because of unavoidable circumstances. No, I mean, as long as I had normal common sense and was even just normal academically, I couldn¡¯t help but get better grades than Ludwig just by looking at my notes properly, you know? What did they see me as? Anyway, due to my circumstances, I was fortunate enough that people didn¡¯t think that I was an even bigger idiot than Ludwig. I had earned some achievement points, and the consequences were rather small. I was a bit flustered because Harriet suddenly burst into tears. In the end, no matter what I had prepared or planned, the routine of Temple¡¯s curriculum had passed the midterm exams. It was time for the next step¡­ The group mission of the second semester. After the group mission came the final exam, then the festival, and then our winter vacation. A clash between the Orbis Class and the Royal Class had originally been scheduled during the festival, however, that event had completely disappeared. I wondered how the student council would fill the hole that the Orbis Class VS Royal Class competition, one of the festival¡¯s main events, left behind. I hoped that it wasn¡¯t something that would inconvenience the Royal Class. We had already received a notice from Mr. Epinhauser. The first mission had been advantageous for those with excellent physical strength. However, not all missions were like that. It wasn¡¯t about being skilled in magic or combat, but it was more about how one utilized one¡¯s talent. Otherwise, guys like Louis Ancton, who was talented in academics, or Lanian Sessor, who had a talent in music, would just continue to be unable to stand out. The first semester¡¯s mission was for those who were physically fit, were able to improvise, and liked to play active roles. The second semester¡¯s mission was, therefore, advantageous for intelligent people. ¡®The theme for the group mission of the second semester is Reasoning.¡¯ While they added this and that and interpreted it a little differently, it was just that. A game of Mafia. Similar to how I¡¯d set up the first group mission on the deserted island as I watched ¡°Law of the Jungle¡±. Well¡­ When I set the second mission up¡­ Mafia had been very popular. Every time I went through those things, I felt how uncreative I had been. * * * After the midterms, the group mission would be held for a week just like last time. I had finally pretty much recovered that week as well. ¡°Are you fine now?¡± ¡°Yeah, pretty much.¡± ¡°Can you start training again as well?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to overdo it¡­ But I should slowly start again.¡± When I said that my body had returned to its original condition, Ellen started to ask me some questions. That girl, did I see wrong, or were her eyes actually twinkling? ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try strengthening ourselves with magical power a little, then.¡± Ellen and I were taking lessons on Magic Body Strengthening from the Yoga Master, so then she asked me to use Magic Body Strengthening little by little during our training. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but I haven¡¯t gotten the hang of it just yet.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± Ah, I hate you! You¡¯re just too special. You know, I¡¯m actually special now as well?! Why are you treating me like I¡¯m slow? This is unbelievably fast for me, okay?! I was even been recognized as the most talented student in Temple by Mr. Epinhauser, you hear?! ¡°When will you¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Trust me, I¡¯m the one who wants the answer to that question more than anyone.¡± Ellen seemed to contemplate what she could do while strengthening herself with magic as she sparred. In the end, she was a teacher who cared a lot about her student. I was so moved that I was about to cry, but sometimes, I felt majorly depressed because I was treated like something incredibly insignificant. Anyway, I¡¯d probably lost a lot of muscle because I had rested for far too long. I knew that the price I paid was really cheap considering that I gained a rough understanding of Magic Body Strengthening. All of that happened because I¡¯d forced myself to do something as absurd as Ellen while I wasn¡¯t even as talented as her. What Ellen and I had done wasn¡¯t something anyone should imitate. Just being out of commision for a few weeks really was a mild consequence. Anyway, after the group mission, I would have to spar with her again and undergo a lot more personal training. While it was a game of mafia, it was still a group mission. Of course, we wouldn¡¯t just sit around in a circle from start to finish like one would do in the actual game. ¡°Wow¡­What¡¯s this place?¡± ¡°It¡¯s creepy¡­¡± ¡°Rather, why is it snowing here at this time of year?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t tell us to dress warmly for no reason, after all¡­¡± -Whooooosh¡­ October¡­ Although the season had changed to fall, it wouldn¡¯t normally snow around that time. We were in the northern regions ravaged by blizzards. The ancient castle, Epiax. We¡¯d left the Imperial Capital and arrived before that dreary, snowed-in ancient castle, the site of the group mission. A silent castle located in a snowy field¡­ Rather than calling it beautiful, it seemed dilapidated, and it had a creepy atmosphere hanging over it. It seemed even creepier because it was snowing. That was the place where we would hold the second semester¡¯s group mission. So¡­ If one thought of summer, the sea came to mind. And if one thought of winter, one would think of hot springs. We were approaching the hot springs episode. Of course, it would only happen after the mission. The main event was the mission. [Event quest ¨C Group Mission] [Description : Don¡¯t be eliminated until the end of the mission.] [Reward : 1000 Achievement Points] The 1000-point reward was more than significant. It was a group mission, after all. To be honest, if our normal school life just continued, while I wouldn¡¯t have enjoyed it, I would have thought of it as just normal. Quite frankly, I couldn¡¯t help but only think of all of it as a waste of time at that point. I had only recovered to a certain extent at best, but I simply wanted to exercise and train. However, I had no intention of just throwing the mission¡ªachievement points were at stake there. I had to do my absolute best. But you know what? ¡°Does everyone agree to execute Reinhardt?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Of course, I agree.¡± . . Didn¡¯t I secretly want something like that to happen? Although the detailed conditions and some rules were slightly different, that group mission was basically a game of Mafia. A mission to prove one¡¯s reasoning and logical thinking capabilities¡­ They tried to throw me out on the first day with no reasons or grounds for their decision. * * * Of course, it wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t protest. We held a meeting in the castle on the first day right after we heard the explanation of the rules. There was one mafia member for each class, so a total of two. Of course, they changed the name to assassin, but anyway, they were the mafia members. Among 22 students, two were mafia members. Even before things really started, everyone¡¯s eyes were already on me. ¡­Why are they looking at me? Everyone looked at me strangely. There were many reasons, but in the end¡­ ¡®This is my first time doing something like this, but I think it would be good to eliminate any variables in this kind of situation, don¡¯t you think?¡¯ Those were Charlotte¡¯s words. ¡®Well¡­ That is true.¡± That was Bertus¡¯s reaction. ¡®I think it would be best in this situation where we severely lack information to identify the culprit by executing the person most likely to cause a mess.¡¯ Everyone nodded at Charlotte¡¯s words as if they had the same thoughts. ¡®Certainly, Even as an ally, Reinhardt seems somewhat unstable.¡¯ Everyone was convinced by Bertus and the A-Class¡¯ response. Those two were the mafia members for sure. And as such, I had been executed. The group mission¡ª [Event Quest failed] ¡ªended for me with an immediate elimination. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Of course, as it was a group mission, the rules were a little different from an actual game of mafia. One assassin was designated for Class A and B respectively. The assassins were a team¡ªthey would get the highest score regardless of which class they were from if they ended up winning. We could not go outside the castle during the mission. The mafia members could assassinate two people every night. Of course, they didn¡¯t just point at them to assassinate them like in the actual game. Regardless of whether they just killed someone that passed by them, they had to go to the other person and declare that they killed the target as if ¡®sentencing¡¯ that person to death before leaving the scene. The others had to examine the scene of the murder, check the alibi of their classmates, and figure out who¡¯d seen the victim last; then they had to determine whose alibi was unclear for that time and what route they had taken. By deducing those things, they could identify the culprit. Once they had identified the perpetrators and gathered everyone¡¯s opinions, it was possible for them to discuss whether they should execute a certain person or not, and they could nominate one person from Class A and one from Class B. The assassins had to kill two people a night, and the citizens could also execute two people a day. Of course, the citizens weren¡¯t forced to execute anyone. They wouldn¡¯t know whether who they¡¯d executed was an assassin or not. Even if there was only one mafia member left, they could still kill two people a night. The class that correctly identified and executed the perpetrator would get additional points. Of course, they would get negative points if innocent citizens were executed. However, ¡®The discussion itself¡¯ was also included in the evaluation criteria. The more uncooperative one was, and the poorer choices that were made, the worse their evaluation would become. It was important to showcase how logical one¡¯s reasoning was and how well they were able to identify the criminal¡ªthat was why the smart ones were at an advantage in that mission. Anyway¡­ The group mission would end when either the mafia¡¯s or the citizens¡¯ victory had been confirmed. After that, the teachers¡¯ evaluations would determine whether Class A or Class B won overall. In the original, no one died during the first day¡¯s meeting, but I was executed immediately that time. The one who usually got executed on the first day during Mafia, especially under the premise that one knew the people one played with, was usually just someone everyone felt uncomfortable around or someone everyone was comfortable eliminating. I was probably the former. Even so, it was a group mission, but both Class A and Class B got together and executed me on the first day with no rhyme or reason. That was all. No one gave a shit. Charlotte had immediately said that I should be executed. Even Harriet and Ellen had agreed. It seemed certain that everyone thought it would be more advantageous to just execute me immediately and that they would have less to worry about then. ¡°Teacher, isn¡¯t this just completely absurd?¡± As soon as my execution had concluded, I was summoned to an area outside of the mission area with a recall artifact similar to the one from the deserted island. I immediately started complaining to Mr. Epinhauser. Mr. Mustrang looked at me with pity. ¡°It was simply a wise choice made by your classmates.¡± ¡°Was it?¡± Mr. Epinhauser seemed to just take it as the natural flow of things. No! I was innocent, right?! How is executing an innocent citizen helping the others?! ¡°Because you might¡¯ve taken actions outside the scope of the mission, they probably wanted to avoid confusion.¡± If no one agreed to my opinions, I might¡¯ve resorted to swearing or maybe beating someone up, so they¡¯d banished me first because they didn¡¯t want to worry about what I might do later. Right¡­ If they didn¡¯t agree with me, I might¡¯ve actually gone, ¡®Ya bastards! I¡¯m right here,¡¯ and then lightly smack some of them. Whether they were citizens or mafia, it was only right to kill me off first¡­ I was an innocent citizen, but I wasn¡¯t an innocent classmate. That was why they¡¯d executed me. Despite there being no real basis for them to do it at that time, they¡¯d still seen it as the right decision. They were just getting rid of an unstable variable. Both Charlotte and Bertus had made the right decision. So did that mean that they weren¡¯t the two mafia members? ¡°So who are the mafia members?¡± ¡°Mafia? What do you mean?¡± ¡°N-no, I mean, the assassins. Yeah, the assassins.¡± Urg¡­ I had cold sweat running down my back because of my stupid mouth. Mr. Epinhauser camly opened his mouth as if it didn¡¯t matter if he told the guy who had already been eliminated. ¡°Number A-1, and Number B-1¡­¡± Goddamnit. I was right about those two. A collaboration between the two narrow-eyed characters who were really good in managing their image, would get very serious when competitions were involved and were incredibly smart. Oh well, at least I knew that the other citizens were going to lose as well. * * * In the original, it was Bertus and Dettomolian who were the mafia members. It was a pretty hard combination to picture working together. The original condition of Mafia was that both the citizens and mafia members had equal chances, but in my version, they were a bit unequal. If even one of the assassins was still alive by the time of the last meeting on the fifth day, the mafia would win. How many of the mafia members survived didn¡¯t matter. In the original, Bertus had even assassinated himself to cause greater confusion, leaving behind some instructions for Dettomolian. Of course, one might think that it would be possible for the mafia members to not assassinate anyone, but that was made impossible by the rule that they had to pick two targets every night. While the process was pretty complicated, that idiot Ludwig had eventually managed to uncover the identity of the Mafia members. Actually the reason Ludwig survived until the end was because he was stupid. It was the exact opposite of me. If I got executed because they thought that I was a ticking time bomb, Ludwig was treated like an idiot that was harmless to both citizens and the mafia. Since it was clear that the mafia members were incredibly smart, Ludwig couldn¡¯t be one, so he wasn¡¯t suspected at all. All his lines of reasoning were wrong and served well to confuse the others, so it was better for the mafia members to keep him alive. That was how he almost survived until the end. However, the storyline was more about how Ludwig had uncovered the identity of the assassin after monitoring everyone in any way he could through his grit rather than figuring it out through reasoning. I looked forward to seeing how it would turn out this time. The Bertus-Dettomolian combination had changed to the Bertus-Charlotte combination. Since the two of them had a rather bad relationship, things might end up rather dirty Anyway, with how things were developing, they would assassinate the smart ones first. Like in the original, it would be Harriet and Louis Ankton who would get killed on the first day. As I had been eliminated immediately, the event quest had ended in a failure. 1000 points¡­ It was a shame that I couldn¡¯t get them, but I didn¡¯t think I would have survived for that long anyway if I wasn¡¯t executed like that. When I thought about it more, it was a pretty natural choice to execute me immediately because of the actions I had shown them up to that point. It was actually a battle of wits completely disregarding one¡¯s physical skills, so I wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop the assassins with a sword or anything. Anyway, until the mission was over, time was slipping through my fingers. It was hard just sitting around like that. ¡°Can¡¯t I go back to Temple?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± I wanted to do some personal training at Temple, but it seemed like I couldn¡¯t. After all, all of the Royal Class was currently in the middle of a group mission, so the place was completely empty, regardless of grade. During the uninhabited island mission last time, after the mission was over, we were able to hang out and eat our fill in a well-organized vacation resort-like environment filled with bungalows. However, for the second time, the environment wasn¡¯t as great because the place was just completely filled with snow. The ancient castle Epiax was located in a frigid snowfield. I was in a mansion located somewhere in its vicinity. Of course, the ancient castle had such a spooky atmosphere that it made people shudder, however, the place I was in wasn¡¯t like that. As I¡¯d set up the group missions to be like field trips under the guise of missions, the mansion actually had a hot spring. Although it wasn¡¯t that grand, there was also a training room and some staff that would prepare our meals. That night¡­ ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°¡­I got eliminated.¡± Ellen was summoned to the mansion. ____ Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Two during a trial¡­ Two during the night¡­ That was the maximum of kills each day. No one was supposed to get executed in the first trial, and yet I¡¯d ended up getting executed. The mafia members could assassinate two people each night, so two of my classmates had to get eliminated on the first day at night. However, a development different from the original took place once again. Ellen, not Harriet, had become one of the victims on the first night. ¡°Wh-what the¡­ Bertus is¡­¡± And shortly after, Louis Ankton of Class B was summoned to where I was, a depressed look on his face. Ellen and Louis were the ones eliminated on the first day. Things were still pretty much on schedule. They were eliminating the smart ones first; Ellen was certainly smart. ¡°D-doesn¡¯t that mean that our grades will be bad?¡± Louis seemed to be worried about his poor performance that time around. ¡°Louis, you don¡¯t have to worry about that because our grades will be determined by combining Class A¡¯s and B¡¯s performance, unless the assassins win.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Mr. Mustrang came around to visit and reassured Louis, telling him that he didn¡¯t have to worry about his grades being determined by what order one got eliminated in. Likewise, Mr. Epinhasuer came around to visit us as well. Ellen, to be exact. ¡°Number two, you failed. You know the reason, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After Mr. Epinhauser said those words in a calm manner, he left again. She¡¯d failed¡­ Those words left both me and Louis Ankton perplexed. What? Why did she fail? Doesn¡¯t the order in which the students are eliminated not matter? But of course, Ellen reacted as if she knew what¡¯d happened. ¡°What did he mean? You failed?¡± When I asked her that, Ellen answered after picking up one of the cookies placed on the table. ¡°I just asked one of the assassins to kill me.¡± What? Ellen had already identified the identity of the mafia members on the first day, and it seemed like she¡¯d just gone up to them and asked them to kill her. ¡°No, but why?¡± If she¡¯d figured out the identity of the mafia, she could¡¯ve just followed the rules of the mission. She¡¯d ended up dying because she¡¯d gone up to them after finding out who they were and asked them to kill her. Why the hell did she do something like that? Ellen glanced at me after hearing my question. ¡°You¡¯re all better.¡± ¡°¡­What does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s train.¡± No. No, seriously. She didn¡¯t seem like it, but she seriously had a talent for changing the subject. * * * Ellen and I sat on a terrace of the mansion and drank some tea while eating cookies. Louis seemed to have been really tired, so he¡¯d just gone to one of the empty rooms to sleep. I didn¡¯t know how, but Ellen had actually managed to figure out the identities of the assassins. Maybe she¡¯d got a clue from them trying to get me executed so adamentally. Anyway, I believed that Ellen just wanted to get eliminated quickly to train with me the rest of the time rather than completing the mission by identifying the assassins. That was probably why Mr. Epinhauser said that she¡¯d failed¡ªbecause she dropped out on purpose. No¡­ But if that was the case, wouldn¡¯t it have been better to just reveal the identity of the assassins at the next day¡¯s meeting and quickly finish the mission? That way, we could have returned to Temple a whole lot earlier. Of course, we could just hang out in that mansion, but if the mission concluded, all of us could have returned. ¡°Why did you drop out? You could have just finished the mission quickly. We could have gone back to Temple then, you know?¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± Ellen fiddled with her cup of tea, gazing at the snowy scenery stretching out beyond the terrace window. That, too, could be called a breathtaking scene. The snowy garden was shining brightly in the moonlight, even though it was night. Ellen obviously knew that if she¡¯d finished the mission early, we could¡¯ve go back to Temple together. Temple was a much better environment to train in than that place. Ellen didn¡¯t look at me. ¡°You¡¯ll be busy in Temple.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She continued to speak without turning her head. ¡°You¡¯ll be so busy you won¡¯t have time to train.¡± She thought that I would be preoccupied with something else when I went back to Temple, not caring about training. Although I had become unable to train due to my injuries, she seemed to think that there wouldn¡¯t be any difference when I had become able to train again. She thought that I wouldn¡¯t train with her anymore in Temple because I had so much work to do. Ellen chose to voluntarily drop out to make time for us rather than make us quickly return to Temple by finishing up the mission. Until the mission was over¡­ We were able to train together. There was no reason for Ellen to do something like that though. She had no reason to pay so much attention to my personal training. As the gap between us was still very big, Ellen wouldn¡¯t be able to gain anything from training with me. She was so hung up about it for apparently no reason. I didn¡¯t have much to say to that. ¡°Did you feel sad?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ellen took a sip of her black tea, which she usually didn¡¯t drink, before she fiddled with her cup again. She was still looking at the pale white snow field, not facing me. ¡°A little¡­¡± Even though she knew that it wasn¡¯t something that could be helped, Ellen still felt sad. ¡°Aren¡¯t I strange?¡± She felt sad when she actually had no proper reason to feel sad. Even Ellen herself felt that she was acting strange. ¡°No, being human in general is strange to begin with.¡± That was all I could say. Ellen smiled at my words, soaked in the soft moonlight as she opened her mouth once more. ¡°True.¡± Ellen was the most beautiful drenched in moonlight, perhaps because she possessed the Moon Goddess¡¯s Sword. It was hard to even look at her properly. ¡°Because you are very strange as well.¡± That might or might not have sounded like criticism¡­ * * * It was midnight, so I wanted to get some training in, which was why Ellen and I entered the indoor gym after a short tea break. I didn¡¯t have to do it, but there was no reason why I shouldn¡¯t. I could still see the snow falling outside of the gym¡¯s window. It seemed like Ellen had been able to pinpoint the assassins straight away, but I still wondered how she¡¯d managed to figure it out. ¡°How did you know who the culprits were right away?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Ellen seemed troubled. ¡°You have the greatest influence over our classmates.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t usually talk much, but that didn¡¯t mean that she couldn¡¯t. She knew how to speak coherently¡ªjust like she did in the Darklands. My influence was the highest¡­ While it was quite shameful for me to say it myself, it was true. Although I wasn¡¯t really close with either the Class A or B students, I had a lot of connections, and because of the founding of the Magic Research Society, three of the B Class students had entered my sphere of influence as well. ¡°If I was one of the assassins, I would deal with you first.¡± ¡°¡­Erm, I know you¡¯re talking about the mission, but isn¡¯t it a bit terrifying putting it like that?¡± What did she mean with ¡°deal with me¡±? Actually, if she ever tried to, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything against it¡ªI would just be cut into tiny pieces. ¡°But what does me being their first target have to do with catching the culprits?¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been executed during the meeting, you would have been assassinated on the first night; then they would have nominated another influential person as the assassin.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Unless I was actually constantly going around with another person, they would have tried to assassinate me. There were detailed missions, so at some point, I would have ended up alone. ¡°First, their number one target, you, got executed at the meeting, after that, they would aim for the next target.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°I believed that there were a total of four candidates that could¡¯ve become their victims on the first night: Bertus, Charlotte, Louis Ankton, and Harriet.¡± Those who were smart beyond comparison¡­ Two of those four would be the first victims. ¡°However, there was also a possibility that the assassins were among those four. If I shadowed one of them who absolutely couldn¡¯t be an assassin, they would show up sooner or later.¡± In fact, Bertus and Charlotte were the chosen assassins. ¡°Harriet absolutely couldn¡¯t be the assassin.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°¡­If she were one of the assassins, she would have liked the situation, but she didn¡¯t really seem happy at all.¡± Did she? In the end, I had been executed unanimously, but it¡¯d happened so quickly that I had no time to check how each of the students had reacted. No, if that was the case, she should have defended me. ¡­No, actually, she would have rather choked herself than say something like, ¡°You can¡¯t just kill Reinhardt because of his personality!¡± in front of all the other students. ¡°So I was hiding near Harriet¡¯s private room and found Charlotte. That¡¯s it.¡± The assassins were different people, but the development was similar to the original story. The first night¡¯s victims were supposed to be Harriet and Louis Ankton¡­ However, unlike the original, Ellen actually wanted to give up on the mission, so she¡¯d found one of the assassins by waiting near one of the likely victims and asking them to just kill her, not the person they originally intended to kill. She didn¡¯t immediately identify Charlotte as an assassin, Ellen had just thought about what she would do if she were one. Of course, she could have thought about it from a different angle and started of with the stupid kids (Ludwig) as well. ¡°The other assassin might be Bertus.¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * I¡¯d found out by asking the teachers, but as soon as Ellen had found out that Charlotte was one of the culprits, she seemed to have inferred that Bertus was also one. So she didn¡¯t even have to ask because she already knew the answer. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Just some reverse inference because I found out that Charlotte was one of the assassins. She was also the first one to bring up the idea of executing you at the meeting as well, and Bertus reacted the most to it.¡± Knowing who the culprits were would reveal the reasons for their previous actions. As an assassin, the first thing they would want to do is get rid of me. That was why Charlotte had said what she said, albeit in a more casual way, and Bertus had responded accordingly. In the original, Ellen had gotten assassinated while she was half-heartedly participating. She didn¡¯t actually want to win, but she¡¯d reached the truth right away after becoming serious about quickly dropping out of the mission. She¡¯d worked so hard just because she¡¯d wanted to drop out. What a weird girl. * * * Ellen and I had a sparring match again after quite a long time in the mansion near the old castle Epiax. It had an indoor training room. It wasn¡¯t as good as Temple¡¯s, but ultimately, as long as we had training swords and some space, we could train. Training as a combat major was the most cost-effective. No, I actually wondered if there was even any other major with such poor cost-efficiency as the magic major. It had been a long time since I had a sparring match. -Kaaang! Kagak! ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Are you okay? Are you still injured?¡± Ellen spoke anxiously as she helped me up when I landed on the floor. ¡°¡­Should we not do this?¡± She seemed to feel slightly depressed as she said that. She didn¡¯t want me to force myself if I hadn¡¯t been completely cured yet. The first thing I realized¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m still in pain, my body just feels kind of stiff.¡± The problem wasn¡¯t that I hadn¡¯t been completely cured and still felt pain, but because I¡¯d rested for a bit. my body felt kind of rusty as I held the training sword. It looked like the first thing I had to restore was my flexibility before anything else. ¡°And while I don¡¯t think I can judge¡­¡± The second thing I realized¡­ ¡°Something about you changed compared to before.¡± ¡°Something?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot.¡± I could feel that Ellen¡¯s skills had vastly improved while I had been resting. I could feel it just by looking at her. She wasn¡¯t playing around while I couldn¡¯t train. I could clearly feel that Ellen was further ahead of me than before. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of her knowing Magic Body Strengthening but her skills in themselves. Even if I lived twice as long as her, it was a gap that couldn¡¯t be closed. ¡ªIt had become even wider. I knew that she was a wall that I wouldn¡¯t be able to overcome for the rest of my life, but actually, nothing would really change if she improved even further. It kind of made me feel like crying for no real reason. ¡°Did I?¡± Ellen tilted her head as if she didn¡¯t know anything about that. Still, Ellen seemed to be quite happy when she heard that I wasn¡¯t that way because I was still in pain but because my body wasn¡¯t fully warmed up. I mean, it was kind of weird. Some might think that Ellen always looked neutral. The only way one could find out how she really felt was by observing her subtle reactions like I did. It wasn¡¯t like she didn¡¯t have any reactions to matters at all, but they were just very small. When she ate something delicious, she wouldn¡¯t act like Harriet going, ¡°Oooh! It¡¯s delicious!¡± but she would blink her eyes a few times and stare at what she ate just then. When she felt grumpy, she would pout her lips a little bit. When she was sad, she would keep her eyes slightly lowered, staring into empty space. Sometimes, when she was really angry, she would even shout. I had learned a lot about Ellen Artorius. ¡°Then let¡¯s start again.¡± ¡°Yes, come at me.¡± -Kaang! I felt like I¡¯d actually learned too much about her. * * * ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day.¡± ¡°Huff¡­Yeah¡­¡± After our midnight spar, I felt more exhausted and tired than usual. I hadn¡¯t even rested that long, but I felt that my body¡¯s tension had dropped a lot, which was why I couldn¡¯t hold on as long as I usually did. Ellen sat next to me in a chair placed on one side of the gym. I had become exhausted a lot faster than before while Ellen didn¡¯t even work up a drop of sweat. She didn¡¯t have as much stamina as Ludwig, but she still had a lot. I was tired, and it was late at night, so I felt like I was about to fall asleep. It wasn¡¯t winter yet, but we were far in the north, and there were also some hot springs there¡­ There was no reason not to use them. There was an open-air hot spring outside of the mansion, and inside of it, there was also an indoor hot spring. Of course, there were separate baths for men and women. It was still snowing outside, but I decided to enter the open-air bath. -Whoooosh¡­ While it was an open-air bath, it wasn¡¯t entirely in the open¡ªouter walls made of wood surrounded it. After the mafia game was over, there would be a common clich¨¦ed event taking place there. Well, it was just a small filler, so it didn¡¯t really affect the main story. Anyway, I was the first to use that facility since I was the first to be eliminated. There were wooden exterior walls, and beyond them on the right side was another open-air bath, also known as the women¡¯s bath. However, the wall was actually pretty low¡­ Just by putting some more strength into one¡¯s legs, one could reach the edge of it, grab it and jump over. I had no intentions of doing that, though. ¡°It¡¯s freezing cold.¡± I just wanted to enter the indoor hot spring, but I¡¯d wondered how long I would hold out in the snowy open-air hot spring, so I¡¯d gone there instead. When I thought of it, I didn¡¯t think I ever liked to slowly soak in hot baths or something before. ¡°Oooh.¡± I felt like my whole body was loosening up because I¡¯d entered after I had been beaten quite badly I felt like my face was going to freeze up, but honestly, it wasn¡¯t enough to actually make a fuss about it. I had gotten pretty much used to pain already. Absent-mindedly sitting in the hot spring, I looked at the snowy night sky. -Click Sounds of a door opening could be heard coming from behind the wall on my right. -Crunch, crunch I could also hear the sounds of bare feet stepping on snow. Since it was an outdoor bath, snow had piled up all around the hot spring. I believed that Ellen had entered the hot spring because she couldn¡¯t sleep. -Reinhardt, are you there? No. Why was she calling me in that situation? I was actually holding my breath! I don¡¯t even know why I went through that trouble though. ¡°Yeah.¡± -Aren¡¯t you cold? ¡°I am.¡± -If you are, why did you decide to bathe outside? There¡¯s an indoor bath as well, you know? ¡°Then why are you here?¡± -Just because. ¡°Same for me.¡± The low sound of Ellen dipping herself into the bath echoed over to my side. Damnit. I didn¡¯t want to think about those things, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything else. Whatever. I¡¯ll just go out in a bit. -Reinhardt¡­ Why did she keep talking to me? I felt weird talking to her with that wall between us while in the states we were in! She had to know that she had quite the knack for putting people in uncomfortable situations while pretending not to know anything, right? If she didn¡¯t, that would be just weird! ¡°What?¡± My brain was thrown into disarray, but my response came out rather naturally. -Do you like snow? ¡°Well¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t even remember the last time I¡¯d felt like I liked or disliked snow. I guess I neither liked or disliked it. That being said, I¡¯d just gone out to the open-air bath for no reason whatsoever. I sat there in a daze under the snowy night sky despite the chilling cold. ¡°I guess I like it.¡± I¡¯d gone out to the open-air bath despite the inconvenience. Maybe I really just wanted to see that snowy scenery. Therefore, I thought that I probably liked snow. That was how I felt. So what about Ellen? She had said that she didn¡¯t like rain¡ªit would remind her of the day her brother left her. -I like it, too. That was what Ellen said. Just as I had gone to the open-air bath disregarding the inconvenience the cold posed, Ellen seemed to have come there for the same reason. She liked it, too. That answer. It seriously¡­ Felt quite bittersweet. -Let¡¯s make a snowman tomorrow. Why a snowman all of a sudden? Those random things she said from time to time really made me feel weird. First, she¡¯d suddenly told me to train with her, then, she¡¯d suddenly asked me to make a snowman with her, forgetting about training. It was especially weird coming out of Ellen¡¯s mouth. I would have never imagined that she would ever ask me to do something like that with her. ¡°Sure.¡± However, as expected, the answer to her question naturally left my mouth. ____ Chapter 229 Chapter 229 The next morning¡­ There were only three people that had gotten teleported to the mansion, including Ellen and Louis. ¡°So, additionally, what we would need is Granite and Ellium¡­ No, but where the hell are we supposed to store these things we need tons of? Do we have such a space? And even if we did, how are we going to transport that stuff?¡± ¡°I discovered last time that there¡¯s a large warehouse for clubs within Temple. We could rent a part of them¡ªthat¡¯s what all the big clubs do. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t cost us anything since the rental application has already been completed, you can think of there already being enough storage space.¡± ¡°Really? Then what about the transportation of the materials?¡± ¡°The warehouse staff will take care of that.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ Temple sure is great.¡± ¡°Yeah, I honestly didn¡¯t know that they would even support us in this regard.¡± Louis Ankton and I were talking about matters concerning the Magic Research Society. Other than being smart, that guy was also quite meticulous in his own way, wasn¡¯t he? Since we had created a club and were running it, it seemed like we should find out in what ways Temple would support us and make use of it accordingly. ¡°What a smart bastard. Well done, mom.¡± ¡°¡­Erm, could you maybe not praise me in that way?¡± After Louis said so, as if seeming stunned, I twisted my lips slightly. ¡°I was born with that mouth, so what do you want me to do about it?¡± ¡°I think¡­ I¡¯m starting to understand what kind of guy you are now¡­¡± Louis seemed to take me as some kind of weird-tempered, dirty idiot, someone he didn¡¯t need to be afraid of. That was probably why that guy¡¯s true character, his sharp-tongued, rude character, surfaced quite often. Louis was helping me with the details of the club that I wouldn¡¯t have cared about if I was on my own. I was good at getting things done, but I sure wasn¡¯t good at fixing things up. He was actually more like a vice-president than a secretary. It was just a club with six members, but¡­ No, but our budget was more than five billion won, you know? That was pretty amazing, wasn¡¯t it? Ellen started staring at me the moment I started talking to Louis about those matters since breakfast. She didn¡¯t say anything. However, she emitted a type of silent pressure. Alright¡­ Alright, I got it already! I won¡¯t talk about this here! No, but it was Louis who started talking first¡­ Anyway¡­ If the mafia members weren¡¯t caught, the group mission would last until Friday evening. After that, we would rest in the mansion until Sunday and return to Temple. Ellen had asked me to train with her for the remaining time, but we got our coats and went out of the mansion that day. The mansion stood in a snowy forest. While it wasn¡¯t a blizzard, there was still snow falling from the sky, and although the snow had been roughly cleared away near the mansion, there was still a lot of snow piled up around the edges. Ellen squatted down and clumped some snow together into a snowball with her gloved hands. Then she rolled it around on the floor. ¡°You do it, too.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± I didn¡¯t think she would actually do it. No, I thought she definitely wouldn¡¯t do it. She actually did something she usually wouldn¡¯t. Ellen, wearing a thick coat, made a snowball and added more to it with her gloved hands. I didn¡¯t know what to think of that. She was so cute. Although she was supposed to be far from cute, she had been acting quite cute those days. The strongest character in this world: ¡°Let¡¯s make a snowman.¡± It was cute, so I thought it would be fine. Suddenly, both I and Ellen were rolling that snowball. If someone saw me like that, it would seriously damage Reinhardt¡¯s dignity. However, I thought that if I started to pay attention to such banal things, that would mean that things had already gone awry, so I just focused on making the snowball even more. There was quite a bit of snow around, so Ellen and I were able to create quite a large snowball in no time. ¡°Move.¡± Ellen picked up another big snowball and put it on the snowball I was rolling around. Every time I saw that slender girl muster up so much strength, I slightly flinched. It was about time that I got used to it. She said that we should make a snowman, like it would take long, but wasn¡¯t that the end of it? We finished it pretty quickly. However, this wasn¡¯t the end for Ellen. She began to pat the snowballs with her long fingers. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m making the snowman now.¡± ¡°What more are you going to add? You already made a snowman.¡± You¡¯d have a snowman after stacking two snowballs. However, Ellen just tilted her head as she looked at me. ¡°How is this a snowman?¡± Just what the hell is a snowman in this girl¡¯s eyes? I was staring blankly at Ellen, who¡¯d started sculpting the snowballs by patting them. ¡°Come and get more snow.¡± Ellen asked me to make more snowballs, not wanting me to just stand around either. * * * If what I thought a snowman would be was a cabin, then Ellen thought of a snowman as a palace. I knew that one of her highest stats was dexterity, but seeing her use it to make a snowman made me feel really weird. ¡°No, how could you make it look like a real person?¡± ¡°This is a snowman.¡± That wasn¡¯t just a snowman, it was more like a snowhuman, right? Snowhuman? Was there even such a thing? Anyway, Ellen shaved off snow from the two snowballs by wildly patting them, shaping them into a humanlike form. The snowballs I had formed were used for additions. Watching Ellen use her talents for something completely useless made a weird, hard-to-describe feeling bubble up inside of me. After she was done, Ellen moved a bit further away from the snowman and nodded her head as if she was satisfied with what she saw. A snowhuman¡­ ¡°Perhaps¡­ is that me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Because of the limitations of the material she¡¯d used, the snowman wasn¡¯t a perfect copy of me, but the face looked pretty similar to mine. I didn¡¯t even know if I should use the word ¡®wearing¡¯, but it seemed as if it was wearing the same Royal Class uniform I wore. It completely looked like me, standing with a slightly crooked posture, arms crossed, and a cocky expression on its face. She¡¯d even formed the shape of my hair and the winkles in the school uniform and pants. However, it was still snowing in the end. It would slowly accumulate on its head, gradually ruining its shape. Ellen seemed to be so excited about all of it that she even brought a large umbrella from somewhere and fixed it in a way that it would cover the snowman. In the end, contrary to what I first thought, we spent hours building this snowman outside. Ellen worked with her bare hands because she wouldn¡¯t have been able to make such an elaborate snowman with her gloves on. So her hands were completely red. Her face also seemed shriveled up from the cold. ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Girl, your nose is leaking.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Ellen wildly covered her nose at my words and then glared at me. ¡°It isn¡¯t.¡± She realized in just a moment that I¡¯d lied about her nose dripping, which made her glare at me even harder. ¡°Sure, it isn¡¯t leaking, and you aren¡¯t cold, whatever. Let¡¯s just go inside first.¡± I grabbed Ellen¡¯s hand; it felt almost as cold as ice. ¡°If you get frostbite like this, we¡¯ll have to chop your hands off.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ellen didn¡¯t refuse when I led her away. Was it because it was cold? It seemed like she was trembling a bit. * * * Back at the mansion, Ellen drank some warm tea. Her face was flushed red as she sipped it. She was still watching the snowy landscape and the snowman standing there with an umbrella covering it visible through the window. There were some people who came to look at the snowman Ellen had made, seeming curious. ¡°Do you usually make snowmen like that?¡± It seemed unbelievable that a girl like her would make a snowman, no, a snowhuman. It didn¡¯t seem like her first time, either. She just kept still and looked out of the window. ¡°Sometimes I did¡­ with my brother.¡± As expected, it was like that. She never just made them on her own, but had actually made them with her brother. I could imagine Ellen and her brother making a human out of snow on snowy days. Ellen when she was still very young¡­ I wondered what she looked like. I couldn¡¯t quite imagine that. I mean, if you asked me, she was still very young even then. So I just imagined Ellen but smaller. Ellen Artorius, a younger version with a rounder face. I thought that would have been incredibly cute. Were there maybe pictures of that? ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I last made one. ¡° She became sad whenever she thought of her brother. However, when she was with me, she would freely talk about him. She built a snowman with me that day, something she¡¯d done a long time ago with her brother. I¡¯d also never thought that I would end up making a snowman at my age, so it felt pretty fresh. Ellen said she liked snow. At the same time, she hated rain because her brother left her on a rainy day. She seemed to associate snow with positive memories of her brother. ¡°I wonder what the others are doing.¡± I suddenly wondered how the group mission was progressing. I was curious how the plan of those incredibly intelligent guys was going. Because those two weren¡¯t on good terms, it could be that their opinions might conflict. Rather, there might be a possibility that they would try to work against each other. ¡°How do you think the results of the mission will turn out?¡± I posed a question to Ellen, who was looking out of the window. ¡°I hope it won¡¯t end too quickly.¡± I asked her how it would end, but she gave me a completely irrelevant answer, and then she opened her eyes wide as if she had just realized what she had said. It was like she didn¡¯t expect to say those words even though she said them with her own mouth. Even if it ended early, we would still be able to stay there. We didn¡¯t necessarily have to immediately return to Temple. And yet Ellen said that she didn¡¯t want the mission to end early. Just what did she mean by that? * * * That day, during dinner. ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I was executed.¡± Harriet had been eliminated and summoned to the mansion. Ellen was staring straight at her. * * * Harriet felt uneasy. It wasn¡¯t because of the atmosphere surrounding the ancient castle Epiax, which was eerie, gloomy, and cold. Even though she was in the middle of a mission, she wasn¡¯t worried about getting a bad grade either. Nor was she afraid of getting assassinated. The day before, Ellen and Louis Ancton were assassinated. Reinhardt had been eliminated during the first trial due to a half-joking and half-ill-intentioned prank by their classmates. During the deserted island mission last time, she¡¯d found out that those that dropped out or got eliminated had been relaxing in a resort outside of the mission area. It would probably be the same that time as well. Only Reinhardt, Ellen, and Louis had been teleported to the outer areas as of then. That¡­ Made her feel anxious. She had no reason to feel anxious about that, and yet she did. She was nervous and uneasy because she somehow felt like she had been deprived of something. Adelia, who was with her, was incredibly worried about her and tried to comfort her. She also knew that Ellen and Reinhardt were really close with each other. It wasn¡¯t like it was anything new that they were alone together. There was no reason for her to worry about that. It had always been like that up until then. Didn¡¯t they even go on a long trip together not too long ago? But¡­ No more¡­ She didn¡¯t think that she could overlook it anymore. While it hadn¡¯t been just a day or two that they had been alone together before, however if one more day and then another gets added to that time, the relationship between them might become even closer than it already was. She was scared of that. Ellen was a good friend of hers. A very good friend. She didn¡¯t hate her, and she didn¡¯t want to hate her. She had no reason to, either. However, she hated seeing her together with Reinhardt. She didn¡¯t like it, but every time Harriet caught herself thinking like that, she felt miserable for feeling that way about a dear friend of hers. That feeling was so close to impulse that she couldn¡¯t control it. She didn¡¯t want to dislike her. However, just thinking about what those two might be doing made that ugly, unpleasant impulse dominate her emotions. It was so obvious that they cared about each other. She couldn¡¯t deny that fact, so she felt even more miserable and shabby trying to squeeze herself between them. She wanted to spend just a bit more time with Reinhardt to the point that she¡¯d forced him, who wasn¡¯t even a wizard, to be part of the Magic Research Society and even made him the president. It was just too¡­ Pathetic. Just how was she any different from a little kid throwing a tantrum? She¡¯d begged him to look at her and spend more time with her, and Reinhardt had listened. Ellen had granted Reinhardt endless amounts of help. It was no exaggeration to say that Ellen had created the Reinhardt they knew. All she could do was throw tantrums and receive help from Reinhardt, even though he had no reason to, while she couldn¡¯t do a single thing for him. She felt inferior. She wanted to be someone of use to her precious someone, but it just wasn¡¯t something she could achieve. She couldn¡¯t stop their relationship from deepening. So Harriet couldn¡¯t hide her anxiousness when Ellen and Reinhardt had both been teleported to the outer mission area. They had already accumulated a lot of alone time with each other, so she was absolutely aware that she couldn¡¯t stop it from happening. She also knew that she had no right to stop them. It was just a vague insecurity that gave Harriet some trouble. She didn¡¯t want to lose Ellen, but there were times when she thought that it would be for the better if she did. If she hadn¡¯t been friends with her. .. Then she could have nurtured her love for Reinhardt with a lighter heart. Just liking him wouldn¡¯t have made her feel so incredibly guilty. Harriet held the greatest contempt for herself for thinking that way. Those days, she felt even more just what an ugly person she was. Just as Ellen was in pain¡­ She was in pain as well. So she couldn¡¯t concentrate on anything at the moment. It was time for the next meeting. She couldn¡¯t even concentrate on discussing who the assassin could be. That, everything. just didn¡¯t really matter. I want to drop out. I want to quickly leave as well. I want to be sent outside. ¡ªThat was what Harriet wanted. ¡°Harriet, why are you so nervous?¡± Bertus looked at Harriet, who was unable to mask her anxiety, with a soft smile. It was just a soft smile, nothing more, but anyone who saw it would immediately know the true meaning behind Bertus¡¯s expression. ¡°Right. You really do look anxious.¡± For example, Charlotte de Gardias, who responded to his statement with a similar expression. The look in those two¡¯s eyes. It was soft, and yet seemed to carry some hidden subtlety. ¡°My, aren¡¯t you acting just like someone who has something to hide?¡± Those were the eyes of a predator having found its prey. ¡°A-ah¡­ Th-that¡¯s. I-It¡¯s-! Wh-what would I even have to hide!¡± Harriet de Saint-Owan tried to act for the first time in her life. She tried to act flustered. It was her chance. ____ Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Charlotte de Gardias felt strange. ¡°W-well, I mean. I guess I went to sleep, but erm¡­ I don¡¯t really remember.¡± Was she stupid? Someone who was able to study magic being that stupid made no sense. Harriet was by no means an idiot. However, they could clearly see that she was anxious, so they wondered why she acted so stupid, however, although she responded a little bit when Bertus decided to push her a bit, all that came out was basically gibberish. The previous night, Louis Ankton and Ellen Artorius had been assassinated. When asked where she¡¯d been and what she¡¯d been doing at that time, she¡¯d only answered that she was sleeping in her private room, but she wasn¡¯t even that sure about that and that she didn¡¯t really remember. That might¡¯ve been the case because she was really nervous and confused. She even used suspicious words to hide behind. ¡°Can anyone testify to your alibi last night?¡± ¡°W-well¡­ I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± ¡°Harriet, you had tea with me until late at night.¡± ¡°D-d-did I?!¡± A girl who wasn¡¯t an idiot was acting like one. Just what was wrong with her? She was too young to already be suffering from dementia. Charlotte already felt quite troubled. She had a good start because she had easily gotten rid of Reinhardt, who was the biggest obstacle to the mission and the most annoying to deal with, using the preconceptions everyone had of him. However, in the end, she still felt uncomfortable with sharing her victory with Bertus if she wanted to be the mission¡¯s victor. Once she had been given the task to win, she had to win no matter what. ¡ªThat was the way Charlotte had lived¡ªthe same way Bertus had. So she was able to make some infinitely cold-headed judgments in that situation. Reinhardt was the biggest stumbling stone, so she had to remove him from the start to succeed. That night, she had decided to deal with Harriet de Saint-Owan and Louis Ankton, thinking that she should deal with the smart students next. Harriet wasn¡¯t only smart, but also a member of the new club called the Magic Research Society, and she was also well-liked. It was safe to say that she was the one who had the most influence on her classmates after Reinhardt. Bertus had made the proposal and Charlotte had been in charge of the implementation. But then¡­ ¡®Kill me.¡¯ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± She¡¯d thought that she was moving around secretly while no one was looking, but then she was actually caught by someone from behind before she even knew it. Ellen Artorius. ¡®You¡¯re one of the assassins. Just kill me.¡¯ ¡®I-I don¡¯t know what you mean? I was just looking for someone to spend the night with. It¡¯s kind of uncomfortable being alone here.¡¯ ¡®Just kill me, I know you¡¯re here to kill Harriet.¡¯ As if trying to tell her not to use some lame excuses that wouldn¡¯t work, Ellen read her behavior and asked her to kill her. She had been completely read. And she didn¡¯t even know what her opponent was after, but it seemed like she just wanted to get eliminated from the mission. Just with that, Charlotte already felt a certain sense of defeat and discomfort. ¡®¡­Sure, I¡¯ll assassinate you.¡¯ -Pa! The recall artifact was triggered immediately, and Ellen disappeared from where she stood. Charlotte felt incredibly annoyed that she had been read and that she couldn¡¯t understand Ellen¡¯s intentions. She seemed to not be interested in anything. It felt unpleasant. It looked like someone who did their best in something they didn¡¯t even really care about. It wasn¡¯t funny. She felt like she had already lost before she¡¯d even really started, but she couldn¡¯t give up. Because of that, the target she was to get rid of because they were smart had survived, which would cause suspicion. They should have just decided to go for Ellen, not her. It was a misjudgment. Of course, it was Bertus¡¯s suggestion, though. In the end, the next target they¡¯d wanted to get rid of after Reinhardt, had practically begged to get eliminated. However, Charlotte already felt rather unhappy because she couldn¡¯t predict Ellen¡¯s actions. ¡°W-well¡­ It seems like I do have an alibi after all¡­ No, I mean¡­ Th-that couldn¡¯t be! No way!¡± Watching Harriet de Saint-Owan crawl into the trap on her own left Charlotte dispirited. That girl, who absolutely wasn¡¯t that foolish, acted like a complete fool. There had to be a reason for that stupidity, then. At that rate, she would get executed. If the result of her stupid actions was her execution, then her purpose had to be said execution. She wanted to get executed¡­ She slowly started to figure out what was going on. Ellen and Harriet¡­ Neither of them seemed to have much interest in the mission. ¡®Just how much do those two like Reinhardt?¡¯ She was getting annoyed. They¡¯d gotten rid of him because they were scared of Reinhardt¡¯s incredible influence. That was the right answer. Just by getting rid of that guy alone, two of their most threatening targets were basically giving up on the mission all on their own. One got herself eliminated after sniffing out one of the assassins, and the other one was trying to get herself executed by acting like an idiot even though she wasn¡¯t one. She¡¯d decided on that move because she¡¯d thought it was the correct answer, and it led her to reap even more rewards than she¡¯d expected. It was something so unexpected that it annoyed Charlotte in the end. Reinhardt held more influence than she¡¯d thought. ¡®Just what¡¯s so good about him?¡¯ In any case, there was no reason to stop that girl from getting herself executed. However, she just felt incredibly uncomfortable seeing her opponents not giving it their all. Charlotte had already lost all interest in the group mission. ¡°Let¡¯s vote. I think it¡¯s pretty clear.¡± Charlotte suggested just executing her opponent, who so desperately wanted to die, with a smile on her face. ¡®I guess¡­ He is worth liking.¡¯ When she thought of Reinhardt, she didn¡¯t notice that her smile seemed a little different from usual. * * * When I heard her explanation as to how she was executed, I was shocked. ¡°Hey, dumbass, so you got suspected, started spouting nonsense, and then got executed? This idi¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me an idiot! A-and dumbass?! You¡¯re the dumbass! Hah¡­ Hah! Hah!¡± Harriet¡¯s face blanched and turned red, looking as if she wanted to deny reality. ¡°Why should I listen to you calling me a dumbass after calling me an idiot?¡± was what she seemed like she wanted to say. ¡°Isn¡¯t this time more fitting than any other to call you idiot, though? You idiot.¡± ¡°Irrk! You! You really! No! Don¡¯t call me an idiot! I¡¯m not an idiot!¡± Following my new approach of calling her dumbass, I made Harriet¡¯s face red hot by using the classic ¡°idiot¡±. She looked really pitiful. But that girl got executed after mumbling some gibberish. I thought she was smart but was she actually unable to use her brain that well in practice? She seemed to be telling the truth, judging by how she looked. She seemed to have gotten uselessly caught up in the culprits¡¯ scheme I hadn¡¯t actually seen what had happened, so I couldn¡¯t be too sure just by listening to her recounts. Anyway, Harriet hadn¡¯t been assassinated, but in the end, she had gotten eliminated on the following day. And after some time, the next eliminated student arrived. ¡ªIt was Kono Lint. In the original, Class A would nominate someone who might be Class B¡¯s assassin, and Class B would nominate someone who could potentially be Class A¡¯s assassin. Of course, that wasn¡¯t necessarily the case. However, it was still a group mission in the end, so there was nothing good about reducing the number of people in one¡¯s own class. It felt like attacking one¡¯s own class, after all. However, in that day¡¯s trial, two Class A students had been executed. Four of Class A¡¯s students had already been eliminated by day two. ¡°What¡¯s your deal?¡± Just as Harriet had been unfairly executed, it seemed like Kono Lint was in a similar situation. ¡°No! I was executed for nothing else but my ability! How does this make any sense?!¡± He was about to cry out about how wronged he felt. Kono Lint¡¯s ability¡ªTeleportation. Even if he had a bulletproof alibi, one couldn¡¯t be all that sure what he did or didn¡¯t do because of the variable called his supernatural power. Did they use that approach? ¡°¡­Right, you surely couldn¡¯t say anything if they put you under suspicion like that.¡± Kono Lint¡¯s face turned pale at my words. ¡°No matter how much I can move my underwear together with me now¡­ If I did that, I¡¯d be declared completely crazy after this mission. Even if I were one of the assassins, do you really think I would use my ability?!¡± Well¡­ If Kono Lint was one of the assassins and used his supernatural ability¡­ * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * He would just randomly appear in one of his classmates¡¯ private rooms wearing nothing but his underwear and then just disappear after declaring his assassination. That was very¡­ How should I say? The perfect picture of a criminal. Kono Lint seemed to feel really wronged, wondering how one could think that he would ever do something like that. Yeah, he wouldn¡¯t. But what could I say? He had that kind of reputation. To be honest, it was somewhat bad. ¡ªIn a different sense from me, though. He felt like shit. ¡°Actually, he had an alibi, but we were theorizing about how he would be able to assassinate someone if he were the assassin, and while we were talking about that¡­¡± Harriet had been executed after spouting some gibberish. Following that, they¡¯d just assumed one of them was an assassin, one after the other, and theorized how they would be able to assassinate the others¡ªthat was the kind of discussion they had. They just went through the students. Then they got stuck on Kono Lint. What if he was an assassin? He could teleport into their rooms wearing just his underwear¡­ After imagining that picture in their heads, all of them unanimously decided to execute Kono Lint. He might not have been the assassin, but if they were right, that would be incredibly terrifying. The guy must have been really upset. ¡°It¡¯s just not fair!¡± ¡°Yeah, well, what should I say? The ability to do it is as good as half the crime.¡± Kono Lint left, looking for his private room after saying that he didn¡¯t have enough energy to eat anything right then, as if he felt seriously dispirited that his ability itself had become subject to contempt. Harriet looked around the mansion seeming as if she felt better, although she had also been executed quite unfairly. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s that? It¡¯s so well made.¡° Then, when she saw the snow human covered by an umbrella outside the window, her eyes widened. After looking at it quite closely for some time, Harriet alternately looked between me and the snow human. ¡°That¡¯s you, right? Who made it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ellen seemed a little reluctant to tell her, while Harriet looked a little uncomfortable, fiddling with her hair when she looked at her. ¡°Oh, us two, we made it¡­ Yeah.¡± Harriet narrowed her brows and looked at me. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine you making a snowman¡­ and something like that at that.¡± ¡°I only rolled some snow for a bit, she was the one who made everything else.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so¡­?¡± Actually, I didn¡¯t really do much in the process of making that snowman. Harriet seemed unable to imagine me rolling up some snowballs with a straight face. ¡°I-I want to make a snowman as well.¡± What the hell kind of trend was that? Harriet whined that she wanted to build a snowman in the evening as well. * * * She wanted to make a snowman, but she didn¡¯t want to do it alone, so I eventually entered the second round of snowman building; Ellen also joined in. Harriet wasn¡¯t that dexterous with her hands¡­ However, she owned the cheat code called magic. -Roll, roll, roll¡­ ¡°One makes snow humans instead of snowmen, and the other makes snow giants instead of snowmen.¡± Harriet¡¯s snowball grew bigger and bigger, exceeding her own height, using telekinetic magic. The snowball grew so much that it was impossible to push it with one¡¯s own strength, so she started using magic. Even though the snowball had grown so large that it sometimes started to break apart, it always just rebuilt itself again. Wizard. I wanted to be a wizard as well! ¡°Hey, look at that! Have you ever seen a snowball that big before?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Harriet, whose face had turned red, exclaimed. The cold didn¡¯t seem to bother her. Just how great was that? Unlike Ellen, her expression clearly revealed whether she was happy or not. She seemed happy, which put me in a good mood as well. ¡°Come on, push it. Hurry.¡± Harriet grabbed my arm and dragged me along, asking me to push her giant snowball. ¡°Hup!¡± It didn¡¯t even budge. I couldn¡¯t roll that snowball consisting of compressed snow that exceeded Harriet¡¯s and even my height. ¡°What? You can¡¯t even push that much?¡± Harriet covered her mouth as she snickered. No, was she trying to test me or something? ¡°Want me to show you?¡± ¡°Huh? Show me what?¡± ¡°Ah, just sit back and watch.¡± That punk¡­ I didn¡¯t want to use it just to roll some snowball. Strengthening my muscles¡­ to the max. ¡°Huup!¡± I pushed the snowball with my arm, waist, and leg muscles tightening up. -Crunch! ¡°¡­Huh?¡± However, instead of rolling, the giant snowball began to collapse as my hands became stuck in it. ¡°Wh-what is¡­¡± ¡°Aaarg!¡± -Rumble! As the snowball collapsed, both Harriet and I were buried by the falling snow. The two of us, who had been completely covered, found ourselves in a rather unusual situation. ¡°Hey! How hard did you push it for it to collapse?!¡± However, Harriet seemed more upset about her snowball having been broken rather than our situation of being buried by said snowball. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know something like this would happen.¡± ¡°Whatever! Go away! I¡¯ll just make one again!¡± Harriet began to rebuild it again, huffing and wheezing as she tried to piece the snowball together again like putting together some puzzle pieces. -Roll, roll, roll¡­ And Ellen was rolling a snowball that had already passed her own height with ease as if she was rolling a balloon. No, Harriet actually needed to use magic to move it, but that girl was only using her physical strength to do it. And before I knew it, Harriet¡¯s new snowball had grown even bigger than before after she rolled it around a bit. No matter how strong she was, how was that possible? No¡­ ¡°Why the hell are you using Magic Body Strengthening to roll snowballs?¡± Looking closely, I could see blue energy enveloping Ellen¡¯s body. At my astonishment, Ellen looked at me with a sullen expression. ¡°If I don¡¯t use it, I won¡¯t be able to roll it.¡± Magic was a noble discipline¡­ And there she was using that superhuman power to roll some snow. That meant that she was already able to use Magic Body Strengthening at the level where she could use it for daily activities. That was some unbelievable talent. Anyway, Ellen seemed to have agreed to Harriet¡¯s plan of creating a super-sized snow giant after she had made a snow human. * * * To build the snowman, no, snow giant¡­ There were three steps in total: First was Ellen¡¯s snowball, which was the biggest, next was the one Harriet made, which was second in size, and then there was the one I made using my supernatural ability that, while still really big, was the smallest of the three. In order to maintain its balance, we did various things such as treating the base with magic, and like that, we managed to create a snow giant of about five meters. Usually, one expressed the arms of a snowman with wooden sticks, which weren¡¯t enough on that scale, but we found some dead trees around and just slammed them into both sides of the snow giant. ¡°It turned into a snow monster, not just a snow giant.¡± It became a bizarre, twisted, two-armed snow monster. It wasn¡¯t cute at all, but it was kinda creepy. ¡°It¡¯s just a bit stylized.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you should call that.¡± ¡°Anyways¡­!¡± Harriet was smiling as if she was satisfied with the result. There were also some people watching from afar, seeming curious; they even brought some warm drinks for us, saying that we must¡¯ve felt cold, so the three of us were just standing there, blankly admiring the completed snow giant. The me who was made of snow by Ellen stood next to the snow giant. ¡°Why the hell did you make something like that?¡± That wasn¡¯t training, nor was it magic research. I couldn¡¯t believe we¡¯d spent the whole day like that even though we were simply waiting for the group mission to end. ¡°It¡¯s fun, so isn¡¯t it fine?¡± Harriet spoke with a bashful smile on her lips. ¡°Well, I guess so?¡± Well, that was all the reason one would need, I guess. ¡°Actually, this was my first time making a snowman.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Harriet¡¯s eyes twinkled at the sight of the huge snow giant, her face flushed red. ¡°While it does snow in the duchy, I¡¯m not allowed to go outside because it isn¡¯t dignified. I also had no one to make one with.¡± Harriet was the young lady of a grand duchy, but in the end, she was like a princess of a country, so it seemed like that was the first time in her life that she¡¯d done something like that. ¡°I¡¯m glad I came to Temple.¡± Harriet smiled brightly, no shadow visible on her face, as she spoke happily. She was cherished by her family, but in the end, her estate seemed more like a prison to Harriet. Looking at Harriet as she expressed her true feelings without kicking up any fuss was somewhat painful. ____ Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Nothing during the group mission went as planned. I was knocked out during the first meeting, then Ellen dropped out voluntarily, and Harriet had gotten executed the next day. And the most unexpected matter¡­ ¡°Did you do this to confuse the others?¡± On the second night, Charlotte assassinated herself. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the excuse I gave to the teachers, but honestly, it just wasn¡¯t fun anymore.¡± Charlotte just threw the group mission. No, but what about her grades in Temple? * * * While the nightly assassinations were underway, Ellen and I had dinner and then trained. Harriet watched us, saying that she was bored. That was when I found Charlotte drinking some tea in the living room of the mansion. In the original, it was Bertus who¡¯d assassinated himself. However, since Charlotte was his assassin partner, not Dettomolian, it was she who assassinated herself. ¡ªAnd her reason was that it just wasn¡¯t fun. Harriet found out from the teachers that Charlotte and Bertus were chosen to be the assassins, so she seemed unable to understand why Charlotte would be able to assassinate herself. ¡°No, but should you do something like that?¡± She did say that her performance in Temple was important, although it shouldn¡¯t have a decisive impact on the Imperial Succession. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really affect the overall result whether I win or lose, right?¡± A mafia member would assassinate themselves to create confusion. Charlotte and Bertus were the ones who led the mood of the meetings up until then, so the others would grow increasingly suspicious since they were working together. However, if Charlotte were to be assassinated in that situation, it would become clear that she wasn¡¯t an assassin, and there was also a possibility that Bertus could avoid their suspicions as well. Even if she lost, she could still end up winning since the two of them were part of the same team. So, she was saying that she ended up giving Bertus some serious trouble, huh? She didn¡¯t want to continue the group mission anymore because she¡¯d lost interest, but she also found an opportunity to seriously mess with Bertus as well. So Charlotte had simply given up. Harriet seemed to be rather nervous, and Ellen looked a little glum. Charlotte looked at them with a soft smile on her lips. She really did take a lot of care of her image. That was the expression she would wear just before opening her eyes. She uttered a suggestion in a soft voice. ¡°I heard they have a hot spring here, right? I want to take a bath with you.¡± ¡°Wh-what? With me?!¡± ¡°What?! Not with you!¡± Seeing me startled by her absurd suggestion, Charlotte shouted, her face distorted. * * * Everyone agreed to Charlotte¡¯s suggestion because they wanted to wash up and take a rest anyway. Reinhardt seemed to want to wash up in the indoor hot spring, while Charlotte, Harriet, and Ellen headed to the open-air bath. ¡°Urg. It¡¯s cold.¡± All of them dipped one foot into the hot spring with long towels wrapped around their bodies. Harriet seemed to find the open-air bath somewhat strange and trembled slightly, but her eyes looked bright when she entered the bath with her bare feet. They all entered it with but a little distance between them. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ellen didn¡¯t really think much about their situation, while Harriet looked to be somewhat restless, and Charlotte just observed the two of them. All three of them were completely silent. She always tried to win faced with any form of challenge, but Charlotte had given up of her own volition for the first time in her life. She got annoyed and lost interest. If she gave up like that, then Bertus would have to clean up after her; that was also why she did it, to mess with him. That was a lot more fun. The two reasons why she had gotten so irritated and lost interest¡­ Charlotte was looking at both of them. ¡ªEllen Artorius. She had concluded that she was the younger sister of the hero Ragan Artorius. She had already set an example by already placing her foot on the path to becoming a superhuman all on her own. Although, of course, Reinhardt followed right after her, the level of perfection was incomparable to Ellen¡¯s. Harriet de Saint-Owan¡­ The young lady of the Saint-Owan Grand Duchy, a historical territory focused on magic. She was the greatest talent born to that great family. She was gifted with an unprecedented talent for all fields of magic. Her Talent was even called Magic, which required a huge amount of capital to grow. She would just continue to grow with the tremendous support her family provided her. Without exaggeration, those two would become the continent¡¯s highest authorities in their respective fields in the future. The apex of martial arts¡­ The apex of magic¡­ ¡®But these two can¡¯t live without Reinhardt.¡¯¡¯ It was quite funny. Reinhardt¡¯s individual background was truly insignificant. However, in less than a year, Reinhardt had pulled those two talented individuals who could be called the future of the Empire to his side. He probably hadn¡¯t intended to do that, but that was how it turned out anyway. He just seemed to go through his life as he wished, but even though he acted like that, everything would turn out well. Reinhardt¡­ It was no exaggeration to think that the future of the continent was in Reinhardt¡¯s hands, was it? Reinhardt claimed to be her friend, and Charlotte thought similarly. He was indeed her friend. However, she wasn¡¯t as hung up on him as those two were. The feelings she felt towards him weren¡¯t enough for her to give up a group mission in the middle of it just because he wasn¡¯t there. No. In the end, she gave up on the mission because she lost all interest in it after Reinhardt¡¯s elimination, so it might be true to say that she dropped out because of him as well, right? I¡­ What about me? Am I not one of Reinhardt¡¯s people as well? That¡¯s ridiculous. It might be more appropriate to consider whether Reinhardt was one of her people or not. Their backgrounds couldn¡¯t even compare to each other. However, in that sense, it was also unreasonable to see Harriet de Saint-Owan as one of Reinhardt¡¯s people. The young lady of the Saint-Owan Duchy and Reinhardt, who was part of a beggar organization, couldn¡¯t be compared with each other either. ¡ªThe same went for Ellen Artorius. Although she may not have been aware of it, Ragan Artorius¡¯s status had already surpassed even the Emperor¡¯s among the Imperial Subjects. Those ¡®heroes¡¯ who survived after their service naturally would lose their reputation the longer they lived, but Ragan Artorius had traded his life for that incomparably great achievement In the future, Ragan Artorius might even be mentioned in the same breath as the gods, bordering on blasphemy. Ellen, the younger sister of Ragan Artorius, could never be second to Harriet. Both of them had much too strong of backgrounds to associate with the likes of Reinhardt. But no matter how she looked at it, the two of them seemed to be Reinhardt¡¯s people. On the other hand, Reinhardt didn¡¯t look like he was their follower at all. Charlotte was very intuitive about who she considered to be hers and who she didn¡¯t. ¡ªHer followers should be people from whom she could profit. There had to be something she wanted from them, and they also had to be able to provide those things. Loyalty or the completion of a task, something like that. Nor should they expect any reward for it, they had to blindly follow her. As such, those two were absolutely Reinhardt¡¯s followers. Those girls would give Reinhardt whatever he wanted from them. They also helped Reinhardt, not wanting anything in return. However, the longer Charlotte continued that line of thought, her expression stiffened as if she¡¯d lost confidence in her own stance. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Me too. I¡¯m the same. If Reinhardt were in trouble, she would help him, and if he needed advice, she would always give him the best advice she could. Whenever he needed help from the Imperial Family, she would make it happen¡­ And she wouldn¡¯t want to have anything in return from Reinhardt. Their relationship that started through the letters persisted even without them. The only thing she wanted from him was gone, however, as that link had been broken to pieces, Charlotte and Reinhardt had decided to redefine themselves as friends. Harriet de Saint-Owan and Ellen Artorius helped Reinhardt even when he didn¡¯t want them to, ¡ªThat was why they were Reinhardt¡¯s people. She would also help him even if he didn¡¯t ask her to. In the name of being his friend, she would go to great lengths to do things for Reinhardt and ask for nothing. So, in the end, she was also one of Reinhardt¡¯s people¡ªthat was what Charlotte de Gardias suddenly realized. Reinhardt wasn¡¯t one of her people¡­ She had become one of his people. ¡°Hah¡­¡± Dumbfounded, Charlotte let out a quiet laugh as she bathed in the snowy open-air bath. When she shook her head, she noticed that there was quite a lot of snow on it. She blankly watched the snowflakes melting down as they fell into the hot water. She hadn¡¯t realized¡­ Only when she came to her senses did she feel how much of it had piled up. * * * One should desire to have what one wants. At that moment, she felt strange being the one being possessed and not the one possessing. And maybe¡­ Those two didn¡¯t even realize that they were competitors. Harriet, who seemed to look at her with uneasy eyes¡­ And Ellen, who was just dazedly enjoying the hot spring¡­ ¡°Are the two of you close?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°We¡¯re close. Very.¡± Ellen nodded and answered on Harriet¡¯s behalf, who seemed slightly surprised. Her surprised expression turned into a blank one as if she was shocked by that innocent acknowledgment. Charlotte knew that their relationship was akin to a sandcastle that could be destroyed with just a single word. She felt that their relationship was a very deformed one, both of them pretending not to notice its impending destruction. She could easily break it. ¡®You like Reinhardt, don¡¯t you?¡¯ With just that one sentence, she could force them to admit that they knew each other¡¯s feelings and just pretended not to know, making both of them uncomfortable. It would be ridiculous to still deny it in that situation. It was unknown how their relationship would develop afterwards, but it was sure to be filled with sadness and ugliness. However, Charlotte had no intention of throwing that stone into the calm lake. ¡®Competitor, huh?¡¯ She was an Imperial Princess. No matter how much she recognized someone as a friend, nothing more than that was possible to develop. Of course, no one knew what might happen in the future. Charlotte also acknowledged the possibility. However, not at that moment. Never. However, that stone¡­ Just a slight graze would cause so much sadness and danger. Didn¡¯t Harriet actually look like she was about to cry when Ellen admitted that they were close? Wasn¡¯t she sitting there pouring water all over her face for no reason, her expression showing guilt and frustration? She seemed as if she was trying to wash her face, although there was nothing on it. Was she trying to wash away the tears that seemed to pour out because of all the guilt she felt? Both of them were precious to each other, but they were also rivals. ¡ªSo their relationship consisted of nothing but the guilt they felt towards each other. What was the point of destroying a relationship that was bound to fall apart if left alone? She had no reason for doing such a thing. Charlotte had no intention to be the cause of their sadness. She knew how to drive a wedge between them and egg them on, but she didn¡¯t want to make them even sadder for no reason whatsoever. It would only take one sentence to destroy them. She couldn¡¯t think of a way to prevent it from happening. There didn¡¯t seem to be any scenario in which both of them could be satisfied. Charlotte could only think of negative outcomes but still didn¡¯t want to deliberately cause such unhappy endings. To be frank, she didn¡¯t want either of them to be hurt. After all, they were important people to Reinhardt. But no matter how hard she thought about it, Charlotte simply couldn¡¯t come up with a solution. * * * The mission ended on the fourth day. Bertus was executed. It seemed like there was a limit to what he could do alone. It was like his head was about to explode as if he¡¯d gotten hit on the back after Charlotte had carried out her self-assassination without discussing anything with him. Rather than feeling a sense of crisis because Charlotte suddenly dropped out, it was like he almost had a mental breakdown because he was able to read Charlotte¡¯s true intentions. As the assassin team, they won and lost together. Even if one of them lost, they could still win. On the other hand, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get a good overall grade for their class that time around. So what Charlotte did was like saying, ¡°Oh my, why don¡¯t you work hard on your own?¡± throwing everything onto him. The explanation Charlotte gave the teachers was plausible enough, so she didn¡¯t get a failing grade. After they had gone through two meetings already in which they completely dominated the flow of the discussion and the atmosphere, both Bertus and her had to have been under suspicion, so one might conclude that the two of them actually worked together. If she were to be eliminated that time around, she could avoid all suspicion falling on her and perhaps Bertus, leading to great confusion. Anyway, that was why she didn¡¯t fail and left Bertus to clean up the mess she¡¯d left behind, which ended in him being executed. The one who solved the mystery was¡ªsurprisingly¡ªLudwig. He didn¡¯t investigate the crime scenes or find any conclusive evidence or anything like that. He observed Bertus, who was already more than annoyed, as he used all of his energy to dominate the atmosphere of the meeting and just remarked something. ¡®Bertus, you talk a lot. I heard that the ones who talk a lot are actually the culprits.¡¯ ¡®¡­What?¡¯ It was such a childish line of reasoning, no, it couldn¡¯t even be called a line of reasoning. ¡®N-no, wait a minute, Ludwig? What are you talking about? Later! I¡¯ll apologize later, so.¡± ¡®Huh? No, if you put it like this¡­!¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s just execute Bertus.¡¯ ¡®Ludwig. Calm down. You guys won¡¯t be able to get through this without me!¡¯ Class A had lost a lot of students, so their situation was quite bad, meaning Class B was ahead in numbers. So they just pressed for Bertus¡¯s execution. That was how the mission ended. Just where did my elaborately set-up mystery game go? It actually ended like a common game of mafia. It could even be called sloppy because they just randomly executed people. As the mission was over, all the students, including those who were eliminated, were to gather in one place. ¡°Woow, I was actually right about Bertus. I just took a blind guess.¡± Ludwig, who had a knack for annoying people, laughed out loud. Bertus¡¯s expression grew cold at that. Ah. He opened his eyes again. That look¡­ It wasn¡¯t directed at Ludwig. ¡ªHe was staring directly at Charlotte, who was smiling. ¡°Sister¡­ Did you really have to make me clean up your shit? Couldn¡¯t you at least have told me before you decided to screw me over like that¡­?¡± Bertus, who had completely taken off his mask, grabbed Charlotte¡¯s shoulders and fiercely stared at her. ¡°How could someone of the Imperial Family use such crass language? Do you have no dignity? You¡¯re not Reinhardt. It hurts! Could you let go of me?¡± Charlotte smiled and intentionally bent over a little to make herself heavier. Those two only showed their bare faces when they were dealing with each other. They knew that pretending to be on good terms with each other meant nothing, and everyone else saw those kinds of situations as a kind of daily routine. No, but Charlotte¡­ Why did she have to say ¡°You¡¯re not Reinhardt¡± in that situation? ¡°Wait, was Charlotte the other assassin?¡± ¡°Then why did you end up killed?¡± Those who had just finished the mission and come to the mansion couldn¡¯t help but feel astonished because they could have never imagined that Charlotte was the other assassin. ¡°If they don¡¯t fail you, I¡¯ll seriously protest against the evaluation of this group mission, got that?¡± ¡°Why? I had my own reasons for doing this, you know? If you start complaining, I will as well.¡± ¡°On what basis?!¡± I think that was the first time I had ever seen Bertus that agitated. He looked like he really wanted to grind Charlotte to fine dust, and Charlotte just grind as if telling him to try her. Sometimes Bertus would land a hit on Charlotte, and something Charlotte would land one on Bertus. However, because they weren¡¯t able to cross a certain line, they felt both frustrated and about to explode on the inside. It was Bertus¡¯s loss. ____ Chapter 232 Chapter 232 The group mission ended a day earlier than scheduled. Of course, they had also expected that kind of situation, but neither Mr. Mustang nor Mr. Epinhauser looked very happy It might¡¯ve been because the mission¡¯s progression was very sloppy. Ellen had given up voluntarily. Harriet, who was actually smart, was executed after spouting gibberish, and just when one thought the other students were properly trying to deal with the assassins¡¯ tricks, Charlotte had suddenly committed suicide, abandoning the mission, and in the end, Bertus, who was a step short of losing his mind, was a little bit too overburdened and was executed as a consequence of Ludwig¡¯s senseless reasoning at the meeting. They looked as if they didn¡¯t really want to evaluate this mission at all. But in the end, they had to. They had to decide which of us was disappointing and who was a bit less disappointing. ¡°This group mission is Class B¡¯s victory.¡± The Class A guys were relatively more disappointing, and well, even though Class B¡¯s Ludwig just said stuff like, ¡°You¡¯re talking a lot, so you must be the culprit!¡± he still ended up catching the assassin. As a result, Class B won. The group mission would be officially over once we returned to Temple on Sunday after resting Friday and Saturday in that mansion. We could also return to Temple in advance, but I decided to stay there because Ellen asked me to. -Wow, what¡¯s with that snowman? -Why is it so big? -There¡¯s something like a statue next to it. Those that had just gotten there were all amazed by the snowmen that Ellen, Harriet and I made¡ªone for its sophistication, and the other for its size. All of them seemed to wonder who¡¯d made them and were surprised to find out that we had made them. Even though they were like that, they couldn¡¯t imagine me rolling snowballs like a child, so they started laughing. ¡°¡­What¡¯s with these bastards?¡± No, why can¡¯t I make a snowman?! I got pissed off for no reason. * * * The mansion was quite spacious, and each of the 22 students had a private room. Anyway, although the results of the group mission were kind of disappointing, the evaluation had ended. It was Class B¡¯s victory. Of course, Bertus and Charlotte, who were nominated as assassins, also received individual scores. Unsurprisingly, the only ones who performed well in the face of those pathetic results was the assassin team. They¡¯d played the most important role during the meetings in placing suspicion from themselves onto others. So, in the end, Bertus and Charlotte scored pretty well. Of course, I failed without being able to do anything, but I didn¡¯t really care all that much about it. There were some among the students who wanted to enter the mansion quickly because they heard that it had a hot spring, and some just wanted to play around, making snowmen for example, perhaps because we had made some. What was that sudden rise in the popularity of making snowmen? Friday morning¡­ ¡°The mission was over before we could even do anything¡± Everyone nodded at Liana¡¯s words. The mission, which was filled with tension originally, ended in a completely anticlimactic manner. After having some breakfast, I, as well as the four A-class girls, sat together and drank some tea. ¡°By the way, why does it snow so much even though it¡¯s not winter yet?¡± Liana trembled. Perhaps she hated the cold. ¡°Perhaps because this place is in the far north.¡± Harriet explained that it would be winter almost year-round in that place because it was located at the northern-most edge of the continent. ¡°But the hot spring was nice. My body got all warmed up.¡± It seemed like Liana had thoroughly enjoyed the hot spring. ¡°I usually only visit tropical resorts in the winter, but bathing in these kinds of hot springs in this cold place isn¡¯t too bad either.¡± It seemed like Liana¡¯s vacationing style would change slightly after we returned from that mission Come to think of it¡­ it was purely Liana¡¯s suggestion to visit the Edina Islands during our summer vacation. Oh¡­ Then¡­ Would she rent out a hot spring resort and invite us to go play there during our winter vacation? Of course, I couldn¡¯t be sure about that yet. ¡°Now that I talked about it, I just have to take another bath there.¡± Liana wanted to go into the hot spring once more just as she was thinking about it. She seemed to have really liked it. Unlike Liana, the others didn¡¯t seem to have the same thoughts. It looked like they¡¯d woken up early that morning and had already used it. ¡°Should we take a walk?¡± As if she suddenly remembered something, Ellen suggested such. A walk¡­ Well, there was nothing else we could do. * * * It was only Harriet, Ellen, and I who decided to take a walk. Adelia was hesitant about accepting the invitation and eventually decided to not go. -Poff! Pooff! -H-hey! Throw gently! -Just dodge better, Delphine! -You bastard! The Class B guys were throwing snowballs at each other, suddenly having decided to have a snowball fight while making a snowman. Making snowmen and having snowball fights¡­ They played around like little kids. ¡ªBut so did I. Near the mansion was a forest. White steam was rising from the open-air bath. We walked through said forest. It was slightly hard to see because of the falling snow, but in the distance, we could faintly see the silhouette of the ancient castle Epiax between the trees. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it actually seem kind of creepy?¡± Looking at the castle, Harriet slightly trembled, perhaps due to the cold or because it creeped her out that much. It certainly had a spooky atmosphere about it. ¡°True.¡± I¡¯d set it up as an eerie place, but because it had become reality, the atmosphere surrounding it made people feel uncomfortable just by looking at that gloomy and creepy old castle. There seemed to be icicles hanging from every wall, there were copious amounts of snow on the roof, and its overall color was a blackish gray. It felt even more intimidating because it wasn¡¯t just some old castle but a well-built one. However, Ellen just tilted her head as if she had different thoughts. ¡°That castle¡­ What¡¯s it for?¡± Ellen seemed curious about that part. Being creepy aside, it had to have a use. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like anyone is actually living there.¡± ¡°¡­Come to think of it, you¡¯re right.¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Harriet also tilted her head when she realized that. Of course, because it wasn¡¯t a survival mission, they served us meals, but the ones who provided the food were staff members that were temporarily dispatched to that place because of the mission. There was no Lord of Epiax or anyone who lived in the castle. ¡ªIt was only used for short periods of time as a mission area. And I had no idea what else it was used for either. I¡¯d just thought that it would be nice to have the characters play mafia in an ancient castle. I didn¡¯t really think about its history or why it was abandoned. ¡°Where is this place to begin with?¡± Yet another question. We had simply arrived there through a warp gate. We only vaguely knew where we were, but not specifically. Harriet pondered over Ellen¡¯s question with her brows furrowed. ¡°Seeing that it¡¯s snowing so much at this time¡­ I think we are at the extreme northern frontier of the Empire or something like that. Considering that there are hot springs in this place, that would mean a lot of geothermal heat¡­ But I don¡¯t exactly know where the hot spring actually formed¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t Harriet¡¯s field of expertise, so it seemed like she couldn¡¯t pinpoint our location either. ¡°Why are you thinking about this so hard? We can just ask the teachers.¡± We didn¡¯t actually have to find out the answer on our own¡ªall we had to do was go and ask the teachers where we were and what the ancient castle Epiax was for. Harriet pouted her lips as if she had gotten annoyed by my words. ¡°Tch, not a shred of romance in you.¡± ¡°What romance?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, you idiot!¡± As if ready to leave, Harriet turned to the mansion, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go ask the teachers.¡± What the? She gets angry at the strangest times. * * * Mr. Epinhauser easily answered us. ¡°We are located in the northern polar zone. It doesn¡¯t fall under any jurisdiction. Well, if one went a certain distance south from this place, one would find Glamos. It¡¯s a small country located in the region.¡± A small country named Glamos located in the northernmost part of the continent¡­ We were even further north. Looking at the map Mr. Epinhauser spread out, we really were at the northernmost edge of the continent. ¡°If you go even further north from here¡­ You will reach B-8¡¯s place of origin. Of course, it isn¡¯t that close to our current location.¡± Dettomolian was part of a tribal society based in the northern snowfields of the continent. He was someone who¡¯d grown up in a place that couldn¡¯t even be called a country. It sure was amazing that he somehow heard about Temple while living in such a place. In any case, that meant that most of the northernmost regions were no different from uninhabited land, and the same rang true for that place. That was the answer to our first question. ¡°What about the castle?¡± Harriet asked about the ancient castle Epiax, which she was obviously curious about. What about the castle? While it wasn¡¯t enormously huge, it wasn¡¯t small either. So she seemed to think it had to have had some unusual use before. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± However, the answer we received from Mr. Epinhauser was enough to shock the three of us. He didn¡¯t know¡­ We could have never imagined that he would answer like that, so all three of us were really confused. ¡°No, then¡­ did you just decide to hold a group mission in a place whose use is completely unknown?¡± ¡°We are sure that it isn¡¯t a dangerous place. And this wasn¡¯t my decision, it was Temple¡¯s. I don¡¯t have the authority to decide the location or content of the missions.¡± That teacher openly told his students that he didn¡¯t really have much to say about it. He was so direct that we didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°It¡¯s a strange place. The climate around these parts isn¡¯t suitable for people to live in. However, someone built such a large castle in this environment, and there are no records whatsoever of who lived in it before. The castle¡¯s name is also just the name of the person who discovered it, but no one actually knows its original name.¡± The ancient castle Epiax¡­ It was a stranger place than I ¡®dinitially thought. It had been set as a mission area because of its spooky atmosphere, but it turned out that it actually was quite an eerie place. It was clear that there were no safety problems, and I had set up the place to be spooky for the mission, but it was really unclear why or by whom that castle had been built. Was that how it felt to have gone into a haunted house without even knowing? I was getting goosebumps. However, Harriet¡¯s eyes were sparkling. ¡°Th-then can I go back there? It¡¯s safe, after all.¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t mind. Why?¡± What? But I don¡¯t want to go in there again! Why was she doing that? ¡°Just because¡­ I¡¯m curious. Maybe we can find out what the castle is really for, right?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­ The we already investigated the castle, so you won¡¯t be able to find out anything more. Fine, you still have plenty of free time, so you can spend it however you want.¡± Mr. Epinhauser seemed to think that it was up to us how we wanted to spend our free time. ¡°However, even if there are no other dangers to be found in the castle, keep in mind that we are currently located in a northern region. While the cold won¡¯t pose any danger to you, as you can use magic, you shouldn¡¯t stay out too long.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Harriet alternately looked at Ellen and me, her eyes twinkling. Her expression showed that something like an adventurous spirit had awoken in her. I quickly figured out why. She hadn¡¯t been able to go to the Darklands with us¡­ So she really wanted to do something like that with us. I really didn¡¯t want to go back to that eerie place, but I simply couldn¡¯t make those words leave my mouth because I understood too well why she acted the way she did. [Event Quest ¨C The Ancient Castle Epiax] [Description £º Reveal the secret of the ancient castle Epiax] [Reward : 500 Achievement points] And then, out of nowhere, I received even more motivation. Were they telling me to do something else since I¡¯d wonderfully failed the group mission? There was nothing I could do about it. ¡°Hm, then again¡­¡± However, Mr. Epinhauser seemed to have thought it over again. As expected, did he judge that what we were about to do was too dangerous? ¡°No, it¡¯ll be fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± Why was he so anxious?! ____ Chapter 233 Chapter 233 The mission was over, so we shouldn¡¯t have had anything to do with Epiax anymore, but I still ended up returning to the ancient castle for different interest-oriented reasons. I found out that I would be given achievement points¡­ I wondered if the three of us could even figure out something that even Temple couldn¡¯t figure out. At first, I thought I might invite the other kids who were interested in coming with us, but it occurred to me that Harriet might not like it, so it was just the three of us who set out for the ancient castle. Ellen, Harriet, and me, the three of us, tracked through the snowy forest. We wouldn¡¯t face any danger. They had originally been able to set that mysterious place up as a venue for group missions due to how safe it was, after all. Harriet¡¯s tension was rising, perhaps because she was excited to uncover the secrets surrounding that unknown, suspicious, ancient castle, or it might have been because she enjoyed going on an adventure with us. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Of course, that excitement sharply dropped as soon as we arrived. -Whoooosh¡­ The gloomy silhouette of the ancient castle of Epiax revealed itself once again in the snow. I had originally been wary of the place because it was a mission venue, but then I learned that the castle was actually built in an unexplored and uninhabited area. It couldn¡¯t be helped that we felt a bit of anxiety when we arrived. There wouldn¡¯t be any ghosts, but it still felt like something would definitely pop out. Of course, Ellen, our ever-so-reliable bastion of calm, was just blankly looking at the eerie castle. ¡°I-I¡¯m going to use these.¡± Harriet took something out of her pocket, perhaps because she felt the tension in the air. ¡ªThey were the earrings with tranquility magic cast on them. ¡­She seemed to always carry them with her. Anyway, I had given them to her to use in exactly that sort of situation. Harriet put them on and took a few deep breaths. ¡°¡­It¡¯s still scary.¡± Of course, they didn¡¯t change Harriet¡¯s personality to the point that it felt like the complete opposite. ¡°But¡­ I can tell now that I look at it¡­¡± Harriet, who had regained some of her composure with the assistance of the magic artifact, nodded slowly. Was she saying that she could do it if she had to? ¡°This isn¡¯t a castle¡­¡± Harriet was referring to Epiax. ¡°It¡¯s a palace.¡± It was a palace, not a castle. When I thought about it, I realized she was right. There was no defensive moat, no castle tower with cannons, nor a drawbridge. It wasn¡¯t a fortress or a castle built for the sake of defense¡­ It was a space created to be lived in and to hold ceremonies¡ªa palace. * * * I didn¡¯t go there with any expectations of discovering anything, but there were a few things that I noticed when I looked at ancient castle Epiax itself. It wasn¡¯t a defensive fortress, but a palace built for the sake of being lived in. Harriet couldn¡¯t help but notice those things to begin with because she actually lived in such a place. She was a thoroughly wealthy young lady, after all. Although there were no walls surrounding it and all the buildings seemed to be connected with each other, the main area, which was the central building, was arranged in a square shape with a clearing in the middle. I didn¡¯t know if it had a garden or something similar, but it was a very spacious area. The more I looked at it, the stranger Epiax actually seemed. All of the staff members who had been temporarily staying there had also left, so that spacious palace called Epiax was completely empty. They hadn¡¯t even locked it up or anything. As such, we simply walked into the dreary old castle. Even if someone tried to occupy it without permission, nobody would know. However, if anyone actually tried to occupy it, even without permission, rather than be punished, they would probably deserve a reward. There were no signs of life anywhere around there. ¡°If it¡¯s a palace of this size, its owner had to have been someone that was the equivalent of a king¡­¡± Ellen and I couldn¡¯t help but agree with Harriet¡¯s words. However, according to Mr. Epinhauser, it was an uninhabited area, and it took a long time to even reach the small southern country of Glamos. ¡°I don¡¯t really know much about Glamos, but would their royal palace even be of such a scale?¡± Harriet shook her head at my question. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I also don¡¯t know much about Glamos, but judging by the fact that I didn¡¯t know it existed, it doesn¡¯t seem to be a big country.¡± Wow. Look at her looking down on a country. The citizens of Glamos would most certainly feel hurt if they heard her words because she didn¡¯t even mean it in a mocking way. ¡°If it¡¯s of this scale, I think it was used by a nation with considerable financial power, although not on the level of our duchy. The location is quite the problem though.¡± If one took the entirety of Epiax and just gave it to some decently-sized country to use as a palace, there would be many countries who would be grateful for it. -Clack, clack. It was so quiet that the sound of our steps echoed through the hall. Ellen didn¡¯t really look scared, and Harriet could tolerate it thanks to the tranquility earrings. I¡­ I really wanted to go back, achievement points or not. That place was scary, you know? Of course, I couldn¡¯t say those things out loud. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about architecture, but this palace is really well made. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± So, unlike me, who was somewhat scared, Harriet confidently walked down the hallway while talking. The ceiling, windows, and columns weren¡¯t built roughly but were actually quite aesthetically pleasing. There were also some sculptures placed along the walls. ¡°What are these pieces? They don¡¯t look like the gods.¡° Although there were a lot of statues, it didn¡¯t seem easy to infer from their characteristics what kinds of people lived there. ¡°When was this all made, who lived here, and where did they all go¡­?¡± We weren¡¯t there for a mission but to investigate that castle itself. There were various rooms within. Harriet was leading the way because she was the only one who knew the structure of those kinds of palaces due to her background. ¡°Hmmm, going by the structure, this seems to be the audience room.¡± I didn¡¯t know by what criteria Harriet based that on, but it seemed that the characteristics of palaces were rather similar. So, structurally, we should have been in an audience room. It was a wide-open space with extremely high ceilings. ¡°Isn¡¯t this where we held the meetings?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was the round table. The place where I had been executed on the first day¡­ It should have been the audience room, however, that place was actually used as a gathering place to determine the identity of the assassins during the game of mafia. ¡°Looking at the room, it doesn¡¯t seem like there was a throne in here originally.¡± It looked like Harriet had deduced that the space was originally like that. It wasn¡¯t like there had originally been a throne there that Temple had removed or something. ¡°That would mean that the people who resided in here weren¡¯t royalty or anything like that.¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± A round table was placed in what was supposed to be an audience room occupied by royalty. While it was a palace, it could be presumed that it wasn¡¯t a royal palace. Of course, as the castle seemed to have a long history, all objects other than the sculptures and structures attached to the castle that could be broken or destroyed had been removed. ¡°I think they brought all the beds and utensils from Temple. They weren¡¯t here originally.¡± The rooms had already been emptied out by the time the students had left. There were no other specific pieces of furniture left inside the castle. ¡°While it wasn¡¯t built by a nation, it was built by a group that could build structures on par with the royal castles of other countries in a polar region like this¡­¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Harriet continued to nod her head as she walked, thinking that the entire thing was ridiculous, to say the least. ¡°But why did they build it here?¡± Ellen seemed to have different questions. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°The conditions here are pretty bad.¡± It snowed all year round, so it was difficult to get any supplies there, and the living conditions were also rather harsh. ¡°If they used people to build a palace of such a size, the builders would take a really long time to finish up the work in this extremely cold environment. Even in a normal environment, it would have taken a very long time, but it should have taken a lot more time and money to build a building of this size here.¡± Although there wouldn¡¯t be any problem with space, since the palace was uninhabited, building something of such a scale in that frigid area would have cost an astronomical amount of money compared to building a palace in normal places. Harriet nodded at Ellen¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right. It would have cost a lot more money and time to build a building like this in a place like this. However, the fact that a palace of such a size is located here¡ª¡± ¡°Would lead to two assumptions.¡± I also had come to my own conclusions ¡°Either it had to be built here specifically¡­¡± ¡°Or the environmental conditions didn¡¯t bother them.¡± A gigantic palace built in no man¡¯s land¡­ We didn¡¯t find any definite clues, but the more I got to know how strange that place actually was, the closer I arrived to the truth. Ellen slowly nodded at my words. ¡°Or it could be both.¡± ¡°Both?¡± ¡°It had to be in this location, however, the location might not have affected the ones building it.¡± Ellen seemed to have figured it out already. ¡°It might not have been humans who lived here.¡± Harriet and I both seemed shocked, the color leaving our faces. No. Why did I get scared? I wasn¡¯t human either! Anyway, it might not have been humans who lived in that palace, so it might not have been humans who built it either. Ellen¡¯s assumption was quite plausible. ¡°Then¡­ does that mean demons or something? Was this place inhabited by different¡­ beings?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. There might be races that can live anywhere regardless of the temperature.¡± I had learned a bit about the ecology of demons, but I still didn¡¯t know everything about every race. ¡°This isn¡¯t the Darklands.¡± Harriet seemed to have some doubts. While we were in the northernmost area of the Empire, the place wasn¡¯t part of the Darklands. ¡°It¡¯s possible that demons don¡¯t only live in the Darklands.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Demons didn¡¯t necessarily have to live in the Darklands. In fact, demonic beasts and monsters occasionally appeared in areas inhabited by humans as well and needed to be subdued. Of course, we couldn¡¯t tell for sure that it was demons who¡¯d built that place yet. ¡°It might also have been the headquarters of something like a secret magic society. Buildings like this could have also been made through magic. High-ranking wizards should be able to procure as many materials as they want.¡± Harriet was a wizard herself, so her thoughts seemed to lean toward magic as well. If it was the doing of some secret magic association, there was a possibility that they might have wanted to build their headquarters in an uninhabited area where no one would come by. The issue of material procurement would have been solved with magic, and construction would have been more than possible if there were enough wizards around. Ellen nodded her head, apparently thinking that it was a plausible explanation as well. ¡°Then that would explain why there¡¯s a round table in this place that should be an audience room rather than a throne.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The leader of a magic society wasn¡¯t something like a king, so it was more than plausible that they would have a conference room in that place that should be an audience room. Non-human entities or magic societies¡­ It was clear that the original owners of Epiax wouldn¡¯t have been ordinary people. * * * It was unclear who had originally lived in Epiax. However, even though it was still daytime, it felt really creepy walking around that dark, old castle. -Woooooooh¡­ Maybe it was because of a draft, but we could hear the sounds of wind here and there. It seemed to be howling, or that was what it felt like at least. ¡°Oh, this sounds so weird.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the sound of the wind, you idiot.¡± After walking around for a while, Harriet turned around, not seeming to be scared, perhaps because her curiosity outweighed her fear, or maybe because of the tranquility earrings. Shouldn¡¯t she be all scared and clingy in situations like this? Were the earrings I gave her too much of a cheat item? ¡°Are you really scared of things like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s weird not to be scared of these things, you know?¡± Fear is felt by anyone regardless of age! I was especially weak to those kinds of things! One managed to hold on by using some items, and the other one seemed to have the attitude that even if a ghost popped up, it would just be a ghost. Harriet was happily watching me, as she had never seen me that cowardly before. I seriously didn¡¯t know what would happen. ¡°Yeah, I sure hope a ghost or something pops out.¡± ¡°What bullshit are you saying?¡± Rather than being scared of ghosts, it seemed like she wanted to see me get shocked by one. What the hell was wrong with her head? -Uooooooogh¡­ Huuhuuhuuhuu¡­ ¡°Oh, the wind really does sound like someone crying, huh?¡± The sound of the wind sounded like sobbing. However, that wasn¡¯t the thing I seemed confused about. ¡°What crying? It¡¯s just the wind¡­¡± -Huuhuuuhuu¡­ Boohoohooouk¡­ Seriously, that was just straight-up crying! ¡°U-urg! What the hell?!¡± ¡°O-oh gosh!¡± -Hug! Both me and Harriet reflexively hugged Ellen, who was walking between us. ¡°?¡± She looked rather puzzled when the two of us suddenly clung to her. It seemed like she reflexively hugged Harriet and me as if trying to protect us. Harriet¡¯s and my eyes met as we hugged Ellen from both sides. Both her and me¡­ We instinctively knew that it would be best to run to Ellen when things got dangerous. ____ Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Something crying¡­ I could hear something sobbing and crying mixed with the sounds of the wind. ¡°Wh-what? What is¡­ What is this? Just what the hell?¡± ¡°M-me, too. I don¡¯t know! How should I know?!¡± In extreme situations that even rendered tranquility magic useless, Harriet and I could only think of clinging to Ellen. ¡®No, we were told this is a safe place, a safe place! They said that there wouldn¡¯t be any safety problems here!¡¯ Then what was that thing sobbing behind the walls?! ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be anything serious.¡± Ellen wrapped her arms around the shoulders of Harriet and me, who were clinging to her. It was comforting that Ellen was so calm. Ellen would take care of it. ¡ªNo matter what happened. Ah, there was also her sword. I also had one¡­ Huh¡­ Anyway, I¡¯d just trust her! I hugged Ellen even tighter, and so did Harriet. ¡°The teacher said it was safe.¡± However, it was kind of hard to believe that nothing would happen no matter how much Mr. Epinhauser said that it was safe. Temple wasn¡¯t all that perfect, okay? I made it like that, so I know! Temple was unexpectedly sloppy! It would have been hard for certain incidents to happen if it was too perfect, so it was kind of a mess in certain parts! She heard crying from an unidentified source while walking through that eerie place, but she still didn¡¯t think it was dangerous? What kind of nerves of steel did she have? Something seemed to be about to pop out, so we stopped while still stuck to Ellen. -Scrap ¡°U-uwaaaak!¡± And something really appeared from behind the wall, which led Harriet to scream, and me to hold onto Ellen even more with my eyes wide open. I had grown tired of screaming. I felt like I was about to faint with my eyes open. I hate this. I don¡¯t like this at all! -Bohohok¡­Huk¡­ A whitish figure was wandering along the corridor, crying. Even though we had screamed so loudly, it didn¡¯t even look at us. Ellen wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised when she saw it. ¡°I think that¡¯s a ghost¡­ the lowest-ranking kind.¡± ¡°Gh-ghost¡­?¡± Was she talking about ghosts?! Why were ghosts there? Why did they say it wasn¡¯t dangerous when there were ghosts there?! ¡°Perhaps this place emits a huge amount of spiritual energy, and that¡¯s why we can see ghosts that are usually not visible to the eye. It probably won¡¯t harm us. It won¡¯t even notice us.¡± -Buhuhuk¡­Huhuk¡­ ¡°So, that being said, it isn¡¯t a monster or a demon. It¡¯s just a natural phenomenon. You don¡¯t have to be afraid.¡± It seemed that the ghost could neither perceive nor touch us. Ellen seemed to know a lot about them. I didn¡¯t know whether she learned that from our Demon Ecology class or from somewhere else, though. A low-level ghost¡­ They weren¡¯t dangerous, just harmless natural phenomena. It was probably not a demon, then. I wasn¡¯t even sure when something could be called a demon. Ellen told us not to be afraid, but I actually felt rather scared of Ellen, who was perfectly calm in that situation. Come to think of it, there was something Dettomolian had said to me. Ghosts are everywhere around us, and we just don¡¯t perceive them. The spiritual energy in the ancient castle Epiax was just so strong that the ghosts around us became visible. In other words, ghosts themselves weren¡¯t particularly dangerous; they were just something you weren¡¯t usually able to see. ¡°Wh-why didn¡¯t they appear during the mission¡­?¡± Harriet opened her mouth, her expression rather faint. The sobbing ghost passed through a wall and disappeared somewhere. ¡°If we saw them during the mission, we would have probably been too distracted by them, so they somehow managed to keep them away.¡± Since the mission was over, the Temple personnel had returned, so the ghosts who were banished from the palace might have simply returned. ¡°Ah, so¡­¡± I remembered that Mr. Epinhauser had tried to hold us back for a moment when we were about to go as if he had just remembered something. However, after he thought about it some more, he¡¯d told us to just go. No, but no matter how harmless they were, shouldn¡¯t he have at least mentioned something about ghosts possibly appearing there? Huh?! Was it that much of a hassle? No matter how I looked at it, it had to be that, right? Harriet¡¯s and my eyes met. While I wasn¡¯t sure what she was thinking, we both seemed to want to leave the place immediately. ¡°Amazing, I¡¯ve never seen a ghost before.¡± Ellen, on the other hand, seemed to be rather interested in everything. When ordinary people saw ghosts in a place like that, they would usually just book it, but why did she seem to find it interesting all of a sudden? And wasn¡¯t it normal for people to never want to see a ghost their whole life? ¡°Why are you afraid of something that can¡¯t harm us or even see us?¡± It seemed like Ellen was unable to understand why Harriet and I were afraid of that harmless natural phenomenon. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how to describe it, but you¡¯re right, which makes me feel pretty miserable¡­ Yeah.¡± ¡°S-same for me¡­¡± Both Harriet and I felt a strange sense of defeat toward Ellen. ¡°Let¡¯s go over there.¡± At first, Harriet had been talking loudly, darting from place to place, but after that ghost appeared, it was Ellen who took the lead. From my point of view, both of them seemed crazy. However, Ellen was definitely crazier than Harriet. * * * The place wasn¡¯t infested with ghosts, but they were there. It was obvious that the staff dispatched from Temple somehow expelled the ghosts. Was that an actual haunted spot? If the other students had found out, they would have definitely turned pale. It seemed like Ellen was accumulating knowledge in that field in her own time as well, not only on demons but also on other entities. As soon as she saw that ghost, she knew it was completely harmless. ¡°You can¡¯t really figure anything out from a ghost, right?¡± Harriet asked, still sticking close to Ellen. ¡°I guess.¡± Temple should have known that it was a haunted spot, and they most definitely would have tried to uncover the ancient castle Epiax¡¯s secrets themselves as well. That meant that we couldn¡¯t figure anything out from those ghosts. Ghosts didn¡¯t have a proper shape and only cried or wandered around while muttering incomprehensible words. They might¡¯ve been ghosts bound to the place, or they might not have been. After I realized that they were harmless, I wasn¡¯t as freaked out as I was before. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t scared anymore. ¡°¡­Can¡¯t we look into them more with something like Necromancy?¡± Harriet looked at me with a slight pout after listening to my question. ¡°Although Temple is somewhat tolerant toward black magic, Necromancy is forbidden art. No one should ever use it.¡± A forbidden art, meaning a forbidden form of magic. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although Temple had a black magic curriculum, it didn¡¯t deal with evil magic corresponding to forbidden arts, which was why they didn¡¯t use necromancy when they were investigating that place. That said, while necromancy, which belonged to black magic, couldn¡¯t be used, we could use Dettomolian¡¯s magic to investigate. Temple had no idea what kind of magic it actually was, so they didn¡¯t ban it. Of course, they might think about it later. We wandered around that castle haunted by ghosts some more. It was unclear whether most of the furniture was originally missing or if it had all been removed or recovered when that place was discovered. As such, we had to guess what uses most of the rooms might have served. We were already aware of a place that looked like a banquet hall, places that looked like storage rooms, and places that looked like bedrooms. Epiax was so spacious that I didn¡¯t think we would be able to make a whole round trip of it in a single day. We entered a huge building that was quite far from the central building. It was located so far away from everything that no one would have thought to go there during the mission. They had apparently preserved the place closest to how it was originally. ¡°I think this is supposed to be a chapel.¡± A chapel¡­ ¡°But it still seems a little different. In the grand chapel in our palace, we arranged the five great gods¡¯ stone statues in the back, and in front of them is a pulpit¡­ But this is¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s built in the form of a dome.¡± Ellen finished Harriet¡¯s words. Its structure wasn¡¯t typical of a normal church or temple. The place was built in the shape of a dome, and there were sculptures erected in every direction in a circular form. Unlike the other statues we¡¯d seen in the hallway, they were extremely large in size. However, Harriet didn¡¯t refer to that place as a chapel for no reason. ¡°It¡¯s a Pantheon.¡± The sculptures placed against the wall of the circular room should¡¯ve represented the image of one of the gods. However, we could all see that it wasn¡¯t a pantheon that housed the great gods. Ellen opened her mouth. ¡°There are more. They also look different.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± A place that was slightly different from a chapel¡ªa Pantheon. However, if this was supposed to be a pantheon of the known gods, then there should have only been five statues. However, there were seven of them there. Harriet nodded silently. ¡°Just what on earth are these figures?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the other statues in the hallway, but these seem to have some meaning behind them,¡± Ellen said. The sculptures there should have been important to the people who originally resided there. They weren¡¯t the great gods or the demonic gods¡ªthere would have been five statues if it was a depiction of them. ¡°Since they all look human, then that would mean that the people who lived here should have been human as well, right?¡± Harriet¡¯s opinion was valid. She had deduced that the place might have been the headquarters of some sort of magic society. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * So those seven sculptures could¡¯ve been of people who¡¯d played an important role in said association or were respected wizards of the past. The faces of those seven figures were carved in great detail. Although they had become weathered with the passage of time, we could still see that they were made quite skillfully and carefully. They weren¡¯t wearing robes, so we couldn¡¯t be sure that they were sculptures of wizards. Of course, one didn¡¯t have to wear a robe to be a wizard. ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t think we can find anything more by looking at the statues¡¯ faces. We can just see that they were crafted in great detail.¡± Harriet sighed, thinking that it was completely meaningless to continue to ponder about what those statues might be. I also looked at each of the statues¡¯ faces and couldn¡¯t help but stiffen. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± When Harriet asked me what had happened, I quickly loosened my hardened expression and raised my head. ¡°Ah no. It¡¯s nothing.¡± However, my heart was beating like crazy. One of the statues¡­ Its face looked incredibly similar to Eleris¡¯s. I didn¡¯t want to think like that, but¡­ This is Eleris, right? Why the hell is a statue of Eleris placed in this ancient castle located in the northern region of the Empire? All of my doubts were quickly resolved. ¡®Yes, I¡¯m Eleris of Tuesday from the Seven Nights.¡¯ One of the vampire lords. The head of the House of Tuesday, Eleris. Seven stone statues¡­ Seven Houses¡­ The ancient castle, Epiax¡­ That place was definitely related to the seven vampire lords and their Houses. [Quest completed] [Received 500 Achievement Points.] My guess was right. * * * I didn¡¯t know whether all seven vampire lords had resided in that ancient castle now called Epiax. However, it was obvious that the history of the castle reached far back. Eleris had clearly said that she didn¡¯t know what the Monday and Sunday clans were like. However, there were seven statues there. I couldn¡¯t help but notice which of them were supposed to represent the vampire lords of Sunday and Monday. There were just two statues that seemed a lot more weathered than the others. The two oldest sculptures¡­ they were the ones that seemed to represent the vampires of Sunday and Monday. There was even a statue of Eleris. It became more than clear that Eleris was the head of the House of Tuesday. Ellen and Harriet couldn¡¯t glean anything from them, but I managed to figure everything out myself. Since when did this castle exist? Why did this castle stop being used? What happened to the other five Vampire Lord¡¯s houses except for Monday and Sunday? While Harriet spun the wheels inside her head as she looked around the Pantheon, I was organizing my thoughts. That was when Ellen suddenly grabbed my sleeve. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± ¡°Ah, yeah? Did you find something?¡± Ellen pointed to the statue I was standing in front of. ¡°Hey, are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?¡± What? What is she talking about? Ellen whispered into my ear, low enough that Harriet couldn¡¯t hear what she was saying. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like Ms. Relya?¡± ¡°?!¡± No¡­ Right! She didn¡¯t know Eleris, but she had seen Eleris under her Relya disguise. Eleris had only made a few modifications to her face, so she¡¯d still seemed like herself overall. So in the end, that statue of Eleris, which had slightly deteriorated, also strangely matched Relya¡¯s appearance. And what was it that Eleris had told Ellen again? ¡°Ms. Relya, the one who said she was a dragon.¡± ¡°A-ah¡­ Y-you¡¯re right.¡± When she was asked why she¡¯d pretended to be a weak, low-ranking wizard, Eleris had given the bizarre excuse that she was actually a dragon who came out to play. And then, among the seven statues located in a Pantheon of some unidentified castle, stood one that resembled Relya, who¡¯d claimed to be a dragon. An ancient but definitely sophisticated palace¡­ Of course, Ellen hadn¡¯t fully believed Eleris¡¯s lies. She just thought that she was a very powerful magician and had her own circumstances. However, Ellen¡¯s last doubts were completely shattered by that stone statue resembling Eleris in that completely unknown place. A weird wizard who claimed to be a dragon¡­ We encountered a stone sculpture that resembled her in an extremely old castle that definitely hid some unusual secrets. When those two pieces of evidence finally aligned with each other, Ellen simply nodded slowly as if she no longer held any doubts about her words. ¡°This¡­ was where dragons had lived.¡± Ellen already seemed completely convinced of the existence of those mythical dragons. Eleris¡­ Your little lie ruined Ellen¡­ She was going to live her life believing that she had found a place dragons once resided in! If anyone told her that there were no such beings as dragons or something, she would answer that they were wrong because she¡¯d seen one herself. That was how things would turn out! ____ Chapter 235 Chapter 235 I knew the truth, but I couldn¡¯t tell Ellen, as such, she came to believe that it was where dragons once lived. If that wasn¡¯t what one would call a butterfly effect, then I don¡¯t know what it could be called. The problem in the matter, however, was that the butterfly effect was caused by Eleris that time, not me. Anyway¡­ As Temple had declared, the ancient castle Epiax was a safe place, even though ghosts tended to appear in it. Of course, if they were to find out who the original owners of Epiax were, they wouldn¡¯t use it as a group mission venue anymore. Harriet couldn¡¯t figure anything out, and Ellen was convinced that it was the home of dragons. Of course, Ellen didn¡¯t tell Harriet about that because our association with Relya was a secret. I was the only one who uncovered the real truth. One clearly wouldn¡¯t be able to figure it out if one didn¡¯t know the seven vampire lord houses and Eleris. ¡°Nothing happened in the end.¡± ¡°¡­Did you want something dangerous to happen?¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s not what I mean!¡± On our way back, Harriet spoke as if she was disappointed that nothing really happened. To be precise, it was more like she was frustrated because she couldn¡¯t figure anything out rather than finding it a shame that nothing happened. Of course, I had found out something, but I just couldn¡¯t share it with them. Nothing much happened afterwards. We just took a bath in the hot spring and had a snowball fight. The snowballs that Ellen threw were seriously dangerous. I really got bruises from them. Harriet used telekinetic magic to throw hers, but they were by far not as painful, however I avoided them with all my might because I felt like I would lose if I got hit by them. * * * Nighttime at the hot spring. ¡°Urg. This sure hurts a lot.¡° Not only did I get pelted by her snowballs, but I also trained with Ellen until late. My body became such a mess that I wondered if I had broken something. I washed up in the hot spring at midnight when no one was around. Ellen seemed to have opted for the indoor bath. The mansion was very quiet during the night. -Whoosh¡­ I could hear the sound of the snowflakes in the distance. A blizzard was knocking against the windows. The place was by no means as spooky as Epiax, but I couldn¡¯t deny that it also had some eeriness to it. I wanted to quickly go into my room to sleep, however, as I was about to enter it, I saw something. There was someone near the window from where one could hear the snowstorm howling. ¡°¡­Charlotte?¡± ¡°Uh, Ah¡­ Reinhardt?¡± Charlotte turned her head towards me, slightly surprised when I called out to her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± Ellen and I were weirdos, so we wouldn¡¯t sleep until late into the night. Everyone else would usually be asleep. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­ Well¡­ I mean¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ I wanted to watch the snow¡­?¡± That was Charlotte¡¯s answer. If she just wanted to watch the snow, there were copious amounts of it falling from the sky, so she could have just watched it from her room, right? ¡°Really? Aren¡¯t you cold? You aren¡¯t even wearing any shoes.¡± Charlotte was even barefoot. The mansion wasn¡¯t built to be walked in barefoot, and the place didn¡¯t even have the culture of walking around barefoot indoors. She stood there barefoot in the hallway despite all that. ¡°Ah, Well¡­ It was dark¡­¡± Charlotte rushed into her room, saying that she was tired and exhausted. What was that about? I stared at the door to Charlotte¡¯s room. I went back to my room while wondering about if she was having trouble sleeping. * * * I managed to quickly solve the additional doubts I had about the ancient castle Epiax after returning from the group missions. ¡°Ah, you must have been to the Vampire Council.¡± ¡°The Vampire Council?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a place where we held the council of house heads.¡± I went to Eleris¡¯ semi-basement apartment and asked her a few questions after I returned, and I immediately received an answer. She didn¡¯t even look that surprised. Oh, so you went there? That was what her reaction was like. It sure was nice to have a vampire lord as an acquaintance, and a house head at that. ¡°Since all of its residents were evacuated when the Empire discovered it, it¡¯s probably not particularly dangerous for humans.¡± ¡°Evacuated?¡± What was she talking about? ¡°It was built in a place that would be difficult for humans to discover, but it had existed for a very long time already, so it was only a matter of time. It just happened.¡± The ancient castle Epiax had been deliberately built in the northernmost regions that were difficult for humans to traverse. In fact, Glamos, which was located south from it, was the only inhabited area close to it, and there was still quite the stretch of uninhabited land between the castle and the small country. But what I was focused on was the evacuation. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m asking why you had to evacuate just because you were found by humans. You were just living there normally.¡± ¡°If there were sightings of an unidentified ancient castle, adventurers would flock to it from everywhere, and if they went missing, they would dispatch their troops. War would have been inevitable, Your Highness. We opted to avoid all that trouble by simply emptying out the castle altogether. There weren¡¯t actually that many real residents of that castle.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe that they¡¯d just abandoned their castle to avoid trouble. Were all vampire lords pacifists like Eleris? But it was still quite fascinating. Vampire lords should have been the most powerful among the vampires, but they¡¯d just emptied their castle because some humans saw it. They just abandoned their home and ran away¡­ * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s kind of strange to hear that you just stepped down and abandoned your castle.¡± ¡°Abandoned?¡± Eleris tilted her head at my words. ¡°We still use it.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not in an environment where humans can survive for a long time anyway, so it¡¯s left empty most of the time. We still gather there when necessary if there is no overlap.¡± The ancient castle Epiax had no human residents due to the extreme environment it was located in. The vampires had evacuated from it but still returned to Epiax whenever necessary. There shouldn¡¯t have been many cases during which it was in use like during the group mission. ¡°You seem to think that we simply handed over the castle without thinking, but we didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Humans regularly go there to clean and manage the castle as if they are dealing with a precious relic. They seem to think that it¡¯s a palace with great archaeological value. Well, it actually is a very old palace, so they aren¡¯t wrong. They are even taking good care of the sculptures and decorations, worried that they might get damaged.¡± ¡°They maintain the building without needing to get paid. Like that, we can make use of the well-maintained palace whenever we need to.¡± I gradually became more dumbfounded the more I listened. The vampires didn¡¯t actually hand over the unidentified ancient castle of Epiax to the humans. Even though it was in such a strange environment, the humans took good care of the precious treasure that was actually a vampire castle and named it Epiax. They didn¡¯t even know what kind of building it was. ¡°Humans tend to cherish property they believe to be theirs.¡± Eleris smiled wryly. It seemed like she thought that the behavior of the humans was just so cute that she didn¡¯t know what to do. They¡¯d handed it over because they wanted to avoid annoying situations, but the humans were taking even better care of it than they themselves had. They don¡¯t even live in it or want to do anything specific with it. Although it was quite eerie, it was still a grand and elegant palace, so they treated it with care as if they were handling a precious treasure they had just discovered. So the vampires just watched on as the humans managed Epiax under the illusion that it was theirs. They were essentially free slaves. ¡°It seems simple yet complicated.¡± The ancient castle Epiax was co-owned by vampires and humans¡­ The Vampire Council¡­ There were five vampire clans, excluding Sunday and Monday. It seemed like Eleris was a lot more powerful than an ordinary vampire lord as the head of the House of Tuesday. However the other four heads and vampire lords certainly would be pretty strong as well. Could they also become my power? ¡°Do you want the power of the other houses as well?¡± I flinched at Eleris¡¯s gaze that seemed to see right through me. Even though I thought that way for different reasons, Eleris wouldn¡¯t like seeing me crave for power. ¡°Just¡­ just in case. It¡¯s not like I need them right now, but who knows? I might need them later on for some reason, right?¡± ¡°That would be difficult, Your Highness.¡± Eleris expressed that the endeavor would be difficult, contrary to her feelings. ¡°Of the vampire houses, no, even from my house, I was the only vampire lord who participated in the Great War.¡± Nearly all were absent. I felt like gasping at Eleris¡¯s words. ¡°No, you said that you didn¡¯t like war, and yet you participated in the war while the others didn¡¯t?¡± What kind of a bizarre situation was that? Eleris closed her eyes slightly, taking a slow, deep breath. It looked like she was about to say something really important. ¡°Vampire lords were outside forces that weren¡¯t under the rule of the Demon King to begin with.¡± ¡°Although some vampires, including myself, had vowed their allegiance to the Demon King, the Vampire Council was originally located outside of the Darklands, and the headquarters of the other houses were even located at the borders of the Darklands as well as the land of humans. Strictly speaking, rather than having betrayed His Majesty the Demon King, you can¡¯t think of them as allies to begin with.¡± They had never sworn allegiance to the Demon King in the first place, which was why they didn¡¯t have the slightest reason to participate in the war. Some demon tribes living in the outskirts didn¡¯t participate in the Demon World War either, but that could be seen as a betrayal of loyalty. However, what the Vampire Council did couldn¡¯t even be described with the word ¡°betrayal¡±. They weren¡¯t even allies. The Vampire Council was a separate force not belonging to the demon realm or the human realm. Besides, Eleris hated war. She had a very negative stance towards any kind of slaughter. Only the Head of the House of Tuesday, the Vampire Lord Eleris, swore allegiance to the Demon King and participated in the Demon World War. Of course, I had no idea what she did before, but her job in the war had been being a spy, and that didn¡¯t seem to have produced many results. It was Sarkegaar who¡¯d actually carried out the kidnapping of the Imperial Princess. Just why did Eleris swear allegiance to the Demon King? No, in the first place¡­ Vampires were a type of undead. However, being undead was actually a type of state. That meant that being a vampire was also a ¡®state¡¯ and not a ¡®race¡¯. Of course¡­ That would mean it was impossible to be born as a vampire. So there had to have been a pre-vampire state as well. ¡°Eleris¡­¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Before you became a vampire, were you human?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eleris looked at me silently. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± I had gained information about a new faction called the Vampire Council. In addition to that, I also found out that Eleris had hidden many things. I knew that she had some more secrets, but I decided not to pry out of respect. ¡°Well, fine. By the way, are you still attending the Vampire Council?¡± ¡°I have been absent for a while now, but I¡¯m not on bad terms with them.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. Got it.¡± The Vampire Council¡­ I decided to keep their information in the back of my mind for the moment. * * * The Vampire Council¡­ They were a foreign force so to say. Although it was unknown what kind of relationship Eleris had with the current Vampire Council, it seemed like they were neither on friendly nor hostile terms with either humans or demons. However, when humans discovered their palace, they chose to evacuate rather than fight them, so I thought they weren¡¯t some group of psychos that couldn¡¯t be communicated with. Eleris had many secrets. Why did she hate violence so much? Why did she swear allegiance to the Demon King? What was she like before she became a vampire? I had some guesses, but I wasn¡¯t sure if what I thought was the truth. I also didn¡¯t want to force her to spill the truth. Eleris was on my side. ¡ªAs long as that was certain, everything else was secondary. ____ Chapter 236 Chapter 236 The group mission was over. It was October, and had the perfect weather fitting the season of fall. It was cold enough for us to wear our uniform jackets. While our clothes had changed to winter clothes, not much changed from before. The biggest change was that the female students¡¯ stockings were changed to black. The work I had to do for the Magic Research Society and my training with Ellen was back on track. Unlike what Ellen feared, I wasn¡¯t going to be so busy that I wouldn¡¯t be able to train. I would always have some time left, and I definitely thought that training myself was incredibly important. So¡­ In other words, I could resume my early morning training again. ¡°Well.¡± No matter how long I waited at the main lobby of the dormitory early in the morning Adriana didn¡¯t show up. Perhaps it was because I hadn¡¯t exercised with her in such a long time. She had visited me a few times and thoroughly nagged me before that, though. Still, the time I had been injured was just too long, so I kind of thought that she wouldn¡¯t be there and that I might have to do my early morning exercises alone, so I went on a run by myself. Since I was all better, should I have told her that we could do the early morning training together again? But what would she say to that? ¡®So I have to?¡¯ I could do it on my own, and so far, I had honestly been nothing but a hindrance to Adriana¡¯s training. She never actually promised me that we would always do our training together, so even if she didn¡¯t show up and worked out on her own separately, I couldn¡¯t do anything about it. But how should I put it? I felt somewhat¡­ disappointed. Like that, I crossed Temple¡¯s campus in the Fall at dawn. ¡°Hello, Reinhardt! Let¡¯s do our best again today!¡± Ah, Ludwig, that punk. Just what was wrong with that guy so early in the morning? In the end, as I would rather die than go with that guy, I went to the second-year dormitory in the morning after I finished my workout. ¡°Where¡¯s Adriana?¡± ¡°Erm. You¡¯re asking where she is?¡± I regularly talked with Redina due to the Magic Research Society, so I decided to ask her. To be honest, she was the easiest to talk to. I had been busy with the group mission up until then, so that was the first time we saw each other since then. But why did she look at me like that? ¡°¡­She is dropping out.¡± ¡°¡­..What?¡± Redina¡¯s answer was outside of anything I could have imagined. *** Adriana was dropping out. .. It seemed like she had already left Temple. Their group mission had ended on Friday, and like us, they were scheduled to rest at the mission venue until Sunday, and then they would return. I was told that Adriana had asked to return early as soon as the mission was over. However, as soon as they returned to Temple, Adriana seemed to have already disappeared. That only confirmed the rumors that she had actually already informed the teachers of her intentions to drop out. I was told that she had been consulting with the teachers about the matter for a long time by then. Without telling a single one of her classmates, Adriana had been making preparations to leave Temple. Of course, it was only natural that Redina was a lot more surprised about it than I was. While she claimed that they were just good friends, she actually followed her around as if she were actually her older sister. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know¡­¡± She said that the theme of the second-years¡¯ group mission was ¡®Escape¡¯. After each of them was scattered across an artificially made labyrinth, each having different starting points, they were supposed to break through various traps and escape the labyrinth while joining up with their classmates on the way. It was Class A¡¯s victory, and that included Redina. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. She just¡­ looked really upset throughout the whole mission.¡± She had been thinking about leaving Temple for a long time, but just what happened during the mission to trigger it? Redina looked as if she was about to burst into tears. Adriana had left Temple without explaining anything to anyone. ¡®If someone you think of as a precious friend suddenly wants to be more than just friends¡­ What are you supposed to do¡­?¡¯ Not long after our second semester started, Adriana had asked me something like that. She had looked clearly concerned at the time. Did the problem finally escalate? Was that also something that happened in the fringes of the original novel? I wasn¡¯t that sure. Adriana had been influenced by me too much. However, as it might have been something that happened in the margins of the story, I couldn¡¯t be certain if it happened due to the butterfly effect. ¡°Never mind, do you know where she could have gone?¡± I didn¡¯t like not knowing why Adriana decided to disappear from Temple. * * * It was Tuesday. Adriana had disappeared on Friday right when the group mission was over after she returned to Temple. She had no place to stay in the Imperial Capital, so the only place she could return to was the monastery she was born and raised in. The Artowan Monastery of the Saint-Owan Duchy¡­ She had told me that it was the place she was born and raised in before. The Saint-Owan Duchy was fortunately not too far away from the capital; it was home to both Harriet and Adriana. After Tuesday¡¯s classes, I rushed out of Temple. I wasn¡¯t sure if I would be able to reach the Saint-Owan Duchy that day. If it would take more than a day¡­ ¡­I¡¯d somehow manage. The disciplinary committee meeting was still on hold, but I could get away with skipping one day of classes with my one merit point! If the disciplinary committee gave me a heavier punishment for committing such rule violations during my period of self-reflection¡­ I would have nothing to say. Mr. Epinhauser would definitely stop me from leaving school. There were some super-large warp gates located throughout the capital. I asked Harriet some questions before I went out. ¡®The Artowan Monastery? Where¡¯s that?¡¯ Harriet apparently didn¡¯t know where it was. As the young lady of the grand duchy, she couldn¡¯t possibly know every building in her territory, after all. As such, I went to the Saint-Owan Duchy¡¯s capital, Arnaca, using a super-large warp gate. It was really fortunate that I only needed one transfer. ¡°Pass.¡± As I entered the super-large warp gate, I had a thought. There were a number of them in the capital, so one got to use them right away, which was convenient. The capital was somewhat special. In other cities, one had to wait for several days to even use one of those gates, you know? So I could go through it right away there, but I would have to wait several days to use the gate to go back, right? I didn¡¯t even have the Imperial Coat of Arms or anything like it with me either that time, right? I wouldn¡¯t just end up missing a single day, I might just skip the whole week, wouldn¡¯t I? I can¡¯t do this now, can I? ¡°Ah, Aah?¡± But my body had already been sucked into the super-large warp gate. When I heard that Adriana had disappeared, I was too impatient to find her. I felt like¡­ I didn¡¯t think things through well enough. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Adriana, who once sighed about the possibility that Olivia might quit Temple, was doing exactly that. To say that one could never know what a person might go through would apply perfectly to that situation. Anyway, I had reached a place I didn¡¯t think I would have to visit until the day before. I thought that if I ever went to that place, it would be because of Harriet, not because of Adriana. When I exited the warp gate, I was simply amazed by the scenery that greeted me. Arnaca, the capital of the Saint-Owan Duchy, known for its highly developed magic. It wasn¡¯t as grand as the Imperial Capital, but it was still a great city. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I couldn¡¯t keep my mouth shut when I saw the vastness of the city and the tall castle standing right in the middle of it. The surrounding area was completely flat, but there was a towering mountain right in the middle of it. Then there was the palace that seemed to have been cut out of half of the mountain. It seemed so bizarre and overwhelming that I was wondering just how something like that was possible. A white palace carved out of a mountain¡­ It was the place Harriet mentioned from time to time. The White Palace, Arnaria. It was a beautiful and magnificent palace that seemed overwhelming, yet elegant. ¡°Dang, if they could do stuff like that, they could¡¯ve just given me some money.¡± I knew that the Saint-Owan Duchy could be comparable to an average sized empire, but I didn¡¯t know it was to that degree. As I realized while we were in the Ancient Castle Epiax, Harriet didn¡¯t just live in an average mansion, but in a big palace. Just like there was a huge gap between a small apartment and a mansion, there was a gap between a mansion and a palace. The latter was even more overwhelmingly different. No matter how high one¡¯s status was, as long as one was a student at Temple, it didn¡¯t really show. After all, we were studying in the same environment, ate the same food, shared the same classrooms, and met daily as if that was just normal. However, seeing that palace that seemed gigantic even from afar was eye opening. She¡­ She actually was a princess¡­ I felt slightly¡­ sorry. I decided that I would be a little¡­ you know¡­ nicer to her when I went back. If one grew up in a place like that, growing up looking down on everyone around her, it was only natural that one would turn out pretty spoiled and rude. It was no wonder for a kid like her, who had been treated with utter care like a precious treasure, to cry just because her cheeks were touched. The more I saw just how beautiful Arnaca and Arnaria were¡­ The more I realized just how much Harriet had to tolerate and how hard it must have been for her. Even so¡­ All through my hard work, our little idiot had become a lot cuter. I decided to put my new appreciation of her on pause for the moment. I was curious what the inside of Arnaria looked like, but I had nothing to do there. I wasn¡¯t sure if Harriet might take me to visit it later, though. I needed to find the Artowan Monastery. * * * The Artowan Monastery was, unfortunately, not located in the Duchy¡¯s capital. It felt like I really had to start looking for her with no clues at all. If things were going to be like that, I was more than sure that I wouldn¡¯t be back by the next day. Luckily, the Artowan Monastery wasn¡¯t located in some rural village without a warp gate. If that were the case, that would have cost a lot more time. I found its location by asking at a temple of Towan that I decided to stop by. I arrived at Elsion, another big city located in the Saint-Owan Duchy, after going through a medium-sized warp gate in Arnaca. I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of city it was, but it was certainly huge. There were no such things as information desks there, so I had to ask around again as soon as I arrived there. Mana trains only existed in the Imperial Capital, so I had to go there either by foot or by wagon. Those were the only means of transportation in that city. But shouldn¡¯t it have been possible to at least set up a tram or something? ¡°¡­¡­¡± So, after finding out the location of the Artowan Monastery, I stood up dejectedly. A monastery wasn¡¯t the same as a church. It wasn¡¯t the kind of place believers usually frequented. It appeared to be located outside of the city¡¯s bounds. Therefore, it would take a long time to get there, no matter if I decided to take a wagon or walk there. That was when it hit me that I was actually living in a really nice place. Mana trains¡­ Mana trains are really such a convenient invention¡­ With those thoughts flying through my mind, I started to walk diligently. * * * I didn¡¯t take a wagon; I didn¡¯t even know where to find one, and I¡¯d just waste more time simply looking for one. I was quite confident in my stamina, so I walked through the streets of Elsion at a slightly faster pace, leaving the city. I followed a road leading to the outskirts. I never would have imagined that I would roam the outskirts of the Saint-Owan Duchy¡¯s first major city until that morning. The day had already grown dark because the distance was just too overwhelming. While there was no sunlight, I had no problem distinguishing my surroundings due to the moonlight and the night vision my supernatural power could grant me. I wondered what I would do if I came across a bandit or something, but I did have Tiamata. Even though it was a Holy Sword, it was more than capable of cutting through people with ease. There shouldn¡¯t have been any problem, even if I met one, because I could just kill them. I felt like I had become more and more unfamiliar to myself when I caught myself having such thoughts so casually. Even walking a few kilometers at quite a fast pace wasn¡¯t a problem for my level of stamina. I wasn¡¯t injured anymore, either. I became quite a different person, qualitatively speaking, compared to how I was in my first semester. The one who contributed the most to that was Ellen, followed by Adriana. However, if we went by who helped me out first, that would be Adriana. I was the type of person that no one could see in a positive light. I¡¯d used cowardly and shameful methods to make my senior step down after I got beat up. And yet Adriana had tried to talk to me, even though I seemed to be nothing but troublesome. And she even helped me to put up a fight in the duel I recklessly agreed to. Although the reason I gave her for acting the way I did was that if I didn¡¯t go that far, my classmates would bully me for being a weakling. Adriana was someone who would even reach out her hand to someone one would be better off not touching like me. She was the first one to help me. She kept working out with me and never stopped helping me become someone that could be described as a person. She had helped me even before Ellen. I didn¡¯t know what happened, but I really wanted to know why Adriana needed to leave Temple so badly. I could see a building on top of a hill at the end of the road from a distance. There were no other buildings around, so I was sure that it was the Artowan Monastery. * * * The term ¡°ancient castle¡± suited that place much better than Epiax. Epiax seemed like a palace built in a splendid and sophisticated architectural style, so it didn¡¯t feel rough or rugged. Of course, the scenery of the snow garden surrounding it gave it an eerie and gloomy atmosphere. The enormous but barren appearance of the monastery before me seemed to reflect the ascetic lifestyle of the people living in it. Monks living in monasteries were different from priests residing in ordinary churches, which were open to the public. They were people who solely focused on their own religious practices and cultivation rather than how they appeared to the public. They were a community of faithful people walking their own religious paths while keeping their distance from the secular world. A monastery was a place where such nuns and monks lived. Adriana had grown up in the Artowan Monastery. So it would be a convent, so to speak. Which meant¡­ -This is an area that is off-limits for men. ¡°No, wait!¡± -We will never open the doors for you. Men weren¡¯t allowed to set foot in convents. ____ Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Other than its walls, one couldn¡¯t see anything else of the Atrowan Convent from outside, maybe it was to minimize the chances of the nuns living there being seen. I couldn¡¯t even see how the interior was set up. All of it could simply be the convent, but there might be something like a garden in the middle. When I arrived at the front door and said that I was there looking for someone, instead of opening it for me, they just slid open a small slit. only exposing their eyes, and simply told me that it was an area forbidden for men. I¡¯d gone there as quickly as possible, so I had expected some twists and turns. While I was pretty certain that it would take some time to get back and such, I never expected that I would never even be able to enter the convent. -Bang, bang! ¡°Hey! I won¡¯t enter, but could you please call Adriana for me!? If you tell her that I¡¯m her junior from Temple and that I want to talk for a bit, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll come out! ¡± -¡­Sister Adriana said that she isn¡¯t willing to meet anyone from Temple. Go back. I couldn¡¯t believe that she didn¡¯t want to see anyone from Temple. What the hell happened? ¡°Whatever, just tell her what I said. Are all nuns of Towan so unfriendly?¡± -¡­ I didn¡¯t hear any more words from beyond the door for a while. ¡­Did I cross the line by referring to all of the nuns of Towan? -What is your name? ¡°I¡¯m Reinhardt.¡± -Don¡¯t hope for a positive answer. ¡°Anyway, thank you. ¡± It seemed like the nun left. I leaned my back against the massive, tall walls of the convent as I blankly stared at the moonlit sky. What should I do¡­? There was the thing with Adriana as well. I felt like I¡¯d made a big mistake again. I had been in a hurry, so I wasn¡¯t really able to tell anyone where I had gone. What if they already found out that I suddenly disappeared again? If Temple got thrown into chaos again¡­ I seriously risked getting beaten up by Ellen¡­ I should have said something. Did I actually lose my mind when I heard that Adriana dropped out from school? I just up and left without a trace. What should I tell them when I get back? No, I should have just gone back as soon as possible. Just how long would I have to queue up for the warp gate? Being a Temple student didn¡¯t help in the least. After some time, a smaller gate beside the main gate slowly opened. ¡°¡­Junior.¡± From there, Adriana, wearing a miserable expression, stepped out. *** Adriana was dressed in a neat, black and white, monastic outfit that suited her quite well. She also looked good in her Temple uniform, though. The time I¡¯d first met her, I¡¯d thought she was quite the modern beauty, but looking at her at the convent¡­ Should I have called the style clean or neat? It did seem like a very good fit for Adriana, who was always proper. Adriana, who said that she wouldn¡¯t meet anyone from Temple, came out when she heard that it was me. ¡°I didn¡¯t actually want to come out, but I didn¡¯t know¡­ what you might¡¯ve ended up doing otherwise, junior¡­ ¡± I didn¡¯t expect that my reputation of doing crazy things outside of anyone¡¯s expectations would help me there. Adriana showed various facial expressions, perhaps because she was having a hard time. ¡°What about Temple?¡± In the midst of that, she voiced her concerns. ¡°That¡¯s not important right now.¡± While I was worried about that as well, she was more important to me for the moment. The grass around the monetary on the hillside, turning brown, swayed in the wind. ¡°let¡¯s walk for a bit.¡± Adriana slowly took the lead, and I walked beside her. She, who was always so enthusiastic about training, looked nothing like that in her monastic attire. She had an atmosphere around her that told the world that she didn¡¯t know how to fight and that she would go her whole life without knowing. ¡°Well, I thought you might come here, Junior.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re just too nosy after all, Junior.¡± I had stuck my nose into the business of others more than just once or twice, after all. That was probably why she thought in a corner of her mind that I would go to see her, even in that situation. ¡°That¡¯s not a very nice way to put it.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t intend it to be nice after all.¡± Adriana smiled widely. ¡°So, why would you drop out of Temple?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the result of something I¡¯ve been thinking about for some time.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t something happen during the group mission?¡± ¡± ¡­It did, but I kind of expected something like that to happen. Of course, it felt a lot different when it actually happened.¡± Adriana seemed to be burdened with a lot of troubles. During our summer vacation, she seemed to have been struggling with something that she ended up making her mind up about during the mission. It looked like there was someone among her classmates who liked her, but she suffered because of it, as she couldn¡¯t reciprocate their feelings. ¡°Art told me that he liked me.¡± Adriana looked at me as she spoke. Art de Gartis¡­ The second-year who¡¯d challenged me to a duel. So it was that guy who liked Adriana, huh? ¡°I said I couldn¡¯t accept his feelings.¡± ¡°¡­What did that guy do to you?¡± Adriana shook her head sadly at my words. ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything. Art isn¡¯t that violent, Junior.¡± They argued. ¡°I just thought that I shouldn¡¯t be in Temple any more after that. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°That was enough for you to decide to leave Temple?¡± Adriana paused for a moment and looked at me. ¡°Junior.¡± She looked quite depressed. ¡°This happened more than once.¡± Adriana told me that she had gone through something similar to the Orbis Class. Art wasn¡¯t the only problem, she had been through those things too often. Was she just tired of it? Adriana silently looked at the monastery. ¡°Junior, I¡¯ve grown up and lived here all my life.¡± And then we started talking about something completely different. The Artowan Convent¡­ An area that was off-limits for men. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * ¡°Some of the people who live in the monastery, that is, the Artowan Convent, live their whole lives there. Those people never even see a man until the day they die. When orphans are entrusted to the convent at a very young age, it¡¯s not all that impossible.¡± It seemed like there were actually some people who had never seen someone of the opposite sex in their whole life in the monastery. Assuming that they wouldn¡¯t go outside for the rest of their life¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that mean that they would lock themselves in that prison for their whole life? I couldn¡¯t understand why one would live like that. Adriana shook her head, seeming to understand my doubts. ¡°There are simply people who are more than satisfied with this way of life. Rather than being filled by worldly desires, a life dedicated to their faith and self-cultivation is a lot more satisfying for them.¡± It was possible for some people to happily live in that huge but narrow prison for their whole lives, abandoning many of their human desires. Why did Adriana tell me something like that? ¡°Junior, I left the monastery for the first time last year.¡± Adriana hadn¡¯t gone to Temple¡¯s elementary school section, but she had entered the Royal Class straight away. That meant that she¡¯d lived in the monastery for 17 years and left it for the first time the year before. ¡°It was the first time I saw a man after living in a world filled with religious doctrine, interpretations, and prayer. I met people who had completely different opinions from me and held completely different values.¡± Adriana walked quietly through the brown, moonlit meadow. Her walk seemed soft. Adriana was like a wanderer. She didn¡¯t know what her destination was, but she kept walking, trying to find something. ¡°I learned a lot of things¡­ That there are so many different people in the world, that there are so many silly things in the world, that there is so much delicious food in the world, and that there are so many interesting and fun things in the world. The world is filled with so much joy and misfortune. The world¡­ ¡± ¡°The world¡­¡± ¡°The world is so beautiful.¡± Adriana looked up at the sky. ¡°Indeed. I also learned that there were many sad things in this world I had never experienced before, but I found a lot more fun and happy things filling it.¡± She seemed delighted that the world she¡¯d found outside of the confines of the convent was so beautiful. ¡°I wanted to get along with everyone, so I tried to be kind to everyone. However, there were a few people who misunderstood my intentions. No, it couldn¡¯t even be called a misunderstanding. I didn¡¯t know when treating someone as a friend ended and when acting like I was interested in someone started.¡± Adriana, in her early days after her admission, seemed to have been similar to Ellen and yet different. Ellen didn¡¯t know how to act around people, so she avoided them. Adriana didn¡¯t know how to act around people, so she was simply nice and kind to everyone. She might have overdone it a little. ¡°So things like that happened a few times. If someone confessed to me, I would refuse them and tell them something like, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that I can¡¯t do these things because I¡¯m a priest of Towan?¡± which always made them hate me. They would ask me why I had treated them so well and led them on.¡± What she did just to get close to the people around her made some people misunderstand her intentions, so it seemed like Adriana had her fair share of troubles, even outside of Royal Class, during her first year. Although she seemed to have gotten hurt in those situations, Adriana had tried to draw a clear line between her and others. However, even so, there was nothing one could do about the heart¡¯s desires. Art liked Adriana. He confessed, and in the end, tired of repeating that endless circle, Adriana had decided to drop out of Temple. ¡°That¡¯s not the end of it. There are even people who like the people who confess to me, and those people grow to hate me and become jealous with me, striking out by plaguing me with terrible gossip.¡± Adriana¡¯s eyes were shaking. She didn¡¯t know whether that might be true for Art as well. She couldn¡¯t accept Art¡¯s feelings, but someone else might like him, then that person would definitely hate Adriana. What were those terrible rumors that she was talking about though? She didn¡¯t even bother to tell me what they were, but just even mentioning the fact that they existed was hard for her. It looked like the rumors must have been dirty. Adriana was struggling. I wasn¡¯t aware of any of that. ¡°There were a lot of things I wasn¡¯t aware of, and there are still many more. I was trying to do better, but it just wasn¡¯t going well.¡± Adriana, who seemed to be good at everything and got along with everyone, was actually unhappy. I was actually older than her, but I still was wrong about her. She was a senior to me, so I just thought Adriana was the type of person who was good at everything as if she was actually my senior¡­ She was a good person, so I believed that she would be able to take care of herself well, too. However, she was actually having such a hard time dealing with people without my knowledge. Thinking about how to get along with others, acting the best she could, and sometimes failing. She was hurting. ¡°When I lived in the convent, I was satisfied with just that because it was my whole world. I didn¡¯t know anything but that world.¡± However, Adriana had to have changed after she¡¯d found out about the outside world and all the things she had no idea about before. ¡°There¡¯s so much going on in the world. There are things that need someone to step in, and I thought that I might be the one to do so. If I was told to go back to living the rest of my life in the convent, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to. That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking, at least. Of course, I don¡¯t have to, either. The director also wants me to see even more of the world.¡± Adriana wasn¡¯t actually forced to be a nun either. ¡°At first, I was able to endure because my goal was to join the Knights Templar. I planned on simply enduring through those problems that arose from interhuman relations and graduate from Temple. I believed the reason for my life to be to join the Knights Templar and fight for the greater good.¡± Adriana had wanted to join the Knights Templar. She¡¯d admired them so much that she¡¯d gone to see them in-person when they¡¯d returned from the Darklands. ¡°However, I don¡¯t know anymore. Olivia gave up her faith, and the commander of the Knights Templar even tried to torture his own daughter. When I learned of these things¡­ I wasn¡¯t so sure anymore if that was really the right path¡­¡± That was also the result of the butterfly effect caused by my actions. Adriana, who was enduring all those problems caused by human relations and had the goal of joining the Knights Templar, had found out that the Knights Templar weren¡¯t actually as ideal as she thought they were. Olivia had given up on her faith, and while Adriana had not, she was still in agony. She had been suffering all that time because of it. Since her life goal was gone, did she believe that there was no reason for her to endure her life at Temple that was wrought with trouble? ¡°So I just decided to stay in this convent for the rest of my life.¡± She was tired of trying to maintain all those relationships with the people around her. Amidst all the interest she was subject of and the malice and hatred resulting from it, she eventually tried to return to where she¡¯d started. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know anymore things unknown to me, so I just want to go back to where I came from and to the life I lived before.¡± There was no reason for her to stay in Temple, where she had to suffer from misunderstanding and miscommunication, after her goal had disappeared. She saw Olivia abandoning her faith¡­ She learned a lot of things she didn¡¯t want to know¡­ Did she choose to go back to the convent before she learned even more she didn¡¯t want to know? Adriana looked at me. ¡°I told Art that I couldn¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t like him, that I couldn¡¯t do it, and that I felt really sorry, but I couldn¡¯t accept his feelings. I used the same excuse I always used. I always say those words when I reject someone.¡± Her eyes seemed sad. ¡°It¡¯s not Art¡¯s fault. It¡¯s not the fault of the people who fell for me, either. It¡¯s probably my fault. I wasn¡¯t able to put the right distance between us, so people misunderstood¡­ All lf it was probably my fault for acting in such a manner.¡± It wasn¡¯t her fault, either. I wanted to tell her that, but I couldn¡¯t open my mouth. After running away, she was deprecating herself. She didn¡¯t hate anyone, but she hated herself. ¡°Junior¡­¡± She quietly looked at me. ¡°You can¡¯t be friends with everyone.¡± That sounded like a warning from someone who had already failed. Don¡¯t do it. Don¡¯t even dream about it. Something like that. ¡ªThat was the kind of warning it was, and words were filled with her own regrets. Adriana¡­ Adriana, who suffered so much just by being in Temple¡­ I couldn¡¯t possibly ask her to return to Temple. ____ Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Adriana sat still in the brown meadow. When she asked me to sit next to her, I sat down beside her. It was chilly, but I didn¡¯t feel that cold. ¡°It would have been nice if everyone else was like you.¡± Someone who didn¡¯t show any greater interest in her, even when in such close proximity to her¡­ Adriana wanted to be friends with everyone, so someone like me would have been perfect for that. Not everyone could be like me, and not everyone could be like Adriana. ¡ªSo it was an impossible dream. Someone would still confess while knowing full well that they would get rejected because they just couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore, and if people who liked those people actually saw all that, they would harbor great malice. What should one do if a friend saw you as more than just a friend? Adriana¡¯s words at that time hid deep worries. I didn¡¯t care that much at the time because I was busy with my own problems, but could I have prevented the problem from cropping up if I had paid more attention to her? But what the hell was I supposed to do to prevent it? ¡°You might think I¡¯m quitting Temple for such a small problem.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s not a big deal though.¡± It may have sounded trivial, but if it was so painful for her, why should she have to endure it? Even after she endured all that, there would be nothing to reward her for it at the end. I¡¯d wondered why Adriana had suddenly dropped out of Temple. I wanted to tell her to come back if she could. I had to stay in Temple, but Adriana had no reason to. I couldn¡¯t persuade Adriana or find any reason for her not to stay in the monastery. I didn¡¯t know if it was the best for Adriana to stay there. However, Adriana, who had suffered through so much in Temple, seemed to have no other path left. ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡± Adriana looked at me with a sad smile. I wanted to comfort her, but I didn¡¯t know what to say to her. However¡­ I had a certain problem¡­ I was in the outskirts of Elsion. I arrived there through a medium-sized warpgate¡­ A warpgate through which monsters would eventually emerge as well. Waves of carnage would occur in almost every city save the Imperial Capital. If I couldn¡¯t stop the Gate Crisis, Adriana would inevitably die there. As Adriana said, you couldn¡¯t be friends with everyone. I wouldn¡¯t be able to save everyone either. I really wished there was a way to do that, but I didn¡¯t know if there even was one. Was it really right to leave Adriana there when the future is so uncertain? That thought didn¡¯t last long. If I couldn¡¯t stop the Gate Incident, I might as well have just smashed Elsion¡¯s warp gate to bits. Or I could¡¯ve made Adriana somehow stay in Temple. However, that was still far away. Adriana had made her choice, and I couldn¡¯t deny it. It wasn¡¯t the end of everything. It was a place I could reach in a day, so there was no reason for me not to go back to visit. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you often.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Redina was also very worried about you. I could bring her¡­¡± Adriana looked at me. Redina¡­ Adriana looked like she was about to cry when that name came out of my mouth. Just like Redina followed her around as if she was her real sister, she seemed to regret and feel sorry for leaving her behind. ¡°Thank you, Junior¡­ No, you aren¡¯t my junior anymore.¡± Adriana smiled at me on that moonlit hill. ¡°Thank you. Reinhardt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m more grateful to you.¡± That person who felt grateful to me even though I did nothing¡­ I was going to leave her there for the time being. However, I would definitely go back and pick her up later. ¡ªThat was what I swore. * * * Adriana left Temple, and she would never come back again. That was a failure. However, while it felt like a failure, it also didn¡¯t. Adriana saw me off that day when we returned to the far reaches of the fields. I might not have been able to convince Adriana to return to Temple, but I could go and see her again from time to time. I would bring Redina next time as well. I left the Artowan Monastery with those thoughts in mind. ¡°Goodbye, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Seeing Adriana wave her hand, complicated thoughts swirled in my head. She was the one who¡¯d laid the foundation for my life at Temple. I knew that it wasn¡¯t like I would never be able to see her again, but I couldn¡¯t seem to take a step. ¡®You can¡¯t be friends with everyone.¡¯ Adriana¡¯s words were burned into my mind. * * * I had to go back to Temple. It was already past midnight. Adriana told me that she would stay in the monastery, and I decided to stop thinking about whether it was the right thing for her to do or not. I was done tending to other people¡¯s affairs, so I had to take care of my own matters. Then, my next problem¡­ I had to do my very best to return to Temple that day. [Quest appeared ¨C Return] [Description : Return to Temple before classes begin] [Reward : 200 Achievement Points] A small quest appeared. In the end, I could have skipped a single day, but then there was that small quest giving me 200 achievement points. But I didn¡¯t think I would be able to return that day. First, I had to go to Arnaca using Elsion¡¯s warp gate and return to the Imperial Capital by using Arnaca¡¯s super-large gate. It was nothing difficult. But how would I be able to go through that super-large warp gate with such a huge queue in front of it? ¡°Damnit¡­¡± I sighed softly in front of Elsion¡¯s medium warp gate. If the others found out that I made such a stupid mistake, I might really get beaten up. What was more important than those achievement points¡­ If Ellen found out that I was gone, she might¡¯ve let her imagination run wild again, so if that were to happen, I might¡¯ve actually gotten killed. If she were to ask me why I didn¡¯t tell her anything, I wouldn¡¯t have anything to say to her. Wait for me! I¡¯m coming back! I might be a bit late, though¡­ * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy Join our Discord for updates on releases! * * * When I arrived in Arnaca, the capital of the Saint-Owan Duchy, a brilliant night view unfolded before me. The Saint-Owan Duchy, in which magic was extremely advanced. Still, there were no extremely large magic-powered facilities like the mana train of the Imperial Capital, but Arnaca itself was a bright city with an excellent night view. My mind went blank for a moment when I saw the majestic sight of Arnaria, the Duchy¡¯s palace, shining white in the distance. The Imperial Capital also had its own charms, but Arnaca was a city filled with a mysterious and magical atmosphere. They didn¡¯t have trains, but there were trams everywhere as well. It didn¡¯t seem that it had been long since they were implemented, though. That wasn¡¯t the time to admire the city¡¯s scenery. That horrendously long queue before the super-large warp gate¡­ Just what should I do about it¡­? I headed towards the gate at dawn. Arnica was wide, so I took a tram that even ran at dawn. There were three super-large warp gates in Arnaca. That was quite amazing. As a territory specialized in magic, their warp gates, which could be considered super-large magic facilities, connected to many places. I didn¡¯t even have to check those three different places. Seeing that the queue merged into a single big one, I was convinced that it was pretty much impossible for me to get back that day. They¡¯d probably arrived very early and stood in line after receiving a waiting ticket beforehand. Those that I saw before me were not the full extent of the people who wanted to use the gates. It was like that even in the early morning hours just after midnight. I had no choice but to be stranded there in Arnaca for a few days. I had some money, and I was sure that there were various places where I could sleep, but the others would also end up finding out that I was missing all of a sudden like last time. A way¡­ It sure felt great when I was able to use the Imperial Coat of Arms as a sort of fast pass. How could I make them prioritize me in the use of the extra-large warp gate? ¡°Erm¡­¡± I had no choice but to visit a certain place. The White Palace, Arnaria¡­ It¡¯s not like they would prioritize me for being a Temple student that was part of the Royal Class. However, that was Arnaca, the capital of the Saint-Owan Duchy. Wouldn¡¯t they be able to do something for me as a friend of the Duchy¡¯s young lady? * * * I had to go to the White Palace Arnaria and ask for a warp gate priority ticket. I also thought that it was a crazy plan. Even though he was the father of a close friend, he was the Grand Duke of Saint-Owan, the master of the duchy, basically a king. The time was also an issue. I could anticipate how I would get cursed out if I really woke him up in the early morning hours, asking him to use the warp gate first. How strange¡­ I was afraid of getting hit by Ellen, so I was actually thinking about going up to the ruler of a territory to make a racket. Just what the hell was I doing? Still, my feet still took me in the palace¡¯s direction. Achievement points were at stake, and it would whether I would get killed by Ellen or not. I had to go back to Temple before the sun rose any further! If he said no, I couldn¡¯t do anything about it, but if he said yes, that would be great. After some time, I confidently headed towards Arnaria. The White Palace¡­ A mysterious yet beautiful palace that seemed as if it had carved out of half the mountain it was placed on¡­ Its walls and its five tall spires rising from them were glowing white. The spires should have had some magical function, but I didn¡¯t really know what it was. There seemed to be four gates¡ªone to the east, one to the west, one to the north and one to the south. I headed towards the southern gate. If I got past that gate, I would be able to get to the palace by taking those steep marble stairs. In front of that gate¡­ ¡°What is your business?¡± ¡°Speak.¡± There were two guards, who seemed to be human but spoke a bit unnaturally, blocking my path. They talked as if they were one person. The way they were armed and how they behaved was very natural, yet I felt a strange sense of incongruity when I looked at them. They were golems. That place was highly advanced in the study of magic, that was its setting, so they let golems that looked exactly like humans protect the palace. They could be compared to an automatic security system, for example. That was a good call. One wouldn¡¯t have to worry about them betraying you nor would they get tired, because they weren¡¯t human. ¡°My name is Reinhardt, a student of Temple¡¯s Royal Class. I¡¯m also a friend of Harriet de Saint-Owan.¡± The golems didn¡¯t change their expressions at my words. What was before me were machines that only worked as ordered. ¡°I want to be prioritized when using the super-large warp gate.¡± The golems were silent. About 30 minutes or so passed. The guards carefully stepped away from me. -Creeeeaaak¡­ Then the huge gate began to open. ¡°This is a message of the Grand Duke.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Reinhardt.¡± It wasn¡¯t just two golems. It seemed like there was even a network-like system in place. It was surprisingly easy to enter, so I was a bit flustered. This is fine, right? * * * After crossing the gate, I went up the steep stairs leading to the palace, the golem guards walking beside me. It seemed that the Grand Duke could receive reports and give orders through those golems rather than just ¡°programming¡± them to do something. If it was just about the warp gate license, he could have just given me an answer like that, but he¡¯d asked me to come in. I had never personally met the Grand Duke of Saint-Owan before. He was a crazy fool for his daughter. I didn¡¯t know what sort of impression he had of me, but it probably wasn¡¯t a good one. As I climbed up the marble stairs, I could see the White Palace more closely. It wasn¡¯t similar to the ancient castle Epiax at all. Of course, it was a little bigger, and if Epiax gave off a sharp, rough feeling, that place felt warm and soft. Even though it was night, I could see the well-maintained gardens lit up by multiple lights everywhere. There were people still working in the numerous annexes and central palaces even though it was the middle of the night; maybe they were golems as well. Although I had never been to the Imperial Palace Emperatos, I felt certain that Arnaria, the White Palace, was absolutely one of the most beautiful places on the continent. Just what would it be like to live in a place like that? I thought it might be a little boring, actually. There were golems no matter where I looked. The expressionless faces of the golems gave off a certain reliability, but¡­ It seemed a bit lonely. None of the staff or servants were human probably, but there certainly were a few humans around. Harried lived in that kind of place. I suddenly thought that her childhood must have been very lonely. Wherever she went, there were only golems and no friends to play with. ¡ªJust as Adriana had been content with her life at the convent and accepted that she would live her whole life there as she didn¡¯t know anything else. Since Harriet was also content living her whole life in that white palace, not knowing any other way of life, she probably didn¡¯t really complain about being lonely, right? Even at dawn, the White Palace, where golems could be seen working everywhere, wasn¡¯t quiet. However, no one looked at me nor did anyone try to talk to me. From afar, the White Palace seemed to be a beautiful and vibrant building. However, when I went inside, I could only see the White Palace as a lonely place. It was still beautiful and brilliant, but very lonely. As I was led to one side of the palace while accompanied by the guard, I walked through the garden, where no one tried to restrain me or try to talk to me. I didn¡¯t feel like I was about to have an audience at all. I was led to the palace where the Grand Duke¡¯s bedroom was located. It had a main reception room and a central lobby. ¡°¡­¡± I thought I would just meet the Grand Duke there. Of course, he was actually there. He sat on a fancy sofa, staring at me with a tea set placed before him. ¡°Long time no see, Reinhardt.¡± Seeing him like that, it was more than clear that I had woken him up. He looked quite sloppy. No, that made me even more aware about how rude I was acting, but the Grand Duke, the ruler of a territory, actually woke up at dawn as soon as he heard that I¡¯d come. Yeah, well, okay. Let¡¯s say that was possible. ¡°So you are Reinhardt? Oh my¡­ Oh my, oh my¡­¡± An elegant and beautiful lady. ¡°No, I was told he was ugly. Aren¡¯t you actually handsome?¡± Some young man. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Some young man two. ¡°He is handsome, but he certainly looks dirty.¡± Some young man three. ¡°Sit down,¡± The Grand Duke commanded. I sat on the sofa opposite him, feeling cold sweat run down my body. What the hell was going on? Apparently, the whole Saint-Owan family had gathered here. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± The lady who wore a kind smile offered me some tea. She was probably Harriet¡¯s mother. I¡­ Why? No, I¡­ I just need the gate prioritization. That was the reason for being there. ¡°How are things with Harriet?¡± Why did it feel like I was visiting my girlfriend¡¯s house for the first time Did they think of me as her boyfriend or something? Was it something like that? ¡°G-g¡­ Good! H-How are you doing?!¡± And why the heck was I responding to that? I might have gone crazy! ____ Chapter 239 Chapter 239 The situation turned into something similar to a boyfriend visiting his girlfriend¡¯s parents¡¯ house to say hello without his girlfriend. No, it wasn¡¯t like that. It wasn¡¯t like they were just awake, it was clear that the whole family had woken up as soon as they¡¯d heard that I was there. The Grand Duke had seen me once, but it seemed like the other family members also wanted to see my face at least once. ¡°My sweetie talks about you so much. At first it seemed like you two didn¡¯t get along at all, but now it seems like you have gotten very close.¡± The lady wore a subtle smile as she looked at me. I didn¡¯t know her name, but I believed her to be Harriet¡¯s mother. If Harriet grew older, she might end up looking like that as well. Yeah, she just had to grow up a bit more. Of course, I didn¡¯t know if she would be as gentle as her. And young men one, two, and three¡­ I guessed that they were the brothers Harriet talked about from time to time. ¡°Your face does look like you¡¯re always pretending like you¡¯re not up to something. Now I see it.¡± The first of her presumed brothers seemed a little mischievous. ¡°No, it¡¯s even more interesting that he doesn¡¯t care about our status at all? Is he that thick-skinned?¡± The second presumed brother seemed to be strangely blunt with his words. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, but I heard he¡¯s quite skilled, right?¡± No, why did it seem like those guys were asking for a show or something all of a sudden? I went there to talk about the warp gate prioritization, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say anything because the ducal family was making so much noise. I¡¯d thought that it was a lonely place, but the owners of Arnaria were like¡­ ¡°Try this, Reinhardt, it¡¯s delicious.¡± Dogs¡­ No, I didn¡¯t mean that in a bad way. They were a bit like puppies. I was a strange sight to them, so it seemed like they were wagging their tails at me, crowding around me and trying to sniff me. They seemed like very friendly puppies. What was that? I was supposed to be a beggar. I didn¡¯t feel any sort of prejudice from those people at all. What the hell? Even those people¡­ They seemed to be completely convinced that Harriet and I weren¡¯t just friends but were actually dating. They didn¡¯t even ask if we were dating.. Well, of course they¡¯re dating, is there any problem with that? It felt like they were thinking like that. I couldn¡¯t even tell them that it wasn¡¯t the case because they didn¡¯t ask What was with that? If I were her first boyfriend, shouldn¡¯t they hate my guts? Why didn¡¯t they hate me? I think I would definitely hate me, though. Ah. The Grand Duke seemed to have that kind of expression. His expression seemed to represent ¡®dissatisfaction¡¯ itself. ¡°Ah. Erm, Yes¡­ It¡­ it¡¯s very delicious¡­¡± I nodded with a stiff expression on my face as Mrs. Saint-Owan forced me to eat a cookie. The Saint-Owan brothers only talked a bit, but they didn¡¯t seem to show any reluctance towards me. The Grand Duke was silent while the others were asking me questions. ¡°You¡¯re a supernatural power user, right? Can you show it to me once?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a skill that can¡¯t be really shown, though¡­¡± ¡°Oh yeah? What kind of power is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called self-suggestion¡­ It¡¯s a bit like physical strengthening. Well, I¡¯m not actually sure if I¡¯m the only one who actually feels the effect.¡± ¡°I heard you were able to strengthen yourself with mana last time. All on your own?¡± ¡°Really? Reinhardt, you¡¯re a genius!¡± Idiot¡­ Did she tell her family everything she knew about me¡­? I was able to punch anyone in their face who tried to start something with me, but I felt helpless because they were clinging to me like pet dogs. I was weak against those kinds of things. In the end, I suffered through their interrogation for a long time. ¡°Ehm.¡± The Grand Duke coughed slightly and pointed to the stairs using his chin. ¡°Once you¡¯re done talking, go back to your bedrooms.¡± Perhaps thinking that the curiosity of his family members had been sufficiently sated, the Grand Duke seemed to try to cut them off. Mrs. Saint-Owan took my hand. ¡°I¡¯d really like to talk a bit more with you. Can¡¯t you sleep over? It¡¯s very late.¡± N-no. That older version of Harriet¡­ Her personality was totally different from hers, so I couldn¡¯t seem to get used to it! ¡°Ah, n-no. I have to get back to Temple by morning¡­¡± ¡°What a shame¡­ Do come to see me often later with Harriet.¡± Eventually, after saying that, she moved her mouth closer to the side of my head. ¡°By the way¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make my sweetie cry anymore, my dear.¡± ¡°How many times did you do that already?¡± ¡°Be careful from now on, okay?¡± ¡°She is a lot more vulnerable than you think.¡± A chill ran down my spine. The look in the eyes of Mrs. Saint-Owan and the three brothers as she said those things to me seemed to change slightly. A family crazy for its only daughter¡­ If I made Harriet sad, they would kill me in the world¡¯s most painful way. I had already made Harriet cry a few times; probably around the beginning of the first semester. The Grand Duke and his family had opened up the gates of the White Palace and welcomed a commoner who showed up at dawn out of nowhere. They favored me because I was friends with Harriet. However, there seemed to have been a misunderstanding. If I were to make Harriet sad, the undeserving favor that they showed me would turn into disproportionate hatred and revenge. Idiot¡­ Your family¡­ Is really scary¡­ Regardless of whether I was discovered as the Demon Prince or not, I believed I would be killed by her family first¡­ * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * The Grand Duke¡¯s family didn¡¯t ask me why I was in Arnaca. They were just very curious about what kind of person I was, so all of them had woken up when I¡¯d showed up at their doorstep out of nowhere and asked me various questions before going back to their rooms at the Grand Duke¡¯s order to stop and go back to sleep, seeming disappointed. It was just me and the Grand Duke left in the reception room. The others had made quite the fuss about me, however the Grand Duke was the only one who¡¯d watched me calmly. ¡°Priority to use the super-large warpgate¡­ Indeed, I can give you something of that degree.¡± He wrote up a document on the spot and handed it to me as if it wasn¡¯t really a difficult request. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± The Grand Duke didn¡¯t ask me why I was there that late. Was it that he didn¡¯t think that anything special had happened? I was more or less sure that he simply wasn¡¯t curious about what someone of low status like me was up to. I could go back since I was done with my business, but it would be incredibly rude if I got up first before he told me that I could go. I had already shown him great disrespect, and yet he¡¯d met me with favor. I couldn¡¯t be even ruder to the Grand Duke. And¡­ While I didn¡¯t really have a reason to leave a good impression, I certainly didn¡¯t want to leave a bad one. What the hell was I doing? I wasn¡¯t her boyfriend! But I didn¡¯t have to be rude towards him just because I wasn¡¯t, right? Just what was I supposed to do? ¡°Go.¡± The Grand Duke rose from his seat, and I followed behind him. When I first met him, he¡¯d said something like ¡°You don¡¯t like Harriet? Is there something wrong with your eyes?¡± The Grand Duke at that moment looked a lot more serious than he did back then. The Grand Duke and I walked through the Arnaria gardens. ¡°I heard you created a magic research group.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°I heard you plan on making some crazy things.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Grand Duke of Saint-Owan walked quietly through the silent garden. It seemed like he wanted to talk to me. He didn¡¯t ask me why I was there and only asked some things about Temple. ¡°It¡¯ll be impossible.¡± The Grand Duke had refused when Harriet asked him to invest in us. It looked like they¡¯d fought because of that. The Grand Duke of Saint-Owan, an archmage¡­ If someone like that said something was impossible, then it was impossible. Generally speaking, that was true. I was the only one who knew that they would create those things in the future, so the Grand Duke¡¯s prediction was wrong. With his back still turned towards me, the Grand Duke kept on talking. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about magic. People who don¡¯t know the theory behind magic think that anything is possible with magic, so they ask for a lot of things. You don¡¯t know what mana is composed of, how to draw magic circles, or what magic circles can and cannot be carved into magic stones. You think everything can just be solved with this thing called magic. People like that are generally known as magic all-roundists. ¡° His words were filled with criticism directed towards me, however, it sounded a bit different somehow. It felt like a battle between a head of a development team and a head of a planning team. ¡®Make something like this.¡¯ ¡®How the hell are we supposed to make that?¡¯ ¡®You will manage somehow. You guys are good with computers, right? Isn¡¯t that what you are getting paid to do?¡¯ ¡®No, you should research first before you speak about these things. This isn¡¯t as easy as it seems.¡¯ ¡®Last time you also said that you wouldn¡¯t be able to do it, but you still somehow made it. Just do it like that again.¡¯ No! This is different from that, right? Or was it actually a version of that? However, the Grand Duke didn¡¯t seem like he was complaining. ¡°By the way¡­¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°All world-changing inventions actually started off with the opinion of an outsider like that.¡± The Grand Duke quietly walked forward. ¡°Emperor Regnet de Gradias ordered the creation of a uniform and universal large-scale means of transportation using magic because of the constant traffic jams and accidents due to the sheer number of carriages driving around in the Imperial Capital. The Emperor had not an inkling about magic. It was impossible. Everyone said it was utterly impossible to create something like that. They ridiculed the Emperor¡¯s judgment and criticized him, calling him a magic all-roundist who was completely ignorant of magic.¡± ¡°But today, there are mana trains driving through the Imperial Capital.¡± ¡°And another 150 years earlier, Emperor Organtia de Gradias said that teleportation magic was much too rare compared to its usefulness, so he said that we should connect each region by applying dimensional doors used in the field of summoning to create permanent dimensional doors. However if they were supposed to be permanent portals and spread across the entire continent like a spider web, how would we supply the stones needed to power them? Cost problems, technological problems, implementation problems¡­ everything from start to finish was filled with problems. It was a ridiculous thing to suggest. Everyone criticized the idea and called it impossible. They lamented the impending ruin of the Empire.¡± ¡°However at present, the warp gate system has been established over the whole continent.¡± ¡°It was thanks to the warp gates that we managed to win the Demon World War.¡± The words of outsiders that everyone thought to be ridiculous¡­ All world-changing inventions started with them. The Grand Duke turned to look at me. He was looking down on me, as he was very tall. I felt overwhelmed. ¡°Reinhardt, what do you think I¡¯m trying to say?¡± The ridiculous words of an outsider¡­ Did he mean that we would end up making things that would change the world? Was he complimenting me? However, if that were the case, the Grand Duke should have just invested in us. He¡¯d argued¡­ He¡¯d even gotten into a huge fight with his beloved daughter. The intent of his statement was more than clear. ¡°You mean to say that one needs to become an emperor to realize the ramblings of an outsider.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid.¡± He nodded. ¡°If you took it as a compliment, I would have kicked you out.¡± What the Grand Duke said to me wasn¡¯t to be seen as a compliment, it was sheer sarcasm. ¡®Even the emperors were criticized heavily by the public for realizing their words, so what are you even going to do with a few students?¡¯ That was why he thought that my plans would end in failure. ¡°It was possible for them because they were emperors. However, even though they were emperors who could rule and exert influence over all of mankind, those were great turning points of history. They stood before crossroads that could decide the rise or fall of the Imperial power.¡± ¡°Of course, the things you plan on making aren¡¯t anywhere close to the mana train or the warp gates. However, an item that would enable one to use external magical power like one¡¯s inert magical power, and an item that could make one easily reach the level of a superhuman¡­¡± ¡°One would open a new chapter in the history of magic, and the other would be a turning point in the history of superhumans. In short, they would eventually bring change to how wars are fought.¡± ¡°In my opinion, those two inventions would be comparable, if not even more impressive, than the mana train and the warp gates.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not an emperor, and the students of your research group aren¡¯t part of the Magic Association or some secret magic society nor are they members of the Temple research laboratories.¡± ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s possible to create those things with your conditions?¡± The Grand Duke asked me as if he was trying to interrogate me. There was only one answer I could give him. ¡°Yes.¡± That was how I answered without the shadow of a doubt. The Grand Duke seemed a bit surprised by my nonchalant answer. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Even if it isn¡¯t possible, I¡¯ll still make it happen.¡± In the end, the only answer I could give him was that vague one. ¡°If we don¡¯t have enough money, we can just make some, if our abilities are lacking, we¡¯ll just get it. After all, weren¡¯t the emperors like that as well?¡± ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll just make it work.¡± ¡°¡¯Anyway, just do it. I¡¯ll grant you unlimited support, so just do it until it works.¡¯ Something like that, right?¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s expression became somewhat strange at my words. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about magic. I really have no clue, but I¡¯ll make it possible for them to make those things. I¡¯ll do anything in my power to get them everything they need to do it. That¡¯s all.¡± The emperors knew nothing about magic. ¡ªI was the same. The emperors promised ¡®unlimited support¡¯. I did as well. What made me different from the emperors? Faced with my conviction, the Grand Duke seemed to feel rather weird. ¡°Fine. Although it is impossible, let¡¯s say you manage to do that. The ones who would receive all that support are still just mere students.¡± Even if I were to promise them unlimited support like the emperors, the researchers weren¡¯t even close to being the best wizards in the world. The difference between the applicant and the researchers wasn¡¯t resolved. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡± I dared to object to the Grand Duke¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m fully convinced that Harriet de Saint-Owan will be the world¡¯s greatest wizard. No, the greatest wizard in human history.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s face twisted slightly at my words. It seemed like he didn¡¯t expect I would say that. ¡°Would it be that surprising for a wizard like that to make something that could flip the world upside down in their childhood?¡± Harriet would be the greatest wizard in human history. In fact, the Grand Duke of Saint-Owan also believed that. Why would it be impossible for Harriet to make something that went against common sense? The mere existence of such geniuses was already absurd, after all. It was only natural for such absurd existences to achieve the impossible. ¡°Geniuses have their own way of doing things, which is something that most ordinary, common people wouldn¡¯t understand. Isn¡¯t it weird to judge what is or isn¡¯t possible for a genius just because it¡¯s impossible from the perspective of such ordinary people?¡± The Grand Duke might be offended by those words that declared both him and me to be bums. However, I could see his lips twitch slightly. Alright. If he, who¡¯s a fool for his daughter, didn¡¯t bite after I praised her so much, I¡¯d believe he wasn¡¯t human. ¡®Really? My daughter will become incomparably stronger than me in the future?!¡¯ ¡®To the point that I¡¯d seem ordinary?¡¯ ¡®Why, of course! That¡¯s how it should be! Yes!¡¯ ¡®My daughter¡¯s the best!¡¯ ¡®You seem to be a bit insightful, huh?¡¯ He was probably screaming stuff like that on the inside at the moment. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it would be more strange if it didn¡¯t work out?¡± ¡°Hm, well¡­¡± The Grand Duke pretended to cough a few times before continuing to speak, his fist before his mouth, perhaps trying to cover it. ¡°Yes, well, I guess I indeed lacked some faith.¡± ¡°I fully understand your concerns. I know the path to her future will be brilliant, but you want her to take a safer route.¡± ¡°Well¡­ yes, that was my intention.¡± He worried so much about Harriet because he had faith in her; that was why it was unavoidable for the Grand Duke to hold some distrust even though he trusted her. He wasn¡¯t cooperating with the Magic Research Society¡¯s plans because he feared she would vainly struggle with a task she had no way of solving. He didn¡¯t have to invest in us, he could have just given us the money, but he hadn¡¯t. Money wasn¡¯t the problem, he was just afraid that his daughter would break down while trying to cling to some impossible task. So that was why the Grand Duke decided to meet up with me when I suddenly showed up at his doorstep. Originally, he probably just wanted to tell me to get rid of the Magic Research Society¡¯s current research interests. However, it seemed like he ended up impressed with my ridiculous trust in Harriet¡¯s ability instead. In fact, he himself, who should know best just how absurd his daughter¡¯s talent was, didn¡¯t trust in her as much as me, an outsider. The Grand Duke seemed to feel a strange sense of shame because of that. ¡°And, erm, this might be a bit off topic¡­¡± ¡°Hm. What?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Did you, perchance, have a fight with Harriet?¡± ¡°!¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes widened at those words. After she¡¯d asked him to invest in us, Harriet seemed to have had a big fight with the Grand Duke, it looked like she held a long lasting grudge. It was more than clear that he didn¡¯t only tell her that he wouldn¡¯t give us any money, but he¡¯d also said that she shouldn¡¯t be part of the Magic Research Society either. That fight didn¡¯t happen because he wasn¡¯t willing to give us any money. The fight must have broken out because the father told her not to do something while the daughter absolutely wanted to do it, so the Grand Duke probably ended up telling her not to waste her time on useless things. Perhaps even then the cold war between Harriet and the Grand Duke was still ongoing, saying things like ¡°Hmpf! I hate you, daddy! I hate you!¡± He obviously felt restless. ¡°When I get back, I¡¯ll talk to her a little. I¡¯ll tell her that His Highness the Grand Duke said those things because he was worried that she might get hurt, not because she asked for an investment.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Hm. Ehem. Y-you don¡¯t have to do that.¡± The situation was quite tense, but I would put in a good word for him. The Grand Duke¡¯s face lit up at those words. The mother was quite tender¡­ So, looking at her dad, I could tell¡­ ¡°Hm, well, You don¡¯t have¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry about this. It¡¯s my job. Yes. This is quite common between a father and a daughter¡­¡± Harriet¡¯s personality resembled her father¡¯s. I could tell just by listening to him. That uncle, the Grand Duke, who was also an archwizard¡­ wasn¡¯t him talking like that strangely cute? ¡°Ah, well. But well¡­ if you could clear up the misunderstanding¡­ Ehem, that would be good.¡± Anyway¡­ His daughter was awesome. No¡­ That was a bit weird. Anyway, things turned out fine. That was just how far the Grand Duke¡¯s favoritism went. MAX achievement reached. ____ Chapter 240 Chapter 240 I was done with all of my business, so I just had to go back. However, Grand Duke Saint-Owan seemed to want to walk around a bit more. Wasn¡¯t that gentleman sleepy? I could get back to Temple, but I sure wouldn¡¯t be able to get a wink of sleep due to how late it was, so I actually didn¡¯t have the time to walk around more. ¡°Reinhardt, what do you think of Arnaria?¡± Grand Duke Saint-Owan was nothing more than the father of a friend to me. But why did it seem like he was my father-in-law? He had his hands clasped behind his back, got all serious, and talked as if he was trying to put me in my place because of my relationship with his daughter and not because of my status. What was with that? There was nothing between us, but I felt like I had reached the point where I couldn¡¯t fix it anymore. Of course, putting that aside, the Grand Duke¡¯s question¡­ What do I think of Arnaria? ¡°I think it¡¯s amazing. I haven¡¯t seen any place like it, but¡­ I still have much to learn, so I don¡¯t know how to express these feelings properly. My apologies.¡± ¡°You know how to talk.¡± Was it too obvious that I was just saying those things without meaning them? The Grand Duke looked over Arnaria¡¯s garden. ¡°It¡¯s a lonely place.¡± Even the Grand Duke, who had populated the entire palace with nothing but automated dolls, thought that the isolated scenery of Arnaria was lonely. Most of the gardeners, guards, and staff were golems. It seemed like some among the staff were human, but Arnaria could operate with only the bare minimum of people. It was probably for the sake of safety, and it would certainly be much safer that way, but as a result, Arnaria had become a safe, beautiful, and lonely place. I didn¡¯t know what kind of reaction I should have to the words the owner of the White Palace had said with his own mouth. ¡°Harriet spent a long time here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it seems.¡± Someone who despised anyone who had a lower status than her and had less talent¡ªHarriet had been such a person. She was treated with the utmost respect and grew up beautifully in that place, surrounded by her family that would take care of her whenever she felt angry and made a fuss if there was even just a scratch on her. ¡°Do you understand why I sent Harriet to Temple?¡± That was a question I had for a long time already. Harriet could study magic in Arnaria. It was the Grand Duchy of Saint-Owan, and her father was an Archwizard, so why did she have to go to Temple to study magic? Harriet de Saint-Owan, the young lady of the Saint-Owan Duchy, a territory far advanced in magic, had gone to Temple¡¯s Royal Class. That was the setup I¡¯d made for her. However, Harriet didn¡¯t actually need to study magic at Temple. In the end, the ¡®why¡¯ for that had also been supplemented. Harriet had lived in that lonely palace for all of her life up until then. She was arrogant, ignorant on how to treat others, and lived a life where everything would be solved if she whined long enough. She was someone who treated commoners and vassals which she occasionally encountered like bugs. What would a father do who saw his daughter acting like that?. ¡°You wanted her to gather some experience and meet a lot of different people¡­ Is that it?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Temple was a place where one¡¯s status became meaningless. In Temple, one couldn¡¯t pressure others with one¡¯s identity. Grand Duke Saint-Owan wanted Harriet, who had grown up sheltered, to gather some experience in a completely different environment. He wanted her to know that the world she knew and experienced wasn¡¯t everything. So he¡¯d sent her to Temple. She hadn¡¯t changed until the end in the original, though. However, things had become different due to my presence. Grand Duke Saint-Owan would have wanted Harriet to run into someone similar to me, if not someone exactly like me. ¡°Harriet seemed to have made a lot of friends, and her personality changed a lot as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Although I can¡¯t say that it¡¯s all because of you, I also can¡¯t say it¡¯s not.¡± The Grand Duke wanted Harriet to change, and she actually had. He seemed satisfied with that. Her narrow-mindedness had greatly diminished. In the end, even though he opposed the Magic Research Society, it meant that Harriet was smoothly making friends. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to hate it entirely. It felt kind of strange to hear those things from him. The Grand Duke of Saint-Owan and his family¡­ They didn¡¯t seem to be too stuck on their status. In fact, I was supposed to be a lowly street beggar, and, to put it harshly, I was someone that would even be looked down on by commoners. Actually, Harriet hadn¡¯t called me beggar or anything like it for a while. However, the Grand Duke¡¯s family didn¡¯t seem to hold any prejudice at all towards me, no matter where I came from. ¡®He¡¯s a commoner, but he¡¯s still my daughter¡¯s friend, so I should treat him well.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t even at that level. He didn¡¯t seem to care at all. When I¡¯d first met him, the Grand Duke had said that his daughter would never seek counsel from a lowly person such as myself, but he had actually been speaking from her point of view. I didn¡¯t say anything back then because I didn¡¯t want to back down. ¡°What do you think about my background?¡± So I just decided to ask because I was curious. The Grand Duke looked at me silently. It looked like he had to think about that for a while. ¡°¡­Do you know the Saint-Owan family¡¯s history?¡± The Grand Duke answered me with a completely unexpected question. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°The ancestors of the Saint-Owan family were tanners.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Executioners, tanners, and butchers¡­ These jobs are considered to be the lowest of the low. Back then, they couldn¡¯t even have a house near a village.¡± The lowest of the low would be those who were ignored and despised, even by the lowly. ¡°A tanner¡¯s house had urine bins in them to disinfect the leather, and the smell prevented them from owning houses inside a village. I¡¯ve actually smelled it before; I can¡¯t say it was enough to call it awful.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just being a tanner was reason enough for a divorce. Even if they said before that they could endure it, if they asked for a divorce, you couldn¡¯t do anything but accept it. The Saint-Owan family had its origins in such tanners.¡± Grand Duke Saint-Owan told me stories of a past even I didn¡¯t know happened. He could have just forgotten all about their origins in tannery, but the Grand Duke had remembered it. ¡°The Saint-Owan family, no, how do you think the descendants of such lowly people, who weren¡¯t even considered commoners, managed to reach so far?¡± The difference between a tanner¡¯s cabin filled with the smell of rotting urine and the White Palace Arnaria was immeasurable. However, the Saint-Owan family were the masters of the Duchy. They¡¯d left their lowly origins behind at some point. However, the owner of the White Palace had not forgotten his origins. ¡°¡­Was it through talent?¡± ¡°Right.¡± That was the only thing necessary for the vulgar to become noble. They¡¯d managed to jump the gap. ¡°The Saint-Owan bloodline has carried a strong affinity for magic for generations, but for a tanner, magic was just a word, something too far to reach. However, from the moment we somehow awakened that talent, over generations, we eventually managed to reach this point.¡± ¡°Social status¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± ¡°After all, the world only needs useful people.¡± ¡°Those who were born noble may be nobles right now, but we don¡¯t know what the future may bring.¡± ¡°Similarly, a person born lowly may be lowly now, but it¡¯s impossible to know what might happen in the future.¡± ¡°With only ability, talent, or power¡­¡± ¡°Everything can be overcome.¡± Grand Duke Saint-Owan looked at me. He was a cold, meritocratic man. ¡°Your lowly background doesn¡¯t matter anymore because you already managed to enter the Royal Class.¡± ¡°¡­¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * ¡°Status? The moment you graduate, any kingdom, state, or even the Empire, should you decide to stay, would be scurrying over themselves to give you a title to tie you down; it wouldn¡¯t be an empty one, either. They might give you a title comparable to mine.¡± I was a commoner, but I had no reason to continue to live as one. It was because of my talent. I was a supernatural power user, and if I grew up safely until my graduation, I would be stronger than any ordinary knight. My ability¡­ My strength¡­ I could already be considered a noble from those things alone. Grand Duke Saint-Owan didn¡¯t even consider me to be a commoner when I was already guaranteed to have that kind of future waiting for me. Of course, those were the values of the Grand Duke who knew that if one was backed by talent, their status would follow. The members of the Grand Duke¡¯s family treated me normally because they knew that considering my background was meaningless. Only because of my ability¡­ Was that why he acknowledged me? The Grand Duke of Saint-Owan and his family were all meritocrats, so they didn¡¯t care about status. If you were incompetent, they would despise you, if that wasn¡¯t the case, they would respect you. I was being respected. ¡°So I don¡¯t care about your status. Don¡¯t worry.¡± However, what the Grand Duke said to me as he looked at me was a bit strange. I was just asking him those things because I was curious, but I wasn¡¯t actually that worried about my status, you know? So why the hell did he think I was? ¡°You¡¯re more than qualified to marry Harriet.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± No. What was he talking about? ¡°That means that you don¡¯t have to be concerned about your humble background to propose to Harriet.¡± No. No, wait! ¡°Wasn¡¯t that why you suddenly came to this place at this hour to ask that?¡± It seemed that all of the Grand Duke¡¯s family had seriously misunderstood something. The Grand Duke held an even worse misunderstanding than that. He thought I was already dating and that I came all that way with the next step in mind¡ªmarriage. No wonder¡­ He¡¯d opened the gates as if he had been waiting for that moment¡­ It wasn¡¯t like that! I¡¯d just stopped by Arnaria, I didn¡¯t go there because I liked Harriet to such an extent, but it was clear that he thought that I¡¯d gone to Arnaria at night because I wanted to get his permission to marry her. ¡°However, don¡¯t cross the line.¡± Faced with the Grand Duke who had a ferocious expression on his face as if he would rip me apart if I were to touch his daughter before marriage, I couldn¡¯t tell him that I only went to Saint-Owan to meet up with a female senior I knew. If I said that, he would kill me. It was all a misunderstanding. The moment I understood that it was like that, I froze because I didn¡¯t know what was going to happen. I simply went there to get priority access to the warp gate¡­ However, I suddenly got permission to marry Harriet out of nowhere. If I wanted to become a noble, I would have countless chances. I had enough qualifications to marry Harriet, so I shouldn¡¯t worry about proposing to her. However, I shouldn¡¯t cross the line or else I¡¯d die. When the Grand Duke of Saint Owan said those things, I couldn¡¯t tell him that I wasn¡¯t actually in a relationship with his daughter. I felt like he¡¯d ask me why I wasn¡¯t going out with her if I said that. Harriet wasn¡¯t there at the moment to stop the Grand Duke from running wild. So I exited the White Palace after being acknowledged as their daughter¡¯s lover by the whole family when there was actually nothing between us. I felt like I was about to go crazy. What the hell was with that? If I didn¡¯t marry Harriet later on, they would definitely kill me. I was sure that they would think that I¡¯d just played around with their daughter and wouldn¡¯t believe me at all if I tried to explain why I didn¡¯t end up with Harriet. I¡­ I had really done it. Do I seriously have to marry the idiot now? Of course, for that to happen, we would have to resolve that Gate Incident, so I thought it would be great if we could get to that point. Until then, things would be fine. Anyway¡­ My nightly escapades, which were triggered by Adriana dropping out all of a sudden, came to an end. I managed to take a day trip across the Saint-Owan Duchy while trying to figure out what to do. In the end, I didn¡¯t manage to bring Adriana back, but¡­ I felt like I¡¯d caused something even bigger¡­ What should I do¡­? * * * [Quest completed ¨C Return] [You¡¯ve received 200 Achievement Points.] I returned to the Imperial Capital at dawn. I was certain that Ellen wouldn¡¯t have a reason to beat me up anymore. She wouldn¡¯t beat me up while asking me things like, ¡°Where were you last night?!¡± right? No, when I thought about it, I had never actually been beaten up by Ellen other than when we trained, but she had never actually been serious then. Why was I so worried about getting beaten up by her? I wasn¡¯t that kind of person. Did I get tamed after getting hit so many times during practice¡­? Adriana wasn¡¯t in Temple anymore¡­ That fact made me feel a little lonely somehow. Anyway¡­ There were some who knew that I went out the previous night. However, no one knew that I had been to the Saint-Owan Duchy. I was incredibly tired because I couldn¡¯t sleep, and I couldn¡¯t sleep when I got back either because of the time. ¡°Did you stay up all night?¡± Ellen asked me, seeing that my face was the perfect representation of fatigue. ¡°Ah¡­ I had to do something.¡± It was time for breakfast. Five people, including myself, always sat together to eat breakfast. The four girls and I. Harriet spoke up while frowning.. ¡°Where have you been? Did you cause trouble again?¡± Yeah. I caused some trouble, alright. However, that trouble didn¡¯t just involve myself, but Harriet, who looked like she was trying to figure out if there was something she could tease me with, but I didn¡¯t say anything. Seeing Harriet acting like that¡­ how could I tell her? I felt like I had been too harsh to her. While she wasn¡¯t as much of a princess as Charlotte, seeing the White Palace Arnaria, I¡¯d realized that she definitely was comparable to one. I¡¯d bullied someone like that by spouting all kinds of bullshit. Although the girl was trying to pick on me first, I seemed to have hurt her a lot just because I¡¯d thought her reactions were funny. Her personality had eventually changed, but when I thought of Harriet in a dress in that Palace, being treated so preciously, I felt guilt that didn¡¯t exist before creeping up within me. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Wh-what?¡± Harriet openly showed her surprise when I suddenly apologized. ¡°You¡¯re a young lady, but I didn¡¯t treat you like one; that made you feel bad, right?¡± ¡°Wh-what¡¯s all this, all of a sudden¡­ What are you talking about? Wh-why are you¡­ What are you going to do this time?¡± Harriet seemed to be under the idea that I was saying those things because I had another, darker intention. ¡®You bastard, what are you scheming, calling me young lady all of a sudden?¡¯ was what she seemed to want to say. Not only her, but Liana and Adelia also seemed terrified of my sudden actions. No, but I¡¯d seriously reflected on myself the day before. The Grand Duke¡¯s words aside, I thought I had been too harsh to her so far. The grandeur and splendor of Arnaria¡­ I¡¯d treated that girl, who lived in a place like that, far too harshly. I couldn¡¯t treat her like a young lady, but I should at least treat her well. She wasn¡¯t an idiot, but a young lady¡­ I should have treated her with a bit more respect¡­ I shouldn¡¯t call her an idiot anymore. ¡°From now on, I won¡¯t call you an idiot anymore, but young lady.¡± ¡°H-huuh?! Wh-wh-what¡­? Are you kidding me? Why are you doing this to me right now?!¡± ¡°Eat well, young lady.¡± Harriet¡¯s lips were twitching, and she was wearing a puzzled expression. No, why was she like that? I¡¯d only told her that I would treat her well, right? ¡°You, I don¡¯t know what happened, but just get some sleep.¡± Liana snorted at me and suddenly said something like that. Her complexion turned slightly blue for some reason. What was wrong with her? ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°Cause you¡¯re in a damn weird mood right now.¡± I guess she thought that I was talking nonsense because I was tired. Well, I really was very tired. ____ Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Reinhardt was acting weird. She didn¡¯t know what he had been up to all night, but he kept on calling her ¡®young lady¡¯ after that. ¡°Young lady, you should go to the club room.¡± Hearing him say that didn¡¯t feel right at all. It caused a strange chill to run down her spine and an itch to develop all over her body. That feeling became very difficult for her to bear. ¡°Why do you keep calling me ¡®young lady¡¯?!¡± ¡°¡­Because you are a young lady.¡± That was true. She was the young lady of the Saint-Owan Grand Duchy. In fact, she had lived while hearing others calling her ¡®young lady¡¯ rather than her own name, so Harriet had actually no aversion to being called ¡®young lady¡¯. However¡­ When the words ¡°young lady¡± left Reinhardt¡¯s mouth¡­ Somehow¡­ It kind of¡­ Felt dirty. ¡°Don¡¯t do this! We¡¯re in Temple! You aren¡¯t allowed to mention my background!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s only prohibited if you try to use your status to pressure others, the title itself doesn¡¯t have anything to do with that, young lady.¡± ¡°U-urgh!¡± She felt like she was getting teased. No, why did being called ¡®young lady¡¯ feel like an insult when it came out of his mouth? Harriet felt like she was about to go crazy. Young lady¡­ She had heard those words a lot in her life. However, she didn¡¯t want to hear them coming out of his mouth. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m not teasing you. I¡¯m actually trying to be nice to you, so why are you freaking out? Aren¡¯t you a young lady?¡± ¡°I am! I know! Just don¡¯t call me that!¡± She¡¯d rather¡­ She¡¯d rather¡­ ¡°J-just call me ¡®Idiot¡¯ like before! This makes me feel uncomfortable!¡± That would be better. Harriet shouted, blushing out of embarrassment. ¡°Erm, idiot.¡± ¡°Y-you¡­ You! Th-that¡¯s the reason! That¡¯s why you did this!¡± In order to make her say those words with her own mouth, he¡¯d kept calling her ¡®young lady¡¯, which was uncharacteristic of him. She¡¯d fallen for it. ¡°Not really? But for you to want to be called ¡®idiot¡¯ over ¡®young lady¡¯¡­ You¡¯re a real legend.¡± ¡°Le-le¡­ Legend?¡± ¡°Yeah, you idiot. As expected, that one is pretty fitting.¡± ¡°Iiirk! Iiiirg!¡± Idiot¡­ In the end, Harriet, who was in a bad mood, had no other choice but to accept it as her actual nickname. She felt more comfortable being called ¡®idiot¡¯ than she felt being called ¡®young lady¡¯. ¡°U-urg¡­Uuh ¡­ Urg!¡± ¡°N-no¡­ Are you crying? Why are you crying?¡± Harriet felt really sad, so she cried. She didn¡¯t like being called ¡®idiot¡¯. However, she hated being called ¡®young lady¡¯ even more. ¡°Y-you¡­ You really are a bastard¡­¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. Should I just call you ¡®young lady¡¯ then?¡± ¡°Arg! Don¡¯t! Stop!¡± There were many people who called her ¡®young lady¡¯. There were many people who called her ¡®Your Grace¡¯ and many who called her ¡®Harriet¡¯. Idiot¡­ Reinhardt was the only one in the world who called her that. Harriet herself found it rather weird that she placed such importance on that word. She wasn¡¯t sure about others, but she found him calling her ¡®idiot¡¯ felt much better than him calling her ¡®young lady¡¯. For that¡­ She hated herself a lot. * * * Reinhardt, who had been out all night, didn¡¯t receive a demerit because he managed to properly attend class. He didn¡¯t tell her what happened, but Harriet would soon find out. ¡®I heard you fought with your father.¡¯ ¡®¡­Why are you bringing that up?¡¯ ¡®Why did you fight with your parents about something like that? They only did it because they care for their child.¡¯ ¡®Wh-what do you know?¡¯ ¡®Anyway, reconcile with them. I mean, parents aren¡¯t as one-dimensional as their children think. Do you know how much it upsets them when they have a fight with their children?¡¯ ¡®¡­¡¯ Reinhardt, who knew that she had a fight with her father, suddenly told her to make up with her parents. Normally, she would have shouted something like, ¡°Why are you interfering in this?¡± or ¡°Who are you to put your nose in other people¡¯s family matters?¡± However, Reinhardt didn¡¯t have parents. She couldn¡¯t just ask him things like ¡°what do you know about such family matters?¡± or ¡°who do you think you are?¡± She thought that, no matter how she decided to say it, she would end up hurting him. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± That was the only thing Harriet said. She used the communication device within Temple to connect to the one within the White Palace Arnaria. After some time passed, the communicators were soon connected with just a slight delay. That was when Harriet said that she had been too much and that she was sorry. They had a long conversation. She made up with her father before her mother took over the call. -Oh my, my baby knows how to apologize first now. You¡¯re all grown up. ¡°¡­All grown up?¡± While she wasn¡¯t so sure about her being completely grown up yet, everyone at home simply treated her like a little kid. Especially her mother¡ªshe still called her ¡®baby¡¯ even. She hated it. -By the way, he was here. ¡°He?¡± -I don¡¯t know about anything else, but he sure is handsome. That¡¯s good. Your mom approves. ¡°¡­What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± And who is the ¡®he¡¯ she¡¯s talking about? -Ah, that was supposed to be a secret. Oh my, I made a mistake¡­ ¡°No, what do you mean?¡± -Oh my, oh my, he said we should keep it a secret, so we should¡­ ¡°What on earth are you talking about?!¡± It was often the case that her mother ended up talking to herself like that, so no one but her could understand what she was trying to say. -You know, Reinhardt. ¡°¡­Reinhardt? What about him?¡± She often talked to her family about Reinhardt, but her mother¡¯s words seemed a bit strange. Why did she call him handsome? It was like she met him personally. -He came to see us the other day. What¡¯s more, it was at dawn. ¡°Whaat? N-no. In Arnaca?¡± -Do you know how surprised we all were when he suddenly came to us in person and asked us to open the gates? No. She¡¯d been wondering where he¡¯d gone, only returning to Temple early in the morning, and even keeping it secret from others. -He was so cute. Just how desperate was he to rush to our yard at dawn like that? ¡°That guy¡­ Why did he go to Arnaca?¡± -Why? Maybe because he felt anxious about his origins. That was why he came to ask for our permission. He¡¯s already so sincere and serious. So different from other kids his age. A very huge misunderstanding¡­ Was about to happen. ¡°Permission? Permission for what?¡± -Of course, for you two to date, what else? ¡°Dating?¡± -Hmm? Aren¡¯t you two dating already? It¡¯s about love, love. My baby obviously loves Reinhardt. ¡°¡­Huuh? ¡± What on earth is she talking about? Harriet¡¯s brain seemed to have stopped working. She¡¯d never told them, but it seemed like her whole family already knew her feelings. -So it seems like Reinhardt came all the way to Arnaca to ask if it was okay to date you. Well, he has quite a way with words. The whole family approves of him. ¡°W-Wait¡­ What on earth¡­? How¡­?¡± Reinhardt went to Arnaca to ask for permission to marry her? How did that happen? He¡¯d seemed to try to be nice to her by calling her ¡®young lady¡¯ and such ever since getting back. She didn¡¯t like it because it felt kind of gross. That¡­ Did he act like that because he wanted to ask her out properly? No¡­ It wasn¡¯t simply that. According to her mother, Reinhardt seemed to think that they were already in a relationship. He didn¡¯t go to them to ask if he could date her but seemed to ask if it was okay that they were dating. It couldn¡¯t just be a misunderstanding. What other reason would Reinhardt have to go to Arnaca? He had absolutely no reason to go to that place that had no connection to him other than her. -While it¡¯s a bit early, your father said that he¡¯s in favor of a marriage between you two. Why the rush, I wonder? Your father and Reinhardt talked about the matter separately, but it seems like he really planned that far ahead already. What? Did Reinhardt and dad already talk about what comes after dating¡ªmarriage? -Anyway, you two are just students and are too young, so don¡¯t do anything reckless. Otherwise, mom will get angry. Understood? ¡°U-uhm¡­Uh. ¡± Just what happened? -By the way, how long has it been since you two started dating? It seems like you started talking differently about him ever since you came back from the deserted island. Marriage between her and Reinhardt¡­ A secret meeting¡­ * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Harriet¡¯s brain ended up freezing, flooded with all that nonsense and the circumstances surrounding it. She turned into a real idiot. Why did Reinhardt go to Arnafia and suddenly talk about love matters and marriage? That meant that Reinhardt already seemed to believe they were already together and in love. It was already more than clear that he first talked about them dating and then marriage. I¡­ I¡­ was already dating Reinhardt? Since when? Why didn¡¯t I know until now? Harriet felt like she was about to go crazy. *** Lines of reasoning that start with preconceived conclusions tend to be erroneous. The Grand Duchess started off with the assumption that no one in the world wouldn¡¯t like her pretty and loveable youngest child. She couldn¡¯t help but think that Reinhardt came to them because of her young daughter, so she didn¡¯t even ask why he¡¯d gone to Arnaca in the first place. Why? She simply took it as a matter of course that he came because of Harriet. That was why Harriet de Saint-Owan found herself in that great mess. ¡°Why do you keep staring at me? Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing, idiot.¡± Harriet¡¯s heart started to race as she saw Reinhardt shooting her down in a slightly harsh manner like usual. He¡¯d said to her parents that he wanted to marry her¡­ However, it seemed like Reinhardt wanted to keep that meeting a secret, so her mother urged her to pretend not to know about the matter. After worrying about the huge gap in status between them, he¡¯d gone on a trip to Arnaca in the middle of the night. Reinhardt seemed to believe that they had already been dating each other for some time. Since when? Since the deserted island? Since they visited the Edina Islands? ¡­Or even long before any of that? When she thought of it, at some point, Reinhardt had started taking care of her in various ways even though he seemed ticked off outwardly. Could that be the reason why? Was he acting like that in an attempt to do something nice for his lover? No matter how much she thought about it¡­ Reinhardt always seemed to lose his composure if something involved her, but still, it was just too much. Common sense made it hard for her to believe that he just took off to Arnaca in the middle of the night to ask her parents for her hand in marriage. She felt like it was some sort of misunderstanding. It had been a while since Harriet had left Arnaria. She knew that her family was especially protective and a bit too proud of her. So there had to be some sort of misunderstanding. Obviously¡­ Harriet spent her day with those complicated thoughts haunting her mind. *** During her Practical Magic lecture¡­ Harriet focused and completed all calculations necessary to manifest the spell and invoked it inside a fortified facility built as a precaution. A blazing fireball was summoned about five meters above Harriet¡¯s head. The fireball was five times larger than a normal one. -Woooosh! Its speed exceeded that of sound, and it rushed towards the pile of practice targets. -Kaboooom! It shook the ground with a fierce explosion that encompassed a radius of about 20 meters from its impact point. Harriet had the earring Reinhardt had gifted her hanging from her ear. ¡°Casting time is about 30.2 seconds, power is A-rank or higher. Mana control stability is A-rank or higher.¡± The teaching assistant judging her magic invocation and its process nodded. ¡°Harriet de Saint-Owan, you have perfectly executed the Flame Strike spell. Excellent job.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Harriet was the only one among her classmates that, despite its complexity, succeeded in demonstrating the large-scale destruction spell Flame Strike. It was a high-ranking destruction spell for which one had to create a Fireball five times its normal size and fire it at a speed exceeding the speed of sound. Upon collision with the target, it would crush it, emitting a shockwave. Fireballs could completely crush Orcs, but Flame Strike could actually decimate Ogres. Flame Strike¡­ Its execution was a complete success. The others didn¡¯t know, but Harriet could already challenge the higher-ranking destruction spell, Explosion. She was already able to use the highest-ranking destruction spell that could cause an immediate explosion at a designated coordinate. It wasn¡¯t a projectile spell. Flame Strike was a spell she had already mastered during the vacation. However, all of her classmates were looking at her as if she was some kind of monster. Magic spells were simply formulas. After she memorized Flame Strike, she could easily activate it if she started controlling her magical power. Harriet completely understood the spell in her mind, so unless she was lacking magical power or her mana control was off, it would activate. Those formulas were created by numerous scholars and archmages. One didn¡¯t have to create new ones, one just had to follow those that already existed. Therefore, most wizards were, above all else, copycats. Copying was just too easy for Harriet, who might step into the realm of new magic creation quite soon. Harriet couldn¡¯t understand the students who weren¡¯t able to do something so obvious. They just had to do it as it was written down, so why couldn¡¯t they do it? Harriet used to despise such people because of that. She was a person that was used to standing above others. ¡ªBoth in status and ability. That was how she had been until she had met that weird guy. *** After her Practical Magic lecture was over, she headed to the Magic Research Society¡¯s building. Harriet and the other students who had been assigned research topics tended to pursue them in the Magic Research Society. Reinhardt didn¡¯t stop by, as he was doing his job outside unless it was a regular meeting. ¡°Haah¡­ I have no idea. There are too many reagents needed for this, and I don¡¯t even know what I should do to get rid of the side effects.¡± Christina, who was tasked with creating a special drug that would heighten one¡¯s mana sensitivity and smooth one¡¯s mana control, let out a heavy sigh as if she was facing many difficulties. It was the same for Adelia, who had been told to develop an artifact that would enable one to use exterior magical power just like one¡¯s internal magical power. ¡°Is it possible to make something like that to begin with¡­?¡± Everyone was pretty pessimistic. Harriet also didn¡¯t think things would work out. To top it off, she was even tasked to study something like Dimensional Magic and ways to travel to a different world. The things the other two were told to develop would be insanely valuable if they were made. Why the hell did she have to research Dimensional Magic? Harriet didn¡¯t understand. However, Reinhardt believed in her. He thought she could do it. Regardless of what happened in Arnaca, she eventually developed some interest in it. Rather than her classes that only touched magic that had already been created, she didn¡¯t know what to do or where to start when it came to her topic. She grew more and more appreciative of her task, regardless of whether she was successful or not. It wasn¡¯t just memorizing or studying something someone else had created but pioneering a field of magic that didn¡¯t exist. She realized that she was still lacking in many ways but could still try her hand at it. Of course, even the genius Harriet hadn¡¯t found a solution yet. They were in the middle of having some tea because everyone was completely exhausted from researching. ¡°Senior, are you in a bad mood?¡± According to Christina, she was actually the youngest and yet the most senior there. No. A-1 of the second year, Redina, muttered with a forlorn look on her face. ¡°Y-yes¡­ a friend of mine dropped out. Adriana¡­¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­ isn¡¯t that the senior who was always training with Reinhardt?¡± ¡± Yes.¡± Adriana¡­ Harriet knew that she was the senior that usually worked out with Reinhardt at dawn. When they ran into her, she often saw her greet and talk with Reinhardt. What does she mean by ¡°she dropped out¡±? ¡°Reinhardt tried to persuade her to come back when he went to the Monastery located in the Saint-Owan Duchy, but I guess it didn¡¯t work out¡­¡± The Saint-Owan Duchy¡­ It was only then that Harriet remembered what Reinhardt had said to her a while ago. ¡®Do you know the Artowan Monastery?¡¯ ¡®The Artowan Monastery? I don¡¯t?¡¯ ¡®I heard it¡¯s in the Saint-Owan Duchy though?¡¯ ¡®Do you think I know every nook and cranny of the Duchy? I don¡¯t know that place, you idiot.¡¯ ¡®If you don¡¯t know, then say that you don¡¯t. Why are you getting angry?¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t get angry.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re mad, right? You always get angry when you see me, right? I¡¯m hurt.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m not maaaad!¡¯ Reinhardt had clearly been asking for the location of a monastery somewhere in the Saint-Owan Duchy. That night, Reinhardt had disappeared somewhere until the early morning hours. Harriet finally realized the truth about the incident. His goal wasn¡¯t to go to Arnaca but to meet up with the senior named Adriana. She didn¡¯t know why, but it seemed like he wanted to talk to that senior that dropped out. The senior didn¡¯t come back with him, so it looked like the talk didn¡¯t go well. Reportedly, Reinhardt had suddenly shown up at Arnaria¡¯s doors, requesting priority use of the gate. She wasn¡¯t sure about the other things, but that part seemed to be the truth. Gate usage priority¡­ That was the reason he¡¯d stopped in Arnaria. The queue to the warp gate was far too long to just return to Temple. It would have taken several days. Therefore¡­ They got it wrong, it was a total misunderstanding. Wasn¡¯t just her family making a huge fuss? She had an inkling, but it turned out to be true. Talking about marriage and all that stuff¡­ Reinhardt wouldn¡¯t have mentioned those things directly. They just thought it was like that, which had caused a misunderstanding. That was a relief. She wasn¡¯t affected by that misunderstanding for too long because she managed to discern the truth from someone else¡¯s, not Reinhardt¡¯s, words. Harriet just sat there blankly until the tea in her cup turned cold. *** That night¡­ ¡°Urgh, my body¡­¡± Harriet ran into Reinhardt, who stumbled out of the training room in the middle of the night. He faced her as he yawned and stretched. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be sleeping?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to.¡± It was a misunderstanding. Her family¡¯s delusions had spread to her, and she almost had the wrong idea. ¡°Oh¡­ Erm¡­ Have you talked to your parents?¡± Reinhardt hesitated before he opened his mouth as if he had just thought of something. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, your father¡­¡± ¡°I know what you want to say.¡± Harriet somehow became very calm as she interrupted Reinhardt, who was about to say something embarrassing. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Erm. O-okay.¡± Reinhardt tilted his head, slightly bewildered, and looked at her. All that talk about marriage was a simple misunderstanding. Harriet knew that it was one hell of a ridiculous misunderstanding. However, she didn¡¯t even want to hear Reinhardt confirming it with his own mouth. She felt like she would only get hurt if she let him talk. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll just go then.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Harriet didn¡¯t want to listen to Reinhardt¡¯s explanation. She glanced at his back as he returned. A misunderstanding¡­ Rather than knowing the truth, she would have liked to just misunderstand for a bit longer. Harriet took off the earring she had been wearing for all that time. As soon as the tranquility magic didn¡¯t affect her anymore, she covered her face with her hands. She wanted to cry. ____ Chapter 242 Chapter 242 I did my morning training on my own. I could have done it with Ellen, but I didn¡¯t really have to. They say one only realizes the importance of someone when they are gone. Ever since I built up some strength, we were always only working out together without exchanging many words, but when she was gone, the gap she left behind felt quite large. I realized that Adriana had been a very important person to me. I planned on taking Redina with me the next time I went to see her. The members of the club, Grace, and some of the second-years also seemed quite agitated by her suddenly dropping out. I didn¡¯t really care what they would ended up doing. If they were to go see Adriana, would she even be willing to see them? Since it was already out of my hands, I decided to not think about it any longer. I also thought about catching those guys that were spreading malicious rumors about her and making them pay, but I ended up not doing that. Adriana wouldn¡¯t want me to do something like that, after all. Not doing anything about it would be the last thing I could do for Adriana. Also¡­ It seemed like the misunderstanding caused by my visit to the Saint-Owan Duchy somehow got resolved as well. So, in the end, I returned to my routine of working out, training, and going to class. I didn¡¯t know how the problem with the Orbis Class was progressing, but it seemed clear that the emergency school shutdown would be extended. If they were trying to solve the problem at its roots, they would have to pull them out, which would mean that the Orbis Class would get dismantled and restructured. A lot of students would end up getting expelled, and a lot of teachers would end up getting fired. And¡­ ¡°Are you ready, Reinhardt? You know you don¡¯t have to come. I can just do this by myself.¡± Olivia seemed a bit more restrained than usual, but I couldn¡¯t just let her go on her own. In the end, I was going there because of my own problems, but I also couldn¡¯t just go by myself. Still, she kept insisting that she would go alone, and I kept insisting that I would accompany her, which ended in my eventual victory. I was grateful. Olivia seemed to worry a lot about Adriana suddenly dropping out, and yet she still cared about my affairs. ¡°Yeah, I have no idea what I should be prepared for, but I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°My, doesn¡¯t that sound reliable?¡± Olivia Lanze. Dressed-up Edition. ¡°Oh my, look at you. Am I so pretty that you can¡¯t even hold eye contact with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re pretty.¡± ¡°O-oh. I didn¡¯t expect you would say that¡­¡± That young lady, who always flirted so aggressively with others, would get incredibly embarrassed if one acted in kind. However, the truth was that Olivia, who was wearing an off-shoulder dress, shone more than she usually did. My shameless praise following her silly remark made her fan her red face. While Olivia was all dressed up, I only wore my Royal Class uniform. The Support Association¡­ It was an extremely great opportunity to get some donations to bolster the Magic Research Society¡¯s budget. That was why I was going to the party. Olivia held her hand out. ¡°Will you escort me?¡± ¡°Just this once.¡± I took Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Th-this ain¡¯t how escorting works!¡± -Drag, drag Of course, Olivia totally freaked out because I just dragged her by her hand and didn¡¯t really escort her. *** Originally, only fourth-years and above were allowed to attend the Support Association meeting. It was in the form of a party in which they would talk subtly about sponsorships after chatting about vapid things with the attendees going ¡°hahahoho¡±. Since the Support Association meeting was an official event held at Temple, it was held in the banquet hall located in the main building of Temple. Usually, people couldn¡¯t enter without a Temple-issued pass, but in our case, those who intended to attend the Support Association meeting were allowed to enter without it in a limited manner. I was thinking of taking the other members of the Magic Research Society, especially Harriet, with me. Since she was the young lady of the Saint-Owan Grand Duchy and was also insanely talented, it would be incredibly easy for her to win a sponsorship for the club. However, after thinking about it for a bit, I ended up going to the Support Association meeting on my own. It would have been something I would have to explain to the other club members, and I didn¡¯t want Harriet to be put in that position. It wasn¡¯t a bad position or anything, but the task still involved whining and begging for money, after all. I didn¡¯t want Harriet to experience something like that. It seemed like the other attendees were either going to the support meeting separately or in groups. I was on my way to the venue with Ceres and Olivia. ¡°Originally, this was a support meeting for all special classes, so normally there would also be some students of the Orbis Class present, but because of the current situation¡­¡± ¡°There will only be Royal Class students?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Normally, the sponsors would compare the two classes, deciding who to sponsor as if investing in the more likely class to succeed. However, because of the problem with the Orbis Class, they were exempted from the event. While I didn¡¯t know how Temple would solve those problems, the remaining people of interest might not appear again for a whole semester. Ceres van Owen was also dressed up. Her appearance was quite impressive as well, but Olivia Lanze simply stood out too much. ¡°D-don¡¯t just stare at me like that¡­¡± When I kept looking at her, she avoided my gaze as if she¡¯d suddenly turned shy, different from her usual, clingy self. Olivia fumbled with her fingers and couldn¡¯t even look at me. That girl¡­ ¡®What¡¯s with that reaction? What a bold move!¡¯ That was what Ceres seemed to think when she looked at Olivia at the moment. Originally, she should have been a senior whom she respected quite a lot. However, after that incident happened, Ceres seemed to look at Olivia with pitying eyes from time to time. Well¡­ I knew how she felt. I also got dumbfounded from time to time when I saw her. Of course, she was so nice that she would even help rally donations for a club of some lower-year students that had nothing to do with her. No matter how she acted outwardly, Olivia Lanze was someone I was insanely grateful to. In fact, Olivia didn¡¯t even need sponsorship, so she wouldn¡¯t have come to the support meeting normally, but she was attending that day, which was unusual. And, of course, Ceres wouldn¡¯t have to attend just for a sponsorship, but she was a student council president, so she had to. She glanced at the list she was holding. ¡°There are many different types of sponsors: noblemen, rich merchants, knights, the Magic Tower, and the Magic Association.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Among them, if there was one organization that would sponsor your Magic Research Society, it would be the Magic Tower or the Magic Association, right?¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * ¡°However, they don¡¯t necessarily have to be connected to magic. There are cases where wizards actually join the knights as well, right?¡± Olivia had a different opinion from Ceres, which was also reasonable enough. There was no way that only organizations related to magic would be interested in the Magic Research Society, after all. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll just pick out the most influential people among the support meeting attendees.¡± ¡°Leader of the Knights Templar, Illion Milton.¡± ¡°The Magic Association¡¯s vice president, Saintrident.¡± ¡°Commander of the Imperial 1st Division, Shanapell, Saviolin Turner.¡± ¡°Merchant Guild Master, Owen de Getmorea.¡± ¡°There are many others, but these four should be the most important.¡± The former leader of the Knights Templar, Reverier Lanze, was dismissed, so his successor attended the meeting instead. I didn¡¯t really know who Illion Milton was. Olivia clearly seemed reluctant after hearing his name. While Reverier Lanze, her stepfather, had been the more direct problem, Olivia seemed to dislike anyone in the position of being the Knights Templars¡¯ leader. Even though he was just the successor, she would absolutely hate attending the support meeting with someone like that. ¡°I can go alone.¡± I suggested that because I didn¡¯t want Olivia to force herself to go to a place she didn¡¯t want to go to. However, she simply shook her head. ¡°What are you saying? I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t know that they¡¯d attend.¡± It seemed like she had been prepared for it, perhaps predicting that a huge organization like the Knights Templar would be in a position to attend those events. Olivia Lanze was kind, almost seeming like a real pushover. The Commander of the Knights Templar, Vice-President of the Magic Association, Commander of the Imperial Knights¡¯ first Division. and the Master of the Merchant Guild¡­ It was clear that, if we were to convince even one of those four, we would receive huge amounts of support. However, I seriously hated the Knights Templar to begin with, and the Merchant Guild seemed quite twisted in my eyes as well. I wasn¡¯t sure about the Magic Association, but they might¡¯ve been willing to sponsor us, as our activities were magic related. The first Division of the Imperial Knights had nothing to do with magic, so would they even be willing to sponsor us? While I didn¡¯t know everyone or everything, I did know one of those names¡­ Imperial Knights First Division, Knights of Shanapell. Saviolin Turner. A Swordmaster, of course. No, they were even more than that. *** The Temple students were sent to battle when the Gate Incident took place, however, there were also combat troops that didn¡¯t consist of students of course. Their greatest representative would be the Knight Order, specifically, Shanapell, the greatest Knight Order Division found on the continent. They made great contributions to the battle as well. As most students didn¡¯t know how to fight properly, some knights took them under their wings and taught them how to fight in real situations. Saviolin Turner gave Ludwig several lessons in that process. At that time, Ludwig was in the possession of Alsbrj ger and was deemed a very important figure. Ludwig and Ellen Artorius¡­ Those two were transferred to the unit under Saviolin Turner¡¯s direct command. It was only natural that the best knight of the continent instructed the owner of the Holy Sword¡¯s Alsbringer and Lament, who weren¡¯t yet familiar with those kinds of battles. She had a cold and unfeeling personality and treated Ludwig very harshly, whipping him while constantly comparing him to Ellen, who was good at everything. Since the world was at stake, Saviolin Turner had no other choice but to resent Ludwig more than he actually deserved. It was easier to die than survive, and with a weak body and mindset, only an even worse ending than death would await you. While Saviolin Turner had nothing to teach Ellen, who excelled in everything, she had a lot to teach Ludwig. In battle, Saviolin Turner taught him countless things, and, near the last chapter, she actually lost her life protecting Ludwig. In the end, Ludwig became a Swordmaster in that process. She was a very important character after the gates appeared. I never thought I would meet her in a place like that. ¡°Now, shall we go in?¡± And I really didn¡¯t expect that I would end up meeting her with Olivia Lanze, not Ellen and Ludwig. We arrived at the banquet hall located in the main building. *** ¡°There are quite a few people.¡± ¡°Right?¡± The students present of Royal Class¡¯ fourth year and higher were about 60 in total. However, not all attendees were students. Other than those that looked like students at first glance, there seemed to be more than 100 people. ¡°If all of the people that wanted to come actually came, there would be more than 1000 attendees.¡± Ceres added that the number of attendees was already greatly reduced. The best students of Temple, an educational institution the Empire was proud of, were the ones that were the Empire¡¯s future. There were many who wanted to invest in or build connections with them. There might¡¯ve even been some who wanted to scout them before they graduated. Whether they were prospective, promising knights or those with business-related talents. Every talent had a use in some place. Some of the students greeted sponsors they already knew for quite some time as well as some they seemed unfamiliar with. And as we entered, all their eyes turned to us. To Olivia Lanze, to be exact. Someone who had renounced her faith but was still famous as the Saint of the Eredian District. Although she had been a promising prospective paladin, the fact that she had given up on everything and still went to that place where the commander of the Knights Templar was present quickly cooled the atmosphere. To be honest, it might¡¯ve just been that they found it hard to take their eyes away from Olivia, dressed as she was. Olivia wore a smile on her lips as if she was already used to these gazes. What the heck? She isn¡¯t bothered by this at all. She sure was a strange person. ¡°Is there anything official we need to do?¡± ¡°Hm, not really. You can just go and relax.¡± It sure was a relief that there wasn¡¯t anything like a time to promote oneself where I had to go up on the podium and tell those people to give me money. I was really worried that I¡¯d have to do something like that. However, if there wasn¡¯t anything like that, how was I supposed to open a conversation with the sponsors? Did I have to go up to those people I had never seen before and randomly pitch them my business plan, asking them to just lend me some money? Wouldn¡¯t they just think I was a scammer? However, contrary to my worries, there was someone who approached us first. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually came here. This is a big deal.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t come to a place I shouldn¡¯t be at, now did I?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡± I didn¡¯t recognize his face, but I could guess his identity, judging by the robes he was wearing. The commander of the Knights Templar, Illion Milton. Olivia grabbed a glass of champagne from the tray of a passing waiter, took a small sip, and smiled. Alcohol? Right. Olivia was an adult. ¡°Can¡¯t you change your mind?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± The commander of the Knights Templar still seemed to feel that Olivia¡¯s sudden departure was a shame. He left after a short greeting, saying that he knew that Olivia¡¯s will was too firm to be swayed by him. Olivia Lanze was simply too talented for people to leave alone. Reverier Lanze once said that she was talented in every possible way. She was a talent hand-picked and selected to be in charge of the Knights Templar in the future. However, Olivia couldn¡¯t go back to them. Ceres looked at her with pity. She was someone who lived by her faith in the Five Great Gods, although she didn¡¯t have the talents to become a paladin. She seemed to think that it was very unfortunate that Olivia had abandoned her faith. ¡°There are some things that only get firmer with the passage of time.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Olivia smiled at Ceres. It wasn¡¯t just that she felt disappointment towards the Knights Templar. Olivia had learned the reality of faith and the gods after the Tiamata incident: the demon gods didn¡¯t exist and were actually the same beings as the great gods. The truth that the power one received from a god was simply determined by the direction of one¡¯s faith. Knowing that the gods actually had no sentience, Olivia could never have faith in them again. At first, she decided to give up on her faith because she saw what their believers did, however shortly after she even found out that the gods had such flaws. Olivia definitely would never place her faith or loyalty in the gods again. Therefore, she didn¡¯t even consider joining the Knights Templar. Most of my unknown seniors of the Royal Class were talking to the sponsors about one thing or another. Ceres was a student council president, so she went around to see if she could do something, so Olivia was the only one left with me. ¡°Most of the seniors here must be majoring in magic and need some extra money, right?¡± Olivia nodded at my words. ¡°There are also some students who came here to decide on their career path after graduation.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Are they trying to see who gives them the better offer or something?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There are even some cases where commoners are promised titles.¡± It was as the Grand Duke had told me. In order to secure the promising talents of the Royal Class, some places offered them titles. That being said, while there were four major groups present, there would also be some representatives of the Empire among the attendees. The meeting was basically an opportunity for others to build connections under the pretext of granting sponsorships to students, and at the same time, it was also like a job fair for those that didn¡¯t intend to attend graduate school because their graduation was imminent. I wasn¡¯t sure just how much a Royal Class graduate was worth, but it had to be an enormous amount. I wondered what my price would be. While I didn¡¯t really think so, Mr. Epinhaused once told me that I was the most talented student in Temple. ¡°¡­Ah. ¡± As soon as I thought about that, a cold-looking man talking with someone entered my view. It was Mr. Epinhauser. Of course, it was very much possible for teachers of the Royal Class to attend the meeting, but I still couldn¡¯t believe that I¡¯d met my teacher at a party. Of course, it was very much like Mr. Epinhauser to just wear his normal formal suit and not some fancy outfit. I couldn¡¯t hear what he was talking about with the other people, but seeing that they wore quite grim expressions, it didn¡¯t just seem to be a friendly chat. I couldn¡¯t even imagine him talking to someone in a friendly manner. ¡°Now, shall we go fishing for some money?¡± Olivia flashed a bright smile as she said that. ¡°¡­Should you really be talking like that?¡± If she talked like that, wasn¡¯t she basically blurting out that we were just there for money? ¡­Although that wasn¡¯t far from the truth. ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed, Reinhardt.¡± Olivia seemed to have a pessimistic outlook on this meeting from the get-go. No, weren¡¯t we supposed to be able to make good money there? ____ Chapter 243 Chapter 243 It was clear that the whole operation wouldn¡¯t have been very effective if I had gone on my own. Everyone present knew Olivia Lanze. ¡°Ah, this is Reinhardt, a first-year. He¡¯s a supernatural power user. He has a bright future ahead of him.¡± ¡°A supernatural power user?¡± ¡°These days, this junior of mine has some visions, so he created a place called the Magic Research Society.¡± ¡°Hooh, what are you researching?¡± . ¡°Miss Olivia, it is an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°Haha, hello. This is Reinhardt, a first-year¡­¡± . People wanted to exchange some words with Olivia Lanze, who had bee famous for a different reason than before, and she introduced me to those people without fail as if she was trying to sell me. She also put great emphasis on the new Magic Research Society that I had created and that it was in need of a significantly greater research budget. While the attendees of the four major organizations were prominent, others were also quite formidable. All of them were high-ranking nobles dispatched from each region as well as imperial nobles and other prominent people from various organizations. Olivia talked to all of them and introduced me to them. However, as she predicted, the results weren¡¯t that good. ¡°Oh, that seems to be quite significant research. I¡¯ll be rooting for you, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Then, if you would like to sponsor¡­¡± ¡°Ah, that. Rather than that, Miss Olivia. What are your plans after your graduation?¡± He was more interested in the benefits that he could gain from the conversation than actually meaning what he said. He wanted to recruit Olivia rather than sponsor the Magic Research Society she¡¯d brought up. Olivia Lanze, who had been scheduled to join the Knights Templar, was like a pie in the sky for those people. However, since she decided not to join them, she was like a super hot modity on the free agent market. The mere appearance of Olivia Lanze, who often did volunteer work but rarely went to those kinds of events, seemed to change the atmosphere. I could see that they were incredibly frantic to somehow attract Olivia to their side and any thoughts of the Magic Research Society were put on the back burner. However, when they realized that she didn¡¯t go there to find a new career path, but rather, to seek a sponsorship for a club one of her juniors created, they stopped caring about us as if we were invisible. So yeah, everyone had the same reaction. In the end, they just came over and coveted a super-hot modity, but the modity intended to get them to sponsor a little kid who wanted to make some foolish inventions. The man named Saintrident, the vice president of the Magic Association, seemed clearly unfortable. ¡°Uhm¡­ It¡­ it¡¯s good to have big dreams, Good luck, Reinhardt.¡± I felt a bit sorry for him. When others called me ¡®genius¡¯ or something, they were just empty words. In the end, we became the odd ones out in that place. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s not working.¡± Olivia scratched her cheek, seeming somewhat embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s not like students of lower years aren¡¯t allowed to e, but there is no reason for them to e.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true¡­¡± I realized something in that place. That was a place for scouting and sponsoring talents that were close to graduation. Of course, the shorter the sponsorship period, the better. It was cheaper in terms of costs to just sponsor students close to graduation than sponsoring a first-year until the day they graduated since Royal Class¡¯ curriculum went for six years. So a perfect target for sponsors were fifth or sixth-years. Sponsoring the lower years was inefficient because the sponsorship period was simply too long, even if they were in such high positions. Their purpose was to create connections in the name of sponsorship and scout the student right after their graduation or something like that. Therefore, the lower the year, the more disinterested the sponsors were. In addition to being a first-year, I was also trying to make some very absurd things. My graduation was still far away, and my path was unclear. There was no way any of those people would sponsor me. In the end, it was a similar concept to investing, so it was very difficult for me to obtain sponsorship. Still, I didn¡¯t think I would be treated so poorly. Fortunately, I was still able to talk to Olivia. ¡°Still, we should try as much as we can.¡± Even if people¡¯s interest in us was fading, I decided not to give up. Who knows? I might be able to catch one. There was only one person who wasn¡¯t interested in us from start to finish. Olivia and I went over to the Merchant Guild¡¯s master, Owen de Getmora. Since he was the Merchant Guild¡¯s master, I imagined him to be a middle-aged man with a pot belly, but he was actually a man who seemed to have aged like fine wine. He seemed to radiate elegance as well. He was quietly drinking some champagne on his own in a corner of the banquet hall, observing the room¡¯s atmosphere. He wasn¡¯t talking to anyone. He didn¡¯t look like a merchant at all. ¡°Hmm, it seems you¡¯re dreaming of developing some great inventions.¡± It was clear as day that he thought that my research projects weren¡¯t much to talk about. ¡°By the way, I didn¡¯t expect to see you in a place like this, Reinhardt.¡± He seemed more interested in me than in the Magic Research Society. To some extent, I could guess why he was. The business I¡¯d started by opening stores at each train station¡­ the Merchant Guild was an important investor. Since said business was in action, he had no choice but to know about me and the Rotary Gang. A pletely different connection from the Magic Research Society already existed between me and the Merchant Guild¡¯s master. Olivia didn¡¯t know the details, so she was just tilting her head, wondering why the Merchant Guild¡¯s master was showing interest in me. However, she didn¡¯t add anything that would make the atmosphere weird. Those eyes that seemed to either belong to an old or middle-aged man stared at me. He had no interest in Olivia whatsoever because he didn¡¯t run an organization that needed strength. ¡°Reinhardt, can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± So he only looked at me. He showed overt interest in me. He was the only one in that place that seemed interested in me, whose conditions made others ignore me. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°¡­You want me to guess your intentions?¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * ¡°Yes.¡± He stared at me. A sudden question¡­ What would I gain by getting it right? The first person that actually looked at me threw a test at me. The guild master of the Merchant Guild, Owen de Getmora, was different in quality from the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s master. While the Merchant Guild had their hands in one or two illegal businesses, it was still an organization of the surface world. He was the leader of a group that was fundamentally different from the Thieves¡¯ Guild, whose mere existence was subject to eradication. There was only one reason he could occupy a spot in that place filled with VIPs¡­ His organization had more money than anyone else there. ¡°To give you a hint, I have no intention of scouting anyone, nor do I plan on sponsoring anyone.¡± He seemed to test my insight. Even if I passed that test, that didn¡¯t mean he would reconsider his choices. Was he simply curious about what kind of person his business partner was? However, in that place where I simply got ignored for my age, that person seemed like someone I could talk to, at least. He had no interest in scouting or sponsoring anyone. From the points of view of those running the sponsoring meeting, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if they kicked him out. So why did he go to that place to begin with? There would be no reason for him to ask that question if he just went for the heck of it. Of course, the answer had to be something possible to infer. Let¡¯s think about what he might want to achieve. The objective of the Merchant Guild¡¯s master was to eventually make money¡­ That meant that attending the sponsorship event was a type of scheme to make money. When I thought about it a bit more, it wasn¡¯t actually that hard of a question. All of the Empire¡¯s influential and important people were in one place. ¡°There should be no better place to accurately grasp the current situation of the continent.¡± ¡°Could you elaborate?¡± ¡°One can grasp their needs by their actions and also confirm what they lack.¡± VIPs from every prominent group of the Empire were there¡­ And all of them moved to recruit talent. So if one observed their needs, one could also find out their weaknesses. Since the knights wanted to supplement their armed forces, they looked for people with strong talents. The money they invested reflected their organization¡¯s needs as well as what they lacked. Even if one just listened to the conversations here and there, one could understand what each of them wanted. Therefore, it was possible to estimate the organization¡¯s strength, needs, and financial status to some extent. Owen de Getmora was a merchant. He was someone who prepared things to satisfy people¡¯s needs and desires. He smiled at my short answer. ¡°Magnificent.¡± ¡°I just roughly guessed it¡¯s like that. I don¡¯t know what the Merchant Guild¡¯s master will actually do with the information you gain from this place.¡± Owen said that my answer was great, but Olivia just looked at me with her mouth wide open. No¡­ Why was she so amazed by that? ¡°Then now we can talk about the next point.¡± ¡°By ¡®next point¡¯, you mean¡­¡± ¡°I had no intention of sponsoring anyone, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be here, Reinhardt.¡± He looked at me. ¡°I¡¯m currently in a position where I have to sponsor you, Reinhardt. I have to do it now, not when you are in your fifth year. Can you tell me the reason for that?¡± He needed to sponsor me, not wanted to. The sponsors there preferred to sponsor older students. However, the Merchant Guild¡¯s master believed it would be more advantageous to sponsor me while I was in lower grades. That wasn¡¯t a difficult question either. ¡°My value doesn¡¯t lie in the me after I graduate. I think you see it in me as I am now, a Temple student.¡± ¡°Even better.¡± Owen smiled, satisfied, and took a sip of his champagne. Owen de Getmora couldn¡¯t help but know that the mana train station store business was being carried out with the support of the Imperial Family. He didn¡¯t want to step in between the close relationship I had with them. He didn¡¯t want Reinhardt, he wanted the classmate of the Imperial Prince and Princess. In that case, my value wasn¡¯t in the me after I graduated but in the me while I was still a Temple student, so he wanted to build a connection to the Imperial Family by sponsoring me. He didn¡¯t know the exact details, but I was even able to get exclusive business rights from the Imperial Family. ¡°How much do you need, Reinhardt?¡± A proposal. He asked for the price tag attached to my name. Too much would make me seem shameless, and too little would make me seem stupid. I was making a deal with an old, cunning man I had never seen before in my life. I didn¡¯t even know if I could do that. I still had to do it, though. While neither of us mentioned it, we were ultimately dealing with a connection to the Imperial Family. The moment we put it into words, we would mit L¨¨se-majest¨¦. We were trading intangible values. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t believe this is up to me to decide.¡± He asked for my price tag, but I changed the product we were trading indirectly. It was a deal involving the Imperial Family, so I couldn¡¯t just set a price. So I tried to check just how much a connection with the Imperial Family was worth to him. Owen de Getmora looked at me and burst into laughter. ¡°My, what a great retort.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t even seem to know what was going on between me and the guild master anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll send you the right amount at the right time according to the proper procedure.¡± He was a merchant. In the end, he never told me how much he would give me. However, if the amount was disastrously low, the Merchant Guild would be heavily criticized. He promised to pay appropriately for the intangible product. I received something without having to give anything. However, that was also quite scary. There might¡¯ve been a situation in the future where I had to give him something, but at that point, I didn¡¯t even know what I would have to give. I could tell him that I didn¡¯t know I would have to give whatever it was he asked for when the time came, but he was a merchant¡­ And merchants always sought their due pay. ____ Chapter 244 Chapter 244 ¡°Reinhardt, what the hell happened?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t seem to understand the situation in which I suddenly received a sponsorship from the Merchant Guild¡¯s master after talking about this and that. ¡°He seemed to know you, and you also looked like you knew something¡­ I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s what anymore.¡± Olivia¡¯s pupils were shaking so much that it was like they were affected by an earthquake. Owen and I hadn¡¯t let anything definitive slip. We¡¯d suddenly had a question and answer session and made a deal while indirectly referring to things only we knew about. What was the value that I only had while attending Temple and why did Owen want to buy me? ¡°It¡¯s basically as you saw. What else do you want me to tell you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sad!¡± When I cut the conversation short, Olivia pretended to cry. In the end, I wandered around the sponsor meeting for quite some time, but the reason I got sponsored wasn¡¯t because of the Magic Research Society but because of the Rotary gang¡¯s ongoing business. I didn¡¯t expect the guild master to show such interest in me, so I actually got caught. However, there was a problem¡­ He eventually promised me a sponsorship, but I had no idea what I would have to give him in return. No matter how much money we received, it would never be enough, so the more, the better, but the Merchant Guild¡¯s master was a bit special. There seemed to be no one else willing to sponsor me. ¡°You need more, don¡¯t you?¡± Olivia seemed to have read my thoughts from my expression. ¡°Well, you never know how much I¡¯ll actually be able to get, the more the better.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Okay. I knew it would be like that, after all¡­¡± Olivia seemed to have something in mind as well. Knowing that it would be difficult for me to get a sponsorship, she brought me to that sponsorship meeting, so it looked like she¡¯d made some plans as well. The incident with the Merchant Guild¡¯s master was an exception, so what did Olivia plan? Owen sat alone again, and we decided to eat as well, sitting at a secluded table. There were many eyes that conveyed the desire toward Olivia, but no one dared to approach her because they knew that she was like an iron wall. While Olivia was deeply immersed in her thoughts, someone approached the two of us. ¡°Number 11¡­¡± ¡°Ah, Teacher.¡± Mr. Epinhauser walked towards our secluded table, approaching me. Olivia and I got up from our seats because we both knew who was standing next to him. ¡°We greet the leader of the First Imperial Knights Division, Shanapell. Dame Saviolin Turner.¡± There was a knight with a sword-like posture wearing the robes of the Imperial Knights standing next to him. Looking at her calm but sharp expression, I froze up at her gaze. However, she certainly looked young. I was pretty sure that she was a lot older than Mr. Epinhauser, though. Of course, I made a setting that those who reached the level of a superhuman or higher would age slower or even become younger. If one were to use terms from martial arts novels, the phenomenon would be called ¡®rejuvenation¡¯. Saviolin Turner had reached that level. That was why someone who was about to turn 60 looked like someone in their first year in Temple. That felt incredibly weird. ¡°I¡¯m Reinhardt, A-11 of the Temple Royal Class¡¯s first year.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Olivia Lanze, A-0 of Temple Royal Class¡¯s fifth year.¡± Olivia was number 0? I was weirdly surprised. When I thought about it, she was supposed to be in her sixth year, but she ended up staying in the fifth year because of her situation, so there would have been a need to give her a new number. Usually, she would have gotten the lowest rank, but considering her talent, they couldn¡¯t do that, so that was probably why they¡¯d given her the previously nonexistent number 0, which was even above Number A-1 of the fifth year. Regardless of that, Saviolin Turner simply looked at me calmly. ¡°You¡¯re the Empire¡¯s future?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± No¡­ What did Mr. Epinhauser tell her?! Contrary to what was said, his expression didn¡¯t seem to change in the slightest. Mr. Epinhauser had actually told her with a straight face that I was the future of the Empire. I thought I was about to go crazy for various reasons. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * The leader of the Knights of Shanapell. The Empire¡¯s greatest knight¡­ Saviolin Turner. She held out her hand to me and shook mine. It was a strong, rough hand. The strongest knight of the Empire and the protector of the Imperial Family, Saviolin Turner. All other talented people seemed insignificant before Ellen Artorius, but the woman before me was also a real monster. She was also the continent¡¯s strongest in melee combat. Saviolin Turner had been Mr. Epinhauser¡¯s senior when they¡¯d attended Temple. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt your eyes, but I¡¯m not really sure.¡± ¡°He is still a first-year.¡± That damn nickname, ¡°The Empire¡¯s future¡±. Only Mr. Epinhauser thought of me like that. It seemed like Saviolin Turner made a full estimate of me as she shook my hand. But still¡­ Even if she was the continent¡¯s strongest, wasn¡¯t she ignoring me too much even though I was right in front of her? That was it. She was the strongest. Anyway, it still felt kind of weird that Saviolin Turner, wearing a somewhat mischievous face, spoke casually to Mr. Epinhauser, who seemed older than her. In reality, she was a far-off senior to him. Sometimes, what one could see wasn¡¯t everything. ¡°I think, if you want to call someone the Empire¡¯s future, it would be this one.¡± Saviolin Turner looked towards Olivia Lanze. ¡°¡­¡± Olivia greeted her, but she looked at her with slight wariness. It seemed like they¡¯d come across each other before. Olivia becoming the future of the Empire? I wasn¡¯t sure. She might or she might not have. In the original, Olivia Lanze just quietly disappeared outside of the main story, but was she actually stronger than Ellen and Ludwig in the second half of the novel? As she looked at Olivia with a stiff expression, Saviolin Turner started to speak. ¡°My offer is still valid. Olivia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to join the Knights Templar, you can join Shanapell.¡± The future of the Empire¡­ Saviolin Turner put a lot more weight on Olivia Lanze. She couldn¡¯t help but do so. She had a lot more going on for herself than me, after all. Olivia seemed to have gotten an offer to join the first Division of the Imperial Knights already. Apparently, she¡¯d refused it. Olivia looked at Saviolin Turner silently. She somehow looked determined. ¡°How much can you give me?¡± ¡°¡­Money?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Saviolin furrowed her eyebrows slightly when she heard those words. ¡­Then she looked at me. ¡°Oh. That¡¯s how it is.¡± That was the first time we officially greeted her, but she seemed to know that Olivia and I were going around trying to get donations. It felt like my brain stopped working. ¡°If you promise to join us, I¡¯m willing to give you up to 10,000 platinum coins.¡± Ten thousand platinum coins¡­ A million gold coins. If we converted it to won, it would be one trillion. Superhumans were like tactical weapons. She was already treated as that kind of asymmetric weapon. Did that mean that Olivia had already reached that level, or did she think she would reach it in the near future? ¡°That¡¯s how much we can invest in the Empire¡¯s future.¡± Looking at the price they were willing to pay for Olivia, she was being treated as more important than a fighter jet in modern times. Only then did I realize that I had no idea how valuable Olivia actually was. If one just saw the one trillion won, one would think of it as an incredibly large amount, but if one looked at it with the knowledge that it was the money used to buy the continent¡¯s next strongest fighter, someone that was on the same level as a high-quality tactical weapon that couldn¡¯t be stopped, wasn¡¯t it actually rather cheap? If such a superhuman decided to work for some organization inside of the Empire and not directly under the Empire, that alone was a problem. From the Empire¡¯s point of view, it was something they had to prevent, no matter what. I realized why Olivia Lanze acted as if everything was going to be solved as long as we attended the sponsorship meeting, even though she knew that it would be difficult for me to get a sponsorship. She already knew who would buy her for the most. ¡°Yes, that should be enou¡ª¡± ¡°Wait. Wait a sec.¡± However, I grabbed Olivia Lanze¡¯s wrist. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing now?¡± Olivia lowered her eyes as if she already knew that I would act like that. ¡± I knew you would act like this¡­ that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want you to come along.¡± I¡¯d realized that she was strangely reluctant to take me with her, so that was the reason. *** I dragged Olivia out of the room the sponsorship meeting was held in without looking back a single time. I didn¡¯t care what Mr. Epinhauser or the best knight of the Empire thought. ¡°Did you tell me that you wanted to go alone because of this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t even look me in the eyes, keeping her head down. She spoke without looking at me. ¡°Why do you¡­ I¡­ There¡¯s nothing I really want to do after my graduation, anyway, and they¡¯ll give me a lot of money. I don¡¯t even know what to do with all that money, and you, coincidentally, are in need of money, Reinhardt. That¡¯s just how it is.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t actually want to join them, do you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Olivia would have received many offers here and there, but she would have refused all of them. However, when she heard that I needed money, she suddenly tried to sell herself to the Knights of Shanapell. ¡­And wanted to funnel the money to me. ¡°Why do you do this? Because I saved your life once? If that¡¯s what that is, you already paid me back enough. Why are you trying to risk the rest of that life like that just for something like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s just because it¡¯s something I can do for you.¡± Olivia looked at me with great difficulty. Her eyes were shaking. ¡°This¡­ this is the only way of living I know.¡± The look in her eyes was that of someone who¡¯d only learned how to sacrifice herself for others while not knowing how to live for herself. ¡°If I have the opportunity to do something for the person that saved me, then I think I should absolutely do it, so that¡¯s why I did this. It¡¯s not anything bad either.¡± I kept thinking that Olivia was a strange person. However, she really was weird. More bizarre than weird, actually. She was someone who cared and worked harder for others than herself. She had been weird for a long time, but no one thought of her as weird. That was just the kind of person Olivia Lanze was. That was why no one actually noticed her strangeness, not even me. Someone who had been raised as the next head of the Knights Templar and a symbol of the future generation of the Five Major Churches couldn¡¯t have grown up normally. I didn¡¯t know what the environment she grew up in was like, but Olivia Lanze had been forced to live for the salvation of others rather than herself and her own desires. So that was why she became someone like that. Her faith, which was the root and foundation of all her actions, disappeared, but the way she lived her life remained the same. Olivia Lanze didn¡¯t know how to live if it wasn¡¯t for others. In a way, she resembled Ragan Artorius even more than Ellen. No, she was even worse than him. If she had to die for the world, she was the kind of person who would just do so without hesitation. There was only one reason why she could act like that¡­ Olivia looked at me with quivering pupils. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything I want to do at the moment. I have no direction, and I don¡¯t know what to live for anymore. I can do anything, but if it¡¯s something that could help you, I¡¯d gladly do it. That¡¯s all.¡± Olivia Lanze was broken, not as a saint, but as a human being. She was a saint, and always lived under that ideal, so she lived like a person who met all the requirements of a flawless saint. However, Olivia Lanze, who could no longer be a saint, had no idea how to live her life like an ordinary person. 10,000 platinum coins was an unimaginable amount of money. If we received that much money, our research funding issues would clearly be solved. However, I didn¡¯t want to accept money that Olivia Lanze made by selling her own future. ¡°That¡­ It¡¯s strange. You live your life for others before yourself. How could you just sacrifice your life like it¡¯s nothing?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No, I would understand if I was in danger of dying or something. While the issue of our research funding is important, no matter how much I think about it, this isn¡¯t something you should do just for that.¡± That was the real problem. Olivia shouldn¡¯t go that far for something minor like that. It was very odd that she was even willing to sell her future for it. Olivia looked at me with a sad smile on her lips. ¡°Then, are you going to tell me?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°How to live for myself¡­ Can you tell me?¡± My tongue froze at her words. ¡°Are you living for yourself?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You, too. Even though you don¡¯t know a single thing about magic, you¡¯re running around like this for the sake of the Magic Research Society¡¯s members.¡± Olivia¡¯s words stabbed right through my heart. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between you and me?¡± I was working for the future, so I was a bit different from her. ¡ªThat was what I wanted to say, but it didn¡¯t leave my mouth. In the end, both Olivia and I were devoting our time to things that had absolutely nothing to do with our own interests, the only difference was the importance. ¡°I¡¯m not as good as you are, senior.¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose so.¡± Olivia looked up at the night sky from where starlight seemed to pour down. ¡°You and I are equally strange.¡± I had absolutely nothing to refute that. Olivia, who had just blankly looked at the night sky, looked at me with slightly red eyes. ¡°How to live for ourselves¡­ Should we figure that out together?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Looking into Olivia Lanze¡¯s eyes that looked as if they would burst into tears at any moment, I thought for quite some time about how I should answer her. There was only one answer I could give her¡­ ¡°No naughty things.¡± ¡°S-seriously! What do you actually think of me!¡± Olivia raised her voice at my nonsensical bullshit, her face turning red. ¡°You reap what you sow, now what?¡± ¡°C-come on, I was just joking around! I¡­ I¡¯m! I¡¯m not! I¡¯m not that kind of person!¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®that kind of person¡¯?¡± ¡°A-Arg! I think I now know why the kids hate you!¡± Olivia seemed to have gotten genuinely angry and stayed like that for a while. *** Since I knew what Olivia¡¯s plan had been, there was no need for us to go return to the banquet hall where the sponsorship meeting was held. Nevertheless, we still returned to the hall. If I didn¡¯t apologize after doing something as rude as dragging my senior out of the hall right in front of my homeroom teacher and the strongest knight of the continent, I would be bound to regret it. Of course, I wasn¡¯t sure if Saviolin Turner and Mr. Epinhauser would forgive me. ¡°Erm, I¡¯m sorry for that just now.¡± Mr. Epinhauser seemed to care little about the whole matter, and Saviolin Turner just stared at me like she¡¯d done when we first met. However, that look in her eyes made me feel less than human, so I quickly folded. I didn¡¯t know whether she was angry or not. Olivia started to mumble as she looked into the stern eyes of the continent¡¯s strongest knight. ¡°Erm, I really appreciate your offer, but as I thought¡­ I would like to think a bit longer about it¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you still have a lot of time, so take your time thinking about it.¡± I didn¡¯t think she knew that Olivia Lanze, who had passed up on every offer, had that sudden change of heart because of me. Scary. Just how much would it hurt to be hit by the strongest person in the world? She had her eyes on Olivia Lanze, and she must have gotten the Imperial Family¡¯s permission to spend unbelievable amounts of money to get her. Olivia Lanze¡­ Even though I was insanely grateful to her, she was usually just a flirty senior who kept clinging to me to the point of being annoying to me. Just how strong was she? It was at least to the extent that she wasn¡¯t surprised by the strongest person on the continent calling her the Empire¡¯s future. I could clearly feel how Olivia Lanze¡¯s survival was an inflection point in history. Saviolin Turner stared at me. ¡°Did you say you need research funds for magic research purposes?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I heard you have supernatural powers, so why bother with magic?¡± ¡°You can think of it as letting my classmates focus on research, so I¡¯m left in charge of external tasks.¡± Saviolin Turner, who had raised her head, looked at Olivia for about three seconds, then looked at me for about three seconds, and kept up that rhythm for a while. She seemed to think about something very deeply. That was what the look on her face suggested. She seemed like a grown-up Ellen. She was a calm person, but she actually had a cute side to her. I didn¡¯t think that I could read her properly, but I could guess her thoughts to some extent. At first, she seemed similar to Mr. Epinhauser, who was completely expressionless, and yet, she was different from him. ¡®Olivia previously refused but asked for money as a condition to join us in order to help this kid¡¯s research.¡¯ ¡®Reinhardt must be very important to Olivia.¡¯ ¡®But considering that she withdrew her remark after she got dragged out by Reinhardt, she seems to be weak against him.¡¯ ¡®Hm¡­¡¯ ¡®Hmmm¡­¡¯ ¡®Then¡­¡¯ ¡®If I sponsor Reinhardt, who was able to influence Olivia, maybe she¡¯ll have a better opinion of Shanapell.¡¯ ¡®Wouldn¡¯t sponsoring Reinhardt serve as a means of increasing our influence on Olivia?¡¯ ¡®Reinhardt would have positive feelings towards Shanapell, and Olivia would surely be affected by that.¡¯ ¡®Certainly.¡¯ ¡®Perhaps¡­¡¯ ¡®Oh my¡­¡¯ ¡®Is he, maybe¡­ a genius?¡¯ She was the first person I could read even better than Adelia. Perhaps because I had gotten accustomed to Ellen, I was able to detect emotional changes just by looking at her eyes and slight expression changes. Was I slowly treading into the realm of being a mind reader? Saviolin, who was deeply immersed in her own thoughts, looked at me. ¡°I¡¯ll sponsor you!¡± ¡°Ooh, thank you!¡± As expected, even if not everything I read was right, it mostly matched her thoughts. In the end, because Olivia Lanze was there with me, I was able to get sponsored by the leader of the First Division of the Imperial Knights. Two of the most influential groups that participated in the sponsorship meeting had promised to sponsor me. I was a lot more successful than I imagined I would be. ____ Chapter 245 Chapter 245 In the end, Shanapell sponsored me just like the Merchant Guild had, and they said that they would give me an appropriate amount after an internal meeting. That would mean that the one trillion won, the money used to make Olivia Lanze pledge to join them, was an amount that had been agreed on prior. In that case, since that was the amount of money they wanted to use to catch Olivia, I certainly wouldn¡¯t receive that much. Olivia also expressed her gratitude because she was very much moved by Shanapell¡¯s decision to sponsor me. Saviolin Turner already seemed quite satisfied with Olivia¡¯s attitude. It seemed to her that sponsoring me to influence Olivia was the right decision. I secured sponsorships from two of the major organizations. ¡ªThe Merchant Guild and Shanapell. That alone made the atmosphere around us a little strange. ¡°Ehem. Ehem, you said your name is Reinhardt?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to talk a bit more about the sponsorship you just mentioned¡­¡± . . ¡°Mr. Reinhardt, may I speak to you for a moment?¡± . . ¡°I didn¡¯t hear what you said earlier because I was in a hurry¡­¡± . . The atmosphere seriously turned strange all of a sudden. There was only one reason for that¡­ The Merchant Guild¡¯s master, Owen de Getmora, who was still sitting in one corner of the hall, was smiling at me. Everyone thought that my plans were absurd, and even those who were strangers to magic could understand that fact. However, what mattered were the results. The ¡®fact¡¯ that the Merchant Guild and Shanapell promised to support me spread through the banquet hall like wildfire without my knowledge. There was no way that the Merchant Guild would support something without reason, and there was also no way that the Knight Division, Shanapell, would uselessly support some magic research. For those reasons, those people couldn¡¯t help but mistakenly believe that there was something to my projects. The Merchant Guild¡¯s sponsorship was for the sake of getting closer to the Imperial Family, and Shanapell¡¯s sponsorship was to look good before Olivia Lanze. However, the other sponsorship meeting attendees didn¡¯t know the details of my circumstances. What was important was that those two major organizations that had absolutely nothing to do with magic decided to sponsor seemingly impossible magic research. I literally turned from being seen as ¡®a strange guy who talked nonsense¡¯ to ¡®an extraordinary young man¡¯ in that hall. ¡­Just because I received two sponsorships for completely different reasons. So those who ignored me before, believing that I just sprouted nonsense, suddenly changed their attitude, promising to sponsor me. Sponsorships weren¡¯t investments, so even if they sponsored me, they weren¡¯t guaranteed to receive anything in return. However, they believed in the discerning eyes of the Merchant Guild and Shanapell, an organization affiliated with the Imperial Family. If the crazy things I was talking about were actually made, they wouldn¡¯t hold any stakes in them, but there was a certain advantage to just being remembered as the ones who had sponsored us. And there was the phenomenon that people flocked to those that others flocked to. So I was suddenly promised sponsorship by nearly 30% of the people attending the meeting. That was probably Owen de Getmora¡¯s doing. He created an environment in which he couldn¡¯t help but witness not only their interest in the amount the Merchant Guild promised to sponsor but also what they needed from me. ¡°¡­What¡¯s with this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little surprised as well.¡± ¡°I guess this is a good thing, right?¡± ¡°I guess so?¡± Unfortunately, while I had a whole sponsorship list remaining before me, I wouldn¡¯t be able to remember all the names of those who promised to sponsor me. Eventually, both my and Olivia¡¯s predictions turned out to be wrong, as I was able to secure a huge amount of sponsorships. It felt even more ridiculous because I didn¡¯t achieve that with my own abilities but through a misunderstanding. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * By the time the sponsorship meeting was over, Saviolin Turner came to visit me once again. That time, it didn¡¯t seem to be about the sponsorship but some personal business. She had something to say to me privately, so she kept me away from Olivia. I wondered what business she had with me. ¡°I heard about the matter with the Orbis Class, Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± At Saviolin Turner¡¯s words, I looked towards Mr. Epinhauser standing further away. He¡¯d really told her everything about me. Originally, the sponsorship meeting was an event for both students and personnel of the Royal Class and Orbis Class. However, none of the members of the Orbis Class attended the event. ¡°You must know that you have made many enemies because of that, right?¡± She lowered her voice to the point that no one else could hear her, talking to me as if to warn me. ¡°I know.¡± The trigger for the Orbis Class¡¯ closure due to internal problems was the duel between me and Oscar de Gardias. The Orbis Class incident itself was already an inflection point of history, so I would have turned all of the students getting expelled and all of the teachers getting fired because of that incident into my enemies. Of course, it would be useless to point their hatred towards me, but there would be many seeking to exact their revenge on me. I knew that much. However, Saviolin Turner shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t think that the Orbis Class will be your only enemies.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How many people present in this hall do you think we¡¯re sponsoring the Orbis Class? No, how many people do you think refused to attend this meeting after hearing that the Orbis Class would be absent from this event?¡± My whole body seemed to freeze up after hearing that. ¡°If the Orbis Class students, who were sponsored by them, were to be tried, sentenced to jail, or expelled, you would also incur the wrath of their sponsors.¡± The students who¡¯d promised to join them or were being scouted by them and received a lot from them might get expelled. All of the investments they had made in anticipation of their future would end up being in vain. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t lose their abilities, but there was a vast difference between an Orbis Class graduate and an expelled student. If they even ended up having to serve prison time, they might end up being unable to accept them into their organization. I not only turned the Orbis Class into my enemy but their sponsors as well. While not all of them would hate me, each and every one of them were decently powerful big shots. If just one of them tried to drag me down, it would be fatal. Saviolin Turner wanted to let me know about that fact before I went back to make me aware of those things that went on in the back that I had no idea about. The fact was that I was in a much more dangerous position than I¡¯d initially thought. I sighed when faced with her cold expression. ¡°The price I have to pay for just one single fight is much too high.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason why people say not to use one¡¯s fists recklessly, after all.¡± I couldn¡¯t help feeling shocked because I never thought I would get that kind of advice from the strongest person on the continent. ¡°But it sure is strange¡­¡± Saviolin looked at me. ¡°A guy like you strangely hasn¡¯t suffered from an early death.¡± She walked out of the banquet hall, a slight smile tugging on her lips. Saviolin Turner, the world¡¯s strongest¡­ Anyway, maybe it was because she seemed similar to Ellen, but I felt like she was a good person. To conclude¡­ I achieved my goal of securing sponsorships. I also found out that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if I ended up dead at any given moment. *** Olivia and I went back to the dorms after the sponsorship meeting that ended late at night. I didn¡¯t tell her that I was basically surrounded by enemies. Knowing her personality, she would go on a rampage, saying that she would protect me even at night by standing next to my bed. That would be even scarier. ¡°But I¡¯m glad it still turned out pretty well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. All thanks to you.¡± Olivia had suggested going to the sponsorship meeting, and she¡¯d created that connection with Saviolin Turner. So it was all thanks to her that I was able to safely secure the budget for the Magic Research Society. Olivia smiled at me. ¡°If you¡¯re grateful¡­¡± Ah, she was going to ask for that again. She would ask me to kiss her again or such nonsense. ¡°Do you really¡­¡± ¡°H-huh?¡± ¡°Should we really do it?¡± What was that all about? It was night, so no one was around to watch us, so was that it? Did she really want to kiss? Olivia stuttered, her face so red that I could see it even in the darkness of the night, as she puckered her lips. ¡°Tsk, you¡¯re a scaredy-cat, so you¡¯re nothing but talk.¡± ¡°What?! Scaredy-cat? Did you just call me scaredy-cat? I can do it! Can you, though?¡± ¡°What are you implying, girl?!¡± While there weren¡¯t any people around to see it happen, there might still have been some who could hear us! ¡°You. Do you know that you¡¯re the only one in Temple, no, the whole continent, that ignored me like this?¡± When I thought of it, that might¡¯ve been true. Wherever she went, she was praised as a saint, and everyone at the sponsorship meeting coveted her, but it seemed like I was the only one who treated her somewhat badly. Olivia seemed mad, probably fed up with my attitude. -Kiss! ¡°!¡± Then she suddenly kissed me on the cheek. No. That¡­ That girl¡­ All of a sudden? She did stuff like that out of the blue sometimes, but that time it was so random that I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. So did she just act like she was a scaredy-cat then? ¡°You don¡¯t idolize me, you don¡¯t worship me, you don¡¯t force me or want me to act a certain way. You just take me for who I am.¡± Olivia spoke as she looked at me while I was still trying to return to my senses. ¡°That¡¯s why I like you.¡± She smiled brilliantly at me. Olivia thought that I might freak out when I came to my senses, so she quickly ran out of my sight in an instant. I couldn¡¯t believe that she was able to run so fast in a dress and those shoes. Just looking at that fear, I could understand why Saviolin Turner coveted her talent so much. -Slip! -Arg! Then one of her shoes¡¯ heels broke and she fell. -Pre-pre-pretend you didn¡¯t see that! Even without directly seeing it, I could guess what kind of expression Olivia currently wearing. *** Ellen sat quietly on a sofa in the lobby at the entrance to the dorm. She didn¡¯t know why she decided to sit there and not in her room. It was just that she felt like she couldn¡¯t bear it otherwise. After seeing Olivia Lanze in a dress holding his hand and getting dragged somewhere outside of the training room¡¯s window view, she couldn¡¯t hold onto her training sword. She heard that they were going to a sponsorship meeting or something. ¡ªThat was why she was wearing a dress. She knew that. However, she still felt upset. She couldn¡¯t do anything, so she just sat there. That senior who was very close to Reinhardt¡­ That senior, after putting on a dress and even applying makeup, looked blindingly beautiful. She¡¯d heard that he was going there because of the Magic Research Society. They wouldn¡¯t do anything. It was just a public event, she knew that. However, Ellen was still anxious as she sat in the lobby. She didn¡¯t even know why she was sitting there. She didn¡¯t know what she was waiting for. She just couldn¡¯t bear not doing anything. How many more hours would she sit there idly? By the time the sun set and the night grew deeper, there were a few students who came and went through the lobby until she was the only one left sitting in that huge hall. -Uurg, so embarrassing¡­ that was so disgraceful¡­ Soon, an unfamiliar yet familiar voice sounded from the entrance. While she was still a beauty one couldn¡¯t take their eyes off of in her off-shoulder dress, she was trudging into the dormitory with broken high heels in her hand. Reinhardt wasn¡¯t with her. When Olivia entered, she made eye contact with Ellen, who was still sitting on that sofa in the lobby. ¡°¡­Ah. You¡¯re our Reinhardt¡¯s friend. Hello.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°What are you doing here at this hour?¡± Olivia smiled as if she knew everything. Ellen didn¡¯t know why she entered holding broken heels. She also didn¡¯t know why she didn¡¯t return with Reinhardt. She didn¡¯t know what she was doing there either. She didn¡¯t know a lot. However, she had a slightly strange feeling. ¡®Our Reinhardt¡¯s friend¡­¡¯ That expression¡­ It felt oddly unpleasant. ¡®Our Reinhardt¡¯s friend. ¡® It actually sounded more like she was saying ¡®my¡¯ than ¡®our¡¯. No, she was just overthinking. However, the other party looked at Ellen intently while wearing a strange, knowing smile. ¡°¡­Are you waiting for Reinhardt?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Unable to deny it, Ellen nodded her head. ¡°Why are you waiting for him?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Why? Ellen hadn¡¯t thought about that. She was waiting for Reinhardt, that was true, but she didn¡¯t know why she was waiting for him. Olivia silently looked at Ellen, who was unable to find an answer to her question. ¡°You know what?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re kind of annoying, you know?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Ellen couldn¡¯t help but be shocked by her straightforward words. They didn¡¯t really have many points of contact, she was just someone Ellen encountered from time to time, someone who was saved by Reinhardt, someone who helped him out with various things. ¡ªA precious person of someone precious to her. Then she had to be precious to her as well, right? Ellen wasn¡¯t as good as that girl. Olivia just stared at her after calling her annoying. ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± In response to the other party¡¯s prickly attitude, Ellen responded to her, equally prickly. Ellen, who usually always kept her composure was surprised that she acted like that. ¡°If you really don¡¯t know, continue living like that. Please continue to act all vaguely like you always do. I¡¯m fine with that,¡± Olivia whispered as she passed Ellen. ¡°Please take good care of our Reinhardt in the future as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t been mistaken. The other girl was deliberately trying to piss her off. Ellen looked at Olivia Lanze¡¯s back as she walked away on her bare feet. Also¡­ No matter if she was Reinhardt¡¯s benefactor or not¡­ She didn¡¯t like her. Soon after, Reinhardt returned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face? Did something happen?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Are you mad?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not mad.¡± ¡°Erm¡­ Did I¡­ do something wrong?¡± ¡°No, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± Reinhardt hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. However¡­ Somehow, something akin to sadness that she shouldn¡¯t have felt wiggled inside her heart. Ellen hated herself for that. Reinhardt kept sticking next to her, asking if she was okay, why she was doing that, and if it was because of something he did. Ellen didn¡¯t know why, but that made her feel better in the end. ____ Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Our Magic Research Society meeting was held a few days later. ¡°Wh¡­ What¡¯s all this?¡± ¡°Sponsorship money, what else?¡± I could show the others the letters of sponsorship that had arrived from the Royal Class Student Council. Everyone was at a loss for words. Even Harriet, who had nothing to envy when it came to riches, was out of her mind. [First Knight Division of the Imperial Knights, Shanapell] ¨C 400 platinum coins [Merchant Guild] ¨C 300 platinum coins [Magic Association] ¨C 100 platinum coins [Count Kr?usen] ¨C 50 platinum coins [Knights of Raslan ] ¨C 10 platinum coins . . . Numerous sponsorships arrived from those groups that handled things quickly. Platinum coins had a value of 100 gold coins. That meant that one platinum coin was equivalent to 100 million won. So Shanapell sponsored us 40 billion won and the Merchant Guild 30 billion won. That was the price Shanapell was willing to pay for Olivia¡¯s favor. And the Merchant Guild was willing to pay that much to have a friendly relationship with the Imperial Family. It was an even bigger amount than I had expected. The Student Council¡¯s support hadn¡¯t been decided yet because they couldn¡¯t just decide on those kinds of things with a few phrases. However, at that point, the Student Council¡¯s support wasn¡¯t even necessary anymore. ¡°This isn¡¯t all, there¡¯ll be a lot more. Of course, those directly from organizations have pretty much arrived in full.¡± We collected nearly 100 billion won in sponsorships. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t have been that much if not for Shanapell and the Merchant Guild. Many unusual coincidences had combined to bring forth that incredible amount that far exceeded all expectations. All of them were looking at me as if I was a god of money after seeing all the sponsorships I got from the sponsorship meeting. I couldn¡¯t believe it either, but it was even harder for them. Louis Ancton, our treasurer, was more surprised than anyone. ¡°Is it not enough?¡± ¡°No¡­ How could that be?¡± That¡¯s what he said, but we never knew what could happen later. Money, especially when it¡¯s a budget, was something one never knew when and how much one would have to use. Harriet, in particular, was sitting there, speechless, with the corners of her mouth twitching slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t think you guys would to anything stupid, but we have to be transparent about our expenditures. The sponsors who gave us the funds might be interested in what we¡¯re doing, so I have to report our budget usage and balance regularly. Got that?¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± Our original budget was also quite huge, but we were able to get an even bigger one, so Louis seemed bewildered and slightly frightened. Well, it was because it would turn into a big deal if he ended up filling out the ledgers incorrectly. Seeing Harriet completely speechless was rather amusing. When I created that club called the Magic Research Society, I never thought things would turn out like that. I only planned to make the club and let them run it on their own, but I ended up becoming a member, its president even, and even listened to Harriet¡¯s joking request to get more money. Even though I wasn¡¯t that skilled in dealing with people. If I hadn¡¯t become the president of the club, it was clear that it wouldn¡¯t have been able to run properly. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Reinhardt.¡± Adelia said as such. She expressed her sincere gratitude. After her, the others also said their thanks one after the other. Harriet still looked bewildered. ¡°Y-you¡­ You really got more¡­¡± She thought I got placed last in the midterms because I struggled with her unreasonable demand of increasing our funds. However, I ended up producing results that far exceeded her imagination. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do that without Olivia¡¯s help, but my connection to her could also be counted as my power. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t really know what¡¯s what anymore.¡± Harriet sighed as she looked at me. ¡°Good job. Thank you.¡± It made me feel weird when Harriet expressed her gratitude so sincerely. They looked up to me as if I was some god of the Magic Research Society even though I didn¡¯t know a thing about magic. ¡°As long as you know. Just do what you were told, you punks. You can¡¯t use the lack of funds as an excuse anymore, got it?¡± Get to work! ¡°Right¡­¡± Everyone sighed as if they expected that things would end up like that. *** The Magic Research Society was back on track. It wasn¡¯t like they produced any proper results, the foundation for them to produce some was just laid out. Over time, they might complain about the lacking budget again, but they probably wouldn¡¯t for the rest of that year at least. I told them to use as much as they needed if they had something they needed. It would be funny if they couldn¡¯t progress in their research because of money problems. But just because I told them to spend as much as they wanted didn¡¯t mean that they would spend more than 100 billion won in a month, right? The construction of the stores at every train station was also in progress. We had the space, permits were granted, and investments were received. Setting up the shops wasn¡¯t something that took a lot of time. Suddenly, seeing a simple convenience store built in the station near Temple made me feel strange for some reason. I mean, it all started with some words I said, after all. I wondered if it was what one would call a sense of accomplishment. I silently realized that people in business gained their sense of accomplishment through means other than money as well The items sold in the store were no different from the ones sold in modern convenience stores. They sold things like simple meals for those who skipped their breakfast and small things they might have forgotten but might need, like tissues. While there weren¡¯t crowds of people, there was a steady amount coming and going. It reminded me of the saying that people didn¡¯t know what they wanted until they got it. The station was just a stopover, and they probably never felt the need to buy anything inside of it or get some food to eat on the go. But if the stores were to disappear, the people would feel greatly inconvenienced. Just as people who were able to live without a smartphone before started to feel anxious at some point when they didn¡¯t have their smartphone with them. Similarly, as shown in the original novel¡¯s development, wizards, who had used magic according to their own mana pools before, ended up unable to fight properly without power cartridges later on. Something that people needed but didn¡¯t know they needed¡­ That was where value came from. ¡°So what else other than that is there?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I directed a question at Eleris. She was in her semi-basement apartment. The moldy scent had disappeared, perhaps because she¡¯d cleaned up and taken some measures against it. I told her that I had created the Magic Research Society and planned on developing various things and that I had brought in quite a huge amount of funds. Eleris made a fuss, saying that she didn¡¯t know I could do those things. Her reaction to the things I wanted to make was similar to other people¡¯s. ¡°Something people don¡¯t even know is greatly convenient to them¡­ Hmm¡­ ¡± Eleris agonized over my question, but it seemed like she didn¡¯t come up with anything. ¡°I don¡¯t really know much about business, and I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re doing these things.¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * There was no doubt that making my classmates stronger had nothing to do with reconstructing the Demon Realm. ¡°However, my specialty¡­ is magic. I feel like it won¡¯t be worth the money.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just asked you to say whatever came to mind, not to come up with an alternative.¡± Eleris concentrated for a bit, making a flame appear above her hand. ¡°This is ignition magic.¡± ¡°I guess.¡± A spell that was the lowest of the low-ranking ones. It was such a low-ranking spell that the only thing it could be used for was to light a campfire. Where was she going with that? In my eyes, Eleris was simply staring at the flame she had created. ¡°I can multicast this spell dozens of times with my current mana pool. I also wouldn¡¯t have to chant. This is only possible because I¡¯m very familiar with the spell.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°By the way, I chanted this time. I had to.¡± After all, it was an advanced field of study, and as an outsider, I couldn¡¯t understand what Eleris was trying to tell me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a low-ranking spell that doesn¡¯t require chanting. However, you had to chant just now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why did you need to chant?¡± ¡°Because I used the magical power around me, and not within me, to cast the fire spell.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Wizards used their internal magical power to cast spells. Therefore, the rank of one¡¯s Magic stat signified the amount of magical power held in one¡¯s body. ¡®However, using atmospheric magical power, as I read in some comics, is that even possible in this world?¡¯ ¡°Isn¡¯t that method of using external magical power like one¡¯s internal magical power that you mentioned meant to be used to overcome the lack of magical power inside one¡¯s body?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So what I¡¯m trying to say is that the current method was also designed to relieve some of the inconveniences people felt at that time.¡± ¡°By ¡®inconvenient¡¯, you mean¡­¡± ¡°Yes, casting magic using external magical power is many times more difficult than using one¡¯s internal magical power to activate spells because we would have to instantly calculate and estimate the amount of energy that has to constantly flow into us.¡± Was it the same concept as a car having to constantly draw gas from outside without having a fuel tank? I couldn¡¯t understand it exactly, but I felt like I had a good idea of what she meant. ¡°A long time ago, ancient magic worked like this. That¡¯s why magic was seen as a special ability only a few were chosen to use, even fewer than today. There weren¡¯t even 100 wizards on the continent back then, and they weren¡¯t really powerful, either. If I were to cast magic as they did back then, I wouldn¡¯t be able to cast large-scale magic.¡± ¡°¡­So you¡¯re saying that the current method to invoke magic was created to relieve the inconvenience of casting spells while having to control the flow of the external magical power?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Just as the power cartridges were created to break through the limits of magic, the already established method was also created to break through certain limits. ¡°People find it easier to control the magical power inside their bodies, which is why several methods to increase one¡¯s internal mana pool were researched. That¡¯s the form of magic that has become commonplace after its long history, so the accessibility of magic has greatly increased compared to the old days.¡± There was a way to use nature¡¯s magical power¡­ It was just a method that had long been abandoned for centuries because it was too difficult. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what people find inconvenient nowadays, so I just wanted to say that today¡¯s magic is the more comfortable version of the past magic¡­ I don¡¯t know how this information will help you, though.¡± I guess she just said whatever came to her mind. I grinned. ¡°No, you were a big help.¡± Difficult didn¡¯t mean impossible. Harriet de Saint-Owan, who had become able to use nature¡¯s magical power¡­ Wouldn¡¯t she turn into the Goddess of Destruction, then? Just imagining that was terrifying. Of course¡­ ¡°Y-you! Why are you only doing this to me?! Why are you always giving me the hardest thing to do?! Why am I the only one who has to do this?!¡± Harriet actually started to cry when I told her to research how to make use of the atmospheric magical power to cast magic. *** Magic operated with external magical power¡­ I wondered if it was unreasonable to ask Harriet to try the method that even Eleris struggled with even though she had the best talent in the field of magic. Harriet cried when I gave her another task as nonsensical as researching dimensional magic. She seemed to misunderstand that I only did it to tease her. After she calmed down a bit, I started to speak again. ¡°No, I really just asked to do this because I genuinely think that you can do it. I¡¯m not trying to bully you here. Am I crazy?¡± ¡°You are!¡± Ah¡­ Right¡­ But not when it came to that. I did tend to talk bullshit just to tease her, but that absolutely wasn¡¯t the case at that moment! ¡°True, but you haven¡¯t even tried yet, so how can you just refuse, you punk?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t people only use that kind of method because they¡¯re stupid? Modern magic theory was created by people much smarter and better than¡ª¡± ¡°What if they¡¯re all stupid?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± When I cut off her words and interjected, Harriet, with tears in her eyes, was shocked. ¡°What if all those people who created the current magic theory were a lot dumber than you?¡± ¡°Wh-what¡­ What do you mean?¡± ¡°Every wizard in history could have been a lot dumber than you.¡± That meant that she was just following a path paved by idiots. Of course, they were all smarter than me, but Harriet could be a lot smarter than them. She held the greatest magic talent in history, not just in the Saint-Owan family. Harriet would be able to make the impossible possible. Harriet seemed genuinely taken aback by my ridiculous praise that went far beyond boldness. Her face didn¡¯t even turn red. ¡°Are¡­ Are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course I am.¡± Harriet looked at me. She seemed to be trying to find out my hidden intentions, suspicious points, and any signs that I was just doing it to make fun of her. But there are no such things. I believed that Harriet had more talent and was a lot smarter as an archwizard than all other wizards that existed in history. ¡°Hey¡­ Just how much of a genius do you think I am? On what grounds? Don¡¯t even dare¡­¡± ¡°On the continent. No, regardless of race, I believe that you will be the greatest wizard in all of history. You know my talent.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Self Suggestion¡­ I looked at Harriet with an unwavering gaze, ready to bet everything on her, not myself. ¡°That¡¯s what I believe.¡± It might¡¯ve seemed like it was just a usage of Self Suggestion, but it was actually true. ¡°So trust me, shut up, and do what you¡¯re told.¡± ¡°You always end things like this!¡± In the end, I couldn¡¯t help but enjoy Harriet making a fuss. ____ Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Researching a magic system that made use of atmospheric magical power right after Dimensional Magic¡­ Eventually, it seemed like Harriet was willing to at least try. I really believed she could do it. I did feel sorry, though. I really believed in her, but I couldn¡¯t help but realize that I only made her do things that simply seemed too difficult. I thought it would be good to take some time off, so I reduced the times I visited the Magic Research Society, and I spent more time on my personal training. I was taking Magic Body Strengthening classes, but while I felt a lot better than before, I still hadn¡¯t gotten the hang of it yet. Ellen, who had used that ability to roll snowballs, was already fully used to the power. ¡°You¡¯re really weird.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ellen looked at me with a sullen expression as I answered with annoyance. ¡°Let¡¯s use the word ¡®special¡¯ instead of ¡®weird¡¯, Reinhardt.¡± The yoga master teacher patted my shoulder as if trying to keep us from fighting. ¡°Reinhardt is by no means untalented. I can see that you are slowly getting more proficient in your mana control.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± While I wasn¡¯t even sure about that, on what basis was that guy saying those things? But it might be true if it was him who said it. I still wasn¡¯t that sure, though¡­ In the Magic Body Strengthening Class I had with Ellen, she learned so quickly that she was being taught how to control her magical power with more sophistication and finesse while I was still in the middle of the most basic steps. I was sure that I could be considered a great genius as well. However, the problem was I was always next to that shocking person, so who would even call me a genius? No matter what I did, I was always inferior to Ellen. Swordsmanship, Magic Body Strengthening. No, one couldn¡¯t even say that I was on the same level as her when she was in my situation. Did those in the magic major feel the same way when they were around Harriet? The yoga master told me not to just follow the class with sincerity and work hard and not feel too disappointed because Ellen was simply outstanding and I achieved a lot in my own right as well. So¡­ If you heard those words about a dozen times, your heart wouldn¡¯t feel comforted, on the contrary, you¡¯d feel uncomfortable and stuffy. Magic Body Strengthening classes were kind of like a special additional class, so there were no tests or grades. The lectures also took place after the first-year classes were over, and I was even specially added to that class in the middle of the semester. So normally, classes would end at 1 pm for us, but on days where we had Magic Body Strengthening classes, they would end around half-past 3 pm. There wasn¡¯t anything difficult about the Magic Body Strengthening class because it didn¡¯t put a strain on one¡¯s body. What was interesting was that I could feel my magical power increasing just by attending the Magic Body Strengthening Classes. Of course, it wasn¡¯t by a lot. If my Magic stat reached rank A, I would awaken the talent ¡®Mana Dominance¡¯, however, that was still far off. It was something I could only dream of after Moonshine was fully developed. On my way to the dorm after class¡­ It was already around fall, so it would get dark even when it was still early. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Ellen left the building where our classes were held and went in the opposite direction of our dormitory. ¡°I¡¯m going to the gray-haired lady.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, really?¡± Ellen used to visit Loyar from time to time to get beaten up, but she didn¡¯t go to her that often anymore those days. Did she want to go because she grew more confident in her Magic Body Strengthening and wanted to see how she would fare against Loyar? ¡°Then, let¡¯s go together.¡± I knew that the business was going well, but I really wanted to see what it would be like if those two fought. ¡°Okay.¡± Ellen nodded and took the lead. The skirt of Ellen¡¯s uniform swayed gently in the autumn winds. *** From the moment one became able to strengthen one¡¯s power with magical power, the individual¡¯s combat power would rise dramatically. No matter how skilled they were, it was very difficult for people who didn¡¯t know how to use Magic Body Strengthening to perform many-on-one battles. To succeed, they would have to equip themselves with heavy armor like plate armor, but if they did that, their mobility would be reduced. However, Magic Body Strengthening was even able to protect one¡¯s body with the magical power released while also strengthening it. There was no more need to wear heavy armor or similar equipment for protection, and one¡¯s physical abilities were also greatly increased, so one¡¯s mobility would far exceed that of ordinary humans, and normal swords wouldn¡¯t even be able to touch one¡¯s body. It would basically make people who used it walking tanks. -Kaang!! Kakong! That was what I was thinking while watching Ellen and Loyar continuously clashing with each other in the forest with magical power emitting from their bodies. I was thinking that it didn¡¯t make any sense. The sun had already set, so all I could see was a mass of blue flames and Loyar getting fiercely blown away. In this kind of genre, there was a preconceived notion that, in a fight between a warrior and a wizard, the warrior would usually have the advantage. I could help but confirm it with my own eyes at that moment. Even if the wizard did their best to fly and crawl around, if a human tank clad in blue flames rushed towards them at a fierce speed, they surely wouldn¡¯t be able to keep their cool and chant spells. And there also existed the concept of magic resistance¡­ In order to not fall to some insignificant low-ranking spells, warriors underwent magic resistance training. We would even receive that training from our second year onwards in Temple. Low-ranking spells wouldn¡¯t work, and high-ranking ones that might work required a lot of time to cast. However, after a tenth of a second, the tip of a warrior¡¯s sword would have already pierced their neck, so that was impossible. If one looked at it like that, I felt like Redina¡¯s talent, ¡®No Cast¡¯, was even more ridiculous than Harriet¡¯s. It ended after a long fight with Ellen breathing heavily and canceling her Magic Body Strengthening. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± Loyar also deactivated her Magic Body Strengthening and shook her hands. Despite having gotten somewhat accustomed to the ability, Loyar was still able to overpower Ellen. Even so, it was Loyar who was stunned. ¡°What a monstrous kid.¡± She might have reacted that way because Ellen¡¯s growth rate was a lot faster than she thought. That was understandable. That girl who didn¡¯t even know how to use Magic Body Strengthening properly a month prior was using it so skillfully. ¡°What mistakes did I make?¡± Ellen caught her breath and looked at Loyar as if asking for advice. Loyar seemed to ponder for a bit but slowly opened her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re too rough.¡± ¡°Rough?¡± ¡°You release too much magical power. Your being able to do that is surprising, but it¡¯s very easy to burn out because you use up your power too quickly. A normal person wouldn¡¯t be able to fight for more than 10 seconds at best if they used their power like that. You were only able to hold on for so long because your amount of inert magical power is so ridiculously huge.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your first steps were pretty weird. You get what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ellen had realized how to use Magic Strengthening in real combat situations. At that time, what she needed most was explosive and powerful strength, so Ellen would strengthen herself with magical power, fighting as if she was almost exploding with extreme power. ¡°But I heard changing this is quite difficult.¡± ¡°¡­I guess. You did it because you didn¡¯t learn it properly. It¡¯s going to take a lot of hard work.¡± Magic Body Strengthening was like magic in the end. While there weren¡¯t schools, there were multiple ways to awaken to it called ¡®Visions¡¯. Each order of knights had a different one, and the Imperial Family as well as noble families certainly had their own ¡®Visions¡¯ as well. We had to learn Temple¡¯s ¡®Vision¡¯. It was a very good one. We would slowly learn how to do it one step at a time and build upon a foundation. However, Ellen had made her own ¡®Vision¡¯ by herself, and since she¡¯d already made one, no other ¡®Vision¡¯ would be able to work for her. Just as Ellen had heard those things from the yoga master, I had also heard and come to understand those matters. Ellen¡¯s Magic Body Strengthening had already become something she couldn¡¯t do any other than her own way. Her explosive strength was very powerful but was not sustainable for a long time. If one realized how to use Magic Body Strengthening in their own way, one didn¡¯t have any other choice but to use that way. Like Ellen, I had to do the same. I still didn¡¯t know what my Magic Body Strengthening¡¯s characteristics were. However, I would also have my own way to use it, and it would be very different from the method Temple taught. That was why the yoga master couldn¡¯t teach us Temple¡¯s ¡®Vision¡¯, so he merely gave us Magic Body Strengthening classes in the form of assisting us. ¡°The output itself is too heavy and overflowing. That¡¯s why you should increase your endurance by adjusting the amount of magical power you control.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± However, Loyar said that it would be incredibly difficult. If she became able to adjust her output, it would be good for her in the end. She would be capable of strengthening herself to ridiculous heights and also just giving herself a small boost. Thinking back to the time where she used it to the point of fainting, I believed that it would be the right choice. She continued to train using her magical power in moderation. ¡°By the way, I have a question¡­¡± ¡°What is it? I¡¯m not obligated to answer.¡± ¡°Are you of the master class, Aunty?¡± Master class¡­ If one used a Lance, one could become a lancemaster, and if one used a sword, one could become a swordmaster. All those who had reached a high level of mastery in their field were collectively referred to as being ¡®master class¡¯. In the case of Saviolin Turner, who I had met recently, she was a swordmaster. The yoga master was probably of the master class as well. However, I couldn¡¯t tell just what the hell kind of master he was. Ellen was curious about if Loyar was in the master class. Reaching master class was the next step after mastering Magic Body Strengthening. One would enter the master class if one could apply magical power to their weapon in their strengthened state. For example, something like sword qi or sword aura would be possible, however, those that were of the master class were very few in number. And Saviolin Turner was recognized as the strongest of the very few master classes. If the criteria for entering the master class was to extend Magic Body Strengthening to objects not part of one¡¯s body, weren¡¯t those that used their fists already part of the master class as soon as they learn Magic Body Strengthening? Probably not. There might be other criteria as well. Loyar grinned at Ellen¡¯s question. ¡°If you call me ¡®big sis¡¯ from now on, I¡¯ll answer.¡± At that, Ellen looked at her with a puzzled expression on her face and shook her head. ¡°¡­That¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°You really need your ass kicked.¡± That day, Ellen was literally beaten half to death. *** On our way back to Temple¡­ I carried Ellen on my back. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± If someone who usually didn¡¯t exaggerate things acted like that, it meant she was really hurt. Ellen tended to act particularly obnoxious towards Loyar, who was already very temperamental. I didn¡¯t know why she did it, but she seemed to have fun doing so. ¡°Then why did you say something that would get you beaten up?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to hear that from you.¡± ¡°¡­Right.¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Speaking of unnecessary, it wasn¡¯t like it was my job to pick fights left and right every day, but that? Ellen was literally hanging limply on my back as if her whole body was in tremendous pain. ¡°By the way, why do you only act this way to big sis?¡± My curiosity flared up again. She had, of course, been terribly defeated by Loyar and had continued to lose against her ever since they¡¯d met, and even after she learned Magic Body Strengthening, she still wasn¡¯t her match. However, even though she knew Loyar didn¡¯t want to be called that, she continued to do it as if she was trying to tease her and force her to hit her. I knew that she had to do it for me back then, but she mostly did it for her own sake. Loyar had said that she would answer her question if she called her big sis, but when Ellen said that it was simply too much, her eyes had almost popped out. Just how much did she want to tease her? Loyar was easy to jump to violence, so if Ellen provoked her just a little, she would always end up getting hit and turned into a rice cake. She even ended up whining about the pain she felt from the beating. ¡°¡­Because you¡¯ll give me a piggyback ride.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Because you always carry me when this happens.¡± If she got beaten up that badly, she wouldn¡¯t be able to move. ¡­Then I would help her get back by carrying her. That was why she provoked her? ¡°¡­Are you a kid?¡± That was a bit disconcerting. She wasn¡¯t the type to say those kinds of things. Ellen calmly put her arms around my neck. I felt that, perhaps because she was in a weakened state, I could shake them off with just a slight movement. However, I definitely felt kind of troubled by it. Ellen¡¯s breath on my nape made a strange feeling well up inside of me. ¡°¡­¡± Ellen didn¡¯t say anything. I had nothing to say as well. Just when that gentle silence was enveloping us¡­ [¡®Preview¡¯ can be activated.] ¡°¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but stop walking when that message suddenly appeared before me. It was a function I had only used once so far. A cheat I got during Olivia Lanze¡¯s incident that could only be used once a day when active. I didn¡¯t know the exact context, but I thought that it was a sign that something important was about to happen. During Olivia Lanze¡¯s incident, I ran all over the place and then ended up using Preview. However, that time, I somehow had a bad feeling about it. [Preview ¨C 100 Achievement Points] It didn¡¯t show me multiple options like it did last time. Only the Preview option worth 100 points appeared. ¡°¡­What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ellen wiggled slightly and asked me when she felt that the atmosphere around me had turned weird. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± I had 5730 achievement points. I had no reason to not take a look. [Achievement Points used.] The world around me froze, and a point in the world¡¯s future was projected into my eyes. Year 323 of the Imperial Calendar. October 23rd, Tuesday. Today¡¯s date. That meant that the incident might happen soon. I saw myself right in front of my eyes. I was down on the ground. A penetrating wound around my stomach could be seen. I was lying in a pool of blood. Ellen was also leaning against a wall with a deep sword wound on her chest next to me. Her eyes were out of focus. Ellen and I¡­ We were going to die soon. As soon as I regained my senses and returned to reality, I had goosebumps all over my body. Ellen and I were about to be killed by someone. Ellen, who I was carrying on my back, didn¡¯t appear to be hurt, but she couldn¡¯t lift a single finger in her state. I wasn¡¯t sure what would happen, but I was certain that Ellen wouldn¡¯t be able to lift her arms, much less fight. By who, for what reason, and under which circumstances will we be killed? ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong? Are you hurt? Am I too heavy?¡± ¡°No.¡± Unaware of the situation, Ellen saw the strange expression on my face. Was I the target? Was it both Ellen and me? Did they kill me and then just kill off Ellen, the witness? While it wasn¡¯t certain, it seemed highly likely that the target was me. Nothing was known yet. There was an assassin after us in a situation where Ellen wasn¡¯t able to make use of her power. Should I just go back to the Rotary Gang? No, that place was only barely populated. There had been nobody around my corpse in my vision. We might get caught off guard on our way back to the Rotary Gang. There had been no signs of battle on my body. That meant I had been unaware of the attack. It had been a surprise attack, then. We had been attacked by an assassin close to a sparsely-populated place. We had to go to a crowded place. The Rotary Gang¡¯s headquarters was built at the southern edge in a deserted place in the Imperial Capital, so the best time to attack us would be when we were on our way back. I didn¡¯t know the exact location, but one thing was certain¡­ It would happen soon. Whether I should go back to the Rotary Gang and get protected by Loyar or go to the nearest station as quickly as possible and board a mana train¡­ I had to choose one of the two. My heart was beating like crazy. I felt like I was about to lose my composure after I suddenly found out that I was about to be killed. I would be dead soon, and so would Ellen. I had to make a quick judgment. Should I use Writer¡¯s Advice? No, the incident was about to happen, and there was time to ruminate over what I would get from Writer¡¯s Advice. I had to trust my intuition. Thankfully, the damn bastard didn¡¯t want me to die in vain. That was probably why he¡¯d informed me about it. ¡°Reinhardt, calm down.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± Ellen whispered cautiously to me, seeming worried because I¡¯d suddenly broken out in cold sweat. But I wasn¡¯t in any state to answer her at the moment. Although it was a place with few people, that didn¡¯t mean that there weren¡¯t some pedestrians. Was it him? Or that person over there? Or maybe all of them? It was impossible for me to find out who, when, and in what way would attack us, so everyone around us looked suspicious to me. I didn¡¯t even feel alive anymore. I didn¡¯t know what to call it. The wounds seemed to have been caused by a penetrating, sword-like weapon. The chances that we would be sniped with a long-range weapon were rather low. It was pretty dangerous going back to the Rotary Gang. We could just get attacked on our way back. The moment my life was at stake, I had to choose between those uncomfortable choices. ¡°I¡¯m going to run. Hold on.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Putting strength into my arms and holding onto Ellen, I started sprinting towards the train station. I can¡¯t let her die. ¡ªThat was the only thing going through my head. ____ Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Fortunately, no one tried to attack us until I reached the train station while carrying Ellen on my back. Did they give up on the opportunity because they thought I noticed them? An assassin literally specialized in assassination, not fighting¡­ The possibility that they thought I noticed their plot and just stepped off was pretty high. Even after I arrived at the station and boarded the mana train, I didn¡¯t neglect to harbor a continued wariness towards my surroundings. We obviously overcame the imminent assassination. However, there was a high chance that only the location of the assassination had changed and that it would still occur elsewhere. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Reinhardt. What happened?¡± When we got on the mana train I kept watching my surroundings while dripping cold sweat, so Ellen could only watch me with a worried look. I had been carrying Ellen on my back up to that point, but then she stepped down. The mana train wasn¡¯t full, so there were some empty seats, but I still decided to stand. Without saying a word, I grabbed Ellen by the scruff of her neck and pulled her into my arms. ¡°Why are you¡­ so suddenly¡­¡± ¡°Stay still for a sec. Don¡¯t do anything.¡± Ellen seemed surprised when I suddenly hugged her. That girl was weak at the moment. Ellen couldn¡¯t fight in her state. I decided it would be best to go to whichever place was nearest. If anyone tried to attack us, I would immediately summon Tiamata. None of the other passengers seemed to particularly care about Ellen and me. I could only feel the gazes of those wearing Temple uniforms wondering whether we were dating. I kept my distance from the other passengers so that I could keep an eye on them as I held Ellen in my arms. As for Ellen, she did as I told her and stayed silent with no questions asked. It was a cool day¡­ And yet, I was swearing all over. ¡°Smells like sweat¡­¡± Ellen, who had her nose right up to my chest, grumbled softly. ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± At my sharp words, Ellen replied in a slightly hesitant voice. *** Nothing happened on the train until we reached Temple Station. Unlike the Rotary Gang¡¯s headquarters, Temple Station had a very large floating population. I waited for the crowd to disperse when we got off. Ellen knew that I was serious, so she stuck to me without a single question. Slowly, after I looked in every direction, I left the station. While the assassin might not be there, there was a chance that they were still following us. Night had already fallen, but there was still a huge amount of people coming and going around Temple. Still, I couldn¡¯t feel relieved yet. That person was a madman who would simply kill people on the roadside. If they judged that it was impossible for them to assassinate us in secret, there was a good chance that they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to just try offing us anyway. I supported Ellen on my side as we slowly headed towards Temple¡¯s entrance. I didn¡¯t know if we would be safe inside Temple, but I at least hoped so. If the assassin was an outsider, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get in. Even if we couldn¡¯t feel relieved yet, we could at least eliminate some possibilities by choosing to return to Temple. I slowly but surely headed towards Temple while preparing to summon Tiamata the moment anyone from the crowd got too close to us. It felt like a thousand years passed. As I went through Temple¡¯s entrance, a familiar view unfolded before me. Only a few faculty members and students were walking about; no one looked suspicious. However, even when we were outside, no one looked particularly suspicious either. Did the assassin give up? Did they return because it seemed like I noticed them? Even while taking the tram to the Royal Class¡¯s dormitory, I still kept my guard up. I was finally able to relax when I arrived at the dorms. My heart, which felt like it was about to explode before, beat even harder. I¡¯d survived. The assassin hadn¡¯t made a move on us. Whatever it might have been, I was able to avoid death for the day. My legs felt weak. ¡°Is it¡­ okay now?¡± Ellen didn¡¯t know what was going on, so when she saw that I was relieved, her anxiety also flew away. I silently hugged Ellen. ¡°Wh-why are you doing this¡­?¡± Ellen hugged me, who was still trembling, back. It seemed like she was trying to tell me to calm down. I didn¡¯t say anything. I couldn¡¯t say anything. Was I afraid of my own death or Ellen¡¯s? Anyway, that fear was gone for the moment. That was it. *** With the priest on duty¡¯s help, Ellen returned to her original strength. I explained the situation to her in the training room in the middle of the night. I couldn¡¯t tell her everything, though. ¡°Who tried to kill us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know the details, but it¡¯s just how it felt back then.¡± ¡°¡­Shouldn¡¯t you get counseling?¡± Ellen couldn¡¯t help but feel like I was just paranoid. I couldn¡¯t explain the ¡°Preview¡± function to her, so in the end, other than telling me to go get some help for my neurosis, she didn¡¯t have anything else to say. If the assassin had attacked us, she would have known that I was telling the truth, but since nothing ended up happening, it was no wonder she didn¡¯t believe me. That assassin must have been quite the prudent person. Even after thoroughly thinking about it, anyone would suspect schizophrenia or paranoia if someone just suddenly stopped in their tracks and said someone was trying to kill them. ¡°To be exact, they were probably trying to kill me, not you.¡± ¡°¡­You? Why?¡± ¡°A while ago, I went to the Sponsorship Meeting to get research funds for the Magic Research Society, right?¡± ¡°Yes. You did.¡± ¡°I met a person named Saviolon Turner there.¡± ¡°I know her. The Captain of Shanapell.¡± Ellen showed that she recognized the name. ¡°She told me that, due to the incident with the Orbis Class, I had made a lot of enemies.¡± The massive restructuring of the Orbis Class and the damages caused by it¡­ The displeasure of its sponsors and supporters¡­ Saviolin had told me that there had to be a lot of people who hated me because I was the cause of it all. However, I never thought that they would try to kill me. Of course, those people weren¡¯t the only suspects. Maybe someone was trying to kill me for a completely different reason that I was unfamiliar with. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Ellen still seemed to find it difficult to understand why I¡¯d suddenly acted the way I did in that situation. ¡°Still, if you¡¯re in danger, you shouldn¡¯t leave Temple.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± Ellen wasn¡¯t really sure if there had been an assassination attempt on me, but she agreed that I was in danger. She looked at me in silence. After all the trouble I caused, I ended up making numerous enemies that I couldn¡¯t handle on my own. ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°If you die, I¡¯ll die as well.¡± ¡°What are you saying all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill the person that killed you, and then I¡¯ll die as well.¡± Ellen silently looked at me with her usual calm expression. ¡°So, please, don¡¯t do anything dangerous.¡± That was the main point she wanted to convey. Ellen held my hands as she spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what happened, but¡­ You suddenly felt that someone was going to kill you and me as well¡­ that¡¯s how it was, right?¡± Ellen seemed to think that I was trying to protect her from start to finish. ¡°¡­Right.¡± ¡°¡­If I ever become a burden to you in that kind of situation, just leave me. I¡¯ll be fine¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spout bullshit.¡± With those words, I pulled Ellen away from me and looked into her eyes. ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one.¡± Ellen said that she could die for me. Just as Ellen had found conviction in the Darklands, I had realized during that heart-racing return to Temple, even though nothing happened¡­ ¡°I can die for you as well.¡± I couldn¡¯t take back those words anymore. At my words, Ellen¡¯s eyes shook greatly. She suddenly raised her hand as she looked at me. -Flick! ¡°Arg!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Then, Ellen smiled, returning the flick and answer I gave her in the past. ¡°Make something. I¡¯m hungry.¡± I couldn¡¯t look at the smiling Ellen properly. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Just because nothing happened didn¡¯t mean that it was the end of it. [Event Quest Appeared ¨C Assassination Threat] [Description£º Someone is trying to kill you. Crush or subdue the origin of this threat.] [Reward: One related trait] An Event Quest appeared after such a long time. Its compensation was quite abstract. However, quests that gave traits as rewards usually weren¡¯t lacking. Still, that situation in which my life was at stake couldn¡¯t be measured by mere compensation. It was something I had to do even if I didn¡¯t receive a reward for it. Preview didn¡¯t only help me to avoid death, but it also created a problem for me to solve. Someone, or some group, was trying to kill me. I needed to identify them. They might have been a huge group or just some vengeful individuals. But just who the hell was trying to kill me and for what reason? The biggest suspects were the Orbis Class supporters. However, in that case, it would be simple revenge. Killing me wouldn¡¯t necessarily change anything. No one else came to mind off the top of my head, but I wanted to at least make sure that I found the assassin that tried to kill me. While it didn¡¯t actually happen, he would have killed both me and Ellen. I had to find them. I didn¡¯t care whether it was right or wrong to take revenge for something that actually didn¡¯t happen. Someone who did those kinds of things deserved to die. He didn¡¯t kill me, and he didn¡¯t kill Ellen either, but he¡¯d tried to. I had to find and kill them. ¡­And I would find out who was behind it and make them pay as well. It was the first time in my life that I had such cruel thoughts, but I didn¡¯t feel any aversion to them. I didn¡¯t feel relieved. I didn¡¯t feel comfortable knowing that I was surrounded by enemies as soon as I stepped outside of Temple. There could¡¯ve also been someone inside of Temple who was trying to kill me. I couldn¡¯t let my guard down. I always wore the disposable protection bracelet. While listening to my classes and walking around campus, I always paid attention to my surroundings. I didn¡¯t know whether I¡¯d be given one more Preview if a threat was approaching me again. I couldn¡¯t just trust that bastard. I felt like I was slowly drying up while still alive. The only place I could feel safe in was the Royal Class dormitory. I was already familiar with the faces of the staff there, so it was a place where strangers would stand out to me. Unfortunately, it was rather difficult for me to use my personal connections in that situation. Even Ellen, who had been with me, thought that I was simply paranoid. Not only had nothing happened, but I also didn¡¯t have any evidence, so even if I went around and said that there was someone who wanted to kill me, they¡¯d just think the same. I¡¯d just end up getting treated like a madman after all the trouble I had caused all over the place. It felt really shitty. I really was in a situation where someone was trying to kill me, but to others, it just sounded like nonsense. I needed proof, so I really needed to be attacked by an assassin. However, it was unclear whether I would survive that or not. Of course, I could forcibly ask for help from Bertus, Charlotte, or Temple, but if I did that, they would probably take measures to stop me from leaving Temple. If that were to happen, I wouldn¡¯t be able to make use of my strongest card. I also had allies that only I could control. I sent a letter out of Temple. It was too dangerous to go out in person because I had yet to find anything out. *** A few days later¡­ Something knocked on my window. ¡ªA bird. It pecked my window as if it had some business with me. When I opened the window, the little bird flew into my room and closed the curtains. The time before, he¡¯d disguised himself as a maid, but that time, he was a bird. As the small bird chirped, its appearance turned into that of a graceful maid wearing a dress. ¡°Your Highness, it has been a while.¡± It was Sarkegaar. I had sent the message to Loyar, who was at the Rotary Gang¡¯s headquarters, with the following orders in it: ¡°Send Sarkegaar to Temple.¡± I had written it in a secret code we had agreed upon beforehand, and so Sarkegaar arrived in front of me. I didn¡¯t think I was a good leader. To put it bluntly, I favored some of my subordinates over others. Not for business-related reasons but personal ones. I was literally a perfect example of the direct opposite of a boss. I tended to go visit Eleris for no other reason than to chat about my Temple life with her. She was a very good listener. Though I did visit Loyar for more work-related reasons. On the other hand, I rarely saw Sarkegaar, who worked under the pseudonym of ¡®Count Argon Ponteus¡¯. I didn¡¯t even know where Sarkegaar lived. And his tension was always so high. Additionally, I felt like he would end up noticing that I didn¡¯t actually intend to rebuild the Demon Realm if I got more involved with him, so I tried to put distance between us. So that was why it had been so long since I last saw Sarkegaar. Of course, although we were in my private room, we were still in Temple, so I didn¡¯t want to say anything unnecessary. ¡°I knew that you were doing exceedingly well. For you to already have taken over the transportation system of the Imperial Capital¡ª¡± ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°Eep.¡± I interrupted him. It¡¯s been a long while since I¡¯d seen him, and he was already babbling about useless things. He seemed to be very elated that I¡¯d called him. ¡°Your Highness, for your sake, I would even go through the pits of hell. You can order anything of me.¡± I would have liked it if he didn¡¯t say that in such a beautiful and gentle voice. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go to the pits of hell, but I might get sent there soon.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean, your Highness?¡± ¡°I think someone is trying to kill me.¡± ¡°Are you saying there is a group of vagrants planning such things in this world?!¡± His tone of voice was very low, and he spoke very violently, but in the end, he still seemed rather cute in his appearance. ¡°If you say the word, I will tear them limb from limb and hang them from the gates for daring to plan to kill the heir of the Demon Realm¡­¡± ¡°Why would you do this when we¡¯re in the Imperial Capital?¡± I then told Sarkwgaar, who was more than livid over the fact that my life was being threatened, the details of the incident¡ªeven what happened before and how I managed to make so many enemies. ¡°Well, in that case, does Your Highness mean that you don¡¯t know who is threatening your life?¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m sure that there is someone. I have a very strong feeling that it¡¯s like that.¡± ¡°Intuition¡­ amazing intuition is something all great monarchs have. If it¡¯s Your Highness¡¯s feeling, then I¡¯m sure it¡¯s accurate. I¡¯ll make sure to find the assassin and his contractor, Your Highness.¡± It sure was nice to have someone who unconditionally trusted me. I hadn¡¯t called him because I needed his power, but I¡¯d called him because he needed to act as a messenger to contact the others outside. Count Argon Ponteus might be quite recognizable in his own right, but I still had other groups. ¡°Tell Eleris and Loyar about my situation. Also, contact the Thieves¡¯ Guild. They might know which assassin organization was behind this.¡± ¡°Yes, everyone shall work together to corner the evil forces that tried to kill Your Highness.¡± Well¡­ By human standards, if they tried to kill the Prince of the Demon Realm, they wouldn¡¯t be considered evil, rather, they would be seen as heroes of mankind. Sarkegaar was on my side, so that was why he could say things like that. *** My connections in Temple wouldn¡¯t believe my words and said they weren¡¯t credible enough, so I had to do what I could with those on my side. Things would have been a lot easier if the assassin had attacked me that day. ¡ªIt was so frustrating that I even started to think like that. If that happened, I would have been able to gather up all of my allies to look for the assassin. It was also possible that the assassin wasn¡¯t sent from an organization but was just a single individual who had a grudge against me. In that case, it would be pretty hard to locate them. It wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t have a list of suspects in my mind. However, there were just too many. There weren¡¯t just one or two people who held a grudge against me. Therefore, I had no choice but to investigate step by step. After checking every possibility, I would be able to find the culprit by process of elimination. ____ Chapter 249 Chapter 249 I didn¡¯t want things to boil over, so I kept my mouth shut at Temple. Ellen was the only one aware that my life was being threatened by assassins, and she didn¡¯t even believe me. I had no other choice but to continue my Temple life with my nerves constantly on edge. ¡°Aren¡¯t you acting quite strange these days?¡± Liana spoke up as she looked at me on our way back from supernatural power classes. On days I had classes related to supernatural powers, I tended to go back with Liana. Heinrich was also part of our classes, but Lana seemed to avoid him after they had some conflict. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that you have a really dirty personality, but it¡¯s even worse than usual lately. Is there something going on? Did you have a fight with Ellen? No, that doesn¡¯t seem to be it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± I had been on edge those past few days, so it seemed the phrase ¡®something serious happened¡¯ was etched on my face. ¡­My life was being threatened, but I couldn¡¯t tell her that. I tried to think of a different explanation. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve made too many enemies recently.¡± I tried to just vaguely approximate my troubles because she wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told her the truth. ¡°What are you saying all of a sudden?¡± ¡°There are more people than I could have imagined holding a grudge against me due to the incident with the Orbis Class, but there are just as many such people inside of Temple as outside, which is why I¡¯ve been a bit on edge¡ªI¡¯m worried that something may happen.¡± ¡°Wow, you actually care about those things? I¡¯m amazed that you even consider those kinds of things.¡± Liana¡¯s eyes widened and she shook her head. Girl¡­ I¡¯m really not in the mood to deal with your antics right now. Wait, wouldn¡¯t that electric girl be able to perform near-instant auto-self-defense if she were threatened? ¡®Should I just stick around Liana for a while?¡¯ ¡­No, if I tried to stick to her, I¡¯d just get rejected with her saying I was being rude. Liana smiled softly and poked my side. ¡°What? Do you think someone wants to kill you?¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s true, but there is a possibility. I don¡¯t know how those people might act.¡± ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you taking this too seriously?¡± Lana¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t any different from Ellen¡¯s. ¡°More than just one or two people will be affected if this incident causes the Orbis Class to permanently close. Taking that into consideration, more than just one or two people would hold a grudge against me. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true.¡± However, Liana tilted her head at my words. ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t think that the Orbis Class would actually get closed down because of something like this.¡± Liana seemed to be absolutely convinced of that. ¡°On what grounds?¡± ¡°The special classes were created to nurture exceptionally talented individuals. As long as the results are good, it doesn¡¯t really matter if the class has some internal problems. As long as their goal of producing amazing talents is achieved, everything else can be overlooked.¡± It was exactly what Mr. Epinhajser said during the disciplinary committee meeting. Mr. Epinhauser said that, regardless of whether I had a good personality or not, they had to let me off because I was an excellent talent that should be further nurtured because that was Temple¡¯s goal. So, in that context, it was also true that the Orbis Class managed to produce a lot of exceptional individuals as well, even if there was a great deal of violence between seniors and juniors that even got encouraged by the teachers. That was why the Orbis Class couldn¡¯t be closed down. They might not even weed out any of its members or teachers. Temple¡¯s vice chancellor, Assyrian Walken, also seemed to have already figured out the Orbis Class¡¯s problems. Contrary to my expectations, they might take no special actions against the Orbis Class. Investigations were going on even at that moment, but after some time passed, they might just gloss over the incident as if everything had been resolved already. Of course, there would be students who¡¯d get punished, and some faculty members might be replaced, but Liana seemed to think that they wouldn¡¯t come to the decision to close the Orbis Class. The more I listened, the more I felt that she was right. ¡°So don¡¯t think of useless things and pull those kinds of faces, you punk. It¡¯s uncomfortable.¡± She only could talk like that because she didn¡¯t know my circumstances, but seeing Liana grin like that felt reassuring for some reason. She felt somewhat reliable in a different way from Ellen. As soon as I returned to the Royal Class dormitory, I started to wonder whether Liana¡¯s clumsiness was some kind of curse. ¡°Orbis Class will be closed down!¡± Harriet delivered that huge news to me and Liana as soon as we got back. We looked at each other blankly. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Huh, well¡­ Is that how it turned out¡­?¡± Liana scratched her cheek with her index finger, wearing quite a stupid expression. Didn¡¯t that go far beyond clumsiness? Didn¡¯t she actually have some kind of curse that made the opposite of what she said happen? *** Class closure¡­ Orbis Class was one of Temple¡¯s flagships and one of two special classes, and even though it was deliberately created to motivate the Royal Class students to improve, it had also produced a great number of excellent individuals. As Liana said, they were a group that flawlessly carried out their purpose even though they had some internal problems. No matter how serious their internal problems were, I was convinced that they wouldn¡¯t close down the Orbis Class. ¡°They¡¯re closing it down? Are you sure?¡± Harriet nodded her head wildly with a blank expression on her face at Lana¡¯s words. She looked really flustered as if she never expected things to turn out like that. ¡°That seemed to be the decision they came to during the meeting presided over by the chancellor. I don¡¯t know the details, but Orbis will be completely closed down for now.¡± While it didn¡¯t seem like it at first, in the end, those results were to be expected. An inflection point in history had occurred. In a way, it was only natural that the Orbis Class would get closed down. Did so many problems come up after they dug into the Orbis Class¡¯s problems that they had no other choice but to close it? Was it even to the point that they had to deny their overall goal of nurturing talented individuals? The Orbis Class was an annex to the Royal Class, to put it bluntly. Its disappearance was bound to affect the Royal Class as well. ¡°Then what will happen to the students who attended it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know, but¡­ won¡¯t they just go to other schools?¡± The details weren¡¯t clear yet. The Orbis Class had been closed. What I had done caused such extreme change. ¡°Hey¡­ aren¡¯t you in really big trouble?¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Liana, who had just told me to relax because the Orbis Class wouldn¡¯t be closed down, seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation. Since the situation had reached that point, there could be a lot of people holding a grudge against me that would do whatever it took to get revenge. ¡°You¡­ just tell me when you need to go somewhere.¡± Liana looked at me anxiously. As things had turned out like that, she seemed to take the idea that my life could be in danger seriously. -Bzzt! Liana let an electric spark fly from the tip of her finger. ¡°I can fry quite a few people with this.¡± It seemed like Liana intended to escort me whenever I needed it. A Duke¡¯s daughter became my bodyguard. Regardless of everything else, it did feel kind of good. *** The fact that the Orbis Class actually closed down meant that I inevitably made a lot of enemies¡ªthey could be the seniors of the Orbis Class or the teachers. Since I ended up destroying the whole hive by simply poking at it, the bees who had lost their nest would focus their hatred on me and try to sting me however they could. ¡­So I acted a bit more cautiously. I didn¡¯t go anywhere alone. I didn¡¯t even step a foot out of the dormitory after classes. Either Ellen or Liana were always by my side because they both knew that I was in danger. Ellen¡¯s abilities were reassuring, but the sense of security I got from Liana was greater. Liana, who could let out an electric shock in a radius as big as her ability allowed her to at any time and place, was able to react to any unexpected surprises within her range. No matter what happened, the class closure was an unexpected event. ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a second, Reinhardt.¡± Bertus suddenly wanted to talk to me. *** ¡°Don¡¯t mess around for a while starting now.¡± Bertus, who had called me, spoke calmly as he drank his black tea. It seemed like Saviolin Turner was right in saying that I had made too many enemies. Bertis brought that up even though I didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Since the class actually ended up being closed down, there are many people who have suffered great damages from your actions, groups and individuals both. And even if they know that you aren¡¯t the real cause of all this, they most certainly know that the trigger was you. So, if you jump around anymore, this won¡¯t just end up with you tripping on a stone. Rather, it¡¯ll be more like falling off a cliff.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Things just blew up while I was trying to prevent the case of Ender Wilton and solve the problems of the Orbis Class. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine as long as you stay in the Royal Class¡¯s dormitory and don¡¯t do anything special.¡± His words meant that I shouldn¡¯t cause any more trouble. Of course, I didn¡¯t intend to just wander around all over the place in that situation. However, what Bertus said seemed a little strange. I¡¯d be fine? I felt a sense of incongruity emanating from those words. So did that mean others could also be in danger? Bertus smiled, seeming as if he had noticed my thoughts. ¡°I mean, people generally tend to dislike enemies from within more than ones from without.¡± Whistleblowers. ¡°Lilka Aaron¡­?¡± ¡°Even if she doesn¡¯t get killed right now, don¡¯t you think she might get expelled and then killed?¡± I shot the first shot at the Orbis Class, leading to its collapse, however, Lilka Aaron¡¯s whistleblowing was the decisive blow. I was able to be put under the Imperial Prince¡¯s, Princess¡¯s, and countless other people¡¯s protection, Lilka, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t in such a position. She was in a much more dangerous spot. She risked becoming a whistleblower just to eliminate all those absurdities. As a result, many problems had been uncovered, however, rather than fixing them, the Orbis Class sank with them. Therefore, someone had to be blamed for all the damages caused as well as shoulder all the resulting anger. Those people would undoubtedly be after me, but they certainly wouldn¡¯t let Lilka, who had betrayed the Orbis Class, go unnoticed. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen¡­?¡± ¡°Temple is protecting them at the moment, but that can¡¯t go on forever. They might get assigned to different classes as the Orbis Class is torn apart. By the way, a gap is bound to appear and they can¡¯t be kept safe forever, either.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I mean, there was also a case of an Imperial Princess getting kidnapped from Emperatos, right?¡± There was no such thing as an absolutely safe place. ¡ªJust like how Sarkegaar managed to kidnap the princess. However, if they wanted to kill Lilka Aaron, they could do that whenever they wanted. Bertus¡¯s cold expression seemed especially cold that day. *** It wasn¡¯t enough to worry about my own life, I also had to worry about Lilka¡¯s. I didn¡¯t even know who was after my life at the moment. While it was Lilka Aaron who acted as a whistleblower first, in the end, all of the first-year Orbis Class students decided to take collective action. So if one looked at the bigger picture, all those students¡¯ lives were in immediate danger. As long as they went through with the class closure, the damage dealt would be irreversible, and the students of the Orbis Class would be scattered. Temple couldn¡¯t protect all of them forever. Bertus helped me, but he didn¡¯t intend to do the same for Lilka Aaron nor did he have any reason to. I sat at my desk after I returned to my private room. It was past our bedtime, but I couldn¡¯t sleep. Not everything would just turn out like I thought it would. Even if they weren¡¯t able to get rid of those absurdities, I told them to at least call them out. They were simply fed up with the bullshit, so they revealed Orbis Class¡¯s absurdities to the world. As such, the school got shut down. However, I wasn¡¯t able to predict the amount of anger that would arise from that. I didn¡¯t think that it would lead to people trying to kill me and others. It was my failure for not realizing just how rotten a place the Orbis Class actually was. If I stayed low and held my breath inside the Royal Class¡¯s dormitory, I would be safe. ¡­But until when? I didn¡¯t think those who were after me would have their attentions wane just because of one or two days passing. Would Lilka be in danger in the near future? If she died, while I wouldn¡¯t have killed her directly, my actions would¡¯ve led to her death. I thought the matter would end just by identifying the assassin who was after me. While that was also a serious problem, I didn¡¯t think it was one that I couldn¡¯t solve. However, in my situation, there were just too many suspects. With no idea just who the hell was trying to kill me, it was clear that there were several people like that. Just what was I supposed to do? I didn¡¯t know. I felt like my head was clogged up. [Writer¡¯s Advice] ¨C 150 Points It was a skill I had forgotten about for a while. The Preview that suddenly heralded my death made me able to avoid it. Writer¡¯s Advice had also completely changed my life. Didn¡¯t everything start after I met Eleris due to Writer¡¯s Advice? When I didn¡¯t know what to do, Writer¡¯s Advice would give me unpredictable but somewhat clear instructions. Clear and vague advice¡­ Clear advice dictated concrete actions¡­ Vague advice would throw some abstract words at you. Vague advice was hard to understand, but it was likely safe if understood correctly. Clear advice would often involve taking bigger risks¡­ And both had the potential to have absolutely good outcomes but also very bad ones. Usually, both good and bad outcomes would appear simultaneously. The last time I used it, I couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the vague advice. It wasn¡¯t until after the situation blew up in my face that I understood what it meant. However, I could still use the Writer¡¯s Advice with 150 points. Since I still had a lot of achievement points, I could listen to both the clear and vague advice. [Vague Writer¡¯s Advice] [Why was the Orbis Class shut down?] I knew it¡­ I was again not sure what that meant. The shutdown of the Orbis Class was decided in a meeting presided over by the president. There was a good chance that the Imperial Family also had some influence on the decision. It was shut down because the problems the Orbis Class had were bigger than Temple¡¯s main purpose¡ªto nurture talented students. That had to mean that there was more to it than that. I couldn¡¯t know at that point. Bertus or Charlotte would probably know the details. I was going to look at the clear advice as well anyway. [Clear Writer¡¯s Advice] [Meet Oscar de Gardias alone.] Oscar de Gardias¡­ I had a hunch that his name would pop up. ____ Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Meeting Oscar de Gardias alone¡­ I decided to first think about how it could end. If that advice could bring me both good and bad outcomes, then meeting Oscar would be the right direction, but it would be connected with a lot of risks. He was bound to be connected to the assassination to some extent. When Lilka became a whistleblower during the disciplinary committee meeting, rather than being taken aback, he seemed to think that things had taken an interesting turn. He should have noticed that our lives would be threatened by assassination attempts or that we might actually end up dying. Was Oscar the one who personally instigated the assassination? I didn¡¯t think so. Was he related to those behind the assassination? That had a fairly high possibility of being true. Did Oscar know that the Orbis Class would be shut down during the committee meeting? I didn¡¯t know. However, it seemed clear that I had to meet with Oscar to overcome that situation. We weren¡¯t able to get along from the start, so even if we met up again, I doubt that either of us had anything good to say to the other. Still, in order to somehow overcome that assassination situation, I had to meet that guy. But he was, objectively speaking, a lot stronger than me. If he was serious, he could beat me to death with his bare hands. Even though I hadn¡¯t followed the advice yet, it was clear that I had to take on a huge risk if I did. The clear Writer¡¯s Advice even added the condition of meeting him ¡®alone¡¯. That meant that I wouldn¡¯t be able to have a proper conversation with Oscar if I was accompanied by Ellen, Liana, or anyone else. If that advice only led to bad outcomes, Oscar would kill me the moment I stepped before him. The clear Writer¡¯s Advice didn¡¯t leave me guessing, it was like a test of courage. I had to go to places or do things that might lead to my death. I had no idea how Oscar would treat me if I actually met up with him alone, so I had no choice but to pursue the vague advice first. The Orbis Class¡¯s closure¡­ I had to know the real reason behind it. *** The next day¡­ I had already gotten advice from Bertus, so I went to see Charlotte. Charlotte would always work out with Scarlett around dawn, so I went to meet them early in the morning. After a little extra exercise, I managed to find Scarlett in one of Temple¡¯s parks. ¡°Oh, Reinhardt. Good morning.¡± She looked at me and bowed her head. ¡°Oh, hey. What about Charlotte?¡± We hadn¡¯t really gotten closer after taking that swordsmanship class together, but I ended up getting used to her overly polite actions. However, I couldn¡¯t see Charlotte anywhere near Scarlett. Weren¡¯t they always exercising together at dawn? Well, not always, but I thought that I had seen them around from time to time. ¡°Ah. Her Highness the Imperial Princess¡­ is not here.¡± ¡°Is that so? Did she give up?¡± Even though she was lacking in stamina, she worked out anyway, although she didn¡¯t really show any improvement. It wasn¡¯t just the aftermath of having been imprisoned in the Demon King¡¯s Castle, it looked clear that Charlotte was originally physically weak. ¡°No, she just can¡¯t do any training at dawn because she commutes to school from the Imperial Castle these days.¡± She commuted to school? That was the first time I heard of that. However, while I only rarely saw her at the dorms because we had different classes, it certainly had been a while since I last saw her there. ¡°Out of the blue?¡± ¡°It has only been a few days. She has a lot of work to do¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­Well, I guess so.¡± There were probably a lot of problems the Orbis Class incident had caused, and Bertus and Charlotte would commute to school from the Imperial Castle rather than stay in the dormitories when something concerning the Imperial Family happened, so that wasn¡¯t particularly strange. That being said, that meant that she was still in the Imperial Castle, but fortunately, I had classes that overlapped with Charlotte¡¯s that day, so I could meet up with her after class to talk. Fortunately, it was Thursday. We had integrated classes on that day, so Charlotte would have her classes in the next room. After class, I managed to grab Charlotte, who was about to leave Temple and not return to the dorms. ¡°Yes, Reinhardt?¡± Charlotte stopped in her tracks when I called out to her. However, she seemed far too relaxed. Was she really busy? When I asked her if she could spare a minute, she nodded and told me that she had some time. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have time for tea, but I can spare some time to talk.¡± Charlotte and I sat next to each other on a nearby park bench. When I asked her my question, she just shook her head. ¡°You want to know why the Orbis Class was shut down?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Yeah, I thought the class wouldn¡¯t get closed down, so I was wondering if there was any other reason other than the incident behind it.¡± Charlotte looked at me. ¡°No. Seeing that you¡¯re digging around about this, aren¡¯t you actually just going to cause trouble again?¡± Ah, the lament of the boy who cried wolf. I was actually doing it because I had to do something, but I didn¡¯t plan on telling her at all. ¡°Just stay in the dormitory. You know that it¡¯s dangerous to cause any more trouble now, right?¡± Charlotte said the same thing as Bertus. Those two¡­ if one overlooked some things, they really seemed similar to each other. Sometimes I even wondered if they weren¡¯t actually twins. However, they were actually different people. ¡°It¡¯s really not such a big deal. I¡¯m just curious because it¡¯s something I¡¯m involved with.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Charlotte crossed her arms and looked at me as if she felt troubled. ¡°There isn¡¯t some complicated reason, the people involved just overreacted.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®overreacted¡¯?¡± ¡°A large number of teachers sent in their resignations, and a significant number of senior students also decided to drop out. In other words, they ran away before they could even get punished. More than half of the teachers and students simply disappeared.¡± ¡°¡­Like a strike?¡± ¡°¡­Correct.¡± Charlotte smiled softly. ¡°It¡¯s a united action as if they want to say something like ¡®If you mess with us, you have to be prepared for the Orbis Class to be completely destroyed.¡¯ They probably thought we would go crawling and begging them to come back, saying that we would let this all go.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Driven into a corner, the teachers and senior students of the Orbis Class decided to take collective action. It was more or less a statement like ¡®The class might collapse, are you really okay with that?¡¯ They were probably bluffing. Charlotte¡¯s eyes seemed cold as she spoke about the matter. ¡°That is a direct challenge to the Imperial Family.¡± ¡°How dare they, who were supported by the Empire, led peaceful lives while enjoying education and meals provided by the Empire, slept in beds provided by the Empire, and used the money they received from the Empire, try to negotiate with the Empire in such a disrespectful manner?¡± It seemed like the collective action by the Orbis Class faculty and students went against the Imperial Family¡¯s wishes and not Temple headquarters. ¡°So that is why the decision was made to throw it all away. They were too arrogant. The Orbis Class shall neither exist anymore nor ever exist again.¡± The cornered mouse tried to bite the cat, but the cat killed it. Rather than having to endure change or punishment, they risked the entire Orbis Class, and the Imperial Family took that action as a challenge against their authority. So the Orbis Class disappeared through an Imperial Decree. Was it because they were too agitated that they ended up getting driven into a corner? The Orbis Class ended up touching something they shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°However, their actions themselves were, in fact, not a crime, so we won¡¯t punish them for it. On the other hand, it should be taken into consideration that we shall show no leniency regarding the numerous acts of coercion and assault committed within the confines of the Orbis Class that will come to light in the future.¡± So basically ¡®Sure, quit if you don¡¯t want to work, or drop out if you don¡¯t want to study here.¡¯ The shutdown of the Orbis Class was only caused because they tried to fight against something they should have never offended. Originally, Temple never considered shutting down the school, but they ended up taking such extreme measures for the crime of insulting the Imperial Family. I found out why the Orbis Class had been shut down. So¡­ what did it mean? What was the connection between finding out who was behind the assassination and the Orbis Class¡¯s self-destruction? -Clap! ¡°Arg!¡± I was thinking when Charlotte suddenly hit me on my back. ¡°You look like you¡¯re about to do something again. Am I right?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t even say anything like that, right?¡± ¡°Every time I see you thinking hard about something, you¡¯re about to cause some trouble. It¡¯s obvious. Stay in Temple, okay? No, don¡¯t even leave the dormitory.¡± ¡°B-but I still have to take my classes!¡± ¡°Who told you not to go to class? Just don¡¯t wander around in weird places outside of class! Look at you playing dumb with me even though you know full well what I mean! Anyway, I mean it.¡± Even though she said she didn¡¯t have much time, Charlotte ended up grabbing me and nagging me, almost going on with a long monologue. A person who would get nagged by a princess¡­ I mean, wasn¡¯t that also quite a unique position to be in? I glanced at the nagging girl, thinking that CHarlotte might actually hit me again if she thought that I was deep in thought again. After going off on me for a while, Charlotte sighed. ¡°Reinhardt¡­¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you think I¡¯ve been scolded enough already? What else do you want to say?¡± Her expression was slightly more subtle, different from when she was nagging me. ¡°Don¡¯t cause any trouble. I¡¯m saying this because I¡¯m genuinely concerned. That¡¯s how it is now and how it will be in the future.¡± Somehow, Charlotte¡¯s expression looked sad. She said that she was busy. Was there something going on? ¡°Understood?¡± Charlotte waited for an answer. ¡°I¡¯m taking my leave. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯d like to talk more, but I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°¡­When will you be back in the dorms?¡± The words I brought out in that situation where my life was on the line seemed pretty pathetic. ¡°Hm¡­ If you don¡¯t cause any trouble, I might be able to come back right away.¡± Charlotte narrowed her eyes as she said that. For some reason, I wasn¡¯t able to take my eyes off of Charlotte¡¯s back as she left the campus with light steps. I watched her for quite some time. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * The vague Writer¡¯s Advice was still incomprehensible to me in the end. What conclusion could I draw from the fact that the Orbis Class was shut down due to butting heads with the Imperial Family? We weren¡¯t in a democratic society. The Imperial Family ruled over everything in the Empire. Even in Temple, which was run with the enormous support of the Imperial Family, there was no way that threats against the Imperial Family would work. So, in the end, the only thing left was the clear advice. I had to meet up with Oscar alone. However, no matter how I looked at it, that was a very risky endeavor. I might be able to get a clue from that meeting, but it was very likely that the outcome would be incredibly bad. The risk was far too great. How could I win in a real fight against Oscar, who could use Magic Body Strengthening? Even if I ambushed him with the Flame of Tuesday and the protection bracelet equipped, it still looked bad. Lilka Aaron¡¯s situation was also a problem, but I couldn¡¯t just hold my breath like that. I couldn¡¯t just stay holed up in Temple forever, either. For the moment, I decided to wait for more information. There might be something I had missed or didn¡¯t know yet, after all. *** A few days later, Sarkegaar paid me a visit. ¡°I have been given a list of groups that engage in assassination.¡± It was the right move to go through the Thieves¡¯ Guild to get information about the underworld. Sarkegaar wrote down the names of several groups in my notebook¡ªthey were all new organizations. ¡°Obviously, this isn¡¯t a list of all active assassins, and there are also some hidden organizations. However, I infiltrated those that are active in the Imperial Capital and was able to confirm that there hadn¡¯t been any assassination requests regarding Your Highness.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but feel uncomfortable with those words. There were a total of five organizations that made their money through contract killings in the Imperial Capital, and within that short amount of time, Sarkegaar had already infiltrated them and finished his information gathering. That bastard¡­ I didn¡¯t really care before, but just how capable was he? Well, he even managed to kidnap the Imperial Princess from the Castle. Just as Loyar and Eleris were highly skilled, Sarkegaar was also bound to be outstanding in his field. When I thought of it, there were actually five whole organizations specialized in contract killings. I felt my knees getting soft. ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be any assassination attempts from groups from other regions¡­ right?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Then that meant that the person who was aiming for me actually tried doing it themselves, or it was someone who spontaneously tried to stab me in the back while overcome with hatred¡­ I seriously wished I could see the culprit¡¯s face using Preview, but I was already grateful enough that this scammer saved me when I was about to die. I had to do the next steps myself. The assassins and contract killers were clean. In the end, everything led up to me meeting up with Oscar¡­ It would be dangerous if I went alone, but what the hell¡­? ¡°Well, I shall take my leave now.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Good job.¡± Sarkegaar transformed from his maid form into his sparrow form, which he also used to enter the place. ¡°Ah, wait, wait!¡± Then I waved my hands towards Sarkegaar, who was about to fly away. -Tweet? Sarkegaar, in sparrow form, tilted his head as if asking what was the matter. ¡°Could you maybe go with me somewhere for a bit?¡± -Tweet! Sarkegaar was able to transform into a non-human form whenever he wanted. ¡­So I was able to go meet Oscar alone while not actually being alone. The sparrow was jumping, showing its enthusiasm with its whole body. Was he that excited that I needed him? In the end, while his purpose was a little problematic, there was no one more loyal than him. I didn¡¯t even do anything for him. I felt kind of sorry for no reason. ____ Chapter 251 Chapter 251 They decided to shut the Orbis class down, but the procedure took time, of course. The students who submitted their withdrawal from the facility as a form of collective action seemed to have been expelled from Temple for disgracing the school, however, those that refrained from such actions would remain in Temple and get reassigned to other schools. As far as I knew, the first-years were living in the general headquarters after they were summoned there to protect them from the seniors¡¯ retaliation. Both seniors and juniors were under investigation, so the seniors would be living in the Orbis Class dormitory. If Oscar had actually submitted his withdrawal, I wondered if I had to go to Emperatos, the Imperial Castle, to meet him. Putting aside whether I could or couldn¡¯t go there, I was pretty sure that Oscar hadn¡¯t dropped out. ¡­And that he wouldn¡¯t get punished, either. Seeing the way he did things, I didn¡¯t think that he had actually ever laid a hand on his juniors directly. There was no way that he, who was careful to indirectly bully his juniors and express his insults in a roundabout way, would participate in something like collective actions to openly antagonize someone. Even if he was a distant member of the Imperial family, he wouldn¡¯t do something like that. I left the Royal Class dormitory as if I was conducting a covert operation. If I was going to do something alone, I was sure there would be a lot of people who would want to stop me. However, shouldn¡¯t I clean up the shit I caused myself? Furthermore, I wasn¡¯t actually going alone. I moved while keeping an eye on Sarkegaar in the form of a sparrow, who flew around, following me while adapting to my speed, sitting on branches and watching me. If things seemed to get serious, Sarkegaar would swoop in. I didn¡¯t really know what kind of excuse I would give him if that happened, but he was my insurance. Either way, it would be far better than dying. If Oscar killed me in the middle of Temple, his head would go flying as well, so he probably wouldn¡¯t try that anyway. I only ever visited the Orbis Class once, but it was going to shut down. At that point, wasn¡¯t I like a monster that brought disaster wherever it went? Well, I mean, as I was the demon prince, that should¡¯ve been about right. In the end, none of the Orbis Class students would look upon me favorably. Was it even okay to show up there? Oscar wasn¡¯t the only problem. I could get stabbed by someone else, right? I should keep my guard up for now. *** The Orbis Class dormitory was designated as a controlled area. The Royal Class dormitory was a place not everyone could get into, and the same rang true for the Orbis Class as well. However, since it had turned into a controlled area, guards were deployed at every entrance 24/7. Of course, I couldn¡¯t get in like that. I could see some people leaving the dormitory with suitcases from time to time. They must have been the seniors who had submitted their withdrawals and were told to leave Temple due to those actions. None of them looked very happy. However, oddly enough, I couldn¡¯t call those expressions simply unhappy. Rather than feeling bad about it, should I say that they seemed as if they were prepared for something? The expressions on the Orbis Class seniors¡¯ faces, which seemed incredibly hardened, somehow felt a little strange to me. Sarkegaar watched over me from nearby in the form of a sparrow. ¡°This is currently a controlled area.¡± The guard at the entrance told me to stand back and pointed to the inside of the dorm. ¡°I have no intention of going in, I just want to meet someone. I have something to tell them.¡± Fortunately, the guard wasn¡¯t unresponsive and asked me who I was there to meet. When I told him I wanted to see Oscar de Gardias, he simply nodded and sent another guard to enter the dorm. How long is it going to take? I saw a blonde, young man walking down the hall, approaching the entrance. ¡°¡­What business do you have with me?¡± As I thought, that guy didn¡¯t drop out. *** Oscar de Gardias seemed surprised rather than angered that I went to visit him. Was he not actually related to the assassination attempt? When I asked him to talk with me, that guy and I sat down on a bench in a secluded place near the dormitory because completely going out was forbidden. Sarkegaar sat on a branch close by and kept watch. He was just a cute little sparrow right then, but if he got angry, he would turn into a dragon. How reliable. Contrary to my concerns, Oscar didn¡¯t seem to be hostile towards me. However, I couldn¡¯t be careless around him¡ªhe was a narrow-eyed character, after all. ¡°Isn¡¯t it quite funny? You only fought once, but as a result, the Orbis Class, which boasts a long history, ended up getting shut down.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not funny.¡± ¡°Really? I find it quite funny.¡± Oscar simply laughed. I didn¡¯t know what he was thinking on the inside, but he seemed to be having quite some fun on the surface. That guy¡¯s attitude during the disciplinary committee meeting was also a bit weird. He didn¡¯t try to defend himself, he didn¡¯t try to put the blame on me, and he didn¡¯t even seem shocked when Lilka Aaron dropped that bombshell, quite contrary, he seemed to find the situation quite amusing. Even then, he didn¡¯t seem to hold any resentment. Was he good at hiding his emotions? There shouldn¡¯t be any reason for him to personally like what was going on. ¡°Are you afraid of retaliation?¡± Even though I didn¡¯t say anything, he knew exactly why I had gone to him. ¡°Honestly, yes.¡± ¡°Those are useless concerns. Of course, after that incident, most Orbis Class students ended up hating you, and there are a lot of other people who also resent you, but what good would laying their hands on you do? The only fact that would remain is that they harmed the Imperial Prince and Princess¡¯s classmate.¡± Why was he kindly telling me those things? I was worried about getting into a fight with that guy at first, but the more I spoke to him, the weirder and weirder I started to feel. ¡°Don¡¯t think that every person in this world is as impulsive as you.¡± I couldn¡¯t deny his words; what he said was true. Laying hands on me was too risky, so no one would attack me directly. However, I was pretty sure that there was someone that impulsive around, though? Impulsive enough to try to stab Ellen and me and run away! ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s how I think, and if others think the same way, they wouldn¡¯t dare touch you. What good would touching a student of a special class do? Of course, there are some people who would be bold enough to pick some fights if they met you in person, so be careful when you meet seniors from Orbis Class while walking around on Main Street. That¡¯s all.¡± Oscar grinned and patted my cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t worry and just go to your classes.¡± Why did he look so happy? Why didn¡¯t he have any resentment? That guy just stared at me before he gave me some words. ¡°Hmm. If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go.¡± That was all Oscar said. Just what was he thinking? However, it was Oscar who stood up first after he told me to go. There wasn¡¯t even a hint of concern visible. Even after I went to see him personally, I got nothing out of it. I felt like he was possessed by a ghost or something. If what I saw wasn¡¯t wrong, Oscar didn¡¯t hold any sentiments whatsoever towards me and even seemed somewhat appreciative. Oscar turned a corner, then a sparrow landed on my shoulder. ¡°Something stinks.¡± -Tweet! As if to answer me, the sparrow chirped enthusiastically. ¡°Oscar and the Orbis Class are the same. This¡­ This is just too weird.¡± It was strange. However, I couldn¡¯t pinpoint what exactly was strange about it. It was certain that there were people out to kill me because of the Orbis Class incident. However, Oscar tried to reassure me that nothing would happen to me. Of course, there was a good chance that he¡¯d lied. Maybe he did something like that to try to make me drop my guard before stabbing me in the back. To tell me that there wouldn¡¯t be any assassination attempts against me¡­ That was just far too risky. That¡¯s right. His words had to be right. But just what was Oscar enjoying so much? I found his behavior exceedingly weird. The Orbis Class¡¯s shutdown wasn¡¯t the problem. There seemed to be something dubious and concerning happening behind the scenes right at that moment. Just what was that assassination attempt on me? Was it actually just a vindictive individual? Rather than solving the problem, I felt like the problem just had become more complicated. However, Oscar was certainly hiding something. ¡ªI could feel that much. ¡°Find out what this is about.¡± -Yes, Your Highness. ¡°O-oh, that surprised me!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but get surprised when the sparrow on my shoulder suddenly started to speak. *** There is a demon called a doppelganger. Since it¡¯s a type of demon that commonly appears in ghost stories and legends, humans also spread those stories among themselves. Doppelgangers originally had a very small population and weren¡¯t native to the Darklands, so they appeared more frequently in the Human Realm. They were a type of demon who could assume another person¡¯s form and pretend to be them. Doppelgangers were sometimes portrayed to be either evil or simply mischievous entities. Doppelgangers could only transform into someone else, and dreadfiends could transform their bodies freely. As such dreadfiends were perfectly superior to doppelgangers. Eavesdropping on others was the easiest thing in the world for Sarkegaar, who belonged to the dreadfiend clan. While transforming into something the size of a mosquito was too much, he could change into something the size of a cockroach, and cockroaches could hide pretty much anywhere. Sarkegaar didn¡¯t quite like changing into such small lifeforms since one would actually die if they were killed while they were transformed and such beings had low durability. The first thing Sarkegaar specialized in was eavesdropping. The second¡­ Digging up secrets. There was always someone people confided their secrets to. If someone disguised themselves as one of those beings and tried to elicit an answer from someone, they could easily obtain information. Of course, that was a pretty dangerous way of going about it because it created memories in the other party of meeting and talking with someone even though they didn¡¯t actually meet that person. Sarkegaar wanted to use his first method, which was the easiest. He was already able to infiltrate Temple, which was surrounded by multiple barriers. As such, it was easy for him to infiltrate the Orbis Class dormitory, which only had some guards standing before the entrance. Crevices in doors, inside closets¡­ There were many places for him to hide and many ways to infiltrate. Sarkegaar entered the dormitory in the form of a bird and followed Oscar de Gardias. When he opened the door to his private room, Sarkegaar turned into a small cockroach, crawled under the door, and immediately hid in the crack between a closet and the wall. Even if he was discovered, the only concerns that would come about were hygienic ones. No one would suspect that a cockroach would be a spy planted by someone. There were many ways to prevent and destroy eavesdropping magics or familiars, but Sarkegaar was an actual living being. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * When he turned into a cockroach, he actually turned into one. He was just a cockroach with a dreadfiend¡¯s soul and intellect. Such was the nature of his transformation ability that was equivalent to the ultimate magic, Polymorph. What could prevent Sarkegaar from eavesdropping in that state wasn¡¯t anti-eavesdropping magic but pesticide. Other than the Imperial Palace, Emperatos, where security and barrier systems had been maximized after the kidnapping, there were very few places Sarkegaar couldn¡¯t get into. One of those places was the palace Charlotte de Gardias resided in. Fortunately, the Orbis Class dormitory, which had good hygiene, had no insect problems, so it was unlikely that they applied pesticides everywhere. There was no reason to worry. So Sarkegaar stayed still in Oscar de Gardias¡¯s private room. All appointments he had to attend as Count Argon Ponteus had already been canceled, so he had no other plans for the near future. His Highness¡¯s needs were his top priority. Cockroach-mode Sarkegaar climbed up the wall and looked down on Oscar¡¯s private room from the top of a closet. It seemed that he had packed a few suitcases. Oscar didn¡¯t drop out, so if he was assigned to a different class, he would have to pack up his things in advance to move there. It was a room he was already ready to leave, otherwise, there was nothing special about it. It looked like everything, including books, had already been put away. Oscar was sitting at his desk. Sarkegaar couldn¡¯t see the expression on his face because he was looking down at him from above. He wasn¡¯t writing anything. However, he seemed to be thinking about something with his arms crossed. For quite a long time¡­ There was no reason for him to do anything, so he just sat still. Sarkegaar changed his position and moved to a place where he could see Oscar¡¯s face. If a cockroach moved into view, it was obvious that one would try to catch it, so he had to be careful not to get caught. Oscar wore a smile on his face. He seemed to just keep smiling and thinking about something the whole time. -Knock, knock Suddenly, someone knocked. Oscar got up and opened the door. ¡°Oscar, a letter has arrived for you.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± A staff member delivered a letter to him. Oscar opened and read it. Sarkegaar changed his position once again, strengthened his eyesight, and read the contents of the letter from a distance with him. [This is regarding the magic logarithm theory you inquired about last time.] [We have reviewed the theory and it works, however, there are some prerequisites that need to be filled to publish¡­] It was filled with talks about, for Sarkegaar, incomprehensible and specialized knowledge. Did he present some kind of question regarding his major or some kind of new theory to a research institute somewhere and that was the answer? Sarkegaar quietly read the letter¡¯s contents. It was full of unintelligible jargon, but he realized that the content wasn¡¯t actually important. Why would that guy make such a face when he read that letter filled to the brim with academic terminology? It was clear that his expression didn¡¯t give off something like academic elation at the contents of the letter. He looked almost ecstatic, so Sarkegaar was able to conclude something after looking at Oscar¡¯s reaction that didn¡¯t fit the letter. While he didn¡¯t know the details, he was sure that it was a coded letter. Oscar had exchanged a coded letter with someone else. Sarkegaar noticed that he read something completely different from what the letter seemed to say on the surface. That alone was a good harvest already. Sarkegaar didn¡¯t look at the letter¡ªhe looked at the envelope. [Sender ¨C Empire¡¯s 2nd Magic Theory Research Center] Where he had to go next was decided. Infiltration and intelligence gathering¡­ Sarkegaar was more specialized in those fields than anyone else. *** Sarkegaar reported to me what he had found out. ¡°It looks like he¡¯s exchanging encrypted messages with someone¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± It wasn¡¯t just an assumption, Oscar was really in an extremely good mood. Coded letters, students dropping out, the Orbis Class shutting down¡­ I could make several guesses from that. However, at that stage, they were only speculations, and nothing was confirmed. Did Oscar really have nothing to do with the assassination attempt? The idea that the assassination attempt was being undertaken by a large group became increasingly certain. I felt like Oscar¡¯s plans were completely unrelated to me. I also needed to find out about that, but it was more urgent to find out who was trying to kill me. The most likely suspects were the sponsors of the Orbis Class seniors, those in power from their side, and Oscar de Gardias. However, that guy¡¯s attitude made me want to rule him out. It smelled like an organization. I didn¡¯t know what kind of organization, but they¡¯d organized that collective boycott. It was clear that someone had instructed the Orbis Class, but I wasn¡¯t sure I needed to feel any concern about them. If that was the case, then what did the Writer¡¯s Advice try to tell me? I took a risk and met up with Oscar, and I found out that he didn¡¯t actually care about me, although I didn¡¯t really get any definite information. If that was the case, I had to go to the next level. I could erase countless, powerful groups from my mental list. There was one person that came to mind¡­ Even though the Orbis Class acted in an organized manner, they would never be a proper organization. If he seemed to be part of the class, it would just be a disguise. Of the many people who would have a personal grudge against me, who would actually try to kill me? While I wasn¡¯t sure if he was behind it before, I knew that he would dirt his hands later on, which was how I figured out his identity. He was one of the characters I wrote about, but he was just a one-off villain, so I¡¯d forgotten his name. I only remembered again after I looked through the teacher list. ¡°One of Temple¡¯s teachers, Aaron Medera.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± One of Temple¡¯s alchemy teachers and an active alchemist¡­ That guy didn¡¯t actually belong to the Orbis Class. ¡°Try digging up information on him. Report everything you find ASAP.¡± He was the one who used black magic to strengthen Ender Wilton. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± He was a black magician who actually belonged to the magic society called the Black Order. He should have been incredibly angry that his laboratory, the Orbis Class, was being shut down. There was still a chance that it wasn¡¯t him. If he wasn¡¯t, then I could just move on to the next suspect. I had Sarkegaar, after all. Sarkegaar didn¡¯t even ask how I was able to point that person out. He just did what I told him. What a loyal retainer. That felt good¡­ *** That night¡­ Inside Imperial Palace Emperatos¡­ Spring palace, the Princess¡¯s bedroom¡­ The Imperial Family had been in a state of emergency for some time. Very few people actually knew the details, but most could feel that the atmosphere around the Imperial Family was quite unusual. It wasn¡¯t due to the Orbis Class situation. Even though Temple was one of the Empire¡¯s most important businesses, in the end, it was just a business. At the moment, the Imperial Family was suffering from internal problems. There might¡¯ve been a group of people who rejoiced at those concerns, but in the end, in the grand scheme of things, the Imperial Family couldn¡¯t afford to pay attention to external matters right then. ¡°Your Highness, you must go to bed now.¡± Charlotte smiled bitterly at Dyrus¡¯s words while sitting in her rocking chair. ¡°¡­I know that this is pointless, but I can¡¯t seem to sleep.¡± In addition to Dyrus, it was decided that Saviolin Turner, the leader of the 1st Imperial Knight Division, Shanapell, was to be included. ¡°You might feel better if you keep improving your stamina.¡± Even while listening to Saviolin¡¯s words, Charlotte just stayed in the rocking chair, slowly rocking her body in it. Midnight¡­ There was no one in the bedroom of the Princess¡¯s Palace except those two. Charlotte just kept on sitting in her rocking chair absent-mindedly in that empty Spring Palace. ¡°What about the compensation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t worry about it¡­¡± ¡°The compensation¡­¡± Charlotte looked at Saviolin Turner. ¡°I asked what you did about it.¡± ¡°¡­I took measures so that they won¡¯t feel regret.¡± ¡°So that they won¡¯t feel regret¡­¡± Charlotte muttered helplessly, covering her face with her hands. ¡°How much money is enough so that one won¡¯t regret someone paying with their life, something that can¡¯t be exchanged for anything else? In the first place, is that something money can even buy¡­?¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± At Dyrus¡¯s words, Charlotte released her face from her hands. The Princess¡¯s right eye was dyed black. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? Saying these things after I killed her.¡± Charlotte shook her head firmly as she spoke in a melancholic tone. ¡°Your Highness didn¡¯t kill her.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t me who killed her, then who did? With my own hands, with my own ability, I killed a maidservant who worked in my palace for such a long time, so if it wasn¡¯t me, who on earth did it?¡± Next, Saviolin stepped in. ¡°Your Highness lost your consciousness at the time and ended up doing something bad during that moment. You can¡¯t even remember what happened, so Your Highness can¡¯t be blamed for it. Things will get better soon.¡± Despite Saviolin¡¯s concerned and hopeful outlook, Charlotte¡¯s expression didn¡¯t improve. It¡¯ll get better¡­ How on earth could she believe that things would improve in that situation that only seemed to get worse? She lost her consciousness from time to time, taken over by a different being. ¡°I am here on the orders of the Imperial Court in case of such emergencies, Your Highness. Nothing will happen anymore.¡± Saviolin Turner stayed in the Spring Palace because of the Emperor¡¯s orders. Charlotte focused her mind and slowly drove away the power that had consumed her right eye. Even that hardly worked anymore. At Saviolin¡¯s consolations, Charlotte looked at her. ¡°Dame Turner, you don¡¯t have to tell me such lies.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are here to deal with me in case it is necessary.¡± ¡°Your Highness! Something like that will never happen. Even if it would cost me my life, I will never do something like that!¡± Charlotte smiled sadly when she saw Saviolin¡¯s pale complexion. ¡°I¡¯m not saying this because I¡¯m questioning you, Dame Turner,¡± Charlotte murmured quietly, her eyes closed. ¡°I¡¯m asking you to not hesitate when the time comes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can you promise me that you won¡¯t hesitate?¡± After a moment of silence, Saviolin Turner replied. ¡°I cannot promise you that. Never.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Charlotte smiled sadly and leaned back in her rocking chair. She¡¯d suddenly started to sleepwalk after the group mission of the second semester ended. When she stood barefoot in the hallway of that mansion in the middle of the night, Charlotte felt like she was dreaming. It was not until she saw Reinhardt that she realized that she wasn¡¯t actually dreaming but that she moved in her sleep. Charlotte wanted to believe that she simply sleepwalked. However, when she decided not to stay in the dormitory anymore, Charlotte was already fully aware that she wasn¡¯t sleepwalking. Even though she knew that she didn¡¯t, she vaguely wanted to believe that it was the reason. However, she knew that it wasn¡¯t just a simple disorder. What happened last time made her realize that the thing that was happening to her wasn¡¯t that simple. Still, things would be fine as long as she didn¡¯t fall asleep. She wouldn¡¯t lose control unless she fell asleep. However, even if she decided not to sleep from then on, her body would eventually be taken over again. Every time she thought that the end was near, someone¡¯s face passed by Charlotte¡¯s eyes. Someone else¡¯s face started to appear as well from a certain point. Those two¡­ It saddened Charlotte that she could tell neither of them about her situation. ¡°I¡¯m scared of the night,¡± Charlotte muttered helplessly. ____ Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Someone was trying to kill Reinhardt. Ellen still didn¡¯t believe that, however, she didn¡¯t think it was a baseless delusion, either. Reinhardt had done a lot of bad things everywhere, and it was true that he¡¯d become the target of many grudges due to the Orbis Class incident. Reinhardt certainly acted strange when they were out together that one time. He¡¯d suddenly broken out in a cold sweat and become wary of his surroundings. Then, with him telling her not to leave his arms, they¡¯d returned to Temple in a tense manner. Obviously, Ellen didn¡¯t feel anything at that time. She knew that her senses were very sharp¡ªsharp enough to sense Loyar¡¯s killing intent. How could Reinhardt feel killing intent that she couldn¡¯t? No matter how she thought about it, no one seemed to be after them, however, Reinhardt was convinced. So that was why he seemed to be struggling a lot those days. She could see that he was very much on edge. He only used moderate amounts of strength during their training, perhaps to preserve his stamina. He had enough confidence to protect himself. However, she wanted to help Reinhardt. She didn¡¯t see the fact that he was already being helped enough. Reinhardt felt like he was in danger, so she wanted to do something. There was no such thing as an assassin, so she wanted to give him assurance and help Reinhardt turn back to normal. However, if there was actually an assassin after him, she wanted to do something on her own. On the weekend¡­ Although Ellen told Reinhardt not to do anything dangerous, she actually headed out of Temple. It would be dangerous for Reinhardt, but if it was Ellen, that wasn¡¯t the case. Ellen had already joined the ranks of superhumans and was able to handle some clumsy assassins, even if they came in the dozens. There was just one thing¡­ She didn¡¯t know what she should do, when they would come out, and where she should even start. She wanted to somehow relieve Reinhardt¡¯s anxiety. She wanted to reassure him by showing him that there was no such thing as an assassin after him. So Ellen recklessly left Temple. She believed that there were no assassins around. It would be better if there weren¡¯t, because that would be better for Reinhardt¡¯s nerves. However, there she was, leaving Temple to look for them. Without really knowing what to do, Ellen simply moved on with the conviction that there might be an assassin or a group trying to assassinate him. There was someone out to kill Reinhardt. While she felt a bit creeped out thinking about those things, she had to. If she wanted to kill Reinhardt, what would she do? There were two different settings¡­ Were they insiders or outsiders in regards to Temple? For the moment, she assumed it was outside of Temple. When he was within Temple, Reinhardt didn¡¯t behave as strangely as he did when they were outside before. In that case, it was highly likely that the setting was outside. She didn¡¯t feel it herself, but Reinhardt definitely felt something then. Assuming that the assassin was around at that time, why didn¡¯t they launch an attack? Assassinations should be carried out under optimal circumstances, and that was the case back then. Ellen was tired and Reinhardt was carrying her. However, Reinhardt noticed. That would mean that the assassin was a prudent person. They were going to attempt to assassinate them in a deserted location with no witnesses around. As soon as they were surrounded by the crowd, the assassin decided not to reveal themself. After that day, the optimal conditions for assassinating Reinhardt never came to be again because he didn¡¯t leave Temple. Was it impossible to do in Temple? Standing at the entrance of Temple, Ellen looked around. ¡°¡­¡± If one didn¡¯t have a pass, one couldn¡¯t even go through the security checkpoint before Temple. It was a system similar to entering a mana train station but much more strict. Convinced that there was an assassin, Ellen measured her steps. Without hesitation, she entered Temple¡¯s access control office. ¡°I¡¯m Ellen, first-year A-2 of the Royal Class.¡± Ellen presented her student ID. Even though she was wearing her school uniform, she didn¡¯t want to arouse any unnecessary suspicion. ¡°Oh, how can I help you?¡± ¡°Can a person who doesn¡¯t have a permit to enter Temple still get into Temple?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± At that rather random question of the Royal Class student, the staff member tilted their head. ¡°Of course not¡­?¡± ¡°Are there no exceptions?¡± ¡°Why? Are you concerned about Temple¡¯s security?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡± There was no reason to answer students¡¯ questions just because they asked, but she was a Royal Class student. The staff kindly pointed to Temple¡¯s entrance gate, seeming a little embarrassed. ¡°You seem to be worried that they might be able to climb over the fence or something, but that won¡¯t happen. First of all, the fence is so high that no ordinary person could jump over it easily, and there¡¯s also a barrier built over it. If someone tries to get across it recklessly, an alarm would go off, and they would get hit by a stun-type automatic defense magic, so they wouldn¡¯t be able to move until the guards arrested them. Likewise, it¡¯s impossible for someone to enter from above because Temple¡¯s defensive barrier is dome-shaped. It¡¯s completely impossible to penetrate it from the sky. To be exact, it can detect flying objects and will take action if required.¡± ¡°What about counterfeit passes?¡± ¡°Impossible. They are magic items, so each pass is unique.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to use someone else¡¯s pass?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ I see what you¡¯re worried about.¡± A student suddenly went to them and asked about Temple¡¯s security. The staff member didn¡¯t know why, but she looked incredibly serious. ¡°If one steals a pass and uses a disguise or camouflage magic, that would be difficult to identify, but the members of this office check everyone with Dispel as soon as they pass through the entrance gate. Their cover would be blown at that point, and don¡¯t we keep checking people coming in with this biosignal analyzer as well? Even if they disguise themselves in different ways, they would still get caught.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there just faculty members and students in Temple?¡± ¡°Well. Not every person that comes in can be considered safe, but when we select staff who will work in Temple and people who want to open stores in Temple, we measure them to the same standards as when selecting people who aspire to work for the Imperial Family. Of course, that inevitably causes problems, but Temple puts the students¡¯ safety first in this matter.¡± Ellen was able to confirm that Temple had very few security holes. However, very few still meant that there were some. While they cast Dispel on visitors to check whether they used camouflage magic, they wouldn¡¯t be able to look through physical disguises. They could do personal identification via biosignal analyzers, but magic tools weren¡¯t perfect either. Ellen knew that if someone had a deep understanding of magic tools, they would certainly be able to disturb their workings. One could also bribe some of the faculty members or students; there were many people in Temple that would take that money. It wasn¡¯t impossible at all for an outside organization to assassinate Reinhardt within Temple. In a place where far too many people gathered like Temple, it was impossible to promise absolute safety. It wasn¡¯t that Temple¡¯s countermeasures were insufficient, it was something that couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Ellen left the access control office after she said so. Ellen realized that, while Temple was safer than most other places in the capital, it wasn¡¯t absolutely safe. Ellen didn¡¯t have as much influence as her other classmates¡ªshe only had her strength and intellect. Ellen could only think and take action. If she assumed she was the head of an assassin organization and was asked to kill a Temple student¡­ If she had a chance but her target noticed, ran away, and hid themselves in Temple because he noticed someone was trying to assassinate him¡­ In that case, there would be two ways to go about it: She would either have to assassinate her target within Temple or make them leave Temple. To assassinate a student within Temple, she would need to find someone with a Temple pass, bribe them or somehow steal it from them, and then disguise herself as them to enter Temple. If they decided to do that, they would have to pass the biosignal analyzer, and, while that was difficult, it wasn¡¯t like there was no way to get through that. Of course, just getting inside Temple wasn¡¯t the end of it. They would have to be able to infiltrate the Royal Class dormitory. While the Royal Class dormitory didn¡¯t have its own guards, several teachers on duty resided there. It wasn¡¯t so difficult that you could call it impossible, but if a stranger suddenly popped up, everyone would be incredibly wary of them. The Royal Class was a place where the elite of the elite gathered. Infiltrating and trying to assassinate someone in a place where each student might have some sort of power was quite an unreasonable choice. The chances of not getting caught were really low. Infiltrating Temple wasn¡¯t impossible, but it would be very difficult to get out safely after killing Reinhardt. They wanted to assassinate Reinhardt without getting caught, or so it seemed. If assassinating him within Temple was impossible, there was only one option left¡­ Waiting for Reinhardt to leave Temple. ¡°¡­¡± If there really was an assassin, Ellen realized an obvious fact. They were bound to closely monitor Temple¡¯s entrance. They never knew when Reinhardt would leave, so they would have to wait to seize the opportunity. Being patient was as easy as breathing for them. Standing at the entrance of Temple where some faculty members and students came and went, Ellen looked around. The assassin had to be on the lookout for Reinhardt from somewhere around there. And if it was true that they were about to carry out an assassination attempt on them at that time¡­ Her appearance riding on Reinhardt¡¯s back had to have already been saved in their memories. In that case, her own information might have already been shared among the assassins. They had to know that she was Reinhardt¡¯s friend. In other words¡­ If an assassin was lurking around here¡­ They would be looking at her right at that moment. Obviously, rather than her expression or movement, Ellen had been able to read Loyar¡¯s killing intent through sheer instinct. Like a beast born with such instincts, she was like that as well. Hostility towards her¡­ Killing intent towards Reinhardt¡­ It was completely different from Mana Sensitivity and the like. Ellen tried to feel who was looking at her at the moment and if there really was an assassin positioned there. She wondered whether Reinhardt felt like that when he tried to strengthen himself with magical power. She couldn¡¯t feel anything. She was only able to instinctively feel hostility, but she didn¡¯t know how to actively feel it. She had no idea. That feeling of not knowing what to do¡­ Right when she seemed to slightly understand how Reinhardt might feel, though putting it that way might have been a bit much¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Ellen could feel it. The gazes directed her way¡­ That was the first time that Ellen was surprised by her own senses. She couldn¡¯t believe that something like that was possible. She didn¡¯t feel killing intent or any other emotion from the gazes; she simply felt like she was being ¡®watched¡¯. Just how much further could she go? Why on earth was she even able to do something like that? While Ellen was in awe of her ability, she walked in one direction, feeling that gaze on her without even having to focus on it. She could only feel one ¡®gaze¡¯ on her. Ellen walked to a different place. She didn¡¯t feel the gaze from the main street but from a nearby cafe. They were looking at her but also weren¡¯t. * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Ellen also ¡®looked¡¯ at them without actually looking as she moved out of Temple¡¯s entrance. ¡®Reinhardt¡­¡¯ As expected, when Ellen moved, her observer also moved. ¡®I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t believe you.¡¯ Although she was in awe of herself and feeling as if she was something other than human¡­ ¡®Still, I¡¯ll protect you at all costs.¡¯ She was willing to do anything for Reinhardt. No matter what she was, she would become anything for him¡ªeven if she became something beyond a monster. That was what Ellen thought. When she heard that Reinhardt was willing to die for her¡­ If she could feel that feeling of being his whole world once again¡­ No matter what kind of monster she turned into, she could endure everything. ¡ªThat was what Ellen believed. Eredian district, a side alley¡­ She didn¡¯t have to wait long. -Boom! ¡°Kuhk!¡± Ellen held her breath, and when her observer followed her into the alley, she immediately attacked them from behind. Ellen¡¯s lake-like eyes glowed calmly. However, her actions were anything but calm. ¡°Kurg! Kuhuk!¡± Ellen opened the mouth of her fallen stalker and kicked away the sword that was sliding on the floor to prevent him from doing anything stupid. ¡°Urk! Uurk! ¡± Ellen¡¯s calm eyes looked down at the stalker. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Who ordered you to do this?¡± ¡°Why did they do that?¡± Ellen looked down at him, her expression ghastly. ¡°I¡¯ll spare you if you tell me.¡± ¡°Uuk!¡± ¡°If you understood, nod your head.¡± Ellen was expressionless, but she gave off killing intent at the moment. However, seeing the bizarre phenomenon happening before her, she couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes. -Grind! Griind! Frighteningly thick veins started to appear right in front of her on the man¡¯s face. -Krr! Splsh! ¡°!¡± As the veins burst, blood splashed out. Ellen immediately used her magical power to protect herself from the splashing blood, but things were already in motion. ¡°U, uuurk! A, aark! Auuuuurk!¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± -Badump! Krr! The veins all over the man¡¯s body suddenly swelled up, and his eyes rolled up into his head. That person died right in front of her. Ellen blankly stared at the corpse. -Push! Push! Then, something pushed itself out of the body¡¯s swollen veins. ¡®Bugs¡­?¡¯ Grotesque-looking, black, earthworm-like insects wiggled themselves through the man¡¯s veins and crawled out, crumbling like dust and disappearing. She didn¡¯t know what happened. She couldn¡¯t understand it. Before she knew it, the dead man¡¯s veins, which had been bulging up until then, suddenly calmed down. Even the wounds left by the worms were completely gone. The man suddenly looked like a normal corpse. Ellen was unable to understand the situation before her, but she could predict what would happen to her. At that rate, she would be mistaken as the murderer. Ellen pondered as she looked down at the body of the man before her who¡¯d suddenly died. Should she go find a guard? If she explained everything, there was a high possibility that she would be released after proving that she was a Temple student. However¡­ That would obviously take time. While she didn¡¯t know much about magic, she was certain it was related to it. The body still before her, Elllen suddenly had a chilling thought. The dead man seemed to have been manipulated by bugs of some sort¡­ Was that really magic? Were Temple¡¯s security measures able to dispel that kind of magic? Could someone controlled by that parasite get into Temple? No, that couldn¡¯t be. If that were the case, the people inside Temple who were controlled by the bugs would have already tried to kill Reinhardt. Someone who manipulated people with some sort of bug was behind the assassination attempt, however, those who were controlled by them couldn¡¯t enter Temple. It was still safe within Temple. Ellen figured out there was an assassin, and she had found a very big clue. She was left with a choice to make. Was she going to call the guards and let them know about the incident? If she did that, she would have to spend countless hours trying to defend herself against the charges while explaining how the person died. A few days¡­ She had to be prepared to be interrogated for at least a few days because it was a murder case. She couldn¡¯t waste precious time like that. Ellen looked down at the corpse. There were no witnesses anywhere to be seen in the alley. She hadn¡¯t killed him. He was someone who had been manipulated, and there was a high probability that he was an innocent person. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ She felt sorry for the injustice of it Ellen rose up, inwardly vowing that she would definitely find out what had made him go through that, even though she couldn¡¯t take responsibility for it at that moment. She first had to go to Reinhardt. She had to make sure that he was safe. Guilt was creeping up in a corner of Ellen¡¯s mind as she ran to Temple, ignoring the corpse. *** ¡°Reinhardt!¡± ¡°Huh, what?¡± Reinhardt was training with Cliffman in the Royal Class dormitory¡¯s training room. She was a bit nervous, thinking that something would have happened, but nothing happened. ¡°What is it? Why are you sweating like that? Where have you been?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­ No¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± Someone actually wants to kill you. I don¡¯t know what happened, but someone actually died on his own. I left the body alone and ran here like crazy because I was worried about you. Ellen stopped herself from saying that. If she told him something like that, Reinhardt would try to do something about it on his own again. If he got her clues, he would definitely throw himself in danger again. That was the kind of guy he was¡ªhe would always try to put himself in danger. ¡°Do you want to train?¡± Reinhardt tried to hand her a training sword. She would normally take him up on the offer, but not that time. Not that day. Reinhardt knew nothing, but he at least knew that he was in deep danger, so he wouldn¡¯t leave Temple. ¡°No, I have something to do today.¡± He should just stay low in that safe place, staying ignorant of the situation. Leaving the training hall, Ellen walked down the hallway. She would definitely get to the bottom of it. She had to find out the truth. ¡®I¡¯m going to¡­¡¯ She felt her mind drifting off. ¡®Kill them.¡¯ Ellen surrendered her body to her silent fury. ____ Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Ellen didn¡¯t know much about magic other than what could be considered basic common sense. However, she seemed certain that the human-controlling worm was a product of magic. If they were ordinary creatures, people infested with them wouldn¡¯t be able to enter Temple. ¡®Magic was¡¯ the keyword. So Ellen went to look for Harriet. It was the weekend. Harriet was devoted to her research in the new club called the Magic Research Society, so Ellen went to their club mansion. Harriet was astonished when Ellen arrived, but she still followed her outside. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Harriet was surprised that Ellen had gone to that place she had no reason to visit, but she was even more curious about what she wanted. ¡°Are there insects that can make humans their hosts and control them?¡± ¡°Yeah, there might be bugs like that.¡± ¡°¡­What kinds are there?¡± Harriet shook her head. ¡°Why are you so curious about that?¡± Ellen thought about telling Harriet everything. It would be stupid not to get help from a magic major student. However, she couldn¡¯t tell her anything. If she were to tell her the truth, it would boil down to her doing something dangerous instead of Reinhardt. Harriet would definitely try to stop her. Even if she were to convince her, it would be the same. She couldn¡¯t take Harriet to do such dangerous things. She could risk her own life, but she couldn¡¯t risk the lives of her friends. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the exact reason. I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s important.¡± Rather than telling lame lies, Ellen preferred speaking straightforwardly like that. ¡°Could you please look into this for me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Harriet silently looked at Ellen. An important matter¡­ Harriet could guess that it had to do with Reinhardt. If it didn¡¯t have anything to do with him, why else would Ellen wear such an expression? I don¡¯t know what happened to Reinhardt, but he doesn¡¯t look that good lately. Could it be because of that? Harriet felt like Ellen had defeated her yet again. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll look into it.¡± Even still, Harriet agreed to help. *** Ellen didn¡¯t enter the Magic Research Society¡¯s mansion. She told her that it would be fine to enter, but Ellen said she would wait outside. Harriet didn¡¯t know much about parasites that could control people and the magic associated with them. She had a fair bit of knowledge about magic, but she knew next to nothing about that subject. If it was a parasite that could manipulate and even kill people, it would belong to the field of black magic, and a respectable wizard wouldn¡¯t care for such subjects. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that Anna de Gerna, a black magic major, wasn¡¯t a respectable wizard. The most important thing was how the magic was used. Pain-type curses that caused excruciating pain were strictly prohibited, but a fireball being thrown in the middle of a crowded square was worse by far. Harriet had no clue about that supposed black magic, so she entered the club mansion and sought Anna. Harriet was still a little uncomfortable around her. It wasn¡¯t because of her somewhat gloomy appearance and tone. Rather, every time she looked at Reinhardt, she seemed to get kind of¡­ Weird. Her gaze seemed to contain something sticky. She didn¡¯t know why, but Anna was strange to her. It made her think that Anna was slightly dangerous. It wasn¡¯t because she was majoring in black magic¡ªit was that she simply seemed like a dangerous person. Reinhardt also felt it when he noticed Anna continuously looking at him and felt burdened. So Harriet felt a bit reluctant to go to Anna. Still, she went to find her because it was Ellen¡¯s request. Anna hadn¡¯t been instructed by Reinhardt to do anything. Instead, she usually helped her classmate, Christina, with her research or studied from Louis Ankton how to manage her magical power better and optimize her activation. ¡°Bugs that can control people?¡± ¡°Yes. Are there such things? It might be Parasite-type magic.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Anna tilted her head as if she was troubled, and her eyes somewhat glazed over and darted around. First to the left, then to the right, then to the left again¡­ After doing that for a while, Anna opened her strangely red lips that greatly contrasted her pale face. ¡°It might be the case for most black magic, but¡­ Parasite-type magic was originally considered a taboo curse.¡± ¡°You mean it isn¡¯t anymore?¡± ¡°Only for specific purposes.¡± ¡°Which ones?¡± ¡°Parasite-type magic is¡­ A type of magic that causes diseases or infections through parasite infestations.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes. I know that.¡± Anna pointed towards Harriet ¡­Her chest, to be precise. ¡°What, Erm¡­ What are¡­?¡± What? Why is she doing that? Is she comparing our sizes? Even though Harriet, unprompted, suddenly started misunderstanding her actions, Anna only said what she had to say. ¡°That means that such parasites that could spread infectious diseases could be used to eliminate such diseases¡­ For example, if you have a parasite in your body and you take in those other parasites¡­ You¡¯ll excrete them in the form of feces¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± That was what she meant? Harriet still felt that her expression seemed somewhat burdensome. ¡°Can¡¯t you control people with them as well?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ There are so many different types of magic, after all¡­ But I¡¯m not sure¡­ Even among mind-type spells, Mind Control is a high-ranking one¡­ If that type of magic can be expressed through bugs¡­¡± ¡°¡­Yes, it doesn¡¯t seem to make much sense.¡± Mind-type spells in and of themselves were difficult to perform. However, from simple spells that showed hallucinations to Mind Control, the difficulty sharply increased. A high-ranking spell comparable to Mind Control, which was said to be the highest-ranking spell of the mind-type spells, was Mass Teleport for space-type spells and Fire Storm for destruction-type spells. Of course, since they were fundamentally different types, it didn¡¯t mean that a wizard who could use Mind Control could use Mass Teleport and Fire Storm. Some worm replacing that type of high-ranking spell that could only be used by archmages? That didn¡¯t make any sense. Why was Ellen asking such a question with such urgency? ¡°What are you talking about?¡± As Harriet and Anna were talking, Christina, who was working on various things in her lab, approached them with her goggles on. Her head was about to explode from clamoring for this and that reagent and material for Moonshine. She left the laboratory to relax a bit. ¡°Harriet asked¡­ if there¡¯s black magic that could control people using bugs¡­¡± ¡°Bugs that can control people?¡± Christina was a curious and outgoing sort. It seemed like something that caught her interest came up, so her eyes were shining brightly. ¡°Why are you asking about that?¡± ¡°Well, I heard that there were things like that. I just wondered what kind of magic was behind those things, so I thought it might be black magic, but now I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case anymore.¡± ¡°Uuurg¡­ Bugs that can control people? How terrible.¡± Christina shuddered, but then she lowered her head for a moment and took her goggles off before raising her head again as if she had remembered something. ¡°Right!¡± ¡°Did you remember something?¡± ¡°Do they look like hairworms?¡± ¡°Hairworms¡­? What are those?¡± It was the first time Harriet had ever heard that word. There was no reason for a young lady, preciously raised by her family, to encounter something like hairworms, and there were no such insects in Temple, so there was no way for Harriet, who was already frightened by grasshoppers, to know about those monstrosities. ¡°What¡­ are those things?¡± Even Anna of the Gerna family, a family famous for producing excellent wizards in every generation, though not as many as Harriet¡¯s family, didn¡¯t know about those worms. ¡°Well, they are parasitic worms that live in the guts of other insects. They enter the organism in an egg state, grow inside of it, and when they mature, they control the insect to approach water, make them drown themselves, and finally crawl out of their stomachs. They look like threads and are very long.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°¡­!!¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Both Harriet and Anna were surprised by that blunt explanation, shocked by Christina, who maintained a bright smile as she explained, and freaked out that such a vicious being existed in the world. ¡°If you don¡¯t know what they are, do you want me to draw a picture for you?¡± ¡°N-no! That¡¯s fine!¡± ¡°I feel like vomiting¡­¡± Apart from feeling disgusted, they seemed extremely shocked at such a nefarious being¡¯s existence. ¡°So isn¡¯t that bug like a hairworm that controls people?¡± ¡°A-are there parasites like that?!¡± ¡°Where do you find them¡­?¡± Harriet was extremely shocked, but Anna, who just said that she would puke, glanced at Christina as if her interest had been piqued. If such bugs existed, it was clear what they would be used for. Harriet¡¯s worry for Reinhardt spiked. She didn¡¯t know what was going on, but she was certain that something would happen sooner or later! ¡°There aren¡¯t¡­ As far as I know, at least.¡± ¡°Phew. That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°¡­What a shame.¡± Harriet tried to ignore the muted voice coming from next to her, pretending that she didn¡¯t hear anything. Christina looked at Harriet. ¡°But I don¡¯t know everything. There might be a bug like that, and we simply don¡¯t know about its existence.¡± ¡°Do you really think that there is a possibility of them existing?¡± ¡°If there aren¡¯t any, we can make some.¡± A thought flashed through Harriet¡¯s mind at Christina¡¯s dangerous words. ¡®If it doesn¡¯t exist, just make it.¡¯ Harriet specialized in magic, but Christina was an Alchemy major. Alchemy students thought in terms of alchemy. ¡®If it doesn¡¯t exist, just make it.¡¯ That concept was clearly prevalent in the field of alchemy. ¡°Are you talking about Chimeras or Homunculi?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a forbidden practice, and you¡¯d be sentenced to death immediately if anyone knew you were practicing such a thing, but you know?¡± Christina smiled brightly. ¡°The ratio of crazy wizards is a lot higher among alchemists than black wizards.¡± Harriet knew¡­ Black wizards were rather antisocial, but that was just from an outsider¡¯s view. There were many alchemists hunted down or purged for doing some really crazy things in the wizard¡¯s society. In fact, there were no externally-known black wizards who were also alchemists. Those who majored in both likely died from their own crazy experiments. ¡°It could be a chimera with the improved capabilities of a hairworm that makes it able to control humans or a homunculus created for that purpose.¡± Chimeras were made by using existing creatures as a base. Homunculi were living beings made from inanimate objects, not biological matter. They were different from golems. Just as mana trains weren¡¯t alive, golems were just a sort of machine. Homunculi were alive. That worm that was able to control humans could be the result of either of those practices. ¡°Is it possible to create something like that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know if it¡¯s possible or not, but don¡¯t you think it might be?¡± Alchemists were those who explored different possibilities; they were slightly different from most wizards. ¡°In alchemy, we have things like recipes, so one can make such things just by following a recipe, right? As long as there are no parts that require magical power, even ordinary people could make them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ It can¡¯t be¡­!¡± Harriet listened to Christina¡¯s words, widening her eyes as she thought of the possibilities. ¡°Even if one isn¡¯t on the level of an archmage, one could make as many copies of them as one wanted if one had the recipe of the homunculus or chimera made by an archmage. Of course, assuming that it¡¯s detailed enough.¡± Christina was laughing, but the content of her words was incredibly creepy. ¡°I don¡¯t know if something like that really exists, of course. But¡­ that¡¯s different from saying it definitely doesn¡¯t exist! I wonder if there¡¯s actually anything in the world that could be described with the word ¡°absolute¡±.¡± Harriet was convinced by her words. There was already a creature in nature that could control other insects that wasn¡¯t even of magical nature. That would mean that it wasn¡¯t impossible. Magic could make the impossible possible. So making something that was already proven to be possible more potent was a rather easy feat for magic. ¡°Hmm? Come to think of it. What if a recipe already existed? Could I make something like that as well?¡± Harriet was certain of it¡­ Anna was clearly problematic. Although she didn¡¯t appear like that at first, she was a serious nutcase. ¡°Do you¡­ want to make¡­ something like that?¡± ¡°Guys, please¡­¡± Harriet was genuinely worried about the Class B students. ¡®Reinhardt¡­ Be careful¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t know what happened, but Harriet once more vowed to protect Reinhardt from the nutcases of the Magic Research Society. * * * Harriet left the mansion and approached Ellen, who had been waiting for a long time, leaning against a tree in the garden. ¡°We don¡¯t know if it actually exists, but we think it¡¯s more likely that something like that could be made using alchemy rather than black magic.¡± Ellen nodded silently after hearing the details. ¡°Thanks, Harriet.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you tell me¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± Ellen lowered her gaze at Harriet¡¯s words. ¡°Does it have something to do with Reinhardt¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ellen didn¡¯t answer. However, that was answer enough. ¡°Y-you know¡­ sometimes¡­ you¡¯re really, really¡­ yes.¡± Harriet struggled to speak as she looked at Ellen, who couldn¡¯t even meet her eyes. ¡°I think you¡¯re really, really unfair¡­¡± Harriet couldn¡¯t see what expression Ellen, who had lowered her head, was wearing. However, she could guess what her face looked like without seeing it. She probably wore a pathetic expression. Was she really saying those things to a friend? ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. I was talking nonsense.¡± Harriet stole a glance from the corner of her eyes. While she didn¡¯t cry, she felt like she did that for no reason. ¡°Well, tell me something else then.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Who?¡± Ellen looked up at her remark. Harriet asked, her eyes bloodshot, about something she had been curious about for a long time but hadn¡¯t asked Ellen out of consideration. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ellen could tell from her expression just how long Harriet had been wondering about that. Ellen wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. Harriet knew that she couldn¡¯t be anyone normal. She just didn¡¯t ask up to that point because she thought Ellen wouldn¡¯t give her an answer. ¡°Ellen¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± ¡°Ellen Artorius.¡± ¡°¡­!!¡± Harriet¡¯s expression hardened at her words. Ellen didn¡¯t explain anything further. That last name was explanation enough. It wasn¡¯t like she just happened to have the same last name as the hero. Harriet felt a lot of her doubts getting resolved all at once. Why was she so strong? Why was she carrying a soul-bound sword? Why did she always seem so determined? Why? Why didn¡¯t she hesitate at all when throwing herself in danger? Harriet had finally found the answer to her questions. ¡°Does¡­ Reinhardt know?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± I see. The secret she had just told her, a secret no one else in Temple knew¡­ Those two had been sharing it for a very long time already. ¡°¡­I thought I had at least one thing over you.¡± Harriet laughed softly with a sense of despondency and self-deprecation. Her background¡­ She had no intention of just clinging to that one pitiful thing. However, even in that regard, she had been pushed back. So Harriet couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She didn¡¯t hate Ellen¡ªshe absolutely dismissed herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say you¡¯re sorry.¡± Harriet looked at Ellen, who had lowered her head again, and twisted the corners of her mouth. She wanted to cry, but her tears just wouldn¡¯t come out. She couldn¡¯t even cry in that situation. ¡°You have no idea¡­ just how¡­ miserable that makes me.¡± If someone who always walks a few steps ahead of you just turns around and says sorry¡­ do you know just how painful that is for the other person to hear? Ellen finally realized how Harriet felt upon hearing her apology. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Ellen forcibly swallowed down the words that were about to come out. The words ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± In the end, didn¡¯t those words actually stem from her sense of superiority over Harriet? Ellen could see the bad sides of herself in those words. She didn¡¯t think so, but could she be sure that wasn¡¯t the case even a little bit? Did she really feel no superiority over Harriet de Saint-Owan? Even then, she wanted to monopolize Reinhardt¡¯s affairs while arguing that she didn¡¯t want to put Harriet in danger, and it was hurting her. Was it right for her to make that choice for Harriet? She didn¡¯t even try to talk to her. But, from Harriet¡¯s words, Ellen had no other choice but to tell her. If her behavior stemmed from something as insignificant as a sense of superiority¡­ She had to throw it away. ¡°There¡¯s someone who wants to kill Reinhardt.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Seeing the dumbfounded Harriet, Ellen could calmly look at her and properly talk to her. ¡°I will kill that person.¡± Ellen didn¡¯t try to manage her expression because she chose not to hide anything. ¡°Do you want to help me?¡± Harriet was stunned by Ellen¡¯s sudden offer. However, as straightforward as Ellen¡¯s words were, they contained the truth. The weight they carried was by no means light. ¡°Yes. I do.¡± However, Harriet¡¯s hesitation didn¡¯t last long. While she only thought about it for a short time, her decision wasn¡¯t made lightly. ____ Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Ellen shared everything that had happened with Harriet. Reinhardt¡¯s strange behavior, the assassination attempt that started everything, and what she had been able to confirm that day. Harriet was horrified to find out that Ellen had witnessed that human-controlling bug with her own eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that there¡¯s really a human-manipulating hairworm¡­¡± ¡°Hairworm?¡± Ellen tilted her head as if she had never heard of the insect called a hairworm. ¡°It¡­ It¡¯s something that¡­ infests the intestines of insects and¡­ U-urg¡­¡± Harriet tried to repeat Christina¡¯s explanation, but she only grew pale as she tried. Harriet was so smart that she could recall the locusts and mantises whose stomachs were stuffed with those thread-like worms, so she took mental damage while she was talking. ¡°Anyway, they are insects that can control other insects¡­¡± ¡°Are they made with magic as well?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just like that by nature¡­¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± While it was bizarre logic to assume that, since there were insects that were able to control other insects, there were insects that could control humans as well if magic got thrown in the mix, it wasn¡¯t as bizarre if they actually existed. That line of reasoning led to alchemy rather than black magic. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that black magic wasn¡¯t involved at all. If black magic was used in alchemy, one could use black-magic-type alchemy, so one couldn¡¯t be certain that it was completely irrelevant. Could they determine what kind of magic had been used just with that parasite as the first clue? They couldn¡¯t be certain. However, that was all they had. ¡°Let¡¯s go ask Mr. Mustrang.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It might be something they had no knowledge of because they were still students, so Ellen and Harriet decided to go ask one of their homeroom teachers. *** Homeroom teachers of the Royal Class usually didn¡¯t have any dedicated lectures they were in charge of¡ªthey were focused on protecting and managing the members of their class. They were talented individuals who were able to take immediate action in case of an emergency. If they were asked to hold lectures, they would be able to do it, however, they were simply teachers who were tasked with the management of the Royal Class. Therefore, just like the individual teachers resided in a dormitory, the homeroom teachers also lived in Temple. As such, when an accident occurred, they would be called upon, even on weekends. ¡°He¡¯s a funny person.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Harriet commented on Mr. Mustrang as they traveled to the faculty quarters. While Mr. Mustrang wasn¡¯t an alchemist, he was the advisor of the Magic Research Society. He would sometimes check on the children who were studying while giving them bits of advice. Since their research projects were on such a large scale, he would sometimes try to tell them how things were done, however, after some time, he let his worries rest and just idled away next to the students. He would often be left alone in his seat, self-deprecatingly calling himself an incompetent teacher. His self-esteem had been falling endlessly those days. Visiting the faculty¡¯s living quarters in Temple, Harriet took the lead to Mr. Mustrang¡¯s room to ask him a very specific question. Is it possible to use alchemy to make bugs that can control people? ¡°Guuys! You absolutely can¡¯t make these kinds of thiiings!¡± Mr. Mustrang, who was plagued by a lot of worries, grabbed Harriet, seeming incredibly frightened. Ellen seemed to understand why Harriet thought that he was quite amusing. Mr. Mustrang calmed down when they said that they had gone there to ask that because they were simply curious, even though he didn¡¯t really know the details. After sitting down at a nearby cafe, they ordered some drinks. ¡°Homunculi or chimeras that can control people¡­ Why are you curious about something like that?¡± Mr. Mustrang still seemed worried. ¡°Just because. I think I heard someone talking about such things somewhere.¡± ¡°Are there things like that?¡± ¡°Well¡­ If there was, no matter what type of magic they were made with, they most certainly would belong to the prohibited ones. Prohibited spells are literally forbidden spells, so there is very little information about them. I can¡¯t even tell you if there are spells that can achieve something like that.¡± Being a teacher made no difference in that matter. ¡°Still¡­ Bugs that can control people¡­ While I don¡¯t think anyone would have even tried making something like that¡­¡± Still, Mr. Mustrang knew the madness of wizards a lot better than his students. There were those whose pursuit of happiness turned into madness, so there were those that dabbled in the forbidden. There were more unknown than there were known things in that world, after all. ¡°I believe that you guys don¡¯t plan on creating something like that, but you should never dabble in that kind of research or even talk about it outside just because you¡¯re curious, okay? If you do, it would be pretty hard for us to protect you.¡± ¡°Of course we won¡¯t. Ellen isn¡¯t even a magic major student.¡± ¡°Yes, but still¡­¡± Mr. Mustang tended to worry excessively, so it seemed like he was very worried that the kids were thinking of creating strange things. He looked at Ellen and Harriet¡¯s faces and smiled at both of them. ¡°Alright. I don¡¯t know what you two are up to, but if someone ever did something like that, the Taboo Hunters wouldn¡¯t leave them alone.¡± Taboo Hunters. Ellen and Harriet tilted their heads at those words. Neither of them had heard of that group before. ¡°Taboo Hunters?¡± ¡°What are those?¡± ¡°Aah, right. It¡¯s not surprising that you don¡¯t know of them. Nothing good comes from knowing that group¡­¡± Mr. Mustrang spoke in a low voice. ¡°Have you ever heard of Magic Societies?¡± ¡°Yes, I know of them.¡± While both Ellen and Harriet knew that such groups existed, they didn¡¯t know the specifics. ¡°They are one of those Magic Societies. They are hunters who hunt wizards that break taboos.¡± ¡°Mr. Mustrang¡­ Please don¡¯t pass on speculative information to students.¡± Ellen and Harriet turned around after hearing a familiar voice coming from behind them. ¡°M-Mr. Epinhauser?!¡± * * * Translator ¨C KonnoAren Proofreader ¨C ilafy * * * Mr. Epinhauser, wearing his usual cold expression, was looking down at the three of them. He was wearing comfortable clothes, completely different from his usual suit, perhaps because he just stopped by as he was passing them. Ellen and Harriet were staring at him wearing casual clothes as if he was some sort of rare animal. Of course, even though the clothes he wore were different, his attitude towards them was still the same. Mr. Mustrang¡¯s face turned red as if he had been caught playing a prank. ¡°Th-the Taboo Hunters exist!¡± However, his expression was just like a child who completely believed in some urban legend. Certainly, the Taboo Hunters were more like a legend. Mr. Mustrang just enjoyed those kinds of stories. He was the complete opposite of Mr. Epinhauser. ¡°¡­They should exist.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°But one shouldn¡¯t go around talking about them too much. They haven¡¯t been properly identified yet.¡± Mr. Epinhauser was just there to get a drink, so he walked away when he was done. ¡°¡­You get along unexpectedly well. Harriet was amazed at the experience of coincidentally meeting Mr. Epinhauser acting familiar with Mr. Mustrang. ¡°H-hahaha¡­ Actually, he doesn¡¯t really talk to me after work hours except when it concerns work. I think today was the first time he did so this year¡­¡± Even the word ¡°affectionless¡± was too much to describe Mr. Epinhauser. It seemed like he didn¡¯t really share any private things except for when it concerned his work. Still, the year was already nearing its end. When he said to Harriet that it was his first time talking to him about something other than work, she looked stunned. Is it necessary for him to separate his private and work affairs this thoroughly? That was what Harriet thought. It was quite rare for Mr. Mustrang to react so harshly. While all Magic Societies were secret organizations, there were some rumors, often exaggerations, floating about the known Societies. However, the one thing they had in common was the Black Order. All of the rumors were of cases where they caused harm to the world. From small things such as assassinations to large-scale things like using a whole village as their experiment sites. It seemed like a wizard under a certain feudal lord actually tried to swallow his lord¡¯s territory after receiving the order from the Black Order. Their purpose was unknown, but they were beings that caused great harm to the world. However, as was the case with Magic Societies, no details had been revealed about either the Black Order or the Taboo Hunters. ¡°Anyway, if you kids want to learn more about this, you¡¯ll have to ask someone who majored in alchemy and not me.¡± He took out a notebook and wrote down the address of such a professor¡¯s office as well as their name. [Aaron Mede] ¡°He¡¯s one of the teachers in charge of the alchemy lectures in Temple. He gives lectures exclusively to high-ranking students, so his skills are certain. If he doesn¡¯t know of the existence of something like that, it most certainly doesn¡¯t exist. Since he¡¯s a teacher only in charge of holding lectures, he won¡¯t be in Temple during the weekend.¡± It was an alchemist recommended by Mr. Mustrang. That meant that his knowledge of the matter wouldn¡¯t be lacking. Normally, they would have waited until the next week, but Ellen and Harriet were in a hurry. They were in urgent need of information. That was why Harriet hurriedly spoke up again. ¡°Can¡¯t we go to his home directly?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Coming to meet me aside¡­ Please don¡¯t be rude now. While he has an amiable personality, it¡¯s not very polite to suddenly visit him on the weekend. You know that, right?¡± Ellen and Harriet nodded upon seeing Mr. Mustrang¡¯s concerned expression. *** ¡°Is this for certain?¡± ¡°While I¡¯m not completely sure, it certainly involves some form of forbidden art. Even if they don¡¯t mean to harm Your Highness, if this were to come to light, they wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid the death penalty.¡± I nodded as I listened to Sarkegaar¡¯s report. He passed the information he had found out to me in my private room located in Temple¡¯s dormitory. ¡°Wizards are people who can do a lot of things in a short amount of time. It¡¯s not like them to run away.¡± The mansion of Aaron Mede, the professor in charge of Alchemy at Temple, wasn¡¯t very large, but the property was fairly big. While the mansion could hardly be called simple, it was still far inferior to other mansions. In fact, all the substantial facilities were underground¡ªfacilities for researching many forbidden dark arts. I was looking at something similar to a wiggling worm before me. Disgusting. It looked like a hairworm, but it was completely black. A sparrow had flown toward me with the worm in its beak, so I thought it wasn¡¯t Sarkegaar at first. ¡°He planted this in other people and tried to kill you using a borrowed knife. It¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°A homunculus.¡± ¡°Yes, a magical creature. Fortunately, it seems unable to pass through Temple¡¯s barrier, but¡­ it can be brought in through the air.¡± When one crossed the entrance of Temple, ¡®Dispel¡¯ would be cast over the person. Homunculi were magical creatures, so the best way to deal with them was through ¡®Dispel¡¯. However, Sarkegaar had flown in, and the homunculus was still alive since ¡®Dispel¡¯ wasn¡¯t cast on it. His attempt on my life aside, Aaron Mede was a guy whose death would benefit the world greatly. Perhaps the assassin on that day wasn¡¯t Aaron Mede himself but someone controlled by the special creature. After he saw that I noticed, he decided to be careful. He wasn¡¯t a teacher who belonged to the Orbis Class; that was why he still remained in Temple However, killing me directly inside Temple posed too high a risk. ¡ªSo he was trying to kill me outside of Temple. ¡°What do you want to do? I can handle this matter, Your Highness.¡± I told Sarkegaar to just observe and not take action for the moment, which was why Sarkegaar gave reports like that. If I hadn¡¯t said anything, Sarkegaar would have killed Aaron Mede right then and there. ¡°I¡¯ll have to do it myself.¡± ¡°Why does it have to be Your Highness? You can just use my, Eleris¡¯s, and Loyar¡¯s power.¡± The culprit had been identified, so I didn¡¯t have to feel nervous anymore. ¡°No, there are some questions I want to ask him myself.¡± I¡¯d found the guy who had tried to kill me. Killing him was a natural conclusion, but I still had some things I wanted to ask him before that. I got up from my seat. ¡±Let¡¯s go. Sparrow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± While Sarkegaar seemed to sulk a bit, he still obediently turned into a sparrow. ____ Chapter 255 [Translator ¨C KonnoAren ] [Proofreader ¨C ilafy ] Chapter 255 Temple¡¯s Alchemy teacher Aaron Mede was in a bad mood. Even among all the talented teachers, he was in a class of his own. He was someone who only taught elite students, so the students that were in his lectures were excellent students of either the Orbis Class or a general class. Personally, he didn¡¯t like the Royal Class because they only believed in talent and had too many arrogant kids. Strictly speaking, he didn¡¯t hate the Royal Class, he just preferred the Orbis Class. He liked their desperation. He liked their attitude of being willing to do anything for success. That kind of desperation blinded one¡¯s insight, and if one held out a tempting offer in their blurred state, most children would simply fall for it. A place that gathered the best talents of the Empire where one just had to stretch out their hand to catch those with the greatest potential. A place where one could execute biological experiments and see the results in real-time. A place where experimental subjects simply replenished on their own. Temple was the only place that met those requirements. However, that cradle suddenly vanished. The psycho of Royal Class, Reinhardt, had suddenly decided to mess everything up. Technically speaking, the real cause was the strange collective action of the Orbis Class students and teachers, but even so, the root of it was still Reinhardt. The place that supplied him with willing test subjects, among them the most capable new additions, suddenly disappeared. The one who messed up his experiment¡­ He couldn¡¯t do anything about the collective Orbis Class boycott, so he put that matter aside. If that guy died inside of Temple, the problem would just grow bigger and pose a threat to him, so he tried to kill him outside of Temple. He felt confident that he wouldn¡¯t get caught if he used his forbidden arts. People could die surprisingly easily. No matter how strong a knight was, it was common sense that they would die swiftly if they were stabbed in their sleep. Furthermore, no matter how excellent he was, he was still a student. Killing him should have been easy. If that guy died, it wouldn¡¯t be him who would get suspected, it would be the Orbis Class, so the circumstances were perfect, and he wouldn¡¯t get exposed. However, for some reason, he immediately felt the presence of the assassin Aaron planted a worm in. Seeing his target flee in a hurry, the assassin felt the need to stay hidden. After that guy sensed the danger he was in, he didn¡¯t leave Temple from that point on. He could have killed Reinhardt inside of Temple because he wasn¡¯t kicked out like the Orbis Class Teachers. However, he felt immensely reluctant to take on any risks. There was no need for him to do that. As long as Reinhardt remained in Temple, he was within his range. He wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in Temple forever, either. The moment he crawled out of Temple, his demise would be sealed. However, things were taking a rather strange turn. The other student who was with Reinhardt at that time¡­ When he noticed her leaving Temple, he thought that it was an opportunity he had to take. He would secretly follow her, overpower her, and use her as a hostage to drag Reinhardt out of Temple. Even if she was part of the Royal Class, she was just a first-year at most. He thought it wouldn¡¯t be a problem as long as he took her by surprise. There was no need to expose himself because he could simply use the parasite hosts. However, where did things go wrong? She was already aware that someone was tailing her and actually seemed to want it. It turned out that the girl was the strongest monster ever recorded in the history of Temple, although he didn¡¯t really know any details. His error was that he neglected to gather information on students of the close combat majors because he was a wizard himself. Fortunately, his taboo arts were completely unknown to the world outside of the Order. They wouldn¡¯t be able to find him with just that. The evidence was already gone, after all. It was a forbidden spell the Order used to secretly kill people. All of his anger and irritation made him feel restless. How could he have expected that a first-year student of Royal Class would seemingly have eyes on the back of her head? As such, he tried to find a more definite, detailed way to kill Reinhardt. However¡­ ¡°A bug that can control people?¡± ¡®¡®Yes, can someone make something like that with alchemy?¡± The girl who had caught his host last time actually went to his mansion with another student in tow. What were the chances? Aaron Mede was dumbfounded that things were going so well for him. *** Aaron didn¡¯t know about Ellen up until then, but he already knew the magic major student, Harriet de Saint-Owan. He was a lot more interested in Harriet than Ellen. She was the greatest magic genius in the famous Saint-Owan family¡¯s history. No, she might¡¯ve even been the greatest genius of the whole continent. A kid with the ¡®Magic¡¯ Talent had never appeared before. While it seemed like the person herself wasn¡¯t aware of it, she was the one that gathered the most interest from his acquaintances. Of course, Aaron Mede didn¡¯t share that interest. Those who were born with talent were always arrogant. He liked the ungifted who fought for their strength¡ªlike those in the Orbis Class. He believed the ruthlessness and viciousness of those who struggled to get stronger made them susceptible to temptation. That was why Harriet de Saint-Owan, who was born with great strength and didn¡¯t know what she lacked, only seemed like a human without any desperation for improvement. He didn¡¯t do his experiments under the guise of granting others strength because he was evil. Rather than that, he very much thought of his experiments as gifts. He didn¡¯t grant anything to those who weren¡¯t desperate. Therefore, even though she was a top talent, he was uninterested in Harriet de Saint-Owan. She was simply amazing. Just how did that coincidence come to be? Did two high-quality pieces of bait that would be perfect for luring Reinhardt out of Temple really just walk to him freely? They said they were there on the recommendation of the Royal Class teacher, Mr. Mustrang. Ellen was there after she unsuccessfully asked around while trying to find out the truth about the worm that crawled from the host. She had no idea that she was in a place she should have never stepped foot in. Those two students, who had no idea that he was breeding hundreds of those worms in the basement, just seemed like innocent kids who simply wanted to sate their curiosity. They were the two students who actively decided to get involved with the assassination attempt on Reinhardt. Those two had to be very precious to Reinhardt, so they¡¯d certainly make great bait. Being granted the pleasure of trampling on the arrogant, budding talents of the Royal Class was a bonus. ¡°Hmm¡­ While I do believe that there is nothing in this field that I don¡¯t know, I do have to say that alchemists are the types of people who like to experiment if they even believe there is a hint of success.¡± However, that was difficult to do at the moment. If those two students who were there on the recommendation of Mr. Mustrang were to disappear right then, there was a high chance that he would be immediately suspected. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard of some people who use such things¡­¡± ¡°R-really? Are you sure?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Harriet¡¯s expression suddenly changed at the mention of a possibly meaningful clue. Ellen¡¯s eyes also slightly widened. ¡°It¡¯ll take me some time to go through all the data, so I¡¯ll send a message to Royal Class when I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you very much, teacher!¡± He sent them back for the moment because it was close to stupidity to lay his hands on them right then. ¡°Since you came all the way here, how about a cup of tea?¡± He poured some warm tea into cups for the two innocent students. He would send them back, but he needed some insurance. Alchemy was a science that could work with or without magic. In that case, magic wasn¡¯t part of it. In other words, Dispel wouldn¡¯t work on what he was doing. Aaron Mede was poisoning the two. He used a slow-acting poison. Its symptoms would only appear after more than a month. The functions of their cardiovascular system would gradually worsen, and their hearts would eventually stop. Without the antidote, they would simply drop dead one day. It was already verified that there was no other way to cure the poison. Not even divine magic would work. If the situation didn¡¯t pan out as he wanted, he could use the antidote as an excuse to lure out Reinhardt. It was that kind of insurance. ¡°Ah, yes¡­ Thank you.¡± Harriet carefully placed her hands around the cup. Drink it. Translator ¨C KonnoAren Aaron Mede smiled faintly at the thought that he would receive the corpse of that arrogant madman who had ruined all his experiments if he just waited a month. He himself had the antidote, after all, so he could casually savor the poisoned tea. It was a tasteless and odorless poison that couldn¡¯t be detected. Ellen didn¡¯t even touch the tea. It was like she wasn¡¯t even tempted to drink it. Harriet was about to drink from her cup but then tilted her head slightly and put it down. ¡°By the way, I have a question I want to ask you.¡± Aaron Mede noticed a sparkling green earring hanging from Harriet¡¯s ear. Wearing jewelry wasn¡¯t forbidden in Temple, but for something the young lady of the Saint-Owan Duchy was wearing, the earrings design didn¡¯t really seem all that luxurious. Harriet put her cup down completely. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking us why we¡¯re curious about something like that?¡± Harriet felt uncomfortable. Everyone else had been curious about their interest in such things. Even she had initially questioned it. When she had initially heard Ellen ask about those things, she also wondered why the hell she wanted to know about something like that. It was an alarming and bizarre question. The members of the Magic Research Society were the same, and so was Mr. Mustrang. All of them had asked why they were curious about worms that could control humans. However, Aaron Mede wasn¡¯t curious, and that was what made her feel uncomfortable. That, however, wasn¡¯t much of a problem. Aaron Mede simply smiled softly at Harriet¡¯s question. ¡®¡®Wizards, especially students, are curious about a wide range of things, after all. You¡¯d be surprised at how many bizarre questions I¡¯ve heard since the start of my career. I¡¯m simply used to answering strange questions at this point.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Aaron Mede¡¯s answer made sense. He noticed that the little kids in front of him didn¡¯t even touch their teacups and that they were wary of him. They weren¡¯t just some talented kids, they also had great insight. He knew that trying to force them to drink the tea would backfire. Harriet looked around the mansion¡¯s office. ¡°And this place¡­ How should I put it¡­? It¡¯s strange.¡± Harriet continued to calmly look around. She wasn¡¯t merely looking around; it seemed like she was trying to sense the space itself. ¡°I can¡¯t feel any power coming from the leyline.¡± ¡°Leyline? What do you mean?¡± Harriet was constantly ordered to do absurd things by Reinhardt. Why don¡¯t you try studying dimensional magic? While you¡¯re at it, try to activate magic with external instead of internal mana. She hadn¡¯t succeeded in any of that, but she was in the process of getting there. Natural mana¡­ She was far from being able to use magic with it, but she had gotten very used to feeling and analyzing the mana present in the atmosphere. Of course, other wizards could do that as well, but Harriet, who had focused on it, was a lot more sensitive. Mana was omnipresent, but the concentration varied from place to place. Even in the same space, its concentration could be different. Being able to control such irregularly concentrated mana was a rather doubtful prospect. Although she hadn¡¯t reached her true goal, what she gained from her research was enough for her to sense the peculiarity of the place. She couldn¡¯t feel the leyline¡¯s mana below the mansion at all. It felt as if a huge hole was in the middle of a vast ocean. She didn¡¯t know what was below the mansion, but she could tell that a barrier constructed with the function of obscuring what was down there was in place. ¡°I know that barriers intended to hide things have similar effects.¡± There was a space underneath the mansion enchanted so that outsiders wouldn¡¯t be able to look into it through magical means. ¡°Wizards, especially alchemists, are sensitive to such matters. It¡¯s not surprising that I had something like that made. I¡¯m an alchemist, after all.¡± Aaron Mede was an alchemist. It was a legitimate argument that alchemists were especially concerned with security. They wouldn¡¯t want others to look into their laboratories, after all. Harriet knew that as well, but there was something else she found suspicious. Its scale¡­ It was simply too large. Although he was said to be an excellent alchemist, for him to have a laboratory under the mansion that stretched out for six floors underground was a bit excessive. ¡°This is quite uncomfortable. You said that you wanted to ask me some questions, but is it just my imagination, or is this an interrogation?¡± Aaron Mede didn¡¯t hide his displeasure. He let those two in because he was curious, but they suddenly began to notice something strange and started to doubt him. He couldn¡¯t let it go on any longer. He had to make them leave. He could forcibly capture them and use them as bait right then, but that would completely blow away the foundation he had built in Temple. He was just trying to lure out that useless guy, but things had become twisted. However, it was then that Ellen, who had been silent up to that point, opened her mouth. ¡°Do homunculi disappear when Dispel is cast on them?¡± ¡°¡­¡­What rude kids you are. Fine, I¡¯ll answer. Homunculi are creatures made of magic, so if Dispel is cast on them, they disappear.¡± ¡°¡­Then, if the type of homunculus we¡¯ve been talking about was controlling a human, what would happen to them if it was Dispelled?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Aaron seemed to feel a cold shower running over his back. What was that girl talking about? ¡°Well¡­ While I don¡¯t know the details, the parasitic Homunculus would disappear from their bodies or they would die.¡± Aaron Mede knew that it was the latter. The infestation of a Homunculus was permanent. When the Homunculus died, so would its host. No, as soon as someone was infested and controlled by one, they would already be dead. ¡°Why are you asking something like that?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to deploy an Antimagic Field throughout this mansion from this point on,¡± Ellen said calmly. ¡°¡­¡­What?!¡± ¡°If anyone in this mansion is controlled by a Homunculus, they¡¯ll drop dead. If nothing happens, I will apologize. If you want to punish us and have us pay you compensation for property damage, we will do so.¡± An Antimagic Field¡­ It was a magic barrier that far surpassed the effect of a wide-area Dispel that suppressed all use of magic. A student was capable of casting that high-ranking of a spell? Aaron Mede¡¯s eyes widened. Harriet de Saint-Owan might actually be history¡¯s greatest genius in the field of magic. That was a serious problem. Those kids were about to do something incredibly insane on the grounds of mere speculation. If they were to deploy the Antimagic Field, naturally, many of the slaves he kept in this mansion would turn into corpses. His expression calmed again. ¡°There really are only annoying people in the Royal Class.¡± He didn¡¯t like either of them. He would end up losing everything if he kept being passive. He had to resort to extreme measures to prevent that from happening. ¡°Die.¡± -Flaare! A fireball flew out of Aaron Mede¡¯s wand, which was promptly blocked by Harriet¡¯s forcefield. ¡°I really¡­ didn¡¯t expect that it was actually you.¡± ¡°I told you, Harriet.¡± Aaron Mede looked at the silver sword that Ellen had suddenly summoned into her right hand. ¡°Threatening works a lot better than interrogating.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Those two had been suspicious of Aaron Mede from the start. CH 256 [Translator ¨C KonnoAren ] [Proofreader ¨C ilafy ] Chapter 256 Aaron was surprised that Harriet was able to easily block his attack magic, and his shock was brought to a new level when he saw the sword Ellen suddenly summoned. ¡°Lament¡­?¡± How did a student get their hands on a god¡¯s Divine Artifact? Aaron saw multiple things that left him baffled. Harriet looked at him, her forcefield still unfolded. ¡°There¡¯s no way that I already know how to create Antimagic Fields or anything like that.¡± He felt as if he had been hit over the head with a hammer. He¡¯d fallen for a little kid¡¯s bluff. There was no way a student could cast such high-ranking magic already. He held Harriet in such high esteem that he lost his cool when faced with such threats. It had already happened¡ªAaron Mede had taken off his mask. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what you two found that led to your suspicion of me, but it seems like you haven¡¯t yet realized your grave mistake.¡± Alchemy¡¯s secret arts were the easiest to steal among all magic-related fields. Even those who couldn¡¯t use magic sometimes swiped them and made use of them, and that was why wizards employed heavy security measures around their laboratories. ; The dangerous constructs known as ¡®dungeons¡¯ were also the handiwork of some paranoid wizards who needed guaranteed security to protect their easy-to-steal items. ¡°I¡¯ll show you just what happens when you enter an alchemist¡¯s house.¡± An alchemist¡¯s laboratory was the most secure of all magic-type laboratories. -Snap! ¡°!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Aaron Mede¡¯s body disappeared behind a wall and the door through which Ellen and Harriet had entered vanished while the windows were blocked with opaque protection barriers. -Clatter! Clatter! In addition to that, magical crossbows appeared from thin air and took aim at them while blue smoke poured out of mana stones that were embedded in the walls and furniture around the room. Physical attacks, poisonous mist, and changes to the room itself¡­ An alchemist¡¯s house was like a dungeon; entering it without permission was akin to suicide. Harriet laughed. His identity had been revealed, so there was no need to hesitate anymore. ¡°I mean, I said I couldn¡¯t personally cast the spell, but did you really think I didn¡¯t have anything up my sleeve?¡± Harriet pulled a scroll from her clothes, and the pages automatically turned with Harriet¡¯s hand gestures before a scroll separated itself from the book and began glowing. Harriet was a wizard, but before that, she was incredibly rich. -Raise! The Antimagic Field scroll activated. *** Before Harriet and Ellen entered Aaron Mede¡¯s mansion¡­ ¡°I think it¡¯s here.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Ellen pointed towards the faraway mansion. Aaron Mede¡¯s mansion was on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital. Although the area wasn¡¯t completely uninhabited with no other buildings around, it was still located in a place people rarely visited. It didn¡¯t seem that luxurious, quite the opposite, it seemed rather simple. Mr. Mustrang recommended him because he was an expert in alchemy and had excellent skills. He only mentioned Aaron Mede because he didn¡¯t know about any homunculi that could control people. As such, they went to visit that Temple alchemy teacher. Both Ellen and Harriet had some suspicions that they might have to face some uncomfortable truths. It was weird to suspect a Temple teacher, but there was no reason for them not to be careful. They weren¡¯t playing detective, after all. They were trying to personally get rid of the assassin. ¡°What do you think?¡± Harriet shrugged at Ellen¡¯s question. ¡°It¡¯s suspicious, but¡­ it¡¯s not that weird. There¡¯s no such thing as a wizard without a few secrets. Now that I think of it, a wizard who doesn¡¯t set up a laboratory or a workshop in their basement would be even stranger. It¡¯s a little big, of course.¡± Feeling the massive magic barrier spreading under the mansion, Harriet commented as such. ¡°Can¡¯t you see inside?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to forcibly disarm a magic barrier of that size, also, just my attempt of trying to look into it would get detected. If he isn¡¯t hiding anything bad, the problem would get even bigger because that would mean that I lifted the barrier of another person¡¯s property with no permission or reason.¡± The person they were about to meet wasn¡¯t just some normal teacher. She was being careful. Ellen might¡¯ve been fine as is, but when he told her to get prepared well before going, Harriet quickly grabbed the scroll book her father had given her in case something happened. The magic spells contained in that scroll book, which could only be opened with her biometric information, were beyond anyone¡¯s imagination. To be frank, she already had as much destructive power as a whole wizard corps with the spellbook alone. It was priceless. ¡°Just take a look and apologize later if you think it¡¯s necessary.¡± Harriet was so shocked by Ellen¡¯s words that she felt the need to put on the earrings Reinhardt had given her. Feeling a little calmer, Harriet sighed. ¡°Would it just end with an apology¡­?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± Hearing Ellen speak so nonchalantly convinced Harriet that Ellen was starting to resemble Reinhardt more and more. Translator ¨C KonnoAren She¡¯s a monster. Aaron Mede couldn¡¯t banish that thought from his mind. The Antimagic Field neutralized all magically-operated traps and facilities. The spell wasn¡¯t omnipotent, and it wouldn¡¯t be able to neutralize everything, but the level of the spell she used was just too high. It was a scroll owned by the young lady of the Saint-Owan Duchy that was famous for its magic. The magic contained in the scroll was very different from ordinary scrolls one could buy. Yes, let¡¯s say that¡¯s possible. There were also mechanical traps that worked using engines in Aaron Mede¡¯s mansion which would still work. -Bang! -Bang! -Bang! Babang! The students might as well have been monsters as they broke through the mansion¡¯s doors toward her. He was in a bizarre situation of having to escape from his own mansion. A single student surrounded by blue flames caused by Magic Body Strengthening broke through various walls and strode towards him. She simply walked through every wall in her path toward him. If they didn¡¯t break with just her walking through them, she would cut through them with her sword, Lament. The Divine Artifact of Mensis, the god of the moon, was said to possess a blade as cold and sharp as moonlight. Aaron Mede was experiencing the power of that Divine Artifact in a way he least wanted. Was there any difference between her and a Swordmaster? Attacks wouldn¡¯t work on a body strengthened with magical power, and the Divine Artifact was making up for the characteristic power of a Swordmaster called Blade Aura. -Thud! Bam! Babam! Aaron Mede desperately ran from Ellen, who just bashed through walls if she didn¡¯t see any doors. She was even going in his direction as if she could feel where he was running to without actually seeing him. He could have gotten away with a Teleport scroll, but that damn young lady¡¯s Antimagic Field was blocking the use of any kind of magic. Of course, she couldn¡¯t use any magic either, but there was a monster completely unrelated to magic following after him. Even if they weren¡¯t on the level of a Swordmaster, the servants of the mansion could have bought him some time at least, but they all collapsed as soon as the Antimagic Field was activated. Before he knew it, Aaron Mede entered his own underground laboratory. The situation there was the same as above. The homunculi he was studying had all ; either fallen apart or ceased to function. He went even farther into his laboratory. It didn¡¯t just contain homunculi, after all. ¡°¡­¡± After breaking through the reinforced door of the underground laboratory, Ellen carefully took in everything she saw, her body still enveloped in blue flames. There were all sorts of strange specimens in pots, chimeras that seemed to still be alive, various life forms connected together in fascinating ways, and half-human half-animal chimeras as well that looked like humans with demon-like appendages. ¡°You¡­¡± Ellen looked at Aaron Mede, her magical flames rising. ¡°You must die.¡± No matter what happened, Ellen swore to kill Aaron Mede. ¡°He, hehe¡­¡± Aaron Mede¡¯s underground laboratory was built under the vast expanse of his mansion. It was very wide, and there were many specimens inside of it¡ªspecimens that weren¡¯t affected by the Antimagic Field. ¡ªChimeras. -Clang! Aaron Mede pulled a lever to open the pods, releasing the chimeras. -Grrr¡­Growl! Some among them had excellent combat capabilities, and some didn¡¯t. Either way, they were enough to buy him some time. Amalgamations seemingly smashed together at someone¡¯s grotesque will squirmed and screamed before her. Ellen gave them a pitiful look. Aaron Mede ran further into the basement. If he was able to leave the area covered by the Antimagic Field, he could escape with Teleport. He ran towards the secret exit of his underground laboratory. ¡°Kuaaaaaark!¡± Ellen paused for a moment to look over the creatures. -Swish! ¡°¡­¡± Then she began to cut them down without hesitation. *** With me was Sarkegaar in the form of a sparrow, and Eleris was hiding somewhere using invisibility magic. I didn¡¯t know what would happen, so I just brought all the resources available except for Loyar with me. Aaron Mede was an alchemist, so I didn¡¯t know what he might end up doing. ; We didn¡¯t enter using the front entrance. ¡°Is that the secret passage?¡± ¨C Yes, Your Highness. Sarkegaar, who was sitting on my shoulder as a sparrow, spoke up. It was seriously weird hearing that mysteriously dreary and dark voice coming from that bird when it chirped cutely. What was up with that? He was a being of great darkness, but he was in the shape of a sparrow. The mansion was built in a remote area on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, and the secret passage was in the middle of a forest even farther away. If I looked carefully, I could make out something that seemed like an iron gate among some thick vines buried under some fallen leaves. We would enter using that passage and capture Aaron Mede from inside the mansion before he could notice. -The atmosphere around here is a bit weird. I feel like something is going on¡­ Just as Eleris, who was hiding using invisibility magic, was about to say something¡­ -Creak¡­ The iron gate, which shouldn¡¯t have moved, opened, and someone with quite a desperate expression jumped out of it. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°!¡± When he saw me just calmly standing outside, he looked so surprised that his heart might have even stopped for a bit. ¡°H-how did you¡­?!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I didn¡¯t actually know what Aaron Mede looked like because I had never seen him before. ¨C This is Aaron Mede. I only knew because Sarkegaar told me. That bewildered middle-aged man seemed to be Aaron Mede. ¡°¡­Why did he leave like that?¡± ¨C I don¡¯t know. While I didn¡¯t know how that happened, Aaron Mede was right in front of me. Even Aaron Mede seemed to want to ask why I was there. He seemed completely shocked when he saw me waiting for him at the exit of his secret passage and talking with what seemed like a sparrow. It was like he decided to just give up on thinking. That bastard put his hand into his inner chest pocket. ¡°Fine¡­¡± -Baam! I thrust my fist into his stomach before he could try to pull something out. ¡°Kuhuuuuuuuuuuurg!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s going on, but fuck it.¡± I grabbed the ragged guy lying on the floor by his hair. ¡°You have to take responsibility for what you did, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Kuh, hukhuk!¡± He hadn¡¯t killed us, but I would make him pay the price for trying. A very high price. Then¡­ -Boom! Someone else popped out from the iron gate after roughly kicking it open. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± Ellen, breathing roughly, emerged out of it, splattered with flesh and blood. She appeared to be hurried, and her gaze went between Aaron Mede, whose hair I was holding, and me alternately. ¡°¡­Reinhardt?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you coming out of there as well?¡± What the hell was going on? Ellen, me, and even Aaron Mede¡­ Sarkegaar and Eleris weren¡¯t able to say anything either. All people present seemed to be unable to understand the situation. CH 257 18-22 minutes REAPER SCANS The Demon Prince goes to the Academy [Translator ¨C KonnoAren ] [Proofreader ¨C ilafy ] Chapter 257 I didn¡¯t know when and where it all started, but I witnessed the results. Ellen had attacked Aaron Mede and made him go for the secret entrance, but I caught him as I was about to enter. However, that wasn¡¯t all. Eleris already knew about Ellen, but Sarkegaar didn¡¯t. She was holding Lament in her right hand, and Sarkegaar wouldn¡¯t be as ignorant as Loyar. We needed to get Ellen out of there quickly before Sarkegaar managed to figure things out. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this later.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Taking action against Aaron Mede was my top priority. I pulled off his robe and shook out the scrolls from its inner pockets. He couldn¡¯t teleport through his own power, so I looked for his scrolls. While I didn¡¯t know the details, I heard the rough story. ¡°You came here with Harriet?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Bring her here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. I¡¯ll stay here¡­" ¡°Bring her here.¡± Ellen looked at me silently after I used a commanding tone. Her getting Harriet wasn¡¯t my ultimate objective. I was sending her away because what I was going to say from that point on were things she shouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°Okay. Be careful.¡± Ellen went back through the secret passage, leaving me alone with Aaron Mede. Eris and Sarkegaar were still near me, of course, but she wasn¡¯t able to see them. ¡°Th-this is a misunderstanding. I¡­ I don¡¯t know what this is about, but it¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± Aaron Mede tried to say some bullshit about it being some mistake or something. ¡°So what if it¡¯s a misunderstanding?¡± I laughed as I held him up by his collar. ¡°Whether you actually tried to kill me or not doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re a bastard who deserves to die.¡± Aaron Mede was something like a mad scientist, a certain criminal who deserved to die regardless of whether he was my would-be assassin or not. I made sure Ellen was far enough away. If she were to hear any of what we were about to discuss, things would get annoying. I also had something to ask him. It was rather fortunate that Aaron Mede ran away so desperately. Had he been stabbed by Ellen, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to give me an important piece of information. ¡°I don¡¯t really care about anything else, but I need you to tell me how to contact the Black Order.¡± ¡°What¡­? Contact the Black Order?¡± ¡°Hurry up. If you don¡¯t tell me by the time my friend comes back, I¡¯ll kill you in the most painful way I can imagine.¡± The Black Order¡­ Since I knew that magic was the most likely source of the Gate crisis, I needed to locate and figure out what the various magic societies were planning. One of them could cause a terrible accident. There were also some magic societies I hadn¡¯t set up, so I could only investigate the ones I knew about. Magic societies did show up in the original, but they weren¡¯t treated as anything important, so I knew next to nothing about them. The Black Order was the first one that came to mind. Fortunately, I knew a little more about them than the other ones. Aaron Mede was positively shocked that I was already waiting for him at his escape exit and even knew that he was part of the Black Order. ¡°Y-You¡­ Who the hell are you?¡± He began to think that I was someone far greater than he thought. Well, he was right. ¡°You don¡¯t have to know.¡± I lifted him up by his collar and gave him a fishy smile. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll kill you? No, I won¡¯t do that.¡± I recalled one of the few facts I knew about the Black Order¡­ "If you don¡¯t tell me, you won¡¯t die by my hands. I¡¯ll hand you over to Cantus Magna.¡± They were the magic society known as ¡®The Taboo Hunters¡¯ to the public. Their real name was Cantus Magna. The Taboo Hunters, Cantus Magna, and the Black Order, which broke a lot of taboos¡­ They were eternal enemies. He¡¯d rather die than get handed over to Cantus Magna, and his complexion turned paler. Normal people might know the term ¡®Taboo Hunters¡¯, but they wouldn¡¯t know the name ¡®Cantus Magna¡¯. The fact that I knew their name would be shocking enough. As long as he was aware of the relationship between the Black Order and Cantus Manga, he¡¯d think I was even stranger. ¡°If¡­ if you let me go, I¡¯ll let you contact the Black Order! I can introduce you to our members! I¡­ I¡¯ll do anything! You can even become a member of the Order if you want¡ª!¡± -BAM! Like that, Aaron Mede¡¯s head exploded with no warning whatsoever. ¡°¡­¡± I stared blankly at the blood spurting from the headless corpse¡¯s throat. It was my first time seeing something like that. I was really getting to see all sorts of things¡­ I could roughly tell what had happened. I turned around and saw a wizard staring at me who was fully shrouded in a black robe. I was expecting them to show up. No, I figured they¡¯d observe the situation without showing themselves. However, they intervened. They wouldn¡¯t have minded if I didn¡¯t know about the Order, but I definitely mentioned it. Eleris and Sarkegaar remained passive, but they were on high alert. The person wearing the black robe was staring at me from the darkness of their hood. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°At least say something after suddenly showing up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Although Aaron Mede was a member of the Order, he was a low-ranking one. Even still, that person immediately disposed of him, and he probably had a high ranking. I didn¡¯t know who they were, though. ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you talk? Why are you just staring at me?¡± ¡°Do you have any information on Cantus Magna?¡± I smiled inwardly when that guy finally spoke. I didn¡¯t actually believe that I could get in contact with the Black Order through Aaron Mede, but I knew that if I mentioned Cantus Magna in front of members of the Black Order, they would be the ones to contact me. While I¡¯d arranged the details rather arbitrarily, there were still things I knew, and that helped immensely. The two magic societies hated each other to the core; destroying each other was more important to them than anything else, so it was only natural that they would clutch at any information they could get on each other. A young Temple student actually knew about Cantus Magna¡­ A normal person knew about a secret magic society whose name shouldn¡¯t even be known. That alone made them contact me. ¡°Aren¡¯t deals about equal exchange? I can¡¯t tell you for free.¡± ¡°¡­What do you want, boy?¡± I looked at the hooded mage. ¡°Your knowledge.¡± The taboos¡­ The numerous forbidden arts the Black Order possessed¡­ They may have been the origin of the Gate Incident. To prevent the Gate Incident, I had to walk on yet another tightrope. He didn¡¯t seem to mind executing some petty underling. He appeared not because I threatened Aaron Mede but because I mentioned Cantus Magna. ¡°It has to be useful information for that, boy.¡± ¡°Do you know enough to tell whether my information is useful or not?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Black Order were bad guys, but they weren¡¯t really bad guys. They had their own principles that were just different from the world¡¯s principles, which was why he didn¡¯t react to my sarcastic remarks. ¡°We shall meet again in due time.¡± ¡°¡­In Temple?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not difficult for us.¡± Were those guys able to directly enter Temple? I was slowly realizing that I was getting involved with people I shouldn¡¯t be touching. My skin stung due to all of the tension, but I had to do what had to be done. ¡°A boy who treats a Vampire Lord as his underling wouldn¡¯t try to tell some pathetic lie.¡± Of course, he was already aware of Eleris, who lay in waiting with invisibility magic cast on herself. If that was the case, he might have already known about the talking sparrow as well. Although I was completely unknown to him, he already had some strange kind of trust in me. The wizard belonging to the Black Order disappeared like he had been nothing but an illusion. The realization that I was really traversing dangerous waters made shivers run down my back. I had to see things through to the end. Even if I were to stumble and fall in the middle of it, I still had to pull through. * * * Reaper Scans Translator - KonnoAren Proofreader - ilafy Join our Discord for updates on releases! * * * Ellen thought that I might be in danger, so she hurried back with Harriet. The wizard of the Black Order had already left, and we had removed Aaron Mede¡¯s corpse. Harriet¡¯s expression seemed very bad, perhaps due to the things she saw there. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°¡­Do I have to tell you?¡± I pretended that I was trying to not use the words, ¡°I killed him¡±, however, in fact, it wasn¡¯t me who killed Aaron Mede. Bloodstains left behind by Aaron Mede¡¯s corpse were scattered all over the ground, so they could roughly guess what happened. Harriet didn¡¯t see the corpse, but she couldn¡¯t find any words to express herself when she saw I had supposedly killed him without hesitation. Rather than angry or afraid, she seemed sad. About the fact that I had become that kind of person. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about what happened later.¡± I put off telling Ellen and Harriet why I was there alone and didn¡¯t ask why they were there. ¡°I need to solve this problem first.¡± We had killed a Temple teacher, so we had to figure out what we were going to do. *** I sent Ellen and Harriet back first and told them that I would try to figure things out. Both Ellen and Harriet seemed to have a lot of things they wanted to talk about with me, and they also seemed rather anxious, but I stayed stubborn. They couldn¡¯t just force me to go back with them, after all. I was actually pretty mad that those two were even there. Back outside Aaron Mede¡¯s mansion on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, Eleris lifted her invisibility and Sarkegaar turned into something different, but it wasn¡¯t the appearance of Count Argon Pontheus. He looked just like an ordinary adult woman one could find anywhere. It seemed like Eleris and Sarkegaar had a lot to say. Eleris probably wanted to know why I wanted to contact the Black Order. Her attitude was rather cold because, no matter my intentions, it couldn¡¯t be anything good. Sarkegaar was even worse. ¡°Your Highness, if my eyes weren¡¯t mistaken, I believe I saw that one of the two children helping you was holding Lament.¡± Of course, Sarkegaar was bound to ask about Ellen. Sarkegaar, who had always obeyed me and followed whatever I said, looked different. His eyes were completely expressionless. While he looked like an ordinary person, facing him felt incredibly terrifying. That¡¯s a Dreadfiend, after all, they were demons that ruled over fear. I couldn¡¯t come up with many explanations for Sarkegaar. The Holy Sword of the Moon God, Lament, along with Alsbringer, was known to be the sword of Ragan Artorius. He didn¡¯t use it during the Demon World War, so its whereabouts were unknown, and then Sarkegaar suddenly saw a girl with a lot of power for her age holding it. Sarkegaar could probably make some speculations from that, and they would probably be pretty close to the truth. Sarkegaar looked at me. His glaring, which was void of expression with their whites exposed, made my hands and feet feel numb just by looking at them. ¡°Your Highness¡­" ¡°Even if you don¡¯t tell me, I have many ways to find out.¡± "Please, tell me everything now.¡± What the ever-loyal Sarkegaar needed from me was neither money, praise, nor any other reward whatsoever. He just needed me to have the will to rebuild the Demon Realm. Sarkegaar would be willing to give his life for that alone, and without it, Sarkegaar would do anything to see me harbor such a will. Ellen was in danger. If I didn¡¯t say anything, Sarkegaar would figure out on his own that Ellen was, in fact, Ellen Artorius. Of course, the thing Sarkegaar hated the most in the world was Ragan Artorius¡ªthe warrior who¡¯d killed the Demon King. Artorius¡¯s sister was slowly developing into a monster inside of Temple, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to leave her alone. If I didn¡¯t talk right then, if I couldn¡¯t convince Sarkegaar¡­ Ellen would die. If Sarkegaar decided to kill Ellen, I wouldn''t be able to stop him. ¡°Yes. That was Lament" ¡°¡­¡± "The girl¡¯s name is Ellen Artorius. She is Ragan Artorius¡¯s younger sister.¡± Sarkegaar¡¯s eyes widened at my words. ¡°Why on earth does Your Highness share the bond of friendship with the blood of that damned hero?¡± Not only did Sarkegaar¡¯s eyes turn bloodshot, but the color of his skin was turning blue and red. Could he not control his form properly because of the excessive anger he felt? Eleris¡¯s hands were also shaking as if she was nervous. She also felt rather suspicious of my intentions for contacting the Black Order. Sarkegaar wanted war, Eleris wanted peace, and both of them were suspicious of me right then. However, first, I had to convince the overexcited Sarkegaar. He was furious at my failure to inform him about Ellen and that we were close enough that she was willing to risk her life for me. Just one wrong word¡­ If I just said one wrong word, it would be Ellen¡¯s death. That might have been even worse than if he killed me. Just like Eleris was on my side but still dangerous, Sarkegaar was also on my side, and he was also still dangerous. I was feeling it first-hand. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± ¡°What¡¯s obvious?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the sister of Ragan Artorius, so why on earth shouldn¡¯t I get close to her?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you telling me that your desire to rebuild the Demon Realm stems from emotions such as base vengeance?¡± Sarkegaar¡¯s expression didn¡¯t improve. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who told me to go to Temple to learn how to defeat the humans with their own methods while using human weapons?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®You should enter Temple and thoroughly learn the ways of the humans! Wouldn¡¯t it be truly satisfying to defeat them with their own weapons?!¡¯ Sarkegaar was the first to suggest that I enter Temple. In the end, wasn¡¯t it just an extension of that? ¡°Why are you so angry when the sister of the hero, who is sure to become the most powerful weapon of humanity, risked her life to save me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The situation today wasn¡¯t what I planned, but I thought you¡¯d be overjoyed upon seeing it.¡± Sarkegaar shook his head. "You¡¯re using the flesh and blood of that damn hero¡­ Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Sarkegaar watched me silently. He took a step forward and brought his own face towards mine. He was so close that the tip of his nose almost touched my own. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re a terrible liar.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sarkegaar¡¯s sanpaku eyes seemed to look right through me. ¡°Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t realize how worried you are about her?¡± I¡¯d lost my composure at Ellen¡¯s sudden appearance. I couldn¡¯t help but be genuinely shocked because it was completely unexpected. Sarkegaar had picked up on those things earlier. Me using Ellen¡­ Getting her on my side just to use her¡­ Sarkegaar couldn¡¯t believe those cold words from the start. Sarkegaar had already realized just how important Ellen was to me through my reactions alone. Just as Ellen valued me, I also valued her. He had already read me. I was looking straight into Sarkegaar¡¯s eyes. I was afraid, but I couldn¡¯t back down. ¡°So what if I do?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Sarkegaar was rather shocked by my confident words, and even Eleris seemed surprised because she didn¡¯t expect me to say something like that. ¡°Was it Ragan Artorius who killed my father, or was it Ellen?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Fuck, can¡¯t I just like humans? Is that such a big deal? Huh?¡± At my sudden rant, Sarkegaar¡¯s eyes widened in a different way. ¡°Your Highness! Ragan Artorius is the mortal enemy of the previous Demon King. Even killing the seed of the Artorius clan wouldn¡¯t be enough. How can you treat someone of such a disgusting and filthy bloodline as precious? This shouldn¡¯t be!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, damn it. It¡¯s true that I planned on using her, and it¡¯s also true that she¡¯s important to me, so what do you want me to do about it?¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°Oh, for fucks sake. Hey, are you supposed to yap on about what a Demon King should or shouldn¡¯t do?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sarkegaar took a step back as I glared at him. Looking at him retreating backward, I shook my head. ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Wh-what do you mean by tha¡ª¡± ¡°You should just become the next Demon King.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You just be the Demon King, you punk. Since you always tell me to just do this or that, why don¡¯t you just become the Demon King, huh? What is it? Just do it, you bastard. Transform into an arcdemon and do it yourself, bitch.¡± ¡°Your Highness! You know that¡¯s not what I intended! I don¡¯t covet your position, nor can I!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± I approached Sarkegaar, and as I got closer, he took a few steps back. ¡°Then shut up and do as I say. Do what I tell you to do. So what if I¡¯m being nice and doing things you don¡¯t understand? So what if I¡¯m friends with the hero¡¯s sister or whoever the fuck else I decide to associate with? What are you going to do about it? So what if you don¡¯t get it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m the only arcdemon. It doesn¡¯t matter if my qualifications or intentions are questionable!¡± I said, pushing my face right in front of Sarkegaar¡¯s. ¡°You have no other option but me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch Ellen.¡± Sarkegaar¡¯s eyes were shaking. ¡°Don¡¯t do it if you don¡¯t want to receive an arcdemon¡¯s corpse. Do you get what I¡¯m saying?¡± I can always just kill myself. I didn¡¯t want it to be like that. I was threatening my underlings with my own life while Ellen wasn¡¯t there. I could clearly see Sarkegaar¡¯s eyes tinged in fear, anger, and sadness. ¡°Your Highness¡­ No.¡± Eventually, tears flowed out of his passionate eyes. ¡°Does the girl know anything?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand, but even if you¡¯re able to accept her, she won¡¯t be able to accept you.¡± Sarkegaar¡¯s tears were, in the end, tears of genuine concern for me. ¡°Your Highness, this is¡­ This is an extremely dangerous relationship you¡¯re having, and it¡¯s a gamble that you shouldn¡¯t take.¡± Sarkegaar cried and begged me to stop. Eleris had said something similar. She hoped that our relationship won¡¯t come to a tragic end. Just because I was able to treat the relative of my father¡¯s killer kindly didn''t mean that Ellen would be able to accept the son of her brother¡¯s killer. ¡ªWe wouldn¡¯t just be mere enemies. While I was the flesh and blood of humanity''s greatest enemy, I was also a seed that could lead to another Great War. It was completely impossible for Ellen to accept me. Sarkegaar¡¯s tears, worries, anxiety, and words were all more than understandable; there was no way I couldn¡¯t understand him. However, while I could understand, I would never be able to accept it. ¡°Silence. I don¡¯t care about anything else, but if you touch even the tips of Ellen¡¯s hair, that¡¯s the end.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the only thing you have to keep in mind.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­ please.¡± ¡°Tell me you understand.¡± ¡°No, please. Just this¡­ I don¡¯t care about others, but this¡­¡± ¡°Say it.¡± Sarkegaar sobbed and nodded. ¡°I understand¡­ Your Highness.¡± I couldn¡¯t convince him, but I succeeded in subduing him at least. CH 258 Chapter 258 Rather than persuade Sarkegaar, I simply threatened him. I couldn¡¯t hide the fact that I valued Ellen, so I had no other choice but to threaten Sarkegaar with my own life on the line. With that, he wouldn¡¯t be able to lay his hands on Ellen. I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be willing to call my bluff, but the truth about Ellen had come to light. Although Sarkegaar wouldn¡¯t do anything to her, he could still decide to monitor her without my notice. Sarkegaar would keep a close eye on her. If Ellen happened to find out who I was and ended up trying to do anything to me, there was a good chance that he would make a move. Eleris didn¡¯t ask me anything for the moment because the situation got a bit complicated. Sarkegaar went back with both anxiety and fear in his heart, and so did Eleris. That wasn¡¯t the end. I was back to square one, and I had to somehow come up with an excuse for Aaron Mede¡¯s death. To be honest, rather than me, it was Ellen and Harriet that caused it. Those two actually ended up fighting him in his own house. Of course, it was also them who spread the Antimagic Field and chased after him. It wasn¡¯t actually me who killed him, so I didn¡¯t have anything to confess. However, I was a lot more reluctant to tell anyone that I had contact with a wizard of the Black Order. They would, of course, oppose the crazy things I was planning, and they didn¡¯t even know that Aaron Mede was a member of the Black Order. I felt a little strange when I heard how Ellen had gotten to that point. It might have been possible to cover up Aaron Mede¡¯s death, but that would still leave Harriet and Ellen under scrutiny. Since Aaron Mede died after those two went at Mr. Mustrang¡¯s recommendation, it was inevitable that people would notice the probable connection between Aaron Mede¡¯s death and those two¡¯s intervention. If we couldn¡¯t hide it, then it would be best to reveal it. Fortunately, or unfortunately, there were no living employees in Aaron Mede¡¯s mansion¡ªthey were all controlled by homunculi to begin with. Ellen and Harriet went to Aaron Mede¡¯s mansion and saw a lot of inhumane experiments on various life forms being carried out, and that was why Aaron Mede tried to kill them, but the situation reversed. I was going to explain it a bit like that. ¡°You want me to take care of it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not asking me to do that, are you?¡± Bertus smirked with his arms crossed at my request. ¡°Just when I was wondering what other big trouble you¡¯ve been causing, now it has to do with chimeras and homunculi? Your life sure is eventful. It¡¯s certainly a bit annoying to get involved now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault this time, okay? He tried to kill me.¡± ¡°Regardless of whether you were in the right or not, this is a difficult problem to solve.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± In the end, only Bertus or Charlotte were capable of wrapping up the problem in such a way. What I said wasn¡¯t far from the truth because Aaron Mede actually tried to kill Ellen and Harriet, not to even mention how he tried to kill me before that. I thought about telling him about the Black Order, but I stopped myself from doing that. One could come to the conclusion that Aaron Mede was somehow involved with them just by looking at his underground lab. ¡°It sure is disgusting. I can¡¯t believe a Temple teacher was doing such things. Just what are wizards¡­?¡± Bertus clicked his tongue in contempt. He seemed majorly annoyed that there were people like that among the teachers of Temple. ¡°It would have been taken care of even without you requesting this of me, so you should just stop worrying.¡± ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°You three won¡¯t even be investigated. There¡¯s nothing good about this incident getting revealed.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be good for Temple¡¯s image if the fact that one of their teachers was involved in many taboo experiments, human experiments being one of them, was revealed. The incident would get covered up, Aaron Mede would just be considered a missing person, and all the problems involving him, including his assassination attempts, would just get buried with him. Those in power would put it all to rest before it even reached them so that they could avoid a troublesome situation. That, at least, seemed to be a constant in both worlds. Regardless of my wishes, the case would disappear once and for all. [Quest Complete - Assassination Threat] [You acquired the characteristic ¡®Qi Sense¡¯.] With that, the assassination event that made my blood run cold for quite some time came to an end. Characteristic : Qi sense Description : A characteristic that lets you detect threats to the host¡ªfrom small ones to life-threatening ones. It¡¯s an ability that supports you in battle and lets you detect killing intent at the same time. Risk factors can be sensed and identified in advance. The feeling is abstract and not absolute. Characteristic quests usually gave out great rewards, and the same rang true that time as well. *** The incident was settled. No, it wasn¡¯t completely resolved yet, but I passed the task over to Bertus, so it would be taken care of on its own. The stage of the incident was outside of the Imperial Capital, and there were no eyewitnesses because it happened inside the mansion, which meant there was nothing to worry about. I just had to sort out the rest. I heard all about how Ellen and Harriet found Aaron Mede, however, I only heard about it, and I hadn¡¯t organized the information yet. I first went to look for Harriet. She wasn¡¯t in the Magic Research Society¡¯s clubhouse or the magic research laboratory inside our dormitory, but she was in her own room. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Harriet looked pretty pale. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Harriet carefully opened the door. ¡°Do you want to come in?¡± Normally, she would never let me in, but she looked worse for wear. She hadn¡¯t actually killed anyone, but what she saw must have been horrifying. Whatever she saw, it would have far exceeded her imagination. Just hearing about it was a lot different from seeing it with one¡¯s own eyes. Sitting across from each other at a table, Harriet was clearly only looking at the empty table. Originally, I wanted to get angry at her and ask her why she did something so dangerous. Just as those two had a lot to say to me, I had a lot to say to them as well. ¡°Why¡­ Would someone even make something like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There is no need for such things. A worm that can manipulate people, and beings made by mixing humans and beasts¡­ Just why? Why would anyone need to make such things?¡± Chimeras¡­ When Harriet saw the things Ellen had cut down, she seemed close to a mental breakdown. She was appalled by the wizard¡¯s twisted malice. ¡°Reinhardt¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°This time, I know¡­ that you didn¡¯t mean to get involved in this¡­¡± Harriet was shaking and carefully grabbed my hand. ¡°These things¡­ These scary things¡­ Could you not get involved in them anymore? I¡¯m so scared¡­ I can¡¯t understand it¡­ I don¡¯t care about anything else¡­ Fighting with the other students is fine, but¡­ these kinds of things¡­ can¡¯t you just stay away from them?¡± Harriet shivered before eventually bursting into tears. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯re drifting too far away from me. No, I¡¯m scared because it seems like you¡¯re already too far gone¡­¡± I was far too calm in the midst of that situation, and Harriet seemed to be afraid of that as well. ¡°I¡¯d like that as well.¡± Harriet¡¯s hands were sweating as they held my own. ¡°I¡¯ll try." That was a lie. They were words that could only be seen as a lie, and she also recognized them as such. I had no other choice. * * * Reaper Scans Translator - KonnoAren Proofreader - ilafy * * * In the dormitory¡­ When I went to see Ellen in the training room, it was already midnight. Harriet was able to clean up the bloodstains on us with her purifying magic, so we were able to return to Temple without arousing suspicion. It was just Ellen and me in the training room. Ellen didn¡¯t say anything and just looked at me. -Kachak Ellen silently locked the door to the training room. I had an inkling as to why she did that. ¡°Summon it.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Tiamata.¡± -Chiing¡­ Ellen summoned Lament into her right hand. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just do it.¡± Ellen stared at me with her dark-blue eyes. ¡°Do it.¡± I summoned Tiamata into my right hand. Ellen jumped towards me, her body enveloped in blue flames. -Pierce! I tried to strengthen my body to its limits, but in just a matter of seconds, Tiamata escaped my grasp and Ellen¡¯s Lament was placed against my neck. It was an overwhelming difference in skill. Did she want to show me that? ¡°¡­¡± Ellen¡¯s eyes were seething with anger. "I might have died without Harriet¡¯s help.¡± Even Ellen, in her magic-strengthened state, could have died inside that alchemist¡¯s house without Harriet¡¯s Antimagic Field. Ellen spoke calmly. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come.¡± Ellen, who didn¡¯t know that I was accompanied by Sarkegaar and Eleris, couldn¡¯t help but be angry. -Kang! Not knowing how to vent her anger, Ellen threw Lament to the floor of the training room. The Holy Artifact rolled on the ground like a piece of trash. ¡°I told you not to do anything dangerous!¡± Ellen shouted. ¡°I¡­ Just how many times¡­ How many times did I tell you? I told you so often. Why?¡­ Just why¡­? Why?¡± Ellen trembled. Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. ¡°Why are you always doing these kinds of things¡­ Why¡­?¡± She thought I would have died if she and Harriet hadn¡¯t arrived first, and Ellen was right with that assumption. If I had gone alone, I would have died. Ellen was bound to feel frustrated because I couldn¡¯t tell her about my situation. She couldn¡¯t help but think that I was a madman who couldn¡¯t control his desire for revenge. Ellen wept as she held my hand. ¡°You should have taken that gray-haired aunty with you. Just why did you¡­ Why did you go there all by yourself?¡± It seemed like not taking Loyar with me was a mistake on my part. Ellen felt like she was about to go crazy because I got involved in something dangerous. She had to feel like I was continuously crossing the line without even knowing where the line was. It just seemed too much to bear for her. ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m angry.¡± Ellen looked at me, her eyes bloodshot. ¡°Then do you think I¡¯m not angry?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Just as Ellen had said¡­ Had it not been for Harriet, Ellen would have been killed in that alchemist¡¯s mansion. She would have died without even getting to fight due to all of the magic traps. Ellen was mistaken in thinking that I was the one who was lucky to still be alive. It was Ellen¡­ Sarkegaar had found out about Ellen. If I hadn¡¯t threatened him with my life, Sarkegaar would have killed her right away, and she still wasn¡¯t safe enough for me to not worry. She was exposed to a long-term threat. Just as Ellen was angry, so was I. I couldn¡¯t even blame Ellen for it because she put herself in danger for my sake. Even still¡­ I could¡¯ve done it all on my own. Just why? My heart skipped a beat when I saw Ellen coming out of the secret doorway of Aaron Mede¡¯s mansion. Why is she there? She¡¯s still alive, though. How did she get there? What if she dies like this? Sarkegaar saw Ellen. What should I do? Just what should I do? My rationality almost flew away because so many different thoughts were tangled up in my head. However, I couldn¡¯t tell Ellen all that. I couldn¡¯t tell her that she had exposed herself to danger and that she would be threatened in the future as well because of it. ¡°I¡¯m stronger than you.¡± Ellen glared at me as she spoke. "Does that mean that you can¡¯t die?¡± ¡°No, but I can protect myself far better than you can.¡± She was right. But¡­ Even if I took Sarkegaar knowing about Ellen out of the equation, it was still true that Ellen and Harriet overdid it. At that point, no matter how strong Ellen was, she was still below Loyar, and no matter how strong Harriet was, she was still inferior to Eleris. They recklessly fought with their lives on the line without even completely knowing their opponent¡¯s capabilities. I was pissed off. I was more than capable of taking care of it, but they thought I shouldn¡¯t. Someday, all of them might get thrown into the fiery pits of battle, so there was no need to go through those kinds of things beforehand. However, a more fundamental question arose in my mind¡­ If Ellen became a Swordmaster and Harriet became an Archmage¡­ Would I be willing to let them risk their lives for me? I didn¡¯t think so. ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you said that you were willing to risk your life for me, but you really don¡¯t have to.¡± I had no other choice but to speak coldly. ¡°Do you want me to watch you die? You could have¡­ told me what you were thinking at least. You could have told me what you were going to do. We could have talked about it, and then¡­ we could have gone together¡­¡± Ellen had no intention of backing down. It was something I couldn¡¯t talk to her about. I couldn¡¯t even tell Sarkegaar why I specifically named Aaron Mede as the culprit, so there was no way I could have convinced Ellen. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me anything?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Just as I didn¡¯t tell Ellen anything, Ellen went to investigate herself without telling me anything as well. Ellen and I were the same, in the end. We couldn¡¯t tell each other because we were afraid that, if we told each other, neither of us would have let the other actually do it. We didn¡¯t tell each other because we thought the other would jump right into danger without knowing just how dangerous it was. I could have lied by telling her that I wouldn¡¯t do anything dangerous anymore, but she wouldn¡¯t have believed me. Actually, I was about to get involved in something even more dangerous. ¡°I see, no matter what I say, it¡¯s no use.¡± Ellen looked as if she had given up. She couldn¡¯t convince me. I wouldn¡¯t live like I did if simple words could shake my resolve. ¡°If you die, then I¡¯ll die as well,¡± Ellen warned me. ¡°If you put your life in danger, that means you¡¯ll also put mine in danger. Keep that in mind.¡± Was she warning or threatening me? It was a warning, maybe a threat, but in the end, it was nothing much. They were just words that came and went. However, wasn¡¯t that what life was all about as well? "That¡¯s my line.¡± I returned those words right back to her. Ellen stared at me. I wanted to have the last word, so she seemed angry in a different sense than before. Ellen sent Lament back and picked up her training sword while throwing one toward me as well. ¡°Listen¡­¡± Ellen pointed her training sword at me. ¡°If you¡¯re planning on overdoing it with that weak body of yours, you should practice a lot more.¡± Ellen¡¯s provocation didn¡¯t really work on me. I was actually weak, after all. ¡°Yes.¡± -Kakang! Ellen rushed at me, and I parried her sword, I saw many emotions swirling in Ellen¡¯s eyes as she was scanning me to find any openings. In the end, the practice that day didn¡¯t go that well. It wasn¡¯t actually practice¡ªit was just a fight. -Ching! ¡°Kuhk!" It seemed we realized that speaking anymore would just leave permanent scars on our hearts. It was something we couldn¡¯t ever undo. Rather than hurting each other¡¯s hearts, we chose to break our bodies instead. Of course, it was my body that got hurt more. ____ CH 259 Chapter 259 I talked with both Harriet and Ellen, but that wasn¡¯t the end of it. I had to explain to Eleris how I knew of the Black Order and Cantus Magna. I acted as if those things were common knowledge when they weren¡¯t. Sarkegaar had a problem with the Ellen situation, but he didn¡¯t seem to think that the Black Order posed any problem in particular. He might have assumed that I was trying to get new powers under my rule or something. However, even though Sarkegaar was fine with it, Eleris wasn¡¯t. While I was working in various directions, I suddenly decided to get in contact with the Black Order. Wouldn¡¯t it be rather strange if she didn¡¯t think that I was planning on rebuilding the Demon Realm among other dangerous things? Sarkegaar seemed rather reserved about the matter, so there was no need to explain myself to him. As such, I first had to resolve the situation in which Eleris, who had been my greatest ally up until then, might become my greatest enemy. The next day¡­ I left Temple and visited Eleris¡¯s semi-basement apartment. The atmosphere around her was very different from usual. She usually welcomed me with a bright expression, but she just stared at me with a firm look on her face. If Eleris tried to kill me, I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop her. ¡°You look scary.¡± ¡°You Highness, who is trying to contact the Black Order and came to me on his own two feet, is speaking of fear? That fear can¡¯t be real, then.¡± ¡°You really are scary.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eleris looked at me silently. ¡°I thought you¡¯d bring Loyar or Sarkegaar. I can¡¯t believe you actually came here alone¡­¡± We were in a dark semi-basement. While it wasn¡¯t night yet, Eleris¡¯s powers should have reached their peak. There was no way that Eleris, who was more than capable of killing me while the sun was still up, wouldn¡¯t be able to kill me in that environment. "Your Highness, you really are a strange man.¡± Her pupils were shaking. ¡°You¡¯re trying to hold hands with a dangerous organization such as the Black Order, and yet you try to protect this girl named Ellen with your life. I can¡¯t say I understand what this all means.¡± It seemed like she was unable to understand my actions in the least. ¡°Your Highness, no matter what you plan to do, I believe you have too much faith in me¡­ You shouldn¡¯t. If you dream of rebuilding the Demon Realm, you should stay far away from me. Even if you aren¡¯t creating some grand scheme to rebuild that place, you still place far too much trust in me. Why¡­ Why do you believe in me so much? You don¡¯t even know me that well.¡± Eleris spoke as if pleading with me. It seemed as if tears were about to pour out of her eyes at any moment. There had been some friction between me and Sarkegaar, but he would never be able to kill me. In the end, he had no other choice but to follow my will, so even if it was difficult for him to tolerate Ellen¡¯s presence, he wouldn¡¯t be able to lay hands on her right away. However, that wasn¡¯t the case for Eleris. Eleris kept feeling suspicious that I might dream of starting another war and rebuilding the Demon Realm. She was a difficult subordinate to deal with¡ªa subordinate who would kill me at any time if my intentions didn¡¯t align with her values. There was no reason to keep such a subordinate close to me, and yet I had only favored her up until then; that was something Eleris couldn¡¯t understand. The bond of trust I had with Eleris was damaged. Since I was about to hold hands with a magic society, Eleris would never be able to believe that I wanted peace. That was why she seemed so confused. Just when she was thinking about what to do with me, I appeared before her alone like I was asking to be killed by her. When I fell into that world, I was mentally overwhelmed. I felt relieved when I met Charlotte, but when I reached the Imperial Capital, I felt lost again. I had met Eleris when I was worrying about the present and not even thinking about the future ahead of me. I met someone who had to be on my side in that world filled with humans. Was it similar to finding an oasis in a desert? Eleris and I meeting at that time seemed to me like a rope of salvation, so no matter what kind of being Eleris actually was, I had no other choice but to open my heart to her. ¡°I have never lied.¡± I stared at Eleris calmly. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in rebuilding the Demon Realm or starting another war.¡± Eleris looked doubtful. Yeah, I wouldn¡¯t believe myself either. It was too much to call myself a pacifist when I did all those things. I already knew that would happen when I decided to take Eleris with me to Aaron Mede¡¯s mansion. It was an inevitable moment, after all. Eleris would have to do something very important from then on. ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that I know the future?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I was thinking about telling Eleris about the future. *** Knowing the future¡­ Eleris seemed exceedingly perplexed as if she didn¡¯t expect me to say something as silly as that, and she didn¡¯t know how to react. I wanted to tell the others as well, but I couldn¡¯t. To do that, I would have to explain too many other things, including things that I should never tell anyone, but I wanted to tell at least one person, and that person was Eleris. To be exact, I wanted to get rid of that last bit of doubt Eleris carried in her heart. I wanted Eleris to truly be on my side and stand next to me without having to doubt anything. ¡°Your Highness¡­ What¡­ J-just what are you talking about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know everything about the future, but I do know some big events that will happen in the future. I also can¡¯t predict in what way the future will change as a result of my actions.¡± It was difficult to go into more detail. I didn¡¯t actually believe and didn¡¯t want to say that I was kind of like the creator of the world. I didn¡¯t have much knowledge of the place. It was like a house built by a different person on the ground I provided. I knew about the foundation, but the finished world was a place unfamiliar to me. ¡°The information about the Black Order and the Cantus Magna was just something I originally knew. You know that there was no way nor reason for me to find out these things.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­ I don¡¯t know what you mean. Are you saying that you might be from the future?¡± ¡°Not really, but it¡¯s kind of similar.¡± The phrase ¡°The more you talk, the worse it gets¡± was made for situations like that. Eleris seemed convinced that there was something wrong with my head. "You don¡¯t have to believe me. I know it¡¯s unbelievable, but listen.¡± The story was simply far too long to answer all the questions Eleris might come up with one by one. Hearing my words, she fell silent. ¡°There isn¡¯t much I can use as proof. However, the thing is, in two years, the warp gates all over the continent will connect to another world, and many people will be killed during that incident.¡± ¡°I named it ¡®The Gate Incident¡¯, but I don¡¯t really know what caused it. If things are left as-is, millions or even billions of humans will die.¡± ¡°I was thinking that magic is the only thing that could have caused this, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to get a clue from the magic side of things. I¡¯m trying to contact magic societies such as the Black Order and Cantus Magna because they might have caused it, or they might even have a solution for it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m expanding my forces now because, if things don¡¯t work out as I planned, we might have to travel all over the continent to destroy all of the warp gates.¡± ¡°Not only that but there are many ways to do it as well. If I think about it more, there are so many things I still would have to do.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know it¡¯s hard to believe, and you are probably wondering why I know all of this.¡± ¡°Now you can ask.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Translator - KonnoAren Proofreader - ilafy * * * I didn¡¯t have much time. Eleris had to move around for me. She could teleport, after all. That was why she was the only one who could carry out the most important orders immediately and accurately. Eleris might believe that I was actually out of my mind, telling the truth, or making up excuses, but she was silent for a very long time. ¡°Why are you suddenly telling me this¡­? I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡± In the end, Eleris still seemed to find it hard to believe me. "Yeah, you don¡¯t have to believe me, but I hope you realize that I don¡¯t want a new war or the end of humanity.¡± The chances were higher that she wouldn¡¯t believe me. With the Orbis Class gone, it was impossible to show her any definite proof inside of Temple, but there were still some things that would certainly happen in the future. ¡°Do you remember the club I made?¡± ¡°Yes, you created a club named the Magic Research Society and are even the president of it¡­¡± ¡°There will soon be some amazing things made there.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Eleris knew of the Magic Research Society from me. She was very surprised at that time that I became the president of it even though I didn¡¯t know how to use magic. She had already heard of the things I ordered to be made there. Like everyone else, Eleris was pretty negative about it. That was why she told me about using magic with the surrounding atmospheric mana. ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I knew they would end up making those items. That¡¯s why I made them create them in advance.¡± Power cartridges and moonshine¡­ If those two items were to be made by the hands of those students, Eleris would probably have a bit more faith in my words about knowing the future. ¡°I have no clue what will happen in the end because the future surely changed a lot due to my actions¡­¡± Another definite future event¡­ ¡°Alsbringer will choose his new master soon. Its master will be my classmate, Ludwig.¡± The next owner of Ragan Artorius¡¯s Alsbringer would be Ludwig. Eleris heard the name ¡®Ludwig¡¯ leave my mouth for the first time. ¡°You mean¡­ It¡¯s not Ellen?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Eleris, who knew Ellen¡¯s true identity, couldn¡¯t believe that the next master of Alsbringer, which should have obviously been her, wasn¡¯t actually Ellen. ¡°You¡¯ll find out whether I really know the future or not when it¡¯s time.¡± She might not have believed me for the moment, but Eleris would eventually have no other choice but to admit that my predictions were gradually coming true. It seemed like she felt that I was telling the truth¡ªor at least not lying¡ªfrom my weird confidence. "I don¡¯t know if you received an oracle or something, but¡­ I just can¡¯t believe it all¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I anticipated that you would react like that, so I haven¡¯t told you anything up until now. You would have just treated me like a crazy person.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know when the future I talked about would come true, but Eleris would wait to confirm if what I had said was true. In other words, until then, she would at least be my ally. ¡°You telling me this¡­ means you have a role that you want me to play.¡± Eleris looked at me, her eyes filled with determination as if she had made up her mind. Eleris seemed determined not to turn her back to me, even asking me what she could do. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong and just listen, okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I was about to tell her the important point. ¡°We need to rebuild the Demon Realm.¡± ¡°¡­What?!" Eleris let out a shrill voice. Before, I said that I didn¡¯t wish to rebuild the Demon Realm, but then I said that I wanted to rebuild it, so Eleris was very shocked. That was beyond saying that I brought our conversation right back to square one. After Eleris looked surprised for a moment, she looked at me with a straight face. She looked as if she thought that I said all those words just to end up talking about that again. ¡°To be precise, rather than actually doing it, we should make the humans believe that the Demon Realm has been rebuilt.¡± ¡°What do you mean by this¡­? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°If there are rumors that the Demon Realm had been rebuilt now that Ragan Artorius is dead, the humans would panic, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The little senior, Redina, had reacted like that the other day. Since Artorius was dead, who the hell would kill the Demon King again if he resurrected? Fear of the Demon King¡­ If the Demon King returned in the absence of Artorius, the only one who could truly rival him¡­ The humans would fall into panic. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. Only two, no, not even two years.¡± The gate incident would happen at the start of the third year¡¯s first semester. There was only one year left, not two. ¡°If we don¡¯t manage to eliminate the cause of the Gate Crisis in the given time, we should go ahead and smash all the warp gates on the continent as the next best solution. Something else might happen because of that, but that¡¯s what we should go with for now.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t do something like that.¡± ¡°Right.¡± It was impossible to destroy all the warp gates scattered all over the continent at the same time unless I suddenly turned into the Empire itself. That was impossible, but it was possible for me to become the Empire¡¯s enemy. Being someone¡¯s enemy meant that one had a certain amount of influence over that someone. "What would happen if we made them believe that the Demon King¡¯s forces invaded the Human Realm through the warp gates?¡± Eleris¡¯s eyes widened when she heard those words. ¡°They would¡­ block the warp gates themselves¡­ Is that what you mean?¡± "Even if they don¡¯t end up destroying them, they will place enough defensive forces around them.¡± I wouldn¡¯t solve everything, but the initial damage would be significantly reduced. ¡°This is just insurance. Just in case. We don¡¯t really have to rebuild the Demon Realm. It¡¯s just to make people nervous. That¡¯s enough to make humans feel the need to move. Whether it¡¯s me or someone else, it just has to be rumored that we¡¯ll attack the Human Realm through the Warp Gates.¡± It wouldn¡¯t actually be demons that would come out, but monsters of another world, but that¡¯s fine¡ªthe humans would be prepared. That was my insurance in case I ended up not being able to get anything done. The humans had to believe that the Demon Realm was being reconstructed and become afraid. Eleris looked at me with a stern expression. ¡°That role¡­ Are you saying that you want me to play it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sarkegaar and Loyar had other important work to do. Eleris didn¡¯t have any particular job to undertake. In addition, because she was a wizard, she was able to move all over the continent in an instant, so her mobility was incomparable to anyone else¡¯s. The reconstruction of the Demon Realm had to be entrusted to the one who least wished for it. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t actually be a reconstruction, it was just a bluff. I felt like I knew that Eleris would somehow agree to it. ¡°¡­Yes, Your Highness.¡± Eleris also knew. Her expression told me that she had accepted her inescapable fate. ¡°Your Highness, if all this¡­ is a lie, however¡­¡± If all of it was just a lie, was she going to kill me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I''m going to be very sad.¡± Even in that situation where she didn¡¯t know whether she could trust me or not, Eleris seemed unable to choose to hate or harm me. Eleris, the first person to recognize me in the Imperial Capital, seemed quite intent on killing me before. Could that have been a misunderstanding? Eleris seemed like someone who wouldn¡¯t be able to bring herself to even slightly harm me. The talk was roughly over, but there were still some important points left to discuss. ¡°By the way¡­ How should we start if we want to rebuild the Demon Realm¡­?¡± Rumors already spread throughout the Human Realm that the reconstruction of the Demon Realm had begun, but we also needed real power. It was absolutely necessary to subdue the forces of the different demon clans who still held power and bring them under my feet. The first one on the chopping block would be¡­ ¡°The Vampire Council.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± They weren¡¯t even forces of the Demon Realm to begin with. ¡°Make them gather.¡± I intended to get them first. ¡°If we lock the door and push the Holy Sword in their faces, they¡¯ll probably be willing to make a blood oath or something.¡± ¡°!¡± I wasn¡¯t really sure if I was able to break those long-lived vampires¡¯ pride, but wouldn¡¯t it be possible to force them to open their closed-off hearts to me with the Holy Sword? It was the strongest weapon in the world limited to only the undead, even Eleris feared Tiamata. History proved that there was nothing like violence to open closed doors. ____ CH 260 I cannot say whether Eleris believes that I know the future. However, she had to reveal her most important secret now that she had to attend to the most important task from now on. The truth of my words will be known with the passage of time. As a result of this, she seemed to have become somewhat convinced that I was attempting to make contact with magic practitioners and that I had many strange aspects. Therefore, I felt more at ease when discussing details with Eleris. We must prevent an enormous crisis that will occur in the future. Since this is the overarching goal, there is no need to hold back on anything. But there is a problem. "... You don''t know, do you?" "Well, not really." "You claimed to know the future, didn''t you?" "I don''t know everything. There''s much I don''t know." "But what if you''re deceiving the Black Order?" Eleris exclaimed incredulously. Oh, this feels like being scolded by my mother for causing an accident... "All I know is that Aaron Mede is a member of the Black Order, and I just threw out everything I could in case I missed the chance to deal with them. I didn''t say I could meet the Black Order anywhere." "Sigh... What should we do then...? So, you don''t know much about Cantus Magna either, right?" "Well, not really." "Sigh..." As I write, I realize that there may be issues because this is an early chapter of a larger work. When a story is published in a serialized format, there are limitations to both memory and ability, which can lead to unavoidable occurrences such as forgetting about planted hints or being unable to follow up on them. For me, magic users are one such "unfollowed" hint. It''s not that I forgot about them, it''s just that things were getting too complicated and I didn''t know what to do... It''s the result of my irresponsibility. The Black Order made an appearance during Aaron Mede''s incident, and they were mentioned in relation to the gold hunters, but that was the end of it. They seemed like impressive characters, and I had ideas in my head, but they never appeared again after that. All the small planted hints were either forgotten or sucked up by the Gate Incident. I never talked about what they did during the Gate Incident. The only things that remain in my head are what I had in mind when I established magic users. They act and move according to their own standards, regardless of societal ethics, much like the Black Order and the gold hunters. The Black Order appeared only once. Cantus Magna was only mentioned and never appeared. In the end, even this is my own fault, so I have to find out about them myself somehow. If something happened during the Gate Incident involving magic users, I need to know about them for sure. The problem now is that there''s nothing I can do to satisfy the Black Order''s curiosity, even though they seem interested. "Well...I don''t know much about Cantus Magna, but I know how to meet them." "Is there a way to meet them?" Ah. But if I say that again, I think I¡¯ll really get in trouble¡­.. No, but it¡¯s not complicated, it¡¯s actually a very easy way. And there¡¯s nothing better than this. ¡°They¡¯re the Golden Huntresses, those guys.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then they¡¯ll obviously use the Golden Spell, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Eleris¡¯ expression turned chilly. It felt similar to when Ellen occasionally glared at him with a cold expression. But at least Ellen was consistently expressionless, so it was okay. But Eleris, who always smiled, had that kind of expression. Really. He felt a sense of crisis. To call the Golden Huntresses, you just have to use a forbidden magic. The words themselves are correct! ¡°What should we do about this burn?!¡± Eleris eventually grabbed my head and shouted. -Bam! ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°What, what have I done¡­!¡± And then she petted my head frantically and apologized for her own actions. My suggestion to use the Golden Spell to summon Cantus Magna was, of course, rejected. ¡°Eleris, think calmly. If the Black Order finds out that I lied, we¡¯ll end up fighting them anyway. In any case, we¡¯ll end up in conflict with one of them, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too noisy!¡± Eleris sighed with determination. ¡°If it¡¯s the council, there might be people who know something. Let¡¯s look for clues there first. There are also families deeply involved in the tribute, you know.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Old vampires inevitably become magicians. There¡¯s nothing more difficult than studying to soothe the pains of time.¡± Putting the very dangerous method aside for now, they decided to look for clues at the vampire council. It would determine what his future actions would be. It was important whether they could be brought under his control. ¡ª--- The daily routines of the temple aside, Eleris had given instructions to handle matters outside. The Black Order was unlikely to be a concern, as clues had yet to be uncovered and a confrontation with them was a remote possibility. If necessary, I could summon them with the use of my charms. The Black Order had their reasons for not using such methods, but that was none of my concern. Aaron Mede''s affairs had been settled and he was the only one who shared my secret with Eleris. "...." "You know, you guys are oddly transparent." "What do you mean?" Liana stared at me and Ellen in turn, chewing on the end of her fork as we ate breakfast in silence. "Did you two fight again?" "No? And even if we did, why does it matter?" "We didn''t," I interjected. Despite our denials, the looks on our faces betrayed us. "It''s weird how you two hardly ever talk and yet it''s obvious when you''ve had a fight." Adelia laughed at Liana''s comment and scratched her head, perhaps thinking that I might start rambling if someone started talking. After the incident, Ellen and I had been distant and awkward with each other. We were worried about each other, but it seemed to have a negative effect on us both. What could I say? Things were just as chaotic inside the temple as they were outside. Ellen wasn''t the only problem. Liana looked at me from the next seat and asked, "And what about you lately?" "....It''s nothing. I''m fine," I replied. Harriet, who had been picking at her breakfast, lifted her head with a gloomy expression. She was suffering from something like PTSD after seeing the shocking scene at Aaron Mede''s mansion. Harriet hadn''t fought directly, having deployed an anti-magic field and leaving it to Ellen to handle. But she had seen humans controlled by Humonculus who had fallen to her anti-magic spell. It wasn''t murder, but Harriet felt as though it were. And the horrific chimeras she had seen in the underground workshop. That was likely the direct cause of her trauma. I hadn''t gone in myself, but Ellen seemed to want to forget what she had seen. There was nothing we could do. I had nightmares about zombie hordes for a while. It was almost fortunate that Harriet, who had grown up so beautifully, suffered from such visions and trauma. No... ¡ª--- After class ended, Ellen, Harriet, Liana, Adelia, and I left the temple. Ellen walked a little ways apart from me, while Harriet was with Adelia. Naturally, Liana and I took the lead and walked together. "How did last time''s incident turn out?" I asked. "...It was taken care of, more or less," Liana replied. If it weren''t for her, I wouldn''t have followed them out here. Liana is a strange one, who seems to have good intuition but is also absent-minded. "It seems like something happened again because of that incident," I said, but I didn''t ask her about it. But then we suddenly started looking at flowers. I have no interest in things like that. When I think about it, Ellen and Adelia only delve into magic, and they don''t seem to have much to do with flowers. Of course, Harriet probably lived in a palace with a garden, but Ellen probably isn''t much different. "Do you like flowers?" I asked Liana. She blinked at my question. "Not really. If it were clothes, maybe." We were doing this to lift our moods, but it''s clear that she has no real interest in flowers. Who are we even doing this for? ¡ª--- Here we are at the Han River in Seoul, named Huangdu Gradium. When the Rotary Club was here, we used to visit often, but since headquarters moved, we haven''t had reason to come. There were a lot of people walking around, admiring the autumn flowers. This is the world after the demon king''s death. A peaceful world. We were among those people. Everyone came to see the flowers without much thought, and Liana was the same. But since we were already here, we walked along the path and looked at the flowers blooming in the river. Liana grabbed my arm and pointed to a particular flower. "The one with the most blooms is cosmos," she said. "...What''s that? How do you know?" I asked. "Well...it''s common knowledge." How can she not know about cosmos when we came to look at flowers? But it seemed like it wasn''t just Liana who didn''t know. Everyone looked at me with surprised expressions. Why is this otherworldly development happening here all of a sudden? "You didn''t know either?" I asked Adelia. "It''s not that I don''t know it''s cosmos...," she replied, scratching her head. "...Isn''t it impressive enough that I know about flowers?" I added. Ellen, Harriet, Adelia, and Liana all nodded in agreement. Well, I guess so. "Even though I''m just a commoner who knows little about flowers, it''s surprising to others that I know their names. It''s true that I don''t have a great interest in them, but I know enough to get by. Of course, I''ve tried to expand my vocabulary by memorizing the names and meanings of flowers before, but it didn''t really help me with my writing. Still, I''ve managed to remember the names and meanings of some of the more common flowers that others know about. When people ask, "What''s that?" I can usually tell them. "Chrysanthemum." "And that one?" "...That''s also a chrysanthemum." "But they''re different colors! The one we saw earlier was white, and this one is yellow." "It''s like a red rose and a white rose. Don''t you know they''re both roses? Are you that ignorant?" "Oh, I see. They do look the same." It''s not really that impressive, but they all look at me as if I''m some sort of wonder. What am I, exactly, in their minds? I don''t really need to ask, but for some reason, Liana would ask me the name of a flower that she found interesting. Even though I''ve tried to learn as many flower names as I can, there are still many that I don''t know. I don''t know if they''re flowers that only grow in this world, or if they exist in the original world but I just don''t know their names. In the end, I couldn''t learn them all. Of course, there were bound to be more that I didn''t know. But as the sun began to set, everyone''s expressions towards me changed. They looked at me as if they were seeing a completely different person. "What''s with all of you? Is it really that impressive that I know a few flower names?" "Of course it is." Liana spoke up for them. "The more I look at you, the more I''m confused." It seemed like they weren''t upset with my sudden change of attitude. For some reason, Harriet''s face was turning red. These guys...maybe the misunderstanding has gotten too big. I need to lighten the mood. "But isn''t it strange that we''re all here to look at flowers? Flowers, if you think about it, are just the reproductive organs of plants." Technically speaking, they''re the stamen and pistil. "Isn''t it a bit funny that we''re all here to look at reproductive organs?" "Oh..." "..." "..." "As expected, you''re crazy." I successfully lightened the mood. ¡ª--- "I''m not sure if a single flower viewing really lifted my mood. Everyone was ready to leave, but Ellen grabbed my arm. "Just a little longer," she said. "Huh?" Ellen gestured towards me. "Let''s stay a bit longer." It was as if she wanted some time alone with me, away from the others who seemed to be silently urging us to go. It was an autumn evening when the sun was setting. We sat down on the steps near the river. "..." "..." We had been angry with each other. I was going to do things that were even more dangerous, things that I couldn''t even tell Ellen about. I didn''t want her help. It was too risky. If Ellen knew even a little bit about what I was going to do, she would know too much. It wouldn''t be about me doing something dangerous anymore; it would be about her knowing my secrets. I didn''t want to imagine what would happen then. "Something feels strange," Ellen said softly. "What do you mean?" "If someone is important to you, you should only say and do good things to them. That''s what you should do." "..." "But when someone is too important to you, you end up saying bad things to them and hurting them." Ellen looked out at the calm surface of the river, where the red waves lapped at the shore. "It''s foolish," she said. "Yeah, it is." I threw a small rock toward the riverbank for no reason. It created ripples as it sank into the water. Beneath the burning autumn sunset. "I''m sorry." "Me too. I''m sorry." We apologized to each other. Ellen leaned her head on me. It was an action that we haven''t done in a long time. "Reinhardt." "What?" "Aaron Mede. You didn''t kill him." "..." Ellen already knew. There was no way she wouldn''t. It was a lie that surrounded us. Aaron Mede died from a burst head, and I couldn''t have left such a scar. I might have hidden the body, but Ellen could have seen it. "When you become a Swordmaster, will you tell me your secret?" "..." Even if I became more than a Swordmaster, I still couldn''t tell her. I couldn''t say anything in response. The moment when Ellen would learn my secret would come someday. It felt like an inevitability now. I might be able to avoid the Gate incident, but it seemed impossible to avoid that. CH 261 Chapter 261 Ellen and I didn''t exactly reconcile. We didn''t really fight in the first place. We had both inflicted some unknown wounds upon each other, but we ended up apologizing to each other for it. There was still the issue with Harriet. That night, I invited Harriet to the Titaime Terrace, where Berthus and I often chatted. "It''s okay. I''m getting better," I asked, and Harriet forced a smile and said that. There was no other way but to win. It was a different kind of horror from seeing a corpse. "I just don''t understand. I don''t see why we have to do such terrible things, like mixing races or creating life." Magic makes the impossible possible. But I can''t understand why anyone would want to do such strange things, like mixing races or creating life. Harriet''s complexion wasn''t great, but she seemed to be getting better little by little. She was still finding her balance, but she drank her tea. "What about Ellen?" "I said enough to make things okay." "That''s good." Harriet smiled wistfully. "...You fought a zombie horde in Darkland, right?" "I did." "I can''t even handle seeing something like that. I wonder how difficult it was for you and Ellen." We had fought terrible things directly, and Ellen had personally taken care of the Chimera. Even just seeing the aftermath of that fight was difficult for Harriet. I wanted to tell her that this was a different kind of dilemma, but Harriet seemed to be thinking about her own weakness and how difficult it was for her right now. "If it weren''t for you, Ellen would have died." "...All I did was use a scroll." "Still, that doesn''t make my words untrue." Harriet stares at me quietly. If it weren''t for Harriet, Ellen may not have chosen to fight in that moment. But once she made that decision, Harriet''s role was crucial. Even if it was a seemingly insignificant action in her own mind, it was undoubtedly a decisive help. "I''ll try harder." Harriet says, looking out at the autumn night that has fallen. "You''re already trying hard." Harriet looks at me. "Still, I can try harder." I don''t know when it started, but there was always a hint of sadness mixed in with Harriet''s laughter. "I''ll be here during the break." Magic research club activities. Harriet seemed to be planning to dedicate herself to research there without returning home. Her desire for strength was evident in her expression. Perhaps seeing Ellen fight so fiercely had stirred something within her. I''m the only one who thinks there''s no time. Is it because of my influence? Both Ellen and Harriet were anxious. ¡ª--- I must obtain information through magic. Additionally, in unavoidable situations, I must use my position as the last demon king to its fullest extent. As the next demon king, I must take action, even if it is fake. The successor of the barren demon realm is only good prey, not someone to be wary of. People must know that the next demon king exists. For that, I need at least some power. The Vampire Council. They will try to undermine me, regardless of their intentions. However, I cannot be sure if the old vampire lords will fear me more than the holy sword. The vampire lords seem almost all like wizards, so it is possible to obtain clues about magic from them. The Black Order has decided to approach me, and I have agreed to provide them with information about Cantus Magna. However, I do not expect them to approach me anytime soon. Although they have already smashed Aaron Mede''s head, they will not try to kill me for giving them false information because they know I am a dangerous person who controls the vampire lords. There is no possibility of them pushing me into the empire. It is a situation where criminals push each other. So. There is still time until the Vampire Council is summoned. The final exams are approaching. After the final exams, there will be a festival, and then winter vacation. It is difficult to feel the seasons when one is busy, and I am just like that. The short autumn is already passing. It is the way of spring and autumn to slip away to the other side before one knows it. ¡°Crrrak" The sound of stepping on fallen leaves can be heard in various places throughout the correction. "What is this?" I cleared the fallen oak leaf from Ellen''s hair. She stood still at the entrance of the dormitory, with large leaves perched on her head as if she didn''t even notice them. Ellen stared blankly at me, although to be precise, it was the person next to me. "Do you always have that expression when you see your sister?" "What?" Olivia Lanze was glaring at me. "Do you have a problem with me?" "No." "Are you so bothered that I''m friendly with Reinhardt and others?" "Oh, come on! If you''re going to talk nonsense, leave quickly!" Ellen and I bumped into each other in front of the dormitory on my way back from seeing Olivia. Olivia squinted at Ellen, sending a hostile gaze. Lately, I''ve had some business with Olivia, which is why we met like this. Ellen and Olivia have a very bad relationship. But you know what? The fact that they have a relationship means something. Did they have this kind of relationship from the beginning? I don''t really know. "You wouldn''t have been able to be by Reinhardt''s side even if you were five years younger than me. I can teach you everything, you know." Ellen raised one corner of her mouth at Olivia''s words. What''s this? This is the first time I''ve seen her make that expression. Ellen spat out an obvious sneer. "You''re probably glad that you''re older." "W-What! I''m still only twenty-two! I''m still young! It''s my prime!" "Anyway, you''re older than me or Reinhardt. Five years." "W-Well, can I hit Reinhardt then?" Did Olivia lose in the end and resort to trying to pick a fight with me? "Why are you asking for my permission?" "Hit him or something." Ellen tilted her head confidently. Ellen... Why are you acting like this? You''re not that kind of person! Olivia snorted and turned her head. "Hmph! My sister hates violence, so I''m holding back! Remember that!" Olivia stuck out her tongue and went into the dormitory. Please click the ads below to support the translation, thanks!!! That lady... Everything''s fine. Really. Sometimes, she only chose to do things she hated so much that it made her want to scream. Ellen watched Olivia leave and then turned her gaze toward me. "Hey, why do you hang out with that person? You don''t have to be friends with her." "Why not?" I asked. "I don''t like them. That person." Ellen was really angry. "Why? What happened?" "I don''t know. I just don''t like her. She annoys me." It was the first time Ellen had expressed her emotions so bluntly. "Well, that person has helped me a lot with this and that, and I need her help now, too." "Is it something important?" "Yes, it is." I knew it wouldn''t be a good thing if people saw Olivia Lanze sneaking around me, but it was something I couldn''t help this time. Ellen couldn''t say anything about it being inevitable, but she seemed very uncomfortable. "Just be sure to do something about it." "What... What should I do?" "Because you''re not doing anything, that person keeps bothering you." This time, Ellen''s anger was directed toward me. Her cold gaze made my body freeze. "Or maybe that person likes it when you act like you don''t like them." "No, not at all. It''s not good." "It seems like you like it. You''re just pretending to dislike it." "No, I don''t! I really hate it!" What''s going on? Why is she talking to me like she¡¯s scolding a boyfriend who can''t manage his female friends? It''s a strange situation, and I can''t say anything. Who are you to talk to me like that? If I say anything similar, my tongue or throat will be cut off, one of the two situations will happen. It''s really scary. "Then make sure it doesn''t happen." "Uh... yeah..." In the end, I answered like a boyfriend who couldn''t manage his girlfriend''s friends. ¡ª--- There is too much to do. If everything related to the Gate is considered as "work," then there was too much work to do. Dealing with various problems that arise from human relationships was also going to be a headache. So, academic duties, which should have been a student''s primary responsibility, took a backseat. If I come in last place again this time, it''s dangerous. That''s why I won''t deliberately come in last place this time, but the bottom is already certain. "So, please control yourself." "Hmph, is my expression of affection incorrect?" Eventually, when I told Olivia as she had instructed, Olivia became very upset and began ranting with a huff and a puff. "...Really, it feels like I made some kind of promise with a senior! I don''t have any intention of marrying you!" At my displeasure, Olivia''s face turned pale with her mouth agape. "R...really...?" "Why are you so surprised?" Even though she sincerely likes her senior, hasn''t she continued to appeal that she has no interest in that kind of thing? "I thought you would reject me..." "Oh, it''s confusing..." "Well, if it''s not now, then maybe you''ll start to like me in the future?" When Olivia''s dazzling smile appeared, it felt like my mind was going blank. I can''t seem to communicate. "If you keep using me like this, and don''t even consider my feelings, how angry do you think I''ll get? You don''t know how scary I can be, right?" Olivia''s words are correct too. I couldn''t say anything to the comment that if I keep using her as I please, then why can''t I overlook something like this? I am still using her like that now. "Do you really like that person so much? To the point where you get angry at your older sister?" "That''s not the issue here." "If it''s not the issue, then what is it?" Suddenly, Olivia''s expression hardened, and she stopped herself from saying something. "I''ll say one thing. Has that person done something wrong to me? No, there''s nothing like that." Olivia was serious now. "But I don''t like that person. That''s something I can''t help. Don''t tell me not to hate that person, don''t torment me, and don''t start a fight. You know?" Olivia bites her lips slightly, looking at me. "The more you say things like that, the more I will hate that person for no reason." Slam! Olivia said this and slammed the door shut with force. Why. Why do I have to go through this, even though it''s all to save the world... ¡ª--- "I don''t like that person either," Adelia said. Harriet nodded in agreement. "But still...before all of this, she was supposed to be a very kind person," Adelia added. Liana shook her head at Adelia''s words. "Just like a ten-year-old," Liana said. "Ten-year-old...?" Adelia seemed confused by Liana''s intense expression. Munching away at five different dishes, Ellen, who had brought up the topic, seemed a bit different from her usual self. She appeared to be eating recklessly to release her stress. When Liana asked about her sour expression, Ellen explained that she didn''t like a person named Olivia Lanze, who hangs around with Reinhardt for no reason. At this moment, Ellen spoke ill of someone behind their back for the first time in her life. Harriet agreed with her, Adelia didn''t understand, and Liana labeled the person as a "Ten-year-old." "But Reinhardt is such a bastard, so maybe they suit each other?" Liana said cheerfully, prompting Ellen and Harriet to stare at her. "Why not?" "...." "...." "Li...Liana...." "What?" Liana de Grantz was oblivious to strange nuances. She didn''t seem particularly hungry and was snacking on cheese salad. "That sister of yours is just weird. She knows she''s pretty and keeps showing off. It''s embarrassing." None of the four of them had anything to say about that. Olivia Lanze. Although the title of Eredian saint had disappeared quite some time ago, the fact that she stood out wherever she went because of her beautiful appearance remained unchanged. Even Reinhardt, who expressed his dislike of her, must have been surprised or embarrassed at times by her actions. Watching her stick to Reinhardt so much that it was excessive, anyone who saw it felt some disgust. Don''t judge a book by its cover. Such thoughts naturally came to mind. "So, what do you want to do about it?" "It''s not about what I want to do. I just don''t like her. I get nervous when I see her." "Then what? What do you want to do?" "...It''s not about what I want to do. I just don''t like her. She always picks a fight with me for no reason," Ellen said, focusing on her food. Ellen was always a binge-eater, but today she felt like it was stress-induced bingeing. "She picks a fight with you? You?" Olivia asked. "Yeah." If she just stayed quiet, Olivia wouldn''t bother her, but every time Olivia saw Ellen, she would scratch at her nerves. It had been going on for quite some time, not just recently. Ever since the last sponsorship event, Olivia had been scratching at her nerves every time they crossed paths. Being in the same dorm, they inevitably ran into each other occasionally. "Oh, hey. Reinhardt''s friend?" "Please treat Reinhardt well!" "Don''t get too close with Reinhardt, okay? You know why." "Oh, you''re pretty. Not as pretty as your sister, though." "You''re good at fighting, right? But don''t bully Reinhardt too much." "Sorry, you''re a rival to my sister. It can''t be helped." "Oh, are you angry? You''re going to hit me? I''ll tell Reinhardt. Is that okay?" Ellen gripped her fork as she ate. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. -Growl. Everyone was staring at her fork, which was now bent out of shape. But in the end, Ellen wasn''t the type to hold grudges against someone she disliked, just as Harriet didn''t like the irritating Heather. Harriet used to be like that, but not anymore. "Well... that sister is a bit strange," Liana said, shrugging her shoulders in response to Adelia''s question. "She probably entered as a sacred power major. But if she gave up her faith, what is she going to graduate with? It would be strange to graduate with a sacred power major." Their expressions became strange at her words. "Yeah, you''re right," someone agreed. There was no reason to worry about the graduation of a slightly unpleasant senior, but they all became curious. "I don''t know," Ellen said, devouring five dishes in a flash and taking a sip of water as her eyes gleamed. "If you keep talking like that, I won''t be able to hold back." "Uh, um... calm down, Ellen..." Harriet secretly hoped that Ellen would do something, but she also felt like something terrible was about to happen, so she tried to stop Ellen. CH 262 The strained relationship between Ellen and Olivia was indeed a problem, but I was preoccupied with more pressing matters and did not have the luxury of fretting over their discord. My head felt as if it would split open from the sheer number of issues I had stirred up, and though I couldn''t address the subsequent problems, I had to at least be aware of them. I had asked Sarkegaar to investigate matters concerning the Orvis Class, even though they had no direct connection to me. The advice from the previous crisis had not been a trap. Rather, it was a clue. It informed me that my assassination had not been carried out by the very target of my suspicion, and that other ominous events were transpiring. Late into the night, I faced Sarkegaar, who had come to visit me in my room. Ever since the Aaron Mede incident, there had been no signs of Sarkegaar disobeying orders or engaging in any other mischievous activities. However, there was a deep sadness in the eyes that looked upon me. It seemed to stem from the fact that there was someone I cared about enough to risk my own life, and that this person was the sibling of the Iron Wall General. Sarkegaar appeared to be tormented by the inability to do anything, despite the strong desire to help. Nevertheless, Sarkegaar did not neglect the given tasks, nor did they mention Ellen''s situation, knowing full well that it would only exacerbate my anxiety. In any case. Sarkegaar had been investigating the events following the closure of the Orvis Class. More precisely, those events involving Oscar de Gradias. "It''s a revolution." Upon hearing that simple piece of information, my mind seemed to freeze. The Orvis Class, where one had to prove their worth based solely on their abilities, regardless of their status. A place that instilled the belief that one could surpass all obstacles through sheer effort. It would have been more peculiar if such individuals did not dream of a revolution. "So, the abrupt actions that led to the closure of the class were a smokescreen, meant to prevent further investigation and the discovery of inconvenient truths." "That seems to be the case." They hadn''t foolishly provoked the Royal Court but had done so deliberately. All to conceal a truth that must not be revealed. [Event Complete - Revolutionary Forces] [You have acquired 300 Achievement Points.] And with that, a forgotten event was completed. Charlotte had deemed it strange that there were no revolutionary forces within the Temple. Although I hadn''t been able to investigate her claim properly, I ended up learning about the true nature of the revolutionary forces in an unexpected place. The Orvis Class was the revolutionary force, and not just a portion, but most of them. The reason they did not attempt to assassinate or retaliate against me was that it was a critical time for them to minimize their movements, and taking such actions would be perilous. "The Orvis Class appears to have been infiltrated by the revolutionary forces for quite some time." They were the cradle of the revolution. They must have been carefully selecting and secretly recruiting those who seemed to share their beliefs. And when those individuals graduated? While not on par with the Royal Class, the Orvis Class still produced significant talents. Whether in the empire, successor states, or autonomous territories, they would hold important positions in organizations and posts that recognized their abilities. "What is the scale?" "It''s hard to determine. I have only inferred this information from the conversations of confirmed members, as I haven''t personally witnessed their gatherings." The investigation time was short, so it was inevitable that we could not grasp the details. "However, with the Orvis Class, the core talent cultivation institution of the republicans, now gone, it is clear that their actions will be expedited." "Yes, it wasn''t for nothing that Oscar was fond of them..." Oscar de Gradias was undoubtedly a member of the revolutionary organization. He would be continuously providing the organization with information about the royal family. He knew what would happen if a full-scale investigation into the Orvis Class were initiated. In the original story, the revolutionary forces never appeared. This means that they did exist, but they were all swallowed up in the chaos when the gate crisis erupted. The revolutionary forces took control of the Orvis Class and nurtured republicans for a very long time. Many of the individuals who supported the Orvis Class during the sponsorship event were likely republicans. Where could they have spread to? Sarkegar spoke to me. "Your Highness, utilize them." I knew, of course, that Sarkegar would say this. "Use them to cause chaos in the empire and then annihilate both the revolutionary forces and the empire." Yes. There is no better opportunity if I am to become the Demon King. But I have no interest in that. Chaos erupts in the empire due to the struggle between the revolutionary forces and the empire. And then the gates explode. ...The perfect situation for the world to end. Simply provoking a fight. It was no different from pressing the button for world destruction. How on earth did I deduce this? The butterfly effect. Now, my teeth chattered at the thought. There is only one thing I need to do. I will not think about the pros and cons of the revolution. First, I must stop the revolution. Isn''t that what I should have been doing in the first place? It was absurd. Sarkegar thought this was a golden opportunity. "Research more. Find out the exact size, location, and who the leaders are. You may even join their forces if necessary." "Yes, Your Highness." Please click the ads below to support the translation, thanks!!! I must know their exact size in order to take action. Unfortunately, I cannot follow Sarkegar''s intentions. Sarkegar, unaware of my thoughts, smiled with happiness. The revolutionary forces certainly exist, and they are most likely large in scale. But I couldn''t recklessly touch them. If I started cutting off their branches carelessly, they would start a rebellion when cornered. Then, the chaos would occur because I rushed in recklessly. Although I didn''t expect a single fight to bring about such a result, any action I take now would cause tremendous ripple effects. I must be cautious. For now, I had no choice but to entrust the gathering of information to Sarkegar. It felt like I was considering how to handle a nuclear bomb that could explode if touched incorrectly. Killing them all would be a terrible plan, regardless of whether it was possible or not. The best course of action would be to postpone their uprising until at least the year after next. By then, the gate crisis would have either happened or not. So, if the gate crisis is safely averted, do I have to watch the rebellion of the revolutionary forces with my own eyes? Even if I successfully prevent the gate crisis, is the inevitable second battle of the civil war within the empire waiting for me? Where should I stand in that situation? I felt like I was going mad. The world is a minefield, no matter where I go. -... Before my eyes, it was clear that Sarkegar was delighted to find a method to unblock his nose without using his hands. I, on the other hand, was lost in thought, struggling with a headache-inducing dilemma. This was the very epitome of people having different dreams in the same bed. "Alright, off you go." "Yes, Your Highness." Sarkegar prepared to transform back into a sparrow. As I watched the sparrow about to fly through the open window, a sudden thought crossed my mind. Sarkegar would only be used by me. In the end, without the will to rebuild the Demon Realm, I was destined to use him until the very end. While I have made many mistakes, a significant part of it is my exploitation of his blind loyalty. "Sarkegar." -Chirp? Sarkegar looked back at me and tilted his head. "Last time, I''m sorry." -... I couldn''t do anything for him, and in the end, I would become a worse version of Ragan Artorius. At my selfish apology, Sarkegar gazed at me quietly in his sparrow form. -Your Highness. "..." -The god serves Your Highness, not an Archdemon. Since there was no alternative to me as an Archdemon, he had no choice but to serve me, and that was the intention behind my words. You serve me because there is no other Archdemon besides me. That''s what I ended up saying. To that, Sarkegar told me that he served me because I was worthy, not because I was an Archdemon. At that moment, I wished I could bite off the tongue that had spoken those words. -Please keep that in mind. It wasn''t about loyalty to an Archdemon. Did that mean he would serve me even if I weren''t an Archdemon? Why? Did I have such worth? -Since Your Highness decided to rescue the demon prisoners who were detained by humans, everything from a single strand of god''s hair to the last fragment of the soul belonged to Your Highness. It wasn''t because I was an Archdemon. From that moment on, Sarkegar had recognized me as his ruler. Seeing my guilt-ridden expression, Sarkegar tilted his head a few times as a sparrow. -Your Highness, there is something else I need to tell you. As if he had just remembered something he hadn''t said before. "...What is it?" -It''s a different matter. Isn''t it strange that the royal family didn''t notice this? "...You''re right." Whether it was Berthus, Charlotte, or the Emperor. It was indeed strange that the royal family had been unaware of this issue. Sarkegar''s intelligence capabilities were exceptional, but it was still surprising that they hadn''t recognized the problem at all. I wondered if they knew but chose to ignore it, so I did some investigation on them as well. "What did you find?" I couldn''t get specific details, but it seems there is a problem within the royal family. "What kind of problem?" -There are rumors that someone has died in the princess''s palace. "...What?" There was a problem within the royal family. It was one thing if it were something else, but this concerned the princess''s palace. Come to think of it..... I hadn''t been able to focus on it because of the assassination attempt on me. Charlotte had been commuting to school from the royal palace for some time now. I had assumed it was just due to an increase in internal affairs, but Berthus was still staying in the dormitory. In Charlotte''s palace... Did that mean the Emperor had failed to control the dispute over the succession of the throne? What other situation was unfolding, or rather, had been unfolding? In the midst of a complex situation, another intricate problem had been thrown into the mix. The sparrow flew away, and I stood by the window, lost in thought about this issue for quite some time. CH 263 The revolutionary forces were a problem, but another entirely unrelated issue had been thrown into the mix, leaving them uncertain as to which matter should take precedence. Charlotte had been staying in the palace rather than the dormitory lately. But word had it that someone had died within the princess''s quarters. This information had been gathered by Sarkegaar during his espionage activities, and he said that most people would be unaware of this fact. Did Berthus know of this? Berthus shared only the integrated classes with them, but Charlotte also attended the psychic classes. However, although I shared these classes, I was in the dark about what Charlotte did during them. Where should the focus of the problem lie? Was it an assassination attempt on Charlotte? Or was it an entirely different issue? Charlotte could be seen. However, I could not discern anything from her expression. If I hadn''t heard Sarkegaar''s words, I would have thought that there was no problem concerning Charlotte. Both Berthus and Charlotte were adept at managing their expressions, as natural as breathing. That''s why I couldn''t detect any worry, concern, or anxiety in Charlotte''s expression. On Wednesday. After the psychic class had ended. I caught hold of Charlotte, who was about to return to the palace after class. If I hadn''t known anything, I would have let it go, but now that I was aware of something, I couldn''t let Charlotte go just like that. "Yes, Reinhardt. What is it?" As I casually approached her, Charlotte cocked her head inquisitively. What''s going on with you? Isn''t it dangerous? Do you have nothing to say? I didn''t know how to initiate the conversation. If I knew it was dangerous, I wouldn''t have any answer to the question of how I found out. Before Charlotte''s seemingly ordinary face, which betrayed no hint of their knowledge, I couldn''t determine how to start the conversation. So. Although I had managed to grab Charlotte''s attention, I was at a loss for words, simply staring at her face blankly. Finally. "Are you busy?" I blurted out the question, sounding somewhat like a scheming individual. Hearing these words, Charlotte''s face took on a puzzled expression. "¡­Pardon?" "Are you busy?" I didn''t know. At this point, just go for it! Let''s just pester her! Charlotte smiled at the absurdity of my words. "What if I''m not?" "Keep me company." "¡­Pardon?" Charlotte''s lips twitched as if she couldn''t believe what she had just heard. "Um... uh... well..." Flustered, Charlotte rolled her eyes and let out a short sigh. Then she offered a gentle smile. "...I can spare a little time. As much as you need." Her smile appeared even more clouded than usual. ¡ª--- Sharing information about the revolutionary forces was a pressing issue, but even more urgent was ensuring Charlotte''s safety. Although I was unsure, there seemed to be a high probability that Charlotte''s life was in danger. I didn''t know what I could do about it, but I didn''t want to remain ignorant. At the very least, I could talk to her. Charlotte may consider me her friend, but her existence is more special to me than just a friend. She was the one who made me realize that I could risk my life for something, and her survival is the fruition of that realization. So, I wanted to protect her. The royal court was in turmoil over internal matters, and Charlotte was involved. Due to this, the Orvis class failed to notice that they were actually involved in an extremely dangerous situation that could lead to the collapse of the empire. Of course, this was also a misjudgment, and there was every chance they could become aware of it. The rumor that Sarkagar heard about someone dying in the princess''s palace could be false. However, I had an odd certainty that there would be some trouble. I gained this certainty from Charlotte''s determined attitude as she led me after I asked her to play with me. I couldn''t bring up the main issue, nor could I find a way to do so. Charlotte took me out of the temple. I had asked her to play, and she seemed to be headed somewhere. What could she be planning to do? I didn''t know about Berthus, but Charlotte seemed to have no fear of going outside without an escort. I thought that the princess walking around in public could cause some inconvenience, but unlike our previous outing, Charlotte didn''t wear a hood this time. "Won''t people recognize you and cause trouble?" It''s not like Charlotte''s face was unknown. She shrugged her shoulders and showed me a bracelet. "I got a new artifact recently." "What is it?" "It has a perception hindrance spell on it. It doesn''t make me invisible, but it makes my presence fainter, I suppose. I won''t be noticeable unless someone deliberately tries to approach me." If there were too many people who recognized her and it became troublesome, she could activate the magic on the bracelet. Of course, since I was accompanying her, I wouldn''t be affected by the perception hindrance. It seemed like a magical item that would be useful for a celebrity. "So, let''s go." After activating the perception hindrance, Charlotte led me somewhere. Before returning to the palace, it seemed as if she thought she could take a brief walk with a classmate during her spare time. As soon as we arrived, I couldn''t help but lose my words. "¡­" "Why?" "No, nothing!" The place Charlotte had brought me to was the banks of the Irine River. I had been here with my friends just a few days ago! But I didn''t mention that, fearing that Charlotte would be disappointed. She had made time for me, not knowing what was going on, and she would be disheartened if I revealed the truth. I couldn''t trample on the princess''s consideration like that. Charlotte tilted her head as she looked at me. "Don''t you like flowers?" ¡°I like them! Oh, I like them very much!" Charlotte glanced at me, a faint smile playing on her lips. "You''re lying. You like flowers? Even a passing dog would laugh." "No, no, I might like them, really!" Why did she have to dwell on that? Seeing my forced enthusiasm, Charlotte playfully tapped my arm. "Why do you keep trying to please me?" "..." Please click the ads below to support the translation, thanks!!! "We''re friends, aren''t we? Just be yourself." With that, Charlotte walked ahead. I knew her situation was serious, though I didn''t know the details. Charlotte''s ability to maintain her composure was almost frighteningly thorough. ¡ª--- Both of us were troubled in our own ways, but neither of us showed it. And so, we acted as if we had simply come out to enjoy the flowers. In reality, it wasn''t much different. Charlotte''s reactions weren''t very different from the others either. She was astonished when I recognized a few flowers and named them. "What exactly do you think I am...?" "You ''guys''?" "No, never mind." It was amusing how people were astonished even by the small amount of knowledge I possessed. However, in some ways, Charlotte was different from the others. Charlotte knew the names of all the flowers that grew wild. As she rattled off the names of flowers I had never heard of, I was taken aback. "That''s a dahlia." "That one is a geranium." "That''s a petunia. Isn''t it pretty? I like flowers that bloom all year round." "That''s a heliotrope." "Quite a grand name." "It smells lovely. Want to give it a sniff?" "No, thank you." The thought of flowers being the reproductive organs of plants came to mind, making me hesitate and step back. Am I crazy? Why am I thinking of such things at a time like this? Charlotte is enjoying the scent of the flowers! When we had visited before, no one paid any particular attention to the flowers. However, Charlotte stopped to admire some flowers, inhaling their fragrance and walking slowly. "How do you know all this?" "I like them." Charlotte looked at me and smiled. "When you like something, you naturally learn more about it. You want to know more." "So you studied them?" "No." Charlotte tilted her head. "It just comes naturally." Her love for flowers had led her to learn about many different varieties without any formal study. Hearing her say this, Charlotte seemed a bit unfamiliar. Even in that smiling visage. One thing I could be sure of was that Charlotte was genuinely enjoying herself at the moment. She might not have come here with a joyful heart, but she was definitely enjoying herself in this very moment. Charlotte always wore a perfect mask, and I couldn''t see what expression lay hidden beneath it... But I knew for certain that this bright, smiling expression of hers was not a mask. Charlotte loved flowers. I thought it was reasonable to like them, but seeing her ''liking them'' made me feel strange. It was a side of her I had never seen before. "Wow... this one is really pretty. What''s its name? It''s not labeled." Naturally, it seemed there were flowers she didn''t know. I wondered what the garden of the palace where Charlotte lived looked like. Suddenly, I became curious. I thought there must be a well-maintained garden with countless flowers blooming each season. Where you go is important, but so is who you go with. Though we had just been here a few days ago, watching Charlotte occasionally stop to gaze at the flowers made me feel as though I had never been here before. I found myself quietly observing the flowers Charlotte was looking at. I took a closer look at the landscapes I had merely passed by, naming the flowers I knew. So, this is what this place was like. Standing beside Charlotte, who enjoyed looking at flowers, I didn''t know how to appreciate them and could only add a few comments. Not disturbing her was enough. "Hmm... the pansies are already in bloom." Charlotte crouched down in front of the flowers I knew as well. As Charlotte knew flowers so well. Would she know other things too? Fortunately, I knew this flower too. It seemed that what Charlotte said about flowers wasn''t very different from the original world. "Do you know their language?" "The language of flowers?" "Isn''t there something like that? For each flower." "Oh, right." However, separate from her answer, Charlotte shook her head. "I don''t really like that." "Why?" "It''s just a label someone else put on them." Charlotte gently tapped the wide petals of the pansy with her fingertip. "A rose might symbolize love, but to someone else, it could mean sorrow." Flowers are better when they hold unique meanings for everyone. That''s why she disliked the language of flowers. That seemed to be Charlotte''s way of thinking. As she gazed at the pansy, she appeared to ponder for a moment before picking up a fallen blossom. It was a flower left discarded, seemingly broken off by someone who didn''t take it with them. "Do you know the language of the pansy?" "As if I would know that." "Actually, at Reinhardt''s level, you''ve already passed. I would''ve been surprised if you knew this as well." Charlotte looked up at me, holding the flower in her hand. "Do you want it? Would you consider it trash?" "Even trash becomes a gift if you give it to me." "You have a talent for saying touching words without moving the listener at all. That''s a skill too." With those words, Charlotte handed me a single pansy. I didn''t know what label she had attached to the pansy in her heart. If I had told her I knew the language of the pansy, she wouldn''t have given it to me. I lied to Charlotte. Once. There was a time when I had pointlessly memorized flowers and their meanings. I couldn''t memorize them all, but there were some that I did learn. Pansy. Its meaning: please think of me. CH 264 In truth, flowers are an exceedingly inconvenient gift. Unable to tuck them into my pocket, I carried a single bloom with me. Upon seeing this, Charlotte simply told me to discard it. Whether she found it pitiful or had some other reason, I could not tell. I really threw the hand fan Charlotte had given me amongst the flowers. "Wow... You actually threw it away." Charlotte seemed somewhat flustered. "...Didn''t you say to throw it away?" "What, so the gift I gave you is just trash?" "I merely prioritized the princess''s command." "...Really, why do people act like this?" "Do you feel upset? If you''re upset, just carry it with you again." "You know, Reinhardt, the moment you threw it away after I told you to, it was already over." "I made a mistake." "Could you at least recognize that it''s better for you to not say anything in situations like this? And I hate it even more when I tell you to throw it away, and then you actually do and say things like this." "..." "At least respond!" "Yes." Charlotte shook her head wearily, as if exhausted. There was another reason why I threw it away, but I did not say it. As Charlotte could not tell me the reason she gave me the hand fan, it was just like that. No passersby recognized Charlotte, perhaps due to the memory inhibition magic. I first met Charlotte at the beginning of this year. However, it felt like a distant, long-lost memory. A girl dying in a prison cell. I did not know who Charlotte was. Only later did I find out that she was a princess, which complicated matters, but in the end, I was able to arrive at the imperial capital because of that. If I had not met Charlotte, would I have been able to safely escape the demon realm? If I had not come to the imperial capital, what would have become of me? Though it''s pointless to speculate, I couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed by what might have happened. I might have lived as a nobody or wandered in the wasteland until I died. That vague thought was all that crossed my mind. All of this began with meeting Charlotte in that prison cell. Charlotte is my beginning. "...Your eyes look like those of an old man. What on earth are you thinking while looking at me?" "I-I never!" Charlotte''s expression soured, as if she found my gaze unpleasant. While admiring the flowers, she spoke as we walked. "You''ve always been strange, but lately, you seem even stranger." "...What is it?" "It''s like you''re teetering on the edge, filled with anxiety and impatience." I am not like Charlotte. I cannot manage my expressions. So when something is bothering me, the others notice and try to help me feel better, even if it''s just a change of mood. "I don''t know what''s making you so anxious, but why not try to relax your shoulders a bit?" Charlotte is worried about me. Even when she has her own problems to deal with, she thinks of me. Is this really the time for me to be concerned? You have your own issues, after all. I was torn between the urge to ask her about it and the feeling that I shouldn''t say anything. "Since I told you to relax, why are you getting even more tense?" Charlotte heaved a deep sigh. She was walking slightly ahead of me. As classes had just ended not long ago, the sun had not yet set. Charlotte''s platinum blonde hair dazzled in the autumn sunlight. She had regained her health from her previous frail state. It was only natural, but this appearance suited her far better. "Whoa!" While admiring the flowers, Charlotte suddenly startled and instinctively grabbed my arm. "What, what''s wrong? Why are you doing this?" "A bee, it''s because of the bee. Phew..." -Buzz Charlotte''s sudden surprise was due to a bee. It wasn''t even a wasp, but a honeybee. The honeybee flitted amongst the flowers and then vanished. "I thought something big happened..." "What! Really, sometimes I think you completely forget. I grew up so gracefully, you know?" Charlotte frowned upon seeing my reaction. She had indeed grown up gracefully. It was an excessive modesty for her to say so. The mere fact that a princess said, "I grew up gracefully," was already adorable. She had grown up exceedingly gracefully, though she had faced some harsh experiences. "But if you like flowers, why are you afraid of bees?" If you like flowers, isn''t it natural to encounter bees? "...I don''t have those in my garden, okay?" Could the palace garden be managed at such a level? Nonetheless, compared to the hardships she had faced, wasn''t a bee nothing more than a speck of dust on her foot? Charlotte stuck out her tongue. "Really, I can see right through you. Bees are an unknown fear to me. I''ve never been stung in my life, regardless of what I''ve been through. It''s natural to be afraid of the unknown, understood?" "I get that you''re talkative." "You really don''t spare any words for a princess, do you?" Charlotte burst into laughter, seemingly in disbelief. Though she said that, she seemed to be in a good mood. Charlotte loved flowers. But she was afraid of bees. I learned that once again. Seeing the presence of bees amongst the beautiful flowers along the riverside, Charlotte kept a slight distance from the flowers. Charlotte must have grown up in a garden with only butterflies. I sometimes forget how precious her upbringing was, but I''m reminded at times like this. Charlotte, unable to approach the flowers she loved due to the bees, laughed without energy. "Reinhardt, have you ever been stung by a bee?" "I have, yes." "Does it hurt a lot?" "It hurts quite a bit." "That much?" Charlotte widened her eyes and stared at me. "It''s not enough to kill you. It hurts for a short while, that''s all." There could be cases of anaphylaxis or similar shocks, which would be dangerous, but otherwise, it was just pain. "Should I try getting stung?" Charlotte said so and attempted to approach the flowers nearby. "Is there any need for such antics?" "Is there?" Charlotte scratched her cheek and grinned a bit foolishly. She watched the honeybees buzzing among the flowers from a safe distance. "Unknown things are frightening, aren''t they?" "...They are." Although there is fear in knowledge, the unknown is equally terrifying. Charlotte keeps her distance from the bees out of fear of the unknown. She makes sure not to get too close. Charlotte is afraid of something. "Reinhardt." "...Yes?" "Thank you for playing with me today." Charlotte''s words were strange. I was the one who asked Charlotte to play. Charlotte agreed to spend time with me, but she didn''t ask me to spend time with her. I was the one who clung to her first. Did Charlotte actually want to spend time like this? Charlotte gazed at me with a pleased smile. "I should be going now. If I return too late, there will be an uproar at the palace. I live in a place with surprisingly strict rules, you know. I''ve been busy lately too." Charlotte said, waving her hand. "The palace route is that way, so I''ll go that way." "Ah... Yes." If she were to head to the palace, she would have to go in that direction, and there was no reason for me to accompany her to the temple. Though it was abrupt, it wasn''t strange. If Charlotte returned late, there would indeed be a commotion. However. In the end, I couldn''t say anything. I didn''t ask her anything. In the end, all I got from Charlotte in this situation was a single flower with an ominous meaning that I could not accept. "Goodbye, Reinhardt." For some reason, Charlotte''s words felt like a farewell. I know nothing. However. A powerful conviction told me that if I let Charlotte go now, I would never see her again. My intuition spoke. If I let her go like this, today would be the last time I see Charlotte. That''s why I grabbed Charlotte''s arm as she was heading back to the palace. "Charlotte." "Huh? Yes? Why?" "Show me your home." "...What?" After asking her to play, now I wanted her to show me her home. Why do I always have serious reasons that lead to bizarre actions? ------ As expected. There was some resistance. Visiting a friend''s house is within the realm of possibility. However, the situation was different when said friend was the emperor''s daughter, and I was a commoner born from the mud. "No. Absolutely not. Why are you suddenly like this?" Please click the ads below to support the translation, thanks!!! Charlotte did not get angry at my sudden request, but she firmly refused. "I just want to see what kind of magnificent palace you live in." My candid expression seemed to startle Charlotte. "Why are you suddenly like this? Later, on a weekend or when we have time, I''ll invite you." "Today! It must be today! I am the type of person who must do things when they come to my mind! When I fought against the Orvis Class, I thought of it that day and took them down right away! You know that, right?" "I know, but why are you suddenly like this¡­" As anyone could predict, I threw a tantrum. Charlotte looked at me as if she was losing her mind. Maybe she thought it wouldn''t work on me because I''m the type to act like a brat indiscriminately. She said no several times, but finally, she sighed deeply and decided to take me with her. I did force her, but it was surprising that she complied. Has the commotion about the death subsided? "Haah¡­ Why am I¡­" Of course, it wasn''t an easy decision for her, so Charlotte glared at me with daggers in her eyes. "Why the palace all of a sudden?" "I told you. I want to see the amazing palace my friend lives in." I, too, wouldn''t want to be rude to a princess, no matter how close we are as friends. However, I couldn''t let Charlotte go just like that, even though I couldn''t know anything and she didn''t tell me anything. Moreover, the new trait called intuition. The strong premonition it sent was crucial. I can''t let Charlotte go today. If I do, I''ll never see her again. It wasn''t exactly a revelation, but it felt similar. I headed to the palace, knowing absolutely nothing about the revolutionary forces and that Charlotte was involved in another issue. Am I courting disaster? Or am I walking into disaster? I hope this isn''t the wrong choice. Charlotte seemed anxious, but she was taking me to the palace. ------ The scale of the imperial palace is even larger than the temple. It far exceeds the size of a district in Seoul, for comparison. Charlotte led me past the entrance of the palace. Here, the princess''s face was like an identification card, and I, a student of the temple, could enter the palace with the princess''s approval and guarantee. The security measures of the temple and the palace are the same. So, there is no chance of my true identity being discovered. If my disguise with Sarkegaar''s ring were to be detected, it would have been detected at the temple long ago. Charlotte, seemingly giving up, didn''t say anything about turning back. "In the palace, I''ll say that I brought you here forcibly. So, only act like a brat to me. If others know the truth, they''ll obviously try to kill you." Charlotte glared at me, and I grinned and nodded my head. "Of course. I also act like this only when I know people well, you know?" "¡­ Please, Reinhardt. Sometimes, I really, sincerely dislike you, and now is one of those times. Isn''t it something you shouldn''t say to me, at least, since I am being lenient with your tantrums?" "We¡¯re friends, right?" "Recognizing you as a friend might be one of the greatest mistakes of my life..." Seeing Charlotte sigh, I chuckled. "Well, at least it''s not your only mistake." "Be quiet. I really feel like I''m in a bad mood." "Alright." I quickly quieted down as Charlotte seemed genuinely serious. We boarded a waiting tram as soon as we passed the main gate of the Imperial Palace Emperatos. "There''s a tram here too?" "Yes, because it''s so vast." It was a tram prepared upon the announcement of the princess''s arrival. We were the only passengers. I pretended not to know, but I was aware. Ludwig had been in the palace and had described it to me. There are three tram lines within the palace. A royal-exclusive line, a line for nobles and bureaucrats, and a line for everyone else. We must have boarded the royal-exclusive line. Unlike the tram at the Temple, there were no handrails for standing passengers, the interior design was luxurious, and there were fewer seats. Nonetheless, without any annoying people recognizing the princess, Charlotte and I traveled around the palace like tourists on the tram. I hadn''t thought I''d be in the palace this morning. The palace had a different feel from the Temple. While the Temple was lively, as it was mostly filled with students, the palace was solemn and quiet. The passersby, whether they were nobles or bureaucrats, had stern expressions, clearly people of status. Charlotte, having brought me here, also provided a tour. "Do you see that? That''s the Imperial Palace Tetra, where His Majesty the Emperor resides." Beyond the vast garden and fountain, Charlotte pointed to the palace. It was a solemn-looking palace, more austere than ostentatious. In terms of splendor, the Royal Class dormitory was even more magnificent. However, the grand and imposing palace seemed to represent the authority of the empire. There was no need for opulence. It seemed to say as much. The pride of being the undisputed ruler of the continent meant there was no need for adornment. The descriptions in my mind became more intricately realized. The tram circled around the central Imperial Palace Tetra. "Do you know about the palace?" "Of course." I couldn''t help but know. Imperial Palace Emperatos The Gladius Empire had invested great efforts in the construction of the palace while establishing the imperial capital. Numerous magical barriers were laid out on the ley lines, and not only the walls but also the ley lines had hundreds of layers of intricate magical barriers to repel invasions and infiltration by impure forces. "Surrounding the Imperial Palace Tetra, there are four main palaces in the cardinal directions. There are other palaces as well, but the largest ones, aside from the Imperial Palace, are those four. Starting from the north, they are called the Palace of Spring, Palace of Summer, Palace of Autumn, and Palace of Winter." "I''ve heard of that." "Do you know why they are named this way?" "No, is there a reason?" "Yes." I knew, but seeing Charlotte enjoying herself while explaining, I just shook my head. "In the early days of the empire, much attention was paid to the security of the Imperial Palace. That''s why there were hundreds of layers of magical barriers." "Really?" "Yes. As a result, the ley lines became distorted, and the mana in the surrounding area became unbalanced, causing strange phenomena." "And then?" "The four seasons suddenly appeared simultaneously within the Imperial Palace." "...Really?" "Yes, really." It was a side effect of the powerful magic applied. Excluding the center where the Imperial Palace stood, the four directions had the seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. "Of course, a lot of time has passed since then, and the phenomenon disappeared after maintenance, but it seems they couldn''t fix it for quite a while. So, the names of the palaces were not originally based on the seasons but eventually became the Palace of Spring, Palace of Summer, Palace of Autumn, and Palace of Winter, following the local seasons. Now even the Imperial Palace uses those names." The tram continued to move, and as a palace came into view, Charlotte pointed it out. "Over there is the ''Palace of Winter,'' where Berthus lives." It was a palace with a dignified posture. Hearing the name ''Palace of Winter'' gave it a cold and eerie atmosphere. Of course, it was much more pleasant than the High Castle Epiax. The palace seemed lonely yet resilient, perhaps due to the person living there. Berthus, who plotted from the Palace of Winter. It seemed to suit him well. Although the phenomenon of changing seasons had disappeared. "Isn''t it a bit of a shame?" Charlotte suddenly said. "What is?" "How nice it would have been if that Berthus shivered in the Winter Palace." How should I react to such a sudden comment? As I was taken aback, Charlotte covered her mouth and giggled. "I''m just kidding. If that were the case, Berthus wouldn''t have lived in the Winter Palace to begin with." Although it was called the Palace of Winter, Berthus''s Winter Palace was actually experiencing autumn. However, there was a winter-like feeling even though it was autumn. The reason could be found not in the palace, but in the garden. Had I not described this part? The vast garden in front of the Palace of Winter. There wasn''t a single flower in sight. Although there were withering brown grass and shrubs, not a single flower could be found. Strange. I couldn''t quite remember the description I had written long ago, but was Berthus''s Winter Palace garden always so barren? I didn''t think I had described it that way. I was certain there were flowers and flower beds in the description. But why is it like that now? Charlotte seemed to have sensed my confusion and spoke up. "It''s desolate, isn''t it?" "Well...yes, it is." Should I say it''s typical of Berthus? It had a sense of order but wasn''t ostentatious. "It''s absurd to have a garden without a single flower bed." Charlotte crossed her arms and clicked her tongue. "Isn''t it childish? He removed all the flowers from his garden just because I like them. When I heard that, I wasn''t angry, but rather dumbfounded." Unexpectedly, Berthus had a childish side. Charlotte loved flowers. For Berthus, that was reason enough to hate them. My memory wasn''t wrong. The reason there were no flowers in Berthus''s garden was because Charlotte, who loved flowers, was still alive. So in the original story, there were flowers in the Winter Palace''s garden because Charlotte, who loved flowers, had died? Since the reason to hate flowers had disappeared, it was okay to have flowers in his garden. Is that what it was? If Charlotte died, flowers would bloom in Berthus''s garden. It was both childish and eerie, revealing their mutual hatred and resentment towards each other. This must have been a setting I wasn''t aware of. Charlotte grinned with a gloomy expression. "You should have seen his face when I planted the uprooted flowers in my palace." Berthus wasn''t the only childish one. Charlotte was equally childish. "Ah, we''ve arrived." The tram had reached the northern Imperial Palace. "Over there is the ''Palace of Spring,'' where I live." The Palace of Spring. Rather than the Palace of Spring, shouldn''t it be called the Palace of Flowers? The garden was filled with blooming flowers, giving me that impression. Not long ago, someone died there. In the Imperial Palace, where everyone should be safe. And in a place that should be particularly secure, someone had died. Instead of the blooming flowers in the garden, I was curious about what was hidden beneath them. CH 265 In the well-tended gardens of the palace, flowers of unknown names abounded. Yet they did not appear disordered. If the Winter Palace''s gardens evoked the feeling of a serene and orderly park, the Spring Palace''s gardens seemed to be in the midst of a festival. Berthus''s garden was barren, but not untidy. Charlotte''s palace was ornate, but not chaotic. A garden filled with flowers, and another devoid of even a single bloom. I felt that these aspects ultimately spoke of the similarities between the two. Charlotte, who loved flowers, and Berthus, who despised them. Because Berthus detested flowers, Charlotte planted even more of them, even going so far as to take and plant the flowers Berthus had discarded, as if to defy him. Both were fixated on each other''s likes and dislikes. What would become of Charlotte''s garden if Berthus were to die? With no reason to obsess over flowers any longer, the garden might not disappear, but it would certainly lose some of its current brilliance. In this way, I realized they were truly similar. Such thoughts crossed my mind. Charlotte led the way through the garden brimming with flowers. The gardeners tending the flower beds paid their respects silently upon seeing the princess. No special conversations took place. There were no questions about the unexpected guest. If the Winter Palace gave off a cold impression, the Spring Palace, whether due to its name or design, appeared comfortable and cozy. Surrounded by vibrant flowers, the palace that exuded warmth rather than opulence seemed to compensate for its lack of grandeur. The garden was a part of the palace. I thought that this applied to both the Winter and Spring Palaces. The Imperial Palace Tetra was no exception. "Really no bees?" "¡­Wow." Charlotte''s eyes widened at my words. "The flowers are beautiful. They smell nice. They''re well-tended. I didn''t expect you to say that, but you were still thinking about it?" Of course, I was! With so many flowers, it was natural to expect bees, but as you said, there really were no bees in sight, which was astonishing! "Of course not. If I got stung, the gardener''s head would roll." As Charlotte spoke with a laugh, I broke into a cold sweat. There must be no bees in this garden, or they could not come here. The pest control must be quite effective. "No, but then¡­ what about¡­ you know." "Pollen transfer?" "Yeah, that." If there were no bees, the pollen transfer wouldn''t happen, and wouldn''t that be a problem? "You worry about strange things. They''ll figure it out." "How?" "¡­Reinhardt, I don''t know about such things." Charlotte loved flowers, and thus, this vast garden of blossoms was created. There was no need or reason for her to know the specifics of what the gardeners had to do. That was the nature of power. Charlotte lived a life where such things were simply taken for granted. No matter how I looked at it, Charlotte was a distant figure to me. I don''t need to know such things. The underlings will handle it. How bold it was for her to say so. Charlotte walked through the garden and arrived at the entrance of the palace. Inside, a grand hall, spiral staircase, statues, and columns awaited. I couldn''t help but think that the palace was far too vast for Charlotte to live in alone. No, she would not live alone. There would be maids and servants, various personnel tasked with different duties, and an escort of soldiers. However... Somehow... There were no servants to be seen in the grand hall. Well, they could be seen, but... There should have been people coming to greet Charlotte. No one came to meet Charlotte, and there seemed to be very few people around. Something must have happened here, and this quietness was a trace of that event. Although Charlotte had forcibly brought me here, would there be no chance for me to see anything suspicious? Charlotte was the first to speak in the cold palace. "I told you before, don''t make useless remarks. I will handle it." "Yes." I will keep that in mind. It was as if Charlotte had admitted that she could rely on me. What a pleasant feeling. "Your Highness." And then, a person who had been sitting somewhere in the hall stood up and came to greet Charlotte. I couldn''t help but widen my eyes at the sight of the approaching person. He was alive. The cavalry lieutenant who had provided crucial assistance when we escaped the Demonic Realm. "Have you returned?" "Ah, Dyrus. Say hello. This is my friend, Reinhardt. Reinhardt, say hello. This is Sir Dyrus, my escort knight." Now Charlotte''s escort knight, Dyrus, was standing before me. ¡ª--- I had been guessing that Dyrus might be dead, and I couldn''t ask Charlotte about it. There was no reason for me to know Dyrus. He had become Charlotte''s escort knight. Charlotte had managed to protect the person who had saved her in some way. However, Dyrus''s skills were not superhuman. I could not know what kind of development had taken place since then. He was safe. That''s enough. But contrary to my relief, Dyrus looked at me with a cautious gaze. "Your Highness, bringing an outsider here is..." "He''s a friend." "Even so..." Despite Charlotte''s words, Dyrus showed a troubled expression. The rumors of what had happened here were likely true. That''s why the entry of outsiders is currently prohibited. Charlotte was desperately trying to cover up my coercion with her own, and Dyrus looked troubled. The princess who had brought a friend home against her friend''s wishes was now making a fuss herself. "Your Highness." And then, cutting through Dyrus''s voice, another familiar voice was heard. It wasn''t familiar to my ears, but it wasn''t unfamiliar either. "Your Highness, you should refrain from bringing outsiders here." I had seen her before, the commander of the Empire''s 1st Knights Division, Shanafel, Sabiolin Tana. Why is she here? She, dressed in the Knights Division uniform, was walking toward Charlotte and me. "It hasn''t been long, Reinhardt." She, of course, recognized me. "You ought to have been invited, but I''m sorry, I must ask you to leave." She spoke as if Charlotte''s opinion did not matter. Has Shanafel been put in charge of the Spring Palace''s security? The effect of the rumors that Sarkegaar had mentioned was unfolding before my eyes in real-time. What on earth had transpired? Was Charlotte safe? "Captain Tana, I am the one who makes that decision." "Although temporary, I am the one responsible for the palace''s safety." Suddenly, a nerve-racking standoff unfolded between the world''s strongest woman and the First Princess. "Are you implying that Reinhardt is a dangerous person?" "I believe you understand that''s not what I''m saying." I resolved to bluff, trusting my intuition, but was Charlotte engaging in an unnecessary battle because of my stubbornness? Sabiolin Tana stared at me, as if to say, she had tolerated enough of Charlotte''s persistence. It would be better for me to take the hint and back off than to have her engage in a confrontation with the princess. The expression was as if to say, "You should know when to leave on your own." However, I could not retreat, even with the world''s strongest woman before me. I needed to find out what was happening to Charlotte here. I had no intention of backing down. Upon seeing me stare back defiantly, she turned her gaze back to Charlotte. "Your Highness, let''s talk for a moment." Her tone was almost commanding. Was this the extent of the authority and power that Sabiolin Tana possessed? "Yes, Captain Tana." Charlotte''s spirit remained unbroken. It was strange that both Dyrus and Sabiolin Tana opposed my visit. Therefore, it was reasonable to think that this situation was exclusive to the Spring Palace. Sabiolin Tana, Charlotte, and Dyrus went somewhere to talk privately. They went far enough away that I couldn''t hear their conversation. There were no other knights in sight, except for the commander. She seemed to be alone. I couldn''t tell whether the others were hidden and guarding someplace or what. If a murder had occurred, shouldn''t security be heightened? Why was it so eerily quiet? An ominous feeling crept in. How much time had passed? When they returned, Sabiolin Tana appeared to be quite agitated. I felt sorry for Charlotte. Because of my unnecessary stubbornness, she had to engage in an unnecessary battle. "Eat dinner and go. It''s alright." Charlotte said, smiling brightly, while the others remained silent. I was amazed that my persistence worked. It was a request that could barely be accommodated even in ordinary circumstances. Yet, in this extraordinary situation, Charlotte granted my insistence. "Shall we take a walk?" As if offering to show me around, Charlotte led me through the quiet and desolate Spring Palace. Neither Dyrus nor Tana followed us. "What''s really going on all of a sudden?... I didn''t want to fight with Captain Tana." "Did you fight?" "Not exactly, but... Just know that I had to sacrifice my reputation to take care of you." There seemed to be a slight chill in Charlotte''s gaze. I wondered if I had caused trouble by relying solely on my intuition. "Anyway, don''t be rude to Captain Tana or Captain Dyrus. Got it?" "Of course. I''m not crazy." "Right. It would be strange now if you were." Well. I have a conscience, and I should admit what needs to be admitted. "You''re right. I might be crazy, but I''m not so insane as to mess with the commander of Shanafel. Don''t worry." "Then why are you messing with me?" "Friend..." "Shut up!" Charlotte, as if she couldn''t stand to hear it anymore, covered her ears. "Shut up!" The echo of Charlotte''s shout filled the corridors of the Spring Palace, which was eerily silent. "It''s quiet here." "...It wasn''t always like this. We''ve reduced the number of people recently." "Really?" "Yes. Let''s go." Having brought me here, Charlotte seemed to have no intention of showing me around with enthusiasm, but she eagerly led the way. There were no signs of a murder. Even if there were, I wouldn''t be able to recognize them, and there would be no reason for them to remain. The first place Charlotte took me to was the gallery. "Do you like paintings?" "...I can''t lie about this. I don''t like them at all." "Can I assume you have no interest in anything related to art in general?" "That''s right." "Actually, neither do I." Charlotte casually walked past the numerous paintings and sculptures hung in the large gallery within the palace. "I don''t understand it. Paintings are just inferior imitations of reality. They''re simply lesser versions of reality, and their only function lies in their preservation, like taxidermy. But with the development of mnemonic magic, that function has become obsolete. Still, it''s strange to see people still fussing over brushstrokes." Charlotte could be quite cynical at times, incomparable to Berthus. The value of painting, an imitation of reality, had plummeted with the development of magic similar to photography. Abstract art seemed to be an unknown concept here. I learned an unexpected fact. While denying the potential of painting, Charlotte walked through the gallery filled with portraits. "These are portraits of the people who lived in the Spring Palace. Some are royalty, others are not." "Really? So, even non-royalty can live in the palace?" "Yes." Although it was only a confirmation of what I already knew, Charlotte eagerly explained. Her earnest demeanor was quite endearing, so I pretended to be curious on purpose. "The Summer Palace has the largest scale, with many subsidiary palaces. That''s where the royal relatives have lived since ancient times. The Autumn Palace in the south is where the officials work." I wonder who lived in the Spring Palace in the original work. Although it was where Charlotte lived, she would not have been able to return, and another master would have taken her place. I don''t know about that. Berthus lived in the Winter Palace in the original work as well. One cannot know what they don''t know. The residences of the royal relatives might have expanded. There were two potential heirs living in two of the four palaces. Charlotte and Berthus, each the master of one of the palaces, and Oscar de Gradias residing in the eastern Summer Palace, the residence of the royal relatives. Even if they were all royalty, Berthus''s words about them being incomparable to one another now made sense. After walking through the gallery, we visited the chapel next. Though dust did not accumulate, the space felt as if it had been unused for a long time. In the presence of the statues of the five gods, Charlotte looked at me. "Do you have a god you follow?" "Not really." "I thought so." Although I am Tiamata''s master, I naturally have no god that I follow. The religion of this world is peculiar. Rather, it has to be different. There is no concept of not believing in gods. There are gods. However, the question is whether one follows that god. Those who follow are considered religious. One cannot deny the existence of gods, for there is the divine power called godly force, and the divine artifacts bestowed by the gods. "And you?" "Me? Not really..." Charlotte shook her head. "Of course, if Artorius hadn''t won, I would have died, so maybe I should serve the War God, Alse... I''ve thought about that." Ragan Artorius was not a priest of Alse, but he did wield the divine artifact, Alsebringer, to defeat the Demon King. "Even though I think Artorius saved me... it doesn''t feel like it was just that..." Charlotte smiled wistfully. She must have been thinking about Valier. Was my existence such a great salvation for Charlotte? Of course, I did save her life, but if Artorius hadn''t existed before that, the war wouldn''t have ended. "How strong must the Demon King have been? Even if Artorius had been defeated, couldn''t the allied forces have killed the Demon King if they joined forces?" "Well..." I say this, but in fact, I know. The former Demon King, Valier. Although the novel begins with the death of the Demon King, how powerful was he? If it wasn''t for Ragan Artorius, the Demon King wouldn''t have died. The allied forces would have been defeated. People know that Ragan Artorius killed the Demon King, but they don''t know how he did it. The battle took place inside the Demon King''s castle, with no audience to witness it. That is something only I know in this world. If it wasn''t for Alsebringer, even Ragan Artorius wouldn''t have been able to subdue the Demon King. If Ragan Artorius hadn''t been there, the Demon King would have won, and I wouldn''t have had to flee. Charlotte would have died. "How ridiculous... to think like this." Charlotte and I, having left the chapel, continued to walk around the palace. There was a music room, but no musicians. The instrument storeroom next to it was also empty. Charlotte introduced me to various places. Quarters for palace staff, kitchen, dining hall, dressing room, storeroom, and guest bedrooms. Even more surprisingly. "Is, is this alright?" "...Every time I realize there''s a limit to rudeness, I''m amazed. What''s not alright? You''ve already been quite rude." Charlotte even showed me her bedroom. CH 266 Charlotte''s bedroom was not so spacious as to allow for a game of football within its confines. It featured an elegant canopy bed draped with silk curtains, a table for meetings, an armchair and sofa, as well as neatly arranged furnishings including bookshelves. There was a dressing room within the bedroom, and it appeared to also have a large bathroom. The royal-class dormitory was quite impressive, but it naturally could not compare to the princess''s bedroom. Suddenly, I became curious. Did Charlotte dress herself, or did she have maids to help her? In the dormitory, she would have to do everything on her own. Well, there might be some articles of clothing that were difficult to put on or take off without assistance. In such cases, she might need to borrow someone''s hand. Of course, I didn''t ask. As I surveyed the bedroom, I eventually blurted out my thoughts. "The bed... It''s enormous, isn''t it?" "Truly, your perspective is commendable," Charlotte said, seemingly expecting such a remark as she gestured to the gigantic bed that was more than twice the size of a king size. It was not only wide but also unusually long. "Yet, astonishingly, you are right. That bed is too vast. But I only realized how uncomfortable it was after using the dormitory bed." The dormitory bed was large as well, but not to that extent. Have you seen people living in rooms narrower than your bed? It''s just slightly smaller than an average studio apartment. "I always thought I had to crawl my way to the edge of the bed to get down. But in the dormitory bed, all I have to do is roll over once to the side?" Charlotte''s realization that she had been using an uncomfortable bed all her life, only after trying a smaller one, made me laugh. Her expression was endearing. Being able to get off the bed by rolling over once to the side was too delightful. Imagining Charlotte doing that, the gravity of the current situation seemed to dissipate, and I almost burst into laughter. "Do you want to lie down on it?" "I know you think I''m crazy, but I''m not that far gone!" I have some decency! Others may not agree, but I''m sure it exists! I''m not the type to roll around on the princess''s bed, cackling like a madman! At my reaction, Charlotte covered her mouth and laughed. "Why not? That bed is so large that even if we sleep on opposite sides, our fingertips would never touch, even if we had the worst sleeping habits." "Ah, why must you be like this?" With my exaggerated protests and persistence, Charlotte seemed to be driven to the brink of insanity, talking nonsense. She didn''t give me a tour of the expansive bedroom. Given that it was a bedroom, there would likely be sensitive items. There were a few portraits, but I did not inquire about the identities of the individuals depicted. A grown woman who resembled Charlotte. There was no need to ask. It would surely be a painful name for Charlotte. At that moment. Something that was difficult to perceive as human. That something. I stopped thinking about it. "Would you like to see something interesting?" "What is it?" With a mysterious smile, Charlotte grabbed my arm and led me somewhere. She directed me towards a wall near the bookshelves. "You know, in novels, royalty living in places like this... when chaos erupts, they escape through secret passages." "You don''t mean...?" "Indeed." Charlotte fit her necklace into a groove on the wall between two bookshelves, a portion of the wall adorned with embossed column-like designs. -Click With that sound, the wall rotated, and Charlotte and I were transported to the other side. I could not help but be astonished as the rotation finished. "¡­What is this?" "Fascinating, isn''t it?" Before us lay a staircase descending downward. The bedroom was on the second floor. However, this staircase seemed designed to lead not to the first floor, but to continue endlessly downward into the depths below. "This is the secret passage of the Spring Palace." "Isn''t this¡­ a crucial secret?" Charlotte calmly nodded her head. "Yes. Aside from me, perhaps only His Majesty the Emperor knows of it. Neither Dyrus nor, naturally, Tana would know." Charlotte showed me her necklace. "This is the key." It must be an heirloom passed down through the generations of the Spring Palace''s occupants. "¡­Should I not be seeing this?" "Why not?" Charlotte tilted her head inquisitively. "We''re friends, aren''t we?" Even so, to tell me something like this¡­ It''s starting to become a bit frightening¡­ "So, where does this lead to?" "This is the heart of the empire. The secret passage wouldn''t be so mundane." Charlotte led me down the long staircase and to a room at the end. The secret passage concluded there. In that room stood a single door. However, there was certainly a path there. More than a path. A gate. "This is¡­" "If it''s a place for escape, one should be able to go anywhere, right?" A warp gate stood in this space. ¡ª--- A miniature warp gate. Of course, it was currently deactivated. I didn''t know how far it could reach, but if it connected to other warp gates within range, it would be a perfect means of escape. "Could spatial magic be used within the palace?" "It''s possible but restricted, but why wouldn''t it work in certain areas?" Charlotte spoke as if it were nothing remarkable. What could be the reason for her sharing this with me? Charlotte revealed a very important secret just for the sake of amusement. It didn''t seem like she had any other intentions. It wasn''t a space she could show off like a child bragging about their home. I must consider this gate when the gate incident occurs. I cannot determine if a monster will emerge from this currently deactivated gate, but it was certainly a place that needed to be examined. Charlotte continued to guide me through various areas even after leaving the bedroom. There were many spaces, but they were mostly empty or contained very few people. As a result, the entire place felt desolate. "The palace is large, but not many spaces are in use. Lately, there are fewer people, making it even more desolate." It wasn''t as desolate as the White Palace of Arnaca I had visited before, but the Spring Palace also seemed forlorn. It was a different kind of desolation. The White Palace appeared to have always been such a place. The Spring Palace, however, seemed like it hadn''t always been this way. It had not been desolate, but was becoming so. Somehow, it felt like a dying place. That was the sensation it evoked. Upon touring every corner of the palace, a considerable amount of time had passed, and the glow of the setting sun poured in. "Not much to see, huh?" At Charlotte''s words, I couldn''t help but chuckle. It was a bit odd to say that a palace with a mini warp gate in the basement wasn''t extraordinary... "I''d like to say, what are you talking about? But honestly, I suppose it''s true." In the end, that''s all there was to it. "You''re quite frank." Charlotte seemed pleased with my answer. Although it was a palace, it was merely a grand building. With many empty spaces, Charlotte was not so much the master of the palace as a person living in one of its rooms. The warm glow of the setting sun painted the corridor red, intensifying the melancholy due to the few people enjoying the light. Amidst the desolate sunset, Charlotte, having completed the tour of the palace, gazed at me. "It''s strange." "¡­What is?" "Actually, I''ve always wanted to do this once." She smiled a lonely smile. "Bring a friend and show them where I live. Give them a tour and tell them that living in a place like this isn''t all that impressive. At least, just once." Charlotte wore an expression as if she had fulfilled an unexpected wish. Though I was ¡®coerced¡¯ to come along, Charlotte had secretly hoped for this. That''s why, even though it was a pretense, I didn''t mind, and despite knowing that Shanafel would object, she brought me along. "You seem to know my heart quite well, Reinhardt. It''s really strange¡­ Why do you know so well? Why are you always there when I need someone?" I had a feeling I knew what Charlotte needed right now. Someone to simply be by her side. That seemed to be what she needed. "Actually, I''m going to quit the Temple soon." At those words, my mind seemed to grind to a halt. I couldn''t tell what the warning from Gikam was, but in the end, was it meant to reveal this to me? If I had carried on, distracted by other matters, Charlotte would have suddenly disappeared. Without ever knowing why she vanished, I would have spent my time in frustration, unable to ask Berthus about Charlotte''s well-being. Berthus. Charlotte. Had she ultimately lost to Berthus? What, then, was the murder in the Spring Palace? Did Berthus try to kill Charlotte and fail? If so, why didn''t that failure cause problems for Berthus? The palace was so empty due to the struggle for the throne, and was it to prepare for any possible misfortune that Sabiolin Tana took charge of Charlotte''s protection? "Is it because of Berthus?" Charlotte''s reaction to my question was peculiar. "If that''s the case, what will you do?" "¡­What?" "If I ultimately lost in the struggle for the throne, and that''s why things are like this, and that''s why I''m quitting the Temple¡­ If that''s the case." Charlotte looked at me. "Then, what will you do?" "What will happen then?" I already knew the answer. "The outcome for the defeated royal family in the struggle for the imperial succession is clear. They either die immediately, or they die a little later." Charlotte gazed at the scenery outside the palace. "They could be killed right away, or exiled far away only to be eventually executed in their place of exile, yielding to the pleas of their vassals to eliminate the source of unrest. Oh, there are cases where they''re attacked by bandits or ambushed on their way to exile... They won''t be able to live." After explaining this, Charlotte looked at me. "If that becomes my fate, what will you do?" My hesitation was short-lived. No, there was no hesitation at all. "I''ll save you." "How?" "By any means necessary." "Anyone can say that." "No." Ignoring Charlotte''s words, I took a step closer to her. "Did you forget my supernatural abilities?" "..." "When I believe, it happens." Charlotte stared at me quietly. "I will save you. That''s how it''s meant to be." "It''s just an excuse." It is an excuse. "Yes, it''s an excuse." I looked at Charlotte. Indeed, this is just an excuse. "But with an excuse, I became a supernatural being, succeeded in enhancing my magical power, and, despite being a beggar on the streets, I managed to enter this spring palace." In my life full of excuses, I''ll make another one. My excuses have always turned into reality. This time will be no different. I believe so. "I''ll save you no matter what happens, and if I fail to save you, I''ll kill Berthus." "!" Anyone can say they will try to save you. But not everyone can say they''ll kill the next emperor if they fail to save you. Charlotte, knowing what kind of crazy talk my words were, was shocked with her mouth agape. I will do it. Berthus may be my friend now, but if he kills Charlotte, he can no longer be my friend. Charlotte tried to understand the meaning of my words but eventually gave up and let out a bitter laugh. "You... Why are you doing all this for me? No matter how much I think about it... I really don''t understand why you need to go this far, even saying such things for me." "We''re friends, aren''t we?" "!" How many times have we repeated these words today? In the end, Charlotte lost her words to the final echo of that phrase. After a long silence, Charlotte swallowed and looked at me with a forced smile. "What a shame." What is she regretting? "I know you''ve been acting strange today because you''re worried about me. But this is enough." Of course, Charlotte couldn''t help but know the reason for my strange behavior today. "It''s not because of Berthus. So..." Charlotte pinched my cheek slightly. "You won''t have a chance to cause trouble this time." It was an expression like receiving a death sentence, something that even my excuses couldn''t change. "Thank you, Reinhardt." Tears welled up in Charlotte''s eyes. "I wanted to hear that you''d cause trouble for me." I may not have a chance. But Charlotte, as if it was enough just to hear those words, was crying and smiling. CH 267 Chapter 267 The evening meal at the Spring Palace was nothing short of splendid. At the grandly prepared dining table, we dined with the assistance of attending maidservants. While the number of people had diminished, I didn''t find the meal too uncomfortable with someone assisting me. Despite my unintentional overeating, Charlotte watched me contentedly as I forcefully stuffed myself. In the end, I had eaten so much that even Dyrus and Sabiolin Tana, who dined with us, appeared to be somewhat overwhelmed. "¡­Really, you ate that much?" "When else would I have the opportunity to eat like this?" Charlotte decided to leave the temple. As for Berthus, he was uninvolved. Ultimately, I could not understand what had transpired here. Charlotte did not explain her reason for leaving the temple either. Charlotte had issued a warning. Whatever befell her, it would not be a matter involving Berthus; I should not engage in any unnecessary actions that would provoke a crisis. Even that could potentially be false. It was clear that there was a hidden story behind Charlotte''s situation, but it was impossible for me to hear the answer. After the evening meal, we shared various stories over tea time. When circumstances become overly serious, people tend to engage in lighter conversations. Once heavy subjects are broached, the atmosphere becomes dominated by that topic, leaving everyone at a loss for words. We were precisely like that. Having decided to return after dinner, we had to leave soon. Although I was not yet eager to depart and would have preferred to stay the night, such a pretext would not work on Sabiolin Tana, even if it might have with Charlotte. Charlotte bid her farewells, promising to prepare well. "Farewell, Reinhardt. Lady Tana will escort you." With such casual farewells, Sabiolin Tana approached to accompany me. This was less an escort and more to ensure that I left properly. "Reinhardt." "Ah, yes, Lady Sabiolin." Sabiolin Tana called out to me. "Just Tana is fine." At her curt words, I nodded my head. "Yes, Tana." "¡­I didn''t mean for you to drop the title." "Yes, Lady Tana." Despite the grave situation, her awkwardness was strangely endearing. Ellen must have truly been so. "Follow me. There''s something I need to check on briefly." Before sending me out of the palace, she seemed to have some business with me. Perhaps she was escorting me instead of Dyrus because there was something she needed to confirm. She led me somewhere within the palace. To what seemed to be a training hall. Though the torches were lit, there were no people around. Suddenly, she drew her sword. "Take it." It was a bit eerie, but she gripped the sword and handed it to me. "It''s nothing major. I just want to see your skills." "¡­All of a sudden?" "I was curious about the future of the empire that my junior mentioned. Since we were at a banquet then, I wanted to take this opportunity to check it out." The world''s strongest was proposing a casual spar. It certainly appeared to be without any ulterior motives. However, while she handed me the sword, she was unarmed herself. In the training hall, there were no other weapons displayed. It was unlikely that Charlotte would practice her swordsmanship here. "Ah, I see." Upon my staring, she seemed to realize her own bare hands and looked at them. "Don''t worry." -Woosh- From her empty hands, blue mana gathered and formed the shape of a sword. It wasn''t an Aura Blade, projecting power onto a sword and overlaying it with magic. She had reached a level where she could create a sword solely with her magic. Surpassing even the extraordinary, she was the transcendent. The Swordmaster who went beyond a Swordmaster, Sabiolin Tana. But isn''t this person crossing the line? "What are you planning to do by summoning that?" "Don''t worry. I can control it. Right now, it''s about the level of a sturdy wooden sword." As if saying that a child wouldn''t understand, she summoned the Aura Sword and pointed it at me. "Ah, well, that''s different then." "Go ahead and try anything." "Yes." Feeling like anything I did would be futile, I approached Tana with her sword in hand. As I moved, her shoulders and steps shifted, even though I hadn''t touched her yet. She seemed to read all my possible attacks, adjusting her distance and taking a defensive stance even before I could make a move. When I crossed swords with her, I felt like I would be immediately blocked. So, I retreated slightly and measured the distance between us. I had never been able to do this before. However, it became possible after I awakened my ''Intuition.'' Among the numerous abilities I received, Intuition was the most overpowered. Of course, the Hero''s Bloodline and Sacred Spirit were also incredibly powerful, but the versatility of Intuition made it exceptionally potent. It always seemed to be activated, not just in specific situations. In this situation, I could see my opponent''s movements more clearly. Not at a level where I could read them, but more subtly. As I observed my opponent''s preemptive movements in response to mine, I could predict to some extent what kind of offense and defense would occur. It wasn''t the realm of special powers. It was simply that I could now see what Ellen had seen. With the help of this ability, I could do what would have taken years of training. As I adjusted my stance and the trajectory of my sword, she moved accordingly. Although our swords had never clashed, it felt like we had already engaged in five exchanges. If I went in, I''d be blocked. So I tried another way, and my opponent responded with another method, so I adjusted again. Within that repetition. My opponent''s shoulders, footwork, and the direction of her sword grip. I continuously predicted the offense and defense through subtle changes in stance. "..." "... You''re not just bluffing." She must have seen what I saw but at a much higher level. That''s why this exchange, not quite an exchange, was possible. She nodded her head. She looked at me. For some reason, I couldn''t help but notice... This person resembled Ellen in that I could read her thoughts. In the beginning, I often couldn''t understand what Ellen was thinking, but with this person, it was clear. ''He''s not just bluffing.'' ''I heard he hasn''t even been learning the sword for a year.'' ''Even if he learned from a genius.'' ''Is this even possible?'' ''What kind of talent is this?'' ¡®Has his magical power been enhanced as well?¡¯ ¡®Does he possess supernatural abilities too?¡¯ ¡®What is this?¡¯ ¡®He''s terrifying.¡¯ ¡®Should we invite him to Shanafel?¡¯ ¡®It''s tempting.¡¯ ¡®But it takes too long to graduate.¡¯ Such seemed to be her thoughts. Why do I feel like I can read her mind only? Swish "That''s enough. I don''t need to see anymore." In the end, she dispelled her Aura Sword without even crossing swords with me once. I courteously returned her sword. With her lips tightly sealed, she seemed to be contemplating various thoughts as she looked at me. I suddenly wished Ellen could be this perceptive. "I''m not sure if you''re the future of the Empire, but at least I think Epinhauser''s judgment was not mistaken." "Is that a compliment?" "I''m merely stating the truth." This person. She resembled not only Ellen but Epinhauser as well, though of course they were of different ages. She looked at me as she sheathed her sword. "Follow me." Without saying anything, she left the training hall and went outside to the palace gardens in full bloom. The gardeners were nowhere to be found. Had they all left for the day? Rumble "It seems rain is coming." The once clear sky had suddenly become overcast, ominous thunder rumbling in the distance. It hadn''t been long since the sunset, and yet the sky had darkened so quickly. She handed me an umbrella. However, she didn''t use one herself. "Won''t you use one?" "No need." Although rain seemed imminent, she walked through the palace gardens as if it didn''t matter. The palace and its gardens were vast, and it would take quite a while to exit. No guards could be seen anywhere in the palace or its gardens. Perhaps the mere presence of Sabiolin Tana was enough to replace numerous guards. The few palace servants that remained seemed to have left the palace entirely. We walked for some time. Pitter-patter Rain began to fall. I opened the umbrella, but she simply let the rain fall on her. I tried to shield her with the umbrella, but she declined and kept her distance. She walked in silence, allowing the rain to fall on her. I could tell she wasn''t in the best of moods. Together, we strolled through the rain-soaked palace gardens in spring. The tram stop was still far away. Suddenly, she spoke. "Her Majesty said you''re someone who can take her secrets to the grave." "...Did she?" "Yes. She also said you''ve been a great help to her, a benefactor and a friend. She said it''s alright to share some of my own secrets." Apparently, such words had been exchanged between them in a separate conversation. My own secrets. In the end. The outcome I had least desired. It wasn''t Berthus, or anything else. Was it all due to a problem with Charlotte herself? "Thus, this is a highly unusual occurrence. A complete outsider like you, learning the secrets of the royal family solely through the will of Her Highness the Princess. It''s not even a matter for me to decide. So, if this matter is ever leaked, not only your life but mine will be forfeited as well. Keep what you are about to hear to yourself." With a sufficient warning, Sabiolin Tana begins to speak. "Currently, the Spring Palace is off-limits to all outsiders. Not just foreigners, but most of the palace staff have been placed on standby outside, except for a select few who can be trusted." So it was intended for me to hear this story from Sabiolin Tana, as Charlotte had not mentioned it herself. Charlotte had granted me permission to know part of her secret. "Thus, when Her Highness brought you here, both Sir Dyrus and I were surprised. It wasn''t a situation that should have happened. Bear in mind that the conversations between the Princess and myself were situational, not politically motivated. I am uninvolved in all matters arising from politics." "¡­Yes." Sabiolin Tana. Although she holds the significant title of Shanafel Commander, she has nothing to do with politics. She claims that it is a path that doesn''t align with her. "You are a psychic, right?" "Yes." "Then you must be well aware of the dangers of psychic powers, more so than ordinary people?" "Yes." "Her Highness''s psychic ability is one of those dangerous powers. It''s an ability that is difficult to control. That''s why it couldn''t be made public. Until now, Her Highness has been focusing on controlling her ability." Charlotte''s psychic ability. I had only guessed that it was an offensive ability and had to be kept secret because it was of a dangerous nature. "I can''t go into details. However, both the royal family and Her Highness struggle to control that power. That''s why it has become difficult for Her Highness to continue living in the Temple." "¡­I see." Dangerous and hard-to-control psychics are eliminated. Charlotte''s power is of that kind, and as a result, she might endanger the other students at the Temple. So Charlotte can no longer go to the Temple. Charlotte will soon leave the Temple. It could be in a month, next week, or even starting today. If what she said is true, then Charlotte''s claim that Berthold was irrelevant would be accurate. If that''s the case. The story that someone died at the Spring Palace¡­ In the end, does it mean that someone died due to Charlotte''s psychic ability going out of control? Murder. That''s why Charlotte returned to the Royal Palace instead of the dormitory. "Today has been exceptional in many ways. Do not assume that you will be able to visit the Spring Palace again in the future." I never thought that Charlotte would disappear from the Temple because of a power control failure, not because of a dispute over the imperial authority. Before that. What exactly is Charlotte''s psychic ability? Why is Sabiolin Tana even here? Why did my intuition send a warning today? -Flash! -Rumble! Amidst a streak of lightning, a flash, and the roaring thunder, I look at Sabiolin Tana. The raindrops streaming down her cheeks as she walked, dazed in the rain, seemed like tears. "What happens if Charlotte completely fails to control her ability?" "There''s no reason for me to tell you." Sabiolin Tana speaks without looking at me. Both her expression and mine had turned grim. It seemed as if she was preparing herself for something. Preparing for something she didn''t want to prepare for. Sabiolin Tana. Why is the world''s strongest person in charge of guarding this palace all by herself? Why is she alone? As far as I can see, the only other guard force besides her is Dyrus. "If Charlotte goes berserk, you are here to intervene." -Flash! Amidst the lightning, Sabiolin Tana''s eyes widened. My intuition sent me a strong warning today. Even now, I could still feel that danger signal. If that''s the case. It meant that Charlotte was going to die today. By the hand of Sabiolin Tana. CH 268 Sabiolin Tana was staying at the Spring Palace to deal with Charlotte in this world of shifting perspectives. It was for the safety of the empire, not Charlotte''s safety. That much was certain. "Spare me your words, Reinhardt, my patience is thin," Sabiolin Tana spoke amidst the rain. Even if one were a friend of the princess, discussing the task of killing her was a topic that crossed the line. Was the reason she stood there, drenched in the rain, to torment herself with such thoughts? The nature of the relationship between Charlotte and Sabiolin Tana was unknown. Yet, it involved laying hands on one of the most noble beings in the empire, aside from the emperor himself. It must have been a direct order from the emperor, and Charlotte would have accepted it. However, for the one carrying out that order, it would feel like hell. Something would happen today, but it was only a foreboding warning, not a certainty. Before long, the Spring Palace was receding in the distance. I must not return to the temple. I cannot leave Charlotte behind. But how? Neither Charlotte nor Sabiolin Tana would permit me to stay any longer in the Spring Palace. I had already overstepped my boundaries. My friendship with Charlotte had granted me too much leeway. I didn''t know if Berthus was aware of this matter, but if he were, he would likely pay Charlotte no mind. There would be no reason to bother with a rival who would disappear on their own. Soon, we approached the station. "You know the entrance to the palace, right? I''d like to take you there myself, but I cannot leave my post for too long." "Yes, thank you, Lady Tana." Under normal circumstances, I would have to confirm my proper departure from the palace, but the situation was extraordinary. She took me to the station and then returned to the Spring Palace. I could not stay without permission. The station was empty. Everyone who needed to return had already left, ensuring that no one would witness Charlotte''s condition. The Spring Palace operated with only the bare minimum of personnel. Now, even that minimum had been infected, save for Dyrus. This was to ensure that no one would see Charlotte die at the hands of the Shanafel commander. That meant the palace''s defenses were currently very weak. Could I secretly observe the situation? The Spring Palace would be her domain. Could I evade her senses and infiltrate the palace to keep watch? Whether it was possible or not, I had to try. In the vicinity of the desolate Spring Palace, abandoned by people. It was time for another daring act. Not for me, but for Charlotte. Just as when I first landed in this world. As I had risked my life on the Demon Star, I now had to gamble my life within the Empire. I could not stand idly by and watch as the first life I saved disappeared. On a dark, autumn night with rain pouring down. Sabiolin Tana''s nerves were on edge, but not in a vigilant manner concerning her surroundings. Her focus was solely on Charlotte. Her own sense of depression and confusion seemed quite deep as well. In that place, I perform self-hypnosis. I am uncertain whether erasing my presence will be possible, but I shall attempt it. In that state, I add one more thing. I employ ''Rewrite.'' Sabiolin Tana is unable to detect my presence as I infiltrate the Spring Palace. [2,000 achievement points are required for this event.] It is not an impossible event to incite, but the price is by no means cheap. In the past, it would have been enough to purchase a talent. With these points, I had inscribed the talent of self-hypnosis. Due to various circumstances and conditions converging, it is now possible to deceive the senses of the Grandmaster. My current achievement points are 5,930. If I can save Charlotte today, I would use all these points, and if they are insufficient, I would borrow more. [I use 2,000 achievement points.] When Sabiolin Tana disappeared beyond the garden, I left the tram stop and returned to the Spring Palace. I place my umbrella among the flowers in the garden and also use self-hypnosis. No one can sense my presence. A powerful suggestion. My self-hypnosis exerts even greater power in such real-life situations. It reacts to my tension and desperation. I cannot leave Charlotte to die. My sense of crisis today has made possible what was ordinarily not possible. I succeed in infiltrating the Spring Palace. There is a belief mixed with certainty. I do not know if my presence has truly vanished, but I move with utmost caution due to the actual rain reducing noise. I have created a situation where I cannot be detected by ''Rewrite,'' but if I suddenly rush towards her and grab the back of her neck, she will undoubtedly notice. Only my presence is concealed. I cannot let my guard down. I approach the distant Spring Palace once more. In the cold rain, petals struck by raindrops fell. Soah Sabiolin Tana''s figure retreating in the autumn rain. I too, followed her, being hit by the rain. Sabiolin Tana was not conscious of her surroundings. As I had anticipated, she seemed heavily burdened mentally due to the overwhelming responsibility of her mission. She would occasionally stop walking, staring blankly at the Spring Palace. I could not tell what she was thinking. However, I could sense an intense sorrow from her back, something she had not shown in front of me or Charlotte. I had not expected to encounter Sabiolin Tana before the Gate incident, and I had only established a rough outline of her past without delving into details. Sabiolin Tana did not participate in the Demon World War. To be precise, she could not. Under the pretext that the strongest force must remain to protect the Imperial City, the Emperor had bound her to the Imperial Path. She had not been able to use her power where it was most needed. That formed a large portion of her guilt and sense of debt. She had trained Ludwig to the point of torment, but it was not due to her being malicious; it was because of the extraordinary circumstances of the world being in peril. Sabiolin Tana dies while saving Ludwig. In doing so, she apologizes for all the harsh treatment she had inflicted upon him. Though she is not well-known for her usual cold and rational demeanor, she is not such a person at heart. She is, in fact, quite ordinary. A person burdened with immense strength and the weight of countless responsibilities, she is merely an ordinary individual. Sabiolin Tana is a distant senior of Epinhauser. Having graduated from the temple and joined Shanafel, she must have been a knight of the empire for several decades. She even bears the nickname of "Guardian of the Royal Family." As such, she has had many encounters with royalty. What kind of relationship did she have with Charlotte? Though it''s not entirely clear, her hesitation and the way she cherished Charlotte could be felt in her faltering steps. As Sabiolin Tana returned to the palace of spring, I too entered the palace. As I stepped into the entrance of the palace, I did not feel any magical barrier. If there had been one, I would have expected a sensation of warning, but there was none at all. Was the security, including magical barriers, deactivated or disabled? Or perhaps all the wizards responsible for these defenses had been dismissed? It is like a lock being unnecessary for a house with nothing to steal. The spring palace, once impenetrable even to Sarkegaar, had become all too easy to infiltrate with the shadow of death cast upon it. Thanks to Charlotte''s guidance, I had a rough idea of what lay in various parts of the palace. I may have forgotten after a few days, but I had just heard it. In the vast and empty palace, there were only three people: Sabiolin Tana, Dyrus, and Charlotte. The lights were on, but there was no one to see me. The thunder and rain would muffle my footsteps. I still did not know what I was supposed to do here. A vague certainty. For the sake of that inexplicable feeling alone, I refused to turn back and infiltrated the princess''s palace. If discovered in an unfavorable situation, even with Charlotte''s favor, Sabiolin Tana would not spare me. If caught in the wrong, I would surely die. In the exposed light of the palace, I hid my body in the relatively darker areas, moving within the shadows. I enhanced my hearing. As I did so, the sound of thunder tore through my ears, and the rain sounded even more intricate. My self-hypnosis was now at rank B. The result of continuous training after successfully enhancing my magic was an increase in rank. As a result, its utility was ever-increasing. Its range of application had widened, and the effectiveness of existing methods had steadily improved. Naturally, I could distinguish the sound I wanted to hear amidst other noises. This had been possible before, but now I could discern even more subtly. I could differentiate the slightly different texture of the water dripping from the palace ceiling amidst the sound of rain. It was easy to distinguish Sabiolin Tana''s footsteps in the sea of sounds. From the sound of her footsteps, I could somewhat predict the distance between us. Though I am not familiar with the entire layout of the palace, I have a rough grasp of its various locations. On the second floor, down the left hallway, lies Charlotte''s bedroom. It is in that direction that Sabiolin Tana is currently heading. I am able to distinguish her footsteps from my hiding place in a shadowy corner of the first-floor hall. Given the eerie silence within the palace, it should be possible to hear her footsteps ¨C the only other sounds being the thunder and rain outside. "Her Highness?" "She''s inside." "I see." I could hear Dyrus''s voice mingling with the others. The sound of a door opening reached my ears. "Your Highness, are you alright?" "Yes, for now." I heard Charlotte''s composed voice. Charlotte''s supernatural ability ¨C how dangerous could it be that the Emperor would have to kill his own princess? And does Charlotte accept this herself? Did she cause the death of someone due to the uncontrolled use of her ability? The sound of the door closing caught my attention, and no further sounds came from within. It must be due to the soundproofing. I needed to get closer. As I made my way up to the second floor and surveyed the area, it appeared that Dyrus had also entered Charlotte''s bedroom, as there was no one in the hallway. I cautiously approached, hiding along the inner wall of the hallway, prepared for any unexpected encounters. I couldn''t afford to make a careless sound. Though I had taken measures to mask my presence from Sabiolin Tana, I couldn''t rely on that too much. Under normal circumstances, I would never be able to deceive someone like her. As I drew nearer, I couldn''t help but imagine Sabiolin Tana suddenly bursting out and seizing me by the throat. My body should have been chilled by the rain, but I was so tense that I was breaking out in a feverish sweat. It was fortunate that they were unable to use magic. Had they employed noise-canceling magic, I wouldn''t have heard a thing. As I approached Charlotte''s bedroom, I could faintly detect the voices inside. "Do you still... not remember?" "No..." I heard Tana''s worried question and Charlotte''s melancholy reply. What did she not remember? "I feel that the time is drawing near. When it comes, please don''t hesitate, Lady Tana." "Nothing of the sort will happen. We will surely find a solution to Your Highness''s condition... The royal family is doing its utmost to search." The royal family may be looking for a solution, but the despair in Sabiolin Tana''s voice was palpable. "There''s no way they''ll find a solution before my condition worsens." Charlotte was pessimistic, and both Dyrus and Tana were unable to refute her. "Your Highness, we really should find that child..." "Enough, please. I''ve lost count of how many times I''ve said this. Don''t mention that child." Charlotte responded irritably to Dyrus''s words. That child must be me, of course. Did Dyrus think that finding me would somehow improve Charlotte''s condition? Why? Even if Charlotte''s supernatural ability was dangerous, what did that have to do with me? A foreboding feeling and numerous hints were gradually leading me to entertain an unwelcome speculation. CH 269 "Your Majesty, I have heard the stories about that child as well... If there is even a chance that the child could improve Your Majesty''s condition, you must meet with him at least once. I promise you, even if the child knows nothing, I will protect their safety with my honor. Where is the child?" "I do not know. Nobody knows. The Seal Master, the child... in the end, it''s all meaningless if we don''t know where they are." Charlotte had said that only she and I knew any clue about Valier. For some reason, she had not shared my whereabouts with the others. Was it related to what Charlotte was going through? And had she stopped contacting Valier because she didn''t want to put me in danger? The likelihood that Charlotte''s power was not supernatural was very high. If it was merely a dangerous supernatural power, there would be no reason to suggest finding me. "I am prepared, Ladi Tana. If I stain my hands with blood once more, kill me." ...In the end. The death that occurred in the Spring Palace was indeed Charlotte''s doing. Her power had spiraled out of control, and she had killed someone. And she could not remember it. "...Your Majesty." "Promise me." "...I cannot make such a promise." "Please promise me." Sabiollin Tana gave no response to Charlotte''s desperate plea for death. The conversation ended. I quickly hid in the instrument storeroom adjacent to the music room at the end of the right hallway. The door was open, and there were no instruments stored within. The empty racks were the only indication that it was a storeroom for instruments. The musicians must have taken all the instruments. I decided not to close the door, as the sound might give away my presence. Instead, I hid my body in the darkness of the room. Neither Charlotte nor Dyrus and Sabiollin Tana would have any business here. They would have even less reason to be in the instrument storeroom than in the music room. The storeroom was dark, as the lights were off, but all I needed was darkness and sound. It was actually a favorable situation. Thud Charlotte''s bedroom door opened, and I heard the footsteps of Dyrus and Tana. "Would it not be better to watch over her while she sleeps?" "It was useless. She has even tied herself up and slept before. But it was all in vain." "...I see. So she has not yet managed to leave the palace?" "Well, not yet... but she might not just be unable to leave." "Could she possibly appear in Tetra or the Winter Palace?" "It''s just a guess. All we can do is hope that it''s not possible..." It was clear that they were discussing an incident that had already occurred, but without knowing the details of the event, I could not grasp the context of the conversation. She is not restricted in her movement. That was the only part I could understand, as it seemed to be related to Charlotte''s power. "By the way, is your shoulder alright?" "...It''s fine. It''s not a severe injury. And it was my own carelessness. I can still handle it." "Will you not go to the priest?" "...If I receive treatment from the priest, it will leave a record and put us at risk. The fact that Her Majesty can hurt me... you know what that means." "Yes." ¡°Your Highness might hear us. Let us refrain from discussing this matter.¡± ¡°You are right... I was too impulsive.¡± It seemed that Charlotte''s power had gone out of control, and Sabiolin Tana had been injured. To think she could hurt her to such an extent. Could Charlotte''s power be strong enough to injure the leader of the Shanafel? It appeared that the two of them were keeping the fact that Charlotte had attacked Sabiolin Tana a secret. Had Charlotte''s power gone out of control, causing her to lose her reason, and ultimately forcing Sabiolin Tana to kill her as a last resort? Hmm¡­ As they approached the palace staircase leading to the first floor, Sabiolin Tana''s steps came to a halt. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± She sensed something. She was on guard. ¡°Something¡­¡± I held my breath. I erased my presence. Sabiolin Tana did not sense anything. How much time had passed? ¡°It must be due to my lack of sleep. It''s nothing.¡± ¡°It has been a few days, hasn''t it?¡± ¡°Six days... or is it a week? I''m not sure.¡± ¡°Shouldn''t you rest during the day?¡± ¡°There are things to attend to on this end, and I also hold the title of Shanafel''s leader. There''s no time for that.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± During the day, she attended to official duties. At night, she guarded Charlotte. Sabiolin Tana seemed to have gone without any rest for quite some time. The two resumed moving and descended the stairs. I managed to hold my breath. A little further. Move farther away. ¡°Well done, Dyrus. You may leave.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady... But are you sure you''re alright? You look exhausted.¡± ¡°Even so, it''s not something you can stay for, is it?¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°I apologize. I did not mean to be sarcastic. I must be on edge.¡± ¡°Not at all. I didn''t think of it that way.¡± ¡°Is that so? I''m relieved. Rest now. You''ve been through a lot as well.¡± ¡°Then, let''s hope for no more incidents.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Dyrus left the Spring Palace. I had thought that the reason for reducing the number of people in the palace was to prevent anyone from seeing Charlotte kill Sabiolin Tana, but there seemed to be another reason. It was also to prevent someone from becoming a sacrifice to the rampaging Charlotte. Only three remained in the palace. Me, Sabiolin Tana, and Charlotte. ...Which meant that my life could be in danger as well. Should I leave the palace? It was clear that I was already in danger. I couldn''t tell whether the danger signal from my instincts was about the danger from Charlotte or the danger to myself. I heard the sound of Sabiolin Tana sinking into a chair somewhere in the hall. I should leave this place. Charlotte''s power was formidable, and while Tana might be able to handle it, I certainly couldn''t. The one in greater danger was more likely to be me. -Rrrrr... I couldn''t leave in the first place. Sabiolin Tana was sitting in the hall, which was now the palace entrance. It seemed as though she was trying to monitor all directions. -Pat! Pop! Sabiolin Tana seemed to be operating something, as the corridor gradually brightened. No, even the storage room where I was hiding became illuminated by a magical light. Sabiolin Tana suddenly lit up the entire palace. The possibility of escaping under the cover of darkness had disappeared. In order to leave, I must do so when she vacates her position. As expected, Sabiolin Tana did not move. Neither could I. The die had already been cast. Hoping for nothing to happen, yet simultaneously feeling certain that something would inevitably occur. I held my breath. It was a tedious time. But at the same time, it was incredibly tense. For I had to constantly focus on suppressing my presence with self-hypnosis to avoid being detected by Sabiolin Tana''s senses. Sabiolin Tana did not move from her spot. My absence at the temple might become an issue. If nothing happens, what excuse should I make for leaving the palace so late? Secondary problems began to arise, but they all pertain to whether Charlotte and I can safely get through today. It was already deep into the night. The time had surely passed midnight. For some reason, Sabiolin Tana had lit up the entire palace. As if to drive away the darkness. Even the instrument storage room where I was hiding was illuminated, but it was just a blind spot. She hadn''t noticed my presence. How much time had passed in this tedious state? -Click The light in the instrument storage room went out. Not just there. The light coming from the corridor also disappeared moments later. I couldn''t tell how the palace''s lights were being controlled. Sabiolin Tana didn''t move. Had she turned off the light? Why would she suddenly turn off all the lights? No. This wasn''t her doing. Cautiously poking my head out towards the corridor, I saw another spectacle. The magical lights throughout the palace flickered and went out one by one. ¡°At this point... even this¡­¡± Sabiolin Tana''s quiet murmur reached my ears, a voice that seemed to convey both astonishment and fear. It was inconceivable except for the possibility that Charlotte was turning off the lights. Why was this possible? Why would she do such a thing? I couldn''t tell. Sabiolin Tana stood up from her position and began to move. She was heading towards Charlotte''s bedroom. Holding my breath to avoid detection, I tensed my entire body. She must not find me. I''ve already used the amulet, and with the numerous coincidences and probabilities intertwined, I wouldn''t be discovered. This includes the condition that I do my best to conceal my presence. Not being discovered is my future, but there''s no telling what might happen if I suddenly make a sound. I have no intention of testing whether the predetermined future can be changed or not. I can''t make this life-or-death gamble any riskier. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°If you are awake, please respond!¡± Sabiolin Tana walked down the corridor, shouting. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± She called for Charlotte as she moved towards her bedroom. In the dark palace of spring. -Flash! -Rumble It was an even darker night due to the rain, and it was nearly impossible to discern objects without the occasional lightning flash. No, the light from the lightning made it difficult for my eyes to adapt to the darkness. The light hindered my vision. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Sabiolin Tana''s desperate cry echoed. -Thud The sound of Charlotte''s bedroom door opening was heard. -... No sound came from Sabiolin Tana. I hadn''t heard any noise like the door opening before she did so. Then, was Charlotte asleep? ¡°You''ve... disappeared again¡­¡± She had disappeared. That disconnected, despairing murmur reached my ears. In that moment. -Flash! "!" I nearly let out a scream. At the moment the lightning flickered before my eyes, I saw something. There was something right in front of me. It was there. -Rumble After a brief silence following the lightning, the sound of thunder shaking the windows trailed behind. What was it? Right now. What was in front of my eyes? I stared ahead with wide eyes, but I couldn''t see the shape of whatever was watching me in the darkness. I hadn''t been mistaken. Something had undoubtedly been looking at me. What hadn''t been there just moments before had suddenly appeared. -Flash! Once again, the lightning drove away the darkness for a moment. A shape revealed itself in front of me for an instant before vanishing. I had clearly seen it. Some shape. It had been watching me, smiling. It resembled Charlotte, but it was definitely not her. Something else had been observing me from the pitch-black darkness. I couldn''t see anything. Yet, the presence of that something in front of me was unmistakably felt. ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°Hehehehe¡­¡± ¡°Hehehehehehehehe¡­¡± The sinister laughter of ''that thing'' brushed against the nape of my neck. -Flash! In the flickering light, I could see its shape clearly. Dark hair like the abyss and deep black eyes like the void. And vertical, slit-like red pupils. It resembled something closer to a demon. CH 270 The only reason I did not scream was that I clenched my jaw so tightly that my molars threatened to collapse. Had it not been for the divine spirit supporting me, I would have fainted long ago or bitten my tongue off. And then. It comes. Something. From within the darkness, I quickly rolled my body to the side as it reached out for me. Whoosh! I could not tell what had passed by. I had only felt a strong threat and instinctively rolled away. Something brushed past where I had been. I couldn''t tell what it was, but had it struck me, it would have been dangerous for certain. One thing was clear. Charlotte was attacking me. "Your Majesty!" Reacting to the laughter, Sabiolin Tana had already arrived at the instrument storage in the blink of an eye. "¡­Why are you here?" Slowly adjusting to the darkness, I could see Sabiolin Tana''s figure, as well as the figure of the being staring at me from within the darkness. Startled by my presence, Sabiolin Tana''s face turned blank as she looked at the entity before her. "H-how¡­ How did it come to this¡­?" It continued to stare at me with an eerie smile. Had Charlotte''s condition worsened since before? "Step back. I will ask questions later." As if to say that questioning this situation was for later, Sabiolin Tana hid me behind her. "Do not stray far from me. It is dangerous." Only then could I see what had been looming over me. Darkness, like a living, moving blade, was being launched with precision. Clang! Clang! In an instant, she unsheathed her sword and deflected the charging darkness with her Aura Blade activated. With a roar, the shadows dispersed into the air and shattered into pieces. "Your Majesty! You must regain your senses!" "¡­Hehe. Hehehehe." It did not respond to Tana''s words. Grrr Darkness boiled, and once more, the solidified blade swooped toward her. Sabiolin Tana blocked the shadowy blade with her Aura Blade while standing in front of me. She repelled the blades that came from four, then five directions with her lightning-fast speed. The pressure I felt on my skin when the sword and shadows collided told me that the power within was far from ordinary. To manipulate darkness, or shadows. That was Charlotte''s ability. Charlotte''s ability was as sharp as it was powerful. However, Tana had the upper hand. All attacks were blocked, and she even had room to spare. Only, she could not harm Charlotte. Unable to attack, she could only focus on defense. But she had to subdue her. She stepped through the rain of shadowy blades, one step at a time, closing in on Charlotte. Almost there. The moment Sabiolin Tana dared to reach for Charlotte''s neck. Flash! As the flash of light illuminated the room, Charlotte''s figure vanished without a trace. "¡­Damn it." Gritting her teeth, she stared at the spot where Charlotte had disappeared. It was a brief exchange, but any ordinary person would have died hundreds of times during the conflict. Had I been the one to receive those attacks, I wouldn''t have been able to withstand them even three times. She turned to look at me. Her eyes were filled with anger as evident as her despair. Smack! "Ugh!" She gripped my collar and pushed me against the wall. "You foolish oaf! Why didn''t you leave when you had the chance? Did you think you could be of any help to Her Majesty here? You naive fool! If I hadn''t arrived, you''d already be dead! Don''t you value your life?" Her honest rage seemed like she would sever my neck at any moment. She unsheathed her sword and aimed it at my throat. "There are things in this world that should not be known or seen. You have ignored Her Majesty''s consideration and mine as well. For that sin, you must pay with your life." She appeared ready to thrust her sword and kill me on the spot. To anyone who saw her, Charlotte was undoubtedly a demon. It would be a scandal if the royal family, especially the heir to the throne, were known to be in such a state. Rumors would spread that she had been kidnapped by the demon king and cursed. And the reality might not be much different. That couldn''t be a supernatural power. It was evident that Charlotte had suffered at the hands of the demon king. Whether she knew it or not, it was certain. That''s why the royal family had kept it a secret. There was no reason to spare me, who had witnessed it with my own eyes. Death was upon me, yet strangely, I wasn''t afraid. The sight of Charlotte just now was more terrifying than Sabiolin Tana''s sharp threat. "Of course, I value my life." "¡­What?" My life is not insignificant. I don''t want to die. But I was more afraid that Charlotte, in her current state, would not return. "That''s why I''m here, because Charlotte''s life is as precious as mine. I thought maybe there''s something I could do." "You overestimate your abilities." Her cold, piercing gaze seemed to skewer me. "It''s not arrogance." "Then what is it? If your actions aren''t arrogant, then what are they?" "It''s desperation." Charlotte''s life. It was a reason in itself for me. That''s why I entered the palace with an odd sense of unease, disobeying the orders of the Her Majesty and the Knight Captain of Shanafel, and sneaking into the Spring Palace. For the first time, I risked my life for something. I couldn''t bear to see Charlotte''s life vanish in vain. She looked deep into my eyes, seemingly searching for any hint of doubt, arrogance, or impetuousness. Her sword, aimed at my throat, wavered. How much time had passed? Her sword slowly lowered. She released my collar but still glared at me. "Her Majesty will decide your fate when the day breaks." But her gaze was one of certainty that no harsh punishment would befall me. "May I ask what is going on?" "No one knows." "¡­No one knows?" "Nobody knows the situation, not a soul. No one knows why the Crown Princess has come to possess such power or why she is gradually being consumed by it. Why, when night falls, that power takes over the Crown Princess''s body." Tana''s desperate expression mirrored the current state of the royal family''s emotions. "Nobody knows anything. All we can do is speculate that some event that occurred in the Demon''s Castle is the cause." She watched the darkness and gripped my shoulder. "One thing is clear; the situation has worsened. Don''t stray too far from me. The Crown Princess, or rather, ''that thing'' that has taken over her body, moves through the shadows. It can appear from the front, from behind, or even from the ceiling." It seemed that, having already witnessed the situation, she had no choice but to divulge what she knew. Indeed, it suddenly appeared before my eyes. It moved through the darkness. So binding Charlotte would be pointless, and even if watched, she could suddenly vanish. That''s why she illuminated the entire palace. With no darkness, there would be no shadows for it to travel. Every night, Sabiolin Tana filled the palace with light, which seemed to work. But that method failed tonight. Now it can extinguish even the magic lamps at will. The night belongs to it. "Does this happen every night?" "Not every night. But the frequency is increasing. And this is the first time it has extinguished all the lanterns. Moreover, the Crown Princess''s eyes... Last time I saw them, only one was affected..." Her eyes wavered, frustrated and indignant by the situation. "Its aggression is growing. At first, it was said to wander the palace at night like someone suffering from sleepwalking... But recently..." She trailed off. She seemed unable to mention the murder cases. "Anyway, you must leave the palace. It''s dangerous here. Any punishment you face can only be dealt with while you''re alive. If you overstep again, I will genuinely take your life." "I understand." Sabiolin Tana, tense and cautious, took one step at a time, her senses heightened. In the darkness, I enhanced my sight to see through the shadows. My vision was more accurate in the dark than that of ordinary people. The distracting flash of light in my mind was also subsiding. -sssss Tana moved cautiously through the Spring Palace''s corridor, where only the chilling sound of rain echoed. We had to go down to the hall on the first floor and leave the palace. She intended to send me away first. "What will you do?" "I''ll have to subdue it. It''s what I''ve been doing until now." She had no choice but to resort to violent methods, like knocking it unconscious before it could disappear into the darkness. It must have worked so far. Considering her reaction and the warning from my intuition, there was only one conclusion. Tonight marks a turning point. One eye, which had only been partially consumed, was now entirely engulfed, as were both of her eyes. The power that consumed Charlotte had grown even stronger today. Would Tana ultimately fail to suppress Charlotte and end up killing her? If so, how could I possibly stop that? The Demon King is involved. Charlotte''s power is a byproduct of his influence. There was nothing else I could discern. Some sort of scheme involving the Demon King. But now was not the time for contemplation. Tana moved cautiously, paying attention to all directions¡ªfront, back, left, right, up, and down. Though the palace entrance was not far away, she remained vigilant. -Clang! Crash! The sudden shadowy blades flying like daggers in the darkness were the reason Tana could not let her guard down. The black blades darted suddenly, targeting both me and Tana. She blocked them all on her own. "Damn it¡­" In the darkness, I saw her clench her right hand and grit her teeth. Standing before the staircase leading to the first floor, Tana gazed across the vast hall at the entrance, her teeth clenched. The grand palace entrance was blocked by a black barrier. More accurately, it was obscured by pitch-black darkness. And before that darkness, Charlotte, still wearing her spine-chilling smile, watched the two of us. "It seems neither of us will be allowed to leave." "¡­ It seems that way." As if daring us to approach, it stood motionless, blocking the entrance. A being that could move through darkness and attack us with that same darkness. In this place filled with shadows, the two of us might be nothing more than toys. Though our opponent was at a distance, it could appear right before us by riding the darkness. "Until recently, I could subdue it without much difficulty. Due to my carelessness, I sustained some injuries, though." If it were just a minor injury, she wouldn''t even mention it. Therefore, it must not be a superficial wound. "¡­" "However, I do not know what it is, and I cannot guarantee that I can subdue it safely this time." The continent''s strongest warrior calmly estimated the possibility of defeat. The unidentified opponent held the best battlefield and environment. And as of today, its power had grown even stronger. Yet, standing against it was Sabiolin Tana, who had neither rested for more than five days nor received proper treatment for her injuries. Tana''s condition was at its worst. However, even if her defeat was due to poor condition, it was still a defeat. Death meant the end of everything. There was no room for excuses about easily subduing the opponent in better conditions. Could it be that it is not Charlotte, but Sabiolin Tana who will die today? Was my intuition warning me that Tana''s life was in grave danger, not Charlotte''s? Sabiolin Tana is one of the main characters in the latter part of the story. Her death would be a turning point in history, likely in a very negative direction. But even if Sabiolin Tana dies today, it doesn''t guarantee that Charlotte will live. If Charlotte were to kill Sabiolin Tana today instead of dying, Charlotte would die tomorrow. If the power that could kill Tana is dangerous and uncontrollable, then regardless of the wielder being a princess, there would be no choice but to deal with her immediately. Both Sabiolin Tana and Charlotte would die. If so, then soon, I too would die today. I am the only variable in this equation. I must somehow resolve this situation. But in these two battles, I was too small a variable. "Reinhardt, you said you could enhance your magical power on your own." "...Yes." There was no room for saying it wasn''t enough for actual combat. "I will fight while protecting you, but I cannot guarantee that I will be able to protect you without fail. Remember that my priority is first to the fight, then to myself, and lastly to you." She handed me her sword. "These shadows cannot be countered without magical power. You may not be able to imbue a sword with magic, but with this sword, you should be able to repel them." She seemed to be planning to fight using her Aura Sword since she could summon it. Sabiolin Tana''s sword. Though not a sacred relic, it was one of the empire''s treasures. Tempesta, the Gale Sword. In my hands was the sword that Ludwig, who possessed Alsebringer, had claimed as Tana''s legacy and made his second sword. "I will manage." Summoning the Aura Sword would consume a lot of stamina. I must not do anything that would worsen Tana''s condition. "As I said, it may be difficult to protect you¡­" -Swoosh I summoned it. "I have this black sword as well." "Soul binding¡­?" Her eyes widened as she looked at the sword with the ivory-colored blade in my hand. "This¡­ how did you get this!" She stared in astonishment at the Tiamata, the sacred relic of duality, in my hand. "We can discuss it later." I hadn''t expected to use it in a place like this. Now, I must face my first real battle using Tiamata. Not against a bandit, a monster, or a deserving villain. My first friend. I must face Charlotte in real combat. For now, she swallowed all her questions. "¡­Fine." Both she and I understood the gravity of the situation. CH 271 The expression of the being that looked upon me twisted in a flash, its displeasure spreading across its mocking smile. Had it recognized Tiamata? Grrr! From the wall of darkness blocking the entrance, it wasn''t a blade that emerged, but a wave. Only then did we realize that the being had not been putting forth its full strength, but simply toying with us. With that, we became certain. Today, death would come for Sabiolin Tana. "Huff!" -Boom! Crash! A wave could not be stopped by a sword. She did not use a sword. However, she managed to negate the surrounding darkness by releasing an immense magical power from the barrier of magic that enveloped her. -Grrrr! The shock was enough to crack the palace floor, and witnessing it from close by, I was at my wit''s end, unrelated to the current situation. The darkness was dispelled with the mere release of her pure magical power. Was it possible for such a monstrous grandmaster, transcending the limits of humans, to wield an S+ rank of magical power? The strength she displayed in her worst condition was unbelievable. Darkness surged from all directions. Although Charlotte, who was blocking our path, was right in front of us, I turned my body towards the intense sensation of danger I felt from behind. The darkness bore down on me. While maximizing my physical enhancements. I trusted. I might not be able to do as much as Sabiolin Tana, but. I believed I could do it. No. It was more than just belief. I had already succeeded once. The second time should naturally be easier. With extreme exhilaration coursing through my body, I parried the incoming dark blades with Tiamata. -Clang! "Ugh!" I had no time to marvel at the fact that I didn''t spit blood. The force imbued in it was so tremendous that it felt like my hand would be torn apart. -Bang! Crash! Boom! Sabiolin Tana approached Charlotte, descending the stairs little by little. Did this battle have any meaning? Would we be able to subdue Charlotte before we melted away into the darkness? There was no guarantee that just because we had done it before, it would be possible now. Charlotte was focusing her attack on Sabiolin Tana rather than me. All I had to do was stay alive. As long as I didn''t interfere with Tana. The moment she had to worry about me, everything would be over. -Shriek! -Screech! "Argh!" It was fortunate that Tiamata could effectively counter this darkness. If it had been an ordinary sword, it would have been either cut or passed by the dark blades. This was not swordsmanship. I had never learned to fight against such a thing. However, in a fight, you can''t choose your opponent. Even if you don''t know the way, you must do it. I had no choice but to focus on responding to the attacks directed at me while keeping an eye on them. -Rumble! Roar! It was hard to believe that this was a human fight, as Sabiolin Tana charged at Charlotte like a monster, leaping and bounding. As the waves of darkness pressed in, she repelled them with a surge of magical power, scattering the blades with a single stroke of her sword. I couldn''t even guess what she could do in her best condition. In a flash, Sabiolin Tana charged toward Charlotte, attempting to seize her. Whoosh - Yet, she merely vanished, melting into the darkness. "Damn it...!" She reappeared twenty paces to Tana''s right. Around Charlotte, shadowy spears materialized like lances. Bang! Bang! Bang! - Once again, Tana charged in. Though she tried to break through the storm of spears and subdue Charlotte, the latter disappeared into the darkness just before contact. Tana was like a spear that could pierce anything, but the shield she needed to penetrate didn''t permit any hits. She needed to be faster then. Capture Charlotte before she could melt away. However, Sabiolin Tana, who was already giving her all, couldn''t become any faster. To be quicker, she needed to reach out not with her hand but with her sword. Soon, it was inevitable that Charlotte would have to be killed. The only choice left for Sabiolin Tana, who wanted to subdue Charlotte, was to be killed by the being controlling the darkness after a drawn-out battle. I was already on the verge of being cornered, just from fending off the shadowy blades that surged towards me. I couldn''t help Sabiolin Tana, and even if I tried to, I would only put her in more danger. "Ugh!" It wasn''t just the unfavorable condition that was the problem. I could see her right shoulder dyed in blood. Come to think of it, she had been wielding her sword, Tempesta, with her left hand until now. Her right hand had been completely unusable, but as the situation grew dire, she started swinging the sword with both hands. Could she be right-handed? If so, a right-handed person had been using a sword with only their left hand until now. Of course, there were many cases of using a sword with both hands, but having one arm disabled meant a reduction in combat power by half, if not more. Therefore, Sabiolin Tana, who even used her injured right arm, had undoubtedly torn open a wound that hadn''t healed properly. Gritting her teeth, the whites of Tana''s eyes were tinged with blood. "Heh... hehe... hehe... hihi..." Charlotte was laughing. She was delighted to see Tana reaching her limit. After that, three times. Tana succeeded in getting close to Charlotte by mobilizing her injured right arm. But, in a moment of intense struggle, she reached out with her hand instead of her sword. Three times she could have killed Charlotte, but three times she attempted to subdue her instead. Crash! "Ugh!" As a result, her right arm was completely shattered by the shadowy blade, and she slammed into the wall. Thud! As she hit the wall, I could clearly see cracks spreading like a spiderweb where she had collided. "Ugh... ack!" Thump! She coughed up blood and collapsed onto the floor. Could it be? Was she dead? I couldn''t tell. Even if she wasn''t dead yet, she would die if things continued like this. Swish! The final blow, a shadowy spear, was launched toward Sabiolin Tana. I must... Block it. No. I will block it. Swoosh! Reacting to my desperate wish, my body transcended its limits for a moment, sweeping away the shadowy spear that was charging toward Sabiolin Tana. I stood in front of the fallen woman, blocking her path. The entity gazed at me with a chilling smile as it faced my obstruction. I couldn''t tell if it understood my words or not. Was it a lifeform born from pure malice? It possessed only the intent to kill, with no ability for conversation or communication. Sabiolin Tana had lost consciousness. Charlotte had said that when her powers went berserk, she would lose her memories from that period. There was no reason to hesitate now. From this moment on, I had anticipated a certain extent of what would happen. Even in the worst condition, if there was an entity capable of pushing the strongest being in the world to the brink like this, there could be only one. The ancient Demon King, Vallie. I used the Ring of Sarkegaar. "As the rightful ruler of Darkland and the emissary of the demon world, I ask you." I returned to Vallie''s form and stared at the entity. "Who are you?" Unfortunately, the reaction I had hoped for did not come. "Hehehehehehe¡­" It simply let out a deep, low laugh, just like before. Was it not the Demon King? Or was it just a remnant, a residue close to the traces of the Demon King? I gripped Tiamata tightly, looking at the being that was merely a fragment of the madness once possessed by the Demon King. Though I didn''t expect much from it, my demonic control ability wouldn''t work either. I couldn''t tell whether my power was too weak or, even as a remnant, it was an Archdemon immune to such influence. The result was the same. Whether I revealed myself as Vallie or not, there was no option to avoid the fight. I returned to Reinhardt''s form. I did not want to fight in Vallie''s form. I spoke to it. "If you are not the Demon King, not recognizing your king is your sin¡­ and if you are the Demon King, then not recognizing your own child is a sin as well." "Heh, heh. Hehe. Haha. Hmph." The entity, increasingly consumed by madness, prepared a wave of darkness. "What angers me the most is that you, of all things, have entered Charlotte''s body and caused this chaos." Uuuuung Tiamata cried out. It was a bizarre sensation, as if the sword itself was howling. "So, whatever you are, you''ve angered me and must face the consequences." A barrage of dark spears rushed toward me. Tiamata''s condition was far from normal. It seemed possible now. I thrust Tiamata towards the oncoming storm of dark spears. Flash! A brilliant light, centered on Tiamata, filled the Spring Palace in an instant. Divine Magic, Sanctuary. "Aaaargh!" I successfully manifested the magic Olivia Lanze had planted within me. For some time now, I had been engaged in this endeavor. I shared Tiamata with Olivia Lanze. So, I called upon Olivia and spoke with her about it. About Tiamata. "It''s about Tiamata." "Mhm. What about it?" "Honestly, isn''t it useless?" "It''s still a sacred relic¡­ Isn''t that a bit harsh?" "What is this about? This is not even a divine entity itself, but merely an artifact created by a deity. And I didn''t say that the relic is useless." "Then what is useless?" "Perhaps I should say it doesn''t suit me well." Olivia understood what I meant. "Hmm... that''s true, among the relics, Tiamata and Alicion have always been used by the Order. Reinhardt, you are the first to become the Champion of Tu''an without being a priest, aren''t you?" "Exactly. I don''t know how to use divine power, yet this is a divine power amplifier. What am I supposed to do with it?" "But don''t you handle the sword itself well? Of course, there is a story that if you harm innocent lives with Tiamata, you will face the judgment of Tu''an." "That''s just a superstition." No matter how it turns into a dark relic, it''s useless to do anything with the innocent blood. "Well, how can you call the official doctrine of the Tu''an Order a superstition?" "If it''s not true, it''s superstition. You know enough by now, don''t you?" "You really don''t hold back... Anyway, the problem is this." Although Tiamata is a very powerful relic, it is fundamentally a tool for priests or paladins, so in my hands, it''s nothing more than a well-handled sword. It''s not a valuable item like Lament or Alsebringer, even if I don''t have divine power. Olivia stared at me as if to ask what I wanted to do about it. "So, you and I share this artifact, right?" "Heh, it feels great like we''re co-owning property..." "¡­Why are you bringing that up?" "Isn''t it? It''s not co-owning property, but a soul bond, so you and I are soul companions, aren''t we? We''ve already... come this far..." "Please restrain yourself!" "You always get angry! I hate you! Even if you always treat me coldly, don''t you find it cute how I keep following you as soon as you call me?" "Shut up and just listen to me." "What is it?" What I wanted from Olivia, whose character seemed to be growing more and more, was that. "Tiamata is, in a sense, a divine power amplifier." "Indeed, it contains an immense amount of divine power, whether in the form of Tu''an or Kier." "Can''t I use that?" "Hmm?" Olivia tilted her head. "So, you''re asking if you can utilize the divine power that is inherent in the sword itself?" "Yes." "That''s a creative idea. Then, you should first join the Tu''an Order, shouldn''t you? People will love it. ''The Champion has come of his own accord!'' they will say." "You know that''s not what I mean." I cannot use divine power. However, the relic I possess is an item that allows those with divine power to maximize their power. Tiamata in my hand is a well-handled sword, and an even better-handled sword against the undead. But in the hands of a paladin, it turns an already human-tank-like paladin into a human slaughter weapon. I want to draw out more power from Tiamata. So, I asked Olivia Lanze for help. "Can''t you imbue Tiamata with power, Senior, and allow me to activate and use it when needed?" "Hmm... Such a concept isn''t entirely unheard of. There are magical tools and artifacts that have divine magic imbued in them, which can be used by non-believers." "Are there?" "Yes, but I don''t know if that would apply to a holy relic as well. And it only refers to very minor miracles, not large-scale ones or powerful divine magic." "But this situation is unique. There''s only one object, but two owners. And two soul bindings." As much as I hate to admit it, Olivia and I share the same object, albeit not connected by the soul. I wanted to know if it was possible for me to wield the influence Olivia has on Tiamata. "I don''t know. We''ll have to try. But why?" "There''s no harm in knowing how to use the relic more effectively, right? You never know when or where something might happen." "Hmm... You''re planning to do something bad again, aren''t you?" "No, who said that?" "That''s right. Even if you don''t have any thoughts now, you''ll surely use it for something bad later." Yes. There was an intention back then. It wasn''t meant to be used like this now. When there was trouble with the vampires of the Vampire Council, powerful divine power would be helpful. It was a plan to threaten the vampires, and I couldn''t even tell Olivia my true intentions. Under such intentions, I asked Olivia to inscribe divine magic on Tiamata and continued to practice using it. Naturally, it didn''t work well. Without inscribing a new divine talent, it was impossible. The divine power, built upon faith and prayer, didn''t suit me ¨C not just because I was the Demon King, but because of who I am. I have enough faith in myself without believing in something else. But now, for some reason, I had a conviction that it could work. Tiamata weeps. That feeling, as if the sword had awakened, gave me confidence. Now, I believed I could do it. "Kiaaaak! Kyaak!" -Grrrrrr! In the midst of a scene where the light of the sanctuary and the remnants of the Demon King clashed fiercely, writhing in darkness, I clenched Tiamata in my hand. The Holy Sword Tiamata. It responded to my will, emitting divine power. I watched the white letters on Tiamata''s ivory blade shine with radiance. ''Purify the world with wrath.'' Suddenly, I realized as I saw those words. Wrath. Tiamata reacts to wrath. My rage against that wretched thing that dares to consume Charlotte''s soul was drawing out Tiamata''s power. -Grrr! Grrr! Grrr! It was in pain, spreading both hands and pushing towards me. "Kuh... ugh!" -Grrrr! It was merely a clash of intangible forces - light and darkness. But it felt as though we were locked in a struggle, pushing against each other. As it pushed me back, I had no choice but to retreat a step, as if being repelled by a counterforce. Rumble! Light and darkness collided, creating a thunderous noise. As the light and darkness clashed, they began to push each other back. It is the strongest sword for the undead. However, the light emanating from Tiamata itself was a definite countermeasure against the being that moved through darkness and attacked using darkness. The scattered rays of light that clashed effectively blocked its movement. I had to push it back and suppress it. After blocking its surroundings with light, I had to subdue it. Although it wasn''t the power I had planted for this purpose, I had no choice but to use it now. Drawing out the light from the sword, I tried to walk step by step towards the being of darkness that was desperately trying to push me back. With all my might, I took a step forward, and it retreated a step. Corner it against a wall, bind it with light, and render it unconscious. Rumble! Rumble! Crash! The fierce mingling of light and darkness was like a mixture of fire and lightning. The darkness retreated little by little as I advanced. Could it be that it could swallow the light of a magical lamp, but not the light based on divine power? Roar! I screamed in the midst of a world-shattering noise. "Release Charlotte!" "Aaaargh!" The being let out a painful scream every time I took a step forward. It was definitely being affected. Whether it was the divine power or the light that had an answer, the being was in agony. "Kyaaargh! Kack!" Emitting an inhuman wail, the darkness surrounding the area of light tried to engulf and consume it. Boom! Boom! Boom! Olivia Lanze''s power. Amplified through Tiamata as a medium, it not only defended against the attacks of darkness emitted by the unidentified being, but also effectively pushed back the surrounding darkness. The light was scattered. Beyond the sanctuary pouring out of the sword, the light intertwined with the darkness like a snake, burning the darkness and being consumed by it in turn. It was a bizarre sight of white and black flames burning. It was a chaotic scene where beasts of light and darkness tangled together, hard to believe even when seen with one''s own eyes. "Ugh!" However, the darkness did not retreat easily. The materialized darkness pushed back the materialized light, and as a result, seemed to push me back, holding the light. It was a strange sensation, as if Tiamata itself had collided with the repulsive force of a powerful magnet. Kyaah! The being screamed with all its might, trying to push me back. It reached out for me, and I was in the midst of desperately pushing my arm forward to break through. My strength was waning. Rumble! Still far away. Groan! And the opponent''s strength was greater than mine. I was being pushed back. At this moment, when I was losing in terms of strength, I had to focus all my energy on not retreating rather than advancing. "Damn... I don''t want to rely on a crutch again...!" I tightened my grip on Tiamata. I added more strength. I added all the strength I possessed. Though I have reached my limit, somehow I must muster the strength. I cannot guarantee that I won''t cough up blood. But I believe I won''t. I hope that by doing so, I can restore Charlotte. I do it. I enhance my magical power. Relying on the strength of physical and magical enhancements at their peak, I push forward to dispel the darkness. I must push forward. Grrr! With an intense feeling of exhilaration, as if every cell in my body is awakening from their extremities. Hmmm! Not only the divine magic but also the protection of Olivia Lanze imbued in Tiamata strengthens my body. Squish. Squeeze! With the intense muscle enhancements, every muscle, every fiber seems to scream as they surpass their limits. I believe. I will take a step forward. Thud! Despite merely taking one step, a thunderous noise shook the entire palace. My body does not crumble as the divine power granted by Olivia Lanze fortifies it. The muscle fibers break and heal in real-time, and I feel my magical circuits boiling as if on fire. The steps I must take number more than thirty. It isn''t difficult. I simply need to walk; that''s all there is to it. Nothing could be easier. It''s just that each step feels a bit heavier. Thud! Twenty-nine steps remain. Rumble! In the fierce battle between darkness and light, the power truly originating from me is not much. Excluding magical enhancements and supernatural abilities, all power is borrowed. No, even that is not my power; it too is borrowed. There is only one thing I can do. Take a step, enduring the pain of my fragile body. Overcome the agony. Not lose consciousness. Take a step. Keep walking. That is all there is to it. I have borrowed everything. Nothing is truly mine. Everything is borrowed assets. Wielding unjust power with borrowed strength, I must at least be formidable. "Grr... Ah... Ugh!" "Hee, hee hee hee! Hah hah! Hee hee hee hah!" Whether it is madness or terror, the dark being screams. I continue to believe. I will not fall. I will take a step. If I can reduce these steps to twenty-eight. I can survive tonight. Even if I cannot predict the future, I can save today''s Charlotte. If tomorrow is dangerous too? Then I will save her tomorrow. And the day after, and the day after that. I will keep going, day by day. For Charlotte, for the life I saved, beyond survival... Something more. I will let her live a life. I will gift her that. Crossing the boundaries of suggestion. Crossing the boundaries of faith. I will drive away the darkness that covers where spring should be. I will restore what rightfully belongs here. You, who love flowers. I will bring you back. Just as I once saved you. This time too. And the next time. And the time after that. Continually. "Ah, ah, ah!" Thud! One step. Thud! Two steps. Roar! In a single stride, I take three steps forward. Crack! Shriek! Caw! Screech! Ignoring the pain of bones breaking and rejoining. Believe you feel it, and you do. Believe you don''t feel it, and you won''t. Self-suggestion. I aim to surpass even that power. Blood from my eyes clouds my vision. Still, I do not close my eyes. Thump! With each step forward, I face something, its expression turning from astonishment to horror ¨C the remnants of the Demon King. But at the same time, I face Charlotte. I walk towards her. Thump! Rumble! After multiple steps, I manage to bring the entity within my grasp. ¡°Screeeech!¡± Its abyss-like black hair flutters wildly in the light, and its torn red pupils fill with horror and astonishment. It is right before me. Unable to escape, it struggles just as much as I do. In the midst of a tension that makes my entire body feel exposed to cutting winds, I reach out and grip its throat. My right hand''s fingernails break and the bones twist as I grip Charlotte''s throat. Rumble! ¡°Gr...uh...! Ugh...!¡± Self-suggestion works only for me. Believe that, and it applies only to me. I must surpass that stage. Not just for me, but for others as well. ¡°Disappear...!¡± ¡°Heh, heh, heh, heh! Hic! Hic! Heeek!¡± It is not enough to believe to apply my power to others. I must declare it. Not a power that comes from believing, but a power that comes from declaring it will be so. I want it. I want it, and I will have it. ¡°Disappear from Charlotte''s body!¡± [Self-suggestion Rank increases.] [Self-suggestion A Rank achieved.] [Derived ability emerges] [Awakening of Word Spirit] Flash! My words... Moved the world. In the darkness. In the rain-filled night. Rumble Charlotte realized she was being held by someone in the darkness. ¡°Uh... Wh-who...?¡± ¡°...Awake, are you?¡± Though she could not see clearly, Charlotte knew it was Reinhardt''s voice. ¡°Rein...hardt? Reinhardt?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± His cracked voice made it clear that the situation was not ordinary. Why hadn''t he returned? Why was she in the palace hall and not her bedroom? As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Charlotte could see. The fallen chandelier, the palace in disarray as if a giant beast had rampaged through it. And then. His face bloodied and wounded, it was a wonder he was still alive. Reinhardt''s face appeared. Despite his grievous injuries that made it surprising he was conscious, Reinhardt had laid Charlotte down using his knee as a pillow. She could not understand the situation. She did not know why he hadn''t returned. Charlotte vaguely realized. ¡°Did I... hurt you...?¡± In the end, I had lost my reason once again, and under the influence of a strange power, I hurt Reinhardt. If it weren''t for me, such a thing would never have happened. As despair and guilt welled up inside her, Charlotte was on the verge of tears. Swoosh ¡°No.¡± Reinhardt, his hand injured to the point of exposing the bones, trembled as he gently brushed back his hair. ¡°It''s not that you hurt me¡­¡± As Reinhardt brushed his hair, he looked down. ¡°I saved you¡­¡± Charlotte could not understand what he meant. ¡°Just remember it that way¡­¡± Although it was true that she had hurt him, Reinhardt only insisted that she remember the more important fact. ¡°What¡­ what happened? Reinhardt, what happened? What happened to us?¡± Charlotte wanted an explanation, but Reinhardt was not in a condition to provide one. ¡°I''m sorry¡­ for throwing away the flower.¡± Reinhardt made an entirely unexpected apology. What did it matter at this point? Instead of expressing gratitude for saving her, he suddenly apologized. ¡°If I accepted it¡­ in that situation, with that meaning¡­ it would feel like the last gift I received from you¡­ and I didn''t want that¡­¡± Please think of me. The flower with such meaning. Reinhardt knew that. He knew that the seemingly insignificant flower was a farewell gift. ¡°That''s why¡­ I threw it away¡­¡± To reject the subtle farewell gesture Charlotte offered. Reinhardt had thrown that flower away. With those final words, Reinhardt lost consciousness. CH 272 A strange ceiling. This time, it''s truly an unfamiliar ceiling. No, it''s not even a ceiling to begin with. I see something like a silk curtain. What is this? Why is the bed so wide? I sat up and looked around. The ceiling is unfamiliar, but the room isn''t. "..." I think this is Charlotte''s bedroom. I''ve been here before, so I could quickly recognize the room. It seems I was sleeping on Charlotte''s massive canopy bed. "Ah, you''re awake!" Upon seeing me sit up, Charlotte almost threw herself at me, embracing me tightly. The bed is indeed spacious. She must have been watching over me from the bedside, but to reach me, she had to climb onto the bed and launch herself. "Uh, um... Yeah." "Are you okay? Are there any aches or pains? Your eyes, your hands, are they alright?" "Uh, um... Yeah. I think I''m fine." "I''m so relieved... I''m so relieved..." I didn''t worry about being hurt, nor did I expect to be in perfect shape, but my condition was much better than after the last magical enhancement. Charlotte held me close, then pulled back slightly to look at me. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I''m so relieved, Reinhardt." "Um... Yeah. Are you okay?" "Yes. I''m fine." With clear tears streaming down her face, Charlotte embraced me once more. She didn''t scold me or say anything else. She simply held me close for a while, seemingly relieved that I was unharmed. At first, I thought she might just be sniffling. "Sniff... Sigh... Sob..." As she cried a little, her emotions eventually overwhelmed her, and she began to sob. Unsure of what to do, I patted Charlotte''s back. "But... This isn''t the first time something like this has happened, right?" "Sob... Yes..." "I''ve been unconscious for several days, and I want to know what''s been happening." With my tendency to faint at the drop of a hat, as if there were an unfamiliar ceiling quota, the first thing I wanted to know when I woke up was the situation at hand. Waking up in the princess''s bedroom was already unusual. "Just... give me a moment..." Charlotte seemed to think that stopping her tears was the priority. After sniffling for a while and catching her breath, she pulled away from my embrace. With swollen eyes, she covered her face and asked. "...Did my eyes get puffy?" "...You think they''d swell up that quickly?" Well, honestly, they did swell up a bit. But swelling depends on the person. She''s allowed to be puffy. Charlotte lowered her hands from her face. "It hasn''t been that long. The incident happened the day before yesterday, and today is Friday. The reason you''re in my bedroom... It''s to keep others from knowing that you''re in my palace." I passed out on Wednesday, skipped Thursday, and now it''s Friday. "Fortunately, due to the heavy rain and the severe thunderstorm, what happened that day remained unknown. Neither people nor surveillance spells were effective in the downpour, so only you, I, and Lady Tana are aware of the incident. The palace suffered significant damage, but... there''s no need to worry about that." Lady Tana had somehow managed to cover up my actions that day. However, neither Charlotte nor Tana seemed to know the full extent of what had transpired. "I thought it best to keep your presence a secret, so I had you resting in my bedchamber. As for healing... I was considering calling a priest, but it was somewhat risky... so I used an Elixir." "An Elixir?" "Yes." Was it the Elixir I was thinking of? As far as I knew, there were only a few bottles of it in the empire, and it was considered a national treasure¡ªnot merely a potion. No wonder I felt surprisingly well. "Is it okay to use it so casually?" "Why would it be casual?" Somehow, her words were strangely touching. "Besides, it was Lady Tana who brought it." Touching moment canceled. If it was the commander of Shanafel, she could have obtained a bottle of Elixir without much trouble. Anyway, I was fine, but what about that man? Judging from Charlotte''s reaction, he seemed to be okay. "Your Highness, may I come in?" As soon as the words left my mouth, Lady Tana''s voice came from beyond the door. Charlotte glanced at me. It seemed like a sign asking if it was okay for her to enter. What''s going on? I''m the owner of this room, so why is she asking for my permission? It feels strange! I nodded, and when Charlotte called for her to enter, Lady Tana, dressed in her uniform, stepped into Charlotte''s bedroom. "You''re awake." "Ah, yes." She looked at me, sitting nonchalantly on Charlotte''s bed, without showing any particular emotion. Both Charlotte and Tana had many questions for me. How I had acquired Tiamata, what happened after I passed out, and so on. She pulled up a chair and sat down beside the bed. ...She''s too far away. Although she was technically sitting next to me, there was a considerable distance between us. Charlotte, who had been sitting beside me, scratched her cheek. "I should change this bed." The overly large and uncomfortable bed. I too had experienced the wonders of the dormitory bed alongside Charlotte. "Since I''m not in pain, let''s sit down and talk." I got off the bed and sat down on the sofa. Charlotte took the seat of honor, while Tana and I faced each other. "First, I want to say thank you, Reinhardt. I don''t know the specifics, but on that day, you saved not only me but also Her Highness." Considering the damage done to the palace, Lady Tana must not have revealed that she had been subdued during the battle. If she had, Charlotte would not have been allowed to stay in her palace. She must have falsified her report. Upon hearing Tana''s words, Charlotte seemed to come to her senses and looked at me. "I haven''t properly expressed my gratitude either. Thank you so much, Reinhardt." Charlotte looked at me and smiled. It wasn''t the eerie, creepy smile she had shown when consumed by power. Yes. I wanted Charlotte to keep showing me such a smile. The awakening of the Word Spirit was secondary. It was not for power, but for Charlotte. "Before you ask me anything, I''d like to know the situation." I stared at Charlotte. "Is your problem resolved?" I had awakened the Word Spirit. I had commanded the thing that had controlled Charlotte''s body to disappear. "Has it truly disappeared?" Instead of explaining something, I wanted to know that first. Charlotte''s expression was ambiguous. "I''m not sure. But yesterday, I was fine... and... there''s this indescribable feeling. Should I say it''s hard to bear? It''s as if something is devouring me. It''s a mix of anxiety, a sense of crisis, and such. That tormented me every night, but it''s gone now, all of a sudden." "And the ability itself?" "It remains." The anxiety has vanished. Whether that''s enough or not, it would mean Charlotte''s safety was secured for now. The power to control shadows still lingers. That''s a worrisome factor. Charlotte refrained from demonstrating her ability directly. Only now did I understand why Charlotte disliked her own power. Who would like a power that seems to consume oneself? "Well, for now, we''ll have to monitor the situation, but it''s evident that some change has occurred in Your Highness. Although we tried everything we could with magic and divine power, none of it had any effect." Both Tana and Charlotte looked at me. "Reinhardt, what exactly did you do?" The spirit. It had already become a part of my power. So it would show up in a physical scan. "I believe my psychic ability has become stronger." While it was certainly deemed dangerous, I had no choice but to tell the truth since I couldn''t hide it. ¡ª--- I roughly explained the situation. The first thing I explained was about Tiamata. A sword with wicked power brought from Darkland. Charlotte already knew about this issue, so it was easy to talk about. I told her that the object, presumed to be a relic of the Demon King, had become imperfectly soul-bound with me, and after various judgments, I purified it, transforming it into Tiamata. I left out the part about not being able to distinguish between the Demon King and the God. I simply said Tiamata was in a corrupted state. In doing so, I had no choice but to bring up Olivia Lanze''s story. Both Tana and Charlotte were shocked by my words. Tiamata''s potential for corruption and my being chosen for it. "This... was a complex matter to explain, so I had to keep it secret." "I see..." "It''s certainly an issue that could turn the religious world upside down..." It took both of them quite a while to recover from the shock. Anyway, since the result was what it was, neither of them disputed the issue. Charlotte even thanked me for telling her, as it seemed she could worry less about the suddenly vanished relic of the Demon King. And then, the psychic power. Since I shouldn''t be aware of the concept of spirits myself, I explained it vaguely. I also explained the battle against whatever had dominated Charlotte. When I shouted for it to disappear, it vanished completely. There was only one logical explanation. "Your ability to use self-hypnosis on others has evolved, it seems?" "Because if it isn''t that, the situation doesn''t make sense." My ability to apply self-hypnosis to others had become possible. The spirit wasn''t a concept much different from that. If self-hypnosis is a power manifested through belief, I understand that suggestion is a slightly different concept, manifested through command or declaration. "Could the answer... have been a psychic ability?" Psychic abilities are explained by the word "anyway." They are inexplicable, and the miracles they cause manifest through a logic that does not exist in the world. That is why it is impossible to understand, but inevitably acceptable, that a psychic ability could solve Charlotte''s problem, which could not be resolved by any other means. Tana finds it difficult to accept this nonsensical situation that has become a reality, but eventually, her expression seems to say that she has found an exit after struggling through hell. "That means... you are the only one who can heal Her Highness''s condition." "...It might be so." For now, Charlotte''s worsening condition has improved, but no one knows what will happen later. I am the only contingency plan for that situation. It''s as if I were to become Charlotte''s primary physician. But Charlotte''s expression was grave. "It''s too dangerous a power. As much as mine, if not more so." The evolution of self-hypnosis. The fact that it is now applicable not only to oneself but also to others makes it far more dangerous. Neither self-hypnosis nor suggestion appeared in the original work. So, I don''t know what this power can do. Although the awakened suggestion may not be absolute right now, if the level of ability gradually increases, it might make the impossible possible. Of course, Charlotte was not thinking of eliminating me because my power was dangerous. "I don''t know how your new power will be measured, but I''ll instruct the Temple to keep it a secret." She meant to keep my new power a strict secret for my protection. Muzzle the Temple, and probably only Professor Epinhauser would know the true nature of my ability, even if they knew. In fact, it was a dangerous ability, and if we look back at the fight the day before, I managed to subdue Charlotte, whom Sabiolin Tana couldn''t subdue. Of course, the actual situation was a bit different. If Sabiolin Tana had had Tiamata, or if there had been a high-ranking knight, the story might have been different. In many ways, she had fought a foe with a bad compatibility under the worst conditions. The new ability will be kept secret. It was clear that this would be better. Tana seemed to have a slightly different idea. "What about having Reinhardt stay at the Spring Palace?" There was no guarantee that Charlotte''s condition was genuinely improved. Since no one knows what might happen at any time, I, the only person who can deal with it, would live with Charlotte at the Spring Palace. It wouldn''t look good externally, but since the princess''s life was at stake, the emperor wouldn''t oppose it either. "No. Even if we hide it, Reinhardt is in the same class as Bertholdt. If he were to live like that, Bertholdt would eventually find out, and then Reinhardt would be in danger." "...I see." Charlotte was primarily concerned about my safety. The fact that I saved Charlotte and the recent battle were not made known, possibly because if it were discovered that I saved her, Berthold might attempt to eliminate me. Berthold probably does not know that I am in the palace. "Does Berthold know about your condition?" "He may not know the details, but he is aware that I won''t live long." It would be strange if Berthold was not aware of this situation. There is no need to restrain an opponent who will fall apart on their own. Thus, the conflict between them had diminished recently. However, I saved Charlotte''s life. The person who was supposed to crumble on their own had been revived. If this fact were known, I would be a dead man to Berthold. That is why Charlotte made the rather bold decision to shelter me in her bedroom. It would be dangerous for me if Berthold found out I was here. "But... At this point, the only one who can guarantee your safety is Reinhardt." She had no choice but to admit that she could not protect Charlotte, and neither could the royal family. There was no safe place for Charlotte anywhere in the world. Only with me by her side could Charlotte be safe. "I must return to the temple, after all." "..." I cannot live in the royal palace. In the end, the only choice left was for Charlotte to return to the temple and live in the dormitory with me. Sabiolin Tana knew that this was the best choice for both me and Charlotte, and ultimately had no choice but to nod in agreement. ¡ª--- It had only been one day. Neither Tana nor Charlotte believed that just one uneventful day meant everything would be fine moving forward. "Reinhardt." "Yes, Lady Tana." "I must keep this a secret from everyone else, but I must report it to His Majesty." "..." "Putting aside my personal loyalty, this is the only way to convince him that your condition has improved. And for His Majesty to realize... that no further action is necessary." Charlotte looked at me. Her expression was full of apology. Sabiolin Tana was not Charlotte''s person, but the Emperor''s. Although she was responsible for the princess''s safety, her ultimate allegiance lay with the Emperor. The Emperor must not be kept in the dark about any secrets. After all, this too was necessary for Charlotte''s sake. Now, with matters so entangled, I, the prince of the demon realm, had reached a point where I would have to deal with the Emperor as well. "It''s alright." "I will do my best to ensure that you are not put in danger. I swear it upon my honor." The continent''s strongest warrior swore an oath. She would risk her own life to ensure that I would not be put in danger due to this matter. Her oath, staked on her honor, must have meant that. "Not only did you save Her Highness, but you also saved my life." She suddenly bowed her head. "For that, I am truly grateful." "Uh, well... There''s no need to be so formal..." Her bowed head conveyed sincere gratitude. Lady Sabiolin Tana excused herself, promising to report the detailed circumstances to the emperor. Charlotte and I were left alone in the bedroom. She skillfully brewed tea with a teapot, offering me a cup. "I didn''t think about Berthold when I brought you to the imperial palace. There was no need to." Charlotte had thought she was going to die soon. Therefore, it wouldn''t have mattered if Berthold found out that I had entered the Spring Palace. A rival whose value had vanished wouldn''t be a concern, no matter who they were friends with. "Reinhardt, to be frank, your saving me will likely have adverse effects on you." Saving me was your mistake. Charlotte stated this calmly. Seeing her sad smile, I furrowed my brow. "We don''t need that kind of talk." "..." "I''ll do the same if something like this happens again." At my words, Charlotte seemed flustered. I grinned as I looked at her, holding the teacup in her hand. "I told you, it turned out just as I said." I had told Charlotte that I would save her. When she asked how, I said I would find a way. She had responded pessimistically, saying anyone could say that. But in the end, I saved Charlotte. She stared blankly at her teacup for a moment and then nodded slightly. "You''re right... I''m sorry I didn''t trust you." "From now on, just accept whatever I say. I''m never wrong. I''m always right." Charlotte laughed heartily at my nonsense. "Yes, I''ll trust you. I''ll continue to trust you." I was taken aback by her unexpected response. Charlotte sipped her tea, and I took a sip of the milk tea she had prepared. "Anyway, Berthold will try to find a reason for my survival now. Even if he can''t harm me directly, he''ll be on guard again. So, you can''t let him know you were at the Spring Palace. Fortunately, I erased your entrance records. Since very few people saw you, Berthold shouldn''t know who was here or what happened." "¡­That''s a relief." "So, you cannot leave the imperial palace." Her words left me bewildered. I mean, I thought I wasn''t supposed to live in the Spring Palace. But saying I couldn''t leave the palace meant I had to stay here, right? Did she lie to Lady Sabiolin Tana? As if she knew what I was thinking, Charlotte chuckled. "Idiot, you know that place." Charlotte gestured with her chin toward a wall in the bedroom. The secret passage. A warp gate was installed underground. "You can leave through there, and it''ll connect to a gate within the imperial capital. You can leave from there. You know the gates are heavily monitored for those coming in, but the surveillance for those leaving is lax, right?" A secret path allowing me to leave the imperial palace unnoticed existed in Charlotte''s bedroom. "And this." Charlotte went somewhere in the room and opened a magical vault, handing me something from within. It was a small golden brooch. "What is this?" "The gates are bidirectional, aren''t they?" "¡­Right?" "If you can leave, you can also enter, right?" Charlotte showed me how to activate the brooch. It seemed to work by opening the brooch and pressing a switch-like mechanism. "Activate this brooch and pass through any warp gate within the imperial capital, and you''ll be connected to the warp gate in the underground of the Spring Palace." "¡­" Charlotte placed it in my hand and then held my hand. Her hand trembled slightly. "I''m giving you something that can enter my bedroom at any time¡­ Unnoticed by anyone¡­ Allowing entry¡­" Charlotte''s face was flushed, and her voice shook more intensely. It was not an item she could give to just anyone. No, had she ever given such an item to someone before? This was nothing less than a secret key that allowed for undetected infiltration into the imperial palace. "Do you understand the meaning of this¡­?" Charlotte couldn''t look me in the eye. "You trust me that much?" "¡­" Charlotte stared at me intently. Her lips pouted. "Yes, I want you to come and help me whenever I need you." Charlotte looked slightly miffed, crossing her arms and gazing out the window for a while. Her face seemed as if it might drip crimson. "Don''t discard this gift¡­" Charlotte said with a trembling voice. Was she thinking about what I said before I passed out? Honestly, my consciousness was slipping away at that moment, so I couldn''t remember exactly what I had said. "Of course." In exchange for discarding the gift that Charlotte had given me with a premonition of farewell, I received an item that allowed me to meet Charlotte at any time. CH 273 The time when I awoke was around the afternoon. The Temple was out of the question today as well. Two consecutive days of absence. Charlotte had already made up an excuse for my absence, so she told me not to worry. She had also deleted my entry records. Rather than being happy about her safety and the fact that the force trying to swallow her had subsided, Charlotte immediately thought about what she had to do next and proceeded with those tasks. Abandoning everything, only to resume immediately as the situation changed. It was quite a peculiar experience. The people of the Spring Palace were tight-lipped, so my visit here would not be known to the outside world. That being said, I did not wander around the palace. I remained solely in Charlotte''s bedroom. I nodded when Charlotte said it was fine to return and that she would go back to the Temple tomorrow. "Still, I should keep an eye on you for one more day." "..." Charlotte stared at me intently. "You mean, you''ll stay in my bedroom for another day?" "Yes." "Reinhardt, I''m really grateful to you, and I acknowledge that you''re a very precious person to me. But isn''t this too brazen?" Did you think this was your room just because you slept here for a day? Charlotte seemed flabbergasted. "Ah, it''s unavoidable for the safety of your noble body." "Why are you the one saying that!" I confidently declared that I would sleep in her room and leave. Even though it was for an important reason, it felt somewhat rascally. But even if I went back to the Temple today, classes would have already ended. I wanted to watch over Charlotte''s condition for another day. If nothing happened today, it should be safe to assume everything would be fine for the time being. Charlotte, realizing that my words made sense, did not kick me out. However, it was one thing when I had been injured and had no choice but to lie down in her bedroom, but now that I was being brazen, she found it unbelievable. "...Fine. I''ll sleep in the guest room, then." "What do you mean by that?" At Charlotte''s words, I shook my head. What is she trying to say? "I''m staying here for another day to watch over your condition, but what''s the point if I''m sleeping outside? I should sleep in here." At my words, Charlotte''s lips quivered. Her face was gradually turning pale. "A-are... Are you saying that you''ll sleep with me?" No! Why would it come to that! "Do we really have to put it like that? I just need to make sure there''s nothing wrong with you while you''re asleep!" "I-I... I understand that, but..." Charlotte seemed to be trembling, as if she had never imagined she would be faced with such a request. "What am I doing wrong? I''m just watching, right?" "Why are you watching someone sleep without sleeping yourself!" "So if I sleep, it''s a problem, and if I don''t, it''s still a problem? What do you want me to do? You''re a funny one, aren''t you?" "F-funny one...?" Charlotte seemed to be mentally shaken by my blunt remarks. Somehow. Why do I have to hear this? This reaction proves that both Harriet and Charlotte are of high quality. In fact, Charlotte must have grown up receiving even more venerable treatment. Above all, Harriet had grown accustomed to the situation, and thus, she would usually let things slide. But Charlotte still lacked immunity, so her reactions were quite raw. "Hey, that thing... give it back. You''re scary." Charlotte seemed to want the brooch she had given me back. Perhaps she was worried that I might sneak in while she slept, check if she was alright, and then leave, doing something strange like that. "Taking back what you''ve given is the worst thing to do, and do you think I would let you take it back?" "No, don''t! Give it back! Give it back! Ugh, I shouldn''t have given it to you!" Charlotte and I played tag in the spacious bedroom for quite some time. Eventually, Charlotte grew tired and collapsed. "Pant... gasp... pant... I-I... shouldn''t have... exercised... and improved... my stamina..." Exhausted, Charlotte glared at me as she sat down on the bedroom floor. "Well, you should exercise too, then." "You''re the worst, really!" Charlotte screamed as if she was truly annoyed. To think there''s someone who can provoke the princess. Aside from Berthus, I might be the only one in the world. ------ In the end, I decided to stay another day, remaining in Charlotte''s bedroom. Charlotte seemed restless. Well, even so, I would sleep on the sofa; did she really need to be so tense? Indeed, having grown up in luxury, she must have never experienced a situation like this before. Of course, the circumstances in the Demon King''s Castle must have been much more horrifying, but that was different from this. Servants brought our meals, and, naturally, I remained hidden. Charlotte told them she didn''t need any assistance and asked for more food. I had thought that after starving for a whole day, I could eat a lot, but instead, I ate less because of the hunger. Charlotte looked at the remaining food and stared at me. "Is it okay if I don''t eat more?" "You can''t eat much when you''re starving." "Right." Charlotte must have known that, too. The luxurious feast at the Allied Forces'' command post after a long period of starvation. Charlotte''s expression became slightly wistful and sad as she seemed to recall that time. ¡ª--- After dinner. Since I had only been in the bedroom, the night came without much to do. Charlotte fidgeted like a puppy that needed to relieve itself. She seemed to want to do something, trying to stand up but then hesitating and sitting back down. Why is she like this? Eventually, Charlotte seemed to make up her mind and stood up. "Um, I''m going to step out for a bit." "Where to?" "To another room..." "I told you to sleep here, didn''t I? Do you think I''ll be here all the time? I just want to check on you today, okay?" At my words, Charlotte glared at me. "That''s not it, I mean... I need to take a bath!" Ah. Is she feeling conscious because she wants to bathe in the bedroom and I''m watching? "Why do you need to go to another room to take a bath?" "You... you''ll hear the sound of the water..." Charlotte''s face turned red. What''s going on? How should I describe this sensitivity? Is it really not okay for someone to hear the sound of her bathing? Is that what a girl her age feels like? I don''t really know. Anyway, at a time when there are people who attend to one''s bath, doesn''t it not matter? Was it natural for her to be so concerned? I... I don''t know... I have no idea what''s right or wrong in this case! "¡­Well, I suppose it''s not my place to tell you what to do. Figure it out on your own." "I shouldn''t be told what to do in the first place! Ugh!" Annoyed, Charlotte stormed out of the bedroom. As Charlotte went to bathe, I took the opportunity to wash myself in the en-suite bathroom. It was quite spacious, but I didn''t bother entering the tub. After washing up, I realized something. I had no change of clothes. My school uniform, which was bloodstained and torn, had been discarded, and I was wearing something akin to pajamas that had been procured from somewhere. Unable to leave the bathroom, I wondered what to do when, after a while, Charlotte returned. Perhaps hearing the water, Charlotte''s voice reached me from beyond the bathroom door. "Are you, you''re bathing in my bathroom?" "Shouldn''t I wash up?" "Ugh, uh... um..." Charlotte seemed to be stomping her feet, unsure if she was annoyed or something else. Why can''t I use it? I can''t even leave your bedroom, after all. "Anyway, I don''t have a change of clothes." "...Huh?" "Bring me some clothes." "...Huh?" Charlotte seemed to have never imagined she would hear such a request, and for a while, there was no response. Even so, isn''t it a bit too much to ask the princess to fetch me clothes? It''s not even about her being a princess; it''s just trashy to ask someone for clothes while using their bathroom. As I was pondering this, "...I''ve put them by the door." Charlotte spoke in a voice that conveyed a mixture of complicated emotions. ¡ª--- The palace was not just full of women''s clothing. Initially, when I had collapsed, Sabiolin Tana had managed to gather clothes for me to wear from somewhere. After a bit of commotion, Both Charlotte and I were dressed in our sleepwear. ...If anyone found out about this, it would be a huge scandal on its own. Regardless of the circumstances, it''s a princess and a pauper sharing a room. However, this was happening due to our unique situation. I sat in a rocking chair in Charlotte''s bedroom, while she lay on the bed. "¡­Do you plan to sleep like that?" "No?" "Then, in... in the bed?" Charlotte''s voice was clearly flustered. She seemed as if she would reluctantly give up her place if I insisted on sleeping in the bed. "What''s the big deal? Just the other day, we slept in the same bed and didn''t even touch." "That, that was just a figure of speech! It wasn''t actually like that!" Charlotte shouted, flustered. But is it okay for her to be making so much noise? The soundproofing is quite reliable. If it hadn''t been for my supernatural abilities, I wouldn''t have been able to eavesdrop on the conversations in the room. The Charlotte of the day before had seemed to let go of everything. That''s why she talked to me about various things, shared important secrets, and even made off-the-cuff remarks. Yet now free from danger, Charlotte began to feel embarrassed. Perhaps it was because she could once again consider the notion of living. That inexplicably warmed my heart. "What''s with that odd expression...?" Charlotte, her face flushed, pulled the blanket up to cover half her face. "Ah, anyway! Are you really going to sleep in the bed?" Is it because she is of noble birth? She seems to be quite concerned about such things. "I won''t sleep." "...Huh?" "I''m here to make sure you''re okay; how can I sleep? Don''t worry. I won''t stare at your face or do anything like that." Sitting in a rocking chair with my arms crossed, I gazed blankly at the ceiling of Charlotte''s room. What other intentions could I possibly have? I just need to make sure you''re safe. I just need to know if nothing will happen from now on. "...Aren''t you tired?" "I''ve consumed the treasure among treasures, the Elixir. It would be stranger if I weren''t alright. Don''t worry about it. Staying awake for a day is nothing." I said this, hoping to make her feel a little less guilty by talking weirdly. "Well, just... if you want to... you could sleep at the other end..." "If I''m going to sleep, I''ll sleep on the sofa, so don''t worry about it." "..." For a while, Charlotte was silent. However, perhaps to make room for me, she slid from the center of the bed to the very edge, leaving enough space for me to lie down on the opposite end. By moving to the edge, she also moved closer to me, who was sitting quite a distance away in the rocking chair. The chair was positioned not facing Charlotte, but rather, parallel to her. I was sitting, and Charlotte was lying down. We were side by side. I was sitting next to Charlotte. "Reinhardt." "Hm?" "¡­I don''t understand. Why are you doing all this for me?" "Nobility should be treated with respect. It''s only natural, right?" "You''re not doing this just because I''m a princess." "¡­" There were many people who would give their lives for Charlotte simply because she was a princess. But no matter how one looked at it, I didn''t seem to be one of those people. I wasn''t trying to save her by risking my life just because of her status. Why. Why indeed. Charlotte seemed curious. "Just think of it as something like that." Unable to explain the inexplicable, I had no choice but to say that. I wasn''t looking at Charlotte''s face. It seemed like she was looking at me. As if making a decision, Charlotte cautiously opened her mouth. "The Demon King... he did something to me." "¡­Is that so?" It must have been a long-held secret. The moment such a thing was revealed, all she had would vanish, which was why she had kept it a secret until now. She wouldn''t have been able to tell anyone. Charlotte spoke of what I had only guessed at. "I don''t know what it was... but it was incredibly painful and terrifying. It felt as if not my body, but my soul was in agony." "¡­" Unable to simply empathize with Charlotte''s words, I just listened for the moment. ¡°I cannot fathom what it was. Even now¡­ I do not fully understand what has befallen me. However¡­ after that, I was imprisoned in the dungeon-like depths of the Demon King''s castle. Kidnapped¡­ along with other people.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Charlotte''s voice quivered increasingly. It seemed as though she was attempting to disclose something she was afraid to discuss. ¡°Reinhardt.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°May I¡­ hold your hand?¡± I extended my hand, and Charlotte took hold of it. Her palm was drenched in cold sweat. Was it so agonizing to speak of it? What could have happened? While grasping my hand, Charlotte took a breath and spoke. ¡°We starved for too long.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°All of us there, for such a long time, we had to endure on scarce amounts of food and drink. And when the war escalated, they provided us with nothing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°People¡­ for so long¡­ had nothing to eat.¡± ¡°Charlotte.¡± I looked intently at Charlotte. Her eyes were already brimming with tears. ¡°If it is difficult to speak, you do not have to force yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Actually, do not speak of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Stop. It is too painful for you.¡± I could already understand what had happened from the mere mention of it. From Charlotte''s fear and horror, guilt-ridden voice, one could surmise the dreadful circumstances. Those who were shattered to pieces by something formless. Because I remembered that horrific scene. I knew that now, Charlotte was trying to speak not of her cannibalism but of the events that transpired afterward. As I told her not to speak, she burst into tears. ¡°Had it not been for me¡­ if it were not me¡­ everyone could have lived. All of them. If it were not for me. If I were not there¡­ it was all because of me¡­ my, mo¡­ mother¡­¡± Such words. Charlotte had never spoken them to anyone before. Even though everyone knew that she had suffered at the hands of the Demon King. I felt that she was telling me this story for the first time. Otherwise, she would not have confessed her guilt so sorrowfully, weeping as she told her story. I did not offer any words of comfort, sympathy, or justification. I merely held Charlotte''s hand tightly. ¡°Hic! Sob! Sniff! Hic¡­.¡± Charlotte also tightly gripped my hand as she cried. For a very long time. ¡ª--- After calming down, Charlotte shared with me everything that had transpired. There were two groups of people who knew about Charlotte''s abilities. Firstly, those who knew of her supernatural power to manipulate shadows. Secondly, those who knew that her abilities were the result of the Demon King''s torment. The latter group consisted only of Dyrus, Sabiolin Tana, the Spring Palace Chamberlain, and the Emperor himself. ¡°What about Berthus?¡± ¡°I hope he doesn''t know¡­ but I think he does. It is likely that he has only recently discovered it.¡± The power to control shadows is already sinister and eerie in itself. Thus, it can be easily twisted into something negative if one wishes. Charlotte had been searching for a way to control or eliminate her power. That was why she sought out a seal master. However, all her efforts were in vain, and as Charlotte''s power grew, it began to consume her. Somnambulism. At some point, Charlotte started to find herself in strange places in the middle of the night. "Could it be... that time?" Only then did I recall the sight of Charlotte walking barefoot in the mansion''s hallway during a group mission at midnight. "That was the first time." Charlotte''s appearance had indeed seemed odd back then. She said that there had been no incidents for a while after that. But then, in the temple dormitory, Charlotte experienced another episode. After the incident at the temple dormitory, Charlotte sensed that this was not an ordinary problem and started living in the Spring Palace. The sleepwalking continued and became more frequent. Eventually, she was said to have roamed the palace, engulfed in her powers and shrouded in darkness. Even then, it seemed alright. Though she lost consciousness and couldn''t remember anything, she didn''t attack anyone, and when Dyrus and the chamberlain led her back to her bedroom, she didn''t resist. But at some point, she began to appear and disappear throughout the palace without ever opening any doors. Then, one day, she attacked and killed a maid. Charlotte could not remember anything. But she felt that it was too late, and that everything had come to an end. She asked the Emperor to just kill her. But the Emperor refused. Instead, he sent Sabiolin Tana to the Spring Palace and minimized the number of people in the palace. Until they found a way to deal with the situation. The royal family could not find a solution. Although it''s not certain, I believe that if I hadn''t been there, Charlotte would not have returned after the day before yesterday. That day was the last moment. Had it been after that day, Sabiolin Tana would have died, and Charlotte would have ultimately faced death by the Emperor''s command. In the end, if it hadn''t been for me, Charlotte would have died just like that. "Sleeping scared me." "I can imagine." "But even if I didn''t sleep, I''d still lose consciousness. I knew that sleep wasn''t the problem, but... I was just scared." Charlotte''s hand no longer conveyed the fear originating from cold sweat. Only her warm body temperature was transmitted. "Reinhardt." "I''m listening." "I think I can sleep properly for the first time in a long while." With that, Charlotte closed her eyes. "I''m glad." All I could do was say those words. "Reinhardt." "Yeah?" "Can you tell me that nothing will happen?" I look at Charlotte intently. With the power of my declaration. "Nothing will happen." "Okay." With her eyes closed, Charlotte nods her head. "I''ll believe that." With a faint smile on her face, Charlotte gradually falls asleep. I quietly listened to the steady sound of Charlotte''s breathing. I silently watched Charlotte''s peaceful face as she slept. And then. [Special Achievement Unlocked - Turning Point in History] [A major character who shouldn''t exist in the original world line (Charlotte de Gradias) has survived.] [The future has changed significantly.] [You have gained 1,000 achievement points.] The message appeared, exactly the same as it had during the prologue. It seemed a bit late, but why was this message appearing now? Shouldn''t this message have appeared after the battle the night before last? I gazed at the sleeping Charlotte''s face. Holding my hand tightly, she slept with a serene expression. Tonight. It seemed there was some significance to me standing guard here until Charlotte could safely fall asleep. Although I couldn''t understand the meaning. As long as nothing happened, I decided not to be curious about what could have occurred. Nothing will happen. You will be safe. I will make sure of it. With the power of self-suggestion. With the power of my declaration. In my heart, I continued. I believed and declared countless times. CH 274 The following day, I returned to the temple. I had made a rather vague excuse, claiming I had been on a special mission under the instructions of Master Epinhauser. Perhaps that was why neither Ellen nor Harriet were angry with me. In truth, the recent events had been the most dangerous moments I had experienced in a while. I couldn''t reveal the details, and ultimately, whether Ellen worried or not, I was the one seeking out danger. I felt sorry. But I couldn''t avoid it, so my remorse grew even larger. There would be many more such incidents in the future. "What was the special mission?" Ellen asked. I clicked my tongue briefly. "It wasn''t so much a special mission... more of an excuse." Had I caused trouble again? Seeing Ellen''s expression beginning to twist, I quickly shook my head. "It was related to Tiamata." "Did you get caught?" "Let''s say..." It was both true and false. Charlotte and Sabiolin Tana knew that I had become the master of Tiamata. Ultimately, I was lying, and I was terrified that Ellen would see through my deception. "We decided to keep it a secret. There should be no other problems." "...Thank goodness." Ellen stared intently at me. "Were you worried?" "Yes." Upon seeing Ellen''s calm demeanor as she spoke those words, a sharp pang tugged at my heart. "It''s fine, as long as nothing happened." That was all Ellen had to say. Charlotte said that since nothing happened that night, she would spend the weekend in the Imperial Palace and then return to the temple. Charlotte and I were to return to the temple together, as Berthold might find it strange otherwise. It seemed that there would be no issues for a few days. Charlotte''s survival had been confirmed as a turning point in history. Although the duration of this effect was unknown, there should be no issues for the time being. A newly-acquired ability. It could be said that the role of inspiration was immense. It had been a stormy few days. Yesterday was Friday, so today was the weekend. In the end, everything had passed without incident. Ellen grabbed my arm. "You have something to do." "¡­Huh? What do I have to do? Training?" "No." Ellen vehemently shook her head. "Study." What an unexpected remark. "Kids are waiting." Ellen dragged me off somewhere, gripping my arm. She led me to the A-class dormitory''s study room. Liana, Harriet, and Adelia were huddled together there. "Ah, the protagonist has arrived. How did your special mission go?" Liana greeted me with a nervous expression. Harriet glanced at me and, with a determined look, suddenly stood up, while Ellen pulled me along and made me sit down. "What is this all about... Right after I came back?" Harriet placed a notebook in front of me. "These are the key points and expected questions for the upcoming final exams. Ellen, Adelia, and I worked on this together." No. What did she just say? Harriet''s eyes sparkled. Come to think of it, there were only a few days left until the final exams. "If you study this, you won''t finish last," she assured me. No. My friends. Why do you move me with such a gesture? "We can''t lose to Ludwig again. Understand?" I didn''t really need this. However, the serious expressions of Ellen, Harriet, and Adelia left me unable to say that I didn''t care about my exam scores. My rival is Ludwig. How far have I fallen...? ------ Sunday. Winter Palace. Berthus received a report and sat quietly in his office chair. It wasn''t his usual frivolous smile, but a tense, expressionless face. Berthus read the report without any expression. The content was simple. The protective measures for Charlotte de Gradias and the Spring Palace, ordered by the Emperor, had been lifted. "¡­ Didn''t they say they couldn''t control that ability?" "Yes, Your Highness. We thought that was the case, and it was expected that actions would be taken against the First Princess soon¡­" Berthus had been concerned about Charlotte''s ability not long ago. A supernatural power to control shadows. It was rather peculiar that someone who had been imprisoned in the Demon King''s Castle would obtain such a power. Depending on how it was framed, Charlotte''s power could be seen as a dark power, and thus, it could be easily linked to a curse from the Demon King. But there was no need to go that far. There were some things that could not be covered up even if one tried. The protective measures for the Spring Palace. The news of Sabiolin Tana residing in the Spring Palace with minimal personnel. The incident of a palace maid being murdered at midnight in the Spring Palace. After considering various circumstances and deductions, Berthus had a hunch that Charlotte''s end was not far off. So, he left her be. However, the lifting of the protective measures and the news of Charlotte''s safety meant that somehow the matter had been resolved. The rival he had expected to fall would rise again. ''Have I missed my chance?'' He should have taken advantage when the opportunity presented itself. If the First Princess had successfully sealed the powers or something of the sort, the story of the cursed princess wouldn''t have been convincing. Moreover, it would have tarnished the imperial family''s honor. The Emperor''s wrath would be directed at him. While a benevolent competition was impossible, the Emperor had desired it and commanded it. He had the means to attack, but whether it was effective or not remained uncertain. It was more likely to provoke the Emperor''s displeasure. ''What on earth happened...?'' Leaving Charlotte alone had been an act of final mercy. He hadn''t been particularly keen on meddling with a dying princess. Pointlessly interfering might have only earned him baseless criticism. If the situation was resolved, the battle would have to start anew. How should he proceed? "What about the Spring Palace''s security?" "It appears that it will be strengthened again." "Hmm... It''ll be difficult to obtain information now." The once ironclad defenses would be reinforced again, making it even more challenging than before. "Sabiolin Tana must have seen what happened..." "She won''t say a word." "Yes, that''s right." It was the leader of Shanafel who heeded only the command of the Emperor. Sending her to the Spring Palace was an extraordinary event, for she had been striving to maintain perfect neutrality regarding the matter of imperial succession. Had Charlotte''s condition improved, she would have returned to neutrality. "Investigate. Find out what happened. Whether the First Princess''s condition has truly improved." "Yes, Your Highness." As the attendant withdrew, Berthus crossed his arms. The downfall of his rival. It seemed he should be in a foul mood now that it had been reversed. Yet, strangely, Berthus didn''t feel all that bad. Wasn''t this a situation where he should be hitting the ground and hurling something in anger? However, Berthus wore a smile. ''Hey, why the long face all the time? How unlucky.'' ''What does it matter?'' ''Well, it''s even more unlucky when an already ugly face looks even more unhappy. Smile a little. Who''s going to slap you for smiling?'' ''Who dares to slap my cheek?'' ''You always twist my words. You always hear them differently than I mean them.'' ''You''re the one who always speaks strangely, always starting quarrels.'' ''Anyway, smile a little, will you? Your face is already unpleasant, and it gets worse when I see it.'' ''Ah, you''re truly annoying. If I smile, will you leave me be?'' ''I don''t know about leaving, but I might think of you as a little less unlucky.'' Berthus, who had rarely smiled, who hadn''t smiled much since his mother''s passing, tried on an awkward smile at that time. ''Well, that''s a little better. Still unlucky, though.'' ''What do you want me to do?'' He had exchanged such conversations when he was very young. He couldn''t even remember how old he was then. It was when he didn''t despise his half-sibling as much as he did now. It was when he didn''t fully understand their relationship. Just a cheeky fellow, that was Charlotte to Berthus, and he too was such a fellow to Charlotte. The two were irreconcilable. If one existed, the other should not. He would have to fight the battle he thought had ended once again. And that was a delightful prospect. Berthus thought so as he quietly smiled in his office. ------ Name: Valier Age: 17 Current stats: [Strength 10.2(C)] [Agility 9.9(C-)] [Dexterity 11.9(C)] [Magic 14.2(B-)] [Stamina 15.2(B-)] Race: Arcdemon Talent: Psychokinesis-Self Hypnosis, Psychokinesis-Word Magic, Magic Sensitivity, Magic Control Traits: [Sacred Mind] - Increased resistance to mental magic [Hero''s Bloodline] - Significantly increased growth limit, increased growth rate [Sixth Sense] - Crisis detection Abilities: [Demon Control B] (Arcdemon unique ability) (Currently unusable in this state) [Self Hypnosis A] [Word Magic F] [Magic Enhancement D] Overall Ability Evaluation - Intermediate Demon King Battle Level Evaluation - A It had been a while since he last checked his status, and the increase was quite significant. Influenced by the Hero''s Bloodline, he could feel that the speed of his status increase had accelerated considerably. His battle level was now ranked A. It felt like just yesterday when he was at rank F, and he had come a long way since then. Magic Enhancement had also become possible, and Self-Hypnosis had reached Rank A. Although it was the lowest rank, the power of Word Magic had awakened as well. Interestingly, it was not that Self-Hypnosis had evolved into Word Magic, but rather that an additional psychic power had emerged. A battle level of Rank A would now mean that I had nothing to fear when compared to others. At some point, Demon Control had risen from Rank C to Rank B. Rank F Word Magic. I had reported this only to Master Epinhauser, and I was not sure whether he had fully understood the details, but we had agreed to keep it a secret. It would probably be revealed during a physical scan, but Master Epinhauser would keep the secret. As expected, even upon hearing that I had awakened a very powerful psychic ability called Word Magic, he merely said, "Is that so?" I still do not know the extent of its usage. I have not had the leisure to experiment with it on my own. Because I had to study for the final exams, forcibly entangled in the children''s affairs. The children did not know what had happened, and Word Magic was kept a secret from them. The newly awakened power, Word Magic. And the new information about Tiamata''s usage. It responds to my anger. It was fortunate to have saved Charlotte, but ultimately, it was also necessary for myself. "Reinhardt." "Ah, Charlotte." Charlotte returned on Monday morning. Judging by her expression, nothing seemed to have happened while she was alone. The shadow that always seemed to linger on Charlotte''s face appeared to have been lifted. I was tempted to ask Eleris about it, but I had decided not to speak of it. If she knew that it was a trace of the Demon King, Eleris might try to intervene. Sarkegaar would try to revive it, and Eleris would try to eradicate it. Of course, there is a possibility that Eleris would not act upon my persuasion, but it is unlikely that Eleris could do anything that even the royal magicians could not. I am the only one who can control Charlotte''s power. The fewer people who know, the better. And for now, it is difficult to leave the temple. Due to the pressure from Harriet and Ellen to focus on our studies and not to sneak out. As there seems to be no imminent threat to Charlotte''s safety, I intend to observe the situation. Having overcome the crisis with Charlotte, I now had to think about the next issue. The revolutionary forces. I had to think about what to do with them. The royal family, the emperor, and even Charlotte''s rival, Berthus, were all focused on the issue of Charlotte''s death, and they seemed to have failed to grasp the revolutionary forces. If left unaddressed, civil war or rebellion may break out in the empire, and if the Gate incident occurs, it could be the final blow to the staggering empire. Without a doubt, the revolutionary forces must be eliminated. But how to accomplish this? Sarkegaar, who is responsible for infiltration and intelligence gathering, believes that I intend to use the revolutionaries to cause chaos in the empire and rebuild the demon world. Hence, it was not possible to order Sarkegaar to eliminate all of their chieftains. If I were to give information to Charlotte or Berthus, I would have no means to explain how I had come to know it. The most plausible method that comes to mind is to claim that I learned it through the Thieves Guild. However, the actual source of the information is not the Thieves Guild. If one were to investigate the Thieves Guild, it would be easy to discover that the source is false. Charlotte''s trust in me is stronger than Berthus''s, so I wonder if it would be acceptable to simply say that I have such information without providing an explanation. Time passed, but I struggled to make a decision. I did not wish to influence the future succession structure. To be precise, I did not want to take Charlotte''s side and make an enemy of Berthus, nor did I want to support Berthus and bring about Charlotte''s downfall. It was not something that could be decided easily. Amidst the many issues that lay scattered, time as a student continued to pass at the temple. The final exams were just around the corner. On Monday, apart from Charlotte''s return, there were other changes. It was presumed that Charlotte''s current abilities had overcome the crisis. This was only an ''assumption.'' Therefore, the royal family, or to be precise, the Emperor seemed to have not only allowed Charlotte to return to the temple but also thought of safety measures, naturally. On Monday morning, before classes began, the first-year Royal Class students were briefly gathered at the dormitory. Teachers Epinhauser and Mustlang introduced someone to us. "Starting today, Lady Sabiolin Tana will be serving as the Royal Class first-year supervisor, responsible for your daily safety and dormitory discipline." "Nice to meet you. I am Sabiolin Tana, entrusted with your daily safety and the discipline of your dormitory life." Thus, Sabiolin Tana unexpectedly began to reside in the Royal Class dormitory. CH 275 Charlotte''s power was safe for now, but no one knew when it might become dangerous. Moreover, although Sabiolin Tana was in poor condition, she had managed to handle the situation. To prepare for any possible scenarios, the royal family dispatched Sabiolin Tana, who would take action if Charlotte¡¯s power went out of control. The reason she stayed at the dormitory rather than the Spring Palace was likely due to another hidden purpose. It was me. Charlotte staying at the dormitory allowed me to intervene in case of an emergency and ensured that my identity remained concealed. Of course, being a dormitory supervisor was not a terrible job, but it was strange for someone to suddenly become a Temple supervisor after serving as the Empire''s First Knight Commander. It was the Emperor''s decision to ensure the safety of the First Princess and to deal with her potential rampage. Those who knew the situation. Berthus and Charlotte seemed to have anticipated this, and I thought this response was appropriate, albeit unexpected. The role of the First Knight Commander was significant, but the safety of the First Princess was such a critical issue that she had to temporarily step down from her position. -Commander Shanafel¡­? -Why on earth? Those who knew about Sabiolin Tana were undoubtedly confused. Everyone seemed unable to understand the situation. Who could easily accept this situation? If one didn''t know the circumstances, it would seem like a bizarre April Fool''s joke. Except for Ellen Artorius, who wore a blank expression as if thinking, ''I should have eaten more breakfast.'' Sabiolin Tana, standing between Ephinhauser and Mustlang, had removed her Knight Commander uniform and donned a two-piece suit. "Addressing me as ''teacher'' will suffice. Moreover, if needed, I can supervise your personal training as well." Those interested in receiving training from the world''s strongest person began to sparkle with excitement. A prime example was Ludwig, who seemed ecstatic, though he knew little else. Originally, there wasn''t a supervisor for each grade. Supervisors were assigned without grade distinction, and they took turns on duty and patrolling. However, Sabiolin Tana became a unique supervisor, responsible only for the first-year students. Naturally, her primary concern would be Class B, where Charlotte was, so she likely paid little attention to Class A. The newly introduced supervisor aside. The final exam period had begun. After Monday''s comprehensive exam, many students chatted in their free time. "Aren''t you looking forward to the festival?" Of course, someone like Kono Lint seemed to be solely focused on enjoying the festival. "I''ve only heard about the festival, but what exactly do we do?" It was Erich who replied. "There''s a beauty pageant!" ...Well, if you say so. He seems to think that alone makes the festival incredibly valuable. The official names are Miss Temple and Mister Temple. There''s also a cross-dressing contest. The final exams were supposed to take place, but due to the counteroffensive, various practices kept everyone busy, and the Orvis class was closed down. I know the student council is trying their best to make it happen. As for the Royal class, there''s not much to prepare, and they can just enjoy the festival. "Reinhardt." "Huh, what?" Kono Lint, excited, spoke to me. "Aren''t you participating in the tournament?" "Tournament?" "Yeah, well... you could make it into the rankings, right? They''re accepting applications starting today." Although the counteroffensive was canceled, a tournament targeting the entire Temple would still take place. There are tournaments for each grade, and an unlimited tournament regardless of grade. I originally didn''t plan on participating since I didn''t have much chance of winning first place. [(Festival) Unlimited Tournament Victory - 15,000 points] [(Festival) First Grade Tournament Victory - 10,000 points] However, the rewards from the challenge are substantial. The possibility of the Orvis class participating is low since they were closed down, and even if they do, I''ve awakened the ability to strengthen magic through self-suggestion. Self-suggestion with magical enhancement. In reality, no one can beat me in my current state, excluding Ellen. Of course, this assumes that the magic enhancement will work properly in the tournament. My ability is especially useful in real combat, but will I be able to use magic enhancement in a practice duel like the tournament? It did work right away when I tried it in the palace of spring. Ellen had said last time that she would not participate, as her victory appeared all too certain. Exams were of course important as well. It seemed only right to participate in the tournament. Aside from the achievement points, winning the tournament would also grant one a trophy and a monetary reward bestowed by the emperor. "Hmm, perhaps I should give it a try." The hopeless trio gazes at me. For some time now, they have been looking at me with awe. Naturally, there was another person from whom I needed confirmation. "Hey." "?" I approached Ellen, who was seated in the front row. "I''m going to participate in the first-year tournament." "Alright." "Don''t you participate." "Alright." Ellen coolly nods her head. Does this guarantee my victory? The gaze of the hopeless trio shifts. That rascal, he''s fixing the match. That was the look in their eyes. But if Ellen participates, I can''t win even if I were to die and come back to life! I don''t need second or third place! If it''s not victory, there''s nothing for me to gain! What''s a few coins worth of prize money! I must somehow block this variable? With a single word, I managed to hinder the participation of a powerful contender for victory. It seems somewhat like cheating... Ellen stares intently at me and then says dismissively, "If you don''t win, you''ll be scolded." "No! You said I should only make it to the quarterfinals last time!" "The situation has changed." It seems that Ellen''s expectations of me have risen significantly. The unnecessary success of my magical enhancement... My unexpected declaration of participation. The most powerful rivals from the Orvis class should have scattered and been reassigned to the general classes. I don''t know if they will participate or not. However, as long as Ellen isn''t present, my status as a strong contender for victory remains unchanged. It has suddenly come to this. ¡°But, is there no one from our class participating in Miss Temple?¡± ¡°You little brat.¡± ¡°If you''re going to whisper, do it quietly; we can hear you.¡± Harriet and Liana threw disdainful looks at Kono Lint. ¡°You should be aware that you''re a nuisance to us in a different way.¡± "Ah, no! I, I was just... I thought everyone was worthy of participating..." ¡°Why don''t you just keep your mouth shut?¡± -Bang! "Reinhardt!" And then, Olivia Lanze suddenly bursts through the first-year classroom door. Why is she here instead of studying during exam period? Unfazed by everyone''s surprise at her sudden entrance, Olivia quickly rushes towards me. She then thrusts a piece of paper at me. My face pales as I read the content. [Miss Temple Participation Application] It was clearly written. "I''m going to participate in Miss Temple!" "¡­What is that?" "You''re going to vote for me, right?" Miss Temple participation application. What is this person thinking, wanting to participate in such a thing? "Ah, ah! Why are you clinging to me whether you participate or not!" What am I supposed to do about it when you tell me? I fended her off with disgust as she tried to grab my face and rub it. This cannot be. The children''s gazes grew strange again. Now it was even happening in the classroom. That was the feeling. As I forcibly pulled myself away, Olivia glanced around the quiet classroom. "Heh, it seems like there are no competitors here for me." "..." "..." "..." Liana, Ellen, and Harriet''s expressions turned grim. Why did she suddenly pick a fight? That was the look on their faces. No, why did she come here to attract attention all of a sudden? Olivia laughed at her classmates, whose expressions grew darker because of her over-the-line remarks. Then, she suddenly walked somewhere. To the front row. Beside Ellen. "Are you not participating?" Taken aback by the sudden provocation, Ellen glared at Olivia. "Why would I participate in something like that?" As Olivia covered her mouth and looked down at Ellen, she said: "...Because you think you''ll lose?" "What?" "Without even looking, you think you''ll lose?" No! Why do you always do this to someone who''s just minding their own business? Leave her alone! I felt like slapping the back of Olivia''s head as she grinned. As I was about to step in and say something. An accident occurred. -Whack! "Ouch!" Ellen stood up and grabbed Olivia''s collar. The expressions of the children watching this scene turned to shock, and I was no different. She''s lost it. With a hardened, ferocious expression, Ellen held Olivia''s collar and glared at her. "I don''t know why you''ve been treating me like this, but get lost. I don''t want to deal with you." "Are you going to...hit your...senior?" As I thought Ellen might start a fight, something unexpected happened. -Grrrrrrrrrr! "!" "Remember...there''s always...someone better...in this world...?" Smiling brightly, Olivia gripped the wrist of Ellen, who had grabbed her collar. With no signs of struggle. Olivia forced Ellen''s hand, which had been gripping her collar, to open just with her grip strength. Ellen, the strongest first-year student and recognized as a monstrous outlier among us. No matter how much older Olivia was, everyone was shocked to see Ellen being overpowered. Olivia, who had removed Ellen''s hand, straightened her clothes and grinned. -Boop! With her index finger, Olivia poked Ellen''s surprised forehead. "I know you''re confident, but there will always be someone better than you. Keep that in mind, okay?" "..." Ellen stared at Olivia with wide eyes. "Why don''t we compete in the Unlimited Tournament if it''s not the beauty pageant? I''m confident I can win both Miss Temple and the tournament." Olivia looked at me, leaving Ellen, who had lost her wits, behind. -Wink Olivia winked at me and left the classroom. Ellen stared blankly at the door through which Olivia had left. Everyone alternated between looking at the dumbfounded Ellen and me. -I''ve been envious of her... -She will never die in disgrace... Erich and Kaiyer muttered quietly. Kono Lint patted my shoulder. "Well... Cheer up." Who would have thought that there would come a day when I would receive sympathy from this kid? No matter how strong I''ve become, I still don''t dare to face Ellen. And then there''s Olivia Lanze, who might be stronger than Ellen, at least in terms of raw power. It seemed like everyone imagined that I would eventually be crushed between these extraordinary individuals, like a shrimp''s back snapping. Anyway... Sister. Let''s see. I''ve been defeated. ¡ª--- A short while later. "I told you to stop bothering her when she''s minding her own business!" "I-I''m sorry! I won''t do it again!" In the end, I stormed up to the fifth-year classroom, and my temper erupted as I raged at Olivia. "Do you really want to be knocked down? Huh? Show me? Do you want me to show you?" "Reinhardt! I went too far! Yeah! I''ll apologize! Is it okay if I apologize to her?" "I said just leave her alone! Do you always want to act like you''re not worth anything? Huh?" "Yes! I''ll leave her alone!" The situation was the same, only the grade level was different. All the other fifth-year seniors stared blankly as their seemingly distant junior grabbed their fellow senior like catching a rat. In the end, I made Olivia cry and beg profusely. Not knowing she would actually cry, I couldn''t help but feel a little taken aback. CH 276 After completing their Monday exams, the female students of Class A did not return to their dormitory. Instead, they gathered at a caf¨¦ near the classroom building. Although it would have been proper to return to the dormitory and study, they were all deeply agitated. "I think she''s truly mad." Surprisingly, it was Adelia who spoke those words. Not expecting the usually timid Adelia to say something like that, Liana, Harriet, and even Ellen stared at her with their mouths agape. "Ah, um... Was that too harsh...?" Adelia wondered if she had used too strong a word, her face turning red as she scratched her cheek. Liana sipped her lemonade through a straw and shook her head. "You''re not wrong. You did well, Adelia. But why would Miss Temple go to a first-year classroom? What does she want us to do? And what? She has no rivals? It''s so absurd." Liana used even stronger words. Harriet crossed her arms and frowned. "...I really don''t like her." Harriet stuffed a mouthful of mocha sand into her mouth and grumbled. Lately, she had been picking fights with Ellen over trivial matters, and today was no exception. It was rare for the ever-calm Ellen to genuinely dislike someone. Moreover, Ellen''s overpowering presence was enough to fluster everyone. Among their classmates, Ellen had become something transcending grade levels. There were only two in the royal class of the first year who received such treatment. Ellen and Reinhardt. Ellen was Ellen. Reinhardt was Reinhardt. Both had something unique about them that inadvertently led to this treatment. Of course, in Reinhardt''s case, it wasn''t a good thing. No matter how much of a fifth-year the opponent was, Ellen was still Ellen. That fifth-year senior actually overpowered Ellen. Everyone was shocked by this. Liana tilted her head. "But does that girl really like Reinhardt?" A sudden doubt. At those words, Harriet and Ellen stared intently at Liana. "Do I think she likes him...? If not, there''s no reason for her to act like this, right?" Adelia hesitantly expressed her opinion while subtly glancing at Harriet. "No, at this point, I wonder if she''s just having fun tormenting him. Honestly, what good does it do for her?" That was true. Although it might look cute from some perspectives, today''s actions were not much different from needlessly picking a fight. It wouldn''t be good for Reinhardt or for her. "Tormenting?" The one who reacted to that word was Ellen. "I thought Reinhardt might actually like it, but as I watched, I could see he truly dislikes it. If that girl really likes Reinhardt, shouldn''t she stop when he says he doesn''t like it once or twice?" Now that they thought about it, that seemed true. What reason could there be for someone to continuously engage in behavior that the person they care for despises? It is true that Reinhardt has persistently asked Olivia Lanze to cease her actions whenever he witnesses them. Ellen had her doubts as well, but after hearing Liana''s words, she felt they were accurate. Olivia Lanze continues to engage in behavior that Reinhardt detests. Moreover, Ellen knows circumstances others are unaware of. Olivia had purified the cursed Tiamata, making her a life-saving benefactor to Reinhardt. Thus, Ellen knows that Reinhardt cannot be excessively cruel to Olivia. And Olivia exploits this, continually tormenting Reinhardt. Whether her feelings for him are genuine or not. It is true that Olivia torments Reinhardt. "......" No matter how much Ellen thinks about it. Olivia Lanze cannot be left unchecked. Although she has already been pushed away once, and she might suffer a terrible fate. Ellen had no intention of hesitating. ------ Ellen did not harbor grave thoughts when she directed herself towards the fifth-year dormitory. What she wanted to say was simple and not difficult. She had no intention of fighting, not because of her reliance on her strength, but because of her shame at having rashly thrown a punch in the classroom, regardless of the outcome. She had no intention of fighting. Her message was singular. Stop tormenting Reinhardt. Why do you keep doing this while he''s struggling? She intended to say that. After returning to the dormitory, Ellen ventured alone to the fifth-year dormitory. She called for Olivia Lanze, and everything was fine when the senior appeared with her usual carefree grin. Even when she wore an expression that seemed to provoke her, inviting Ellen to say anything, the atmosphere was not unpleasant. Ellen''s request was straightforward. Stop tormenting Reinhardt. Continuing to act in such a manner despite being told multiple times that it is unwelcome is rude. Please restrain yourself. Ellen said this. Upon hearing these words, Olivia Lanze tilted her head. "Ha ha... I already got an earful from Reinhardt..." Olivia Lanze laughed hollowly. Did Reinhardt already say something? No wonder he seemed to leave the classroom a bit early. "Did Reinhardt ask you to speak to me on his behalf?" "¡­No." "Really? Then why are you advocating for Reinhardt''s position?" Olivia''s smile suddenly turned cold. Her expression was that of someone who had just heard a decisive word that twisted her mood in an already unpleasant situation. "What are you to Reinhardt?" "¡­What?" Olivia approached Ellen. Ellen did not back down but stared at Olivia with a stern expression. "What are you to Reinhardt? As if Reinhardt belongs to you alone. Telling me to stop tormenting your Reinhardt." "¡­" "How disgusting. To hear such words from a third party." Olivia glared at Ellen with cold eyes. A third party. Those words struck a chord in Ellen''s heart. Moreover, Olivia had spoken such words more frequently. "Please take good care of our Reinhardt!" "You shouldn''t be too close to Reinhardt, you know why, right?" "You''re good at fighting, aren''t you? Still, don''t be too harsh on our Reinhardt." She had spoken as if Reinhardt was hers alone. Ellen stared back at Olivia and said, "You did the same, senior." "Yes, I did," Olivia smiled. "I did that because I wanted Reinhardt to be mine. Is that what you want too?" "..." Ellen couldn''t say anything. Did she wish for Reinhardt to be hers alone? She hadn''t given deep thought to such concerns. She feared that reaching an unwanted conclusion would set off an irreversible chain of events. Olivia continued to look coldly at the silent Ellen. "Why can''t you say anything? Can''t you even tell me how you feel?" "..." "I asked what Reinhardt is to you." "...A friend..." "Is that all?" "..." Ellen couldn''t respond. The moment she gave an answer, it seemed everything would end. Fearing that the unpredictable senior before her, spouting strange words, might destroy all her relationships, Ellen hesitated. In the end, Ellen couldn''t say anything. "If you''re nothing more than friends, and you have no intention of being more than that with Reinhardt, you have no right to tell me anything, do you?" "..." "Exactly. You''re just friends, but you tell me not to approach Reinhardt." Olivia seemed to be interrogating her. As if forcibly opening a heart that no one had tried to open before. "Isn''t that a bit strange?" It was similar to something Harriet had once said to her. "You don''t want to lose anything, but you hate being taken away even more. You want to hold onto everything awkwardly?" Olivia smiled as she cautiously placed a hand on Ellen''s shoulder. It wasn''t the usual frivolous and gentle smile, but a clear sneer. "You''re truly selfish." Not making a choice is also a choice. Deferring all answers to the future and doing nothing is still a choice, leading to certain outcomes. It leads to the destruction of everything. Am I selfish? Ellen felt as if she had been struck in the head by Olivia''s words. Why does this person hate me so much? What does she want from me by shaking me up like this? The person once called the saint of Eredian was nothing more than a hateful person to Ellen. Why does this person hate me? She hadn''t known until now, but it seemed she did. She knew she was selfish and that her actions were wrong, but there was a stronger desire within her. She didn''t want to lose him, at least not to this person. She would hold onto Reinhardt and never give him back. It was then that Ellen seemed to understand why Olivia disliked her so much. The reason was the same as why she herself disliked Olivia. For fear of being robbed. And so, it was hateful. As soon as Ellen realized her own feelings, she came to understand the emotions hiding within Olivia''s cold gaze. In those eyes was a certain... Fear. "Are you afraid of me?" "¡­What?" Just as Ellen feared that the person before her might take Reinhardt away, the other person was also afraid. And that''s why she was needlessly picking fights, shaking things up, and scratching at them. Olivia''s expression twisted at Ellen''s sudden words. "Why would I be afraid of you?" The loss of composure in her face due to the sudden provocation already revealed much. Ellen knew she had hit the mark. Now that she realized the other person didn''t hate her but was afraid, she naturally understood. That she had been oversensitive. "You''ll be graduating next year." Time was no longer on Olivia''s side. Olivia licked her lips, seemingly flustered by Ellen''s words. "¡­I, I''m going to graduate school?" "Still, you''ll have to leave the dormitory." "¡­" Starting the year after next, she wouldn''t have to see that annoying face again. On the other hand, both Ellen and Reinhardt would continue to stay in the dormitory. That was what the other person disliked. There was no need for her to be angry. There was no need to take the other person''s agitation seriously. Reinhardt could only be by my side longer, not by yours. There was no need to fight. Why fight when the victory was already hers? The other person wanted to make her look ugly. There was no need to join in on such antics. The other person would dislike her and would be jealous. She didn''t know what the other person wanted her to admit, but there was no need to oblige. "A year is a long time, you know?" As if searching for something to say, Olivia gritted her teeth, and finally spoke in a trembling voice. "Yes. Give it your best shot." Ellen looked at Olivia with one corner of her mouth raised. She felt like she was doing something very wicked. But it was satisfying. It felt like she was finally getting back at someone who had always been putting her down. No, it wasn''t just about getting back at her; it was about realizing that her opponent was fighting an overwhelmingly losing battle from the beginning. In the end, Olivia lost her composure, and her eyes reddened. She looked at Ellen with gritted teeth. She seemed angry. She knew that no matter how much she scratched with words, there was an insurmountable gap that she could never close. What would have happened if Olivia Lanze had been a classmate? She couldn''t know about anything else, but she wouldn''t have been able to look at Olivia with this kind of condescending sneer. But speculations were meaningless. In the end, even if Reinhardt spent time with Olivia, he was always closer to Ellen. That wouldn''t change. "You, you¡­ If you''re in the same class as Reinhardt, you think you know everything?" "Yes, indeed." A position you can never enter. A position that would make you the most envious. Feeling that she already possessed what Olivia desired, Ellen saw no need to be angry with her. It was simply jealousy, envy that drove Olivia. At Ellen''s brazen acknowledgment, Olivia glared at her, biting her lip. "It would have been better if you were born a little later." With a snicker, Ellen left Olivia behind, brushing past her. "You, you... Really! You''re just... so wicked..." Olivia pursed her lips, staring at the retreating figure of Ellen. As Ellen disappeared from view, Olivia''s eyes reddened, her lips quivering as she murmured. "Damn... I shouldn''t have provoked her... I didn''t even get my own back..." So angry was Olivia, tears welled up in her eyes. ------ Although she wondered why she had to engage in such emotional battles, Ellen felt a kind of exhilaration she had never experienced before. She wouldn''t have felt this way even if she had punched Olivia. "It would have been better if you were born a little later." Olivia''s expression upon hearing that was truly worth seeing. Ellen felt as if she had repaid all of Olivia''s previous taunts in one go, and from now on, she wouldn''t care about whatever Olivia said to her. Now that she knew why Olivia had been taunting her for no reason, it no longer bothered her. Olivia was jealous, and she could never have what Ellen had. She was furious and frustrated, picking fights for no reason. Upon returning to the dormitory, Ellen felt light-footed as she walked down the corridor and ran into someone. "Ellen, what good has happened to you?" "Ah, well... nothing, really." Upon seeing Harriet, Ellen''s good mood dissipated. Selfish. That''s what Olivia had said. Not wanting to let go of Harriet nor Reinhardt, Ellen tried to awkwardly hold onto both of them. So, you are selfish. Olivia''s words came back to life in her mind. She wanted to ignore it, but she wasn''t foolish enough not to understand the meaning behind those words. Harriet liked Reinhardt. Though she didn''t want to think about it, she knew that it was quite possible. Reinhardt was always attentive to Harriet. If Reinhardt were to fall for Harriet... What would she do? She didn''t want to lose him to Olivia. Similarly... She didn''t want to lose him to Harriet either. The thought was too frightening. "What''s wrong, Ellen?" Harriet asked kindly, tilting her head as if to inquire if something was hurting. "...No, nothing. I''m just a bit tired." "I''m going to study with Reinhardt. Are you going to rest then?" It seemed Harriet was holding a stack of textbooks in her arms. She was going to study for an exam. More precisely, she was going to help Reinhardt study. "What about the others?" "They said they''ll be studying their own subjects, so if you don''t come, it''ll probably just be me and Reinhardt." In that case, they would be alone together. "I''ll go, too." "Alright, bring your books and join us." "Okay." As Harriet walked toward the study room, Ellen watched her retreating figure. Ellen had thought Olivia''s words would have no effect on her. Yet, when she thought of Reinhardt alone with a friend, she felt an unpleasant emotion stirring within her chest. ''What should I...'' Ellen bit her lip as she watched Harriet walking away. ''What should I do...'' She realized that she was already preparing herself to resent her friend. Ellen''s footsteps, as she returned to her room to fetch her textbooks, were heavy. CH 277 Olivia Lanze stood within the training grounds. "Will you not learn the sword any further?" "Yes, Father." "Why is that?" "Even if I don''t intend to use it in such a manner, I don''t want to learn a skill that could harm others." "..." She knew such words were meaningless. She had long known that she had already learned as much as she could. By her third year, she had been told that there was nothing more to learn. Yet, Olivia Lanze was afraid of becoming more proficient in violence. She feared that injuring others would become increasingly easy for her. Olivia distanced herself from violence and the potential for it. But now, Olivia held a sword in her hand. Controlling the power coursing through her body was an endeavor she had not undertaken in a long time, yet it was all too easy. Now, Olivia intended to participate in a tournament. An unrestricted-class tournament. And Miss Temple. Miss Temple and the unrestricted-class tournament were never of interest to her. It didn''t matter whether the irritating first-year, Ellen, participated or not. "Miss Olivia, you don''t have to push yourself like this anymore." "...No, it''s fine. I still have some leeway." "I know your situation. Even if our facility''s budget is lacking, you''re still a student." One thing was certain. Money. Money was needed. Countless war orphans resulted from the Demon World War. Just as the nation could not alleviate poverty, the Empire could not support all the numerous war orphans. There were gaps, and children lacking food and clothing were scattered throughout the land. Olivia had been supporting them since her volunteer work during the Demon World War. However, now that her status as the daughter of a Holy Knight had disappeared, Olivia''s ability to support them was dwindling. Olivia could not abandon them. Though she had forsaken her faith, she had not forsaken those children. ¡°If Reinhardt knew, he''d surely have a lot to say.¡± She couldn''t tell Reinhardt, knowing he would scold her for engaging in such foolish endeavors. The prize money from the tournament and Miss Temple was substantial. With that money, the facilities she supported could sustain themselves for a while. She knew that a policy to support war orphans would soon be announced. She only needed to provide food and clothing for them for a short while with her own hands. That was all. And so, Olivia Lanze held the sword. "Has it been a year...?" She had put down the sword in her third year. However, there had been an unavoidable occasion when she had to pick it up again. In Darkland, where she had gone under the guise of volunteering, she could not simply render aid. There had been times when she was both disillusioned and grateful for the power she possessed. Since then, she had put it down. Though she was confident in her victory, she did not think it would be easy. She would have to put in the effort to regain her skills. At the moment she tried to calm her heart and draw out her power. "If only you were born a little later." Swoosh "Ah, seriously!" Clang! Startled, Olivia Lanze suddenly threw her sword. What was happening? With her face flushed, Olivia spent some time alone in the training hall, panting. In the meantime, the door of the training hall opened, and someone entered. Thump "Olivia, so you were here." Whether she was looking for Olivia or not, the newcomer approached her with a bright smile. "Ah, yes, Radia." While Olivia''s behavior might be strange to first-year students, she was still kind and gentle to those in the fifth and sixth years. The person who had come to find her was a sixth-year student, Radia Schmitt from class B-2. She approached Olivia with a lively smile. "It''s been a long time since I''ve seen you with a sword. So you''re participating in the Unrestricted Tournament?" "Ah... Yes, that''s the plan." "I see... That''s unfortunate. I thought I might have a chance at winning this time." "You''re participating too, Radia?" "Ah, you didn''t know? This is my last chance. Windsor is also participating." "Ah... I see." For sixth-year students, graduation is practically upon them. It''s understandable that they would want to participate in the Unrestricted Tournament and see the results of the skills they honed for six years. Radia Schmitt, holding a training sword, continued to smile at Olivia. However, Olivia felt suffocated, as if something was stuck in her throat. "You know, Olivia?" "...What?" "Divine power. You must not use it." "...Yeah, I know." It would be nonsensical for someone who has declared giving up faith to use divine power, whether it is possible or not. There are often people who use unauthorized divine power. If things go well, they receive training at the temple and become official priests. If they refuse, they are tried in a religious court. So Olivia must not use divine power in public. She must participate in the tournament with her divine power sealed. Upon hearing Olivia say she already knew this, Radia Schmitt tilted her head. "Even without using divine power, you can easily beat someone like me?" "Ah, no... That''s not what I meant..." Radia Schmitt''s attitude was not one of mockery but of genuine curiosity. However, it was a difficult question for Olivia to answer. As Olivia struggled, Radia Schmitt lowered her head. "Of course, being you, Olivia, you can undoubtedly do it." Her tone was bright, without a hint of inferiority. However, the words that followed were enough to send chills down Olivia''s spine. "Olivia, don''t deny the divinity within you." "..." "Return to the embrace of the divine. To where you belong." Olivia couldn''t look directly into Radia Schmitt''s eyes. Cold sweat formed in her hands, and goosebumps ran down her spine. Olivia had been living with such an obsession as a part of her everyday life. Members of the Club of Grace would also subtly inquire whether it wouldn''t be better for her to restore her faith, dismissing her near-punishment as a mere aberration on the part of the Knight Commander of the Holy Order. Radia Schmitt is not a member of the Club of Grace. She is an aspiring holy knight serving the god of war, Ares. Although they serve different gods, she was a friend who always emphasized the need for harmony within the Five Great Theocracies. Olivia was growing increasingly weary of such matters. "I''ve told you, Radia. I''ve... given up on everything..." "It''s alright, Olivia. Your judgment might have been clouded for a moment. It''s possible to lose your way and wander for a while." Radia Schmitt''s deep, abyss-like dark eyes stared at Olivia. "So, I''ll guide you to the right path." "..." "Because we''re friends." As Olivia saw Radia Schmitt''s wide smile, her lips trembled. What exactly is the right path she should follow, and how can she be guided? Fear. At some point, Olivia began to fear her friends who held faith. And so, she found herself continually drawn to Reinhardt, unsure whether that was the reason. Olivia thought as much. Since Monday''s exams were over, Reinhardt found himself being dragged into exam study sessions with Harriet and Ellen. Honestly, he needed training for the tournament more than studying for exams, unless he was aiming for first place. The last time he came in last place, it wasn''t because he was dumb, but because he needed achievement points. He was confident he could beat Ludwig even without studying! He could do it even if he solved only half the problems! "This will be on the test. Memorize it." "I already did." "Memorize it more, then." "¡­Fine." But they had no way of knowing his situation, so they stuck with him, pointing out expected exam questions. He felt good about it, but also as if his time was being taken away. A peculiar situation. He had already filled out and submitted the application form for the first-year tournament. The preliminaries would take place this weekend, and if he advanced to the main round, the tournament would begin on the first day of the festival. In the midst of studying, Harriet groaned and stretched. She then stared intently at Reinhardt. "Are you really going to vote for Miss Temple?" "¡­Huh? All of a sudden?" Harriet looked at him with a puffed-up expression. "Why?" "Just, are you going to vote or not? Just say that." "Regardless of whether I vote or not, I have no intention of going to watch it." "Oh¡­ really? Ah, right." Harriet looked oddly delighted. From the beginning, Reinhardt was short on time, his throat parched for grape juice, and time was gold. He had no time for leisurely watching such things, not knowing when the Black Order would approach, with the Vampire Council soon requiring action, and the Charlotte issue. Did he have time to play? Harriet laughed mysteriously and returned to her book. "If you go to watch, you''ll vote?" But now Ellen asked that question, even though Harriet had been silent. At those words, Harriet turned her gaze from the book back to him. "So you''re not going?" "If I go, I''ll vote, that''s what I''m saying." "Why are you saying that? I won''t vote, even if I go!" Why is she suddenly acting like this? At his statement that he won''t vote even if he goes, Ellen nodded, seemingly satisfied. There''s no way I would go to see the Miss Temple contest. Rather, if I needed achievement points urgently, I might have transformed myself into a girl and gone. I have no interest in such things! Besides, it''s impossible for me to disguise myself as a Temple student other than myself, so I can''t even disguise myself as a girl in the first place! [Event Occurrence - Miss & Mister Temple Contest] [Vote in the Miss & Mister Temple Contest. If all the candidates you voted for are elected, you will be rewarded.] [Reward: One talent from each of the elected candidates] ...Here we go again. A candy peddler who''s dying to make my life difficult is trying to drag me into hell once more. What should I do? I already said I wouldn''t go. A powerful event that cannot be missed has occurred. If I go to the contest without telling anyone... I won''t be in a good situation. And since Olivia Lanze is most likely to become Miss Temple, I would naturally vote for her. One of Olivia''s talents? This event is practically a free gift. It''s strange not to participate. Why not show it a little earlier? At least I wouldn''t have said I wouldn''t go! Ah. But come to think of it, it''s a bit strange. Although I can''t participate in the Miss side, if I were to win the Mister Temple contest, what would be the reward? I would be the winner and my talents are already mine. [If you become Miss Temple, you will be granted a ''Talent Selection Right''.] Ugh, seriously. Even if I win Mister Temple, there''s nothing for me. If I become Miss Temple, I get a Talent Selection Right... ...No. I can''t. That''s simply impossible from the start. I can''t possibly defeat Olivia Lanze, who already has a firm foothold. It''s no different from the nonsense of winning a cross-dressing contest and getting 4,000 points. Since I can''t disguise myself, I have to do such a thing to participate in Miss Temple. "I''m participating in Miss Temple." "Mister Temple?" "Miss Temple." "...But you''re a man, aren''t you?" "Is there a rule that says a man can''t participate in Miss Temple?" "????" Would I do such crazy nonsense! Anyway. I might not participate, but I have to go to the Miss Temple contest. I can''t miss such an event. If I say I won''t go and then sneak a peek, I''ll eventually get caught. And in that case, what happens is entirely dependent on Ellen''s mercy, right? Even if I say I didn''t vote for Olivia, why would she ask why I went if I wasn''t going to vote for her? "Well... I guess I could... go once." Ellen and Harriet''s eyes changed as I suddenly changed my mind. "Ah, no! It''s a festival, isn''t it? And it''s a part of the festival! We, we should enjoy the festival. Uh, um... Isn''t that right?" "..." "..." Even as I spoke, the atmosphere was so tense that my skin tingled. I''m grateful for such an event... really, I am... But why does it feel so bitter...? To break the icy atmosphere, I couldn''t resist making some absurd remark. "Wait! It''s not just the Miss Temple contest, there''s the Mister Temple contest too!" "As if you''d go to watch that, you fool!" Smack! Harriet smacked my head as if to say I shouldn''t be spouting such nonsense. "Ow, why did you hit me!" In the first place, Miss Temple and Mister Temple are chosen together, so I''d end up seeing both contests anyway! Enduring the cold gazes of the others, I became lost in thought. Miss Temple and Mister Temple... Ah. So, do I get two free talents? If I correctly choose both Miss Temple and Mister Temple, do I get two talents? No, from the beginning. This... I think I need to choose both Miss Temple and Mister Temple correctly. For Miss, it''s Olivia Lanze. Who is it for Mister? In the original work, Olivia Lanze didn''t appear. She wouldn''t have been at the Temple at that time. In the original, this year''s Miss Temple was Scarlett, a class B student. The scene where Scarlett, once scorned for her red eyes and hair, became Miss Temple, was an important episode, as was Ludwig''s tournament. In the original, this festival''s Mister Temple was Bertus. He was a prince and handsome too. But will Bertus appear this time as well? If Bertus appears and wins, I''ll receive his swordsmanship talent, since I already have two of his other talents, Magic Body Strengthening and magic manipulation. I can''t predict which of Olivia Lanze''s talents I might receive. It could be divine power, which wouldn''t be bad either. She seems to be a monster as powerful as Ellen, so she''s likely to give something amazing... Good. It''s not just good, it''s the best. At the very least, if I receive Bertus''s swordsmanship talent, I''ll be able to wield a sword even better than I do now. "I, just a moment." As I stood up abruptly, Ellen and Harriet seemed even more irritated. "No, I''m not going anywhere, I''m going to watch Bertus!" "..." "..." However, their gazes held not an ounce of trust as they looked at me, who had quickly gone back on my word about not going. Ah. If only they''d given me the event a little earlier... No, they probably gave it late on purpose. They were waiting for me to say I wouldn''t go and then give it right away. CH 278 Chapter 278 It was not difficult to find Bertus, as he resided in the dormitory. "¡­Mr. Temple?" "Hm?" "Why all of a sudden?" "Well, I just thought you''d be a worthy candidate." Bertus seemed taken aback by the suggestion. "What, are you trying to say that you won''t participate if I do?" It seemed that this was the conclusion Bertus had arrived at. In fact, he had told Ellen in the classroom today that he would participate in the tournament, so he had no choice but to do it. "No, it''s not that. I''m just curious." Regardless of the possibilities, winning Mr. Temple would give me nothing, save for the challenge achievement points. It would be far more beneficial for me to support another strong contender. "I''m not sure why you''re curious about that, but I don''t think I''ll participate." Although Bertus found it odd that I would ask such a thing, he provided an answer nonetheless. I wondered why Bertus, who had participated in the original work, would not do so this time. If it was because his mind was preoccupied with Charlotte''s issue, I could understand. From Bertus''s perspective, Charlotte''s resurrection would be his greatest concern. Bertus would not participate. Then, it was impossible to know who would become Mr. Temple. To gain both abilities, I needed to correctly guess both winners, but this situation complicated matters. However, I couldn''t force Bertus to participate against his will. If I were to become Mr. Temple, I would only receive one ability from the Miss Temple side... To begin with, I wasn''t even sure if I was worthy of becoming Mr. Temple. As this event had brought me nothing but misery, I wanted to reap the maximum benefits possible. It would be disappointing to only gain one ability when I could have had two... Bertus''s swordsmanship, one of Olivia''s abilities. I needed to maximize my gains in this situation, but the matter of Mr. Temple remained uncertain. Miss Temple was a sure thing, but if I couldn''t guess Mr. Temple correctly, I would miss out on the opportunity. What should I do¡­? Becoming Mr. Temple myself was a last resort. Well then! If there wasn''t one, I could create one! I would make someone else, a more formidable contender, into Mr. Temple. In doing so, that person''s ability would come to me for free. After all, weren''t there many here with rare and valuable talents that couldn''t be bought with achievement points? If I could find someone with a talent more overwhelming than Bertus''s swordsmanship and make them Mr. Temple, it would be possible. I just needed someone to catch my attention. If someone did, I would make them Mr. Temple. If things were unclear, I could always use my veto! With various candidates in mind, I headed toward the dormitory lobby. Ludwig''s stamina. That, too, was a formidable ability. Should I consider making Ludwig Mr. Temple? As I pondered these thoughts, I spotted the good-for-nothing trio huddled together in the dormitory lobby. Not only were the good-for-nothing trio present, but also Heinrich von Schwarz. That guy, always lurking around, had now joined the good-for-nothing trio. To be honest, he wasn''t exactly as worthless as them. It appeared that they were studying together, gathered around and peering into a book. "You lot." I approached them. "Ah, um¡­ Reinhardt." As I suddenly approached and plopped down onto an available chair near them, tension filled their expressions. "Um¡­ Do you have any business with us?" Heinrich''s hostility towards me had disappeared, but he still couldn''t help but be cautious. "Take a good look at me." As if following my command, they tensed up and stared at me. "Hmm¡­" First, Heinrich von Schwartz. His ability is pyrokinesis. I have already confirmed that one can possess multiple Supernatural abilities, but due to my Fire of Hwayo, I don''t really need pyrokinesis. Even without the Fire of Hwayo, I suspect that as the level of my spirit mastery increases, spontaneous combustion might become possible. He''s out. Next, Kono Lint. His talent is telekinesis. However, his flaws are severe. I feel sorry for giving him such an ability. His flaw disappears much too late for it to become insanely overpowered. He''s out too. Erich de Lafaeri. His talents are divine power, martial arts, and swordsmanship. Although I don''t have any of these three abilities, they aren''t comprehensive talents, so they are somewhat disappointing. Lastly. Cayer Voiden. He has only one talent: enormous magical power. "¡­" He''s perfect. Cayer Voiden''s talent for enormous magical power is precisely that: possessing a vast amount of magical power. Not only does he possess a tremendous amount of magical power, but his growth rate for magical power is also incredible. It''s just that he''s not apt in manipulating magical power, so he can''t really use it. His magical power rank is higher than even Ellen''s. Ellen''s current magical power rank is A+, while his is S rank, a step ahead of Ellen. S rank magical power. That''s why, despite having the significant flaw of poor magical power manipulation, he can still be in the Royal class. Moreover, I don''t have the issue of magical power manipulation. So, if I were to acquire the talent for enormous magical power, I would be able to use it to its fullest extent, and it would provide a significant boost to my Magic Body Strengthening. Additionally, I know that when my magical power reaches the A rank, my magical power manipulation and magical power response will evolve into a new talent called magical power domination. If I acquire enormous magical power, the comprehensive talent of magical power domination will follow. He''s perfect. He is perfect, but¡­ "Ha¡­" "Why, why are you like that¡­?" Cayer Voiden seemed dispirited by my sudden sigh. There''s no point in making him Mr. Temple. I stood up from my seat and patted Cayer''s shoulder. "Forget it. It''s not your fault." Even if he were to come back from the dead, he could never become Mr. Temple. It''s not exactly physiognomy, but¡­ Well¡­ If it doesn''t work, it doesn''t work. Not even with a rewrite¡­ It just won''t work. I had no choice but to give up gracefully in the face of reality. I wouldn''t know if it were about guessing the last place. But predicting the first place doesn''t work. The most desirable talent was unattainable as a candidate for Mr. Temple due to realistic issues. There was an option of managing and somehow working around it. However... There were cases where it just wouldn''t work, and unfortunately, Cayer was one of them. Who should I make Mister Temple, then? Should I create a proper protagonist this time, considering that the previous ones have been too insignificant? Upon returning to the study room, Ellen and Harriet were staring at me with puzzled expressions. "I told you, I went to see Bertus." "Who said what?" "..." It seemed like they were both quite angry, thinking I was going to participate in the contest. Well, I did cross the line a bit with that banter, but... Of course, we weren''t the only ones in the study room. In a quiet corner, there was a guy diligently studying by himself. So inconspicuous that we hardly noticed him last time, Harriet apologized for making noise, and he reassured her while breaking out in a cold sweat. A guy suffering from severe anthropophobia. My swordsmanship friend. Cliffman. His talent was solely in ''Combat.'' A comprehensive cheat-level talent that instinctively finds the best way to achieve victory in all types of fights. While ''Gigantic Mana'' is currently the most necessary talent for me, this guy''s talent is unrivaled in terms of versatility. In fact, considering the future, the combat talent might be more useful for me. I will eventually obtain ''Mana Control'' anyway. "..." As if sensing my gaze, Cliffman, who had been burying his head in his studies, looked at me with a start. "Do you have something to say...?" I strode over to Cliffman and put my hand on his shoulder. "Cliffman." "Uh, uh? Why?" "Let''s participate in Mister Temple." He has potential. He has more than enough potential! "Uh, uh, uh, uh?" "???" "¡­?" My sudden remark left not only Cliffman but also Harriet and Ellen utterly perplexed. "Your anthropophobia needs to be cured by now! What was it? Sh-shock therapy! Aim for Mister Temple! Fix it all at once! Am I right? Huh, right?" "Wh-what are you even talking about?" Cliffman couldn''t even comprehend what he was hearing. "Just do it! You''re the kind of guy who can, right?" "Th-that''s too sudden, I don''t understand what you''re saying..." "Why don''t you give it a try?" "Why are you suddenly harassing a peaceful kid, you lunatic?!" -Whack! "Ouch!" In the end, I was smacked on the back of the head by Harriet. ------ Telling a kid who was quietly studying to participate in Mister Temple out of nowhere. Even I thought it was too abrupt. Naturally, Cliffman was bewildered, and Harriet and Ellen couldn''t understand why I was suddenly acting like this. No. If you knew my situation now, you''d think it''s possible, right? The problem is that it''s difficult to explain. Cliffman''s talent in combat is a top-tier ability that rivals Ellen''s mastery of magic and Harriet''s spellcasting. It would cost 50,000 achievement points to acquire. Considering that the first-year tournament offers a staggering reward of 10,000 achievement points for the winner, his ability is worth five times that amount. It would be better to go all-in on making him Mister Temple if there was a way to do so without participating in the tournament. Harriet cocks her head. "What''s your sudden reason for wanting him to become Mister Temple?" "Isn''t it obvious? The festival is just around the corner. I''m trying to help him overcome his chronic human seasickness." At my words, Ellen now cocks her head. "Will that cure him?" "He''ll gain confidence, at least. No matter what happens." "Hmmm¡­" Sandwiched between us, Cliffman stood rigid as if being lynched, beads of cold sweat dripping down his face. Harriet clicked her tongue as she watched him wither under our gaze. "He''s going to have a heart attack if he becomes Mister Temple, just from us looking at him. Do you really think he can handle that?" "¡­" Although I don''t know about Mister Temple, it seems like you just dealt the final blow? Harriet occasionally strikes children down with words without even realizing it, and this was one of those times. "Anyway¡­ How could I¡­ participate in Mister Temple¡­ There must be many more amazing people than me¡­" That was the best defense Cliffman could muster. "No, you''re underestimating yourself too much." You have potential, unlike Cayer. I''m not just saying this for no reason. Though the excuse about possibly curing his human seasickness might be far-fetched, there was a frustrating aspect to watching Cliffman. And I can make something borderline happen if it can''t happen outright! I just need to use Rewrite! It''s a given that he stutters in front of everyone, but he''s at a level where he''s mentally exhausted just from conversation. In fact, during practice matches, he can''t fully demonstrate most of his abilities. Of course, even in that state, he still overwhelmingly defeats me, but the same goes for when he practices against Ellen. At first, he was so flustered that he couldn''t do anything until he got hit and passed out. And nothing changed afterward. "Think of it as part of your skill improvement. You tend to get too tense. That can make things that should be possible, impossible. Look at me, I''ve managed to increase my magic power by recklessly pushing myself with overflowing confidence in spite of having nothing to boast about." "It''s quite something that you can say that so candidly... really." "¡­I don''t think it''s something to be proud of." Although I said this for Cliffman''s sake, Harriet and Ellen frowned. You two, go away! We don''t need you! Can''t you see he''s getting more nervous because of you? He looks like he''s going to cry and throw up! ...But isn''t this, in the end, tormenting him? Should I stop? But still¡­ This is indeed an opportunity not to be missed. I gaze at the frozen Cliffman. He is the tallest among the first-year students, and strictly speaking, he has a somewhat cold yet handsome appearance. From a distance, he exudes an aura that makes it difficult to approach him, but in reality, when one gets this close, he turns out to be quite a flustered fellow. To be honest, this should be enough. "What do you two think?" In the end, my opinion has its limits, so I ask Ellen and Harriet, looking at them. The possibility of Cliffman becoming Mr. Temple. "Uh, well..." As the two of them stare intently at Cliffman, his expression becomes more and more pained. "...I don''t think he''ll be eliminated in the preliminaries?" Harriet''s honest answer. "I think so too." Ellen''s agreement. Unexpectedly, Cliffman''s face turns even redder at their praise. I confidently place my hand on Cliffman''s shoulder. "See? Everyone thinks you can do it, so give it a try. Do you think I''d say this just to see you humiliated?" "But still..." Is this really not right? In this state, it would be a blessing if he doesn''t cry when forced onto the stage. What if he does cry and becomes the laughingstock of others? This might leave a permanent scar on his psyche, causing him to drop out of the Temple. I might completely ruin a kid for nothing. It''s a pity, but it seems like a better choice to put someone like Ludwig, who would go along if pushed, on stage. "If it''s too much, there''s no need to force it. I''m sorry for my thoughtless words..." In the end, when I''m about to apologize and give up because further insistence would only torment him, "I don''t know why Reinhardt is suddenly acting like this... Are you really okay with this?" "..." Ellen suddenly interjects. This can''t go on. That doesn''t just mean the relationship between people. Even when facing anyone, Cliffman can''t fully display his abilities. Yet, despite not being able to show his true skills, his overwhelming talent compensates for it. He practices with Ellen and undergoes Magic Body Strengthening exercises, but due to his nervousness, he never makes progress. It''s all because of his lack of confidence and motion sickness. "You know it too, right?" "...Yes." Cliffman nods slightly with his head bowed, seemingly aware of his own shortcomings and that he needs to overcome them. "I don''t know why you have to participate in Mr. Temple, but if it can improve that aspect of you, I don''t think it''s a bad idea." "Is... Is that so...?" "Yes." Ellen continues to look at Cliffman with her usual emotionless expression. Wow... Ellen is better than me... "If you don''t want to fix it, I understand, but if you do, you have to try something, right?" "..." My reason for wanting to send Cliffman to Mr. Temple is entirely different, but suddenly, Ellen supports the idea. "......I''ll think about it." And so, it seemed that Cliffman was truly eager to overcome his shortcomings. -Swish! Having given his answer, Cliffman abruptly stood up from his seat. Ellen, Harriet, and I stared blankly at him, surprised by his sudden movement. "Where are you going all of a sudden?" In response to Harriet''s question, Cliffman covered his mouth and began to sway unsteadily. "My stomach feels a bit off..." "Ah." "..." This guy. Is he really alright? Am I causing unnecessary trouble? Cliffman staggered away from his seat. CH 279 Cliffman seemed to have exhausted his social energy and mental strength for the day, for he did not return. No, it would be more accurate to say that he could not return. Harriet was glaring at me. "What on earth are you up to?" "I mean exactly what I said." "Now you''re even causing trouble for others?" "Why is it trouble for him to be Mr. Temple?" "If you force someone to do something they would never do on their own, isn''t that causing trouble?" "I did it with purely good intentions." In truth, my intentions were far from good... Perhaps I should have tried to dissuade Cliffman instead. While his talent for combat was impressive, if things went wrong, he could miss out on honing his skills and be left with permanent scars. He was a good kid, even with his bouts of queasiness. I didn''t want to abandon him. While I didn''t agree with Harriet''s words, I had to wonder if suggesting Cliffman participate in the Mr. Temple contest was a disaster in and of itself. "Really, he does such random things and catches us off guard, doesn''t he, Ellen?" -Nod I had to admit that my sudden proposal to Cliffman was extremely out of the blue. No, it was something I would never have done under normal circumstances. The real problem was the trickster who created unexpected events at unexpected times, leaving us no choice but to act. "...I think I know why you did it." Ellen looked at me and casually spat the words out. How could you possibly know why I did this? "You''re just trying to see that senior, aren''t you? The one you''re supposed to visit as a friend." What? This was a ridiculous misunderstanding! "No, what kind of absurd nonsense is that?" "You''re using that as an excuse to go see the Miss Temple contest. It doesn''t have to be that particular senior." "¡­Wow." At Ellen''s words, Harriet''s eyes widened as if she hadn''t considered that possibility. If anyone could convey "you''re trash" just through their gaze, it would be Harriet. No, guys¡­ You''re not entirely wrong, but that''s not the whole story. There''s a reason... There really is¡­ "No, damn it! That''s not the reason, but why shouldn''t I go? What could possibly go wrong if I''m there?" "There''s no reason you shouldn''t." "¡­Exactly." Why, then, was she glaring at me as if she wanted to devour me?! In the end, I became the strange guy who sent his friend to the Mr. Temple contest and used that as an excuse to watch the Miss Temple contest ¨C an utterly preposterous act. I could have just gone to watch it without any bizarre excuses! One way or another, my studies had taken a back seat. Harriet seemed deep in thought before she looked at me and asked, "By the way, is that senior also participating in the tournament?" "How should I know?" "You usually tell me everything, even the things you don''t need to." True enough. But I didn''t know if she was participating in the tournament or not. Come to think of it, she had provoked Ellen by claiming she could beat everyone. Perhaps she intended to join the tournament. "¡­" Ellen remained silent, offering no additional information. "Could it be that you''re planning to participate?" "Why?" Upon hearing my question, Ellen gazed at me quietly. "Do you think I would lose?" "No, I didn''t say anything." All I asked was if she was going to participate, and she responded with such a statement. What''s up with that? But then again, based on what I saw in the classroom today, what I heard, and the fact that Olivia was a fifth-year student... It might be a bit challenging for Ellen at the moment... Repeatedly, children would notice that I''m not very good at managing my facial expressions. It seemed Ellen had read something from my expression. "Forget it. I''m not particularly interested in the tournament anyway." That''s what Ellen said. However, her mood didn''t seem to improve. "...Let''s call it a day." Perhaps feeling upset, Ellen sat down for a moment and then decided to leave, saying she was tired. I absentmindedly stared at the door of the study room that Ellen closed quietly behind her. "You upset her with your weird remarks!" "Why are you blaming me?!" Suddenly, Harriet brought up the tournament and made the situation awkward. Of course, it wasn''t entirely Harriet''s fault. "Really... do you think Ellen would lose?" "I don''t know." "...I can''t imagine it." Harriet seemed unable to envision Ellen losing. Anyway, Ellen claimed she had no interest in the tournament, and it seemed true. It was strange. Considering Ellen''s pride, one would expect her to want to face Olivia Lanze in the tournament. I never thought she would be disinterested, regardless of winning or losing. And then... "You know." "What?" "What about me?" Harriet suddenly said something unexpected. "What are you talking about?" "Would I lose to that senior as well?" I was taken aback by the unforeseen question. "You? What are you even saying?" "¡­Why, can''t I participate in the tournament?" "The tournament is mainly for close combat majors, right? You''re a magic major." "There''s no rule that says I can''t participate. I know that too." That''s true, undoubtedly. But the reason why magic majors don''t typically participate in the tournament is that it''s nearly impossible for them to defeat close combat specialists. How would you deal with a close combat major who jumps right in front of you while you''re casting an offensive spell? It''s not an ambush, but a face-to-face fight in a limited battlefield. It''s more than just a disadvantage. I would have thought Ellen would be the one to participate if someone were to. "You never know until you try." I didn''t understand why Harriet was behaving like this. However, after the incident at Aaron Mede''s mansion, it seemed that Harriet had changed somehow as well. Ellen was willing to face an opponent for whom the outcome was hard to predict. "...Just don''t push yourself too hard." "Okay." Harriet looked at me and smiled. "You''ll cheer for me, right?" "...People are naturally inclined to root for the underdog." "So what?" I sighed as I watched Harriet cock her head. "Of course, I''ll cheer for you." I''ll support you, even though it''s obvious you''ll lose. "Ugh, seriously annoying!" Harriet pouted in response to my words. Anyway. Harriet had decided to participate in the Unrestricted Class Tournament, even though she was not a first-year student. In truth, I planned to support Harriet. At the very least, simply advancing without encountering Olivia Lanze would be a tremendous achievement. Harriet went somewhere, claiming to submit her application for the Unrestricted Class Tournament. No matter how much of a genius she is, I can''t understand how she plans to break through and rise against numerous close combat majors, even seniors, in the unfavorable circumstances of a tournament. She must have her own thoughts about it. I didn''t have much enthusiasm for studying for exams as I had to study reluctantly due to other students. I left the study room and practiced my sword alone in the training ground. Magic Body Strengthening. "Hmm..." Although it wasn''t like a real battle situation, I got the hang of it to some extent. I managed to move something that couldn''t move, awakening a completely new sensation. With the results of the lessons I had unknowingly received and my self-suggestion rank increased to A, I became stronger. It wouldn''t work for the Unrestricted Class, but winning the first-year championship should be possible. Especially since Ellen, the most powerful championship candidate, wouldn''t participate. "Shatter." Another power, the incantation. I murmured quietly towards the scarecrow, but nothing happened. "..." ...Irritating. Self-suggestion was mostly done through thoughts. But incantations had to be spoken out loud. So, I had to shout out what I wanted with intention. Actually, standing in front of the scarecrow, shouting to shatter, and nothing happening. It''s hundreds of times more embarrassing than self-suggestion. This is a humiliation play! I became the person with the most powerful supernatural ability in the world, but why does performance and embarrassment go hand in hand? In a real battle situation, if I try to use an incantation, I have to shout something, and if nothing happens, it would be incredibly embarrassing! Why do all my abilities feel like this... Moreover, the F-rank incantation seemed to have even less effect than the F-rank self-suggestion. In the end. It seems that I''m still a typical protagonist in a comic with supernatural abilities... The kind that only works when it''s sincere... That sort of thing. Of course, a supernatural ability that responds well during training but doesn''t work in real situations would be even more useless. I know this side is much better. It''s hard... "Uh, sh-shatter... please?" Somehow, as my spirit faltered, my voice grew quieter. But practicing incantations loudly and confidently in the training ground, and if someone came in, I''d want to strangle myself. For several hours alone, I practiced Magic Body Strengthening, incantations, self-suggestion, and swordsmanship until the sun set. -Thump How much time had passed? "..." "Uh... Are you here?" Ellen appeared in the training ground, wearing casual clothes. Was she still angry because of my subtle reaction earlier? Ellen took a practice sword from the rack and approached me. "Let''s do it." "Uh, yes. Alright." As if nothing had happened, Ellen pointed her sword at me. I hadn''t said anything, and we hadn''t fought. Like any other day, Ellen and I practiced our swordsmanship. -Clang! -Clang! -Clank! "Ugh!" "Read the trajectory better." "I''m trying...!" "You''re not doing it at all." -Clatter! Though my skills had improved significantly, I was still no match for Ellen. In the end, this was more important to me than anything else. Cliffman still seemed to be deliberating and wasn''t at the training hall today. -Smack! As soon as Ellen deflected my sword, she swiftly brought her elbow toward my chin. Had she struck me properly, it might have broken my neck, but she stopped just in time. As always, it was my defeat. A defeat I had grown accustomed to experiencing. "..." "..." Our eyes met for a moment. Sweat had trickled down Ellen''s face, causing her hair to stick to her forehead. I had always lost to her, and that had become my daily life. But now, even after hours of sparring, Ellen was sweating. I couldn''t remember when it started, but at some point, I realized: I had become much stronger. While I couldn''t tire Ellen out, I was no longer an opponent she could easily dominate as before. Ellen remained still in her stance, looking at me. Ellen was shorter than me, so naturally, she looked up at me slightly. "Do you think... I''ll lose?" Ellen asked without a subject. Had she been thinking about that all along? "How would I know?" "You''re lying." Ellen looked at me. "You think I''ll lose." "..." I had subconsciously thought that Olivia would be stronger than Ellen. "I know it too. I''ll lose. I just... I had a feeling. It''s not a big deal. I know." Neither of us had shown our true skills to each other. But it seemed that from the moment Olivia Lanze had grabbed her wrist, Ellen had already realized everything. Was it the feeling that she couldn''t compete with this person? "I''m... sorry." "..." Ellen looked at me quietly. She hung her practice sword on the rack and dusted off her hands. "Don''t apologize." "..." "It makes me feel worse." Ellen sat on the windowsill of the training hall, gazing absentmindedly outside. Now, it was winter. Ellen took off her casual training suit jacket. Her black short-sleeved shirt was quite damp with sweat. Ellen draped the jacket over her shoulders and looked at me. "I don''t really want to fight her and win." "Is that so?" Ellen looked out at the temple, where winter was approaching. Sitting on the windowsill, she swung her feet and looked at me. "I''m going to enter Miss Temple." "Uh?" "I want to defeat her there." Ellen had chosen a completely different battlefield. "I don''t want to become Miss Temple. I might lose that too. She''s famous and... pretty. But that''s okay." "..." "I just need one vote." Ellen said that, looking at me. Just one vote was needed. Ellen didn''t explicitly say whose vote she needed. She was just looking at me. I couldn''t bring myself to look Ellen in the eye. Ellen spoke those words, stepped down from the windowsill, and walked toward me. She gently touched the tips of my fingers, then let go. Her expression seemed calm, but I could clearly feel her hand trembling slightly as it touched mine. She couldn''t look me in the eye either. "I''ll be going." Harriet participated in the Unrestricted Class Tournament, and Ellen entered Miss Temple. Both were completely unexpected. CH 280 The following day. "I shall give it a try." Cliffman spoke with a tone of resolution. Of course, after saying that, he spent quite some time agonizing over the Mister Temple application form. It seemed that Ellen and Harriet had already submitted their applications. Both of them seemed to know that the other had decided to participate in the tournament and Miss Temple. "Why not just close your eyes and write?" "Well, when I actually try to write, I feel queasy..." Cliffman became utterly disheartened in the dormitory lobby while holding a piece of paper, and I was urging him to just write if he had made up his mind. As we were doing this for a while, Liana de Grantz happened to pass by and approached us. "What are you two doing?" "Uh, well...that...um..." When Liana suddenly spoke to him, Cliffman stuttered as expected. He was especially weak against those who came on strong. Ellen was one of them, and though their methods differed, Liana also had a straightforward approach. In reality, Liana didn''t have much of a boundary between friends and non-friends. She would speak to anyone and interact without hesitation. As Cliffman couldn''t respond and faltered, I eventually opened my mouth. "He''s considering participating in Mister Temple." "...You?" At that, Liana frowned deeply, as if she had misheard something. No, it''s not me, okay? And what does it matter? "It''s not me, Cliffman wants to participate." "...Him?" "..." The reaction was the same. Seriously. You? Him? With a single word, she had a knack for teasing people. Cliffman''s expression was that of someone caught dreaming beyond their means. Liana sat across from him and stared intently at his face. "Hmm." A cryptic hum. Liana didn''t say anything about whether it was possible or not for him to participate or why he should join such a thing. She just looked at him intently, seemingly deep in thought. "Um, so...maybe it''s a bit too much...ah, haha. Hahaha..." Scratching his head, Cliffman was about to give up on the idea and reached for the application form. Is this not meant to be? Thwack! "Ouch!" But as Cliffman tried to grab the application, Liana slapped his hand with a thwack. "Give it to me." "Uh, what?" "What''s so difficult about writing this that you''re agonizing and sulking?" Liana''s demeanor exuded amusement. Come to think of it, if we were to be strict, she was the true delinquent of Class A. She relied solely on her talent and showed no interest in studying, and having been born into a wealthy family, she used money like water. Because of Ellen, Adelia, and Harriet, she was forced to study during the exam period and was quite annoyed. With such an interesting opportunity, she couldn''t miss out on the fun. Liana began to fill out Cliffman''s application form for him, including his name and affiliation. "When''s your birthday?" "Uh, well...that is..." "Quickly." "June 18th..." "Height and weight." She filled out the application form on behalf of Cliffman, leaving only the signature blank, and handed it to him. "Sign here." "What?" "Sign it, will you? It''s your duty." "Well, I... I''m not quite ready for that yet..." Liana''s eyebrows furrowed. "Just do it. Do you want to get shocked? Fancy turning crisp?" -Zap! Sizzle! Witnessing the blue spark from Liana''s fingertip, Cliff hurriedly scribbled his signature. That Liana. She knew precisely how to handle Cliff. Did she know that the indecisive and squeamish ones needed to be led by the scruff of their necks? No, that''s just her nature. Taking the signed application, Liana tilted her head. "Should I submit this myself?" "Well, I... I''m not quite sure..." "Perhaps you should go?" At my words, Liana nodded. "Nothing wrong with someone coming along, right?" "I guess so?" -Thump Liana promptly stood up, patting the shivering Cliffman on the shoulder. "Hey, follow me." "Uh, uhm?" "Can''t understand a word, can you? Do you really want to get shocked?" "Uh, uhm, okay, okay!" As Cliffman sprang up from his seat, Liana led the way with the application in hand. "Can''t even do a simple thing like this. How troublesome." Liana strode ahead, and Cliffman stared at me. Help me out here! His expression seemed to plead. No way... I can''t help him either... There''s nothing I can do. Reluctantly, like a cow being led to slaughter, Cliff followed Liana with a wobbly gait. When they returned after some time, Liana brought Cliffman back with a satisfied expression. It seemed they had submitted the application. "Hmm..." "Now what?" "First of all, you look too pathetic. Your hair, your expression, your posture, everything." At the blunt criticism, Cliff''s face briefly turned ashen. Liana sat Cliff down, experimenting with different looks by combing his hair back, tousling it, and so on. That''s right... she... She enjoyed dressing people up. It seemed she intended to do the same with Cliff, as she had with Ellen. Did it not matter if it was a man or woman, as long as the mannequin was acceptable? Of course, every time Liana touched him, Cliff flinched, his heart racing in real time. "Hmm... something''s missing..." How did this turn into Operation Makeover for Cliff? "Anyway, trust me, little brother." "Huh? Uh, um... yeah... but why are you calling me your little brother?" "Never mind that. Just get it over with." "Uh, okay, okay!" Is this how it''s supposed to be? Is this right? Did I just hand over a male Reinhardt to a female Reinhardt? I didn''t need to persuade or do anything, as Liana suddenly began fussing over Cliff. Every time I tried to add something, Liana snatched control away, saying, "What do you know about this?" As Clifman cast a resentful glance, a pang of guilt stirred within me. However, after careful consideration, it seemed more likely that the wickedness named Reinhardt and the wickedness named Liana de Grantz would make Clifman a better candidate for Mister Temple. In fact, she pays more attention to her attire, and her grooming skills are better than mine. So, in the end, I had no say in the matter, and it seemed that I didn''t have to worry about it, as a more capable person took over. But that wasn''t the end. While Clifman and Liana were busy discussing, Ellen hurriedly approached Liana from a distance. It''s been a while since I''ve seen her move with such haste. "Liana." "Ah, Ellen. What''s up?" "I want to buy a dress. Can you help me choose one?" "A dress? Suddenly?" "Yes." Ellen nodded. "I''m going to participate in Miss Temple." "¡­Huh?" Liana was momentarily astonished. Why would she do that? Astonishment, confusion. "Oh. Oh, wow!" And then excitement. The opportunity to dress up her two favorite subjects had arisen. "Great! Both of you, follow me to my room! No! Come to our mansion on the weekend! I''ll have the entire boutique from Huangdao brought over!" With Clifman in her left hand and Ellen in her right, Liana de Grantz was on the verge of pure bliss. ¡ª--- Liana did not question Clifman and Ellen''s unexpected decision to participate. She seemed thrilled at the thought of trying on various outfits, as if it were a good thing. I let them handle that side of things. As for me, I don''t know much about fashion, and my task is to confirm the winner for the elimination round. If Liana does a good job dressing them up, the points needed for elimination would decrease. However, Ellen''s involvement introduced a new variable. Having Ellen as Miss Temple wouldn''t be a bad idea. Both Olivia and Ellen are very talented. To be honest, I would be happy to randomly obtain the talent of either one, and the most important thing is to gain Clifman''s battle talent. But still, I can''t help but wonder... Between Ellen and Olivia... If I were to vote for one of them, the one I choose must win. If I vote for Ellen and Olivia ends up winning, I''ll ultimately gain nothing. And¡­ Frankly, it''s evident that Olivia has a higher chance of winning. Leaving aside various considerations, her popularity is on a different level. However, Ellen claimed she needed just one vote. So Ellen intends to participate in Miss Temple despite knowing her chances of winning are slim. "¡­" Damn it. Complications never seem to disappear, only multiplying, ranging from large-scale issues to personal relationships. Problems will continue to grow and grow. ¡ª--- Although it''s exam time, the atmosphere in the Royal Class of first-year students has changed significantly. It''s not just because of the exams. It was due to the newly arrived dormitory teacher, Saviolin Turner. "Reinhardt! Teacher Turner has called for students who want to take swordsmanship lessons!" Excited, Ludwig had come all the way to Class A dormitory. Although it was the exam period, it seemed he was eager to receive some special instruction. "Of course we''re going, right?" "Do you not have any concerns about this being the exam period?" You should be studying, you knucklehead! Even though it wasn''t my place to say, I had a lot on my mind while he seemed unbothered. At my words, Ludwig scratched his head, laughing heartily. "Ah, come on, when will we get such an opportunity again? We don''t even know when she''ll quit teaching." He had a point. Ludwig was interested in improving his skills but had neither the talent nor the interest in studying. "Anyway, please pass on the message to Class A! We''ll be having the lesson at the Class B dormitory''s training hall!" Leaving me with the responsibility of spreading the news, Ludwig dashed back to the Class B dormitory. ...Why do I always find him so irritating? I ought to just drop dead, considering he''s the protagonist I created. Sighing, I went from room to room in Class A dormitory, delivering the message about Saviolin Turner. I was no different from Ludwig. I too thought it would be better to attend Saviolin Turner''s swordsmanship lesson rather than regular classes. ¡ª--- Despite it being the exam period, people gathered in the training hall of the Class B dormitory. From Class A, only Erich and I were present. Lately, Erich seemed to be putting in a lot of effort, but it was hard to say how much progress he had made. Cliffman really wanted to come, but he was dragged away by Liana. Ellen seemed eager to come, but she couldn''t make it because she had something to discuss with Liana regarding the Miss Temple contest. From Class B, Scarlett, Ludwig, and Delfin Izzard were present. Delfin''s main focus wasn''t swordsmanship, but he was learning it, and he seemed curious about what the famous Saviolin Turner, leader of the Shanafel, would teach. Saviolin Turner didn''t acknowledge me since she entered the dormitory. She was here to protect Charlotte. And I needed to stay hidden so I could take action if necessary. If something happened, she would look for me, but for now, she would merely nod at my greeting and pass by without a word. It was meant to protect me, but it still felt somewhat bitter. ''Sorry for ignoring you.'' ''What to do?'' ''It would be troublesome if I openly acknowledge you.'' ''Sorry...'' Of course, his thoughts were clearly visible on his stern face. "Thank you for gathering during this busy time." With that brief courtesy, she took a practice sword from the rack. It was a shame that the real ace, Ellen, wasn''t present. I was curious how Saviolin Turner would evaluate Ellen''s skills. However, today wasn''t the only opportunity. In fact, Saviolin Turner seemed slightly puzzled by Ellen''s absence. She just didn''t show it. "I am not eloquent, nor am I accustomed to teaching. So, if you want to learn something from me, you''ll have to learn with your body. Students who realize a lot will learn a lot, while those who don''t know what they''re doing wrong will learn little." Saviolin Turner surveyed the five gathered individuals. "Those who wish to participate, come forward one by one." "I''ll give it a try!" Ludwig boldly stepped forward. "What is your name?" "I am Ludwig, B-11!" Saviolin Turner and Ludwig were supposed to become master and pupil after the Gate incident. Saviolin Turner was a harsh and cruel teacher, while Ludwig had to become accustomed to her demanding and rough teaching methods, despite finding them terrible. She had also taught Ellen, but she had to invest more effort in Ludwig than Ellen. Of course, that didn''t mean she didn''t teach Ellen anything. Ludwig and Saviolin Turner ¨C unintentionally, my actions had succeeded in bringing them together more than a year earlier than they were supposed to meet. After the Gate, Saviolin Turner had been harsh to Ludwig due to the unavoidable circumstances, but now, there were no such issues. Could these two build a more gentle and moderate master-pupil relationship? "Here I come!" "You don''t need to shout." "Yes, understood!" "I said you don''t need to shout." "Yes!" "...Fine. Give it a try." -Clang! Saviolin Turner managed to deflect Ludwig''s powerful sword thrust with just her right hand and, within a single move, pointed the tip of her sword at his throat. "Ah." "Hmm..." Saviolin Turner frowned as she looked at Ludwig. "Pitiful." "I''m sorry!" "No need to apologize. It''s just the truth." "I''ll work hard!" "..." Saviolin Turner stared intently at the spirited Ludwig. ''Hmm...'' ''Uh-huh...'' ''Why...'' ''I don''t like this kid.'' As expected, Saviolin Turner''s inner thoughts were clearly readable. CH 281 Chapter 281 (Bonus Chapter) Ludwig was no slouch in terms of skill, and compared to the first semester, he had grown significantly, even when compared to the original work. Saviolin Turner crossed swords with Ludwig five times in a row. As expected, she subdued him in a single bout. Being the expert she was, she did not use any Magic Body Strengthening but relied solely on her technique to overpower him. Indeed, she was different from Ellen. With the bare minimum of movement necessary, she did not allow Ludwig even an inch of approach by merely pointing her sword at him. It did not seem like she was using much strength either. She held the practice sword in her right hand and slightly tapped it, causing his sword to be pushed back and its trajectory disrupted. At present, there was no one who could rival Saviolin Turner in close combat. It was only natural that there would be a significant difference in skill between her and Ellen, and even Olivia Lanze. There was a saying about sky above sky. If Ludwig and I were scraping by on the ground, then Ellen would be in the stratosphere, and perhaps Saviolin Turner was on the moon. No, maybe she was from an entirely different star system. After all, she was able to summon an Aura Sword without a sword in hand. An overwhelming wall. Ludwig showed no signs of self-loathing or emptiness after being defeated so easily, scratching his head. "I practiced a lot, but I''m still lacking, Turner." "Call me ''teacher.'' I am not here in my capacity as a knight." "Yes, teacher!" "..." Saviolin Turner asked Ludwig to pick up his sword and assume a stance. "Ludwig, your understanding of the sword is shallow. You''ve learned mechanically. You know the forms, but you don''t understand why they are necessary. Without understanding, you put too much force into your movements. Swordsmanship does not require excessive force. The fundamental theories of swordsmanship assume that no Magic Body Strengthening is used. You need a deeper understanding of the techniques." "Yes, teacher!" "If you''re curious about the details, come and ask me separately. That''s enough. Next." Ludwig, who had been unusually bright, stepped back, and Delfin stepped forward. "Your name?" "Delfin Izzard... Um, pleased to meet you." Although Delfin Izzard was not as bright as Ludwig, he was still quite nervous. It was only proper to be so in front of someone of her caliber. It was like having Einstein visit their class for gifted students in science. She was here to personally observe their study methods and provide advice. The one who was not nervous, Ludwig, was the odd one. Delfin lunged at Turner with his practice sword. Turner, as before, twisted Delfin''s incoming blade with her own, pushing it away at an angle. "Ah!" Delfin lost control of his sword, his wrist twisted, and eventually dropped his weapon. "Hmm." Turner tilted her head as she watched Delfin, his face red, quickly pick up his practice sword. "You''re not a swordsmanship major." "Ah, no..." "Archery, then?" "Yes? Oh... how did you...?" "If there''s such a callus between the thumb and index finger, that must be it." At Turner''s words, Delfin''s face went pale as he stared at her in a daze. The natural callus formed from relentlessly handling the bowstring, it seemed Turner had noticed it. "I have nothing to teach you. Next." Turner dismissed Delfin without offering any advice on archery. Flustered and blushing, Delfin retreated as if fleeing the scene. Come on, couldn''t she have offered some advice? How merciless. Next up was Scarlett. Scarlett, too, was tense as she nervously licked her lips. "I''m Scarlett... Please take care of me." "Come forth." "Yes." Scarlett seemed to be cautiously probing Turner rather than thrusting her training sword. She was looking for an opening to exploit. In terms of pure skill, Scarlett was the best among us gathered here. My swordsmanship is exceptional due to various factors rather than just skill. "If you''re not coming, I''ll come to you." As Turner took a step forward, Scarlett retreated a step back with her sword aimed at her opponent. Did she think that the moment the sword touched her, she''d be completely suppressed? Turner''s steps were not hasty. For each step she took forward, Scarlett retreated one step. But one couldn''t keep retreating forever. Turner''s sword was not particularly fast. Rather, it seemed as if she was deliberately moving slowly. Of course, she wouldn''t do this in a real fight. It was like posing a question. How would you handle this sword stroke? With that feeling, she honestly swung her sword from above toward Scarlett. Scarlett had seen that the moment the sword touched, it would wrap around and either deflect or be repelled. Scarlett''s choice was to evade. In the moment she attempted to dodge, stepping to the side of the sword''s path. "!" Turner pulled her descending sword toward her body and instantly changed it into a thrust. The two actions were nearly simultaneous. As if she knew beforehand that Scarlett would try to dodge, the moment Scarlett''s body moved, Turner''s sword had already transformed into a thrust. However, it was not impossible to counter. Scarlett pushed her own training sword toward Turner''s transformed thrust. Her sword was directed further inward. If she pushed like this, Turner''s sword would be forced away from Scarlett''s body and onto an outer trajectory. In this manner, Scarlett could stab Turner while Turner''s sword would miss. But as Scarlett''s thrust and push simultaneously met Turner''s sword¡ª -Whoosh! Turner twisted her wrist, reversing the sword''s direction. She swiftly took control of the inside, effortlessly brushing aside Scarlett''s training sword and aimed the blade at her throat. If one were to judge by the face value, it was a single exchange. Considering the previous actions, it ended in two exchanges. "Hmm. Not bad." Saviolin Turner seemed to nod in approval, more concerned with Scarlett''s judgment and reflexes than the number of exchanges. "Thank you." Scarlett seemed not to understand why she received such praise after losing in just two moves. After that, Turner sparred with Scarlett four more times. Of course, not much was different. If anything, unlike Ludwig, who relied solely on brute strength, Scarlett tried to play a psychological game, seeking the best move in urgent situations through quick reflexes. Turner seemed to notice this aspect of Scarlett''s technique. "You''re an excellent student; keep up the good work." "Th-thank you." "Next." Turner moved on without further ado. Shouldn''t she properly teach something? Although, Scarlett was far superior to me in terms of pure swordsmanship. However, it seemed that Scarlett did not need any specific feedback. Her face flushed, she appeared both excited and pleased. Naturally, Ludwig and Delfin looked on enviously, and Erich couldn''t bring himself to look at Scarlett properly. The continent''s greatest swordsman had called her excellent. What other words could be more motivating for a swordsmanship apprentice? Those with great power and influence can change the lives of others with just a few words. Sabiollin Turner is one such person. Scarlett would now use these words as motivation to work even harder. Perhaps at that level, there''s no need to teach in detail. Now, it was only Erich de Lafaeri and I left. Erich hesitated. "Go ahead." "Uh, me?" Scarlett had gone previously. Erich knew she was incomparable to Scarlett and probably didn''t want to go next and be compared. Why did you come here then? The name Sabiollin Turner was enough to excite even Erich. Erich wore an expression that said she didn''t want to be embarrassed now. "Can I go next?" "No, no!" Erich took a large step forward. If she doesn''t go now, she would be last. I may be weaker than Scarlett in terms of skill, but my overall ability is definitely stronger. "I''m Erich de Lafaeri from A-9, Royal Class, first-year." "Royal Class?" "Yes." "..." Turner looked at Erich, the tip of her practice sword touching the training ground floor. ''Hmm... she''s nervous.'' ''She looks clumsy...'' ''Is this a student from the Royal Class?'' ''Has the Royal Class standard declined to this level?'' ''No, that girl earlier was fine.'' ''What''s going on?'' ''Hmm...'' ''I feel like I''m going to say something harsh to this one...'' Numerous thoughts danced beneath Sabiollin Turner''s expressionless face. "...I don''t need to see you in action." "Excuse me?" "I don''t want to embarrass you needlessly. You don''t need to do this." Sabiollin Turner spoke as if she had figured out Erich at first glance. Um... Isn''t hearing that even more embarrassing? "Next." Sabiollin Turner now turned her gaze to me. The last turn. "I am Reinhardt." "Alright." I picked up my practice sword. Officially, Turner and I had met briefly. We had crossed paths at the Royal Class sponsorship event, and I had received her support. But beyond that, there was no relationship between us. The incident at the Spring Palace was a top-secret matter. So, although Turner knew me, we weren''t particularly acquainted. So... this was a bit strange. "Well done. Good. It''s impressive that you can deduce your opponent''s swordplay from their shoulders and strides. It''s a difficult sense to acquire. However, your finesse still needs work. Don''t worry, though. That comes from a lack of experience. With continued training and study, you''ll naturally improve." "Good. But try a little more like this. Grip your sword more tightly... Just a bit more. A bit stronger. Ah, perhaps your strength isn''t quite there yet. Hm. I see. That''s understandable. You''re still young." "Excellent. To be able to do this already. However, it would''ve been better to do it like this. Look. Like this. Do you understand the feeling?" "No, no. Not like that. Like this. Yes. That''s it. That''s it. You''re a quick learner." "A bit more, a bit more, no, one more time. Hm. You''re gradually improving. Let''s try it one more time." This person... She kept doing this with me. No... Why was she so blatantly favoring me? Only now could I understand why Sabiollin Turner had agreed to teach the children swordsmanship. It also seemed clear why she had casually passed over the others after just a few words. She wanted to teach me something. "Good. Good, Reinhardt. You''re doing splendidly." All the other children stared blankly at the overwhelming display of favoritism. CH 282 Chapter 282 (Regular Chapter) How many times could it be said that the strongest knight on the continent had her life saved by someone else? Once an individual''s power reached a certain level, if such an event occurred, it must have been in the distant past. She would have lived her life as someone who saved others rather than being saved by them. Despite the convergence of several misfortunes, in the end, I saved the life of Saviolin Turner. Did that awaken some long-forgotten emotion within her? Although she clearly bowed her head in gratitude, it seemed that she thought it wasn''t enough. So, she must have wanted to do something for me, thinking that watching my training while holding the title of instructor and staying in the Royal Class Dormitory would be helpful. But it would be strange if she only taught me, leaving out the others. So, she pretended to teach the others as well, while actually focusing on me. That''s fine. It''s good. But this... In the end, I''m the odd one out again. "Um, you should also pay attention to the others..." "Ah." Turner, who had been focusing solely on me, finally seemed to come to her senses and turned her gaze to the other students. ''Ah.'' ''I completely forgot!'' I can only hope that I am the only one in the world who can subtly read her thoughts from that cold and disheveled expression. "Hmm, alright. You seem to be doing well enough. Now, let''s take a look at everyone else again." At my request, Turner once again observed everyone''s swordsmanship. Of course, she didn''t put in as much effort as she had with me, but that was enough for our level. Both Erich and Delfin eventually received various pieces of advice. Saviolin Turner''s teachings were undoubtedly helpful, but they were excessively flattering. Even though I am clearly worse than Scarlett, hearing such high praise is rather embarrassing. It''s clear that she doesn''t know that excessive compliments can be burdensome. "Hmm, everyone seems to be doing well enough." After another round, Turner held on to me again, teaching me this and that, and finally announced that the late-night extra lessons were over. Everyone seemed to be satisfied in their own way. They were amazed at having seen a legendary figure up close. Of course, she wasn''t actually a legendary figure. "We don''t have much time left in the winter break, but I plan to hold these lessons occasionally. I will announce them when I have decided on the schedule, so make sure you can come to the training ground at the designated time. That''s all." The lesson was over, and I left the training ground to rest. "Reinhardt, that was incredible. You were the only one who received such high praise from Lady Turner!" Ludwig enthusiastically patted my shoulder as if he had received the praise himself. He was genuinely happy for someone else''s success. Every time I realize that he truly possesses a virtuous nature, I become aware of how flawed I am as a person. "It''s just something she said." "No, Reinhardt, you really were amazing." Scarlett, with her eyes sparkling, rarely chimed in. How could one say such a thing, knowing full well that objectively, they were better? Ah... Perhaps Lady Turner knows something I don''t. Is this how it feels? Erich was visibly disheartened. He hadn''t received a scathing rebuke or been ridiculed for his incompetence. All Lady Saviolin Turner had said was that he would not bother with him. In the end, it was a form of consideration, sparing him humiliation in front of the other students. It wouldn''t have been possible to say he was good when he wasn''t. Erich trudged despondently towards the A-class dormitory. Scarlett watched him silently. She, who had once been ostracized as a witch, was an exceptional student, while he had failed to make it to the examination. It must have been a miserable feeling. Scarlett''s gaze did not convey any sense of satisfaction. It was merely the gaze of one person observing another - neither negative nor positive, just the gaze of a stranger. Seeing Scarlett''s expression, I became certain. Scarlett had completely escaped from the dark emotions that had once stemmed from Erich and his actions. It would be better to move on from that situation than to wallow in it. Scarlett seemed to have experienced a positive change. "When will the next class be? I want to take it again soon." "¡­Think about the exam period for a moment, would you?" At my words, Ludwig scratched his head. "I really feel like I''m not cut out for studying. I prefer using my body like this." This crazy guy''s brain must be all muscle too. Feeling as though I might be infected by his strange energy if I stayed with him any longer, I slowed my pace. Ludwig, Scarlett, and Delfin returned to the dormitory, and I felt a hand patting my shoulder. "Ah¡­ Lady Turner." "Teacher." As if to say she was now my teacher, Saviolin Turner corrected her title with a glance. She has always been sensitive about how she''s addressed. Last time, she told me to call her Lady Turner. Now, since she''s a teacher, she wants me to call her that. "Yes, Teacher." She quickly scanned the area to make sure no one was watching. "I have some additional things to discuss regarding today''s lesson." It''s clearly an excuse. "Let''s take a walk." "All right." She led the way, and I followed. ------ Saviolin Turner and I walked outside the dormitory. It was night, and with the increasingly cold weather, the usually quiet Royal-class dormitory area was even more desolate. "The Royal-class is still an interesting place." "¡­Still?" "Yes." She walked with her hands in her coat pockets. She is a senior from the Ephinhauser Temple. A distant senior. Of course, she too was a graduate of the Temple''s Royal-class. "Nothing was different in my time. Those who relied solely on their talent and did nothing. Those who were a little less talented but worked hard. Those who clenched their teeth and worked hard, as if something was incredibly urgent¡­" She exhaled a white breath. "And those who were born with everything." Ellen was absent today. Does that mean that the one who was born with everything refers to me? Have I become someone who would hear such words? A lot has changed, so I''m not the powerless Reinhardt of the past. Hence, I could no longer deny that I was the one who possessed everything. Not the one who brought everything, but the one who continually acquires something. That expression would be more accurate. "Which category did you belong to, Teacher?" "Can''t you tell just by looking?" Saviolin Turner smiles at me. I didn''t create all aspects of her character. I don''t know what her time at the Temple was like or anything about her past. What was Saviolin Turner like during her time at the Temple, during her Royal Class days? I can imagine without seeing it. She must have been like Ellen. "Ellen Artorius. She didn''t come today." "Yes, she has some matters to attend to..." She must know Ellen''s true identity as well as mine. If Ellen was focusing on participating in Miss Temple instead of training, what would this person think? Would she think it''s pathetic? She walks through the dimly lit park of the dormitory. "To be honest, I don''t remember much about my time at the Temple." "..." "I spent six years here, but I lived only on the training grounds. I had friends, but I can''t even remember what I did with them." Turner''s gaze was empty. She spent countless hours here, but there were no memories in any place. She must have been a fool who knew nothing but the sword. That time must have been converted into skill, but she had no meaningful memories left. So, it seemed that the places that should have been filled with memories were empty. "After graduation, I joined Shanafel and fought my enemies there. As time passed, people called me the continent''s greatest swordsman, then Ragan Artorius came and took the title, and now it has returned to me." She walks absent-mindedly. "Just having such a title can''t fill one''s life." She looks at me. "Reinhardt, don''t live too diligently." "..." The one born with everything. No, rather, the one who lives as if being chased by something. Is that how she saw me? She places her hand on a tree in the park and traces the texture of the bark downwards. "If you live too diligently, you end up missing out on too many things." What is she thinking? I couldn''t read her emotions from her expression at this moment. "What did you miss out on, Teacher?" In response to my question, she opens her coat and points to the sheath hanging on her left hip. The Tempesta sword. No, she must be referring to the ''sword'' itself. "Everything, except for this." She had lived for the sword alone and had not acquired anything else in her life. A person whose life is blank in every aspect except for the sword. Saviolin Turner was that kind of person. Seeing her faint and sorrowful expression, I couldn''t help but chuckle. "Can''t you start filling in those gaps now?" "What?" "Why do you speak as if you''re an old lady worrying about today and tomorrow? At a glance, you could easily pass for my junior if you enrolled now." "¡­?" ¡®What is he talking about?¡¯ She looks at me with the same puzzled expression. "Well, even if you become stronger here, it won''t make much difference. So, isn''t it okay to have some fun now?" "¡­?" "Don''t you have any vacation time?" "I do have some¡­ But." Saviolin Turner nods blankly. "Then it''s not like you don''t have any time at all. Try dating, eating delicious food, and traveling. What''s the point of earning if you don''t spend it?" Giving advice to someone who has experienced enough years. In reality, this person is much older than my original self. So what? I''m someone who has gone as far as I can go. "What''s this? You have to have some fun to know how. Tsk." "What on earth should I say to you?" As if she had never heard such a thing from anyone else in the world, she looked flustered. Telling the strongest person in this world to find love if they''re bored. I must be a really strange guy. She doesn''t seem to be angry, just too astounded by the bizarre suggestion. "You told me not to live too passionately." "¡­." "Before that, you should start living that way yourself, Teacher." Superhumans age slowly, and once they reach a certain level, they not only stop aging but also appear eternally youthful like her. No matter her actual age, if she wore the temple uniform, she could pass for our classmate. Why act like you''ve lived a lifetime? "¡­ Goodness." In the end, Saviolin Turner let out a hollow laugh, seemingly at a loss. "I''m not sure if you''re truly the future of the empire, Reinhardt." She patted my shoulder. "But it''s clear that you''re the weirdest one in the empire." A strange guy. That was also one of the things I heard most often. She didn''t call me just to chat without any particular reason. "Soon, His Majesty the Emperor wishes to meet you." The Emperor. So it has come to this. "I''m telling you in advance, so you won''t be surprised when it suddenly happens." Is it to express gratitude for saving Charlotte and offer a reward, or does he have a task for me? I don''t know. But ultimately, this was also one of the things I would have to face. CH 283 Chapter 283 (Bonus chapter from donations) Naturally, not just anyone can have an audience with the Emperor. He doesn''t meet with just anyone either. One must consider the consequences. For a commoner with no noble status or connection to the royal court to seek an audience with the Emperor, they must at least accomplish something like saving the life of the First Princess. Although, in reality, this would be the second time. That''s why meeting the Emperor is an honor of a lifetime in itself. However, I am not someone who will live their life considering this a lifelong glory. When the Emperor requests to see me, I am filled with worry rather than honor. The Emperor would know many secrets unknown to the masses, and there''s a high possibility that even Bertus and Charlotte are unaware of those matters. He may be able to discuss the activities of the revolutionary forces without taking sides, as well as inquire about the affairs of magical conspiracies like the Black Order. Alternatively, he might obtain information about numerous highly confidential spells and forbidden artifacts. Putting aside whether the Emperor will trust the information I provide, and whether he will give me the information I seek, let''s consider our possible points of connection. It could be temporary or continuous. As long as my abilities help stabilize Charlotte''s condition, it will be closer to the latter. The Emperor will want to meet me soon. I don''t know when that day will come, but I suspect it will be after the festival ends and the winter break begins. ------ Friday. The final exams have ended. "Ugh, finally! It''s over!" As expected, Kono Lint''s exclamation was a predictable response to the end of this tiresome second semester. Furthermore, starting next week is the festival. We will enjoy the festival for a week, and then the winter break begins. Although the final exam scores haven''t been released yet, I believe I will rank in the upper-middle range. Of course, I won''t reach the top ranks due to my numerous absences. From the beginning, I wasn''t particularly concerned about it. Of course, although the exams are over, for some, the real challenge starts now. I, who will participate in the first-year tournament. Ellen, who will participate in the Miss Temple competition. Cliffman, who will participate in the Mister Temple competition. And, Harriet, who will participate in the Unrestricted Class Tournament. "Harriet, are you sure you''ll be alright?" "I''m telling you, I''m fine. I''ve thought it all through." Ellen''s participation in Miss Temple was surprising, but what truly astonished everyone was Harriet''s decision to enter the Unrestricted Class Tournament. It''s already a disadvantageous situation for a magic major, and it''s not even a first-year competition but an Unrestricted Class one. The preliminaries begin tomorrow. From Saturday to Sunday, the preliminary rounds will filter out the main competitors, and from Monday to Wednesday, the main tournament will take place. Following that, the Unrestricted Class Tournament will commence on Thursday. Winners of each grade''s tournament will be granted entry to the main Unrestricted Class Tournament, but the decision to participate is left to the individual. I haven''t decided whether to participate yet, but it wouldn''t be bad to try. Even if winning the Unrestricted Class Tournament is impossible, there''s no harm in challenging myself. It''s ridiculous to assume victory before even attempting to win. The first-year tournament preliminaries begin on Saturday, followed by the Miss & Mister Temple events. After that, I''ll have to deal with the remaining tasks during the winter break. Kono Lint was excited, as was Liana. She grabbed Ellen and Cliffman''s hands and began to pull them along. "Let''s go!" "Yeah." "Uh... Do we have to...? Ah, ah, okay, okay! I''ll go! I''ll go!" Cliffman tried to say something, but Liana''s murderous glare drained the color from his face, and he reluctantly nodded. Liana was excited in a different way than Harriet, and her enthusiasm was evident. It''s hard to imagine her ever being so diligent. Anyway... What should I do about Miss Temple? Who should I choose? I agonized between what would be beneficial and what would be realistic, and the decision was headache-inducing. Cliffman and Ellen would not be in the training grounds today, and there would be no one there. They would probably stay at the noble''s mansion over the weekend and return only when the preliminaries took place. They seemed to have obtained permission to stay at the dormitory beforehand. Harriet went to the Magic Research Club''s dormitory, so there weren''t many people in our dormitory. In any case, the first semester of the first year has come to an end today. The festival is just a festival. Despite the cold winter weather and the absence of people near the Royal Class dormitory, the festive atmosphere was palpable. Perhaps it''s just how I perceive it. The student council had filled the festival with numerous performances, concerts, and friendly sports matches, instead of the main events, the Royal Class and Orbis Class competition. Cooperation had been sought from various clubs and even graduate students. While it''s disappointing for those who were looking forward to the competition, there''s not much to be done about it. I didn''t let my guard down. With no one in the training grounds, I took special lessons from Saviolin Turner. Of course, Ludwig and Scarlett were also there. Delfin and Erich didn''t come. Both had their reasons. Erich, that kid, seemed to be trying hard lately, but it was clear that he wasn''t doing well. He had talent, but he''d played around too much until now. Nonetheless, he had talent in swordsmanship. I only had an aptitude for swordsmanship, not talent. But my skills were far better than those of the talented Erich. In the end, I realized how much Ellen''s presence had helped me. It was as if I had talent in swordsmanship. Being taught by an exceptional genius, my achievements in swordsmanship surpassed those of talented individuals. In a way, Ellen was like a doping potion for me. Though a year is a long time, it is too short for an amateur to surpass a prodigy. Naturally, I can''t help but reassess what I''ve been through so far. I remember Ellen, who began teaching me swordsmanship, saying, "That''s not how you do it." My efforts, which started in Adriana, gained momentum when Ellen intervened. If I were alone, I would have accomplished nothing. I might still be living as someone inferior to the likes of Erich. "Good. However, when you put in full power, your precision decreases. That''s an issue." "Don''t get excited, Reinhardt. Your greatest flaw is..." ''Is it disappointing to hear it called a flaw?'' It''s apparent from the expression on my face. Please stop favoring me so much. "Your Magic Body Strengthening is still quite unstable. Of course, the fact that you can do it at all is impressive. Don''t take it as a criticism." Saviolin Turner not only watched me but also observed Scarlett and Ludwig, of course. At first, Saviolin Turner seemed a bit reluctant with Ludwig''s excessive fighting spirit. To be precise, it seemed more burdensome than unpleasant. She favored me, and it was clear that she liked Scarlett personally. However. "Ah, I''ll do it again!" "Are you alright?" "I''m fine! I''ll do it again!" "Maybe now..." "No! Just one more time!" As Ludwig persistently rose after being harshly treated, Turner''s demeanor seemed to change. ''What is he? A troll?'' ''He said his talent was stamina...'' ''Strange...'' ''What is he?'' ''Scary...'' Ludwig continued to request Turner''s guidance with unwavering enthusiasm from the beginning. Ludwig is an excessively honest character. This refers not to human honesty but the honesty of conviction. I may be lacking, but I believe I can improve. I may be weak, but I believe I can grow stronger. I may falter, but I will grow through it. He''s a character drawn from the sentiment of old-school comics. Clich¨¦ and obvious, yet when confronted with such a person in reality, it''s frightening. An unbreakable human. Someone who continues to challenge even after dozens of defeats and collapses. "I''ll do it once more!" I thought I was relentless. But as I watched Ludwig, who clenched his teeth, fell, twisted his wrist, took hits, and still thanked this opportunity with a constant smile, asking Turner for guidance, I felt anew that the truly relentless ones were people like him. It''s said that those who strive can''t beat those who enjoy themselves. "Scarlett, let''s practice together while he''s doing that." "Ah, yes, Reinhardt." I was the one who strove. "Huup!" Ludwig was the one who enjoyed himself. The hero. With an unbreakable mentality, standing by the one who would save the world. -Clang! I diligently swung my sword. ------ "Reinhardt." "Yeah?" After the special class had ended, Ludwig called out to me. "You''re participating in the first-year tournament, right?" "Yes, I am." "Scarlett and I have decided to participate as well. Did you know?" "Oh, really?" It wasn''t surprising, as I had expected them to participate. What was unexpected was that Scarlett, who would have originally participated in Miss Temple''s event, was joining the tournament. Pointing towards the training grounds, Ludwig said: "I''m going to practice some more. I don''t know if Teacher Turner will agree to help, though." He grinned mischievously. "If I lose to you too pathetically, it''ll be rude, right?" Ludwig seemed to believe that he couldn''t beat me. Nevertheless, he would give it his all. That''s the kind of person he was. Let''s put in the effort. Live kindly. Be honest. He seemed to be made of such common, clich¨¦d sayings turned into a person. "I''ll be going then! Good luck with the preliminaries tomorrow! I''ll do my best too!" "Alright." Ludwig had become much stronger than his original self. It was the reward for not getting tangled up in troublesome matters. But as I got tangled up in more troublesome matters, I gained strange advantages. Thus, having been caught up in numerous strange incidents, I was definitely stronger than Ludwig now. However, would I be able to remain stronger than Ludwig in the future? He, with his unrealistic mentality, had no limits. Surely, he must have traits akin to a hero''s bloodline as well. It seemed that Teacher Turner was aware that Ludwig was no ordinary person. Although Turner appeared to be slightly burdened by him, their synergy was ultimately not bad. Since he met her earlier, Ludwig would become even stronger at an incredible pace. Turner might have held these special classes with the purpose of teaching me, but in reality, they would lead to Ludwig''s rapid growth. He would probably cling to Turner throughout the entire break. Although Turner might not be fully aware, she would probably not refuse Ludwig''s request for help. ------ "Reinhardt." "Yeah, what is it?" In the B-Class dormitory hallway, Scarlett called out to me. "Would you like to have a meal?" "A meal?" I realized I hadn''t eaten dinner due to the special class. Still, it was surprising to hear Scarlett say this. "Her Highness Charlotte suggested we have dinner together if we have time." Ah, so that was it. No wonder she didn''t seem keen on additional practice before the tournament. Since Charlotte had returned to the dormitory, we had both been cautious around each other, merely exchanging greetings when we crossed paths and not engaging in any deeper conversations. CH 284 Chapter 284 (Bonus chapter from donations) Scarlett, Charlotte, and I stepped out onto Main Street. No news is good news, as they say, and it seemed particularly true at this moment. If Charlotte didn''t come looking for me, it meant she was safe. And so, up until this point, with no news, Charlotte''s expression had been bright, as if nothing had happened. The winter sun had set early, and darkness had already enveloped the night. But the bright lights shining here and there, along with the upcoming festival, had transformed Main Street into a bustling hub of activity. "Wasn''t the festival supposed to start on Monday?" At my question, Charlotte laughed. "The restrictions on entry lift on Monday, but the business and traffic restrictions lift on Friday. Those with Temple access passes can enjoy the festival a little earlier." According to her, the festival had already begun in all but name. During the festival period, the once impregnable Temple would open its gates to the public. Of course, security forces would be significantly reinforced, but for the people of the empire, this week-long festival offered a rare glimpse of the fantastical Temple beyond the massive walls. However, the streets were not yet swarming with civilians. It was the preparatory period of the festival. Brilliant lights, as well as street vendors and tantalizing scents emanating from all directions, filled the slightly more animated streets of the Temple. There were people buying food on the streets, and some students could be seen practicing their performances or singing. "The regular classes must be busy preparing for various events, but thanks to someone, the busiest Royal Class gets to take a break during this festival, don''t they?" Charlotte grinned mischievously. "Then you should be grateful." "Ah, right. I should have expected that response." Even though the regular classes were in a frenzy preparing for the festival, the Royal Class, which should have been the busiest, was able to leisurely stroll around on the eve of the festival with nothing to do. "Let''s try that." As I had noticed before, Charlotte wasn''t particularly picky when it came to food. At her suggestion, the three of us ate some deliciously aromatic grilled chicken skewers from a street vendor. In fact, it seemed she genuinely enjoyed street food rather than just not being picky. "Ah, it''s hot!" "Who''s going to steal it from you? Eat slowly." "I didn''t know it would be this hot." Charlotte carefully nibbled on the scorching hot chicken skewer, blowing on it gently. She was eating it in such small bites that it looked like a tiny mouse was nibbling away at it. How strange. It was unbelievably cute. Scarlett also took her time eating her chicken skewer. I took one bite and just held onto it. "...Somehow, I''m the only one eating so enthusiastically." Charlotte glanced back and forth between Scarlett and me as she said this. I was, in name, from a beggar''s background. Scarlett was actually from a beggar''s background. "It''s too sweet." "How sweet could it be?" Charlotte tilted her head in curiosity, and when I offered her a bite, she looked flustered. "Uh... why?" "Go ahead, try it." "Uh? Uh-uh?" "What''s so strange about trying it? Is it dirty?" "Ah, no? That, that''s not what I meant¡­" "Say if you don''t want to." "Ah, no! What do you mean by ''dirty''!" As I tried to take it back, Charlotte grabbed my arm and took a big bite of the chicken skewer in my hand. It seemed like she was forcing herself a bit. Scarlett''s eyes widened at the scene. Really, it''s just this little thing. Is it such a big deal? With her face flushed, Charlotte stuttered, lowering her head. "It''s not even that sweet?" "It''s a matter of taste." "You''re really picky about strange things, aren''t you?" Charlotte looked at me as if I were a strange creature, then turned her gaze to Scarlett, who was taking small bites of her chicken skewer. "Why is Scarlett not eating?" "It''s too spicy for me." I must have picked up a spicy one by chance. As Charlotte stared intently, Scarlett hesitantly offered her chicken skewer. "Would... would you like to try it?" Charlotte took a small bite of the tip of Scarlett''s skewer and began to chew. "¡­" Her face started to turn bright red. Hmm. I thought Scarlett''s reaction was a bit mild, so the spiciness must have been bearable. It seemed I was wrong. "¡­" "I''ll go buy some water." "I¡­ I should have warned you¡­" Charlotte couldn''t even chew properly, her mouth hanging open slightly. What is this? What did I just eat? That was the expression on her face. ------ We sat down by a nearby fountain to rest. Charlotte, still seething with anger after gulping down the water I had bought, continued to rinse her mouth. "Why do they sell that kind of thing? They should at least give a warning! Who would eat that!" She touched her lips and pouted. "It''s not just spicy, it hurts. My lips hurt." "Can''t you eat spicy food?" "Do I have to?" "There are people who enjoy it. We bought the best-selling skewer earlier." At Scarlett''s words, Charlotte''s mouth dropped open. "Why would they?" "I don''t really know." Though Main Street sold all kinds of food, the Royal Class dormitory and the palace dinner we had eaten before had little to do with spicy flavors. They led lives that seemed to have no connection to things like chili powder. Scarlett was slowly eating the chicken skewer that she had claimed was too spicy. Was she good at eating spicy food, or did she not enjoy it but forced herself to eat? "Didn''t you say it was spicy?" "Yes." In response to my question, Scarlett took another bite. "It''s a waste to throw it away." "¡­" "¡­" Charlotte and I exchanged glances. It couldn''t help but be a touching statement. So what does that make me, who threw mine away earlier? Scarlett and Charlotte nibbled away at their respective chicken skewers. I had thrown mine away because it was sweet, but there was another reason as well. "Can''t you eat more neatly? It''s dripping all over!" This is why I handed them tissues. I was about to wipe it off myself but held back. I despise when it smears on my clothes. It''s so viscous that it trickles down. "What! When did it spill so much?" "Uh, yeah..." Both Charlotte and Scarlett were startled as they wiped the sauce that had stained not only their skirts and lips, but also their hair. In the end, they both started eating with a peculiar posture, leaning their necks forward. A princess and a pauper eating chicken skewers in the same manner, both smeared with thick sauce. What a sight to behold. "Ugh, it tastes good, but it''s so uncomfortable to eat." After throwing the remaining skewers into the trash, Charlotte shook her sauce-stained clothes. Of course, it didn''t become clean from that. "But experiences like these are what it''s all about, right? Let''s go! Let''s eat something else!" Excited, Charlotte took the lead. Scarlett smiled as she watched her. "Lately, you seem to be in a good mood for some reason." Charlotte and Scarlett have grown close in Class B. Of course, Charlotte probably hasn''t told Scarlett much. That''s why they feel close, but there''s still a considerable distance between them. Still, she knew that Charlotte regarded Scarlett as important. "I don''t know what''s going on, but I''m glad." Scarlett seemed to think highly of Charlotte as well. Charlotte indeed looked happy. It was then that they seemed to understand why Charlotte had invited them on a Friday evening. Once the real festival starts, there would be too many people, making it difficult to move around. The tournament preliminaries start from tomorrow. Even with a bracelet that prevents mental interference, I have my own affairs, and Scarlett has hers, so we''ll be busy. "Doesn''t that look delicious?" Charlotte wanted to enjoy the festival with us in advance. Her platinum blonde hair, running through the streets, shimmered brilliantly as it caught the lights of the winter night at the temple. ------ Rather than settling in one place to eat, we tried various street foods as we explored. Instead of one person ordering three items, we shared one dish. It was both stir-fried noodles and a soft drink. "It''s great that we can try a little bit of everything." This experience must be a first for Charlotte, but she seemed to enjoy it. Scarlett, on the other hand, was the most flustered. Drinking from the same straw as Charlotte, she seemed more surprised by Charlotte''s nonchalance than anything else. We came across quite a few nostalgic items. "The, the taste of memory..." "...Not a particularly good memory, though." We each took a sip from a coconut with a straw after buying one upon seeing them being sold. Scarlett looked at the coconut with a bewildered expression. "Was it always this tasteless...?" "That''s what I''m saying... No, is it a different variety? The taste is too different from my memory!" "It''s a glorified memory." "...Is it?" In the scorching summer on a deserted island, the taste of coconut water as a substitute for drinking water surely wasn''t like this. Even now, it was winter. In a place overflowing with food and drink, the coconut was nothing more than a strange, foul-tasting juice. Charlotte laughed, perhaps reminiscing about her time on the deserted island. "Ha, I thought my clothes were messy with all these stains, but it''s nothing compared to back then." Regardless of being a prince, a princess, or a grand duke''s daughter, everyone had been in the same pitiful state. I experienced it in Class A, while Charlotte endured that moment commanding Class B. "I remember when the rain was pouring so heavily that I thought it was the end." "I did too." "When Asher summoned light with his divine magic, it felt like we had been saved." "Yes, I felt the same way." The two discussed their mission in Class B. "Ludwig caught dozens of fish from the first day¡­ He''s quite something. If only he used his head a bit more." "I still think he has many strengths." "Ah, I didn''t mean he had a lot of weaknesses." "I know what you mean." From their conversation, it seemed like Charlotte usually led the conversation and Scarlett added comments or chimed in. Scarlett seemed like a good listener. Charlotte looked at me, perhaps worried that I felt left out. "Reinhardt, you were amazing back then too." "I didn''t do much." "I heard from Bertus that without you, half of us would have been wiped out on the first day." I didn''t know Bertus had said such things. At first, it was surprising that the two of them even had a conversation. They didn''t outright ignore each other, but there was tension between them. Honestly, I didn''t lead from the beginning or give up, I just took action in front of those who did. As a result, Bertus started leading the shaky group. In the end, I didn''t do that much. With Bertus''s leadership, the camp formed with Harriet and Adelia''s magic. And Ellen''s hunting. During the last orc hunt, Ellen and Harriet practically did everything. Of course, starting is half the battle, and I can''t deny that it was important that I initiated it. Charlotte, holding the coconut which tasted different from what she remembered, took a sip through the straw. "This year felt very long." Charlotte gazed up at the night sky. The street lights were so bright that the stars weren''t visible. This year was a monumental one for humanity, as the war against the demon world ended and the demon world was destroyed. But in a different sense, this year felt very long. For both Charlotte and me. Many things happened. At the end of the year, leaving only the festival behind in the final days of the second semester at the Temple, I tried to wrap up the year while preparing for the last remaining event. Charlotte clutched the coconut tightly in her hand. While it didn''t taste as good as she remembered, it was still undeniably reminiscent of the flavor etched in her memory. "Let''s do well next year, too." "Yes." "We must." We must do well, no matter what it takes. ------ When asked if she would participate in Miss Temple, Charlotte said she had no intention of doing so. She reasoned that whether she was elected or not, it would be laughable either way. If she were to be elected, it would be mainly because of her status as a princess, and if she were to lose, the winner would undoubtedly feel uneasy. Of course, Olivia didn''t seem like someone who would care about such matters. In any case, Charlotte didn''t seem to have any plans for the festival. However, if Charlotte were to participate in the tournament, her victory would almost certainly be guaranteed. While she didn''t know the extent of her own abilities, she had managed to corner Saviolin Turner. It was unclear if she could only use her powers in the specific condition of darkness, but regardless, it was impressive. Of course, the possibility of Charlotte, who was afraid and resentful of her own powers, participating in the tournament and wielding her shadows was slim. Friday passed, and Saturday arrived. The Royal Class dormitory felt empty. Ellen, Liana, and Cliffman were likely at the Grantz Ducal Mansion. Harriet and Adelia seemed to have spent the night at the magic research club, doing who-knows-what. Bertus appeared to have returned to the Imperial City. Currently, only Heinrich, the hopeless trio, and I remained in the dormitory. Breakfast time. As we ate, Heinrich, who had been dining nearby, glanced at me. "The preliminaries start today?" "Yeah, they do." Heinrich, who had become less confrontational since the Edina Archipelago incident, was more at ease. There were no restrictions like major limitations or prohibition of Supernatural Powers in the tournament. Both Heinrich and Liana could participate without issue. However, Liana seemed more interested in dressing up, and Heinrich had not registered to participate. He clicked his tongue. "I would have entered if you weren''t competing." He seemed to have given up on participating since he knew he would lose to me. Somehow, hearing him say that so casually felt oddly irritating. Heinrich seemed to have unwavering faith in my victory. The hopeless trio listening nearby didn''t seem to have any differing opinions either. Kono Lint suddenly looked around. The female students, who usually scolded him whenever he made a ridiculous remark, were absent from this spot. "Hey, there''s another thing." Kono Lint whispered, glancing around. At his words, Kaiyer''s curiosity was piqued. "What is it?" "A cross-dressing contest." "...Huh?" "Cross-dressing?" "Yeah, they have that too. It''s not as big as Miss Temple or Mister Temple, but there''s a contest where men dress as women and women dress as men." At that, Erich furrowed his brow. "Are they insane? Why would they hold something like that?" "Well, it happens every year, so I guess it gets a good reaction." A cross-dressing contest. Just hearing about it was disconcerting. I glared at Kono Lint. "Shut up, anyone who participates or watches such a thing must be a pervert." That''s what I, who had once transformed into a woman and confessed to Kono Lint, said... I feel dizzy. I feel like I''m going to throw up. Damn it. And I''m worried. I feel like something is going to happen. I''m anxious about a possible event! [Event Occurred - Cross-dressing Contest] [Objective: Win the Cross-dressing Contest.] [Reward: Magic Power +5, Increased Magic Resistance] Ah... This is really disconcerting... You scoundrel. I don''t know what you''re up to, but I don''t understand why you''re doing this to me. "Are you Reinhardt, first-year Royal Class, student A-11?" "...Yes." "Your registration for the cross-dressing contest has been accepted." Seriously, you''re going to pay for this. CH 285 Chapter 285 (Bonus chapter from donations) At the registration desk for the cross-dressing competition in the Temple''s main hall. I had pulled my hood down deep to make sure no one would recognize me. "Um, excuse me, Teacher." "I''m not a teacher, but is there something else you''d like to say, Reinhardt?" Please, don''t say my name! I''m somewhat famous, and someone might recognize me by my name! There were students all around me, registering for various contests, and here I was, standing at the empty cross-dressing contest registration booth! They''re looking at me with those eyes! Oh, look at that person... Are they really participating? How embarrassing. At least they had the sense to wear a hood. But, in the end, they''ll have to show their face during the contest. That''s what their gazes seemed to say! "Um, about the cross-dressing contest... Can you keep my identity a secret...?" "Ah, so you want to participate but keep your identity hidden, is that correct?" Please, don''t say it so loudly! But the receptionist seemed to understand, and offered a quiet smile. "Please refer to this pamphlet for detailed contest information. Rein... Ah. Um. Hmm." Sister, don''t look at me like that. Are there many people like me...? No, I have my reasons. That stubborn fool wouldn''t listen to my achievement points, so he ended up saying he''d raise my power if I participated. How could I not take that offer? I quickly left the Temple''s main office after completing my registration, worried someone might see me. "Damn it..." I muttered under my breath, hurrying to avoid being seen. This is so humiliating. So humiliating, so humiliating. So humiliating! Thankfully, I didn''t run into anyone I knew. ¡ª--- If the fact that I participated in the cross-dressing contest becomes known, it''s all over. Why did you participate in that? There''s absolutely no excuse for it! People who participate in and watch those contests are all considered perverts, and if it''s discovered that I participated... It''s practically a death sentence. You... actually enjoyed that kind of thing? Ellen, Harriet, Olivia, Bertus, Charlotte. Everyone I know would be shocked. But there''s no way they''ll find out. I asked for my identity to be kept a secret, and I''ll be introduced as an unidentified cross-dressing man. It''s written as such in the participant''s pamphlet. [If a participant requests protection of their identity, the organizers will ''absolutely'' guarantee secrecy.] It''s a contest prepared for those with peculiar hobbies as well. I''ll change my face with a ring... If I''m caught later, I''ll just say it was good makeup... Of course, I shouldn''t be caught in the first place. No one will recognize the unidentified cross-dressing man as Reinhardt since I''ll be participating with a different face. There''s no reason for the royal class guys to attend the cross-dressing contest either. The announcer suddenly says it''s first-year royal class student Reinhardt! As long as they don''t say anything like that, I''ll never be caught. I just need to be careful of people like Kono Lint. Should I threaten them, saying I''ll kill them if they go to the cross-dressing contest? No, if I say something like that, they might suspect that I''m participating. With a surge of magical power level 5, there came an increase in anti-magic resistance. It was a tremendous stride towards mastering magical power, and yet, the reason for the increase in anti-magic resistance seemed somehow obscure. It was certainly a good thing, and the likelihood of victory had greatly increased. Why couldn''t they just be happy about it? Why did they always have to go through such antics when trying to share their power with others? Just give it for free! Why did the reward have to be greater when enduring humiliation rather than risking their life in battle? "Next up. The preliminary match between Royal Class first-year A-11, Reinhardt, and Dardia Class first-year C-32, Olanken von Istua. Please take your positions." Their mental state was so shaken that they could hardly focus on the current situation. This was a preliminary match to determine the finalists in the first-year tournament. In the enormous preliminary match arena, not only here but all around, matches were taking place. They couldn''t even make out their opponent''s weaponry or face. Their mind was in turmoil. So much so, they felt they might lose control. "......" The other side, being from the Royal Class, seemed visibly nervous. "Begin." With the referee''s signal, they charged straight at their opponent, discarding the practice sword they had been holding. In their current state, holding the practice sword felt like crossing a line. They opted for their fists. They had just heard their opponent''s name, but they had already forgotten it. "Sorry, friend of unknown name." Thud! "Argh!" "Reinhardt wins!" Anyone facing them today should consider themselves unlucky! They were incredibly irritable! Whack! Thump! Thud! Crash! In the C-group preliminary match venue, a monster was rampaging. "What... what is that?" "They''re from the Royal Class..." They had no weapons. Regardless of whether their opponents wielded swords, maces, or spears, they charged in at a speed that was almost impossible to follow and finished the fight in one swift move. Weapons generally meant distance. If one secured the advantage in distance, they had the initiative. That''s why, in the battlefield, swords were more advantageous than bare hands, and spears more advantageous than swords. Yet, despite willingly embracing the overwhelming penalty of fighting barehanded, they charged and overpowered their opponents without giving them a chance to attack ¨C in a situation where a single effective hit would result in defeat. "No matter how skilled they are, they''re still a first-year, just like us..." "They''re quite famous even among the Royal Class." Like most students, they admired the Royal and now-defunct Orbis classes. Admiring the Orbis Class wasn''t a matter of great envy. Those students had earned their positions through hard work. However, the perception of the Royal Class was different. Talent. They were the ones who entered solely based on their talent. As such, they were targets of envy and contempt. Not as much as the Orbis Class members, but there was still envy as everyone admired them. But after witnessing the monster that ended every fight within five seconds, all the while wearing a permanent scowl, everyone couldn''t help but change their minds. The overwhelming physical prowess that renders all the weapon techniques learned by the students so far meaningless. Is that what it means to be a part of the Royal Class? What have we been learning all this time? What have I been tirelessly training for? The existence of the Royal Class evokes a sense of injustice, but witnessing their abilities firsthand induces self-deprecation. What does it mean to aspire to be a knight and major in close combat? There''s no way we can be on the same level as that monster. And, reluctantly, we have no choice but to accept it. At that level, such treatment seems only fair. If there''s a place that breeds monsters like that, a place with individuals that can render us entirely powerless. It''s only natural for the empire to grant them special treatment. "I...I want to forfeit. How can I beat someone like that?" Even though he''s not their direct opponent, those in Group C will ultimately have to face that monster. Students who forfeit without even fighting begin to emerge. Group C of the preliminaries. The group I am in. We compete in a tournament-style preliminary within each group, and the ultimate winner of each group advances to the main event. There will be a total of thirty-two main event contestants. Over the weekend, thirty-two group preliminaries will take place. I fight whenever I am called upon, going wherever they ask me to, and participating in the preliminary matches. Before I know it, "Due to the last contestant''s forfeit, the winner of Group C is A-11, Reinhardt from the Royal Class." I stare silently at the back of the contestant across from me, who doesn''t even consider fighting and leaves the arena. Only then do I look around. All the students eliminated from the preliminaries are staring at me as if I were some monster. I check my condition, without a single drop of sweat or a scratch on me. In the examination hall, I notice the distance between me and the students looking at me with awe. Is this the distance? Even though they say there are those in the Royal Class who are no different from the regular classes. In the end, it''s a place with individuals possessing incomparable talent and skills. Those who disdain me as a worthless individual, drowning in self-pity like Erich de Lafaeri, would easily subdue those people if they were to participate in the preliminaries here. I see the distance I feel from their gaze. I am very far from these people. I''ve grown distant. I know that gaze. I know what that gaze signifies. That gaze was the one I occasionally gave Ellen. Unknowingly, I have become someone who is looked at with that gaze, rather than looking at someone with it. The way they look at me is too distant. It''s a gaze that sees me as a being from a different dimension, one they can''t even acknowledge as the same human. I can never be like them again, not now, not ever. ------ Group C champion. I easily secured my spot in the main event. In the main event, contestants are divided into four groups¡ªA, B, C, and D¡ªwith eight participants each. The winner of each group fights against the winners of the other groups to determine victory or defeat, and the last ones standing battle for the championship trophy. In the preliminaries, I didn''t encounter anyone from the Orbis Class or Ludwig. The organizers must have had their considerations, balancing each group. They wouldn''t foolishly place all the contenders with high chances of advancing to the finals in the same group. After all, this is a tournament and a spectacle for the festival. The highly favored winners wouldn''t be placed in the same group during the main event either. Therefore, in the main event, I wouldn''t meet Ludwig or any potential Orbis Class participants from the start. If it''s an Orbis Class representative, it''s highly likely that it would be first-year A-1, Grayden Amorel. Originally, he would have been the runner-up, defeating Ludwig and then losing to Ellen in the finals. I wonder if he participated. If he did, could I win? If my Magic Body Strengthening works properly, I should be able to compete. In Ludwig''s case, I would win, but for Grayden Amorel, I would need to take it more seriously. The grade-level tournament is held on Monday and Tuesday. The main event group matches take place on Monday, and on Tuesday, the semi-finals, finals, and ranking matches are held for the group winners. On Wednesday... well, there''s the cross-dressing contest. On Friday, the festival''s grand finale, the Mister and Miss Temple contest and the Unrestricted Class Tournament final are held. The Unrestricted Class Tournament preliminaries will also take place today and tomorrow. The Unrestricted Class Tournament is, in fact, the biggest attraction. After the grade-level tournament winners are determined on Tuesday, the Unrestricted Class Tournament main event will proceed from Thursday. I plan to participate. Meanwhile, I wonder how Harriet is doing... I know she has her preliminaries today. I won easily because I was against first-year students, but it wouldn''t be surprising if Harriet were eliminated in the Unrestricted Class Tournament, which is mostly attended by upperclassmen. If she can''t even make it to the main event, wouldn''t she be really hurt... Contrary to my expectation, "You won?" Harriet nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders. "¡­How?" "What do you mean ''how''? I won all the matches, so I''m the winner." What exactly did she do? Did Harriet manage to overpower upperclassmen in close-quarters combat? Harriet refused to tell me and stuck out her tongue before dashing out of the dormitory, apparently heading to the Magic Research Society mansion. How did she manage that in just a few days? No. No, that''s not it. ''I will try harder.'' Harriet had been working to become stronger for a long time. Even before that, she had been striving since she was upset about not being able to go with us to Darkland. Harriet had been continually trying to become a magician who could hold her own, or more precisely, to become accustomed to fighting. This must be the result of her efforts. By the way, that girl. Did she specifically come to the dormitory to brag about winning her group preliminaries to me? Why is she so adorable? ------ Sunday. "¡­Your Highness, I must have misheard." "You heard right¡­" "¡­" I had indeed raised my voice at Eleris many times before. However, this time, even Eleris seemed unable to understand. I understand, though. I certainly, certainly understand. "You need a dress...?" "That''s what I''m saying..." It would be strange if this made sense. A cross-dressing contest. I need clothes. A wig might be necessary as well. Of course, I could use Sarkegaar''s ring to make my hair longer. If it were Liana, she might be shocked that I''d participate in such a bizarre event but would eventually laugh and help me try on various outfits. Obviously, there''s no way I could choose that option! Considering how Ellen and Cliffman would view me for the rest of my life, I feel like strangling myself. But, of course, I don''t have an eye for these things. That''s why I''m confiding in Eleris, the only person I''ve told about this. I''m asking her to help me choose a dress. "A cross-dressing contest...?" "...That''s how it turned out." "Why...?" Eleris''s lips were quivering. Our child... was already strange, but now they''ve become even stranger... Her gaze is like that. "Anyway, it''s an incredibly important and necessary thing for me. It''s difficult to explain in detail." "...Is it related to the future?" "Well, you could say that..." To be precise, it''s related to my growth. Eleris was still visibly confused. "I... I can''t possibly see the connection between Your Highness cross-dressing and preparing for the future... I just can''t..." Eleris''s pupils were shaking violently. Eleris... I''m a million times more distressed than you are... "But you must have a plan, Your Highness." A plan, indeed... Some bastard said that if I win the cross-dressing contest, my abilities would skyrocket... that kind of dog-like plan... "I... Good luck, Your Highness." Eleris seemed to know that I wasn''t taking this lightly, watching my expression as it withered. Eleris comforted my shoulders, which were slowly dying in misery. As expected, the only one who understands my heart is Eleris. CH 286 Chapter 286 (Bonus chapter from donation) The cross-dressing contest, although a ludicrous and baseless competition, still bears the title of a contest. It is officially organized under the endorsement of the Student Council and the Temple''s approval. Of course, there is prize money for the winner, and the competition is well-structured. Thankfully, there are very few participants, so there''s no need for preliminaries. Men dressed as women don''t have to partake in absurd activities like appealing their charm to qualify for the finals. The contest proceeds directly to the finals. Participants take turns coming out in order, showcasing their appeal, and then returning. The winner is determined through voting. While it is impossible to become a completely different person, by slightly altering one''s face, wearing entirely different clothes, and changing the atmosphere, no one who might recognize me should be able to tell. That''s because I have Sarkegaar''s ring, a cheat key to prepare for this situation... As humiliating as it sounds... There''s no way someone prettier than me could exist in that place...(?) So, first, I need a dress for the contest. And I need to decide on what kind of ridiculous thing I should do to appeal to the audience... Should I dance? Or sing? Honestly, I want to cry. I''ve experienced countless instances of injustice and sorrow since living here, but this is the first time I''ve felt so wronged that tears might actually fall. Why... Why are they doing this to me? I must not be exposed as Reinhardt. I must be unrecognizable even if someone looks at me. I also need to suppress my usual hot-headedness. If I suddenly lose my temper and cause chaos, someone might suspect, "That person might actually be Reinhardt." While the majority of those attending the contest won''t know me, there''s a possibility that someone might have heard of my infamy. Also, Kono Lint is likely to attend with high probability. Eleris returned after not too long. Empty-handed. "Um... First, about the dress... I went to the boutique, and most of their dresses are custom-made... They said we need to take measurements and make the dress... They do have some pre-made ones, but they might not fit you..." "..." My height is around 181 centimeters. I can change my appearance using Sarkegaar''s ring, but adjusting my height could be risky in case of unforeseen circumstances. Why did you participate in the cross-dressing contest? No, but you were shorter back then, right? What did you do? I may hear such questions, so it''s better to appear shorter. "Let''s go with a dress that has a long hem. I can pretend I was bending my legs. We can make myself look shorter that way." "Ah, you mean a hoop skirt?" I don''t understand the term, but it seems that what I had in mind is called a hoop skirt. I reduce my height using Sarkegaar''s ring. If I wear a voluminous hoop skirt dress that hides my legs, I can later use the excuse of bending my knees if I''m exposed. With my height reduced, the chances of someone recognizing me will be even lower. All that''s left is for the organizers to keep the secret well. It''s frustrating to have to prepare for the possibility of being discovered, but there''s no choice. My body shape can be adjusted considerably, so rather than finding clothes that fit me, I can make my body fit the clothes. Eleris said she would go back to the store again. "Um, the sleeves should be long too." If my arms are visible, wouldn''t that be strange as well? Hearing my words, Eleris trembled her lips and nodded her head. "Ah, um, yes¡­ Your Highness." Damn it. Really, damn it. I hate how I''m seriously considering what I should do to properly cross-dress! Still¡­ I have to win, don''t I? I have no choice if I want to win¡­ If I end up in second place half-heartedly, I''d feel like committing suicide¡­ As I waited for Eleris to return with the dress, I stared blankly at the ceiling with my mouth open. How should I appeal¡­? Someone, please kill me. ------ In the end, preparing for the cross-dressing competition consumed my entire Sunday. I should be focusing on the main tournament that starts tomorrow¡­ Why does it feel like I''m taking the cross-dressing competition more seriously? Eleris brought back a catalog of dress designs from the boutique, which we looked through. The design was an issue, but it was more important for the sleeves and skirt to be large. We chose a hoop skirt, a wedding dress style. We then purchased the dress and put it in a trunk to bring back. It was a continuous feeling of self-disgust, but I couldn''t just ignore it. As I said. There''s no point in half-heartedly placing near the top if I''m not properly prepared. If I don''t win first place, this ridiculous endeavor will be a waste. "¡­" "¡­" At this point, I had tried on the dress Eleris had bought. The most important condition was included. Being able to put it on by myself. So, right now, I was wearing the dress Eleris had bought. Without changing my face, I adjusted my height to fit my hair and dress length. To ensure nobody would recognize me, I changed my usual blonde hair to a completely silver color. If the hair color is drastically different, my impression will change significantly. Eleris was looking at me with a warm expression. "¡­Say something." If it looks ridiculous, say it''s ridiculous! "I can''t understand why Your Highness has to do this¡­" Eleris trembled her lips as if she was in trouble. It''s not surprising that the lord of the demon realm is having his cross-dressing examined by a subordinate, it would be strange if he didn''t experience a mental breakdown. "But, still¡­ It strangely¡­ suits you well." Damn it! Don''t be proud of it! "The important thing is this. Can you recognize me?" "Um? Since you''ve only changed your hair color¡­ Your impression hasn''t changed much¡­" Of course. After all, my original face is the same, and I haven''t even applied makeup, so there''s no way they wouldn''t recognize me. "Do you want to look in the mirror?" "¡­" I don''t want to look. I loathe looking at it. "Show me..." Still, I have to see. Eleris summoned a reflective barrier in the air. My reflection appeared in the magical mirror. In the mirror was a haggard Reinhardt (with silver hair and wearing a dress) who seemed to carry the weight of the world''s troubles and worries. I feel nauseous. Dizzy. Why am I... Why am I doing this? Was this my comeuppance after all? It all started when I used the trick of transforming from Sarkergaar''s ring and receiving a confession from Kono Lint, right? The trickster didn''t even know the possibility, but I showed it, didn''t I? Thinking about it, this is all my fault and my retribution? Sadly, because I made the appearance of Reinhardt quite handsome, it didn''t look terribly strange. However, the problem was that even if I looked, anyone who knew me would be able to recognize me at close range. The next step was necessary. "May... may I start?" Eleris carefully laid out the makeup tools she brought in front of me. Eleris claimed she didn''t know anything about applying makeup. It was a skill she had no reason to learn. So, while browsing for a dress at the boutique, she said she learned how to apply makeup using her elemental powers. I wasn''t sure how much she learned in that short period, but I didn''t need to worry. Eleris was Eleris, so she would do well. The problem was that she would apply makeup on my face instead of her own. For now, I took off the uncomfortable dress and slumped into a chair. I had tried on the dress, so I didn''t need to wear it anymore. The only time I would wear it after this was during the cross-dressing contest''s main event. "Phew... Alright. Let''s do it." "Yes..." It felt like being led to the gallows. ------ If I were to participate in the Miss Temple event, the situation would be better. I could just transform into a completely different appearance. It would actually be more comfortable that way. However, this was a cross-dressing contest that I signed up for under Reinhardt''s name. I had to achieve the bizarre goal of maintaining Reinhardt''s appearance as much as possible while appearing as a completely different person. The organizers would keep my identity a secret, but they knew who I was. If a completely different person showed up, they would find it suspicious. So, I changed the color and length of my hair and said it was a wig. And then there was makeup. With heavy makeup, I could look like a completely different person. Surprisingly, Eleris seemed to be doing quite well considering she learned it in a short time. Her manual dexterity was far beyond average. She probably had seen it done before, even if she hadn''t done it herself. I had no choice but to entrust my face to Eleris with a dying expression. The important thing was, Eleris couldn''t enter the Temple. There were two methods. Either learn the makeup techniques from Eleris or go to Eleris on the day of the contest, get the makeup done, and return to the Temple. Both options were terrible. "..." Both Eleris and I seemed to be dying a little with each passing moment. Eleris appeared to have no idea what she was doing, her eyes spinning wildly, but she was applying makeup to my face regardless. And as for me, there was no need to say anything. However, as Eleris applied more and more makeup, her expression became increasingly bizarre. Her face seemed to be saying, "What on earth...?" "Why are you making that face? It''s making me uneasy." "Well... um... it''s just that..." Eleris''s lips trembled. "It suits you too well..." "Give me the mirror." I could see my nearly finished makeup. "Damn it." Even I had to admit. The makeup worked too well. It wasn''t just that Eleris had done a fantastic job with the makeup; it was also that the base material was already good enough that no matter what was done, the outcome seemed to be precisely what was desired. After all, Reinhardt''s face wasn''t originally my face. If you get down to it, it was just a customized character''s face. A face that could be changed easily. I couldn''t quite remember what the original Valier looked like. Of course, if I were to compare, both versions were fine. Having spent more time as Reinhardt, this face felt more like my own. Anyway. It was irritating that it looked so strangely good. That was the problem. "No matter how I look at it, I still look like Reinhardt." "That is... true." Reinhardt''s face wasn''t deliberately made to be imposing, but it had become so over time. So, it felt like a real-life version of "What if Reinhardt were born a girl?" Even if I couldn''t recognize myself immediately, anyone who knew me would inevitably say, "Isn''t she Reinhardt''s sister?" or "Does Reinhardt have a sister?" I couldn''t help but imagine Kono Lint asking me to introduce my sister to him. It was the worst... There were limits to what makeup could do. It made me look plausible, but it didn''t hide me well enough. Now, it was time for the final step. "First, I have to do something about these detestable eyes." I made very subtle adjustments, like fine-tuning a sculpture. I used the power of the Sarkegaar ring. I slightly refined the unpleasant-looking eyes, slimmed down the jawline, and made very small, incremental adjustments without making it too obvious. I put self-loathing aside for the moment. I will win. No matter what it takes, I will win! It took an age to finish the fine-tuning while looking in the mirror. I stored this appearance in my memory, just as I had done with Reinhardt''s. By the time I finished all the work, I felt as if my eyes were about to fall out. "Your Highness." "What?" "Now, it seems that if you were not a girl... it would feel strange... I think... Um, I''ll stop now." As Eleris praised me, I felt even more defeated, so she stopped speaking. Right. If this face weren''t a girl''s... that would be even stranger... "However... the more I look at this, it''s either Reinhardt''s older sister or younger sibling..." "Yes..." Since I couldn''t change the overall structure, no matter how I changed the hair color or minutely adjusted the face, it would inevitably become a derivative of Reinhardt. And I couldn''t completely overturn it either. It was hellish. Eleris hesitated and opened her mouth with difficulty. "Your Highness... I think I know what the problem is..." "What is it?" "Your expression." Eleris pointed to my face in the mirror. "It''s your expression that''s the issue." My expression in the mirror was that of someone dying, and it was clear that I was under a lot of stress. My nerves were on edge, ready to explode at any moment. That''s right. That''s the default expression of Reinhardt Mk.I. My typically sullen face wasn''t due to my naturally unpleasant eyes, but rather, the expression I wore that made my eyes seem that way. Now, with the stress of preparation, my already unpleasant expression was ten times worse. Therefore, I was now in a state that was ten times more like Reinhardt than usual. "Could you... try smiling...?" "...I''m really not in the mood to smile right now." How could I not laugh after all this, looking in the mirror? I tried, but it didn''t work. The corners of my mouth trembled, threatening to rise but not quite making it. Forcing a smile was harder than I thought. Damn it, practicing smiling in the mirror like I''m preparing to be an announcer? "More, um, brightly..." "I''m trying..." My mood was plunging into the depths of despair, yet I had to create a bright, smiling expression. It was pure torture. Eleris was right in pointing out that the expression was the problem. "Indeed... It seems to be effective." Just by changing my expression, I looked like an entirely different person. I didn''t even resemble Reinhardt anymore. So, as time passed and the night wore on, I practiced smiling in Eleris''s basement room until midnight. Finally. "At this level... it seems perfect. You look like a completely different person." "Really...?" In the mirror, my mental state had been reduced to dust and scattered, but my expression, at least, was disgustingly bright and cheerful. Even I could see it. I absolutely didn''t look like Reinhardt. With this, the preparations for the cross-dressing competition were complete. This is what it feels like to have bile rising in your throat. No, it''s worse, like having bitter water come up. That night, I almost cried in my sleep. No... I really did... shed a few tears. CH 287 Chapter 287 This is a bonus chapter from donations On the outskirts of Saint-Thion, a provincial city of the Saint-Thuan Duchy. Adriana was readjusting to life in the monastery. A tranquil and peaceful life, much like a wagon wheel. The hustle and bustle of her days in the temple seemed to be a distant memory, and Adriana''s daily life was now serene. "Sister, the abbess has summoned you." "Ah, I see. Thank you." Adriana left the prayer room at the call of another nun and slowly walked down the silent hallway. A place with no reason to hurry. A place where everything is quiet and ancient. It might not be considered a joyous place, but Adriana was adapting once again to this environment and was content. There were faces that occasionally crossed her mind, but she had left them behind. Now, she had to forget them. -Knock knock "Abbess, it''s Adriana. I was told you called for me¡­" -Come in. Abbess Melia of the Saint-Thion Monastery had cared for Adriana since she was a young girl and was, in essence, no different from her own mother. Of course, when Adriana was very young, someone else had been the abbess, but Melia had taken over the position when the previous abbess had passed away. Melia regretted that Adriana had returned from the temple. She had sent her there hoping she would use her talents to help more people. However, Adriana had ultimately chosen to come back, and while the abbess was saddened, she did not blame her. Sitting in a library filled with books and devoid of any decorations, Abbess Melia of the Saint-Thion Monastery looked at Adriana with a warm smile. "Please, have a seat." "Thank you." Adriana sat on a wooden chair, and Melia took the seat opposite her. It was a simple, unadorned place. The only valuable items here were the books. The Saint-Thion Monastery was not only difficult for thieves to enter, but even if they did, they would likely leave empty-handed or even abandon their own belongings. The host of this humble abode for believers, Abbess Melia gazed at Adriana with a gentle smile. "How are you finding life in the monastery, Adriana?" "I enjoy it, Abbess." "Is it difficult to adjust?" "No, everyone treats me well, just like before¡­" Since returning from the temple, Adriana had received much attention and care from others, so she had no problems interacting with people. Even the abbess had been periodically calling Adriana in to make sure she was adjusting well. "Do you regret leaving the Temple? If you change your mind, I can speak to them on your behalf." "I''m fine, Abbess." Though not forceful, Melia occasionally inquired about Adriana''s willingness to return to the temple. However, Adriana''s response was always the same. She did not want to experience any more turmoil. Adriana thought that spending her remaining days here would be the best thing for her. "Is that so...? You still seem quite certain about that." "Yes." Adriana had no desire to return to the Temple. It would be a lie to say she had none at all, but for now, she was content with the present. Melia stood up, leaning on the table. "Shall we go for a walk together? It''s been a while." "Yes, Abbess." Adriana enjoyed conversing with the Abbess about various topics, so she promptly stood up to join her. Melia didn''t head to the inner part of the monastery but went outside instead. On the outskirts of the regional hub city, Saint-Thion, in the Saint-Owan Principality. Aside from the Saint-Thion Monastery, there weren''t many places for people to gather, so the area surrounding the monastery was a vast plain. Dry grass fluttered in the wind on the plain now that winter had come. "It''s quite chilly." "Ah, thank you, Abbess." When Melia placed her hand on Adriana''s shoulder, a faint white light wrapped around Adriana''s body, providing warmth. The two walked together across the frost-covered plain, not in their cloaks but embraced by warmth derived from divine power. "Adriana." "Yes, Abbess." "It''s been almost a year since the Demon King fell." "...Yes, that''s right." This was a story that took place after a great saga had ended, following an event humanity had never expected to happen. The demon realm that had threatened humanity for a long time had collapsed, and the Demon King was defeated by the hero. Humanity had achieved the victory they had long hoped for. Adriana didn''t know why the Abbess suddenly brought up this topic. However, Melia had always started with such stories before offering Adriana helpful advice, so Adriana silently walked by her side. "With the Demon King''s fall and the disappearance of all the demon tribes that served the demon gods, humanity''s wishes have been fulfilled, as well as the wishes of our believers, haven''t they?" "Yes." The demon tribes that served the demon gods. If the demon tribes were the enemies of humanity, the enemies of those who believed in the Five Great Gods were the forces of the demon god''s religion. Now that the demon tribes that believed in the demon gods had fallen, those among humans who followed the demon gods would also be destroyed. Adriana couldn''t disagree with the claim that this was a victory for the Five Great Gods'' religion. "However, I believe that this victory is also a crisis." "A crisis...?" Adriana tilted her head. Melia gazed at the winter plain with deep eyes. "The empire has begun to fear the power of our faith." "Ah..." "They see the possibility of rebellion in the Holy Knight Order, who have gathered to fulfill the will of the gods and perform their holy duties. How unfaithful and untrustworthy they are." Adriana had never heard Melia speak of such things before. "The empire needed the power of the Five Great Gods'' religion to achieve victory in the war against the demon realm. Now that the hunt is over, they seek to oppress us, just as one would boil a hunting dog alive." "Oppress... What?" "Yes, the Empire is trying to step into areas that cannot be invaded, and they already have." Melia turns her head to look at Adriana. The look in her eyes was not the gentle and kind gaze of her mother Melia that Adriana always remembered. It seemed as if anger and hatred were breathing within. "From the moment they replaced the Holy Knight Order''s commander at their whim, the Empire''s ambition has already been revealed, hasn''t it, Adriana?" "¡­!" At those words, Adriana felt like she was choking. Trembling, Adriana cautiously speaks. "Th-that''s because¡­ the previous commander¡­ committed a crime¡­" "Adriana, that''s just the Empire''s propaganda." Rumors spread, and the truth becomes distorted. "The previous commander achieved the great feat of subjugating the demon realm. The Empire, fearing that the Holy Knight Order might cause a rebellion, had to keep them in check." Upon hearing those words, Adriana couldn''t help but widen her eyes. The commander had been caught attempting to torture his own daughter, and was dismissed due to the criminal evidence. The Empire replaced the commander with fabricated rumors and manipulated evidence to keep the powerful Holy Knight Order and its commander in check. While the latter was mixed with falsehoods, the Empire did have such intentions. People believe in tasty rumors, not credible ones. The latter was a tasty rumor for believers, stating that the Empire''s persecution of the Five Great Religions had begun. But Adriana knew the truth. She and Reinhardt had discovered the truth. While they had learned the truth from another classmate, it was very close to the actual situation. The abbot did not know that he was directly involved in the matter and believed that the replacement of the Holy Knight Order was due to the Empire''s schemes. "More than anything, as long as the successor to the Holy Knight Order''s commander is a pro-empire figure, there''s no need to explain any further." This place was far too distant from the Imperial Capital. The dismissal and replacement of the Holy Knight Order''s commander was perceived by many religious people as religious oppression. Riverrier Lanze was a hero of the Demon War. Although his actions led to the dismissal of the commander position, it inevitably caused resentment among the majority of the religious community. In reality, the dismissal of the commander was not decided by the Empire and could not have been. The religious community believed that the decision made at the Five Great Popes'' conference was due to the Empire''s pressure. "Adriana. It''s a virtue for a religious person to not get involved in politics. But when politics start oppressing religion, it''s an issue we must pay attention to." That''s why Abbot Saint-Thion Monastery Melia, who had never spoken about politics her entire life, now talks about politics because she believes the Empire is oppressing religion. Melia stares deeply into Adriana''s eyes. "The Holy Knights Order now exists as a unified organization for the transportation of the five major religions'' followers, in the absence of the demon realm. Some faithless people misunderstand this, wrongly judge the Order''s intentions, and believe that the Holy Knights Order threatens the empire, attempting to disband it." The Holy Knights Order, a united force of the five major religions. It was an unprecedented organization. Though the Order was created to subdue the demon realm, its nature didn''t allow it to be disbanded just because the demon realm disappeared. The Holy Knights Order also played a role in gathering the members of the five major religions, facilitating communication among them. If the empire tried to disband the Order arbitrarily, there would be serious consequences. However, even though the empire hadn''t said anything, religious figures like Melia already believed that religious oppression had begun. The battles between demons and humans began in a similar fashion. Neither side intended to attack the other, but they prepared powerful armies, imagining that the other side would attack. Thus, the Great Demon War broke out. When people start believing in non-existent violence, they naturally prepare for violence. "We can''t just stand by like this, Adriana." "A-, Abbess..." "We must unite the power of the five major religions and stand against the empire." Adriana felt both fear and doubt at Melia''s words. The Saint-Thion Monastery was not a military organization. Adriana couldn''t understand how they were supposed to join forces, what was going on, and why she was being told this story. "Adriana, the ''Nameless Monastic Order'' needs you." The Nameless Monastic Order. It was a name Adriana had never heard before. Melia quietly grabbed Adriana''s hand and led her somewhere. "Adriana, I''m afraid to send you off alone, but the person you''re about to meet promised to protect you as much as possible, so you don''t have to worry. They said there won''t be any danger." "Wh-, who... who am I going to meet...?" In the midst of the winter wind. As Adriana crossed the hill, she saw a carriage parked by the roadside and a few people standing beside it. Though they were all unfamiliar faces, there was one person whose face Adriana recognized. Then. Adriana seemed to understand why the Abbess of the St. Thion Monastery on the outskirts of the empire had told her such things. Melia held Adriana''s hand gently. "You''ve been wronged by the empire''s schemes, and now only the task of regaining your honor remains." Adriana seemed to understand why Melia felt relieved to entrust her to someone. There was no reason to be afraid of entrusting herself to that person if she didn''t know the full situation. "Are you Adriana?" "..." Adriana couldn''t help but turn pale as she looked at the middle-aged man with a cold expression. Former Holy Knights Order leader, Riverrier Lanze. He stared quietly at Adriana. It was evident just from his gaze. Riverrier Lanze clearly knew that Adriana was involved in his dismissal. He had found out. However, Abbess Melia didn''t know this. "She''s kind and well-behaved, but also strong-willed, Leader. I entrust Adriana to you." "Don''t worry. I''m aware of her excellent potential." That''s why she handed Adriana over to Riverrier Lanze so easily. She believed that Riverrier Lanze was innocent, so she entrusted Adriana to him. Melia, who had been trusted and followed like a mother, had become a member of a secret society with an unknown identity. Riverrier Lanze placed a hand on Adriana''s frozen shoulder. "There''s no need to be so nervous, Adriana." Adriana couldn''t even open her mouth, trembling with fear. Riverrier Lanze''s cold gaze stared at Adriana. "Anyone would think you''ve committed a terrible mistake." Why was he taking her? What was Riverrier Lanze planning? Adriana couldn''t understand any of it. CH 288 Monday. The long-awaited Temple Festival had begun, and for me, it was a week filled with various tasks to resolve. From today onwards, for a whole week, the Temple would be open to all civilians. Of course, the majority of visitors were parents who had come to see their children at the Temple. As students from all over the continent gathered, parents arrived to meet their children during the festival. There were also people who were simply commoners from the Imperial Capital but had come to enjoy the Temple Festival. In any case, the safety of the Temple students was the top priority, so there were restricted areas, and security was significantly strengthened compared to usual. However, regardless of the solid security, the influx of countless visitors remained the same. The Temple opening its doors to civilians meant that the festival period was when the Temple was most vulnerable. Although there were no accidents this year, chaos erupted during the festival at the end of next year when the Gate was on the verge of collapsing. Still, it was uncertain whether that would happen or not. If the changed history had any influence, an accident could occur this year as well. The Black Order coming to the Temple to find me would be easiest during this timing. However, they had not acted yet, whether they were coordinating opinions internally or not. If they came, I would respond accordingly. At least, I was confident that they wouldn''t try to kill me. Anyway, Monday. Although it was the festival period, it was not a holiday yet. Cliffman, Ellen, and Liana had all returned to the dormitory. All students of the Royal Class had gathered in the main hall, following the instructions of the student council. In front of all the gathered Royal Class students on the first floor, the student council president, Ceres Van Owen, stood on the stairs. "From today, the Gladius Temple Festival will take place for a week." As she was addressing the entire school, she used a formal tone. "Originally, the Orbis and Royal Classes would participate in the opening ceremony at the Great Stadium. However, as you all know, not only the opening ceremony but also all official events and schedules during the festival have been canceled this year." "Thus, very exceptionally, the Royal Class will be granted unlimited free time during this festival period. Students who wish to participate in tournaments or festivals individually are free to do so." "This year, just enjoy the festival. Do what you want and play if you wish. Throughout the year, you all have worked diligently, so you may participate in activities to evaluate your accomplishments or simply take a break and relax." "There are no precautions for official events, but I will convey general precautions." "Currently, a significant number of civilians have entered the Temple. They are people of various backgrounds and statuses. I urge you not to cause unnecessary disputes with civilians and avoid being involved in disputes as well." "During the Temple Festival, there are always numerous conflicts between students and civilians. These conflicts may arise from the mistakes of students or civilians alike. If an unidentified civilian attempts to exert unfair pressure on any of you, seek help from the nearby guards, and they will take immediate action. The security has been greatly reinforced, so you will be able to find the Temple Guard in any location. Of course, the same measures will be taken if any of you were to exert pressure or force on others." In short, the message was not to cause trouble nor to tolerate it. After finishing her speech, Ceres Van Owen looked down at the students. "As the Royal Class Student Council President, I hope this festival will be a successful conclusion to your year." The festival is an event for all Temple students who have worked hard throughout the year to enjoy. So, after having fun, they can embrace the winter break with a relaxed mind. Of course, for me, this break after a year of hard work felt more like the last hurdle to overcome the year. I test how much my skills, which were nonexistent at the beginning of the semester, have improved through the tournament. If I win the first-year tournament, I will test how far I can go in the main event of the Unrestricted Tournament. Miss and Mister Temple. And even the dreadful cross-dressing contest. I just need to get through this tough time and take a short break. "I hope you enjoy the festival. That''s all." The festival began with the applause of the students. At that moment, some students excitedly rushed out of the dormitory as if they had been waiting for this, while others returned to the dormitory with indifferent expressions, seemingly uninterested in the festival. Harriet was moving with a group for the time being. They were members of the Magic Research Society. -"You guys have fun. I''m fine." -"No, it''s okay. Let''s go quickly." -"I''m really fine..." -"There''s still a lot to improve. The main event is not far off, so we need to polish it further." The first-year members of the Magic Research Society gathered around Harriet. -"Junior! Are you practicing again today? Aren''t you going to have fun?" Redina joined them as well. -"Ah, yes... I''m planning to do that. You can go to the festival, senior..." -"No, this is more fun!" -"That, that is..." It seemed like the Magic Research Society was pushing Harriet to participate in the Unrestricted Tournament. They didn''t say how they managed it, but Harriet had won the group preliminaries for the Unrestricted Tournament and advanced to the main event. I didn''t have much confidence either, but Harriet pulled it off. The fact that Harriet''s combat ability is at that level means there is a high possibility that her fighting skills are at least on par with mine or even better. Despite being beaten, bruised, and rolling around in pain, Harriet felt the desire to become a skilled fighter and was well on her way to achieving it. Thus, instead of enjoying the festival, Harriet seemed to be focusing her efforts on preparing for the Unrestricted Tournament. It appeared that the members of the Magic Research Society were helping her as well. Students of the same major gathered together, producing a synergy separate from the tasks I had assigned. It was a good thing. Before heading to the Magic Research Club, Harriet and I made eye contact. She might be able to come to watch, but Harriet would be busy with her own matters. For some reason, she gave me an apologetic look before she left the dormitory. Well, it''s not really a big deal, and I don''t think there''s a need to feel sorry about it. Harriet left the dormitory. I was at the very back of the line for the A-class dormitory, and Ellen was at the front. She must have spent the weekend trying on various outfits and contemplating what to do at the Miss Temple event. She turned her head and looked at me. Having left the Temple on Friday and returned late last night, it was the first time we had seen each other''s faces in a few days. Although she must have tried makeup at the Grantz family''s residence, Ellen was, of course, bare-faced and dressed in her usual school uniform. ¡°?¡± When Ellen stared at me, I averted my gaze. Yet, somehow, she seemed prettier than usual, or perhaps it was just my imagination. "Ellen! Come to my room. I just received new makeup I ordered this morning." "Ah, okay." As Ellen stared at me quietly, she was dragged away by Liana''s arm. "Do you always have to be called?" "Ah, uh, yes¡­" "Isn''t it about time you learned to do it yourself? Why are you so hesitant?" "Sorry¡­" With Ellen in her right hand and Cliffman in her left, Liana dragged them both away. Even as she was being pulled along, Ellen kept staring at me. Was she contemplating whether or not to come and watch the tournament today? Somehow¡­ Rather than enjoying themselves, everyone seemed busier than usual. It was a festival, but it didn''t feel like one. That was the feeling I got. "Reinhardt!" "Woah!" "What now?!" Suddenly, Olivia hugged me from behind, making me jump in surprise. "Let''s play together! There are so many things I want to eat and do!" Olivia looked at me with her eyes sparkling. "I''m busy today because I have the first-year tournament finals." "Right! Can I come and watch today?" "You can come if you want, or not if you don''t." As Olivia said that, she caught sight of Ellen being dragged away by Liana in the distance. "Is she participating in Miss Temple?" "Yes¡­ that''s what I heard." Olivia let go of my arm and looked back and forth between me and Ellen. "Are you going to vote for her?" I couldn''t give any answer, and Olivia pinched my cheek. "You can''t even make an empty promise, you dummy." Olivia laughed heartily, and then she disappeared somewhere. ------ Monday. Numerous events, performances, and activities were taking place all over the Temple, but I was far from the dazzle and bustle of the festival. Today was the day of the first-year tournament finals. The finals for each grade''s tournament would take place in the same arena, and the seats would be filled with spectators. I was placed in Group A for the first match. There were a total of 32 first-year students who made it to the main tournament. The tournament would consist of the round of 32, the round of 16, and the quarterfinals. I had to play three matches, with the semifinals and finals scheduled for tomorrow. To prepare for the first-year tournament, I moved with Ludwig and Scarlett. Needless to say, both Scarlett and Ludwig passed the preliminary round. Ludwig looked at the tournament bracket and smiled happily. "It seems the groups were divided by chance. How fortunate." I was in Group A, Scarlett in Group B, and Ludwig in Group C. We wouldn''t face each other until we were the winners of our respective groups. If we were to face each other in the tournament, it would be at least in the semifinals. "Is it really by chance?" "Or did they purposely arrange it this way?" Ludwig... I''m responsible for making you like this. "Of course, if they put all the championship contenders in one group, there wouldn''t be anything exciting to watch later on." "Ah, I see..." There were a total of four main groups. In Groups A, B, and C, there were competitors from the Royal class. And in Group D, I saw a familiar name on the bracket. Grayden Amorel. Though the Orbis class had disappeared, he had transferred to a general class and participated in the tournament. There might have been other names from the Orbis class, but I didn''t recognize any. Names like Nils Oniana, Lilka Eren, or Ender Wilton. Someone with an unknown name could have participated, but for now, I confirmed that Grayden Amorel was in Group D. I wonder who will face Grayden Amorel if we win our main group matches. It''s still uncertain. We were on our way to the stadium where the main tournament would take place. Today, we would play three matches, and tomorrow, the semifinals and finals would be held. Ludwig was chuckling. "Our friends are coming to watch later, what if I get nervous?" There were only two main tournament participants from Class B. So, except for a few, the group was coming to watch the tournament. More specifically, to watch Ludwig and Scarlett''s performance. It seemed like everyone from the Magic Research Club would come, except for a few. I wonder about my side. I doubt Ellen and Harriet would be able to make it... Even if Olivia were to come, she seemed a bit angry earlier, so I''m not sure if she will come. What about Charlotte? Since there are students from Class B, would she come? If so, she might not be coming just to see me. No, whether they come or not, I should just focus on my tasks. Why do I feel somewhat sad? Why do I feel like I''m the only one without parents attending a sports day where everyone else''s parents are coming? Have I been with kids for too long? I really don''t feel much different from them now. "Reinhardt! Let''s do our best!" "Uh." A stiff response slipped out unintentionally. CH 289 The temple was overflowing with people, to the point where it was difficult to avoid stepping on someone''s foot. Not only were there more students than usual, but the incoming crowd was also tremendous. Despite the temple''s typically tranquil and ancient atmosphere, seeing it bustling with people evoked a fresh sense of excitement. Perhaps due to the large number of people, a certain degree of commotion could be sensed amidst the cheerful chatter. There were students getting into arguments with passers-by or outsiders being arrested by guards, all the while shouting, "Do you know who I am?" Amidst the chaos, there was no semblance of order. Scarlett, Ludwig, and I pushed our way through the crowd, heading for our destination. The main stadium of the temple. A circular arena used for important matches and events. With its massive size and seating capacity exceeding thirty thousand, the stadium was the venue for significant sporting events and tournaments held within the temple, like the one taking place today. Today, the temple would host the main matches of the annual tournament. It was only natural for giant screens to be set up for the audience. Tomorrow, the semifinals and finals would be held here, as well as the main matches for the unrestricted class tournament. As members of sports-related clubs, this was a space they could proudly enter, but I had never been involved in such an event until now. The royal class, who would come to watch the tournament, would arrive later, and as participants, we had already arrived ahead of time. "There are so many people..." Ludwig muttered in astonishment, his eyes wide as he surveyed the crowd gathered at the entrance of the stadium to watch the tournament. "Well, the tournament is one of the main events of the festival," I replied. Scarlett interrupted, "Wait a minute, Ludwig. So, does that mean there won''t be any seats left for the people coming to see us?" "Don''t worry, Ludwig. The royal class has the privilege of entering events beyond the normal capacity," Scarlett assured him, seeming well-informed on the subject. The numerous privileges granted to the royal class within the temple were innumerable. "Oh, I see. But what does ''beyond capacity'' mean? How can people enter if the seats are already full?" "Just think of it as reserving special seats. Would it help if I said they''re seats that aren''t included in the regular capacity? That''s the privilege granted to the royal class." "Ah! I see!" For a brief moment, I could sense a flicker of disdain in Scarlett''s expression. Human relationships were truly unpredictable... Why had the relationship between the main heroine and protagonist turned out this way? Although Scarlett didn''t dislike Ludwig, she occasionally regarded him as a somewhat lacking friend. This must have been my doing, as well. The Gladius Temple Annual Tournament Main Event. We were heading not for the entrance for spectators but for the one reserved for those with official business. ------ As the identities of those who had advanced to the main event were already shared among the organizers, we simply had to submit our identification cards to be guided straight to the players'' waiting room inside the stadium. The athlete''s waiting area was as grand as the massive stadium itself due to the strict prohibition of spectator access. Naturally, it was equipped with various amenities, exercise equipment, and first aid supplies for injuries. Security guards were also perfectly in place to ensure safety. There were a total of 36 contestants advancing to the main competition for each grade level. With all grade levels gathered, the total number exceeded two hundred. Individual rooms were even prepared to accommodate all of them separately. We were guided to the waiting room designated for first-year students. "Once all the main competition contestants have arrived, we will provide instructions and announcements. Until then, please feel free to relax in your individual waiting rooms or in the hall." After being told that we could approach the desk anytime if we needed anything, the three of us settled down in the hall. Ludwig seemed impressed by the magnificent athlete''s waiting area, which didn''t pale in comparison to the Royal Class dormitory. Scarlett felt the same way. It seemed that some people had arrived before us, as we could see individuals either resting or preparing themselves. However, most of them were alone. They were the chosen ones from the numerous classes in the temple. It was impossible for a single class to have three members advancing to the main competition like the Royal Class. Hence, they all regarded each other as rivals, remaining tense and cautious regardless of the comfortable environment. Most of them were either lost in thought, warming up, or engaging in their own mental training. Even though they were all high school first-year students, it was akin to a national team selection event. It was a competition to determine the strongest seventeen-year-old within the temple. Exaggerating a bit, it was an event to identify the strongest of their age group on the continent. It was only natural for them to be tense. "Reinhardt! Want some bread?" Ludwig, seemingly oblivious to the tension, cheerfully offered bread he had found somewhere. Scarlett and I exchanged glances. "¡­" "¡­" It seemed that we shared similar thoughts. But you... You were originally with him... No, never mind. "Uh, sure. Give me a piece." "This is delicious." "Um, I''d like some too." In the end, Scarlett also took a bite. -... The wary gazes of those around us turned toward us. In a place filled with individuals who saw everyone around them as enemies, the three of us, who seemed to know each other well, huddled together and ate bread. Three contestants who appeared to come from the same place. In such a case, there was only one possibility that they could think of. They couldn''t help but realize that we were the ones from the Royal Class. Suspicion, hostility, and fear. Numerous gazes pierced us. "Uh, um..." Ludwig finally seemed to notice the gazes around us, while Scarlett quietly nibbled on her bread. "What''s with you guys? Haven''t you seen people eating bread before? Either join us or stop staring!" In the end, I couldn''t stand the stares any longer and snapped at those around us. However, this place was ultimately a gathering of individuals who had stood out in their own circles. Unlike other amateurs, these people were full of pride and confidence in their abilities and possessed no small amount of self-esteem. "What did you just say?" In this tense situation, with nerves stretched taut, there were more than enough people who would step forward and confront someone who made the first move. Leaning on the sofa with one arm, I grinned at the approaching guy. Is that guy even a high school student? He seemed to be about two meters tall. Of course, that didn''t intimidate me. I wasn''t sure about the others, but this particular guy had been glaring at us with particular disdain. "I asked if you''ve never seen someone eat bread before. What makes you think you''re so special?" "This punk. You don''t seem to have the air of a Royal Class graduate. You must be mistaken, thinking you''ll win by default because there''s no Orbis Class." As the atmosphere suddenly turned hostile, Ludwig stepped in. "Ah, ahahaha. Re, Reinhardt. Calm down. Why are you suddenly like this? I apologize. My friend is a bit sensitive." "..." "..." The guy alternately looked at Ludwig and me, and I glared back at him. "Who are you, and which group are you in for the main tournament?" "Group A, Reinhardt." "Lucky you. I''m in Group A too." With a smug expression, the guy slapped his hand and taunted me. "What''s so lucky about that?" I laughed at his demeanor. "It''s not going to work out for you." Why does he think he''s lucky when he''s bound to lose? I can''t understand it. Eventually, after the mind game was over and the nameless guy had backed off, a voice came from behind. "...You still attract trouble wherever you go." "...Ah, you." "It''s our first conversation, but it seems you remember my face?" Of course, I do. Even though we hadn''t spoken, his face was one I''d remembered. Scarlett and Ludwig, seeing him for the first time, tilted their heads in confusion. "You may not know my name, though. It''s Grayden Amorel." He extended his hand to me. There seemed to be no hostility in that gesture. "Uh... long time no see." I felt somewhat apologetic to him, for my antics had ultimately led to the loss of the special privilege known as the Special Class. ------ Grayden Amorel sat on the sofa opposite me, where we were seated. "I used to be an Orbis Class first-year, but that''s gone now." Upon hearing that, Scarlett and Ludwig seemed to understand why we knew each other and expressed an "aha" look. Grayden Amorel didn''t seem to harbor any other emotions towards me. In reality, the internal accusation against Lilka Eren was not something he had done alone, but something the entire Orbis Class first-year students had agreed upon. Originally, he was known to have a rather cold personality, but considering he approached me first and offered a handshake, it seemed he had undergone some change during the time we hadn''t met. Although I could not pinpoint exactly what those changes were, they were there. "I thought you''d enter the tournament." "Really?" "I''m not sure why, but I just had that feeling." The cheeky fellow, Ludwig, joked about the authority of the bread. "So, the first-years... are scattered?" "Yes, but we''re still within the temple, so it''s not like we can''t meet if we try." The first-year students from the Orbis Class were dispersed into regular classes. However, it seemed that Grayden Amorel took the initiative to create a club through the student council, establishing a gathering for the first-year students from the Orbis Class. After all, clubs were a gathering of students regardless of their class. Since they had gone through hardships together, it was not easy for their relationships to fade away. Unprompted, the fellow mentioned that Lilka Eren was doing well. He playfully joked that he was going through a late growth spurt, claiming that he seemed to be growing taller, but in reality, he hadn''t grown at all. "In a way, I think it''s a blessing that things turned out like this. Honestly, it was hellish." Though the Orbis Class had vanished, it seemed that they were all getting along well. Strangely, this thought comforted me. Despite the numerous changes and accidents that arose from the problems I caused, it seemed there was always some positive change somewhere. Grayden Amorel was in Group D. The four of us sitting here were the strongest contenders for victory. I had met Grayden Amorel before, but this was the first time we had conversed. Yet, it was clear that he harbored some sort of goodwill toward me. "Of course, I have no intention of losing, Reinhardt." This was a competition, and we all understood that. ------ "The main stadium of the temple is fortified with powerful protective and barrier magic. Consequently, there are a few special events that can only occur here." "All participants in the tournament''s main event will be protected by powerful magic." "From now on, the battles you fight will not be conducted as practice duels. If you find yourselves in a life-threatening situation, powerful protection and summoning magic will activate, transporting you to a safe place. Of course, this will result in a loss." "In short, there will be no serious injuries or deaths, even if you use your full power. Thus, the Gladius Temple Tournament will create an environment that is ''very close to real combat,'' pushing participants to their limits." "While this is the explanation, the message I want to convey is simple." "Think of this as an actual battle, and use every means at your disposal to win. There is no such thing as cheating." "Of course, injuries like bruises or broken limbs may occur. However, no loss will be declared for any injury that can be treated. Remember, you won''t lose just because you get punched once." The 36 first-year contenders listened intently to the explanation provided. This tournament would be different from the countless practice duels that Ellen and I had participated in before. Though the stadium was equipped with protective magic and barriers, as well as numerous safety devices for participants, we would still have to fight as if we intended to kill our opponents. The arena ensured maximum safety so that we could give our all in battle. This would not only entertain the spectators, but also showcase the combat abilities of each participant to their fullest extent. Ultimately, it was all for the sake of a thrilling spectacle. The display of extreme combat would demonstrate the kind of monstrous talents the Empire had nurtured. Tension rippled through everyone''s expressions, even the usually relaxed Ludwig, as the reality of the upcoming tournament sunk in. "Once you''re called, be prepared," they were told. The Tournament of the 36. Today, they would determine the winners of the main rounds. "Group A, first match. Royal Class first-year A-11, Reinhardt. Dalron Class first-year C-2, Lageres. Prepare yourselves." I was participating in the very first match of not just the grade-level tournament, but of all the upcoming festival tournaments. ------ As the saying goes, there''s nothing better than a spectacle of fire or combat. The Temple''s main stadium. With a capacity of thirty thousand seats. Seeing it completely filled, I initially thought I wouldn''t be nervous, but I was wrong. How could so many people gather for a children''s fight? Even if the tournament for grades one through six was fully booked until tonight, were there truly this many interested spectators? Some couldn''t even find a seat and had to stand to watch. Was this truly entertaining? Ah. It was then that I realized, no matter how advanced this world may be, there was no existence of mass media like television, smartphones, or the internet. In a world where stimulating entertainment was rare, the sight of the Empire''s nurtured talents engaging in swordplay was quite a spectacle by their standards. My face and that of my opponent appeared alternately on the large screens installed throughout the Temple''s main stadium. "Ohhh!" The strange exclamation from the audience when my face appeared. This. It felt odd. I tried to see if there were any familiar faces among the thousands of spectators, but there were too many to recognize. Everyone was watching me. I felt strange searching for someone who might have come to see me. There probably wasn''t anyone. Everyone was busy. Yet, strangely enough. Among tens of thousands of people, where it should have been impossible to find anyone familiar. Somehow¡­ Far away, I saw a black-haired girl with a calm expression. It was Ellen. Ellen was watching me. Beside her were Liana, Cliffman, and Harriet. And, despite their undoubtedly terrible relationship, Olivia Lanze was there as well. "Reinhardt, you''re the best! So handsome! Aaaah!" And next to them, there were the students from Class B as well. Charlotte was looking at me with a gentle smile. She didn''t say a word, but it was clear that she was rooting for me. Of course, probably for security reasons, even Saviolin Turner was sitting next to her. She had her arms crossed and watched me silently. Unknowingly, a smile spread across my face. -Stay strong. I could read Ellen''s lips. -Wi-win¡­ Win, win! Although stammering, Harriet made a trumpet with her hands and cheered. Not only Harriet, but also all the members of the Magic Research Society, including Redina, were present. -Junior! Keep going! What? I thought everyone would be too busy to come. But everyone was here. Despite the terrible relationship between Ellen and Olivia, they sat next to each other, leaning away from each other as much as possible. Everyone was gathered. "Hoo¡­" The weapon in my hand was not a practice sword but a real one. I was told to choose a weapon that suited me, so I picked a longsword with the same weight as the one I used in Darkland. My opponent was also armed with a longsword. -Now, the highly anticipated Gladius Temple Festival, the first-grade tournament in Group A! The first match! It starts now! -Wow! As the announcer shouted, amidst the thunderous cheers, Right. It''s the first match, so I have to show them something interesting. Sorry, friend. I have to show my friends, who came all the way here despite being busy with their own matters, what I''ve been doing for the past year, right? I believe. I cast, Mana Enhancement. -Krrrr! An explosive force surged through my body, and blue flames erupted from me. As the sound of the cheers grew louder, I saw my opponent faltering. Adding swiftness, strike, and hardening, Self-Suggestion, Mana Enhancement. With all of these combined, "I will win." Adding the power of the Word to it, I took one step forward. With just a single step, -Kwoooong! "!!!" In the next moment, I had reached right in front of my opponent. Victory. I desire nothing more than that. ------ -Wow! "¡­Was it really necessary to come and watch this?" Amidst the cheers, Harriet grumbled discontentedly. The third match of the first-year Group D had just ended. The match featuring Reinhardt, which they had come to watch, had ended in less than five seconds. There was still plenty of time left until Reinhardt''s next match. The first-grade round-robin tournament would end, and then the second-grade round-robin tournament would begin. There was no need to watch all 36 matches for every grade, but given Reinhardt''s performance, it seemed likely that all his matches would end in an instant like this. Thus, during Reinhardt''s match, the audience was overwhelmed, but their confusion was more prominent. "No, what''s with that one?" The reaction was like that. It was overwhelming, but it felt somewhat bland. In terms of entertainment, it was more enjoyable to watch the desperate fights where people stumbled and rolled on the ground. So, they actually came to watch Reinhardt''s match, but there was little need to see him in action. Both Ellen and Harriet were busy. However, in the end, after debating whether or not to come, they eventually arrived. With a displeased expression, Olivia reluctantly sat down next to them when they ran into her midway. The reason was simple. ''If we huddle together a little, Reinhardt will easily find us.'' If they sat separately in the stands, there was a chance that Reinhardt might not find them. But if they sat close together with friends, Reinhardt would be able to spot them more easily. In fact, Reinhardt found them with precision. When Reinhardt won his first match with an overwhelming difference, Olivia was the only one who screamed in the midst of everyone''s astonishment, yelling, "Take me! Take me with youuuu!" causing an awkward scene as everyone stared at her. Reinhardt''s next match would begin once all the D-group 36th round matches had finished. Harriet looked at Ellen quietly. She thought Ellen might participate in the Unrestricted Tournament, but strangely enough, she had entered the Miss Temple contest. "Ah... It''s Reinhardt''s turn soon. I didn''t come to watch that... Hey, when is Reinhardt''s match? Check the schedule." "You should check it yourself, senior." "Seniors should be obeyed!" "¡­Reinhardt doesn''t like people who talk like that. Oh, I guess you don''t know that." "You, you... Fine, let''s drop it." She was like an angel only in front of Reinhardt. Acting as if she could give everything to Reinhardt, but being irritable towards everyone close to him. The increasingly twisted and distorted character of Eredian''s Holy Maiden, Olivia Lanze. Both Ellen and Harriet had one person they wanted to beat, even though they participated in different competitions: that person was her. Could they beat her? Contrary to such concerns, Olivia Lanze acted as if the two of them didn''t matter at all. No, she deliberately ignored them to make them angry. "Ugh, this is so boring! Bring me our Reinhardt!" "Please, be quiet." As Olivia began to throw a tantrum, Ellen frowned and glared at her. "What? Do you want to go out there right now and have an event match with me? People will really love it!" "Not there, but right here, right now." "Should we?! Show me? Huh?" "Don''t imitate Reinhardt just because you''re in a bad mood." At that, Ellen''s personality also changed whenever she met her. Ellen and Olivia Lanze. If the two of them were to barge into the arena, none of the matches that followed would be of any interest to the spectators. "Both of you, please stop..." Harriet felt nauseous just watching the two of them. CH 290 Time had passed and all thirty-two matches of the first year students had come to a close. Now, it was time for the second round of matches, the round of sixteen, to begin. Eight matches were to take place. Naturally, the first match of the round of sixteen would be Reinhardt''s turn. "Reinhardt! Stay strong!" Olivia shouted, her voice filled with excitement. The round of sixteen will be conducted in a best-of-three format. The announcer added that today''s main event, which could be considered the group finals, would be conducted in a best-of-five format. During the round of thirty-two, Reinhardt had made eye contact with his supporters, but this time, he was not looking their way. He could at least glance at them once. That''s what Harriet thought. "¡­Wait a moment." Olivia''s excited expression stiffened. "Something''s off." Ellen noticed something as well. Both she and Olivia seemed to sense something that the other spectators could not. "What''s wrong? What happened?" Olivia murmured, her expression turning serious. "Reinhardt''s condition¡­ seems to be not good." "There seems to be a problem." Both Ellen and Olivia intuitively knew that there was an issue with Reinhardt''s condition. Meanwhile, to the right of their seats, where the Class B students were gathered, Saviolin Turner was watching Reinhardt with her arms crossed. Just as Olivia and Ellen had felt, Saviolin Turner also knew about the problem that had occurred with Reinhardt. Of course, she knew more accurately than the other two. "Reinhardt is not used to Magic Body Strengthenings." "¡­That''s probably true." Charlotte was somewhat aware of this as well. "When you try to use a power you''re not accustomed to, you''re bound to reach your limit eventually." "Limit?" Reinhardt had always succeeded in drawing on newfound strength in times of crisis. However, this time was different. Now, it was not a real battle, but a tournament where they had to face consecutive fights. The unfamiliar Magic Body Strengthening would lead to fluctuations in his condition as he continued to use it. "Reinhardt will be vulnerable in continuous battles." If he used Magic Body Strengthenings, his condition would inevitably worsen with each successive fight. Not all the royal class students who had gathered here had come to support Reinhardt. However, most of them secretly believed in Reinhardt''s victory. Ludwig and Scarlett were highly skilled, but Reinhardt could use Magic Body Strengthenings. Yet now, they realized that the very Magic Body Strengthening could ultimately hold Reinhardt back. Charlotte looked at Reinhardt with a worried expression. "Does he have to win without using Magic Body Strengthenings?" "That might be the best way, but¡­ it might be possible today, but what about tomorrow?" Inadequate power exacts a price. -We will now begin the first match of the Temple Tournament Round of 16! With the announcer''s proclamation, the first match of the Round of 16 began. ------ The Round of 16 concluded with my victory, two wins to none. There were no moments of danger. However, in the first set, attempting not to use the power enhancement led to several precarious moments. My opponent was from the general class, but they were not someone to be dismissed based on skill. In the end, I had no choice but to rely on the power enhancement in the second set. Being in the general class for a year without admission to the Orbis Class doesn''t mean they couldn''t surpass the skills of those in the Orbis Class through training. I tried to resolve the issue with Self-Suggestion, but it didn''t work as well as I had hoped. Of course, I managed to win twice without using the power enhancement. Upon returning to the waiting room, I was greeted by Ludwig and Scarlett. There was a separate viewing area for the waiting room, allowing them to watch the match. It seemed that Ludwig and Scarlett had been observing my game from there. "You did great, Reinhardt." "Well done." "¡­Thanks." Power enhancement. I was acutely aware that it was a double-edged sword. Naturally. After all, I had only used this power twice before today. I succeeded in using it a third time, but I had to pay the price for using a power I wasn''t yet accustomed to. I didn''t faint, but my body felt heavy as if it had been soaked in water. Moreover, I had to face the next match without enough time to recover my condition. It wasn''t a typical injury, so receiving healing from a priest on standby wouldn''t help. There was no issue in the Round of 16. However, the upcoming Group A finals in the Round of 8 were best of five with three wins, and tomorrow''s semi-finals would also follow the same format. I wasn''t confident in defeating the likes of Grayden Amorel, Ludwig, or Scarlett without using power enhancement. If my worsened condition didn''t improve by tomorrow or if I exhausted too much of my energy in the semi-finals. I might not be able to win the championship. I had been mistaken in thinking that power enhancement had become an integral part of my strength. I sat still in the athlete''s waiting room, watching the next Round of 16 match. -Crash! A burly fellow resembling a bear or a human tank was aggressively pushing his opponent. Power enhancement is a force that dramatically enhances physical abilities. -Thump! -Set 1 goes to Richard Howlman of the Erazon class! The burly man, who had flattened his off-balance opponent, claimed the first set. It was clear that he would undoubtedly overpower me in terms of strength. That scoundrel is my final opponent for today. Unfortunately, given the current situation, we''re not exactly a good match. Could I possibly defeat him without using magic enhancement? My fingers were trembling of their own accord. ------ Since it was the rule for the defeated to leave the waiting room, the once-crowded space had significantly thinned out. First-year Erazon class. Richard Howlman. The human-tank-like fellow I had quarreled with was now confirmed to be my opponent in the A-group quarterfinals. "Lilka is in that class." "Ah... really?" Grayden Amorel seemed to know and explained it to me. Lilka Eren shared a class with that guy. I wasn''t exactly friends with Lilka, but I couldn''t help feeling a bit worried. "They say he''s notorious for his cruel nature. He claims he didn''t get into the Orbis Class because he failed the personality test during the entrance examination. I don''t know for sure, though." While it was possible that stories related to the Orbis Class were exaggerated, I had seen with my own eyes that his skills were no bluff, as he had advanced to the main tournament. As much as he had skill, his personality was equally despicable. "Just like me, then." "Haha... I guess that''s one way to put it." Grayden Amorel chuckled. For some reason, he had transformed from a stoic character to a somewhat likable one. Of course, if Grayden Amorel faced Richard Howlman, the outcome would be a clear victory for Grayden. I had seen all the matches of Ludwig, Scarlett, and Grayden, so I knew. In this place, he was undoubtedly the most outstanding, excluding all other abilities. Assuming I didn''t use magic enhancement, I wouldn''t be able to defeat him. Although my Self-Suggestion had reached A-rank, I wasn''t sure if I could secure a clear advantage. If I used the power of the spirits, it might be different, but I hadn''t yet figured out how to make it work properly. -Thump! Richard Howlman, the winner, flung open the door to the spectator seats and strode in, staring at me. "Are you prepared, Royal class scum?" "..." My chances of winning had become uncertain. It was because I knew that the magic enhancement wasn''t truly my own strength. He looked at my silent face and scoffed. "What, cat got your tongue? Are you starting to get scared?" I looked up at him, crossing my arms and smirking. "Didn''t you fail the Orbis Class personality test?" "That''s right. I didn''t get in, but it''s not because I couldn''t. You understand?" "What do you mean, personality? Judging by your face, it seems like you didn''t make the cut because you look like a damn beggar, am I wrong?" His face contorted with anger, and I chuckled. That''s the way to do it. It''s more effective to insult someone for an unsolvable problem than for a solvable one. "Wow, you''re disgustingly ugly. Can you even call that a face? Hey, get lost before my eyes rot. Go wash up with some oozing broth. No wonder I smelled something like a pig." That is to say, I didn''t just attack him personally. "You damn mutt...!" "Go ahead and try. If you want to be disqualified." I leaned in, getting even closer to his face. As his eyes seemed to invert with rage, I chuckled. He raised his fist but couldn''t bring himself to strike. If he did, he''d be disqualified. I laughed as I looked at Richard Howlman, whose fist trembled with anger. "You''re holding up pretty well for someone with a filthy temper. Maybe there''s really no problem with your personality? Did you really not make it because of your ugly face?" "You damn...!" "Reinhardt, stop it..." In the end, Ludwig and Scarlett intervened. Thinking an accident might occur, Grayden Amorel left the stands with a furious Richard Howlman. We weren''t the only ones in the stands. Everyone else was staring at me as if I were insane. Did some thug from a regular class think they could mess with me? I, too, had a royal-grade personality. "Reinhardt, I really don''t understand why you do this." In the end, even Ludwig, a true gentleman, scolded me. "I''m really glad I''m in the same class as Reinhardt..." Scarlett sighed deeply. ------ Everything went as expected. Scarlett, Ludwig, and Grayden Amorel all advanced to the final round without a hitch. The first-year tournament had only one match left today. The only variable was that my Magic Body Strengthening drained my condition. Even if I won two matches in the best-of-five group finals, if my condition deteriorated in the last three matches and I collapsed vomiting blood, I would lose. -Wowwwwwww! The remaining matches featured more skilled players, so the spectators'' reactions were heated. Of course, I still didn''t understand what was so entertaining about it. From the perspective of someone who grew up watching the wealthy wearing full-body armor and flying through the sky shooting laser beams from their hands, this was an extremely dull pastime. This world is a cultural wasteland. A battle between superhumans would need to be quite flashy, but the first-year tournament wasn''t quite there. The unrestricted-class tournament would likely have more dazzling spectacles. In the end, today''s final duel. I looked at Richard Howlman, standing opposite me. His eyes burned with a desire to devour me. Why did I keep provoking him, perhaps a bit too excessively? Honestly, part of it was simply to provoke him, but it was also to see that expression on his face. If the opponent had a personality prone to losing their cool and getting agitated, there was no reason not to push them in that direction. Winning without using Magic Body Strengthening would be best. If I could create an overwhelming difference in power with Magic Body Strengthening, I wouldn''t need to worry about these things, but for now, I don''t want to use it. Thus, I need to clearly recognize the difference between my opponent and me, and enter the battle with that awareness. My weapon is a longsword. A longsword is a two-handed sword, but it''s not impossible to use with one hand. Therefore, I can switch between using it with one hand or both as needed. The blade length is approximately one meter. However, with a height of nearly two meters, Richard Howlman''s weapon is a two-handed sword commonly called a zweihander. The blade length is about 1.8 meters, equal to my height. His weapon surpasses mine in reach and weight. Due to its excessive length, the sword is difficult to balance when thrusting, so it has a ricasso, which allows him to grip it above the guard and swing it. In other words, it has an extension of the handle, and attached to the ricasso is a second guard called parrying hooks, designed to protect it. It looks like a sword with an additional handle and guard. Considering his physical prowess, he should be able to handle that large sword with one hand to some extent. He has the advantage in terms of attack range and height. In the duel with Lilka Eren, in the end, he had no choice but to resort to kicks due to his short stature. Reach and weight alone can determine the advantage or disadvantage in a fight. I have to accept and go in with that understanding. At the minimum, the opponent has the advantage. But when have I ever only taken part in advantageous battles? The monstrous man wielding a monstrous sword will undoubtedly be weaker than any opponent I have faced so far. It''s only the quarterfinals, after all. I may have become stronger, but I am far from perfect, and I can never be perfect. I am simply aware of a penalty that forces me to seal one of my most important powers and fight without it. I will use my Magic Body Strengthening in the semifinals or finals. Now is not the time. -We will now begin the Gladius Temple Tournament quarterfinals! The battle between Royal class''s Reinhardt and Erazone class''s Richard Howlman! -Wowwwww! -Reinhardt! Do your best! Olivia''s shout faintly reached my ears. On top of that. -Reinhardt! A voice I didn''t expect to hear joined in. Despite the battle starting, I couldn''t help but turn my head in surprise. Ellen was cupping her hands around her mouth and shouting. -Win! Neither Ellen nor I, nor Harriet and Liana sitting next to her, expected her to cheer like that. It was just a single shout. However, everyone who knows Ellen knows that it is a rare spectacle for her to act like that. That''s why they''re all so surprised. Olivia was also watching Ellen''s unexpected shouting in astonishment from right beside her. Ellen does something she never does, an action no one could have predicted. Ellen shouts at me. -If you don''t win, you''re in for a scolding! More than anything, I was the most surprised. I didn''t use Self-Suggestion. My condition hasn''t improved either. But still. Strangely enough¡­ The trembling in my hands stopped. Up until now, I''ve relied on Self-Suggestion for everything. I changed because I believed in myself, and I have developed myself using that. The power I gained, which I couldn''t have otherwise, all originated from that strength. But this time, it doesn''t come from there. This time, it''s not about Supernatural Powers, refinement, phenomena, or Magic Body Strengthening. Win. Ellen''s shout silenced all the trembling. There should be no improvement from such a thing, and there should be no recovery of the broken balance of the body caused by the instability of the magical circuit due to a single cheer. But why? Why do I feel that everything is alright now? "Raaaahhhhh!" Why, when the human tank is charging at me with fierce momentum... do I not feel the slightest thought of losing? CH 291 The great sword, zweihander, descended upon me. -Clang! I parried his sword with mine, twisting it to force it off course, and swiftly transitioned into a half-swording stance to thrust toward his throat. If he were an amateur, his throat would already be exposed, and it would be over. However, the opponent was ultimately a foul-tempered fellow, and while he might be excited, his skills were far from amateurish. He pushed his sliding sword back up at an angle, hooking my blade with his zweihander''s parrying hook and shoving it away. In a situation where one was being pushed back due to the weight of the armament and struggling in a contest of strength, it was foolish to try and push the sword further in. -Clang! I withdrew my sword at an angle and created some distance. Richard Howlman quickly changed his stance. -Clang! Clang! Thud! Several more exchanges ensued. He maintained his distance, using his long reach to keep me in check. It was fine if it worked, and even if it didn''t, there was no risk. There was no reason not to exploit an overwhelming advantage. Thus, he was merely doing his best. The side with the longer reach always had the initiative, while the side with the shorter reach had to bear the disadvantage of having to break through. That''s why, when using a sword, it''s incredibly annoying to face opponents with polearms. Even during the preliminaries, I couldn''t claim to have defeated opponents with polearms based on skill alone; I simply overpowered them physically. In this case, the opponent''s weapon wasn''t a polearm, but the difference in reach was still severe. And there was another thing. -Clang! His sword was significantly heavier than mine. As a result, there was an inevitable difference in the limits of the weight carried by the tip of our swords. It was a difficult weapon to handle, but if used well, it was no different from a blunt weapon. And that fellow had the physical capabilities and body structure to handle the zweihander. "Why, you were talking as if you could chew me up and spit me out, but now that you''re actually facing me, it''s not going so well, is it?" Richard Howlman sneered at me with a malicious grin. To others, it must have looked like I was being pushed back, and in reality, I was. "Spewing nonsense while dripping sweat in a sacred duel. Wipe that sweat off, you brat." "¡­Heh." Even though he was laughing, I could sense his impatience. No matter how outstanding his physical abilities were, the weight of that weapon was significant. He must have trained extensively, but close combat ultimately consumed an immense amount of stamina and energy. This was different from simple exercise. In a fight, combat fatigue inevitably sets in. Having the initiative meant that he had to constantly maintain his attacking stance and make use of that initiative. All I had to do was calmly retreat while accepting the disadvantage of lacking initiative due to the difference in reach. Let him tire out. I''ll strike when an opening presents itself. Neither of us is Ludwig; our stamina is not infinite. He''s impatient, and I''m waiting for an opportunity. If there''s nothing I can do about the disadvantage stemming from the difference in our weapons, I have no choice but to exploit the penalty he bears. Clang! Clang! Clang! I calmly retreated, sometimes stepping to the side, evading his attacks while luring him in. Become more impatient. Just a bit more. A little more hastiness. I lured him in as I retreated, prompting his attack. He held his sword in a long grip, with his right hand on the handle and his left hand on the ricasso, thrusting in a backhanded manner. Though he held it short, the monstrous length of his two-handed sword still had a much longer reach than my weapon. Even when held like that, it was longer. Thrusting backhandedly generally involved striking downwards from above, rather than directly forward. The wider the gap between the hands gripping the sword, the easier it was to maintain balance, and the greater the force. To block his sword, I inevitably had to adopt an upward parrying stance. In essence, he was applying force like a half-swording technique, and I had to counter it by pushing upwards and outwards in the same half-swording manner. However, his sword had a parrying hook, while mine did not. If I were to win the power struggle, his parrying hook would block my sword, but if I were pushed back, my hand gripping the middle of my sword would be sliced by his blade. The difference in weapons. Some choices become impossible due to this difference, while others become available. It was difficult to push away or deflect his backhanded thrust with the sword held long. If I were to haphazardly engage his sword, I might be the one pushed back instead. His backhanded thrust. The chain of thoughts and judgments began with just that one move, occurring almost simultaneously. From one to ten. Some of it was from the lessons I had learned, but the true realization came thanks to Ellen. Ellen had taught me various attack and defense techniques that changed according to the numerous weapons she used. In this situation, attempting to parry a thrust that resembled a downward strike with a half-swording technique against an opponent with that kind of weapon would be suicidal. In an instant, my body made the decision, not my mind. Embodied memory. Was it a spinal reflex? After countless practices and training, I no longer drew conclusions from my thoughts. Having clashed so many times, my body had reached a state where it could recall memories. Of everything I possessed, this was the product of my efforts. It was the sole thing I could attribute to my sweat and perseverance, obtained through innumerable fractures, rolls, blows, falls, and hits, even if I didn''t want to remember. This was not a cheat. According to the general knowledge I had gained through Ellen, in a situation with such weapon differences, I should avoid, not push back, a powerful downward strike like this one. Neither he nor I had spent our time in the temple frivolously; there was no reason to underestimate each other beyond our competitive spirits. He probably didn''t think this attack would work either. There must be a calculation in his head that was uniquely his own. Ultimately, such battles were both physical contests and battles of wits. Assuming that I would dodge his downward thrust, he would design a follow-up attack based on the situation that arose after he made me dodge. In the event that I dodge to the side or move backward, he would swiftly change his stance, either thrusting or altering the direction of his sword to cut, devising a derived attack. In the moment his sword strikes, he constructs such plans, and I design my countermeasures. What''s important is this. Under normal circumstances, the reasonable judgment would be to dodge in this situation. But. I make a decision that I shouldn''t. The decision he thought I couldn''t make. With that, I scatter all of his plans. I push back against the descending sword. In a situation where his weight, reach, and physicality are all superior to mine, I make the worst possible move. Under normal circumstances, it would be the worst move. But I am not ordinary. I put all my strength into a single sword strike. One strike. -Whoosh! ¡°!¡± I am a Supernatural. It is undeniably my power to accomplish something beyond conventional reasoning. Having expelled his sword with a sudden burst of explosive strength, I thrust my half-sworded weapon into his exposed throat. -Flash! Richard Howlman, with wide-open eyes, is recalled by the Recall Artifact. Critical hit success. -1st Set! Reinhardt takes it! It''s my victory. ------ Best of five, first to three wins. A total of three victories and zero defeats. -Royal Class Reinhardt concludes the 1st Year Tournament Main Round A Group matches undefeated! -Wow! After being recalled, I stared intently at Richard Howlman, who was resummoned to the tournament arena. That guy doesn''t know I''m a Supernatural. And since this isn''t a shonen manga, I didn''t bother to explain to him that I''m actually a Supernatural and the intricacies of my abilities. So, he must have thought I employed some sort of cunning trick. Of course, I had been using my Supernatural powers in all the previous duels. However, I hadn''t used my self-suggestion, one-point concentration, or skill utilization. In the end, a single gap in a fight can lead to defeat, so I merely withstood his attacks ordinarily and then unleashed a momentary burst of power. All I needed to do was to pierce through a brief opening. He didn''t even know what he had fallen for. It must have felt like being bewitched by a ghost. It would have seemed as if I suddenly exhibited an abnormally strong force for a moment, even though he thought he had accurately gauged my capabilities. "You... You used some tricks... Definitely cheating..." Richard Howlman muttered bitterly. I didn''t bother to explain to him. "Lack of information about your opponent is ultimately your own mistake." Regardless of whether he claims cheating or not, there''s no rule prohibiting Supernaturals from participating, so it''s a futile effort. I''ve already won. Therefore, I have no intention of further provoking or taunting him. All that remains for me is to win the Main Round A Group. Undefeated. I managed to achieve that while minimizing the use of my Magic Body Strengthening. In one way or another, my duels had been rather bland, but I continued my undefeated march, having won each set without losing a single point. The cheers of the audience were fervent. At first, it was somewhat nerve-wracking, but after experiencing it a few times, the countless gazes of the people watching me were neither enjoyable nor particularly terrifying. Numerous people in the stands were watching me. I watched those who wished for my victory. Semifinals, and if victorious there, the finals. Now, only two matches remained. ------ I watched the remaining matches. Grayden Amorel, like me, won with a 3-0 set score. Ludwig finished with a hard-fought 3-2 victory. Scarlett, after two wins, conceded a set and concluded with a 3-1 score. As expected, everyone advanced to the finals, despite the varying set scores. The Royal Class, Orbis Class, and Special Classes had all made it. After the first-year main round concluded, a brief rest would be given, and the audience would either take a break or stay in their seats. Also, the brackets for the semifinals were decided immediately. My eyes met Scarlett''s. "Ah... Reinhardt." "...Well, it turned out like this." Scarlett and I. "Ludwig, was it? I look forward to it." "Me too!" Grayden Amorel and Ludwig. The semifinal matchups were set like this. Considering they were all formidable opponents, it didn''t matter who I faced; I had the same feeling. Magic Body Strengthening was the key to this contest. How one utilized that power, which could only be used a limited number of times, and whether they could endure the after-effects would determine the winner. The fact that the finals were tomorrow was rather awkward. I thought the week-long festival would be long, but in the end, those participating had to struggle with tight schedules due to numerous events. The finals were not the end. Regardless of victory or defeat, I had to participate in the cross-dressing contest on Wednesday. "..." "Reinhardt, what''s wrong?" "No, nothing." As my expression suddenly soured, Ludwig and Scarlett examined my complexion. "You all did a great job!" When we left the stadium to return to the dormitory, Charlotte greeted us. Charlotte and the entire B-Class. And most of A-Class. Although Ellen and Harriet didn''t say much, their emotions were evident in their expressions. "I should have participated, too. I could have knocked them all down with a sizzle." Liana whispered nonsense in my ear. It seemed everyone but Bertus was there. The hapless trio, Heinrich, and even Cliffman were present. Wait, I saw Cliffman, but were they there too? Where had they been? ... It seemed they were sitting on the other side, and I hadn''t noticed them. There, on the field, stood Olivia Lanze and Redina, with Saviolin Turner beside them. "Young one! You''ve truly honed your skills in combat, haven''t you?" "Can''t you just say I did well? Why do you have to put it that way?" "Well, it would be strange if you couldn''t handle it, considering how much fighting you''ve been doing!" Redina laughed as she grabbed my arm. "We''ve all decided to go eat something delicious together! Let''s all go!" Both Class A and Class B had gathered to celebrate the success of every participant reaching the final round of the competition. In the original work, Class A and Class B were in a fierce rivalry, constantly bickering and tearing at each other, with an absolutely terrible relationship. While Class A had been the ones to unilaterally torment Class B, Class B didn''t particularly like Class A either. However, now both classes were gathered together, exchanging stories and planning to go out and enjoy this wonderful day together. "You''re participating in the Unrestricted Class Tournament, right?" "Ah, yes." "I heard it''s been a long time since a magic major has participated. It''s quite surprising." "...I''ll do my best." "Yeah, I''ve heard you''re incredibly impressive." "Is that so?!" Though Harriet didn''t seem particularly close to Charlotte, she led the conversation, discussing various topics. "Let''s go, Reinhardt." Ludwig smiled as he pulled my arm. Everyone was taking the lead. I suddenly became aware that I was a part of this scene. I observed the relationships between people that had changed because of me. It wasn''t intentional, but the situation had turned out perfectly. Everything was perfect. Almost excessively so. CH 292 There were twenty-two students in the first year of the Royal Class. Excluding Bertus, there were twenty-one gathered here. Adding Olivia Lanze, Rerdina, and Saviolin Turner, the number became twenty-three. Of course, Olivia thought it was quite a stretch for her to be included here, so after patting my shoulder to show her support, she left. I didn''t forget to thank Olivia for coming. Despite the terrible relationship between Ellen and me, she stood firmly by my side, cheering me on. The same went for Ellen. Gratefulness towards Olivia was natural, aside from the headache-like feeling it brought. "Take good care of yourself. Winning is great, but don''t get hurt. That''s enough for me." "Yes." After Olivia left, Charlotte and I led the large group of twenty-two students through the streets. There were musicians playing on the streets, performers entertaining the crowd, and the streets were bustling with energy. Ranian Sesor, the B-10 music prodigy, borrowed instruments from the street musicians and played even more flawlessly, causing passersby to stop and applaud. When did we all start wandering around, enjoying various activities together? I couldn''t remember. Of course, we didn''t have time to play late into the night. After gathering for a meal and wandering around for a while, the group split into those returning to the dormitory and those staying out on the streets. Charlotte seemed intent on having more fun, leading a few students from Class B and Saviolin Turner. Those heading back included me, with the final match tomorrow, Ludwig, Scarlett, and Ranian Sesor, the music prodigy. The magic research club members and Harriet also joined us. Before I knew it, Ellen was walking beside me. I was genuinely startled when she suddenly shouted earlier, thinking my heart might drop. Now, she had returned to her usual calm demeanor. "Are you feeling okay?" "Should I answer honestly, or should I lie and tell you not to worry?" Ellen glared at me in response to my nonsense. Seeing Ellen''s pouting lips after a long time made me feel strangely amused. "Honestly, I''m fine." The issue of my condition wasn''t a serious injury, but rather an unsettling feeling that could create a crucial difference in a decisive moment. Just as Richard Howlman had never been able to beat me due to that slight edge, it was a vital issue. "Don''t get hurt. And don''t push yourself too hard." "I''ll keep that in mind." In the end, Ellen and Olivia said the same thing. Harriet was walking a little farther away, conversing with the magic research club members. It seemed that the magic research club was working together, putting their heads together to support Harriet''s unrestricted tournament participation. In particular, Louis Ancton seemed to be deeply contemplating. What kind of achievement had they made? It was highly likely that the outcome would remain unknown to me. Could Harriet win? I thought that might be difficult. However, just making it to the main event of the unrestricted tournament was already an incredible achievement. It was possible that she had good luck in the bracket, but luck is only possible when backed by skill. As if sensing my gaze, Harriet, who had been walking and talking with great focus, glanced at me and tilted her head. "¡­Why?" "¡­No, just, do your best." "¡­Isn''t that what you should be hearing right now?" True. The unrestricted tournament still had some time left, and the finals were tomorrow. Harriet briefly laughed at my words, as if she couldn''t believe it. "I''ll do well." Harriet showed a warm smile. It was the first time I had seen her smile like that. "So, you should do well too." Not everyone was cheering for me, and not everyone wished for my victory. But there were people who did wish for it. At first, it was just something I started for the achievement points, but somehow, it was becoming increasingly unrelated to the original goal. Now, I wanted to win even without any particular rewards. ------ As soon as we returned to the dormitory, Ellen, Liana, and Cliffman went off somewhere, saying they had to prepare for the Miss and Mister Temple contest. But Olivia didn''t seem so busy. What were they so busy with? Naturally, Harriet, who was definitely busier, went to the magic research club''s mansion instead of the dormitory. The hopeless trio and Heinrich seemed to be staying to enjoy the festival, and there were hardly any people remaining in the B-class, except for the top four contestants. It was a festival. Of course, I had played to my heart''s content, but there was still a lot of time left. "It''s kind of quiet." I had just changed into my training clothes and stepped out when Ludwig, who was sitting in the dormitory lobby, spoke to me. "¡­Did I mistakenly enter the B-class dormitory? I mean, I can still tell my right from my left, right?" What are you doing here? Of course, there''s no distinction between A and B classes anymore, so it doesn''t really matter. Ludwig rose from his seat. "I''m feeling a bit uneasy." "Uneasy?" "Honestly, no matter how I think about it, Grayden seems stronger than me." Ludwig didn''t appear to be scared. However, was there a hidden anxiety in his expression? "So, can we practice together? Scarlett said she''s taking a break today." "Hmm¡­" Ludwig was a cunning guy, but I hadn''t been too involved with him beyond a certain extent. I didn''t want to have too much influence on the protagonist, especially if it was another character. But it''s impossible to avoid forever. "Sure. I didn''t have anything else to do anyway." If we didn''t use Magic Body Strengthening, we could get any injuries treated by the on-duty priests, so there was no reason to refuse. ------ -Clang! Clang! Clank! "Haa¡­ Haa¡­" "Phew." After taking a short deep breath, Ludwig scratched his head. "It''s just not working, no matter how much I try." He had only used Self-Suggestion without resorting to Magic Body Strengthening. We had sparred about ten times, and each bout had ended in my victory. The rank of my Self-Suggestion ability was A. It was a Supernatural power that had clearly reached the higher tier. There must be obvious limits to Self-Suggestion, as it had given rise to the superior ability of Word Magic. Yet, in the end, Supernatural power was still Supernatural power, and my enhanced abilities were more than sufficient to face Ludwig. The outcome was certain. If Ludwig made it to the finals, my victory would be assured. There would be no need for me to strengthen my Magic Body Strengthening further. "Damn it... I''m the one... who''s tired..." But although I had won, I was also the one who was exhausted. This rascal, whose stamina had reached S-rank or higher, continued to lose during our sparring sessions but it was my stamina that was dwindling. What was this feeling? A sense of defeat despite having won. "Let''s take a break and continue later." "Phew... Alright." My stamina wasn''t weak, but Ludwig''s was monstrously high. Thus, we practiced by sparring while controlling our pace. Perhaps due to the festival, the dormitory was deserted, and the A-class training hall was only visited by Cliffman and Ellen in the first place. As we had plenty of time, we crossed swords for hours, leaving both Ludwig and me drenched in sweat. When the sun had set and our stamina had reached its limits, we decided to call it a day. "I''ll lose, right?" Ludwig mumbled as he hung his practice sword on the rack. It wasn''t a display of weakness. He just intuitively knew that he had no chance against Grayden Amorel. He knew he would lose but wouldn''t give up. That was the kind of person Ludwig was. I watched Ludwig and wiped my sweat with a towel draped over a chair. "Seems that way." I had no intention of denying it. Grayden Amorel''s skill surpassed Ludwig''s and even that of Scarlett and me. I could only face him with my Supernatural powers and Magic Body Strengthening abilities. Of course, I would first have to win the quarterfinals against Scarlett without a hitch. Ludwig opened the window of the training hall. Cold winter air rushed in, but it didn''t feel bad given how much we had sweated. "Reinhardt, I have a question." Ludwig, with his back to me as he gazed outside the window, spoke. It was the first time I had seen such a serious side of the always bright and cheerful fellow. "What is it?" "You''ve fought battles knowing you would lose, right?" "...Yes, I have." "But, you''ve won all of them." Ludwig stared at the darkness enveloping the festival-lit temple in the winter night. I was the protagonist of some truly strange events. I had faced impossible battles, knowing I couldn''t win, yet I had emerged victorious every time. In a mere year, an F-ranked amateur had become the strongest contender for the first-year tournament, recognized by all. An egg that would always shatter the rock it struck. That was me. "How do you think you were able to do that?" Ludwig seemed curious about the secret behind my success. It wouldn''t be about questioning Supernatural powers, Magic Body Strengthening, or countless coincidences. Nor was it about doubting the cheats I possessed. "You have to believe." "Believe?" "Yes." I didn''t have much to say, so I ended up talking about my Supernatural powers, which Ludwig already knew. Self-Suggestion. "Though I may lose, and losing seems inevitable, I still have to believe." "That you can win?" "Yes." I also placed my practice sword on the rack, leaned against it, and crossed my arms. "Rather than saying I''ll do my best even if I lose, I should believe that I''ll win by any means necessary." "But what if you still lose in the end?" "What does it matter?" The outcome is not the most important. "Saying I''ll do my best even if I lose sounds like preparing an excuse for defeat. It''s like creating an escape route for oneself in advance, justifying the loss by saying I''ve tried my best and I''ll do better next time." After returning from Darkland, I lived with that mindset for a while. I can''t say I''m completely free of such thoughts now, but I know what''s truly best. One must believe in the possibility even in moments where it seems impossible. Only then, when even the slightest chance appears, can one grasp it. Saying I''ll do my best even if I lose is not Self-Suggestion but consolation. My power isn''t like that; it''s Self-Suggestion. It must be described in the future tense, as in "I will win," not in the past tense of "I tried my best." Not by judging the past, but by shaping the future. That''s how I have created who I am today. "Instead of preparing such excuses, I think it''s better to simply believe that I''ll win. That''s all there is to it." Of course, Ludwig is not a Supernatural. Accepting my words won''t change anything for him. "Running away... Yeah, that''s what it is. I was... doing that. Just saying I tried my best wasn''t enough... Right." Ludwig closed the window and turned his head. Though I may lose. Though I may not be able to win against Grayden Amorel. "See you in the finals, Reinhardt." Ludwig said it with certainty. CH 293 "Reinhardt? I heard he''s a Supernatural?" "That''s cheating!" "Did you just shout?" "Ah, no. It''s just... I apologize." Richard Howlman blurted out and then bowed his head. Richard, who had not won a single set in the top eight, was extremely angry. He had already sensed defeat when his opponent started to use Magic Body Strengthening. However, the opponent did not use it. Instead, he was pushed back by some strange force, causing unintentional gaps, which led to his defeat. Lack of information about the opponent was a mistake. Upon further investigation, it turned out that Reinhardt was a Supernatural from the beginning. That was unfair. Why did Richard, who had trained honestly and hard, have to lose to such an unjust and absurd thing? Richard Howlman''s eyes widened, and he gritted his teeth. Without Supernatural powers, he could have won. He could have crushed his opponent. But no matter what excuses he made, they were useless. Richard Howlman was now in the dormitory of the Erazon class, one of the regular classes. There were classmates and seniors gathered. Even though it was the temple, it was currently festival time, so various aspects had become more lenient. Therefore, they were gathered in the dormitory, indulging in a drinking game. Compared to the Royal class, it was somewhat lacking, but it was not too cramped a space as it was ultimately the temple. The students seemed to be the type who did not earnestly participate in temple life. A senior who seemed to be the leader of the gathering had poured a full glass of alcohol for Richard Howlman, who had almost become the hero of the day but ended up being the loser because of the variable called Reinhardt. -Glug, glug, glug "Anyway, you have to keep your promise, right?" "Ah, the... the promise?" "You said if you didn''t make it to the semifinals, you would participate in the cross-dressing contest, right?" The reason the cross-dressing contest always had a strange popularity was because people knew each other and used it as a penalty game. They participated to have a duel-like match among themselves, and to ridicule the losers. The ones being laughed at, and those who laughed. That''s why the participants of the cross-dressing contest usually ended up joining with such intentions. Not long ago, Richard Howlman had accepted the bet. He was overflowing with confidence. Of course, he had not anticipated the situation turning out like this. Excessive confidence often leads to trouble. Richard Howlman''s face turned pale. "Ah, no! Why should I do that!" "I said if you made it to the semifinals, I would participate in the cross-dressing contest, right? You said the opposite, right? Hey, is there anyone here who didn''t hear that? Raise your hand if you didn''t." The ultimate test of holding back laughter had begun. No matter how much of a bully Richard Howlman was, he didn''t have the guts to mess with his seniors, but he was enough of a bully to punch anyone who dared to laugh openly here. "Ah, I''ll do whatever you want me to, but please, not that..." "Join the cross-dressing contest. That''s all I ask of you, punk." The senior student downed his drink in one gulp and exhaled. While Richard was at a loss for what to do, one of the first-year students cautiously mumbled. "But, hasn''t the registration for that already ended?" "!" Richard''s expression brightened for a moment. "Do you think I wouldn''t know that? Hey, they even accept applications an hour before the contest starts." As if there was never a way out to begin with, the senior student snickered, and the other seniors all looked amused. "If you had won, I would''ve been in big trouble! Did you really think I would''ve gone through with it? You know?" From the start. The seniors had already known that it was impossible for someone from a regular class to advance to the semifinals in a tournament where special classes were bound to participate. ''Reinhardt, you damned swindler!'' Richard Howlman was filled with hatred for Reinhardt, but he had no idea that they would meet again. ------ The day after the festival began. Tuesday. The day the inter-grade tournament finals took place, starting with the first-year competition. There were more spectators today than yesterday, as the main event was today. Consequently, the stands were overflowing. To avoid being overwhelmed, the other students left me alone today. But they would all be sitting somewhere in the stands. Not only me but also Scarlett and Ludwig had advanced, so all of the first-year Royal Class students should be in the stands like yesterday. In the end, both the Royal Class and the Orbis Class were products of elitism. The fact that not a single general class student made it to the Champions Tournament meant that elitism was right. I wasn''t quite sure about that. In the finals, I was likely to face Grayden Amorel. Ludwig seemed to have made some kind of resolution, but determination does not always translate to power, except in special cases like mine. If I used Magic Body Strengthening against Scarlett, I would have to use it against Grayden Amorel in the finals that followed. For someone like me, who is vulnerable in consecutive battles, that would be the worst-case scenario. If I were to pass out, I would be disqualified. But I couldn''t afford to overexert myself either. The tournament was ultimately a means to earn achievement points and become stronger. If I were to suffer irreparable injuries while trying to earn achievement points, that would be a ridiculous outcome. I was not in a favorable situation. I held a powerful double-edged sword, but if I used it incorrectly, not only would I lose the championship, but I would also be injured. In this situation, it was time for the first match of the first-year tournament semi-finals. The semi-final match between first-year Royal Class students Reinhardt and Scarlett is about to begin! Wowwwww! With a roar of cheers, I found myself standing opposite a girl with fiery red hair and eyes. Her weapon was a longsword, similar in style to mine. However, her sword was slightly shorter and lighter than mine. But the reach difference was not very significant. Although I hadn''t practiced with Scarlett very often, we had trained together quite a bit during our shared fencing lessons this semester. Scarlett was fast and agile, employing a swordsmanship based on excellent reflexes. She avoided power struggles, instead deflecting her opponent''s blade with her exceptional skill or changing the course of her sword in an instant through subtle wrist movements to pierce her opponent''s weak points. With a solid foundation, she predicted her opponent''s moves and attacked with well-timed counters. Fundamentals. That was something I sorely lacked. My current skill level wasn''t bad, as Ellen had taught me the essentials in a concise manner, but I hadn''t built my abilities from the ground up, slowly and steadily. In a way, I was a student who had only learned how to solve problems. I learned the answers rather than the underlying theories. On the other hand, Scarlett, having perfectly understood the theories, could comprehend all the problems derived from those theories. The issue stemmed from the difference in the absolute time invested in swordsmanship. Therefore, I shouldn''t have been standing in this position. If it hadn''t been for Ellen, my Supernatural abilities, or my Magic Body Strengthening, I wouldn''t have been able to be in this place. But in the end, I was standing here, and I had to face Scarlett, who held an overwhelming advantage over me in terms of actual skills. Scarlett, one of the main heroines in the original story and a victim of ostracism due to her ominous reputation, had lost much of her earlier lack of confidence. In the original story, it was Ludwig who guided Scarlett, while in the present, it was Charlotte. The red-haired girl looked at me. "Reinhardt." "...Huh?" Before launching her attack, Scarlett spoke first. The audience couldn''t hear our conversation. "You''re my idol." "...What?" I couldn''t help but be surprised by her unexpected words. But it wasn''t incomprehensible. Both Scarlett and I shared the background of coming from humble beginnings. "I was afraid of being kicked out of the Temple, but you always seemed so confident, as if that didn''t bother you at all." Scarlett had also been present during my duel with the third-year, Meiatun. At that time, she and I had no connections or relationship whatsoever. Moreover, that duel took place in the A-class dormitory. Even when she was still being bullied, Scarlett had watched my duel until the end, despite Erhi''s hint. After that, there were no significant connections between Scarlett and me, but I was aware that she harbored some sort of goodwill towards me. When I was injured, she would come to visit and briefly chat about various things. It was a different feeling than her liking me. We would occasionally encounter each other in different places and exchange trivial stories. I had an intuition that Scarlett placed some sort of meaning on me. That meaning, it seems, was the title of "idol." "I watched you," she said. "I am weak, not because my origins are weak, but simply because I am weak." "It''s possible to live that way, to be allowed to live that way, to not be driven away even when living that way, and even being driven away isn''t important." "Not everyone will like you. But not everyone will hate you either." "If one leads a life of self-confidence, they can gain something, and even if they incur the hatred of many, it''s acceptable to live while doing things worth being hated for. After all, not everyone will hate you, and someone will like you." "Just as it is impossible to make everyone like me, it''s also impossible to make everyone hate me. I realized this by looking at you." "After seeing you, I''ve tried to change. I can''t change completely, but I''m trying to change little by little. Because you can do it, I thought I could too, that I had to." Scarlett thought it was Charlotte who changed her. But it wasn''t. Though Scarlett and I had nothing in common, she realized that it was acceptable to live like me. So, she was in the process of changing. Scarlett, who had once gone to Miss Temple, was now participating in the first-year tournament. In the end, both were trying to prove themselves in some way. Scarlett sought to prove something. "I apologize. This wasn''t the place for a conversation. But I really wanted to tell you." It occurred to me that the reason Scarlett had entered the tournament was to face me in this very arena. "It''s an honor to be your opponent in this place." Unbeknownst to me, I had become Scarlett''s idol. Scarlett pointed her sword at me. Her eyes, once gentle, now darkened, and her expression hardened. "I''ll do my best." As the inaudible prologue dragged on, the murmuring audience fell silent again as Scarlett took a step forward. Her determination to do her best was different from before. Different from what I had seen during practice matches. This was the main stadium. A place where one could attack with the intent to kill their opponent. Soon, it would be a place where one could unleash everything they had to overpower their opponent. "That would be a sign of respect towards you." Scarlett, the crimson girl, charged at me. As she rushed towards me, I felt her red eyes seemingly carving a trajectory through the air. -Clang! "Ugh!" With an immense pressure on my wrist, I felt an intense sense of dissonance. My Self-Suggestion wasn''t working. "Your Supernatural abilities are useless against me." Scarlett was not a Supernatural. However, it couldn''t be said that she wasn''t one either. Her talent was undoubtedly related to Supernatural abilities. The crimson swordsman, Scarlett. Her talent was immunity. In the original work, her title was Spellbreaker. Magic and Supernatural powers alike were rendered useless against her. ------ Scarlett''s nickname as a witch was, from the very beginning, an absurdity. Scarlett was essentially immune to all kinds of mental and offensive magic, capable of withstanding them with her bare body. Even Supernatural powers were completely nullified. Calling Scarlett a witch, with her extreme resistance to magic, was nonsense from the start. Of course, her body was not completely impervious to magic. If it were, she would be able to neutralize the barrier magic of this stadium. She possessed a controllable magic resistance, which, when pushed to the limit, became immunity. Magic resistance indeed existed and could be trained. However, in this world, there were only two people with Supernatural resistance. One was Ellen Artorius, who possessed Supernatural resistance, and the other was Scarlett, whose resistance was overwhelmingly greater. Hence, Scarlett''s ability did not grow. There was no room for growth in immunity-level magic resistance and Supernatural resistance. Despite that, she had definitely grown. I kept a stern expression while maintaining distance from Scarlett. Self-Suggestion was a power that influenced not others but myself. The fact that Self-Suggestion, which strengthens me rather than attacking Scarlett, wasn''t working meant that Scarlett''s Supernatural resistance was affecting the surroundings. No matter how high the magic resistance, it could only resist magic used on oneself. A mage could not prevent magic cast on the bare ground. Scarlett was now able to exert influence on Supernatural powers happening around her. Whether it applied to magic as well was uncertain, but it definitely blocked the activation of my Self-Suggestion. Scarlett''s ability had evolved beyond the original work. Perhaps the reason was me. Though I could not determine how I had influenced her, Scarlett had undoubtedly changed. She was not practicing with me as usual but was trying to beat me using her abilities. So this was what she meant by giving her best. Had she refrained from using this power during practice with me out of respect? -Clang! Clang! Clank! My Supernatural powers were sealed. "Without the assistance of Supernatural powers, I can''t use my Magic Body Strengthening either." -Clang! "Ugh!" Soon, my Magic Body Strengthening, which could only be used with the support of Self-Suggestion, was also blocked. It was neither Grayden Amorel nor Ludwig. Scarlett was my true nemesis. In this place, Scarlett''s ability was useless to anyone else. Scarlett''s ability was only effective against me. Scarlett might lose to Grayden Amorel, and I might beat Grayden Amorel, but... Against me, Scarlett held an overwhelming advantage. -Clang! Clang! Clank! The only reason I could barely deflect Scarlett''s relentless sword attacks as I retreated was because my body remembered the fundamentals I had accumulated thus far, as well as the errors I had made along the way, which could be called an "answer sheet of mistakes." I must defeat Scarlett with pure skill alone. But is that even possible? While the quality of the time we spent honing our skills may differ, Scarlett''s experience far surpasses mine quantitatively. Self-Suggestion had become a part of me without my realizing it. Now that it was gone in this battle situation, I felt as though I had lost an arm and a leg. I hadn''t noticed when it was as natural as my own body, but now that it was blocked, I felt an intense sense of powerlessness and emptiness. Self-Suggestion accounted for the majority of my strength. Without Supernatural powers, was I truly this helpless? -Clang! Scarlett struck my sword upwards and twisted it, directing the blade towards my neck. "Ugh!" -Poof! Counter-summon. -Royal-class Scarlett takes the first set! I had lost the first set. CH 294 "Wow!" There were cheers from the audience, but among those who had been watching the tournament since yesterday, some were perplexed. "What! Why did Reinhardt lose?" Olivia Lanze seemed unable to understand and blurted out loudly. Most of the Royal Class shared the same reaction. Even the B-Class was no exception. Reinhardt, who had been on an undefeated march, repeatedly backed off while struggling against Scarlett, eventually losing the first set after being pushed back. He couldn''t use his Magic Body Strengthening, and he was simply forced to retreat helplessly. Of course, Scarlett''s swordsmanship was dazzling, swift, and precise at finding openings. But Reinhardt was unusually powerless. Everyone present knew that something was off with the situation, but they didn''t know exactly what was wrong. "He can''t use his Supernatural abilities." Everyone except Ellen. "What?" "He can''t use his Supernatural abilities." If there was someone who knew, it was Ellen. Having crossed swords with Reinhardt to the point of exhaustion, Ellen knew everything about his swordsmanship. The times when he used Supernatural abilities, when he didn''t, and even when he used temporary enhancements while employing Supernatural abilities ¨C Ellen had a detailed grasp of it all. So she could tell that Reinhardt, for some reason, wasn''t able to use his power of Self-Suggestion. "Why can''t he?" "I don''t know." It was Harriet who responded to Ellen''s words. "Well... From what I know, her ability is immunity. Could that be related?" Ellen didn''t care much about B-Class affairs, but Harriet was aware of them because of her involvement in the magic research club. Immunity ¨C a very unique, yet potentially very powerful talent, depending on the situation. At the mention that it might be in effect, Ellen nodded. "So, Reinhardt could be prevented from using his Supernatural abilities...?" "What''s that? Reinhardt''s Supernatural abilities are his specialty! If he can''t use them, that''s cheating!" Olivia snapped, and everyone else refrained from discussing whether Supernatural abilities were already unfair or not. They knew by now that the senior who was extremely biased towards Reinhardt would defend him no matter what, attaching some reason to justify it. It was best to just let her rant and leave her be, as arguing would only be exhausting. The conclusion was clear. The bizarre talent named Immunity. It was having an absolute influence on Reinhardt. Upon hearing this, Saviolin Turner watched Reinhardt, who was summoned back to the arena for the second set. Charlotte observed Scarlett and Reinhardt. Scarlett, Reinhardt. Both were precious to her, albeit in different ways. Their hearts inclined towards one or the other, feeling sorry for the side not favored. But this time, the opponent was not so innocent. "What do you think will happen?" At Charlotte''s question, Saviolin Turner shook his head. "Reinhardt is in a difficult situation." Although Saviolin Turner didn''t know much about Reinhardt''s Supernatural abilities, it was clear who would win or lose if he couldn''t use his power enhancement. ''If he could summon Tiamata, it might be different.'' However, that was something he couldn''t easily reveal. Saviolin Turner predicted Reinhardt''s defeat. If he had faced Scarlett in the finals, he might have achieved the runner-up or even won the championship if Scarlett had been eliminated in another bracket of the semi-finals. In the end, Reinhardt was just unlucky with his matchups. ------ He had no choice but to concede the next set as well, just like the first one. "The current set score is 2:0! If Scarlett takes one more set, her place in the finals will be confirmed!" The announcer''s voice rang sharply in everyone''s ears. The screen alternated between a composed Scarlett and my tense expression. Scarlett had promised to give her best, and she was doing just that. I had done my best in our practice duels, using my full strength. Scarlett had faced me without using her own power up until now. In order to show her respect or admiration for me, she was giving her all in this match. I wanted to ask her to go easy on me, but I didn''t say it out loud. I had my abilities, and Scarlett had hers. We were just using them against each other. Scarlett neither laughed at my miserable defeat nor worried about me. You said I''m your idol? How can I be your idol when I become so weak in front of you? Of course, I knew she wasn''t talking about my skills, but in front of Scarlett''s emotionless expression, I couldn''t find a way to break through. I had been using Supernatural abilities as a tool to overcome the glaring skill gap between us. Now that those tools were unavailable, I had no chance of overpowering Scarlett. I hadn''t anticipated being stopped by Scarlett. I never considered the possibility that her talent could block my Supernatural abilities. I thought it was impossible because it was impossible in the original story. For example, in the original story, when Liana''s lightning struck Scarlett, it wouldn''t harm her. Now, Liana wouldn''t even be able to use her lightning in front of Scarlett. I had to admit it. I was arrogant. I was thinking about the finals after Scarlett, not about Scarlett herself. However, reality demanded that I struggle here, conceding two sets and now accepting defeat. There was no way to win. In the end, Supernatural powers were the majority of my strength. I had a bad matchup against Scarlett. The only consolation was that there was only one person in the world with such a level of immunity ability, and that was Scarlett. Should I accept defeat as the price of my arrogance? While pondering, a voice spoke up. "Have you given up?" The start of the third set had already been announced, but Scarlett did not approach, instead asking a question. "..." "Is this all there is to it? Relying solely on the chance awakening of your Supernatural powers? Without them, are you just a powerless, pathetic person incapable of Magic Body Strengthening or doing anything else?" Scarlett calmly uttered those words. Were they meant to criticize me? Did they imply that I was pathetic, that my credibility had vanished, and that I was nothing more than a dog running away with its tail between its legs? It didn''t quite sound like that. In a way, I was a student who had only learned how to solve problems. I learned the answers rather than the underlying theories. On the other hand, Scarlett, having perfectly understood the theories, could comprehend all the problems derived from those theories. The issue stemmed from the difference in the absolute time invested in swordsmanship. Therefore, I shouldn''t have been standing in this position. If it hadn''t been for Ellen, my Supernatural abilities, or my Magic Body Strengthening, I wouldn''t have been able to be in this place. But in the end, I was standing here, and I had to face Scarlett, who held an overwhelming advantage over me in terms of actual skills. Scarlett, one of the main heroines in the original story and a victim of ostracism due to her ominous reputation, had lost much of her earlier lack of confidence. In the original story, it was Ludwig who guided Scarlett, while in the present, it was Charlotte. The red-haired girl looked at me. "Reinhardt." "...Huh?" Before launching her attack, Scarlett spoke first. The audience couldn''t hear our conversation. "You''re my idol." "...What?" I couldn''t help but be surprised by her unexpected words. But it wasn''t incomprehensible. Both Scarlett and I shared the background of coming from humble beginnings. "I was afraid of being kicked out of the Temple, but you always seemed so confident, as if that didn''t bother you at all." Scarlett had also been present during my duel with the third-year, Meiatun. At that time, she and I had no connections or relationship whatsoever. Moreover, that duel took place in the A-class dormitory. Even when she was still being bullied, Scarlett had watched my duel until the end, despite Erhi''s hint. After that, there were no significant connections between Scarlett and me, but I was aware that she harbored some sort of goodwill towards me. When I was injured, she would come to visit and briefly chat about various things. It was a different feeling than her liking me. We would occasionally encounter each other in different places and exchange trivial stories. I had an intuition that Scarlett placed some sort of meaning on me. That meaning, it seems, was the title of "idol." "I watched you," she said. "I am weak, not because my origins are weak, but simply because I am weak." "It''s possible to live that way, to be allowed to live that way, to not be driven away even when living that way, and even being driven away isn''t important." "Not everyone will like you. But not everyone will hate you either." "If one leads a life of self-confidence, they can gain something, and even if they incur the hatred of many, it''s acceptable to live while doing things worth being hated for. After all, not everyone will hate you, and someone will like you." "Just as it is impossible to make everyone like me, it''s also impossible to make everyone hate me. I realized this by looking at you." "After seeing you, I''ve tried to change. I can''t change completely, but I''m trying to change little by little. Because you can do it, I thought I could too, that I had to." Scarlett thought it was Charlotte who changed her. But it wasn''t. Though Scarlett and I had nothing in common, she realized that it was acceptable to live like me. So, she was in the process of changing. Scarlett, who had once gone to Miss Temple, was now participating in the first-year tournament. In the end, both were trying to prove themselves in some way. Scarlett sought to prove something. "I apologize. This wasn''t the place for a conversation. But I really wanted to tell you." It occurred to me that the reason Scarlett had entered the tournament was to face me in this very arena. "It''s an honor to be your opponent in this place." Unbeknownst to me, I had become Scarlett''s idol. Scarlett pointed her sword at me. Her eyes, once gentle, now darkened, and her expression hardened. "I''ll do my best." As the inaudible prologue dragged on, the murmuring audience fell silent again as Scarlett took a step forward. Her determination to do her best was different from before. Different from what I had seen during practice matches. This was the main stadium. A place where one could attack with the intent to kill their opponent. Soon, it would be a place where one could unleash everything they had to overpower their opponent. "That would be a sign of respect towards you." Scarlett, the crimson girl, charged at me. As she rushed towards me, I felt her red eyes seemingly carving a trajectory through the air. -Clang! "Ugh!" With an immense pressure on my wrist, I felt an intense sense of dissonance. My Self-Suggestion wasn''t working. "Your Supernatural abilities are useless against me." Scarlett was not a Supernatural. However, it couldn''t be said that she wasn''t one either. Her talent was undoubtedly related to Supernatural abilities. The crimson swordsman, Scarlett. Her talent was immunity. In the original work, her title was Spellbreaker. Magic and Supernatural powers alike were rendered useless against her. ------ Scarlett''s nickname as a witch was, from the very beginning, an absurdity. Scarlett was essentially immune to all kinds of mental and offensive magic, capable of withstanding them with her bare body. Even Supernatural powers were completely nullified. Calling Scarlett a witch, with her extreme resistance to magic, was nonsense from the start. Of course, her body was not completely impervious to magic. If it were, she would be able to neutralize the barrier magic of this stadium. She possessed a controllable magic resistance, which, when pushed to the limit, became immunity. Magic resistance indeed existed and could be trained. However, in this world, there were only two people with Supernatural resistance. One was Ellen Artorius, who possessed Supernatural resistance, and the other was Scarlett, whose resistance was overwhelmingly greater. Hence, Scarlett''s ability did not grow. There was no room for growth in immunity-level magic resistance and Supernatural resistance. Despite that, she had definitely grown. I kept a stern expression while maintaining distance from Scarlett. Self-Suggestion was a power that influenced not others but myself. The fact that Self-Suggestion, which strengthens me rather than attacking Scarlett, wasn''t working meant that Scarlett''s Supernatural resistance was affecting the surroundings. No matter how high the magic resistance, it could only resist magic used on oneself. A mage could not prevent magic cast on the bare ground. Scarlett was now able to exert influence on Supernatural powers happening around her. Whether it applied to magic as well was uncertain, but it definitely blocked the activation of my Self-Suggestion. Scarlett''s ability had evolved beyond the original work. Perhaps the reason was me. Though I could not determine how I had influenced her, Scarlett had undoubtedly changed. She was not practicing with me as usual but was trying to beat me using her abilities. So this was what she meant by giving her best. Had she refrained from using this power during practice with me out of respect? -Clang! Clang! Clank! My Supernatural powers were sealed. "Without the assistance of Supernatural powers, I can''t use my Magic Body Strengthening either." -Clang! "Ugh!" Soon, my Magic Body Strengthening, which could only be used with the support of Self-Suggestion, was also blocked. It was neither Grayden Amorel nor Ludwig. Scarlett was my true nemesis. In this place, Scarlett''s ability was useless to anyone else. Scarlett''s ability was only effective against me. Scarlett might lose to Grayden Amorel, and I might beat Grayden Amorel, but... Against me, Scarlett held an overwhelming advantage. -Clang! Clang! Clank! The only reason I could barely deflect Scarlett''s relentless sword attacks as I retreated was because my body remembered the fundamentals I had accumulated thus far, as well as the errors I had made along the way, which could be called an "answer sheet of mistakes." I must defeat Scarlett with pure skill alone. But is that even possible? While the quality of the time we spent honing our skills may differ, Scarlett''s experience far surpasses mine quantitatively. Self-Suggestion had become a part of me without my realizing it. Now that it was gone in this battle situation, I felt as though I had lost an arm and a leg. I hadn''t noticed when it was as natural as my own body, but now that it was blocked, I felt an intense sense of powerlessness and emptiness. Self-Suggestion accounted for the majority of my strength. Without Supernatural powers, was I truly this helpless? -Clang! Scarlett struck my sword upwards and twisted it, directing the blade towards my neck. "Ugh!" -Poof! Counter-summon. -Royal-class Scarlett takes the first set! I had lost the first set. CH 295 The moment Reinhardt activated his Magic Body Strengthening, the outcome of the match was determined even before their swords clashed. As Reinhardt''s body was enveloped in the blue flames of magical power, Scarlett lost her grip on her sword in the blink of an eye. Clang! Reinhardt''s blade, which had charged in an instant, knocked Scarlett''s sword away. Most martial arts techniques are designed to face opponents of the same caliber. Therefore, when a battle occurs between those who have reached a superhuman level and those who have not, it is not a matter of skill but rather of sheer power that prevents a fair fight. Loss of weapon. Soon, combat incapacity. The third set goes to Reinhardt! The announcer''s declaration marked the end of the third set. "What on earth is happening?" Olivia seemed baffled. She was unaware that Reinhardt needed the support of Self-Suggestion to utilize Magic Body Strengthening. It seemed as if he had deliberately refrained from using it until now. Only Ellen and Scarlett knew this. In the audience, Ellen alone could accurately grasp the growth Reinhardt had achieved in such a short time. Unconsciously, Ellen clenched her fist. ''Reinhardt...'' Reinhardt had taken the next step. No one else could know, but Ellen understood all too well just how significant that progress was. Overwhelmed with happiness, Ellen struggled to hold back the urge to rush over to Reinhardt immediately. Putting aside Ellen''s excitement and the audience''s astonishment, the competition continued. The score was 2:1. Even though Reinhardt had succeeded in using Magic Body Strengthening without the assistance of his Supernatural powers, it was still a double-edged sword. For the next two sets, he would have to defeat Scarlett using only his Magic Body Strengthening since he couldn''t use his Supernatural powers. However, would that leave him able to compete properly in the remaining final matches? Although he had overcome the crisis, his path to victory remained uncertain. Now, let''s begin the fourth set¡­ But as Scarlett and Reinhardt faced each other, Scarlett suddenly raised her hand. ¡°Yes, what is the matter? Ah.¡± The announcer''s flustered voice echoed throughout the stadium. ¡°First-year Royal Class student, Scarlett, has declared her forfeit.¡± Forfeit. Both the audience and her opponent, Reinhardt, were utterly taken aback by the sudden announcement. ------ In the waiting room, ''Reinhardt has to win this. I can''t afford to hold back any longer.'' Scarlett left those words before forfeiting. She seemed content. Scarlett had wanted to see me not giving up. She wanted to see my reaction when my most powerful strength and means, my Supernatural powers, were neutralized. Scarlett had hoped that I would overcome it somehow. She had always shown me something, never giving up, and wished for the same this time. I, somehow, repaid her for that insistent encouragement. Scarlett''s initial goal had been just that. The moment I succeeded in Magic Body Strengthening without the aid of my supernatural abilities and overpowered Scarlett, she stopped testing me any further. Had the set continued, the outcome would have been uncertain. It was a fleeting moment. Though the Magic Body Strengthening was only activated for a brief instant, I used it without the support of my supernatural abilities. My fingertips tingled, and a strange pain as if my muscles were being torn apart permeated my entire body. Even with the support of Self-Suggestion, this power could not be used for an extended period, so it was inevitable that my body would experience a more severe overload without that assistance. Scarlett could have beaten me. But in the end, she gave up after seeing the result she wanted. In any case. Unbeknownst to her, Scarlett had participated in the tournament to push me one step further. It was possible to give it their all and collide with full force in this stadium, something that couldn''t be done during practice duels. The audience buzzed, but I returned to the waiting room, and Scarlett left with a firm insistence that I must win. It was an uncomfortable yet oddly responsible gaze, as if they were forcing expectations upon me. If I had been an ordinary person or the usual Reinhardt, I would have told them not to spout nonsense. However, I owed Scarlett in many ways, and so I couldn''t say anything. Ludwig and Grayden Amorel left to prepare for their next match. Thus, I was the only one left in the first-year waiting room, and I occupied the audience seats alone. No matter who came next, I could use Self-Suggestion. Scarlett, who had been my most formidable and unexpected opponent, gave up after seeing the transformation she had hoped for in me. Probably the only person in the stands who noticed my change was Ellen. She had been nagging me for so long to try Magic Body Strengthening, and I had been whining that I couldn''t do it for what seemed like ages. But this time, I succeeded in Magic Body Strengthening without the support of my supernatural abilities. ¡­Will she praise me? What is this feeling? It''s as if I''m a child who has done something good and desperately wants praise from their teacher. Well, Ellen is technically my teacher, so it''s not that different, is it? Regardless, in the empty waiting room, I sat down to watch the semi-final match that would determine my final opponent while continuously applying Self-Suggestion to ensure my condition fully recovered. How much time had passed? -Now, the second match of the first-year tournament semi-finals will begin soon! Ludwig and Grayden Amorel stepped onto the field. In the original work, Ludwig couldn''t even win a single set against Grayden Amorel. Ellen doesn''t give a single set to Grayden Amorel either. However, Ludwig is even stronger now than he was in the original work. Nevertheless, he cannot win. If one were to rank them, at this point in time, he would be after Ellen and me. If he were to awaken Magic Body Strengthening, he would immediately rise above me. Scarlett''s case is a bit special, so we''ll consider her an exception. Will alone cannot become strength. The moment my Self-Suggestion was nullified, I felt a sense of unease as the power I desired failed to manifest within my body. I had grown so accustomed to my own Supernatural abilities that I was once again reminded of how absurd it was to draw power through an unwavering belief. However, Ludwig resolved not to speak of defeat anymore. The screen displayed Ludwig''s face¡ªhis ever-smiling expression, full of warmth and amiability. But now, his face was cold and hardened, an expression I had never seen before. ------ Grayden Amorel. A first-year student in Orbis Class A-1, his skills were second to none, even when compared to those in the Royal Class. This made him a strong contender for future leadership in the Orbis Class. "You can do it. You can defeat the Royal Class. Just keep doing what you''re doing. Just like now. No, even more¡ªwork harder." He had heard these words countless times, pushing him to complete tasks to perfection better than anyone else. Grayden Amorel. He had thought it was his responsibility to bear the burden of his imposed growth, but upon realizing it was a hellish existence, he broke free. Grayden Amorel found laughter and leisure. He realized that there was no need to live a life dictated by others, so he became kinder and more compassionate. No longer feeling as if someone was constantly chasing him, he found solace. But that didn''t mean he had grown lazy. In fact, he felt his skills had improved since he was able to focus on the training he truly desired. The satisfaction from voluntary training. Grayden Amorel''s personality had changed, but his skills hadn''t deteriorated. On the contrary, it was fair to say they had advanced even further. The once joyless boy had rediscovered his laughter. However, his opponent¡ªRoyal Class B-11, Ludwig¡ªhad a kind, amiable, and friendly demeanor. But now, there was no trace of a smile on his face. It was as if he had steeled himself, determined to face a wall behind him where everything would end once touched. Their roles reversed, both Grayden Amorel and Ludwig faced each other with swords drawn. Grayden Amorel spoke to Ludwig, "It seems like you''ve made up your mind." "..." After a brief silence, Ludwig, still with a hardened expression, responded to Grayden Amorel, "I''m the lowest-ranked in the Royal Class. My talent might be enough to get me in, but in that position, I''m considered the least talented." "What is your talent?" "Physical strength." Usually, Ludwig would laugh and scratch his head in a silly manner, but now, his face remained stern as he spoke calmly. "But there was a friend in Class A with infinite potential, someone who entered without a single talent. There was a lot of talk in Class B too, saying that Class B-11 should be his. Of course, I didn''t think so myself." "But the important thing is, that friend truly had nothing. Not even the small advantage of physical strength like mine." "However, that friend may have been weak, but he was not fragile. I cannot say it was a good thing, but he never backed down from all the hardships he faced. He fell, and no matter how many times he fell, he got back up again. He could have given up by then. It would have been right to give up. But even in those moments, he always stood back up." Grayden Amorel seemed to know whose story Ludwig was telling. "I am the opposite." "Let''s work hard. At anything. If we work hard, even if we fall behind for now, I believed we would be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our incredibly talented classmates. I believed in that." "I lived with the mindset of a loser." Always hoping for the future. ¡°I''ve been thinking too objectively about my present self. I''m not there yet. I''m still lacking compared to them. So, let''s work hard. Even if I fall behind now, someday I''ll be able to stand alongside them.¡± It can''t be helped now. "But that friend always collided, knowing that he couldn''t. He crashed, fell, got hurt, and believed he could win, even though he couldn''t. He spent this past year making reckless and desperate attempts." "Right now, I''m much weaker than that friend." "Surely, I must have originally been stronger than him. But while I justified many other things with the thought that I was working hard, that friend surpassed me by a great distance and went far away." "Hidden behind my excuses, while I thought working hard now was enough, that friend challenged the impossible and collided with it. It was an impossible task, but he believed it could be done." "Yes, I admire Reinhardt." "Catching up to this distance that has already been closed." "I think that''s what I have to do from now on." "It won''t be possible, but I have to believe that I can make it possible. That''s what I decided. Reinhardt said that''s what I have to believe, at least." "I won''t hide behind the excuse of working hard anymore. Just thinking like that, I will remain the same." Ludwig, holding his sword, looks at Grayden Amorel. Gone is the last-place Ludwig of B-Class, who had accepted reality and resigned himself under the names of effort and perseverance. He changes. Now, he does not console himself with the words "I''ll work hard." Not working hard, but working well. Not doing his best, but aiming for victory. "So." No longer scratching the back of his head and telling himself that things will be better later after every failed result. He abandons that now. Willpower cannot become strength. But there is one person in this world who knows the truth. Willpower may not be strength, but Ludwig is the protagonist of this world. The core of causality. A protagonist can turn their will into power. Such a protagonist. Ludwig declares. "I." "Will." "Defeat you." The world is, as always, on his side. What the hell is that guy? I couldn''t help but doubt my eyes at the results of the quarterfinals. It was a complete victory for Ludwig, 3-0. They seemed to be having some sort of conversation, but as soon as the duel began, the situation unfolded just as I had expected. Ludwig''s sword, with overwhelming power, drove Grayden Amorel back. He didn''t even use Magic Body Strengthening. Nor did he use any supernatural abilities. Ludwig countered all of Grayden Amorel''s attacks with just his physical strength and struck back. A crushing difference in ability. Ludwig accomplished what should only be possible with Magic Body Strengthening with his bare hands. The audience too stared blankly at Ludwig, who had utterly defeated Grayden Amorel with monstrous strength. -Wowww! While those who didn''t understand the situation were excited by the overwhelming and incredible fight itself, I was flabbergasted. That speed and reaction aren''t possible without Magic Body Strengthening. I couldn''t tell what he had done, but Ludwig had changed. If he''s this strong without Magic Body Strengthening, it''s a given he''d be even more insane with it. I could somewhat tell that my words from yesterday had caused some sort of ripple in Ludwig. Willpower can''t become strength. Except for me, who possesses the power of Self-Suggestion and Word Magic. As I watched Ludwig, with his determined expression, standing tall amidst the cheers of the crowd, I realized what I had been overlooking. The current world''s strongest, Saviolin Turner. The next world''s strongest, Ellen. Another candidate for the world''s strongest who should have died but survived, Olivia Lanze. Harriet de Saint-Owan, with the greatest magical talent in history. And me, who had recorded a tremendous growth in just one year with the ability called Infinite Aptitude. So what? -Wowww! In the end, the protagonist is Ludwig. The protagonist can convert willpower into strength. Anger, sorrow, vengeance, and longing are transformed into unbelievable power. Even if there''s no reason, the world lends its strength to Ludwig as the winds blow. Strength in situations where strength is needed. Fate in situations where fate is needed. The power I have. Self-Suggestion is ultimately a knockoff of Ludwig''s power. The power to change will into strength originally belonged to Ludwig. This world is created for the protagonist, and Ludwig will have everything he needs. Ludwig looks somewhere. Precisely, he looks at the inner stands. I look down at Ludwig through the window. Ludwig looks up at me. The guy who said he''d meet me in the finals really ended up meeting me in the finals. ------ Nothing went as planned. Believing that I could easily achieve a 10,000-point achievement challenge was foolish from the start, as there was nothing easy about it. I struggled against the underestimated Scarlett, and even though my defeat was imminent, I advanced to the finals due to her forfeit. Greyden Amorel was utterly crushed by the overwhelming power of Ludwig. With hard work, I believed that we could eventually catch up to them. But Ludwig had cast aside his feebleness. The progression of events had diverged so much from the original story that predictions were now impossible, rendering the situation meaningless. He hadn''t awakened any Magic Body Strengthenings nor employed any Supernatural abilities. He was merely the protagonist. With that single advantage, Ludwig had grown stronger. After a brief respite, the final match was set to commence. My physical condition was far from optimal. Yet, it wasn''t so dire as to cause serious concern. If I used Self-Suggestion, I would be able to face Ludwig, and if I used Magic Body Strengthening, I could potentially overpower him. But there was no way of knowing whether that would be possible throughout all three sets. If I failed to control my pace properly, I''d face the humiliating situation of losing not to Ludwig but to my own inability to manage my condition. -The long-awaited final match is about to begin! A clash between the Royal Class A and B! They avoid mentioning that it''s a battle between the bottom-ranked competitors. As the announcer speaks, Ludwig and I lock eyes. His once-playful face had turned stern. Finally, a more appealing expression. Ludwig, who had previously lacked seriousness, was now earnest. "Did it have some effect?" "It seems so." Ludwig also seemed to find what had happened to him hard to believe. He stared at me intently. "Can I catch up to you?" "You still have much to learn, kid." With my sword in hand, I smiled at Ludwig. "Think that you can catch up. No, believe that you can trample over the likes of me and rise above." "Haha¡­ right. That''s what it was." Ludwig smiled as he looked at me. But it wasn''t the clumsy smile he''d shown before. "Still, it''s strange. You''re definitely strong, Reinhardt, but there are many people stronger than you¡­" With his sword in hand, Ludwig sighed. "At some point¡­ it just didn''t work." "What didn''t?" "Imagining myself defeating you." Ludwig''s smile vanished from his face once more. "It''s just¡­ hard to picture." As I heard those words and saw that expression on Ludwig''s face, I understood. There was one other person who thought the same way. That person, watching me from the stands. There were many people stronger and more exceptional than that person. But, I could never imagine defeating Ellen Artorius. Ellen would always be looking down on me from a much higher place, as if she were there to teach me swordsmanship. In the original story, Ellen was that kind of existence for Ludwig. A wall they could never surpass, no matter how hard they tried. An entity they would always have to look up to. Now, looking at Ellen had become my role. "You''ve grown so much stronger so quickly that I feel like, no matter how hard I try, you''ll always be far ahead of me." That''s only natural. While Ellen was already strong when she arrived, I started from a worse state than Ludwig and managed to surpass him by a significant margin. That''s why Ludwig''s focus inevitably shifted from Ellen to me. He can''t help but wonder why he can''t be like Reinhardt. Ludwig felt the wall not with Ellen but with me, and he had no choice but to make me his goal. Although Ellen may be stronger than me, Ludwig''s objective can only be to overtake me. An insurmountable wall. For Ludwig, that wall is no longer Ellen but me. In the original story, I''ve now taken the place that was once Ellen''s. -The highly anticipated finals of the first-year tournament! We''ll begin right now! The eternal rival and object of admiration for the protagonist. Is that my role in this world? "It may seem impossible, but I''ll believe in it." Ludwig takes a deep breath. "That I can defeat you." As I grip my sword, I face Ludwig. There''s only one thing I''ve taught Ludwig. Make a commitment to victory, not a prepared excuse for defeat. It may not be much, but it''s what I''ve taught him. "No." And that is my specialty. "You can''t defeat me." Ludwig looks at me and speaks. "I will." I also look at Ludwig and speak. "I will." And as we look at each other, we say simultaneously. "Defeat you." -Kruung! A blue magical energy envelops my body, and Ludwig lunges at me with a determined step. -Kwakang! The moment our swords clash, they shatter as if they''d made a pact to do so. CH 296 The sword broke. But neither I nor Ludwig were flustered. As if he had known it would happen, Ludwig attempted to strike my head with the shattered sword''s pommel. "Ugh!" Magic Body Strengthening. I''ll take the hit. While allowing my head to be hit, I aimed a punch at Ludwig''s abdomen. -Crack! -Thump! "Ack!" "Ugh!" Ludwig, who had been struck in the abdomen, rolled on the ground several times before getting back up. Both of our weapons were broken, and there was no time to rearm ourselves. Both Ludwig and I threw away our broken swords. As Ludwig charged at me, I knew I had to finish this quickly since maintaining my Magic Body Strengthening for a long time would make the next set more difficult. As Ludwig got up, I charged at him, aiming for a tackle. After taking him down with a tackle, I went for a ground-and-pound. That was my plan at this moment. -Thud! Ludwig fell to the ground, covering me in the process. This moment should have been the end. But just as I thought that, he grabbed my waist and flipped me over. Magic Body Strengthening provides defense, but it doesn''t increase body weight. -Thud! I lost my balance and flew backward in an instant. This guy''s insane. His strength is already beyond that of a normal person, even without Magic Body Strengthening. He''s an even bigger monster than me. My endurance is unstable. Although my physical strength might be lacking, my endurance surpasses Ludwig''s. I don''t know what kind of change has occurred in his body, but I can''t face him without Self-Suggestion and Magic Body Strengthening. I will win. I never thought I''d stand as a rival, but since I''ve already stepped up, I can''t back down easily. Just like Ellen''s existence was the driving force for Ludwig''s growth in the original story. I am the driving force that makes Ludwig stronger just by existing. Moreover, since I started from the very bottom, I even stimulate Ludwig''s faint jealousy and feelings of inferiority. The stronger I become, the faster Ludwig''s strength grows. I can''t lose to you. I must remain a wall above you so that you can grow even stronger. The protagonist must be strong. Someday you''ll be stronger than me, but for now, I must be stronger than you. That''s what it means to be a rival. That''s why I can''t lose. I seriously face him now, the guy I''ve always avoided due to our complicated relationship. He considers me a serious rival, so I have no choice but to respond in kind. In the end, the one who wins the last battle is the true winner. You must lose to me now. I''ll concede the final victory, but until then, you must keep losing to me. In order to do that, I think I can''t lose, and I believe I won''t lose. "You can''t beat me." I declare that I will never be defeated. "Ugh!" As I charged at Ludwig and threw a punch, he dodged my arm with a simple gesture and tried to take me down by grabbing my arm and flipping me over. However, as he pulled with his strength, I drove my knee up into Ludwig''s chin. -Smack! "Kuk!" Ludwig, who took a direct hit to the chin with my knee, fell over. It''s normal for one''s consciousness to fly away, but Ludwig rolled a few times and got up. He wasn''t unscathed, as I could see crimson blood flowing from his gums. He showed no sign of pain. I had to admit, he had incredible perseverance. Of course, in this situation, pain would be relatively less felt. I cannot lose. My goal in this tournament, which I initially entered to accumulate achievement points, has changed due to unexpected variables. Scarlett and Ludwig, who were once just competitors, each symbolized me in different ways. I thought we had no connection, but as a result of my actions so far, they both regarded me similarly, albeit in different ways. Scarlett idolized me. Ludwig saw me as a wall he wanted to overcome but felt he could never catch up to. So, I will win overwhelmingly. In order for that peculiar fellow, who wants to jump over walls he cannot climb, to grow, I have to do that. So, show me. Ludwig, his lips stained with crimson blood, charged at me. I''ve created a world where the world is on your side, but I still have much more. Self-Suggestion. Magic Body Strengthening. And my keen senses. And having Ellen as my training partner. In every aspect, Ludwig cannot catch up to me. So, I''ll crush him. At this moment, my greatest weapon is not Magic Body Strengthening or Supernatural abilities, but my keen senses. I read him with my senses. Charging means shifting your center of gravity forward. The important thing is timing. If I can read at which step he will attack and how he will attack, I can counter it. It''s important to determine which foot he''s putting pressure on, but even more crucial to watch his shoulders. By observing the shoulders, one can predict arm movements. A skilled fighter can punch without moving their shoulders, but neither Ludwig nor I are at that level. If the waist moves instead of the arm, one can guess that a kick will be used for the attack. The movements using a sword are ultimately not much different. All actions have a starting point, and it always originates from the body. Ludwig''s right shoulder pulls back as he charges. His right shoulder retracting slightly means that his right arm will soon extend toward me. In that case, he intends to plant his left foot and thrust his right fist into my face. It was all too clear. There are many ways to counter. I could deflect his right fist and strike deep into Ludwig''s face with my left fist, or I could use the momentum of his incoming right arm as a weapon to strike him down. Once I read the incoming attack, the outcome is as good as decided. I didn''t dodge or block his attack. Before Ludwig could even take a step forward and assume his attack stance, I lunged forward. As Ludwig''s left foot hit the ground, I knew he would pivot on it and move his right shoulder. So, I struck one step ahead of him. Just before the attack began. -Thunk! I kicked his left leg out just before it touched the ground. "Ugh!" As a result, it seemed as if he had charged me only to be kicked away. The damage was greater since he hadn''t anticipated this. Ludwig couldn''t get up this time as he rolled on the ground. My counter had been perfect, incorporating both Magic Body Strengthening and Self-Suggestion. It would be strange if he could get up. -First set! Due to the judgment of Ludwig''s combat incapability, Reinhardt wins by default! Ludwig couldn''t even get up. "Ugh...." As the priests rushed over for healing, Ludwig looked up at me, still on the ground. His gaze was like he was looking at an incomprehensible being. In fact, I had knocked him down with just one accurate blow after seeing him charge. I had read him perfectly. Whatever he does next, I''ll read that too. How could he possibly beat an opponent like me? That was the expression on his face. My characteristic, intuition, provided an excessive advantage. I smiled, wondering if it was because of the power I had gained through experiencing the most dangerous events in my life. "I told you, you can''t win." "..." Not yet. I swallowed my next words. It felt like I had become a villain. No, I really am a villain. I am the Demon King, and Ludwig is the second hero of humanity after Ragan Artorius. The hero who always loses to the Demon King. But isn''t he destined to catch up to the Demon King and bring justice one day? It seemed like this overly perfect picture foretold my eventual downfall. After receiving healing from the priests, Ludwig stood up. "Let''s do it again, Reinhardt." His expression questioned whether he should make such an incomprehensible rival, but Ludwig didn''t give up. "There won''t be much difference." "Still, we won''t know unless we try." He''ll keep getting back up no matter how many times he falls. He won''t give up and will keep clashing against the odds. I''ve always been the egg that breaks the rock, but he''s the one who keeps throwing eggs until the rock breaks. I don''t think I''m superior to Ludwig. A person who has never been broken, and a person who gets back up after being broken hundreds or thousands of times. Ludwig will be much more magnificent than someone like me. But greatness alone can''t buy victory. Right now, I am stronger, and Ludwig cannot overcome this gap. The set score is 1:0! Reinhardt takes the first set! Now, the 1st-year tournament finals, set 2, is starting right away! Woahhh! In just two days, Ludwig and I had become accustomed to the cheering crowd as we received our replenished weapons. This time, it''s a sword. What''s the difference between a sword and a fist? There were no more surprises in this already eventful 1st-year tournament. I took an overwhelming victory in two consecutive sets. Thus, I won. ------ I may be inferior to most close-combat major students in technical aspects, but I had the upper hand against Ludwig. So, no matter how much his physical abilities increased, I was ahead with my Magic Body Strengthening, and his movements were easy to read. From the beginning, it didn''t make sense for me to give up even one set. Ludwig''s only chance of victory was if I exhausted myself from overusing Magic Body Strengthening, but that didn''t happen. With my victory in the finals, the 1st and 2nd places were determined, and the matches for 3rd and 4th place between Scarlett and Grayden Amorel followed. The result was Grayden Amorel''s victory. Thus, the 1st-year tournament came to a close. I never thought I''d have a moment where I held a trophy like this in my life. [Achievement Unlocked - 1st-Year Tournament Champion] [You have gained 10,000 achievement points.] This was the first time I scored so many points at once. People sent me their cheers. "Will I be able to catch up to you?" Ludwig, who was utterly defeated, didn''t seem desperate, but he seemed to have such doubts. "You know what I''m supposed to say, right?" "...Yeah." Ludwig smiled at me. "I should believe that I can catch up, right?" "No." I crossed my arms while holding the championship trophy. "It''s not about believing, you should think it''s obvious that you will." "Ah, right. That''s how it is?" Somehow. It felt like the protagonist entered my Self-Suggestion school. Ludwig, holding the 2nd place trophy, said, "I can catch up to you, Reinhardt." "I keep telling you, it''s impossible." It''s a strange religion where I don''t agree with the future you''ve set, even though you tell me to believe it as truth. We each believe in the future we''ve determined. In the end, Ludwig and I had different foundations, but we both had similar powers. Some strange things happened while trying to earn achievement points, but my plan didn''t go too far off course. I won. From a distance, Ellen watched me. She said she''d scold me if I didn''t win. But I won. So, will she praise me now? CH 297 "Praise me." "What?" "Praise me." "What?" We exchanged the same question and answer twice, and then Ellen and I stared at each other with puzzled expressions. "You said you''d scold me if I didn''t win! So now that I''ve won, you should praise me!" "I never said I would praise you." "Reinhardt is the best! I knew he would win, right, sis?!" "¡­ Your praise is so exaggerated that it doesn''t feel very satisfying to hear." "I feel hurt!" Despite claiming she never agreed to praise me, Ellen eventually gave in. In the end, I won the tournament, which everyone had expected. We fought and won our battles, but there were no hard feelings between us. Ludwig was Ludwig, and Scarlett was Scarlett ¨C they were unique individuals. Just like yesterday, all the A and B class members celebrated the victory together. It was a festival, after all. Both Harriet and Charlotte sincerely congratulated me on my win. On the way back to the dormitory, Ellen stopped me for a moment. We waited for everyone else to leave until it was just the two of us. "¡­" Ellen hesitated. She could have just praised me, but was it so unbearable to say that? Her face turned a bit red. "I¡­ I know it''s weird for me to say this¡­" "What is?" "¡­I was proud of you." I felt like my head had gone completely blank at those unexpected words. "I was proud of you." It wasn''t so much that I was happy, but rather, It was embarrassing. I mean, it''s strange to say she was proud of me instead of saying I was great or cool! "Are you my mom?" At my words, Ellen''s expression turned puzzled again. It seemed like she was acting as if she had raised me or something. Didn''t I feed her more than she fed me? "I taught you, after all." It felt like she was saying, "This hopeless kid became a tournament champion after just one year of my training!" "So in the end, you''re great, right?" "Yes." Ellen nodded and smiled. "You followed me well all this time." Faced with that smile and those words, I couldn''t say anything else. Most of who I am now was shaped by Ellen. She looks at me and smiles brilliantly. "You''ve worked hard, Reinhardt. Congratulations." "¡­" In the end, even if everything was thanks to Ellen, I was the one who stubbornly learned swordsmanship while constantly bothering her. Even with countless coincidences and cheats, I was the one who swung the sword, clashed, fell, and tried tenaciously to learn. My strength may not have come solely from my efforts, but I can''t say my efforts played no part. That''s why Ellen is acknowledging my hard work. "Well¡­ thanks." After whining for praise, it feels a bit¡­ Strange. Yeah. I finally received praise from Ellen. It seems that there''s no one who''s really upset about my victory, and Ludwig and Scarlett seem to have grown more fond of me. Overall, it''s a good outcome. "But," My shoulders were growing heavier, and my insides felt queasy as if something was piled on top of them. It was because of the side effects of the Magic Body Strengthening. To overpower Ludwig, I had used Magic Body Strengthening throughout all three sets, and the physical fatigue was no joke. It was reckless. I wasn''t at the point of fainting or vomiting blood, but I felt dizzy. However, it didn''t seem to be solely due to the Magic Body Strengthening. I wanted to forget the feeling of being intoxicated by the joy of winning, but the more I tried to forget, the harder it was to do so. Today was Tuesday. Tomorrow was Wednesday. "Ah..." The cross-dressing contest. It was coming up tomorrow. Is this the feeling of eating mustard while crying? My condition was only getting worse, and it didn''t seem like it would improve. In the end, I gave up my right to advance to the unrestricted tournament finals, as I was certain I wouldn''t be in any condition to do anything after the cross-dressing contest. ------ Tuesday night. The Magic Research Club''s mansion. Harriet de Saint-Owan was experimenting with something in the basement safe room of the mansion. It was a large laboratory equipped with barriers, defenses, and soundproofing magic, allowing for experimentation with even high-level destructive magic. Although there was an outdoor practice field, destructive magic usually came with a loud noise, so it was common to conduct experiments in a well-prepared place like this. And since it was a festival now, there was no way to do such experiments outside. Harriet was experimenting inside the safe room, and the other Magic Research Club members were watching her through the security window. -Whoooosh A jet of flame shot from Harriet''s fingertips and struck a pile on the opposite wall. -Boom! With an explosion, this time, jets of flame burst from Harriet''s head to her shoulders, wrapping around her. It was a low-level destructive magic called Firebolt. Five Firebolts were formed in an instant and hit their target simultaneously. -Wham, wham, wham, boom! The casting speed was incredibly fast, almost nonexistent. From Harriet''s wrist to her forearm, blue magical lines formed a strange pattern. "We did it!" "It worked...!" "I can''t believe this actually works..." After that, Harriet demonstrated various spells, such as casting several low-level destructive magics in a row, including Lightning Bolt, or even firing Firebolts without casting them. All of these were spells Harriet had mastered long ago. Even those who weren''t majoring in destructive magic could perform them to some extent. The only difference was that the casting was abnormally fast and even involved multi-casting. As Harriet came out of the safe room, the Magic Research Club members all looked at her with shining eyes. "So it''s done now? Is it complete?" In response to Christina''s question, Harriet smiled weakly, looking tired. "Somewhat. But I think we still need to make some improvements." "Junior! You''re really a genius!" Redina jumped around, celebrating as if it were her own accomplishment. "I never thought it would actually work..." Louis Ancton mumbled with a flustered expression. Harriet laughed as she looked at the bewildered Louis. "What''s the matter? You''re the one who made it, and now you''re the one who''s surprised?" "No... I thought it would only work in theory, not exactly linked to reality..." Louis Ancton couldn''t believe the sight of the concept he had designed come to fruition. "This, in my opinion, is a line of magic that no one but you can use. There''s no way other magicians can do this. I didn''t even think it would be possible in reality, just a theoretical idea!" In other words, Harriet was using the tool Louis had created way too perfectly. Louis Ancton was a genius for creating such a thing in a short time, but Harriet was the only one who could use it, an even greater genius. "Really? Well, that''s good for me." From Harriet''s right arm, a blue glow flickered around her wrist, hidden beneath her sleeve, then disappeared. "Ugh! Reinhardt won too." Harriet yawned tiredly and let out a deep sigh. "I should do something too." The Unrestricted-Class Tournament was on a different level than the Freshman Tournament. Harriet didn''t think she''d be eliminated pathetically, even though she couldn''t be sure who would win. The Magic Research Club members knew what Harriet could do, so they didn''t consider her confidence to be arrogant. Olivia Lanze, a tactless, annoying person who kept intruding and spouting nonsense. Harriet was determined to crush her arrogance. That person would never expect to be hit from an entirely unexpected direction while focusing only on Ellen. ------ Wednesday. Harriet was busy and not in the dormitory, and the students participating in Miss & Mister Temple seemed to be starting their preparations in earnest, as they were absent from their usual spots. Soon, all my close friends would be busy with their own matters. And I''m not free either. "Reinhardt! We''re going to watch the parade, do you want to come?" Somehow, after the tournament, the guys who got even closer to me, the annoying trio, and Heinrich. Kono Lint gestured at me. "No, I need to rest." "Ah... Did you push yourself too hard yesterday?" "¡­Yeah." Actually, I did push myself too hard, and my whole body feels like it weighs a ton. I want to rest, but I can''t today. I have to participate in the cross-dressing contest... This event that increases my magic power by 5 could be the most important event of the festival... My current magic power is 14.2, and if it goes up by 5, it will be 19.2. If I can increase it by another 0.8, my magic control talent will awaken. That''s why I can''t give up. Ultimately, the fact that my close friends aren''t bothering me to go somewhere today turned out to be a good situation for me. No one will be around to care where I went. So even if I go to the cross-dressing contest and come back, I won''t have to hear any questions about where I''ve been. I can''t believe I snuck out of the dorm to participate in a cross-dressing contest and came back! I must be really out of my mind! Yeah... I am indeed a lunatic who sold my soul and dignity for events and challenges. Ever since I confessed to Kono Lint as a woman, I crossed a river of no return. It''s all my karma. If I just kept quiet, maybe half of it would have worked out, but that candy peddler jerk found out something strange, and since then, he''s been making me do this kind of stuff. If I hadn''t done such things, I might have gotten some other giveaway event during this festival. It''s my fault, it''s my fault. It''s all my fault. ------ The cross-dressing contest takes place at night. Of course, it''s not in a huge space like the main stadium, but it seems to be held in a place like a lecture hall in a regular class, and I already know the location. It''s currently lunchtime. The contest starts at 6 in the evening. But I had to start preparing now. I can put on and take off the dress by myself, but I can''t do my makeup alone. First, I''ll go outside the temple, get my makeup done by Eleris, and then come back with the dress. Obviously, I plan to leave and return wearing a hood. Fortunately, during the festival, the temple gate is more lenient with access control, including checking IDs. I''ll finish all the preparations outside the temple, then kill time in a secluded place until the contest starts, and rush in. There''s no point in wandering around the temple anyway. I don''t know why I''m considering various possibilities for such a secret operation. In reality. This is a million times more nerve-wracking than the tournament! What if someone recognizes me? What if someone sees me? What if the host suddenly says it''s Reinhardt? Should I just not go? After all, my magical power will increase with time, isn''t it too much to risk my life for it? Do I really need to control magic? I also have a language talent, right? Yeah, there''s no need to be greedy here, right? My head was spinning, but I was leaving the dorm with a half-empty expression on my face. The streets were crowded with the ongoing festival. But no matter where they were going, I didn''t have the energy to care. I was considering giving up on the cross-dressing contest while simultaneously worrying about what kind of expression I should make to look less like Reinhardt, and it felt like my brain was splitting in two. No, the brain is originally divided into left and right hemispheres. I was losing my mind so much that I even forgot the obvious things. I don''t even know what state of mind I was in when I left, and it''s broad daylight. Eleris was still running her shop. It still seemed like the business wasn''t doing well. But today, I told her to close the shop and wait at home. In the residential area near Aligar Shopping Street. When I knocked on the door of the basement room, Eleris opened it for me. "Have you arrived, Your Highness?" "Yeah." It seemed Eleris had already finished preparing, as the room was neatly cleaned, and the makeup tools were laid out. Eleris examined my complexion and tilted her head. "Did the tournament... not go well?" "No, I won." "But your expression... Ah." As if she had forgotten the reason why my expression had to be bad despite the happy news of winning, Eleris slightly quivered her lips and nodded her head. "...Still, you did well, Your Highness. It''s a remarkable growth." "Thanks..." Eleris, who said words that were either praise or consolation, sat me down in a chair. "Shall we... start right away?" "...Might as well. There''s no point in dragging it out." We both had grim expressions. For now, I washed my face and changed my facial structure to the one I had previously sculpted through Sarkegaar''s ring. It''s a subtle change, but with makeup and a different expression, I would look like a completely different person. In the reflection of the mirror Eleris had summoned, my face had slightly changed its shape but was still bare, and only my hair had turned silver. "...Why? Oh, no. No. Don''t say anything." Even I think it''s strange! I barely changed it and haven''t put on makeup yet, but it''s already different! It''s like insisting that a drawing of a girl is actually a boy, that kind of situation! "...I''ll start." "...Yeah." The beginning of a hellish time. It''s just one day. After this day, there will be no more occasions for this dreadful appearance. No matter how hellish everything in the world may be, once it''s over, memories become trivial. Just as dawn comes even if a rooster''s head is twisted. Time flows anyway, and even if the world turns upside down, the cross-dressing contest ends today! No matter how slow time goes, tomorrow will come, and when tomorrow comes, I''ll part ways with this dirty appearance, and all that will remain for me are the inflated magic power and achievement points! When it''s over, I''ll think that I did well back then. I''ll endure the shame and take pride in doing this! I lay out excuses for self-justification for myself. Ah... At this rate, I feel like I''m going to level up in Self-Suggestion. CH 298 I had finished preparing long ago. Anyway, there was plenty of time. I had already changed my hair to the same color as before. The expression on my face was important, but changing my hair color also played a part. Thanks to the efforts of Eleris and myself, my original appearance was significantly faded. "Ah, um, well." And then, one of the most important things. My voice. I changed it to an ambiguous voice, not overly feminine nor masculine. If I had used my original voice, someone might have recognized me just by hearing it. It''s sad that all of these details, like making myself look somewhat unlike Reinhardt and changing my voice to be ambiguous, are for the sake of not getting caught. If I were completely someone else, I could have just changed 180 degrees. I wish... Miss Temple had done this instead... With the final insurance in place, there was no reason to hesitate. All that was left was to return to the temple in time for the start of the cross-dressing contest. However, if I went back exactly on time, who knows what could happen. From the start, the participants needed to gather earlier than the start time for preparation. So, I spent my time in Eleris''s basement room and then headed out to Aligar Shopping Street. I was dressed in casual clothes. Of course, not in the temple uniform or women''s clothes. For now, I had just done my makeup and changed my face and body shape a bit. Wait... didn''t that mean I changed everything? Wearing a hood on my robe in case someone saw me, I carried a trunk with me. It felt like I was going on some secret mission. Is one''s status really that important? Do I have to go this far? Between feelings of guilt and self-justification, I slowly made my way toward the Aligar Shopping Street. Inside the station, there were shops set up as I always checked. Of course, the scale had expanded since the beginning. The merchant guild had realized that the business they initially thought would be nice to have was actually very profitable, so they continued to expand their investment. The number of shops seemed to be gradually increasing, from simple snack shops to others. Soon, the moment when it would be difficult for the Rotary Club members alone to support the scale of the business would come, and then they would have to borrow the hands of others beyond the club. At this rate, a structure like an underground shopping center in a large terminal could emerge. I don''t know when that will happen. Anyway, it''s a fact that the club''s earnings are increasing exponentially. Even if other organizations or merchants enter the scene, it wouldn''t be bad. We hold the business rights, so there are countless ways to make money, whether by receiving royalties, taking a cut like a landlord, or earning through the hands of others. If we don''t like the businesses that have set up shop, we can use our business rights to kick them out. That''s what power is. It''s surprising that I, who never thought of such things, can now have these malicious thoughts without a care. Anyway. In front of the shops at Aligar Shopping Street. Aligar Shopping Street was like the Yongsan District in Seoul, with a large floating population and famous for its shopping district. Of course, the merchants there were more infamous for being ruthless. I saw some kids loitering around the shops. "How much is this?" "Ah, that''s ten fairy tales." "And that one?" One of them was asking a club member in charge of the shop about the prices, while the others were sneakily watching from the club member''s blind spot. What are these kids up to? One of them acted as a lookout, while the others discreetly stuffed goods into their clothes. The busy passersby either didn''t notice or ignored them without saying anything. Sigh. Compared to the disputes I had during my time as a subway vendor, this is a rather cute act. But still. A meal is a meal. Where are these yellow-blooded brats coming from? As I approached the little saplings of budding organized criminals, a sudden noise erupted. "Smack!" "Ouch!" "I caught these brats!" Someone had come out of nowhere and grabbed the two kids by the scruff of their necks. "!" Realizing the situation had gone awry, the kid who was distracting the counter tried to run away. "Get that guy!" Following the order of the person who caught the first two kids, someone else who had been waiting jumped out and nabbed the fleeing kid in a flash. The sudden arrest of the three kids for theft attracted the attention of the passersby. Wait, who are these guys? Their outfits didn''t look like guards. And they didn''t seem to be club members either, as the shopkeeper, also a club member, looked just as bewildered as I was. "You little brats don''t know how long we''ve been waiting for you, do you?" Smack! "Ouch!" As the kid''s cheek was being slapped, I could only watch blankly. "You too!" "Ouch!" Smack! "You half-witted brats!" Smack! "Ouch! Hic, hic!" "I''ll lock you up in an underground dungeon for the rest of your lives without seeing the sun..." Smack! "...?" Without realizing it, my body moved forward. I found myself grabbing the hand of the guard who was relentlessly slapping the child''s face. "...What?" "Ah, no... I know they did wrong... but why... go this far?" Even so, is it right to hit a child like this? "I don''t know who you are, but these three have committed theft in every station, with over twenty counts so far. They''re considered serious criminals, like social evils. There''s no need for a lady like you to worry about them." Ah, a lady? At those words, it felt like my head was being bleached... No, my hair is silver, so it''s already bleached. But were these three professional thieves? Twenty times? They''ve stolen from others twenty times? Did they deserve a beating? No, I want to beat them too, but is it really that bad? People were watching the sudden commotion with confused expressions - the thugs hitting the kids, me who jumped in to stop them, and the kids who started crying after being hit. Seeing that I had appeared as if to save them, but then hesitating as the gazes around us changed, the kids became even more frightened. "Still, they did something wrong, yes. But doing this... in front of all these people... it''s kind of... awkward, isn''t it?" Awkward... What a word to use... Was it too awkward given the situation? I added another remark without backing down, and the leader-like thug''s eyebrows narrowed. "Miss, this is none of your concern. Just go on your way." It was a threat. No matter how I looked at them, they weren''t security guards. Their attire wasn''t much different from ordinary passersby. But by now, I had some discernment. The thick wrists, neck, trapezius muscles, and forearms of those holding the kids, as well as the calluses on their palms. Just by looking at those things, I could tell something. They weren''t just thugs. They were trained people, and quite a lot. I didn''t want to cause any more trouble in this messy situation. The kids were looking at me as if pleading for help. No, it wouldn''t help you even if I looked back, right? I didn''t want to make a fuss anymore. I didn''t know who these people were, but if I kept provoking them here, there was a high chance I''d get caught up in a troublesome situation. I didn''t want them to find out I was the Temple Royal Class Reinhardt! Seeing that I seemed to be backing down, the thug chuckled. "Seems like you''ve never had a hard time, all thanks to your pretty face. Be careful in the future. The world isn''t so easy." Ah. The feeling of losing it. It''s been a while. "You guys are jerk, really." "¡­What?" "Someone who hasn''t learned how to hit a child on the street, acting all high and mighty." My unexpected cursing changed his expression rapidly. I had lost it and there was no stopping me now. "Who the hell are you guys anyway? You''re not security guards. This is a job for the security guards, not for some no-good bastards like you." "I warned you to be careful." "Careful, what the hell are you..." -Smack! "!" "Ha, if you try to sneak away, your hand goes first, huh?" I grabbed the thug''s hand as he tried to slap my cheek. He was astonished that his arm had been caught. That''s right, my strength is still the same even though my size has decreased. My self-suggestion is still the same. I glared at him. "Are you confident?" I''m not the old Reinhardt. Well, of course... Today is different in a lot of ways... "Sigh... doing crap like this attracts crappy people..." His eyes changed, and there was a strange light in them. My instincts sensed it. Killing intent. From this moment on, if the guy tries to use force, I have to fight back in earnest. As a mental battle unfolds between the man and me, a hidden contest begins that others cannot see. "Enough." A voice cuts through the silence, interrupting us. "What''s going on?" Someone appears, cutting through the murmuring crowd. "Yo-young master¡­" "¡­I thought I clearly told you not to cause a commotion." Bertus, with a calm expression, approached us. Wait. Why is he here? ------ I''m screwed. I don''t know what happened, but it seems like I''m in trouble. "I''m sorry." "¡­No, I was also rude¡­" I stiffly watched as Bertus apologized while pouring tea. Bertus didn''t recognize me at all. I never thought my disguise would be verified in this place. It''s only natural that he didn''t recognize me, as I had changed my appearance with thick makeup and various alterations. Feeling relieved that he really couldn''t recognize me but also breaking into a cold sweat because I didn''t know when I might be exposed. "Due to the Temple Festival, there''s been an influx of magical train passengers, which has led to various inconveniences. As a result, additional security forces have been deployed, some of whom are not in their usual guard uniforms. These people are not professionals in this field, so they may overreact at times. I understand that this might be uncomfortable for you." "Ah, no¡­ I didn''t know that¡­" "But their response was undoubtedly wrong, and they will be disciplined according to internal regulations. Although it may not be enough, would you please forgive them?" "Y-yes! Of course!" I wondered what Bertus was doing away from the Temple dormitory. He was here. Bertus didn''t reveal that he was the crown prince. He simply introduced himself as the person in charge of the operation and security of the magic trains during the festival. During the Temple Festival, people from all over the continent gather at the Imperial Road. The population swells, and so does the number of magic train passengers. People flock not only to the Temple but also to the Imperial Road. It seemed like Bertus was more focused on managing the practical aspects of the festival rather than enjoying it in order to build up his achievements. He must be thinking that he has to build up some sort of achievement with his rival Charlotte around. This guy is a workaholic. Charlotte is having fun, though¡­ Still, I preferred seeing Charlotte enjoying the festival rather than working. Unexpectedly, I found out that Bertus had been away from his post because he was in charge of the overall operation of the magic trains during the festival. It seemed that he was here at Aligar Shopping Street to handle various incidents that occurred, and he had set up an ambush, anticipating that the little thieves who had committed more than twenty thefts would appear around here. So he had ordered them to be caught, but I ended up witnessing the officers, whose adrenaline had skyrocketed while chasing the thieves, raising their fists. This is such a terrible coincidence. A far too terrible coincidence. At this exact moment, I meet Bertus. It''s so frustrating! Is this on purpose? Why is this happening to me! Bertus was apologizing to me, without revealing his identity as the crown prince. Bertus is just destined for greatness. I can''t deny it anymore. He''s got the emperor''s aura. "Since I didn''t know the details... I''m sorry as well." Now that I knew that the guy who was beating up the kids was actually something like a plainclothes police officer, there was nothing more to say. The kids would face legal consequences, and the guy would be punished for not being able to control himself and trying to punch an innocent person. There''s no reason to stay here anymore. Above all, I don''t want to stay in Bertus''s sight any longer! "Then, I''ll be going..." "But, your silver hair." Bertus''s voice stopped me from getting up. "It''s a rare hair color." "It''s... dyed." "Ah, is that so?" Bertus narrowed his eyes as he looked at me. "By any chance, are you a Temple student?" "¡­Huh? Why do you ask?" "No. You just look... familiar." Damn it. Damn it! I need to run! But, Bertus seemed surprised by his own words and widened his eyes in confusion. "Ah! I didn''t mean anything by it. Really. It''s just... you look familiar... um, never mind. That must have sounded strange." Realizing that what he said might have sounded like an accusation, Bertus closed his mouth. Awkward silence. I need to run, but when should I seize the opportunity? Bertus seemed to be struggling to find the right words, thinking that he had said something weird, while I was just waiting for the right moment to escape. "¡­Are you going on a trip or something?" Bertus asked, looking at my trunk. Should I just say that I''m going on a trip? "Um, just... yes." I mumbled vaguely as I held the teacup. It was the black tea that Bertus had poured for me. Teacup. ''This guy doesn''t even know the etiquette of holding a teacup, so he can''t be a noble.'' A memory from a long time ago suddenly flashed across my mind. How should I hold this teacup? Just by looking at the way he holds it, doesn''t he hold the teacup exactly like Reinhardt? Isn''t this how it''s done? No, there''s no way Bertus would remember such a thing! But what if he does remember? I felt so uneasy about everything that I thought I was going crazy. You crazy bastard, just hold it together! Why did you make such a mess? Even if the situation is malicious, I''m the one who started it all! Struggling with the urge to smash my own head, I grabbed the teacup with both hands. Of course, my hands shook uncontrollably, as if I had some kind of tremor. Bertus quietly watched me. "Uh, I have a bit of a tremor... that''s why." "Oh, really?" I finally managed to take a sip with both hands holding the teacup. My attempt to act casual only made my behavior even more bizarre. "It''s surprising to see someone so young with a tremor." Bertus also picked up his teacup. Right, a tremor at this age? It''s strange, isn''t it? Is there no other reason? A young person with a tremor? "It''s due to alcohol addiction." "Pfft!" Bertus was so shocked by my response that he accidentally spat out the tea he was drinking. All over my face. "..." "Uh, I-I''m so sorry!" Bertus, genuinely flustered, pulled out a handkerchief, hesitated to wipe my face, and fumbled awkwardly. "...It''s fine." I wiped my face with the handkerchief Bertus handed me. A young person with a tremor, due to alcohol addiction. An improvised answer, yet it couldn''t be more absurd. Bertus seemed genuinely taken aback, as if he never expected to commit such a rude act in his life. Carefully, I wiped my face with the handkerchief. Damn it. What if my makeup comes off? Why am I even worrying about this? "Well, I should be going now..." "I''m truly sorry..." Bertus bowed his head apologetically, seemingly disheartened. In a way, it was better that he was so flustered. He clearly thought I was leaving early because of his rudeness. Fortunately, my disguise was convincing enough to deceive even the perceptive Bertus. "May I... ask for your name?" As I was about to leave the stationmaster''s office, Bertus asked me from behind. I hadn''t thought of a fake name for my female disguise! I''m already ''real'' enough as it is. But I don''t want to be any more ''real'' here! "...There''s nothing good about knowing who I am." "...I see." Leaving Bertus''s subtle reaction behind, I fled the scene as if escaping. CH 299 After the mysterious woman left, Bertus wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. ''How could I make such a mistake?'' His mistake was so rude that it went beyond being disgraceful. Cold sweat dripped all over his body. If someone had done such a thing to him, he would have had murderous impulses. Bertus had never seen or heard of anyone spitting their tea in someone''s face, nor had he ever imagined it. It was an extremely rude act that went beyond the limit. However, the woman seemed flustered, but not angry. It was an absurd response. Her hands shook excessively, making Bertus wonder why someone whose identity he didn''t know would be so tense. Suddenly, she claimed alcohol addiction. It was an answer that didn''t fit her noble appearance. Her attire was not luxurious and quite ordinary. It was hard to tell what was inside the large trunk, but it didn''t seem to be a luxury item. Strictly speaking, she looked like a well-raised commoner''s daughter. Her distinctive features were her silver hair that seemed to shimmer and her delicate, picturesque facial features. Although her makeup seemed heavy, it didn''t feel out of place. She was a peculiar person. From afar, Bertus heard her sharp voice even as he was walking towards the commotion. "Heh, a good-for-nothing brat who loses control of their hand first?" "Do you have confidence?" It wasn''t something a well-raised young lady would say. "Your Highness¡­" Bertus was startled. "Oh, sit down." Bertus saw the man who approached him and the other two men who accompanied him. Despite Bertus not saying a word, they knelt in front of him instead of sitting on chairs. Bertus crossed his legs and folded his arms, looking at the three men kneeling before him. "Why are you doing this?" "I''m sorry!" "Can you not understand my words about aiming for safe operation and management of the magical train and stations? Not only do you make the citizens uncomfortable, but you even tried to slap them?" "I apologize, Your Highness!" The man who eventually lost his temper and tried to hit the mysterious young lady. These three men were not ordinary soldiers but Bertus''s knights. In other words, they were knights of the Salerian Duchy family. Bertus smirked. "How much did you receive?" "Excuse me?" "It''s fortunate that nothing happened. If you had actually slapped her, I would have had to hear about the chief security officer letting citizens be beaten for a week, and my half-sibling would have just watched me self-destruct. It''s a shame. Is it because the young lady is an unusual person who could block your slap with one hand? Huh? It''s really fortunate that she didn''t ruin my week''s worth of effort, isn''t it?" "I, I apologize. I was short-sighted." "How much did you get paid? I don''t understand. Why would you do such a crazy thing if you didn''t get paid by Charlotte? Tell me, how much did you get from my half-sister?" At Bertus''s malicious joke, the expressions of the three knights from the Salerian Duchy turned pale. Curiously, Bertus''s speech and mannerisms now resembled Reinhardt. "Please kill us, Your Highness!" Although Bertus was disgusted, he had no intention of killing the three knights. Once knights become part of the privileged class, especially those closely connected to powerful families, they often transcend the law. Some of them come to believe that the privileges they have are derived from themselves, leading to excessive ignorance and arrogance. Among the knights of the Salerian Duchy, there were such people. They would boss around the guards and kill people without taking responsibility. They thought it was fine to kill a few citizens. Trying to strike a citizen in public was quite a foolish act. "If you try to ruin my week like this again, it will be interesting." After speaking with a fierce expression, Bertus abandoned them. Even if they were competent, short-sighted individuals were useless. Those who enjoy wielding their swords should be sent where they can do so frequently. Bertus had already decided where to transfer the three. Had they only tried to strike the petty thief, it would have been one thing, but the problem would have been much greater had they hit the citizen trying to stop the situation. Bertus didn''t see it clearly, but he heard that the silver-haired girl had caught the knight''s wrist. She seemed incapable of using much strength. Even without full power, it was impressive that she could catch a knight''s arm with one hand. Of course, Bertus knew that physique and physical strength didn''t always correlate, as he had seen some unconventional examples. Who was she? For the first time in his life, Bertus was very curious about the identity of the person he had spat tea on. ''I feel like I''ve seen her somewhere before...'' And strangely, she felt familiar. It wasn''t her face or expression. "Are you confident?" Somehow. Her words and actions felt familiar. However, the silver-haired girl''s impression was so strong that Bertus couldn''t think of anyone else. The way she was flustered when facing him seemed somewhat adorable. ''...It''s not good that such a noble person knows me.'' And it seemed like she knew who he was, even though he had never mentioned it. Of course, it wasn''t that strange since his face wasn''t completely unknown. Who could it be? What kind of person was she? Bertus became restless due to the sudden incident. ------ It was already frustrating to have encountered Bertus by such a dog-like coincidence. But the fact that it could have been avoided if he had just watched the children get hit and moved on made it even more frustrating. "Ah, it feels like I''ve actually become this kind of person after living like this." "But, isn''t hitting children like that a bit too much?" "¡­ Even though it''s the right thing to say, it feels messed up coming from me at this point." "I shouldn''t worry about it." "There''s no way Bertus would come to see something like a crossdressing contest. He''s busy with important tasks and probably won''t even have time to visit the temple area." As the temple grew closer, my steps became heavier. I really¡­ I really don''t want to go¡­ But I have to. It''s all for my own good. I have no choice but to go¡­ Dragging the trunk felt like dragging a chunk of iron. At least I made up my mind on one thing. If I let my temper take control, things could get weird. For now, whatever happens, I must endure it. If I don''t, it could get worse. ------ "Why am I¡­" Kono Lint stared blankly into the air with unfocused eyes. At the moment, Lint was wearing a women''s dress provided by the event organizers. Kono Lint wanted to cut off his own tongue for making such a pointless remark. ''A crossdressing contest, today?'' ''What''s that?'' Heinrich von Schwarz, Cayer Voiden, Erhi de la Rafaeli, and Kono Lint were all enjoying the festival together. ''They''re accepting applications until tonight.'' Lint had brought up the subject simply out of malicious intent, thinking he wouldn''t be the one participating. ''Let''s play rock-paper-scissors. The loser will participate in the contest. What do you think?'' Sometimes, boys engage in strange bets. To be precise, they take pointless risks just to see each other''s embarrassment. ''¡­ What? Why should I participate? Are you insane?'' ''Why not? It''ll be fun!'' How humiliating would it be? Seeing each other''s faces, soaked in shame and doing something they''d never want to do in front of so many people. The sense of exhilaration from witnessing that shame. A lifetime of teasing. There''s no reason not to watch. Naturally, everyone reacted with mixed feelings. Kono Lint felt this way until he made the suggestion. ''As long as it''s not me, right?'' There were four candidates, so the odds were one in four. It was a gamble that couldn''t be refused. Before rational judgment could take over, Kono Lint declared the challenge. ''If you don''t play, you participate!'' And the result was¡­ "¡­" Kono Lint now found himself in the waiting room behind the auditorium where the crossdressing contest was being held. Thinking, "as long as it''s not me" meant that it would be someone, and that someone was Kono Lint. Although the odds were the same, it was strange how the person who suggested it first often ended up being the chosen one ¨C and Kono Lint was that person. "Hey, can you stay still?" "Ah, okay¡­" "Look at your face. What''s wrong with your skin? Your makeup isn''t even sticking properly. Tsk." Liana de Grantz was applying makeup to Kono Lint''s face. Usually, Liana would look down on him like a mere chicken or cow. Yet now he''s enjoying the honor of having the noble daughter of a duke family apply makeup to his face personally. Under normal circumstances, this would be an emotional and heart-pounding experience, but for Kono Lint, it felt like dying in real-time. ''What? A crossdressing contest?'' ''Do you guys have that kind of hobby?'' ''As punishment?'' ''Ah, him?'' ''Hehe. Great. Ah, yes. That''s fun! Ah, hahaha! Makeup? Sure. I''ll do it, no big deal! Hey! I''ll do it as much as you want! Where is it? Today?'' Although she had no intention of doing makeup, friends are known to enthusiastically cooperate in times of misfortune like this. Everyone knew that Liana was only supporting Ellen and Cliffman for the Mister and Miss Temple contest, so they all sought out Liana. As if their sour attitudes never existed, once Kono Lint decided to participate in the crossdressing contest, they successfully enlisted Liana, who usually barely spoke to them. It was fun, so Liana was not only doing Kono Lint''s makeup in the backstage waiting room where the crossdressing contest was held, but she even picked out clothes for him. Of course, Liana did not lend her own clothes. As she dressed him in one of the many women''s outfits prepared by the organizers, Liana agonized over the makeup and even tried fitting wigs. After much contemplation, Liana clicked her tongue. "What do you think?" "About what?" "No matter what I do, it''s just funny." "..." As if saying that no matter how hard she tried, it was only ridiculous, Liana chuckled while looking at Lint''s appearance. Similar scenes were unfolding around them. Since the contest wasn''t big, the so-called waiting room was nothing more than a large hall behind the main hall. Some sighed heavily, while others had someone else do their makeup, like Lint. Most of them wore unhappy expressions. Some were diligently touching up their makeup in the mirror, which was even harder to watch. And over there, what was that? A giant human tank wearing the largest size dress, which looked like a mini-skirt. It was more grotesque to see him unable to bear the shame of his appearance. This place was hell. Kono Lint pondered who was more wicked: the demons of hell or the audience who came to laugh at them. Thankfully, only Liana, who was helping with makeup and coordination, could laugh at the scene, as participants were limited to bringing only one person to help. It was his big mouth that caused the problem. Feeling guilty wouldn''t change anything now. Participant number 1. Kono Lint had a tag with his number pinned to his chest. It was even number 1. They said the participant numbers were assigned randomly, not by the order of application. Yet he, the last to apply, had to be the first one to go. That''s why he wanted to die even more. "Why couldn''t you have been born prettier?" "How is that my fault... Why do I have to be born pretty... I''m a man..." "Really? But you''re not exactly good-looking either." "Please save me¡­" As Liana continued to apply makeup on him, she couldn''t help but chuckle and lightly tease him. There was no one else to blame. He could only resent himself for getting into this hellish situation. In the midst of the chaotic dressing room, where they were preparing for the competition and trying to hold back their laughter, Kono Lint found himself staring at someone. A person wearing a robe was sitting in a secluded corner. That person seemed to be a participant. Her face was not visible because of the hood she wore, but her silver hair, a beautiful jawline, and shimmering pink lips were noticeable. The person had a different aura altogether. Without interacting with anyone, she just sat there quietly, until someone approached her. It was someone who appeared to be part of the organizing team. Although he couldn''t hear their conversation, they seemed to be discussing something, and then the person nodded her head, took off her hood, and revealed her face. For a moment, Kono Lint was speechless. And so were the other participants who had caught a glimpse of the person. The organizer also nodded their head, seeming to understand something. "What are you staring at?" Liana turned her gaze to the same direction as Kono Lint''s, and she dropped the makeup she was holding. "¡­What? Women can participate too? No, that can''t be right?" Liana mumbled in confusion. It was obvious that it couldn''t be true, but she couldn''t help but say that. A girl. Or rather, not a girl, but a girl-like figure. After finishing their conversation with the organizer, the girl-like figure put their hood back on. "Is that person really a guy?" Liana turned to Kono Lint, asking with a startled expression. Although her face was no longer visible, "How would I know¡­" Both of them, and everyone else who had seen the silver-haired participant, were left in a state of bewilderment. Kono Lint even thought he had made eye contact with the girl(?) just before she had pulled her hood back up. He had clearly seen the girl''s face turning bright red. ''Could it be¡­?'' For a brief moment, Kono Lint felt something from the girl''s expression and attitude. ''Is she attracted to me?'' Kono Lint found himself entertaining a strange thought. Participant number 40. At least, Lint could see the number attached to the girl''s chest. He could also see the girl mumbling something under their hood. -Why the hell is she here¡­ Why¡­? Of course, he couldn''t know that most of it was just curses muttered under her breath. CH 300 As the start time for the competition approached, everyone, except for the participants and the organizers, had to leave the waiting room. "I''ve done my best." Despite wearing a wig and full makeup, Liana left the waiting room laughing at the comical appearance of Kono Lint, who couldn''t help but look ridiculous. All that remained were about forty participants in the cross-dressing competition. Most of them had a rather gloomy expression, as if they had committed some crime. Of course, there were also those who looked surprisingly good in their cross-dressing outfits. These were probably people who had a penchant for this sort of thing. With over a hundred thousand students in the temple, it''s not impossible that some would have such a taste. And among them, someone who looked extremely dangerous and stood out. Participant number 40, wearing a hood. That person was so anxious and nervous that he was biting his nails. Kono Lint knew the situation was terrible, but he wondered why that person was so anxious. If he was that anxious, why did he bother to participate? Was he in the same situation as him? "Alright, the competition will begin soon. Participant number 40, please remove your hood." "..." The participant didn''t seem to hear the announcer''s instructions and continued to look confused. "Please remove it." "..." Finally, with no choice, he removed the hood. The other participants couldn''t help but be speechless at the sight. "..." No way. Is that a man? That was the look on everyone''s face. Participant number 40, while in a situation where he couldn''t possibly smile, somehow managed to put on a strained, forced smile. "......Did you mistakenly think this was the Miss Temple competition?" "Maybe......" A couple of participants nearby murmured as if they knew each other, and Kono Lint began to wonder if that was really the case. In fact, that seemed even more plausible. Yes, there could be no other explanation. That face couldn''t belong to a man. That''s how everyone started to understand. They all became convinced that the beautiful girl had mistakenly submitted her application to the cross-dressing competition instead of the Miss Temple competition, and that''s why she didn''t know how to react to this strange situation. It would be panic-inducing to see a room full of men in dresses, some even wearing huge ones, when you thought you applied for the Miss Temple competition! It''s obvious she wants to leave, but she''s too shy and embarrassed to do anything! Even though the organizers didn''t say anything, everyone began to feel sympathy for the blushing girl (though she wasn''t blushing at all). In the end, someone had to step up. They had to escort her out, as this was no place for her. The chivalry that sprouted in everyone''s hearts finally took action in one person. "Um, excuse me." It was the human tank wearing a dress. "...?" Participant number 24, the burly and imposing human tank. In a place where most people didn''t look good in cross-dressing, the one who looked the least fitting approached the beautiful girl. Kono Lint was horrified in his mind. ''No! Anyone but you shouldn''t step forward!'' The giant figure was too monstrous to approach the delicate, fragile-looking girl. The massive, muscular creature in a dress, with long blonde hair from a wig, looked even more vicious as the magical warrior approached the girl. The girl just stared blankly up at the approaching giant. She wore an awkward smile, but the corners of her mouth were trembling. It was clear that she was terrified. Kono Lint was sure that he himself would foam at the mouth and collapse if such a monster approached him like that. But of course, the human tank, Richard Howlman, thought he was behaving like a gentleman and tried to offer a gentle smile, completely oblivious to his own appearance. "It seems like you might have chosen the wrong competition..." "¡­?" "This is the cross-dressing competition, not the Miss Temple contest." He may have intended to sound cool, but the situation, his outfit, and the fact that he was a participant in the cross-dressing competition made him anything but. Naturally, all eyes were drawn to him. The silver-haired girl''s eyes rolled around. She seemed to want to say something, but also didn''t, her lips trembling with tension. "Don''t be scared. This is just a simple event. So, if you explain it well to the organizers, you can leave..." The same thought crossed everyone''s minds. That guy. He clearly thinks he''s amazing. Identifying the girl''s background class by utilizing his current gentleness and consideration, and maybe even scoring a promise for a meal later on? The girl, perhaps thinking that silence would not drive away the magical warrior before her, nervously opened her mouth, her lips quivering. "¡­I''m¡­ a guy." Eventually, an ambiguous, indistinct voice, making it hard to tell if it was male or female, flowed from the girl''s mouth. "Pardon?" Richard Howlman, seemingly convinced that he must have misheard, asked again with a confused expression. The girl, no, number 40 who revealed she wasn''t a girl, bit her lip slightly. Of course, she was just angry at the monstrous figure in front of her who couldn''t understand her words. Get lost, you bastard. Her actions were driven by such thoughts, but to others, it seemed like a gesture of resentment towards someone causing her trouble. Anger and resentment. Similar but subtly different. Everyone misunderstood the pitiful creature in their own way. When the magical warrior wasn¡¯t able to be dismissed with a single word, number 40 said curtly. "I¡­ I came to the right event¡­" "!" At those words, not only Richard Howlman but also the expressions of the others froze. Sometimes, people find it hard to believe what they see. They couldn''t believe what they saw, and now they had it confirmed verbally. That creature claims to belong to the same biological category as themselves. "It... it can''t be..." Richard Howlman wore an expression as if he had just lost the love of his life. The soul-sucked human tank trudged back to his seat. However, the others couldn''t stop sneaking glances at participant number 40, whose face was flushed red and head hung low. With a face stained with shame and embarrassment as if red water would fall from it, number 40 bit his lips and said nothing. ------ -Aaahh Damn it. I washed my hands at the sink in the bathroom near the waiting room, with the water running. I couldn''t wash my face or relieve myself. Just being in that place made me feel like I would snap at someone, so I couldn''t stay there any longer. Damn it. I thought Kono Lint might be in the audience, but why on earth is he participating? And in that state? I almost had a heart attack, worried that Liana, who did my makeup, would recognize me. When I first arrived, the organizers questioned if I was really the one who signed up to participate, and if I wasn''t someone else. I broke out in a cold sweat trying to explain. Fortunately, my makeup and disguise were so perfect that nobody recognized me, and some even said I looked like an entirely different person. So Kono Lint didn''t recognize me, and even that human tank guy I faced in the tournament didn''t recognize me. In fact, he even seemed to be trying to be nice to me. But seriously, what the hell? Do I look so stupid that I would mistakenly submit my Miss Temple application to the cross-dressing contest? -Aaahh "Whew..." Really. I feel like I''m losing my mind. I need to stay focused. If I lose my cool, Kono Lint might recognize me. Only Reinhardt could pull off that kind of expression, right? Wait a minute. A crazy twist like that might actually happen. I need to smile. I must maintain my composure and ensure no one recognizes me until the end. "Uh, uh... S-sorry...!" "¡­?" "Huh? Is this the men''s restroom...? Ah." Even the competition staff mistook me for a woman. Damn it. It''s a problem when things go too well. Too much of anything is bad. I must have gone overboard this time. And my participant number is 40. They said it was random, but there are only 40 contestants. I''m sure they deliberately assigned me number 40. I''m certain of it. ------ The long-awaited, if not grand, cross-dressing contest, which belonged to their own league, had begun. -Well then, let''s begin the 8th annual Temple Cross-Dressing Contest, hosted by the Temple Student Council! A cross-dressing contest held every year for eight years. Although there was no overwhelming cheering like during the tournament, the auditorium, rented from an ordinary class, was packed. There were ordinary people who came out of curiosity for such a bizarre competition, and many students who came to witness their friend''s lifelong embarrassing moment as a punishment. Even though there wasn''t a thunderous cheer, the audience was filled with people who were ready to laugh and watched with excited expressions. Among them was a group from the Erazon class who came to witness Richard Haulman''s embarrassing moment. Also, there were Royal class students Liana de Grantz, Heinrich von Schwartz, Erich de Lafaeri, and Cayer Voiden, who came to watch the cross-dressing competition. The four Royal class students were there to witness Kono Lint''s embarrassing moment. Heinrich looked at Liana, who was sitting next to him, and asked, "Is everything okay?" "Um, in what sense?" Everyone joined forces when the guy who said it wouldn''t matter if it weren''t just him fell into his own trap. They were all looking forward to seeing what bizarre appearance Kono Lint would show. Erich asked Liana, "What number is he?" At that question, Liana grinned and looked at Erich, "Number 1." "Ugh." "Heh." They couldn''t help but giggle at the fact that he was the first up in this hellish competition. Imagining what Kono Lint''s expression was like at the moment was enough to make them happy. "Alright! We have many fierce contestants this time! Introducing the first participant in the long-awaited cross-dressing competition! Let''s introduce him right now!" The host was filled with excitement for this strange competition. "First-year Royal class! Introducing Kono Lint! Please welcome him with thunderous applause!" Although it wasn''t thunderous, the mention of the Royal class triggered a grand round of applause. "Woah! Aaaak! Kiiyaaaak!" For some reason, Liana de Granz was even more excited than when watching a tournament, screaming and clapping wildly. It was hard to believe that she was a noble lady, but even those who were not very close to her knew that she was a person who had little to do with such things. The three no-good siblings, now joined by one more, were taken aback as they watched Liana. They were the same, but to be so intensely excited about someone else''s misfortune. ''Demonic...'' While everyone was thinking that, the first participant with a red face, Kono Lint, was stepping onto the stage. Liana''s makeup was perfect. Her costume selection was perfect. The wig selection wasn''t bad either. "Pfft!" "Ugh!" "What the heck is that?!" However, there were quite a few flaws in the clothes hanger. All four of them here seemed to understand why, despite the strange title, the cross-dressing competition had been held annually for eight years. They didn''t know about anything else, but it was funny, at least. "Lint, you''re a Royal class student, right?" "Yes." "You''re really cute. You can be confident." "¡­" At the host''s words, Kono Lint glared at him as if to say, "Don''t mess with me." "Oh, I misunderstood. It wasn''t Lint who was cute, but the outfit." "Ah." The host''s words soured Lint''s expression, and the audience burst into laughter. After all, the cross-dressing contest was just that kind of event. Participants who had to join due to some embarrassing situation, and the host who gently prodded them, were the main points of interest. "Did you do your own makeup?" "¡­No. A friend did it¡­" "A friend? Surely someone who''s here watching, right? Their skills are impressive. Who is it? Can they raise their hand?" At that, Liana, who had been watching from the audience, quickly raised her hand. Even with the attention on her, she showed no signs of embarrassment. The host looked back and forth between Lint and Liana. "Oh, it''s a lady. Is she your girlfriend?" "Absolutely not!" Liana''s extremely repulsed expression elicited laughter from the audience once again. The hopeless trio looked at Liana as if she were a monster. She was a master at openly mocking people. "Lint, are you hurt by her strong denial?" "No! Why would I be hurt?!" The more Lint adamantly denied it, the more he seemed to be hurt. "Why did a Royal Class join the cross-dressing contest?" "Isn''t it the same as the others? Like a punishment or something." "They''re just like us, aren''t they? I don''t think so¡­" While the devilish Royal Class students were busy laughing, the audience''s reaction was a bit different. First of all, Lint had the Royal Class premium attached to him. In a school with nearly one hundred thousand students, there are only about one hundred Royal Class students. Naturally, being a Royal Class comes with a certain level of prestige. Most common-class students see the Royal Class as an elite group and arrogant bunch. But there in front of them, wearing an absurd cross-dress and looking lost, was a Royal Class student? For some reason, the once-distant Royal Class now seemed approachable. With the Royal Class premium attached, "Isn''t he cute?" "Yeah, yeah." The female students'' reactions were particularly different. While Lint wasn''t considered handsome, he was just cute enough to earn some compliments. Add to that Liana de Grantz''s makeup skills, and he looked cute enough to warrant some positive comments. Of course, the male students wouldn''t agree, but among the female students, there were many who found the shy and awkward Lint adorable. "Cute!" "Brother, you''re so cute!" The middle school girls waved their hands and squealed, and Lint, not knowing what was happening, had eyes that were ready to pop out. After a series of various questions, the host moved on to an important one. "Anyway, it says here that Kono Lint is a Supernatural." "Oh¡­." Supernatural powers. People know that such things exist, but very few have seen them in person. After all, even in the academy, it''s mainly the Royal Class students and Supernaturals who possess these powers. No matter how real Supernatural powers are, they are still a foreign concept to most people. That''s why the expectation for the Royal Class student who appeared in a ridiculous cross-dress is amplified when they hear he''s a Supernatural. It''s no coincidence that Lint was placed first and Reinhardt 40th, falsely claiming it was a random order. Upon hearing the word "Supernatural," not only Lint but also the other Royal Class male students'' expressions stiffened. "It seems like you haven''t decided what to do for the appeal time, so why don''t you show us your Supernatural power? Teleportation, that''s amazing!" "!" "Wow!" Everyone who knows him knows this. Kono Lint''s Supernatural power is not something that can be shown to the public. Of course, the penalty has been somewhat offset by now¡­. But still, he can only teleport in his underwear. "No, I can''t! I absolutely can''t!" Lint''s desperate cry rang out. The male students were left speechless by the crisis that could potentially double Lint''s dark history. Even Liana seemed to think this was too much and was left with her mouth agape. If she had lost her mind even a little, she might have yelled for him to show it. However, Liana was still maintaining her reason. But. There were people here who didn''t know the details. "Show us!" Starting with someone''s shout. "Show us! Show us!" Everyone shared the same desire to see the Supernatural''s demonstration of his power. "What... what should we do?" Liana mumbled blankly as she looked at Heinrich. "I don''t know¡­" No matter how much Lint had fallen into his own trap. This time, it was a truly desperate crisis. CH 301 ¡°I can''t show you.¡± ¡°Show us! Show us!¡± Kono Lint felt like dying, biting his tongue as he heard the cries of the people in front of him. ''I''ve gotten myself into a stupid mess!'' The host, who knew nothing, thought it was something amazing because it was a superpower and asked for a demonstration, while the audience was excited to see the teleportation power of a Royal Class member. If he suddenly teleported in just his underwear in this situation, the worst-case scenario would be the place turning into chaos, and at best, it would become a laughingstock. There''s a major flaw in his ability. That''s why he can''t show it. He had to say that. It was already embarrassing to be in front of people like this, and he didn''t want to do anything more humiliating. People might want to see a skilled and flashy teleportation show, but what they would actually see is a pervert wearing only underwear teleporting here and there, which would undoubtedly be a dangerous scene! That''s right. He had to say it. ¡°Show us! Show us!¡± Kono Lint heard the cries directed at him, and saw the gazes focused on him. Though he was standing in this embarrassing state, he saw their gazes. They were gazes of admiration. A look Kono Lint had never received before. The subtle jealousy, envy, and admiration of people just because he was a Royal Class member. The boy had never experienced it before. In the Royal Class, his ability was long considered as a poor one. -Hey! That''s amazing! -Soon you''ll be able to teleport your clothes too, right? -Congratulations, Lint... When he could finally teleport his underwear with him, his fellow superpowered peers celebrated with him. His ability was pitiful, but at least it had become slightly less pitiful, enough to receive support and praise. He couldn''t even dream of doing great things like Reinhardt, who kept achieving success with his powers. Awakening his powers while fighting a senior. Returning from Darkland after causing a huge commotion. Awakening his mana reinforcement ability after a fight. Winning the first-year tournament. Those kinds of things. He wasn''t the one to do things that would leave everyone speechless and surprised. But now, people were watching him. Just for being a Royal Class member, just for being a superpowered individual. There were even people whispering that he was cute. For the first time in his life, he was getting attention. If he told them that he couldn''t use his powers because his clothes would be stripped off, what would happen? So, there''s a useless guy like that in the Royal Class, huh? Would their gazes change to that? It was painful just to imagine their excited gazes turning cold. A useless ability. No, it''s an incredible ability, but it''s practically useless due to a significant flaw. How long must I live like this? Waiting to see what I can teleport along with my underwear, satisfied with such tiny progress. When can I become useful? Kono Lint''s ears feel distant from the people''s shouts. The host''s voice sounds like a distant echo. Amidst countless gazes, Kono Lint feels utterly alone. He doesn''t want to be like Reinhardt. That reckless guy only gets involved in dangerous situations. He doesn''t want to live like that, nor does he think he can. He doesn''t want to seek out danger like that guy with the annoyingly handsome face, but still... Maybe a little. Just like the world is strangely lenient with him. Couldn''t it be a little lenient with me too? How long do I have to live this life, introducing myself as a Supernatural with a useless ability, unable to show it to anyone? At least, he learned one thing from Reinhardt. Sometimes, recklessness can bring results. Recklessness doesn''t always lead to failure. For me, too. There must be something prepared for me by the world. And I know I won''t grasp it unless I try. If a fruit grows on a tree, it will never be mine unless I take the risk of climbing the tree. "Show us!" Kono Lint regains his sense of reality after a short but long period of contemplation. The boy has made up his mind. His classmates, who used to mock him, are now turning pale. They must have read something in his determined expression. "No, don''t!" Especially Liana de Grantz, who had enjoyed this the most, shakes her head and cries out. She isn''t an inherently evil person, but she wants to stop him from crossing a point of no return. "No." But Lint can''t hear anyone else now. I have decided to do it. Even if I fail, there comes a time when I must move forward. "Show us, senior!" It''s not because of the cute middle school girl in the front row who squeals. "Lint, if demonstrating is difficult, you can show us something else..." It''s not because of the annoying host either. "Show us!" It''s not because of the countless envious gazes. "Don''t do it!" It''s not for anyone else. For himself. He''s fed up with this stagnation. So, although he can''t live like Reinhardt, he decides to follow the way that guy achieved things until now. There are situations where he can''t back down, and this is one of them. Kono Lint pushed himself to the limit to advance to the next stage. If he failed, he''d be utterly humiliated. But if he succeeded, he wouldn''t have to live as a nobody anymore. There was no situation more extreme than this. He had to do it, so he would. "I''ll show you something," he announced. The crowd roared in excitement as Kono Lint, wearing a one-piece outfit, focused his eyes. He planned to teleport with his clothes, finally mastering his ability and stepping onto the path of a true Supernatural. His destination was the right side of the stage. Using his ability was easy; the problem was that he couldn''t overcome the penalty. He still didn''t know how, but he resolved to awaken the true potential of teleportation in this extreme situation. With his hands together, Kono Lint let out a powerful yell. In an instant, silence filled the auditorium. He had successfully teleported. The audience gasped in shock, as did the host. Even his Royal Class peers were stunned by the unexpected scene. It wasn''t their expressions at discovering the predicted side effect; it was amazement at something completely unforeseen. Kono Lint was also wide-eyed. He had definitely teleported successfully, but his body remained in its original position. Only his clothes had moved. Kono Lint had teleported all his clothes except his underwear to the right side of the stage. He was left standing there, bewildered, as were his classmates. Kono Lint''s ability had evolved. What had just happened was miraculous. Those who knew him understood that his ability had undergone a near-miraculous transformation, surpassing mere improvement. "Is teleportation... like this?" he stammered. "Well, no, it''s not..." the host said, equally confused. But everyone else had no choice but to believe that Kono Lint''s teleportation ability was originally like this. Instead of teleporting himself, he had teleported the clothes he wore. Kono Lint had achieved a miraculous development in his abilities. But in the end, it was still the same result: he was nearly naked except for his underwear. The crowd went wild. ------ "That was contestant number one, Kono Lint!" The host exclaimed as Kono Lint fled to the backstage, leaving the confused audience and students behind. It took some time for the chaos to settle down. "What... what did I just see?" Liana de Grantz muttered, dumbfounded. Her reaction was partly due to Kono Lint''s sudden underwear display but also because he had used a completely different ability than before. Heinrich, Cayer, and Erich were equally baffled. It was understandable for people who didn''t know Lint to be shocked and stunned. After all, teleportation didn''t necessarily mean that the person had to move. However, those who knew Kono Lint were astonished to see that he had succeeded in transporting an object, instead of just moving his own body as he had always done before. Although the end result was a comical scene with his clothes being transported, the ability itself had evolved to the point where it could be considered more than just a significant development. People who didn''t know the truth were shocked and made incredulous expressions, while some peculiar individuals found the flustered and fleeing Kono Lint cute. But the four who knew the truth couldn''t speak for a while, their mouths agape. ------ "Next, let''s introduce contestant number two!" The host tried to continue the competition to alleviate the chaos. The four of them were initially present just to see Kono Lint''s comical situation, but now that it was over, there was no need for them to stay. Of course, there were still the voting process to determine the winner after all contestants were introduced. However, that was something they could either participate in or not. Although there had been a shocking result, their main task was over, so there was no reason to stay. However, the four from the Royal Class and the other people couldn''t leave easily. "What did you prepare for your appeal time?" "I will show you a dance." The contestants'' antics were amusing, and people couldn''t help but watch. Both those who were forced to participate and those who seemed to have volunteered provided some entertaining sights. "Hey, what''s that? What is it?" "Ah! Ah! It''s funny, hey, why did you hit me?" The shock from Kono Lint''s incident was momentary, and Liana de Grantz laughed while hitting Erich sitting next to her. "No, shouldn''t you shave your leg hair before coming up?! Ah!" Liana laughed while hitting the person next to her. "This is crazy... Ah, my stomach hurts." There were various acts, such as dancing, singing, and suddenly performing martial arts. When a cross-dressing music major who looked quite good in women''s clothing completed a sonorous baritone solo, everyone was dumbfounded and clapped. As the cross-dressing contest continued, Liana suddenly seemed to remember something and clapped her hands. "That''s right!" "What, what is it... Are you going to hit me again?" Erich, who seemed to have been trained in the meantime, flinched when Liana''s eyes lit up with a thought. "That''s right! That''s right! You know what!" -Clap clap clap! Of course, she really did hit him again. "Ah, why do you keep hitting me..." Liana hit Erich''s shoulder a few times and then spoke while looking at the hopeless trio. "There was a strange kid in the waiting room earlier." "A strange kid?" Erich asked, and Cayer''s expression became odd. "If there''s someone in that group who doesn''t look strange, that would be even weirder, right?" That was true. In a waiting room filled with people who were enthusiastic about cross-dressing, someone who didn''t look strange would be even more bizarre. In a place full of strange people, the normal ones are the oddities. "No, I mean there was an incredibly pretty one!" Liana struggled for a moment before choosing a rough expression. "¡­?" "¡­?" "¡­?" Liana used the intense expression of an incredibly pretty one. Naturally, given the context, it must be a male. Liana recalled the strange one she had forgotten about due to the earlier shock and tilted her head. "I think it was number 40." Liana seemed to want to stay until then, just out of curiosity, and the other classmates also became curious since Liana was talking so much about it. Just how pretty could he be? It was simply curiosity. What would they do if a guy dressed as a girl turned out to be that pretty? All three didn''t understand why they were still sitting there, but they didn''t leave their seats. "Now, introducing participant number 24, Richard Howlman!" "¡­" "¡­" "¡­" Everyone wanted to cover their eyes at the sight of a two-meter-tall, muscular man in a dress, and the host also looked drained. "¡­I want to leave." Liana had seen it before but grimaced as if her eyes were being violated. "Uh, hmm, er¡­ um¡­ ah¡­ yes¡­" It was certainly unbearable to see such a muscular man in a dress, blushing and fiddling with the hem of the dress, crossing his legs. After an agonizing conversation between the broken host and the embarrassed cross-dressed human tank, the host decided it was impossible to proceed any further and went straight to the appeal portion. "What have you prepared for your appeal?" "Squats, I''ll show you." Everyone watched with blank expressions as the human tank, dressed in a dress, suddenly performed heavy squats. It was so hard to watch in many ways that many people started leaving during that part. Amid the madness and laughter, the cross-dressing contest reached its final participant. "Now, we''ve reached the final participant in the highly anticipated 8th cross-dressing contest. A last participant who will undoubtedly surprise you in many ways. We cannot reveal his real name as he requested anonymity. Participant number 40! Please come out!" It wasn''t only the unknown participant 40 who was anonymous. Quite a few participants had kept their class and name secret, so it wasn''t that unusual. Liana had seen them once before, and the other three spectators were curious about what they would look like based on Liana''s words. And then, the final participant. The mysterious 40th participant slowly came up on stage. "Wow¡­" As the 40th participant walked under the highlight, the audience''s reaction was nothing but dumbfounded admiration. "What¡­what is that?" "No way¡­" "What¡­is this?" The reactions of the Royal Class students weren''t much different. Even Liana, who had seen him once before, was just staring blankly at number 40 with a dumbfounded expression. The silver hair, reflecting the lights and shining brilliantly, was obviously a wig, but the strands were so full of life that it seemed like real hair. Golden eyes, enchanting and delicate rosy lips, a beautiful jawline and facial features, and a clean, slender white neck. Delicate shoulders, and although hidden by the dress, a perfect waistline. On top of all that, a warm and gentle smile. Thus, everyone couldn''t help but have the same question in their minds. Is that really a guy? It''s a lie. "Uh, excuse me for asking, but... are you really a participant in the cross-dressing contest?" "Yes." In response, a subtle, androgynous voice. Rather than cheers or admiration, everyone was simply dumbfounded. It was a feeling of disbelief, like "Is this even possible?" "You requested to keep your identity secret. Is there a reason for that?" There was a slight crack in the impenetrable expression, but number 40 quickly recovered. "...Well, everyone has secrets." "I see... Do you often dress like this?" "..." Number 40 stared at the host for a moment, responding to the provocative question. Everyone briefly sensed number 40''s real expression, but no one could see it properly. Number 40 quickly recovered their smile and answered with a grin. "No, not at all." "So, this is your first time?" "Yes." He seemed fine, but people were watching. His expression appeared calm and collected, but number 40 was tightly gripping the hem of his dress. It was clear that he was extremely nervous. His face was gradually turning red, and it was evident that he was very embarrassed by the situation. CH 302 ¡°So, is there a particular reason you decided to participate in the cross-dressing contest?¡± ¡°It''s the money.¡± ¡°Ah, the prize money. Right, that makes sense.¡± The host continued to ask uncomfortable questions. Contestant number 40 managed to handle them well enough at first, but as the questions persisted, his grip on the dress tightened. As his embarrassment and shame intensified, Number 40''s struggle became more apparent, and the crowd''s expressions gradually grew more concerned. In fact, his behavior wasn''t much different from what human tank Number 24 had shown earlier. No, it was exactly the same. But while people had been repulsed by Number 24''s actions, they found themselves losing their minds at Number 40''s identical behavior. Is it because he¡¯s cute that it''s somehow okay? Similar thoughts began to spread among the crowd. ¡°So, what do you plan on doing with the prize money if you win? Maybe buy another dress...?¡± ¡°...¡± Of course, the host didn''t stop his malicious questioning. Contestant Number 40''s awkward smile in response was enough to garner sympathy from the crowd. ¡°Stop picking on him!¡± ¡°Yeah! Leave him alone!¡± ¡°Ask normal questions!¡± Eventually, the audience started to criticize the host for making Number 40 uncomfortable. People had unknowingly become emotionally attached to Number 40. ¡°Oh dear, it seems I went too far. I apologize.¡± ¡°No, it''s okay.¡± The host began to ask about everyday life and hobbies. As the malicious questions disappeared, the silver-haired contestant calmly answered them. Though it was the same question and answer session as before, people began to realize they didn''t want this final round to end too soon. "...I don''t think I should watch this anymore." Erich mumbled blankly. They were starting to feel like they were heading into dangerous territory. "...Right." "..." The other two male students didn''t feel much different. Liana would usually send a disdainful glance, but this time she couldn''t. "Why am I feeling jealous looking at a guy?" Liana was also blankly mumbling. ¡°Well, let''s move on to showcasing your talents¡­¡± ¡°Let''s do it later!¡± ¡°You''re doing it too soon!¡± The audience even tried to stop the host''s progress. All Number 40 could do was laugh awkwardly at the audience''s actions, but it only seemed to fan the flames. ¡°Well, it seems like contestant Number 40 has had a significant influence on many people''s preferences.¡± ¡°I''m...sorry¡­¡± ¡°Oh, no need for you to apologize. But we can''t delay any longer. We still have voting, and the contest needs to wrap up soon. So, what talent have you prepared?¡± The host ultimately didn''t grant Number 40 any more time. ¡°I''ll sing.¡± It wasn''t anything new since many others had done the same. Of course, there was no accompaniment prepared, so everyone either sang a cappella or brought their own instruments. Singing a song was a common talent, but everyone''s eyes lit up at the news that Participant 40, who seemed to have many outstanding features and secrets, would sing. ¡°What song will you sing?¡± ¡°It''s an original composition.¡± ¡°Oh, an original composition? Are you a music major?¡± At the probing question, Participant 40 showed a subtle smile. ¡°Who knows?¡± And so, Participant 40 sang during the appeal time. Everyone was taken aback by the song sung in a soft voice. It was a bizarre melody with lyrics about a woman weeding a bean field, something they had never heard or seen before in their lives. The participant introduced the song as "Chilgapsan." It was strange and unusual, but it was a shocking style that had never existed in the Temple culture scene. (*Chilgapsan is a heartwrenching song about a poor mom in Chilgapsan who marries off her young daughter. The song became so popular that a monument dedicated to it was built. The lyric of Chilgapsan: Dear woman who works in the field bean Your clothes are are soaked with your tears What makes you so sorrowful ? Why do you plant the tears instead of bean ? On the day I was getting married, leaving my mother alone I could hear the birds crying In the peak Chilgak mountain Your tears burned my young weak heart I could hear the birds crying In the peak Chilgak mountain Your tears burned my young weak heart The sound of birds crying in the peak Chilgak mountain burned my young weak heart Chilgapsan was originally released by Yoon Heesang in 1979, and then became a hit when Joo Byungsun released a remake of the song in 1989.) ------ After all the participants were introduced, it was time for voting. All forty participants took the stage once again. From Participant 1, Kono Lint, who showed off an unexpected underwear show with a shocking ability evolution hidden behind it, to the mysterious Participant 40 who seemed to be able to go straight to Miss Temple, everyone took the stage. The results were evident without looking. Everyone was staring blankly at Participant 40. As they did, the poor Participant 40, whose face turned red and who was trembling with a forced smile, seemed to be on the verge of going mad with embarrassment. Naturally, the song he sang was bizarre, but didn''t this situation have a magical modifier that was attached to it? Four-dimensional. So, even when Participant 40 did something strange, it was understood as a kind of charm. "Really... He must not have wanted to come out." Everyone had no choice but to agree that Participant 40 was really struggling to endure this situation, regardless of whether it suited them or not. The reason they came this far to a place they didn''t want to go. "But... how much money does he really need...?" Money. People had no choice but to guess that Participant 40 really needed the prize money. They began to speculate amongst themselves. "I don''t know who he is, but he must have been really handsome. So, shouldn''t he just go to Mister Temple?" "Maybe he¡¯ll go to Mister Temple too." "Oh, right." If he won both the cross-dressing contest and Mister Temple, the prize money will be doubled. The hearts of all the spectators who came to watch the competition came together. The men were curious about what the guy really looked like. The women were curious about how handsome the guy really was. If he came to the cross-dressing contest because he needed money, he would naturally go to Mister Temple as well. By going to the Mister Temple Contest, they might be able to find out the identity of that person. While everyone was murmuring, the royal class students were alternately looking at Kono Lint and Participant 40. Although Participant number 1''s unexpected underwear show seemed to be forgotten, Kono Lint was filled with embarrassment and astonishment. The situation left Kono Lint feeling a mix of embarrassment and happiness. He kept sending glances to his friends as if to say, "I did it!" but he couldn''t help but look at contestant 40 more often. "Hey, by the way." "What?" Erich de Lafaeri nudged Cayer''s side. "Doesn''t that person keep looking at me?" Erich was obviously talking about contestant 40. "¡­Really? I thought he was looking at me." "Wasn''t it me?" At Heinrich and Cayer''s words, Liana scowled. "What are you idiots talking about? He¡¯s a man, right? If he¡¯s looking at someone, it''s me, not you guys." All four seated in the audience believed that contestant 40 kept looking at them. "Me, right?" "Because it''s me." "Definitely me." "No, obviously me. Seriously, what are you talking about?" All four began arguing over a pointless issue. In reality, they were all correct. Contestant 40 would occasionally make eye contact with each of the four, quickly averting his gaze each time. It was no wonder that such thoughts were swirling in the boys'' minds. But still, he¡¯s a man¡­ No, even so¡­ No, definitely not. What if? Could he actually be a woman? Their minds were filled with bizarre thoughts, becoming increasingly confused. Of course, contestant 40 wasn''t thinking any of that and was just being cautious. "Hmm¡­" This time, Liana was looking somewhere other than contestant 40. "Why?" "No, that person over there." Liana pointed out a certain location to Erich and whispered. "Doesn¡¯t that person seem a bit creepy?" Someone in a black robe was standing at the very back of the auditorium, quietly staring at contestant 40. Of course, there were quite a few audience members wearing hooded robes to hide their identities, just like contestant 40. However, the excessively dark black robe gave off an unsettling feeling just by looking at it. "¡­You''re right." Erich also shuddered a bit. As they pondered, the voting began. Contestant 40, who had dressed as a woman due to their desperate need for money. He was already set to secure many votes, but when people found out he needed the money, he began to get sympathy votes as well. Everyone knew that contestant 40 would undoubtedly win, and he did. It was an almost unanimous victory, with no one objecting. ------ It was a hellish time. "How do you feel about winning?" "Ah, I''m¡­ really grateful. Thank you." Nevertheless, this was the pinnacle of hell. Wearing the victor''s crown and holding the trophy, he forced a smile, hoping that this torturous time would end quickly. [Event Complete - Cross-dressing Contest] [You have acquired 4,000 achievement points.] [Your Magic Power has increased by 5.] [Your Anti-magic Resistance has increased.] In the end, after enduring a ridiculous time, he obtained the desired rewards. And the prize money - twenty gold coins. Twenty million won. ¡®In reality, it''s quite a large sum. But I wondered if this money was worth trading for my dignity, which had already disappeared and might continue to do so. My original magic power was 14.2. Now, my magic power is 19.2. If it increases by just 0.8 more, I''ll gain a talent called "Magic Power Domination." Yes. It won''t be long now. I did all of this for that.¡¯ The winner''s crown and trophy, along with the victory speech, the applause and cheers of the audience. ¡°Oh senior! Take me!¡± ¡°Since you''re prettier than me, just call me sister!¡± The outbursts of middle school girls. ¡°Bro! Take me!¡± ¡°Bro, I¡­¡± The outbursts of middle school boys. ¡°Let''s be secret friends!¡± High school students were no different. I felt dizzy. I wanted to throw up. Yet, I tried my best to maintain a smiling expression. It seemed like none of the others, like Bertus, had caught on to me. Then the host, who had tormented him with those annoying questions, looked at me with a sly smile. "So, as a celebration of your victory, can you give an encore of the song you just sang?" "¡­" At the request to sing once more in celebration of my victory, I ended up belting out "Chilgapsan" again. While I didn''t know about the other things, it was pretty funny to see the bewildered expressions of those who didn''t know how to react to this situation. Do you guys understand the sorrow of Chilgapsan''s peak? Anyway, the cross-dressing contest was over. Now, I just have to safely dispose of the trophy and turn myself into Reinhardt. ¡°Brother! I¡­ feel weird¡­¡± Ah. Should I just kill all of you and go to hell? CH 303 I won. I achieved what I wanted, and everything went as planned, but it felt like my soul was being robbed. And I realized that focusing solely on the cross-dressing competition itself was a mistake. Anyway, I had to leave the venue, but there were obviously no troops to escort me. I should''ve thought about the possibility of lunatics lurking around, trying to catch me as I leave. But I only thought about winning, not planning a safe route in advance. A considerable number of the departing audience members were waiting for a chance to approach me. Seeing the crowd gathered outside the main hall, I couldn''t help but sense their intentions. "..." It feels like I''ve become a celebrity. But what sets me apart from a celebrity is that I''m the winner of a cross-dressing competition. Men and women alike are curious about my identity, swarming around like crazy. Would you even know if I told you I''m Reinhardt? You wouldn''t! Why are you curious about something you wouldn''t know even if I told you! If I go out like this, I''ll be caught. If those people come within my safety zone, I can''t guarantee I won''t throw a punch. The other cross-dressing competition participants, seeing me stuck at the exit, left with awkward smiles. Of course, there was no reason for people to gather around them. What should I do? The exit seems to be the only way out. Should I go through a window? "Uh... if you''re not leaving..." "?" As I hesitated near the door, someone spoke to me, seemingly unable to pass by. When I turned around, it was Kono Lint. He had changed his clothes, no longer in a dress, but his makeup made him look quite funny. Of course, I came here wearing these clothes, so I have nothing else to change into. I could just let him pass and leave. "Ah, sorry." As I stepped aside, he tried to scurry past, looking nervous. He''s scared of me in a different way than when I''m Reinhardt. Kono Lint, I didn''t see what he was up to, but I know something happened. He managed to teleport things other than himself. In the original work, the ultimate form of Kono Lint''s ability was to teleport himself, including clothes. I don''t know what happened, but he gained the ability to move other objects. I don''t know if this is an improvement or not, but it''s a fact that Kono Lint''s abilities have developed exponentially compared to the original work. Today, Kono Lint''s ability improvement is even more incredible than my 5-point increase in magic power. Kono Lint keeps glancing at me as he tries to leave through the exit. Ability improvement. Teleporting things other than himself. "Wait, just a moment." I instinctively grabbed Kono Lint''s arm. "Y-yes?" Kono Lint''s face turned red as I held on, his lips trembling. A mix of confusion and uncertainty on his face. That''s not the point, you idiot! There are people surrounding the outside. "Could you please teleport me outside?" Kono Lint is the only one who can rescue me right now. ------ Of course, he was startled. Kono Lint went on and on explaining that his ability wasn''t originally like that, there could be side effects, and I might even end up naked. Of course, that''s possible. Such a thing could happen. No! It''s fine! I''ll use my achievement points! I''ve accumulated a whopping 14,000 points from the tournament and the crossdressing contest. Combined with my existing points, I have 18,000. I can afford to spend this much! "Even if there are side effects, I''ll take the risk. So please do it." "But, you might see me in a dangerous state¡­" Even after I insisted, Kono Lint was still hesitant. "It''s okay. I won''t blame you. I''ll take responsibility." He looked at me as if he couldn''t understand why I thought being thrown naked far away was better than being caught by the people outside. It''s not like that! You''ll succeed! Neither of us trusts you, but I trust my achievement points, okay? After a long struggle, Kono Lint finally nodded hesitantly. "Alright¡­ I''ll give it a try." Today was the first time Kono Lint successfully teleported an object. Now, he has to succeed in teleporting a person. Of course, there''s a possibility that he will only teleport my clothes. That''s why I''ll use my achievement points. Kono Lint successfully teleported me outside the hall, to a secluded spot. My clothes came along as well. [100 achievement points are required to trigger this event.] 100 points. Surprisingly, it was cheaper than I thought. I expected it to cost around 500 points. Has this guy''s ability already developed so much? [You have used 100 achievement points.] "Please, give me your hand¡­" "Ah, sure." I grabbed the trembling hand Kono Lint held out. You little¡­ Don''t be so shy, okay? I stared intently at Kono Lint''s blushing face as he focused. "Please don''t blame me too much if it doesn''t work well." "It''ll be fine." "¡­" He paused his concentration and looked at me. "Do you trust me?" No. What do you want me to do? Just send me already! "Of course." I had no choice but to say that while smiling, hiding my true feelings. -Pop! Then, in an instant, the scenery in front of me changed, and it felt like everything went dark. "Gasp." I couldn''t help but gasp in surprise, as this was my first time experiencing this kind of teleportation. In a blink of an eye, I was teleported from the hall''s outskirts to an open space outside, away from the crowd. Kono Lint wasn''t with me, only I was teleported. The effect of my achievement points was certain. Luckily, I was still fully clothed. I just had to change my clothes and return to my original state now that I had safely escaped from people''s sight... At the same time I was thinking that. -Thunk "...?" I saw something falling from thin air. What is this? I picked up the fallen item from the ground and examined it under the faint light nearby. "¡­Oh no." The moment I saw it, I realized I had used the withdrawal skill incorrectly. The clothes that Kono Lint had been wearing just moments ago had fallen. Kono Lint successfully teleports me to a remote area outside the auditorium, taking his own clothes along. That kid. Not only my clothes, but he sent his own clothes as well. No wonder the price was so cheap. Could it be that a new penalty has arisen for Kono Lint to send his own clothes along? Are you still that incompetent? Should I return this? No, shouldn''t he just come here instead? Now that the situation has turned out like this, he should come looking for his clothes, right? But this is a busy street. It would be too difficult for Kono Lint to appear here wearing only underwear. People think I''m just a girl wearing a dress. Should I return this? "¡­" Then what''s the point of having escaped? I feel like I should just take it off. But I really can''t do that. "Damn it¡­" In the end, I had no choice but to trudge back towards the auditorium, still wearing the dress. ------ Fortunately, I didn''t have to go near the people gathered in the auditorium. A bit further away from them, there were familiar faces sitting on a bench. Heinrich, Erich, Cayer, and Liana de Grantz were nearby, possibly waiting for Kono Lint to come out soon. Approaching them is dangerous too. But I hated being caught by those guys calling me ''brother'' or ''older sister'' more than death itself. ¡°Why isn''t he coming out?¡± ¡°Is he changing clothes?¡± Everyone was grumbling because Kono Lint didn''t come out quickly, and I approached them. Luckily, the lighting wasn''t too bright, so people couldn''t easily see me. "Um, excuse me¡­" "¡­Huh?" Everyone seemed surprised when the crossdressing contest winner suddenly appeared holding clothes. "You''re a prettier guy than me. What''s up? Do you need something?" Liana looked at me and asked with a smile. You''re really a wicked woman! All the other guys were frozen, so Liana was the only one I could talk to. "You''re Royal Class¡­ students, right?" "Yes, but why?" It wasn''t a problem for me to recognize them since they were wearing Royal Class uniforms. "This is, um, Kono Lint''s clothes¡­" "¡­?" Everyone''s expressions turned strange at my words. "Well, I asked him to teleport me outside¡­ but he sent his own clothes along too¡­ so he might be in trouble¡­ But going back is a bit¡­." "Ah, I understand." Liana raised her hand to stop me from speaking further and snatched Kono Lint''s clothes from my hands. You''re really quick-witted when it comes to situations like this. I had just been thinking of her as a wicked woman moments ago, but my evaluation of her changed instantly. Liana looked at me, grinning, and looked me up and down. "If you''re into this kind of thing, come to the Grantz estate." "¡­Excuse me?" "If you mention my name, Liana de Grantz, they''ll let you in. You''ll be able to try on all kinds of men''s and women''s clothes as you please." She laughed while saying this, clearly making fun of me. You''re really wicked¡­ Anyway, after returning Kono Lint''s clothes to these people, I fled the scene as if escaping. I''ve had enough of this embarrassing situation. Please, let''s just return to normal now. ------ There''s no end to humiliating situations. Of course, it wouldn''t be easy to get through this. There''s no way this situation, which aims to embarrass me, would let me off the hook easily. As I tried to leave as quickly as possible, someone who recognized me chased after me. "Um, I''m not a strange person." "¡­" "I was just wondering how desperate for money you must be to participate in such a contest despite your struggles. Hm." A middle-aged man with a bald head grabbed me and began his speech. He seemed to have been one of the audience members and was talking about how he wasn''t a strange person, how he had a respectable business, and how his children were soon to be admitted to the temple. "So, if you''re having a hard time, I can personally sponsor you." What is this? I don''t know why it has come to this situation. In reality, this man might actually want to help me because he thinks I''m in a difficult situation. But, his gaze is strange, isn''t it? Do you know your eyes look really strange right now, sir? I felt goosebumps all over my body. "Of course, I''m saying this to avoid any misunderstandings, but I don''t expect anything in return. Just, if there''s anything difficult about your life in the temple, we could have various conversations. Um, that''s what I mean." You might say that, but your eyes are really weird, you know? It''s clear he''s not a temple student or staff member. Should I just tell him not to babble like a broken record? But, unfortunately, the festival means that there are people everywhere in the temple. Of course, security is tight. If I get caught in a fight in an inappropriate place and get taken away by security, that would be even more humiliating. It would naturally reveal that I am Reinhardt. This is the last test. If I can''t endure this and throw a punch, the rumor of Royal Class Reinhardt winning the cross-dressing contest and getting into a fight with a chatty middle-aged man before being dragged away by security would spread throughout the neighborhood. That would be a real reason for suicide. I have to endure it. I couldn''t bear it once and ran into Bertus. If I can''t stand it this time, it''s really over. "Ah, I understand what you''re saying, but it''s okay." "Well, you should just accept an adult''s offer of help. Let''s find a quiet place to talk." "I''m fine. I have enough prize money, and it''s not that difficult." "Don''t think of it as something strange. I''m just trying to help you because you seem to be struggling. Do I look like a weird person?" "It''s not that I think you''re weird, I''m just really okay." "Well then, let''s at least have a chat." Ah, please get away from me, you annoying creep. I''m getting irritated. I''ve told him clearly that I''m okay, but he doesn''t seem to understand. He definitely won''t let me go. "Let''s find a quiet place to have a cup of tea and talk..." Just as I was about to say something harsh, someone approached. "Hey, what''s going on here?" "!" A deep, resonant voice came from someone approaching. I turned around and saw a human tank. Although he wasn''t in a dress anymore, it was the human tank, Richard Howlman. He wasn''t alone; he was with a group of people who looked like his classmates. The middle-aged man froze in front of the even more intimidating human tank. "What''s happening?" "Ah, I have something to discuss with this student..." "This student doesn''t seem to have anything to discuss with you." Richard Howlman glanced at me as he said this. Damn it. It''s a relief that you showed up, even though I feel weird. Drive him away! Whether or not he understood my desperate look, the 2-meter-tall human tank stared down at the middle-aged man. "It seems like you have nothing to say? Huh?" "But, I''m not a weird person!" "Grabbing a weak-looking student in the middle of the night and making them uncomfortable, that''s what makes you weird. What else is weird? Get lost before I hand you over to the temple guards!" Weak-looking student, huh? You''re the one who got beaten up by that weak-looking student in the tournament, you jerk. And you were definitely about to say ''girl''... "Uh, um... It seems there was a misunderstanding. Sorry." Eventually, the middle-aged man retreated with his tail between his legs. ¡°Wow, that was cool, Richard.¡± ¡°That was awesome.¡± "Ah, can you guys be quiet?!" A bunch of annoying guys behind me were whistling. I appreciate that he drove the man away, but it seems like I''ve attracted an even more annoying group. "Um, are you alright?" Richard looked down at me and coughed awkwardly. I feel like I''m about to give up. I''m going insane... No, I''m already insane. "Ah... Thank you." Richard''s classmates or seniors were whistling away, making my blood pressure rise. They must have come to see Richard''s reaction. I''m not sure why this guy participated in the cross-dressing competition, but anyway. With a flushed face, Richard speaks without looking directly at me. "It might lead to misunderstandings, so... It''s best if you head back quickly." "Yes, I should..." ¡°Hey, are you just letting her go?¡± ¡°Ask her to have a meal with us!¡± "Ah, enough!" Richard shouted at the people behind him. This guy, at least he''s acting gentlemanly. I thought he was just an arrogant jerk. But come to think of it, I was the one who started the conflict during the tournament, not him. I''m the real trash here. Richard looks at me with a troubled expression. "Please, hurry back before it gets more awkward..." "Ah... Yes. Thank you." In the end, I was able to get rid of the annoying middle-aged man with the unexpected help of Richard Howlman. CH 304 "No, my Supernatural Powers have gotten stronger, but now I have to teleport my clothes with me? Why does life always have to be so twisted?" "I don''t know. How am I supposed to know that?" As Liana laughed, holding her stomach, Kono Lint''s face grew sourer and sourer. Thankfully, the 40th participant who had teleported them returned their clothes, allowing Kono Lint to get dressed and return to the streets. Kono Lint didn''t care about winning; he just wanted the time to pass quickly. Now, all he wanted was to return to the dormitory, pull himself together, and rest. It had been a terrible experience, but it was finally over. Or was it just bad memories? The person who, unbelievably, said they believed in him and smiled brightly. That trust ultimately led to the successful use of his new ability, even though there was a penalty involved. Who could it be? He didn''t particularly want to do anything, but it would be nice to know at least that much. Maybe they could at least be friends. The hand that briefly held the girl''s, no, the boy''s hand to teleport them was surprisingly soft. His fingernails had been bitten ragged due to the tension in the waiting room, but the hand he had held was incredibly soft. As more strange thoughts flooded Kono Lint''s mind, he shook his head roughly, trying to rid himself of those thoughts. "What''s wrong with him?" Liana backed away a few steps, thinking Kono Lint was losing it. "Hey, isn''t that them?" Cayer pointed, as if discovering something, and there was a silver-haired individual in a hoop dress who looked like a girl but wasn''t. Only their back was visible, but there was no doubt that it was the 40th participant in that outfit today. Erich nodded his head in agreement. "That''s right." "Looks like something is going on." Heinrich furrowed his brow, watching the scene. The 40th participant, considerably shorter than the giant over 2 meters tall, stood facing him. A group of obviously bad-natured people surrounded them, snickering. ... ... They were too far away to hear the conversation. However, it was clear that the giant and his gang were either taunting or threatening the 40th participant. Everyone realized that the giant had also participated in the cross-dressing competition. His huge frame in a dress had been quite shocking, making it memorable. Liana smirked. "Huh, so a bunch of men are bothering a poor, pretty boy?" Although the wording was odd, making everyone grimace, it was true from a distance. It was unclear what was going on, but the situation was definitely difficult. "I guess I''ll have to save him." Just as Liana was about to step in to rescue the clearly troubled, pitiful, and pretty boy... "Let''s just go, shall we?" "Uh... what?" The person that had been surrounding the silver-haired boy parted, and he bowed his head to the large man before suddenly going on his way. No one knew what had happened, but it seemed as if they were just letting him go peacefully. The fact that he even gave a nod of gratitude made it seem like they had done something good for him. "What a letdown," Liana said, somewhat disappointed that nothing had happened. She watched as the large male student walked away, still keeping an eye on participant number 40. "Anyway, he''s really got a lot of sins, that guy," Liana said, laughing at the situation. "But I''m really curious about what his major is and what class he''s in..." As Liana spoke, she closed her mouth. The person that seemed to be harassing participant number 40 actually just let him go as if it was a misunderstanding. But Liana waved her hand, looking at something slightly behind him. "Hey, look at that." "Where?" "Over there. Isn''t that the person we saw at the competition venue earlier?" Liana pointed out someone wearing a black robe, quietly following behind participant number 40. "It does look like it..." Erich had also been suspicious of the black-robed figure, so he understood what Liana was talking about. Indeed, the mysterious black-robed figure was following right behind participant number 40. Everyone''s expressions turned serious upon hearing Liana''s words. "Isn''t that really dangerous?" The unidentified assailant was following participant number 40. Liana, as well as the other Royal Class students, thought something would happen to him. "Let''s follow them." "Isn''t that dangerous?" Cayer seemed a bit scared, worried about getting involved in something unnecessary. "Is now the time to worry about that?" Surprisingly, it wasn''t Liana who said that, but Kono Lint. ------ Someone was tailing him. And this time, he was sure it wasn''t just some simple pervert like the middle-aged man from before. At the competition venue, everyone had stared at him, but he distinctly remembered the black-robed figure who had been staring intensely from the back. He had felt uncomfortable, but since there were many others like that, he didn''t pay much attention. But now, that same person was following him. What did he want from him? He needed to get rid of the dress and remove his makeup, but this strange person was still following him. He wasn¡¯t closing the distance quickly, but he was definitely narrowing the gap. Although the stalker wouldn''t be able to harm him on the main street, he just wanted to get home quickly! He tried to blend into the crowd on the main street to shake off his pursuer, but the black-robed stalker continued to follow him from a certain distance. He could have told the guards that a strange person was following him, but he didn''t want to get involved in any more trouble. Why do I have to deal with this? I thought to myself as I entered the alleyway. I''ll shake them off and head back outside the temple. Then I''ll return to the dormitory as Reinhardt. With that in mind, I turned the next corner of the alley. "!" "...." The mysterious figure in a black robe that had been following me was now right in front of me. This guy is dangerous. Before I knew it, I was already throwing a punch. -Whoosh! But my fist cut through the air, and the robed figure easily dodged my straight punch with just a slight movement of their head. Their movements were anything but ordinary. Even after my sudden attack, the figure did not retaliate. "...I only intended to make contact since your business seemed to be finished. I had no intention of attacking you, Reinhardt." "!" At those words, it felt like my brain froze. He knew me. Nobody else had noticed me. "Who are you?" Despite my hostile tone, my opponent remained calm. "You should have known that the Order would contact you soon." The Black Order. They said they''d be in touch soon. Of all times. Of all times, it had to be today. My head felt like it had been hit with a hammer. No, no... Why? Why today? Not Ellen, nor Bertus, not even Harriet, nor any of my dorm mates knew. But oddly enough. I had revealed the fact that I was crossdressing to a mage, who was neither an enemy nor an ally yet and with whom I had to discuss important matters. "Wh-when did you... see it? Or, how did you know in the first place...?" "I saw the list of participants. Participant number 40, Reinhardt." Damn it, they saw that. How did they know I was in the crossdressing contest? Even if they were from the Black Order and it wasn''t a confidential document, could they just rummage through the list and find out about it? The Black Order mage stared at me from within their black robe. "So, the thing is... I had my own reasons for..." I have a story behind this! I can''t explain it properly, but there''s a story! "I have no interest in your personal preferences." However, instead of respecting my preference, the mage dismissed my words as if they had no interest in such matters. It''s not like that! I had thought of the stalker as someone who wanted to do something strange to me, but in reality, they had no interest in my appearance at all. I was trying to justify my situation, but they didn''t care about it at all. Still, I thought my credibility would be somewhat diminished by the fact that I, a powerful individual who commands a Lord Vampire, was dressed like this. "What''s important to us isn''t how well you pull off crossdressing, but how valuable the information you possess is to us." Ignoring the fact that I''m dressed like this... It''s strangely hurtful... Even Ellen isn''t this indifferent. Is the Black Order a group of ultimate indifferent people, or is it just this one...? I couldn''t tell if they had infiltrated the temple easily because of the festival or if it was no big deal to infiltrate the temple in general. Regardless of my embarrassment and sense of crisis, the Black Order member only said what they had to. "You said you needed the Order''s knowledge, and that you could provide us with information on Cantus Magna. Is that correct?" "...That''s right." Talking like this was incredibly embarrassing, but since they didn''t seem to care, I felt like the weird one. "What knowledge do you need?" The deal with the Black Order. It started at this bizarre timing. Are they really unrelated to the Gate incident? I don''t know. But I have to find a way somehow. There''s no time for jokes or embarrassment. "I need to know how to open a dimensional gate to another world." "..." The member didn''t respond to my question. They didn''t even ask why I was curious. They just silently stared at me. "Do you know how?" "I asked what knowledge you needed, not that I would answer. If you provide valuable information from your side, we will share knowledge of equal value." "So you''re admitting that you have knowledge worth sharing in exchange for that?" I don''t need to know the specific method. The mere fact that the Black Order could tell me how to open the gate is already evidence for me. If I give them information on Cantus Magna, they''ll tell me how to open a dimensional gate to another world. The moment they say that, the Black Order becomes a group capable of causing the Gate incident. I''m not curious about the method. I just need to know if you know it or not. "I can''t answer that." But the Black Order wasn''t so accommodating. "Then the deal is too unfair. Even if I give you information on Cantus Magna, you might not be able to give me the information I want, right? Why should I make a deal like that?" There''s no reason to make a deal where one side suffers a loss. My goal is to confirm what each of us holds. "Are you certain about the information on Cantus Magna?" "Well?" "Is the information not ready yet?" The member''s expression changed slightly. They seemed a bit angry. "It''s similar to not being able to tell me whether your knowledge is ready or not." "..." Could this be called a battle of nerves? Neither of us showed any hostility or aggression toward the other. "We''ll discuss this issue further and contact you again." So this matter can''t be decided by this person here either. "..." "By then, I hope you have the information on Cantus Magna ready." "And if it''s not ready?" "I don''t think you''re the type to play games with us." In the end, we only learned what each other wanted during this contact, and nothing was actually exchanged. However, the Black Order did not deny knowing about it either. It seemed like there was a glimmer of hope for resolving the Gate incident. My heart was racing like crazy. Solving this wouldn''t resolve all the problems, and there would be other issues to face. But it would be getting over the biggest hurdle. The Black Order didn''t seem curious about my intentions; they just seemed willing to trade if both parties were prepared. "At an appropriate time, I''ll come back to you..." Fzzt! Bang! "..." Just as our conversation was about to wrap up, a sudden flash of light flickered in the air and collided with the edge of the agent''s right cheek. However, it was blocked instantly by a defensive spell that appeared. What''s going on? "Pretty boy! Over here!" Looking back, I saw Liana de Grantz, Kono Lint, and a group of royal-class individuals watching me. Why did they come all the way here? But looking at their desperate expressions, I had a feeling I knew what they were thinking. Anyway, pretty boy? Why do you keep calling me that? Liana shouted with a pale face. "Hurry!" Liana urgently called out to me. The agent seemed to understand the situation and subtly nodded at me. Is that a signal to go? He seemed calm but also quite perceptive. "Y-yes!" As I hurriedly fled towards Liana, she grabbed my hand and glared at the agent in the black robe. "Hey, you! Are you a mage?" "..." "I don''t know what your plan is, but what kind of mischief are you up to inside the temple? Get lost right now!" Fzzt! Fzzt! Sparks flickered near Liana''s hair. It was as if she would send a lightning bolt at him if he tried any funny business. No, don''t... Even if it''s you, it''s not right to pick a fight with a Black Order agent. Thankfully, "Hmm, this is unfortunate." The Black Order agent suddenly pretended to be a kidnapper and began to back away. "Then, let''s meet again next time, pretty boy." "..." That... Did he just make fun of me? Whether it was an act or he was teasing me, the agent backed off and disappeared. Liana, seeing the black robe vanish, looked at me with a worried expression and asked, "Are you okay? You didn''t get hurt, did you?" "Ah, um... Y-yes... Nothing happened..." No... You didn''t have to come... "Phew, that''s why I told you to go back inside! What were you doing? Even if you were trying to avoid them, what would you do if you came into an alley like this? Are you an idiot? Where do you live? I''ll take you home." "Ah... No, it''s... it''s okay." With Liana''s misunderstanding, the incredibly long day finally came to an end. CH 305 In the end, it took quite some time to dissuade Liana, who insisted on taking me home. Fortunately, after the others had spent a while convincing her that it seemed alright, Liana finally let me go with a reluctant expression. There was talk about whether I should report to the guards, but I had to dodge the issue, sweating bullets, saying it wasn''t a big deal. It was only after I had wiped off all my makeup and changed my clothes outside the temple that I returned to the dormitory. I left the dress in the basement of Eleris. It was an expensive dress, so I figured it was better to recycle it rather than throw it away. Of course, I threw away the trophy. There is an expression in martial arts. Essence of the Origin. In essence, it''s a concept similar to the fundamental life energy of humans ¨C a sort of emergency battery that, when used, could lead to death. I felt so drained that it was as if I had used such a thing. Having wandered around all day, they probably didn''t see me at the dormitory. Of course, I wasn''t the only one who had been roaming around. Naturally, I returned quite late, and I could see the others who had been in entirely different appearances today. "Hey, what were you doing all day?" For example, Liana de Grantz, who had confidently said her sister would take her. "I was wandering around because of the festival." "Alone?" "Sometimes you just want to be alone." Unnecessarily, strength surged into my shoulders. They might try to find a connection between the me they just saw and the me now. Honestly, I would think it was only natural not to recognize me when looking in the mirror. In reality, they couldn''t recognize me at all. But facing them as Reinhardt now made my heart race with unease. You? Yeah. Oh... You were the one, weren''t you? I tried to act normal, but cold sweat ran down my spine, worried that they might say something like that. Liana chuckled and draped her arm around my shoulder. "Didn''t you see the cross-dressing contest?" "...Why would I go there?" In truth... I did... Not only did I attend, but I was also a participant and even the winner... It was even more surprising that they didn''t recognize me at all... "Oh, you missed a good show. You should''ve seen that person." Liana laughed and went into her room. I did run into the three, no, four useless brothers, but there was no reaction from them. However... "...?" "...Why?" "Huh? No, nothing." Kono Lint did have a somewhat strange reaction. But in the end, even he didn''t seem to have noticed. It was only natural. I had returned as Reinhardt, not just with the makeup removed, but also with my original height, body shape, and facial structure restored. It would be weirder if they recognized me! That''s how it must be, right...? ------ Southern outskirts of the Empire. A considerable number of people had gathered on the grounds of an abandoned monastery that occupied a large area. It was impossible to identify the people by their attire alone, but in the center of the place where the bonfire burned, someone was seated on an old wooden chair. The Man Seated in the Chair The former Holy Temple Knight Commander, Riverrier Lanze, gazed at the female student in temple robes standing before him. Her name was Lydia Schmitt. A finalist in the Unrestricted Tournament and a 6th-year student of the Temple Royal Class. "It doesn''t seem like a good idea." "...I believe it''s worth a try. Bolton agreed to take necessary action if the situation unfolds as predicted." "Eleion Bolton?" "Yes." "Well, he''d have no reason not to welcome Olivia''s return." Lydia Schmitt''s expression was resolute, as if she had made up her mind. "But if things don''t go as you expect, we''ll proceed with the original plan, Lydia." "Yes, Commander." Despite the current Holy Knight Commander being Eleion Bolton, the female student addressed Riverrier Lanze as ''Commander.'' Everyone present unhesitatingly called the former commander, Riverrier Lanze, by that title. Lydia Schmitt, having completed her mission, turned to leave but then faced the commander again. "Commander." "...Is there something else you want to say?" Unable to hide her regret, Lydia looked at a spot somewhere within the monastery. "Does it have to be... that child? That child, too, is ultimately... a loyal believer under God''s care..." "Enough." Riverrier Lanze cut her off, seemingly unwilling to hear more. "I''m not unaware that Reinhardt is more suited for this role." The mention of Reinhardt caused a flash of strange emotion in the female student''s eyes. Twisted hatred and anger swirled within them. "But Reinhardt is a Temple Royal Class student like you, and even a classmate of the Crown Prince and Princess. You know that he''s not someone we can touch carelessly." "..." "Of course, if circumstances demand, we might have to involve him, but for now, this is the best course of action. Besides, we haven''t decided to sacrifice that child for certain. Depending on the situation, no one may get hurt." "...Yes, Commander." Lydia Schmitt left the abandoned monastery after finishing her words. The man beside Riverrier Lanze spoke cautiously. "Do you think things will go as that child expects?" "Not at all." Riverrier Lanze shook his head with a stern expression. "Her idea is bold, but... things won''t go as she expects." "Is that so?" "I''m uneasy. I know she''s talented, but..." Riverrier Lanze clicked his tongue as he looked in the direction where the female student had disappeared. "I can only hope she doesn''t do anything foolish." "I apologize. I thought she could be of help to us, so I brought her to the Nameless Monastery." The man who had brought Lydia Schmitt to the Nameless Monastery bowed his head to Riverrier Lanze. However, what had happened had happened. Lydia Schmitt''s usefulness wasn''t limited to just this one occasion. She was soon to graduate from the Temple, and her enlistment in the Temple Holy Knights was planned. "From now on, be more selective in choosing who to bring in." "Yes, Commander." Whether she liked it or not, Lydia Schmitt was a valuable asset to the group. "How is Adriana?" "... She''s keeping a low profile." "I see." Riverrier Lanze nodded and instructed the man beside him. "For now, just keep an eye on the situation. Monitor Lydia Schmitt''s plan as it unfolds, and if things don''t go as expected, send a letter to Olivia. If we mention we have Adriana, she''ll understand." With Adriana in their possession, luring Olivia out of the temple would be an easy task. The real challenge would come after that. Riverrier Lanze stared intently at the flickering flames. Only Olivia Lanze could restore the honor of the fallen former commander of the Holy Knights. That would be their starting point. From there, Riverrier Lanze intended to write the history of the sacred land that would last a thousand years. ------ Sitting on a hard wooden bed, Adriana gazed at the pale moonlight filtering through a small hole. Her room contained nothing but the wooden bed, and two knights stood guard outside. "..." Adriana buried her face between her knees. The nameless monastery. Led here by Riverrier Lanze, Adriana lived under the watchful eye of the knights belonging to the monastery. She had initially thought that Riverrier Lanze sought revenge against her. However, her value didn''t come from that. ''In a few days, Olivia will come here.'' ''You just need to explain the situation to Olivia and persuade her to change her mind.'' That was all Riverrier Lanze had said. What situation was he referring to, and what exactly did he expect her to persuade Olivia to do? The talk was about convincing the faithless Olivia to regain her faith, but Adriana couldn''t understand why she had to do that. All she knew was one thing. She was merely bait to lure Olivia. Riverrier Lanze wanted to change Olivia''s mind. Even if he failed to do so, he sought to regain his authority and honor by making her retract her statement as the royal daughter. Adriana was nothing more than bait for that purpose. She had refused. Olivia had made her own choice, and she didn''t understand why she had to forcibly reverse it. Since then, Adriana had been imprisoned like this. The nameless monastery. She knew that they intended to create a new division among humanity after the Demon War had ended. She had once been disappointed in those who had faith. She believed it was the fault of the believers, not the gods. But still, If the faithful were doing so much wrong, shouldn''t the gods warn their followers? Olivia would soon come to this place. Knowing she was held hostage, Olivia would have no choice but to come. That was just the kind of person she was. Although she was in despair from being held hostage, there was nothing Adriana could do. In the Temple in the north, a festival was underway. Meanwhile, in a ruin to the south, Adriana crouched, silently resenting the gods. ------ Thursday, breakfast time. Kono Lint was having breakfast. Word had spread throughout Class A that Kono Lint had participated in a cross-dressing contest. However, the only one who was taken aback by this news was Cliffman. "Are you feeling okay today, Harriet? How''s your condition?" "Great, I''m fine." Ellen showed no interest, and Adelia and Harriet were busy discussing something between themselves. Kono Lint expected Reinhardt, who had also not attended the event, to at least make some comment, but all Reinhardt said was, "Uh¡­ why did you go to such a thing?" It was surprising. Kono Lint had expected him to be shocked or disgusted, or to criticize him. That''s why Kono Lint couldn''t help but be conscious of Reinhardt''s reaction. Although Reinhardt wasn''t the type to provoke first, he could be spiteful. Kono Lint had a strange feeling when he encountered Reinhardt the night before. It was difficult to describe in words, but it was something peculiar. A subtle feeling that was hard to grasp, yet seemed familiar, but couldn''t quite be understood. Such a subtle sensation. Although it was the festival period, the morning scene wasn''t much different. With the exception of Bertus, who seemed busy with his own matters, everyone was in their usual seats. Such a typical breakfast time. Kono Lint cautiously observed Reinhardt''s reactions. Observing meant looking at him. Looking at him meant watching Reinhardt closely. And Kono Lint saw Reinhardt''s hand, as he ate next to Ellen not far away. That hand. The nails. Their shape. They looked as if they had been bitten and torn apart. "¡­!" Upon seeing those nails, Kono Lint felt an electrifying sensation throughout his body, an intuition almost like a revelation. The uneasy number 40. The nail-biting number 40. The number 40 who asked if he could teleport himself. The number 40 who obediently offered his hand when asked. The ruined nails. The bitten and torn nails. "Ah." "?" "?" Kono Lint muttered involuntarily and met the questioning gazes of Erich and Cayer. It couldn''t be. That person from yesterday, the silver-haired angelic figure. It was difficult to describe, but that person. That someone and. Just because Reinhardt''s bitten nails looked similar. It was the silver-haired, golden-eyed number 40. Reinhardt''s eyes were blue. However, that could be changed by wearing lenses. "Ah." "¡­What''s up?" "Why are you acting like that?" Kono Lint knew his thoughts were utterly implausible. "Aren''t you participating in the Unrestricted-class tournament today?" "Yeah." "¡­Will you be okay?" "Whatever, I''ll manage somehow. But aren''t you participating as well? You won the first-year tournament." "No, I decided not to. Lucky for you." "What?! You think you''d lose to me?" "Heh, where on earth do you get the idea that you''d win?" "You, just wait and see!" Their voices are strikingly different. Compared to the gentle and warm voice of the mysterious person from yesterday, Reinhardt''s voice sounds needlessly harsh, doesn''t it? It''s natural for people to have qualitative differences. The gentle and kind number 40 and Reinhardt have a gap as wide as that between an angel and a demon. Kono Lint tried to suppress the unpleasant imagination that welled up in his head. But still. Aren''t there some similarities? If you put a silver wig on that face, golden eyes, a slightly shorter height, and a slender figure, then that''s... Isn''t that right? "Ah." "Hey, what''s wrong with you?" "Are you feeling sick?" In the end, Kono Lint let out three sighs in a row, attracting the attention of his friends who had been quietly eating their meals nearby. CH 306 With Wednesday marking the end of my personal involvement in the festival, there was nothing left for me to participate in directly. Since Liana was busy helping Cliffman and Ellen with their contest preparations, there was no room for me to intervene. Today is Thursday, and the main event of the Unrestricted Tournament is taking place. Tomorrow, Friday, the Miss & Mister Temple Contest and the final round of the Unrestricted Tournament will be held. Although I had secured my place in the Unrestricted Tournament main event by winning the Freshman Tournament, I decided not to participate. It wouldn''t be bad to gain some experience, but there were issues with my condition deteriorating more than expected when using magical enhancement, and I was hesitant to take the risk of injury. I had barely scraped through the Freshman Tournament, which I had entered with a light-hearted attitude, and now, with the Black Order and the Vampire Council, I didn''t know when I would have to engage in real combat. I couldn''t push myself any further in the tournament. So now, there''s nothing left for me to participate in. That ridiculous cross-dressing contest has also come to an end. Of course, the Black Order now thinks I have a bizarre taste. Harriet was in Group C of the Unrestricted Tournament main event. The participants had to arrive early at the stadium to prepare, so Harriet had no choice but to leave early. Before she left, I had a brief conversation with her. "I''m not sure what to say, but... will things go well?" I felt sorry for saying this, but I couldn''t figure out how Harriet had managed to get through the preliminaries and advance to the main event. "Don''t worry, I''ll handle it." Harriet responded, seemingly annoyed by my concern. I had been asking her about various things since morning due to my anxiety, but she didn''t seem particularly confident, nor did she appear anxious. "What about the earrings?" Surprisingly, Harriet wasn''t even wearing the earrings imbued with calming magic. At my question, Harriet sighed. "Artifacts are prohibited, you know?" Was that so? Now that I think about it, that makes sense. Of course, I''m already a regular artifact user with the ring of Sarkegaar, but I hadn''t checked whether artifacts were allowed or not. That meant Harriet would have to fight without any items to help her control her temper. "Anyway, don''t push yourself. If you feel like you can''t do it, just give up. Be careful not to get hurt, because you never know. Keep in mind that most of the main event participants will be able to use Magic Body Strengthening..." "Hey! My mom doesn''t nag me this much!" In the end, Harriet snapped at me. Then, she looked at me with a sad smile. "Do I make you that anxious?" Was it that obvious? "Ah... no. It''s not that..." "No, I get it. It can''t be helped. And to be honest, I don''t feel too bad about you being like this." Harriet sighed. "I know you''re worried about me. Thanks." She could have taken my nagging as a sign that I didn''t trust her and felt hurt, but Harriet seemed to choose to see it in a positive light. "Still, I''m trying to change." I want to become stronger. That includes physical strength, but I thought it was more about one''s mindset. Ellen thought she was mentally prepared but not physically. Harriet thought she wasn''t ready in either aspect. In the end, after numerous events and incidents, both Ellen and Harriet changed significantly. It wasn''t a specific event, but rather the accumulation of many experiences that planted the desire to become stronger in both of them. "I''ll show you this time," Harriet declared confidently. Lately, she always looked serious and grave due to various matters, but it seemed like it had been a while since I saw her genuinely smile. "Can I look forward to it?" "No matter what you expect..." Harriet grinned. "It''ll be even better." Leaving me with those words, Harriet set off. It was hard to believe, but I had a strong conviction that there was no falsehood in Harriet''s words when she said she would show me something beyond my expectations. ------ Among the people I knew, there were two who had advanced to the Unrestricted-Class Tournament. One was Harriet de Saint-Owan, who had just departed for the stadium. The other was, of course, Olivia Lanze. The reason why Ellen mentioned that she could win Miss Temple and even the Unrestricted Tournament was not to provoke but because both of them were actually participating. After Harriet''s departure, I was at the dormitory''s main gate. "Hmm, were you waiting for me?" "Well, yes." "I didn''t expect that. Surprising." Olivia came out of the dormitory, narrowed her eyes, and smiled when she saw me. "By the way, senior, you can''t use holy power, right?" I knew that Olivia had confidence in her abilities. I couldn''t tell to what extent, though. However, Olivia''s greatest asset was her holy power. Of course, since she had renounced her faith, Olivia shouldn''t use holy power regardless of whether she could or not. At my words, Olivia smiled. "Right, I can''t risk getting sent to a religious trial." "Would you go that far?" "Unauthorized use of holy power is obviously prohibited." Could she be confident in winning the tournament without even using her holy power, which was her forte? Of course, just by advancing to the main round, her skills were already proven. At my question, Olivia tilted her head and showed a subtle smile. "Hmm? Are you worried about me?" "Well, I''m sure you''ll handle it well." "Tsk." Olivia stuck out her tongue as if she was disappointed. Despite being unable to use her most important ability, she remained confident. I wondered just how skilled Olivia was. And there was one more thing I was curious about. "I have a question." "What is it?" "Last year, you didn''t participate in Miss Temple, did you? Nor the tournament." "Last year, I didn''t have the time since I was busy with volunteer work, right?" "And you also said that you weren''t interested in it before that." "Ah, yeah, that''s true." Olivia wasn''t the type of person to show off. Before all this, she was always humble, considerate of others, and even willingly took a year off to provide support during the Demon World War. In any case, Olivia Lanze wasn''t the type to boast about her achievements. She never participated in the Miss Temple contest or any tournaments like that. "Do you want to know why I suddenly decided to participate in all of these?" "Yes, I''m curious." Although she must have constantly heard suggestions from people around her to participate in Miss Temple or the tournaments, I wondered why she suddenly decided to join them all. "Well... it''s not really anything special..." At my question, Olivia''s face turned red as she scratched her cheek with her finger. The reason why Olivia Lanze, who had no interest in showing off her beauty or her power, suddenly became interested in both of these things seemed quite embarrassing. With a shy expression, Olivia cautiously spoke up. "It''s... because of money..." "Money?" "Yes... Money." Money? Olivia, who seemed to be even more indifferent to money than showing off, said she was participating because of money? She awkwardly laughed with a ha-ha-ha. It was somewhat... A foolish and innocent expression. It felt like I was seeing the real Olivia Lanze for the first time in a long while. It reminded me of when we first met. Even when faced with an unexpected request from an impolite freshman, Olivia willingly obliged and sincerely engaged in conversation. "Actually, I was disowned, right? Although it wasn''t really my fault." "Ah... right." "So... I''m broke now..." Ah. So that was it. When she was the daughter of a Holy Knight commander, she must have lived without worrying about money. However, now that Riverrier Lanze was dismissed from her position as a Holy Knight commander and Olivia was disowned, she might have managed to escape various problems in one way or another, but she still faced a bizarre issue. In short, she had no source of income. That''s why she participated in Miss Temple and the tournament, both of which offered a considerable amount of prize money. It all came down to money, after all. Olivia''s face turned red as she seemed embarrassed to say it. Still, it was quite intriguing. "Miss Temple provides a monthly allowance for maintaining one''s dignity, right?" Students of the Royal Class receive a monthly allowance under the pretext of maintaining their dignity. Four gold coins per month. It may not be a huge amount for some, but it''s still significant. Olivia didn''t seem interested in luxuries at all. She didn''t wear any jewelry or accessories, and she didn''t seem to have any expensive hobbies. Wouldn''t the allowance from the temple be enough for her? "Well... it is, but..." Olivia bit her lip slightly. "I know it sounds foolish and a bit like showing off, so I didn''t want to say it, but..." Olivia sighed deeply, looking at me with a sense of resignation. "I''ve been personally sponsoring an orphanage since before. Even though I''ve given up my faith, it doesn''t mean I''ve given up on those children. My father used to give me quite a lot of pocket money, so there was no problem, but after everything that''s happened, I couldn''t bring myself to reduce the sponsorship amount. Those places are struggling financially too..." "..." "So, now I''ve run out of money and I''m reaching my limits in various ways. That''s why..." I could understand why Olivia hesitated to talk about it. She knew that she couldn''t help but be seen as a fool for her actions. It wasn''t a place she had been supporting with the money she earned herself from the beginning. But even in her current financially tight situation, she couldn''t reduce or stop the sponsorship. That''s why she needed the prize money from winning the tournaments and Miss Temple, which she wouldn''t have been interested in otherwise. In the end, it wasn''t about picking a fight with Elen or anything like that, but it was all about money. Olivia''s lips trembled, as if she were making an excuse. "Well, I''m not that desperate?" "What do you mean by that desperate?" "I''m not like those who use the money they receive for joining a team like Shanafel as sponsorship funds." I had once asked Olivia why she couldn''t live for herself. Did she think I would be angry if she told me the real reason she needed money? "Actually, I did consider it, but after talking to you last time, I thought that was going too far... I think that''s not right. But this is fine, right?" Regardless of how the prize money is used, it ultimately belongs to the person who won it. The places Olivia sponsors are probably not financially well-off. I don''t know how much her sponsorship amounts to, but if that amount decreases, they''ll inevitably be affected. Seeing me not saying anything, Olivia smiled weakly. "I guess it is foolish after all..." Olivia muttered with a deflated expression. "I do think it''s foolish." "..." Helping others while not being able to take care of yourself is foolish, isn''t it? I once thought so, and to some extent, I still do. "But does that make it a bad thing?" There''s no reason for someone who doesn''t live like that to look down on someone who does. Just like how I live my way. There are people like Olivia who live their way. I don''t know and can''t judge the right or wrong of it. At my words, Olivia looked at me with wide, surprised eyes. It''s not a bad thing. I never said it was a good thing. "Thank you, Reinhardt." But Olivia smiled brightly, as if she had received some kind of encouragement. Every time I saw Olivia''s genuine expression, not her usual pretentious one, I felt as if I were suffocating. "Be my strength. A great deal of it." Olivia grinned mischievously as she gently patted my head, then gave me a quick wink. "Bro, I''ll definitely win." "I didn''t exactly say you should win." "Don''t be so nitpicky! I got the general idea!" Olivia quickly ran off and disappeared into the dormitory. ... She was always full of energy, no matter when I saw her. By the way, Olivia didn''t participate in the grade-based tournament. If the prize money was her goal, she could have entered the grade-based tournament as well. Did she think it wouldn''t be fair because her opponent would be a fifth-grader? After all, she''s technically attended one more year. She wouldn''t be able to enter the sixth-grade tournament. So, it seemed like she only participated in the unrestricted tournament. As I watched Olivia disappear into the distance, I became even more conflicted. Miss Temple and the unrestricted tournament. Olivia was the overwhelming favorite to win both. And Harriet and Ellen, who participated in those events, were relatively weaker. Thus, putting personal feelings aside, I was mentally rooting for Ellen and Harriet. Their fights were so obviously one-sided. However, Olivia was participating in both events not just for the sake of her interest, but also due to a serious issue of her own. Now, I didn''t know who to root for. But the financial situation of the orphanage was the problem. It was something I couldn''t quite understand. There''s no way that could be true... "Ah, excuse me." After Olivia left, I was about to return to the dormitory when someone called out to me. It was a student, and since I was in the lowest grade of the Royal Class, it was naturally an upperclassman. "Yes?" "Are you Reinhardt?" "Yes, but..." It was a kind-looking female upperclassman. She called me over, but she wasn''t looking at me; she was gazing into the distance. More precisely, she was staring in the direction where Olivia had disappeared. "What did you talk about with Olivia?" "Well, it wasn''t anything special." Who is this person, anyway? "Is that so?" The upperclassman in front of me started to stare at me intently. I didn''t feel any hostility from her gaze. How should I put it? I felt an odd sensation, as if chills were running down my spine. Her smile didn''t seem genuine. "So, who are you?" "Oh, I didn''t introduce myself." The upperclassman held out her hand. "I''m Schmidt. Lydia Schmidt. Sixth grade." "Ah, I see." I shook her extended hand. Her appearance was kind, but as soon as I held her hand, I felt it. She was no ordinary person. For some reason, I felt uneasy and stared at the upperclassman. "What business do you have with me?" "Ah, no, Reinhardt. I don''t have any business with you." The mysterious upperclassman showed me a subtle smile. "Not yet." What''s going on? Leaving behind those strangely chilling words, the mysterious upperclassman slowly walked away from me. CH 307 Although he had met with the peculiar senior, in the end, he couldn''t find out anything about the person besides her name. Lydia Schmitt. He was the type to undervalue others. It was clear she was different from Bertus or Charlotte, but he couldn''t precisely explain what set them apart. Harriet was in the main tournament''s Group C. Olivia was also in Group C. Since they were proceeding with the top 32 matches anyway, it seemed necessary to arrive early to watch Harriet''s matches. Harriet was the only first-year in the Royal Class, so there might be some who wouldn''t bother watching the B Class matches, but surprisingly, everyone flocked to the stadium. Even if they weren''t particularly close to Harriet, they seemed curious that a first-year, especially a magic major, was participating in the Unrestricted Tournament. And, after all, she was their classmate, so they seemed to want to cheer for her. It was fascinating that they shared a sense of camaraderie as classmates, even though there was no hierarchy between Classes A and B. Except for Ellen and Cliffman, who would be participating in the contest tomorrow, and Bertus, who wasn''t in the dormitory, all the first-years were heading to the stadium. "Huuu¡­" "¡­" "Haah¡­" "¡­" "Ah¡­" Fizzle! "Hey! Why do you keep sighing so ominously?" As I kept letting out deep sighs while walking, Liana, with her temples throbbing, screamed at me. Everyone looked at us because of that, but I didn''t care. "Aren''t you worried? Our girl is about to face off against formidable seniors!" This is it! Our girl has entered the tiger''s den! The waiting room wouldn''t even have other first-years. What if some big shot in there picks a fight with Harriet, saying, ''Hey, cute junior girl, what are you doing here? This isn''t a place for kids to show off,'' could she handle it? Seriously, what if there''s someone like me, who starts a fight out of the blue! "Is Harriet a child?" "Isn''t she?" "¡­" "¡­" Ah. We were classmates, after all. Still. Our blockhead¡­ I couldn''t help but worry. No matter how much she assured me she would be fine¡­ "Haah¡­" I let out another sigh. Liana frowned at me, sighing again and again for no good reason. "Are you going to keep cursing her with bad luck?" "¡­Cursing?" At the mention of "cursing," the absentminded Dettomorian, who had been following us, looked over. "Well, not exactly a curse, but maybe a simple spell to attract good energy¡­" "Detto. If that works¡­ wouldn''t that be considered cheating¡­?" "Is that so¡­" "Yeah, let''s not do that." "Okay¡­" Charlotte stopped Dettomorian from doing whatever he was planning. Judging by Charlotte''s expression, the problem wasn''t cheating, but rather the possibility of side effects if Dettomorian did something. "Don''t worry, Reinhardt." Seeing my continued anxiety, Ellen quietly spoke from beside me. "Harriet will do well." "On what basis?" "Just a feeling." Ellen wasn''t smiling, nor did she wear a frown. She just wore her usual expression, a bit plain and pudgy. "I believe she''ll do well." Believes. For some reason, that expression felt familiar. The Duke of Saint Owan had said that his daughter possessed the greatest magical talent in human history, and that she could easily accomplish things that would astonish the world. That''s what he had said. And yet, here I was, sighing heavily at the thought of her participating in the tournament among the seniors. Even though I should have had no doubt that she would do something amazing, something worth showing off. I wonder if this is how the Duke of Saint Owan felt when he heard about the magic research club''s project. When someone is important to you, everything they do feels inadequate, and you end up dismissing things they should be able to do as impossible because of your worries. Harriet feels inadequate. But is it because I value her so much? Is it because I want her to avoid getting hurt? I''m not her parent. Yet, thinking of her in such a way would ultimately be disrespectful to Harriet. Still... our blockhead. What if she suffers a crushing defeat in her first match? How can I not worry? It''s not easy to change my mindset. At this point, it''s a sickness. "It''s okay, Reinhardt. She''ll do well." This time, it wasn''t Ellen but Louis Ancton who spoke those words. Naturally, the members of the magic research club were also present to watch Harriet''s match, and senior Redina was no exception. None of them seemed overly worried, which was strange. "Hey, Reinhardt! Stop worrying about useless things and get ready to be surprised!" Redina covered her mouth and giggled. Did they have some kind of secret weapon? It did seem like the members of the magic research club had put their heads together to prepare something for Harriet''s tournament. ------ In the grade-based tournaments, the least interesting one would naturally be the first-year tournament, since their skill level would be the lowest. In contrast, the sixth-year tournament would be the most interesting. But as students advanced through the years, there were plenty of instances where juniors were stronger than their seniors. That''s why the Unrestricted tournament exists. From matching grade-based tournament winners against each other to the Unrestricted tournament, where students from any grade could compete, this became the highlight of the festival. Though many winners of the sixth-year tournament advanced to the Unrestricted tournament and won, there were also many who didn''t. That''s why it was undeniably the biggest event of the festival. Soon. It would be the stage to determine the strongest in the Temple. Of course, this was limited to the participants. -Wowwwwwwww! The expectations and cheers of the crowd were incomparable to those of the first-year tournament. People swarmed in, filling every seat. "Ugh, it''s so noisy." Liana''s voice came from behind me. A considerable number of royal class seats were occupied. There would be other royal class participants besides Olivia Lanze and Harriet. Although the cheering was so loud that others couldn''t distinguish the voices, I could differentiate the murmuring of people by enhancing and focusing my hearing. Who will win? Maybe Lydia will? No, I heard Olivia is participating too. Ah¡­ Really? But, I''ve never seen her fight. Isn''t her major in divine power? Her major is that, but¡­ I heard she''s incredibly good at close combat too. Really? Who said that? Hmm? I heard it from someone too¡­ Who was it? Most of the murmuring from the people around us was about Olivia. There were also fifth-year students who came to watch Olivia''s match, including the student council president Ceres Van Owen and members of the religious club Grace. Due to the crowd, we only exchanged glances. ¡°...¡± Since Saviolin Turner acknowledged that Olivia was the strongest in the next generation, her skill level could be guessed without seeing it. Charlotte was sitting on my right. On her right was Saviolin Turner, the supervisor teacher and Charlotte''s bodyguard. Olivia kept saying she was good at fighting. And she also said she hated violence. I know both are true. That''s why most of the royal class audience talked about Olivia''s skills. But the important fact is, there are hardly any people who have actually seen Olivia in action. There are plenty of rumors about how amazing she is, but because she doesn''t have a showy personality, it seemed no one had actually seen her in action. There were many people who said she was great and amazing, but no one said they had seen it themselves. "Is this person Olivia really that amazing, Lady Turner?" Sitting next to me, Charlotte whispered to Saviolin Turner. Charlotte seemed to be bothered by the murmurs she heard from the surroundings. "You should call me teacher now, Your Highness." Why is this person so sensitive about his title? "¡­If that''s the case, shouldn''t you treat me as a fellow student of the temple in the first place?" "¡­I can''t do that. How could I commit such a disrespect?" "Mother, so are you treating everyone who calls me Charlotte and treats me as an equal as disrespectful?" "That''s not it. The Temple has its own rules, so I should follow¡­" ''No, if I say it like this, since I''m the supervisor teacher, I should call you Charlotte according to the rules, right?'' ''Self-contradictory, huh?'' ''I made a mistake in my words.'' ''What should I do?'' Why do I feel like I can read her thoughts without even looking at her face? Is it an illusion? ''Let''s just¡­ change the subject.'' "Um. Olivia Lanze is an excellent student. She''s especially outstanding among the highly talented royal class of the temple who are expected to have a promising future." "Ahh. To what extent?" "Hmm." Saviolin Turner crossed his arms and watched the arena, which had yet to begin the competition. "If there are students even slightly below Olivia''s level, I would be quite surprised." "Hmm, Turner... I mean, Lady, how do you know about Olivia Lanze?" "Mostly from my junior, Ephinhauser. As far as I know, Olivia Lanze hasn''t taken any close combat courses since her third year." I understood why most students talked about Olivia''s incredible skills but had never actually seen them. There was no reason for her to demonstrate her abilities in class. "Why not?" "She said she didn''t want to learn any more techniques to hurt people." "¡­Interesting." "Ephinhauser told me that Olivia was already at a level where she didn''t need to learn more at that time." "¡­Ah." Charlotte seemed flabbergasted. "So the moment she said she didn''t want to learn more, she had already learned enough to have nothing more to learn?" "¡­In a way, yes." I don''t want to learn any more techniques to hurt people! (Nothing left to learn) She''s quite a character. Anyway, after that, Olivia hadn''t taken any practical courses or participated in competitions. "Of course, I haven''t seen her abilities firsthand either." Even Saviolin Turner had only heard everything from Ephinhauser. "So, it''s just rumors?" At that, Saviolin Turner shook his head. "Hmm, there''s no possibility that it''s just a baseless rumor." "Why not?" "Yes. Are you not aware that Olivia Lanze went to the rear support line during the Demon World War?" "I heard she did. For treating wounded soldiers and medical support¡­" "Your Highness." Saviolin Turner looked at Charlotte. She hadn''t participated in the Demon World War. Rather, she couldn''t. But she must have known the details of the war. "During that time, when every hand was precious, do you think a powerful divine force like Olivia Lanze would have only done that?" "¡­No way, was she deployed to the front line?" "Of course, according to her wishes, she was not deployed to the front line. However, all sorts of things happen in the rear support area. For instance, sudden raids by the Demon King''s army." It was the same for me and everyone at the temple. We had been too naive. It was a war, but everyone thought that Olivia, who had gone to the rear support, had simply treated people and looked after the wounded. Just like her nickname, the Holy Maiden of Eredian. Everyone assumed that she had returned after performing sacred tasks like an angel of healing. "I won''t go into the details, as it''s not a pleasant thing to hear." Saviolin Turner spoke while gazing at the arena, where the first match was just about to begin. "Olivia Lanze faced numerous dangerous situations in unsafe places and returned alive." "¡­" Olivia was not a delicate flower nurtured in a greenhouse. She had experienced a real war and survived it. Perhaps that was why she came to hate violence even more. It must not have been a pleasant memory for Olivia. That''s why she said she had gone to provide service and nothing more. "In that region, Olivia Lanze was not called a saint but a god of death." On the battlefield where Olivia went to save people, she killed countless soldiers of the Demon King''s army. That''s why, even her allies feared her and called her the god of death. I had thought Olivia wouldn''t particularly like the nickname Holy Maiden of Eredian. In fact, she had another nickname she would undoubtedly dislike even more. CH 308 The Unrestricted-Class Tournament was on a different level compared to the first-year tournament I had experienced. Not only were a significant number of participants from the Royal Class or former Orbis Class seniors, but even those from general classes possessed skills that couldn''t be disregarded. First of all, all close combat participants who made it to the finals had awakened their Magic Body Strengthening. Although there were numerous people who couldn''t awaken their Magic Body Strengthening until they graduated, it meant there were still those who had succeeded. It was a competition to determine the strongest person in the temple, so having Magic Body Strengthening was a basic requirement. There may also be a case of organizing the match-ups to prevent those with skills close to the winning candidates from being eliminated in the preliminaries. As I watched Group A''s match, I caught sight of the mysterious female senior who had spoken to me earlier in front of the dormitory. "Royal Class 6th year, Lydia Schmitt!" She was also participating in the tournament. It seemed she was one of the winning candidates mentioned before Olivia''s name came up. Was she conscious of her competition? With Olivia not participating, her victory would be nearly guaranteed, but Olivia''s sudden participation made winning more challenging. Was it resentment? Olivia should have been a 6th-year student, having taken a year off. That meant Olivia and Lydia Schmitt had spent a long time together in the temple. But Olivia''s bizarre behavior only began recently. I couldn''t imagine her having a bad relationship with anyone. Royal Class 6th year, B-2 Lydia Schmitt. Regardless of what she was thinking, what was important was her tremendous skill. I had felt it when we shook hands, but seeing it with my own eyes was even more extraordinary. "¡­Incredible." "Indeed." After watching Lydia Schmitt''s main match, Ellen and I couldn''t help but say that. A paladin. She was a monster who could simultaneously use divine power and Magic Body Strengthening. The competitors in the matches following her clean victory also had amazing skills, whether they won or lost. Even though I won the first-year championship, it was clear that I couldn''t hold a candle to them. It wasn''t that I was overly proud of my victory, but seeing the seniors'' skills made me realize how much further I had to go. I wasn''t sure about Ellen, but I still had a long way to go. The audience was also excited, watching the students exchange fierce blows with their Magic Body Strengthening active. Charlotte seemed uninterested in this sort of thing, but she was concentrating as she listened to Saviolin Turner''s commentary beside her. Listening to it from a distance was quite helpful. She would predict who would win or say things like, "seeing their actions in this situation, it seems the outcome is already clear." Almost all of Saviolin Turner''s words turned out to be correct. Of course, there were also those who had no interest at all. "Adelia, wake me up when Harriet''s turn comes." "Huh? Oh... Yeah." Liana lay her head on Adelia''s thigh, who was sitting beside her. The order was me, Ellen, Liana, and Adelia. So, Liana lay her head on Adelia''s lap while draping her legs over Ellen''s. Ellen seemed indifferent, but I couldn''t stay calm. "Do you want to cause a scene while wearing a skirt?" "I''m wearing shorts underneath, so it doesn''t matter." Liana, still lying down, tried to reach for the hem of her skirt as if it didn''t matter. What on earth was she trying to do? -Slap! "Ouch!" "¡­" When Liana attempted to do so, the previously quiet Ellen slapped Liana''s thigh with a smacking sound. "Stay still." "Uh, okay¡­" Ellen stared at Liana, and Liana nodded her head with a flustered expression while lying down. Ellen seemed to be worried Liana might cause trouble, so she firmly held Liana''s skirt. -Boom! Crash! In the meantime, two magically empowered students were fiercely fighting each other. It wasn''t difficult to follow with my eyes, but the fight between these monsters seemed uncertain even if I were to stand there myself. Now, Harriet has to face these opponents. How are you going to handle them when even I feel uncertain? Our dear, dense friend¡­ You can do this, right? I feel so anxious that I''m losing my mind! It''s not because you lose that you''ll be mentally exhausted, right? -Tap tap tap tap "Stop shaking your leg." Ellen eventually had to say something to me. I couldn''t help but feel anxious. -Sigh... Somewhere, a sigh that was remarkably similar to mine could be heard. I suddenly focused on the sound of the sigh, not for any particular reason. It felt incredibly similar to my own and somewhat... Familiar. Honey, please stop. Aren''t you worried too? Our child will manage just fine. The Duke and Duchess of Saint-Owan sat side by side. Considering it was the festival season, it wasn''t unusual for the Duke and Duchess of Saint-Owan to visit the temple. Moreover, since Harriet was participating in the Unrestricted-Class Tournament, it was only natural for them to come and watch. Our seats weren''t very close, so it didn''t seem like the Duke of Saint-Owan recognized me. However, it looked like the Duke and I shared the same thoughts. Given my state, it was only natural that people around me would find my behavior mentally exhausting. But... should I go and greet them? The last misunderstanding seemed to have been resolved. It would be strange not to greet my friend''s parents when I have clearly seen them, right? But going out of my way to greet them also feels odd. What should I do? I''ll think about it after this is over. In any case, having a comrade who shares the same anxiety makes me feel somewhat better. ------ Unrestricted-Class Tournament Main Round, Group C, Third Match. That was Harriet''s first match. -The only participant among the first years, and the only magic major in this tournament! Royal Class 1st year, student A-4, Harriet de Saint-Owan! Harriet, not in her school uniform but a long-sleeved outfit that seemed easier to move in, stood still. A first-year student, and a magic major. Even those who didn''t know her well already understood she was at a disadvantage. Naturally, not only the Royal Class first years, but also Liana, who had been lying down, now sat up straight and watched the arena. Her opponent was Elnore Class 4th year Aisa Shelkin. Though not knowing who she was, like all Unrestricted-class tournament main round contestants, she could use Magic Body Strengthening. She was introduced as a regular class student, but there was a good chance she had transferred from Orbis Class. Her weapon was a sword. As a magic major, Harriet had no weapon. The Unrestricted-class tournament starts with a best-of-five from the round of 36. Tension was visible on Harriet''s face. It would be her first time fighting someone in front of so many people. Would she fail to cast her spells? With the announcer''s brief introduction, the first set began. What would Harriet show us? I enhanced my sight and hearing to better understand the situation. Aisa Shelkin stared at Harriet silently. ¡°I don''t know how a magic major, especially a first-year, made it to the main round¡­¡± The 4th-year student spoke quietly, her sword aimed at Harriet. ¡°Your luck ends now, junior.¡± Harriet offered no response. The key to overpowering a magic major was a swift and decisive victory. Not giving them a chance to attack. Aisa Shelkin''s body emitted a faint blue glow. Magic Body Strengthening. -Thud! At the same time, she made a split-second charge. Like the wind, Aisa Shelkin''s figure closed in on Harriet. In response to the charge, Harriet reached out her hand. -Crash! Aisa Shelkin''s thrust was blocked by a blue barrier that spread from Harriet''s hand. It was presumed to be a protection-type spell. Perhaps she had pre-cast it. But protective spells couldn''t last forever. Aisa Shelkin seemed to know this as she repeatedly hammered away at Harriet''s barrier. -Bang! Crash! Clang! Heavy blows carrying the power of Magic Body Strengthening. Defense alone wouldn''t be enough. The blue light of the protection spell was already fading, seemingly reaching its limit. All of us watched the scene in silence. Even Saviolin Turner appeared to be withholding judgment as he observed the situation. -Crash! The protection spell disappeared with Aisa Shelkin''s strike, and seizing the opportunity, she lunged with her sword again. Was the next protection spell not ready yet? At that moment, when it seemed she would allow an attack. -Whoosh! Harriet''s figure vanished. "!" In an instant, Aisa Shelkin lost sight of her target and swung her sword at empty air. She couldn''t see it, but the audience could. On the opposite side of the arena, there stood Harriet de Saint-Owan. Short-range spatial teleportation magic, Blink. "Battlemages must master this magic first," No sooner had Saviolin Turner finished his brief comment than Aisa Shelkin''s gaze shifted towards Harriet, who had put some distance between them. However. -Zap! A blue flash from Harriet''s right hand struck Aisa Shelkin''s body. -Argh! Thanks to her Magic Body Strengthening defense or her sufficient anti-magic training, Aisa Shelkin winced but didn''t fall. Yet, she couldn''t easily escape the shock from the lightning. In that brief moment. -Roar! A crimson fireball blazed above Harriet''s right shoulder. A Fireball was fired at Aisa Shelkin as soon as it was cast. -Boom! Even before the Fireball''s explosion subsided, I witnessed an unbelievable sight. As soon as the fireball hit, another fireball was already forming on Harriet''s left side and was fired. -Bang! Another fireball was shot at Aisa Shelkin, who was once again engulfed in an explosion and roaring sound. Strange. Saviolin Turner was also narrowing his eyes at the spectacle. "Her casting speed... It''s very fast." People were feeling Harriet''s exceptionally fast magic casting speed. As if not to give her opponent any chance to escape, Harriet hit Aisa Shelkin with three consecutive Fireballs. Was it already her limit? Upon the impact of the third fireball, Aisa Shelkin was recalled with the light of a Recall Artifact. ¡°The first set! Freshman Harriet de Saint-Owan wins!¡± What in the world had just happened? What on earth did she do, and how did she do it? Harriet found me among the numerous spectators, looking straight at me. As if she assumed I could hear her naturally. She said, ¡°How''s that?¡± I didn''t know what she had done or how she had done it. But I could tell that this abnormal talent was starting to cause some abnormal events. ¡°Woah!¡± The audience, intoxicated by the destructive power and brilliance of the magic, roared with cheers. I didn''t know what she had done, but if she could do that much, it was clear that I was no match for Harriet now. I smiled at Harriet. A mouse had been worrying about the cat. But it wasn''t such a bad feeling. ¡°Didn''t I tell you? She''d do well on her own.¡± ¡°Well, I knew this would happen, of course.¡± ¡°...¡± During that time, the Grand Duke Saint-Owan had already changed his stance. CH 309 The result was a 3-0, a complete victory for Harriet. Her opponent, Aisa Shelkin, wore a bewildered expression. She had been utterly defeated by a magic major. It couldn''t have been any other way. The weakness of magic was casting. But in the face of Harriet''s abnormally fast casting speed, Aisa Shelkin could only always be a beat too slow. Of course, Harriet didn''t possess the no-casting ability, but her extremely fast casting speed allowed her to toy with the close combat major as if it were a mere game. Redina''s no-casting talent was thus inconceivable. With a sufficient amount of mana like Harriet, a faster casting speed alone could overwhelm battle majors without any strategy. If casting were eliminated altogether, there would be no time to catch a breath before being pummeled. The spectators were merely cheering, but those who had been watching could only be perplexed. Harriet''s capabilities were already quite strange. The same went for Saviolin Turner, who had been observing every fight and making various comments. "Magic requires casting." "Right. It''s common sense." At Charlotte''s reply, Saviolin Turner shook her head. She too seemed to find the situation somewhat peculiar. "However, high-level battle mages can use magic almost instantaneously, without the computational process of casting." "Yes, that must be true as well." "It seems Harriet de Saint-Owan is demonstrating a casting speed at the level of a skilled battle mage." Saviolin Turner''s expression revealed thoughts of near certainty that ''such a thing couldn''t possibly be possible.'' From Saviolin Turner''s perspective, a skilled battle mage wasn''t just someone of a casual level, but rather one who had been thoroughly honed in real combat situations. A casting speed at the level of a battle mage with at least 10 years of experience. Could that really be possible? "Among the countless magicians, only battle mages focus on multi-casting or chain casting. There''s no real reason for other types of magicians to have fast casting speeds. Instead, they pursue precision... But what reason could there be to devote time to that technique...?" Fast casting speed was impressive, but ultimately, it was limited to battle mages. Magicians who made combat their profession were looked down upon by other magicians, as they had previously heard. Fast casting was a skill only necessary for magicians who fought for a living. It seemed difficult for Saviolin Turner to understand why the young lady of the Saint-Owan duchy would be proficient in a skill typically reserved for battle mages. Harriet desired to possess actual power. That''s why she devoted her time to learning a skill that had little connection to her noble birth. Of course, neither Saviolin Turner nor I could fully understand how such a thing became possible just by devoting time to it. What on earth had happened at the Magic Research Society? Adelia showed a troubled smile upon meeting my gaze. "Harriet de Saint-Owan seems quite promising." In the end, it appeared that Harriet had acquired considerable combat skills, contrary to my expectations. Ellen had said that Harriet would do well. I wasn''t sure if she knew it would turn out this way, but Ellen didn''t seem particularly surprised. ------ While the round 32 matches were underway, I eventually realized that Harriet had developed formidable skills contrary to my concerns. Harriet had undeniably acquired the ability to secure victory in the preliminary round of the Unrestricted Tournament and secure a spot in the main competition. As the round of 32 matches for Group C unfolded, the moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived. Royal Class 5th year, Olivia Lanze. From the beginning, Olivia was well-known, and there were people who recognized her and cheered. The reaction from the Royal Class was also intense. The announcer gave a detailed introduction to Olivia. Although there were some embarrassing comments, Olivia stood still with a faint smile on her face. However, there was a problem. She had abandoned her faith. But she could still use her divine power, and at an extraordinarily potent level. However, if she were to use her divine power in this tournament after giving up her faith, it would pose a problem. To avoid any backlash, she would have to fight without using her divine power. Her opponent was a male student in his 5th year. Although he was introduced as an ordinary class member, he seemed to be from the Orbis Class. Olivia seemed to know her opponent, and since the Royal Class and Orbis Class had quite a few connections, it wasn''t too strange for them to know each other. Olivia did not look in my direction. Everyone was curious about the extent of Olivia''s skills, and it was the first time Saviolin Turner would see her abilities in person. ¡°Now, we will begin the final match of Group C!¡± With the declaration of the start. I was curious to see how Olivia Lanze would perform without using her divine power. Her opponent was armed with a spear. Olivia had no weapons. Her opponent''s body was enveloped in blue mana. Olivia looked at her opponent with a smiling expression. ¡°I''m sorry to the audience.¡± Olivia''s words reached my ears. ¡°My match might be a bit, dull.¡± ¡°Ooooh¡± Olivia''s body was wrapped in mana that seemed to burn blue. I had guessed that Olivia could use Magic Body Strengthening. Without using even a hint of divine power, the unarmed Olivia moved. No, I could only tell that she moved; I couldn''t even follow her movements with my eyes. -Zzuzz! -Kuh...ack! The next moment, Olivia had already landed a punch in her opponent''s abdomen. The enormous force behind that blow sent her opponent flying through the air, far beyond the boundaries of the arena. Even with the Magic Body Strengthening, the destructive power of her bare fists was unbelievable. ¡°Ah, did I overdo it?¡± The first set ended in the blink of an eye. A powerful championship contender. No, at that level, she might be the sole contender for victory. Ellen and I stared blankly at Olivia, who had sent her opponent, enhanced with the same magic power as herself, flying. She had to fight without divine power. Was that the penalty from the start? Even in that state, it seemed there was no one who could stand against Olivia. The nickname given to such a person was the Holy Maiden of Eredian. Shouldn''t she have been called the strongest in the Temple instead? ------ After all the round 32 matches had concluded. A brief break was given, and the round 16 matches were about to begin. Just like in the first-year tournament, the winners of each group would face the semi-finals and finals the next day. So, if Harriet wins this round 16 match and the next round 8, she can challenge for the finals. However, Harriet''s goal is not the finals. In the waiting room for the contestants. Harriet sat quietly on the sofa. She wanted to go into a room and sort out her thoughts alone, but she thought it would be better to analyze her potential opponents beforehand. "Harriet, right? You''re amazing. We''ll be meeting in the next match, so I look forward to it." "Ah... Yes." There were some nervous people, but the female senior who would be facing her in the next match seemed cheerful. A royal class graduate, she was known as a Supernatural type rather than a close combat type. Her ability was wind. She easily overpowered her opponents by blowing them away with air pressure and causing them to lose by leaving the ring. Harriet was thinking about how to deal with this. "Do you want some of this? It''s delicious." "Ah, no... I''m fine." The girl sat next to her and mumbled about various things. "But what should I do if my wind is blocked by your protection? I actually don''t know how to fight that well." It seemed like she had already accepted her defeat. She relied on creating a ring-out with her wind, but her opponent, Harriet, knew how to use protection. The female senior, who was in her fourth year but somehow felt slightly cute, seemed to have a poor match-up. She might reveal hidden abilities after pretending to be so vulnerable, but Harriet thought that it was unlikely for fellow royal class members to do so. At a glance, it seemed she didn''t care much about winning. Although Harriet found the constant chatter annoying, she didn''t really dislike it. "You don''t seem... very nervous." "Nervous? Hmm, there''s no reason to be." She chuckled as she nibbled on a macaron and took a sip of her tea. "Anyway, Olivia is going to win Group C." It seemed she had given up on winning since Olivia was participating. Seeing her reaction, Harriet thought that it could be possible. What had happened was not clearly seen. Most of the participants were able to use Magic Body Strengthening, but Olivia was exceptional among them. ------ Her main power, divine power, wasn''t even used, and she was already that strong. Everyone seemed to have given up halfway after witnessing Olivia''s overwhelming presence. What would I have done if I were in their shoes? Harriet thought, but no clear answer came to mind. Olivia Lanze. She entered the Unrestricted Class Tournament to challenge Olivia Lanze. Harriet had just witnessed Olivia''s skills and didn''t think she could win. However, Harriet wanted to at least stand before her. She could face Olivia if she made it to the last match of Group C, the quarterfinals. She didn''t think she could win, but she wanted to at least face her in a match. She didn''t know why. Olivia Lanze was surely stronger than Ellen. Harriet had never harbored feelings of rivalry. But at some point, those feelings emerged. The desire to become stronger naturally transformed into the desire to not lose. Harriet chatted with the other participants while watching Olivia Lanze approach from a distance. She seemed at ease, smiling and conversing with the other competitors, who were now her rivals, as if they were old acquaintances due to her long stay at the temple. Ellen had said she didn''t like Olivia. Harriet didn''t like her either. As Olivia approached, their eyes met. "Hello?" "¡­Hello." "Ah, you''re one of Reinhardt''s friends too? Nice to meet you." Olivia smiled warmly. The phrase ''one of.'' Assuming someone else came before her in that statement. Harriet found it infuriating. Harriet had often seen Olivia picking fights with Ellen for no reason. She knew where the urge to instigate those conflicts came from. Olivia disliked Ellen. Ellen disliked Olivia, too. "You''re really impressive. Already so strong in your first year. Aren''t you facing my sister in the Group C finals today?" However, Olivia didn''t seem to dislike Harriet. Her kind expression and tone, an attitude that showed not the slightest bit of hostility. Her unabashed praise. "Do you feel okay? Should I cast a healing spell on you?" Unnecessary consideration. Harriet knew that her opponent wasn''t on guard against her at all. It was as if she didn''t need to reveal any hostility to someone of Harriet''s level. Not even being ignored, but feeling even more disregarded. "Let''s both do our best." I don''t like you. But you don''t dislike me. Harriet disliked the situation because of the gap in their feelings toward each other. "I don''t like you, either." "¡­Huh?" And so, Harriet abruptly threw cold water on the warm and friendly atmosphere. Olivia stared at Harriet for a moment, then scratched her cheek. "Oh¡­ Really?" As if reading something from Harriet''s expression, Olivia offered a subtle smile. It was the same expression Olivia sometimes wore when looking at Ellen. A subtle sneer mixed into that smile. "So what?" Harriet stared silently at Olivia. Ellen was annoyed and angry about receiving groundless hatred. However, she wouldn''t know the sorrow of not being able to receive even that kind of hatred. She wouldn''t know how sad it was to be regarded as unworthy of being disliked and to have someone show her goodwill. So. I''ll make you dislike me. I''ll make it so you can''t ignore me. "Just, I don''t like you." "Really? That''s too bad." In response to Harriet''s words, Olivia showed a bright smile. "I''m not really interested in you." "¡­" The words, ''in you.'' Implied that while she might not know about others, she had no great interest in someone like Harriet. As expected, that person was deliberately ignoring her. She might not be able to win. But she would make it so that she could no longer be ignored. Harriet clenched her teeth as she watched Olivia''s retreating figure. ------ Harriet achieved a remarkable growth. She easily succeeded in advancing to the finals of Group C and the top eight. Her round 16 opponent was a 4th-year Royal Class wind-element Supernatural, who she effortlessly defeated. After blocking the wind and aiming five Firebolts in return, the opponent conceded. It seemed as if there was no need to continue. It was the female upperclassman who had told her to seek her out if anything happened during the Meiatun incident. Although Harriet had never approached her, she remembered her face. In the end, it seemed like it was just a mismatched opponent. Against the close-combat type she could simply lightly blow away opponents with the wind, but against a magic major, she had met her match. And so, the Group C finals. As expected, Olivia effortlessly defeated her round of 16 opponent and advanced to the Group C finals. Harriet de Saint Owan. Olivia Lanze. The winner between the two would advance to the top four and have the chance to compete for the championship tomorrow. Though she managed to finish two matches properly, the Duke de Saint Owan still ended up sick with worry. -Tap tap tap tap "¡­Stop trembling already." Ellen''s scolding. ¡°Sigh¡­¡­¡± ¡°Honey, why are you like this again?¡± ¡°Her opponent is just too formidable¡­¡± The Duke received scolding from his wife as well. No matter how much Harriet had grown remarkably, Olivia Lanze was by no means an opponent for Harriet at the moment. The only hope was that Olivia Lanze wouldn''t use her divine power. That meager advantage was the only possibility for Harriet to secure victory. Regardless of their grade, everyone in the Royal Class held their breath. Harriet, a first-year magic major who was performing well in the Unrestricted Class Tournament. Olivia Lanze, who rightfully carried the title of the strongest in the Temple. The two of them stood facing each other in the arena. CH 310 Harriet found herself face to face with Olivia Lanze, who wore a faint smile on her face. In contrast to Harriet''s hardened expression, her opponent''s face was brimming with composure. Harriet didn''t like her arrogant demeanor. ''Was I like that once?'' There was a time when everything in the world seemed petty and laughable compared to herself. From birth, everything was determined, and she couldn''t understand why others struggled so desperately. She had a period where she simply scoffed at others without trying to understand them. She couldn''t say she had completely abandoned her past self, but she was aware that she needed to change. Her opponent was arrogant. Of course, as the nickname "Saint of Eredian" implied, Olivia was known as a selfless person. However, for some reason, she acted as if she were a terrible person when it came to matters involving Reinhardt. She openly provoked Ellen. And intentionally ignored herself. That expression she made every time. With a subtle smile, she hid her true feelings and only tried to provoke others. Harriet knew her chances of winning were slim. She had seen that monster fight. But that mask. The horribly thick and repulsive mask that became more sinister. Whether it was out of anger, resentment, or frustration. She would reveal that mask at least once. She wouldn''t let her keep ignoring her with that kind of expression forever. Now, the last match of Group C of the Round 8 begins! Olivia Lanze stared at Harriet silently. "I don''t like dragging things out. I''ll end this quickly." Olivia''s body was covered in blue mana. The dense mana enveloped her. She didn''t like dragging things out. Harriet couldn''t believe what Olivia had said. "Isn''t that a strange thing to say for someone who clings to Reinhardt so persistently?" "Ah, that?" With a smile, Olivia didn''t rush towards her but instead walked slowly. "I cling to him because I like him enough to do something I truly dislike." "..." "Can''t you say the same?" With a dazzling smile, Olivia continued to approach Harriet. A person who is honest with their feelings. A person who can be honest. A person who is willing to push forward even if their feelings hurt others. Someone who accepts that gaining something means losing something else, and is willing to hurt both herself and Ellen to have Reinhardt. Harriet was suddenly struck by a sense of envy towards Olivia. However, it subsided as quickly as it had arisen. Her opponent was simply provoking her. At the very moment that Harriet tried to stop thinking about her opponent''s words in order to maintain her composure, Olivia lightly stomped on the ground. -Tat! The sound was soft. -Swish! But her rushing speed was anything but light. -Ching! As the protection activated in front of Harriet''s eyes, Olivia''s fist tore through the blue barrier. -Crash! "!" As the protection collapsed in an instant, Olivia''s fist rushed toward Harriet''s face. Thud! Just before the attack was about to land, Harriet used Blink to create distance in the nick of time. Olivia turned around and smiled at Harriet, who was breaking out in a cold sweat. "You''re fast." Casting Blink the moment the protection shattered was impressive. However, unlike the leisurely Olivia, Harriet didn''t have the luxury of playing games with her. Zap! A bolt of lightning struck Olivia''s body. It was the strategy Harriet had used in the first match. Creating distance with Blink and then casting multiple offensive spells to strip away the opponent''s Magic Body Strengthening. Many opponents had been caught off-guard by this simple strategy in the preliminary matches. If she feared close combat, she just had to avoid it. Once the lightning spell was cast, the impact was almost instantaneous. Evading it was nearly impossible. Of course, an ordinary person would be knocked unconscious or killed by the lightning, but an opponent with Magic Body Strengthening was different. Using a powerful fireball to incapacitate the opponent would be ideal. So far, it had worked without fail. However, as if the lightning bolt was nothing, Olivia relentlessly charged at Harriet again. She didn''t even flinch. Naturally, Harriet had anticipated this to some extent. Boom! As Harriet swung her hand, the ground surged, and a stone wall formed. The protection was easily penetrated. So, she created a physical barrier instead. Without a strategy, her opponent relied on her overwhelming physical prowess. "Do you think you can stop me with this?" Crash! Breaking through the stone wall with her bare hands, Olivia charged toward Harriet. ''I''m not trying to stop you.'' Harriet had already cast another spell during that brief moment. She knew she couldn''t stop Olivia with a wall. Her opponent''s strength was overwhelming. If she couldn''t win with force, she''d find another way. The purpose of the wall was to disappear from Olivia''s line of sight. The spell she used was Hallucination, causing illusions to make her presence undetectable. Magic was limitless. She''d confuse her opponent''s perception and make her lose by stepping out of bounds. Right now, her opponent shouldn''t be able to perceive her. She had vanished after Olivia broke through the wall. But then... As Harriet cast the spell, she felt it. ''Resistance...?'' The spell aimed at Olivia was deflected. How? It was a mid-to-high-level mental spell. It shouldn''t have been so easily resisted. Harriet had no choice but to watch Olivia''s fist flying towards her. ------ Olivia won the first set after a brief battle. After being recalled and then called onto the battlefield, Harriet stared blankly at Olivia''s smiling face. The illusion-type magic that was higher-ranking than Illusion did not have a reduced effect; it had no effect at all. "I have a pretty good idea of what you were trying to do." As if she was going to reveal a secret, Olivia placed her hands on her hips and spoke to Harriet. "Almost all mental magic doesn''t work on me. How adorable, junior." The moment she heard those words, Harriet felt as if her brain had frozen. It was not well-known that Olivia Lanze had immunity-level resistance to mental magic. It was only natural that Harriet would be unaware of this. But as a result of not knowing, all the plans Harriet had prepared had vanished completely. She had thought that mental magic would be the solution since she couldn''t compete physically, but it had no effect on her opponent at all. It couldn''t be a bluff. Harriet had definitely felt the magic she cast had no influence whatsoever. She had anticipated some resistance, but she never expected it to be completely ineffective. "Why do you have such an incredulous expression? The world is like that, isn''t it? Everyone has something they''re born with. This place gathers people who were born with something." The Temple. The Royal Class of that place was a gathering spot for such individuals. "Just like you''re an unbelievable person in your own way, I can''t help but be an unbelievable person in my own way, right?" The second set was about to begin. "If that''s all you''ve prepared, you should just forfeit." Olivia''s smile never faded. "Before you end up in a more pathetic state." In an already disadvantageous situation, she had discovered in the first set that her secret weapon was ineffective. It was desperate. Magic immunity. She thought only a guy named Scarlett from B-Class possessed such a talent, but there was another person with a similar talent. Having lost her only hope, Harriet''s mind was in chaos. ¡°Don''t! Panic!¡± Then, a shout pierced through her chaotic mind. From one side of the audience seats. A familiar voice could be heard. She knew who it was without looking. There was only one person in the world who would call her that way. ¡°Don''t be scared!¡± That person was shouting towards her. It wasn''t a word of encouragement to win, nor to cheer up. It was just a message not to be scared. That in itself wasn''t really encouragement at all. However. "Tsk." Seeing Olivia Lanze''s expression slightly distorted by the same shout, Harriet could tell. Reinhardt had said that in times like these, people would naturally root for the weaker side. He had said it with a bit of sorrow since it was a statement that confirmed her own defeat. However. In the end, the world was all about results. Reinhardt was cheering for her. Don''t be scared and just go for it! Reinhardt was cheering for Harriet de Saint Owan, not Olivia Lanze. "Is this what it feels like to feel like a winner even when you lose?" "¡­" Seeing Olivia''s hardened expression, Harriet smiled. The smile vanished from Olivia''s face. Gone were the playful taunts and snide remarks. Although Harriet''s confusion was quelled by Reinhardt''s shout, the outcome could have been even worse for Harriet. "This is just sad." Olivia Lanze was angry now. At Harriet. At Reinhardt. "I''m annoyed. Let''s finish this quickly." The declaration for the start of the second set had already been made. Olivia charged again. This time, Harriet didn''t cast Protection. An array of blue mana lines formed on her hand, giving off a faint blue light. "Ha!" -Crash! "!" In an instant, the arena cracked and crumbled. "Ugh!" As the off-balance Olivia Lanze stumbled, Harriet spread her hands. The spell she had just cast was Shockwave. It had destroyed the terrain. It was by no means a low-level spell. And now, another high-level spell unfolded. One set. There was no turning back. She would do whatever it took to claim this set. Harriet reached her hands towards the sky. A massive flame, incomparable to a Fireball. "Take this!" Flame Strike hurtled towards the staggering Olivia Lanze. -Kaboom! A massive fiery explosion engulfed Olivia Lanze. The blue mana lines on Harriet''s hand and arm shone brilliantly. ------ The audience had been rendered speechless by the sudden destruction of the arena and the subsequent overpowering Flame Strike. "This is impossible." Saviolin Turner, who had been watching the situation, spoke briefly. "No matter how much of a genius Harriet de Saint-Owan may be, casting destruction spells of that magnitude and that quickly is impossible." "Are you suggesting she cheated?" "Well... but it certainly doesn''t look like a conventional way of using magic. Just looking at the markings that suddenly appeared on the student''s body..." As Saviolin Turner had pointed out, blue symbols had appeared on Harriet''s hand. They were gone now. She had cast large-scale destruction spells in rapid succession, with virtually no time delay. Ellen, Reinhardt, and even Liana were all taken aback by the spectacle. "Could it be... Harriet..." I grabbed Ellen''s shoulder and shook it. "Did she... did she just use some kind of tattoo?" "¡­?" I think Harriet used a tattoo or something! Well, there''s nothing she shouldn''t be able to do! She can do it! She can do it! But still! "Is that really what''s important right now?" "But, but!" Liana''s scolding made me want to cry. There were definitely people here who knew what was going on. "Louis! What''s going on here? What did you guys do to our blockhead in the Magic Research Society?" At my scream, which was close to a shriek, Louis turned around from the front seat. I never expected this kind of reaction. "Ah, no... Why are you so upset?" Louis let out a deep sigh, as if to calm himself down. "It''s an application of scroll magic." "...What are you talking about?" Louis explained while looking at Harriet, who was standing on one side of the collapsed arena. "Harriet is, well, she''s writing and using magic scrolls in real time." This is... What kind of bizarre thing is this? ------ What on earth did they do to our blockhead at the Magic Research Club? Not only Reinhardt, but the Duke and Duchess were also in confusion. So, they couldn''t even pay attention to Reinhardt who was cursing their daughter on the side. "Our child... What is that?" "Well... I''m not quite sure." The Duke, who was well-versed in magic, couldn''t even understand what kind of bizarre thing his daughter had done to her body. No one had ever seen or heard of such a sight before. Of course, the Duke wasn''t as shocked as Reinhardt. He was a magician before he was a nobleman. Thus, he lived his life according to the way magicians think. "It seems our daughter has already caused a surprising incident in the world." The outcome of this fight is not important. The Duke of Saint Owan had an intuition that his daughter had developed a new line of magic that had never existed before. ------ Casting. It is the beginning and the end of magic. However, casting ultimately takes time, so no matter how fast it becomes, it cannot be reduced to zero. Magic is a great and convenient power, but when used for combat, there is a fatal flaw in the form of casting time. If given enough time, magic can destroy anything. Thus, battle mages with extraordinary abilities often die in vain because the preparation time for casting is so pressing. Casting is a natural process. It is impossible to even think of eliminating it. It is no different from nonsense that comes up with the answer without the formula. However, Harriet knew of her senior''s example. Royal class 2-A class, number 1, Redina. Her talent is no casting. It''s called Supernatural power, but Harriet had seen with her own eyes that it was possible. Magic that manifests simultaneously with thought. If that is possible, there is nothing impossible for her. But there was no way to gain Supernatural power. Harriet, like many battle mages before her, sought to dramatically reduce casting time. Of course, she didn''t acquire Supernatural powers. She just found a solution elsewhere. In the Magic Research Club, Harriet racked her brains with everyone else. It was Louis, not Harriet, who found the answer. Louis Ancton, who understood magic but couldn''t use it himself. That''s why his way of thinking is different from that of ordinary magicians. "Scroll magic can be activated instantly, right?" "That''s correct." "Scrolls are essentially magical circles drawn on paper imbued with mana, right?" "Yep." "But the human body already contains mana, doesn''t it?" "Yes, so?" "What if we treat the human body as a scroll, and draw magical circles on it to activate spells?" "¡­?" "Huh?" Louis Ancton''s suggestion was met with incredulous reactions from everyone. But the idea itself wasn''t entirely wrong. A scroll is fundamentally created by drawing a magical circle on a medium imbued with mana. Mana-imbued medium - Paper Magical circle - Formula If the medium is the human body, and the formula is drawn directly on it, then it''s a highly intuitive understanding that the magic would activate. However, this bizarre proposition was something even Harriet, who had a profound understanding of magic, couldn''t comprehend. "Dettomorian said that the warriors of his tribe had warpaint, tattoos drawn by shamans, that granted them extraordinary powers." "I know that shamanism is the root of magic, but... Are you saying that these warpaints drew magical circles on their bodies to harness power, even though I don''t know what they are?" "Yep, I heard it actually works. If the warpaint uses the mana within a person''s body, then ultimately, what I''m talking about isn''t much different, is it?" Louis merely threw out the idea. To reduce casting time, he proposed using the human body as a scroll so that it functions like a scroll itself. It was such a radical idea. Adelia tilted her head at Louis''s words. "But if we assume that it works, and we can inscribe a Fireball spell and activate it, would that person only be able to use Fireball? To use other spells as well..." "They''d be covered in tattoos¡­" Everyone''s expressions turned grim, as it was clear that it wouldn''t be a pleasant sight. Even if it worked, it was a fact that one would have to be covered in tattoos to inscribe numerous spells on their body. "Besides, we can''t even learn scroll magic." It was Christina who spoke. Magic related to scrolls was top secret, and even the temple couldn''t teach it. So, whether it worked or not, it was still a type of magic they couldn''t learn at the moment. "No." However, Harriet shook her head at that. "We don''t have to inscribe magical circles; we can inscribe ''language.''" Language. Everyone was again puzzled by this unexpected suggestion. "By inscribing language, we can create a magic system that allows for the derivation of countless spells just by combining the necessary character sequences." As she said this, everyone couldn''t help but understand what Harriet was talking about. An ancient magic system, older than shamanism but not as much, which was the true origin of magic. "We just need to carve runes." With runes, it''s possible to implement all the magic that exists in the world. CH 311 My Body Becomes a Magic Scroll Instead of managing the complex flow of magical power on my own every time I cast a spell, I simply call upon the runes engraved on my body and inject them with magical power. The spell is then activated. My flesh is like paper, and the characters form a magic circle. It''s not quite a casting-free level, but it''s close. A previously unseen magic system that grafts rune magic and scroll magic onto the human body. Louis Ancton, the one who initially conceived the idea, insisted that it wouldn''t work. Magic has evolved, and the use of runes is too primitive. Discarding the developed system and reverting to the primitive method of implementing modern magic with the ancient language is too inefficient. First, the modern magic must be reinterpreted and reverse-engineered into runes. Naturally, a deep understanding of runes was required. Harriet could do it. The prestigious Saint Owan Archduke of Magic emphasized the importance of runes from a very young age, so Harriet had been studying them for her entire life. Although she wasn''t quite at the level of a dedicated rune scholar, her understanding was profound. But more than that, she had to memorize an enormous amount of rune formulas to activate and rearrange them as needed. Harriet could do that, too. Memorizing was far too easy for her. As a result, Harriet''s body, rather than her mind, now performed most of the actual work needed after magical calculations. All that was needed was to memorize the countless combinations of magical runes. Her body was an infinite magic scroll, as long as the magical power permitted. That''s why Harriet, without the supernatural ability of no-casting, obtained power rivaling that of Redina. -Krrrrrr It wasn''t over yet. Harriet reached out her hand towards the thick smoke rising from the collapsed arena. Blue magical lines formed runes on her right arm as they etched into her skin. The more extensive the magic, the larger the magical lines that covered her body. Now Harriet''s entire right upper and lower arm was glowing with runes. -Krrrrrrng Magic restructured into runes and activated. Thunderstrike. Not a simple bolt, but a thunderstrike from the sky to finish it off. The once clear sky suddenly darkened, causing people to start murmuring. -Flash! A single streak of lightning struck the arena. -Kwrrrrrrrrng! Immediately after, a deafening thunderclap shook the arena, as the lightning strike expanded the air. For a moment, silence followed at the site of the strike. "¡­" "Ha¡­" Soon after, Harriet revealed a smile as she looked at Olivia, emerging from the debris. Though victory had yet to be decided, she was confident that she had successfully landed a blow. Olivia Lanze, battered and bruised, emerged from the rubble of the collapsed arena. "This¡­ really pisses me off¡­" Although Harriet had successfully struck Olivia, the fact remained that Olivia Lanze was still a monster. With her bare body, Olivia withstood both Flame Strike and Thunder Strike. Flame Strike was a large-scale destruction spell, and Thunder Strike was a powerful, albeit narrow-range, offensive spell designed for single targets. But Olivia managed to endure both. The audience couldn''t help but be astounded by the fact that even in an Unrestricted-class match, there was a person who could cast such high-level destruction spells and another who could withstand them with her bare body. The smile on Olivia''s lips disappeared. It was as if the playtime was over. Once again, lines of magical power began to form on both of Harriet''s arms, which were hidden beneath her sleeves. The arena had collapsed, and the area beyond it no longer held any meaning. Harriet would lose if she allowed even one attack, and Olivia would lose if her seemingly impenetrable barrier of Magic Body Strengthening disappeared. The current state of the arena was in Harriet''s favor. The uneven terrain made it difficult for Olivia, who had to close the distance, to move. However, Olivia was unaffected by such mundane standards. Leaping as if she were flying, Olivia approached Harriet without faltering a single step. Of course, Harriet, who had engraved magic directly onto her own body for use ¨C an unprecedented feat ¨C was also no ordinary person. Harriet cast a spell at the exact spot where Olivia was about to land. It was a simple telekinesis spell. -Thump! With a dull sound, the rock Olivia was supposed to land on suddenly shot out to the right. ¡°!¡± It was as if her foothold had suddenly disappeared. -Thunk! ¡°Ugh!¡± Olivia stumbled and fell flat on her face. Falling face-first in the midst of an intense battle was a potentially fatal situation. However, Olivia''s fall was so comical and unexpected that it created a humorous scene. "¡­Heh." Instead of casting an offensive spell, Harriet laughed at the sight of Olivia. "Wow¡­ really¡­" As Olivia staggered to her feet, she looked at Harriet, who wore a mocking smile. She couldn''t have even imagined that she would be laughed at like this. By a little girl like her. By a mere mage. "Really." "Freaking." "Annoying¡­?" A dark fire ignited in Olivia''s heart. With tensed neck and forehead muscles, Olivia clenched her teeth and approached Harriet calmly once more. This time, she wouldn''t fall for the same trick. The previous attack had been unexpected. Being cautious would be enough to prevent such a small exploit. In a matter of moments, Olivia closed the distance and lunged at Harriet, who vanished using a short-range teleportation spell. However, the moment Harriet completed her teleportation, she found herself face-to-face with a massive boulder. It was too late. There wasn''t even enough time to cast a spell. -Swish! It wasn''t Harriet''s quick reflexes that allowed her to dodge the flying rock, but rather, the rock''s trajectory simply missed her. The speed of the rock was so great that, had it struck an ordinary person, it could have shattered their skull and killed them. "It didn''t hit," Olivia said, her tone tinged with disappointment. Knowing that Harriet would use short-range teleportation to escape when she got close, Olivia had aimed the rock at the moment Harriet teleported away. Fortunately, the distance was too great for her to hit her target. Harriet felt a shiver down her spine. Her opponent was gradually finding ways to counter her repeated patterns of attack, exploiting weaknesses, and evading. The moment she teleported, in the brief gap upon arrival, Olivia was able to target her with a rock. Next time, it wouldn''t miss. This was the end. Her remaining magical energy wasn''t much. She had already used many powerful spells. "You seem to be running low on magic energy, huh?" Olivia was also aware of Harriet''s condition. -Thud! As Olivia advanced, Harriet chose to use the terrain rather than offensive magic. She lifted the debris from the arena with telekinesis and threw it. -Bang! Crash! Olivia shattered the debris, which was as solid as rock, as she continued to advance. Ellen had at least used the divine sword Lament to break walls and cut through doors. But Olivia Lanze was doing this with her bare hands. There was a limit to how much arena debris she could throw at the approaching Olivia. However, it seemed that Harriet had no other choice but to continue hurling debris. Olivia broke through the debris and continued to advance. As a result, a thick cloud of dust was inevitable. Olivia reached Harriet, who once again escaped with a blink, and gritted her teeth. "Annoying." Olivia, seeing her vision obscured by the dust, guessed that this was Harriet''s intention. In this state, she couldn''t determine in which direction her opponent had moved. The spectators also couldn''t properly understand what was happening due to the dust. "Huff..." Suddenly, the blue magical energy surrounding Olivia exploded. -Kaboom! Just like when Saviollin Turner fought the darkness-possessed Charlotte. The magical shockwave blasted away the dispersing dust in an instant. Olivia swept away the dust as if clearing fog and observed Harriet, who had reappeared on the opposite side. Now, the arena had completely vanished, reduced to a chaotic mess. "Nothing left to throw?" From Olivia''s perspective, Harriet looked too exhausted to teleport, resorting to weak attacks by throwing large debris with telekinesis. However, Olivia had destroyed all the boulder-sized debris. All that remained were small rocks. The era of short-range teleportation and shallow tricks like raising dust clouds to escape was over. At this point, she had dealt with the little magician for far too long. "You don''t have to throw anymore." However, Harriet was smiling. "I''ve already thrown everything." "...What?" Thrown everything? What exactly? It was only then that Olivia noticed the stones embedded in the ground around her, despite the magic shockwave she had released. These stones should have been blown away by the shockwave, but they remained in place. Olivia looked around. Amidst the scattered fragments and stone pieces, she couldn''t discern much. Yet, there was an odd regularity in the shapes of the fragments. "I''m almost out of magic, but it''s something that can be done without using my magic." Harriet had thrown the fragments. And she had secretly arranged the scattered fragments so that Olivia wouldn''t notice. The method of using natural mana. Reinhardt had told her to discover it, but Harriet still couldn''t do it. However, wasn''t there a method of using natural mana from the beginning? In the form of magical circles. Magical circles are used for various purposes, but large-scale magical circles are originally designed to draw and use natural mana. In the short time, Harriet had accomplished the incredible feat of setting up a magical circle in the stadium. Uuuung "This can''t be...!" Olivia could only dumbfoundedly watch as the magical circle, now set up over a vast area, began to react. "I''ve won." With Harriet''s smile, the magical circle she had set up emitted a blue light and took its final form. The magic was activated. Inferno. A higher-tier fire destruction magic than Flame Strike. It was so widespread that there was no way to avoid it. Olivia knew it too. This was a disaster. As she watched the crimson flames beginning to flicker at her feet, Olivia cried out with a grimace. "Youuuuu¡­! Just you wait!" "People who say ''just you wait'' are the least scary!" The conversation at the end of their meticulous and fierce battle was excessively childish. Kwarrrrr! The crimson inferno engulfed Olivia and soared into the sky. Olivia couldn''t endure this magic. Harriet de Saint Owan takes the second set! The audience stared blankly at the eerie flame columns, writhing like snake tongues, reaching for the sky. ------ Harriet was not familiar with the fights themselves, but she knew well what was important in them. Conceal your information as much as possible. Harriet had hidden her trump card well. She had concealed her abilities to the utmost, leading to a surprise attack. While making Olivia believe that throwing fragments was her only remaining offensive strategy, she hid her true intent to set up a large-scale magical circle on the ground. However, in the end, it was a stroke of luck. Olivia had underestimated Harriet, and Harriet had made good use of deception. There, of course, Olivia had not used her divine power until the end. Had she used her divine power, she could have survived Harriet''s final attack. In the end, Olivia had underestimated her opponent and faced defeat while under numerous constraints. Regardless of the outcome, the fight had been the most spectacular of the tournament so far, and the excitement of the audience was at its peak. The set score was 1:1. Olivia would not be careless anymore. Harriet and Olivia were summoned back to the restored stadium through restoration magic. Olivia glared at Harriet as if she would devour her in an instant. She would no longer be careless, underestimate her opponent, or be deceived by tricks. Seeing Olivia, who was just waiting for the match to start, Harriet suddenly raised her hand. "I forfeit." It was only natural that Olivia''s face would turn pale at those words. "You, you! Don''t! Don''t forfeit!" "I''m too tired to continue." Lacking magic power was no excuse. In Reinhardt''s case, he couldn''t recover from the adverse condition caused by Magic Body Strengthening, but ordinary magic depletion could be solved by a standby magician using a mana-replenishing spell called Siphon Mana. An unexpected declaration of forfeit. Uh... Well, due to Harriet de Saint Owan''s forfeit, Olivia Lanze is declared the winner of Group C in the main tournament¡­ Of course, they couldn''t force a player to fight if they didn''t want to. "Don''t forfeit! You! I said don''t!" No matter how much Olivia screamed and pleaded, Harriet had no intention of fighting further. Harriet could not beat Olivia. "Fine, just one more set, just one more! If you win the next set, I''ll admit you''ve won! I''ll forfeit then!" "Why should I? I don''t want to. You can''t even fight properly." "Ahhhhhh!" Harriet''s goal was never to defeat Olivia, but to make herself undeniable. Harriet had succeeded in that. CH 312 The Group C main round had come to an end. Therefore, neither Olivia, who had advanced to the semi-finals of tomorrow''s tournament, nor Harriet, who had forfeited, had any business at the tournament venue. "You, you''re really a bad person, you know that, right?" "I only did it for my sister." "That, that is...! Still! You''re also bad!" Olivia''s face flushed red as she followed Harriet reluctantly. Olivia hadn''t won, but rather had victory thrust upon her. That''s why, even though she had won, she felt like she had lost. No, it was more like she had lost because she had won. Harriet spoke while glancing at Olivia, who was whining by her side. "Be quiet. The match is over, don''t bother me and go your own way." "¡­You! I''ll get my revenge, just you wait!" Olivia, despite being the winner, made an excuse like a loser and ran out of the tournament venue as if escaping. Harriet looked at Olivia''s retreating figure and laughed. Still, she thought Olivia had some self-control. Although she seemed furious from head to toe, during the match, she had charged at Harriet as if wanting to kill her, but now that the match was over, she hadn''t laid a finger on Harriet. When someone is that angry, they might lose their composure and try to hurt themselves or others. Instead, she seemed unable to bear her own anger and chose to run away. It seemed like she was a person who at least knew her limits and abided by them, but her behavior didn''t entirely reflect that. ''Such a strange person¡­'' Harriet still couldn''t quite grasp whether Olivia Lanze was a good or bad person. Of course, whether she was good or bad, it was clear that she didn''t like her. As they exited the main stadium, a crowd of Royal Class first-year students had gathered. Reinhardt shouted out. "Damn! You did it, Harriet!" Despite losing. Everyone wore expressions as if she herself had won. "I always believed in you!" "¡­You were the one who believed the least." "Uh, well. Ahem! Ahem!" At Reinhardt''s excited shout, not only Ellen but all the other students stared at him as well. Harriet knew that Reinhardt had been anxious and restless. Everyone gathered around Harriet, praising her for her outstanding performance and lifting her spirits. Even without the use of Divine Power by Olivia, taking a set from Olivia, who had been looking down on her, was an incredible feat. Of course, it wasn''t just the students who came to greet Harriet. "My baby!" "Uh, um, Mom¡­" Duchess Saint-Owan embraced Harriet tightly. Harriet knew that her parents were in the audience and that they would come to see her, so she wasn''t too flustered. However, being called "baby" in front of everyone made Harriet''s face turn bright red. "You did great, my baby. Are you hurt anywhere?" "Ah, please, don''t call me baby¡­" Due to the arrival of Harriet''s parents, the students stealthily backed away and watched the scene. If they knew that she was treated like this at home, the situation would become even more unbearable. Duke Saint Owan, too, watched with a proud smile, for his daughter had grown remarkably, and it was clear that he didn''t know what to do with himself out of pride. For a while, the Duchess of Saint Owan fussed over Harriet, checking for injuries and praising her performance. She hugged Harriet and then looked at someone. "But¡­ Reinhardt?" "¡­Ah, yes! Oh, it''s been a long time since we last met!" Everyone was surprised that the Duchess knew Reinhardt. It''s been a long time since they met? When and under what circumstances did Reinhardt have the opportunity to meet Harriet''s mother directly? Reinhardt''s face turned pale and rigid. "If I heard correctly... the person you called ''Blockhead'' is our child..." At that, Reinhardt''s already pale face turned almost green. The Duchess of Saint Owan looked at Reinhardt with a gentle and tender smile. "Is that true?" "Uh, that¡­ that''s¡­ um¡­" "Yes, it''s true." The answer came not from Harriet or Reinhardt, but from Ellen. Reinhardt looked at Ellen, frozen. You''re trying to get me killed, aren''t you? Despite his gaze, Ellen pretended not to notice and avoided the issue. For some reason, Ellen''s expression seemed quite displeased. The Duchess''s smile deepened, but it was an eerie smile, as if thousands of blades were hidden within it. "Reinhardt, would you mind having a chat with me for a moment?" "Well, the thing is¡­ um, there''s a story behind it¡­" -Click Before they knew it, Duke Saint Owan, who had been watching the situation with a contented smile, stepped forward and placed a hand on Reinhardt''s shoulder. "It must be quite a story for you to have no choice but to call my daughter ''Blockhead.''" Duke Saint Owan''s expression hardened menacingly. "Indeed, it must be quite a story." It had to be an incredible story, Duke Saint Owan conveyed with just his eyes. "Please kill me." Reinhardt finally gave in. ------ He wasn''t beaten to death. But when the Duchess said she hadn''t known her daughter had such a cute nickname while patting my shoulder, it felt more chilling than having a knife at my throat. Harriet didn''t know what to do. Defending me or not defending me would both make her look odd. Yes. It was only now that he was retroactively paying the price for having teased the daughter of a duke and a princess of a kingdom by calling her ''Blockhead.'' Duke Saint Owan didn''t threaten to kill me if I called his daughter that again. He just looked at me with a cold gaze. His silence was even scarier. "Sit down." "Ah, yes." But¡­ What am I doing here? In a restaurant within the Temple. I was sitting with the Saint Owan family. Naturally, Duke Saint Owan exchanged greetings with Charlotte and Saviolin Turner, whom he knew, and then brought his daughter here for a meal. And then... Somehow, I ended up coming along as well. I didn''t intend to follow them. They didn''t ask me to come either. It was just that Madam Saint Owan naturally pulled me along with them. She didn''t even mention going for a meal, she just led us while suggesting we have a slow chat along the way, and we naturally arrived at the restaurant. What is this? What kind of situation is this? Harriet seemed just as bewildered. Why is this kid sitting here? No, why did Mom bring him along? That was the expression on her face. As if under a spell, the menu arrived, and Harriet and I absentmindedly toyed with our forks and knives. Let''s not say anything, let''s not show any unnecessary curiosity. If we say a word wrong, it might really become irreversible. What is it? Meeting Harriet''s parents alone in Arlania, and now sitting here together. Even if Harriet and I have promised to marry, isn''t this sequence reversed? "So, when did you manage to do that?" "Yes, I''m curious about the details of the principle." Fortunately, neither Madam Saint Owan nor the Duke seemed to have the leisure to pay attention to me, and I felt the same way. Harriet set against Olivia. Her skills displayed there exceeded my expectations by far. "Uh-huh... I didn''t give it a name, but maybe I should call it an application of scroll magic to the human body?" Harriet rolled up her right sleeve. No tattoo-like marks were visible. However, as Harriet focused, blue magical lines appeared on her arm and began to form the shape of characters. Duke Saint Owan looked at the complex string of characters and nodded as if he understood. "Runes, I see." "Yep." "Are you saying that you reverse-engineered modern magic into runic language?" "Yep." Duke Saint Owan was probably the only one who truly understood how difficult that was. That''s why he stared blankly as his daughter calmly replied. Though she was his daughter, he seemed genuinely surprised by the impossible feat she had accomplished. Harriet gave a subtle smile. "I didn''t do it alone. The Magic Research Club members helped a lot. The idea also came from someone else." "The Magic Research Club...?" Harriet looked in my direction. "Yeah, the one he founded." At that remark, Madam Saint Owan and the Duke''s gaze fixed on me. I did declare that your daughter would do something astonishing with the Magic Research Club. It wasn''t the way I wanted it, but Harriet had already accomplished something unbelievable. She had done so through collaboration with the members of the Magic Research Club. In the end, I was right. Duke Saint Owan and Harriet discussed the newly developed magic for some time. For the most part, I couldn''t understand any of it. However, I felt like I had an idea because I had heard a similar explanation from Louis. She had turned her own body into a living, moving magic circle. In reality, it was unclear how using magic in this way and turning one''s body into a functioning magic circle could significantly reduce casting speed. "Daughter, this must be a magical lineage that only you can use in this world. Ordinary magicians would take much longer to memorize all the contents of modern magic translated into runes and recall them when needed, compared to the traditional casting method. This approach may eliminate the stages of magic manipulation during the casting process, but the calculation process takes even longer." "¡­Yeah, I suppose." In the end, it was a method that relied on one''s quick-witted intelligence. For ordinary magicians, this method would be more of a disadvantage. It extends the formula and skips the actual magic manipulation steps. For Harriet, it was a way to use magic almost instantaneously, but for other magicians, it was a wasted effort. Anyway, although she was called a genius, seeing Harriet accomplish something only possible for a real genius... Somehow, it felt satisfying. If she were to face Ellen, she was confident she could win. Why did this situation, where she was sure she would lose in a fight, feel so good? "Why do you and Mom and Dad have the same expression? It''s, it''s unpleasant¡­" Apparently, Harriet noticed that both Duke Saint Owan and I had been wearing similar expressions and her face turned sour. Madam Saint Owan, the Duke, and I. It seemed that all three of us were feeling something similar at the moment. ------ "How is it? Can''t breathe or anything?" "I''m fine." "¡­I have to hold my breath to wear something like this, but you don''t even have that problem? Honestly, isn''t this unfair to some extent?" Liana dressed Ellen in a gown and stuck out her tongue, amazed at Ellen''s relaxed demeanor despite wearing a tight dress. The Miss Temple Contest was just a day away, a main event of the festival alongside the Unrestricted Tournament finals. So Ellen and Liana were doing a final check together. As a result, Liana was busily moving between Ellen''s room and Cliffman''s room, feeling overwhelmed. So Liana was the busiest person during this festival. Reinhardt''s tournament had ended, and Harriet''s Unrestricted Tournament had ended as well. Now, the only tasks left for the Royal Class first-years were Ellen and Cliff. As Liana touched Ellen''s cheek, she looked at Ellen standing in front of the mirror. "Loosen up your expression. Something bothering you?" "No, not really." Ellen looked at her reflection in the mirror. It didn''t seem too different from usual, but maybe it looked unhappy. Ellen tried to force a smile, but it didn''t work well. A natural smile had always been difficult for her. So when she forced a smile, it looked strange. It wasn''t exactly an ugly expression, but it didn''t look like a smiling face either. But now, it was even harder to smile than usual. Today, Reinhardt''s image kept flickering in her mind. ''Haah...'' ''Sigh...'' ''Well, I guess you''re not worried, are you?'' "What if our blockhead... loses? Huh? No, I mean, what if she suffers a crushing defeat?" "Does she look nervous to you?" "I get it! She''s not nervous! Okay?" "She''s nervous again? When?" The sight of him unable to sit still, filled with anxiety, and sighing heavily. "Wow. What''s with her? No, seriously, what is that?" "What''s going on? What happened?" "Look! Our blockhead did it, didn''t she?" "I always believed in her!" Watching Harriet, who was strong enough that he didn''t have to worry, Reinhardt seemed overjoyed, as if he could jump for joy. It genuinely felt like he was worried for Harriet and rooting for her. Ellen was surprised too. Although she had conceded, Harriet had managed to land a blow on Olivia. If I were in her place, could I have done as well as Harriet? Probably not, Ellen thought. If I had been in that position... Would Reinhardt have worried about me like he did today? Would he have cheered me on like today? He might have worried, but Ellen thought it wouldn''t have been to the extent that he was restless like today. Reinhardt was a bit overprotective of Harriet. He usually treated her roughly but worried about her during times like these. Because she herself was good at everything, he wouldn''t have worried that much. He would have believed in her ability to pull through, even if she lost. He worried more about Harriet and paid more attention to her because he was overprotective. Seeing Reinhardt like that, Ellen couldn''t help but acknowledge the uncomfortable feeling that had already settled in her heart. Jealousy. She was jealous of Harriet. That''s why, today''s events left her with the biggest question and a feeling of a stone lodged in her heart, one she couldn''t shake off. "It''s been a while!" Reinhardt seemed to be acquainted with Harriet''s parents. Both the Duke and the Duchess were familiar with him. Considering Harriet didn''t seem surprised by this, she probably already knew about it. How? No, not just how, but why? Why had Reinhardt met Harriet''s parents? Had he met them with Harriet? Why did they meet, and why had Reinhardt never mentioned it to her before? Well, there''s no particular reason for Reinhardt to tell her about it. But still. Even though she realized there was a lot she didn''t know about Reinhardt. She didn''t want to be in the dark about this. She didn''t want to find out about it like this. Of course, she wasn''t the only one with questions. "It''s quite surprising that the Duke and Duchess know Reinhardt." As Liana adjusted Ellen''s clothes and matched various accessories, she made the comment in passing. Everyone had been shocked to see Reinhardt being grabbed and dragged away by the Duke in front of the stadium. "It''s possible they just happened to meet." "Is that so?" The reason she was most curious about was herself, and so Ellen said. At some point, she started to lie. Pretending not to be curious when she was, acting as if nothing was wrong when it wasn''t. Ellen disliked how she was gradually changing. She started lying and hiding her emotions. "But if he¡¯s going to have dinner together with them, is Reinhardt close to the Duke''s family?" "..." At Liana''s words, Ellen clenched her teeth. If she didn''t do that, her face in the mirror seemed like it would twist strangely. It was difficult to smile. But it was possible for Ellen to show no expression at all. "I think that''s enough. I''ll go check on Cliffman. He probably doesn''t know how to dress himself, so he''ll be struggling." "Okay." After Liana left her room, Ellen relaxed her jaw. Ellen looked in the mirror. She saw herself wearing a fancy dress, her shoulders exposed, adorned with flashy accessories like necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Not bad. Although she thought so herself, Liana kept saying it would be strange if Ellen didn''t become Miss Temple at this level. She decided to discard all useless thoughts, jealousy, feelings of inferiority, and doubts. Because they weren''t helpful to her at all. Ellen didn''t care about anything else. Looking at herself dressed like this, she wondered what Reinhardt would say, what expression he would wear. That was all she was curious about. Her appearance was a bit surprising even to herself, but she believed Reinhardt would surely be surprised as well. After that, she was both afraid and somewhat hopeful about what he might say. In her room, without Liana, Ellen tried to force a smile while looking in the mirror. It still didn''t work well, but the fact that she was trying was possible. Just that alone made her feel like she would be able to smile someday. Ellen continued practicing her smile in front of the mirror. ------ "......" Olivia Lanze was lying on her bed in her room. Olivia did win Group C of the main event today, but everyone knew she had seen quite an ugly scene. Olivia Lanze, a 5th-year A-0 student. Except for a few cases, Olivia was still kind and gentle to everyone. She hadn''t changed much from before. However, knowing that Olivia might be a bit sensitive today, her classmates, who were younger in age but like siblings, didn''t come to congratulate her. So, now Olivia was alone. Lying down, she stared blankly at the ceiling of her dorm room. Assuming she used her divine power, she could have somehow endured the last magical attack. No, she wouldn''t have even gone that far in the first place. Divine magic isn''t limited to just healing and protection. Furthermore. Olivia raised her hand and saw the black smoke boiling from it. The corrupted divine power. Olivia could use that too. If only Tiamata had been there. To be humiliated by such a brat. She had won but lost. Declaring her forfeiture, she couldn''t forget the expression on that cheeky girl''s face. She knew precisely that her victory would be completed by forfeit. In the end, she won, but it was a loss, or rather, a disadvantage. She had to give up one set and was defeated. Therefore, it was a complete defeat. Even if she were to win the tournament, the fact that she lost to Harriet would not change. There was no point in thinking about it. What-ifs like "what would have happened if I had done this" or "what would have happened if I had done that" were meaningless. I lost to Harriet de Saint-Owan. That fact alone remained. Though she felt like she had lost her motivation, she couldn''t simply give up. In the end, scolding those kids or defeating them wasn''t her original goal. She needed money. Money. If she won the tournament and was elected Miss Temple, she would receive a cash prize. That was her original goal, after all. Focus only on that. The opponents in the semifinals and finals of the tournament wouldn''t be easy either. And she had to prepare for Miss Temple as well. Olivia got up from her bed with a groan and opened her wardrobe. Having sold all but the essentials, there was nothing in the wardrobe except her school uniform and ordinary daily clothes. "If only I had the dress I wore to the sponsor''s event..." She had sold her belongings to help someone. She had sold all the dresses and accessories that her foster father had bought for her to wear at various events. There was no reason to go that far. But she couldn''t find a reason not to. She believed that her true needs couldn''t be satisfied with material things. That''s why Olivia did it. "Ha... ha..." So, Olivia stared at her wardrobe, which contained nothing but her school uniform and daily clothes, and laughed feebly. ------ The Duke and Duchess of Saint-Owan didn''t leave until they had finished dinner that evening. The Duke was a busy man, so it seemed obvious that he had made time to attend Harriet''s tournament match. "What?" After seeing off the Duke and Duchess, Harriet blurted out. "...What did I say? I didn''t say anything." "Now''s the time to say something! What is it! What are you going to say! Tell me now!" Since the Duke and Duchess were around, Harriet had been holding back, but now she thought it was time to let it out. Her face turned bright red as she panted. "Uh, uh, uh... Mom''s going to tease me for calling me like that..." As she spoke, her lips trembled. Did she think I would definitely pick a fight, saying something like, "You''re such a baby"? "What''s there to tease? You''re a baby, after all." "See, you''re teasing me!" It had been a while since she reacted so sharply. How could I not tease her when she''s like this? I couldn''t help but keep talking! "Try saying ''goo goo ga ga.'' I bet you would without me." "I won''t! I won''t do it! I don''t do it at home either!" Harriet''s face turned bright red, and she sputtered. Yes, she probably wouldn''t do it. I knew that. But she was overly susceptible to provocation and manipulation, that''s what I meant. However, getting frustrated over such things already made her a child. She had become stronger, but her mentality was still the same, which was amusing. "Try doing it then?" "No way! Why would I do that at this age!" ...What? Why is a seventeen-year-old talking about her age so adorable? This is really like baby talk! I stopped teasing her further since she might start shooting magic spells at me if provoked any more. After all, controlling the intensity of such situations was necessary. On the way back to the Royal Class dormitory. People were still bustling about. The crowd would only grow larger until Friday. Today''s Unrestricted Class Tournament Group C finals would have been quite a topic of discussion. From what I saw, it was a fight of a different dimension compared to the other matches. A first-year student firing magic spells at a speed close to instant. A fifth-year student charging like a tank while taking all the spells with her bare body. Regardless of anything else, it was truly incredible. "But... it''s strange?" As Harriet walked quietly, she murmured. "What''s strange?" "Mom calling me like that. Don''t you think it''s strange...?" What? Was she still thinking about that? Harriet seemed genuinely embarrassed by it. Well, it might be a headache-inducing problem for her. The Duke and Duchess of Saint-Owan continued to treat Harriet like a child. However, that was an issue that couldn''t be helped. Seeing Harriet''s embarrassment, I smirked. "Why is it strange for a parent to love their child?" "..." The Duke, who appeared stoic and stern, couldn''t hide his love for his daughter. The Duchess, who seemed unable to part with Harriet even for a moment, kept embracing her. Harriet seemed to dislike that scene, but I enjoyed watching it. Of course, the question remains why I had to watch that spectacle from beginning to end. "Most children who grow up in such an environment tend to be spoiled, you know?" "You, what are you trying to say!" "You aren''t really spoiled, are you?" She seemed to have grown up in a problematic environment in many ways, but is it a crime for parents to love their child? And Harriet wasn''t like that now, at least not in this version. "Your choice of words is nice, but why do you always express it like that? Spoiled? I''ve never heard such a thing in my life!" Naturally, Harriet was furious at my words. It''s amusing to say that there''s no problem since your parents are good people and you grew up well in such a manner. At this rate, I might have a disease where I can''t speak straightforwardly and kindly, right? But how can I stop when I see her getting red and furious? Bickering like this, we returned to the Royal Class dormitory. It was winter. And it was nighttime. So, it was cold. "It''s cold." "It''s winter, you idiot. Of course, it''s cold." "Do I have to hear you call me an idiot just because I said it''s cold?" ¡°Although others might not know, you shouldn''t be the one saying that to me, especially not after teasing me so many times with nonsense!" Harriet began to argue again. Well, this time she did start it. Today''s weather felt particularly cold. It was the middle of winter, night, and we were dressed lightly. Both Harriet and I had white breaths in the air. At this rate, how much colder would it get? Of course, this wasn''t the extreme cold of the polar regions, and the weather wouldn''t be that severe. Come to think of it, magic is godlike, isn''t it? There''s no need to be cold just because it''s cold, right? I lightly tapped Harriet, who was walking quietly beside me. "Hey, it''s cold." "¡­What?" "It''s cold." "What do you want me to do about it?" "Why not do something?" Harriet stared back at me, clearly annoyed. During our time on the uninhabited island, Harriet had summoned a heat-generating sphere and put it in the children''s tent. Regardless of race or tribe, magic is the best. As I asked Harriet to do something, she stuck out her lips and slowly closed her eyes. It seemed like she might summon the heat-generating sphere from the uninhabited island again. "¡­" Suddenly, Harriet grabbed my hand. She couldn''t even look at me, her head hung low. No. Not this. When I first awakened my Magic Body Strengthening and was in unbearable pain, I asked her to put me to sleep, but instead of using a sleep spell, she unexpectedly sang a lullaby. When I realized the misunderstanding, I felt like I could have died of embarrassment. Was she misunderstanding my request for magic again? "No, hey¡­ not this, but magic¡­" "I know." Her words stopped me in my tracks. "I''m¡­ not that stupid¡­" Her voice trembled, as if it would break at any moment. She held my hand even though she knew I was asking for magic. With her head down, Harriet held my hand and led the way. She didn''t grip too tightly. She couldn''t hold it tighter, nor could she let go. I quietly followed Harriet, who was leading the way with my hand in hers. "How was your day today?" Harriet asked. "It was the best." I answered sincerely, without any pretense. "¡­" "¡­" We didn''t exchange any more words after that. Silently, we just walked. The dormitory was quite a distance away, requiring a tram ride. However, Harriet walked past the tram stop and continued walking. As if she wanted to walk forever. As if she hoped the place we needed to return to would never appear. CH 313 One couldn''t spend the entire day dressing up and applying makeup for the Miss Temple contest. After taking off her dress and removing her makeup, Ellen finished taking a shower. Liana had her practice not only the dress code and makeup, but also her facial expressions. Thorough preparation was essential. Despite not having done much, Ellen felt extremely exhausted, both physically and mentally, due to her unfamiliarity with the tasks. That didn''t mean she disliked it, though. It felt like discovering an entirely different side of herself she had been unaware of. Today alone, she had looked in the mirror dozens of times, wondering if it was really her. After drying her hair, Ellen obediently lay down on the bed. The Miss Temple contest would start tomorrow. -Growl Ellen furrowed her brow at the sound coming from her stomach. It would usually be time to eat a late-night snack with Reinhardt. Ellen recalled Liana''s stern warning. "Don''t eat anything you pick up tonight." "...Why?" "I know you don''t gain weight easily, but if you eat something and your face swells up tomorrow, what will you do?" "...I''m not sure." "Anyway, just don''t eat. You can endure it for just one day." It wasn''t that hard to refrain from eating a late-night snack. She could certainly endure it for a day. But routines were powerful. -Growl "..." Her body sent signals at the time she usually ate, but she wasn''t allowed to eat now. Moreover, when someone tells you not to do something, the desire only becomes stronger. She had gone to bed without a late-night snack before, but today, knowing she couldn''t eat, made her even hungrier. Ellen was typically good at self-control. She didn''t gain weight easily due to her exercise routine and constitution, and the Royal Class dormitory always had abundant food supplies. Besides, Reinhardt, who would do anything she asked, had been with her for quite some time. Ellen realized she had rarely resisted eating recently. Still, she needed to show a better version of herself tomorrow. She couldn''t let hunger get the best of her. She tried to force herself to sleep, but sleep wouldn''t come easily. Wondering if it was because of the moonlight pouring through the window, Ellen grumbled as she got up to close the curtains. And then. As she reached for the curtains, Ellen caught a glimpse of the street outside the dormitory. In the darkness, under the moonlight, she saw two familiar faces. Reinhardt and Harriet de Saint-Owan. They were walking hand in hand. "..." Ellen silently watched the scene from her room. With her head bowed, as if embarrassed, Harriet walked beside Reinhardt, who held her hand gently. Ellen, frozen in place, continued to observe the scene. Holding hands. How special was that gesture, really? She had held hands countless times and embraced just as much. She had always done so with Reinhardt. They were friends, after all. Therefore, it should be considered as something friends do. She should understand that it''s well within the realm of their relationship. But still. Ellen couldn''t take her eyes off their intertwined hands. Had it already been taken away? No. It had always been this way, long ago. The belief that there were parts only she could touch was a complete illusion. "It''s been a while!" In reality, it had already happened long ago. Had it? Why were they? In the end. Holding hands was something that could be done. She too had held his hand countless times. Had she thought that touching Reinhardt was her exclusive privilege? That''s why, seeing Harriet merely holding his hand... Why did her heart feel so... Fragile, as if it were breaking? "I...I do have...sometimes, really...sometimes." "You really think...that''s petty..." The words Harriet had once spoken echoed in Ellen''s mind. Ellen naturally realized that Harriet had always felt this way. In places she didn''t know about. With stories and memories she didn''t know of. Watching from afar as they created a relationship she couldn''t intrude upon. All she could do was watch and do nothing in this situation. That was how it felt. Feeling betrayed, overwhelmed, angry, sorrowful, and wronged. Had Harriet expressed this feeling with just the word "petty"? It didn''t seem like a feeling that could be expressed with just that word. Ellen looked at the two of them returning to the dormitory. Perhaps it was already too late. Harriet was doing what she had to do. There was no need or reason to hate her. If she wanted to hate that sight, Ellen should have been the one to receive Harriet''s hatred long ago. Harriet was just trying her best in her own way; there was no need to hate her for that. Ellen tried to convince herself. So, she just had to do what she had to do. She had to show her best side tomorrow. After seeing her tomorrow, Reinhardt might change a little from what he was like up until now. Exchanging various stories, he might change a little from what he was like up until now. That should be enough. Today is today, and tomorrow is tomorrow. With her eyes tightly shut, Ellen tried her best to erase the lingering image of the two from her mind. ------ That night. I swung my sword in the training hall. Neither Cliffman nor Ellen was there. So, after a long time, I struck the practice dummy. I could have asked Saviolin Turner for guidance, but it was already late, and that lady secretly became enthusiastic when teaching, so I figured I wouldn''t be able to sleep on time. So, I swung my practice sword at the dummy. -Crack! "Damn it." The practice sword broke. I had wielded the sword to the point of oblivion. It''s not like I''m that deeply immersed in swordsmanship. What could it be? I had lost track of time. It was already well past my usual bedtime. If I had received lessons from Saviolin Turner, I would have finished earlier. My whole body was drenched in sweat. I collected the remnants of the broken practice sword and threw them into the trash, then opened the window of the training hall. A chilly breeze brushed past my cheeks and sweat-soaked clothes. Right now. I must be feeling agitated. What should I do? No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn''t figure it out. It was long past my bedtime, and I didn''t think I could swing a practice sword in this state without breaking another one. I decided to wash up and go to sleep. I considered doing something to pass the time, but without Ellen around, I wasn''t in the mood to do anything by myself. "Oh." As I walked down the hallway, I bumped into someone. The person who faced me tilted his head. The one who faced me was none other than Bertus. Shouldn''t he be busy managing the magic train? What brought him to the dormitory at this hour? "Why are you still awake at this hour?" Bertus said what I was about to ask him. "I was at the training hall." "¡­Training even during the festival. Impressive." Bertus smirked. "What about you?" "Ah... I had some work to do, and now I''m going to rest." Had he finished the magic train management work for the festival? His dark circles were prominent, whether it was from staying up all night or having too much work. He had no business praising me for training during the festival; wasn''t he working even harder than usual? "Ah, I heard you won the tournament. Congratulations." "Uh... Yeah." Bertus patted my shoulder and walked towards his room. He seemed to have struggled quite a bit these past few days, as his exhaustion was visible on his usually stoic face. And just when it seemed he was about to enter his room, he suddenly looked back at me as if he remembered something. "Ah... Wait a moment." "Uh... Why?" Cold sweat broke out all over my body. The others had safely passed by. But not him. He still hasn''t seen me since I was dressed as a girl. Bertus narrowed his eyes and stared at me intently. No way? Could he recognize me? Honestly, we only encountered each other briefly, so it was more like a fleeting glance, right? "Hmm¡­" Bertus stared at me with a frown, then shook his head. "No, I think I''m just tired." Bertus gave me a spine-chilling grin and went into his room. ------ Back in his dormitory room, Bertus dragged his heavy, waterlogged body to wash up and lay down on his bed. Managing the operation of the magic train during the festival. He didn''t think it was a trivial matter. The magic train was the most important means of transportation on the Royal Road, with many passengers even on normal days. Moreover, during this period, passengers flocked from all over the continent. Therefore. There are people who have never seen or heard of the magic train in their entire lives. Some children cry, thinking it''s a monster, while even adults panic and run away in confusion. These are nobles. Even in remote rural areas on the continent, there is a social hierarchy. Deciding to travel to the capital to see the Temple Festival means they have enough money to pay the fees for the warp gate. So, most of the time, high-ranking people from their regions come to the capital. There are numerous people who complain about the lack of a noble-only compartment on the magic train. They argue about how they can use the same means of transportation as commoners. Although it''s laughable for these people to squabble over rank, Bertus had to handle this job well. He had been under an enormous amount of stress trying to resolve all incidents and accidents smoothly and without issue. So, feeling he needed to sleep properly for once, he had returned to the dormitory. Bertus'' head felt like it was about to explode. However, upon seeing Reinhardt, something suddenly came to mind. He hadn''t had time to think about it while swamped with work, but he recalled the silver-haired girl he had encountered last time. The moment he saw Reinhardt, the image of the silver-haired girl sprang to mind. He couldn''t forget her. Having committed the unthinkable faux pas of spitting tea all over her face when they first met, Bertus would never forget her for the rest of his life. ''She does resemble him. She definitely does.'' He wondered if he was imagining it due to exhaustion, but upon closer thought, they did resemble each other. Of course, he would need to see them side by side to be sure. But it was certain that the silver-haired girl and Reinhardt looked very similar. However, Bertus'' train of thought took a peculiar turn. First of all. Bertus was so busy that he didn''t know the details of the festival. At most, he only knew that Reinhardt had won the first-year tournament. Therefore, he didn''t know who the silver-haired girl was, nor that she had participated in the Temple cross-dressing contest. Thus, to Bertus, the silver-haired girl was just a silver-haired girl. Two completely different people. But they looked alike. They even shared a similar sharp tongue. When he asked about her silver hair, she said it was dyed. Moreover, Reinhardt came from the streets. ''Does Reinhardt have a sister or an older sibling?'' There are cases where siblings are separated, so it''s entirely possible that Reinhardt may have blood relatives he doesn''t know about. All he had to do was ask Reinhardt. If he had a younger or older sister. Of course, Reinhardt would give an answer of either yes or no, but he would also be curious about why Bertus was asking such a question. ''Well, it could be a coincidence.'' People can coincidentally look alike. If he carelessly mentioned that he met someone who might be his sister or older sibling, Reinhardt would undoubtedly be disappointed if it turned out not to be true. ''Should I investigate separately...?'' There''s no need to go out of his way to tell Reinhardt about it. If it turns out to be true, Bertus could help Reinhardt find his long-lost relative. If not, it would merely be a matter of returning the handkerchief he hadn''t been able to give back then. Thinking that it was just such a trivial matter, Bertus gradually drifted off to sleep. CH 314 Friday. Today is the Miss Temple Contest and the finals of the Unrestricted Class Tournament. Olivia Lanze, who must participate in both events, is sure to be extremely busy. The first-year students of the Royal Class don''t seem particularly interested in the Unrestricted Class Tournament, which starts from the semi-finals, since none of their classmates are competing. Ellen, Liana, and Cliffman all appear to be busy preparing for the contest. However, when Ellen runs into me in the morning, she gazes at me quietly. "Today..." I know what she wants to say. "Aren''t you going?" "...Yeah." Ellen has watched all of my tournament matches. Even if she hadn''t, there''s no reason not to attend the Miss Temple Contest today. I have to make Cliffman Mister Temple, even if I have to use some kind of trick, and I still don''t know what to do about Miss Temple. There''s no reason for me not to go to the contest. Ellen hesitates for a moment, then looks at me with a determined expression. "...Make sure you come." "Alright, prepare well." "Okay." After the contest, I wonder if she has something to say. That''s the impression her expression gave me. Ellen leaves those words behind and goes somewhere with Liana to prepare. The other guys seem to be enjoying the festival on their own, but I''ve decided to move alone during the day. Without anyone joining me. I''m going to watch the Unrestricted Class Tournament finals, which are now out of my classmates'' interests. Of course, there may be some who will watch, but I still plan to go alone. I have a lot to apologize for to Olivia. She always takes care of me and does anything for me, but I always treat her poorly. Yesterday, I even openly supported Harriet. Being good at everything doesn''t mean you''re strong-willed in every situation. I don''t know if there are others who will watch the finals separately, but I intend to go to the Unrestricted Class Tournament finals without joining anyone. The matches begin from the semi-finals, but in the end, there are only three matches. So, even if I watch up to the finals, the time spent wouldn''t be too long. -Woahhhhhhh! The cheers of the crowd were enormous. The fact that Harriet lost didn''t change anything. However, just because the result matched my expectations doesn''t mean the process was similar. Like my tournament had various twists and turns, the Unrestricted Class Tournament had a few surprises as well. So far, Olivia has only lost one set, and that was the set Harriet took. As I wait for the match to start, I hear someone calling me from behind. "Reinhardt, you came to watch the finals too?" "Ah, Charlotte." It''s Charlotte. Although I planned to watch alone, the seating area was assigned, so I couldn''t help but run into someone if they came. Anyway, I wonder if Charlotte has any reason to watch the finals. The reason was right behind her. "The teacher came too?" "Yes." It seems that Charlotte isn''t here for herself, but because Saviolin Turner wanted to watch. Charlotte can''t leave her side, and the teacher must have wanted to watch the finals. Charlotte wasn''t a fool, so she had interpreted Turner''s mood and decided to go watch the finals. "If you were going, you should have said so. Why did you come alone?" "Ah, just because." "Really?" She had thought it would be better to watch it alone rather than bring someone along, but she didn''t intend to move seats or anything now that they had encountered each other. Naturally, Charlotte and Saviolin Turner sat down beside me. Charlotte looked around and folded her arms. "Hmm." "What?" "Oh, nothing¡­" This area was for Royal Class VIP seats. That meant there were other VIP seats as well. Charlotte had just been looking at the seats reserved for distinguished guests. "Count Bolton is here." "Bolton?" As I cocked my head, Saviolin Turner looked at me. "Didn''t you exchange greetings with him at the last patronage party?" "At the patronage party?" I had forgotten the names of the people I had greeted at the patronage party. Bolton? Who was that? ''Hmm.'' ''His memory isn''t great, is it?'' I could feel Saviolin Turner''s gaze pass by with such thoughts, but only for a moment. "It''s Sir Eleion Bolton, the current commander of the Holy Knights." "Ah." That''s right. It was a familiar name. Eleion Bolton, the new commander of the Holy Knights who took office after Riverrier Lanze''s dismissal. I didn''t know much about him, and I hadn''t supported him, so I had completely forgotten about him. Charlotte wore a subtle smile. "I didn''t see him yesterday, so I was wondering if he was coming. I guess he''s here for the finals." "¡­Maybe because he doesn''t want to see Olivia win?" "Well¡­ I don''t know what Count Bolton is thinking, but it''s probably going to be an unpleasant sight." How would the current commander of the Holy Knights, a prominent candidate for the next religious leader, feel watching a talent who abandoned her faith win the tournament without using divine power? It was clear he wouldn''t feel good. As I recalled his name, I recognized his face as well. Different from Riverrier Lanze, he had a stern and unyielding appearance. He was not wearing knightly armor but formal attire, and around him were those who looked like his close associates, also likely to be Holy Knights, silently watching the arena. Saviolin Turner, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, tilted her head. "Rather than worrying about Olivia, he might be supporting someone else." "Someone else?" "Don''t you know the other top four contestants?" "I can''t remember anyone other than Senior Olivia." Charlotte laughed scornfully, as if she didn''t bother remembering things unrelated to her. "Among the top four, there''s a student whose entry into the Holy Knights is confirmed after graduation." "Ah¡­ really?" "He might be hoping that the student will defeat Olivia." It was inevitable that Olivia had given up her faith. So, it would make sense for the future Holy Knight member to wish for a victory against Olivia, who didn''t use divine power. Certainly, among the contestants of the Unrestricted-class tournament, there were quite a few who seemed to aspire to become Holy Knights. Most of them possessed skills that could not be ignored. Royal-class 6th grade A-3, Jordan Windsor. Royal-class 6th grade B-2, Lydia Schmitt. Lydia Schmitt. The person who was curious about what Olivia and I had been discussing. She seemed like a good person, but I had felt something peculiar about her. She was an incredible talent who used both Divine Power and Magic Body Strengthening. Anyway. Since Olivia had been held back for a year, Lydia Schmitt and Olivia had actually spent a long time together in the Temple. Had their relationship soured when Olivia abandoned her faith? If Lydia Schmitt were to join the Holy Knight Order, she could very well be jealous of Olivia. They would have been compared to each other in many ways. Lydia Schmitt was incredibly talented, but ultimately, she hadn''t surpassed Olivia. I would have seen her if she belonged to the Religious Club Grace, but my first meeting with her had been a brief conversation in front of the dormitory last time. If someone with a perfect talent upgrade had always been above oneself, it must have been a painful experience. While we were exchanging various stories, the announcer began to move the competition forward. Royal-class 5th grade student, Olivia Lanze, who has only one loss in the set so far! With the cheers of the crowd, Olivia was teleported onto the stadium. Even though there had been a minor accident yesterday, Olivia had regained her relaxed smile. However, what had changed was that Olivia, who had been fighting with bare fists until now, was holding a sword this time. Did she think there was no need to take a penalty from the semi-finals on? Or did she judge that she might lose a set unexpectedly if she was as careless as yesterday? Besides Olivia Lance, the top four contestants were two 6th grade Royal-class students and one 5th grade student from the Orbis-class. The Royal-class students were all in their final year of the temple''s grade division. Olivia Lanze''s opponent in the top four was a 5th grade Orbis-class student, Melanie Benier. It must have been bitter that the Orbis-class disappeared just before graduation. The Orbis-class had been a cradle of revolutionary forces, and most of the students and teachers involved had either withdrawn or resigned from teaching. Those who remained were either not captured or had decided to stay in the temple after being captured. The revolutionary forces. It made my head throb every time I thought about it. Regardless of my concerns, the first match of the top four started soon. The process was not very important. 3:0 It was a complete victory for Olivia Lanze. ------ Had Harriet had a chance against Olivia because she used magic? Or was it because Olivia, wielding a sword, was even stronger? The opponent seemed to struggle, but they were no match for Olivia. Above all, the opponent seemed somewhat annoyed, but their expression was not that of being absorbed in defeat as if they knew the outcome would be like this. The next match of the semi-finals. Royal Class 6th Year A-3, Jordan Windsor. Royal Class 6th Year B-2, Lydia Schmitt. Naturally, those who had advanced to the semi-finals possessed unquestionable skill. I had watched the previous matches of Lydia Schmitt and Jordan Windsor. Lydia Schmitt favored double buffs, while Jordan Windsor was exceptionally skilled, even without the ability to use divine power. Of course, both were formidable opponents who I couldn''t even hope to challenge at my current level. Even if Harriet faced them, she wouldn''t have been able to secure a victory. It wasn''t just Olivia who was a monster; the other upperclassmen of the Royal Class were monsters as well. The most talented individuals had honed their skills for six years. Although there was an exceptional monster like Olivia, they were monsters in their own right. Talent doesn''t just run away. Frankly, even if Erich seemed like a waste of space right now, it didn''t mean he''ll still be one six years later. He seemed to be putting in effort lately, so there was a chance he''ll awaken his Magic Body Strengthening after three years. And three years after that, he could become a monster who can compete in the Unrestricted-Class Tournament. Olivia Lanze was originally in the same grade as the 6th-year students. Excluding the 5th-years who participated in the Demon World War, she would have spent her entire time at the Temple with them. Thus, she was likely closer to the 6th-year students. Facing off against fellow Royal Class peers in the finals of the Unrestricted-Class Tournament would be quite a fascinating and enjoyable experience. If the Gate incident hadn''t happened, perhaps Ellen and I would have faced each other in the finals of the Unrestricted-Class Tournament as we advanced in grade. ¡­ But I would probably lose. Even if I made it to the finals, imagining myself losing to Ellen¡­ Honestly, it didn''t seem like it would feel that bad. The second match of the semi-finals turned out to be quite thrilling, contrary to my expectations. "Good luck, Lydia." "You too." Both of them smiled and exchanged greetings, showing that their relationship wasn''t that bad. Despite being in different classes, they seemed to be on friendly terms, perhaps due to the long time they spent together. However, that was only for a moment. Their expressions hardened. The friendly atmosphere vanished as if it never existed, and their battle of exploration began. Melanie Benier, the 5th-year from Orvis Class who had just been defeated by Olivia in a 3-0 shutout, was undoubtedly much more skilled than me. And now, these two were 6th-years from the temple. This would be the last time they faced each other in a setting like this tournament. Regardless of their usual relationship, this special kind of battlefield would be the last time they tested each other''s strength. So, they had no choice but to be serious. -Uuung! Blue magical power wrapped around Jordan Windsor''s body. It didn''t have the explosive, blazing sensation like Ellen''s. It was the complete opposite. It focused on control and stability. The compressed and refined power had no unnecessary magical operation; it was like a finely sharpened blade. It wasn''t that the scale was weak. The technique involved using an extremely efficient Magic Body Strengthening, applying just the right amount of force where it was needed. Perhaps the method Ellen and I should learn from the most is the one similar to Jordan Windsor''s Magic Body Strengthening. Lydia Schmidt''s case was a little different. She suddenly thrust her sword into the ground of the arena. -Thud! The metal sword pierced the stone floor, and from the ground, white thread-like lines began to crawl up and wrap around the sword. The white light that enveloped the sword soon began to coil around Lydia herself. But that wasn''t all. Not only was Lydia''s body surrounded by the white light, but blue magical power also flowed simultaneously. Strengthening the body with divine power and supporting it with Magic Body Strengthening. A method of adding strength to strength. Though I, capable of Self-Suggestion, shouldn''t be the one to say this, that double enhancement seems unfair. Saviolin Turner quietly speaks as he watches the spectacle. "The divine power of the War God Ares..." Having already seen Lydia Schmidt''s match, she knew she used Ares'' divine power. "There is nothing important about Ares'' divine power..." "Yes." It''s something I''m also aware of. The War God Ares. "Divine power that focuses all its energy on attack, unable to use the power of healing..." While the power of divine protection isn''t limited to healing, most divine powers can use healing to some extent. However, the priests of the War God Ares cannot use the power of healing. A power specialized only in destruction and breaking. A power focused on slaughter and massacre. That is the divine power of the War God. Having absorbed enough divine power from the earth, Lydia Schmidt pulls out her sword, now shrouded in white light, and stares at her opponent with blue and white light wrapped around her body. -Here we go. -Yes. They are not just superhuman, but among the superhumans, they are some of the most skilled. The two monsters, who could be called the essence of the Royal Class, collide. -Bang! Although it was just the clashing of swords, I could see the shockwave distorting the air with my own eyes. As the level of confrontation was high, it was clear that the weapons provided were powerful artifact-grade weapons that could withstand any ordinary battle. Therefore, the real battle of the superhumans had begun. ------ In the second match of the quarterfinals, Lydia Schmidtt from Class B was victorious. The set score was 3:1. Jordan Windsor excelled in Magic Body Strengthening, but Lydia Schmidtt was able to use Ares'' divine power. That was the biggest difference. The divine power focused on destruction was so intense that it sent shivers down my spine. Jordan Windsor was defeated by Lydia Schmidtt, who was aided by divine power. It''s not unusual for Class B to surpass Class A when it comes to upperclassmen. Still, seeing it with my own eyes was a different experience. I could see Jordan Windsor grinding his teeth in defeat. Regardless of their usual relationship, ultimately, the decisive difference that led to defeat stemmed from their training throughout their time at the temple. Accepting defeat is difficult for anyone. I didn''t particularly empathize with either of them. Olivia was the only one I could have felt that way about today. Of course, unlike me, the audience didn''t have anyone to relate to, so they seemed quite satisfied with the spectacle provided. But is this really a situation where Olivia can win? Olivia can''t use divine power, while Lydia Schmitt can use her full strength. What exactly is the relationship between Lydia Schmitt and Olivia? If Lydia Schmitt had been jealous of Olivia throughout their time in the temple, she would want to defeat her with everything she''s got. After a brief pause, the finals were about to begin. In the end, it was a match between classmates. Olivia Lanze, A-1. And Lydia Schmitt, B-3. The final match was a bit different from what I had expected. Olivia''s usually relaxed smile was gone, her expression stiffened, while Lydia Schmitt was smiling. "Olivia." "...Yes." The atmosphere between the two was tense. Before the match, Lydia Schmitt''s gaze and smile seemed different when talking to Jordan Windsor. Lydia Schmitt. There was something akin to madness in her eyes. "Your divine power feels stronger than before." "..." "Return to the embrace of the gods, Olivia. You were born for it. You were made to live nowhere else but in the embrace of the gods." "Lydia, I..." "Come back, Olivia." It wasn''t jealousy or feelings of inferiority that I had anticipated. Lydia Schmit felt something completely different for Olivia. "I told you. I''ve given it all up. I''ve been saying it over and over again..." "No, Olivia. Your divine power, your talent, your character¡ªall of it. You are the only person truly capable of uniting the Five Great Holy Faiths. You are the only one who can put an end to this long history of faith and lead us into the next era." Lydia Schmitt smiled as she spoke to Olivia. Olivia wielded the divine power of Owan, while Lydia Schmit wielded that of Ares''. Even though they were both part of the Five Great Holy Faiths, their beliefs were different. Despite this, Lydia Schmitt was trying to bring Olivia back to their faith. Olivia looked troubled. "Come back, Olivia." "I''m sorry, Lydia. I have no intention of going back." It was then that I realized I didn''t know the specifics of Olivia''s time in the temple. Just as Riverrier Lanze didn''t want to lose Olivia''s talent, Many people must have felt sorry for her, including classmates who had been touched by Olivia. After giving up her faith, she must have continued to hear such things. Not only from religious figures, but also from the numerous classmates she had been close to up until then. When they had been maintaining their faith, they had gotten along well. But as soon as Olivia gave up her faith, they relentlessly tried to persuade her to change her mind like this. Olivia must have been exhausted by it all. In the end, contrary to my expectations, Lydia Schmitt didn''t feel jealousy towards Olivia Lanze but was, in fact, one of her fervent admirers. "What are they talking about?" As Saviolin Turner and I were focused on the two far away, Charlotte asked Saviolin Turner. "...She''s trying to convince Olivia to regain her faith." "Ah..." Charlotte sighed. "It must be tiring for that senior as well." "..." A fatigue close to despair was evident in Olivia. She must have known that she would face such situations for the rest of her life. Olivia had endured more than I had thought. "There''s only one answer, Lydia. I have no intention of returning to the gods'' embrace." Upon hearing Olivia''s words, Lydia closed her eyes for a moment. "I see... Then prepare yourself." "...Prepare?" "Yes. Prepare." Lydia Schmitt once again drove her sword into the ground of the arena. "Prepare to endure the sadness." "Clang!" Lydia Schmitt didn''t seem like a malicious person. She had even given me a gentle smile when she briefly spoke to me. I must have mistakenly felt uneasy around her. However, when talking to Olivia, Lydia Schmitt was a completely different person. The laughter had vanished from her face, and a different feeling could be read in her expression compared to the semi-finals. Madness and obsession. "Everything that happens from now on is the will of the gods, meant to guide you, who have lost your way, back to the right path." "Whooosh!" Divine power erupted from the ground of the arena, enveloping Lydia Schmitt. CH 315 Divine Power and Magic Body Strengthening What will happen now? Even if Lydia Schmitt defeats Olivia, there''s no reason for Olivia to regain her faith, thinking that she''s nothing without divine power. Krrrrrr! As Olivia activated her Magic Body Strengthening, the finals of the Unrestricted Tournament begin. "I have a feeling... something''s off." "Indeed." Saviolin Turner and I couldn''t help but feel a sense of foreboding after overhearing their conversation. Lydia Schmitt is up to something. Kwakang! Contrary to our ominous premonition, it was difficult to discern who had the upper hand between the two. One thing was clear; Lydia Schmitt was an incredibly skilled fighter. However, Olivia Lanze, who was fighting her solely with enhanced magical power, was not falling behind. This meant that if Olivia were to use her divine power as well, she would have an overwhelming advantage. No matter how much Ares'' power was focused on offense, there was bound to be a strengthening power in Owan''s power. It would be easy for Olivia to secure victory against Lydia Schmitt if she were to use that as well. What on earth is Lydia Schmitt trying to do? Is she trying to force Olivia, who senses her defeat, to use her divine power? Olivia said that if such a thing were to happen, she would be subjected to a religious trial. That''s why she didn''t use her divine power even when facing a set loss against Harriet. "By any chance... what would happen if Olivia, who has officially renounced her faith, were to use her divine power?" Although I had some knowledge about it, I wasn''t completely certain, so I asked. "...She won''t end up in a good situation." Charlotte replied in a pessimistic tone. "...Those who use unauthorized divine power are treated as witches." Saviolin Turner supplemented. Priests or Holy Knights. Regardless of receiving blessings or anything, there''s a kind of certification for divine power. Even though students of this sort, who are like apprentices, are considered exceptions. It must be to monopolize divine power. Olivia wasn''t someone secretly healing people in some remote countryside village; she was a person who had been called the Saint of Eredian. When faith is renounced, divine power should disappear since it originates from belief in the divine. However, not only did Olivia''s divine power not vanish, but it became even stronger. It''s just that she mustn''t use it. Divine power not used within the divine''s embrace would be considered heresy. "If such a thing were to happen, Olivia wouldn''t be treated as a witch. However, she would be subjected to a religious trial." If Olivia were to use her divine power, she would be using unauthorized divine power in a public place. That would create ample opportunity to entangle her with heresy interrogation or religious trials as an excuse. Lydia Schmitt must be trying to force Olivia to use her divine power. But how? Olivia didn''t use her divine power even at the moment she was defeated by Harriet. In the tournament, Olivia considers it a power she doesn''t possess and fights accordingly. If she loses, she loses. There''s no need to forcibly use divine power. -Boom! Crash! With the powerful strike from Lydia Schmitt, a heavy shock reverberated through the arena, and Olivia managed to block it with a single sword. Not only did Olivia withstand the devastating divine power with her Magic Body Strengthening alone, she even managed to counterattack. I wasn''t sure about anything else, but was this truly a battle between humans? That''s how it felt. "Amazing. Both of them." The world''s strongest monster praised them from beside me. It was that intense of a fight. Lydia Schmitt employed everything she could in the battle. Olivia Lanze only used Magic Body Strengthening. If it weren''t for Olivia, wouldn''t Lydia Schmitt be in Olivia''s place? That''s how impressive Lydia''s skills were. However, she didn''t envy Olivia; instead, she wanted to return Olivia to where she rightfully belonged. Not jealousy, but obsession. In the end, both were exhausting. -Rumble! A white light emitted from Lydia''s sword, condensed with divine power, and stabbed into the ground. -Boom! It was so intense, it made me wonder if that was really divine power. The destructive divine power exhibited a force even greater than magic. The arena, reinforced after Harriet''s battle, was visibly being torn apart in real time. To think she was a Holy Knight. In fact, the term berserker seemed to fit better. However, Olivia, who faced her, was just as incredible. She either parried or dodged the dangerous, powerful attacks, and struck back with precise timing, preventing Lydia from regaining momentum. Lydia took the lead in overall output. However, Olivia pressed on Lydia with more precise and faster predictive attacks and counters. Therefore, the outcome of the match could be predicted to some extent. Lydia was doing well, but Olivia would win. She wasn''t underestimating her opponent like in the battle with Harriet. Olivia was doing her best without using divine power and without letting her guard down. Lydia Schmitt''s hidden trump card. If she planned to force Olivia to use divine power, what could that strategy be? Olivia attacked Lydia sharply and precisely. -Boom! Crash! Bang! As if to end it in one fell swoop, Olivia''s relentless attacks gave Lydia no chance to catch her breath. One strike after another. Olivia, who steadily attacked both the divine power and Magic Body Strengthening defenses of the opponent, finally created an opening. This was the end. Sensing her victory, Olivia thrust her sword toward Lydia Schmitt''s chest. At the moment when it seemed Olivia would take the first set. -Rumble! I could clearly see the explosive red energy surging from Lydia Schmitt''s body. "That is...!" Saviolin Turner stared wide-eyed at the scene before him, and Olivia stumbled back in shock. "Lydia! What are you doing?" "Olivia... You have to win, right? You need the money. That''s why you joined the tournament, isn''t it? To help the children?" Lydia, enveloped in a sinister red aura, revealed a chilling smile. "Defeat me with all your might. Give it everything you''ve got." It was clear that Lydia Schmitt, shrouded in an ominous red light, was not in an ordinary state. Saviolin Turner mumbled as if he knew what the red aura was about. "Berserk... Why? How can a mere student possess such power...?" "What is that?" "It''s a power rarely used by the high priests of Ares." Berserk. Though they didn''t know the details, the word itself gave them a sense of what it meant. Olivia cried out, her face turning pale. "Lydia! Stop it right now!" "That power... It consumes one''s life." It was an extreme method used by the knights of Ares when they burned their own lives to draw out their strength. The knights of Ares were not just similar to berserkers; they were berserkers themselves. Lydia Schmitt was now using that power in the tournament finals. Lydia knew the reason Olivia had to win. She knew that Olivia had joined not for herself, but because she needed the prize money. That''s why Lydia performed such a reckless act, burning her own life to increase her power, so that Olivia couldn''t defeat her without giving it her all. Was Lydia going to such lengths just to make Olivia use her divine power? Bang! Crash! Clang! Lydia Schmitt, enveloped in the red aura, was relentlessly pushing Olivia back. Charlotte looked at Saviolin Turner with a worried expression. "Shouldn''t we stop this?" "Yes, but Berserk is an extremely rare ability among the powers used by the priests of Ares. Even within the Ares Church, only a few know how to use it. Olivia seems to know, but whether the organizers understand the situation right now, I''m not sure..." To the untrained eye, it appeared as if Lydia Schmitt, who had been on the verge of defeat, suddenly unleashed her power. They wouldn''t know that the red aura was consuming her life. The atmosphere around Holy Knight Commander Eleion Bolton had turned tense. Eleion Bolton watched the arena with a serious expression, while the knights accompanying him exchanged confused looks. Even some of the high-ranking knights with the Holy Knight Commander did not know what Lydia Schmitt was doing. With gritted teeth, Olivia withstood the powerful onslaught of Lydia Schmitt''s attacks. The match needed to be stopped immediately. But if the organizers didn''t understand the situation, the match would continue as it was. Olivia was being pushed back by Lydia Schmitt, who was drawing out her utmost power. It would be best to subdue her in one go, but that would require the use of divine power. That was not an option to consider. She could endure without using divine power, but in that case, Lydia Schmitt would die on the spot once all her life force was drained. Therefore, there was only one way to stop Lydia Schmitt, who was attacking by burning her life force. Halting the match. Or. Olivia giving up the contest. Those were the only two options. "Lady Turner, stop the match immediately. I''ll take full responsibility." "Yes, Your Highness." Charlotte spoke with a serious expression, and the moment Saviolin Turner nodded his head. ¡°I forfeit¡­¡± Olivia, with a lost expression, declared her forfeit. ------ Olivia sat in the waiting room for the competitors, covering her face with both hands, trembling. She had forfeited. ''I want to be like my sister when I grow up!'' ''Heh, your dream is too small? You should aim to be much greater than your sister.'' ''But my sister is the prettiest, kindest, and most amazing person I know.'' ''Hey, don''t flatter me too much.'' She forfeited. ''Thank you, Olivia.'' ''No problem. It''s my duty.'' ''But now, with the circumstances... I hope you don''t push yourself too hard.'' ''Madam Principal, I''m still fine. I think I can earn a lot of prize money at the Temple Festival this time.'' ''Prize money?'' ''Yes, the tournament and other competitions... Um, there''s that stuff anyway!'' She had forfeited. She had no choice. There is no second-place prize in the Temple Tournament. Most of the audience was bewildered. The highly anticipated final had ended all too anticlimactically. Very few knew the details. A discussion was needed on whether Lydia Schmitt''s actions warranted disqualification. So for now, the tournament had to be concluded, even if it felt lukewarm. Olivia couldn''t even bear to watch the award ceremony. It wasn''t just about the prize money. It was painful to not win, but more than that, Olivia felt like her head was about to explode. She felt like she was going insane. She couldn''t understand why she was doing this to herself. How long had she been sitting there in a daze? "Olivia." Lydia Schmitt was walking towards Olivia. -Thud! She threw away the dazzling trophy, the symbol of winning the Unrestricted Tournament. As if she had no interest in it whatsoever. Lydia approached Olivia. "Why did you forfeit?" "..." "You needed the money, didn''t you?" There was not a trace of happiness in Lydia Schmitt''s expression from winning. All she wanted in return for choosing to burn her own life was for Olivia to use her divine power in public. Because of that, she was willing to risk her life to be brought to a religious trial and forcibly made to walk the path of a priestess again. As if it was only natural to risk her life. If she had used her divine power, Olivia could have subdued Lydia Schmitt, who had activated her berserk mode. But Olivia did not do so. If she had continued to fight, Lydia Schmitt would have met her death. Olivia was forced to make a choice. She had to choose between a life of poverty, unable to feed the starving children, or reluctantly living as a religious person. She chose one of those paths. She had to make a choice, and Olivia made her choice. "This isn''t the Olivia I know." Lydia didn''t feel the slightest bit of joy in her victory. Instead, she was angry, staring down at Olivia. "The Olivia I know would have subdued me in an instant, taken the prize money, and helped people. She should have done that, without a doubt." In Lydia Schmitt''s mind, Olivia wasn''t someone who would forfeit in such a situation. She had participated in the competition to help people with the prize money, so she should have used her divine power without thinking about herself. Everyone expected her to act that way. And Lydia Schmitt was angry that she hadn''t. Olivia, her face pale, was trembling. "Yeah, I''m selfish. I''m going to live selfishly from now on. That''s how I''m going to live. This is me. This is who I am now... So, leave me alone." "No, Olivia. No. It shouldn''t be like this. You should have used your divine power just now." Lydia Schmitt shook her head adamantly. Then, she knelt down in front of Olivia, looking up at the terrified girl. Her dark, abyss-like eyes stared at Olivia. "Olivia, you can be a good person again. Look at me, I put my life on the line, not caring about myself, just to help you. I wasn''t always like this. I admired how you always helped people, Olivia, so I tried to become someone like that too. That''s why I acted this way. So now, let me help you, Olivia. If this continues, you''ll only suffer more. More hardships will come. More cruel things will happen. No, this situation, where you''re drifting away from the divine, is already unbearably cruel for you. It''s not for nothing that I did this. This was the only way to avoid harming anyone." Olivia couldn''t even properly hear Lydia Schmitt''s rapid speech. She didn''t want to listen in the first place. Lydia Schmitt thought the person she admired was falling apart. That''s why she believed it was time for her to help Olivia. "I never asked you to do that... Please..." "No. No, Olivia. I''ll give you my prize money. I don''t want you to become a bad person. You can help the children. But promise me one thing. Promise that you''ll return to the divine''s embrace. It''s not too late. It''s not too late." No words would reach the ears of one who would not listen. Olivia could no longer bear to meet the eyes of Lydia Schmitt, so she tightly shut her own. In the end, Olivia burst into tears. "Please, don''t do this to me... Please... Just leave me alone... I beg you. Why me? Why does it have to be me... Please... Just leave me be... I don''t think I''m wrong. I don''t think I''m doing something wrong..." "No!" Lydia shouted, as if she couldn''t let that particular statement slide. "Olivia! You mustn''t say such things! You were chosen by the gods! A perfect person like you, who was born with the blessings of all five great deities, cannot deny the gods! Yes, yes, that''s right. You''re going through a period of wandering. Oh, the gods are giving you this trial to make you even more perfect. Oh yes, this is all part of the gods'' will to lead you to greater glory. So, let''s think about it slowly. Starting from going back to the temple. No, from talking about their grace with others, starting slowly..." "Damn, you talk a lot." At the sudden voice from the hallway, both Lydia and the crying Olivia turned their heads. "Why do you keep trying to convert someone who''s not interested? Even street preachers don''t cling like this." The one approaching with rough strides was none other than Reinhardt. Reinhardt strode over and forcibly pulled the weeping Olivia to her feet by her hand. "If they spout nonsense, why don''t you just slap them instead of listening to such drivel?" "..." "This isn''t your business, Reinhardt." Lydia Schmitt said to Reinhardt with a stern expression. "What nonsense are you talking about?" Reinhardt pulled the trembling Olivia behind him, as if to hide her. "It was never your place to meddle between us in the first place." "...What?" "You should mind your own business." Reinhardt grabbed Olivia''s hand and began to drag her away. "Hey, where are you going! You can''t take Olivia! You mustn''t do this!" At Lydia''s cry, Reinhardt shot her an icy glare. "Leave it be. Stop babbling nonsense." "..." Olivia, with her head hanging low, was led away by Reinhardt''s hand. Lydia watched with clenched teeth as Olivia was taken away, powerless to resist. Reinhardt. That name, like a thorn in her throat. Olivia, who was once delicate and gentle, had become unbending in her stubbornness. But she was infinitely generous to that one person alone. The pure saintess, who should maintain her purity, behaved as if she loved him. No, it was only since becoming close with that Reinhardt that Olivia had changed like this. He was the root cause of it all. If only he would disappear, the problem would be solved. Everyone was focusing on the wrong thing. "He shouldn''t be touched," they say. And yet, they are trying to sacrifice another pitiful child. ''Parasite, trash. A demon-like creature.'' In Lydia Schmitt''s eyes, Reinhardt was nothing more than the person responsible for leading the once-righteous Olivia astray. He must be gone. Only without him can Olivia return to her original self. Return to the proper path. Lydia, clenching her teeth, stared quietly at the hallway where Olivia had disappeared. ''That''s right... It''s you...'' She could do anything for Olivia. ''It would be better if you died. If you die instead of Adriana, Olivia will be alright... All we need is for you to be gone... Why should a child embraced by the gods be sacrificed because of someone like you... No, it can''t be. It should be you. A single unbeliever like you is all it takes to solve the problem.'' Lydia Schmitt''s eyes were wide with rage. CH 316 The leader of the Holy Knights, Eleion Bolton, left the stadium with his followers. "So, they said they could make her use her divine power, but that''s all they had in mind?" "¡­ I think they expected Olivia not to forfeit." A Holy Knight in training said briefly. Lydia Schmitt. Although she was not quite at Olivia''s level, she was a highly anticipated and powerful aspiring Holy Knight. She was more than ready for real combat. Eleion didn''t really believe her words. He was just curious about what she had said, that there was a way for Olivia to regain her faith. All he saw was Olivia''s determination to either witness her friend die in front of her or to forfeit instead of using her divine power. Why did she think that method would work? No, rather than thinking that method would work, it seemed she had no choice but to try it. In any case, Lydia Schmitt turned out to be more extreme than Eleion Bolton had thought. Regardless of her disposition, Eleion knew that extremists were dangerous. In Lydia Schmitt''s eyes, he saw a mad obsession with Olivia. "Lydia Schmitt doesn''t seem like she''ll give up easily¡­" "¡­I think so too." Since Lydia Schmitt''s plan didn''t work out, it was clear that she would cause more trouble. A follower whispered cautiously into the Holy Knight leader''s ear. "What do you think of the possibility that Lydia Schmitt is related to the Nameless Monastic Order?" "Extremists make easy prey, but I doubt they would want someone that extreme¡­" The two exchanged an unknown conversation as they moved away from the stadium. If Olivia had used her divine power, as the Holy Knight leader, Eleion would have had his duties. However, that didn''t happen. Thus, the Holy Knights had no more business at the temple. ------ "¡­I know it''s not okay, but how are you feeling?" "¡­No, thank you." She wanted to find a quiet place, but given the situation, there were none. So, they ended up in a caf¨¦ with relatively few people, and I sat across from Olivia. Her mental state seemed severely shaken. Charlotte and Saviolin Turner knew that I was going to check on Olivia, so they asked me to talk to her. If she had waited just a little longer, Charlotte would have stopped the fight, and she would only have had to endure for a little while. But Olivia couldn''t have known that. If she continued fighting, the exhausted Lydia Schmitt would have died, and using divine power would have led to a religious trial. So, Olivia had no choice but to forfeit. Lydia Schmitt''s expression was also quite a sight. She seemed to have never imagined that Olivia would forfeit, and her face was drained of color. She must have believed that Olivia would use her divine power and subdue her. In the end, the prize went to Lydia Schmitt. It seemed that she didn''t value the victory at all, though. Olivia sat with a gloomy expression, not even touching the tea in front of her, head hung low. "Does this happen often?" "¡­Yeah." "Not just with that person... but others too?" "It varies, but..." It seemed sad to Olivia that I had learned about the numerous problems she faced since leaving her faith. The always cheerful Olivia, who would bicker with me or Ellen, seemed a bit crazy but always appeared lively. Olivia didn''t get along well with her friends. The constant visits and annoying intrusions weren''t just because she wanted to see me. She was running away from people like them. While others subtly persisted in encouraging her to regain her faith, Lydia Schmitt''s case seemed particularly severe. It bordered on madness. Olivia must have never imagined that she would experience something like this, hence the shock. What should I say to comfort her? What would be helpful for Olivia right now? I''ve never had faith, nor have I experienced the problems that arise from abandoning it, so I couldn''t understand how Olivia must have felt. She was someone who had the expectations of the whole world. Yet she abandoned it by choice, and people believed it was a mistake. Could it be a situation where she doesn''t think she''s living a wrong life, but everyone around her says she is? It felt like I was seeing the true face of Olivia, who always smiled brightly and kindly. Her head was bowed, so I couldn''t see her expression. However, she had been tormented by those around her. Just because Olivia could get angry and argue with Ellen didn''t mean she could do the same with others. Some words and actions might be possible for one person but impossible for another. So, Olivia awkwardly and painfully smiled as she fended off and rejected the persuasions of those around her, slowly wearing her down. "I don''t know¡­" "¡­" "Why do they do this to me? I really don''t understand." She had lived with too many expectations and had escaped from her godfather, who held the greatest of those expectations, but the pressure still came from those around her. "I don''t think I''m such an extraordinary person¡­" She seemed unable to accept why people were so fixated on her. Thinking about it rationally, there had to be a reason for the fixation, even if it wasn''t as extreme as Lydia Schmitt. Considering everything, including what was hidden, Olivia was also the owner of Tiamata, even if it was a joint property. If that became known, her life would become even more difficult, not easier. In the end, Olivia entered the tournament for the prize money, but she couldn''t win because of Lydia Schmitt. "In fact, I wonder if anything was different back then." With her head bowed, Olivia laughed weakly. There was an image of me that people wanted. Nobody... not a single one of them cared to know who I truly was or what I thought. If I didn''t meet their expectations or desires, they would be disappointed in me. "Is that really how the daughter of the Captain of the Holy Knights should act? Shouldn''t you be doing this instead?" I was just a doll, existing solely to fulfill the expectations of others. Such was the life of Olivia. A life where there were too many demands, prohibitions, and expectations. Even if she tried to act freely for just a moment, it would be considered indulgence and a descent into corruption. "Now, I want to understand what my life really is. What it means to live, what I truly desire. To have a life where I can be curious about these things and want them. But people still want something from me. They think I''ve fallen into corruption and need to be led back onto the right path. They believe that since I''ve been helping others up until now, it''s time for me to receive help when I''m going down the wrong path. I don''t think that way, though. I don''t believe I''m in the wrong. People try to give me help I don''t want, and they don''t even realize that it''s not help at all." For those who believe living in the embrace of the divine is the absolute good, their worldview is inherently different. That''s why some conversations with them just don''t connect. "This is definitely right. So, this will ultimately be good for you. That''s why everything I say must fundamentally be good." How can a conversation work with someone who starts it by asserting their absolute correctness and your errors like that? The only ones who can communicate with them are those who share the same worldview. Olivia managed to break free from that, but people still try to force her back, believing that she''ll be happy once she returns. Lydia Schmitt is an extreme example of this. It''s not that Olivia is simply upset about missing out on the championship prize, or that today''s events were so shocking that she''s in this state. She''s struggling so much because she knows this isn''t the end. She''s even more distressed because she doesn''t know what will happen in the future. I want to do something to help. But I can''t just expel all of Olivia''s classmates, nor can I threaten each one of them by saying I''ll bash their heads in if they continue to bother her. "Reinhardt." "Yes." I was usually a bit grouchy, but I softened my attitude this time. I thought being stiff now would only hurt her more. Olivia looked at me with difficulty, her head raised. Her eyes were red and swollen. It seemed like she would burst into tears at any moment. "I know it''s wrong to ask this at a time like this, but..." "What is it? Just say it." "Can I have a hug?" "..." Her expression was on the verge of breaking into tears. The expression on her face was that of someone who believed they had no one on their side, hoping for even just one person to be there for them. It wasn''t due to any other emotion. It seemed she purely wanted to be comforted. "No, it''s nothing. I''m sorry. Really. I''m terrible..." As I hesitated, Olivia tried to force a smile with trembling lips. "It''s okay." In the end, I moved to sit beside Olivia and cautiously embraced her shoulder. Olivia buried her face in my shoulder. Her shoulder quivered. Little by little, slowly, as if taking her first breath since birth. Olivia cried, very softly. "Thank you... Reinhardt." I felt foolish for wondering what words to use to comfort her. I realized anew that comfort isn''t something that can only be given through words. ------ After crying for a while, Olivia fled the caf¨¦ as if running away. "...I''m so embarrassed." She seemed embarrassed for having sobbed so much in front of everyone. "I think you should be embarrassed enough with your eyes all swollen like that." "R-really?!" Olivia''s face turned pale at my words, and she frantically touched her face. Not that it would make much of a difference without a mirror. "What should I do?! I have to go to the Miss Temple contest today, and what if my eyes are swollen?!" "It''s not that bad. It''s hardly noticeable, so don''t worry." "But even the slightest difference can change the outcome! I failed to win the tournament, so I really have to win Miss Temple! What should I do, Reinhardt?! If I can''t win, then really..." Olivia''s face threatened to crumble into tears again, but she seemed to hold back, worried that crying more would make her eyes swell further. She seemed to be feeling a bit better. It felt like she was returning to her usual self. In the end, what''s past is past. The tournament was over, and Olivia had no choice but to aim for Miss Temple. Now, it was impossible to know who should wish for Olivia to become Miss Temple. She seemed so anxious about her swollen eyes, touching her face and murmuring in a despairing voice. "Sigh... I don''t even have a dress, let alone going out like this..." "Why don''t you have a dress? You have that one from the last fundraising event." At my words, Olivia smiled awkwardly. "Well... I actually sold that one..." I didn''t need to ask why she had sold it. Olivia seemed to think I''d be upset, and she broke into a cold sweat. She''d been selling off her own assets to help others. It was difficult to know what to say to that. "Can''t... you just borrow one?" "...Borrowing one still costs quite a bit." It seemed she would have to go in her school uniform. Perhaps she would look unprepared, relying only on her looks, which would make her seem unlucky. I imagined Olivia standing alone among the lavishly dressed people, wearing her school uniform without even proper makeup. I couldn''t be sure what the picture actually looked like, but somehow, it seemed quite miserable. Even if she had won the Unrestricted tournament, she had forfeited in the finals. A dress. A dress? "¡­" "¡­Are you mad?" "¡­No, it''s not that." A dress. No, that can''t be. But our body shapes seem similar. I''m taller, but the size had been reduced at the time. I didn''t want to waste it, so I gave it to Elleris to sell¡­. It probably hasn''t been sold yet¡­. But still, there might be someone who clearly remembers it. Wouldn''t there be a similar design anyway? This is really dangerous¡­. Isn''t it better to just give her money to buy a new dress? But honestly, it''s not just a small sum, and there isn''t much time left. Instead of going to a boutique and looking for a suitable size and design, isn''t it better to just wear that? I know there''s no need to go this far. Olivia looked so helpless now. I felt so sorry for her that I wanted to do something. "¡­Go to the dormitory and wait a bit." "Huh?" "Just go and wait if I tell you to." "Ah, okay¡­" If she asks where I got the dress, I have no answer. Well, what if it gets exposed! I''ll just lose a bit of face! I owe her a lot this time, honestly! What can she do if she knows? Will she kill me? Without knowing anything, I left the temple, leaving Olivia, who was confused by my words. ------ "That person dropped out of the tournament finals." "¡­Dropped out?" "Yeah, I don''t know why, but she forfeited?" As Ellen was preparing for the Miss Temple contest, she cocked her head at what Liana said. Ellen had thought that Olivia would somehow win, but she was taken aback by the unexpected news. Although the details were not known, the audience seemed quite angry that the tournament finals ended in an unacceptable way. Forfeiting. Someone who seemed certain to win forfeited. Although she could guess that there must be a reason for it, Ellen was curious about what that reason might be. Reinhardt might have gone to watch the finals, would he know the reason? "Ah, there she is. That person." Liana pointed out the window, and Ellen could see Olivia outside on the first floor. Olivia was alone. Somehow, Ellen discovered herself feeling relieved at that fact. At first glance, Olivia''s expression didn''t look good. Although she couldn''t tell why Olivia had forfeited, her eyes were red and swollen. ''Is it bad luck¡­?'' She had cried. And then, she returned alone. Ellen had thought that Reinhardt might be with her, but that wasn''t the case. "Look straight here." "Ah¡­ Alright." Liana turned Ellen''s head and began to touch various things. Although she couldn''t know what had happened in the tournament, that person would soon be participating in the Miss Temple contest. She wasn''t aiming for the Miss Temple title either. Ellen made up her mind firmly. She intended to show her best side today. She had practiced smiling in front of the mirror quite a bit. It didn''t go well, but she was persistently trying. She planned to stand before Reinhardt with a different appearance than before. When the contest was over, regardless of the outcome, they would spend some time together, even if only for a little while. They had been too busy during the festival to spend time together. Reinhardt would make time for her today. Ellen couldn''t know what expression Reinhardt would have, nor what expression she should make herself. For today, Ellen decided to forget about everything else and think only about her own feelings. Harriet, Olivia, and anyone else. For today, she decided not to think of anyone other than Reinhardt. CH 317 The Miss & Mister Temple Contest was set to start at 7 PM. The current time was 4 PM. There wasn''t much time left. The size might not fit perfectly, but I thought it should be close enough judging by the eye. The one I wore wasn''t something that the size mattered that much anyway. I was worried that Eleris might have sold it by now. But it had only been two days, so it shouldn''t have been resold yet. Since the contestants had to gather beforehand, Olivia would actually have to arrive at the contest venue a bit earlier. So I needed to give her the dress before that. If someone pointed out that the dress was the one worn by the winner of the cross-dressing contest¡­ ¡­I wasn''t sure about that. I don''t know! It''ll work out somehow! It might be a bit embarrassing! No one ever died of embarrassment! With no time to waste, I hurried to the Aligar Shopping Street, where Eleris''s store was located. "¡­This is driving me crazy." The fastest means of transportation in the empire was the magical train. During the Temple Festival, the empire was crowded with an excessive number of people. Thus, the magical train station was packed with people waiting to board. Even after sending three full trains, I still couldn''t get on. I shouldn''t be late. Nevertheless, the magical train was bound to be faster than walking or running, so I anxiously waited for the train and boarded it. I wasn''t sure why I had to ride a hellish train after coming to this world, but I finally managed to arrive at the Aligar Shopping Street. Now all I had to do was go to Eleris''s basement room, get the dress, and leave. However. I didn''t have eyes in the back of my head. But now I had developed something like an intuition that played a similar role. A sense of unease. There was a feeling of unease following me from behind. An unpleasant sensation, sticky and sinister, as if something was clinging to my back. I instinctively knew. I was being followed. "¡­If you''re going to tail me, shouldn''t you at least hide yourself?" In her school uniform and not even trying to hide, Lydia Schmitt was watching me intently in the middle of the bustling Aligar Shopping Street. "¡­" I thought she was a tasteless person, but to follow me so openly. Lydia Schmitt approached me with a subtle smile on her lips. "Reinhardt, I have a favor to ask." "What favor?" "Stay away from Olivia. Please." Lydia Schmitt''s eyes were so chilling that they made my skin crawl just by looking at them. Had Olivia been watching this lunatic with such eyes, pleading without hesitation all this time? Even experiencing it just a little was horrifying, let alone having it happen around her continuously. It was a wonder that Olivia had managed to keep her sanity intact. "It''s all your fault. Olivia''s like this, she''s corrupted, she''s drifted away from the embrace of the gods, all because of you. All we need is for you to be gone. If you just stay away, Olivia can return to her former self. Don''t you think so?" "¡­Senior, I think you''re mistaken. Olivia had already decided to abandon her faith before she met me. It has nothing to do with me." The order was mixed up. Olivia was already in that state before she met me. So it''s absurd to say it''s because of me. Lydia Schmitt stared at me with eyes as if she were entranced by something. "No, it''s because of you. Olivia could have been saved. She could have definitely changed her mind back then. Everything went wrong after she met you." There''s no way my words can get through to her since she''s already drawn her conclusion. Was the cruelty of the Holy Knights towards Olivia not even a consideration? No, in this case, they would probably say it was necessary to lead her down the right path. There''s no way I can deal with everything she says and does based on her pre-drawn conclusion. This person won''t be convinced by my words. "Please, Reinhardt. Stay away from Olivia. I''m begging you. If only you weren''t here. If only you weren''t here, Olivia could return to the right path. I''ll even kneel down, I''ll do whatever you ask. Just let Olivia go. Please. Before something more tragic happens. Let Olivia go. Before something irreversible happens." Her attitude that she could do anything for Olivia, even though she dislikes me, felt unfamiliar. This was a person who even attempted suicide for Olivia''s sake. Why is she going this far? I find myself thinking like Olivia. Just as Olivia couldn''t understand why she had to go through this, neither could I. "Let me make a request too. Just leave her alone. Even if that person is a once-in-a-century genius, there must be others with similar faith and abilities. Why do you insist on sticking to Olivia, who clearly dislikes it? You''re not lacking in abilities or faith yourself, but I don''t know what you''re expecting from Olivia. Why don''t you just do it yourself?" "No! Olivia is! Olivia is unique! Only Olivia is worthy! Olivia was born with that destiny!" Lydia Schmitt shouted, and passersby began to take notice of our quarrel. As if they sensed that something was not quite right. "Only Olivia can unite our five great religions and become the Holy Emperor of the soon-to-be-established Millennial Empire. It is her destiny." "¡­What?" My mind seemed to freeze at the sudden nonsense. Millennial Empire? What kind of nonsense is this? "Olivia was born with that destiny. Only Olivia is worthy. Her appearance, talent, ability, and character all suit her for this role. You''re the one ruining it." All I could read from Lydia Schmitt''s eyes was a pitch-black abyss. She was a believer in the divine, but only darkness could be seen in her eyes. It seemed that Lydia Schmitt wanted more than just the restoration of Olivia''s faith. He appeared to desire something grander, to become the master of a great destiny. But there was a word that seemed to stick in my throat. The Millennium Empire. What on earth did that mean? If Lydia Schmitt was simply a madwoman, it would be a matter of dealing with just her. But there was something that shouldn''t be easily dismissed. "What is this Millennium Empire you speak of?" Lydia Schmitt''s expression hardened once again at my counter-question. "¡­There''s no need for someone like you to know." It seemed as if she had made a slip of the tongue and was trying to hide it. It wasn''t mere nonsense. There was something there, a feeling so intense that it led to saying something she shouldn''t have. If it were just a passing remark, there would be no need to muddle through it. A few inferences could be made. While there might be those who encouraged Olivia to regain her faith for their personal desires, Lydia Schmitt''s intentions seemed different. It appeared that Lydia Schmitt was talking about the independence of the Five Great Holy Religions. Although they were already independent forces, it seemed as though she intended to establish an entirely new nation. The possibility that this was merely Lydia Schmitt''s delusion couldn''t be ruled out. But if there was a group with such thoughts, the situation would become complicated. One might have to consider another revolutionary force. In that case, it wouldn''t simply be a matter of shaking off a single madwoman. Naturally, my anger grew. They were ultimately forcing their thoughts on Olivia, weren''t they? Why did they have to be so insistent? Moreover, the look on her face showed that she didn''t even think her actions were unreasonable. The attitude of not even considering the right or wrong of what she was doing or what she wanted, because it must be right, was extremely repulsive. A corrupted clergyman is disgusting, but A fanatic is both disgusting and unpleasant. There were many things I wanted to say. Numerous harsh words boiled in my mind, but I couldn''t utter them. I quietly watched Lydia Schmitt. She had openly followed me on the streets. I could see her nervously clenching and unclenching her hands. She was someone who would risk her life to bring Olivia back. That meant she might be someone who would kill to bring Olivia back. There was no need to go to such extremes. A mix of rage, hatred, resentment, and an unpleasant, obsessive gaze told me everything. An irreversible event. A tragedy might occur, as she had said. Wasn''t that the only thing she was saying? This woman was trying to kill me. Considering her mention of the Millennium Empire, she seemed to have some sort of sense of mission. Regardless of what others might think, she would try to kill me because she believed it was justice. It wasn''t difficult to predict, having already witnessed her madness once. That''s why I tried to persuade her by asking her to stay away from me. Now that I''ve been rejected, it''s highly likely that Lydia Schmitt''s choice would be to kill me. I don''t want to fight on the streets, but if my opponent starts using force, I''ll have to use it as well. There is a high probability that if I fight this person, I will die. So far, I''ve been fortunate many times, but there''s no guarantee that my luck will hold this time. Would her reaction change if she knew I was the owner of Tiamata? There would be no item as effective as Tiamata for a fanatic like her. However, I can''t rely on Tiamata alone. If she finds out I''m the Champion of Tu¡¯an, she might try to persuade Olivia with me or put me through another annoying ordeal. Lydia Schmitt is too dangerous. And she is highly likely to know an even more dangerous fact. First, I need to find out what that is. "It seems like we have a lot to discuss, you and I." "If you don''t stay away from Olivia, I have nothing more to say to you..." "How about we go somewhere quiet and talk?" "!" At my words, Lydia Schmitt''s expression hardens. It''s not because she''s flustered, but because my words are completely unexpected. She had been trying to kill me, whether or not people were watching, and now her prey is suddenly suggesting going somewhere secluded to talk. She must be prepared to kill me and be taken to prison to stand trial for murder. However, if she kills me in secret and hides my body, she won''t get caught. It would be the perfect crime, making me, a thorn in her side, disappear. "¡­I''m fine with that." Lydia Schmitt smiles chillingly, as if she''s dreaming of a perfect crime. Chills run down my spine, but I have no choice. "But I have some business to take care of first. Let''s settle that first. It won''t take long. You can come along if you want." "Fine." She''ll soon realize that she should have attacked me now if she wanted to kill me. Your greed for a perfect crime will ruin everything. It was quite fascinating to see myself calmly engaging in such thoughts and conversations, putting my life on the line. The business I had in mind had changed slightly from what I originally planned. Nevertheless, it doesn''t make a huge difference. The ultimate goal is still to find Eleris. Thinking that her prey is willingly walking into a trap, Lydia Schmitt looked quite pleased. ------ Since it was daytime, Eleris must have been at her shop. We had already arrived at the Aligar shopping district, so the journey with Lydia Schmitt wasn''t long. Lydia Schmitt didn''t ask where we were going or what my business was. She must be thinking about how to deal with me in a quiet place once my errand is over. The hunter had no idea she had become the prey. Yes, how could she imagine that? Since Lydia Schmitt is the unrestricted tournament winner, she must be confident in subduing me, and I know that as well. No matter what I do, even if I manage to escape without her noticing, she would be confident in catching me. -Thud "Ah." Eleris, as always, was lounging behind the counter when I entered, visibly startled. Then, she was surprised once again upon seeing an unfamiliar female temple student behind me. Eleris must have been perplexed by the situation, but right now, things were not looking good. I speak up in the shop as if I had come in for a reason. In fact, I did have a reason. "Don''t ask any questions, just cast some noise-canceling magic around us." "Yes." Although Eleris did not understand the situation, she immediately followed my instruction. Noise-canceling magic was cast, and Lydia Schmitt seemed to sense the strange atmosphere, furrowing her brow slightly. Of course, she couldn''t have predicted this. She couldn''t have expected me to enter any random shop and casually give orders to the shop owner. "And if you have any binding or disabling spells, try using them on this person. Use something strong. This isn''t a normal situation." "Yes." "You!" Eleris still didn''t understand the situation, but she followed my instructions precisely. As Lydia Schmitt''s face showed signs of being alarmed, she tried to take action, but Eleris was faster. -Clang! Clank! "Ugh!" With an alarmingly fast casting speed, jet-black chains suddenly appeared from thin air and bound Lydia Schmitt''s limbs. -Clack! Clatter! Her arms were raised into the air, and her legs were tied to the ground. Despite exerting her divine power and struggling, the chains summoned by Eleris only rattled slightly and did not budge. "You, you brat! What, what is the meaning of this!" It was natural for Lydia Schmitt to be shocked, as no one could have predicted that she would suddenly find herself in this state. -Thud! Eleris then completely locked the shop door to ensure that no one could witness this scene. Eleris did not question me while doing as she was told. "You, you... you can''t keep me like this! Who is that person and what does she want with me!" Lydia Schmitt could not understand the situation, but just as she had no intention of understanding me, I had no intention of making her understand the situation either. "Release me! Release me now!" As she had said only what she wanted to say to me, I would say only what I wanted to say to her. -Swish "Do you know what this is?" "Tia... Tiamata? That, that''s... How do you have...?" "It may be hard to believe, but I am the owner of Tiamata. People in the world call me the Champion of Tu¡¯an... something like that." The person who had tried to kill me suddenly found herself trapped and saw Tiamata being summoned. It must have been an unbelievable situation. However, Lydia could not possibly think that the Tiamata in my hand was a fake. No matter how long the object had been hidden from the world, she couldn''t fail to recognize the divine nature that emanated from its appearance and the artifact itself. Before making an extreme decision, Lydia Schmitt tried to persuade me to distance myself from Olivia. So, I give her a chance. "From now on, you need to answer my questions carefully." "Stalling, glaring with weird eyes, or spouting nonsense will not be tolerated¡­" I tapped Lydia Schmitt''s cheek with the flat side of Tiamata''s blade. "The divine power you so adore might just cleave your head in two." With her eyes wide open, Lydia Schmitt could only stare at me. CH 318 Being a fanatic is inherently strange. They may seem powerless before the gods, yet they possess something called free will. Lydia Schmitt tried to kill me. She didn''t actually say so, but the circumstances were so clear that there was no need to confirm it verbally. Lydia Schmitt, who obediently followed me with such intent, eventually discovered that the person she tried to kill was, in fact, the Champion of Tu¡¯an. Lydia Schmitt, who believed her devotion to the gods to be unrivaled, had no choice but to admit that she had tried to kill the Champion of Tu¡¯an without recognizing him. Fanatics never doubt the gods. Typically, they don''t doubt themselves either. They appear to believe in the gods, but ultimately, they believe in their own faith in the gods. Because of their loyalty to the gods, they believe that they cannot be wrong. However, the truth unfolded differently from her belief. The person she tried to kill was actually chosen by the gods. At the moment Lydia Schmitt acknowledged this, she had to admit that she was wrong. But fanatics cannot do that. If they could, they would not have fallen into the abyss of fanaticism in the first place. So. Lydia Schmitt could not admit that her intended actions were the greatest sin against the gods. She had to create a logic that she was not wrong without denying or doubting the gods. "It should belong to Olivia! That¡­ that item shouldn''t be in your hands!" Naturally, Lydia Schmitt labeled me as a thief of the sacred object. It seemed that she had created a logic that the Tiamata, a sacred object of Tu''an, must belong to Olivia since Olivia had served Tu''an. "Yes, it belongs to Senior Olivia." "What?" "It''s a shared possession. I can''t show it to you right away, but this Tiamata is mine as well as Senior Olivia''s. Our souls are bound together simultaneously, I guess. Oh, you might not like hearing this... but what can I do? To put it simply..." I grinned and whispered into Lydia Schmitt''s ear. "Olivia and I are, in essence, soul-bound to each other." "Yo-you! You filthy, despicable worm! How dare you speak such impure words to the representative of Tu''an!" Representative of Tu''an? From the Holy Empress of the Millennium Empire to the representative of Tu''an now? What on earth does this crazy woman think of Olivia? It seemed that she could not accept the fact that the goddess of purity had formed a soul bond with someone like me. "You demon! Give back the Tiamata! It''s not something for the likes of you to hold! The Tiamata is a sacred object passed down through generations to the priests and holy knights of Tu''an, not for unbelievers like you!" "Is the soundproofing really effective?" "Yes, it is." I found this quite fascinating. Inwardly, I had thought that if I showed Tiamata, she might prostrate herself and apologize. I hadn''t expected such a reaction, but seeing her hatred for me intensify upon witnessing Tiamata was intriguing in its own way. Lydia Schmitt was not a faithful servant of the gods. She was just one of those people who interpreted and accepted the gods in her own way. And so, wasn''t she spouting such nonsense because she didn''t want to admit she was wrong? If I were an unworthy person, why had Tu''an allowed me to become Tiamata''s master? Then she would have to admit Tu''an was imperfect. Now, Lydia was essentially saying that Tu''an made a mistake because she didn''t want to admit she was wrong. Fanaticism was no different from self-suggestion. All humans needed logic to protect themselves. Thus, didn''t Lydia Schmitt ultimately acknowledge her own belief in deciding to kill me, rather than the gods? Fanaticism was not steadfast faith and piety, but merely a crazed belief. Fanaticism could not be faithful. I had no intention of discussing with Lydia Schmitt, who was experiencing cognitive dissonance, what faith and gods were. Lydia Schmitt gave me a chance. To part ways with Olivia. Because I refused, Lydia Schmitt tried to kill me. I also gave her a chance. I told her that I was Tu''an''s champion, the one she was trying to kill. Would she still do it? Lydia Schmitt insisted that I had used some underhanded trick to snatch Tiamata, didn''t even believe that Olivia and I shared ownership, and would go even crazier if she found out. She believed that my very existence harmed Olivia''s purity. "I don''t know what dirty trick you used to steal Tiamata, which should have been Olivia''s, but divine retribution awaits you!" She was now utterly convinced of it. She would continuously create arguments and logic to protect herself. "I''ll make you regret it! I don''t know what kind of conspiracy you had with that evil sorcerer..." -Smack! "Ouch!" I struck Lydia Schmitt''s chattering head with the flat side of Tiamata''s blade. "Quiet. From now on, just answer the questions." "¡­" "What is this Millennium Empire?" "¡­" "Can''t understand a word you''re saying. Want a taste of divine power?" "Don''t discuss divine power with your blasphemous mouth!" "¡­Communication isn''t working." I looked toward Eleris. "I''m sorry, Eleris." "Yes." There was no need to hide anything in front of someone who was going to die anyway. "Can''t you make her listen better? Or at least, she''s got so much energy, but it''s too much." "¡­" Eleris silently stared at me, then slowly walked toward me. Without a word, she stood beside me and gently pressed her face against the bound Lydia Schmitt''s face. "Must I reveal everything?" I know what she''s talking about. "Ah." Eleris seemed to take a deep breath, closed her eyes, and then opened them again. "!" Her eyes revealed crimson irises and slit black pupils. At this overwhelming sight, Lydia Schmitt''s lips trembled in shock. "Vam... Vam... Vamp... Vampire...? H-how... How... How did...?" Lydia looked back and forth between me and Eleris. It must be hard for her to believe that I, who held Tiamata, was controlling a vampire as my servant. That''s right. In fact, much of what Lydia Schmitt said was wrong, but much was also right. No, rather, it was an understatement. She called me a demon-like creature. I''m not just a demon, but rather the more powerful Demon King. I can only be an even more evil existence than whatever Lydia Schmitt imagined or defined. Lydia had underestimated me. As things continued to surpass the limits of her imagination, Lydia Schmitt was on the verge of losing her mind. Eleris, who had revealed her true form, brought her face as close as possible to Lydia Schmitt''s, staring deeply into her eyes. "I am a Lord Vampire. I am called Eleris, the ruler of Tuesday among the seven nights." "Ahh... Ah... Aahh..." Lydia Schmitt was already immersed in fear as events surpassed her understanding. "Even if you say nothing, with just one sip of your blood, I can make you my slave and learn everything. No matter how strong your will, resistance will be futile." "Ahh... Uh... Uuhh... Uu... U..." "Do you want to live as a human by revealing the secrets that will eventually be uncovered? Or would you rather spend the rest of your life as a vampire due to the secrets you hide?" With her eyes wide open, Eleris whispered these words as if forcing them into Lydia Schmitt''s eyes. "Make your choice." Secrets are meaningless in front of me. Eleris forces this realization into Lydia Schmitt''s mind. ------ "You... You are... What on earth... are you?" "You were right. I''m not a worm, but something like a demon." "That''s... That''s... That''s impossible... How can someone like you... be in the temple...?" "You''re funny. You called me a demon, but now that I''m really a demon-like being, you say it''s impossible? So, you called me a demon, even though you knew I wasn''t one?" "..." She might have shouted that I was a demon, but she probably didn''t think I would actually be something similar. Since my mere servant, a Lord Vampire, had so easily subdued her, she must think I am an even more incredible being. Although my existence is indeed like that, in truth, there was no need to tell her the private fact that Eleris is much stronger than me. "I''ll ask you for the second time, what is this Millennium Empire? If you don''t answer, you might end up becoming a vampire." Upon hearing my words, the color drained from Lydia Schmitt''s face, leaving her ashen and pale. "Do you think you can commit suicide if you become a vampire? Your life and death would be determined by the will of your master. If you want to try something like becoming a vampire cleric, just keep provoking me." I wasn''t sure about the actual process of becoming a thrall or a slave, but I bluffed based on what I thought. Lydia Schmitt was already overwhelmed by fear, so she would believe whatever I said as truth, regardless of its accuracy. She had been trying to deceive me just a moment ago, but now she was the one deluded. She was far stronger than an active holy knight, but she had been subdued so easily, and that was merely the power of a mere servant. A servant of me. Possessor of Tiamata, a being of unknown origin who referred to itself as something akin to a demon. From this point on, it was not deception but delusion. She would start to think of me as something beyond her wildest imagination. Keeping a secret was impossible. Lydia was trembling, perhaps thinking of herself as a vampire. She may have imagined herself destroying such an existence, but she had never considered becoming one. There was no point in committing suicide as a vampire. Her thoughts would be dominated anyway. To fall from a promising future as a holy knight of Ares to a being that fed on human blood and lurked in the shadows of the night. Could there be a greater insult in her entire life? The mere thought was terrifying and shameful, and Lydia trembled as if she were being whipped. Sometimes, secrets are incredibly weak. If you realize that hiding them is ultimately meaningless, you have no choice but to reveal them all too easily. Even secrets worth dying to protect are not exempt. "Th-the... Millennium Empire... it''s a plan... pursued by... the ''Nameless Monastery''..." Lydia Schmitt had begun addressing me with extreme reverence. ------ The Nameless Monastery. Another unknown concept had appeared. Lydia Schmitt''s face displayed a mix of misery, wretchedness, and fear as she spoke of it. "What is this Nameless Monastery?" "It''s a... religious community... composed of members from various sects and organizations within the Five Great Religions..." "So the purpose of this Nameless Monastery is to unify the power of the Five Great Religions and establish a religious state? And they''re planning to appoint Olivia Lanze as the first Holy Empress?" "If I were to summarize... yes..." She seemed to have plenty of objections, but fear prevented her from speaking up carelessly. Both Eleris and I couldn''t help but become serious. "So, in the end, they''re no different from the republicans, just with different motives?" "It seems so..." The extremist group known as the Nameless Monastery within the Five Great Religions had been seeking to establish an independent state separate from the empire. Considering the title of "Holy Emperor," it could be assumed that they intended to build a system similar to that of the empire. "Do you know how big their force is?" "..." I clicked my tongue as I watched Lydia, who hesitated to speak and shook her head. "Don''t try to sneak in lies. If I think you''re lying, I''ll turn you into a vampire and verify it again." "No, no! I, absolutely! I will not mix in any lies!" Lydia, who seemed to fear becoming a vampire more than death itself, shook her head vigorously while still bound. "Their current power is not large, but the scale continues to... grow. Inside, they are soon expected to... have a force comparable to one of the five major religions." "...Damn it." "This is serious." Fortunately, their force seemed small for now, but their expansion speed must be tremendous. Soon, they would have a force comparable to a single religion. Moreover, they were not formed within a single religion but within the Holy Knights and the internal factions of the five major religions. The fact that the radicals, excluding the moderates, were gathered together meant they were already a group capable of exerting influence throughout the entire five Holy Religions. The situation was more serious than I had thought. Religious forces following the revolutionary forces. "This is driving me crazy..." I grabbed my head in frustration, and Eleris let out a deep sigh as if the ground were collapsing. The empire was in a crisis. If the revolutionary forces and this matter exploded simultaneously, the empire would be torn apart in chaos. Lydia seemed to not understand the situation. For now, she seemed to be sure that Eleris and I were evil beings, but she appeared to be very anxious about the crisis that had befallen the empire. She would be more surprised if she knew the truth. The Demon King and his subordinates were rolling around worrying about the collapse of the empire. But it was true that it felt maddening and crazy. "By the way, how long has it been since this nameless monastery was created?" I understood that they were a secret religious organization, but I needed to know whether they had recently expanded their power or if they had been around for a long time like the revolutionary forces. If it was an existing force, why had they grown so explosively recently? "...It hasn''t been long since they were created." "Really? But why are so many people flocking to them?" "...Because of religious persecution." What was this about? At my question, Lydia Schmitt clenched her teeth and looked down. "Many believers think that the fall of the former Holy Knights'' leader, Riverrier Lanze, was due to the empire starting religious persecution to keep the Holy Knights in check." "Ah." Just hearing that, I could roughly picture it. From the perspective of people in the religious community who didn''t know the reality, the fall of the war hero Riverrier Lanze could be seen as such. No. "...By any chance, is Riverrier Lanze the one who created the nameless monastery?" "..." Lydia Schmitt''s silence, as if she couldn''t say anything. "It seems to be true." That was already an answer. "It''s not that there are many believers who truly think so, it must be because Riverrier Lanze spread such rumors. He must be saying that it happened like this, unrelated to what he actually did, due to political pressure." "No! The leader was subjected to unjust slander...!" "Shut up. You''re a Temple student, you should know the situation. What slander are you talking about?" "It''s an unavoidable act to awaken Olivia, who is wavering in her faith, to the right path..." "Ah, dammit. Didn''t I tell you to shut up?" "..." From the beginning, Riverrier Lanze had believed that everything he did to Olivia was justified. I don''t want to discuss this matter with Lydia Schmitt any further. After his fall from grace, he was doing something somewhere, but he ended up forming a secret society and causing mischief. That means this event is ultimately due to Olivia Lanche''s survival, a turning point in history. Yes. In the end, this mess is my mess. Damn it. Olivia and Charlotte, both of them. Do individuals whose very existence corresponds to turning points in history always go through crises like this once more? If Riverrier Lanze had remained in his position as the head of the Holy Knights, none of this would have happened. That means Riverrier Lanze really did have the ambition to separate the Five Great Holy Religions from the Empire and establish a Holy Empire. But he couldn''t have pushed for it too quickly, so it must have been unrelated to the main story. However, after his fall from power, he chose to form a secret society. Riverrier Lanze would have claimed his fall was due to the political suppression of religion, and used it to incite resentment among religious figures. He gathered people with the logic of creating a country solely for the religious, and formed the secret society called the Nameless Monastery. Riverrier Lanze, who cleverly exploited the victim mentality of being oppressed, is now frighteningly increasing the number of secret society members. His own achievements as a hero of the Demon War must have backed him up. At this rate, a massive force equivalent to a single religion of the Five Great Holy Religions will be created, and those bastards will be able to seize and shake the roots of the Five Great Holy Religions. Riverrier Lanze plans to make Olivia the Holy Empress. He would want to sit on the throne himself, but that would be laughable. If he were to create a Holy Empire and claim himself as its first Holy Emperor, his sincerity would be questioned. However, if he were to create a land for the gods and seat a princess with rare talent, character, and ability on the continent, it would at least create some legitimacy. Moreover, Riverrier Lanze''s only chance for redemption is through Olivia''s testimony. If she says she was not treated unjustly by Riverrier Lanze, all suspicions surrounding him would turn into the Empire''s conspiracy, regardless of the truth. In fact, having seen her abilities firsthand, Olivia''s very existence feels like legitimacy itself. He wants to sit on the throne himself, but he can''t reveal his greed, so he aims to make Olivia the Holy Empress. The reason for Riverrier Lanze''s obsession with Olivia must be that she is a being capable of both fulfilling her destiny and winning the lottery of self-confidence. "Such a damn bastard." As I spat out those words, Lydia Schmitt looked even more terrified. This cannot be left alone. Riverrier Lanze, and of course, the Nameless Monastery are seeds of great chaos. I have to sweep them all away. If not now, while their influence is not that strong, it will be impossible to deal with them later. But how? If I falsely accuse them of plotting rebellion and force the royal family to act, actual religious persecution, which never existed, will occur. In that case, even those who were moderate will undoubtedly turn into extremists. The involvement of the royal family and government forces in this matter itself will already trigger a massive conflict. For now, I need to organize my thoughts. I have to think about how and in what way to infiltrate. "Alright, last question. Was it the Nameless Order who ordered you to try and kill me?" Lydia Schmitt genuinely wanted to kill me. But she might have wanted to kill me and received orders to do so. At my words, Lydia Schmitt shook her head violently. "No, it wasn''t... This... This was my own decision..." "Are you sure? Are you lying because you''re afraid I''ll mess with those bastards?" "No! No! It was originally a different plan! It was my own decision!" How much did Lydia Schmitt hate becoming a vampire? "Really? Then what was the other plan?" "..." Lydia Schmitt hesitated, as if it was difficult to speak. However, knowing what I might say eventually, she reluctantly opened her mouth. "They have Adriana... The second-year student from the Temple... The Monastery has taken her..." "What?" A completely unexpected name made my head go blank. Why Adriana? Why is Adriana being mentioned here? The image of Adriana flashed through my mind. The last memory of walking together near the Tu''an Monastery swept through my head. What were they planning to do to Adriana? No, what have they done? "Tell me everything." If I had something like a thread of reason... It just snapped. ------ Olivia was in her dormitory room. Though the start time of the Miss Temple Contest was approaching and she should have gone to the venue in advance to prepare, Olivia was waiting in her room, following Reinhardt''s brief request to wait. She didn''t know what he intended to do, but he seemed to have a plan. Still, if it got too late, she would have to leave soon. Olivia didn''t know what Reinhardt was up to, but if there was no news within the next 30 minutes, she planned to head to the venue. Knock knock Having waited for a while, Olivia jumped up from her seat when she heard a knock on the door. "Reinhardt, what on earth...?" "...?" However, the person knocking on Olivia''s door was not Reinhardt but a dormitory maid. "Ah, I''m sorry." The maid smiled warmly as she handed something to Olivia. "I''m not sure who you''re waiting for, but this is a letter for you, Miss Olivia." "Ah... Thank you." Olivia took the letter from the maid and closed the door. The letter had no sender''s name, only an address. Who could have sent such a letter? Olivia opened the envelope. Inside, there were only two lines of text. [My daughter, do you remember the name Adriana?] [She is with me now.] "!" The only person who would call her ''daughter'' was Riverrier Lanze. She didn''t know why, or how it happened, but he had Adriana with him now. Reinhardt, Adriana, and Evia from Class B of the first grade. The three of them had played a crucial role in saving her. By now, the rumor had spread, and everyone knew about it. Soon, it would mean that these three were instrumental in Riverrier Lanze''s downfall. Reinhardt and Evia were students of the Temple. Thus, they were dangerous to meddle with. That''s why it was relatively easy for Riverrier Lanze to target Adriana. Whether it was for revenge or any other reason, Riverrier Lanze had Adriana with him. The sender''s name was not written on the letter, only the address from which it was sent. It must have been an invitation to come to that location. Using Adriana as bait, her adoptive father was summoning her. She didn''t know what he wanted to say, or what he intended to do to Adriana. All she knew was that the child who had saved her was now in danger for that very reason. As if possessed, Olivia rose from her seat and threw open the door of her dormitory room. "Why...? Why on earth...?" What could he possibly want from her? Why would he go to such lengths? Grinding her teeth in anger, Olivia raced down the dormitory corridor. The Miss Temple contest had already been completely erased from her mind. CH 319 Adriana was taken away by the Nameless Monastery. To be precise, by Riverrier Lanze. First and foremost, Riverrier Lanze aimed for the jackpot by having Olivia Lanze as his defender, and secondly, he sought to make Olivia Lanze a mascot that would represent his own desires. Riverrier Lanze had originally intended to make Olivia the next commander of the Holy Knight Order. It was likely that the plan for the Holy Empire had already been laid out as well. Due to an unforeseen variable called dethronement, Riverrier Lanze had adopted the strategy of creating a secret religious organization. Riverrier Lanze''s dethronement had caused a backlash within the religious circles, and as a result, he still held influence there, which was growing ever larger. Adriana''s departure from the temple had, in fact, an adverse effect on her safety. Riverrier Lanze would try to lure Olivia in. And Olivia would have no choice but to accept the deal involving Adriana''s life. There was no option to forfeit, as in the final match against Lydia Schmitt. As long as Adriana was held hostage, Olivia would become Riverrier Lanze''s puppet. The sun had set, and it was already night. I saw Lydia Schmitt, tied up and hanging her head inside Eleris''s shop. Today, Lydia Schmitt had suddenly used a dangerous power called Berserk in the final match. And she had continually tried to persuade Olivia to return to the embrace of the divine. However, in the end, Olivia had forfeited. It seemed like a clumsy plan even to me. Moreover, Lydia Schmitt had repeatedly warned Olivia that something more tragic would happen if things continued as they were. I thought it was the nonsense of a madwoman. She had been continually warning that Adriana would be hurt if Olivia didn''t obediently return. As the saying goes, "The arm bends inward." Lydia Schmitt had used such a desperate method to persuade Olivia because she didn''t want Adriana, a fellow member of the Five Great Holy Religions, to be hurt. And that she had tried to kill me as well. I wasn''t a member of the Five Great Holy Religions, and I must have been considered the mastermind behind Olivia''s corruption. She had judged that it would be better for me to die than Adriana. That was why this bizarre incident had occurred today. Adriana was in danger as things stood. I had to act as quickly as possible. "Riverrier Lanze, where is he?" "¡­" The revolutionary forces were already somewhat late, but the nameless monastery order created after Riverrier Lanze''s dethronement was still not very large. If it wasn''t crushed at this stage, something uncontrollable would happen. Lydia Schmitt believed that I was an extremely dangerous and evil existence, the extent of which she couldn''t comprehend. She might think that Riverrier Lanze would be killed by me, so she couldn''t say anything. But if she didn''t speak, there was a way to force her to open her mouth. Tears welled up in Lydia Schmitt''s eyes. "Please... Please..." Unable to say the words asking to be released or that she couldn''t speak, she began to sob. "Just... please kill me..." She yearned for death instead. Knowing that we would not simply kill her, she believed that the best choice for her at this moment was for us to grant her the mercy of death. "Please, please... death, a clean death... please..." The moment she revealed Riverrier Lanze''s location, it would be a grave act of betrayal, something she couldn''t bear. But becoming a vampire was also unbearable for her. That''s why Lydia Schmitt begged us, the two wicked beings, for death. In front of Lydia Schmitt, who was tied up and pleading for death, I crouched down. "Why are you crying?" I brought my hand to the weeping Lydia Schmitt''s cheek and gently wiped away her tears. "Why is this a betrayal? I don''t understand." "I am the Champion of Tu''an, so all my actions should represent the will of Tu''an more than anything else. Rather than Riverrier Lanze, who was expelled from the position of Holy Knight Commander and created a faction within the Five Great Holy Religions out of lust for power, shouldn''t my actions align with the will of God?" "Hu, hu-hu... ugh..." At my argument, Lydia Schmitt''s sobbing grew even heavier. "God is omnipotent." "Even though I may be a wicked being in your eyes, if I were someone who shouldn''t control Tiamata, then I couldn''t have become its master. Whether I meet a miserable end or a greater hero appears to take Tiamata away from me, all of that would be part of Tu''an''s plan until it happens, wouldn''t it? Isn''t that right?" "God is omnipotent." "Exactly. Therefore, no matter what happens to me, as part of the plan of an omnipotent being, my actions should align more with the will of God than someone like Riverrier Lanze. Isn''t that right?" "Thus, if my will is the will of God, then what Tu''an wants is happening right now." "The Nameless Monastery is heresy." "So, it must disappear." "Now, senior, don''t cry. There''s no need to cry." "Senior, you''re following the blindly obedient will of God." "Senior, right now, you''re not cooperating with some evil, mysterious being but with the Champion of Tu''an. How is this a betrayal?" Holding Lydia Schmitt''s face in both hands, I smiled at her. Despair was etched into her eyes. "Senior, you can now follow the right path. You just strayed from it for a while. So, this isn''t betrayal." My words were being denied internally, but the desire to believe them was all too apparent. Why on earth is this betrayal? It''s not just something I''m saying; I genuinely believe it. "Repent." Repent. Come back to the right path now. Why is it an act of disloyalty to escape the clutches of the false prophet Riverrier Lanze and join the Champion of Tu''an? The seeming contradiction of a champion of the Goddess of Purity controlling a vampire, her very antithesis, didn''t matter much anymore. Once one accepts that everything is by divine will, it becomes easier. If all of this is part of the plan devised by the gods. If one accepts that. Then becoming a vampire isn''t out of the question. In fact, it could be considered even more glorious. "I¡­ really¡­ is it¡­ is it really like that¡­?" Lydia Schmitt looks at me with tearful eyes, desperate for an answer. This isn''t persuasion. She has collapsed. "Trust me, senior." She replaces her former fanaticism with a new one. "Trusting me is no different from serving the gods." Fear drives people mad. And the madness is no different for someone who has already gone mad. If Lydia Schmitt submits to me, she will fabricate any logic to justify me. Every suspicion and doubt I possess. All of it will be shoved aside under the belief that everything is because I am the champion of the gods, and it is all part of their divine will. "All of this¡­ is really part of the gods'' plan¡­" Yes. I am a god more powerful than the Five Great Deities. So trusting me is no different from serving the gods. I gently stroked the head of Lydia Schmitt, who sobbed and knelt before me. I gritted my teeth. I had hoped for a day without any trouble. At least for today. But now, I have somewhere I must go. In front of the weeping Lydia Schmitt, I turn my head and look at Eleris. "Call Sarkegaar and Loyar." This is not something I can handle alone. Even if I could, it''s not something I should do alone. It''s not just a matter of the nameless monastery. Signs of division are spreading in all directions. The empire must not crumble. "We all go together." "Yes." This incident must happen under the name of Valier, not Reinhardt. The enemy of humanity must appear again. ------ Miss Temple Contest participants'' waiting room. Ellen was receiving her final check while dressed in her gown. "You look great." "¡­I''m relieved." The Miss Temple Contest was drawing closer. The contest was held in a much larger venue and on a different scale compared to the cross-dressing competition. Though it wasn''t the main stadium where the tournament finals took place, the contest was held in an enormous concert hall. Liana had been watching Cliffman''s side until now but came over to Ellen. "But I don''t see your senior anywhere." Liana tilted her head while fixing Ellen''s makeup. "¡­She''ll come." Either she had already arrived and she hadn''t seen her, or she was running late. It had to be one or the other. Ellen was more worried about something else. Reinhardt had left the dormitory in the morning and hadn''t been seen all day. When she left, not only most of the A-class members but also the B-class guys saw her off. They would almost all come to watch the contest. But Reinhardt wasn''t there. "..." "What has Reinhardt been doing all day? I haven''t seen him at all." Liana grumbled. "Well, it''s his loss if he can''t see you." Liana had eagerly helped Ellen with her makeup, saying that missing out on seeing Ellen''s beautiful appearance would be a loss in itself. Ellen clenched the hem of her dress. There''s no way he won''t come. She knew that, but still, a strange uneasiness kept tickling her heart. He must come. She even told him to make sure he came. There''s no way he won''t. To calm her anxious heart, Ellen took several deep breaths. ------ Everyone was gathered. Eleris, Sarkegaar, and even Loyar. We moved through Eleris''s mass teleport. Since we were wearing our temple uniforms, we changed into our casual clothes left at Eleris''s house. -Flash! The location was the outer area of the southern part of the Royal Road, a place quite far south of the Royal Road. The place we arrived at was a small village set up in the southern part of the Royal Road. The village was more like a few households living by farming in the outer area, with less than twenty households in total. It was just one of many ordinary neighborhoods in the suburban area. We teleported to a hillside in the outer area, which led to the crossroads of that neighborhood. "Ma... mass teleport..." Lydia Schmitt trembled after experiencing the mass teleport. "¡­Will you be all right?" At Loyar''s question, I nodded with a stern expression. I hadn''t explained the situation in detail yet. I only mentioned that a big battle was coming, and we needed them. Even if they find out later, Sarkegaar might not understand why I''m risking everything to prevent the spark of the empire''s division, but I decided to trust Sarkegaar. Above all, Sarkegaar is most needed right now. Lydia Schmitt didn''t know that Loyar and Sarkegaar still existed, so she was trembling in fear. She would think of them as terrifying entities, similar to Eleris. Anyway, our target isn''t that village. "Beyond that hill¡­ there''s an abandoned monastery. There¡­" "That''s where the Nameless Monastery Order''s temporary base is, right?" "Yes." Although they are an internal religious community, they ultimately cannot hold public gatherings. So for now, their regular meetings will be held in such outskirts until they have formed enough power. They might have official gatherings once they grow larger in scale or begin to stand out in the religious world, but they haven''t reached that point yet. It''s about killing a growing monster before it becomes unmanageable. Lydia Schmitt had finally submitted, fearing what would happen if they refused to obey me. Become a vampire or not. Would she consider this God''s will, too? I possessed Tiamata, which served as an excellent tool for Lydia Schmitt to rationalize her actions. Lydia Schmitt''s disposal would have to wait until the matters concerning the Nameless Monastery and the Riverrier Lanze were resolved. "Is Adriana held captive in the monastery?" "Yes, that''s correct. I can''t remember the exact location, but it was definitely there." Adriana was the bait to lure out Olivia. Lydia Schmitt had tried to attack me, believing it would be better for me¡ªan unbeliever and the main culprit behind Olivia''s fall¡ªto die rather than deceive Olivia with Adriana''s life at stake. It was unlikely that all members of the Nameless Order were in the abandoned monastery, but the key figures would be residing there. Riverrier Lanze. I had to kill Riverrier Lanze, the core of this entire mess, no matter what. Whether that would resolve everything was uncertain. But one thing remained constant: it was something I had to do right now. "What is their strength?" "There are around twenty high-ranking knights in residence...¡± "And their abilities?" "All of them participated in the Demon War... They are the closest aides of the leader... Ah, no. Riverrier Lanze... They resigned with him when he stepped down as the leader..." If they were Riverrier Lanze''s closest aides, they would be the veterans of veterans who had experienced the Demon War together. There would be other forces as well, but twenty high-ranking knights who had been through thick and thin, plus Riverrier Lanze... Eleris was a powerful mage but also a vampire. It would undoubtedly be challenging to fight against the knights. Our plan was not to engage in a head-on collision. "Alright, the plan isn''t too complicated." First, we had to get Adriana out of there. "Sarkegaar, infiltrate and locate Adriana. If you can sneak her out, do so." Sarkegaar would first use his infiltration skills to determine Adriana''s whereabouts. "Come back if you can''t bring her out. If you can''t get her out, you can disguise yourself as Riverrier Lanze later and extract her." Lydia Schmitt likely didn''t understand what I was saying, but there was no time to explain. "If we can safely bring Adriana out, Eleris will use large-scale destructive magic to annihilate the monastery. It would be great if we could kill them all at once, but that might not be possible. From there, it will be a battle." Securing Adriana was the top priority. The rest would be a massacre. Eleris clenched her fists. She didn''t utter words like "I can''t do it," and it wasn''t the time for that. It was evident that leaving the situation alone would lead to greater sacrifices. Eleris had to agree that action had to be taken now. "And, I need to show them." "Show them what...?" It was crucial to show whose actions these were. The events today could not be kept secret. Fortunately, this area was on the outskirts of the Imperial Domain. Even if a disturbance occurred, the royal family wouldn''t be able to respond immediately. Because Lydia Schmitt was present, I refrained from making direct statements. ¡°Let us show our existence with certainty." Remnants of the Demon Clan. Their existence is revealed. The revolutionary forces, the dissatisfaction of the Five Great Religions. The appearance of a common enemy temporarily mends the rift within the empire. Sarkegaar still seemed clueless. "Why on earth..." "Wait." As Sarkegaar began to express his doubts, Loyar suddenly raised his hand to stop him from speaking. Loyar pointed down the hill. "Someone is coming." There was a road leading into the village. "Olivia...!" Lydia Schmitt''s eyes widened, and I was just as shocked. Olivia is coming. She must have been lured to come here using Adriana. Olivia, with a desperate expression on her face, was running at a terrifying speed, heading somewhere. Olivia gets involved as well. There''s no more time to waste. "Sarkegaar, not just Adriana, but get that person too. Go in right now." "...Yes, understood." Sarkegaar transformed into a sparrow and darted across the night sky. My heart raced like mad. Adriana and Olivia. Neither of them should be involved in this battle. CH 320 "Where on earth is he?" With her arms crossed, Liana de Grantz frowned and muttered. The Miss & Mister Temple Contest had already begun. Students from the Royal Class who came to watch the contest were all seated in the adjacent seats, spectating the event. "Exactly..." In response to Liana''s irritated tone, Harriet whispered softly. The contestants were all exceptional in appearance, and if they lacked a little in that regard, they each had at least one outstanding individual skill. Ellen''s contestant number was 9. With contestant number 7 just finishing their turn, it would soon be Ellen''s turn. Kono Lint and other classmates were all present, except for Reinhardt. What could he be doing? Harriet''s feelings were complicated. She didn''t know what Reinhardt was up to, but she thought he would definitely come, and yet he didn''t. According to Liana, the senior from the 5th grade also hadn''t shown up in the waiting room for some reason. What could they be doing? It was a place they had to attend, so why weren''t they coming? Harriet thought that it was both a relief and a shame that Reinhardt hadn''t shown up. Harriet knew that her hope for Reinhardt not to come was cowardly, but she was also afraid to see what kind of appearance Ellen would have today. Everyone else also found it strange that Reinhardt was nowhere to be seen. Feeling anxious and restless, Harriet watched the situation without even knowing why she was so uneasy. Contestant number 7, who had successfully completed their dance during the appeal time, albeit a little nervous, exited the stage and it was time for contestant number 8. As that person''s turn passed, Harriet grew increasingly anxious. And then, contestant number 9. -Now, we have a participant from the Royal Class. As you all know, the Royal Class numbers indicate their skill ranking. This participant is from Royal Class 1st year A-Class, an impressive number 2. It''s Ellen! As the applause echoed, Ellen walked onto the stage. "..." Harriet knew, of course. Ellen had always been wearing school uniforms or training clothes, but she was well aware that Ellen had a remarkable appearance. However, upon seeing Ellen fully dressed up, Harriet couldn''t help but gape in awe. It seemed that Liana had been searching for the color that best suited Ellen. Ellen was now wearing a pure white dress. Her hair was tied up and adorned with a ribbon. Wearing matching white heels, Ellen seemed to stand out excessively compared to the other contestants, even in Harriet''s eyes. Liana looked satisfied with Ellen''s appearance, and not only her classmates but also the audience who didn''t know Ellen stared at her in a daze. She had practiced smiling relentlessly, and now, she wore a rather convincing smile that was nothing short of perfect. That much was certain. She could hold her own against Olivia. That''s what Harriet thought. But no matter what others thought, Ellen simply stood there, smiling at the audience. As if she were searching for something. And as Ellen searched, her eyes met Harriet''s, though it wasn''t who she was looking for. To be precise, her eyes met Harriet''s before scanning the surrounding area, as if searching for someone who was nowhere to be found. Finally, her gaze returned to Harriet. It was a questioning look. As if asking whether she had failed to find something, or someone. Despite not being the person in question, Harriet felt a tightening in her heart. Ellen seemed to be asking Harriet with her eyes. Had Reinhardt not come? Harriet couldn''t figure out how to respond to that gaze. She found herself in a predicament, unable to laugh or cry. She must have made a rather peculiar expression. Ellen averted her eyes. As if Harriet''s discomfort had already provided the answer. "Miss Ellen, is there a special reason why you decided to participate in Miss Temple?" "Ah..." Ellen opened her lips. She must have had something to say. Harriet saw Ellen, with her head down, trembling silently. "Was there someone special you wanted to show your appearance to today?" "..." To the emcee''s question, Ellen gave no response. It was a question that struck right at Ellen''s heart in this situation. She needed to say something, but what? As Harriet saw Ellen desperately trying to find the right words, she clenched her teeth. Just moments ago, Harriet had been relieved that Reinhardt hadn''t come. However, seeing Ellen in such a pitiful state, there was only one thought in Harriet''s mind. Ellen seemed on the verge of breaking. Harriet did not wish for that, above all else. ''Where are you...?'' Unconsciously, Harriet clenched her fists. ''What are you doing...?'' Harriet resented Reinhardt for not coming. ------ Sarkegaar was keeping an eye on the situation from the outskirts of the abandoned monastery. The long-unused monastery was grand in scale, but its abandonment had left it with a sinister atmosphere. Sarkegaar hadn''t fully grasped the situation yet. He had hurriedly followed at the mention of a task requiring some effort, but he didn''t yet fully understand how things were unfolding. All he knew was that there were people to rescue and enemies to eliminate. He didn''t know why it had to be this way, but it was a matter of revealing their existence in earnest. As always, the objective was infiltration. This time, it was a rescue mission, not a kidnapping. Transformed into a sparrow, Sarkegaar easily flew over the monastery walls and headed towards the interior. The security wasn''t strict, but there were a few soldiers stationed here and there for guarding purposes. Among them, only about twenty were considered the elite and posed a real threat. The king had ordered the rescue of two women. One woman trapped in the monastery. And the woman who had just rushed into the monastery. There were more people armed and capable of using divine power in the monastery than that. Sarkegaar belonged to the demon race. As such, he didn''t mix well with divine power, not as much as the undead Eleris, at least. That''s why it wasn''t too pleasant for him to infiltrate a place where high-ranking paladins were lurking. However, there was no hesitation in carrying out the order. Sarkegaar entered the monastery and carefully flew around, examining his surroundings. "Where is Adriana?" Without the need for such a meticulous search, Sarkegaar could hear the distressed voice coming from the courtyard. It was the woman who had just arrived at the monastery. "That will be answered after you give yours." "You know what answer will come." "Then you should know what will happen next." "What do you want?" Sarkegaar approached the scene of the conversation. A courtyard within the monastery. A middle-aged man sat on an old chair, centered around a bonfire, with a few paladins accompanying him. Opposite him was a young blonde woman dressed in the Temple''s robes. Sarkegaar knew the middle-aged man was Riverrier Lanze. "Return to Tu¡¯an. Retract all the testimonies you''ve made, and publicly declare your regret." "..." "The Holy Order of Odai will break away from the Empire, establish an independent Holy Empire, and you will be its first Holy Empress." "What nonsense... That''s absurd..." Olivia stared at Riverrier Lanze. Holy Empress. Independence. Olivia felt as if her breath was stifled just by hearing those words. "What if I refuse?" "Then unfortunate events will begin to unfold." "Are you saying you''ll kill Adriana? A young girl who hasn''t even become a nun yet?" "Let''s call it an unavoidable sacrifice. God will understand." As Riverrier Lanze used the name of God as a shield for his evil deeds, Olivia''s expression displayed blatant contempt and disgust. "Is this your way, Father? Are you so angry and resentful for losing power that you''re willing to abandon humanity and faith?" "This is a necessary choice to counter the threat to the Holy Order of Odai. Besides, you know that no one will be hurt if you promise to return." "I won''t go back." "Will you not care even if something happens to the child who saved you?" "..." Despair and resentment flashed across Olivia''s face. Riverrier Lanze believed in the vision of making Olivia the Holy Empress, but in reality, he sought to restore his honor and regain power by making her recant her words. "Why me? Why does it have to be me? Father, if you want something, just do it. I really don''t understand why you have to involve me in all of this. I don''t know why you''re threatening me like this, risking other people''s lives as well..." "As I always say, it''s because there is no one more suitable than you." "Please don''t try to justify it like that..." Olivia''s tears finally spilled over in her sorrow. "It''s just because you want power, isn''t it? You want to use me to satisfy your own desires. That''s why you created this strange group. You want me to take back what I said to restore your honor, and to regain your power..." "Olivia, I don''t expect you to understand my intentions. But people have roles and destinies given to them, and I live for that." Riverrier Lanze had an attitude that seemed completely unyielding. "Until now, my role was to lead the forces in the Demon War to victory, and now it is to protect the Holy Knights of the Five Holy Religions from the clutches of the empire." In front of the sobbing Olivia, Riverrier Lanze did not show even the slightest hint of personal emotion. "And you are my successor. I decided that, and raised you accordingly. If it doesn''t happen that way, I''ll make it happen." "But... why...?" "Do you think the issue will end with just Adriana if you refuse?" "!" Olivia''s eyes widened. "Do you think Reinhardt will be left untouched?" "Wh-what... what... are you saying...?" As soon as the name Reinhardt was mentioned, Sarkegaar, who had been observing the situation, silently watched Riverrier Lanze. Sarkegaar understood, though not completely, that Riverrier Lanze needed to be eliminated. He was a threat to the Valier family. Sarkegaar clearly saw Olivia''s expression contort as soon as Reinhardt''s name was mentioned. That woman was definitely an ally of Reinhardt. Sarkegaar also gained such certainty. "If Adriana isn''t enough, I''ll simply find another person precious to you. Olivia, I called you here to show you that there is no end to this." "..." "Give up, Olivia. Don''t cling to me in tears after a small pain becomes a greater one." Olivia''s eyes seemed to die upon hearing those words. Adriana was just the beginning. If she didn''t give up, Riverrier Lanze would do whatever it took to destroy everything precious to Olivia, one by one. Since threats and torture against Olivia personally wouldn''t yield anything, Riverrier Lanze sought a way to make her give up from the outside. Because he knew that she could bear her own pain, but not the pain of those precious to her. Because he knew that Olivia, accustomed to sacrifice, would rather sacrifice herself than see her loved ones hurt. As Lydia Schmitt attempted self-destruction using Berserk, it seemed as if she had given up on victory and made a sacrifice called "forfeit." Riverrier Lanze knew how to manipulate Olivia. "You are... a demon..." Olivia said in a despairing tone. The surrounding knights flinched at her words, but Riverrier Lanze raised her hand to stop them from speaking rashly. "If I can''t escape... then this must be the right thing to do." Olivia''s body began to burn with explosive holy light and blue mana. Having strengthened her body with both divine power and magic body strengthening, Olivia glared at Riverrier Lanze. "Whether I die or you die, it will all end." In this desperate coercion, Olivia chose to resist rather than accept or submit to it. Because if she were to die, no one else would be sacrificed. But before that, she would try to kill Riverrier Lanze, the mastermind behind this terrible situation. However, Riverrier Lanze remained calm in front of Olivia, who revealed her hostility. "Do you think I didn''t know you would make such a choice?" At Riverrier Lanze''s gesture, two knights appeared from somewhere in the corridor. "¡­!" "The moment you try anything foolish, you will witness Adriana''s death." "Senior..." A miserable-looking Adriana was being dragged into the open by the knights. Olivia stared at Riverrier Lanze with wide eyes. "You... vile...!" "Even if you try something here, you''ll only meet a miserable end, and you''ll have to watch Adriana die first." From the guilt on Adriana''s face, it seemed she knew she was being used as bait for some purpose. In the end, Olivia could not reach out. If Olivia tried anything, the sword pointed at Adriana''s neck would do its job. "First of all, I don''t understand why you think this is such a bad thing. This is the first step in protecting the believers. It''s about saving many people. If you just change your heart a little, you can save countless people." Olivia could not respond to Riverrier Lanze''s words. No, she didn''t. The speaker believed in his words so sincerely that no argument would get through. He did not doubt himself because he believed the path he was taking was true justice. Olivia knew Riverrier Lanze well. That''s the kind of person he was. Always demanding something, but never being convinced. "Senior... don''t worry about me!" "Adriana..." The captive Adriana shouted at Olivia with a guilt-ridden expression. Beyond her disappointment in everything, Adriana''s expression was filled with disillusionment. Disappointed that what she had been striving for was nothing more than this, she had lost even the motivation to live. "Senior... I''m fine. I am okay. Do as you wish..." "Adriana! Don''t say anything. I... I..." I... Olivia couldn''t finish her sentence. What should she do to save Adriana? To save her, she must face them head-on. She must pursue something she doesn''t even want, whether it''s from the Holy Empire or not. Riverrier Lanze may become the captain of the Holy Knights again, but she must lie and say that all the cruel things he did to her were false. Adriana is just the beginning. Olivia calmly sorted her thoughts. For now, listen to them. After listening and making sure that Adriana is safely released... Die. If she dies, no one will torment her to change her mind, and he won''t be able to torment anyone else either. Her death will be the ultimate revenge against Riverrier Lanze. Those who want to use her will least want her death. With that in mind, Olivia decided to accept his proposal for now. Just then, -Whoosh! "Ugh!" -Thud! "Argh!" Suddenly, something unexpected happened. The necks of the two knights holding Adriana were abruptly severed. In the midst of the sudden spray of blood, not only Olivia but also Riverrier Lanze''s mouth gaped open. From the darkness, a shadowy figure caught Adriana''s body as the headless corpses thrashed about. "Humans..." The dark figure resembling a materialized shadow murmured, its red maw gaping in the darkness. "How utterly wicked they are." The sinister shape, more wicked than anything else in the world, smiled as it spoke of human wickedness. -Swish! "!" As the black figure reached out, shadows wrapped around Olivia''s entire body. "What...?!" "A demon...?" The figure, with wings like a blood membrane woven from shadows, soared into the sky. -Whoosh! "Hehehehahahaha!" With a laugh that tore through the night sky, the monster that snatched Adriana vanished into the heavens in an instant. Caught in the monster''s trap too suddenly to resist, Olivia dangled helplessly in the night sky. -Wha-what''s going on?! Let me gooooo! It was a frail, cute scream that didn''t fit the grave and ominous atmosphere. "What is that?!" "It looks like a demon!" "H-how could a demon be on the emperor''s road...?!" Riverrier Lanze cursed at the unidentified demonic monster that had suddenly abducted Olivia and Adriana, but no one knew its true identity. But their bewilderment didn''t last long. An even more bewildering situation unfolded. -Rumble! The night sky was covered with dark clouds, and lightning flickered in the accumulated gloom. -Flash! In the blink of an eye, lightning began to pour down from the sky. Harriet de saint-owan had summoned a lightning storm in her battle against Olivia Lanze. Such a storm appeared and then dozens of bolts rained down. Rumble! ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°It''s magic!¡± Knights struck by the lightning activated their divine powers to protect themselves, but those who couldn''t react in time were instantly charred black and crumbled to ashes. The highest tier of destruction magic, Thunderstorm, had been cast. ¡°It''s an attack from the demon race!¡± The knights quickly assessed the situation and shouted, but things were not looking good. The Thunderstorm wasn''t the end of it. Sizzle A bizarre, warping sound echoed several times around the monastery, as if space itself was being distorted. Then, massive shockwaves erupted from the north, south, east, and west of the monastery. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Four consecutive explosions. Explosions were cast four times in a row, causing the already devastated monastery to collapse and crumble. Knights, priests, and paladins who were unable to use their powers strongly enough had already been shattered to pieces. It was a massacre. The knights began to experience hell due to the sudden onslaught of a high-ranking mage. The sky rained lightning, and the monastery was blown away by the explosions. And then. Rumble The ground shook violently as flames began to erupt from the surface. From the sky, a rain of lightning. From the ground, a storm of flames surged. A Firestorm began to sweep across the land, as if to engulf everything in its path. ¡°This is¡­¡± Riverrier Lanze watched as the lightning storm and the flames on the ground swallowed the knights whole. In front of the headquarters of the Holy Knights, a sudden storm of flames had once erupted. A dragon had appeared, and an unidentified Lycan had wreaked havoc. Riverrier Lanze hadn''t been in charge of the succubus escort at the time, but he had heard the reports and knew about it. This felt like that time. An unidentified demon race attack. Amidst the sweeping flames, someone appeared, piercing through the fire and lightning. Magic seemed to avoid that someone on its own, leaving that someone completely unaffected amidst the chaos. A silver-maned wolf-like demon, a Lycan, stood there. And beside it. With hair that seemed to be aflame and a pair of curved horns protruding from its temples, it looked human but was something else entirely. Roar! In the midst of this hellish landscape, a Lycan and an unidentified demon appeared. The demon stood within the wall of flames, carrying a pearly white sword with a blade that seemed to glow. ¡°Riverrier Lanze.¡± The situation was a continuous string of incomprehensible astonishment. With eyes widened in shock, Riverrier Lanze cried out, even as he was hit by the heat and lightning. ¡°Who are you?!¡± "Me?" The demon boy approaches, dragging his sword on the ground. "My name is Valier." "I am the enemy from the demon world." "And the rightful heir to the Darklands." The boy points his sword, which has a pearly white blade, at Riverrier Lanze. Recognizing what the sword was, Riverrier Lanze''s eyes widened in shock. "Ho...w...?" "Yo...u... Fallen clergy, scum." From one to ten. Riverrier Lanze couldn''t understand a single thing about this situation. "It''s time for divine punishment." But even if he couldn''t understand it, the situation was unfolding. The Demon King wielding the holy sword was trying to kill him. CH 321 Humans needed to understand that the Demon War was not completely over. Eleris understood what this meant, and Loyar didn''t question it. Sarkegaar seemed to not know why it had to be this way, but he said nothing. Lydia Schmitt would not be deployed in battle. There was a chance she might engage in fruitless activities, so she was left under Eleris''s supervision. The situation unfolded. After confirming that Sarkegaar was taking Olivia and Adriana away, the plan commenced. Once they were dropped off in a safe place, they might wonder why the demons had rescued them, but they would escape first. The mysterious massacre that happened today would be reported as the work of the demons. Sarkegaar had been told to fly around in his demonic form, for there needed to be witnesses for rumors to spread. Of course, those present at the scene could not be witnesses. Because they would all die. In the monastery completely devastated by Eleris''s magic, all the survivors were killed by these hellish destructive spells. These destructive spells did not harm me or Loyar. The fact that such large-scale destructive magic could not harm someone was already proof that Eleris was an incredible magician. Only Loyar and I were free within the heat that turned flesh into charcoal. The survivors didn''t even leave corpses behind, and those still alive had to fight in the extreme conditions of lightning storms and firestorms. During the demon prisoner incident, Eleris had caused a firestorm but had no intention of killing anyone. But this time, the magic was cast to annihilate all enemies. The holy knights struggled to protect themselves with divine magic in the extreme heat. But the remaining knights, including Riverrier Lanze, were elite holy knights. - Rooooooar! Loyar, transformed into a Lycan, fought to kill her opponents this time. - Bang! Crash! Ka-boom! He did not just push the holy knights back with his magically infused claws; he threw them, slammed them into the ground, grabbed them with both hands, and tore them apart. - Crack! - Aaaaaaaaargh! Loyar bit off the head of a holy knight and pulled the body downward while lifting her mouth upward. - Crunch! - Guh¡­¡­urgh¡­¡­ He roughly chewed the decapitated head of the holy knight. Blood flowed from the silver beast''s mouth, and a red frenzy flickered in his eyes. Loyar. I knew, but it was clear that Loyar''s true nature was chilling. But as long as he was strong, that was enough. It was not a full moon, but it was close. Both Eleris and Loyar would be at their peak. "Huff!" - Crash! I stepped back a few paces as I parried Riverrier Lanze''s greatsword. Among the elite holy knights, he was the core of this incident and an enemy that had to be killed. Riverrier Lanze. I was facing him. "How can the Demon King wield Tiamata?" "Because it is the will of the gods." Facing him was not a wise choice to begin with. However, I stood before Riverrier Lanze. My words about the will of the gods twisted Riverrier Lanze''s expression. "How dare a demon like you discuss the divine?" "You, on the other hand, deny the divine power?" "Silence, young Demon King! I don''t know how you found it, but I won''t tolerate any further insults to the gods!" Riverrier Lanze charged at me, wielding a greatsword. The ex-commander of the Holy Knights, a veteran among veterans. "Heugh!" -Kwang! Even if I strengthen my body with Magic Body Strengthening, it''s impossible for me to fight such an experienced warrior. After clashing swords just once, I rolled back, feeling as if my whole body would crumble from the impact. "How pathetic, are you really the Demon King?" Riverrier Lanze mainly focused on defending himself. Yet, I was overwhelmingly outmatched. Naturally. Even so, I stood before Riverrier Lanze. I had to stand before him. I had to face the one who kidnapped Adriana, couldn''t let go of his obsession with Olivia, and engaged in such despicable acts. I could draw upon my true anger. -Uuwoong "If this isn''t the power of the gods, then what is?" It''s because I can draw upon the true power of Tiamata. "To use... divine power... how could a demon..." I clearly saw the shock and disgust in Riverrier Lanze''s eyes. -Flash! Divine light exploded and enveloped my body. Physical enhancement through divine power followed my Magic Body Strengthening. Olivia Lanze''s power filled me. -Kwakang! A fierce shockwave was created as the greatsword and Tiamata collided. The white light that dwelled in Riverrier Lanze''s sword. Although he wasn''t a Sword Master, he wasn''t much different from one. I would be overwhelmingly defeated in a hundred battles at my current level. However, Riverrier Lanze couldn''t focus solely on our battle. He was fighting within a furnace that could turn iron scraps into molten iron. And I had Magic Body Strengthening, self-suggestion, and Tiamata''s divine power. On top of that, word magic. "Die!" -Zzaaang! "Kuh!" Riverrier Lanze, who retreated from my sword strike, looked incredulous. Even though he thought of me as a mere novice despite being the Demon King''s successor, he couldn''t understand his own retreat. I felt the same way. My word magic level was too weak to draw out any significant power. "Do not discuss the gods any further, young Demon King." Cold fury filled Riverrier Lanze''s eyes. He might not understand the situation, but it seemed that he was gradually focusing solely on this fight. Riverrier Lanze''s divine power was overwhelming. "Fine, whatever you may be. I must kill you before you become an even more dangerous seed of evil." -Kuruung! The white light within Riverrier Lanze''s body erupts explosively. The divine power of Tu¡¯an is most potent against impure beings; in other words, it has the power of exorcism. But I am not a demon. Therefore, I am unaffected by the exorcising power that dwells within the sacred power of Tu''an. -Crack! "Urgh!" However, the same applies to me. Both the output of my Magic Body Strengthening and the output of the divine power I wield through Tiamata are overshadowed by Riverrier Lanze. Had it not been for this situation, I wouldn''t have been able to cross swords with Riverrier Lanze even a few times. Riverrier Lanze approaches me like a giant. "If you had survived, you would have quietly spent the rest of your life trapped in the cramped walls of Darkland. You''re chasing the glory of the past, hastening your demise." Riverrier Lanze looks at me as if I were a helpless child. There are powerful magicians and Lycan, but it seemed he had already realized that the power I possess is not that strong. This is a battle of generals. However, Riverrier Lanze is the strongest paladin among his forces, and although I am a general, I am weaker than my subordinates. Thus, my participation in the battle of generals is merely a formality. Although I can draw upon the power of Tiamata, I am gradually pushed back. Riverrier Lanze strikes with a stern expression, blow after blow. "Yes, I don''t need an organization like this. You''ve appeared at the right time. If I kill you, the cause of the next Demon War, and recover the Sacred Relic of Tu''an, I won''t need such petty work." -Clang! "Kuh!" With just a single clash of our swords, I had no choice but to be thrown back, almost rolling on the ground. I could read a sense of ecstasy in Riverrier Lanze''s stern expression and gaze. "Is this the revelation of Tu''an bestowed upon me?" He interprets the situation, where the Demon King wields the sacred sword, in his own way. Regardless of the cause, he believes he is in a position to claim both the honor of slaying the next Demon King and recovering the Sacred Relic of Tu''an. It seems he thinks me appearing with the sacred sword of Tu''an is like a pig carrying money entering his home. Now that I''ve appeared, does he think Olivia is no longer needed? Does he think Tu''an has brought him both the Sacred Relic and the neck of the young Demon King? -Thunk! "!" I couldn''t repel the heavily piercing black sword with my own. It was inevitable that Riverrier Lanze would be mistaken. After all, I am not in a situation where I can confront him now. -Clang! "Ugh!" It was difficult to even parry his sword, so there were several instances when I couldn''t help but be exposed. Although the Magic Body Strengthening and protection prevented the sword from directly injuring my body, I could still feel the heavy impact. It was a struggle to regain my senses, as if I had been struck in a vital spot with a hammer. Riverrier Lanze''s fierce attacks continued several more times, and maintaining my Magic Body Strengthening was becoming increasingly difficult. My opponent was incomparably strong. That much was an immutable fact. Bang! Bang! Clash! "Ugh!" I wasn''t unaware that this was a futile effort. Even if he were to confront Loyar, who was currently slaughtering the Holy Knights, I had no idea what the outcome would be. However, I wasn''t fighting alone. Crash! Flash! "Guh!" In an instant, four consecutive bolts of Thunder Storm struck Riverrier Lanze''s body, causing him to narrow his eyes and retreat a few steps. I wasn''t alone. Eleris had been buying me time by casting large-scale destructive magic, preventing Riverrier Lanze from landing a decisive blow on me. However, the lightning that should have reduced an ordinary person to ashes only managed to slow down Riverrier Lanze''s steps. Crash! Roar! "You may not be much to look at, but it seems you have some useful underlings!" I didn''t particularly feel the need to refute that statement. Riverrier Lanze, who was approaching me steadfastly, no longer appeared human in my eyes. Was this the true power of the Holy Knights? Could I really call that thing a human? Rather, didn''t it seem more monstrous than me, the Demon King? By now. It must be happening. Even if I went back now, it would be too late. Brandishing the roaring Tiamata, I parried Riverrier Lanze''s descending greatsword from below, thrusting it upward. "Get lost!" Swoosh! With a resounding noise, Riverrier Lanze''s chest swelled up, and I thrust Tiamata into it. Flash! Boom! The moment my thrust landed, I felt a heavy backlash, and Riverrier Lanze and I were flung in opposite directions. "What are you?" Riverrier Lanze''s expression hardened. It was as if he sensed I was using an extraordinary power. "I''m the Demon King." Tiamata wailed. It was reacting to my anger. My anger wasn''t for any other reason. "Because of you..." I aimed Tiamata at him. "I couldn''t go to Miss Temple''s." "...What?" It wasn''t a matter of needing talent. I wasn''t angry about missing that. When she said she needed one more vote. I was unable to provide that vote. I had worried about who to choose if I went to the contest. But the need to worry about that had vanished. Riverrier Lanze didn''t understand what I was talking about. Rumble! In the midst of the fiery storm of thunder, I thought about it. What would Ellen be thinking now? Without me there, would she resent me? She had asked me to come no matter what. Even though she wasn''t the type to say that, she had said it. Words like "I had no choice" held no meaning. Nothing could be resolved with the excuse of "I had no choice." That would only accumulate into resentment and sadness. But I couldn''t help but come here. In the end, I couldn''t leave those who were in danger because of me to fend for themselves. I had once again created an unavoidable situation, causing someone grief. The vile malice was infuriating. Towards the one who created this situation. "Then just die." I was furious. And so, the fury was justified. Uuuuuung! "I can''t understand what you''re saying. But there''s no need to converse with you any longer." Kkurrung! With a powerful stride, he approached me step by step, and swung his sword, enveloped in divine power. It was dangerous. With a strong sense of impending doom, I leaped to the side. Kwadududuk! I managed to avoid it, but the ground where the sword of Riverrier Lanze struck was gouged out as if it had been devoured by a giant beast. It was a shield that wouldn''t break, and it could unleash torrents of powerful physical force. Riverrier Lanze was, in the end, a formidable figure in his field. If it weren''t for the support of magic, simply crossing swords with him would have turned me into a pool of blood. "Do you only know how to run away?" "Yeah, if I stall for time, even your zombie-like vitality will come to an end." "How dare you compare such a vile and repulsive being to this divine power!" To treat him like an undead was the greatest insult to a paladin who served the divine Tu¡¯an. Kwooooooooooo! The battle cry of Loyar echoed from a distance, piercing through the cacophony. Once more, the flame-engulfed Riverrier Lanze charged at me. Again, he aimed his sword, wrapped in a torrent of divine power, at me. "Ugh!" Riverrier Lanze was a paladin. He fought with overwhelming defense as his weapon, barely paying attention to his own defense, and focused on delivering a heavy blow in one strike. He certainly could do that. It would be nothing more than a tickle to him if he could demonstrate such skills in the midst of such high-level destructive magic. Riverrier Lanze''s attack approached once again. The distance between him and me was about twenty paces. Standing in place, he aimed his sword at me and focused the divine power on it. He wasn''t getting closer. It was as if he didn''t need to. From twenty paces away, He swung his sword at me. If I didn''t dodge, I would die. Whooong! As my vision turned white, the torrent of divine power, possessing physical force, covered the spot where I had been just a moment ago. "Kuh!" I had dodged, but a little too late. Part of my left shoulder was literally torn away, and an intense, burning pain rushed through the wound. Tiamata''s gushing divine power was sealing the wound, but almost half of my shoulder was gone. I could endure the pain, but I couldn''t use my left arm. This was insane. This had long surpassed the realm of swordsmanship. Just as Saviolin Turner added an aura to his sword and used a magic shockwave, Riverrier Lanze could strike from any distance beyond the reach of his sword, like a deranged divine power launcher. At the pinnacle of their abilities, swordsmen could perform bizarre acts indistinguishable from magic. The worst part was that my current opponent was one such swordsman. "Has your spirit broken, Demon King?" The power of Riverrier Lanze was incomparable to mine. Eleris did her best to support me from a distance with her magic, but Riverrier Lanze''s defenses were still formidable. Loyar was being attacked by five or more holy knights, so she had no opportunity to worry about me. I felt a wall. It was a different feeling from the wall I felt when facing Ellen. Not an unreachable sensation, but rather, the wall of death seemed to gradually approach. What should I have done? Should I have waited for Adriana to die, or for Olivia to fall to this man? Should I have stood idly by as the empire''s fragmentation drew ever closer? I knew that standing before an enemy I could never match was reckless. Was I supposed to just watch someone die and be sacrificed? I knew that not everyone could be happy. But understanding that and accepting it are different matters, so I stood before Riverrier Lanze in my true form. I believed it was the only thing I could do. The pain in my shoulder gradually subsided, but Riverrier Lanze once again placed his sword on his shoulder and began to imbue it with divine power. At my level, I couldn''t block that divine energy. I didn''t know if I could avoid an attack that would reach me just by piercing a wide area. I had survived being hit in the shoulder, but if that struck my head, heart, or severed my body¡­ I would die. And that wasn''t all. Loyar couldn''t handle all the holy knights. "Captain! I''ll join you!" One of the holy knights who had escaped Loyar''s onslaught was running towards Riverrier Lanze. Riverrier Lanze looked back at the fast-approaching knight and shouted, "Just tie him up for a moment! Go, Rondel!" "Yes!" If I faced Riverrier Lanze and more opponents, it would truly be the end. If that holy knight could hold me for just a moment, I wouldn''t be able to block Riverrier Lanze''s strike. The moment the holy knight, who had begun to join from a distance, brushed past Riverrier Lanze and charged towards me¡ª "Puhak!" "Ugh...ugh!" I watched in horror as the knight''s dark, sharpened fingernails pierced through Riverrier Lanze''s back and burst out through his chest. The holy knight cried out. "Your Highness! This one has arrived!" It wasn''t a holy knight; it was Sarkegaar. CH 322 Sarkegaar joined the battlefield, transforming into the appearance of one of the Holy Knights. He pretended to join forces with Riverrier Lanze and stabbed him in the back. The strike pierced right through his heart. It was a fatal wound. However, I witnessed an even more horrifying spectacle that followed. "Gah... Huff!" -Crack! Riverrier Lanze, grasping the situation, repelled Sarkegaar with his divine power. Sarkegaar, who was at a disadvantage against divine power compared to me, was flung far away, panting as he slowly got back up. Riverrier Lanze clutched at his own heart, crimson blood gushing out. -Woosh The wound began to heal. Whether his shattered heart had regenerated or not, Riverrier Lanze was coming back to life, even as blood trickled down the corners of his mouth. "Insane... Are you even human?" "Your Majesty, what are you talking about?" Cried Sarkegaar. Riverrier Lanze wiped the blood from his mouth with an expression as cold as steel. "This is what it means to be human." Having repaired his broken heart and prepared for battle once again, Riverrier Lanze looked at me and spoke. "God accepts my faith and makes the impossible possible. This is something only humans can do. It is possible because God loves humans." Riverrier Lanze seemed to think that divine power was a privilege exclusive to humans. "So, it is my mission and duty to reclaim the sacred artifact from an unholy existence like you as soon as possible. And it is the way to repay God''s love." Riverrier Lanze''s fanaticism differed from that of Lydia. Lydia Schmitt''s fanaticism was intense, but Riverrier Lanze''s was a refined madness. A cold fanaticism devoid of excitement, impatience, or anger, carefully chiseled and forged. Riverrier Lanze looked at Sarkegaar, who had been swept away by the torrent of divine power and was now disguised as a Holy Knight once again. "An existence that wears the skin of another being, what a despicable minion you are." "..." I had expected Riverrier Lanze to be extraordinarily strong. But I never imagined it would be to this extent. He recovered even after his heart was pierced. Unless his head was severed, he seemed to be an unkillable creature. Now, I even doubted whether it was possible to exhaust his stamina amidst the pouring lightning. At this rate, should Loyar and even Sarkegaar join forces with me? Is that the only viable option? The dreadfulness of the Holy Knights. I experienced it in the worst possible way. They enhance their bodies, protect themselves with divine power, shoot divine power from their swords, and even recover from near-fatal injuries. If that''s not a zombie, then what is? Not all Holy Knights would be like this, but Riverrier Lanze was the pinnacle of those who met all the aforementioned conditions. Riverrier Lanze began to attack Sarkegaar and me once again. -Boom! Crash! Bang! "Kruut!" The monster before us was none other than Riverrier Lanze. As if we didn''t know what to do in the face of the rampaging beast''s explosive attack, we were only focused on dodging his fierce assaults. Tchak! Sarkegaar''s attack was capable of penetrating his defenses, but Riverrier Lanze wouldn''t allow any surprise assaults. The black blade-like weapon Sarkegaar created by transforming part of his body could indeed penetrate Riverrier Lanze''s defenses. However, even if the attack succeeded by chance, nothing would change. Uuuung! It absolutely wouldn''t allow a fatal wound, and even if he was injured, he would recover in no time. We couldn''t even begin to fathom the limits of that creature''s divine power. Our only chance of victory lay in a war of attrition, but whether or not I could survive Riverrier Lanze''s attacks until then was uncertain. "Your Highness! You must also consider retreating!" Sarkegaar''s cry caught my ear. Yes. I could put an end to this chaos and retreat. I was well aware that it was time to consider that option. I had succeeded in rescuing Olivia and Adriana, and I had done so in the name of Valier. But as a result, Adriana and Olivia would be in danger again. In the end, there would undoubtedly be those who suspected that the demons had saved Adriana and Olivia. Even if the two were innocent, people''s misunderstandings and suspicions could lead to even worse outcomes. Or perhaps Riverrier Lanze would turn a blind eye to this fact and try to manipulate Olivia once again. If I couldn''t kill Riverrier Lanze here and now, today''s actions would be worse than doing nothing at all. "No, either this bastard dies or I die today. One of us has to die." So, I won''t back down. "Do you think you have a chance? Demon King." Riverrier Lanze looked at me with cautious eyes. "Yes. I won''t die here. I''ll kill you and survive." "On what basis are you so sure?" Riverrier Lanze had faith, and so did I. "Just because. That''s how it''s meant to be in this world." A miracle that always happens for my sake will happen again this time. Of course. Self-suggestion? Suggestion? I don''t know about that. But this is just the truth, beyond belief or disbelief. My second life is punishment. There''s no way my given punishment would end by just dying here at the hands of Riverrier Lanze. There''s more. A bigger punishment awaits me. There''s more I have to endure. There''s more sorrow and pain I have to experience. If I die like this, if a miracle doesn''t happen. I''ll be disappointed that my punishment was nothing more than this. "There''s just too much prepared for me before I die." I won''t be killed before I taste all of it. Though I may collapse, be trampled, go mad, or die amidst it all. Even if I can seize happiness by breaking through everything, I am not yet in that place. "Even if the Five Great Gods descend upon this place to kill me, I won''t die. Riverrier Lanze." This is neither faith nor a hint, but simply a fact. With that level of conviction, a different light shone in Riverrier Lanze''s eyes than before. "You have crossed the line of blasphemy, Demon King." Contempt. Fanaticism faces another fanaticism and feels contempt. Now, he feels the same thing towards me as I do towards him. I will not die until the prepared stage is fully set. I will make sure that Olivia is no longer forced to suffer. I will not let Olivia, shackled by the yoke of a saint, return to a life where she cannot even wonder who she truly is. For Adriana, and for Olivia as well. I will show them what it means to be truly saved from the pit of gods, faith, and belief. Though all places where humans live, all realms where humans exist, may be slums for their own reasons, I will make them realize that slums are not the only things that exist. I will give both of them the gift of freedom. I will let them live a life of contemplation and choice, not adapting and submitting to what is forced upon them, but choosing at the end of their own struggles. Adriana, Olivia. I have decided to give them true freedom in every sense of the word. "I will." "Kill." "You." I make a more chilling vow than any I have made so far. Riverrier Lanze clenches his sword at my words. He doesn''t say anything like it being impossible. He seemed to feel that something had changed in my demeanor. Let it happen again. Miracle. Come to me. Don''t I still have many things I want? Because I have many things to go through. Isn''t that why you''re sending me up, to bring me down? I haven''t gone all the way up yet. A miracle that allows me to take the life of Riverrier Lanze, an enemy I can never stand against at my current level. I want it. I prepare for the miracle. Rage. Burning the fuel called rage to generate the result called a miracle. I must be angry. My will has always backed me up whenever I have to surpass my actual limits. Riverrier Lanze despises me. As if he no longer wants to even speak to me, he prepares for another attack. "Die, Demon King!" -Karddruk! With one stroke of Riverrier Lanze''s sword, an explosive shockwave distorted the ground. I narrowly avoided a direct hit but had to roll several times on the ground. Sarkegaar was casting a spell, but it only left small scratches; the iron wall called Riverrier Lanze was solid. An iron wall that collapses and rebuilds itself. Blue and white light begins to concentrate in his sword. An explosive release of magic and divine power. As Saviolin Turner showed, it''s not just magicians who can launch area attacks. He was about to strike me down in one blow and leave this area. He prepares a powerful blow. Tiamata may be the source of my sacred power, but I cannot draw upon it from within myself. I can only harness the power of Tiamata under specific conditions. Riverrier Lanze, the Holy Knight of Tu''an. Tiamata, the sacred relic of Tu''an. In the end, we both use the same kind of power, and I am at a disadvantage. Simply put, it''s a battle of equal forces. Thus, as long as we use the same kind of power, I will inevitably lose in a battle of output. Whether he is a fallen priest or a crazed fanatic, the time and experience he has accumulated cannot be fake. "Disappear with the light." That is what a war hero, who returned victorious from the Great Demon War, would say. I must surpass the genuine time he has built up. He''s a madman who won''t die unless it''s a fatal blow that severs his neck. Then, in the end, I must rely on my own power. Anger. And. Faith (self-suggestion) and words (word magic). And the fate that will be given to me. Since it hasn''t arrived yet, I will not die. The miracle that can kill this monster. I know what it is. Facing him as he prepares for a powerful attack, I grasp Tiamata with both hands. It is impossible to infuse power while holding it, but. I speak. With determination and anger. "Tiamata." As he strikes down with a powerful blow, and the storm of divine power with physical force tries to swallow me up. I command Tiamata, releasing the boiling divine power in all directions. "Become a demon sword." -Krrrrrng! "!" The white light that boiled from Tiamata turned into darkness that incinerates light. Naturally, to kill the monster that regenerates infinitely with the power of Tu''an. All too obviously. The power of the opposite extreme is needed. -Krrrrrrrrng! It''s not over with just incineration. In the midst of the waves of light pouring down upon me, I penetrate the waves, cloaked in darkness. "You...! What have you done to Tiamata?!" I charge towards Riverrier Lanze''s astonished outcry. My plan was correct. I couldn''t defeat Riverrier Lanze with the same power. So, I summoned the power of the opposite extreme and penetrated through it. With this contrasting power, I can break through his ironclad defense and cut off his breath. It''s a single opportunity. I cut off his breath before he grasps the situation. As I break through the pouring light. Cloaked in darkness that light cannot penetrate, I instantly reach Riverrier Lanze, who is in shock. In just one moment, life and death are twisted, and history is reversed. I know this. The line between life and death is ultimately a matter of moments. Retreat. [Using 1,000 achievement points.] And then. Clad in the power of the demon, I shout at Riverrier Lanze, who retracts his greatsword and tries to stab me in response. Word magic. "Stop!" "Kuh! This... this is...!" One step. One inch. Life and death can be determined by such small differences. Bound by my spell, Riverrier Lanze''s movements were momentarily restricted. Whoosh! "Guh¡­ Ugh!" I succeeded in plunging the demon sword Tiamata into his heart. ------ I had transformed Tiamata into a demon sword. That was the miracle I had wished for. Using the power of my word magic, I strengthened the spell and managed to halt Riverrier Lanze''s movements at the crucial moment. As a result, Riverrier Lanze was dealt a fatal blow. This time, it truly was a fatal wound. "Ku, Kuh... Kuh!" He clutched at the demon sword Tiamata embedded in his heart, but could only spit out blood. The Holy Knights were already weakening as time passed. Having reached their limits, they began to flee as they witnessed Riverrier Lanze on his knees with his heart pierced. They must have thought it better to survive and report this situation than to prolong a lost battle. "Kuh... Kuh... Kuh..." "Persistent, aren''t you?" Even after his heart was penetrated by the demon sword, Riverrier Lanze did not die easily. From the swirling white lights surrounding his body, it was clear that he was clinging to life using his divine power. Despite being hit directly with the power of my word magic, he could still use his innate power, albeit weakly. I hadn''t anticipated that he would be such a monstrous opponent. "Ho...w... Tia... Tiamata... How..." However, he must have reached his limit, as he struggled to fight off the corrosive power of the demonic energy coursing through his body. Although born from the same existence, the power of my word magic was too great. Riverrier Lanze might have survived Sarkegaar''s attack, but he could not withstand the corrupting power flowing through the demon sword Tiamata. He was merely clinging to life with his last desperate breath. I simply looked down at Riverrier Lanze, who had fallen to his knees, trying to remove the demon sword from his heart but unable to move even a fingertip. As I watched Riverrier Lanze''s last moments, Loyar, in the form of Lycan, approached me. "Your Majesty, I shall pursue the fleeing Holy Knights." "Good. Go with Sarkegaar." Sarkegaar was also shocked to see me transform the divine sword into a demon sword and fight, but he didn''t forget what needed to be done right now. "Don''t let a single one escape. No one must know that I wielded Tiamata." "Yes." "Yes, Your Majesty." To be precise, Olivia shouldn''t have seen the Demon King wielding the divine sword. Sarkegaar must have taken her far away. It was unlikely that Olivia saw what happened here. "You... Who are you...?" Riverrier Lanze murmured through the blood spilling from his mouth. "The Demon King." "Why did you... No... Why did you attack us...? You... Why did you save Olivia...?" Facing death, Riverrier Lanze seemed to finally have doubts. He wondered why the self-proclaimed Demon King had saved Olivia and Adriana. What was the story behind Miss Temple? He spoke in a dying voice. "Let''s... cooperate... Demon Lord..." "What did you say?" Riverrier Lanze whispered in his dying voice. "You... desire the reconstruction of the demon world... don''t you? If so... the division of the empire... would be helpful to you... If we cooperate... a common goal... would be an irresistible offer... for you as well..." It was impossible not to be astonished by his words. "You should have said that earlier." To discuss such a humiliating compromise only when faced with death. "It''s like you''re begging for your life." "You''ll... need me... as well..." If he had said this while in his right mind, it might have seemed like fanaticism, as if he would betray humanity for the sake of the Holy Empire. But now, with his life hanging by a thread, Riverrier Lanze''s words were nothing more than a desperate struggle. He had laid everything bare in the face of imminent death. "Firstly, it''s not pure to beg for your life from the enemy when you''re at the brink of death." "It''s not about not choosing the means for the purpose, but the fact that the means change depending on the situation shows that your intentions aren''t pure either." "Riverrier Lanze, you''re disqualified to serve the Divine Tu¡¯an in too many ways." At my words, Riverrier Lanze stared at me with dying eyes. "Do you really... think you''re the champion Tu¡¯an...?" "Well, do you think otherwise?" Riverrier Lanze struggled to look up at me. He stared into my eyes. "Is that... so...?" As if trying to find something he had lost in my eyes. "Yes... the champion of Tu¡¯an was originally... an existence that punished humans." Champion of Tu¡¯an. They were originally human hunters, not demons or undead. They had been responsible for hunting down corrupt dark mages and heretics for generations, and my predecessor, the last champion of Tu¡¯an, had been killed in battle with heretics. The champion of Tu¡¯an was originally one who killed humans, not demons or the undead. "It may not be... so strange... that the Demon King is the champion of Tu¡¯an... after all..." He looked up at me. Only when faced with death did he accept that I was the champion of Tu¡¯an. Did he accept everything due to his own defeat? Did he think his defeat was the will of Tu¡¯an? God is right. Thus, I am facing death because God has abandoned me. So, I am wrong. His fanaticism remained steadfast even in the face of death. Even Tiamata, transformed into a demon sword, seemed to have no choice but to accept it in the face of death. If Tu¡¯an was truly on his side, he wouldn''t have been defeated. In the end, he had to admit that I could only be the champion of Tu¡¯an, above all his doubts. I pulled the Tiamata embedded in his heart and pointed it at the kneeling Riverrier Lanze''s throat. He spoke. "I believed... I was pure." It seemed like an excuse, but it was not. The champion of Tu''an, wielding Tiamata, had come to kill a paladin who served the Goddess of Purity. Therefore, he believed himself to be pure, leaving behind a final excuse. He could have truly been pure. He could have believed that the justice he followed was the right path. That''s why he left his excuse as his last testament. Slash! With a downward stroke of Tiamata, I severed Riverrier Lanze''s life completely. The life of a corrupted priest was taken by a corrupted relic. In the end, Riverrier Lanze fell twice to the same person. I stood blankly in the ruined, burnt-out monastery. It was a place where the world had trembled and chaos had ensued. But now, only the ashes of the fire, the rising smoke, and the pale moonlight of winter shone upon the world. Ignoring the headless corpse of the former Commander of the Holy Knights and the rolling head, I looked up at the sky blankly. In the end, I couldn''t go where I needed to be. What should I say? That I couldn''t be there because of another unavoidable situation. What would Ellen say? No, do I even have the right to say such a thing? I planned and succeeded in the incredible feat of annihilating the secret religious organization and the former Commander of the Holy Knights to prevent the empire''s division. I pondered what excuse I should give to Ellen. This situation should have been absurd, but it didn''t feel that way at all. "..." Beneath the winter night sky, a message appeared before my eyes. [Special Achievement Unlocked - Turning Point of History] [The death of a major character who should have existed in the original worldline (Riverrier Lanze) has been confirmed.] A turning point in history caused by killing someone. This was the first time. [As a reward for the special achievement, you have acquired the ''Apostle'' trait.] Trait: Apostle Description: You have become the true master of Tiamata. It was simple. But I felt like I knew what it meant. As a demon sword, Tiamata; as a divine sword, Tiamata. For the first time in history, I became the true champion of Tu''an, capable of wielding both. ------ Deep in the night. The still feverish atmosphere of the Miss & Mister Temple contest venue was filled with thunderous cheers. The long contest had come to an end, and only the announcement of the winners remained. Sparkling pollen scattered from the ceiling of the hall. Olivia Lanze, who had been a strong contender for the win, did not participate. Her reason for not attending was unknown. ¡°This year''s Miss Temple is a first-year student of the Royal Class! Congratulations to Ellen!¡± However, Ellen triumphed over the fierce competition and was gloriously crowned this year''s Miss Temple. Amidst the applause and cheers of the crowd, a crown and bouquet were presented to Ellen, who was wearing a white dress. The fellow students of the Royal Class were also applauding and congratulating Ellen. However, Ellen''s expression was frozen as she held the glorious crown and bouquet that signified her victory. She simply stared blankly downwards. Ellen, who needed just one vote, received a large number of votes. Excluding that single vote, she received the majority of the votes. Despite being chosen by numerous people, Ellen couldn''t shake the feeling that the world had abandoned her. CH 323 "Senior, what on earth... What''s going on?" "I don''t know either. The important thing is, we can''t get involved in that mess." Olivia and Adriana were making their way through the forest. Olivia was leading, holding tightly onto Adriana''s hand in case they got separated. The situation had already been dire, but when an unexpected demon-like creature kidnapped Adriana, it became even more critical. When that demon captured Olivia as well, her heart sank. As they were being abducted, hanging in mid-air, Olivia hesitated to use her divine power. She didn''t know what might happen to herself, but she feared Adriana could fall. And then. When the demon unceremoniously dropped them off in a distant forest and just left, they couldn''t help but be stunned. They had expected some kind of treacherous ordeal or a threat to their lives. But the demon released Adriana and Olivia without a word, and then soared away somewhere, its massive black wings flapping. Olivia had been wracking her brain on how to confront this never-before-seen demon, but there hadn''t even been a chance to fight. She had considered drawing Tiamata, but that moment never came. When a thunderstorm rolled in from afar, lightning flashing and a crimson firestorm surging, they knew chaos had truly erupted. Though Olivia desperately wanted to investigate what was happening, she didn''t head in that direction solely because of Adriana. The situation was unclear, but securing Adriana''s safety was the priority. That''s why Olivia was diligently walking away from the scene. Adriana also found the situation incomprehensible. "Listen well, Adriana." "Yes, Senior." "Whatever happened to us, you must not tell anyone." "Yes." Adriana understood why Olivia was saying this. "We don''t know what this is, but if someone finds out, it will definitely not end well." "¡­Yes." Given the circumstances, even if it was a remote area of the empire, a large-scale investigation into the chaos that had unfolded there would soon be inevitable. What''s worse, the demon had rescued them for reasons they couldn''t understand. If this came to light, they might not be treated well, or worse, they could be accused of colluding with the demon. Furthermore, only the death of all the knights in that place would ensure the validity of their silence. Olivia didn''t know what was happening. However. They had to get out of this place. Olivia continued walking, holding Adriana''s hand tightly. ------ It had been quite a commotion, so there was bound to be chaos, and it was certain that forces would be dispatched for investigation. "Did you take care of everything?" "Yes." That''s why we regrouped at a location far away from the abandoned monastery. I, Sarkegaar, Loyar, Eleris. And the trembling Lydia Schmitt. Lydia Schmitt hadn''t fully grasped the situation. However, she had seen the demons flying through the night sky, the Lord Vampire unleashing large-scale destructive magic, and even the silver beast Loyar. She had witnessed the four of us slaughter the elite Holy Knights of the Riverrier Lanze, including Lanze himself. It would have been an impossible battle if they had been in their best condition and fully prepared. Originally, I would not have been a match for Riverrier Lanze. He should not have fought in a place where the most destructive magic, capable of turning a person to ashes in an instant, was unfolding. But he lost his life due to an unexpected variable, the demon sword Tiamata. Strictly speaking, this was a stroke of luck created by Tiamata''s demonic power, not a tremendous increase in my strength. Yet, the fact remains that I fought Riverrier Lanze and killed him. The fleeing Holy Knights were all dealt with by Loyar and Sarkegaar. "You¡­ Who¡­ Who are you¡­?" In this inexplicable situation, Lydia Schmitt could only see my subordinates and me as the unfathomable rulers of the demon world. Therefore, it was time to decide the fate of the terrified Lydia Schmitt. The information I needed was the whereabouts of Riverrier Lanze, which I had obtained and resolved the incident. Now, Lydia Schmitt was no longer useful. I stared at the terrified Lydia Schmitt. The other three hadn''t addressed me as "your highness," so Lydia Schmitt still didn''t know my true identity. However, she must have some idea since I controlled demons. The re-emerged Demon King. I couldn''t simply let Lydia Schmitt go. She knew too much that she shouldn''t. Kill her or turn her into a vampire. I had to choose one of the two options. "Your Highness." Eleris called out to me quietly. "May I take care of this child?" "You want to take responsibility?" Eleris doesn''t like killing. But today, Eleris had repeatedly unleashed large-scale destructive magic at my command. Although Loyar had killed the elites, those without the power to protect themselves had been slaughtered by Eleris. Her expression wasn''t great because of that. She hadn''t argued against my orders and had obediently carried them out. But she couldn''t help feeling tormented. It seemed she wanted to avoid any further killing if possible. "I will take responsibility and make her harmless to us." "!" The one who gasped at her words was Lydia. "P-please¡­ Please¡­ Please. Kill¡­ Kill me, please¡­" Lydia collapsed to her knees, sobbing and curling up. Eleris looked at her with a somber expression. "It doesn''t mean that I''ll create one within my power." "Then... what exactly?" "We''ll have to figure that out as we go." It seemed that Eleris was trying to find a better solution than where she had to kill Lydia or turn her into a vampire. "Fine. I trust you." "Thank you, Your Highness." Eleris forcibly lifted the trembling Lydia. Neither Loyar nor Sarkegaar had anything to say to Eleris. If it were Eleris, she would find a way not to kill Lydia. At least it would be better than leaving it to Loyar and Sarkegaar. Above all, Lydia Schmitt was a powerful elite knight who remained here. If she could become an ally under their control, it wouldn''t be bad. ------ We returned to the main road through Eleris''s mass teleport. Eleris was holding onto Lydia Schmitt. Lydia''s face was pale with fear of what might happen to her, but she couldn''t bring herself to resist. The fanatics were gone, and only a person trembling with fear of being turned into a vampire remained. What was Eleris planning to do with Lydia? She wasn''t sure, but it seemed Eleris always had a way. It would be checked later how this issue was handled. Leaving the two in Eleris''s basement room, Loyar, Sarkegaar, and I went out to the street. "Your Highness, why is it necessary for us that the Empire knows about our existence?" Sarkegaar finally brought up the question he had been holding back. "I think the sense of crisis will unite humanity, and that unity will not be good for us at all." A valid question. "I think so too," said Loyar, who had been silent. Although they did what they were told, they couldn''t help but have doubts. They had mentioned Tiamata while sharing recent news, but they didn''t question it. "I have a plan. I''ll explain it soon, so please wait." "..." "..." "I''m a bit busy right now." Sarkegaar closed his mouth as if he understood, and it seemed Loyar stopped caring. If I thought hard, I would have an excuse. I could somehow convince them, but there was no time to devote to such things now. "Let''s go." The only thought was to return to the temple quickly. ------ The time was already close to midnight. The official events of the festival had all ended on Friday. The winner of the Miss Temple Contest was Ellen. Unfortunately, the winner of the Mister Temple Contest was not Clifman. However, Clifman had received many votes from the female seniors who were intoxicated by his clumsy charm on stage, and he managed to come in third place. There was even a parade led by Miss & Mister Temple after the contest. Ellen didn''t know about such things, but it was fine either way. During the main event and the parade, Reinhardt didn''t show himself. With the help of Liana, Ellen changed her clothes. "Something must have happened." "..." Liana blurted that out without hesitation. She wasn''t so stupid as to not understand what she meant. Ellen understood her words too. For some reason, many of her classmates who congratulated her looked at her with pity. Ellen knew why they looked at her that way. Harriet hugged her wordlessly. Harriet seemed genuinely sad, and that made Ellen feel even more miserable. On a day when she should be receiving congratulations from everyone, Ellen couldn''t remember a single word she had heard or said. It felt as if her soul had momentarily left her body and returned. What happened today? What did I do? It felt like a fleeting dream. A dream. Futile and empty. All the moments she had worked for felt meaningless. After Liana left, Ellen removed her makeup, showered, and sat blankly on her bed. The cheers and applause of countless people echoed like distant reverberations. There was someone she wanted to defeat. There was a vote she wanted to receive. But neither of them was there. "..." Were they together? Ellen felt miserable just thinking about it. She received everyone''s cheers and praises, but for some reason, it felt as if she had failed at everything. Ellen looked at the trophy, evidence of her Miss Temple victory, in her room. She didn''t really need it. It wasn''t bad to receive it, and it was certainly evidence of someone''s acknowledgment. Ellen stared at the trophy for a while and then opened the door. She felt like she needed a change of pace. She opened the door. She just wanted to take a walk. She wanted to take a walk, and there was no other reason. Casually glancing around the hallway and the lobby. Checking if someone had returned or if someone was around. Thinking that she just wanted a change of pace. Ellen quietly scanned the A-Class dormitory and headed outside. She was dressed in light training clothes. It didn''t seem like she had changed much, but Ellen found her reflection in the window fascinating. Clothing seemed incredibly important. Ellen realized this as she saw herself dressed in training clothes in the window. The gap between her previous self and her current self was significant. Even when she had been dressed in a flashy dress and heavy makeup, she had felt miserable. Now that she had returned to her original appearance, she looked even more miserable than before. She wanted to show herself. She wondered what expression he would have when he saw her like that. She was curious. She had been pondering what to say in that state. Suppressing those thoughts, Ellen headed outside the dormitory. Was he not coming back today? Had something serious happened? Despite trying not to think about it, the thoughts kept flooding in, leaving Ellen feeling confused. She had asked him to come, but he didn''t. There must be a reason. Could it be that, like always, he had found himself in another dangerous situation? If so, rather than feeling hurt by his absence, she should be worried. Maybe she should go and look for him. Feeling her imagination spiraling out of control, Ellen heads toward the dormitory entrance. And then, she sees him. A familiar figure from behind. Sitting on the steps of the dormitory entrance was a familiar back view. The Temple Academy uniform was nowhere to be seen, replaced by casual clothes. Yet, the back of that head was unmistakable. "..." For a moment, the countless confusions, questions, and feelings of hurt that arose in her mind subsided. Ellen quietly approaches. "What are you doing?" "Oh, ah!" Startled by her voice, Reinhardt almost rolls forward as he gets up. "Uh, um... Well..." It''s a cold day. Reinhardt, his face flushed from sitting there for who knows how long, looks at her with a bewildered expression. His fingertips, face, and the tip of his nose are all red. Why is he just sitting there on the dormitory steps, without coming inside? Ellen cocks her head as she looks at Reinhardt. "Aren''t you cold?" "Well... You see..." "..." Even though it''s cold, could it be that he couldn''t come inside? He could have come in, but maybe he couldn''t. There must be something he needed to say, but it seemed like no words would suffice. On this bitterly cold night, Reinhardt had returned some time ago but was unable to bring himself to enter the dormitory. He must have been unsure of what to say if he encountered her. Whether she was in the dormitory lobby or elsewhere, there was no way to know if he would run into her. So, he remained outside the dormitory, unable to decide whether to enter, simply sitting there aimlessly. Ellen looks at the shivering Reinhardt. It''s clear that he''s not shivering from the cold but for another reason. He looks so foolish. "Aren''t you cold?" "Uh... A little?" "I feel like taking a walk." At Ellen''s words, Reinhardt shakes his head vigorously. "No, not cold at all. This is nothing." Ellen chuckles at Reinhardt''s response. "Let''s go." As if being led away. Ellen takes the lead, and Reinhardt follows. CH 324 The guilty remain silent. And so, Reinhardt said nothing, merely observing the situation. Ellen, too, walked without speaking. As a result, they maintained a reasonable distance from each other, with Ellen walking a bit ahead and Reinhardt following behind. The festival would last until the weekend. Even though it was nighttime, the main street was still filled with bright lights. They walked uphill, near the royal class area, and looked at the night view as they went. They walked for a long while. While they didn''t run together, both took this route on their daily morning runs. Consequently, they were familiar with the place, even at night, and knew where each path led. They walked down a road they both knew well. At a bench atop a hill with a beautiful view, Ellen sat down first. Reinhardt carefully took a seat next to her. "I didn''t tell you to sit." "Ah, I, uh..." At Ellen''s words, Reinhardt was startled and stood up as quickly as he had sat down. Ellen laughed as she watched the flustered Reinhardt. "What does it matter whether I told you to sit or not?" "Well... uh... that is..." "Just sit." He looked incredibly serious as he observed her every move. It was as if he had committed a grave offense. Ellen gazed at the night view of the temple while Reinhardt hesitantly sat beside her. Had Reinhardt truly done something so terrible? Why was it a mistake? Ellen couldn''t precisely explain the reason. However, she felt as if the entire world had abandoned her. It was sad and heartrending. In reality, that wasn''t the case. The entire world had chosen her, and only one person had abandoned her. Why did it feel as if the whole world had left her behind? It was probably because Reinhardt was her entire world. Ellen looked at the petals falling before her eyes. No. They weren''t petals. "Snow..." "...Yeah." It had started to snow without them realizing. The snowflakes, like white flower petals, fell gently from the sky. It wasn''t a particularly warm and friendly situation. Not knowing what to say to each other, and fearing that a single wrong word could wound both parties. Reinhardt didn''t know how to explain his situation. Ellen didn''t know how to describe her pain. Both were afraid that even a slight miscommunication could escalate into a major conflict. So, they remained silent. In the end. Who are you? What are you? What are we, exactly? When those words are uttered, they know they can only hurt each other. So, they don''t speak. On a snowy winter night. Ellen and Reinhardt sit on a bench, quietly letting the snow fall upon them. The cold day prevented the snow on the ground from melting. As soon as it hit the ground, the snow was swept away by the wind. In this way, it drifted to a corner, piling up. That''s the nature of snow. "..." "..." What are we, really? How did it come to this? Where did it all go wrong? Ellen tried to think back, but she couldn''t pinpoint the exact moment when everything started to change. Was it during their first swordsmanship class when Reinhardt was knocked unconscious by her practice sword? Or when the unconscious Reinhardt woke up and invited her to try some bizarre food she had never seen before for lunch? Was it when Reinhardt started meddling in her late-night snacking habits? Or the first time he cooked a meal for her? Or perhaps when she couldn''t bear his constant interference and began teaching him swordsmanship in return? Or maybe after their harrowing journey to the Darklands? As Ellen retraced their history, she realized that there wasn''t just one starting point. Countless moments had accumulated and snowballed into something bigger. Snow keeps piling up. Piled-up snow can be shoveled away. But the time that has passed cannot be cleared. That''s why the moments tagged with Reinhardt''s name have accumulated in the space she calls her heart. Piling up. Until Ellen''s heart was full of moments marked with Reinhardt''s name. Now, she wished she could hate him. But she found it difficult to do so. Even if she filled the remaining spaces in her heart with resentment and bitterness towards Reinhardt, there was already too much filled space. She wanted to hate him, but she couldn''t. And it was strange. She knew it. Even though Reinhardt couldn''t say it, he felt deep remorse. His hands and face turning red to the point of swelling, aimlessly wasting time outside. He must feel sorry for causing her distress again, for not being able to explain anything about it. Ellen was the one who felt hurt. But for some reason, it seemed to her that Reinhardt was suffering more. He seemed tormented by his inability to even apologize. Ellen couldn''t help but wonder what was causing Reinhardt so much pain. But as always, Reinhardt wouldn''t tell her. "You didn''t have to come see me." "¡­What?" Ellen said that. "You didn''t really have to come see me." Ellen quietly repeated her words. They didn''t owe each other anything. "So¡­ don''t feel too sorry¡­" There was no need for Reinhardt to feel obligated, no need for him to feel such guilt over not fulfilling that obligation, and no reason for Ellen to feel hurt. Reinhardt stared at Ellen silently. It''s not that she was unfazed. He looked at Ellen, who pretended to be unfazed. -Wham "Ah." Suddenly, Reinhardt embraced Ellen. "Just¡­ get angry¡­" "¡­" "It''s scarier¡­ and more regretful¡­ when you hold it in¡­" "¡­" Although her mind told her there was no reason to be angry, her heart couldn''t help but feel hurt and upset. Could we be close enough to get upset and feel hurt by such things? Ellen couldn''t be certain. However, Reinhardt was embracing her. It only made her feel colder. Having been outside for so long, her body and hands were chilled. Being embraced like this only made Ellen feel colder. Yet, despite shivering from the cold, Reinhardt continued to hold her. She didn''t know what had happened, but he seemed so remorseful. As if he was suffering even more. If it was this bad, it must have been something he truly couldn''t avoid. Ellen convinced herself of this. People don''t always understand what can be understood. They understand what they want to understand. Ellen wanted to understand Reinhardt right now. So, she accepted deep down that there must have been an important reason. Seeing him in such pain, she convinced herself that there must have been a significant matter. Inside Reinhardt''s cold embrace, Ellen gritted her teeth. His shirt slowly dampened. "I''m... hurt..." "I''m sorry." "I... worked... hard... I prepared... so much." As Ellen trembled slightly and choked out her words while crying, Reinhardt held her tightly. "Even though... I looked... everywhere... You were... gone... I asked... you... to be... there..." "I''m sorry..." Even as she cried, Ellen thought: It should be Reinhardt who needs comfort, not me. Yet, she couldn''t stop her tears. Tears are like that, after all. ------ It was a deep, dark night. Having cried for a long time, Ellen pulled away from Reinhardt''s embrace. And then, she stared blankly at the temple below. "..." Reinhardt didn''t say what had happened, and Ellen didn''t ask. Of course, Reinhardt was restless. After crying for a while, Ellen suddenly stopped and stared blankly at the night view. Wondering if her heart hadn''t completely calmed down, or what she should do. In reality, it was the opposite. Ellen gritted her teeth. Not because of anything else, but out of embarrassment. Once her emotions subsided, she realized what she had done. She had been so devastated that her friend hadn''t come to the beauty contest, as if the world was ending. Now, she finally realized what she had done. He might not have been able to come. Now that she felt better, it was Ellen who found the situation difficult to bear. That''s why Ellen couldn''t say anything and stared blankly at the night view with a stiff expression. Why had she felt so empty and lost over something so trivial? Now, she couldn''t understand it. Reinhardt wasn''t there. That was why she felt as if the world had abandoned her. Now, Reinhardt was by her side. Just that fact alone was enough to comfort her. Ellen glared at Reinhardt out of the blue. Now that she felt better, she couldn''t help but be a little spiteful. "Uh, um... Why? Is there something... you want to say?" Reinhardt, still bowing deeply, stuttered as if he would do anything she asked. ''I need you to be there for me.'' Seeing his face again was enough to dissolve the spite that had risen within her. Ellen stood up from the bench. Snow was falling. Considering Reinhardt''s ice-cold body, he couldn''t stay outside any longer. "Aren''t you cold?" "It''s fine, I can handle this much." As they walked again, Ellen examined Reinhardt. "You''ve been outside this whole time." He had already been waiting outside, cautious not to be noticed, and must have been even colder as they walked around. Reinhardt seemed to be fine, just walking along. "You can go inside if you''re cold." Ellen said that, worried he might catch a cold. "...I just want to be here with you like this." "Ah." At his words, Ellen felt her heart skip a beat. It seemed like such an ordinary thing to say. He had probably said something similar before. Yet now, she couldn''t help but read into every word and thought. Ellen wondered if she was going insane. Just moments ago, she had felt so lonely and miserable, as if abandoned by the world. But now, she felt an odd sensation, as if she owned the whole world. Could a person''s mood really fluctuate this wildly in an instant? Could one person feel like their entire world? When that person smiles, I feel good. When that person likes me, I feel good. Is it okay for my every emotion to stem from a single person? Is it okay for the master of my life to become someone other than myself? The two walked through the snowy night streets. As they approached a downhill slope, Reinhardt glanced at Ellen and said, "Be careful. You might sliiiiip!" -Thud! "????" As she watched Reinhardt, who had fallen on his back on the slope while warning her not to slip, Ellen tried to help him up. -Slip! "!" -Thump! In the process, she slipped as well, landing squarely on her bottom. "¡­What are we doing, you and I?" "Indeed¡­" The two got up and dusted off their bottoms. While maintaining a proper distance, they walked through the snowy night streets. From the bottom of the hill, they could hear the sound of people bustling amidst the brilliant night view of the main street. Even at night, the 24-hour shops sold food. Ellen alternately gazed at the distant night view and Reinhardt. "¡­Do you want to go?" With her cheeks flushed, Ellen nodded quietly. "¡­Yes." Ellen said. It wasn''t that she specifically wanted to go at this time, but rather that she wanted to go precisely because it was this time. A night with the first snowfall. Because they were together. "If you want to go, then we should." The festival''s finale was drawing near. Not the Last, But Close to the Last Night However, it was only now that Ellen felt as if the festival had just begun. Only at this last moment, when she could finally be alone with Reinhardt, did Ellen truly feel the festival. ------ Although midnight had passed, Main Street was still bustling with people. Drinking was not allowed within the temple grounds, but as it was the festival season, the streets were filled with sights and entertainment to enjoy even late into the night. Of course. -Om nom nom For Ellen, it was mostly limited to eating. "This is delicious." "Uh, yeah." With a chubby expression, Ellen handed a skewer of rice cake to Reinhardt, who ate it silently. The emotion that was similar to anger but not quite had already subsided. However, Reinhardt still thought of himself as a sinner and followed Ellen without saying anything. It wasn''t exactly a warm atmosphere. The two wandered the streets, looking at various sights, watching street performances, and eating food from street vendors. Naturally, Ellen was a bit special today. ¡°Isn''t that her, that person?¡± ¡°Huh? Seems like it.¡± Reinhardt couldn''t help but hear the murmurs from the people around them. As a group of men and women approached cautiously and blocked their path, Reinhardt frowned. "What do you want, blocking someone''s way...?" "Aren''t you Miss Temple?!" Taken aback by the sudden question, Reinhardt froze, while Ellen calmly nodded. "Yes." "What?" "Uh, no wonder... Even in casual clothes, you seem to shine!" Looking at Ellen, who calmly admitted it, and the noisy crowd, Reinhardt felt dumbfounded. "You... Did you win?" Reinhardt mumbled in disbelief, and Ellen''s lips began to curl up, seeing his shocked reaction. "...Would it be wrong if I did?" "No, no. It''s just that..." Annoyed, Ellen strode ahead, leaving Reinhardt behind. ------ A warm cup of lemon tea was enough to appease the sulking Ellen. "Well, I didn''t think you''d fail, but you didn''t say anything, so I thought you didn''t make it." "I got it." The two sat on a bench, sipping warm lemon tea. Ellen had not only been at the contest venue but also in the actual parade, so there were quite a few people on the streets with keen eyes who recognized her even in casual clothes. Though no one approached to speak directly, many whispered as they passed by. ¡°Isn''t that Miss Temple?¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°And the guy next to her? Her boyfriend?¡± ¡°...Damn.¡± ¡°...What''s the big deal about feeling sorry for her?¡± ¡°Who''s saying what?¡± ¡°Come on, she''s Miss Temple and even a Royal Class.¡± ¡°Really?¡± As they passed by, everyone had a word or two about Ellen, and by extension, Reinhardt couldn''t help but hear a word or two as well. Ellen''s mouth twitched for an entirely different reason now. "Annoying." It seemed that she found it bothersome for people to recognize her. Ellen paid no mind to such things. She thought it was only bothersome because people recognized her, nothing more. Miss Temple of this year, who wore a pure white dress while receiving the cheers and applause of countless people, was now wandering the winter streets at night wearing a black tracksuit. She blatantly showed how much she disliked being recognized. Ellen glared at Reinhardt. "It''s all because of you." "Uh... I''m sorry..." Reinhardt looked helpless under her glare, as if he had only caused side effects without fulfilling her wishes. Feeling annoyed by people recognizing and whispering about them, and occasionally being approached, Ellen and Reinhardt left the main street. As it was nighttime, there were far fewer people once they left the main street. Since it was snowing, a little bit of snow piled up on their heads and shoulders. "Miss Temple... Congratulations on your victory." "...It doesn''t mean anything." "Is that so?" Ellen, who had participated in the contest for a different reason, didn''t particularly want to hear congratulations, especially from him. As they walked in silence, snow accumulated on their shoulders and heads. "Just stay still for a moment." "...?" Reinhardt, who had been walking for a while, stopped Ellen and brushed off the snow on her shoulders and head. Just as she was about to walk away again, Ellen looked at Reinhardt''s shoulder. There, too, snow had piled up. He brushed the snow off her without even considering brushing off his own shoulders and head. It seemed he hadn''t thought of it. He could see the snow piled on Ellen''s head and shoulders, but he didn''t consider that there would naturally be snow on his own shoulders too. So, Ellen looked at Reinhardt, who couldn''t brush it off. "...Why?" "..." This time, Ellen brushed off the snow on Reinhardt''s shoulders and head herself. Then, Ellen spoke quietly. "You''re a fool." "...Really?" Reinhardt, puzzled by her sudden comment, matched her pace as she walked ahead. Reinhardt was a strange fellow. "You''re strange." "...I hear that a lot." Ellen walked silently. "I thought you were strange from the beginning, and I still think you''re strange now." "Is that so?" Ellen exhaled a white breath and took a sip of her lemon tea. Perhaps because she had been holding it for a while, it was a bit cold. "But the strangeness I felt when I first thought you were strange, and the strangeness I feel now when I think you''re strange... They seem so different." "..." Reinhardt, who would pick fights and butt heads with anyone, was strange. However, as time went by and she got to know more about Reinhardt, he was a much stranger person now, but in a different sense than before. "If only you weren''t such a strange person. I sometimes think that, but¡­" Ellen sighed as she looked at Reinhardt. "If you weren''t so strange, this wouldn''t have happened." Ellen muttered as if talking to herself. She averted her gaze from Reinhardt and looked forward again. "Did you want to come today?" "Of course, I¡­" "Don''t be vague." Ellen stopped walking and turned Reinhardt to face her. And looked straight at him. Ellen''s gaze seemed to be asking for a clear answer. Their relationship had always been filled with ambiguous words. They had always tiptoed around the truth, afraid that something might break if it became clear. Reinhardt and Ellen had a strange relationship ¨C neither something nor nothing. They tried to make something clear, but when Reinhardt couldn''t come, it became vague again. Still, she wanted to be certain about this. While looking straight into Reinhardt''s eyes, Ellen seemed to be urging him not to avoid answering. She asked directly. "Did you want to see me today?" "¡­" She wouldn''t press him about why he couldn''t come. She wouldn''t ask what had happened. She wouldn''t mention the sadness and sorrow anymore. Ellen demanded a clear answer. "Yes." Reinhardt nodded. But Ellen didn''t plan to stop there. "How much?" At that question, Reinhardt stared at Ellen. After much hesitation, Reinhardt finally seemed to give in. He opened his mouth as if confessing. "¡­I think I''ll regret it for the rest of my life. Not being able to come today." "¡­" A lifetime. Regret. Regret isn''t a pleasant word, but the combination of the two words had a somewhat comforting resonance. A lifetime. You are someone who can have an impact on my entire life. It was as if she had heard such words. "Shall I show you?" "Yes." Seeing Reinhardt''s immediate response, Ellen couldn''t help but burst into laughter. His expression was so foolish. He really wanted to come. He really couldn''t come because he had no choice. No need for countless excuses and reasons. The answer that jumped out at a single question of whether to show him, and the foolish expression. That expression completely wiped away the last lingering resentment Ellen had. ------ The two returned to the dormitory. "It''s weird." -¡­How weird is it? "I can''t put it on by myself." -Ah... I see. In her room, Ellen tried to put on the dress she had worn today but ended up in a complete mess. She couldn''t tighten the corset by herself, so the dress looked like it had been hastily put on and abandoned. She had said she would show him, but on the way back, Ellen realized something was wrong. It was a dress that Liana had originally helped her put on. So, on the way back, Ellen realized she couldn''t even wear the dress properly. Despite thinking she could somehow manage, once back in the dormitory, she struggled and realized it was impossible to put on the dress she had worn today in her room. It was not Reinhardt who was swept away by the atmosphere, but Ellen. All her worries about not having makeup on and her hair coming undone were pointless. It was a dress she couldn''t wear by herself. And since it was dawn, she couldn''t wake Liana, who would be sleeping. Looking in the mirror, she saw herself in a mess, the dress merely draped over her body. She couldn''t show him this. "¡­" In the end, her last attempt had turned out like this. She couldn''t show him. Ellen was unreasonably upset. Angry, she stomped on the floor. -Thud! Thud-thud! -Why, why are you doing that?! "No, it''s nothing." Ellen, full of irritation, tried to take off the dress she had hastily put on. Of course, a dress is not only difficult to put on but also to take off. -Snap! Eventually, Ellen tripped and fell. "¡­" -What on earth is going on? CH 325 Ellen changed back into her training clothes. Ellen was extremely angry. The situation itself was infuriating enough to make her want to burst with annoyance. Worse, she couldn''t show what she wanted to, while Reinhardt seemed to find the whole situation amusing, which made her even more upset. She had promised to show him how she looked in a dress, but after realizing she couldn''t put it on by herself, she found his amusement infuriating. However, Ellen was somewhat puzzled. Instead of asking why, Reinhardt simply agreed when she told him she couldn''t put the dress on by herself. It was as if he had experienced it himself. Of course, that couldn''t be possible. Anyway, it seemed Reinhardt understood that she couldn''t help but not show him how she looked in the dress. The two were now at the dining hall. They had both been busy during the festival, and it had been a while since they had a late-night meal together. "What do you want to eat?" Therefore, Reinhardt brought Ellen to the dining hall, suggesting they should eat something. "Beef stew." Annoyed, Ellen ordered a time-consuming and bothersome dish. "Alright." However, Reinhardt nodded obediently, as if he would do anything for her today. Ellen was surprised since she expected him to complain. She quietly watched Reinhardt as he entered the kitchen and began preparing something. She wanted to show him, but in the end, she couldn''t. But was that really so important? Chop, chop, chop While watching Reinhardt start cutting, Ellen smiled. She kept observing Reinhardt as he cooked. Haaaaaah Not long after, Ellen turned her head to the sound coming from the hallway. ¡°Oh, Ellen?¡± Harriet, looking very exhausted, met Ellen''s gaze while walking down the hallway. She must have been working late in the magic research room. Slowly approaching the dining table where Ellen was sitting, Harriet said: "What are you doing up so late..." She tried to continue her sentence but widened her eyes upon seeing the kitchen. "Reinhardt?" Surprise was only momentary. Ellen could see the veins popping out of Harriet''s eyes. "Hey!" ¡°Uh, uh?¡± Harriet quickly walked to the kitchen and shouted in her clear voice. ¡°You! Where have you been today?¡± ¡°Uh... Um, why all of a sudden?¡± ¡°You wandered around without saying anything! Why didn''t you come to the contest?¡± ¡°Uh... Ah, well. That... There was a reason?¡± ¡°What? Hurry up and tell me!¡± ¡°There was... a situation¡­¡± ¡°What situation? You jerk!¡± ¡°Ah, ah! Wait! Why are you hitting me! I''m holding a knife, you know? I have a knife in my hand... Ack!¡± ¡°You! Bad! Guy! Ah!¡± Ellen saw Harriet''s face turn bright red as she pounded Reinhardt''s back. Ellen just stared blankly at the scene. She should be the one who''s angry. Instead, Harriet''s face turned bright red with anger. "Are you seriously doing this with just strength? Strength! Huh? You''ve been hitting me non-stop lately, haven''t you? You want me to show you my strength? Huh?" "Uh... shouldn''t we be grateful that it''s only strength? How about with your special skill? You want to try it with that?" "No, no... that''s not what I meant..." "Then, just take it quietly! It''s not like it hurts when I hit you!" "But it will hurt if you keep hitting me!" Harriet was extremely angry. Harriet should have wished that Reinhardt wouldn''t come. Ellen thought so, but Harriet was earnestly furious and continued to pummel Reinhardt relentlessly. It was strange. Ellen thought she understood, to some extent, why Harriet was so angry. As much as Harriet cherished Reinhardt, she must have been worried about the injuries she received today. That''s why Harriet didn''t congratulate Ellen for winning Miss Temple, but instead comforted her with a hug. Ellen could hardly get angry herself. Harriet was getting angry on Ellen''s behalf. It was amusing to watch. And Ellen was grateful. And sorry. So very sorry. Ellen laughed. While laughing. She didn''t know why tears were coming, but. Ellen laughed and quietly wiped away her tears. ------ "So, are you going to try and eat me alive now that we''re a bit closer? Is that why you cooked that?" "Of course." The three of them gathered around a pot of beef stew that had been completed without them realizing. Harriet had joined them somehow, but Ellen didn''t find it uncomfortable. "It''s snowing outside." Harriet mentioned while looking out the restaurant window. Both Ellen and Reinhardt had just come in from the snow, but Harriet seemed to have been cooped up in the magic laboratory. "Do you want to eat on the terrace?" Harriet seemed to imagine eating warm stew while watching the snowy scenery. Harriet de Saint-Owan valued a bit of romance. "Let''s do that." Not seeing any harm in it, they went out to the restaurant terrace and placed the pot of stew on the table. The night breeze was chilly, but it wasn''t too cold. The three of them sat at the terrace table, each scooping a bowl of stew and eating a little at a time. It wasn''t a blizzard but rather a light snowfall. It had been falling for quite a while, and a considerable amount had accumulated. "It reminds me of when we made snowmen." Harriet said, smiling quietly as if reminiscing about that time. "It wasn''t a snowman, it was a snow giant." "Anyway, you''re silly." Ellen made a human-sized snowman, while Harriet made a huge snow giant. At that time, they entered the Epiaux fortress again and found out that it was a place haunted by ghosts. As if suddenly remembering something, Harriet''s expression changed, and she looked back and forth between Reinhardt and Ellen. "But you know what''s funny?" "No? I don''t know." "Do you want to refute me directly? You''re really annoying!" "Why have you been so short-tempered lately? It''s like you have a disease or something." At Reinhardt''s teasing, Harriet''s face turned bright red. "Do you really have to get on someone''s nerves at least once a day? Why are you like this?" "Technically speaking, it''s just you. I only do this to you because it has to be you." "Don''t use that kind of language in this context! It''s really annoying!" Harriet''s lips quivered. Watching Reinhardt''s expression as he continued to torment her was enough to make one''s blood boil. Even though his taunts were not directed at her, sometimes her fists would clench involuntarily. "So, what''s so funny?" "I don''t know! You made me so mad, I forgot!" Harriet huffed and scooped a spoonful of stew into her mouth. "!!!" Of course, she had not let the very hot stew cool down enough and ended up with wide eyes, unable to spit it out, flailing her arms and stomping her feet. "Spit it out! What are you doing?" "!!" Reinhardt looked at her disdainfully, and Harriet, perhaps unable to spit out her food due to her noble dignity, struggled for a while before finally swallowing it. "My mouth is all burned¡­" Harriet opened her mouth wide, looking exhausted. "It must be hot, try eating something cold." "What''s going on? Are you going to get water¡­ hey, what are you trying to do¡­?" "Something cold." Harriet face turned pale as she watched Reinhardt scoop up a handful of snow from the terrace railing. "You''re not¡­ no, no way¡­ no way¡­" Harriet knew such a thing was possible. She could calculate in her head what crazy thing Reinhardt was about to do. But even then, she couldn''t believe he would go that far with her. For a moment, she didn''t react at all. And Reinhardt was, without a doubt, the madman who would actually do it. -Smack! "Kyah!" A snowball hit Harriet squarely in the mouth, causing her to scream in shock. "Feeling cooler?" "You, just, just now¡­ what¡­ what did you do to me?" When something unimaginable happens, sometimes anger can''t be expressed immediately, and this was one of those times. Of course, that was only for a moment. With trembling hands, Harriet wiped the snow from her lips and, her face turning red, reached for Reinhardt. "I''ll kill you!" -Whack! "Ugh!" -Thud! A blue magic line appeared on Harriet''s forearm, and Reinhardt, hit by the shockwave, was flung off the terrace and slammed into the ground. ------ "You must be insane!" "No, if it''s hot, you should cool it down. Right?" Reinhardt, who had been flung off the terrace and had climbed back up by grabbing the railing, sat down again. Harriet, still fuming, brushed the snow off Reinhardt''s clothes. "Anyway, if it''s hot, spit it out. Why do you force yourself to eat it?" "I wasn''t raised on the streets like someone else here; I learned to live with dignity, you know?" "Really? Does that undignified behavior of yours, just now going ''Ugh! Ugh!'' also count as grace?" "Wha... What... What do you mean? When did I ever do that like you!" As Reinhardt exaggeratedly imitated the gesture Harriet had just made, twisting his body, she seemed to get even more annoyed and started grumbling again for a while. Whenever they were together, they would bicker over trivial things for quite some time. Although the conversations that followed were devoid of any substance, they would often find themselves losing track of time. Eventually, after going back and forth for a while, they both seemed to tire of each other and began to eat the stew in silence. "It''s beautiful..." Harriet mumbled absentmindedly as she gazed at the snowy landscape. "Thanks." "I wasn''t talking about you... Hmph, I won''t be fooled. I won''t fall for it, you know?" Although she acted as if she had built up immunity, Harriet would still instantly react to any casual remark thrown her way. The night of the festival. It wasn''t particularly boisterous. In the end, the three of them gathered on a quiet, snowing night to eat beef stew. This was an ordinary event, not a special day. However, Ellen was well aware that these moments wouldn''t last forever. A day would come when they could no longer spend time like this. And when that time comes, they would remember these moments. They would think that every day they spent together had been special. Ellen vaguely guessed. Maybe this was enough. As they had been doing so far, they could continue like this. Wouldn''t it be enough just to continue living this way? Without being greedy, without wishing for more. Ellen found herself quite content with this. There was no need to get closer. Maybe it was enough not to drift apart. "Hey, fetch some water." "To me... Are you asking me right now?" "Who else if not you?" "Don''t order me around!" "My goodness, can''t you just fetch some water while you eat?" "Ugh, fine! I''ll get it!" The only person who would dare to treat a princess like this was Reinhardt. Seeing Harriet''s reaction to him was quite endearing even to Ellen. The princess. As that thought crossed her mind, Ellen recalled a question she had forgotten. "By the way, I''m curious about something." Ellen tilted her head. "What are you curious about?" Harriet, who had been fetching water, stared intently at Ellen upon hearing her question. "How did your parents know Reinhardt?" "Oh." "Ah... That... That''s..." Their awkward response made Ellen tilt her head again. ------ After hearing the detailed circumstances from Reinhardt, Ellen nodded. "Ah... That senior?" "Yes." Ellen had been aware of Adriana''s sudden dropout, but she hadn''t known the specifics. Of course, Reinhardt hadn''t fully explained the situation; he only mentioned that he had business in the Saint Owan Duchy due to a certain incident and had become acquainted with Arunaria of the White Palace while stopping by to resolve the warp gate issue on his way back. When Adriana''s name was mentioned, Reinhardt''s expression darkened slightly, but Ellen simply assumed it was due to concern. With a puzzled look, Harriet spoke to Ellen as if confiding in her. "Isn''t he really strange? Even if he''s a royal class like me, it doesn''t make sense. Coming to our palace, knocking on the door, and asking for priority access to the warp gate?" "¡­You''re right." Arunaria was not a place one could visit as easily as a friend''s house, and even if it were a friend''s house, it would be rude to visit at such an hour. But he had visited not just a friend''s house, but a palace of an entire nation in that manner. "No, without saying anything, I skipped¡­ You guys seemed like you were going to kill me¡­" Reinhardt defended himself in a small voice. It was even more surprising to Ellen that the Duke had opened the door and welcomed the entire family, despite such an intrusion. She had wondered what was going on, but it was quite unexpected for Ellen that Adriana''s issue was involved. Thinking about it, Ellen roughly guessed when Reinhardt had visited the Saint Owan Duchy. However, it was still astonishing that he had traveled that far in just one day. Ellen found Reinhardt''s actions to be mysterious. With their forgotten question resolved, the three tried to resume eating their stew. "Um... there¡­" But Harriet discovered something in the scenery outside the terrace and pointed it out. The first-year dormitory was on the first floor. And because it was a terrace, the outside view was much clearer. In the direction Harriet pointed, Ellen could see the person whose whereabouts had been unknown today. "¡­That senior." And the situation became even stranger. The dropout senior they had just mentioned was with her. Adriana. Olivia was walking towards the royal class dormitory with Adriana. Reinhardt quickly stood up and looked at the two. Some strange emotions flickered across Reinhardt''s eyes, but Ellen couldn''t tell what they were. Olivia and Adriana inevitably made eye contact with the three watching them from the terrace. ¡°Ah, Reinhardt¡­¡± Olivia Lanze. ¡°Junior¡­¡± Adriana. ¡°Sorry, I''m a bit busy right now. Let''s talk later.¡± Before Reinhardt could say anything, Olivia hurriedly led Adriana toward the dormitory entrance. Harriet and Ellen tilted their heads as they watched them, and Reinhardt sat down again. The tournament ended with a runner-up finish. Miss Temple couldn''t even participate. And then, suddenly returning to the Temple in the deep night with Adriana, who had dropped out. "¡­I wonder what happened to that sister today?" "¡­Indeed." Reinhardt took a sip of water. "¡­I''ll have to ask later." Reinhardt said this, but all he did was take another sip of water. Ellen looked at Reinhardt. It was Reinhardt who had gone all the way to the Saint Owan Duchy upon hearing the news of Adriana''s dropout. There was no way that someone like Reinhardt would obediently sit still when he said he''d talk about it later. Reinhardt was not that kind of person. Ellen looked at Reinhardt, who was quietly staring in the direction where Adriana and Olivia had gone. Reinhardt knew something. It wasn''t that she deliberately tried to figure it out, but because she knew Reinhardt too well. Ellen naturally realized this. CH 326 The following day. There was a massive uproar in the Imperial Capital. Rumors about the battle that took place on the outskirts of the southern part of the Imperial Capital last night had quickly spread. It was said that a monstrous lifeform, believed to be a demon, had flown across the night sky, and that large-scale destructive magic had been cast, powerful enough to influence the weather. "The demons have appeared!" Naturally, such rumors could not help but reach the Temple quickly. I quietly watched Kono Lint excitedly retelling the gossip he had picked up in the streets. "Demon? What demon, all of a sudden?" "Apparently, demons appeared in the southern part of the Imperial Capital yesterday, and there was a huge commotion." "What happened?" "I didn''t hear the details. Just that demons had appeared..." Since it had happened last night, the specifics of the situation were not yet widely known. It was only natural for the children to be shocked by the sudden news of demons during the festival. It was breakfast time, and Ellen looked at me with a serious, stern expression. "Could it be the same demons from that time?" "...Maybe." "What''s their plan this time?" "I don''t know..." Ellen, Harriet, and Liana, as well as all their classmates, were bewildered by the unexpected news of demons. There was no way I could be suspected. Even if I didn''t tell anyone about my whereabouts yesterday, it would be an excessive leap to think I was involved in the attack. It doesn''t make sense for someone to suspect their friend might be a demon in the first place. At most, Ellen might suspect the possibility of involvement in a crime through the Rotary Club. Sometimes, something is so unbelievable that suspicion can''t take hold. It was clear that Charlotte and Bertus would be busy again, and there was only one conclusion. A state of emergency would be declared in the Imperial Capital, and the festival could not continue. ------ As I expected, Charlotte was absent, and Saviolin Turner, who had been acting as a temporary supervisor, had also disappeared from the dormitory, presumably returning to the Imperial Palace. It was inevitable since the elite holy knights were massacred near the Imperial Capital. If the attack had taken place within the Imperial Capital rather than the southern part, the loss of life would have been tremendous. During a time when the population was already high, if even a single top-tier destructive spell used by high-ranking demons had been cast within the Imperial Capital, tens of thousands would have easily perished. And so, the feast had ended. Now, it was time for everyone to return home. At the top floor of the dormitory, in the empty clubroom. I was sitting there with Olivia and Adriana. Last night, Adriana had stayed in Olivia''s room. It would have been impossible under normal circumstances, but it seemed she was able to sneak into the temple during the festival. "Did you have a good time, my junior...?" "Yes, well, I..." Adriana had made the excuse that she was just visiting, but her pale complexion and expression made it impossible to hide that something was going on. Olivia was not much different. Adriana was used as bait to lure Olivia out. It must have been quite a shock. Her distrust towards the faithful had already been growing, and she tried to erase such worries through a monastic life. Yet, even there, she experienced more disappointment. Adriana''s mental state couldn''t possibly be normal. Both Olivia and Adriana were saved by me, but they don''t know that. I didn''t want to show off, nor could I. Olivia''s expression was a mix of gloom and guilt. She probably thought I was upset with her since yesterday. Olivia looked at Adriana. As if seeking agreement, Adriana gave a slight nod. I could see it. "Did you hear about the demon attack?" "I''m not sure about the details, but yes." Olivia trusts me. "We were at the scene... when the demons attacked." Olivia seemed to want to tell me everything, rather than making excuses. ------ Hearing the story from Olivia''s mouth, which I already knew, was awkward. Pretending to be surprised was harder than I thought. Of course, the story I heard from them wasn''t very long. The head of the Artuan monastery where Adriana had been was a member of a secret religious group called the Nameless Monastery, and she handed her over to Riverrier Lanze. In a sense, the head of the monastery was also deceived. She wouldn''t have expected that Adriana would be used as bait. Afraid that saying anything at the scene would endanger both her and the head of the monastery, Adriana had no choice but to be taken away quietly. As expected, the ex-leader of the Holy Knights lured Olivia out, and Olivia headed to the scene as soon as she received the letter. There, they fought against Riverrier Lanze when suddenly, demons appeared. "The strange thing is... those demons... saved us." Confusion was written all over Olivia and Adriana''s faces. When Olivia was captured by a terrifying and bizarre demon, she thought about the battle after Adriana''s safety had been secured. But strangely, that demon dropped them off far away from the ruined monastery and simply left. Olivia and Adriana had no choice but to flee in a panic after witnessing a large-scale magical attack on the monastery. "I can''t understand it." Both Adriana and Olivia nodded at my words. Pretending to be surprised and ignorant was difficult, even though I knew the truth. However, the gravity of the situation made it easy to take it seriously. It was a relief that they told me. Now, I could discuss alternatives with them. "I think it''s best not to tell anyone about this." "...We''ve been thinking the same." "We don''t know why the demons acted that way, but if that fact becomes known, we might be accused of colluding with the demons... In that case, we need to deal with the surviving Holy Knights first..." There were no survivors. There may have been people who saw the demons flying in the distance, but the orders were strict not to leave a single person alive among those caught up in the battle, and even the fleeing knights were dealt with accordingly. The rumors spreading throughout the imperial capital were not from those who had witnessed the battle firsthand, but rather from accounts of people who had seen the demons flying and the large-scale magical attacks from afar. The involvement of the knights in the battle had not yet been made public knowledge. "I''m not sure about that." It was only natural for Olivia and Adriana to say this, as they too did not know the exact details of the battle. "Still, let''s consider the situation under the assumption that the knights were annihilated on the spot." However, there were no witnesses to the battle. I looked at Adriana. "Do you think others might know that you two were there?" If the nameless monastery members in other regions knew that Adriana and Olivia had been there yesterday, it would cause problems. Everyone there had been killed in the demon ambush, so if people asked how the two of them survived, there would be no excuse to offer. "I''m not sure..." Olivia spoke with her lips pursed. "I don''t know about others... but the Abbot... she knows that I was with the nameless monastery members..." Adriana said with a dark expression. The very person who had handed Adriana over to the Riverrier Lanze. Although she didn''t know it now, once she learned of the nameless monastery''s destruction at the hands of the demons, she would inevitably harbor doubts about Adriana''s survival. She would undoubtedly have to face the question of how she returned alive when everyone else had perished. "...Senior, you must not return to the monastery." "...I suppose." The unfathomable situation of being under the demons'' protection was a calamity in itself, no matter which investigative body learned of it. Therefore, if Adriana had chosen to remain silent, she must not return to the monastery. It would be better for her to be known as having died on the spot. One could be grateful that communication and media were not well-developed in this world. The news from the imperial capital would take a long time to reach the Artuan Monastery in the Saint-Thuan Duchy. It would take an even longer time for the news to spread to the local cities of Saint-Thuan Duchy. As real-time information sharing wasn''t possible, there was no need for Adriana to go into hiding, but it would be enough for her to live quietly somewhere far from the public eye and influence. "Staying at the temple won''t be good for you, so let''s go somewhere else for now. I''ll find a place for us to live." The Rotary Club headquarters. Under Loyar''s protection for the time being, I would need to consider Adriana''s living arrangements. "What about you, junior?" "...What indeed?" Both of them were unaware that I belonged to an organization called the Rotary Club. "It''s a hassle to explain, so just think of it as it is." "...Thank you, junior." Although I didn''t commit a crime, I belonged to an organization that was close to it, and there was no need to boast about it. Thus, neither of them knew my background. Come to think of it, only Harriet, Ellen, the prince, and the princess were aware of my connection to the Rotary Club. And maybe those three pathetic brothers who had once mocked me as a beggar. "Let''s get moving." Keeping Adriana in the temple for too long was not a good idea. I immediately led the two of them out of the temple. ------ The atmosphere in the Imperial Capital was tense. People were bustling about, going somewhere. ¡°The demons have appeared¡­¡± ¡°We should hurry back.¡± ¡°The queue for the gate is incredibly long. It''s a mess.¡± ¡°Are the demons attacking the Imperial Capital too?¡± ¡°It''s possible.¡± Rumors of demons appearing in the southern part of the Imperial Capital had already spread far and wide. Since it was a festival period, the magic train, which was already packed, was even more crowded, so it wasn''t even a viable option for transportation. "We''ll have to walk." "Okay." "That''s the only choice." The chaos was unprecedented. It wasn''t just the crowds of people roaming around to see various parts of the Imperial Capital during the festival. With a massive movement to leave the Imperial Capital as quickly as possible, there were disturbances near the large warp gates, as well as the magic train. ¡°Please enter the queue in an orderly manner! There are no priorities!¡± Many more soldiers than usual were controlling the queues for the gates, and it was the same for the medium and small warp gates. ¡°Let''s get out of the Imperial Capital and come back when things calm down.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± There seemed to be quite a few people who wanted to move far away from the Imperial Capital. It appeared they intended to return to the Imperial Capital when the chaos subsided and use the large warp gates to travel back to their hometowns. All the tourists in the Imperial Capital were panicking due to yesterday''s incident. Cold sweat broke out. I was afraid of the fact that my actions had such a profound impact on so many people. I had killed Riverrier Lanze. I still believed it was necessary, but I felt as if my every move could literally turn the world upside down. The demons. And the Demon King. I truly felt the magnitude of their influence in this human world. The Great Demon War had ended. After that, people should have gradually forgotten about the Demon King and the demons. ¡°Has the Demon King... returned?¡± ¡°Don''t say such unlucky things, you fool!¡± ¡°The Demon King is taking revenge! He didn''t die after all! Artorius failed to kill the Demon King!¡± ¡°It can''t be... it can''t be true¡­¡± However, because of my actions yesterday, people were making their own assumptions and turning them into facts. The Demon King hadn''t died. Or, the next Demon King was taking revenge. If not that, the remaining demons would continue to plunge the continent into chaos. Numerous false rumors grew and multiplied as they took on a life of their own. Fear paralyzes people''s rationality. If the demons had truly staged this attack for revenge, they should have targeted the Imperial City or the Imperial Palace, not the abandoned monastery in the southern region of the Royal Road. However, no one speaks of this. ¡°If the Demon King has truly been resurrected¡­ who will kill him?¡± The concern was about who would have to kill the new Demon King in someone''s stead. Adriana and Olivia silently follow behind me. Having been saved by the demons, they must be the ones feeling the most confusion in this situation. ------ It took quite a while to travel on foot. It would take more than a day or two for people to escape the crowded Royal Road like a receding tide. Since people flocked to the side where the gate was located, the other side was relatively quiet. "But¡­ why did the demons¡­ attack the Holy Knights?" "I¡­ don''t know." At Adriana''s question, Olivia shook her head with a stern expression. They don''t know why the demons saved them, nor what their purpose was. It''s too strange an event to even guess. I, who am walking ahead, couldn''t possibly reveal that I am actually the son of the Demon King and that I had used my subordinates to attack an unnamed monastery rather than the Holy Knights in order to save them. "The demons attacked the Holy Knights last time, too." "Yes¡­ they did." "Did they harbor a grudge¡­?" Adriana may not know, but Olivia knows the truth about the previous attack. The corruption and degeneration of the Holy Knights, including the demon prisoners. She knows that the demons attacked to rescue the succubus prisoners, not to raid the unnamed monastery. It''s not about revenge against the nameless monastery, but against Riverrier Lanze, the former leader of the Holy Knights. There''s no need to go that far. Riverrier Lanze, the former leader of the Holy Knights, is a war hero of the Great Demon War and, as such, is an enemy of the demons. He is now weak and has lost his power. So, attacking him now that he has lost his power and influence could be seen as quite reasonable. "Revenge¡­ perhaps." Olivia''s reasoning is logical in its own way. She understands that yesterday''s incident was an attack to kill Riverrier Lanze, not the Nameless Monastery. In reality, it''s completely different. However, if Olivia interprets the demons'' intentions in that way, it''s good for me. Of course, even with that thought, rescuing Adriana and Olivia is still a strange act. Olivia murmurs as if she''s realized something. "This might be a stretch, but¡­" "What is it?" Olivia looks at Adriana and me as she speaks. "If the demons¡­ attacked the Holy Knights for revenge yesterday¡­ could they have left us alone because¡­ we''re outsiders?" "¡­Huh?" Adriana tilts her head at Olivia''s words. "No, that''s not it. The place itself was in a condition difficult for outsiders to be present¡­ The only reason they went out of their way to save us¡­ must have been to prevent targets other than the intended ones from getting hurt¡­" Olivia makes a different assumption. That the attack came first, and the rescue followed. There would be no reason to attack the Holy Knights if the purpose was to harm humans. So, attacking the Holy Knights must have been the original intent. However, discovering outsiders there and not wanting to involve them inadvertently, she comes to the conclusion that they were rescued for that reason. "Do demons¡­ really care about such things?" Adriana seemed to not understand Olivia''s words, as all humans should be enemies to demons. Her attitude was almost as if she was saying the demons were kind. It''s common sense that demons hate humans unconditionally and try to kill them. Naturally, Adriana couldn''t help but harbor such thoughts. But the demons did save them. "Maybe¡­ it''s a bit strange." "¡­I don''t know either." Neither Adriana nor Olivia. It seemed difficult for them to overcome the deeply rooted prejudice. Of course, rescuing the two of them was the priority, so whatever Olivia''s reasoning, it must be wrong. Therefore, seeing Olivia furrow her brow and wonder why such a thing happened yesterday only made me find it amusing. CH 327 The Rotary Club headquarters was located in the southern part of the Imperial Capital. It was a relatively quiet place, as it was situated in a sparsely populated area with a large expanse of land. Although it wasn''t the perfect place to hide, if one were determined, they could live here without attracting any attention from outsiders. "Can you take care of someone for me?" "Yes, she''s my senior. Her name is Adriana." "Oh, hello there¡­" Adriana greeted Loyar with a slight bow of her head. She hadn''t grown up in the Imperial Capital and didn''t come from an aristocratic background. During her time at the temple, she had behaved modestly, so she would have no reason to know about someone like Irine, who had earned the nickname of a wild dog. The same went for Olivia, who had never seen Loyar before. Although it wasn''t a completely secretive organization, only those who were involved knew the dealings of such a place. Both of them had no choice but to see Loyar, the somewhat scruffy white-haired boss of the Rotary Club, for the first time. Loyar, although he appeared human, exuded an aura of wildness even when he stood still. That''s why Olivia and Adriana were slightly taken aback when they saw this man, who was unlike anyone they had ever met before. Their surprise was only amplified when they realized that I had someone like him as a boss. In fact, Loyar was one of the main instigators responsible for the current turmoil in the Imperial Capital. The mastermind behind the attack on the Holy Knights: Demon King Valier. His accomplice: Loyar of the Lycan. Naturally, the two wouldn''t recognize each other. Sarkegaar had rescued them, so Loyar was also meeting them for the first time. "We might need to stay here for a while due to some circumstances. Is that alright?" "¡­Well, it''s not like it''s impossible." Loyar quickly scanned Adriana from head to toe, and she shivered as if she had been struck by electricity at his gaze. "We don''t have any empty rooms, but we can make one. However, there are only men here, you know?" The club members had recently resumed their human forms due to improved circumstances. Despite the improvements, Loyar was the only one who still looked like a beggar. Even so, this place was full of rough people who had experienced the vicissitudes of life, and Loyar seemed to be newly concerned about it. "Don''t worry. She''s more than capable of taking care of herself." "I suppose. If she''s been trained at the temple, she might appear delicate, but she can surely throw a punch." Loyar didn''t ask about the details of their situation. He must have known that they were involved in yesterday''s incident. I looked at Adriana. As Loyar had said, now that I had brought her here, I could see that this place might be difficult for Adriana to endure. In reality, I didn''t know the disposition of every single member of the organization. "If this place is too uncomfortable, I can try to find somewhere else for you." "No, it''s fine¡­ Thank you, Reinhardt." Seemingly unable to impose any further, Adriana nodded her head in agreement rather than asking about the nature of this place. It appeared that Loyar fully understood the meaning behind Adriana needing to stay here quietly. "Hmm... where should I arrange a room..." Loyar seemed to ponder for a moment. She had a look on her face that said she found it to be a bothersome task. She mentioned that there were no empty rooms, but one could be made, which seemed to imply evicting someone who was already settled. Wasn''t this a rather awkward situation? After a brief moment of contemplation, Loyar gestured for Adriana to follow and opened the door behind her office. -Thunk- "Use this room." "¡­?" "?" Loyar had just casually offered her own room, which was unmistakably hers. Not only Olivia and Adriana, but even I couldn''t help but be surprised by this sudden decision. "Um... I... I don''t know what to call you... but... isn''t this your room...?" "¡­Sister?" "Ah, is that... rude? Then how should I..." At the mention of ''sister,'' Loyar''s eyes widened. She grabbed Adriana''s hand and pulled her into the room. "No, you must use this room." "¡­Yes?" "If you need anything, just let me know. I''ll prepare it for you right away." After saying this, Loyar placed her hands on Adriana''s shoulders. "Also, from now on, keep calling me ''sister.''" Loyar seemed to be quite fond of Adriana calling her ''sister'' at their first meeting, considering she had always been called ''auntie'' by Ellen. "Ah... Yes, sister." "Heh." It seemed as if Loyar''s nonexistent tail was vigorously swishing back and forth. Clearly, her training had gone awry after constantly being called ''auntie'' by Ellen. ------ Although Ellen had kept nagging Loyar, who eventually gave in to being called ¡®auntie,'' it was a good thing. I was worried about leaving Adriana alone in such a strict place, but for now, this was the best option. Adriana was someone who couldn''t be exposed to the outside world at the moment. On the way back after entrusting Adriana to the club''s headquarters, Olivia blankly stared at the sky and muttered, "What is this world coming to...?" "I didn''t think everything would be fine once the Demon King was killed." "¡­" "But, I thought the senseless deaths of countless people being dragged into the battlefield would end..." Having witnessed the horrors of war firsthand, Olivia knew better than anyone how terrifying it was. Olivia didn''t know about the revolutionary forces. However, she was aware that the conflict between the Five Great Religions and the Empire was escalating, fanning the flames of war. "I wonder if there wouldn''t be humans killing each other if the Demon King hadn''t died." It seemed Olivia wished that at least some of the rumors about the Demon King were true. An external enemy always halted internal strife. Olivia seemed to reluctantly acknowledge the necessity of the Demon King to some extent. "Don''t go around telling people I said this. It''s a strange thing for me to say." Olivia looked at me and smiled. "What''s the use of me saying that?" Adriana would only be temporarily entrusted to the Rotary Club, and another arrangement would soon need to be found. The Imperial Capital wasn''t entirely safe, after all. Perhaps a faraway place. Somewhere like the Edina Archipelago, where Airi resided, would be a relief. Even if I sent her there, how would I explain my connection to that distant island nation? It seemed hard enough to accept what happened today. "By the way, Reinhardt, what exactly was that place today?" Olivia, too, seemed to have the same question and asked me about the Rotary Club. "It''s like a hometown for those who come from the streets." I briefly explained the Rotary Club and how I came to be involved with it from my time in the beggar organization. "I see... That''s a good thing." Upon hearing that the beggars who once lived under the bridge were now living in decent buildings and earning their keep, Olivia smiled brightly. Although the boss, Loyar, still looked like a beggar. "I thought you were involved in some sort of criminal organization, Reinhardt." Although I had been involved with such organizations in the past, and it wasn''t entirely unrelated to the Thieves Guild, I didn''t correct Olivia''s assumption. After all, I was now officially doing business through collaboration with the Merchant Guild, and if we were to look at my background, it was connected to the royal family. "Haah..." Olivia sighed, seemingly weighed down by her worries. With both Adriana''s problems and her own, she must have had a lot on her mind. With Riverrier Lanze dead, there probably weren''t any more schemers aiming to make Olivia Lanze the Queen, but one could never be too sure. Considering the issue with the demons on top of that, things were bound to be complicated. Moreover, Olivia didn''t win the tournament, nor was she elected Miss Temple. Needing money, Olivia had become entangled in various matters, and she ended up missing out on everything she wanted. One way or another, she had experienced nothing but hardships during this festival. She must have been under a lot of stress for other reasons, but ultimately, the money issue was tormenting Olivia as well. I couldn''t solve all of Olivia''s problems. However, I wanted to provide her with at least some support. "You know, that thing." "What thing?" "The orphanage that your senior sponsors." "Ah..." "Is that in the Imperial Capital?" "Ah... Yeah, that''s right." "Let''s go there sometime." Upon hearing my suggestion, Olivia''s eyes widened in surprise. "No, no, Reinhardt! You don''t have to do that. It''s my problem... You don''t need to spend money on it..." "Who said I''m spending money?" "¡­What?" She seemed to think that I was going to cover the sponsorship fee she couldn''t afford. Of course, it''s natural for her to think that. But unfortunately, I had no intention of spending money. "I''m not going to donate. I just want to visit." "Oh? Ah... Okay." Hesitating, Olivia led the way. ------ Olivia personally sponsored several orphanages. First of all, it was not just one place. Olivia had been sponsoring institutions with the allowance she received from Riverrier Lanze, but as her financial situation grew difficult, it became nearly impossible for her to continue providing the funds. That meant Olivia must have been supporting only those institutions that were in dire financial straits. She wouldn''t be sponsoring every place, including those with enough resources. Places that struggled to operate without Olivia''s financial aid. "There are two more places besides this one?" "Yes." I was standing in front of an orphanage building located in a quiet area on the eastern outskirts of the Imperial Capital. The building wasn''t crumbling, but it was old and the facilities looked quite outdated. However, the site itself was quite large, with children playing in a central courtyard surrounded by three buildings. There was no fence around the orphanage, so the children could see us approaching. ¡°Oh? It''s big sister!¡± ¡°Sister is here!¡± ¡°Sister Olivia!¡± "Ah... hey, kids." It seemed Olivia had visited frequently, as the children flocked to her. "Sister, my leg is all better now!" "Ah, Billy, I''m glad to hear that." Olivia was tending to each child as they eagerly told her various things. She seemed to be someone who knew how to love children. "Sister! That kid fought with Will again! Scold him!" "Really? You, didn''t I tell you not to fight with your friends?" "But he started it! He called me an orphan without a mom! And he doesn''t have one either!" "I do have one, dummy! My mom''s just busy and can''t come visit!" "Ha! I know where your mom''s grave is!" "You jerk!" "You! Didn''t I tell you not to say harsh things?" But the children''s conversation seemed to be filled with words that stabbed at each other''s hearts... Right. Children tend to be surprisingly harsh... Amid the children''s bickering, Olivia''s unfamiliar side was revealed as she scolded, stopped, and comforted them. I had thought she might be like this, but it was still intriguing to see it in person. The children''s attention on Olivia was short-lived. They began focusing on me. "Who''s this guy, though?" "Is he your boyfriend, sister?" "Uh? No, no... He''s my junior. A close junior." Olivia''s face turned red as she vehemently shook her head. Her reaction was completely different from usual. I thought she would just say, "Of course, he''s my boyfriend!" while laughing, but instead, she was visibly embarrassed. Why is her personality different here? "Sister, you must like this brother, huh? Your face is all red." "Uh? Uhm? No, no. That''s not it. You''re trying to tease me, huh?" As Olivia stuttered, the girls giggled delightedly, while the boys started giving me cold stares. I could tell just by their looks. Who the hell are you? Though I didn''t know the exact words, their gazes carried similar meanings. "What are you, an older brother?" "Do you attend the temple too?" "Are you good at fighting?" I found myself in a difficult situation amidst the hostile gazes of the young boys. Even my classmates were already like children to me, let alone these even younger ones. Even if Olivia didn''t know, I neither liked children nor knew how to handle them. Children were beings far removed from me. As I stood there stiffly, saying nothing, the children began to whisper among themselves. ¡°He must be good at fighting.¡± ¡°He looks scary.¡± ¡°No, I heard that guys who look like that are actually bad at fighting.¡± It was overwhelming. I didn''t come here to see children. Would it be only boys? The girls were also whispering. ¡°That guy is totally my type.¡± ¡°You want to be eaten alive by his face? He looks like a thug. Those guys use up girls and then toss them away, right? A man should have lots of money. Money is the best.¡± ¡°He might have a lot of money, you never know.¡± ¡°No, he''s naturally poor. Look at his face.¡± ¡°So you''d marry a fat, bald, old man as long as he has money?¡± ¡°Actually, that''s better. He''ll die quickly, right? Then all the money would be mine.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Then all I need to do is hook up with a handsome guy like him, you dummy.¡± ¡°...You''d marry again?¡± ¡°Why not marry three times?¡± These children with particularly mature mannerisms were having conversations that even my classmates wouldn''t have. What''s with these kids? ¡°But that guy is really my type¡­¡± ¡°Asera, he''s a man, isn''t he?¡± ¡°You don''t like him, sister.¡± ¡°Sigh, idiot. Of course, it''s a lie.¡± What the heck? What do children see and learn to become so twisted at such a young age? I didn''t come here to play. I tried to ignore their whispers as much as possible while I observed the children''s appearance. Worn-out clothes. Although not tattered, I could tell they weren''t in an environment with many spare clothes. The children were all skinny overall. Their nutritional status seemed to be poor. It definitely felt like an orphanage with poor conditions. If the sponsorship money decreases even a little, it would have a significant impact, so I understood why Olivia tried to maintain the sponsorship after seeing this situation. "Oh my, Olivia. It''s been a while." "Ah, yes, teacher." A middle-aged woman in a white dress came out to the yard, seemingly wondering who had arrived with the children swarming around. She had a kind-hearted appearance. She greeted Olivia and then naturally turned her gaze to me. "Ah, Reinhardt. Let me introduce you. This is Ms. Bell, the director of Sun Cradle Orphanage." "Hello, I''m Olivia''s friend...?" "Yes, my name is Reinhardt." She extended her hand, and I shook it. Her hand was soft. Of course, she wouldn''t be managing the place alone, and there were several other adults around. The director of Sun Cradle Orphanage. I neither liked children nor knew how to deal with them. I didn''t know how to interact with them or what to do. I would be grateful if I could just avoid making them cry. I didn''t come here to see the children. Nor did I come to provide sponsorship money. I looked at Olivia and spoke. "Senior, could you take the children over there for a bit?" "¡­Huh?" "I have something to discuss with the director." Olivia, looking slightly puzzled, led the children away towards another area. Like the Pied Piper, the children, boys and girls alike, followed Olivia wherever she went. The director who introduced herself as Bell. "Ah, Reinhardt. Do you have something to discuss with me?" "Yes. First, let''s find a quiet place." As it wasn''t a conversation to be held in a public place, I followed Director Bell into her office. It was a place where no one would overhear. "What would you like to discuss, Reinhardt?" In front of Bell, who had a kind smile on her face, I smirked. "Explain yourself." "¡­Pardon?" "Which hole are you pouring the support funds down that the children are in this state?" Following the Great Demon War, the royal family immediately began providing maximum support for orphanage projects for war orphans. "The children should be receiving enough funds that they don''t have to worry about food, so why are they living like this?" A lack of support funds? I knew there was no way such a thing could happen at an orphanage in the imperial capital, of all places. CH 328 One cannot distinguish between the goodness and evilness of a person based on their appearance alone. At first glance, the person before your eyes may seem as if they couldn''t even hurt an ant, but in reality, they might be an evil spirit who sucks the blood of children. Teacher Bell''s expression seemed genuinely flustered. "I, I don''t know what you''re talking about. Why would you suddenly bring up such a topic...?" Naturally, she would deny it. "I don''t know the structure of the orphanage support program, nor do I know the route and method through which the funds are provided. There''s no way I can know. I''m not even an official involved in it." I let out a deep sigh. After the victory in the Great Demon War, the government immediately began supporting the multitude of orphans that had emerged. In fact, when I had first arrived in the Imperial Capital, I seriously considered whether I should just enter an orphanage-like place. I knew for certain that support would begin in that area. It was also said that war orphans with talent would be able to enter the Temple for free education, even if they weren''t of the Royal Class. So, it doesn''t make sense for there to be orphanage children in the Imperial Capital who lack money, clothes, and food. Somehow, they''re being deprived of these necessities. It''s certain that the things that should rightfully go to the children are being leaked somewhere in the middle. The places that Olivia sponsors all suffer from this kind of leak, and the places that actually need help aren''t receiving it. When I heard this story from Olivia, I didn''t say anything about her sponsorship itself, but I had already grasped that there might be something like this going on. Now that I thought about it, I decided to take action. Looking at Teacher Bell, who wore an expression of injustice, I crossed my arms. I don''t know how the orphanage program operates. This person might actually be innocent. "Teacher, did you know that I won the first-year championship in this Temple Tournament?" "What does that have to do with...?" "The winners of the Temple Tournament have the opportunity to meet His Majesty the Emperor." "!" Seeing Teacher Bell''s face turn pale, I smiled mischievously. "What do you think would happen if I told His Majesty the Emperor that the orphanage seems to be embezzling the support funds and redirecting them elsewhere?" "Wh-What are you talking about? Do you think we''d be safe if you said such a thing?" "If you''re innocent, you''d be safe." "What are you saying, student? I-I never... I have absolutely..." Teacher Bell''s face grew pale and she began to tremble. The Emperor might issue an order upon hearing this story, or he might not. However, just the fact that I mentioned it was enough to scare this person. An innocent person might be accused of a crime they didn''t commit. Then, a guilty person would undoubtedly be exposed. Could this person truly be innocent? Just looking at her expression, which seemed as if she might suffocate at any moment, I knew that she had been playing games with the children''s food. "Ha, please, spare me just once. Ha, just once... This will never happen again..." -Whack! "Argh!" I shook off the principal, who clung to my hem. "Why should I be the one to decide whether you live or die?" I looked down at the trembling middle-aged woman with a seemingly kind face lying on the ground. How many people had been deceived by that facade? I had no idea what she had done with the money that should have gone to the children. All the money Olivia had raised by selling her personal belongings must have been stolen this way, and if she had received prize money and donated it to the orphanage, that too must have been embezzled. "It''s the imperial law that decides that, not me." Outside the window, the children and Olivia were playing, laughing heartily. I was in the principal''s office, watching the orphanage principal kneeling before me. I didn''t think Olivia needed to know about this. I didn''t want Olivia to find out that what she had been doing all this time was actually benefiting the wrong person. She was already struggling so much. I didn''t want to burden her further with such a matter. ¡ª--- After briefly watching Olivia and the children play, we left the orphanage. The children were sad to see us go, and the principal didn''t dare come anywhere near me. "What did you talk about?" "Oh, just some discussions about when the support policy would start and stuff like that." "Hmm, really? I hope it starts soon." It had already been implemented long ago. The principal had been deceiving Olivia and the other sponsors by claiming that they had been omitted from the list of recipients. I decided there was no need to inform her of this fact. I didn''t even know how much despair she would feel if she found out. The sense of betrayal would be immense. There''s no need to know every truth. There are times when you''re better off not knowing a truth that would only hurt you, and Olivia had already been hurt too much. Even if I don''t punish her myself, I can at least report her. I don''t know what punishment everyone will receive, but I intend to look into the other orphanages that Olivia sponsors as well. If Olivia''s wish is for the children to be well-fed and clothed, then that will soon be the case. "Reinhardt, you know, the kids were really struggling." "... I don''t like kids." "Huh, I didn''t know you had such a weakness." "Why is disliking something a weakness?" "It''s a weakness. Normally, you would have just shouted ''shoo!'' or something and chased them away, but you couldn''t do anything." There was no way she couldn''t notice since I was just stuttering instead of shooing them away with my usual harsh words. "Heh, you better play nice with our child, okay?" "What? What are you talking about?" Olivia, laughing heartily, seemed to be in a much better mood. That was enough. ------ "Here, eat." -Flinch "...?" "It''s for humans to eat." "I, I know that..." Lydia Schmitt cautiously accepted the bread and milk offered by the vampire and set them down beside her. Although the vampire had given her the food to eat, Lydia could not bring herself to touch it. Lydia Schmitt huddled and shivered in a corner of the semi-basement. The vampire had calmly left and returned from somewhere. She could have tried to escape, but the fear that the vampire would not let her get away so easily prevented her from even attempting it. ''Well, at least she''s not a foolish child. That''s a relief.'' The vampire, who had bought the bread and milk, even carefully stroked Lydia''s head as if acknowledging that she had not tried to escape. Everything frightened Lydia, but what terrified her most was that it was broad daylight. "How can a vampire¡­ during the day¡­" It was common knowledge that vampires only moved at night. Yesterday, she had been disguised as an ordinary merchant, and the battle had taken place at night. But now, the vampire was confidently roaming around during the clear daylight. The vampire had even gone out and bought bread and milk. The vampire smiled, watching the astonished Lydia. "There''s no such thing as an absolute in this world, is there?" It was an unintentionally gentle smile. It seemed as if the vampire, with her eerie gaze and harsh words from the day before, who had used a series of massive, never-before-seen destructive spells, had disappeared. Standing before her was a vampire sorcerer capable of slaughtering tens of thousands with a mere gesture. Reinhardt, who commanded a sorcerer of such caliber as a subordinate. The Demon King. Lydia now knew that Reinhardt was such a being. She did not know why the Demon King was the master of Tiamata. All she could hope for now was that, out of fear, they would kill her without turning her into a vampire. What did this vampire want to do with her? Lydia didn''t know. All she could do was pray to the gods for a peaceful death. The vampire observed her closely. "Hmm¡­ are you cold?" "¡­" "It''s winter, so it''s chilly¡­ and there''s no heating¡­" The vampire touched the floor and cocked her head. Snap! A heat source was summoned, and warmth began to circulate throughout the chilly room. "How is it? Is it warm?" "¡­" Lydia could only shrink back even more. What did they want from her? She knew nothing. All she could do was tremble in fear, unable to understand what the terrifying vampire wanted to make of her. The vampire sighed deeply, then stared at Lydia. "Don''t be so scared. If you need anything, just let me know." "¡­" As if to say not to be afraid, the vampire sat down beside her and supported Lydia''s trembling shoulders. "I understand that you''re scared given the situation, but you don''t have to be so terrified." "¡­" "I won''t hurt you, so you don''t have to worry." The kinder the vampire was to Lydia, the more her fear intensified. "Wh-what do you want... from me...?" Having conquered her fear, Lydia gathered her courage and asked. The vampire cocked its head at her question. "Nothing?" "Then... why are you... keeping me like this?" "Because you don''t want to become a part of our family or kin, and our king doesn''t trust you yet." Lydia Schmidt looked at Eleris with a face full of despair. "Can''t you... just kill me... in a normal way?" Now that Lydia knew Reinhardt''s identity, she couldn''t even come up with an argument in her defense. She, who feared becoming a vampire, had betrayed her comrades in the Holy Order. Regardless of whether the Demon King was an apostle of Tu¡¯an, her sins were deep. That''s why Lydia, drowning in guilt, now only wished for a clean death. "I wouldn''t like that, so I can''t." Was she destined to be trapped in this dark underground forever? To remain like this until she agreed to become a vampire, unable to die? Had she become a human being farmed by a vampire? Seeing Lydia''s expression, Eleris seemed to understand something and lowered her head. "You can''t go back to the temple, but you can at least go outside. Of course, wherever you go, you must be with me." "¡­?" "Some people might recognize you, so I''ll alter your appearance a bit. If you want to go somewhere or eat something, just say so. If you want a change of scenery, we can teleport to faraway places. Don''t worry about the distance." Lydia Schmidt thought this vampire was strange. "You can visit your family if you have any. Of course, I''ll have to watch from nearby. You''ll understand that much, right?" "N-no¡­ I don''t have¡­ any family¡­" "Ah, I see. I''m sorry." "N-no¡­ it''s¡­ fine¡­" Was this really her fate? Lydia felt as if she might have made a huge mistake. The vampire before her. And Reinhardt. Lydia couldn''t understand what was happening at all. ------ In the central Imperial Palace Tetra of the Eredian Empire. After finishing an urgent meeting with the ministers, the Emperor sat in his study with the Crown Prince and Princess before him. Bertus and Charlotte didn''t engage in their usual mind games. They knew it was not an ordinary situation. Now was not the time to go against the Emperor''s mood. "Last night, Riverrier Lanze was found dead along with several elite Holy Knights in an abandoned monastery on the outskirts of the southern imperial region." Emperor Nelliod de Gardias calmly relayed the facts. "It is believed to have been the work of the demon race." "Is it related to... the incident that occurred before?" At Bertus''s question, the Emperor nodded. It was impossible to say for certain, but the situation suggested that there could be no other explanation. The Great Demon War had ended, but powerful demons still survived. They were formidable enough to launch a large-scale attack on the Imperial Capital. Last time, there were no casualties, but this time, there were. Riverrier Lanze, the former commander of the Holy Knights and one of the heroes of the Great Demon War, had died. But the Emperor, Empress, and Prince all wore strange expressions on their faces. "¡­ Are the Gods helping our Empire?" At the Emperor''s words, both Charlotte and Bertus trembled but could only nod in agreement. The appearance of high-ranking demons in the Imperial Capital was a calamity, but the three of them knew that, in the long run, this situation was a blessing in disguise. "Did those who died at that location include not only Riverrier Lanze but also the nameless religious leaders of the Nameless Monastery?" "I can''t say for certain about the exact composition, but that seems to be the case." The Emperor nodded again in response to Charlotte''s question. The royal family had already grasped the existence of the Nameless Monastery, a secret religious organization formed by Riverrier Lanze. However, the situation was delicate, as there was no telling when the religious world would explode, and they couldn''t take action against the Order. Assassination was difficult. Riverrier Lanze himself was an exceptional fighter, and the leaders of the Nameless Order were battle-hardened veterans. Even if they succeeded in assassinating them, it would be obvious that the royal family was behind it. Thus, the Imperial family had been pondering how to deal with the growing seeds of division without resorting to any action. And then, in a single night, they were wiped out. Furthermore, numerous civilians had seen flying demons in the vicinity. The royal family could not be suspected of being behind it, nor could they be accused of being so. Although the appearance of the surviving demon forces was a disaster, the Empire had gained without lifting a finger. "Do you understand why the demons attacked Riverrier Lanze instead of the Holy Knights?" "Other than personal grudges against Riverrier Lanze... I''m not sure." Bertus could only make such an inference. "More importantly, I think it''s crucial to determine whether the demons knew about the Nameless Monastery and attacked them." "If they knew, they should have left them alone to weaken the Empire..." "Exactly." If the demons knew the purpose of the Nameless Monastery, it would be in their best interest to leave them alone to weaken the Empire. Therefore, they could not have known about it, and that conclusion was reasonable. There was no way they could assume that the demons were trying to protect the Empire, so even the heart of the Empire could not comprehend the true nature of the situation. Thus, they were left in the dark. The old problem had been removed, but it had been replaced with another issue. Powerful demons still survived and could attack the Imperial Capital at any time. It was impossible to tell whether the Demon King had truly been resurrected or if there was a successor to the throne. However, everyone in the Empire had come to realize that the Great Demon War was not yet over. They knew that this would have a positive effect on the Empire for the time being. ------ After attending to the Emperor, in a corridor on one side of the Central Palace, Tetra. Bertus and Charlotte were walking through the corridor, preparing to leave the Central Palace. "What do you think, sister?" "¡­About what?" "The possibility of that child you''re looking for being involved in this." "I don''t want to hear such nonsense." Despite saying that, Charlotte''s mind was also in turmoil. "What if that kid turns out to be the son of the Demon King or something like that¡­" "Shut up." Charlotte glared at Bertus with a grim expression. "What are you trying to say? I''m the one who ended up living with the son of the Demon King. So this whole situation is because of me. Do you want to say something like that? That I should have just died by your hands? Are you trying to say something like that?" At Charlotte''s hostile words, Bertus smiled and lowered his head. "No? I just wanted to say that it would be such a relief if that were the case. I almost made a fatal mistake, didn''t I?" There''s no meaning in competition without the Empire. Seeing his evil-filled expression, Charlotte felt like she was going to be sick. Someone had to hear this conversation. But there was no one to listen to it. Even if someone did hear it, nothing would change. "¡­You''re such an unlucky bastard." Bertus''s words, wishing that the child was rather the son of the Demon King or something similar, were understandable. Charlotte knew what he was thinking. Even if the remnants of the demons remained, they couldn''t bring down the Empire. Dark Land had been effectively destroyed, and the Demon King''s Castle had been captured. The remaining demons couldn''t do more than guerrilla warfare. So, if a rallying point for the surviving demons emerged to cause a disturbance, the Empire might face chaos, but it wouldn''t split apart. Bertus was hoping for the existence of the Demon King''s successor from that perspective. Charlotte knew that too. This situation, though incomprehensible, was ultimately good for the Empire. Could that child really be related to the Demon King? Despite that possibility, the child seemed to have no abilities and was exceedingly ordinary. However, Charlotte knew that she couldn''t completely deny that possibility. CH 329 Immediate action was taken in the Imperial Capital. Though the festival itself had ended, the Temple, which was supposed to remain open until the end of the weekend, began controlling the number of visitors at once, and immediate measures were implemented throughout the entire Imperial Capital. As the military controlled all the gates of the Imperial Capital, efforts were underway to restore order. Of course, since all these events were taking place outside the Temple, it felt to me as if the remaining day of the Temple festival had ended a little earlier than planned. "It''s quiet." "Yes, it is." Ellen and I were strolling through the now peaceful Temple once again. Even though she had been elected Miss Temple, Ellen was still just Ellen. Nothing had changed significantly, and it seemed that she didn''t place much importance on it. If anything, she found it bothersome. The festival was over. Since the tournament was over, he would have an audience with the emperor, but given the circumstances, there might not be an opportunity for that to happen. The issue of embezzlement of orphanage support funds would be resolved later. Although she couldn''t participate in the contest, Ellen became Miss Temple, and Cliffman said he made it into the rankings. I''m not sure if his self-confidence or motion sickness problem was resolved. It seemed like Liana scolded him for not being able to win like Ellen did. Could this be, instead of recovering from motion sickness, he just gained a responsible bully? There was also the matter of Lydia Schmitt. Lydia Schmitt was missing. Regardless of her impending graduation, Lydia Schmitt was still a Temple student and an Unrestricted tournament winner. The issue of her disappearance would soon come to light. Eleris, who was holding her, would take measures, but Lydia Schmitt was a member of the Nameless Monastery. She would undoubtedly be a key witness in this case. For now, I could only hope that Eleris would keep her well hidden. So, "It''s vacation time." "Yeah, it is." Winter vacation had begun. Although the royal family would be in turmoil, I had completed my task of killing Riverrier Lanze. "What are you going to do during this break?" Ellen looked at me and asked. "Well, I don''t have anywhere to go, so I guess I''ll stay at the Temple." There''s a lot to do. Negotiations with the Vampire Council. Re-establishing contact with the Black Order. Gathering information on Cantus Magna. Deciding Adriana''s whereabouts. Contacting and taking action against the revolutionary forces. Although it''s not my responsibility, there''s also the work of the Magic Research Society. Rather, I felt like I had been postponing things that I couldn''t do during the semester for after the break, so even if I couldn''t tell her, I was busier now than ever. Ellen walked quietly beside me. "I''m going home." "...Home?" "Yes, home." Naturally, Ellen''s parents were alive and well. She hadn''t been able to go home all year, so it seemed like she wanted to go back during this winter break. I hadn''t set up the details of Ellen''s family background or such matters. Ellen was neither a noble nor a commoner. Hero Ragan Artorius was an adventurer who grew up in an ordinary family in an ordinary village. And so, Ellen, the younger sister, was also a girl raised in an ordinary family in an ordinary village. Ellen was already a girl of few words, but she never spoke about her hometown. Of course, it wasn''t that she didn''t want to talk about it, but more that she didn''t see any reason to bring it up. To begin with, I never asked her about it either. If I started asking her about it, she would ask me questions in return, and then I''d have nothing to say. So, I intentionally didn''t ask her. Anyway, if she goes back home, she''ll be with her family after a long time. Is she planning to stay there for the entire vacation? "¡­When will you be back?" "I don''t know." It seemed she had no thoughts or plans beyond going back and spending time with her family. Does she intend to return when the new school year starts after the vacation? That would be a few months, right? Even if she returns in March, that''s two months without her at the temple. "¡­Why?" I don''t know what my expression was, but Ellen tilted her head as she looked at me. "Do you wish I came back sooner?" No, it''s not that! Why are you suddenly asking that?! Do you have any idea how that makes me feel? Do you think I''ll miss you if I don''t see you for a long time? You look at me with such a piercing gaze. You¡­ You really¡­ "¡­Yeah." In the end, I said it with a feeling of being sick and dying. No. I would worry if I didn''t see you for too long. Even if you''re staying at home, you never know what could happen to a person. Isn''t that right? It''s not because I might miss you without you here. It won''t be¡­ probably. Ellen seemed to ponder for a moment before tilting her head again. "Then, do you want to come with me?" "¡­What?" "To my house. Do you want to come with me?" Once again, I was speechless at her sudden question. Is she asking me to go with her because she thinks she''ll miss me while I''m not around? What does she mean by that¡­? Now, I don''t even know what''s going on between her and me¡­ Although I told her I had nothing to do, I had no words for her invitation to go with her. I had no right to say why I would go there, considering I had entered Arunaria without Harriet, too. "If you don''t want to, that''s fine." Ellen continued walking calmly. She didn''t seem angry or anything like that¡­ She''s not angry, right? Her lips usually pout when she''s angry, but she doesn''t seem like that now. But still. Meeting Ellen''s parents¡­ The parents of Hero Ragan Artorius. It did pique my curiosity. I just casually set up the characters as a hero and the hero''s younger sister, without needing to explain what their parents were like. Who could their parents be to have both their children turn out to be monsters? No, leaving that aside, I''m just¡­ I''m curious about the environment Ellen grew up in. However, I had so much to do during this vacation. I couldn''t afford to be away. "¡­I''m sorry." "What are you sorry for?" There''s no reason to apologize for not going with her. It seemed as if Ellen was okay with it, and she shrugged her shoulders. ------ Adriana had been bewildered these past few days. Of course, it was quite different from the embarrassment she experienced while being held captive by the Nameless Monastery. "Hey, do you need anything?" "No... I''m fine, sister." After Reinhardt had left, the mysterious leader of the organization seemed to be constantly hovering around her whenever she had a spare moment. "Heh. If you need anything, just let me know. I''m always here." At the top floor of the building, she lounged on the sofa in a place that could be called her office, doing nothing. Adriana spent the entire day in the room behind her. "But if you give me a room... where do you sleep, sister? Last time, you slept on the floor..." "Me? I don''t really care about that sort of thing." She barely used her own room, only staying near the office. Just yesterday, Adriana was startled when she went to the bathroom in the middle of the night. She saw the boss, who had given her a room, sprawled out on the floor of the office, fast asleep. Giving her a room, and sleeping on the floor. Shocked, Adriana told her not to sleep in such a place, but the boss simply scratched her belly and said, "I always sleep like this," before lying back down. She didn''t seem like a bad person. Adriana felt strange every time Loyar, a person of a type she had never seen before, hovered around her. ''What are you doing?'' ''Don''t you get bored?'' ''Want to go for a walk?'' ''Don''t you want to eat something?'' ''Are you comfortable here?'' Whenever she tried to meditate in her room, Loyar would keep circling around her and striking up a conversation. Adriana didn''t find this annoying. Rather, Loyar''s constant circling and curiosity reminded her of a puppy. Knowing that it was impolite to think so, Adriana couldn''t help but imagine a large dog circling around her. Loyar''s behavior was oddly endearing, and Adriana felt strange every time she saw her disheveled boss. ''What kind of person is she...?'' Adriana didn''t know what kind of place this was, nor why the boss looked the shabbiest of all. While the others wore decent clothes and kept themselves clean, Loyar always looked unkempt, her hair sticking out in every direction, like a dog that had been out in the rain and hadn''t bathed. Adriana had lived in a monastery. Her life focused on self-cultivation, personal care was a given, and she was extremely strict about cleanliness and keeping her surroundings tidy. Having lived the neat life of a monk, Adriana realized for the first time that she had a strange compulsion when it came to Loyar. Regardless of who Loyar was, and how scary she might be, it was unbearable to see someone living in such a state. "Um... Sister." "Huh? What? What''s wrong?" As Loyar quickly approached, Adriana stepped back, slightly startled. "Um... How about taking a bath...?" "A bath? Why?" "Well, it... it looks nice when it''s clean... and... it doesn''t smell weird... don''t you think? Oh, no! I don''t mean you smell weird! I, I just... thought it might not be good for your health..." Loyar tilted her head, then sniffed her arm. "Does it smell? This is just my body odor." "No, that can''t be your body odor... Um, um." Claiming that there was no smell was a lie. But Adriana couldn''t bring herself to say that it smelled like a wet dog, so she pursed her lips. Adriana''s moment of hesitation on what to say didn''t last long. "Then I''ll just wash, right?" With that, Loyar hurried off somewhere. "..." When Adriana saw the white-haired woman reappear, her wet hair dripping water, she stared at Loyar. "I washed. Does it still smell?" It was obvious that she had merely splashed water on herself. Worse still, she was still wearing the same soggy clothes. And yet, she claimed to have washed, so it should be fine. Adriana felt as if something important inside her had been shattered. She thought she could understand, to some extent, why Reinhardt sometimes charged in without thinking like a madman. So this was what it felt like. Smack! "Ouch?" "Follow me." Adriana began to drag a bewildered Loyar along. ------ Splash! ¡°I, I don''t like this smell!¡± ¡°What do you want me to do if you don''t like the smell of soap!¡± ¡°Eek! Don''t apply it! It''s slippery!¡± ¡°Just stay still for a moment!¡± The members of the Rotary Club all craned their necks at the sounds coming from the shower room. "What''s going on?" "You know, the lady Reinhardt brought in a while ago." "What about her?" "It seems like she''s trying to wash the boss." "The boss?" ¡°Come here, will you!¡± ¡°No! I said no! I''m leaving!¡± ¡°Where are you going, naked like that?! Get back here quickly!¡± Thud! The club members passing by in the corridor all gaped. Someone was actually trying to forcibly wash their leader, who was as stubborn as a wild dog. From the sounds of it, it seemed like the boss was the one being caught, not Adriana. Their boss hated anything bothersome, and washing or changing clothes was also very annoying to her. She would claim to have washed after just dabbing water on her face. ¡°Stop it! I said stop!¡± ¡°Are you coming or not?¡± And now, this mysterious lady from the temple was forcibly washing Loyar. Loyar made noises like a dog being caught, trying to avoid it, but in the end, she was captured and forced to be washed, groaning all the while. "It seems the Temple really is something." "You''re right. The boss can''t even budge." Everyone commented on how amazing the Temple must be, each adding their own remark as they passed by. Washing a large dog gone crazy was a grueling task. Naturally, the one doing the washing would end up drenched. Adriana was soaked, from her hair to her clothes. Of course, the washed subject, Loyar, had changed into new clothes, and her wet hair was being diligently dried with a towel by Adriana. "See? It feels so much better when you''re clean." "¡­Does it?" Loyar looked at his reflection in the mirror with a sullen expression. After drying her disheveled hair well, Adriana began to carefully comb through Loyar''s hair with a brush. Loyar didn''t know about anything else, but the feeling of the brush gently scratching her scalp and hair was pleasant, so she closed her eyes and surrendered herself to Adriana''s touch. The tangled and scruffy white hair was reborn under Adriana''s hands. Of course, since it hadn''t been maintained at all, it wasn''t silky and shiny like fine silk, but it was no longer sticking out in all directions like an unkempt wild dog. "From now on, please wash yourself regularly." "Uh¡­ I don''t know." Loyar tapped her own head. "Comb my hair some more." "¡­" In the end, Adriana combed her hair for quite some time. Upon seeing Loyar looking like a human for the first time, the club members were dumbfounded. ¡°She actually looks like a person.¡± ¡°Yeah, no kidding.¡± "What are you guys talking about?!" Everyone agreed that she indeed looked like a person, nodding blankly. ------ Tourists throughout the Imperial Road were quickly evacuated under control. The sense of crisis still lingered in the air, but the chaotic atmosphere gradually subsided. The Imperial family had no choice but to make an announcement to prevent indiscriminate rumors from spreading among the people. Demons appeared in the southern region of the Imperial Road and massacred the former Holy Knight Commander, Riverrier Lanze, and other believers of the Five Great Churches, who were holding a gathering in a nearby abandoned monastery. The identity of the attacking demons was unclear, and the Imperial family was investigating the incident with all their efforts. Although it was an emergency situation, people should not be confused by baseless rumors related to the Demon King. In summary, the announcement from the Imperial family went like this. There was no lie in the content. There was no reason to mix falsehoods. In a situation where a large-scale rebellion might erupt if they clashed with the Five Great Church forces, the demons had taken the heat off for them. The animosity of the Five Great Churches toward the Empire would now be redirected toward the demons. At that moment, I was sitting quietly in the dim underground waterway. With a small bonfire lit. -Splash Someone appeared in the distance, accompanied by the sound of footsteps. The figure that revealed itself was Count Argon Ponteus. Sarkegaar. "Have you arrived?" "Yes, Your Highness." "Sit down." "Yes." Sarkegaar sat down opposite me. It wasn''t long before Eleris revealed herself out of thin air. "Where''s Lydia?" "She''s in my room. Don''t worry, she won''t run away." Eleris quietly sat down next to the bonfire as well. I had called all of my subordinates to the place that used to be a base for the Rotary Club, as we had to discuss the recent incident and some other matters. Once Loyar arrived, we could start the conversation. After waiting for some time, someone appeared with the sound of footsteps. "¡­?" "?" "What''s going on?" Upon seeing the person who revealed themselves, the three of us couldn''t help but tilt our heads in confusion. "¡­?" With all of us displaying bewildered expressions, the person who had arrived tilted their head too. "Loyar¡­?" "It doesn''t seem like it." White hair wasn''t that common. It was indeed Loyar, but she was so different from her usual self that the three of us couldn''t help but be taken aback. Usually, Loyar looked like a beggar, so people tended to keep their distance when she approached. But now, Loyar''s attire and hair looked perfectly fine. No. Did Loyar always look like that? Surprisingly, she looked quite decent, didn''t she? "Did you wash?" In response to Eleris''s question, Loyar nodded her head. "Is there a problem with that?" "But why?" Sarkegaar and Eleris were astonished just because Loyar had washed and changed her clothes. Loyar. What kind of life have you been living? And why did you wash? It''s absurd that someone would be surprised by something as simple as washing. Loyar slumped down. "The child entrusted to me by His Highness washed me." "¡­Adriana?" "Yes." The feeling of hearing someone confidently admit they were washed by someone else was quite odd. Is she actually a dog or something? CH 330 Had Adriana and Loyar become close enough for her to give her a bath? Loyar did seem to like Adriana. "You look good. You should maintain this appearance more often. I couldn''t stand the constant smell of a wet dog." With a grin, Eleris said that, causing Loyar to glare at her. "Whether I bathe or not..." "Before you return, buy some insecticide and spray it on that child. You must''ve transferred the fleas and lice living on your body to her." "Seriously? Why are you treating me like this? I don''t have fleas or lice!" "If you don''t have them, that''s even stranger. Were you so filthy that not even fleas or lice could survive on you?" "Shut up!" Surprisingly, Eleris has a tendency to tease Loyar. Loyar''s feisty response was quite amusing. It''s somewhat similar to when I playfully poke at Harriet. Anyway, Loyar, the white-haired beast who had transformed from a wet dog to a human, joined us. "Alright, last time things were urgent, so I couldn''t explain everything properly. I called you here today because we have some things to sort out." Last time, I had them carry out their tasks without explaining the details and intentions. We couldn''t talk much afterward since we had to return to the Temple. Most importantly, there was Sarkegaar. Eleris and Loyar might not know, but I had to make sure Sarkegaar understood the situation. "Last time, it''s true that I wanted to save Olivia. And it''s true that I wanted to save Adriana as well." The three of them remained silent at my words. "Olivia shares Tiamata with me, and she plays an important role in imprinting divine magic on Tiamata. She''s an irreplaceable existence. Of course, I won''t say I''m using her just for that. Both Adriana and Olivia are important to me." "Your Highness... You have too much affection for... No, never mind." Sarkegaar seemed worried, trying to say something but ultimately closed his mouth. He seemed to have given up, realizing that he couldn''t persuade me on this matter. "Right now, what you''re most curious about is why we let the humans know about our existence, right?" "Yes, Your Highness. If humans know there is a new Demon King, they will unite and try to find us by any means." The demon remnants reveal themselves to prevent the empire''s fragmentation. It would be good for the empire, but for Sarkegaar, who dreams of rebuilding the demon world, it would be the worst of all evils. However, reasons can always be created. "Sarkegaar, want to hear something interesting?" "What is it?" "Right before Riverrier Lanze died, he offered to join forces with me." "!" At my words, both Eleris and Sarkegaar looked appalled. "He said that if his forces caused chaos in the empire, it would be good for us. That joining forces would be better." "The Holy Knight Commander... said that?" "Humans are such beings." I lowered my voice. "For their own benefit, they''re more than willing to join hands with non-humans and kill their fellow humans." Human Wickedness and Selfishness I speak of it. "So... All we had to do was join hands...?" "I told you. Riverrier Lanze wanted two things I couldn''t concede. So, there was no way to negotiate with Riverrier Lanze." I don''t intend to hide that Adriana and Olivia are precious to me. "Right now, our power is still weak. If humans are divided now and the empire manages to mend the situation, by the time the real division should happen within the empire, everything might already be resolved." "..." "Now is not the right timing. It would be better to strike one by one when we have a solid foundation and everything is prepared. Be it a revolution or the establishment of a Holy Empire." My words slowly change Sarkegaar''s expression. It''s an expression moving from suspicion and doubt to finding an answer. "The Holy Empire is not a matter that will disappear just because Riverrier Lanze died. Independent factions are emerging within the Five Great Religions. They might find another focal point besides Riverrier Lanze." "And those factions will join hands with us if needed." "The revolutionary forces? They are no different. The empire is a huge monster. The monster the revolutionaries must face is big and powerful. They? Of course, if they think that the new demon world''s power can shake the empire, they will surely join hands with us." "Of course, if it were the days when the previous Demon King was thriving, they would never join hands with us. They just want to use us." "In other words, we can only join hands now when we are both weak, to confront the monster called the empire." "So, revealing ourselves now is not to unite humanity." "It''s to inform the anti-imperial forces of our existence." "So, we approach them one by one and exchange each other''s value for use. We can also discuss the timing and opportunity to tear the empire apart in detail." "Whether it''s a revolution, the establishment of the Holy Empire, or the reconstruction of the demon world, wouldn''t it be better for each party to achieve their goals if they happen simultaneously, rather than sequentially? They wouldn''t have a reason to refuse such a proposal." "In other words, this is the starting point for creating an anti-imperial alliance." The main objective is to inform humanity that the demon world is still thriving, thus stopping their division. However, depending on how it''s presented, we''ve revealed ourselves to join hands with the anti-imperial forces and to use them. An anti-imperial alliance. Everything depends on how it''s articulated. At my words, Eleris looks at me with a bewildered expression. Even Eleris, who knows my true intentions, is astonished. She might think that all my talk about the future is a lie, and my real goal might be this. Even Eleris, to whom I''ve revealed everything, is surprised. "Your Highness''s wisdom... I am in awe...!" Sarkegaar had nothing more to say. His doubts had been resolved. They had to be. Even if it all depended on how I explained it, if I really intended to do so, I could. If toppling the empire was the priority, the revolutionary forces would join hands with us. Of course, after the empire fell, they would try to strike us down, but it was only natural to join forces with a future enemy out of necessity. First, we would topple our most imminent and significant enemy, and afterward, we would bring down the smaller ones who had allied with us. If we really wanted to, we could make it happen. "Our contact with the revolutionary forces will be under the name of Darkland." "I understand, Your Highness..." Sarkegaar seemed to be in awe, as if he could not have imagined that my plan was so grand. But in truth, it was all lies. The affairs of the revolutionary forces and the Holy Empire. During my contacts with the core forces and sharing information, what I would say was not about the revolution or the collapse of the empire, but rather that "the time is not yet right." I only needed to buy time until the Gate incident occurred. About a year from now. If I could keep them restrained during that time, my goal would be accomplished. Everything else could be postponed. My head already felt like it was going to explode just dealing with the Gate incident, and I couldn''t even think about how my actions now would lead to other events later if the situation hadn''t been properly resolved. I had roughly finished explaining my intentions. The most important thing was for Sarkegaar to be convinced, and he seemed to be. Sarkegaar, brimming with enthusiasm, quickly left to find a way to contact the revolutionary forces as soon as possible. Although he looks like that, he is thorough in his work, so I am not worried. "Do you have anything to say?" "If Your Highness says so, then it must be." Loyar was still sitting there, dumbfounded, even after listening to the whole story. It seemed as if her mind had wandered off somewhere. Anyway, the conversation was over. "How''s Adriana? Is she doing well? Judging by the fact that she bathed you, she seems to be doing even better than I expected." Considering that Loyar was talking about being bathed by someone much younger than herself, she had many problems. "She''s like an angel compared to that obnoxious brat. She''s quiet, kind, and always wants to help, which is honestly quite annoying." Even though she said that, she couldn''t help but smile whenever she mentioned Adriana. Defeated by a little sister in one shot. Isn''t that too easy? Well... dogs are like that in the first place... Looking at it, Ellen''s personality was more like a cat''s. She didn''t express her emotions easily and seemed uninterested until suddenly coming over and sitting on one''s lap. Maybe Ellen and Loyar were never really compatible. I had been thinking about sending Adriana somewhere else. But seeing Loyar like this in just a few days, I started to wonder if Adriana was actually doing well. Of course, that was only Loyar''s opinion, and Adriana''s thoughts might differ, so he decided to visit her later. Somehow, Loyar''s steps felt lighter as she left the sewer, and I looked at Eleris one last time. "How is the situation with Lydia?" "Um, she¡¯s quite scared of me, to be honest. But I suppose there''s no helping it. If you trust me with this... I believe there will be good results soon." Lydia Schmitt was originally meant to be killed, but Eleris had asked to spare her life, so I trusted that she would handle the situation well. ------ Tuesday. The chaos from before seemed to have somewhat subsided. Most of those who wanted to leave had left, and though the investigation continued, it seemed to be at a standstill. There was no real trace to be found, nor was there any way to track anyone. At the moment, I was in the student council president''s office. The president and vice president of the student council - people I had met before during the club budget issue. Temple Student Council President, fifth-year student Rain Calli. Vice President, fourth-year student Herman von Logarius. The Temple Festival was over, and a sense of relief was in the air, but the two of them still looked quite exhausted. "From now on, you will all be granted an audience with His Majesty, the Emperor." The tournament winners were entitled to an audience with the Emperor. I had thought that the incident might have caused the audience with the emperor event to be canceled, but it seemed that wasn''t the case. There were a total of six winners, from first to sixth-year tournaments. One Unrestricted tournament winner. And there was an unusual occurrence. This time, both Mister Temple and Miss Temple would have an audience with the Emperor as well. Thus, not only was I present to hear about the process and precautions for the audience with the Emperor event, but Ellen was also there. I didn''t know who Mister Temple was. He was a handsome fellow from an ordinary class, quite unlucky in that regard. He was a fourth-year student, apparently. I didn''t care about him. As she explained various precautions, Student Council President Rain Calli seemed to have something on her mind. I knew what it was, even if she didn''t say it. Seven tournament winners. Miss Temple and Mister Temple. There should have been nine in total, but there were only eight people here. The Unrestricted tournament winner, Lydia Schmitt, was missing. Lydia Schmitt''s disappearance. That too, had become a significant issue. The royal family might assume that Lydia Schmitt was an affiliate of the Nameless Monastery and had been killed in the previous incident. However, a disappearance was still a disappearance. Those who knew about the Nameless Monastery would know that the search for Lydia Schmitt was intertwined with the current situation. If there were people who had seen Lydia Schmitt and me in the Aligar shopping district and remembered that encounter, the problem would become more complicated. I had also taken a risk to save Adriana and Olivia. If that became an issue, I could release Lydia Schmitt and force her to commit perjury. Eleris''s decision not to kill Lydia Schmitt might somehow benefit me in the end. On the Way to Meet the Emperor However, there was not a single person who should have been there. Under the guidance of the Imperial Guard, we set off from the Temple. Only the tournament winners were usually granted the honor of meeting the Emperor. The reason for the unusual summons of Miss Temple and Mister Temple this time was quite obvious. "¡­I''m hungry." Ellen, who stuck by my side and grumbled with a dull expression, had been elected as Miss Temple. She is the younger sister of Ragan Artorius and a classmate of Bertus and Charlotte. Those curious about what kind of person Ellen is may find her rather unremarkable. Moreover, the Emperor knows that I have improved Charlotte''s condition. Saviolin Turner had once said that the Emperor would call for me someday. It was quite unexpected that I would meet the Emperor under the pretext of being a tournament winner, even alongside Ellen. The means of transportation on the way to meet the Emperor was somewhat different than usual, as the Imperial Guard accompanied us. Instead of a magic train, we could travel directly to the entrance gate of the Imperial City through the warp gate located beyond the Temple exit. Ellen seemed to be unimpressed by the whole situation. She wore the same dull expression as always, as if the Emperor''s summons held no particular excitement for her. To be honest, I was a little nervous, but seeing Ellen''s nonchalant demeanor was quite amusing. ¡­Wait. But come to think of it, shouldn''t I be the one most afraid of this situation? With that thought, I wondered if I was actually more nonchalant than Ellen. While entertaining these unnecessary thoughts, we entered the Imperial City. Just like the last time, we boarded the prepared tram and began our journey toward the central palace. Everyone was likely experiencing the tram inside the Imperial City for the first time, and they all seemed amazed. "There''s a tram." Ellen seemed slightly intrigued as well. "It''s vast, so it''s necessary." On the other hand, I remained unimpressed. Without the tram, it would be quite inconvenient to travel within the Imperial City. "Have you been here before?" Ellen''s question made me feel as if I was choking. "No?" There were the Imperial Guards and unfamiliar students here. No one should know that I had been to the Spring Palace in the Imperial City on official business. Bertus shouldn''t know that I played a significant role in saving Charlotte''s life. Ellen simply nodded at my answer and gazed out the window. The Winter Palace and the Spring Palace could be seen in the distance. I wondered if Charlotte and Bertus were there. From the tram that stopped at the Central Palace Tetra, we all got off and walked in formation. The main gate of the Central Palace was wide open. Everyone seemed to be overwhelmed by the solemn and majestic appearance of the central Imperial Palace Tetra, which was not particularly extravagant. Upon seeing it again, it was a palace that felt majestic due to its simplicity. As we passed through the central hall of the palace and entered the audience chamber, there were people who seemed to be either nobles or high-ranking officials lining the sides. At the very end of the audience chamber, in the center, someone was seated on the imperial throne, which was placed on a total of five steps. A middle-aged man adorned with a golden crown and scepter, and draped in a red cloak. There, Emperor Nelliod de Gardias of the Empire was present. CH 331 The induction ceremony wasn''t all that complicated. The officials applauded us as a gesture of welcome, and we knelt before the emperor, listening to his speech. I couldn''t tell if it was prepared or impromptu, but in the end, it was all just superficial. He said he was delighted to see the exceptional talents cultivated by the Temple, an institution preparing the future of the empire, and he hoped that we would continue to strive and lead the empire. To me, it was nothing more than empty words. It was similar to the headmaster''s moralizing lectures. The emperor had us stand up and shook hands with each of us, encouraging us to keep up the good work. Naturally, I witnessed some interesting scenes. ¡°Strive on.¡± ¡°Ah, Your Majesty! This is the honor of a lifetime!¡± ¡°Hmm, hmm.¡± Some of them were on the verge of tears. No, that reaction was actually the majority, and it was to be expected. ¡°Strive on.¡± ¡°I shall engrave this honor and glory in my soul and serve the empire for the rest of my life!¡± ¡°Good.¡± There was even a guy who seemed to have prepared his lines. Anyway, everyone was squirming in his glory. Their reactions were rather ordinary. "Strive on." "Yes." Ellen nodded her head once as if responding to a teacher while shaking hands with the emperor. "Strive on." "Thank you." I had considered trying to express my gratitude as gloriously as possible, but since I didn''t really think of it as an honor, I simply gave a brief reply. Ellen and I had the most unusual reactions. The emperor did not point out the absence of Lydia Schmitt at this event, perhaps he had been informed beforehand. Afterward, a banquet with the emperor was scheduled. Moving to the banquet hall, the Temple students and the emperor sat together at a long table and shared a meal. Starting with appetizers, just like the meal I had at the palace last spring, dishes began to arrive one by one. Om nom "?" Appetizers are always like this, but Ellen popped it in her mouth, chewed, then stared intently at the empty plate. What the... Why is there only this? It had that kind of vibe. Ellen had little patience when it came to food, and course meals required too much waiting. She preferred ordering various dishes, eating them all, and then ordering more. She would quickly eat each dish as it arrived, then sit blankly until the next dish was served. Come to think of it, she had been muttering about being hungry earlier. Naturally, the emperor was observing the students'' behavior as he ate. The emperor whispered a few words to the lady serving his meal. ...After that, Ellen''s portion was tripled. It seemed he had discreetly instructed them after seeing her appetite. He didn''t say it openly, perhaps to avoid embarrassing her. Om nom nom Now that her portion was more substantial, Ellen could finally pace herself and eat in sync with the others. Of course, Ellen didn''t question the sudden increase in food. She just ate. "Why?" As I stared intently at her, Ellen tilted her head. "I mean, sometimes... you''re a bit... yeah." "What?" "Never mind." She''s someone to be proud of, really. Her strong appetite earns her the Emperor''s consideration. I know I shouldn''t be embarrassed, but I am! Everyone else was tense and barely eating in front of the Emperor, while Ellen devoured her food and I openly scolded her. They all looked at us as if we were a strange spectacle. No, I''m the stranger one here, right? ------ After the banquet, we briefly toured the central palace, Tetra. Although we didn''t visit the Emperor''s bedroom, we saw the training hall, the guards'' waiting room, and the gallery, making a full circle around the palace. I thought the audience and banquet would be the end, but the Emperor seemed to have allocated a significant amount of time for this official event. Everyone was stiff with tension, ready to stutter if the Emperor so much as spoke to them. However, the Emperor didn''t speak to Ellen or me. We soon found out why. When all the events were over and the students, accompanied by guards, were about to leave, "You two, come here." Saviolin Turner, dressed in the Shanafel uniform, called Ellen and me. "Do you remember me?" "Yes, the Shanafel squad leader." Although they hadn''t interacted much, Ellen had seen Saviolin Turner''s face when she was appointed the first-year dormitory supervisor, so she remembered him. "Good. His Majesty, the Emperor, has summoned you two separately. Follow me." The other students left, and Ellen and I followed Saviolin Turner to an unknown destination. -Knock knock "Your Majesty, I have brought the two of them." -Enter. "Yes." Saviolin Turner looked at Ellen and me. "I trust you two to behave." "Yes." -Nod She seemed concerned about me, knowing my true nature, but not so much about Ellen. As if I would lose my mind in front of the Emperor. When Saviolin Turner opened the door, the tall ceiling and walls filled with books caught my eye. And in front of a wooden table near the window, the Emperor sat on a chair, backlit. The Emperor''s office, or perhaps a library. It seemed like that kind of place. On a nearby armchair, the cloak, scepter, and crown he had been wearing were placed. He probably wouldn''t wear them when not attending official events since they were cumbersome. Though made from fine materials, his clothing was not ostentatious. Nelliod de Gardias, without the cloak, scepter, and crown, gave off the impression of a scholar. -Gulp "Come closer. You don''t need to kneel." Following his command, Ellen and I took a few steps closer to the Emperor. The Emperor looked at us. "How much do you two know about each other?" It was an unexpected question, but I knew what he was getting at. Ellen was hiding the fact that she was the younger sister of Artorius. I, too, was concealing that I was the master of Tiamata. His Majesty must be asking if we know each other. If not, it must be to protect our secret. "Though there''s much we don''t know, we know each other well enough," Ellen spoke before I could say anything. Though there''s much we don''t know, we know each other well enough. Her words seemed to dig deep into my heart. "That makes things easier. Good." The Emperor gazed at us in silence. "As the Emperor of the Empire, it is an honor to meet the Champion of Tu¡¯an and the Apostle of Mencius." At his words, we couldn''t help but be taken aback. The Emperor stood up and quietly looked out the window. "The gods do not choose Champions meaninglessly." Whether he was a believer in the Five Great Gods, we couldn''t tell. However, he couldn''t deny the existence of the gods, so he must be speaking of the divine providence itself. "Champions have always had their roles, and as long as there are situations in the world that require them, the artifacts and Champions will exist." "..." "..." "Ellen Artorius." "Yes." "The Alsebringer is in the possession of the Empire." The sword of the War God Alsebringer was a memento from Ellen''s older brother. "I figured as much." As if it wasn''t surprising, Ellen simply nodded. "If the Alsebringer chooses a Champion, there will be owners of three out of the five divine artifacts in the world." Three artifacts have appeared in the world. Two have already chosen their Champions, and the location of Alsebringer is certain. "During the Great Demon War, only two artifacts were in the world: Alsebringer wielded by Ragan Artorius and Lament. Moreover, only Alsebringer was actually used." The Emperor continued gazing out the window. "Now that the Great Demon War has ended, an additional artifact has appeared. What do you think that implies?" "Does it mean more dangerous events are on the horizon?" "¡­Perhaps." Ellen responded to the Emperor''s words. The gods don''t let artifacts wander the world carelessly. Even in the Great Demon War, humanity''s greatest crisis, only two artifacts appeared. Now, there''s one more. The Emperor seemed to interpret this as a bad omen for humanity''s fate. But that''s a misunderstanding. The Five Great Gods are not solely gods for humans. It seemed clear that even the Emperor couldn''t break free from such prejudice. The Emperor turned to face Ellen and me. "You must be aware of the recent rumors disturbing the Imperial capital." "Yes, Your Majesty." "Yes." "About twenty elite Holy Knights, including the former Holy Knight Commander Riverrier Lanze, were killed by an unidentified group of demons. All of them were war heroes who had performed admirably during the Great Demon War." Although this was already public knowledge, hearing the story from the Emperor''s mouth felt novel. Especially from the perspective of the mastermind behind the incident. ¡°Although this might simply be the work of remnants of the demon race, the royal family has taken the worst-case scenario into consideration." "..." "It could be that the Demon King is not dead, or there might be a successor." Ellen seemed tense and swallowed hard at those words. The Demon King. To Ellen, that name was inextricably linked to her destiny. Being the younger sister of the hero and born with an even greater talent than Ragan Artorius, Ellen had always been aware of the expectations placed upon her to become a hero. "You all possess sacred relics and are highly valuable talents. But you are still young." Although they had the qualities to become heroes, they were still mere sprouts, not yet ready. "But when the time comes, are you prepared to face the Demon King in battle?" The emperor''s question was met with silence from both Ellen and me. We couldn''t say no. However, Ellen had said that she didn''t want to live a life where she had to save the world with her own life. She had resolved not to make the same choice her brother had. At the same time, she had risked her life to prevent innocent people from dying in Darkland. Ellen had changed since the beginning of the semester. "If the Demon King desires the annihilation of humanity, if their goal is to destroy everything I love......" Ellen spoke calmly. "Yes, I will fight the Demon King." Unlike the original story, Ellen had created many precious things in her life. She had risked her life for the world even when she had nothing, but now the meaning was different. If the Demon King''s goal was to destroy everything in humanity, she would kill the Demon King. That was what Ellen said. The emperor then looked at me. "I feel the same way." It wasn''t about killing the Demon King. I was prepared to fight for that purpose, and I was already fighting. The emperor, in the end, gave a firm nod to Ellen and me, who gave different reasons but the same answer. "Thank you." The words of gratitude from the emperor''s lips were somehow surprising. "From now on, the empire promises to provide you with the utmost protection and cooperation." To the emperor, we were weapons to defeat the Demon King. Therefore, he promised not only the protection as Temple students but also unlimited cooperation from the empire until we became stronger. Unaware that the subject of their cooperation was the very Demon King they were desperately seeking. "And, Reinhardt." "Yes, Your Majesty." The emperor''s eyes revealed a slightly different emotion this time. It was a more emotional gaze than before when discussing the future of the empire and humanity. "Thank you for saving my daughter." A feeling that could be called paternal love. "...?" Naturally, Ellen tilted her head, not understanding what he meant. ------ After exchanging those words with the emperor, Ellen and I left the imperial palace under the guidance of the imperial guards. The emperor spoke to Ellen first, then to me. "Before long, there might be something you''ll need to do for Charlotte." "...Is that so?" "I''m not certain what it is yet, but can you do it?" The answer was predetermined. "Yes." "...Thank you, Reinhardt." There was a deep, unexpected resonance in the emperor''s genuine gratitude. Something to do for Charlotte. What that was, I didn''t know. But if it was for Charlotte, it had to be done. Of course, that was only an aside; the emperor''s true request was something else. In this situation, where the Demon King might have reincarnated, the emperor decided that my safety and that of Ellen Artorious, both of us possessing relics, should be of the utmost importance in the empire. In return for pledging our lives to the fight against the Demon King later, we were to receive nearly unlimited support from the empire. Ellen and I each took an item into our possession. It was the same royal crest we had briefly received from Charlotte. The emperor personally explained that with this, we were not merely Temple Royal class students, but possessed authority that surpassed even that of most high-ranking nobles. We could receive treatment nearly equivalent to that of royalty anywhere, and in serious cases, even borrow military forces. Put simply, From now on, not only were our Warp Gate usage fees free, but we also had a free pass. Of course, neither Ellen nor I felt this reality immediately. "Explain what happened." Left alone, Ellen asked me directly. I had no choice but to explain the whole situation to her. From the incident at the Spring Palace, Charlotte''s rampage, to the struggle we had in the Spring Palace with Saviolin Turner. Upon hearing the dates, Ellen seemed to recall the days I hadn''t returned to the Temple and realized when it had happened. "You said you''d never been to the imperial palace." "...I''m sorry." "You lied again." Although I had said I''d never been to the imperial palace today, it was revealed that I had, and even saved Charlotte while talking to the emperor. "It''s just that... it''s something no one should hear..." "...?" "It''s not that you shouldn''t hear it... It''s just that, well, there were others too." Ellen reluctantly nodded her head. "Right, it''s not your problem, but Charlotte''s. It must have been difficult to tell me because... it''s the royal family''s secret." Ellen lifted her head as if convinced. It was a matter I couldn''t arbitrarily discuss with anyone. Ellen seemed to be pondering something. She hesitated to say something, then raised her head with a start. "Can I be upset?" "...What?" "It seems like something I shouldn''t be upset about, but I''m upset." "Well, that''s... your feelings..." It''s strange that she''s seeking permission to be upset. "Then, I''m upset." As Ellen said this, her lips began to pout slightly. "Ah... I''m sorry..." "You always just say sorry." Grumbling, Ellen kicked a stray rock rolling around. "I want to hear something else." Ellen didn''t specify what that something else was. Just when I thought she was changing the subject, she turned her head. She stared intently at the main entrance of the imperial palace, Emperatos, behind us. Then she carefully took out the royal crest she had received from the emperor. "He said we''re now treated almost like royalty, right?" "We''re not actual royalty, but... yes, he did say that." "So, can we just go in there?" Ellen tilted her head. "Well...? It shouldn''t be impossible, should it?" The statement about being treated almost like royalty wasn''t something the emperor would say carelessly. The emperor considered us as weapons to fight the Demon King in the future. As champions who pledged their lives to the fight against the Demon King, he decided to provide us with the utmost protection and treatment until we become strong. Ellen stared blankly at the entrance of the imperial palace. I wasn''t sure why she was curious about that. "Let''s go back." Ellen began to stride away. Not towards the Temple. "Should we use the Gate?" "Yeah, we''re allowed to, right?" Ellen was heading towards the Warp Gate. It seemed I wasn''t the only one thinking of this as some sort of Warp Gate high-pass ticket. If you think about it, the most frequent benefit we would use from being treated almost like royalty would be the priority access to the Warp Gate. It may seem insignificant, but to me, it felt like an enormous privilege. No. Even Charlotte, who is actual royalty, travels using the magic train in the imperial capital. Isn''t it a bit of a nuisance for us to use the Warp Gate so casually? Of course, even with that thought in mind, I followed Ellen, who was striding towards the Warp Gate. If we can use it, then we should use it ¨C that''s just how it is. Her reassuring back conveyed that attitude. CH 332 "Since you all must kill the Demon King, we will buy as much time as we can for you to become stronger, while providing the maximum support the empire can offer," said the Emperor. It was amusing, but there was nothing they could do about the situation. They couldn''t exactly say, "Well, that''s actually our plan." The audience with the Emperor had finished, and the holiday had begun. Soon, the last day of the year was approaching. On the day the year changed, a small party was held at the A-class dormitory, attended by like-minded individuals. I prepared the food, and everyone, except for Bertus, had gathered. Today, even the notoriously clueless trio and Clifman joined in the fun at the cafeteria. I cooked, and Ellen helped by my side. "Ah, no... Reinhardt, you... you made all this?" "What''s impossible about it?" As it was the first time the clueless trio had tasted my cooking, their eyes widened in surprise. Cliffman, who had occasionally snuck bites of my food, didn''t seem particularly shocked. It was a day filled with eating and having fun. Of course, the true troublemaker, Liana de Grantz, who had surpassed our wildest expectations, went on an expedition to bring alcohol from the duke''s mansion. "Pour it up!" "Drink up!" Naturally, no one else even took a sip, but Liana and I drank heavily and became quite drunk before being subdued by Ellen and Harriet, respectively. Thankfully, due to being subdued early, there were no unfortunate incidents with the supervising teachers discovering us. ------ The new year had dawned. Since Sarkegaar was in contact with the revolutionary forces, and Eleris could ask for the Vampire Council''s help at any time, we decided to stay in the imperial city. I wanted to accompany Ellen to her hometown, but the circumstances wouldn''t allow it. It was a shame. "You can go alone." "Who doesn''t know that?" I walked beside Ellen, who was dragging a large trunk. I didn''t know when Ellen would return from her hometown, but she would be away for at least a few weeks. The temple had long since been left behind, and all Ellen had to do was enter the huge gate in front of the temple. Moreover, since she could use the royal crest to get a free pass, there was no need to wait. It would be nice if she could pass through the gate quickly. But somehow... I felt a pang of sadness. She would leave right after the holiday started. Ellen''s hometown was a rural village so remote that it didn''t even appear on maps. Ellen glanced at me while dragging her trunk, with the gate visible in the distance. "I''ll go." "Uh-huh." Ellen tilted her head, noticing my intense gaze. "Should I... not go?" "Uh?" "If you tell me not to go, I won''t." This is insane. Why would she throw me such a curveball? "No, you should go. Your parents must be worried since they haven''t seen you in a long time." Ellen''s parents would undoubtedly be concerned about their daughter''s well-being. I have a lot to do, and I might be away from the imperial city for several days, so it wouldn''t make sense for me to selfishly ask Ellen to stay. It was because she had come this far with me. Ellen stared at the gate for a while, then at me. Suddenly, she pointed to a caf¨¦ in the distance. "Should I leave a little later?" She said there was no rush, so she could kill some time and then go. "Okay." At my sharp response, Ellen grinned. In the end, we spent nearly six hours at the caf¨¦, sipping on beverages and idling away the time before she finally departed. It wasn''t as if we had shared any particularly exciting stories. We just sat there, staring blankly at the passersby and occasionally ordering a dessert to snack on. "..." "..." This felt like a soldier on leave who was reluctant to return to duty and separate from his girlfriend. Of course, the roles were reversed. Ellen was the one leaving, and I was the one staying. Unable to make a decision, Ellen tilted her head as the time grew more ambiguous. "Should I just leave tomorrow?" I swallowed down the words that almost came out in agreement. "¡­No, I''m sure we''ll do this again tomorrow, and you''ll end up leaving the day after. Just go now." "¡­" Ellen pouted slightly. "I don''t mean it like that. I''m just saying it''ll end up like that." "I know what you mean." We continued to waste time until Ellen finally stood in front of the gate. "I''ll be back." "Alright, take care." I didn''t know what she had to be careful of, but I said it anyway. "You too, be careful. With everything." Ellen nodded and walked towards the massive warp gate. Feeling a sense of regret, I watched her until she disappeared through the gate. Before entering the gate, Ellen glanced back at me, gave a small wave, and disappeared into it. I don''t know how to put it. Ellen and I... We''re awfully clingy... Not that it''s a bad thing... ------ "Is it safe to try this?" "They haven''t finished safety tests yet. What will you do if something goes wrong?" "Would it kill me?" "Yep, it might." "Oh... really..." I brought the bottle containing an unidentified blue potion to my lips, then set it down. The Magic Research Club''s mansion. I was here to check the progress of Moonshine and the power cartridges. It felt as if I were some sort of supervisor, but my actual role wasn''t much different, considering I was the president of the Magic Research Society. Christina, an alchemy major, said she had somewhat grasped the concept, so I tried to taste it, but she warned me that it might be lethal, so I put it down for now. "So, when do you think it''ll be complete?" "Um, I can''t be sure. Honestly, I think it''s a miracle that we''ve come this far..." Christina believed it was unbelievable that she had come this far. And she had a point. The Magic Research Society had been established less than six months ago. It was true that, even in the original work, this was something that was created quite quickly. So, I''m confident that it will be completed before this vacation ends. "It''s amazing... I know it''s funny to say this, but... it feels like fate. There''s something like that." A seemingly impossible item was ordered to be created. However, while working on it, Christina seemed to feel a sense of destiny as she figured out how it could be done. "Then it''s a good thing." "Yep." I can''t go as far as to discuss the fact that I know the future. Christina is not the problem. The problem is somewhere else. "Reinhardt..." "...Uh, why?" "Would you like to try this...?" Anna de Gerna. She was one of the main characters in the alchemy experiments with Christina, and she was the problem. Anna presented me with an unidentified pink fluorescent substance with a gloomy expression. "Wha... What is this?" "It''s good for your body..." "Oh, no. I... I''m healthy enough, so I don''t need to be better... I... I''m sorry." She''s so scary! Every time I come here, she subtly tries to feed me something, but her intentions never seem pure! I can''t mess with her like I do with Liana. Although she seems to have some goodwill towards me, I have no idea what kind of things she might do if this goodwill turns into malice. "Anna! Stop trying to feed Reinhardt weird stuff!" Thankfully, Christina stopped Anna, and Anna put the medicine bottle back into her arms with a sullen expression. "Tsk..." Really scary... Every time I come here, I firmly resolve not to eat anything accidentally. ------ Next up was, of course, the power cartridge. The purpose of the Magic Research Society was mainly focused on Moonshine and power cartridges. -Uuung In the basement of the mansion, designed to withstand the greatest shock, Harriet was concentrating intensely with her eyes closed, holding an artifact made of blue crystal. -Uuuung! The blue artifact vibrated, emitting light and pulsating. Adelia, myself, and the little senior, Rudina, were watching it, holding our breaths. The vibration from the blue-lit artifact gradually intensified. -Kukkak! -Kyak! In the end, the power cartridge exploded and shattered into pieces. Harriet wasn''t injured due to the protection field she had deployed, but if it had exploded without protection, it would have been a terrifying explosion, enough to blow away an arm. "...It exploded again." Adelia sighed as if the ground was collapsing. "Does it explode often?" "Almost." Isn''t the process too dangerous? Although the explosion was defended by the protection, Harriet, with her hair sticking out, came out of the safe room. "Why are you doing it so dangerously?" "...If not like this, then how else should it be done?" In response to my reproach, Harriet placed her hand on her waist and challenged me as if to say, "If there''s another way, show it to me." "Well, I can''t argue with that... But still, it''s because we''re worried." "I know you''re worried, but there''s no other way." In the Magic Research Club, Harriet has the most outstanding ability to handle magic power. Therefore, only Harriet can attempt to use the unstable magic power within the cartridge like the magic power within her body. If an unskilled person fails, it would be unclear whether the failure is due to their lack of magic power control or a defect in the cartridge itself. That''s why Harriet has always been in charge of the power cartridge experiments. Recently, while they''ve managed to store magic power in the cartridge, there seems to be a problem with its utilization. Every time a cartridge explodes, so does their budget. "What could be the problem?" "I felt the artifact''s magic power resonate with my physical body, but it''s still weak. When I try to cast magic, it seems like the circuitry can''t withstand it." "Is it a matter of durability?" "It doesn''t seem to be just that." "Underclassmen! Let''s review the circuit design!" The three magic major students mumbled incomprehensibly. Nevertheless, it seemed they had made some progress and entered the intermediate stage. Moonshine and power cartridges. One way or another, it seems they should be completed by next year. Honestly, even if they''re not completed by next year, it doesn''t matter much. Both will be helpful even after the Gate Incident. If they are completed before the incident, they will greatly enhance their power. Harriet has succeeded in drastically reducing magic casting time. So, all they need is magical power. Once the power cartridge is completed, it will unleash tremendous power. And the one who motivated Harriet to awaken her new way of using magic, "I think we should use an open-type." "Do you think so?" "Try it, and if it doesn''t work, then stop!" Little Redina. Harriet mimicked Redina''s talent. With Redina''s no-casting talent, they should be able to fully demonstrate the true power of the power cartridge. Things are going well, but bitterness eventually surfaces. The thought that all their work here, huddled together, ultimately leads to war is inescapable. These young ones will soon be thrown into a fight to kill or be killed, and some may die. They didn''t want to deny that this was necessary, but knowing that everyone would get hurt in the end, they couldn''t feel entirely happy. The trio, who had been mumbling for a while, seemed to have set a direction for the time being, as Adelia decided to design the power cartridge according to the new blueprint. "Hey." "What?" "I''m going out of the temple for a while, do you have time?" Harriet seemed to have some business to attend to. "It''s time to start researching dimensional magic." Harriet''s original role was to research dimensional magic. With the tournament over and the break upon us, it seemed like it was finally time to focus on dimensional magic research. "Why should I go?" "Just come with me, you fool!" Harriet seemed to insist that I follow her without question, and so I did. ------ Harriet and I left the Magic Research Society''s mansion. Harriet carried a small backpack with her, though I had no idea what was inside. "I wonder if Ellen made it back safely?" "I''m sure she did." Everyone knew that Ellen had returned to her hometown. "I''m curious about what Ellen''s hometown looks like. Aren''t you?" "It''s just a countryside village, what''s there to be curious about?" "Well, it''s also the hometown of Ragan Artorius..." Ah. Come to think of it, Ellen''s hometown was also the birthplace of Ragan Artorius. So, she''s thinking about it as visiting the hero''s birthplace. But the general public didn''t know which village Ragan Artorius was from. If they did, it wouldn''t be a simple countryside village anymore. Putting aside the discussion about whether Ragan Artorius'' sacrifice was necessary or not, it seemed that Harriet personally admired and respected the hero. Who wouldn''t? "Should I ask if we can visit sometime?" "¡­That''s up to you, but remember that it''s a countryside village." "What''s wrong with that? I think it would be a quiet and lovely place, like something out of a fairy tale." "Do you think turning a faucet there would give you running water?" "¡­Ah." Don''t assume that the living conditions would be the same as in the capital everywhere on the continent. Harriet seemed a bit taken aback by my comment. "Consider yourself lucky if you don''t pass out when using a traditional toilet." "Traditional¡­? What''s that?" Harriet tilted her head as if she''d never heard the word before. Well, there''s no reason for you to have toilets on your mind. "Never thought I''d be the one to explain toilets to you. Listen up, you blockhead." "What, what? If it''s something disgusting, don''t say it!" "In places without proper sewage systems, they dig a large hole in the ground and bury a huge container. They then build a toilet on top of it, and that''s where they do their business¡­" "Stop it, I said!" "Of course, the waste doesn''t go through sewage pipes; it just accumulates in the container. Every time you go in, you can see the traces of life piled up so thickly¡­" "I said stop it! Ugh, I feel like I''m going to throw up!" "That''s not all; when the container is full, they scoop it out one bucket at a time. Then, they mix it with straw and let it ferment¡­" -Slap! "Stop it!" In the end, I got slapped. Harriet had a vivid imagination. It seemed that what she heard from me had stuck in her mind, and she couldn''t help but picture it. "But¡­that can''t be¡­ Wouldn''t it smell?" "Of course, it would." "Then how¡­how do people¡­ use it?" "They just endure it." "Uh, ugh... ugh..." Harriet''s face fell. She might have seen worse on the deserted island, but that would still leave her traumatized. She''d faint the moment she enters a traditional restroom, definitely. "Just because it''s a place like something out of a fairy tale doesn''t mean we live like we''re in one." "You''re really horrible, you know!" Harriet grumbled at me for unnecessarily shattering the illusion as she strode ahead. "Didn''t think I could go to such a place, huh?" "No idea!" "Aren''t you pointlessly sorry to Ellen now?" "Shut up!" In the end, Harriet''s face crumpled and she pleaded with me to be quiet. ------ Harriet and I arrived near the huge warp gate at the entrance of the temple. The atmosphere of the main street was still tense, but the commotion had subsided, so it wasn''t as crowded as before, except for the queue at the warp gate. "Dimensional magic..." Harriet had used the excuse of ''wanting to go to another world,'' but she seemed to have been conducting research on dimensional magic as I had asked, albeit sporadically. Of course, she was busy with other things, so it was difficult to achieve any significant results. "Remember when I told you that dimensional magic is used in various magic fields, even if only a little?" "Right." "Do you know the difference between dimensional magic and spatial magic?" "How would I know?" I only knew there was such a thing as magic, but I didn''t understand its principles. Even if Harriet explained it, I doubted I could understand. Harriet and I went to a quiet open space outside the temple. It was a place where the temple''s warp gate was visible in the distance. "I still can''t use teleportation, but you''ve seen me use blink, right?" "Right." "Watch this." Harriet seemed to concentrate, and soon she appeared about three steps to the right of where she had been. "This is blink." "Yeah, I see." It seemed she had chosen a place with few people, so they wouldn''t be alarmed when she used magic. "The concept is that my body moves. Teleportation isn''t much different. It''s the concept of swapping the spatial coordinates where my body is with the target location... You don''t understand this, do you?" "No, not at all." Seeing my eyes lose focus while listening to the explanation, Harriet sighed as if she was deflated. "Anyway, teleportation and blink are magics that deal with space." "Aren''t space and dimension similar concepts?" "Uh... They''re similar but a bit different. In magic, dimension is a higher concept." Harriet pointed to the distant warp gate. "The warp gate system is not magic that deals with space, but magic that deals with dimensions." "What''s the difference, specifically?" "Uh... How should I explain this? There are many types of magic related to portals and gates, but ultimately, they connect one space to another." Harriet spread her right and left hands wide apart. "Imagine that my left and right hands each represent a gate of the same system. Then, there is magic that connects these two separate spaces unidirectionally or bidirectionally as if they were attached. That''s what a gate is." "Well... I guess so." It''s not like I haven''t used a warp gate before. A warp gate creates a dimensional door that functions as if two distant spaces are connected. "Do you understand the difference between my body moving and creating a dimensional door that connects spaces?" "So, connecting spaces is a higher-level magic, is that it?" "I''m not sure if ''higher-level'' is the right expression, but the basic premise is completely different. Spatial travel magic requires precise calculation of my spatial coordinates and the target coordinates, while gate magic is about creating a portal that connects two separated spaces." Although traveling through distant spaces may be the same for warp gates and teleportation, the basic concepts are completely different. "Of course, it''s not entirely incorrect to call spatial travel magic a type of dimensional magic. However, gate magic is a field that more delicately interferes with dimensions." The concept of dimensional magic itself was said to be scarce. That''s because it is used to some extent in most magic systems. "Actually, the method of going to another world that you''re curious about isn''t that difficult." "Really?" Is it easy? What''s this about? "If you have infinite magic power and accurate location, it''s possible." "So, you''re saying it''s not possible?" "If we know the exact location of another world, we can open a dimensional door to it with infinite magic power. Of course, it won''t work with a regular dimensional door." "So, you''re saying it''s not possible?" "Yeah." Harriet gave a clear answer. The method itself is simple. It''s just that infinite magic power does not exist, and we can''t know the location of another world, so even if we know, we can''t do it. However, infinite magic power is not an essential condition of the two. As long as infinite magic power isn''t required to connect the other world with a dimensional door. Anyway, warp gates are connected to other worlds, and that means the condition of infinite magic power does not have to be met. Apart from my small epiphany, Harriet was looking at the warp gate in the distance. "But while studying separately, I found out something about that warp gate." "Oh?" "It''s a much more advanced magic than I thought, and there are a lot of secrets. There''s hardly any public information, and the Magic Association and the Royal Family strictly manage it." "Well, that''s to be expected, right?" "Of course, it is. Not just anyone can create a warp gate." Warp gates must be crucial infrastructure for humanity, so maintenance would be thorough, and keeping the technology secret would be important. Harriet looked at the warp gate and tilted her head. "So, I was kind of curious." "About what?" "Could someone create a private warp gate? If they could, would it be possible to connect it to that warp gate? If someone could interfere with the dimensional doors of the warp gate system itself... wouldn''t that be a big problem?" Harriet hadn''t foreseen the gate incident. However, it seemed that she had become somewhat aware of the inherent dangers of the warp gate itself. CH 333 To use a modern analogy, it seemed as though Harriet was considering the possibility of someone hacking into the warp gate server. It wouldn''t be impossible. If one had knowledge of the warp gate''s design, they could create a private warp gate that would function identically to the existing ones. Furthermore, all warp gates are interconnected. Let''s assume that someone could create a warp gate connected to another world. If so, with just one gate, anyone passing through it could be scattered across the continent, and the conclusion is drawn. There''s also the possibility that they might not even have to create one. If a single warp gate were turned into a gate connected to another world... All the warp gates on the continent could pour out monsters from that other world. It felt like walking on thin ice. The method of opening a dimensional door connected to another world. The method of hacking the warp gate system. Knowing just these two things, the continent would be prepared to face a gate crisis at any time. "So in the end, I think I''ll understand the dimensional magic a little better if I understand the warp gate system more, but as you know, it''s classified, so I can''t know it... It''s a bit overwhelming to try on my own." Harriet sighed deeply. There was information, but it was the empire''s top secret, so it was inaccessible. Harriet''s status was very high, but what she wanted was a special secret of the royal family and the magic world. "¡­Well, I think I can help you with that." "You can?" I took out the royal crest from my pocket. "What''s this? Why do you have it¡­?" "I received it a few days ago." The royal crest. It allowed me to receive the empire''s cooperation to the fullest extent and be treated as royalty wherever I went. Harriet was surprised and bewildered that I carried the royal crest. "Shouldn''t this be enough to help?" It might not work, but it''s worth a try. I couldn''t ask for the warp gate system itself, but perhaps they could share knowledge about dimensional magic. Harriet''s face, which had been drained of color, momentarily lit up. "R-really? Will it really work?" "I don''t know that yet." "Come on, let''s try something quickly!" Harriet was a magician. She was more excited than I was at the prospect of gaining new knowledge. ------ It was uncertain whether the royal family would provide information on the warp gate, which was the empire''s top secret, but there was always an open window for me. Bertus seemed to be staying in the Winter Palace for the break, as he had business to attend to, while Charlotte had returned to the Royal Class dormitory. Since her health could deteriorate at any time, she wanted to be as close to me as possible, who could handle her condition. Naturally, for the sake of dealing with any emergency, Saviolin Turner also returned to her position as the Royal Class dormitory supervisor. And so, naturally, the person that Harriet and I went to see was not Bertus, but Charlotte. "Dimensional magic research?" "Yeah, Harriet wants to study it for purely academic reasons. The Empire has a lot of knowledge about it, right?" Of course, I didn''t mention any nonsense about the other world to Charlotte. "Hmm, the materials in the temple aren''t enough?" Charlotte is not a mage. That''s why she seemed to not understand why we needed the royal family''s cooperation in this matter. I explained various things on behalf of the hesitating Harriet. There would undoubtedly be a lot of research materials on dimensional magic in the royal family and the Magic Association, who developed the warp gate system. However, we couldn''t access that information because it was considered highly confidential. "If it''s confidential, then there must be a reason for it. I can''t easily decide on such matters, but I think I can request some cooperation from the Royal Magic Department." "Re-really?!" Harriet was so happy that she almost jumped on the spot. Even for the princess of the well-known magic Duchy of Saint Owan, accessing the royal family''s confidential research materials would have been a dream. Charlotte quickly wrote a document in the lounge and handed it to Harriet. "I''ll put in a word for you. Take this to the Royal Magic Department tomorrow, not today." "Th-thank you... Thank you, Your High... Ah, no, Charlotte!" "Huh. It''s not a big deal." Charlotte looked at me and gave me a subtle smile, as if she was doing this favor because of me. "Reinhardt, come to see me later." "Sure." Charlotte said that, as if she had something to tell me. Harriet, who had obtained the permission too easily, looked flustered all the way back to the A-Class dormitory. Staring blankly at the permit, she carefully folded it and put it away, then looked at me with a puzzled expression. "But, now that I think about it, why are you close with the princess... I mean, Charlotte?" It seemed that Harriet had just started thinking about this issue. There was no reason for Charlotte and me, who were in different classes, to be close. Moreover, we even planned to have a separate conversation. But isn''t it too late to ask that now? "Because I''m handsome." "¡­What am I supposed to respond to that?" Harriet''s expression turned genuinely disgusted. Wow. She''s really showing her true colors. Harriet stared at me, urging me to stop joking and tell her the real reason. "Hey, why did you and I become friends?" "Huh?" At my counter-question, Harriet furrowed her brow, seemingly contemplating the past. Numerous memories passed by like a revolving lantern. It all started when I stood up to a crazy classmate who was bullying the seniors and got an earful. After that, her nickname became ''Madcap,'' running around wildly and eventually bursting into tears. The memories that followed. "That''s... true¡­" Harriet''s complexion began to pale. "Me... friends with... someone like you... How on earth did that happen?" She found it absurd to think that she, who had a towering pride, noble background, and outstanding talent, had become friends with someone who was a street urchin and ridiculed her for her thickheadedness. "There are people in the world who enjoy being tormented, perhaps you''re one of them." "No! I hate it! I hate it, you fool!" At my remark, Harriet''s face turned bright red. "Really, how did it happen? How did I... how did I end up...?" "Well, as you said, ''how did it happen,'' right?" "What?" To be honest, I never intended to become friends with Harriet. It was just one of those things that happened. Teasing her made her look cute, and when she cried, I felt sorry for her and treated her well. Everything doesn''t always go as planned, and among those unplanned events, there are good ones as well. "It''s no different with Charlotte." Just like how I became friends with you, my friendship with Charlotte also happened by chance. When I concealed my identity as Valier and joined a different class, I had no way of becoming friends with Charlotte. It all started when she approached me to find Valier. "...Is that so?" Harriet murmured vacantly. And a while later. -Whack! Whack! "Ah, I knew it, I''m so furious! You! Why did you do this to me! To me, why!" "Ouch, you''ve been hitting me all the time lately!" Harriet''s face flushed red as she pounded on my shoulder. It didn''t hurt at all, but it was rather pitiful. ------ Harriet would continue her research on dimensional magic with the support of the Royal Magic Department. I''m not sure what she''ll discover in the process, but since she''s the type to learn ten things if she learns one in terms of magic, there''s a possibility she''ll find something useful. Today''s conversation alone had given us a few leads. The Gate incident might be a dangerous lead, as it could be very easy to trigger if we know the method. After some time, I headed to Class B''s dormitory, since Charlotte had mentioned she wanted to talk. "Are you here?" "Yeah." Charlotte was waiting for me in the dormitory''s lounge. No one else was in the lounge, and I wondered what they were up to. The original plot had taken a significant turn. Saviolin Turner had become a permanent resident, and Ludwig had opened his eyes to the desire to become stronger. Therefore, Ludwig would normally have to go on a trip during this winter break, but it seemed he had decided to spend this winter break training with Saviolin Turner. All things considered, this was better than the original plot. Charlotte poured me some black tea, and although I still didn''t know the taste of tea, I sipped it down. Charlotte savored the black tea while looking at the winter sunlight outside the lounge window. "They said you met His Majesty. With Ellen." "Yes, I did." "And you received the royal crest too?" "Yes, that''s right." Charlotte placed her teacup down and gently laid her hand atop mine, which was holding my own teacup. "..." There was a particular emotion in Charlotte''s eyes. It was a hint of sadness. Charlotte must have known well what it meant for Ellen and me to receive the royal emblem. We grant you unlimited privileges, but in return, risk your lives in the battle against the Demon King. That was the implication, and it was something that Ellen, Charlotte, and I all understood. "I''ve been thinking that he might be behind all this." "Really?" Charlotte already knew that Valier was no ordinary person. Yet despite knowing this, she didn''t doubt him and cut off all contact in order to avoid any further suspicion. If Valier was indeed behind everything, Charlotte, who knew of Eleris''s whereabouts, could have attempted to capture Eleris whenever she wanted. Of course, it wouldn''t be easy. Charlotte silently gazed out of the window. She continued to hold my hand without moving. "If he truly is the surviving heir of the Demon King, what should I do?" "..." Charlotte looked at me. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I really hate the thought of you having to risk your life fighting against him." Charlotte''s sorrow had its roots in a place I hadn''t anticipated. Both Valier and I were precious to her. As the owner of Tiamata, I had been chosen along with Ellen to stand against the Demon King. Charlotte, who didn''t want Valier to get hurt, had still kept the whereabouts of Eleris a secret. She could have attacked her at any time if she suspected him of being the mastermind, but she hadn''t. But now, the situation had changed. Since I had been chosen as the one to stand against the Demon King, there was a growing fear of the possibility that I might die in the process of fighting for my life against the Demon King. Valier and me. She thought she stood at a crossroads, having to choose between the two of us. Her sad dilemma was reasonable, as she couldn''t know that we were the same person. She believed that she should find Valier for my sake. At least to determine whether or not he was truly involved. But Charlotte hesitated, afraid that she might learn an irreversible truth. Eleris had to leave the imperial capital or find refuge elsewhere. At least, that much was certain. I trusted Charlotte, but her faith in Valier was wavering. Because of me, the same being. "I''ll tell the magician to run far away." "Huh?" "Then it will be fine." Charlotte appeared stunned, as if she had heard something unexpected. "I don''t believe that the Demon King''s heir, with the ruined Demon World behind him, could quickly amass enough power to threaten the empire." "Even if he does manage to gather a few strong demons, what could they possibly achieve?" "As the one chosen to fight the Demon King if they become a threat, I have the right to make this decision." "And we still don''t know for sure whether that child is truly involved in this matter, so don''t feel too guilty." It''s all lies. I have to tell such blatant lies right in front of Charlotte, without changing my expression. I pretend to be sacrificing myself, even though I''m not. Charlotte stares at me blankly. My words tell her that I''ll bear the risk in the future, so there''s no need to chase the child right now. In the end, hearing my words, Charlotte begins to cry in front of me. "I''m sorry, Reinhardt..." Charlotte seemed deeply sorry for being unable to make a decision easily, even though she knew what the best choice for me was in this impossible situation. But what Charlotte felt sorry for... My guilt was dozens of times greater, weighing heavily on my heart. "Now... I''ll... completely forget about... that child..." Charlotte said this would be the last act of kindness and mercy for Valier. From now on, she would always stand by Reinhardt''s side. She told me, Valier and Reinhardt. ------ I hadn''t thought about this problem. Although Charlotte was aware of Valier''s suspicious behavior, I didn''t expect her to dig into it. But I didn''t anticipate the situation where her trust in Valier would waver due to her concern for me, especially after the Emperor granted the royal crest to me and Ellen. Now that the demon forces have revealed themselves, Charlotte had no choice but to make sure of Valier''s whereabouts for my sake. That''s why I went to see Eleris right away. "We need... to move our hideout..." "We should be careful when contacting through royal road now. From now on, let''s communicate mainly through the Rotary Club. There will be delays in communication, but it''s not the time to worry about that." "Yes, Your Highness. I understand what you mean." In Eleris'' basement room, Eleris understood perfectly well why she had to move her hideout due to the changed circumstances after I met the Emperor and Charlotte''s emotional state. Usually, that would have been the end of it, but these days, there was another person to worry about at Eleris'' hideout. "It would be sad to keep this child locked up here, so it would be nice to move to a place where she can live more freely." -Twitch "What are you scared of when I haven''t said anything?" It''s Lydia Schmitt. Lydia trembled at my gaze as if she were on pins and needles. Somehow, she''s the only temple student who knows that I am the successor to the Demon King. Eleris, being who she is, probably didn''t abuse or mistreat her, but Lydia looked pale and dispirited. "Tsk, at least we were able to save Olivia thanks to your pointless actions..." I suppose this is what you call reaping what you sow. If Lydia Schmitt hadn''t acted up, I would have had to watch Olivia make a drastic choice or fall into the hands of Riverrier Lanze. Or I wouldn''t even have known that Adriana had died. Lydia sat on the floor, trembling as she watched my every move. Her eyes seemed to beg for death. Now, I have no feelings for Lydia Schmitt, but I can''t just let her go. There''s a limit to being swayed by petty acknowledgement, especially since Lydia Schmitt knows too much that she shouldn''t. "So, what do you plan to do?" "Um, first of all, I think I''ll go to the Council. There... the child won''t be able to escape, so she can live more freely. Besides, a meeting will be convened soon." The Vampire Council. A place known to humans as Epiaux fortress. It seemed Eleris intended to take Lydia Schmitt there for a while. It wouldn''t take long to settle the store. "Has the date been set?" "It should be soon. Once the exact schedule is determined, I''ll pass it on to the Club, and if you''re there at the appointed time, I''ll come to escort you." "Alright, got it." Lydia probably didn''t understand the conversation going on. I crouched down in front of the terrified Lydia Schmitt. "Senior." "Y-yes..." Lydia Schmitt''s eyes fell rapidly. Her zealous faith crumbled easily at the mere mention of vampirism. Even if she wanted to believe in me because I was an apostle of God, it became impossible once she knew I was the Demon King. Lydia Schmitt had no other choice but to break down. "Eleris isn''t that bad..." "..." "At least better than me. You can live more comfortably." -Pat, pat I patted Lydia Schmitt''s shoulder and stood up. I only planned to leave her in Eleris'' care. If she breaks down, she breaks down; if she adapts and gets used to it, that''s that. "Let''s go." "Take care, Your Highness." Eleris heads to the royal road. I felt the situation was gradually, genuinely turning around. In fact, rather than turning around in earnest, it felt like it was becoming irreversible. Such thoughts kept pressing on my mind. CH 334 Eleris moved quickly. Suspecting that Charlotte de Gradias'' pursuit might begin, Eleris took action. "It''s going to be cold. You need to dress warmly." Since they were already heading towards the polar region in winter, Eleris made sure to dress Lydia Schmitt in a thick coat and winter clothing. Aside from that, Eleris only packed the most essential items. There was no particular sentiment in leaving the Royal Road for Eleris. After all, it was a place she could return to at any time. However, the knowledge that her return to the Vampire Council marked the beginning of a significant shift weighed heavily on her heart. Something was about to begin. A path that would either protect the world or lead to its destruction, she couldn''t tell which. Hoping that Valier''s words were true, Eleris cast Mass Teleport. -Whoosh The location was known as the Epiaux fortress among humans, but its original purpose was to serve as a gathering place for the noble vampire families. Eleris arrived at the snow-covered fortress with Lydia Schmitt. "...Where is this?" "Have you been here before? I heard the last time His Highness visited was during the Temple group mission." "No, this is my first time... here." "There probably won''t be anyone else here... but just in case, don''t stray too far from me." Shivering, Lydia followed Eleris as she led the way. Eleris opened the side door to the cold, desolate fortress and entered. -Uhh... sob... sob... "Wh-who... who''s there?!" Lydia was alarmed by the sounds of sobbing echoing throughout the place. "Low-level spirits," Eleris replied. Though merely low-ranking apparitions, they were irritating. Lydia Schmitt''s face turned pale as she watched the ghosts phase through the walls at will. What kind of place is this? Ideally, she would think only of eradicating such impure beings, but the deeply ingrained fear within her made her feel weak. The sound of Eleris''s calm footsteps echoed through the cold, gloomy corridor. "From now on, I won''t be monitoring you closely. You won''t even know where you are, and there''s no human habitation within hundreds of kilometers of this place. If you try to escape, I will come after you, but not to punish you¡ªit''s because I''m afraid you''ll die." At Eleris''s words, Lydia Schmitt simply nodded blankly. "Don''t worry, I''ll take care of your food, clothing, and shelter." Only a mage capable of using teleportation magic could even reach this environment. If Eleris were to leave Lydia here and go away, she would inevitably wither away and die. "But if you commit suicide because I''m not monitoring you, I''ll turn you into a vampire out of spite." Eleris turned to look at Lydia as they spoke. "Do you understand?" "...Yes." "When I deem you safe, and with His Majesty''s permission, I will set you free. I can''t say when that''ll be, but it won''t be forever." At those words, a small glimmer of hope seemed to ignite in Lydia''s heart. The vampire before her was not the evil creature she had imagined. Though her existence might be wicked, her disposition was not. In the end, Lydia Schmitt surrenders to the tender and sad smile directed towards her by Eleris. Therefore, Lydia Schmitt clings to hope. Hope. Unaware that it is always the precursor to greater despair. -Step, step Then, Eleris halts at the sound of footsteps echoing from afar. "It seems we have a visitor." Aside from the lower spirits, someone else is in the Epiaux. Eleris stops in the castle corridor, looking into the darkness to see someone approaching. She glances at Lydia and puts her index finger to her lips. "Don''t say anything. Don''t even look." Heeding the seemingly cautious words, Lydia nods and lowers her head. The figure soon emerges from the darkness of the corridor. White hair, black eyes. An elderly man, clad in a black suit and carrying an antique wooden cane. "It''s been a while, Eleris." "...It has, Antirianus." Despite the old man appearing older at first glance, it was strange for Lydia to see him addressing the seemingly young woman Eleris with respect. "I heard a meeting was to be held, so I came a bit early and have been staying here... And you''ve brought a curious one with you." The man called Antirianus looks at Lydia, who stands trembling behind Eleris. "And now, you plan to bring an even more bizarre one?" "Don''t use the term ''bizarre.'' He is my liege." At those words, a smile played at the corners of Antirianus''s mouth. "My liege... my liege, you say..." "..." Unable to suppress his laughter, Eleris''s expression hardens. "Does the young Demon King know who you are?" "He doesn''t. And he won''t in the future, either." "Oh, in that case, everyone in the Council must be cautious." Lydia Schmitt couldn''t understand the conversation. "Everyone will begin to gather soon. Once they do, the meeting called by the Lord of Tuesday will commence." Leaving behind an ambiguous smile, the old man called Antirianus slowly distanced himself from them. Eleris looks at Lydia. "Lydia." "..." "You can speak now." "Ah, yes..." Afraid that speaking would cause trouble when told to be quiet, Lydia only opens her mouth after Eleris''s words. "I don''t think anyone will harm you, but it''s better not to converse with beings other than me." Eleris spoke to Lydia, "Remember, you are the only human here." Eleris sternly warned her. ------ Southwest of Kernstadt, the Second Empire, near the border in the frontier. Few people knew of the existence of such a village. A rural village, Rezaira. The hometown of Ragan Artorious and Ellen. After a long time, Ellen had returned to her hometown, Rezaira. The villagers welcomed her warmly, and Ellen, originally from the countryside, felt at ease with her hair tied back casually as before. She caught up with her old friends and told them about the empire. Everything that held no fascination for Ellen was a series of wonders for the children of Rezaira, such as the magic trains. The village held a feast to celebrate Ellen''s return during her break. Generous servings of meat and bread filled the banquet table. After the surprisingly lavish feast for a rural village, Ellen went on a nighttime walk with her parents for the first time in a long while. On the northern hillside of Rezaira at night, Ellen sat between her mother and father. Ellen shared various stories. The experiences she had at the temple, the tales of her many new friends. Her parents were delighted that Ellen seemed to be living a pure and happy life. However, as she shared these seemingly insignificant stories, Ellen''s heart grew heavier. Although the conversation began with light-hearted stories, inevitably, only the heavy stories remained. There were things she didn''t want to discuss, but she had to. Ellen had come home for a break. Although she had returned to rest, Ellen had something to tell her parents. Something she needed to say. The full moon shone brightly in the winter night sky. After sitting quietly for a while, Ellen softly spoke. "It seems the Demon King is not dead or a new one has appeared." "¡­" "¡­" At her words, both of Ellen''s parents'' expressions hardened. Just as Ellen had lost her brother to the Demon King, they too had lost their son. The name of the Demon King was not one to be taken lightly. "I met with His Majesty the Emperor a while ago." Ellen''s parents listened quietly to her story. "He asked if I could fight the Demon King... I heard such words." Ellen''s mother gently took her hand. Her father wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I still can''t understand my brother." "But, if the Demon King is the one who wants the things I love to disappear, if the Demon King is such an entity." "I said I would fight the Demon King." Ellen looked at her parents. "I''m sorry." They had lost their son in the fight against the Demon King and now, they might have to lose their daughter in the next battle. Ellen didn''t want to bring such sorrow to her parents. But Ellen knew it too. If only Ragan Artorius could have stood up against the Demon King, then she would be the only one who could stand up against the next Demon King. But she wasn''t alone. She had people who would fight with her. That''s why Ellen could make that resolution. If the world was going to force her to defeat the Demon King, she would have no choice but to accept her fate. She apologized to her parents, who were standing in front of their daughter. Their daughter who had decided to risk her life in a battle at such a young age. Ellen''s mother and father exchanged glances. "Ellen, can we talk to you separately for a moment?" "Yeah." "Just wait a moment." As if they had something to discuss with each other, Ellen''s mother and father left her sitting there and went off somewhere. Ellen gazed up at the sky in silence. She didn''t know what her mother and father had talked about when her brother was outside dealing with various matters. There were times when he would come back in the middle of the night, gently stroke her sleeping head by her bedside, and leave again. Her brother always shared important matters with their parents, and she was never a part of those conversations. Ellen didn''t know what her parents thought about her brother''s decisions and actions. All she remembered was being slapped by her usually gentle father when she had badmouthed her brother''s final moments. It was a rainy day. Her mother and father must have been more heartbroken. Ellen still hated herself for that time. Now, time had passed, and her parents were faced with a daughter who had made the same choice as their son. Ellen couldn''t imagine how they must have felt. Would her parents oppose it? Having already lost a son like that, they wouldn''t want their daughter to be involved in such a dangerous situation, would they? What should she do then? If she didn''t fight, Reinhardt would have to fight alone. Of course, Reinhardt wouldn''t be alone, but in a situation where they needed someone with a sacred artifact, if she backed out... If the world wanted a second hero and Ellen wasn''t there... Reinhardt would be forced to become that second hero. Avoiding a battle against a powerful, unknown entity would put Reinhardt in even greater danger. That''s why Ellen couldn''t choose to avoid the fight. After a while, her parents returned. Her mother took Ellen''s hand. "My daughter." Ellen met her mother''s sorrowful eyes. "Can''t you change your mind?" "......" Of course, they had no choice but to oppose such a decision. They had already lost a son in a similar situation, and the thought of their daughter doing the same would be devastating. Ellen lowered her gaze. "......I''m sorry, Mom. Dad." She couldn''t not fight. Especially since she wasn''t alone. If she didn''t step forward, Reinhardt would have to stand alone in front of the Demon King. That''s why Ellen felt even more guilty in front of her grieving parents'' plea. Neither her mother nor father spoke for a while. Ellen did not try to persuade or plead for long. When her daughter spoke to that extent, it was as if they knew they couldn''t change her stubbornness. Parents can''t help but know their child well. "Then let''s go somewhere with your mother and father for a moment." "Where?" "You''ll know when we get there." Her mother took Ellen''s hand, helped her up, and led the way. Being familiar with hiking, both Ellen''s mother and father found their way easily, even in the middle of the night. The place where Ellen''s family arrived was a valley near the village of Rezaira. It was a place familiar to Ellen as well, for whenever she played in the water as a child, it was always here. Her mother slowly approached the rather massive frozen waterfall in the valley and gently touched the icy wall. "...?" Ellen couldn''t help but be flabbergasted by the scene unfolding before her eyes. As if the space itself had become distorted, suddenly, the center of the frozen waterfall split wide open. It wasn''t that the ice had shattered; it seemed as if the space itself had been intruded upon and a gap had been created. "W-what... What is this?" Ellen, seeing this spectacle for the first time in her life, couldn''t find the words to say. However, her mother and father calmly held Ellen''s hand and stepped into the interior of the waterfall. It was Ellen who had lived here all her life. But it was the first time she had seen this space behind the occasional waterfall in the valley. She had seen the waterfall blocked off several times. But there was a cave behind it. "Ellen, follow us for now." Her mother led the way, and as her father manipulated something nearby, a dim light began to swirl around the cave. In the pale blue light, Ellen, unable to understand the situation, slowly walked into the cave, following her parents'' lead. "Your brother didn''t intend to go on an adventure from the beginning." "What... do you mean?" "He originally left the village to find ''a certain item''. Because Ragan was so talented, the village council decided on it." Ellen was completely unaware of this. She thought Ragan Artorius was just a free spirit who enjoyed adventures, but that wasn''t the case at all. What kind of place was Rezaira? Ellen realized she didn''t know anything about the place where she had spent her entire life. "So, he met many people, experienced many things, and made many friends. Eventually, he came to think of the world''s matters as more important than those of the village... That''s what happened." "What is... what is it? Our village... what is it?" "Later." Her mother held Ellen''s hand. "I''ll tell you later, my daughter." It was her mother''s words. "One of the things Ragan set out to find was the very Lament you possess, Ellen." It was her father''s words. Soon, the cave began to take on a structure similar to a building. In the corridor with well-polished walls, numerous passages and hallways appeared before Ellen''s eyes, following the pale light. Ellen couldn''t see what was in that place. As if there was a predetermined destination, her parents led her through the cave inside the waterfall toward a specific location. -Pop! As the light illuminated the cavity, Ellen could see something in the middle of the empty space. There, a cloak emitting a blazing light like flames flickered as if it were fire itself. "This... this is..." Ellen''s eyes widened as if they were about to tear apart upon seeing it. "This is one of the two items Ragan set out to find, along with your Lament." The Cloak of the Sun God. The Holy Relic of Shal''am. Lapelt. It was right in front of Ellen''s eyes. Her mother, holding the Cloak of the Sun God, slowly approached and carefully draped it over Ellen''s shoulders. "May the blessings of the moon and sun be with you." With those words, her mother gently kissed Ellen''s forehead. CH 335 A week into the vacation. Harriet had been visiting the Royal Magic Department almost daily to study dimensional magic. She didn''t attend the magic research meetings too often, as her presence would likely only be a hindrance. Eleris had left the Royal Road. According to what was confirmed at the Rotary Club, a conference was scheduled to be held at the Vampire Council in a week. Eleris would return in time for it, so attending the Rotary Club around that date would secure a chance to participate in the Vampire Council. The five vampire families. Securing their cooperation would be as good as gaining a million-strong army. Whether it would be possible to obtain their power through threat or persuasion remained uncertain. There was no way of knowing how to persuade or intimidate the ones who had refused to cooperate during the Demon War. The Black Order would make contact again, and preparations had to be made to obtain information about Cantus Magna for negotiations with them. If the Vampire Council couldn''t provide such information, there was no telling if resorting to insane tactics like luring Cantus Magna using the Golden Week would be necessary. Moreover, some grasp of the gate incident had been attained through information about the warp gate itself. The brooch Charlotte gave was already a clue. Activating the brooch-shaped artifact and passing through the Royal Road''s warp gate would lead to the Spring Palace''s underground warp gate. The exact process remained unknown. What was important was that magic technology capable of interfering with the warp gate system already existed. Of course, this was an authorized artifact. The key point was obtaining information about the existence of magic technology that could interfere with the warp gate, regardless of how the route was set. The existence of the artifact Charlotte provided had already suggested one possibility. So. In other words, I had officially begun to immerse myself in the problem of saving the world. My head felt like it would burst, there was no time to spare for thought, my life hung in the balance depending on the outcome, and there was always the possibility that my true identity would be revealed. Of course, in the midst of all this, there were countless trivial matters to attend to. Clang! Clatter! "Phew." "Not bad at all." After exchanging a round of swordplay with Olivia, I hung the practice sword on its rack, feeling a tingling sensation in my palm. Without Ellen, there was no one to practice swordsmanship with. That''s why I was practicing swordsmanship with Olivia in the training hall. I could have practiced with Cliffman, but in the end, he hadn''t yet awakened his Magic Body Strengthening, so he wasn''t a suitable opponent for me to give my all. Of course, I could have gone to Saviolin Turner, who would gladly teach me swordsmanship, but I decided it was better for her to focus on teaching Ludwig. So, I was practicing swordsmanship with Olivia. Olivia, who had been swinging the practice sword, casually slung it over her shoulder. I had come to truly appreciate Olivia''s skills after the recent tournament. Until then, she had never mentioned teaching me swordsmanship. Of course, since I asked, she agreed to come to the training ground. Olivia''s skill is undoubtedly incredible. Neither the output and stability of her Magic Body Strengthening nor her swordsmanship itself can be compared to mine. Even with my best efforts in intuition, self-suggestion, and Magic Body Strengthening, I couldn''t keep up with her at all. I couldn''t help but feel the reality that the reason I was able to kill Riverrier Lanze was due to a combination of achievement points, word magic, and situational luck. "Shall we try again?" "Let''s do it." Holding her sword, Olivia gazes at me with a calm expression. I also take out my practice sword and start enhancing it with magic. -Clang! Thud! In an instant, Olivia rushes towards me and roughly pushes my practice sword aside. "Weak spot!" -Whoosh! "!" As she pushes my sword away, my chest is exposed. Olivia embraces my neck and kisses my cheek. "Ah, really. Can you please stop doing this?" "Then try being stronger than me?" Everything would be fine if it wasn''t for her occasional bizarre behavior. ------ After struggling for quite some time, I finally collapsed onto the training ground floor, utterly exhausted. It''s true that my stamina has improved significantly compared to before, but dueling while using Magic Body Strengthening brings a stronger sense of fatigue. A sense of exhaustion different from simply losing strength. Thankfully, I hardly felt any damage to my magic circuit from using Magic Body Strengthening alone. My pure magic power has increased, and I already have two talents in magic control and response. It would be strange if I didn''t adapt quickly. "You''re quite weak, Reinhardt." "¡­It''s you who''s abnormal, senior." "Isn''t it a good thing to be especially strange among the oddballs gathered in the Royal Class?" "You''re right about that." While lying flat on the floor of the training ground, Olivia, who sat beside me, playfully poked my cheek. "She went back to her hometown, huh?" "Yes." "Tsk, you should know that you''re too kind to me." I had no words to refute her claim that she came to me because Ellen wasn''t around. "You must feel sorry, seeing that you can''t say anything." Olivia said so, but she didn''t seem furious or intent on arguing. I owe Olivia a lot. Even so. Neither of them knows that I took tremendous risks to save Olivia and Adriana. I don''t want them to know. But I can''t seem to be a proper gentleman. I want to forget about it in a cool way, but I can''t. I can''t stand the fact that I can''t make a joke about it! I don''t plan to say anything, but I just can''t stand this situation! I took a risk far beyond being caught in a cross-dressing contest for her sake. If she feels hurt by me, that''s just how it is! "Reinhardt." "¡­Yes." "Did you do it?" "¡­Pardon?" What is she talking about? Did she figure something out? What could be the clue? Olivia has no evidence or leads to find out that I am the Demon King. Seeing my expression, as if my mind had come to a halt, Olivia gives a sad smile. "The orphanage I sponsored... The director and the teachers... They were all taken away." "...Ah." It''s like a thief complaining about their foot going numb. Although we were talking about something completely different, the conversation took an unexpected turn. Yes, that was my doing. I couldn''t tell the Emperor, but when I told Charlotte that everything was resolved regarding Eleris''s escape, I also asked her to help with the orphanage-related issues. I was already aware of the orphanages that Olivia personally sponsored. It seemed strange that they were struggling financially despite receiving support. It was just a few days ago, but it seemed Charlotte had taken immediate action. It looked like Olivia had realized that as well. Olivia gazes at me with a sad expression. "You... did this?" "Yes." "..." I wished Olivia wouldn''t know, but in the end, it was an issue she couldn''t help but find out about. "In the Empire, there are already support programs for war orphans. So, it just didn''t make sense that there were orphanages with financial issues." Olivia didn''t seem happy. There was no way she could be happy. The children would be able to live a more prosperous life under stricter management, but Olivia felt betrayed by the people she trusted. Olivia sank down to the floor of the practice hall. "I didn''t think they would do that. I never doubted them for a second. I thought there was no way anyone would... intercept the money meant for the children." Her trust in humanity. Her trust in the goodness of people. Olivia had such human affection. After being disappointed in religion and faith, was she now disappointed in humanity? Olivia remained silent for a while before speaking. "The funeral begins today." "The funeral...?" "Yes, my stepfather." Riverrier Lanze. His death is a significant event not only for the religious community but for the entire Empire. No matter how much he had fallen from grace, he was a war hero. He even perished fighting against the demon race. So, regardless of the actual circumstances and the various problems entwined in his death, on the surface, it is a tragic event for the public. That''s why a funeral is being held to mourn Riverrier Lanze''s death, now that the chaos has been quelled. "Reinhardt, can you come with me somewhere for a bit?" I couldn''t bring myself to refuse Olivia''s request. ------ It wasn''t noticeable within the temple, but it was apparent that Riverrier Lanze''s funeral was being held on a national scale. Black flags were hung on the houses along the streets as a sign of mourning, and people were selling flowers for tribute. The funeral procession was said to head from the abandoned monastery, where the body was recovered, to the headquarters of the Holy Knights Order. From the southernmost part of the Imperial Capital, the path towards the Holy Knights Order was controlled by the guards as the funeral procession entered the city. What to do about this... Those damned demons... A significant number of the people who had gathered to watch the funeral procession were believers of the Five Great Religions, and even those who weren''t were civilians mourning the death of a war hero. Hatred towards demons and fear of the Demon King pervaded among the people. It didn''t matter why Riverrier Lanze had been there on that day, at that place. People believed that Riverrier Lanze had fallen in a fierce battle against the remnants of the demons, and in the end, that was the truth. They simply didn''t know the whole story. No one knew the true face of Riverrier Lanze, who had tried to regain power by threatening his foster daughter, and ultimately sought to join hands with the Demon King as his life hung in the balance in an attempt to divide the empire. Olivia must have been bewildered by this situation. Thanks to the demons'' attack, she was safe in this situation. It would be hard for her to accept that Riverrier Lanze, who had threatened her with Adriana''s life, had become a hero in death. From the southern crossroads, the grand funeral procession appeared. It was escorted by knights and priests. Following the carriage they led were dozens of splendidly decorated coffins, holding Riverrier Lanze, knights, and nameless believers of the monastic order. Riverrier Lanze''s neck had been severed. I didn''t know how they had managed to recover the bodies that had been torn apart, crushed, and burned by Loyar''s magic. I wasn''t sure about the opinions of the entire Holy Knights Order, but I could see Eleion Bolton leading the procession on a white horse at the front. Both the empire and Eleion Bolton must have been pleased with this situation. Nevertheless, they feigned sorrow for the ignorant citizens and solemnly led the funeral procession. As the funeral procession appeared, people burst into tears as if something incredibly sad had occurred. "Oh dear!" Tears began to spread like an infection, starting with a few cries, which felt quite strange. These people didn''t know Riverrier Lanze. I didn''t understand why they were so sad about his death, or even shedding tears. I couldn''t tell if it was because of their faith or something else. However, I had no right to doubt their tears. I was the most inhuman person here, after all. Whether or not those I had killed deserved to die, I was a madman who had come to watch the funeral of the people I had killed. There were quite a few people who didn''t cry among the mourning visitors who had quickly become a sea of tears. However, those who didn''t cry seemed to be filled with an awkward air. They were restless, as if not crying had made them sinners. Tears were like a hidden spring. Unless one had special training, it was impossible to cry just by wanting to. Tears welled up on their own, not something that could be summoned at will. As the funeral procession gradually approached, Olivia calmly watched. "Reinhardt." "Yes." "Is it that I find all of this so repulsive? Am I just too wicked?" Olivia whispered as she watched the approaching coffin that contained her stepfather''s corpse. All of this was nothing more than a show. People didn''t know what they needed to know. They only did this because turning Riverrier Lanze into a hero in death made for a pretty picture. Olivia probably didn''t like Riverrier Lanze, but she must have disliked the situation in which his death was being exploited just as much. She felt disgust in all of this. "I think it''s possible," I said. Olivia shook her head at my words. As the funeral procession gradually approached, entering through the main streets of the southern imperial region, the surrounding area became even louder with people''s cries. Following the guidance of Eleion Bolton, they would head towards the Holy Knights headquarters. People had gathered to see the long procession, throwing flowers and shedding tears. We were watching the spectacle. ¡°Look, over there¡­¡± ¡°Is that the Saint?¡± ¡°If she''s the Saint...?¡± ¡°She''s the Commander''s daughter!¡± We had been watching for too long. Olivia was a recognizable figure. That''s why there were plenty of people who could recognize her. When someone in the sea of tears gestured to Olivia, people''s gazes instantly turned to her. Eredian''s Saint. Although she was the protagonist in Riverrier Lanze''s fall from grace, people had no interest in that now. The previous Holy Knights Commander and a war hero who had died honorably fighting demons. His daughter''s presence at this event was what mattered. ¡°Oh, Saint!¡± "..." Olivia''s expression hardened, and the crowd around us quickly swarmed towards her and me. "Oh, Saint! What should we do about this! What can we do!" "You must avenge us against those filthy and despicable demons!" "Following your father''s footsteps, you must also take the lead in vanquishing the demons, Saint!" "Oh, Saint! We are too afraid to live!" "Saint!" "Saint, you must save us!" "How can we deal with this situation without the hero!" In an instant, the surrounding area became chaotic. As if Olivia were some kind of god, countless people fell to their knees in front of her, wailing. They couldn''t see the reason Riverrier Lanze had fallen from grace or that Olivia had renounced her faith. The Demon King had returned. But there was no hero now. Someone had to confront the Demon King. Someone other than me ¨C someone great, brave, virtuous, and powerful. Someone to defeat the Demon King in my stead. People wished for it. You must defeat the Demon King, Saint! There''s no one else but you, Saint! Oh! Saint! Please save us! They didn''t know Olivia''s true strength. They only vaguely knew that she possessed a powerful divine force and that she was a person of such great virtue as to be called a Saint. Countless people treated her as if she were some sort of queen. Begging on their knees, asking her to die on their behalf. Witnessing numerous people boldly pleading for her to sacrifice herself for them. I saw the focus vanish from Olivia''s eyes. Olivia was tormented by an overwhelming pressure. She suffered among the multitude of people urging her to regain her faith. She saw the detestable behavior of those who would selfishly control others'' lives for their own benefit and the spectacle of such people''s deaths being praised. The funds that had been squeezed out and prepared so far were being intercepted by the teachers. Beyond the problems of faith and religion, Now, in places completely unrelated to faith and religion, she saw people boldly demanding that she die in their stead as they wailed. Witnessing people who used their tears as a shield and tried to push someone to death with indifference from behind that shield. It seemed as if something important within Olivia had snapped. "Why me?" A cold, emotionless voice flowed from Olivia. "Why do I have to do this?" Olivia was broken. CH 336 Why must I die for you? Olivia pushed past the stunned onlookers, leaving the scene as they stood frozen in response to her words. "Disgusting." With a hardened expression, Olivia said this. "Human beings are just so disgusting." The last shred of Olivia''s love for humanity seemed to break as she muttered those words, covering her mouth. Having encountered the ugliness of human nature numerous times, it seemed that Olivia had finally lost any remaining sympathy for her own kind. "Don''t be so harsh. Those people just don''t know any better." "..." Olivia clicked her tongue. "Right, I suppose if they knew, it would be different." Olivia looked at me. "They would have probably claimed that since the demons saved me, I must be filthy and impure, and should be tied to the stake and burned." Olivia''s eyes changed. The eyes that always appeared somewhat sorrowful now seemed to reveal a dark abyss, reminiscent of Lydia Schmitt''s gaze. The evil and repulsiveness of humans had ultimately broken Olivia. I couldn''t find the words to argue against her. I couldn''t refute Olivia''s claim that humans, ignorant or knowledgeable, were disgusting in their actions. "The Demon King? Yes, I don''t know why the demons saved me. But if the Demon King''s true goal is to recreate the demon realm and kill all humans..." Olivia gripped my hand tightly. "I''ll fight to protect the few people I love. I''ll never fight for creatures like them." Olivia embraced me. Just as Ellen had done. Olivia had also made up her mind to fight. However, her underlying reasons had drastically shifted compared to the Olivia we knew. It couldn''t have been any other way. ------ Olivia was the epitome of a strong-willed person with a gentle exterior. She was kind and friendly to many, yet steadfast in her convictions. But even such a person could break when pushed to their limit. She was growing weary of gently rejecting and pushing away the countless people who clung to her. Recent events had driven Olivia to the edge of emotional collapse. Discovering that the orphanage she had been sponsoring was embezzling funds and starving the children, Olivia felt a sense of betrayal. And in the end, she faced people who weaponized their tears and demanded that she become a sacrificial victim. Realizing she had no reason to live for such despicable beings, Olivia transformed. If she had to fight the Demon King, she would, but not for the sake of humanity, as Olivia declared. It seemed that if she understood this feeling, she might join forces with the next Demon King to bring about humanity''s destruction. However, I didn''t want to exploit Olivia''s broken state. I didn''t want to burden such a pitiable person, who had suffered enough, with some bizarre sense of duty. In the end, I didn''t wish for the destruction of mankind either. Of course, Olivia hadn''t changed much compared to her usual self. ¡°Get lost. Don''t be annoying.¡± ¡°Wh-what? Um, senior, what are you...?¡± ¡°Didn''t I tell you to get lost? How many times do I have to tell you I''m not going? Are you an idiot?¡± ¡°What... what... what are you... um, senior...?¡± ¡°If you''re not an idiot, why do you keep making me repeat myself? Hey, look me in the eye. Look me straight in the eye.¡± ¡°Um, senior, you''re scaring me. Why are you suddenly...?¡± After that, I saw Olivia harshly snapping at people a few times. It wasn''t just Lady Lydia Schmitt who demanded her return to the religious world. Perhaps until now, Olivia had shown reluctance and refusal to those demands, but she seemed to have moved beyond that and began to respond more fiercely. In a way, I thought that was a relief. ¡°Ah, Reinhardt! Want to have lunch together?¡± But when she scolded her junior like that, and then immediately smiled brightly when she saw me. Rushing over, grinning, and linking arms with me... Somehow... It felt like she had become even crazier than before... I was... a little scared. ------ Olivia had changed. But the superficial changes seemed to be positive. People kept clinging to her because she appeared overly kind, and they couldn''t let go of her, even when they didn''t feel forced. To put it nicely, she seemed like an easygoing person. When Olivia began to act more hostile, people seemed to be too scared to speak to her casually. Olivia would not lose to anyone in terms of strength. If anyone tried to use force against her, they would only end up being beaten. So, I thought it would be good for Olivia to be strong for her own sake. During such a vacation, one day. "Are you ready?" "Yes." In the southern forest where the Rotary Club headquarters was located, I met Eleris. "I will now explain the Council to you. You must remember it well." My meeting with the Vampire Council. For this, Eleris began to inform me of the precautions I needed to take, from one to ten. The future would change significantly depending on today''s meeting results. So, there was no room for mistakes. ------ -Fwoosh! The Epiaux fortress, which I returned to via teleport, had become even more sinister than before. The fierce blizzard surrounding the fortress created an even more eerie atmosphere, perhaps due to the beings inside. "Where''s Lydia?" "I told her not to leave her room while the meeting was taking place." "Good." Damn it. I didn''t particularly care for that fellow, but because Eleris was taking care of her, I couldn''t help but worry. She''s scared out of her wits now, and we''ve come this far, so there''s no room for foolish actions, despite the circumstances. -Swish I returned to the form of Valier using the ring of Sarkegaar. This was my second act under the name of Valier, not Reinhardt. Attending the Vampire Council. A gathering of the lords from the five vampire families. It was the same place where we played the mafia game during the last temple group mission. It felt eerie and amusing to think that now the place was filled with the so-called Vampire Lords, who could turn the entire continent upside down just by showing up. As I opened the door to the meeting room, I saw that four people were already seated at the round table. They didn''t belong to the Demon World, so they didn''t show any particular respect towards me. Some looked at me with interest, some with disinterest, some seemed to look down on me, and some were unreadable. "Nice to meet you. My name is Valier." Considering my age and that they didn''t belong to the Demon World, I decided to address them with a respectful tone, though not excessively polite. And as soon as I sat down, a chilly laughter filled the conference room. "So, the master of the nonexistent has arrived." The nonexistent. It must have been a reference to the now-vanished Darkland. I didn''t bother responding to the provocation. The vampire who mocked me was a pale-faced woman with seductive red lips. Even setting her beauty aside, there was something distinctive about her. I wasn''t particularly surprised, having already heard about her from Eleris. "Nice to meet you. I''m the lord of the Thursday Night of the Seven Nights, Luruien." Long ears. There could be only one explanation. She was an elf. A long-extinct elf, now living as a vampire. It was clear that the Vampire Lords were ancient beings, even when simply speaking with the first Vampire Lord. Not only was she an elf, but the presence next to her was even more astonishing. "Pleased to meet you, young Demon King." A profound voice came from the figure seated next to her. "I am the lord of the Friday Night of the Seven Nights, Gallarush." With a massive frame and rock-like, solid-textured skin, red eyes, and fang-like teeth protruding from his lower lip, he was an orc vampire. Even just hearing about him had been strange, but the oppressive aura he exuded was no joke. All Vampire Lords were said to be exceptional mages, but this one seemed like he should be wielding a stone axe instead. Next, there was a vampire with a gaze full of curiosity looking at me. "Hi Archdemon! I''m the lord of the Wednesday Night, Lucinil! Nice to meet you! I''ll speak casually since I''m older. Okay?" "¡­Uh, sure." For some reason, this vampire was high-strung. She appeared as a young girl, and her behavior was indeed childlike. ''While they all have their peculiarities, they aren''t savage beings. Given their long lives, they are quite well-mannered. You could consider the lord of the Wednesday Night¡­ harmless.'' She appeared as a young girl vampire, but¡­. She wasn''t human to begin with. Definitely. I heard she was a Homunculus. I never imagined a Homunculus could become a vampire. It was a mystery who created such a Homunculus, and how she became a vampire was also unknown. Lucinil must be the most peculiar being among the Vampire Lords present here. Lucinil looked at me with a face full of curiosity. And finally. "It is an honor to meet such a distinguished being." The elderly gentleman removed his fedora and bowed deeply to me. "I am Antirianus, the lord of the Saturday Night of the Seven Nights." He stared at me with an inscrutable smile. I heard he was human. Antirianus looked the most ordinary of those present, except for Eleris, and yet, he seemed the least ordinary. In fact, Eleris warned me to be cautious of Antirianus. He said that his intentions were difficult to discern. Tuesday¡¯s Eleris Wednesday''s Lucinil. Thursday''s Luruien. Friday''s Gallarush. And Saturday''s Antirianus. Five of the Seven Nights were present at the Vampire Council. "Now, let''s proceed with the council meeting attended by the Archdemon." Antirianus declared the meeting open in a subdued tone. CH 337 All five Vampire Clan heads looked at me. "There''s no point in beating around the bush. I need your help." Of course, they must have expected me to say this. What else could the last successor of a fallen nation say when seeking the support of forces from the borderlands? Luruien opened her mouth, unfazed. "I assume you know that we, the Vampire Council, did not participate in the Demon World War?" "I am aware." Luruien''s lips curled into a sneer. "Even when the former Archdemon and Demon King, Valier - the most powerful being in the world - was alive, the Vampire Council did not participate in the Demon World War. We didn''t cooperate even when the Demon World was strong, so why would we join hands now that it has fallen?" In other words, she was saying there was even less reason for them to help now than when their own homes were still intact. Luruien gazed at the prince of a nonexistent world with a mocking smile. Gallarush also stared at me calmly. "The Vampire Council never owed anything to Darkland in the first place. Our existence and yours were never needed nor interfered with each other, and not even the strange power of the Archdemon could subdue us. That''s why successive Demon Kings left us alone, and we never interfered in Darkland''s affairs. It wasn''t a written rule, but an unwritten one that lasted until the Lord of Tuesday swore loyalty to Darkland." Gallarush didn''t mock me like Luruien, but he saw no reason to cooperate. Next to speak was the little vampire, Lucinil, although she was not a child. "Archdemon, what do you plan to do after rebuilding the Demon World?" Lucinil innocently asked a more fundamental question. "Do you want to kill all the humans? You can''t do that. Human blood may not be the only thing we need, but there''s nothing like it. I don''t want to survive on tasteless blood." "I have no intention of killing all humans, nor do I think that''s possible." "Really? So you mean to kill about half of them?" Why was she so fixated on killing? "I doubt I will have enough time in my life to restore even a fraction of Darkland''s former power, let alone kill half the humans." "Hmm, that makes sense. Since everything has completely collapsed... Even if an Archdemon lives longer than ordinary mortals, it would take a long time to reach the level of the previous Darkland... Hmm..." Lucinil said this and then began tilting her head, seemingly deep in thought. Lastly, the Lord of Saturday Antirianus looked at me with a gentle smile. "It''s contradictory, isn''t it, Your Greatness? You claim not to dream of war, yet you require power." "Rebuilding would not be possible without the power to protect oneself." "The Demon World War began not to destroy one another, but to defend ourselves. Of course, the humans were the ones who started the invasion." It seemed as if he was suggesting that the power for self-defense was just an excuse. "Once the humans witness the reassembling tribes of Darkland, they will trample them. Then we must bear the bloodshed to protect the still feeble forces of Darkland. The rationale and reason for doing so... I truly cannot fathom." Luruien seemed to agree, nodding her head, and so did Gallarush. Lucinil appeared lost in thought, not paying attention to the ongoing conversation. "No matter how much I think about it, there''s absolutely nothing for us to gain by cooperating with the Archdemon. Even if we desire something, the Archdemon simply cannot provide it." Luruien''s argument was valid. Though her scoffing was contemptuous, some things were simply inevitable. The Vampire Council had no reason to cooperate with me, and they had nothing to gain from me. If an alliance was formed solely to receive help, there was no real reason to do it. I had nothing to give, and they had nothing to gain. "Changing the subject. Can I try something?" At my words, Antirianus kindly smiled and nodded. "For immortals, what remains is time. Give it a try." "It seems that, with the end of the recent Demon War, the Five Great Religions are now seeking independence." At my words, Luruien, of course, appeared perplexed, as did the others. "What''s the big deal about that?" "The humans had united for the Demon War, but with its end, various military and interest groups began harboring different thoughts without disbanding. The prime example is the Holy Knight Order, which plans to establish an independent nation for the Five Great Religions." Formation of an independent nation for the Five Great Religions. Luruien and Gallarush''s expressions hardened at those words. Divine power was an opposing force to the vampires. It seemed they couldn''t help but feel tense at the prospect of a nation founded by the religious. "Of course, I did kill Riverrier Lanze, the former Holy Knight Commander and the core figure of the independence-seeking faction, last time. I did it with Eleris here." The threat had existed but vanished. At my words, Luruien tilted his head. "Since I''ve eliminated the faction''s threat in advance, if you''re grateful, cooperate... Is that what you''re saying?" Luruien asked if I meant that they owed me for eliminating an enemy they would eventually fear. I shook my head. "Not at all. If I said that, wouldn''t you just wipe your mouth and move on?" "Yes, indeed." Luruien narrowed her eyes as she stared at me. "However, before Riverrier Lanze died, he said something. That he was willing to cooperate with me. He argued that if I truly wanted the Empire to weaken, I should have left him be." "I see. That''s what I was curious about as well. If you had left the anti-imperial faction alone, it would have been advantageous for you." All things considered, it depends on how you connect the dots. Although he claimed to have no interest in rebuilding the demon world, he ultimately sought the cooperation of the Vampire Council under the guise of reconstructing it, as if everything eventually came together in the end. The reason for killing Riverrier Lanze also ultimately had its own purpose. "If I leave it alone, the independent nation of the Five Great Religions will obviously fall into the hands of Riverrier Lanze. Why would I let that happen?" "¡­?" "Isn''t it better for me to take it?" At my words, everyone wore puzzled expressions, except for Eleris. Eleris''s mouth dropped open in shock, as if she understood what I was saying. "¡­You''re saying you want to absorb the power of the Five Great Religions? What kind of nonsense is that?" In response to the question of how the Demon King could have such a bizarre idea and if it was even possible, I raised my hand on the table. -Swoosh "I am the Champion of Tu¡¯an." And upon seeing something in my hand, the already pale faces of the vampires turned even whiter. "Ah, ahhhhhh! What, what is that?!" -Bam! Lucinil jumped up from her seat and fell backward. ------ Tiamata is like a panic button for the undead. Eleris was startled when she first saw it, and even now she couldn''t look at it properly. Lucinil had fallen backward, Luruien retreated in shock, and Gallarush scowled fiercely. "Ho, so you''re the Champion of Tu¡¯an." Antirianus, on the other hand, seemed intrigued as he looked at the Tiamata in my hand. For the sake of the Lord Vampires, who might have a heart attack, I decided to unsummon Tiamata. "I didn''t mean to threaten you. But do you understand what I''m saying now?" Having seen the thing they least wanted to see, everyone seemed to be out of breath. "I thought my heart was going to drop, you brat!" Lucinil, furious, jumped up and down in her spot, shouting at the top of her lungs. "I apologize. But if I didn''t show it to you, how could I prove it?" "You should have at least warned us that you had something like Tiamata! Ugh! I''m so upset!" Lucinil even showed Luruien the goosebumps on her arm. "Tsk, that''s not possible, Lucinil." Seeing her like this, Luruien clicked her tongue and patted Lucinil''s head. "I''m telling you, I got goosebumps! Really!" Anyway. Everyone, except Antirianus, seemed to be on high alert due to the appearance of Tiamata. Even Eleris seemed to have trouble breathing. "It seems to be especially dangerous for undead like us. I understand what you''re saying now. As the Champion of Tu¡¯an, you''re saying you can become the master of the Five Great Religion''s power?" "I don''t think it''s impossible." Although Riverrier Lanze wanted to put Olivia forward, I didn''t think it was impossible for me to unite the power of the Five Great Religions under the name of Reinhardt and become their master. "Very well, great being. Then, whether you control them from behind the scenes, become their actual master, or build an alliance with them, why did you seek the Council?" Now we get to the main point. With my arms crossed, I stared at their faces. "If I become a representative of the Five Great Religions or something similar, I''ll wipe you all out if you don''t cooperate." At those words, even Antirianus''s expression stiffened. "Isn''t that a good picture?" "The Champion of Tu¡¯an, the Goddes of Purity, unites the Five Great Religions'' forces to create a new power to exterminate the vampire forces, and becomes their leader." "The goal is the eradication of the undead. The first target is the Vampire Lord families." "If a large force of Holy Knights from the Holy Order starts to demolish your forces one by one, can you handle that?" It''s a threat made not as a Demon King but as the Champion of Tu¡¯an. "Are you threatening us, young Demon King?" Gallarush glared at me with anger-filled eyes. "As you all say, I have nothing to offer you. So, you are right when you say we can''t make a deal in the first place." "I have nothing to give, but I need your help. What else can I do?" "It''s a threat." "I''m sorry. Do you think I''m happy to do this to the elders? When the pillars of my house have been ripped out, I have to do everything I can." -Swoosh Summoning Tiamata once again, I placed it on the table. "Please help me. If not, I''ll kill you all." Finally, the smile disappeared from Luruien''s lips, who had been mocking me all along. "Wow, you''re such an audacious brat that it''s almost impressive." Lucinil let out a sarcastic laugh, as if she couldn''t believe it. CH 338 The atmosphere, which was already cold, grew even colder at the bombshell declaration that if they didn''t cooperate, I would join the Five Great Religions and begin hunting Vampire Lords with a grudge. Lucinil stared at me with disbelief, her arms crossed. "You think you can survive here talking like that? You don''t value your life? You think we can''t take your head off just because you have Tiamata?" "Eleris will somehow manage it. She''s managed to handle everything that''s come up so far." "Wha- what?!" The most flustered by my words was Eleris herself. It seemed she hadn''t anticipated at all that I would go this far. "¡­Don''t you think you''re being too reckless with your life?" "Shouldn''t I at least try? It''s up to you to try to kill me, but you should be prepared for what happens next if I somehow manage to escape." Although my words were fierce, I had no intention of actually fighting, so I unsummoned Tiamata. I know that provoking their pride isn''t the best approach. But in the end, I didn''t have any cards to play other than threats. I had nothing to offer them and they had no reason to cooperate with me. In plain words, if I could get them to help me by throwing away my pride and begging on the ground, I would do so. But even doing that wouldn''t win their cooperation. So this is the best I can do. "Technically, the Five Great Religions have greater power and scale, so it would be more advantageous for me to join them. However, I came to the Council first because I thought it would be polite to visit my closer neighbors first. And if I were to become the masked champion of the Tu¡¯an and the mascot of the Five Great Religions, I would inevitably have no choice but to sever my ties with you." As I shamelessly mentioned that I visited them first despite having a larger business partner, I felt like trash even to myself. Gallarush couldn''t hide his displeasure, and neither could Luruien. The two seemed to have already developed hostility towards me for making such brazen remarks. Lucinil appeared to be the same. "Let''s cooperate." However. Unexpectedly, Antirianus expressed his willingness to cooperate. Everyone was taken aback. "¡­Huh? What? What did you say?" But the most flustered one was me. Why? "Why are you surprised? You asked for cooperation, and I will cooperate. O great being." Antirianus looked at me with a mysterious smile on his face. Lucinil shot a nervous glance at the old priest. "Antirianus, what kind of dirty scheme are you up to?" "It''s just¡­ isn''t it interesting? One of the Five Great Religions'' sacred relics, and not just any, but Tiamata itself, falling into the hands of an Archdemon?" The old priest smiled at me. "Can''t you feel the malice of the gods?" For the first time in history, a demon had become the master of Tiamata - even an Archdemon at that. "Even if the Demon King loses everything in vain, or achieves every dream, there will always be interesting things happening. How could I not follow?" Antirianus''s eyes were filled with deep malice. The misfortune of others, their happiness, sorrow, and joy. Such malice, wanting to relieve eternal boredom by witnessing these things. "Are you out of your mind? Antirianus." At Gallarush''s words, Antirianus could only grin. I seemed to understand why Eleris had warned me to be careful of Antirianus. He was the only Vampire Lord who had agreed to cooperate with me, but strangely enough, I felt like I was stunned. It was fortunate that I had heard him say he would cooperate, but I hadn''t anticipated that it would unravel in such an odd context. "If someone who has lived for such a long time is still sane, wouldn''t that be more of a problem?" Antirianus''s words, implying that every decision he made was bound to be as insane as the decisions of a madman after living for an unimaginable amount of time, were surprisingly persuasive. "So, as the lord of Saturday and the ruler of the clan, Antirianus, I will cooperate with the Demon King. Surely more interesting things will happen than during the Great Demon War, right? So, consider any harm done to the Demon King as harm done to me." "I really don''t know what he''s thinking, do you? Right, Luruien?" "¡­Is it for a day or two?" It seemed that this wasn''t the first time Antirianus had pulled such antics. After deciding to cooperate, Antirianus tapped the table with his index finger. "Anyway, as immortals, we have plenty of time. There''s no need to decide everything right here and now. So, wouldn''t it be okay to take a few days and slowly discuss things?" Antirianus stared at me as he spoke. I could sense his intention to take a short break, cool our heads, and have some separate conversations. It was good for me. There''s nothing more terrifying than unexplained kindness. The pouring out of that unexplained kindness made it feel even more like he was strangling me. I felt a strange sense of pressure. "You! You little Archdemon brat. Let''s have a chat." Lucinil gestured at me as if this was a good opportunity. Eleris nodded at me, as if to say it was alright. It seemed that the kindest person in this place had ended up disliking me the most. ------ Due to Antirianus''s mediation, the council meeting came to a temporary halt. Regardless of his intentions, the fact that he had decided to cooperate had caused a ripple effect, changing the atmosphere. Upon leaving the meeting room, Lucinil instructed me to follow her and silently led the way. The silver-haired, red-eyed Homunculus Vampire. The Lord of Wednesday. Eleris had said that Lucinil was the least harmful among them, but just by looking at her outward appearance, it was clear that she seemed the most upset. "Where did you learn such terrible things? Did the Demon King teach you that?" I had been making a cheeky remark, but since I had no real thoughts about the previous Demon King, I didn''t feel angry. "How can one change their nature?" Lucinil took the lead, stopping in front of a window that showed the blizzard raging outside. She turned to look at me. "You won''t get anything good from that." Lucinil stared at me in silence for a moment. "It doesn''t matter to Antirianus or me that we agreed to cooperate with you, but Luruien and Gallarush will be very angry." "I suppose. But does it really matter? This is the only thing I can do after all." "We might die before we even rebuild the Demon World." The idea of threatening the Vampire Lords and getting killed for it was absurd. However, Lucinil''s warning made me feel more certain that Eleris''s words weren''t far off. "I was interested in Valier''s successor, but I''ll remember you as an arrogant, thick-headed, and overconfident oddball." Due to my many flaws, Lucinil seemed to have a very negative perception of me. "Keep in mind that I agreed to cooperate with you not because you''re pretty, but because I owe Eleris a personal debt." Still, Lucinil seemed to have decided to work with me. A debt to Eleris. I didn''t bother asking what it was. It didn''t seem like she would tell me anyway. Lucinil glared at me, biting her lip in irritation. "Ugh, Eleris must have known I''d end up like this." I didn''t know what debt she owed, but Eleris had let me into the Vampire Council because she knew Lucinil would reluctantly agree to cooperate due to that debt. Her words about me being harmless likely had a similar context. The Lords of Wednesday and Saturday. Both promised to cooperate with me for their own reasons. Lucinil crossed her arms and cocked her head. "Anyway, you''ve now secured the cooperation of three out of the five families, right? Isn''t that enough? Why don''t you stop making a fuss and go back?" She seemed to think that my continued attendance at the Council would only aggravate Luruien and Gallarush without yielding any benefits. "Shouldn''t I try to persuade them all since I''ve come this far?" "I thought you might. You''re such a shameless fellow." Lucinil clicked her tongue and sighed. "Follow me." As if to say there was no more to discuss here, Lucinil dragged me away. Leaving the palace building, Lucinil walked through the deep snow. -Whoosh Naturally, walking through the piled snow with her small frame, her feet sank in, and she couldn''t walk properly. "Ugh." -Bam! With a wave of Lucinil''s hand, a shockwave exploded, sending the accumulated snow flying in all directions. "The Council really chose the wrong place for this. Why on earth did they build the palace where it snows all year round? It doesn''t make any sense." "...Maybe the palace wasn''t here when the Council chose this place?" "This place was built a very long time ago, back when there were Sunday and Monday. No one even knows exactly when that was. Of course, there have been many renovations since then. It was quite primitive in the beginning." Lucinil grumbled, as if the location of the Council had nothing to do with her. She led the way through the snowstorm, and I followed. "I''m not sure if this is the right expression, but I''d like to know the order of seniority. Can you tell me?" "Seniority? Oh, you mean our ages?" "Yes." Lucinil casually spread out her fingers as if it was no secret. "As you can see, Luruien is the oldest. Then comes Gallarush, followed by Eleris, then me, and finally Antirianus." Lucinil and I left the main palace and arrived at an area that could be called a secondary palace. "Ugh, even low-ranking spirits keep clinging to this place. Why is the territory so bad?" -Heeheehee... As if driven mad by the wailing of ghosts from all around, Lucinil clapped her hands, causing the spirits to vanish into thin air. It''s quite strange to hear a vampire complain about their territory. "Even if they''re not dayflies, they keep coming back when chased away." In a reception room-like area of the secondary palace, Lucinil sat on an old sofa, and I sat across from her. "Assuming I don''t know what Antirianus is plotting, you''d like to persuade Luruien and Gallarush too, right?" "If it''s possible." "Listen, little Archdemon. We''ve all lived for such a long time that it''s difficult to measure. You understand, right?" "I suppose so?" "So, how did we all become vampires?" It''s impossible to be born a vampire. Each of them had a life before becoming a vampire. Luruien would have been an elf, Gallarush an orc, and Lucinil a homunculus. "Isn''t it different for each of you?" "It can''t be that different." Resting her chin on the armrest of the sofa, Lucinil glanced at me. "It''s because we didn''t want to die." The five great Vampire Lords. The reason they became vampires was simply because they didn''t want to die. It wasn''t that I expected a grand reason, but the fact that it all boiled down to this felt somewhat odd. "Antirianus said he debated between becoming a lich or a vampire and chose to become a vampire. He thought living as bones would be more inconvenient than not being able to see the sun. But as a VampireLord, he can see the sun, although it''s painful. So, he''s quite lucky. Anyway, they all became vampires because they didn''t want to die." No. That reason, in its own way, felt a bit eerie. "I used to be a Homunculus. A Homunculus is an unstable magical lifeform. I was quite exceptionally stable, but I couldn''t know my specific lifespan, and the prospect of facing death someday was too terrifying. So, in order to avoid death, I tried various methods, and the last one I chose was becoming a vampire. Similarly, it was because I didn''t want to die." Lucinil looked at me. Then, she seemed to be about to say something but closed her mouth instead. "Anyway, the specific reasons may vary, but ultimately, we all became vampires because we didn''t want to die." Lucinil didn''t explain the circumstances of Luruien, Gallarush, and Eleris, but she said that they all became vampires as a refuge from their fear of death. "So, your threat is in a way the most effective approach to us. After all, our greatest fear is death." The only way to get through to immortals, who have had almost everything they could want over the long course of time, is to threaten them with their lives. They fear death, after all. "But that''s only possible to a certain extent. We have truly lived for a very, very long time. We were not the only lords for generations; the lords have changed several times. How do you think that happened?" "I don''t know." "There''s no way that vampires like us would be hunted or killed." I read something in Lucinil''s eyes. "Suicide?" "Yes." Boredom. "Most of the time, the replacement of the lords of the five families happened in such cases. Well, there are other cases, but you don''t need to know about those." It''s impossible for powerful vampires hiding far away from the world to be killed. They don''t even expose their existence to the world. So, there''s no way for the lords to be replaced except by giving up on life themselves. "So, does that mean they''re not afraid of death in the end?" While becoming a vampire was due to the fear of losing one''s life, if a Lord Vampire eventually grows weary of living for so long, then threatening their life won''t yield any results, will it? "No, it''s the opposite." Lucinil revealed a subtle smile. "Despite living for so long, despite life becoming weary to the point of exhaustion... " Sadness filled the eyes of the vampire. "They still have a reason to live." So, coming back to the point, the current lords must be beings who still have at least one reason to live. The fact that they haven''t given up on life is already proof of that. Lucinil was giving me information. CH 339 An excessively long life inevitably brings boredom, and for that reason, the weary Vampire Lords turned their backs on the world. Lucinil advised that there must be at least one reason for the five ruling lords, who still cling to this undoubtedly tiresome life, to continue living. Thus, their lives remained precious to them. "Of course, even if you were to kill us, it would only be a minor annoyance, but if that were truly possible, Luruien and Gallarush might cooperate. After all, your lifetime is but a brief moment for us, and by helping you during that time, we avoid troublesome matters and clear a debt to the Darkland, which isn''t such a bad deal." The Demon World and the Council have a relationship where they watch each other closely, but the Council could help reconstruct Darkland in exchange for clearing their debt. Furthermore, I, the Demon King possess Tiamata, so I can bother them whenever I please. In fact, three of the ruling lords have already promised to cooperate with me. Luruien and Gallarush have become a minority faction. Lucinil narrows her brow as she looks at me. "So, since I decided to cooperate with you, the situation should naturally work in your favor. Don''t spout nonsense like you did earlier. Understood?" "I''m not one to act without reason, so don''t worry." "No, you are one to act without reason. It''s written all over your face." ...How did she know? Is it because the traces of my words and actions so far remain visible on Eleri''s face? And is it even appropriate for a vampire from Homunculus to discuss physiognomy? Anyway, it seemed like Lucinil was going to be on my side from the beginning, thanks to Eleris, and Antirianus has also decided to join my side. As for the other Vampire Lords... frankly, I still don''t know much about them. "How on earth did Eleris choose someone like you as her master... Sigh." Why is she so kind? Although she grumbles, she still explains everything to me and even offers advice. She''s not just harmless but also likable. Whether I''m disconcerted by her excessive kindness or not, Lucinil no longer seems to care, as she lies down on the sofa with his arms folded. She said that the other Vampire Lords have reasons to keep living. That means Lucinil has indirectly confessed that she has at least one reason to live as well. "I don''t know if I can ask this." "If you''re hesitating, it''s polite not to ask, Archdemon." "What''s your reason for living, Lucinil?" "You''re going to ask anyway? You really have no tact." Lucinil frowns and glares at me. "Why? If I tell you, can you help me somehow?" "Can''t I at least share your burden?" "You speak eloquently. You really do." With her arms still folded, Lucinil gazes quietly at the high ceiling of the chamber. Lucinil then mumbled, as if it wasn''t much of a secret. "I want a soul." At those vague words, I felt as if my breath was being choked off. In that single phrase, I sensed the immeasurable sorrow of living as a Homunculus for an eternity, and the need to continue living as a vampire. I want a soul. What could that mean? I don''t want to be human, nor anything else; I just want a soul. I don''t know if only intelligent species possess souls, or if some life forms have them and others don''t. One thing is certain. A created being like a Homunculus would not have a soul. Lucinil wants what she lacks within herself. She turned her head towards me and smiled. "Is it pathetic? A being of this level only dreams of having that?" "¡­No, not really?" I believe it''s a desperate issue in its own way. Of course, I cannot fully empathize. She wants a soul. Lucinil never explained why she wanted it. "It''s just something like that. It''s not like I can''t live or die because of it." Her attitude in saying that was nonchalant. She spoke as if it was a mere wish, without any great longing or desire. However. Lucinil must have lived an immeasurably long time with just that one desire. ------ While Valier conversed with Lucinil at the Star Palace, Eleris was talking with Antirianus. "Antirianus." "Yes, Eleris." "What''s your scheme?" At that, the old sage smiled, seemingly at a loss for words. "I have nothing to say if you ask me my scheme when I''ve simply offered to help because the Demon King needs it. Hehe." "At the Great Demon War conference, you stated without hesitation that you had no intention of cooperating. But now, you''re willing to cooperate, which naturally raises suspicion, doesn''t it?" It was natural for Luruien and Gallarush to react as they did. That''s why it was strange for Antirianus to decide to help without any hesitation. "Well¡­" The old sage still wore a soft, benevolent smile. "The Great Demon War was not interesting, but this side seems to be fun." "¡­Fun?" "Yes, fun." Antirianus, who had been smiling all along, cautiously opened his eyes. The red eyes of the vampire gazed at Eleris. "To endure such a terribly long time, don''t we need this kind of entertainment once in a while?" "Entertainment¡­you say?" Although he had agreed to cooperate, Antirianus was approaching this as a way to kill time. And that was Eleris''s disgust. "You should¡­ choose your words¡­ more carefully¡­ Antirianus." "Ah, my apologies, Eleris. I had no intention of belittling or disrespecting you¡­ But why get so angry? Whether I cooperate sincerely or consider it entertainment and cooperate." -Tap tap The old sage tapped the floor of the castle with the end of his staff and smiled. "Isn''t it true that I''m offering to help?" The old sage left those words behind and brushed past Eleris. Eleris quietly stared at the retreating figure of Antirianus. Gaining the Council''s help would be as good as acquiring an army of ten thousand, but... Would it really be right to join hands with that sinister vampire? Eleris couldn''t be certain. ------ There was time until the Council reached a conclusion, so I had to stay in the Epiaux fortress for at least a few days. "Hey, Archdemon." "...What?" Just when I thought she lost interest, she appeared suddenly before me, walking down the corridor, and started following me around. "Aren''t you grateful that I''m helping you?" "...I am, but why?" Lucinil stared at me intently. "I''m a bit curious about the taste of Archdemon blood. Can I just have a little taste?" "What, what are you saying!" I was on the verge of a fit due to her sudden remark. Is that something you can say so casually, like asking for a glass of water? "No, I won''t turn you into a vampire. I just want a taste. Just a little bit. Oh, I''m really curious. Really. Can''t you do that for me?" "No way! What are you even talking about!" "Just a little! Really, just a little! Huh? I''m just curious. Who said I''d devour you?" Terrifying. But before that, if she really tried to turn me into a vampire, would it actually happen? Isn''t that too scary? Only then did I truly feel that I was face-to-face with some of the highest-ranking vampires. I''m not going to get into trouble here, am I? She seems kind, but is she really? She won''t suddenly bite my neck and say, "Now you''re my slave!" right? But, on the other hand... She seems like a child. If she bites me, the whole thing about just taking a bit of blood seems like it would fit the picture. Suddenly, I imagined myself being bitten in the neck by Gallarush. Isn''t that not just sucking, but being devoured...? Did I make a mistake coming here? "Ah! Are you really an Archdemon, acting so petty like this?" "Stop saying such absurd things!" I ran down the corridor of the fortress, and Lucinil followed me annoyingly with her short-range teleportation. "Hey! Just give it to me! Give it!" She clung to my waist, making strange noises. In the end... I went to find Eleris with Lucinil hanging on my waist. "Lucinil..." Eleris looked down at the small vampire with a cold expression, knowing that she wanted my blood. "What can I do if I''m really curious!" Lucinil threw a tantrum, arguing that there was no chance she would ever taste Archdemon blood. "Your Highness... Instead of sucking blood directly, if you collect the blood in a container and she drinks from it... I can allow her to taste it, but... it''s not a good idea if it harms your body." Ah. There was such a method, after all. Upon hearing it, Lucinil looked at me with an expression of surprise. "Oh, that should work! Hey, just perfect." "What, you want me to do what now?" The vampire lord used a slightly different approach than I had experienced so far. In the end, we bickered for quite some time, and ultimately, I was the one who gave in. If I didn''t, I had a feeling Lucinil would try to sink her teeth into my neck while I slept. To be honest, I was scared, so I surrendered. "I don''t know why I have to do this, but since you''re helping me, I''ll do it." "Mm-hmm." Eventually, I cut my own flesh and bled into a bowl that Lucinil had brought. Eleris looked on anxiously, as if worried something might go wrong. The strange thing was, by now, I didn''t find this level of pain particularly bothersome. "Ah, that''s...the wound is... Uh! It''s...too deep!" I was fine, but Eleris couldn''t help but be restless. I let a few drops of my blood fall, and Lucinil licked the bowl clean before looking at me. Her expression was somewhat bitter. "Metallic." That was her only comment on the taste. I couldn''t understand why I was getting angry at the remark that my blood tasted bad. It was annoying for no reason. ------ Eleris helped me stop the bleeding from the wound on my arm. Tiamata''s divine power couldn''t be used in ordinary situations. Lucinil, grumbling that the taste of Archdemon blood was metallic, left as if her task was finished. We had no choice but to eat since we would be here for several days. And I wasn''t the only one who needed food. Lydia Schmitt was here too. We shared a meal with Lydia Schmitt using the preserved food Eleris had brought. Lydia froze upon seeing me but, upon hearing that we were here to eat, she kept quiet and ate while glancing around. "A lot has happened since then, huh?" I wondered if Lydia had chosen this place or not, but her room was quite spacious. The crackling sound of the fireplace filled the room, and the warmth circulated around. There were items that hadn''t been there before, such as a bed, sofa, and desk. Eleris seemed to be trying to provide as many necessary items as possible for someone who would be living in isolation. It was because the environment was so extreme. Based on the size of the room and the living conditions, one could believe this was a royal residence. In fact, this was a palace. "Once the council concludes, you''ll be able to move around freely. Bear with the inconvenience for now." "¡­Yes." As she glanced at Eleris, Lydia quietly nibbled on a piece of bread. CH 340 The night at Castle Epiphax was bitterly cold. The relentless snowstorm showed no signs of stopping. Yet strangely, the well-maintained Epiphax managed to keep the drafts out. Of course, that didn''t mean the castle''s interior was warm and cozy. On the contrary, the nights at Epiphax grew even colder and more chilling. However, the castle''s true masters remained unaffected by such frigid temperatures. The night at Epiphax. Elf vampire Luvien and orc vampire Gallarsh sat across from each other in a meeting room. "Do you think Lucynil will cooperate?" "Yes, she''s been feeling guilty for not participating in the Demon Realm War with Eleris." "Hmm. Assuming Lucynil won''t help us¡­" Luvien narrowed her eyes, gazing down the corridor. "I can''t figure out what Antirianus is thinking." Luvien''s long ears drooped down. It wasn''t often that the Vampire Council convened, but they had existed for a very long time. Though they didn''t see each other frequently, they had no choice but to become familiar with one another over the years. That is, everyone except Antirianus, who had relatively recently ascended to his position. As a result, Gallarsh knew that Luvien''s drooping ears signaled her concern or sullenness. "He''s inscrutable. I even have doubts about the true nature of his ascension." At Gallarsh''s words, Luvien''s ears perked up. "¡­So, you''ve been thinking that as well." "Didn''t you harbor some suspicions yourself?" "Well, I''ve heard that Antirianus has a history of mysterious behavior, but I can''t be sure¡­" Luvien''s response seemed hesitant, and Gallarsh nodded. "Regardless, I am certain." Gallarsh''s red eyes bore into Luvien. "I''m sure he killed the previous Lord of Saturday." "¡­Why would he do that?" "If Maximilia had chosen death as Antirianus claimed, and he was the next in line, then it would have been after the creation of the Philosopher''s Stone. But that never happened." "¡­That''s true." A reason to live. The previous Lord of Saturday''s goal was to create the legendary Philosopher''s Stone, the pinnacle of alchemy. In pursuit of that goal, he became a vampire and the Lord of Saturday. Suddenly, Maximilia died without fulfilling his lifelong quest, and Antirianus appeared, claiming to be the next Lord of Saturday. Gallarsh had been suspicious of Antirianus from the beginning, amidst these odd circumstances. He believed that Maximilia hadn''t chosen death, but was murdered by Antirianus. At Gallarsh''s words, Luvien tilted her head. "Yet, is it even possible for a family member to kill their Lord? It should be impossible." "Antirianus was a mage before he became a vampire." "¡­That''s true." "He might have found a way. A method to avoid being controlled, perhaps." Gallarsh murmured quietly, his muscular arms straining as he crossed them. "Antirianus became a Vampire Lord and, in just 20 years, the Lord of Saturday. That''s definitely suspicious." "...Indeed, it is." Twenty years might be a long time, but to them, it was as fleeting as an instant. To their eyes, it seemed that Antirianus had become the Lord of Saturday the moment he joined their ranks. Antirianus was suspected of killing the previous lord and taking over the position. Ultimately, since it was another family''s affair, there was no reason for them to interfere. Even if it were true, it would be an internal matter of the family. However, both agreed that, regardless of the truth, Antirianus was dangerous and unpredictable. That''s why Eleris was wary of Antirianus, who had easily shown willingness to cooperate. "But this time, he''s cooperating with the Demon Lord..." Gallarsh muttered with a serious expression. An orc''s serious expression was quite different from a human''s. From a human perspective, it looked like he was considering who to devour and kill. "Who knows if he plans to kill the Demon Lord and become the new one once the Darklands are restored?" "...Ah, come on. He''s not an Archdemon." Luvien shook her head slightly, as if to say that it was too simple of a thought. Toward her, Gallarsh muttered quietly. "There are many ways. Countless." At his words, Luvien''s ears trembled in horror. If one possessed an Archdemon, one would possess the Demon Realm. Whether or not Antirianus had a reason to do so, there would be a way if he tried. Mages were the kind who would find ways if there were none. Gallarsh, folding his arms in contemplation, then opened his eyes wide as if making a decision. "I''ll cooperate. If only to keep an eye on Antirianus." "...What?!" Luvien''s eyes widened at the sudden decision. "I can''t just stand by and watch his suspicious actions anymore." "...I didn''t know Gallarsh hated Antirianus that much." "Luvien, I hate you even more. Why do you keep forgetting what you already knew and make me explain it over and over?" Oblivion. At that, Luvien laughed. "That''s how I can endure the passage of time." Every 200 years, Luvien would erase all of her memories except for the most essential ones. That''s why, despite being the oldest living Vampire Lord, she could remain sane. As a result, Gallarsh had no choice but to get angry every time he had to explain something from the past to Luvien, who had forgotten it. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to mention old times. Luvien would actively and annoyingly ask about what had happened in the past, as if listening to her own forgotten deeds was extremely entertaining. Gallarsh found this tiresome. "Do you remember why Maximilia wanted to create the Philosopher''s Stone?" "I don''t... Oh, right. Was it for Lucynil?" "Yes." Gallarsh spoke quietly. "It was to give a soul to Lucynil." The Philosopher''s Stone, said to be capable of bringing about any miracle. The pursuit of the ultimate goal of alchemy, a thing that everyone knew didn''t really exist, but something that every alchemist dreamed of at least once. Maximilia, the former head of Saturday, had pursued it. That''s why Gallarsh couldn''t believe it when Antirianus suddenly appeared and claimed that the former head of Saturday had taken his own life. If Antirianus had killed Maximilia... "Hmm." Luvien''s ears perked up, and she showed a subtle smile. "So, are you worried about Lucynil rather than the Demon King or the Demon Realm?" At that subtle laughter, Gallarsh scowled as if it wasn''t worth getting upset about. "I had a relationship with Maximilia that could be called friendship." His expression alone could have easily frightened away half a dozen men, but Luvien seemed to be teasing him like a child. "That''s all." Gallarsh firmly nailed it down, as if not to be misunderstood. At his words, Luvien looked at Gallarsh with an expression that seemed to sparkle. "And with me?" "An irritating relationship." "I feel left out..." Luvien''s ears drooped sadly. *** As long as things were going favorably according to Lucynil''s advice, there was no need to provoke Gallarsh and Luvien with further nonsense. Just getting the cooperation of the two Vampire Lords was a considerable achievement. If Gallarsh and Luvien had decided not to cooperate, there had been no intention to attack them. "I''ll cooperate." However, the next morning, when Gallarsh agreed to cooperate, I couldn''t help but be surprised. What happened? Had there been some change of heart overnight? For what reason? But that ferocious-looking orc vampire didn''t seem to have succumbed to a threat of murder, nor did he suddenly appear to have any newfound goodwill towards me. It felt just like the situation with Antirianus. He said he''d help, but why did it feel so cheap? "Working together is always more fun!" Lucynil jumped up excitedly, latching onto Gallarsh''s massive arm. It looked like a cicada clinging to the arm of that giant. "Don''t bother me." -Smack! "Ouch!" Of course, when Gallarsh swung his arm, Lucynil was pathetically flung away. "Ow, that hurts, you monster!" "I know, I don''t like being clung to. And don''t call me a monster." Lucynil whined from the side, but Gallarsh completely ignored her, as if it were a common occurrence. It was that kind of feeling. Among the old Vampire Lords, only the one who looked young acted like a real child, while the other aged vampires watched this like they were amused by their granddaughter, and only Gallarsh was disgusted by it. This. Was it just a gathering of excessively old elderly people? The Vampire Council... Perhaps it wasn''t such a formal gathering after all. It felt so strange, like watching some bizarre role-playing, that it became almost unbearable. It was like a group of elderly people living alone, with one of them suffering from severe dementia and acting like a baby, wasn''t it? Of course, Eleris might not have known, but once they returned to their territory, they would probably live with their subordinates as a Vampire Lord rather than living alone. "Anyway, I will cooperate with you wholeheartedly." "Then... that naturally leaves one person." Following Antirianus''s words, everyone''s gaze naturally shifted to the last person. The elf vampire, Luvien. "...Why did I become a minority faction in just a day?" Back when they were laughing about the nonexistent King, Eleris had been the only one on my side in this room. Regardless of the specific circumstances, Luvien had ended up isolated like a duck in the river. "Ah, no... If I say I''ll cooperate here, it would seem like I''m just being swept up in the atmosphere and acting impulsively..." Luvien frowned, as if annoyed, and stomped their foot before sighing deeply. "Phew... Well, Gallarsh did say yesterday that he would take your side, and I did give it some thought. But..." Luvien shrugged their shoulders. "You should know that I''ll only help, not swear loyalty with my life or anything like that." Not loyalty but loose cooperation. However, considering the opponents, even that much was enough. Antirianus showed a satisfied smile as he looked at me. "With this, you''ve gained the power of the five vampire families. Oh, Great One." I was the one who asked for help, and I was the one who achieved my goal. But for some reason, I couldn''t shake the strange feeling that the situation was unfolding just as Antirianus had desired. Regardless, I had accomplished a great feat by forming an alliance with the five Vampire Lord families of the Vampire Council. *** I hadn''t expected the results to be this good. I thought it would be a great success if only one or two showed their willingness to cooperate, but I managed to secure the cooperation of all the Vampire Lords in the end. The important thing is that although their cooperation is helpful, I shouldn''t be overly optimistic. I must put aside the notion that they are entirely on my side. It''s a partnership, not servitude. Antirianus, who praised me as a great being and appeared the most subservient, made me feel the most uneasy. Of course, I didn''t just gain the power of the Vampire Lords. I also gained the influence they possessed. Antirianus explained to me about the families of each house. The Council was just a meeting place, not where they lived. Luvien''s base was in a vast coniferous forest area called Rainwood in the northwest of the continent. Gallarsh had his base in a desert area called Gelkorgis in the south of the continent. Antirianus mentioned that he had his base in a small village in Alphanera, one of the secondary countries of the empire. That also included their families. "I imagine you might have guessed this already, but I''m alone." Eleris said that she was the only one of the Hwayo tribe. I had anticipated this, as Eleris had never mentioned anything about her tribe despite being the Hwayo chief. "I''m the same." Lucynil, too, did not have a tribe to call her own. Seeing her, it was somewhat expected that she wouldn''t be able to lead a group. Powerful Vampire Lords and their tribes. It felt like I had gained an army with just a few words. The fact that I was getting deeper into danger and achieving some success made my blood run cold. Now, I was truly capable of waging war. The weight of that thought made it hard to breathe. However, I couldn''t hesitate. I was determined to stop the gate crisis, no matter what. "The reason I sought you all out was not strictly for your strength, but for your knowledge." As if to ask what that was, they all stared at me intently. Could this be the key? If it was the key, I would be liberated from all the troubles that had been haunting me. Hoping that this could be the beginning. "First, do you know how to open a dimensional portal to another world?" I asked the Vampire Lords and powerful magicians to reveal the secret that would free me from my wretched fate. "Second, if not, do you know any magic experts who might know and their whereabouts? For example, like the Black Order or Cantus Magna." At that, they all wore puzzled expressions, which was to be expected. "A dimensional portal to another world?" Luvien tilted her head. "Why are you curious about that?" Gallarsh showed the kind of expression an orc would make when confused. "¡­I''ve never heard such a bizarre thing in my entire life." Lucynil seemed to have given up on understanding. "Another world¡­" Antirianus wore an intrigued expression. In the end, the core question was why I wanted to know that. They wouldn''t believe me if I said it was to save the world, and I had initially gained their cooperation under the pretext of rebuilding the Demon Realm. "Darkland has lost much of its power. We''ve experienced almost irreversible losses. Even with your cooperation, it would be difficult to bring down the empire." As flimsy as that excuse might seem, I had no other choice. "So, I intend to join forces with beings from other worlds." Since there were so few who would lend me a hand in reality, I made the almost absurd statement that I would summon an army from another world. At my words, they all wore even more puzzled expressions, which was inevitable. *** There was an uproar. They said it was nonsense, and even if such a world existed, there was no reason for them to help me. Especially Luvien and Gallarsh, who knew I was odd, but now seemed horrified to think I was clearly insane. They found it disturbing that I was making such an unbelievable claim. Lucynil stared at me with wide eyes. ''This guy must be crazy.'' That seemed to be her conclusion. Antirianus, on the other hand, laughed heartily, seemingly caught off guard by my outrageous claim. It was incredibly creepy when he laughed like that. "If it doesn''t work, it doesn''t work, but there''s no harm in trying. Isn''t that what they say? That there''s no other way?" There was nothing to lose by trying. It was just a matter of discussing things at that level. Although it wasn''t something to talk about so casually, in the end, there was no other excuse to bring up. So, the answer to the first question, whether they knew or not. Luvien, Gallarsh, and Lucynil all seemed like they hadn''t even considered such a thing, judging by their expressions. Antirianus was no different. The Vampire Council members didn''t know how to travel to another world. "Alright, if you don''t know, that''s fine. What about the next question?" Information about a mage who might know such a thing. Once again, their reactions were lukewarm. No matter how long they lived, these immortals led somewhat stagnant lives. So, they couldn''t possibly be sensitive to worldly information. But then. "As for Cantus Magna, I was once involved with them." Antirianus suddenly said that. "Really?!" "Yes, Lucynil." It wasn''t me who blurted out the surprised remark, but Lucynil. It seemed that none of the other Vampire Lords in the room could hide their astonishment, as if they were hearing it for the first time. "That was before I became a vampire, though..." Antirianus had been the key to reaching Cantus Magna. CH 341 Antirianus was not just knowledgeable about Cantus Magna but had been active within it. Surprisingly, Lucynil seemed even more flabbergasted than I was, and she abruptly stood up and bombarded him with questions. "Is that, is that okay? It''s not a place you can easily enter and leave, is it?" "Of course it isn''t, Lucynil." Her eyes were not only sparkling but also seemed to be leaning towards Antirianus as if wanting to hear more. "So how on earth did you manage to get out?" "They demanded my life as the price for attempting to leave." Antirianus calmly spread his arms. They had tried to kill him to prevent his escape, and yet he was still alive now. It was a clear statement that something had happened. Antirianus had been part of Cantus Magna, escaped from there, and fought in the process. Lucynil stared blankly, her mouth agape. "Antirianus, why did you join Cantus Magna in the first place?" Eleris, who had been watching the situation, suddenly asked him. "Hmm... I wanted to become an immortal being." He pointed to his own body. The body of a Vampire Lord. "I''m talking about true immortality, not this half-hearted version." He seemed to think that even the body of a vampire who had overcome the sun was only a half measure. According to Lucynil, he had debated between becoming a lich or a vampire and ultimately chose the latter because it seemed less inconvenient. His elderly appearance was likely because he had failed to find the true path to immortality while he was old and became a vampire instead. "It''s not really my place to say, but Antirianus seems to talk about grim things quite casually." At Lucynil''s comment, Antirianus let out a laugh. "Haha, isn''t that true for all beings? Especially for us." None of the other Vampire Lords seemed to disagree with him. Luvien looked at Antirianus with interest. "So, was there no way to achieve immortality?" "I''m not sure." Everyone''s expression became strange again at that answer. Not sure? "Cantus Magna collects the Forbidden Magic, but not for their use. They don''t even review what they possess, and as generations pass, they forget what magic they have. I tried to seize the opportunity to study their secret arts, but I was discovered midway and severed my ties with Cantus Magna." He had joined the magic organization in search of immortality and worked as a member, but after being discovered, he fought and fled. It was a bit disconcerting how casually he spoke of such a sinister past. It was almost fitting for a Vampire Lord''s past. Antirianus, who had failed to find the perfect way to immortality, had debated between becoming a lich or a vampire and ultimately chose the latter. Antirianus had been active, but he wasn''t knowledgeable enough about Cantus Magna. It felt a bit crude, but saying it bluntly made it seem less so. "Why do they collect forbidden magic then? They''re not going to use it, and they''ll probably forget they have it, right?" Lucynil asked. "Could it be, like the rumors say, that they seal dangerous magic to protect the world? Is that true?" Luvien inquired. The purpose of the forbidden magic hunters, Cantus Magna, was unclear. I was curious to hear Antirianus''s response, as I didn''t know either. Magic outlaws had their own goals and were neither good nor evil. "No, absolutely not, Luvien. Haha... They certainly don''t have such noble intentions." Antirianus burst into laughter as if he had heard something ridiculous. Luvien, annoyed by his reaction, perked up her ears and glared at him. "Then what is their goal?" In response to Gallarsh''s question, Antirianus wiped the smile from his lips and spoke softly. "It is to complete the Akasha." "...Akasha?" Even the Vampire Lords seemed to be hearing the term for the first time. It sounded like the Akashic Records, though I couldn''t be sure if the concept was an exact match to what I remembered. "I don''t know if it should be called an artifact... Of course, I don''t know what it looks like either. However, Akasha is an artifact that holds magic. Cantus Magna''s goal is to complete such a peculiar object. No one knows how much it needs to be filled." "So, to be precise, they''re not hunting forbidden magic but rather filling the container with magic. Since they''ve already stored completed magic, they need to find new magic to add, hence their pursuit of forbidden magic. Of course, they also develop new magic themselves, but forbidden magic has complex rituals and intricate structures, so its capacity is quite large. That''s why they''re so obsessed with it." The mysterious artifact called Akasha seemed to be an object designed to contain magic. Cantus Magna''s goal was its completion. The mere mention of it sent shivers down my spine. "What will happen once Akasha is complete?" I asked, and Antirianus shook his head. "I don''t know. The leader of Cantus Magna or their top officials might know." What would happen once Akasha was complete? Would it pose a threat to the world? Would the completion of Akasha lead to a gate crisis, or is that too far-fetched? What could happen due to the completion of such an incredibly powerful artifact with an unknown purpose and origin? "Let''s assume it''s possible, regardless of whether it is or not. If Cantus Magna could access all the magic and forbidden spells gathered in Akasha, there might be a spell to open a portal to another world. Of course, it''s not certain. What is certain is that most of the magic that has existed in the world is stored there." For a very long time, they had been collecting mana, and if they could access the Akasha, they might be able to figure out how to open the dimensional gate. "Of course, it''s been a long time since I was in Cantus Magna, and time has passed. They''ve probably stored even more magic in the Akasha than when I was there. Perhaps they''ve even completed the Akasha by now." The possibility was substantial. I didn''t actually need magic to open a gate to another world. My goal was to destroy it if it really existed. Cantus Magna collected not only mana but also magic itself. So, they would be studying magic on their own as well as accessing public magic. If there was magic that could open a path to another world, it would be embedded in the Akasha. Although I didn''t really need that magic, if it was in the Akasha, how would the gate incident unfold? But now, I could distinctly sense that I was getting closer to the truth of the gate incident, which had been unclear until now. I didn''t know what would happen when the Akasha was completed. But now, I had to find out. The completion of the Akasha might be linked to the gate incident. "I want to know how to contact Cantus Magna." Antirianus. Suspicious and dangerous-looking, but ultimately, he was the key. *** "Isn''t that too risky? I don''t know what Akasha is, but they look incredibly dangerous. It seems like you''re trying to meet dangerous people for something that might not even be worth attempting." Lucynil strongly objected, as if it were a terrible idea, but Antirianus shook his head. "Putting aside whether it''s possible or not, if we can possess the Akasha, wouldn''t the method to reach another world become irrelevant? The Akasha itself would be a source of immense power." "Right... That makes sense..." The method of reaching another world eventually became insignificant. After all, I had mentioned the other world under the pretext of wanting power. From now on, I would claim to want the Akasha under the guise of needing power. "And besides, it''s not an unknown matter, Lucynil." "...What isn''t?" "Like how the true method of immortality might be in the Akasha, which I haven''t found, there might also be a way for you to have a soul." At those words, Lucynil stared blankly at Antirianus, seemingly shocked. Lucynil had said that she wanted a soul for some unknown reason. We didn''t know what magic was in the Akasha, but it was now a vessel of possibilities. Just as I might find what I wanted there, Lucynil might also find what she sought in the Akasha. "Antirianus, if you knew about that, why haven''t you mentioned it until now?" Gallarsh asked in a low voice, and Antirianus narrowed his eyes. "If it were such an easy task, I wouldn''t have given up on immortality and become a vampire. Even now, I''m not particularly eager to confront Cantus Magna." Antirianus looked at me. "Of course, if everyone in this gathering had the same objective, the story would be a bit different," he said. If I had to fight, I might not have to fight them directly. I could make Cantus Magna and the Black Order fight each other. Of course, no matter how that battle ends, I would still have to secure Akasha somehow. "I, I will... help," Lucynil said, standing up as if entranced. Having a soul was Lucynil''s deepest desire. "That''s why I didn''t tell you about Akasha, Gallarsh," Antirianus said. Gallarsh crossed his arms. "You deliberately hid that information from me just to release it now. Unbelievable." Antirianus hadn''t mentioned Akasha because he knew that once Lucynil got a hold of the clue, she would become obsessed with it. But Antirianus had deliberately mentioned that there might be magic within Akasha that could grant her desire. It was clear that Antirianus wanted Akasha as well. However, he didn''t want to take the risks himself, so he tried to make Lucynil take them instead. If left alone, Lucynil, Eleris, and I would risk danger and sacrifice ourselves to approach Cantus Magna. I appreciated the information, but he was still cunning. "So, do you know where Cantus Magna is?" I asked. "I know, but obviously, they must have moved by now. It''s been a long time since they lost me," Antirianus replied. Neither Antirianus nor I knew Cantus Magna''s current whereabouts. "So, unless you have a golden chalice that would tempt Cantus Magna, finding them is nearly impossible," Antirianus said. His words were no different from what I had told Eleris before. To find the chalice hunters, one must have a chalice. It''s better to let them come to us instead of searching for them. "Fine. Let''s think about that problem later. There''s no hurry for now." At least, not yet. CH 342 The day after the Council. After the meeting was adjourned. Eleris and I stood side by side in a desolate corridor where the sound of a howling wind echoed from outside. I leaned against the corridor wall, while Eleris stared ahead with a stern expression. "Is this... the right decision?" "We can only hope." "Your Highness, I have lived a long time, but I have never even heard of an artifact called Akasha. I am... afraid, both if it exists and if it doesn''t, for I cannot know what Antirianus''s intentions are." I understood Eleris''s fear. I was just as afraid. The anxiety that something worse than the Gate incident might happen was overwhelming. Wouldn''t it be better to do nothing and face the predetermined Gate incident? Once entangled with Akasha, an ancient artifact of unknown origin, something completely unexpected could happen. The future was uncertain. Of course, it was natural, but never before had it been so terrifying. "...I spoke out of turn." Seeing that I said nothing, Eleris gently took my hand. Her cold body temperature was transferred to my hand. "I should not be afraid when Your Highness is undoubtedly the most fearful, yet here I am..." "..." Could my fear be felt without saying anything? Eleris seemed to have assured herself that I had no malicious intentions to destroy the world. Things might not go perfectly, but we had to believe. If we weren''t going to do anything, we shouldn''t have started at all. "Everything will be fine." I said, borrowing the power of Spirit Speech, but my voice echoing in the corridor was hollow. *** After the meeting reconvened, we asked Antirianus several more questions. Through what route did he first come into contact with Cantus Magna? In the end, his thought process wasn''t much different from mine. Antirianus dabbled in numerous dark magics and forbidden arts in search of the secret to immortality. "Originally, I wanted to summon the forbidden arts hunters, but if I could obtain immortality in the process, it wouldn''t be so bad." There were people within my knowledge who had pursued immortality and engaged in bizarre activities. That''s why it felt strange to look at Antirianus. It was as if I was witnessing a mid-early episode villain who dreamed of immortality but had achieved their dream without being defeated by the hero. I didn''t know the extent of the evil deeds committed by the Vampire Lords present, but Antirianus was truly a wicked dark mage. Would it be appropriate to compare him to the appearance of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who achieved immortality, several hundred years later? Can we really just... leave him be? "So the forbidden arts hunters came, and I asked to join them. I was able to become one of them in exchange for all the forbidden arts I possessed." "Is Cantus Magna known for easily accepting new members?" "Not exactly. They accepted me because I had an extensive collection of forbidden arts, and trying to take them from me would have resulted in bloodshed. They probably planned to dispose of me soon after." Antirianus didn''t bother making any flimsy excuses for betraying Cantus Magna, as the latter would have purged him soon anyway. It seemed that Antirianus wasn''t the type to care about justifying his actions. Antirianus and Cantus Magna had temporarily cooperated for their own needs, but in the end, Antirianus had only suffered losses, having paid gold and not even glimpsing the Akasha. Of course, Cantus Magna had also failed to eliminate Antirianus, thus exposing their secret aspirations to outsiders, so both parties suffered losses. "Thus, contacting Cantus Magna could be surprisingly easy if you have your own unique brand and gold," He said. (TL Note: Just to make it clear, the Author is using "Brand" and "Gold" as an euphemism to forbidden spells and techniques. I don''t know why though...) The Vampire Council wasn''t much different from a secret society. The Black Order knew about the existence of the Vampire Lord, but it was uncertain whether they knew about the five vampire families. Ultimately, the gold or magic that only they possessed might not have been secured by Cantus Magna yet. So, if the existence of the Council were revealed to Cantus Magna, or if the Vampire Lords exposed their existence, contact would be easy ¨C in the form of them seeking us out. "It seems like a matter that requires careful consideration," Gallarsh remarked, and I agreed. "I don''t like it," Luvien flatly refused, seemingly unwilling to take on that level of risk. Honestly, I agreed with her as well. "Exposing ourselves doesn''t seem like a wise approach." "What do you propose then?" Antirianus asked, as I folded my arms. "I''ve had contact with the Black Order before. I killed one of their operatives, not a big deal, just a low-level one. The important thing is that I told them I could give them information about Cantus Magna." It was highly likely that the Black Order didn''t know about Akasha. They probably weren''t ignorant of how to contact Cantus Magna. However, as they were hostile to each other, they would prefer to size each other up before starting an all-out battle. They would want to fight in the most advantageous conditions, hence the need for information. The Black Order not risking a direct confrontation with Cantus Magna must have had its reasons. Could this information make the Black Order and Cantus Magna fight each other? And was it the right thing to do? "Let''s try negotiating with the Black Order first, see their attitude, and make a decision from there. No need to take unnecessary risks," I suggested. Everyone nodded in agreement. If we got proper information from the Black Order, Cantus Magna might not be a concern. Although the existence of Akasha was still unsettling. Regardless, I successfully prepared information about Cantus Magna before the Black Order contacted us. I managed to gain the cooperation of the Vampire Council and obtain information about Cantus Magna. There was nothing left to do at the Council until the Black Order issue was resolved. "For now, that concludes my business here." Their help wasn''t needed yet. And I hoped it wouldn''t come to that. *** I had thought it might take quite a long time, but the Vampire Council only took two days. I was curious about Antirianus''s intentions, but important information and a change of atmosphere had occurred on his side, making it rather ambiguous. I couldn''t tell if they were enemies or allies, but for now, they were helpful. That''s how most alliances are, after all. The revolutionary forces would ally with us knowing that they''d eventually turn their swords against each other. The Council was over, and tomorrow we would return to the Royal Road. With nothing specific to do, I wandered around Epiphax. The falling snow had stopped, and the sharp sound of the wind had ceased. Under human management, Epiphax wasn''t a place people could visit often. So, the fortress was empty most of the year. I aimlessly walked and entered a room. The Pantheon. Here, I had seen Eleris''s statue and realized it was related to the vampires. As I looked up at the seven statues, I suddenly felt something was off. If these were statues of the lords, there should have been statues of the elf and orc ¨C Gallarsh and Luvien. But there were no statues with long ears or anything that resembled an orc. Of course, Lucynil and Antirianus''s statues were there, as they should be. "Since it came into the sight of humans, it had to been changed," Turning to the voice that came from behind, I saw Luvien standing there. "We decided not to let humans know what kind of place this is, so if there are statues of suspicious orcs or elves, people might say it''s an illegal place." Indeed, the statue in the position of Thursday, which was supposed to resemble Luvien, had shorter ears but did look like her. Of course, the statue in the position of Friday, which should have been Gallarsh, looked like an ordinary person. Luvien stood in the center of the Pantheon, gazing in a certain direction. "I heard that I am the oldest of all Lord Vampires." "...You heard?" Why would she talk as if she heard it from someone else? Sensing my confusion, Luvien gave a faint smile. "I erase my memory every 200 years." "Oh." Perhaps that''s one way to endure immortality. Then, Luvien, the oldest existence, would have the least memory of the past. Luvien chose to erase memories rather than face death. "It must not be that I chose to forget, but I had to... " Luvien stood in the center of the Pantheon, her arms crossed, looking in a certain direction. "I''m so curious about what I knew before erasing my memory." Her gaze seemed somewhat wistful. "Why did the elves become extinct?" "What happened to Sunday and Monday? What kind of beings were they originally?" "I must have known it all." "Why did I have to erase those memories?" "Or did I really erase those memories?" Luvien looked at me. Rather than curiosity, it was closer to longing. She had erased her own memories, but she couldn''t know why she had to erase them, so Luvien seemed to long for those lost memories. She would have known everything. She was curious about the reason she had to erase those memories. Luvien stood silently, looking at the statues of Sunday, Monday, and herself. In a different sense from Antirianus, the Vampire Lords were complex beings beyond good and evil. "Do you have any sort of aspiration, like Wednesday?" "Like Lucynil?" Did Luvien also have something like Lucynil, who wanted to possess a soul? "If I had to say¡­ perhaps it would be regaining my true memories. All the memories I''ve forgotten so far." Luvien said this and then bowed her head. "But if I find all of those memories, I will surely go mad." She wanted to regain her memories, but she didn''t have the confidence to cope with them. "That''s right. I don''t particularly have any aspirations, but I don''t want to face death. So, I''m just postponing death like this. I''m living my life with only the very important memories left intact, like the fact that I''m a Vampire Lord and that I have a clan." She was accumulating time, discarding all the useless memories except for magic, power, and knowledge. "Living¡­ huh." As if compressing herself. Luvien seemed to mull over her last words, then shook her head. Maybe she thought the word "living" didn''t suit an undead. "Rather, it seems more appropriate to say that I''m slowly dying." Postponing death indefinitely into the future, she was slowly dying. When they can no longer endure the immortal time, they choose death. So, Luvien said, it''s not that they''re living, they''re just slowly dying. It seemed no different from living, but the nuance was terribly different. "What do you plan to do after you''ve accomplished everything and truly rebuild Darkland?" Luvien looked at me and asked me this. From this ancient being, I could read a deep emptiness. She seemed to be living, but she was aware that she was leading a meaningless life without purpose. If I become the Demon King, then what comes next, and after that, and after that? Is that what she''s asking? Unfortunately, I have no intention of becoming a true Demon King. So such a question is pointless. I''ve never thought about it. "I''ll do something." "¡­?" "Right? I''ll do something. I won''t do nothing." Even if that were the case, I wouldn''t do nothing, so I had no choice but to say something like that. At my words, Luvien burst into laughter. "Ha ha¡­ Ha ha! Is that so? Yes. I''ll do something¡­ I''ll do something." I didn''t know what was so funny about my words, but Luvien pricked up his ears and laughed. "Good. Maybe it''s better to think that way." I couldn''t know what kind of resonance my casual answer gave to Luvien. However, after saying that it had been a long time since she laughed like this, Luvien quietly walked down the hallway and disappeared. Emptiness is not for those who have given up on thinking. It is because they think too deeply that they fall into emptiness. Realizing this, Luvien''s footsteps seemed quite light. *** The following day. There was no immediate business with the other Vampire Lords, but they had agreed to cooperate. Though Akasha was a powerful source of strength in itself, Antirianus said he would investigate the method of opening a dimensional gate to the other world I had mentioned. "It''s a subject we''ve never considered before. It''s quite intriguing." Those were Antirianus''s words. Regardless of whether it was possible to collapse the empire through cooperation with the other world or not, he seemed to like the idea of exploring the existence of the other world. It seemed like the wizards, who had nothing left but time, were simply intrigued by the idea. "If the Demon King requests our help, the Council will reconvene," Luvien said. The Council would hardly ever meet unless there was a special occasion. However, since the Vampire Council had agreed to establish a connection with me, they seemed to be taking on the responsibility of an alliance. Everyone was cooperating with me for their own reasons, even though there wasn''t much they could offer. I silently watched as they began to leave Epiphax one by one through teleportation. Eleris had left the Royal Road for now. There was no reason to return to the Royal Road until she had secured a new hideout or disguise. So she would likely stay in the Castle for a while as a contact. I figured we could meet anytime through teleportation, but it felt somewhat sad as the distance grew increasingly vast. It was nice having her within reach. In the massive hall of Epiphax Castle, Eleris bowed her head to me. "Please take care, Your Highness." "Huh?" What was she talking about? "Shouldn''t you accompany me? Are you telling me to go alone?" "Ah." Eleris tilted her head when I said that. "It seems Lucynil hasn''t told you yet." I wondered what she meant, but Lucynil was suddenly standing next to me. "Archdemon, you''re coming with me." "Why?" "Since I need to stay here for a while, Lucynil will help you if you need magic." Ah. That''s what she meant. Lucynil had no family and was alone. So, she was more free than the other Vampire Lords. Moreover, since Eleris had decided to stay here for a while due to her responsibilities with the Council and Radia''s supervision, I wouldn''t have her support for some time. This meant that when I needed powerful magic or had to go somewhere through teleportation, Lucynil would assist me from now on. "Lucynil is much more versatile than me, so she will be able to serve you better." Why did they help me so much? It seemed like Eleris trusted Lucynil quite a lot, even if she didn''t know the other Vampire Lords well. "Serve? Eleris, that makes it sound like I''m his subordinate." "Ah, sorry, Lucynil. Let''s call it protection then." "Tsk." "Protection? That makes me sound like I need a babysitter." "Don''t you?" "Tsk." I had to admit it. Having an archmage by my side was convenient. Instead of having Eleris, the other archmage, whos busy with other matters, she had attached another archmage to me. Although Lucynil seemed like a simple-minded child on the surface, she was actually a Homunculus Vampire merely cosplaying as a young child. "Get ready. It''s time to go." Lucynil signaled me as she finished casting. "Your Highness, please take care." Eleris looked at me with worried eyes. "You too, be careful." Somehow. It felt strangely and bizarrely like parting ways with my parents! As I was mulling over that thought, Lucynil activated the mass teleportation spell. CH 343 With a flash, Lucynil and I returned to the outskirts of the Royal Road. Before I knew it, Lucynil had transformed from a vampire with snake-like eyes into a girl with silver hair and blue eyes. I, too, had returned to my Reinhardt form instead of Valier. "Hmm, so this is your disguise?" "Yes." Lucynil glanced up and down at me in my Reinhardt form and crossed her arms. "You certainly look like you have an attitude problem." "What?" "Exactly." There was no one else around. "It''s been a while since I''ve been to the Royal Road." Lucynil gazed at the sprawling landscape of the Royal Road. "Do you have a place to stay?" "Hmm... I was told to find a guy called Count Argon Ponteus. She said he''d help me somehow." It seemed like Lucynil was planning to leave herself in Sarkegaar''s care. There was faith that Sarkegaar would take care of things somehow. After all, he was a competent guy. Lucynil thought deeply while crossing her arms. "You''ve also been in contact with the Black Order, right?" "...Yes." "I don''t know how you''ve been getting by so far, but from now on, it''s going to be really dangerous. So, try to stay within the range where I can help you." Cantus Magna and the Black Order. As I started to get seriously involved with the determined ones, I couldn''t help but face dangerous situations more often. So, it seemed Lucynil was planning to provide something like close protection. She had a point. Lucynil was right. "Um, didn''t you know that I''m going to Temple?" "...Temple?" I knew this wasn''t the right time to say it. Compared to the conversations we''ve had so far, this was something I shouldn''t say. But I really needed to go to school! Even though it''s winter break right now! Temple was my priority! Strictly speaking, that was the most important place! In many ways! "Ah, you... you were infiltrating there, right?" It seemed like Lucynil had heard something from Eleris, so she tilted her head. Infiltrating... was that right? Or not? "Forget it. Isn''t this not the time for you to do that?" Lucynil stated the obvious as if I had started playing in the water just before a typhoon came. It felt weird to be lectured by someone who, although not a child, looked like one. "No, I have to be at Temple. I have so many ties there..." "...Really? Are you serious?" "Yes." Lucynil looked at me, licked her lips, and desperately held back the flood of curses she wanted to unleash. "No, there are reasons!" To be honest, my staying at Temple wasn''t just an excuse. How important it was to build relationships with the influential people at Temple under the pretext of rebuilding the Demon Realm. Furthermore, my classmates were the future successors of the empire, and I had told them how much influence I had on them. "...Now that you mention it, it does make sense." Lucynil nodded as if it made sense when I mentioned that I was infiltrating Temple to maintain relationships with influential figures in the empire. "It is quite dangerous... but I won''t interfere too much." Lucynil crossed her arms and looked at me. "It won''t be a loss for me if you die in some ridiculous way. Just be careful for Eleris''s sake." It seemed that Lucynil had no intention of meddling more than necessary in my affairs. If she had dug a little deeper, she would have realized that I was living in Temple for a slightly different reason. That would have complicated things, but fortunately, she didn''t. "For now, I''ll follow Eleris''s advice and look for Count Argon Ponteus." In that case, I could contact her through the Rotatory Gang. When Lucynil was needed, I could send a message to Sarkegaar. Or, when Sarkegaar visited to report, I could ask him to call Lucynil. For now, I parted ways with Lucynil. Another great mage. Lucynil, the ruler of Wednesday. Eleris said that Lucynil was more versatile than herself, but I still couldn''t quite understand what that meant. After Lucynil entered the Royal Road first, I began to enter as well. Harriet would be researching dimensional magic using the materials from the palace''s magic department. However, expecting results in just a few days would be difficult. The results came from my side. It was quite an achievement for just a few days away from the Royal Road. *** "Your Majesty, the investigation results show that no traceable evidence has been found." "I see." Bertus was reading the written reports in the winter palace''s office. The investigation by the royal family and the Holy Knights into the recent death of Riverrier Lanze had just ended. The funeral was already over, but they continued to investigate the demons who attacked them. It was certain that non-human beings had attacked. Most of the corpses had exploded and turned to ashes, but some were found torn apart. The corpses appeared to have died while fleeing. Bertus was looking through photos of the battlefield, which were recorded using magic. There were no photos, but there were multiple witness accounts of something in the shape of a demon flying in the night sky. ''Why did this happen...'' Bertus was lost in thought. There were countless reasons for the demons to attack the Holy Knights. Moreover, it was assumed that the demons who attacked this time were the same ones who attacked the Holy Knights before. Last time, a powerful mage, Lycanthrope, and a Dragon appeared. Of course, it wasn''t a real dragon, but they still didn''t know what kind of demon it was. During the previous attack, they had activated a warp gate and escaped with the demon prisoners. However, there were no casualties back then. This attack made it clear. In the previous attack, the demons hadn''t been unable to fight the Holy Knights; they had chosen not to. Soon, it became apparent that the demons at that time had no intention of killing. But this time, the attack had been far too ruthless. Not only had all the knights been killed, but even Riverrier Lanze had been slain. Perhaps they hadn''t fought back then because evacuating the prisoners had been the priority. Bertus felt like his thoughts were becoming increasingly tangled. It wasn''t just suspicious; there were far too many strange points. He could understand the use of large-scale destructive magic, but there were multiple witness testimonies of something resembling a demon roaming the night sky. ''Why on earth?'' Did it look like they were advertising that this was an attack by demonkind? It would have been better to disguise it as a conflict among humans, but the demon had flown through the night sky, flaunting its presence. Did the demons know about the Nameless Order? Were they completely ignorant of the current continental situation? If they knew, the demons should have disguised it as a human conflict, not as a show of their existence. The fact that there were actual witness accounts of demons made things worse, and some even started to whisper that the royal family or pro-empire faction had disguised it as the work of demons to assassinate the Nameless Order and its leader, Riverrier Lanze. Had there been no demon sightings, this incident would have likely ignited a powerful conflict against the Holy Knights and the Five Great Divine Faiths. Knowing that, they shouldn''t have staged the attack this way. If he were in a position leading the remnants of the Demon Realm, he would never have done it like this. ''It can''t be stupidity.'' This was the most foolish thing the demons could do. It would only help the empire. One shouldn''t make the mistake of thinking that the remnants were that foolish. It might have been just an emotional move, but it fit the situation for the empire too well. ''Did they really help the empire? But why?'' There was no reason for it, but it seemed like the demons had attacked the Nameless Order to help the empire and deliberately revealed their existence. Why did they have to do it that way? Why did the demons take such risks to do something that would only benefit the empire? It was overly optimistic to see this as a mistake by the remnants. The demons had helped the empire. Although the situation was such, Bertus couldn''t understand why they had to do it, and his thoughts were getting more tangled. He couldn''t even begin to understand their intentions. As Bertus furrowed his brows, trying to sort out his thoughts on his own, "Your Highness... and about the matter you ordered me to investigate last time..." The subordinate cautiously interrupted the prince''s contemplation as he made his report. Deep in thought, Bertus furrowed his brows even more. "Previously? What are you talking about?" "Uh... to investigate the silver-haired girl..." "Oh... that." Due to the massive incident, Bertus had completely forgotten about that matter. As the memory of the enormous blunder he had made returned, Bertus''s face turned slightly red. "Hmm, so did you find out anything?" An unknown silver-haired girl. She had a subtle resemblance to Reinhardt, which made him casually wonder if they were long-lost siblings. He had encountered a silver-haired girl before, who bore a subtle resemblance to his classmate Reinhardt, which made him think they might be related. Even though he had almost forgotten about it, the memory was still quite fresh for Bertus. Technically speaking, this was stalking. The Empire belonged to the Emperor, and the first prince was one of the most powerful successors to the throne. So, if the prince openly stalked someone, it would cause quite a commotion. "First, I checked the registration information of the Royal Road citizens..." "And?" The first prince could search the entire Royal Road if he wanted, if not the entire empire. "There was no registration information that matched the conditions you mentioned." "Since the silver hair could be dyed... I figured there wouldn''t be." Hoping for a perfect match with the limited information Bertus remembered was difficult. Silver hair, golden eyes, and beautiful. The information was too vague. So, even if she was actually a citizen of the Royal Road, it would have been difficult to find someone who met the conditions. "So, I looked into Reinhardt, who you said was your classmate. I wanted to start with his registration information..." "Well, that would have been the most likely possibility." Reinhardt was from the streets, but he had registration information. Starting from his origin, it would have been possible to find out more. However, his subordinate seemed to have trouble and scratched his head. "But Reinhardt''s first registration was early last year. I couldn''t find any information before that." "¡­What?" Bertus tilted his head at that remark. "It happens quite often. The poor sometimes live without registering at all... And those who live their entire lives as street beggars sometimes don''t have any registration information at all. Since you said Reinhardt was from the streets..." Reinhardt''s registration information was first entered last year. That meant he had lived as an unregistered person before that. It wasn''t unusual. Certainly, it wasn''t that strange. However, Bertus had once suspected Reinhardt of being a successor raised by a criminal organization. Reinhardt denied it, and Bertus didn''t believe his words but didn''t investigate further. His subordinate said that tracing Reinhardt''s birthplace was practically impossible since he had lived as an unregistered person for quite some time. By now, Bertus knew that some of the misconceptions he had about Reinhardt were not true. The Rotatory Gang, to which Reinhardt belonged, was just an organization of beggars. Reinhardt was simply a beggar. He was sent from the Rotatory Gang to the Temple. His registration was in early last year. As soon as he registered his identity, he entered Temple and enrolled in the Royal Class. So, it meant that he had obtained an identity to enter Temple. Bertus thought that Reinhardt had no education, but he had a discerning eye. He knew a lot for someone who came from the streets, but it was possible that he gained his discernment by picking up various things from the gang since he was young. However, Bertus suddenly became curious. Was Reinhardt really from the Royal Road? Where was he born and how did he grow up? "Well, I''ll just ask him directly." ''Where are you from?'' ''Do you have any siblings?'' When he had time, he could drop by Temple and ask him. It was simple. Deciding to think about Reinhardt''s case later, Bertus started pondering about the demon group again. His head still felt like it was about to explode. *** A few days had passed since he returned from the Vampire Council. Nothing had changed much. Harriet de Saint-Owen was busy with her work, as were the magic research club members. So, I spent my days busily, training with Olivia and waiting for Ellen to return, just like usual. But then. "Hey, where are you from?" When Bertus, who had returned from the palace out of nowhere, suddenly asked that question, it felt like my heart dropped. "Uh... Royal Road." "Where in Royal Road?" What''s going on? Did he find out something? My heart pounded like crazy. However, I desperately maintained a calm demeanor through self-suggestion. "I don''t know the details. I was abandoned when I was too young. Would a street rat like me remember such a thing?" "¡­Really?" He must have thought about how I grew up during this time. But if Bertus had found something out and knew my true identity, I would have to leave the Royal Road. But so suddenly? If he knew the truth, he wouldn''t be asking me so calmly, right? It was just an attitude of asking something trivial. Bertus crossed his arms and stared at me, seemingly contemplating something. "Why are you asking that all of a sudden?" In the end, I asked him. Bertus seemed to hesitate for a moment, then let out a deep sigh. "¡­It''s a bit awkward to say this. Well, anyway." Bertus placed his hand on my shoulder and spoke quietly. "Do you, by any chance, have siblings?" Ah. Could it be? Was that it? "Ah, no, not at all. At least not in my memory... I think..." "Last festival, I saw a girl who looked very similar to you. So, I was wondering if she was your sibling, and I wanted to find her, but it''s difficult to find someone you only know by face." "Ah, yeah... that''s true..." I felt dizzy. I felt like throwing up. "So, I thought that if I knew where you were from, I could try to find her. But your identity registration was only last year?" At those words, goosebumps broke out all over my body. The fact that I had encountered Bertus while cross-dressed was leading to an investigation into my background. It was certain that Bertus didn''t know anything yet, and he didn''t find it suspicious that I had registered my identity for the first time last year without any previous records. Dangerous. It would be truly dangerous if he delved any deeper. "So... it might be a bit awkward to say this, but if your parents abandoned you, and then... your sibling was born, you might have a sibling you don''t even know about, right? I mean, I won''t do it if you don''t want me to, but if you do, I was thinking of looking into it personally..." No. He could find out. I had to stop him. It might start with good intentions, but he could end up discovering my true identity. This wasn''t a joke; my life was genuinely in danger. There was no other choice. Almost as a reflex. "It''s me." I had no choice but to tell the truth. "¡­Huh? What?" Bertus seemed unable to understand what he had just heard. "It''s me, I said." I was curious about the expression on my face even myself. "What¡­? Huh? What did you say?" Bertus began to doubt his own ears. I had escaped death, but... I wanted to die. CH 344 Bertus and I used to chat on the terrace from time to time. There, Bertus trembled as he poured tea, and likewise, I drank tea with my hands shaking so much that the water spilled over. I hung my head, unable to look at Bertus. I wanted to die. And Bertus would want to kill me. "Why on earth... did you do that?" Bertus asked softly. "...Money. It''s because of the money." "...Money? What does money have to do with cross-dressing?" "Well, there''s this... cross-dressing contest..." "Cross-dressing contest? You mean at the festival?" "...Yeah." "Weren''t your finances getting better these days?" "Well, there''s no harm in having more..." "..." With my head bowed, I explained in a crawling voice why I had cross-dressed. This. Wasn''t this the punishment that had befallen me? This felt like a climax, right? There couldn''t possibly be a more difficult situation in my life, right? I think I could believe that I had received all my punishment, and from now on, only happiness would lie ahead. Bertus barely managed to take a sip of tea, and I could see his trembling hand as he put the teacup down. "What on earth... I mean, really... this..." Bertus seemed to be at a loss for words. The mask had come off of Bertus, but not in the usual way; it had been stripped off in a different sense. "Heh. Really. What is this... uh... heh..." "..." It seemed like Bertus was remembering the moment when he saw me in drag. The moments when I was messing around with the knights. My trembling hands. The nonsense I had spewed about alcohol addiction. All those moments. All those times. It was all me. "..." "..." In a mixed state of self-loathing and regret. "What the... F***." In the end, I silently listened as the convicted Bertus cursed softly. "...I''m sorry." "What are you sorry for, you bastard! You! You say you''re sorry! I''m not! I mean, something else! No! It''s not that! I just! You! My brother! Just! Just out of kindness! You! This crazy, really!" (TL Note: It''s meant to be gibberish) "Who, who said what?!" Bertus finally exploded. And I was the one who ended up getting more cursed at for apologizing. *** Bertus''s gaze towards me changed. I had become a crazy person who would do anything for money. Fortunately, it seemed that Bertus had no intention of holding a grudge against me or spreading rumors. Feeling as if his mind was polluted just by mentioning or thinking about that day, Bertus staggered into his room with a soulless expression. I had thought that I might get caught participating in the cross-dressing contest, but I never imagined that I would confess it myself. "..." While it felt like hell, it was a relief. The incident where I had run into Bertus by chance was leading to a strange direction of investigation behind my back. Even though I had prepared excuses about my origins, hometown, and detailed past, there were still bound to be gaps in my story. No matter how well I handled the situation, the fact that I had suddenly appeared last year would not change. It wouldn''t be too difficult to figure out if someone started digging deep enough. It was a situation where Bertus could have discovered my true identity from an unexpected angle. Instead, it was fortunate that I confessed to participating in the cross-dressing contest, making Bertus emotionally back off. At least, because of his anger, Bertus would not delve into this issue. The cross-dressing contest mission... The rewards were great, but it could have ruined me from an entirely unexpected angle. I had knowingly taken the risk with the Riverrier Lanze affair. However, the real danger was what had stemmed from the cross-dressing contest. Had Bertus continued to dig into my background without asking me directly, it could have become genuinely dangerous. But. Why, in a life-threatening situation, did I feel more embarrassed and mortified than anything else? For a while, I couldn''t do anything but sit in my seat, feeling rooted in place. *** Although there was an incident that caused both Bertus''s and my mental states to explode, Bertus still rarely showed up at the Royal Class dormitory due to his busy schedule. Even I was now barely aware of the numerous events that were burning like a fuse. Ellen hadn''t returned yet. In the end, I had to carry on with my routine. Worry and anxiety couldn''t solve anything. I sparred with Olivia in swordsmanship, but what I was focusing on recently was the control of magical power itself. -Ugh I was alone in the training hall. [Magic Power level has reached 20 (A-).] [Special conditions have been achieved.] [''Magic Control'' and ''Magic Sensitivity'' talents evolve.] [You have acquired the ''Talent - Magic Domination''.] Through the training hall mirror, I saw myself enveloped in refined mana. Finally, I managed to attain one of Ellen''s talents, Magic Domination. The cross-dressing contest had almost exposed my identity, and I had been severely embarrassed. But because of it, I was able to get very close to Magic Domination. When I first acquired the talents of Magic Sensitivity and Control, I hadn''t been able to grasp their true power. However, the fact that I could eventually acquire Magical Reinforcement meant that the help of those two talents was significant. Now, without self-suggestion, I could use Magical Reinforcement, and I had obtained the higher talent of Magic Domination. My Magic Rank was now A-, which was quite high. -Krrrk! As I felt the surge of magic power from my body, a new and different sensation of Magical Reinforcement became possible. My control of magic power became more precise and detailed, and the output itself had become stronger. Obtaining Magic Domination was not the end. As I became more familiar with it, the Magic Domination talent would make me even more potent. I wouldn''t be on the same starting line as Ellen. She was still superior and would become stronger at a faster pace than me. With the help of numerous cheats, I had merely become able to walk a little faster. I couldn''t afford to be satisfied at this level. The moment I became complacent, it would be the end. My journey was still far from over. Nevertheless, with just the talent of magical control, my understanding and utilization of magical reinforcement had improved significantly. I was becoming unnaturally powerful at an alarming rate. Although my abnormal progress was generally accepted under the name of "Royal Class," I wondered how long this could last. After finishing my training at the training ground, I returned to the dormitory, showered, and changed my clothes. -Chirp! -Tap tap! A sparrow pecked at my window with its beak. -Squeak As soon as I opened the window, the sparrow flew inside, and in the blink of an eye, it took the shape of a human. "I''m here to see you, Your Highness." "Right." It was Sarkegaar, who always appeared as a maid when entering the dormitory. *** I was sitting in a chair, and Sarkegaar stood silently in the center of the room with her hands clasped. (TL Note: Will use pronouns She/Her when Sarkegaar is in female form. Sarkegaar''s true gender is unkown.) "The head of the House of Wednesday has come." "I figured. How did it go?" "I was a bit flustered since I didn''t receive any prior information, but I agreed to take care of the matter after hearing the circumstances." To be honest, considering Lucynil''s age, it seemed a bit odd to say she was "taking care of it." It would be more accurate to say she was "looking after" the young girl. "She didn''t expose herself to the outside world, did she?" "No, she came secretly late at night." Sarkegaar was also infiltrating. So, Lucynil should have been careful not to expose herself to the outside world. I briefly explained to Sarkegaar what had happened at the Vampire Council. "That''s quite an extraordinary feat." "I didn''t expect it to turn out this way, to be honest." Sarkegaar seemed satisfied with how well things had worked out beyond our expectations. "However, we must be careful. I don''t know much about the Vampire Lords, but Antirianus seems dangerous." "That''s true. But we can''t choose our allies in this situation." Since we couldn''t be picky, we had to side with anyone suspicious who would support us. "And Cantus Magna and Akasha... they seem excessively dangerous." "Indeed. But there''s a high probability that what I want is there. It''s bound to be an incredibly powerful force in and of itself." "Causing a collision between the Black Order and Cantus Magna and seizing the opportunity seems ideal. But it''s troubling that we don''t know what Akasha is." It was unclear whether provoking Cantus Magna without knowing what Akasha was would be the right move. Sarkegaar seemed to think I could be interested in Akasha because of my desire for power, regardless of whether it was possible or not. "Things seem to be falling into place, Your Highness." Sarkegaar flashed a sinister smile. I had gained the power of the Vampire Council, and the head of the House of Wednesday had joined forces with me on the Royal Road. Sarkegaar was genuinely delighted that something resembling a force was now being formed from the four remnants of the demon clan. But. Could you please not smile so beautifully? It feels like cognitive dissonance when you smile like that with such an innocent-looking face! Of course, this was not the end of the mission. "How is the contact with the revolutionary forces going?" "We''re cautiously searching, as acting rashly might ruin our efforts. Although we don''t know the entire leadership, we have been able to identify a list of those who are definitely involved." Sarkegaar showed a list of several individuals. The names included Oskar de Gradias and many others. Most of them were bureaucrats from commoner backgrounds, but there were also some nobles among them. "Especially, there are a lot of illegitimate children discarded by noble families." "I suppose so." Illegitimate children of noble families would sometimes enter Temple, hiding their family name. They could have entered the Orbis class as well. Children who inherited noble blood but were abandoned. Their resentment could have transformed into a desire for revolution. Most of the names on the list were probably verified by Sarkegaar, so they must be the actual conspirators. But in the end, I don''t need these small fries. What I need are the core factors. It is my job to establish a cooperative structure between the demon clan forces and the revolutionaries. And from the list Sarkegaar compiled, I was able to find a familiar, if not well-known, name. I pointed at the name. "This gentleman, while he might not be part of the leadership, I''m sure he''s quite an important figure." "I suppose so." Owen de Gethmora. The name of the Merchant Guild Master was on the list. The Merchant Guild Master had provided a substantial amount of research funding to the Magic Research Society. It was paid to me as a bribe for collusion with the royal family. Since then, there were no specific requests or connections with the Merchant Guild, but they were making a fortune now. They were supplying all the goods for the magical train shop business. And I had no problems with them either. Sarkegaar''s investigation concluded that the Merchant Guild Master was definitely involved in the revolutionary forces. "So, the guy who gave me money to bribe the royal family is supporting the revolutionary forces from behind¡­" I couldn''t tell if he just wanted money or if he truly dreamt of a revolution. If he is part of the leadership, his importance comes from that, and even if not, he is an important link to the leadership. "Alright. Get in touch with Owen de Gethmora; if necessary, you can contact him in the name of Darkland. Also, depending on the situation, I might meet him face to face. Keep that in mind." Sarkegaar looked cautious. "Please keep in mind that he might be too scared of the Demon Realm''s name to join hands with us, Your Highness." "Hmm, I doubt he''d be that scared." Sarkegaar''s words, suggesting that there might be a negative outlook, made me feel a bit skeptical. "Once they were caught, they knew that if we reported this to the Empire, terrible things would happen. They would have no choice but to join forces with us, or face certain death." The revolutionary forces had to make a choice. They had no choice but to realize that if they did not join hands with us, we could topple them in other ways. We didn''t have to do it ourselves. All we had to do was hand over the list of names we had secured to the Empire. They might try to deny it. But the Empire was in a highly sensitive state due to its rivalry with the Holy Knights. If they detected the additional threat of a revolutionary force, they would do everything in their power to annihilate it. So they couldn''t afford to turn their backs on us. "I will infiltrate the revolutionaries, Your Highness." Sarkegaar was entrusted with making contact with the revolutionary forces. "If necessary, ask for Lucynil''s assistance. You''re more likely to need magic than I am." "Understood, Your Highness." For the time being, Lucynil would assist Sarkegaar in her mission. Things were progressing step by step. As more and more tasks were carried out under Valier''s name. I would gradually distance myself from the identity of Reinhardt. I watched quietly as Sarkegaar, transformed into a sparrow, flew away. CH 345 The day my crossdressing was discovered, I issued crucial instructions to form a united coalition of anti-imperial forces. I couldn''t help but wonder what kind of person I had become. The difference between what I should do as Reinhardt and what I should do as Valier was quite significant. In the midst of all this, I had also awakened a superior talent called Magic Dominance. Moreover, I became aware of the risk that the butterfly effect of all my actions so far could hit me at any time. After experiencing the implausible situation where my crossdressing contest participation led to Bertus''s investigation of me, I felt like I was walking on thin ice. And when would Ellen return? That night. My body felt heavy as a thousand pounds after the long training session, but with so many things on my mind, I couldn''t fall asleep properly. After tossing and turning for a few hours and finally falling asleep, I wasn''t sure how much time had passed. -Groan -Rein... Reinhardt... "Uh, ugh!" I was jolted awake by the desperate grasp of my hand. As I sat up in bed, I saw Charlotte holding onto my arm, almost lying on top of me. "Cha... Charlotte?" "Rein... Reinhardt..." Half of Charlotte''s face was shrouded in deep darkness as she looked at me, sobbing. Fear struck me more than surprise or horror, and I snapped to attention. I thought it had subsided. Was it not entirely over yet? "Please... help me... do something..." "Uh, uh. Oh. Alright." Not knowing what to do, I instinctively embraced the trembling Charlotte. "It''s okay. Everything... everything will be okay..." "Uh, ugh..." Tears poured down Charlotte''s face as she continued to shake in my arms. I thought it was over, but was it not? Focusing my mind despite just waking up, I spoke urgently, almost like a prayer. "You''ll be okay." Charlotte''s power hadn''t disappeared. "Nothing will happen." Would Charlotte have to live in this agony forever if this power didn''t vanish? I whispered over and over that everything would be alright, stroking Charlotte''s back. Spirit Speech. Whether it was the power taking effect or not, Charlotte''s trembling subsided, and the darkness enveloping her gradually retreated. Was it really a response to my Spirit Speech? Both Charlotte and Saviolin Turner understood it that way. However, I couldn''t tell if it was a response to my demon control power, Spirit Speech, or something else entirely. But one thing was certain. "Ugh... sob... ugh..." I seemed to be the only one who could improve Charlotte''s condition. As her trembling gradually subsided and Charlotte returned to her usual appearance, I finally noticed her state. She wore a camisole and was barefoot. Her body was soaked with cold sweat to the point of embarrassment. Charlotte couldn''t get away from my embrace. "..." "..." It seemed that as his condition improved, he couldn''t help but think about the state he was in and feel anxious. I carefully pulled down the blanket and draped it over Charlotte''s shoulders. "Feeling better?" "Uh, yeah..." In the darkness, Charlotte nodded, wrapping the blanket around her like a cloak. I helped her to her feet from where she had been crouching on the floor and carefully sat her down on the bed. My bedroom door was closed, and when I checked the lock, it was locked. How had she gotten in? "What happened?" "This time, I didn''t lose consciousness. But suddenly, this happened." She used to be taken over by the shadows while unconscious or asleep. However, this time the shadows began to consume her body while she was awake. "I had to come to you, but if I went into the hallway... I didn''t know who might see me..." Even after doing it, Charlotte seemed terrified, her body trembling. Before, when she was completely consumed by the shadows, she had shown the ability to move through the shadows or darkness. It seemed she had used that power to come directly from her room to mine. "I don''t want to do this... I don''t want to be able to do this..." Although Charlotte had been able to come to me without anyone noticing because of that power, the very fact that it was possible seemed dreadfully frightening to her. Her fear seemed to be clouding her judgment. "Stay with me... Stay with me, Reinhardt..." "Alright. I''ll stay with you." As Charlotte clung to my waist, she looked up at me in the darkness. Her large, terrified eyes were filled with tears. It felt dangerous. Charlotte, who had been unstable, seemed to be on the verge of falling apart again after thinking she was safe and experiencing this situation again. "Together... always together..." As Charlotte''s lips parted slightly. "It''s okay." I pulled Charlotte''s head to my chest. "You don''t need to be so scared. It''s alright." "..." It felt like something irreversible was about to happen. I had no choice but to do this. "Nothing will happen. I promise." Charlotte stayed silent in my arms, motionless for a very long time. *** As her fear subsided, Charlotte fell asleep as if she had fainted. Just like during our time in the palace last spring, I guarded Charlotte''s bedside. How long had it been since Charlotte fell asleep? -Thump thump thump! The sudden, urgent knocking on the door made my body tense up for a moment. "Reinhardt, it''s me." The voice from beyond the door immediately eased my tension. It was Saviolin Turner. I carefully got up and opened the door to find Saviolin with a pale, anxious expression on her face. -Gulp "Reinhardt, is Her Highness... She''s here." She let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Charlotte lying on the bed through the gap in the door. She adjusted her posture and entered my room, gently placing a hand on Charlotte''s sleeping forehead. "She disappeared so suddenly... I was worried and came to check on her." Saviolin Turner had been at Temple for Charlotte''s protection. Although she didn''t share a room with Charlotte, she would periodically check to see if Charlotte was sleeping soundly. Then, suddenly, Charlotte disappeared, and Saviolin came looking for me in case something was wrong. Charlotte was in a deep slumber. "It doesn''t seem like her consciousness has been consumed this time. However, her power seems to have activated suddenly, and she seems to have arrived in my room riding her shadow." "I see..." Her consciousness wasn''t being consumed, but her power was acting on its own. Both Saviolin Turner and I couldn''t help but realize that Charlotte''s condition hadn''t completely improved. With a troubled expression, Turner gazed at the sleeping Charlotte. "It''s almost as if it''s a stroke of luck that you can calm her condition... " She seemed to think that my very existence was a great fortune for Charlotte. "But to suppress her power with such an incomplete method like this... it''s just a temporary solution." It was uncertain how long I could keep Charlotte stable. Saviolin Turner seemed to think that we needed a more fundamental solution, and I agreed. But where could such a solution be found? Searching for a sealing mage was a futile effort. In the end, my thoughts couldn''t help but reach that direction. Akasha. I didn''t like treating it as an all-powerful tool that could fulfill any desire, but I had no choice but to consider it right now. Could there be a way to seal Charlotte''s power there? As Saviolin Turner gently wiped the cold sweat from Charlotte''s forehead with a handkerchief, she spoke softly. "Reinhardt." "Yes." "¡­It''s clear that her power is related to the Demon Lord. You know that, right?" "¡­Yes." I knew that better than anyone. "Do you think it''s a stretch to think that there might be a clue to solve her condition in the Demon Lord''s Castle?" Saviolin Turner''s melancholic tone was mixed with her sadness at being unable to help the suffering princess. But the Demon Lord''s Castle. It wasn''t a place I longed for, but it was the starting point. I still didn''t know what was there. "¡­I''m not sure. Didn''t we already bring back everything we could from the Demon Lord''s Castle?" "That''s true. But the Demon Lord''s Castle is a very important place in the history of Darkland, which is as long as human history. We may not have uncovered everything yet." There were still things left undiscovered in the Demon Lord''s Castle. That''s why many items, including treasures, had been brought out, and they continued to investigate the remaining secrets. Listening to her words, I realized that the fall of the Demon Lord''s Castle and understanding it completely were two different matters. What I was doing was merely suppressing Charlotte''s power using Spirit Speech, a transcendent power. And even that wasn''t certain to be the true power of Spirit Speech. I agreed with her statement that a more fundamental solution was needed. Could there be a clue in the Demon Realm? "Are you planning to go to the Demon Realm?" "¡­There''s no need for me to go personally, as numerous people have already been dispatched to search for it." There was no need for her to go personally. She had more than enough people at her disposal who could handle the situation without her direct involvement. "Your Majesty suggested¡­ that you might want to visit the Demon Realm personally¡­ It''s undoubtedly dangerous. We have been opposing it because of the danger, both me and Her Majesty." She looked at me with her hand on Charlotte''s forehead. Charlotte knew that her condition wasn''t fully recovered. So she thought there might be answers in the Demon Realm and wanted to go there. Turner must have been against it, considering the possible dangers. But today, Charlotte''s power had caused another outburst. Saviolin Turner, with her head bowed in front of Charlotte''s sleeping face, spoke in a gloomy voice. "Reinhardt, may I ask a difficult favor of you?" I didn''t need to hear what she was going to say to know what it was. "Let''s go together." "¡­" If something related to Charlotte''s power happened, I would be the only one who could handle it, so it was obvious that she was talking about going to the Demon Realm together. Without even hearing her request, I replied, and she trembled her shoulders while gently holding Charlotte''s sleeping hand. "Thank you¡­ Reinhardt." I thought it was something that needed to be done. Was this what the emperor had been talking about when he said there was something I had to do for Charlotte? *** The next day. With Saviolin Turner''s help, a refreshed Charlotte returned to her room, washed up, prepared, and met with me again. "To the Demon Realm? You too?" "Yes." Apparently, Turner had already explained everything, as Charlotte''s expression was apologetic. "¡­It could be dangerous." "How dangerous could the Demon Realm be after the Demon King died?" Even while saying this, I felt no guilt. To me, the Demon King was nothing more than a worthless creature. Although we would need the emperor''s permission, we would be able to go to the Demon Realm. Charlotte may not know, but we once escaped the Demon Realm together and now we''re going back. It brought a strange sensation to me. Charlotte looked at me with a complicated expression. From losing her senses and crying in my arms yesterday to hearing that I would accompany her to the Demon Realm, her emotions were mixed. Her expression, a blend of embarrassment, gratitude, and guilt, was indescribable. "Thank you. Really." ''You said you''re always taking from me.'' ''So, I''ll give you whatever I can.'' Charlotte thought of that with a bright red face. *** I wasn''t going to depart for the Demon Realm right away. Saviolin Turner had gone to ask the Emperor for permission, so some time was needed. At the very least, there had to be a few days. I had things to do as well. I left Temple and headed to the Rotatory Gang. "Are you getting by?" "Yeah, everyone''s kind." Adriana replied with a bright smile to my question. For some reason, Loyar had become like a dog that Adriana was raising, and the other gang members naturally took care of her since Loyar seemed to like her so much. I wasn''t without concerns, but it was fortunate that the other members had a favorable view of Adriana since Loyar easily fell for her. Adriana had a diligent personality, so it seemed like she was helping with various chores at the gang''s headquarters. As a result, I was sure it wasn''t a mistake to feel that everyone''s condition was cleaner than before. Since we were here, Adriana and I took a walk around the Rotatory Gang''s area. I wondered how Adriana felt. She had been hurt by various incidents and was now living in hiding. "How is your senior?" Adriana seemed more concerned about Olivia than herself. "Well... her personality changed a bit, but it seems like she''s coping well in the end." "That''s a relief." Adriana had a dream of a future but had given it up. She tried to regain her original life, but that was snatched away too. Adriana must have felt vague and empty. She wouldn''t know what to do next. Just like how Olivia had become disillusioned with humanity after losing faith in religion. I wondered if Adriana was walking through the stage before that. "Those who were taught to love me threatened me, and those who were taught to hate me all their lives saved me." (TL Note: Humans threated her, Demons saved her) Everything she believed in her life had been completely denied. It was clear that these thoughts tormented Adriana, even though she was quietly staying here. In fact, if she had returned to Temple or entered a monastery, she would have been summoned right away to be interrogated about what had happened. And just the fact that she was rescued by the demons would have been fatal. Even now, she didn''t know, but she was being protected by the demons. By Loyar and me. "I''m not sure what to live for anymore." Adriana looked up at the clear winter sky and smiled sadly. Forced to learn the truth she didn''t want to know, Adriana had lost her way. *** Although I was the prince of the Demon Realm and the heir to Darkland, I didn''t know what was in the Demon Realm. But that didn''t mean I would blindly go searching. Even if I didn''t know, there were those who would. After a short walk with Adriana, I called Loyar outside. "It hasn''t been long since the Council ended, and where are you going again?" "Well." She talked as if I was constantly wandering around. "I''m thinking of going back to the Demon Realm." "The Demon Realm... you mean?" At the mention of the Demon Realm, Loyar''s expression changed slightly. "As you know, I''ve lost my memory, so I don''t know what''s in the Demon Realm. So, do you know if there''s a secret space there? Somewhere humans couldn''t have searched." Loyar tilted her head at my question. "...How would I know that?" "Weren''t you in the Demon Realm before? You said I used to torment you." "..." Loyar glared at me with a dumbfounded expression. Did I accidentally trigger some kind of PTSD? "Your Highness, there''s no way I, who wasn''t a noble or a royal in Darkland, would know. I don''t know if such a place exists." "...Right." It was my own memory loss that led me to ask Loyar something I should''ve known myself. Naturally, she wouldn''t know. "So, Eleris and Sarkegaar wouldn''t know either?" "Isn''t that highly likely?" Only the royals would know about such a restricted area. I could search blindly, but there was no need to do so. Excluding myself, who lost his memory, there was one royal from Darkland. "Would Iris know anything?" "Isn''t that highly likely?" She repeated the same words. Did she not like talking to me? Although it would be inconvenient to go all the way to the Edina Archipelago to ask, it was important to get accurate information. It would be better than making a fruitless trip. Quite some time had passed since my first meeting with Iris, so I also needed to find out how she was doing. However, there was no warp gate connection to the Edina Archipelago. Thus, unless I went with a mage who could use teleportation magic, I would have to travel by boat, which would take a very long time. But with Lucynil''s help, I could quickly come and go without having to leave my post for several days. Returning to the Demon Realm. And the things that might still remain in the Demon Realm. Would Iris know anything about them? CH 346 In order to head to Edina Archipelago, I needed Lucynil. It wasn''t a pressing matter, but there was no reason to delay either. So, I entrusted a letter to be sent to Count Argon Ponteus through the Rotatory Gang. Although I had to be cautious about my movements, I had no intention of visiting Count Argon Ponteus''s house directly, even if I wore the Sarkegaar''s ring. I left the Rotatory Gang''s headquarters and headed to the pre-arranged contact point. As it would take some time for the message to reach its destination, I waited until nightfall. The meeting place was in the lower part of Irene, slightly off the Royal Road. It was a place rarely frequented by people. Waiting like this was doable if there was time, but it would be difficult in urgent situations. Although I was currently staying at Count Argon Ponteus''s mansion, I couldn''t help but think that I needed to find a more convenient way to contact Lucynil. How much time had I killed by the riverside in the darkness? -Swish A faint mist gathered in the air, soon taking the shape of a silver-haired girl. -Click "Hello, Archdemon?" she said, as she lightly landed on the ground and looked up at me. "You''re here." "Yeah, I''m here." "But what was that just now? Was it something like teleportation?" "Huh? Oh... this?" Lucynil briefly blurred her body, turning into mist before materializing again. "It''s a vampire''s ability. It''s not instant teleportation. It just allows me to move quickly." The ability to transform into mist ¨C Eleris never demonstrated such an ability. Perhaps it was a power unique to a specific lineage. Could each lineage have its own unique ability? While I was pondering that, Lucynil put her hand on her hip. "Anyway, you need me?" "Yes, you have to go somewhere with me right now." "Where?" "A place called Edina Archipelago in the southern part of the empire, do you know it?" At my question, Lucynil crossed her arms as if she couldn''t believe it. "How old do you think I am? I know a fair bit about geography. Though, there have been cases where some countries I knew end up disappearing." Had I asked too simple a question for someone who''d lived for countless years? Lucynil tilted her head as she looked at me. "So, what''s the reason for going to that southern island nation?" "There''s someone I need to meet there." There was no point in giving Lucynil a detailed explanation, as she wouldn''t understand anyway, so I left it at that. Lucynil seemed to have an attitude of letting me do whatever I wanted. She didn''t seem to be opposed or supportive. Lucynil looked around. "Alright. There''s no one around to see us, so should we go now? It''s quite a distance, so I''ll have to cast it multiple times." "Yes, let''s go." Lucynil focused her mind and began casting Mass Teleport. Whether it was Lucynil or Eleris, their personalities were quite different, but one thing they both shared was their reliability. *** At the southernmost tip of the empire lay Edina Archipelago, a place so far from the mainland that it was beyond the range of even the massive warp gates. Under normal circumstances, one would have to take a boat to reach the islands. Although there were warp gates on the islands for travel between them, they weren''t connected to the mainland. -Pop! Lucynil cast several consecutive teleportation spells. I was able to arrive in Lazark, the port city of Edina Archipelago, where I had visited the Granz family''s villa before. Upon our arrival at the outskirts of Lazark, Lucynil''s eyes lit up. "Wow! It''s snowing here?" Edina Archipelago was not a tropical area, so it was winter here as well, and large snowflakes were falling around us. Lucynil excitedly stepped on the snow. "¡­ You''ve seen snow plenty of times at the Council." Hadn''t she complained about being sick of it back then? "Archdemon, is the snow that comes in a place with winds so strong it feels like your face will be ripped off the same as this peaceful snow falling quietly in a cozy port town like this?" "What''s the difference?" "Ugh, it''s quite refreshing to see someone much younger than me acting like a grumpy old man." It was truly bizarre that Lucynil''s sensitivity hadn''t died down even after living for such a long time. Anyway, we stood on the outskirts of Lazark, watching the snow-covered port city. "Anyway, who do we have to meet?" "A friend? Colleague? Someone like that who runs a bar..." To be honest, I could barely remember anything about Iris other than her pink hair. I could''ve asked last time, but I didn''t. Lucynil tilted her head at my words. "A bar? What does your grand dream of rebuilding Darkland have to do with your colleague running a bar in the southernmost corner of the continent?" "I decided to think of it as the first step toward controlling the imperial finances. The details are complicated and ambiguous, so it''s hard to explain." "¡­ I see? I guess that''s how it is then." "Yep." Lucynil seemed to accept that, staring blankly at the falling snowflakes. This girl, always helping with everything but never caring about the results. A feeling like, "As long as I help, whether it works out or not is not my problem." Eleris at least was curious about my intentions. I should just go with the flow. She''s helping, but if something goes wrong, it''s not her fault. Was that what being versatile meant? "Anyway, don''t call me Archdemon in public anymore. I don''t want to draw any weird attention." Even though I knew there wouldn''t be anyone who could recognize me here, I had changed my appearance to something completely different from Reinhardt. "Alright, Reinhardt." "Good." I was no longer Reinhardt in appearance, but still Reinhardt in name. It wasn''t a particularly rare name, so it was acceptable. *** I entered Lazark and tried to inquire about Iris''s tavern. I didn''t even know the name of the place, and merely asked if there were many taverns frequented by attractive women in the area. The last time I had been here, it was already famous enough to cause havoc in the city, so I thought if I simply asked around, I would quickly find it. "¡­?" However, the passing pedestrian frowned upon hearing my question. "What are you talking about now?" "¡­Pardon?" "That tavern has been closed for quite some time." With that said, the pedestrian quickly walked away. Closed? During all this time, Eleris had been busy with matters related to the Royal Road and hadn''t been able to pay attention to the happenings in Edina Archipelago. Had something happened to Iris in the meantime? "Seems like a peculiar situation?" "¡­Indeed?" Lucynil and I stared at each other, but we couldn''t find an answer to the situation since neither of us knew anything. I walked a bit further and asked more pedestrians. Most of the responses were that they knew about the tavern, but it had been closed for a while and there was no point in going there. "Ah, that tavern? Too bad. I used to go there quite often¡­" He was clearly a drunken patron from the look of it. The heavily intoxicated man licked his lips. "Are the tavern staff¡­ Are those people safe?" At my question, he frowned. "Safe? You ask if they''re safe? Heh, heh, heh¡­" He laughed incredulously and walked past me. Had something happened to Iris and the succubi? Were they discovered to be succubi, causing them to suffer or even die? Their business seemed successful, but it also appeared that they had caused quite a few family disasters. Had that eventually become a problem, leading to an explosion of public discontent? Such dreadful possibilities swirled in my mind. I stopped the next pedestrian to ask. This time, it was a middle-aged woman. "I heard there was a famous tavern with many attractive women in Lazark, but it seems to be closed now. Do you know what happened?" "¡­Why do you ask?" The middle-aged woman frowned upon hearing my direct question. "I was just wondering if any of them got hurt or anything¡­" "Hurt? Hurt, my foot!" "¡­Excuse me?" "Who''d hurt those good-for-nothing girls? I wish they''d just drop dead! Ptui!" The middle-aged woman spat in disgust and walked away. What was going on? What on earth had happened? The answer came from the next person I asked. "Oh, those women you''re talking about?" This person didn''t seem to have much interest in alcohol, as there was no hint of disappointment in their voice. "They quit the alcohol business quite a while ago and switched to money lending." No way. What on earth did that mean? The old man I was speaking to pointed in one direction of Lazark. There, even from a distance, stood a rather large stone building that stood out. "They don''t do business with commoners like us. They mainly lend money to shipowners leading trade fleets and nobles. It seems to be going well for them. They must''ve given up on their original business." It wasn''t that the business had failed. On the contrary, it had gone so well that they no longer needed to run it. As a passerby walked by, Lucynil grabbed my sleeve with a blank expression. "Is this that thing you mentioned earlier... the Empire''s financial power or something?" "Well... it seems like it." "Why do you also seem like you didn''t expect it?" I merely suggested that they should try to gain the Empire''s financial power, but they closed the pub and already transitioned to the money lending business? Just how much money did they make? Lucynil and I walked toward the building that the passerby had pointed out. *** Iris''s pub had been running successfully. So, the regular customers seemed disappointed when they saw the transition to a money lending business. Pawnshops, loans, money lending. It seemed to be called various names, but the stone building Lucynil and I arrived at was as big as a financial institution. When a pawnshop gets this big, what''s the difference between it and a financial institution? I expected to see a pub bustling in the middle of the night, but when did they build this building? [Angel Capital] The name of the company was even engraved on the high entrance. "I don''t know much about finance, but angels and money lending seem like a really incompatible combination." "...I think so too." Even Lucynil''s exasperated muttering. Despite it being midnight, bright light flowed from the inside. Moreover, there was some commotion near the entrance. A young woman in a black suit and a middle-aged man with a protruding belly. It wasn''t Iris, but the feeling was that it was definitely one of the succubi I had rescued. "Hey, just let this one time slide. I told you many times, my money is tied up right now. Huh?" "Captain, how many times have I told you? Please keep the interest payment deadline. We''re also running our money tight, and if the deadline isn''t met, it''s not just one or two things that get ruined. I told you several times to be careful about the penalties when the deadline isn''t met, and in return, we lowered the interest rate." "Ah, I know. Of course, I know. But who knew things would turn out like this? Just one week, wait just one week and I''ll pay triple the interest I couldn''t pay on time. Seriously, something happened and suddenly my funds got completely stuck. I''ve never had this problem before, you know?" "I''m sorry, Captain, I really want to help you, but it''s not something I can decide on my own. I''ve been strictly warned to follow the guidelines. The amount of interest isn''t important right now. We once lost a big deal because we extended the deadline at our discretion, which caused financial difficulties. I''m really sorry, Captain." "Yuria... Please, I beg you. Do you think I care about the small amount of interest? I''m the captain of a Lenos-class trading ship. I''m not the kind of person to fret over such a small amount of money, you know? I''ve never been in a situation where I''ve regretted something like this. Just look at my face. Please? How can it not work? Do you think it makes sense for me to default on this amount? If you help me just this once, I''ll repay you later." Watching the unfolding scene was giving me a headache. What on earth was going on? The middle-aged man''s persistent pleas seemed to wear down the succubus named Yuria, who sighed heavily. "I can''t help it. I''ve known you, Captain, for more than just a day or two. But you must know this is the last time, right? If the due date is late next time, it''s not just your problem, but my neck will be on the line too. You got that? As much as you value me." "Of course! When have I ever broken a promise with you? Huh?! Except, well, this time! Haha!" "Fine, I''ll extend the deadline by a week, but you have to be prepared next time. You know it''s difficult even with my authority, right?" "Of course! Not only the interest, but I''ll also repay the principal in a week!" The middle-aged man burst into hearty laughter upon hearing the assurance and left. The Capital employee, presumably a succubus named Yuria, looked at us blankly standing near the entrance after the man left. "Are you visitors?" "You could say that..." At my words, Yuria scratched her cheek with an apologetic smile. "I''m sorry. Angel Capital only provides financial services to carefully selected VIP customers, and we don''t accept new customers. Unless you have a recommendation from an existing member, it''s difficult to use our services." This was a loan shark business. But it wasn''t an ordinary loan shark targeting commoners. It was unclear how we ended up here from the bar, but considering the scale, it was obvious they made a fortune. Right now, I was neither Valier nor Reinhardt, so they wouldn''t recognize me. "Tell the boss that ''the last remaining family'' has arrived. They''ll understand." "¡­!" There were many ways to summon Iris. Though not related by blood, we were the last remaining family. The royalty of Darkland. Except for Iris herself, I was the only other family member left, and they would certainly understand. "¡­I will escort you. This way." And if Yuria was a succubus, she had no choice but to understand. CH 347 Upon hearing my words alone, Yuria seemed to have realized who I was. It was the mention of being the only remaining family that gave it away. I was led to the Capital building along with Lucinil and soon got to witness various scenes unfolding inside. Even at this hour, employees were engaged in conversations in their offices, seemingly conducting consultations. Some individuals didn''t seem to be succubi. As we entered a restricted area, inaccessible to unauthorized personnel, we observed sights not visible from the outside. A succubus employee was briefing a group of armed individuals on various precautions. "Be careful not to cause any trouble. Of course, everyone should know that our work involves legal repossession. Let''s be mindful of the limits." "Roger!" "Roger!" "Understood!" Are they debt collectors? The succubus employee, who seemed to be in charge, crossed her arms and nodded. "You may hurt people, but remember that any damage to the repossessed goods counts as a loss. If you break something valuable while trying to intimidate, as you did last time, you''ll be held responsible for the compensation." "Yessir!" "Roger!" "Understood!" "Of course, you should know that if the collection is not resolved within the deadline, there will be consequences..." Could it be? Are the debt collectors slaves too? My head began to spin, listening to the honeyed tones delivering malicious words. Airi. Did she have a talent for this? As a writer who merely penned words in my room, I couldn''t begin to guess how she had gotten this far! Yuria led us up a staircase, ascending to the fourth floor where a room labeled "President''s Office" awaited. Ding! Yuria rang the bell to announce our presence, cautiously opening the door. "Oh, I''m busy." A slightly sharper, yet familiar voice resonated from beyond the door. "Madam President, an extremely important guest has arrived." "I thought I told you I''m not meeting any nobles or royalty yet. Tell them to leave." What on earth was she talking about? "It''s your only remaining family member... they''ve come to see you." "Family? What do you mean by... No, it can''t be!" Before she could even finish her sentence, the sound of frantic footsteps approached, and the door flung open. No longer needing to hide, I reverted to my original form using the Sarkegaar ring. Back to being Valier. There stood the pink-haired succubus queen, Airi. "Ah." Upon seeing me return to Valier''s form, Airi gazed at me for a moment before embracing my neck tightly. Wham! "Valier...!" "Uh, um... Have you been well?" Although I had an idea of how much Airi cared for me, she still felt somewhat unfamiliar to me. Overwhelmed with joy, Airi held me tightly for a while, unwilling to let go. ------ Named Angel Capital, this office appeared more aligned with devils than angels, seeming to be involved in the business of usury. Upon leaving the office, Lucinil and Airi were seated at a guest table. Soon, the secretary brought out some black tea. "Ah, I won''t be having any. You don''t need to serve me." As Airi tried to pour tea into Lucinil''s cup, Lucinil covered the cup with her hand and shook her head. "¡­¡­?" "This side is¡­¡­." "If you know about Eleris, then you must know about the Vampire Lord. I am Lucinil, the lord of the house of Wednesday." "Vampire Lord¡­¡­?" Upon hearing Lucinil''s introduction, Airi absentmindedly nodded her head. Although I didn''t quite understand the significance, it seemed that Airi was quite surprised to have received the help of another Vampire Lord. "¡­¡­Somehow, I ended up receiving help." Come to think of it, I didn''t know what positions Sarkegaar, Loyar, and Eleris held within the demon army. All I knew was that they had infiltrated the empire as part of an infiltration mission. I realized that my knowledge of the demon world was sorely lacking, and I didn''t know much about my own subordinates either. Airi stared at Lucinil for a while before slightly bowing her head. "It doesn''t seem like you''ve made an alliance with Valier. My name is Airi." Airi briefly introduced herself and then looked at me. "You must have many questions, Valier." "¡­¡­Indeed. What is going on with all of this?" I couldn''t grasp how the business was being conducted, what scale it was on, or what methods were being used. "It''s because there are limits to how much can be achieved through simple trade to control the financial world." It was an obvious statement. However, pursuing that goal wouldn''t have been an easy task. Airi had ambitions of seizing the empire''s finances and causing an economic crisis. Of course, I only told her to do so because I thought she needed a purpose to live, and I didn''t have any particular expectations. But Airi was seriously pursuing that goal, and it seemed that she had achieved far more than I had anticipated. "I didn''t know anything at first, so I sought a lot of advice from the guests." It started with a tavern. And a tavern naturally attracted people. In the early days, there were many problems due to troublesome customers, but Airi and the succubi had no issue dealing with drunken troublemakers. As word of mouth spread and numerous people started to frequent the establishment, Airi created a VIP system. It was a hostess service for those who bought extremely expensive drinks. Airi conversed with them, gradually increasing her understanding of capital. How to make money. How to manage money. And how they had made their money. There were those who inherited their wealth, those who were born into it, but countless others had started with nothing and achieved success. "I considered real estate and investment, but I determined that there was nothing better for quickly increasing the scale of capital in a short period. That''s why I started." "¡­¡­Is it something that can be easily achieved just by trying?" "Connections with those who have money are more important than money itself." Although Airi made money running a tavern, she built even more important connections. She would borrow when needed, and receive investments when necessary. It all seemed too easy for Airi. "Of course, I do this for the money, but the main reason is that I can use money as a tool to ensnare people." Airi took a sip of her tea. As she put down her teacup, Airi showed a faint smile. "If you bind them with debt, you can turn anyone into a slave, regardless of their social status." It didn''t matter whether the person was a noble, a royal, or a wealthy merchant. Money and debt were power in themselves. If you bind someone with a huge amount of debt, you own them. Everything they have becomes yours, and they become a slave, groveling at your feet. The hornless succubus queen performed a bizarre act, enslaving others not through charm but with money as her weapon. Although money lending itself has a negative image, Airi conducted her business in a slightly different context. She wasn''t in it to make money. She lent money to ensnare people. To turn people into her slaves. "So... what''s going on now?" "I no longer run the tavern, but I''m still in the money lending business, targeting my VIP customers from back then. You know that Lazak is a port city, and this port is bustling with ships going to and returning from the continent, right? So, captains and merchant fleets load the most valuable trade goods onto their ships and head for the continent to maximize their profits. The same goes for when they return. Merchants sell those goods, earning profits ranging from four to five times or even dozens of times their investment." "I see." "In order to do this, of course, they can''t rely on their own money alone. They take on huge debts to load expensive trade goods or receive investments. They agree to pay a certain percentage of their future profits." She probably received shares in the merchant fleets in exchange for her investments. She was well aware of such matters. "People are greedy. After making a fortune from one trade, they won''t try to do business safely without debts, using only their own ships. Once they see profits, they take on even more debt or receive more investments to expand their fleet, and hire more crew members and captains. Endlessly. The process keeps repeating. No one is an exception." Airi must have witnessed the behavior of these people. She had tasted their insatiable desires from the stories of captains who returned from long voyages. According to the captains and fleet owners, those involved in usury lend money to the greedy fleet owners at exorbitant interest rates. If they fail to repay the debt, the lenders seize the ships and their cargo. It''s a profitable structure as long as the fleet doesn''t encounter a storm and disappear altogether. Iri had not only met with captains. Many local influential figures visited, and she heard countless stories. Captains who embarked on long voyages for trade. Fleet owners who employed these captains to operate trade fleets. Loan sharks who lent money to these fleet owners. She had grasped the hierarchy of money-makers while running a tavern. However, Airi''s case seemed to have a slightly different meaning when it came to usury. It made them slaves. That''s the resonance the word had. "So, I lend them money, and if they can''t meet the interest payment deadline, I raise the interest rate or collect additional fees, or if that doesn''t work, I take a stake in their fleet or their trade goods." It was evident that Airi was making a fortune. "But at this rate, it would take too long. So, I''m using a different method." What Airi dreamed of was seizing control of the empire''s financial power. She had been incredibly successful so far, but it was still not enough. "I deliberately sabotage the finances of captains, fleet owners, merchants, and traders who borrow money from the capital. I make them borrow up to their limit, then ensure they have no surplus funds when it''s time to pay the interest." "...What?!" "Simply put, I force them into bankruptcy. Piling default upon default. I brand them insolvent, reducing their credit to zero. Then, I can enforce the seizure." I couldn''t help but be taken aback by the unexpected revelation. If you control the flow of funds in the market, you can cause such trouble by just clamping down on any financial route momentarily. "If I make three large trade fleets go bankrupt simultaneously, the loan sharks, merchants, and local fleets in the Edina Archipelago involved with them will collapse too. It''s a chain reaction of bankruptcies." When large trade fleets go bankrupt and seizures begin, not only the loan sharks who were supposed to collect money from them but also the local fleets scheduled to transport the incoming cargo lose their goods, and those entangled with them also fall into ruin. A chain reaction of bankruptcies among subcontractors following the collapse of a large corporation. "With large fleets ruined, merchants can no longer buy or sell trade goods." "Captains lose their ships." "Crew members lose their jobs." "Jobless sailors can''t afford to drink." "And then taverns can''t sell alcohol and go bankrupt." "Like dominoes, they topple one after another." "The economy will be paralyzed." With a calm expression, Airi drained the last drop of the red tea in her teacup. So, the goal wasn''t really about having slaves or whatever? To bring down the national economy? Why on earth? "You want to cause an economic crisis instead of making money? Why?" At my incredulous question, Airi grinned. "The goal is to eliminate the Edina Archipelago''s trade cartel." "¡­What?" Again, she said something unexpected. "How much money do you think I''d need to control the market''s cash flow? No matter how much money I have, it''s not enough." Airi gazed out the office window. "This is all possible because the Edina Royal Bank is supporting us." A loan shark with unlimited credit. "It''s not that the Edina Archipelago doesn''t have a super-sized warp gate connecting to the continent, but rather, they can''t build one even if they want to. If they just install a super-sized warp gate on the uninhabited island in the middle of the route, the problem of distance would be solved, right?" "¡­You can''t be serious." "Yeah, they can''t build it because of the organized obstruction by the trade cartel." It wasn''t that the Edina Archipelago couldn''t install a super-sized warp gate. It was because a large profit group, which made a living through maritime trade, opposed its installation. And all those talks about the royal family. Airi was in a secret alliance with the Edina Archipelago''s royal family. "If the economy goes into crisis due to the bankruptcy of large trade fleets, the Edina Archipelago will have no choice but to install a super-sized warp gate for the overall improvement of their economic situation. They will then cooperate with the empire to push for the construction of the warp gate." "¡­Wow." It was astonishing and surprising. I had sent her to a place without a super-sized warp gate, but now she was trying to create one with her own hands. It left me speechless. "In return, I''ll get ninety percent of the stakes in the operation of the super-sized warp gate." Not the domination of the large fleets, but their collapse. And after that, monopolizing the trade rights between the Edina Archipelago and the continent. That was the picture Airi was painting. ------ "¡­How am I supposed to accept that you sent me to a place difficult for the empire to reach, only to build a bridge?" At my complaint, Airi gave a bitter smile. "You''re walking on thin ice in the empire, and I don''t want to believe that I''m safe here without any risk while you solve everything for me." Airi believed that she, too, could do something and was trying to contribute in any way possible. She even told me not to sell themselves as slaves to humans to raise capital. In the end, Airi had connections not only on her own but also with the Edina Archipelago''s royal family. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to launch a project of this scale. "Anyway, the Edina Archipelago relies too heavily on maritime trade. If a giant warp gate were to be built connecting the continent and the archipelago, the social costs involved in fleet operations would decrease, and the economic situation would be much better than it is now. So, the royal family has wanted to build a giant warp gate for a very long time." "Are you saying that those involved in maritime trade have been blocking this?" "Yes." Maritime traders are an indispensable presence in the Edina Archipelago. "Whenever discussions about building warp gates begin, maritime trade cartels threaten to strike en masse and paralyze the national economy. They''ve made good on these threats more than once, causing the economy to falter. It takes time to build a giant warp gate, and they''re concerned about how the archipelago would fare without maritime trade in the meantime." The maritime trade cartels have held the lifeline of the people of the Edina Archipelago, continuously threatening them. Although their actual utility had diminished, they had managed to maintain their grip on the archipelago''s leadership through strikes and threats. "That''s why the royal family wants to completely eradicate the maritime trade cartels. Of course, there will be bloodshed and chaos, but they''ve determined that it''s better to build the giant warp gate and collapse the cartels entirely. And well, if I fail, the royal family will cut its losses." If Airi''s true intention to collapse the entire maritime trade cartel becomes apparent, and she becomes a target, the royal family can simply withdraw. "It''s too risky." "Indeed." "Even if everything works out as you say, there''s a clear possibility that the royal family of the Edina Kingdom will stab you in the back later on." If things go wrong, they can just cut their losses, and even if things go according to Airi''s plan, the royal family could still betray her. She''s taking on enormous risks. "No, Valier, that won''t happen." However, Airi seemed confident that she wouldn''t be betrayed. "Why?" "You know why, don''t you?" Airi showed a subtle smile. "Being loved is just too easy for us." The fleet owners she intends to topple. Someone from the royal family secretly collaborating with her. Everyone loved her, and she knew she wouldn''t be abandoned with that look in her eyes. The Queen of the Succubi. Even without her horns, Airi''s confidence seemed unshaken. "There might already be people who think my actions are suspicious, even crossing the line. That''s why I''m not engaging in business with civilians who don''t know me well." She claimed it was just a game with those who had already fallen for her, for themselves. Airi told Valier not to worry about that aspect at all. CH 348 Although Airi, a succubus, lacked the characteristic power of charm, she didn''t need such a thing as she successfully seduced influential locals while running a tavern. Airi said that the important thing was that stage, and now that they were progressing, there would be no particular difficulty. It was all about deceiving and exploiting those whose hearts they had already won over. How were they going to handle the malice they would receive from people after all of this was over? Was there already a plan in place for that? Just as I was taking risks on my own, Airi was also willing to take risks even if I didn''t want her to. "Wait just a little longer, Valier." Airi smiled at me. "The day when I''ll dedicate the Edina Archipelago to you is not far off." She aimed to swallow up the entire Edina Archipelago, beyond just monopolizing trade rights. When I first met the succubus prisoners, all I wanted was for them to live peacefully. When I talked about seizing control of the empire''s financial power, I thought it was okay to have such a dream as long as it gave purpose to life. However, watching Airi''s actions, I couldn''t help but think that achieving that goal was far from impossible. "I agree with you. Let''s restrain ourselves from taking on overly dangerous tasks." "Alright. Thanks for worrying about me." We might have originally been hostile to each other, but since I saved her, Airi had changed her attitude towards me. I didn''t know what kind of past I had with Airi, so I didn''t think much of it. In the process of checking on how Airi was doing in the Edina Archipelago, I learned some unexpected things. If Airi succeeded in the Edina Archipelago, eventually, this side would also have its own use. I couldn''t know exactly what that use would be at the moment. "Anyway, I came here because I''m curious." Finally, I could get to the main point. "Curious about what?" "I''ll be returning to the Demon King''s Castle soon, and I want to know what''s there." "...The Demon King''s Castle?" "Yeah." "It''s still occupied by the imperial army. Even if you''re disguised as a human..." "There won''t be a problem since I''m going with the royal family''s permission." "Ah, I see. But what do you want to ask me... Oh, right, you lost your memory..." Airi seemed to have roughly guessed what I wanted to find when I returned there. "There''s a restricted area in the Demon King''s Castle that only the royal family could enter. But humans must have searched it thoroughly. I doubt anything useful would be left..." I wanted to go to the Demon King''s Castle with the vague hope that Charlotte and Saviolin Turner might know something. However, even if something remained in the Demon King''s Castle, I wanted to understand it, whether or not it had anything to do with saving Charlotte. The Demon King''s Castle would still have people there for excavation or research purposes, so it wouldn''t be a place I could visit at any time, even if I took on Reinhardt''s appearance. The opportunity is now. According to Airi, there exists a restricted area accessible only to royalty. However, was it not protected by a physical barrier? If it has already been plundered, there would be nothing left to gain there. Airi furrowed her brow, deep in thought. "I''m not sure, but there must be a place in the Demon King''s castle that only the Demon King can enter. It would naturally be sealed off to prevent anyone else from entering... There''s a definite possibility that humans haven''t found it yet." Airi was uncertain, but she believed such a place might exist. "How do you know about this place?" "¡­Occasionally, the previous Demon King would take you somewhere within the Demon King''s castle." Airi had no choice but to know about the memories that I, as Valier, did not possess, and about what had transpired in the Demon King''s castle. "I don''t know where exactly it is, and even when I asked my mother, she never answered me as if it were a secret. She seemed to know something, though." "So, there''s a secret space of that sort?" "Probably. I don''t know the specifics of where it is, though." The place that the previous Demon King occasionally took Valier to. Airi''s mother, who had been one of the Four Heavenly Kings, knew something but didn''t tell Airi. There was a possibility that humans had already found the place, but there was also a chance they hadn''t. The secret chamber within the Demon King''s castle that the previous Demon King took his son to from time to time. Something must be there. I must find out what it is. ------ My brief reunion with Airi came to an end. "I could go in a few days." Airi watched me, seemingly reluctant, as I insisted on leaving immediately. "I''m sorry, but I don''t have time." "¡­I understand." Airi cautiously cast her eyes down. Originally, Valier had been a useless, arrogant brat who relied on his father''s power, and Airi, the daughter of the succubus queen, had been the one to discipline him. Now that the demon world had been destroyed, we were the last remaining members of the royal family of a ruined kingdom. Airi approached me and gently held both of my hands. "Please stay safe, Valier." As I met her gaze, I felt an odd sensation, which made me feel strangely uneasy. Was it because the succubus queen''s race was inherently easy to love? No. That wasn''t it. Although I was not Valier, I felt a bizarre sensation as if Valier was reacting to her. Valier had been tormented by Airi, but somehow, I instinctively knew. A strange certainty that Valier would have liked Airi. The odd sensation I felt just by looking into Airi''s eyes convinced me of this. In the original history, Airi would have become a slave in the empire, and Valier would have died wandering the wasteland. Of course, I am not Valier. I am not captivated by the succubus race either. So. "Don''t push yourself too hard either." "Yes." I simply asked Airi how she was doing, a question stemming from the camaraderie between us. ------ It seemed as if no time had passed since I had gone to the Edina Archipelago, and the return trip was just as swift. Lucinil had offered to accompany me to the Demon King''s Castle and keep watch from a distance, but I had declined. The area around the Demon King''s Castle was already tightly held by human forces, and I already had Saviolin Turner as a companion. There was a chance that an unexpected encounter between her and Lucinil could lead to complications. Thus, Lucinil decided it would be better to stay in the Imperial Palace and assist in Sarkegaar''s mission. There was a secret space within the Demon King''s Castle. However, neither Airi nor I knew where it was located. And if we were to find the place, we would have to enter it without being seen by others ¨C yet we had no concrete plan for how to do that. Fortunately, Charlotte''s condition did not worsen before we set out for the Demon King''s Castle. In the Royal Class dormitory, Saviolin Turner covertly summoned me. It was nighttime. Outside the Royal Class dormitory, I stood facing Saviolin Turner in the dimly lit space. "His Majesty has granted his permission. We depart in two days." "Yes." As I calmly replied, Saviolin Turner suddenly gripped my shoulder. She stared into my eyes with a serious expression. "Reinhardt, I asked you to accompany me out of my own selfishness, but it seems that you do not fully understand the risks involved in this matter." "¡­Risks?" "Yes. Her Highness, the Princess, is very negative about you coming along." Charlotte had thanked me but also said it was dangerous and that I did not have to go. Had she been worrying about it for days? Were there still unknown threats in the Demon King''s Castle? Did Charlotte think I was being too reckless, so she was negative about me accompanying her? "If the Demon King''s Castle is dangerous¡­" "No, that''s not the issue." As if I completely misunderstood, she shook her head. "I have no interest in politics and probably shouldn''t, but I am in a position where I can avoid getting involved in political matters. This is not self-praise, but a simple fact." The strongest knight on the continent. Her influence and authority alone allowed her to live free from politics if she wished. But it seemed that it was not the case for me. I was aware of that. The weak living in the midst of politics cannot remain neutral. That is only possible after securing power or influence. When she mentioned politics instead of physical danger, I thought I had understood what Saviolin Turner was trying to say. "Are you talking about¡­ Bertus?" "Yes." Bertus and Charlotte. I had somewhat forgotten about the issue between the two of them. Charlotte valued me highly, and it had been quite some time since Bertus had made any moves against me. In the Demon King''s realm, there are countless people. And the fact that the Princess and I are heading there directly isn''t something we can hide. So, if you go with us, that truth will eventually be revealed." "..." If I go to the Demon King''s realm with Charlotte, Bertus will eventually find out. He will know that I have firmly sided with Charlotte. "You''ve already received the royal crest. Soon, His Highness the Crown Prince will know that you are the master of Tiamat." And on top of that, there''s the matter of the Champions of Tu''an. It''s not information Bertus can miss that Ellen and I have received the royal emblem together. The importance of my position in the country has undeniably increased, and it''s clear that I stand with Charlotte. That means, simply by going to the Demon King''s realm, I will inevitably make Bertus a definite enemy. Saviolin Turner is not ignorant of politics, though she prefers not to be involved in political affairs. So, it seemed as if she was warning me, thinking I didn''t know the true danger of this matter. "This is the last time, Reinhardt. I know it''s strange for me to say this after making the request. If you deem the situation too dangerous, you don''t have to come. Her Highness wishes that as well." Charlotte seemed to not want to put me in danger any longer. If I go to the Demon King''s realm with Charlotte, I will eventually make Bertus my enemy. But what would change if I just stay still? My identity as a Champion of Tu''an will inevitably be revealed anyway. I need to not only cure Charlotte but also find out what remains in the Demon King''s realm. And I know that Saviolin Turner and Charlotte''s concerns are nothing but unfounded. The royal crest given to me. That itself speaks for everything. "I don''t think Bertus is foolish enough to carelessly lay hands on the Champion of Tu''an." "......" A treatment on par with royalty? No, it''s even more than that. At this point, Ellen and I are more important to humanity than the First Prince and Princess, or even the Emperor himself. In such a situation, if someone tries to kill me or cause harm just because I''m on Charlotte''s side, they will face the wrath of the furious Emperor. Ellen and I are expendable in the fight against the Demon King, but until that moment, we must receive the utmost importance on the continent. Ragan Artorius may not have utilized any political advantages, but I will not do the same. Bertus will not be able to touch me. As long as my true identity isn''t exposed, he absolutely cannot touch me. "So, I will go." However, once Bertus becomes my enemy, can my identity remain hidden? I cannot know that. "......Alright, convey that to Her Highness." I know that my predetermined fate is approaching, and I cannot hide my true identity forever. ------ Champion of Tu''an. That would protect me in every situation and political climate. I had exposed the remnants of the demon world''s power, escalating humanity''s sense of crisis, and secured political justification to protect myself by becoming the champion of Tu¡¯an. It was a rather wicked act to establish my position by playing the savior in the crisis I had orchestrated, but that was the reality. In the end, Eleris''s words that Tiamata would be more useful politically proved to be true. The day we decided to depart for the Demon King''s realm. "It''s really okay. I won''t be gone for long, and you don''t have to be there..." Charlotte trailed off with a gloomy expression. She was always grateful, but she also felt guilty for only receiving help from me and not being able to give anything in return. Even though my political position was secure, this task entailed taking on a great risk. So, on the day of departure, her wish for me not to go was evident. "To think I''m hearing such words from the one who came to me in tears, clad in pajamas, and clung to me when the crisis struck. It''s quite convincing." "W-what?!" Caught off guard by my sudden words, Charlotte''s face flushed red. Saviolin Turner, who had finished preparing for departure, also had a baffled expression. "It''s useless to cry and call for help when the crisis hits. So just quietly come along." "W-why are you saying it like that?!" Charlotte''s face turned red and blue as she began hitting me randomly. "Yes, get angry like that instead." "¡­What?" Looking at Charlotte, who had a remorseful expression, I felt even more tormented. "It makes me feel more at ease." Charlotte stared blankly at me for a moment, her lips trembling, and then finally let out a wail. "¡­You''re really something else. You make people feel grateful and ungrateful at the same time. You''re so strange!" Charlotte strode forward, sniffling, and Saviolin Turner sighed as she watched me. "You''re one to talk, making light of blasphemous words so casually. But I find it stranger that I''ve grown used to your antics." Normally, she would have jumped in when things got out of hand, but she had become so accustomed to my behavior that she only felt disconcerted now. It seemed that Saviolin Turner also found it strange to grow accustomed to my antics. CH 349 Somehow, I had found myself in Darkland during the summer vacation, and now, during the winter break, I was once again headed there. Of course, this time, my companion was not Ellen, the next Hero, but the Princess and the greatest swordsman of the continent. The place Ellen and I had ventured to was merely the outskirts of Darkland. The Demon King''s castle, our current destination, was situated deep within Darkland. The allied forces had advanced in a single-point breakthrough formation, successfully capturing the castle. However, there had been no exploration of the surrounding areas. Although the adventurers had been leading the Darkland pioneering project, they had yet to search a vast area. Our party consisted of only three people: myself, Saviolin Turner, and Charlotte. There was no need for additional escorts or attendants, as deploying a large force would only cause unnecessary commotion. "We''ll have to pass through quite a few warp gates, Your Highness." "Yes." The allied forces had built warp gates at regular intervals during their advance to secure supplies. Naturally, during the war, these warp gates would have been prime targets for the Demon King''s army. We planned to travel through the large warp gates to reach the Egsian forward base, then follow the allied forces'' route directly to the Demon King''s castle. While it would take some time to activate the dormant gates, there wasn''t much actual travel time involved, as a warp gate had been installed right in front of the castle after the war. Charlotte wore a tense expression. To her, the Demon King''s castle must have seemed like hell itself. She was returning to a place she never wanted to see again, only because there might be a slim chance of finding a clue to resolve her situation. Undoubtedly, Charlotte''s emotions were complicated at that moment, and I shared her feelings. ------ At present, the Demon King''s castle was occupied by the Empire''s forces. While they had thoroughly plundered the castle, the search and investigation of the entire place had not yet been completed. Our party had quickly traveled through the warp gates, passing the Egsian forward base, and had managed to arrive at the Demon King''s castle at an astonishing speed. "..." "..." Both Charlotte and I were speechless as we looked upon the desolate sight of the castle. The massive gray fortress stood beneath the clear blue winter sky. The aftermath of the raging war could still be seen all around the Demon King''s castle. Traces of powerful magic and siege weaponry marked the castle walls. "So this is... the Demon King''s castle." Saviolin Turner, who had not participated in the great war against the demons, was seeing the castle for the first time. I could not tell what emotions she felt as she looked upon the remnants of humanity''s great victory. Regardless of whether Bertus would find out, we had no intention of advertising our arrival. If influential figures appeared at the garrison, it would undoubtedly cause an annoying commotion. Hence, upon arriving at the castle, the three of us donned our robes to conceal our identities. "Your Highness, I am Count Alfred, currently serving as the commander-in-chief of the Demon King''s Castle garrison." It seemed that only the commander, who had been informed of our arrival in advance, had come out to greet us alone, so as not to cause any unnecessary commotion. Charlotte and Saviolin Turner''s concerns were palpable. "Ah, I see. It''s nice to meet you, Count Alfred." Bertus would likely be aware that Charlotte''s power is related to the Demon King; she simply chooses not to use it as a weapon. Thus, Charlotte''s visit to the Demon King''s Castle garrison is under the pretense of an inspection. She whispered this explanation to me. Although not always active, the presence of a warp gate here ensured that the garrison''s supplies were in excellent condition. Instead of tents, proper buildings had been constructed around the Demon King''s Castle, and the soldiers seemed more focused on reconnaissance and research than on combat. Under the guidance of Commander Alfred, we headed towards the garrison''s command center. Our visit wasn''t entirely top secret, but it wasn''t public either. Only a select few, including the commander, knew we were coming today. Count Alfred appeared to view me as a mere attendant. After a brief meal with the commander, he escorted us to the command center''s map room. Charlotte''s ostensible purpose was to check on the investigation of the Demon King''s Castle. In the middle of the map room was a table with a model of the castle''s architecture, and the walls were covered in drawings that appeared to be targeting the Demon King''s Castle. "The Demon King''s Castle is incredibly vast, as it was once the abode of the Demon King. Thus, our exploration is not yet complete." "Is it that extensive?" "Yes." The architectural model included a detailed representation of the collapsed castle walls. In reality, the Demon King''s Castle was immense in scale. Just as the Imperial Palace of Emperatos was enormous, so too was the Demon King''s Castle. While the Imperial Palace had one palace in each cardinal direction, the Demon King''s Castle featured a massive central palace surrounded by countless auxiliary buildings of considerable size. "There are still areas where traps are active, so we''re proceeding with caution to prevent casualties until we have a thorough understanding..." Charlotte''s words seemed to be a criticism of their progress, and the commander mumbled uncomfortably. "I think it''s right to proceed cautiously since there''s no rush. I didn''t mean to criticize, Commander." "Thank you, Your Highness." The Demon King''s Castle was so vast that the investigation was not yet complete. The reason being that there were still areas with active traps. Although there was a model of the castle''s exterior, there were still unexplored areas on the targeting map. Nevertheless, the commander began to explain, pointing at the targeting map and the three-dimensional model. The auxiliary building, as large as a palace, was a barracks. It was quite odd for me, the prince of the Demon Realm, to learn something new from a garrison commander. "It is presumed that a standing army was stationed in the barracks. However, no matter how large it may be, it couldn''t possibly accommodate all the numerous demons and monsters that fought against us during the Great Demon War. Hence, we assume that they must have conscripted demons residing in other regions." "Indeed." At the time of the Great Demon War, the Demon King''s castle housed a military force far exceeding its capacity. The commander added that there wouldn''t have been so many soldiers in the castle during peacetime. "On the first floor of the Demon King''s Palace, there are facilities for living, including a dining hall and a banquet hall. And in the center of the palace, do you see this courtyard?" "Yes." The center of the Demon King''s Palace was wide open, with a vast, open space. There were destroyed pillars and statues. Every piece of shattered debris was intricately depicted. Even though it was just a model, one could sense that an extraordinary battle had taken place here on a massive scale. "Could this be...?" Charlotte looked at the commander, who nodded. "Yes." The enormous courtyard of the Demon King''s Palace. "This is where Ragan Artorius fought against the Demon King." In the heart of the Demon Realm, the decisive battle between the hero and the Demon King had taken place. Although we hadn''t witnessed the battle, Charlotte and I had heard the earth-shattering noise. Charlotte shivered slightly, and I silently swallowed. The remnants of the Demon King. Vaguely, Charlotte thought that if she could touch them, she might gain some knowledge or resolve her current situation. "I need to visit this place." So, it was only natural for Charlotte to say that. ------ The Demon King''s castle was so vast that we each rode horses to get around. I had learned horseback riding at the temple, so I was able to ride without any issues. Since the castle was an investigation area, there were no people living inside unless they had a special mission. Thus, there was a large village surrounding the castle, called the garrison. It was unclear whether there had originally been a village for demons like the Demon King''s castle nearby. If there hadn''t been one, it never existed, but if there had been one, all traces of it would have vanished due to the war. "Which areas are confirmed to be safe so far?" At Charlotte''s question, the commander answered. "All the auxiliary buildings have been secured, and we have confirmed that there are no functioning traps on the ground level of the Demon King''s castle. However, the underground is still dangerous, so please refrain from venturing there. As long as you don''t go too deep underground, there shouldn''t be any major issues." This meant there was nothing to discover on the ground level of the Demon King''s castle. Would I have to go underground to learn whatever I needed to know? Charlotte, riding alongside the commander, asked another question. "Have many soldiers fallen victim to traps?" "Not just soldiers. Experienced rangers, knights, and even mages often fall prey as well. It''s fortunate if they only end up injured, but some victims of mental traps have their minds broken. That''s why we''re particularly cautious when exploring underground areas." "Hmm... I see." These were not traps in some remote dungeon, but in the Demon King''s castle itself. Charlotte couldn''t help but gulp at the thought of dying or becoming permanently disabled by carelessly triggering one. Even without considering Bertus''s problem, the Demon King''s castle wasn''t a particularly safe place. The commander had repeatedly warned that the underground areas were not properly secured and should be avoided. But Charlotte, like me and Saviolin Turner, probably thought the same. If there were any clues, they would be in the underground area. Soon, we arrived at the entrance to the grand and majestic Demon King''s palace. The girl who was thought to be a pitiable hostage kidnapped by the Demon King was, in fact, a princess. And she had immediately sensed the impending doom of her own death upon being rescued. She had returned with Dyrus, acquired a teleport scroll, and galloped with all her might to escape the clutches of the knights of the Salerian duchy. Without me, Charlotte would have died. I wonder what Charlotte is thinking now. Is she thinking about the terror, pain, and terrible times she endured? "..." But the fleeting expression on Charlotte''s face seemed full of sadness. It didn''t seem like she was thinking about her anger and pain. I know what she''s thinking without having to ask. She''s thinking about Valier. He had saved her but suddenly disappeared, and after briefly corresponding through letters, he had cut off contact himself. Now she could only ponder his true identity amidst her anguish. And here I am, by Charlotte''s side as Reinhardt. "Let''s go in." Charlotte, who had dismounted from her horse, spoke bravely. ------ The path leading to the inner courtyard of the Demon King''s palace wasn''t particularly complicated. It was just that the palace was so massive that we had to pass through long and wide corridors and several halls. Signs of battle still remained within the castle. "Of course... Your Highness knows this better than anyone... After the Demon King''s death, all the demonkind surrendered." "I see." As we walked, the commander pointed out the signs of battle in the grand halls within the palace. "So the traces inside the palace mostly belong to the hero''s party." "Ah, I see." The Demon King''s castle had not been breached until his death. And after the surrender, all battles had ceased, so there had been no fighting between the Demon King''s army and the allied forces within the palace. The broken furniture and statues, collapsed walls, and other traces were the results of the Demon King''s forces and the hero''s party clashing within the palace. The commander explained various things as we walked through the palace. His tone carried a sense of pride. The great victory of humanity. And the Demon King''s castle was much like a museum commemorating that victory. It seemed so, and that statement was not too far from the truth. Standing in front of the collapsed wall of a massive hall that probably once served as a dining area, the commander spoke. He demonstrated a moment of silence right there. A single white flower lay where he had paid his respects. "Here, the body of Ragdina Olfi was found." The place where the remains of one of the hero''s party members were discovered. After the Demon King''s death, they would have recovered all the corpses, so the bodies of the hero''s party members would have been found scattered throughout the castle. The locations where they had been found would have been recorded as well. "And over there, the body of Archirion, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, was found along with hers." Ragdina Olfi. The one who had taken on the ranger position in the party. I had never heard of Archirion, as I had not set up the Four Heavenly Kings myself. What I had set up was the fact that as the hero party defeated each of the Four Heavenly Kings, one of them died in the process. And in the end, only Ragan Artorius remained to face the Demon King. Having them die one by one as they defeated each of the Four Heavenly Kings was a clich¨¦ in its own right, but I had never really given it any thought. Perhaps there was a background to the Four Heavenly Kings each taking on the hero party one by one. It was impossible to know now. Saviolin Turner and Charlotte followed the commander, silently bowing their heads in tribute at the spot, as did I. It couldn''t exactly be called a tour, but the commander led us around as if it were his duty. This time, it was not a hall but a massive corridor. There, too, a white flower that seemed recently placed lay. It appeared that someone brought flowers here every day. The pillars of the corridor had collapsed, and somewhere among the fallen pillars, the commander paid his respects once more. "Here, the body of Mullerun, the mage of the hero party, was found." "With the body of one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Succubus Queen Reina." Succubus Queen Reina. Airi''s mother. It was a name I had heard before, so it carried a weight that was far from insignificant. The commander spoke quietly while staring at the traces of the collapse. "Succubus Queen Reina was a very serious problem. On nights when she exerted her influence, tens of thousands of soldiers were too afraid to fall asleep due to her nightmare powers, and those who couldn''t resist sleep often never woke up again." He emphasized several times that the true terror of the Succubus Queen lay in the fact that her power was nightmares. Although her power might not have been able to enter the minds of those with strong mental resistance or anti-magic training, countless soldiers without such resistance became unwitting victims of her nightmares. "In fact, excluding Larken Simonstite, the Succubus Queen and her kind probably killed the most coalition soldiers." Upon hearing the name Larken Simonstite, Saviolin Turner seemed to flinch slightly. The commander spoke and walked ahead once more. "Based on the circumstances, I believe the problem might have been the excessive amplification of magical power to save our companions from the powerful enchantment of the Succubus Queen..." Commander Alfred visited the locations where the bodies of the hero''s companions had been discovered, one by one. Their original goal was to visit the place where Ragan Artorius and Demon King Valier had fought, but Charlotte had no particular comment on this. Since the heroes had saved her life, she felt it was her duty to confirm the details. After passing the place where the priest Sheridan had died, the commander sighed heavily when they reached the spot where the demon swordsman Seizaridia, presumed to be one of the last two standing alongside Ragan Artorius, had perished. "Here, the bodies of the greatest demon, Larken Simonstite, and demon swordsman Seizaridia were found. It is presumed that the battle between Ragan Artorius and the Demon King took place immediately after." Larken Simonstite. I heard that both Airi and I had learned swordsmanship from him. I was a slacker, while Airi was an honor student. Of course, I don''t know much about him. "......" However, Saviolin Turner stared solemnly at the scene where an intense battle had undoubtedly taken place, her expression hardened. "I wanted to kill that man with my own hands." Saviolin Turner''s fingers trembled slightly. Neither Charlotte nor the commander said anything, as if they already knew. It was obvious that I was the only one who didn''t know why Saviolin Turner was saying such things. Sensing my confusion, she looked at me and offered a bittersweet smile. "He was my teacher." "¡­What?!" I couldn''t help but be startled by the completely unexpected revelation. Charlotte and the commander stared at me, taken aback by my astonishment. "You mean¡­ you learned swordsmanship from a demon?" "¡­?" "Hmm?" Saviolin Turner mumbled, folding her arms. "It seems you didn''t know. Well, it''s possible you wouldn''t¡­ Larken Simonstite was human." He was a human, ranked among the top four demon generals? Wait, isn''t it a big deal not knowing this? Fortunately, my humble background allowed me to let it pass. My jaw dropped. "A traitor of the empire who deserved to be torn apart." A quiet rage burned in Saviolin Turner''s eyes. Come to think of it. ''Yes, the prince and princess learned swordsmanship from the first demon general, Sir Larken Simonstite.'' The title ''Sir.'' Upon reflection, it suited a knight, didn''t it? CH 350 Saviolin Turner briefly explained about Larken Simonstite. Larken Simonstite had been the leader of the Shanafel squad when Saviolin Turner, now considerably older, was still a newcomer. Just as Saviolin Turner is now, he too had held the title of the continent''s strongest swordsman. Larken Simonstite taught Saviolin Turner many things to groom her as the next leader of the Shanafel squad. After rigorous training that was so demanding that even the tremendous genius had to tear apart and rebuild everything she had learned at the temple, she eventually became the captain of the Shanafel''s first knight squad. At the time when Saviolin Turner was a newcomer, Larken Simonstite was already an old man who had passed his eighties. Although the aging process was slowed by the training and the manipulation of magical power, like Saviolin Turner, he had long surpassed the age for retirement. Thus, he cultivated the next generation and, as Saviolin Turner''s skills progressed, he handed over the leadership of the Shanafel squad to another and retired. It wasn''t a strange occurrence. Everyone believed he was living a quiet life after retirement. As the sense of crisis from the Demon World War intensified, the empire needed strength, and they sought to borrow the retired Grandmaster''s hand as well. However. Unexpectedly, Larken Simonstite had become one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army, holding the heavy title of the first Heavenly King. One of the Heavenly Kings was a human, and they knew nothing about it. Moreover, he was even a mentor to Saviolin Turner. In the original work, even the dead Demon King wasn''t mentioned much, so there was no reason to mention the Heavenly Kings. There had been no reason to discuss the Heavenly Kings during their time in this world, although the Demon King was occasionally mentioned. So, it was rather an odd situation where everyone else knew almost everything, but I didn''t. "Why did he become one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Darkland...?" "I don''t know." Saviolin Turner shook her head. "We may never know." She was set up as a character who felt guilty for not participating in the Demon World War. However, there was a hidden backstory that I was unaware of. Why did Larken Simonstite betray humanity and join the Darkland side? Would Sarkegaar, Loyar, or Eleris possibly know? I had never asked questions related to the Heavenly Kings because I wasn''t initially curious, but now that I had heard it, I became curious about the stories of the Heavenly Kings that no longer existed in this world. Still, considering he had received the first Heavenly King''s position and even taught Airi swordsmanship, it seemed like he had been treated well and lived comfortably in Darkland. Saviolin Turner had many questions for the traitorous Larken, but she ultimately could not head to Darkland under the pretext of protecting the royal family. So, it was inevitable that arriving at the Demon King''s castle now that everything had ended would be bittersweet. We walked further and finally reached our intended destination. The very center of the Demon King''s castle. A desolate, ruined plaza. Even after the battle had ended, there must have been rain and snow, but the traces of the battle did not disappear easily, as the place had witnessed such an overwhelming fight. "This is where humanity achieved its final victory." The site of the battle between the Demon King and the hero. All the pillars and statues had been destroyed, and the ground was deeply hollowed out. Despite the vast expanse of the area, traces of the intense battle could be found everywhere, and the walls of the Demon King''s palace nearby had been torn away or showed signs of collapse. "¡­ It''s hard to believe that this scene was the result of a battle between only two beings." Even Saviolin Turner, who was currently considered the strongest being in the world, seemed to be taken aback. "No matter how many times I see it, I can''t even imagine how powerful the Demon King was¡­ and the same goes for the strength of Artorius who faced him." We walked towards the center of the battlefield. "To think that Ragan Artorius was¡­ this powerful." Saviolin Turner seemed to be shocked for a different reason. No matter how great Ragan Artorius was, he was not yet thirty years old. He had killed a retired Grandmaster and defeated the Demon King, all with a strong group of companions. Saviolin Turner seemed to be starting to wonder if that was even possible. "The remains of the Demon King could not be found due to the intensity of the battle, but Artorius was discovered here, with his sword Alsebringer plunged into the ground, looking as if he were merely sleeping¡­" I didn''t witness the fight, and I didn''t describe it, but I know the truth. It wasn''t Ragan Artorius'' strength that defeated the Demon King, at least not alone. It was the power of Alsebringer. Nobody but me knows the true purpose of Alsebringer. The war god, Als. Alsebringer. It is, quite literally, a sword that can summon the war god. From the beginning, it was Ragan Artorius, who had become the embodiment of Als, who fought the Demon King. The price was his life. Artorius had killed the Demon King at the cost of his own life. Ludwig became the owner of Alsebringer. In the original development of the story, Ludwig eventually used the true power of Alsebringer. So¡­ As a tragic romantic, I ended up doing the crazy deed of killing the protagonist in a novel that started as a daily life story. ------ Charlotte decided that guiding was enough and sent the commander back. From now on, stories that he should not hear would begin to unfold. She was allowed to roam the upper levels, but he sternly warned her never to go to the basement before leaving. There were soldiers in the Demon King''s palace, but not many. If they were around, they were likely focusing on searching the basement. The commander had told us many things, but we hadn''t come to tour the turning point in human history, but to find a clue to improve Charlotte''s condition. "Your Highness, do you feel anything?" "¡­Nothing at all." The place where the Demon King had died. Charlotte arrived there, but it seemed as if she couldn''t feel anything. After all, it was just a place they had come to without much thought. There were no remains of the Demon King''s corpse, and if there was such a thing as the Demon King''s soul, it was far too uncertain to hope that it would still linger here. More than anything, too much time had passed. The place had once been the site of a great battle, but there was nothing left other than the traces of that conflict. "I guess we have no choice but to hope that there''s something underground." "But... it seems quite dangerous, more than we expected." "Sigh, you''re right." It wasn''t just the traps that would activate when stepped on; there were even spells that attacked the mind. "Let''s start by exploring the surface. There might be something up above as well." There was nothing to be gained from the site of the final battle. However, the Demon King''s palace was vast. Asserting that there were plenty of areas to explore even if it wasn''t the underground, Charlotte took the lead. ------ Her memories of the Demon King''s castle were not very clear. The situation had been so urgent, and after meeting Charlotte, time had flown by like a storm. There was no room in her heart for anything else; it was as if she was sprinting across thin ice, constantly fearing that one misstep would lead to death. Her state of extreme psychological stress certainly played a part in this. "We should have brought Dyrus with us," Saviolin Turner murmured. "Hmm... I don''t think it''s a place with fond memories for Sir Dyrus either, so I didn''t see the need to bring him along." "You''re right." Like me, Charlotte''s memories of the Demon King''s castle were likely hazy. After all, she had spent most of her time imprisoned there. For Charlotte, the Demon King''s castle held nothing but terrible memories, incomparable to those of Dyrus or me. Horrifying experiences, and eventually, the awakening of her strange powers that killed everyone in the prison. The shock of cannibalism. Despair, fear, and revulsion that came with it. In the end, Charlotte had killed not only her mother but everyone else who was imprisoned with her. It was impossible to tell if Charlotte was thinking about her past trauma. She simply walked silently through the corridors of the Demon King''s palace. I, too, found the experience to be quite new. I wasn''t being chased by anyone, nor was my life in danger. While I wasn''t completely at ease, I had the luxury of observing the Demon King''s castle. The ceilings of the corridors were high, and the passageways were spacious overall. I had seen various palaces before. From the Spring Palace to the Central Palace Tetra, the White Palace Arunaria, and even the Fortress Epiaux. Yet, the Demon King''s castle had ceilings and passageways that were excessively large and spacious. "The scale is truly immense. I wonder if there''s really a need for it to be this vast..." Saviolin Turner murmured, seemingly sharing my thoughts. "It''s not for humans to walk through." The one who answered wasn''t me, the Demon Prince, but Charlotte. "Ah." "¡­Right?" No. I should have known, but hearing it from Charlotte made me feel incredibly foolish. I am unaware, as I am not actually a prince of the demon clan! It was reasonable for the structures to be built on a larger scale, as there were likely some demons who were bigger or more massive than normal. I wondered if the spaces were big enough for even ogres to move around freely. Of course, not all rooms were large enough for those enormous beings to pass through easily. Throughout the hallways, there were traces of destroyed statues. The broken pieces had been removed, but from the size of the wall carvings, one could guess that there had once been considerably large statues. Charlotte stopped in front of them. "What are these¡­" "What''s the matter?" "¡­I just remembered something Dyrus told me." Charlotte glanced at the shattered statue. "Dyrus and¡­ uh¡­ um¡­" Charlotte attempted to say ''that child'' but hesitated and closed her mouth after noticing my expression. Perhaps she felt sorry for bringing up Valier again after promising to forget about him. I wondered why she needed to be so considerate of my feelings. "Ahem. Anyway, I came into the Demon King''s palace and obtained a teleport scroll to rescue you. But when I tried to leave the palace, I was ambushed by knights from the Salerian Duchy Family to silence me." "¡­I see." It seemed like this was the first time Charlotte had told Lady Saviolin Turner about the events that had transpired in the Demon King''s castle. "Back then, the gargoyles suddenly became active and attacked the knights. That''s how I managed to escape safely¡­" The memory was vivid in my mind. The Salerian knights had intended to kill us, and I had thought about the gargoyles in that moment. Typically, in such situations. Things like that moved. With a feeling like that. As if responding to my thoughts, the gargoyles activated and attacked the knights, killing one on the spot. "So that''s why all the statues were destroyed." Charlotte seemed to conclude that after the incident, all statues were destroyed, and these were the remnants. "¡­" Lady Saviolin Turner silently looked down. She had vowed to maintain political neutrality. However, the fact that she was nearly killed by Bertus''s minions after enduring various hardships in the Demon King''s castle must have stirred intense emotions within her. Of course, it wasn''t her first time hearing about it, and she likely already knew. But hearing it directly from Charlotte while revisiting the scene seemed to cause her expression to twist as she tried to suppress her emotions. From the beginning, her neutrality was questionable. Even though it was for the survival of the First Princess, the act of trying to save Charlotte''s life couldn''t possibly be considered neutral. Lady Saviolin could distance herself from Charlotte''s issues once her safety was assured, but that time had not yet come. Her neutrality had already wavered, and it was clear that the heinous acts attempted by Bertus further shook her resolve. Both her experiences in the Demon King''s castle and the fact that she couldn''t escape the aftereffects of those events, forced her to return to the dreadful memories within the castle. It seemed that Saviolin Turner''s heart was inclined towards Charlotte, if only out of sympathy for her unfortunate situation. Turner struggled with the conflict between his belief in maintaining neutrality and his growing feelings for Charlotte. "It''s alright, Lady Turner," Charlotte said quietly as she walked ahead. "If our situations were reversed, I would have done the same thing that Bertus tried to do to me." "..." Charlotte spoke those words calmly. "I knew what would happen to me from the beginning, after all." In the end, they were all the same. Bertus wasn''t inherently bad; it was just that his actions were fitting for the circumstances. "So, there''s no need to pity me so much." "......I apologize, Your Highness." As Charlotte spoke, she slowly walked down the corridor. She neither defended Bertus nor demeaned herself. Her words were simply meant to ease the psychological burden that Saviolin Turner was feeling. CH 351 The Demon King''s palace was so vast and immense that it took quite some time to explore each floor. As everything of value had already been taken, most of the rooms were either completely empty or filled with dust. There were spaces like a library without any books, or what seemed to be a storage room, wide open and entirely empty. There was even a throne where the Demon King likely once sat. The throne room was larger than any other throne room they had seen before. It made sense, as the demons that entered here varied greatly in size. After exploring the first floor, they continued to the upper levels. They passed the place where the magic scroll had been discovered. As expected, it was completely empty. And as they walked down the corridor, they couldn''t help but arrive at that particular place. The prison cell. "..." "This is..." Charlotte nodded her head. "Yes, this is where I was imprisoned." A place filled with nothing but terrible memories. "I don''t think there''s any good reason to go in there..." Charlotte hesitated, then turned away with effort. There would be no remnants of the Demon King here, only trauma. Whoop "Your Highness!" "Ah..." As Charlotte walked, she suddenly stumbled and was supported by Turner. "Are you okay?" As she approached, Charlotte''s forehead was covered in cold sweat. Could the shocking memories be affecting her body? "It''s nothing... My legs just suddenly gave way..." The memories were not easily forgotten, and returning to the scene made it even more difficult. Turner handed Charlotte over to me. "I''ll leave her to you for a moment. I''ll find a place to rest." "Alright." Charlotte leaned on me, gripping my arm, and Turner rushed down the corridor. "Haa... Haa..." Charlotte breathed heavily, as if she had been running hard. "Is it dangerous now?" "No... It''s not that... Just..." It wasn''t a sudden loss of strength but more like symptoms of hyperventilation. After taking a few deep breaths, Charlotte''s breathing soon steadied. "I knew it wouldn''t be easy, but... it''s still hard." She had only told me that she was the one who killed all the prisoners. I let Charlotte lean against the wall and offered her my arm for support. How much time had passed? "I''ve found a suitable place to rest. Let''s go there." Turner, now out of breath, had checked the upper floors and approached us with the news. ------ After passing through several more corridors and climbing a few more floors, they arrived at a room that looked like a bedroom. There were no valuables, but the furniture remained intact. After opening the window and dusting off the sofa, Turner helped Charlotte lie down on it. Charlotte offered a weak smile. "Lady Turner, I''m not ill." "Even so, you should rest. We''ve walked quite a bit today." "...Haha, you''re right." Charlotte lay on the sofa, catching her breath. It was a strange feeling, not knowing whether to worry about a traumatic episode or to be grateful that it wasn''t an outburst of strength. Saviolin Turner quietly surveyed the bedroom. "I know we found this place in a hurry, but it seems to be the bedroom of someone quite high-ranking, even among the Demon King''s castle." "...Ah, you''re right." Though there were no valuables, all the large furniture remained. Considering everything was of high quality, Turner''s guess that it might have belonged to someone high-ranking within the Demon King''s castle seemed plausible. Somehow, this feeling grew stranger. "Tch... It''s impossible to identify who this bedroom belonged to since everything of value has been indiscriminately plundered. Although it might not be that important..." Turner seemed to entertain the possibility that this might have been the Demon King''s bedroom. It was, indeed, a room that could warrant such speculation. It could have belonged to one of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Demon King, or perhaps another noble figure. -Creak Turner searched the room for any remaining items, opening wardrobes and rummaging through drawers. Charlotte, exhausted, suddenly struggled to sit up on the sofa. Saviolin Turner rummaged through the drawers. All the valuable items would have been taken, so there should have been nothing left. However, for some reason, an odd anxiety burned through my body. -Creak Each time Saviolin Turner opened a drawer, an intense sense of foreboding told me something would be discovered. It felt as though the warning of intuition was pricking at my heart with a needle. -Creak "...?" Saviolin Turner opened a drawer in the ornamental cabinet and tilted her head. "Indeed, the things that wouldn''t fetch any money are still here." She pulled something out of the drawer. At first glance, it was a high-quality wooden case. The lid was open, but the contents remained untouched. It seemed like someone had intended to take it, but after seeing the contents, decided to leave it behind. "Biscuits... it seems." Charlotte stared at the biscuits, eyes wide. I clenched my teeth so hard that my molars nearly cracked, trying not to show any expression. "Can you give that to me?" Charlotte asked calmly, almost frighteningly so. "Your Highness, they must be stale by now." "I don''t want to eat them." "¡­Very well. Here they are." Charlotte gazed at the biscuits that Turner handed her, the ones wrapped in their packaging. Individually wrapped biscuits. Charlotte stared intently at them. Biscuits. Those from that time. ''You must be hungry. Eat these.'' ''You, you... who are you?'' ''I''m fine. You eat first.'' ''You, you too... you eat too.'' Biscuits. Found in the bedroom of someone who likely belonged to the high-ranking demon nobility, wrapped in the same packaging as those from that time. Charlotte unwrapped the biscuit and suddenly snapped it in half. "Your Highness!" -Crunch! Despite Turner''s protest, Charlotte bit into the biscuit. Had she sensed something? Charlotte would never forget it. Even if she forgot everything else, she would never forget the shape and taste of that biscuit she had eaten at that time. She couldn''t tell if it had the same taste as before. However. As Charlotte took a bite of the biscuit, tears rolled down her eyes. ¡°Ah.¡± Charlotte knew something. ¡°Ahaha.¡± ¡°...Your Highness? Why, why are you acting like this?¡± There had been suspicious circumstances, but she had tried not to believe them and tried to deny them. There''s a limit to denying an unwanted truth. This biscuit wasn''t definitive proof either. But too much had piled up. Evidence and suspicion had accumulated. Piling up, and piling up again. The biscuits, individually wrapped in an extravagant case. Would she think that something like this couldn''t be found just anywhere? Charlotte''s thoughts eventually led her to a conclusion. ¡°Huh, huh¡­ Huhuh. Ah. Huh.¡± ¡°Your Highness! Why are you doing this?¡± Now, it became an irreversible certainty. ¡°Heh, hehe! Heh, hehe!¡± Charlotte, with her waist bent, laughed like a madwoman. It seemed as if her vague hope that it might not be true had completely vanished. What was Charlotte thinking? In the end, did she think she was just being used in the next Demon King''s escape? I couldn''t know. ¡°Hehehe! Hehehehehehe! Heheh! Eugh! Ugh! Heheh!¡± Charlotte''s laughter, in the end, turned into sobbing. ------ ¡°...There''s a slightly larger bedroom inside, which we think might be the Demon King''s.¡± Having looked around all the nearby rooms, Saviolin Turner spoke with an expression that suggested she didn''t know how to explain it. Charlotte had asked her to check if there was a slightly larger bedroom nearby. There was only one room deeper than this bedroom. In terms of scale, it seemed to be the Demon King''s bedroom. We don''t know the architectural philosophy of the Demon King''s palace, but what would the second most luxurious bedroom right next to the Demon King''s sleeping chamber mean? Charlotte sat blankly with the biscuit box in front of her. This wasn''t definitive proof either, but it seemed to be the final psychological evidence for Charlotte. Charlotte had known for a long time that Valier could not be unrelated to the Demon King. However, the Demon King''s successor had only recently become active. Charlotte gave no explanation, but Turner seemed to know what Charlotte was thinking. I remained silent. No words could comfort Charlotte now, and even if they could, it didn''t seem like my place to do so. ¡°Your Highness, I don''t know why¡­ you''re acting like this, but in the end, it''s just a biscuit. This¡­ whatever you may think, Your Highness, it''s not enough evidence to be certain of anything¡­¡± Saviolin Turner tried to say something but stopped. She didn''t know what this biscuit meant to Charlotte. Upon hearing Turner''s words, Charlotte slowly nodded her head. "Perhaps you''re right." Charlotte speaks calmly. "I''ve... given up now." Charlotte has stopped defending Valier even in her heart. "The child who saved me is indeed the son or successor of the Demon King. I wanted to believe otherwise, but I won''t anymore." While not a definitive piece of evidence, enough clues have piled up for Charlotte to build a wall around her heart. The child who saved her is the Demon King''s successor and responsible for the demon attacks in the Empire. Charlotte is certain of it. "I''ve only had doubts. If so, why did he save me... why... even though he could have escaped alone, why did he insist on saving me... so he might not be, there''s no reason for him to save me. So, he might not be... I wanted to believe." At the point when they left the Demon King''s castle with the teleport scroll, they could have escaped on their own. But they risked danger to return with Dyrus and save Charlotte. That might be why Charlotte tried to believe in him until the very end. There is no reason for the Demon King''s successor to risk his life to save Charlotte. Rather, he could have left her to die. There''s no reason for me, who should hate the Empire as much as Artorius, to save Charlotte. That was the last psychological barrier that made Charlotte think Valier might not be the son of the Demon King. But now, that barrier has crumbled. "Now... I think I know why he saved me." So, Charlotte ponders now. The reason why the Demon King''s son had to save her. A justifiable reason worth risking his life. Charlotte looks at me this time. "It''s because the power of the Demon King or his soul is dwelling within me... that''s why..." Charlotte mumbles absentmindedly. Looking at her mumbling, I felt chills down my spine. It seemed as if Charlotte was about to reach a conclusion. "It wasn''t that he saved me... It wasn''t that he saved me..." Charlotte speaks slowly, staring at Biscuit with a voice filled with betrayal. "He saved... the Demon King''s soul... dwelling within me..." Once Charlotte was certain that Valier was the son of the Demon King, the only rational conclusion she could reach was that. She could never think that he saved her out of kindness or wanting to save her. There is no reason for the Demon King''s son to save the Empire''s princess. They lost the war. The Demon King was dead. It is impossible that the Demon King''s son doesn''t know that the princess of the Empire is captive here and that the soul of the Demon King dwells within her. So, it was not to save the princess, but the Demon King''s soul within her. He risked his life to save her in order to resurrect the Demon King at the heart of the Empire someday. "Heh, hehe. When I think about it... it was obvious... it was obvious..." Charlotte couldn''t understand why she hadn''t reached this conclusion earlier, and she let out a hollow laugh. ¡®Charlotte, It''s not like that, you misunderstand. I just didn''t want you to die, and at that time, I didn''t know who you were, nor did I know that such a thing was dormant within you.¡¯ I wanted to say it. It felt like someone was wringing my heart. The uncontrollable misunderstanding grew, and it was too rational a misunderstanding to deny. ¡®No, it''s not like that. I''ve been watching over you all this time and have been trying to continue to protect you, even now I''m still trying,¡¯ I wanted to say that. But if I reveal my identity, I will die. If I expose myself as Valier, all Charlotte will feel is betrayal. The countless lies I''ve told Charlotte up to now are a problem, and the way Charlotte''s thoughts are unfolding is also a problem. Charlotte might even think that my control of her symptoms is ultimately for the complete resurrection of the Demon King. Certainly, if I hadn''t stopped Charlotte on the day she went berserk, there would have been casualties, but Charlotte would have eventually died. No one saw how desperately I fought that day, which ultimately helped me hide my identity, but it also left me with the problem that Charlotte herself didn''t know how sincerely I fought for her. Once she begins to suspect Valier, revealing that I am Valier would make all my actions as Reinhardt about reviving the Demon King. "Ha, haha... haha..." In the end, I couldn''t say anything in front of Charlotte, who was laughing without strength. CH 352 The investigation of the surface of the Demon King''s Castle only led to the outcome of forcing Charlotte to acknowledge a fact she didn''t want to admit. Charlotte came to the conviction that Valier had been using her from the beginning. The once flimsy logic seemed to fit perfectly now, as long as she followed the reasoning that it was not for her own salvation, but for the resurrection of the Demon King. Thus, Charlotte was in no condition to do anything more today. It seemed as though all her motivation had vanished due to the feeling of betrayal. Would she regret warning Eleris to run away? At that time, Charlotte was already almost certain that I was the successor to the Demon King. It was just that her certainty about Valier''s intentions for saving her had only arisen now. Now it was clear. The moment my true identity is revealed, Charlotte will have no choice but to hate me, even if others don''t. The important thing is, if I find a way to completely heal Charlotte in the Demon King''s Castle and execute it, she will be able to realize that my intentions to protect her were pure, even if my identity is revealed later. Somehow. Now, I am thinking under the assumption that a situation where my identity is revealed will inevitably come. There is no other way. If I were to live a quiet life in the temple, I wouldn''t encounter a situation where my identity would be exposed. But because that''s impossible, I''m involved in various incidents. Despite knowing that a long tail gets stepped on, I have no choice but to keep extending it. I''m not in a position to explore any further, and there was nothing more to see on the surface, as it had already been revealed. I discovered Valier''s room, which I had never known before, and Charlotte gained some certainty because of that. So naturally, there were questions. The first place I regained consciousness was not in Valier''s room, but in the hallway. I am the Prince of the Demon Realm, Valier. But I am also not Valier. The real Prince of the Demon Realm, Valier, was not a good prince. He was a scoundrel, lazy, and a good-for-nothing without any abilities. He was a pathetic fellow who relied on the Demon King''s power and did nothing but cause trouble. Although I used the convenient excuse of having lost my memory, I knew nothing about Valier other than the fact that he was a scoundrel and a shameless brat. But there must have been a life for Valier before I became him. So. Even when the Demon King was on the verge of death, Valier must have been doing something. At that moment, I possessed Valier''s body. I saw Valier''s room for the first time today. The first place I regained consciousness was the hallway. Not a room, but a hallway. It means that I was going somewhere. Where on earth was Valier going before I possessed him? To the battleground where the Demon King was fighting? In the weakened state that was nothing short of the epitome of incompetence at the time? A question I had never had before came to mind upon arriving at the Demon King''s Castle. ------ The guest room of the garrison command. It seemed to be a room prepared in advance for visiting high-ranking nobles or military personnel who had come for inspection. The interior of the place was much like a hotel, with multiple bedrooms, making it a comfortable spot to stay for several days. Instead of each taking a separate room, we decided to share one, as we were unsure of how Charlotte''s condition would be during the night. Anyway, the bedrooms were separate, so it didn''t really matter. "I''ll go check on the situation of the underground search." "Yes, Turner." "Rest for a while." Saviolin Turner briefly left the room. Charlotte, still wearing the robe she had been in all day, hung it on a hanger and stared intently at me. "...Why?" "...I want to take a bath." That''s right. She had always been extremely shy about anyone hearing her bathe, hadn''t she? I could see Charlotte wanting to say something to me but hesitating out of embarrassment. "...I''ll step out for a bit." Under normal circumstances, I wouldn''t know, but Charlotte''s current state wasn''t something I should meddle with. "...I''m sorry." While Charlotte bathed, I remained outside the guest room. The hallway in front of the command post guest room. Through the window, I could see the towering walls of the Demon King''s fortress. A secret place. The underground area seemed most likely, but how were we going to enter, and how would we bypass the traps? There would be rangers and wizards familiar with traps at the garrison, trying to uncover the secrets of the Demon King''s fortress, but their struggle meant that we wouldn''t have a clever solution either. -Thunk While I was lost in thought, time had passed considerably. The door opened, and Charlotte peeked her head out. Water dripped from her hair, and her face was flushed red. "I''m done bathing¡­" Somehow, that statement led to strange thoughts¡­ ------ Charlotte, now dressed in a white dress, wore slippers and stood in front of the mirror, rubbing her hair and wiping away the dampness. Such a task would typically be done by someone else, but since life at the temple required self-sufficiency, it wasn''t particularly awkward for Charlotte or Bertus. The dignity or authority of a princess. I didn''t feel much of either. She seemed like an ordinary person of her age. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?" Charlotte asked, becoming conscious of my gaze. "Oh, nothing. Just¡­" "Hmm." Charlotte returned her attention to the mirror, drying her hair. After a while, Charlotte, having roughly dried her hair, came and sat beside me. A princess wearing only a white dress and slippers. Charlotte sat next to me and leaned her head against me quietly. Charlotte must have been mentally and physically exhausted today, so I didn''t say much. "It''s strange." "¡­What is?" "The story I heard from Detto. It keeps coming to mind lately." The bizarre tale of how we would end up getting married. "When I first heard it, I thought it was nonsense. Our social statuses were so different, and though I thought you were a good person, to be honest¡­ I didn''t have that kind of interest in you." "¡­So what?" "You''re the Champion of Tu''an." "¡­That''s right." "Status? That''s not a problem anymore." The Champion of Tu''an. Being chosen by the gods, my status becomes something more special than anyone else in the world. It''s something incomparable to royalty or imperial bloodlines. "I think emotions aren''t a problem anymore," Charlotte said calmly. Her confession was so plain that it didn''t create much of an impact. "I used to think the prophecy was definitely wrong." Is it now strange for her to think the prophecy won''t come true? I couldn''t find anything to say, so I remained silent. "I still think it''s wrong, but the reason has changed drastically." "What do you mean?" Charlotte leaned on me and looked up at my face. "I never intended to do something like marry you." "I guess so, right?" Charlotte smiled at me. "But now, even if I said I want to marry you, it seems like you wouldn''t go through with it." Her words took my breath away. Her statement was so direct that I couldn''t find a suitable response. "With your personality, I think you''d run away even if the emperor ordered our marriage." "What... exactly... are you trying to say?" What on earth should I do? As I struggled for a response, Charlotte suddenly hugged my neck. Having just washed her hair, its fragrance filled my nostrils. "You don''t have to love me, Reinhardt." "..." "But please promise me one thing." I felt moisture on my neck. Charlotte was crying. "Don''t... betray me." She wouldn''t ask for love, but she pleaded not to be betrayed. I could make that promise. It was an easy promise to make. It was a plea for compromise. Betrayal had weakened Charlotte emotionally. So she asked me. Not to betray her. It was an easy promise. "Of course." But the moment I said that. I had already been dishonest, and therefore, I was no different than betraying Charlotte. As she grew more distant from Valier, Charlotte seemed to get closer to me. And when she finally realized she had been used and abandoned all hope for Valier... Charlotte had no choice but to cling to me even more. My relationship with Charlotte only intensified my guilt. As much as Charlotte clung to me, I, too, became obsessed with her. An obsession mixed with a sense of duty to ensure her happiness. That''s why, although lying to Charlotte every moment was difficult, I couldn''t leave her alone. And then. This room wasn''t meant for just one person. So, there was a problem. -Thunk "!" "!" "Oh." While Charlotte was clinging to me, Saviolin Turner returned to the room. "..." Charlotte clung to me, unable to turn back, frozen in place. As soon as she opened the door, she became a statue without uttering a word. The same thing happened to me when our eyes met. It was a situation ripe for misunderstanding. No, it wasn''t just a misunderstanding. Turner seemed to loathe herself for opening the door without knocking, and Charlotte seemed to loathe herself for impulsively acting without thinking. For the first time in a while, I could read Turner''s thoughts from her expression. ''What did I just see?'' ''Should I leave?'' ''No, I''ve already seen it. What''s the point of leaving?'' ''Should I stop it?'' ''No, why would I stop it?'' ''What do I say?'' ''What should I do?'' In the end, Turner stepped back with a stiff movement as if nothing had happened and closed the door. -Thunk "¡­" Charlotte let go of me. After confessing something to me, Charlotte''s face turned beet red as she seemed surprised that she hadn''t considered someone might witness the scene. "I, I''ll... go, go to... sleep." "¡­Alright." As if her soul had been drained, Charlotte staggered into the bedroom and quietly closed the door behind her. A while later. -Knock knock knock A polite knock sounded softly. "¡­There''s only one guest room, it seems." With an expression of not knowing what to do, Saviolin Turner sighed and spoke. No. Was she trying to sleep in another room to avoid the situation? Weren''t you supposed to prevent something like this from happening? "I, in this, this kind of situation¡­ what on earth should I¡­" It seemed clear that she had taken more mental damage than Charlotte. With trembling lips, she cautiously opened her mouth. "That¡­ make sure to¡­ use contraception¡­" No. What. What is this? -Startled! "No! No! That''s not it!" Caught off guard by the unexpected words, I forgot what I was going to say, and Charlotte, her face flushed red, burst open the door and screamed at the top of her lungs. ------ Whether Charlotte was actually sleeping in her room or pretending to sleep, she showed no signs of stepping out today, and Saviolin Turner sat listlessly on the sofa. "What on earth¡­ did I say¡­" Although it seemed like something an adult would say, it was definitely an impulsive outburst. Words tend to jump out without warning, and that''s what happened with Turner just now. Depending on the situation, it could be considered a grave offense. Luckily, Charlotte didn''t make an issue of it, and no one else heard. If things continued like this, it was clear that Turner would be mentally out of it for the rest of the day. "It''s a misunderstanding. Whatever you''re thinking." "¡­Is it?" In a room with just the two of us. A man and a woman embracing. Can a misunderstanding really be made in that situation? She looked at me with that expression. No, I mean, all sorts of thoughts could come to mind, but it''s not that far! "Let''s talk about work." "Work? Oh¡­ oh, right. Work." Saviolin Turner seemed to have completely forgotten why she had come here in the first place. She coughed a few times. "I heard about the underground search from the commander... It was strange." As soon as she mentioned the matter, the atmosphere immediately changed. She unfolded the map she had brought with her. "We''ve explored up to the fifth underground floor. We found storage rooms, dungeons, armories, and even large breeding grounds for raising and imprisoning magical beasts. The underground facilities are so extensive that they''re actually larger than the aboveground portion of the Demon King''s palace." The scale of the underground section of the Demon King''s palace was quite impressive, even just looking at the map. "Most of the underground areas have already been explored, and all the treasures have been retrieved." "Is there more below? You said the search isn''t complete yet?" "Yes, a few months ago, while searching the fifth floor, we found a secret staircase leading even deeper." "Is there a sixth floor?" "Yes." On the spot where Saviolin Turner pointed, there was not a spiral staircase leading underground but a new door drawn, and below that, another spiral staircase was visible. However, nothing was drawn below that spiral staircase. "The stairs continue downward. You could keep going for hours." "¡­Really?" "But after just a few steps back up, you arrive back at the fifth floor." Saviolin Turner spoke with a stern expression. "In other words, it''s a labyrinth from the sixth floor onwards." A labyrinth. "We don''t know if there are seventh or eighth floors, or even deeper ones. Even if we explore the sixth floor and draw a map, it''s useless. The structure seems to change every time we explore. The traps are reconstructed even after they''re disarmed." The commander had given an overly simplified explanation. The problem wasn''t the traps; it was the enigmatic labyrinth below the sixth floor. "I thought I''d be reprimanded by Her Highness for withholding information, so I deliberately downplayed it. The royal family hasn''t even been informed about this underground labyrinth. In fact, we haven''t even attempted to explore the sixth floor and below." "¡­I see." "It''s an understandable situation. The mages can''t figure out the magic behind the labyrinth, and there have been too many casualties. The number of injured and missing is countless." The recent discovery of a labyrinth in the underground of the Demon King''s castle had forced them to give up on exploration. The commander had deliberately avoided mentioning the labyrinth, and simply stated that the underground was dangerous. He had not given a proper explanation to the princess, fearing reprimand or dismissal for withholding information. After all, they believed this to be just an inspection, so it couldn''t be helped. They must have assumed she would take a quick look around and then leave. However, they were not here for an inspection but for exploration. Therefore, Saviolin Turner needed to know exactly what was in the underground, and she had forced the commander to tell her the truth. In the ever-changing labyrinth beneath the Demon King''s palace, whose true nature remained unknown. The labyrinth''s structure constantly shifted, and traps continuously regenerated, rendering any attempts to dismantle and progress through it utterly meaningless. Therefore, the commander was merely biding time, waiting for a withdrawal order instead of pointlessly increasing the number of casualties by sending more people into the maze. Although it was dereliction of duty, the stationed soldiers couldn''t help but be grateful for such negligence. In the original work, of course, the labyrinth would never have been excavated. The commander had tried to cover up its very existence. If the royal court knew of this, they would have undoubtedly deployed more soldiers, which would inevitably result in numerous injuries and deaths. Though the value of human life was undeniable, it seemed that the commander''s neck was on the line now that Saviolin Turner had discovered this secret. It was certain that something existed within the labyrinth, and it was also clear that the mysterious space was connected to it. However, therein lay the problem. "It''s far too dangerous for Her Highness to go there personally..." The possibility of her presence in that place being obstructed was all too high. After all, it was a perilous location for such important individuals to venture into. CH 353 To Enter the Labyrinth or Not Surprisingly, the answer came easily. The next day. "Let''s go." Charlotte made the decision lightly, having heard about the labyrinth. "Your Highness, it''s too dangerous." Naturally, Turner shook her head and tried to dissuade Charlotte. "If I had intended to send someone else in my place, I wouldn''t have come this far. I''m fully prepared to take the risk." Charlotte''s words were true. If she had come all this way just to delegate the task to others, she could have simply given orders from the palace in spring. She had come to do everything herself. "Still, we didn''t know there was an unexplored labyrinth. Couldn''t we take the time to uncover its identity and enter it safely?" "Lady Turner, I''m not sure how much time I have left." At Charlotte''s heavy words, Turner bit her lip. "It could take years to reveal the magic of the labyrinth. And I can''t guarantee that I''ll be safe during that time." Charlotte glanced at me for a moment. "I don''t know how long Reinhardt''s spell can stabilize my condition. I can''t just wait until this power completely consumes me." "Your Highness... That doesn''t mean you have to go yourself. And there''s no evidence anywhere that the labyrinth contains a solution for your condition. There must be something, but no one knows if it''s what you need." Saviolin Turner pleaded with her, almost begging. Charlotte looked at her calmly. "Lady Turner." "Yes, Your Highness." "If I can''t fully recover in this state, it would be better to die." "Excuse me?" As if hearing something unbelievable, Saviolin Turner mumbled blankly. Better to die. I clenched my fists without realizing it, knowing what Charlotte was thinking. "That child, no, the current Demon King tried to save me with all his might not only to protect the soul of the previous Demon King, but also because if I die, the soul of the Demon King that dwells within me will disappear. So, if I die, the soul of the Demon King within me will vanish too." So, dying in the labyrinth due to a trap wouldn''t be a bad thing. Charlotte spoke calmly. "Your Highness, what on earth... What are you saying!" "For the empire, my death wouldn''t be such a bad thing..." "Hey." Unable to hold back, I called out to Charlotte. She looked at me with a seemingly newfound realization of what she had said and who she was speaking to. "When you say that..." With resentment in my voice, I said, "What does that make me?" You say you don''t care if you die, that it might even be better to die. I risked my life to save you. "¡­I''m sorry. I''m sorry, Reinhardt." At my words, Charlotte lowered her eyes and shuddered. Having gained certainty about the truth of Valier, Charlotte came to another conviction: that the soul of the Demon King resided within her. She believed that there was no other reason for her to be saved. Thus, Charlotte naturally arrived at the conclusion that it might be too late, and the Demon King could fully resurrect through her body. Before that happened, she thought that it might be better to die. However, that was too cruel to say in front of me and Saviolin Turner, who had risked our lives to save her. Perhaps realizing her words were harsh, Charlotte apologized to Turner and me several times. "Still... I think it''s right for me to go myself." But her thoughts remained unchanged. If the Demon King intended to resurrect through Charlotte''s body, she believed it was right to die for the sake of the empire. To face the danger herself. Charlotte''s thoughts stemmed from her priority to ensure the safety of the royal family and the empire. It was not something that could be blamed. There was no way to change Charlotte''s mind, nor any reason to do so. Although Charlotte''s words were painful to hear, she had to enter the labyrinth. Turner watched Charlotte quietly before letting out a deep sigh. "Not everyone who enters the labyrinth gets lost and dies or gets injured. Many people get lost for a bit and then find their way back." It was true that there were injured and dead people, as well as those who had not returned. However, they didn''t seem to be the majority. "If it becomes dangerous, we can always come back out." In the end, Turner couldn''t break Charlotte''s stubbornness. It might become dangerous someday, but nothing would happen within the next few days. So, it was possible to slowly explore the labyrinth while preparing for the potential dangers. ------ Naturally, when Charlotte mentioned heading towards the underground labyrinth, the garrison commander, Count Alfred, vehemently tried to dissuade us. "Your Highness, it''s too dangerous! You don''t know what could happen if you go there..." "That''s enough." But Charlotte cut off the commander''s words with an icy tone. "You seem worried about what might happen to me if something happens there. Of course, if I go in there on my own, you''ll be punished." If Charlotte were to be endangered or killed in the hazardous labyrinth, Count Alfred, as the one responsible for the garrison, would lose his head. That''s why he had no choice but to prevent the princess from going to the labyrinth. "But if you try to stop me, I''ll make sure you pay the price for omitting the report on the Demon King''s underground labyrinth." "!" Hiding crucial information about the Demon King''s Castle would be more than enough reason for him to lose his head. If he prevented the princess from entering the labyrinth, he would die. If the princess entered the labyrinth and died, he would still die. Charlotte spoke briefly while looking at the commander. "So, don''t waste your time on pointless things and pray for my safe return." The commander had nothing else he could do. He could only stare at us with a vacant expression as we headed toward the underground labyrinth. ------ The morning after we arrived at the Demon King''s Castle. We finished our meal at the barracks and once again set off toward the castle. Although we could have asked for the assistance of a mage, Charlotte was against it. To begin with, nobody at the barracks knew of the princess''s presence except for the commander. Furthermore, we were trying to resolve a very important secret regarding Charlotte in the labyrinth. Since it wouldn''t be a good idea for more people to know about it, the three of us decided to move on our own. To reach the entrance of the underground labyrinth, one had to descend five floors down a spiral staircase. "An overwhelmingly large scale." Saviolin Turner was dazed enough to mutter to herself. The corridors and passageways, as befitting the castle of the Demon King, were much larger than ordinary ones. The spiral staircase was no different from a large structure, and the underground space was vast and spacious. This was not the concept of an ordinary building''s basement. The scale of each floor was so massive that it took a considerable amount of time to descend one floor using the spiral staircase. Since the search of the labyrinth had already come to a halt, there were soldiers in the underground area, but they seemed to be more occupied with passing time than actually searching. Although it wasn''t quite like an underground city, it was presumed that the soldiers of the Demon King''s Castle actually lived here rather than in the external barracks. The scale was that immense. After descending for a while and finally reaching the fifth floor, the spiral staircase came to an end. "Going back up will be a task in itself." Charlotte sighed, as if she was tired just from coming down. Of course, Turner and I didn''t feel any different. The fifth floor was lit with torches in various places and had iron bars. "Is this... a prison?" Charlotte tilted her head as she looked at the iron bars and the spaces within. Saviolin Turner, while looking at the map, shook her head. "It seems that it used to be a breeding ground for magical beasts, not a prison." A space where magical beasts were bred. At that, Charlotte nodded silently. "That''s why the sizes vary so much." "Indeed." "What happened to the magical beasts that were here...?" "During the siege, most of them were mobilized, and the remaining ones were all disposed of." "I see." The procession of prisoners that we saw when we left the Demon King''s Castle came to mind. The countless demon prisoners, including the ogre who broke the chains and charged forward to help my escape. It wasn''t a pleasant memory. They had lost their will to fight with the death of the Demon King, and in their final moments, they placed all their remaining hope on me, the last Demon King. Now, I''m scheming something completely unrelated to the wishes of those demons. I think it''s right. I have betrayed Charlotte, and I will betray not only Sarkegaar but also Darkland as a whole. After passing through the magical beast breeding grounds on the fifth floor, Saviolin Turner led us to a small iron-barred room at the end of the breeding grounds, using the map as a guide. The room felt more like a prison cell than a beast training ground. "Is this the place...?" "Yes, it''s the entrance to the labyrinth." The secret door, discovered relatively recently. Through the open stone wall, another circular staircase leading downward could be seen. Contrary to the grandeur of the Demon King''s Palace, the descending stairway was just over three meters high and wide enough for about four people to pass through. The circular staircase we had descended thus far had railings and was open on all sides, allowing us to gaze upon the underground space. However, the circular staircase before us was now enclosed by stone walls. We couldn''t know where it led or when it would end. Magic lamps on the walls of the circular staircase cast a pale light on the steps. "Your Highness, should I go down first...?" "We might get lost." Saviolin Turner seemed eager to go ahead and check for danger, but Charlotte would not allow it. "Even if we get lost, it''s less frightening to get lost together." Although death might be preferable to fear, Charlotte was shaking with anxiety. The three of us took our first step onto the circular staircase leading to the labyrinth. If this place was just a labyrinth and not the destination I sought, we would have thrown ourselves into danger for nothing. How many steps had we taken? Saviolin Turner sighed. "The entrance is already..." While the circular staircase continued downward, a passage had already appeared on the right side. We had been on the fifth underground floor, so this must be the sixth. The passage was not very wide. It wasn''t dark, as magical lamps were placed at regular intervals along the hallway. At the end of the hallway stood a solitary door. However, we couldn''t bring ourselves to enter the long, straight corridor. The staircase had not yet ended. We could continue going down or enter the hallway and officially venture into the labyrinth. We could descend for hours, but once we started ascending, we would return to the small training ground on the fifth floor. We couldn''t be certain if there was something in the next passage or behind the door at the end of the corridor. Once we entered the labyrinth, we might not be able to return. The spell cast on the labyrinth was unknown even to the resident mages, so bringing a mage along wouldn''t make a difference. "Is it right to enter here...?" Saviolin Turner hesitated to make a decision, fearing that the wrong choice might make it impossible to return. Charlotte stared at the door at the end of the straight corridor and sighed. "That door... It seems so desperate to be opened that it''s actually off-putting." "...I think so too." The door at the end of the corridor. It felt like if we walked towards it to open it, we might trigger some sort of trap. We couldn''t help but think that way, given how conspicuously the door stood there. Charlotte pondered. "I''ve come this far, I can''t not go in." It seemed like an obvious trap, but it was impossible not to go. Charlotte entered first, and I followed along with Saviolin Turner. ------ The interior of the maze wasn''t much different than expected. I had imagined the landscape suddenly changing, or the exit disappearing. "......Since nothing''s happening, it feels even creepier." "True." Looking back, the entrance we had come in through remained unchanged, and there were no sudden changes in the landscape or our party being separated. "Still, let''s proceed cautiously." Saviolin Turner took out a scroll from her belongings. It seemed that she hadn''t called a mage because she already had an item that could replace their role. "It''s a trap detection spell." -Flash! A bright light emitted from the scroll. "It seems there are no magical traps detected... But let''s be careful, just in case." Though no magical traps were detected, there could still be physical traps. If all traps could be detected by such a spell, there wouldn''t have been any mages falling into traps. Soon, Saviolin Turner''s body was covered in blue magic power. "Please keep a distance and follow me." "Alright." She kept her senses alert and led the way slowly. If it was a minor physical trap, she could react before it was triggered. She walked with careful steps, focusing on the walls, floor, and sounds. The straight corridor wasn''t very long, but since we took cautious steps, time passed slowly. "......I can''t tell if there are no traps, or if we''re already caught in one." In the end, we didn''t feel any trace of traps as we reached the end of the corridor and approached the door. The entrance we had come through was still there, and it seemed we could leave at any time. Charlotte looked at the wooden door in front of her and spoke with a determined expression. "Beyond this door might be the real beginning of the maze." It was just an ordinary door, without any distinguishing features. Could Charlotte''s words be true, that the real maze begins beyond this door? Charlotte placed her hand on the doorknob. "Your Highness. I will..." "No. I''ll do it." Charlotte shook her head at Turner''s words, who was prepared for whatever might happen as she tried to open the door herself. It was as if Charlotte knew she had to take responsibility for something. -Creak Charlotte opened the door. The expectation that the maze would begin now turned out to be wrong. "......Huh?" "Hm?" "......What is this?" When the door opened, there was a massive open space. No matter how you looked at it, it wasn''t a maze. ------ It was hard to call this place a maze. A huge magical light illuminated the ceiling of the vast open space. We cautiously moved forward into the space, bit by bit. One could not call this vast, open space a labyrinth. "What...is this place?" Charlotte mumbled absentmindedly as she looked around. The space was not entirely empty. On one side of the vast area, there was a magic circle that seemed to have been drawn on the floor. In one corner, there was a weapon rack with spears, swords, knives, and maces, among other weapons. Nearby, several training dummies were standing. "I''ve never heard of anyone reaching a place like this." The vast space was not just a single hollow chamber. Throughout the circular space, there were passages that appeared to lead to other places. Upon closer inspection, there were no doors, and the insides were clearly visible. I had an idea of what had happened. We didn''t enter a labyrinth. We had bypassed the labyrinth and been transported directly to this secret space. I couldn''t tell how the labyrinth worked, but it had clearly reacted to either Charlotte or me. There was no exit in the labyrinth to begin with, and it was evident that only the Archdemon could come directly to this place, not through the labyrinth. The passages in the hollow space led to various rooms, each serving a different purpose. We moved slowly, examining each room one by one. A room that looked like a bedroom. A room that appeared to be a kitchen. A library. An armory. A room filled with countless potions of unknown nature. A cultivation area for growing plants. A storeroom for reagents. A massive food warehouse. "What on earth... is this place?" Neither Charlotte nor Saviolin Turner seemed to know the meaning of this place. However. I felt like I knew what this place was. It was a bunker. Then, the mystery was finally solved. Before I took over, Valier must have been on his way here. In the original story, this labyrinth would not have been revealed to the royal family due to the commander''s unilateral decision. No, even if the royal family knew, it wouldn''t matter. This wasn''t a labyrinth in the first place. Whether it reacted to Charlotte or me, one could not reach this place without coming with the Archdemon. Soon, this bunker would be safe. All the premises I had been considering so far collapsed. In the original story, if Valier had come to this place. During the great demon war. Valier Junior. Would not have died. CH 354 The place in the underground labyrinth of the Demon King''s castle was a bunker. "Your Highness... it seems that we didn''t actually enter the labyrinth." "It does seem that way. I''m not sure if we should call it an exit, but we''ve definitely come straight to a place beyond the labyrinth." Turner and Charlotte seemed to realize that this was their true destination. It couldn''t be helped, since this place didn''t look like a labyrinth no matter how they looked at it. "I think the reason we arrived here is... perhaps the labyrinth only leads the Demon King to the proper place." "Your Highness..." Understanding the implications of those words, Turner looked at Charlotte with a sorrowful gaze. "It seems... I am now, in effect, no different from the Demon King." It was unclear whether the response was to me or to Charlotte. Nevertheless, the labyrinth had a path that only the Archdemon could see, and we reached our destination without getting lost in the maze. Charlotte placed her hand on the bunker wall, looking around. "Considering this, it''s not certain whether this space actually corresponds to the sixth floor of the Demon King''s castle''s underground." If the labyrinth were truly the sixth underground floor, they could reach it just by breaking through and descending from the fifth floor. "Although the entrance to the secret passage appeared to be a simple passage, if it functions as a dimensional gate, we might have come to a completely different space rather than the Demon King''s castle." As Turner said, there was a possibility that this place was actually very far from the Demon King''s castle. Teleportation couldn''t be used in the Demon King''s castle, but there was a possibility that warp gates were installed in a limited capacity. What method it actually was, they couldn''t know. However, what was important was that if some point of the secret passage functioned as a dimensional gate, there was a fairly high probability that it would send intruders into the labyrinth and the Archdemon to the proper place. But ultimately, the principle wasn''t that important to them now. They had arrived in the secret space of the Demon King''s castle. "A refuge, perhaps... It has that kind of feeling." "It does seem that way." This vast space was filled with an enormous amount of preserved food in the storage room. There were also training equipment for magic and weapons, as well as reagents and cultivation mediums for alchemy. I explored the bunker with a different sense of unease than Charlotte and Turner. It was a place where one could live alone for a very long time. At the same time, there was equipment for training. Most of the books in the library were grimoires at a glance. Valier would have wanted to come here and would have arrived. In the original story, Valier would have been alive. Right here in this bunker. That fact gave off a very ominous feeling. Demon King Valier Junior, who witnessed the destruction of Darkland, was consumed with a desire for vengeance. Would Valier, who had once been foolish, sharpen his fangs here to exact revenge on humanity through rigorous training? If so. Was it not Cantus Magna nor Akasha, but Valier who caused the calamitous Gate incident? If I were the cause of the Gate incident, what would be the meaning of everything I did? Wouldn''t it be better for the world if I did nothing at all? But. I couldn''t know for certain. I knew that Valier was alive during the original timeline, but there was no evidence to suggest that he caused the Gate incident. If I do nothing, and it turns out that Cantus Magna and Akasha were the problems, the Gate incident will still occur. But what if they were innocent? What if my meddling inadvertently caused the Gate incident? In the original story, Valier would have been a useless fellow. That''s what my body''s data from back then told me. Could someone like him, fueled by vengeance, really become a powerful magician capable of causing the Gate incident after merely two years of study? Even when my growth rate is unparalleled in speed, could Valier have grown faster than me? That seemed impossible. My head felt like it was going to explode. I had never been so afraid of the unknown future. ¡°If only the Demon King could enter this place, then the current Demon King could have entered as well,¡± Turner said, consumed by her own concerns, quite different from my own. ¡°But why he didn''t come here... I don''t know.¡± The prepared bunker. I couldn''t come here because I didn''t know about it. ¡°He must have decided that it was more important for the previous Demon King to survive than for himself.¡± This also seemed a plausible reason. Rather than surviving and growing stronger himself, it was better to try to resurrect the already powerful Demon King, which is why he saved Charlotte. And so, the bunker remained in the Demon King''s castle, never having welcomed the person who should have come. Charlotte examined each room as she explored the bunker. ¡°It doesn''t seem like there are any extraordinary treasures here. It''s a refuge, after all...¡± There didn''t seem to be any special treasures. Nevertheless, it would be reasonable to expect incredibly powerful weapons or artifacts stored here for Valier. But then again. If they had a very powerful artifact, they should have used it to win the war. Hiding a powerful artifact here for future use would be a tacit admission of defeat. It was possible that there were no powerful artifacts stored here. Since the Demon King didn''t hide here, this bunker must have been meant for Valier. It was a place to buy time for Valier Junior, who wouldn''t be of immediate help in battle, to grow stronger in case the Demon King was defeated. For now, let''s set aside the question of Valier''s actual capabilities. At present, I am both a Supernatural and a warrior. If Valier is the mastermind behind the Gate incident, then he must have studied magic here. In that case, the place I need to investigate is the library. If there''s a magic book in the library that contains information about a portal to another world... I just need to burn that book. Then all my tasks will be easily accomplished. Cold sweat trickled down my body. If this place is the root of all problems, I can end everything by burning a few books. I won''t have to deal with dangerous tasks anymore. While Charlotte and Turner were exploring this place separately, I headed towards the library among the numerous rooms in the building. The key was this: If the books in the library were written in the demon language, it would be impossible for me to read them. So, they had to be written in a common language for me to read without arousing suspicion from Turner and Charlotte. If a language problem arises, I''ll have to bear the inconvenience of coming here alone later. "..." The library was quite vast. Fortunately, it was in a common language, so I could read it well enough. Books ranging from introductory to very thick volumes were neatly arranged on the shelves. I didn''t intend to study magic. The book I needed to find was related to another world. And, if possible, I''d like to find a book about the magic the Demon King had cast on Charlotte. I wasn''t yet sure if what happened to Charlotte was truly magic. There were many shelves, and it would take a long time to scan all the titles of the books. If the titles didn''t hint at another world, I''d have to skim through the content as well. It would be great if I could come back here with someone knowledgeable about magic. Harriet would be good, as well as Eleris or Lucinil. This place is Darkland. Soon, there could be countless magic books or secret texts known only to demons and not humans. As I passed the introductory books, other magic books caught my eye one by one. [Book of the Salamandra] [On Necromancy] [Introduction to Soul Manipulation] Soul Manipulation. I couldn''t help but stop in front of that book. It was a very thick book. About Soul Manipulation. It was a book related to the methods of dealing with souls. I didn''t know whether it belonged to the general magic system or was the Demon King''s secret technique. However, if the Demon King''s soul was indeed within Charlotte, then it must be related to Soul Manipulation. I carefully took the book out. While I wouldn''t be able to understand the specific magic formulas, I could read the introduction. [Soul Manipulation is a study of methods to deal with souls. To master it, one must first understand the concept of the soul......] There were various discussions about what a soul was, but I couldn''t understand what it meant as it was written in overly abstract language. However, I soon reached the part I had been looking for. [Those who have mastered the art of soul manipulation can achieve what would normally be considered impossible feats, such as dividing an indivisible soul, manipulating the soul of another, mixing souls together, turning a living person into a ghost, or extracting a soul and transplanting it into someone else.] [However, it should be noted that a perfect understanding of the following texts is also required to perform such acts.] "..." Dividing a soul. It must mean tearing apart the very soul of a being. Mixing souls. It implies the ability to mingle the souls of different beings. The ancient Demon King Valier must have been a master of soul manipulation. Demon King Valier divided his own soul and placed a part of it into Charlotte. The magic used on Charlotte was undoubtedly derived from the field of soul manipulation. I have not yet confirmed the existence of magic related to this world, but I have found other magical texts I needed. I began to select, one by one, the other texts derived from the introduction to soul manipulation, written in the footnote of the preface. ------ There were more than six books related to soul manipulation, and their combined thickness was about three times that of an average encyclopedia. "What... are all these?" As I began to stack the books on a table in the common hall, Turner and Charlotte stared at them blankly. "I think the magic used on you is this." "!" "Really?" Charlotte''s eyes widened as she looked at the growing stack of books, particularly the introductory text. "Soul... manipulation?" "Yes, it seems that even if there are no artifacts here, there are magical texts from the demon world." In order to strengthen Valier, the library contained texts on powerful magic and other visions from the demon world. There may not be treasure here, but the real treasure would be the magical texts in the library. Another thought occurred to me. If soul manipulation is a magical system unknown to humans, and if the texts in the library contain visions and forbidden arts used by the Demon King and his demonic followers. Then we could potentially lure Cantus Magna with them. Whether that''s something we should do or not requires careful consideration. Turner and Charlotte were not mages, but they began to read the introductory part of the preface in the introductory text I had seen. It was clear that they were gradually feeling the same emotions I had felt. "A magical system that deals with souls..." Charlotte''s fingertips trembled, and Turner seemed to doubt her own eyes. Soon, Charlotte read up to the part about what one can achieve once they''ve mastered soul manipulation, and she clamped her mouth shut. "I''ve found it... This... This is it... This was it..." It is by no means a small amount of content. But if anyone, be it a royal mage or otherwise, were to master soul manipulation. Charlotte''s condition could improve. And if that happens. Even if my true identity is revealed later on, Charlotte will not think that I had helped revive the Demon King. "Thank you... Thank you, Reinhardt." Charlotte trembled as she cautiously embraced me, and I hugged her back. Charlotte would be able to recover. However. Having taken on the new problem of the surviving Valier, I could never be at ease. ------ There were no treasures in the bunker, but books far more valuable than treasures lay dormant. Magic exclusive to Darkland, or perhaps the Demon King. There were certainly ordinary magic books, but also books on forbidden magic and books with just the names of unknown spells. Of course, my lack of magical knowledge could be a factor. "This is... a problem for me, but it''s also a major discovery." Charlotte judged that the true value of the bunker lay in its library, and she was right. Turner, Charlotte, and I entered the library and began browsing the magical books on the shelves. "It would be a good idea to bring a royal magician here later. Of course... it would be inconvenient for Your Highness to return in person." Only Charlotte could reach the bunker. And that would be true. Not just Charlotte, but I would also be able to enter the bunker. If we were to return with an expert in magic, we would properly know the value of the magic books here. "For now, let''s just take books about soul summoning. We don''t know what might happen if we release excessively dangerous magic into the world." "Yes, Your Highness." Charlotte''s position was that, rather than recklessly collecting the magic books, we should be cautious about releasing the dangerous books on the Demon King''s magic into the world. That choice was better for me as well. If the magic books in this library were to be moved to the royal palace in their entirety, they would slip out of my grasp. These books are important as magic itself, but they also serve as bait for potential future contact with Cantus Magna. Just as Cantus Magna approached Antirianus because he possessed numerous forbidden spells, I could use these magic books as bait to make contact with Cantus Magna. Therefore, it''s best for the magic books, excluding those about soul summoning, to remain here. We still don''t know whether Valier is the culprit behind the gate incident. Is it fortunate or unfortunate? There were no magic books related to the other world, at least not those that we could identify by their titles alone. The possibility of Valier being the cause of the gate incident was somewhat diminished. Charlotte''s expression as she browsed the bookshelves was quite tense. "If I return to my original state, I''ll never be able to come back here, right?" "I can''t say for sure... but I think that''s likely the case." If the Demon King''s soul is removed, it''s natural that Charlotte would no longer be able to pass through this labyrinth that only opens for the Demon King. "Then, let''s retrieve these magic books before removing the Demon King''s soul from my body." She believes she can escape the situation where her soul is being consumed. Seeing Charlotte''s expression, filled with such happiness upon finding a clue, made me feel as if, for a brief moment, all my worries had vanished. CH 355 At that moment, Ellen had just returned to the Royal Road after completing her rest in her hometown village of Rezaira. She was curious about the secrets of her hometown, but her parents had told her it wasn''t time for her to know yet. However, Ellen had acquired two artifacts, just like her older brother, although they were different from his. The Cloak of the Sun God. She could have returned earlier, but she had delayed her return to become accustomed to using the Cloak of the Sun God. More than anyone else, Ellen wanted to show the cloak to Reinhardt first. She wanted to tell him that she had gained another artifact in preparation for the battle against the Demon King. She hadn''t yet decided how to explain the strange occurrences in her hometown village. After all, she would have to explain something she didn''t understand herself. Reinhardt never talked about his own secrets. Could she easily reveal hers? No. If anything, she thought that if she shared her own secret, he might feel compelled to share a little about his own in return. Ellen held onto that vague hope. Honestly, She didn''t care about anything else. She had been away for too long, and she wanted to see Reinhardt as soon as possible. What had he been doing in the meantime? His personality might be bad, but he wasn''t lazy, so he must have been busy training in various ways. Ellen felt restless in Rezaira, wanting to return quickly. Since she wasn''t there, he would have had to practice swordsmanship with someone else. And he must have practiced with someone else. In Ellen''s mind, there were two people who could have trained with Reinhardt. First-year instructor Saviolin Turner. Or. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Fifth-year student, Olivia Lanze. The thought that he might be training with a senior she disliked made Ellen want to return even sooner. After all, he was prone to strange behavior. As soon as she passed through the warp gate in front of the temple, Ellen quickly entered the temple entrance. Would she be scolded for arriving so late? But she hadn''t been away for that long. Amidst her groundless worries and impatience, Ellen boarded the tram heading to the Royal Class Dormitory. Of course, he wasn''t training with Olivia. "Reinhardt? I haven''t seen him since yesterday." That was Cliffman''s response to Ellen''s question about Reinhardt''s whereabouts. ------ No one outside knew that Charlotte, Saviolin Turner, and Reinhardt had gone to the Demon King''s Castle. It was vacation time, so Reinhardt could be off somewhere, and it was not unusual for him to be absent for a few days. So where had he gone? Ellen could have waited in the dormitory for Reinhardt to return, and it wouldn''t have mattered much. Nevertheless, she was restless. She wanted to show Reinhardt the new artifact quickly and share her stories. And also, She was strong and confident in becoming even stronger. He would probably get angry if he heard her say it, but Reinhardt was still weaker than her. If she wanted to. Feeling truly sorry for the parents who had given up the village''s treasure. Ellen thought that it would be better for her to die than to witness Reinhardt''s death. Would it not be better for Reinhardt to possess the Cloak of the Sun God? Ellen thought so to herself. She could give it to him if he wanted. Ellen longed to see Reinhardt''s face when he heard that, out of curiosity. Where could Reinhardt have gone? It did not seem like he had told anyone where he was going. Ellen wanted to ask Harriet, but Harriet had also left the dormitory, and it appeared that Harriet was currently conducting magical research in the royal palace. Ellen did not know what business Harriet had with magical research in the royal palace, but she knew at least that Harriet and Reinhardt were not together. Then, what next? -Knock, knock "Who''s there?" Fifth-year dormitory. Upon Ellen''s knock, Olivia Lanze opened the door and stared at Ellen with a cold expression. For some reason, Olivia seemed different from before as Ellen looked at her. Usually, she laughed and teased people, but now there was not a trace of a smile on her face, only a chilly demeanor. The strange feeling that Olivia Lanze had changed from before was only momentary. "Do you know where Reinhardt is?" Ellen wasn''t particularly intimidated by Olivia and simply stated her purpose. "...Isn''t he in the dormitory?" "I heard he left yesterday. I thought you might know." "Ugh, he''s off playing again without telling me." Olivia muttered as if she was hurt, then smirked at Ellen. "But I don''t feel as bad since you don''t know either." "..." In the end, Olivia picked a quarrel as usual. Olivia didn''t know Reinhardt''s whereabouts either. Ellen had no more business with Olivia. "If you don''t know, that''s fine." "Yeah, get lost." -Bang! Ellen stared at Olivia''s door as it slammed shut. "...?" This person. Before, she had the feeling of openly hiding a thorn in her side. But now, should she describe her as being more like a hedgehog? Ellen couldn''t help but feel that Olivia had changed from before. As Ellen walked through the fifth-year dormitory hallway, she thought. Harriet was doing magical research in the royal palace. Olivia was holed up in her room. No one in the dormitory knew where Reinhardt had gone. Then, there was only one place to go. If Reinhardt had not left the capital altogether, there was only one place worth going. The Rotary Club. It wouldn''t matter if he wasn''t there. She could also spar with the white-haired old lady for the first time in a while. Ellen left the dormitory she had just arrived at once again. ------ Ellen was basically not very interested in others. After becoming close with Reinhardt, things changed a bit, and as she made friends, she tried to take an interest in them. However, fundamentally, Ellen was generally indifferent and nonchalant about the events happening around her. Therefore, there were only a few subjects she observed closely. As a result, Ellen didn''t know much about what the Rotary Club was specifically. All she knew was that it was a group with a suspiciously strong white-haired lady as their leader. She had been curious about what the white-haired lady did, but she had never delved deeper than that. The lady who got angry when called an "aunty". That was about the extent of her understanding. What Ellen did know was that Reinhardt''s secret was somehow related to the Rotary Club. The Rotary Club was connected to a thieves'' guild, which meant that Reinhardt and his secret were involved with something akin to a criminal organization. That was about all she could roughly surmise. The white-haired aunty used to smack her around when Ellen visited her, but lately, there hadn''t been much reason to visit. Ellen left the temple and went to the new headquarters of the Rotary Club. A connection, however tenuous, had formed between her and the Rotary Club since the incident of Reinhardt''s disappearance. She had recently learned that their situation had improved significantly with the opening of the shops on the magic train. But what lies beneath the surface of the Rotary Club? Since Ellen believed that Reinhardt''s secret was connected to a criminal organization, she thought the suspiciously strong white-haired lady was the leader of a dangerous crime syndicate. Because of that misunderstanding, Ellen overlooked some very suspicious facts. The lady was undoubtedly a criminal, but since she was important to Reinhardt, Ellen decided not to pry. So Ellen never crossed that line. At the Rotary Club''s headquarters. "Oh my, if it isn''t Reinhardt''s girlfriend." "...?" Those who lived at the club''s headquarters had seen Ellen a few times, so they referred to her that way when they saw her. Girlfriend. Ellen couldn''t help but tilt her head at the word, but she nodded to the club member who recognized her. Girlfriend. Girlfriend. Girlfriend. The word strangely echoed in her head. Then another club member, standing next to the one who had called her Reinhardt''s girlfriend, playfully slapped that person¡¯s shoulder. "Hey, what are you talking about? Reinhardt never said anything like that himself." "Oops, so the girlfriend is Adriana then?" "If he trusts her that much¡­¡­. Doesn''t that pretty much say it all?" Adriana. Upon hearing that name, Ellen tilted her head even more. Why would the people of the Rotary Club know about Adriana, her senior who had withdrawn from the temple? Bang! "Ouch!" Suddenly, the door burst open, and someone rushed out. It was the white-haired aunty. She ran out with a panicked look, as if fleeing from something. Her hair was covered in white foam, as if she had been doing something. ¡°Won''t you come in?! You need to rinse out all the foam!¡± From inside, an angry shout could be heard. "No! I don''t want to wash my hair! Why do I have to wash it every day!" "What on earth is that?! Hey, stay still!" "I can handle my own hygiene...?" At those words, the white-haired woman exclaimed in surprise before stopping herself abruptly. She had made eye contact with Ellen, who was standing idly in front of the headquarters. "Um... you?" Then, someone came running out of the headquarters. The person''s black dress was drenched, although it was unclear what had happened. "¡­Um¡­ you are?" It was Adriana, a senior from the old temple. ------ Adriana washed her hair first, then dragged the drenched Loyar along to wash her hair too. Ellen sat quietly in the top floor office of the Rotary Club headquarters. Ellen didn''t know the details, but she was aware that Adriana had withdrawn from the temple. She also knew that Reinhardt had visited the monastery Adriana returned to because of the withdrawal issue, which was how he knew Harriet''s parents. Ellen had heard from Reinhardt during the last night of the festival that Adriana''s original monastery was in the Saint Thuan Duchy. And on that night. Ellen had seen both Olivia Lanze and Adriana return to the royal-class dormitory late at night. She didn''t know what had happened or what events had taken place afterward. However. Since then, Adriana seemed to be staying at the Rotary Club headquarters rather than returning to the monastery. It seemed like a matter Ellen didn''t need to be particularly concerned about. But an odd sense of unease was wriggling in Ellen''s heart. Above all. The expression Adriana had made when she encountered Ellen. That unmistakable look of embarrassment. It gave Ellen a hunch that there was some unusual secret. How much time had passed? Adriana, now wearing a clean white dress instead of her wet clothes, came up to the top floor of the headquarters. The white-haired woman was nowhere to be seen; Adriana was alone. Adriana and Ellen weren''t particularly close. Of course, their relationship wasn''t bad like the one between Olivia and Ellen. A senior who was close to Reinhardt. Now gone from the temple. It was just such an insignificant senior-junior relationship. "Ah¡­ um¡­ Ellen, right? It''s been a while." Adriana felt the same way, so she sat down awkwardly across from Ellen with a smile. "Yes, it has been a while." Ellen had no right to interrogate her. However, Adriana had come to meet Ellen, who seemed to be waiting for her as if she had no choice but to face her. "I didn''t know you''d be here." "Ah, well¡­ various circumstances. Somehow¡­" Adriana gave an awkward smile. Ellen was sure that she was not good at lying. "Reinhardt isn''t here, is he?" Ellen brought up the most important reason for her visit. Although now, she couldn''t tell whether it was truly important or not. "Um, he hasn''t been here before. Is there... something going on?" At Adriana''s anxious question, Ellen shook her head. "No, I just stopped by to see if he was here since he''s not at the temple. There''s nothing going on. Even if there is... it''s something I don''t know." It wasn''t a matter she needed to explain. However, Reinhardt had been involved in various affairs in places unknown to her. The fact that Adriana was staying at the Rotary Club was likely due to Reinhardt''s influence. Even so, Reinhardt had no obligation to share Adriana''s personal circumstances with her. Yet. The sight of Adriana and Olivia returning to the temple late at night. Their tense expressions. Reinhardt''s reaction, as if he knew something. What could it be? What was it? "May I ask why you''re staying here?" At Ellen''s question, Adriana fidgeted with her fingertips, grasping and releasing the hem of her dress. "Well... there was a problem at the monastery I was staying at, so I couldn''t be there anymore. So... I asked Olivia for help last time. That led to Reinhardt finding me a place to stay... and that''s how I ended up here... Yes, that''s what happened." A person who can''t lie well. Ellen thought that again as she looked at Adriana. ------ Reinhardt wasn''t at the Rotary Club. Adriana had lied to her. Ellen didn''t press Adriana further, and there was no reason to do so. The white-haired lady barged in with a towel around her neck, whisking Adriana away to somewhere, insisting they had to play together. Ellen returned to the Royal Class dormitory. Reinhardt had stepped out for a while. It was a reasonable thing to do during a break. However, Ellen intended to find out more about this strange situation. Asking Adriana more questions was impossible due to the white-haired lady. There was one more person to question. Knock, knock Ellen went back to the 5th-year dormitory and knocked on the door. Click "¡­You, again? What do you want? I already told you I don''t know where Reinhardt is!" Upon seeing Ellen, Olivia immediately snapped irritably. Ellen considered how to begin. "You were with Adriana last time." "¡­What?" Olivia''s already irritable expression hardened further upon hearing that name. "I have something to discuss with her, do you know where she is?" Olivia stared at Ellen. "What is it about? I can pass the message along." It seemed less like annoyance and more like caution. "I''d rather tell her directly." "¡­" Olivia stared at Ellen for a moment before abruptly saying, "She went back to the monastery." Another lie. Ellen confirmed that both Adriana and Olivia had lied to her. "Is that so?" "Right. Even if I tell you where it is, it''ll be hard to find. Unless it''s really important, it''s best not to worry about it¡­" "That senior. Adriana." Ellen tilted her head. "I just met her at the Rotary Club on my way here." "¡­What?" At Ellen''s remark, Olivia''s expression became even more hostile. "Senior." Ellen looked straight at Olivia. She induced her to lie, and after finding the weak point, "Why didn''t you come to the Miss Temple Contest?" Ellen asked the most important question. CH 356 The reason for not participating in the miss temple contest. Olivia, whose attitude had already changed from her usual demeanor, looked down at Ellen with cold eyes. "Why do you need to know?" "Because I''m curious." "So why should I tell you?" Olivia seemed as if she would strike Ellen if she pressed further, her hostility not even allowing for the slightest opening. Killing intent. Ellen was truly feeling killing intent from Olivia right now. "There''s no reason for you to know. We''re not even that close." "Didn''t you tell Reinhardt?" Ellen insinuated that it must be related to the Rotary Club where Adriana was, given Reinhardt''s involvement. In response to Ellen''s rational suspicion, Olivia pulled Ellen into her room. -Thud! Ellen, who was abruptly dragged into Olivia''s room, found herself pressed against the closed door and faced Olivia''s gaze. "Yeah, Reinhardt knows. But what''s your reason for knowing?" "Riverrier Lanze died." "¡­" Ellen looked at Olivia. "And that day, your whereabouts are unclear." "So what? Are you saying I killed him?" "I didn''t say that." Riverrier Lanze was killed by an attack from demons. "I just have an absurd suspicion, and if you could make me believe it''s true, that would be enough." A plausible lie, if it was a lie. Why you returned to the Royal Class dormitory late at night with Adriana that day, and why Adriana is staying at the Rotary Club instead of the monastery. Whether Riverrier Lanze''s death on the day your whereabouts were uncertain was a coincidence or not. Why you lied. What reason you had for having no choice but to lie. All you have to do is tell a story that plausibly fits those pieces together. However, such a lie cannot be fabricated instantly. Olivia, with Ellen pressed against the wall, looked down at her as she stared back without fear. "If I kill you, Reinhardt will never see me again." "¡­" Even in the face of the word "death," there was no fear in Ellen''s expression. Olivia''s fingertips trembled. She could make an extreme choice, but in doing so, she would lose the most precious thing. Olivia had lost everything. She did not want to lose the last precious thing she had left. This reckless junior was trying to grab her by the scruff of her neck. She showed no signs of backing down. She seemed to have a strange suspicion, although it was unclear what she was thinking. If this girl spoke carelessly, not only herself but also Adriana and even Reinhardt would be in danger. What should she do? As Olivia stood at the crossroads of confusion and extreme choices, Ellen quietly opened her mouth. "I''m no different." "¡­" "Though I dislike you, if you get hurt, Reinhardt will be sad." Ellen looked at Olivia. "I won''t do anything to hurt my senior either. I''m just curious. What happened that day? Why is everyone lying?" They dislike each other. Nevertheless, knowing that Reinhardt would be saddened if either of them got hurt, neither Ellen nor Olivia would do anything to harm the other. So even if I find out something, I won''t hurt you. Olivia had no choice but to know that Ellen''s words were sincere and truthful. Because of the strange resonance those words had for her, Olivia couldn''t properly look into Ellen''s eyes. Nervously nodding her head, Olivia spoke as if to throw up. "Ellen." "...Yes?" For the first time, Olivia called Ellen by her name. "Promise me you''ll keep the secret." "I''ll keep it. No matter what it is." It wasn''t Olivia''s secret that Ellen was curious about. She wanted to know what secret of Reinhardt''s was entangled with it. It had become too hard for her to be in the dark, to worry and feel sad alone. "I was there." "...!" "When the demons attacked, Adriana and I were there." It was an absurdly vague suspicion. An unbelievably absurd suspicion, but hearing the truth that surpassed even that, Ellen could only be astonished. ------ In Olivia''s room, Olivia sat in a chair, and Ellen sat on Olivia''s bed as they talked. Olivia told everything. Starting from why they were there at that time, she recounted the entire story that unfolded after that. "The Five Holy Religions... Independence?" "Yes, I think they were planning something like that. My stepfather tried to blackmail me to be its first Empress and used Adriana''s life as bait for that. That''s why we were there." Ellen listened blankly to the unbelievable wickedness of Riverrier Lanze. The demon knight raid. Ellen had thought that Olivia might have been involved in the incident somehow, but she had no idea that the two of them were at the scene. There was only a vague suspicion due to the faint similarities between the dead and Olivia, and Adriana. However, the stories that followed plunged Ellen deeper into shock. "...They saved you?" "Yes, I don''t know why. A winged demon saved Adriana and me. And then it dropped us off somewhere far away and disappeared. That''s the end of it." "Why on earth..." "I''m the one most curious about that." Just as Ellen couldn''t understand the situation, Olivia was still confused about the problem. "You understand why I have to keep this story a secret, right?" "...Yes." If someone found out about this story, regardless of the reason, they would undoubtedly face enormous misunderstandings. It was clear that they would suffer from vicious slander and suspicion that they had conspired with the demons, and the possibility of death was very high. "The next day Reinhardt came looking for me. He asked what had happened, so I explained the situation... Then he said he would help Adriana." "...I see." Elen felt uneasy at those words. She thought Reinhardt seemed to know something about the pair. But after hearing the story, it was clear that Reinhardt couldn''t have known at that point. A misunderstanding, perhaps. Just because you think you know someone well doesn''t mean you truly do. So, the feeling she had gotten from Reinhardt that day must have been a mere illusion. Then, Reinhardt not attending the Miss Temple Contest that day must have been unrelated to Olivia. In reality, the suspicion that Reinhardt might be the Demon King is not a thought that could arise within the realm of normal thinking. Reinhardt met with the two the following day, and after a long time, they talked. He learned about the incident the day before and entrusted Adriana to the Rotary Club for her protection. It turned out that Adriana hadn''t entirely lied. She was indeed unable to return to the monastery. A newly discovered problem. The demon attack. Olivia and Adriana had been there, and for some reason, the demons had saved them. But why? "What reason would the demons have to save you two?" "...I don''t know." Olivia frowned. "Maybe they just felt sorry for us." "...Excuse me?" "Do you think demons are always evil and wicked?" Olivia had been bitterly disappointed in humans, which led her to abandon a human-centric way of thinking. "Demons could be more virtuous than humans, right? There are countless humans far more terrible than demons or devils, like my late stepfather." Olivia spoke with deep contempt. Someone hearing Olivia''s words might consider them dangerously sympathetic towards demons. Demons are evil. Because they are evil, they must be eradicated. This is a crucial axiom among humans and an irrefutable common sense. It''s natural to make enemies hateful and intolerable. That kind of hatred regenerates and spreads infinitely among people without being intentionally fostered. Demons are the enemy. That''s why the notion that demons are evil is inevitable. Humans have an instinct to define their enemies as beings that must be killed, rather than just being allowed to kill them. Olivia and Elen might be somewhat free from such common sense, but they could never be entirely free. However. Olivia was almost unique among those who had participated in the Great Demon War in thinking that demons might actually be virtuous. "Do you know why the previous demon attack happened, not this time, but before?" "No." Olivia was disappointed in humans. She couldn''t even understand what made humans better than demons. Now, she was almost reaching the point of thinking that demons might be superior beings to humans. "You know that the Holy Knights were the ones attacked during that incident too, right?" "Yes." Olivia stood with her arms crossed, narrowing her eyes as she stared out the window. "The alliance has distributed the captured demons among themselves. They even opened a black market to auction them off." "Captives? Why?" Ellen couldn''t grasp the reason for distributing or handling the captives in such a manner. "To use them as slaves. There are demons that resemble humans, you know. Among them are the attractive ones like succubi and incubi. They cut off the horns of those demons, destroyed their magical circuits, and reduced them to mere cripples, only to use them as slaves." "Ah..." "Empires and subordinate states, as well as the holy knight orders and the five major churches, all received their share of captives. They claim it''s for research, but that''s just an excuse. I don''t need to explain what they''re really using them for, do I?" Olivia spoke with a tone of disgust, implying that she didn''t even want to mention the vile acts. Ellen nodded blankly in agreement. "Back then, the demon raid wasn''t aimed at attacking the holy knight orders. It was an operation to rescue the captured demons. And while there were injuries, they didn''t kill any of the knights." A raid to rescue the demon captives. All groups distributed the demon captives to be used as slaves. "Only a small portion of the demon captives were rescued. The empires, subordinate states, royalty, and nobility are probably using those demons in unspeakable ways. They say it''s because they''re enemies that deserve to die, but in reality, they''re fulfilling their own filthy desires. How is that not disgusting and repulsive?" "..." Ellen lost her words at Olivia''s intense tone. "That''s right, whether the Demon King is resurrected or a successor exists, they can''t bear to see their own people being treated like that. They went so far as to do such things with just a handful of demons. And yet, they didn''t harm any of the holy knights. I think the Demon King''s actions are actually more noble, don''t you?" "Senior, that''s enough." As Olivia''s expressions grew more aggressive, bordering on advocating for the Darkland forces, Ellen cautiously took Olivia''s hand. There was no reason for Olivia to act like this. If Olivia crossed the line and displayed such behavior in front of others, it would be truly dangerous. Olivia hadn''t expected Ellen to comfort her in this manner, and she stared at Ellen with wide eyes. "I think I understand what you''re trying to say." "...Alright." Olivia took several deep breaths to calm her emotions. "That''s what the demon who saved me said." Olivia murmured absentmindedly, as if recalling that moment. "Humans, how can they be so wicked?" The flying demon appeared with those words, killed the knight who had detained Adriana, and whisked Olivia away from that place. As she soared through the sky, Adriana could see the demons casting a massive destruction spell on the abandoned monastery. "I never thought they intended to attack in the first place. Maybe they were just watching. But they must have heard everything. They heard the stories coming from there. They heard about using the adopted daughter as bait to restore honor, and the life of a nun who hadn''t even become a priestess yet as bait. They heard the threats to keep killing my precious ones until I surrendered." Olivia, who had begun to view the demons more favorably, wanted to believe that they were kinder beings than humans, having saved her. As she looked at the Nameless Monastery committing such blatant acts of injustice. Perhaps they couldn''t stand the heinous wickedness, malice, and injustice, and that''s why they intervened. "So, I''m imagining that they didn''t attack the Nameless Monastery to destroy it, but rather saw what was happening while spying and came to save Adriana and me. I''m having such an absurd fantasy." That they might have attacked to save Adriana and Olivia. In the end. Although some parts of the process might be wrong, Olivia''s thoughts were a very close guess to the truth. ------ Are the demons truly good or evil? After hearing the disgusting stories about the demon prisoners and learning the truth about the two demon raids that had occurred so far, Ellen couldn''t make sense of anything. The stories she had heard from Olivia weighed so heavily on her mind that she had completely forgotten about Reinhardt''s problem. Reinhardt had tried to help Adriana. That''s why Adriana was at the Rotary Club instead of the monastery. The two were rescued by the demons. Within the relationship between stories, Ellen couldn''t deduce an even scarier truth. The distance between truths was too far, so she couldn''t find the connection. She now knew for certain why Olivia had not participated in the Miss Temple contest. Even Olivia herself thought it wasn''t a situation where she could care about such things. Olivia was uneasy about having revealed a secret that many people should not know, even though she knew Ellen had grasped some clues. Because she had told a dangerous secret to someone who didn''t particularly like secrets. "You must keep this secret." "I''m not the type of person who takes advantage of such things." Ellen might not like Olivia, but she didn''t hate her enough to want to kill her. If this became known, not only would there be a huge backlash, but Olivia and Adriana could genuinely be accused of colluding with demons and face execution. The guilt might spread to Reinhardt, but even if it didn''t, Ellen had no desire to use this secret. At Ellen''s words, a frown appeared on Olivia''s forehead. "What? So you''re saying I''m that kind of person?" "I never said that. Why? Feeling guilty?" "No! I''m not that kind of person!" "Seems like you are, though." "I said I''m not!" Feeling embarrassed, Olivia''s face turned various shades of red and blue as she sputtered. Annoyed, Olivia crossed her arms and grumbled. "Anyway, you should consider yourself lucky. If I hadn''t been unable to go, you wouldn''t have become Miss Temple." "¡­" If Olivia had actually participated in the Miss Temple contest, there was no telling how it would have turned out. However, being Miss Temple was certainly a good thing for Ellen. Strictly speaking, it wasn''t a pleasant memory. After all, she hadn''t been able to show the person she wanted to impress the side of her she wanted them to see. "So, are you happy?" "About what?" "About winning Miss Temple." At Olivia''s question, Ellen stared at her intently. Is she teasing me right now? What was the point of asking her how she felt about winning the Miss Temple contest without Reinhardt there? "What did Reinhardt say?" But to Ellen''s eyes, Olivia''s expression didn''t seem like that of someone who was teasing her. It was a look of envy. Olivia was curious and perhaps even jealous about what Reinhardt might have said after seeing Ellen''s carefully prepared appearance and her victory as Miss Temple. And Ellen realized this. "He didn''t come." "What?" Olivia didn''t know that Reinhardt hadn''t attended the Miss Temple contest. "Reinhardt, he didn''t come." "¡­What?" Olivia couldn''t help but be bewildered. Olivia had assumed Reinhardt would have gone to the Miss Temple contest. He had told her to wait in her room, as if he had something planned for her. She herself had had no choice but to rush out when she received the letter from the Riverrier Lanze. "Why not?" "How should I know?" Ellen responded irritably to Olivia''s question. Just as she herself hadn''t been able to go to the Miss Temple contest, Reinhardt hadn''t attended either. "Why didn''t he come?" "¡­I don''t know." Was it enough to say she didn''t know and leave it at that? Wasn''t she curious? Olivia found Ellen''s response strange. "Didn''t you ask?" "¡­No." It was a reasonable question. It was appropriate to ask why he hadn''t come. It was a question that could be asked. But Ellen hadn''t asked Reinhardt why he hadn''t come. She had forgiven him without even asking in the first place, knowing he wouldn''t have answered. She still wasn''t sure if that was something to be forgiven or not. She had let it go. Olivia looked at Ellen with her mouth slightly open. "Wow, you... Are you kind or just dense...?" "What?" Reinhardt hadn''t attended the Miss Temple contest, and Ellen hadn''t even asked him why. Olivia now knew that Reinhardt was involved with the strange organization called the Rotary Club. Reinhardt had his own secrets, and sometimes, unavoidable situations would arise. Perhaps it was an extension of one such situation. Olivia could only vaguely guess. What made her upset was the fact that Ellen knew more about Reinhardt than she did, which was only natural. And so, it was quite displeasing to Olivia that they were the kind of friends who would bury and move on from secrets that couldn''t be shared. Of course. Olivia looked at Ellen, who seemed gloomy, her eyes downcast as she thought about the Miss Temple contest. "I don''t know about anything else¡­" Olivia tried to show a warm and tender smile as she looked at Ellen. Thinking about Ellen waiting for someone who wouldn''t come, Olivia felt a mix of emotions ¨C sadness, amusement, and pity. All sorts of complicated emotions welled up inside her. "You really are a mess." Of course, ultimately, the dominant thought was that she was a mess. "Shut up." "Can I cry? No, wait, didn''t you cry? If I were in that situation, I would have been so heartbroken and wronged that I would have sobbed uncontrollably." "I said shut up." Ellen glared at Olivia with gritted teeth. As expected, she really disliked this person. CH 357 Imperial Arcane Library, Emperatos Magic Department. The sheer volume of magical research materials stored in the Magic Department was so vast that one could wonder if a lifetime would be enough to read them all. And that was just for the field of dimensional magic alone. However, having access to the royal magic department''s archives was not just about being able to peruse the precious tomes stored within the library. One could also summon professional magicians who had already fully understood and internalized these books, to assist in comprehending the content, and receive expert help to provide specific research materials for abstract inquiries. It was as if Harriet was studying like an emperor. "Imaginary dimensions?" "Yes, Your Highness." And so, Harriet was reminded once again, after a long time, that she was indeed a noble, and quite a high-ranking one at that. While at the academy, she had been scolded and reprimanded by a rascal from a poor background, but she was originally of such a lofty position. The highly esteemed royal magicians, who held positions of great authority and power, would address her as "Your Highness" and would carefully share their knowledge, anxious not to offend her. Of course, it would be different if the rascal were not there. Among her classmates were the Crown Prince, Princess, and even a prince from the Kernstadt royal family. Though it was against school rules to use one''s rank to suppress others, there were still classmates of similar or higher status. Thus, Harriet was happily studying, her noble pride swelling after a long time. At the mention of the term, Harriet tilted her head. Imaginary dimensions. It was the answer she received when she asked for an explanation about the incomprehensible part while learning about the warp gate system. "In other words, it refers to a dimension that is assumed to exist, even though it doesn''t actually exist." "Uh-huh... So, we''re assuming it exists even though it doesn''t?" "Yes." "Why do we need such a concept?" At Harriet''s question, the research magician began to explain slowly. "Bidirectional one-time-use dimensional gates do not require such a concept. Once activated, they close after a certain period. However, the warp gate system is a shared network of permanent multi-directional dimensional gates." To simplify the understanding, the researcher drew a diagram on a piece of paper placed on the table. [Gate - Gate] "With such a structure, it''s more convenient to create it as a one-time-use gate. There''s no need to set up the concept of an imaginary dimension. Setting aside the complexity of the magic itself, isn''t the structure quite simple? There''s only one connection between the gates." "I suppose so." "But if there are three gates, how many total connection paths would there be between them?" "Three, right?" Suppose there are three gates: Gate A, Gate B, and Gate C. The connections between each gate would be A-B, A-C, and B-C, making a total of three connections. Since the connections are bidirectional, the order of the gates doesn''t matter. "What if there were four gates?" "Then there would be six connections." And so on. "As the number of warp gates increases, won''t the number of paths increase exponentially?" "Yes, that''s correct." "It''s not that every warp gate is connected in this way, but the number of connections between gates already exceeds two hundred thousand." "¡­That''s an incredibly large number." Hearing the researcher''s words, Harriet couldn''t help but be taken aback. She hadn''t known the extent of the connections between the warp gates. "The warp gate system is the largest magical system in the history of the continent. Therefore, a common space perception system was needed to determine which path to set for the permanent dimensional gates and which gates to connect. That''s why we created a virtual map called the Imaginary Dimension." A virtual map. If you created a dimensional gate on your own, there would be no need to share it with anyone. It would be a one-time magic based on your own thoughts. However, the warp gate system is no different than a collaborative architecture created through the cooperation and collaboration of many magicians. Everyone needs to have the same map or blueprint in their heads in order to add or modify something in the warp gate system, and that is what''s called the Imaginary Dimension. The understanding of the virtual map or blueprint of the Imaginary Dimension that researchers have accumulated so far. A virtual dimension that is assumed to exist but does not actually exist. An understanding of it is necessary to access the magic of the warp gates. "This is the most recent map of the Imaginary Dimension." The researcher unfolded a huge flat map in front of Harriet, which covered the entire table and more. It wasn''t just a simple drawing of dots and lines. The map was filled with complex strings of characters, detailing each dimensional gate, their connections, properties, as well as the blocking properties, usefulness, and connection strength. Although it was a map of something that did not exist, this map changed the course of human history. Harriet suddenly wondered. Another world. What exactly is another world? The researcher said directly that the Imaginary Dimension is a non-existent dimension. "¡­So, this isn''t an actual existing dimension?" It''s just a virtual concept created to help the common understanding of future magicians and modern researchers, and should ultimately be understood as a blueprint. "Yes, that''s why it''s called the Imaginary Dimension." The researcher nodded at Harriet''s words, as if it was obvious. "However, nowadays, some argue that we cannot definitively say that the Imaginary Dimension does not exist." "¡­What do you mean?" "Dimensional gates are ultimately magic that connects space to space directly. The basic principle does not change even if there are hundreds of dimensional gates." Harriet understood this as well. "But isn''t there an intermediate space that''s skipped over when connecting the dimensional gates?" "Intermediate space...?" "We use the gates, but the gate itself doesn''t exist at either the entrance or the exit. It''s treated as a phenomenon." The researcher pondered, resting his chin on his arm. "However, the gates can only be passed through; we can''t touch or reach the gates themselves. We can control and manipulate them, but it''s unclear whether the phenomenon of the gates belongs to our reality or something else. Some say that warp gates don''t actually skip over space, but rather pass through some sort of intermediary area within the space, and that this area is a real space according to certain magicians." "Hmm..." Warp gates. Traversing them shortens the space, but the gates themselves are a peculiar phenomenon that can''t be touched or reached at either the entrance or the exit. One can use gate magic, but what exactly is the nature or phenomenon of the gates? Is the intermediary area passed through when using warp gates a real space or not? It was clear that this issue had not been definitively resolved. "Some argue that imaginary dimensions have actually emerged due to the distortion of the dimensional concept caused by the constant operation of warp gates leading to system saturation, but these are just speculations." The researcher gazed intently at the map of the imaginary dimension. "The important thing is that the warp gate system has spread far too rapidly due to its convenience. This large-scale magic hasn''t been properly tested for potential dangers." As Harriet had previously sensed. The warp gate system is a very dangerous magic, but its convenience allowed it to spread rapidly without proper risk assessment. That''s why, even now, with the long history of warp gates, magicians have varying opinions on them. No one could predict what form the catastrophe they might bring would take, making the situation even more uncertain. Furthermore. Harriet looked at the vast virtual map in front of her with a sense of dread. "This map of the imaginary dimension... Not just anyone can see this, right?" "Of course." The researcher spoke quietly. "Without the royal family''s permission, even if you desired it, Your Highness, you wouldn''t have been able to see it." Although she appeared nonchalant, Harriet was looking at one of the empire''s most crucial secrets. Understanding the imaginary dimension would enable one to interfere with the warp gate system. Soon. It''s possible to use it for ill purposes if one so desires. That''s why, if Harriet understands the map of the imaginary dimension and comprehends the warp gate system completely, it means that Harriet can tamper with the warp gate system as she pleases if she has bad intentions. "Do you think... it''s just my imagination... that the warp gate is too dangerous a magic?" "I think so too." The researcher sighed. "However, the warp gate has already become an indispensable item for humanity." The warp gate was convenient. Thus, even if people knew the dangers of the warp gate, it wouldn''t disappear, and this was the reality of the continent at the time. ------ After collecting books related to soul absorption magic, Turner, Charlotte, and I returned to the Imperial capital. We told the commander that we found nothing in the labyrinth. We only mentioned that we returned safely. No one saw what we found since we had secured the magic books in the saddlebags tied to our horses beforehand. We decided to keep the underground labyrinth of the Demon King''s Castle a secret. Uncertainty had turned into conviction. Charlotte was indeed possessed by the soul of the Demon King. Her current state was no different from that of an Archdemon. The Demon King had separated his soul using soul absorption magic and fused it with Charlotte''s soul. Whether there was a way to separate them, Charlotte would entrust the analysis of the soul absorption magic to trustworthy royal magicians and find a solution. "You did well, Reinhardt. Thank you." "...I didn''t do anything in particular." I hadn''t directly helped Charlotte. It seemed that Turner and Charlotte were eager to return to the palace as soon as possible to analyze what they had acquired this time. There was no reason for me to stick around any longer, and there was nothing I could do. Before catching someone''s attention, I parted ways with the two of them and set out on my own path. I gained more from this return to the Demon King''s Castle than Charlotte did. There was a bunker in the underground of the Demon King''s Castle. Therefore, Valier wouldn''t have died. And through the numerous magic books there, I would be able to summon Cantus Magna. I had gained a lot, but my concerns had also grown. What exactly had the Valier of the past done? Cantus Magna and Valier could both be unrelated, one of them could be involved, or both could be connected. Had Valier tried to make contact with Cantus Magna like I''m doing now? Let''s assume so. Valier had used his vast magic knowledge as bait to make contact with Cantus Magna. Then, Cantus Magna finally completed Akasha through that magic, and it caused some incident. That would be the gate incident. It''s too much of a leap. But I couldn''t be sure that it wasn''t the case? However, I couldn''t be certain that it wasn''t the case. And there was one thing that I regretted deep inside. Soul Absorption Magic. There was certainly a story about the fusion of souls within it. What happened to Charlotte could be related to that as well. Lucinil said she wanted souls. Wouldn''t it be possible that the answer to bestowing a soul upon a soulless being lies within the Soul Absorption Magic? Although Charlotte was the first one who came to mind, after calming down, I realized that Soul Absorption Magic might be a necessary spell for Lucinil as well. But now, all the magic related to Soul Absorption has left my hands. If I finish researching it and find a way to restore Charlotte''s original state, will I be able to retrieve the magic books on Soul Absorption? What excuse should I use if I do get them back? I didn''t think it was a hasty decision, but since Lucinil is helping me, I''d like to help her in some way as well. The underground labyrinth of the Demon King''s Castle. The bunker. I would have to share this information with Lucinil and her collaborators and make a decision about Cantus Magna as well. Amidst these thoughts, I returned to the temple. "Oh, you''re back." As I returned to the Royal Class dormitory, Ellen was staring at me in the lobby. You''re back. "You''re the one who''s back." Ellen looked at me with a puzzled expression. "Where have you been?" "Uh..." Another secret? Ellen asked, but her expression showed she didn''t really expect an answer, a somewhat resigned look. She knew better than to expect anything from me, so even asking took courage, but her expression showed she''d accepted that such courage was useless. At this point, shouldn''t I be able to tell her? Although it might be rude to Charlotte, Ellen already knew that I was helping Charlotte in some way because of the emperor. I looked around and, after making sure no one else was close enough to hear, whispered softly to Ellen. "Well, it''s hard to explain in detail, but it''s because of Charlotte''s problem." "¡­Ah. Yeah." Ellen seemed quite surprised that I actually gave her an answer. "It wasn''t dangerous." "Okay. I got it." Ellen looked up at me, her voice slightly choked with emotion. "Thanks for... for telling me..." "¡­" What''s the big deal? Even though I hadn''t fully explained the situation, Ellen seemed touched that I shared even a little bit with her, and her eyes welled up with tears. Seeing her like that, an inexplicable emotion welled up inside me. Trying to shake off the strange feeling, I looked at Ellen with an intense gaze. "By the way, how was your trip home?" "Oh, right." Ellen gasped as if she had just remembered something, then grabbed my arm. "I have something to show you." "Huh? W-wait a moment." "Hurry up." Ellen suddenly began dragging me somewhere. ------ A short while later. I was drawn into Ellen''s room and found myself blankly staring at the cloak draped over her body. "What is this?" "Lapelt." Ah. Um. That thing. Isn''t it that? "The cloak of the Sun God." "Oh, right, that." My brain froze. "Why do you have that?" "I brought it from home." Um. That thing. I don''t think that''s the kind of explanation one should give. "Why was it at your home?" "I don''t know." I''m getting dizzy. "Mom gave it to me, saying I might have to fight the Demon King." This is too dizzying! CH 358 Elen confidently claimed that she had received the relic of the Sun God as if it had been a lunchbox from her mother. The situation was so absurd that it was almost comical. "Was there no Alicion?" At my question about the absence of the relic of Riter, the God of Courage, Elen brought her index finger to her lips and tilted her head. What''s going on? Usually, her actions would make her look cute, but today was different. "I don''t know. I don''t know if they had it but didn''t give it to me or if they just didn''t have it." What on earth is she talking about? "Isn''t your house in a rural area?" "Yes." Why would there be a relic in some remote village in the countryside of Kernstadt? "Why would there be a relic in some remote village in the countryside of Kernstadt?" Realizing that it wasn''t an unreasonable question, I just blurted it out. "I''m not sure. My mom and dad just gave me this one and didn''t explain anything." A hero and the hero''s sister. I had thought there might be some backstory, and it seemed clear that there was a mysterious background to it all. Come to think of it. She had said before that her family was naturally powerful. Was that a foreshadowing of sorts? Seeing that I was too bewildered to speak, Elen began to pout. "I''m more curious. I''m not saying I can''t tell you because I can''t, but I really don''t know." Elen made it clear that it wasn''t that she didn''t want to tell me, but that she couldn''t. She seemed hurt. She made me feel guilty. "No, no... I''m not angry... I just don''t understand. Would you believe it if you were me?" A rural village with two heroes. Well. The original story did have some settings that defied logic, so it might be possible that this became even more illogical now that it had materialized. Perhaps this was added to make it more plausible. Anyway, the cloak of the Sun God. On the collar of the flaming cloak that Elen was wearing, as with any other relic, there was a phrase that only I could read. [Burn with hatred.] Hatred. The chilling word froze me in place for a moment. I now knew what the phrases etched on the relics meant. The inscription on Tiamata. [Purify the world with rage.] In my anger, I was able to draw out the true power of Tiamata. Even though I was not a priest, I could use divine power. Then hatred. Was the cloak of the Sun God a relic that responded to hatred? And another thing. I wanted to see it again with my own eyes. "¡­ Show me Lament." "Okay." At my request, Elen summoned Lament into her right hand. The Moon Sword Lament. [Forged with tears.] Tears represented sorrow. The Sun God''s cloak Lapelt And hatred. "¡­Why Lament?" Sorrow and hatred. Can the two coexist? "Just, I was curious how cool it would be if I had both." "¡­?" They can coexist. If anyone can, I can evoke both emotions in Ellen at the same time. Faced with the new topic of Ellen''s hometown, my ominous imagination was growing. Last time, during the Demon War, Ragan Arthurius left Lament for Ellen. Since I hadn''t set that intention, I couldn''t know why Ragan Arthurius left Lament for Ellen. However, in Ellen''s hometown, there was even a relic called the Cloak of the Sun God. Considering how much more could have been given, it''s rather odd that two relics were left behind for the battle against the Demon King. What kind of place is Ellen''s hometown? I can guess that it too, ultimately, belongs to some kind of secret organization. Because Ellen is still young and may not be able to keep secrets, her parents didn''t tell her the truth about the village. Well, it makes sense since she brought this from home and told me directly. Of course, I don''t know if she would tell others. I have a bad feeling. Cantus Magna. There''s no law that says they only collect magic. In some sense, they might need relics, and in fact, powerful forces are embedded in relics, even if they''re not magic. Ellen''s hometown¡­ It might be Cantus Magna. If so, What am I supposed to do? Ellen looks at me and speaks quietly. "Did you¡­miss me?" "¡­Huh?" Her question was so sudden that I couldn''t help but be startled. As I remained stunned, a slight pout formed on Ellen''s lips. "I¡­missed you." She looked at me as if urging me to answer quickly. Her expression seemed to want something else instead of asking questions. I don''t know why she''s acting like this. "Of course I missed you¡­" At my words, Ellen smiled bashfully. It was a brief moment, but her smile erased all of my worries. ------ Ellen obtained a new relic, the Sun God''s Relic, Lapelt. With this, she became the only person on the continent to possess two relics since Ragan Artorius. "It''s better to keep this a secret. If it becomes known that I have it, it''ll only cause more trouble." "¡­Yeah, you''re right." Ellen seemed to be contemplating something, then she unsummoned Lapelt. The Empire had arranged for Ellen to enter the temple, knowing that she came from Ragan Artorius''s birthplace. If I think about whether the Empire knows that Ellen''s hometown is an unusual place, I lean towards them not knowing. If it became known that Ellen had brought the Sun God''s cloak from her hometown, there was a possibility that the royal family would unnecessarily pay attention to the matter. If her hometown were Cantus Magna, it would be best not to meddle, as it would be better for the empire not to know this fact; and if not, it would still be better to leave it alone, as it was a place where there was nothing good to be gained by stirring things up. In the end, Ellen''s parents didn''t tell her much. Ragan Artorius originally hadn''t intended to go on an adventure, but rather to search for something. As a result, he learned too much about the world and could no longer leave it be, according to Ellen''s explanation. It was clear that Ellen''s hometown did not interfere much in the affairs of the world. Thus, her parents did not provide any special assistance when their son went off to fight the Demon King. An unknown secret organization and Ellen''s hometown. Despite feeling an ominous premonition, they had no choice but to remember it for now. ------ Ellen returned, bearing the Sun God''s cloak. Charlotte began researching a way to recover her condition using the Soul Absorption magic she had discovered in the Demon King''s bunker. And then there was Harriet de Saint-Touan. The next day, I received a shared report from Harriet about what we had learned so far. "An imaginary dimension?" "Yes." Listening to Harriet''s explanation, I couldn''t help but tilt my head. "It''s a theory about a dimension that doesn''t actually exist. It''s like a virtual map set up to maintain the warp gate system." "¡­I don''t quite understand?" "Ah, you blockhead." "¡­Suddenly?" I was taken aback by the sudden jab, and Harriet seemed satisfied with her surprise attack, grinning mischievously. No. Did she really have to do this now? "No, but isn''t this unfair? As soon as we start talking about magic, there''s no way I won''t be a blockhead!" At my words, Harriet snapped back. "So you''re saying I''m really a blockhead, huh?!" "No, I didn''t mean you were stupid when I called you a blockhead¡­ Um, yes, I''m sorry." It wasn''t my place to tease her endlessly about being a blockhead. "Listen carefully, I''ll explain it properly." With newfound confidence, Harriet began her explanation. Knowing I wouldn''t understand even if she used technical terms, Harriet explained everything in a simple, step-by-step manner that I could comprehend. As I listened to her explanation, it was surprisingly easy to understand. It was like a subway map. Subway maps are drawn without considering the actual distance and terrain between stations. They are created solely for the convenience of the viewer, regardless of the actual terrain. Although the imaginary dimension was for the designer rather than the user, making it different in that aspect, it was not much different from a subway map in that it was a map created for the sole purpose of being convenient to view, regardless of reality. "Do you understand what I''m saying now?" "Ah, I understand." "..." Harriet glanced at me with a skeptical look, as if to say, ''There''s no way you understood.'' No. I couldn''t explain the subway map properly, but I did understand! "Anyway, this imaginary dimension doesn''t actually exist, but there are many formulas and magic spells created based on the assumption that it does. That''s why magicians involved in the maintenance of warp gates have to first understand the imaginary dimension." A new concept called the imaginary dimension. "Wait, so if one becomes familiar with all these imaginary dimensions and such, could anyone interfere with the warp gate system?" "Well, in a way..." At my ominous words, Harriet also muttered quietly, as if she felt an ominous premonition as well. "But there''s not much to worry about because even if someone understands the imaginary dimension, interfering with the warp gate system isn''t easy. Constructing warp gates themselves isn''t too difficult, but only a select few magicians, chosen from the entire empire, can interfere with the core operation of the gates." It''s not difficult to build or manipulate machines, but meddling with the system itself is a challenging task. "So only the elite of the elite, and a carefully chosen few royal magicians, have the authority to interfere with the warp gates themselves." Considering how convenient and dangerous the warp gates are, it makes sense that the empire had to be diligent about security. That means that Harriet''s access to the concept of the imaginary dimension this time was quite extraordinary. And it was not her request, but mine. As the bearer of the royal crest, I have access to the empire''s top secrets. It seems that trustworthiness checks were deemed unnecessary since I had saved the princess''s life. "But it seems that even among specialized researchers, opinions are divided." "Divided?" "Some people think that the imaginary dimension might actually exist." "What?" At those words, I felt a chill run down my spine. "But this hasn''t been studied extensively, so it''s only conjecture at this point..." Harriet furrowed her brow as she spoke about what she had heard. "People wonder, where do the gates actually exist? It seems that this question is the source of the divide." "Where do they exist? Aren''t they right in front of us?" "The gates themselves are both the entrance and the exit. But they don''t actually exist in either the entrance space or the exit space. It''s as if they exist somewhere in between, but where exactly is that?" The gates exist simultaneously in both the exit and entrance spaces. A gate, by nature, has two states in a single space. "So the question is, which dimension does the gate we see actually belong to? And when we pass through the gate, we experience a slight delay. You know that, right?" "...Huh." For a brief moment, one can feel as if they are passing through something while going through the gate. "During that transition, researchers call it the ''space''s byway.'' Even the experts don''t know where that space actually is." Though people use the warp gates, it seems that even the researchers don''t have a complete understanding of the magic behind them. "So, they hypothesized a virtual dimension called the ''imaginary dimension'' and created the warp gate system. But now, there are claims that it might actually exist. Whether it came into existence due to the increased use of warp gates, or if it was always there, we can''t tell." Harriet crosses her arms and looks at me. "So, even though this is all just idle talk and more of a guess than actual research, if there is another world, and it''s the imaginary dimension, wouldn''t you think that neither people nor anything else would live there?" The byway of space. If such a thing truly exists, it would simply be a space of nothingness that exists only as the concept of the imaginary dimension. Harriet seemed to conclude that while it could be another world, there could be no existence of otherworldly beings. "Anyway, there''s nothing certain, so I''ll look more into it. In the end, I think we''ll only learn more about the warp gates, whether it''s about another world or not. It''s not like I want to become a warp gate technician." Harriet explained the purpose and method of the warp gates she''d discovered, but the things she actually needs to understand likely require a higher level of intelligence. And it seemed quite clear that she was grasping that at an incredibly fast pace. "Is it boring?" "No? Who said it''s boring?" Harriet spoke as if there was no reason to dislike the situation, where she could access the empire''s greatest secrets as easily as eating a snack. Although she doesn''t want to become a warp gate technician, Harriet is an honor student who believes that the more magical knowledge one has, the better. "Anyway, I don''t think the warp gate system has much to do with the other world you''re curious about." No. I felt like I was actually getting closer to finding the right thread. However. There were too many clues, and each event carried its own risk, so it was impossible to be certain which was the real issue. Warp gates. The imaginary dimension. Cantus Magna. Akasha. Black Order. Valier Junior. Ellen''s hometown. There were so many scattered clues everywhere that my head felt like it would burst. Harriet stood up, as if she''d explained everything she needed to. "I''m going to check on the progress at the Magic Research Society. Want to come with me?" "Why not." Since it would be quite an accomplishment if either the power cartridge or Moonshine were completed during this winter break, I got up from my seat to follow Harriet. ------ As we left the dormitory to head towards the Magic Research Society, a familiar face was waiting at the entrance. "¡­Professor?" With a look of mild surprise, Harriet greeted Professor Epinhauser, who had come to the dormitory. Although she knew that the teachers in charge of the Royal Class didn''t necessarily have time off during vacations, she wasn''t too astonished by his visit. As always, the cold and aloof Professor Epinhauser glanced at me and gestured with his chin toward the dormitory exit. "Reinhardt, come with me for a moment." Harriet looked at me with a hint of regret and whispered quietly, "I''ll fill you in on the research club''s matters later." "Uh¡­ okay." What could he possibly want with me during winter break, especially when there are no classes? Is it something to do with Saviolin Turner or Charlotte''s problem? Those two had just returned to the Spring Palace to continue their research on the Soul Manipulation Magic. My assistance might be needed if Charlotte''s power causes an outburst, but for now, the research is the priority. Stepping out of the Royal Class dormitory, Professor Epinhauser walked quietly beside me. The instincts of a problem child. "Did I¡­ cause any trouble, by any chance?" I couldn''t help but be nervous when my homeroom teacher called for me. But I haven''t caused any trouble lately, right? The last time was with the incident involving Oscar de Gradias. Although it wasn''t exactly trouble. Would participating in the cross-dressing contest be considered as such? As I pondered, "Why did you cross-dress?" "!" I felt as if my head had turned to stone at the sudden, piercing question. No way, was it really about that? Did Bertus tell him? Or did he naturally know since he''s a teacher? Could it be those student council jerks? Professor Epinhauser didn''t seem to be scolding me or prying into the matter. It seemed he was just genuinely curious. "Well, that''s¡­ um¡­ about that." As the professor watched me silently, he shook his head. "Never mind. If that''s your idea of fun, I don''t need to worry about it." "No, no?! It''s not, um, fun? It wasn''t like that?" I was going crazy! When will they stop tormenting me over the cross-dressing contest?! Now that I''ve gained magic mastery talent, do they want to punish me more? "If it''s not for fun, then what''s the reason?" "Ah, no. There was, um, a situation. Well¡­" In the end, all I had was a pathetic excuse that it was for money! "Forget it. What I really wanted to ask you wasn''t about that." "Then what¡­?" "Have you prepared the information on Cantus Magna?" "!" At those words, It felt as if all the blood in my body had turned ice-cold. CH 359 "Is the information on Cantus Magna prepared?" Master Epinhauser asked, and I was unable to respond for a while. Epinhauser was a member of the Black Order. He did not press for an answer. It seemed as though he thought it was surprising enough that I would need time to calm my mind. The Black Order had seen me with Lord Vampire. It turned out that Master Epinhauser knew I was not a mere Temple student ever since the death of Aaron Mede. Did that mean that someone in a black robe who contacted me back then was actually Epinhauser? It wasn''t a fitting concern given the situation. Were you the one who called me a pretty boy? Despite such thoughts, it felt as if a knife was pressed against my neck. With just one word from Master Epinhauser, everything could have come crashing down long ago. He may not have known until recently that I was the successor of the demon realm, but figuring out who I was in relation to the current state of the empire wouldn''t have been difficult once he saw me controlling a vampire. It seemed my true identity had already been exposed. Master Epinhauser, known as a patriot, had left me alone. What was the Black Order, and what did they want? I realized a simple truth: I knew less about the Black Order than I did about Cantus Magna. I had experienced many instances of fear. The fear of losing something, the fear of dying ¨C I had felt them all. But. Although I thought I could lose everything I had at any moment. Realizing that everything I had could have vanished at the mere decision of the Black Order sent chills down my spine. In the midst of a fear unlike anything I had ever experienced before, I stared intently at Epinhauser. "Why¡­ did you leave me alone?" "We do not act recklessly." In every moment of attending ordinary classes, training, and bustling around during festivals, I could have lost everything. The Black Order had been watching me. They must have known that I was the next Demon King. "Is there information on Cantus Magna?" What would they do without it? Would they forcefully take it? Or would they threaten me by saying they would end my Temple life? I had approached the Black Order on equal terms, not using any honorifics. But in front of Epinhauser. Somehow, I felt suffocated, like a mouse in front of a cat. He wasn''t particularly oppressive, nor did he show any signs of interrogating or intimidating me. Just as when I first met his eyes, he gazed at me with a cold expression and calm eyes. And that plunged me into endless fear. The one thing I knew for certain: The Black Order wanted information on Cantus Magna. "I have it. I''m not sure if you already know¡­" "Is that so?" I possess the information they desire. What I have been seeking is information about the dimensional gate to another world. "Unfortunately, we do not possess any information or magic related to the dimensional gate that leads to another world." The Black Order is unaware of the magic I desire. However, they can force an answer out of me, or I must be prepared to expose the whole truth and leave the temple. It has been possible since the Black Order learned that I controlled a Lord Vampire, not because Epinhauser was a member. Yet, I had a strange certainty that they would not choose such an option. "You have the information we need, but there is nothing we can give you in return." Then, the negotiation must fail. "Let me ask you this. We don''t have the information you truly seek, but if you provide us with information about Cantus Magna, the Order is willing to fully cooperate with you. Through that, you might find what you really want." "..." The Black Order has no knowledge of the magic related to the dimensional gate to another world. However, they are willing to take my side if I provide information about Cantus Magna. "What will happen if I refuse?" Epinhauser gazes at me quietly. "Nothing will happen." "However." "We will be watching you." At those words, I felt a chill run down my spine. They know my true identity. Yet, they say they will merely watch without acting on it, not revealing my identity or anything. What could it be? What kind of organization is the Black Order? Are they seeking the destruction of Cantus Magna? Or something else? Magic fanatics are indifferent to worldly affairs, remaining loyal to their own principles and goals. Nevertheless, they say they will quietly withdraw if they cannot obtain information from me. What does it mean that they will continue to watch me even after that? I am the Demon Lord who infiltrated the Temple Royal Class. The fact that they will continue to watch me, regardless of the negotiation, suggests that the Black Order is not indifferent to the world. "What is the Black Order''s purpose?" Upon hearing my question, Epinhauser remains silent for a moment, then finally speaks. "I have not yet determined whether I should tell you that or not." He has no intention of telling me. "However, we have not yet deemed you an enemy." They haven''t decided whether to act against me since they are a group that does not move hastily. That means they still have doubts. From the moment I made contact with the Black Order, I entered their domain. I had always been prepared for such a dangerous situation. After all, I cannot only deal with safe matters in safe places. Little did I know, however, that the truth of Master Epinhauser being a member of the Black Order was concealed. If they were to join me in tracking down Cantus Magna, they would become my allies. Otherwise, they would watch over me and possibly label me as an enemy and attempt to eliminate me based on their judgment. The hand of the Black Order. Is it truly the right decision to grasp it? But my identity has already been exposed, and the fact that Master Epinhauser discovered it is merely a surprise; I was somewhat prepared for this situation. After all, I have created many allies with uncertain identities. There is no reason not to accept an ally with an unknown intention. It''s not a situation where I can be picky about who I join forces with. Time is running out, and the gate crisis is approaching moment by moment. Their intention to join hands with me is clearly for surveillance purposes as well. Otherwise, there would be no reason to say they would watch over me. "Very well. Let''s cooperate." For now, I will join forces with the Black Order and track down Cantus Magna. What comes later is, after all, a matter for later. After the important, yet empty, negotiation had concluded, Master Epinhauser looked at me with his usual expression and spoke seriously. "Alright, let me ask you again." "¡­Yes." Do I have to reveal the secret of Cantus Magna? But what if the Black Order just takes the information and then leaves me high and dry? Master Epinhauser asked me. "Why did you dress in drag?" No. Please stop tormenting me! ------ Master Epinhauser and I took a walk in an uneasy atmosphere. He didn''t ask me why I needed the magic to open a dimensional gate. The setting I wrote must be true. Master Epinhauser is a patriot. That''s a fact. If there is a connection between Master Epinhauser being a member of the Black Order and being a patriot, is the Black Order an organization related to the empire? It doesn''t seem likely. The Emperor, Charlotte, and Bertus don''t know my true identity. So, the Black Order may be related to the empire but not to the royal family. Somehow, I only feel like a mouse in front of a cat when I''m with him. I''ve formed a strange alliance with the Black Order and the remnants of the demon world, but fundamentally, I see this man as my teacher. However. The Black Order has already discovered my identity, my life hangs in the balance, and I decided to cooperate because I ultimately need their power. But instead of asking about Cantus Magna, Why do they keep asking why I dressed in drag...? Are they just trying to torment me by asking that instead of focusing on something more important? The Demon Lord infiltrated the Royal Class, barely surviving in hiding, and even won a cross-dressing contest? Wow... Even I think it''s curious... What crazy thought drove me to do that? But. There are positions and situations for each of us, aren''t there? But why do they keep asking about my reasons for participating in the cross-dressing competition, rather than asking for information about Cantus Magna? Epinhauser didn''t press for an answer, and I walked silently beside him, a dying expression on my face, not knowing what to say, as if I were a sinner. I want to die. This is a whole different dimension of embarrassment from being found out by Bertus. At least Bertus only discovered that a fellow student had cross-dressed. Black Order, capable of inciting a continental-scale war, discovered that I had the audacity to kill Riverrier Lanze and participated in a bizarre cross-dressing competition before that incident. "Do... do I really have to tell you?" "If possible." "But why?" Teacher. I think I''m going insane. Can''t you just say things like, "What''s your wicked intention, what are you trying to do by opening the gate, I''ve already figured out your dirty schemes and true identity?" Damn it. Why on earth do I have to explain my reasons for cross-dressing to a suspicious, mysterious member of a secret organization like you? And why are you even curious about it? Epinhauser looked at me and spoke. "Are you embarrassed?" "¡­" "I asked if you''re embarrassed to explain why you cross-dressed." "Of course, I am!" If this is how it''s going to be, just kill me! It feels like I''m being mentally murdered! "That''ll do." "¡­Pardon?" "I said that''ll do." I was wondering why I had to explain my reasons for cross-dressing, but if it''s embarrassing to talk about, it''s fine. What on earth does he want from me? Why is this question so important? "Why¡­ are you doing this to me?" "I was just curious about what you thought of your life at the temple." "¡­Excuse me?" Could it be? Did he want to know if I had discarded my identity and dignity as the Demon King, and cross-dressed solely for personal hobbies and desires? Was he curious about whether I was genuinely committed to my life at the temple? Somehow. I''m not sure about the details, but... Did participating in something like cross-dressing make the Black Order think I wasn''t a very dangerous person, or something along those lines? He''s the Demon King, but he''s a pervert who''s genuinely into cross-dressing, so he doesn''t seem to be that dangerous. Something like that? If that''s the case, it''s a good thing. But why¡­ Why does it feel so humiliating? CH 360 And perhaps it was because the questions were too bizarre. The atmosphere should have been heavy, but it didn''t feel that way at all. Instead of the Demon King and the Black Order fanatics, it still felt like a student-teacher relationship. But they couldn''t continue this conversation forever. "Before I share information about Cantus Magna, there are a few things I''d like to know." "Ask away. If it''s a question I can answer, I will." "You''re not a magician, are you?" Epinhauser. He is not a magician. So, the first Black Order member I encountered, right after killing Aaron Mede, couldn''t have been Epinhauser. As for the person I met during the cross-dressing contest, it could have been Epinhauser or not. The magician is Mr. Mustlang, the B-class homeroom teacher. It''s not like the A-class teacher is a member of the Black Order and Mr. Mustlang is a member of Cantus Magna, is it? Why would he join the Magic Order if he''s not a magician? "There''s no reason it has to be a magician only." That''s all Epinhauser had to say. I don''t know the conditions for joining the Black Order. But the previous Aaron Mede was just the tip of the iceberg. I don''t know what rank Epinhauser holds within the Black Order, but it''s certainly not the same as the tip of the iceberg since he revealed his face and made contact with me. "What''s the relationship between Cantus Magna and the Black Order?" "Cantus Magna wants the Order''s Elixir. That''s why they relentlessly try to track us down." "Are there actual battles taking place?" "Yes, the history of power struggles between the Order and Cantus Magna is quite deep." The long-standing conflict between Cantus Magna, which had coveted the Elixir, and the Black Order was extensive. This means that Cantus Magna would be the ones attacking the Black Order. The Black Order was known for its sinister and dangerous magic, while Cantus Magna was known for its positive image as Elixir hunters who ambushed such magicians. Of course, it''s true that the Black Order possesses dangerous magic and Cantus Magna attacks them, so it''s not as if incorrect information has spread. However, what wasn''t known was that Cantus Magna''s actions were no different from robbery against the Black Order. That''s why one of the Black Order''s goals was to find and destroy the Cantus Magna''s base, which coveted their Elixir. "So, what''s the information on Cantus Magna?" "It''s the reason they''re collecting the Elixir." At that, Epinhauser stopped walking and stared at me intently. "Their goal is to complete an artifact called Akasha." "¡­" The Black Order might have already grasped this information since Antirianus knew it. He stared at me for a moment and then spoke briefly. "¡­Akasha? I''ve never heard that tale before." Epinhauser nodded silently. It was clear that even the Black Order had no knowledge of this information. This raised another question. The Black Order, which had been opposing Cantus Magna for a very long time, had been unaware of Cantus Magna''s true intentions all this time. Antirianus spoke as if he had only briefly entered and exited Cantus Magna. If Antirianus was able to learn of Akasha''s existence from his short-term activities, it made no sense that the Black Order, even as enemies, hadn''t known about it until now. Antirianus could have been active in Cantus Magna for much longer than he had said. "Where did you get that information?" Master Epinhauser asked. If Antirianus had been active in Cantus Magna for a long time, he might have hunted the Black Order under Cantus Magna''s name. Soon. Even if it happened decades or centuries ago, Antirianus might be considered an enemy that the Black Order would want to eliminate. If a former insider of Cantus Magna provided the information, it was possible they would try to kill that source. "I''m sorry, but I cannot reveal that." I couldn''t afford to cause tension in an already uncertain alliance. "If we cannot be sure of the source, the credibility of the information will inevitably suffer." "I don''t think this information is entirely accurate either." In the end, it was possible that Antirianus had lied to me, and given that he wasn''t entirely trustworthy, the story about Akasha might not be true either. "However, I do know that Cantus Magna''s goal is to complete an artifact named Akasha. They say it''s an artifact that can contain magic. I don''t know what will happen once it''s completed, but it certainly won''t be ordinary. And, among the numerous magics contained within, there might be something I desire. That''s what I believe, at least." I didn''t know exactly what Akasha was, so my words were like grasping at straws. However, considering the Black Order didn''t know about Akasha either, it was clear that Cantus Magna had kept their secret well-guarded for a long time. Except for the one slip-up involving Antirianus. "Hmm¡­ This unexpected information requires verification." Master Epinhauser spoke. "I don''t know about all types of ancient artifacts either, so I will look into whether the Order has any related information." In fact, Epinhauser was a member of the Magic Alliance but was not a magician himself. Even though he didn''t know the exact location of the Order''s headquarters, there must be more information there. "Does the Order know how to contact Cantus Magna?" "If I knew an easy way, I wouldn''t have contacted you." This answer was expected, so it wasn''t too disappointing. There were times when they found us, and times when we found them, but just as they couldn''t pinpoint our core, we couldn''t pinpoint theirs either. There may have been small skirmishes and isolated battles, but there had never been a full-scale war. Cantus Magna would surely like to raid the Black Order''s headquarters, seize all the magic they possess, and fill Akasha with it. And the Black Order would want nothing more than to raid Cantus Magna''s headquarters and annihilate those pesky adversaries. Yet, such events hadn''t transpired so far. "You''ve probably heard rumors that the Black Order conducts wicked dark magic or experiments." "Yes." Could it be? "Those rumors are nothing but false information spread by the Order itself to lure Cantus Magna into a specific area or location." It was almost unbelievable that all those bizarre rumors about the Black Order were fabricated by the Order itself. They would even go as far as to tarnish their own reputation in order to kill their enemies. The Black Order was willing to tarnish their image to annihilate their enemies, spreading strange false rumors they had created to draw Cantus Magna in. Did that mean there were no actual instances of civilian massacres and such? "So they didn''t actually use things like forbidden magic?" "Of course, to bait them, magic they aren''t aware of must actually be performed or exist in that location. They aren''t the type to bite at just any bait. The outcome was sometimes successful, sometimes a failure, but ultimately, we couldn''t reach their core." Epinhauser quietly gazed at the trees lining the street. "I won''t say that there haven''t been any casualties caused by the Order. Some forbidden magic inevitably involves sacrifices... However, there''s no reason for me to explain that to you." Epinhauser stopped talking, seemingly thinking it odd to justify casualties to a demon lord infiltrating the human realm. No. First cross-dressing, now being treated as an evil being? It''s absurd. Anyway, I don''t know the Black Order''s true purpose. However, it was clear that due to the endless struggle with Cantus Magna, the annihilation of Cantus Magna had become one of the Black Order''s top priorities, putting their true objective on hold. It wasn''t much different from Antirianus'' situation. Using forbidden magic as bait to lure Cantus Magna. There''s the cooperation of the Black Order, who have been fighting Cantus Magna for a long time. "They don''t fall for every bait. And if their goal is to complete some sort of artifact, setting the wrong, overly large bait could result in them completing the artifact." We also had to consider the possibility of failing to respond to Cantus Magna''s attack. As long as we didn''t know what Akasha was, putting up a huge bait that they couldn''t resist might lead to even more unforeseen situations if we failed. First and foremost, it seemed urgent to find out what Akasha was. I established a cooperative relationship with the Vampire Council. Following that, I also built a cooperative system with the Black Order. It was quite a shock to learn that the Order''s representative was none other than Professor Ephinhauser. While each situation carried its own anxiety, everything began to roll slowly, according to my intentions. It wouldn''t be strange for my identity to be revealed at any moment now. After all, I had no choice but to expose myself in order to join hands with numerous groups. Professor Ephinhauser silently watches me. "Reinhardt." He calls me Reinhardt, not Valier. Of course, he probably doesn''t know that my father, the Demon King, shares the same name, Valier, so he addresses me as such. Ephinhauser looks at me quietly and speaks. I can''t tell what emotions lie behind his emotionless gaze. However, he called me Reinhardt, not the son of the Demon King. "Do not make foolish choices." In that one sentence, I felt many emotions that I could not discern from his expression. What does he mean by a foolish choice? It seems I might already be making them. He still seemed to think of me as his student. I couldn''t tell what Ephinhauser or the Black Order wanted. I didn''t know what they expected from me. However, since he still treated me as a student, "Yes, Professor." I treated him as my professor as well. ------ The connection to the Black Order lies with Professor Ephinhauser. I don''t know how he communicates with the Order, or what kind of activities he''s involved in. Although the settings I''ve written are factual, the unwritten parts are filled with things I don''t know. Professor Ephinhauser is a patriot. It is uncertain whether his patriotic nature is related to the Black Order. However, the Black Order definitely cannot be an anti-imperial organization. After all, my description of Professor Ephinhauser as a patriot must be true. But if they are a pro-imperial organization, why would they spare me? Do they think my existence could somehow help the empire? For now, they seemed to be extremely cautious when it came to dealing with me. To the extent that they would rather cooperate with me to annihilate Cantus Magna, I was not yet completely out of the Black Order''s sight. Professor Ephinhauser''s advice is not to make foolish actions. It could be interpreted that depending on my actions, the Black Order''s response or attitude towards me could change. Professor Ephinhauser will report to the Order''s headquarters, or something similar, about Akasha, and if there''s any clue to be found, he will find it. If not, I will lure Cantus Magna out using the gold mine the Black Order has or the gold mine I have as bait. I can prepare a gold mine of a tremendous scale that they will have no choice but to fall for. Then, a situation akin to a full-scale war would unfold. Either the Black Order and my forces will be shattered, or Cantus Magna will be. One of two situations would unfold, and Akasha''s fate would be determined then. Time passed. Amidst anxiety and impatience. ------ "Have you been acting a bit strange lately?" During the school break, Liana de Grantz, who had been staying at the dormitory for a few days and then going back to the Duke''s residence, initiated the conversation. "What do you mean?" "Well, you always seem a bit off, but recently, it''s like... hmm..." Liana looked at me with her arms crossed and muttered. "Should I say you''re like water mixed with alcohol, or alcohol mixed with water?" Although it wasn''t a fitting analogy for someone her age, it wasn''t too bizarre considering it was Liana, who was most likely drinking alcohol at home. "I guess I''m just a bit tired." "Really? What are you doing that''s so exhausting during the break? Just relax." "I''ll manage." "Well, suit yourself." With that, Liana went somewhere else. It wasn''t necessarily because of training. Of course, I wasn''t not doing it either. The anxiety that this life would someday come to an end. It seemed that was what made my recent behavior appear somewhat odd. "¡­Did you ask me something?" "No, it''s nothing." Like when I just stared intently at Ellen''s face without doing anything during training. "What, what is it all of a sudden? Do you have something to say?" "Uh? No?" "Ah, you startled me¡­" Or when I suddenly patted Harriet on the shoulder while having various conversations at the Magic Research Club''s mansion, causing her to jump in surprise. "Reinhardt, let''s go on a date!" "Sure." "¡­Huh?" "Where should we go?" "Uh, um. Uh? Oh, I''ll think about it now!" When Olivia unexpectedly proposed a date that I would normally reject, I simply agreed without hesitation. Even in my own opinion, I had indeed been acting like a screw was loose. CH 361 Reinhardt is acting strangely. "Right?" "Yeah." "So..." "I, I''m not sure..." Ellen, Liana, Harriet, and Adelia were gathered, discussing this matter. Lately, Reinhardt seemed a bit odd. It wasn''t necessarily a bad feeling. Harriet spoke with a flushed face. "Th-the other day, suddenly, he... um, what should I say? He looked at me, and... his gaze was somewhat..." "Sensual?" "Yes! That''s it! That''s the feeling!" Harriet exclaimed in agreement with Liana''s comment. Reinhardt''s default expression was always somewhat sullen. But in recent days, everyone felt something odd about him. He had a distant, dreamy look in his eyes, as if he had seen it all. He hadn''t picked any unnecessary fights during these days either. If anything, his gaze was tender and intense. Of course, some people felt embarrassed when he looked at them with such eyes, like Harriet de Saint-Owan. Some were worried and tried to comfort him, like Ellen Artorius. And then there were others, completely different. "It''s annoying." Liana de Grantz was more irritated than surprised. "No, the other day, I had a bit too much to drink at home and my stomach wasn''t feeling well, and suddenly he told me, ''Don''t drink too much, you''ll get diabetes.'' What should I say? Huh? This, this is... anyway, it was the first time I ever felt so disgusted by someone''s concern." He used to tell her to mind her own business. And now that he was suddenly acting kindly, Liana was not only shocked but also disgusted. ''Has he gone mad? Why is he acting like this all of a sudden?'' ''He''s probably worried, that''s all.'' As Liana showed her disgust, Reinhardt added more fuel to the fire. Liana''s face turned pale, and she mumbled to herself. "That bastard... he''s not suddenly going to die, is he? They say when people suddenly change, they die." "No, no way!" "It''s a superstition." "Well, it can''t be..." At Liana''s words, everyone had their own reactions. They all knew that Reinhardt was acting strange lately, but they didn''t know why he seemed so down. "Should we... do something for him?" Liana tilted her head, merely suggesting. Ellen asked in response. "Like what?" "Well... when feeling down, other than eating and drinking, I''m not sure what else there is..." What else could they do for someone who seemed so down for no apparent reason? Although Liana was irritated and disgusted, she was still worried about Reinhardt. They all began to think about what they could do to help Reinhardt, who seemed so down. Whether or not it would actually be helpful to him was another matter. ------ For a long time, he had thought that there were too many things to worry about. Of course, he expected that there would be even more in the future, but as the pressure began to bear down on him, it was becoming increasingly difficult to pay attention to every aspect. The Black Order agreed to support me for now, but I couldn''t be sure of their true intentions. Perhaps it would be wiser to leave the temple of my own accord. As Lucinil said, I would become increasingly dangerous, and the number of people who would learn my true identity would grow one by one. Depending on who finds out, it could lead to irreversible consequences. Wouldn''t it be better to simply leave the temple instead of risking such a tightrope walk? However, there was a reason I had to stay in the temple as long as I could keep my identity hidden. "I''ve only been at it for a few days, so I can''t be sure, but it seems to be going smoothly." "That''s a relief." Class B dormitory. Those were Charlotte''s words as she calmly sipped her tea. The analysis and research of soul-binding spells would help remove the Demon Lord''s soul that resided within Charlotte. Until then, I was the only one who could handle her if her powers went out of control. Aside from those practical issues, I didn''t want to leave the temple, but I knew that it was just my personal desire and ambition. "For now, I''ve kept the matter of the labyrinth beneath the Demon Lord''s castle and where I got the book a secret. It might be revealed eventually, but for now, no one knows." The labyrinth beneath the Demon Lord''s castle. The existence of that place itself wasn''t a problem. But the fact that only an Archdemon could enter it was the issue. If it were revealed that Charlotte was now no different from the Demon Lord, she wouldn''t be safe. I wanted to stay in the temple until Charlotte''s problem was resolved. But I couldn''t be sure if that was possible. "By the way, have you had any problems lately? Like a fight with the others...?" "Huh? No." "Hmm." Charlotte must have sensed something from my appearance, as she cautiously asked. Showing a demeanor too different from usual might cause issues as well. Noticing that I seemed a bit distracted, Charlotte quietly took my hand. "Everything will be alright. Don''t worry." Her words were similar to what I had often told her. I suddenly wished that Charlotte had a familiar too. ------ Winter Palace. Bertus''s office. "I anticipated this, but it seems we''ve reached a dead end." Bertus neatly arranged the completed reports and placed them tidily next to the table. The Riverrier Lanze incident. Although they could guess the identity of the attackers, their whereabouts remained elusive. The Demon Lord''s intentions were also unclear. The report he received now stated that the investigation into the Riverrier Lanze incident would continue, but it had ultimately hit the limits of the inquiry. The Demon Lord''s successor exists. And there was a high probability that it was a certain boy who had saved Charlotte. Where had that boy gone? The boy, who had vanished as if evaporating in the middle of the imperial road. Both Charlotte and Bertus had tried to trace his whereabouts but had failed to find him in the end. At this point, the re-emergence of the Demon King was working in favor of the empire, but as long as they couldn''t ascertain the nature of the Demon King''s existence, they couldn''t be too pleased with the reappearance of the empire''s once-vanished enemy. How could they reach the remnants of the demon world''s forces? That was what concerned Bertus. "By the way, Your Highness, about Reinhardt, the one you mentioned before..." "Silence." As soon as Reinhardt''s name was brought up, Bertus furrowed his brow deeply. "Don''t talk about that guy for a while." In life, there are memories that cause damage just by thinking about them. For Bertus, right now, the name "Reinhardt" was one of those memories. Cross-dressing. Why, really? What was so regrettable about it? There was no reason, evidence, or any grounds for Reinhardt to have to do such a thing. He claimed it was for the money, but the prize for the cross-dressing competition wasn''t all that significant. In reality, the Rotary Club was raking in money with a claw, so how much help could the prize money from a mere cross-dressing contest be to the club''s finances? In other words, there was no other reason for Reinhardt to do it, at least not that Bertus could think of, other than because he wanted to. Reinhardt cross-dressed. Why? Because he wanted to. No matter how much Bertus thought about it, there was no other reason! To Bertus, Reinhardt was that kind of person. He cross-dressed and wanted to show it off to others, even participating in a competition. "..." People tend to give up trying to understand things that go beyond their own judgment. Bertus gave up trying to understand Reinhardt. Giving up meant not being curious about or thinking about him any longer. Along with an order to stop investigating the silver-haired girl immediately, Bertus was trying hard not to think about that madman called Reinhardt. In the current situation, Bertus''s abandonment of any thought about Reinhardt was, in effect, a blessing for Reinhardt. "Still, I believe this is something you need to know..." "I told you not to speak of it." Due to the significant emotional damage, Bertus planned not to go near the dormitory until the end of the winter break. Seeing the prince''s apparent discomfort, his subordinate hesitated. It seemed like something they couldn''t help but bring up. "Well, I will only tell you this." "Hmph, fine. What is it?" With an attitude that suggested he was prepared for severe reprimand if it were a trivial matter, Bertus''s subordinate reluctantly spoke up. "He has received the royal crest." "¡­Hmm?" Bertus tilted his head. It was a completely unexpected statement. The royal crest? "¡­You mean Reinhardt received it? The royal crest? From whom? My sibling?" Bertus was aware that last time, Charlotte had lent her royal crest to Reinhardt when he went to Darkland. "No, Your Majesty personally gave it to him¡­" "From His Majesty?" The imperial crest. To be granted this directly from the Emperor was not a loan, but a bestowal. The owner of the crest was treated as one would treat a member of the royal family. In other words, it was only natural that simply possessing the crest would grant one immunity and privileges in most matters. There were no specific or detailed laws regarding how royalty should be treated, as it was rather ambiguous. Therefore, to be treated as royalty meant that one was entitled to receive more than the treatment bestowed upon any privileged class in the world. Thus, it was only natural that not just anyone could receive or possess the imperial crest, and those who did must have made an extraordinary contribution to the empire. For instance, people who no longer existed in the world, such as the hero Ragan Artorius and his companions. But now, Reinhardt had received it. "Didn''t we have an event last time where students were invited to the imperial palace in connection with the Temple Festival?" "Ah, yes. It''s an annual event." It was a rather ordinary event that took place every year. The tournament winners from each grade at the Temple School were invited to the palace, where they were honored and encouraged. This year was no different. Reinhardt was the first-year Temple champion. "Could it be that it happened then..." "Yes. Not only Reinhardt, but also Ellen Artorius received the imperial crest." "Ellen? But she didn''t participate in the tournament this time, did she?" "This time, the winners of the Miss and Mister Temple Contest were also invited." "Hmm. I see." Bertus hadn''t been interested in such matters, as he was preoccupied with other issues at the time. So he had only just found out that Ellen was the winner of the Miss Temple Contest. Bertus could see the bigger picture. The winners of the Miss and Mister Temple Contest were not originally invited to the imperial palace. The Emperor must have deliberately invited Ellen, knowing that she was the winner, in order to bestow the imperial crest upon her. "I can understand Ellen, but why Reinhardt?" Ellen Artorius. The younger sister of the hero, possessing outstanding talent and growing at an astonishing rate. In this uncertain situation where the Demon King might be resurrected, Ellen was someone the empire needed to protect and nurture with the utmost care. From that perspective, bestowing the imperial crest upon Ellen was a crucial and wise decision by the Emperor. But why Reinhardt as well? Bertus believed that Reinhardt also possessed a formidable talent. In terms of speed, Reinhardt might even be superior to Ellen. Though there was a significant difference in their starting points, both could now use Magic Body Strengthening. Of course, their skills were not equal. However, at present, Ellen had the extraordinary example of her older brother Ragan Artorius, and it was a fact that she received expectations beyond that. In reality, there were even more skilled individuals in the empire than Ellen and Reinhardt. Even if one were to invest in potential, receiving the imperial crest without the background of being the hero''s younger sister was a bit excessive. "He is the master of Tiamata, they say." "What?" Tiamata. At those words, Bertus furrowed his brow. "You mean the Tiamata I know? The sacred relic of Tu''an?" "Yes. Reinhardt is..." His subordinate paused. "The Champion of Tu''an." Champion of Tu''an. Reinhardt was the Champion of Tu''an. Feeling a different kind of shock than before, Bertus stood there with his mouth agape. "Since when?" "I''m not sure. I just received this information..." Tiamata''s master. Champion of Tu''an. Apostle of the Goddes of Purity. Pure. And. Crossdressing. "No, seriously, why the hell did he crossdress?" "¡­Pardon?" At Bertus''s outburst, his subordinate could not help but step back in surprise. Purity and crossdressing. Bertus was certain that Reinhardt was even more insane than he had initially thought. Rubbing his throbbing temples, Bertus let out a deep sigh. "Anyway, Reinhardt is the Champion of Tu''an, right? We''re not sure when this happened, though." "Yes, Your Majesty. So, it''s possible that he and Ellen Artorius received the Royal Crest as contenders against the Demon King¡­ That''s what we believe." "It could be. It''s a plausible situation¡­" There was a scene Bertus wanted to erase from his mind by soaking his brain in cleaning solution and scrubbing it away. He forcibly shoved the thought aside as it kept creeping up on him. Reinhardt was definitely a pervert, but he was also undeniably the Champion of Tu''an. He pushed aside his concerns about the irrelevant parts. He wanted to put them away forever, but that was easier said than done. Anyway, Reinhardt was the Champion of Tu''an. That''s why he and Ellen had received the Royal Crest. Bertus knew that Ellen was the master of Lament. However, he had not known that Reinhardt was the Champion of Tu''an until now. "Last year, he and Ellen brought back something from Darkland, which was thought to be a relic of the Demon King, right?" "Yes, if you mean the item that suddenly disappeared¡­" Last summer, Reinhardt had brought back a powerful artifact believed to be a relic of the Demon King from Darkland. But, when they tried to investigate it closely, it vanished after Dettomorian performed some kind of ritual. "Isn''t it a bit far-fetched to think that this ''relic of the Demon King'' business is related to Reinhardt being the Champion of Tu''an?" "Well¡­ I don''t know, Your Majesty." The idea that a sacred relic could be corrupted was something that only someone who had seen it with their own eyes could believe. If the item was connected to Reinhardt obtaining Tiamata, it would mean that quite some time had passed since he had become the Champion of Tu''an. "So he''s been keeping the fact that he''s the Champion of Tu''an a secret all this time¡­" Bertus could understand why. Being the master of a sacred relic would naturally draw unnecessary attention. That''s why Ellen hid the fact that she was the hero''s sister and the master of Lament as well. It seemed plausible that Reinhardt, who was close to Ellen, had managed to conceal the fact that he had become the master of Tiamata until now. Ultimately, it was too vague to determine at this point whether Reinhardt had become the champion of Tu¨¤n before or after entering the Temple. It could only be inferred that it was around the summer vacation period. However. The real point to consider lay elsewhere. He had been unable to know that Reinhardt was the master of Tiamata until now. It was a secret that had been well hidden. "How on earth did His Majesty come to know that Reinhardt is the champion of Tu¡¯an...?" Reinhardt wouldn''t have confessed the fact to the Emperor himself. It seemed that the Emperor had accurately pinpointed Reinhardt and Ellen and granted the royal crest. How? How did the Emperor know something that Reinhardt wouldn''t have told and granted the royal crest? "Hmm, and it''s certainly a bit peculiar." Bertus murmured, resting his chin in his hand. "Tiamata is known to be an object that does not fall into the hands of unbelievers." "¡­That''s right." Tiamata was a sacred relic that only acknowledged the knights or priests of Tu¡¯an as its master. However, Reinhardt didn''t particularly have any faith, nor did he have the temperament to have any. "It seems more fitting for Olivia Lanze, who is close to Reinhardt, to be the master. If there''s not much difference between a person who has given up their faith and a person without faith, then perhaps she would be better¡­" Wouldn''t Olivia Lanze, a believer of Tu¡¯an and possessing powerful divine power to the extent of being called a saint, be more suitable as the champion of Tu¡¯an? Bertus thought that if he were Tu¡¯an, he would have chosen Olivia instead of Reinhardt. However, the thoughts of the gods were unknowable. It wasn''t even certain whether they were beings capable of thought. In the end, only the result remained. The Emperor wouldn''t have granted the royal crest based on mere rumors, so Reinhardt must be the champion of Tu¨¤n. The power of purity. The power opposed to corruption. The power to stand against darkness. Darkness. The power of darkness. Shadows. It was so miserable, as if prepared for death, that it was considered unworthy of even being confronted. The power to control shadows that had been gradually eroding. His sibling. Charlotte de Gradias. Having let go of everything, then suddenly regaining vitality at some point. Moments of Charlotte''s life surfaced in Bertus''s mind. Numerous thoughts tangled in Bertus''s head. "¡­" Bertus stared out the window with a stern expression. "Come to think of it, that guy Reinhardt sometimes left the Temple¡­" Soon, the Crown Prince showed a gloomy smile. "The dates when my sibling''s condition is estimated to have improved suddenly." "The dates when Reinhardt didn''t attend the Temple. The time of his return." "My sibling''s whereabouts." "Bring everything compared and collated." At Bertus''s order, his subordinate nodded. "Yes, Your Highness." As the subordinate who received the order hurriedly left, someone knocked on Bertus''s office door. Knock knock "What is it?" "Your Highness, Lady Saviolin Turner requests an audience." "Tsk, there''s no time to rest. Let her in." The position of the First Prince was too great to focus on just one matter. If forgotten, the data sorted by his subordinates would give him inspiration or insight into something else. Until then, he just needed to be occupied with other tasks. Saviolin Turner soon entered the First Prince''s office. As always, her expression was stern and her demeanor composed. Her appearance, regardless of her actual age, resembled that of an enigmatic woman. The head of Shanafel paid her respects to the First Prince. "I am honored to meet you, Your Highness." "Welcome, Lady Turner." As Saviolin Turner looked at the First Prince, she spoke. "I heard that there is a task for me." "Yes, Lady Turner, it''s an important matter." Bertus, wearing a ring on his finger, smiled. "A very important matter." Saviolin Turner silently stared at Bertus''s smile. CH 362 There remained a task that I now had to consider as my last. Well, rather than calling it the last, it would be more appropriate to say that it was a task that, in some sense, signified the beginning, with all preparations completed. The Temple dormitory. Nighttime. "Yesterday, I finished making contact with Owen de Getmora." Inside my dormitory room, I was listening to Sarkegaar''s report. "How did he react? Wasn''t he surprised?" "He seemed somewhat startled, but being a natural-born merchant, he quickly regained his composure." It must have been disconcerting for someone who was promoting the Human Republic Revolution to suddenly be approached by forces from the demon world. However, it seemed that he had calmly begun to assess the situation. "He said he would have to discuss it with his advisers first, but as you suggested, the circumstances seem to be favorable for a positive response." As far as we knew, there was no difference between having a leash around their necks and being caught. If they didn''t want to join hands, all we had to do was pass on information about the revolutionary forces to the empire. "Right, from the empire''s perspective, the immediate threat isn''t us, but the revolutionary forces." The existence of the demon world forces could serve as grounds for uniting humanity. However, the revolutionary forces represented internal divisions. The demon world forces couldn''t bring down the empire, but the revolutionary forces could. Therefore, the ones the empire would truly want to eradicate with all their might were not us, but the revolutionary forces. Sarkegaar looked at me cautiously. "Of course, Owen had one condition during our meeting." "A condition¡­? What is it?" "He wants to see the Demon King''s descendant with his own eyes." "Hmm." It wasn''t entirely unexpected. If they were to join hands with us, they would be curious about how much power we had left and what we could do. And they would want to verify the existence of the last Demon King, who was only rumored to exist. If I had the power of the ancestors of the Demon King''s lineage, I would be very reliable. But I didn''t possess such practical power. "Can''t he tell by looking at an Archdemon?" "That''s what I said." So, showing myself wouldn''t make much of a difference. "What do you plan to do? Of course, we will need to coordinate on the location and manner of the meeting. Also, you don''t have to confront him personally. There could be traps or dangers of any kind." We knew them, but they didn''t know us. Revealing ourselves and exposing our full strength in such a situation couldn''t be considered a good choice. However, we would prefer to form an alliance rather than be exploited. We were already in the grasp of the Black Order. "Going there personally would be risky. Let''s avoid face-to-face meetings until we''ve built a certain level of trust. It''s not like we have to see each other''s faces to work together." Restraint is necessary at times. "Understood, Your Highness." Sarkegaar looked at me as if his report was finished. "I''ve decided to cooperate with the Order." "I see." Epinhauser never mentioned that he was a member of the Black Order. If that were the case, Sarkegaar would try to get me out of the Temple by any means necessary. "The exact purpose of the Black Order is still unclear. But it seems they''ve agreed to join forces to fight against Cantus Magna. While our interests align, we can''t quite trust each other, but we''ll work together." "...I think it''s too dangerous." Sarkegaar''s judgment is correct. And I am actually in an even more dangerous situation. If Sarkegaar knew that I had hidden Epinhauser''s affiliation with the Black Order, he would be furious. "I''m not sure if it''s the right decision to put ourselves at risk like this for Akasha. It might not be the object we''re looking for, after all." "Perhaps." What is Akasha? I don''t know. But since I''ve decided to do something, I must. The die was cast long ago, and now we''re just moving our pieces. If I wasn''t going to move my pieces, I would have stayed in Eleris''s shop, quietly waiting for the Gate incident to happen and leaving all other events and accidents untouched, killing time in that cramped second-floor corner. "You know that I went to the Demon King''s territory this time, right?" "Yes, Your Highness. Was there something there?" "It was a hideout, stocked with supplies that could last for a very long time." At my words, Sarkegaar stares at me blankly. "In the underground of the Demon King''s territory... There''s such a place?" "Yes, it seems you didn''t know." "No, this is the first time I''ve heard of it." "It appears to be a labyrinth that only opens to Archdemons." "A mysterious labyrinth... The previous Demon King was well-versed in magic, so it''s not that surprising, I suppose..." In fact, even Airi vaguely knew there was a secret space like that in the Demon King''s territory. The Four Heavenly Kings must have known about the bunker, but they kept it a secret. Airi knew the location, but she didn''t know it was a bunker. If so, the ones who knew about the bunker were the Four Heavenly Kings, the Demon King, and myself. The rest didn''t know about the secret space in the Demon King''s territory. Of course, someone else might know, but I can''t be certain. "It''s a labyrinth. It seemed like no one but Archdemons could even enter." "I see..." "Anyway, there were plenty of magical books from the demon realm in there. We''ll use them as bait to lure Cantus Magna." The bait is more than enough. So we prepare to catch the big fish named Cantus Magna, together with the Black Order. "Pass this information on to Lucinil. Then Eleris will know too." We share the information we''ve gathered and decide what steps to take moving forward. "Yes, Your Highness." Sarkegaar transforms into a sparrow and flies away. I gently pressed my temples and took a few deep breaths. Shouldn''t I meet the revolutionary forces directly? Is it right for me to obediently stay in the temple when the Black Order could harm me at any moment? Would soul-absorbing magic be the solution to Charlotte''s condition? What if I make a mistake with Cantus Magna, causing even bigger problems? When everything goes wrong... If I tell them that I was actually trying to save everyone... Who would believe me? ------ Two days had passed. Nothing particularly significant had happened during that time. I was cautiously approaching contact with the revolutionary forces, and I hadn''t received any opinions from Professor Epinhauser. However. It seemed that there were quite a few people who found my gloomy demeanor bothersome. "Hey, come out." Liana called me out as I stayed cooped up in my room, clutching my head. She appeared in an unexpected way at an unexpected time. "What is it?" "Let''s hang out with your big sis." She got a taste of defeating Cliffman, and now she''s doing this to me too? "¡­Why do you think you''re my big sister?" "Kid, it''s just a figure of speech." She grabbed me by the collar and dragged me out of the room. "Ouch!" "Anyway, come out, you little brat." This girl, who seemed to live without any worries and only focused on enjoying herself. A rich girl who seemed like a rich girl but also didn''t. Liana de Grantz. "Want a drink?" "You and I aren''t at the age to drink like it''s a natural thing, you know?" "But last time, you were screaming your head off and enjoying yourself, weren''t you?" Somehow. In a situation like this, Liana''s carefree behavior was comforting. It was still afternoon. As Liana dragged me along, she spoke. "Anyway, spare some time." "What for?" "Let''s have a chat." Liana looked at me and grinned. "I don''t know why you''re so gloomy, but there are more than a few people who get tired of it, you know?" -Thump thump! Liana patted my shoulder. "You won''t die from lightening up." Not everything that goes wrong is because of a bad attitude. So, it''s okay to lighten up. "You''re right." As I chuckled weakly, Liana clicked her tongue. "A pig about to be slaughtered tomorrow wouldn''t have an expression like that, would it?" "Are your words gradually getting harsher?" "Yeah, come on out like this. It''s more familiar this way." As I seemed about to lose my temper, Liana laughed and patted my back. Liana de Grantz... She always seemed distant yet close. A strange girl. ------ She said to spare some time. Liana took me outside the temple. "Where are we going?" "Just follow me." She even dragged me onto a magic train. Come to think of it, there weren''t many times when it was just the two of us. It was during the deserted island group mission when I first spoke with Liana. After that, we didn''t seem particularly close, but after the summer vacation, we began to treat each other casually, as if we had become friends. We hadn''t shared many experiences, but somehow we became close enough that we didn''t feel any discomfort around each other¡ªa peculiar kind of relationship. We could call each other friends without hesitation. That''s what I think, at least. On the magic train with a limited number of passengers, I absentmindedly gaze out the window, gripping the handrail. The scenery resembles Seoul, but it''s distinctly different as it whizzes by. The process of taking the train is the same, but the landscapes of this world don''t resemble those in my head from Seoul. Inside the swaying train carriage. "What''s the matter?" Liana de Grantz asks quietly. I could feel her concern for me in her simple question. There''s a lot going on, but I can''t talk about it. "Nothing''s wrong." "Well, people can feel that way sometimes." Though she didn''t seem entirely convinced, she didn''t pry further. Liana fell silent for a moment, searching for a new topic before speaking up again. "The new students will be joining us soon." "...Yeah." I had been preoccupied with my own issues and hadn''t given any thought to that matter. We''re now second-year students, and soon, new students will be entering the Royal Class. Some of these new students will have roles in the original work, and since my actions shouldn''t have affected that part, they will be admitted to the Royal Class as usual. They''ll mostly be involved with Ludwig, though. Of course, they''ll be divided into first-year A and B classes, maintaining the same power dynamics among the seniors. Juniors. I''ve drifted away from the temple while thinking about such things. "I just hope we don''t have juniors like you." "...What''s wrong with me?" "Would you like it if we had a junior who started cursing at their seniors trying to maintain discipline?" "Oh." That thought makes my head spin. Having a junior like me? That would be the worst. Liana looks at me and asks. "What would you do if Harriet gathered the juniors and was telling them various things, and a junior as small as a mouse started lecturing her and she ended up crying?" Well. That. Uh... "..." "You wouldn''t let that go, right? Like that senior who came to discipline you last time and left with a swagger?" I couldn''t deny it! I had cursed at Redina, who came to discipline the juniors, and she had brought second-year Ard with her, swearing to teach me a lesson. I had been beaten badly by Ard but managed to avoid the crisis with a last-minute high kick. And now that I''m a second-year student. Our class probably won''t have to deal with disciplining the juniors. But if we did, and a junior started mouthing off to one of our classmates. And if Harriet, surprised by the incident, tearfully reported it to me. ''If my junior ever said that to me...'' Even if they did say such a thing. I have no confidence that I wouldn''t beat them senseless. Ard de Gritis... You... You deserved it... Only after a year had passed did I come to understand the feelings of my senior who had defeated me. I''m sure I would be no less severe, if not more so... Who do you think you are, dealing with our thickheaded friend? Even though she may appear this way, she''s a princess. When it was my turn to endure it, I found it unbearable and annoying, but if the situation were reversed, I couldn''t guarantee that I wouldn''t do the same! Seeing my expression, as if she could read my thoughts, Liana burst into laughter. "But when you think about it, it''s amazing. Last year, when you did that crazy thing, I really thought you were an unbelievable lunatic... How did it come to this?" We had no reason to become close, but after various events, we ended up becoming friends. Liana must have never expected that she''d end up going on walks outside with someone like me. Liana gazed out the window with a faint smile. "Anyway, it was fun." "..." "I hope this year is the same." Just like Liana said, last year was filled with fun events, and I hoped that this year would be full of enjoyable moments as well. "...I hope so too." I wish the same. ------ We took a magical train, and soon I found out where Liana was taking me. The mansion-dense area in the northern part of the Imperial City. In front of an incredibly large mansion, Liana stopped. "Of course, this isn''t your house, is it?" "You know it well." What does my apparent gloominess have to do with your invitation to your home? Liana chuckled. "Soon, I''ll have to ask for permission." "Permission? Permission for what?" "Marriage." "Wha- No, what?" "What is it? Don''t you like it?" What on earth is she talking about? Has she been looking at me that way all this time? "Um, no... I don''t understand what you''re saying. And, sorry, but..." "...You really think I''m serious? It''s a joke." Liana clicked her tongue as if she couldn''t believe it. Then, a blue spark jumped from her hair. -Zap! "Also, you''re getting really worked up, and it''s annoying." "What do you want me to do? Don''t play jokes like that!" "Quiet." As if her pride had been hurt by my reaction to her joke, Liana crossed her arms, and soon the mansion doors were opened by the servants. "Welcome back, Miss." "Yes." "Everyone is waiting for you in the guesthouse." Waiting? Who on earth is waiting? "Come on." Liana grabbed my arm and led the way through the vast mansion. "You should be grateful, you know." Liana muttered something incomprehensible as she dragged me along. CH 363 At the Grantz Duke''s mansion. It was not the main building, but as soon as I entered the annex, I couldn''t help but be surprised. First of all, the dining room of the annex was filled with delicious smells. Naturally, the table was laden with countless dishes. However, the important thing was not the food. "You''re here." Ellen. "¡­" Harriet. "Ah, you''re here¡­" Adelia. "Uh, um¡­ So, you''ve come? Reinhardt." Cliffman was there as well. "What is all this¡­?" Liana poked my side with her elbow, as I couldn''t understand the situation. "What do you think? We saw you looking down and thought we''d do something to cheer you up, so we decided to have a party." The food looked delicious. Judging by the fact that everyone was wearing aprons, it seemed like they had prepared the dishes themselves. I looked upset, but I didn''t tell them why. So they tried to comfort me somehow, but they didn''t know what to do, so they planned a surprise party. This wouldn''t solve any problems or ease my psychological anxiety about the issues I faced. The more I saw them worrying about me, the more fearful I became of the future. This was useless. The better the present, the more I feared the future. In fact, I didn''t need this at all. Because one day, I would long for this moment. "Uh¡­ Are you crying?" Liana''s trembling voice broke the silence, echoing throughout the dining room. It sounded genuinely flustered, and the others stared at me with their mouths agape. "What the hell are you talking about? What would make me cry?" "Ah, no¡­ You''re really crying?" Liana made a fuss, having misread the situation. I was no child. I was way past the age of shedding tears over something like this. "I''m not crying!" Why would I cry? Just because they threw a surprise party for me? How old do you think I am? "¡­Here." Ellen approached me and offered a tissue. No, I wasn''t crying, so why would I need this? "I''m not crying, okay?" I didn''t cry. I had no idea if something had come out of my eyes without my knowing. It was something I didn''t know. "Alright, since you''re not crying, here." In the end, I accepted the tissue Ellen offered. "Damn¡­" Somehow, I felt defeated. And then, There was such a person. Someone who cries without knowing why when others cry. "Sniff¡­" "Wait¡­ Why are you crying?" "Wah¡­ I don''t, don''t know¡­" Harriet suddenly started crying as well, and Liana was left dumbfounded for the second time. "Here." "Uh, uhm¡­ Sniff¡­" Ellen handed a tissue to Harriet as well. ------ I didn''t cry, but Harriet did. I firmly believe that. Of course, the children''s thoughts might differ, but it''s none of my business. So, in the end, although it was a surprise party, a lavish feast was spread out before us. Naturally, it would be rude not to eat. The atmosphere was far from that of a social gathering where musicians played and people danced. It seemed clear that Liana disliked such events. It was hard to imagine Liana dressed up and dancing at a social party. With her legs crossed, she seemed like she would give a cold stare to any man who approached her, as if to say "Get lost if you have no business here." Of course, I wouldn''t know for sure. There was plenty of food prepared. I knew from before that Ellen could cook well, but it was surprising to find out that Harriet, Adelia, and even Clifman had cooked as well. "¡­Were you dragged into this?" "¡­They said they needed more hands." It seemed Liana had roped Clifman into it. Had he become Liana''s personal servant? If he enjoyed it as a reward, that would be one thing, but if he was really forced into it against his will, wouldn''t that be considered bullying? No. At this point, calling it bullying seems a bit absurd. What I was curious about was who made what. Om nom nom I couldn''t tell what Ellen had made since she was devouring everything in front of her. Eek! It was quite clear what Harriet had made. She watched me carefully as I reached for the food, her eyes filled with anticipation. But it was quite surprising. The cream pasta in front of me. Judging by her watchful gaze, it seemed clear that Harriet had made it. But honestly. A character like her should definitely be terrible at cooking, right? It looked fine, but I thought it might have sugar instead of salt or something like that. In the end, not wanting to disappoint her, I closed my eyes and took a bite. "How is it? How is it?" Harriet eagerly asked me as soon as I had taken a bite. What''s going on? Why is it just delicious? It wasn''t an extraordinary delicacy, but thinking that Harriet had made it, it felt even tastier due to the novelty. "¡­Why is it good?" At my words, Harriet furrowed her brow. "What do you mean? If it''s delicious, it''s delicious. What''s with the ''why is it good'' question?" "No, why do you know how to cook?" "I just followed the recipe in the cookbook, you know?" Ah. So, if you strictly follow the recipe, it can''t be tasteless, right? She had approached cooking like a top student. In fact, considering that, it seemed almost impossible for Harriet to be bad at cooking. And yet, for a first attempt, this level of skill was quite impressive. Wasn''t this enough to say she had an incredible talent for cooking? The dishes varied, but a pattern emerged. The delicious ones were all made by Ellen. The ones that were just fine were mostly made by Harriet. "¡­" "¡­" There was indeed some horribly tasteless food. "It''s my first time... because it''s my first time..." "No, if it''s your first time, it''s only natural to be like this. Don''t think you couldn''t do it." Adelia had taken the role of the cook. Well, she could hardly be called a cook. It was strange that Harriet, who was doing it for the first time, was good at it. Cliffman seemed to have been in charge of various chores, starting with preparing the ingredients. In the end, the bountiful meal came to a close. "Anyway, thank you all." I sincerely expressed my gratitude for the fact that they all went out of their way to do this, just to prevent me from being depressed. ------ The party was not over. Since we were visiting the Grantz Ducal House, we agreed to stay overnight in one of the many empty rooms. I had plenty of time, as I wasn''t particularly busy. Even though it wasn''t the main house, the annex was still the size of an average mansion. Liana''s intentions were obvious. She was clearly planning to have a drink with the kids tonight. It wasn''t the right time now, since it was daytime and there were servants around, but she was definitely waiting for the right moment. Taking us to the annex was to avoid the gazes of the servants and family in the main house. Of course, such a drinking session wouldn''t happen until the evening. "Still, I want to go somewhere fun during the winter break." Liana lay on Cliffman''s lap, trimming her nails and mumbling. Cliffman was frozen, unable to do anything. At a glance, it should have looked sweet and exciting. But Liana seemed to think of him only as a pillow. "Hey, you." "Uh, uh, uh..." With his face flushed, Cliffman stuttered when Liana looked up at him and called. "Is there anywhere you want to go?" "Me, me? Me?!" "Well, I asked you, didn''t I? Did I ask someone else?" "Th-that, that''s..." "¡­Why are you so flustered?" Liana laughed softly, looking up at Cliffman. "Oh, did you think I meant just the two of us?" "No, no?! No. No, no. Not. Not. That?" "You''re naughty. Why, do you want to go out just with me? Huh?" "No, no! No way! I said no!" "What? No? You don''t want to right now?" "Ah, no, not... not..." "Do you want to? Go out just the two of us?" "Pl-please... It''s all my fault..." With his face drained of color, Cliffman surrendered, and Liana laughed heartily. Harriet watched Liana with a dumbfounded expression. Harriet patted my shoulder and whispered. "Sometimes, Liana can be... you know..." "Malicious." At my words, Harriet''s eyes widened. She seemed to want to disagree, but ultimately, she couldn''t say anything, which made it seem like she strongly agreed. Adelia couldn''t bear to look at the scene, her face turning red, and she couldn''t bring herself to watch any longer. Om nom nom Ellen was, for better or worse, preoccupied with macarons. Despite her prank on Cliffman, it seemed that Liana genuinely wanted to go somewhere before the winter break ended. Thus, a sudden discussion about where to go for the winter vacation took place. What was amusing during the conversation was that Cliffman, who had a human seasickness, had the most reactions. Although most of them were stammering, he spoke the second most after Liana. During the conversation, I wasn''t sure if I could join them, so I stepped outside. Under the pretext of going for a walk. Apparently, it was fine to roam freely since our visit had already been reported to Duke Grantz. But, was I being too much? When visiting a friend''s house, isn''t it polite to greet their parents at least? Playing and having fun without saying a word, was it proof that I hadn''t completely escaped from Confucian thought? Although I felt guilty, I didn''t step forward to greet Duke Grantz. That would be a ridiculous act. I wandered around the mansion garden near the annex. There were no flowers due to winter, and it was a well-maintained garden with neatly arranged shrubs. The mere fact that they could have a mansion of this size on the main street made me feel once again how powerful and wealthy the Grantz family was. And considering how they were supporting a daughter like Liana, who spent money like water, it was evident. Come to think of it, almost all of our classmates with powerful backgrounds were in Class A. Bertus de Gardias. Liana de Grantz. Harriet de Saint-Owan. Heinrich von Schwarz. Of course, Erich was a noble too, but not as powerful as them. On the other hand, apart from Charlotte, Anna de Gerna was the only noble in Class B. Although she was more like a magician family, like Harriet. Anyway. After wandering here and there, I ended up at the Grantz family mansion. If I had asked Liana to show me her house, she would have brought me there without hesitation, so it wasn''t that difficult to reach. As I walked through the winter garden, I never expected to meet someone in a place like this. He was entering the mansion through the main gate, escorted by a servant. "Um." "...Ah." "Reinhardt, I didn''t expect to see you here." The middle-aged man, slightly lifting his hat in greeting. "Ah... It''s been a while." In this situation, at this place. Why are you here? I got goosebumps. The Merchant Guild Master. It was Owen de Getmora. CH 364 After briefly greeting me, Owen de Gatmora said he had business to attend to and headed toward the main building of the mansion. I stood there, quietly watching his retreating figure. Being a merchant guild master wouldn''t be a problem no matter where he was. Naturally, he would come and go for profitable ventures, and the Grantz Ducal House was undoubtedly a wealthy place. That would have been the case not too long ago. However, I now know that he is involved with the revolutionary forces. Owen de Gatmora is a man who can go anywhere. Therefore, he could easily enter the Grantz Ducal House for business or any other reason. It''s an overreach to think that the Duke of Grantz might be involved in the revolutionary forces, as he has no reason to be interested in the revolution. But it''s not like there hasn''t been a history of privileged nobles pouring everything into such matters. Since I don''t know what kind of person the Duke of Grantz is, I cannot know what he thinks or what kind of disposition he has. My head felt like it was going to explode. What if the Duke of Grantz is a core figure in the revolutionary forces? So what if he is? Does it matter either way, considering I will eventually cooperate with them from the position of a demon prince? No. After the Gate incident is resolved... If the anti-empire alliance survives, whose side should I take? Thinking about the aftermath before the main event seems absurd. If I choose to maintain the empire and sabotage the anti-empire alliance, the result will be a massacre. If I choose to maintain the alliance and incite rebellion against the empire, it will be a war. -Suddenly! I heard the sound of a window opening from behind the annex. ¡°Hey! Are you coming in or not?¡± Liana, shooting sparks of electricity as if to threaten me, shouted at me. It can''t be. The Duke of Grantz couldn''t be involved. There''s no rationale. Why would the Duke of Grantz, born with everything and sure to live with everything, risk it all on a reckless challenge? But what if he isn''t? Whether the Gate incident is resolved or not, the moment I formed the anti-empire alliance, countless people will die depending on my choice. That fact won''t change. Choosing the empire or the anti-empire alliance. I just realized another truth: that many will die due to my decision. ¡°Stop standing there and hurry up!¡± -Zap! Zap! "Alright, alright." Liana de Grantz, who knows nothing of the world and lives by doing whatever she pleases. It would be nice if she could live her whole life without knowing such things. ------ Liana doesn''t know about the dilemma I''m facing. As winter break approached, various discussions arose about where to go for some fun, but everyone seemed lukewarm about the idea. "I''m planning to train. I''ve rested too much while visiting my hometown this time." Although Ellen hadn''t participated in the tournament, her desire to become stronger hadn''t lessened but had grown even stronger than before. Eventually, she would have to face the Demon King, and she might have to stand at the forefront of that battle, so she believed it was essential to make good use of her time. Moreover, for now, albeit uncertain for how long, the strongest swordsman on the continent, Saviolin Turner, resided in the dormitory. Ludwig kept pestering Turner and learning various things, but Ellen hadn''t had the chance to train with Saviolin Turner due to preparing for Miss Temple last time and visiting her hometown this time. Thus, it was inevitable that she felt restless. "Um¡­ I think my magic research is finally starting to make progress¡­" Adelia hesitated but seemed reluctant to take a break for a week or so, as the completion of the power cartridge was gradually coming into view. Harriet was in the same boat, with her interdimensional magic research and a schedule so tight that even splitting her time would hardly suffice. "Thanks for today, but I also have plans." Although unable to explain, in the end, everyone was busy, and personal training like Ellen''s could serve as an excuse. Eventually. Regarding the trip, everyone but Cliffman found it difficult to go. "What''s going on? Why is everyone¡­ living so diligently¡­?" Liana murmured blankly, her eyes unfocused. I chuckled at Liana''s expression. "¡­You seem to have forgotten, but isn''t it appropriate for Royal Class students receiving full support from the Empire to live like this?" "Wow¡­ Hearing that from you makes me feel even more disgusted¡­?" Liana continued to murmur blankly. Come to think of it, the kids here were all exceptional even among the top students. It would be strange if they didn''t live like this! Without any particular effort, your psychic output may skyrocket, so it''s fine for you to have fun, but everyone else must put in the effort! "¡­" Liana looked at Cliffman weakly. And you? That was the vibe she gave off. Cliffman was indeed born with exceptional talent, but he too needed to train. He hadn''t yet awakened his Magic Body Strengthening. However, Liana might be utterly disheartened if she got rejected this time as well. "Th-that''s¡­ I, I am¡­ I am¡­" But if Cliffman said it was fine, it would really just end up with the two of them going on a trip, so his face turned red, and he stuttered. Seeing Cliffman like this, Liana finally dropped her head. "Never mind¡­ Everyone just die¡­ Everyone live diligently¡­ Let''s see how well you live¡­" Liana muttered, seemingly devoid of spirit. Her friends were living so diligently that it had broken Liana''s spirit. ------ As evening approached at the Grantz Ducal House, Liana''s mental state, which had been shattered earlier, slowly began to recover. Heh heh. The hour of indulging in a drink was fast approaching. At this age, is it really alright to enjoy alcohol this much? Whether the Duke of Grantz was involved in the revolutionary forces or not, wasn''t his management of his children a failure from the start? "Ah, Miss... there are guests here..." "It''s fine. Hurry up and leave. Rest, go and rest. It''s alright." That couldn''t possibly be alright, could it? Judging by how she was pushing the servants away and telling them to rest, they seemed to know that something was about to happen here. With so much money and no worries about the future, there truly is no one like her. "Is... is it really okay to do this?" "I said..." Both Harriet and Adelia looked uneasy, unable to settle down, not knowing what Liana was thinking. Nearly everyone in the Edina mansion was a servant. But here, in the main house where the Duke of Grantz resided, it would be nothing short of rude to not greet him and to just have a drinking party among the children. It''s not a problem with me being steeped in Confucian thought. This really is strange! The fact that everyone, except Ellen, looked as if they shouldn''t be doing this was proof. And so, one by one, as Liana pushed the servants away, the mansion was now completely empty according to her plan. "Heh heh, shall we begin now?" I cannot forgive you diligent ones. At that moment, as Liana was about to open the display case with such an expression. Bang "Liana! Why aren''t you introducing your friends?" "Ah, Dad?!" A man with a pleasant demeanor opened the door to the mansion and shouted cheerfully. Liana, with a clearly flustered expression, finally raised her fists in anger and yelled. "Argh! I told you not to come to the mansion when I''m playing with my friends!" Huh. What is this familiar feeling? "I should at least greet your friends when you brought them along! Do you know how long I''ve been waiting?" "Ah, you''ve already met these two before! Why do you want to see them again!" That''s right. During the Miss and Mister Temple contest, Liana had taken Cliffman and Ellen to the Grantz Duke''s house. Ellen and Cliffman, who seemed to have become acquainted with the Duke back then, bowed their heads when they saw him. "Hello." "It''s an honor to see you, Your Grace." "That''s right, Ellen. Still as cute as ever. Cliffman, it looks like you''ve gained some more muscle. But there are some new faces, aren''t there?" As Harriet, Adelia, and I were about to stand up and say something, Liana forcefully pushed the Duke''s chest. "This is Reinhardt, this is Adelia, and this is Harriet. There, satisfied? Now go! Leave, quickly!" "Ouch, my dear daughter is pushing me away. Did I say I was going to scold you? Let''s just chat, alright? Let''s chat, you little rascal." "Ah, I don''t care. Just leave!" What could it be? The feeling with Harriet and the unapproachable Archduke was different. Still, the unapproachable Archduke at least tried to appear stern. The Duke of Grantz seemed a bit mischievous, didn''t he? "Oh dear, you must have a hard time dealing with your daughter''s temper, huh, guys?" "Ah, stop spouting nonsense and just leave!" It seemed that rather than being a doting father, Duke Grantz enjoyed watching his daughter struggle. Watching Liana''s irritated face while chuckling to himself was more than enough to confirm this. "Get out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out!" "Good grief, fine then." In the end, Duke Grantz was pushed out of the annex by his daughter. -Bang! Clank! Clank! "Ugh, seriously." After forcefully closing the door, Liana locked it. "I told him not to come, what''s his deal?" Liana grumbled, showing off her spoiled nature without holding back. -Click! The sound of the lock opening accompanied the annex door swinging open again. "Did our daughter not know about this?" In his hand, a large keyring jingled. Oh, no. This father-daughter relationship is complicated. "Does my daughter think that locking a door will keep her father out of his own house?" Duke Grantz, jingling the large keyring in his hand, reentered the annex with a sly laugh. "Ah, seriously!" -Sizzle! As if genuinely furious, sparks began to flicker from Liana''s hair. "Oh dear, I was only joking, but it seems like you want to roast your father. What''s the use of raising a daughter? Sigh." "Get out!" "Fine! I''m going! Go!" -Thump! Duke Grantz, fearing Liana might actually strike him with lightning, truly left the annex this time. ¡°Stop bickering, you guys!¡± Duke Grantz continued to provoke them from beyond the door. After the storm had passed, "This is why I didn''t introduce him!" Liana stomped her foot, grumbling. Though he had only appeared for a few minutes, we were all overwhelmed by Duke Grantz''s imposing presence. "What can I say... He''s quite an extraordinary person..." Harriet murmured blankly, her mouth agape, while Ellen, who had already seen this commotion several times before, casually sipped her tea and commented, "He''s a good person." This was the first time Ellen had ever spoken about someone in this manner, leaving everyone baffled. Liana''s eyes narrowed in response. "What? Good? What''s good about him?" "Hmm. Based on my standards, you''re definitely a spoiled brat." I crossed my arms and looked at Liana. Seriously! Not to the heavens, but to her parents, seriously! "Do you want to die?" -Sizzle! "No, it''s obvious to anyone that you''re a spoiled brat." Everyone subtly nodded their heads in agreement with my composed conclusion. "That''s a bit... harsh, I think..." Adelia''s reaction. "Looking at it this way... I think I might have been too harsh on my dad..." Harriet began to reflect on her actions. "Well, that''s... true..." Even Cliffman chimed in. Ellen and Cliffman had seen this chaos more times and had witnessed Liana''s antics more than the rest of us. "Do you really want to die?" "Are you really going to die?" "Ah, no... well, it''s not wrong, is it?" Cliffman, surprisingly, knew what to say. "Really... does everyone think that way...?" A brat''s trait: They don''t listen to their parents, but they listen to their friends. Even Cliffman, who would agree that the sky is yellow if Liana said so, was persuaded this time. Liana was dumbfounded. "Am I... am I really a brat...?" Liana ended up showing a typical brat''s reaction, not listening to her father but finding enlightenment in her friends'' words. ------ In any case, Duke Grantz, though not aware of Liana''s thoughts, managed to dispel the last of our anxiety. He clearly said, "Drink in moderation." To drink in moderation meant that he was ultimately allowing us to drink. Since it was said with the intention of letting us have a good time without worrying about him, Duke Grantz was not being malicious, even though he liked to see his daughter in trouble. Liana and I had whiskey, while the rest drank sweet wine. As we chatted, there wasn''t anything too remarkable. The main topic was about the juniors who would join us next year. "It would be nice if there were no kids like you." Harriet said the exact same thing Liana had said earlier today. "How common do you think someone like me is? It''s a talent, you know." "Wow... You''re actually aware of your exceptional nature in that regard?" "I''m surprisingly good at understanding the situation." "Isn''t it something you should fix instead of acknowledging it?" "Isn''t it about time you realize I''m not that bad of a person? You blockhead?" "Talking to you always makes me mad... And stop calling me a blockhead!" "You''re used to it by now, right? You''d feel left out if I didn''t call you a blockhead, right?" "Argh! I don''t feel left out! I don''t!" "I get it, Harriet." "...Huh?" "You feel a bit awkward now, huh? It''s weird that I called you by your name, isn''t it? Blockhead sounds better, doesn''t it?" "Aaaaaaaah! Stop it! You''re really mean! Why do you treat me like this?!" I succeeded in blowing Harriet''s top, which hadn''t happened in a long time, and felt a great satisfaction. "Ah, I''m getting hot... Dizzy... It''s because of that jerk..." "Lie down for a bit." "Ugh..." Harriet groaned, then slumped down on the sofa, seemingly overwhelmed by the alcohol. Harriet eventually fell asleep without realizing it. Adelia, who was intoxicated and staggering, clung to Harriet like a pillow and fell asleep as well. "I''m sleepy." Ellen, who appeared not to be drunk at all, gulped down her wine and laid her head on Liana''s lap. She would probably fall asleep soon. The only ones who were fully conscious were Liana, Cliffman, and myself. Surprisingly, Cliffman didn''t get very drunk. I thought his alcohol tolerance was strong, but it seemed he hadn''t been drinking at all. Perhaps he was afraid of what he might do if he got drunk. "Ah, what did I do so wrong..." Liana seemed to have seriously pondered whether she was a brat or not, and concluded that she had done nothing wrong. She didn''t seem too drunk, but she was tipsy enough. I didn''t drink much either. My reason wasn''t the same as Cliffman''s. "Hey." "I''m not a brat." "No, what did I say?" As soon as I called out, she reflexively blurted out those words, as if expecting a slap. Usually, when you''re unsure whether something is right or wrong, it''s right, and Liana was indeed a brat. Of course, that''s not what I intended to discuss. Owen de Getmora is a member of the revolutionary forces. Because he came here, it is impertinent to suspect that Duke Grantz might be a part of the revolutionary forces. However, there''s a possibility. Just a possibility. But there''s a very important question to ask in order to confirm that. "Did your father also... attend the Temple?" "The temple? Of course!" My heart raced wildly. Liana said that, taking a sip of her whiskey. "Did he graduate from the Orbis Class?" Damn it. Blast. CH 365 Not everyone from the Orbis class was involved in the revolutionary forces. However, graduating at the top of the Orbis class was quite a feat. There was no reason for Duke Grantz to join the revolutionary forces. Strictly speaking, regardless of one''s origins, nobility, or wealth, there was no reason for anyone to join the revolutionary forces. What could possibly warrant risking one''s life for such a cause? In reality, even those who would benefit from the revolution would be better off boarding the ship of the new world after the revolution had occurred, rather than risking their lives to be part of it. If Duke Grantz was a member of the revolutionary forces, he would undoubtedly be a key figure. ¡°They say it whenever they scold me for graduating top of the class, but honestly I don¡¯t believe it.¡± He even graduated at the top of his class. How wonderful ink was for pursuing one''s dreams. Liana pointed to her head as she gulped whiskey, not knowing what I was thinking. "No matter how much I think about it, my head isn''t that good, you know? Who do you think I got this head from?" She said her father''s head must be bad because her own head was bad. It was a dizzying statement, but that wasn''t what was important to me right now. If Duke Grantz was part of the revolutionary forces, should I consider him my ally since I was going to join forces with them anyway? Whether Duke Grantz was a part of the revolutionary forces or not, my only interest was in delaying the revolution until after the Gate incident. The Anti-Imperial Alliance was just an excuse, and there was no real intention to form it and raise a flag against the Empire. The revolutionary forces, the independence of the Five Great Holy Religions, they all vanished in the whirlwind of the Gate incident. Humanity suffered enormous losses beyond the Empire, and there was no time left to dream of other things. Rebuilding the world with all one''s might was the endpoint after the Gate incident. Before the great crisis of humanity, all trivial interests had disappeared. But what would happen if that great crisis disappeared? Would it be better if the Gate incident occurred...? Now, it might be better not to know. In the end, I hadn''t yet touched the essence of the Gate incident. That''s why I knew that all these thoughts and worries were ultimately empty. ¡ª--- We cleaned up early since the children had fallen asleep. After tucking the sleeping children into their rooms, Liana and Cliffman went to their own rooms to sleep. I couldn''t sleep. The surprise party that was suddenly planned to comfort me. I was honestly moved by it, but since coming here, I had been burdened with irrelevant concerns. There was nothing certain. As I gazed out the window at the night-shrouded garden, I saw someone wandering through the garden. A man with a pleasant countenance. Duke Grantz. Not knowing what to do, I opened the door of the annex. The door to the annex opened, and he, who had been walking in the garden, watched me for a moment before bursting into a sly chuckle. "Ah, it seems there''s someone else who can''t sleep tonight besides me." Somehow, his laughter looked sad. ------ "Your name is Reinhardt, right?" "Yes, that''s correct." "I''ve heard quite a bit about you." Being a troublesome individual, Duke Grantz seemed to have heard various stories about me. "When I ask my daughter to talk about the Temple, she gets annoyed, but she''s told me more about you than anything else." "Ah, yes..." Duke Grantz chuckled as he patted my shoulder. The habit of patting people while talking ¨C had Liana inherited that from her father? Liana had told the Duke quite a bit about me, describing me as a strange guy at the Temple since the beginning of the semester. Of course, Liana didn''t seem to enjoy conversing with her father that much, so Duke Grantz hadn''t heard my story to the point of having it drilled into his ears. Mainly. Focusing on incidents and accidents. So. I couldn''t help but break into a cold sweat. Duke Grantz. Orbis Class graduate. Possible revolutionary. He might hold a personal grudge against me for being the catalyst of the Orbis Class closure. "When I heard you fought with a senior from the Orbis Class, I thought you must be quite a big shot, even though I didn''t know you." Even if that weren''t the case, the person responsible for the closure of his alma mater was right next to him. However, all I could feel from Duke Grantz''s sly smile was admiration for his bold daughter''s friend. Did he not care about the Orbis Class, or was he simply hiding his emotions? "It must have been quite surprising for you, what happened after that, Reinhardt." Instead, he spoke directly about the incident. "Yes... I never expected it to turn out like this..." In reality, I never anticipated that the conflict would escalate beyond the closure of the Orbis Class and accelerate the revolutionary movement. "What was meant to happen, happened." Duke Grantz said, looking up at the winter night sky. His attitude seemed to suggest that he had known about the corruption of the Orbis Class long before. Judging by his words, was he unrelated to the revolutionaries? However, on a sleepless winter night. I didn''t know the reason why he couldn''t sleep, but it was clear that I was not mistaken in sensing deep regret and some remorse in his expression. As we walked and talked, I suddenly looked towards the mansion and couldn''t help but feel a bit creeped out. Someone was watching Duke Grantz and me. A grown woman, with her arms crossed and frowning as if displeased, stared at me. As our eyes met, she furrowed her brow even more and closed the curtain with a snap. Both Duke Grantz and I saw her. "Ah, um... My wife is a bit sensitive." The Duchess? As it turned out, since Liana had not introduced the Duke, it was only natural that she had not introduced the Duchess either. Somehow, Duke Grantz seemed apologetic as he spoke. What was bothering him? Or was it that the Duke of Grantz stayed up late? But there was something more to the nervous-looking Duchess''s expression than mere irritation. Disgust and contempt. That was what it seemed like. "Ahem, I think I should go inside now. It''s cold, and a long nighttime walk isn''t good for you either." "Oh, yes. I understand." Duke Grantz seemed to be sparing his words. ------ The next day. In the dining room of the annex, they had a simple breakfast served by the servants. Of course, even though it was called a simple meal, it was still a breakfast fit for the Grantz household, able to accommodate Ellen''s tremendous appetite. The menu was simple, but the portions were not. No one seemed to have a hangover from drinking too much. However, Harriet was not present at breakfast. "Where''s Harriet?" "Maybe she''s still sleeping?" In response to my question, Liana shrugged her shoulders. She didn''t seem to drink that much last night; was she tired? However, Harriet was not asleep. After finishing breakfast and having tea, Harriet entered through the front door of the annex. "Oh? Everyone''s already up." "Weren''t you sleeping?" Harriet shook her head at my question. "No? I woke up the earliest." "Then where did you go without having breakfast?" Harriet scratched her cheek as if my question was slightly embarrassing. "Well... The Duchess invited me to have breakfast with her..." At this, Liana sighed deeply, pressing her forehead. "I knew it..." What was she talking about? Liana looked annoyed as she narrowed her eyes and spoke to Harriet. "Harriet, don''t pay any attention to whatever nonsense my mother told you." The atmosphere was entirely different when talking about Duke Grantz. Although she found her father annoying, there was no sign of genuine dislike. However, when talking about her mother, Liana spoke with a sense of genuine disgust and contempt. "Oh? But... she did say some nice things too..." Harriet couldn''t simply agree, so she awkwardly said as much. "No way." Liana dismissed the possibility, leaving Harriet feeling uncomfortable. Harriet joined them at the table and drank her tea. Duke Grantz. The Duchess of Grantz. The expressions directed at me last night, or at Duke Grantz. The gaze filled with contempt. Inviting Harriet to breakfast. Only Harriet was invited. The daughter of Count Saint-Owan. Harriet de Saint-Owan. The conclusion was that the Duchess of Grantz was extremely sensitive to social status. Liana''s words seemed to trouble Harriet greatly, yet she couldn''t outright deny them. The conclusion was easily drawn from her expression. It was clear that she had heard something she couldn''t agree with. ------ After breakfast, we returned to the dormitory together. On our way back, Duke Grantz bid us farewell. "Have a safe journey, and be careful not to catch a cold in the winter." Liana seemed ready to snap at him for even bothering to come out, but remembering the conversation we had yesterday, she frowned but didn''t say anything to the Duke. Rotten kid. An additional attribute had been added to Liana de Grantz. Duke Grantz greeted each of us in turn. "Cliffman, you''ll soon awaken your Magic Body Strengthening." "Thank you, Your Grace." "Adelia, I''ve heard your skills are quite impressive. Keep up the good work." "Eh?! Oh, yes, yep. Th-thank... you." "Ellen, it''s always good to see you eating well. One day, all that food will come back as strength." "Yes, sir." Ellen cleverly deflected Duke Grantz''s playful banter by calling him "sir." Excluding Liana, we all looked at Ellen with amused expressions as she called Duke Grantz "sir." The Duke''s reaction was even more priceless. "Haha! I always enjoy being called ''sir''!" No way. Did she intentionally call him that...? Now I understand why Ellen said Duke Grantz is a good person. "Reinhardt, try to stay out of trouble." "I-I''ll do my best..." After exchanging ambiguous pleasantries, Duke Grantz addressed Harriet. "Uh... I apologize for this morning''s breakfast incident." "N-no, it''s... it''s fine. I''m okay." Somehow, Duke Grantz seemed apologetic, and Harriet seemed even more flustered. What exactly transpired during breakfast at the Grantz residence today? We said our goodbyes to Duke Grantz and moved on towards the temple. "Hey, wait a sec." "Hmm?" I let the others walk ahead and pulled Harriet aside slightly so our conversation wouldn''t be overheard. Of course, it wouldn''t matter much if they heard. "What did the Duchess say to you?" "Ah... that?" Harriet hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "You don''t need to know." That was all she would say. "What? Why not? What is it?" "You won''t benefit from hearing it." It was clear that there was nothing good about me hearing it. "No, it''s fine. Just tell me." "I told you, you won''t benefit from knowing!" More than anything, Harriet was speaking in a very soft voice while glancing at Liana, even though they weren''t discussing any particular secrets. Harriet clearly didn''t want to talk about it, and then she looked me in the eye. "Ah... I''m glad you''re back to your usual self, but I didn''t wish for you to bother me like this..." Harriet let out a deep sigh and glanced at Liana, who was walking ahead of us. "Come to the Magic Research Club when we get back." It seemed like this wasn''t a conversation to be had in Liana''s presence. Harriet curtly said so. CH 366 There were two reasons why Harriet hesitated to tell me about her conversation. First, because no matter how it was perceived, it would ultimately lead to speaking ill of a friend''s parents. Second, she was worried that I might be hurt by hearing it. After returning to the temple, Harriet and I had a conversation in the empty laboratory of the Magic Research Society mansion. Harriet had been invited to breakfast. The people present were the Duke of Grantz and the Duchess. Harriet said the Duke of Grantz seemed flustered, as if he hadn''t expected her to join them for breakfast. Of course, Harriet, who was the only one invited to breakfast, must have been even more flustered. "At first, they asked me about how our parents were doing, whether they had any plans to come to the royal capital, things like that." It seemed that the Duchess was quite curious about Harriet de Saint-Owan, the daughter of the Archduke, rather than Harriet, the temple student. Harriet hesitated, unsure if she should share this part of the story. "And then... suddenly, they started saying they weren''t sure if life at the temple was really a good thing... because..." "What do you mean?" "At the temple, even commoners receive education. So... when nobles or royals are ready to marry, their time at the temple can become a subject of gossip... Although it''s an unwritten rule not to talk about it, rumors still circulate... about who did what with whom, things like that..." Ah. I understood what she meant. "So, they were saying that since anyone with money can enter the temple, noble-born students who mingle with commoners might face obstacles in marriage or other aspects of their lives later on?" "What... what a way to put it! That''s so vulgar!" Harriet''s face turned bright red as she exclaimed in response to my blunt description. However, as I expressed it so coarsely, Harriet seemed to give up and slumped over the table. "Anyway... what you''re saying is true. Just being from the temple can make it difficult for both men and women to find a suitable marriage partner later on... That''s the situation." Harriet''s braided hair was strewn haphazardly across the table. Cute. "So their ''value'' decreases?" "Va, value?! Your choice of words is really... But I can''t help but agree. Yes, their ''value'' decreases. That''s why it''s better for well-behaved young ladies to maintain proper manners and receive education from a private tutor at home, rather than associating with low-born people at a place like the temple... That way, they can find a good marriage later. That''s what they were saying..." "A marital dispute?" "Yes..." The Duke of Grantz exploded, and he and the Duchess had a huge fight in front of Harriet. That''s why the Duke of Grantz apologized. He inadvertently showed his daughter''s friend the spectacle of their marital discord. Being of humble origin was ultimately an insult to all her friends who had come to play, so Harriet must have felt quite uncomfortable. It wasn''t something one should say to a friend''s parents, but it seemed that the Duchess had not acquired the level of refinement that matched her pride. "Anyway, you understand why I didn''t want to talk about it?" "¡­Yeah, I do." In the end, it would inevitably become slander against her friend''s parents, and she didn''t want to speak of it, as it might hurt me with all the talk of humble origins. "Honestly, I don''t really know." Harriet heaved a deep sigh. "Seeking one''s worth from others, who they marry, how they appear in the eyes of others. Focusing only on such things and living a life for that purpose¡­ Yeah, as you said, the price of their body. Focusing only on their own value. If that''s the proper behavior of a noble¡­" Harriet looked at me. "What''s the difference between that and being a slave?" Focusing too much on one''s own value ultimately leads to becoming a commodity. Living a lifestyle where one must behave demurely and not associate with the lowly in order to find someone who will buy them at a higher price. Harriet said she didn''t see how that was any different from the life of a slave. "I don''t think my value comes only from myself, but it doesn''t come solely from other things either. That''s why¡­ it was uncomfortable." Oh dear. "Wow, it''s incredible how much you''ve grown." It''s so impressive that I want to bite it, is it not? As I vigorously ruffled her hair, Harriet''s brow furrowed. "Ah! What are you saying? Am I a child? Stop it!" With her hair disheveled, Harriet yelled back. "If the child who complained to Ludwig last year about how unpleasant it was to have B-class students in the A-class dormitory has come this far, it''s a big deal." "!!!!" At my words, Harriet''s face turned so red it looked like it would melt. If there''s a way to express ''I want to die from embarrassment'' with a facial expression, it would be her. "Well, don''t bring up the past¡­ It''s not about nobles and commoners¡­ I don''t know¡­ Idiot. I hate you. How can you remember that¡­?" In the end, Harriet had nothing to say, pouting her lips and sulking. She''s fatally cute today. What should I do? Does she become like this when she realizes she has nothing to say? Of course, the Duchess''s attitude is not commendable, but it''s not that strange either. Rather, for those who have lived their whole lives receiving noble treatment, such a mindset might be natural. In fact, the setting is that many people refuse to enter the Temple because they dislike having to be educated alongside commoners and being without status, even though there are numerous royals and nobles in the Temple. So, a noble with a position like that of Duchess Grantz would actually be quite common. In truth, even Harriet was ashamed of her past self, who used to judge people by their talents and status. If I hadn''t forced her to undergo immunity training, she would still be that kind of person. "Come to think of it, the nobles and royals around me were surprisingly kind." "Huh? All of a sudden?" "No, really. Even though the Temple prohibits discrimination based on status, people could easily rely on their authority or status. But no one did that to me, right?" At my words, Harriet gapes at me, dumbfounded. "You insane¡­ Do you really say that knowing how you''ve been treated at the Temple?" They didn''t bother me because they found it disgusting if they tried. Harriet nagged for a while, saying that I shouldn''t be the one to talk about the kindness of the people around me. I shouldn''t be talking, considering I used to curse and throw punches when someone tried to suppress me. No, that''s not what I meant. "No, not that, there were adults too." "Adults?" "Yes, like your parents or... you know, others." The Duke of St. Owan said that status didn''t matter since they would all end up in the same place. Bertus claimed that everyone was equal under him. Charlotte grew comfortable with me over time for her own reasons. Even the Duke of Grantz seemed like a neighborly old man, given his actions. Even the Emperor himself didn''t necessarily expect me to show him respect when he treated me as an equal. Of course, that could be because of the positions Ellen and I held. So, there were no arrogant and prideful nobles like the Duchess of Grantz around me. No. There were some. Like Erich and Heinrich. Heinrich became kinder after receiving a few blows from me, and Erich shrank back after seeing him get hit. Wait, didn''t Erich get hit by me too? I completely forgot about that. Hmm... Harriet wasn''t wrong. Those people did suffer some kind of consequences because of me. As the Duchess of Grantz exemplified an arrogant noble, I began to question what I had taken for granted. "But Liana never really cared about status in the first place, did she?" "Huh?" Liana de Grantz. She exuded an unapproachable atmosphere and had a cold expression, but in reality, she was easygoing, without any pretense. She treated people as they were. She even dragged around a hopeless prisoner during the festival. "It seemed that way¡­" Liana would dislike or reject someone because of the person, not their background. I had taken it for granted that the nobles and royals around me, whether they were students or parents, never mentioned status to me. It turns out that treating commoners indifferently, like the Duke of Grantz, is the exception rather than the norm. It''s evident that Liana, despite pretending to dislike her father, was more influenced by him than her mother. Everyone admired the way Father treated everyone equally, his noble demeanor and pride, and Mother, who valued authority very highly. Because Liana took after her father, she had a laid-back and fearless personality. Now, it was the final stretch. Only one more step remained. "What did they say to each other during their marital disputes?" "Why do you keep asking me about that?" "Watching a fight is the most entertaining thing in the world, isn''t it? Besides, aren''t you curious about how even the prestigious Duke''s family has marital disputes?" "No one is interested in that! You''re really wicked!" Unable to withstand my malicious question and persistence, Harriet grumbles with a tearful face. Though Harriet didn''t want to be in that position, her memory was excellent. "Well... the Duke said that status doesn''t define a person... that if one treated people like that, no one would remain by their side. His wife said... that such an attitude is why the nobles end up ruined in the temple... something like that..." Though some of the words were unclear, it was now certain. The Duke must have lost his temper, having his daughter''s friend brought to the breakfast table without his daughter and being forced to listen to his wife''s imposing thoughts. Anger can make one lose their reason. Status does not define a person. That statement said it all. Duke Grantz must have been involved with the revolutionary faction. ------ Three days later. "He is very thorough." I was listening to Sarkegaar''s report in my dormitory room in the temple. "How thorough?" "To the extent that I think your suspicion might be unfounded... I couldn''t find anything at all." Upon my instruction to investigate Duke Grantz, Sarkegaar immediately took action. Although he wouldn''t be able to enter places with excessive security, Duke Grantz''s residence wasn''t like that. However, he couldn''t find anything that would prove the Duke was connected to the revolutionary faction. "If he really is involved, we might discover it with time... But someone that thorough wouldn''t leave any evidence behind. It''s impossible to decipher encrypted letters until we identify their patterns and methods. Nobles frequently use written correspondence, so it''s hard to determine which of the many documents and letters written daily are related to the revolutionary faction. Even if we knew, we couldn''t tell what the encrypted content contains. A seemingly mundane letter asking about one''s well-being could very well be an encrypted message." The last visit from Owen de Gatmora was likely a business visit rather than having anything to do with the revolutionary faction. My suspicion that Duke Grantz might be part of the revolutionary faction was due to several circumstances and the confirmed involvement of Owen de Gatmora. If Duke Grantz really was part of the revolutionary faction, it meant that, contrary to the impression of a pleasant neighbor, he was a very thorough individual. Sarkegaar had not discovered any concrete evidence. "However, I believe your judgment is sound." "Why?" But Sarkegaar agreed that Duke Grantz was a member of the revolutionary forces. "I too am involved in the imperial social circles under the name of Count Argon Ponteus." "I see." "Everyone knows the rumor that the current Duke of Grantz, Arthur de Grantz, eloped with a commoner woman he met at the temple." "Ah." So, the typical story of someone who ruined their life by going to the temple was referring to this. "And then, what happened?" "If he had succeeded in eloping, he couldn''t be the Duke of Grantz, could he?" Elopement with a commoner. And failure. "Isn''t that enough of a background to make someone resent their own social status and origins?" Sarkegaar, dressed as a maid, showed her white teeth and wickedly smiled with her elegant and graceful face. Please. Didn''t he realize that his expression made him appear about three times more wicked than he actually was? Anyway, that meant the current Duke and Duchess of Grantz were in a marriage of convenience. "Of course, the Duchess of Grantz wasn''t originally that sensitive about social status." "I don''t know much about her, but the Duchess seemed like a rather stubborn person?" I''m sorry, Liana. But your mother is really stubborn. Ah, sorry... I apologize. At my words, Sarkegaar tilted her head with a "Hmm" expression. "When you think about it, the Duchess of Grantz has her own story. She had no choice but to become that kind of person." Having spent a considerable amount of time in the aristocratic life, Sarkegaar had quite a bit of background knowledge about social circles and the nature of nobles without any prior investigation. "The Duke of Grantz doesn''t involve himself in social circles, but the Duchess is a bit different." "Hmm..." "However, at every social gathering or party she attends, she unknowingly bears that kind of label." Sarkegaar laughed ominously. "The person who married the Duke of Grantz, who failed to elope for love, under the pressure of the family." "The person who was bound to have a failed marriage." "The person doomed from the start to never receive her husband''s love." "The wicked woman who married the Duke of Grantz, enduring the shameful rumors for the allure of his power." Listening to this was chilling. "She is an aristocrat whose status rose because she married the Duke of Grantz, a man surrounded by rumors. Originally, she was just the second daughter of a poor count''s family without even a fiefdom. She became a pitiful and foolish woman whose very existence turned into a scandal." What she gained by marrying a man with scandals was the power of the title, Duchess of Grantz. But in the social circles, she was followed by rumors of being a wicked woman who discarded her dignity for a rise in status. That''s why she couldn''t help but become a person obsessed with the power and prestige of being the Duchess of Grantz, which she had obtained by enduring all those things. Despite loathing the cold wind, in the end, they couldn''t deny the fact that they had gained everything because of it. "Such a marriage could not have been smooth." The duke, who had failed to escape the bonds of love and was ultimately caught. Knowing his situation, the duchess had entered into a strategic marriage with the noble family for the sake of social advancement. The duchess became obsessed with the power and prestige she believed she had gained from the failed marriage. For if she denied even that, it would mean she had chosen a failed life. The duke had been forced into the marriage. The fact that they had no children apart from Liana was evidence that their marriage had failed. At least they were fortunate to have Liana. The duchess, who had no choice but to become fixated on social status. The duke, who must have constantly pondered and cursed the nature of social status while watching his wife. Moreover, he was from the Orbis class, which had long been a cradle of revolutionary forces. As Sarkegaar had said, there was no evidence, but there were too many suspicious circumstances. Just as Charlotte was convinced that Valier was the successor to the Demon King due to an overwhelming amount of circumstantial evidence, though there was no decisive proof. Due to too many suspicious circumstances, the Duke of Grantz was now in a situation where it was impossible for him not to have joined the revolutionary forces. They had thought about various concerns regarding the Duke of Grantz being part of the revolutionary forces, but in the end, there were no answers. "Fine. Either way, whether the Duke of Grantz is really involved or not, we''ll naturally find out when we make contact with the higher-ups. What''s their opinion on me not attending?" "They seemed disappointed, but the meeting with the higher-ups is about to take place, and Your Highness is expected to attend. If the duke is a core member, he will be there as well." "Good. Everything will become clear then." However, in the end, a possibility was merely a possibility. There was still not enough information to come to any conclusion, and even if I knew the Duke of Grantz was part of the revolutionary forces, it was still not a stage where that could become a card for me. CH 367 Deep into the night. After a brief walk, Duke Grantz sat quietly in his study. With the lights turned off in his study, he was lost in thought within the darkness. He was recalling the conversation he had not long ago, when Owen de Gatmora had paid him a personal visit. Owen would only come in person for urgent matters, and Duke Grantz agreed that this was one of those times. Negotiations with the remnants of the demon world. "They stipulated that instead of you attending the meeting personally, all members of the council must be present. They are well aware of the exact number of council members, so if anyone is absent, there is a high possibility that the negotiations will fail." "Could it be a trap?" "However, they have also stated that they will permit any number of escorts." "Confidence, perhaps?" "It seems so. They''ve slaughtered the elite holy knights, including Riverrier Lanze, so they probably believe they can fend off any surprise attack." He was reminiscing about the meeting with Owen de Gatmora a few days earlier. "I must say it again, shaking hands with the demons is madness." "I do think the same, but the majority of the command''s opinions have already been unified." "We don''t know what they''re thinking, or what their ulterior motives are. We know too little about them to join hands simply because they possess power." "I deeply agree with your opinion, Your Grace. We can''t decide everything on the spot, and the Demon King will not act hastily either. After all, attacking us would be the worst of the worst for them." There had been ongoing discussions about joining forces with the remnants of the demon world and the next Demon King. However, due to the difficulty of gathering all the council members in one place, opinions were collected through written correspondence or by people actually going back and forth to relay messages. The organization was thrown into chaos when they heard that the remnants of the demon world had seized control of the trade guild master. They couldn''t even tell where the demons had sniffed them out from. However, Owen told them that when the demons first contacted him, they had already identified some of the council members'' identities and now knew everyone''s. "We have no choice, Your Grace." "..." Joining hands with the demons is the worst of the worst. Even if the revolution succeeds, it will be suspected of insincerity from the start. Such a revolution cannot be sustained. However, the demons have already gathered all the information about them. If they don''t join hands, the demons can easily eliminate them all by merely informing the empire about the revolutionary forces. It''s almost as if they should be grateful for the demons'' mercy. At least they''re taking action to work together, rather than trying to eliminate the demons without laying a hand on them. Die at the hands of the empire or ally with a dangerous enemy. One had to choose between the two. But at the moment when the demons reached out their hands, Duke Grantz had already sensed that the revolution had failed. If the uprising failed, then it was a failure, and if they joined hands with the enemies of humanity and succeeded, there would be no guarantee for the future, so it was still a failure. There seemed to be no way to avoid failure. ''Is there nothing... I can do?'' According to Owen, a significant number of the organization''s leaders welcomed the situation with open arms. Was this really a situation to be happy about, as their power was increasing? Duke Grantz was feeling a terrible sense of unease. Had the revolution failed? No, was it even possible to succeed in the first place? Internal factions were divided and argued, conflicts arose between those from the Orbis class and the non-Orbis class members of the organization, and political infighting was rampant within. They had become accustomed to such strife. A revolutionary organization that had never actually carried out a revolution. A very old one. Without a revolution, they merely stifled their breath, rotting from within while growing in size. Could they really have carried out a revolution? "..." Duke Grantz left his office and walked down the hallway. No matter how long he pondered, the conclusion had already been reached. Even without his consent, the organization had made its decision. Being part of the organization meant that there were times when he had to follow, even if the organization acted against his will. This was just one of those times. ¡°What does any of that matter?¡± A sharp voice pierced the ear of the Duke, who was walking down the hallway lost in complex thoughts. He thought she had returned to the temple, but it seemed his daughter had come back. ¡°I''ve told you countless times not to mingle with those lowlifes. Now it''s not enough to bring a few of them here, you''ve invited them to have a drinking party? If word of this gets out¡­¡± ¡°And what will you do if it does?¡± Hearing the quarrel between mother and daughter, the Duke sighed as if this were a familiar occurrence. If it weren''t for her extreme difficulty in sleeping anywhere but at home, she wouldn''t have set foot in the house. The Duke''s daughter disliked home, but she found it incredibly difficult to sleep anywhere else. ¡°You may not care now, but all of this will leave scars on you, don''t you understand? Must you experience it firsthand to regret it? Leave the temple immediately and return home! Whether you receive lessons from a nun or call a private tutor, I will take care of everything.¡± ¡°Hah. If living like you, after taking lessons from a nun, means having a life like that, then I don''t want it even if it''s given to me.¡± ¡°Wh, what did you just say?¡± ¡°If I have to live like you, I''d rather live among commoners like this. At least I don''t want to live a life where I step on people like you do.¡± The Duke stood in the hallway, unable to intervene or turn away from the conversation, listening to the exchange from afar. Thanks to the strict confidentiality of the servants, this conversation would not leak outside, but those who needed to know already knew. They all knew that the Grantz Duchy was a mess. ¡°Will you run away and marry a commoner, like your father did?¡± "You really think that''s what I want? To run away and marry a commoner? I''m trying to escape from you, Mother." The cold voice of the young duchess was met with an even colder response from her mother. "What... did you say?" "Father never got what he wanted, and you, Mother, got everything you wanted but still couldn''t be happy. So why are you forcing me to live like you?" "How... how can you say that to your mother?" From a young age, the daughter had never been one to listen to her mother. But the duchess was no weakling either; among the people the duke knew, she was one of the fiercest. As the daughter grew older, the conflict between mother and daughter intensified, never weakening. Knowing that her mother disapproved, the daughter would still bring her friends to the mansion. She knew her mother wouldn''t openly criticize her in front of commoners for the sake of appearances. "Stop treating my friends like that, being so openly discriminatory. If you keep it up, I''ll make sure you end up with no child at all, as if I never existed. Be careful." "You... you! Liana! Don''t go in there!" "Bang!" Upon slamming the door to her mother''s room, Liana''s face turned beet red. She encountered the duke in the corridor, who had been listening to their conversation. "..." "..." The daughter didn''t scold him for eavesdropping. Instead, she stared at him intently, her eyes twisted with anger. "My child. Your father is..." "On my side?" As the daughter interrupted his words, the duke was left speechless. "I''m on your side." It was a phrase he often said. "Like mother wants me to live the life she lived, father wants me to live the life he couldn''t." Bound by his social status, he couldn''t have what he wanted most. The duke had always encouraged her to live a life where she could pursue her own desires. But in the end, it was still coercion, even if the meaning of their words was different. Both mother and father were forcing a certain life upon her, and that was no different. Upon hearing Liana''s words, the duke couldn''t help but close his mouth in shame. "I''m sick of both mother and father treating me as the only reason their failed marriage has to continue." Liana brushed past the duke, her steps quick and determined. Instead of returning to her room, she left the mansion to head back to the temple. The duke watched her with a bitter smile. The only reason for their failed marriage to continue: their daughter. At some point, she had begun to view herself as the miserable outcome of their union. Did it hurt her to think that way? Did she realize her life held no more meaning than that? From time to time, the daughter drank alone and fell asleep. Countless times, the duke had seen the tear stains left on her sleeping face. He watched as she strode across the garden, leaving the mansion behind. The winter night sky was overcast. ------ Two days later. In the small country of Levaina in the southern part of the empire. Nighttime. Duke Grantz moved for a meeting with the next Demon King, who had caused a stir throughout the continent. It was rare for the leaders of the republican revolutionary organization to gather in one place directly. This was because it was already somewhat suspicious for those who occupied various sectors of society to gather in one place without a particular reason. Thus, the general assembly, where all the leaders gather, would not be convened unless there was an extremely important issue. This was the first time it had been held since the closure of the Orbis Class after the last incident. The assembly''s meeting place was not the imperial capital but one of the merchant guild branches located in the southern part of the continent. It was disguised as a gathering of southern trade business investors of the merchant guild. Though the Demon King offered to prepare as many escorts as necessary, it couldn''t be done. Duke Grantz only moved with trustworthy knights from his ducal house and family mages. Although they were few in number, Duke Grantz believed that even with this small group, they could escape if the demon remnants had a change of heart, even if they could not directly confront them. In the southern part of the empire, one of the merchant guild branches was located on the outskirts of the capital of the Kingdom of Levaina, Rajeurn. They chose a quiet place rather than an overly glamorous location near the city center, as it could attract attention. Naturally, the merchant guild master was the one who had selected the location. Upon arriving at the meeting room, Duke Grantz saw numerous people who had already arrived. These were individuals who each held a place in various sectors of society, regardless of their background, including nobles, high-ranking officials, writers, and scholars. The Demon King had not yet arrived. While the assembly wasn''t held often, they could at least exchange polite greetings under normal circumstances. However, this time it was different. Now they were preparing for a meeting with the Demon King, who had turned the entire continent upside down. Whether they agreed or not, everyone''s faces showed a mix of anxiety, anticipation, fear, and skepticism, which is why no one dared to speak casually. The guards could not enter this far. However, it was clear that everyone had prepared a teleport scroll for emergency escape. After all seventeen leaders had gathered on time, Duke Grantz felt slightly puzzled. The merchant guild master. Owen de Gatmora was not in his seat. He was not one of the leaders, but he was responsible for the finances of the revolutionary forces and was a high-ranking officer. Also, since he had directly contacted the Demon King''s servant, he should have been present as a liaison. Soon, the cause of his unease revealed itself. -Grrrooowwlll! A sound that should not be heard in the human world began to echo. "What is... going on?" One by one, people got up and looked out the window. -Flash! -Flash! As light scattered in the vacant lot, one by one, something began to appear. Light scattered across the empty lot, and one by one, something began to appear. Ogres. Orcs. Goblins. Numerous demons, including imps, emerged simultaneously. Countless demons with reddish glints in their eyes were arriving through spatial teleportation, wrapped in light. "The demons are here!" "Could it be that they-" They had claimed they wanted a negotiation, but was their true intention to attack? Demons arriving through teleportation began to swarm towards the Merchant Guild branch, the site of the negotiation. This was an area on the outskirts of the city. They couldn''t rely on the help of the guards, and even if the guards arrived as quickly as possible for an attack of this scale, the battle would have already ended by the time they got there. "Let''s run!" Upon someone''s outcry, everyone seemed to have been waiting for the cue, and they all pulled out their teleport scrolls. They had prepared various methods of escape for emergencies. And this was true for Duke Grantz as well. Fwsh! However, the teleport scroll that should have emitted light and transported them somewhere else showed no response. "Spacial teleportation... blocked?" Someone muttered in a daze. The teleport scroll wasn''t activating. But a barrier that blocks spatial teleportation isn''t something that can be set up quickly. Yet, the barrier was clearly present now. "It''s alright. The escorts we''ve brought should be more than enough to hold off this level of attack. If we can break through and escape the range of the spatial teleportation barrier, we''ll be able to move freely." Although not numerous, the escorts they had brought were the elite of the elite. Bang! Crash! Knights and mages, who had rushed out in response to the sudden attack, began to counter the demons with red-tinted eyes. While the number of demons was indeed large, stopping them shouldn''t be too difficult. The demons had miscalculated. They couldn''t possibly wipe out the leaders of the revolutionary forces with just this. But Duke Grantz felt uneasy. The spatial magic barrier. The red-tinted eyes of the demons. Without any focus. Rooooar! Thud! Boom! They were merely swinging their weapons wildly without any proper grip. ''Mind control...?'' He couldn''t shake the thought that the demons had been subjected to some sort of magical intervention. Of course, the escorts they had brought were not amateurs who would simply stand there and be hit by the wildly swung weapons. The attacking demons were being slaughtered without even inflicting a scratch. "What do they take us for?" Seeing the demons getting overwhelmingly slaughtered after their surprise attack, the leaders spoke with dumbfounded voices. They weren''t all fools. Although they were fortunate to be winning. They all knew that this was far too sloppy for a surprise attack. And then. Duke Grantz soon discovered who the real enemy was amidst the onslaught of demons. People dressed in black were swinging their swords from the shadows. "A knight...?" Someone''s sword was dyed in a dark blue hue. Aura Blade. It was the mark of a Swordmaster. A group containing a Swordmaster, a powerful asymmetrical force even on their own, began to crush their escort forces. "Are the demons at that level...?" "No." Duke Grantz muttered blankly as he watched the escort forces being cut down in the blink of an eye. "There''s no way they''re demons..." The spatial movement was blocked, and along with the demons, numerous veteran knights slaughtered everyone like fallen leaves. Duke Grantz could find a familiar face among the black-clad figures. "Saviolin Turner..." The leader of Shanafel was there. ------ The escort forces were annihilated in an instant. The attacking demons collapsed right where they were as soon as the escort forces were wiped out, as if they were empty husks. Thud, thud. Everyone could hear the footsteps approaching the conference room. Unable to escape, the black-clad figures revealed themselves one by one in the conference room. Despite the carnage, there wasn''t a single drop of blood on their clothes, displaying their terrifying skills. No one could flee. Everyone in this place knew Saviolin Turner''s face. With a calm expression, the leader of Shanafel surveyed the conference room before taking a seat in one of the empty chairs. "Do you think the Empire was unaware of your existence?" That was all she calmly said. The demons hadn''t betrayed them. The place where the spatial movement barrier was set up. The person who arranged the meeting location. The person who convinced everyone to gather here. "Owen... He lured us here." Owen de Gatmora. Everyone belatedly realized that he had been lying from the beginning to the end. Then what was the purpose of the demons'' attack? Duke Grantz gritted his teeth as he stared at Saviolin Turner. "Don''t tell me, you''re trying to disguise this as the work of demons...!" The leadership is here, but the revolutionary forces themselves are scattered everywhere. Even if the leadership dies, the will for revolution cannot be killed. "Yes, from now on your organization will be under the control of the Empire. The master of the Merchant Guild will become the leader of the next revolutionary organization." Duke Grantz didn''t know whose outrageous idea it was to utilize the revolutionary forces. "Within the organization, you will all be treated as having died after negotiations broke down while discussing cooperation with the demonic forces. Of course, externally, it will be treated as death due to an unfortunate attack." Saviolin Turner explained this much as if she could at least give that to those who were going to die. And then, She gestured towards the Shanafel knights, who had become assassins rather than knights today. "Kill them all. Don''t leave any external wounds, as we need to manipulate the corpses and signs." With that cold declaration, one by one, lives began to be snuffed out. CH 368 At that moment, Sarkegaar, disguised, was in contact with Owen de Gatmora. Upon arriving at the location where the brain trust meeting was said to take place, Sarkegaar encountered only one person. Owen de Gatmora. No one else was present. "...What sort of trick is this?" At Sarkegaar''s words, muffled by his black robe, Owen de Gatmora closed his eyes slightly. "Actually, I wish to convey an impertinent message." "Impertinent?" "Yes, quite impertinent." Owen spoke while looking at the mysterious figure in the black robe. "The Imperial Royal Family wishes to borrow your names without permission just this once." "...What do you mean?" The Royal Family was mentioned by a member of the revolutionary faction. Sarkegaar sensed that the situation had become twisted in a bizarre way. "Due to a previous incident, the Royal Family has learned that borrowing your names can help resolve complicated matters quite easily." Through those words, Sarkegaar naturally realized. Owen de Gatmora was a traitor. "So, my confessing directly like this is to inform you that I don''t wish to create an uncomfortable relationship with your side, but to resolve the Empire''s problems." "..." "The First Prince wishes to maintain a good relationship with you all. He also acknowledges that you are needed by the Empire." The First Prince. Bertus de Gardias. Sarkegaar believed he was in contact with the revolutionary forces, but in reality, he had encountered a spy of Bertus. "So, whatever happens this time, I sincerely hope that you can understand with a generous heart." They were planning to do something under the name of Darkland. "Even if the First Prince doesn''t know, do you think you''ll be safe?" "Regardless of whether I''m connected to the revolutionary forces or the Royal Family, you can obtain what you want through me. In fact, isn''t it better for you to deal with the Imperial Royal Family rather than the revolutionary forces?" In front of the unidentified demon, Owen de Gatmora didn''t show any signs of panic, loss of composure, or fear. "Isn''t that enough?" The words of the Merchant Guild Master were true. However, the fact that they were being used left a bad taste in Sarkegaar''s mouth. They were ultimately weak. Just because they wanted to use them didn''t mean they could do so without any issues. Like this, they could be used by a completely unexpected force. ------ Saviolin Turner, dressed in a black camouflage outfit, silently watched the corpse-filled conference room with the Shanafel Knights. It was a dirty job. Although it involved executing the traitors of the Empire, they had to disguise it as the work of demons. Saviolin Turner agreed with Bertus''s statement that this was the best course of action. However, looking at the massacre and the acts of disguising the cause of death as the work of demons, even she, desensitized to slaughter, felt like she was going to retch. Was it truly necessary to go this far? Among the revolutionary forces, there were faces she recognized. Some of them were people she never expected to see here, and one of them stood right before Saviolin Turner. Her eyes wide open, she looked at the lifeless body of Duke Arthur de Grantz. And then. Though it was just a nominal title, she had occasionally encountered her as a supervising teacher. "Follow me, you say?" "Ah, got it..." "Am I going to eat you? Why are you always so nervous? Oh, hello? Should I call you a teacher? Or should I call you Lady Turner?" "Teacher is fine." "Ah, yes. Hello, teacher." A slightly rough, but always bright, young girl''s image overlapped. What would happen to that child''s expression from now on? How would that child live? She hadn''t seen it with her eyes, but she felt like she knew without seeing. Saviolin Turner gritted her teeth. Saviolin Turner closed the wide-open eyes of Duke Grantz. Although she knew it wouldn''t make anything better, she felt like she had to do it anyway. "How did you divert the guards'' attention?" "I expect the guards to arrive here in about 15 minutes." "Good. We''ll withdraw first." Saviolin Turner had completed her secret mission. She had a premonition that another storm would arise in the empire. ------ Emperatos Imperial Palace, Winter Palace. Bertus was drinking tea. It was not his usual black tea or milk tea, but a tea with a green hue. Bertus was not alone. "It''s called green tea. Have you ever tasted it? The leaves are the same as black tea, but the taste is quite different." Before Bertus, equally a royal, Oscar de Gardias sat stiffly. "No... I''ve heard of it, but never tasted it..." "Is that so? Then you must not know what it tastes like?" "That''s... right." When Oscar was called by Bertus, he felt an odd fear. They often encountered or conversed with each other as fellow royals, but it was very rare for Bertus to summon him directly. "Please, have a taste." "Uh, yeah... Sure." At Bertus''s invitation, Oscar took a sip of green tea, but he had no time to savor the trembling taste and the fragrance that touched his nose. Why. Me. That thought was all that filled his mind. Bertus stared intently at Oscar, who had taken a sip of green tea. "How is it?" "Well... the fragrance is pleasant..." "Now that you know the taste and aroma of green tea, you might be able to dream of drinking it." Not understanding the meaning of his words, Oscar felt chills all over his body before he could become bewildered. Bertus gazed at Oscar with a subtle smile. "Do you think someone who has never tasted green tea can dream of drinking it? No, they might dream of it, but can they experience the same taste and aroma?" "Ah? No... that can''t be..." "Exactly. One cannot experience sensations in a dream that they have never felt before." The unknown cannot be known. Thus, it cannot be dreamt. Only by experiencing it firsthand can a sensation be reproduced in a dream. "A person who has never eaten meat might dream of eating it, but the taste, texture, and aroma in that dream will be nonexistent or entirely different from reality. The same goes for everything else. In the end, that''s all it is." Bertus took another sip of his green tea, gazing at the wintry landscape. "You can''t dream about what you don''t know. Even if you do, it''ll be vastly different from the real thing." "..." "But I don''t understand why people yearn for dreams about things they have never known or experienced. They don''t even know what it is or what kind of world it might be." Oscar''s fingers were trembling. He tried to hide it, but he simply couldn''t. Bertus''s gaze and words, though not violent or aggressive, pierced deeply through Oscar''s heart. "I don''t understand why everyone is so eager to dream about a world they can''t see or know." Oscar couldn''t bear to meet Bertus''s eyes. "Do you... plan to kill me?" At Oscar''s pitiful words, Bertus laughed lightly. "Brother, killing someone means they pose a significant threat to me, or their death would somehow benefit me." "..." "Your life holds little value or threat to me, or the empire." A worthless life. At those words, Oscar stared wide-eyed at the tea water. He was a member of the revolutionary forces, but not among their leaders. He wasn''t even that important there. That''s why he wasn''t a crucial target for Bertus, even now. "Killing a member of the royal family over a mere ant''s dream? It''s more pitiful than anything, hardly worth stepping on." Oscar couldn''t say a word against Bertus''s blatant contempt and sarcasm. "So, from now on, know your place and behave accordingly." "..." "Answer me." At Bertus''s cold command, Oscar opened his trembling lips. "I''ll... remember that." Oscar de Gardias was an ant. An ant can do nothing when its dreams crumble before its eyes. After Oscar de Gardias retreated, Bertus downed the now-cold green tea in one gulp. In the overcast sky, the rain began to drizzle. "I wanted to express my gratitude in person, if possible." -Sssshhh With a gloomy smile, Bertus stared quietly at the window as the winter rain began to fall. Not long ago, Bertus had summoned Saviolin Turner to the Winter Palace. "What is the task I must undertake?" "It is to root out the cancerous cells of the empire." "Cancerous cells...?" "Have you heard of the republican revolution?" The Emperor had already granted permission. Bertus explained to Saviolin Turner about the series of events that had occurred since the closure of the Orbis-class school. Bertus had been aware of the revolutionary forces for quite some time. Just as Charlotte knew that such a situation was inevitable. They had already identified a few key members and even some minor figures. However, it was difficult to address them recklessly, as they were like volatile bombs, and time was spent on grasping the whole picture. It wasn''t until the visit of the Merchant Guild Master, Owen de Gatmora, that the situation was accurately assessed. Through the business of Reinhardt''s Magic Research Society and the Rotary Club, Bertus'' forces had gained a direct connection with the Merchant Guild. Until then, the connection had been indirect, but since then, a close link had been formed between Bertus'' forces and the Merchant Guild, knowingly or unknowingly. Owen requested a private meeting with Bertus and confided in him about the revolutionary forces. He claimed to have very important information concerning the fate of the empire. However, it was not an easy matter to handle. The exposed revolutionary forces mostly consisted of people who could exert significant influence on the empire, and if the royal family directly intervened in handling them, it could trigger a massive uprising from the remaining forces. Thus, they were keeping an eye on the situation through Owen de Gatmora, who volunteered to be a spy, while trying to find a suitable method. And then. The demons appeared. "We will gather the leaders in one place, and after eliminating them all, we''ll disguise it as an attack by the demons." The demons provided a powerful smokescreen that could conceal the truth behind all the incidents. There might be people who could deduce the truth, but the message of the demon remnants had too strong an impact across the entire continent. With a single mention of the demons, all minor noises could be brushed aside. After slaughtering all the leaders, they would disguise it as the act of the demons. The remnants of the republican revolutionary forces might think it was a conspiracy by the empire, but the general public would be deceived by the mention of the demon and not see the truth. In fact. The demon remnants tried to make contact with the revolutionary forces and succeeded in doing so. Thus, it would be persuasive to the remnants that the leaders were massacred by the demon''s attack. It wouldn''t be unconvincing to say that something went wrong at the negotiation table, and the enraged demons slaughtered the leaders and disappeared. There would be debates within the remnant forces about whether it was truly the act of the demons or not, but their divisions would not be harmful in themselves. And then, Owen de Gatmora would take on the role of the temporary leader, absorbing the remaining revolutionary forces. He would then publicize a falsified truth regarding the deaths of the leaders. The revolutionary forces would fall entirely into the hands of the royal family. Upon hearing Bertus''s plan, Saviolin Turner nodded with a stern expression. She was devoted to the empire. Thus, she agreed that those seeking to overthrow the empire must be eliminated. "But how do you plan to disguise it as the work of demons?" she asked. "We have some demon captives being used for research purposes. We simply release them at the scene and kill them afterward." "...I see." "So, it''s a secret that Shanafel is deployed at the scene. There will be support to handle the scene manipulation. Shanafel''s main focus should be on cleanly eliminating the escort troops. Can you do that?" "...Yes, I can." The emperor''s approval had been secured beforehand. A barrier to block spatial teleportation magic had already been set up at the meeting place arranged by Owen. Shanafel would kill all the revolutionary leaders, manipulate the corpses'' wounds, and scatter demon bodies to disguise the scene as a battle against demons. The conditions and meeting place were selected to make such a disguise as easy as possible. They were like thorns in one''s mouth, difficult to remove. The remnants of the demon forces. The conveniently timed excuse would shield the empire from all controversy. It didn''t matter if the truth was revealed. It was a fact that the revolutionary forces had dared to betray humanity by trying to join hands with demons. -Aaaah Bertus looked out at the falling winter rain. "Tsk." In the end, The fact that he had killed the parents of his classmates weighed heavily on him. CH 369 The news of the demon race attacking the city of Rajeurn, in the Kingdom of Levaina, in the southern part of the Empire, had spread throughout the empire. To be precise, it was an assault on the outer branch of the merchant guild in Rajeurn. In reality, the demons had attacked Rajeurn as well. However, the damage wasn''t significant, as the number of demons in the attack was quite small. Nevertheless, a considerable number of casualties had occurred in an outpost area that had no guard forces. That place was the outer branch of the merchant guild in Rajeurn. Included in the list of victims was the name of the Duke of Grantz, Arthur de Grantz. He has already heard the report from Sarkegaar. He was manipulated by Bertus. It was puzzling why the imperial family couldn''t detect the revolutionary forces, but they already had. They just didn''t take any action, fearing that it might cause significant problems if they did. When the nameless monastery was attacked, Bertus had made a completely different judgment, seeing that the mere fact of a demon attack had buried all other suspicious aspects. He decided that the revolutionary forces could be eliminated in the same manner. The name "demonic remnants" is a kind of root of all evil that can cause all kinds of incidents and turn everything upside down in the current situation. The corpses of demons, the traces of manipulated battles, countless victims, and newspapers containing photos of the scene and the names of the victims. I was staring at it with wide eyes. Duke Grantz. Arthur de Grantz. He had met his death due to a demon attack in a small country in the southern part of the empire. "Why on earth did this happen..." Harriet covered her face and cried, reminded of the day she had spent at the Grantz estate not too long ago. Ellen was staring at the newspaper with bulging eyes, as if to confirm that she wasn''t seeing it wrong. "Let''s go see Liana." Ellen said this as she quietly put down the newspaper. ------ Swoosh Winter rain was falling. Cliffman, Adelia, Harriet, Ellen, and I, who had gone to visit the Duke''s house, came to see Liana as we were. It would take time for the body to be retrieved and returned to the Grantz estate. There were already many people at the Grantz estate. Whether they were relatives or not, I didn''t know, but the empty expression of the Duchess, surrounded by many people and receiving consolation, spoke of the shock she was feeling. Liana was no exception. "Huh? Ah... You, you came?" Harriet gently held Liana''s hand, but Liana seemed not to understand what had happened to her. Liana''s spirit was gone. She should have been grieving, but she didn''t even seem to have a proper sense of what had befallen her. No one knew how to comfort someone in such a situation. The people around the Duchess were saying something, but we didn''t know what to say. I couldn''t. I didn''t know what to say to Liana, who had experienced something that had become my doing, even though it wasn''t. I didn''t do it. I didn''t do anything. But I couldn''t say that. Harriet quietly held Liana''s hand, while Ellen gently embraced her by the shoulders. "..." Liana stared blankly into the void, her eyes unfocused. ------ We stayed at the Duke of Grantz''s residence. The duchess, sensitive to nobility, did not treat us harshly as we stayed in her mansion amidst the turmoil. At least, she was an adult. "Thank you, everyone. Please look after Liana." She seemed genuinely grateful that we remained here to tend to Liana''s condition. Unlike Liana, the duchess couldn''t just wallow in sadness. Once the body was retrieved, she had to arrange a funeral. To do so, she had to converse with many people who came to visit. Someone had to keep their wits about them in this sudden situation, and that person was the duchess. The next day. The body of the Duke of Grantz was retrieved and returned to the mansion. Liana stared blankly at the coffin, her eyes wide. She knew what was inside, but it seemed she couldn''t believe it was truly there. The duchess staggered towards the coffin and opened it once to take custody of the body. -Aaahhh! We all stared blankly as the duchess collapsed on the spot. Liana gazed at her numbly. "Oh, Father... Father...?" Liana stumbled closer to the coffin. Harriet helplessly watched her, unable to stop or grab her. Liana cast her gaze down at the half-opened coffin. Liana didn''t cry. She just stared blankly at something inside the coffin, as if she''d received an enormous shock. Soon. -Ah, uh... From Liana''s twisted lips, a suppressed moan began to flow. -Ah, ugh... uh. Ugh! Uh! Ahhhhhhh! Liana started tearing at her own hair. And then. -Crack! Eerie lightning streaked across the pale winter sky, carving a path through the heavens. -Crack! Crack! -Rumble! The dozens of lightning bolts and ensuing thunder that colored the sky fortunately didn''t strike the ground. -Ahhhhhhh! However, it was clearly not a normal weather phenomenon. Supernaturals awaken their powers under extreme stress or dire situations. As I had strengthened myself through several self-suggestion sessions and eventually awakened word magic. Liana de Grantz was no exception. The dozens of lightning bolts now connected the heavens, but it was uncertain whether Liana, who had lost her reason, would strike the ground with lightning. Everyone already realized that this bizarre weather phenomenon had originated from Liana. The sky was going mad. We must stop Liana. Crackling, crackle-crackle! And then, as if torturing herself, blue sparks began to furiously ignite around Liana, who was tearing at her hair. This is dangerous. People around the area might be swept away by Liana''s rampage. Before I could say anything. Whoosh! Ellen charged through the sparks towards Liana. Crackle-crackle! Ellen, with her Magic Body Strengthening, broke through the currents surging around Liana and struck her precisely on the nape of her neck. Without hesitation, Ellen dove into the lethal lightning, one strike of which could have been life-threatening. Thud! Ellen effortlessly caught Liana''s body, which had been neutralized and collapsed in an instant. Everyone looked at Ellen with wide-eyed expressions, as if they had no idea what had just happened. In the midst of an already dire situation, Ellen had quickly averted a secondary disaster. Ellen spoke to the duchess. ¡°I''ll take her inside.¡± ¡°Th-Thank you...¡± The duchess nodded her head, staring at Ellen with a complex expression. ------ A short while later, Liana awoke in her bedroom at the mansion. ¡°¡­¡± Liana felt a throbbing headache as if her head was ringing. Her body felt heavy, like a soaked cotton ball. Liana stared blankly at the ceiling. It could be a dream. A bad dream, perhaps. She often had strange dreams after drinking too much. So, although she didn''t know when she had started drinking or when she had passed out, all these events could be just a dream. Liana felt a vague hope. Dreams could be agonizingly long, after all. It could be an extension of that. In reality, hadn''t she only heard unreal, floating sounds? Suddenly, her father had died, the authorities had come to the mansion, and inside them... She saw something she never wanted to admit. Dreams would break under excessive shock. She might have woken up from a terrible dream after seeing such a thing. She wanted to believe that. ''I''m sick and tired of being treated as the only reason Mom and Dad''s failed marriage has to continue.'' She wanted to swallow those words. She shouldn''t have treated him like that if she thought it would be their last encounter. So, from now on, whoever she meets or talks to... She should think that she might never see them again and be more considerate. Especially to her father. Since she had realized that. Now she would apologize for those words, not be a daughter who worsens an already strained relationship between her parents but at least not be a hindrance. Now she regretted all the days she had ignored her father''s efforts and berated him. She would change. If it was a dream. That''s what she thought. But it wasn''t a dream. It couldn''t be. Absentmindedly staring at the ceiling, her right and left hands were each tightly gripping someone''s hand. On one side was Adelia, and on the other was Harriet. If only everything had been a dream. These children wouldn''t be looking at her with such worried gazes, holding her hands tightly. Liana closed her eyes tightly. If it hadn''t been a dream. She wanted to escape into a dream, but even that wasn''t possible. Tears of misery streamed down Liana''s face through her closed eyes. ------ Aaaahhh The funeral of Duke Grantz took place. People in mourning clothes were digging a grave in the rain, and a cleric dispatched from the Tu¡¯an Order stood with a scripture in hand. He recited prayers for the peace and rest of the soul, and for the purification of the spirit. After the burial, those who had come to pay their respects lined up to throw flowers into the grave. Without even using an umbrella, Liana stared at the scene with wide eyes. Unable to cry, she stood in the cold winter rain. Harriet tried to cover her with an umbrella, but Liana firmly refused. As if she wanted to punish herself. In Liana''s eyes, as she faced the rain with her bare body, swirled countless emotions. Duke Grantz had been a powerful noble before he joined the revolutionary forces. Many nobles, dressed in black, came to pay their respects, offered flowers, and expressed their condolences to the Duchess. And among the visitors were the Royal Class first-year students. "¡­ Those demon bastards." With eyes filled with pure rage, Ludwig, dressed in black, clenched his teeth in front of the Duke''s coffin. "I can''t forgive them." Unable to do anything but watch Ludwig''s angry, retreating figure as he laid down flowers, I felt helpless. Regardless of personal relationships, all the first-year students came to pay their respects. Of course, Charlotte de Gardias was among them. "¡­" Not knowing whether she was aware of the situation, Charlotte didn''t glance at Liana as she threw flowers and left after a moment of silent prayer. Charlotte and I briefly locked eyes, but she said nothing. By her side for her protection was Saviolin Turner. She didn''t even offer flowers. In this situation, there was something only I could see. It seemed that Shanafel had completed her mission. Otherwise, there was no reason for Charlotte to have such an expression. And there was no reason for her gaze and expression to be so strange when looking at the drained Liana. In a situation where there was no reason to feel guilty, there was no need for a guilt-ridden expression. Naturally, Professor Epinhauser and Professor Mustlang came as well. Regardless of his affiliation with the Black Order, he was fulfilling his duties as a teacher. Seeing Liana''s drained face, Professor Mustlang wiped away her tears with a handkerchief and gently hugged her. After offering flowers, Professor Epinhauser stood before Liana. "Whenever you need help, come find me." "¡­ Yes, Professor." Liana repeated the words absentmindedly, as if she were an answering machine, seemingly without giving any thought to the words themselves. Epinhauser, the teacher, left those words behind and our gazes met briefly. He didn''t say anything to me. But somehow, he seemed to know that I wasn''t responsible for this incident. And then. Bertus de Gardias had also come to the tomb to pay his respects. "..." With a solemn expression, Bertus threw flowers on the tomb and quietly stared at the coffin. Next, Bertus stood in front of Liana. Looking at the pale Liana, Bertus seemed to be pondering something. Bertus had acted for the sake of the empire. It must have been something that only he could do. But he had framed me, and killed Liana''s father. I couldn''t say that I wasn''t responsible, and Bertus wouldn''t admit to his actions. With a stern expression, Bertus, also drenched in rain, spoke a single word to Liana. "I''m sorry, Liana." "..." It was an ambiguous statement. I was the only one at the scene who could understand its ambiguity. Liana, realizing that she was in front of the prince, clenched her teeth and took a deep breath. "No... Thank you for coming, Bertus." Liana was thanking someone she should never be grateful to. I couldn''t look at Bertus''s face. No matter what expression he wore, I couldn''t trust myself not to throw a punch at him. Among the numerous floral tributes, the nearly white-flower-covered coffin of Duke Grantz began to be filled with dirt. "I''m sorry, Dad." Winter rain ran down Liana''s face. "I''m sorry, Dad." Her lips were so cold they had turned blue, but Liana stared straight at Duke Grantz''s tomb. "It''s all my fault." What was she so sorry for? What was she so regretful about? In the end, Liana began to shed clear tears that couldn''t be mistaken for rainwater. "I... I messed up..." So couldn''t you come back? I''ll do better now. I won''t act crazy anymore. I understand now. I''ll do better from now on. Couldn''t you come back? Liana murmured while looking at the mound of dirt accumulating on the coffin. But, of course. Duke Grantz didn''t return. CH 370 After the funeral. The duchess seemed to be conversing with her relatives, and we brought Liana to the annex, concerned that she might catch a cold. We had her take a bath with warm water. We said nothing. We didn''t know what to say. Discussing why the Demon King had done such a thing was not appropriate here. Knowing the truth, I felt a heavy burden. The revolutionary forces had not vanished. They had fallen into Owen''s hands, and he was a sly one. The unbelievable situation where the revolutionary forces would be used lay before us. A faction aiming to overthrow the regime enters under its control. Could this be fair? The situation was bitter, but one couldn''t help but agree that Bertus had been extraordinarily clever. If the revolutionary forces were mishandled at a strange time, the worst outcome could occur: the entire empire would be thrown into chaos with the revolutionary forces running rampant in exchange for eliminating their leaders. Bertus devised a plan to annihilate the leaders of the revolutionary forces, disguising it as a demon attack. He then arranged for Owen to become the next leader of the revolutionary forces, anticipating their confusion. Owen would turn this incident into a matter of force used due to problems at the negotiating table with the demons. Thus, the internal turmoil would be quelled. In the long term, he would either gradually weaken and extinguish the revolutionary forces, incite internal strife to disintegrate them, or handle matters according to his taste. They had been perfectly exploited. There could hardly be a better way to bring down the revolutionary forces without significant upheaval. The ability to utilize the name of the demon forces was not exclusive to me. The empire, which held demon prisoners, could also disguise their actions as those of the demons. Bertus had been inspired by my act of killing Riverrier Lanze. "Be careful." "Mm..." Liana descended to the annex''s reception room in light attire. Liana sat on the sofa, hugging her knees, staring blankly ahead. For a while, none of us could speak. No one could open their mouths. Late at night, the silent hours passed, and everyone went to bed. In the space where, not long ago, we had gathered for a warm and lively party, only silence lingered. Most friends couldn''t leave the Grantz Ducal House''s annex, feeling responsible to look after Liana. ------ A cold winter rain fell at night. -Crackling! Fizzling! Cliffman awoke to an unfamiliar sound coming from somewhere. No, in truth, he hadn''t been asleep. He was in a state of wandering between sleep and consciousness. Cliffman rose from his bed and headed for the hallway. He knew whose sound this was. In the darkened annex''s first-floor reception room. -Crackling! Fizzling! Liana, sitting blankly, repeatedly generated lightning in the empty air. "...What are you doing?" At Cliffman''s words, Liana slowly raised her head and stared silently at the staircase where Cliffman stood. "...Just." Liana, with a somber expression, replied while lowering her eyes. The confident, lively, and always playful Liana de Grantz seemed to have disappeared. In her place was Liana with a face full of despair and frustration. Cliffman cautiously descended the stairs. Then, he sat down opposite Liana. Liana looked at Cliffman and faintly smiled. "You must be tired." Cliffman was shocked by Liana''s smile and words. It wasn''t a situation where she should be able to laugh. It wasn''t a situation where she should be able to speak kindly, yet Liana smiled in this situation. Cliffman found this side of Liana unfamiliar. But in such a situation, he did not know that people could actually become kinder. There had always been someone unconditionally on her side. She had not treated that person with care. She thought it would last forever and took that person for granted. It was only after that person disappeared that Liana became sincere towards others. Regretting it deeply. She realized that no one could be forever for her and that she could not be forever for anyone. She learned to cherish people. "Today, I''m grateful to everyone." That''s why Liana became kind. Regretting all the days she wasn''t kind. "..." "In a little while, I''ll feel better. Don''t worry too much." Cliffman quietly observed Liana, who seemed like a completely different person with her changed tone. Cliffman had never been good with words. He was clumsy at dealing with people. He had hoped that by being pushed around by this strange girl, he would improve, but he always seemed to be stuck in place. He was still awkward around people and especially so with girls. He hadn''t improved. Cliffman didn''t even know how to treat people casually, as if everything was normal. And now, Liana wasn''t her usual self. In this situation, Cliffman knew even less about what to say. But it was strange. Initially, he couldn''t even look directly at Liana''s face. When someone stared at him, he would break into a cold sweat and hurriedly avert his gaze. Liana, in particular, had a piercing stare, and Cliffman found it unbearable. She would even scold him, asking why he kept avoiding her gaze and demanding that he look her in the eye. He didn''t know why, but when Liana looked at him, it felt like someone was squeezing his heart, causing great pain. But now... Cliffman looked at Liana, but she couldn''t meet his gaze. It wasn''t awkward to look at her. In this situation, he couldn''t tell what to say. He didn''t even know how to act normally, let alone how to comfort someone. However. Not knowing didn''t mean it was impossible to do. Even if it''s uncertain, one can still try. There are things you can do to treat someone ordinarily, and things you can do to comfort them. Whether the attempt succeeds or fails is unknown. It was now Cliffman''s turn. "Liana." "...Hmm?" "Would you like to...drink?" Liana wanted to comfort Liana de Grantz. Liana looked at Cliffman with wide, surprised eyes, as if she hadn''t expected him to say such a thing. "..." Drinking in this situation. It seemed like a moment when they shouldn''t drink, but Liana stared intently at Cliffman. The boy''s eyes, which were wide open to the point of being burdensome, were looking at her. Trying not to turn away, trying to do something, at least now. Looking at the boy''s eyes, which seemed to hold the greatest courage he had ever shown in his life. "Alright, sounds good." Liana smiled faintly. ------ In the middle of the night, a boy and a girl were drinking. Strong whiskey, without any side dishes. A girl who lost her father was drinking. The boy who wanted to comfort the girl was also drinking. It was a night when they might get deeply drunk, but it was a night when it might be alright to do so. After all, there were times when one would rather anesthetize themselves and let the moments pass. There was no real conversation. Liana looked at the window of the annex every time she sipped whiskey. The main building was visible through the glass of the window where the winter rain flowed. Cliffman didn''t ask what she was thinking. He just sat across from her and drank slowly, matching Liana''s pace. "My father ran away to marry a commoner he met at the temple." "...Really?" Cliffman listened calmly to the story. He didn''t stutter as usual, nor did he panic. Liana bit her lip slightly, as if nibbling on the edge of a secretive laugh, and continued her story. "Yeah. He was eventually caught and brought back, but if he had succeeded, I wouldn''t have been born." "...I see." "Neither my mother nor my father ever told me what kind of person that woman was. She was just a mistake in my father''s life and a similar mistake in my mother''s life. I wonder if she''s dead or living an ordinary life." Liana quietly sipped her whiskey. "After my father was caught, the family forced him to marry. They couldn''t find a good match for him since they had to arrange the marriage quickly and there were rumors. So, he married my mother, a noble with no territory and only a hollow title. The second daughter of the Baron Relayon." Everyone involved in high society knew the story, but Cliffman was not a noble. Thus, he couldn''t know about the disgrace of the family Liana was talking about. But Cliffman listened to her story quietly. "Mother must have wanted to like Father, but Father couldn''t like Mother. So naturally, Mother couldn''t like Father either. Their relationship was shaky from the start." ¡°I was the glue that somehow kept their creaking marriage going. I don''t even know how I came to be born. Anyway, I was born. It''s a bit much to call me a sacrificial lamb, but whenever they had a big fight, my name would inevitably come up. For Liana''s sake. For my sake. Both my mom and dad would say that. Whenever they were about to make some extreme decision, my name would always come up. So, was there anything more to do with Liana here?¡± "I was sick of it." "Did they think I was the only accomplishment they had in each other''s lives?" Liana gulps down her whiskey. "Anyway, I hated both my mom and dad. I hated my mom for constantly interfering in my life, and I hated my dad because, although he seemed to let me be free, I could clearly see that he wanted me to live the life he couldn''t. After all, if my dad had treated my mom well from the start, she wouldn''t have become such a wicked person." "Mom was obviously a problem, but dad pretended not to be a problem when in fact he was the biggest problem." "So I hated both my mom and dad. I truly thought I hated them." Liana pours whiskey into her glass and swirls it around. "But, I think I liked my dad more than I thought." Even though I thought I hated him. Because of the regret that rushes in when he''s no longer visible. Because of the regret and guilt that come from the fact that the last words I unknowingly spoke became my final words. "I am the worthless child you both said I was." Liana''s eyes were wide, filled with tears. "I regret... everything..." Putting her glass down, she couldn''t drink and just stared blankly at her glass while crying. Cliffman just watched her silently. "Why? Why did the Demon King... have to take our dad... of all places... Why did it have to be like that? Why did our dad have to die? Even though he wasn''t a good husband, I think he was a good father to me. Even though he couldn''t love mom, I think he did love me. I think he loved me at least, and only me. I thought of it as an excuse to rationalize their unhappy marriage. So... huh... well... and... he was a good person, my dad. He was kind to others and didn''t do anything bad. He was... a good... person..." Cliffman silently watched Liana as she sobbed. The Duke of Grantz was a good person in public. He wasn''t a good husband or a good father, or so she thought, but he wasn''t that bad a father either. Liana says this in a world where her father has disappeared. What has been lost cannot be regained. In that case, there''s no choice but to hope for something else. Unable to accept why it had to be lost, she begins to think about the reasons it had to be. And so... because... I''m a supernatural. Can I avenge? Can I fight? I wonder. How strong I am. If that''s possible. I wonder... Revenge. Sleepless nights. Liana vaguely imagined revenge as she played with the sparks of the campfire. Because she''s supernatural. You can''t take back the words you''ve said, nor can you turn back time. But dreaming of vengeance on the Demon King who took her father might be possible. Liana sat in a daze, alone, testing her abilities. She was supernatural, and supernatural powers were incredibly rare. The Demon King was such a grand name. Even the name of Duke Grantz paled in comparison before the name of the Demon King. Hadn''t it been mercilessly trampled? Liana wondered if she could face that great name, the Demon King, on a rainy winter night. She was a powerful supernatural who controlled electricity, but she couldn''t know how strong the Demon King was. So, in despair, regret, and vengefulness, Liana envisioned herself fighting the Demon King, fear gripping her heart. As Cliffman watched Liana, he said quietly, "I''ll help you." "...What?" "I''ll help you. Me." At his words, Liana stared at Cliffman, her eyes brimming with tears. They were just two people. Facing that great name together wouldn''t change much. "If we''re together, it''ll be a little less difficult." Not that it would be easier, but a little less difficult. The words had a strange sense of realism. A strange realism because Cliffman''s sincerity felt so intense, so genuine. It wasn''t just something he said. If you''re going to risk your life in the difficult task of killing the Demon King, I''ll risk mine alongside you to make it a little less difficult, he seemed to say sincerely. "Why...?" I can risk my life, but why should you? To that question, Cliffman downed a full glass of whiskey in one gulp and exhaled a fiery breath. "We''re friends, aren''t we?" That was the first time the word "friends" had come from Cliffman''s mouth. At that, Liana didn''t know how to react and stared at Cliffman with a flustered expression. Liana looked at Cliffman, her face flushed, and finally managed a faint smile. "There should be something stronger to say than that." "..." "But if you''ve come this far... you''ve grown a lot." A stronger word than "friends." At that, Cliffman''s face turned red. "Thanks." Just as Cliffman had emptied his glass of whiskey in one go, Liana drained the remaining liquor in her glass. And then... -Glug, glug, glug She poured the remaining expensive whiskey from the bottle onto the ground. Liana wiped the corner of her eye. Her eyes were red, but there were no more tears. "I won''t be able to drink for a while." Not until the Demon King is dead. Liana laughed weakly and said so. ------ The funeral was over, and we all returned to the temple. Liana had also returned to the temple. She had not regained her spirit. However. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°If you''re tired, take a break.¡± ¡°No. I want to do more.¡± ¡°No, rest. Forcing yourself will only hurt your body.¡± ¡°Still, a bit more¡­¡± ¡°I know better. Rest.¡± ¡°Huh...? Oh. Yeah... Alright. I''ll rest, then.¡± Liana began training at dawn. Ellen and I watched from a distance as Liana and Cliffman ran together. Physical strength is a condition with no disadvantages. Strictly speaking, Liana was quite lacking in physical aspects. Although she wasn''t as bad as Charlotte, she couldn''t compare to a close combat major who trained properly. Liana was not particularly enthusiastic. She had a powerful Supernatural ability that grew on its own, and that was enough for her. Her family was wealthy, so she had no worries about her life after graduation. She was more interested in idling around and playing, and not long ago, she was disappointed that we were living too diligently. That Liana de Grantz was gone. ¡°Hah... Hah¡­¡± ¡°Be careful on the ice.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Liana, her eyes filled with a fierce poison, gritted her teeth and chased after Cliffman, who she shouldn''t have been able to keep up with even on tiptoes. Liana had been the one to forcibly drag the socially awkward Cliffman around and tried to fix his personality somehow. Now, it seemed that Cliffman no longer stammered or felt embarrassed when dealing with Liana. Rather, it was now Cliffman who was teaching Liana something. A common goal had erased Cliffman''s embarrassment and Liana''s insincerity. Their inherent problems had vanished. Through someone''s death. Through the purpose of vengeance. Ellen and I watched Liana, who gritted her teeth and chased after Cliffman, even as sweat poured down her face in the dead of winter. "I thought the Demon King would be a distant story," I said. Ellen looked at me. The champion of Tu¡¯an. And the owner of two relics. She seemed to think it would be a story relevant to us as well. No matter what the Demon King was, for the majority of people, he was nothing more than a symbol of terror, and it seemed unlikely that they would ever encounter him or that he would have any direct influence on their lives. But the Duke of Grantz had died at the hands of the Demon King. Someone nearby had experienced direct sorrow and pain due to the Demon King''s actions and had changed as a result. "Reinhardt." "Yeah." "I''m angry." Ellen''s eyes trembled. Could it be that she had no choice but to acknowledge that the Demon King was truly an evil existence now? The situation was hard for her to accept. It seemed Ellen was angry at the Demon King who had destroyed her friend''s life. Her anger would have to be different from theirs. "Me too." I was the one who could be the angriest. "Let''s go." "Yeah." We ran together. Even if the essence of our anger and the true target of our vengeance differed. We spent our days together. Everyday life was spent running together until something began at the end of the day. CH 371 Kwarung! A dazzling flash of light incinerated the wooden stump and blasted it to smithereens. Wooreureureung! As the expanding air created a sharp rumbling noise, Professor Epinhauser nodded silently. "Lightning..." Liana calmly observed the shattered remnants of the wooden stump. It was an outdoor training ground usually reserved for testing large-scale destruction magic. Although it was vacation time, Professor Epinhauser was assessing Liana de Grantz''s condition and abilities. Liana de Grantz''s power was to manipulate electricity. However, it had now evolved to a level where she could summon lightning from the sky. While it wasn''t nearly as instantaneous as usual, requiring mental focus and time, Liana had undeniably summoned the lightning. "Your ability might have evolved into a Supernatural power related to weather. We still need to analyze it further, though." Liana could still manipulate electricity. However, her ability had undergone some changes after the death of Duke Grantz. "Don''t worry about it for now, and try to unleash your existing abilities to their fullest." "Yes." Professor Epinhauser stepped back to watch Liana practice her powers. As an electric field formed around Liana''s body, it began to explosively discharge into the surroundings. Kwarurururung! As if trying to burn everything nearby, frantic currents of electricity danced around Liana, stretching out in every direction like living entities. At the same time that she gained the ability to summon lightning, her existing power had also become amplified. "That''s enough, you''ve demonstrated plenty." "Control is... difficult." "It will improve over time." While the output of her ability had greatly increased, Liana had lost the finesse in handling her powers, which used to be her strong suit. Due to the sudden and consecutive thunderclaps, Professor Epinhauser had no choice but to stop the experiment, as it was causing chaos throughout the temple and the entire royal road. Pajik! Pajijik! In the center of the smoke-filled training ground, Professor Epinhauser silently watched Liana absentmindedly create sparks in her right hand. Liana slowly walked out of the training ground and stood in front of Epinhauser. "Is this not enough?" Without asking what was lacking, Epinhauser knew exactly what she meant. Revenge. There was no need to ask who the revenge was intended for. They discussed what was sufficient. It was excessive, not just sufficient. The current Demon King was only considered an absolute being in the exaggerated fantasies of people. "That''s true." However, Epinhauser was not in a position to reveal such truth. "But your power is already highly threatening. Use it with caution." "Yes." In response to Epinhauser''s words, Liana silently generated a current from her fingertips. "Professor." "Speak." Up until now, Liana hadn''t given much thought to her supernatural abilities. She had never considered living a life of combat. "It''s the first time I''m glad for my abilities." Lightning. A supernatural power specialized for offense, far superior to any other ability. In speed, destructive force, and range of slaughter, it was unrivaled. For the first time, Liana was grateful for her powers. Epinhauser quietly observed Liana, who seemed spellbound by the blue electrical currents. Liana''s abilities had experienced exponential growth. But to face the colossal figure known as the Demon King, she could not be satisfied with just this. More. A little more. She had to become stronger. "Can I do Magic Body Strengthening too?" It wasn''t just about relying on her abilities. She wanted to make the raw strength of her physical body her own as well. "It''s better to specialize in your natural talents. If you focus on Magic Body Strengthening, you''ll end up neglecting other areas." "But Reinhardt did it." Reinhardt was a precedent, a supernatural being who didn''t settle for just his abilities but also do Magic Body Strengthening. Although Reinhardt was a unique case in many ways, Liana didn''t care for such details. She had to become stronger. To do that, she had to obtain all the strength she could. Liana felt compelled to be blindly committed to strength in order not to be crushed by the name of the Demon King. She had started late. Having supernatural abilities was just another starting point. While others were making efforts, Liana had been complacent with reality and had spent her time without any concern for the future. Now, she had to put in more effort than anyone else. Epinhauser briefly said to her. "It''s not impossible." Liana nodded her head, satisfied with the response. ------ "What do you want to do?" In my dormitory room, I was discussing with Sarkegaar. I had been used by Bertus. And also by Owen de Gatmora. However, Bertus had said, like we had discussed long ago, that the Empire needed an enemy. The remnants of the Demon King''s forces, plotting in the shadows. It maintained the unity of humanity. In the past, the enemy had been defined as the Darklands, but now the Empire sought unity through a new concept, terrorism. The approach of using the Demon King''s actions as a disguise to deal with troublesome matters might not be the last. Of course, I had no intention of touching Bertus. But the Merchant Guild Master. The traitor of the revolutionary forces, and the one who would ultimately devour them. I had to decide what to do about him. "I don''t like it, but it seems the royal family sees us as a necessary evil. They probably think our forces will never be fully restored. It''s truly arrogant." Sarkegaar''s tone was filled with anger. As a fallen enemy nation, the royal family treated the Demon Realm as nothing more than a mask they could use at their whim. Sarkegaar seemed to be infuriated by this. Owen de Gatmora. He must know that his life is in danger. Even if we cannot touch the prince, it wouldn''t be difficult for us to eliminate him. The moment he decided to use us, Owen had essentially put his own neck on the line. If we kill Owen de Gatmora, we can prevent the royal family from swallowing the revolutionary forces. However, if the revolutionaries, plunged into chaos, then start to riot, that''s not what I want. Sarkegaar might prefer chaos. Simply removing and controlling the leaders of the revolutionary forces is not Bertus''s entire strategy. I had a strong conviction that my response to Owen''s death was also within the scope of Bertus''s strategy. To kill or to spare Owen de Gatmora. It was clear that Bertus intended to gauge the disposition of the remaining demonic forces through which of the two decisions we made. In the case of Riverrier Lanze, the royal family still had not gained certainty about my true intentions for killing Riverrier Lanze. The empire would still be confused, not knowing what intentions had caused that incident, which had yielded excessively favorable results for them. If I kill Owen de Gatmora and sabotage the proper consolidation of the revolutionary forces, the royal family will make a judgment about the remaining demonic forces. That the case of Riverrier Lanze was a mere coincidence, and the goal of the demonic forces was to overthrow the empire. If I don''t kill Owen de Gatmora, the royal family will reserve their conclusion. Leaving the revolutionary forces, who have lost any chance of joining hands with them, untouched wouldn''t be helpful if they assumed the intention of the demonic forces was to rebuild the demon world. By sparing Owen, we could imply that we are not a group focused on causing chaos within the empire but have other hidden intentions. However, that could simultaneously raise suspicions about why we initially tried to join hands with the revolutionary forces. "We cannot give our enemies certainty about our nature." There''s no reason to inform the royal family about what we are pursuing. The moment we decide to take Owen''s life, the royal family''s attitude toward us will be determined. Bertus wants to use us. While our existence must be acknowledged by those who should be our enemies, there''s no reason for us to make them certain that we are their enemies. "Distasteful as it may be, we''ll spare Owen de Gatmora. It wouldn''t hurt to have some kind of connection with the royal family, accessible from the perspective of the demonic forces." "Yes, Your Highness." Sarkegaar nodded, as if convinced. I cannot obsess over saving or taking someone''s life based on personal feelings. Such thoughts only serve to acknowledge that I have become someone who hangs another''s life in the balance without a care. This realization suddenly weighed on me. ------ "How did they react?" ¡°Upon hearing that his name would be borrowed, he showed signs of displeasure, but he did not harm me.¡± Bertus was quietly observing Owen de Gatmora, who sat on the sofa in his office, savoring his tea. "I never thought you''d come back alive. Quite unexpected." "I thought the same, Your Highness." Owen de Gatmora. One of the leaders of the revolutionary faction and a traitor. He was now poised to engulf the decapitated revolutionary faction. And slowly, he would wield the group disguised as a revolution and eventually sink them. Although he was a traitor, he too had returned alive from a place where his life was in danger. The greatest contributor to this operation was Owen de Gatmora. Although Bertus had given the order, Owen had devised the plan, manipulated the letters, and skillfully controlled the messages to bring everyone together. In reality. In the revolutionary faction''s leadership, there were more opposing opinions about joining hands with the demonic forces. However, Owen had made everyone believe that the majority of the leadership had already agreed to cooperate with the demonic forces by manipulating the letters and messages. Bertus had many thoughts. What on earth did those people want? When he heard that they had contacted Owen and wanted to join hands, he thought their goal might be to overthrow the empire. However, now that their plan had been thwarted, they had quietly backed down at a moment when they should have at least spat on the ruined situation. They joined hands with the revolutionary faction because their goal was to overthrow the empire. In that case, they should have killed Owen. At least, a ruined plan should have caused chaos. But Owen de Gatmora returned safely. Had they known about the contingency plan for absorbing the revolutionary faction after Owen''s death? No, Bertus was certain that the probability was very low. If they had known that Owen was a traitor, they would have had no reason to contact him in the first place. "I don''t know what the hell they want." Chaos or stability? If stability, why on earth would they want stability for their enemies? Bertus had solved a big problem but felt like he had fallen into an even bigger labyrinth. "By the way, tell me now." "What do you mean, Your Highness?" Owen smiled faintly at Bertus''s words. "Why did you betray them?" Owen was not a spy that Bertus had planted from the beginning. After the Rotary Club incident, he suddenly appeared and divulged everything. Owen looked at his teacup with narrowed eyes. "The merchant had a dream." "A dream..." "Yes, it took quite a long time to realize that the dream would not come true, but once I knew it was a dream, I tried to wake up." "It seems you were quite serious about the revolution." "Is there any doubt?" Owen had dreamed of revolution earnestly. In front of the greatest beneficiary of the caste system, he calmly admitted that he had sincerely denied it. He was an old man who had risked his life to meet with the remnants of the demonic forces alone. Thus, in front of Bertus, he could not help but be audacious in his own way. The old merchant dreamed of a world where everyone was equal. He was serious about it. "What''s the point of talking about what''s already gone? They seem to be more obsessed with discussing what a revolution is, rather than dreaming of the revolution itself. And within that, based on whether one is from the Orbis class or not, and to what extent the internal logic of the revolution has been developed, the hierarchy is divided and the way they are treated differs... I realized something else." "Something else?" "Yes, that''s just how humans are, by nature." Human nature is discrimination and distinction. Owen realized that even those who dreamed of equality tried to distinguish each other based on their background. "In a new world, people will still be distinguished and try to distinguish, and among those distinguished, someone will be considered noble, special, and others will be despised and scorned. If that''s human nature, if the distinctions don''t disappear but only the indicators change, then why do we need a new world?" The old merchant realized too late that there is no reason to destroy the existing stable distinctions if we can''t get rid of distinctions themselves, and no reason to spill blood while replacing one distinction with another. Bertus quietly watched Owen de Gatmora as he spoke. He had dreamed of a revolution, but after a long time experiencing the revolution organization, he knew that it didn''t remove discrimination and distinction, but only created new ones. That''s why he decided that there was no good in such a revolution, and he sought out Bertus. He didn''t try to replace the pyramid, but met the person at the top of the pyramid now. Bertus gave Owen de Gatmora a sarcastic smile. "Your words sound reasonable, but isn''t it just resentment or betrayal born from the fact that you, not being from the Orbis class, couldn''t become part of the leadership?" He had been loyal to the organization like a dog, but he couldn''t become part of the leadership because he wasn''t part of the Orbis class graduate faction. Owen de Gatmora laughed at Bertus''s malicious words, which asked if it wasn''t simply resentment because he had to be satisfied with being an executive. "Ha, is that all? There was also the reason that I was a lowly man who only cared about money, and the reason that I wasn''t a noble, Your Highness." "Ha, haha! Ha, ha. Ha. Hahaha!" Bertus couldn''t help but burst into laughter at Owen de Gatmora''s tragicomic and bitter joke. The very reason Owen couldn''t become part of the leadership in the revolutionary organization demonstrated just how contradictory the group was. Bertus laughed for a while, then wiped the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief and chuckled. "Alright, anyway, you did well this time. I''ll call you again when there''s work." "Please call me anytime, Your Highness." Bertus quietly watched Owen as he respectfully took his leave. He dreamed a dream, and he knew that it was a misguided dream. So, was Owen de Gatmora a betrayer or a resolute man, who pushed all those who shared the futile dream with him into the abyss of hell? Owen de Gatmora had dreamed a dangerous dream, but he abandoned it earlier than others, and in exchange for betraying those who had once shared the dream with him, he obtained absolution. Bertus had no interest in such matters. All he did was watch the old merchant''s back, which wasn''t so straight anymore. CH 372 Liana had changed. It was inevitable, given the circumstances. Liana had been someone who wasted time aimlessly, but she was also an incredibly powerful Supernatural who grew stronger on her own. She had power but had never really thought about using it in her daily life. However, in the face of her current situation, Liana was grateful for the strength she had accumulated during her seemingly wasted time and was sincerely working hard to hone her abilities. In addition to training her Supernatural powers, she was also focusing on physical training, something she had always despised and avoided. In this regard, Cliff was the one helping her. Ultimately, it was not within my power to stop Liana from seeking revenge on her enemies. So, who should be the true target of Liana''s vengeance? Owen de Gatmora, who had secretly conspired within the revolutionary forces and betrayed them at the critical moment? Shanafel and Saviolin Turner, who were likely to have executed the operation? Bertus, the mastermind behind it all? Or the Emperor who endorsed the plan? Or, after all this, was it me, who had set off the chain of events that led to this entire situation? I didn''t know which direction Liana''s vengeful blade should truly point. It seemed unfair if I were the one to bear the brunt of it, but when I thought about it carefully, perhaps it wasn''t so unfair after all. It was a thought mixed with resignation. Liana pursued strength. More than anyone among us, she desired and longed for it fervently. Thus, the remaining days of the winter break passed by. And I had to truly prepare. Prepare to become everyone''s enemy. That moment was fast approaching. ------ [Achievement Points: 17,730] Up until now, I hadn''t needed to use them for anything in particular, and I had been saving them like emergency funds, just in case something significant happened. The most recent use of my points was to enhance my word magic ability to create a significant opening for Riverrier Lanze during the incident. By strengthening my word magic, I restrained his movements and stabbed the Tiamata, which had transformed into a demon sword, into his heart. Since then, I had become the true master of Tiamata, and it could freely transform into a holy sword or a demon sword according to my will. Achievement points had always been a powerful weapon for me, as they could create significant variables. There were quite a few things I could do with the remaining achievement points. With 8,000 points, I could unlock my fourth talent. My current talents were self-suggestion, Word Magic, and magic control. [Swordsmanship - 8,000 points] To become a master class, I needed a talent related to combat, but my self-suggestion talent already functioned in that regard. However, acquiring a talent in swordsmanship wouldn''t be a bad idea. Gaining swordsmanship would speed up my journey to the master class. Upon using 8,000 achievement points, I would be left with 9,000 points. To awaken my fifth talent, I would need 16,000 points, so I would require an additional 7,000 points to awaken it. However, I am currently torn between two talents. [Swordsmanship - 8,000 points] [Supernatural Resistance - 8,000 points] I might need resistance against Supernatural powers. With my sacred spirit, I am virtually immune to mental magic, and while I will need anti-magic resistance, that can be trained. However, Supernatural powers are impossible to resist. If my true identity is discovered, countless people will become my enemies. This would likely include Liana de Grantz. Her electric powers have become significantly more potent through her awakening. Of course, Liana''s resistance can be somewhat managed with the defensive abilities that arise from my Magic Body Strengthening. However, with Supernatural resistance, I could be relatively safe from not only Liana but also other existing Supernaturals. And the real problem is not Liana. Scarlett. Scarlet''s immunity power completely neutralizes me. In the face of her power, which nullifies Supernatural powers within a range, I can''t use self-suggestion or word magic. People have already seen Scarlett''s power neutralize me during the tournament. If my identity as the Demon King is revealed and a fight ensues, my truly dangerous enemy will not be Ellen but Scarlett. If Scarlett''s immunity power is classified as Supernatural, can I counter it with Supernatural resistance? Even if it''s not, I can make it possible. [Additional Setting] Though I have never used it, I can add a setting that allows me to resist Scarlett''s immunity power with Supernatural resistance. However, in this case, there''s a drawback of having to spend a considerable amount of achievement points to deal with only Scarlet. It''s not like I absolutely have to fight Scarlet. In this case, it would be a waste of points. Achievement points are saved to be used when needed, not to be rendered useless. Should I secure a talent related to martial arts to reach the Master Class more quickly? Or should I acquire Supernatural resistance to pursue more stability? My contemplation did not last long. [I will use 8,000 achievement points.] [I have acquired the talent ''Swordsmanship.''] As long as it''s not urgent, I will pursue versatility. My talents now include Swordsmanship, Magic Control, Self-suggestion, and Word Magic. I have met the optimal conditions to become a Master Class. The remaining achievement points are 9,730. I would like to keep this amount as a reserve for emergencies. [Supernatural Resistance - 16,000 points] I would have liked to have Supernatural resistance as a talent in case of unforeseen situations. I had been holding back, thinking that having too many talents might raise suspicion. Maybe Supernatural resistance was the better choice...? Once consumed, a talent cannot be returned. Having spent a large portion of my achievement points, it''s now time to accumulate them again. I wasn''t sure if it was the right time for this, but in the end, achievement points were more important to me than money. Achievement points were the only ability that could interfere with the world. And at this moment, the only way to obtain achievement points was through challenges. Of course, the challenge list was updated periodically. [Challenge List] [Discover the true identity of Akasha - 50,000 points] [Find Cantus Magna - 30,000 points] The top two challenges coincided with my goals. These would not disappear anytime soon. At first, absurd challenges like slapping the emperor dominated the top of the list, but now, more serious challenges offered substantial achievement point rewards. It seemed that it was no longer a time for jokes. Or so I thought. [Come out to classmates (Cross-dressing contest) - 5,000 points] [Date with Bertus while cross-dressing - 4,000 points] [Date with Kono Lint while cross-dressing - 4,000 points] [Date with someone while cross-dressing - 2,000 points] [Cross-dressing¡­¡­.] [Cross-dressing! - 500 points] "¡­" Well, that was unexpected. Were they going to milk this until I died? ------ I decided to forget about achievement points for a while. Ever since my eyes had been blinded by achievement points and I had participated in the cross-dressing contest, I had no intention of doing anything else with them. The snowball effect of embarrassment was too much. I couldn''t rule out the possibility of more problems arising, and they already had. Just because I had acquired swordsmanship talent didn''t mean my sword skills had miraculously improved. Up until now, I had mostly relied on my existing specs. An absolute difference in skill. Purely in terms of swordsmanship, I was inferior to Cliffman, Scarlett, and Ludwig. Ellen didn''t even need to be mentioned. I was still lagging even with all my efforts. The reason I could gain an advantage over them was due to my self-suggestion and the ability to use Magic Body Strengthening. So my style was to push through the difference in skill with overwhelming physical strength. But now that I had acquired swordsmanship talent, I was granted a future where I could excel in pure skill itself. In the end, I focused on training amidst a situation where gradual change was happening a little faster than dramatic change. One day, Ellen, Cliffman, and I were gathered closely in the training grounds. "¡­You think I''m too weak?" "Yeah." Cliffman had come to Ellen and me with a serious expression, asking for advice. "I did say I''d help, but¡­ as you can see, it''s difficult to say this, but¡­ Liana''s Supernatural abilities were already strong¡­" "And now they''re even stronger." "Exactly." Liana''s Supernatural abilities had become extremely powerful after an unwanted awakening, and they were growing stronger. The trigger was the death of her father and her anger and regret, but as a result, Liana had indeed become stronger. And Cliffman wanted to help Liana in her quest for revenge. Nevertheless. "I''m afraid that if such a battle really happened, I wouldn''t be of any help..." Cliffman thought of himself as useless. How come he... Why can''t he escape this kind of pathetic state? If you think about whether Cliffman is strong or not in a general sense, he belongs to the monster category. However. The ones he''s seeking advice from are Ellen and me. There''s no need to mention Ellen, and I''ve already gone beyond the path of normalcy, transcending even the monster''s orbit. In other words. If there are beings like divine beings among the royal class of monsters, it would be Ellen and me. Although this is said in terms of growth rate rather than actual strength. Moreover, the one who had vowed to fight alongside us was originally an incredibly powerful Supernatural, but his abilities suddenly exploded in growth this time. So, Cliffman, who is not divine but could be considered heavenly, feels that his bowl seems infinitely small because the comparison is overwhelmingly strong. "Shouldn''t I be able to do Magic Body Strengthening as well..." No, this is. You''re not supposed to realize that in the first year. Ellen couldn''t do it in her first year either. The situation was just bizarre, and she awakened too early. In fact, she had a nosebleed, and I fainted for a few days, right? But it''s just that the grass looks greener on the other side, and he has reached a level where he thinks he''s a sparrow when he''s actually a swan. It''s clear that he fell into the imagination that when Liana really has to fight, he might be a hindrance and should just sulk. And if a fight happens right now, there''s a high probability that it would happen. As always, Ellen looked at Cliffman indifferently. "Don''t think too hastily. There''s no need to be in such a hurry." And calmly consoling him is one of Ellen''s strengths. "We never know what will happen. The Demon King might attack the temple anytime, thinking it could threaten them now or later." Um... If the Demon King really wants the destruction of mankind and desires a demonic war, that could happen. But I''m telling you, it''s not me! I''m here with you guys! Is this what it feels like when you say you''re about to explode? "...You''re right." The problem was that it sounded credible. The recent demonic attack disguised as an incident has led to various misunderstandings about demonic forces. Not only the powerful demons that have been operating so far, but people also came to believe that orcs, ogres, and other demonic creatures exist under the command of the Demon King. People''s imaginations added that they already had a considerable military force. There are questions about why the demons attacked that place, but as Bertus intended, people were engulfed in fear of demons. Not many questioned the true reason. To be precise, people understood that the intention was to attack the capital Rajeurn of the small country Levaina, but the merchant guild branch on the outskirts was unfortunately attacked instead. Soon. The fear of not knowing when and where the touch of the Demon King might reach lay dormant in everyone''s hearts, and this was no exception for Clifman. And. The temple where the talents who could be called the future of the empire slept was, in the minds of humans, the highest priority for an attack. Even among those, the royal class. It was the first place to suppress in order to shatter the empire''s future, which the Demon King dreamt of dominating. Clifman''s anxiety about still being too weak in the face of an unknown danger held persuasive power regardless of my actual intentions. To be precise, he was too weak compared to Liana. "So, I''m thinking of focusing on magic sensitivity training for now. Could you help me with that?" "We''ve already done that." "¡­It just didn''t have any effect." "Still¡­" It seemed Clifman had determined that if he couldn''t succeed in Magic Body Strengthening, he couldn''t even begin. However, Ellen and I had been teaching Clifman how to do Magic Body Strengthening at every opportunity. I had somehow managed to awaken my abilities, but Clifman was still at a standstill. It wasn''t a training he had done before, so how could he miraculously awaken his ability of Magic Body Strengthening by focusing on it? Such a thing was impossible. "I understand what you''re thinking, but among the first-year students, only Liana and I can do Magic Body Strengthening. And it''s awkward to say this, but we''re the unusual ones. There are even seniors who still haven''t grasped it. If you rush too much, you might even destroy your magic circuit, causing more severe aftereffects¡­" "There''s one more person now." Clifman cut me off in the middle of my sentence. "What do you mean, one more person?" "A person who can do Magic Body Strengthening." Clifman pointed somewhere. It was unmistakably in the direction of the Class B dormitory. "Ludwig." What? The protagonist, this bastard. When did he pull a fast one without me knowing? CH 373 In this world, there are two exceptions that defy the standard norms: the Talent Vending Machine Ellen and me, the one who cheats. But I was mistaken; there are actually three. The protagonist, Ludwig, must also be included. "..." "..." Ellen and I, along with Cliffman, were silently watching Ludwig, who was sleeping peacefully in the rest area behind the duty priest''s office. I knew this feeling. He was asleep due to the aftereffects of his Magic Body Strengthening. "Ah, hello. You''re here." Next to Ludwig, Delfin, who had been nursing him, nodded his head as he saw us. Whether the yoga master, who was practically a healer in this situation, had already visited or not, Ludwig''s condition seemed to be fine. Or maybe someone who wasn''t the yoga master but could undoubtedly perform something similar. Saviolin Turner was also sitting by Ludwig''s side. "Last night, during the match, Ludwig used Magic Body Strengthening." She said briefly. Cliffman had his own reasons for requesting counseling from us today. He knew he was too impulsive, and he had accepted the fact that Ellen and I were exceptions among exceptions. However, since Ludwig had also enhanced his power with Magic Body Strengthening starting from yesterday, he began to wonder if he really had a problem and requested counseling. "Muttering about not having enough time and that it shouldn''t go on like this, he suddenly used Magic Body Strengthening, so I couldn''t help but be... surprised." Ludwig had definitely said at the Duke of Grantz''s funeral that he couldn''t forgive the demon bastards. It was clear that he was extremely angry. Feeling rage that a classmate''s parent had been murdered by the Demon King, he had come to think that the battle against the Demon King was not a distant future problem but one that could happen at any moment. So, the urgency in his heart created a strong desire for power, and the world responded by granting Ludwig a new path, Magic Body Strengthening. Saviolin Turner seemed to have been greatly shocked by witnessing the scene firsthand. She had only heard about Ellen and me, who had used Magic Body Strengthening on our own, but she had actually seen it happen with Ludwig. Witnessing the unyielding and endlessly striving person finally surpassing a stage, she must have been secretly admiring him. And as for Cliffman, With Ludwig managing to enhance his power on his own, it''s no wonder he''d doubt whether he was lacking if he couldn''t do it himself. "Uhm......" "Is, is he waking up?" As Ludwig moaned and tossed about, Delfin checked his complexion from various angles. No. Stay in bed for a few more days! Waking up in just one day would hurt my pride! "Ugh... Mm." Fortunately, he didn''t wake up in just one day, unknowingly provoking my self-consciousness. Sleep a bit more. Since he''s the protagonist, I''ll allow him to wake up one day earlier than me. Ah. I have these thoughts, too. It''s no wonder that Cliffman is now completely devoid of pride and feeling down. Ellen and I stared blankly at the unconscious Ludwig, who seemed fine but just couldn''t wake up, and our gazes naturally shifted toward Cliffman. It felt as if Ellen and I had become like twins. I''m useless. I''m worthless. I''m pathetic. Help? Someone like me? I''m a hindrance. A piece of trash that can''t even do Magic Body Strengthening. I''m trash. Trash should die. "..." "..." Seeing his expression, which was filled with more than just pessimism and self-loathing, bordering on self-abuse, made me feel unbearable. "Let''s try to do something," Ellen said calmly. And then. [Event Triggered - Magic Body Strengthening (Cliffman)] [Description: Help Cliffman awaken his Magic Body Strengthening.] [Reward: 2,000 Achievement Points, Increased Sensitivity to Magic Body Strengthening] The event had occurred. Achievement points. I had used a large amount of them recently, so this was probably an opportunity to accumulate more. Achievement points are always the last bastion, after all. In addition, the increased sensitivity to Magic Body Strengthening might be even more important. It''s crucial to become proficient in Magic Body Strengthening and eventually reach the master class. "Yeah, there''s nothing you can''t do," Ellen and I had no choice but to change our attitude. "¡­Yeah." We had to encourage him like this, or else who knows what would happen! Of course, Delfin and Saviolin Turner couldn''t grasp what we were talking about in front of the unconscious Ludwig. In the end. The three of us didn''t worry about Ludwig''s unconscious state at all, and we only realized we were just as trashy as him when we returned to the training grounds. ------ Cliffman urgently needed Magic Body Strengthening. However, trying to grasp Magic Body Strengthening while not having a clue was like a blind man touching an elephant; no matter how hard he tried, it would only lead to failure. So, in the end, Ellen and I spent hours beside the struggling Cliffman, offering various suggestions. As a result, Cliffman failed to get a feel for it, and we ended up with a bizarre scene where Ellen and I bickered endlessly. "No, you have to do it by sensing the essence within your body." "Essence? Can you even explain what essence is?" "Magic and essence are basically the same thing." "Are they? That might work for you, but for the rest of us, we need a clear and systematic explanation. If you explain something vague with even vaguer words, how can he possibly grasp it?" "Can you give a systematic explanation?" "No, not at all." "¡­Why are you so confident?" "It''s not my job. You''re the genius who should be explaining it properly." "Teaching is different from doing it yourself." "No. You''re good at teaching too. You''re good at everything, so you should be good at teaching as well. The problem is that you''re not trying. Just try to teach well." "I can''t do everything either." "No, you''ll do well if you just try, right? Use your head a bit to teach well. Why don''t you use that good brain of yours? Are you dense?" "¡­I''m not dense." Oh, dear. I hit the mark with that one. "Huh? Then who''s dense, if not you?" Ellen''s face paled at my words. "No, that''s not what I meant¡­" "So, you''re saying you''re not the dense one." "No, I didn''t think that. I just meant that I''m not dense." "Really? Then who is dense? Tell me." "I won''t. I don''t even think like that." "Who did you think was dense, if not me? Tell me your true feelings! Tell me your innermost thoughts!" Swoosh! I held my breath as Ellen seemed genuinely annoyed. "I''m the dense one." "You know it well." If I had pushed her any further, I would have gotten a taste of her anger. Anyway, our conversation had veered off into unrelated matters from magical Magic Body Strengthening. "Guys, guys¡­ I feel like blood is going to come out of my ears, not my mouth¡­" If there was a problem with Magic Body Strengthening, we needed to perform bloodletting, but we kept quiet, staring at Cliffman as he claimed it felt like blood would come out of his ears. Naturally. Nothing in particular happened. ------ Ellen''s words that teaching and doing are different were true. Neither Ellen nor I had any particular talent for teaching, and Magic Body Strengthening was especially difficult to teach, so there could be no progress. From the beginning, it would be strange if Magic Body Strengthening happened just by nagging like this. Thus, we returned to training since Magic Body Strengthening was making no progress. I''m not sure if this was a case of old habits die hard, but at least it gave me the awareness that I was doing something. -Whoosh! "Ouch!" Cliffman, who was struck by my practice sword, fell back with a thud. "Haah... Haah..." The guy struggled to his feet, bruised and battered. "I know it''s not my place to say, but excessive punishment doesn''t necessarily lead to improvement." Watching Cliffman struggle to his feet, he nodded at my words. "Even so, I have to do it." "¡­" Magic Body Strengthening eluded us, so we had no choice but to continue sparring. If I were to use Magic Body Strengthening, Cliffman would have no chance against me. Thanks to what I had learned from Ellen, my swordsmanship had improved significantly, and I had even awakened my ability of magic mastery. Cliffman couldn''t face me, who could use extremely stable Magic Body Strengthening. To be precise, even without Magic Body Strengthening, I could now face Cliffman with just self-suggestion. Unless I sealed off a few of my abilities, like removing pieces in a game of chess, Cliffman could no longer compete with me. In a pure swordsmanship contest, I would win. But such purity doesn''t apply in a real fight. If I had faced Riverrier Lanze alone, I would have died a hundred times over in a hundred fights. Yet, Riverrier Lanze died at my hands. That''s what battle is. One can attack and be attacked. The side that meets death is the loser, and the side that survives is the winner; it''s a simple binary. The definition of a battle exists solely in victory. I didn''t tell such stories. Rather, it was Cliffman who wanted it. He wanted me to give it my all. If I didn''t, it would be meaningless, he said. Cliffman decided to help Liana with her revenge to kill the Demon King. However, he himself lacked the necessary abilities and sought to at least meet the minimum condition of Magic Body Strengthening. Liana was already a very powerful Supernatural before her sudden surge in power. Her abilities had naturally increased to the point where they couldn''t be compared to when she was on the uninhabited island. Even after awakening his Magic Body Strengthening, Cliffman would need to train for a while longer to be of any help to Liana. Of course, what would become of Cliffman and Liana once they entered the actual battle remained to be seen. Just like Liana worked out to recover her weakened physical strength. Cliffman, who taught Liana how to exercise, also longed for the next step. He knew that he could help Liana, but he could not provide any real assistance. Like Ellen. Like me. Like Ludwig. He sought to step onto the next level called Magic Body Strengthening. He wanted to become the exception that was not the exception. "I''ll go." The situation seemed bleak. -clang! Clang! Clang! Clack! -bang! "Ah!" I looked at Cliffman, who dropped his sword and struggled to get up. It was pitiful and wretched, and while they were doing this for reasons unknown to them. In the end, I was helping someone train to kill me. At least I shouldn''t be the one to help him. Ellen is prepared to face the Demon King. However, Cliffman and Liana have a clear goal of killing the Demon King. I''m not sure how deep Liana''s desire for revenge is, but Cliffman''s intention to help her cannot be underestimated. Just like Ellen said she could die for me. Cliffman could also entertain such thoughts. He couldn''t reach Magic Body Strengthening, so he collided body with body. Cliffman kept falling and getting back up as if he were possessed by some evil. As if doing so would make a difference. Because I did it. Because a guy named Ludwig did it too. As if believing he could do it too. As if believing that something could be achieved as long as he didn''t fall. I silently watched Cliffman, who struggled to get up with his trembling legs, exhausted. "You won''t achieve anything like that." And then, Ellen, who had been watching by his side, restrained him. Cliffman, now deterred even by the observing Ellen, hung his practice sword back on the rack. "I''ll be back after visiting the duty priest''s office." "..." If exhaustion is the problem, then he needs to regain his unexhausted state. According to Adriana, this kind of training was not the best. To put it bluntly, it was like a drug-fueled run. However, everyone believed that the threat of the Demon King could invade their daily lives at any moment, so they couldn''t afford to take their time to grow stronger. Cliffman, having received healing from a priest, appeared to be in good condition. The Magic Body Strengthening was truly inscrutable. All he could do was clash swords against swords. His desperate expression seemed to say he believed they could reach somewhere in the end, but it was more like there was nothing else he could do. Cliffman was not weak by any means, nor did he lack talent. It was just that his comparisons were so overwhelming that he felt more pathetic in comparison to others. "You shouldn''t do that." "It''s fine." Cliffman stared at me calmly. Ellen silently watched my duel with Cliffman. ------ -Clang! Clank! Cluck! -Thud! "Ugh!" Ellen quietly watched Cliffman rolling on the ground. How many hours had it been, and how many times? They couldn''t count. He was no match for them. Reinhardt could enhance his combat abilities in two stages. Once through self-suggestion, and twice through Magic Body Strengthening. Ellen didn''t know much about it, but with Tiamata, a third stage of enhancement was possible. Ellen also noticed that Reinhardt''s Magic Body Strengthening was far more stable than before. Even though he had been using Magic Body Strengthening continuously, it was maintained at a level not much different from when they had just started the duel. It felt as if the proficiency of Magic Body Strengthening had suddenly jumped up. Even after Ludwig received healing from a priest several times over a few hours, Reinhardt did not seek out a priest. As for Reinhardt, Ellen did not find it strange that he had become stronger by leaps and bounds, doing such bizarre things without a care. However. Cliffman was not Reinhardt. Self-suggestion, a strange supernatural power, could be seen as the source of Reinhardt''s strength. Cliffman did not possess such a thing. So, even if he wished to become as strong as Reinhardt, it would not be possible. If sheer willpower could make everyone strong, the world would be filled with Swordmasters, Archmages, and Supernaturals. Watching Cliffman charge repeatedly, Ellen felt a strange sense of deja vu. Reinhardt, who held his ground like an iron wall and overpowered Cliffman time and time again. Cliffman, who kept getting back up and standing before Reinhardt after being knocked down. In Cliffman''s figure, Ellen saw Reinhardt, and in Reinhardt''s figure, she saw herself. Reinhardt, who had always been the one to fall, now stood like an iron wall before someone else. Ellen could no longer deny it. -Clang! "Argh!" Reinhardt was strong. In fact, Cliffman had always been the one to bring Reinhardt to his knees in the past. At some point, the balance of power had reversed, and it seemed as if it could never be overturned again. Ludwig felt a strange sense of inferiority towards Reinhardt more than anything else. The core of the inferiority that Cliffman felt was not Ludwig, who had suddenly awakened to Magic Body Strengthening yesterday, but Reinhardt. Ludwig, at least in the B-class, had been watching Reinhardt''s growth from afar. But Cliffman had been watching up close. Crossing swords directly, Cliffman had always been overwhelmingly victorious until, at some point, he could no longer win. From being a level where Reinhardt had to hold back a move for them to be evenly matched, to now where Reinhardt had to hold back two moves, and soon perhaps even three moves. Cliffman was not lazy. He had always worked hard. Both had worked hard, but only Reinhardt had become stronger at a rapid pace. Of course, Cliffman had also become stronger, but Reinhardt''s speed was too fast. Cliffman had to watch the runner who started far behind him now disappear into the distance, always from the sidelines. Still, it was a good thing that Cliffman did not express his inferiority with malice or hatred. But, there was no way that the feeling of inferiority could cease to exist. -Clang! "Ugh!" Cliffman, who once made others fall, now found himself falling, being knocked down, pushed away, and suppressed by the opponent he used to play with, yet still, he managed to rise again. "Haah... Haah..." Reinhardt knew what Cliffman''s inner feelings were like, so he could never be at ease. At least to Ellen''s eyes, it seemed that way. But Reinhardt did not show any signs of pity towards Cliffman. After all, pity would be the last thing Cliffman would want to receive now. For someone who tries to move forward, receiving a look of pity from someone ahead implies that they will never be able to advance. At least, Reinhardt did not pity Cliffman. In response to the request to give his all, he was merely facing Cliffman with his full strength. Still, in the end. Cliffman could not stand up to Reinhardt now. Just as Ellen was an insurmountable wall for Reinhardt, Reinhardt had also become an insurmountable wall for someone else. For Ludwig, who had just awakened to Magic Body Strengthening, and Cliffman, who still couldn''t do even that. Having become such a wall, Reinhardt stood there, showing no signs of fatigue, looking down at his fallen opponent. CH 374 Reinhardt had grown stronger in his own way. He had become stronger by confronting challenges and taking risks. That was Reinhardt''s way. But this approach might not work for Cliffman. However, Ellen wondered if it really wouldn''t work. She thought about Cliffman''s talent in ''battle.'' It was a very broad talent, encompassing everything related to battle. A talent for achieving victory in combat. It included proficiency with any weapon. However, Cliffman continued to crumble before Reinhardt. What was Cliffman''s true talent? Swish! Reinhardt''s practice sword shattered when it clashed with Cliffman''s. Yet, it was Reinhardt, whose sword had broken, who evaded Cliffman''s sword while pulling his body back, and then grabbed Cliffman by the collar and threw him down. Thud! ¡°Ugh!¡± Even with his sword broken, Reinhardt''s reaction speed was faster. As Cliffman staggered to his feet, Ellen addressed the pair. "Stop." "Alright, take a break now. Today isn''t the day¡­" "No, I can do more¡­" At Cliffman''s insistence, Ellen glared at him. "You won''t improve this way." Ellen swept up the shattered pieces of the practice sword with a broom and put them away. Then, she snatched the practice sword from Cliffman''s hand and hung it on the rack. "You have to try a different approach." "A different approach¡­?" Ellen looked at Reinhardt. "Reinhardt." "¡­Huh?" Reinhardt didn''t know what Ellen was thinking. "Can you bring that older girl here?" "What? Olivia, the senior?" "Yes." "Why her all of a sudden?" "I think she could help." Olivia''s assistance. Reinhardt hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I''ll ask her." Cliffman''s eyes widened in surprise, while Ellen leaned against the window of the training hall, arms crossed, waiting for Olivia to arrive. How long did they wait? Creak "¡­Why did you call me?" Olivia Lanze had reluctantly come at Reinhardt''s request, but her demeanor expressed clear displeasure. However, Ellen didn''t seem hostile. Ellen knew. Ever since they shared that secret, Olivia''s hostility felt like a mask. It wasn''t as strong as it seemed. Knowing that neither could pose a significant threat or harbor ill will, they had no choice but to grudgingly acknowledge each other. "We need your help." "What? My help?" Olivia''s brows furrowed, clearly annoyed by the request. "Why should I help you?" "I''m not the one who needs help; it''s him." Ellen pointed at Cliffman. Cliffman''s expression changed when Olivia Lanze, a fifth-year student with a notorious reputation but no real familiarity, stared at him. Although he had developed a certain level of immunity in various aspects, it was still difficult for Cliffman to deal with people he was not familiar with. Ellen went to the center of the training hall and looked at Cliffman without her practice sword. Grumble! Ellen, who had Magic Body Strengthening, stared at Cliffman with eyes full of mysterious energy. "If you think I''ll kill him with my skills, you''ll be able to stop me before that, right?" "Uh... What?" Since her words were honestly acknowledging that her skills were far superior to her, Olivia was taken aback. "Can you do it or not?" "I guess I can... but why do I have to do that all of a sudden? Why me?" "Ah." Then, Reinhardt exclaimed as if he had realized something. Cliffman, not understanding the situation, still looked dumbfounded. Ellen Artorius stared at Cliffman from within the blue flames of Magic Body Strengthening. "You could really die from now on." "Uh... What?" "I''m not kidding." Battle. It''s not just a duel. It''s a real fight. Ellen had discovered that Cliffman''s talent would manifest itself in actual combat. "Do you still want to do it?" Only then did Cliffman realize what Ellen was sensing. It''s not about overpowering and finishing off the opponent. Only when his life is truly at stake and he feels that desperation will his talent shine brightly. In a life-or-death fight, his talent truly shows its power. That''s why Olivia was brought here. In a crisis, she can intervene and restrain Ellen, and she''s a powerful possessor of divine power that can heal Cliffman if he''s injured. Cliffman stared into Ellen''s calm eyes. Olivia sighed and nodded, whispering something to Reinhardt. Cliffman swallowed his saliva and looked at Ellen. She''s not kidding. She said she would really fight to kill, and there was a safety measure, so she would actually fight to kill him. "I''ll do it." Cliffman took his stance. There was no need for further conversation. Ellen stepped forward. Thump! Cliffman didn''t even see Ellen approaching. Whack! "Gu...ugh!" Bang! Cliffman, who had been struck with a heavy blow to the abdomen, rolled several times across the training hall floor in an instant, groaning in pain. "Gr...ugh... Cough! Gasp!" Blood flowed from Cliffman''s mouth even as he struggled to get up. "Damn... That crazy woman!" Olivia, with her face turning pale, quickly approached Cliffman and cast a healing spell on him. "He... He. Gasp... Gasp..." It was a blow that could have killed Cliffman from internal organ rupture if Olivia had not been there at the right time. Though the pain had subsided, Cliffman still trembled, his face pale. Cliffman was speechless, and it was Olivia who seemed rather angry. "Hey! Are you crazy? What will you do if you really die?" But Ellen''s expression remained calm. "If you can''t do it, let''s stop. I have no intention of forcing you." With a cold expression, Ellen said that to Cliffman. "But if you do continue, I won''t be playing around." If a talent could only be brought out by risking one''s life, then wouldn''t it be halfway invoked if one''s life was halfway at risk? Cliffman was determined to become stronger. In the end, it was the same approach as Reinhardt''s. Fight by risking your life. Reinhardt had grown stronger in the end. If Cliffman wanted to follow that path, he too would have to engage in a fight where he might die. Not a duel, but a fight. Ellen had already made it clear that she had no intention of going easy on him. That made even the slightest lingering hope in Cliffman''s heart vanish. Slowly, Cliffman stood up. "Th-thank you¡­ Senior. I-I will do it, regardless." "Hey... What''s wrong with you guys? Why are you going this far?" Regardless of Olivia''s shock, Cliffman was desperate in his own way. He had decided to confront the Demon King and help avenge Liana. He couldn''t back down when he was offered to awaken an unknown talent within him. "Let''s do it, Ellen." "Alright." "No... Reinhardt, why are they like this?" Olivia rushed up to Reinhardt, who seemed to reassure her by murmuring something about watching the situation first. If it had been a practice sword, Cliffman would have been fatally pierced in the abdomen. Ellen using her fists was the least restrictive measure. Cliffman''s talent transcended the choice of weapons used in combat. Objectively, Ellen was stronger than Reinhardt. Cliffman had lost to Reinhardt in just a few bouts, and he hadn''t even seen Ellen''s charge just now. Olivia could heal him, but if she failed to react in time or missed a vital point, he could die. The tension that Ellen wanted to instill was just that. Make a mistake, and you might really die. So, if you have some unknown strength within you, draw it out. Cliffman himself had clung to Reinhardt all day, wanting to become stronger. He couldn''t tell Ellen he wanted to quit because the fight was too intense and frightening. With gritted teeth, Cliffman stared at Ellen. "Here I come." Ellen warned once more and stepped forward. -Thud! He still couldn''t keep up with her movements. It was impossible to dodge what couldn''t be seen. Unless she deliberately missed, it was unachievable. -Whoosh! Ellen''s fist was stopped by a white barrier that formed around Cliffman''s chest. Again, Cliffman couldn''t react. The barrier that blocked Ellen''s fist was a desperate divine magic cast by Olivia. "...Do you really intend to kill him?" Olivia''s voice trembled as she barely blocked the attack. "...Wasn''t this the flow he was supposed to avoid?" Cliffman hadn''t been able to dodge. "No." But just before the protective barrier was formed, Ellen saw that Clifman had moved slightly. If there had been no barrier, he would have allowed the attack anyway. "I tried to dodge something I couldn''t even see." Nevertheless, Clifman had definitely tried to avoid something he couldn''t sense. Whether it was instinct or something else, it was uncertain. Clifman''s talent couldn''t lead to victory, but he did show movement toward it. Olivia looked at Ellen and Clifman and sighed, seemingly helpless. "You two aren''t a good match. Come with me." "..." Olivia didn''t know the specifics, but she knew the first-year students were up to something. Ellen was too fast and strong. If she went all out, Olivia might not be able to react in time, and Clifman could actually be killed. "Reinhardt, you do it." "Being treated as a suitable opponent... feels somewhat like being a dog." Reinhardt scratched the back of his head and grabbed Ellen''s shoulder, pulling her back. Olivia could handle emergencies and would pose a significant threat to Clifman if he went all out. Ellen was not a suitable match. "Well, it''s not wrong." So, in the end, there was no one but Reinhardt. Clifman kept asking him to give it his all. But that didn''t mean to go for the kill. Now, Reinhardt would go for the kill. He would put even more effort than Ellen, believing that Olivia would somehow handle it. However, Clifman shouldn''t trust that. He had to believe that one wrong move could kill him in order to awaken his true talent. Vroom! Blue magical power wrapped around Reinhardt''s body once more. He strengthened his physical body through self-suggestion. Fighting with the intent to kill, not just giving it all. Clifman didn''t know, but Reinhardt had quite a bit of experience with that. There was something only those who had gone through such battles possessed. "Come on, let''s do this." Killing intent. Clifman could feel the killing intent from Reinhardt. The vague belief that Olivia would protect him disappeared with that single killing intent. As if someone was strangling him. Reinhardt charged at Clifman. He wasn''t as fast as Ellen. But his speed was still difficult to perceive. The movement of his shoulders. Only his stride was visible. Instinctively, Clifman calculated where Reinhardt was aiming through those movements. Left foot planted. Right shoulder retreating. He realized that the right arm would soon move. His body, not his mind, recognized that the trajectory was aimed at his face. If the magically enhanced fist connected with his face and Olivia couldn''t react... He would really die. She doesn''t react. He gets hit. Shiiik! But. "..." In that moment, Clifman dodged the fist with a slight tilt of his head and slipped into Reinhardt''s embrace. In the bizarre sensation where not the head, but the body itself reacted: -Whoosh! "..." Ducking a hook, Cliffman''s signature uppercut struck Reinhardt''s jaw precisely. Cliffman''s strength and stature were far from ordinary. And the jaw is a vital point. Under normal circumstances, the fight should have ended here. "Ah." However, Reinhardt, who took the blow to the jaw, was grinning. As if he didn''t feel any impact at all. "Certainly, it''s a bit different?" The difference in output and intensity. -Whoosh! "Ugh!" As if to say he couldn''t overcome it, Reinhardt delivered a knee strike to Cliffman''s abdomen. Cliffman reacted and even countered, but he couldn''t penetrate the Magic Body Strengthening defense. Watching Cliffman bounce away and roll on the ground, Reinhardt casually rubbed his jaw. "Huff¡­ Hah¡­" "Give it another try." Reinhardt grinned, watching Cliffman gasping for breath. "You might get somewhere with practice." It was genuinely meant as encouragement for Cliffman. However, due to his expression, actions, and tone, he seemed like a third-rate villain. ------ Olivia''s thought that it would be better for Reinhardt, rather than Ellen, to face Cliffman was correct. Ellen was too fast and strong, creating an insurmountable barrier even for Cliffman''s talents. Of course, it''s true that Reinhardt was weaker than Ellen, but he was able to draw out Cliffman''s skills more technically. -Boom! Bam! Thud! He couldn''t withstand Reinhardt''s punches with all his strength, and there was a significant difference in their overall size. However, Cliffman dodged and deflected Reinhardt''s attacks, exploiting any openings. Although he couldn''t completely block the attacks, sometimes even getting pushed back and eventually taking a fatal blow, Olivia would then heal him. Clearly, Cliffman had changed. Both Olivia and Ellen watched their fight. "¡­I''m not sure, but his movements seem better than when he fought you?" "I think so too." Both somewhat felt that Cliffman''s movements were better against Reinhardt than when he fought Ellen. The talent for combat. It''s a talent that truly shines in dangerous situations and real-life combat. Cliffman''s talent was undoubtedly being exercised in the face of danger. Ellen seemed to understand why Cliffman''s talent was more strongly exhibited in the fight against Reinhardt. It''s hard to read emotions from Ellen''s expression. However, right now, Reinhardt was exuding hostility and even murderous intent. In short, the reason was simple. Ellen''s expressions were minimal, and her demeanor was rather blunt. Therefore, it was difficult to sense danger when facing Ellen''s calm appearance. She was just a blunt person who was unpredictably lethal. However, Reinhardt had a nasty expression. In a fight, one might feel an overwhelming aura from an opponent, as if they could crush you at any moment. And so, regardless of actual ability, Reinhardt exudes an ''I dare you to try'' atmosphere, while Ellen does not. In reality, when facing off against them, it''s Reinhardt, not Ellen, who provokes a greater sense of tension. Moreover, Ellen tends to finish a fight in a single move before any exchange of blows, while Reinhardt''s aggressive demeanor and back-and-forth exchanges allow Cliffman time to realize he is being cornered. -Wham! "Urgh¡­!" Therefore, Reinhardt was, in many ways, the perfect opponent to draw out Cliffman''s full potential. Reinhardt looked down at Cliffman as Olivia healed him. "If this is the extent of your abilities, you still have a long way to go, don''t you?" Adding insult to injury. Provoked by Reinhardt, Cliffman gritted his teeth and stood up again. Reinhardt smirked at him. "Am I still going too easy on you?" "¡­" Ellen knew why Reinhardt acted this way. On top of the sense of crisis, he wanted to provoke Cliffman, drawing out his desire to win. "Even if you go easy on him, it seems like it''ll still be tough." She knew. She knew why Reinhardt acted this way. It wasn''t for no reason. "Try harder." She knew, but It was too much. "Reinhardt... I know what you''re trying to do, but that''s really cruel." Olivia also seemed to be feeling this in real-time, muttering to herself. -Thud! As Cliffman charged and swung his fist towards Reinhardt''s vital spot, Reinhardt easily dodged and tripped him, sending him tumbling to the ground. Reinhardt lifted his foot, aiming for Cliffman''s head on the ground. With a cold smile, he tried to stomp on Cliffman''s face. If he put all his strength into it, Cliffman''s head would be crushed. -Thud! Reinhardt swiftly stomped down, but Cliffman barely rolled away and bounced back to his feet. Although Reinhardt''s taunts seemed petty, his attacks were ruthless. As Cliffman got back up, Reinhardt smiled coldly. That smile, boiling with malice and madness, was something one would want to think of as an act, but no matter how one looked at it, it wasn''t. "Why." Reinhardt laughed as he looked at Cliffman. "Imagine the Demon King right in front of you." "Think of it that way." Cliffman didn''t know the true meaning behind those words, but a chill ran down his spine. "Are you still going to fight like this?" He didn''t know what the real Demon King was like. But would he still fight like this if the Demon King were right in front of him? Rolling on the ground, somehow dodging, and having his own attacks be ineffective. If the Demon King were really in front of him, he might not even be able to have this conversation. He might die without a chance to dodge the first attack. Would he die helplessly without even squirming? What was in front of him was not the Demon King. The Demon King would surely be a much more terrifying, evil, and powerful entity than Reinhardt. "It''s like image training, you see." However. Reinhardt wore a wicked smile, no matter how one looked at him. "I am the Demon King." He whispered to Cliffman. I am the Demon King. Cliffman couldn''t comprehend the power imbued within those words. Yet, as soon as he heard Reinhardt''s words, he felt something like an illusion. It seemed as if what was before him wasn''t Reinhardt but rather an unfathomable and powerful entity. -Gulp- Cold sweat drenched Cliffman''s body. As if he had fallen victim to some evil magic. As if he had been hypnotized by Reinhardt. Reinhardt felt like something completely different. Cliffman gave himself over to that insinuation or suggestion. What stood before him was the Demon King. He couldn''t possibly stand a chance. He couldn''t possibly win. But they had agreed to fight together. Having agreed to fight together, he must be able to stand beside him. He couldn''t be pushed aside in a real fight, stumbling and hindering. He was weak. If one is weak, they must gamble big when facing the strong. What should he do if the true Demon King stood before him? Even if it meant risking his life, he must land a blow. One arm, or perhaps one leg. No, even if he couldn''t do that, at least one finger. If even that was impossible, then at least a scratch. It would be an incredible feat for a weakling like him to achieve even that much against the Demon King. Since the Demon King would be powerful, even doing just that much would be considered heroic. -Swish! Cliffman attempted a counter, deflecting Reinhardt''s incoming right fist with his left arm, but Reinhardt dodged with a slight chin movement and widened the distance again. It was a decent defense. His fists couldn''t penetrate Reinhardt''s Magic Body Strengthening, so this moment, in which he could deflect the unpredictable movements and aim for a counter, was proof of his growth. This was enough. This was the best the weak could do. Simply evading Reinhardt''s attacks. If he could risk his life and land a scratch against the Demon King, that would be enough. Though, even that seemed doubtful. Could it really be enough? "¡­" Was that all he could do? Cliffman clenched his teeth, watching Reinhardt with a cold smile as he sought an opening. Was it okay to be weak? Of course not. His talent was in battle. But the purpose of his talent wasn''t just battle. It was to achieve victory in battle. To win fights. The true name of this talent wasn''t in the fighting itself. The true name of this talent was victory. To fight and seize. To conquer. He couldn''t be satisfied with just a scratch. He couldn''t be satisfied with just evading. The purpose of battle was victory. There was no such thing as fighting to lose. Thus, to achieve victory was to give meaning to the talent called battle. "Here I come." Reinhardt approached with a completely different expression than before, as if he truly intended to crush him. He charged with fierce determination, each step filled with intense resolve. The instinctive warning of danger strikes Cliffman''s mind. Defeating the Demon King is impossible. Even defeating Reinhardt seems out of reach. Still, his talent must live up to its reputation. He must make the impossible possible. He must do what has never been done before. There is only one thing to do. Victory. For the sole purpose of victory, Cliffman must fulfill various conditions. First, he must dodge the attacks of an invisible enemy. Whoosh! Cliffman barely deflects Reinhardt''s outstretched fist by pulling back his shoulder. However, the attack continues. The trajectory of the low kick flying at him as Reinhardt switches his stance is unavoidable. He has dodged what is unseen. But an inescapable onslaught approaches. Then, onto the next. Second. He must withstand a blow that should normally send him flying. Thud! His thigh stands firm as it takes Reinhardt''s low kick. Reinhardt, not expecting Cliffman to hold his ground, leaves an opening. An opportunity presents itself. He has dodged what is unseen and withstood an attack he should not have been able to bear. Then, onto the next. Third. If the true worth of his talent is to turn an unwinnable fight into a victory, He needs a powerful blow that can break through what has never been broken before, something that can penetrate the opponent''s Magic Body Strengthening defenses. A power similar to the psychic ability of self-suggestion. Although the cause is different, the outcome must be the same. A name that makes the impossible possible. The talent to win. Battle. Just as self-suggestion had brought forth a miracle, he must invoke a similar miracle, albeit with a different cause. While self-suggestion can make many things possible, The talent of battle must make only one thing possible. The relatively narrow condition of enabling victory. Because it possesses a narrow condition, it must have an even more powerful output. Rumble! Everyone''s eyes widen as they watch the explosive blue flame erupt from Cliffman''s body. ¡°!¡± Blue magic surges from Cliffman''s body. Roar! ¡°Ugh!¡± Reinhardt is sent flying back by the punch Cliffman lands. Thud! ¡°Uh¡­ what?¡± Olivia''s stunned expression, as if she can''t understand what she just witnessed. ¡°...¡± Elem''s calm demeanor, as if she somehow knew this would happen. ¡°¡­Dammit.¡± Reinhardt, lying down and staring blankly at the training hall ceiling, mutters a single expletive with a mix of complicated emotions. Reinhardt wore a very complex expression, knowing this would happen but still finding it difficult to accept the reality. And then, ¡°Cough¡­ gasp!¡± Even Cliffman''s planned fainting spell. That day. The on-duty priest''s office took in one more patient. CH 375 "Why Are All the First-Years Monsters?" After taking the unconscious Cliffman to the on-duty priest''s office, Olivia muttered incredulously. Olivia couldn''t believe that the other unconscious first-year, Ludwig, had done the exact same thing against Saviolin Turner the day before. At her words, Ellen stared intently at her. "You''re not one to talk." "No... I wasn''t like this either, you know? What''s with all of you?" It was a shocking event for Olivia, something that had never happened in the history of the Temple. Two people had awakened their Magic Body Strengthening with just a day''s difference. Ellen, Reinhardt, Ludwig, and now Cliffman. Four first-years had managed to use Magic Body Strengthening on their own. It should have been an unprecedented event when Ellen had done it, but four first-years had accomplished it. Saviolin Turner, who had been monitoring Ludwig in the recovery room, was equally baffled by the situation, but first checked on Cliffman''s condition. "It doesn''t seem to be a major issue..." Saviolin Turner was just as startled by Ludwig''s case and was even more bewildered when Cliffman had awakened his Magic Body Strengthening a day later. "What on earth is going on with you first-years...?" The year was already quite impressive with two extraordinary individuals, but now two more had been added. Ellen quietly watched Reinhardt. Cliffman had achieved what he wanted, and Reinhardt had done his best to help draw out Cliffman''s talent. That was true. However, Ellen noticed that Reinhardt''s expression didn''t seem very pleasant. It wasn''t the look of someone whose pride had been wounded by being outdone by Cliffman. He seemed to be regretting something, as if questioning whether it was the right thing to do. Ellen couldn''t understand his complex expression. ------ Cliffman and Ludwig had awakened their Magic Body Strengthening. Naturally, he received 2,000 achievement points for completing the event. To awaken the next talent, Supernatural Resistance, he needed an additional 5,000 points. He wanted to save some points, so he planned to secure more achievement points before awakening the next talent. The effect of increased Magic Body Strengthening efficiency would also come into play. Word of Cliffman naturally spread throughout not only the first-year students but also the entire Royal Class. Upon hearing the news, Liana rushed to the recovery room to check on Cliffman''s condition. I didn''t know if Cliffman would have been able to Magic Body Strengthening if I hadn''t been his opponent. If the Gate Incident were to occur, it would be natural for the kids to grow stronger for my sake. Now that history has changed too much, the first-year students might be swept away by the Gate Incident and die in unexpected situations. However, both Cliffman and Liana had become stronger. If their goal is to kill me and the Gate incident disappears, I''d find myself in a very strange situation, as I''d be helping the person trying to kill me. However. Even if I hadn''t intervened, Cliff would have realized his Magic Body Strengthening eventually. "It seems the potion to increase sensitivity to Magic Body Strengthening is almost fully developed. That''ll be very helpful for close-combat specialists like Cliffman and Ludwig." Listening to Harriet''s explanation, I nodded my head. Moonshine''s development was nearing completion. With Moonshine''s help, combat-oriented students would quickly awaken their Magic Body Strengthening and become accustomed to it. "I never thought it would really be made." "What about the other one?" "That''s almost complete too." The power cartridge was not as far along as Moonshine, but it too was nearing completion. In my opinion, the first-year students of the Royal class are just unbelievable. Four first-year students awakened their Magic Body Strengthening on their own. Magic-oriented students are huddled together, on the verge of creating not one but two groundbreaking items that could change the course of human history. Both combat and magic-oriented students in the Royal class are engaging in crazy endeavors. If the power accumulated by humanity does not explode in the form of the Gate incident, it will be directed at me. Not only that, but there''s another problem. Exceptionally talented individuals might attract the attention of those with ill intentions. Harriet took a deep breath as she sipped her tea. "You don''t think all of this is because of your foresight, do you?" I had ordered them to create something impossible, and they actually did it. As such, I should take credit for it. Harriet glared at me as if to say I shouldn''t think that way. She must think that since I''ve already accomplished this, I''ll order them to create even stranger things in the future. "Would I?" "¡­What? I thought you''d definitely take the credit." Harriet seemed a bit flustered since she didn''t get the reaction she expected. She must have thought I would order something even more bizarre this time. As Harriet sipped her tea, she quietly looked out at the terrace. "Ah, Liana¡­" Out there, Liana could be seen running through the winter temple. After seeing Cliffman''s condition, she seemed to have gone straight back to her personal training. After all, hopping around wasn''t something one needed a companion for. Harriet silently watched Liana as she ran away along the path. Her expression was sad. Liana had changed, and so had Cliffman. Everyone was getting stronger. "It can''t be helped¡­ but it feels like everyone is changing¡­" The existence of the Demon King is causing everyone to change. Training and practicing their major were no longer vague tasks. Some people now had specific goals. These goals made them more passionate, leading them to actions they wouldn''t have taken under normal circumstances. To Harriet, these changes seemed sad and frightening. ¡ª--- Recently, there had been a significant event within the empire. It was the invasion of the demon in Levaina. Regrettably, a considerable number of high-ranking nobles and influential figures within the empire were among the casualties of that unprovoked attack. It was the third guerrilla war waged by the demon tribe, further fueling the fear and hostility towards the Demon King. However, few knew the truth behind that third assault. Naturally, Charlotte de Gardias was among them. Bertus had identified the outline of the revolutionary forces and, disguised as the demon tribe, obliterated the leadership in one fell swoop. Although a few knew the truth, they were not numerous, and all of them were people who would take the secret to their graves. The spring palace. Charlotte took a sip of her milk tea. "Why did you come here?" At Charlotte''s words, Bertus, who was sitting opposite her, took a sip of his black tea and displayed a subtle smile. Visiting each other''s palaces was hardly the norm. However, Bertus was now visiting Charlotte''s palace. Since such a thing was quite unusual, Charlotte calmly let Bertus into the spring palace. "Well, what do you think I came for?" At Bertus''s words, Charlotte narrowed her eyes slightly. "Did you come to see what a loser looks like? Well, that''s the only thing that comes to mind." Loser. At those words, Bertus twisted his lips as if he found it unexpected. He hadn''t expected Charlotte to accept the term so readily. The revolutionary forces, one of the empire''s biggest enemies, had been crushed without causing any losses to the empire, and even absorbed. Although it couldn''t be made public, Bertus had made a significant achievement. A ruler must naturally be efficient. The emperor would appoint the more capable as the next emperor, separate from his personal affection for his children. Bertus had proven his abilities. And Charlotte had not proven anything. After being released from the Demon King''s castle, she had spent too much time recovering from the aftermath, and she still hadn''t fully recovered. Charlotte accepted her defeat without resistance. "I thought you''d think it was unfair. Surprising." "It''s true that it''s unfair. But it''s also true that, even if you put aside my various issues, I didn''t try to achieve something like you did, or I didn''t do it." If she hadn''t been abducted to the Demon King''s castle, if the soul of the Demon King hadn''t settled within her, if she hadn''t been too attached to finding the child. Although she could make assumptions, it was pointless. Charlotte had made a choice, and in that moment, she had already decided to bear the consequences. As a result, she ended up gaining nothing, and Bertus, who had been working for the empire during that time, had achieved results. So now, though it''s not yet confirmed, Charlotte accepts her defeat as the outcome is almost certain. ''Was it all meaningless?'' Liberated from the Demon King''s soul, a grim future approaches where one must die, having been eliminated from the competition for the throne. On this path, and on that path, there is always nothing but death. Born with countless privileges, it is the fate of Charlotte and Bertus to live a life where they must die if they cannot win. Bertus narrows his eyes and gazes at Charlotte. "Isn''t it unfair? If it had been me who was kidnapped instead of you, the outcome might have been different, right?" "It is unfair. I also think it''s unjust. But that''s not something either of us can change by complaining, is it?" Thus, Charlotte did not get angry or agitated when Bertus scratched the surface of their situation in which victory was confirmed. The result was there, and she accepted it. If anything, this level of hardship was weak. Begging on their knees, pleading for their life might allow them to be exiled instead. In a way, it''s strange that such words are not spoken. Rather, in this situation where victory and defeat have been determined, as Charlotte calmly accepts the outcome, Bertus stares at her quietly. The smile disappears from Bertus''s face. "Boring." Even though he got what he wanted and defeated his only rival, he could not feel any sense of victory. Bertus seemed disappointed. "Yeah, it''s me being boring. Right now, this is all I can do. To prevent you from indulging in the joy of victory. How about that? Is it a bit more interesting?" All I can do now is not try to beat you, but accept my defeat so that you can''t be intoxicated with the joy of victory. That''s all there is to it. At those words, Bertus once again offers a subtle smile. "If you do this, Reinhardt''s efforts will be in vain." "¡­!" She knew that he would eventually find out. But she couldn''t help but widen her eyes at the mention of that name at such a cruel timing. Reinhardt saved Charlotte. He knew about what had happened in the Spring Palace and thus must have known about the Champion of Tu¡¯an. "What are you trying to say?" Charlotte''s gaze, which had been calm no matter what Bertus had said, now harbored hostility. "Ah, just mentioning Reinhardt''s name makes your expression look like you want to strangle me. It''s quite effective." Bertus chuckles, thinking that mentioning Reinhardt in the future would be a way to provoke her. However, Charlotte was not in the mood for such jokes. "If you harm Reinhardt, I''ll kill you. No matter what happens. Somehow. Definitely." "It sounds like a threat, but it''s actually a plea." "¡­" Her words were sharp, but wasn''t she just begging him not to hurt Reinhardt? Bertus smiles as he looks at Charlotte. She had accepted everything regarding her own safety. But in the end, what remains after her defeat, her desperation for Reinhardt, is immense. "Please consider it." "What?" "Don''t lay a hand on Reinhardt, whether I kneel or do anything else." Bertus looked at Charlotte with a sinister smile. "Try asking for a favor." "..." Charlotte stared into Bertus''s eyes. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then slowly rose from her chair. She took a few steps toward Bertus and silently knelt on the floor. In her own palace. Charlotte knelt before Bertus. With her head bowed, she spoke quietly. "He was only trying to help me. He thought I might die, so he wanted to save me. That''s all. He has... no intention of becoming your enemy, or even opposing you. He just couldn''t leave me alone... That''s why he did it..." Reinhardt was not your enemy, he had no such intention. He was only trying to save a friend. "Leave Reinhardt alone. I beg you... I''m asking you..." Charlotte pleaded with Bertus, her voice trembling as she knelt. Bertus looked down at her quietly. Charlotte de Gardias had always been arrogant and confident. It seemed as if not even a single drop of blood could be drawn from her. She had been cruel and ruthless to her enemies, and her strategies were always threatening. Bertus had thought Charlotte''s return would be a significant obstacle. But after the incident in the Demon King''s castle. Too many things had changed. Gone was the Charlotte de Gardias who was proud, arrogant, and an unyielding rival. She now knelt before him, not begging for her own life, but asking him not to touch a male classmate. Ever since she returned from the Demon King''s castle. Charlotte seemed like a fragile glass that would shatter if touched incorrectly. Once a captive princess, Charlotte de Gardias had become an ordinary girl ever since her return from the Demon King''s castle. It was as if something essential had been broken inside her. As if she had lost the attitudes and goals she had been forced to acquire and adopt while living as a noble being. Having lost even the reason to find the mysterious child who had saved her, Charlotte now relied solely on Reinhardt. In the first place, Charlotte could never have been Bertus''s enemy for a very long time. It wasn''t a victory. She had never intended to be his enemy and never tried to live as one. The girl, who had merely occupied a place in the struggle for the throne, had now knelt before a competitor who had grown too powerful to handle. The reason for kneeling was simply to plead for the one person she relied on to be left alone, even if she didn''t know why. As Bertus looked down at the trembling Charlotte. He suddenly thought. If she was never an enemy to begin with. There would be no need to kill her. Was it necessary to lose everything by being dragged to the Demon King''s castle, to fail in all her struggles, and even lose her life in the end? Victory. Was it ever so unpleasant? Charlotte had no reason to kneel before him. She should have told him to try and touch Reinhardt. To ask if he thought he would be safe from meddling with the champion of Tu¡¯an. Rather, his political position would crumble. That''s what she should have said. Charlotte wasn''t ignorant of that fact. However, just in case. In case he didn''t know. Because there was a tiny possibility that he might actually touch Reinhardt. That''s why Charlotte knelt before Bertus. To erase even that small possibility. She knelt not for herself, but for someone else. As he looked down at Charlotte kneeling with her head bowed, her slender shoulders trembling. "Really..." As he set down his teacup. "How boring." Bertus savored his hollow victory. CH 376 Although the threat of war caused by the remnants of the demon world forces had not yet materialized, humanity found itself once more engulfed in fear of the demons, as they waged guerrilla warfare in various places. Darkland was no longer a clearly identifiable base for these enemies. Demons could suddenly appear anywhere, anytime, and launch attacks on humans. Such fear was palpable across the entire continent. The reason for this became clear when the students of the Temple, whose winter break had not yet ended, began returning. "The students are returning." "They must think the Temple is safe." On a hill overlooking the Temple, which had become as crowded as during the school term due to the returning students who had gone home for the winter break, Epinhauser and I stood watching. The majority of students who had returned home now thought that the Temple was safe, so they came back. Unbeknownst to them, their greatest fear, the Demon King, was standing right in the middle of the Temple, looking down upon them. Epinhauser didn''t mock these students, nor did he reveal that I was the Demon King. The fact that he had called me meant he had something to say. "Several plausible theories about Akasha''s function have emerged from the Order, but none are certain." "I see." Unless one sees Akasha directly or meets Cantus Magna, it is impossible to know what Akasha is. "But one thing is certain: an artifact that infinitely records magic will never bring about a good outcome." Extraordinary objects tend to bring about extraordinary events. "In order to truly capture Cantus Magna this time, the Order plans to take an exceptionally great risk." The Black Order didn''t know what Akasha was, but they were determined to end the longstanding conflict. "Will you cooperate?" My answer to that question was already prepared. "We are already on the same boat; what difference would it make?" By joining hands with the Black Order, we would draw in Cantus Magna. Epinhauser quietly looked down at the hill below. It was time to discuss how we would bring in Cantus Magna and the roles the Order and I, along with my forces, would play in this. However, Epinhauser remained silent. "It wasn''t your doing, was it?" "¡­No." I knew what he meant. The series of incidents related to the death of Duke Grantz. People don''t know what the Demon King wants, so they assume that anything could happen. He attacked the Holy Knights out of the blue, and just as suddenly killed Riverrier Lanze. So, it was possible that he would randomly attack the capital of a small southern country, and coincidentally kill the major investors of the merchant guild who happened to be in the outskirts of the city. Epinhauser may or may not know about the revolutionary forces, but he would certainly know that the nature of this incident was different from those before. It seemed he knew that it wasn''t something I had done. "Do you feel wronged?" That question came not from the Black Order, but from my teacher. In response to his question, I quietly looked down at the hill. I saw numerous students who had returned to the temple for their remaining winter vacation due to this commotion. "Well, I don''t know." What''s the point of feeling wronged? There are still many more things to deal with. "So, what should we do now?" "A tomb of a Lich has been discovered in the Darklands." "A Lich?" "Yes." It was a sudden revelation. "Adventurers will naturally flock to that area." Adventurers in the Darklands were still scouring every corner of the region, and the cursed Tiamata had been discovered there. The Lich''s dungeon had been found during the process of discovering new treasures. "Is it because Cantus Magna might covet the grimoires in the Lich''s tomb?" "It''s possible, but a Lich couldn''t have developed anything too extraordinary. Of course, it''s a powerful mage that stands out from the ordinary. But it''s probably not at the level that Cantus Magna would covet." Seeing Epinhauser dismiss the Lich, I realized how deeply knowledgeable the Black Order and Cantus Magna were about magic. "The important thing is that the tomb of the Lich was discovered two months ago, but it''s been less than a week since it became known as the actual tomb of a Lich." The first discoverers of the dungeon either died at the hands of the Lich or perished in the dungeon without even reporting the discovery. The explorations continued in the direction where missing adventurers were, and only now the existence of the Lich''s tomb was revealed by the adventurers who managed to survive. "The Order plans to fortify the Lich''s tomb." "Fortify it?" "Yes. They plan to make it known that something more powerful than a Lich resides there. They want to fabricate rumors of an even more mysterious and bizarre entity. They''ll set up a maze barrier around the dungeon, cause strange phenomena, and release ominous summons, chimeras, and homunculi. They hope the adventurers will mistake it for the appearance of the legendary fictitious being, the Arclitch." They''re spreading bait. The bait named Arclitch. "Adventurers will swarm in, and some survivors will be sent away with tales of discovering grimoires that shouldn''t exist in this world. Mysterious, but monumental discoveries." "..." Cantus Magna wouldn''t covet a grimoire from a mere Lich''s tomb. That''s why the Black Order sets a trap, making the discovered Lich''s dungeon appear as the stronghold of a more powerful and dangerous being. The trivial books that miraculously surviving adventurers brought back would become groundbreaking discoveries in the world of magic. It was a statement that they would artificially spread the knowledge of forbidden magic or secret techniques throughout the world. A few books were brought, and it made one wonder what kind of magic or treasures lay dormant within their depths. The rumors would undoubtedly spread far and wide, and it was clear that Cantus Magna would eventually learn of it as well. "Wait. If that''s the case, the problem isn''t Cantus Magna, but other adventurers and wizards getting involved." At these words, Epinhauser stared at me. "I believe I mentioned it earlier; the Order has decided to take a considerable risk with this matter." They were prepared for a multitude of adventurers to flock to the scene. They wouldn''t concern themselves with the lives lost in the process. Of course, adventurers blinded by the prospect of striking it rich and still venturing into the dangerous location were a problem in their own right. However, until the true big fish, Cantus Magna, was caught, people would continue to die in the current structure. The tomb of the Lich had been discovered. But it was disguised to appear as if it belonged to an extremely powerful being, separate from the Lich. "Then that tomb of the Lich... The situation must be quite strange." Wouldn''t it be bizarre for the Lich, who was minding its own business, to suddenly be swarmed by outside forces, with adventurers banging on its door while shouting about archliches and the like? "There''s no need to worry about that. It''s already agreed to cooperate." "Cooperate?" "Yes, since the tomb requires an owner, we didn''t kill it." So they barged into the Lich''s tomb and said, "Hey, we''re going to use this place." "Sure, make yourself at home (not their home)." Was that how it went? The Lich, who had no prior relationship with them, suddenly seemed pitiable. "The tomb needs to be expanded, and the magical barriers and spells around the dungeon need to be adjusted. While we''re discussing this, the Order is already working on it." The goal was to reel in Cantus Magna. The Black Order was even prepared to unleash numerous dark arts upon the world for this purpose. They planned to expand the Lich''s dungeon and turn it into an even more complex and dangerous place than its original structure. "It''s like... operating a dungeon to lure in Cantus Magna." "You could say that." Dungeon operation, indeed. Of course, it was the Black Order doing it, not me, but the means to achieve the goal seemed rather convoluted. The tomb of the Lich was discovered, but they subdued the original owner, forcibly expanded the tomb, and made it even more dangerous, waiting for the real prey to arrive. The moment the inner depths of the dungeon were exposed, the dungeon would lose its value. Hence, nobody could penetrate the heart of the dungeon. The dungeon would continue to draw in adventurers, and occasionally, let them escape with treasures. However, during this process, there was a high possibility that not Cantus Magna but some other powerful group would dispatch an exploration party composed of strong individuals. The Black Order, aware of the extreme danger of this endeavor, was still attempting to erase Cantus Magna from the world forever. It was an incredibly perilous task that would draw the attention of the entire continent, and countless adventurers would lose their lives. "But... wouldn''t it be more convenient to disguise oneself as a genius with a vast amount of magic, or as a reclusive magician...?" Is there really a need to follow such a path? Wouldn''t it be better to proceed as if a reclusive archmage has revealed himself? After years of research, he has developed countless spells. That way, there would be no need to attract unnecessary attention. "Then, you''d be hunted down as a dark magician possessing numerous forbidden spells. You''d end up in a fight anyway, and the scale would be even larger." "Ah." Between treasure-seeking adventurers showing up one by one, and a reclusive archmage developing countless secret spells and then appearing in the world, the latter was far more dangerous. The Mage could threaten to release his research materials, and if that were to happen, it wouldn''t be just adventurers swarming, but entire mage guilds hunting him down. Epinhauser''s words that attracting attention as a human mage would lead to even larger-scale battles were eerily accurate. The events of Darkland occurred beyond the boundary of the human world. Due to that psychological distance, many humans would not care about whatever happened there. But if a dangerous dark mage existed within the human world, they would frantically try to stamp it out, as if a fire had been set at their feet. Epinhauser''s perspective that constructing a dungeon would, in fact, lead to less bloodshed was somewhat understandable. The Black Order would create a fake dungeon to lure people in. However, this would be far more dangerous than a real dungeon and would contain powerful treasures. But the Black Order wouldn''t go through all this trouble just to suffer losses. They must have something they wanted as well. "First, if you have any magic that can influence the structure or external environment of the dungeon, we would appreciate your support." "Yes." "And the most important thing." Epinhauser looked at me. "Although the original owner of that place, the Lich, is a powerful mage and has agreed to cooperate with us, we need a strong force to be prepared for emergencies. The Order plans to station one person there, but it would be great if you could also lend us one person from your side. Think of it as having one person in charge of the dungeon from both our side and yours." His words weren''t wrong. However. In the end, they were discussing various matters without considering the homeowner''s wishes. It felt as if something more than just trash had been created. "We''ll discuss the matter." The plan to involve Cantus Magna. The fake dungeon operation. It was unclear how this would turn out, but if they were to involve Cantus Magna, they needed the rumors to spread as quickly as possible. And one person to act as the guardian of the dungeon. But would there be someone willing to do that? ------ Fortress Epiaux. "I will do it." Antirianus readily accepted upon hearing the detailed story. As soon as the Vampire Council was convened to discuss the matter, Antirianus immediately responded, leaving everyone else no choice but to be taken aback. It was good that the Council convened just a day after Lucinil delivered the request for the assembly. But didn''t this make everyone else''s effort seem wasted, except for Antirianus? Eleris, Gallarush, Luruien, and Lucinil all stared intently at Antirianus. Why are you like this again? Their expressions seemed to say as much. "¡­Isn''t your decision too hasty?" At my question, Antirianus chuckled and laughed. "On the contrary, I think it''s a very good opportunity." "Good?" Lucinil cocked his head. "First of all, the idea of luring Cantus Magna by making an already existing dungeon even more dangerous than it''s known to be is quite interesting. However, didn''t you say we will ultimately throw numerous bait at them?" The Black Order was willing to take risks and prepared to leak many secret scrolls and spells. And I was also willing to support them with any useful grimoires from the Demon King''s bunker. "With all those visions that will be used as bait, I don''t understand why you wouldn''t want this opportunity." Ah. So that''s how he approached it. "Black Order''s visions¡­ Of course, they might be limited in scope¡­" Luruien nodded as if it made sense, and the others seemed convinced as well. The dungeon administrator position wasn''t a bothersome role, but rather a place where one could freely access numerous secret scrolls and visions that the Black Order would use as bait. Since they decided to throw those into the world anyway, there was no reason to prevent Antirianus from seeing them. This place was not for dungeon guards, but rather for peering into the visions of the Black Order. In other words, it meant there was no particular intention other than swiftly devouring them. But really... There was something subtly appealing about the excessive honesty, although it was still a bit off-putting. Antirianus, could it be that you actually have no ulterior motives? "Then I shall announce that the head of the Saturday clan will be in charge. The date and location for contacting the Order''s member will be communicated later through the head of the Wednesday clan." "I eagerly await that moment, O great being." While bickering over who would take on the task, I had anticipated that, in the end, either Eleris or Lucinil would reluctantly have to do it. However, the greedy old man willingly took on the responsibility, and the matter was resolved without further debate. CH 377 Eleris did not look particularly pleased. It was a plan to create an artificial dungeon that would swallow up countless adventurers in order to lure Cantus Magna, but she couldn''t help but worry for those who would lose their lives in their pursuit of fortune. It was strange that she had agreed to the plan that would inevitably lead to someone''s death. "If our business is finished, I shall take my leave." "Please do." Antirianus, Gallarush, and Luruien cast their teleportation spells and soon vacated the room. Only Lucinil, Eleris, and I remained in the council chamber. "Where''s Lydia?" "I told her to wait in her room." I wondered if she was doing alright, spending so much time in such a cold and desolate place. Eleris seemed to be taking good care of her, but it almost felt like she was being raised like livestock. Anyway, that wasn''t the issue at hand. "Alright. Lucinil and Eleris, come with me for a moment." "Do you have more business to attend to?" I nodded in response to the silver-haired girl''s question. "Let''s go to the Demon King''s Castle." "The Demon King''s Castle? That''s... Oh, now that I think about it..." "Right. It was said to be a hideout of sorts." "Yes, we''ll go there." We needed to find a spell that could help with the fake dungeon construction and disguise. However, I was completely ignorant when it came to magic, so even if there were such spells at the Demon King''s Castle, I wouldn''t know. Moreover, the Order might question why we brought it up if it were already a well-known spell. Thus, taking two archmage-level vampire lords with me should increase our chances of finding something useful. ------ I had informed Lucinil about the bunker, and Lucinil had relayed the information to Eleris, so they both knew about it. I wasn''t sure if they had informed the other vampire lords, but I couldn''t go to the Demon King''s Castle bunker alone. There were still garrison forces stationed there, and since I couldn''t use magic, I wouldn''t be able to avoid their gaze and reach the labyrinth located on the sixth underground floor. However, with Lucinil and Eleris accompanying me, things would be different. We arrived at the outskirts of the Demon King''s Castle using a series of teleportation spells rather than warp gates. "It''s enormous." Lucinil gaped at the sight of the majestic walls of the Demon King''s Castle, visible even from a distance. Despite the fact that it had eventually been conquered. "Let''s go." Using various spells like invisibility and sound suppression, the three of us carefully made our way toward the Demon King''s Castle, making sure to stay out of the garrison''s sight. "We don''t necessarily need to find a dangerous spell. It doesn''t have to be a dungeon trap or barrier. A spell that Cantus Magna would desire, something not too dangerous yet enticing enough to serve as bait, should suffice." "Understood." "Yes, Your Highness." We would have to provide bait, just as the Black Order would. Regardless of the Black Order''s true intentions, we would be allies until we found Cantus Magna and Akasha. I knew I had to think about what would happen next, but for now, finding Akasha was my priority. If I were a practitioner of magic, I might not have carelessly scattered those blood-like magical tomes, but I was an outsider when it came to magic. Even though I knew they were valuable, I didn''t feel guilty. However, I couldn''t take too many books. Charlotte might find out later that some books were missing. Of course, even if she found out, she wouldn''t realize that I had taken them. The garrison didn''t detect us, and I took the lead since I knew the way. The inside of the Demon King''s castle was vast, so we moved for quite some time. The garrison had already explored almost every part of the castle, except for the labyrinth. The commander had given up on investigating the labyrinth, and Charlotte hadn''t pressed the issue. The garrison would withdraw soon, having found nothing. Eleris looked sad as she gazed upon the Demon King''s castle. She had always disliked war, but for some reason, she was the only one on the Council who had sworn loyalty to the Demon King. She had become a spy in the empire and then returned to the Demon King''s castle. I couldn''t tell what Eleris was thinking. "We need to go to the fifth basement level." I knew where the entrance to the labyrinth was. We walked diligently. "There''s no need for invisibility. There''s no one here at all." "Indeed." Lucinil muttered in disbelief. Of course, that didn''t mean we dispelled our invisibility and noise-canceling spells. It seemed that due to Charlotte''s lack of inquiry, Commander Alfred felt as if he had received a pardon. So, the exploration had stopped entirely. The garrison was just loitering around the vicinity of the Demon King''s castle, waiting to withdraw. Soon, we reached the fifth basement level of the Demon King''s castle, the breeding ground, and arrived at the entrance to the labyrinth. "It''s not that big?" "Isn''t it like that for all?" "I didn''t know such a place existed..." "In the labyrinth, it seems the path only opens if there''s an Archdemon." At that time, I wasn''t sure whether Charlotte had opened the path or I had. The only thing I knew was that the passage was connected to the labyrinth, but only if you were with an Archdemon. Fortunately, the labyrinth guided me to the exit, even in my Reinhardt form. As we descended the circular staircase, a long, straight corridor appeared, ending in a door. At least I was sure that the labyrinth guided me correctly, regardless of my appearance. But what if Charlotte came alone? That part was still uncertain. Eleris and Lucinil followed behind me. With a creak, the door opened, and we arrived at the vast space I had previously reached with Charlotte and Saviolin Turner. "Wow, what is all this?" Upon arriving at the huge chamber, Lucinil widened her eyes and looked around. Eleris, too, was bewildered as she looked at the passages and rooms. "In the Demon King''s castle... since when has there been such a place..." Eleris mumbled blankly, looking around. There were supplies for living, bedrooms and kitchens, alchemy potions, and even a library. Lucinil and Eleris couldn''t help but be astonished. "It seems to have been built as a shelter... a space where no one but an Archdemon can enter..." If I hadn''t lost my memory, I would have come here. It was still a headache to figure out what kind of impact Valier''s survival had on the original story. "Enough with the admiration. Let''s search for the grimoires." "Yes, Your Highness." "Did I not say that we should look for grimoires that Cantus Magna would find tempting, or ones that would be useful in dungeons, like traps or barriers?" "Yes." "Alright." Lucinil seemed to mull over my suggestions before heading into the library with Eleris to start searching. I couldn''t just stand idly by, so I began rummaging through the library''s shelves. "Wow... There''s so much here." "Indeed." To be honest, this library was more than just a few shelves. There were enough books to rival a decent-sized library. I wondered if all of them were grimoires, but there were also books for non-mages, such as those on swordsmanship and weapon techniques, scattered about. "Hey, Archdemon." I heard Lucinil calling me. "Yes? What is it?" "''What is it?'' is informal." "Yes, what is it?" "Ugh, never mind. Anyway, you said you didn''t know this place existed because you lost your memory?" "Yes." Lucinil''s face appeared between the shelves, his cheeks puffed out in thought. "So, if you hadn''t lost your memory, you would''ve come here?" "I suppose so?" "Hmm..." Lucinil tilted his head. "Could the previous Demon Lord have survived if he had fled here?" "Maybe." This place was for Valier Junior, not for the previous Demon Lord. So, Valier didn''t flee to the labyrinth but stayed in the Demon Lord''s castle to fight against Ragan Artorius. It didn''t make sense for a ruler to flee when the allied forces were approaching the Demon Lord''s castle. Lucinil nodded, seemingly understanding this logic. "Anyway, this place couldn''t fulfill its purpose, since you couldn''t enter in the end." This bunker lost its purpose when I became Valier Junior. And it wasn''t until quite some time had passed that I finally discovered its existence. Lucinil scanned the bookshelves, deep in thought. She picked up books, sometimes returning them or levitating them beside herself with psychokinesis. Eleris also browsed the shelves with a thoughtful expression. I found a book on soul-manipulation magic in this place. I gave it to Charlotte immediately, but I couldn''t help but wonder if it might also help Lucinil. Could there be another book on soul-manipulation magic in this vast library that I didn''t find before? Though this wasn''t a real library, so it might not have extra copies of books. Still, I couldn''t help but search. Unable to find anything that met the conditions I had suggested, I was looking for other books on soul-manipulation magic in case they might be of any help to Lucinil. "Hey, Archdemon." "Why do you keep calling me? And stop calling me an Archdemon!" "Alright, Valier." "What for?" Lucinil looks at me from across the bookshelf, with several books floating around her. "Do you know what you''re looking at? You''re clueless about magic." What''s this now? I was just trying to help. But she didn''t seem to be getting defensive; she genuinely seemed curious. Maybe she''s implying I should stop wasting energy on something I wouldn''t understand and take a break instead. Speaking of which, I''m somewhat curious about the taste of the preserved food here. It doesn''t seem like I''ll find the book I''m looking for, and my role is to open the path, not to find the book directly. Just as I was thinking that, [Introduction to Soul-binding Magic] A book in an inconspicuous spot caught my eye. There it was. And I had a feeling I knew why there was another copy of the same book. Though it was the same book, the language written on the title was different. It was not the common language but the demon language. It was the demon language version of the soul-binding magic book. "Lucinil, have you ever heard of soul-binding magic?" "Huh? Soul-binding magic?" Holding the demon language introduction to soul-binding magic, I look at Lucinil. "Just have a look at this for now." Get ready to thank me, little one. ------ Unfortunately, I didn''t receive any words of gratitude from Lucinil. It wasn''t because she couldn''t read the demon language introduction. "I already know this." "¡­What?" After skimming through the book, Lucinil said that. "Soul-manipulating techniques may be taboo, but do you think I wouldn''t know about this after living for so many years?" Lucinil, who had wanted a soul, had likely done extensive research on soul-manipulation magic as well. "This may not be a common magic book, but regrettably, it''s magic I already know." Lucinil gently runs her fingers over the cover of the Introduction to Soul-binding Magic. Knowing the magic already meant that even with soul-binding magic, Lucinil couldn''t achieve her secret desire. "I could probably merge another''s soul with mine, but I don''t have a soul myself. That means I wouldn''t be merging with another being; I''d be absorbed. That''s why I couldn''t try it." The concept of merging different souls doesn''t apply to Lucinil. In the end, does that mean magic involving souls is useless for a being without a soul? If so, what exactly is a soul? I had never thought about it before, because I had one. Only Lucinil, who didn''t have a soul, desperately studied souls. Lucinil looks at me and smiles subtly. "Anyway, you thought of me, didn''t you? I appreciate that." "It''s not like that." "Oh, you''re that kind of person. Fine. Cute." Why is she being so annoyingly sweet? In any case, it was Lucinil who had pondered the most about souls. After discovering a book about soul fusion, I wondered if it might be of help to Lucinil... But the reality was quite the opposite. Lucinil was the one who knew the most about soul-related magic, as she had spent a long time researching magic to obtain it. So, the person with the highest probability of finding a solution to Charlotte''s problem would be Lucinil. "I have a question." "What is it?" Lucinil nodded, encouraging me to speak my mind. "If there were a soul fused from two souls, could it be separated back into its original state, like before the fusion?" Research on soul fusion was already underway. However, Lucinil had already completed all the research. So, she must have known everything there was to know about soul fusion. If the situation was urgent, Lucinil might be able to help Charlotte. Although, I would still have to think about how to explain it and what approach to take. But then... "Is that possible?" With Lucinil''s innocent response, all my hopes were shattered. ¡ª--- Lucinil didn''t know why I had asked that question. But as if it was completely obvious, the response came back that it couldn''t be done. "You could mix two glasses of water into one cup and then pour it back into two glasses, but they wouldn''t return to the original two glasses of water, right?" "...Is that the concept?" "It''s a bit different in reality, but it''s not much different from that." It''s impossible to return something that has already mixed and become one to its previous, separate state. The image of Charlotte, overjoyed when she received the book about soul fusion, came to mind. However, if Lucinil''s words were true, even the research on soul fusion would not yield the results Charlotte desired. Then what should I do? If Charlotte''s soul had already become inseparable from the Demon King''s soul the moment they merged, would she have to live like this for the rest of her life? Waiting to be consumed by the Demon King''s soul someday? "Anyway, why are you curious about that?" Should I tell her? That the soul of the Demon King still lingers within the soul of the princess? Lucinil might know what to do. If I tell her the truth, I might have to discuss what I want to do about it. If it''s possible, it''s possible. Even if it''s not, it would be better to know for sure. Now, I wanted to have something definitive. "The previous Demon King fused a part of his soul into someone else''s." "...What?" At my words, Lucinil''s mouth hung open, as if she had heard an unbelievable story. "No... Did he really do such a thing?" "The circumstances make it quite certain." "So, even after detaching part of his soul and implanting it into someone else... he was still fine?" "I''m not quite sure about that, but..." Lucinil thought that what the Demon King had done to Charlotte was terrible, but it seemed as if she perceived it in the exact opposite way. The insane act of splitting one''s own soul was already an awful thing to do to oneself. "Is it hard to bear a fragmented soul?" "It''s not just about being difficult to handle; it''s a miracle that one doesn''t go mad. I might not have been able to maintain my sanity¡­ What kind of person was the previous Demon King?" It is unknown whether the predecessor Valier had gone insane. However, considering the way the Demonic War unfolded, it seemed that he was not completely consumed by madness or had lost his senses. Planting his soul in Charlotte must have been a huge risk for the Demon King as well. And so, at that time. It was understandable that the Demon King''s soul, which had been corroding Charlotte''s body, was on the verge of being lost. He didn''t recognize me, and he just seemed to be mad. The Demon King had somehow managed to keep his sanity, but the soul that had mixed with Charlotte could not maintain its identity, could it? After hearing my story, Lucinil was dumbfounded. "So¡­ he knew he would lose in the Demonic War¡­ and prepared in advance for some kind of resurrection. I don''t know if that''s even possible¡­" Lucinil seemed to think that what the Demon King had attempted was too dangerous. "Do you want to fully resurrect the soul of that Demon King?" I shook my head in response to Lucinil''s question. "No. I want to get rid of it." "¡­?" What a brat, huh? Lucinil looked at me with that kind of expression. CH 378 Lucinil had a style of minimal interference. Even if I were to engage in activities unrelated to the reconstruction of the Demon Realm, Lucinil wouldn''t mind. It was not only due to a lack of interest in my endeavors, but also because Lucinil was willing to help when possible. "Look, Archdemon, isn''t it a child''s duty to try and revive their father or something, even in such a situation? I mean, I''m not sure if it''s normal, but even a Homunculus Vampire like me knows that much." But this time, it seemed too incomprehensible. It was perverse to say that one wanted to eliminate a soul that had entered another person''s soul, including my father''s. Lucinil stared at me intently, as if trying to read something unreadable. Would I have to tell an unbelievable story like I did to Eleris? "I don''t think you''re worried about not being able to eat if the Demon King is resurrected... Well, I guess you have your own reasons." Lucinil crossed her arms, as if she was not curious. "Anyway, I don''t know who implanted a part of their soul into another, but I agree with you. If we separate the soul again, they will become two mixed together, and it won''t be possible to return to the original state. Of course, I can''t guarantee whether the two separated will be sane or not." It''s impossible to return to the original state. So, is there no other answer besides coexistence? "Then, who will become the owner of the body, or rather, the owner of the soul... Is it impossible to determine?" "Hmm... I don''t know what you''re talking about, but are you curious whether the person with the mixed soul will have control over the body, or if the Demon King will?" "Yes." Can''t we do something about the fact that Charlotte''s body is occasionally crushed by the power of the Demon King, being devoured or losing its sanity? "It''s inevitable that a collision will occur. It''s like a side effect. However, as time goes by, it gets better. It''s a common symptom when different souls merge." It gets better as time goes by. Is it really going to be okay? "I''m not sure if that''s the right expression, but as it reaches a stable phase, those symptoms will gradually disappear, and everything will be fine. Moreover, it''s not a matter of who has control in the first place. They just become one. It''s like they''re simultaneously two and one... something like that?" Charlotte''s soul and the Demon King''s soul have already become one. Time will heal. Becoming complete while mixed with the Demon King. "Eventually, as time passes, the Demon King''s ego and the ego of that other person will become a fully integrated state. As you said, it''s impossible to eliminate the Demon King''s soul and ego." It cannot be stopped. As long as Charlotte does not die, the Demon King will be resurrected. Charlotte''s current symptoms are the result of merging with the Demon King''s soul. But since they are already mixed, separation is also impossible. "By the way, you seem to know that someone quite well. It seems like you even witnessed such a struggle for dominance." "Yes... Well." "Hmm, have you ever had a direct conversation with the Demon King?" No. We fought, but undoubtedly, that day the Demon King had gone completely mad. "I tried to communicate, but it didn''t work. The Demon King didn''t even recognize me." Indeed, I showed the Demon King who had possessed Charlotte''s body the image of the former Demon King, Valier, but it didn''t recognize me at all. Hence, we had no choice but to fight. At my words, Lucinil tilted her head. "Hmm, so the separated part lost its reason. The conversation didn''t go through at all?" "Yes." "Then the separated soul of the Demon King went mad." Is that how it turned out? What about next time? "What happens then?" "Hmm..." Charlotte''s condition cannot be reversed. "Over time, it''ll get better. Souls also adapt to survive. The madness will gradually subside." With time, it''ll get better. An unexpectedly simple solution appeared. However, Charlotte realized that she could no longer live as just Charlotte. Is she to become a being that is both Charlotte and the former Demon King, Valier? Lucinil tilted her head. "By the way, if such outbursts become frequent, the complete fusion would be nearing its end, and the Demon King''s consciousness will emerge. Any signs of that? Like behaving like a Demon King, or recognizing you... something like that?" Becoming one with the Demon King means becoming one with the Demon King''s ego. As the madness of the Demon King, driven mad by the effects of the soul-splitting, subsides and the fusion stabilizes, Charlotte will absorb the Demon King''s consciousness. Soon, she will have the memories too. "Nothing... nothing at all." However, the Charlotte I''ve seen so far showed no signs of that. If the Demon King''s memories had returned and the egos had merged, Charlotte wouldn''t have tried to resolve this situation in the first place. The tears, anger, and sadness that Charlotte showed me were all real. I cannot believe that Charlotte has concealed everything while possessing the memories and consciousness of the former Demon King. Lucinil crossed her arms and frowned. "Well, it''s not uncommon. Sometimes a split soul goes mad and loses its consciousness altogether... Hmm. But the Demon King''s soul shouldn''t be that weak." One soul merges, but one side is so weak that its consciousness disappears entirely. But seeing Lucinil''s reaction that the Demon King shouldn''t be like that, something came to my mind. The Soul Speech. Certainly, I had used the Soul Speech. The Soul Speech is not magic. It''s clear that the Soul Speech I possess somehow affected Charlotte''s condition and the Demon King''s soul that had been lingering within her. "Recently, there was an episode... but there was no madness." Charlotte''s power had an outburst once recently. "Uh-huh... Is that so? Did you try talking? Was it the Demon King''s side?" "No, the original owner of the body maintained their ego." Charlotte came to me, trembling with fear as her power surged. However, she clearly wasn''t insane, nor did she feel as if she possessed another''s ego. "Hmm... What is that?" Lucinil seemed to not understand my words at all. "Did his ego truly vanish? He''s capable of soul fusion, yet he didn''t care about that?" I thought that Lucinil''s understanding of the magic skills and soul fusion of the previous Demon King couldn''t possibly be that limited. But in reality, Lucinil could only think that the Demon King had misused soul fusion, causing this outcome. No, that''s not it. The Demon King used soul fusion correctly. There must have been a surge, but gradually, Charlotte''s soul would have fused with the Demon King''s, becoming one. The day I first awakened the Word Magic. The very first Word Magic I used. Disappear from Charlotte''s body. I had clearly said that. Although Charlotte''s power surged once more afterward, it didn''t erode her sanity. The souls of the Demon King and Charlotte cannot be separated. So, did my supernatural power make the Demon King''s ego vanish, not his soul? "How strange..." If that''s the case, I no longer need to struggle to save Charlotte. I already saved her at that moment. The Demon King''s insane ego has disappeared, leaving only his power. What Charlotte must do is not to separate the souls, but to adapt to the remaining power of the Demon King. That was all she needed to do. "Anyway, it seems like he''s more concerned about the mixed souls than the Demon King." Lucinil shook her head in confusion. "Such a weird person." Of course, Lucinil didn''t ask any more questions. Instead, I became curious. "But how do you know so much about it?" "Soul absorption?" "Yes." Lucinil shrugged her shoulders. "I''ve conducted a few experiments." Ah, that''s why her expression was like that. The Vampire Lords were all madmen, weren''t they? ¡ª--- When I heard from Lucinil that the mixed souls couldn''t be separated, I felt like the sky was falling. However, as we continued to talk, I realized that Charlotte no longer needed any intervention. Despite being consumed by the power, she came to me with her sanity intact. That in itself was evidence. The power itself tainted Charlotte, but her mind remained unaffected, as the Demon King''s ego no longer existed. The situation itself was evidence that Charlotte was fine. Soul absorption couldn''t be a clue, but that didn''t matter. Charlotte would be fine from now on. However, even though I knew Charlotte was fine, it was uncertain if others would accept it. In the end, the problem was whether Charlotte could accept that her power was no longer a threat, and how the royal family would accept it once she fully adapted to it. At first glance, the ominous power she possessed was a weakness for Charlotte. It was a vulnerability that Bertus could attack at any moment. Lucinil was a master of soul manipulation. It seemed she had conducted many experiments with souls to gauge possibilities. Imagining Lucinil handling test subjects with such an innocent expression, using magic to manipulate their souls, sent shivers down my spine. Wouldn''t the openly sinister Antirianus be a better choice? Though Lucinil and I weren''t particularly close, during our various conversations, Eleris had brought several books from the library. "There are so many unfamiliar grimoires that it took me quite some time to choose." Eleris explained that it took a long time to determine what kind of magic each book contained, and whether or not they were suitable to take, as many of the spells'' names were indecipherable. Even so, I thought she was quite fast. Eleris seemed not to have heard the conversation about Charlotte, as she was so focused. "That must be the accumulated knowledge of the Darklands over a long history." The long and storied knowledge collected by demon kings or demon magicians. Lucinil muttered, looking towards the library. "But wouldn''t it be better for you to either retrieve or burn all of these books? You came here with the princess, didn''t you?" Lucinil looked at me as he stopped speaking. I had come here with the princess, and I had discovered the bunker beneath the demon king''s castle. I told Lucinil as much. Why did I come here with the princess? And the conversations we''d just had. The grimoires containing the magic of the underworld. Stories of soul manipulation and the like. Her expression showed that she had caught on. "Oh, don''t tell me the soul of the demon king or something was the princess." "...Yes." "You don''t care about rebuilding the demon world at all, do you?" From what I''d said so far, she would know that I was trying to save the princess, which contradicted all the superficial goals I had mentioned. "I can see why Eleris is helping you." Lucinil sighed, as if her doubts had finally been resolved. Eleris seemed slightly embarrassed, perhaps because she had thought Lucinil would eventually figure it out. I had no intention of hiding it. They wouldn''t believe it had come to this anyway. "So, what do you want to do? What exactly do you want?" "World peace." Lucinil furrowed her brow. "...Are you asking me to believe that?" "It''s true." Lucinil looked at Eleris, as if she didn''t want to even bother talking with someone who spouted such nonsense. "That''s right, Lucinil." Eleris smiled brightly and confirmed it. "It''s even more frightening when Eleris says it too." Lucinil looked back and forth between Eleris and me, as if telling us to stop joking around. "...No, what does world peace have to do with this? I''m even more confused now." As Lucinil saw that neither Eleris nor I seemed to be joking, she mumbled with a flustered expression. "Just accept it for now, then." It was something Lucinil had once said to me. "Alright." As if deciding not to try to understand what was difficult to comprehend, Lucinil readily nodded. CH 379 Charlotte''s condition had seemed beyond recovery, but then they discovered new information that she had been improving for some time. Now, it was time to return to their main objective. Magic that could aid in dungeon management, or a grimoire to lure Cantus Magna. Both Eleris and Lucinil had selected and brought grimoires for this purpose. "I was curious about the magic used in this underground labyrinth," Eleris said. It was a labyrinth that only designated individuals could enter. "If such a labyrinth were installed in a dungeon that decided to operate it, adventurers could be made to wander without killing them and eventually be sent back," she explained. "Eleris is always consistent, isn''t she?" Lucinil muttered with a subtle smile, looking at Eleris, who had chosen magic that could create as many survivors as possible and reduce casualties. Eleris slightly furrowed her brows at his comment. "Lucinil, the reason Black Order and we operate dungeons is not to gain infamy but to spread the dungeon''s fame as quickly as possible so that Cantus Magna will approach us. So, wouldn''t it be better to have more survivors who, although they did not reach the end of the dungeon, return with very valuable rewards? The rumors will spread faster and more reliably, right?" At Eleris''s words, which stated that reducing casualties was important but also having more survivors was more faithful to their main objective, Lucinil squinted her eyes. "Yes, you must be right." "Do you want to be scolded?" "No, no... I don''t." Seeing Eleris slightly frown, Lucinil quickly straightened up. Eleris took an interest in the labyrinth built beneath the Demon King''s castle. It was a labyrinth that constantly reconfigured itself, causing people to wander. From the beginning, there was no exit. Eleris placed a large book on the table. "I thought there would naturally be a grimoire capable of creating this labyrinth since this place is the real exit of the labyrinth, and sure enough, there was one." [Quantum Maze] Quantum mechanics¡­? Is that even possible¡­? Magical quantum science or something like that¡­? What even is that? At times like these, Lucinil''s way of thinking is the best. Just accept it as it is. ¡ª--- "There seems to be no better magic for maze design than this," Eleris said. "Who could have thought of such a thing¡­" Lucinil marveled. Eleris and Lucinil couldn''t help but admire the grimoire of the Quantum Maze as they skimmed through it. Of course, I couldn''t understand anything just by looking at the complex magic circles and formulas. And the labyrinth that blocked the path to this bunker. "It appears to be a complex magical device combining numerous spells. A barrier-like form is used to protect against external interference, while dimensional magic is used for the internal structure, which sends all incoming people on different paths. Within, magic crafting constantly regenerates and reconstructs the structure and traps, and a mixture of summoning magic and alchemy is used to generate the monsters inside." "Honestly, with just this one spell, I could last for 10 years, right?" "Well, that''s assuming we understand and construct it properly." "True enough." It was not a simple spell for designing a labyrinth, but the highest-grade maze consisting of numerous complex magics. From the beginning, the spell was designed to have no exit, so all efforts to find one were inevitably futile. Every time someone entered, the dungeon formed randomly. Surprisingly, the concept was not entirely unfamiliar to me. "Wouldn''t Cantus Magna be interested in this Quantum Maze itself?" "It''s not an impossibility." The magical fields used to construct this maze were immense, making it a perfect spell for Cantus Magna to covet. Originally, it was a spell designed to make intruders wander until they died, but depending on the design, it could also make people wander for a while before allowing them to escape. There was no absolute necessity for casualties. As Eleris said, the more survivors there were, the more the rumors of an endless labyrinth would spread. It could be designed to provide some with prearranged rewards, leading them to believe even greater treasures lay deeper within. "To what extent is there a risk of failure?" Of course, we shouldn''t be overly trusting. Nothing is absolute in this world, so even a maze without an exit could be breached, whether through internal or external means. Lucinil answered my question. "There''s no physical method, neither from the inside nor the outside. It also seems impossible through magical means unless you discover specific conditions." "So, it''s difficult, anyway?" "Yes, and besides, the labyrinth itself is not designed to devour people, but rather to tease them a bit before releasing them. Those who truly uncover the nature of this maze would be very few. From the beginning, the labyrinth was not designed to kill people but to divert them from their desired destination." The magic of the Quantum Maze itself was already extremely powerful and mysterious, making it likely that Cantus Magna would be interested. And numerous other spellbooks that would be scattered as bait. It was unavoidably nerve-wracking. This was a huge risk. If we and the Black Order were completely stripped of everything by Cantus Magna, it could even hasten the completion of Akasha. No one knows what would happen then. Feeling anxious but unable to know anything for certain, I watched Eleris and Lucinil examine the spellbooks. ¡ª--- Eleris returned to the fortress of Epiaux, while Lucinil was to contact the Black Order with Antirianus. The artificially created dungeon, with the original owner, the Lich, being forced to cooperate, was to be overseen by one person from the Order and our own Antirianus. From now on, I don''t have to worry. If Cantus Magna were to arrive, we might have to face an all-out battle between the two factions. In reality, if such an event were to occur, I wouldn''t be of much help. The tomb of the lich discovered in the Darklands. And the labyrinth that will soon be constructed there. Could rumors about it spread all the way to the Imperial Capital? I cannot tell how long it will take for Cantus Magna to take the bait. All I can do now is wait. And there is another piece of good news. Charlotte no longer requires any further intervention. "The research is going well, but the content is so complex that it''s difficult to analyze." I had this conversation with Charlotte as we drank tea together in the B-class dormitory. I now know that my research on the Soul Absorption spell won''t be of any help to her. Lucinil has not only read books but has also conducted many experiments, so she must have some knowledge. Charlotte is now fine. She just needs to accept that she has become one with the Demon King. In other words, there are now two Demon Kings in this world. Me. And Charlotte, who has merged with the spirit of the previous Valier. She doesn''t have horns, but can Charlotte really use the power to control demons? She is not as proficient in magic as the Demon King, but she can use the power of shadows, which is a power intrinsic to the Demon King. As I lack such power, it must have been a unique ability possessed only by the previous Demon King Valier. I am glad to know that Charlotte''s condition has improved, and she seems pleased to think that the Soul Absorption spell can stabilize her condition. How can I help Charlotte accept that her power occasionally eroding her is not a problem at all? "..." Charlotte''s complexion darkens as she looks beyond the terrace. In that direction, I can see Liana and Cliffman running on the promenade. The revolutionary forces have fallen into the hands of Owen de Gatmora, and in reality, into the hands of the royal family. Charlotte must know that Liana''s burning desire for revenge is misguided. Regardless of her decision to hate the current Demon King, Liana is just being deceived. Charlotte didn''t offer any explanation to me. "By the way, we''ll soon become seniors." Charlotte forced a smile and said so. The winter break, entangled with various events, is finally drawing to a close. We will become second-year students. And the first-year students will arrive. Honestly, I have no interest in first-year students. I have too many things to think about to engage in a senior-junior relationship. "I wonder what kind of kids they''ll be?" However, I liked seeing Charlotte''s curious and smiling face, wondering what the new students would be like. But somehow. Her smile seemed a little bit awkward. ¡ª--- The end of the winter break was fast approaching. Everyone''s desire to become stronger was fueled by different flames. Some were driven by revenge, others by the desire to help with that revenge, and still others by the determination to protect something. Close combat majors generally had it good in that respect. -Clang! "Kuh!" "Your power is still unfamiliar to you, Ludwig. If you don''t exercise restraint when using it, you''ll harm your body." "Yes, sir!" It was convenient that our instructor, Saviolin Turner, was always available to teach us. Now there were four of us who could use Magic Body Strengthening: me, Ellen, Cliffman, and Ludwig. Initially, only Ludwig persistently bothered Saviolin Turner, but we all eventually began learning swordsmanship from her. In Ellen''s case, her schedule was complicated by the Miss Temple Contest, so she couldn''t receive instruction. She didn''t have much time to meet Saviolin Turner or spar with her due to various other commitments. This time, only those capable of Magic Body Strengthening were present for inspection, so Scarlett wasn''t there. Of course, there were levels of proficiency in Magic Body Strengthening, and both Cliffman and Ludwig were still rough and clumsy in their use of it. Saviolin Turner had initially treated Ludwig as a novice and went easy on him. But then, unexpectedly, Ludwig awakened to Magic Body Strengthening, and Cliffman joined him. Recognizing their exceptional talent, Saviolin Turner''s teachings became much more serious. With a major battle''s timing unknown, nurturing talent was deemed necessary, even if Saviolin Turner wasn''t an official Temple teacher. "Don''t neglect what you can see by focusing only on Magic Body Strengthening. Pay attention to both the visible and the invisible." "Don''t use your magic too casually. No one has an infinite amount of magic. It''s not the absolute amount of magic that''s important, but the precision and finesse in its use. With the same power, depending on its finesse, you can either break a rock or only hurt your hand." "The physical defense provided by Magic Body Strengthening is different from the barriers used by mages. They construct their defenses as efficiently as possible, which is why they use magic and casting. But the defense gained from Magic Body Strengthening is derived from the pure release of power. Remember that the same amount of magic can''t compare to a magical barrier in terms of defense. There are situations when you can take a hit and when you shouldn''t, and investing too much power in defense will ultimately deplete your stamina." "In a situation where Magic Body Strengthening is assumed, swordsmanship must be reevaluated from the ground up. There are times when you must allow what was once strictly forbidden and times when you must thrust with intent, yet there are still attacks that mustn''t be allowed. Assess the weight and focus of your opponent''s attacks. After all, the purpose of swordsmanship is to take your opponent''s life." "You''re still inexperienced with Magic Body Strengthening, Ludwig. We''ll have to proceed to the next stage once you''re more familiar with it." "I''ll try a little harder." "No, the problem that arises from excessive use of Magic Body Strengthening is not muscle pain. When I say rest, it''s not a suggestion, it''s an order. Rest." "Y-yes... Yes." Saviolin Turner was giving Ludwig and Cliffman a slightly more detailed explanation than the brief comments she usually threw out. Of course, there were limits to what she could teach due to her own inexperience with Magic Body Strengthening. "You''re very familiar with it. Your skill is improving incredibly fast, Reinhardt." "Good. That''s good. Can you manage fine adjustments in output as well? Like doubling your defense compared to normal, then reducing it by half... Oh, you can. Excellent." "Of course, your technique is still lacking, but your growth is remarkable, especially in Magic Body Strengthening, you''re already at an expert level." "In most situations, with your skills, it would be easy to deal with those who cannot use Magic Body Strengthening. However, there might be cases where you could still be bested by someone who doesn''t know how to use it... Hmm, but that would only happen at a beginner''s level, so you wouldn''t have to worry about it. My apologies, I''ve said something unnecessary. Forget about it." "You''ll become a Swordmaster in no time." Master? Your praise is a bit overwhelming, you know? Her attitude towards me had changed somewhat, but she still showed a strong favoritism towards me. "..." Ellen watched me and Turner silently. ¡ª--- Today''s practice was for those who could use Magic Body Strengthening only. The location was a B-class training arena. Ludwig went first, followed by Cliffman, and then me. Ellen was last. We all sparred until we were completely exhausted, and the three of us sat against the wall of the training arena, waiting for the final round to begin. "Haah... I still have a long way to go." Ludwig wiped his sweat with a towel draped around his neck, drinking water from his canteen. "...Indeed." Cliffman muttered in agreement, dazed. Although he had awakened his Magic Body Strengthening, it was clear that he wasn''t as good as me, who had received high praise, and he wouldn''t be as good as Ellen over there. And then there was the Demon King. Ludwig and Cliffman probably thought that the Demon King would be more threatening than Saviolin Turner, who stood before us like an absolute being. "Let''s do our best." Ludwig calmly said this to Cliffman, who wore a slightly flustered expression. The two had little in common. Ludwig had a carefree personality. However, now they shared a mutual enmity towards the Demon King. "Uh... Yeah. Let''s." Cliffman nodded in response to Ludwig''s words. The Demon King united humanity. The existence of an enemy is an important mechanism for fostering unity. Just as I had used that, so had Bertus. I felt a complicated mixture of emotions watching such arrangements take effect even in these small relationships. I watched the confrontation between Ellen and Turner. Observing the blue waves of mana engulfing Ellen''s body, Turner silently focused her strength. Thwack! Clang! Turner parried and deflected Ellen''s relentless sword strikes. She brushed aside the thrusts, repelled the slashes, and didn''t even react to the feints. Without taking a single step, Turner withstood Ellen''s onslaught in her place. And I knew this well, having crossed swords with Ellen countless times. Naturally, Ellen didn''t rely solely on her sword. With a one-handed sword stance, she would guide her opponent''s blade and then grab their collar or use a kick with her empty hand. As Ellen extended her left hand to grab Turner''s collar, seeing the trajectory of Turner''s sword that had diverted her own thrust to the right. Her right hand was blocked. So, she aimed for the brief moment when Turner couldn''t respond. However, just as Ellen''s left hand was empty, so was Turner''s. As Turner tried to catch Ellen''s approaching left wrist with her left hand, Ellen quickly lunged at her. Fake upon fake upon fake. In other words, it wasn''t just a mere lunge, but she literally flung her body towards Turner, as if almost embracing her. Bam! "Ouch!" "!" "!" "?" Ellen headbutted Turner''s forehead. Thud! Unprepared for this, Turner fell backward onto her rear, clutching her forehead with her mouth agape. "????" ''What just happened?'' ''What did I just experience?'' ''No, who does that?'' ''What is this?'' ''What is she doing?'' A mix of complex emotions surfaced on Turner''s face. Ellen had won a round with an unexpected headbutt. It''s true that she caught her off guard. But somehow... I was dumbfounded, not expecting Ellen to pull off such a move. CH 380 Turner''s face was flustered, but she soon shook it off and looked at Ellen. "Under the premise of using Magic Body Strengthening on each other, it''s impossible to take the opponent''s life with a mere shove. Of course, it was a bit startling, though..." Initially, Turner hadn''t anticipated that Ellen would resort to a shove, and even if it had been a real battle, she knew that such a move wouldn''t have been particularly effective. If Turner had been using her Magic Body Strengthening properly, Ellen''s shove would have been a reckless and desperate tactic, placing her in the hands of a more skilled opponent. Turner stuttered, taken aback when Ellen suddenly used such a lowly tactic. What to say... Despite being a brave younger sibling with exceptional abilities, could she really do that? It was a sort of complacency born from trust. "...I thought I wouldn''t stand a chance unless I tried something like that." At those words, Turner closed her mouth for a moment. She had come up with this plan because she felt she had no other choice and would have lost with one hundred percent certainty otherwise. Indeed, she had managed to land a hit. ''Uh...'' ''Well, I guess so...?'' She seemed to reluctantly agree. "Your attempt to exploit my weak point was good. After all, I couldn''t counter it. But don''t rely too much on such tactics. That being said... it was an excellent move, and I can''t deny I fell for it." Although it had been an unexpected attack, she acknowledged Ellen''s cunning with a tone of admiration. It was the epitome of an adult''s response. "I apologize." Ellen bowed her head to Turner, seemingly believing her action had been rude. She had done it because there seemed to be no other way to handle the situation without resorting to the element of surprise. What to say... It was somewhat surprising to see her pull off such a cute stunt. Of course, if it hadn''t been Turner, the shove would have broken her nose. "There''s no need to apologize. Discovering tactics to deal with opponents you can''t face head-on is also a skill." "...Yes." Though Turner''s words were kind, they ultimately grated on Ellen''s nerves. Of course, Turner seemed unaware of this. From the start, someone of her caliber wouldn''t need to adjust her level to converse with others, let alone spar. "Let''s try again." As if implying that such surprise tactics wouldn''t work this time, Turner pointed her practice sword at Ellen. "Yes." As though vowing not to use such shallow tactics again, Ellen began her standoff with Turner. Unsurprisingly, Ellen was defeated. Of course, there are degrees of defeat. Ellen''s performance wasn''t as pitiful as being toyed with like the three of us. ¡ª--- In contrast to the first round, where Turner had been caught off guard by Ellen''s shove, neither of them attempted such a move again. Therefore, the outcome of the five practice duels was a series of defeats for Ellen. Of course, a fierce exchange of blows ensued. Turner wasn''t giving it her all to gauge Ellen''s ability, but that only made it harder for her to find an opening in Ellen''s defense. After five practice bouts, Turner looked at us. "Everyone except Ellen and Reinhardt, leave." At her words, Cliffman and Ludwig looked slightly bewildered, but seeing that Turner wasn''t joking, they left the training hall. She sent them away, leaving me behind. I had an idea of what Turner was planning. "Now, bring ''that'' out." "¡­" "I want to see your true skills." This was the first time Saviolin Turner would witness the abilities of Ellen Artorius. Ellen hadn''t participated in the tournament, and she wasn''t an official fencing instructor. A practice match was just that. Just as Turner couldn''t get serious, Ellen wouldn''t fight with gritted teeth either. As the current strongest swordsman in the empire, she seemed intent on determining Ellen''s true abilities. Without a word, Ellen summoned Lament into her right hand. Ellen possessed another sacred artifact, but she had only told me about it and hadn''t brought it out yet. Blue magical power gathered around the wooden practice sword Turner wielded. The wooden sword would shatter or be cut upon contact with Lament. The mark of a Swordmaster. Aura Blade. Ellen stared intently at the magical power flowing through Turner''s sword. She was a being who transcended even Swordmasters. Saviolin Turner, with a serious expression, stared back at Ellen as if to say this was no longer a game. "Fight as if you intend to kill me." The situation was very similar to what had happened with Cliffman not long ago, but it was entirely different. It was fine to fight with the intent to kill. Because you could never actually kill me. That was the meaning behind it. "Yes." Ellen took a deep breath as she stared at Saviolin Turner. She wouldn''t hesitate. Even if she fought with all her might, Ellen knew Turner would stand a chance. Surrounded by magical power, Ellen charged at Saviolin Turner with Lament in hand. -Clang! The sound of the Aura Blade and Lament colliding echoed through the training hall, creating a shockwave that seemed to rip through the air. But it wasn''t just the shockwave. "!" Simply making contact with the Aura Blade caused Ellen''s hands, gripping Lament, to be flung upwards as if being launched into the sky. Her chest was left wide open. Turner didn''t miss the opportunity. -Swoosh! "Argh¡­!" Ellen gasped as Turner''s left fist drove directly into her solar plexus. "Guh¡­ Huh¡­!" As Ellen clutched her chest, gasping for breath, with her Magic Body Strengthening dispelled, Turner looked at her calmly. "The Aura Blade isn''t just a sharp sword. It can freely manipulate magical shockwaves, so merely making contact can cause a powerful counterforce." "Ugh¡­ Ugh¡­" "I meant to make you lose your grip on the sword, but you held on. I''ll commend you for that." It was a given that Ellen would be no match, but I was still shocked to see her reduced to such a state in a single blow. "Huff... huff..." Turner looked down at Ellen with cold eyes. "You are strong and will grow even stronger." "..." "Just as the foundation of swordsmanship must change the moment you use Magic Body Strengthening, it must change once again the moment you use an Aura Blade. Therefore, you cannot face your opponent in the same way as before if they are a Swordmaster." "..." "I will teach you how to confront a Swordmaster when you are not one, how to confront an Archmage, monsters, demons, demonkin, and even armies." Up until now, Turner had spoken to Ludwig, Cliff, and myself at our level. She had taught us what we needed to do. But now. For Ellen, Turner suddenly began teaching her how to face a Swordmaster. This must be because Turner had discovered potential in Ellen during their sparring session. "Rise, Ellen Artorius." "..." Ellen kept her gaze fixed on the floor of the training ground, catching her breath. "You have no freedom to be weak." One must be strong. In order to protect what is precious. If one has taken on a burden, they must endure any level of cruelty. Slowly, Ellen stood up. The light in Ellen Artorius'' eyes had not died. The Empire''s strongest knight was sincerely trying to teach her something. Her eyes were filled with the determination to learn. Saviollin Turner stared expressionlessly at Ellen. ''If only it wasn''t these youngsters, but me instead.'' ''How wonderful that would be.'' ''Why did the gods choose you as the adversary of the Demon King...?'' ''Why must you be the ones to get hurt...?'' ''Do I still have no role to play...?'' Such emotions could be read from Turner''s expression. "Let''s begin." "...Yes." In the midst of sorrow. She seemed to sense a sad fate for the two of us. ¡ª--- Turner appeared anxious. As if she believed that if we didn''t get stronger quickly during any moment of respite, we might be killed in vain when we truly needed our strength. In the original work, Turner took charge of Ludwig and Ellen, the holders of sacred artifacts, after the Gate incident had already occurred. At that time, Turner had been rough with Ludwig, but she had no choice but to pay less attention to Ellen. Back then, Ellen was already quite complete, and Ludwig had many shortcomings. However, at this point in time, there was a sense of urgency, but still some room to breathe. That''s why Turner was focusing on Ellen, who had even greater potential for growth. Moreover, the current owner of Alsebringer had not yet been determined. Turner had informed Ludwig and Cliffman of what needed to be corrected at this stage. However, she told Ellen that she would teach her how to fight. Swordmaster, Archmage, Demonkin, Demon, and the art of battling armies. I intend to teach the method of killing something. "Reinhardt, come here as well." And I too possess a sacred relic. As if to say that I am no exception, Saviolin Turner stands Ellen and me in front of her and speaks. "What is a Master Class?" "Someone who can use an Aura Blade." "Then, what is this Aura?" "I understand it to be the ability to do Magic Body Strengthening beyond the physical body, even up to the level of a battlefield aura." "I see." She nods her head as if it''s an ordinary answer and there''s nothing wrong with it. "Then, if your main weapons are fists and feet, would you be considered a Master Class if you could wrap magic power around your fists and feet?" If one can enhance their primary weapon with magic power, they are considered a Master Class. So, if a close-quarters combatant specializes in enhancing their magical power, would they become a Master Class the moment they can do so? Since they know how to enhance their main weapon with magic power. "... I don''t think so." Of course, it''s not. "That''s right. Usually, if one can do Magic Body Strengthening on objects other than their body, they are considered a Master Class. However, in reality, it''s a little different." Saviolin Turner, with her practice sword laid down, gathers blue mana. Both Ellen and Turner are clad in Magic Body Strengthening. While both of them are enhancing their bare bodies with Magic Body Strengthening, the appearance of Ellen and Turner is slightly different. Ellen, who initially used a very explosive Magic Body Strengthening, can now use a more refined one. However, Turner''s enhancement felt extremely controlled. If the sensation emanating from Ellen''s body is a blue light, only a hazy glow could be felt from Turner''s body. Extremely refined Magic Body Strengthening. The faint light minimized unnecessary consumption, giving the impression that the Magic Body Strengthening itself was optimized. "A Master Class refers to cases where the activeness of Magic Body Strengthening has developed to the utmost extreme. Come closer and try maintaining your Magic Body Strengthening." At Turner''s command, Ellen stands in front of her. Turner had called her over as if she was going to show something amazing, but what she ended up doing was a bit surprising. She placed her right middle and index fingers together, then aimed at Ellen''s forehead. It was a flick, commonly referred to as a forehead flick. "???" Questions flooded Ellen''s expression. A Grandmaster''s forehead flick, of all things. Did she intend to kill Ellen? -Thud! However, Turner''s flick did make a sound on Ellen''s forehead, but Ellen didn''t seem hurt at all. Her head was just slightly pushed back. But. The sound of that flick was a bit strange... "It must have felt like metal striking metal, right?" "Yes." Ellen nods her head. "That''s the Magic Body Strengthening you guys do. Forming a powerful protective barrier, and enhancing physical abilities." At our level, it doesn''t amount to much more than that. "Now, try taking this." Turner prepared for another flick of her fingers. This time, it was different. Ellen stared at the flick Turner aimed at her forehead. "..." No. Is this the first time I''ve seen her so frightened? Look at her eyes trembling as she pretends not to be scared! Ellen, scared out of her wits! It''s odd that a finger flick would be scarier than a punch. I''d be scared of that too! "..." As Ellen''s shoulders began to tremble slightly, Turner looked my way as if she couldn''t continue. "Uh... me?" Am I really going to die? My face turned pale as well. Then. "I''ll just take the hit." Suddenly, Ellen stopped trembling and spoke calmly. Her eyes were wide open, as if she''d made up her mind. No. Hey. What does that make me? "No, Miss, I''ll take the hit and die." If you take the hit for me, I''ll have no choice but to do this! I''m not sure I won''t die, but I said it anyway. Turner looked back and forth between Ellen and me before lowering her finger. "...On second thought, there''s no need to hit you that hard. And it''s not like I''m going to kill you." Turner let out an embarrassed sigh and lowered her hand. Both Ellen and I unknowingly let out a sigh of relief at the sight of that lethal finger. "It''s just, like that." She flicked her finger into the air. Bang! Instead of a sound, a fierce noise like an explosion of gunpowder echoed from Turner''s finger. What did I just hear? "The difference lies in the power of a Master Class Magic Body Strengthening." "..." Now, were you planning on applying that to my forehead? Ellen stared at Turner with a questioning gaze. "Um, well. I didn''t do it, did I... Um." Embarrassed, she avoided Ellen''s gaze. "How did you do that?" "It''s an offensive application of Magic Body Strengthening." "Offensive application...?" "Yes, you and Reinhardt are proficient in Magic Body Strengthening, but only to the extent of physical enhancement internally and obtaining defense through external magic discharge. This is the next level." The mana gathered in her right hand seemed refined, but suddenly surged explosively from just her right hand, repeating a blazing, explosive-like appearance. "Once you reach a certain level, it''ll be possible to explosively release magic throughout your entire body. And then it becomes more specialized. From your whole body to just your right leg, your right arm, only the lower half of your right arm, and then just your hand, and then only your fingers." Turner showed her index finger, and from it, a blue flame-like flicker of magical power danced. Starting with defense, one becomes capable of explosively releasing magical power. The range gradually narrows, starting from the entire body. The more the magic is concentrated rather than radiating outwards, the greater its destructive power will be. From Turner''s fingers, seemingly enveloped in blue flames, the fire begins to gradually focus into a single point. "Slowly, from your entire body to smaller units, become accustomed to concentrating the Magic Body Strengthening to an extreme point." "Meticulously." "Concentrate." As Turner speaks these words, the flickering light around her fingers gradually begins to gather at her fingertips. "Eventually, you''ll be able to concentrate the Magic Body Strengthening only at your fingertips like this." "Right. And beyond this stage." She grasps the practice sword she had set down. The practice sword in her hand becomes gradually engulfed in blue flames, as if the concentrated magic at the tip of her finger has ignited it. "When you reach the pinnacle of Magic Body Strengthening manipulation, such feats become possible." A refined Magic Body Strengthening ability, so precise that it can strengthen with magic beyond the body''s boundaries. "That is the condition of the Master Class." Once you can do that, you will have reached the Master Class. CH 381 The Master Class Condition The master class is achieved when one possesses extreme active enhancement of Magic Body Strengthening, to the extent that they can strengthen the object they hold. With that said, we return to the original question. In the end, it is true that the condition is to strengthen the weapon with Magic Body Strengthening. As if knowing the doubts of Ellen and me, Turner clenched her fist. "Although rare, there are masters who specialize in close combat techniques. Among them, those who can be called master class are the ones who can do this." She extended her palm filled with Magic Body Strengthening into the air. Krrrr! The short-lived, flickering blue magical power from her palm gave the assurance that anything it touched would shatter into pieces. "This, too, is not merely using the Magic Body Strengthening within for defense but briefly releasing and exploding it, making it the pinnacle of Magic Body Strengthening control. Of course, some of them go a step further and directly emit the Magic itself. From here on, their paths become completely different." The so-called master class of close combat techniques also applies only to those who have gone far beyond the stage of using Magic Body Strengthening for defense. The training methods of martial artists and sword masters are different. In other words, training to strengthen the weapon one holds with Magic Body Strengthening, and pursuing the limit of Magic Body Strengthening through martial arts techniques, belong to different genres. Ellen tilted her head. "Then, did you receive training in both?" Turner had demonstrated the techniques used by the masters of martial arts while using the Aura Blade. Her face reddened slightly at the mention of having trained in both completely different paths. "Um... No, not really... I''ve only trained with the sword. Of course, I''m familiar with other weapons like spears and bows, but my knowledge of martial arts is relatively shallow." "Then how did you do that just now?" "... " Her face reddened, and she hesitated slightly. "When one reaches the extreme in a certain field, understanding of other fields to some extent follows..." I am a great grandmaster, so I naturally know how to do things even in fields I''m not familiar with. She struggled to say those words. Thinking about it, Turner had said that she was not used to teaching others. So, even though she was a teacher at the temple, teaching was still a new experience for her. "You''re amazing." "... " Watching the red-faced Saviolin Turner at Ellen''s honest admiration was quite an amusing sight. "It''s interesting to hear the words I used to hear from my teachers at the temple coming from the mouths of you students now that we''re back here..." In the end, she let out a bitter laugh and a deep sigh. "What I''m trying to say is that you''ve become familiar with using Magic Body Strengthening for defense, so now it''s time to move on to the next step. And whether you''re a martial artist or use a weapon, improving the autonomy of Magic Body Strengthening through training is a common goal." Up until now, they had used Magic Body Strengthening to enhance their physical strength and endurance. However, now they needed to learn how to use Magic Body Strengthening itself offensively. They needed to learn how to transform the magical armor that had protected their bodies into a weapon, like a spear. As they pushed this to the limit, they would eventually reach a level where they could overlay Magic Body Strengthening onto martial arts, and naturally, earn the title of Master Class. "But even if an enemy at the Swordmaster level appears, you won''t be able to face them. Those who awaken their Magic Body Strengthening are few, and those who reach the Master Class are even fewer. It''s unlikely that this moment will come to you any time soon." Even though they were special, becoming a Swordmaster in just a few days was impossible. That''s why Turner had originally told Ellen. Instead of teaching them how to become a Swordmaster, she would teach them how to face one. "A Swordmaster can''t be challenged by ordinary people, skilled martial artists, or even those who know how to strengthen themselves with Magic Body Strengthening. It''s the same for mages. Most offensive spells will be blocked by their Magic Body Strengthening defenses, and spells that could have an effect take too long to cast, giving the Swordmaster time to either close the distance and kill the mage or escape the spell''s reach." No matter how exceptional their talents, they couldn''t hope to face a Swordmaster. "There''s only one best method." She said quietly. "Surprise them." She offered advice more fitting for an assassin. "No matter how powerful a Master Class is, they can''t maintain their Magic Body Strengthening at all times, and there will always be moments when they are vulnerable. They can''t always be sensitive to their surroundings." A surprise attack. It was a ruthless strategy, but they had no other choice. The reality of her words was so harsh that they couldn''t help but be taken aback. "Remember that throughout history, more Master Class individuals have been assassinated than have died honorably in battle." Turner''s advice proved to be far more important than they had imagined. Killing through traps, ambushes, or while they slept was more common than in a head-to-head battle or on the battlefield. "What if we have to face them head-on?" At Ellen''s question, Turner answered seriously. "If that''s possible, then run away." She wasn''t joking. "What if we can''t run away?" The conversation seemed like a scripted exchange, but it was necessary. If they couldn''t run away, did that mean they had to face them head-on? "If you can''t run away, then surrender. Relying on the enemy''s mercy offers a better chance of survival than trying to fight them." Fighting a Swordmaster was nearly as bad as surrendering. She wasn''t mocking them with her serious expression. She was genuinely discussing what they should do if a Master Class intent on killing them appeared before their eyes. If a surprise attack isn''t possible, a head-on confrontation is forbidden. If one can''t even flee, it''s better to surrender. "What if our opponent is someone who has absolutely no intention of sparing my life?" This time, it was my question. From the start, she was telling us not to fight against a Master Class. Surprise attack, escape, surrender. When all other options disappear, and there''s no other way but a direct confrontation, what should we do? "From now on, I will teach you how to deal with that. But you must not become arrogant, thinking that learning this will allow you to defeat a Master Class." Turner was utterly serious. "You cannot kill an elephant with a toothpick." That was obvious. "Remember that I''m teaching you this so that you can stab an elephant in the eye with a toothpick and then run away. Of course, even that won''t be easy." Just in case. She wants us to survive for as long as possible. We don''t know when a battle will come, and we don''t know who will target us and from where. So, she said she''d teach us how to deal with situations when we face powerful opponents or tough circumstances. Swordmaster. Archmage. Demon. Devil. Monster. And an army. It''s not about winning. It''s about confronting. She wanted to teach us how to survive in situations we might face someday. ¡ª--- In the event of encountering a Swordmaster and being forced into a direct confrontation, the way for us to survive. Turner assessed our chances of winning as close to zero, saying it would be better for us to surrender. "Use obstacles. The senses of a Swordmaster surpass those of ordinary humans, but the most reliable sensory organ for humans is vision. Scatter sand or throw large objects to obstruct their view." Somehow. Petty tactics were being suggested. "Use noise. After vision, the most important sensory organ is hearing. When vision is blocked, it becomes the most active sense. Alternatively, escaping to a noisy place is another option." Scatter dirt and create a commotion. The advice of a Grandmaster seemed too practical, and the thought of actually doing such things was somewhat... Depressing. "Assuming an enclosed space, setting a fire is the best option. Fire provides both visual obstruction due to smoke and noise. Also, breathing is fair to everyone. They may be able to hold their breath for a while, but not forever. While heat may not threaten a Swordmaster, inhaling smoke is dangerous for them too." She taught us not how to confront, but how to escape. I know it makes sense, but... As the hope of humanity, I''m learning to scatter dirt, create a commotion, and set fires. "..." "..." Both Ellen and I had expressions that showed we had no idea what was going on. Turner punched Ellen when she found an opening, but if it had been a real battle, Ellen would have died at that moment. "Do not cross swords with it." "Do not try to parry it either." "Avoid all of its strikes." You must avoid them. It sounded simple, but was it possible? "And do not attempt to attack. You won''t be able to handle the power within the sword. The moment your weapon touches the enemy, the same thing will happen as if you had clashed with the sword." You must not try to attack either. If you think of it as a mere feint and aim for the enemy''s neck, the recoil will twist your wrist or bounce back. In the end, it was all about focusing on escaping and not confronting the enemy. "In normal circumstances, yes, that''s what it means." Turner looks at the two of us as if she has another story to tell. "I sent Cliffman and Ludwig away because listening to this story would be useless for them. Of course, it was also to hide the fact that you two are the holders of the relics." Our common point. We both possess relics in the form of swords. "As you''ve experienced, Lament was repelled just by clashing with the Aura Blade." "Yes." "If it had been an ordinary sword, it would have shattered just from hitting the flat of the Aura Blade, not the edge. The Aura Blade is a powerful weapon in itself, with an enchantment that cannot be compared to any magic. Unless a sword is made of extremely strong material or protected by potent magic, it is safe to say that there is no sword capable of facing the Aura Blade head-on." "...I see." It''s not just about being sharp. Depending on the skill of the Aura Blade user, they can cause a powerful backlash by exploding the power within the sword when the swords collide. Ordinary swords don''t just get cut by the edge; they''re shattered just by hitting the flat. She alternates her gaze between me and Ellen. "Lament and Tiamata are relics. They won''t break or chip against the Aura Blade. Plus, if you lose them, they are bound to your souls, so you can summon them at any time. That means you can at least meet the basic conditions to fight against the unreasonable power of the Aura Blade: not losing your weapon." Unless you have a very powerful magical weapon or a relic, you cannot even exchange blows with a Master class. "But it''s only a matter of enduring it. The moment you try to face the sword directly, a gap will form due to the backlash, and that will be the end." After telling Ellen that, Turner looks at me. "Reinhardt, your situation may be different." "Different?" "Assuming you can use Tiamata''s divine power. If you overlay your sword with divine power, it will protect you and Tiamata from the Aura Blade''s backlash to a great extent." A sword not coated in magic, but enhanced with divine power, and myself. Does this mean that the immense destructive power of the Aura Blade will have less of an impact? I had not faced an Aura Blade myself, but I thought I understood what Turner was saying. Indeed. I could withstand a few rounds against the monstrous attack of Riverrier Lanze, who had also enhanced his sword with Divine power, entwined with his own. Riverrier Lanze was not a Swordmaster, but I did not think he was inferior to one. After all, even the most common Swordmasters are not monsters that can survive a stab to the heart. I could face him partly because of external conditions, but the immense Divine power of Tiamata itself had also been a great help. As for dealing with an Aura Blade. I could handle it to some extent. "Assuming you can use Divine power, you can withstand the swordplay of an Aura Blade. And Ellen." "Yes." "With Lament, you can penetrate the Magic Body Strengthening defense of a Swordmaster. Of course, the chances of piercing are higher." A sword with the sharpness of an Aura Blade, as if it were an innate passive ability. Ellen cannot control it herself, so using it freely like the all-purpose Aura Blade of Saviolin Turner is impossible. However, its sharpness and cutting power are overwhelming. "In such a situation, if you two are together, the chances of survival are higher." Tiamata can endure but not kill, Lament can''t endure but can kill. While I endure, Ellen pierces. Without the two of us together, a fight against a Master-class would be impossible. "If you''re not together, Reinhardt, you should block the enemy''s attack as much as possible, obstruct their view, and then escape after assessing the situation." "Ellen, the same goes for you. An opponent who is only watching you will not give you an opening. If you try to clumsily pierce their heart, you''ll be the one to suffer. So, carefully dodge the enemy''s sword and inflict minor wounds, or make them aware that your sword is a threat. The enemy will be flustered, and that will give you time to escape." In the end, Turner''s conclusion was not to think about facing a Swordmaster if they were not together. CH 382 The training we received from Turner was incredibly long, stretching on even after the sun had set. It included one-on-one sessions with Ellen, one-on-one sessions with me, and even scenarios where the two of us teamed up to face Turner. Ellen wielded the Lament, and I fought with the Tiamata against her. Of course, we couldn''t even come close to matching her. It would have been difficult enough if Turner were merely a Swordmaster, but she had long surpassed that level. Even on the rare occasion when the Lament''s attack managed to touch Turner''s body, it would simply be repelled by her counterforce. How much time had passed before we were utterly battered and bruised? "That''s enough for today. Go back and rest. We''ll meet here at the same time tomorrow," Turner said, seeming determined to continue supervising our training unless she had other pressing matters. Both Ellen and I were so exhausted that we needed to receive healing at the priest''s office. The sun had long since set, and it was well past our usual bedtime. This training was to prepare us for a potential battle against a much stronger opponent. Ellen wore a serious expression. Was she contemplating the possibility of facing an overwhelming demon? "I''m hungry." "..." Seriously, all she could think about was food. Ellen said this while staring at me intently. "Alright, let''s eat something." Although we were usually quite active, today it was less about the amount of exercise and more about the damage we had taken. We needed to have a hearty meal and rest. We would have to face another grueling day tomorrow. ¡ª--- Ellen and I cooked and devoured four large pieces of beef sirloin. It wasn''t the kind of meal one should eat late at night, but then again, none of the food we made and ate at night was particularly suitable for nighttime consumption. -Om nom nom nom She always ate a lot, but when she was hungry, she would eat even more. She consumed a great deal without appearing gluttonous. She continuously nibbled with her small mouth, never slowing down from her initial pace. Our routine had been going on for quite some time now. Spending the entire day training with Ellen, only to cook and eat something together at night. Sometimes we would skip a few days, but this was still our most common activity in the temple. Eating a large meal with Ellen before going to bed. "Y''know, I''ve been thinking. Our real talent might be eating a ton of food right before bed without getting acid reflux or any other stomach-related issues." Isn''t it a special talent to eat so much before bed without suffering from any gastrointestinal problems? In a way, weren''t Ellen and I the strongest in the world when it came to our digestive systems? "¡­?" Judging by her clueless expression, she didn''t understand what I was talking about. Perhaps she would never experience any internal organ-related illnesses in her lifetime. In the end, Ellen consumed three of the sirloin pieces, while I ate one. "Do you want more?" "No, I''m good." Seemingly satisfied, Ellen shook her head. I never thought I''d see the day when she would refuse food. No, it wasn''t that she refused it. She had already eaten three pieces, after all. "Let''s rest then. Even after receiving healing, there''s a lingering feeling of psychological pain that doesn''t go away." Both Ellen and I had taken a hefty blow. Still, Ellen would make dramatic movements to try to lessen the pain when struck, while I couldn''t manage to do that. I could sense the danger and the trajectory shown by my instincts, but I couldn''t react to it. The pain was bearable, but I was mentally exhausted and all I wanted was to rest quickly. "I just realized something." As I was about to get up from my seat, Ellen opened her mouth. "What?" "Come to think of it, if we do well, we might be able to handle a Master Class." I couldn''t help but be taken aback by her sudden remark. "Suddenly?" "Yeah, follow me." Ellen got up from her seat and led me towards the training hall. ¡ª--- I had a feeling about what Ellen intended to show me. A cloak was draped over Ellen''s shoulder as she led me to the A-Class dormitory''s training hall. It was Lapelt, the Cloak of the Sun God she had shown me before. Ellen hadn''t told Turner about the Cloak of the Sun God. Turner had said that even though it would be difficult to handle a Master Class under the premise that we were the owners of the relics, we could still manage to evade or escape somehow. Ellen seemed to think that combining Lapelt into the equation would allow us to confront a Master Class. But come to think of it, I didn''t know what abilities the Cloak of the Sun God possessed. "What does that do?" It was a relic in the form of a cloak. "Try throwing something at me." "What? You want me to throw something?" "Yeah, anything." There was nothing much to throw here, but since there were practice swords lying around, I picked one up. "You want me to throw this?" "Yes." I didn''t think it would hurt her. Ellen was only wearing the cloak. Figuring nothing bad would happen, I threw the practice sword at her. And then. -Kwang! Just before the practice sword touched Ellen''s body, an explosion of flames erupted in mid-air, and the sword shattered into pieces. "...What was that?" What did I just witness? The practice sword was blocked by a wall of flames in mid-air, just as if it had been intercepted automatically right before it hit her. "Lapelt possesses the power of protection." I had a hunch it was a relic related to defense. However, this was not just any protection. The moment an attack landed, it would not only block the attack, but also cause a counter explosion of flames. It was both defense and offense simultaneously. There had definitely been occasions when Ellen and I had successfully attacked Turner while cooperating. Saviolin Turner had a rebounding force on her sword, but also applied it to her own body. So, when we managed to land an attack, we would be thrown off by the tremendous shock to the point that our wrists would bend backward. "Wait, so... that means... that thing..." At my mumbled words, Ellen nodded. "Right. It''s not much different from what the teacher used." Whether it was a surge of magical power or an explosion of flames, any attack would be met with a fierce rebound. The attacker would be counterattacked in the same manner. The Lament that Ellen possessed functioned similarly to an Aura Blade in itself. The Lapelt that Ellen held had capabilities akin to the Aura Armor used by master-class warriors. The Sword of the Moon. The Cloak of the Sun. "Are you... essentially a Swordmaster then?" "Well, I wouldn''t say that, but it seems quite similar." Thanks to the two relics, Ellen''s situation wasn''t much different from that of a Swordmaster. Talk about luck. This was incredibly frightening. Of course, it''s not necessarily Ellen who would benefit; anyone wielding those two relics could perform the two skills Swordmasters are known for. Naturally, whose hands they were in was of utmost importance. If someone with the relics didn''t possess Ellen''s abilities, it would be difficult for them to use the relics effectively. It was uncertain how they would fare in a battle against a real Swordmaster, but in her current state, Ellen might be able to challenge a master-class warrior. Even with the support of the overpowered artifacts known as relics, her rapid transformation into a monster had reached a point where she could potentially stand against a master-class opponent. Moreover, Ellen hadn''t yet unleashed the true power of the relics. The true power of Tiamata is the explosive release of potent divine power. In my case, it allows me to use divine power I shouldn''t originally be able to access. The true power of Alsebringer is the summoning of the war god Als. The true powers of Lament and Lapelt were unknown to me. However, even in their current state, the two relics possessed immense power. Aura Blade and Aura Armor. What would happen if Ellen, who already possesses both, truly reached the master-class and could actually use both powers? The power of the relics would also amplify, and there might not be anyone in the world who could stand against her. Would I have to face such an Ellen as my enemy someday? Before my frozen self, Ellen suddenly took off her cloak. "...What are you doing?" Ellen walked towards me and held out the cloak. "I''ll give it to you." "...This?" "Yes." She offered it so calmly that I couldn''t understand what she was doing for a moment. Why would she give this to me? "I think you''ll need it more than I do." Ellen smiled quietly. She was giving up one of the two conditions that made her practically a Swordmaster without hesitation. Because I needed it more. In the end, that meant she was giving it to me because I was weaker. Yes. In reality, I needed it more. Many people would turn against me, and I would need a shield rather than a weapon to protect myself from them. The Cloak of the Sun God would surely serve as that shield. I had to accept it. As Ellen said, this was truly something I needed. Ellen didn''t know, but with this cloak alone, I would be able to overcome countless crises. Ellen was smiling. She seemed genuinely happy to be able to give me something. Without explaining anything, without saying a word. She always just gives to me. She''s happy just by giving. But I should accept it. Even if it''s a brief lapse in judgment, I know that accepting this would be the best course of action. "No." "...?" "How can I accept this?" I pushed the cloak that Ellen offered me back towards her. "It''s something your parents gave you because they were worried about you." I couldn''t accept such a thing. That''s what I told her. Ellen must have been struggling with the decision as well. Giving me something that her parents had given her would be like disregarding their concerns. Despite that, she decided to give it to me because she wished for my safety, but I refused. "..." Ellen, seemingly aware of how difficult my answer had been, furrowed her brow and recalled Lapelt. "Still, thank you." I hugged the somewhat deflated Ellen. At first, she seemed a little flustered, but then she hugged me back. It was something I needed, but I didn''t accept it. I couldn''t accept any more than this. "I mean it." Even to my ears, my voice trembled severely. I hoped she would understand my sincerity in not accepting it. Would she know? What I had just given up? "Me too, thank you." As if to say she understood, Ellen whispered softly while hugging me. [Special Achievement Unlocked - Turning Point of History ''Ellen Artorius''] [The future has changed significantly.] [You have earned 1,000 Achievement Points.] What? The future has changed? By not accepting Lapelt just now, somehow, the future has been altered. I hugged Ellen a little tighter. I gently stroked her head as she trembled slightly in my embrace. I couldn''t know in what way it had changed. But two assumptions were possible. Either not accepting Lapelt would lead to my death. Or. By not accepting Lapelt. Contrarily, I would survive in a situation where I should have died. "Hey." I quietly called out to Ellen. "...Yes?" "You know I really like you a lot, right?" Ellen''s body flinched significantly. She quietly buried her face in my chest. "Yes." Ellen added in a trembling voice. "I like you, too... a lot." We remained embraced for a long time. CH 383 Ellen handed me the Lapelt, but I didn''t accept it. Just that act alone changed the future. I had no idea how this would come back to affect me. During the remaining winter break, the four of us who could do Magic Body Strengthening received training from Saviolin Turner. After the training of Ludwig and Cliff was completed, Turner also taught Ellen and me intensively. Considering that most of the things I had to worry about were out of my hands, and that getting stronger was my top priority, receiving guidance from Saviolin Turner was nothing but a good thing for me. Even as I digested Turner''s heavier-than-usual training sessions, various events took place. Among them, two things were most important. "It''s complete?" "Yes. The enhancement potion will enter the clinical phase, so I''ll request an evaluation from the university lab, and the same goes for the magic power artifact." Moonshine and the Power Cartridge were completed. ¡ª--- I headed to the Magic Research Club with Harriet. At the Magic Research Club, which was established during the second semester, we managed to complete two items before the end of winter break. However, to ensure that these two artifacts function properly, we now have to entrust them to a senior lab for safety tests. This is not something that can be done at the junior club level. Originally, these items were created in the chaotic aftermath of the Gate Incident. In a situation akin to war, anything that could help in battle had to be used, so Moonshine and the Power Cartridge were immediately deployed. However, even though the Demon King is in hiding now, we are in a relatively peaceful period. Even if the functions of the body enhancement potion and the Power Cartridge are revolutionary, they won''t be approved for use until they have been thoroughly tested. Of course, it is impossible to immediately determine the effectiveness of Moonshine, but in the case of the Power Cartridge, it was quite easy. The Power Cartridge was an artifact that looked like a peculiarly designed necklace, with a blue magic stone the size of a fingertip encased in a metal cage. "We decided to call it the Power Cartridge." "That''s fine." The name of the artifact, like in the original work, was named by Adelia. Adelia stared at the completed Power Cartridge in silence. She seemed amazed and couldn''t quite understand what she had created. "We have already confirmed its stability, but it''s disposable. We might be able to make it reusable through magic power charging, but then it would become larger, and the magic power stabilization device might become unstable." The Power Cartridge is, as its name suggests, a disposable fuel container. Once all the magic power inside is used up, it''s empty. In the original work, it was disposable, but is it possible to make it reusable? But there seems to be a problem with that. "...Are you saying that this thing around the magic stone is the magic power stabilization device?" "Yes." Adelia nodded at my words. The principle of the Power Cartridge may be beyond my comprehension, but its structure is simple. It consists of a magic stone and a stabilization device that prevents the explosion of the magic stone. "The external stabilization device can bear and regulate the instability of the magic stone''s magic power when it is used like the magic power in the body. Naturally, the durability of the stabilizer decreases as magic is used more frequently. So, while it''s possible to construct the device with a rechargeable magic stone, if it''s used for too long, it will explode. The magic power in the cartridge will inevitably be used in combat, so having a magic stone replenishment device with the potential to explode during combat... it''s meaningless." Although it''s possible to create something rechargeable, the problem is that the likelihood of explosion increases as it is used for a longer period of time. Of course, I don''t expect to reuse it anyway. This invention alone is enough to turn the magic world upside down. "Well done. You''ll be remembered as a hero in history now." "Huh? Is that so...?" I looked at Harriet while telling Adelia. Power Cartridge and Moonshine. Harriet had said that whoever created such a thing would become a hero in history, which was nonsense. But in the end, it was created. Even Adelia herself seemed to be unable to understand how she could make such a thing, but she did. "Wait, anyone would know you made it for real?" Harriet muttered in disbelief at my enthusiastic gaze. "Give me the subject, and I''ll get you the money. You can''t say that I didn''t contribute anything." Although I wasn''t involved in the research itself, I had an absolute influence on creating the research environment. Of course, it''s a bit funny that I didn''t think I would get credit for making it before, but now I''m talking like this in the actual situation. "Well, that''s true, but..." Harriet eventually had nothing to say and shut her mouth, as if sulking. The Power Cartridge is complete. Furthermore, it even added the possibility of reuse that was not in the original. The research paper seemed to be completed to be presented to Temple University, so Adelia will really be recorded in history as a sorceress who changed history during her high school days. Adelia, and even Christina, who contributed more than Harriet, could also be recorded in history as even more talented sorceresses. Of course, Adelia didn''t work alone, so ultimately, all the members of the research group could become stars in the magic world. But. Is that really... a good thing? As I pushed the research of the Magic Research Society forward, I became aware of other problems. Later, I saw a demonstration of magic using the Power Cartridge''s magic power. The performer was Redina. In the magic practice room, Redina summoned eighteen fireballs with the Power Cartridge attached to her neck and shot them off. -Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! With her meager magical power, Redina could not even cast large-scale spells, but now she was firing off massive fireballs in an instant using no-casting. She thought it would be exciting. "I am a god! The god of magic! Bring it on!" Watching the child who now claimed to be a god beyond dragons, it felt a bit dizzying. But then again. If that kid had a hundred power cartridges attached to her. Wouldn''t she actually be a god? She might be able to singlehandedly destroy the world, right? Of course, she couldn''t possibly wear a hundred power cartridges on her body. A million fireballs. Just thinking about it, she was a crazy talent who could instantly summon them. With the disadvantage of extremely low magical power gone, Redina might be the most dangerous mage in the world, right? "You look great, senior," said Harriet, covering her mouth with a smile, as if Redina''s excited hopping and launching fireballs at the dummy were adorable. "I am a god, I tell you! Come out! Come out!" Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! "Isn''t Senior Redina just too cute?" Well, now. It wasn''t just you. She had been firing spells to show that the cartridges wouldn''t explode until all the magic power was used up. After a while of crazily firing magic like a mad child, Redina came out of the laboratory, removing the dimmed cartridge when no more fireballs could be summoned. "Huff... huff... I''m... I''m tired..." "Well, of course you''re tired after all that yelling." "Right... right..." It wasn''t the magic power that was the problem, but rather her body getting tired from hopping around and firing spells. Redina dragged her exhausted body onto a chair. Adelia was the chief researcher for power cartridges, but Redina was her assistant. Thus, Redina also had a significant contribution to the development of power cartridges. "So, junior, are you starting the research for my exclusive cartridge now? I''m ready whenever." "We should be able to make a cartridge that can be used indefinitely soon." Redina was overjoyed at the prospect of starting her exclusive cartridge research soon. There was an impossible challenge, and they had achieved it. That''s why everyone''s faces couldn''t help but be happy. ¡ª--- After checking the power cartridges, they checked Moonshine. "If my theory is correct, the expected effects should appear. Of course, there should be no side effects, but we can''t commercialize it right away since clinical trials are necessary. And we don''t even know if it will be commercialized." Christina said this, looking at the pink potion in the triangular flask. Harriet looked at the triangular flask and said, "We''ve decided to call this Moonshine." Just like in the original work, it was given the name Moonshine. A potion that increases Magic Body Strengthening sensitivity and magical power. If power cartridges were for mages, this was for combat majors. Most of the students who struggled with Magic Body Strengthening would open their eyes to it after drinking this, while those who already knew how to do Magic Body Strengthening would quickly become accustomed to it at a rapid pace. No matter how you phrase it, it''s doping in the end. "Reinhardt, would you like to try this...?" Anna brought me a pink liquid in a separate container. "Ah, Anna! Stop giving Reinhardt strange things!" Harriet was alarmed, but Anna slowly approached me. It''s supposed to be the same Moonshine, but the one she''s giving is terrifying! Could she have mixed in something else? "Don''t drink that." "No, don''t!" As if accustomed to it, Christina snatched the triangular flask from Anna''s grasp and threw it away with a swift motion. -Crash! The flask shattered on the floor, and the liquid inside spread across the ground. "Ch-Christina...!" Harriet was more startled by Christina''s sudden action. But neither Anna nor Christina seemed to mind, as if it was a familiar event. Christina casually started cleaning up the broken flask and spilled liquid. How often did this happen? And why does Anna seem so familiar with such treatment? Anna is scary, but Christina is also scary in a different way. "What was... that?" "I don''t know; Anna keeps making things when she has free time." You threw it on the floor without even knowing what it was? It seems like her Moonshine research has affected her humanity. "Anyway, I''m confident it''s complete, but clinical trials will take a while? You''ll have to wait a bit more to use it after proper verification." Christina picked up the triangular flask and looked at me. "How about it? Do you want to try it? I''m sure it''s safe, but I can''t take responsibility if there''s any issue." A completed Moonshine. Christina is confident in its completion, but there might be side effects. If I drink this, will I be the first user of Moonshine in this world? "I won''t die, right?" "Still, you should decide calmly..." I took the triangular flask. Harriet couldn''t tell me not to drink it, but she was uneasy as I drank. A pink fluorescent substance. It looked like something you should never drink. In the original world, I would have been sure it was radioactive. Trusting Christina''s abilities, I gulped down the pink fluorescent substance. "Wow... You really don''t hold back, do you?" Christina looked astonished, as if she hadn''t expected me to really drink it. "How is it?" Christina asked me with curious, sparkling eyes. Naturally, I didn''t feel any sort of power-up. But. This is strange. "Why... is it delicious?" This is delicious? "Right?! It''s tasty!" Christina is insane. ¡ª--- Christina had added a new effect to Moonshine that wasn''t in the original work: taste. I''m not sure if overconsumption would cause problems, but it was delicious enough to make one suspect that someone might collapse from excessive Moonshine intake. I didn''t immediately feel the effects of Moonshine. It would have been scarier if the effects had appeared instantly. Gradually, I would come to feel the effects of the Moonshine on my body. The members of the Magic Research Club were all gathered in one place. Myself, Harriet, Adelia, Christina, Anna, Louis, and Redina. "It seems like we''ve all managed to achieve our goals one way or another. Good job, everyone." Each of us had contributed to the research in our own way. In Louis Ancton''s case, he participated in both the cartridge and Moonshine production process, and practically took on the role of treasurer, handling budget execution. Somehow, we had completed tasks that we all thought were impossible. We accomplished what no other magic research group could do, and it took us not decades, but less than half a year. No one would believe it if they heard it. "Did you send our research results to the Temple University?" "Not yet, I thought it would be best to show you the finished product first, since you''re the president." Although I''m only the president in name, everyone acknowledges that I played an important role too. I was the one who insisted on attempting the impossible, albeit with some coercion, and in doing so, we turned the impossible into possible. "Now, let''s get the bad news out of the way." I organized my thoughts. A decision that everyone might not accept. But a decision that everyone must accept. "Don''t submit the report." Upon hearing my calm words, everyone''s expressions inevitably turned strange. If only I had known about Cantus Magna and Akasha first. I wouldn''t have asked these kids to do anything. Because the order was reversed, I had unwittingly put them all in danger. "Let''s keep the fact that we created this item a secret, and act as if our research failed publicly." In the end, I had to admit it. ¡ª--- "What are you talking about all of a sudden?" Harriet spoke for everyone, her face pale with shock. We should have been showered with endless praise, yet here I was suggesting we keep our research results a secret. We were young wizards who turned the impossible into possible. What Cantus Magna wanted was magic. Not a prohibition, but magic. And magic could be newly created. Cantus Magna would need wizards who could create countless spells more than he would need numerous spells. Two miracles that could change the history of magic had occurred in a high school club, even if it was a Royal Class. Word would spread far and wide, and these kids would inevitably become stars in the world of magic. Cantus Magna would focus their attention here, rather than on the dungeons in Darkland. If they were desperate enough to complete Akasha, they would want a source of countless spells. The current Magic Research Club was an irresistible target for Cantus Magna. Our research results must not be revealed. If Cantus Magna were to abduct these kids. I don''t have the confidence to handle that situation. That''s why I had no choice but to say it. Let''s pretend we didn''t discover anything. "Let''s pretend this never happened." Everyone had accomplished a miracle, turning the impossible into possible, so naturally, they would want recognition from the world. However, the one who first suggested it now wants to act as if it never happened. No one could understand this. What kind of absurdity is this madman trying to pull off now? Not even a hint of such expression was seen. Why, then? Why does it have to be like this? They felt sorrow, resentment, and even anger. "Say something. Why are you doing this?" Only Harriet. Only Harriet asks me for a reason, as if trying to hear the story. If the research results are revealed, the entire Magic Research Society would be in danger. Just as the Black Order has infiltrated the Temple, Cantus Magna might be infiltrating the Temple as well. Fortunately, no one outside of the Magic Research Society members knows that these two items have been completed. A reason. I cannot tell her about Cantus Magna. However, coming up with something has always been my specialty. If there is no reason, create one. "The Demon King." A magical word that can justify everything. Just as Bertus attached that magical word to the extermination of the republicans. As the Demon King, I too can attach that magical word as much as I want. "This, objectively speaking, could elevate humanity''s power by several levels beyond what we have now, essentially making it an incredibly powerful strategic asset." "And if the Demon King, who''s dreaming of revenge against humans somewhere, learns that such an item was created here, in your hands, what do you think he will do?" "Don''t you think he''d try to eliminate you before you create something even more dangerous?" At my words, everyone''s faces begin to turn pale. When I first said that I would create Moonshine and Power Cartridge, the threat of the Demon King was not imminent. However, the recent chain of events has made the threat of the Demon King more tangible. "Not too long ago, there was a tragic incident." The death of Duke Grantz. Everyone knew the story, making their expressions even graver. Harriet''s face, in particular, looked significantly worse. "The Demon King is closer than you think." Yes, in reality, I am right beside you, but that won''t be a problem. Let''s blame it on the Demon King. CH 384 Chapter 384 This is a bonus chapter from the donations The threat of the Demon King could suddenly befall anyone. In fact, not long ago, Liana had lost her father to the Demon King''s hands. That event implanted a sense of crisis about the threat of the Demon King. This is a great invention, but it poses an excessively significant threat to the Demon King. So if it becomes known externally that such a remarkable invention has been created, the Demon King may target you all. "The Demon King might target us, or perhaps even kidnap us to utilize us as they please." Demon King. Kidnap. It reminds me of the Charlotte de Gardias incident. "Do you understand what I''m saying?" I speak calmly, without a hint of jest, and with utmost seriousness. "You all might be in danger because you''ve created something so extraordinary." Although I had framed it as the threat of the Demon King, it was genuinely a threat from Cantus Magna. "I see¡­" Everyone was rejoicing at having achieved their goal, but I had thrown cold water on their celebration. However, their expressions seemed to show that they had sobered up from the splash of cold water. These kids hadn''t had the energy to worry about the consequences of the item they were only focused on creating and succeeding. I, who knew nothing about magic, had contemplated and made a judgment about the current state of the continent. Though it was a lie. It was a decision made to protect the children. "But if the Demon King attacks later, shouldn''t the army and the mages become stronger with these two inventions...?" Adelia timidly suggests as such. There were others who agreed with her words. These two powerful items would drastically enhance humanity''s war capabilities. Instead of hiding in fear of the Demon King, it could be thought that humanity should become stronger through these inventions, and that this was the true righteous path. A sense of justice for humanity could exist. Since these items were for the peace of humanity, maybe we should accept the risks that come with it. That''s another way to think about it. "Alternatively, the Demon King''s military might could also become stronger." "¡­" Rather, the Demon King could secretly exploit these items to enhance their military power and potentially kidnap you all. At my words, Adelia hung her head with a crestfallen expression. "Nothing is more precious than your lives." I say, looking at everyone. "Don''t say that you can do anything if it''s for defeating the Demon King. None of you need to die for something." In the end, I end up making a clich¨¦d statement that life is the best, even if you have to roll in a dung heap. But what use is there if you''re not alive? Death can only achieve death. I cherish Harriet and all the members of the Magic Research Society present here. I may not have cherished them all equally or with the same heart, but they are the ones who have followed my unreasonable demands with excessive diligence. I cannot let them be harmed. However, this is a good time to be intoxicated with a half-baked sense of mission. With the massive threat of the Demon King to humanity looming closer every moment, we have the items that might save everyone in our hands. It might sound excessively selfish to suggest sealing these items away. "But... Reinhardt. If we reveal this, I don''t know if it will cause another war, but... People might get hurt a little less." Louis Ancton cautiously speaks. Hiding this could be seen as a selfish act. He might even feel guilty. It''s not like the Demon King would necessarily try to kill or kidnap us. "And if we request protection from the Temple or the Royal Family... Won''t they protect us?" It might not be dangerous. So, he might think that hiding such a thing due to their own safety concerns is a bad thing to do. Louis Ancton is talented in academics, but he''s originally a selfish guy. He feels frustrated with his own talent for not being able to use magic, and he''s participating in the Magic Research Society thinking he might be able to do something there. And, he''s achieved something significant in the history of humanity. It''s not that Louis is frustrated that he couldn''t announce it. In the series of ensuing events, it seems like he''s thinking this might help humanity. Not to flaunt his own achievements and results, but because this is necessary for people. Even if it might become more dangerous, he wonders if that''s not something they can bear. Louis Ancton, too, had changed at some point during the series of events. An interesting guy. But just because he thinks that doesn''t mean I can affirm his thoughts. The Demon King is born. The threat you face is not from the Demon King. The kids are carefully watching my reaction. They don''t know when I might suddenly snap and curse them out. Should I just do that? Telling them to just do as they''re told? What would happen if I did that? But, this time, I didn''t want to do that. It would make their efforts meaningless. "Let''s not do it." I beg everyone. "Please." I don''t know how desperate my words felt to them. "..." In the end, Louis didn''t say they had to do it. ¡ª--- It was an unfair thing to do, but everyone eventually agreed to hide the results of their efforts. Ostensibly, it was to prepare for the threat of the Demon King, but my real intention was to hide this achievement from Cantus Magna. It''s also deceiving the patrons who provided substantial funds, but what can you do? Even if the research had been successful, there was never any money to return to them. It was a sponsorship, after all. Christina agreed to hide the results for now. "But, if there are no side effects, shouldn''t we be able to give something like Moonshine to our friends?" Everyone nodded their heads at that opinion. Hiding what kind of drug it was, roughly claiming it was a similar kind of tonic, wouldn''t it be okay to share with the close-combat major students? Of course, from my perspective, that''s both convenient and inconvenient. If the gates cannot be stopped, it would be better for the overall level of those who will face them to rise. But is it right to give Moonshine to the children? They may end up fighting not the monsters of the gate, but me. "Yes, I can do that much." However, I have no reason to stop it from going that far. In the end, we decided to hide the power cartridges and share Moonshine only if I, the first user, observed no side effects. Christina was confident there would be no side effects, and I agreed, but it was right to keep an eye on it first. Two days later. We moved from the first-year dormitory to the second-year dormitory. ¡ª--- It wasn''t much of a move. We simply gathered our belongings and went upstairs, and even then, the Temple''s servants moved everything for us. I didn''t have much to carry, but for magic-major students, there were so many belongings that the servants had to come and go several times. "We''ve moved up a floor." "Indeed." Nevertheless, moving up one floor brought a strong sense of becoming second-years. Since the dormitory structure was almost the same for each grade, only moving up one floor didn''t make much of a difference. The room numbers remained the same. I was still in room A-11, and Ellen was in room A-2. A-2 in the second year, to be precise. It must have originally been Adriana''s room. It had been vacant for quite some time. ¡°Ah, this goes here. Please put it here. No, not there, here.¡± I heard Harriet talking about arranging things in her room, which was wide open. She seemed to have the most belongings among our classmates. Ellen and I approached the railing of the second-floor main lobby. We rarely had a chance to look down at the main lobby from the first floor, but now we would have many opportunities to do so. "Nothing seems to have changed, but somehow it feels different." Both Ellen and I seemed to share the same feeling of unease. In the first-floor main lobby below, we could see Ceres van Owen, a fifth-year student. Now a sixth-year, Ceres van Owen. I heard she reluctantly continued to serve as the student council president due to a lack of volunteers. Since royal class students are a small minority, there are rarely more than one or two candidates for the position. Still, the student council president used to change in the second year, but Ceres ended up serving consecutive terms due to various changes. The butterfly effect may have played a role, but I''m not sure of the specifics. Ellen seemed to be reminiscing as she looked at the student council president standing in the lobby. The president was the first person to welcome her when she entered the Temple. That meant. "The first-years must be arriving today." "I guess so." As the seniors vacated their rooms, the first-year students would move into the dormitory before the end of the winter break. Ceres was talking to the boys and girls with fresh faces in the lobby, who seemed to have just arrived. It was unlikely that they would all arrive today. As Ellen and I leaned against the railing and gazed at the scene below, a voice came from behind us. "What''s going on? Are those our juniors?" It was Liana de Grantz. "It seems so." "Hmm." Liana glanced down at the new students below the railing, then turned her head away, seemingly disinterested. "Let''s go." "Alright." Both Cliffman and Liana were dressed in gym clothes, apparently more concerned with their own tasks than paying attention to the newcomers. Still, under normal circumstances, they would have shown some interest. Liana, now oblivious to everything except her own duties, left the dormitory with Cliffman through the first-floor lobby. "..." Ellen silently watched Liana''s retreating figure. I tapped Ellen''s shoulder. "We should get going, too." We had to attend our training with Saviolin Turner. The time she had scheduled for us was fast approaching, and it was about time for us to gather at the second-year B-class training ground. We had never been late before, and we weren''t curious about what would happen if we disobeyed the Grandmaster''s training assembly instructions. Just as I was about to leave with Ellen. "Among the new students, there seems to be a half-moon child." At Ellen''s words, I naturally shifted my gaze to the first-floor lobby. And I couldn''t help but widen my eyes. "The hair color is unusual." Silver hair. A small child. A silver-haired small child. Lucinil calmly walked toward the Royal Class dormitory. No. Why is the Vampire Lord here? I had no idea what was happening. The Lord of Wednesday. Lord Vampire Lucinil had somehow become a first-year student in the Temple Royal Class. ¡ª--- I couldn''t even ask about the sudden appearance of Lucinil as my junior. I couldn''t possibly approach a first-year student I had just met. I had no choice but to be restless, not knowing how the situation was unfolding. I never imagined that Lucinil would take such an unexpected action. How did she pass through the Temple Gate? How did she obtain admission? How was her identity arranged? "I arranged it as a talented individual I discovered." Surprisingly, the answer came not from Lucinil but from Teacher Epinhauser, who sought me out. "I regret not being able to inform you earlier, but it was a matter that was hastily agreed upon." No. It was absurd enough that Lucinil had become my junior, but why did I have to listen to an explanation from Teacher Epinhauser? And from what he said, it seemed like he had admitted Lucinil to the Royal Class for the reason of being a talented individual he discovered. Was she acting as some sort of guardian? "While discussing matters related to the dungeon, it was suggested that we should strengthen the protection around you." "From our side?" "Both parties agreed." The Black Order and the Vampire Council must have had a discussion due to the issue with the dungeon''s structure. And so, both the Vampire Council and the Black Order decided to strengthen the protection of my person. "We can do that." Apparently, the Black Order decided to take action as well, as I could be in danger. Somehow, it''s touching, isn''t it? But then again, I''m not sure if it''s really a touching moment. "Of course, there''s the issue with Cantus Magna, but even without that, there are many situations where you could be in danger. Everyone agreed that we need to have someone nearby who can quickly extract you in times of crisis. And when it comes to a Lord Vampire, there''s hardly any power to compare. Well, as long as it doesn''t cause any inconvenience in daily life, there should be no problem disguising it as temple life." To the Black Order, I am an important piece on the board, but my potential for growth is high, not that I am currently extremely skilled. Cantus Magna is a problem, and if my identity is exposed, the temple itself will become an enemy. So the Black Order decided that someone who knows my truth should stay at the temple. "How exactly did you enroll her?" "Passing through the temple''s search gate is not that difficult." Epinhauser vouched for her identity and status, and barriers were no problem for Lucinil. I knew that the temple''s barrier and search system were not absolute, but it''s surprising that a magician like Lucinil could easily come and go. Of course, it''s not that the temple''s defenses are weak. Lord Vampire is an overly powerful magician. In the case of Eleris, there was no need to call her to the temple, and she has now left the empire. With Eleris gone, Lucinil decided to come to the temple to help me, as the possibility of me being in danger increased. Good. Both the Black Order and the Council, and Lucinil, must have made such decisions because they think I shouldn''t die. Epinhauser also took a significant risk. If Lucinil''s true identity is revealed, Epinhauser would be implicated as well. It''s as if the patriotic Epinhauser brought the impure element of a Lord Vampire directly into the temple. It means that my existence is considered so important within the Order now that Epinhauser would compromise his own values. It''s shocking that Epinhauser not only knew about Lucinil''s enrollment but actually led it himself. "Originally, it would be more convenient to send a magician from the Order, but since you can''t trust them properly if they''re one of us, reluctantly someone from your side had to enroll. Keep that in mind." He allowed Lucinil to come because he wouldn''t trust anyone from his own side. The Black Order... In fact, aren''t they really good guys? However, Aaron Mede''s misdeeds lingered in my mind. Of course, those actions had nothing to do with the Order''s instructions, but were merely personal transgressions. ¡ª--- Lucinil''s enrollment. The reason was for my own safety. Still, it''s a bit strange that they didn''t ask me anything, considering I''m the boss. Well. I suppose it''s fortunate they''re treating me like the boss. After all, they''re trying to protect me. Of course, I heard the explanation from Professor Epinhauser after the fact, but I couldn''t speak with Lucinil. On the night when all the freshmen entered the dormitory, Ceres gathered them to announce notices and precautions. Just as we had done in our first year, seniors crowded the railings to watch the first-years, and the second-years were no different. There were some new faces among the main characters of the original work, but I wasn''t interested in that. There was one freshman who couldn''t help but stand out. A tiny silver-haired kid. "Now, A-11, would you like to introduce yourself?" "Lucinil!" Seeing the old woman, who might have been hundreds or even a thousand years old, act like the youngest in the room and cheerfully shout her name. ¡°What''s with her! She''s so cute!¡± ¡°Let''s go see her later!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah!¡± And it seemed like she was fully aware that people would find her cute, as she puffed out her chest with pride. What should I say? That. It''s infuriating, right? ¡ª--- What on earth happened with the talent detector? What talent did she get admitted for? Anyway, I have to talk to Lucinil. If she came to the temple for my protection, then it''s only natural to build a rapport with Lucinil and create a situation where it''s not strange for us to be together. I wasn''t planning on paying attention to juniors, but a junior I couldn''t help but notice has enrolled. She''s not even a junior to begin with. So. "That... assembly... right?" "Yes." After the announcement was over, I stopped a first-year A-class junior who was about to leave and said that. "Get all the first-years together at the training ground." So. I don''t intend to scold him! This is the only excuse I have to meet Lucinil! The A-class dormitory training ground on the first floor, where I had returned immediately after moving. I looked at the eleven first-year freshmen gathered in the training ground. Even though I didn''t order them to do so, they lined up neatly from number one onwards. Lucinil, number eleven, stood at the far left, staring intently at me. With a look of great interest. Lucinil seems to be a sort of additional enrollee, and considering that the original A-class freshmen, which had been ten, had now become eleven. Inadvertently, because of me, there ended up being one more student than in the original work. I didn''t intend to scold them. I just wanted them to introduce themselves and move on. "First of all, my name is Reinhardt, and I''m A-class number eleven in the second year..." "Number eleven?" As I was about to start my introduction, a guy standing at the far right cut me off. "Are you the one who assembled us, number eleven?" "¡­Huh?" What did I just hear? As I was doubting my ears, the guy standing at the far right tilted his head and began glaring at me. That''s right. As it was in the original work, the A-class freshmen were made up of the most ill-mannered bunch. They didn''t even treat B-class second year as seniors, which led to episodes of trouble between Ludwig and them. Among them, first-year A-1. His name is Roberto de Gardenia. Heir to the Gardenia Kingdom and one of the top contenders for the most ill-mannered. His talents were in the divine power series, related to magic power, and perhaps weapon skills. As number one, it''s natural for him to have a talent vending machine level. "No matter if you''re A-class. You''re still just a stepping stone." Roberto glared at me, maintaining his crooked posture, even crossing his arms. No, how can anyone be so incredibly rude without any logical explanation? It''s my fault since I created him, but still. Well. "Even if you''re my senior, please show some decency." "Uh¡­ Yeah." I didn''t assemble them to scold them. "Do you, by any chance, want to get beaten until you pass out?" He''s really getting on my nerves. CH 385 The Newcomer, A-1 Roberto de Gardenia Roberto de Gardenia, the newcomer of A-1 class, never expected to be insulted even by his seniors from the same A-class. "Are you looking to get beaten to death?" Startled by my sudden outburst, Roberto seemed flustered. Naturally, the already tense atmosphere turned ice-cold. "¡­Excuse me?" "Are you looking to get beaten to death by running your mouth so carelessly, you little brat?" This guy was royalty and an heir to the throne. He probably never heard such words in his life, and that''s why he was clearly flustered. "Are you insulting me, the legitimate heir to the Gardenia Royal Family?" "¡­" I lost my cool at his words and slapped my face a few times to regain my composure. Feeling a bit more composed, I approached Roberto, who was glaring at me with hostile eyes. "Hey." And then¡­ -Smack! "Ugh!" I slapped him hard. "W-What are you doing¡­!" He cried out in shock, grabbing his leg as he collapsed to the ground. "I publicly humiliated the heir of the Gardenia Royal Family, or whatever, and smacked his leg." -Smack! "Ugh!" "Now, what are you going to do about it, you little bastard?" -Smack! "Ugh!" As he lay on the ground, I kicked his side, sending him rolling across the floor of the training ground. "Did you forget what they told you at the temple, not to flaunt your status?" Status means nothing in the temple. Everyone was witnessing this firsthand. He probably didn''t expect to be mercilessly beaten by a senior who claimed to be a commoner, despite being royalty himself. Lying on the ground, he looked utterly shocked. "Get up, kid." "You''ll regret what you just did to me¡­" "Shut up." "Gasp!" As I got into a kicking stance, he gasped and curled up in fear. This guy was scared. He couldn''t believe that he was actually frightened, his face draining of color in real-time. "Do you really want to die?" "¡­" "Do you want to die? Hey, answer me." "I, I¡­" "Answer with ''yes'' or ''no'' only." "N-No¡­" Hearing his small, trembling voice, I slowly backed away. "Some kids only understand when they get hit. Get up." "Ugh¡­" "Are you not getting up quickly?" The other students, both male and female, had frozen expressions as they watched a senior put a classmate in his place in real-time. Lucinil''s eyes were particularly wide. I stared at Roberto as he stood up, his teeth clenched and glaring at me. No, this kid¡­ He still hasn''t learned his manners. "Hit me if you have the guts." "¡­" "But, you won''t be able to handle the consequences after that." "¡­" "Are you going to do it or not? Hurry up and tell me." He seemed to be seriously considering it. Is this kid really going to hit me? ¡°That senior¡­ isn''t he the one?¡± However, I could hear whispers around us. ¡°Last festival, the one who won the first-year tournament... that senior.¡± ¡°Yeah, I think I''ve seen him before.¡± Come to think of it. If I had not entered the temple this year but had been at the temple since before, there would have been plenty of people who had seen my face. Roberto didn''t know me, but there were those who recognized me. The first-year tournament winner. At those words, Roberto''s face turned pale. "No, that''s... that''s not..." It seemed that the title of first-year tournament winner was enough to have an arrogant person learn a lesson in manners. Seeing him roll his eyes in the end, I glanced around at the first-year students. Oh, I really ruined the atmosphere. No. That''s not why I gathered the kids in the first place. But it ended up looking like I gathered them to do this? They all seemed to shiver, trying not to even make eye contact with me. Last year, when we were freshmen, Redina tried to slap us to teach us that things like social status didn''t matter. But I ended up doing exactly the same thing. Even worse, Redina failed, but I unintentionally succeeded too well. A fun temple life? No way! How did it end up like this? "No, from the beginning, I didn''t gather you guys to say such things..." Startled! "Juniors! Are you here?!" And then. Bursting open the door to the training hall, with a face full of anticipation. That. Harriet de Saint-Owan appeared. "Uh... you...?" For a moment, Harriet had a "why are you here?" expression as she saw me already in the training hall. Her gaze shifted to the juniors lined up in front of me. The juniors standing in a straight line. At the far right end. Roberto, with his clothes in disarray (from being hit). All of them lowering their heads in a solemn atmosphere. Harriet began to gape in disbelief. She must have seen a sight too unbelievable to trust. "No. Hey. This is..." "Th-this really is... This trash!" Smack! "No, it''s not! I''m telling you it''s not! Well, it ended up being right, but that''s not the point!" "This! If it were someone else, maybe! Huh?! But you! You did this!" Thwack! Thwack, thwack! "W-wait! For real! Please, just listen to me!" Of course. No excuses were accepted. ¡ª--- The first-year students who had witnessed a senior suddenly getting scolded by a female senior couldn''t understand what was happening and had bewildered expressions on their faces. It seemed that Harriet hadn''t come to gather the juniors but to befriend them. So, she looked around here and there and ended up seeing this scene. In the end, after getting scolded by Harriet and failing to achieve even a conversation with Lucinil, I was dragged away. After being forcibly returned to the second-year dormitory, Harriet sat me down in the lobby and spoke with a serious expression. "I''m genuinely disappointed in you." "No... it wasn''t like that." "If it wasn''t that, then what was it?" As I attempted to explain the whole story, the situation grew increasingly bizarre. "What''s going on?" Ellen, with a towel draped over her neck, approached as she noticed Harriet looking furious. "Did you really gather those freshmen just to intimidate them?" "Intimidate...? Like what happened to us in our first year...?" "Exactly! And you hit someone too! The one on the far right, right?" "Well, yeah, but... I did hit him! But there''s more to it!" It was true that I had hit someone. Upon hearing this, Ellen stared at me intently. Contempt. Her gaze was filled with disdain. Even Ellen couldn''t remain indifferent to the atrocious act I had committed. Especially because I, of all people, should not have done it. "Listen, let me explain!" It was unfair, but... Although I felt pathetic for being upset about something I had actually done, it was still unfair! I sat Ellen and Harriet down and properly explained the situation. ¡ª--- I had only intended to make a simple announcement, but the first freshman had provoked me. That''s how it happened. Regardless, the truth was that I had hit someone. Upon hearing the freshmen''s obnoxious comments that began with "How dare you to summon us number 11?", Harriet''s mouth hung open in shock. "¡­He¡¯s lucky you didn''t kill him." Harriet responded as if it were odd that I hadn''t at least half-killed him, given my temperament. "You showed restraint. You''re kind." Ellen, on the other hand, praised me for my actions. What was this? I did hit him. That part was true. But, knowing how much worse I could have been, both of them ended up praising me instead. Does being a lesser scumbag excuse one''s actions? It feels good, but it''s also strange! Anyway, it''s nice that they''re praising me, but I really shouldn''t accept such compliments! "I guess we should warn the freshmen to be particularly cautious around you." "Seems like... we should." In the end, they gathered the freshmen to alert them that, while they should be wary of all upperclassmen, they should be especially careful around me, the explosive Reinhardt. Even Ellen agreed. I really didn''t mean to hit anyone, honestly... Ultimately, my attempt to confront Lucinil ended in bizarre failure. ¡ª--- If this were the original story, the second-year A-Class students would be taming the freshmen just as they had been tamed themselves. But now, the current second-year A-Class students had become gentle souls uninterested in such activities, and Reinhardt went to Lucinil and did something similar. In the end, Harriet and Ellen summoned the first-year freshmen once again, this time to convey a different sort of warning. Instead of the unpleasant-looking male upperclassman who had first gathered them, the calm and composed female upperclassman, Harriet, and Ellen, who had violently beaten the ill-tempered male upperclassman, appeared before the freshmen. Although their expressions didn''t seem threatening, the sight they had just witnessed had everyone on edge nonetheless. "I''m not here to scold you. I just wanted to gather you all to share some information, given what happened earlier. My name is Harriet de Saint-Owan, a second-year student in class A-4." Harriet de Saint-Owan. "Second-year, class A-2, Ellen." Then Ellen briefly introduced herself as well. The two seniors who had come to see them now were distinctly different in demeanor from the previous encounter. There was no sign of them wanting to scold anyone. And just like that... As someone had recognized Reinhardt earlier, there were also juniors who recognized Ellen. "Um... Are you the one who won the Miss Temple contest?" Miss Temple. At that mention, even the juniors who were seeing Ellen for the first time widened their eyes. "Yes." Ellen slightly nodded her head in response to the question, as if winning the Miss Temple contest was neither a matter of pride nor shame. And the female junior who recognized Ellen, of course, recognized Harriet as well. "You... you''re the one I saw at the Unrestricted Tournament! You beat the fifth-year senior!" "Ah, well? I didn''t win... I lost..." "But you didn''t lose! You forfeited!" Reinhardt, the first-year champion, was impressive, but even more so was Harriet, who had taken a set from fifth-year Olivia Lanze in the Unrestricted Tournament. It had been a fierce match, with the arena nearly being destroyed. Not used to such situations, Harriet''s face reddened and she stammered when the junior recognized her. The first-year students stared blankly at the two of them. The first senior to arrive was the champion of the first-year tournament, which determined the strongest among the Temple first-year students. The senior with a calm demeanor was the winner of Miss Temple. The senior with braided hair was the one who had beaten a fifth-year student. Even in the Royal Class, the 2nd year Class A people thought that something is out of the ordinary. Lucinil watched the two of them with interest. "Ahem! Anyway, I didn''t gather you here to scold you but to share some information." Harriet tried to regain her composure with a few coughs, then began talking to the juniors. "The guy who came looking for you earlier was Reinhardt. He''s a loose cannon, so don''t provoke him. Especially you." Harriet pointed precisely at Roberto, who was at the far right. "Me? Uh... Yes." "You got off easy with Reinhardt." Roberto had already realized that he had been greatly mistaken, seeing Reinhardt''s behavior. This was the kind of place they were in. A place where commoners could defeat royalty if they flaunted their status carelessly. A place with no room for complaints. And the seniors even said that he got off easy after being hit. Strictly speaking, the Temple wasn''t exactly that kind of place. But how would the freshmen know that Reinhardt was an exceptional case? Thus, they ended up believing that the Temple, or even the Royal Class, was originally that kind of place. "Be careful from now on. You think I''ll remember your face?" You''ve caught Reinhardt''s eye. Harriet said this without even realizing she was saying it. Usually, the ones who have no awareness of it are the ones who say it the most harshly. "Be careful." In addition, Ellen, who had been quietly watching Roberto, also spoke briefly. "You''ll get hurt like that." Upon hearing Miss Temple''s calm advice, Roberto''s complexion paled even more. Speaking carelessly could cause someone to not even be able to pick up their bones, so Ellen''s words were purely out of concern. However, the problem was that they didn''t sound like that to the listener. In the end, Even though they claimed they hadn''t come to scare them, both Harriet and Ellen ended up scaring the children just as much as Reinhardt had. Nevertheless, the atmosphere lightened up a bit after that. As they began to share stories and discuss their majors, Harriet showed a slightly clumsy side of herself, making the others realize that she wasn''t as scary a senior as they had thought. "You''re in your first year?" "Yes, I''m thirteen. My major is magic." The silver-haired girl, Lucinil, said with a beaming smile, causing Harriet''s heart to tighten and her expression to falter. Unconsciously, she stopped herself from patting Lucinil''s head. Her major was magic. "What''s your talent?" "Destruction magic." Destruction magic talent. Though it didn''t suit her cute appearance, talent didn''t have to match one''s appearance. Harriet smiled brightly at Lucinil''s response. "Magic? Are you interested in the Magic Research Club?" "Magic Research Club?" "Yeah! It''s an in-house club of the Royal Class... Actually, that punk from earlier is the president, but he''s not really a bad kid... Once you get to know him, he''s actually a really good person." Upon hearing that, the corner of Lucinil''s mouth turned up in a subtle smile. "Ah, I see..." Without knowing it, Harriet had ended up helping Reinhardt. CH 386 The second year had begun. Things didn''t go as planned. I couldn''t gather the kids again, and I had no choice but to believe that everything would work out as I registered for classes with Ellen. There were a few significant changes in the second year. First, the swordsmanship major classes that could be taken with the general students were all replaced. They were reorganized into classes exclusively for Royal Class students, and the class hours were significantly extended. The Royal and General Classes were separated. The reason was simple. "The Temple will ensure safety, but we must be prepared for any emergencies. If the Temple is attacked, the Royal Class is likely to be the first target." "From this year onwards, you will receive more practical combat training." The classes had transformed into combat training. Instead of teaching techniques, we began learning how to kill monsters, deal with magic, urban warfare, and how to behave in field situations. If this was the case for close combat majors, magic majors would likely begin taking more practical classes, rather than just learning from magic books or lectures. It goes without saying that the intensity of the classes had increased significantly. And then... "......" "My name is Lucinil. Nice to meet you." I couldn''t help but be shocked to see Lucinil, whom Harriet had brought to the magic research club. No. How did it come to this? Everyone stared at Lucinil, who appeared like a cute doll with silver hair and blue eyes. Their expressions seemed to question whether the person before them was real. "My talent is destruction magic. Senior Saint Owan asked if I was interested in magic research, so I came to see." When she introduced herself as thirteen years old, my head nearly exploded. No. Grandma... Aren''t you feeling any sense of guilt? Of course, it''s not like I''m the one to talk! "Mr. President, we met once before, didn''t we?" "¡­Yes, that''s right." Lucinil smiled sweetly as she said that. Something feels off. It really does! "Hey, why do you look like that when you see such a cute kid?" Harriet noticed my expression and embraced Lucinil''s shoulder as she said that. "No... It''s just that I don''t feel well..." Lucinil''s face, seemingly delighted by the attention from her senior, was really... Something. It was definitely something. ¡ª--- "What do you mean?" "Protection." At my words, Lucinil shrugged her shoulders and simply replied. I had just brought Lucinil to my room, claiming there was something to discuss about joining the club. It had been a while since she entered the Temple, but this was the first time we faced each other like this. Lucinil claimed to have spread noise-cancellation throughout the room, telling me to speak comfortably. So, I spoke comfortably. "But it seems like you''re enjoying this too much?" "Goodness, is that something you should say?" Well. That... Was it wrong for me to enjoy this the most? "Considering the rumors about you and the tournament, you''re really... something else." With an air of admiration, Lucinil crossed her arms and glanced at me. "You look like you have good fortune, don''t you?" "..." That''s right! That''s not what I should be saying! Ah! I''m sorry! I''m kind of successful! I know it''s not supposed to be like this! But this is no joke! "By the way, is this really alright? You know... living a normal life..." "I can handle sunlight, and as for food, it doesn''t matter if I vomit or spit it out later. Pretending to be human isn''t a new thing for me. I''ve grown quite accustomed to it." Lucinil shrugged her shoulders as if living a normal human life wasn''t difficult at all. "Still, you should know that this wasn''t an easy decision for me." Lucinil looked at me with a serious expression. "Your safety is always at risk to the extent that I have to infiltrate here myself." It was true that Lucinil had taken great risks by entering the temple. She had come to the temple to protect me. "So, I''d rather not just watch children play here, but there''s no other choice, so accept it." "I understand, but... I can''t help but feel that you''re somehow indulging your whims. Am I mistaken?" "Hmm..." At my words, Lucinil narrowed her eyes and then smiled slyly. "I can''t deny it. I like it when people find me cute, especially when those people are even cuter than me." Really. All the Lord Vampires are insane. I thought Lucinil was an exception, but she''s definitely the most insane one of all. She''s even weirder than Antirianus! "Let''s get along well from now on. So that you won''t feel uncomfortable with me by your side." Thinking about it coldly, Lucinil''s words made perfect sense. It''s not my random thought, but since we became friends through the Magic Research Club, a junior member should suffice as a connection. But... It''s psychologically distressing. ¡ª--- Lucinil joined the Magic Research Club. There were more first-year A-class magic majors, but knowing that I was the president of the Magic Research Club, they seemed to have avoided joining. So, Lucinil was the only magic major who joined the club. The first semester of the second year had begun, and I had juniors. Of course, I didn''t have much in common with them. I could see Ludwig and the B-class guys hanging out with the juniors quite often. Thus, it should be natural for me to be friends with Lucinil through the connection of the Magic Research Club junior, and there''s nothing strange about me hanging out with her. I had that thought too. However. "Senior?" "Senior!" "Senior!" "Brother!" I''m losing my mind! I feel like I''m going to explode! "Stop looking for me!" I couldn''t help but be taken aback by Lucinil, who followed me around almost to the point of stalking. Whether Lucinil was dutifully fulfilling her assigned task or doing it to torment me, she annoyingly roamed around the second-year dormitories in search of me, trying to cling to my side. This wasn''t protection, it was harassment. She seemed to enjoy seeing me frustrated. I was certain of it. My classmates also found it somewhat odd that Lucinil was so fond of me. The tipping point was Bertus. "¡­" "Hello, senior." Lucinil bowed her head slightly to Bertus, whom she met while roaming the hallways. "Oh, the first-year who joined halfway through¡­" "Lucinil." "¡­" Bertus stared intently at Lucinil, who had bowed to him. A silver-haired girl with blue eyes. A junior. And Bertus, who didn''t know much about the fact that she was actually following me around. Moreover. I had disguised myself as a silver-haired girl before. "¡­By any chance." Silver hair and that, um. Do you have that sort of thing? Bertus tried to say something, but in the end, he passed by without saying a word. No! He clearly thought I was some sort of pervert! Did he just conclude that I have a fetish for silver-haired people? "Um?" As Bertus hurriedly walked away, Lucinil tilted her head in confusion. "Reinhardt! What are you doing?" Then Olivia Lanze, who hadn''t visited the second-year dormitory in a while, noticed the silver-haired girl clinging to my side and tilted her head. "¡­¡­Who is this kid?" "Is she yours?!" Olivia added more fuel to the fire. ¡ª--- After the new students arrived, an unusual spectacle arose among the second-year students. Brother! Play with me! Can''t you just leave me alone? Huh? Stop following me already! Whyyyyyy! Play with me, play with me, play with me! Buy me delicious food, give me piggyback rides, and take me for walks! Aaaaargh! A junior who persistently followed Reinhardt had appeared. A hopeless pair of siblings. Heinrich, Erich, Cayer, and Kono Lint. The four of them sat in the lobby, watching the silver-haired girl tail Reinhardt and Reinhardt, in turn, trying to escape with a disgusted expression. "What on earth¡­ is she doing¡­¡­?" Kono Lint muttered, his mouth hanging open blankly. "He''s good-looking, isn''t he?" Erich mumbled in a resigned tone. A pretty and cute girl, like a doll, began following him from the start of the new semester. At first, she called him "senior" and trailed after him, but now she calls him "brother." "No matter how handsome he is, is it really to that extent? Huh?" At Cayer''s words, Heinrich shook his head with a dumbfounded expression. "I don''t know if it''s to that extent¡­ No, we''re men, so we might not know." Could it be that Reinhardt had something that appealed only to women, causing her to act like that? If that wasn''t the case, none of them could understand how a first-year junior, who didn''t even know him well, could become so entranced and end up like this. "And it''s so despicable how he''s annoyed by a girl like her following him around." Everyone nodded at Kono Lint''s words. They found it distasteful even though their mouths were agape in astonishment. She persistently followed Reinhardt, ignoring the other seniors. However, Reinhardt avoided her, as if it were the most annoying thing in the world. The luxury of the privileged, perhaps? "Have you seen Reinhardt?" As if to prove that thought, Ellen, last year''s Miss Temple winner, approached them, looking for Reinhardt. "He...avoided a first-year girl and went somewhere." "Again?" Ellen tilted her head and walked away, apparently searching for Reinhardt. Reinhardt here, Reinhardt there. In the past, people searched for Reinhardt, and now even his juniors joined the hunt. Meanwhile, those who were originally looking for him continued their search. The luxury of the privileged. "The world...is so unfair..." "I know, right?" Erich agreed, sighing deeply at Kono Lint''s words. ¡°Why would you run to the magic research room without knowing any magic, big brother?¡± ¡°Just leave me alone!¡± ¡°No, I mean, Ellen is looking for you.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh...right?¡± In the end. Reinhardt was handsome. That''s why, when a new student suddenly started following Reinhardt, everyone thought it was something that could happen. ¡ª--- Lucinil''s tone changed when it was just the two of them. Of course, he still had enough confidence to go mad if she kept whining in that childish tone even when they were alone. Seeing her babble in front of Harriet, Ellen, and Adelia made her seem so childish that it gave him goosebumps. Although Lucinil was half-protecting and half-teasing him, she couldn''t keep doing it forever. -Kaang! "Ugh!" Finally, watching me drop Tiamata from my hand, Saviolin Turner deactivated his Aura Blade. "Let''s stop here for today." Turner was still watching over Ellen''s and my swordsmanship. "Both of you are getting better at Magic Body Strengthening sensitivity. Keep up the good work." "Yes, sir." After Turner left, Ellen and I sat on a bench in the training arena, catching our breaths for a moment. The effects of Moonshine were definitely felt. As my body''s constitution changed due to Moonshine, I felt more and more familiar with Magic Body Strengthening, even physically. I hadn''t yet reached the level of using released mana for offense, but it seemed possible within this semester. "How much longer until we become Swordmasters?" Ellen suddenly asked. Ellen was already in a state similar to a Swordmaster when using Lapelt. However, if she reached the level of a master herself, it was obvious she would become much stronger than she is now. "I don''t know." It wouldn''t be a distant future for Ellen. But what about me? I don''t think it''s too far off either. However, I had a subtle certainty that becoming a Swordmaster meant facing many hardships ahead. Fortunately, Lucinil did not get into disputes with others. Harriet seemed to find her endearing, and while Ellen didn''t converse much with her, she would quietly watch her and occasionally pat her cheek and stroke her hair. Even though she didn''t express it well, one could feel that she found her adorable. As for Olivia, Lucinil cautiously avoided her. It wasn''t because she thought something would be exposed, but it seemed that Lucinil sensed an overwhelming divine power from Olivia. Passing by, she once said, "I can''t deal with her; she''s too overwhelming." It seemed that even a lord vampire would find her divine power repulsive. Of course, the recently irritable Olivia didn''t find Lucinil cute or pretty. It was just that whenever Lucinil encountered her, she would carefully avoid her, making her wonder why she was acting like that. But she didn''t find it bothersome, so she left her alone. Even when Olivia appeared, she would stop clinging to me and carefully avoid her, so Olivia didn''t seem to feel any particular vigilance. One way or another, the first semester of the second year began without any major incidents, and aside from Lucinil''s appearance, my daily life wasn''t much different than before. However. Now, a big event was approaching. One day, in the second-year classroom of the common class, Professor Epinhauser spoke to us. "As you know, the first anniversary event commemorating the end of the Great Demon War was planned for this weekend." The first anniversary of the Great Demon War. The event was soon to be held. "However, it was decided that holding a large-scale festival under the current situation would be too difficult, so it has been canceled." The altered development. Now that the demon king''s plot had been confirmed, the first-anniversary event evoked the certainty that the war hadn''t truly ended. And thus, the commemorative event was no longer held. But this event was very important. "Instead, the Empire has decided to find a new owner for Alsebringer." At Professor Epinhauser''s words, silence filled the classroom. Everyone must have heard such a story for the first time. "So, all Royal Class members must gather at the Grand Hall of the Temple Headquarters by noon this weekend." The first-anniversary commemorative event. There, the sword of the hero Artorius, Alsebringer, chose Ludwig as its new owner. It was not originally the intention of the Imperial Royal Family. It was merely a memento and a symbol of humanity''s victory in commemorating the end of the war, but the moment Alsebringer was revealed to the public, it went to Ludwig of its own accord. But that event had disappeared. A new demon king was plotting. So the Empire, contrary to the original work, was trying to find a new owner for Alsebringer. The more sacred relics there are, the better. If Alsebringer chooses its owner, then a total of four sacred relics would have appeared in the world. Lament, Tiamata, Alsebringer, and Lapelt. It would be the first time in history that four sacred relics appeared simultaneously in one era. Ellen stared at the blackboard with a determined expression. It would be the moment when her brother''s keepsake reappears in the world and chooses its owner. CH 387 From the moment one is born, everything is determined. There are people with limitations on what they can achieve in life, while there are others who seemingly have no limits at all. If one isn''t born into a high social class, they must at least be born with talent. In this way, one''s innate qualities become their entire being. Roberto de Gardenia firmly believed this. As the first in line to inherit the throne of the Kingdom of Gardenia and praised as the most talented in the royal family''s history, it was only natural for Roberto to live with such a mindset. While not as powerful as Kernstadt, which was hailed as the most powerful kingdom, Gardenia was also one of the formidable nations. Therefore, Roberto, who was destined to be the next king, belonged to an extremely high social class. When he enrolled in the Royal Class at the Temple, a prestigious institution where only the most talented individuals, regardless of social status, could attend, he was given the A-1 ranking among his peers. Roberto never doubted that he was one of the best talents in the world and a worthy successor to the throne. "Would you like to taste defeat?" That was his mindset, at least until he was suddenly provoked by a second-year senior. Roberto thought he had responded quite gentlemanly. After all, the Royal Class determined one''s rank based on talent, not status, and he was at the very top. Even if they were both A-Class, they couldn''t possibly be equals. He believed he had been quite polite, addressing his senior with at least some level of respect, despite the senior being ranked only 11th. However, the response he received was violence. Roberto never considered that he had been rude. As a boy who had spent his life in the palace, looking down on everyone except the king, addressing someone with respect in itself was a big deal, especially when that person was a commoner. He had been struck by a mere 11th-ranked commoner, solely because that person was his senior by a year. At the time, Roberto had refused his senior''s challenge, but he now regretted it. He could have shown that arrogant commoner the swordsmanship of the Gardenia Kingdom. Winning the first-year tournament? Roberto couldn''t understand the significance of such a trivial victory, especially since he hadn''t seen it firsthand. So, if that insolent commoner dared to provoke him again, he would gladly crush him, senior or not. He would show the true face of Gardenia''s swordsmanship, restoring his damaged pride and honor. "What are you glaring at?" "Ah, nothing." "Watch your eyes, or they''ll make noise, kid." -Thump thump Roberto was left speechless as Reinhardt, whom he happened to encounter, gently tapped his cheek and walked away. As it turns out, people are unable to easily overcome deep-rooted fears, regardless of their mindset. Roberto squinted his eyes and glared at the retreating figure of Reinhardt, who had nonchalantly, even rudely, flicked his cheek as if to say he was nothing. "!" When Reinhardt suddenly turned around, Roberto quickly averted his eyes with lightning speed. "If you''re going to stare, then stare." Reinhardt laughed, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, and uttered those words. "Just one look, you brat." This time, Roberto couldn''t even properly look at Reinhardt''s back as he turned away. ¡ª--- To Roberto de Gardenia, his second-year senior Reinhardt had been nothing but an impudent commoner who had rudely summoned him from day one. However, it seemed that his classmates thought differently. "You remember that senior, right?" "Oh, you mean¡­ Reinhardt, the senior?" "Yeah, him." His impression was so striking that, although the seniors they had actually met were Ellen, Harriet, and Reinhardt, everyone''s memory was filled with a strong impression of Reinhardt upon their first encounter. First-year A-7, Scylla von Glaione. A young noble from the Glaione barony, she had studied with them for a very long time, from the Temple elementary division. She was also a classmate who recognized Reinhardt, Harriet, and Ellen. Her talents were in spear mastery and Magic Body Strengthening sensitivity. She possessed extraordinary talents and qualities among the battle-oriented students. Scylla was sitting in the first-year lobby, conversing with her classmates. Roberto pretended not to listen and secretly eavesdropped on the girls'' conversation. He didn''t think he was eavesdropping. He merely thought that their conversation naturally flowed into his ears. "Honestly, isn''t he handsome?" At Scylla''s words, Roberto had to suppress the urge to jump up from his seat. How could that good-for-nothing, who looked like a parasite, be considered handsome? Roberto, who had unintentionally praised Reinhardt in his heart, held back his boiling anger. "Really¡­? I was too scared at the time¡­" "He did look scary¡­" The ones who responded were A-3 Rosalie and A-10 Kardina Eyn. Both had seen Reinhardt trample Roberto mercilessly on their first encounter and remembered him as very intimidating. "No, I heard he''s not usually that angry. It''s just his expression, or something¡­" As Scylla''s first impression of him during the tournament took precedence, it was clear that she placed more importance on the fact that Reinhardt was her senior. Moreover, his major was close combat. "He''s incredibly skilled too! He was already able to perform Magic Body Strengthening in his first year, which even third-year students can''t do. I saw it with my own eyes." "Really¡­?" Magic Body Strengthening. Upon hearing those words, Roberto felt as if his thoughts had come to a halt. It was a high-level combat skill that countless talented individuals, handpicked and trained for over a decade, barely managed to grasp. And he had already been able to do it during his first year. Roberto wanted to scream for her to stop lying. "I want to be friends with him¡­" Upon hearing Scylla''s words that were mixed with the wind, Roberto felt his already tangled feelings becoming even more twisted. "Seems like Lucinil has already become close?" The unique silver-haired girl, who was the 11th of the first year and had been half-asleep in the second-year dormitory, was practically living there. "So... How on earth did he do it? I''ll have to ask later." Reinhardt. Just hearing that name made Roberto''s insides churn. He desperately wanted to get back at him somehow. Magic Body Strengthening? He must have resorted to some dirty trick. There''s no way that a commoner, even if they were part of the temple, could have awakened to Magic Body Strengthening faster than him, who had received full support from the royal family, consumed all the best things for his body, and trained in the best environment. Roberto vowed to one day expose Reinhardt''s dirty true nature. A few days later, Roberto headed to the temple''s main auditorium during the weekend. They said they were looking for the owner of Alsebringer. He couldn''t deny that he had a slight hope that it might be him. If he were to become the owner of Alsebringer, what should he do? As the rightful heir of Gard¨¦nia, it would be an honor for the sacred relic to choose him, but he worried if he should decline, as he had to prioritize his royal duties. And after that, he also had to find a political solution to the awkward relationship with the Als Religion. Well, he could think as much as he wanted, and it wasn''t impossible. Roberto was entertaining such thoughts. With that determination, Roberto de Gard¨¦nia was facing an unbelievable sight. "..." Uuuuuuung Seeing Reinhardt, who had been chosen by Alsebringer, he couldn''t shake the feeling that something had gone terribly wrong. Alsebringer has... Chosen Reinhardt... Alsebringer''s choice... The surroundings were buzzing loudly. However, watching the scene, Roberto felt something off in the expression of his unlucky senior, Reinhardt. He had been chosen by the sacred relic. And yet. Somehow. He looked like a man who had encountered something terribly unpleasant. In front of the enormous honor of being chosen by the sacred relic, Reinhardt''s expression was frozen. Roberto couldn''t help but sense it. The intuition that this man was some other being, fundamentally different from himself. ¡ª--- The hero''s sword, Alsebringer. An object that can summon the war god Als, but the price is one''s life. Ragan Artorius summoned the war god to defeat the demon king and lost his life as a result. There were only two relics in the original work. Lament and Alsebringer. Ellen''s sword, Lament, was a very sharp sword, not much different from an Aura Blade in terms of effect. Ellen couldn''t draw out the true power of the relic. The true power of Alsebringer is to summon the war god. In that sense, Alsebringer is a relic, but because it is too powerful on its own, the balance doesn''t fit. That''s why Lament also has a hidden true power, but Ellen just couldn''t draw it out. I was quite knowledgeable about Alsebringer. Saturday. The grand hall of the main building, where all the Royal Class members were gathered. There weren''t many people present. The royal family was now searching for a new master of Alsebringer. They might not choose the master from among the Royal Class members. If so, they would look for the master elsewhere. "In the current situation, where the Demon King''s forces are growing stronger, the empire needs a new hero. It is possible that one of the students here could be that person," the Emperor said while standing on the stage and looking at the gathered Royal Class members. "If a master of Alsebringer is chosen from among you, you must keep this matter a complete secret. The Demon King will try to eliminate the next master of Alsebringer before they can become a threat." They were looking for a new master of Alsebringer. And if they found the master, their existence must be shrouded in utter secrecy. It was no wonder everyone''s expressions were tense. They could almost feel the presence of the Demon King, as if the name itself were pressing against their skin. That''s why the empire would search for a new hero among promising groups like the Knights or the Royal Class. Thus, only a little less than two hundred people, including the Emperor and the high-ranking priests of the Als Religion, were present in the hall. The process was complicated. But the outcome was right before my eyes. I was watching Alsebringer, floating in the air, waiting for me to grasp it. Everyone was watching me, the chosen one of Alsebringer. It should have been Ludwig''s. Originally, Alsebringer should have chosen Ludwig. Would Alsebringer choose another master if I refused? If I rejected it, and Alsebringer accepted my refusal and moved to another master, there was a high probability it would be Ludwig. But how was that any different from telling Ludwig to die in my place? Ludwig might not know the true power of Alsebringer, but he would naturally learn about it in time. The inscription on the sword of Alsebringer shone brightly. [Accomplished through sacrifice.] The keyword of Alsebringer was sacrifice. In fact, I had expected this. This sword. Alsebringer. This sword chooses only those who are willing to die for the world as its master. Everyone was watching me. In the midst of some envious, astonished, and seemingly approving gazes. Flash! I grasped the sword of the War God. The brilliantly shining sword of the War God seemed to acknowledge me as its master, pouring out a fierce radiance. Clap, clap, clap, clap The Emperor. The applause of Nelliod de Gardias echoed faintly throughout the hall. Soon, numerous claps from others followed. The situation was truly bitter. Alsebringer. To be precise. I had been chosen by the very object that had killed my father. ¡ª--- The fact that I had become the master of Alsebringer was to be shrouded in secrecy. However, I couldn''t be sure if the secret would be kept properly. A strict gag order had been placed upon everyone who had been present at the scene. The empire had to guard this secret closely, lest I be targeted for assassination by the Demon King, and the Royal Class students who had witnessed the spectacle were also sternly demanded to keep the secret. Without knowing that the one chosen by Alsebringer was the Demon King himself. Anyway, although I concealed the fact that I was the master of Tiamata, a considerable number of people now knew I had become the master of Alsebringer. It wasn''t official, but I had become someone chosen by a sacred relic. As expected, I had no choice but to have a private audience with the emperor, who had personally witnessed the ceremony to find the master of Alsebringer. "Master of two sacred relics." The emperor looked at me with a solemn expression. "I wonder if I have a hero greater than Ragan Artorius before me." Ragan Artorius also had two sacred relics, but he had only wielded one in his battle against the Demon King. I couldn''t find a response to the emperor''s calm words. In truth, Ellen also possessed two sacred relics, but we didn''t mention it. The emperor placed his hand on my shoulder. For him to touch my body directly was an immense honor. "Reinhardt." "Yes, Your Majesty." "..." He just stared into my eyes for a while, not saying anything. It seemed he wanted to say something, but his lips wouldn''t part. Finally. "...You''ve become too important for me to make a personal request." With that, he gave a bitter smile without answering what he had intended to say. "I entrust you with the future of humanity." It wasn''t unintentional that he didn''t use the term "the empire." The future of humanity. Yes. The future that even transcended that - the future of the world. That was what I desired. "I will do my best, no matter what." A nuclear weapon had been placed in my hands. A nuclear weapon that had to be used alongside my own life. The fact that it was a nuclear weapon remained unchanged. ¡ª--- After encouraging me, the emperor quietly returned to the imperial palace. As if nothing had happened, despite the huge incident. As if nothing had happened, the people gathered in the main hall dispersed, and I returned to the Royal Class dormitory. "I''m not sure if this is something to congratulate you on." "I think it''s a headache. I already have one sacred relic." "Exactly." It seemed that Ellen didn''t think my becoming the master of Alsebringer was such a good thing. Of course, it was great to have gained another sacred relic, but she seemed to worry that other people knowing about it might cause problems. After saying that, Ellen suddenly changed the subject. "First, talk to me later and go see Harriet now." "Why Harriet?" "She''s crying." What? Why would she suddenly cry? "Are you crying out of joy? Our Reinhardt has been chosen by the sacred artifact!" What could be the reason for that? But. The reality was entirely different. "Uhuhuhu!" As soon as I entered the room, Harriet hugged me tightly and burst into tears. "Don''t do it, don''t do anything, alright? Uhuhu! Uhuhuhu!" Ah. The sacred artifact had a different meaning for Harriet. She doesn''t know that I possess Tiamata. Having become the owner of the sacred artifact, she intuits that I must inevitably fight the Demon King. She fears that I might die. That''s why she was crying. "I''m scared... I''m so scared, Reinhardt... Uhuhu! Huh! Huhuhu!" "No... Why would I die from this?" "Still... still..." Harriet sobbed endlessly in my arms, as if the world was about to collapse. "I won''t die." "If you die... You can''t die, okay? Don''t be reckless fighting the Demon King. You can''t. Promise me. Promise..." "Alright. Why would I do such a thing, huh? I won''t die." "Uhuhu... I... I''ll become stronger too... I''ll definitely... protect you..." "Yes, yes." Having become the owner of the sacred artifact that would kill me if I drew out its true power. I assured Harriet that I wouldn''t die. ¡ª--- If this were a public event, it would have caused a huge uproar, and the name Reinhardt would have spread to every corner of the continent. But due to the timing, things remained quiet even after Alsebringer, the sacred artifact, chose its new owner. Even within the Royal Class dormitory, talking about Alsebringer was strictly forbidden. Teachers kept a tight watch on discussions, and the way my seniors and juniors looked at me changed, as if I were a being from a different dimension that commanded awe. Of course, even though it was strictly forbidden, there were still plenty of opportunities to share stories. Olivia came to visit me as well. "..." Having become the owner of the sacred artifact, it was inevitable for people to believe that I was destined to fight the Demon King. Just as Harriet did, Olivia felt the same way. Olivia gently hugged me. Knowing why she did so, I couldn''t push her away this time. Olivia stroked my head. Olivia was in a position where she had been saved by the Demon King. Therefore, if I were to fight the Demon King, Olivia would be in a difficult situation. It seemed that she didn''t harbor any resentment towards the Demon King at the moment. "I''m on your side." "..." "No matter what happens, I''m on your side." It seemed she was prepared to become the enemy of the Demon King who saved her if I were to fight him. However, her words had a completely different meaning to me now. "I know." Olivia Lanze. Even if she knows that I am the Demon King, she will still be on my side. ¡ª--- Everyone''s gaze towards me had changed slightly. Although I had taken something that should have belonged to Ludwig, he didn''t know that Alsebringer was originally meant to be his. Honestly, I don''t feel much guilt about taking it. If I were to hand it over to someone who''s always ready to sacrifice themselves for humanity, they might end up using it against me. It''s right for both Ludwig and me that I become its owner. "I''ll work hard as well, so that I can be of at least some help to you." "Alright." Those were Ludwig''s words. "You really are amazing." Cliffman said. "If you kill the Demon King, I can marry you." "What nonsense are you talking about?" "Anyway, let''s not die. Both of us." Liana looked at me and abruptly said that, hitting my shoulder as she walked by. "Amazing, Reinhardt. To think that even Alsebringer chose you." Charlotte congratulated me with a bright smile, seemingly thinking that me becoming stronger couldn''t be a bad thing. And then. "The owner of two sacred artifacts." On the terrace, Bertus looked at me and said those words. I thought he would find out someday, but as always, Bertus already knew. CH 388 On the terrace, Bertus and I were enjoying tea together after a long time. Two sacred artifacts. He already knew I was the owner of Tiamata. I had somewhat anticipated it during Saviolin Turner''s warning. Bertus seemed like he wanted to say something, but hesitated slightly, as if the words were stuck in his throat. His fingertips trembled. You rascal. Don''t think about that again! "...." Not sure if he thought speaking itself would be a loss, Bertus smirked and said nothing. "Well, never mind. That''s not the important part. The fact that you were chosen by two sacred artifacts, that''s the important part." Right. Let''s erase that from all our minds. I''m getting tired of feeling dizzy in this manner, and soon, the truly dizzying conversation would come up. If you''re chosen by two sacred artifacts, you must be an incredible person like Ragan Artorius, so why did you cross-dress? I don''t want to hear that! Bertus stared at me with a serious expression. "There''s a lot I want to ask, Reinhardt." "¡­Yeah, sure." "Not that, but this rascal!" "Uh, I didn''t say anything?" Bertus and I couldn''t be serious with each other ever since that incident! "Charlotte." However, when her name was mentioned, I couldn''t help but regain my composure. "You did it, didn''t you?" He asked even though he knew. I couldn''t deny it. He didn''t specifically ask what I did or how I did it. He probably didn''t think it was necessary to go that far. "Yes." "Good, at least you didn''t try to deny it meaninglessly." He must already know everything about my actions and Charlotte''s. Bertus mixed milk into his black tea and stirred it gently with a teaspoon. "Reinhardt, I can''t touch you now. You''re not a fool, so I think you understand that much." "¡­" Not just one, but two sacred artifacts. Killing me or harming me is out of the question. My existence has become too important, and the option to touch me has disappeared, even if I were on Charlotte''s side. The scary thing about Bertus is that. He doesn''t say how much he knows. Whether he knows that I saved Charlotte''s life, how I did it, or how much he knows about her current situation. He doesn''t reveal anything until suddenly, he acts as if it''s obvious that he knows the halfway point of the truth. It confuses the listener. That''s why I don''t know how much I should say, and in the end, I might reveal more than Bertus knows. It''s a snake-like way of speaking. "Reinhardt, you can be on Charlotte''s side, but becoming my enemy is another choice. You can''t be on both my side and Charlotte''s, but just because you''re on her side doesn''t mean you have to be my enemy." Bertus stared at me intently. "Will you become my enemy? Let''s just make that clear." What would happen if I said I''d become his enemy? Bertus wouldn''t say anything about it. He might leave me alone for now, or he might try something. "I don''t plan on doing anything like that." "Well, I hope so." Things have changed since then. I''m not just a Royal Class student¡ªI possess two Sacred Relics. As long as others don''t know that Ellen also has two, I am the only person in the world who owns two of them. Just as I don''t want to make Bertus my enemy, he has no choice but to not want me as his enemy either. Bertus takes a sip of his milk tea. "By the way, Reinhardt, do you know this?" His expression turns cold. "The struggle for the imperial succession has already ended." Bertus declares with an icy expression. "Charlotte cannot become the emperor." It''s not a surprising revelation. Bertus had brought down the revolutionary forces, one of the biggest threats to the empire. And that''s not all. While Charlotte struggled to maintain her own body, Bertus had dealt with countless matters. In comparison to Charlotte, who had been overwhelmed by the aftermath of the Demon King''s abduction, Bertus had proven his abilities time and time again. He continued to do so without my knowledge. Charlotte, who could do nothing. Bertus, who kept demonstrating something. In such circumstances, the balance of imperial succession had gradually tilted, and after the revolutionary forces'' incident, it had completely shifted to Bertus. Of course, it''s not publicly known, but the emperor would be aware of Bertus''s accomplishments. The die has been cast, and the outcome is already determined. "Of course, aside from all that, Charlotte''s path to becoming the emperor was already non-existent, simply due to the fact that the soul of the Demon King resides within her." He knew that too. The souls of the Demon King and Charlotte cannot be separated. As long as Bertus knows this, Charlotte''s life would be forfeit with a single word from him. "Reinhardt, I don''t know if you''ll believe me when I say this, but I don''t want to kill my sister." His excessively cold expression made the already hard-to-believe statement even more difficult to trust. "What do you think the reason is?" Because they''re siblings. That reason would certainly not be it. There must be another reason, which ultimately means not killing Charlotte would be the better option. There''s only one reason. "¡­Is it because of me?" "Yes." If Charlotte is harmed, I will become Bertus''s enemy. I''ve vowed to do so, and Bertus should know what I''ve done by now. And he''s already told me he doesn''t want to make me his enemy. "If I have a reckless madman like you as an enemy, I''d feel a chill on my neck too." Schoolyard ruffian Reinhardt has become Hero Reinhardt. The range and scale of what I can do have changed. In plain terms, if Ragan Artorius were alive, no one in the world would have dared to treat Artorius casually, and no one would have wanted to be his enemy. If Charlotte dies, I become their enemy. So, Bertus argues that it is in his best interest not to kill Charlotte. Because my existence has become a stumbling block. "But I can''t not kill Charlotte." "¡­Why?" "Because there''s no reason to keep her alive. Charlotte''s mere existence already affects my imperial power. So, if Charlotte is alive, whether I become the next emperor or ascend the throne, people around me will clamor hundreds of times a day for me to kill Charlotte. They''ll keep shouting that in my ear for days, months, and years, and my close associates won''t be able to understand my refusal. And subordinates tend to prefer a cruel ruler over a hesitant one. Because at least it''s certain. I can''t risk arousing suspicion among my associates by keeping Charlotte, a strong contender for imperial power, alive for no particular reason, can I?" A powerful heir to the imperial power poses a threat to the throne if they survive after being eliminated. There''s a real possibility of supporters rallying to make Charlotte the ruler, and if Bertus makes a mistake, a movement to establish a new emperor could emerge. There''s no reason to keep Charlotte alive, and Bertus will inevitably have to kill her regardless of his own wishes. I don''t want to kill her. But I must. Charlotte had said the same thing. If she doesn''t become the emperor, she''ll have no choice but to die. From the beginning, the battle between the two was a fight to become emperor or die. They couldn''t decide each other''s fate through their own will in these two diverging paths. If one survives, they must kill the other. But if Bertus kills Charlotte, he creates an enemy in me. "It''s a headache, you see. If you die fighting the Demon King, that''s one thing, but if things work out and you kill the Demon King and become humanity''s hero, I don''t know what crazy things you might do to me. If I kill you after you''ve become humanity''s hero by killing the Demon King... then there''s no emperor, no anything. What would happen if the emperor killed Ragan Artorius, who had come back to life? That''s exactly what I''d be facing." He speaks these harsh words nonchalantly. He calmly says that the best thing for him would be if I annihilate the Demon King and died while doing so like Ragan Artorius. Of course, if I were a true hero, Bertus might be afraid to stab me in the neck, but physically, I can''t fight the Demon King. Bertus must kill Charlotte. But if he does, a very dangerous situation will arise. "So even if Charlotte ends up being killed, it can''t be helped... Understand that... What? What are you saying?" At my words, Bertus lowered his head. "There''s no way you would accept that." As if to say that wasn''t the case, Bertus showed a bitter smile. "Didn''t I say there''s no reason?" "...You did." There is no reason to keep Charlotte alive. Hence, his close aides will argue that Charlotte must be killed to solidify the imperial power, and Bertus has no words to refute that. "That''s why we need a pretext." A reason, in other words, a pretext. "A pretext for not having to kill my sibling." A pretext for Bertus not to kill Charlotte even if he becomes the emperor. A pretext for the close aides not to demand the killing of Charlotte. Bertus stirred his teacup with a bitter smile. From the issue of Charlotte''s soul, it all comes back to a political problem. A girl who must die no matter which path she takes. Charlotte de Gardias. "Do you want to save my sibling''s life?" Last time, you saved Charlotte from the darkness, so will you try to save her from the political situation where she must die? At Bertus''s question, I nodded without lying. "Yes." "By any means?" "By any means." Bertus chuckled. "Marry my sibling." The prophecy of Dettomorian. "There''s no other way." I finally realized that it had foreseen this situation. And. I had no choice but to know what personal favor the emperor was going to ask of me. However, a question arose. "Then, doesn''t the pretext of being an imperial heir that Charlotte has also become stronger?" Despite what he said, Bertus has no reason to keep Charlotte alive. He doesn''t want to make me his enemy, but marrying someone with a sacred relic gives power to Charlotte. "That''s true." Bertus must have some idea. He certainly won''t be doing anything good for Charlotte. But he didn''t tell me what that idea was. Or could it be that he really feels compassion for Charlotte? ¡ª--- Bertus was already certain of his victory, knowing that it couldn''t be overturned. And I knew that too. Even without Bertus''s existence, it''s uncertain whether Charlotte could become the emperor. Charlotte, who has become one with the demon king''s soul, can''t control the power of darkness completely, and people will find out she has become the owner of ominous power. By that alone, leaving aside all other matters, Charlotte can''t become the emperor. That''s why Bertus no longer perceives Charlotte as a competitor. However, if he succumbs to the pressure of his close aides and kills Charlotte, he would create an enemy of the nation. Bertus is saying that. I am somewhat afraid. I am the master of Alsebringer and Tiamata. If Charlotte marries me, my status will rise, but Charlotte will be the one who becomes safer. If the battle with the Demon King becomes imminent, there is no way my existence can remain hidden. The hero of humanity, the hope of mankind. Such epithets will inevitably be attached to me. And if Charlotte becomes my wife, the empire will be unable to touch her, just as they cannot touch me. Whether Bertus becomes emperor or not, there will be no talk of killing Charlotte before I die. The emperor must know this as well. That is why he hesitated to ask me for such a favor and ultimately refrained from doing so. My presence had become too heavy for him to request something for personal reasons. Charlotte must also be aware of this fact. To save Charlotte, I have to marry her. Now that Alsebringer has also fallen into my hands, my standing has grown even stronger. That is why Bertus brought up the conversation. He must be wary of what a man who possesses not one but two sacred relics might do if he went rogue. But can I really make such a decision regardless of Charlotte''s wishes? What exactly are Bertus''s intentions? -Kaang! "What are you thinking about?" "¡­Ah, nothing. Just¡­" "Hand." As I stumbled backward, Ellen helped me back up. What should I do? I have sworn countless times to protect Charlotte at all costs, but now I must do even this. If I don''t, there''s no way to save her. Is this really the right thing to do? CH 389 No matter what, I had to speak with Charlotte. Due to her research on soul manipulation magic, Charlotte often had to stay at the palace. It seemed that she had returned to the palace after observing who Alsebringer had chosen and congratulating me. Saturday night. Now, I could enter the palace whenever I pleased. However, I didn''t stand at the main entrance of the palace but held the artifact Charlotte had given me in front of the warp gate. Bertus already knew most of the truth and didn''t actually want to kill Charlotte. Nevertheless, the fact that I needed to be cautious remained unchanged. Even if it wasn''t Bertus, Charlotte could get into unnecessary trouble due to the record of me visiting the Spring Palace in the middle of a weekend night. I intended to use the warp gate to the Spring Palace''s underground that Charlotte had given me. As Charlotte had instructed, I activated the brooch-shaped artifact and entered the warp gate using priority access. And soon, I was able to exit the warp gate. A dark, yet not completely lightless, underground space. An artifact that could interfere with the set path and lead to a completely different gate. It was my first time using it, but it felt dangerous even as I did. Ascending the long staircase leading up from the Spring Palace''s underground, I soon saw a button that could activate a secret door in the wall. But wait. Why did I feel like I had committed a crime using this item she had given me to use? Charlotte had said to come anytime, and I really did come at any time. What if she was changing her clothes or sleeping? If I entered while she was asleep, that would also be a bit awkward. But didn''t I get permission? There shouldn''t be a problem using the item she gave me for that purpose, right? It''s like coming home late from work and finding your wife asleep at home, right? No, we''re not a married couple yet! Yet doesn''t necessarily mean we will be! I don''t know. Click Upon pressing the button, the wall opened smoothly and silently, revealing the interior of Charlotte''s bedroom. Fortunately, I didn''t encounter an embarrassing situation where Charlotte was in the middle of changing her clothes and screamed upon seeing me. However. I could see that her bed had definitely become smaller since my last visit. She had complained that it was too big and uncomfortable and that she would change it eventually. It seemed she really had changed it. Of course, it was still quite large, but not to the extent that one had to crawl around on it. On that bed. Charlotte lay asleep, in a straight posture, looking up at the ceiling. But she looked slightly different than usual. Her hair was dyed black. As I approached, I could see her more clearly. It wasn''t like the previous time, with darkness flowing and fluttering around her. Instead, Charlotte, who seemed to have dyed her hair black, breathed evenly and slept peacefully. The Demon King''s ego had been blown away by my command, leaving only her power behind. The fusion of the mysterious force and Charlotte''s soul slowly progressed, now nearly complete. Because of this, Charlotte didn''t go berserk, nor did she break out in cold sweat. It was as if the power had not caused a seizure, but had instead naturally become one with her. Though the force had corroded her, Charlotte merely slept peacefully. Regardless of the soul-absorption magic, Charlotte would be fine. United with the Demon Lord. But was this truly a good thing? I didn''t know. "Charlotte." I softly called out to her. If she could be fine like this, there would be no need for another method. "Charlotte, it''s me." "Uhm...?" Hearing someone calling her name, Charlotte, with her black hair, furrowed her brows and stirred. "Hey." In the end, when I called her teasingly, Charlotte narrowed her eyes and opened them. "Uh... huh?" Charlotte and my eyes met. No, wait. In this dark room, wouldn''t I look like a stranger who had intruded into the room? As I watched Charlotte''s eyes widen in fear, "Ah... Huh! Uh!" I quickly covered her mouth, afraid she might scream. But the moment I did that, A question arose in my mind: How was this any different from an unforgivable crime? Unable to recognize me, fear filled Charlotte''s eyes. That''s right. Charlotte had been kidnapped by Sarkegaar once. As fear drove her rationality away, a deep darkness began to flow from Charlotte''s hair. And then, dozens of dark spears materialized in mid-air, aimed right at me. -Hiss! This. I was going to die. "It''s me! Me! Reinhardt!" "!" The dozens of dark spears targeting me stopped just before they could skewer me, and I saw it all clearly. I hadn''t even had a chance to explain myself after covering Charlotte''s mouth, everything happened within a second. I really. I really almost met a ridiculous end. ¡ª--- "I''m sorry, Reinhardt..." "No... It''s understandable. I was the one who showed up suddenly." "I should have considered that it could be you, but I was too surprised..." I received an apology from the homeowner even though I had intruded without permission. Charlotte apologized profusely, not even checking her own condition, too shocked that she had almost killed me. "I told you to come, and then this happened... I''ll be more careful from now on. I haven''t had a visitor like this before..." "I should have let you know I was coming. It''s understandable that you were startled. You''re not hurt, either." "I gave you my permission to come anytime... Um. Hmm. What...?" Only then did Charlotte seem to realize her current state, her eyes widening in surprise. "What... is this?" "That''s right, you should be more concerned about your own condition." As she ran her fingers through her hair and saw that it had turned black, Charlotte hurriedly stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom. The owner''s hair had turned jet black, and her eyes were no longer the usual golden hue but now bore black irises. Charlotte''s fingertips trembled. She was being crushed by the terror of being consumed by this power once again. "Again... again..." "Calm down, Charlotte. It will be alright soon." By now, they knew that when Charlotte was in this state, it was only a psychological issue that triggered her episodes. As I hugged her shoulders, Charlotte turned her gaze away from the mirror and buried her face in my chest. "Like last time, no one is controlling your consciousness. It just happens sometimes, and in reality, nothing will happen. Trust me." "Y-yeah... yeah." Although the outward change could arouse suspicion in others, it could also eventually become controllable. Of course, even though she knew it wasn''t a big deal, the fact that she had changed scared Charlotte. She trembled for a very long time and continued to break out in a cold sweat. After comforting her for quite a while, Charlotte finally stopped shaking. However, her black hair did not return to its original color. Holding a handful of her now blackened hair in her hand, Charlotte muttered blankly. "It feels... so strange." Feeling something controlling her consciousness must have been eerie, but after calming down and realizing there was no actual threat, that sensation would have faded. Perhaps it was a reaction to a sense of crisis, but Charlotte even used her powers to attack me. It seemed as though she was instinctively learning how to control the Demon King''s power. "Um, is there something urgent?" Rather than her own problems, Charlotte seemed more curious about the purpose of my late-night visit. She looked at me, putting down the hand that had been playing with her hair. I wondered how to start and what to say. I had heard various things from Bertus: if I don''t marry you, you will inevitably die. What kind of expression would Charlotte make if she heard that? Would she be disgusted by the idea of receiving sympathy from Bertus? "Let''s say your condition improves." I didn''t start with that subject directly. Charlotte nodded at my words. "Yeah. I hope so." "Then, will all problems be solved?" "..." Charlotte''s expression darkened in an instant. "Then, from now on, can we live without any problems? Live safely?" At my question, Charlotte could not give any answer. ¡ª--- Charlotte was not in a condition where she could devote herself to the issue of imperial succession. Firstly, she had been focusing her efforts on finding Valier. Secondly, she was in a state where she could be consumed by the Demon King''s soul at any time, so she was busy just taking care of herself. As a result, the gap had widened too much, and Bertus had achieved an overwhelmingly significant accomplishment. The things she did to survive ultimately became the title of an imperial successor who had done nothing. It was an inevitability. It was simply a matter of inevitability, and Charlotte received no bonus points for her circumstances. "Have you heard anything from Bertus?" "..." I couldn''t bring myself to say no. "It might have been decided like this since the moment she returned alive from the Demon King''s castle." Even if Charlotte hadn''t wasted time searching for Valier, she would still have been unable to overcome the aftereffects of the spell cast on her by the Demon King. It was just a predetermined sequence of events. "It''s true that my position has become quite unstable. The people who supported me are now paying attention to Bertus rather than me." Though they can''t join Bertus''s side, now that Charlotte''s defeat is certain, they''re more concerned with Bertus''s opinion than Charlotte''s. Even the inner circle might have some idea that there is a serious issue with Charlotte, considering that the Spring Palace has been closed for unknown reasons. It must be difficult to trust a lord whose ordinary life is unstable. Above all, the moderates in Charlotte''s camp must have all sided with Bertus, the strong candidate for the next emperor, after seeing her situation. "If Bertus becomes the emperor, it might be my own people, not his servants, who will try to kill me. They might try to obtain a pardon with my life." There''s no need for Bertus''s confidants to order Charlotte''s execution. Conflict within Charlotte''s forces could lead them to kill her. In that case, it wouldn''t be Bertus who kills Charlotte, so he would claim he had not harmed her. Although the relationship between Bertus and Charlotte hasn''t improved, it was clear that his hostility towards her has diminished since he has essentially already won. "I''m not sure. If I can resolve my situation, I might be fine at least during my time at the temple." Charlotte looks at me and smiles. "Do you remember what the emperor said? If anything happens to either of us, the other''s right to succession will be revoked." "¡­Yes." When we were freshmen, the emperor had sent a decree with such content to the Temple Royal Class. "So, at least for a few years, there won''t be any major issues." At least five years, until we graduate from the temple. Of course, that''s if nothing significant happens to the emperor during that time. The statement itself could become meaningless as time passes. "And during those years, the situation could change as well..." Charlotte trailed off as she said that. In the next few years, if Charlotte accomplishes something, the situation could change. Her words are true. However, even Charlotte''s supporters are beginning to detect the outcome and turn their backs. They need to turn away quickly to remain safe from the next emperor''s displeasure. Once the foundation is lost, it''s already over. There won''t be another chance. So, Charlotte''s words are just an excuse. An excuse to reassure me. The people from Bertus would not harm Charlotte, but if Charlotte''s followers were to act recklessly, there would be no way to handle it. The idea of being safe for a few years might very well turn out to be false. She might not even graduate from the Temple unscathed. But at least for a few years, she could live free from the Demon King''s soul. Charlotte is lying to me. "Reinhardt." "...Yes?" "I was originally living on borrowed time." Charlotte looks at me as she says that. "Though I was nothing more than a pawn, if I could live by my own will...if I could live like that for a few years..." Charlotte looks at me with a sad smile. "That''s enough for me." A reprieve after another reprieve. Having struggled to escape a life of borrowed time, she thought that the next reprieve, though it would be brief, was better. That it would be enough to satisfy her. Charlotte had resigned herself. She was fed up. What was the empire, the royal family, and the emperor? Even if Bertus no longer wanted to kill Charlotte, she would still have to die. In fact, the likelihood of Charlotte dying without Bertus lifting a finger was extremely high. She was born with the potential to wield great power and with it, the penalty of death if she could not attain that power. Mercy could not be allowed, as it soon became weakness. Charlotte quietly grasped my hand. "Reinhardt." She looked at me with sad eyes. "You''ve already sacrificed so much for me. I haven''t done anything for you, yet you''ve done so much for me. With everything I''ve received so far, I could never repay you in a lifetime." Charlotte gently stroked the back of my hand. "I don''t know what you''re thinking, but please don''t sacrifice anything else for me." Charlotte could not help but know that I had something in mind, which was why I had entered her bedroom in the dead of night so urgently. "As your friend, I ask you." I felt her regard me as more than a friend, but Charlotte ultimately used the term "friend." ¡ª--- Charlotte prevented me from saying anything further. It seemed she didn''t want me to sacrifice for her any longer. Charlotte was losing her influence. Politically, she would become more and more isolated, and the things she could do would decrease. But Charlotte did not want me to sacrifice any more for her. No one knew that I had become the master of Alsebringer, and in that situation, marrying Charlotte would not change anything. If that were to happen, the fact that I was the master of Tiamata and Alsebringer would have to be revealed as well. To save Charlotte, I would have to bear the burden of making my name known to the public. I could not leave Charlotte''s bedroom and sat quietly in the chair beside her bed. In the darkness, Charlotte lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her body, dyed with black hair, returned to its original state after closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths. She seemed to have grown almost entirely accustomed to the control of her power. "If it''s already over, I wonder if I really need to give up this power. It is a strong power, after all." Even if it was an evil and unstable power that was losing its foundation, perhaps it still needed to be retained. Charlotte seemed to be coming to that conclusion. "...That might be true." At my words, Charlotte smiled sadly. Though it was a power that had nearly destroyed her, Charlotte''s current situation was one where she was increasingly forced to rely on this power. Just a moment ago, if I had truly been an intruder, Charlotte would have been able to kill the intruder with the Demon King''s power and survive on her own. On the contrary, if she were to be freed from the Demon King''s soul, she would become incapable of even her last line of defense: self-preservation. Both Charlotte and I know this. That''s why, even though Charlotte realized that I was the one who had actually infiltrated her room, she seemed to have realized that if she were to face a real intruder or assassin, the only power she could rely on was the cursed power the Demon King had imbued her with. "Nothing ever goes as planned." Charlotte laughed weakly as she turned her head to look at me. Since being kidnapped and taken to the Demon King''s castle, life must have been hell for Charlotte. She searched for Valier but couldn''t meet him again, and ultimately discovered that Valier was the heir to the Demon King. In the end, she lost the competition for the throne. Although she wanted to rid herself of the Demon King''s soul that was lingering within her, she now finds herself in a situation where she might have to rely on it. "Charlotte..." "Still, there''s one thing." Charlotte quietly took my hand. "There''s one good thing that''s come from things not going according to plan." Charlotte pulled my hand toward her and embraced me as if holding me to her chest. "Us growing closer." An A-class delinquent with a bad attitude, and the heir to a criminal organization. Charlotte and I, who had once thought of each other as human trash, had somehow grown close enough to be together like this, in the royal bedroom during a spring night. Neither of us had anticipated this. This, too, was something that didn''t go according to plan. "I''m incredibly grateful for that." Even if not everything went according to plan. It didn''t seem like Charlotte thought she had failed in everything. There was still a way to save Charlotte. We didn''t know how many years of reprieve we might have, but there was always the possibility that one of Charlotte''s traitorous followers might try to take her life tomorrow. It could be a real threat or even poison. We might lose this smile. Though it was a sad smile, losing that smile would be unbearable. Losing Charlotte forever. I couldn''t bear that. "Let''s do this, then." "Huh? Do what?" I placed my hand on Charlotte''s cheek. "Let''s only do half a marriage." "Huh? Half a marriage? What does that mean?" Knowing full well that this decision would change so much. "An engagement would be enough." "Huh?" I couldn''t lose what I had managed to protect so far. CH 390 "Let''s get engaged. We don''t have to get married yet. It''s to give you a temporary status." It wasn''t because I was afraid of Bertus''s power, but to prevent Charlotte''s close associates from changing their minds. I said it with the intention of putting out an urgent fire. Lying down, Charlotte looked up at me, biting her lip. "Why... why are you going this far?" As if I was doing so for her, Charlotte brought her hand to my cheek. Her slightly cold body temperature was transmitted to my cheek. "I... I''m not the one you have to go this far for... It''s not me, but..." "You''re precious." "..." "You''re precious to me." My head was swirling with countless emotions and thoughts, but that was all I could say. "Then it''s settled." This is a wrong choice. With this choice, no one can be happy; it only secures someone''s survival. Is that enough? Is it right to leave Charlotte to die? Is this situation, where I choose the lesser of two evils rather than the worst, truly right? In the end, Charlotte distorted her face, looking at me as she said those words, tightly closing her eyes, and starting to shed tears. "Reinhardt... I''m so, so... grateful..." Charlotte sobbed. "But... it''s so... sad..." She was sad because she knew I had made this choice not because I loved her, but to protect her. ¡ª--- I couldn''t spend the night at the Spring Palace, so I returned to the temple again. Of course, it was through the warp gate in the basement of the Spring Palace. It wasn''t officially discussed, but I had decided to get engaged to Charlotte. I didn''t know how or in what way, but it was a promise between Charlotte and me. In a situation where there were only wrong answers, I felt like I had chosen the lesser of two evils. Since we had decided to get engaged, I couldn''t make a decision about this issue alone. I had to create a justification for how I, who was merely a student of the Temple Royal Class, could become the prince consort of the royal family. Soon. It had to be revealed that I was the owner of the Alsebringer. However, just because I had decided to do so didn''t mean it was immediately possible. That''s why I had to meet the most important person. "Engagement... you say?" "Yes, Your Majesty." Looking at the situation, it was very audacious. A mere commoner dared to request an audience with the emperor, then offered to become engaged to the princess. But in reality, the emperor intended to ask me first, but couldn''t bring himself to do it. I just said it before he did. It was engagement, not marriage. The emperor closed his eyes and pondered in front of me, seemingly trying to gauge the gap created by that difference. "Can you handle it?" He didn''t ask what I could handle. But there was so much contained in that single word, ''handle''. It was true that Bertus had personally requested it, but the question was whether he could handle Bertus. If it became public knowledge that he was the new master of Alsebringer, he might attract the attention of the Demon King. And, in doing so, his relationships with others would become tangled and fall apart. At first, he had risked his life for Charlotte, and he had risked it again for her. But now, he had to risk everything. His life and everything else. It felt like the same thing, but in fact, it had a completely different meaning to him. Even Charlotte seemed to be saddened, rather than pleased, by his decision. Perhaps because it seemed to emphasize her own miserable situation. "Yes, I can handle it." His feelings were complicated, but his answer was simple. He would protect Charlotte. This time, he would finally save her completely with his own hands. "Thank you... Reinhardt." This was the second time he had received gratitude from the Emperor. It should have been a glorious moment, but it didn''t feel that way. ¡ª--- He discussed the engagement with the Emperor. To the outside world, he was still an ordinary student. If the news of his engagement to Charlotte were revealed, it would create a bizarre scandal about a commoner becoming engaged to the princess. It was necessary for him to be known as the new master of Alsebringer to some extent. He didn''t know exactly how to proceed with this matter, but it was necessary to move forward before Charlotte became even more vulnerable. At least now, she was able to control her powers and would be safe from physical attacks. And then. He didn''t know how to explain this to the others. They would all find it incomprehensible. He didn''t expect to be understood. But since he didn''t know how to explain it, he felt trapped and helpless. So far, only he, the Emperor, and Charlotte knew about this matter. If there were any more, it would be Bertus, who had made the proposal in the first place. After the weekend, the following week. Saviolin Turner called both him and Ellen. "From now on, I will be in charge of both your major classes." Both he and Ellen had their major classes replaced entirely. They both had anticipated it to some extent. Although their major classes had already been replaced by combat training, their real training had to be based on using sacred artifacts. Moreover, he had to bring out Alsebringer. Temporary instructor Saviolin Turner ultimately took on the role of their regular instructor as well, solely to teach the two of them. "When I have other duties, someone else will be in charge of your classes." "Yes." "Yes." He felt that Turner was gradually distancing herself from his role as Charlotte''s bodyguard, perhaps due to being pushed out of the competition for succession. However, he couldn''t be certain. Their training location with Saviolin Turner was not the dormitory''s training ground. "Normally, this facility is not to be used casually, but you two have been granted permission. I''ll register your access to the facility, so feel free to come here and train on your own." Saviolin Turner brought us to the temple''s high-ranking combat training grounds. Such a place. The combat training grounds employed the same system as the main stadium during the temple tournament. It was a training ground where a recall artifact would activate just before one suffered a fatal injury, even when fighting with full strength. The construction cost was immense, and the maintenance cost was also enormous, so it was a place where not just anyone could use. In fact, even the Royal Class exclusive lessons were not held here. Unlike the open-air main stadium, we entered the training grounds wearing the safety artifacts. Ellen summoned Lament, and I summoned Alsebringer and Tiamata. "..." Saviolin Turner looked at me and made a thoughtful expression. Anyway, since I have them, I summoned both. Me. Do I have to practice dual swordsmanship now? "...This is a headache." "I think so too." "Indeed." Ellen nodded her head in agreement. "Living with two divine artifacts and worrying about whether to use both or just one is a first for you... well, maybe not the first. Anyway, should I call this a fortunate dilemma?" Turner corrected herself after remembering the case of Ragan Artorius and glanced at Ellen. It seemed Saviolin Turner was also unsure whether to start practicing such an odd thing as dual swordsmanship from now on, or to focus on one and exchange the artifacts as needed. "Your opinion is important. What do you plan to do?" Tiamata and Alsebringer. Both are very powerful divine artifacts. Saviolin Turner seemed very negative about dual swordsmanship. I wanted to use both, but I didn''t want to throw away everything I had done so far and start learning from the beginning. Isn''t dual swordsmanship not about adding one more attack method but rather losing the freedom of the left hand? How about this, can''t I combine them into one? Won''t they combine if I rename it to something like Alstiama? Obviously, such a thing didn''t happen. I sent Tiamata back. "I''ll stick with one. Trying to force myself to use both might end up making me unable to use either properly." "That''s a wise decision, Reinhardt." If I tried to change my body by forcing myself to use both, everything I had built up so far would be ruined. First of all, it is a priority to experience the basic abilities of Alsebringer. ¡ª--- Although I didn''t set it up entirely, divine artifacts generally have two powers. Inherent abilities and true abilities. In the case of Tiamata, it inherently has a very powerful demon-slaying power. The true ability is to use an enormous amount of divine power at will. There is also the somewhat special situation of having Olivia''s help. In the case of Lament, it has an effect similar to an aura blade, but I don''t know its true effect yet. I confirmed that Lapelt has something similar to aura armor last time, and I don''t know its true ability either. And Alsebringer. The true power is summoning the war god. Clang! "Argh!" As my Alsebringer clashed with Ellen''s Lament, she stepped back half a pace. Despite the significant gap in strength between Ellen and me, this exchange took place. Clang! Clang! After several more exchanges of swordplay, Ellen continued to retreat. The true power of Alsebringer is to summon the Avatar of the War God, but Alsebringer doesn''t exist solely for that purpose. The basic effect of Alsebringer is simple. The stronger my enemy is compared to me, And the more enemies I have to face, The stronger it makes its wielder. It possesses a potent basic effect befitting the name of the War God''s sword. Of course, this is just a plot device created for the protagonist to easily defeat stronger opponents. The Alsebringer, which was devised for that purpose, is now in my hands. Of course. As with all such plot devices, it cannot grant invincibility. It makes its wielder stronger. However, that ambiguous statement does not guarantee victory against a stronger opponent. It makes you stronger when your enemies are more powerful or numerous, but it never said it would ensure victory. Of course, it can help you win, but there''s also the possibility it won''t. A powerful artifact with ambiguous conditions. Such ambiguity is convenient for storytelling. Whoosh! Ellen''s Lament grazes my sword at a rough, yet precise angle, aiming to pierce my throat. Thud! And with that, I was recalled outside the training ground. In a real battle, even with Magic Body Strengthening, my throat would have been slashed, and I would have died. Ellen is much stronger than me. So, even though Alsebringer made me much stronger, I still couldn''t compete. Ten battles, ten losses. "Haa... Haa..." I was nearly breathless outside the training ground. Exhausted. In a real fight, I would have died ten times to Ellen. "The power of the artifact is definitely noticeable. You withstood about fifteen more exchanges on average than usual." Saviolin Turner, who had been observing the entire situation from outside the training ground, nodded silently. While I still lost as usual, the frequency of pushing Ellen back had increased. Ellen, who returned to the waiting room, was drenched in sweat, her hair sticking to her forehead. "That was tough." It was an intense ten battles for Ellen to say that. "Imagine how I feel since I lost." Ellen hadn''t even used her Lapelt. In a real fight, I wouldn''t have stood a chance, which implies just that. Is there a way to use Alsebringer and Tiamata simultaneously? If I were to sheathe one on my waist or back, could I utilize both of their reinforcement effects? ¡°Reinhardt, you often experience situations where your enhanced abilities, including your physical prowess, increase. As a result, it''s difficult for you to accurately gauge your athletic capabilities at any given moment. This often leads to situations where you rely on brute force, and you tend to become flustered when your opponents pushed back. You must become accustomed to how much your physical abilities increase in different situations." Both Ellen and I, exhausted, sat side by side on a bench, listening to Turner''s feedback. "Ellen, you have nothing to critique." "Thank you." No. The feedback was only for me. Saviolin Turner''s favoritism towards me no longer exists. It''s not that Turner is disappointed with me. ''Should I say something to Ellen too? If I only criticize Reinhardt...'' ''I can''t deliberately criticize Ellen just to keep Reinhardt''s spirits up.'' ''What should I do?'' ''I want to praise her.'' She wants to show favoritism, but she can''t. In all fairness, I am the one who was defeated even with my supernatural abilities and self-enhancement artifact. Although Ellen also has Lament, the Alsebringer¡ªan unbreakable sword¡ªdoesn''t provide a significant advantage in sharpness. It would be a different story if she were an Aura Blade wielder like Turner, capable of creating magical fluctuations from the sword itself. In a way, Ellen physically overpowers me, who is armed with all sorts of cheats. Still. "Haa... Haa..." Watching Ellen, drenched in sweat and panting heavily. Somehow. It felt as if she was keeping up. No matter how much she relies on equipment. And every time I looked at Ellen, an uncomfortable feeling occupied a part of my heart. A sense of guilt, that kind of unease. CH 391 We became treated as special students among the royal class. Though we usually attend only our major classes on the days they are held, all other classes were canceled, and we received combat training from Saviolin Turner all day long. We were told not to worry about things like credits, as that would be taken care of for us. Both Ellen and I sparred with each other, but eventually, we also engaged in duels with Saviolin Turner. Certainly, my abilities increased more substantially when facing Saviolin Turner while wielding the Alsebringer. However, it didn''t make me a Swordmaster. I was very pleased with the basic ability of the Alsebringer, which made me stronger as my opponent became stronger. It was as if I had stolen the protagonist''s exclusive cheat. And then there was the problem Turner pointed out. When facing Saviolin Turner, my physical abilities increased excessively, making me unable to control my movements and causing me to trip over myself. This created situations where I became so strong that it became a problem. "Ugh!" "Be careful!" Thud! "Cough!" As I was about to fall after getting tangled in my own feet, she grabbed my collar and helped me regain my proper posture. I briefly wondered if I could win against Ellen in the state I was in while facing Saviolin Turner, but it was pointless. In this messed-up state, it was clear that I would lose even more miserably than before. I stared quietly at the Alsebringer in my right hand. "¡­" "Don''t feel bad. It''s natural to be unaccustomed to something you''ve never used before." I had to get used to obtaining physical abilities that surpassed my own level. The Alsebringer granted an extremely powerful yet ambiguous buff, making me stronger as my opponent became stronger. Therefore, it was crucial to properly recognize how much my physical abilities were enhanced and to adjust my body accordingly. If I couldn''t control this power, not using the Alsebringer might even be better in some situations. "Let''s try again." "Yes." I didn''t know whether I would need to unleash the true power of the Alsebringer later on. But the Alsebringer itself was already a very powerful artifact. I had to become accustomed to this power. ¡ª--- Saviolin Turner trained us in various ways. Duels between Ellen and me. She directly engaged in one-on-one duels with Ellen and me. After giving us feedback, she taught us how to coordinate our attacks. I could never defeat Ellen, and of course, I couldn''t defeat Saviolin Turner either, and the same went for coordinated attacks. But Turner, who claimed to be unaccustomed to teaching, was by no means a bad instructor. That wasn''t all. "I''ll teach you the principles of conduct when isolated in a field situation." She also taught us not only combat but also how to survive and sustain the fight in real-life situations, such as guerrilla warfare and survival methods when isolated in enemy territory. This was a lesson that would have been taught in the Temple''s combat major course, which had now been adapted for battle training. Of course, that was not her role. It was simply because the situation of Ellen and me being educated by her was top secret that Saviolin Turner took on the role of a teacher in every aspect. We learned methods of infiltrating enemy lines, bypassing magical barriers, and how to act in an unfamiliar territory. The two of us learned not how to work with someone on a mission but to survive on our own, and about things like assassination. That''s what it meant to be a hero. An assassin who infiltrates the enemy lines and cuts the enemy leader''s throat. In fact, what Ragan Artorius had done was not much different. Therefore, Saviolin Turner taught us as assassins rather than soldiers. "Of course, the Demon King might be scheming not in Darkland but on the human continent. And even if we find him, he might be able to escape through teleportation. I''ll teach you how to deal with that situation and urban warfare soon." Saviolin Turner seemed to plan on teaching us many things, such as how to find hidden enemies in human cities and how to fight in urban areas. We weren''t just learning swordsmanship. However, somehow, When learning about hunting methods, one naturally learns about escape methods as well. Soon, I was learning about escape methods rather than hunting. ¡ª--- In a place dominated by eternal winter. The Vampire Council. "Antirianus, how is it progressing?" "It''s a very high-dimensional magic, so it may take some time to design, but the mages of the Order are quite exceptional. It shouldn''t take too long." Antirianus answered Eleris''s question. The construction of dungeons and labyrinths in Darkland was going smoothly. Both the Black Order and Antirianus were greatly interested in the grimoire called Quantum Maze. It was a magic perfectly suited to the current situation and goal. "It''s intriguing. How did you obtain such a powerful grimoire?" "I''m afraid I cannot answer that." "Heh, you don''t trust me too much, do you?" At Antirianus''s seemingly hurt attitude, Eleris sighed deeply. She could not share the location of the grimoire with someone who seemed ready to break into the Demon King''s underground library the moment he found out about it, and Eleris had no authority to decide on such matters. Lately, the Vampire Council held frequent meetings. It was because of their cooperative relationship with the Demon King that the Council meetings, which usually took place once every few years or even decades, were held so often. "Did Lucinil enroll in the Temple without any issues?" "Yes." Lucinil nodded with a smile at Luruien''s question. Lucinil had just finished class at the Temple and attended the Council meeting immediately via teleportation. "Even though it''s necessary, isn''t it inconvenient? It must be difficult." "Why is this such a hardship? I''m living surrounded by cute and lovely creatures!" "...You know, Lucinil? Sometimes I find you even more difficult to understand than Antirianus." "I pity your dry sensibility, unable to appreciate cuteness." "Enough with the words." In terms of causing mischief, Lucinil was as much a partner in crime as Antirianus. Of course, it was true that Lucinil had entered the temple in accordance with the agreement that close protection was needed, but when such a task was necessary, Lucinil seemed quite pleased. "Anyway, don''t forget the original purpose of protection." "I''ll take care of it on my own, you monster." "Coming from a monster that comes out from a few shakes of a flask, that¡¯s absurd." "Um, that... that kind of talk really hurts, you know?" "You''re the one who called me a monster first." "Right... Sorry..." As Lucinil frowned, Gallarush folded his arms. "I also went too far. I apologize." Living too long, they had learned to apologize quickly when they grew tired of arguing with each other. As the atmosphere became awkward, Gallarush looked at Lucinil with a large toothy grin. "Since you''re providing close protection, you must be well aware of the current situation. Are there any special threats or problems? We''re holding hands for now, but it''s not like we don''t know what the Black Order is scheming in the background..." "Ah, right! Alsebringer!" As if her sullen mood had vanished, Lucinil suddenly brightened and jumped up from her seat. "Our Archdemon, you see! He was chosen by Alsebringer!" She wore an expression like that of a mother whose child had just landed a job at a prestigious company. ¡ª--- Naturally, panic ensued at the Council. Even Antirianus was flustered, after all. Tiamata and Alsebringer. Valier possessed two relics. In particular, Eleris listened to the story with wide eyes. Valier had told Eleris that Ludwig would be the owner of Alsebringer. This meant that either the prediction was wrong, or the future had changed. Or, perhaps. Valier could be lying. "That kid, you know. He''ll do something big if he does anything. It''s getting to the point where it''d be strange if he didn''t." Being chosen by two relics meant that the gods'' will was in harmony with this. However, they were those who knew the truth about the gods and the demons. Humans believed that the gods chose for the sake of humans, but the reality was different. If the will of the gods existed, then the will of that god had chosen Valier. "Perhaps the gods are finally taking the side of the demons." With a faint smile, Luruien said as such. Though she spoke the words, her smile showed no particular interest in either humans or demons. The relics had long stood with humans, so perhaps now they were siding with the demons. Gallarush crossed his bulky arms and muttered. "I don''t believe in the will of the gods. But possessing two sacred relics... it feels like there''s some grand flow at play, and the Demon King must be the main actor in that flow." Eleris stared at the table, unable to erase the sadness in her eyes. "In the end, the object that killed the father ends up in the son''s hands." Antirianus spoke with a grin, as if he found it amusing. "In a manner of speaking... it seems so?" Lucinil''s expression turned to one of surprise, as if she hadn''t thought of that perspective at all. "No wonder, his expression was rather stiff." Lucinil recalled Reinhardt''s face, which had turned rigid upon receiving the Alsebringer. She wondered why Reinhardt looked like that when he should be pleased, but upon thinking about it, Lucinil understood that the situation was one where he couldn''t help but have such an expression. Eleris continued to stare at the table with a stern expression. ''The Alsebringer... to him...'' Eleris silently watched the snowstorm blowing outside the window beyond the conference room. She didn''t know whether her foresight had been wrong or if she had been lied to from the beginning. Valier was getting stronger. Was he becoming stronger because he had to face trials that were approaching? Or were trials arising simply because he was getting stronger? Eleris couldn''t tell. ¡ª--- "Special activities, you say?" Teacher Sarvina sighed as she looked at the special activities application submitted by Olivia. "Yes, ma''am." "Olivia, it''s true that extracurricular activities are recognized for upperclassmen, but you''ve already taken a year off, haven''t you? Your goal this year should be to graduate..." "I don''t have anything more to learn, really." Olivia Lanze''s words weren''t wrong. She had given up on her major altogether, changing it to swordsmanship for the sake of graduation. But for Olivia, who had incomparable divine power and swordsmanship skills compared to ordinary graduates, attending classes was nothing more than a waste of time. Hence, she decided it would be better to gain experience through extracurricular activities that she couldn''t obtain within the temple, and her words had a definite point rather than being arrogant. "There may be cases where classes are recognized, but if it takes too long like last time, you may be forced to take another year off." At Teacher Sarvina''s words, Olivia smiled brightly. "Then, that would be even better." Teacher Sarvina couldn''t understand her words but seemed unable to break Olivia''s will. However, upon seeing the destination and content written on the special activity application submitted by Olivia, Teacher Sarvina furrowed her brow. "Well, it''s not that dangerous of a place, and there''s an investigation team from the Empire stationed there, so nothing major should happen... but why on earth do you want to go there?" Olivia slightly lifted the corner of her mouth. "I want to find traces of the Demon King." Olivia''s destination. The Levaina capital, Rajeurn. It was the place where the Demon King had attacked not long ago. CH 392 After my major classes were replaced, I had been training to become accustomed to the power of the Alsebringer. Within the Royal Class, it was known that I was the master of the Alsebringer, so I could bring it out at the training ground anytime. Of course, the Alsebringer was a sharp sword that could separate flesh and bone upon contact, so it was agreed to be used only in the high-level combat training grounds, not in regular training. In the first place, the opponents were supposed to use training swords, but with those, the sword itself could be shattered or sliced the moment it collided with the Alsebringer. Although I was busy with training, I still attended general classes and had some free time. I considered ways to make a name for myself on the continent as the master of the Alsebringer, but I hadn''t found a suitable method yet. Charlotte was also living without any particular issues. However, whenever she faced me, Charlotte''s expression seemed like she was on the verge of tears. I could feel her gratitude and immense guilt towards me. "Why do you eat so well?" As Lucinil and I walked down Main Street, I blankly stared at her munching on a crepe. It was just the two of us. Lucinil had been whining for a walk so much that I brought her along on a whim. I could understand her eating, since Eleris could eat too. But why does she enjoy it so much? "Don''t you know that I''m a special being, Reinhardt?" "What are you talking about?" "I''m not an ordinary vampire, but a Homunculus. Naturally, my physical traits are different from humans and even from ordinary vampires." "Could you speak a bit more quietly?" "I''m doing real-time noise canceling, so it''s fine. Anyway, I can manipulate my body with magic, didn''t you know? That''s how I easily passed through the Temple Gate. So, I can taste food too. It just doesn''t become my life force." Lucinil was indeed different from ordinary vampires in many ways. She was a Homunculus, a life form that wasn''t supposed to exist in the first place, who had become a vampire. In various ways, Lucinil, the Homunculus vampire, seemed to function more completely as a living being compared to other vampires. "Anyway, do you have any qualms about obtaining the Alsebringer?" "I''m of the belief that if I can use something, I should." "Hmm. That''s true. You did say you had no memory of it." It seemed that Lucinil was worried about me having the weapon that killed the Demon King in my possession. "Ugh, I still feel nauseous. I think I''m going to vomit." After eating the crepe for a while, Lucinil suddenly dashed to the nearby public restroom. Why does she do that when she seems to be enjoying eating? The more I knew about Lucinil, the stranger she seemed. A moment later, Lucinil came back to me, wiping her mouth with a pale expression. "If you want to eat, eat properly. What are you doing?" "I want to eat even if I know I''ll vomit. I manage my expression well in front of the other kids, so don''t worry unnecessarily." It sounded like the excuse of an alcoholic. "Anyway, I''ve informed the Council that you''ve been chosen by the Alsebringer. And it seems the dungeon reconstruction is going smoothly." Summoning me outside wasn''t pointless; it was to share the current state of affairs. "Speaking of which, those magic research club kids seem a bit... odd." "Odd, you say?" "You know, that thing they made. That impossible thing." The Power Cartridge and Moonshine. It seemed Lucinil had learned about them. "Two things I wouldn''t even know where to start with, and they made them in just a few months? And from the research materials I saw, they don''t appear to have any significant flaws?" She thought it was absurd even though the kids were supposedly amazing at the Royal Class level. Seeing the actual results made Lucinil believe it was unbelievable. These were items that even a Grand Archmage, a fitting title for someone who had studied magic for a long time like Lord Vampire, would be astonished by ¨C and they were made by a high school club. Of course, Adelia and Christina''s talents were extraordinary, and in fact, our grade was exceptionally outstanding within the Royal Class. Moonshine and Power Cartridge. Lucinil seemed to have a deep understanding that the Magic Research Club was not merely a gathering of kids discussing magic, although she didn''t know how they came across the research materials. "I understand why you want to keep it a secret... but it does feel like a waste." We decided to hide the results so they wouldn''t be discovered by Cantus Magna or cause trouble for the kids. We haven''t told the new club members to keep it a secret yet, but we felt a renewed need to ensure their discretion. "And there''s that girl. The adorable one." "You''re talking about Harriet, right?" "Right. If we''re talking about the impossible, she''s the most bizarre. Reinterpreting scroll magic into rune magic? How is that even possible?" It seemed that she had heard about Harriet''s newly developed magic system while talking with the Magic Research Club kids. "It makes me feel pathetic for what I''ve been doing with my life until now. I mean, these kids haven''t even reached their twenties... Maybe I don''t really have any talent? Like... I just pushed through with time... something like that?" Lucinil started to express self-doubt. Anyway, she found the genius of the Magic Research Club kids astonishing, and among them, Harriet de Saint-Owan''s talent was the most intriguing. It was just selfishness to say she was protecting him while actually hanging around with him, getting pampered and wandering here and there. "If I were Cantus Magna, I''d find those kids more enticing than some magic books." "...I think so too." "You don''t seem to have any intention of using those kids to meet Cantus Magna." "..." Lucinil had been hiding the research results and was watching me live my life at the Temple in real time. She had no choice but to know that I wouldn''t try to use the kids. "World peace, huh?" Lucinil stretched as if she might tear apart, and said, "Reinhardt, you know, those who dream such futile things tend to die by exile." "Not everyone, though." "Well, at least that''s a positive point." After stretching fully, Lucinil heaved a deep sigh and looked up at me. Her gaze was somewhat serious, unlike her usual playful demeanor. "Escaping before too many emotions build up might be a good idea." Running away before getting closer to others. Disappearing. I could fully understand the meaning behind Lucinil''s words, which suggested that it might be better that way. Before too many emotions accumulate. "But I think it''s too late for that." It would have been too late, even if we had tried a long time ago. At my self-deprecating remark, Lucinil showed a wistful smile. "...Yeah, it seems that way." She added. ------ Lucinil, a first-year student, was now frequently seen in the second-year A-class dormitory. "Where''s my brother?" "Ah... Your brother? Reinhardt? Maybe he''s in the training hall...?" "Ah, yes! Thank you, senior!" Lucinil bowed to Heinrich and hurried off to the training hall. For some reason, Reinhardt had won over a silver-haired first-year student as soon as the new school year started. This junior named Lucinil called other seniors "senior" but followed Reinhardt around, calling him "my brother." Moreover, Reinhardt didn''t seem to mind it at all. That''s why everyone''s hostility towards him was reignited. But, of course, they couldn''t express it physically. He''s the one chosen by Alsebringer, on whom the emperor''s ban had been firmly imposed. The attention of a cute junior, and even Alsebringer. Why does he get to have everything?! Everyone had reached the point of cursing the unfairness of the world. Lucinil, who wandered around the second-year dormitory making a fuss. "Ah, hello, senior." "Uh, uh... Yeah, yeah." Bertus, upon encountering Lucinil in the dormitory hallway, responded to her greeting with a nervous expression. Silver hair. That was like a form of PTSD for Bertus. That''s why Bertus, who always wore a mask and dealt with people skillfully, couldn''t hide his discomfort whenever he encountered Lucinil. Lucinil wasn''t one to miss such signs. "Do you hate me, senior?" "What? No, I have no reason to." "Then why can''t you look me in the eye whenever you see me?" "Ah... Did I do that? Hmm, I have no idea." Unable to tell her about his silver hair allergy, Bertus licked his lips while looking at Lucinil''s innocent gaze. Bertus had been preoccupied with many things lately, so he couldn''t focus on his duties at the temple. He spent many days at the Winter Palace and was unaware of the events happening in the dormitory. It was common knowledge that Reinhardt was under immense stress due to recent events involving Charlotte. A freshman underclassman. A silver-haired girl. She constantly sought out Reinhardt. Although Bertus didn''t know the details, it was clear that Reinhardt had already won the heart of the first-year student. At least, that''s how it appeared to Bertus. Reinhardt, who, with the start of the semester, made the silver-haired girl cling to him as if her life depended on it. But why? For what purpose? Bertus''s mind became tangled with confusion. The apostle of Tu¡¯an. Chosen by Alsebringer as a hero. Soon to be engaged to Charlotte, the royal family''s prospective son-in-law. Winner of the cross-dressing contest. Silver hair fetishist. Reinhardt. Unconsciously, Bertus grabbed the shoulder of the bewildered silver-haired junior. "Be careful with Reinhardt." "Huh? Um... Yes?" "Just be careful if I say be careful!" Bertus fiercely glared at Lucinil, who suddenly lost her spirit, as he said those words. "Um, uh... I will..." Confused, Lucinil hastily nodded her head. ¡ª--- At the present moment, the most important task was to lure Cantus Magna into the dungeon created in collaboration with the Black Order in Darkland. And on a personal level, it was about how to proceed with the engagement to Charlotte, and how to explain it to the others. It was predicted that things would work out once the emperor contacted him, but he hadn''t been contacted by the emperor yet. The magic research club''s research was sealed after achieving results, but that didn''t mean the club was disbanded. Everyone seemed to be brainstorming ideas for new, but not too dangerous, research projects. Even if that wasn''t the case, Louis Ancton seemed to be sharing the results of magic research with his fellow students in his own way, helping them improve their skills. Ellen and I were receiving training in combat from Saviolin Turner, which went beyond mere swordsmanship lessons. Thus. Though it was like walking on thin ice that could break at any moment, he was spending a rather uneventful first semester. Of course, it wasn''t exactly the same as during his first year. Usually, on weekends, he would spend his time in the training hall, practicing with Ellen, or checking on the progress of the research at the magic research club. But as he became a second-year student and various circumstances changed, his lives had also changed slightly. Turner had mostly set aside her duties as the head of the Shanafel, devoting her time to training the two of them, but she couldn''t completely abandon her responsibilities. On weekends, she seemed to return to the royal palace to attend to Shanafel''s affairs. She was already pressed for time, but her life seemed even more hectic. One would think that even a grandmaster like her might collapse from exhaustion. So they received Saviolin Turner''s guidance only on weekdays and trained separately on weekends. The high-level combat training ground was quite far from the dormitory, so Ellen and I immersed ourselves in the relentless clashing of swords, just the two of us. The intensity of the battle was more fierce and brutal than anything we had experienced in the practice arena so far. Ellen wielded Lament, while I alternated between using Alsebringer and Tiamata. I could have used Lapelt as well, but it was impossible to do so. Before Ellen''s sword could even touch me, the wave of flame emitted from Lapelt would send me flying in a pathetic heap. It was also impossible to break through the power of Lapelt, which was practically an automatic interception system. Thus, Ellen wielded Lament alone, and I repeatedly clashed swords with her throughout the day, using the two sacred weapons in turn. -Clang! Crash! If the Ellen from last year had faced off against my current self, I would have undoubtedly been the victor. But now, a year later, I still stood no match against Ellen. Just as I had grown incomparably stronger compared to my past self, Ellen had also become much more powerful than the person she was a year ago. -Clang! Taking advantage of the force Ellen thrust upon me, I grabbed her sleeve and flipped her over as if applying a joint lock, crushing her down, only for her to aim her sword at my throat. "You''re dead." "...It doesn''t matter anyway, since we''ll just be summoned back." "...Right." Here, we could attack each other with full force and even cut or stab without any consequences. However, throughout the year of relentlessly facing off against each other, Ellen had developed a habit of merely restraining me and stopping short of dealing a fatal blow. She would halt right before her finishing strike could land on me, her reflexes ingrained. Ellen''s sweat-drenched hair and her slightly ragged breaths hovered close to me, as we found ourselves in close proximity. This closeness between us no longer felt awkward. As Ellen pinned me down, she gazed down at me and muttered absentmindedly. "Sweaty smell." "...Do you think you don''t smell sweaty?" "...¡± At my words, Ellen stared blankly at me for a moment, then suddenly stood up. "I''ll go wash up." No. No! I was just saying it! You didn''t smell sweaty! I instantly regretted my habit of immediately responding with a retort whenever I heard something. CH 393 The high-level combat training ground we used was an enormous facility, but it wasn''t a place that granted access to just anyone. Within the area we had chosen to use, only the two of us had clearance due to secrecy and security measures. Of course, the facility was equipped with amenities such as showers. Once we came here, we''d be so exhausted, as if we had gone on a scouting mission, so we''d shower before leaving. That''s why we always brought extra clothes, not just one set, but several. Having arrived early after breakfast, it was only around noon. It was time to eat lunch, but since we''d be training after eating, we planned to spend the whole day here, engaged in combat training. However. "Let''s call it a day." I had finished showering first and returned to the waiting room when Ellen came back and said that. She didn''t seem upset. Her lips weren''t protruding, after all. Would she really not train tomorrow if she insisted on not training today? Unknowingly, my words seemed to have made Ellen think of something she had never considered before. It was as if, for the first time in a year, she thought that she too might be smelling my sweat, just as I had been smelling hers in our countless clashes. She might have thought that since I never said anything, it didn''t bother me. But in reality, I might have been sick of smelling it all this time, and that''s what she seemed to be thinking. Ellen stared at her white toes in silence, wearing her slippers, not saying a word about what was on her mind. "No... Hey..." "..." "I just meant... like the smell of sweat..." "Don''t..." Ellen''s voice was trembling. "Ah, don''t say anything... Just don''t say anything..." Her head hung low, and Ellen''s cheeks were flushed a bright red. With one careless slip of the tongue, I had shattered Ellen''s mental state. I had forgotten, but in the end, Ellen was only eighteen years old. At that age, she would be sensitive to such things... Ellen''s composure had been broken by a single mention of the smell of sweat. What''s worse, Ellen couldn''t even blame me because she had brought it up first. Somehow. We didn''t fight for any other reason, but would we really not be able to practice swordsmanship together from now on just because of the smell of sweat? I really didn''t mind, you know? It wasn''t a situation where I could care about such things. But in this situation, anything I said would be disastrous. Me - I''m sorry for saying that. Ellen - So you''re saying it did smell? Apologizing would lead to a bad conclusion. Me - I said it didn''t smell, okay? Ellen - Then why did you say that earlier? It must have smelled after all. You''re only saying that because you''re sorry. So it did smell, right? A very high possibility of the same outcome. Me - Yes, there was a smell of sweat. But isn''t it natural for sweat to smell when you''re sweating? Without even considering her response, I realized that this was the worst thing to say. In the end, the situation was such that it would inevitably shock Ellen''s mental state, no matter what was said. And so, I sat there, unable to do anything, while Ellen seemed on the verge of humiliation, her head bowed. Oh, our calm and collected Ellen. In the past, she would have said something like, "When this kind of thing happens, I''d be sweating, and it would smell of sweat." But she had become a young lady. And now, she fidgeted with her toes, not knowing what to do. How adorable. As cute as it was, I couldn''t leave her like this, her mental state turning to dust. And as I thought that, a sense of guilt surged up like a backlash. I had to tell her. Now, I had to tell her. But my lips wouldn''t part. "Reinhardt." Ellen called me, fiddling with her toes. "Uh... Yeah." "Lately, you''ve been acting strange." It seemed that Ellen wanted to stop at that, perhaps because she sensed something. She carefully turned her head towards me. "Is something wrong?" There was no way Ellen wouldn''t notice my trembling sword tip. So she must have been holding back until now, asking me finally. I had to tell her. "..." But in the end, I couldn''t say anything. I didn''t know how to broach the subject. Ellen stared at me silently, then approached and gently embraced my neck. The scent of her hair and nape tickled my nostrils. "It''s natural to be anxious." Perhaps she thought that I was tense because the showdown with the Demon King was approaching, and the intensity of our training was increasing. With my neck embraced by Ellen, she whispered into my ear. "It''ll be alright." Everything will be fine. No matter what, everything. It''ll all work out, she whispered incessantly into my ear. The more Ellen did so, the more the lump of guilt in my heart grew exponentially. If I kept listening to Ellen''s tiny whispers, I felt as if I would lose my sanity. So, I gently grasped Ellen''s arm, which was embracing me, and released it. "Hey." "...Yeah?" "Let''s just have some fun." "...?" Yes. I''m exhausted. "We''ve been running ourselves ragged lately. If we''re going to take a break, let''s just go out and have some fun." Let''s take a little break. We''ve been running so hard, without even a moment''s rest, that our minds are cluttered, and the things we need to say keep getting pushed back. Let''s cool our heads a bit. And then, let''s talk. Upon hearing that, Ellen glanced down, then gave a slight nod. "...Okay." Somehow, her tone sounded a bit lighter. ¡ª--- We could go to Temple Main Street, but today is Saturday. Therefore, tomorrow is Sunday, and there''s plenty of time to play. "Let''s invite the others too." Ellen suggested that it would be nice to have the others join us if we were going to have fun. It was unexpected, as I thought she would want it to be just the two of us. I did plan on having an important conversation. There was no particular need for the two of them to go out and have fun. After all, the story would become known to everyone eventually. Adelia was at the Magic Research Society, and it seemed that Liana and Cliffman were busy with physical training. Liana, who used to drop everything and rush to have fun, refused to play on the weekends, and Ellen and I couldn''t help but find it somewhat regrettable. "Going out to have fun?" "Yeah." "Where to?" "I don''t know yet." Harriet, who had been considering going to the Royal Magic Department, seemed slightly hesitant but decided to join us. Harriet, Ellen, and myself. The three of us ended up leaving the temple together. In the original work, Ellen was a nerd who only wielded a sword in the training grounds, and not much has changed even now. Harriet was a nerd in the original work as well, albeit a rude one. Now, she is still a nerd but somewhat cute. And then, I couldn''t help but lose my composure as I realized another fact. "¡­What are you thinking about?" Ellen tilted her head when she noticed my strange expression. "I just realized something quite surprising." "Yeah?" "Maybe I''m actually an incredible nerd?" "¡­?" "Wow." Very shocking and surprising... If I think about it, I am a nerd. I get up early every morning to train, and if there are no special plans on weekends, I am devoted to honing my major in swordsmanship, locked in the training grounds with Ellen. Although most of the things I do are considered ruffian-like, in reality, I am quite an outstanding nerd among nerds. Even considering not only my studies but also my achievements in my major, it would be appropriate to call me the second-ranking student in the second year of the temple, right after Ellen. At my sudden nerd appeal, Ellen and Harriet looked at me with slightly open mouths. "¡­Well, you''re not wrong." "Right. I don''t want to admit it, but it''s true¡­" Upon further reflection, they both seemed even more shocked because it wasn''t a wrong statement. Reinhardt is an exemplary student. A ruffian exemplary student. Anyway, Ellen is a nerd, Harriet is a nerd, and I am a nerd. So, none of us have ever really had fun before, and now that we''re supposed to, we have no idea what to do. We did leave the temple without a plan. We have no idea where to go. We agreed to have fun, but what should we do to enjoy ourselves? The only thing that comes to mind when I think about what to do with these two is eating. Of course, it would mainly revolve around Ellen. "I want to go to the sea." Ellen said something that neither Harriet nor I had anticipated. The sea. "The sea? Isn''t it incredibly far?" There is no beach near the Gladius Empire. "What''s the big deal? We can go." "How? If it''s by gate, there''s a queue¡­" "I am a great person, and I have this." Harriet widened her eyes when she saw the royal crest I brought. "How did you¡­ Oh¡­ I see¡­" She seemed to realize that I was the owner of the Alsebringer and understood the circumstances under which I obtained it. And then, her gaze naturally shifted. "What about Ellen?" "Yes." Ellen pulled out the royal crest from her bosom and showed it to Harriet. Harriet stared blankly at the two royal crests before her eyes. "Wow... So now I''m supposed to..." "Technically, I''m of higher status than you. How does it feel, Your Highness? How does it feel to be in the presence of someone with a status equivalent to royalty?" "Y-you! You shouldn''t say such things! You scoundrel!" Smack! "Hey! How dare you touch someone with a status equivalent to royalty? Huh? Do you want to be arrested for blasphemy?" "W-wow... Really. This piece of trash... This trash..." Harriet''s face turned red, trembling with anger as she saw how easily the noble status was used against her. Anyway, we can go anywhere there''s a warp gate. It''s still a bit too cold to go into the ocean. Once Harriet calmed down from her shock and horror, I looked at Ellen. "Do you just want to see the ocean or do you want to go to a beach where swimming is possible?" "It would be nice if we could swim." Then we should go to a tropical region. It''s not impossible. Since it''s Saturday, it won''t matter if we go and stay for a day. Warp gate system. In this aspect alone, it''s much better than where I used to live. A beach where swimming is possible. As I thought, a place came to mind. "Hey, how about we go somewhere near where we did the uninhabited island mission before?" "Yeah, yeah." "Wow! That''s right?!" Seeing Ellen and Harriet''s excited expressions, they both seemed to agree strongly. "It must have been Kamsencha Archipelago." "That''s right. I think so." Harriet and I had completely forgotten, but Ellen remembered the place name accurately. ¡ª--- Imperial territory, Kamsencha Archipelago. It was the location of the uninhabited island group mission, but we didn''t know much about the specific location of Kamsencha Archipelago since we had been teleported there by a mage after going through the warp gates. Ellen and I flashed the royal crest as we passed through the warp gates. Seeing the instant free pass granted by the royal crest, Harriet seemed impressed. "No security checks at all." "Of course." When using the warp gate, one is supposed to describe the destination, verify their identity, and state the purpose of travel, but none of that happened. Not just for Ellen and me, but for Harriet as well. As we went through the large warp gates, only the warp gate leading to Kamsencha Island was left. The guards froze upon seeing the royal crest. "You wish to go to Kamsencha Island? Yes! We will connect you right away!" It seemed as if it was their first time seeing someone with a royal crest in a provincial city, as the guards were visibly flustered. And so, we were able to travel to Kamsencha Island in the Kamsencha Archipelago almost in one breath. As soon as we arrived on Kamsencha Island, the sweltering air and humid weather instantly brought back memories of last year''s uninhabited island mission. The gate we had just passed through was hot, but this place was the real deal. "...Is it just me, or do I slightly regret coming here as soon as we arrived?" "...Me too." "..." It was only natural. In humid areas, sweating was inevitable. Harriet began fanning herself with a hand fan as soon as we arrived. Ellen glanced at her own neck with a puzzled expression and then looked at me. "Let''s go back." Seriously? I''d rather die. "I''ve never once thought that you smelled of sweat. Even if you did, I would''ve thought it was okay, but I''ve never thought it was bad." "...?" "...Sweat smell? What are you talking about?" Unable to hold back, my blunt words left Ellen with a slightly puzzled expression. Harriet seemed to have no idea what I was talking about. No... Even though I said this because I was worried about her mental state... That was such a perverted remark, right? Ellen pondered for a moment and then cocked her head. "...Do you like the smell of my sweat? Why?" How could anyone like such a smell? Why do you like it? Do you like me so much that you even like the smell of my sweat? Although she probably didn''t mean it that way, when she looked at me with that expression, it made me think that way! We spend the whole day together, and you even want to attend classes together? It feels similar to that time! "Please, let''s stop saying things that sound crazy to each other." "...Why crazy?" "Ah, this kind of thing is driving me nuts. Stop it." "Okay." "Sweat smell...? Do you like that kind of thing?" Harriet asked with a slightly disgusted tone. "No! That''s not what I meant!" "Then what is it?" As I tried to explain to Harriet, Ellen grabbed my sleeve and shook her head violently. It felt like she would kill me if I said anything. "Let''s just go." However, we didn''t know much about Kamsencha Island. The uninhabited island we had been on for our mission was one of the countless islands scattered near Kamsencha Island, and we had no idea where it was. On the other hand, Kamsencha Island was, of course, inhabited, and though it was not as large as a major city, there were ordinary people and shops everywhere. The weather was still chilly in the early spring of the Empire, and we had never considered that we would arrive on Kamsencha Island, thousands of kilometers away from the Empire''s mainland, before leaving the temple. So, we were dressed in everyday clothes and cloaks, which did not match the tropical climate at all. "Should we use magic?" Harriet could have cast a spell similar to the chilling touch spell that Eleris had cast on us in Darkland last time. "Oh, dear, you must have come from a cold place. You''ll be cooked alive if you walk around dressed like that. Why don''t you buy some clothes?" Even the street vendors were telling us to buy new clothes. "Magic is fine, but let''s buy clothes in the first place." "Okay." The humid weather made it feel as if we were trapped in a steamer, so we naturally found ourselves heading to a clothing store. ¡ª--- Ellen donned a white, airy dress, a round straw hat, and lightweight sandals. Harriet wore an oversized t-shirt with short shorts and slippers, giving off a somewhat bottomless fashion vibe. I opted for slippers, shorts, and a shirt resembling an aloha shirt. Since we might go swimming, it was a good idea to buy swimsuits as well. "Much better." "Definitely." "I can cast magic if needed." Our little outing in front of the house had turned into a full-fledged trip, but anywhere the warp gate took us was practically our front yard anyway. Ellen''s arms and legs, clad in a white dress and straw hat, were so pale and slender that they seemed to reflect light, appearing dazzling. Harriet, with her hair down, looked refreshingly different. The beach soon appeared, and Ellen enjoyed a coconut from a street vendor. Perhaps it brought back memories. "...It''s bitter." "Really? I thought it tasted good..." Harriet also took a sip of Ellen''s coconut and made a similarly sour face. "Yeah... it''s bitter." Seeing the two of them bicker over a coconut was quite entertaining. Ellen continued to carry the coconut, not one to waste food. As I gazed at them quietly, they both turned and addressed me. "What are you doing?" "Come on, the sun is strong." "Ah, yeah. Right." Having changed into more suitable clothes for the weather, it was time to get moving in earnest. "I''m hungry." "Me too." Having skipped lunch after our morning training, we were genuinely hungry. Harriet seemed to have missed lunch as well. From the way they both pursed their lips in thought, they seemed to crave something specific. I wanted to go to the sea. Then, I remembered the group mission on the deserted island, which brought us to Kamsencha Archipelago. There could only be one thing these two might want to eat right now. "Want some lobster?" "Uh-huh." "Yes!" Both of them strongly affirmed my suggestion. CH 394 Although they didn''t know much about the Kamsencha region, it was clear that the area''s specialty was seafood. "I''ve noticed this before, but why are they so big?" Harriet''s eyes widened as she looked at the enormous lobster that had been cooked and served. "The bigger, the better." "...I doubt you''d ever complain about something being too big if it''s food." "Whatever." "Just saying." Most of the restaurants sold seafood dishes, and the prices were much lower compared to the Imperial City. They began to eat a lobster butter dish that was five times the size of a typical lobster, poking at it with their forks. "Ah! It''s been so long since I''ve had this, and it tastes just like I remember!" Harriet shook with delight, a happy smile on her face. Her reactions were always so rich. As he recalled, Harriet had trouble eating many things, but lobster was something she could manage. His relationship with Harriet had improved slightly after he had given Harriet some of his portions when she was still hungry. -Om nom nom Ellen was eating vigorously, as if she had no time to spare for conversation. Thinking about it, the waters near the uninhabited island were teeming with seafood, including lobsters and octopuses. The Kamsencha region must have been thriving by distributing these abundant marine resources through the warp gates. The area seemed to have decent tourism resources as well, but perhaps the uninhabited island they had visited was particularly special. He had skipped lunch, so he was eating too, but it was always fascinating to watch Ellen devour the giant lobster. Harriet, on the other hand, was eating elegantly with her fork, as befitting a noble young lady. Ellen tended to eat quickly. Ellen was wearing a white dress. She was eating non-stop, but Ellen was careful not to let any food splash on her dress. Ellen''s dress remained spotless even after she had finished an entire lobster. "I don''t know if eating without getting dirty can be considered a talent, but you certainly have it." "..." "I mean, you eat so cleanly; why are you offended?" Isn''t this a compliment? It''s not like he said it was amazing that she could eat so much without getting dirty! "I used to get scolded a lot." "...Oh, really?" "I was told not to get dirty while eating since they wouldn''t scold me for eating a lot. My dad said that." "I can''t imagine Ellen getting scolded..." Ellen''s father. Could it be that he had choked back tears while telling his daughter, who ate enough to bankrupt the family, to at least not get dirty while eating? "So, eating without getting dirty isn''t a talent; it''s the fruit of your efforts?" "Yes." No wonder she could eat so much and not look unpleasant; it was the result of her efforts. In a way, it was quite adorable. Hearing about Ellen being scolded for eating something messy was a novelty to me. Come to think of it, it was around this time last year that Ellen had been gnawing on jerky alone at dawn, which marked the beginning of us sharing food. Although we hadn''t been on a mission to Kamsencha Island, being here brought back memories from last year. It seemed the same for Ellen and Harriet. "I was really scared when it suddenly started raining back then." Harriet shivered as if recalling that moment. I knew it was going to rain, but knowing and actually experiencing the downpour were two different things. I had brought shivering Harriet to my makeshift shelter at the time. Harriet''s eyes seemed to grow distant, as if she was reminiscing about the past. "Well, if you want, we could find a deserted island and try to survive there again until Sunday." "When did I say I wanted to do it again?!" Harriet snapped, as if to say that the memory was enough and she didn''t want to go through it again. "Even if we did it again, it would be quite different from before." Ellen said so. Harriet, who had once concentrated hard to create a single fireball, now possessed magical abilities that allowed her to cast spells almost instantly. Ellen had been energetic back then, but now she was capable of Magic Body Strengthening. The clumsy orcs we had faced back then could now be easily defeated by Lament and the others even if dozens charged at once. Hunting, gathering, and enduring would surely be easier now than before. "Right, it won''t be as difficult as it used to be." Harriet nodded in agreement. If we faced the same hardships now, we would be able to overcome them as if they were nothing. Things had become much easier. That''s why it wouldn''t be as tough as before, but we also knew that the sense of accomplishment would be diminished. Harriet''s expression didn''t look particularly happy. ¡ª--- Kamsencha was a resort, so there were quite a few people coming and going. On the white sandy beach, where the emerald-like blue sea spread under the clear blue sky, there were quite a few tourists. Thankfully, the beach wasn''t so crowded that it was half water, half people. There were people lying on sunbeds under parasols, and bungalows were set up along the shore. Ellen stared at the beach for a moment and then reached for the hem of her dress. -Whish! "Eh, Ellen!" "What are you... Oh, you''re wearing it." "Yes." Ellen had already changed into a bikini beneath her dress. Harriet was startled by Ellen suddenly undressing but then sighed with relief upon seeing the blue swimsuit. "I''ll... go change into my swimsuit too." Harriet went to the changing room set up on the beach, and I also changed into my swimsuit and came out. The early spring sun shone brightly, quite different from the chilly equator. The weather and scenery were absolutely fantastic. But today, I had something to say. Therefore, no matter what I saw, I couldn''t feel particularly good. ¡ª--- We went swimming. Our way of enjoying swimming was a little different from others. Harriet cast underwater breathing spells on all three of us, allowing us to venture far out into the ocean as if we were scuba diving. So, it didn''t really matter to us how many people were on the beach. After all, we went far out to sea, almost not even coming out of the water as if we were conducting underwater exploration. We had entered the ocean to hunt during our mission, but now we were swimming purely for enjoyment. There were some happenings. For instance, a sudden appearance of a shark startled Ellen, who summoned Lament to intercept it. Or Harriet, who suddenly got caught in a downward current and plunged into the sea, managed to force herself back up by conjuring a magical torrent. Thinking about it, there were quite a few dangerous moments, but everyone had their abilities, so there were no major issues. One way or another, we spent the day exploring the ocean depths, taking breaks, and then going back into the water. Nighttime came. We had dinner at a nearby restaurant. Harriet seemed exhausted, barely eating before collapsing onto the table. Ellen and I, on the other hand, had been less active than usual, so we had energy to spare. "What shall we do now? If we''re going to sleep here, we need to find a place to stay." There''s no need to go back immediately since tomorrow is Sunday. "I can''t go anywhere... I don''t want to sleep in a strange place... I can''t go anywhere..." Looking at Harriet, who was mumbling while lying down like a jellyfish, it seemed her exhaustion had gone beyond her limits. "Alright, let''s find a place to rest." "Thank you..." Ellen gently stroked Harriet''s head. ¡ª--- We quickly found a place to rest. Instead of staying in an inn, we rented a bungalow on the sea. We had enough money, and the area was well-equipped for tourists, so we found a pretty decent place. Each bedroom was separate, so there were no awkward situations. The rather large bungalow even had a small swimming pool. However, having spent the entire day in the water and with it being nighttime, we were more inclined to shower and change clothes than to swim. We sat down, looking out at the sea. "I never imagined we''d be in a place like this when I woke up this morning." "Me neither." Although the warp gate made long-distance travel possible, it wasn''t often that we actually moved this far. Harriet suddenly smiled as if she remembered something, looking at Ellen and me. "Ha, if Liana was here, she would''ve suggested having a drink..." Harriet''s words trailed off. Indeed. In a place like this, it would have been natural for Liana to suggest drinking when night fell. However, Liana had become too busy to entertain the idea of going out, and even if she had come along, she likely wouldn''t have mentioned drinking. A changed situation, changed people, and changed behaviors. The three of us sat together on the terrace, staring blankly into space. "It''s only been a year, but so much has changed," Harriet murmured, her head bowed and her voice tinged with melancholy. Once arrogant, the princess Harriet had grown kinder, but she had also come to know sadness. Ellen had vowed not to live like her brother, but now, she understood him to some extent. After her father''s death, Liana broke free from her indolent life. Many people had changed. And, of course, I was no exception. Due to possessing the sacred artifact, I was forced to become a hero. The same was true for Ellen. These changes had both positive and negative aspects. But in one way or another, everyone had become stronger than before. And because we all felt the threat of the Demon King in our bones, we were all somewhat desperate. "It wouldn''t have been so bad if everything had stayed the same," Harriet mused absentmindedly. Liana would still be lazy, I would still be a bad-tempered guy, and Ellen would simply be indifferent and enjoy eating. Without the need to become stronger, without the compulsion to do so. It would have been nice if those days could have just continued. Harriet spoke these words in the tranquil and serene atmosphere of the resort bungalow. Ellen silently embraced Harriet''s shoulders. "We can do this. Whatever it is." Everything will be alright. Everything will turn out fine. Like comforting a child, Ellen whispered softly to Harriet. Harriet placed her hand on Ellen''s arm and nodded her head. To Ellen, who believed that everything would be alright. To Harriet. I had to tell them now. I couldn''t put it off any longer. -Cicadas chirping The sound of insects came from the coastal side. Just as the Castle of Epiaux was eternally winter, this place would be eternally summer. The hot sun would relentlessly beat down on the sea and the coast, and the same scenery would always be spread before us. I had neither eternal winter nor eternal summer. I didn''t know what to call the seasons I had experienced since arriving at the temple. "I have... something I need to tell you both..." From now on, I would have to live in a changed season. ¡ª--- The explanation was lengthy. But as I mentioned the essential words, I couldn''t help but see their expressions harden. The sudden mention of an engagement. Naturally, Harriet and Ellen had no idea what I was talking about. An engagement out of nowhere. I explained everything from beginning to end. Even though the explanation only served to make our moods increasingly strange and uncomfortable, it had to be done. I couldn''t explain everything, but I could give them a rough idea of what had happened. The events that transpired after returning from the Demon King''s castle, when Charlotte was experiencing something akin to aftereffects. The day I risked my life to save Charlotte. And Charlotte, who was overwhelmed by only caring for her own health, eventually fell behind in the competition for the throne. Now, even her own faction was turning their backs on her. The fact that it wasn''t Bertus who posed the problem, but the risk of losing one''s life due to traitors within. So, in order to protect Charlotte, I needed a justification, and as the master of Alsebringer, I had to become engaged to her to prevent the loss of her supporting faction. No one asked why I went so far for Charlotte. I didn''t say I had no choice but to make this decision in order to save her life. I wanted to protect Charlotte because I loved her, and that''s why I wanted to marry her. Both would have to accept it that way, and I didn''t bother denying it. They would naturally accept it that way. I made a choice. Trying to hold onto something else clumsily was simply absurd. "¡­Ah." Harriet stared at me blankly, her face drained of color. Plunk A single tear fell from Ellen''s expressionless face. I didn''t apologize. It would be even stranger if I did. Apologizing would only make the situation more bizarre, and everyone would feel even more terrible than they do now. I said so, and stared silently at the sea. The gentle waves rolled ceaselessly towards the shore. Ellen bowed her head without a word. Seeing Ellen like this, Harriet looked at me and forced a strange expression. It was an indescribable, somewhat odd expression. "Right, right¡­ You¡­ Ha¡­ Well¡­ You''ve succeeded¡­ How¡­ How did someone like you¡­ How¡­" In the end, Harriet''s face contorted miserably as she tried to say something. "How¡­ on earth¡­ Why¡­" I couldn''t bear to look directly at the weeping Harriet. As Ellen silently bowed her head. "Was it a lie?" She asked very quietly. She didn''t say what it was about. But I knew which moment she was referring to. The day I handed her Lapelt. When I refused it. And what I said after that. She must be talking about that day. I knew what I had to answer. "¡­Yes." Ellen didn''t ask anything else. CH 395 No more words were exchanged. Both Ellen and Harriet silently went to their respective bedrooms to sleep, while I sat on the terrace, staring blankly at the crashing waves on the coast. I had made this choice to prevent losing Charlotte. But in doing so, I lost something else. I couldn''t precisely describe what it was, but I had lost something and would continue to lose more. This was not the end. I had to become a hero. Only when the world knows that I am the master of Alsebringer, and I gain public fame, will there be political ground for a princess engaged to such a hero. The integration of the hero into the royal family. I didn''t know exactly what Bertus wanted, who desired this and tried to reignite a battle that had already ended. Whether it was truly for fun, or if there were other hidden intentions. Nevertheless, I had to become a hero. Not only should it be known that I am the master of Alsebringer, but I also had to do something. I had to do countless dangerous tasks that were undoubtedly risky. Aah... On the beautiful beach where the sound of the waves and insects mixed, I spent the night unable to sleep. ¡ª--- If it had been a year earlier, the engagement of Reinhardt, a beggar, and Princess Charlotte de Gardias would have been a laughable matter. But now, it had become an unfunny affair for different reasons. A princess losing her political footing. The master of Alsebringer, which had become the most potent symbol among the relics after the Great Demon War. In a way, the successor of Ragan Artorius. The engagement had now become an absurd matter, with the logic of why the descendant of the hero should marry a hollow princess. The trio who had left for Kamsencha Archipelago returned the next day. There was hardly any conversation. Ellen remained silent, Reinhardt couldn''t speak, and Harriet wanted to say something but stayed quiet, knowing that no words could provide a solution. They were not in a state fit for training. Reinhardt locked himself in his room, while Ellen wandered around the dormitory blankly. Ellen encountered Princess Charlotte de Gardias, who had returned to the temple from the palace, in the central lobby on the second floor. Naturally, Ellen and Charlotte''s eyes met. "Uh, ah... hello?" Although they were in different classes, they had encountered each other often, and it was not a completely unknown relationship, so Charlotte could greet Ellen. It could happen. But even as she greeted her, her fingertips trembled slightly. Her eyes wavered. It sent a signal to Ellen. Charlotte seemed to feel guilty just by facing herself. Had it been like that a few times when they encountered each other recently? Ellen couldn''t remember it well. However, she knew what that behavior of Charlotte meant now. Reinhardt''s strange state these days, the shaking sword tips, and the anxious appearance - all of it. It wasn''t because of the Demon King, but because of this problem. She didn''t know how to explain it to herself. Now she knew. When Ellen approached, Charlotte awkwardly brushed past her without returning the greeting. Seeing Ellen come closer, Charlotte retreated a half-step, seemingly frightened. Though Ellen was ultimately a commoner, she was the wielder of the sacred artifact, Lament, and the younger sister of Ragan Artorius. Since she entered the temple, even without knowing her status, Ellen was someone who never fell behind anyone based on her position alone. But Ellen had never tried to exploit that fact, not even once. That''s why Ellen had never been intimidated by anyone. Ellen stared straight into the princess''s eyes. "Tell me one thing." "Uh? Uh... Uh... Yes." Biting her lip slightly, Charlotte looked at Ellen, who asked her question. "Do you... like Reinhardt?" "..." Charlotte''s eyes trembled, as if she hadn''t expected such a direct question. Embarrassed, she could have run away while scolding Ellen for asking. But Ellen''s expression seemed as if she would grab Charlotte by the collar if she fled. Charlotte probably intuited what Ellen knew. The engagement. Knowing about that issue, feeling frustrated and sad, but unable to change Reinhardt''s heart, Ellen could only ask Charlotte that much. As Charlotte looked into Ellen''s eyes, "Yes." She spoke sincerely, amidst a wretched feeling. "A lot... very... very much." Ellen could clearly sense it in Charlotte''s gaze. At the very least, Reinhardt wasn''t being used by Charlotte. If Charlotte was merely using Reinhardt to survive, Ellen wouldn''t know what she''d do. But Charlotte was genuine. She didn''t know when it started, but Charlotte had high expectations for Reinhardt, and even in this situation, she wasn''t happy but felt sorry for him. The last glimmer of hope she had clung to. Now shattered. Ellen mumbled blankly, "I... " Her words trailed off. I was first. I loved him more. I spent much more time. "..." Ellen couldn''t bring herself to finish those words, as they only made her feel more miserable. In front of the distorted expression of guilt on Charlotte de Gardias'' face, I loved him before you did. When everyone thought Reinhardt was nothing but a lowborn, I was with him. We spent irreplaceable, precious time together. Because Reinhardt had to choose you to save your life in this dangerous situation, isn''t this too unfair? Ellen couldn''t bring herself to say those words. "I''m sorry..." In front of Charlotte''s fragile expression, Ellen averted her gaze. "..." It was painful to see Charlotte, who had everything she wanted, unable to find happiness. ------ In the dormitory, Ellen, of course, and Harriet would pass by me without a word when they saw me. Harriet seemed unsure of what to say, while Ellen would pass by with her head down. It seemed less like they disliked me and more like there was a slightly different issue. It felt like they were avoiding me now because they didn''t know how to handle the situation. Ironically, Charlotte seemed to be having as much trouble dealing with me as Ellen and Harriet. When she saw me, she would hesitate as if she didn''t know what to say, and ultimately say nothing at all. Would she find expressions of gratitude or apologies strange? Regardless, Ellen and I were scheduled to take our major classes together. It felt strangely similar to the first time I encountered Ellen in my freshman year. There she was, Ellen Artorious with her cold expression, trying not to feel anything for me, devoid of emotion. Her swordsmanship was not emotional, but rather restrained. The dry lessons continued, with her overpowering me in the most accurate timing and manner possible. Ellen didn''t share a single word of personal conversation with me. Thus, the lessons went on all day long. "That''s enough for today. Go back and rest." After the lesson, Saviolin Turner said that. Ellen left without a word. "Reinhardt, stay for a moment." "Yes." I had a feeling I knew why she called me. In the high-ranking combat training room waiting area, where only I remained after Ellen left, she sat next to me with her arms crossed. "I heard you''re engaged to Her Highness the Princess." "Yes." "..." She had a complicated expression on her face as she looked at the waiting room exit, lost in thought. "His Majesty has pondered over various aspects of this issue, like whether to publicly announce your existence." While my existence being made public would secure Charlotte''s safety, it could also put me in danger. That''s why the Emperor approached this issue cautiously. "The royal family will not take any position on this. However, rumors will spread among the nobility." "I see." "Yes, that''s the safest way." The current issue wasn''t with Bertus, but with Charlotte''s supporters. To prevent their defection, rumors would spread within the royal family and the nobility. The next successor of Alsebringer has appeared, and the successor and the princess have agreed to marry. It''s a measure to stabilize the current unstable situation without taking any official stance. "You understand the intention behind this, right?" "...Yes." Technically, it''s a scandal. The royal family''s lack of an official position on such a rumor implies that it is true while also allowing them to dismiss it as baseless gossip later on. In any way possible, I should not be excessively entangled with the royal family. Perhaps. That would be Charlotte''s intention. "Once it becomes known that you are the master of Alsebringer, you will inevitably face dangerous situations. There''s no guarantee that you''ll be completely safe even in the temple. The Demon King may target you first. You know that, right?" "Yes." As for the Demon King, how could I be a threat to myself? That part is not a problem, and there''s nothing to actually bear. The important thing is not the fact that I''ve agreed to an engagement. I must build up achievements. To appeal to the nobility as someone remarkable while rumors of being the master of Alsebringer spread, I must have achievements. Soon, I must engage in hero-making. "There could be various tasks. Clearing out demons in Darkland, or on a smaller scale, bandits and thieves, and since you possess Tiamata, exterminating undead will be easy. Of course, Shanafel''s support troops will take care of it as long as you are physically present to ensure your safety." The Empire wouldn''t want me to be in danger. So it''s not about becoming a hero, but rather, making a hero. It''s only important that I was there, and the actual fighting and battles are resolved by more skilled veterans. And then, it''s packaged as if I did it. In other words, I''m gaining fame overnight. It''s good for me and the Empire. "I don''t intend to do it that way." "..." "I have to resolve it myself. Whatever it may be." "Reinhardt, I know you''re not being arrogant. But if you jump into dangerous situations and get hurt..." "Inflated fake skills through fake fame will put me in more danger. If it becomes known that everything I did was fabricated, the situation could get worse." The larger the scale of what I didn''t personally resolve, the more my abilities are overestimated. Then, I become more dangerous. Of course, the Demon King won''t threaten me, but this is to avoid the temple''s surveillance instead. It''s actually easier for me to act alone. So it''s not hero-making, but actually resolving things with my own hands, and it has to be that way. Saviolin Turner watched me and quietly nodded. "I thought you''d say something like that." She seemed to have naturally guessed that I wouldn''t like that kind of thing due to my personality. I don''t need the help of someone excessively stronger than me. It would be nice to have such a person, but if they exist, they might end up being shackles instead. Saviolin Turner was silent at my words that I didn''t need help and stared at me. "From now on, under the pretext of special activities, it will replace all your classes. Soon. The time you devote to special activities will be considered as having completed the temple curriculum." It probably means that, as a special student, it''s no longer an issue for me to wander outside the temple. "Do you know about Levaina?" "Levaina... Wasn''t that the place that was recently attacked?" "Yes." The royal secret operation base disguised as a demon attack. It was there that Duke Grantz met his end. "Head to Rajeurn, the capital of Levaina." Investigations into the demon attack are underway, but I know it wasn''t actually a demon attack. There shouldn''t be any threat from demons, so why are they sending me there? I know there''s nothing for me to gain there. "Olivia Lanze should be at the Special Investigation Headquarters there." Olivia Lanze. I couldn''t help but be a little surprised by the sudden, unexpected name. "Go and assist Olivia. If an emergency arises, Olivia and the investigators should be more than capable of handling it. It''s also likely to be a less dangerous assignment." Now that I think about it. It''s been quite a while since Olivia sought me out. It wasn''t that she didn''t seek me out, but rather that she hasn''t been at the temple at all, right? CH 396 I had no idea that Olivia wasn''t at the temple. There must have been a good reason she hadn''t told me. Moreover, Olivia had taken a leave of absence from the temple under the pretext of providing support for the Demon World War. According to Saviolin Turner, Olivia had volunteered to investigate in Rajeurn, the capital of Levaina. Was she trying to trace the traces of the Demon King there? Even if there were clues there, all they could find would be the fact that it was the Empire''s own play, not the Demon King''s traces. Why on earth was Olivia there? She had once lied about leaving the temple for a special mission. But this time, I really had to leave the temple for something similar to a special mission. Saviolin Turner must have sent me there because she judged that the place wasn''t too dangerous. I hesitated to tell Ellen and Harriet that I needed to leave the temple temporarily for a special mission, and ultimately, I couldn''t do it. It seemed like something we couldn''t do to each other. So, without further delay, I departed immediately. ¡ª--- After crossing several warp gates from the temple, I arrived at the Kamsencha province, thousands of kilometers away, just like last time. This time, crossing a few more warp gates brought me to the small country of Levaina in the southern part of the Empire, where Duke Grantz had died. Currently, a special investigation headquarters was set up here. The jurisdiction would be under the Empire, not the Levaina Royal Family. It was a ridiculous situation where the Empire was investigating the play it had staged. The thought that the leaders of this special investigation headquarters might know that this was the Empire''s own play made me want to burst out laughing. Olivia would be unaware of such facts. Why had Olivia come here? The capital of Levaina, Rajeurn, had the feel of a city, but it didn''t seem particularly bustling. To be honest, trying to find a corner similar to the Imperial Capital in the capital of a small country was absurd. By asking the guards, I found the special investigation headquarters, which seemed to occupy an entire government building outside the palace. Perhaps because they were directly dispatched from the Empire, security was extremely tight. Of course, there was no door that would not open in front of the royal crest. When I stopped someone passing by and said I was looking for Olivia Lanze, who had come from the temple, I was told that if I waited in the guest room, she would come. The special investigation headquarters must have found the situation quite absurd. They were trying to investigate, and after a volunteer came from the temple, someone with a royal crest like me had come. As I had shown the royal crest upon entry, the report would have gone up the chain. "Are you Mr. Reinhardt?" "Yes." "I am Scottla Kelton, the chief of the special investigation headquarters in charge of this case. It''s an honor to meet you." Scottla Kelton. He was a man close to middle age. Naturally, he was a stranger to me, and as he extended his hand for a handshake, he bowed politely. As soon as I grasped his hand, I felt it ¨C an intense impression emanating from his grip, though he hadn''t applied much force. He had initiated the handshake with me, who bore the royal crest, and had even paid his respects, yet his attitude was far from subservient. "It''s an honor to meet you," he said. He must have known that I was the new master of Alsebringer. I looked at him and asked, "By any chance... are you a member of the Shanafel?" "Sharp of you. I am currently here on a temporary assignment, but originally, I am the captain of Shanafel''s Third Unit." With that, he nodded. This confirmed one thing. Scottla Kelton, the head of the Investigation Division, must have known that this case was a fabrication. He didn''t have time for a lengthy conversation, so after briefly greeting me, he turned and left. I had suspected that the Special Division wasn''t really for investigations, and now that the chief turned out to be the captain of Shanafel''s Third Unit, it was clear. How long had I been waiting? Thud "¡­Huh?" Dressed in casual attire, Olivia entered the VIP room and our eyes met. Her outfit seemed quite neat, suggesting she hadn''t gone through any trouble. "Reinhardt? How did you get here?" Olivia, naturally surprised, widened her eyes and quickly approached me. "How did you know about this place?" "Um... let''s sit down and talk first." "Ah!" Whoosh! Olivia suddenly embraced me roughly. "I missed you so much!" I had to explain things to Olivia as well. ¡ª--- To explain how I ended up here, I had to tell the story of my engagement. I mentioned the need to build achievements and the reason why I had to do so. After I rambled on with a lengthy explanation, I told Olivia that I was ordered by Saviolin Turner to help her with her work here. She stared at me, her mouth agape. "So, you didn''t come because you missed me?" Olivia glared at me, her face scrunching up in annoyance. No... That''s not it. Hadn''t I just explained something more important than that? Why was she upset about such a strange point, this sister of mine? As I stood there dumbfounded, Olivia chuckled and sat down beside me, immediately folding her arms. "Ah, no, why are you doing this...?" "Well, it''s not like I''ve ever been like this just because there''s no one else around." I was at a loss for words in the face of her audacious and rascally demeanor. "An engagement is not a marriage. People can change their minds, and circumstances can change too. It''s not over until it''s over, right?" Olivia narrowed her eyes and gazed at me. "What do you think? The VIP room is... huh? It''s just you and me... alone?" Sister... It''s not that I''m angry or anything, but it''s frightening! It''s even scarier like this! And if it really happened like that, you''d probably knock me unconscious and run away, wouldn''t you? "What does it matter if it''s an engagement or a marriage? If we just seal it with a stamp, who''s to know?" No. It was clear that this person was not unaffected by the shock, but rather, was reacting because of it. "What if you somehow deal with the prince and then become the emperor? Huh? Push her aside and put me first. Right?" "Don''t say something that could get us arrested." "Really?" Olivia laughed lightly and stepped away from me. I couldn''t tell if she was calm or not. At least she didn''t show it, which was fortunate for me. Her attitude of not worrying about anything since nothing was certain yet somehow seemed plausible. No. She wouldn''t really be thinking of killing Bertus, causing a coup-like revolution, becoming the emperor, relegating Charlotte to the harem, and becoming the empress herself, would she? It must be a joke. If I were really a hero and there was a demon king, it wouldn''t be completely impossible for something like that to happen if I killed the demon king, which is chilling. ¡ª--- I had waited for Olivia for quite a while, so it was already nighttime. We were in the VIP room of the Special Investigation Headquarters, located near the royal palace of the Levaina capital, Rajeurn. We were drinking tea together after having dinner provided by the Investigation Division. Olivia was not an investigator, but a student from the prestigious Temple Royal Class. Technically, she was just a college student doing volunteer work, but given that she was a talent being nurtured by the empire, one could not treat her lightly without knowing what could happen. And I was, well, just a royal who came along. So everyone treated us extremely courteously while freezing up. Both of us seemed to be hindrances to the investigation. I knew the truth, so I was aware that this investigation wouldn''t go smoothly. The fact that a knight from Shanafel was the head of the Investigation Division said it all. All I had been told by Saviolin Turner was to help Olivia with her assigned task. In a place where things would never be resolved properly. "By the way, why did you come here?" This place could never be pleasant for me. It was where I had been falsely accused and where Liana had changed horribly. At my words, Olivia smiled faintly. "I wanted to find traces of the Demon King." "¡­What would you do with that?" Olivia had already told me that it was the Demon King who saved her and Adriana. She had confided in me that she thought the Demon King and the demon race might not be as evil as they were believed to be. "I just want to be sure." The previous two attacks must have seemed somewhat justified to Olivia. However, this attack on Levaina must have been a bit awkward for her, knowing the truth about the previous two attacks. Could it be? Was Olivia suspecting that this incident might not be the work of the Demon King? The need for certainty would mean that. Caught between me, who had to confront the Demon King, and the Demon King who saved her life, Olivia must have been feeling confused. And she had promised that she would be on my side. That must be why she came to this scene. To gain the confidence that the Demon King was dead and a suitable successor had been found, and to acquire a firm determination to fight for me. That was why Olivia had obediently come here, and why I had been sent as well. Were they certain that we would never notice that this scene had been manipulated? "So, did you find out anything?" "Rather than finding out, I just confirmed what was already known." Olivia clicked her tongue briefly. Olivia walked somewhere and spread something out on the table. It was a map of Rajeurn and its surroundings. "First of all, the report says that hordes of demons were summoned around Rajeurn by mass teleportation magic and began marching. Many orcs and goblins, as well as ogres and trolls, it seems. The damage within Rajeurn itself doesn''t appear to have been too significant. However, the crucial part was the outskirts. A considerable number of people in the outskirts, who weren''t under the protection of the guards, were killed or injured." The real objective was to kill the revolutionary forces, but they disguised it as a demon attack. That''s why there were many civilian casualties. It was the empire that killed the humans with their own hands. There was nothing particularly unusual about it. It''s just that they wore the mask of conspiracy this time, but such things always happen. Only the dead were pitiable. "Especially here." The place Olivia pointed to was a few buildings located on the outskirts of Rajeurn. "Most of the casualties occurred at the merchants'' guild branch here. It seems there was a meeting of investors at the guild, so many influential people were gathered. So, many of the people who died in this attack were quite influential, and¡­ well, among your friends too¡­" Olivia trailed off, and I nodded, knowing what she meant. "Um, anyway." It seemed that Olivia was trying to be careful with her words, as it would be insensitive to discuss the death of a junior''s parents. "I saw it with my own eyes. The demons attacking the Holy Knights." Olivia was one of the few witnesses of the second attack and had seen the demons reveal themselves. "The first and second attacks had one thing in common." "What is that?" "Large-scale destruction magic was used." During the demon rescue, Eleris, who used the Fire of Tuesday, caused a firestorm, and during the second attack, a lightning storm was summoned in addition to the firestorm. "However, in the third attack, instead of using large-scale destruction magic, they summoned numerous demons with mass teleportation. Of course, if you look at the scale of the magic, this time was bigger, but¡­" Olivia furrowed her brow. "If the goal was to cause casualties, they could have used a firestorm instead of summoning demons. With a firestorm, they could have turned about one-fifth of Rajeurn into ashes. Why didn''t they do that? In a sense, this is like losing military power." Using demons to carry out an attack that could be solved with magic made no sense to Olivia, and she seemed to be struggling to understand the situation. Olivia was certain that there was an exceptionally powerful mage among the remnants of the demon forces, and that was indeed the truth. Anyone interested in the demon invasion would naturally know this fact, so it wasn''t something only Olivia knew. The sole reason that most people, like Olivia, didn''t doubt the demons'' intentions was simple: humans do not try to understand what they hate. No matter what a despised group does, people don''t consider them as equals, and when they do something, people conclude that they''re either wicked or inferior and no longer think about it. Hate and loathing make thoughts convenient and simple. Therefore, the general public only felt fear and disgust about the strange aspects of this demon invasion, without being curious about what the demons were really up to. It was to make humans fear the demons. Only a few would comprehend and accept this idea. However, Olivia had seen too many of the ugly aspects of humanity, and since she had been rescued by the demons themselves, she was somewhat free from such thinking. "If we must choose, this seems to be the right answer." Olivia pointed to a spot on the map, indicating the recently mentioned merchant guild branch. "From the beginning, the demons intended to attack this place." "...The merchant guild meeting?" "Yes." Although Olivia hadn''t fully grasped the truth, she had already reached halfway there. "The demons attacked, and Rajeurn, being well-defended, suffered no significant damage. But the merchant guild branch in the outskirts, where influential people gathered, was subjected to an unexpected attack? That''s absurd." Olivia crossed her arms and shook her head. "People like Duke Grantz, the famous Orgencia of the Great Gate, and the Vice President of the Magic Association, Stryden, were here. Not only were their escorts strong, but these individuals were already powerful." The mere fact that these individuals, who wouldn''t normally gather together, were in one place served as evidence. "Do you think these influential people would come to a small southern country like Levaina without any escorting troops?" Olivia shook her head. "At that moment, this place would have been better defended than Rajeurn itself. It wasn''t due to an unexpected attack on the outskirts, but the escorting troops present at that time could have turned Rajeurn into a sea of flames." So, the demons attacked this place rather than Rajeurn. "That''s why the demons that attacked Rajeurn couldn''t have breached this place in the first place. The elite forces would have attacked this place and then retreated immediately." Olivia came to this conclusion. CH 397 The conclusion Olivia arrived at was not one that only she could reach. Even though people were gripped by fear, those who could think calmly would be able to deduce it by looking at the list of victims alone. However, all that was known was that the demons had attacked the merchant guild''s branch, swept away the influential figures of the empire, and then vanished. There might not be any particular reason for the demons to kill the empire''s power holders. Showing that even those with great power could be targeted could indeed instill fear in people. Therefore, Olivia''s inference about the truth behind the raid on Rajeurn was something that even special investigators who did not know the truth could deduce. "Actually, not only the influential people who died at the scene but also the escort soldiers were all quite skilled. They were not many, but they were a select few. The core forces of the demons only struck here." "It seems so." "But this time, there were no traces of large-scale destructive magic being used. Of course, it seems that veterans of close combat were deployed... It could either be evidence that the demons'' forces were not small, or that they had grown their power since then... Considering the appearance of orcs and goblins that had not shown up until now, the latter seems more likely." Orcs, goblins, ogres, trolls. Olivia seemed to be contemplating the possibility that the demons had strengthened their forces just by sending out the troops they had not deployed until now. She could not reach the suspicion that it might not be the work of the demons, but someone else''s, which was perhaps natural. After all, there was a limit to Olivia''s thinking, who had been disappointed with humans. If I were not the Demon King myself, I might have clicked my tongue a few times at the news of such an event and moved on, saying that there were many suspicious things in the world. It''s because it''s my business that I think about it sensitively and seriously. If it had been something happening far away, I would have heard it and let it go. Even if the story was about the Demon King. "If the demons attacked to cause chaos in the empire, they succeeded. By sending demons not only here but also to Rajeurn, they let people know that the demons'' actual power is much larger than anticipated." A significant number of influential figures were killed, and although they did not cause any meaningful damage, a horde of demons attacked Rajeurn. That alone is already a form of protest. We have secured enough elite and ordinary military power. And through mass teleportation, they can appear anywhere in the empire and carry out a massacre. I didn''t actually do it, but people, as well as the investigation headquarters, would likely perceive it that way. "What I''m curious about is this: how on earth did the demons know that so many important people would be gathered at the merchant guild''s branch meeting that day, at that time?" Information. Naturally, the majority of people couldn''t have known that such a meeting was taking place. However, the demons knew about it and launched an attack. This was because the master of the merchant guild was a traitor, and the ones who carried out the attack were the imperial royal family. It was merely conjectured that perhaps Shanafel was responsible for the task. Where on earth did the demons obtain this information? "Like the attack on the Holy Knights last time, I''m not sure if it''s obvious, but it seems the demons know a lot about secret information." Thanks to Lydia Schmitt''s mischief, it was crucial information nonetheless. From an outsider''s perspective, it''s entirely possible to think that the demons know everything. "So, first of all, I think it''s best to find out why people had to gather at the merchant guild''s branch like this. I can''t help but suspect there might have been an insider." What kind of meeting required people to gather in such a manner at this southern small country''s merchant guild branch? Olivia focused on that. And as for the information leaker, she couldn''t quite pinpoint them but was getting closer to Owen de Gatmora. The more Olivia spoke, the more complicated my thoughts became. Why on earth did Saviolin Turner send me here? The special investigation headquarters established here was not initially set up to investigate, but rather to obscure the truth. Not all investigators may know the truth, but at least someone like Chief Scottla Kelton would. Naturally, the investigative directives from the royal family would be to cover up the truth. The empire intervened to prevent the Levaina royal family from investigating directly. The conspiracy of the royal family''s demon attack incident manipulation is not over; it is ongoing until the special investigation headquarters concludes the case. So, no matter how the investigation proceeds, in the end, it will be concluded that the demons were responsible. If the Levaina royal family tries to interfere with the investigation, the empire will stop them with whatever excuse they can find, and Levaina will have no reason to refuse the empire''s direct involvement. This special investigation headquarters is an organization set up to solve the case but ultimately draw conclusions according to their own preferences. Although suspicious circumstances are everywhere in this conspiracy, once the investigative agency concludes, no further investigations can proceed. Thus, the final stage of this conspiracy is the special investigation''s conclusion. However, Olivia and I are different. Although the special investigation headquarters has the authority to refuse access from the Levaina royal family, they can''t overrule both Olivia and me. They might question the involvement of ordinary students, but neither Olivia nor I can be easily dismissed. Soon. We may end up digging deeper into the real truth, completely unaffected by the special investigation headquarters'' directives or intentions. They cannot command us. "We''ve checked everything we needed to at the scene. So let''s go to the merchant guild tomorrow." "Yes, senior." Why was that, I wondered? Would it really not matter if Olivia and I discovered the truth? ¡ª--- We had decided to visit the headquarters of the Rajeurn Merchant Guild with Olivia tomorrow. Since it was getting late, we decided to go to bed early, and Olivia and I each retired to our bedrooms. However, there was a strong possibility that we would only raise suspicions without gaining anything from our visit. In that case, I couldn''t predict what Olivia''s next move would be. After all, I already knew the truth and could dig deeper into it. There was no need to dig elsewhere. Instead of going straight to Rajeurn, we could go up the Royal Road to meet Owen de Gatmora. A very important meeting, attended by influential figures from the South, had taken place. What was it about? Why wasn''t the guild master, you, present at such an important event? By starting with such questions and weaving Owen into the narrative, I might not be able to make him confess the truth, but I could at least capture a suspicious person. The problem was that very situation. The royal investigative agency was supposed to uncover a massive conspiracy within the royal court. But such a thing simply wouldn''t happen. Even if Olivia discovered the truth, she wouldn''t be acknowledged. Instead, her hatred towards humanity would only accumulate. That''s why I didn''t want Olivia to find out the truth or believe in the manipulated truth. That''s why I was curious about Saviolin Turner''s intentions. Why had she sent me here to help Olivia? Of course, it seemed clear that she had sent me here because the place wasn''t dangerous. I could probably add one more achievement to my record: assisting in the investigation of the Demon King''s attack site. That alone would be a significant accomplishment, as I had been active in the special investigation headquarters for the Demon King''s attack, so it wouldn''t be a bad thing. Should I call it a parachute-style career building? With little risk and plenty of merit, I could easily find and visit such places, and my reputation would naturally grow. The Empire would definitely not want me to be in danger, so they would want me to visit such places. Was it difficult to avoid becoming a hero created by such circumstances? As I lay on the bed in the guest room, my thoughts became complicated. I thought it was fortunate that Olivia hadn''t been deeply hurt by the engagement talk. I went out to the living room to drink some water. "Uh... huh..." Beyond the closed door of Olivia''s bedroom, I heard a very faint, sobbing sound. Right. There was no way she could be okay. Because, after all, she was crying alone. A person who always wore a smiling mask was now only wearing an angry mask. Olivia''s nature of not wanting to show her struggles to anyone never changed. I too found this situation hard to bear, so I tried to believe only in what I could see. Even though I knew Olivia was always like that, smiling. I tried to believe that she was genuinely happy. "Uh... uh..." What should I have done differently? I... I couldn''t know anything. "Spying on someone crying... that''s pretty low." Naturally, Olivia, who had keener senses than me, heard the sound of me opening my bedroom door and spoke from beyond the door. ¡°Even if you don''t come and embrace me, you could at least pat my back. You fool.¡± As I stood there motionless, I heard Olivia''s scolding from beyond her bedroom door. After some hesitation, I opened the door to Olivia''s room. It was surprisingly unlocked, as if it was only natural. As I entered the room, I saw Olivia lying in bed with her eyes wide open, wiping tears from her eyes. "What if you really came? I''ve been crying." Olivia said, covering her eyes. "Well... what do you want me to do?" As I stood there, not knowing what to do, Olivia lowered her arm that covered her eyes. She said she''d been crying, but I couldn''t really tell. In the darkness, and under the moonlight streaming in through the window, all I could see were slightly swollen eyelids. "Hey, you''re not going to marry me, are you?" "..." "You won''t even give me false hope. I''m really hurt." Olivia said that, and then propped herself up slightly, leaning her back against the wall behind her bed. She wasn''t looking at me. With her lips pouting, Olivia gazed at the moonlit window. "Should I just marry the Demon King?" "...What?" "Since you won''t look at me for the rest of your life, I''ll marry the Demon King and stab a knife into your neck. You evil bastard." My senior... Actually... that''s me too¡­ ¡ª--- Olivia might have said it as a joke, but it couldn''t be said that there was no sincerity in her words. I couldn''t tell if she really intended to side with the Demon King. However, wasn''t it that she just wanted to know whether the Demon King was truly an evil being, as perceived by the world, so she came all the way to the Kingdom of Levaina? Of course, it was funny that she talked about marrying the Demon King, whom she had never seen before, as if it were a real possibility. What would she do if the Demon King turned out to be a genderless monster? ...No. It''s a bit scary to think that Olivia might say it doesn''t matter if she''s serious. The next day. "I don''t know the details either." Upon arriving at the Levaina Merchant Guild''s branch, Olivia and I were able to hear that story from the branch manager of Levaina. "It was a major project driven by the guild, but in such cases, information is not shared with lower branches like this one, and only the location is provided. It''s not such a rare occurrence..." Judging by his expression, it was clear that the Levaina Merchant Guild''s branch manager knew nothing. Olivia stared intently at the manager''s face before nodding her head. "I see." Seeing her accept the situation so easily, it seemed that Olivia didn''t have much hope of getting any information here either. Each of the victims was an important figure from various sectors of the empire. Moreover, since it was originally an important project of the Merchant Guild, it was natural that information wouldn''t be spread in many places. Olivia judged that there was nothing particularly suspicious about the words of the Levaina Merchant Guild''s branch manager, and I felt the same. Olivia asked the branch manager a few more questions, but she couldn''t obtain any crucial clues. Only one thing was important. The Merchant Guild''s headquarters had ordered that the branch be vacated for a specific period of time. The branch in Rajeurn had simply followed the order from the headquarters. "Let''s go, Reinhardt." "Alright." With that, Olivia left the Rajeurn branch, seemingly satisfied. Outside the Merchant Guild''s branch, Olivia touched her cheek with her index finger and tilted her head, feigning a cuteness that was actually quite adorable, and somehow annoying. "It''s odd that they rented the place for a specific period rather than a specific date..." "It could be that the meeting took place over several days. Even if it wasn''t, they would have had to prepare the place for the distinguished guests, with cleaning and other arrangements." "Hmm, I suppose so. I''ve never seen such a fussy bunch as those authors who deal with such trivial matters." Olivia had likely had many encounters with the high and mighty, so it made sense to her that when people of high social standing gathered, preparations would have to be made not only for a specific date but for a certain period of time. "There were quite a few like that among the clergy, too." "...Even among the clergy?" "Yes, some high priests would insist on having their prayer space arranged exactly as they desired, even going so far as to decorate an entire carriage like a chapel and dragging it around with them. There were also those who would not allow any priests below a certain rank to hear their sermons, claiming that they were not for the ordinary faithful. People tend to think of themselves as a level or two higher than the position others perceive them in. Should I say they sanctify themselves? It''s quite amusing." The lingering laughter in her words revealed Olivia''s contempt for humanity. "Low places are ugly because they''re low, high places are ugly because they''re high, and I''m stuck in the middle of it all." The ugliness stemming from ignorance and vulgarity, and the ugliness arising from knowledge and nobility. It seemed that Olivia believed that humans were inherently ugly. "In that regard, my foster father was a decent clergyman. He was honest, at least. The problem was that he was insane." Now disillusioned with everyone in the world, Olivia seemed to think that her foster father, who had followed his faith to the point of madness, was at least a bit better than the others. Riverrier Lanze had attempted to establish an empire independent from the existing one, founding the Five Great Holy Churches, and had intended to enthrone Olivia as the first Holy Empress. Riverrier Lanze, facing death, finally realized that the gods had never chosen him and accepted his fate. He understood that he was receiving the judgment of Tu''an because the one who killed him was Tu''an''s champion. Olivia looked up at the distant sky and let out a bitter laugh. "I''m just rambling. Let''s head back to the main road for now. I have a feeling the Master of the Merchant Guild might know something." "...Alright." I knew who I had to find, knowing the truth, but it was inevitable that Olivia would naturally think along the same lines. Would it really be alright for Olivia to meet Owen? If Olivia were to learn the truth, she would inevitably be in danger. Although it wasn''t well known, she was ultimately a champion of the same order as me. However, the empire was unaware of this. I would be safe, but could Olivia be safe too? But the empire, which begrudged the loss of even a single person, would not want to sacrifice Olivia, who was currently much stronger than me or Ellen. If they found out that Olivia shared Tiamata with me, they would be even more reluctant. As I pondered this, I headed towards the warp gate of Rajeurn. ¡°It''s all their fault!¡± ¡°They brought the demons!¡± ¡°Kill them! Kill them!¡± There was a commotion in one of the squares in Rajeurn. "What''s going on?" "Exactly." People were bustling about, and some extremely angry individuals were pushing against the guards, only to be pushed back in return. ¡°Kill the followers of the Devil''s Religion!¡± ¡°Kill the heretics!¡± ¡°Summon the Inquisitor!¡± "The Devil''s Religion...?" Olivia''s expression hardened, and so did mine. A word that had been forgotten for a long time, but had a clear place in our minds. The Devil''s Religion. That name echoed throughout the center of Rajeurn. ¡ª--- In the middle of Rajeurn''s square, someone was being accused of being a follower of the Devil''s Religion. Back off! I said back off! The person who appeared to be in charge of the guards tried to be firm, but the angry mob continued to push against them. Olivia and I could see people inside the circle formed by the guards. Initially, I didn''t know what the Devil''s Religion was, so I couldn''t identify anything about the people that would indicate their affiliation. They just seemed like ordinary people. Young men, women, the elderly. Even children were among them. No matter how hard I looked, they just seemed like ordinary people. Soon, the Inquisitor of the Five Holy Religions will come to verify whether these people are followers of the Devil''s Religion through proper procedures! Those who use private means will be severely punished under the law of Levaina! How many people have heard them gathering together and whispering about the Demon King! If those who stay locked up in their homes, worshiping suspicious idols aren''t followers of the Devil''s Religion, then what are they! Kill them! Kill them! The Demon King is coming again! If those people bring the Demon King back to Rajeurn, will you take responsibility! Olivia''s expression turned icy as she looked at the crowd. "It seems that when faced with an incomprehensible situation, they''ve decided to hate those around them that they can understand." "..." "Isn''t it interesting, Reinhardt?" Olivia looked at me and smiled. "The Demon King killed people, but humans are trying to solve something by killing each other." In the past, Olivia might have helped those who were being persecuted. They could be followers of the demon god, or they might not be. Regardless, one event leads to countless others. The people of Rajeurn, the capital of the Kingdom of Levaina, trust their own instincts rather than the investigators sent by the empire. "Those scoundrels will summon the demon race again!" Even if they are true followers of the demon god, the Demon King has no reason or justification to respond to their call. How could those pathetic beings, no different from the rest of you, possibly summon the Demon King to this remote corner? But people believe it. Because they believe it. -"Oh, great divine beings, please take a look at us..." Considering the act of killing them as justice, they believe they are doing good deeds themselves. As a result, there was no sign of awareness that this was murder. Olivia laughed at the humans. I didn''t want to laugh or despise this spectacle. "It''s sad." At my words, Olivia chuckled as if she found it unexpected. "Surprising, Reinhardt. I didn''t know you had such compassion for humans." "Life is precious not because it is inherently good." "¡­Hah. Is that so?" It seemed as if the words the Demon King and the Holy Maiden should say were reversed. It was just a fleeting thought. Olivia no longer laughed at the horrible scene after hearing my words. "Let''s go. This is unpleasant." However, there didn''t seem to be any desire to intervene in that scene. CH 398 While investigating the manipulated truth, Olivia and I discovered new circumstances. The people of Rajeurn, the capital of the Levaina Kingdom, had lost their sanity after experiencing the shocking situation of a demon attack. Although the demons and the demon king disappeared without a trace, the demon king''s assault still persists. They could not understand why the demon king attacked Rajeurn, so they tried to find a reason. They did not believe the announcements from the royal family or the empire, and instead began to suspect their neighbors, who had always seemed suspicious, and labeled them as members of the demon cult. The reasons they gave were usually trivial. Always having a gloomy expression and speaking in incomprehensible words. Not getting along with others and always staying at home. Accusing someone of idolatry after seeing an unidentified statue in their house. For such nonsensical reasons. In extreme situations, those who are not ordinary are branded as unpleasant beings. People, not wanting to admit that they are simply unpleasant, try to turn the person they despise into someone deserving of hatred. Any reason will do. They want someone to be a person who can be killed without consequence, and they create that person themselves. Neither Olivia nor I intervened in that situation. That scene was not under the jurisdiction of the empire. Although the empire is investigating the demon king''s attack, that is the extent of their involvement. Therefore, Olivia''s and my roles also only go that far. If someone from the empire interferes with the affairs of the royal family, it would be considered internal interference. And I am neither confident nor obligated to handle such political issues. Moreover, since I carry the imperial crest, reckless actions would cause headaches not for me but for the imperial family. To think that I, a commoner who entered the temple, would have to worry about the power balance between the imperial family and the kingdom''s royal family. And on top of that, I am actually the demon king. It couldn''t help but be amusing. We returned to the imperial capital, as soon as we had finished in Rajeurn. Epinhauser, Savolin Turner, and the others would have been informed that I was participating in special activities, so they wouldn''t be worried about me. No, rather, they might be worried, wondering if I went to do something dangerous. "Anyway, the imperial crest is nice. You can use the warp gate right away. Should I ask for one since I''m the champion of Tu¡¯an?" Olivia found it so convenient to return to the imperial capital that she even said such a thing. "Would you be okay with the Tu¡¯an Order visiting you twenty times a day, telling you to return to the arms of the gods?" "Ugh, you''re right. I could tell the imperial family alone, but never mind. I hate being bothered even more." As we headed to the main headquarters of the Merchants'' Guild in the imperial capital, Olivia looked at me quietly. "By the way, Reinhardt." "Yes?" "Do you remember? In the tournament finals, I fought against..." Lydia Schmitt. I almost couldn''t maintain my composure at the sudden mention, but I managed not to make a strange expression. "Yes, I remember. Lydia Schmitt." "Have you seen her since that encounter?" Lydia Schmitt, who used to spout nonsense at Olivia. I had scolded her and told her to leave Olivia alone. After that, Lydia Schmitt followed me with the intent to kill, but Eleris subdued her. Thanks to the information we obtained from Lydia, we were able to save Adriana and Olivia. "No, why? Come to think of it, I don''t think I''ve seen her in the temple either." At my words, Olivia''s expression darkened. "She went missing... after that day." Although she was disillusioned with her faith and disdained those who imposed it on her, it seemed that in Olivia''s heart, Lydia remained as a friend. We both knew what that day referred to without having to say it. "Was she... part of that group too?" Olivia raised her head and looked at the sky. "Maybe... I think so. Of course, I didn''t see her there. But I still don''t know exactly who was there. The list of casualties from the Holy Knights isn''t accurate either... Maybe it happened there..." Olivia seemed to think that Lydia Schmitt didn''t go missing but was killed in the demon attack. If that''s the case, then the Demon King saved me and killed my friend. "Lydia''s body hasn''t been found... so there''s no certainty, but with no news like this..." Olivia seemed to consider Lydia''s chances of survival very low. It seemed that her need for certainty about the Demon King was not only because of the raid on Rajeurn. Lydia Schmitt was a recent graduate of the temple but went missing before she could graduate. The temple might be searching for Lydia''s whereabouts in places unknown to me and might have concluded that Lydia had already died in connection with the Holy Knights'' raid. What could Lydia Schmitt be doing in Epiaux? I think Eleris will handle it well. ¡ª--- -Whooooosh In the high fortress of Epiaux. Lydia sat in a corner of the kitchen, watching absentmindedly as chopped vegetables and meat sizzled in a greased pan, and a stew pot bubbled in another place. "I''ve always thought this... but you''re really good at cooking." Despite not needing to eat, Lydia swallowed her words cautiously. "You learn to do a bit of everything as you live longer, even if it''s unnecessary for me." While cooking, Eleris sat beside Lydia without lifting a finger. She simultaneously prepared three dishes using only her telekinesis. Lydia watched blankly as ingredients cut in midair went into the pot and the fire beneath the pan was magically controlled, allowing for precise heat adjustments. Lydia didn''t know how difficult it was, but she simply stared in wonder. In the store where the prince of the demon world used to frequent, there had been no tools for preparing food. However, when Eleris took responsibility for Lydia''s life in Epiaux, she brought in various cooking utensils. And so, while it was lonely, she made sure that there was no inconvenience when it came to eating and sleeping. Lydia didn''t even glance at the cooking process and instead leaned her chin on her hand while gazing out the window, looking at the vampire. They had spent several months together now. Contrary to her first impression, Lydia knew that this vampire was surprisingly gentle. She thought she would brainwash her, adjusting her mind to be compatible with the demon world''s forces, but she never mentioned such a thing. She simply took care of her and wanted nothing in return. Without asking for anything, they would occasionally exchange casual conversations, discussing her life at the temple, how she came to have her faith, and other personal stories. Lydia Schmidt now admitted it. She no longer felt any hostility towards this incredibly strong and gentle vampire. No, even that last lingering sense of embarrassment and fear had vanished. In this cold and desolate castle, a warm meal was always provided on time by the vampire. She watched her eat silently, not even touching the food herself, saying it would be lonely for her to eat alone. If it seemed like she enjoyed the food, she would even show a warm smile. This vampire was not a being to be wary of. Especially if she could cook so well for others without even looking at the food, using only telekinesis. If she could master a skill so well, not for himself but for others. If she was a being that cared enough about her to only cook warm meals, knowing the cold environment was distressing. Lydia had come to accept, almost unconsciously, that such a being could not be dangerous. A warm stir-fry and a bowl of stew were given to her, and as always, Lydia carefully took a spoonful, savoring the warmth and care put into the taste. "Eleris, why did you become a vampire?" "Hmm. Why are you curious about that?" "Just... curious." Eleris looked at Lydia with a subtle smile. "Because I didn''t want to die." There was no substance to her overly simplified explanation about the past. "It was too frustrating, unfair, and sad to die like this." However, there was some substance to the self-deprecating words that followed from Eleris. "That''s why I did it." But in the end, Eleris didn''t fully explain everything, and Lydia quietly observed his complicated expression. "But you know, if you live too long, time dulls everything." "¡­" "Anger, sadness, hatred, desire ¨C everything becomes numb. Eventually, you don''t want anything anymore." A being without yearning. In the past, Lydia could not know the terrible hatred and resentment that had been held, but she sensed that Eleris had become a weathered being. "So... why do you pledge loyalty to the Demon King...?" "Hmm..." The smile vanishes from Eleris''s face, leaving only sadness behind. "Because there''s something I must do, even though I don''t want to... because there''s something I have to watch over... I suppose." Eleris looks at Lydia. "I apologize, it''s not a past worth boasting about." "No, no. Thank you... Thank you for telling me." "I should be the one thanking you. You don''t complain even though you must be lonely here..." Eleris quietly watches the snow falling outside the window, while Lydia eats the food that Eleris has prepared. Lydia never had a family. Growing up in an orphanage, she displayed aptitude in divine power and joined the Als Order. Then, she decided to walk the path of a priestess, studying scriptures and sermons. Lydia reflects on her life now, having strayed from her faith. How did I come to serve Als and how did I come to believe? I was convinced that I was a chosen being. I was treated specially because, unlike the other orphans, I showed talent in divine power. Different food was served at the tables of the other children. When I tried to share it, I was scolded. The teachers and priests always told me that since God had marked my talent, it was natural for me, who had been chosen by God, to receive such special treatment, and that I should take it for granted. Lydia believed that she was special and immersed herself in her faith to affirm that belief. As it was natural for those less talented than herself to receive lesser treatment, she took it for granted that children with talents surpassing hers would receive more esteemed treatment. She thought that to receive better treatment, she simply had to work harder. Talent, power, and reward. These were natural things in Lydia''s life. Those who proved themselves received treatment accordingly. That was Lydia''s truth, and so she had always thought it was only right that Olivia, who was more exceptional than anyone, would possess everything in the world. Lydia even thought that Olivia''s refusal of this was sinful. But now. Olivia eats the warm meal prepared by someone who doesn''t ask for anything from her. Someone who doesn''t expect anything in return or force her to study or pray. Still, they always ask if she''s alright and occasionally suggest leaving this cold place through spatial movement to walk in a place with better, refreshing weather. They don''t expect anything from me, but. They''re willing to do anything for me. "..." Lydia realizes. Although she had never had a family. Isn''t this what a family is supposed to be like? A relationship where neither expects anything from the other, but both are more devoted to each other than anyone else. Maybe that''s what a family is. She knew that she wouldn''t be considered family. However, Lydia, who had never experienced such warmth before, was confused. A lot was required in the process of coming to believe in a deity. A price had to be paid proportional to the level of belief. She had to live a better life, study the scriptures, and learn through prayer what the deity advocated and pursued. To believe in the deity, she had to know the deity. And those around her demanded and compelled her to know the deity. But now. Lydia believes that Eleris is a harmless existence to her. Yet, Lydia still does not know who Eleris is, and Eleris has not told her anything about herself. She was merely by her side. Throughout their time together, it was the accumulation of Eleris''s words, actions, and small gestures of care that eventually led Lydia Schmit to believe in Eleris. A belief different from faith. For the first time, Lydia felt this from a being that was not even human. Lydia knew some things about Eleris. There were Lord Vampires, and there were seven families of these Lord Vampires. This place was where they occasionally gathered. And Eleris, the head of the Tuesday family. There were no other vampires belonging to that family, with Eleris being the head. Lydia knew at least that much by now. A being that directly contradicted the teachings of the Five Great Religions, which had taught that all wrong beings were evil, was right before her eyes. Lydia couldn''t find even a hint of malice in any aspect of Eleris''s appearance. Had the deity. Delivered false teachings? If she couldn''t believe in the goodness and kindness before her eyes, where on earth was there something to believe in? Lydia Schmit''s disbelief had been growing in her heart for a long time. The deity might be wrong. And so. Lydia Schmit, experiencing this kind of warmth for the first time, felt something inside her crumble. No, perhaps it''s wrong to say it crumbled. In such a cold place. In this icy castle where everything froze solid. Something might have just melted away. ¡ª--- Imperial Capital, the headquarters of the Merchant Guild. "The Guild Master is currently unavailable." A predictable response to mine and Olivia''s meeting request. There was every possibility that they had discussed it beforehand. Something along the lines of not meeting Olivia when she visits. "When will he be back?" "We don''t know the exact schedule. We only know that he has been very busy recently due to major business issues within the guild. It might be a few days or even over a week before he returns..." If Owen de Gatmora deliberately avoided meeting Olivia, she would never be able to meet him. Of course, Olivia has no idea that this incident is a royal farce, and it''s difficult to realize that information is being deliberately concealed, and that she''s unable to meet the key figures involved in the case on purpose. Olivia and I eventually had to leave the Merchants'' Guild headquarters without meeting the important figure, Owen. If he deliberately avoided meeting us, it was an excellent strategy. He could have made a perfect excuse if we met, but avoiding conversation altogether was even better. At this stage, we weren''t even in a situation where we would be suspected. "What a letdown..." We had traveled all the way to the southern kingdom of Levaina and returned via the Royal Road, but we couldn''t even meet the Guild Master. "We have to choose between going back to Rajeurn and investigating further, or waiting here until the Guild Master returns," I said. In a way, I was relieved that Owen wasn''t around. If Olivia were to uncover the truth, she might go beyond her disillusionment with humanity and join the Demon King''s side. Even if she only said it as a joke, she might have joined the Demon King if I hadn''t been there. Olivia said she needed certainty. She didn''t say what kind of certainty. Whether it was the certainty to hate the Demon King, or the certainty to hate humans. If Olivia were to learn the truth about the incident, she would gain certainty to hate humans. Even if my being the Demon King were to be discovered, Olivia siding with the Demon King in the current situation would be like willingly jumping into a pit of fire. "Let''s return to Rajeurn." "Shall we?" That''s why I wanted to avoid any situation where Olivia might meet Owen. ¡ª--- Although the distance itself was enormous, using the warp gates made leaving and arriving almost instantaneous. Returning to the Royal Road and then back to Rajeurn was a quick process. "I always wonder how people would live without warp gates..." Olivia began to talk about the convenience of warp gates but suddenly closed her mouth. I felt the same way. Olivia narrowed her eyes and stared at a particular spot in the square where the warp gate was. It took us about three hours to leave Rajeurn, visit the Merchants'' Guild headquarters, and return. There was also the time it took to actually get to the Merchants'' Guild headquarters even when using the warp gate. So, we returned to Rajeurn in just three hours. "What is...this?" Olivia muttered with a trembling voice. In just three hours. "Burn them! Burn the heretics!" People driven into the clutches of the Demon Religion were hanging dead on poles, set ablaze. CH 399 There were people accused of following the Demon Sect. The crowd was furious, and the guards were blocking the enraged masses, warning them not to take matters into their own hands. What had happened in the three hours since we had left? All of the accused were already executed. This wasn''t a rural village, but the capital city of a small country, and the incident took place in the main square, where the warp gate was located. The alleged Demon Sect followers were dead, and the angry crowd was screaming for their corpses to be burned. I didn''t know if the Inquisitor had arrived in the meantime, branded them as heretics, and executed them, or if the guards had taken matters into their own hands and hanged them. But it was unlikely that this swift execution had followed due process. "It''s madness... all these people..." Olivia had expected something terrible to happen, but she seemed to feel horror that went beyond disgust and contempt, not knowing that people could be killed without even a proper trial. Fear resembles anger. That''s why the fear of the Demon King turns into anger towards one''s neighbors, seeking a scapegoat. Olivia averted her eyes from the gruesome execution scene and the angry crowd, heading towards the Special Investigation Headquarters. "What on earth are the Levaina royal family and the Holy Order doing?" I couldn''t say a word. "Could they be doing this on purpose?" It wasn''t that the royal family and the Holy Order had done nothing. Rather, they might have tolerated this situation. Those people could have been ordinary citizens instead of Demon Sect followers. The crowd could have believed that, or not. But if a scapegoat isn''t executed, the fury and fear won''t subside. Whether they were actually Demon Sect followers or not, their deaths would temporarily quell the anger. The crowd, intoxicated by the feeling that something had been resolved, executed the scapegoats with unnaturally swift speed. If the furious crowd turned into a mob, massive chaos would ensue. Releasing the ones suspected of being Demon Sect followers would only serve to fuel the crowd''s anger further. In order to control the situation, innocent people were killed. Olivia deduced such circumstances. Reaching the truth wasn''t the most important thing. The senseless violence of the crowd, already engulfed in fear following the Demon King''s attack, would undoubtedly play a decisive role in making Olivia despise humanity. ¡ª--- "Are you going to let this be?" Upon returning to the Special Investigation Headquarters, Olivia asked Scottla Kelton, the head of the investigation department. The middle-aged knight with an impassive expression seemed to fully understand what Olivia was talking about. "Miss Olivia, I trust you know what you''re saying." "I know that this could be considered interference in internal affairs and that the Investigation Department doesn''t have that kind of authority. But still... this is..." No matter how much Olivia felt disillusioned with humans, she was not someone who would agree to killing them indiscriminately. "I understand that if we leave this situation unattended, it could escalate into a large-scale riot and turn into a witch hunt against nonbelievers. However, the Special Investigation Bureau has come here not to interfere in the internal affairs of the Levaina Kingdom, but to investigate the truth behind the demon invasion. We cannot get involved in anything else." Olivia was no fool. She was well aware of what Kelton was saying. However, it was frustrating to witness a heresy trial unfolding right before her eyes, where people were hanged in an instant, knowing that this trend would continue for a while or even escalate into a riot and not being able to do anything about it. But the Special Bureau had to operate within the scope of their mission, and what was happening in Rajeurn was clearly beyond their jurisdiction. That''s why Olivia knew that she was asking too much from Scottla Kelton. But could they just leave this situation unattended? Olivia still had some compassion for humans to think that way. "Of course, even without any special authority, if you were to express concern about this situation, it could have a meaningful impact." Captain of Shanafel''s Third Division. The position was already more prestigious than a king of a small country. Moreover, they were currently taking orders from the Empire and in charge of field operations. Although it was interference in internal affairs, there wasn''t much they couldn''t do. "But if I were to take such action, it could be seen as interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. That''s why the focus should not be on Levaina." "Do you mean... other vassal states?" "Yes." Levaina could be interfered with, but if other vassal states found out about the interference, they could become very uncomfortable. No matter how small a country''s sovereignty, it was still a breach of a vassal state''s sovereignty. Although all countries belonged to the Empire, the Empire was ultimately a coalition of many nations. There were places governed by the Empire, such as the Imperial Capital, but vassal states had their own laws and sovereignty. In this case, it would be investigators from the Empire, who came to investigate an incident, interfering in internal affairs ¨C actions that were inconsistent with their purpose. There were too many potential issues for Scottla Kelton to step in, even in such a chaotic situation, and both Olivia and I could not help but understand his position. "Besides, I don''t think the current response is all that bad. If you force the truth onto an angry mob, they will only become more enraged. Although some innocent people may be killed, the situation will eventually calm down." Scottla Kelton casually spoke while reading a report, marking something, and moving his pen. He was right. Even if you tell those searching for a scapegoat that their target is innocent, they would either look for another scapegoat or become even angrier. Anger needs to be resolved, even if its cause is misplaced. A choice had to be made: face chaos from the ensuing riot or find scapegoats to kill and regain stability. The Levaina royal family and the church had simply chosen the latter. Olivia watched Scottla Kelton with a distant expression, as he absentmindedly rolled his pen. It wasn''t that she resented his cold conclusion, rather, it seemed she was at a loss herself, unable to find an answer. "Of course, I don''t have the authority, but there is one person who does have the power to interfere in domestic affairs..." He glanced at me. "Reinhardt." "Yes?" "If you claim to be here as the representative of the royal family, you could discuss an appropriate response with the Levaina royal family." "Even if it means interfering in domestic affairs?" "That''s under the assumption you''re willing to take responsibility. I don''t want to, but Reinhardt might feel differently. After all, you''re not under my command, are you?" It seemed that even though he was a mere knight, I was a semi-royal with the crest of the imperial family. Although meddling in the affairs of the Levaina royal family would be beyond the scope of an investigation, a representative of the royal family could have a conversation with them. Of course, it would still be considered interference in domestic affairs, but dialogue with the Levaina royal family was not out of the question. However, in that case, not only I but also the imperial family would have to bear responsibility for any consequences arising from my careless words. The crest of the royal family was not merely for privileges like priority access to warp gates. It became clear why it was never given lightly to anyone. Why did Turner send me here? Had I finally grasped the meaning - to try and stabilize the chaotic situation in Levaina if I could? It wouldn''t be life-threatening, but if successful, it would be a significant achievement. It didn''t necessarily have to be a solution. It could also be a test to see how I would react to such a significant issue. But how could I possibly? No. But I must admit, the empire is infuriating. I mean, they caused a terrorist incident in the southern small countries and then acted as if the aftermath was not their problem, right? And on top of that, they falsely accused the demon king and expected me, the demon king, to clean up their mess? ¡ª--- Levaina''s capital, Rajeurn, was currently in chaos due to the aftermath of the demon king''s attack ¨C people were going mad with fear of the demon king. The result was the expulsion of the demon believers. Of course, those who were actually expelled and killed were mostly innocent people who had little to do with the demon believers. It seemed that even the royal family and the church, who knew of their innocence, were trying to sacrifice these innocents to quell the angry public sentiment. In the first place, the demon king had never intervened in this location. In the end, it was also because Levaina was a weak country that the Empire had driven the revolutionary forces into the small southern kingdom and killed them. Moreover, the investigation headquarters was likely focused only on covering up the incident, pretending not to know about the repercussions that could arise from meddling in the internal affairs of another country. It was an age-old truth that the atrocities committed by the ruling class were too numerous to count. However, this truth felt even more chilling now that it was hitting so close to home. The Empire, which had caused this situation and now stood idly by, was terrifying. The Levaina royal family and the five great religious orders, who sought to stabilize the situation by hanging innocent victims they knew nothing about, were equally horrifying. Even the crowd, who knew deep down that there was no reason for their fear and yet chose to channel that fear into anger, seeking scapegoats, was dreadful. "Hell wasn''t somewhere else." In the VIP room, Olivia stood by the window, listening to the distant shouts of the people, and muttered with a gloomy expression. Back when the demon realm existed, battles took place in that specific region. Consequently, fights, wars, blood, and carnage were contained within that area. But now that the demon realm had disappeared, demons had infiltrated the world of humans, suddenly appearing and disappearing from anywhere. Because of this, people were going mad with fear of an intangible enemy and terror that the demons might be living and breathing close to them. Unable to find the enemy disguised as demons, they sought enemies disguised as humans, and those enemies were the demon-worshippers. But even the demon-worshippers were absent, so they were left to suspect and hate one another. "What are we going to do, Reinhardt?" At this point, I was the only one who could approach the Levaina royal family without causing too much of a stir. Reporting this matter to the royal court was an option, but the head of the Shanafel Knights, a knight of Charlotte, had a nonchalant attitude towards the situation. Whether it was Charlotte, the Emperor, or Bertus, it was clear that they would tell me to leave the matter alone. Was I any different? Even if I were to tell the crowd that the person they found wasn''t a demon-worshipper, they wouldn''t believe me, and even if they did, they would eventually find another way to vent their anger. There was also the option of strictly banning the witch hunts and declaring martial law-like measures to control the citizens. However, doing so could lead to an even greater disaster if the angry mob were to incite a rebellion. The rebellion could overthrow the royal family, and if the crowd were to be suppressed by force, that would be another catastrophe. It was a terrible thing, but Scottla Kelton''s words were not wrong when he said that the situation calming down with the death of innocent people was the least bloody solution. "Unless the real demon-worshippers are found and captured, or, to put it bluntly, the Demon King is killed... I don''t know of a way to resolve this without bloodshed." Did I have a brilliant plan? I was no genius, and politics was not my field of expertise. Even if I were to meet King Levaina and do something outrageous, what could I possibly say? It''s not like I have any brilliant ideas. Olivia was standing by the window, silently gazing down at the street below. She had come to dislike humans, but she couldn''t bear to watch innocent people die. Was her nature really disappearing somewhere? "People become like this when they''re consumed by despair..." There was no certainty that the Demon King would return, and the actual damage wasn''t that great. But fear spread among people regardless of reality. The fear of the name ''Demon King'' was circulated, reproduced, and inflated without substance among them. In the end, it was no different from faith, just not called by that name. Just like how those who don''t know about a deity would describe it and establish a common concept. A faith in the name of the Demon King was being created among the people. Although none of what they said resembled me, people added flesh to the vague entity of the Demon King, molding it into a form of fear. A new faith in the name of the Demon King, generating only fear and despair through belief. Find the followers of the Demon King! They would be emerging throughout the continent now. In Rajeurn, it was merely excessive, but since they couldn''t find the demons across the entire continent, people would try to find the enemies disguised as humans - the followers of the Demon King. This was just the beginning. A large-scale purge and hunt for the followers of the Demon King would begin. ¡°Believe in Artorius!¡± ¡°The hero will resurrect and defeat the Demon King!¡± And then, out of nowhere, I heard the words. Olivia, who was looking out the window, turned her head towards me with a puzzled look. "¡­?" "¡­?" What did I just hear? ¡°Hero Artorius will protect us!¡± "Did I hear it wrong? It sounded like Artorius, didn''t it?" "Uh¡­ Yeah¡­ It sounded like it?" No. What is this nonsense out of the blue? ¡ª--- Although it made sense for people to shout about the purge of the Demon King''s followers, Olivia and I ended up hearing something even more absurd. Believe in Artorius? Olivia and I rushed out to the street and grabbed the person shouting at the top of their lungs. "Excuse me." "Artorius will save us¡­!" The one shouting such bizarre words was an old man with a pale face. "What''s going on?" "What are you talking about? Believe in Artorius?" "Believe in the hero and be saved¡­! There''s no need to be afraid of the Demon King at all!" He yelled with a face full of faith and conviction. Olivia looked bewildered, and I was no different. "But, Artorius¡­ He fought the Demon King and¡­ died, didn''t he?" At my stammering words, the old man shook his head vigorously. "Hah! The young one knows not what he speaks! Artorius has not died, but ascended! After achieving the great feat of defeating the Demon King, he became a War God...! Yes, he rose to the ranks of the War Gods! So, it is only natural that with the Demon King''s return, Artorius too shall return to complete his unfinished mission!!" No way. "Believe in the hero, and await the salvation that approaches...!" What in the world is this nonsense? The old man, with his fervor unabated, began to shout as he walked away from us. ¡°Believe in Artorius!¡± ¡°The time of salvation is near!¡± ¡°The hero shall return! Do not fear!¡± As we blankly stared at the old man''s retreating back, Olivia and I locked eyes. "What''s this Hero Cult?" "How should I know...?" While hunting the Demon God Cult and other similar matters were within the scope of our expectations, we could not have foreseen the emergence of a new religion that worshipped Ragan Artorius. Taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, Olivia and I were left speechless. CH 400 Chapter 400 This is a bonus chapter from the donations "Heroism as a religion... What is this...?" "Indeed..." Both of us, having returned to the VIP room, were at a loss for words. The Five Great Religions essentially involve faith in existing gods. There are even sacred relics symbolizing the gods'' powers. Of course, most people are unaware of facts like the gods possessing dual natures. Anyway, there are clergy who believe in these gods that lend their powers, and they wield that power in the world. But this unexpected Heroism religion couldn''t possibly be like that. Rather, it was as if a religion similar to the one from the world I originally came from had suddenly emerged. Faith in something that doesn''t exist. Just as the Demonism religion originated from the fear of demons, Heroism must have also stemmed from fear. Olivia seemed baffled. "Ragan Artorius didn''t die, but instead ascended and became a god? Does that make any sense?" "If they want to believe that, then that''s what they''ll believe. It seems like they''re just labeling non-Demonists as Demonists." Naturally, there was no such thing in the original work. But since last year, when signs of the Demon King''s return began to appear, people fell into fear, wondering who would kill the Demon King if there was no hero. That fear transformed into a bizarre belief that Artorius would resurrect and vanquish the Demon King. "Do you think there''s something like a religious organization? Like someone spreading it systematically?" "I don''t know... Could that really be? Instead, there are cases of local folk religions. Though most of them have been eradicated long ago... Perhaps it''s something like that kind of folk religion?" When times are suspicious, cults tend to prosper. However, instead of the revival of Demonism, strangely enough, Heroism, a belief in heroes, emerged. If it''s in the form of a folk religion, there would be no core, and as fear of the Demon King spreads, this belief would spread like wildfire. "Really... I don''t know what''s going on anymore." Olivia doesn''t deny the existence of the Five Great Holy Religions, she just can''t believe in them. People are gripped by fear, some trying to kill their neighbors, and some spreading false hope by worshiping a dead being as a god. That''s the problem. "But this Heroism thing... In the end, isn''t it heresy?" A folk religion that believes in Artorius, who has become a god. Instead of the Five Great Divine Gods, they believe in Ragan Artorius, who directly defeated the Demon King. However, not only does this faith have no effects, but such a belief is fundamentally heretical. It''s even more bizarre since the Demon King is supposed to exist, but not be worshiped. At my words, Olivia bites her lip. "That''s right... It''s definitely heresy..." Olivia looks out the window. Although the actual view only showed the rooftops of buildings due to the chaos and fear of the crowd, the ominous atmosphere could still be felt. "But... Denying Artorius''s divinity now... Wouldn''t that be dangerous for the Holy Religions...?" In the original work, it was mentioned that the name of Artorious was spoken of at the same level as that of a god. However, it was a story about the absolute trust and reverence humanity had for Artorious, not that he was actually worshipped as a god. In the special circumstances of the Demon King''s return, people began to worship the hero. In their madness from the terror of the Demon King, they created a bizarre faith that the hero Ragan would resurrect and defeat the Demon King. Who would press a knife to their throat, accusing them of worshipping heresy? Don''t you believe in Artorious? Don''t you believe in the hero who killed the Demon King? Isn''t it a good thing if Artorious is resurrected? Why do you think it''s impossible? And you, why are you so adamant that Artorious cannot be resurrected? This guy, huh? He vehemently denies the resurrection of humanity''s savior? He must dislike the idea of Artorious coming back to life, right? Why would he dislike that? Ah... That''s right. He''s right. This guy is a traitor to humanity. Such a crazy reverse heresy interrogation becomes a possibility. Some search for a scapegoat to alleviate their fear, while others begin to believe in a new supreme being for the same purpose. Ragan Artorious is not a god. Would anyone who said that be able to keep their head? ¡ª--- A new faith in the hero is spreading. It is unclear whether this faith is a core belief or simply spreading in whispers like folk beliefs, but for now, it seems to be the latter. "Even if believing in Artorious''s return is a fantasy, it''s still much better than witch hunts." "I agree." I too agreed with Olivia''s words. It''s the difference between overcoming fear with anger or hope. Rather than driving innocent people to death as heretics, it''s better to spread hope by believing in the hero''s resurrection. Of course, the spread of the hero''s faith may lead to greater sacrifices due to conflicts with the Five Great Religions, but that is not happening at the moment. The essence of Ragan Artorious''s faith, regardless of what it is, is that it aims to implant the idea of not fearing the Demon King in people''s minds. The troubled hearts of the people calm down by believing in the hero''s return. The important thing. Ultimately, the core is not the faith in Artorious, but the belief itself that the Demon King will be defeated. The reason Saviolin Turner sent me here. It was meant to stabilize the chaotic political situation in Levaina. And the method was, upon reflection, almost absurdly simple. "If I show people that I possess the Alsebringer, the chaos will subside immediately, won''t it?" "Yes...I suppose so?" People longed for someone to fight the Demon King, so they hoped for the resurrection of the deceased Ragan Artorious. The key is not Artorious, but someone who will defeat the Demon King. The fear of the Demon King is dispelled by planting the hope that he will be defeated. The Relic of the War God held by Ragan Artorius who defeated the hero. People would be reassured just by recognizing the existence of a country chosen by the Alsebringer and its relic. They claimed that a hero had appeared to defeat the Devil King. Levaina, confused by the fake Devil King''s attack, was the perfect place for the second hero to emerge. ¡ª--- I decided to announce to the world that I was the owner of the Alsebringer. The royal family didn''t want me to be in danger, but they wanted me to gain fame. The disheveled capital of Levaina, Rajeurn, was an excellent place to inform people that a new owner of the Alsebringer had appeared. The terrified citizens began a heretic hunt, and the emergence of the Hero Cult, which believed in the resurrection of Artorius, was becoming apparent. So, I would show people the Alsebringer and tell them in a speech that I would defeat the Devil King, so they should go home, clean their feet, and sleep. The chaos would end, and I would gain fame along the way. There was no danger, and it would all end with just a few swings of the sword. So, Rajeurn was a perfect place for my debut. "Are you sure it''s okay? It could be... very dangerous." Olivia seemed worried about me. The Alsebringer would be an object of opposition to the current Devil King, and if the Devil King targeted me, it would definitely become dangerous. "It''ll be okay." I couldn''t explain why, but Olivia read something from my resolute expression and nodded firmly. "Alright, since it''s your decision, I can''t say anything more." With that, Olivia placed her hand on my shoulder. "I will protect you, no matter what." Although she couldn''t reach the truth behind the Devil King''s attack, Olivia''s goal seemed to have changed since I arrived. I wasn''t sure if the Saviolin Turner royal family had anticipated this, but Olivia seemed to prioritize protecting me after it was publicly known that I was the owner of the Alsebringer. After all, she was doing this because I was precious to her. I felt grateful for that. "¡­Thank you." And, I couldn''t help but feel sorry. "Then, a kiss!" -Smack! "Ah, I told you not to do that!" I wasn''t yet, but since I belonged to someone, I really wished she wouldn''t do that! ¡ª--- Olivia and I went out to the streets of Rajeurn. It had become night before we knew it. The streets were chaotic. Some people were gossiping about the resurrection of the hero, while others, like self-appointed vigilantes, were wandering the streets with torches in hand. Even if it wasn''t for the purpose of flushing out followers of the Devil King, the atmosphere was uneasy just by being still. Unless a sedative named "Hero" was injected, people would be restless at night, and they wouldn''t hesitate to suspect their neighbors. It was uncertain whether the new owner of the Alsebringer could restore a peaceful night for them, but it would create a better situation than it was now. In front of a crowd wishing for someone to die in their stead, the Devil King shouted that he would protect them all while wielding the Alsebringer. Even just imagining it, it was clear that it would be a ridiculous sight. What''s the difference between a hero and a clown? It might seem a bit noble that they bring hope instead of laughter, but I''m not a real hero, so it''s just a clown act after all. "Let''s head to the square." "Alright." "Please do some flashy effects." "Sparkles?" "Yes..." I mumbled, too embarrassed to elaborate, but Olivia seemed to understand as she grinned and replied. If I''m going to act like a clown, I might as well do it properly. While I don''t possess such abilities, Olivia can provide me with visual effects like emanating radiant light. A hero (actually the Demon King) wrapped in light, appearing to save the desperate crowd. Just thinking about it is dizzying and delightful. Since it would be best to make our appearance where the most people are, Olivia and I headed towards the central square of Rajeurn, where the Warp Gate was located. How long had we walked? As the square drew closer, both Olivia and I couldn''t help but look increasingly grim. "It''s increased since then..." As Olivia said, more poles had been installed in the square, and more people were hanging dead from them. I didn''t know where the frenzied mob found their sacrificial victims, but it seemed there were still more people to kill. Among the buzzing crowd, guards and priests were fervently chattering, as if preparing to hang someone else. They knew the dying were not heretics, yet they were killing innocent people to sedate the crowd. "People... are so frightening..." Olivia''s complexion was turning pale. Was she questioning whether it was truly right to risk danger to save such ignorant people? Although it was to prevent meaningless deaths, ultimately, it was for Charlotte. As the square got closer, the enraged mob became more visible. People screaming at the sight of the hanging dead bodies, people praying, and countless shouts to believe in Artorius blended together into an indistinguishable noise. "Reinhardt..." It seemed like Olivia was having a final thought, as she gripped my arm. The moment my identity as the owner of Alsebringer is revealed, something irreversible will begin. The title of the Demon King disguised as a hero might bring me something and may even make me responsible for something. As if it were the last chance, Olivia and I exchanged a pitiful gaze. Just as I was about to consider my last thoughts, From behind Olivia, the corpse hanging from a long pole suddenly -Whoosh! Moved its arm. -Thud! The corpse, which should have been dead, moved its drooping right arm to grip the rope around its neck and then -Snap! -Bang! It broke the rope, falling to the ground, and I could see it all. -Ahhhhhhhh! -The corpse is moving! "What?" -Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Olivia turned her head following my gaze, and there it was, a corpse sprawled on the ground, rising up at a grotesque angle. But that was not all. -Thud! Splat! Swoosh! The hanging corpses, one by one, began to move as if still dead, a sight that could not be unseen by the enraged crowd, Olivia, or myself. "W-what... what is... this...?" Olivia''s face drained of color as she watched the strangely elongated-necked corpse struggle to its feet. With its tongue sticking out, the dead body shuddered as it stood up. -Kyaaaaaah! A cursed scream, echoing as if from the depths of the abyss, filled the air. ¡ª--- In an instant, the plaza turned into a chaotic battleground. "The curse of the demon god has befallen us!" The crowd screamed in panic, while some, upon hearing the resurrected corpses'' screams up close, lost their minds and collapsed on the spot. -Grunt! Groan! The resurrected corpses tore into the people with their screams, displaying enhanced physical abilities as they bit and killed their victims. Were the frenzied crowds paying the price for their madness? Or were the dead truly followers of the demon god? The cause and reason were unknown. -Kyaaaaaah! Not only were the resurrected corpses massacring people, but they were also effortlessly killing the guards. It was apparent that ordinary people could not stand against them. The priests conducting the unjust heresy trials were caught off guard by the sudden turn of events. -Aaaargh! Even a priest who had just hanged a corpse found himself bitten and killed by the very same body. There was no time to waste. I summoned Alsebringer and leapt into the scene of the sudden tragedy, with Olivia following suit. "Be careful, Reinhardt!" "Yes." Considering the number of reanimated corpses, fighting together would only result in greater casualties. Magic Body Strengthening. And Self-Suggestion. I strengthened my body to its maximum potential and ran towards a corpse that had just bitten someone''s neck and was searching for its next victim. I swung Alsebringer at it. -Swish! I successfully severed the corpse''s neck. -Groan! However, the headless body still flailed and tried to grab my arm. Even without a head, it moved. A special case of corpse reanimation. The influence of a malevolent power was likely. In that case, I needed to use Tiamata instead of Alsebringer. -Slurp! I put Alsebringer away and grabbed Tiamata, stabbing it into the flailing corpse''s chest. -Thump! -Gurgle! Gargle! Blood and foam bubbled disgustingly from the headless, resurrected corpse''s neck stump, but only for a moment. -Whoosh! White flames shot up from Tiamata, engulfing the corpse as if burning something away. The corpse itself was not burning, but Tiamata was consuming something within it. As if attempting to burn away the corrupt energy with divine flames. It was the first time actually using it in a battle against the undead, but the effect was absolute. Thud. The immobilized corpse fell lifelessly to the ground. Boom! Gasp! Olivia, enveloped in a white radiance, was dealing with the corpses biting at people one by one with her fists and kicks. There was no need to worry about that side. Oh, oh my... The holy light... Despite the sudden chaos and massacre, people were blankly murmuring as they saw our presence. "Damn it! We don''t have time for this! Get moving!" After yelling at the dumbfounded crowd, I moved towards the next target. Screeeech! As if reacting to Tiamata, the corpses indiscriminately attacking people turned their gaze precisely towards me, screeching hideously. Whether it was some magic or the real machinists causing the chaos, I couldn''t tell. These corpses possessed a combat power incomparable to ordinary humans. And I knew from facing the zombies last time. The real problem with them wasn''t their combat power, but the primal fear they instilled. Seeing a corpse charge with its unnaturally elongated neck and its protruding tongue flapping wildly, it''s impossible not to have one''s reason paralyzed and legs go weak. That''s why even the armed guards were panicking and fleeing. The true power of the undead lies not in their strength, but in the fear and revulsion they evoke from their grotesque appearance. "Go back to being a corpse." But I, I had already faced them before. CH 401 ¡°Huu¡­¡± Twelve resurrected corpses in total. Their physical abilities were greatly enhanced, making them too difficult for ordinary soldiers to face. However, they were no match for Olivia and me. There may be countless beings stronger than me, but I, too, belong to the realm of superhumans who are on a completely different level compared to ordinary people. I took down five, Olivia six, and the awakened guards apprehended one, which I finished off. Just as the corpses purified by Tiamata''s power ceased to move, Olivia seemed to have drawn upon the power of Tu''an to halt their movements. However, the situation was gruesome. The area was littered with corpses that had been bitten on the neck, had their heads smashed, or limbs torn apart. There must have been at least fifty corpses. A massacre had taken place in a very short span of time. Many had fled, but countless others sat frozen in place, their legs having given out from sheer terror. If they had believed these people were followers of the devil and killed them, they would have had to consider the possibility that something horrifying beyond their comprehension might occur. Although I didn''t feel like mocking those who were paralyzed with fear when such an event actually transpired, I couldn''t help but feel a surge of indignation. ¡°Th-Thank you for saving us¡­ What on earth is this¡­?¡± Although many of the dead were armed guards who had been near the awakened corpses, those who managed to regain their composure had fought with their weapons. The person who appeared to be in charge, as well as the other guards, still wore expressions of terror. ¡°First, tend to the people. I don''t have time to explain who I am.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, sir!¡± Not everyone recognizes sacred artifacts. They might not know what to make of the Tiamata in my hand, but they would likely consider it an unusual object. I hadn''t planned to make an appearance in this manner, but I suppose I would become known as a hero who leaped into an unexpected massacre to vanquish the undead. Olivia approached me from a distance. ¡°Reinhardt¡­ This must be¡­¡± Olivia trailed off. I knew what she wanted to say. The possibility of dark magic couldn''t be dismissed, but she seemed to focus on another possibility. The power to revive the dead. It was also the power once exhibited by the cursed Tiamata, and it belonged to Kier, the nemesis of Tu''an. It was highly likely that the divine power of the devil was being used. This meant that the real cult of the devil might be involved in this situation. And furthermore. Although the situation in the square had been resolved, there were no signs of additional guards arriving. ¡°Aaaahhhh!¡± ¡°Please, save me!¡± ¡°Run for your lives!¡± Screams could be heard in the distance. Olivia must have sensed the mixture of awe and terror directed at us by the guards and the people whose legs had given out. Her eyes were filled with sorrow. The people must now understand what they were up against. It was unlikely that they recognized Olivia and me. In the terrible situation, people gazed upon the men and women of the mysterious order who appeared like salvation and displayed their immense divine power. It was clear what they would do. ¡°The gods have sent us angels...!¡± ¡°They have come to save us!¡± People looked at us, nodding their heads and prostrating themselves. Olivia watched them with a complex expression. Some would arbitrarily hang someone, while others would worship someone just as arbitrarily. Olivia looked away from those people and gazed at the large square. The area was filled with corpses that had appeared in an instant, but there were no longer any living corpses moving about. "Let''s go, Reinhardt." They had to do something about the bizarre events unfolding in Rajeurn. * * * The catastrophe at the large square had been quelled, but the revived corpses exhibited physical abilities surpassing those of ordinary humans. More importantly, it seemed these events were happening not only in the large square but throughout the entire city of Rajeurn. ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Run for your lives!¡± An uncontrollable fire was engulfing the city, its origin unknown, and the spectacle of the revived corpses biting and tearing at people was unfolding everywhere. As dead bodies revived and attacked people, it was natural that the scale of the disaster would grow. If this continued, Rajeurn would become a blazing inferno swarming with the resurrected corpses. ¡°Shit!¡± "Damn it..." As I cut down the living corpse with Tiamata, a white divine flame blazed from the severed section, burning away the evil energy. If this was the true power of the Demon God Kier, then Kier and Tu¡¯an would ultimately purify each other''s existence with the same power. ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Please, save me!¡± Rajeurn was already in chaos, but now it was transforming into chaos mixed with slaughter. And that wasn''t all. ¡°Ugh¡± "Damn, they''re coming back to life." The corpses that Olivia and I had dealt with did not revive, but the corpses in the streets began to grotesquely contort and move after some time had passed. Unless purified with divine power or utterly destroyed to the point of being unrecognizable, the dead bodies would rise again after a short while. ¡°Crunch!¡± With a hardened expression, Olivia crushed the head of a corpse that was just starting to move under her foot. Her lips were tightly pursed, and her expression was terribly twisted. Even if they were undead, she was crushing those who had been alive just moments ago. ¡°Don''t be afraid!¡± ¡°Cut off their limbs! Cut them off!¡± One piece of good news was that the sounds of battle and shouts could be heard from somewhere. This fight was not a simple military exercise; priests and holy knights were needed. However, it was doubtful how many high-ranking priests would be present in the small Kingdom of Levaina. In fact, the priests who were in the large square lost their nerve and could do nothing before they were killed. They were not accustomed to battle. "When will the empire''s reinforcements arrive... or will they even come...?" Olivia murmured with a desperate expression. With the existence of the Warp Gate, once the news reached the Empire, support troops would arrive, and there were also the special agents from the Empire, so there would be some degree of countermeasure. But could Rajeurn survive this bizarre situation where dead corpses were coming back to life? In Rajeurn, which had suddenly turned into a living hell, Olivia and I ran to find the source of this calamity. While running, we encountered reanimated corpses, which we sliced, cut, and crushed. -Rumble! Burning houses were collapsing. Naturally, a fire couldn''t spread this quickly. It was impossible for Rajeurn to turn into a sea of flames in an instant unless someone had intentionally set the fire in an organized manner. "Reinhardt! Over there!" After running for quite some time, Olivia pointed towards the end of the long, straight road. There, a group dressed in black robes could be seen. As someone waved their hand over an intact house, a wave of flame erupted like a tidal wave, swallowing an entire building. We could see it clearly. Someone was setting the fire. Was it magic? And among those in the black robes, there was one person riding a horse. No, not just an ordinary horse. "A phantom steed...?" It was a translucent horse with only a blurry, pale blue figure. The phantom steed, as it was called. In the midst of the group, the being riding the phantom steed turned its head towards us from afar. Due to the flickering flames in the distance, we couldn''t see the figure inside clearly. But it was unmistakably felt. My intuition warned me. It was watching me. Both Olivia and I could see the being in the black robe spurring the phantom steed from afar. We didn''t know who it was. But it was approaching. "Tiamata is now in your hands." "Right." I was certain that Olivia wasn''t a combatant without her weapon. Tiamata was in Olivia''s hands, and Alsebringer was in mine. The phantom steed didn''t run; it glided across the distance at an unbelievable speed, charging towards us. -Swoosh! The figure in the black robe approached us, wielding a long twin-bladed polearm. Its face was hidden within the robe, appearing as a mere black mass. It held a spear in its left hand and a sword in its right, riding the phantom steed as it charged towards us. In an instant, the knight closed the distance, attacking Olivia with the spear and swinging the blackened blade towards me. -Clang! -Screech! My hand throbbed with pain as I was flung back, and Olivia''s stance wavered significantly. We weren''t injured, but the force imbued in the weapons was difficult to withstand. -Growl An unknown black energy surrounded each weapon held in its hands. "What the hell are you guys doing?" After a single attack, it quickly created distance between us. I questioned the phantom rider, and a slow voice emerged from the darkness. "For the Demon King." The knight riding the charging phantom steed spoke softly. "He desires the destruction of Levaina." ...What? When did I! ¡ª--- I don''t even know these people. Yet, suddenly, what kind of nonsense is it that the Demon King wants the destruction of Levaina? I can''t understand. And if the power of the Demon Cult is this great, why have they been silent until now? Have they been expanding their influence in the meantime? There was nothing certain, only uncertain conjectures. However, the Phantom Rider came charging again, wielding two weapons tainted in darkness. It was on a different level than the speed of a galloping horse. This time, it attacked targeting only Olivia, as if it knew it had to eliminate her first. -Hwooong! The first attack was hard to withstand, but now, Olivia was imbuing Tiamata with a powerful divine force. Tiamata would be more efficient when used by Olivia than when I held it. -Screech! A fierce shockwave exploded as the sword collided with Olivia. Olivia did not back off this time, but the Phantom Rider passed by her without any significant damage. The Rider stared at Olivia. In the pitch-black darkness, I couldn''t tell what the Rider was thinking. It seemed that the Phantom Rider had decided to confront the two of us, and the robed figures had disappeared from the edge of the street. There was no escape. The speed of the phantom horse the Rider rode was not that of a regular horse. As if to ignore the laws of physics. -Screech! ¡°Argh!¡± In the blink of an eye, the Rider dashed and swung down his weapon, passing by in the opposite direction and then returning without any sign of inertia. Despite moving as if unaffected by inertia, the speed and strength of the weapon were real as it swung down or thrust. ¡°Reinhardt! Be careful!¡± -Clang! ¡°Argh!¡± Even while maintaining my Magic Body Strengthening, just deflecting the spear the Rider thrust caused a powerful pain in my wrist, as if it would shatter. However, the Rider''s fearsome ability wasn''t just in the destructive power of his attacks. After striking once, he would terrifyingly rotate and charge without giving me a chance to recover from the impact. -Sheeek! ¡°Damn it¡­ Son of a¡­¡± Without any backlash from his movement, the Phantom Rider thrust his spear at my face as he charged. I don''t know why, but is this right to try to kill me while claiming to be on the Demon King''s side?! -Screech! Just before the Rider''s spear pierced me, Olivia rushed in and knocked it aside. -Kiiee! In an instant, the Rider turned the horse''s head, recovered the spear, and circled around to the side. ¡°Are you okay, Reinhardt?¡± ¡°Yes, for now.¡± I couldn''t know his full capacity, but the Phantom Rider''s ability far exceeded my current level. I wasn''t sure how he compared to Olivia, but it was clear that he found her annoying. ¡°What should we do about that horse?¡± The phantom horse moved as if ignoring the laws of physics. The Rider''s strength was a problem, but in his current state, riding the phantom horse, he had an overwhelming advantage. ¡°I''ll try to hold him somehow.¡± Of course, the Tiamata that Olivia held was glowing with a white, divine light in her left hand as well. With her Magic Body Strengthening and divine power enhancements maximized, Olivia didn''t quite fit the current situation, but she looked like an angel descending upon the battlefield. In this scene where everything around her was burning, it seemed as though she had come not for salvation, but for judgment. Screeeech! The phantom horse let out a strange cry, charging at Olivia and me once again. Clash! A deafening noise, almost unbelievable for the collision of weapons, resounded, and this time, the rider did not pass by Olivia. No, he couldn''t. He was pushed back by the counterforce of Olivia''s weapon. But that wasn''t the end. Clang! Clang! Clang! Rather, Olivia pressed her attack so that the horse couldn''t move, driving the rider into a corner. She aimed at the horse and swung her weapon, but the rider seemed to know, deftly parrying Olivia''s every attack with his spear and sword. Olivia was incredible, but so was the phantom rider. Handling a sword and spear with both hands, he was able to skillfully block Olivia''s Tiamata swings. This was an absurd monster. However. A joint attack is absolute. While the enemy focused on protecting the phantom horse from Olivia''s assault, I seized the rider''s back. First, we had to knock him off the horse before we could plan our next move. What we needed now was not strength or skill, but speed. It''s been a while since I''ve used this in actual combat. Swift. I concentrate the power of self-suggestion on speed. Another power adds to it. The stronger the enemy compared to me, the more Alsebringer empowers me. The enemy is clearly stronger, so the condition is sufficient. One step. The moment I took a step. I seized the rider''s back with a speed unfamiliar even to myself, so fast that I was astonished. However, it seemed as if the rider reacted to my speed, swinging his spear to block my charging sword. Grind! ¡°Tsk!¡± It was the fastest speed I could muster, but the rider reacted to it. But as I said before. In the end, a joint attack is absolute. With his left hand''s spear blocked and his right hand''s sword intercepting Olivia''s sword strike, the phantom rider was momentarily trapped, unable to move forward or backward. He moved as if defying the laws of physics, but he never moved sideways. The moment I blocked his retreat. Snap! With her free left hand, Olivia boldly grabbed the rider''s sword. Wrapped in light, she gripped the rider''s sword and forcefully twisted its direction. Slash! With the Tiamata, she sliced off the phantom horse''s neck. Screeeeaaam! With a chilling scream, the phantom horse turned into a blue mist and scattered, and we immediately put some distance between us. Only then did the rider descend from the unnaturally moving horse to the ground. Thud! The rider in the black robe didn''t say anything about being speechless. Aside from that first remark, it didn''t say a single word, and its emotions and mood remained unreadable. Clank! Casually discarding the spear, which was longer than its own height, the rider grasped only the darkness-swirling sword. "What are you lot?" Olivia spoke to the rider, who silently held its sword and watched the two of us. "Minions of the Demon King?" Although the rider''s skill was a problem, Olivia seemed to think it more important to identify who they were. From within the robe, the mysterious rider looked at us and said, "Yes." This is absolutely insane. When did I! I don''t know you people! A stranger claims to be my subordinate. "We will complete the task that the Prophet failed to accomplish." The Prophet. Judging by the fact that they called the Demon King a prophet, these people must be followers of the Demon Cult. I didn''t fully understand the situation or how it had come to this, but I seemed to have an idea of their purpose and intent. Since the Demon King failed to raid Levaina, do these people, who consider me a prophet, intend to finish my failed task by attacking Rajeurn? The situation is so tangled that it has come to this. Rumble! Black energy began to stir in the sword it held. It was quite different from the rider¡¯s previous momentum. It wasn''t that the rider¡¯s combat power weakened after dismounting, but rather, it seemed as if the rider were finally about to reveal its true strength. The weapon, oozing dark energy, seemed as if something eerie would happen the moment it met its target. "Fine." A sardonic smile appeared at the corner of Olivia''s mouth. "There''s no way the Demon King would do that." Olivia didn''t come here to discover the truth behind this incident. If the Demon King''s minions were turning Rajeurn into a mess in real-time. She seemed to have gained confidence that there must have been another reason why the Demon King had saved her. She needed certainty. And so, she had just obtained it. No matter how hateful and disgusting human behavior may be, could the essence of all humans be evil? However. Although she couldn''t know the essence of all demons. Aaargh! Sa, sa, save meeeee! Kyaahhhhhhh! If the Demon King was behind such actions. The Demon King must be an evil being. Olivia was certain. "Moreover." With Tiamata in hand, Olivia Lanze stared at the phantom rider with a chilling, expressionless face. "There''s no need to plead any longer for the power of divine grace." Olivia had forsaken the gods. But she was still using holy power, and they were lending her strength. However, it seemed like Olivia was now trying to deny even that principle. "Light." It wasn''t a plea to save us. It wasn''t a plea to guide us. It wasn''t a plea at all. "Come to me." To the light, she said, follow me. Olivia commanded. Woo-woo-wooong! The white light enveloping Tiamata gradually intensifies, eventually adopting a golden hue. Olivia Lanze employs Tiamata in a manner unlike my own. By now, I know that divine power fuels Olivia in some way. Thus, there is no need to pray or to strive to believe. Olivia has been chosen by the gods. Chosen, so that regardless of her actions, the gods lend their power to her. Now, she commands the power to manifest. -Krrrrrr! The air stirs violently as Olivia Lanze is engulfed by a torrent of immense divine power, her fierce gaze fixed on the phantom rider. Riverrier Lanze was never like this. Although Riverrier Lanze held the upper hand in practical abilities, the sheer divine power in Olivia surpassed Riverrier Lanze''s. Even I, standing nearby, could feel the atmosphere roiling from the tempest of divine power. However, the wicked being before us did not back down in the face of Olivia''s onslaught. The dark energy boiling within the phantom rider was ominous, but the storm of divine power radiating from Olivia was colossal. Already immense, Olivia''s divine power, amplified through Tiamata, seemed capable of enveloping the world with just its release. Olivia, cloaked in light, and the rider, shrouded in darkness. The phantom rider charges towards Olivia. But it appeared as feeble and insignificant as a small boat facing a tidal wave. As the phantom rider advances, Olivia focuses her divine power on Tiamata. A dazzling golden radiance begins to concentrate within Tiamata. The divine power-imbued Tiamata, seemingly on the verge of exploding, collides with the sword of the phantom rider. Olivia thrusts her sword from above, downwards. A straight thrust, but wielding a pressure that seemed capable of shattering the world, she strikes down. The moment the two swords clash. -Flash! I saw the storm of light engulf the world. CH 402 -Whirrrrr After the torrent of divine power swept the surroundings, I could see particles of light falling from the sky. The storm was so powerful that it swept me up and tossed me around. Olivia stood in the midst of the storm, staring at something in the distance. There. A figure stood, its black robe tattered, and its bones exposed. Black smoke rose from its eyes and the corners of its mouth. -Hissssss It wasn''t dead. To begin with, it had been moving while dead. Olivia murmured softly, staring at the motionless skeleton. "Death Knight..." It was a Death Knight that had been blocking our path. As its bones slowly crumbled to ashes, we watched in silence. The Death Knight was undoubtedly one of the highest-ranking undead. The fact that it didn''t evaporate but left remains, despite Olivia''s massive use of her divine power, which was extremely effective against the undead, proved its strength. "To think that such a thing would appear where people live, the world has gone mad." Olivia gritted her teeth and muttered. However, the chaos was not over. We had dealt with one Death Knight, but the city''s turmoil was only accelerating. And then. -Screeeeech! With a chilling, shrill sound, a phantom horse emerged from the end of the street. "There are more!" As if aware that we had dealt with one Death Knight or seeking to eliminate the threat, another Death Knight approached from a distance. Moreover. -Heeheeheeheehee! It wasn''t just one, but two. Olivia''s expression turned grave. "What on earth..." It took a tremendous amount of energy to deal with just one. Olivia''s face darkened as two more appeared. Two would be difficult. Was the city of Rajeurn truly doomed today? The two Death Knights, charging at a ferocious speed, targeted Olivia and me. Olivia''s stamina was depleted, and I was not strong enough to face the Death Knights. If I used retreat to create an opening, could we face them? Since they serve the Demon King, would they stop attacking if I revealed myself as the Demon King? If so, what should I say to Olivia? I had to make a choice. Would Olivia be on my side? Would she believe that I hadn''t intended for this situation? Just as I was about to remove Sarkegaar''s ring to confront the two charging Death Knights. -Swish! A blue flash swept between Olivia and me. -Thunk! Both Olivia and I could see the flash piercing the chest of the charging Death Knight. The burning blue magical power surrounding the sword, embedded in the Death Knight''s chest, became visible. And then. -Swish! Another blue flash passed us. This time, it was a person. -Crash! Both Olivia and I clearly saw it as one of the Death Knights charged forward, only to be kicked with such force that it was sent flying into a burning building. In an instant, one Death Knight was incapacitated, and the other was slammed into a corner. The one who did this then turned to us. "Reinhardt, Miss Olivia." The head of the Special Investigation Bureau. And, the captain of the 3rd unit of Shanafel. "The situation is dire. Return to the empire." With that, the Swordmaster. Scottla Kelton gave us a succinct order. ¡ª--- I had thought that he must be quite skilled, having been dispatched to such an important scene and holding the position of bureau chief. It wasn''t so strange that Scottla Kelton was a Swordmaster, being the captain of the 3rd unit of Shanafel, the empire''s greatest knight order. However, Olivia had used an awakened level of divine power, and I had struggled against the two Death Knights. They were sent flying helplessly by a single stroke of his sword and a kick. It felt more real than ever that the Swordmaster was an unrivaled existence even among superhumans. But the Death Knights were no pushovers. Swoosh! One Death Knight nonchalantly pulled the sword embedded in its chest and threw it away, as if it wouldn''t suffer a fatal wound unless it was torn apart by divine power. The magic within the sword seemed to have already faded. Crunch! And the Death Knight that had been slammed into the wall crawled out of the debris, tossing it aside like styrofoam. "¡­" Their twisted limbs. But even their dark eyes, which seemed to burn with darkness. These grotesque beings, exuding a sense of dread, stood before Scottla Kelton. "Death Knights." I had sensed it to some extent when I saw them riding phantom horses, but Death Knights... The Death Knights didn''t charge at Scottla Kelton. Instead, they slowly began to retreat. Had they decided that facing the Swordmaster would be too difficult? Aware of how dire the situation was, they backed away and put some distance between us through several leaps. Swish! As they reached into the air, phantom horses were summoned, tethered by reins. Kiiiiiiii! The Death Knights summoned their phantom horses, mounted them, and disappeared as they raced through the burning streets at a speed that made pursuit impossible. Scottla Kelton did not chase after the retreating Death Knights. "There may be more of them. I will escort you to the gate." It seemed he prioritized protecting Olivia and me. "I have sent a messenger to the empire. Soon, the Holy Knights and imperial support troops will arrive. The situation will stabilize, so you need not involve yourselves any further." ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± ¡°Mommyyyyy!¡± Hell was all around us. Too many things were already not okay. Scottla Kelton told Olivia and me a story that we couldn''t possibly believe, saying that everything would be fine. ¡ª--- We couldn''t insist on being stubborn when the Swordmaster told us not to interfere in the situation any further. Not knowing the extent of the power held by the followers of the Demon King, we had directly experienced the strength of a Death Knight, the highest-ranking undead. We had managed to defeat one, but there were two more, and we had no idea how many more there might be. "Kieeeeek!" "I''ll take care of this." As the reanimated corpses appeared and charged at us, Kelton struck them not with the blade of his Aura Blade, but with the flat side of his sword. "Pwoong!" As if they had been caught in a massive explosion, the charging undead were struck by the flat side of the sword and exploded like balloons. It was the technique used by Saviolin Turner when deflecting my and Ellen''s swords. When used with the intent to kill the opponent, the mere impact would cause them to explode in a shockwave. Once again, I felt how much Saviolin Turner had been holding back against us. As soon as he sensed something strange, Scottla Kelton seemed to have sent a messenger to the Empire. We could see the troops who had arrived to protect the burning city of Rajeurn, now in disarray, beginning to clean up the situation even before we reached the warp gate nearby. "We came following the light, but did you happen to converse with the Death Knight?" It seemed as if he intended to gather information from us before returning to the Empire, so he asked us. "They said... they are underlings of the Demon King. And they seem to refer to the Demon King as the ''prophet''... considering the words they used..." "It must be the followers of the Demon King. If there are any who would call the Demon King a prophet, it would be them." "Yes... They said they intend to complete the unfinished work of the prophet... It seems they planned this attack after the last one failed." "Hmm...?" Scottla Kelton narrowed his eyes at Olivia''s words. "Did you hear them correctly?" "Yes? Ah... I''m sure that''s what I heard." He must be incredulous, knowing that the previous Demon King attack was a fabrication. The Demon King had failed in the attack on Rajeurn, and therefore had sent more powerful minions to destroy Rajeurn once and for all. That was the only way Olivia could understand it. However, Kelton knew that the Demon King had nothing to do with the previous attack in the first place. Thus, the very situation where the minions of the Demon King attacked Rajeurn to complete the failed attack didn''t make sense to him. Of course, he didn''t tell us any of this. He must have had a hunch that something was off about the followers of the Demon King attacking Rajeurn. "Hmm, and..." That wasn''t all. He had also seen Olivia holding Tiamata, not just me. "I think you should discuss the details with the captain." Not only me, but Shanafel had also learned that Olivia could wield Tiamata. That meant the royal family would inevitably learn of it. ¡ª--- As we arrived at the warp gate of Rajeurn, countless armed forces were pouring out of the gate. Sending an army was a more dangerous move than intervening in domestic affairs, but the Levaina royal family would have welcomed this deployment from the empire with open arms rather than resisting. And there, a familiar face was waiting for us. "I''m glad you''re both safe." Saviolin Turner. She was guarding the area around the warp gate with the members of the Shanafel squad. It was not a trivial task, as the destruction of the warp gate would have caused severe disruptions in troop deployment, making it a crucial defensive point. As Turner approached me, she carefully embraced me. "I''m sorry. I thought it would be safe here." Her coming here in person, as the leader of the Shanafel, was surely due to Olivia Lanze and me being present. I could feel the deep sense of apology in her voice. "For now, return to the temple. We''ll take care of everything that happens in Rajeurn." Hero or warrior. I had tried to be something similar, and in fact, had done something similar. Though, to be precise, it was Olivia who had done it, not me. But the scale of the incident had grown too large, and the situation had reached a level that neither I nor Olivia could resolve on our own. My fingertips trembled slightly. The intense pressure from the weapon wielded by the Death Knight wouldn''t easily fade from memory. And then, Scottla Kelton whispered something into Saviolin Turner''s ear. Upon hearing it, Turner''s eyes widened ¨C specifically, as she looked at Olivia. "¡­ For now, go back. We''ll talk in detail later." Rajeurn was far too dangerous a place for conversation, not the right setting for sharing stories. ¡ª--- It was the empire''s role to put an end to the turmoil in Rajeurn, not ours. No matter how small the country, the empire had to take the situation seriously when the capital was attacked by an unidentified heretical group. They had dispatched the Shanafel, each member capable of special operations, and even their leader. Of course, my presence in this place played a significant part in their decision. The scale of the attackers on Rajeurn was unknown, but they were no match for the Shanafel. On another note, it was my first time witnessing the prowess of a Swordmaster, and it sent chills down my spine. While the next stage of Magic Body Strengthening was the Master class, the difference seemed too vast. I couldn''t stand against the Death Knight, and Olivia had used all her strength to handle one, but Scottla Kelton effortlessly fought against two. Moreover, the Death Knights had even sensed they were outmatched and had fled. The night of the Imperial Road was tranquil. Somewhere on the continent, the capital of a small country had turned into a sea of flames, but the Imperial Road seemed unaware of such events, remaining calm and quiet. Except for the troops moving urgently through the gate, it appeared as if nothing had happened. Crossing just one gate, let alone several, one might not even know that a massacre was taking place somewhere. It seemed that Olivia, like myself, was not used to the tranquility of the ecliptic. "Should I ask them to keep it a secret?" Olivia must have known what I was talking about. If it became known that Olivia had become the owner of Tiamata, more trouble would ensue. She would be tormented by countless pleas to become our savior as a holy maiden, as well as by coercion and oppression. For Olivia, who despised such things terribly, it must have been unsettling that Scottla Kelton had seen Tiamata. I could ask Turner to keep it a secret that Olivia had become Tiamata''s owner, and both Turner and the royal family would keep the secret. In response to my words, Olivia looked up at the night sky. Stars were embroidered across the sky as if they would pour down. Somewhere, the sky was invisible due to thick smoke and fires covering the ground. Olivia quietly gazed at the ecliptic sky, where even the Milky Way could be seen. "You guys decided to let people know that you became the owner of Alsebringer." "...Yes." For fame, for political influence. To let people know about the hero''s return through that. To give hope to people, although it was more for Charlotte, such side effects would follow. "Then, guys like those earlier will target you, right?" If the hero''s return was known, the Demon King would target me. Most people were worried about that, but I was sure it wouldn''t happen. However, today I found out. There were followers of the Demon King that I didn''t even know about. They actually existed, claiming to be his followers, arbitrarily assuming his intentions and putting them into action. Olivia looked at me and smiled playfully. "The Demon King will target those who pose a threat to him. If being the owner of Alsbringer puts you in danger." "The Demon King would also target the owner of Tiamata." "And, I''m stronger than you." "The Demon King will try to get rid of me first." Her words seemed to strangle me. That sad gaze, her feelings towards me. It felt like my heart was being wrung. "I want to protect you. But I almost couldn''t." Two Death Knights. If Scottla Kelton hadn''t appeared at the right moment, the situation could have become dire. Olivia could have died, or I could have. "If it''s difficult to protect you alone, then I must become whatever is necessary. Be it a holy maiden, a hero, a commander of the Holy Knights, or the pope of the Five Great Holy Religions..." Olivia looks at me. "Even if it means becoming the first Holy Emperor of the Holy Empire, or anything else." Olivia decides to pick up the name of the abandoned god. Not for the god, not for the people. For me. "I''ll do anything to protect you." Olivia, who wanted to live a life of her own choosing, ends up choosing to return to the life of coercion from which she had run. I had chosen to walk a dangerous path for Charlotte. Olivia intended to walk an even more perilous path than I. To create a situation where she would be targeted before me, should the Demon King set his sights on us. Guilt welled up within me. I had nothing to offer her. Why must she take on such risks without any expectations of me in return? Amidst the rising guilt, I realized something. Was this the emotion Charlotte felt towards me? No wonder she would always avert her gaze and look down, wearing an apologetic expression whenever she saw me. In an unexpected place, I had learned how Charlotte must feel, knowing that Olivia was willing to sacrifice everything for me. Grateful, but with guilt that outweighed that gratitude. What am I? Who am I to deserve this? Before Olivia''s blind devotion, I was consumed by guilt. As if she knew that, Olivia looked at me and smiled. "Because it''s the life you''ve given me, I chose to use it for you. No, don''t apologize. It''s a choice I made for myself." Olivia decided to become Olivia Lanze once more. "So, Reinhardt. No matter what happens, even if the world turns upside down, even if the Demon King or the world itself hurts you. Whatever comes our way." As Olivia grabbed my collar and pulled me close, she pressed her lips to my forehead. "I will protect you." She whispered tenderly. CH 403 It had only been two days since I left the temple. And my return was at night, well past bedtime. Thus, although people knew where I went, no one knew yet that I had encountered the Death Knight in Rajeurn and returned. Of course, given the nature of the incident, it wouldn''t be long before rumors spread throughout the empire. "..." After parting ways with Olivia, I returned to the second-year dormitory, where I found Ellen sitting dazedly in the lobby. I had thought this might happen. Ellen looked at me. "..." I could read countless emotions in her eyes. She had been worried about me, wondering when I would return, and now that I was in front of her, she seemed unsure of how to begin. Instead, she averted her gaze and bowed her head. My chest felt tight, as if it were constricted. Would we become strangers like this? If so, wouldn''t that actually be better? Shouldn''t we be glad for this situation, in which we both try to unburden ourselves of the emotions we carry for each other, if only a little? Yes. It would be less painful for both of us later on. Yet, I couldn''t find any comfort. Whatever I said would be a lie. We can''t have everything, and I had made a choice. I had chosen Charlotte. I had to distance myself from Ellen Artorius. And so, I tried to pass by her. But then... She grabbed the hem of my clothes as I attempted to pass. "..." "..." I couldn''t ask her to let go. It wasn''t a strong grip, rather a delicate one, as if she didn''t even realize it. Though I didn''t know what to say, I couldn''t just leave her like this. With just a slight twist of my arm, she would have let go, but she held on ever so lightly. Not long ago, she would have held on so tightly that she wouldn''t let go. Our relationship had been shattered by a single word: engagement. And so, it wasn''t even her hand, but the hem of my clothes, held so very lightly. It seemed as if Ellen thought even this action was wrong. "You went to a dangerous place," she said quietly, her head still bowed. "..." "I can smell... burning." My clothes must have picked up the scent of burning, having been in the midst of a fiery inferno. Unable to find the right words, Ellen seemed to have no choice but to guess where I had been and what I had experienced. She was Ellen, who hated the thought of me being in danger with a passion. She would hate it, but if I chose to do it, she wouldn''t be able to stop me. However, this time it wasn''t a dangerous place I went to, but a place that had become dangerous. I couldn''t push Ellen away, and she couldn''t pull me closer. "Will you keep... going to dangerous places like this...?" she asked, her eyes brimming with tears. She probably knew what I had to do. "Most likely." "..." "Don''t worry. I won''t go to truly dangerous places, and even if I wanted to, people wouldn''t let me." It was a lie. Even in less dangerous places, sudden incidents like the one that just occurred could happen. As long as there are followers emerging in places I cannot control, I cannot consider any place I go, or even this imperial capital, to be truly safe. Ellen''s gaze, as she looked at me, made it clear she didn''t believe a word I said. Rumors of the Demon Cultists attacking the holy capital of Levaina, Rajeurn, would soon spread to the imperial capital. The fact that Olivia and I were present would also become known, as well as my encounter with the Death Knight. Ellen seemed to be about to say something, but in the end, she just lowered her head. The hand holding my sleeve was eventually let go. ¡ª--- I returned to my room in the dormitory. I couldn''t shake off my tangled thoughts. Just before I lay down in bed after washing up, there was movement in the air. Swish - A white mist gathered in one corner of the room, taking on a human shape. "So, how did it go?" "Ah, you." The silver-haired girl, Lucinil, had appeared. Could Lucinil, like Sarkegaar, visit without anyone knowing? Lucinil was assigned to protect me, but due to certain limitations, she couldn''t accompany me to Rajeurn. "I heard it wasn''t particularly dangerous¡­" Whether she received that information from Epinhauser or not, Lucinil didn''t seem too worried. "Your expression says otherwise." Of course, the reason for my current unpleasant expression was due to my recent encounter with Ellen, rather than what happened in Rajeurn. "The Demon Cultists attacked Rajeurn." "¡­What?" Upon hearing my words, Lucinil''s expression hardened. As she probably knew the reason for my visit to Rajeurn, I explained only the events that occurred afterward. The crowds in Rajeurn, driven mad by the terror of the Demon Lord, began persecuting and executing heretics. Then, suddenly, the real Demon Cultists attacked Rajeurn. I also told her about my encounter with the Death Knight and how the situation seemed to worsen, so we decided to leave Rajeurn for the time being. The crux of the issue was this: "It seems the Demon Cultists are following me." "¡­What on earth are you talking about?" Yes. The situation was so bizarre that it was difficult to understand. I couldn''t help but be dumbfounded and furious. "They behaved as if I had ordered the attack on Rajeurn. They even referred to me as some kind of prophet." "¡­But you didn''t cause the events in Rajeurn in the first place." "Exactly." I clicked my tongue in irritation. "They seem to think that there must have been a reason for me to destroy Rajeurn. So, they attacked Rajeurn as if they were completing the task I had failed to accomplish¡­" Since I didn''t actually instigate the attack on Rajeurn, the Demon Cultists'' actions were just empty gestures. Numerous people were dying, but it had nothing to do with my intentions. "A city turned to ashes by the misguided loyalty of strangers I don''t even know¡­" Lucinil sighed, folding her arms. "You, what are we going to do about this?" Lucinil had been skeptical about the talk of world peace and all, but the incident with the demonic cult''s attack, resulting from Bertus''s conspiracy, was cornering her as well. She had somewhat anticipated that the demonic cult, which should have been destroyed by the return of the Demon King, would be expanding its influence somewhere. But it felt eerily real now that it had come to light. "First, we need to find the members of the demonic cult and either bring them under our control or eliminate them." Once I confirmed their loyalty to me, I would either turn them into my true subordinates or, if their beliefs were too dangerous, eliminate them. The cultists needed to be found. At my words, Lucinil cocked her head. "But how are you going to find them?" "We have to think about that." They weren''t the kind of people to be openly active, so it was hard to think of a way to catch them unless they revealed themselves like they did now. "I''ll share the information with the Council and the Order for now." "Yes. And let''s also get in touch with the royal family. I think they''ll know, but we need to make sure they''re aware that we''re not behind this." "Right, it''s best to make things clear. It''s better to be safe than sorry." Although they would eventually communicate through Sarkegaar, it was a good idea to exchange opinions with the royal family as well. In this situation, a connection had been created between the revolutionary forces, who tried to form a bond, and the royal family, who were practically their greatest enemy. The royal family would expect us to become enemies at some point, but they would want to use us as long as they could, just as I was doing now. Lucinil would take care of delivering my opinion to Sarkegaar. "I know we couldn''t help it this time, but don''t get involved in anything too dangerous. It feels like you''re hanging me out to dry." She worried for me as if I were a child. I was grateful for her concern, but it was amusing to imagine Lucinil fretting and biting her nails upon hearing that I went to Rajeurn. "I might follow you secretly, so don''t be too surprised if I suddenly appear." "That would be great for me. But you know that if someone sees us, both you and I would be kicked out of the Temple, right?" "I''ll take care of that, you little rascal. Anyway, I should head back now..." "Oh, right." As Lucinil was about to leave, I remembered one last thing I had to tell her. "Well... this isn''t as important as the demonic cult issue." "What is it?" "It seems that a new religion is emerging." It sounded ridiculous when I tried to say it. "A new religion? What kind of nonsense is that?" "A religion that believes in the resurrection of Ragan Artorius is spreading among the people." "Uh... what?" Just as I was dumbfounded, Lucinil''s reaction was no different. In their terror, some people suspected their neighbors of being heretics, while others, driven mad by fear, sought out an absurd hope. Fear produced the same cause, but the results were vastly different. "Wow... I''ve seen countless bizarre things humans do, but this is just astonishing..." It seemed that Lucinil couldn''t help but feel dumbfounded by the current situation, where the baseless belief that the already dead hero would resurrect spread due to the absence of a worthy opponent for the Demon King. "Well, if the true owner of the sacred relic were revealed to the world, such beliefs would probably disappear. It''s just that there''s no reason to believe it right now..." In the end, they believed that the hero would be resurrected and the Demon King would be defeated through faith. If it became known that an adversary of the Demon King, rather than the hero, had appeared in the world, wouldn''t the faith in the hero naturally disappear? At my words, Lucinil stared at me intently. "That... Reinhardt, right? I don''t think that''s the case, you see?" "Huh?" "You said you would propose to the princess and reveal that you are the owner of the Alsebringer, didn''t you?" "Yes." So what''s the big deal? "And Alsebringer is the sword of Ragan Artorius, right?" "Well, yeah..." "Then, wouldn''t people believe that you are the reincarnation of Ragan Artorius?" "What?" I don''t understand what he''s saying. "No, even if Ragan Artorius really reincarnated, he would be less than a year old now. He''s been dead for just over a year. It doesn''t make sense for people to believe that I am the reincarnation of Ragan Artorius based on the timeline, does it? There''s no way they''d think that..." "Does believing in the resurrection of Ragan Artorius make sense in the first place?" "Ah." At that moment, my mind seemed to freeze. Right. What''s the point of saying that people who believe in something that doesn''t make sense won''t believe in something even more nonsensical? When it became known that I was the owner of Alsebringer, it was clear that the followers of the hero''s faith would treat me as the reincarnation of Artorius or a prophet simply because I possessed Alsebringer. "Wow! Our Reinhardt is amazing! A prophet of the Demon Faith and a prophet of the Hero Faith at the same time!" Lucinil burst out with a malicious laugh and hugged me. -Whack! "Y-You bastard..." "Our baby is the best!" "Why am I your baby?!" As I forcefully pushed Lucinil away, she pondered with a sinister smile. "Wow, no joke, you really have a lot of titles?" "Rightful heir to Darkland." "King of all demons." "Ally of the Vampire Council." "Collaborator of the Black Order." "Master of Tiamata and Apostle of Tu''an." "Owner of Alsebringer and Apostle of Als." "Prophet of all Demon Faith followers." "And a prophet of the Hero Faith as well..." Lucinil smirked. "And, a son-in-law to the Empire''s royal family?" Even I felt dizzy hearing all that. "Isn''t my existence a contradiction in itself?" Exactly... What am I, really? ¡ª--- As Lucinil said, it was only natural that the followers of the Hero Faith would revere and worship me as a prophet once they knew of my existence. And so, the followers of the demon god proclaimed themselves as the servants of the Demon King. Prophets of two groups with completely different attributes. It was decided to leave the task of finding the followers of the demon god to the Council. Since the followers of the demon god would also want to contact the Demon King, capturing them would be a foregone conclusion once contact was made. The problem was that they didn''t know in which direction to make contact. The next day. Olivia and I received a summons from Saviolin Turner. "It has been confirmed that the followers of the demon god were responsible for the incident in Rajeurn." "..." "As expected..." "At this point, it is presumed that the powers of the demon god Kier and Talad were used." Kier, the god of corruption, and Talad, the god of fear. Had the demon god priests, who were the counterparts of the two gods, been deployed? This would mean that the followers of the demon god were cooperating, just like the five major god religions. I had thought that those who set the fires were using something akin to magic, but it turned out that they were using divine magic fueled by the divine power of the demon gods. "What is the current situation?" At Olivia''s question, Turner''s expression darkened. "We were able to handle the resurrecting corpses. We captured some of the demon god followers, but they all committed suicide, and we failed to capture the core members. We are currently tracking them, but we don''t know how it will turn out." Although Saviolin Turner said this, it seemed that she expected the pursuit to fail. Furthermore, Turner''s face was filled with a deep sense of guilt as she relayed this news. The Shanafel and the royal family would know that the followers of the demon god had no direct contact with the Demon King. It wouldn''t make sense for the followers of the demon god to come and put an end to the Rajeurn incident, which wasn''t even an attack by the Demon King in the first place. The empire''s involvement in the self-made play had drawn attention away from the real issue. There was no way Turner could be pleased when Rajeurn suffered enormous damage because of the self-made play initiated by the empire and the subsequent misunderstanding by the followers of the demon god. Saviolin Turner must be feeling an immense sense of responsibility right now. The attack of the demon god followers had happened, and the dead could not be brought back. It was clear that she believed they must find and exterminate the demon god followers responsible for this incident. This time, Saviolin Turner looked at Olivia. It was because Scottla Kelton had clearly seen Olivia holding my unmistakable Tiamata. "Olivia and I share Tiamata." The one who answered was not Olivia, but me. "Sharing...?" Naturally, she wouldn''t know such a concept was possible, so her confusion was understandable. "Didn''t I tell you last time? Tiamata was corrupted, and Olivia purified the sword..." "Yes, that''s right." I had drawn Tiamata while fighting against Charlotte, who was being eroded by the Demon King''s soul. And then, I explained how I acquired Tiamata and told Olivia''s story. Olivia had purified the corrupted Tiamata, and I became its owner. I hadn''t mentioned that Olivia and I now shared Tiamata. "After that, Olivia and I became able to use Tiamata together." "Such a thing... is possible?" But even if it seemed impossible, it had happened. "Yes, I understand why you wanted to keep this a secret. If you want me to keep this matter confidential, I can do so. However, I won''t be able to do anything about the rumors spreading due to those who saw the two of you in Rajeurn." "No." At Turner''s suggestion, Olivia shook her head. "I plan to return to the order." Knowing that her fame might be her downfall, Olivia decided to become even more famous. Saviolin Turner''s eyes widened upon hearing Olivia''s decision. CH 404 Rumors spread that a second wave of attacks by the Demon King''s minions and demon worshippers had occurred in the city of Rajeurn, resulting in a massive number of casualties. The tale of the demon''s curse, which brought the dead back to life to devour the living, and the newly-dead rising to feast on the living, filled the people with terror. Although the situation in the Empire was not as extreme as the witch hunts in Rajeurn, the people shuddered in fear, realizing just how much havoc the demon worshippers could wreak if they were to draw their swords. The emergence of the sinister-sounding Death Knights in the very cities where people lived only intensified their fear. Of course, not only these terrifying stories spread. Alongside the chaos, rumors emerged of two heroes wielding sacred relics appearing at the scene. A man with the Alsebringer. A woman with the Tiamata. The Apostles of Als and Tu¡¯an were said to have appeared in the desperate city of Rajeurn, slaughtering the reanimated corpses, demon worshippers, and Death Knights. In truth, it was indeed the work of Reinhardt and Olivia. However, it was the Empire''s support troops and Shanafel who played a decisive role in resolving the situation. The Empire exaggerated Reinhardt and Olivia''s achievements even more. "That''s the Alsebringer, the hero''s sword!" "And the Tiamata too¡­" "The gods haven''t abandoned us!" As fear spread, so too did hope follow. The attacks by the remaining demon forces had only sown fear until now, but the appearance of the two champions in Rajeurn had planted a hope in the masses that was stronger than their fear. Heroes had appeared to fight the Demon King, and there were two of them. Their true identities were not widely known, but rumors have a way of spreading. Some knew that the man was Reinhardt, a second-year student of the Temple Royal Class, while the woman was a sixth-year student. A truth known to few soon becomes a truth known to all. The two champions had suddenly emerged and were holding onto the hearts of those who were sinking. That''s why many people felt relief rather than fear when they heard the rumors of the Rajeurn attack. The demon worshippers'' assault was no longer a tragedy but a story of hope. After all, it was happening to strangers in an unknown place. The rumor that the Demon King''s challengers had appeared would soon expand to say that the Demon King would be defeated soon. Those who knew the truth understood that no matter how powerful Reinhardt and Olivia were, they couldn''t possibly stand against the Demon King. Of course, even this wasn''t the whole truth. However, whether the hope was real or false wasn''t important. If peace persisted due to false hope, then it wouldn''t be much different from real hope. As if preventing people from falling into chaos with their faith in the impossible idea of the Heroes'' Teachings. Whether or not the challengers to the Demon King could actually defeat him, the people could endure the present by believing that they would. Several days later. The Winter Palace. "..." Bertus sat in his office, deep in thought. Though he had the emperor''s approval, the attack on Rajeurn had been Bertus''s own plan. He was well aware that civilian casualties were inevitable in such situations. However, he had not anticipated the subsequent fallout. Especially not in this manner. The Demon King was bound to be hostile toward the empire''s royal family. The collapse of any connection with the revolutionary forces and even being used by them had naturally fueled their anger. Cultists of the Demon Faith began to appear. Their goal was to complete the unfinished plan of the Demon King. However, the attack on Rajeurn was not the work of the Demon King, so claiming to complete his plan was absurd. If the Demon Faith''s cultists were part of the Demon King''s forces, they should have known that the Rajeurn incident was not his plan. Therefore, it was likely that the cultists had no direct contact with the Demon King. ''Is it really unrelated?'' But there was a slim chance. Out of anger for their previous humiliation, the Demon King could have deliberately orchestrated this incident. The attack on Rajeurn had been disguised as the Demon King''s work, but the actual damage was minimal. Many civilians had been killed, but the focus had been on the numbers. The death toll was not that high, and the Rajeurn attack had ultimately failed. The Demon King may have felt cheated and angered by the minimal damage caused by an act disguised as his own. Perhaps he thought it was laughable that his forces could barely destroy the capital of a small provincial nation. Thus, he may have initiated such an incident to demonstrate what would happen if they seriously attacked somewhere. People might start to underestimate the Demon King, considering the unimpressive results of the attack that was rumored to be his doing. Therefore, it wasn''t entirely impossible that the cultists were claiming to be acting under the Demon King''s orders. They could easily issue orders to appear at the disguised attack site and turn Rajeurn into a wasteland. To warn Bertus of the consequences of using their name so recklessly. The Demon King had spared Owen de Gatmora, but took revenge by destroying Rajeurn. If this was indeed the Demon King''s intention, then Bertus had paid the price. In that case, the problem became much bigger. Bertus had estimated that the remnants of the demonic forces were very few in number. While individually powerful, they were certainly not a majority. That had been his assumption. ''But if the Demon Faith''s cultists are also involved...'' The number of cultists was not comparable to the Five Great Holy Faiths. However, they were led by powerful undead Death Knights and included priests who worshipped the five Demon Gods. There were high-ranking priests of the powerful Demon Faith who could cast a curse that enveloped the entire capital of a small, albeit significant, nation. Urban-scale terror. The existence of the demon world remnants was proof that they could already wage war. To be able to wield the power of the Demon Cult was equivalent to the Demon King acquiring an army. What if a curse that revives the dead to kill the living is unleashed in the midst of a battlefield? Regardless of actual combat ability, the soldiers, who rely heavily on morale in a full-scale battle, would be shocked and either collapse or flee. ''It doesn''t matter if the Demon King''s orders are involved or not.'' It''s not important. The Demon Cult itself is already a grave security threat to the empire and must be eradicated. Bertus didn''t feel guilty that this had happened due to his own mistake. ''Rather, it''s fortunate. It''s better to discover that such scum exists within the empire before it''s too late.'' It was a relief to discover the existence of anti-empire, anti-church forces capable of such acts before their power grew even stronger. In the current continental situation, where rumors spread that the Demon Cult was expanding here and there due to the Demon King''s influence, fear caused some people to abandon their beliefs and seek salvation from the Demon King and his minions. It was a tumor that would have grown larger if left alone, but now it had revealed itself. This was not a crisis. This was a rare opportunity, and the exposed Demon Cult''s tail must be seized and uprooted entirely. -Knock knock -"Your Highness, there is a request for an audience with Owen de Gatmora." At the sound of the knock that followed, Bertus took a deep breath. "Tell him to come in." At Bertus''s concise command, the door opened, and an elderly man wearing a hat bowed deeply to Bertus. "I am here to see His Highness, the Crown Prince." "Sit down for now." Although Owen had many reasons to visit him, Bertus felt he had some idea of the purpose of his visit. Owen de Gatmora, seated on the sofa, looked at Bertus with a serious expression. "Your Highness, the demon world forces have delivered their opinion." "Opinion...?" "They say that this matter is not their doing. Of course, whether this is true or not is uncertain..." There is no connection between the Demon Cult and the demon world forces. Although this claim could be false, it was clear that the demon world forces were reluctant to lose their connection with the royal family due to this incident. If it were true that the Demon King had no connection to the Demon Cult, what would his stance on the Demon Cult be? "If it''s true, they would want to find the Demon Cult and subjugate them, and if it''s false, they''ve already subjugated the Demon Cult." Although certainty was impossible, the task at hand was simple. The top priority now was to find and annihilate the Demon Cult before the Demon King could. If they were even a little late, the Demon King would swallow the Demon Cult''s forces, leading to further consequences. ¡ª--- "Tiamata...." Inside the Holy Knights'' commander''s office. The current Holy Knights Commander, Eleion Bolton, was staring wide-eyed at the white-bladed sword before him. It was none other than Olivia Lanze who had brought it. Olivia showed the Tiamata with a calm expression and took it back into her hand. "It''s a welcome change of heart, and to have been chosen by Tiamata..." "Is this enough to qualify for priesthood?" It wasn''t just the priesthood that was the issue; even without Tiamata, Olivia was capable of much more. Now she had become the owner of the powerful and great symbol called Tiamata. To put it bluntly, she could easily push aside the current Holy Knights'' Commander and take his place with plenty of supporters. Eleion Bolton gazed at Olivia Lanze, her expression resolute. "May I ask what made you change your mind?" "¡­" It wasn''t for the sake of protecting everyone, but rather for the sake of protecting one person. Since Reinhardt had saved her life, she would use it only for Reinhardt. But Olivia knew that she couldn''t say such a thing. "I saw the followers of the Demon God." "It seems the rumor that you were in Rajeurn is true." "I thought I couldn''t stand by and watch as humans disrupted the world, even if humans banded together, it wouldn''t be enough." Olivia gave a universal reason. She, who had detested being forced to comply with universal standards and had struggled under the pressure to fulfill the duties of a saint, had come full circle back to where she was meant to be. "Well, as a student, you won''t have many responsibilities yet. However, I can give you any position, authority, and mission as an honorary post. Naturally, I can also provide support in terms of manpower for the tasks you want to undertake." Eleion Bolton asked Olivia, "Do you have any plans in mind?" Olivia, a saint with a high reputation. Being the champion of Tu''an, she could have a significant influence just by spreading hope in the five major temples of the Divine Church. She had been sincere and diligent in helping people and saving others. Eleion Bolton believed that by simply speaking of hope to those in despair, people would find peace of mind. As if she already had something in mind, Olivia answered immediately upon being asked the question. "I want to become an Inquisitor of Heresy." "¡­" Upon hearing those words, Eleion Bolton''s expression hardened. The Saint of Eredian. He had thought she would devote herself to saving, helping, and protecting others. But now she had returned and volunteered for a task that involved torturing, killing, and ferreting out heretics. It wasn''t too strange considering she had returned to the church after witnessing the horrific deeds of the Demon Church followers, and now volunteered for a mission to root out heresy. The Holy Knights'' Commander looked at the Tiamata in Olivia''s right hand. Generation after generation, the champions of Tu''an had killed not demons, monsters, or undead, but humans. Hunting down the followers of the Demon Church had been the task of the champions of Tu''an. Would Olivia Lanze be unable to escape that fate as well? The Saint of Eredian, who had seemed incapable of even stepping on an ant, had now decided to become a heretic hunter for some reason. "Very well." Eleion Bolton thought that this must be the will of Tu¡¯an. ¡ª--- Rumors spread like wildfire. Especially when the royal court was intentionally spreading the rumor, the speed at which it spread could only be faster. The attack on Rajeurn by the Demon Cult. The appearance of the champions of Tu¡¯an and Als at the scene. Even their names. It spread like wildfire in an instant. It wouldn''t have been like this under normal circumstances, but with the mention of the Demon King on the continent, the names of the opposing heroes were bound to spread like wildfire as well. The Royal Class had known about this from the start, but what was important was the reaction outside the Royal Class. ¡°That person is¡­¡± ¡°The Champion of Als¡­¡± Though Reinhardt and Ellen were taking classes from Saviolin Turner, they were also attending regular classes, of course. With the name Reinhardt on the attendance roster, they couldn''t help but attract the gazes of countless people. The gazes of the regular class students attending the same class changed completely, and even the teachers looked at them with eyes filled with awe, regardless of gender. This was not only during classes. "..." "Hey, you... You''re quite popular..." Liana muttered blankly as she walked down the street with Reinhardt. They were not out for a stroll, but simply on their way back to the dormitory after their psychic class had ended. -Buzzing As they walked, a large number of students were following and murmuring behind them. ¡°They must be dating.¡± ¡°Even heroes need romance.¡± ¡°They could just be friends.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°No, didn''t that person date Miss Temple last year? I saw it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± "..." With a crowd following them like some idol with a fan club, Reinhardt couldn''t help but feel... An incredibly dog-like feeling in real-time. Liana seemed to be dumbfounded by all the attention in real-time as well. Why on earth are they following? Why? Nothing comes from following! ¡°Hero! Please look over here!¡± Being called a hero. When he actually heard it, it sent chills down his spine. "Hey, you bastards! Go home, wipe your feet, and sleep! Why are you following and making a fuss?! Huh?!" In the end, he exploded. The rumor of the hero with a bad temper would be added to the list. Liana declared that she couldn''t hang out with him anymore when they returned to the dormitory. ¡ª--- It was a terrible feeling when people casually called me a hero. I never thought I''d take mental damage like this. The expectations people had for me turned into interest, and they started to hover around me, which was really hard to endure. Some even became hardcore fans, following me around regardless of whether it had anything to do with classes. And even. "Let''s have a match with the power of Alssbringer on the line." Crazy people who came asking for a match, with baseless confidence, emerged as well. "I''ll test whether you''re worthy of being the master of Alssbringer." It was unclear whether they craved attention or were just overly confident. "What the hell are you talking about?" -Whack! "Ugh!" "If you''re that desperate for attention, go take a dump in the fountain on Main Street, you crazy bastard. You''ll get all the attention you can eat for a lifetime." -Slap! "Argh!" It seemed that there were those who wanted to try something because I didn''t appear as formidable as they had imagined. ¡°Kyaa! So cool!¡± "...I want to die." Being a hero. In a different sense, I felt in real-time that having a strong mentality was essential for this occupation. CH 405 Chapter 405 There were many who followed me around, but there were also countless who picked unnecessary fights with me. Most of them thought that if they could best me, the famous upcoming hero, they might be able to steal even a tiny bit of the popularity I possessed. Others seemed to be jealous because the women they liked followed me around. Having a fan club and constantly dealing with people picking fights had become a part of my daily life. Ellen and Harriet were still carefully keeping their distance. Harriet seemed to be crying alone. She always wore her hat low, covering her swollen eyes. Ellen knew that I had been to dangerous places and would continue to do so. Neither could she stop me, nor was it easy for her to watch, so Harriet seemed to be struggling. Olivia frequently left the dormitory. She said she had taken on the duties of an Inquisitor for the Holy Knights. Considering that she was past the age to graduate, and her external activities would already grant her class recognition, the Royal Class dormitory had become nothing more than a place for her to sleep. Ellen and Harriet were both sinking into depression, while Olivia tried to attract the Demon King''s attention by becoming even more famous than me. None of this could possibly make me feel better. Stress everywhere. And. When stress accumulates severely. Hair falls out. "Ah... Damn it..." After taking a shower before bed, I couldn''t help but be horrified when I saw the clump of blonde hair on my hand. I pulled at my hair and saw that circular hair loss had appeared. In common terms, a bald patch. It was flaunting its existence, no bigger than a coin. I didn''t want to be reunited with something like this. Why are you reappearing in my life? Didn''t we agree to part ways forever? "Hu, huu... huu..." I focused my mind. Hair began to fill the bald patch in real-time. The Ring of Hair Loss Permanent Immunity. Sarkegaar''s ring saved my life. I am a god! The god of hair loss! No, if I were the god of hair loss, I''d be losing hair, so should I call myself the god of hair? I am a god! The ruler of hair! The god of hair! Let it fall out as much as it wants! I will replenish it! I nearly suffered from PTSD for a moment, but Sarkegaar''s ring saved me. It''s unfair to be stressed and lose hair, not just twice but exponentially depressing. It''s not addition or multiplication; it''s exponentiation. If it weren''t for this ring. I might not have been able to enter the temple in the first place. Without the ability to restore my hair, would I not have been the first bald hero in history? Thank you, Sarkegaar. You are a loyal servant. Tap tap tap And just as I thought that, a sparrow began tapping on the window of my room with its beak as I returned. Click! As I opened the window, the sparrow swiftly flew into the room, and as I drew the curtains, Sarkegaar transformed into his usual, elegant maid appearance. "Your Highness, I have come to see you..." "I love you." Wham! "????" As I suddenly embraced him, Sarkegaar seemed taken aback and flinched. "You''re the loyal servant of the century! You''ll go down in history as a great and loyal servant!" Thank you for saving my hair! There''s no way any other loyal servant in the world has ever solved their lord''s baldness problem! "Y-yes...? Yes! I love you too, Your Highness!" Not understanding the reason, Sarkegaar embraced me back and patted my back diligently. ¡ª--- Sarkegaar had come with his own mission, but he must have been curious about my sudden behavior, so I explained the reason to him. "¡­You mean your hair was falling out?" "¡­Yes." While I considered hair loss a major issue, Sarkegaar, who could freely transform, tilted his head, not understanding my concern. "It is an immense honor that the ring of the elves has solved Your Highness''s problem." "No, I''m the one who''s honored." Seeing my almost prayerful attitude, Sarkegaar seemed even more puzzled. "I came here to discuss the information from my contact with Owen de Gatmora, as instructed earlier..." "Ah, right. That." Sarkegaar began to share his main purpose with a slightly hesitant expression. "The royal family seems to have accepted our words for now, but there is still a possibility they do not trust us." "¡­That''s to be expected." The royal family may think that the previous attack on Rajeurn was a retaliatory strike. Even if we have a clandestine conversation like this, we''re still enemies. That''s inevitable. "We must find the followers of the Demon cult before the Empire does." "We must." The race has begun. If we find the Demon followers later than the imperial royal family, they will be annihilated. If I find them first, I can have them under my control. Although I''ll have to consider whether it''s really necessary to keep them under my feet, there''s no need to let the Demon followers run wild like this. If I can use them later, I will. But for now, I need to make contact with the Demon followers to prevent any unnecessary chaos. "Based on the information I''ve gathered, the Empire seems to believe that the Demon religion''s base is in the southern part of the continent." Sarkegaar said cautiously, as if he had conducted his own investigation. As an imperial noble, Sarkegaar had access to the royal family''s information. Of course, the same was true for me. The southern part of the continent. Considering the scale of the continent, the term "south" encompasses a vast number of countries and territories, too many to count. The south. "If it''s the south, then Lord Gallarush might know something." I had heard that Gallarush was based in a place called the Gelkorgis Desert in the southern part of the continent. Though the sheer size of the area meant that the chances of obtaining useful information were slim, focusing on Gallarush seemed like the best course of action under the current circumstances. "Leave the matter of conveying our opinions to the Council to Lucinil, and you may go." "Yes, Your Highness." Once again, I watch the figure of Sarkegaar, who has transformed into a sparrow, fly out the window. Will the Empire strike first, or will we? Sarkegaar can access the royal family''s information, but I am even better in that aspect. I am a hero. I can obtain the information collected by the Empire through countless routes, faster than Sarkegaar. If we get our hands on the followers of the Demon cult, will we dispose of them or use them? I should have thought about that as well. ¡ª--- Since the day the engagement was mentioned, Ellen no longer ate with Reinhardt at the midnight dining hall. They didn''t have a big fight. They didn''t even have a serious talk about ending their relationship. However, after hearing those words, it felt as if they couldn''t do anything together anymore. Except for the swordsmanship lessons with Turner, Ellen and Reinhardt just passed by each other when they met. But his expression was unbearable to Ellen. If Reinhardt''s expression when he saw her was one of satisfaction, as if he cherished Charlotte, protected her through the engagement, and would eventually marry her, she might have been able to look away. But the guilt-ridden gaze that swept over her every time they met tormented Ellen. She should have thought it was all over. But because of that gaze, she couldn''t think it was over. Their behavior towards each other wasn''t as if they didn''t exist, but Ellen felt exhausted by the feeling that they had become worse than strangers. So, Ellen sat blankly in the dining hall. Not eating anything or doing anything. She hadn''t felt hungry for quite some time. Usually, at this time, she''d be starving and would have to eat something. While sitting blankly in the dining hall, waiting for someone who wouldn''t come, day after day. Ellen didn''t drink a drop of water. She knew Reinhardt wouldn''t come, but she couldn''t sleep either. If she stayed outside, she might catch a glimpse of Reinhardt passing by, but if she stayed in her room, there was no chance at all. Ellen spent more and more time sitting blankly in the lobby, the dining hall, and the training ground. If they happened to meet, she wanted to say something. That it''s all okay. That she understands everything. That she wants to go back to how they used to be. That she won''t demand him to be hers alone. To talk like always, exchange swords, and occasionally eat together. She could be satisfied with that. Even if he was engaged to Charlotte, and they eventually married, couldn''t they still do that? Couldn''t they be friends like that? But trying to be with Reinhardt under that pretext already meant they couldn''t be just friends. If she said something, she felt like she would repeat the same mistake she had made with her brother. Accusing him of lying when he said he liked her. Asking if he could so easily let go of her after all those lies. "Are you just toying with me? Why would you do this to me?" If, after saying such words, Reinhardt were to die... Afraid that a situation might come where she couldn''t take back the words she''d blurted out, Ellen couldn''t say anything to Reinhardt, in case she hurt him and couldn''t undo it. So, Ellen wanted to speak to him but held herself back; she wanted to grab him and talk, but she couldn''t. Just as Reinhardt seemed about to say something but ultimately couldn''t, Ellen was the same. It was already known that Reinhardt was the owner of Alsebringer. The news had spread throughout the temple, causing the Royal Class dormitory to be crowded with regular class students trying to catch a glimpse of Reinhardt. Ellen knew that this fame would eventually become a knife to stab Reinhardt. She wanted to do something, but she couldn''t do anything. She couldn''t interfere in Charlotte and Reinhardt''s problems. She wanted to help Reinhardt, who plunged into dangerous situations, but knowing he wouldn''t want that, she couldn''t even offer to accompany him. So, Ellen just sat there, blankly. Not knowing what to do or how to do it, she just hoped to run into him. Knowing that Reinhardt wouldn''t leave his room since it was past bedtime, she just sat in the lobby and the dining room, blankly. Reinhardt didn''t come to the dining room. In the midst of a miserable feeling of self-defeat, Ellen thought. All she could do was think. It was all happening because of that one thing: Charlotte''s life was in danger. The engagement, Reinhardt''s danger, everything. He tried to secure Charlotte''s safety at the cost of his own danger. It was known that Reinhardt was the owner of Alsebringer, but the engagement had not yet been made public. If Reinhardt made a desperate choice, and if Charlotte was safe, wouldn''t their engagement be canceled? If that happened... Could she be by Reinhardt''s side again? "..." What should she do then? On that unforgettable night in Kamsencha, Ellen and Harriet heard Reinhardt''s explanation. Although they didn''t know the exact reason, Charlotte had lost the succession competition. That''s why her life was in danger, and only a marriage with someone as powerful as Reinhardt could guarantee her safety. What should she do to keep Charlotte safe? Could she do it? Ellen looked out the window of the dining room, pondering. She thought quietly about her own name. Ellen. Ellen, Artorius. "..." Ellen stood up from her seat. ¡ª--- Knock, knock. Late at night. Hearing the sound of knocking on her door, Charlotte got up from her bed, wearing her nightgown. Sometimes, Turner would come to check on her at night, worried. "Lady Turner, you must be tired, please get some sleep..." Thump. Thus, without any suspicion, when Charlotte opened the door, she couldn''t help but gasp at the completely unexpected figure before her. "Ah¡­" Ellen Artorius had come to visit Charlotte in the middle of the night. "Can we¡­ talk?" At Ellen''s cautious words, Charlotte quietly met her gaze. Unable to refuse the desperation within those eyes, Charlotte acquiesced. ¡ª--- Long past bedtime, Charlotte, wearing her nightgown with a single coat draped over it, and Ellen, dressed in training clothes, sat facing each other on the terrace. Charlotte felt guilty towards Reinhardt. And she also had a similar feeling towards Ellen, albeit not as strong as the one she felt for Reinhardt. "What did you want to talk about?" "¡­" Ellen silently looked down at the table. She didn''t want Reinhardt to be in danger. Like Olivia had shouldered some of the genuine danger for Reinhardt, Ellen also wanted to do the same. The world would focus more on Ragan Artorius''s younger sister than on Reinhardt and Olivia. That was the burden of danger. Ellen was prepared for it, no matter what. But the method. She thought that if she could somehow dissolve Reinhardt''s inevitable engagement through her actions, it would be wonderful. Charlotte de Gardias was losing her footing. Hence, all they needed to do was secure Charlotte''s position properly. Ellen slowly opened her mouth. "I''ll become your knight." "What? What did you say?" Unable to comprehend the unexpected statement, Charlotte was at a loss for words. "If I become your knight, you''ll be safe just by that alone." Ellen Artorius. Knowing the weight that name carried, Charlotte couldn''t help but be taken aback. Ellen didn''t say anything more. Instead of becoming the bride of Als''s champion, Reinhardt, the younger sister of Ragan Artorius, Ellen Artorius, would serve her as her lord. It was obvious that she would ask for the engagement to be nullified in return, without needing to hear the rest. Ellen bowed her head to Charlotte. "For you, I''ll do a lot. Anything for the empire. I''ll do it all. Use me for whatever you want, and my achievements will become yours¡­" Ellen pleaded with a tearful voice. "I won''t say that I''m not doing this because I hate the idea of you and Reinhardt getting engaged. But, Reinhardt will be in greater danger. Instead, let me be the one in danger. I''ll do everything. If there''s something that Reinhardt must do, I''ll do it instead¡­" "¡­" The hero''s sister begged the princess not to take the one thing she couldn''t afford to give up, offering everything she had. Charlotte quietly watched Ellen Artorius, who had come to such a decision because she didn''t want to lose Reinhardt. Last year. Charlotte had pitied the relationship between Harriet de Saint Owan and Ellen Artorius. As she thought that their relationship would be destroyed by a single word, she had ultimately remained silent. But now. Charlotte found herself in the same position. She was the one taking away, but she wasn''t happy about it at all. But now. Seeing Ellen make such a choice because she didn''t want to be taken away, Charlotte didn''t find it pleasant either. If she were to refuse. If they were in equal circumstances. Knowing who Reinhardt would choose. Charlotte wasn''t just uncomfortable with the current situation, she also didn''t enjoy facing Ellen''s desperate expression. "If I refuse, what will you do?" "..." Becoming a knight was Ellen''s desire, and whether to accept it or not was Charlotte''s choice. If she gritted her teeth and refused, Reinhardt would become engaged to her. If she turned away from those desperate eyes. "Please... Please..." If she ignored those tears. "I beg... of you..." Perhaps she could hope for a greater future. But Charlotte knew. She had been defeated by Bertus. Once it was known that the Demon King''s soul resided within her, whether the hero''s younger sister was her knight or she married the hero as a princess, it would become insignificant. She would only be relying on Bertus''s mercy. She would always be a burden to Reinhardt. The relationship between a knight and a lord was better than that of a married couple. "Alright, become my knight." She smiled at Ellen. "But only." Looking at Ellen, Charlotte smiled. "This concession is the first and last." Not satisfied with a cowardly victory, she sought to truly win. This wasn''t giving up. They canceled the unfair race and decided to stand at the starting line together this time. A knight with no intention of loyalty to her lord. A lord jealous of her own knight. A strange oath of loyalty had just begun. CH 406 Chapter 406 Three days later. I stood in the central palace of Tetra in the Imperial City of Emperatos, observing a certain ceremony. O great and devout ruler of the swirling mist, one of the five guardians of the universe, and the overseer of the void, the Moon''s traveler. The Apostle of Mencis, the savior of mankind, the hero who vanquished the Demon King Valier, the descendant of Ragan Artorius... The Pope of the Mencis Order recited these words endlessly in the enormous virtual reality, facing the kneeling girl. Charlotte de Gardias, dressed in a gown and cape, stood before her. I watched from amongst the officials as Ellen Artorius, wearing a red cloak and kneeling in full armor, took part in the ceremony. I hadn''t expected it to turn out like this. Our engagement was never announced, so it was as if it never happened. Instead of becoming Charlotte''s fiance, Ellen became the royal knight who served her. In doing so, Charlotte''s safety was ensured. Like Ellen, I too had been invited to this ceremony and received attention as the new master of Alsebringer. But naturally, Ellen drew even more attention than I did. It couldn''t be helped. The top-secret existence of Ragan Artorius''s younger sister, now revealed as a royal guardian knight. Many of the high-ranking officials present looked at Ellen with a mix of awe and curiosity. Among those observing the ceremony were the Emperor and Bertus de Gardias. Bertus and I locked eyes for a moment. He shrugged his shoulders slightly. Was it his way of saying he didn''t expect things to turn out like this? But Bertus did not seem displeased. One way or another, I was on the side of the imperial family without marrying Charlotte. And now Ellen Artorius was added to the mix. From the perspective of someone who would become the master of the royal family, this situation couldn''t be bad. With a hidden card that could bring down Charlotte at any time, there was no possibility of her becoming a dangerous rival in the future. The situation ultimately guaranteed Charlotte''s safety, and Bertus secured the support of the two heroes for the empire. It''s one thing for a hero to be part of the empire, but it''s entirely another for them to protect the royal family. The massive support of the people would be added to the royal family, and the already powerful empire would obtain unrivaled legitimacy. The hero is the protector of mankind, and Ragan Artorius killed the Demon King to protect humanity. And now, the hero''s sister protects the empire. It''s as if the empire represents humanity, giving them unparalleled legitimacy. Opposing the empire equates to opposing humanity. The empire becomes the embodiment of morality, and the emperor''s words are not only law but also moral principles. The imperial authority, which had been strengthened after the victory in the Great Demon War, had wavered slightly due to several attacks by the Demon King. However, the terror of the Demon King had united humanity, and the symbol of the empire, representing the united will of the people, became stronger with the support of the hero. The empire needed the Demon King. And so, Bertus needed the Demon King. The Pope of the Mencis Order read through the entire document, and Charlotte, wielding a silver-shining sword, tapped each of Ellen''s shoulders, raising and lowering the sword in repetition. Ellen became Charlotte''s knight. However, the important matter was the Demon Cult. They had to find them quickly. For they might try to kill Olivia and Ellen, claiming to eliminate the threat to the Demon King. -Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap In the emperor''s hall, following the ceremony of the Royal Guardianship, applause echoed throughout. With this. I don''t have to be engaged to Charlotte. However. Because of this, the empire revealed three significant secrets to the world. The Champion of Als, Reinhardt. The Champion of Tu¡¯an, Olivia Lanze. And the sister of the hero and Apostle of Mencis, Ellen Artorius. Their names would shake the entire continent. ¡ª--- Naturally, the academy was in an uproar. After the owner of Alsebringer, the fact that the sister of humanity''s savior, Ragan Artorius, was enrolled among the second-year Royal Class students spread throughout the academy. Moreover. ¡°Last year''s Miss Temple winner, right? She''s Artorius''s sister!¡± ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°Somehow... she didn''t seem like an ordinary person.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Due to her Miss Temple win, Ellen inevitably became an idol, even more so than Reinhardt. ¡°A guardian knight for the princess?¡± ¡°Both of them are in the same Royal Class, second year.¡± ¡°Isn''t there another one in the second year? Lord Reinhardt!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. That''s right.¡± Not only was the entire academy in chaos, but so was the internal structure of the Royal Class. Upon hearing that Ellen chose Charlotte as her liege, Harriet''s face turned pale. "Still... is that possible?" Before such an event unfolded, it was unimaginable, but after hearing about the guardianship ceremony, Harriet seemed to understand why Ellen made such a decision. "There''s no such thing as impossible." "Ellen... it''s going to get dangerous... definitely..." Reinhardt''s matters are important to Harriet, but so are Ellen''s. Knowing that this could put Ellen in danger, Harriet choked back tears as she held Ellen''s hand. Ellen held Harriet''s hand and nodded with a determined expression. "It''ll be alright." Ellen looked at Harriet. "The Empire will protect me, and I have Reinhardt, Liana, Adelia, and..." Ellen looked at Harriet with eyes full of trust. "You, too." In Ellen''s gaze, which believed that everyone would protect her, there was not a shred of doubt. "...Yes, Ellen." Harriet gently hugged Ellen, and Ellen hugged her back. Harriet already knew, but the reactions of the other classmates were bound to be shock and disbelief. "It was too big a secret to complain about it being kept secret." "That''s right..." Liana and Adelia said as they looked at Ellen. "I''m still sorry. I could have told you." "It''s okay. It''s a good thing for the Hero to have a younger sister, especially one as pretty and amazing as you." Although surprised, Liana didn''t seem hurt, and even seemed rather happy. Adelia appeared flustered, as the already slightly intimidating Ellen now felt even more significant. "What, you''re that... Artorius''s... sister?" "Yes." Olivia, who occasionally visited the temple, was also taken aback upon hearing Ellen''s true identity. "...I guess I believed you because you were so brazen." "What?" Olivia glared at Ellen, clicked her tongue, and then... -Wham! "!" "Even so, this cheeky junior of mine is just too adorable this time." "Ugh! Ugh!" Buried in Olivia''s embrace, Ellen struggled but couldn''t free herself from her grip. Ellen played a crucial role in canceling Reinhardt''s engagement, and she couldn''t have not known that. "...What are you doing?" Ellen, finally freed after a while, caught her breath with a flushed face. Olivia tried to poke Ellen''s cheek, but Ellen dodged her gesture just by moving her head. "They say the money goes to whoever catches it. Heh." Though Ellen declared her guardianship, Reinhardt acted as if it was his own, and Olivia laughed and waved her hand. "I''m busy, so I''ll go now! Think about what you want to eat! I''ll treat you to a meal!" "No, thank you." "Yeah, get lost." Whether Olivia truly had urgent matters or not, she quickly left the temple. Ellen quietly watched her retreating figure. Ellen had only heard that Olivia worked as an Inquisitor but didn''t know the specifics of her job. However, Ellen thought the shadow that seemed to loom over Olivia''s figure appeared unusually dark. The reactions of the entire Royal Class had changed significantly. It became known that the calm and exceptionally talented second year student was in fact the master of Lament and the younger sibling of Artorius. Naturally, the freshman students were astonished to find that they had not one, but two seniors in the second year who were practically untouchable in terms of skill. They sent looks of near reverence. Of course. Something very important had changed as well. Having received the title of a Guardian Knight, Ellen was a knight, even though she was still a student. Moreover, she had become a high-ranking knight with considerable authority and power, as a Guardian Knight of the Royal Family. Of course, Ellen had no interest in such things. What was important was the relationship between Ellen and Charlotte. Ellen and Charlotte hadn''t been particularly close to begin with. They had the connection of Reinhardt, but neither were they close nor on bad terms. However, both of them were half-willingly, half-forced into the relationship of a Guardian Knight and a Lord, which led to a reestablishment of their relationship. So, whether they liked it or not, they had become a superior-subordinate relationship. "Ellen." "Yeah?" "Shouldn''t I call you my Lord?" "We''re in the Temple." In the Temple, where status is meaningless, Ellen''s words that the relationship between a lord and a knight is also meaningless were, in some cases, quite reasonable. But Charlotte looked at Ellen with narrowed eyes. "Will you call me Lord after graduation?" "We''ll see." Charlotte stared at Ellen, who answered nonchalantly. "..." "..." Ellen had no loyalty towards Charlotte whatsoever. If left alone, Reinhardt would go beyond engagement to marriage, and she had even risked her life, revealing her identity and becoming a knight to gain greater fame to become a target instead. Charlotte was no different. She had no personal trust in Ellen, and she had accepted Ellen''s request out of guilt for imposing too much sacrifice on Reinhardt. So, from afar, it seemed like the descendants of heroes supporting the empire had a huge influence, but in reality, their relationship had become worse than that of strangers. To Ellen, Charlotte was someone who almost took Reinhardt away. To Charlotte, Ellen was the person Reinhardt devoted most of his attention to. Thus. Neither of them could like each other after overcoming certain situations. "Do you know that I''ve made a lot of concessions? Can''t you be a little grateful?" "I am grateful. That''s why I became your knight." Both Charlotte and Ellen had made some concessions. Charlotte, who could have had Reinhardt if she kept quiet, and Ellen, who had risked attracting the attention of demonic forces by revealing her identity as the hero''s younger sister and supported the empire, had both made concessions. Charlotte had given up her future, and Ellen had decided to protect the empire even at the risk of her life being threatened. Therefore, strictly speaking, they had not so much incurred debt to each other as exchanged it. Moreover, while Ellen had no loyalty, she had a sense of responsibility. As she had vowed, even if Ellen had no loyalty to Charlotte, she would risk her life to protect Charlotte if she were in danger. She had no intention of forsaking her duties as a Guardian Knight. Ellen and Charlotte stared at each other intently. Somehow, the two had become oddly entangled. The situation had come to this, and they decided to have a proper showdown. So, Charlotte was a bit annoyed with Ellen. The feeling was mutual for Ellen. "Honestly, you know you''re quite unpleasant, right?" "You, who made it this far with just pity, are rather cowardly." "Wow... that''s harsh. Seriously, that''s really harsh, you know!" "I just wanted to show you what being truly unpleasant is like since you mentioned it. No hard feelings." "What kind of guardian knight is like this..." "Find another one, excluding Reinhardt." "Ever since you got close to Reinhardt, your speech has become so annoying!" "Well, you don''t seem to have gotten close enough to imitate his speech. Such a shame." "Wh-what? Seriously, this is... this is really..." Bound together by the oath of being guardian knights, Charlotte and Ellen had come to really dislike each other. "But still, I''m truly grateful." Ellen grumbled before adding that. "So, even if the whole world abandons you, I''ll protect you." In her own way, she pledged her loyalty to her lord. "...You leave me speechless." Charlotte, her face slightly flushed, turned away from Ellen as she said this. ------ Ellen became Charlotte''s knight. Their engagement was as if it never happened. They had discussed the matter separately with the emperor. The emperor still wanted to honor the engagement and even the marriage, if Reinhardt wished. It seemed he would even prefer it. However, they withdrew from the idea, thinking there was no need to go that far since the situation had come to this. It was an absurd situation. The power to choose lay in my hands in such circumstances. The engagement was as if it never happened, but this choice brought about a significant change, revealing Ellen, Charlotte, and Olivia to the world. And yet, Ellen and Reinhardt hadn''t properly discussed the issue. Unlike last time, Reinhardt didn''t know what to say to Ellen, and Ellen seemed unsure of how to begin their conversation. So after the sword lesson guided by Saviolin Turner ended and Tana left, Ellen and Reindhardt sat side by side on the waiting room bench, not saying a word. Feeling that they should talk, neither of them left. However, neither knew what to say to start the conversation. Words of gratitude and apologies both felt strange. Reinhardt had made her choice, and it was Charlotte. Ellen had sacrificed herself to blur that choice. So, wasn''t it strange to say thank you? And wasn''t it strange to say sorry? "..." "..." Thus, even days after Ellen became a knight, she and Reinhardt hadn''t exchanged any words. Ellen had chosen Charlotte, but he couldn''t even have a conversation with her. How much time had passed? We couldn''t speak a word until darkness fell outside the window, overlooking the waiting room. I had to say something, so I finally opened my mouth. "I am..." "Just promise me one thing." But before I could even speak, Ellen cut me off. She looked at me. "Like last time... like before... just like that time..." Tears welled up in Ellen''s eyes as she tried to speak. "Don''t... lie like that... again." She must be referring to the incident on Kamsencha Island. She asked if it was a lie, and I said it was. Ellen sobbed. "I knew it was a lie... but knowing it was a lie... of course, I knew..." "It hurt... too much." Ellen pleaded with me through her tears. I had intended to sacrifice something, but Ellen had sacrificed herself in my place. But in the end, I also faced some risks by revealing my identity to the world. Before I could sacrifice more to protect Charlotte, Ellen intercepted it. Both of us had shouldered a burden to protect Charlotte. Ellen only had one request for me. Not to choose her, nor to like her. Just like before. Just don''t destroy yourself with lies, that''s all she asks. I couldn''t say I liked her. I couldn''t even say thank you. Though it may not be something that can be resolved with an apology. "I''m sorry." That was all I could say. ¡ª--- On the way back to the dormitory at night. Ellen and I walked together, slightly apart from each other. A strange relationship had formed between us, entangled with guilt and obsession. Even though the engagement had been canceled and Ellen had spoken about it, it was difficult for me to say anything. Could we go back to the way things were? Could we go back and live as if nothing had happened? Do I even deserve that? I felt like I couldn''t do anything because whatever action I took seemed wrong. We walked in silence back to the second-year dormitory. As it was night and I intended to go inside and rest, Ellen grabbed my collar. Looking at me with her usual calm expression, she said, "I''m hungry." It was a casual remark. It meant nothing. Ellen always made such remarks nonchalantly, and after saying them, I Qwould cook something to eat. A casual remark. Soon. An everyday phrase. Now that the strange moments had passed, let''s return to our daily lives. Let''s go back to those days when we would diligently clash our swords, get bruised and battered, eat a lot before bed, and fall asleep. Her simple words were both forgiveness and a signal. Let''s live like we used to. Together, let''s share these seemingly insignificant moments. The guilt hasn''t disappeared, and something that has changed can''t simply return to the way it was before. However. As if nothing has changed, as if there is no guilt. We can pretend. "What do you want to eat?" "Stew. With beef." "Alright. Let''s eat." "Make a lot." "...Just how much are you planning to eat?" How much indeed. Ellen seemed delighted that I asked her like that. "Loads and loads." She said with a bright smile. CH 407 Chapter 407 At the Imperial Palace of Emperatos, the Winter Palace. "How does it feel to have the support of two heroes?" "I''m starting to feel a bit uplifted, but I don''t really want to react to it." Charlotte responded curtly to Bertus''s question. "What would have happened if Ellen Artorius had become your guardian knight, and you couldn''t resist and even got engaged to Reinhardt with your eyes closed? Isn''t that an unpredictable outcome?" Charlotte furrowed her brow at Bertus''s maliciously sarcastic remark. "Do you really think I''d want to go down in history as a princess who was killed by her own knight?" Surprisingly, Bertus was taken aback by Charlotte''s nonchalant response. "Do you really think Ellen would do that?" "Even if she doesn''t, Reinhardt would still feel humiliated by me, for sure. And that''s what I hate more." Bertus couldn''t help but be dumbfounded by Charlotte''s candid admission that she''d rather die at the hands of a jealous Ellen than earn Reinhardt''s hatred. She was not someone who would reveal her feelings so excessively. But after accepting defeat, Charlotte had become brutally honest in many ways. "So, what''s the reason for inviting your half-siblings, whom you don''t particularly like, to your palace when you''re not busy and have nothing to do?" The current visit had come about because Bertus had told Charlotte to stop by the Winter Palace. Charlotte had no choice but to come, as Bertus had requested. Her support base was now secure, but as long as Bertus knew that Charlotte''s soul had fused with the Demon King''s soul, her life was always in danger. "Well, do you have any progress in your research on the Soul Binding spell?" Charlotte''s expression hardened at the question. "You''re asking even though you know, aren''t you?" "¡­I know you think very little of me, but this time I really don''t know. All I know is that you''ve obtained a grimoire about the Soul Binding spell from somewhere and that you''re planning to try something with it." Charlotte couldn''t understand Bertus''s claim of ignorance. Though she had tried to keep it a secret, Bertus had always seemed to have all the information at his fingertips. If Bertus still didn''t know about the underground labyrinth of the Demon King''s castle, that would be even more surprising. Bertus didn''t know what he should have known. That meant the information had been blocked somewhere. ''Could it be Turner?'' Turner was supposed to remain neutral, but at some point, she had begun to support Charlotte, knowingly or unknowingly. Saviolin Turner could be Charlotte''s last hope, trying to prevent information about the Soul Binding spell from reaching Bertus''s ears. As a result, Bertus had learned about the Soul Binding spell, but he clearly didn''t know that its source was the underground labyrinth of the Demon King''s castle. Of course, Bertus might know about the underground labyrinth of the Demon King''s castle. However, if they could somehow hide the information that Charlotte, Turner, and Reinhardt had headed to the Demon King''s castle, there would be no connection between the grimoire on the Soul Binding spell and the information about the underground labyrinth. Bertus probably knew of the soul-binding magic and the underground labyrinth as separate pieces of information. If the information had been properly blocked, only three people would know about the underground labyrinth of the Demon King''s domain. Saviolin Turner, Charlotte herself, and Reinhardt. Even the wizards who conducted the soul-binding magic research didn''t know where they had obtained the grimoires. Therefore, while information about the magic could leak, its origin couldn''t. As a result of such research on soul-binding magic, "I was told I have to live like this." Charlotte had heard the outcome not too long ago. At Charlotte''s calm words, Bertus furrowed his brows. Judging by his reaction, it seemed he was hearing it for the first time. "You don''t seem too disappointed, though?" Indeed, Charlotte had been stoic when she heard that her condition couldn''t be healed with the soul-binding magic. As expected, it had come to this. That was her only sentiment. Bertus''s expression hardened. "Sister, you might not believe me, but I''m genuinely regretful about having to kill you. Not long ago, it would have been enough to turn Reinhardt against me, but now I have to turn Ellen Artorius against me as well. Even if it''s right for me to kill you and the entire continent agrees with it. Fundamentally, those two are stubborn. In my opinion, Ellen Artorius is just as crazy as Reinhardt or even more so, just less obvious. Of course, it''s not that I can''t handle those two. But after killing you, am I supposed to kill the two heroes who are treated as humanity''s hope? Then I should pray for people to hang me without pain." Bertus rambled on with a genuinely annoyed and flustered expression. "Considering my situation, it''s ironic that you''re the one who''s in trouble. At this point, I might even want to thank the Demon King." Charlotte covered her mouth and giggled, imagining the difficulties Bertus would face after her death. Bertus glared at Charlotte with a grim expression and crossed his arms. "Listen, sister, you seem too carefree, thinking it''s all over when you die. But consider my situation. I''m torn between killing you to prevent the revival of the previous Demon King Valier and risking my own life, or letting the previous Demon King be resurrected and grinding the continent''s power to wage a legitimate war against the Demon King without Ragan Artorius. On top of that, the current Demon King issue still remains as another problem. Even if I survive physically, the stress will kill me. Definitely." While Bertus''s words contained some exaggeration, they weren''t exactly wrong. If Charlotte were to die now, Bertus would also have to die. If they waited until the Demon King had completely taken control of Charlotte''s body, Bertus would have a legitimate cause, but a massive sacrifice would occur when they had to subdue the resurrected Demon King. Ellen had become her knight and Reinhardt held her dear. Only two facts had made her life feel unbearably heavy. Heavy it was, then light, then heavy again. Charlotte found the changes rather amusing. Bertus''s concern was undoubtedly justified. "Well, I can''t be sure either, and I don''t know if you''ll believe me... but I have a feeling that nothing like that will happen." "¡­On what basis?" Reinhardt had told her many times. By harboring the Spirit Speech, the world''s one-of-a-kind supernatural power. Nothing would happen. You''ll be fine. Nothing would happen. Among the countless whispers that seemed to bring peace to her heart, Charlotte unconsciously believed. I''ll be fine. Even if this power were to corrode her, she wouldn''t lose her will, so maybe she was completely fine now. That''s what he said. Charlotte trusts Reinhardt. She trusts the numerous whispers of the Spirit speech that Reinhardt had bestowed upon her, and thus, she believes in the changes in her body and soul. "I''m sure I''ll be fine." "No, I mean, on what basis?" Charlotte grins at Bertus. Swoosh "!" Charlotte''s hair turns pitch black, and she transforms into a devilish figure with bloodshot, vertically slit pupils and black irises. Her hair, tainted with darkness and wavering in midair, and the horrifying figure reminiscent of a demon or even the Devil King, made Bertus''s face turn pale. "Look." A sinister voice, like a scratch on darkness, resonated, and as Charlotte gestured, dozens of dark spears appeared in the air. The spears were aimed at Bertus, but they remained stationary without the slightest movement. "I won''t kill you even in this state." "No, you... what on earth is this...?" "Isn''t this evidence enough?" Charlotte had become one with the Devil King. To be precise, she had gained control of a portion of the Devil King''s power. This was a gift from Reinhardt. The life that would have been lost without Reinhardt had now been granted additional power as a bonus - the power of the Devil King. Soul absorption was not an alternative. "Why should I give this up, instead?" But now that things had come to this, the only thing Charlotte could trust was this power. ¡ª--- "If that was meant to scare me, it worked too well, sister." As if not denying that he was scared, Bertus slowly nodded. At his words, Charlotte''s wavering hair settled back into place, and her hair and pupils returned to their original state. "I didn''t think I''d ever see you scared. I should thank the Devil King." "Could you cut the ridiculous jokes?" Admitting to being scared was brave enough. For an ordinary person, suddenly seeing someone turn into a demonic figure and try to kill them would usually result in fainting. Undoubtedly, to Bertus, it did not appear as if Charlotte was being dominated by the Demon King; rather, she seemed to be properly wielding the Demon King''s power. Of course, whether her condition was actually fine as Charlotte claimed could not be confirmed, but at the moment, it was undeniable that she was in a stable state. Naturally, it was a power that could not be revealed to the outside world. Even those who were unaware of the specifics would likely agree that if Charlotte were to expose her true power, it would be an extremely unpleasant and ominous sight. It was no more than an emergency measure, a last resort for Charlotte. Although this power was potent, it would be impossible to survive if it became widely known across the empire''s numerous knights and the continent. And that was why the power that could move countless forces with just a single word was so terrifying. "Why did you bring up that topic? I don''t think you asked just to praise me." At Charlotte''s question, Bertus crossed his arms and stared intently at her. "Of course, I''m curious about the source. Where did you get the magic book related to the providence of handling souls? Did you establish a connection with some secret organization?" "Oh, is that it?" Bertus seemed unaware that Charlotte had been to the Demon King''s castle, even though he knew about the labyrinth. She could tell him the source. However, she believed that only she, who possessed the soul of the Demon King, could penetrate the labyrinth. "Why, do you think there''s anything else?" "What''s the point in telling?" Neither Bertus nor Charlotte was a magician. They knew that rare magic books held tremendous value. And they weren''t merchants who would convert that value into money; instead, they would supply the magic to the army to strengthen their military power. Powerful magic was a force in itself. No matter how dangerous the magic or how perilous the spell, there was never too much power for those in control. There would be no issue in telling Bertus the source. After all, she was the only one who could enter that place. However, she had no reason to give him that information. Although she couldn''t become an emperor, she could establish a cooperative relationship with Bertus. The things in the Demon King''s underground castle would become Charlotte''s assets. It was a life of indebting herself to Ellen and indebting herself to Reinhardt while accumulating wealth. If Bertus discovered her usefulness on his own, perhaps someday she could face the two of them without a sense of obligation. "Alright. I''ll bring you a few more volumes." "Shall we make a deal?" "The fewer cards you have, the more you need to cherish them." Charlotte would bring him quite a substantial number of magic books, even though she said it would only be a few. It didn''t matter if he realized that it was the dark vision of Darkland, or if he noticed that it was discovered in the Demon King''s underground castle afterward. Because only she could enter there. ¡ª--- "Uh..." "..." Upon seeing Harriet, Reinhardt hesitated and moved past her. Not knowing what to say, she had been avoiding Reinhardt recently. Harriet had seen Ellen and Reinhardt talking normally as they had in the past. She had also seen Ellen, who had become a guardian knight, and Charlotte bickering strangely. And she had seen the three of them walking around together. Harriet had no idea what she should do. When Reinhardt announced his engagement, it felt as though her mind had been completely emptied. She could neither concentrate on her studies nor her research. She couldn''t tell him not to go through with the decision, as it was to save Charlotte''s life. And so, she wondered if all she could do was watch. Continuing to watch, she thought that perhaps she should distance herself. But when Ellen became Charlotte''s knight, the engagement disappeared as though it had been a lie. It was something she couldn''t do herself. It was only possible for Ellen Artorious, the younger sister of Ragan Artorious and the owner of Lament. Because Ellen, who had a more powerful symbolic presence than Reinhardt, could guarantee Charlotte''s safety by becoming her knight. Ellen did what she could not, and so Reinhardt no longer needed to get engaged. She should have been happy, she thought. But Harriet didn''t feel any happiness at all. So even when she saw Reinhardt and Ellen together again like before, Harriet couldn''t bring herself to feel that way. She knew that if she approached him and started a casual conversation, he would treat her like before. But still. In the end, wouldn''t that be the limit? Reinhardt would always feel somewhat guilty towards her. Apologizing. Always apologizing. That was all there was to it. She could not go any further than that. She had always thought she was second to Ellen. But that wasn''t the case. She had always been last. Whether it was mending their relationship or receiving attention. Sometimes Charlotte came first. Sometimes Ellen came first. Even Olivia had been first at times. But she had always been next. The arrogant Harriet of the past would have been furious and angry, thinking that she didn''t deserve such treatment. But the humble Harriet, who had decided to treat people as people and live an ordinary life, had been gradually worn down. She knew that expecting anything was difficult, but this much was enough. That he had given her this much attention, that this much was enough. That she should be grateful for this much. Before she knew it. She was facing her self-esteem that had not become humility but had fallen into an abyss. It would be fine if he didn''t hold her hand. It would be fine if he didn''t embrace her. Feeling herself surrendering to a satisfaction mixed with resignation, believing that just being by his side was enough. This was wrong. Being satisfied with someone who didn''t like her but cared for her out of guilt was just miserable. If her heart was to admit defeat in the end, wasn''t it better to fold? "Harriet, are you alright?" "Huh? Oh... yeah." At Adelia''s worried words, Harriet nodded her head. If her feelings wouldn''t be reciprocated, she should fold them. Reinhardt had climbed too high, unlike before. Perhaps he had become someone she couldn''t even look at. The seed sown in the soil of her heart had grown into a flower. But like a flower that withered without bearing fruit. If it were to wither, then only her feelings should wither. The soil where flowers withered, it was a feeling as if even oneself was wilting away. ¡ª--- Harriet left the temple and headed for the royal palace. As she set out, she made a resolution. To forget. Slowly. When she becomes indifferent, when all the painful feelings disappear, they can return to being ordinary friends. Harriet believes that Reinhardt would also want that. Just like how Liana can act comfortably around Reinhardt because she doesn''t like him, Harriet should be able to do the same. Let''s talk after a long time has passed. Then she can say that she had liked him. Very much. That she had liked him a great deal. "..." Upon stepping onto the street, Harriet eventually broke down in tears in the middle of the road. "Terrible... Terrible... Such a terrible person..." Even though he knew she liked him. Although they didn''t have a proper conversation because something might break, in the end, he knew everything. It was unbearable to feel hurt and sad. Maybe she should speak up. Maybe she should curse him, call him the worst person in the world. There''s no reason to like him. He''s just an extremely terrible person, and she knows it''s her fault for liking someone like that. It would be better to hate him, as the feelings of inferiority and defeat would disappear. Let''s dislike him. Just hate him and despise him. Pretend not to know after shooting him a look that says he''s a terrible person. Will they return to being friends later? There''s no such thing. With that resolution, Harriet walked the streets, rode the magic train, and headed for the royal palace. CH 408 Chapter 408 Harriet wanted to distance herself from Reinhardt. However, she knew that the best way to sort out her complicated feelings was to immerse herself in something. When she memorized complex magical formulas or faced difficult problems, her distracting thoughts would disappear. Harriet often cleared her mind through study and research. So Harriet devoted herself to her research. Even the research, the warp gate study leading to another world that Reinhardt had suggested, was miserable. But it was the only thing Harriet could cling to. When her duties at the temple were finished, Harriet headed to the royal palace. Studying the warp gate system in the archives of the Royal Magic Department was originally Reinhardt''s idea, but Harriet had also become interested in it. The magical system, built up over a long time. Understanding the vast system that countless archmages had worked on was an eye-opening experience in itself. Warp gate research required a basic understanding of dimensional magic. So Harriet had raised her understanding to a level where she could potentially develop a small-scale gate system herself. Due to recent events, the atmosphere around the temple had changed significantly. "The hero is¡­" "It would be great if he came out of the temple¡­" There were quite a few more people milling around the temple. The reason was none other than to see Reinhardt and Ellen. Just as Reinhardt and Ellen gained fame inside the temple and people followed them around, there were people stationed outside the temple as well. Most people didn''t even know what Reinhardt and Ellen looked like, so even if the two came out of the temple, they wouldn''t be recognized. The temple guards kept an eye on the crowd, just in case they caused a commotion. "The reincarnation of Artorious¡­" There were people who made incomprehensible remarks. Harriet had heard of the strange cult that believed in the reincarnation of Ragan Artorious. Could those people be gathered here? Did they believe the strange rumors that Reinhardt was the reincarnation of Artorious? Harriet could not understand the oddity of these people. But there was a result. The hope of humanity. Reinhardt and Ellen, and Olivia, who had somehow become such existences. She felt small and insignificant. There was no reason to feel insignificant, but when faced with something so immense, it was natural to lose confidence. So Harriet decided to give up. She walked past the crowd and headed towards the royal palace. ¡ª--- Upon arriving at the Royal Magic Department, Harriet noticed an unusual atmosphere and tilted her head. In front of the research materials reading room, numerous magicians were huddled together, watching a pile of books. "Ah¡­ This method¡­" "Amazing¡­" "Where did this come from¡­?" A considerable amount of magical books. The magicians examining the materials in front of them appeared to be high-ranking officials of the Magic Department, not just low-level staff. Harriet frequented the magical library, but she wasn''t particularly close to the royal magicians. Seeing that they were in the middle of an important conversation, Harriet headed straight for the reading room she usually visited. Harriet had almost no acquaintances among the magicians in the library. Everyone knew that she, the princess, had royal permission to conduct important research, so no one approached her to strike up a conversation. Her only acquaintances were the entrance manager controlling the front desk and the librarian in charge of the eighth reading room. The young magician before her had helped Harriet with advice on understanding dimensional magic or finding the necessary materials. He served as a research assistant and advisor, explaining things like imaginary dimensions. Of course, he didn''t initiate conversation unless Harriet needed help. Although they didn''t know each other very well, Harriet knew this magician was quite friendly. He would provide detailed but concise explanations about areas Harriet was unfamiliar with, never making her ask a question twice. She had only learned his name recently. Roswin, Harriet recalled. However, the usually friendly librarian, who greeted her warmly, seemed to be completely unaware of Harriet''s arrival and just sat there, staring blankly. Seeing no reason to pretend to know him, Harriet cautiously sat down at a distance, and he flinched, apparently having heard her. "Ah, Your Highness, have you arrived?" "Ah... just now." It seemed he had been preoccupied with something, not even hearing Harriet''s entrance. Finally regaining his senses, he returned to his usual slightly smiling expression. "It''s been a while since your last visit." "I''ve been dealing with some matters." It was more about emotional difficulties than actual problems, but Harriet didn''t bother to explain. "By the way, it''s noisier outside than usual." Remembering Reinhardt''s face as she spoke, Harriet forcibly changed the subject. Upon seeing Harriet''s curiosity, the young magician softly smiled and glanced at the entrance of the reading room. "Ah, are you referring to that? It seems a large number of rare magical books have been acquired from somewhere. It''s not common to discover such a quantity of rare grimoires." "Grimoires, you say..." "Yes. The source is confidential for now, but there''s a possibility that they were brought from a newly discovered labyrinth in Darkland." A labyrinth in Darkland. Harriet tilted her head, as this was the first time she had heard such a story. "A labyrinth?" "Yes, it hasn''t been fully explored yet... There appear to be a few adventurers who have returned with these rare magical books. It''s presumed to be the tomb of a lich, and although we don''t know which lich, it''s expected to be a very powerful one. Of course, with that many grimoires discovered, the tomb exploration might already be over. But still, it''s quite rare..." Roswin''s demeanor seemed a bit enigmatic as he concluded his speech. He had always been thought of as simply diligent and intelligent, but now, there was clearly something mysterious about him. "I don''t know if it''ll be my turn, but I''d like to take a look if I can. Although, I doubt it''ll happen¡­" It was hard to describe, but there was a strange feeling about him. Although the nature of the spark in his eyes was unknown, there was something in them that seemed to captivate people''s hearts. However, for a mage, such a look wasn''t all that unusual. It was only natural for a mage to be interested in rare magical tomes. But the Tomb of the Lich. A large number of scrolls, believed to have been discovered within. There was no way of knowing for sure, but it was highly likely that it contained extremely powerful magic, as yet unknown to the world. A dangerous power. But also, a powerful one. After a moment of contemplation, Harriet suddenly realized. If one possessed excessively dangerous knowledge, they would merely become an excessively dangerous mage. Harriet repeated in her mind the words the Grand Duke of Saint Owan often said as a habit. "I''m curious. Just where did they find such precious magic¡­?" Harriet couldn''t shake the feeling that the mage''s eyes, as he spoke of the magical tome, were a bit¡­ off. Where on earth did they get it from?... Where¡­ A barely audible murmur sent a chill down Harriet''s spine. ¡ª--- White Palace, Arunaria. "Your Highness, the documents you requested last time have arrived from the Association." "Hmm¡­ I see." The Grand Duke of Saint Owan took out the report brought by the messenger in his palace office. As he read through the report, he commented in passing. "Is it difficult to get the original?" "Yes, they said it''s not classified as top-secret, but it''s considered the Association''s property." "How ridiculous. Claiming ownership over magic they didn''t even develop themselves." The report the Grand Duke was reading contained a list of books and a brief description of their contents. A theory on the simplification of magic formulas for increased efficiency in fire magic composition. Methods for improving and increasing mana density. Optimization of mana utilization within the body. Although the titles of the books did not exactly reflect these theories, the contents revealed that analyzing the recorded magic had led to the discovery of such theories. Whether these theories would actually be effective or not was unknown, and the Grand Duke, who had not seen the magical tome himself, could not tell if they were truly valid. "A labyrinth believed to be the Tomb of the Lich¡­ And from the magical tomes that adventurers have roughly picked up and brought out, they can extract this much magical theory¡­" There were countless unexplored regions in Darkland, and numerous dungeons that had not yet been properly explored. It was impossible to know about all these dungeons, unexplored regions, and hazardous areas. The recently discovered Tomb of the Lich was one such unexplored region. Ordinarily, it wouldn''t have been an issue significant enough to be reported to the Grand Duke. The important factor was the handful of magical tomes brought out by the adventurers who had barely managed to escape after wandering through the tomb. Magic books are divided into two categories: theory books and spellbooks. Four types of spellbooks. Although it wouldn''t completely overturn all the magic theories used so far, it was enough to derive significant improvements. However, it was a tremendous discovery to have a more efficient method written in the magic books than the methods used so far, not to mention the inherent value of the magic books themselves and their magical worth. The Tomb of the Lich. It wasn''t entirely unraveled, but a few magic books, nearly by-products, contained such content. The last line of the report read as follows: -The association considers the possibility that an Archlich may exist in the dungeon. The Archlich. A legendary being, as universally nonexistent as dragons, a creature of fantasy. The association had to make such an irrational judgment because no one knew what was truly dormant within the Tomb of the Lich discovered this time. How long had it studied magic to possess such spells? Then what could be contained in the real vision of that Lich? However, it was difficult to identify the labyrinth''s true nature within the Lich''s dungeon, and both the association and guilds were not yet directly involved due to the potential danger. Mages were generally cautious, and so were the archdukes. Adventurers were akin to rainwater seeping in for money. If they risked their lives to retrieve the magic books, the association, guilds, or even archdukes could simply buy them. There was no reason to take the risk themselves. However. If the magic books were acquired by the guild or association, the archduke would only hear about the discoveries made. Mages were so closed-off that even those in the guilds or associations were reluctant to share their visions with one another. It was fortunate that they even informed mages outside their group of their accomplishments, however superficially. "Hmm¡­" It was best to claim it before it was taken away. However, the association, guild, and perhaps even the royal family might be interested in this as well. If not adventurers, but the Magic Association, the Mage Guild, or the royal family formed a group for dungeon exploration, it would be unraveled, even if it was the Archlich''s tomb. What truly lies in this tomb? Dangerous knowledge creates only dangerous mages. And. The labyrinth, undoubtedly containing numerous dangerous spells, would give birth to countless dangerous mages. The true nature of the labyrinth must be discovered. To prevent dangerous magic from being unleashed upon the world, if nothing else. "Tell the mage squad to prepare." "Yes, Your Highness." The archduke was planning to go out after a long time. CH 409 "No, did you already complete it?" Upon hearing Roswin''s words, Harriet calmly nodded. "Ah... Yes." "Your Highness, this is not a matter to be discussed so simply. You have changed the history of the Warp Gates, and through that, the history of the continent itself." "Ah... Is that so?" Although Roswin made a fuss, Harriet didn''t seem particularly moved. "Your Highness, you have solved a conundrum that countless Warp Gate theorists had given up on. You can be more, much more, excited about it!" Roswin''s voice echoed through the quiet reading room. It was a reaction of such intensity that it felt slightly incongruous compared to his usual calm demeanor, but Harriet didn''t feel it was that remarkable. It was never an easy problem, but she had managed to solve it during her intermittent research. That was all there was to it. "Your Highness, you do understand what you''ve accomplished, don''t you?" "Yes? Ah... If the imaginary dimension map is re-established, we will no longer have to pass through Warp Gates multiple times to reach our destination, but rather, travel directly from a small gate at the northernmost point of the continent to a small gate at the southernmost point... Isn''t that the case?" "You know this, so why aren''t you more surprised?" "..." Harriet opened her mouth to say something but then closed it. She had almost said that it wasn''t her brilliance, but rather the previous Warp Gate system had been too foolishly operated. However, that would be disrespectful to all the magicians who had built the system throughout history, so she couldn''t bring herself to say it. And for the same reason, she couldn''t ask why it hadn''t been done until now. As with most technological advancements, Harriet had found inspiration from inconvenience. The Warp Gate system provided immense convenience, but ultimately, it had its drawbacks. If one thinks of small Warp Gates as having a range of 1, medium Warp Gates as 2, large Warp Gates as 3, and extra-large as 4, it''s easier to understand. Since Warp Gates connect to all other Warp Gates within their range, extra-large Warp Gates naturally connect to a significant number of other gates. That''s why the extra-large Warp Gates had been built at the ends of their respective ranges, connecting the entire continent. However, this method had a chronic problem: to travel long distances, one had to pass through multiple gates. As not all places on the continent were connected by the overlapping ranges of extra-large Warp Gates, it was necessary to pass through a series of medium and small gates. To travel from the Imperial capital to a remote village at the southernmost edge of Kernstadt, one had to go through the following sequence: Imperial Capital''s extra-large Warp Gate ¡ú Kernstadt''s extra-large Warp Gate ¡ú regional large Warp Gate ¡ú another medium Warp Gate at a waypoint ¡ú and finally, the destination''s small Warp Gate. In this way, they had to move. It was an extreme case, but it wasn''t as if such instances didn''t exist. As a result, inevitably, large warp gates where people flocked were prone to congestion, just as it was happening now, and the main large warp gates also had waiting lines. The royal crest that Reinhardt and Ellen possessed served as a warp gate fast pass, saving them a significant amount of time, thanks to the structure of passing through the warp gate system''s waypoints. However, Harriet found herself up against a fundamental question she couldn''t understand: why did they need to disembark at an intermediate point and re-enter the warp gate system, which was interconnected like a spider web? Couldn''t they just use the connected dimensional gateways directly and go straight to their destination without having to transfer at warp gate waypoints? Harriet pointed out why they didn''t operate the warp gate this way, and Roswin''s answer was simple: Because it had always been done that way. Of course, this implied countless problems that were difficult to express with just those words. Warp gates hadn''t suddenly fallen from the sky to connect the entire continent; they had gradually taken their current form through a series of trial runs, slowly being completed one at a time. In other words, the basic system was created without the intention of connecting the entire continent, but it ended up doing so anyway. The map of the imaginary dimension used for direct connections in the warp gate system had also been slowly completed over time. As a result, the complex structure was a system built by numerous mages over hundreds of years. As many people participated in the system, problems were bound to arise inevitably. Comparing it to road construction, some built straight routes, others curved ones, yet others elliptical, and still others spiral-shaped. Each person had built it their way. Each mage had drawn the map their way, and as it continued to be used, it became impossible to change, and any attempt to tamper with it could potentially destroy the entire warp gate system. Maintenance after maintenance, the imaginary dimension map and the warp gate''s base system were now akin to a colossal pile of excrement. They could maintain the system, but it was impossible to improve it, and they were left with no choice but to continue using it in its current form and manner. Many warp gate technicians didn''t fail to come up with Harriet''s idea for improvement; they simply couldn''t do it. They would have to comprehend the entire structure of the imaginary dimension accumulated over a hundred years, redraw the warp gate''s imaginary dimension map that connected the entire continent from scratch, and completely overhaul the warp gate''s basic operation¡ªan insane task. And yet, Harriet had done it. Even while she was sobbing alone, shocked by the news of Reinhardt''s engagement, complaining about her lack of focus and how difficult it was. In simple terms. Harriet had transformed the tiny, almost junk-like warp gate of the provincial neighborhood into one that functioned like the massive warp gates in front of the Temples, the Holy Knight Orders, or the Imperial Palace. No, even more than that. While large warp gates have a limited range, by applying the imaginary dimensional map that Harriet had conceived, one could travel directly to any warp gate within the joint range where the warp gate system was established. In other words, although one couldn''t reach Edina Archipelago, where a separate small-scale warp gate system was built, they could travel anywhere on the continent. "You could be happier about this, Your Highness!" "Well, if you say so¡­" It was said that sadness could fuel growth. This magic genius had changed history while sobbing in her room and scribbling in her notebook because things weren''t going well with her crush. In conclusion, the warp gate operation problems that had existed until now would be solved in a snap with the proper use of Harriet''s new warp gate-based system and the imaginary dimensional map. Of course, it couldn''t be applied immediately, and its stability had to be verified through experts'' hands by going through trials, verifications, and test runs. Harriet had already achieved a feat that no other archmage had accomplished before. She knew this was a significant research achievement, but since it wasn''t that difficult for her, she didn''t understand Roswin''s excited state. Thus, a natural conclusion. ''I really am a genius¡­'' Harriet realized it anew. "If only I had known Your Highness sooner, it would have been so much fun." "?" Roswin''s words still gave off a strange feeling of incongruity to Harriet. This person, today, seemed different from usual. Harriet felt the odd incongruity but didn''t yet know its identity. "Seeing the Five Stars you possess makes me feel so inadequate. Now, the next research material is here." Roser changed the subject when he saw Harriet''s confusion. "Ah, yes... Thank you." "No, it''s always enjoyable just watching a genius at work." Genius. It was a word she had heard over and over, and while she admitted it herself, Harriet wondered what it truly meant. The title of being the greatest genius in the history of magic was merely a term to glorify her, wasn''t it? Harriet still knew that she lacked a lot, and she knew about her classmates and seniors who were far ahead of her in different fields. She couldn''t be humanity''s hope. She couldn''t even stand alongside them. Developing an innovative way to use the warp gate had nothing to do with power. The sense of inferiority felt by a genius. What could she do with this level of research? She needed something to focus her mind on, but there was nothing Harriet wanted to gain through this research. In the end, she had presented an improved warp gate system, but that wasn''t her real goal. Discovering a way to create a dimensional gate that leads to another world didn''t mean Reinhardt would pay any attention to her. Would anything really change if she created one? Just like the last time, he might try to hide it if he deemed it too dangerous a magic. The head of the magic department looked at Harriet with a pleased expression. While he considered himself a genius, the person before him could not be anything less than a genius as well. After all, it was impossible for someone who managed the Royal Magic Department''s research library at such a young age not to be a genius. In the public''s perception, magicians were geniuses, and among magicians, a young one serving as the head of the magic department was surely a genius among geniuses. For her to receive such praise was indeed a remarkable feat. However, that didn''t grant Harriet any real benefits. "Excuse me for asking such a question, but may I ask something?" "Huh? Oh¡­ Yes." "Although Your Highness is not a warp gate technician, why are you studying the warp gate system?" It was indeed a valid question. Although it was true that warp gate-related magicians were made up of high-ranking ones, in the end, it was too practical a magic for the Grand Duchess of the Saint Owan Duchy to study. Harriet tried to recall why she had started this research. A dimensional gate leading to another world, dimensional magic, and if it''s dimensional magic, then warp gates. It was a simple cause and effect. It''s just that it wasn''t due to her own curiosity. How would the other person react if she said she wanted to know the way to another world? Although she thought it would be laughed at, Harriet couldn''t help but burst into laughter herself. "I was curious if there was a way to go to another world." "¡­Pardon?" Her counterpart seemed taken aback, as if they hadn''t expected such an answer. Scratching her cheek, Harriet realized it sounded ridiculous even after saying it out loud. "Well, there probably isn''t, right?" She had gone this far just to indulge Reinhardt''s unnecessary curiosity. Since she had no intention of getting closer to Reinhardt, wouldn''t it be better to stop indulging in this task he had requested? That''s what Harriet thought. "Well¡­ we can''t know whether or not such a world exists¡­ rather than saying it doesn''t exist, it''s more appropriate to call it an unknown territory¡­" The magician before her mumbled with a dumbfounded expression before tilting his head. "Maybe we both have similar desires." Another incomprehensible statement. Did this person also want to open a dimensional gate connected to another world? But unlike his usual gentle smile, Harriet couldn''t find any certainty in his ambiguous grin. "You''ve been saying strange things for a while now." Harriet couldn''t help but ask this time, but Roswin merely scratched his head nonchalantly. "Haha, maybe I''m just a bit excited. I keep letting slip these odd remarks." What did he mean by "excited"? "By the way, Your Highness, what do you think of this idea?" "What idea?" "Instead of creating a dimensional gate that leads to another world, wouldn''t it be easier to create another world? I mean, that kind of idea." What on earth was this incomprehensible statement? Creating another world was better than a dimensional gate connecting to it? "Of course, for a mediocre magician like myself, it would be an impossible task. But for Your Highness, the Archduchess, who possesses the pinnacle of magical abilities, wouldn''t it be entirely possible to achieve this alone? If it''s Your Highness, becoming the god of a new world would be a matter of course..." "What on earth are you talking about?" Harriet cut off Roswin''s words midway. Harriet strongly felt that this man was recounting a story that only he knew ¨C a story that existed solely in his head. An inexplicable discomfort began to take root at the bottom of her heart. She hadn''t realized it before, but something about this man felt incredibly off. His usually smooth demeanor seemed to falter slightly, accompanied by nonsensical statements that appeared out of the blue, and an unreadable gaze. Instinctively, Harriet felt she needed to leave. This man was dangerous. She no longer wanted to continue their conversation. "I should be going now. It''s getting late..." "What a shame, Your Highness." As Harriet glanced around and rose from her seat, Roswin smiled. "I was hoping to talk a little more with you today. Is there any way we could stay just a bit longer...?" "...We can always talk later. It''s really late tonight." "Ah... I see." His words seemed to accept her reasoning, but his expression did not. That was the breaking point. Was he planning to force a conversation even if she didn''t want to? Harriet felt her blood run cold at Roswin''s sudden change in demeanor. As he got up from his seat, slightly trembling, a faint, sinister smile formed at the corners of his mouth. "Then, farewell." He merely bowed deeply toward Harriet. As if fleeing, Harriet rushed out of the reading room. An unidentified sense of crisis enveloped her entire being. CH 410 Having left the palace, Harriet quickened her pace. The man she had thought to be a good advisor until now had shown her a completely different side, and the intense sense of unease she felt soon turned into a chilling fear. Though nothing had actually happened to her, Harriet was able to intuitively sense through their few conversations that he was not a normal magician. He seemed to be following her. For some reason, she felt certain of it. He constantly muttered strange things and spoke to her in ways she couldn''t discern the intentions behind. If only she had known him sooner, she might have appreciated his almost divine level of praise, but even then, she couldn''t understand the nonsense he spouted about being a god of a new world. A normal magician would never say such things. Harriet had walked the path of an elite magician. Magicianship was fundamentally the study of geniuses, but there were also street magicians, and those who learned magic from them certainly existed. They were usually madmen and eccentrics. Harriet had heard that there were countless lunatics who enjoyed tormenting those without talent for magic by teaching them magic forcibly. Soon enough. As an elite magician, Harriet had little experience dealing with such mad magicians. Her father was a grand magician, and those who taught her magic were generally sane magicians with clean thoughts. The only madman she had dealt with was Aaron Mede, who had created a chimera in the basement of her mansion some time ago. So, it was only natural for her to be engulfed in fear when Roswin, who seemed perfectly fine, started spouting strange nonsense. The legendary villains she heard about from her older brother or father as a child were certainly not like this. However, Harriet could feel in real-time just how terrifying it was to face someone with immeasurable madness. She repeatedly looked back as she walked. Was he following her? She had the feeling that he was somehow obsessed with her. What on earth would he do to her if he was indeed following her? Her steps quickened, and even among the passengers on the magical train heading back to the temple, Harriet was sweating cold sweat. Nothing had happened, but it felt as if something was about to. Though she knew her anxiety was probably unfounded, Harriet couldn''t help feeling restless. The strange gazes he cast upon her. The burning desire in his eyes when he talked about magic books. The completely incomprehensible and nonsensical ramblings. Hoping that such a mad magician would not try to harm her in any way, Harriet practically ran back to the temple once she got off the train. A slight sense of relief washed over her as she crossed the temple gate, but it wasn''t enough. The tram was empty because it was nighttime. Only a few students were on the tram, busy with their own affairs, while Harriet looked around nervously, sweat dripping from her brow. The thought of being caught up in a situation where she might become the target of a mad magician, something she had never heard of, made her blood run cold. It must be a mere delusion, she thought. Lately, her nerves had been on edge, causing her to overreact to trivial matters. But even so, the bizarre stories she had heard from Roswin made it difficult for her to dismiss the possibility altogether. With a heavy heart filled with dread, Harriet finally arrived at the Royal Class Dormitory''s bus stop and entered the building. And then, As soon as she returned to the second-year dormitory, Harriet instantly felt the fear and anxiety that had been gnawing at her dissipate. "Uh..." Reinhardt, with a towel draped around his neck as if he had just taken a shower, met her gaze as he walked towards the lobby. Lately, it had always been like this; Reinhardt hesitated for a moment but never initiated a conversation with her. However, he was there. And she believed that Reinhardt would somehow manage to help her. She didn''t want to admit it, but she couldn''t deny it either. The anxiety that had been gripping her heart vanished like a lie the moment she saw Reinhardt''s face. "Ah..." Her tension reflexively released upon seeing Reinhardt, and Harriet''s legs suddenly went weak. Stagger! "Hey, what''s wrong with you?" Just before Harriet collapsed, Reinhardt quickly caught her. Leaning on him, she bit her lip. There were certainly people stronger than Reinhardt, and many more reliable than him. But why did his face bring her such a profound sense of relief? "Why are you covered in cold sweat?" Reinhardt hesitated but couldn''t help checking on Harriet''s complexion cautiously. The reason Harriet felt reassured when she saw Reinhardt, she thought she knew it. It was because he was a bad person. He was a madman who would impulsively propose a marriage to protect someone precious to him, like he did when he learned of Charlotte''s life being in danger. He was a bad person because he would do such things, knowing full well that it would hurt those around him. And so, if something happened to her like it did to Charlotte, He would somehow, by any means necessary, come through for her. He might be a bad person and shameless, But he had always come through in the past, and she believed he would again. That''s why Harriet couldn''t help but feel relieved when she saw Reinhardt. Harriet wanted to hate Reinhardt, instead. "Hey... why are you like this? Did something happen?" She wanted to hate him and, in fact, did hate him. But as much as she hated him, she trusted Reinhardt. "I don''t know... I don''t even know why I''m like this..." And because she liked Reinhardt more than she hated him, "Just... just... stay like this for a moment. Just stay like this for a moment..." "Uh, what? Uh... uh. Okay, I got it..." In the end, Harriet could not hate Reinhardt any more than she already did. ¡ª--- "Do you think it''s a misconception?" "¡­Ah. Now that I think about it, I was just scared for no reason. Nothing actually happened." What''s this? I thought Harriet was caught up in something serious, but she said it wasn''t a big deal after all. "No, it''s just... People keep praising me as a genius and... There''s this person... It''s a bit suspicious, I guess. I wonder if they have some hidden agenda. They said some strange things, but it seems like they were just weird... I don''t know how to put it. I was just scared for no reason." "Delusions?" At my words, Harriet''s face turned bright red. "Uh¡­ delusions, I think..." What could it be? According to Lucinil''s way of speaking, did our little cutie have some sort of axe-to-grind attribute? Probably not. "It just felt like that person was following me, coming after me. I was scared... But now that I think about it, they were just strange... They never did anything bad to me or asked anything of me deliberately... There are many eccentric magicians, so... When I think about it, that person isn''t that odd. I think I just misunderstood." Her embarrassment made her pronunciation jumble and her speech adorable. And it''s nice to be able to see this cute sight without much guilt. In the end, she got so scared because the research assistant, who had been helping her, excessively praised her, that she ran away to the temple. I still don''t know what strange things were said, but magicians are known for their bizarre statements, and it''s not just a one-time thing. Anyway. I was stuck, wondering if I should distance myself from Harriet, but Harriet took the initiative. It''s fortunate that it wasn''t a serious matter after all. I was worried something terrible had happened, and my heart sank. It''s a relief if it was just a misunderstanding. Because of the misunderstanding, we can now talk like this, quite normally. Harriet and I were sitting face-to-face in the dining hall. And I met Harriet right after finishing my duel with Ellen and taking a shower. "¡­" "Ah, Ellen¡­" So, it was natural for Ellen, who had just finished her shower, to come to the dining hall for a meal. Ellen looked at Harriet and me, who were sitting face-to-face, and then sat down next to Harriet. As if it were obvious. "Is there something you want to eat?" Our stoic friend asked, her eyes practically shining. "I''ll make something for you today." It seemed like she was quite fond of this situation. Harriet looked at Ellen with a complicated expression, not knowing what to say. It seemed like she was about to smile, but also like she might cry. With a complex expression. "Do... do I... feel hungry?" "What''s with you?" And then, a rather unfamiliar voice for the A-class dormitory, even at this ambitious hour, came from behind us. "Is it really appropriate for a mere knight to be ordering around their lord like this?" With her arms folded, Charlotte stared at Ellen with an annoyed expression. No way, did Ellen actually summon Charlotte herself? "I can cook well. I''ll make something for you." "My knight doesn''t particularly need to be skilled with a knife, you know?" "Well, there''s no need to be bad at it either. I''m better than you, who can''t do either." "Is that so? How can you be sure I can''t cook when you''ve never seen me do it?" "Obviously, you can''t because you grew up in an environment where you couldn''t possibly learn to cook well." "¡­Fine! I can''t! I can''t cook! But did you call me just to pick a fight? In the middle of the night?" "I called you to make food, but you''re the one who started the fight. I was just trying to be considerate. You''re the one who makes a fuss over nothing." "¡­Who taught you to be so annoying when you''re right?" Ellen silently pointed at me with a gesture. How can she be so good at getting under people''s skin when she doesn''t seem like it? It''s driving me crazy. "Wow... Now you''re making me angry without even saying a word?" "Getting angry easily, that''s a sickness." I''ve been seeing this kind of situation more often lately. Charlotte and Ellen have a bad chemistry, unlike Ellen and Olivia. And Ellen seems to talk more when she''s with Charlotte? When she argues with Olivia, she just says things like "go away" or "I don''t like it." "Anyway, what do you want to eat?" At Ellen''s question, Charlotte grinned. "Beef Bourguignon." What should I do? Our First Princess started acting spoiled. But what followed was even worse. "Use only tenderloin for the meat. I usually like fatty cuts, but I''m on a diet these days. And no spices, especially pepper. I hate chefs who use spices to cover up their poor skills. As for wine, use a red wine from Rizelle..." "Just eat what you''re given without being picky." Ellen said exactly what I was thinking. Of course, Charlotte''s face turned red upon hearing that. "What? Picky? Did you just call me picky?" "By ''picky,'' I meant ''fussy about your looks.'' You''re pretty, so you''re fussy enough to demand a pretty dish." "Uh... What? What did you say?" "If you don''t understand, just eat what you''re given." "Hey! Where are you going?" "I''m not running away; I''m going to the kitchen." Ellen, tired of Charlotte''s nagging, entered the kitchen, and Charlotte started watching her from behind, apparently wanting to keep an eye on her. Harriet and I stood there with our mouths agape, watching Ellen and Charlotte''s argument. "Hey... You know what..." "I think I know what you''re trying to say." "Last year, it felt like you and I were like that..." Though the context was different, the flustered Charlotte and the still-fighting Ellen were the spitting image of Harriet and me last year. That wasn''t the only similarity. "I don''t like carrots!" "Eat it." "Ugh, seriously? You won''t let me off?" "I have a knife, you know." "Wow¡­ You really don''t hold back, do you?" "Reinhardt¡­ I''m feeling dizzy¡­" Listening to the bickering of Ellen and Charlotte, Harriet slumped onto the table, groaning in discomfort. "Truth be told¡­ I''m still not used to this either." In a way unrelated to their social statuses, the conversation between the two was quite nauseating. Ellen had prepared beef bourguignon and presented it before us, while Charlotte snickered with her arms crossed. "Sorry, but do you remember me saying I''m on a diet? What do you think I''d eat after eleven at night? Think a bit, would you?" Right. That''s just like you. As Charlotte snorted and turned away from the prepared food, Ellen stared at her intently. That look. It''s like her lips are about to burst out. "¡­Well, if you''re not going to eat¡­" Seeing Ellen''s gradually protruding lips and gaze, Charlotte tried her best to ignore it and muttered quietly. "¡­" As if to say, if you don''t eat, I won''t either, Ellen stared back at Charlotte with her lips pouting. She''d be hurt. She''d be really hurt if she didn''t eat. It was an almost coercive gaze. "Fine, I get it! I''ll eat, okay?!" Charlotte seemed genuinely uninterested in eating, but she reluctantly ate because of Ellen. "¡­Hmph, it''s decent enough to eat." The line was so clich¨¦ it was appalling, and Harriet blushed, watching Charlotte, wondering if she had been like that. "I¡­ I¡­ I''ll never¡­ I''ll never say that again¡­ Like hmph or¡­ hmph or¡­" Right. You''re cute enough without resorting to those lines. ¡ª--- Since Ellen had become Charlotte''s knight, there were times like these, and although Harriet hadn''t exactly made peace with her, the four of us gathered in the A-class dormitory due to Harriet''s ambiguous misunderstanding. After eating the meal Ellen had prepared, we had some time for tea. Left to their own devices, Ellen and Charlotte would naturally bicker. Harriet tried her best not to listen, pinching her earlobes when the two began to argue. Of course, that wasn''t all they talked about. "¡­Did I hear something wrong just now?" "It''s about the increased efficiency of the Gate usage." "No, I mean¡­ if we''re within the Warp Gate zone, we can travel in just one go?" "I don''t know if it''s actually possible, but theoretically, it is. I don''t know if you''ll understand, but I''ve even created something like a blueprint." Charlotte asked Harriet if she had found anything useful while looking through research materials at the Magic Department, and Harriet was merely answering that question. I was also surprised by the conversation. Improving the Warp Gate to reach the destination with a single use, rather than consecutive uses. Of course, it wasn''t an immediate matter. Charlotte looked at Harriet with a doubtful expression. "If what you''re saying is true and it really works like that¡­ Wow, I can''t even imagine how much things would change." Charlotte seemed to struggle with calculating the frequency that would be brought about by the simplification and optimization of the warp gate. Ellen tilted her head quizzically, and I couldn''t help but think that our blockhead was still the best. Come to think of it, Harriet''s discovery also had an impact on par with that of power cartridges or Moonshine. It was a change beyond my expectations, so I couldn''t quite grasp it. Since it was a discovery that would greatly benefit the national interest, it seemed that Charlotte finally began to seriously consider the talent of Harriet de Saint Owan, the greatest genius in magical history. Ellen, Harriet, and Charlotte. The sight of the three of them talking together was unusual, but it didn''t look too bad. "What''s that sister up to these days?" As they chatted, with an air of both familiarity and awkwardness, Ellen quietly asked me. Charlotte and Harriet also glanced in my direction, seemingly interested. It wasn''t wrong for her to ask me about Olivia''s recent activities. But it was somehow intriguing that Ellen was curious about it. Perhaps she had started to feel a sense of kinship, as they were both burdened with the same fate as artifact holders. Olivia hadn''t told me anything about what she was going through, as if it were something she''d rather not talk about. In fact, it had been difficult even to run into her, as she was frequently away from the temple. "I heard she''s working as an Inquisitor¡­ but I don''t know the details." All I knew was that Olivia was searching for clues about the Demon God Cult. If I were to reveal myself as the Demon King, Olivia would stand by my side and keep my secret. However, making that choice would be tantamount to her willingly becoming an enemy of humanity. I''d rather have Olivia not be on anyone''s side. No, it would be better if she considered the Demon King an enemy. That way, she wouldn''t end up becoming a faceless enemy to countless others. It''s better for Olivia to regard the nonexistent Demon King as an enemy than to make her an enemy of humanity by joining the Demon King''s side. That''s because all I have to do is avoid Olivia. "Inquisitor?" The word itself carried an ominous resonance, so everyone seemed surprised. While the second-year Royal Class students saw Olivia as a senior with a volatile personality, they weren''t unaware that she was known as a saintly figure. That''s why they were all taken aback to learn that Olivia was involved in the gruesome work of an Inquisitor, capturing and torturing people. The engagement and the many changes that followed had transformed the political landscape of the continent, as well as our relationships. Among the smallest of changes, we now found ourselves gathered like this in the middle of the night, talking. We hadn''t completely fallen apart. But in this strange relationship that felt both awkwardly broken and awkwardly mended, I could feel a precarious, small sense of peace. CH 411 -Whoosh! A dark space echoed with the sound of air tearing apart, resonating from all directions. The moment a whip was swung, it broke the sound barrier, producing a deafening sonic boom. The sound itself was menacing, but those who were struck by the whip endured an even greater threat to their lives. Those who were hit by the whip, which tore flesh apart, could not even scream if the pain was too severe. A person slumped, exhausted after torture. Looking at the state of people who could not be identified as alive or dead, Olivia saw that several of them, trapped behind iron bars, had already stopped breathing. "Over here." Olivia was led by someone wearing the Inquisitor''s uniform, heading somewhere. The underground of the Holy Knights'' headquarters. There were more people than usual in the enormous interrogation room. Olivia had been there a few times before, and she had even been on the verge of being thrown into this place by her foster father. But now, Olivia was present in her capacity as a special Inquisitor. "What have they all been arrested for?" In response to Olivia''s question, one of the inquisitors leading the way clicked his tongue. "In these suspicious times, not only the Demon God Cult but also strange folk magic and idol worship are occurring everywhere. Cases where people believe in legends passed down in various regions or those who worship heretical cults that are unheard of and unrelated to Demons..." "Are there followers who believe in Ragan Artorius, the Heroic Faith?" "They''re the biggest headache. They''re definitely heretics, but..." "A difficult issue to handle, I see." "Yes, we can''t intervene yet, not until a conclusion is reached after a papal conference. It''s a situation where we cannot act." Amidst the spread of anxiety and fear, not only the Heroic Faith and Demon God Cult, but numerous folk beliefs were also emerging. Among them, the Heroic Faith was the largest heresy, which required swift action; however, mishandling it could result in a large-scale massacre of civilians. If that happened, not only would they have to consider a clash with the empire, but the people might also turn their backs on the Five Great Divine Churches. Ragan Artorius'' name carried immense weight. It was said that he had saved humanity and ascended to sit by the side of the gods. Even if that was not true, who would dare to boldly claim otherwise? In the current situation, a single misstep could lead to the Divine Church being seen as humanity''s enemy, resulting in a farcical turn of events. That''s why, while minor heresies were captured and brought to this interrogation room to demand repentance and extract information about other heretics, the Heroic Faith followers who could be seen on the streets remained untouched. Olivia found the situation amusing. Following the outbreak of the Demon War, the Holy Knights, representing the entire Divine Church, had united to form a powerful organization. It turned out to be quite effective. Although they had always had a symbiotic relationship, the creation of an institution representing their collective will had led to a fivefold increase, or even more, in the influence, power, and authority of the united believers. Even the commander of the Holy Knights had come to possess power and influence on par with the pontiffs of the five major theocratic orders. Originally created with the purpose of defeating the Demon King, the Holy Knights now remained in existence despite the disappearance of the Demon King. Thus, the former commander of the Holy Knights, Riverrier Lanze, had even devised a plan to establish a Holy Empire. However, the situation was turned upside down due to the reappearance of the Demon King. It wasn''t that the Demon King had done anything directly. People driven mad by the fear of the Demon King created a fictitious faith called the Hero''s Religion, which now posed a threat to the five major religions. Far from launching a Holy Empire, the five major religions now had to worry about their existence being threatened by the Hero''s Religion, a faith without substance. Ironically, the prestige of the Hero''s Religion grew even larger due to the existence of Ellen Artorius and the new owner of Alsebringer, Reinhardt. Hadn''t it been said? That the hero would return. That the reincarnated hero Reinhardt, and Ellen Artorius, a descendant of the hero, would save us. Since religion tends to conform faith to reality, those who believe in the Hero''s Religion will propagate the emergence of these two as the fulfillment of the prophecies taught by the Hero''s Religion. The influence of the Hero''s Religion will expand. It has no doctrine, no hierarchy, no diocese, no temples, no pontiffs. An epidemic named the Hero''s Religion, like a wildfire, will engulf the continent. The five major religions. They might meet their end at the hands of the masses, not the Demon King. Did the Demon King foresee this situation when he attacked Riverrier Lanze? If he knew that this would happen and killed Riverrier Lanze, then the Demon King would be something more than just a genius. Because he even took into account human madness and fear. In that case, after killing Riverrier Lanze, he may have sensed the signs of the Hero''s Religion and attacked Rajeurn to amplify it. The fuse ignited by the assassination of Riverrier Lanze. The explosive that was the first Rajeurn raid. With the recent raid on the Holy Knights, it all exploded. The Hero''s Religion''s revival has been forced upon the five major religions through a few guerrilla battles. Could the Demon King have really known this would happen? Olivia couldn''t know that far. However, Olivia decided to do what she had to do. It was okay if she wasn''t chosen. It was fine as long as she could see a smile. It was good if there was happiness. She would protect Reinhardt. If she had to become a monster to do so, she was prepared to be one. "This is the place." Unlike other areas, there were no iron bars allowing a clear view inside. A massive cell, blocked by a thick stone wall. Numerous magic circles and protective wards on the outside prevented interference from the outside and escape from the inside. It was a cell designed to imprison important figures among the heretics. -Kurliung! As the interrogator manipulated something, the stone wall opened, revealing the cell. A battered heretic, head bowed, lay unconscious in the cell. "It''s not a fake, is it?" In the provinces, people were already attempting to hang those who weren''t followers of the Demon God Cult, and Olivia had seen instances where actual priests had cooperated in creating unjust victims. This question was extremely important to her, as it was not her place to interrogate innocent people. "I''m certain. This is a priest who can wield the divine power of the demon, not a mere impostor among the townsfolk. However, they refuse to speak. It seems they have received some special training, as befitting a priest." From what Olivia could see, it was clear that the usual methods of torture hadn''t been employed, given the traces of it on the prisoner. It seemed that the prisoner possessed a strong resistance not only to anti-magic but also to mental spells. "Alright. Everyone, leave." "Excuse me? They''re dangerous. Leaving just the two of you alone..." "Do I have to tell you twice?" As Olivia silently stared at the escorts, they swallowed nervously. Her expression, though mild, seemed to hide a chilling sharpness like that of a blade. She was already renowned as a Saint of Eredian, and despite her sudden abandonment of her faith, she was an apostle of Tu''an who had returned with the Tiamata. To oppose her will was considered akin to going against the will of the divine. Even the Pope and the Grandmaster of the Holy Knights couldn''t easily confront a champion chosen by the sacred relics. "Yes, if it becomes dangerous..." "I know, so just leave." At Olivia''s terse command, the stone door closed, and darkness filled the chamber. -Hwoong With a wave of her hand, Olivia conjured light to illuminate the stone chamber. The torture of a heretic inquisitor was not something ordinary people could endure. The torture of priests stemmed not from the pain itself but from their ability to harness the power of healing. Even if they felt as if they would lose their minds, even if their limbs seemed severed, even if they were on the verge of hemorrhagic shock, priests could restore their bodies to their original state and begin the torture anew. Thus, most victims would eventually confess the truth, or at least say what the inquisitors wanted to hear, even if it was a lie. However, this priest of the Demon God Cult had yet to break. Olivia dragged a chair over to the side of the unresponsive, limp prisoner and sat down quietly. "If you''re conscious, why don''t you lift your head?" "..." There was no response from the prisoner. "I have neither the talent nor the skill for torture. If a stone-thrower like me were to torture you, you might even die." At Olivia''s casual yet brutal words, a hoarse voice emerged from the prisoner with their head bowed. "Kill me..." It was a simple response. Death was not a freedom granted here. Taking one''s own life was incredibly difficult, and in a bound state, even more so. Even if they tried to die, the priests would forcibly heal them. Torture that didn''t even permit death. That was the true heretical inquisition, unlike the botched trials that took place in Rajeurn. "How easily you speak of death after enduring such terrible torture. How pitiful." Olivia gazed quietly at the heretic with their head bowed. "Still, I am different from the inquisitors who have come before me." In the Light Olivia extended her right hand towards the heretic, who bowed his head. Shooooooo "I know how to wield the power of the demon. Quite well, in fact." From Olivia''s right hand, a dark and dense energy flowed, distinct from the white light filling the room. "We are on the same side." The heretic, lifting his head, looked at Olivia as if he couldn''t believe it. The power of the demon and the power of the gods have the same origin. Olivia was saddened by the countless conflicts, pain, and death that occurred because people did not know this or did not want to acknowledge it. Olivia would use this knowledge. Olivia was both a priestess of Tu¡¯an and a priestess of Kier. Therefore, she could easily open the door that would never open unless one was an ally. "Are you willing to talk now?" Olivia, who had illuminated the room with the power of purity, stared intently at the heretic, who was draped in the power of corruption. "Oh... my lord..." To the heretic, it must have appeared as the form of a god. ¡ª--- Late at night, after enjoying a small feast with three others at midnight, Harriet returned to her room, washed, dried her hair, and sat on the bed. She had realized that she couldn''t hate Reinhardt more than she liked him, so Harriet had clung to him recklessly. Was that okay? While it was true that she couldn''t hate Reinhardt, Harriet also felt that she would ultimately be in the last place. She knew that her heart, relationships, and connections with others were deeper, and she had to circle around them. How long should she endure the misery of squeezing in between them? For now, talking to Reinhardt, eating together, and sharing stories was enjoyable. It was so delightful, comfortable, and happy that she didn''t even feel the swamp of depression that engulfed her when she was alone. But when she returned to her dorm room like this, she discovered her own pitiful self again. Was this right? Was it right to accumulate her current feelings, enjoying the moment, finding comfort and happiness, only to suffer greater pain later? Perhaps it would be better to hurt now. Maybe it would be better to hurt a lot now. Then, it wouldn''t hurt later. If she endured this pain now, it would eventually turn into a scar. Once it became a scar, it wouldn''t hurt anymore, at least. Wasn''t that the right thing to do? But tomorrow, Reinhardt would calmly strike up a conversation, as he always had. Telling Reinhardt to stop pretending to be friendly while giving him a cold look would be a ridiculous act. Most of all. She didn''t know the specifics, but Reinhardt had a deep relationship with Charlotte. It seemed that Reinhardt had even saved Charlotte''s life when she was in danger. Ellen and Reinhardt had risked their lives together, fighting in the Darklands. And, in truth, Ellen and Reinhardt had spent the most time together. In Olivia''s case, Reinhardt had cleverly rescued her from her confinement and threats by her stepfather. In a way, he had saved her life. Reinhardt had at least one significant event with everyone else, excluding herself. But what about her? ''Something seems too trivial. No matter how much I think about it¡­.'' Even in her own thoughts. She felt wronged and frustrated by constantly being pushed aside. Upon serious consideration, she was objectively insignificant. "..." Of course, going through hardships wasn''t a good thing. However, it seemed oddly different that Harriet hadn''t experienced such events. The Archduchess of Saint-Owan, Harriet de Saint-Owan, was insignificant. Now it was impossible to say that she, an archduchess, was on the same level as mere commoners. After all, Reinhardt was the undisputed champion of Als. What about today, even? In reality, nothing had happened, but she had almost collapsed in front of Reinhardt as if she had been stalked, and remembering her trembling made her feel so embarrassed she wanted to die. It wasn''t as if they had a tremendous fight and then had a grand, tearful reconciliation. This situation had just happened without any proper conversation. Harriet couldn''t believe that she had ended up having something like a reconciliation with Reinhardt just because she was scared of something so trivial. Wasn''t even the event of their relationship returning to normal too insignificant? The next morning at dawn. "Archduchess of Saint-Owan, we need your cooperation for a moment." It wasn''t until two magicians, who introduced themselves as investigators from the Royal Magic Department, knocked on her door at dawn. She had definitely thought that way. Seeing the two men who claimed to be investigators from the Royal Magic Department and had come all the way to the dormitory, Harriet had no choice but to be taken aback. They couldn''t be fake. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have been able to enter the temple in the first place. "Me... why?" "Last night, a murder occurred in the Royal Magic Department''s research archive. You need to be investigated as an important witness in connection with the case." "Yes... What?!" A murder. At that word, Harriet felt her head spinning, and at the same time, she was engulfed in an inexplicable fear. Even if one had done nothing wrong, even if it was the highborn Archduchess of Saint-Owan, hearing the word "crime" made her freeze. Moreover, it was a murder that took place within the royal palace. Harriet turned pale as she looked at the courteous but imposing investigators. It was dawn, so her classmates would be asleep. However, it was also the time for those who had morning training to wake up. "...Uh, what''s going on?" For example, someone like Reinhardt. CH 412 As I stepped out of my room for my dawn training, I hesitated for a moment, wondering whether or not I should strike up a conversation with the person I saw. However, it was clear that the two outsiders had brought with them a serious issue. Upon hearing the words "murder case," I acted more quickly than I had anticipated. "We need to investigate a key witness for a murder case that occurred in the Royal Magic Department. We''ve already secured the cooperation of the Temple." Harriet looked back and forth between me and the investigators. There was no way Harriet could have committed such a crime as murder. "May I accompany you?" It was clear that Harriet had been caught up in something quite unusual. ¡ª--- The Magic Department investigators seemed to know who I was. Despite the importance of the case, they allowed me to act as Harriet''s guardian when I volunteered to do so. Fortunately, the investigation took place not outside the Temple but inside the Royal Class dormitory, in one of the empty guardrooms. Harriet wore an expression of complete ignorance as to what had happened, and I, who had suddenly been caught up in the situation, felt the same way. Harriet had been in the Royal Magic Department late last night. She had seemed a bit frightened yesterday, but she had said it was just her imagination. Had something really happened after all? "What... is going on?" Harriet asked, her lips trembling slightly, and one of the investigators began to explain slowly. "Last night, three guards were killed in the Royal Magic Department''s research archive, and a magical tome was stolen." Murder and the theft of a magical tome. Upon hearing this, Harriet''s face turned from pale to an ashen blue. "At present, the most likely suspect is the 8th research archive librarian, Roswin, who is currently unreachable." "That... that person?" "Yes, Roswin, the librarian in charge of the 8th reading room, is the prime suspect." Roswin. It was a name I had never heard before. Harriet was terrified, but she finally seemed to understand and slowly nodded her head. Harriet began to explain what had happened yesterday. The prime suspect was Roswin, who was currently missing after committing the crime. "There wasn''t anything particularly strange... I was just looking at some research material on warp gates... Oh, now that I think about it..." Harriet hesitated for a moment, as if remembering something, and began to speak. "He mentioned bringing magical tomes from somewhere... Were those the ones that were stolen?" "Yes, they were." "He seemed oddly curious about their origin... Even to the point of being suspicious. He was babbling on and on..." "So, you''re saying Roswin was acting differently than usual?" "Yes... He used to be rather aloof, but would always provide me with whatever I needed... That day, he talked a lot more, and even said it would have been better if we had met earlier... Oh." Harriet muttered to herself as if she had realized something. Harriet told the investigators a few more stories, but there were no particularly significant clues. However, Harriet seemed to be deeply shaken by the events. The person I had calmly conversed with yesterday had committed a murder and escaped the palace. "Thank you for your cooperation in the investigation." The investigators briefly wrapped up their conversation and stood up, seemingly having no further business to attend to. "Can that person... be caught?" The investigators neither confirmed nor denied Harriet''s fear-laden question. "We''ll have to do our best." "Well then, we appreciate your cooperation. It was an honor to meet you, Reinhardt." "Yes? Oh... yes." Expressing their gratitude to Harriet, they left the duty room with a slightly awkward comment about the honor of meeting me. An unexpected murder and theft. "..." Harriet''s fingers were still white, the shock seemingly not having faded yet. Unable to stand still, I brewed some black tea in the duty room and poured a cup for Harriet. "Ah, thanks... Reinhardt." Harriet cautiously sipped the tea with trembling hands. Eventually, she drained the cup and let out a deep breath. "What on earth happened..." It was clear that Harriet had experienced something strange yesterday. "Was it that guy yesterday?" "Uh-huh..." The mage who had suddenly stolen a considerable number of magic books. Harriet seemed to calm down a bit, taking a deep breath. "I don''t know why he took them... but there were quite a few." Was it such a large number that a well-behaved, even elite, mage would lose his mind, kill someone, and flee? "I thought he was greedy for magic books, but to go as far as killing..." Harriet didn''t know who Roswin was, but he must have been a mage who had been quite helpful to her until now. It was natural to be shocked when she heard that someone she had encountered frequently had killed three people. Harriet murmured, furrowing her brows. "I should have... noticed it sooner..." He had shown a different behavior pattern than usual due to his decision to steal magic books. Harriet thought that if she had caught on to his intentions sooner, this might not have happened. "There''s no way you could have known that." "I guess, but..." Was she blaming herself? If she had quickly noticed that Roswin was acting differently yesterday, could lives have been spared? It''s impossible to deduce such a thing just because someone is acting strange. Therefore, Harriet''s self-blame was meaningless. Harriet hung her head, fiddling with her teacup. "If I had just realized that something was off, I might not have been able to do anything, but at least I could have told someone. But I just got scared and ran away..." Finally, she let out a deep sigh. "I feel... pathetic." I didn''t think it was Harriet''s fault, and she probably didn''t think it was her fault either. However, she regretted her decision to run away yesterday. The choice to flee without trying to find out how strange the person was. What should we do? This wasn''t Harriet''s fault, but it was difficult to sit idly by while such an incident had occurred. Above all, a murder case within the palace was a very serious matter. "......Shall we try to investigate it ourselves?" "Us......?" "We might not be able to expect much, but there''s no rule saying we can''t find anything, right?" There was no harm in trying. As a hero, I had the authority to interfere in almost all affairs of the empire, and Harriet had a brilliant mind. More importantly, I hadn''t been able to do anything for Harriet until now, and I wanted to do something for her, who was looking sullen. Of course, I wasn''t sure if pursuing a murder case was really the right thing to do. And this. Somehow, if this was the flow...... [Event Occurred - Murder Case Investigation] [Description: A murder and theft incident has occurred within the palace. Investigate the case.] [Reward: Achievement points 5,000, ???] I had a feeling an event would happen, and sure enough, it did. ¡ª--- Saturday morning. Ellen should have been spending her weekend sparring, but Reinhardt had business to attend to, so he left the dormitory with Harriet. She didn''t know what had happened yesterday, but she found out that Harriet and Reinhardt were getting along like they used to. She had been worried that Harriet and Reinhardt were drifting apart. It wasn''t quite like the old days, but the sight of Harriet and Reinhardt chatting and heading somewhere together. Had Harriet finally gotten better? She felt relieved, but at the same time, she couldn''t fully accept it due to a complicated emotion. Ellen watched the two of them leave the temple through the window. It was good, but she couldn''t feel completely happy. Feeling this way made Ellen feel guilty towards Harriet, but she couldn''t do anything about it. So, rather, when the three of them were together, she would act more friendly towards Harriet than she felt. It made her feel harder to bear, though. Training couldn''t be done without Reinhardt. Since Saviollin Turner left the temple on weekends to take care of Shanafel''s duties, her help couldn''t be obtained either. She hoped it wouldn''t be a time-consuming task. Ellen was thinking like that while contemplating how to train alone. "Hey." However, Charlotte came to visit the Class A dormitory. "Let''s talk for a bit." Even if she put it nicely, they couldn''t be considered close, but they were bound by an oath of loyalty. "Okay." That''s why Ellen obediently followed Charlotte. ¡ª--- Charlotte took Ellen outside the dormitory. Her expression was hardened, as if she had no intention of discussing an easy subject. "I don''t know you well, but I think you''re burdened by something. What do you think?" "I''m not sure." "I see, so you''re at a level where you don''t even think about such things while living." Ellen''s lips were sealed so tight, the very concept of loose lips would have never even crossed her mind. Naturally, she was oblivious to gossip, living her life without ever engaging in spreading rumors. Charlotte took several deep breaths. She intended to reveal a secret known to very few people to her knight, who was uncharacteristically undignified. "You know I was kidnapped and held captive in the Demon King''s castle before I escaped, right?" "Yes." As the threat of the Demon King grew more imminent and his existence could potentially endanger Reinhardt, Charlotte finally made up her mind. "There was a child who escaped with me back then." "...Together?" "Yes." As Charlotte nodded her head, "I think that child is the current Demon King." "!" A secret among secrets known only to a select few. Charlotte intended to share this with Ellen. Very few people knew about Charlotte''s escape from the Demon King''s castle. Among the Temple students, only Charlotte, Bertus, and Reinhardt knew the full story. So it was only natural for Ellen to be shocked by Charlotte''s confession. Charlotte explained the entire process of her escape from the Demon King''s castle, from start to finish. She recounted how Bertus''s agents tried to kill her and how the child who brought the teleportation scroll along with Dyrus had saved her. Of course, Ellen had no idea that there was a child who had escaped with Charlotte, let alone that the child was now the Demon King who was shaking the entire continent, so she was understandably shocked. "I didn''t know at the time, of course. He must have been using some kind of disguise magic. This isn''t the important part, though. Ultimately, I''m almost certain that he¡¯s the Demon King now." Charlotte bit her lip. She had decided to tell everything, but she seemed to be wondering whether she should really reveal this as well. After contemplating, Charlotte looked around. In the park in front of the Royal Class dormitory, it was early morning on the weekend, so there were no passersby. "Since you''re going to keep being my knight, you need to know this. I''ll tell you." "Okay." "You know I have Supernatural abilities, right?" At Charlotte''s words, Ellen nodded her head. However, Reinhardt knew that Charlotte was grappling with some serious issues. She had experienced something like aftereffects after returning from the Demon King''s castle, but that was all he knew. Ellen did not know what Charlotte''s Supernatural power was. Charlotte held out her right hand quietly. -Swoosh- Seeing the dark, boiling darkness emanating from Charlotte''s right hand, Ellen felt her breath catch. It was a sinister power that gave off an ominous feeling just by looking at it, even though she didn''t know what it was. "My body harbors the soul of the Demon King." "...What?" The following words could only make Ellen more astounded. "When I was trapped in the Demon King''s castle, he did something to me. I didn''t know the meaning back then, but now I do. The Demon King, in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances, implanted a part of his soul in my body for the purpose of resurrection." Even the usually indifferent Ellen found it difficult to hide her astonishment at the words coming out of Charlotte''s mouth. She had escaped the Demon Realm with the heir of the demon realm and even had a part of the Demon King''s soul slumbering within her own body. The words that poured out far surpassed Ellen''s imagination, which had pictured an incurable disease. "Turns out, the current Demon King, the child who had escaped back then, didn''t save me for my sake, but to preserve the Demon King''s soul within me." "I didn''t even know that, and while I had some suspicion that the child might be a demon, I intentionally pretended not to know. I even went so far as to turn a blind eye to how I could find the child." "I admit, I was foolish and weak. I wanted to believe that the child''s intentions were for my sake. But I don''t believe that anymore. And now that I''m in this state, Reinhardt has saved me numerous times, and the Demon King might even be targeting Reinhardt." Charlotte took a deep breath after finishing her words. "I''m not sure if the Demon King is really behind all this, but the Demon God cultists are showing up too. So, I''m going to retrace the clues I had intentionally ignored and overlooked. And since the Demon King''s story isn''t unrelated to you, and you are my knight, I''m going to tell you all the secrets." Just as Ellen had decided to protect Charlotte regardless of personal feelings, Charlotte acknowledged Ellen as her knight, also regardless of personal feelings. "I don''t want to burden Reinhardt anymore. He will try to handle everything himself. I''ve been helped several times, but now I want to avoid such situations. So, if you''re okay with it, I''d like to pursue the Demon King together. I can''t use anyone else. It''s a matter related to my sensitive secret, so I have to investigate it myself. Of course, the likelihood of finding the Demon King''s whereabouts isn''t high. But doing something is better than doing nothing. I want to try something now." Charlotte looked intently at Ellen. "Will you do it with me?" Investigating the clues about the Demon King. In regret, Charlotte tried to reconnect the link she had severed with her own hands. Now that the existence of the Demon King was beginning to threaten the entire continent, Charlotte realized she had to do something. If this mess had continued due to her own foolishness, she vowed to do something in order to fulfill her minimum duty as a member of the royal family. The clues were already lost, but it was possible that something could be gained through them. "Yes. Let''s do it." At Charlotte''s proposal, Ellen silently nodded her head. If it could reach the Demon King, it would be an act to protect Reinhardt. There was no reason for Ellen to refuse. CH 413 Ellen and Charlotte left the temple. Charlotte had an artifact that cast a spell to hinder recognition, while Ellen wore a robe as a disguise. They were prepared in case they attracted unwanted attention. As they walked down the street, Charlotte briefly explained to Ellen where they were going. She recounted how she had found a clue while exploring the shopping district of the Aligar district with Reinhardt, how Reinhardt had played the role of a messenger and delivered a letter to the shopkeeper, and how they had ceased contact after the evidence became conclusive. And finally, how she had told him to leave the empire. Upon recalling all this, Charlotte realized anew just how much she had contributed to the growth of this massive problem. If only she had pursued that magician relentlessly and captured the child. If only she had killed the Demon King. None of this would be happening now. Charlotte came to a sudden realization that she was a sinner not only to the empire but to all mankind and the entire era. She had been nurturing a cancerous growth that threatened the empire, all because she had been swayed by worthless approval, faith, and attachment. If it weren''t for Reinhardt, she might have awakened as a Demon King herself, causing yet another bloodbath. Overwhelmed with guilt, Charlotte spoke in a barely audible voice, "¡­You probably can''t understand me, can you?" "I don''t understand your actions, but I don''t know what you''ve been through either." Ellen didn''t say whether Charlotte''s actions were right or wrong. She didn''t know how much pain Charlotte had suffered or how terrible she had felt in the Demon King''s castle. However, the boy who had saved her from the wretched life of a prisoner, just as death was upon her. At that time, there would have been no room for doubt. Ellen didn''t think it was possible to doubt someone who had risked their life to save you in such a situation. Of course, it was a fact that Charlotte''s actions had caused them to miss the opportunity to capture the Demon King. The boy who had saved her life. She had tried to trust him until the end, but eventually learned the truth that she had merely been used. Ellen knew that Charlotte''s heart must be in a lot of pain. Ellen didn''t know how to comfort someone. However, it was true that Charlotte''s choices had a very negative impact on the continent and the empire. "Blaming yourself is pointless." It was not comfort, but an attempt to offer solace. That was all Ellen could say. "¡­You''re right." For now, all they could do was hope to find even the smallest clue. ¡ª--- Even if the existence of the Demon King stirred the world, everyday life continued. The relentless solicitation in the Aligar shopping district was just another part of life that went on, unrelated to the Demon King. In fact, due to the appearance of the Demon King, protective items were being aggressively sold. Seeing the adventurers just starting their journey, Ellen felt a sense of novelty. Although she wasn''t genuinely interested in being an adventurer, Ellen had seen the true face of adventurers in the Darklands with Reinhardt. Adventurers continued to emerge even as the Demon King threatened the continent at this very moment. Charlotte, passing by the scene, spoke to Ellen. "They say a labyrinth, presumed to be the Tomb of the Lich, has been discovered in Darkland." "A Lich?" "Yeah." At the sudden mention of a Lich, Ellen cocked her head. "It''s not completely cleared, but there are adventurers who''ve wandered around and brought back a few magical tomes. I don''t know much, but the level of these tomes seems quite significant. That''s why it''s quite a commotion." "Really?" "If the discovery of the labyrinth, which hasn''t even been fully explored, is that significant, I wonder what could be inside." It was only natural to think that if the magical tomes, which were mere byproducts of the labyrinth, caused such a stir, there would be even greater magical tomes or artifacts inside. Charlotte, walking quietly, suddenly clicked her tongue. "Tsk, I hope yesterday''s incident wasn''t related to the Demon King." "Yesterday?" "...There was a murder inside the royal palace. I only received the report this morning." At the mention of murder, Ellen furrowed her brow. "In the royal palace...?" "Yeah, a member of the magic department killed the guards, stole some magic tomes, and fled. It would be one thing if it were a simple theft for profit... But it''s not related to the Demon King, is it?" Charlotte had been with Ellen to track down the traces of the Demon King, but the royal family must have been in turmoil. "I wonder if Harriet was questioned too..." Only then did Ellen seem to understand the significance of the serious conversation between Harriet and Reinhardt earlier today. Harriet must have been questioned about the incident that happened last night, and the two were planning something because of it. What were Reinhardt and Harriet doing right now, and where? It would be nice if they weren''t getting involved in something dangerous. That''s what Ellen thought. "Were the stolen magical tomes... important?" "That''s the biggest problem right now." Charlotte said, furrowing her brow. "The fact that we don''t know the content of the stolen magical tomes." "...What?" For a moment, Ellen couldn''t understand what Charlotte was saying. "What do you mean? How can we not know what was stolen?" "They had arrived at the palace less than a day ago, and they disappeared before we could fully understand their content." Thus, they couldn''t determine how dangerous the magical tomes were. "Well, I should tell you this too." Charlotte intended to tell Ellen everything about herself. Only by knowing all the secrets could a knight properly fulfill their role. "Those magic tomes, I brought them from the underground of the Demon King''s castle yesterday." ¡ª--- Harriet and I left the temple and headed towards the royal palace. We didn''t know what we could do, but it was natural to go to the scene to find out about the incident. I wore a hood, as my face might be recognized, and Harriet did the same, wearing a hood like me. I don''t know why she copied me. Roswin. Why had he stolen the magical tomes and fled? "Obviously, they must be valuable, right?" "Valuable, and possibly much more than that." Upon hearing my words, Harriet nodded her head. "Obtaining the qualifications to own a magic tome is extremely difficult. Most mages either access or borrow officially issued magic tomes from large institutions, schools, associations, or guilds. And without the proper qualifications, you can''t even view magic tomes exceeding a certain rank or level of danger." Just as enchantment magic is strictly managed, there is a stringent system in place for the management of magic tomes. "Though it''s understandable that widely available magic tomes are heavily regulated, having money doesn''t necessarily make it easy to acquire them." "So, they''re not easy to sell either, then?" Harriet stared at me intently upon hearing my words. "Exactly." "¡­It''s difficult to buy, but easy to sell?" "There are countless wizards who would want to possess a rare magic tome all to themselves. As long as they don''t get caught, it''s not a problem, right? They''d likely be willing to pay a hefty sum for rare magic, wouldn''t they? Especially if it''s a very rare magic that has not yet been revealed to the world. Its value would come from the possibility that it contains new methods of using magic or theories, rather than its effectiveness." A rare magic tome is indeed a very expensive item, provided it is truly rare. It may be challenging to officially possess dangerous magic, but secretly owning it is another story. Anyway, the point is that magic tomes can be quite valuable, particularly if they are rare. "It wasn''t about the money, though. Definitely not." "But you just said magic tomes are valuable?" Harriet looked at me with a subtle curl of her lips. What''s with this condescending feeling? "If they were a magician capable of working in the royal magic department''s research lab, they could make a fortune selling copies. There would be no need to steal it." "¡­Right, that makes sense." It was an obvious point when I thought about it. "So, the reason why Roswin stole the magic tomes wasn''t about money." Listening to Harriet, her words seemed to make sense. There were countless safe ways to make money if that was the motive, so why would someone resort to murder within the royal palace and steal magic tomes? "It is strange. He must have received considerable treatment and status in the empire, and his identity would have been verified thoroughly¡­" Only those with proven skills and trustworthiness would be able to work in the royal magic department''s archives. Yet, someone with such credentials murdered someone and stole magic tomes for an unknown reason. If it wasn''t about money, what was the reason? Was it the magic itself? Cantus Magna. I couldn''t help but think of that group. Could it be that Roswin was a member of Cantus Magna? "Do you know what the stolen magic tomes were about?" "I don''t know much about it. And it seemed like Roswin didn''t know either. But recently, a lich''s tomb was discovered in Darkland. It was said that they might have been taken from there¡­ Oh, right, he seemed curious about the origins of the magic tomes." The lich''s tomb. A trap set up to lure out Cantus Magna. The leaked grimoire had made its way to the royal palace, and it was Roswin who stole it? According to Harriet, Roswin was curious about the origin of the grimoire. That meant... If he was indeed Cantus Magna, it meant that information about the labyrinth of Darkland could fall into their hands. It meant that Cantus Magna might gain access to the labyrinth. Had Harriet been caught up in something strange, or was it actually a task I had to undertake? It''s not certain yet. However, if the Roswin incident has even the slightest connection to Cantus Magna, I have to investigate this matter regardless of Harriet''s will. ¡ª--- My face is not yet at a level where it serves as my calling card. Of course, I don''t wish for that either. My sanity would be stretched thin just from dealing with matters at the temple, let alone being recognized everywhere on the continent. Of course, my qualifications to enter the royal palace were substituted by my crest, and since Harriet frequently visited the palace, we could easily enter. However, there were many who restricted access to the palace. -The royal palace is currently on lockdown. It was natural for the entire palace to be on high alert since a disturbance had occurred within the palace. Aside from a very few exceptions, most of the nobles and bureaucrats who had business at the palace were being denied access. The atmosphere inside the palace was just as tense. The incident took place in the magic department, which was located in the southern region of the palace. It seemed that the security measures throughout the palace had been strengthened, with soldiers and knights busily coming and going. "Of course... it''s not an ordinary incident..." Upon arriving at the scene, Harriet''s voice trembled slightly as if overwhelmed. Even a simple murder case would be a problem, but this was a murder that had occurred within the royal palace. Although Harriet wasn''t a witness, she had just talked with the culprit yesterday. It seemed that she was just now realizing the gravity of the situation, as she unconsciously grabbed the edge of my sleeve. "Don''t worry. In this situation, there''s no way anything else could happen. Let''s go to the scene." "Uh, umm..." Harriet and I took the tram that operated within the royal palace and headed towards the location of the magic department. Based on the central palace Tetra, to the north was the spring palace where Charlotte lived, to the east was the summer palace where the royal family members resided, the south housed the various departments in charge of the empire''s main duties, and to the west was the winter palace where Bertus lived. Our destination was to the south, not far away. The southern area of the royal palace, where the departments handling the empire''s main duties were located, was filled with massive buildings, and the magic department building, boasting an imposing scale, was one of them. The huge marble structure was both massive and elegant. However, the area was now surrounded by countless soldiers, and the entrance was blocked by the royal guards. The atmosphere in the already serious royal palace was even more tense around the magic department. "...Should we really get involved in this?" Harriet spoke hesitantly, as if she believed this was not a matter to be taken lightly. "Why be afraid? We''re not necessarily going to do anything; we''re just trying to gather information." At my words, Harriet stared blankly at me for a moment before sighing deeply with a defeated expression. "I''m sorry to say this, but... why are you so fearless?" Harriet wondered why I wasn''t scared at all, despite the fact that even I, a great princess, felt intimidated by the many soldiers. I didn''t have a good answer. Why indeed? I wasn''t even someone who was used to this kind of thing. Perhaps, due to constantly maintaining a delinquent persona and now being treated as a hero, I had become nonchalant about such matters? Comparing myself to when I first fell into this world, I had changed quite a bit. "What can I do? I was born this way." "You''re incredible," Harriet said cautiously as she followed me. Naturally, the Magic Department, being the epicenter of the incident, was off-limits for the time being. "Access to this area is currently restricted." "I''m aware, but I''m..." "Reinhardt? Saint Owan...?" Just as I was about to explain, a familiar voice called out to me from behind. It was a voice I had grown quite accustomed to. "What''s happening here?" Bertus had just arrived at the Magic Department, leading a group of people. CH 414 Bertus, a member of the royal family, had come to investigate an incident that had occurred within the palace. We ran into him at the entrance. Fortunately, without needing much explanation, Harriet and I were able to enter the sealed magic department building with Bertus. "You want to investigate?" "Yeah. I want to try and help in any way I can." At my words, Bertus tilted his head. It seemed he didn''t quite understand why I was insisting on getting involved in this case. However, he glanced at Harriet standing beside me and nodded. "I heard that Saint Owan was conducting research in the magic department. Could it be...?" "Yes... The culprit was the librarian in charge of the reading room where I used to visit." "Is that so?" Bertus nodded as if he hadn''t known that fact. He furrowed his brow and sighed. "It must have been a shock. Were you close to the culprit, or...?" "No, not exactly close... We just had a conversation yesterday... It seemed a bit strange yesterday. I''ve already informed the royal magic department about it." "Alright, I''ll get the information from them." Bertus crossed his arms and surveyed the magic department. "Having more brains to think about it can''t hurt. Let''s go together, for now." Bertus didn''t seem to believe we would find anything useful, but he allowed us to join the investigation. ¡ª--- It seemed that Bertus had come to the magic department only after it was clear that the area had been secured following the incident. I wondered if Charlotte, who had stayed at the dormitory yesterday, was aware of what had happened. Together with the attendants Bertus had brought, we headed to the magic department''s research archive, where the incident had taken place. "I don''t mind, and Reinhardt should be fine as well. What about you?" "Me? What do you mean...?" "Seeing the corpse." As the crime scene was preserved, he was asking if we could handle seeing a gruesome sight from now on. "Ah, um... Yeah, I''ll be fine." Harriet seemed slightly taken aback but nodded as if she could endure it. Harriet may not have had a strong resistance to such things, but she had seen a chimera at Aaron Mede''s mansion before. Moreover, she had seen the countless chimeras'' remains that Ellen had cut apart. Even if she didn''t have resistance, witnessing a horrifying scene wasn''t entirely new to her. "Alright, let''s go then." We moved towards the magic department''s research archive. An attendant briefed us on the incident, making sure Bertus and we could hear. "The estimated time of the incident is around 2 a.m. last night. The suspect, Roswin, is believed to have killed three on-duty personnel - Aryelka, Sadman von Grinthes, and Rinea Wenson - who were working on classifying and reading newly arrived magic books, and fled with the books." The research archive was located deep underground in the magic department. The locks were currently disengaged, but it was clear that it wasn''t a place anyone could enter casually. At present, it is estimated that Roswin hid in the research archive room without leaving work and committed the crime targeting the early hours when only the guards were left. The summary of the incident is that he waited for the number of people in the research archive room to be minimized, killed the magicians on guard duty, and then stole the magic tomes before escaping. "How on earth did he manage to get through this security?" "¡­For now, we don''t know." At Bertus''s words, the attendant nodded. The security was still enhanced, but the magic department''s research archive room must have been thoroughly prepared for problems, including theft. Of course, there was something similar to a search station like the Temple Gate, and there must have been guards stationed as well. Not understanding, Bertus gave an additional explanation to Harriet and me. "Roswin is the only suspect because he is the only one without a record of leaving work. And although he committed the crime, there is no one who saw him leave the magic department building, nor any record of it. Of course, there is no record of leaving the palace either." "¡­What?" "So, Roswin might still be somewhere in the palace, or even hiding somewhere in the magic department building." At those words, both Harriet and I swallowed hard. "It''s not like any crude disguise magic or invisibility was used. We have all the countermeasures in place for that. So the problem is, we don''t know if Roswin is still in the palace or how he escaped if he did." This incident could be more dangerous than Harriet and I had thought. "Haha, why are you so scared?" Seeing Harriet and me looking a bit intimidated, Bertus laughed. "I wouldn''t have come in person if the magic department wasn''t safe, right?" So Bertus tried to reassure Harriet and me that we didn''t need to worry about what might happen inside the magic department building. "As long as there''s someone who can kill three people in the magic department''s research archive room and escape without getting caught, life is always at risk." "Hey, if you want to reassure us, just do that, and if you want to scare us, just do that." "Nothing is certain yet." "What are you trying to say?" "I''m just saying." It was just a normal conversation like the one we had at the temple. I felt the attendants around me staring at me like I was a monster. Oh, right. He''s the prince, isn''t he? The fact that I spoke so casually and Bertus accepted it so calmly must have seemed like an impossible event to them. That''s right. Isn''t this a friendship between the top 1% and the bottom 1%? Even if I am the champion of Als. The deeper you go, the more absurd the situation becomes. Anyway, amidst the shocked admiration of the attendants, we soon arrived at the scene of the crime. "Ah!" As soon as Harriet saw the scene, she covered her mouth. "I heard about it¡­ but I didn''t expect it to be this bad¡­" Frowning, Bertus let out a short sigh. They had expected to find a corpse. "What... is this?" However, they couldn''t have imagined finding one with the eyes gouged out, fingers and toes brutally mutilated, and the innards grotesquely spilled out. "As I''ve already reported, all three victims... were tortured for a long time before being killed..." The brief words of the investigator explained the horrors that had unfolded at the scene. ¡ª--- It was unclear whether it could be considered a clue, but something similar had been added. Roswin hadn''t just killed the guards, he had tortured all three of them before ending their lives. Why had he tortured them? Harriet could no longer bear to look at the gruesome and appalling sight, turning her gaze away from the scene and covering her mouth. Even I, who had developed a certain degree of tolerance for such ghastly sights, felt nauseous. "The guards who were analyzing the grimoires were all high-ranking mages belonging to the Royal Mage Corps, possessing the combat capabilities of the best Battle Mages. Moreover, they were veterans of the Great Demon War, familiar with combat." "So, these skilled individuals were killed by a mere office worker?" "...Yes." Mages, too, have different fields of expertise. Being members of the Royal Mage Corps and even having participated in the Great Demon War, they would have been among the top professionals in the world of mages. And Roswin, the suspect, may have been skilled but had been working in a non-combat position. "He must have been hiding his abilities." The only conclusion was not that the victims were incompetent, but that Roswin was not an ordinary mage from the very beginning. A spy planted by Cantus Magna in the royal court. I couldn''t help but focus more and more on that possibility. "It is believed that Roswin had considerable knowledge of dark magic. Not only were the corpses affected, but we also detected a significant amount of dark magic in the air. Of course, it has since been purified." "Dark magic?" "Yes, it''s conjectured that he used a Regenerate spell from the dark magic series, which has similar effects to healing." Upon hearing the word ''healing,'' Bertus furrowed his brow. "Healing?... Oh, you don''t mean that." Bertus looked at the wretched corpses. "It seems he drove them to the brink of death, forcibly revived them, and then tortured them again." "That''s... impossible..." At Bertus''s words, Harriet''s lips turned pale blue, and she trembled. "The Regenerate spell of dark magic grants powerful regeneration but causes the target immense pain. Think of it as exchanging pain for healing." "Rather than healing, it''s more like a spell for torture." "Yes, it is actually known as a spell created for that very purpose." I thought only religious zealots would torture in such a way, but dark mages apparently used the very process of healing to inflict even greater agony. The sound was spine-chilling. Hearing that the deceased had been tortured, forcibly revived, and then tortured again before being killed in a horrifying state of agony, Harriet couldn''t help but tremble. An emotion could be felt in Harriet''s eyes. Rage. Harriet was more than just sad and scared about what Roswin had done ¨C she was furious. "If the goal was to obtain the magic tome, they could have just killed them. What could they possibly have been trying to find out by torturing them¡­?" "I¡­ I know¡­" Harriet answered Bertus''s question. Harriet had been the last person to speak with Roswin before he committed the crime. He had disappeared, and Harriet had given a confused explanation to the investigators. "He wanted to find out the origin of the stolen magic tomes¡­" Seeing the torture scene, Harriet seemed to have finally grasped what Roswin truly wanted. ¡ª--- Ellen and Charlotte were able to reach their destination soon as they walked through the Aligar shopping district. "Here it is. If I remember correctly." A shabby shop that had been reachable by the boy who saved her. "It seems like no one''s around." "Indeed." It felt like it had been closed for quite some time. The owner of the scroll shop had also disappeared at some point as the Demon King revealed himself. -Thump, thump Ellen approached the door and pulled the door handle, but as expected, the door was locked tight. Charlotte muttered dejectedly. "Even if we get in, there probably won''t be much to find¡­" "True." Charlotte had forced her way into the shop before, but finding any trace of the vanished owner would have been difficult. She knew that they wouldn''t be able to get any useful information from the only clue they had. However, knowing that and actually realizing it were two different matters. It was too late. If only they had gone to the Demon King''s castle a bit earlier. If only they had discovered the truth sooner. If only she had been more persistent in questioning the shop owner. Then, the world wouldn''t have needed heroes, and Ellen and Reinhardt wouldn''t have been in such danger. But ironically, The Demon King''s existence was still saving Charlotte. The presence of the Demon King made people feel the need for heroes, and as a result, Reinhardt and Ellen supported Charlotte, ensuring her safety. If the times hadn''t been so suspicious and gloomy, the world would have had a cold response to the relic''s owners. Consequently, the heroes'' positions wouldn''t have been as strong, and Charlotte wouldn''t have survived through their protection. In the end, the Demon King still acted as a force keeping Charlotte alive. Ellen tilted her head as she looked at the firmly closed shop door. "Still, you never know. Should we break in?" Without even asking the building owner''s opinion, Ellen casually suggested that. Of course, they could just pay for the repairs later. "Right, there''s no reason not to check it out now that we''ve come this far¡­" "Misses, that shop closed down quite a while ago." Someone spoke up from behind the two of them. As Charlotte turned her head, she saw a middle-aged man with a bushy beard wearing an apron. There couldn''t be anything left inside the abandoned shop. But it wasn''t over yet, and there was no reason to give up. ''Yes¡­ that''s right.'' "Did you know the owner of this shop?" "Hmm? I saw them occasionally." There was still one last resort ¨C inquiry. "Could you spare a moment to talk about it?" She was grasping at straws. And Charlotte had found a straw to grasp. CH 415 The middle-aged man running the weapon shop introduced himself as Raldren. Merchants in Aligar were not the type to waste time on unprofitable matters, but Raldren, without asking for money, brought Ellen and Charlotte to his weapon shop and engaged them in conversation. "Elena wasn''t one to mingle with people. Despite that, she was a pleasant young lady. Whenever we crossed paths, she''d greet me with a ''Good morning,'' ''Good afternoon,'' or ''Good evening,'' and always wished me a happy day." The shop owner''s name was Elena. Charlotte was already aware of this information, but it was new to Ellen. "There were quite a few people who annoyed Elena. Not to mention the young men, but there were even older gentlemen who persistently pestered her, despite her not selling them anything. They should know their place. This isn''t something to say outright, but there was a guy named Swinton who especially bothered Elena, even though he was a married man." "Ah... is that so...?" "He''s a terrible person." Charlotte broke into a cold sweat at the excessive information, while Ellen muttered briefly. It was a terse, but intensely displeased comment. Charlotte already knew that Elena didn''t have particularly close relationships with people. Elena was kind to everyone, but she didn''t build more than a certain level of closeness with anyone. "She wasn''t meant for business. Her nature was too soft... As you all know, there are times when Aligar merchants can be rather rough with their customers, but she didn''t have it in her. She would even offer discounts instead. It made me wonder how she could make a living like that..." Charlotte already knew most of this, so it was only new information to Ellen. With a nature that prevented her from making a profit in business, it was a wonder why she pursued it at all. Charlotte had initially thought she was an undercover agent with ulterior motives in the royal capital, but her thoughts had changed. The Demon King had sought Elena''s help as a spy of Darkland infiltrating the royal capital, and she had helped her lord by hiding him in a safe place. It wasn''t a chance encounter, but a planned meeting. Charlotte had been internally certain that Elena was a spy for Darkland. "But she seemed to have quite a backbone." "A backbone?" "I mean, with so many people harassing her, she never once faltered. They all ended up leaving with their tails between their legs, as if their souls had been sucked out. Even that Swinton fellow eventually stopped bothering her, looking utterly defeated." Although many people harassed Elena, they all ended up leaving as if they had been thoroughly beaten. ''She said she had a boyfriend.'' Charlotte recalled finding a strand of blonde hair on Elena''s bed while searching her shop. The hair color was starkly different from Elena''s, and when asked whose hair it was, Elena had claimed it was her boyfriend''s. But as of now, Elena had never formed deep connections with anyone. Thus, the notion of having a boyfriend was false. And it was unlikely for an agent on an important mission infiltrating the royal palace to be casually involved in a romantic relationship. Therefore, the blond hair must have belonged to someone other than a boyfriend. It couldn''t be the Demon King. The hair color Charlotte had seen on the Demon King was closer to a reddish-brown, not blonde. However, if that was a disguise, it wouldn''t be too strange to think that the fallen hair belonged to the Demon King. She had thought he would be staying in a remote area away from the royal palace, but was he actually living in the shabby second-floor shop within the palace grounds? Blonde wasn''t such a rare hair color that it could be used to identify someone conclusively. "Anyway, I was a bit disappointed. To think she would disappear so suddenly without even saying goodbye... She left all her belongings behind, too. The landlord was happier about the items left behind than the fact that the tenant had run off." "Ah, I see..." It would have been a natural course of action for Elena to flee once the Demon King revealed himself. After all, Charlotte and Reinhardt had clear knowledge of the whereabouts of the suspected Demon King. Raldren glanced around before speaking to Charlotte. "This is something only I know." "Oh. What is it?" "I think... Elena actually had a fondness for younger men." "...Excuse me?" Charlotte was dumbfounded by the completely out-of-the-blue statement, and Ellen tilted her head in confusion. "No... There was this one guy who came by occasionally. He had a somewhat mischievous appearance, as if he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. The kind of guy who''d go around breaking women''s hearts." "..." "..." Naturally, Ellen and Charlotte''s gazes met. They seemed to know who he was referring to. They couldn''t help but instinctively understand that he was talking about Reinhardt. From the beginning, Reinhardt had frequented this shop in his role as Charlotte''s messenger, so it wasn''t a stretch for Raldren, the neighboring shop owner, to remember him. "Those who wander the market with the intent to stir up trouble usually end up in a sorry state, but that guy didn''t seem to be like that. And yet, he blatantly loitered around? I''ve said all there is to say. Yep." It seemed Raldren was certain that Elena, who was kind to everyone yet never gave her heart to anyone, had a secret taste for younger men. Charlotte knew this was a huge misunderstanding, and Ellen, who had heard from Charlotte, knew that the middle-aged slob was spouting nonsense. Reinhardt probably had no reason to visit Eleris'' shop after he told Charlotte she could stop delivering messages. The only other time would be when Charlotte was torn between the Demon King and Reinhardt and volunteered to tell the mage to run away. That was it. The Demon King couldn''t possibly pose such a great threat that she would simply tell him to run away. That''s what Reinhardt had said. He had also said that he would take care of the rest if he could manage. And so, Charlotte''s guilt stemmed from there. She should have insisted on holding onto Elena instead of being indecisive at the time. In the end, she gained no new information and had to accept that all the decisions she made only brought about negative outcomes for everyone. With no special information and only what was already known, further inquiry seemed pointless. It was at that moment when Charlotte was about to turn away. "But I can''t help but think that Elena closed her shop and left somewhere because of that guy." "¡­Pardon?" Another remark from Raldren caught Charlotte off guard. Of course, it was likely that Elena had indeed left the capital after hearing Reinhardt''s warning. But how could he have come to such a conclusion when he couldn''t possibly have heard that mysterious conversation? "I heard he brought a woman with him last time." A woman. At those words, both Charlotte and Ellen fell silent. "Judging by her uniform, she must be a fellow Temple student. Tsk, it seems I''ve got myself a new girl, let''s call it quits ¨C that''s what I think he must have said. So, I suspect Elena was hurt and left because of that." What a bizarre delusion and speculation this was. Both Ellen and Charlotte were taken aback, but they had acquired a curious piece of information. Reinhardt had brought a woman wearing Temple garb to Elena''s shop. Who he brought and what they discussed remained unknown. "Both the man and the woman had solemn expressions; it seemed like they were steeled for something. Not long after, Elena closed her shop. I think that''s what happened. Anyway, that blond guy, I had a bad feeling about him from the start." While Raldren didn''t know much about Reinhardt, his assertion that someone with a nasty appearance would be a nasty person made some sense. Although his conjecture was mostly wrong, some facts remained. Reinhardt had brought someone to Elena''s shop ¨C a place he would never visit with company. Normally, Reinhardt would visit the basement room Eleris secured, avoiding others'' eyes. However, he had visited Eleris''s shop with Lydia Schmitt under urgent circumstances, and thus couldn''t afford to be cautious. That left a trace. "Do you remember the appearance of the woman he brought? And when was this?" At Charlotte''s question, Raldren cocked his head. "Well, I think the woman had black hair. There was something odd about her eyes. Eerie, I guess. She didn''t seem quite normal... That''s probably why I remember her..." As he pondered, he furrowed his brow as if recalling something. "Right, now that I think about it, chaos broke out the next day because of the Demon King. The Holy Knights were massacred. It was such a huge incident that I remember." "¡­" "¡­" On the day of the Demon King''s attack, Reinhardt visited Elena''s shop with a female student from the Temple. And the shopkeeper was believed to be closely associated with the demon king. Who is the woman Reinhardt brought? Why did Reinhardt look for Elena? Ellen and Charlotte''s eyes met. "......" "......" Neither of them said a word. No, they couldn''t say a word. ¡ª--- After completing their investigation, Charlotte gave a small reward to Raldren. It was the answer to Raldren''s question about why they were asking such things. Upon receiving the gold coin, Raldren nodded his head as if he understood the meaning and didn''t ask any more questions. "..." "..." Strange thoughts swirled in the heads of Charlotte and Ellen. Too much thinking can be a problem. Both Ellen and Charlotte were more than capable of mentally exploring various situations. Based on the timeline, Charlotte told Reinhardt to forget about the demon king after Riverrier Lanze was attacked. But Reinhardt went to see Elena on the day of the attack. Since he said there was no need to deliver letters anymore, Reinhardt had no reason to visit Elena. Of course, Reinhardt could have visited Elena privately. It wasn''t just the messenger role that he played, but also the possibility that he had private conversations with Elena, which could have led to a close relationship. However, it was a bit strange for Reinhardt to visit Elena privately, knowing that she and those under her protection were suspicious. Not only was it strange, but he even brought a female temple student with him. And that very day, Riverrier Lanze was attacked. Elena was a mage. Charlotte knew that the demon king''s forces included powerful mages. If there were no other mages, the likelihood of Elena being that mage was very high. Reinhardt took a temple student to Elena''s shop. And Elena participated in the attack on Riverrier Lanze that night. And. On the day of the Riverrier Lanze attack. That day was the Miss Temple contest. Reinhardt did not participate in the contest. It was a painful memory for Ellen, and Charlotte knew of the situation as well. Ellen tried to recall. She remembered Reinhardt, who returned to the temple very late with frostbitten cheeks and hands, unable to do anything. She recalled Reinhardt that day. "Ellen." Charlotte softly called Ellen''s name. "Yeah." Both of them considered numerous possibilities in their heads. "Let''s not say anything until we''re sure." "..." "Until we''re sure, let''s not even think about it." They didn''t know what conclusion their numerous conjectures would lead to, but what lay beyond the curtain of darkness. Somehow. The truth seemed so terrifying that they stopped thinking altogether. "Yeah. Let''s do that." Ellen whispered in agreement. CH 416 Darkland. "It''s certainly no ordinary place." Archduke Saint Owan muttered quietly as he walked across the fog-shrouded land. -Crack! -Screech! A magical beast was struck by lightning sent by the surrounding mages before the Archduke could even lift a hand. The creature burst into flames and disappeared in a puff of ash. At the moment, Archduke Saint Owan and his battalion of mages were deep within the Labyrinth Zone. The moment they entered the labyrinth, it didn''t merely begin - it had already started the instant they entered the area shrouded in thick fog. The Archduke and his mages carefully advanced, exploring the area one step at a time. "The concentration of mana in the air is irregular." "Yes, I can sense that as well." Though they could not see through the fog, the Archduke could feel the mana around them fluctuating. Mana in the atmosphere was typically consistent, even if not entirely uniform. The constant change in mana signified that transformations were continuously occurring around them. "The environment is changing in real-time as we move. The attacking magical beasts aren''t actual creatures but variables created by this labyrinth." The Archduke was no amateur mage. Therefore, his approach to the labyrinth was several levels above that of other adventurers, who haphazardly charged forward while battling its monsters. He didn''t move carelessly. This labyrinth couldn''t be conquered by merely moving. As the Archduke knew, this labyrinth was well-known throughout the continent. It had reached a point where there was virtually no one in Darkland who hadn''t heard of it. Thus, countless adventurers were attracted to it like moths to a flame. Some wandered for days before returning, having barely survived, while others never made it back. Those who managed to escape the labyrinth with a few grimoires in hand struck gold. Yet, the central government had never conquered the labyrinth, so the Archduke personally led an elite group to attempt the feat. "Doesn''t it feel like we''ve encountered too few people compared to the number of adventurers said to be in this labyrinth?" "Yes, Your Highness." Before entering the labyrinth, the Archduke had gathered information from those who had experienced it firsthand at a nearby base. The labyrinth drew in a vast number of adventurers, but most of them managed to return unscathed. It seemed as if the labyrinth wasn''t designed for slaughter, but rather to exhaust and confuse people until they gave up and left. The magical beasts it produced were so trivial that the Archduke didn''t even need to personally engage them. Thus, the weary adventurers would rest and reenter the labyrinth, repeating the process in the hopes of someday reaching its depths. The ability to retry continuously despite constant failure was the reason this labyrinth drew so many adventurers. Though the odds were low, there was a chance to discover incredibly valuable grimoires, and the risk to one''s life was comparatively low. It was no wonder adventurers couldn''t resist the temptation. And so, the archduke was aware of the fact that a vast number of adventurers wandered in this enormous region. Due to this, if one were able to actually see the people within this labyrinth, they would undoubtedly encounter other adventurer parties. However, during the several hours the archduke wandered, he had only come across one adventurer party thus far. Upon seeing the archduke and his companions, they were evidently frightened and hastily disappeared into the unknown. "It seems like there''s a dimensional overlap. It''s not just one labyrinth, but perhaps dozens or even hundreds of labyrinths layered together. That''s why we might not be able to encounter other people." Though occupying the same space, the overlapping dimensions meant that everyone would enter different paths within the labyrinth. The archduke surmised that this phenomenon was the true nature of the labyrinth. "The core of this labyrinth isn''t what''s important, but rather discovering what this labyrinth is could change the world." The labyrinth itself was already akin to the main body. Overlaying hundreds of dimensions onto a single space, the labyrinth also had a constantly changing environment. The archduke sensed the surrounding mana and made an educated guess about the true nature of the labyrinth before drawing his conclusion. "From the beginning, this labyrinth has been designed to prevent us from reaching its core by altering the paths. Unless the master of the labyrinth guides us to the inner depths, we''ll never be able to reach it." With a constantly shifting labyrinth, there was no path that would lead to the exit. As one wandered, their sense of direction would be lost, and whether they walked here or there, they would ultimately wander aimlessly as the labyrinth master intended. His followers waited for the archduke''s judgment. The Saint Owan family, with its long history. Once a family of losers in a region due to their practice of magic, they came from humble beginnings as tanners. Moreover, the Saint Owan family was known for never forgetting their roots. While they held power and glory, they never lost sight of their roots as mages and continued to hone their magical arts generation after generation. The pinnacle of their magic was passed down to their successors. Yet, they remained on the righteous path. They never succumbed to the desire for power. They always shunned evil and corrupt power, kept in mind that the pinnacle of their magical arts could never be achieved through such means, and distanced themselves from anything impure. The Saint Owan family''s high reputation came not only from their exceptional magical abilities but also from their purity of never getting close to the path of evil. While the path of evil offered rapid progress, in the end, the only thing that could be achieved through it was the way of evil itself. The archduke focused on the flow of mana around him. The labyrinth was designed so that one would become lost the moment they entered. With each step taken, one would be drawn into the labyrinth''s dozens or even hundreds of illusory dimensions. Since it was impossible to find the exit within this labyrinth, there was only one way to enter the exit. One must escape from the hundreds of overlapping illusory dimensions of the labyrinth and head toward the original dimension that truly exists. "..." The archduke sought the path. Sensing the overlapping dimensions and, within those dimensions, a single path. Only by carving a path back to the original dimension could they escape this labyrinth. The task was not to find the living door within the labyrinth, nor to destroy the labyrinth itself. Even for a seasoned magician, the work would take several months. The labyrinth was not only complex in its pathways, but also the calculations required to find the single living door were daunting. It was as if the Grand Duke was trying to find the eye of a typhoon in the midst of a raging storm, cutting through the wind in real-time changing and generating dimensions. However. Geniuses who would leave a mark in the history of magic were not born without reason. Harriet de Saint-Owan was the Grand Duke''s daughter. "Here we go." As such, it was only natural that the Grand Duke''s abilities were incomparable to those of an ordinary magician. -Rumble! As the Grand Duke waved his hand, a dimensional gate opened with a gaping void. "Everyone, follow me." The entourage followed the Grand Duke as he headed towards the exit. Upon stepping through the gate, the Grand Duke looked around. He showed no sign of pride or satisfaction in having breached the labyrinth where countless adventurers and magicians wandered. It was a matter-of-fact expression, having done something he was naturally capable of. "Not much has changed." Although they had breached the labyrinth, the surroundings were still shrouded in fog, and there wasn''t much difference from where they had been walking. "The flow of mana is stable." "Yes, it seems we''ve reached the right place, even though it looks no different." The flow of mana, which had been causing peculiar disturbances and changing the surrounding environment, had stabilized. The labyrinth could be considered a vast dimensional gate spread across the surrounding mountains. The moment one entered, they were trapped within a virtual dimension. Therefore, the interior of the actual labyrinth was bound to be a peaceful area, devoid of any devices or mazes. Only dense fog prevailed. With no paths to be lost upon, all that remained was to find the Lich''s tomb, which was said to be hidden somewhere in the area. If the tomb was also sealed by a similar barrier, it would take considerable time, but the Grand Duke had already discovered the spell to break it. "Keep in mind, we are not going to obtain the grimoires." The Grand Duke spoke to his entourage as he walked slowly. "An evil being will not research pure magic. We will destroy most of those grimoires. Those blinded by foolish desires should turn back; I will open the way." "Your Grace, the grimoires we discover may hold considerable magical value." "Yes, they surely will." The Grand Duke was well aware of the value of the grimoires they had already discovered. "Evil power can also be used to build good. It surely can." The Grand Duke knew the value of power and understood that it depended on the will of the wielder rather than its essence. "Yet, in a world where most do not build good with good power, what is the point of evil power?" Even in a world where knights and priests commit evil as naturally as breathing, it is far too naive to expect that evil powers will have a positive influence on the world. Evil forces are to be avoided at all costs. That is the minimum standard of goodness that the Archduke believes in. It is also a teaching that has been passed down through the generations in the House of Saint Owan. Magic is already a powerful force, and even stronger magic might bring harm to the world, according to the Archduke''s judgment. The Archduke is not going to the realm of magic to embrace the new vision and discoveries made by the liches but to destroy them. How long had they been walking? "Someone is here." "Indeed." The Archduke saw the faint figure of someone through the fog. Could it be the master of the labyrinth? Or another visitor to the labyrinth, like himself? The Archduke has confidence in his abilities but does not allow himself to be arrogant. Since he managed to penetrate the labyrinth, it is possible that someone else has done the same. Hence, someone might be ahead of him, having already broken through the labyrinth. "Do not be afraid. I have no intention of hostility." Before taking action, the Archduke revealed his intentions. If the other party attacked, he would have to retaliate, but there was no need to shed blood needlessly. It was clear that the other party was no ordinary being since they were present in the area equivalent to the exit of the labyrinth, which could never be reached. Upon hearing the voice from behind, the figure turned its head. -...... In the silence, a woman with a cold expression and long black hair gazed at the Archduke, her head turned to face him. She wore simple clothing and a cloak. She was unarmed, and her skin was pale. "I did not expect a guest." The woman spoke quietly in a monotonous and cold tone. Neither hostility nor friendliness could be sensed from her calm gaze. Although she was undoubtedly skilled enough to navigate the labyrinth, the Archduke found it difficult to ascertain her identity. "Did you come here to find the dungeon, milady?" "In a manner of speaking, yes." The woman slightly bowed her head as if in greeting and replied. "Under normal circumstances, I would just pass by, but considering the situation and the location, I must ask. I am Raphael de Saint Owan of the Saint Owan Duchy. May I inquire as to who you are and where you are from?" The woman tilted her head slightly and stared at the Archduke. Her expression showed no fear or curiosity about the many wizards behind the Archduke or his presence. "Luna." The woman, who bore the name of the moon, quietly spoke. "I am Luna of Rezaira." The Archduke did not recognize the name of the village. "I apologize for my ignorance, as I am unfamiliar with the name of the place." "It is only natural that you would not know, as it is a small village deep within a secluded mountain valley." The woman from the secluded mountain valley had penetrated the labyrinth before the Archduke, who was well-versed in magic even among the great wizards. No one in the Archduke''s entourage believed the woman''s introduction as a simple country woman. However, she merely stared at the Archduke, giving no further explanation. Neither hostility nor friendliness could be sensed from her calm gaze. The duke couldn''t tell if she was a foe or an ally, but either way, he was reluctant to let her go ahead or to pass her by. She appeared to be a young woman, but the duke couldn''t determine her true age. Those who had mastered the circulation of magical power often had appearances that did not match their age, such as the leader of Shanafel, Saviolin Turner. She did not seem to be the master of a dungeon or labyrinth. However, if she had arrived to secure the grimoire, a battle would be inevitable. The duke tensed up and spoke. "Since we cannot know each other''s intentions, let me say in advance that I intend to destroy the dungeon and burn the grimoire. What do you plan to do?" "I have no business with the grimoire, so if your mission is as you say, we will not conflict with each other." Why would she be in this place, having entered an area famous for the grimoire, yet showing no interest in it? Although he couldn''t trust the extraordinary stranger at first sight, there seemed to be no apparent will to exchange hostilities. "Since our paths are the same, how about we travel together?" "If it is fine with you, Your Grace, I would be happy to." The woman, who had been expressionless, showed a faint smile at the duke''s proposal. Although he couldn''t be certain, the duke had a peculiar feeling that this woman would not become his enemy. However, relying on such intuition was not in his nature. As he was about to move forward with Luna, the woman who introduced herself, paying close attention to her presence - "Oh dear, I didn''t expect to have company already." A young man appeared through the fog from the side of the forest. Another person in addition to the woman. The duke furrowed his brow at the presence of more individuals who had breached the labyrinth. The woman stared at the newly appeared man, her attitude not much different from when she had faced the duke, seemingly more observant than taken aback. The man showed a slightly off-kilter smile and scratched the back of his head. "Given the situation, I''ll get straight to the point. We all seem to be formidable individuals, and fighting now wouldn''t be beneficial for anyone. So, how about we clear the path first and discuss the details later?" The man who appeared out of nowhere got to the point immediately. While the woman showed no interest in the grimoire, the man didn''t hide that his goal was the dungeon''s grimoire. There was no doubt about their abilities since they had penetrated the labyrinth. Fighting now would only benefit the other party, so the suggestion was to clear the path first and then target each other''s throats. A woman with an unknown intention. A man with an excessively obvious intention. After a moment of contemplation, the duke nodded. "Let it be so." Regardless of the outcome, the duke agreed that dividing forces before revealing the true nature of the dungeon would be a disservice to each other. "Raphael de Saint-Owan." Upon the duke''s introduction, the man smiled. "My name is Roswin." This too was a name the duke had never heard before. CH 417 I felt suffocated. "Uh..." Without any warning or reason, it felt as if someone was suddenly choking me, and I had no choice but to stop in my tracks. "Reinhardt? What''s wrong?" "...Did you receive a shock?" After checking the information about the corpses and briefly discussing in another space, Harriet and Bertus looked at me, concerned by my sudden change in demeanor. "No, it''s just..." No, that''s not it. Although I did witness a horrifying scene, there was no reason for me to suddenly feel suffocated. Without any reason or warning, it felt as if someone was strangling me, making it difficult to breathe. An eerie feeling, as if something terrible was about to happen. This intense anxiety, with no apparent cause or origin, was a sensation I had experienced before. It was similar to the symptoms of a panic disorder I had suffered from when I had been going through a lot of hardship in the past. The sudden sense of crisis in a calm state was both unfamiliar and familiar. "What''s wrong... Reinhardt..." Seeing me break out in a cold sweat and shivering, Harriet gently took my hand. Although Harriet''s gesture made me feel somewhat better, I couldn''t shake off the strange feeling. It''s been a long time since I had a panic disorder. I knew this sensation wasn''t rooted in that. This was a warning from my intuition. I had never experienced such a sense of crisis where I couldn''t breathe properly. What is happening, or rather, what''s already happening? Is Roswin attacking us from the Magic Department, or something similar? If so, does that mean he hasn''t left the Magic Department yet? The fact that I had never felt such pressure before made me fear that something of a different dimension might be happening, but I couldn''t know what it was until it occurred. Something is going to happen. Since I can''t know what it is, I can''t be afraid in advance. "Huuh... Uh, it just happened suddenly." As I took a deep breath, Bertus chuckled. "I thought you were used to it, but it seems that''s not quite the case?" "I can''t help it. I keep... getting flashes of it..." Apparently, they both thought I was reacting this way due to the shock of witnessing the gruesome scene. In reality, the scene was indeed horrifying enough to warrant such a reaction. Although the real reason was different, as I seemed to calm down a bit, Bertus crossed his arms and began to speak. "Anyway, Roswin was curious about the origin of the grimoires?" "Yeah, it seemed like he was coveting them, but... I don''t know, it felt like he was more curious about where they came from... That''s why I think he tortured those people." His motive wasn''t money, but the origin of the grimoires, which led him to commit these crimes. Of course, he took all the grimoires as well. This statement added more weight to my speculation that Roswin might be affiliated with Cantus Magna. "Perhaps it''s the tomb of the Lich, recently discovered in the Darklands... That''s what I was thinking." "Ah, you mean there?" Bertus furrowed his brow. "Hmm. It''s certainly a possibility." From Bertus''s reaction, it seemed that the stolen grimoire from yesterday was not from the Lich''s tomb - the bait that the Black Order and I had set up hadn''t reached here yet. "What''s important is that Roswin probably didn''t manage to extract the information he really wanted by torturing the three dead wizards." It must have meant that the deceased knew nothing about the origin of the grimoire. "What''s even more important is how Roswin managed to escape not only from the Magic Department but also from the Imperial Palace..." "They said there''s no record of him leaving the Magic Department or the Imperial Palace, right?" "That''s right." At Harriet''s question, Bertus nodded. "First of all, it''s clear that Roswin was hiding his true abilities. From the beginning, the records showed that he shouldn''t have been able to handle even one of the guards on duty. But he subdued all three without a fight and even tortured them." With his expertise in dark magic, Roswin had to be a wizard with far more incredible skills than he let on. "But the thing is, it''s impossible to enter or leave the interior of the Imperial Palace like a temple through spatial teleportation. To leave the Magic Department, you have to go through the main entrance, and to leave the Imperial Palace, you have to use one of the four gates..." Whether it was possible to fly in and out like Sarkegaar was uncertain. I don''t know if Roswin can transform into a sparrow, but even if such a transformation spell exists, it seems impossible unless he becomes a complete creature like Sarkegaar. A dispel field must be laid out in the airspace above. "Yet, they searched the entire Magic Department building and found no trace. Even if he somehow escaped, he should still be in the Imperial Palace. Hiding with simple disguise magic or invisibility is said to be impossible." The assumption that Roswin was hiding somewhere seemed plausible, but he wasn''t in the Magic Department and they hadn''t found him despite searching the entire palace. Spatial teleportation couldn''t be used, and it was unlikely that he had casually slipped out of the Magic Department building with a disguise spell. The one who had the audacity to commit murder in the Imperial Palace couldn''t be ordinary. Could Cantus Magna have neutralized the barrier and escaped? No. It couldn''t be. This is the Royal Magic Department. The building itself is huge, of course, and there are bound to be countless other departments performing various functions, like the magical research library. It''s a misconception that spatial teleportation is impossible within the Imperial Palace. Hadn''t they installed a warp gate in the area where spatial teleportation was possible, deep beneath the Spring Palace? Clearly, I had moved through the miniature gate not only from the outside to the inside, but also from the inside to the outside. "By any chance, is there a facility researching warp gates in the Magic Division?" At my question, Bertus and Harriet exchanged glances. ¡ª--- Warp gates were fundamentally the magic of the empire. Thus, it was only natural that the research on warp gates was conducted in the Royal Magic Division, not the Wizard Guild or the Magic Association, and that there were facilities for warp gate research underground. Therefore, within the facility, there were numerous gates at various stages of development, though none were of an extraordinarily large size. Since all research had been halted due to a murder case in the Magic Division, Bertus called the person in charge to discuss the matter. "Well... I think it would be impossible." When asked if the gates here could be activated and connected to external gates, the researcher shook his head. "The gates here are not made to standard specifications; most of them are experimental gates for special purposes. Most of them are incomplete..." "Is there at least one gate that functions properly?" There were many gates, but if even one of them worked properly, it would mean that it could communicate with the outside, so Bertus inquired. "Yes. There is a functioning warp gate, and there is indeed a warp gate that is not for testing purposes... However, it would still be impossible to escape through it." "Why is that?" "All the warp gates produced in this facility are not regular gates. The gates inside the facility are connected to each other to view the entire gate system. So, these gates have never been connected to external gates." "If they have never been connected, does that mean they could be?" "To do that, we would have to include these warp gates in the regular imaginary dimension map." "What does that mean?" Bertus seemed confused by the technical terms that only warp gate technicians would understand, and I felt the same way. I only knew that the imaginary dimension map was similar to a subway map. Harriet spoke to Bertus. "Warp gates need rules to determine which gates they connect to and are connected by, in order to function properly. That is, each gate must be pre-designated as to which gate it will sync with." To include a regular gate in the imaginary dimension map, not only should the gate itself exist as a physical facility, but it should also be added to the entire system. "So, there''s no way to connect without going through that process?" "Connecting this facility''s gate to an external gate without the exact coordinates could cause a collision with the route of another gate. In that case, a dimensional distortion phenomenon could occur..." "Enough with the complicated explanations. Are you saying an accident would happen? What kind of accident?" ¡°Using this gate to go outside, of course, not only affects the person attempting to leave, but also everyone using the destination gate, as they may be sent to a "nonexistent place." I''m not sure if such a place exists, but there have been quite a few cases of people not returning from gate experiments gone wrong in the past.¡± At these words, not only Bertus but also Harriet and I widened our eyes. A nonexistent place. Being sent to a fictitious dimension and becoming unable to return to the present world¡ªis that what it means? "So, escaping through this gate is impossible, is that it?" "We can attempt to activate the gate and escape, and we might even arrive safely, but¡­ it is an excessively dangerous method. It''s a gamble with our lives at stake." I don''t know the details, but the principle is simple. Imagine overlaying a random route on an underground subway transfer station that''s operating smoothly with countless people''s calculations. The trains would collide, destroying the route map and killing all passengers. A warp gate is both a station and a train itself. Even if a train and a station are prepared, laying down a route without thorough calculations will cause a large accident. Thus, escaping through this warp gate to the imperial road is insane. Therefore, in the case of using an already activated gate, we would be traveling along a preexisting path. In this case, we have to create a nonexistent path as we go. That''s why it''s a gamble with a high risk of accidents. The artifact I possess, which leads to the underground of the Spring Palace, is a kind of warp gate distortion device. However, it''s still a properly designed warp gate connecting the outside world to the underground of the Spring Palace, even if people don''t know about it. The person in charge said that escaping through the gate in this facility is impossible and would be a life-risking gamble. "No¡­ It could have been possible." But Harriet said so with a trembling voice. "Saint Owan, what do you mean?" At Bertus''s question, Harriet''s complexion turned pale. "If you understood the map I showed you yesterday¡­ it could have been possible¡­" Only I could understand Harriet''s words. I don''t know the specifics of what Harriet did yesterday, but I knew she had achieved something that would greatly help improve the warp gate system. And Roswin saw Harriet''s research results firsthand. He wasn''t an outsider; he was an expert in handling warp gate systems. Harriet calmly explained what happened yesterday, or rather, the theory she presented, not Roswin. "Even if he were a magician with no knowledge of the warp gate system, that man was an expert. He was able to understand my theory at a glance. It''s not about using my theory. I had annotated the fictitious dimension map entirely. So¡­ which gates are connected in what way, where there are vulnerabilities, empty parts of the dimensional coordinates, for efficiency¡­" Although a layman wouldn''t know how to handle the gate, Roswin, as an expert in gate theory, was able to do so. He utilized the content written by Harriet to establish the theory. Harriet had annotated every existing imaginary dimension map to formulate the theory. She had deciphered the enormous stack of imaginary dimension maps, which were too complex for many experts to understand, and analyzed all the connections in the warp gate network. "So, even though it''s impossible to connect a single warp gate to the entire network, if you properly understood the map I provided, you could calculate a safe path to connect to a specific gate." Harriet''s theory was still too early to be put into practical use. However, Roswin utilized the basis for the theory, not the theory itself. While constructing the tangled web of connections between gates was difficult, it was not hard to create a single safe route to connect to a specific gate. "Of course, it''s a risky and unverified method... but it seemed worth a try..." At the point when Harriet showed him the map, Roswin had already been planning the crime. Unknowingly, Harriet provided him with the optimal escape route during the aftermath of the crime. "Curiously... it seemed he liked it more than he should have..." Upon learning that the suspect had used her map for his escape, Harriet''s face went pale. Bertus bit his lip with a grave expression. "So, it''s certain that Roswin used this facility to escape." "I''m sorry... I''m so sorry..." At Harriet''s apology, which was tinged with a bluish pallor, Bertus offered a bitter smile. "Either way, he was determined to escape. He killed three people here, so he probably planned to kill everyone in his way while escaping. But thanks to you providing a safer escape route, only three died instead of dozens or even hundreds." "..." The extent of Roswin''s actual combat ability was unknown. However, he was powerful enough to easily subdue three high-ranking mages and kill them. Even if Roswin had gotten the idea from Harriet''s suggestion and fled, he had already been planning the crime. This meant that he was confident in escaping the palace by force even if he hadn''t used the gate. So, if Roswin had been inspired by Harriet''s words and escaped through the gate, fewer people would have died than otherwise. "Even if it''s not true, think of it that way." Even if it wasn''t the truth, they had to think that way. Bertus'' words were appreciated, even though he wasn''t the one directly involved. ¡ª--- Neither Charlotte nor Ellen had learned anything definitive through their investigations; instead, they had developed suspicions. Suspicions involving Reinhardt. Charlotte and Ellen did not exchange any words about how this could be connected. They feared that the moment they discussed it, something they didn''t want to imagine could become a reality. The two walked in silence. Charlotte''s next destination was the Imperial Bureau of Identity Management. It was a place that served as the civil affairs office. "Even if she used an alias, her identity would still be registered. There might be some clues to trace based on that. Though her hometown and such might be lies, we could at least deduce when she started her activities in the Empire." "True." A spy from Darkland, who operated under the alias of Elena. Charlotte was determined to pursue her as far as possible. Even if her identity was fake, she would have registered it, leaving a record of her origin and other information. Charlotte had seen her identification and asked various questions, but she couldn''t remember the finer details, like her hometown. Naturally, such personal information couldn''t be accessed casually, but Charlotte was a princess. Just as Bertus could search the personal details of all Imperial citizens with a word, so could Charlotte. "Please retrieve and display all identity records registered under the name Elena in the Empire." "Yes, I will prepare them immediately." Upon the sudden appearance of the princess and her request for information, the bureau director began to work swiftly. In the director''s office, Ellen and Charlotte waited for the documents to be prepared. Both of them knew that their current target was not Elena. They didn''t want to admit or even think about it, but they knew. That Reinhardt was suspicious. They knew without speaking it out loud. "..." "..." Neither of them spoke, knowing that if they started a conversation, something might change drastically. After some time had passed, "Here it is." A list of all individuals with the name Elena in the Empire was prepared. Charlotte planned to deduce the activity period through the place of birth and identity registration date, and later call in the building owner of the shop to ask more details about Elena. With that in mind, Charlotte went through the documents of people with the same name. "This one." Rustle Charlotte picked out an identification document that matched the face of Elena she remembered. Charlotte already knew Elena''s face, so what she needed was the information written in text. However, That document became decisive evidence for Ellen. "Wait... Just a moment..." "Huh?" "I... I know this person..." Ellen''s voice trembled. "I know her." At those words, Charlotte''s brow furrowed. "What? You''ve seen her before?" Ellen had a good memory. That''s why she couldn''t help but suddenly realize something. "Last year, during the second-semester group mission... In that castle... I saw a statue that looked just like her..." It was a face that subtly resembled the statue, though it was different when examined closely. A mage named Rellia who had briefly accompanied them in Darkland. And the incident when they found a statue resembling Rellia in Castle Epiaux. The events were so deeply etched in Ellen''s mind that when she saw Elena''s picture, the memories of that time inevitably came back to life. "A statue? Why is there a statue of this person in the castle?" "This person..." Ellen mumbles with a trembling voice, in the grip of intense shock. "A dragon..." "What the hell... no, what are you talking about?" Almost cursing in disbelief, Charlotte barely suppressed her urge to make light of the situation. However, regardless of Charlotte''s astonishment, Ellen''s complexion was turning pale. The enigmatic sorcerer Rellia, who had claimed to be a dragon. A statue resembling Rellia in Castle Epiaux. And Elena''s picture, which seemed to be an exact replica of that statue. In Ellen''s memory, Rellia and the person in Elena''s picture did not appear to be the same. However, once a link in the form of a statue, a sort of neutralized appearance, emerged between them, Ellen couldn''t help but entertain the idea. The sorcerer Rellia, who hid her true abilities and followed them. Reinhardt was with her at that time as well. Ellen had a good memory. "... Wouldn''t it be good to have one more sorcerer with us?" Though they had met the self-proclaimed dragon sorcerer Rellia by chance, it was Reinhardt who had intentionally brought her along. "..." With wide eyes, Ellen could not help but stare at Elena''s picture. CH 418 Roswin had never left the Magic Department or the Imperial Palace. It was almost a foregone conclusion that he had escaped using the Magic Department''s warp gate research facility. Of course, since this wasn''t entirely certain, the defensive posture of the Imperial Palace and the Magic Department had not been relaxed. Bertus, Harriet, and I left the Magic Department building. Our attendants followed at a distance, and we walked quietly through the Imperial Palace. Harriet was still pale from the realization that she had unknowingly aided a criminal''s escape. "Although they''re searching Roswin''s residence, it''s unlikely he left any incriminating evidence behind... Even if we can''t determine his true level as a magician, capturing him is virtually impossible if he''s escaped." If Roswin had escaped the Imperial Palace the previous night, tracking him down would be impossible. Bertus seemed quite uneasy, and understandably so. Such an event had occurred within the palace, and the perpetrator remained at large. "We may not be able to catch him, but there are a few things we''ve learned." Bertus inferred the truth from the incidents that had occurred and those that hadn''t. "His goal wasn''t the grimoire itself, but the source of the grimoire. If what we''ve heard is true." "Mm." Roswin was more interested in the source of the grimoire than the grimoire itself. "But the slain magicians didn''t know the source of the grimoire. What''s important is that he couldn''t attack those who were highly likely to know the source." He was confident in escaping the Magic Department, but the only person who might know the source of the grimoire was untouchable. In other words, he couldn''t touch the Emperor. Thus, Roswin was indeed skilled but not enough to single-handedly breach Tetra. Of course, where would one find someone with such skills? "For someone like that to have infiltrated the Imperial Palace... If he''s an underling of the Demon King, it''ll be a real headache." Bertus fell silent for a moment, lost in thought. Of course, there was no connection between Roswin and me, but the Empire naturally suspected the Demon King''s involvement when strange events occurred. "I don''t know if I should ask this... But where did that grimoire really come from?" "Ah, that." The decisive reason why Roswin had killed people. "I don''t know either." Bertus didn''t know either. "Charlotte brought it from somewhere." Upon hearing this, I couldn''t help but instantly understand the source of the grimoire. I had thought that adventurers had brought it from the Lich''s Tomb, but it turned out that Charlotte had brought it from the Demon King''s Castle''s underground. "Wait, doesn''t that mean Charlotte''s in danger?" At my anxious question, Bertus shrugged his shoulders. "Well, very few people know that the stolen grimoire was brought by Charlotte, and none of them were among those who died yesterday." Fortunately, Roswin didn''t discover that Charlotte was the source of the grimoire and had no choice but to escape the Imperial Palace. Upon hearing this, it seems likely that the scoundrel believes the Tomb of the Lich is the source of the magic tome. I''m not sure why... But if he really wants to know the origin of the magic tome and went through all this trouble, he might have gone that way. Bertus gazes at me with a subtle smile on his face. "And Reinhardt, for some reason, I think you might know the real origin of the magic tome." "..." "Well, I don''t intend to pry it out of you." I could have lied, but it didn''t seem like it would work on Bertus. As Bertus said, Roswin probably fled the palace without discovering the real origin of the magic tome. If so, Charlotte would be safe. If Roswin is Cantus Magna, it is clear that they will soon approach the Tomb of the Lich located in Darkland. They want a large collection of rare magic tomes, and they will think the real origin is the Tomb of the Lich, not the underground of the Demon King''s Castle. Of course, even if the real origin is not there, the rumors of rare magic tomes being discovered in the Tomb of the Lich would be enough for Cantus Magna to approach. Something is coming. What kind of reality would this ominous warning that grips my heart become? I could not know. And then. "Your Highness!" From afar, someone hurriedly rushed towards us, bringing urgent news. The messenger who arrived in a short time whispered something to Bertus with an anxious expression. Bertus''s brow furrowed ominously upon hearing the news. "...What? Are you sure?" "Yes, Your Highness." As Harriet and I stared intently, Bertus bit his lip. He seemed to be both dumbfounded and angry. "They say there''s a secret room in Roswin''s house. They''ve just discovered it." A secret room. Was there any evidence in there? "But, the stolen magic tomes are just lying around in there?" "What?" "...Why?" "What the hell is he doing?" Bertus cursed in confusion at the incomprehensible situation. ¡ª--- Bertus, Harriet, and I left the palace. Bertus insisted on checking it himself, and so did I. "..." "What is this...?" "It''s really there..." Upon entering the secret room hidden in Roswin''s residence, we found numerous magic tomes scattered on the floor. It was an impressive collection. Judging by the sheer amount, it seemed likely that a magic backpack had been used to transport them, rather than Charlotte carrying them alone. It was now certain that Roswin had stolen the magic tomes and fled the palace. The important thing is that he had vanished, leaving the stolen magic tomes scattered around the secret room. It''s clear from the fact that all the magic tomes were open that he had checked their contents. The important question was, if he was Cantus Magna and needed the magic tomes, why on earth did he leave them scattered like this? Had he managed to memorize the content well enough to make copies in the meantime? "There''s no way they thought this room wouldn''t be discovered..." "Indeed." At Harriet''s words, Bertus nodded. They wouldn''t have trusted the secret room enough to leave everything so carelessly exposed. Yet, it had been discovered so quickly. Bertus''s expression had become fierce. Why? What could be the reason? I was wondering the same thing. The one presumed to be Cantus Magna had carelessly left the magic tomes behind and vanished. Of course, the magic tomes themselves might not be important to Cantus Magna. They could have a unique device to record and remember magic. But one thing was certain. The scattered magic tomes indicated that Roswin was acting quite hastily. "I think he might have gone to the Lich''s Tomb." At my words, Bertus and Harriet nodded. If Harriet''s words were true, Roswin had been curious about the origins of the magic tomes. If the origin was more important than the tomes themselves, the chances of him heading towards the Lich''s Tomb with wrong information were high. Having already understood these magic tomes, was someone planning to seize them before others could break through the Lich''s Tomb? If the full force of Cantus Magna was headed to the Lich''s Tomb, then the power of Antirianus and the Black Order within the dungeon might not be enough. Bertus clenched his teeth audibly. "Yes, it would be great to find out what''s inside the Lich''s Tomb, which is surrounded by rumors, and cut off the head of the insolent bastard who wreaked havoc in the palace." Bertus yelled towards the agents waiting outside the secret room. "Gather Shanafel and the Royal Mage Corps!" The furious First Prince''s shout echoed. Following Cantus Magna, the empire''s elites were heading toward the Lich''s Tomb. The situation was growing increasingly massive. Bertus looked at me with a serious gaze. "Reinhardt." "Yes?" "You should go as well." I thought I would be excluded, but Bertus''s judgment differed from my expectations. "If you capture the assassin suspect of murder in the palace and break through the Lich''s Tomb, there will be no greater achievement for a rookie hero." Bertus was making a decision to make the most of this situation. Even in a crisis, he was thinking of ways to achieve the best outcome. For the hero''s achievements. I had more than enough personal reasons to go there myself. "Alright." At my response, Bertus nodded. "Me, me too!" Unable to hold back, Harriet interjected. "I want... to go too..." Though she was scared, Harriet felt a sense of responsibility for the situation. It was only natural that she wanted to join, especially when I was going too. Bertus silently stared at Harriet. He didn''t expect me to capture Roswin and break through the Lich''s Tomb on my own. Most of the work would be done by Shanafel and the Royal Mage Corps, and I would just add a finishing touch. In essence, we were hardly in any danger. "Fine, if that''s what you really want." Thus, Bertus did not belittle or disregard the courage shown by Harriet and agreed to her request. ¡ª--- Bertus instructed Harriet and me to join the empire''s elite forces headed to the tomb of the Lich. However, we couldn''t leave immediately as it was necessary to gather the troops and prepare for the journey. The Shanafel Knights and the imperial mages were not always stationed at the palace; some were dispatched on various missions, so it took time to assemble them. At least a day. We had a day to spare. So Harriet and I decided to return to the temple for now to regroup. Bertus would go back to the palace to discuss with the emperor how to handle the situation. A dangerous battle was certain to ensue. I joined for the sake of achieving new feats as a hero, and Harriet felt responsible for the situation, so we both had our reasons. And more importantly, I needed to inform Lucinil about this news as soon as possible. The Cantus Magna would come, but even more so, the full might of the empire would be unleashed. Harriet''s expression was stern and serious. "It''s going to be dangerous, isn''t it?" All the silent Harriet could say was that. "Of course it''s going to be dangerous." "..." "For those who will be there, not us." "...Huh?" Harriet was startled by my seemingly out-of-place remark. "No, it''s obvious. The imperial mage corps led by the archmage and the numerous Swordmasters of the Shanafel will be surrounding us; how could we be in danger? The ones we face will be in danger." That''s the problem right now. The empire''s elite forces, which the labyrinth''s troops can''t handle, plan to crush the small number of subordinates and allies! We don''t have to worry! They are the ones who should be worried! "Is that how it''s going to be......?" "Of course. So we''ll just watch from a safe distance and that''s it." The problem is that. Assuming we capture Roswin, there is a high possibility that it would be the empire, not me, who will succeed. Then it would be impossible for me to obtain the information. I obeyed Bertus''s command to follow in case there was a way, but. How can I handle this? We were not in danger. I believed that no matter how many mages Cantus Magna had, they couldn''t defeat the empire''s elite forces. For now, I had to return to the temple and relay the information as quickly as possible. ¡ª--- There were many clues. However, Charlotte suddenly said to Ellen. ¡°Today.¡± ¡°Let''s stop for today.¡± ¡°Let''s go back to the temple for now and cool our heads.¡± Fear and trepidation flickered in Charlotte''s eyes. A reluctance to know something irreversible. A desperate hope that it would remain a possibility for now. Ellen and Charlotte felt the same complex emotions. Knowing how each other felt, Ellen and Charlotte decided to take the decisive final step later on. The Statue of Rellia, or perhaps, Elena, at the Castle of Epiax. They planned to visit the place tomorrow. After returning to the temple, Ellen and Charlotte went back to their respective dormitories. Even when one tries not to think about anything, thoughts inevitably come. Humans are like that. However, since nothing is certain yet, they try not to be sure about anything. Until something is confirmed and certainty is gained, it''s as if nothing has happened. But unconfirmed things can be frightening and terrifying. That''s why Ellen wanted to see Reinhardt. Unable to stop, Ellen and Charlotte must find out more. And they will discover more. So now. If everything turns out to be just misunderstandings and illusions later, they don''t know, but it might not be. So. Now. Knock, knock Ellen knocked on Reinhardt''s door. Having seen him leaving with Harriet, he might not have returned to the temple yet. Wondering when he would return, Ellen was about to turn away when... Thump "¡­Um." "¡­" Somehow, Reinhardt, with a slightly pale complexion, carefully opened the door. "Why? Training? Today is not the day¡­" Reinhardt seemed to be hesitant to train today, as if he had a bad feeling. Seeing Reinhardt''s face, complicated thoughts boiled in Ellen''s head. She wanted to ask something right away, but fearing that it might make the situation irreversible, Ellen decided not to ask anything. "May I come in?" At Ellen''s words, Reinhardt seemed a bit flustered but opened the door wide, as if it were okay. Entering room A-11, Reinhardt''s room, Ellen lightly sat on his bed. Reinhardt seemed to be watching Ellen''s every move, then he sat down in the chair in front of his desk. "Here." "¡­What?" Pat, pat Ellen patted the spot on the bed next to her. "Can''t you sit here?" At Ellen''s words, Reinhardt hesitated for a moment, then got up from the chair and sat down beside her. For a while, Ellen just stared blankly ahead without saying anything. What were the things Reinhardt couldn''t tell her so far, and what were they really about? Ellen and Charlotte stopped inflating the balloon, which was about to burst from being filled to its limit. Just a little more. One more breath, and the balloon would burst. That''s why, in this brief moment. Because the balloon hasn''t burst yet, they can still be together. There are many questions. Why did he help everyone so much, and why was he as gentle as he was rough? Had he taken good care of them? So, it might not be, Ellen still believes. Her faith in Reinhardt is still strong. Fiddling with her fingers, Ellen quietly says, "What did you do today? I heard something happened at the royal palace¡­" She had seen him leaving the temple with Harriet. And since she had heard from Charlotte as well, she had a rough idea of what Reinhardt had done today. "Harriet seemed to be involved in the matter, so we looked around together to see if there was any information we could find..." Right. Like this. There''s no way the ever-attentive and caring Reinhardt, who always watches over everyone, could be up to something. If that were the case, then Reinhardt wouldn''t have to try so hard, so tirelessly. There would be no reason for him to put in all this effort. Therefore, it can''t be him, as he wouldn''t engage in something without a purpose. The suspicion surrounding Reinhardt must be a mere illusion created by coincidental circumstances. "Did you find anything out?" "...There wasn''t much more we could learn from being here. Well, what Harriet knew did provide some hints..." "I see." What had happened today? What would happen tomorrow? What would they eat tonight? They had shared countless trivial conversations. Forever. They wanted to keep doing so forever. Ellen turns her head towards Reinhardt. Reinhardt meets her gaze, albeit somewhat awkwardly. Reinhardt is Reinhardt. And Ellen is Ellen. They can still be that way towards each other, for now. "Reinhardt." "...Yeah." So, while they can still be themselves to each other. Ellen wanted to do something she could only do now, something she wouldn''t be able to do later. Ellen carefully wraps her arms around Reinhardt''s neck. "!" And their lips meet. Ellen can vividly feel Reinhardt''s body tensing up in her embrace. After the brief kiss that seemed to last an eternity. "I''m sorry..." Ellen gently pulls away from Reinhardt, her lips slightly moistened, and quietly apologizes. Reinhardt''s eyes widen, more shocked by Ellen''s sudden action than embarrassed. "I just thought... if not now, I wouldn''t be able to do it..." Leaving only those words behind, Ellen exits Reinhardt''s room. CH 419 Ellen had come to see me, but I hesitated to tell her that I had decided to head to the Tomb of the Lich. I couldn''t involve her, especially since Harriet had already decided to tag along, which was making me uneasy. If I told her, Ellen would undoubtedly want to join us. I wasn''t sure whether Bertus would try to involve Ellen or not, but for the time being, I wished that she wasn''t there. As I was worrying about how to dodge the topic, Ellen suddenly made a move. It seemed like she had something to say, but I never imagined she would suddenly kiss me. Why did she do that? I wondered if there had been some change in her feelings, but Ellen left without giving a proper explanation, only apologizing. The unfamiliar sensation lingering on my lips, and Ellen''s expression and eyes flickered in my mind. Even though this wasn''t the time to think about such things. I was curious as to what thoughts led her to act that way, and why she left without a word. However, this wasn''t the time to dwell on those thoughts. I immediately summoned Lucinil. "Are you certain?" As I quickly explained the situation to Lucinil, she responded with a serious expression. "Roswin might not be Cantus Magna, but it''s certain that the elite forces of the empire are heading to the Tomb of the Lich." Even if it wasn''t Cantus Magna, it was clear that the empire''s most elite forces would be entering the Tomb of the Lich. The Quantum Maze might be breached, and the battle could escalate beyond what we could handle. "I''ve decided to join the empire''s forces and head to the Tomb of the Lich as well. Depending on the severity of the situation, we may need to decide whether to retreat or fight. We need to capture at least one magician from Cantus Magna. We must inform the Order and the Council quickly. And, please relay the information to Sarkegaar and Loyar." "Understood." With those words, Lucinil vanished into the mist. We had tried to lure Cantus Magna, but the empire''s elites had come along as well. Could this be our only chance to capture Cantus Magna, or should we retreat? If the empire were to steal all of Cantus Magna or if they were to die before securing any information, the situation would be a tangled mess. Moreover, there was a possibility that we could inadvertently help them complete Akasha. I would be heading to the Tomb of the Lich with the empire''s forces, today or tomorrow at the latest. There was nothing to prepare. I felt like praying. But I didn''t believe in gods. And if there was a god, the true god of this world would be me, so I couldn''t pray to anyone. I was the only one in this world who couldn''t pray to anyone. I was a god. And my power was the undead. "Everything will be fine." So, I prayed to myself. "I have to make everything go well." In the end, I had to do well. ------ Saturday night. In a land ruled by eternal winter, an urgent council had been convened. Originally, it was a principle that only members of the Vampire Council would gather around the round table in the conference hall. However, the nature of the Council had slightly changed, and due to the peculiarities of the current situation, there were others present besides the vampires. The heads of the four Vampire Lord houses, excluding Antirianus who was in charge of the Lich''s Tomb, were among the original members. Eleris, Lucinil, Luruien, and Gallarush were there. Even Sarkegaar, the servant of Valier. Epinhauser, a member of the Black Order, was also present. In fact, almost everyone except for Loyar had gathered. "Are we sure that Roswin is a member of Cantus Magna?" Eleris asked. Lucinil furrowed her brow. "We can''t be certain. It''s only circumstantial evidence at best. However, considering that he was able to pull off such a stunt in the palace and escape, all while being enchanted by numerous spellbooks, it would be strange if he wasn''t part of Cantus Magna. And if it is Cantus Magna''s intention, it means they have decided to concentrate their efforts on this matter. They must be focusing all their resources on the Lich''s Tomb by now. Even if he''s not, there''s a chance that our bait will cause unnecessary trouble." Gallarush nodded, arms crossed, as he listened to Lucinil''s words. "That''s important, but what''s even more crucial is the fact that the Empire''s full force is headed there. The tomb will be breached, and it''s doubtful whether we can rescue Cantus Magna''s mages or not." Just as the Temple''s flag symbolized the goal of fostering exceptional talents regardless of their social status, Shanafel and the Royal Mage Corps were filled with those who had been ''cultivated'' in such a way. It was the strongest group of humans, filled with individuals possessing exceptional talent, aptitude, and unwavering loyalty to humanity and the Empire. No matter how powerful a secret organization with hidden strength might be, there was no way they could stand against the concentrated power of the extraordinary individuals gathered in one place. And their goal was not to kill Cantus Magna''s core members, but to extract them. "We may be better off withdrawing instead of relying on such a slim possibility. If we lose too much in our attempt to grasp the clue of Cantus Magna, it may become irreversible," Luruien suggested that withdrawal might be the best option. Initially, only Eleris, Lucinil, and Antirianus had fully agreed to cooperate within the Council. Gallarush and Luruien had agreed to assist as much as they could, but they had no intention of sacrificing their lives for Valier. So, they were more than willing to back out if the situation became too dangerous. Luruien''s judgment was not strange, considering that confronting Cantus Magna and the Empire simultaneously to uncover the truth of the inscrutable artifact known as Akasha was an insane act that crossed the line. "I agree with Luruien''s opinion. It would be one thing if we were only dealing with Cantus Magna, but taking on the empire itself would mean taking on too great a risk." These were the words of Gallarush. Upon hearing this, Sarkegaar, who took on the appearance of an ordinary human male, spoke in a worried tone. "But didn''t our master say that he is heading to that location?" "Yes." Lucinil nodded in response to Sarkegaar''s words. "Valier plans to join forces with the Imperial army and head to the tomb. So, Valier''s safety shouldn''t be in too much danger. However, we can''t be certain how much of their power Cantus Magna will deploy. So, we can''t be completely at ease. And even if we go there ourselves, it doesn''t necessarily mean we''ll be fighting directly. We can observe from a distance and intervene when it seems necessary. And well, if we capture Cantus Magna''s mage, we can always exploit the situation later." Lucinil stared at Sarkegaar. "You''re good at that kind of thing, aren''t you?" Lucinil and Sarkegaar had met a few times to communicate, so Lucinil already knew Sarkegaar was quite capable. Sarkegaar excelled in camouflage and infiltration rather than direct combat. "I''m skilled enough to be called an expert." Epinhauser stared at Sarkegaar with confidence in his words, but he didn''t say anything. "The royal family would probably prefer to capture them all rather than kill them. It''s not too late to find out why they did it and string them up. But since Cantus Magna has decided to give it their all, we must prepare thoroughly." "Lucinil, are you going to that place?" Luruien stared at the silver-haired girl with a puzzled look at Lucinil''s words. "Yeah, why not?" "I don''t understand why you''re so devoted to his cause..." At Luruien''s words, Lucinil crossed her arms. "A pretty boy always deserves a favor, and in my opinion, our Valier is pretty enough." Lucinil grinned, and Luruien sighed heavily, unable to understand. Somehow, Lucinil had ended up leading the meeting. There were six people gathered in this place. Lucinil, Eleris, Sarkegaar, Epinhauser, Luruien, and Gallarush. They had decided that someone should monitor the situation at the Lich''s tomb and intervene if necessary in case of an emergency. "Anyway, I''m going. Anyone who doesn''t want to go, raise your hand." At those words, Luruien quickly raised her hand. "¡­?" Luruien was the only one with her hand raised. "¡­Gallarush, have you become hard of hearing due to old age?" At the words of the oldest vampire who was genuinely concerned about the aging of vampires, Gallarush answered plainly. "I plan to go." "¡­What?" Like Luruien, Gallarush was not inclined to cooperate with Valier either. So it was assumed that he would not participate, but he was going along. Luruien silently observed the sinister expressionlessness of Gallarush. Gallarush was glaring intently at the wriggling Lucinil. It was clear that he was worried about Lucinil and decided to follow along. "Ah, this dishonest monster..." "Quiet, big ears." "What, what?! Big ears?" "You''re the one who called me a monster first." Epinhauser simply watched the elf and orc vampire bickering. In the end, everyone at the gathering, except for Luruien, decided to go to the scene. "I''m not usually the type to get swept along... I''m really not..." As everyone said they were going, Luruien hesitated, feeling that it would be strange if she were the only one left out. Moreover, she didn''t want to miss out on a matter that shouldn''t be decided like this, so she mumbled to himself. "No, Luruien, you do have a tendency to get swept along." It was Lucinil who spoke. "Well, you certainly lean that way." Eleris added. "From what I''ve observed for a long time, you lack a backbone." And finally, Gallarush''s last words. Due to their memories being reset every 200 years, the words of the Lord Vampires who had been observing Luruien for a longer time than she herself was more accurate. Knowing this, the already pale elf vampire''s complexion became even paler. "Re... really?" "Yeah, it''s always like this. You think you have a strong will, but when you realize that you''re actually a person who gets swayed back and forth without a backbone, you always react like this." At Lucinil''s words, Luruien''s mouth fell open. "I... have no backbone...?" In reality, Luruien had no intention of cooperating with Valier, but when Gallarush decided to side with Valier, she reluctantly agreed to cooperate. In the end, the decision was made for the backboneless Luruien to join the others in going to the Lich''s tomb. CH 420 "Something must be going on." At Lydia''s question, Eleris nodded her head. Though Lydia couldn''t attend the meeting, she could sense from Eleris''s expression that something unusual was happening. "Yes, there''s an important matter. And there''s a high chance it''ll be a dangerous one." Eleris lived a quiet life in the ancient snowy castle, but she was ultimately part of the force plunging the world into chaos. Thus, it was natural for her to be involved in dangerous situations. Lydia silently watched Eleris prepare to leave. "I''ll be away for a few days. There''s enough food, but can you manage to eat well by yourself?" "Huh? Oh... Of course. Don''t worry about me." Somehow, Lydia felt a bitter sweetness seeing Eleris, who was about to undertake a dangerous task, worry about leaving her behind. When Eleris said she was going to face danger, she seemed to be preparing as if she were going on a casual stroll. It was no different from when she went out to buy groceries. "I''ll be back soon." "Ah, yes..." Lydia nodded in response to Eleris''s brief farewell. Eleris left the room. Lydia didn''t know exactly what Eleris was going to do, but she quietly watched her retreating figure. She wanted to say something. "¡­Stay safe." "¡­?" Surprised by the words that came from behind her, Eleris turned to look at Lydia. Stay safe. It was a simple phrase, but not something that would usually be exchanged between Lydia and Eleris. It showed how much Lydia had opened her heart to Eleris, and how worried she was. "I will. I''ll come back safely." Eleris flashed a faint smile and bid Lydia farewell once more. Lydia Schmitt silently watched the door Eleris had gone through. What would it feel like to become a real family with Eleris? Bound by blood. If that happened, would she feel even warmer and safer than she did now? Lydia Schmitt decided that when Eleris returned, she would earnestly ask to become her family. Lydia had a hunch that Eleris would refuse, but she wanted to try nonetheless. ¡ª--- Sunday, early morning. Harriet and I headed to the palace. I couldn''t know how the council meeting would proceed or what decision the Black Order would make. It would be best if our faction could capture the wizard of Cantus Magna, but if the imperial army succeeded, I would have to create a situation where I could interrogate them. The worst-case scenario would be Cantus Magna''s annihilation or letting them slip away. Harriet seemed to have made her own preparations, carrying a scroll book. She appeared to have put a lot of effort into it. After all, Harriet and I were just attendants, and the imperial army was in charge of the actual work. Bertus lured me into joining by promising an achievement, and Harriet''s situation wasn''t much different. If the situation ever called for us to step forward, it would mean that things had already reached a point of no return. There were no ceremonies or blessings for our departure. The empire quickly gathered its elite forces at the imperial palace, and we set out to secure the Tomb of the Lich, while searching for the likely-headed Roswin. Considering the murder that had occurred within the palace and Roswin''s successful escape, he was a high-priority criminal to apprehend. It didn''t matter if Roswin wasn''t there. It would be enough to confirm whether the rumored Archlich actually existed in the Tomb of the Lich. If we couldn''t find Roswin in the Tomb of the Lich, we would simply have to track him down using a different method. The empire seemed to be considering whether Roswin might be connected to the Demon King. The garden in front of the Imperial Palace Tetra. Of course, neither Bertus nor the Emperor were present. Saviolin Turner, the commander of the Shanafel, was present as the person responsible for the mission. There were also about thirty knights of the Shanafel and about thirty mages from the Royal Mage Corps. Scottla Kelton, whom we had encountered in Rajeurn last time, was also present. All of these individuals were at the pinnacle of those considered superhuman. Saviolin Turner looked at me and Harriet. "Both of you, don''t push yourselves too hard." As if they had anticipated this, the mages and knights began to walk with Harriet and me at the center. We moved through the Warp Gate and then used Mass Teleport to immediately arrive at the scene in Darkland. Saviolin Turner led the troops from the very front. Things might not go as planned, but everything would be alright. Everything had to turn out well. A nervous Harriet grabbed my hand. "You..." But realizing that she had grabbed my hand out of her own fear, Harriet looked up at me, flustered. It couldn''t be helped. I was the one sweating cold beads of sweat even more than her. Harriet, scared and holding my hand, tightened her grip upon realizing that I was even more nervous. As if she wanted to help me in any way possible, despite not being alright herself. ¡ª--- At that moment. "Are you ready?" "Yeah." Ellen and Charlotte had stepped out of the temple. Despite it being the peak of spring, both of them were dressed in very thick clothing. It was only natural, considering that their destination was the polar region. The two were planning to head to the fortress Epiaux today. Charlotte, having been in the palace, was aware of the events that had transpired yesterday and what the empire was attempting to do now. She also knew that Reinhardt was heading to the Tomb of the Lich. Nothing about Reinhardt was certain yet. The suspicions about him were ultimately trivial: he had visited Elena''s shop with a female student from the temple. That''s why Charlotte had taken no action. She wouldn''t be sure of anything until something was confirmed. "Something strange seems to be happening." "Is it because of the incident yesterday?" "Yes." From the royal palace murder case to the elite forces heading toward the Tomb of the Lich. And along with them, Reinhardt and Harriet de Saint-Owan join the journey. Charlotte didn''t tell Ellen about it. "Let''s focus on our task. Depending on the situation, what we''re doing might be more important than their mission." "..." The actions of Ellen and Charlotte could potentially determine the fate of the empire. Both of them hope that their task is of no importance. "We need to check if the statue you mentioned in Epiaux is really there. We can think about the rest later." "Okay." At present, all magicians capable of using teleportation were engaged elsewhere. And Charlotte didn''t want to bring anyone other than Ellen for this task. Charlotte handed Ellen a scrollbook, identical to the one she was carrying. "We''ll take the gate to the northernmost part of the continent. From there, we''ll use the teleportation scroll to enter. We''ll return the same way." "Alright." Even though she had lost the competition, the First Princess was still the First Princess. Teleportation, a high-level magic, could easily be used through scrolls. "Let''s go." The two hoped that their actions would amount to nothing more than a futile endeavor. With that desperate hope, Ellen and Charlotte headed toward the warp gate. ¡ª--- The two arrived at the northernmost part of the continent in no time. After all, both Ellen and Charlotte had free access to the warp gates. They used the teleportation scrolls to travel to the fortress of Epiaux, where no warp gate had been installed. Whooosh "Ugh... The weather is..." At the entrance to the fortress, snow had piled up to knee height. The already accumulated snow had frozen solid at the ground level. During their last group mission, Harriet had suggested touring the fortress, so Ellen and Reinhardt had explored Epiaux. They knew it was a place haunted by wandering spirits, and within a space resembling a pantheon, there were seven statues. Crunch, crunch The two walked across the snow-covered ground. "But what did you mean by that woman being a dragon?" "She said she was a dragon. She was also hiding her true power." "¡­ And you believed that?" Charlotte glanced at Ellen, as if asking if she believed such nonsense while trudging through the deep snow. "At the time, I didn''t believe her. But after seeing the statues here, I thought this place might have been a gathering spot for dragons long ago. It''s quite a coincidence." "Anyway, if the magician you met in Darkland is Elena¡­" Charlotte bit her lip, unable to continue. If Elena and Rellia were the same person, then Reinhardt would be extremely suspicious. The empire didn''t know what kind of fortress Epiaux was. They had merely managed it like an ancient historical site for a long time. However, if the statue here truly resembled Elena, then things could take a different turn. What on earth was the purpose of this fortress? It was clear that the place was related to the Demon King, but how it was connected was unknown. So, to verify it with her own eyes, Charlotte had come to the Epiax. "Whew." Tuk tuk After entering the castle, Ellen and Charlotte dusted off their snow-covered clothes. Just as the wind blew outside, the cold air circulated within the fortress as well. Ellen seemed to have just remembered something and asked Charlotte. "Afraid of ghosts?" "Ghosts?" As if to ask what she meant, Charlotte cocked her head. "Ghosts appear here." "...What?" Charlotte furrowed her brow at the unexpected statement. "They''re not strong enough to do any harm, but ghosts have been wandering around. You know..." Flash! Just as Ellen was about to finish speaking, they saw a flash of light from one side of the dark fortress hallway. It wasn''t a natural phenomenon. Ellen and Charlotte''s expressions hardened. It wasn''t just that one time. Flash! Flash! Something like a divine light flashed throughout the hallways, emanating a white radiance. ¡°Sigh, just when Eleris left, it got tangled again¡­¡± Someone''s voice. Ellen and Charlotte soon saw a figure emerging from the end of the hallway. Naturally, they made eye contact. "...?" An unfamiliar woman with black hair was standing there. The place where a statue resembling Elena was located. Reinhardt had visited Elena''s shop with the black-haired woman. And now, the black-haired woman appeared before them. Charlotte could not remember her. However, Ellen had a good memory. She had watched the tournament more closely since she was a combat major. She could clearly recognize the face from her memory. Ellen was able to recall her as a participant in the Unrestricted Class Tournament. 6th year, Lydia Schmitt. Olivia Lanze, who had forfeited the tournament finals. Reinhardt, who had visited Elena''s shop with the black-haired woman. The Holy Knight lineage. The nameless monastery. Olivia Lanze. Adriana. The Demon King''s raid. Somehow. Reinhardt, who seemed to know everything that night. And then. And then... At some point. He had called himself the Demon King. Reinhardt''s playful confession. Various puzzle pieces began to fit together in Ellen''s mind. "...How? You two?" Lydia Schmitt may not have known Ellen, but she recognized the face of the 1st Princess, Charlotte. Two people who shouldn''t have been there appeared in the council. "Senior, let''s talk." Ellen slowly approached Lydia Schmitt. With a stern expression, Lydia Schmitt slowly began to back away. CH 421 "Seems there''s less in here than we thought, huh?" "It does appear that way." Roswin remarked, and the Grand Duke responded in the spacious chamber. There was no need to light a fire. After all, everyone in the room was a mage capable of summoning light on their own. The dungeon exploration had been long, and everyone took turns to rest in the available space, spending a day doing so. "Perhaps it was just the empty cart that made a racket. We don''t see the magical tome that''s been causing such a stir." "Rather than not seeing it, it feels more like it has been deliberately hidden." "I have the same thought." Roswin was quite talkative. The Grand Duke, on the other hand, only spoke when necessary. And the woman was silent. Luna moved at a leisurely pace. She would respond a beat late when Roswin or the Grand Duke called her. Most of the time, she would slowly nod or shake her head to their questions, hardly ever speaking. There were no significant traps or labyrinth barriers like the ones outside. However, they couldn''t afford to be careless, so they proceeded slowly, which took a considerable amount of time. The Grand Duke and Roswin both took the lead at different times. The Grand Duke couldn''t help but notice that Roswin was far from an ordinary mage. Although he spoke a lot, he was cautious in his actions and always seemed to be on guard. However, the woman who introduced herself as Luna remained quiet. She simply followed the group slightly to the side, neither taking the lead nor falling behind. She did nothing. She just trailed alongside the group with a slightly unhurried stride. "Luna seems to be anything but ordinary." "I agree." The Grand Duke nodded in response to Roswin''s words. There were no ordinary people in the room, but the most extraordinary among them was Luna, who had yet to reveal anything. Clad in an unremarkable outfit and a plain cloak, Luna attracted the awe and curiosity of the Grand Duke''s mages. Her abilities, intentions, and whether she was a friend or foe remained unknown. Everyone was watching her elegant, unhurried steps, whether they realized it or not. It wasn''t fascination but fear mixed with awe. Although the interior was excessively desolate, Luna appeared to be out for a casual stroll, occasionally brushing her fingers along the walls in the mysterious space. In fact, she had not slept and had quietly walked around the chamber for the entire day. She would occasionally stop and gaze at something. As if she was lost in deep thought. "Let''s move on. There''s nothing special here, and it''s not a place we should stay in for long." "Shall we?" At the Grand Duke''s signal, the mages prepared to depart, and Luna watched them before joining the group with her usual unhurried pace. It was strange. Despite her leisurely steps, she had never once fallen behind. "Lady Luna seems to be quite an extraordinary individual," Roswin commented with a smile. Luna, gazing in the direction they were to proceed, quietly replied, "If one looks at the world with an extraordinary perspective, can anything really be considered ordinary?" "Even if we try to see it as ordinary, isn''t it a fact that there are extraordinary beings?" In response to Roswin''s somewhat sarcastic question, Luna finally looked directly at him. "Less ordinary than a being that is neither human nor has given up its humanity." Her gaze was indifferent, neither hostile nor friendly. "¡­Haha, is that so?" Roswin chuckled, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. ''This one, is he not human?'' The Duke steadied his breath as he observed Roswin''s cold smile. He recalled the ancient teachings, warning against getting too close to anything peculiar. He hadn''t intended to exploit the mysterious power, but the fact that he had become involved with it remained unchanged. ''Sure enough, when one gets involved in mysterious affairs, mysterious things get tangled up.'' As the Duke walked on, he reaffirmed the truth of his ancestors'' words. The Duke had come in search of a tomb. Hoping that the tomb of the stranger would not become his own. "Let''s go." "Yes, Your Grace." "¡­" The Duke led his party. ¡ª--- The tomb of the Lich was deep and vast. However, both Roswin and the Duke shared a common observation: while the space was very large, most of it was empty. There were no traps or monsters. "It seems like there used to be something here, not an empty space." "That''s how it appears." It wasn''t a discovery that required exceptional observational skills. There were numerous rooms and facilities in the dungeon, most of which were empty. But the scratches on the walls, the areas without dust¡ªthese traces indicated that there had been something in this space, but everything had been cleared away. "It feels like everything was taken out and moved somewhere else¡­ Why would they do that?" "I have no idea. But it doesn''t seem like it was plundered." The feeling was not of mere looting, but of the entire space being thoroughly cleaned. "Traces of traps were found, but they''ve all been disassembled." The Duke''s mages also diligently investigated the area, reporting their findings to him. A Lich''s tomb is a magical research facility. Traps are installed to kill or repel intruders who dare to enter such a place. Yet the equipment was gone, and the traps were all disassembled. "It''s possible that they removed all the miscellaneous items to make sure those who broke through the labyrinth would be drawn straight here without being distracted." "¡­And why would they do that?" "I am not the owner of this place, so I have no way of knowing." It made no sense that they had cleared everything away to ensure an undistracted path to the core. However, it was hard not to agree with Roswin''s words. The party advanced slowly, ever wary of the possibility that their entry could be met with an ambush from an unexpected quarter. Given the complexity of the labyrinth that had unfolded before them, it would be foolish to underestimate the challenge at hand. The sheer scale of the place, combined with their cautious movements, made for a long and arduous exploration. As they spent days exploring, traversing underground rooms, corridors, and halls, the party eventually found themselves unable to proceed any further. The darkness had enveloped them, signaling that night had fallen. "¡­How strange," Roswin hesitated, "It feels¡­ different." "I''m not sure if it''s the right word, but it seems like it''s been renovated or expanded¡­?" Up until this point, the rooms and halls had given off a worn and aged aura, but from here on, they appeared to be new additions, albeit still pristine. An endless staircase led them further down. "We should be cautious," they agreed, and with a growing sense of certainty that they were delving into the heart of the dungeon, they descended ever downward. How far had they gone? "I think we''ve reached the deepest part," one of them surmised. The heart of the dungeon was unassuming, yet grand. The light from the mage''s conjured orbs struggled to illuminate the vast expanse. With a snap of his fingers, a brilliant white light erupted from the ceiling, illuminating the entire chamber. It was a simple, massive space devoid of any patterns, decorations, or embellishments. For a place rumored to lure people with rare spellbooks, it was not particularly menacing. It was a desolate and barren place that only managed to overwhelm with its sheer size. In the center of the room, there were three wooden chairs. They were not grand thrones of intricate woodwork, but rather, simple makeshift seats fashioned from logs and planks. Upon these humble chairs sat three figures: a person clad in a black robe, a skeleton wearing a gray robe, and an old man in a black suit and a bowler hat, leaning on a cane. These figures gazed silently at the party that had intruded upon their space for the first time. "Are they the masters of this place?" The Duke murmured. Luna remained silent, simply watching the spectacle before them. Then, suddenly: "Antirianus¡­!" With eyes bulging to the point of bursting, Roswin spat the name as if it were a curse. "Oh, a young man who recognizes me." "Of course¡­ it was you!" Gone was the composed and shrewd young mage they had known; now, Roswin emanated a sinister and foreboding energy. With a cry, he declared, "It''s because of you¡­!" The old man rose from his chair, removing his hat in greeting. "Who might you be, to recognize this old man?" At the old man''s words, Roswin lost all composure, grinding his teeth in frustration. "For now," he said, and with a leap, he appeared right in front of the old man, who still wore that empty smile. "Die!" "Ho." Rumble! As Roswin reached out his hand, a torrent of magical power erupted from it and engulfed the aged mage. Rumble! The torrent of magical power that enveloped the aged mage collided with the chamber walls, creating an enormous vibration. But. "I recognize you." With a single flick of his index finger, the aged mage who diverted the magical storm with a barrier looked at Roswin''s furious, burning eyes and spoke. "Surely, a worthy guest has arrived... I see." Antirianus looked at Roswin. "Lukren, is it you?" Roswin clenched his teeth and shouted. "Yes." Roswin''s eyes began to turn blood red. "The captain himself has come. What happened to all those brave knights?" "Don''t pretend you don''t know, Antirianus." Roswin''s hair, beginning to glow with a reddish hue, started to stand on end in all directions. "You killed half of them and now you pretend ignorance!" "Ah, well, I didn''t kill all of them." "Hoo... Hoo... Huaaaaaaak!" Boom! Enraged, a storm surged through Roswin''s body, whipping the surroundings, creating fissures in the ground, and lashing the chamber walls. The archmage and the mage squad held back the magical storm with barriers. The torrent pouring from Roswin''s body soon revealed his true form. "Yes." Antirianus, standing at a distance, smiled as he looked at Roswin. "I thought the false rumors about Archlich might draw you in, and it turns out they did." In human form, but with a pale skin and eyes seemingly flickering with red flames. A pitch-black energy undulating throughout his body. The archmage quietly observed Roswin, feeling an indescribable, formidable magical power. There is no set form for something that exists only in legends. However, the immense and sinister magical power emanating from that ominous being. Oh, oh... This, this is... Archlich? The weak muttering of the lich that had been blown away by the magical storm. "It seems you didn''t come searching for Archlich''s tomb, but rather, you''ve been with Archlich all along." This entanglement wasn''t just a simple twist of fate. The false rumors about Archlich had summoned the real Archlich. As the Lord Vampire overcame sunlight, Archlich overcame his skeletal remains. "Killing my comrades and fleeing, it was a good move, Antirianus. But after countless and immeasurable time, I have finally found you." As there are vampires who have conquered the sun, there are liches who have conquered their lost flesh. A being that reshapes the lost flesh with magical power. "Now, it''s time to pay the price." Archlich, surrounded by immense magical power, reached out his hand to the aged mage. "Die, Antirianus. We''ll talk after that." Archlich, the embodiment of impure magical power, thrust his hand down from above. Crash! With a single gesture, an immense pressure was exerted from above, creating fissures in the ground. "It''s going to collapse." Luna, who had been silent for a long time, conveyed this one sentence to the Grand Duke. -Crack The Grand Duke watched intently as the cracks formed in the ceiling of the cavern. He gazed at Luna in silence. Though he feigned calmness to prevent confusion among his subordinates, the Grand Duke could not hide his astonishment that the wicked being from the legends had been accompanying them all this time. However, Luna seemed to have known this from the beginning, as she acted nonchalantly and showed no signs of surprise. Was the Archlich the problem? Was it the person who effortlessly withstood the Archlich''s attacks? Or was it this woman who, despite witnessing such a spectacle, still maintained the same attitude as before? The Grand Duke couldn''t tell. -Creaking All he knew was that the ceiling of the cavern was collapsing. CH 422 As we passed through the gate and later arrived near the Tomb of the Lich via mass teleportation, I could see a vast expanse of fog before us. We refrained from entering hastily and assessed the situation first. The Quantum Maze was not an invulnerable labyrinth. While the Royal Mage Corps might be able to navigate it, most adventurers would inevitably get lost and have to turn back. There was no way to know where the Vampire Council and my allies might be. We waited outside the labyrinth for the mages to finish their analysis without entering it. Saviolin Turner relayed precautions to Harriet and me. "Once we enter, I''ll have you two move in the center. Do not act without my orders, and avoid direct confrontation with the enemy during combat. There should be someone with enough skill to protect you." "Yes." "Yes." Both Harriet and I nodded tensely. It was only natural for her to be nervous, not knowing what lay within. I couldn''t be sure if Roswin was really inside. I hoped he was, and that we could capture at least one key member of Cantus Magna. "We''ll enter as soon as the labyrinth analysis is complete." Since we had agreed to work together, Turner seemed to be taking every possible precaution. So we waited outside for a long time after our arrival while the mages analyzed the labyrinth. For a while, nothing happened, but it felt like our blood was drying up. Late at night. The analysis did not end until the deep white full moon had risen. Under the moonlight, Harriet and I could only quietly observe the situation. I wondered if this was how it felt to be restless and not know what to do. It was only when the moon began to wane that we received a response from the mages. "Captain! Something''s happening!" One of the mages analyzing the labyrinth shouted towards Turner. "The fog is lifting!" "What?" The labyrinth analysis wasn''t complete. An anomaly had been detected in the area where the labyrinth was. It was quite literal. Since we were observing the vast foggy area from one side of the mountain range, we could see the majority of the enormous region. However, the fog was gradually lifting. I, for one, knew that the fog itself was functioning as the Quantum Maze. Yet, the fog was dissipating. That meant the labyrinth was being deactivated. But why? Had someone broken through the labyrinth? Or had someone completely disabled the Quantum Maze? Time provided the answer. "Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrumble!" "An... Earthquake?" The ground began to tremble violently. In an instant, the fog covering the mountain range vanished. I hugged Harriet, whose face had turned pale. "Rrrrrrrumble!" "It''s an earthquake! Everyone, protect yourselves! A landslide could occur!" At Turner''s frantic shout, everyone began to take action. With a resounding crash, the tree fell. The wizards around us unfurled their magic. Wide-eyed, Harriet and I watched as the ground in the center of the labyrinth unnaturally rose. Bulging. For a moment, the earth rose like a rubber balloon. -Boom! A massive blue flash surged from the depths below, causing the ground to explode. The magical explosion enveloped the world. -Crackling! The powerful barrier cast by the great wizards surrounding Turner and me protected us from the colossal shockwave. ¡ª--- The ground sank. I couldn''t find any other way to describe it. After the explosion, the surrounding terrain had collapsed. As the nearby land sank, the ground crumbled, leaving the area like a vast antlion pit. Fortunately, everyone present was a great wizard, capable of protecting not only themselves but also Harriet and me from such an explosion. The labyrinth disappeared. And the ground collapsed. That meant those who had been wandering the labyrinth were either shattered by the explosion or buried under the debris, dead. How many adventurers were lost in that labyrinth, searching for treasure? Hundreds? Thousands? There was no way to know. But without a great wizard to protect them, they were all undoubtedly dead. As we landed on the fallen ground, we could see the center of the area, now clear of the mist. Too far away to be visible to Harriet, and only a speck to me. But one figure, shrouded in a sinister aura. -Bang! Crash! Boom! It was clear that it was engaged in some kind of battle. "Prepare your formations! We''re entering the scene!" Savolin Turner, regaining her composure, shouted. No matter what was happening, Savolin Turner had to suppress the situation. Harriet squinted, possibly using a telescope spell. "Ah¡­" Harriet''s lips trembled as she pointed at the scene. Unable to believe her eyes, Harriet murmured blankly. "Dad¡­?" "What?" Harriet grabbed my arm and screamed like a banshee. "Ah, Dad is there! Dad is there!" The Grand Duke of Saint Owan? Why on earth was the Grand Duke here? Could it be? A chilling sensation ran through my body. Of course, I wasn''t the only one astonished by the revelation. "What are you talking about? The Grand Duke of Saint Owan is there?" "Yes! I don''t know why, but Dad is there!" Harriet''s lips were blue, and she trembled violently. ¡ª--- -Growl The Archlich, who had obliterated the ground with a massive magical explosion, stood tall, surveying the area. The original owner of the labyrinth, the Lich, had vanished, unable to withstand the explosion. The Grand Duke of Saint Owan and the wizards were unharmed. The Archlich, also known as the leader of Cantus Magna, Lukren, turned his gaze elsewhere before confirming the safety of Antirianus. ''Who on earth is that woman?'' Despite the explosion, she stood there without a single hair out of place, merely observing the situation. She maintained a neutral expression, simply watching the events unfold. Who was this being? Friend or foe? Unable to determine her nature, Lukren had no choice but to be on his guard against the mysterious woman in their midst. And under the moonlight, Lukren detected a subtle change in Antirianus''s appearance. Golden eyes with vertical slits. Sharp fangs protruding between his pale skin and lips. The message was clear. "You''ve become a vampire, Antirianus." "There are many ways to endure the passage of time. You''ve become a lich, and I''ve become a vampire." Both were beings of legend. However, the situation was dire. Lukren looked up at the sky. The time was night. Vampires were creatures of the night. "You didn''t choose your timing well, Lukren." With golden eyes, Antirianus raised both of his hands. -Whooosh! The Seven Great Houses of Vampire Lords. Antirianus, the Lord of Saturday. The ground surged and engulfed Archlich. "Now, it''s time to uncover the truth of Akasha." "What...?" -Boom! The mound of dirt that swallowed Lukren compressed in an instant, turning into rock, and then crystallizing. Antirianus smiled as he gazed at Lukren, trapped inside a prison made of crystal. "Ah." Luna murmured softly. "Saturday, huh..." The Grand Duke heard her low voice, but he couldn''t understand what she meant. "Maybe we came to the wrong place..." Luna took a step forward. In the next moment. The Grand Duke saw the woman vanish suddenly. She had merely taken a slow step, just as she had before. But in that instant, the Grand Duke saw the woman appear behind the old priest. Whether it was magic or physical ability, he couldn''t tell. All he knew was that with a single slow step, the woman had closed the distance behind the old priest. "Who are you, milady?" Without turning around, the old priest spoke with a faint smile on his lips. "I have a question." Luna said calmly. "Where is the Archdemon?" Despite the unexpected question, Antirianus wasn''t flustered. "How did you come to learn of such a story?" "That''s not important." With another step, the woman appeared not behind but in front of the old priest. Bathed in moonlight, she asked Antirianus, "Where is the Archdemon?" To her serene inquiry, Antirianus responded with a smile. "Heh heh. I''m not sure which one you''re referring to..." A glint appeared in the old vampire''s eyes. "But if you mean it, you''ll have to bend a little..." The old priest reached out to the woman. "I cannot simply disclose such information to a stranger." -Swish! As Antirianus extended his hand, Luna vanished like a mirage and reappeared several steps behind. ¡°Again, though you may be carefree, I am not in such a state.¡± Creaking - A crack formed in the crystal prison behind Luna. But that wasn''t all. Luna could see, from afar, the approach of wizards and knights. "Hmm." Indeed, there was no time for idle conversation. Grating - "Antirianus, your petty tricks have increased." The Archlich, who had shattered the crystal prison with his power, exhaled a breath filled with hatred. The battle between The Archlich and the Lord Vampire. And the Swordmaster and Great Mage Brigade were approaching the scene. Luna closed her eyes for a moment. As she took a single step, she disappeared without a trace. With the seething Archlich in front of him, Antirianus showed not a hypocritical smile as before, but a bizarrely twisted one. "How strange, Lukren." Antirianus looked at the elite soldiers of the empire charging towards him. "Why have you come to such a place alone?" Pop! - One by one, new figures appeared beside Antirianus. Beings clad in robes. Reinforcements from the Black Order and the Vampire Council had arrived. "Do you have that much confidence?" The empire''s elite soldiers approached. It would become a chaotic battle, and someone would surely die. The goal of the Vampire Council and the Black Order was to subdue Archlich and flee. And for the elite soldiers of the empire, annihilation was their objective. The Black Order and the Vampire Council. Cantus Magna. And the empire''s elite soldiers. The three-sided battle was about to begin. At the forefront of the empire, Saviolin Turner arrived at the standoff. "The situation is quite intriguing." She stared at the group of robed figures, Archlich, and the Archduke and Mage Brigade behind them. ''The Archduke is irrelevant.'' Although she could not understand why he was there, Turner quickly assessed the situation as she saw the Archduke retreating with his troops. The superhuman who had surpassed even heroes. The knight, who rightfully deserved the title of the world''s strongest, looked down at Archlich with a lofty stance. "Well, I suppose we just have to kill all the suspicious ones." Saviolin Turner pointed her Sword Tempesta at the enemies. The details of the situation were not important to her. She had come to destroy the enemies of the empire, and she would simply carry out that mission. ¡ª--- The empire''s elite soldiers charged into the eye of the storm. The scale of the battle had grown immensely. A considerable number of robed figures, including Antirianus, had appeared. It was clear that the Black Order''s assassins and the Lord Vampire''s kin had joined forces. The Lords, including Lucinil, must have been involved in that situation as well. Their target would be Roswin, but the clash with the empire''s elite had already begun. The empire wouldn''t be able to tell who was the enemy. They hoped as few people as possible would be hurt, but that was impossible. Someone was going to die. Harriet and I remained in our places, watching the scene unfold. It wasn''t a situation we could intervene in. In the midst of the battle was Harriet''s father, Duke Saint Owan. Harriet, trembling in a situation she couldn''t understand, did something. Then, from a distance, Duke Saint Owan and his troops began to move towards us, avoiding the fight. They used short-range spatial teleportation in quick succession. -Whoosh! In no time, Duke Saint Owan and his army were close, and he roughly embraced Harriet. "Father!" -Crash! "Daughter, how did you get here...!" He then looked at me, standing next to Harriet, and widened his eyes in surprise. "Reinhardt, you too?" Since Duke Saint Owan might know about my affiliation with Cantus Magna, I had no choice but to be cautious. -Rumble! Roar! At the presumed site of the battle where Antirianus was, fierce torrents of magical power boiled, accompanied by lightning and thunderous noise. With the addition of the troops led by Saviolin Turner, a veritable whirlwind of incredible combat ensued. "Why is Father here? What are you doing?" Harriet, still trembling and embracing the Duke, asked. "I came to deal with dangerous magic that has been discovered. But it seems there are even more dangerous beings than I anticipated." I couldn''t tell if the Duke''s words were true. However, it seemed his thoughts had changed upon discovering Harriet here. "We must leave this place first. Let''s talk later." "Y-yes..." Seemingly intent on securing Harriet''s safety before anything else, the Duke released his embrace and looked around. "Your Grace, the flow of mana is not normal. A long-range spatial teleportation barrier has been deployed throughout the area." One of the Duke''s subordinates reported. Originally, they had come to this place to capture Roswin, leading elite forces. Hence, the Royal Mage Corps had analyzed the labyrinth and even set up a spatial teleportation barrier in this vast area. It wasn''t an easy task, but the Royal Mage Corps made the impossible possible. "Then, let''s move using short-range spatial teleportation. Daughter, follow the troops. Since Reinhardt can''t use spatial teleportation, I''ll escort him personally." The Duke intended to send Harriet ahead and personally escort me. "No, we don''t know what will happen. Go with Harriet. I''ll follow." Though the Duke seemed intent on protecting me, I was better off alone in the current situation. I might need to make contact with my forces, including Eleris, depending on what transpired next. If the Empire succeeded in subduing Roswin, I might have to steal him back or something. "Will you be all right?" "Yes, please go ahead." The Duke, concerned for my safety but also wary of problems that might arise from sending Harriet alone, agreed to my suggestion. "Reinhardt... Be careful..." "Alright, you go first." With a nod, the group of wizards, including Harriet and the Archduke, began to move away quickly through short-range teleportation. I should follow them based on the situation, but I have no intention of doing so just yet. It seems certain that the one engaged in the battle there is Cantus Magna. At the point when the Archduke left the fight and came this way, I can''t help but think that he might not be on the same side as them. So why was the Archduke with someone like that? Is the one causing chaos over there really Roswin? What if the Empire kills him instead of suppressing him? As I turned to climb to higher ground to observe the battle, I noticed someone standing on a hill with crumbled ground. I had no idea when that person arrived. "..." A woman with a cold expression stood, bathed in moonlight, looking down at me. She stared at me without moving. To me, this woman did not seem unfamiliar at all. If Ellen were to grow up... The woman looked like an adult version of Ellen as if my imagination had become reality. With a light step, she took one stride and suddenly appeared in front of me as if she had leaped through space. "!" A small pendant necklace usually concealed by a lavender case. She held my necklace in her hand. As the case shattered into pieces, the red gem inside was revealed. "The Flame of Tuesday..." She gazed at me. She identified the Flame of Tuesday the moment she saw it. "Where did you get this?" Her tone was gentle, but there was no warmth in it. "Wh-who... Who are you?" She kept her eyes fixed on me and put my necklace down, just staring at me. "If the answer is difficult, I suppose I should ask another question." I felt a suffocating pressure, though nothing had happened. "Where is the Archdemon?" After finishing her question, she stepped back. With a crash, a blue magic spear landed where she had been standing. With a whoosh, someone''s figure appeared in front of me. "Eleris!" "Step back, Your Highness!" Had Eleris been watching the fight without intervening? Observing the situation, Eleris stepped in when it seemed I was in danger. The woman with black hair looked at Eleris. "You''ve arrived. Master of the Flame of Tuesday of the seventh night..." "..." "The ancient Archdemon." At her words, my thoughts seemed to freeze. "And the boy who possesses the Flame of Tuesday, though he is not a vampire..." She looked at me. "The boy protected by the Archdemon..." I don''t understand what this woman is talking about. However, it seemed as though she had reached a conclusion based on the fact that I possessed the Flame of Tuesday. "Surely, you must be the last Archdemon." Eleris and I didn''t know who the woman in front of us was, but she had identified us instantly. "Who are you?" With an expression full of hostility, Eleris stared at the woman. He still could not comprehend what she had said to him as she looked at him. "Luna." Taking a few steps back, she continued to gaze intently at Eleris. "The Lord of Sun and Moon, Luna Artorius." She slowly raised her right arm. In that moment, something unbelievable happened. "Although it is against our doctrine to interfere in the affairs of mortals..." As if the laws of the world had been overturned, the full moon she held up suddenly began to grow in size. The moon, now ten or perhaps twenty times larger than normal, filled the world with a chilling light. He could not understand what was happening, not in the slightest. "I do not wish to lose my child a second time." She reached out towards the enlarged moon. In her hand, seemingly swallowed by the moonlight, something appeared. In her grasp was a crescent-shaped weapon, as if the very moonlight had taken form. What was this ancient archdemon, and what did it mean to be the Lord of Sun and Moon? He didn''t know. But the outcome was laid before him. Ellen''s mother intended to kill him. CH 423 -Clash! Luna''s swing of her Moonlight Crescent Blade collided with the blue magical sword summoned by Eleris. "¡­!" However, just by touching it, the moonlit blade shattered Eleris''s blue magical sword. It was difficult to accept the fact that Eleris was an Archdemon, but what I saw was that Eleris was not only skilled in magic but also excelled in close combat. -Crash! Clang! Screech! Eleris summoned a sword made of magical energy and engaged in a battle with Ellen''s mother. It was surprising that Eleris had considerable skill in close combat, but Ellen''s mother, Luna, overwhelmed even that. That wasn''t all. The abnormally enlarged moon''s appearance was beyond any illusion. Was it even magic to begin with? And the Crescent Blade, seemingly drawn from the enormous moon, emitted a faint, chilly moonlight. Above all, the movements of Ellen''s mother, Luna Artorius, were peculiar. It was hard to find a way to describe them. Luna Artorius had a human form, but she didn''t move like one. "¡­" She didn''t run, charge, or perform any conventional swordplay movements like striking with force. It didn''t seem like there was great power behind each motion either. However, Eleris was utterly unable to respond to her slow movements. Attacking would mean hurting Ellen''s mother. But such concerns were unnecessary. I knew all too well that intervening in that situation would be tantamount to a suicidal act. -Clang! Scrape! Each time Eleris''s summoned magical sword met the moonlit blade, it shattered into pieces, forcing Eleris to continue summoning more swords. Eleris struggled to fend off the seemingly slow strikes. -Bang! Crash! Clash! After dozens of exchanges, Eleris was merely focused on retreating. It was an unbelievable spectacle that Eleris''s tremendous close combat skill was so easily surpassed by Luna Artorius. Slow yet fast, Luna Artorius attacked with a sensation that seemed to transcend perception. Struggling to hold on, Eleris, at a considerable distance, spoke. "I don''t know who you are, but¡­ We don''t need to fight." Eleris, of course, had no choice but to know that Luna Artorius was Ellen''s mother. However, Luna slowly shook her head. "Archdemon. No one in this world desires to fight." "The last Demon War was not born out of the desires of demons and humans, but out of mutual fear." "All conflicts arise in such a manner." Luna Artorius, wielding the Moonlight Crescent Blade, slowly walked towards Eleris. "Whatever you all want, it has nothing to do with me. It doesn''t matter what the previous Demon King wanted or what he tried to do." "I could not determine whether the ancient Demon King, Valier, was good or evil, and I still don''t know. Moreover, I don''t care." "However, the existence of the Demon King sparked a great war, and that war ultimately resulted in the death of my son." "Even now, I don''t know whether you are good or evil. You may be good, and the humans may be evil. Or perhaps, both of you may be good, or both evil. Even the actions of my son, who killed the Demon King, may have led to an ultimately evil outcome. But none of this is important." "What is important is that fear, not desire or greed, is what leads to conflict." "Fear between Darkland and humans gave birth to the great war that took my son''s life." "The fear of the current Demon King will give birth to another conflict, and this time, it may take away my daughter as well." "I don''t know what you want, nor do I know what you are trying to accumulate through these actions. But it doesn''t matter even if I knew." "Your mere existence is a symbol and embodiment of fear. As long as you exist, your existence alone will lead to conflicts, and my daughter will be caught up in them." "Like all other conflicts rooted in fear, I am no different." "I fear that you will take my daughter away." "So, it is not for some trivial reasons like good and evil or the legitimacy of existence. It''s because my daughter is precious to me that I intend to kill you." "An action borne from simple fear, beyond good and evil." "As a mother." "I want to protect my remaining child." Whether I am Ellen''s friend or whatever, what I truly want doesn''t matter. Ellen''s mother believes my mere existence is already a seed of conflict, so she intends to kill me. Neither persuasion nor sincerity will work. Luna Artorius speaks with the moonlight behind her. "So, die." Shwick! In the blink of an eye, she had crossed the distance and appeared right before Eleris. Her movement was slow, but she traversed space so swiftly that Eleris had no chance to react. Swoosh! "Ugh!" Eleris, struck in the chest by the Crescent Moon Blade, was thrown back, rolling several times on the ground. "Ugh...ugh..." Though it seemed as if she had avoided a fatal blow by somehow putting up a barrier, Eleris clutched her chest and gasped for breath. "Kuh! Cough!" Cupping her mouth, Eleris coughed up blood. Though she hadn''t been impaled by the sword, her body seemed to have been damaged just from the impact. Once again, Luna Artorius took a step forward. If she crossed space again. Eleris would die. Can I do it? Can I stop her? As numerous thoughts tangled in my head, my actions outpaced my thoughts. Swoosh! In the next moment, I had already summoned Alsebringer and attacked Luna Artorius before she could take another step. Although I was repelled by the tremendous resistance when I attacked, she narrowed her eyes as she looked at the sword in my hand. "¡­Alsebringer?" For the first time, an expression appeared on her face. Luna Artorius does not know me. However, she must have heard my story from Ellen. Ellen would have told her mother about what kind of person I am. She must have also heard that I am the master of Tiamata. And she must have known that I, as the master of Alsebringer, became known to the world. The expression on Luna Artorius''s face hardened as she pieced together the puzzle of her thoughts. "Could it be¡­ you are Reinhardt¡­?" It was inevitable that I had to reveal it, as it was clear that only a sacred artifact could withstand the Moonlight Crescent Moon. It was not good for her to know that I was Reinhardt. "Did you toy with my daughter all this time?" Naturally, such a reaction was bound to occur. Until now, she had been moving slowly, but her eyes sparkled as she sprang towards me. Swish! "!" Clank! "Ugh¡­!" A single strike. I endured it, but my wrist broke and Alsebringer slipped from my hand. "Did you find that amusing, Archdemon?" Luna Artorius''s eyes were filled with murderous intent. She must have thought I was toying with Ellen''s heart. If she found out that the Reinhardt Ellen spoke of was actually the Demon King, her thoughts would inevitably lead to such a conclusion. That''s why Luna Artorius, who had tried to kill me emotionlessly, was now feeling anger. Alsebringer slipped from my grasp and my chest was wide open. Whether she thrusts her sword or twists my neck, I will die in the next moment. Both I and Eleris will die. Is this how I die, at the hands of Ellen''s mother, when I came here to capture Cantus Magna? However, was it fortunate that her anger was provoked? Thump! "Urgh¡­!" She grabbed my neck with her left hand and lifted me into the air. Her eyes, filled with rage, stared at me. Her right hand held the moonlit sword, which emitted a dangerous light. "Archdemon, why did you play with my daughter''s heart?" She glared at me. With just a little force on her grip, my neck would snap. Magic Body Strengthening, Word Magic, and self-suggestion were all useless. At least equal to, if not greater than, Saviolin Turner This absolute being could treat my life as less than that of a fly. "Is this your revenge? Did you gain anything by mocking the heart of the sister of the one who killed your father? Is this your pathetic revenge? Just this kind of act?" She could only think of it that way. It would be unfathomable for her to understand how the son of the Demon King could meet and grow close to the younger sister of the hero. Luna Artorius, who seemed to lack some human qualities, could not abandon her humanity as a parent and was trying to kill me. And so, there was no way she could not think like this once she found out the truth about my relationship with Ellen, which could only be a deep wound to her. That all my actions were for the sake of revenge. "Did you enjoy imagining the pain my daughter would suffer when she learns the truth? Do you think you''ll have won if you die by my hand here, knowing that your death will bring sorrow to my daughter as well? Why? Why to my daughter, who is not part of the empire, the royal family, or even humanity... Why to my daughter...!" Gulp. "Speak, Archdemon." Unable to fully control her emotions, the boiling rage in her eyes intensified, and the grip of her left hand around my throat grew tighter. Revenge? For someone like me who holds no grudges, to take such revenge? In reality, that could never be revenge. And so, in Luna Artorius''s eyes, there was as much rough suspicion as there was anger. As the choking pain tightened, threatening to break me. I barely managed to lift my broken hand and grasp the hand that held my throat. "So... is it not allowed?" It''s not like it''s not allowed. This can''t possibly be revenge. You don''t understand my actions either. "Is it not allowed... for me to... like your daughter... just a little...?" "...What?" So what? In the end, it was just a simple reason: I liked her. That''s the only reason, as plain as it can be. Luna Artorius''s grip weakened, surprised by my words. I desperately pushed her grip away and shouted. "Yes... I''m the Demon King, but I like your daughter! So what! What are you going to do about it!" "Uh... what?" Following her anger, I saw Luna Artorius''s bewildered expression as well. CH 424 I was so astonished that Luna Artorius, who had always been like an impenetrable wall and somehow seemed inhuman, let go of the hand grasping my collar in surprise. -Thunk "Ugh... Damn..." I drew a sharp breath from the intense pain in my shattered wrist. Eleris, still unable to recover from the shock, laid on the ground and looked at me with difficulty. Though it wasn''t the time for that, Eleris was also flustered by the situation. Luna Artorius gazed down at me, who had crumpled to the floor. "Are you telling a pathetic lie just to save your life at this moment?" "If you want to believe it''s a lie, then believe that." -Swish I summoned Tiamata and unleashed my divine power. Rage, the ingredient needed to use Tiamata. Naturally, there was no reason not to be angry when Ellen''s mother threatened to take my life. The divine power healed my wrist. I staggered to my feet and put some distance between her and me. "If you want to kill me and be hated by your daughter for the rest of your life, go ahead." "..." At the absurdity of my threat, Luna Artorius stared at me silently. "Ellen doesn''t know you''re the Demon King." "That''s right, she doesn''t know. I don''t want her to know, and she probably wouldn''t be able to accept it." "Even if you truly... love my daughter, the two of you cannot be together..." "Interfering too much in your child''s life isn''t good." Somehow. It didn''t seem like the right time for this conversation. My life was hanging by a thread, and I couldn''t possibly face her, so I just gave up. I didn''t know, but I had to spit out everything I had on my mind before I died, so I wouldn''t feel wronged. "We''ll handle our own affairs." I aimed Tiamata at Luna Artorius. "So, please step back, mother." "Wh-what did you call me?" I wondered how it felt for the Hero''s mother to be called ''mother'' by the Demon King. I wasn''t sure, but her face looked perplexed, unable to laugh or cry. However, that was only for a moment, as Luna Artorius''s expression turned icy. "Who said I''m your mother? I never acknowledged you..." "I''m a person with manners. It''s rude to call the mother of the person I love an ''auntie.'' I don''t know what the future holds. And I can''t call you my mother-in-law either. We haven''t gotten that far, so I call you ''mother.'' What else would I call you?" "..." Once again, Luna Artorius''s expression became complicated. Though I couldn''t do anything with power or swords, I could sense her mental damage in real-time. What is this guy saying? Why do I have to listen to this from the Demon King? It seemed as if she was thinking that. How about this? Is it working? Can I distract her and retreat somehow? "Also, I only learned today that Eleris, lying over there, is the ancient Archdemon or whatever. So, if you think about it, Eleris would be like a distant ancestor of mine, right?" I don''t know what that means, but assuming it''s true, Eleris would be my ancestor. "Mother, what should I do if I beat your relatives as if I were beating a dog?" "Why do I have to listen to such nonsense!" "No, I''m just answering your question as it is!" "Th-this... this doesn''t make any sense...!" It seems that just like Ellen, when she gets angry after holding it in, she explodes. "Mother, you said you''re not interested in the matter of good and evil. You''re not interested in what I want to do or what I want." "You said that you''re trying to kill me by breaking the law, all because of your daughter." "I like her. You might not believe me, but that''s the truth. What can I do about it?" "Choose, Mother. Either kill me here and be hated by your daughter for the rest of your life." "Or back down quietly for now." Luna Artorius was taken aback by the situation where I, surpassing the hierarchy of power, threatened her instead. If she tries to kill me, I can''t stop her. The roar of the distant battle seemed close, but if everyone in that place tried to kill me, would that be possible? I don''t know. But Luna Artorius regained her original expression and stared at me quietly. She must be seriously considering my words about liking Ellen. Beyond whether it''s true or false, if it is indeed true, she would be pondering what she should do. In the end, she slowly lowered the hand holding her sword. A tender emotion rose in her eyes once again. "Your feelings... it would be better if they were false." "..." "If what you say is true, then all I can see... is a future where my daughter becomes... more miserable because of it... Why... do you... love my daughter... There''s no need to..." A deep sadness could be felt in her gaze. "Wouldn''t it be my duty as a mother to end everything here, with you dead and everything still unfinished... before a small misfortune turns into a greater one, before my daughter is broken... Isn''t it right to stop all this?" "I can''t accept you either." "There''s no way my daughter, who has been deceived by you until now, can accept you." The hero and the demon king. My affection for Ellen can only bring future misfortune to both Ellen and me. If Ellen and I must fight each other later on, that will surely be the case. So Luna Artorius asks if it would be better to stop everything here if my love for Ellen is true. She didn''t make that decision. She''s asking for my opinion. I already felt her intent to kill me has been broken. Yes. Now that Ellen''s mother knows, let''s not postpone the tragedy any longer. "Whatever, let''s tell her." "...What?" "Since you already know, Mother, there''s no point in hiding it anymore. I don''t think Ellen will understand, but... It''ll be hard for her to accept, but..." I''m scared. Up until now, I had been deceiving her, continuously postponing the ever-growing consequences of my actions. Ellen would, of course, feel betrayed and might not be able to accept me. "Do you mean you would risk having my daughter killed because you don''t want to be killed yourself?" "Yes." At my words, her expression hardened once more. "I suppose it''s a relief to be so honest." "...You''re a strange one, aren''t you?" Hearing her words, I couldn''t help but laugh. "Ellen''s told me that many times as well." A strange one. It was a phrase I had always heard. She stared at me intently, as if trying to read my mind from my eyes. "I love my daughter, but I can''t understand why I should spare you, who will undoubtedly bring her the greatest misery..." However, the moonlit sword in her hand vanished. It seemed as if she had read not my emotions but an ominous fate. "But... if killing you would make my daughter unhappy... rather than giving her a wound that cannot be erased by a parent''s hand... her own choice might be... better, at least..." She gently touched my cheek with her hand. "Should I continue to leave my daughter''s affairs to her, as I have done so far? To let the world''s matters be the world''s matters, and my daughter''s matters be her own..." Her hand, which had tried to kill me just moments ago, was now so warm it was heartbreaking. After a long silence, she pulled her hand away from my cheek and took a few steps back. As she reached towards the sky, the moon, which had grown immense, returned to its original size. What kind of power was that? I didn''t know, and I felt that I might never know. "Archdemon... no, Reinhardt." "...Yes." She called me by my name. "I know it''s a meaningless thing to say, but..." She stared at me. "Don''t make my daughter sad." Luna Artorius had tried to kill me not because I was a demon king but because I was a threat to her daughter, and in the end, she couldn''t kill me because I was connected to her daughter''s unhappiness. "I''ll do my best." "...It seems you know it''s impossible as well." I didn''t know if Ellen would accept my confession. But I had decided to do so. As she had done so far in battle, she took a single step forward without a word. -Whoosh And just as she had done before, she disappeared as if melting into the moonlight, nowhere to be found. As if she had never been here in the first place. It felt like I had been manipulated by a mirage until now. Luna Artorius was gone. Only then could I focus on what truly needed my attention. "Eleris!" "...Your Highness." Eleris, who had somewhat recovered, struggled to her feet and leaned on me. "I''m glad you''re safe, but... what on earth is going on?" "Indeed..." It wasn''t a victory from battle, but rather, I had driven away my would-be killer, who happened to be my mother-in-law, with the mere mention of my love for her daughter. The situation was so absurd that both Eleris and I couldn''t help but feel a little dumbfounded. -Kwakwakwang! Far away, the explosive sounds of battle were raging. It was only natural not to notice the anomaly that had occurred here, as a fierce battle was taking place. And then, "Reinhardt!" When I didn''t follow, Harriet, who had turned back, called out to me as she ran towards me with the Archduke. "Suddenly the moon grew larger, and this... uh... who is that person?" Of course, both Harriet and the Archduke couldn''t help but show a puzzled look as they took turns looking at me and Eleris, who I was supporting. It''s because they had been away for a while and came back to find myself supporting a completely different person. They didn''t know who Eleris was. I wondered if I should explain that she was a wounded person we found nearby when, at that moment. -Krrrrrrrr The already dark night sky was shrouded in even deeper darkness, forcing us to naturally look up at the sky. "What is... this?" Harriet murmured with a pale face. Just a while ago, the moon had grown dozens of times larger, casting a cool moonlight all around. But this time, something different had happened. It was as if someone had deliberately distorted the middle of the night sky. No, rather than distorted, it was as if someone had forcibly ripped the center of the night sky apart. There was a huge, dark crack in the torn night sky. It was a bizarre sight, as if the glass window of the night sky had shattered, revealing the abyss within. The Archduke, myself, Eleris, and Harriet couldn''t help but stare blankly at the sudden second strange weather phenomenon. The enormous crack that had formed in the night sky was just the beginning. From that abyss, hundreds of beams of light came pouring down. We all knew it wasn''t a burning beam of light or a flash. It was the light of falling objects burning as they rubbed against the air, originating from that abyss. The light of shooting stars. "A meteor shower...?" Not just one, but hundreds of meteorites began pouring down towards the ground. "Magic that only exists in myths... How...?" The Archduke muttered in a daze. There was no time to think about whether such magic existed in reality or not. There was only one person who could use such magic, as if telling everyone to die. Roswin. It must be the magic he had cast. CH 425 "We must flee!" Eleris''s cry snapped me, the Archduke, and Harriet out of our stupor. Yes, escape. If any of the falling meteors were of a seriously colossal size, we would have to worry about a planetary-scale catastrophe. However, even if they were not that large, it was clear that a tremendous disaster would sweep away everything in its path. Where to escape and how to do so? Long-range teleportation was impossible due to the barrier, and even if it were possible, there wouldn''t be enough casting time. With hundreds of burning meteors raining down from the sky, tearing the earth apart, how could we possibly avoid them? Could a barrier protect our bodies from the shockwave of the falling meteors? Harriet clenched her teeth. Not knowing what to do, but feeling compelled to do something. A blue magical aura began to boil throughout Harriet''s body. Yes, casting magic as quickly as possible in this desperate situation was something only Harriet could do. But how could one respond to this situation? -Whoooom! Countless rune symbols, as well as Harriet''s necklace, were emitting intense light. -Click Not one, but five power cartridges. All of them discharged fierce magical energy, replenishing Harriet''s power. Teleportation was impossible, but with the assistance of the power cartridges, could she use it? Was she trying to break the barrier and use mass teleportation instantly, moving us to the outskirts? -Whoooom! I saw the largest of the hundreds of falling meteors suddenly vanish. A pitch-black circular rift had appeared in the meteor''s trajectory, which I could see clearly. Harriet had opened a portal the size of the meteor in its path, sending it somewhere else. One meteor vanished. "Ugh...¡± Harriet continued casting her magic, teeth clenched, and sweat pouring down her face. Following the disappearance of the largest meteor, the hundreds of other falling meteors one by one lost their light and vanished. Harriet created portals in the sky. Instead of withstanding the meteor impacts, she sent them elsewhere. One by one, and then in dozens, the falling meteors disappeared before reaching the ground. She calculated the trajectory of the hundreds of falling meteors and opened portals in their path. A magic of overwhelming destruction, and a meticulously calculated response from a magical genius. I realized I had underestimated the greatest magical genius in history. If we were to escape alone, everyone else present would be exposed to the meteors. Some would die, and among them would be innocent people. Harriet was trying to save everyone from the disaster. Through her years of research, she had mastered the portals. She had come up with the idea of not withstanding the attack but erasing it, and she was now putting it into action. I, Eleris, the Archduke, stared blankly as Harriet single-handedly erased the massive catastrophe. "Ugh..." But Harriet''s mana was not infinite. Even with the assistance of the power cartridges, she had to open hundreds of dimensional gates. She sent the falling meteors somewhere else, but even a genius''s calculations eventually had their limits. -Boom! Rumble! Meteors that eluded Harriet''s calculations fell to the ground one by one, and the power cartridges dangling from the necklace she wore were losing their light one by one. Just like a dying battery, the power cartridges gradually lost their glow. The Archduke, who had grasped the situation, placed his hand on Harriet''s shoulder. Magicians could use Siphon Mana to replenish their magical power. Just as Eleris had previously done for the magically exhausted Ellen in Darkland. The Archduke shared his mana with his daughter, who was exceeding her own limits. Even that would not be an easy task. Using her own mana, the mana of the power cartridges, and the Archduke''s mana replenished in real-time for casting spells. But Harriet managed to do it. With gritted teeth, she stared at the night sky, opening dimensional gates using the replenished mana, and erased the falling meteors. The scale of the task was so massive that even with the Archduke''s mana support, there were bound to be limits. "Please... give it to that child..." Eleris struggled to say so, and I immediately helped her to Harriet''s side without further thought. Eleris placed her hand on Harriet''s shoulder and did the same as the Archduke. Harriet had no time to be taken aback. Her mind must have been on the verge of exploding with the urgent tasks at hand. -Woosh! Harriet, enveloped in blue light, began to erase the meteors. As the two archmages'' magical powers replenished her, Harriet quickly opened and closed dozens of dimensional gates. The meteors pouring out of the cracks now vanished before even touching the ground. How much time had passed in this hellish ordeal? -Rumble As the cracks in the night sky disappeared like a lie, and the streaks of light from the falling meteors all vanished. "Ha, hah... I did it... I did it..." "Well done, my daughter." Harriet, drenched in cold sweat, collapsed on the spot, and the Archduke, likewise nearing mana exhaustion, embraced her and slumped down. Almost no meteors directly struck the ground. Eleris, who had helped but could not fully understand the situation, stared wide-eyed at the exhausted Harriet. Harriet de Saint Owan, who was once preoccupied with casting fireballs at orcs, had now saved us all from disaster. I did not save Harriet. Harriet saved everyone here. It was Harriet who fulfilled my wish that no one from the Empire, nor my faction, would die. The colossal moon appeared and vanished, and the meteors rained down only to disappear. Luna Artorious had returned, but if the one who cast the spell could continue the battle, it wouldn''t make sense. Thus, the battle seemed to be drawing to a close. ¡ª--- From the moment the sky opened up and the meteors began to rain down, the battle had essentially come to a standstill. When a magic referred to as the divine magic of the gods, which only appears in myths, was cast, not only the Imperial Army but also the Council and the Black Order launched massive defenses. Everyone felt a sense of despair from the overwhelming and vast magic, tense and on edge. There was no way anyone could survive the hundreds of meteors sweeping across the earth. But all of the meteors disappeared due to the intervention of the unidentified magician. And the mage who had cast the massive meteor summoning with the intent to kill everyone present: Archlich was left in a state no different from an empty shell, crumpled on the ground after paying the price for casting such a spell. It was a magic he used, having lived for an immense amount of time and accumulated tremendous knowledge and power, which he hoped would bring about the destruction of everything. There was no need to mention the strength of Archlich, who had cast a magic that neither ordinary humans nor immortal beings could cast. However, it was thwarted. By the hands of a magician who had not yet reached the age of twenty. "Heh, hehehe... Hehehehehehe..." Thus, Archlich could only let out a low and eerie laugh, devoid of all energy. Sensing the end of the huge calamity, the forces of the demon world and the Imperial Army also released their barriers. The two groups faced each other with Archlich lying in the middle of the battlefield. Unable to distinguish friend from foe, they had clashed, but Saviolin Turner knew Archlich was at the heart of this battle. She was prepared for death, but her startled heart could not calm down entirely. She had suspected something unusual from the murder at the palace, but everything Turner encountered here was a first in her life. Archlich. The vampire pack. The moon growing bizarrely large. And the meteors pouring from the shattered night sky. One after another, incredible events unfolded that even the experienced Turner could only be astounded by. They were incidents that would be a lifetime story for someone if they encountered just one, yet they had happened several times over the course of a single night. ''Too dangerous... This place is far too dangerous.'' If all the forces present here were to die, the Empire would lose more than half of its power. Each of the Imperial knights and mages present held a significant place in the Empire''s strength. Archlich, who had summoned the meteors, was incapacitated, but the identity of the vampire pack remained unknown. Fortunately or unfortunately, the vampires and the robed group had prioritized attacking Archlich rather than focusing on the Imperial Army. And so, despite their exceptional skills, no casualties occurred beyond minor injuries. It was because everyone engaged in the battle with caution. The knights and mages present understood that hurting or killing themselves would ultimately harm the empire, so they acted accordingly. Saviolin Turner did not know how Archlich''s meteor had been thwarted. However, it was not a measure taken by the empire. If it was a measure taken by the opponent... Facing them would mean taking on excessive risks. They couldn''t afford to lose the empire''s greatest strength in a battle against unknown entities without being fully prepared. "That man is a traitor to the empire and a prime criminal suspect we must apprehend. I will not pursue you if you withdraw quietly. Step back." But orders were orders. Saviolin Turner had received the command to capture Roswin. So, they had to take Roswin into custody. "I won''t ask who you are or what you do." While it was highly likely that they were the demon king''s kin, Saviolin Turner made the maximum concession. They couldn''t understand why the demon king''s kin would be chasing Archlich either. No, it was Roswin who came to this place, and they were already here. Why? Saviolin Turner''s questions only seemed to multiply instead of being resolved. An elderly vampire in a suit, leaning on a cane, stood at the forefront. Even amid the fierce and violent battle, the old vampire maintained a clean appearance, with not a speck of dirt on his bowler hat or collar. The old vampire gazed at the fallen Archlich. "Lukren." As if uninterested in Saviolin Turner, the old man focused solely on Archlich. "Have you come all this way to boast that you can wield mythical magic?" The old man shook his head. "It''s certainly impressive magic, but it was blocked, and even if it hadn''t been, what reason do you have for doing something that would only lead to your demise along with ours?" Antirianus seemed genuinely puzzled by the situation. "Antirianus..." The fallen Archlich spoke with a cracked voice. "Do you desire Akasha...?" At those words, Antirianus smiled faintly. CH 426 "Oh, Lukren, have you finally decided to tell me what Akasha is?" "Heh... Hehehe... Yes, Antirianus. You know nothing... absolutely nothing..." The Archlich, who had lost the ability to continue fighting, let out a low chuckle as he lay defeated. "I will give you Akasha, Antirianus." "..." "Help me." At Archlich''s words, the smile on Antirianus''s face grew even more intense. ¡°Antirianus.¡± ¡°You don''t have any ulterior motives, do you?¡± Saviolin Turner listened to the conversation between them. It was clear that they were exchanging words only they knew about. There was no need to intervene just yet. Just listening to this conversation was informative enough. She gestured for her allies, who were about to take action, to stand by as she observed the scene. There was so much she didn''t know. But Akasha. That word was etched powerfully in Turner''s mind. And there was unrest among the vampires. The one called Antirianus didn''t seem to gain the trust of his allies. The old man''s smile grew darker, and the vampire slowly approached Archlich. "Lukren, how many times must I ask?" Crouching in front of Archlich, Antirianus whispered into his ear. "I asked what Akasha does. I never asked for it." "..." "Wasn''t it the same before? I never asked for Akasha. I only asked what it does. No one answered, so I eventually became curious." "..." "Curiosity can drive people mad." Archlich was silent for a long time. "Akasha... can make you a god." "A god?" "Yes, a god. With Akasha, you can become a god. Antirianus, both you and I can become gods." At Archlich''s words, Antirianus stood up. "Hu, hahaha... haha. A god. A god... Hehehehehe..." The old man began to laugh, covering his mouth as if in a fit of madness. Everyone stared at the bizarre conversation in silence. "Hehehehehe..." "Heh..." "Hu..." "..." Abruptly. The old man''s laughter stopped, and his expression turned cold. "I didn''t expect it to be such a trivial thing." If that was the true nature of Akasha, it seemed of no interest to the old man, and his face was filled with disappointment. However, a small smile soon appeared on the disappointed old man''s face. "But even trivial things can become interesting depending on how they''re used." ¡°Antirianus!¡± ¡°Hey! What are you trying to do?¡± "Lukren, I''ll take Akasha." Spatial teleportation was impossible due to the vast barrier. It was also impossible to easily shake off the trackers in this place. Yet, there were still many ways to get rid of them. "Do you think you can escape, vampire?" Saviolin Turner''s words brought a smile to Antirianus'' face. "I might have thought of a method like that." As the old man spread his hand, a large piece of parchment suddenly began to emit light. "It seems to be worth the time I spent making it." As the scroll glowed, a dense fog started to envelop the world. It wasn''t a simple magic to invoke, but if the scroll was prepared in advance, it could be used instantly. "This magic is...!" Quantum Maze. Antirianus had prepared this large-scale barrier magic as a magic scroll. As if anticipating a situation like this would arise someday. There might be those who could break the Quantum Maze, but buying enough time to escape was entirely possible. And that much time was more than enough to flee. ¡ª--- Harriet was exhausted, and so was the Archduke. Consequently, both of them fell into a serious state of magical depletion. Eleris replenished their magic using Syphon Mana, just as she had done for Ellen before. The two of them fell into a sleep-like state. After the syphon mana dissipated, I could clearly see the thick fog that had disappeared reappearing on the ground. The spell had been cast suddenly, so its scale was small. Though it was a vast fog that covered a wide area, we were out of its influence. From the beginning, the battle had been taking place at such a great distance that even with enhanced vision, we couldn''t properly see what was happening. However, as if Eleris had seen what happened on the scene, her eyes widened. "Antirianus has betrayed us." "¡­Betrayal?" "Yes, it seems¡­ he has joined hands with Cantus Magna." I hadn''t believed that Antirianus would remain a loyal ally forever. Knowing he was an untrustworthy ally, we had to use him while we could, and Antirianus had been genuinely cooperative. I had expected him to act unexpectedly at a crucial moment. But I didn''t expect it to be now. From afar, in the middle of the fog, Eleris and I could see a swarm of black bats carrying something and moving. The bats, transformed from Antirianus, were taking the Archlich somewhere. As the distance was too great to intercept, Eleris and I had no choice but to watch the spectacle helplessly. Antirianus had joined hands with Cantus Magna. "Wherever those scoundrels go, we know where they will end up." "¡­That''s true." Cantus Magna''s wizards came here searching for the origin of the grimoires. But this place was a manipulated origin, and the real source of the grimoires was elsewhere. Now that Antirianus had joined forces with the Archlich, it was clear where the two of them would end up. They would try to complete Akasha by finding the real source of the grimoires. "Let''s head to the underground of the Demon King''s Castle. Before they get there, we either have to secure the grimoires or burn them." "That''s what we must do." The Demon King''s Castle basement held a clear value for those who sought it. After all, it was believed to be the source of the magical tomes, and its conquest would not only lead to the completion of the Akasha, but might also unleash an irreversible catastrophe. If I couldn''t stop Antirianus and the Archlich, I would be responsible for all the problems caused by the completion of the Akasha. I could no longer act according to the situation and context. I looked at the fallen Harriet. "Rein... Hardt..." Harriet faintly opened her eyes, gazing at me while lying down. Had she only been unconscious for a moment, now regaining her consciousness? No, it felt as if she was still only half-conscious. Harriet''s expression seemed as if she was dreaming. I hesitated, then sat down in front of the fallen Harriet, and carefully embraced her. Antirianus''s betrayal. How would things unfold from here? Should I not have relied on him? I don''t know. I know nothing. Being judged by one''s intentions is an ugly thing. "Blockhead." "¡­Yes." "No matter what happens from now on... just remember one thing..." Struggling, Harriet wrapped her arms around my neck. "I wanted... to save everyone..." One must be judged by the results. To seek judgment for one''s intentions, heart, or will is simply defeatism. It''s nothing more than an excuse for when I fail to accomplish my goals. Still. At least. I wanted to do well. I wanted to save everyone. I hoped that someone, at least one person, would recognize that. "Yes¡­" Harriet, seemingly half-asleep, gently stroked my head. "Trust¡­" At those words, a burning sensation welled up inside my chest. With those last words, Harriet closed her eyes, seemingly falling asleep. It weighed on my heart to leave her like this, but there was no more time to waste. The Mage Corps of the Saint Owan Empire would arrive soon, and both the Archduke and Harriet should be safe. Eleris seemed to have recovered somewhat. "Let''s go, Eleris." "Yes, Your Highness." It was uncertain when those trapped in the Quantum Maze would escape. Though I didn''t know if Eleris and I could stop Antirianus and the Archlich alone, we were the only ones able to act at this moment. ¡ª--- Eleris was exhausted, having received a single strike from Luna Artorius, and having shared her magical power with Harriet, who had used magic of an immense scale. Eleris and I left the area where the spatial interference field was deployed. We might have been better off waiting for Lucinil''s escape from the Quantum Maze or receiving help from the Black Order, but as we couldn''t be sure whether Antirianus and Archlich would head directly to the basement of the Demon King''s Castle, we had to act immediately. -Parat! "Haa¡­ haa¡­" "Are you alright?" "Yes, Your Highness¡­ Just a little tired¡­" I supported the exhausted Eleris, who was struggling even with the use of Mass Teleport, as we walked. What was fortunate was that the Demon King''s Castle garrison had completely withdrawn. And so, upon arriving at the deserted Demon King''s castle, we encountered no needless conflict with the Imperial Army. As we entered the cold and desolate interior of the Demon King''s castle, I continued walking while supporting Eleris. An ancient Archdemon. What could that have meant? And why did Ellen''s mother know about it? "I apologize for hiding it, Your Highness¡­" Even without saying anything, Eleris was the first to speak. "I don''t know the details¡­ but now I think I understand. Why, despite disliking battles, I was the only one among the Council''s houses who decided to help Darkland." "¡­" The members of the Vampire Council must have known that Eleris was originally an Archdemon. They did not seem to doubt Eleris'' decision to help Darkland. As Eleris leaned on me and walked, she spoke with a weak voice. "I am an ancient Demon King, now forgotten, who once held a place in the long history of Darkland." An ancient Archdemon. Eleris was an unimaginably ancient being. That''s why she would be an ancestor of the old Valier family. "It''s not a valuable or interesting story. However¡­" Eleris spoke in a sorrowful voice. "I wished for the extinction of humanity." "Luna Artorious¡­ she said that wars are born from fear." "I was afraid of humans. I feared and worried that someday their combined strength would be focused on Darkland. While human nations were fighting amongst themselves, as the Demon King, I could gather the power of Darkland. Extinguishing the divided humans before they formed an empire like now¡­ I considered it my duty as the Demon King." "So¡­ I turned Darkland into hell." It seemed like she blamed herself. What had Eleris done during her time as the Demon King? "In order to create powerful magical beasts, I conducted crossbreeding, and I dabbled in numerous dark arts and necromancy to create mighty homunculi and chimeras. I mobilized the demons to create weapons of war." "Countless demons were subjected to brutal training due to my judgment, and I turned a blind eye to the numerous lower demons who died from labor and starvation while stockpiling war materials." "I was the worst Demon King, who sacrificed the most demons while wishing for humanity''s extinction and wanting to create a world for demons." "The rule of the Archdemon, the existence of the Demon King, is horrifying for it unites the demons." "I didn''t see any demons expressing even the slightest dissatisfaction throughout the entire process." "They all loved me, followed me, and never questioned my will." "The existence of a Demon King in Darkland is absolute. If a human king did such things, rebellion would soon arise, but no demon could even muster the will to resist the injustice and tyranny originating from me." "They followed my words out of love for me, and as they died, they cursed themselves for not being able to grow stronger according to my will, and blamed themselves for not being born strong." "I did not think it was strange." "I believed it was a necessary sacrifice for the eternal peace of the demon race." Countless demons were sacrificed for the sake of the greater good of eternal peace. There was a time, not long after I had met Eleris, when I had said such words. Perhaps it was when we were on the magic train. What if we hadn''t obsessed over powerful weapons and magic, but instead focused on creating something like this? I had said such words. Was that statement not blaming the past Demon King Valier, but rather, blaming her? Eleris prepared for war. No demon resisted the Archdemon. Under the blind loyalty to the Archdemon, they believed the Archdemon''s commands to be the truth. The Archdemon is the very existence of a god to the demons. An unquestionable being, receiving love from all. "So, you waged war?" "...No. A rebellion took place." "...How does a rebellion happen?" Was there an awakened demon due to the Archdemon''s extreme tyranny? Did demons from the outskirts who could escape the Archdemon''s control attack? Or did the Vampire Council invade? No, that wouldn''t be a rebellion, would it? At my words, Eleris looks at me with a strained smile. "There is a demon that an Archdemon can¡¯t control." "Ah... no way." "An Archdemon cannot control another Archdemon." Eleris lowers her gaze. "I was subdued by my own son, who could not withstand my cruelty, who broke my horn." A son''s rebellion against his mother''s tyranny. The only demon capable of opposing the Archdemon. It must have been an act only possible for those of the same bloodline. CH 427 If I were to fail to fulfill my destiny, the despair and betrayal I felt on the day when my son, who was to inherit the task of completing humanity''s extinction, struck me down and broke my horn was indescribable. Still, perhaps he could not bear to kill his mother, for after breaking my horn, he banished me from the Darklands. The hornless demon king lost all her power. I could no longer control the demon race, and they no longer followed me. Only later did I realize that my son had banished me from the Darklands as a final act of mercy towards me. Had I remained, the demons who had escaped my rule would have tried to kill me. I was left powerless, unable to use my magic, knowledge, or strength. The pain of having one''s horn broken was worse than death for a demon. For a time, I suffered immense pain from the place where my horn once was. Did I come to my senses and realize my mistake? No, I was simply furious and indignant. I was heartbroken. To have lost everything I had built over such a long time, to have been so close to achieving my goals, only for everything to be destroyed by my own son ¨C the thought filled me with rage. I could not die like that. It was too infuriating. It was too heartbreaking. It was too unjust. I did not want to admit that everything was over. I knew not how, but I sought revenge. I wished to reclaim my throne with dignity and fulfill my uncompleted destiny against my son, who had brought such humiliation upon me. I searched for a way for a hornless demon to regain power. Realizing that I needed to become immortal in order to amass power over a long period, I became a vampire. As a vampire, I would accumulate the power of other beings within me, growing stronger once more. I traversed both the Darklands and the human realm, taking the blood of many powerful demons, mighty magical beasts, and strong humans, sometimes engaging in life-threatening battles to seek the blood of the strong. Upon hearing rumors of individuals who had achieved the pinnacle of vampire power in the ancient far north, I sought out the vampire lords, obtaining the power of a Vampire Lord, and thus became one of the Tuesday Clan. Even after that, I took the blood of countless beings. I devoured everything in my path, again and again. So many consumed beings formed a mountain of corpses, and the blood I absorbed flowed like a river. I had devoured something for a very long time. At some point, I had no choice but to become the head of the Tuesday Clan. The previous head, who had grown weary of living and had given up on the world, said this as he passed on his position to me: "Is it not time to put an end to the slaughter for the sake of slaughter?" "Even if you drink the blood of every creature in the world, your thirst will never be quenched." "Consider whether you truly desire what you seek." And with that, he closed their eyes. It was a thought I had never considered before. For a very long time, I realized I hadn''t thought at all. At some point, I had become an entity driven solely by instinct, killing to kill, drinking to drink, and growing stronger for the sake of strength. I aimlessly wandered the world in search of powerful blood, but my original desire for revenge and purpose had vanished, buried deep within the passage of time. I was still not enough. Not enough to face the Demon King. Not enough to reclaim the throne. While I continued to slaughter for the sake of growing stronger, the throne of the Darklands had already changed hands. The son who had broken my horn and banished me had long since met his end, and I only recently discovered that his daughter had become the next Demon King. I had become a purposeless vampire, an immortal wanderer, roaming the continents in search of blood. Why must the throne of the demonic realm be mine again? Why must humanity be annihilated? Why had I ever desired such things? It had all become unknowable. Lost in my obsession with strength and the pursuit of blood, I had become a mad vampire, consumed by an insatiable thirst. I had realized far too late that my vague desire for revenge and the throne had already disappeared. The power born from mountains of corpses and rivers of blood resided within me, but I had discovered far too late that I wanted nothing to do with it. Even if countless tyrants sacrificed their people with their misguided actions, ultimately, it wasn''t my hand that killed them. As a tyrant, I sacrificed numerous demons, and after becoming a vampire, I piled up mountains of corpses with my own hands once more. There was likely no one in this world who had caused more slaughter than I had. It wasn''t atonement, but having lost the meaning behind it all, I no longer engaged in slaughter. Roaming the world in search of blood, I had become lost in emptiness, drifting aimlessly once more. Without a purpose or a destination, I moved about like a wind that had lost its bearings, touching wherever I landed. Sometimes in the Darklands, sometimes in the lands of humans. Despite having lived for such an immense length of time, it was only then that I truly saw how beings lived. When I was the Demon King, demons were tools and humans were enemies. As a vampire, all beings were merely ingredients for strength. Only after losing all my desires was I able to observe the living world without any purpose. The way humans lived. The way demons lived. I watched them without purpose or reason, simply because they were there before my eyes. Despite having traversed countless lands and consumed the blood of innumerable beings, it was as if I was seeing the countless sights I had witnessed for the first time. One day, I crossed mountains; another, I walked through snowy plains; and on other days, I passed through deserts, straits, and jungles, observing the myriad ways in which countless beings lived and the various forms they took. As everyone lived their lives, each seemingly similar yet distinct, I took in the landscapes of those lives. I knew just how great a sin I had committed and how many lives I had destroyed. I had shattered and ruined countless lives and foundations by gathering things that could have been more beautiful, or were already enough, in the insatiable bag of desire. I am a sinner who learned the way to love something far too late. A hideous and cowardly vampire who only realized the worthiness of love for those things after losing all rights to love and cherish them. So, I thought to myself. The mountain of sins I have built up is too great; the day when it can be covered by good deeds will never come. At the very least... At the very least... Let''s not accumulate any more sins. My life remained uncertain, as it always had. I no longer drank blood, but I still aimlessly wandered the world, watching over something, trying to help someone as best as I could. However, I was cautious not to overstep my bounds. I had no right to accumulate good deeds. Showing a very small, almost imperceptible, amount of sympathy to someone was the best I could do. That was how I spent my time, in indifference and acquiescence. As I lived through the long, endless days of my uncertain existence, I eventually heard such a story. The war between the Darkland and humanity was drawing near. For the first time in a while, I felt confusion. In that war, where countless people were bound to die, I didn''t think that I, a forgotten Demon King and ancient vampire, would have a role to play. However, I did feel a sense of duty. As the Demon King who once brought illness to the Darkland with tyranny. As the Demon King who wished for the end of humanity, who hated humans. As an Archdemon, a very ancient origin. I felt a sense of duty that I should at least watch over the war, even if I couldn''t play a significant role. It couldn''t be said that there was no sense of kinship left for the diluted and vanished blood of the Archdemon. I believed that even if I couldn''t provide the greatest help, offering a small amount of support, like barely holding the hand of a distant descendant, was what I had to do. So, I sought out Valier and joined his ranks. I wished for the war to conclude without shedding much blood. Regardless of whose victory it might be, I believed that the only good in war was in it ending swiftly, as it only resulted in bloodshed. As I expected, I took on a rather unremarkable role and watched the progress of the war from a distance, far from the battlefield. And then... as the war was drawing to a close. On a certain day when the war had already ended far away from me. A young boy opened the door to my shop and entered. When that boy realized who I was. I was... I had a feeling that I was destined for something. ------ Having finished her long story, Eleris looks at me. In a place where the Demon King would never appear, Eleris met me. What could have crossed her mind at that moment? Although she had never intended to take on any role, when the fallen Demon King of Darkland, her distant descendant and the last of her lineage, came into her embrace. Eleris must have felt an intense destiny that she could not remain a bystander on the outskirts of the incident. "As for the story after that... you know it already." Eleris is a long-forgotten ancient Demon King. Even the previous Valier knew that Eleris was a Lord Vampire but didn''t know she was an ancient Demon King. Now, I finally understand all of Eleris''s actions. The behavior and gazes that came out with a motherly attitude every time she dealt with me, could it have originated from such feelings? The previous Valier would have already taken the position of an absolute ruler as the Demon King. But since I was clumsy, lost my memory, and didn''t even have proper abilities, Eleris must have been worried about me no matter what I did, and she couldn''t help but worry if I would get hurt or die. Eleris, who had been a tyrant, couldn''t have been a proper parent. So, when she dealt with me, she might have tried to give me some sort of affection that she couldn''t give to her child at that time. There had been times when I wondered if Eleris was similar to my mother, but it turns out she was a similar existence. An Archdemon turned into a vampire. That was Eleris''s true form. Though she lost all the power of an Archdemon, she was still an Archdemon at her core. That''s why she stood by the Demon King''s side to watch the end, or victory, of the demon world established by the Archdemon. "There''s something I''ve been curious about for a long time." "Yes, Your Highness." Now that I knew Eleris was my ancestor, I wondered if I should address her differently. But since she still called me "Your Highness," it didn''t seem necessary to sort out the titles. "Did you have a husband then?" "Yes." I had been curious about this for a long time, and now I finally got to ask. "More importantly, how do Archdemons, being such a small number, maintain their species?" Currently, I am the only Archdemon. If you were to include Eleris and Charlotte broadly, but strictly speaking, I am the only pure-blooded Archdemon. Had Eleris married another Archdemon? Had the number dwindled down to this point? Eleris looked at me quietly as if asking if that was my question. "Archdemons can procreate with any species and that... um..." "I get what you''re saying. You don''t need to explain further." "Yes... of course, I don''t have accurate information about what exactly is possible... but generally... and it''s also very difficult for Archdemons to have offspring..." Seeing Eleris fumbling for words, I thought I understood what she meant. Archdemons can, well... Do it with just about anything. Uh... Is that how it is? I can''t understand why... It''s unclear where it begins and where it ends. It''s terrifying. Terrifying, really! It might be better not to know who Eleris''s husband really was! So, that''s why Eleris and the others haven''t said much about who I like or anything like that until now... "As generations pass, the blood of the Archdemon gradually weakens." Now I understand why my demon control ability is so weak. We walk down into the underground of the Demon Lord''s castle. "When I heard that Your Highness wanted to prevent a great tragedy in the future... I dared to think, perhaps atonement is possible." I told Eleris all my secrets. About the Gate Incident that will occur in the future, that it will be a great tragedy for all beings, and that I want to stop it. That''s why I got involved in the search for Akasha. "Of course, I know that no matter what, the mountain of sins I have accumulated cannot be cleared away... But if it''s possible, if I can contribute even a little to prevent that future tragedy. Maybe I can alleviate, even just a tiny bit, the weight of the slaughter and sins I''ve accumulated... I dared to think that way..." Eleris seeks atonement, but she knows that to desire it for herself is both extravagant and repulsive. Yet still, she thinks that if helping me can alleviate her sins even a little, she will cooperate for her own sake. She would be afraid to take anyone''s side in a war, but this is about saving everyone. So Eleris hopes my words are sincere, and she helps me. "Your Highness..." "Yes?" "I believe it is fortunate that I have met you, no matter how this turns out. That you wandered the human-filled Imperial Capital and found me, it is my luck, and your luck... That''s what I believe." That our meeting is lucky for both of us. Hoping and believing that, Eleris speaks, and I continue to support her as we descend the stairs. "It might not have been luck that brought us together." "..." I put more strength into the arm supporting Eleris. Our encounter in the shop in the Imperial Capital was the beginning of this entire story. If I hadn''t met Eleris, I might have wandered some street in the Imperial Capital and lived like a beggar or been caught and hanged for being a demon. If I hadn''t met Eleris, I wouldn''t have been able to enter the temple, and none of this would have even begun. Can our meeting be considered lucky for both of us? Will it be remembered as such? I don''t know. Nevertheless, "Even if it wasn''t luck, I''m confident I won''t regret it." I won''t regret any of this. "..." Upon hearing my words, tears welled up in Eleris''s eyes. ------ Soon, we were able to arrive at the underground bunker of the Demon King''s Castle. It was certain that we had arrived before Antirianus and the Archlich. Eleris had regained some strength, having somewhat recovered by now. "If the way to break through the Quantum Maze and reach here is the same, do you think they can also break through the maze and come here?" "I''m not quite sure about that." I didn''t know for sure whether only Archdemons could reach this place. The important thing was that after me and Charlotte, Eleris could also enter this place. Since Charlotte, who had only half a soul, could come here, it was certain that the Archdemon who had become a vampire could enter this place as well. Eleris and I headed toward the library. Roswin had coveted the grimoires Charlotte had taken from this place, committed a murder in the palace, and headed for the Lich''s tomb. So, once Antirianus betrayed us, he was bound to find a way to reach this place soon. Before that, we needed to retrieve or burn the grimoires. "Still, it feels¡­ such a waste to burn them¡­" "I''m a magician too, so it''s regrettable that I can''t retrieve them¡­ but we don''t know what will happen when Akasha is completed¡­" Eleris and I sighed in front of the library. "Maybe it''s right to burn them if there''s something like the magic Archlich used." "I suppose that''s one way to think about it¡­" I knew that magic was powerful, but just imagining what would have happened if that meteor had crashed into the ground made me feel dizzy. Of course, it was even more absurd that Harriet had managed to stop it. Magic in itself was dangerous, and it was better not to have such high-level magic in the world. It might be better to burn the grimoires than secure them, considering that such grimoires might be lying dormant somewhere in this library. As I gazed at the library for a moment, the title of a certain book caught my eye. [Understanding the Orbital Structure of Meteor Clusters through Celestial Observation and Dimensional Gate Opening through Orbital Calculations] It was an incredibly thick book with a rather long title. What was this? I wasn''t sure, but was it my imagination that this felt somewhat similar in context to that magic? I pulled out the thick book. "Your Highness, here¡­" Eleris seemed to have discovered something as well, holding up a book from somewhere. The book Eleris held had the same title. [Understanding the Orbital Structure of Meteor Clusters through Celestial Observation and Dimensional Gate Opening through Orbital Calculations] Eleris stared blankly at the grimoire I was holding. "It seems to be the same book¡­" "¡­Indeed." We had pulled out exactly the same book from completely different bookshelves. A strange shiver ran down our spines. Charlotte had taken a considerable number of grimoires from here not long ago, and I had seen the pile of books scattered throughout Roswin''s house. I had clearly seen that their scale was far from ordinary. So, there should be at least one or two empty shelves here. "Why... are all the bookshelves...?" However. Every bookshelf that came into my view was completely filled without the slightest gap. ------ Past experiences flashed through my mind. The same book in the hands of Eleris and me. It was probably a magic book related to meteor summoning. When I first discovered this bunker with Charlotte and Turner, I tried to find a magic book in this library that could improve Charlotte''s condition. For example, something dealing with souls. I found a book on soul manipulation right away. The second time I visited with Eleris and Lucinil, I tried to find another version of soul manipulation to show Lucinil. I found the demon-language version of soul manipulation straight away. And Eleris found the magic book that designed this labyrinth, called Quantum Maze, right away. And now. I tried to find a magic book similar to meteor summoning and found it immediately. This library. Strangely enough, there are many magics. Oddly enough. Could it be? Have I been mistaken all this time? Eleris and I stared at each other blankly. I turned my gaze to one of the library''s bookshelves. Could there be a magic book about fireballs? As I shifted my gaze, a book caught my eye. [Understanding and Application of Basic Destructive Magic of the Fire Element ¨C Fireball] Although relatively thin compared to other magic books, there was a book on fireballs. "These books on the shelves are changing in real-time." "Yes... definitely..." Whenever I tried to find a magic book, that book would be on the shelf at some point. That''s why I could find them right away without wasting time. Eleris and I both turned pale. I never wanted it before. Because it would be in the hands of others. I didn''t get curious because I thought so. I didn''t think there would be information about it here. But now. I want to know. No, this bookshelf will tell me. What is Akasha? Is there a magic book or something with information about Akasha? I looked around once again. But there was no book in sight. Is there no material about what Akasha is? No, is the keyword wrong? Is it possible that there are not only magic books but also other books? Anything else would be fine. A record or document about Akasha, even if it''s not a book about magic. Is there something? Anything? As I looked around again, there was a book in sight. A notebook-like object bound in red leather caught my eye. I took out the book, but there was no title. I opened the book. After seeing the first page, I couldn''t help but hold my breath. [My son. Never use Akasha for destruction.] That single sentence. It wasn''t numerous complex theories and explanations, but that one sentence that explained everything to me. "Eleris¡­" "Yes¡­ Your Highness." Unknowingly, I had been searching for Akasha, even though it was already in the palm of my hand. Akasha is an artifact. And naturally, I had thought that an artifact would be an object. But it''s not an object. "I think¡­ this bookshelf, no¡­ not just the bookshelf¡­" I look around the library. "This space¡­ itself¡­ seems to be¡­ Akasha¡­" Akasha was, indeed, a space. CH 428 All the efforts to find Akasha had been in vain, for it had already been in my grasp. It was only then that I could finally understand everything. Why there had been only one mage in Cantus Magna. What kind of deeds the surviving Valier from the original work had done. [My son.] [In every magic in the world, there is a certain degree of principle embedded. The Fireball spell contains the principle of generating fire, the Lightning Bolt spell contains the principle of discharging current, and the Homunculus research contains the principle of creating life. How about magic that deals with cold and heat, magic that summons water, and magic that makes plants grow?] [In all magic of the world, there is a certain degree of methodology for implementing the principles of the world using mana as a material.] [If one could succeed in gathering enough of the world''s principles to no longer require anything else, if there were a magical tool that could do this.] [Through it, one could create a single world.] [A tool of creation designed to concentrate principles and logic from the world''s magic to compose the world.] [Akasha is such a thing.] [I cannot know the origin of Akasha. Perhaps the mages of Cantus Magna had picked up and used the shell that the five gods had created for the creation and left somewhere, or it might have been an artifact that the founder of Cantus Magna had hoped to complete and then left for future generations to continue to complete.] [Of course, if they had not foolishly tried to kill me and covet my magic, I would never have known about Akasha.] [The process of stealing Akasha while deceiving their eyes was complicated, but in the end, I succeeded, and now I can dream of a different paradise than before.] [A paradise achieved through creation, not the peace obtained through the extinction of humanity.] [However, I cannot be certain of anything as I cannot know how this war will end.] [My son, if you are reading this, it means I no longer exist in this world.] [I, your father, who knows your temperament best, have prepared something for you, but I cannot know whether it will function properly.] [My son, only the Four Heavenly Kings, you, and I know about the whereabouts of Akasha and our true purpose. Do not speak carelessly about Akasha. Cantus Magna has self-destructed after the disappearance of Akasha, but remnants may still be searching for it.] [Also, if humans learn of the existence of Akasha, it is only natural that they would covet it. Even if we tell them what we intended to do through Akasha, they will not believe us. This war, which is fought because both sides want peace, is the very proof that trust between the two cannot be formed.] [If I die and Darkland is destroyed, walk the path of completing Akasha rather than seeking revenge through it. Humans have always been our greatest, most dangerous, and most powerful enemies. The path of annihilating them will be more difficult than leading the surviving brethren to paradise through creation.] [The completion of Akasha was within reach.] [We have always fought for survival. Now that there are other alternatives, we have no reason to desire war and destruction.] [I am uneasy entrusting Akasha to your hands, but if I were to die, you would be the only Archdemon. You alone can lead our lost kin.] [Remember this: if you activate the incomplete Akasha recklessly, doom will come.] [Never be swayed by petty revenge.] [My son, I implore you.] [Complete Akasha.] I gently closed the final note of the late Valier. Eleris, having read the contents, looked as if she doubted her own eyes. "The Demon King¡­ didn''t want war¡­" The vanished memory of Valier. Within it already lay the answers and clues to everything. That''s why I''ve come this long, winding road to finally reach Akasha. Akasha itself is a tool that records the principles of the world, and when all principles are recorded, it can create a new world. There was no portal to another world. The other world is created. Through the instrument of creation called Akasha. It''s clear what Valier, who survived the Demon War and fled to this bunker, did. The foolish and incompetent Valier Junior could never have completed Akasha. Revenge and anger would not have granted him the power and wisdom. Valier Junior, embracing revenge, would have struggled in this underground to find a way to complete Akasha, only to eventually realize it was impossible for him. And then, Exhausted by his vague revenge and his own incompetence, he activated the incomplete Akasha in despair. The imperfectly created world, the monsters born from its unfinished laws, started to enter reality. That must be the Gate Incident. [Event Completion - Murder Case Tracking] [Acquired 5,000 Achievement Points.] [Additional Reward - Acquired 10,000 Achievement Points.] [Challenge Completion - Identifying Akasha''s Identity] [Acquired 50,000 Achievement Points.] Now I understood why the challenge''s name was ''Identifying Akasha''s Identity'' rather than ''Finding Akasha''. Akasha had already been found, and it was necessary to discover what Akasha was. [Challenge Completion - Finding Cantus Magna] [Acquired 30,000 Achievement Points.] Cantus Magna had already perished. Unaware that Demon King Valier had taken Akasha, they fell apart while searching for the vanished Akasha. Roswin, who had infiltrated the Royal Magic Department, was the remnant of the disappeared Cantus Magna. There could be only one reason he suddenly committed murder and went to the Tomb of Lich. Among the spellbooks Charlotte brought to the Royal Magic Department, there must have been a spell that only existed in Akasha. He must have been beside himself. The magic that could only be found in the vanished Akasha was discovered. Thus, he killed the mages and tortured them to find the source, but in the end, he could not determine it, so he headed to the most likely place - the tomb of the Lich. His goal was not to secure the grimoire and insert it into Akasha. He came to retrieve the lost Akasha. His achievement score exceeded 100,000 in an instant, and he reached the final destination of everything. The answer to everything, in the end, was too simple. "By doing nothing... it could have been resolved..." Cantus Magna had long disappeared, and at some point, Darkland became the master of Akasha. The trigger for the Gate incident was Valier. So, if I do nothing, the Gate incident won''t happen. Eleris cautiously embraced me. "Your Highness... at least, we have discovered the truth like this..." "Yes, I suppose." Before the incident erupts, we just need to stop everything from now on. Doing nothing is enough. We are not too late to realize this. We should be grateful for that alone. I grabbed Eleris''s arm. Yes. We have reached the final destination and conclusion of everything. To prevent anything from happening, we just need to live as we are now. Without any conspiracy or plan, just living in the temple. Once we deal with issues concerning the followers of the Demon King and the Demon forces, there will be no more impending threats. We must carefully consider how to handle Akasha. In the past, Valier wanted to create a world with Akasha where humans and demons would not oppose each other. He wanted the eternal end of battle. However, just as humans did, Valier did not trust humans. The humans would not have believed Valier''s statement about leaving for a new world using Akasha. Instead, they must have thought that the humans who coveted Akasha would snatch it away. Akasha is a magical tool that can bring destruction to the world if misused. So, until their death, the Four Heavenly Kings and Valier would not have spoken about Akasha. They trusted Valier Junior and, perhaps, believed in the advent of the Demon King who would resurrect through Charlotte''s body. And the one who prevented the advent of the Demon King was me, his son. Only the Four Heavenly Kings and Valier knew the truth. "Now I understand why the human, Larken Simonstite... sided with Darkland..." The first human Heavenly King, Grandmaster, and the master of Saviolin Tana, Larken Simonstite. In some circumstances, Valier either captured Larken Statement or he sought Valier. The eternal end of the battle is through perfect separation between the two. He agreed with Valier''s thoughts and sided with Darkland. Because that would be an even better outcome. However, the Great Demon War occurred, and the heroes killed the Four Heavenly Kings and the Demon King. The hero party might have heard the truth about Akasha from the Four Heavenly Kings, or they might not. In the end, the battle took place, and the hero party died along with the Four Heavenly Kings of the demon world and the Demon King. The hero party might have fought to reclaim the Akasha after hearing about it, but the details are unknown. That''s why it''s possible that the Four Heavenly Kings did not join forces but instead faced the hero party one by one in an attempt to persuade them. However, the truth is now unknowable. The truth of the battle is beyond my comprehension since it took place outside my awareness. What has happened has already happened. The Akasha is in my grasp. But this place is not only known to me. Charlotte and Turner already know of this location, and Charlotte has even decided to supply the royal family with the magic books found here. She may not have realized it yet, but Charlotte will undoubtedly discover that this place is incredibly strange. What will happen if the Imperial Royal Family learns about the Akasha? It is unknown. But it cannot be left like this. There is no reason to delay any longer now that everything has become clear. This is an extremely dangerous artifact, possessing infinite utility, and it might be the object capable of putting an end to all discord between demons and humans. I might have to complete the secret wish that Valier couldn''t achieve, which was given up by Valier Junior in the original work. If Charlotte unknowingly meddles with the Akasha, it''s not inconceivable that she could cause a gate incident. "There must be a way to move the Akasha to another location, but for now, I have to find out later..." It was certain that chaos would ensue since I disappeared from the Lich''s tomb. "First, I must return to the Imperial Capital." The longer it takes me to return, the more uncontrollable the situation will become. ------ "The tool of creation..." On the outskirts of the battlefield. Antirianus quietly listened to the story while facing The Archlich. "Yeah, it seemed like you guys had the Akasha without even knowing what it was." The Archlich Lukren had come to the Lich''s tomb because it contained magic that had been independently developed within the Cantus Magna. Upon discovering traces of the Akasha, Lukren thought this was his last chance to retrieve it. Why couldn''t the Cantus Magna be found until now? Why had Lukren come to the Lich''s tomb alone? Antirianus finally understood the whole situation. The Cantus Magna had been robbed of the Akasha, and they were unable to determine who had taken it, which led to mutual suspicion and ultimately their destruction. Moreover, it wasn''t someone from within but the former Demon King Valier who had stolen the Akasha. And the current Demon King had been unaware all this time that what he held was the Akasha. "If you cooperate in retrieving the Akasha, I''ll forget about what you''ve done. Tell me, Antirianus, where is the Akasha?" If he cooperated in finding the lost tool of creation, all past events would be forgotten. Antirianus tilted his head slightly upon hearing Archlich''s words. Leaving aside whether to believe him or not, there was another issue. "Lukren, why do you want to become a god?" "What did you say?" "Do you think becoming a god would be enjoyable?" Lukren narrowed his brows, as if he didn''t understand Antirianus'' words. "It''s about becoming an absolute being, controlling everything according to my will and making everything function as I desire." "So why would you assume that would be enjoyable?" Antirianus smiled faintly. "Joy and pleasure in life and the world come from their unpredictability." "Do you think that having the omnipotent power to control everything according to your will, a world that moves only according to your will, and the ability to turn everything to dust with a mere gesture would bring you happiness?" "Well, it might be fun for a short while." "But soon you''d lose interest." "At the end of a process of discarding, recreating, discarding, and recreating, what would remain but boredom?" "What would remain but boredom?" "If the dreams that Cantus Magna has nurtured thus far have been delusions of the pleasures of being a Creator... it''s terribly disappointing." "The world is enjoyable when experienced as a creation. Regardless of the world you create as a god, if you encounter it not as a creation but from the standpoint of a creator, what appreciation could you possibly gain other than admiring the technical solidity of well-crafted objects?" "Without despair, sadness, pain, anger, hatred, or animosity, there can be no joy, ecstasy, indulgence, pleasure, or love." "Lukren, the world is chaos, and I love that chaos." "Being the master of chaos would ultimately be a very boring endeavor." At Antirianus''s words, Lukren was at a loss for a response. "You madman, you''re refusing the path to godhood?" "If you''re going to use the Akasha for such a boring task, I can''t allow you to have it." Antirianus smiled. "I told you, Lukren, I''m curious about what the Akasha is, but I never said I wanted it for myself." Antirianus raised his staff. "At least the boy I know would find a more interesting use for the Akasha than you." "Antirianus... you insane old man..." Still suffering from the aftereffects of using large-scale magic, Lukren was no match for Antirianus at the moment. There was only one reason for rejecting the path to godhood: it would undoubtedly be dull. Lukren saw madness flash in the golden eyes of the old vampire. "Lukren, will you show me despair one last time?" The embodiment of madness beyond good and evil. "Show me the pain, despair, and wretchedness of having my long-dreamed desire end in such a place." A mad sorcerer seeking despair and passion. "Considering how long I''ve waited, you''ve shown me a terribly boring dream. Shouldn''t you at least scream properly for me?" Antirianus raised his staff. CH 429 Not long ago. Daytime. Lydia Schmitt was retreating. Charlotte and Ellen were slowly approaching Lydia Schmitt. "..." Lydia didn''t know the situation. She recognized the princess''s face, but not Ellen''s. However, she knew that they were Reinhardt''s classmates. The two of them had appeared unexpectedly at the Vampire Council. Lydia''s mind was racing. She couldn''t figure out why these two had come to Epiax or what they were searching for. The only thing she knew was that she was the only one left in Epiax at that moment. The two girls approached, seemingly sure of something. "Do you know Reinhardt?" The quiet, black-haired girl asked. Upon hearing that, Lydia Schmitt clenched her teeth. The fact that Reinhardt was the Demon King might be revealed. "It seems like you know." The girl''s desperate voice, filled with a sense of certainty from Lydia''s lack of response, rang pitifully in Lydia''s ears. Reinhardt''s identity would be exposed. Eleris''s master, the Demon King Reinhardt. If Lydia asked for help, those two would take her back to the world. Kidnapped by the forces of the demon world, Lydia had been isolated in this extreme place, unable to even go outside. Through them, she could return to the world. But. What was there? What could she hope for? With nothing precious left and a heart wanting to deny even her faith, what could she hope for by returning to the world? Here, in this place, living a life sensing a small warmth seemed better. Lydia couldn''t understand why she had to leave. But those two. Those two would reveal what they saw here to the world. Reinhardt''s identity would be exposed, and Eleris would suffer a terrible fate as well. Lydia didn''t serve Reinhardt as her master. It was just that, in a situation where she should have been killed, Eleris had pleaded for her life. And as a result. If Lydia, whom Eleris had spared, became the reason for Reinhardt''s identity to be exposed and his death, what kind of guilt would that gentle vampire feel? In the end, Eleris would realize that her clumsy mercy had killed her master. Lydia couldn''t imagine the pain Eleris would go through. If her existence threatened Reinhardt, Eleris would blame herself. That always-smiling face would be distorted with sorrow, despair, and pain. That''s what would happen. If her existence brought about Reinhardt''s death and Eleris''s despair. She had to prevent that from happening. Lydia didn''t know why those two girls had come here or how they had found out about this place. But. They must not return. Uuuuung! Lydia Schmitt''s body was enveloped in a holy light. She didn''t say a word. No matter what she said, it could be a clue. "I''m sorry, juniors." Leaving only those words, Lydia closed her mouth. Swoosh Flutter! As if sensing something, the approaching girl held a silver sword in her right hand and a sunlit cape draped over her shoulder. "Sacred relics?" Not just one, but two. Lydia clenched her teeth. How could someone possess two sacred relics? Before she could find an answer to her question, Lydia witnessed an even more unbelievable scene. Dark energy flowed through the princess''s body, standing behind them, and she soon transformed into a grotesque figure shrouded in darkness. The princess raised her blackened hand to the sky. Hssssss! A sharp spear of darkness, as if forged from the shadows, materialized above the princess''s fingertips. The princess pointed her finger at herself. That''s... Dangerous. Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang! As Lydia leaped away, dozens of shadowy spears struck the ground where she had stood, causing a thunderous explosion. Two sacred relics, accompanied by a bizarre and ominous power. "..." Lydia stared at the two girls. They couldn''t be underestimated. "Is this my grave?" The light that enveloped Lydia''s body began to take on a crimson hue. Rumble! A unique power used by the knights of Als. Berserk. Lydia Schmitt risked her life. For Eleris. ¡ª--- Lydia Schmitt was the winner of last year''s Unrestricted Tournament. Although her victory was due to Olivia Lanze''s forfeiture in the final match, Lydia Schmitt''s abilities were not to be taken lightly. She had graduated from the Temple Royal Class without attending the graduation ceremony. Among the chosen elite, she was the best of the best. Soon, her skills were considered on par with those of the top active knights. Her prowess alone surpassed Ellen Artorius, just as Olivia had. In addition, she wielded the divine power of Als, specialized for combat, and now, she was using the power of Berserk to strengthen herself, burning her own life force in the process. Jjeong! "Gah!" Ellen was knocked back and rolled across the castle floor after being struck by a powerful punch. Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang! Not only did she avoid the shadowy spears summoned by Charlotte with her incredible agility and body control, but she also simultaneously charged forward, aiming her palm strike at Charlotte. Shing! Charlotte disappeared into the shadows, reappearing about ten paces back. Surprised by the sudden appearance, Ellen and Charlotte had wanted to talk, but Lydia Schmitt was intent on killing them without saying a word. Ellen, who had been knocked down, struggled to get back up. Lydia Schmitt charged towards her at an almost godlike speed, delivering a powerful spinning kick with all her weight behind it. "Huff!" Jjeojeong! Ellen''s defensive move blocked the kick, but she couldn''t completely absorb the impact, and she was pushed back several steps. Despite her kick being repelled by the force of the flames, Lydia regained her stance and retreated a few steps. All the upperclassmen of the Royal Class were monsters. Even with the support of two sacred relics and the combined efforts of Charlotte and Ellen, who used an unidentified power, Ellen was still being pushed back. There were too many things Ellen couldn''t understand. It was certain that Lydia Schmidt was the one that Reinhardt took to Ellena''s shop. And there, at the location presumed to house Ellena''s statue, stood Lydia Schmitt. And Lydia Schmitt immediately attempted to kill them. There were too many things they couldn''t understand. They couldn''t make sense of the situation. But there was one certainty. Reinhardt. He was no hero. Swoosh! Ellen, who charged at Lydia, brandished her Lament, and Lydia parried with the edge of her holy sword, thrusting her fist into Ellen''s vital spot. Clang! However, that fist was deflected by a dark spear summoned from the side, swiping through the air. Nonetheless, Lydia Schmitt twisted her body while wrapping Ellen''s Lament around her armpit with her left hand that had parried the sword. With Als¡¯ divine power and her enhanced magical power. Lydia''s physical ability, even with Berserk, was beyond what Ellen could handle. Fwip! With a single rotation, Ellen was pulled into Lydia''s embrace along with her Lament. Crash! ¡°Urgh¡­ Hah!¡± Lydia, with a punch to Ellen''s vitals again, leaped towards Ellen, who was sent flying and had lost her sword. With the intention of stomping her head and crushing it. Whoosh! Bang! Clang! Ka-clang! But a wave of dark spears formed at Lydia''s side, repelling her. ¡°Ah¡­ Ugh¡­ Hngh¡­¡± Ellen, struggling to get up, couldn''t even stand properly and dry heaved. Lydia Schmitt, embedded in the castle wall with the dark spears, got up again, seemingly unharmed, with dust covering her. ¡°Insane¡­ She''s like a monster¡­¡± Charlotte, who had taken the form of darkness, was overwhelmed by Lydia Schmitt to the extent that she had even forgotten her own state. Two holy artifacts. And the power of the Demon King. She couldn''t yet wield the power of the Demon King as destructively as when she had gone berserk, and Charlotte''s power was weakened during the day, so she couldn''t be at her full strength. But it was still the power of the Demon King. And it was being suppressed by a single Royal Class elite graduate. Charlotte was experiencing, in a way she never wanted to, what kind of monsters the Empire was raising in the temple. The temple, the Empire. And the greatness of humanity. Now was not the time to be impressed, as that power was trying to kill her. ¡°¡­¡± Lydia remained silent. As if to never let them have any assurance. If she were to die without killing them, anything she said could become a cause for concern. The silent holy knight approached them like terror. Ellen, staggering, rose again. The offensive Lament. The defensive Lapelt. With the assistance of two holy artifacts, she was practically in a similar condition to a swordmaster. Was Lydia too powerful, or did Ellen lack the ability to fully utilize the power of the holy artifacts? Ellen Artorius didn''t know. She also didn''t know that Lydia Schmitt was fighting with the power of her life on the line. But one thing was certain. If she were to die here. The truth remains elusive. Why it happened, why it had to be this way, who he really was. Why. Why he cared for me so much. I don''t know. I will die not knowing. "I don''t want to¡­" Ellen whispered. She didn''t know why Lydia Schmitt wanted to kill her. But she would die if things continued this way. She possessed two sacred relics, yet she was unable to defeat the holy knight before her. If she died, it would all be over. "I¡­ I can''t die here." Facing the approaching Lydia Schmitt, Ellen gritted her teeth. What must be done to defeat the formidable foe known as Lydia Schmitt? Even with the power of Magic Body Strengthening and two potent sacred relics, she was unable to overcome this monster. Ellen clenched Lament, her gaze fixed on Lydia Schmitt, who was shrouded in a crimson aura. Lydia Schmitt, empowered by Berserk, was a force not even Olivia Lanze could easily handle. Had the fight continued as it had, no one could know the outcome. Lydia Schmitt stepped forward, her foot striking the ground. It wasn''t an attempt to leap. -Boom! The impact from her foot alone sent cracks sprawling across the surface of the ground and caused fractures to form on the walls of the fortress. -Crumble The fortress walls, riddled with cracks, began to collapse. -Rumble In a single step, the floors and walls of the fortress crumbled, the ceiling collapsed, and rocks fell from above. -Bang! Crash! Boom! The once-dark fortress was bathed in white light. -Whooooosh! A chilling blizzard rushed in, painting everything in white. ''She must have sensed that my power weakens in the presence of light¡­'' Charlotte gritted her teeth, hiding in the darkness as she watched the collapsing ceiling. In the midst of the fierce winter wind that followed the collapse of the fortress, Lydia Schmitt charged towards Ellen. -Swoosh! "Urgh!" -Smash! With a single punch, Ellen was flung into the debris of the collapsed fortress. "Ugh¡­ Hah¡­" Her opponent was too strong. She didn''t even have a chance to react before she rushed in and attacked relentlessly. -Smash! Crash! Bang! Swoosh! If not for the protection of Lapelt, Lydia''s fierce and violent assault would have turned Ellen to pulp. -Crash! Lydia''s body twitched when struck by Charlotte''s spear of darkness, but it did not repel her as it had before. The blizzard had weakened Charlotte''s power by driving away the darkness. -Smash! "Ugh!" Ellen barely dodged an incoming punch by rolling to the side, her face contorted with effort. Like a spring, she regained her footing and quickly retreated, assuming a defensive posture. If she could buy enough time, Lydia would run out of breath. But Ellen didn''t know that. All she knew was that if things continued this way, both she and Charlotte would face death at the hands of the enigmatic Lydia Schmitt. She would die if things continued like this. She didn''t want to die. There was still so much to learn, so many things to hear, questions to ask, all piled up like a mountain. To die with everything left incomplete¡­ That was something she couldn''t accept. Not even in death. Fearing and loathing the prospect of dying without knowing the truth. Ellen clenches Lament once again. If she doesn''t want to die, she must win. To win, she must be strong. If she must lose and die because her opponent is stronger than herself. She must become stronger. Ellen Artorius steadies her breath. ''Slowly, from the whole body down to smaller units, becoming accustomed to focusing the Magic Body Strengthening on a single, extreme point.'' She recalls the words of Saviolin Tana. ''Precisely.'' Muttering. While staring directly at the red knight approaching her. -Whooooooosh! Amid the harsh snowstorm of the north wind, which feels like it will tear her skin apart. ''Focus.'' She concentrates all her nerves. ''Eventually, I''ll be able to concentrate the power in just the tips of my fingers like this.'' She doesn''t want to die. There are things she must know, words she must hear. Forgiveness, revenge, or understanding. She doesn''t know yet. She cannot die without knowing where every story ends, and in which direction every truth flows. If she doesn''t want to die, she must win. And if she can''t win as she is now. ''Well, then. And beyond this stage.'' She must become an existence that can win. "Haaah...." Ellen steadies her breath, concentrating her nerves to perceive the power within her body, down to the smallest fragments of mana. If she doesn''t want to die, she must not lose. To not lose, she must be stronger than her opponent. There is only one path for Ellen, who must be stronger than her opponent. Breaking through the barrier and taking the next step. Beyond using Magic Body Strengthening. She must go beyond becoming accustomed to Magic Body Strengthening and achieve the next stage. ''When you reach the limit of mana manipulation, such things become possible.'' The energy of Magic Body Strengthening flowing through Ellen''s body gradually subsides from its burning state. As if Magic Body Strengthening has become impossible. Very thin, the blue light also fades. Until it turns into a weak light that seems on the verge of going out. It doesn''t vanish. It is compressed. The extremely compressed mana stopped its unnecessary fluctuations solely for the purpose of defense. And then. In Ellen''s hand holding Lament. As if it were on fire, slowly. The blue power flows through the sword. Lydia Schmitt, who witnessed it, halted her steps. "What is... this?" An impossible event is unfolding before her eyes. The flames of power attached to Lament soon engulfed the entire blade. "Haaah...." White breath escapes Ellen''s lips and scatters in the winter wind. Not a girl with a body ablaze with power, but a girl holding a sword ablaze with power. ''That''s the condition for a Master Class.'' -Swish! "....!" In the next moment, Ellen Artorius thrust Lament toward Lydia Schmitt''s heart. CH 430 Lydia Schmitt stared wide-eyed at the sword of Ellen, which was embedded in her chest. "What... how...?" Awakening as a Swordmaster during a battle. It was an unbelievable feat, yet someone had accomplished it right before her eyes. She hadn''t expected an easy fight and had even resorted to using the life-consuming power of Berserk. Lydia had thought such occurrences only belonged in stories. But the reality unfolding before her had already pierced her heart. Shwook! "Ugh... huff!" As Ellen withdrew Lament, Lydia''s legs gave way, and she slumped to the ground. The girl wielding two relics had found it difficult to face her opponent and had become a Swordmaster with the power of the relics. A genius beyond the word genius itself. What had she been building up to all this time? Could one truly become a Swordmaster so easily by gritting their teeth and focusing their mind in an unbeatable fight? Why did such beings exist in the world? Lydia Schmitt was a genius. She had never thought there would be so many geniuses on her level to trip her up. Lydia felt a sense of awe. In that moment, she felt something similar to when she had first seen Olivia Lanze. A genius who had always been unrivaled, even among the geniuses gathered in the Temple Royal Class, someone she had never dared to approach. A genius she had ultimately come to revere out of admiration and awe. Was the girl before her also a genius of that caliber? She had been born with an absurd talent, but there was something even more absurd about this existence. Lydia Schmitt had been sacrificed to the absurd. What would happen when these two visitors returned? She didn''t know the specifics, but she felt that a series of unfortunate events would unfold. That''s why she had intended not to let them go. But she had failed. Something was bound to happen to Reinhardt and Eleris. There was no healing power in the divine energy of Als. Therefore, healing wounds like other Holy Knights was impossible for Lydia Schmitt. The backlash from using Berserk, and the fatal wound. Her consciousness was slipping away. ''I had hoped... they would return safely...'' "Cough!" As she coughed up a mouthful of blood, Lydia Schmitt tried to grasp the fading edges of her consciousness, but it slipped away faster than she could reach. She had hoped for Eleris''s safe return, but instead, this had happened to her. What would that vampire think of her death? Lydia didn''t know. But she knew that the gentle vampire would shed tears for her. The gods were said to plan everything. Everything in the world was supposed to move according to their plans. Was her death also part of such a plan? ''I don''t know...'' Slowly closing her eyes, Lydia sank ceaselessly into the depths of unconsciousness. If all of this was indeed the gods'' plan. She could no longer find a reason to love the gods. ¡ª--- Kneeling before the lifeless body of Lydia Schmitt, Ellen silently faced the blizzard. "What... What have you done?" Charlotte asked in horror as she approached through the snowstorm. "I had to win." Ellen simply said that and unsummoned the Lament. Awakening in the midst of battle. It was during the battle that Ellen transitioned from Magic Body Strengthening to becoming a Swordmaster. But this time, she didn''t collapse, vomiting blood like before. Hmmm Ellen checked the faintly glowing power of Magic Body Strengthening in her right hand. Crackle! Then, the mana boiling in her hand surged like flames, towering even higher than Ellen herself. She couldn''t refine it into the shape of a sword, but she could unleash it intensely. Following partial Magic Body Strengthening came the external release. Having such power meant she could avoid defeat, but wasn''t this level of talent a bit strange? She knew she wasn''t ordinary, but this seemed excessive. Ellen felt a peculiar sensation of unfamiliarity with herself, even as she was relieved to have escaped death. Charlotte gazed at Lydia Schmitt''s corpse, which was growing colder by the moment in the frigid winter wind. "So, who was this person?" Charlotte had watched the tournament but still couldn''t identify the opponent even after the battle had ended. "Sixth-year Royal Class, Lydia Schmitt. Though not a sixth-year anymore, based on last year''s records." "¡­Lydia Schmitt?" At this, Charlotte furrowed her brow. She had heard that name through other channels. She knew Lydia as a missing Temple Royal Class student, and the name of a student presumed dead in the Riverrier Lanze attack. "I thought this person died during the previous Holy Knights raid. I heard she was suspected to be affiliated with the Nameless Monastery¡­" "¡­Are you sure?" "¡­I heard she had extremist tendencies. But how did you find out about the Nameless Monastery?" "It wasn''t difficult to learn." Reinhardt had taken a black-haired Temple girl to Elena''s shop. There, Lydia Schmitt was with Elena''s statue. It became highly likely that the person accompanying Reinhardt was Lydia Schmitt. Olivia Lanze had encountered Lydia Schmitt in the Unrestricted Tournament and forfeited. Reinhardt had gone to watch that match. Afterward, even Olivia didn''t know Reinhardt''s whereabouts. Olivia had been lured to the southern monastery of the Imperial Capital by the Nameless Monastery. So, around that time, Reinhardt and Lydia Schmitt must have visited Elena''s shop together. And Lydia Schmitt wasn''t dead during the Holy Knights raid but was in the fortress of Epiax. Had she been kidnapped? But they couldn''t understand why she had attacked them. "There''s a place we need to go first." Their original purpose for coming here was to examine Elena''s statue. An unexpected situation had arisen, causing confusion in their deduction of events, but first, they had to verify something. ------ Part of the fortress of Epiax had collapsed, but only a portion; the rest of the building still stood intact. "Is this... the place?" "Yes." The Pantheon. Ellen and Charlotte arrived at a space lined with seven statues and looked around. Some of the statues were so weathered that their shapes were nearly unrecognizable, but they soon found themselves standing in front of their target statue. Out of the seven statues, the only one Ellen and Charlotte could recognize was that of Elena. Some of the statues had been altered in appearance when they fell into human hands. "It definitely...resembles her." Charlotte slowly nodded as she compared the picture on Elena''s ID card, which she held in her hand, to the statue. Elena had claimed to be a dragon, and Ellen had vaguely guessed that this place might be something like a dragon lair. "What is this place for? Why was that person here out of nowhere, and why did she try to kill us?" Just as Charlotte said, it was all incomprehensible. What exactly was the fortress of Epiax? Why did Reinhardt go to Elena''s shop with Lydia Schmitt? Why was Lydia Schmitt, a member of the Nameless Monastery, isolated in a place that seemed to be Elena''s base? Why did she try to kill them? And. That night, what did Reinhardt do? "..." Ellen silently stared at Elena''s statue. Olivia Lanze, who fell into a trap. Lydia Schmitt, a member of the Nameless Monastery, must have known about the trap to lure Olivia Lanze out. Elena was a powerful mage. Let''s assume that Reinhardt somehow learned about the Nameless Monastery''s plan. Then, given his character, Reinhardt would have tried to save Olivia. Although it was impossible to know what kind of person Reinhardt truly was, it seemed so based on what they had seen so far. The kidnapped Adriana. Olivia, lured by using Adriana as bait. Reinhardt, who learned about it through Lydia Schmitt. "''...They saved you?'' ''Yeah, I don''t know why. The winged demon appeared and saved Adriana and me. Then it left us far away and disappeared somewhere. That''s it.'' ''Why on earth...'' ''That''s the most curious thing to me.''" Olivia Lanze, who couldn''t understand why the Demon King had saved her. The Demon King might actually be a benevolent being, rather than one who harbored hatred for humans. No, now she seemed to despise humans. It wasn''t that he saved Olivia by chance while attacking the Holy Knights. "Did he save her from the beginning...?" Ellen clenched her teeth. Dark emotions welled up within her heart. Anger, betrayal. And. A sense of deprivation. A peculiar emotion, the identity of which she couldn''t grasp, began to envelop her entire body. Regardless of what important secret Reinhardt held. "So, that happened?" "Yeah." "No, why didn''t you say it earlier... Sigh, well, it''s pointless to argue about it now." Charlotte, who had heard the inside story of the Holy Knights'' raid from Ellen, crossed her arms and fell into deep thought. Charlotte too followed a similar line of reasoning to Ellen. Olivia, trapped in a scheme, and Adriana. The two, who had managed to survive unharmed due to the Demon King''s attack, were afraid of being accused of colluding with the Demon King if the world found out, and so kept quiet. "And Reinhardt, after learning the truth from the two, took care of Adriana at the Rotary Club since it became difficult for her to find a place to stay... Right?" "Yeah." It wasn''t unreasonable to say that Reinhardt tried to find a way to help in his own way. However, both of them now knew about the suspicious circumstances that had occurred the previous day. And the fact that Lydia Schmitt, who was most likely involved in the incident, was present at this location. Both Adriana and Olivia were clearly unaware of the specifics. Charlotte quietly sorted out the newly discovered facts. She didn''t know about the existence of Lydia Schmitt and whether the Castle Epiax was actually related to the mage Elena. But one thing was certain. There was no more room for idle speculation. It was time to stop thinking that it might not be true out of fear. Now, they had to investigate Reinhardt. To investigate Reinhardt, what must they do? Charlotte''s fingertips trembled. It was not just because of the cold. As they approached the core of the story and grasped the tip of the truth. Charlotte found it increasingly difficult to bear the situation. "..." And it was no different for Ellen. CH 431 Ellen and Charlotte returned to the Imperial Capital. Ellen asked what they should do with Lydia Schmitt''s corpse, but Charlotte insisted that they must take it with them as evidence. The discovery of the missing person from the temple in the Epiax Fortress was a very serious issue, regardless of the truth of the case, and it could not be anything but a piece of evidence. Acquiring a wooden coffin at a midway stop, they placed Lydia Schmitt''s body inside and made their way back to the Imperial Capital. It didn''t take long to return to the Imperial Capital from the harsh frozen lands. People stared curiously at Ellen, who was dragging the coffin, but neither of them was in a state to care about the gazes of others. "Reinhardt must have gone to investigate the Lich''s tomb. That''s what I think," Charlotte said. Ellen nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Reinhardt was still in Darkland, investigating the murder that had occurred in the Imperial Capital, accompanied by the Imperial elite and Harriet. Neither Ellen nor Charlotte knew what Reinhardt wanted. However, as they dragged the coffin towards the palace, Charlotte suddenly halted in her tracks. "..." Seeing Charlotte stop, Ellen stared intently at her. Ellen silently watched as Charlotte''s face twisted in pain and despair. "Ellen..." "Yes?" "I... I can''t do it." Charlotte''s voice trembled violently within her despair. "I... this... with my own hands... I can''t... I can''t do this anymore..." Knowing that the truth she was about to uncover would shatter her, Charlotte no longer had the courage to take another step forward. She had thought she needed to know something, to dig deeper, but now she felt that she couldn''t handle the terrifying truth that seemed to be right in front of her. Both of them had an intuition about something. But intuition alone could not solve anything. They needed to uncover the truth and have some solid evidence to be certain. Ellen looked quietly at Charlotte. "Alright." "..." Charlotte could not go any further. Ellen was also afraid, but she couldn''t blame Charlotte, for she understood the fear and reluctance that made her want to collapse. Ellen was scared to dig deeper into the truth of this matter too. Although she didn''t intend to stop, Charlotte couldn''t bear to see the truth she had uncovered with her own hands. "Let''s go to Bertus." They needed another source of power. ¡ª--- Bertus was having a busy time. There was an incident inside the palace. The Imperial elite had gone to search the Lich''s tomb, but it was uncertain whether there really was a monster there. So, not only were they searching the palace, but also the entire Imperial Capital and even Roswin''s residence. They were being extremely cautious in retrieving the magical tome left behind by Roswin, as there might be some trickery within it. The Emperor was busy, of course, and the First Prince was doing his part as well. Hence, it was inevitable that he would be annoyed by the sudden request for an audience from his sister, who seemed to have briefly visited a distant place over the weekend. There was no time nor reason to discuss personal matters, let alone the already-finished psychological warfare, as he was already swamped with work. However, when Bertus found out that Charlotte had not come alone but with Ellen Artorius, and that the two had brought a mysterious coffin to the Winter Palace, he sensed that something was amiss. And after seeing their unusually thick coats, he was certain. They must have brought something serious. "What''s going on?" But being tired and sensitive, Bertus decided to have them sit down first before asking the main question. Charlotte remained silent. So did Ellen. Instead, Charlotte took out a quill pen from the table and began writing something on a piece of paper. But Bertus noticed that Charlotte''s hand was trembling severely as she wrote. "...Why are you like this?" Charlotte remained silent in response to Bertus''s question, her head lowered, continuing to write. Why write when it could be said aloud? It was because it contained the possibility of an unspeakable, miserable, and terrifying truth. Her handwriting was messy due to her shaking hands, but it wasn''t unreadable. Ellen was silently staring out the window. Bertus didn''t have the time, but he waited patiently for Charlotte to finish writing. If the usually strong-willed half-sibling was resorting to this, it meant something very important was happening. "...Here." The densely written paper was handed over by Charlotte. Bertus slowly began reading them. It was a well-organized summary of everything Charlotte had discovered so far, though the handwriting was chaotic. It included Charlotte''s past knowledge about the Demon King''s whereabouts, Elena''s incident, letter delivery and evaporation, tracking, the attack on Riverrier Lanze, and Olivia and Adriana. It mentioned the visit to the Castle Epiax, the incident with the statue, the attack by Lydia Schmitt, and even the claim that the missing Lydia Schmitt''s body was in the coffin they brought. Each of these stories seemed unrelated, but they all pointed to one person. Reinhardt. [There is a high possibility that Reinhardt is related to the Demon King.] The horribly distorted writing spoke of Charlotte''s wretched state of mind, having had to write it down herself. Putting aside the certainty of the evidence and the basis of the content, the shock brought by the sentence itself left Bertus speechless. "It''s nonsense." That''s why Bertus''s first words after a long silence could only be that. "I wish... I wish it was. Please, I wish it was... I really do... I really... really..." Before Bertus, Charlotte''s head hung low, her hands resting on her knees. Tears fell on them, and Bertus stared at her with wide eyes. More than the unbelievable suspicion, Bertus was appalled by the fact that Charlotte was crying in front of him. "I... I tried... I tried, but... I can''t do it anymore... You... you might... be able to do it... If you do it..." If Reinhardt was involved with the Demon King, it would be a huge shock to the empire and the royal family, but it would also mean they had caught a very serious security threat. Just as Bertus had completely snatched the control of the imperial succession by eliminating the revolutionary forces, Charlotte could have used this to re-enter the competition for the throne. But Charlotte, holding onto this lead, handed it over to Bertus. She even pleaded with him. Please finish the remaining task. The truth she was already half-convinced of was too painful, so she asked Bertus, afraid that if she uncovered it all herself, she would fall apart. No, she had already fallen apart. Ellen, gazing silently out of the window, embraced Charlotte''s shoulders without a word. She pretended to be expressionless, but Ellen, who had investigated this with her, must have been in no better state than Charlotte. Ellen was not expressionless. She was devastated. Bertus alternately looked at Charlotte and Ellen. The broken half-siblings. The devastated classmate. And Reinhardt. Seeing Charlotte sobbing, Bertus put the paper in his bosom. Reinhardt was involved with the Demon King. What would happen if this were true? He had no time to worry about trifling matters like the incident in the palace. Bertus quietly looked at the half-siblings who had been on the brink of collapse, now completely broken and pleading with sobs. If this were true. What kind of betrayal would Charlotte de Gardias feel? Being used, used again, and only being used in the end. Betrayed by everything she had sought in her quest for peace of mind. Bertus, more than ever, felt pity for his half-sibling. With more sincerity than at any other moment, he said. "Don''t cry, sister." "..." "I''ll take care of it." And so, he spoke. ------ Charlotte returned to the Spring Palace, and Ellen stayed with Bertus. Bertus and Ellen opened the archives guarded by the Winter Palace troops. "Confirmation of identity?" "It has been confirmed that she is indeed the missing Temple graduate, Lydia Schmitt." "I see." Even though Ellen had vouched for it, cross-verification had been completed. The missing Temple Royal Class student, presumed dead during the attack on the nameless monastery, Lydia Schmitt, had been found in the northernmost fortress of the continent, known as the Fortress of Epiax. Lydia Schmitt had attacked Ellen and Charlotte de Gardias for an unknown reason and had been killed in the process by Ellen Artorius. And within the pantheon-like structure at the epicenter, there stood a statue of a sorcerer presumed to have hidden the Demon King. The day before the attack on the Demon King''s Holy Knights, Reinhardt visited Elena''s Scroll Shop with Lydia Schmitt. Everything that needed to be known was diligently written by Charlotte and delivered without omission. The conclusion was that Reinhardt was suspicious. Ever since that cross-dressing incident he didn''t want to recall, Bertus intentionally tried not to think about Reinhardt. He had given up trying to understand why it had to be that way since it was an inexplicable situation. ''...This is driving me mad.'' If Reinhardt was connected to the Demon King, what was the meaning behind the cross-dressing? Feeling that his thoughts were being drawn back to that incident, Bertus bit his tongue lightly to regain focus. Ultimately, that cross-dressing incident. Though he loathed the thought, Bertus couldn''t deny that there was a clue there. Bertus had already done something that Charlotte and Ellen didn''t know and were too afraid to do themselves: digging into Reinhardt. In a situation where Reinhardt wasn''t thought to be suspicious, it could be dismissed, but if he was considered suspicious, it was an undeniable clue. ''The identity registration was last year, definitely.'' Last year. His subordinate''s report that many people lived without identity registration was correct. However, when viewed from the perspective that Reinhardt was suspicious, it was strange. Reinhardt suddenly appeared in the Empire last year. Reinhardt didn''t exist before then, at least not two years prior. And another clue. Reinhardt had admitted that the silver-haired girl he had encountered that day was him. Why would he confess such an abominable act with his own mouth? So every time Bertus and Reinhardt met, they experienced bizarre situations. There was no real need to mention it. ''It was me.'' Nevertheless, upon hearing that Bertus was investigating to find his siblings, Reinhardt blurted out the truth in a fit of panic. Bertus didn''t know why Reinhardt had cross-dressed. The important thing was that Reinhardt had confessed something he should never have admitted under normal circumstances. ''Did he fear the investigation itself?'' He might have been afraid that Bertus would discover something he shouldn''t know, so he confessed the truth before Bertus could touch any dangerous leads. The embarrassment and risking death were problems of different dimensions. Reinhardt had participated in the cross-dressing contest. The reason was unknown. But as soon as he heard that Bertus was investigating under the assumption that the girl might be Reinhardt''s sibling, he confessed the truth. That meant, If Bertus continued investigating Reinhardt, he would learn something he shouldn''t. "Bring me the date of Reinhardt''s identity registration and the date Charlotte returned to the Empire for comparison." "Yes, Your Majesty." "And Ellen." "Yes?" "There''s a Rotary Club in the southern part of the Empire. Do you know?" "...Yes, I do." Upon hearing Bertus''s question, Ellen nodded her head. "Take the people and interrogate them. If necessary, bring them all in." "¡­Understood." Ellen slowly nodded her head and led the people selected by Bertus out of the palace. Bertus quietly watched Ellen''s retreating figure. Was Reinhardt truly a sudden appearance? And when did it all begin? Just what was Reinhardt up to? Bertus wanted to know. The image of Charlotte sobbing miserably wouldn''t leave Bertus''s mind. CH 432 "Uncle Daibun, where has my sister gone?" "Your sister? I think she might return tomorrow or the day after. She had some business to attend to and went out for a while." "I see." "Why do you ask?" "No reason, I just haven''t seen her since yesterday." Adriana casually exchanged these words as she held the laundry basket and hung the clothes on the line outside. Other club members who were free at the time also helped Adriana with the laundry, hanging it up and folding the ones that were already dry and crisp. Adriana had been staying at the Rotary Club for several months. She had grown accustomed to life here. Everyone in the club was now living like proper human beings. Of course, at the time Adriana started living here, the Rotary Club''s income was already stable, but many people still couldn''t break away from their shabby lifestyles. However, quite a lot had changed since Adriana''s arrival. The most important aspect was hygiene. The club leader, who should have set an example for everyone, had a severely poor hygiene, and there were quite a few members who were no better. Once Adriana began to thoroughly wash Loyar and even check her nails, everyone else became more conscious of maintaining their cleanliness. Everyone couldn''t believe that the fierce and ill-tempered dog turned into a pet-like creature in front of Adriana. Eventually, Adriana took on the role of managing the cleanliness, housekeeping, and hygiene of the Rotary Club headquarters. More than anything, seeing Adriana, who would become restless and look for something to do when left alone, everyone began to find chores to do themselves, such as cleaning. In the end, one way or another, Adriana had become a source of vitality that encouraged the older Rotary Club members to live more diligently. The sight of the young girl working so hard made them think it would be shameful to be adults who just drank and loafed around. As a result, even though Adriana didn''t say anything, the incidents of people getting drunk and passing out on the floor or vomiting had stopped. Now, even when they drank alcohol, they would have one or two glasses in a reserved manner, and when it was bedtime for Adriana, everyone would quietly go to their rooms and sleep. A culture of consideration had been established. They thought it would be inappropriate to be noisy while a child was trying to sleep. And so, Adriana unknowingly became like a daughter to everyone at the Rotary Club. During these months, Adriana also learned about some of the club''s characteristics. Loyar spent most of his day lying on the couch in the reception room on the top floor of the club headquarters or going for a walk with Adriana. She didn''t really have any other tasks. In other words, she was just like a house dog, guarding her spot and nothing more. The business of the Rotary Club was managed by the subordinates, and Loyar didn''t know exactly what was going on or how much income was coming in. Instead, the situation was gradually changing, with Adriana discussing matters that required Loyar''s approval and then relaying them to Loyar. No matter what they talked about, Loyar simply told them to handle it as they saw fit. One day, Adriana asked Daibun, "What kind of work does your leader do?" Daibun responded that when they lived under the bridge, there was quite a lot for her to do. Typically, she would protect club members during fights with other beggar groups and retaliate on their behalf if any of them were hurt in a conflict with thugs. She even managed to get money from somewhere, and Daibun told Adriana that Loyar was an indispensable presence when they were part of the beggar group under the bridge. Now that the situation had improved, Loyar simply had no tasks to perform. Adriana thought it was fortunate that there were no more fight-related matters to deal with. Despite her rough appearance, it was quite fascinating to hear how skilled Loyar was at fighting. Most club members had seen Loyar fight, and many had even been on the receiving end of her blows. Everyone praised her fighting skills as nothing short of supernatural. In any case, as far as Adriana knew, Loyar used to play a crucial role in the club but now had little to do, as their circumstances had improved. Nevertheless, Loyar would disappear for a few days about once a month. Adriana only knew that Loyar went out for some reason, but Loyar would suddenly leave and return a few days later without further explanation. The club members simply accepted it as a usual occurrence. Now that Loyar had no more fighting to do, Adriana wondered what she was doing on those trips. Adriana was curious, but Loyar merely brushed it off, saying she had some business to attend to and provided no further details. So, Adriana simply thought that it must be something she didn''t know about. It was on one such day. There had been surprising events, such as the murder case at the royal palace, the dark cloud hanging over the world, and Ellen, Reinhardt, and Olivia becoming the owners of the sacred relics. However, Reinhardt didn''t visit the Rotary Club very often, so there was no time to discuss these matters. Thus, Adriana spent her days at the club headquarters, which, despite being in the imperial capital, seemed somewhat detached from the world. On one ordinary afternoon, Adriana was cleaning the reception room on the top floor of the club. She was engrossed in picking up the long, thin strands of hair that had fallen on the sofa. It felt like she was sweeping up animal fur. From a distance, Adriana could see a group approaching the club. It wasn''t unusual for outsiders to visit the club, but something about their demeanor seemed off. And at the very front of the group, there was a familiar face that Adriana knew. It was Ellen Artorius, the younger sister of the hero Ragan Artorius and the known possessor of the holy artifact, Lament. She was walking towards the club headquarters, leading the soldiers. The recently revealed truth was astonishing, but to Adriana, Ellen was more strongly associated as a friend of Reinhardt. And she had heard that Ellen would sometimes come to the club, get thoroughly beaten by her sister, and then leave. Everyone at the club was somewhat in awe when they learned that Ellen was actually the sister of the hero, sticking their tongues out in amazement. Although Adriana was now treated as the club''s darling, Ellen was also acquainted with everyone at the club, and people liked her just the same. Now, with a serious expression on her face, Ellen was approaching the club with heavily armed soldiers in tow. "What''s going on¡­?" As an ominous feeling settled in the air, the club members who were outside went to approach Ellen. Contrary to the sinister premonition, Ellen began to have a conversation with the club members. There were no signs of violence being used. However, one by one, the soldiers began approaching Ellen and the other club members to start conversations. The content of the conversations could not be heard. What could be happening? Just as she was considering going out to see for herself, someone called her name. "Adriana." Daibun, who had arrived without her noticing, urgently grabbed Adriana''s arm. "Mr. Daibun?" "Follow me." Without any explanation, Daibun began to drag Adriana down the stairs. "What''s happening outside¡­?" "I''m not sure. But it seems like something serious is going on." Daibun hurriedly led Adriana down the stairs, as if there was something they needed to do before the soldiers entered the club headquarters. They arrived at the club''s basement storage room. In a place filled with food supplies and unsold items from the magic train store, Daibun pressed Adriana against the wall and looked at her. "Adriana, don''t ask questions. Just follow the path I''m going to open for you." "Y-yes?" "Under the southern tower of Bronze Gate, where our old club used to be, there''s a passage leading to the underground sewer of the Imperial City." Daibun''s expression was so serious that Adriana couldn''t even bring herself to question him. "Go deep into that sewer, and you''ll find your sister there." "My sister? Why would she be there¡­" "It''s difficult to explain everything. Adriana, do you care about your sister?" "Yes? Y-yes, of course." Adriana was grateful and thankful to Loyar, who treated her with care even though she found everything bothersome. She now thought of Loyar as family. There was no reason to dislike someone who protected and cherished her unconditionally. "Follow the sewer and find your sister. And tell her never to come back here." "I don''t understand¡­ what you''re saying¡­" But Daibun had already manipulated something on the wall, revealing a hidden secret passage within the basement. Why on earth was there something like this in the basement of the Rotary Club? It was as if someone had intentionally created it for someone to escape. Adriana couldn''t tell. Daibun stared at Adriana with wide eyes, as if there wasn''t much time to explain. "After you tell my sister, get out of the sewer quickly. You must get out quickly. After you deliver the message, do not be with her. Never." -Thump -Creak Upstairs, ominous thudding sounds and the creaking of doors opening could already be heard. "Adriana, after delivering the message, you must part with your sister before nightfall." Daibun grasped both of Adriana''s shoulders, as if to emphasize not to forget, and repeated the words once more. ------ Adriana didn''t think she knew much about the Rotary Club. She simply did her part in that place, and she considered herself to be just beginning to learn about the true work of the Rotary Club. However, Adriana suddenly realized that she truly knew nothing. She didn''t know why there was a secret passage in the basement of the Rotary Club headquarters. "Hah... Hah..." All Adriana did was run. She didn''t know why Ellen had come to the Rotary Club headquarters with soldiers, or what exactly they were asking about. She didn''t know what Loyar was doing in the underground sewer. Why was she being told to deliver the message to Loyar and then part ways before nightfall? Adriana knew nothing. Fearing that dangerous events might unfold for everyone, Adriana ran and ran to carry out the desperate request Daibun had made. The secret passage wasn''t very long. Adriana gently pushed up something like a manhole cover and emerged outside. Instead of the main street, a forest thick with trees appeared. Since it was an exit that wouldn''t be noticed by human eyes, Adriana ran towards the main street visible in the distance. CH 433 Adriana possessed physical abilities far beyond those of ordinary people, which allowed her to reach the Bronze Gate Tower quickly. However, the sun was slowly setting. Daibun had said that she had to part ways with Loyar once night fell. Although the reason was unknown, it was certain that she had to meet Loyar before nightfall. Before the Rotary Club''s occupation, they had been living for a long time beneath the Bronze Gate Tower, one of the many large bridges in the Imperial Capital. The Bronze Gate Tower, now devoid of the candy peddlers, had regained its original appearance as a pleasant walkway that people were beginning to avoid. Adriana could see the long passage leading under the Bronze Gate Tower and beneath the bridge. There was no sign forbidding entry, and during the Rotary Club''s occupation, the area was always teeming with beggars, so people didn''t bother entering. Yet even with the beggars gone, the deep, dark sewer opening invoked an innate sense of fear in people. No one would willingly enter such a place. What was her sister doing in such a place? And did all members of the Rotary Club know about this? Adriana chose a different path from the many strolling people, walking toward the sewer. With the departure of the Rotary Club, the makeshift houses made of patched-up boards had all been demolished. The sewer, where beggars used to huddle together and vomit from cheap alcohol, was now clean as if no such vermin had ever resided there. The Rotary Club members had lived here for quite some time. How did they endure the sweltering summers and freezing winters? Even in this urgent situation, Adriana couldn''t help but worry about them. In the heat and cold, these people with nowhere else to turn huddled together and relied on each other to overcome the hardships. It was Loyar whom they all trusted and depended on. In the already sorrowful life of the beggars, when gangsters threatened and belittled them, Loyar always protected the club members. Eventually, Loyar became so fearsome that no one dared to mess with the Rotary Club members. Before she knew it, Adriana had ventured deep into the sewer, where not even a single lantern shone. As the surroundings were pitch-black, Adriana summoned a sphere of light and slowly walked into the sewer. The sewer was not a straight path. It was long and vast, but there were branching sections, and Adriana couldn''t tell where Loyar might be. She couldn''t help but be astonished at the existence of such a massive underground waterway beneath the Imperial Capital. There was no reason to imagine something she couldn''t see. In this lengthy and vast sewer, Loyar was somewhere. What on earth was she doing here? Fearing that she might lose her way, Adriana decided to move only forward, considering her return. That way, when it was time to go back, she would only have to go straight back. The orb of light could not illuminate the entirety of the vast sewer system. As time went on, Adriana could not help but grow increasingly anxious. It had been close to sunset when they entered, so night would fall soon. She had to find Loyar quickly. Judging by Daibun''s expression, there was a clear connection between night and Loyar. How long had she been walking? "Adriana?" A distant echo came from somewhere within the sewer. Undoubtedly, it was Loyar''s voice. "Sister?" Adriana''s words were met with a distant stir. "Adriana, why are you here..." A figure approached, illuminated by the light orb Adriana held. Now, thanks to Adriana''s diligent grooming and care, a clean and well-maintained Loyar walked towards her. "How did you know to come here?" Loyar, who had come closer, couldn''t hide her puzzled expression as she gently touched Adriana''s face. "There were lots of soldiers at the club. I don''t know what''s going on... but Daibun said I''d find you here." "Daibun? How did that guy...? And what do you mean, soldiers?" Loyar tilted her head, seemingly unable to understand what she was hearing. "I don''t know. Daibun said... not to go back to the club under any circumstances. That''s what he said." "Don''t go back? And what about the soldiers?" "I don''t know. Ellen was with heavily armed soldiers, questioning the club members. So Daibun sent me through the secret passage in the club''s basement, telling me to pass on the message..." Although Adriana didn''t know the whole story, it was Loyar who seemed even more unable to understand the situation. "A secret passage? Why is there one in the headquarters?" "...You didn''t know?" No, how could her sister not know! Despite the urgency of the situation, Adriana wanted to scream. "And... after I deliver the message, I should part ways with you quickly... before nightfall..." At those words, Loyar''s expression hardened. As if now, everything that had been incomprehensible suddenly made sense. "Ah... those bastards... they knew everything all along..." Watching Loyar''s expression, a mix of helplessness, loss, and a surge of overwhelming emotion, Adriana could feel some kind of passion, even though she didn''t fully understand the situation. Adriana wiped her face several times. She saw moisture shimmering at the corners of Loyar''s eyes. Just as Daibun had done, Loyar now gripped Adriana''s shoulders. "Yes, Adriana. I can''t explain in detail, but I understood well enough what you''re telling me. So, as Daibun said, leave here quickly. And don''t go back to the club either." "Sister, what''s going on? What... what''s happening?" Adriana trembled with an indiscernible fear. "Adriana, you should not know. It''s better not to know about such things." Loyar lowered her head in response to Adriana''s question. "Not knowing is better for you." "Big sister... I''m scared. Are we... never going to see each other again?" Unaware of the cause, she loses something. Olivia was almost sacrificed in the nameless monastery for reasons unknown even to herself. Now, Adriana began to sob, not knowing the reason, and fearing that she might not see the people she had just grown close to, and even Loyar, again. Loyar''s eyes were filled with determination. As if trying to forcefully suppress and swallow some boiling emotion. "Go! There''s no time to take care of a child like you!" "Bu-but, big sister..." Seeing Loyar''s anger for the first time, Adriana stepped back a few paces. "Hurry... Hurry up and go... Night is coming... When night falls... I won''t recognize you anymore..." What was it about the night? Adriana didn''t understand what Loyar was saying. Something terrifying was happening. Now that the chain of events had begun, the only thing Adriana had to do was run away. From all of this. And from Loyar, who was about to face the night. Soon, Adriana could see Loyar''s expression contort in agony as she tried to send her away. "Damn... Damn it." As if sensing something. From the darkness behind them, a soft voice echoed through the sewers. ¡°I found you here.¡± Inside the white light Adriana had created, someone was walking towards them. ¡°Auntie.¡± The cloak of the sun god. Ellen Artorius, wielding the sword of the Moon God, was slowly approaching them. Loyar stared at the approaching Ellen with wide eyes. Adriana could see it too. Ellen was surrounded by an aura like blue mist, and the divine sword of the Moon God, Lament, seemed to be burning with blue flames. "Sword... Master?" Adriana mumbled, her voice drained of energy. "You... You monster... When did you get there...?" Loyar was just as astonished. "I have many questions. About things I haven''t tried to find out until now, things I thought were strange but didn''t ask... Now I''m going to ask." Ellen quietly stared at Loyar, who had beaten her down countless times. "So, you have to be honest with me." As if prepared for a fight but not making the first move, Ellen spoke to Loyar while maintaining her Aura Sword and Aura Armor. Loyar stared silently at Ellen. She had thought that this monster''s growth rate surpassed that of a criminal or even a genius. But to have become a Sword Master already. And from her gaze and demeanor, it seemed she was already certain of something. The younger sister of the hero. Ellen Artorius. Could she escape? No. Loyar''s intuition told her. Escape was impossible. Not because of Ellen''s skills. Time was drawing near. "Little black-haired girl." Addressing someone who had already crossed the line into the realm of the inhuman, a precious person to her lord. "Defeat me." "¡­?" "Defeat me, no matter what." Ellen furrowed her brow at Loyar''s strange words. Still in a daze, Adriana''s shoulder was grasped by Loyar. And then¡ª -Whoosh! "Ah, sister!" "!" Loyar threw Adriana towards Ellen, who hastily unsummoned Lament and caught her. Loyar knew that the lord had gone far away for a dangerous task. But Loyar couldn''t go with him. Born with a fate to fall into an unrecognizable madness every full moon night, she could not follow Valier. Would her cursed fate become the lord''s curse as well? Ellen didn''t understand what Loyar was saying. But, holding the bewildered Adriana, she summoned Lament again. "Sister¡­ why? Ellen, why¡­?" "Step back." Ellen silently looked at Loyar. The night of the full moon was approaching. -Groooowl "Grrr¡­ grrrrr¡­" Her snout elongated, and white fur began to sprout all over Loyar''s body. Adriana''s face turned pale at the sight, and Ellen clenched her teeth. "The White¡­ Beast¡­ Lycan¡­ Sloth¡­" The white beast that had appeared during the Demon King''s assault. Lycan Sloth. There was no stronger evidence than this. Taking the long and winding road. Connecting the countless events of the past. At last. Ellen reached a clear conclusion. "¡­" A tear fell from Ellen''s eye. "Ah, sis¡­ sister¡­?" Adriana realized what she had heard as she watched Loyar transform into Lycan Sloth. The reason Loyar had occasionally been absent for days. Tonight was the night of the full moon. The one she had given her heart and will to was not human. -Growl "Grrrrr¡­" Seeing the transformed Loyar as the white beast, Ellen''s tears continued to flow, her eyes full of determination. "But, it can''t¡­ it can''t be¡­ why¡­ why¡­" Adriana too, began to cry in terror and horror, trembling in shock. Defeat me. Ellen understood what those words meant. "Senior, step back." It must have meant that she didn''t want to hurt Adriana. The person who had always beaten her and tried to kill her at first sight. Ellen Artorius finally understood what her killing intent had been. Then why. Why indeed. Some questions were answered, but the answers only led to more questions. -Grrrrrr. The low growling of the white beast echoed ominously throughout the sewer. Ellen took a deep breath, facing the white beast that had revealed its true form, a form it could no longer hide. The white beast had lost its reason. "Ma''am¡­" Facing Lycan Sloth, who crouched and prepared to charge. Irene''s hunting dog. No. Great River Irene. The white wolf of that place. The white wolf of the Great River. "Things will be different now." Swordmaster Ellen Artorius raised her sword. CH 434 The Quantum Maze can be breached. However, it was uncertain if Archlich and Antirianus would be able to enter Akasha after breaking through the Quantum Maze. The important thing was that there were no plans to let them reach the entrance of Akasha. I wasn''t sure if I could even gain a slight advantage against the archmage. But what mattered was the Alsbringer, which made me stronger the stronger my opponent was. And Tiamata, a relic optimized for battles against the undead. With Eleris''s assistance on top of that. By overcoming these two obstacles, I would reach the end of this story. The Gate Incident would not occur. The Demon King would quietly disappear. Adopting the name Reinhardt as my true name, I would spend the remainder of my time. Eliminating one by one the seeds of chaos sown throughout the empire and the continent. Uprooting each and every possibility of turmoil I had spread, and those that had spread because of me. I would find peace of mind through the world''s peace. Although I still didn''t know how to resolve the many twisted relationships and lies, I believed that somehow, it would work out. I needed to think more about whether I should tell the truth to those who would feel betrayed by me, and if so, how to tell them. Now that I knew that doing nothing was the best course of action, I hoped for everything to converge peacefully as I remedied the situations I had set in motion. With a start, Eleris and I opened the door of Akasha. A long, long corridor. Someone was standing in the middle of the Quantum Maze. As if he had been waiting. "You''ve already arrived, great one." The old vampire smiled at me, holding a skull in his right hand. "It seems you already know everything..." Like we knew about Akasha, it appeared that Antirianus had also learned about Akasha. But before that, the skull held in Antirianus''s right hand. I narrowed my eyes as I looked at it. "Antirianus, what is that?" "Ah, are you asking about this...?" Antirianus threw it toward me. It felt more like he was rolling it rather than attacking. The skull rolled to my feet. "Do you understand if I say it belonged to the Archlich?" "It was the remnant of the leader of Cantus Magna we were searching for. The skull of Lukren." As soon as the skull touched my feet, it crumbled into dust and disappeared. The black dust into which the skull had transformed didn''t look ordinary. "Antirianus, what do you want?" At Eleris''s hostile tone, the elder bowed his head slightly. "Sadly, everyone in the Council... misunderstands me. Of course, I understand why..." "..." "I don''t really have any such intentions." The purpose behind the elder''s smile remained inscrutable. "If there is anything, I told you before." "Joy." "I am prepared to enjoy both your success and your failure, so I am entirely willing to cooperate with you." ¡°In that situation, I had to briefly hold Lukren''s hand in order to find out what Akasha was and where it was located. I had no intention of betraying you." "So I found out what Akasha was and got rid of the now-useless Lukren." "I came here to locate Akasha, and I have no interest in such trivial matters as becoming a god." Antirianus looked at me with a cold smile. Amusement. Was that the only reason for his cooperation, and he had no interest in possessing a powerful artifact like Akasha? It was hard to believe, but Antirianus seemed to be genuine as he looked at me and Eleris with a smile. "I believe the world is interesting because it''s unpredictable," he said. "In a world where I can control everything and everything goes according to plan, what interest or pleasure could I find?" "Becoming a god in some world would be like a child''s sand play, just on a larger scale." "Your Excellency." "I enjoy stories where waves and tidal waves crash into sandcastles built by children, and storms rage." "I like stories where a desperate child, trying to protect their painstakingly built sandcastle, either achieves something or sinks into the depths of despair, unable to do anything." "I want to see stories that are unpredictable, but enjoyable just by watching." "However, I cannot tolerate a skeleton lost in the delusion of becoming a god trying to steal the ending of such a story." "I hope you will take Akasha." "You don''t seem to be the type to indulge in the desire to become a god. You seem to love more human, emotional, and trivial matters." "I enjoy stories of people risking their lives for such trivial things." "Your Excellency." "Please tell me a story that is either exceedingly joyous or exceedingly despairing." Antirianus bowed his head to me. Insane. That was the only thought that came to mind. He wanted to help me find out what Akasha was, offer it to me, and then assist me in whatever I did afterward out of curiosity. My despair as well. My happiness too. It was a story that would surely be entertaining, and he intended to derive pleasure from simply observing it. Eleris bit her lip, seemingly at a loss for words, as she looked at Antirianus''s sincere but mad attitude. "You''ve gone mad from the boredom of time, Antirianus." "Didn''t I tell you before, Lady of the Fire?" Antirianus''s eerie vampire eyes shone. "After living for an absurdly long time, how could I possibly be sane?" He had achieved everything he wanted, possessed everything he desired. Yet he didn''t want to die, so he became a vampire and lived for an unbearably long time since then. Thus, now devoid of even desire, he found pleasure in witnessing the joy or despair of others. "Of course, the screams and pleas of Lukren before his death provided me with great amusement. The death of an old undead who could not fulfill his long-held desire and faced a meaningless end..." "Merely watching it brought me immeasurable joy." Antirianus looked at me. "Of course, I am not fit to partake in the pleasure of carrying out such acts. An old, worn-out wretch like myself is not suited for the role of a protagonist." Antirianus had been helpful so far. This level of madness was, rather, reassuring. He had no reason to claim the Akasha, nor anything he wanted to do with it. I couldn''t even be angry at his excessive malice, which was content to just watch my success or failure and snicker in the background. "Anyway, Antirianus, are you saying you''ll be on my side?" "You shouldn''t trust me too much, of course. I am capable of both actions for your happiness and actions for your misfortune." His honesty, bordering on repulsiveness, left me speechless. Antirianus had killed Archlich. The legacy of Cantus Magna was completely severed. Antirianus still had his head bowed. "If you cannot trust me, you may use the sacred relic of purity to strike my neck. O, exalted being." "..." As if to show he would not resist, Antirianus offered his neck. If he couldn''t witness my end, would he really risk his life? Should I kill him? Madness is unpredictable. Antirianus betrayed us at the critical moment and reached the place where the Akasha was in a single stride. We arrived first and understood the truth, but we couldn''t know if he tried to take the Akasha for himself. We couldn''t know the future, nor what Antirianus was thinking. However, he had been a great help so far. Incomprehensible madness can become trustworthy when it exceeds an unfathomable level. A madman this far gone wouldn''t change his mind for a petty motive. "¡­You madman." I decided to trust Antirianus''s madness. Yes. Let''s go together with this crazy old man. Until the very end. ------ Eleris was left behind with the Akasha. Naturally, since we couldn''t predict what Antirianus would do, we couldn''t let him near the Akasha. Antirianus was untrustworthy, but he had killed Archlich, a very dangerous problem. We didn''t know how far he would be on our side or when he would stab us in the back, but for now, he was lending us a hand. Antirianus was truly useful, and all he wanted from me was amusement. If a powerful existence like Antirianus fully cooperates in exchange for being an audience to my life, it''s not such a bad deal, is it? First, I had to meet Charlotte. And Ellen, too. I didn''t know how to explain the truth, and I wasn''t sure whether I should tell Charlotte about the existence of Akasha, but I had to see her first. Through Antirianus, I returned to the Imperial Palace by mass teleportation. There was certainly an issue about explaining how I disappeared from the Lich''s tomb and reappeared at the palace in some way. How should I go about revealing the deception I had played on everyone so far? Antirianus decided to head to the Lich''s tomb and report the details to the Vampire Council and the Black Order. "Will you be alright? They must think you''re a traitor by now." "I believe it''ll work out somehow." Wearing a snake-like smile, Antirianus disappeared into the shadows of the night. Well, is it time for me to worry about Antirianus? I walked through an alley in the Imperial Palace and went out to the street. If I successfully hide Akasha, I''ll have to rectify the deeds I''ve done as the Demon King. Gradually sorting out the affairs of the Devil''s Cult, one by one. I cannot know for certain whether I should complete Akasha and create a new world for the demons to migrate to. Sarkegaar would wholeheartedly agree with that plan. If I were to take the demons to the new world, and if my ability to control the demons becomes stronger than it is now, perhaps I could become a god-like being in the new world. A god-like being, what a tasteless thing. If I were to attempt such a thing, Antirianus might try to kill me out of boredom. I walked down the road, stood at the entrance of the temple, and as always, passed through the gate. But somehow... There was a different kind of unease than before. Everyone seemed to be... Looking at me. Particularly the guards, including those at the temple gate, watching me with an uneasy feeling. As soon as they saw me, their muscles tensed as if they were on edge. Suspicion. And doubt. Furthermore, fear. Because of this unease, when I passed through the gate and looked back, I encountered a strange sight. The guards had already moved to block my retreat. And then... "...Bertus?" Bertus, who had been sitting on a bench somewhere, slowly walked towards me. Why was Bertus here in the middle of this deep night? Bertus usually seemed to wear a slightly frivolous smile. Unmasked, he had a somewhat gloomy grin. But this Bertus was different. He wore a menacing and hardened expression, a look of Bertus I had never seen before. His face was full of fury beyond his control. Why? "I don''t understand." Bertus, surrounded by countless knights, looked at me. "I can''t comprehend this situation at all." Bertus spoke as he looked at me. "Why... is it you?" Confusion, anger, and a sense of betrayal mixed within Bertus, who seemed unable to understand the situation himself. Ah. That''s what it was. I felt something inside me shatter. Was it too late? No. Had it been like this from the beginning? Was it my destiny to reach the conclusion of everything and end up like this? Just one more step to go. Was it my destiny not to take that final step? "Capture him." At Bertus''s brief command, people moved. ------ My arms were bound, and my eyes were covered. But that wasn''t all. "They say he uses a power called the Word Magic. Gag him to prevent any nonsense," Bertus ordered curtly, and my mouth was sealed shut as well. The one consolation was that among my possessions, only the Flame of Tuesday had been taken away. I still had the invisible ring of Sarkegaar, which allowed me to maintain Reinhardt''s appearance. Since it was a tool for concealment and disguise, the Dreadfind tribe''s treasure would have been undetectable during a body search, as long as I didn''t remove it myself. I was dragged off to some unknown location by the knights. Something had gone wrong. I didn''t know to what extent they suspected me, but Bertus knew something. I had no idea how things had gone awry, but I had accumulated around 100,000 achievement points by now. Could I not resolve the situation with Word Magic? In some building within the temple, and a place presumed to be deep underground. Clink! Clink! The sound of rattling chains echoed. And there was no way I wouldn''t realize it when my blindfold was removed. Unraveling the suspicion was impossible. Grrrrrr...... Just like me, a Lycansloth, gagged, was confined within an iron-barred cell. Was it red fur? No. It was blood, and its original fur was white. A white Lycansloth, its entire body covered in blood. Clink! Clink! Bound by chains, the Lycansloth writhed and struggled with madness in its eyes. But no matter what kind of chain it was bound with, the chain only tightened and never broke. Loyar. And full moon. Even without knowing the specifics, there was no other way to understand it. Loyar had been captured. And Loyar had revealed her true form during the Demon King''s attack. "Do you need more explanation?" Bertus, standing beside me, asked coldly. Even if I didn''t know how we reached this point, the conclusion was clear. It was now confirmed that I was either a servant of the Demon King or the Demon King himself. Even so... I tried to use Word Magic. Even if they knew I was the Demon King, they would trust me. They would believe in my intentions. [The requested Word Magic operation cannot be performed.] It was decided that I would kneel before the mountain of lies I had built myself. So, of course, it was impossible. CH 435 The Temple. "..." Ellen lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. "It seems Reinhardt has... returned." "..." Charlotte, who had gone out for a brief chat, came back and told Ellen as much. Ellen had faced death several times in the battle against Loyar. Even as a Swordmaster, Lycansloth''s power, amplified by the full moon, was difficult to handle. Lament and Lapelt. Without the two relics, she might have been defeated. Battered and bruised, Ellen managed to subdue Lycansloth and dragged her unconscious body to the sewer entrance before passing out. The remaining tasks were taken care of by the soldiers and knights who had followed Ellen. The priests'' healing had improved her condition, but the exhaustion felt as if her body would break had not yet subsided. Adriana had been captured. Charlotte was told that she was not involved, but the outcome of the incident remained uncertain. The two pursued the truth and arrived at it in just two days. Collecting the scattered clues was not difficult. However, coping with the easily discovered truth was another matter. "Ellen." "Yes?" Unable to look Ellen in the eye, Charlotte asked hesitantly. "Is Reinhardt... the Demon King?" Ellen continued to stare at the ceiling. He might not be the Demon King, but Reinhardt could be the Demon King''s servant. Yet that once playful confession had now become the final puzzle piece. All the arrows of doubt and suspicion pointed at Reinhardt. "Yes." With her gaze unfocused, Ellen quietly replied. "That''s likely. I''m certain." Reinhardt was the Demon King. The Temple was silent. The news of the hero Reinhardt being suspected of being the Demon King and arrested was kept top secret. Those who knew even a little about the situation were tight-lipped. Moreover, the empire''s elite forces, including Saviolin Turner, who had gone to Darkland, returned after being called by the empire without finding the missing Reinhardt. Naturally, this included the Duke of Saint Owan and Harriet. Harriet, who had been pacing anxiously due to their failure to find the missing Reinhardt, turned pale beyond belief upon hearing the Duke of Saint Owan''s account after his audience with the Emperor. "W-What do you mean, Father...?" The Duke of Saint Owan was just as perplexed by the situation. "His Majesty said that the possibility of Reinhardt being the Demon King is very high..." "Wh...? What does that mean?" Harriet, who had never even considered such a thing, doubted her ears even though she had heard the words clearly. The Duke of Saint Owan briefly conveyed the investigation process of Charlotte and Ellen and Bertus'' final instructions that he had heard from the Emperor. Harriet was not so slow-witted as to be unable to understand the whole story. But she couldn''t believe it. "There must be some misunderstanding... There has to be. It can''t be true, Father. Reinhardt... Reinhardt is human. He''s a person... How could Reinhardt be...?" Shivering, Harriet was carefully embraced by the Grand Duke. "That''s right. If there''s a misunderstanding, it will be cleared up." "Yes, there must be some misunderstanding. Surely..." In her faint consciousness, Reinhardt''s last words echoed in Harriet''s head. ''I wanted to save everyone...'' There was no way that Reinhardt, who said such a thing, could be the Demon King. There was no way. But Harriet clearly remembered the presence beside Reinhardt at that moment, an entity with an unknown identity but possessing immense magical power. Harriet blankly watched as someone walked out from the central palace of Tetra. Saviolin Turner. Harriet saw Shanafel''s pale-faced commander exiting Tetra, staggering, and then collapsing on the spot. ¡°Commander!¡± ¡°Commander!¡± Numerous knights rushed to the Shanafel commander, who had collapsed with her legs giving out. It couldn''t be helped. It was an event that brought immense doubt, suspicion, and shock to everyone''s hearts. ¡ª--- I was gagged. My mouth was covered to prevent any mischief using the Word Magic. But because of that, I couldn''t make any excuses or say anything in my defense. Why I had done what I had done so far. What the reasons for my actions were. I wasn''t given even the slightest opportunity for defense or argument. I had done all this to prevent a potentially world-ending Gate incident, and now that I had found Akasha, I had achieved my goal. I wasn''t given the chance to say any of that. That I possessed the power of Word Magic. The greatest superpower had now become the worst curse for me. It was as if the Word Magic had been given to me just to make me unable to say anything in this situation. I couldn''t say anything for myself or for those who felt betrayed by me. Trapped in the dark underground, I couldn''t sense time, but I knew when day broke. Loyar returned in human form. Loyar was locked up in the iron bars opposite me. With the gag in his mouth, Loyar looked at me. "Ugh... W-... Wh... Why...?" Tears streamed down Loyar''s bulging eyes. Did she think it was her fault that I was caught? I don''t know. I don''t think so. The accumulation of incidents was bound to reach a critical point and explode, and it just so happened at this unfortunate timing. I didn''t know what I had to face, but once it had come to this, I just accepted it. It was bound to happen, so it happened. It felt like giving up. So, although I couldn''t speak, I shook my head at Loyar, who stared at me with wide eyes and cried. I had the freedom to move my head, at least. Was it your fault? I don''t think so. Did my feelings get through? Loyar didn''t stop crying but sobbed even louder with a more animal-like sound. Where was this place in the temple? I didn''t know. The Empire seemed to think it was better to keep me locked up in the temple rather than transporting me to the palace now that I had been captured in the temple. -Squeak, squeak Soon, the guards were replaced. They must have been knights from Shanafel and mages from the Royal Magic Corps. Just yesterday, they had been on a mission with me, and now they were here to monitor me, accused of being the Demon King. In just a day, it was as if the world had turned upside down, and everything had changed. Two sets of iron bars. Soon, I found out who was watching me and Loyar from the closest distance. Saviolin Turner. She stared down at me, bound and slumped within the iron bars. She seemed unable to comprehend the situation yet. "Reinhardt." "..." She called my name from beyond the iron bars. "Are you the Demon King?" I was gagged, so I couldn''t say anything. Perhaps it was better this way. Yes, I am the Demon King. Or deny it, even in this situation. I didn''t want to say anything with my own mouth. Saviolin Turner stared at me with wide eyes from beyond the iron bars. "Could it be... Even saving the princess..." "..." That''s right. It couldn''t be helped that she would come to such a conclusion. In the chain of events, even my act of saving Charlotte... It must have seemed like an action to maintain the existence of the soul of the previous Demon King. All the actions I took to protect someone under the pretense of saving everyone eventually turned into arrows aimed at me. Although I could understand that thought process intellectually. There was nothing I could do about the despair and misery that engulfed me. ------ Of course, I wasn''t just confined and monitored. "The dispel isn''t working." "Indeed, otherwise, it should have been lifted the moment he crossed the Temple Gate." He must have deduced that I was transforming. Saviolin Turner, having heard the mage''s report, stared at me intently. "Did you use some sort of polymorph magic...?" The ring of Sarkegaar, specialized in disguise, remained undetected even by the mages'' magic. Saviolin Turner continued to watch me, as if wanting to believe that I was merely human. However, she knew that my guardian was the unmistakable Lycansloth, the Demon Lord''s minion. And with two relics in my possession, I couldn''t be treated as merely a servant of the Demon Lord. If not at the level of the Demon Lord, the perception that one couldn''t possess two relics must have existed. ------ How much time had passed? Did the Council and the Black Order know about my current state? What would happen if they found out? In a state where I couldn''t sense time properly, I soon faced the inevitable. "Your Highness..." I heard Saviolin Turner speak to someone with a worried voice. Soon, someone''s silhouette appeared in front of the iron bars. It was Charlotte. She stared at me intently. "Open it." "Your Highness, I can''t." "Open it." Charlotte said it only twice. Unable to resist her strong will, Saviolin Turner opened the iron gate with a grimace. Charlotte, still bound, kneeled down in front of me, who was also sitting hesitantly. She looked at me. I couldn''t gauge the depth of the swirling emotions or the depth of the betrayal in her eyes. Charlotte asked me as she stared. "You''ve lied to me so much up until now." "..." "So at least this time, just this once... Be honest. Just once. Just this once... Tell me the truth." Charlotte looked at me. Even in this situation, she kneeled before me, begging for the truth. "Is it...true?" She didn''t ask what was true, but I knew what she meant. Was it true that I was the child who escaped the Demon Lord''s castle with her? Was I the Demon Lord? That''s what she was asking. Should I deny it? Should I continue to lie even now when everything has come to light? There''s no way to escape, and the truth that I am the Demon Lord is bound to be revealed. There''s no way to return to how things were before, without suspicion. I have deceived Charlotte up until now. I have lied to her more than anyone else. And now that everything has ended, should I continue with another threadbare lie? No. I''m tired now. I''m worn out from piling up lies. I looked at Charlotte. If I lied even now, an even greater sense of betrayal would return. Denying it here and now, it seemed like something irreversible would happen. It was too late. I couldn''t keep piling up misunderstandings. I nodded, my mouth still gagged. "I... Why... What did I do wrong to you?" There was nothing like that. "Why me? Why only me? Why did you have to torment me like this? Did you hate me that much? I understand that the Empire destroyed the Demon Realm and you wanted revenge... But why... Why did I have to go through all this? You know how much I''ve thought about you and cared for you. But was it all just part of your plan for me to forget you and rely on you again?" I wanted to save you. "Using the soul of the Demon King within me, what did you want to do? Yes, it was strange. Somehow. I felt like something was going on, so I asked to be taken to the palace of spring, you appeared just in time to prevent my rampage, and all of that... It was possible because you were the son of the Demon King, right? From the beginning, you knew everything that was happening to me..." I couldn''t say a word about the puzzle I was trying to piece together alone. If my lips were unsealed, could I have said something? Did I have anything to say to the question of why I hadn''t spoken sooner? If I suddenly can speak, they would probably think I''m telling another lie since I''ve already been exposed. "Did you plan on marrying me... If we had gotten married... would you have thought you could swallow the empire...?" Yes. I could have thought that far. The engagement to protect you back then could be seen as a conspiracy of the Demon King trying to swallow the empire through marriage with the eliminated princess of the imperial competition. It was Bertus who proposed the engagement with the princess, but I accepted it. A Demon King who swallows the empire, not rebuilding the demon world, but making the enemy his own. It seemed like a plausible plan, even in my own thoughts. Of course, there was no such intention at all. So, by becoming the guardian knight of the princess and preventing that situation, Ellen would become the hero of the empire? "Did I... do so much... so much... wrong to you?" She had been used by me from beginning to end. From the escape of the Demon King''s castle, meeting her at the temple, becoming friends with her, taking on the role of a messenger, and countless lies built up while dealing with Charlotte. All of this could only be understood as part of my ambition to swallow the empire. So, Charlotte stood before me, trembling with the tremors of betrayal, unable to cry properly. "You should have killed me... You should have just killed me..." "..." "If you were going to make me more miserable than death... You should have just killed me..." The person who saved her was, in fact, the Demon King. And now, knowing that it was the Demon King, she had come to rely on someone else, who was also the Demon King. She couldn''t help but think she had been deceived all along. "Did you enjoy it... playing with me like that... when I smiled at you, unknowingly... crying in front of you... all those moments... were they fun...?" Charlotte looked at me. Her empty gaze stared at me. "Did you find it unbearable to laugh at all those moments when I tried to rely on you, not knowing that I was being used and not knowing that my enemy was right in front of me?" No. Right now, I find my own situation more ridiculous than anything. I have brought about all of this, stirring up what should have been left alone, and now the catastrophe of everything is right before my eyes. My current state is ridiculous. "I wish you... in the world... would die in the most miserable way possible..." Charlotte muttered blankly. "I wish you couldn''t find peace even in death, and were stuck in a place like the bottom of hell, suffering eternally... I wish that would happen..." Charlotte cursed me. What did I do so wrong? Charlotte kept saying that in front of me. That was what I wanted to say. What did I do so wrong...? CH 436 Supported by the knights, Charlotte hobbled her way back to the surface, where two people awaited her. Ellen and Harriet were waiting. A temporary prison-like space had been set up inside the temple to hold the students who had caused the incident. In the vicinity, the highest-ranking mages from the Shanafel and the Royal Magic Division were on high alert. To put it simply, the security was so tight that not even an ant could enter. The temporary detention facility where Reinhardt was being held had even stricter security than the Central Palace Tetra, where the Emperor resided. Harriet still couldn''t believe the situation unfolding before her, while Ellen maintained a calm expression. However, she didn''t say a word, hiding her true emotions. When Charlotte said they could go in together, Ellen shook her head. She refused, saying she didn''t know what to say to Reinhardt. Charlotte spoke with lifeless eyes. "Reinhardt is... the Demon King." "Lies... No. It can''t be. Why would Reinhardt...?" Harriet''s lips trembled, shaking her head vigorously. Charlotte didn''t say anything to Harriet, who was denying reality. Ellen supported Charlotte as they walked. Ellen didn''t say a word until the end. Unable to turn away, Harriet stared at the detention facility where Reinhardt was being held. Reinhardt had admitted to being the Demon King himself. Why? What did it mean when he said he wanted to protect everyone? Harriet stood there as if nailed to the spot, staring at the temporary detention building with its tight security for a long time. "No... no, Reinhardt... no..." Harriet mumbled as if she were in a trance. There were many things she wanted to ask Reinhardt. What were all the things he had done so far? What did he want, after all? But Harriet wasn''t even allowed to meet Reinhardt on her own. ¡ª--- "..." "..." Emperor Nelliod de Gardias and Crown Prince Bertus de Gardias sat facing each other, not saying a word. Reinhardt. The one they thought was the hope of the empire turned out to be the Demon King. All this time, the actions he took to save Charlotte were in fact part of the Demon King''s plan to devour the empire. "We underestimated Darkland and the new Demon King too much." "..." The Emperor remained silent at Bertus''s words. "I almost sold the empire to the Demon King." Even when it came to the engagement, it was Bertus who proposed it, not Reinhardt. Was this what it felt like to have your insides churn? Unknowingly, he almost handed the empire over to the Demon King on a silver platter. The hero who saved Charlotte de Gardias several times. That''s why they agreed to the engagement with the First Princess, thinking that it would guarantee her safety. But it was all part of the Demon King''s plan. Disguised as a hero, he accumulated numerous achievements to outshine Bertus de Gardias, the influential heir to the throne, and become Emperor. No, there could have been a way to make Charlotte the Empress. Instead of rebuilding the collapsed demon realm, he would devour an existing empire. The Emperor and First Prince couldn''t help but be both amazed and horrified by the Demon King''s unthinkable plan, which almost came to fruition. "With the power of the demon realm in his hands, he could have easily created fake achievements, even claiming to have defeated the Demon King himself. Then... that flimsy plan might have come true." "..." Everything had been meticulously calculated. The soul of the Demon King was implanted in Charlotte. The rescue, timed to coincide with the erosion, and the belief instilled in the royal family that no one but Reinhardt could calm Charlotte''s condition. A kind of revenge that didn''t destroy the enemy, but made them his own. Clearly, Reinhardt had the power to realize that plan. Both Bertus and the Emperor felt the cold steel of a blade pressed against their necks. Not only Bertus, but Reinhardt also had seen the emperor alone several times because of the importance of his presence. There were always options to kill the Emperor and cause chaos in the empire. However, he had endured all and withstood the moments of small revenge for a bolder goal. What a transcendent patience, mental strength, and strong-willed being he was. Unaware of the truth, the two believed that Reinhardt''s actions had been carried out under the guise of revenge. That''s why, after they knew that the Demon King had infiltrated the temple, they felt terror at his propulsion, becoming the Princess''s closest confidant and even her fianc¨¦ in just over a year. They had thought him a petty force they could eliminate at any time, but the Demon King was not plotting from afar, but right by their side. Swallowing the empire, not destroying it, while nurturing his ambitions. ¡°And considering those who were close to Reinhardt, like Ellen Artorius, Olivia Lanze, and Harriet de Saint-Owan... it might have been possible for him to push me out as well.¡± The hero''s younger sister. The Saint of the Five Great Divine Religions. And Harriet de Saint-Owan had used a great magic to block the falling meteor, surpassing even the most powerful archmage. Considering what the three of them could do and their influence, it was a catastrophe for the empire itself that they had become the Demon King''s people. Of course, it was true that Ellen Artorius played a crucial role in revealing the Demon King''s identity. If Ellen and Charlotte hadn''t properly uncovered the traces of the Demon King, it would have been entirely possible for the disguised Demon King to swallow the empire. Both Bertus and the Emperor were mentally distraught. Because an unimaginable event had occurred. ¡°What to do about the disposal is worrisome.¡± And the most important problem remained. They had caught the Demon King. But this was both the end of one matter and the beginning of a tremendous dilemma. The most important first question. Would they reveal to the world that Reinhardt was, in fact, the Demon King? ¡°Even if we set aside the reason why the Demon King could receive the choice of two sacred artifacts, it could still cause a schism in the Divine Church.¡± ¡°Yes, indeed...¡± The gods are right. If Als and Tu¡¯an chose the Demon King, then the conclusion could be drawn that the Demon King was a just being. ¡°While we could claim that the Demon King used wicked means to steal the sacred artifacts, the masses might believe that story, but ultimately, there would be great chaos within the Als and Tu¡¯an sects.¡± ¡°The problem is not only the followers of the Demon King, but also the possibility of some within the Divine Church becoming demon worshipers.¡± Bertus and the Emperor''s faces were filled with gloom. Some in the Divine Church might follow the Demon King. If that happened, it was only natural that it would cause great chaos across the continent, though not all of the followers would necessarily convert. ¡°We could publicly execute the Demon King and announce that there are no more Archdemons left in the world to stabilize the public sentiment... but that seems too risky.¡± "Indeed. We''ve captured the Demon King, but we still haven''t captured the remnants. And since the Demon King was able to infiltrate the temple, we don''t know to what extent his influence has spread..." There were two pressing issues. The extent of the Demon King''s influence remained uncertain. A public execution would inevitably provoke a rescue operation by the remnants. With the presence of the Archdemon being absolute, any demon loyal to the Demon Realm would risk their life for the mission to save the Demon King. And thirdly, The Demon King''s plan wasn''t solely to engulf the empire. "It''s almost certain that the series of events that unfolded in the Lich''s Tomb are related to the Demon King''s influence." "Is that so?" "Grand Duke Saint Owan, who was involved in the last incident, accompanied Roswin on an expedition to the Lich''s Tomb." The emperor had read the compiled reports from Saviolin Turner and Grand Duke Saint Owan. "We don''t know for certain yet, but it''s believed that the conflict was over a magical artifact called ''Akasha.'' Both Roswin and the tomb''s master mentioned it." "Akasha...?" "We can''t be sure. From what we''ve observed, many high-ranking vampires and magicians were present, and it''s believed that Roswin knows Akasha''s whereabouts. However, one of the Demon King''s factions betrayed him and seemed to attempt to seize Akasha... I don''t know if the Demon King failed or succeeded in securing it." "What is Akasha?" "I don''t know." The emperor added with a shake of his head. "But according to Turner''s report, it''s an object that can make one a god.''" As absurd as it sounded, the struggle for possession of this object had caused great turmoil. A phenomenon where the moon appeared dozens of times larger, and colossal magic that seemed to belong to a mythological era. If such entities would risk their lives for this object, the claim must be true. "Whatever Akasha is, we can''t kill the Demon King carelessly at this point. Whether it''s in the hands of the Demon King or his underlings, it would be a problem." Just as the Senior Valier had foreseen. None can bear to have a weapon capable of destroying them in the hands of their enemy. As Luna Artorius had said, It wasn''t because of greed for Akasha, but because of fear. The empire, now knowing of Akasha, could not help but desire it. ¡ª--- In the end, the Demon King must die someday, but he was not an entity that could be killed immediately. Bertus headed to the prison where Reinhardt was incarcerated in the Temple. Reinhardt was the Demon King. This fact had cast doubt on things that had never been questioned before and gave birth to numerous suspicions. However, some questions had been resolved. It was utterly meaningless in understanding the situation, but he now completely understood one thing that had been incomprehensible. Cross-dressing. Reinhardt had never been quiet in the first place. However, it was astonishing that the Demon King had gone as far as to cross-dress while infiltrating the temple, where even being quiet wasn''t enough. Bertus arrived at a simple conclusion from this inexplicable behavior. Could it be that the Demon King was originally a woman? In other words, she was not the prince of Darkland, but the princess. It was evident that the Demon King possessed the ability to change and disguise her body. Therefore, she used Charlotte, who possessed the soul of the Demon King, and initially assumed the appearance of a man to win her heart. It was unclear whether the Demon King had enrolled in the temple to make use of Charlotte de Gardias, but she must have judged that assuming a male appearance would be more advantageous than a female one. That''s why she took on Reinhardt''s appearance and moved around. But having been in a male form for so long, she must have felt stifled and desired to return to her original appearance. Perhaps she expressed this inner desire through the bizarre method of participating in a cross-dressing competition. Without such a thought, Bertus could not fathom why the Demon King would need to participate in a cross-dressing contest. ''Come to think of it, she got along better with the female students... Was that why?'' Although the relationship between demons and humans was ultimately sinister, it wasn''t incomprehensible that she would prefer to mingle with the female students if she felt more comfortable with them. With all these thoughts in mind, Bertus was finally able to draw a conclusion about the Demon King''s irritating cross-dressing, which had brought him nothing but trouble. The Demon King was a princess. With that, everything was explained. She had been plotting to plunder the empire using the princess on the surface, but deep down, she didn''t want to forget her true self, so she did such things. It seemed... "..." Bertus stopped thinking. CH 437 The chains that bound the Demon King were no ordinary chains. These chains, designed to restrain powerful criminals or magic beasts, blocked all magic attempts made by the captive. Casting spells. Magic Body Strengthening. Or using artifacts. Hence, the Demon King could not use any type of power except for physical strength or uncontrollable Supernatural abilities. And of course, the numerous knights and wizards stationed within the prison would not idly watch the Demon King''s escape. In case of an emergency, using Supernatural tricks. To prepare for that situation and listen to the testimonies, Bertus was doing what he had to do. -Crackling! Sizzling! "Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Uuuugh!" Bertus watched as Reinhardt writhed in pain alongside Saviolin Turner. Already for about three hours. With bloodshot eyes, Reinhardt endured the magic without passing out, his entire body trembling. -Clank! Clank! -Uuuh! Ugh! Ugh! Behind him, a white-haired woman with disheveled hair was also writhing. Although she was not subjected to any magic, she wept as if Reinhardt''s pain was her own. Reinhardt writhed in agony, and the white-haired woman felt his pain as her own, crying like a beast. How much time had passed? Bertus watched as Reinhardt''s pain ended and his body relaxed. The archmage of the Royal Magic Corps, who had cast numerous spells up to now, lowered his head. It was a pointless torture so far. "None of the mental magic is working." "¡­Is that so?" "It feels like a massive barrier¡­ as if protected by a divine force... Ah, I misspoke. I apologize, Your Highness." "He is said to be chosen by a god. It''s not a lie." Now that they knew the Demon King had the power of Word Magic, they couldn''t haphazardly remove his gag. They wanted to completely break his mind and brainwash him to get information, but the Demon King''s mind was sturdy. As if protected by a colossal force, there was no way to invade or even find a small gap in the Demon King''s mind. "Then ask the one over there." Bertus pointed to the opposite iron bars. Following his order, the door to the cell across the iron bars was opened, and Turner personally removed the gag from Loyar''s mouth. Turner found it painful to see the traces of her desperate crying. "What is Akasha?" "¡­I don''t know." "Too obvious an answer." "¡­I don''t know. I don''t." Loyar had hidden away during the Full Moon Night. As such, she hadn''t gone to the Tomb of the Lich and knew even less about Akasha than the Empire did. "Let''s test whether her mind is as sturdy. Begin." "Yes, Your Highness." The mental magic inflicted upon Reinhardt now began to affect Loyar. -Crackling! Sizzling! "Kkkuuuuh¡­ Uuuuuugh!" Loyar''s supernatural strength had long surpassed the level of ordinary criminals. But the one touching her mind now wasn''t a common torturer or heretic inquisitor found anywhere. It was an archmage who had specialized in mental magic, among the best of the best human magicians. A venerable archmage who would have no reason to deal with such vulgar tasks as directly torturing someone''s mind. In other words, an existence so proficient in mental magic that they had no reason to engage in such matters for the sake of insignificant clinical data. Loyar''s mind could not be safe from that touch. "Ugh, ugh... ugh..." Her mind completely shattered, drooling saliva from the corner of her mouth, the white-haired woman stood devoid of any presence, as Bertus inquired. "What is Akasha?" "An artifact... that collects... infinite... magic..." Finally, Loyar spits out the truth she knows. "Collecting magic? I heard it can grant you power like that of a god?" "I don''t know... I... don''t know more than that..." Another keyword: collecting magic. In her broken state, it was unlikely she would lie. This woman clearly knew nothing about Akasha. In the end, Bertus had to remove Reinhardt''s gag and make him speak. Bertus looked past the broken white-haired woman and towards the back. "..." While Loyar was subjected to mental torture, Reinhardt had not uttered a word. But Bertus couldn''t help but be surprised when he saw Reinhardt. Like Loyar, who had wept at the sight of her lord''s agony, Reinhardt was also crying with the gag clenched in his teeth. His tears were red. Pain, anger, sorrow, and despair beyond what ordinary tears could express. And that despair flowed down the Demon King''s cheeks. Seeing Reinhardt''s tears of blood, Bertus felt an intense, unknown fear. ------ The white-haired woman does not know what Akasha is. In that case, they must ask Reinhardt. Bertus stood in front of Reinhardt again, leaving the unconscious white-haired woman behind. He stared intently at the traces of tears of blood running from the Demon King''s eyes to his cheeks. What is Akasha? A simple question, but the unknown power of the Word Magic was a significant obstacle. "He''ll starve to death before we find anything out at this rate." With the gag in place to block the use of the Word Magic, they couldn''t provide him with water or food. They couldn''t kill the Demon King before finding out what Akasha was. But at this rate, the Demon King would die of dehydration or starvation before they could learn anything. Yet, they couldn''t simply let him speak, as he might try something with his Word Magic. Word Magic is a supernatural power. Thus, magic could not counteract or block them. Word Magic. Supernatural powers. A countermeasure. "..." In Bertus'' mind, the name of the person most needed in this situation surfaced. An immunity bearer. Scarlett would not be affected by Reinhardt''s Word Magic. Then, whatever happens, Scarlett could intervene. ------ Royal Class, 2nd-year B-3, Scarlett had been feeling that the atmosphere at the temple was uneasy lately. Of course, she hadn''t sensed any specific incident. The battle in the Darkland and stories about the capture of the Demon King were being kept top secret, so it wasn''t a situation where rumors could spread. However, the sight of many more imperial knights and mages than usual roaming the temple and the extremely gloomy atmosphere were enough to make her feel that something ominous was lurking. And above all, the atmosphere in the Royal Class. Charlotte had not attended classes and was not even at the temple, apparently dealing with some serious matter. Bertus hadn''t attended classes either, but she couldn''t know about the A-Class. However, without knowing the details, she could only think that the atmosphere was unusual lately. "......Yes? What?" So, when Bertus called Scarlett and told her the story, she couldn''t help but ask. The explanation was lengthy and verbose, but the conclusion was simple. The Demon King was captured. And it was Reinhardt. Scarlett was taken aback by the unbelievable words from Bertus, with whom she had little connection. Is he trying to play a joke on me? Why? For what reason? However, Scarlett could not find a hint of jest in Bertus''s expression. Bertus always had a subtle smile on his face, and though his true intentions were unclear, he was kind and gentle to all his classmates. But now, with a serious and stern expression, it was impossible to accuse him of playing a prank. "The important thing is that Reinhardt possesses a mysterious superpower called ''Word Magic,'' which makes it difficult to conduct proper interrogations. That''s why your help is needed." "Ah..." Scarlett couldn''t understand what Bertus was talking about. However, she could at least grasp that her immunity, a mysterious superpower similar to the Word Spirit, was needed in this situation. Reinhardt is the Demon King. He needs her help. Not understanding what he meant, Scarlett nervously nodded her head. "Yes... If there''s something I need to do... I''ll do it..." Although Bertus didn''t explicitly say it, Scarlett understood that she shouldn''t tell anyone about this. ------ Bertus didn''t tell Scarlett more than was necessary. Reinhardt is the Demon King. He uses a peculiar superpower called Word Spirit, so if he tries to deceive her with it during the interrogation, she must kill him. It was a simple and intuitive order. Scarlett arrived at a building within the heavily guarded temple. Many knights and mages were stationed around, and it was impossible to casually enter the vicinity of the building, as a wide area was off-limits. Reinhardt is the Demon King. While receiving the favor of Alsbringer, Scarlett admired Reinhardt, even feeling a sense of awe towards him. But she couldn''t believe that he was the Demon King. As Bertus led her into the heavily guarded underground of the building, Scarlett felt as if she was floating. What was happening? Was it alright for her to be involved in this? What was happening to the world? Biting her lip to stave off the fear, Scarlett soon arrived at the dungeon deep underground. Scarlett didn''t know if the temple originally had a dungeon or if it was a hastily constructed building. The underground space wasn''t very large. However, all the knights and mages present were silently guarding their posts, including the squad leader, Saviolin Turner of the Shanafel. Each of them, who could be called one of the strongest humans, seemed determined not to allow any intruders. Yet they all remained silent. In that suffocating atmosphere, Bertus handed Scarlett some prepared water and food. He couldn''t just let him starve, so he needed to be fed. Scarlett took it, trembling. Reinhardt was here. Reinhardt, who had been revealed to be the Demon King. With a container of water and bread in hand, Scarlett slowly walked down the dimly lit corridor with Bertus. In the middle of the dark corridor. There were iron-barred cells and dungeons on both sides. Scarlett could see two beings bound by chains that were undoubtedly magically reinforced. A woman with disheveled white hair, slumped and weakened. And Reinhardt. They couldn''t be considered close. Despite his rough demeanor, she had always admired the way he never yielded to pressure and persevered with his will. She had always admired that figure. However, that being now lay in a pitiful state, shackled and awaiting judgment in the underground of the temple. "Are you the Demon King?" "Why?" "How come?" With a feeling akin to facing a bizarre tragedy, Scarlett watched as Saviolin Turner, her face stern, unlocked the iron bars. The miserable Reinhardt did not say a word as he looked at Scarlett. As if he knew she was coming. What could the bloodstains on his cheek mean? Had he been severely tortured? "..." Scarlett''s fingertips trembled as she removed his gag. Unable to understand how the Demon King who troubled the world and the pitiful, wretched figure of Reinhardt before her could be the same being, Scarlett was at a loss. -Thud The gag that had been in Reinhardt''s mouth fell to the ground, lifeless. Bertus asked, "What is Akasha?" At Bertus''s question, Reinhardt opened his mouth as if he had been waiting. "Akasha is... a tool of creation." "Originally belonging to Cantus Magna, at some point Darkland came into possession of it." "In the past, the Demon King Valier used Akasha to create a new world and planned to migrate there with the demons." "Akasha exists in the labyrinth beneath the Demon King''s castle." "But now it must have been moved. You won''t be able to find it, and I don''t even know where Akasha is anymore." "I lost all memories of living in the demon realm." "So, I didn''t know I had Akasha until now." "You must be curious what I want?" "I wanted... peace... peace... hahaha... hahaha..." "I wished for... a peaceful world... ha, haha... really..." "I... don''t hate humans..." "I wanted to... save all of you... truly..." "It may be hard to believe... but please trust me..." "Please... help..." Reinhardt spoke with a faint, hollow smile. Saying everything. Yet, as if he knew that no one would believe him. Unable to stop the emerging laughter. Spilling out the truth about everything. "If you won''t believe me... you must release me quickly." Reinhardt lifted his head with difficulty. "Otherwise, Akasha may be used to destroy the world." The Demon King, his eyes bloodshot, looked at Bertus. "If you won''t even do that, at least give me a public execution." Like a madman. "Before the situation gets worse." Scarlett could only stare blankly at the Demon King, submerged in sorrow, letting out a low laugh. "Ha, haha... hahaha... hahahaha..." Reinhardt neither drank water nor ate bread. Bertus furrowed his brow as he looked at Reinhardt. "Nonsense." Bertus said so, looking down at Reinhardt, who had lowered his head after speaking. "If you already had Akasha, why didn''t you use it? Then what was the incident at Lich''s tomb all about?" "..." "You lost your memory? So you didn''t know? What kind of convenient lie is that? Are you trying to make a fool of me, Reinhardt?" "..." "Now that things have come to this, has that well-functioning brain of yours stopped working? Now you''re resorting to lies that don''t even fit... not worth worrying about..." "..." "Let''s say Akasha is indeed the tool of creation. And let''s say your father, whom you don''t even want to believe, tried to use Akasha to lead the demons and migrate to the demon world. And you, for the sake of peace. Huh? Let''s say that was the case. Then, what have you done to Charlotte... my sister. My sister, what was that all about? What is it?" Crack! "Ugh!" "You''ve done too many things that I can''t accept for someone who claims to have wanted peace. Don''t you think so?" Reinhardt, who had been kicked in the solar plexus, gasped for breath. Bertus''s words were not logically incorrect. Why hadn''t he used the Akasha, which he already possessed? Was there another truth to what had happened at the Lich''s tomb? If the library under the Demon King''s castle was the Akasha, why had he left it alone until now? And what had been the purpose of deceiving Charlotte all this time? Wasn''t it an act to swallow up the empire? But in reality, he wanted peace? He claimed to have lost his memory. And therefore, he knew nothing. It could only be a lie, not even worth laughing at. Now, claiming that Akasha was actually in his hands, and that he should be released before it was used for destruction, was nothing more than a desperate excuse. "And, you know about the power cartridges and Moonshine that you ordered to be made in the Magic Research Department, right?" "Ah... right, there was that too..." Upon hearing those words, Reinhardt seemed to remember and smiled. "I investigated the things you''ve done in the temple, thinking they were all tricks, but they were already made, weren''t they? And you tried to hide the results while using the excuse of the existence of the Demon King." "Yeah... that''s right..." Haha. And. Scarlett, terrified, looked at Reinhardt, who was laughing frivolously. "You must be using them somewhere to grow your army, right? Aren''t you?" "No... not at all... that''s not it..." "Really? Then what excuse do you have for that matter?" With a cold expression, Bertus grabbed Reinhardt''s hair and forcibly lifted his head to meet his eyes. "I wish you''d think a little more before lying this time." The dead-eyed Demon King met the Emperor''s furious gaze. "I... actually... know the future?" "..." With his pale, dried, cracked lips trembling. Reinhardt spoke amidst a mix of despair, self-mockery, and sorrowful laughter. "In the future... that is... the moment the first semester starts next year... a disaster called the Gate Incident is scheduled to happen... and then... about half of humanity, no, even more... will die...?" "I... tried to prevent that incident..." "But I don''t know why it happens... why... even I don''t know... but I do know that it will happen..." "Even if I suddenly say something like that... who would believe it... so I searched for a reason on my own... a dimensional gate connecting to another world... maybe someone who knows such magic is the cause... or maybe I can do something if I go to the other world first... so I''ve been doing various things... that''s why I had Harriet research dimensional magic... that''s why..." "The power cartridges and Moonshine were... because if I couldn''t solve it... I''d have to fight... I wanted to create the things that they''ll make in the future... to increase our strength in advance... that was the idea..." "But once they were created, it seemed like Cantus Magna would target them... at that time, I assumed that Cantus Magna had the Akasha... Cantus Magna... so the Gold Hunters are a group that moves with magic as their objective..." Slap! Finally unable to bear listening any longer, Bertus slapped Reinhardt''s cheek. "Instead of lying, you''re writing a novel now, huh? Claiming to know the future?" "Heh, hehe... hehehehehehe how, how did... how did you know?" Reinhardt let out a wail that was almost a laugh, staring wide-eyed at Bertus. "This is all a novel. In fact... this world. A novel I wrote. Why do I know the future? Because I created... created this world... I am... like the creator... He... hehe... hehehe... But... I don''t know everything, only a tiny bit... like a pathetic... creator... That''s me... he... hehehe..." "You damned bastard...!" Bertus''s eyes rolled back in anger, as he roughly yanked the sword that Scarlett had been carrying. Shring! "Your Majesty!" "Yo... Your Highness!" "Let go! How much further will this... this madman...!" As Bertus was about to swing the sword, Turner desperately held him back, and Scarlett''s face went pale. "Let go! Let me go! Is this bastard still playing games?!" "Your Majesty! You can''t! Not yet, it''s not the right time!" Despite seeing Bertus lose his rationality in rage, Reinhardt continued to laugh like a madman. "It''s the truth... What can you do... about the truth... What can you do... he, hehe... hehe..." The Devil King laughed like a madman. "So... you can''t believe or accept what I said... so... so..." The expression on the Devil King''s face, who had been laughing like a madman, vanished. "Kill me before it''s too late." Filled with terror, Scarlett could only watch the scene unfold. CH 438 The council chamber was filled with a gloomy silence, and no one dared to speak. Present at the council were the five leaders of the House of Vampire Lords, including Antirianus, as well as Sarkegaar. Eleris had vouched for Antirianus, who had returned after betraying them. Antirianus was not a traitor; instead, he had killed the leader of Cantus Magna and returned. Regarding Akasha''s whereabouts, Eleris only provided minimal explanation. Akasha was a tool of creation and was now being kept in a safe place. Under Valier''s instructions, Eleris had temporarily moved Akasha to another location. They were currently gathered at the base of Luvien (Previously Luruien,) not the fortress of Epiax. Epiax was no longer usable, as many humans had been dispatched there for investigation. Everyone had some idea of what had happened through the traces of Epiax''s collapse. Lydia Schmitt had fought with someone and disappeared. Now, they knew the situation, as Epinhauser had informed them through Lucinil that the Demon King and Loyar were being detained in the temple. Lydia Schmitt was presumed dead. The Demon King and Loyar were being held captive in the temple. Eleris looked pale. "Your misguided mercy has endangered His Majesty, Eleris." "..." At Sarkegaar''s sharp words, Eleris could not respond. Misguided mercy. It was that small cogwheel that had failed to mesh, exposing Valier''s identity. Even with Sarkegaar''s shapeshifting ability, it was impossible to break in and escape. Hence, a direct confrontation was the only option. "It is certain that the place where His Majesty is being held is more difficult to enter than the Emperor¡¯s central palace of Tetra. And to attack that place, we must first penetrate the temple with our limited forces. Can we now break through the temple and forcibly enter the prison where His Majesty is held in its depths?" No one answered Sarkegaar''s question. This was not a skirmish; it was a full-scale invasion of the enemy''s stronghold. It was an impossible task. Apart from the Council''s leaders, they had other allies. "Is there any possibility that the Black Order will help us in this matter?" At Sarkegaar''s question, Gallarush shook his head. "The condition of our cooperation with the Order was to eliminate Cantus Magna. And since Cantus Magna has already disappeared, there''s no reason for them to lend us more strength." "We should rather worry about them coveting Akasha." The Black Order was not present at this meeting. As they could not predict how the Order would react if they learned the truth about Akasha, the Council had been restraining their contact with them since the incident at the Tomb of Lich. In fact, it was overly generous for Epinhauser to inform them of Valier''s detention. Since the issue with Cantus Magna was resolved and they had not shared the truth about Akasha, their alliance could be considered over. Strictly speaking, it was a betrayal by the Council. So, asking the Order for help to rescue the kidnapped Demon King would be futile, and the Order was more likely to demand Akasha instead. There was no hope of receiving help from the Black Order. The only power available to them was the Vampire Council. Rescuing Valier was impossible. Eleris, who bore the greatest responsibility for this situation, remained in a daze with a stern expression. Valier was going to die soon. Antirianus, who had been silent, smiled coldly. "What if we use the Akasha?" "..." At those words, Sarkegaar narrowed his brow. "Wasn''t the Akasha said to be a tool of creation? How could that help us in this situation?" "That''s an overly simplified explanation." Antirianus looked at Eleris with a subtle smile. "The Akasha itself is already an incredibly powerful source of energy. The Imperial Court and the Temple must have defenses in place against such powerful magic, so it would be difficult to resolve the situation using powerful spells. However... what if we think about it as a tool of creation?" "..." "Use it in a slightly different way." "Different way? What do you mean?" "Let''s say, creating only half a world, and doing it rather clumsily." Antirianus grinned. "Creating only half a world...?" "Because the Akasha is in an incomplete state, if we use it now... it would create something infinitely close to a world, but not yet a world." Eleris bit her lip at Antirianus''s explanation. Antirianus hadn''t seen the Akasha himself, but he had heard about it from Cantus Magna''s leader, Lukren. As a tool of creation, he had no choice but to know how it could be used. He had already heard about the effects of using the Akasha in its incomplete state, and the side effects that would occur. "We''ll make that world collide with our current world." "A very big." "Something no one has ever seen or heard of before." "A terrifying... a truly horrible disaster would occur." "Humanity would fall into chaos. Walls and bridges, houses would crumble and be destroyed, and humanity would face great turmoil." "What will happen then?" "Although it seems that the world will be destroyed, wouldn''t the numerous wizards and knights who were stationed to monitor the Demon King have to leave their posts?" "To protect people and lives, you see." "We''ll take advantage of that gap." "We''ll rescue our Demon King during that gap." "They''ll be preoccupied with dealing with the disaster that has befallen the world. They won''t have time to deal with us, who are trying to rescue the Demon King from their grasp." "Most of humanity will die or, in the worst-case scenario, humanity may be extinct due to this event, making the task of rebuilding the Demon World after rescuing him even easier, isn''t that as clear as day?" "That''s why I''m suggesting." "Using the Akasha, but deliberately using it in its incomplete state." Antirianus looked delightedly at Eleris, who was biting her lip. Gallarush, Luvien, and Lucinil remained silent. Sarkegaar''s eyes widened. "Such... such a method..." The extinction of humanity. Rescuing the Demon King. And reconstruction. The method that could achieve Sarkegaar''s three desires in one fell swoop was in their hands. "It seems there''s no other way. No, there''s no reason to choose any other method besides this one." Half of humanity disappears. Or they could even go extinct. Sarkegaar thought there was no reason not to use such a method if they had it. "Still... will it work?" Luvien hesitated and asked. It would be an overly massive disaster. Even if their goal was to save Valier, could they so easily decide to cause such an event? Lucinil looked sadly at Sarkegaar. "I... I wish for our Valier not to die as well... but... do we have the right to do that? Can we... cause such a thing?" As they discussed the excessively large disaster, Sarkegaar narrowed his brow in response to Lucinil''s fearful and apprehensive words. "Humans have destroyed our world." "They have killed the children of Darkland, enslaved them, pillaged, and now they seek to crush the last hope for our future." "They have destroyed us, plundered our lands and children, and now they aim to destroy our last hope." "Isn''t it our right, my right, to destroy them in return?" "Who started the last war? Was it not humanity?" "Who else has the right to destroy humanity, if not us?" "If they have destroyed us, is it not just for them to be destroyed in equal measure?" Since they have destroyed us, we have the right to destroy them. At these words, Lucinil bit her lip and gazed at Sarkegaar. Neither Lucinil nor Luvien could find anything to add to that justified hatred. Sarkegaar believed that the children of Darkland had the right to destroy humanity. Thus, he could not help but agree with Antilianus''s opinion to deliberately use the incomplete Akasha. It is the best option, with no reason not to choose it. Even if the demon king dies, humanity would still be pushed to the brink of extinction. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. You have destroyed us, so you shall be destroyed as well. That is not right. That should not be done. We must find a way to coexist. To those who have lost everything, such talk is nothing but cheap hypocrisy uttered by those who have not experienced such a situation. No one could say anything to the furious Sarkegaar. "Of course, I understand your thoughts, but that doesn''t mean it can be done just because you want it to be." Antilianus spoke gently to Sarkegaar with a smile. "The only one who knows Akasha''s location now is the lord of Tuesday, and the only one who can enter Akasha is the lord of Tuesday." The library in the underground of the demon king''s castle. Although its location has changed, only three beings can enter Akasha. Charlotte de Gardias. Demon King Valier. And the ancient Archdemon, Eleris. Eleris just stared at the table in silence. "..." Sarkegaar did not know that Eleris was an ancient Archdemon. But even if he knew, it would make no difference. A hornless Archdemon could not become the hope of the demon realm. "Eleris." "..." "Take responsibility for your hideous hypocrisy." "..." At Sarkegaar''s words, Eleris could not say anything. Valier, who had been working to prevent the Gate incident until now, would eventually witness the Gate incident as part of a scheme to save himself. As if by fate. Chasing the Gate incident leads to the Gate incident occurring. A bitter regret that nothing would have happened if nothing had been done. Eleris pondered. Should she run away? From the Council. From everything in the world. Or, she could even take her own life. But what then? Valier, who sought to save all humans, dies at the hands of humans. Misunderstood by everyone, he dies receiving hatred and resentment from all those he loved. Her last descendant meets death just before achieving good deeds with good intentions. Because of her own mistake. As a price for indulging in clumsy compassion. If Valier dies this way and Akasha remains hidden while Eleris alone remains silent, the world will go on without the Gate incident happening, as Valier intended. Is that good enough? Is that all it takes? Due to her own hypocrisy, her last descendant dies. If by witnessing the death of that descendant, countless beings can be saved, is that the right thing to do? But they would say it was right, that even Valier wished for it, and that because of it, countless beings could live. That this was justice. Would she have to live, justifying herself like this? "Eleris, are you going to keep spewing nonsense about how every being in the world has a reason to live, while you''re intoxicated with your own hypocrisy to the very end? Sure, every being in the world has a value to live and a meaning to their existence. But, remember that the children of Darkland were also such beings." Sarkegaar''s words tormented Eleris''s heart. "Hehe¡­ The Lord of Tuesday, who hates slaughter and avoids it so much¡­ to have to take on such a role¡­" Antirianus''s laughter was like an itch in Eleris''s ears. "How¡­ how can this be such a sad fate¡­ Hehe, hehehehehe¡­" As he listened to the insane laughter of the old vampire, who seemed to be at a loss for what to do in his enjoyment of the situation, Eleris thought back to a certain afternoon long ago. As always, it was a lazy afternoon. There were no customers, and lying on the counter, in a place where the dull afternoon sun shone in, she had been passing the time idly. A certain boy entered as the shop door opened. The boy seemed familiar, carrying a Fireball Scroll with him. For some reason, he also had a scroll of the demons. When Eleris realized that this boy was her last descendant. When she learned that she had once been a tutor for a few days to the young Prince Valier Jr. of the demon world. Eleris believed that there must be some destiny given to her. When the boy said that he was trying to save the world and knew the future, Eleris believed that this destiny must be to save the world from destruction, and it would alleviate some of the weight of the sins and slaughter she had committed up to that point. But. Was it not the case? The destiny given to her. The last thing she should have done was not that? The hypocrisy she built to avoid the sins and slaughter had driven her to the edge. Trying to repay the sins committed through slaughter with hypocrisy. In the end, committing a sin that no one in the world could forgive. Trying to save everyone. Killing everyone. Was that her role? "¡­" Was that my fate? CH 439 Only four people among the current second-year students at the Temple knew that Reinhardt was the Demon King. Bertus, Charlotte, Ellen, and Harriet. A strict gag order had been issued, and everyone knew that it wasn''t a good idea to spread the news. So far, the story had not spread. However, everyone found it strange that they hadn''t seen Reinhardt at all for the past few days. Both Ellen and Harriet remained evasive when asked about Reinhardt''s whereabouts. For the past few days, Ellen hadn''t attended any of her classes. Instead, she had holed up in the Royal Class dormitory, doing nothing. At that moment, Ellen sat in a corner of the training hall, leaning against the wall and staring blankly. She had become a Swordmaster. It was a miraculous feat, as she had become the youngest Swordmaster in history. Ellen Artorius'' name would go down in history. "..." But what did it matter? Ellen sat in the farthest corner of the training hall, her head buried between her knees. She gained power. And the truth. She lost Reinhardt, her only one. But to Ellen, it felt as if she had lost everything. When she had heard Charlotte''s story about searching for traces of the Demon King, Ellen hadn''t actually expected to find him. She had just wanted to grasp at straws. But in just two days, they had discovered the true identity of the Demon King. The truth she had wanted to know turned out to be the worst truth imaginable, and it now stood before Ellen''s eyes. What had all the time they spent together been for? From the beginning until now, what had the time she spent with Reinhardt meant? What did Reinhardt think of her? Her brother had killed the Demon King. It made no sense for him to like her, his sister. After getting close to him, Ellen confessed to Reinhardt that she was the sister of Ragan Artorius. What had Reinhardt thought at that time? Considering his reaction back then, which hadn''t seemed too surprised, perhaps Reinhardt had known everything all along. But Ellen couldn''t find the answer, no matter how hard she thought about it. Since Ellen had played a crucial role in tracking down the Demon King, she could see Reinhardt if she wanted to. But she felt that she would be unable to say anything if she were to face Reinhardt, now that she knew he was the Demon King. Reinhardt''s plan to marry Charlotte wasn''t a choice, it was a means to gain control of the empire. Creating the magical research department through Harriet was for strengthening his own army with the items they produced. So what about her? What did Reinhardt want from her? If his goal was to make her feel this sense of betrayal and despair, then Reinhardt had succeeded. The man she loved was the son of the Demon King who was killed by her brother. The Demon King''s son had approached her knowing this fact. Had this been Reinhardt''s idea of revenge? She thought he had liked her. She had thought that he would like her. But in reality, had he hated her more than anyone else? Because she was the sister of the man who had killed his father, had he wanted to torment her cruelly? For the betrayal, deprivation, and despair that he would eventually make her feel? Had he spent so much time with her and made her deluded, all because of his hatred? How much hatred would it take for such a thing to be possible? Ellen hadn''t considered the possibility that Reinhardt wouldn¡¯t hate her, and she hadn''t felt any sign of it. The Demon King was dead, and Darkland The Demon King had died, and Darkland had been destroyed. Having lost everything, the Demon King, whose own world had been destroyed, had no reason to like the empire or humanity, let alone herself. Reinhardt had never liked her from the beginning, not even once. That''s what she thought. That''s what she thought... "..." It seemed like a lie. There were countless moments and times when Reinhardt seemed to like her, and if she hadn''t, they wouldn''t have existed as evidence. It seemed like Reinhardt had liked her. As much as she liked Reinhardt, if not more. It seemed like Reinhardt had liked her too. There''s no way the expressions, the words they''d shared so far, and the memories they''d spent together could be lies. There''s no way he could feign such feelings and words. That''s what she thought. Reality, however, was filled with more reasons for Reinhardt to hate her than to like her. "Ugh... sob..." With her face buried in her knees, Ellen sobbed. Reinhardt would hate humanity. Reinhardt would hate the empire. And the hero who delivered the decisive blow to the collapse of Darkland. Reinhardt would hate Ragan Artorius. So, it''s only natural that he would hate and detest herself, a member of that same bloodline. All the moments that seemed so real up until now, even now doubting them was impossible, and thus, they must have been lies. Reinhardt hates me. Then why didn''t he kill me? There must have been plenty of moments when he could have killed her, as he was becoming too powerful. Without using his own hands, there must have been plenty of ways to deal with her. Why did he keep me alive until now? Why has he been watching over me until now? Could it be because he wanted to plunge me into despair rather than kill me? Because death is too easy and simple. Was it to make me feel the betrayal of losing everything and being betrayed by the one I loved the most? No. For a very long time, Ellen had been seriously teaching Reinhardt the art of swordsmanship. Although Reinhardt had made efforts himself, Ellen''s help had been instrumental in reaching his current level. Ellen had taught the Demon King swordsmanship directly. She had been used all this time. Not knowing he was her enemy, she had taught him diligently. Was it necessary for her to be the one teaching swordsmanship? She didn''t know. Ellen couldn''t know Reinhardt''s heart, the Demon King''s thoughts. "..." All Ellen could do was cry. Because she had caught the Demon King''s tail. Just like her brother had captured the Demon King. She too had captured the Demon King. They would become famous as the Hero siblings, and their names would go down in history because of it. But everything had come to an end. And so, There was nothing Ellen could do but cry. Uuuung Suddenly, Ellen heard a noise and raised her head. She hadn''t called for it with her mind, but something was floating in the air in front of her. "Lament...?" What was floating before her eyes was the Sword of the Moon God, Lament, which had been summoned without being called. Lament had been summoned, but it wasn''t displaying its usual appearance. The sword aura of the divine sword Lament, which had an eerie presence as if it had cut the moon itself, was different from usual. Lament''s sword aura was tainted with darkness. No, it wasn''t darkness. Ellen could see the twinkling lights shining within the blackened sword aura of Lament. It wasn''t darkness As if a piece of the night sky had been cut out, the blade of Lament projected the darkness above. A fragment of the night or the emptiness of space. Such was the image reflected on Lament''s blade. "What... is this?" Ellen held Lament, floating aimlessly in the air. In the pitch-black blade, the flickering stars, the universe, and fragments of galaxies were clearly projected. The condition of Lament was tears. Then, sorrow. Lament reacted to Ellen''s sorrow. The true power of Lament, a divine relic of the God of Moon Mencis. A fragment of the night, in the form of a sword. Ellen stared blankly at the Void Sword Lament. ------ Ellen and Charlotte were both in shock, unable to recover. They were too overwhelmed to even tend to their wounds, let alone attend their temple classes. Bertus tried his best to minimize the damage from the situation, collecting the remaining traces of discord and destruction and attempting to deal with the situation. The Demon King told them to kill him. However, they didn''t know what consequences his death might bring, and Akasha''s whereabouts were still unconfirmed. So Bertus spent his time in a state where he couldn''t act, nor could he abstain from acting, feeling as if his blood was drying up. Reinhardt''s actions up until now were reinterpreted under the assumption that Reinhardt was the Demon King. He got close to Ellen and Charlotte for revenge. He honed his swordsmanship using Ellen. He tried to swallow the empire using Charlotte. The development of power cartridges and Moonshine was to strengthen his own army. Then, the final question. "What was the purpose of... dimensional magic research?" Bertus asked as he sat facing Harriet. Harriet''s expression was just as desperate. Bertus spent his time in the upper part of the prison building where Reinhardt was held captive. It was a dangerous place, but its importance made it impossible for Bertus to leave. Thus, Bertus stayed there, receiving updates on the situation and summoning people to learn the facts. Reinhardt was in the basement of the building. Harriet and Bertus sat facing each other in an office on the upper floor. There must be some misunderstanding, but the fact that Reinhardt was the Demon King was now certain. His appearance was changed by some kind of magic. Not only was there Reinhardt''s confession, but the look in the eyes and the expressions of Lycansloth, who had been captured with him, as well as her screams whenever violence was inflicted upon Reinhardt, were more than enough evidence. Reinhardt was the Demon King. Harriet could no longer deny it. So, what did his words about protecting everyone mean? Were they just lies to confuse them until the very end? In a state where she couldn''t be sure of anything, Harriet answered various questions Bertus had asked so far. Harriet also talked about the power cartridges and Moonshine. When Bertus asked about the achievements of the Magic Research Department, she spoke, thinking she could no longer lie. When considering that Reinhardt''s numerous deeds were part of Darkland''s reconstruction and revenge against humanity, their stories found a solid foundation. However, the dimensional magic research. She couldn''t grasp the intention behind the dimensional magic research that Reinhardt was so obsessed with. "At first, he suggested it because he was curious if there was another world?" "...Yes." Another world. It was such an absurd statement. But Harriet''s curiosity led her to explore various subjects, eventually gaining access to the Royal Magic Division''s research archives. Consequently, her research shifted from portals leading to other worlds to those concerning warp gates. "What exactly were they trying to accomplish by searching for another world?" It was an absurd notion that went beyond inconsistencies, hardly fitting for the actions of a Demon King. Though it was dismissed as nonsense, Reinhardt had told Bertus about the gate incident. The gate incident would result in the death of most of humanity. He claimed to have attempted to prevent it. Of course, Bertus did not believe him. He had searched for another world in order to prevent the gate incident. If that was a lie, then what did he truly want? Was it true that he had lost his memories of Akasha? And there was Roswin, a mage from the Cantus Magna who Harriet had met in the Royal Magic Research Division. His whereabouts were currently unknown, but it was confirmed that he was associated with Akasha. "It seems like this story ultimately leads back to Akasha..." Roswin had said that Akasha was an object capable of making one a god. Reinhardt claimed it was a tool for creation. If one could create a world with the tool of creation and shape it to their liking, then it could be understood how one might become a god. The previous Demon King, Valier, had tried to create a world through Akasha and migrate the demons there. However, Reinhardt had possessed Akasha without knowing it until now. It was impossible to know which parts were true and which were lies. Nevertheless, the Demon King had instructed to kill himself before Akasha could be used for destruction. If he was willing to give up his life so easily, then what was the point of everything he had built up until now? "I... I want to believe in Reinhardt..." With a twisted expression, Harriet spoke in a desperate tone. Although she knew it was inappropriate to say that here, Harriet sobbed while covering her face with both hands. She wanted to believe in Reinhardt. Bertus understood how Harriet felt. How great would it be if Reinhardt were merely a good-hearted fellow? But that was impossible. "Harriet." "Uh, yes...?" "I''m sorry for saying this, but would you listen?" "What is it?" "I killed your father... I destroyed the Saint Owan dukedom, annihilated the people living there, and even captured and sold some as slaves." "¡­What?" Harriet''s face turned pale at Bertus''s sudden confession. With a stern expression, Bertus tapped the table. "And here''s a button." "If you press this button, you can inflict the same fate upon me that I brought upon you." "The empire will be destroyed, everyone in the imperial family will die, and everything about the empire will disappear." "Do you have the confidence not to press that button?" At those words, Harriet bit her lip. Reinhardt was the Demon King, and humanity had taken everything from him. It was only natural to hate, and there was no reason not to activate a device that could turn that hatred into destruction. For a Demon King to love humanity was impossible. For a Demon King to desire peace was illogical. Reinhardt was the Demon King. And so, humanity could not help but be hated. Thus, trusting Reinhardt was impossible. As Bertus had said, Harriet thought about her own situation. Her father and entire family had been murdered, and every person in the dukedom was brutally killed, causing the country to be uprooted. The last royal of such a fallen nation. What would Harriet de Saint-Owan do in such a situation? She would be consumed by a desire for vengeance. She would undoubtedly commit terrible acts to get even, somehow. Even in her case, just thinking about it, she knew she would act that way. The Demon King had suffered such things at the hands of humanity. It was only natural for the Demon King to hate humanity. Therefore, wanting to trust Reinhardt was an ill-fitting and foolish desire, given the circumstances. In front of Bertus, with his stern expression, Harriet could not bring up the idea of wanting to trust Reinhardt. However. Even so. ''Damn it.'' At that time. ''No matter what happens in the future....... Please remember just one thing......'' A faint memory of hearing. Reinhardt''s words. Harriet still wanted to believe in those words. ''I wanted to save everyone......'' The words of Reinhardt, who seemed to foresee a sad fate. The desperation and sorrow in those words. Harriet wanted to believe in them. CH 440 After Harriet had left, Bertus sat in his office, deep in thought. It seemed as if the Demon King would rather die. If things continue this way, bigger problems may arise. But why? Wouldn''t it be better to use Akasha to survive? Why does the Demon King pretend to care about humanity? He destroyed their world, killed their father, and if Valier Senior truly died with such a purpose, then Valier Junior must hate humanity. The Demon King has no reason to care for human welfare. Such forgiveness and reconciliation cannot exist in this world. Thus, Valier''s words about wanting peace must inevitably be false. In fact, every story about Akasha could very well be a lie. Should the Demon King be killed, or spared? For now, the Demon King''s subordinates possess Akasha, and if they attempt to use it to reclaim the Demon King, an unpredictable disaster will occur. The Demon King''s minions will use Akasha to free him. If the Demon King is killed, will his desperate minions not use Akasha? That is unlikely. If the situation unfolds that way, Akasha will be used for vengeance against the dead Demon King. In any case, Akasha will be used. The only way to prevent Akasha from being used is to release the Demon King. But what if the freed Demon King uses Akasha to destroy the world? That would be the worst possible outcome for humanity. If the story of Akasha is true. And if the truth is that he lost his memory and knew nothing until now. And if it is true that he knows the future. And if it is true that a massive disaster, a Gate catastrophe or something like it, will occur. And if it is true that the Demon King tried to prevent that catastrophe for the sake of humanity? Believing such a lie is too much to ask. The Demon King has built up too many lies up to this point. That''s why Bertus couldn''t trust anything the Demon King said in this situation. Should the Demon King be killed, spared, or released? Lost at the crossroads of destruction, where no answer could be right, Bertus felt disoriented. ------ Olivia Lanze returned to the Imperial Capital. The lengthy investigation into the followers of the Demon God Cult was finally coming to a close. The Gelkorgis Desert in the southern continent, where desertification had progressed too far and countless abandoned cities had become the stronghold of the Demon God Cult followers. It was natural that the headquarters of the Demon God Cult would be located in the uninhabited wilderness of the vast desert area. The immense divine power of the Demon God that Olivia possessed was, in itself, a form of identification and a ticket to enter. Olivia''s original intention was to be prepared to annihilate the Demon King if he revealed himself among the followers of the Demon God Cult. However, the followers knew nothing of the Demon King. They merely spouted nonsense about the Demon King representing the will of the demons, but they had no real connection with him. Knowing that they were just followers who chose to follow the Demon King of their own accord, she could only conclude that the previous attack on Rajeurn by the Demon God Cult followers was not the work of the Demon King himself. Since killing the Demon King directly was impossible, Olivia decided on an alternative course of action. She planned to completely eradicate the Demon God Cult followers, who could eventually side with the Demon King. That was a task she couldn''t do alone, so Olivia returned to the Imperial Capital. She intended to lead the Holy Knights and sweep the Gelkorgis Desert clean. The situation would be even more complicated if the Demon King made full contact with the followers, so now was the right time. With such thoughts, Olivia encountered something strange upon her return to the Imperial Capital. "Olivia Lanche, please come with us for a moment." Even before she arrived at the headquarters of the Holy Knights, imperial knights blocked Olivia''s path. ------ Instead of going to the Holy Knights'' headquarters, Olivia was led by the knights to the temple. Although she had intended to see Reinhardt''s face at the temple anyway, it was still an odd feeling, as if she had been dragged there. And Olivia felt something was off. Of course, considering the current situation, the atmosphere inside the temple seemed excessively tense. Most of the people coming and going were not students, and there were even more armed soldiers than usual. The knights and mages escorting Olivia also appeared far from ordinary. Inside the temple, in a consultation room at the main building. However, unable to hide the feeling that she had been brought to an interrogation room, someone soon entered. A knight from Shanafel whom she had seen during the raid on Rezaira: Scottla Kelton sat down in front of Olivia. "I told them not to use forceful means, but I''m not sure if they did. How are you?" Olivia stared silently at the stern-faced middle-aged knight. "It wasn''t forceful, but... what''s going on? Did I do something wrong?" The strange atmosphere had made Olivia irritable. As she had accurately identified the positions of the Demon God Cult believers, she had not made a mistake but rather brought great benefit to the empire. Of course, she hadn''t reported it yet. At Olivia''s words, Scottla Kelton lowered his head. "No, not at all. We trust you, Olivia. However, due to an important fact that has come to light recently, we must pay close attention to you." "An important fact?" "..." Scottla Kelton gazed at Olivia silently. As if deeply contemplating something. "Olivia, would you summon Tiamata?" "¡­?" As if there was no reason not to, Olivia summoned Tiamata and placed it on the table. "You share Tiamata with Reinhardt, don''t you?" Scottla Kelton had seen Olivia wielding Tiamata, which should have belonged to Reinhardt, during the Rezaira incident. "Yes, you saw it." Olivia furrowed her brow, as if asking why he was bringing up something she already knew. Growing increasingly annoyed by the incomprehensible situation, Scottla Kelton nodded with a stern expression. "Reinhardt has been identified as the Demon King." "¡­What?" Unable to help her confusion, Olivia had just heard something that made no sense. What did I just hear? Even when she thought about each word separately, she couldn''t understand the meaning of what she had just heard. However, Scottla Kelton did not provide a detailed explanation. "Thus, Olivia, who is essentially soul-bound to the Demon King, can only be considered a person of interest." "Wait, what are you talking about?!" "Olivia, I believe you are innocent. However¡­ I recommend you stay in the main building until the situation is resolved." "What¡­?" "Please, Olivia¡­ We don''t want to do this either." Scottla Kelton left the consultation room. Olivia was dumbfounded, unable to understand what was happening. ------ Soon after leaving the consultation room, Olivia was escorted by knights to a staff dormitory in the main building. It was imprisonment in all but name. Not only was Olivia inside the dormitory, but a Shanafel knight had also taken up residence. It was clear that she was being monitored in real time. "What''s going on? I should know what''s happening too. If you just casually throw at me that Reinhardt is the Demon King, what am I supposed to do?" Although Scottla Kelton was not the one assigned to watch her, the one who was assigned was a member of the Shanafel, the strongest knight order of the empire. It was evident that they were capable of suppressing Olivia in case of emergency, and this person was not the only one. The Shanafel knight stared intently at Olivia with a stern expression. "Exactly as I said, Olivia. Reinhardt, the wielder of Alsbringer and Tiamata, was the Demon King who had infiltrated the temple. It has recently come to light, and he is currently imprisoned within the temple while discussions are underway to determine his fate." Though the explanation was longer than Scottla Kelton''s, Olivia still couldn''t understand it. "Furthermore, you were saved by the Demon King''s forces during the death of Riverrier Lanze but have been hiding this fact ever since. Although we cannot determine if it was your intention, considering that you share Tiamata with the Demon King, the empire has deemed it necessary to keep an eye on you, Olivia." "..." "Olivia, if you behave for just a few days, there will be no trouble." In the end, although there was a possibility that Olivia was not involved with the Demon King, the empire was keeping her under surveillance because of that possibility. Until the Demon King''s fate was decided. Olivia swallowed her saliva. Something. It was clear that very strange things were happening, most of which Olivia couldn''t even accept. But there was one sentence that kept echoing in her head. Reinhardt was the Demon King. That''s why she, who shares Tiamata with the Demon King, was under suspicion. Also, the fact that she had been at the scene of Riverrier Lanze''s murder but had kept that secret until now. Because of that, she couldn''t help but be suspected of being in league with the Demon King. Olivia could barely understand that much. "Reinhardt is... the Demon King...?" Just that one truth. If she could accept that, all the scattered puzzles that had been complicating Olivia''s life so far would fit together. That day, Olivia was tormented by the fact that she couldn''t understand the Demon King''s actions. Why did he save me? Did he save me, an illegitimate child, while trying to kill Riverrier Lanze? Why? Attacking the nameless religious order would only benefit the empire, so why did he do something good for the empire? Olivia had been confused up until now because she couldn''t understand the Demon King''s intentions. But now, Reinhardt was the Demon King. If that was the case, everything made sense. He was trying to protect her. There was no other reason. Somehow, Reinhardt had learned that Olivia was in danger. That''s why he had led his forces to attack Riverrier Lanze. The nameless monastery and Riverrier Lanze itself had no meaning. It was a story where he had saved them only because Olivia and Adriana were in danger. The last piece of the puzzle fit. The Demon King and Reinhardt. If the two were the same, she could understand and accept all the situations. If the attack on the Rajeurn by the Demon God Cult was the work of the Demon King, she thought the Demon King must be an evil being. But now Olivia knew that the Demon God Cult was actually unrelated to the Demon King. He won''t choose me. Reinhardt won''t look at me. He''s always looking somewhere else. I''m pouring my heart out to him, but he keeps turning away from me. It''s heartbreaking. That''s what I thought. But I was wrong. Reinhardt had already saved me, taking great risks to do so. He did it the first time, and he did it again. Reinhardt saved me twice. "¡­" What did it mean when you said you''d do anything for me, even if I don''t look at you? What did it mean when you said you''d be on my side, even if I don''t choose you? What a trivial thing to say. Unbeknownst to her, Reinhardt had already saved her, risking his life and mobilizing his not-so-substantial forces to face the elite holy knights. He even risked exposing his identity. While she swore to save Reinhardt with words alone, Reinhardt had actually saved Olivia. And he never let it show. And yet, she was feeling sorrowful. And yet, she was feeling resentful. And yet, she complained that he wouldn''t look at her. Olivia''s face went pale, her mouth gaping open in shock. How hurt he must have been. How ridiculous it must have seemed. How hurt he must have been every time she complained. He couldn''t reveal the truth, so he must have been consumed with frustration. Upon realizing what sacrifices Reinhardt had made for her, Olivia didn''t care that he was the Demon King. Rather, things she couldn''t understand began to make sense, and Olivia''s resolve grew stronger. Her words from before. There was one part of it she couldn''t keep now. Because Reinhardt was the Demon King. She couldn''t let the Demon King hurt Reinhardt. No matter what happened. Even if the world turned upside down. Even if the world tried to hurt him. No matter what happened. She decided to protect Reinhardt. The world was trying to kill Reinhardt, the Demon King. "¡­" So, Olivia had to protect the Demon King. She stared at the silent Shanafel Knight. The knight stared back at her. The empire suspected Olivia. They thought she might be on the side of the Demon King. She wasn''t, until now. Olivia was on neither the humans'' nor the demons'' side, but solely on Reinhardt''s side. Reinhardt was imprisoned somewhere in the temple. She didn''t know the exact reason, but the empire wouldn''t kill the Demon King immediately. A few days'' reprieve. However, now Olivia couldn''t even shake off the Shanafel Knight watching her, let alone the one in front of her. So, she couldn''t break into the heavily guarded place where Reinhardt was imprisoned. It would be certain death. She could risk her life for Reinhardt, but she didn''t want to choose a pointless death with no chance of success. She had to risk her life on a plan with at least a possibility of success. She couldn''t save Reinhardt alone. So, she wouldn''t be alone. Reinhardt wouldn''t be alone. "Please summon the Holy Knight Commander." "¡­Pardon?" At Olivia''s words, the Shanafel Knight keeping watch tilted his head. "As the Champion of the Tu''an and the future of the Five Great Religions, I need to report this matter to the church and discuss our stance and response to the situation. Right now." "Miss Olivia, what are you talking about¡­" "Remember that you are not detaining a mere temple student. You are exerting political pressure on the Champion of Tu''an, who represents the will of the Five Great Religions." "What do you mean, Lady Olivia? This is... surely not that kind of issue, is it?" "The Demon King is the chosen champion of Als and Tu¡¯an. We must investigate whether there was any foul play involved in that selection, not only through interpreting the doctrine but also by conducting religious trials. All the major religious orders of the Five Great Religions must gather and discuss whether the gods truly chose the Demon King for a reason, or if there is some wicked trickery at play." Olivia intended to turn this matter into a political issue. This was not a problem between humans and demons. It was a problem between gods and humans. "You may silence me, but remember, detaining me like this will only lead to great discord between the empire and the religious orders." If you prevent me from reporting this issue to the order, you may eventually have to wage war against us. "So call the Holy Knight Commander. Before I decide to leave this place on my own." That''s what I''ll make happen. That was what Olivia was saying with her eyes alone. "And, it''s not like I''m unable to handle all of you. If you think I can''t manage to escape..." Olivia glanced out the window and flashed a sinister grin. "That would be a grave mistake." With a gloomy smile, Olivia looked at the increasingly unnerved Shanafel Knight. Even in confinement, Olivia managed to threaten her captors. CH 441 "Damn it... This wretched fool..." Bertus clenched his teeth upon hearing the story of Olivia Lanze. The fact that Reinhardt was the Demon King had not been revealed to the world, as it could potentially incite religious conflict. It was dangerous to leave Olivia alone, knowing that she could be connected to the Demon King. Therefore, the best course of action was to keep her under surveillance for now. However, Olivia Lanze, who had learned the truth, began her folly. "She doesn''t even bother hiding her intention to side with the Demon King." More than anything, Olivia''s talk of religious trials and discussions seemed to be a clear sign of her intent to buy time. It wasn''t just a vague hesitation; she had clearly made up her mind to protect the Demon King. Olivia Lanze had willingly become an enemy of the Empire, if not humanity itself. "Does she want to die?" Bertus clenched his teeth at the report from Scottla Kelton. "We can kill her, but it''s right in the middle of the temple. It''s impossible to do it quietly without causing a commotion." The Grand Library was one of the central locations of the temple. A fight between Olivia Lanze and the Shanafel Knights attempting to kill her would inevitably be witnessed by many. At this point, Olivia Lanze was an even more difficult target to kill than the Demon King. The Holy Knights and the Five Great Religions would hold the Empire accountable for killing the Champion of Tu¡¯an, and it would likely incite intense resentment among the majority of believers. A lengthy announcement stating that she had to be killed because she sided with the Demon King would not suffice. People would only accept the simple truth: "The Empire killed the Champion of Tu¡¯an." Olivia Lanze was well aware of how politically and religiously important her life was. Killing her would cause conflict between the Empire and the religious order before the Demon King''s death. Moreover, the Demon King possessed not one, but two sacred relics. Thus, this was not only an issue for the Empire but also a religious matter. Therefore, the decision regarding the Demon King''s fate could not be made solely by the Empire. The Five Great Religions had more than enough reason to intervene in this matter. If left alone, Olivia would escape the temple on her own and head towards the Holy Knights. And then, Olivia Lanze would lead a massive army of Holy Knights to the temple''s door, demanding a discussion on the Demon King''s fate. Whether to kill or save the Demon King should be our decision to make. Olivia Lanze would threaten the Empire, warning that killing the Demon King carelessly would not end well. Bertus had once told Reinhardt that the most significant disasters were often caused by stubborn fools. He was talking about Olivia Lanze when he said that. A madwoman screaming not to kill the Demon King in front of people. Olivia Lanze. All the talk about the Five Great Religions was nothing more than an excuse. This fool was neither on the side of the religious order nor the Empire, but solely on the Demon King''s side, and she didn''t even try to hide it. Her logic would be clear. Not one, but two sacred relics. If two of the five gods had chosen the Demon King, shouldn''t he be the rightful choice? Instead of hating each other, they should all find a way to live together. With no pretense, she would create nonsense driven solely by her intention to save the Demon King. "I can''t take this anymore..." She could neither be killed nor spared. When the Five Holy Religions began to meddle in the matters the Empire intended to handle quietly, the situation spiraled out of control. More importantly, Olivia Lanze intended to keep the Demon King alive, disregarding the Holy Religions'' goals. In doing so, she would cause great confusion among the masses by spreading a rumor that Reinhardt, known as the hero, was actually the Demon King. Bertus felt as if he were watching a dragon writhing in its efforts to throw the Empire into chaos. "Summon Eleion Bolton," he said. "Are you sure?" "What choice do we have? Better to let the Demon King live a little longer than to kill Olivia Lanze and see the Empire split in two, right? It would be thousands of times better to wage war against the demons, and if that happens, the Empire will only grow stronger, not fall apart." Bertus was growing tired. For days, he had been pushed to the limits of his mental strength. ------ Eleion Bolton arrived at the temple, leading his agents due to the problem caused by Olivia Lanze. Olivia Lanze intended to reveal information that was strictly confidential, information that would undoubtedly plunge the world into chaos if it became known. There was a Demon King chosen by the sacred relics. What would humanity think of this? As Olivia was about to discuss the matter with the Holy Knight Commander, she rose from her seat when Eleion Bolton arrived. "What''s going on, Olivia?" "Let''s go outside first." Now that someone had come to take her away, Olivia no longer wished to remain imprisoned. "Miss Olivia! You can''t leave!" A knight of Shanafel, who had been watching over Olivia, blocked her way. "You must speak here. You cannot leave." Sensing that something was amiss with the determined attitudes of the Shanafel knights, the agents, including the Holy Knight Commander, realized the situation was taking an unexpected turn. While the Holy Knights knew something was happening in the temple, they had no idea about the specific details. "Who are you to order me around?" Approaching the knight, Olivia gave a sneering smile. "The responsibility for my safety lies with the Holy Knights and the Five Holy Religions, not with the Empire. The temple? I couldn''t care less. The Empire has no authority to command where I go or come." "¡­" "Blocking my way is a challenge to the Holy Knights and a heretical act against the will of the Holy Religions and its followers across the continent." Olivia stated calmly. "Step aside. How dare you block the path of the Champion of Tu¡¯an?" She was not alone; she was with the Holy Knight Commander. Olivia was not relying on her personal power, but rather the symbolism and political position she held. Thus, Shanafel had no choice but to let her pass. All of Shanafel''s knights could only grit their teeth as they watched Olivia Lanze, who was leaving with a bomb that could shake the entire continent. ------ Olivia Lanze explained the entire situation to Holy Knight Commander Eleion Bolton. Originally, he only had Alsbringer, but she also revealed the fact that Reinhardt shared Tiamata with her. Reinhardt, chosen by two sacred relics, was the Demon King. Therefore, an emergency meeting must be convened with the leaders of the Five Holy Religions. They needed to hold a doctrinal conference or a religious trial to address the matter. Eleion Bolton was, of course, shocked. That alone was enough of a message. She left the matter to Eleion Bolton, which the Religions should have dealt with. The revelation that the Demon King was the master of the Sacred Artifact had the potential to send shockwaves throughout the entire Holy Religions. Priests and holy knights were sure to be divided on this matter. Therefore, Olivia took action before a decision could come down from her superiors. Such tasks were quite easy for her. At the Holy Knights'' headquarters, she gathered priests and followers for an impromptu sermon. As the Champion of Tu¡¯an, many couldn''t help but attend her sermon. Olivia didn''t say much. "The gods are always right, aren''t they?" At Olivia''s gentle words, the numerous attendees nodded their heads. "The gods know and plan everything, isn''t that so?" "Thus, the choices of the gods cannot be wrong or denied, and the grace they bestow upon us is evidence that the gods are right and a sign of their love for us." "So, those who have received such divine grace are worthy of love, and it is clear that their existence must be affirmed, just as we are chosen to receive the love of the gods." "The most powerful and indisputable grace and evidence." "The Sacred Artifact." Olivia summoned Tiamata into her right hand and held it up high. -Ooh... Some marveled at the faint divine light emanating from Tiamata, while others were moved by the grace of the Sacred Artifact. "As one who has been chosen by such a Sacred Artifact, I may presume to represent the will of the gods to some extent." "Ladies and gentlemen, the Demon King, who has caused such an uproar in the world, is now imprisoned in the temple." -Ooh! The news that the feared Demon King had been captured caused a great stir in the crowd, bringing a mix of shock, admiration, and relief to everyone present. "Perhaps you''ve heard of the new hero, Reinhardt." Olivia smiled. "It turns out that the hero chosen by the War God Als was actually the Demon King, who had infiltrated the human world." Naturally, the crowd''s admiration turned to shock. As everyone buzzed with excitement, Olivia continued. "I do not know the exact circumstances yet. However, the important point is that even if the Demon King disguised himself as a hero, the fact that he was chosen by Alsbringer does not change." The storm of shocking information left those listening to the sermon unable to regain their composure. But one thing was clear in their minds. The Demon King had infiltrated human society. Under the name Reinhardt. And he had been chosen by Als. "Of course, it''s possible that the Demon King used some wicked trick to gain Alsbringer''s favor." Wicked trick. The all-purpose word helped the confused listeners regain some semblance of composure. Olivia, who was trying to save Reinhardt, should not have said that. But, in fact, this was crucial. "The Holy Knights and the Five Holy Religions have a duty to prove whether the Demon King truly received Als''s choice." "Right now, the Demon King is in the hands of the Empire." "But this is our problem." "It is our duty and right to discuss and decide upon the treatment of the Demon King after determining whether he received the gods'' choice." "It is not the Empire but us who must judge whether the Demon King received the choice of the Sacred Artifact or whether he stole it through some foul means from someone else who should have received it." "Starting now, I plan to go to the temple to take custody of the Demon King." "I have no doubt in my belief that determining the truth or falsehood of the Demon King''s claim is the sacred duty bestowed upon me by the gods." "In the name of the Five Great Gods." "In the name of Tu''an, the Goddes of Purity." "I will judge whether he is noble or not under the name of the gods." A political ploy to free the Demon King from the Empire¡¯s clutches. Olivia Lanze had set off a massive disaster. Countless seeds of chaos had been sown. Now, they would sprout and bring forth immense confusion. ------ Olivia did not insist that the Demon King was a righteous being simply because he had been chosen by the sacred relic. Such an extreme claim would only invite opposition. It was true that the Demon King had been chosen by the sacred relic. Therefore, a discussion about his right or wrong should precede, and they should be the ones to lead that discussion. Olivia''s words¡ªthat since it was their problem, it should be made their problem¡ªcould only be seen as the logical course of action. Though the followers were confused, Olivia prioritized action. Olivia Lanze, who had left the temple, returned about five hours later. She was not alone. She brought with her over two hundred knights, the elite of the Holy Knights. The atmosphere among the knights was tense. The knights were not only shocked that the Demon King had been chosen by the sacred relic, but also furious that the empire had tried to secretly handle the matter. All of the Holy Knights agreed with Olivia Lanze''s opinion that they should be the ones to judge the Demon King''s fate. Standing before the temple guards blocking the entrance and Shanafel, Olivia stepped forward. "We are carrying out a sacred duty. Make way." "The temple is not a place for the Holy Knights to come and go as they please. It belongs to the empire." "All lands were created by the gods and thus, are blessed by them. If all lands belong to the Five Great Gods, what land is there that we, who carry out their commands, cannot enter?" As if she had never forsaken the gods, Olivia eloquently spoke her piece. "You are interfering with a crucial religious matter of the Holy Knights and the Church of the Five Great Gods. Step aside, we will discuss the disposal of the Demon King." "As I have said before, you cannot enter." "I will take that as permission to use force." Shing! Olivia threateningly unsheathed Tiamata, which she had deliberately sheathed. The knights, too, nervously unsheathed their swords as Olivia drew hers. They were all on edge due to Olivia''s actions. Tu''an''s champion, Olivia Lanze, was crossing a line. If she clashed with the temple''s forces here, the situation would spiral out of control. Whether Olivia''s actions were right or wrong, it would cause an official collision between the Church of the Five Great Gods and the empire. This confrontation at the temple entrance could even be remembered as the starting point of a religious war. That was why not only the temple guards but also the knights who had followed Olivia were taken aback by her righteous madness. No one had thought she would go this far. "Champion, any further and..." That was why one of the knights who had followed Olivia gulped and tried to dissuade her. "Are you doubting my will now?" To oppose my will is to oppose the will of Tu''an. With her gaze alone, Olivia implied that even a fellow knight''s head could be severed if they opposed her. Olivia Lanze was demonstrating how she could twist logic and drive the situation to the brink of insanity as the champion of the gods. The Five Great Gods, indeed. The sacred relics, indeed. The confusion of the followers and the religious war, whatever. Just let it be. It''s merely a pretense. This incident could lead to a religious war that could tear the empire apart, and the confrontation between the religious and imperial forces could become the starting point for a continent-wide war and massacre. Olivia doesn''t care about that. The world, whatever. Humanity, whatever. It''s not Olivia''s concern whether it collapses or not. Olivia Lanze is trying to save Reinhardt. So, she will clear away anything that stands in her way. Even if it''s a god itself. "Step aside if you don''t want war." At Olivia''s menacing words, not only the guards but also the knights who had followed her had no choice but to hold their breath. Righteous madness. The worst possible situation it could create was unfolding right now. CH 442 There is a saying that one avoids something not out of fear, but out of disgust. Yet Olivia Lanze was both filthy and terrifying. When Olivia pushed forward, daring anyone to stop her if they wished for war, swords were drawn against her, and in that instant, war broke out. No one wanted to be the catalyst for a war that could potentially split the continent in two - except for Olivia Lanze. Eventually, leading the Holy Knights, Olivia crossed the Temple Gate and arrived at the temporary detention facility where Reinhardt was imprisoned. The knights and mages of Shanafel, as well as the Temple''s forces, were blocking her from advancing any further. The Empire should never have informed Olivia. While it was prudent to keep an eye on her due to uncertainty about her allegiance to the Demon King, their decision now had terrible consequences for the Empire. With the Holy Knights at her command, Olivia stood at the forefront, facing Bertus, who was blocking her path. Behind Bertus were Shanafel and the Royal Mage Corps. Behind Olivia were the Holy Knights of the Holy Order. "Move aside." "I''m afraid I can''t do that, senior." Bertus, at his breaking point with a mix of annoyance and anger, stared at Olivia. "The authority over the Demon King''s well-being is ours. Hand it over." At Olivia''s nonchalant demand, Bertus gritted his teeth. There was no need to persuade her that her actions could potentially divide the continent and lead to humanity''s downfall. Outwardly, she might pretend to care, but inwardly, she would undoubtedly think, "So what?" "The Empire is the representative of humanity. Therefore, it is only right that the Empire''s royal family decides the fate of the enemy of humanity, the Demon King." At Bertus''s words, Olivia smirked. "Humans are creations of the gods. The Empire may represent humanity, but isn''t it only natural that the Holy Order, which represents the will of the gods, and the Five Great Churches have higher authority? Represent humanity all you want." Olivia raised the corner of her lips. "I represent the will of the gods." Because the gods created humanity, their will is superior to human will. The gods'' will is more righteous. And as the chosen champion, I represent the gods'' will. To oppose me is to oppose the gods. Olivia relentlessly pushed this horrifying logic, which would arise if the champion of the gods used their authority violently. As Eleris once told Reinhardt, relics are not only powerful items but also have immense political value. Olivia Lanze was fulfilling that statement perfectly. Facing Olivia''s attitude, Bertus, as well as the Empire''s knights and mages, were growing weary. What was the difference between this and madness? Was it permissible for a champion chosen by the gods to be so reckless? Why had someone who behaved so outrageously been chosen by the gods? Those not close to the gods began to doubt their intentions. However, the Holy Knights, equally weary, gradually began to think differently as they witnessed Olivia''s behavior. The Holy Knights were close to the gods. The gods were right. Therefore, the owners of the divine relics, the champions, were the second most righteous. The fact that Olivia Lanze, chosen by Tu''an, exhibited such behavior meant that the gods deemed it necessary to display such a radical will. The champion''s violent, aggressive, and somewhat insane actions were not because they had gone mad. The gods desire such actions. All things in the world are within the gods'' purview. The Champion represents the will of the gods. Thus, the more radical, the more blind, and the more violent Olivia''s actions are. The conclusion is drawn that the gods desire extreme actions. To those not close to the gods, she appears as a Champion driven by madness. But as the holy knights witness Olivia''s oppressive actions, the more extreme she is, the more they realize the gods support this extremity. The atmosphere among the holy knights shifts momentarily, from the dread of a possible continental war. Realizing that they can only support Olivia''s actions, which must be righteous, and acknowledging that it is the will of the gods. Gradually, determination fills their eyes. Faith, and belief. These bring about different conclusions and actions than the common. "Regarding the Demon King''s well-being, our argument is valid. Does the Empire have any evidence to deny this?" As Olivia speaks, the holy knights gradually begin to exude a menacing aura. With the Champion on our side, we are right. Even if we die here, even if it leads to war, it is the will of the gods. To die here is to die very close to the will of the gods. How could this not be glorious? "The Empire has identified and secured the true nature of the Demon King. The Order of Holy Knights is now trying to steal the Empire''s achievement." At Bertus''s words, Olivia tilts her head. "Yes, we appreciate your hard work. The Five Great Churches will express their gratitude to the Empire and pray for the blessings of the gods." It is sophistry, but it becomes right under the name of the gods. If the gods say to see white as black, one must do so. The eyes that cannot do this become wrong. Why do your eyes see white when they were told to see black? Only the gods can say such things. The Champion is their spokesperson. "I am here to fulfill my duty, not to claim my rights. I have a duty to judge whether the Demon King is a noble being or not." Bertus grits his teeth. There are many things to say. You, who share Tiamata with the Demon King, are ultimately doing this to protect the Demon King, aren''t you? Aren''t you impure from the moment your soul was shared with the Demon King? Haven''t you had your life saved by the Demon King? Aren''t you, the enemy of humanity? However, all these words will lead to great conflict. To say that the Champion of Two Eyes is not noble is already a grave blasphemy. Doubting Olivia''s intentions ultimately means doubting the will of the gods. Of course, the Empire is strong. Thus, they can doubt the will of the gods. Even if the gods are absolute, if they disagree, that is all there is to it. The gods are transcendent beings who lend their power to the world, but they have not granted the right to represent their absolute will to those who wield that power, or so one could argue. No matter how powerful the Order of Holy Knights and the Five Great Churches are, the Empire can easily push them aside if they wish. However, religion itself is a focal point, and if the Empire tears it apart, it loses its grand mission of embracing all humanity. The Empire can annihilate the Five Great Churches and the Order of Holy Knights, but then the Empire will collapse. The Empire, founded on the idea of gathering numerous races, cultures, and beliefs to stand against the demons. For such an empire to exterminate such a large group inevitably leads to a situation in which the empire loses its legitimacy. Bertus had much to think about. There were many things to protect. The Empire, the Royal Family, humanity. He had to speak and act to protect things that were overwhelmingly vast. But Olivia wanted only one thing. Reinhardt. That''s why she didn''t think about what would happen later, but put everything into saving Reinhardt right now. "I told you to step aside." As Olivia took a step, the knights behind her also advanced with an oppressive force. Shanafel, the Royal Mages, and Bertus did not back down. However, if they continued, a clash would occur. It was a highly tense situation. If they hand over the Demon King to Olivia instead of going to war, the outcome was clear. Olivia would argue that since the Demon King was chosen by the sacred relic, the Five Great Churches should support him. No one knew where this would lead. War was always the worst choice. Even more so when it was between humans. This moment had to be stopped. The mad march of Olivia had to be halted. "How about talking with the Demon King for a moment?" "What?" "You know well that demanding the handover of the Demon King is absurd. But we don''t intend to deny the legitimacy of the Holy Knights." First, they had to stop the imminent collision. A single word, a gesture could lead to war. A bait was thrown. "Talk with the Demon King for a moment, and discuss things in a calmer state." "..." Olivia stared at Bertus. She knew that war was the worst option. And she didn''t think that taking back Reinhardt right now was possible. She came to deliver a de facto warning that if they decided the Demon King''s fate on their own, a catastrophic event would occur. It was to make the Empire hesitate to execute Reinhardt immediately. And in the long run, she planned to find another way to save Reinhardt. He would allow her to meet Reinhardt. So step back for now. "Fine." Olivia accepted the proposal. "I''ll guide you." Of course, not all knights could enter, so only Olivia, their representative, could go inside. As if not intending to overreach further, Olivia followed the guidance of Shanafel''s knights and entered the prison building. For now, they bought some time. After confirming Olivia had left, Bertus approached one of the knights. The legitimacy Olivia held. The sacred relic. An undeniable existence chosen by the sacred relic. The Demon King and Olivia Lanze. And one more person. A person whose existence itself was legitimacy. Someone who could stand against Olivia Lanze without losing, or even have a stronger legitimacy. "Bring Ellen Artorius, immediately." They needed Ellen Artorius. ¡ª--- Temporary underground prison. Guided by Shanafel''s knights, Olivia was able to descend to the underground prison where Reinhardt was held. As soon as she arrived, there was only one thing she felt. ''Escaping by force is impossible.'' The external forces were a problem, but the individuals within the underground prison surpassed even the boundaries of superhumans. Grandmaster Saviolin Turner was present to prepare for any situation, along with numerous archmages and countless swordmasters. Saviolin Turner, the person in charge, had been living here, not even taking shifts. "¡­ I wondered if there was trouble." Seeing Olivia''s stern expression, Saviolin Turner bit her lip. "I have the prince''s permission." As if she had heard about the situation roughly, Turner narrowed her brow and stepped aside. At last, Olivia could see Reinhardt, lying stretched out and bound in chains. A gag had been fastened around his mouth, and his eyes were open. With her fists clenched tightly, Olivia approached Reinhardt and knelt before him. To Reinhardt, who had watched over her for so long, protected her, and now found himself in such a miserable state. To her Demon King. Olivia employed her holy power to heal the battered Reinhardt. "Reinhardt..." As she tended to Reinhardt, tears welled up in Olivia''s eyes. His unfocused gaze shifted, and at last, he looked directly at Olivia. Though his eyes were still cloudy, he recognized her. "Sister... you''re here..." "..." "I promise... I''ll save you." With these words, Olivia gently embraced Reinhardt''s bound neck. After a brief hug, Olivia reached for the gag in Reinhardt''s mouth. Woosh! "Don''t touch it. There''s a reason it''s there," Saviolin Turner warned, pointing her sword at Olivia''s neck. "If you want to kill me, go ahead." If she couldn''t even exchange words with Reinhardt in this wretched state, she would rather die. Unfazed by Saviolin Turner''s sword touching her throat, Olivia removed Reinhardt''s gag. Thud Though Olivia had healed him, Reinhardt still appeared weak and listless, his eyes unfocused. In the end, Saviolin Turner couldn''t bring herself to strike Olivia down. "Reinhardt, you''ve done nothing wrong, right? You... you''re innocent. We''ll convene a meeting of the Five Holy Orders and prove that you''re not evil. So, please..." "Sister..." Reinhardt called out to Olivia in a hoarse, strained voice. It was the first time he had addressed her in such a manner, so Olivia stared at him with wide eyes. "Don''t do it..." "What?" "Don''t... do something like that..." With great difficulty, Reinhardt raised his head and spoke quietly, his eyes still unfocused. "Sister... you''ll die..." Those words. Even in his current state, he was worried for Olivia and told her not to do anything dangerous. "Don''t die... after saving me... Don''t waste it... doing something pointless..." Those words. "It''s a waste... how can you... after saving me..." "Sob..." Hearing this, Olivia finally broke down in tears. She couldn''t bear to see Reinhardt, who, even in his near-death state, was more concerned for her than for himself. "Do you really think... he¡¯s evil?" Tears streaming down her face, Olivia looked at Saviolin Turner, who still held her sword to her throat. "Do you really think... Reinhardt is evil?" "Even if he''s the Demon King, how can someone who''s worried for me in a situation like this be evil? There''s no way... There''s just no way..." "Reinhardt must have had his reasons..." "There must have been a reason for everything Reinhardt has done up until now. We might not know... We need to listen... at least once..." "Why he did it." "Why it had to be that way." "We can at least listen, can''t we?" "Just because he''s the Demon King, and just because he''s suspicious, is it right to tie him up like an animal, even gagging him? Is this... right? Beyond the will of the gods... beyond all that..." "It''s just too cruel..." As Olivia sobbed, the tip of Saviolin Turner''s sword wavered. Is the Demon King truly evil? Even in this situation, there was a being who had once saved Olivia, now warning her that she might be in danger and telling her not to try to save him. Could such a being truly be evil? Could this, too, be a deception? "Leaving aside doubt and circumstance, what harm has Reinhardt done? What has he done, really...?" The Demon King''s first attack was to rescue demon captives being sold as slaves. The Demon King was capable of that. The assault on the Holy Knights was to rescue the close acquaintance, Olivia Lanze. Reinhardt was capable of that. The final attack was a farce orchestrated by the Empire. The Demon King had not carried that out. Saviolin Turner had done it under the orders of the Empire. The Demon King... Was he evil? Saviolin Turner sheathed her sword, biting her lip as she looked at the weeping Olivia Lanze and Reinhardt. The truth of it all. What was true and what was false, from beginning to end. She, too, felt like she would go mad from wanting to know. Everyone wanted to believe that Reinhardt was not a bad person. But let''s say the Demon King didn''t hate humanity. ''Why?'' With only reasons to hate, why on earth wouldn''t he? People felt betrayed by the Demon King because they couldn''t accept that part. However. "Please... listen to Reinhardt''s words... just a little... please... trust him... trust Reinhardt..." Only Olivia Lanze, with her unwavering trust and love for the Demon King. Only Olivia Lanze, who had received crucial help from the Demon King several times. In this situation, she sobbed pitifully, asking them to trust Reinhardt. CH 443 In the end, Olivia had accomplished her goal. She had created a situation where the Empire could not dispose of Reinhardt on their own. However, it was impossible for the Holy Knights to take custody of Reinhardt. Bertus knew Olivia''s true intentions. For Reinhardt''s sake, Olivia would do everything she could. Since force was not an option, she would use her political influence. With barely enough strength to speak, Reinhardt was fed water and gruel by Olivia. Only after she tearfully begged him to eat did Reinhardt reluctantly accept the food she offered. All of this was witnessed by Saviolin Turner, who quietly watched. "I''ll be back." Getting up from her seat, Olivia gazed down at Reinhardt with a worried look. Although she couldn''t bear to leave him, she couldn''t stay by his side either. The best way to help Reinhardt was to be busy working on his behalf where he couldn''t see her. Gritting her teeth, Olivia passed by Saviolin Turner and walked through the underground prison corridor. Turner continued to stare at Reinhardt. Could it be that the Demon King truly had nothing to do with evil? ¡ª--- When Olivia Lanze returned to those waiting above ground, she noticed an extra person who had not been there before. Somehow, that person always had a vague presence. A girl with black hair that now appeared to be listlessly hanging down. Ellen Artorius was standing beside Bertus. She had no idea why she was summoned there, she simply came when called. She appeared to be an empty person, devoid of thought or will. That image was eerily similar to Reinhardt''s when he was locked in the underground prison. Just as Reinhardt had seemed to have given up on everything in despair, Ellen Artorius also seemed to have given up on everything due to her sense of betrayal. Seeing Ellen standing next to Bertus, Olivia flashed a bitter smile. "Ah, I see what you''re thinking." Bertus brought a hero wielding another sacred artifact to counter the threat of Olivia''s. In order to resist Olivia''s tyranny, all he needed was someone with stronger justification. Olivia was the champion chosen by Tiamata. However, Ellen was Ragan Artorius''s younger sister. She was not only guaranteed the support of the Mencis Sect but also the support of the majority of the population, being Ragan Artorius''s sister. Objectively speaking, Ellen had a stronger claim than Olivia. Thus, Bertus had brought Ellen to use as a pretext to stop Olivia''s tyranny. Furthermore, Ellen possessed the sacred artifact, Lament. Only Reinhardt and Charlotte knew that Ellen held Lapelt. However, if this fact became known, Ellen, as the possessor of two sacred artifacts, would have an even stronger justification than Olivia. Naturally, the Holy Knights that Olivia had brought would be conflicted if Ellen had different intentions. The division among the Holy Knights would soon cause a split in support, and Olivia would be unable to continue her tyranny. However, Olivia stared intently at Ellen. Olivia was unaware that Ellen had played a crucial role in tracking the Demon King. She only knew that Ellen had lost everything, as evidenced by her expression. "Are you okay with this?" "..." Ellen had no response to Olivia''s words. "Will you just let Reinhardt be labeled a villain, locked away somewhere to cry miserably, and leave him to die?" "You''re only capable of that much, huh?" At those words, the light returned to Ellen''s lifeless eyes. Anger. That cruel statement, implying her feelings were insignificant, left a fresh wound on Ellen''s deadened heart. "What do you know, senior?" "I don''t know everything, do I?" Olivia raised the corner of her mouth slightly. "But I do know that you''ll stay cooped up in your room, pining and lamenting that ''Reinhardt is the evil son of the Demon King who killed my brother.''" Ellen clenched her teeth at the provocation. "My feelings... what I... what I think... how much I loved Reinhardt... how I feel... how can you know... how can you know... what do you know, senior?" In the end, Ellen''s lips quivered, and tears fell as Olivia covered her mouth, laughing. "Oh, right, you must be so sad. Cry. Cry all you want. Who cares?" Olivia displayed a gloomy smile. As if she''d forgotten that countless warriors and holy knights were watching. As if only expressing her feelings and laying them bare mattered. "Reinhardt could be evil. He could be a bad guy. He could be scheming something incredibly wicked. Yeah, it''s possible." "But still." "I''ll believe in Reinhardt till the end." "Even if I''m betrayed or hurt at the very end." "Even if my beliefs turn out to be wrong." "I''ll believe in Reinhardt." "So, you were only capable of that much." "Reinhardt is the Demon King. It''s too scary and sad, and you¡¯re going crazy from the betrayal." "Stay like that. Stay like that and die miserably, like a fool." "If there''s a choice between being unhappy by believing and being unhappy by not believing." "I''ll be unhappy by believing. You get it?" "I''m different from someone like you." It was a statement that shouldn''t have been made in front of the holy knights. But Olivia calmly spat out those words. I believe in the Demon King. "Let''s go back." With a bombshell declaration, Olivia gestured to the holy knights, their faces drained of color. With her hands in her pockets, fidgeting. She led the holy knights back, not as a champion but more like a neighborhood thug. Ellen''s face turned pale. Was I really only capable of that much? Unable to even consider listening to the story out of fear. Unhappy by believing, or unhappy by not believing. If both led to unhappiness, which unhappiness was better? She had remained hidden in her room, shocked by the thought of having been deceived all this time. Olivia Lanze''s words were all true. Her feelings weren''t false. She thought her love wouldn''t lose to anyone in size. But fear and betrayal had turned her into a shell, living like this. Ellen didn''t know many things, but there was one thing she knew. She didn''t know what she was good at. But constantly crying like this must be wrong. ¡ª--- Olivia Lanze led the holy knights back. Before everyone on the continent knew of the hero''s existence, the rumor that the hero was the Demon King would spread. Conflict with religious groups would become inevitable. Now, Bertus had to prevent this from escalating into a full-scale war. After Olivia left and the alert was lifted, Bertus brought Ellen to his office. Reinhardt was indeed the Demon King. But Olivia Lanze still chose to believe in Reinhardt. It wasn''t because he''d saved her several times that she could believe in him; she didn''t want to think that way. Believing and being unhappy, not believing and being unhappy. If there were two paths, Olivia Lanze said she would choose to believe and be unhappy. You were only worth that much. Olivia''s words painfully pierced Ellen''s heart. Was it something worth believing? Hiding such a thing, should it be believed? Is it possible? It''s impossible. It seems impossible. Ellen had just seen someone for whom it was possible. Of course, in a sense, Olivia was indebted to the Demon King, so it was easier for her to believe in him. Ellen thinks. About everything that has happened so far. All that time may not have been false. Could believing in Reinhardt turn all the time that has become fake into something real? Should I have believed more? In Reinhardt? Olivia was able to do something that Ellen couldn''t. Was I really worth just that much? "..." Ellen stared blankly at the table with empty eyes. "Ellen, you have the right to attend the Papal Conclave of the Five Major Religions Order. You know that, right?" "......Yeah?" At Bertus''s words, Ellen mumbled blankly. "Olivia Lanze will try to justify the Demon King''s actions after pulling him to the side of the Holy Knights. So, you are the only one who can suppress that insane woman''s right to speak." "...I guess so." "..." At Ellen''s lifeless response, Bertus crossed his arms and looked at her. "Don''t tell me you want to believe in Reinhardt, too?" "..." "Everyone feels the same way. We all wish that the insane things Reinhardt says were true. But it''s impossible to believe. It doesn''t make sense. And even if Reinhardt''s intentions were true, the problem remains the same." Ellen bit her lip. "Olivia will claim that since the Demon King was chosen by two sacred relics, he should naturally be recognized as a champion. Then humanity will have the power to seize both the Holy Order and the Demon God Cult. Regardless of whether Reinhardt really doesn''t hate humans, the continent will split in two and another demonic war could break out. The division is certain regardless of Reinhardt''s intentions." Being not only the Demon King but also the champion of the gods. And the followers of the Demon God Cult follow the Demon King. It achieves the miraculous event of uniting the Theocratic Order and the Demon God Cult, creating a perfectly exclusive force against the Empire. Reinhardt''s existence is so enormous that even if he doesn''t want conflict, it''s clear that he will be the starting point of a massive conflict. Bertus, from the position of defending the Empire, couldn''t let the Demon King be released into the world without restraint. Listening quietly to the story, Ellen uttered a single word. "I''ll attend the Five Major Religions Conclave." Without saying what she would talk about there. "Can I... go see Reinhardt?" As if that was all she had been thinking about, Ellen asked. ¡ª--- Standing in front of Reinhardt, who was bound in chains, Ellen was surprised by the guilt that welled up from deep within her chest. She played a crucial role in capturing the Demon King who threatened humanity. It was a great deed that would be remembered in history, no matter who heard about it. But when she saw the deflated Reinhardt, what Ellen felt was not the exhilaration or ecstasy of revenge. A sense of guilt gnawed at her from deep within her heart. It was me. It was me who did this to Reinhardt. I was the one who reduced Reinhardt to this state. "..." Ellen hadn''t expected him to receive good treatment, but seeing him with her own eyes was a different matter. Her fingertips trembled and her breath caught in her throat as she looked at the miserable sight before her. It felt as if someone was squeezing her heart. Struggling, Reinhardt lifted his head and stared at Ellen standing outside the iron bars. Reinhardt, gagged and unable to speak, tried to focus on Ellen, who seemed blurry to his exhausted or perhaps resigned eyes. Eventually, tears welled up in Reinhardt''s unfocused eyes as he seemed to recognize Ellen. This sight made Ellen want to tear her heart out. "..." Were those tears fake too? No, that couldn''t be. Absolutely not. Ellen trembled as she gripped the iron bars, looking at Reinhardt inside the prison. What have I done? What have I done? She wanted to say sorry, but she knew she had no right to say such words, so she could only force a smile. The son of the Demon King who killed her brother. All the lies he had told so far. The countless things he had done without telling anyone. All of that disappeared when she saw Reinhardt''s broken state. It was my fault. I ruined everything. I should have trusted him more. At least, I should have listened to his side of the story. But I didn''t. Overwhelmed by fear and terror, and caught up in betrayal and suspicion. I didn''t even listen to his story. If I had, if I had given him a chance to speak for himself. No, actually, he did speak. Though he spoke playfully, his words at the time could have been an attempt to alleviate his inner frustration and depression. If only I had taken his words a little more seriously back then. If I hadn''t dismissed them as frivolous and unpleasant jokes. Things might not have turned out like this. I didn''t trust Reinhardt. And so. Everything fell apart. "It''s all... all... my fault..." Saviolin Turner watched as Ellen, shaking and sobbing, broke down. Reinhardt, his head bowed and gagged, couldn''t say a word. But still, Reinhardt shook his head with difficulty. As if to say, it wasn''t her fault. Seeing this, Ellen could only tremble and cry even harder. Saviolin Turner silently observed. Ellen Artorius, who had essentially captured the Demon King herself, collapsed upon seeing the captured Demon King. Olivia Lanze declared that she would save Reinhardt. He had won the hearts of very important figures, and so Reinhardt still had a chance to survive even after being revealed as the Demon King. If the Demon King himself was the master of the sacred artifact and had the support of Olivia and Ellen, then he could survive through political means rather than through war. No, it wasn''t just that. It might even be possible for him to break away half of humanity and bring them under his own influence. Being exposed might actually make such a thing possible. Was this also part of the Demon King''s scheme? Saviolin Turner looked at the Demon King beyond the weeping Ellen. As if to say, it''s not your fault, don''t cry, the Demon King shook his head. Could that pained gesture be a lie? Gradually, in Saviolin Turner''s heart. Dark clouds of doubt and suspicion began to rise. CH 444 Somewhere in an alley of the Imperial City. "Epinhauser, why don''t you follow the Order''s decision?" "¡­" Epinhauser listened as a woman in a black robe leaned against the wall and spoke quietly. "The Council is almost certainly in possession of the Akasha. They told you to track it down through Lord of Wednesday." "We still don''t know exactly what the Akasha is." At Epinhauser''s short response, the woman in the black robe gently tapped her white finger. "Shouldn''t we figure out what the Akasha is after we secure it?" "If we mess with the Lord of Wednesday, the Council might sense the danger and use the Akasha." "¡­" Originally, the Black Order''s objective was not to secure the Akasha, but the annihilation of Cantus Magna. After the battle at the Tomb of the Lich, the Council cut off contact with the Black Order. This meant that maintaining an alliance was no longer possible. It was certain that they had chosen the right time to sever ties, as their goal had already been achieved. It wasn''t particularly unreasonable. Alliances tended to last only as long as their interests aligned. However, now the Order sought to address a new threat called the Akasha. The only clue at the moment was Lucinil, who had infiltrated the Temple as a first-year student. But Epinhauser, an insider at the Temple, was ignoring the Order''s decision to track Lucinil and find the whereabouts of the Akasha. "Epinhauser, I hope you haven''t taken a liking to the Demon King''s side." That''s why the Order couldn''t help but doubt the silent Epinhauser''s intentions. "The Order completely agreed with your opinion that the Demon King is essential for the unity and maintenance of the Empire. That''s why we spared the Demon King''s life." "¡­" "But that only applies when the Demon King is weak and has minimal power. Your opinion was correct then, but the situation has changed now." Epinhauser remained silent. "The Demon King will die soon. No, if he survives like this, the problem will only grow." "The Demon King can no longer be weak, can cause numerous political divisions in the Empire, and can wield powerful forces at his whim." "On top of that, he has the Akasha." "The Demon King is already a sign of a massive division, and he could become the starting point for the collapse of the Empire." "We''ll leave the Demon King to die, and if he survives, the Order will intervene." "So, Epinhauser, focus on securing the Akasha, the most significant threat at this point. The only lead we have right now is the Lord of Wednesday." "The Order exists for the continuity of the Empire and the sake of humanity. Have you forgotten what''s most important?" At the words of the woman in the black robe, Epinhauser lowered his head. "I haven''t forgotten." "Then why don''t you follow the Order''s decision?" The Black Order. They exist to maintain order. Order for the Empire and humanity. They undertake dirty tasks to support the Empire behind the scenes, sometimes committing heinous acts that are socially unacceptable in order to uphold the Empire. That''s why collaborating with the Demon King for the sake of the Empire was one of the Order''s contradictory endeavors. The Demon King is undoubtedly a great threat to the Empire. However, an overly weak Demon King could be useful. After the Great Demon War, the Empire showed signs of division, and they needed such an abstract enemy. To humanity, it appeared another massive dark cloud loomed, but in reality, the Demon King had simply weakened. The Order chose to observe the Demon King from a distance rather than eliminate him. It was most accurate to view the extent of the Demon King''s power from the standpoint of an ally. According to the reports sent by Epinhauser over time, it was confirmed that the Demon King did not harbor any particular hostility or malice towards humanity. A Demon King who did not oppose humanity, but who certainly existed. Such a Demon King was the most necessary existence for both humanity and the empire. However, the atmosphere started to become strange as the Demon King secured a sacred relic. The story changed when Cantus Magna shared a secret with a member of his him. The Demon King''s usefulness had vanished. To be precise, the Demon King''s existence had already become too dangerous in and of itself. Reinhardt was a weak Demon King, which made him an existence suitable for the Order''s taste. Whenever the sense of crisis in the empire''s division intensified, his appearance in a suitable place caused frightened humans to cling tightly to one another. The Order knew that the Demon King did not harbor great animosity towards humanity and was rather seeking coexistence, and that he did not have much enthusiasm for the reconstruction of the demon world. Despite such intentions, the Demon King was a champion chosen by the gods, and now his servants possessed the highly dangerous artifact called Akasha. Even a faction called the Demon God Cult, which followed the Demon King, had emerged. The Order knew that the Demon King was a harmless existence, but they did not approach the situation with such a concept or perspective. The Demon King had become too dangerous a symbol simply by existing. So now, he must be removed. Akasha is dangerous. So, it must be secured. The first of the two tasks would be taken care of by the empire. Thus, the Order needed to focus on the second task, securing Akasha. Epinhauser, one of the most crucial personnel within the temple, was not listening. "One should approach a bomb, which can destroy the world from one end to another if touched recklessly, with great caution." Epinhauser''s words had a point. If one were to forcefully find out the location of Akasha by torturing or detaining the Lord of Wednesday, the Council might make a radical choice. "Remember, Epinhauser, as time passes, there is nothing good for us." "I''ll keep that in mind." With a swish, the woman in a black robe disappeared, and Epinhauser stepped back onto the main road and headed for the temple. As always, the overly emotionless Epinhauser wore neat attire and made his way to the temple. Morality and intention are irrelevant to one''s existence. Eliminating the threat to the empire and promoting the empire''s revival. That was the purpose and intention of the Order, even if it was not that of the empire. The Black Order, which volunteered to be the pillar supporting the empire from the shadows, exists for him. There were even lower-ranking members who did not know the true intentions of the Black Order. Receiving orders and carrying them out, there were those who desired only the power given to them by the Order in return for executing the commands, like flies. But Epinhauser was not one of those flies. Crossing the temple gate, Epinhauser walked through the still chaotic temple corridor. The Demon King himself, as well as his own forces, should have been weak and small in scale. The reason the Order cooperated with the Demon King was to closely observe his growth and deal with him when he crossed the line. Now, that line had been crossed. The empire would handle the Demon King''s life, so the Order needed to deal with Akasha. Riding the tram towards the Royal Class dormitory, Epinhauser called out to Lucinil, a quiet first-year student. The Lord of Wednesday. A silver-haired child. Epinhauser sometimes had such thoughts. The forces of the Demon King, like the Demon King himself, seemed to consist of somewhat foolish fellows. "...What''s the matter?" Lucinil, still at the temple to monitor its internal affairs, did not have a good expression given the situation. She and Epinhauser were the only points of contact between the Council and the Order. Thus, Lucinil was tense. She would have to respond if Epinhauser were to take an aggressive stance. Unable to leave the temple because of his exposed situation, Lucinil had to stay there to report on Valier''s imprisonment. "Akasha, do you possess it?" "..." At Epinhauser''s question, Lucinil remained silent, slowly retreating. "What is Akasha?" "..." "With Akasha, what do you plan to do?" Epinhauser did not approach Lucinil but simply asked from his position. "Will you become our ally?" Lucinil asked an entirely different question. Epinhauser shook his head in response. "No, we can no longer be your allies, regardless of the Akasha issue." Though it was unnecessary to say, Epinhauser felt compelled to do so. "Then, there is no reason for me to tell you." "The Order instructed me to use force to find out Akasha''s whereabouts from you." "...Do you think that''s possible?" The Lord of Wednesday. An old vampire. Lucinil looked at Epinhauser with a gaze full of hostility. "I don''t think it''s necessarily impossible." In contrast to the wary Lucinil, Epinhauser simply gazed at her. "However, this is the will of the Order." "...What?" At Epinhauser''s unexpected remark, Lucinil''s eyes widened. The Black Order was a group intent on performing acts of good through evil means. Their definition of good was not absolute but referred to the good and justice solely for humanity. However, Epinhauser had seen it. Though not for a long time. A mere boy with a filthy temperament. He had seen the boy grit his teeth and grow without possessing anything. He had seen him struggle not to break within petty justice and petty convictions. He had known the boy to be the Demon King and saw that he did not hate humanity despite his experiences. On the contrary, he had witnessed his love for humans and his attempts to save them at times. Though he had not observed this from the sidelines. As a teacher, he had watched the growth of the Demon King. He had seen a person not much different from an ordinary human, persistently climbing upwards, accomplishing the tasks he believed in. The Order was a group that performed good through evil means. It was an organization that had to work in the shadows for the sake of the empire, carrying out cursed tasks without recognition from anyone. Therefore, pride was of utmost importance to the Order''s operatives. They had no choice but to possess pride and convictions strong enough to carry out irrational acts of evil. However. A being that should rightfully hate humanity. Epinhauser had seen a being, for whom not hating humanity should have been physically and logically impossible, love humanity more than anyone else. It was an impossible feat. The Demon King, who had achieved what should have been impossible. How strong were the pride and convictions of such a being? Epinhauser could not fathom it. A being that did not hate humanity was burdened with hatred and sentenced to death. Unable to achieve anything at all. Without receiving anyone''s sympathy, nor the understanding of those they loved. His pride, convictions, and dreams remained unknown to anyone. Doomed to die bearing the stigma of a traitor and a deceiver. A world where such pride must be broken. A world where such convictions must be insulted. If that is a world where such beings must die miserably without accomplishing anything, What is pride and what are convictions? If the world''s greatest pride and convictions must be destroyed, What value do they hold, and What meaning is there in that world? Having lived his entire life solely by his convictions and pride, If the one who sought to act on a pride even greater than his own, in the name of forgiveness and reconciliation rather than evil, must die in such a manner, If he must die in infamy and disgrace without receiving anyone''s understanding, If that is the world, If that is the will of the gods, Then even the gods And the world, Are worthless. Someone''s misunderstanding leads them to hate the boy. Someone''s misunderstanding leads them to be moved by the boy. "Although the Order may not be on your side, I believe I can be on your side." And so, Epinhauserer said as much. ¡ª--- Due to the action of Olivia Lanze, the Empire found itself unable to act against the Demon King. Any punishment for the Demon King would first have to be discussed with the Five Holy Orders. Ultimately, the ''stalling tactic'' Olivia Lanze intended was a great success. And as Olivia had spoken, rumors spread rapidly throughout the Empire. The Demon King had been captured. Not long ago, Reinhardt, known to have been chosen by the Alsbringer, was the Demon King himself. Rumors that the Demon King had infiltrated among the humans. And the truth that the Demon King had been chosen by the Alsbringer. These brought shock and confusion. Though the capture of the Demon King should be a relief, the fact that the gods knew about it and bestowed a sacred artifact upon him implied the gods intended it. Moreover, that sacred artifact now held the greatest value to humanity. The sword of the hero who had slain the father is now wielded by the son. What was Als planning? Was the God of War living up to their name and desiring a great war? What did the gods want? Had the gods abandoned them? Why had they chosen the Demon King of the demon race, rather than humanity? Despite the capture of the Demon King, people felt confusion and fear. And then, At the temple, During breakfast time, "So, you knew about it, didn''t you?" Liana de Grantz said as she looked at Harriet. Harriet, like a sinner, bowed her head in front of Liana, unable to say a word. Ellen and Harriet had been acting strange lately. As if Liana could now understand the meaning behind their strange behavior, she nodded quietly. The Demon King who had killed Duke Grantz was Reinhardt. And he had even attended the funeral. Liana heard that fact and slowly nodded. "Harriet, let''s talk later." "Huh? Ah... Yeah...." Harriet quietly watched as the tip of the fork held by Liana turned bright red. CH 445 The news that Reinhardt was the Demon King had thrown the entire Imperial Capital into chaos, but the most confusion, naturally, was at the Temple. Once the students of the Temple learned the cause of the recent unrest, their faces turned pale with fear. They had thought the Temple was the safest place after the Imperial Palace, but the Demon King himself had been attending the Temple. And now, he was discovered and imprisoned. It was only natural that there were many students who, amidst the chaos and fear, were hurriedly packing their belongings to leave the Temple. In the midst of the confused Temple, there was the Royal Class. "No... What went wrong? Even if it''s Reinhardt, that guy..." Erich de Lafaeri stared blankly, shaking his head in disbelief. The faces of the other students were also drained of color. The atmosphere had been strange, and Reinhardt had been suspiciously absent. When they discovered the truth, it was far bigger than they had imagined. Even though they weren''t close friends, they had shared the same roof with the Demon King. Regardless of their shock, they simply couldn''t believe it. Reinhardt was a person with a filthy temper, somewhat sinister, and now chosen by a sacred artifact, making him seem to be on another level. That Reinhardt was the Demon King. "What on... what on earth..." Heinrich von Schwarz was also in disbelief. "Isn''t there some kind of misunderstanding? This... can this be true?" It was Kono Lint who spoke. "..." Cayer, who had picked a fight with Reinhardt during their first year, was trembling. ------ "Isn''t there some sort of mistake?" Ludwig was discussing the situation with the students of Class B. "No, Reinhardt couldn''t have done it. He''s human, after all." "Maybe he used some kind of transformation magic..." At Delfin''s words, Ludwig furrowed his brow and shook his head. "But how did he get into the Temple?" Ranian Sesor''s question made Christina tilt her head. "I don''t know, maybe there''s some kind of magic that allowed him to do that. He is the Demon King after all... But it''s still hard to understand..." Class B was also shocked and confused by the news that Reinhardt was the Demon King. Scarlett walked past her classmates who were discussing the matter. She had found out earlier than them, but she too couldn''t accept the current situation. "So, everything related to the Demon King up until now was... Reinhardt''s doing?" The massacre of the Knights Templar. The attack on Rajeurn. And even the resurgence of the Demon God Cult. Upon hearing that all these events were orchestrated by Reinhardt, everyone was stunned. Reinhardt, whom they thought was just an outstanding classmate, turned out to be the Demon King who even committed civilian massacres. Everyone could only feel fear and betrayal. "Why... why did Reinhardt...?" At the funeral of the Duke of Grantz, Ludwig had seen Reinhardt. Was his somber expression then all an act? In reality, had he killed his friend''s parents under his own orders and even attended the funeral? Why did he have to do it? Just for despair? Ludwig could not understand the connection between all these events. As they continued to discuss the matter, something sinister began to emerge. Students who were chatting in the hall soon noticed a dark, ominous presence creeping up from somewhere in the corridor. "Wh-what is that...?" The identity of the shadow spreading throughout the corridor was unknown. All students were startled and stood up from their seats. A sinister and dark energy, as if trying to consume the world, seemed to surge from somewhere. While everyone was frozen in place, only Ludwig made his way towards the corridor. An unidentified black energy blanketed the entire hallway. Although he could not be certain, Ludwig deduced that it came from Dormitory B-1 at the very end of the corridor. Soon, he realized that the energy was emanating from Charlotte''s room. Something had happened to Charlotte. "Charlotte!" Without hesitation, Ludwig pushed through the dark energy and flung open Charlotte''s door. -Thunk! The door was not locked. "Ch... Charlotte...?" In the middle of the dormitory room, Charlotte, her body shrouded in black energy, was sitting motionless on her bed. Not only Ludwig, but other students as well, could see that Charlotte was engulfed in this ominous energy. Sitting blankly on the bed, Charlotte gazed at her classmates, including Ludwig, through her red demonic eyes. "Leave... " In a voice barely above a whisper, "Leave me be..." Charlotte de Gardias spoke those words. ------ The students at the temple became aware of Charlotte''s condition. Charlotte was promptly escorted to the royal palace by the royal family. The students did not know exactly what it was, whether it was Charlotte''s supernatural powers that had been kept secret until now, or something else entirely. Charlotte had been kidnapped by the Demon King, and she had spent considerable time in close proximity to the Demon King''s successor. Rumors circulated amongst the students that the princess had received a curse similar to that of the Demon King. Rumors beget rumors, creating fabricated truths. Technically, Charlotte de Gardias, the primary victim of the Demon King, was now under a completely different cloud of suspicion. Could it be that the First Princess was actually an accomplice of the Demon King? Her safe escape from the Demon King''s castle was suspicious to begin with. And it just so happened that her closest classmate was the Demon King''s son. It could all be part of a plan, with the First Princess not being a victim but a willing accomplice. Most people did not know that Charlotte and Ellen played a crucial role in tracking down the Demon King''s trail, and even if they did, it wouldn''t have made a difference. People tend to draw conclusions and fit circumstances accordingly. Suspicious events intertwine and create non-existent truths. The First Princess is suspicious. The spreading rumors were already trying to create new truths and find their next target. The First Princess was too high-ranking to be sacrificed to such rumors. However, it was uncertain how long her status would protect the First Princess. ------ Holy Knight Order Headquarters, Conference Room. Due to an urgent religious matter, people who would not normally gather in the conference room were all present. From the Holy Knight Order''s leader, Eleion Bolton, to the Popes of the Five Great Religions¨C Tu¡¯an, Mencis, Als, Riter, and Shal¡¯am ¨C as well as the two Champions, Olivia Lanze and Ellen Artorius, were all in attendance. Representatives of each religious order, those representing the combined forces of those orders, and the Champions chosen by the gods. It was rare for these individuals to gather in one place, and among them, Olivia and Ellen sat side by side at the highest seats. Such is the authority of the Champions of the Gods. Even if, like Ellen, they are not actual believers, Champions possess immense religious authority and symbolism in and of themselves. Therefore, both Olivia, who was originally a believer and a priestess, and Ellen, received precedence over the Popes. However, silence enveloped the conference room. For generations, the gods of the Five Great Religions had been perceived as gods for humanity. For they had always granted relics only to humans. The demon race, under the name of the Demon Gods, separated themselves from the rest, claiming to have their own faith. But the War God Als chose the Demon King. The War God, who had once bestowed a relic upon a hero to slay the Demon King, had now strangely chosen the son of the slain Demon King. That was why the high priests could not speak hastily. They couldn''t understand what was happening. Olivia was the first to speak. "The choice of the gods is correct. Therefore, I believe there must be some intention behind Als choosing the Demon King. That intention may be beyond our understanding, but I believe this matter will eventually lead to great righteousness and justice." Olivia had no interest in the will of the gods, but pretending otherwise was easy for her. The reason the Demon King was chosen must be due to an intention too great for us to understand; thus, it is ultimately a long-term and absolute good. Therefore, Olivia''s argument was that they should accept the existence of the Demon King. The high priest of the Tu''an order reacted to Olivia''s words. "Champion. The demons have always been the enemies of mankind, and the abominable Demon King is undoubtedly the ultimate enemy of mankind, possessing an incomprehensible and immense power. Thus, there is a possibility that the relic has been negatively influenced by that unfathomable power." "Doubting the sanctity of the relic is doubting the sanctity of the gods. Are you now questioning the choice of the gods?" The high priest of the Als order refuted the words of the Tu''an order''s high priest. To claim that the Demon King had negatively influenced Als''s relic and stolen it was to deny not only the Als order but also the War God''s will. That''s why the Als order had no choice but to react sensitively. Olivia faintly smiled at the high priest of the Als order''s statement. In reality, it was not Olivia, but the Als order that had to absolutely defend Reinhardt. Due to the hero using the Alsbringer to defeat the Demon King, the Als order currently had the most followers among the Five Great Religions. In such a situation, the followers and priests of the Als order were the most shaken. Therefore, it was a situation where they were most reluctant to have Als''s authority questioned or doubted. If they were to affirm the Demon King, they had to do so wholeheartedly, and if they were to deny the Demon King, they had to do so extremely. "¡­That is not what I meant. I just wanted to say that since we do not know what power the Demon King possesses or what kind of nefarious acts he can commit, it is premature to wholeheartedly accept him." At the words of the Tu''an order''s high priest, everyone slowly nodded their heads. They were aware that the situation was escalating into a massive religious conflict, and that a huge conflict had already begun. The decision made here could very well become the spark for a massive war. That''s why they all understood that making hasty decisions would put everyone at risk. Recklessly denying the Demon King would shake the foundation of faith in the Five Great Religions. Recklessly accepting the Demon King could lead to a war between the Empire and the Five Great Religions. Thus, the prevailing judgment was that they had no choice but to observe the situation for now. And everyone was wary of Olivia Lanze. Although she speaks in accordance with the situation and doctrine, Olivia does not hide the fact that she is entirely on the side of the Demon King. The champion of Tu¡¯an is a stubborn fool, trying to wage war. That''s why everyone had to grit their teeth whenever Olivia opened her mouth. And the high priest of the Tu''an Order was the most affected by this. The saint, once a promising leader of the next generation of the Tu''an Order, or the future commander of the Holy Knights, had become an extremist. Why did Tu''an have to choose someone like that... Inevitably, such thoughts flooded their minds. "The high priest of the Tu''an Order seems to be a little pale." Naturally, Olivia was not one to miss that. She had already explained it to Eleion Bolton, but there was still one fact that the other popes present did not know. "Well, I''d like to share an interesting fact with you." Olivia summons Tiamata with a smirk. "Actually, I share Tiamata with the Demon King." "What?!" There was only one order that must advocate for the existence of the Demon King. The Als Order. "So, in this great battle of Tu''an, there are not one, but two champions." And now, the Tu''an Order had been added as well. Ellen and Eleion Bolton, who already knew the truth, remained silent. But the high priests of the Five Great Religions could only be appalled. The Demon King had not only been chosen by Als but by Tu''an as well. Everyone had no choice but to react with disbelief. However, they couldn''t prove it conclusively, and there was a chance that Olivia was lying just to support the Demon King''s side. "If you doubt my words, you can ask the champion of Mencis." Olivia gestured to Ellen with her chin. The sister of the hero and the only person with the authority to stop Olivia''s misdeeds. Everyone looked at Ellen Artorious, as if hoping she would deny it. "It''s true." Ellen had no intention of lying. "Oh, gods..." One of the high priests let out an ambiguous exclamation, neither cursing nor praising the gods. Not only the Als Order but also the Tu''an Order. The high priest of the Tu''an Order was going mad with frustration. The champion was a lunatic siding with the Demon King, and on top of that, even choosing the Demon King. "Since I became the champion of Tu''an last year, I was the first to be chosen, right?" "Yes, that''s right." The high priest of the Tu''an Order felt like his own house had burned down while he was looking at someone else''s. Not one, but two. They did not know that Ellen currently possessed Lapelt, the relic of Shal¡¯am. Thus, the Demon King now held two relics, making him the most powerful religious symbol at the moment. It was already a headache with one, but now there were two. It was difficult to claim that they had intercepted Alsbringer with some scheme, let alone intercepting two relics. It would be tantamount to admitting the incompetence of the gods themselves. That was fundamentally impossible. So, could they accept the existence of the Demon King? Psychologically, it would be impossible for most of the crowd, as well as many within the Orders who could not understand it. It could lead to a rift not only with the Empire but also among the religious people gathered under the name of the Holy Knights. In the long run, the Tu''an and Als Orders could be branded as no different from the worship of the Demon King. In the long run, the demise of the religious order itself; in the short run, a religious war. A calamity. Or perhaps an even greater calamity. They were faced with the worst possible choices, and no matter what they chose, disaster was the only outcome. "First of all, we can all agree that it''s appropriate for us to make a decision regarding the Demon King''s issue, right?" At Olivia''s natural remark, not only the Holy Knights'' commander but also the five High Priests of the Divine Faith were on the verge of losing their minds. If the Demon King fell into their hands, she would claim his innocence through a fair trial, and she made no effort to conceal her intention to eventually release him safely. However, they could not disagree that this issue must be resolved in the hands of the five religious orders. This was a matter concerning the authority of the Divine Faith. The high priests of the five religious orders looked at Ellen, who had a similar right to speak as Olivia. Hoping that at least she would be reasonable. Desperately wishing that she would somehow put a brake on the crazy champion of Tu¡¯an''s statement. "Regarding Rein... no, regarding the Demon King..." Ellen Artorius opened her mouth. "I believe that we should give him a chance to explain everything that has happened so far." This one was not to be underestimated either. CH 446 Olivia''s claim that the Demon King must be handed over to the Five Great Holy Orders. Ellen''s claim that the Demon King should be given a chance to explain himself. While these two arguments seemed similar, they were different. For starters, Ellen didn''t argue that the Demon King must be brought in. At the very least, they should give the Demon King a chance to explain what he had been up to so far, and whether or not his actions were intended to harm humanity. Fortunately or unfortunately, the high priests of the Five Great Divine Orders welcomed Ellen''s more moderate proposal over Olivia''s extreme one. "Let''s hold something like a public hearing... is that the idea?" Bertus, who had heard the result of the high priests'' meeting, wore a stern expression. He didn''t know what that would mean. "Well, at least it''s better than the absurd demand to hand over the Demon King..." It wasn''t as crazy as Olivia Lanze''s ultimatum to either hand over the Demon King or go to war. "I don''t know what difference this will make, but if we can do this much and manage to keep the Holy Orders quiet for now..." Whether it was a public trial or a public hearing, they couldn''t be sure of the nature of the event, but it would give them some ground to oppose Olivia Lanze''s outrageous demands. They had already given you everything you were entitled to during the last public hearing, so don''t make any more excessive demands. Questioning the Demon King in a public place. While it wasn''t as extreme a choice as Olivia''s, Bertus bit his lip. If Ellen Artorius also took the Demon King''s side, the situation would spiral out of control. Tiamata, Alsbringer, Lament. If all three divine artifacts sided with the Demon King, there would be no reason for the Five Great Religions not to join him. Denying those three would be tantamount to destroying the very foundation of their faith. Of course, the high-ranking members of the Holy Orders probably didn''t want to support the Demon King. It was more like a desperate move made with tears in their eyes. If the entire Five Great Religions were to support the Demon King, the world would literally fall apart. "What about Charlotte?" "She is currently in isolation at the Spring Palace." Bertus sighed. Charlotte''s worsening condition was another serious concern for him. They had captured the Demon King. All their problems should have been resolved, but for some reason, the situation seemed to only get more complicated. ¡ª--- The Five Great Religions and the Empire would hold a public hearing for the Demon King. What kind of conspiracy had he been involved in so far? What process led to his selection by the divine artifacts, and was there truly no foul play involved? Whether the Demon King was truly an evil being. They would question the Demon King on these matters and determine his punishment based on their mutual agreement. Such news spread far and wide. Of course, the public hearing wasn''t open for civilians to attend. Only those with the authority to speak on the matter or the right to witness it were granted permission. Emperor Nelliod de Gardias of the Empire. First Prince Bertus de Gardias. High Priests from each of the Five Great Religions. Holy Knight Commander Eleion Bolton. Champion of Tu¡¯an, Olivia Lanze. Champion of Mencis, Ellen Artorius. Shanafel for security and escort, along with the Royal Mage Corps. Holy knights from the Five Great Religions. In addition to this, there was Scarlett, an individual with immunity capabilities, to prepare for the possibility that the Demon King might use his Word Magic to cause mischief. Unable to show herself outside, Charlotte could not attend. The interrogation was decided to be held within the main temple building. The interrogation didn''t start immediately. In anticipation of unforeseen circumstances, numerous barriers and magical measures were implemented within the temple, which had already passed safety verification. The outcome of this interrogation would determine whether the five major religions and the empire would become hostile or maintain a precarious peace. Two days later. The public interrogation of the Demon King began. "..." From a distance, Harriet looked at the main temple building. Harriet could not attend the public interrogation. Whether it was right or wrong, she could not know. Perhaps it was not right, thought Harriet de Saint-Owan. But she decided to do it. She decided to trust. In that desperation. In that earnestness. In the end, Harriet could not deny it. So. She intended to do what she had to do. If she had to betray everything she knew for the sake of trusting a single person. She decided to do so. ¡ª--- "Two days later... is that correct?" "That''s what the Lord of Wednesday said." Eleris nodded to Antirianus'' words. "It seems like the right time. If a situation arises, we''ll proceed as planned." "..." "Are you now sufficiently familiar with the use of Akasha?" "...Yes." Eleris nodded silently. The preparations to use the tool of creation for destruction were complete. Eleris had finished the preparations. Valier would resent her. There was no other choice but to bear resentment. Because of this, the Demon King would become a symbol of hatred and loathing for all beings. Only to survive. Only to live. Was it truly right to accept all that hatred and loathing just for the sake of survival? Would it be acceptable to throw someone into such a situation to avoid death? Would Valier really be happy to survive? Eleris knew the answer. He wouldn''t be. However. To save the child she had endangered, the last descendant. Eleris decided to destroy the world. Living wickedly, living hypocritically. In the end, she chose to open the path of absolute evil, which was neither hypocrisy nor wickedness. ¡ª--- In an ambiguous time where everyone felt an inexplicable sense of unease, two days passed. In front of the temporary detention facility where the Demon King was held, Shanafel, the Royal Mage Corps, and numerous Holy Knights were already stationed. From the Empire''s perspective, it was a place to find common ground with the five major religions. The five major religions sought to determine whether the Demon King''s existence was truly legitimate. Numerous people were prepared to escort the Demon King to the main temple building. Even in such circumstances, there were onlookers. Students who wanted to catch a glimpse of the spectacle from a distance, near the detention cell where the Demon King was certainly confined. Standing beside the Demon King, who was gagged, were Saviolin Turner and Scarlett, prepared to respond to any emergency situation. These elites, who could be considered the best of humanity, were gathered to escort the Demon King. The assembled group consisted of only the finest and most powerful individuals of humanity, so much so that it could be said that even if the previous Demon King Valier returned to life, he would not be able to rescue his son in such a situation. Everyone held their breath, gazing at the Demon King from afar. Not long after being known as a hero, the man revealed himself to be the Demon King in human form. Could that really be the Demon King? Appearances can sometimes be everything, and so people could only sense the human presence from the Demon King in human form. Could something be wrong? Many who didn''t know the full story couldn''t help but think so. Perhaps there was some kind of conspiracy, something we couldn''t know. Could they be trying to kill a perfectly fine hero? Some inevitably reached that conclusion. Regardless of people''s suspicions, the escort party solemnly brought the Demon King to the main hall. People were already waiting in the prepared seats in the main hall, and the Demon King sat in a wooden chair placed in the middle of the open space. Not a throne, nor an excessively shabby chair, but an ordinary chair one could find anywhere, even in a temple classroom. Next to the one who had sat as a student and now sat as the Demon King, Scarlett and Saviolin Turner stood. Olivia watched this scene with a clenched fist. Those gathered for the interrogation. And those deployed for security. Surrounded by people, the Demon King simply sat quietly in the chair. Reinhardt, who was once believed to be a hero without a doubt and had been the fianc¨¦ of the princess. But now, he was the Demon King, and the Emperor watched him closely, speaking. "Remove the gag." At that command, Scarlett carefully removed the gag from Reinhardt''s mouth. "From now on, we shall grant the Demon King a final chance to explain himself." "How you became the owner of two divine artifacts." "What is the mysterious magical tool, Akasha, that can make one a god? What happened to it?" "What have you been hoping for until now?" "If your desire for peace was sincere, how can you prove it?" "This is your last chance." "Young Demon King." "Explain everything." The Demon King, Reinhardt, in handcuffs, sat in the chair, quietly looking around. Olivia Lanze. Ellen Artorius. Bertus de Gardias. He stared at each of their faces slowly. The Demon King seemed to sense something. Being cornered, and more cornered. As if feeling an inevitable fate he could no longer resist. His expression became as if he had realized something. "That doesn''t matter anymore." He clicked his tongue. "You won''t believe me anyway." In this situation, his arrogant attitude made everyone''s already serious expressions even more severe. Where had the look of giving up everything gone? Still gloomy and dark, the arrogant Demon King spoke. "You''ll think that I can only hate humans because I wanted to save you." "You won''t believe me if I say I did all this because I wanted peace." "You killed my father, Valier, and destroyed Darkland. Of course, you think I''m a being that can only hate humans." "With that mindset, you can''t understand my intention to love humans and save everyone." "I don''t particularly hate humans." "And being at the temple, I simply enjoyed it." "I wanted to help the kids when they were in danger." "I wanted to comfort them when they were sad." "Two divine artifacts? Want me to tell you something interesting?" "Alsbringer chooses only those who are ready to sacrifice themselves for the world." "I won''t bother telling you why I know something that even the Pope of the Als Order doesn''t know since you wouldn''t believe me anyway." "Anyway, I am prepared to die for you all, but you probably won''t believe that. Yeah, of course. It''s unbelievable." "So, I won''t talk about such an insignificant truth that you won''t even believe." "Instead, I''ll start telling you a story that you''ll find believable." "Rather than telling you the truth that you can''t believe, no matter how much I explain, I think it''s better to tell you about the future." "I told you that my followers might try to destroy the world with Akasha in order to save me, so you should either kill me as quickly as possible or set me free, but you did neither." "So now, the worst thing I''ve been trying to prevent is about to happen." The Demon King raises his head. "Soon, all the warp gates on the continent will be transformed into dimensional gates connected to another world." "And monsters from that world will pour out and destroy your world." The Demon King, with his ominous gaze, declares as if cursing. "So, be prepared." Everyone held their breath at the Demon King''s gaze. ¡ª--- Temple Royal Academy, Class 2-B dormitory. -Bang! Startled by the sudden appearance of someone running into the hallway, Ludwig turns his head. "Uh... Scarlett?" "Gasp... Huff..." Scarlett, her red hair drenched in cold sweat, was panting as she looked at Ludwig. As if something terrible had happened. Ludwig felt the same way. "Wait, aren''t you supposed to be there now? You shouldn''t be here." Scarlett was supposed to be by the Demon King''s side to control his Supernatural powers, and the interrogation was still ongoing. But here she was, drenched in sweat and in her pajamas, running out into the hallway. "No, I saw you leave earlier...?" Ludwig had definitely seen Scarlett, with a determined expression, leaving the dormitory. But now she was here. Hearing that, Scarlett turned pale and shook her head. "It wasn''t... it wasn''t me..." "What?" "Someone... knocked me out and... disguised themselves as me..." Now, someone other than Scarlett was closest to the Demon King. ¡ª--- Reinhardt''s interrogation room, where he had been confined, now had fewer guards due to the reduced forces. The Demon King they had to monitor had been moved, and they had already obtained all the information they could from his subordinates who had been imprisoned with him. The Archmage and Swordmasters had left, and Temple security, not Shanafel''s knights, were guarding the place. And right now, all the forces inside the prison were asleep, under the sleeping spell of the mage. -Step by step Two people enter the underground dungeon. The iron bars open, and the white-haired woman sees the two people standing before her. Loyar had never seen Ephinhauser and Lucinil before. But she seemed to understand what their expressions meant. "It''s our only chance." "..." "Let''s go save Valier." Lucinil unlocks Loyar''s shackles. Struggling to get up, Loyar tries to move her stiff limbs. Although she had been imprisoned for a long time, she stretches a few times and takes a deep breath. "There''s something I''d like to ask." Loyar looks back and forth between Ephinhauser and Lucinil as if either of them could answer. "What happened to... the Rotary Club kids?" Lucinil didn''t know what Loyar was asking. "Isn''t it obvious what happened to those who were recognized as the Demon King''s accomplices?" Upon hearing Ephinhauser''s words, Loyar slowly nodded. "Adriana, who was once a temple student, seems to be under protection due to Ellen''s request, but the rest have all been sentenced to death." "Ah... I see..." Loyar nodded again. "Well, at least they can die without regrets." The white-haired woman laughed. With an expression that was anything but joyful. ¡ª--- Right next to the Demon King, Saviolin Turner and Scarlett stood guard. The arena fell silent at the shocking revelation of the Demon King''s future foresight. In particular, Olivia stared at Reinhardt with wide eyes. "The key to stopping the Gate incident is to destroy the Warp Gates. Once all the Warp Gates on the continent are demolished, the Gate incident will end." As if sensing a terrible fate, the Demon King spoke with a conviction that left no room for doubt. Bertus stared silently at the Demon King. Had it been right to release him? If this were part of his conspiracy, the Demon King would have had no reason to reveal the solution. The Demon King was talking about an event that had not yet occurred. Everyone was confused as to whether he caused the incident or if his claim of trying to save humanity was true. Ellen stared quietly at Reinhardt. Problems caused by her distrust of Reinhardt. And if what Reinhardt said was true and such an event actually occurred, The cause would lie with the Demon King and his subordinates. And she would also bear the responsibility for her own distrust. Bang! The door burst open, and in rushed a Shanafel knight with a desperate expression. His face was so pale that everyone couldn''t help but be puzzled. The Shanafel knight hurriedly approached the emperor and whispered something into his ear. The Demon King watched the emperor''s expression. "Ah... It seems it has already begun." As if he could tell what had happened just by looking at the change in the emperor''s complexion, the Demon King laughed without a care. "You should have trusted me..." Grrroooooaaaaarrrr From very far away. Distantly. Everyone heard the cry of an unknown monster. Everyone looked at the emperor, not the Demon King. As if asking what he had heard. "From the Warp Gate... Unidentifiable monsters... are appearing." The Gate incident had begun. But that was not the end. "The sky... is strange..." A pale-faced magician from the Royal Mage Corps, who had been keeping watch outside, entered and reported. "Meteors... are falling..." The sky opened, and meteors rained down toward the temple. CH 447 -Boom! Crash! Bang! A meteor shattered in the sky above the temple, creating a massive shockwave. Antirianus watched from a distance. It was the middle of the day. However, as if the sky had shattered like a mirror, meteors poured from the dark, empty cracks in the sky, falling towards the temple and breaking apart. "Truly, a beautiful display of power..." -Bang! Crash! Kaboom! The activated barrier around the temple was so strong and thick that it could withstand meteors capable of reducing a small village to ashes. Indeed, it was fitting to call this the second safest place on human land. -Kyaaaaak! -Gwoooooar! -Kyaaaaak! -Uaaaaaaah! Antirianus gazed upon the countless monsters pouring out of the warp gate, which now emanated a fiery red glow instead of its usual blue. These monsters of different shapes were killing people. Imaginary dimensions. A phenomenon where poorly created life forms from non-existent dimensions struggle to exist in the existing world. The worst disaster created by an imperfect Akasha. Destruction begins. "It''s more than I imagined..." Although he had high expectations, Antirianus seemed satisfied, watching the spectacle unfold. -Kwoong! Antirianus admired the magnificent sight of the falling meteors colliding with the temple. ¡ª--- Silence still enveloped the Grand Library. The Demon King had foreseen the disaster, but it had already begun. However, the Demon King revealed the solution to the ongoing calamity, telling them how to resolve it. "This disaster isn''t limited to the Empire; it''s happening all across the continent." "The larger the gate, the more dangerous the monsters that come out. So, destroying the giant warp gates should be our priority." "As you all know, the Empire has the highest number of warp gates on the continent." "As time passes, more people will die if we don''t act quickly." "It''s better to abandon small and medium-sized villages and outposts without proper troops or weapons, as they will face hordes of monsters even if they''re not particularly strong." "Most countries will lose their functionality, and only powerful states like the Empire and Kernstadt, along with their capitals and strategic cities, will continue to function." "Once safety is ensured in those places, we need to deal with the remaining gates one by one. That''s how we''ll resolve this situation." "We must act quickly." "Every minute we delay now could set humanity''s reconstruction back by a year, or even a decade." The Demon King did not blame the humans who caused this situation. The damage was already done. The elite forces of the Empire were gathered here. The Empire had the most warp gates on the continent. If they didn''t act quickly, the scale of the disaster would turn the Empire to ashes. Meteors were pouring down to destroy the temple. Everyone listened to the Demon King''s words, looking pale. If the Demon King had planned this to destroy humanity, he wouldn''t have shared this information. The truth of his words would be proven by destroying the warp gates. The disaster had begun. The scale of the damage would only grow as time passed, with no known cause or reason for the calamity. Or could it be that the Demon King shared this information knowing that destruction was inevitable? No, there was no reason for that. If the Empire believed that this situation was only happening within their borders, they would face a world reduced to ashes in the future. In a situation where all the warp gates had become inoperative, communication proved difficult. There was no need to point out that humanity would suffer even greater damage as time went on, or that this catastrophe affected the entire continent. Everyone present had a gut feeling. Although the Demon King''s minions may have orchestrated this, the Demon King himself probably did not want to welcome such a situation. That is why he might be offering a solution to humanity. The Emperor pondered this. Even if nothing else could be trusted, they had to believe the Demon King''s words about the disaster that had already occurred. If the Demon King truly had humanity''s best interests at heart, they could not kill him. He might know something else that they were not aware of. However, they could not simply let him go either. It was certain that something would happen, but if the Imperial Capital collapsed, the empire would come to an end. In a situation where a catastrophe threatening the entire continent was suspected, the forces that could be allocated to the Demon King were limited. "Turner, stay in position with the first unit." "Yes, Your Majesty." "Shanafel, all remaining forces, except the first unit, and the Royal Mage Corps, follow me." The problem of the Demon King was indeed an issue, but right now, the Imperial Capital might evaporate at any moment. If their elite forces were to stand by here to monitor the Demon King, the Empire might vanish without a trace. In the blink of an eye, the troops withdrew like a receding tide. The Emperor and Bertus left their positions. Olivia Lanze looked at the High Priests of the Five Holy Religions with a determined expression. "We need to address this situation as well. High Priests and commanders, please respond quickly to this crisis." Although Olivia spoke with a stern face, all the High Priests, and even the Holy Knight, knew what she intended. They had seen her serious expression, but also noticed the subtle twitch of her lips. It seemed they could guess what the woman was thinking in this astonishing situation. But like the Emperor, they had no choice but to leave. They couldn''t just stand by and watch the situation unfold. The Imperial Capital needed the strength of the knights, priests, and High Priests. They had to do something before the damage spread any further. "Let''s go." The knights and the High Priests of the Five Holy Religions left their positions. Only the Holy Knight Commander, including Eleion Bolton, and the direct force he led, remained in place. In an instant, there were very few people left. Scarlett and Saviolin Turner stood right next to Reinhardt. Olivia Lanze. Ellen Artorius. However, in a situation where they didn''t know what might happen to the Demon King''s safety, both Shanafel''s elite forces and Eleion Bolton remained on guard. Despite the circumstances, they were well-prepared for any sudden attacks or unexpected situations. Even if Olivia Lanze made an unexpected move, they were more than capable of handling it. Of course, that was assuming Olivia Lanze was the only one who would make such a move. Silence passed as time went on. In the midst of a situation where meteors fell on the temple and monsters appeared on the Imperial Capital. They endured the anxious time, bearing only the duty to monitor the Demon King. While Olivia observed the situation with an inscrutable expression, Ellen bit her lips and kept a watchful eye. Saviolin Turner stubbornly stood by Reinhardt''s side, refusing to leave. Bang! Suddenly, the entrance door burst open like an explosion, and the soldiers guarding the outside poured in. All of them were dead, bearing deep sword wounds. And a middle-aged man with a stark expression entered. "Epinhauser...?" Saviolin Turner, as if unable to believe it, stared at Epinhauser, who walked in slowly with a sword in hand. Then. -Whoosh As if they had always been there, water vapors gathered in the air, and this time, a silver-haired girl appeared from the opposite side. "Who is she...?" "!" The silver-haired girl, a first-year in the Royal class. Olivia and Ellen could not help but widen their eyes at the sudden appearance of the girl. Strangely enough. The girl, who had been friendly with Reinhardt as soon as she entered, suddenly raised both hands to the sky. -Crash! In an instant, numerous ice spears hanging from the ceiling stabbed into the ground, blocking the path so that no one could move. "What is... happening...!" That wasn''t all. Scarlett, who had been beside Reinhardt, suddenly picked up the chair he had been tied to and threw it towards Epinhauser. The Demon King''s eyes widened as the chair flew. "Sarke... gaar...?" The red-haired girl spoke in an alien voice. "Your Highness, you must survive." Meeting the eyes of Scarlett, who was and was not herself, Reinhardt clenched his teeth. -Snap! "Ugh!" Epinhauser grabbed the chair the Demon King was tied to and set it down, then swung his sword several times to break the restraints, and crushed the handcuffs with his bare hands. "Professor...?" Reinhardt looked at him incredulously. "We don''t have much time to talk." Epinhauser, still with a stark expression and not showing a hint of approval, handed over the Flame of Tuesday, which he had somehow retrieved. In Epinhauser''s hand, the silver sword was ablaze with blue magic. Swordmaster Epinhauser spoke. "Go, Reinhardt." -Bang! Crash! Clang! "Could it be the Order...?" "It has nothing to do with the Order." Epinhauser merely stood in front of Reinhardt and said that. It had nothing to do with the Order. Reinhardt was even more shocked by Epinhauser''s words. Epinhauser did not add any more, as it was not in his nature to make teasing remarks. Lucinil was already in the midst of fending off the attacks of the magicians and knights who were attacking her. Turner could not understand the situation, but was already charging toward Epinhauser. -Bang! However, Turner''s charge was stopped by someone else''s charge before it could reach Epinhauser, and she tumbled to the ground. "Loyar...?" A white-haired woman in tattered clothing, who had somehow been freed, looked at the Demon King and spoke. "Your Highness." -Groan "Right now, you must focus on surviving." Seeing Loyar transform into a white wolf, the Demon King clenched his teeth. Shanafel''s First Unit. The Holy Knight Commander and his direct subordinates. They were still outnumbered. Whether the Demon King intended this disaster or not, if the disaster was indeed planned by the Demon King''s subordinates, this situation was bound to happen. At this point, it''s not a matter of judging whether the Demon King is good or evil. The empire had no choice but to withdraw its forces. Hence, the planned rescue operation began. Saviolin Turner could not let the Demon King escape. Had not the Emperor left the strongest of mankind here in case something happened? The knights of Shanafel, bound by their duty, must fulfill their obligations. She carries out the command. "Do not let the Demon King escape!" At Turner''s shout, they all begin to move. But behind Reinhardt, Ephinhauser and Lycansloth block their path. The Demon King struggles to his feet. His chains are broken. He witnesses Sarkegaar, who flies around and attacks the mages while freely changing his appearance; Lucinil, who materializes out of steam and attacks the surroundings with magic; and Loyar and Ephinhauser, who block the charging knights. With a determined expression, Olivia seems to know what she needs to do. Thud! Olivia Lanze, who steps forward, runs like the wind toward Reinhardt. Soon, Olivia Lanze catches up with Reinhardt, grabs his arm, and they escape together. Ellen Artorius watches the unfolding disaster, chaos, and the Demon King''s escape without taking any side, observing silently. ¡ª--- [Achievement Unlocked: ''Completion of Causality''] [You gain 50,000 achievement points.] [Perk ''Status Purchase'' is now active.] [From now on, you can exchange 5,000 achievement points for one status point.] "Run. Run, Reinhardt. You must run." Olivia holds my hand and runs. There''s no time to waste. Screaming that she doesn''t have to do this to save me is pointless. I thought dying was the best option. I thought preventing these events by sacrificing my life was the best choice. But I didn''t die. In the midst of doubt and suspicion, people either didn''t or couldn''t kill me. My life was prolonged, albeit clumsily, due to people who had doubted and felt betrayed by me, as much as those who tried to believe in me, and eventually, this incident had occurred. I had tried to resolve something by dying, but ultimately, I failed to resolve it. That''s why this happened. I won''t consider dying, even if it''s all my responsibility in this despair. I tried to prevent the worst situation with my death. I tried to accomplish something through death. But, I couldn''t die when I needed to. Now, there''s nothing to be achieved through death. So, I won''t force myself to crave death. I have to live. To live. I don''t know what I have to do to live. But. With the lives I''ve exchanged for countless deaths. With the lives that will be forcibly exchanged with countless other lives. I can''t easily give up. I can''t make countless lives, dying worthless deaths, futile because of me. I can''t make the lives that will die because of me meaningless. Even if I feel wronged, angry, or sad about the situation I''m in. I can''t die. I have to live and find what I can do. I can''t wallow in despair, blaming myself for being useless, and believing I shouldn''t exist. I felt that way just moments ago, but I can''t anymore. The scene I saw was beyond anything I could have imagined even when I thought of hell. -Krururung There was a crack in the barrier surrounding the temple, and through that crack, meteors poured out and collided with the ground. Above the sky beyond the temple, unidentified flying beasts spewed crimson flames and horrifyingly white frost. The catastrophe happening was on a different level from the attack on the Rajeurn by the Demon God Cult. Is the world coming to an end? The Gate incident occurred earlier than originally planned. There''s no point in regrets, like nothing would have happened if I had just stayed put. I have to move forward. I may not know what to do when I get there, but. For now, I have to live. I run with Olivia. Who will die and who will survive in the unfolding battle? The knights of Shanafel follow me. My body has been worn down due to the lengthy imprisonment, but I must do what I can. The concept of buying status with achievement points. The most important ability is magic power. The higher the magic power, the more it enhances my overall physical abilities. In other words, increasing magic power alone has the added effect of raising other overall physical abilities. Therefore, magic power is the most efficient and superior status. I invest achievement points into magic power. In an instant, my magic power rises by about 10, jumping from A-rank to S-rank. This is already on par with a formidable Archmage. I could invest more points and become a monster with magic power surpassing Saviolin Turner, but I''ll hold off for now. If this happens, will I hear them say that this filthy demon king was hiding his power too? There''s no time for that. In an instant, my tremendously increased magic power, along with Magic Body Strengthening, breathes life into my weary body. My physical abilities may have diminished due to malnourishment, but my magic power isn''t damaged. I have to leave the temple. I don''t know what I have to do once I''m out, but I have to leave. But no matter how much my magic power has increased, the ones following me are the Swordmasters of Shanafel''s knights. They will catch up to me soon. I don''t know if I can win even if I fight, but if I''m being attacked, even if I use Alsbringer, I''m outnumbered. The same goes for fighting alongside Olivia. Is this how I''ll be caught and killed? Just like this? Will all the sacrifices become meaningless? As I ran ahead, In the streets of the temple that had become a battleground, Someone stood, as if blocking my path. -Fzzt! Fzzt! Vrrrrrr! "Who is that¡­?" "Liana¡­" Liana de Grantz was glaring at me, blue sparks flying from her entire body. Yes. Now that she knows I''m the Demon King, she cannot forgive me. I was actually wondering why she hadn''t appeared sooner. Blocking my path like this, Liana sought to kill me; it felt like a predetermined sequence. Lightning is instantaneous. Evading it is nearly impossible. Furthermore, Liana''s lightning, at its peak power, is inescapable. Even if I somehow endure it with my Magic Body Strengthening defense, I''ll be caught by the pursuing Shanafel knights. Death or capture. I cannot escape her lightning. Just as I was about to halt my desperate sprint, A brilliant blue flash, laden with fierce currents, was launched from Liana''s outstretched hand. -Kaboom! Kwoooom! Overwhelmed by the shockwave that tore through the air, Olivia and I were left speechless. The lightning bolt grazed my cheek and passed by. It wasn''t aimed at me. -Agh! -Arggh! It targeted the Shanafel knights chasing after me. We could only stare blankly at the knights hit by the lightning, flung away or trembling in place. "What are you doing, you idiot?! Hurry up and come this way?!" Liana, her face twisted with rage, shouted. Ah. Could it be? Did she know all along? Since when? How? As Olivia and I approached, Liana began to gather lightning without a word. -Vrrr! Vrrr! Vrrrrrr! Dozens of sparks flashed in the air, then, in an instant, a lightning bolt as powerful as a thunderstorm struck not only the fallen knights but also swept through their surroundings. -Kwoooom! The struck trees exploded, and bricks from the ground burst apart, revealing a scene of devastation. The intense lightning, at its peak, not only destroyed objects but relentlessly struck the fallen knights as well. The ferocious lightning, uncontrolled due to her anger and radiating in all directions, said it all. Liana knew everything. CH 448 A few days ago. After breakfast, Harriet was dragged to Liana''s room, where she couldn''t help but hear a shocking story. "Reinhardt wasn''t¡­ responsible?" "No." The attack of the Demon King on Rajeurn, where Duke Grantz had died. Liana knew that it wasn''t due to the Demon King''s attack, and therefore, it wasn''t something Reinhardt had planned. "I found out recently too. It was so strange that I think my mother kept looking into it." "I see¡­ Then¡­ What really happened?" "The Empire killed my father." "¡­What?" Liana''s mother, YEllena de Grantz, the Duchess, didn''t have a great relationship with her husband. However, she couldn''t be free from the shock she received from his death. Why did the Demon King have to do this? Why at that place, and why did he have to kill her husband? The Duchess knew her husband''s tendencies and everything about him better than anyone else. After her own long and thorough investigation, she found out: What her husband had been doing. Who he was with, where, and what he was doing when he died. That''s why she realized that the Demon King had no reason to do such a thing. Why the Empire showed no enthusiasm in investigating the incident. Through such circumstances, Duchess YEllena de Grantz realized that this was the Empire''s own doing. And she told her daughter, who was obsessed with revenge on the Demon King: The real enemy isn''t the Demon King, but the Empire. The Empire not only killed Duke Grantz but also framed the Demon King for it. Liana was powerless. The Demon King is an obscure and formidable enemy, but the Empire is a clear and overwhelming adversary. The prince and princess are her classmates, and she could harm them, but Liana didn''t want to be satisfied with that. She wanted to bring down the Empire. She wanted to strip away the thick face of the Empire that attended her father''s funeral with a calm expression after killing him. First, she had to become stronger. Not only her own power but also by joining forces with a powerful strength capable of toppling the Empire. That''s what she thought. And then, she learned the fact that Reinhardt was the Demon King. Setting aside the shocking fact, Liana saw the possibility. If she was with the Demon King, they might be able to bring down the Empire. Reinhardt was going to die soon. "I must save Reinhardt, no matter what it takes." If the Demon King dies, the possibility of the Empire''s collapse disappears. So, rather than being shocked by the immediate fact, Liana focused on the first thing she had to do for revenge. "Harriet, what will you do?" Harriet was at a loss for words at Liana''s question. The most incomprehensible and saddest act of the Demon King was Duke Grantz''s death due to the Rajeurn attack. No matter the reason, why did he have to kill Liana''s father? Even if there was a valid reason, should she accept it? That''s what Harriet was thinking. But it was the Empire''s plot. Though they didn''t know what was behind the subsequent attack on the Holy Temple, they could be sure of one thing: Reinhardt had nothing to do with the death of Liana''s father, Duke Grantz. On the contrary, he was framed. There wasn''t much time left. They didn''t know when Reinhardt would be killed by the Empire. Harriet wanted to believe in Reinhardt. When you want to believe, you don''t need much evidence to be convinced. "I don''t know how to do it, but¡­¡­." I believe because I want to believe. I don''t know how to do it or if it''s even possible. With only the two of us, I don''t know how we can manage, and if we fail, we die. "I''ll do it with you." Despite knowing it was an irreversible decision, Harriet decided to save Reinhardt. ¡ª--- And now. The time given to Harriet and Liana was short, but they had a plan of their own. However, when meteors began to rain from the sky, and the cries of unknown monsters could be heard from outside the temple, they couldn''t help but realize that something was amiss. They had to choose. Was all this happening because Reinhardt was truly an evil demon king? Should they trust Reinhardt despite these events? For the sake of revenge, Liana, and believing Reinhardt was innocent, Harriet chose the latter. All plans crumbled, but Reinhardt, who somehow escaped, joined Liana with Olivia Lanze. From now on, they had to adapt to every situation. -Boom! A meteor struck the barrier above the temple, causing a massive shockwave that shook the ground. Their pursuers were down, exposed to the lightning Liana had unleashed, but not dead. They still twitched and tried to get up somehow. As Harriet reached out her hand, the ground began to rise as if being torn apart, pouring down on the knights of Shanafel. -Rumble! In an instant, it was as if the knights were buried under a mountain of rocks. Harriet rushed out of the alley towards Liana and Reinhardt, who didn''t understand the sudden situation, and clenched her hand. "I don''t know what''s going on, but¡­¡­ I don''t know¡­¡­." Overwhelmed by the uncontrollable situation and the unfolding hell, Harriet was on the verge of tears. She believes in Reinhardt. And from this moment on, she will part ways with everyone except those here. Her father. Her mother. Her brother. Her classmates. She must abandon her status as a princess and everything she has, everything she should have, and everything she knows. She stakes it all on trusting Reinhardt alone. "I¡­¡­ I''ll believe in you¡­¡­." Harriet doesn''t know if it''s worth it, if it''s the right thing to do. "You tried to save everyone. This¡­¡­. wasn''t what you intended¡­¡­. I''ll believe that¡­¡­." She decided to believe Reinhardt''s words about wanting to save everyone. So, in this moment, when many people turned their backs on Reinhardt, Harriet wished to become his strength, and chose to stand by his side. "Let''s go, Reinhardt." Olivia takes the lead. The sound of the Shanafel Swordmasters, buried under the boulders, breaking through the rocks could be heard. The real monsters are, in fact, humans. Even in this gate crisis, where the world deserves to be destroyed, humans conquer the monsters and rebuild civilization. Aren''t humans, of all beings, the ones who truly deserve to be called monsters? -Boom! Roar! Humans are strong. More than anything else in this world. More than any other race. Humans are the most fearsome and the most powerful. ¡ª--- The situation at the temple was relatively better. "Hey, you! What''s going on here? We had our plans too, but with the situation like this, what''s what¡­¡­!" Liana, exasperated, asked me while looking at the sky filled with meteors. "We''ll talk later!" But there was no time for conversation now. Meteors rained down, but the temple''s barrier blocked most of them. Students screamed and fled, but there were no rampaging monsters within the temple like there were outside. The knights of Shanafel pursued us once again. "Senior! Carry me!" "Alright! Got it!" Since Liana had the least stamina, Olivia reluctantly carried her, irritation apparent in her voice. -Boom! Crash! The royal mage corps'' offensive spells targeted us, but Harriet was handling them. Where would we run? Where would we go, and what would we do? Even though I am the Demon King. Olivia, Liana, and Harriet would not be able to return to the world of humans. It wasn''t the time to think about the future, but I couldn''t help but do so. How am I supposed to take responsibility for them? Fortunately, all the combat-ready forces were outside the temple. We couldn''t climb over the collapsed buildings, so we had to find detours in real-time. Liana held back the pursuing swordmasters, while Harriet continuously erected barriers to keep them at bay. "Huff... Hah..." Harriet eventually showed the limits of her physical stamina, her body seemingly burdened. We just needed to cross the temple gate. Once we crossed it, we could teleport somewhere to escape. If we met any of the council''s Vampire Lords outside the temple, we could use mass teleportation to escape the Imperial Capital. Would Sarkegaar, Lucinil, Loyar, and Epinhauser be safe? Surely, Eleris must have caused this gate incident. Was Eleris okay? What was she thinking when she activated Akasha, and how did she feel now? Only devastating thoughts circulated in my mind. And then, somehow fending off our pursuers, we reached the temple''s main entrance. We just had to break through that door. Before it, I saw Ellen, clad in a cloak of flames and wielding a pitch-black sword. "..." Ellen Artorius stood before the four of us, blocking our way. As if she were the gatekeeper herself. Ellen stood in our way. I didn''t know how she had gotten ahead of us. But Ellen was there, standing in our path. More than anything, that sword. It seemed like Lament, but its completely transformed appearance gave off an ominous vibe. "Move. Are you determined to be an obstacle until the end?" Olivia gritted her teeth and glared at Ellen. Liana stared at Ellen, biting her lip. In that moment, all of us felt it. No matter what we did, we could not pass Ellen Artorius. It was an almost instinctive intuition. The Magic Body Strengthening enveloping Ellen''s body felt entirely different now. Had Ellen become a swordmaster? When? How? But holding the pitch-black Lament, if Ellen intended to stop us, it was evident that none of us could face her. Ellen''s sword was stronger than Olivia''s. The sun god''s cloak would block Liana''s lightning. And Harriet''s magic wouldn''t be able to penetrate Ellen''s defenses. Furthermore, Ellen had resistance to supernatural abilities, so my Word Magic wouldn''t work on her. Ellen, with a calm expression, stared at me. Wearing the sun god''s cloak and wielding the dark sword that seemed to have stolen a strand of night, Ellen asked me. "Reinhardt. Just answer one thing." "¡­Speak." Ellen took a deep breath and looked at me. "Why didn''t you accept it?" At those words, I felt a shiver run down my spine. "You should have accepted it." The others didn''t understand what was being said. Only I knew. The mantle of the sun god, Lapelt. Why hadn''t I accepted it? "You should have taken it. Clearly." If you were the Demon King and had been using me all this time. Why would you miss the opportunity to possess three sacred relics? Ellen seemed to have a final question. In this hellish world where my subordinates try to destroy the world to save me, and meteors fall upon the temple. In a situation where it was certain that my subordinates had caused it all. It seemed Ellen was trying to trust me one last time. The four of us had to leave the temple. We might not return. I looked at the transformed Lament. A sword that carries the meaning of being forged in tears. In sorrow, Lament had gained an unknown power. It was a sword that seemed capable of cutting through anything. If sadness made Ellen stronger. If that was the key to surviving in this hell, this disaster that struck too early. Shouldn''t Ellen continue to be sad? No, to overcome that sadness. Even to the point of having hatred for me, and using the true power of the sun god''s mantle, manifested through hatred. In that case. Should I deliberately lie to Ellen? "I am..." "No." As I tried to say something, Ellen shook her head. "I''d rather not listen." Ellen looked at me. "You seem like you''re about to lie again." As if she wouldn''t listen to painful words, Ellen shook her head. "If that''s the case, I''d rather not listen." Ellen looked at me. No, her gaze was further away. Looking behind me, the swordmasters of Shanafel were approaching. "Go, Reinhardt." The turning point in history. What was the turning point in history when I did not accept Lapelt? Now I knew clearly. I should be dead now. If I had taken Lapelt from Ellen. I would have been killed by Ellen''s hand by now. The fact that I hadn''t taken Lapelt remained as the last doubt in Ellen''s heart. It remained as something like a last hope. That had led Ellen not to kill me, but to make another choice. In a situation where it was certain that my subordinates had caused the world-shattering disaster, she chose to save me, the source of it all, instead of killing me. Ellen blocked the Shanafel knights chasing me as she passed by me. "You... what are you trying to..." "It''s alright." Ellen, blocking the knights, clenched her sword. "I won''t kill anyone. No one." Ellen told the swordmasters of Shanafel that she wouldn''t kill, not that she wouldn''t die. To that extent, it seemed Ellen believed she could subdue all of them. "So, go." Can we meet again? Is it possible? If we meet again. Can it be the same as before? "From the beginning to the end, it''s all my fault." Is she regretting? If she had trusted me, if only a little sooner, or if we had talked before everything had turned out like this. Would these events have never occurred? Is that what she thinks? "I''m sorry I couldn''t trust you." Like how I think that if I hadn''t done anything, the Gate incident would not have happened. Ellen thought that if she hadn''t done anything, this wouldn''t have happened; if she had trusted me, these events would never have occurred. It seemed she was thinking along the same lines as me. For the last time, Ellen looked back at me. Not just me, but Olivia, Liana, and Harriet too. She looked at each of them once. Even in a situation like this, seeing those who choose to follow and trust me. Witnessing others who have done what she could not do herself. "I... I don''t deserve your affection." I couldn''t trust when it mattered most. And that''s why things have come to this. So, it seemed that Ellen had vowed not to allow herself to have feelings for me. Leaving those words behind, Ellen runs towards the Shanafel knights pursuing us. We are trying to leave. Ellen stays behind, attempting to thwart the pursuit for me. We must live. You and I both. When and where we will meet again, and under what circumstances, I don''t know. Even if the only future left for us is one where we point our swords at each other. Wishing that neither of us will die until then. I ran towards the entrance of the temple. CH 449 Her thoughts had been wrong. It wasn''t that he had deceived her, knowing everything. It wasn''t that he had tried to deceive her and take revenge, knowing everything. He had cared for her, knowing everything. He had cherished her, knowing everything. The person who had no choice but to hate her. The person who was strange for not killing her on the spot. He had cared for her. She didn''t know that simple thought, that simple answer. Reinhardt''s love for her must have been greater than her love for him. Loving a classmate and loving the family of one''s enemy were entirely different issues. He cared for someone who he should not love, but she couldn''t trust that. Just once, at the most crucial moment. If she had trusted him. But she couldn''t, and the world was on the verge of destruction. It was all her fault. The situation was caused by the minions of the Demon King who possessed a strange artifact called Akasha. But Reinhardt didn''t want this situation. If Reinhardt hadn''t been captured. If the minions of the Demon King hadn''t created such a desperate situation to save Reinhardt. This wouldn''t have happened. In that case. It was her fault for not trusting Reinhardt at the most crucial moment, causing all this. In the end, it wasn''t the Demon King but herself who caused this situation. That''s why. Everything was her fault. It was just a day''s difference. The clue was right in front of her, and at that time, Reinhardt was not in the Imperial Palace. If she had only endured for one more day. If she had held on for a day and asked Reinhardt everything first. This wouldn''t have happened. That''s why. It was all her fault. Entangled in piled-up misunderstandings and lies, the situation had become so confusing that she didn''t know what to believe, and time dragged on, leading to this. A single day of misunderstandings and distrust had brought about all this. It had ruined everything. Liana, Olivia, and Harriet tried to trust Reinhardt even in this situation. But she couldn''t. If the world was to be destroyed. The greatest responsibility lay not with the Demon King''s minions but with herself. Ellen thought so. She didn''t know what Reinhardt''s dream was, but since she had ruined it, she no longer had the right to care for him. She was the sinner of the world. And Reinhardt''s sinner. I must. Take responsibility for this situation. Whether by death or something else. Ellen Artorius had to take responsibility. "Crack!" "Ugh!" "Ellen! What are you doing right now!" In front of the knights of Shanafel, Ellen broke a third sword, as if she wouldn''t let anyone leave the temple. The Swordmasters of Shanafel were astonished by Ellen Artorius, wielding the Void Sword that shattered and cut through even the Aura Blade with just a touch. "Step back. I don''t want to hurt you." "At this rate, we''ll lose... we''ll lose the Demon King!" "Let him go. That''s why I''m doing this." There were five Swordmasters, but Ellen exuded an aura that if they crossed the line she had drawn, her Void Sword would cut not their swords but their necks. Ellen''s skill was formidable, but the power of the Void Sword Lament was an absolute cutting force that even troubled the Swordmasters. Combined with the divine artifact of the Sun God, Ellen''s defense did not allow the Swordmasters'' attacks to breach her in the slightest. The knights of Shanafel began to retreat. -Screeeeaa Flying monsters began to enter the temple through the broken barriers. "We should prioritize killing the monsters, not chasing the Demon King." The world might be destroyed because one couldn''t trust the person they loved. Ellen Artorius had become the protagonist of such a ludicrous situation. How much responsibility would she bear if the world were to end? Perhaps. It could be all her fault. She shouldn''t love Reinhardt anymore; someone like her shouldn''t. Since she had made up her mind, Ellen had to do something else. She couldn''t allow herself to help Reinhardt. That was a task for those who had trusted him. She had no place there. She wasn''t qualified. That''s why she had to do something else. The only other thing she could do. Take responsibility for this situation. Hold up the world that crumbles because of her. Protect the world that might be destroyed. Even though she knew it wouldn''t be enough to atone for her sins. There was nothing else she could do. Regain Reinhardt''s trust, rebuild their relationship. Someone like her shouldn''t hope for such things. That''s what Ellen thought. ¡ª--- When they left the temple gate, they expected a worse situation than inside the temple. However, the situation wasn''t as terrible as they thought. Krrrrr The colossal warp gate in front of the temple gate had already been destroyed. The interior of the temple originally had the strongest human forces gathered. Therefore, their response was swift. The royal court magicians and grand wizards were usually dispatched throughout the continent. But now, due to his existence, they had gathered at the imperial capital. Of course, there were monsters appearing, corpses strewn in the streets, and collapsed buildings everywhere. People screamed and fled. But the Imperial Capital didn''t seem to be on the brink of collapse. Flying monsters in the sky were shot down by lightning, fireballs, or unidentified magic from the ground. The emperor drastically reduced the forces around him and chose to deal with the disaster in the capital. It seemed that he had properly understood and accepted his statement that the colossal warp gate must be destroyed first. It was good that the damage in the imperial capital was reduced, but it meant that the damage to the regional bases would be amplified, as more forces were gathered here. The empire couldn''t intervene in every location. As the capital quickly stabilized, the damage to the entire continent would grow. And, the rapid stabilization of the capital''s chaos wasn''t good for him. They had to escape the capital. Fortunately, not only the guards but also the elite imperial and holy knights were busy dealing with the situation. The area around the monster-free temple gate was deserted, albeit with signs of destruction. Krrrrrrr! A crack appeared in the air, and a woman with red hair emerged from it. "Your Highness!" Eleris appeared and hugged me tightly. "Are you alright?" "..." Instead of answering my worried question, Eleris bit her lip, unable to say anything. Eleris had done the only thing she could do ¨C operating Akasha. Without causing such a level of chaos, there would have been no way for our meager forces to rescue me. And even then, it wasn''t enough. If it weren''t for the unexpected help of Olivia, Harriet, Liana, and Ellen, I wouldn''t have even been able to leave the temple''s main entrance. "First of all, we must leave this place." Eleris spoke with trembling eyes, as if her feelings and thoughts were not worth mentioning. Everyone seemed a bit cautious because they didn''t know who Eleris was. "Who is that person?" Harriet, however, had seen Eleris before. The person I had been supporting in the Lich''s tomb. She had appeared again, the one who had lent her tremendous magical power. I spoke to Harriet. "We don''t have time to explain in detail. Let''s get out of here first, and then I''ll tell you everything." At my words, Harriet nodded with a stern expression. ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± -Grrrrrrrr! The nameless monsters cried out, filling the air. ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± ¡°The judgment of the gods has descended!¡± The screams of terrified people echoed all around. "Gallarush and Luvien are casting Mass Teleport from the southern part of the Imperial Capital. If we can just make it there..." How far had we run? Some knights, who seemed to be rushing to deal with the monsters, discovered us. "Scottla Kelton..." We had run into the Shanafel''s third squad led by the captain, Scottla Kelton. He had been present during the recent interrogation. Would we be able to break through Shanafel''s knights, even with Eleris''s help? Seeing their expressions, Eleris spread her arms to shield us and moved us behind her. Scottla Kelton looked at us intently. The Demon King had escaped. As a knight of Shanafel, it was his duty to prevent our escape. The knights, including the Swordmasters, slowly approached us. "Your Highness, let me..." "Be quiet." I knew what Eleris was trying to do. I knew what she wanted. "Do not search for the tomb in front of me." It was obvious what Eleris wanted. I couldn''t just let her die like that. Though she wasn''t my real mother. Since I arrived in this world, Eleris had always been like a mother to me. Even if the plan failed. Even if the wind collapsed. Even if I opened the door to destruction with my own hands. I have no intention of letting her find peace in death. She must live a little longer. As if trying to force this life, exchanged for countless others, to survive despite knowing that everything could have been resolved if I hadn''t done anything, and unknowingly bringing about this insane situation. Eleris also must live. She must live and do something. Even if she can''t atone for her sins, escaping from everything through death would be a cowardly act. Death won''t atone for her sins. I wouldn''t let Eleris find a place to die. Watching the approaching Swordmasters, including Scottla Kelton. I grasp the Flame of Tuesday. "It reacts to dark emotions, you said." Eleris had told me that the Flame of Tuesday, a sinister artifact, reacted more intensely to killing intent, hatred, and anger. Certainly, the emotions I''m feeling now are dark. No, they''re closer to the abyss itself. Despair, rage, pain. And yet, the compulsion to live. In the midst of annihilation, not even knowing what to do, I must live because I brought this about. Without knowing what my current emotions are, only knowing that they are darker than any emotion I''ve ever felt while living. I hold the Flame of Tuesday. Infusing it with the power of Self-Suggestion. The power of Word Magic. The Flame of Tuesday, reflecting my current despair. To the Essence of Flames. "Ascend." I commanded. Rumble! "Ugh!" "What is this...!" A colossal wall of flames, seemingly capable of melting the world, erupted between the Swordmasters and us. Where the wall of fire rose, the ground melted and bubbled like lava. "Let''s go." With the fiery barrier separating us from our enemies, We ran southward. ¡ª--- The defensive posture of the Imperial Capital had collapsed. Though some measures were taken against the monsters pouring out of the warp gate, there was no strength left to catch the Demon King, who was running to escape the heart of the empire. Scottla Kelton''s forces, too, had no choice but to focus on dealing with the monsters that were slaughtering civilians, instead of chasing the Demon King. As a price for capturing the Demon King, As a price for not trusting the Demon King, humanity had to pay the cost. Rumble The collapsed main building, the debris of the great hall. Epinhauser and Loyar''s legs were bound by Saviolin Turner. Epinhauser, Loyar, Sarkegaar, and even Lucinil. They had to pay the price for stopping time. Lucinil was incapacitated, her limbs bound by magic chains, Sarkegaar, who had annoyed everyone with his shapeshifting abilities, was tied up in a spatial barrier, and Loyar was groaning, having returned to human form with her body covered in blood. And then, Epinhauser, with Tempesta embedded in his abdomen, bleeding from the debris of the collapsed building, was being silently watched by Saviolin Turner. "Why." Saviolin Turner''s voice trembled. "Why did you have to do this, Epinhauser?" As far as she knew, Epinhauser was a patriot. He had a strong desire to love and protect the empire more than anyone else. He had joined Shanafel and been active, but at some point, he had decided to train successors and had been appointed as a teacher of the Temple Royal Class instead of Shanafel. Saviolin Turner, who had seen Epinhauser up close, had no doubt about his character. But he had sided with the Demon King. The demon forces could do so because they were demons. But she could not understand why Epinhauser, a human and someone who loved the empire more than anyone else, had made such a choice. She was the one who dealt the decisive blow, but she was also the most confused. "Why did you, who were on the empire''s side more than anyone else, do this?" "..." Bleeding from his forehead, Epinhauser looked up at Saviolin Turner. "That, too, was... more than anyone else... for the empire... for humanity..." "¡­The Demon King?" Epinhauser silently nodded his head. Saviolin Turner could not yet fully accept that the Demon King did not wish for destruction. After all, hadn''t the calamity that seemed to crumble the world begun? Even if the Demon King had taught them a solution, wasn''t that the truth? But Epinhauser was Reinhardt''s teacher. At the very least, he had been watching Reinhardt for much longer than she had. "Did you already know that Reinhardt was the Demon King?" "..." Epinhauser did not answer. Epinhauser was not a man to plot something without reason or act impulsively. He must have done something so utterly incomprehensible because it was backed by his convictions and determination. Even knowing that he would die, he faced off against Saviolin Turner, the strongest human. He wouldn''t have dug his own grave in such a meaningless place. Epinhauser, bleeding and dying, showed a subtle smile in the face of death. "And..." Epinhauser had been observed for quite some time, but this was the first time she had seen him smile. "The teacher... saving his disciple..." The teacher, who had always seemed cold, was slowly dying. As he died, she spoke. "Is it... such a special thing..." It seemed as if it was something he only had to do. Saviolin Turner watched Epinhauser''s breath stop until the end. "..." These days, she was filled with doubt about everything she had built up. Reinhardt. The Demon King. The humans who believe in and follow the Demon King, even though he is the Demon King. Despite not having to do so, there exist those who believe in and love the Demon King. The countless appearances and aspects of the Demon King she had seen. While seeing the Demon King''s appearance as he claimed he didn''t desire destruction and wanted to save humans. If he had wanted humans to be divided, the Demon King, who should have said that the raid of Rajeurn by the Demon King was a self-written drama of the Empire, didn''t mention it even once. And, in a situation where it was almost certain that if she had really believed the Demon King''s words, such things wouldn''t have happened. "Now... I don''t know anything." Saviolin Turner felt lost. CH 450 The Gate Incident refers to the phenomenon of monsters pouring out of the Warp Gate. The incident must progress to a certain extent for monsters to spread throughout the land. If some time has passed since the incident began, the outskirts of the city and even villages without Warp Gates can be relatively peaceful. For there to be even a small Warp Gate, the settlement must be of city-scale. In the initial stages of the incident, the most dangerous places are the capital and other large cities. My companions and I, guided by Eleris, managed to reach the place where Gallarush and Luvien were casting Mass Teleport. We arrived in a remote forest area, far away from the capital. I don''t know what Antirianus is up to. However, we arrived in a tranquil blue forest, completely unrelated to the calamity unfolding in the capital. Myself, Olivia, Liana, Harriet, Eleris, Luvien, and Gallarush. Upon seeing Luvien with long ears, and Orc Vampire Gallarush, the three who had followed me without hesitation to save me turned pale. "You... you really..." Liana, with a shocked expression, pointed at me. "Am I really the Demon King all along? Did you not know this when you followed me?" "No... I mean, I did, but..." Liana stared blankly at the gray, massive Orc Vampire. "Elves... they really exist..." Harriet, in a different sense, gaped at Luvien, equally dumbfounded. Although we didn''t think we could escape the capital safely, we managed to do so. We now found ourselves in a quiet, peaceful forest, filled with the chirping of unknown birds. However, in reality, peace was an illusion. Not only the capital but monsters were also emerging from Warp Gates all over the world. Many cities were destroyed, unable to cope properly, and their affiliated cities would face the same fate due to the spreading monsters. Eleris, despite having caused this event in her efforts to save me, couldn''t even lift her head. Her efforts to stop the Gate Incident had actually triggered it. But we couldn''t afford to be bound by despair. I looked at the people here. In the end, these were the ones who believed in me and accompanied me to this point. I had to explain everything to them first. "Alright. Since this is our first meeting, let me introduce you. These are ancient Vampire Lords, older than most countries, and my allies." Eleris of Tuesday. Luvien of Thursday. Gallarush of Friday. Upon hearing the unheard term ''Vampire Lord,'' all three were inevitably bewildered. "But... it''s daytime, isn''t it?" "Yes..." "Just let it be." There was no time to explain what a Vampire Lord was. "And there''s someone not present... you know, Lucinil, who used to be close to me." "Yes." "...Why?" "Oh... I just remembered, I saw her earlier..." Olivia had seen the suddenly-appeared Lucinil. "Lucinil is... one of the Vampire Lords who infiltrated the temple." I couldn''t help but worry about Lucinil''s safety while speaking. ¡ª--- Everyone was shocked to hear Lucinil''s true identity, but there was no time to offer a satisfactory explanation. There was too much to explain. Assuming everyone believed me without doubting my words, I told them everything I could. Just as I did with Eleris. I remembered everything from the day the Demon King died at the hands of the Hero. I knew about the Gate Incident, and I had knowledge of a certain extent of the future. In order to prevent the Gate Incident, I had done everything up to this point. Tracking down Akasha and Cantus Magna. Discovering Akasha''s true identity, and just as I was about to reveal everything, the situation became entangled like this. And so, my subordinates caused the Gate Incident to save me, which is why I am here now. Eleris had already known the story, but not only the three from the Temple, but also Gallarush and Luvien had widened their eyes upon hearing my words. "So, in trying to prevent the Gate Incident, I ended up being the direct cause of it." I don''t know what kind of expression I had when I said that. However, Olivia and Harriet were biting their lips. As the mastermind behind the Gate Incident, Eleris couldn''t say a word out of guilt. It was obvious. Sarkegaar and Antirianus must have been unable to resist their impulses. Of course, that doesn''t mean Eleris''s sins would be erased. "Anyway, just because the situation has become like this, I can''t do nothing. I have to do something." It''s ridiculous that I, the cause of the Gate Incident, am going around cleaning up its aftermath. But, I can''t not do it either. My life and the lives of tens of millions, or even billions, have been exchanged. Even if I didn''t want it, it has already happened. So even if it''s just one person. Isn''t it my duty to save the life of even one person who might die because of me? Antirianus must have wished for me to collapse in despair, but I have no intention of doing so. I thought I would save everyone. I tried to, knowing that I couldn''t save everyone. And if I ended up being the cause of a situation where everyone would die. If it came to that. If I was thrown into such a situation. Did they think I would fall? Did they think I would collapse? Did they think I wouldn''t be able to rise again? If my death could save everyone, I would have done it. However, my death now would be meaningless and achieve nothing. Since I can''t accomplish anything by dying, I will do what I can while alive. If I can''t find meaning in death, I will find it in life. I am not a strong person, but I have thought a lot during the time I was captured. In resignation, I wished that everything would end with my death. But I didn''t die. I had to survive and witness the Gate Incident unfold, and then I was thrown back into the world. The world wants me to crumble. Out of spite for that malice, out of injustice, out of sadness. I cannot simply fall apart. I will not just wallow in regret in some corner of the continent, blaming myself for the Gate Incident. If I must be strong, then I will be strong. I don''t know what is right in this situation. But not getting up after collapsing must be evil. I wished for good, but I can no longer realize it. At least, I will avoid evil. I have decided to keep evil at bay. I cannot fall apart. I cannot hesitate. I must do what I can. "Reinhardt... Do you really have to save the humans? Why?" It was Olivia''s question. Those who didn''t believe in you, who only hated you, and even when they found out about this day, in the end, they will only hate you, blaming the Demon King for everything. Why do you have to save such humans? Olivia seemed unable to accept my words. "Because I created this world like this." If that was the reality. That is the place where imagination became reality. Try to solve the injustice you created, only to face even greater injustice. Thrown into such a situation. It''s the world I created, and the injustice I created. So I must solve it. No one understands what I mean. It''s okay if they don''t understand. I do what I can in the given situation. Even when I didn''t know the cause of the Gate Incident, I did what I could in the given situation. Now, as the Gate Incident has unfolded. I still do what I can in the given situation. There is nothing else. "From now on, I must somehow calm this situation." "I don''t think I can do everything on my own. What I can do alone is very limited, and considering the scale, it might not be that valuable." "I''m trying to do what I can, but I''ll probably need a lot of people since doing it alone won''t mean much." "Nobody needs to cooperate with me. If they don''t accept what I''m trying to do, they don''t have to do anything. But I owe some responsibility to the people who trusted me and came this far. At least, a place where we can live safely. I''ll provide that much." "And I''m trying to do something I can''t do alone. So, it has to be ''us,'' not ''me.''" "We need to secure a place where we can be safe, build our power, create followers, and grow stronger... That''s what we need to do... So..." The Gate Incident occurred. Therefore, to solve this, I can no longer be satisfied with just myself or a small force. "I will rebuild Darkland." So now, I have no choice but to truly dream of rebuilding Darkland. Me. Now that everything has become like this, now that everything is broken. I realized that I must become the king of a rebuilt Darkland, not just the prince of a ruined country. ¡ª--- To calm the Gate Incident, I will rebuild the demon world. Jumping in alone, I could only destroy a few gates at most. The future of dying in vain is all too certain. I am far stronger than ordinary humans, but I have limits. Even if I''m a Swordmaster or a Grandmaster, nothing will change. Even if Swordmasters are superhumans, can they save the world? Through the power of those who follow me, I will save villages, districts, cities, and bring about the complete end of the Gate Incident. So, it''s better to use my political power and influence rather than my own strength. "I haven''t thought about who will follow me or how I can form my power. But for now..." "I know." As I was about to say something, Olivia spoke up. "What?" "People who will unconditionally support you. No, people." I think I knew what Olivia was talking about. "Regarding the Five Great Religious Orders... As long as I''m the confirmed cause of the Gate Incident, they won''t support me even if I have the sacred object, right?" "No, not them." Olivia shook her head vigorously. "Believers of the Demon God Cult." Ah. Only then did the proposition, which I had forgotten due to the events that had occurred, come to mind. The Demon God Cult. "I know where the Demon God Cult''s followers'' base is, where they are." When did she find out? "Believers of the Demon God Cult think they should die not just in pretense but in reality, according to your words. I saw it all." Olivia had meticulously informed me that since then, the ruins in the Gelkorgis desert region had become a stronghold for the followers of the Demon God Cult, and that she had already identified all of their bases. Originally, she intended to mobilize the Holy Knights to eliminate them, thinking they would become my enemies. However, she was caught by the knights of Shanafel before she could report to the Holy Knights, and she added this to her story. The followers of Demon God Cult. They are dangerous, but right now, I need allies. Above all, I need power in this situation. The followers of Demon God Cult, who would worship me against my will and absolutely obey my words, are a force that must be secured in the current situation. If the timing had been off, this would have happened. Had the timing been slightly different, the followers of Demon God Cult would have already been wiped out by the Holy Knights. This discrepancy turned out to be both a terrible event for me and a stroke of luck at some level. Harriet and Liana seemed unable to understand how Olivia could have come by such information. Because they didn''t know that Olivia could wield the power of Demon God. It must have been easy for Olivia to gain the trust of the Demon God Cult followers just by wielding their power. Reaching out to them would have been the easiest thing for her. "Alright... securing the Demon God Cult followers as subordinates is important for now..." Securing the power of the Demon God Cult followers as my own has also become a crucial condition. Moreover, the Gelkorgis desert region is uninhabited. There are no warp gates there, so not only is the area unaffected by the gate situation, but they probably don''t even know that such a situation is unfolding on the continent. Fudududuk! From somewhere, a swarm of black bats began to fly toward us from one side of the forest. Harriet pointed at them, her face turning pale. "What... what is that...?" "Don''t worry." Soon, the bats converged into one shape before us and transformed into an old man wearing a black suit and a wide-brimmed hat, leaning on a cane. Antirianus bowed his head deeply, removing his hat as he looked at me. "It is an honor to meet the great one." Antirianus seemed genuinely delighted by the situation, smiling as he put his hat back on. Yes. He must be overjoyed by the mess I''ve created by finding the answer to everything. "That old man is Antirianus the Lord of Saturday, the last of the Vampire Lords I mentioned earlier. He''s insane, so don''t get too close." "Heh, your words are harsh." Despite my harsh words, Antirianus merely chuckled. The amount of information these three had to take in was overwhelming. However, there was no time to calmly explain everything now. "Lord of Wednesday and Duke Sarkegaar have been captured, and Duke Loyar and Epinhauser have perished." Antirianus had brought the news. Master Epinhauser and Loyar were dead. "Why... Professor...?" "Our Professor?" Both Liana and Harriet turned pale at the news of Professor Epinhauser''s death. I didn''t know the reason either. Professor Epinhauser had tried to save me and said it wasn''t the will of the Order. He had betrayed the Order''s intentions to save me and died. Loyar had died as well. It was unlikely that the members of the Rotary Club had survived. I wondered what had become of Adriana. While there were survivors, there were too many who were dead or missing. "..." The crushing weight of despair was almost unbearable, as if it were squeezing my heart. I couldn''t comprehend why Professor Epinhauser had died for me. I wanted to think about the deaths of Loyar and the club members, but there was no time to drown in those thoughts. I never knew what it meant to be a king, nor did I ever desire to become one. I had no intention of responding to Sarkegaar''s wish for me to become a king. However, I decided to become a king. A king isn''t someone who wallows in sadness and despair, confined to a corner, sinking into the depths of desolation. What''s done is done. Who loved me and how much I loved someone. The memories I shared with them, and what they meant to me. Rather than reminiscing, I must be a being that embraces the future. So, I put it off, endlessly pushing those thoughts back, and delaying them until everything was alright. Eventually forgetting. A being who can no longer remember what to reminisce about, who to remember, and what to grieve for. That would be a king. Loyar is dead. Epinhauser is dead. However. Lucinil and Sarkegaar have been captured. They are still alive. I''ll postpone my grief for the dead. When I can grieve, I don''t know. Since I can''t reverse death, I must delay the deaths of my people who are still alive. "Antirianus, can you deliver a message to the Empire?" "Of course, that''s easily doable." I must become a being that embraces the future. I cannot be tied down by the past. "Tell them that although the situation has occurred, we will deal with the Gate incident on our own, and we have no intention of fighting humans." The Gate incident has already happened. "But if they kill Lucinil and Sarkegaar, that moment will mark the beginning of a permanent hostile relationship." This is not a joke. "Deliver it like that." I can''t destroy the Empire as it is. "I''m sure they know that if I absorb the power of the Demon God Cult, I could easily do so." However, if I absorb the power of the Demon God Cult now, the problem wouldn''t be the Empire, but the potential to bring about humanity''s downfall. The Empire could be foolish enough not to know that. Therefore, they might kill Lucinil and Sarkegaar. If that happens, I will destroy the Empire and establish a new one on its ruins. There''s no need for humanity''s master to always be human. "Heh, hehehe... I will, of course, deliver your message, oh great one..." Antirianus seemed delighted by my words and decisions, chuckling as he looked at me, and I narrowed my eyes. He was undoubtedly the one who provoked Eleris. "It won''t be fun if you twist my words." At my remark, Antirianus shook his head in feigned innocence. "Hehe... Would I pursue such trivial amusement?" Right. I believe Antirianus when he says he won''t engage in hasty pranks unless they offer extreme amusement. -Squeak! Squeak! -Whoosh! Everyone watched Antirianus as he transformed into a swarm of bats and flew away, looking uneasy. I threatened that if the Empire threatened Lucinil and Sarkegaar''s safety, they would see a real disaster. The Empire may hate me, but they can''t ignore the consequences of making me an enemy. It might be difficult to retrieve them immediately, but it could be possible in the long run. "Archdemon, so from now on, do you plan to head to the Gelkorgis Desert?" Luvien asked me with a glance. It seemed like Gallarush and Luvien intended to continue cooperating with me. Even if they decided to leave, I had no right to stop them. They had done so much for me, who had nothing to offer in return. "The Gelkorgis Desert is my base as well. If I know the exact location of the Demon God Cult followers, I can relay your message." "I see. But that''s not our top priority." There was something more important than securing power. A base. A land where we could be safe. And before that. I looked at Harriet and Liana. "What are you guys going to do about your families?" The two had tried to save me in some way. I didn''t know their plan, but it was messed up due to the sudden Gate Incident. However, it was clear that they were thinking their families would be in danger now that this situation had erupted. It wasn''t just their lives at risk, but the lives of everyone on the continent. "Arunaria... will be fine... I trust my father..." The capital of Saint Owan Duchy, Arunaria. Harriet clenched her fist and bowed her head, saying that the Grand Duke would be more worried about his daughter who had sided with the Demon King. Of course, Harriet seemed to believe that Saint Owan Duchy would be able to handle the chaos of the Gate Incident. Now, I looked at Liana. Liana gazed at the other side of the forest and spoke slowly, as if sighing. "...I told my mother what I would be doing today." Somehow, Liana knew that it wasn''t me but the empire that was the target of her revenge. That meant her mother knew too. Liana had decided to side with the Demon King to destroy the empire, and her mother had accepted it. After the death of Duke Grantz, it was clear that the duchess had gone through many emotional changes. The duchess had allowed Liana to risk her life for her father''s revenge. But now, the one in danger wasn''t Liana but the duchess. Unlike Harriet, who trembled in fear but trusted her father''s safety due to the power of the Grand Duke and the Duchy, the duchess''s life was in danger. Even if she were safe until the Gate Incident stabilized, as long as Liana was confirmed to be on my side, the duchess couldn''t be safe. Liana''s fist trembled. "So my mother... knows. We went there before..." Huh? Could it be? "The Edina Archipelago?" "Yes, she''s hiding in a villa there. If I do this... it will become dangerous..." Liana knew there would be consequences, so Duchess Grantz had fled in advance. But the Gate Incident must have erupted in the Edina Archipelago as well, putting the duchess''s life in danger. That''s why Liana decided to help me for now, but she couldn''t be at ease knowing her mother''s life was in danger. "It''s a good thing." But at my words, Liana narrowed her eyes at me, and Harriet shuddered as if asking what I was talking about. "What? You think it''s a good thing?" "Of course it is." I crossed my arms. "From now on, we''re going to the Edina Archipelago." Starting now, that''s where we''ll make our base. In rescuing the endangered Airi, we would travel to a place far from the continent, where news was delivered exceptionally late: the Edina Archipelago. The isolated islands were the perfect location for us to evade the watchful eyes of the empire while we built our power. "We shall conquer the Edina Archipelago." That would become the starting point for the rebuilt Darklands. We were going to save Airi. And we would rescue Duchess Grantz as well. There could be no better outcome than that. CH 451 Originally, the Edina Archipelago was a remote island nation, detached from the regular warp gate system that spanned the entire continent. Although there were small warp gates connecting the islands of the archipelago, they did not reach the mainland. Due to the nature of gate disasters, which produced larger and more dangerous monsters as the size of the gate increased, the scale of gate disasters in the region was inevitably smaller than in other areas. But that was only a relative comparison. Grrrrr They could handle monsters with a familiar appearance, like small wild dogs. Skreeee However, there were also bizarre creatures with dozens of arms, each with dozens of eyes attached. Just looking at these monsters was enough to evoke a dreadful feeling, and with their dozens of arms, they would kill every person they touched, forcing not only ordinary people but also soldiers to flee in panic. They were grotesque in appearance. When such monsters began pouring out of the warp gates, people, soldiers and civilians alike, had no choice but to run. In an instant, the area around the warp gate became a bloody battlefield, and fire-breathing monsters set buildings ablaze. The main port city of Lazak in the Edina Archipelago was filled with chaos and screams. Thud! Thump! "What on earth...!" Succubus Queen Airi, gritting her teeth, impaled and killed the monsters with an iron spear, and then gazed at the still-swarming, ever-increasing horde of creatures. Since there was no reason for her to have a weapon, the iron spear she held was taken from a dead guard. Due to the nature of the demon race, where numerous species lived together, Airi had seen many magical creatures and beasts. However, the monsters appearing now were a mix of creatures resembling current magical beasts and other beings so bizarre they could hardly be considered living. The guards had already lost their morale, faced with monsters that were terrifying in their very existence. Airi, who had lost her horn but had combat experience, along with other succubi under her command, were somehow managing to fight the invading monsters, maintaining their sanity. Airi, the boss and employees of Angel Capital, who had been accused of sucking people''s blood through their loan shark business, were the only ones holding weapons and keeping their wits about them in this situation, where even the guards were fleeing. Airi''s grand temple-like Angel Capital had become a temporary shelter for people who couldn''t find anywhere else to escape. People hid behind the succubi and watched as the pink-haired loan shark boss impaled monsters with her iron spear, beat them to death, and even tore them apart with her bare hands. Airi...? She''s that good at fighting...? She''s like a monster... Many people huddled inside the entrance of Angel Capital, watching the scene of Airi somehow killing the monsters that even the guards had fled from in fear. Airi''s physical abilities were incomparable to those of an ordinary person, even with her broken horn. In the midst of this sudden disaster, she found herself in the position of defending her customers and long-term prey on the Edina Archipelago. The unexpected calamity. Rumble As burning buildings collapsed and fleeing people were crushed to death under the debris, Airi watched with a pale face. "What are the soldiers doing?" Airi muttered nervously, but she too was feeling sickened just by looking at the monsters. The Edina Archipelago was a backwater among backwaters. In the original work, the person of interest, Airi, reflects on the events happening on the island and struggles with her feelings about humanity. Those who were highly skilled or exceptionally talented would harbor great dreams and set sail for the continent. It wasn''t that those left on the island were necessarily inferior, but it was difficult to expect them to grit their teeth and protect the people in the face of sudden calamity. How many soldiers could there be on this small archipelago? How many knights, and among them, how many could do Magic Body Strengthening? How many mages could there be? If there was someone capable of Magic Body Strengthening, they would be considered the archipelago''s elite, and if they were young with that ability, they would have gone to the continent with even greater dreams. Airi did not know where this situation had begun. They had only heard from the fleeing people that monsters were emerging from the warp gate. Was this disaster only happening in Lazak? Was it only happening on the archipelago? Or was it encompassing the entire continent? No one would know unless they heard directly from the Demon King. "Ugh!" Airi pierced the mouth of a charging two-headed bear with her spear and swiftly killed another with the longsword at her waist, impaling its skull. She breathed heavily. "Ha... Ha..." There was no telling how long the monsters would keep pouring in. As they saw the crowded corpses on the streets and the spectacle of more being added, Airi pulled the iron spear from the bear-shaped monster''s corpse. She despised humans. She wished for humanity''s demise. Grrr! However, when a giant lizard that nearly filled the alley whipped its tail and sent people flying, Airi''s eyes widened. Humans were hateful. In the long run, she wished for humanity''s extinction. But was it right for something like this to happen? Not because of war or any identifiable reason, but due to an inexplicable disaster. Ordinary civilians, who had never known strife in their lives. Should they die like this, as if they were worth less than garbage? Although she lived a life of squeezing money out of people, Airi couldn''t help but realize that there were also lovable beings among humans. Some people squandered their family fortune in a single night of gambling, while others used borrowed money from the Capital, not to form a fleet, but to indulge in money games. Someone even confessed they couldn''t repay the borrowed money and genuinely offered their ship as compensation. But she had also seen those who desperately needed money, yet the amount they needed was too trivial. Airi had seen those too poor to become her clients. She had seen a boy begging for a loan of just a few silver coins, promising to repay it once he grew up, so his sick mother could receive treatment. She had seen young children scavenging for food because their siblings were starving at home. Countless sailors had gone hungry due to a lack of money for even a single meal. It wasn''t out of pity. The triviality was just too trivial. Airi had lent a few silver coins to them with a playful remark to repay it someday. It definitely happened. And She had seen such trivial debts genuinely repaid a few days later. With a bright smile, the debtor would confidently knock on Angel Capital''s door and hand over twice the borrowed amount, saying they wanted to repay it as an adult, but they would do it now. Airi found the little children so adorable that she couldn''t help but hug them tightly. Even though she thought humans shouldn''t be treated this way. It was just a small concession. To someone like Airi, who handles an immense amount of money, this was but a trivial matter. No. One never knows when the public perception of being a money-obsessed demon and leading a group of money-crazed people could turn into a spear that stabs oneself. With that in mind, as a public relations and political endeavor, she began a no-interest loan business for starving children and families who had lost their fathers to storms. Though it was called a loan, Airi had no intention of ever getting the money back, making it, in essence, a donation. Lending money to those without the means to repay was, if not for tightening their noose, akin to charity. To the adults of Lazak, Airi was a demon. To the children, Airi was an angel. According to the name of the firm she established with malicious intent, Angel Capital, Airi was a devil to some, and an angel to others. It was a small and insignificant struggle. Such children were dying in the streets, in such a pitiful manner. Thump! Squish! With short screams, they were crushed, torn apart, and shattered. "Ah... Ahh..." If I were to leave my spot, the people and employees behind me, and those in the refuge, even the children, would all die. I couldn''t leave my position to prepare for this situation. So, all Airi could do was watch with wide eyes as the small, struggling bodies died. Airi experienced what felt like tears of blood only once in her life. When the Demon World fell and she was bound in chains, dragged away by humans. When she felt that everything had crumbled, just once. And now. Airi was not a demon, but a human, feeling what it was like to have tears of blood as she watched human children die. Monsters were pouring into the streets. There were small, dog-sized creatures, but there were also unmistakably massive, lizard-like monsters crossing the streets and approaching. Her broken horn had always brought her pain. But never like today. Never had her broken horn felt so painful. If only she had power. If only she had power. ¡°Sister!¡± If she could run to the child who was desperately calling her from the streets, she could protect him from the enormous lizard. She wouldn''t have had to turn away from the boy who once needed money for his mother''s medicine. No. She couldn''t turn away. "Boss!" "You can''t go!" Airi, having lost her reason, jumped down the stairs and ran towards the boy. After the fall of the Demon World, Airi lived to destroy something. But the power she sought to destroy something, one of the rules that made up society, capital, in this situation, At this point, when the foundation of society was collapsing, In this situation where all rules were breaking down, With capital, a power based on rules, she couldn''t protect anything. No matter how much capital she had, she couldn''t overcome the violence before her eyes. Only with her body. Only with action. She could destroy something or protect something. Airi ran with her body, roughly embracing the boy running in the street with her left arm. "Sister! Sister... Sob, sob!" "Sister will... Sister will protect you..." As she held the boy, Airi saw the giant lizard open its mouth wide. The iron spear in Airi''s right hand was shorter than the monster''s mouth. The moment she tried to stab it, she would be swallowed. It was too late to back off. Swallowed by an unknown monster while trying to protect a single, insignificant boy instead of destroying humanity. This wasn''t. What Valier wanted. Clutching the floating boy in her arms, Airi aimed her spear at the monster charging towards the window. "Valier." To her childhood friend who wasn''t there. To the boy she had accepted as her lord. In the end, was she of no help at all? "I''m sorry." Just as she was about to hurl her spear with that thought in mind¡ª -Whack! As if time had slowed down, Airi saw a girl with a braided head of hair appear before her eyes. The girl, who seemed to have shining blue tattoos all over her body, suddenly stretched her hands out in front of her. -Screech! -Growl! The lizard, who had slammed its face into the blue barrier, let out a scream and retreated a few steps. What was going on? An unknown magician had appeared and saved her. "Are you alright?" Before she could answer the girl''s question, Airi saw it. Valier, in human form, diving down from the sky. -Whoosh! And precisely stabbing his divine sword, Alsbringer, into the lizard''s head. -Growl! Then, the gem around Valier''s neck glowed red, and the lizard was engulfed in flames and burned. "Val...ier?" Airi saw it. The sudden appearance of Valier in human form was surprising, but only for a moment. Airi had no choice but to witness an even more horrifying scene. -Growl! Growl! Suddenly, darkness rose in the sky, and lightning began to pour down. -Flash! Flash! Dozens of times per second. -Rumble! As if targeting the countless monsters in the streets, lightning bolts flashed and monsters were struck, falling or exploding. "What is... happening...?" The overflowing lightning in the streets seemed to sweep away the monsters, as if divine salvation had been sent down to face this incomprehensible disaster. Turning her head, Airi saw a short-haired blonde girl emitting blue currents from her body. -Boom! And she heard the distant sound of a fierce explosion. "It seems like Eleris took care of the gate." After sheathing his sword, Valier walked towards Airi with the braided girl. "Valier...? How did you...?" "Let''s talk once we clean up this mess." Airi was bewildered, and the boy she had just saved was equally wide-eyed. It was as if the world was collapsing, and an unknown person wielding lightning had completely neutralized the sudden disaster. "Harriet, can you take care of rescuing the duchess for now? Do you remember her location?" "Yes." "Although the outskirts should be clear of monsters, it would be best to hurry. Liana and the Vampire Lords will handle things here." "Understood." As the girl called Harriet''s blue tattoos activated again, she rapidly teleported away, with Airi watching in a daze. Valier looked at Airi holding the boy in her arms. Airi couldn''t help but freeze under Valier''s gaze. Rebuilding the Demon World and taking revenge on mankind. Hadn''t she disqualified herself as Valier''s subordinate by attempting to save a boy while cooperating with him? He must be disappointed. As Airi stood there, unable to do anything, Valier ruffled the boy''s hair without a word. As if it were fortunate that the boy was alive. He didn''t smile, and his expression remained neutral. But it seemed like he had no complaints about the boy''s survival or Airi''s actions. "There, can you see her?" Valier pointed, and what she saw was a girl, still enveloped in a blue aura, summoning lightning. "Huh? Oh..." "She''ll handle everything around here." As if to say that she would take care of the places the girl couldn''t see, Valier summoned the Alsbringer in his right hand. -Swish! As Valier looked towards the monsters pouring into the alley, a burst of flames engulfed them, incinerating them in an instant. -Gasp! -Growl! Somewhere in a distant alley, they could also see a holy light flashing. "Let''s talk later. I need to go." "Uh, uh-huh..." As Valier dashed and disappeared into the distance, Airi hugged the trembling boy, and they both collapsed onto the ground. "Sis... Are we... Are we saved?" As the terrified boy hugged her own neck, Airi, her face pale, carefully patted his back. "Yeah... It seems so..." It was hard enough to comprehend Valier''s sudden appearance. He didn''t come alone; he brought with him a group of people capable of resolving the situation. CH 452 In Edina Archipelago, there was only one warp gate in the capital and main port city of Lazak, and it was a small one at that. Reinhardt had swiftly arrived with his people not long after the incident began, initiating a wide-scale response. Upon arriving in Lazak, Eleris immediately destroyed the warp gate, while Liana summoned lightning in the vast area to sweep away the monsters. Reinhardt and Olivia, of course, as well as Luvien and Gallarush, all focused their efforts on eradicating the monsters in Lazak. As a result, the situation was quickly brought under control. Nonetheless, the gate incident left an indelible scar on Lazak. Countless buildings were ablaze, and the streets were littered with corpses. Though the monsters had been nearly eradicated, the streets were filled with the wailing of the people. Gate incidents fundamentally bring fear and chaos to the people. In the midst of fear and panic, it was not only difficult to properly deal with the monsters, but even if it was possible, massive casualties were inevitable. There was no way that every location with a small warp gate would have an archmage or a combat force stationed there. Despite taking immediate action, Lazak had suffered massive damage, and it would not have been much different anywhere else. If it were not for a city with powerful mages and knights, the scale of the damage would have been even greater, and the number and size of the monsters emerging from the inevitably larger warp gates would have been much larger. Seeing Lazak turned into a living hell in just one day, Liana and Olivia could not help but lose their spirits. Even if this had all been done to save Reinhardt, it was an incident caused by the minions of the Demon King. Eleris, who had activated Akasha with her own hands, couldn''t say a word as she saw the depth of the sin she had committed. The situation in Lazak had been somewhat resolved. That''s why they had all gathered in front of the main gate of Angel Capital. Demon King Valier, Eleris, Luvien, Gallarush, Olivia, Airi, and even Harriet and Liana. They all stared intently at Valier. Eleris, who had activated Akasha, could not even lift her head. Yet, in Valier''s expression, who had inadvertently triggered all these events while trying to prevent them, there was no sign of despair. Everyone felt misery and anguish for what they had done, even though they were not responsible for it. It seemed as if the Demon King didn''t think about such things at all. "Since Lazak has been sorted out, there''s no time to waste. It seems like we can handle the monsters coming from the small gates with just our forces... Airi, how many islands in the archipelago have small warp gates installed?" "...Saint Louie, Port Ramz, and Greenwind." "Good, let''s split into three groups. Eleris, take Liana and check the coordinates for Saint Louie and go there. The Lord of Thursday and Senior Olivia will go to Port Ramz. The Lord of Friday will take Harriet, who should be returning soon, to Greenwind and sort things out there." The plan was to divide their forces among the three other ports in the small nation of Edina Archipelago, which could be called relatively large cities. The Demon King''s judgment was that having only two of them in each city would be enough to handle incidents arising from small warp gates. "We need to move quickly. If the monsters destroy the city and escape, we may have to embark on a tedious hunt." As if there was no time to dwell on the unfolding catastrophe, Valier briefly relayed instructions on what had to be done next. It seemed like the appropriate attitude for a leader, but also appeared excessively cold. However, an order was an order. Following the Demon King''s command, the Vampire Lords promptly began casting spells. Those hiding in Angel Capital, still fearful of the situation, silently watched the city''s saviors beyond the main gate. Valier paid them no attention. Although it was his role to save them, it seemed as though they no longer held any significance to him now that they had been rescued. "Airi." "Uh, ah¡­ yes?" Airi still didn''t understand the situation. Valier simply said what he had to say. "Let''s go to the Edina Palace." "The palace...? Why the palace?" "Starting today, I''ll be the king here." It seemed as if that was how it would be since he had decided so. Valier was unnervingly calm. About everything. ¡ª--- Deep into the night. -Whirrrrr In the burning Imperial Capital, mages hurriedly tried to extinguish the fire. The most powerful human forces had gathered in the capital. Nevertheless, the Imperial Capital, the city with the highest concentration of large and small warp gates across the entire continent, was the most dangerous city. Thanks to the strongest human forces rushing to suppress the situation as soon as it broke out, the gates'' crisis in the capital was suppressed within a day. However, the damage was extensive. Major city facilities were destroyed and burned, about 30% of the city was demolished, and even more citizens had died. Just like the port city of the Edina Archipelago, the Imperial Capital was filled with the screams and wails of countless people. And this was actually better compared to other places. In every place where warp gates were installed in the empire, even greater calamities were wreaking havoc. -Kaboom! With a monster the size of a cathedral collapsing to the ground, bellowing its last breath, the final monster in the capital fell. -Clang! Ellen Artorius, who had shattered the monster''s entire skull by plunging the Void Sword into its cranium and detonating magic power, landed safely on the ground after sliding down the monster''s back and waist. Now everyone knew that Ellen had not only acquired the strangely transformed Lament but also the cape of the Sun God, Lapelt. "Is this the last one?" Upon hearing Ellen''s words, those who had hunted the last monster nodded nervously. What had happened, had happened. They were already overwhelmed by just focusing on their response. Just as the current Demon King didn''t express any feelings about everything that had happened, Ellen, who considered herself the cause of this crisis, was no different. Likewise, the knights of Shanafel, who had hunted the last giant monster, arrived at the scene where Ellen was. "Ellen¡­ why¡­ why did you help the Demon King escape?" At Saviolin Turner''s words, Ellen looked at her quietly. Until now, they had been too busy dealing with the situation to discuss it, but now it had to be addressed. Ellen had assisted the Demon King''s escape. Although there were no casualties, Ellen''s actions might lead to another war in the future. However, Ellen didn''t make any excuses or rationalizations for her actions. She didn''t say that this had happened because they couldn''t trust the Demon King. After all, Ellen herself hadn''t trusted the Demon King either. "Do you plan to arrest me?" "¡­" "I don''t think you can." And so, Ellen confronted the Empire with reality, not excuses. She was no ordinary Swordmaster, but one who possessed two sacred relics. In fact, Ellen had defeated more monsters today than anyone else, save for Saviolin Turner. She had single-handedly cut down hordes of powerful monsters, not just the smaller ones that emerged like in the Edina Archipelago, but also those comparable to giant beasts, capable of reducing an entire village to ashes in just an hour. It was inconceivable to treat Ellen as a criminal under such dire circumstances. The Empire should be grateful for Ellen''s cooperation, especially at a time when everything was far from over. "Please tell me where I should go. There must be many dangerous cities." Ellen felt a sense of responsibility for the situation. "And if you have something like an awakening potion, please give it to me." Thus, Ellen had no intention of resting. There was no time for sorrow or depression. Nor was there time to regret her actions. Just as she didn''t blame Reinhardt for doing nothing, as if nothing would have happened if she had not intervened. Ellen didn''t choose the path of dwelling on regret and self-blame, wondering if things would have been different if she had trusted Reinhardt more. She couldn''t save herself or anyone else through a tragic contemplation of the disaster that had occurred. She had to make decisions in the time she had. She had to act in the time she had. She had to save at least one more city, one more person. Because that was the only thing she believed she could do. Not regret or self-blame, but doing the best she could under the given circumstances. The Demon King and the Hero. In a sense, both had become stronger than ever before. In a way, neither of them had ever wanted. ¡ª--- The palace of the Kingdom of Edina was located on the outskirts of the port city of Lazak, on a high hill by a cliff. It was nowhere near the size of an imperial palace, nor was it as elegant as the White Palace Arunaria in the capital city of the Saint Owan Duchy, Arnaca. Rather than a palace, the fortress-like structure reflected the level of the Edina Kingdom. Still, it was a royal castle of a nation, not as humble as the castles or mansions of local lords. Being on the outskirt, it had been spared the direct impact of the Gate incident. It was not difficult to be led inside the castle. The city had experienced a disaster, and those who had resolved it were me and my companions. It seemed that people could guess as much by looking at us as we walked towards the castle. And Airi had been doing business in this city for quite some time. Moreover, the Angel Capital project had been conducted under the support of the royal family. Airi''s friend. And the person who had suppressed the great disaster, which could have led to the kingdom''s destruction, in just a few hours. It would have been strange if the doors hadn''t opened. The king we met inside the castle still looked pale, and the attendants were understandably confused about the situation. "Who are you, my lord?" The royal guards. Knights who protected the king. I looked at each of their faces. "While the people of the capital die like dogs, this bastard of a king is trembling and hiding here..." My sudden outburst made the king and the royal guards tense. "I won''t bother with lengthy explanations." Using the Ring of Sarkegaar, I summoned Alsbringer and draped it over my shoulder. The sudden appearance of a demon and a soul-bound sword made everyone feel like they were swallowing a lump. ¡°From this day forth, all the islands of this kingdom and the Edina Archipelago belong to me, the Demon King Valier." Upon hearing my brazen declaration, even Airi''s face turned pale. There was no time for persuasion or debate. I looked around. "Bring forth the stubborn one." It was clear that everyone had not yet grasped the situation. ¡ª--- Of course, there was no one who would obediently hand over their country when asked. The first to react was a knight standing beside the king. "Scoundrel! Even if the situation is suspicious, how dare you appear out of nowhere and threaten His Majesty!" He descended the steps of the throne and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Don''t draw it." "What...?" I said to the knight. "If you draw it, you will die." "You reckless...!" Shrring! Clink! The knight''s sword had barely left its sheath before it was struck by Alsbringer and shattered as if it had exploded. I didn''t kill him. But the knight, who had lost his sword before he could properly grip it, could only stare at me with a dumbfounded expression. "If you try again, the warning will not be the end." I was willing to shed blood if necessary, but there was no need to do so deliberately. Perhaps he was the most skilled knight present, for when he froze, none of the other knights or guards dared approach me. I walked past the knight who had been blocking my path. None of the other knights or guards could obstruct me either. -Step by step I ascended the steps to the throne and stood before the king. "Move." "What...?" At my simple command, the king could only stare at me, frozen in place. "I said move." No one dared to touch me. The moment they tried, they instinctively knew their throats would be in danger. The king looked around, but in the face of the Demon King''s appearance, there was no one willing to risk their lives to protect their lord. It wasn''t a matter of loyalty. It was because I was not just a mere thug, but the Demon King. The Demon King who had caused an uproar throughout the entire continent. In a country that had almost been destroyed by the Small Gate incident, which they had been unable to prevent, the Demon King was too great a name for the soldiers and knights of the Edina Archipelago to handle. It was because I was not a simple outlaw or bandit, but the Demon King. No one knew what would happen if I started to act. That''s why my mere presence was enough to stimulate people''s sinister imaginations. The aura of fear surrounding me could be used to my advantage whenever I wished. That was why I could do this, barehanded and with only Airi by my side. The son of the former absolute ruler, Valier. No one could touch me, as they all imagined the fearful possibilities of what I could do. I watched silently as the king, trembling, stood up from his seat. -Thump I sat down on the throne the king had vacated. I didn''t particularly like the gray stone throne carved from rock, but it wasn''t unpleasant either. It was easy to take the seat of power. Was it supposed to be this easy to seize a country? But this was only the beginning. Just because I sat in the seat of power didn''t mean everyone would accept me as their ruler. Sitting on the throne didn''t make me king. However, I had made the owner of the throne stand up by himself. That was what mattered. "Half of the world." "The master of the Darkland." "Leader of all the demon races in the world." "Lord of the demon realm." "In the name of Valier." "I promise a peaceful retirement to the previous rulers of the Edina Kingdom, the kings and royals who have voluntarily abdicated their thrones." That was my first royal decree. CH 453 I had seized the throne of the Edina Archipelago. Far too easily. Just because a sudden villain appeared and forced the king to rise from his seat, then took it for himself, did not mean that he would be recognized as the rightful ruler. However, I was the Demon King. It was not merely a powerful villain but the fact that I bore the heavy title of Demon King that made everyone feel terror in my presence. Those who did not want to discover that I was the Demon King now knew it. So now, it didn''t matter if the whole world knew I was the Demon King; I intended to use the fear that stemmed from my name to my advantage. Fear is an incredibly powerful tool for control. "As you all have seen today, the warp gates across the continent have been altered to summon monsters from another world. Soon, the disaster that is happening now will not just be limited to this archipelago, but will encompass the entire continent¡ªa disaster of global proportions." "That''s why the phenomenon that occurred in Lazak has also taken place on other islands of the archipelago: Saint Louis, Port Ramz, and Greenwind." "Currently, my subordinates are suppressing the occurrences in these locations." "The Edina Archipelago will suffer some damage, but since we are far from the mainland, the situation will be resolved by destroying the warp gates across the archipelago." "The reason I am explicitly stating that I am the savior of the Edina Archipelago, which would have faced destruction if left alone, is because I want you all to know that my rule will be quite generous and compassionate." "Submit to me, and you will gain stability and peace." "In the short term, I will focus on stabilizing the chaos-ridden Edina Archipelago, and in the long term, I will expand to the monster-infested continent." "I will give you one day." "Even if you refuse, I won''t kill you." "Those who do not wish to obey me may leave." "I will permit you to live as ordinary people in the archipelago. You can avoid my rule by going to the continent, but once you cross the vast sea and arrive on the continent, you will realize that there is nowhere else for you to set foot but this archipelago." Given that the entire continent was engulfed in chaos, going to the continent was tantamount to wishing for death. However, they could still judge my words as a blatant lie. They might think that the Demon King is just saying this to scare them. Whether they believe me or not, and whether they submit or not, is up to each individual. I did not intend to force them that far. I couldn''t tell if they would accept me, but I had much for them to do. "The chaos in Lazak has been resolved for now, and there is no need to be frightened. Immediately start the recovery efforts." Even though the chaos had subsided, the streets were still littered with corpses. In addition to dealing with the burnt houses, the exact number of casualties had to be determined, and efforts to stabilize Lazak needed to be focused upon. "From this moment, gather all available forces to clean up the corpses and assess the extent of the damage. Also, immediately determine the status of relief supplies, including the food reserves within the castle, and report back to me." The soldiers seemed taken aback by my first, not overly demonic, mission directive. What does it mean to be ''demonic''? Would it be more fitting for a Demon King to demand a blood sacrifice or a human offering as soon as he took the throne? Whatever kind of Demon King they might have expected, I was quite different from the one they had in mind. They were still bewildered, not knowing what I had asked of them. "Are you not moving quickly enough? If you''re going to leave, leave! If you''re going to listen and act, move swiftly, you brats! Do you think we have time to spare?" In the end, it seemed that no matter where I went, they would only understand me when I yelled. The soldiers followed my orders and evacuated the palace, beginning the process of addressing the damage in Lazak. I wasn''t sure if they would do the job well, but it was only the first day. I ordered the nobles to withdraw and let them do their work. ¡ª--- Deep into the night. One by one, they returned to Lazak. As I had instructed, everyone arrived at the Edina Royal Palace. Liana even brought the Duchess of Grantz, who had been hiding in the Angel Capital. They had all seen terrible things, but this situation seemed even more incomprehensible. It had only been a short time since we arrived in Lazak, and now I was sitting on the throne of that country''s royal palace. "...What happened?" "I said I was going to conquer the Edina Archipelago." That was all I had said to Olivia. There were many stories to share, and we needed to discuss what to do next. Liana, Harriet, and even Eleris seemed mentally unstable after witnessing the horrifying sights. Luvien and Gallarush''s expressions were very serious, though not as extreme. "Who would have thought becoming king could happen in just one day... Was it really this easy?" Luvien seemed astonished. "Given the circumstances, it was easier than expected. Anyway, did everyone handle the situation well?" "We suffered considerable damage, but we managed to destroy the gates and exterminate the monsters." We had successfully quelled the chaos in the four major ports of the Edina Archipelago. "The local governments will take care of the damage assessment, but there might be riots or similar events..." "There are so many people who have lost their homes... What will happen to them?" Harriet spoke with a depressed expression. "We need to investigate the damage in each port. How many people lost their homes, how many orphans were created, and whether we have enough relief supplies." From the start, it was a headache. "We won''t be able to trade between continents in this situation. I came this far to keep the empire from finding out where I settled. The Edina Archipelago will have to be self-sufficient from now on." Becoming king to deal with the Gate crisis was one thing, but the nation was in crisis from the very beginning. The Edina royal family would eventually be grateful that the Demon King took care of this troublesome matter. We shared many stories. I had to explain everything to Airi, who knew nothing of what had happened so far. And what we needed to do moving forward. Where to start. How to take responsibility, as a king, for those whose lives were destroyed. It was all new to us, things we couldn''t have imagined doing when we woke up that morning. But we had to do it. ¡ª--- Perhaps it was the longest day I had ever experienced in my life, and I had not yet finished it. Although we had seized the royal palace, the royal family who had ruled the Edina Archipelago until now still lived within the castle. It was a robbery without even a pretext, but I was the Demon King. Just as people thought I had evil intentions because I was the Demon King and interpreted my actions as they pleased, I had no intention of securing the legitimacy of my rule by asserting my so-called status. They would assume I was doing this because I was the Demon King and leave it at that. I wouldn''t drive out the royalty overnight. I had to absorb the information they knew about the archipelago and the intellectual basis for their rule. I stood atop the royal palace''s spire, looking out over the night landscape of Lazak, which spread out below the cliff. The port city was quiet after the resolution of the Gate incident. From a distance, I could see soldiers carrying torches, following my orders to clean up the corpses. There were still places where smoke rose, and it seemed like I could hear the cries of children who had lost their parents, as if in hallucinations. Was all of this my fault? From the spire, I could see the horizon of the sea beyond the harbor. Beyond that sea, on the continent, people were still dying. This was the destiny I had to face. Everyone in the temple who wasn''t here would probably be gradually thrown into battle as the mobilization order came down. Someone would die, and since the Gate incident happened earlier than expected, one of my peers might die as well. In this situation that had arisen because of me, I was trying to start something on this remote archipelago at the southernmost end of the continent. Could this be a way to save someone? Or was it just setting the stage for another war? ¡°Ahhhh!¡± A cry that shouldn''t be heard seemed to come from between the city lights. -Splash A sound of the sea waves that shouldn''t be heard seemed to reach me. "Hey, what are you doing?" When I turned my head at the sound coming from behind, there was Liana de Grantz. Even though I had become the king, were we still friends? It was ridiculous to think of myself as a king when I had not even been on the throne for a day. Liana stood beside me, crossing her arms and looking down at the landscape of Lazak. Liana de Grantz. Her magic was important, but Liana''s lightning ability was a great help in suppressing the Gate incident. And it was a great help when I escaped. "When did you know?" Liana knew that the murder of Duke Grantz wasn''t my doing. That''s why she saved me. "Not long ago. My mother told me." "¡­Really?" "I thought my father was saying strange things, but a revolution? I never thought he''d try something so bizarre." Liana looked down at Lazak with a snicker. Strictly speaking, there was no connection between Liana finding out the truth and her saving me. However, Liana tried to save me and actually did. This meant that there was another intention besides saving me. "Do you want to destroy the empire?" "¡­" Liana was silent at my words. "I thought you could do it." It was not only to save her friend but also to save the Demon King. Liana knew that Duke Grantz''s death was due to the Empire''s internal strife, and so she must have harbored a desire for revenge against the Empire. It struck me anew how great Liana''s desire for revenge was that she didn''t immediately attack Bertus, Charlotte, or Turner. It would be a desire for revenge that couldn''t be satisfied by killing just a few royals. Only the collapse of the Empire could satisfy such an insatiable desire for revenge. I couldn''t gauge how deep and dark the desire for revenge was beneath Liana''s calm appearance. Could it be a feeling of despair, similar to what I feel or perhaps even deeper? Just like how Harriet gave up being a princess to stand by my side. And Liana abandoned her position as a duchess to stand by me as well. Of course, in this moment when the world is swaying, how much meaning does that hold? "It seems like you weren''t really interested in those things." "That''s true." I told them that I started all this to protect humanity, and I''m still working for that cause. The Demon King seemed plausible as a partner for her revenge, but in reality, he probably wasn''t. I don''t want war and I don''t hope for the collapse of the empire. However, Liana stretched and then draped her arm over my shoulder. "But, you know, it''s not like you wanted things to turn into a mess like this, right?" "...That''s true." My existence was already destruction itself, and by the time I realized that, it was too late for many things. In the original work, the Gate Incident was caused by Valier, but this time it happened because of Eleris. Wishing for nothing to happen led to something happening after all. It felt as if I had become the protagonist of an old oracle. "So, the things you don''t want to happen somehow all end up happening, right?" "...Isn''t that a bit harsh?" "Isn''t it that the gate incident happened because you don''t want it to happen? All because of you." Liana laughed with a cackle. Her words were so malicious that they didn''t even make me angry. "So, if we have to go to war with the empire even if you don''t want to, I''ll lend you a hand." I had wished for humanity''s peace and stability, but the Gate Incident happened because of me. Still, I wish for humanity''s peace and stability, and the preservation of the empire, but it might collapse because of me. It seems that the world is falling apart in such a way. Liana seemed to think that as long as she stayed by my side, her chance for revenge would come. Liana still had her arm around my neck and was looking at the view of Lazak. "Hey, so am I... one of the Four Heavenly Kings?" At Liana''s words, I felt as if I couldn''t breathe. Four Heavenly Kings? Why is she thinking of something like that? "I am to become one of the Four Heavenly Kings, right?" Liana looked at me with sparkling eyes. Become one? Does she think this is some kind of neighborhood gang leader game? "Uh... well... how can you be one of the Four Heavenly Kings when you''re just alone?" "Let''s find three more. If the Vampire Lords are like elders, then... Harriet, Olivia, and... who was it? The one with pink hair? Doesn''t that make four?" Why is the topic suddenly shifting like this after talking about revenge? "Wow, that seems plausible. Magic, Holy Knight, Supernatural, and I don''t know what the pink-haired one is, but anyway, it''s four." Airi, Liana, Harriet, Olivia. It seemed like Liana had drawn a blueprint of the Four Heavenly Kings in her mind without me saying anything. I didn''t say anything, did I? "Hey, Demon King, make my nickname cool, okay? Huh?" -Poke poke Liana poked my side with the arm she had around my neck. "You''re crazy." At my words, Liana let go of my neck, laughing. Actually, it might be easy to think of one. Since she has lightning powers, maybe something with the lightning word¡­ Damn it, why am I even thinking about this? "Anyway, you must have had a hard time. I saw your face turn pale when you were running away earlier." I couldn''t clear up Liana''s misunderstanding, so when I encountered her while fleeing, I thought everything was over. In reality, it was quite the opposite. "You''ve gone through a lot. How did you manage to hold back from making excuses?" "Well, if I had made excuses, the problem would have gotten worse." "Exactly." Liana clicked her tongue. "How have you managed to endure it so far?" Building relationships with people without revealing my identity. I had endured it amidst feelings of guilt and pressure. As if it were remarkable that I had endured it until now, Liana affectionately ruffled my hair. "Do you want to keep being a pain?" Talking with her somehow made me feel like I was back in the days at the temple that I could never return to. It was a pleasant feeling. Yet, it was also a feeling so faint and sorrowful that it was almost unbearable. "Anyway, I''m going to go. I need to rest. I''m exhausted." As if to say it had been an equally long day for her, Liana stretched and prepared to leave. "Cliffman." Unable to hold back, I asked the question I should have, but never did. "..." "Are you okay?" "Okay? What do you mean?" Liana''s voice sank in her reply. "I mean, just...anything." "I didn''t say anything to him. To that kid." I remembered him making a vow with her to take revenge on the Demon King. But in reality, Liana hadn''t said a word to Cliffman about it. Was it because she couldn''t share the fact that the Empire was too great an enemy, even more so than the Demon King? Liana had conspired with Harriet, but she hadn''t said a word to Cliffman. That''s why Cliffman would remember Liana as a traitor to the Empire and humanity. Just as I had piled up misunderstandings. Liana would also accumulate misunderstandings. I wondered if that was okay. Because when those misunderstandings piled up and burst, it made me feel so terrible that I wanted to die. "I have to be okay." Liana said that and left. Because the enemy was too great, Liana hadn''t said a word to Cliffman. Liana, Harriet, and Olivia would be remembered as traitors to the Empire and humanity. Because of that, everyone would have to bear something, and I would have to bear their burdens in their place. Because I am their king. Because they chose me. I must become a being capable of protecting those who chose me. CH 454 Before the day drew to a close, just as Liana had sought me out, I felt the need to share a conversation with everyone. Those who met me in the castle hurriedly lowered their gaze and fled, or their faces turned pale, and they trembled in fear. It wasn''t as if I had a terrifying appearance, apart from the horns. Perhaps they were afraid of me because they imagined something more than what was visible. My companions were now planning to stay in the guest rooms within the palace. After deciding the accommodations for the remaining royal family members, everyone would have proper rooms and dwellings. I had resolved to become king, but I didn''t know what exactly a king had to do. That''s why I needed the help of those around me and the support of the previous royal family. I seized the country without any preparation, declaring that I would be king. It was bound to be absurd. As I descended from the tower and entered the area where the guest rooms were, I found Harriet gazing vacantly outside from the terrace of the castle. Feeling my presence, Harriet looked at me and gasped. "Ah... Uh, ah... Reinhardt..." She couldn''t be used to seeing me in this demon king form. "Is this... your true form?" "Well... you could say that." I wondered if my true form held any meaning. Harriet seemed to scrutinize my face as if trying to tear it apart. "It''s like... you seem like you, but... you''re different... but not completely different..." Harriet stared at me, seeming puzzled. "I don''t know. I''ll get used to it eventually." I felt a strange resonance with those words. It meant that she would always be by my side. Harriet and I stood side by side on the terrace. The words I spoke to her weren''t very long. I told her that I tried to save everyone, no matter what happened, and asked her to trust me. How could she possibly believe such a thing? Compared to my single statement, the things I had done and my true identity must have been difficult to handle. Moreover, this situation was ultimately my fault. I didn''t know how things would unfold in the long run, but Harriet had practically become humanity''s enemy. "You seem to be lost in thought." Harriet murmured quietly as she gazed out the window. It was fine if it was my problem. I could handle the issues I faced and the situations I was in. However, it was another matter entirely for those who had chosen me to share the pressure inflicted upon me because of my actions. "Now isn''t the time to think about too many things." Harriet said as she took my hand. "I don''t know what the others think. I only know what I think." Harriet looked up at me. "I''m okay. So don''t worry about me." As if to alleviate some of the burden that had been lifted from me, Harriet smiled at me. Although she must have been worried about the fate of the duchy, Harriet comforted me in this situation. Thinking about it, Harriet always worried about me when things got serious. She had done the same during my duel in the early days of our terrible first year together. Harriet, who had been watching the duel expecting me to be beaten horribly, worried about me when I really did suffer. She had always been on my side when it mattered most, and sometimes I helped her too. At some point, I had always been receiving help from Harriet. "I no longer think I can say that everything will be fine," she said. Harriet held my hand tightly as she stared silently out the window. The situation was terribly grim, and even in this brief moment of respite, people were still dying. Not everything could go well. It was already too late for many things. "Still, there must be something we can do. There must be something only I can do." Harriet looked at me. "You too, there must be something only you can do because you are you." So instead of feeling guilty or sorry, let''s find what we can do. That''s what Harriet said. It was exactly what I was thinking too. But just knowing that someone else had the exact same thoughts as me provided a strange sort of comfort. "Thank you." As the most talented magician, Harriet would find something she could do. As the Demon King, I needed to find what I could do. ¡ª--- After speaking with Harriet, I went to find Olivia. "Ah, Reinhardt." Olivia saw me and immediately embraced me. "We didn''t have time to talk properly with everything going on. I''m so, so relieved you''re safe." "Thank you, sister." I embraced Olivia as well. I had thought that Olivia would be on my side even knowing I was the Demon King. But actually seeing her stand by me was a different matter. Olivia did what she could. If not for her, I might have been quickly dealt with. In that case, the Gate Incident might not have happened. In the end, the actions Olivia took bought me a few more days, and those few days led to the Gate Incident unfolding. But I couldn''t blame Olivia. There was no guarantee that the Gate Incident wouldn''t have happened if I had died. Olivia tried to save me and played a decisive role. There was no reason to blame her for the fact that I survived and the Gate Incident happened because of her as well. I could only think that it was thanks to Olivia that I had survived and was now able to do something. I had to think that what I did to save Olivia at great risk led to my survival in this disastrous situation. Olivia and I sat down on chairs. "Honestly, I''m truly, truly relieved that you''re safe, but I''m against everything that''s happened." "¡­" "Finding out that you were the Demon King was truly shocking... but now that I know, I just can''t understand." It was bound to be that way. "You have no reason to protect humans. Although this happened in the end, you tried to prevent it. And coming all the way to this distant southern country and seizing it overnight is impressive, but... even if you can handle this Gate Incident, what''s next?" I couldn''t help but understand what Olivia was trying to say. What would happen after everything was resolved? "In the end, the fact that we''re the root cause of the Gate Incident doesn''t change. No matter what you do to save humans, they''ll hate us. And to control the confused public sentiment, the empire will declare the Demon King as the root of all evil, and it''s not like they''d be wrong." Since Eleris activated Akasha, it wasn''t exactly a smear campaign for the empire to say we were the cause of the Gate Incident. "The empire won''t admit that none of this would have happened if they had believed you even a little, and they have no reason to. They will inevitably direct all the blame at us." "Of course." "In the end, the Empire and the humans will blame you for all of this and try to kill you. No one will know how many people we tried to save, or that you never really wanted any of this. No one will understand, and no one will even try to acknowledge it. Just because you''re the Demon King. With just those two words, they''ll bury the truth." Olivia sighs. "Let''s not do anything. The southern island countries won''t be affected by the Gate incident. So, let''s just leave the matters of the continent and the humans behind. Let''s live quietly among ourselves. We don''t really need to be like a king. It''s just going to be bothersome. So, let''s take our people and live somewhere quiet. I don''t see why you have to risk your life for something that will never be recognized by anyone." Olivia, a human, tells me to turn away from humans. Since I am the cause of the Gate incident, everything I do will never be acknowledged by any human. Once the Gate incident is resolved, the Empire will target me. They will stabilize the political situation with hatred toward the Demon King, promoting unity and solidarity among humans. All of this is too obvious, and it''s clear that such things will happen without much thought. These are things I know even without Olivia telling me. That''s why Olivia suggests we live quietly. "If it had been for someone''s recognition or acknowledgment, I wouldn''t have started in the first place." I had a choice. To do something, or not to do something. It was Sarkegaar''s idea to enter the temple, but I could have just lived quietly within it. I didn''t do that. I tried to do something and achieve something. But in the end, all of that led to the Gate incident. So now, should I turn away from everything and do nothing? I can''t do that. Since I chose to do something, if the result of my actions is the Gate incident, then I must do something else in response. It''s not for someone''s acknowledgment. No, and it''s not that no one acknowledges me. "Besides, those who need to know the truth, do. That''s enough." At least there are people who know my intentions were not malicious. Though I will inevitably face countless misunderstandings and hatred, those who need to know, do. Even if the Empire directs all its arrows of blame at me, at least they can''t deny that my intentions were pure. If not, they wouldn''t have immediately revealed the only solution to the Gate incident. Still, the Empire will make me the scapegoat and the target of all hatred. But they know that my intentions cannot be denied. That''s enough. "And if I hadn''t done anything in the first place, I wouldn''t have become so close to you, right?" "..." "Not everything was bad. There were good things, too. Definitely." Just because a massive negative outcome has occurred doesn''t mean everything I''ve done so far has led to this situation. Harriet, Liana, and Olivia chose to believe in me and follow me. Not everything was bad. If I hadn''t done anything because it wasn''t necessary, I wouldn''t have had a reason to save Olivia in the first place. As a result of risking danger to save Olivia, I was able to survive. "So, the things I''m about to do, the things I don''t need to do, they won''t all necessarily turn out badly for me. There could be good things, and this could turn out to be a good thing for me later on. Like when you saved me, sister. That kind of good thing." "..." Olivia seemed at a loss for words at my statement, silently staring at me. "I didn''t think you''d listen to what I have to say. You always do things your own way. You saved me on your own accord, and you''ve done all sorts of things like that. I doubt my words would have any effect on you." Olivia smiled at me. "From now on, no matter what you or I do, there''ll be no secrets between us, right?" "Of course." Satisfied with my response, Olivia grinned brightly. If the Gate incident comes to a close, a clash with the Empire may be inevitable. It could bring about a future that inflicts devastating damage on humanity or, on the other hand, a future where I die even more miserably. Olivia, Liana, and Harriet. Everyone who helped me could also die in a wretched state. I won''t let such a future come to pass. I won''t cower in fear, imagining that my attempt to do something will end in failure, just because I failed once before when I tried to do something. Whether I do nothing or try to do something, the world will hate me. If that''s the case, at the very least, I will try to do something. CH 455 Next, I went to see Airi. "Valier¡­" Airi was sitting by the window in the guest room, staring outside. Everyone seemed to be doing the same. It was as if they couldn''t bear not seeing the impact of the calamity that occurred today on the city. Everyone was watching the outside in their own way. When I arrived, Airi, with a child in her arms, was blankly staring at a lizard monster, which was running towards her. If Harriet had been even a little late, Airi might have died. I''m not sure what happened that made Airi, who once hated humans, take such an action. However, in the end, did Airi also realize that there is something worth protecting, regardless of race? As I did for others, I explained to Airi. What I had intended to do. And what I plan to do in the future. "You tried to stop this from happening¡­" "I failed, but yeah, I did." "It''s amusing. It''s surprising that you didn''t actually care about the reconstruction of the demon realm, but in the end, you were forced into a situation where you had no choice but to do it." Airi stared quietly out the window. "If Darkland begins anew from here, the Darkland that will be reconstructed from now on would include humans, right?" "Probably so." While I can rule over the demons with my power, I cannot control humans in the same way. I can suppress a kingdom, and I can rule over a single village. But an entire nation. If all the land beyond the horizon that my eyes can see is mine, and humans whom I cannot see are under my rule, and if they reject me. What should a king do? In what manner, with what logic, should humans be ruled? I don''t know. "It''s¡­ romantic, in a way." Airi looked out the window, perhaps imagining a Darkland that included humans, and then looked back at me. "You know, Valier." "What?" "Romanticism comes from the fact that it''s not easy." "¡­" A nation that includes all demons and humans. It would be romantic but also nearly impossible. That''s why the term romanticism is used to describe something that is beautiful yet difficult to achieve. "But I''m a succubus, right?" Airi looked at me and smiled. "Valier, if that''s your dream." "¡­" "Since I''ve lost the ability to grant dreams now, I''ll try to make that dream come true in reality." A demon associated with dreams, the succubus. A demon that makes someone dream and absorbs their energy, but now it''s impossible to make someone dream. So, she''ll try to make that dream come true in reality. Her words had a profound resonance. Airi gazed quietly out the window. The sight of soldiers moving with torches in their hands could be seen far below on the cliffside. "Still¡­ I wish I had that power today." "¡­Yeah?" The power to make dreams. Why would she feel that power is missed in this situation? "Many children must have lost their parents and siblings. They won''t be able to sleep properly, and even if they do sleep, they won''t be able to escape from that nightmare¡­" "Ah." "Even if I can''t save someone''s reality, I could have made them have comfortable dreams while they slept. Even if there''s hell after waking up, just for the moments they sleep¡­ I could have given them a brief happiness¡­" Not to absorb their energy, but to let them have a peaceful dream. Escaping the cruel nightmare of reality, even if only for a brief moment within a dream, they could find solace. It seemed as though she desired to use her power not for her own sustenance, but to aid the suffering souls. The ability to gift dreams, the power of a succubus, could it not be considered a demonic power? While it couldn''t redeem someone''s reality, it would be dreadfully sweet. But even with the intent to truly save someone, it remained a power incapable of salvation. The human who receives a dream from a succubus, and the succubus who gifts the dream. It becomes a truly sorrowful power when the succubus uses it not for their own energy, but for the happiness of another. Neither demon nor human can give or receive true salvation. However, believing that even a brief anesthesia is necessary for those who have experienced hell, Airi longed for her power. Could it be? Is it possible? A feature he had never used before. He uses the ''Setting Addition''. The succubus''s horns grow back. [This feature cannot be used.] As expected, it won''t work. [In order to add this setting, ''Common Sense Modification'' must occur.] [Such a level of setting addition cannot be performed.] It seemed he understood the meaning. It is common sense that severed horns of demons do not grow back. However, if a setting is added that severed horns grow back, the common sense of all succubi and Airi, who believed that horns do not grow back, must change. That''s not just adding a setting; it''s rewriting the world itself. That''s why it cannot be performed. However, the important thing is that it doesn''t merely say it cannot be done but adds an explanation. Is it possible if I try? Does that mean it can be done if used in a direction that doesn''t cause a change in common sense? This system function, which I can use, is never available during crucial moments. As if I could not turn the tables with revision. Still, in such situations and feelings, it seems possible to use it with certainty. It must not be too broad in meaning but rather be considerably limited. The more detailed, the more limited, the more likely it can be added. An event that doesn''t cause a change in common sense. In that case, a sufficient reason must be attached. Some rational reason for horns that shouldn''t grow back to grow. No, it doesn''t even have to be rational; it can be something that should never happen under normal circumstances. Any plausible basis. Anyway, a basis for making it happen. Ah. I seem to know what to do. I use the Setting Addition feature. ''With the power of the "Word Magic", I can "regrow" the "horns" of the "succubus race".'' A very limited and specific setting addition. A power that makes anything possible, but even I don''t know the extent of its possibilities. The Word Magic can serve as the basis. [Adding this setting requires 10,000 achievement points.] It''s possible. It''s not a small cost, but my held achievement points are over 100,000. There is no reason not to use them. [10,000 achievement points will be used.] [The setting has been added.] It''s a feature I had used again after a very long time. I gaze at Airi quietly. "You have horns, don''t you?" "Ah... Why my horns?" "They''ll grow back." "¡­?" Airi tilted her head, as if questioning what I was saying. She wouldn''t know what had happened to her. "Just know that." "Uh... okay." There was no point in explaining further; they wouldn''t understand anyway. Only after their horns grew back would they realize the meaning behind my words. I should pass this message on to the other succubi as well. There''s no telling what help the power to make someone dream might be in the future. Reina, the previous Succubus Queen, and mother of Airi, used the power of dreams to instill fear in humans and wither them to death. But Airi uses it to save those who suffer. "Thanks for at least doing that, Valier." Airi, upon hearing my words which, depending on the listener, could sound like a cruel joke, smiled brightly. "Since you said so, it feels like it''ll definitely happen... It''s a strange feeling." I wonder what expression Airi will make when her horns truly grow back. I became a little curious. Harriet said there might be something we can do. Olivia said there''s no need to do anything, and to just not do anything. Airi seemed to have changed her thoughts quite a bit from before. I couldn''t tell about her thoughts on humans, but she seemed to shower affection on the children. Luvien and Gallarush were not in the palace, leaving only Eleris behind. "Ah... Your Majesty." Not "Your Highness," but "Your Majesty." Eleris, who had been in the guest room, addressed me as such, perhaps because I had become king. Becoming a king took only a single day, it seemed. I became king not to rebuild the demon world but to address the gate incident that had occurred in the end. Ultimately, I would not be able to escape the yoke of being the main culprit behind the gate incident. Would the gate incident have happened in some way or another, no matter what? If I had done nothing, would the gate incident still have occurred in some way? I don''t know. However, Eleris is trying to do something as the person directly responsible for causing the gate incident. Eleris was alone at the table, writing something on a piece of paper. "What were you doing?" "Ah... I was... thinking of a new spell." "A spell?" At my question, Eleris continued with a gloomy expression. "There will be many people who have lost their homes... So there will be a need for a place to temporarily house refugees... I was thinking of creating a spell that could create such temporary shelters..." "Ah." I couldn''t help but see the misery in Eleris''s expression. It was a bizarre act, trying to make amends for the disaster she had caused herself. She would probably prefer death. Her attempt to save people had ended up like this, and despite the pressure she was under, Eleris had activated Akasha with her own hands and by her own will, to save me. I heard that the Akasha used had disappeared. Since Akasha itself was practically another world, it had not disappeared but had become the gate incident itself. The gate incident was not something that could be undone. So the guilt Eleris was feeling now must have been unbearable for her. Leaving Eleris to die might have been a better choice for her. I can''t imagine the miserable feelings and guilt Eleris must be experiencing as she struggles with the unbearable guilt and works on this task. Eleris and I would be sinners. Ellen seemed to think all of this was her fault, but I don''t think so. Even in this situation, I am grateful to the three who believed in me and followed me. However, I do not blame Ellen and Charlotte for not trusting me. I think it was unbelievable and that there were many reasons to doubt. Resentment and hatred cannot solve anything. In reality, my enemies are not Ellen or Charlotte, but the monsters of the gate. Thus, the responsibility for this entire situation lies with Eleris and me. Eleris seemed to be devising a kind of magic to provide temporary homes for those who had lost theirs. It would be a small magic, but it is absolutely necessary in the current situation. That would not be the end of it. If I had not met Eleris, if I had not encountered the demon spy, the gate incident would not have occurred. Nevertheless, I told Eleris at the crossroads leading to Akasha that I would not regret everything that had happened. I decided not to regret, even if our meeting would be remembered as regrettable events. Though everything became entangled and led us here, I decided not to regret, and so, I do not regret. "I don''t regret." "..." At those words, Eleris lowered her head with a disheartened expression. "Because there must still be something we can do. I don''t think the price we have to pay will only bring about bad things." I placed my hand on Eleris''s drooping shoulders. "Let''s try to do whatever we can." There is nothing I can do about Eleris''s guilt. No matter how much pressure was applied from those around her, Eleris made the choice. The world or me. At the crossroads between the two, Eleris should have chosen the world. She was definitely such a being. Regretting the numerous massacres and trying to repay even a small sin, Eleris should have refused to activate Akasha, even if it meant abandoning me. However, Eleris chose me over the world. Everyone else may consider Eleris the greatest sinner, and everyone in the world may never forgive her for causing the gate incident. But I cannot do that. No matter how much responsibility she felt, no matter how much pressure those around her applied, Eleris made the choice with her own hands. There is no need to listen to the reasons. She must have done so because she loved me enough to trade the whole world, because she valued me so much. Even though it destroyed the world. To her, who had no choice but to do so because she loved me that much. Why did you do that? Shouldn''t you have left me to die? I cannot say such things. Even if the whole world, and even my own people, come to hate Eleris, who is as good as the source of the tragedies they will face, I cannot. I must love Eleris. I must stand by Eleris. "I''m so... so... sorry. I ruined everything... I ruined your wish..." "No, it''s okay." It''s not okay. But I must say it''s okay. In Eleris''s heart, in this love. I am grateful. "Losing you... no... you... I was so... so... scared... I was so sad that everything had to end like this... I was so sorry... so sad... you..." Crying, Eleris embraced me. "I didn''t want to lose you... no matter what..." Eleris hugged me and cried for a long time. I also hugged Eleris. As if I would never let go again. CH 456 The day after conquering the Edina Archipelago. I had expected that more than half of the nobles and soldiers would flee. What was truly surprising was that fewer than ten people refused me and disappeared. The kingdom had been taken from them by the Demon King. To the people of the Edina royal family, this must have felt like deprivation. But for the nobles, soldiers, and citizens, it would have a different meaning. The weak royal family had vanished, and the absolute ruler known as the Demon King now sat in their place. Besides, this place was an island. There was nowhere to run. Sailing across the sea to the mainland was only possible for the hardiest of captains and sailors. Thus, although they were afraid of the new Demon King, they had no choice but to stay, hoping that he wasn''t as fearsome as the world perceived him to be. Therefore, there were hardly any deserters among the majority of the royal nobles and troops. I was rather curious about where the disappeared ones had gone. In front of me, seated on the throne, a trembling royal administration official in charge of disaster relief began to report various details. He talked about how many houses were destroyed, how many people were killed, how many people lost their homes, and the state of relief supplies within the castle. Honestly, I couldn''t fully comprehend the information. I was weak with numbers. When those countless deaths were translated into numbers, the array of figures seemed more complicated than sad. "So, can we provide enough relief supplies to the refugees for now?" "We might manage if we start distributing relief supplies immediately, but there is an overall lack of facilities to accommodate the refugees. The weather is good, so they won''t freeze to death, but... we cannot be certain that winter won''t come before the large-scale reconstruction is completed." In this gathering were not only the nobles and soldiers of the Edina Kingdom but also my people. Harriet and Airi stood at my sides, and except for the absent Gallarush and Luvien, Eleris stood behind me. Liana was currently sulking, claiming she knew nothing about governing, and although Olivia initially disliked helping others, she went out into the city of Lazak to treat the wounded since I wanted her to. "How many refugees are there?" "Approximately eight thousand." Eight thousand. Eight thousand people who had completely lost their homes. However, according to the person in charge, more than forty-five thousand people actually needed help. It seemed like a large number, but if we had been even a little later, the eight thousand who lost their homes could have become forty-five thousand. "We might need to set up a large-scale refugee camp on the outskirts of the city..." The nobles'' expressions turned gloomy. They knew it was necessary, but it was not an easy task. Feeding and housing eight thousand people was an overwhelming thought. Even if we used all the royal assets, there would eventually be a limit. Whether they believed it or not, we couldn''t engage in trade between continents. Thus, importing materials and food was impossible. And then there was the construction period. If we couldn''t provide warm sleeping quarters for the refugees before winter arrived, they would all freeze to death. Food and shelter. As much as it''s a problem for individuals, it becomes a headache when the scale grows larger. "Eleris, how''s that house-building magic coming along?" "I still need to work on it a bit more... but I think I can have a draft ready within two days." Everyone seemed astonished by the conversation I had with Eleris from the throne. House-building magic. From the beginning, magicians were an extremely rare resource. There are so many aspiring magicians in the temple that they practically trip over each other. Thus, while magic can solve problems arising in the southernmost part of the continent, the scarcity and mediocre quality of magicians make it impossible for magic to solve everything. Since the temple has gathered the best of the best from across the continent, everything seems ordinary. Just as the knight commander or the royal guard commander is easily subdued by my sword skills, it''s incredibly difficult to enjoy the benefits of magic here. "Even if we were to build houses, we need materials first. How do we provide for that?" "There are plenty of trees. We can cut them down and use them, and if not, we can use magic to intervene with nature and provide timber, so you don''t need to worry about that." "What about manpower?" "I think I can handle it all by myself." The faces of the royal officials begin to contort with shock at the magician''s statement that she would single-handedly build temporary housing for the eight thousand refugees in need. The problems that plague the royal officials are solved by a single magician. I have three Vampire Lords at my disposal. All of them have already reached the level of archmage. Moreover, Harriet, who is capable of using magic beyond their wildest imagination, stands at my right. Magic can provide answers to most problems. However, it''s crucial that only a tiny fraction of people enjoy the benefits of magic. And receiving the benefits of such powerful archmages is even rarer. These people will find out within a week that my reign can only be a blessing to the inhabitants of the archipelago. "What are you so surprised about?" I laugh as I look at the wide-eyed royal officials. "I am the Demon King." Though I began by ruling them with fear, I have no intention of deliberately promoting terror. There''s no particular reason for it. "Whatever you imagine, you''ll see more than that." In many ways, indeed. ¡ª--- I decided to do what I could. Of course, I don''t have grand goals like creating a very fair, perfect, and citizen-oriented country. I will build a nation that rolls as I please, a nation where I can do what I want. I may ultimately wish for the people''s peace and well-being, but the fact that I am a dictator will never change. If necessary, I will conscript, confiscate the citizens'' property, and make them move according to my orders. The first thing I did was to occupy the Edina Archipelago. Although the gate incident was resolved in the early stages, emergency measures must be taken for the four damaged ports. And the next phase proceeds simultaneously. I chose the Edina Archipelago as a base because, if I suppress the four gates here, I can have a place unaffected by the gate incidents happening on the continent. Many cities will be destroyed, people will die, and a significant amount of land will become uninhabited wastelands where monsters roam. There are numerous towns and cities without gates. They suffer additional damage as the monsters from the gates spread. Protecting such places is difficult. Monsters will continue to pour out, and although my forces will soon be replenished, they are limited. So the next goal is to rescue people from the continent and relocate them to the Edina Archipelago. We need to save the survivors from the cities and villages that could collapse at any moment and those who have survived the monsters, and relocate them to the Edina Archipelago, which is free from the influence of the gate incidents. The warp gate system is not available. So, people needed to be physically moved. Next, I gathered the fleet masters of the massive fleets that remained in the Edina Archipelago. As expected, the fleet masters who saw the throne of the Edina Archipelago become the Demon King''s possession were filled with astonishment. "As the ruler of the Edina Archipelago and the king of the demon world, I hereby conscript all ships, captains, and sailors from this moment on." Don''t assume that I will be a benevolent ruler. I will take what I need if necessary. "Speak up if you have any objections." I was not an ordinary king, but a horned demon. An Archdemon. I would fully utilize the fear that stemmed from my name. They would imagine that if they disobeyed my command, they might face something worse than death. That imagination would also help my reign. Naturally, everyone was too frightened to raise any objections, trembling in fear. "First, we will organize three fleets. The purpose of each fleet is to accommodate refugees from the three ports that were affected this time and relocate them here to Lazak." Though the fleet masters were pale and terrified, as if they were about to be devoured alive, they all nodded their heads when I told them that I was doing this to accommodate the refugees. "Next, we will organize a large-scale fleet of the greatest size and send it to the continent." Upon hearing my words, their expressions became strange at the thought of heading to the continent that had already become hell. "Soon, my army will cross the ocean and come here. The fleets will be responsible for periodically transporting people from the continent and my soldiers back and forth." Gallarush was currently at the base in the Gelkorgis Desert, gathering followers of the Demon God Cult. It was not possible to teleport all of them using Mass Teleport. That''s why we were organizing a large-scale fleet to relocate them to the Edina Archipelago and place them under my management. The archipelago wouldn''t be teeming with people. Fortunately, there were many uninhabited islands in the Edina Archipelago. There was plenty of land. So, all we had to do was clear and develop the land so people could live there. A place where people could live without worrying about monsters after escaping the calamity of the continent. The Edina Archipelago would become a refuge for people. "In the long term, we will expand and develop the uninhabited islands of the Edina Archipelago into habitable lands for people." I wasn''t sure if we could turn a temporary refugee shelter into a major country in the south, using the small islands. However, I hoped that these distant islands would serve as a veil for people to hide from danger. I desired it and would make it so. That was not all. The demons in the remote areas. They might not be directly affected by the Gate Incident, but they could be affected in the long term. I would also need to subdue them and incorporate them into my forces. And the ports connecting the Edina Archipelago to the continent. Since the Gate Incident likely occurred there as well, I needed to start taking action for those places. I would organize an army to eliminate the monsters overflowing on the continent, carry out operations to clear the ports on the continent, and establish bases there. There was so much to do. Too much. Far too much. ¡ª--- In the middle of a ruined city, -Whoosh- Atop a mountain of corpses, Ellen Artorius drew her sword. On the massive pile of flesh intertwined with human and monster corpses, Ellen slowly rose after cutting off the last monster''s breath. Atop a mountain of corpses, Ellen surveyed the scene around her. Between the charred remains of buildings, the Imperial Army was just finishing up the battle. In the eyes of the soldiers watching Ellen descend, there was a mix of awe, respect, admiration, and fear. She had ventured alone into the ruins of the once-great city, slaughtering dangerous monsters and cooperating with the main force in battle. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that she had practically carried out the monster extermination mission in the city by herself. "Are, are you alright, hero...?" "Yes." With a cold and indifferent demeanor, as if she couldn''t be bothered by anything, Ellen nodded her head. From a distance, someone approached Ellen. "Aren''t you okay? Don''t you need to rest? You haven''t slept in days." It was Ellen''s classmate, Heinrich von Schwarz. Ellen shook her head at the concerned words of her classmate. "...I''m fine." As a pyrokinetic, Heinrich was responsible for disposing of the corpses now that the battle was over, so he advised her to get some rest while she had the chance and then headed off somewhere. Given the regrettable state of the empire, capable combat students from the temple were being deployed all over the continent to deal with the ongoing monster extermination missions. Countless soldiers, knights, and students had died. For not believing in the Demon King, humanity was paying a heavy price. Two years after the Gate Incident. Humanity had yet to reclaim all their lands. Having seen so much death, Ellen''s eyes were hollow, numb to the deaths of both monsters and allies alike. In one corner of the burning city, Ellen saw a group of refugees carrying bundles, moving under the guidance of the soldiers. "Were there... survivors?" The soldiers shook their heads at Ellen''s question. It was unlikely that any survivors could have lasted this long in the ruined city. "They''re not survivors but refugees. They were found on the outskirts of the city." "Ah..." "They say strange things." "...Strange things?" At Ellen''s question, the soldier wore an ambiguous expression. "Yes, they say there''s a paradise to the south... They were heading south in search of it." Paradise. Ellen looked around her. The burning streets, the piles of corpses like mountains. Soldiers and knights who had become so accustomed to the death strewn about that they no longer even retched at the sight. Hell was the present world, and people had become inhabitants of a hell they had grown used to. Where in this hell could there be talk of paradise? A world that might have been a paradise before was now destroyed, as if by her own hands. Where in this world could one find paradise and respite? With the world full of despair, people began to believe in strange things. Somewhere, there might be hope. Ellen was someone responsible for this hell. That''s why she couldn''t rest. She didn''t believe in a nonexistent paradise; her only role was to erase the hell from the world, bit by bit. With that in mind, Ellen set off in search of her next mission. CH 457 There were hardly any intact nations left. "Your Majesty, we have received news that the special task force led by Ellen Artorius has successfully reclaimed the territory of Lambator." "¡­Good. That''s good news." From the throne in Central Palace, Bertus nodded his head slowly, a faint smile playing on his lips. Last month, Emperor Nelliod de Gardias had passed away. Though the previous emperor had survived the great war known as the Great Demon War, his strength had begun to wane after the Gate Incident, and he ultimately succumbed to death. A sense of responsibility, guilt, and overwhelming pressure had led to the emperor''s demise. Bertus de Gardias inherited the throne without even a proper coronation ceremony. He had taken the emperor''s position he had long desired in a manner he had never wanted. The twilight of humanity. In this indescribable moment, Bertus was waging a war that would determine the fate of humankind. Purposeless monsters roamed the continent, moving only to kill humans. Negotiations and diplomacy were impossible. It was a war with the sole purpose of mutual annihilation. Everyone bore some responsibility for this situation. The Demon King himself. The Demon King''s minions who activated Akasha to save him. The empire that could not trust the Demon King''s words. However, most people only knew the superficial fact that the incident was caused by the Demon King, without knowing the detailed circumstances. Only a few, including the High Priests of the Five Holy Religions, the Holy Knights'' Commander, some of the imperial family, and Ellen, knew the truth. After the Gate Incident, the situation had been desperate, but there had been progress. "Your Majesty, the Shanafel 1st Special Forces, led by Saviolin Turner, has successfully destroyed the Warp Gate in the capital Hashfel of the Haig Kingdom." "¡­Good." If Ellen Artorius''s task force was responsible for exterminating all monsters in the ruined cities, Saviolin Turner had an even more dangerous mission: to arrive in the already-ruined cities first, destroy the Warp Gates that released the monsters, and then escape. Ellen worked for regional recovery, while Saviolin Turner carried out the preparatory work for it. Both undertook extremely dangerous missions. Their roles were crucial at this moment. As the undisputed strongest human, Saviolin Turner, and Ellen Artorius, the savior of humanity with two relics. In a world where Olivia Lanze and the Demon King had disappeared with the relics, they played the role of hope for humanity. Not only for their abilities, but they were also two powerful pillars supporting the desperate humans. The belief that Ellen Artorius would save humanity. Of the Five Holy Religions, Tu''an and Als had chosen the Demon King and those who disappeared with him. As a result, the Warrior Church that believed Ellen Artorius as a prophet had begun to erode the popular faith, resulting in a bitter irony. The power of the empire had declined, and numerous vassal states had collapsed. Those nations that maintained their lifelines were barely protecting their capitals and a few key cities. All the Warp Gates on the continent had to be destroyed, and the monsters from the other world scattered everywhere had to be annihilated. The rebuilding of humanity would begin after that. But would that day ever come? ''Reinhardt¡­.'' Bertus gritted his teeth. ''Yes, I was wrong. I was wrong about everything, from one to ten.'' He hadn''t believed it because it was simply unbelievable. As a result, he had to stand on the brink of humanity''s downfall and rebuilding at every moment. The Imperial Capital was filled with makeshift shantytowns, teeming with refugees from vast regions. Those who had barely escaped the clutches of monsters and the rescued people couldn''t be left behind, so they were brought to the capital for the time being. They had to survive somehow within the various parts of the capital. Aid was severely insufficient, and with no bread to give them, criminals inevitably emerged in great numbers. Thus, the shantytowns beyond the capital''s borders were rife with crime. The possibility that these people might suddenly turn into bandits and raid the Imperial Palace at any time could not be ignored. However, if all the bandits were killed, where could the legitimacy of the empire be found? In the two years since the Gate Incident, the size of Imperial Capital had more than tripled due to the influx of refugees. Monsters that had left the Gate and wandered the land had reached the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, frequently attacking the peripheral areas. And that wasn''t the only problem. The refugees in the shantytowns were mostly people who had received help from the empire. Many of them had directly experienced the heroism of Ellen Artorius. Ellen had saved numerous lives by defeating hundreds of monsters. Hence, the majority of the refugees believed in the Hero Religion. "Persecution of the believers of Tu¡¯an and Als... is going too far." "...Indeed." Tiamata and Alsbringer had chosen the Demon King. Although followers of the Hero Religion didn''t like the other five major religions, they treated the Tu''an and Als churches as if they were the Demon King''s religions. It was common for believers of the two churches to be stoned to death, and cases of verbal abuse towards priests of the Tu''an church, dispatched to treat the injured, were frequent. An intangible faith was being gradually replaced by the powerful presence of Ellen Artorius. Another problem stemmed from the faith in the Hero Religion. "Your Majesty... Forgive my insolence..." The expression on the minister''s face indicated that he knew what Bertus was thinking. "Has another protest erupted, demanding Charlotte be handed over?" "...Yes." The furious followers of the Hero Religion wanted a scapegoat. Charlotte de Gardias, who was undoubtedly cursed by the Demon King. The followers had already spread rumors that Charlotte was not only cursed but also a collaborator of the Demon King and should be killed. The protest demanding the death of the princess had already gained the support of many. Killing the princess would change nothing, as the most important enemy was the Demon King. However, people couldn''t find the Demon King, so they wanted a scapegoat. They were shouting that Charlotte de Gardias, the collaborator of the Demon King, must die. The only reason the followers of the Hero Religion hadn''t taken more extreme actions beyond the protests was simple. Charlotte''s guardian knight was Ellen Artorius, the savior of humanity whom they worshiped. As Ellen''s heroism increased, so did the faith in the Hero Religion, putting Charlotte''s life in more danger. However, because of this, Ellen''s fame also served as a shield protecting Charlotte in a bizarre twist of fate. After completing his morning duties, Bertus visited the Spring Palace. Entering the Spring Palace, which was heavily guarded despite its small numbers, Bertus headed straight to Charlotte''s bedroom. Inside the bedroom, his sibling, Charlotte de Gardias, sat motionless in the darkness. For some time now, Charlotte had been in that state, unable to return to her original self. "Sibling." "..." Charlotte turned her head listlessly, looking at Bertus. With her black hair and red demonic eyes, Charlotte was in a situation where she could not go outside. To anyone who saw her, even to Bertus who wanted to protect her, it was clear that Charlotte''s appearance was the result of the Demon King''s curse. In reality, Bertus knew that it was even more horrifying because the Demon King''s soul had fused with Charlotte''s. It wasn''t that she had been cursed by the Demon King, but rather that his soul had taken residence within her. If the truth were revealed, the crowd would surely go mad. Who would believe that Charlotte, in her demonic form, was innocent if she were placed before a multitude of people? Who would trust Princess Charlotte, who embodied the very essence of ominousness? "Have you eaten anything?" Bertus asked. Charlotte quietly shook her head in response. Bertus pulled up a chair and sat beside Charlotte''s bed. After the Gate incident, monsters appeared from the hidden Gate in the basement of the Spring Palace. Charlotte destroyed the Gate and eliminated the monsters with her own power. However, after the situation had somewhat settled, Bertus explained everything to Charlotte. It seemed that the Demon King had truly intended to prevent this situation. Though his minions were certainly responsible for the incident, Reinhardt, the Demon King, appeared to not want this outcome. The despairing sibling who had been manipulated by the Demon King from beginning to end wondered if she could ever return to her original form. She hadn''t been manipulated, Bertus insisted. It was hard to believe, but Reinhardt had truly acted for the sake of humanity and Charlotte. Bertus hoped that this would help her in some way. However, in the end, it turned out to be the greatest mistake. As if regretting the words she had spoken. Unable to catch her breath, Charlotte wept and eventually lost consciousness. From then on, the awakened Charlotte began to act as if she had almost lost the ability to speak. Whether it was because of the sins committed through words or not, she hardly spoke beyond the bare minimum. However, Charlotte could not leave her room in the Spring Palace and did not even try to leave on her own. Bertus could somewhat guess that this was due to her regret over the countless curses she had hurled at the Demon King, feeling betrayed by him. She had been used by the Demon King. And so, she had poured curses upon the person who had saved her life multiple times, wishing him the most miserable death. There were more than a few, like Ellen, who believed that all of this was their responsibility, and Charlotte was one of them. In shock and guilt, Charlotte suffered. With her cursed, terrifying appearance, she could not help anyone, nor could she even take a single step outside the Spring Palace. And so, Charlotte slowly sank into darkness in the place where spring should have been. The crowd wanted Charlotte dead. As their hatred for the Demon King grew, so did their hatred for Charlotte. If the people reached a breaking point, demanding her death as a substitute for the Demon King''s, she might truly become a sacrificial lamb. Bertus quietly held Charlotte''s emaciated hand. It was so frail. "Sister..." "..." She had once been a rival he loathed enough to want to kill, but at some point, she had become so pitiful that he could no longer hate her. Two years after the Gate incident. Now, Bertus wanted to protect Charlotte in any way he could. However, there may come a day when he would have to hand Charlotte over to the crowd with his own hands. Despite not wanting her dead anymore, he might be forced to make the decision to kill Charlotte himself. Charlotte and the Empire Given the choice, Bertus would have to choose the Empire when weighed against the two. Because that''s what the Emperor must do. "Even I... lately... am struggling..." Bertus left his seat after uttering those words. After Bertus left, Charlotte silently gazed out the window of the spring palace. Even if the world were to be destroyed. Even if the fate of humanity hung in the balance. Dark storm clouds filled her heart, and the darkness threatened to swallow her whole. Yet the sunlight remained dazzling. ¡ª--- While Ellen bore the responsibility of being humanity''s hope and faced the monsters, the other students of the Temple were also engaged in battle, each entrusted with their own missions. -Kyaaaak! "Heup!" Facing a three-headed snake that was slithering towards him on the ground, Ludwig dodged the attack with agile movements and swung his sword towards the snake''s heads. -Skeek! Ludwig, enveloped in a burning blue Magic Body Strengthening, cut off one of the snake''s heads and, as another head attempted to bite his arm, he deliberately let it bite him. -Kak! Instead, Ludwig thrust his burning hand into the snake''s mouth, simultaneously ripping out its tongue and cutting off the remaining head. -Thunk! The three-headed snake''s body writhed on the ground, and Ludwig stepped back, sweating cold sweat. "Huuh... huuh..." "Ludwig! Above!" "Huh?" As soon as he had dealt with the giant snake, a huge flying monster began to dive from the sky towards Ludwig, its sharp talons extended. But just before the monster''s talons could reach Ludwig, a burst of flame struck its head. -Kukkak! The monster''s body staggered from the explosion and crashed onto the ground beside Ludwig, thrashing about. "Heup!" Without hesitation, Ludwig plunged his sword into the flying monster''s head, and it soon stopped flailing. "Huuh... Thanks, Delfin." "Be careful, you keep forgetting there''s more than one or two monsters." "I know..." Ludwig wiped the blood and oil from his sword and looked around. The students of the Temple were engaged in battle, although their missions were not as dangerous as Ellen''s. "But these spirits, they''re really fascinating." Ludwig spoke as he gazed at the mysterious lifeforms floating beside Delfin Izzard, neither ghosts nor monsters. "As long as they''re helpful in this situation." The spirit that had just struck the flying monster was a bird-shaped being wreathed in flames, floating at Delfin''s right side. As the Gate incident unfolded and battles commenced, Delfin Izzard, originally talented in archery, participated in the battlefield using his bow. But when Ludwig almost lost his life to a monster, Delfin summoned a spirit to protect him from the attack. Neither Delfin nor the Empire knew what spirits were. They could only guess that it was a kind of supernatural power, an unexplainable force. Delfin did not know why the spirits were helping him. The Empire was interested in spirit magic, but there was no time to study it. As the world''s only spirit mage, Delfin Izzard summoned spirits of wind, fire, and lightning to fight. ''Reinhardt...'' With his sword in hand, Ludwig headed for the next battleground. Clenching his teeth, he stepped over the broken buildings and corpses of dead soldiers. ''Someday, I will make you pay for all of this.'' There were still many who were unaware of the controlled truth. Therefore, the world overflowed with those who hated the Demon King. ¡ª--- Beyond the horizon, masts began to rise one by one. "How many were there the last time we saw them?" "Probably... around eight hundred?" Hearing my question, Harriet tilted her head for a moment before answering. Monster extermination and civilian rescue operations on the continent. After escorting the refugees to Port Mokna, which connects the continent and Edina Archipelago, we put them on ships and send them to the archipelago. My forces on the continent continued to evacuate homeless wanderers and refugees, sending them to the Edina Archipelago by ship. The empire didn''t know I had established a base in the Edina Archipelago. Port Mokna wasn''t that important of a port, and the empire had many other places to worry about. "We should have explained better. I''m tired of seeing people panic and jump into the water as soon as they disembark." "They''ll manage on their own." "I really hope so." The Edina Archipelago was no ordinary place. First of all, its leader, me, was the Demon King. And among those walking the streets, some were demons. From various demon races such as orcs and goblins, to succubi, and although not as numerous, even ogres were living in the Edina Archipelago. I was tired of seeing people, rescued by strangers and brought across the vast ocean, scream in terror, thinking they were going to be devoured by demons. Thankfully, the inhabitants of the archipelago had become accustomed to the sight of demons walking around calmly. Of course, occasionally, children would wet themselves at the sight of an orc or ogre. Fortunately, without any major visible conflicts, demons and humans had not completely assimilated but were living together without major issues. There was no absence of dissatisfaction and fear. However, as rumors of the hellish continent spread with the arrival of refugees, such dissatisfaction quickly faded. Everyone knew that refusing my rule and fleeing back to the continent meant certain death. Harriet and I stood on the dock of Lazak. I was at the very front, and many people were waiting to guide the incoming refugees from the soon-to-arrive ship. The port had already been a large trading city, but now, with huge fleets carrying refugees instead of trade goods, its size had grown considerably. While waiting for the ship to arrive, Harriet and I watched a figure approach through the transparent seawater. "Ah, over there..." "Yes." Soon, something came up close to us, revealing only its upper body from the water. "Your Majesty, we have prepared the food you requested on the western shore. It will be carried here by the current soon." The creature had a human upper body and a fish-like lower body. A mermaid. "Good, have the people wait there. You always do a great job." "It''s not a problem. It''s an honor for us to serve you." As sea-dwelling demons, mermaids couldn''t become servants of the Demon King. However, now the coast was my base. The mermaids, who hadn''t been hostile towards humans, quickly became solid allies upon making contact with me. They always took on the role of collecting marine food resources in these times of food scarcity. Their efficiency was incomparable to that of fishermen, and they were essentially responsible for the food situation in the Edina Archipelago, especially in Lazak. The red-haired mermaid, in the form of a woman, soon dove back into the water and disappeared, swimming smoothly through the water like an arrow. Harriet stared blankly at the sight of the mermaid gliding beneath the surface. "Mermaids are... really beautiful, aren''t they?" As Harriet had said, the mermaids were even more beautiful creatures than I had imagined. I hadn''t even known they existed in the first place. Of course, it took quite a while of nagging for them to cover their naked upper bodies when they approached me, at least with some seaweed. Just now, one had appeared with something resembling kelp wrapped around her chest. As for the demons, putting their dominance ability aside, they would have died for my word. It seemed as though they were moved just by seeing my face. So, the demons were unconditionally on my side. Anyway, it was true that the mermaids were beautiful. "Indeed, they are." "..." At my words, Harriet stared at me intently. What''s wrong? Is she angry? "No, well¡­ You said it first¡­!" "Whatever. You''re a fool." Ships appeared on the horizon, approaching the Edina Archipelago. The Edina Archipelago was a place where its distance from the continent was a critical disadvantage, but in this situation, it could serve as a refuge for all beings affected by the gate incident. One by one, the ships entered the harbor, and the refugees disembarked under the guidance of the soldiers. Fortunately, the captains and crew had explained the situation well, so although the refugees seemed fearful among the demons, they didn''t scream or try to flee. They were people who had seen hell on the continent. They had nowhere else to go, and they had been drifting aimlessly, avoiding monsters. The only option they had in their uncertain lives was to live among the demons. The refugees would stay in temporary shelters for a while. As they followed their guides, they arrived at the entrance of the massive temporary shelter, where succubi were waiting. All of the succubi had regrown their horns, which had been cut off previously, and their numbers had increased significantly. Due to my Word Magic, the horns of the succubi, which should not have regrown, were all restored. Among the succubi were those who had stayed with Airi, but many had also returned to the Darklands. I brought back the succubi who had gone to the Darklands. The refugees, captivated by the appearance of the succubi with regrown horns, stared blankly at them despite their fear of the demons. Harriet was no exception. "Who would have ever imagined that succubi could do something like this..." As Harriet said, it was an unbelievable situation. The succubi were now performing something similar to psychological therapy. CH 458 Most of these people had lost their families, and had escaped from the clutches of grotesque monsters whose mere appearance could inflict lifelong trauma. Naturally, their mental states were far from stable. They had fled for their lives, and while on the run, there was no time to dwell on such matters. But once they reached the Edina Archipelago and could live without the immediate threat to their lives, the people were hit hard by the aftermath. In fact, countless people, after arriving at the Edina Archipelago, took their own lives, thinking about what they had lost. As Airi had said, it was something that allowed them to escape from the hellish reality, if only for a moment. The effect was greater than anyone could have imagined. It gave them peaceful dreams to comfort their souls. Although there was the side effect of refugees becoming addicted to the succubi as if they were drugs, in the end, it was clear that it provided them a brief moment of mental peace after experiencing hell. Thus, it began with the succubi counseling each refugee individually, listening to their stories, and adjusting their dreams as needed to prevent nightmares. Originally, the reputation of the succubi, including Airi, was at rock bottom in Lazak, the capital of the Edina Archipelago. When it was revealed that they were not even human but succubi, public opinion turned hostile. But not to the refugees. To the refugees, the succubi who greeted them with gentle smiles, listened to their stories, and comforted them upon arriving in the terrifying land inhabited by demons could only be seen as angels in the form of demons. As a result, the refugees liked the succubi more than the Demon King, and they loved Airi, the Succubus Queen, who led them even more. What are dreams? Despite knowing that the small respite found in dreams cannot change reality, people yearn for happy dreams and love the succubi who grant them. Humans can be controlled by dreams other than nightmares. During this time, both the succubi and I had learned something new. "Your Majesty, all personnel have disembarked." The one who came to me was a pale-faced individual in a black robe. "Well done." All ships operated by sails had a fixed sailing speed. Since ships had started to sink with refugees in the turbulent seas, I had assigned one vampire mage from the Vampire Lord clan to each ship as a person in charge. With the help of the mage, the ships could safely sail through rough seas and travel faster in calm waters. "And they say that the Thunder King will soon return." "¡­Ah. I see, alright." With that, the convoy leader retreated. Harriet watched the retreating figure of the vampire, her lips quivering. "I wonder if Liana likes... that nickname...?" "If she didn''t like it, she''d definitely show her displeasure. She must like it." "Maybe...?" Despite the talk of the Four Heavenly Kings, people began calling Liana de Granz the Thunder King. And seeing that she didn''t object to it, it seemed like she secretly liked it. Liana was responsible for rescuing refugees and defending the base at Port Mokna, the continent connection point to the Edina Archipelago. Thus, the majority of the refugee rescues were actually Liana''s responsibility. On the continent, it was Liana. Upon arrival at the archipelago, it was Airi. Both of them took responsibility for the refugees in their own way. "The disembarkation seems to be finished." "¡­Already?" Harriet had thought it would take quite some time, but the refugees had already completed the disembarkation process. Harriet tilted her head slightly. "It seems like there are fewer of them¡­ Hmm... or not?" "Nothing unusual happened. Let''s go back." "Okay." This group of refugees had arrived safely without any particular issues or commotions. Although there had been no extreme problems recently thanks to solid pre-arrival education, there had been many serious issues at the beginning. Some were scared and tried to run away, while others rampaged, threatening to kill everyone upon arrival. These people argued that they couldn''t possibly live under the rule of the Demon King, who was the cause of all this. Technically, it wasn''t a wrong argument, and there were people who vented their anger with such reasoning. And they knew that such discontent and hatred still lurked among the people. Some people would rather die than live under the protection of the Demon King, knowing that he was the cause of all these problems. However, their anger and hatred couldn''t be expressed in front of me. They knew that there was no alternative to me. No one would try to do something on their own, unless they were prepared to die. Of course, that''s not to say there weren''t any. I never made any excuses or defenses for myself. All I did was rescue them from the continent, provide them with shelter and food, and help them become part of the archipelago. After taking care of them in temporary shelters for some time, they were sent to pioneering settlements on Edina Island or other islands. Whether they liked it or not, they had to start a new life in the places we assigned. Providing free food and accommodation was only temporary; we couldn''t take responsibility for them for their entire lives. Just as these people had to get used to the sight of demons living among them, they had to accept my rule, which was the root of all these problems. I was aware that this intense anger and hatred could turn into a knife at my throat, but they knew that if they took that course, there would be no future for them. They knew that their sustenance was maintained by the labor of demons, which was almost like voluntary service. Of course, not everyone was like that. "Oh, His Majesty the Demon King¡­" "He must be out on inspection¡­" A few of those who encountered me on the street bowed their heads deeply and did not raise them until I had passed by. There were many who believed that the rumor of the Gate Incident being caused by me was a baseless lie spread by the empire. After all, if I had caused it, there would be no reason for me to rescue and feed these humans. Many people believed that the rumors about the Demon King were all false, and that the true Demon King was a benevolent being. In reality, I was the one who quelled all of the Gate Incidents that occurred in this land and the archipelago on the first day, thus saving the entire archipelago. I didn''t speak of the truth or the lies. From the beginning, I didn''t become their king by gaining their support. I ruled them with my power and maintained my throne with that power. If the opposing forces grew too strong, I had the power to suppress them. So whether the citizens hated or revered me, it didn''t matter to me. Some people hated me, while others revered me. In truth, this has always happened in every nation throughout history. After returning to the royal palace, in the main hall. "Your Majesty, a murder has occurred in the southern district of the refugee camp." "¡­Really?" The fact that public order was unstable inevitably led to news of such crimes reaching me. A murder case. But upon hearing those words, I didn''t feel shocked. Instead, I furrowed my brows, wondering what troublesome news it would be this time, and somehow, it no longer felt strange. "Last night, two adult men got into an argument, resulting in one stabbing the other to death with a dagger. The perpetrator is currently in custody with the camp''s security forces." "¡­Investigate and if the crime is heinous, kill him. If not, send him to the labor camp." "Yes, Your Majesty." It wasn''t surprising that the refugees'' violent tendencies would suddenly surface. They had come this far in dire straits, and their circumstances wouldn''t allow for much generosity. Petty theft was uncountable, and extreme cases like this appeared frequently. The important thing was that we couldn''t establish a large-scale prison to accommodate them. "Your Majesty, an officer in charge of the farmland beyond the eastern district of the refugee camp was caught stealing crops¡­" "Send him to the labor camp." "Yes, Your Majesty." With the shortage of prisons to detain criminals, they inevitably received worse treatment than refugees. Most of the prisoners were not held in prisons, but in large-scale isolation facilities, forced to perform labor. It was better to use them as laborers than to kill them and silence them. At some point, everything started to seem like mere numbers. "Your Majesty, last night¡­" "Your Majesty." "Your Majesty¡­" "Your Majesty." Literally. I thought I would go insane. After the administrative report was over, and as we walked down the hallway, Harriet cautiously asked. "Why not take a few days off? I can handle the administration for a few days." "I can''t because you''ll do better than me." At my words, Harriet narrowed her eyes. "Why? Isn''t it good to do well?" "Well, if you''re faster at processing tasks and making wise decisions than me, what do you think those below us would think?" "Ah¡­" If the secretary below the king does a better job at ruling than the king himself, then naturally, distrust towards me would arise. Of course, Harriet would make better decisions and process matters more swiftly than me in dealing with these headache-inducing issues. "If you were to do this for the rest of your life, I would have nothing to say. But if it''s just for a few days, it''s better not to do it at all. For both your sake and mine." It wasn''t just out of a desire for power, but if I were to hand over the throne to Harriet completely, she would have to do this for the rest of her life. If people were to witness Harriet''s exceptional abilities while she filled in for me for a few days, they couldn''t help but think of the moments when she had been in charge. I mustn''t let someone so outstanding take my place unless I intend to give it to them entirely. "You''re right. I hadn''t considered that. I just thought you looked really tired..." Harriet gently placed her hand on my forehead. Her slightly cold hand touched my skin. Did I have a fever? I wasn''t sure. "Hey, you cunning kid. How many times have I told you not to use your position to bother our majesty?" Harriet''s expression soured at the words that came from the end of the hallway. It was Olivia Lanze, wearing a gray priest''s robe. "Ah, that sister is here again..." "What, am I not allowed to come here?" "Why does someone who should be at the substitution temple keep hanging around the royal palace?" "You think I''m just going to let you lock me away in the substitution temple and have a good time with our majesty? You think I wouldn''t know that you''re dying to do that?" "What are you even saying? You''re despicable." I watched blankly as the approaching Olivia and Harriet locked eyes in a heated stare. Liana was a key combatant on the front lines. Airi tended to the trauma of the refugees. Harriet was my advisor and secretary, always at my side offering opinions. "I have to give a sermon to the refugees who arrived today. I just came by to see our majesty''s face before that." Olivia Lanze was in charge of the Unified Holy Church. So, in other words: A religion similar to Protestantism was the mainstream faith on the Edina Archipelago, and Olivia Lanze was the leader of that church. ¡ª--- The Demon God Cult forces that had been hiding in the Gelkorgis Desert. According to Olivia''s information, the Lord of Friday, Gallarush, had led them from the desert to the southern part of the continent. The Demon King had created a country in the distant southern seas and had welcomed the Demon God Cult followers as citizens. He had been able to organize a large fleet and bring tens of thousands of Demon God Cult followers to the archipelago. However, of course, there were bound to be complications. Their way of worship seemed bizarre even to me. Primitive or cruel, perhaps? From cannibalism to human sacrifices, they did all sorts of strange things in the name of pleasing the Demon God. Naturally, this bred resentment, especially since they were not ordinary worshippers of the Five Great Gods but Demon God Cult followers engaging in such activities on a daily basis. They could never integrate with the general public. So, under my orders, Olivia Lanze conducted a large-scale reformation of the Demon God Cult. They saw me, the Demon King, as the representative of the Demon God. They believed that I had been chosen by the two holy relics because the Gods and Demon Gods were, in fact, the same beings. A long-standing misunderstanding. Demons did not believe in demon-gods. Believers of the Five Great Gods simply believed, but within the misunderstanding of humans, the peculiar faith of the Demon God was born. Nevertheless, the origin of their beliefs was fundamentally the same. Hence, this was not a religious reformation, but rather an endeavor to unravel the age-old misunderstanding between humans and demons. Naturally, neither the existing followers of the Five Great Gods nor the followers of the Demon God eagerly welcomed the idea of religious reformation. Yet, I was chosen as the representative of the Demon God by the Great Gods themselves. Furthermore, the fact that Olivia Lanze could use the divine powers of both Tu¡¯an and Kier simultaneously served as evidence. The followers of the Five Great Gods had to accept the Demon God. The Demon God''s followers had to understand that the Five Great Gods were, in fact, their true gods. Therefore, they had to realize there was no need for cannibalism, human sacrifice, torture, or asceticism. In this manner, we proceeded to unify the religions of the Five Great Gods and the Demon God. The process was far from smooth. There was fierce resistance from extremists, both among the priests of the Five Great Gods in the Edina Archipelago and among the followers of the Demon God. These people, who had been taught to hate one another, had to accept that their roots were the same. Consequently, many extremists from both the Demon God''s followers and the Five Great Gods'' followers claimed that Olivia Lanze and I were false prophets. However, power was on our side. I suppressed the extremists. Those who insisted on adhering to absurd traditions were turned into the human sacrifices they so desperately desired. Priests who shouted for heretical inquisitions were captured and tortured until they admitted the truth. They were made to preach in the public square, acknowledging the correctness of my words and that the Great Gods and the Demon Gods were the same entity. Although there was no extreme massacre, many people had to die. The religious reformation of Olivia and me was concluded as evidence emerged. Among them were those who accepted that the roots of the Demon Gods and the Five Great Gods were the same, including priests from both religions. As a result of sincerely believing and understanding this, priests who could wield the power of the Demon God emerged, just like Olivia Lanze. Priests of the Five Great Gods could now use the power of the Demon Gods, and those of the Demon God could use the power of the Great Gods. This was evidence in itself. The priests had to understand that these phenomena were undeniable evidence and proof of the truth. The Great Gods and the Demon Gods were the same entity. Different beliefs about the same entity generated different powers. Within this new understanding, the priests established a new religious concept called the Unified Holy Church, and Olivia Lanze became its leader. In the Edina Archipelago, it was now common knowledge that the Great Gods and the Demon Gods were the same. And spreading this truth and providing people with a new sanctuary of faith was the mission entrusted to Olivia. Airi took care of short-term and extreme traumas. The new faith, the Unified Holy Church, provided long-term solace for the heart. Ideological changes occur easily in extreme situations, and within two years, the mainstream faith in the Edina Archipelago had become the Unified Holy Church. The followers of the Demon God occasionally posed problems, but they no longer engaged in acts like cannibalism or human sacrifice. As the representative of the Great Gods, my command was obeyed by the followers of the Demon God. In the end, the Demon God''s followers were also human, and their integration was not overly difficult. However, they were an army. The priests of the Edina Archipelago and the power of the Five Great Gods'' religious order were not that great to begin with. The majority of the Demon God''s priests now made up my own army, capable of using the divine power of the Great Gods. It was true that a considerable number of the Demon God''s priests had been dispatched to Fort Mokna. Even from my perspective, the Demon God''s priests, who could simultaneously use the powers of healing and curses, appeared as if they were the embodiment of some indescribable horror. Watching them, I couldn''t help but wonder if this was really okay. In the end, everyone was busy living their own lives. As Liana had said, looking at everyone taking on significant roles, it seemed there was hardly any difference between us and the Four Heavenly Kings. Three of the Four Heavenly Kings in the demon realm were humans, after all. Was this really alright? Considering that, among the previous Heavenly Kings, Larken Simonstite was also human, it didn''t seem like such a strange occurrence. "Anyway, I''ll be going. Your Majesty, don''t overdo it yourself." Olivia and I exchanged a few words, and she quickly left the palace due to a sermon schedule. Although she was the leader of the Unified Holy Church, Olivia was, in effect, the person responsible for a very important aspect of the military power I possessed. On top of that, she was in charge of civilian political projects. She was a religious leader, the Minister of Defense, and the person responsible for public projects all at once. Without Olivia, my regime wouldn''t collapse, but I would likely die from overwork. With a sigh, Harriet watched Olivia''s departing figure and narrowed her eyes. "There will be an Elder Council meeting soon." At Harriet''s words, I nodded. The Elder Council. It had now become another name for the Vampire Council. CH 459 The Royal Palace of Edina, Council Chamber. There, four of the five clan lords, excluding Lucinil, were seated. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°It has been a while. Great Being.¡± Eleris claimed to be my subordinate, but the other three were not in a hierarchical relationship with me. They did their best to help me, but it was only cooperation, not submission. Of course, Luvien, Gallarush, and Antirianus had moved all their clans to the Edina archipelago. There was a will to help me, but they also couldn''t leave their clans in the chaos of the continent due to the Gate Incident. The clan of the Vampire Lords now played a crucial role in my military power. Vampires were mostly mages, and the sunlight-tolerant Vampire Lords were vital pillars supporting my rule throughout the archipelago. Magic. Without this crucial power, I wouldn''t have been able to provide shelter for the many refugees, build new buildings, or grow food as quickly. Humans generally fear vampires. But when they see vampires using magic to farm, grow crops, and work hard to feed them, humans become perplexed. Humans provide blood as long as they don''t turn into vampires, and vampires provide food for humans. It''s a somewhat gruesome symbiotic relationship, but what can you do? It''s like having a throat full of grape juice. So, the clans of the Friday, Thursday, and Saturday seemed to have no complaints about this situation. The vampires, my most important supporters and collaborators, were watching me. ¡°Your Majesty, it seems that rumors about this place are slowly spreading across the continent.¡± Eleris spoke. Eleris mostly worked alone. She wandered the continent, destroying Warp Gates wherever possible, doing what she could to completely end the Gate Incident. ¡°Rumors?¡± ¡°Yes, I can''t be sure of the source, but whispers about a paradise in the south are spreading.¡± The continent was in chaos. The Empire, preoccupied with doing their best, had not yet discovered that I had established myself in the far south. Even if they knew, they wouldn''t have the resources to do anything right now. ¡°For now, there are only rumors about somewhere in the south, and no one knows the specifics¡­ But in the long term, powerful forces like the Empire may reach Port Mokna while searching the southern regions.¡± ¡°¡­That''s true.¡± Our continental base, Port Mokna. It''s just a tiny dot on a continental map, but if the Empire learns that it''s safe and housing a large military force, the problem could escalate. If someone from Port Mokna were captured, the Empire would become aware that the Demon King had settled in the far southern archipelago. The Edina archipelago won''t remain hidden from the Empire''s gaze forever. The Gate Incident destroyed much of humanity''s foundation, but it will eventually end. Eleris''s report concluded. ¡°The installation of sewage systems in the refugee settlements is nearly complete. The development of large-scale farmland in the south is almost done, and we only need to plant seeds now. Also, we''ve begun constructing ships to transport supplies to other areas.¡± I nodded at Luvien''s words. The Lord of Thursday. Although I''m not certain how closely related it is, the vampires of Thursday were well-versed in magic involving living beings, including alchemy. I never thought they would use it for agriculture. One of my significant advantages is being able to employ a considerable number of top-tier mages for material production and farming. The Empire cannot adopt this approach. Their territory to defend is simply too vast, and they never know when monsters from the gates might roam the continent and attack their cities. Since my land is safe from the gate crisis, I can pour all my resources into supporting the people. "Excavation is underway at an abandoned magic stone mine near Port Mokna. Although mining is possible, transportation is expected to be difficult. It would be great if Demon King could lead a squad to assist with transport." "Yes, let''s do that." Magic stones. A resource that is absolutely scarce at this point in time. From streetlights to everyday magical tools, there wasn''t a single item without magic stones. Edina Archipelago couldn''t produce magic stones on its own. Simply having lanterns to light up the night would greatly reduce the crime rate in the refugee residential areas. That''s why Gallarush had secured numerous dormant mines and quarries to supply magic stones to the Edina Archipelago. If enough magic stones are secured, the quality of life can be dramatically improved. In the current situation of the rapidly growing population of the Edina Archipelago, it''s no exaggeration to say that magic stones are needed indefinitely. Eleris, Luvien, and Gallarush finished speaking. Lastly, Antirianus looked at me. "Your Greatness, it appears that the Empire has successfully destroyed about 80% of the existing warp gates." "Is that so?" Antirianus is in charge of intelligence gathering. While I try to rescue as many civilians as possible here and have often gone directly to deal with the southern continent''s monsters and gates, the key force to end this crisis is ultimately the Empire. I was already aware that the troops led by Saviolin Turner were focused solely on destroying the warp gates in numerous cities. Eighty percent. Once all the warp gates are destroyed, the gate crisis will end. However, there''s still the long and arduous task of dealing with all the monsters that have already entered our world. And it''s only going to get more difficult. As the number of warp gates decreases, more powerful monsters will pour out from the remaining gates. The approaching end of the gate crisis means that each remaining gate is becoming increasingly dangerous. "Additionally, the Empire has successfully reclaimed all directly governed territories, including thirty major cities, and has secured its defensive posture. From now on, it seems likely to assist other surviving nations and reclaim territories. It would be fair to say that the Empire has fully restored its national functions." Although the Edina Archipelago is relatively safe, the Empire has reclaimed its territories taken by monsters on the riotous continent and fully restored its national functions. The power of humans struck me anew. I wasn''t sure if it was good news for me, but Antirianus smiled faintly. "However, the population concentrated in the Imperial Capital has exceeded forty million. Large-scale refugee camps have formed on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, and the Empire is currently unable to cope with the scale. The streets of the refugee camps are filled with waste and corpses of starved refugees, resulting in a state of lawlessness." It was natural for people to flock to the Imperial Capital, as it had been in the original work. As a result, vast lawless zones were formed. The population within the Imperial Domain alone is incomparably greater than the total population of the Edina Archipelago. The empire cannot support, control, or guarantee the safety and livelihood of all these people. Monsters frequently roam the continent, posing a constant threat of attack. Although the Gate crisis is gradually being resolved, the empire still faces other pressing issues. Antirianus continues to speak. "Moreover, as distrust toward the Five Great Religious Orders has reached its peak, the majority of refugees have come to believe in the Hero Religion, which positions the hero Ellen Artorius as their prophet." The coerced hero. As it is revealed that I am the Demon King and the root of this crisis, Ellen is forcibly made the prophet of the Hero Religion. Antirianus laughs. It''s as if he finds the situation amusing, where I, the one orchestrating all this for the sake of humanity, have become the object of hatred for the vast majority of humans. "The majority of refugees, and a significant number of existing Imperial Domain residents, are believed to follow the Hero Religions, and their dissatisfaction is mounting." "Dissatisfaction?" What kind of dissatisfaction would they have if they believe that Ellen will kill me, as per the Hero Religion''s doctrine? Is it dissatisfaction that Ellen hasn''t killed me yet? Ellen doesn''t even know where I am. "The followers of the Hero Religion wish to make the princess, who they believe to be the Demon King''s collaborator, a sacrificial lamb." "..." Ah, so that''s the issue. ¡ª--- I had already heard about Charlotte. Rumors had spread about the strange power she possessed. In reality, I wasn''t colluding with Charlotte, but people''s hatred towards me has reached a breaking point, and I am still not on the continent. People desire a sacrificial lamb that they can present before themselves. As a result, Charlotte, who had been abducted to the Demon King''s castle and had been close to me, was considered the prime collaborator with the Demon King. It''s quite ironic. Ellen is portrayed as a pitiful hero who has been deceived by the Demon King all this time. Charlotte is considered a collaborator who worked with the Demon King. Antirianus continues to laugh. Although he has always cooperated with me, at this moment, I truly want to punch that smirking face. A crazy loyalist who finds happiness in his lord''s misfortune. Antirianus says, "The imperial family has consistently been unresponsive to the demands of the masses, but this attitude may eventually breed distrust towards the imperial family. They might think that the imperial family is also colluding with the Demon King, hence why they''re not handing over Charlotte de Gardias. That''s the kind of talk going around." "...That would be the case." People believe what they want to believe. Why isn''t the princess being executed? Aren''t you all in this together? The discussion about why the princess must die has already concluded. They just want to believe that she is the Demon King''s collaborator, so they believe it without question. Therefore, they will inevitably come to hate everyone trying to protect such a princess. Demands from the Hero Religion and the general public to execute the princess continue throughout the Imperial Domain and the continent. If the empire remains unresponsive, riots will eventually break out. Executing the princess won''t solve anything. However, people are simply angry. They are furious, aggrieved, and saddened. They just want someone to bear their anger and die. It''s not the Demon King, whose whereabouts are unknown, but the princess within their reach. "Emperor Bertus must eventually present the princess before the masses." Bertus, who has become the emperor. The Emperor must protect the empire. The fate of the empire and Charlotte''s life cannot be exchanged, nor should they be. Regardless of my will, the Gate Incident has already occurred. No matter what Bertus wants, Charlotte will eventually have to face the stake. The princess''s life must be traded for the citizens'' anger. "O great being, what will you do?" Antirianus laughed heartily. Charlotte cursed me. She said I should die the most miserable death in the world. There''s no particular grudge. The misunderstandings I''ve built up with Charlotte are enough to warrant such words. Does Charlotte still hate me? I cannot know. Once when escaping from the Demon King''s Castle. And once in the Spring Palace. I have saved Charlotte''s life twice. So, whether Charlotte still hates me or not, I''ll do it a third time regardless of her will. I swore I would do so. I will overcome any night, any hatred, and all malice. I will save Charlotte. "I need to check the situation." Whenever that may be, I will do so. ¡ª--- Teleport is high-level magic, and Mass Teleport is an even higher-level magic. Only the Vampire Lords, including Eleris, can support such a level of magical power. Harriet could cast the highest-level magic with the help of power cartridges, but due to the circumstances, she couldn''t secure enough cartridges and didn''t use them. Therefore, only a very few people can immediately return to Edina Archipelago from the continent or be deployed to the continent through Mass Teleport. For example, only someone like Liana de Grantz, who teleported to the Royal Central Training Ground with Eleris, could travel by teleport at this level, as it is extremely limited. The elder Vampire Lords of the Council are not always present here, as they all have their duties. Liana, dressed in a simple outfit, looked at me and nodded her head. "Did you get some sleep?" "I didn''t." Liana, now better known by her nickname, Thunder King, was both the shield protecting Port Mokna and the strongest spear saving people chased by monsters. "Ugh, I''m hungry. Let''s talk while eating something." "Alright." Although we have a trivial conversation, Liana has killed the most monsters among us and saved the most people. Harriet, Liana, and I sat in the royal dining hall, sharing our stories. The king''s meal is not particularly extravagant, but it is not too meager either. Comparatively, the meals provided at the temple were incomparable in both quality and quantity. "There are no monsters or people left around Mokna. We need to go incredibly far to even see a monster''s tail. There''s nothing more we can do there." Searching for people hiding or fleeing from monsters near the fixed base has now become an unrewarding situation. That''s why, although a large number of refugees were initially brought on ships, today, there were only 800 refugees. "There''s another port city about 170 kilometers west of Mokna. It might be better to secure that place and use it as a base for search and rescue operations." "Let''s look into it." We should establish another base and turn it into a forward base to carry out rescue operations and monster relief efforts. Liana asks while chewing on a sausage. "Then, the crucial decision is whether to abandon or maintain Mokna. What do you think?" "Hmm... If we operate two forward bases, the chances of being detected by the empire double. It seems a bit unnecessary to maintain Mokna, which has lost its usefulness." "But it would be a waste to abandon all the supplies and infrastructure there." "That''s true." I was convinced of the need to establish a new forward base, so the discussion of whether to abandon Mokna was postponed. "Anyway... Will you be alright? Are you really going to the empire?" This time, it was Harriet who asked me. "The empire? What are you talking about all of a sudden?" Liana tilted her head, not knowing what I was planning to do. "Recently... There seems to be a strong public opinion to execute the princess in the empire. So, he''s going to go there personally to investigate their movements." "¡­?" At my words, Liana tilted her head. "Wow... I usually think of you as a pushover, but... Isn''t this going too far? Not only caring for humans but also taking care of the imperial princess, who is our enemy?" Liana was the one who most wanted the empire to collapse and the Gardias Royal Family to be destroyed among us. Liana wasn''t even particularly close to Charlotte in reality. So, it was natural for her to get angry at my words about going to the empire to investigate because I was worried about the princess of the enemy nation. Well... Is this the act of a pushover? I don''t know. "Hey, I''ve been doing a job that doesn''t suit me for two years now. You know?" "Being a king?" "Yeah, I hate sitting around all day listening to people''s requests. It drives me crazy." "You''ve done pretty well so far, considering that. And what will you do if being a king doesn''t suit you as a demon lord?" "I''ve been doing it reluctantly, it never suited me. Of course, neither does this, but it''s a bit better to go out to the continent and kill monsters. Sometimes, when someone comes all the way to the royal palace asking for punishment because their neighbor broke their dishes, I want to lash out at them regardless of right or wrong." "Ah, you''re talking about that time..." Harriet knew what I was talking about since she had been with me at that time. There were more than one or two people who came to me with trivial matters, asking me to solve them. It even makes me feel terrified that the past when I died from high blood pressure would be repeated. At my words, Liana looked at me with a slightly puzzled expression. "Ah... You''re under a lot of stress, huh?" "It''s not something I should say to you who''s on the front lines, but I''m fed up with this. I can''t do it anymore." I''ve been doing this for two years. It''s an area that doesn''t suit my aptitude and has no talent. I did it because I had to, not because I enjoyed it. And as I do it, my mental state keeps deteriorating. Harriet can help with political affairs for a while. And she''ll surely do better than me. However, I can''t hand it over to her since she''ll have to do it for the rest of her life. And Harriet had many responsibilities as a magic expert, not just as a secretary. So, we need someone who can sit there for the rest of their life. I''ll appoint someone with more talent and efficiency than me to be the king for the rest of their life. "I don''t know how, but if I get a chance, I''ll have to bring Charlotte. I''ll make her the king instead of me." At this point, it''s not that I''m saving Charlotte. Charlotte is the one saving me. She has saved my life three times already. Isn''t it time for me to receive some compensation? CH 460 That night. In the royal bedroom of Edina Castle. I sat on the bed, watching Harriet dry her hair. Harriet was no longer wearing the clothes she had on just moments ago, but had changed into her nightgown. "You should sleep soon. We have a lot to do tomorrow. You said we''re going to the empire, right?" "...I suppose so." It wasn''t for any other reason, but Harriet and I had been sharing a bedroom for about six months now. There were two beds in the Demon King''s bedroom. One was for me, and the other, slightly apart from mine, was used by Harriet. The reason we suddenly started sharing a bedroom was a single one. The threat of assassination. The actions of those who hated me had become more apparent. It didn''t happen too frequently, but when I least expected it, they would persistently attempt it in different ways. Sometimes it was poisoning, other times a midnight attack. There were many instances when people within the castle were collaborators. It wasn''t that they were bribed. Sometimes, people who hated me normally just cooperated with the assassination plot. Harriet and Olivia had once saved my life by forcing me to vomit after I had nearly died from ingesting a potent poison. Originally researching new magic and magic artifacts, Harriet took on the role of a scribe and never left my side. Since then, Harriet started to check all the food and drink I consumed for poison, and I even acquired a talent for poison resistance using achievement points. I could handle physical attacks thanks to the warnings from my intuition, but only those who have experienced it know the creepiness of seeing a familiar face pointing a dagger at my throat while I was asleep. Countless people hated me. Even the people of Edina Archipelago, whom I saved, hated me because they knew that the root cause of all these problems was the Demon King. Even after I replaced all the castle servants who were lost in the Gate incident with those who had no connections, such incidents continued to happen. All humans to some extent hated me, but I couldn''t fill the castle''s entire workforce with demons who would obey me absolutely. Discrimination and the subjugation of humanity would only provoke even greater backlash. Not only me, but Harriet also suffered from these attacks. Since I didn''t die, they tried to kill the people around me. Was that all there was? There was also a time when I woke up to find Antirianus had tied me up and was snickering at me outside the palace. He asked what I thought would have happened if it had been a magician from the empire or the Black Order instead of him. Although it was one of Antirianus'' wicked pranks, the memory of that day still sent shivers down my spine. It was only because the empire and the Black Order didn''t know my whereabouts that I was safe. I realized that a magician of Antirianus'' caliber could take my life at any moment. The defenses were not entirely lacking, but they could be breached at any time. So, ever since then, Harriet and I have been sharing a bedroom, and before falling asleep, we made it a habit to seal the room with numerous magical devices and barriers. At first, both Harriet and I felt strange and restless, but eventually, time healed us and we became accustomed to these things. There was no helping the rumor that the Demon King slept in the same bedroom with the scribe every day. Surprisingly, Olivia didn''t get angry about it. Knowing how much I suffered from assassination attempts, she was more concerned about me. Anyway. In truth, my relationship with Harriet had become practically like a marriage, but there was nothing to be done about it. Well... Now, I wonder if there is really any difference between that and how I feel now. In some aspects, Harriet was better at handling situations than the elder mages of the Council. In most crises, I would handle the physical aspects, and Harriet would handle the magical ones. Consequently, Harriet and I spent most of our time together to protect each other due to our complementary skills. After drying her hair, Harriet sat down on her bed and placed a scroll book on the bedside table. "I''ve added teleport scrolls. There are more than twenty, so you can use them anytime you need to." "Alright." "Should I come with you?" Harriet, with her hair untied, stared at me intently. "No, I don''t think it will be a pleasant sight. I''ll go alone. There shouldn''t be any danger." Since I would be disguised using the ring of Sarkegaar, there was no risk of my identity being discovered. It''s not like I was unaware of the situation, and the scene I would see in the empire wouldn''t be pleasant for anyone. I planned to go alone, quietly, and return just as quietly. I lay down on the bed, and Harriet leaned against it, opening a book between her knees and beginning to read the middle pages. A dim, yellow magic light illuminated the book Harriet was reading. "Do you ever sleep, or do you just watch me sleep?" "I sleep enough." As if to say, "don''t worry about me, just sleep," Harriet gestured to me without even looking up. I was busy, but Harriet was undoubtedly tired as well, having to coordinate my tasks and ensure the safety of our bedroom. Frankly, I could feel it. At some point, Harriet''s magical achievements had stagnated. Though Harriet conducted research whenever time allowed, the overly limited time meant she couldn''t make much progress. In truth, Harriet was better suited to be a researcher. However, there were no people I could trust, and her abilities were so exceptional that she took on the roles of my secretary and bodyguard. She had so much to do that she couldn''t find time for what she truly wanted. So, during the short time before sleep, when all she had to do was watch over me, Harriet would steal moments to read. I thought Harriet would have liked Akasha. But Akasha had disappeared. Thus, the magical achievements that had long accumulated in Akasha had all transformed into the emptiness of another dimension. How much magic had there been in Akasha? Now it was impossible to know. I could hear the sound of pages carefully being turned, so as not to disturb my sleep. I looked at Harriet''s face as she read the book. "Blockhead." "Hmm." Now she didn''t even look at me when I called her that. In reality, because of her position as a scribe, I wouldn''t call her that outside. Only when we were alone like this could I use that nickname from the old days. Maybe that''s why Harriet didn''t get angry. She knew that it was only in these moments that I could call her that. "Thank you." At my sudden words, Harriet looked at me with a gentle smile. "Me too." What exactly was she grateful for? I always took, and it seemed like I had never given anything in return. I couldn''t understand it. Harriet returned her gaze to the book, and I closed my eyes. ¡ª--- Whoosh! In an instant, dozens of people appeared in the middle of the square through a warp point. As warp gates were currently unusable, long-distance travel now relied on the manual transportation of troops by mages capable of using mass teleportation. Given the situation in the Edina Archipelago, it was only natural that those who could move through mass teleportation were an elite few. And now, Ellen and her direct subordinates, led by Ellen, had appeared through the warp point. Ellen had just completed her mission report in the Imperial Capital and was scheduled to be deployed to the next location. "Oh¡­" "It''s the hero¡­" Ellen Artorius had become a celebrity in her own right, with a level of fame that could hardly be described as mere celebrity. In terms of the crowd''s trust, Ellen received more support than even the emperor in the current state of the empire. Thus, it was only natural that people flocked to her like a cloud. "Hero! Our savior!" "Hero, where are you going this time?" "Hero¡­ thank you for saving us!" Ellen had saved countless people. "Hero! You''re amazing!" "Hero!" "Hero, please watch over us¡­" "Why doesn''t my sister come to the Imperial Capital more often?" Ellen was no longer a stranger to these scenes, having become too accustomed to them. However, she was afraid of people projecting hope onto her when they were filled with despair and pain. For she was the root cause of all these problems. People trusted her. They blamed everything on the Demon King and loved her. There was no need for her to run around saving people like this. If she had believed in Reinhardt back then, none of this would have happened. She hadn''t saved people. Everyone living in this abyss of despair, unable to wear proper clothes, looking no better than beggars, was all because of her. "I love you, Hero!" Ellen was afraid of the sight of so many people finding hope in her. It''s all my fault. It''s my mistake. Don''t like me, don''t love me, hate me. The one who should be hated is not the Demon King, but me. Ellen was occasionally seized by the urge to say such things. But she couldn''t deliberately plunge those who found hope in her into despair. For those who endure this miserable life by hating the Demon King and believing in the hero. She couldn''t force the victims to swallow the despair of the truth. People sought salvation from Ellen. That''s why the boiling crowd in the Imperial Capital didn''t turn into a mob. If Ellen were to say that all this was her fault, people wouldn''t believe her at first, but even if they did, it would be a problem. The moment the crowd learns that this situation arose due to the hero''s and the empire''s mistakes, the empire would collapse. Without the empire, there would be no humanity. "Will you kill the Demon King for us?" "Ah¡­" A young girl clung to Ellen''s arm and asked. The Demon King. The eyes of those who believed that killing the Demon King would bring peace to the world. From the longing eyes of a child to the hateful gazes of the elderly. The hope of humanity. As their representative, Ellen feared the day she would be forced to stand before Reinhardt. Central Palace Tetra. "The Kernstadt capital, Kiel, is not a problem. What''s important is deciding which satellite city to restore first." "Yes." After reporting to Bertus, Ellen discussed the next course of action. She quietly observed the tired expression on Bertus''s face. Even the powerful forces of the strongest Vassal Kingdoms had only succeeded in defending a few cities, including the capital. After reclaiming all the Directly Administered Territories, the Empire now had to decide which of the Vassal Kingdoms to fully support. It was now time to begin the restoration work of Kernstadt, which could be called the First Vassal Kingdom. All the Warp Gates within Kernstadt territory had been destroyed. Thus, all that was left to do was to eliminate the monsters hiding throughout the city. However, easier said than done, as countless soldiers, knights, and magicians would die in the process. Human resources were being exhausted while the Empire was being restored. "What do you think?" "Rather than reclaiming each city one by one, I think it would be best to start by clearing the surrounding areas of the cities we''ve successfully defended. There are likely very few survivors in the fallen cities anyway. We can take care of that work gradually." "¡­True, that makes sense." Bertus was deep in thought, with his arms crossed. "How is Charlotte?" At Ellen''s question, Bertus clicked his tongue. "¡­No change." Ellen was a hero of the Empire. As such, she had grown tired of hearing the tiresome tales of killing the Demon King, just as she had grown tired of the misunderstandings about the princess. They said the princess was cursed. Be careful around the princess because the hero might be harmed. Ellen, who was often away from the royal palace, would visit Charlotte whenever she returned. After all, Ellen was the princess''s guardian knight. However, Ellen couldn''t open Charlotte''s closed lips, just as Bertus couldn''t. Even though she didn''t speak, Charlotte would shed tears when she saw Ellen. Both Ellen and Charlotte blamed themselves. Every time they saw each other, they couldn''t help but feel the weight of all that had transpired because they hadn''t trusted Reinhardt. Just as Ellen saw everything as her fault, so did Charlotte. Even without being able to talk, Ellen couldn''t help but understand Charlotte''s heart every time she saw her weeping. In the end, the majority of the populace now wished for the princess''s death. "Anything else needed at the scene?" "As always, we need power cartridges." "I''m not sure when we''ll have a mass production system in place¡­" Power Cartridges and Moonshine. Just as Reinhardt had intended when he created them in preparation for the Gate Incident, power cartridges had now become vital supplies on the battlefield. Magicians who used magic power from the power cartridges displayed tremendous power on the battlefield. Those who ingested Moonshine specialized in close combat and rapidly improved their skills. In fact, the number of people awakening to Magic Body Strengthening had grown exponentially. It was due to this strange phenomenon of the dying military force being compensated by the strengthening of the existing military force. It was said that they had been created to strengthen the Demon King''s army. The items Bertus had thought to be for that purpose had now become indispensable. Only after everything had happened did Bertus realize that the choice he should have never made was the only correct answer. He should have released the Demon King. Even though he knew regret was useless, Bertus was tormented by it. Everyone blamed themselves in this situation. Charlotte for herself. Ellen for herself. And Bertus as well. They all thought they were responsible. "Was there anything special to talk about?" "¡­" Ellen was silent for a moment, then something came to her mind. "I heard there''s a paradise to the south." "Paradise?" "Yeah, it seems like some strange... belief is spreading." "¡­Right. People must want to believe in such stories." In times of overwhelming despair, all manner of nonsense is created. That''s why Bertus had no choice but to dismiss that rumor as mere idle gossip. CH 461 Ellen could not stay long at the imperial palace. She had to be redeployed immediately after completing her mission. This was due both to the situation of the empire and to Ellen''s own will. After briefly conversing with Bertus, Ellen headed to the Spring Palace as she always did. Ordinary people could not even approach the Spring Palace. Of course, Ellen was not bound by such constraints. Upon arriving at the Spring Palace, specifically Charlotte''s bedroom, Ellen saw the exact same scene Bertus had witnessed before. The princess, sitting on her bed, hugging her knees and staring blankly out the window. Charlotte de Gardias, in the form of a demon. Fused with the soul of the Demon King, it was because of this soul that she had become this way. Despite almost severing her connection to evil, Charlotte had become weaker but did not die. "Charlotte." "..." At Ellen''s gentle call, Charlotte slowly turned her head and stared at Ellen. Her red eyes with vertically slit pupils. Those eyes would give anyone an eerie feeling, but Ellen could only read sadness and regret in them. Charlotte buried her face between her knees. Tears that could hardly fall due to her emaciated state dampened the camisole she was wearing. Ellen watched silently. Even though they knew regret would not change anything, they could not help but feel it. If only they had trusted Reinhardt. That single phrase was the cause of countless tragedies that unfolded upon humanity, a series of brutal events. Reinhardt had disappeared, and humanity faced ruin. That''s why whenever they met like this, they could not help but reaffirm each other''s guilt. Ellen could still do something, like saving people. But for Charlotte, who could not even show her face to the masses, there was nothing she could do other than remain confined in the Spring Palace. Ellen slowly approached Charlotte and sat by her bed. Then, she carefully embraced the frail Charlotte. "Soon, we''ll be able to destroy all the warp gates on the continent." "..." "And once we slowly eliminate all the monsters on the continent, this situation will end." "..." Ellen spoke softly, hoping that somehow Charlotte could lessen her guilt, even though she could not comfort herself. "Then the people who lost their homes will be able to find them again." The dead cannot return. "Everyone will find their own territories... and live like they used to." Lost homelands cannot be restored. "It''ll take time, but little by little... everything will return to the way it was, just like before." Broken relationships cannot be mended forever. "So let''s hang in there a little longer. Just a little more... a little more..." As she spoke, Ellen could not help but bite her lip, remembering the many things her words were ignoring. Bitter blood seeped through her torn lips. "..." "..." "Can we..." Ellen''s voice trembled in the end. "Ever be forgiven...?" By Reinhardt. By the whole world. Knowing that they wanted to be forgiven but couldn''t be. Charlotte cried. And Ellen, she couldn''t even cry. ¡ª--- Every time Ellen faced Charlotte, she could only feel a sense of misery. Although they were not originally on good terms, after the situation had come to this, Ellen and Charlotte had gone beyond the relationship of a knight and her lord, and had become bound by a strange bond of shared guilt. A relationship tied together by sorrow and guilt. They projected the same emotions onto each other. And so, Ellen could not turn her back on Charlotte. Even though she knew that she could not improve Charlotte''s condition, even though she knew she would receive no response, Ellen visited the Spring Palace after returning to the imperial city following the grueling days of battle. "The situation is improving." She always said that. Technically, it wasn''t a lie. One could only say the situation had improved from the worst to slightly less terrible. "Today, we saved a few people," she said. That wasn''t a lie either. She simply didn''t mention how many had died. She also said that they had driven the monsters out of the ruined city. That wasn''t a lie either. She just didn''t mention that not a single living person was left in the ruins. She didn''t lie, but she didn''t tell the miserable truth. Even though she knew Charlotte could read between the lines. With Charlotte, who had not changed at all, behind her, Ellen left the Spring Palace and the imperial palace. From the hill at the entrance to the imperial palace, Ellen could see the temple beyond the Imperial Capital. The temple, which had been in shambles due to the meteor, had already been restored. The cradle of talent that once gathered the world''s best talents had now transformed into a military base, training warriors. With the connections between continents severed, the temple was now conscripting and training those who showed even a hint of talent in combat from among the refugees. The temple, which once carefully selected and charged a hefty tuition fee, now provided weapons to those who wanted to fight, taught them how to battle, and then deployed them to the field. No matter how many talented individuals they had, most of them were sent to the battlefield as soldiers without even awakening their Magic Body Strengthening and died in countless numbers. Although the original students of the temple, selected through careful screening, were making a difference in battle, the majority of the new conscripts were merely amateurs driven by vengeance. Even such amateurs were necessary given the current state of the empire. Ellen knew that there were countless people who volunteered as combatants, idolizing the hero who had saved them, only to die like mayflies. The temple, once a cradle for talent, now raised moths drawn to the flame. Among the Royal Class, fortunately, none of Ellen''s classmates had died yet. It was horrifying to express it as fortunate. And the fact that she had to use the term "yet" felt eerie to Ellen. It was nighttime. There was still some time left before she had to set out for the next operation. Afraid of being recognized, Ellen pulled up her hood. Ellen was now not only tired of her fame but also scared of it. As she walked quietly down the streets of the Imperial City, Ellen felt someone''s presence behind her. There were many people around, but it felt like someone was watching her. That kind of presence. When she turned her head, no one was there. "¡­?" She was sure something had been watching her. Feeling a strange sensation, Ellen continued to walk down the street. ¡ª--- I hadn''t expected to see Ellen while waiting. I was sure she would be as busy as I was, with hardly any time to spare. However, as soon as I arrived in the imperial city, I heard people on the street talking about the hero returning. Ellen was in the imperial city. Just in case, I stood idly near the entrance of the Imperial Palace. I waited for quite a while. That''s why I was able to see her. Though she was wearing her hood, I could see her face. I saw Ellen, her expression colder and more detached than before. And there was an unmistakable weariness etched on her face. Perhaps I should have tried talking to her. If I had, maybe we could have had a surprisingly ordinary conversation. But a considerable amount of time had passed. I didn''t know what Ellen was thinking. Ellen had played a decisive role in my escape, but now I couldn''t tell what was on her mind. She might resent me, or perhaps she felt sorry for me. It wasn''t a time when we could exchange pleasantries, but I wondered if we could share some sort of conversation. I wanted to reach out and talk to her. But this Ellen was not the Ellen from my days as a student at the Royal Class of Temple. Ellen Artorius. The hope of humanity and the one to confront the Demon King. Just as Ellen could no longer be a Royal Class student, I was no longer Reinhardt, a Royal Class student myself. Divided by the duality of hero and demon king. We were not meant to meet. Sharing conversations, things we shouldn''t do. I didn''t know when our impending fate would unfold before me, but talking would only bring us more pain. So I was content to watch from afar. No. I was not content. After not seeing her for two years. I couldn''t be satisfied with just that. I wanted to watch her more. But since I couldn''t, seeing that she wasn''t doing well but was still somehow getting by was enough. I walked along the Imperial City. Death, decay, and suffering were all that could be read on the faces of the people. Even the residents of the Imperial Capital hadn''t escaped unscathed from the gate incident. Most of them had lost their parents, siblings, children, or other family members. Despairing, yet determined to survive, people were heading somewhere. Amid those faces of despair, there were certainly those who wore hopeful expressions. ¡°The hero has returned!¡± ¡°It seems she''s slain a great number of monsters this time.¡± ¡°She''ll defeat the Demon King eventually, right?¡± I could read hope in the faces of those discussing Ellen. Hatred and anger towards the Demon King. A being that transforms such negative emotions into hope. The hero. In this Imperial Capital, overflowing with depression, anger, and hatred, Ellen was a presence that brought a glimmer of hope to the people. Swathed in fear and hatred, they continuously produced stories and rumors. ¡°The Demon King is gathering monsters from the gates in the Darklands¡­¡± ¡°The roaming monsters on the continent are nothing compared to the Demon King''s main force¡­¡± ¡°Even though she''s a hero¡­¡± Among the crowds on the Imperial Capital, it seemed widely believed that I not only controlled the monsters from the gates but also had completed my reconstruction. Darklands? I never visited them after absorbing the forces of the Demon Clan during my tour. ¡°The hero has two sacred relics, but the Demon King also has two¡­¡± ¡°If the hero had fallen for the Demon King''s ruse at the Temple... It''s too terrifying to even imagine.¡± ¡°The hero revealed the Demon King''s identity long ago. She knows everything. She''s not someone who would fall for the Demon King''s tricks.¡± It was known that my infiltration of the Temple was an attempt to capture the hero, Ellen Artorius. What a crowd. They share their own imagined tales like snacks, and before they know it, they come to believe them. The origin of the false truth had long vanished; no one knew who started to spread it. I had become the ruler of the rebuilt Darklands, the strongest in history. People freely imagined, feared, and hated as they pleased. They said no such country existed. Beyond your sight, far to the south across the sea, there was a nation in the Edina Archipelago, inhabited not by monsters of the Gate, but by humans and demons. In retrospect, reality was harder to believe. The Demon King living alongside humans. If I were not the Demon King, but one of them, I would have yelled at the one spreading such nonsense to stop spouting rubbish. First of all, the fact that I could control and command the monsters of the Gate was a common theme among various absurd claims. They seemed to imagine that since I caused this situation, the Demon King must naturally be able to control the monsters of the Gate. Why couldn''t they imagine that if that were possible and I truly hated humanity, I would have invaded the empire long ago and wiped them all out? If someone raised such an opinion, another baseless rumor would be created to refute it, rendering the truth always meaningless. And the targets of these baseless rumors were not just me. ¡°Was the Emperor really being controlled by the Princess?¡± ¡°Yeah, otherwise there would be no reason to leave the Princess alone.¡± ¡°No matter how important the Princess is, it''s suspicious that they don''t expose her despite her being cursed by the Demon King.¡± ¡°If the Princess is fine, they should at least show her, but that never happens, right?¡± It went as far as to say that the reason the Empire didn''t execute Charlotte was because the Emperor was being controlled by the Princess. ¡°Well, if that were really the case, the Hero wouldn''t have stayed silent¡­¡± ¡°That''s true, but¡­¡± In the end, Ellen served as a brake on this issue. People believed in the omnipotence and omniscience of the Demon King, but at the same time, they also believed in Ellen''s omnipotence and omniscience as his counterpart. If the Princess was truly corrupted, why would her guardian knight Ellen remain silent? Thus, the atmosphere and talk of executing the Princess never reached an extreme, maintaining a precarious balance. ¡°Well, let''s say the Princess is fine, but what about the three enemies?¡± ¡°Those damn traitors¡­¡± Liana de Grantz. Olivia Lanze. Harriet de Saint Owan. The three students who had sided with me and fled the temple together. They were known as the three enemies in the human world, betrayers of mankind. Perhaps, as humans, they were even more potent symbols of hatred than I was. There were refugee camps in both the Edina Archipelago and the Empire. However, the Edina Archipelago could indiscriminately expand its territory throughout, as there were no monsters to worry about. The Empire could not do that. They could not freely increase their residential areas, and even if they did, they could not protect them. They never knew when monsters roaming the continent would attack. So, while the Empire didn''t interfere with the expansion of refugee camps, people continued to pour in. As I entered the vast refugee camp filled with hastily built shacks, I couldn''t help but feel a strange sense of welcome. When I first arrived in the Empire, I entered Eleris''s shop, and a few days later, I saw a group of beggars under the Bronze Gate bell tower. The beggars, sprawled about amidst the haphazardly built shacks, reeking of alcohol. The Rotary Club. The landscape of the past, where those now dead and gone had once lived, stretched out to the horizon. As soon as he crossed the border of the capital''s outskirts, he was met with an expansive land of poverty. This was the reality of the glorious and magnificent capital of the Gladius Empire, Gradium. The hastily built shacks not only lacked soundproofing and insulation, but they were also not built to any standard, allowing for the sight of people lying inside. The smell of waste and the stench of decay were overwhelming, while flies and other insects swarmed so much they''d hit one''s face. Although the refugee camp in Edina couldn''t be considered much better, it wasn''t as dreadful as this. Approaching smoke that seemed to indicate a group kitchen, he soon discovered it was something else entirely. It was the smoke from burning corpses. Could it be an outbreak of some infectious disease? The clergy should have measures against diseases, so the situation shouldn''t be this dire. Or perhaps they had simply starved to death. Near the smoke from the burning corpses, scrawny children played, their faces gaunt. The sight of the children laughing innocently, juxtaposed with the misery of those burning the bodies, felt strikingly contrasting. It was something beyond hell. It felt like watching a life that had been forcibly adapted to hell. He resolved not to think about such things. If only he wasn''t there. If only he wasn''t involved. He couldn''t help but be overwhelmed by such thoughts. "..." The Imperial Capital was truly hellish. CH 462 The situation in the city center was somewhat better, but the people living in the shantytown where the refugees resided were in such a state that one couldn''t help but wonder if they could endure the winter. The Empire could not abandon them either. As rations were being distributed, one could see the guards giving out something to the long line of people. Thump! ¡°I said I won''t take it!¡± ¡°Grandfather... you might die like this¡­¡± A noisy commotion came from somewhere in the shantytown. ¡°As if I would accept treatment from those filthy priests who serve the Demon King! Just let me die! Damn it! I''d rather die!¡± In one of the shacks, a disheveled priest wearing a soiled white robe slowly stood up, his face etched with sorrow. The Church of Tu¡¯an and the Als Order. People began to reject the gods who had chosen the Demon King. Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, a priest of Tu¡¯an walked away with a heavy heart, his head bowed in sadness. There was no need to witness this scene. The reality of the Empire was evident enough. But I couldn''t leave so easily. It felt like my responsibility to take in all of these scenes. I had to, at least in this way. Although I couldn''t resolve the horrible things that had happened because of me by merely observing them, it felt like I had to do it. I passed by endless landscapes of broken lives. As I approached the outskirts, the situation became more dire. Corpse-ridden alleyways, swarming with maggots and flies, were all too common. The Empire lacked the capacity to support all these people. Although they tried to save the people, if the saved ultimately died of starvation, there would be no point in saving them. The outcome was either death by monsters or a slow demise from hunger. Just as I had utilized mages in the Edina Archipelago to cultivate food, the Empire must have been doing something similar. On top of that, the Empire expended manpower to protect its vast territories from monsters. There were personnel not only supporting the existing vassal nations but also working to put an end to the Gate crisis. While the Edina Archipelago had conditions that allowed all resources to be used for supporting the people, the Empire did not. That''s why people were dying so futilely in the places the Empire couldn''t reach. In such extremely desperate situations, people''s faces bore neither anger nor hatred. Shrouded in the shadow of death, they sat anywhere they could on the streets, too exhausted to resent the world, as they slowly withered away. As I neared the edge of the refugee area... Crash! Grrrrroooowwwwlll! Aaahhhhh! It''s a monster! A monster was smashing and rampaging through the shacks. It was a monster from a gate that had drifted in from somewhere. There was no chance that guards would be present in this no man''s land. Even if there were, it was uncertain whether they could handle the situation. A monster with the face of a wild boar and the body of a gorilla, standing about 4 meters tall. It wasn''t a particularly powerful creature, but if left alone, hundreds of people in the refugee camp would die. Civilians couldn''t handle even just one of these monsters. In areas with a security vacuum, a single monster could drift in and cause hundreds of deaths. There was no time to waste. I activated the Magic Body Strengthening throughout my body and ran. It was quite a distance, but covering this range with my strength was no big deal. Thud! -Boom! Crash! ¡°Run! Get away!¡± People are mercilessly crushed and shattered as I rush to the center of the chaos. "Ugh!" -Wham! As I throw my fist, the magic imbued within it is converted into destructive power. -Crash! With just one strike of my magic-infused fist, the monster''s head explodes. Although I still haven''t reached the Master Class, I''ve become incomparably stronger than before. * * * I may not have reached the Master Class, but that doesn''t mean my power is insufficient. Name: Valier Age: 20 Race: Archdemon Current stats: [Strength 26.4(A+)] [Agility 23(A)] [Dexterity 20.9(A-)] [Magic 41.9(SS)] [Endurance 25.8(A)] Talents [Superpower - Self-suggestion] [Superpower - Word Magic] [Magic Mastery] [Weapon Skills] [Anti-magic] [Supernatural Resistance] [Poison Resistance] Traits [Sacred Mind] [Hero''s Bloodline] [Intuition] Acquired Abilities [Demon Control A] [Self-suggestion S] [Word Magic B] [Magic Body Strengthening A] Overall Ability Assessment - Demon King Combat Level Assessment - S+ It feels like gaining experience; I earn achievement points every time I defeat a monster. For two years, as Edina''s tasks increased, the need for direct combat decreased, but in the beginning, I had to fight rEllentlessly without a moment''s rest. Those were days spent tearing through the flesh and blood of monsters. I invested the piled-up achievement points in strengthening myself. Personally, I wanted to raise my magic stats to the maximum, but after reaching the SS rank, it became impossible to invest in them. I couldn''t afford the overly expensive top-tier talents, but I was able to unlock a few new talents. However, I had to focus on the King''s duties, so after the initial intense battles, I spent more time sitting on the throne. That''s why I couldn''t move on to the next stage. Nevertheless, my basic physical abilities were extremely developed and my Magic Body Strengthening increased to an absurd level. So, my magic output was on par with any other Master. Having not entered the next stage, I achieved an abnormal growth in which only my basic abilities were enhanced. Thus, my output isn''t just on par with other Masters, but even surpasses them. I only lack in finesse and versatility. Looking at the magic stats alone, I''m now on the same level as Saviolin Turner. Of course, I don''t have the confidence to beat her in a fight. -Wham! The headless monster''s body crumbled. I was splattered with the monster''s flesh and blood, but it slid off the magic barrier covering my body, keeping my clothes clean. In just a short moment, the monster had killed about fifteen people. It all happened in less than a minute since the monster appeared. "Oh..." "Wh-who is that...?" The fleeing people stared blankly at me, who had neutralized the monster with a single blow. After all, I''m disguised through Sarkegaar''s ring. No one would recognize me. There''s no need to explain anything or say anything at all. As I was about to leave, -Gurgle! Foam-like blood bubbled from the dead monster''s corpse, and something began to emerge. Tentacles. Sharp, dagger-like tentacles hidden within the corpse targeted me and shot out. "!" -Clang! I summoned Alsbringer and deflected the tentacles. The impact felt excessively fierce for the sound of flesh and sword colliding. No matter how formidable my Magic Body Strengthening defense is, monsters are unpredictable. I thought it was dead, but tentacles suddenly burst forth from the corpse. -Whoosh! I incinerated the monster''s body and the writhing tentacles that were flung away with the flames of my fire magic. "..." People stare at me. ¡°That is...¡± ¡°That black...¡± Their gazes are fixated on my sword. Recognizing a sacred weapon is a basic skill for those in the upper echelon. However, the two sacred weapons possessed by the Demon King, Alsbringer and Tiamata, have become as famous as Lament and Lapelt, held by Ellen. And so, the people recognize them. "Th-the......Demon King......" One trembling person, lying on the ground, points at me. "It''s the Demon King''s emblem!" The Demon King''s emblem. That became the new nickname attached to Alsbringer and Tiamata. Gradually, people began to flee in terror. ¡°The Demon King has appeared!¡± It wasn''t something I hoped someone would recognize. I had already learned enough about Imperial Capital. I took out a scroll book and unfolded a teleport scroll. I silently watched the terrified, fleeing people until the light of the teleport swallowed me. ¡ª--- "What do you mean the Demon King appeared?" Ellen, having heard strange rumors right before leaving the Imperial Capital, rushed straight into the Imperial Palace. Demon King. Upon hearing those words, Ellen felt as if her mind had gone completely blank. She couldn''t bear it without knowing what had happened. So, even for Ellen, she had no choice but to commit the impoliteness of suddenly visiting the Emperor. Although it was time for sleep, Bertus was in his office. Bertus was propping up his chin with his right hand, deep in thought. "It''s not the first time nonsense has sprung up from the refugee area......" Upon hearing that, Ellen felt her strangely heated heart cool down. False rumors. It was common for people to see hallucinations in the midst of fear and panic. Annoyed by being swayed by such stories, Ellen felt a crack forming in her already dark mood. "Strictly speaking, it seems like they saw Alsbringer, not the Demon King. From the description of its appearance, it''s definitely Alsbringer... which means it must be Reinhardt." Hearing those words, Ellen''s lips trembled. If they saw Alsbringer, then it must have been the Demon King, as there could be no other owner. "They''re saying strange things. That the Demon King brought monsters, killed refugees, and disappeared......" The story had changed in a short time. Ellen shook her head vigorously. "There''s no way......" "Of course. I don''t know why he came, but a monster appeared on the outskirts, and Reinhardt killed it and disappeared somewhere. But who would believe that the Demon King saved the people?" The Demon King killed the monster that was attacking the refugees and then vanished. However, those who witnessed the Demon King killing the monster directly only saw that, while those who didn''t only heard that the monster had been killing refugees when the Demon King appeared. The truth that the Demon King had killed the monster attacking the refugees and then disappeared was buried beneath the rapidly spreading rumors. The Demon King saved the people. There was no reason for the Demon King to do so, and the people refused to believe the truth. So, it was only natural for the plausible lie to take the place of the truth. "Damn it, so this is how Reinhardt must have felt..." "..." Ellen and Bertus were experiencing the same frustration that Reinhardt must have felt in real-time. There was no reason for Reinhardt to do such a thing. If he was truly planning to raid the refugee outskirts, it wouldn''t make sense to bring only one monster. People choose to believe what they want to in the midst of terror. They wouldn''t believe that if Reinhardt had launched a proper attack, a whole refugee area would have turned into a sea of flames. They couldn''t believe it, so they didn''t. Truth doesn''t resonate with a crowd driven mad by fear and hatred. How could they believe in the Demon King? Under such thoughts, Ellen and Bertus, who hadn''t believed in Reinhardt, now found themselves in a position where they had to watch the lies spread among the crowd, replacing the truth they had learned. "But then, why did Reinhardt even come here...?" Ellen shared Bertus''s curiosity. At this time, the Demon King, who had disappeared from the Imperial Capital without any news, had reappeared on the Imperial Capital. Ellen suddenly recalled the sensation she had felt a while ago, as if someone had been watching her. That strange feeling she had thought was a mistake. Could it be? ''...There''s no way.'' At the thought that it might have been Reinhardt, Ellen was filled with self-loathing. Despite not trusting Reinhardt. Was she now indulging in the delusion that Reinhardt might still think of her? To think that Reinhardt might have been watching her ¨C she found the thought ridiculous and unworthy. What reason would Reinhardt have to do so? Although she didn''t know where, Reinhardt had gone somewhere with those who believed in him. There''s no reason for him to seek her out again or keep an eye on her. Two years had passed. Amidst this miserable scene, Reinhardt must have long forgotten any feelings he had for her. Reinhardt had done nothing wrong to Ellen. The only one at fault was herself. So, it was alright for Reinhardt to forget her. After all, she had betrayed him. She couldn''t forget Reinhardt. Because she had betrayed him. That''s why Ellen believes there is no possibility that Reinhardt remembers her or cherishes any memories, not even a little bit. She doesn''t think she has the right to hope for that. "So why... did he come...?" So why did he appear on the Imperial Capital, where he had never been before? Neither Ellen nor Bertus could know the reason. ¡ª--- Main port city of Edina Archipelago, Lazak, the Royal Capital. When I returned, Harriet helped me out of my robe and carefully folded it in her hands. "How was the Empire?" "¡­I can''t even joke about it being okay." "¡­How bad was it?" "The Imperial Capital''s population capacity had long been exceeded. People were pouring in, and I had to worry about all of them starving to death. There was virtually no security in the outer districts. It''s not even crime ¨C if a monster horde mistakenly appeared, thousands of people could die within ten minutes." At my words, Harriet sighed deeply. "And a monster appeared in the outer district and I had to use Alsbringer. My presence on the Imperial Capital has probably been spotted... Nothing major is likely to happen, but I can guess what kind of rumors will spread... I don''t know what kind of impact this will have later on." "Alsbringer?" "Oh, there was a slightly dangerous situation." "Well, it''s a relief you didn''t get hurt." Harriet and I walked side by side down the royal palace corridor. The Demon King had appeared in the Imperial Capital. I hadn''t done anything particularly extraordinary, but the mere fact that I had appeared was bound to have a significant impact on the Imperial Capital. Now, the majority of the crowd knew that the Demon King could appear in the Imperial Capital at any time. People might become more frightened and fall into a panic. Perhaps I shouldn''t have summoned Alsbringer, even if it was dangerous. However, there are plenty of monsters capable of breaking through Magic Body Strengthening. Swordmasters don''t die in vain, after all. I don''t know how my appearance in the Imperial Capital will spread fear in some way. Maybe I should have left things alone instead of taking matters into my own hands. Such thoughts sent a chill down my spine. I was afraid that I now entertained such thoughts so casually. Although I had heard about the precarious situation in the Imperial Capital from Antirianus, seeing it with my own eyes made it all the more real. The Edina Archipelago was on the verge of collapse due to people''s struggle for survival, but compared to the Imperial Capital, it was almost like paradise. There were certainly starving people, but no one was dying of hunger. CH 463 "Airi said that the psychological counseling for the refugees who arrived this time will likely be completed within three days. They''ll probably organize their personal information and bring it soon." "Ah, I see." Although they didn''t know when the next refugee transport ship would arrive, the succubi''s management of the refugees was steadily improving. Initially, they had overly relied on their power to control dreams, causing the refugees to become too infatuated with the succubi. When sadness and despair turned into an obsession with the succubi, both the succubi and the refugees suffered. Psychiatrists usually avoid building deep relationships with their clients. The succubi were novices in such matters. They weren''t skilled but had no choice but to perform their duties. However, as time passed, such problems were occurring less frequently among the succubi. For those with severe symptoms, the succubi periodically visited them after they left the temporary shelters, exchanging updates and managing their well-being. It was a place that took care of not only the practical issues but also the psychological ones. On reflection, it seemed like a rather nice place. Of course, the bitter truth was that all they were doing was cleaning up the mess caused by me. As Harriet and I walked down the hallway, Antirianus suddenly appeared from one side, as if he had been waiting for us. "Ah!" Harriet let out a small scream and covered her mouth. Antirianus had a knack for surprising people by appearing out of nowhere. Harriet knew that Antirianus was the second most cooperative member of the Council of Elders after Eleris. However, just like me, Harriet couldn''t bring herself to trust him. Who could trust a subject who tried to cure one''s sense of insecurity by kidnapping the king in the middle of the night? Antirianus removed his hat and bowed deeply before me. "Your Highness, how did you find the state of the kingdom through your own eyes?" "About what you''d expect. It was a sight for sore eyes." He must have wanted to see me despair upon witnessing it firsthand. Antirianus'' reaction to my response seemed somewhat bitter, his lips slightly twisted. "What a wretched old man," I thought. "Have you considered a way to bring the princess back?" "I''m not sure yet. I''ll have to think about it." "Perhaps, if you discreetly request her return, they might release her easily? That is if the empire truly wants to protect the princess." I nodded at Antirianus'' words. "Yes, I have considered that option." It''s possible that Bertus might release her if I ask. "However, the empire will have a hard time justifying the disappearance of the princess. Ultimately, the empire will be in trouble. It''s important to bring Charlotte back, but I cannot cause greater chaos in the empire." The princess''s disappearance would attract much attention. The people would not easily believe the announcement of her sudden disappearance. There''s already a considerable amount of distrust toward the royal family. Rescuing Charlotte is not merely a matter of saving one person. If the wrong approach is chosen, it might result in a massive riot. Having seen the restless state of the Empire firsthand, I could imagine the scale of such a riot. Whether the Empire collapses due to the riot or slaughters the rioters, the situation is dire. The former refers to the downfall of the Empire, and the latter to the long-term downfall of the Empire brought about by a large-scale massacre. Thus, I must approach this issue with more caution than usual. It is not that I necessarily wish for the empire to remain intact. But neither do I wish for its outright destruction. The empire must exist until the Gate incident is completely resolved and the monsters on the continent are wiped out. That is why I do not hastily judge this seemingly simple issue that could be easily resolved if approached casually. Antirianus subtly smiles at my cautious response. "What about the issue of the Duke of Sarkegaar and the Lord of Wednesday... What do you plan to do about them?" "¡­" Antirianus touches on my predicament. Those two. Charlotte is Charlotte, but I still haven''t been able to recover the two of them who are still detained in the empire. ¡ª--- That night. As usual, I was in the bedroom with Harriet, summarizing the day''s events. I had visited the Empire and talked with Antirianus, which had somewhat dampened my mood. I had not even thought about rescuing the still living Lucinil and Sarkegaar. There was too much to do. No, it might just be an excuse. I declared that if the empire killed Lucinil and Sarkegaar, we would become enemies. But I don''t know where they are or how they are being treated. I can only guess that they are under strict management in the imperial palace. Antirianus conducts espionage activities in the imperial and royal territories, but he has no information about their whereabouts. The fact that I still don''t know their location is a clue in itself. In future negotiations with the Empire, which could happen anytime and in any manner, they will serve as cards that the Empire can play. Can I bring them back in exchange for protecting Charlotte? It was a problem I couldn''t approach recklessly. "They''ll both be safe." At Harriet''s words, I silently nodded. But I couldn''t help but doubt it. "As you know, Sarkegaar was the mastermind behind the abduction of the Imperial princess and Empress during the last Great Demon War. I don''t know about Lucinil, but¡­ Sarkegaar could be dead." The empire would now know about what Sarkegaar had done. So, it''s not impossible that they killed Sarkegaar for his actions. And because I employed Sarkegaar, who did such a thing, their hatred towards me as the Demon King might still persist. Sarkegaar. More than anyone else, he wished for the reconstruction of the Demon World. But I had no intention of fulfilling that desire. Without Sarkegaar, I had become the king of a world that, albeit imperfectly, included demons. I wondered what Sarkegaar would say if he saw this sight. He might explode in anger at how we could live mixed with humans, or he might be deeply moved by the somehow rebuilt world. I wanted to show this world to Sarkegaar, who had always been a loyal and faithful subject. The fate of the world always hung in the balance, but I still wanted to show him the world we had somehow created. It''s fine if he criticizes me or rejoices. I wanted to show Sarkegaar this sight, but the thought that he might already be dead made it feel like I was suffocating. I could postpone thinking about my people whose deaths had been confirmed. But when I thought of my people whose fates were uncertain, I felt like I was going mad with anxiety. I had to save them. Should I be doing this? Can I keep putting off this task because there''s too much to do? I couldn''t tell if she sensed my anxiety, but Harriet came to my side and wrapped her arms around my shoulder. "We''re always doing our best." "¡­Our best might not be enough." "Even so, we have to believe that it is." At Harriet''s words, I clenched my teeth. The problem that needed solving but remained unresolved, Lucinil and Sarkegaar. The new problem, Charlotte. Could I solve these issues? It was as if I had tried to save the world, only to cause its ruin. Could I say with certainty that I wouldn''t fail this time? I had to do something, and so I did, and I had to move forward, so I moved forward. But the fear brought on by the terrible failure still lay dormant within me, consciously avoiding confronting that fear. Once again, the fear that my very existence could ruin everything was undoubtedly inside me. I didn''t know what to do or how to proceed. But I had witnessed the reality of the empire with my own eyes, and now it was time to decide cautiously which method to choose. At this time, Harriet would always sit on the bed, read a book, and fall asleep. So when I woke up in the morning, I would see her asleep in a crouching position, the book open in her hands, as if she had fallen asleep without realizing it. But today, Harriet sat hunched on the bed, doing nothing. Seemingly deep in thought. She didn''t seem to be showing her feelings, but her eyes held a hint of sadness. I had a feeling I knew what she was thinking. I had visited the empire. The empire. The land of humans. In the end, I had been discovered as the Demon King, but I had returned safely. So naturally, Harriet couldn''t help but think that if I could do it, perhaps she could too. Harriet had as much to do as I did, if not more. So it was only natural for her to think about what she had left behind. The Three Traitors. The names of the three who betrayed humanity. Olivia Lanze. Liana de Grantz. Harriet de Saint Owan. Harriet''s situation was different from the other two. Olivia had no family, and Liana''s only family, the Duchess, was living quietly in Edina''s villa. Harriet couldn''t help but think about and feel guilty about what she had left behind in the land of humans. So, about the Saint Owan Duchy. She must have been thinking about her family, including her father. The daughter who betrayed humanity. She couldn''t help but think about and feel guilty for the Saint Owan Ducal family, who were experiencing real problems because of her. So, even though Harriet appeared to be fine and even worried about me, she might have been the most tormented of all. It was clear that her family, not herself, was paying the price for her choice to side with the Demon King. Although Saint Owan Duchy had suffered tremendous damage, the capital Arnaca was safe under the protection of the Duke, as Harriet had said. And now, the Duke was dedicating himself to the empire in place of his daughter who had betrayed humanity. The Duke had to prove that it was his daughter, not himself or the Duchy, who had chosen the Demon King. Thus, the Duke, who was engaged in the war that determined the fate of humanity, was being punished in order to atone for his daughter''s sins. But even that might not have held great significance for the survival of the Ducal family. The masses needed a scapegoat. The Archduke of Saint Owan is now buying indulgences by being involved in the Gate incident due to the needs of the Empire and humanity. However, once the Gate incident comes to an end, Saint Owan Duchy is highly likely to be the first to be sacrificed due to the wrath of the Empire''s populace. One of the three traitors who betrayed humanity, the Archduke of Saint Owan. It''s not that they''re being sacrificed because they deserve it, but because they''re the easiest target for sacrifice. No matter how much Saint Owan Duchy contributes to the resolution of the Gate incident, the masses remain ignorant of such things. That''s why Harriet must be thinking every day that her actions must be accounted for not only by herself but also by her family and her people. Perhaps even more than me. Harriet may have been in more pain. But Harriet never said a word to me about such issues. She must have thought I was going through more hardships than she was. I have visited the Empire. So, Harriet must have wanted to see the situation of the Saint Owan Duchy firsthand. Although she knew it was safe, she wanted to know the reality of the capital city of Saint Owan, Arnaca. How her family, including the Archduke, were faring. She would have wanted to confirm it with her own eyes. "Mm." "¡­Hmm?" Harriet looks at me. "Do you want to go to Arnaca?" "Wha-?" At my words, Harriet shudders and asks again. She must not have expected me to say such a thing suddenly. I have many things to do, but in the end, I went to the Imperial Capital, just like I did. There is no reason why Harriet and I cannot go to Arnaca for just one day. Although my visit to the Imperial Capital left me with a terrible impression, I still went in the end. There''s no reason for Harriet not to stand on the path of returning home, even if it will only leave her with regrets. My words must have been quite shocking, as Harriet''s eyes wavered. "Now that Lazak is on track, we can spare a day or so. So, if you want to go... we can take a day. No, what''s a day? We can spare a few days." Harriet''s family, especially the Archduke, might try to confine her and not let her go. But Harriet has been working for me for a long time. Shouldn''t Harriet, who has been suffering in silence without showing any signs, have the right to choose at least that much? Whether to meet her family or not. Harriet bites her lip and falls silent, deep in thought at my words. It is Harriet''s choice whether to meet her family or not. But there is no risk in watching Arnaca with her own eyes. The present situation of her hometown. Isn''t it possible to at least see that for herself? "Will you... go with me?" Harriet looks at me with trembling eyes. Just as Harriet has protected me until now in case of any emergencies, It is only natural that I follow her to protect her in case of any emergencies. "Of course, I will." At my words, Harriet finally covers her face with both hands and bursts into tears. "Thank you... Reinhardt..." What on earth is she so grateful to me for? I''ve always been the one who should be grateful. CH 464 Just as the empire had managed to defend the Imperial Capital and other important regions, some of the prominent vassal states had also managed to protect their capitals and large cities. Although a considerable number of vassal states had been destroyed, there were still cities and nations that had managed to defend their capitals. The Duchy of Saint Owan was one of the few countries that had successfully defended its capital. This meant that, with the exception of the capital, the Duchy of Saint Owan had failed to defend all other regions. The land of magic. Excluding the empire, it was the country most proficient in magic. The Duchy of Saint Owan, which had produced many outstanding mages, remained strong in the face of the Gate crisis, at least in its capital. The capital of the Duchy of Saint Owan, Arnaca. Unlike the Imperial Capital Gradium, which had expanded grotesquely due to the influx of refugees, Arnaca had not undergone such a transformation. After teleporting to a back alley in Arnaca, Harriet and I ventured out into the streets. We could see that the once glorious city of magic had become a fortress. Thick walls now surrounded the city, which had once been without walls, and tall towers were erected at regular intervals along those walls. However, at the top of these towers, there were no watchtowers for reconnaissance. Instead, large blue crystals floated in the air. "Towers¡­ They seem similar." "Yeah, they do." It seemed that these towers were similar to defense towers, intended to intercept monsters that approached the city. Harriet and I could not help but make such a conjecture. I had disguised myself using Sarkegaar''s ring, and Harriet had changed her appearance using illusion magic and wore a robe, so the people on the streets did not recognize us. Nations that succeeded only in defending their capitals mostly became city-states. Arnaca was no exception. Refugees had not flocked to this place because most of them had gathered in the Imperial Capital. Although not expanded, the city was still strong in its capital. While we could not determine the state of their food supplies, there was no visible sign of hunger on the faces of the people. Nevertheless, happiness and hope did not overflow either. While it would be great if the empire could have a defense system like Arnaca''s, the area it needed to defend was hundreds of times larger than Arnaca''s. Constructing such a vast defense system would have exhausted most of Arnaca''s remaining national power. There must have been a reason why the empire could not use such a system. Harriet silently looked at the streets and people of Arnaca. Her expression was full of hidden guilt and sadness. She couldn''t help but think about the numerous cities and people that could not be saved, even though the capital was safe. The white palace, Arunaria, seemingly carved out of the mountain, also remained intact. The scenery of Arnaca had not changed much, except for the walls and towers surrounding the outskirts of the city. The only change was the depression and despair that could be read from the faces of the people in the streets. No one seemed to engage in conversation. Arnaca had become a city filled with eerie silence. Occasionally, Harriet had mentioned that she used to watch children playing in the tall towers of Arunaria. However, now, even if we looked with the utmost care, we couldn''t find any children playing. Harriet was completely unrelated to the cause of the Gate crisis. However, as if everything was her responsibility, she walked with a guilty expression alongside me. The hometown that Harriet had longed for had become a city of silence filled with desolation. -Snap! We saw a flash of light in the center of the city, from afar. It was in the place where a Warp Gate once was, we presumed. Now seemingly used as a Warp Spot, a group appeared with a bright flash. Harriet''s eyes widened. "Ah... Father..." Duke Saint Owan and his band of mages revealed themselves through the Warp Spot. As soon as the Duke and his mages arrived, the people nearby did not bow but hurriedly cleared the area. As if they had seen something unholy. As if used to such reactions, the Duke led his mages towards the White Palace without hesitation. We saw the citizens witnessing the Duke and his mages, swiftly avoiding their path and closing their windows. No one openly cursed them. However, it was clear that everyone perceived the Duke as a figure to be avoided. The quiet and silence of Arnaca. We couldn''t help but understand the reason. The princess who sided with the Demon King. Arnaca was safe for now, but we knew that once the situation was resolved, the Empire''s retribution would begin against Saint Owan Duchy. We knew the fate of Duke Saint Owan, his duchy, and Arnaca''s future. Yet, we couldn''t leave Arnaca as the outside was not safe. And so, they shunned the Duke as if they were facing the image of death itself. Despite knowing that shunning the Duke would not save them from the dark fate awaiting the Saint Owan Duchy, they did so as if it would grant them absolution later. "Father..." With her father, the king, shunned before her, Harriet clenched her eyes shut. Tears silently streamed down her face. ¡ª--- We didn''t expect brilliance from Arnaca. Strictly speaking, Arnaca was in a better situation than other cities. Towers protected the city, and the influx of people hadn''t exceeded the city''s capacity to sustain them. However, everyone knew that the consequences of the princess''s actions would soon descend upon them. And so, the city was engulfed in melancholy. Harriet and I stood at a distance where we could see the White Palace of Arunaria. The people were not consumed by hatred and anger, but their expressions were filled with despair and depression. That was the current state of Arnaca. "If you want to see him, go ahead." "..." The guards protecting Arunaria were not human. They were all magically created golems. Therefore, Harriet could meet the Duke if she wished. Harriet knew all the circumstances. That the Gate incident was not caused by my will. But the reality was that her choice might lead to the sacrifice of everyone in Arnaca. "Do I... deserve to?" She couldn''t help but feel guilty. Even if the Gate incident was not caused by my will, people wouldn''t believe that. Thus, if humanity''s retribution were to descend upon Arnaca, Harriet would have no choice but to consider it her responsibility. The responsibility for betraying humanity would fall upon the nation and its citizens, not the princess. From that standpoint, Harriet couldn''t help but think she had no right to face her father. She might hear harsh words of reproach from her father for making such a foolish choice. She might think her father would hold her and never let her go. She might believe she would hear hateful and angry words from her family. "Just because I called you a blockhead, you know I don''t actually think you''re stupid." "..." "In fact, the Duke of Saint Owan that I''ve met should be called a doting father." Indeed, my first impression of the Duke of Saint Owan was that of a doting father. "Just like you''re not a fool, your father, the Duke of Saint Owan, isn''t really a fool either." I gently placed my hand on Harriet''s face within the robe. "Like you''re wise, the Duke of Saint Owan, your father, is certainly a wise person as well." "..." "He must have tried to truly understand why you had to act that way and must have found some answers." I believe the Duke of Saint Owan is a wise person, just like Harriet. After all, Harriet de Saint Owan wasn''t born for nothing. "Ultimately, parents can''t help but trust their children as much as they can''t believe them." Just as it''s universal for parents to worry about their children, in some decisive moments of life, parents have no choice but to trust their children. They would think there must have been an inevitability behind their children''s crucial choices. The Duke of Saint Owan couldn''t be a fool. "So, go." That''s why I don''t think the Duke of Saint Owan would hold Harriet back and not let her go. Harriet quietly held my hand that I placed on her face. "Yes... I''ll go." Did my words give her some courage? "And, I''ll definitely come back." Having come this far, she couldn''t just leave after seeing the city''s despair. She had faced the heavy responsibility she had to bear. Shouldn''t she at least take the joy and sorrow of reunion with her? ¡ª--- The Duchess who had disappeared with the Demon King returned. But there was no commotion. The security system of Arunaria was under the control of the ducal family, and there were very few servants in Arunaria. The information reported through the golem did not reach the other nobles, and only the members of the ducal family learned that the missing Duchess had visited. The Duchess, who quietly entered the palace, was able to face her family after a very long time. The returned Duchess could only be a sinner. Contrary to Harriet''s fear, the three brothers, including the Duchess of Saint Owan, did not blame their youngest sister, who had brought a great burden to the family. It was just a tearful reunion. Despite the lengthy conversation, neither Harriet nor the members of the ducal family uttered a single word about the Demon King. They didn''t even ask how she had been or where she had been. It was as if it was already enough to know she was safe. Her mother and three brothers. Although it wasn''t enough, after finishing the conversation, Harriet entered the Duke''s study for the last time. There was the Duke of Saint Owan, with an indelible fatigue on his face. The Duke, who was always stern but always kind, and sometimes tried to control his daughter with force, had a very different look in his eyes as he looked at his daughter. "Sit down." Harriet sat down on the chair with a stiff expression, responding to the overly plain words that belied the reunion after a long time. Important conversations always came from her father''s mouth. So did the scolding for doing something wrong. The order to go to the temple. The order to leave the temple. All those words came from the Duke''s mouth. The reason none of the family members uttered a single word of reproach or blame was because they all knew it was the role of the Duke of Saint Owan. Everyone knew that such words were part of the role of the eldest, so neither her mother nor her brothers ever mentioned it to Harriet. To Harriet, her father was a bothersome man. Bothersome enough to dote on her. Bothersome enough to worry about her. Bothersome enough to be overly fond of her. But now, Harriet had made a choice that could lead to the downfall of her family, and she faced her father, the head of the household, as a sinner. The overly fond daughter had made a decision that could shatter the long history of the Saint Owan family. She had found courage in Reinhardt''s words and returned to Arunaria. Her family, whom she hadn''t seen in a long time, rejoiced in her safe return. But now, Harriet felt as though she was standing in the judgment seat. She was expecting a detailed explanation of her sins and seemed to have to pay for them. So now, for the first time in her life, Harriet de Saint Owan was afraid of her father''s stern expression. It''s a relief that you''re alive. Welcome back. Without uttering any such words, her father, who simply told her to sit in a chair as if she were standing in a courtroom, was frightening. Sitting across from the duke, Harriet desperately stared into his eyes with a stern expression. It seemed as though tears would spill out. Her father, who had always embraced her and acted bothersome, was now not offering any comfort in this situation. It''s unfair. Though she had made a mistake, a big mistake she knew, she just wanted him to embrace her now, since she would no longer find him bothersome. She wanted to say that, but her mouth wouldn''t open. "Are you really back?" At the Duke''s question, Harriet quietly lowered her head. She would have to leave soon, and even if she tried to return, it would be impossible. The Duke seemed to understand and nodded his head. "Do you know the choice you''ve made?" "..." The Duke silently looked at Harriet. "If this situation doesn''t end, humanity will be destroyed, and both the Saint Owan family and the Duchy will be finished." "If this situation is resolved, the wrath of the Empire will be directed at our family, and both the Saint Owan family and the Duchy will be finished." "My daughter." "I''ll only ask one thing." "Was it a choice that you won''t regret, even if such a thing happens?" Countless deaths. The destruction of the family. Was it a choice she wouldn''t regret even if such things happened? In response to the head of the family''s question, the youngest child stared silently into her father''s eyes. It wasn''t a scolding or blame. It wasn''t a question about where she had been or what she had been doing. Or why she had made such a choice. It was a question as a member of the family, as an individual person. Would you not regret the decision you made? Harriet thought back to two years ago. She had trusted Reinhardt. That''s why she had made that decision and choice. She didn''t know what was happening at the time when the Gate incident occurred. But now, Harriet knew the whole truth. Why the Gate incident happened, what Akasha was, and what people''s misunderstandings were. What kind of existence the Demon King truly was. She knew everything now. But, regret. Her father asked about regret. Would she not regret her decision if her hometown was destroyed and her entire family was killed as a result? Harriet clenched her teeth and closed her eyes tightly. "Regret... I think... I will..." "..." She couldn''t help but regret it. Tears streamed down Harriet''s closed eyes. "But... but... Dad... I... you know..." "If... if I were to go back to that day two years ago... even if I knew... that everything would turn out like this... even if I knew..." "I... I think... I would do the same thing..." She would regret it. Even if the Saint Owan Duchy were to be destroyed, and all the people of her family were to die. She believed that she had to help Reinhardt. She would regret it, but she would make this choice that could only lead to regret again. It was not that she had failed to accomplish something. Not just to help Reinhardt, but because she could have saved many people. Now she knew that this choice didn''t only lead to negative outcomes. It wasn''t that she didn''t regret it, but even knowing that she couldn''t help but regret it, the youngest child said she would still make the same choice. Upon hearing those words, the Duke nodded silently, looking at his crying daughter. "My daughter, you have the most exceptional talent in the long history of the Saint Owan family." "..." "Therefore, you are the wisest descendant in the history of our family." The Duke rose from his seat, approached his weeping daughter, and gently placed a hand on her head. "So I believe, as your father, that your decision is right." "Uh... sob..." "Now let''s embrace, my daughter." It was only then that Harriet could finally cry in the arms of the father she had so despised. CH 465 Returning, Harriet wore a noticeably cheerful expression. Simply by her countenance, it was apparent that Harriet had successfully concluded her conversation. "We can stay for a few days." "No, it''s fine. If word gets out that I''ve returned, it could become troublesome. It''s better for me to leave quickly." Though the exact details of their conversation remained unknown, it was evident that the Archduke and his family had shown understanding towards Harriet. The fate of the Duchy of Saint Owan remained uncertain. In addition, defenses in all cities beyond the capital had failed. Would it be enough to move just the people of this city? Arnaca was already a completed city, but it was uncertain whether the people''s lives could be fully supported in Edina. However, if they could migrate to Edina, they might be able to avoid the eventual wrath of humanity. "It''s uncertain how the Archduke will respond, but moving all of Arnaca''s people to Edina could be a solution." At my words, Harriet''s eyes widened. "Is that...possible?" "The issue is that there is currently no way to do so. If we can find a way, it''s definitely possible." If there were warp gates, large-scale movement would be possible, but they were currently unusable. Physical movement was also impossible. No matter how skilled the Archduke was as a magician, he couldn''t possibly lead the entire populace of the Duchy of Saint Owan, located in the northwest of the continent, on an epic journey to Port Mokna in the far south. Teleporting the entire population was obviously impossible and not worth considering. "For now, nothing will happen to Arnaca. Let''s think about a solution gradually." "¡­Alright." Handling the Gate crisis was already an urgent matter. Thus, nothing would immediately happen to the Duchy of Saint Owan or the Archduke. After the Gate crisis was resolved, moving the people of Saint Owan to Edina. To some extent, I could sense the last shadow on Harriet''s face disappearing at my words. ¡ª--- Having reunited with her family after a very long time and having shared a fruitful conversation, not to mention the possibility of saving the people of Arnaca, Harriet seemed more spirited than before. Upon returning to Edina, Harriet''s expression had brightened considerably. "Once the Gate crisis is resolved, perhaps we can improve the warp gates to directly connect Arnaca and the Edina Archipelago?" "It would be great if we could do that¡­ No, you can definitely do it." "Right, if it''s not possible, I''ll make it possible." Naturally, her spirited demeanor was a pleasure to behold. Although she hadn''t shown signs of depression or struggle, everyone had been hiding it just the same. The revitalized and energetic Harriet could only improve my mood as well. I hadn''t anticipated that my request for Harriet to research warp gates would help in such a way, but her research could ultimately provide a means to save her hometown''s people. Although all the warp gates across the continent were destroyed after a day, Harriet had already begun preparing blueprints for what would come next. Of course, her workload had increased, and the already busy Harriet became even busier. However, this was ultimately a task to save people, and her family in particular, so there was no reason to refuse. It was only natural for Harriet to seriously consider this matter, as it could alleviate the guilt and self-blame she had hidden for two years. It was only natural for Harriet to do what she had to do, and for me to do the same. ¡ª--- About a month had passed since our visit to Arnaca. The complete resolution of the Gate incident was inevitably becoming more drawn out. This was because the Warp Gates were not only spewing out increasingly powerful monsters, but their defenses were also getting stronger, requiring a more cautious approach to destroying each one. Eleris said that it was no longer possible for her to destroy the Warp Gates alone, and it was only natural for the Empire''s Saviolin Turner''s forces to struggle more and more with the task of destroying the gates. As the number of Warp Gates decreased, the speed of destroying the remaining ones slowed down, and countless casualties occurred. Although the end was near, events unrelated to the Gate incident began to unfold one by one in a reality that seemed infinitely far away. "Your Highness, I''ve heard that the princess is about to be executed." "..." And I had no choice but to face what was bound to happen someday. "Why?" Bertus had not responded to the demands of the crowd so far. That''s why I thought he had enough will to protect Charlotte. "Could it be because I revealed myself at the Imperial Palace last time?" If the explosion of the crowd''s anxiety made it impossible to ignore their demands any longer, then the root cause of this would ultimately be my responsibility. Antirianus smiled slightly at my words. "Although that cannot be ruled out as a cause, the important thing is that they seem unable to refuse the demands of the vassal states and the five major religious orders." "..." "They demand that the princess be sacrificed to stabilize the political situation." On top of the already unstable Empire, the demands of the vassal states and the pressure from the five major religious orders came in. The vassal states were key members of the Empire, and despite the weakening support from the crowds, the five major religious orders remained a powerful military force. The Empire could not ignore them. The Gate incident was not yet over, but they were already acting as if it had ended. The five major religious orders wanted to divert the blame to the princess to dilute the hatred towards themselves, and the vassal states wanted to remove the uncertainty of the princess to reaffirm their allegiance to the crumbling Empire. So, did they have no choice but to agree? "Emperor Bertus has decided to execute the princess at noon on Sunday in three weeks, at the Imperial Palace Grand Square." "..." Did Bertus have to choose between the Empire and Charlotte in the end? However, Antirianus was still smiling. "And, in addition to that, I''ve heard that the Vampire Lord and Duke Sarkegaar will be executed together." "¡­What?" "Just as you heard." No. It was one thing for Charlotte, but why would they also execute the other two? Had Bertus forgotten my warning in just two years? That touching Lucinil and Sarkegaar would make me their enemy - didn''t he know that? Antirianus was still chuckling as if he found the situation incredibly amusing. His irritatingly joyful expression made me realize what this confusing and unpleasant situation meant. Three weeks. It''s quite a long time. Perhaps too much time, too lenient. Bertus must know that I appeared at the Imperial Palace not long ago. Soon, he would sense that I was watching the Imperial Palace from somewhere. He didn''t want to kill Charlotte. Lucinil and Sarkegaar were included as well. That fact told me quite a lot. They held the execution without haste, instead allowing a considerable amount of time for the news to spread far and wide. "They''ll give us the two of them if we agree to take Charlotte." My appearance at the scene would mean that I must take the three of them away by any means necessary. The crowd yearned for Charlotte to face her judgment, so they could not secretly hand her over to me. Even if they wanted to, the Empire wouldn''t know my whereabouts. So, at the very moment they attempted to publicly judge Charlotte, the Demon King would seize her. It would be a convenient excuse for the Empire. They would claim that they intended to comply with the people''s demands, but what could they do when the Demon King appeared? Ultimately, Bertus would no longer be able to protect Charlotte. Therefore, his true intention in orchestrating this situation was to return his two subordinates in exchange for taking Charlotte away as well. "Really... it''s an outrageous and breathtaking plan..." In my absence, they convey their reliance on me in this manner. It was truly astonishing. Would my unintentional appearance on the Imperial Capital ultimately lead to the recovery of not only Charlotte, but also Sarkegaar and Lucinil? Three weeks later, on Sunday at noon. Although we had never agreed upon it, we had to stage a fabricated abduction. ------ At this point in time, Reinhardt was unaware of one thing. "Three weeks from now, it''s Sunday, sister." "..." Charlotte sat listlessly on the bed, her expression dark, and nodded her head. It wasn''t that Bertus had failed to endure. Charlotte herself had wanted this. Because her existence was a burden to both humanity and the Empire. If her seemingly worthless life could provide even a small amount of relief to others, then so be it. If they forced her to live, the Empire would crumble. Although the demands of the vassal states and the Five Great Churches played a role, this was happening because Charlotte had requested her own execution. Bertus had naturally refused. He said it was absolutely impossible. That such a thing would never happen. The words that came from the siblings'' mouths after a long time were a plea for death. She asked to be killed to prolong the Empire''s lifespan, even if only by a little. As her very existence was the seed of division, she believed that she must do something, even if it meant dying. Since her very existence was causing the Empire to fracture in real-time, wouldn''t it be better to die? To give up. To resign oneself. To regret. Having reached the point of self-loathing, Charlotte had no attachment left to life. Bertus''s decision was not born of exhaustion from the demands of the crowd, the Empire, or the Five Great Churches. He feared that if she wasn''t executed, she would commit suicide in the Spring Palace. So, this was the only solution he could desperately come up with. Bertus did not tell Charlotte anything. That Reinhardt had appeared on the Imperial Capital. That Reinhardt was watching from somewhere on the Imperial Capital. That he still tried to protect the people. He did not tell her because he knew that such words would only deepen Charlotte''s self-loathing. And so, this was Bertus''s own decision. Charlotte knew only that in three weeks, she would be burnt at the stake alone in the central square. She did not say that anyone might come. Charlotte did not know who would be hanged with her. He didn''t mention it at all. Bertus would never allow such a thing to happen to her. If she thought she couldn''t be forgiven, she would strangle herself if Reinhardt said he would come to save her. It would be fine if Reinhardt did not show up at the appointed time in three weeks. Bertus would save Charlotte, even if he had to create his own farce. Although she couldn''t return to the Imperial Capital, he would make sure she could live quietly somewhere. He didn''t know how to make his sibling, who had given up on life, live in any way. The only thing he could do was not to make Charlotte affirm her life and live on, but to make sure she did not die. That was all. Only Reinhardt could save Charlotte. So, Bertus spoke to the invisible Reinhardt. Please. Let Charlotte live a little longer. He knew such a request was shameless, but he begged for Charlotte''s forgiveness. He couldn''t forgive himself, but still, he asked to forgive Charlotte. In fact, it was no different from an Emperor begging the Demon King. Since the empire could not protect Charlotte, the Demon King would. "Brother." "..." Charlotte, thinking she didn''t deserve forgiveness, would likely refuse if she knew his plan. So, Bertus had no intention of telling her this story. Approaching the silent Charlotte, Bertus pulled up a chair and sat down. Charlotte must have been lost in self-reproach, not only because she couldn''t trust the Demon King but also because of the countless tragedies that unfolded. She would not allow herself to receive Reinhardt''s forgiveness and protection in a safe place. Bertus quietly watched his sister, who had turned into a demonic figure. Charlotte''s red eyes stared back at him. If Reinhardt took Charlotte away, and if Reinhardt truly appeared, Charlotte would be under the Demon King''s protection. Because Bertus could not protect Charlotte. The Demon King would not reveal his whereabouts. So, the last time Bertus would see Charlotte would be for three weeks. They had despised each other to the point of wanting to kill one another. And they had tried to kill each other several times. He didn''t know when it had become like this. But at some point, seeing Charlotte, who had become too weak to be considered a rival, Bertus''s thoughts had changed. A rival not worth competing against. A defeated rival. When the misunderstanding about the Demon King hadn''t been cleared, he had pitied his sibling, who had been used by Reinhardt from beginning to end. And now, she couldn''t even control herself. Her world had become like this because of herself, and she had buried herself in the cursed words she had thrown at the Demon King, leaving her with nothing but guilt, self-blame, and self-mockery. The previous emperor had died, and Bertus had succeeded him. Since then, Bertus had wanted to protect Charlotte in any way possible. From the moment everyone in the world despised Charlotte, Bertus had tried his best to protect her. Ignoring the countless ministers who poured out suspicions that Charlotte was related to the Demon King, not just the crowds, Bertus had disregarded all of their words. Somehow, he wanted his miserable sibling to survive. And now, Bertus entrusted the task he couldn''t do himself to the Demon King. Bertus gazed into the red eyes of Charlotte, who stared back at him solemnly. This was the end. It had to be the end. "Sister..." "..." "May I embrace you?" At Bertus''s words, Charlotte''s eyes widened in surprise. Seeing the traces of emotion return to those lifeless eyes for the first time in a long while, Bertus forced a bitter smile. Just as Bertus had done, Charlotte had watched her despised brother trying to protect her throughout this terrible time. Only after everything had been ruined. Only after she had destroyed everything with her own hands. It was perhaps inevitable that a sense of brotherly love, which had never existed and could not have existed, would emerge between the two. Charlotte did not know what was about to happen. That''s why she thought Bertus was apologizing for deciding to kill her, no matter how much he claimed it was at her request. Charlotte chose death for herself. Out of guilt. As she hesitated, watching Bertus say such words from within his guilt, Charlotte slowly leaned in. She was going to die. After hesitating for a while, Charlotte slowly leaned towards Bertus. Bertus pulled Charlotte''s small, frail head to his chest and hugged her. It was the first time either of them had done such a thing. Had she always been this small? Bertus thought as he embraced his sister for the first time. "You must go... to a good place..." "..." Bertus could only say that, fearing that if he spoke more specifically, his intelligent sister, even weakened as she was, might understand what he meant. So Charlotte began to cry, little by little, as she was held by Bertus. A good place. Would it be right for her to be allowed such a place? If she died, she should fall into the fiery pits of hell for the sins she committed in bringing about these events. Could she go to a good place even in death? Believing that she shouldn''t be able to, Charlotte wept in her brother''s arms, little by little. "..." If Reinhardt came. And took Charlotte with him. Living with the Demon King would at least be better than living in this spring palace. She would receive Reinhardt''s forgiveness, and while the guilt and anguish would remain, it would be a better life than being confined to a dark bedroom, doing nothing. Her diminishing speech would gradually increase, and she would find something to do. In that way, she would lead a better life than now, away from Bertus''s sight. Reinhardt could do what she couldn''t. As an emperor, Bertus had to take responsibility for what he had done. Charlotte, who had not become an empress, would have nothing to be responsible for and would live under the protection of the Demon King. That''s why Reinhardt had to come. Bertus believed that he would definitely come. After countless incidents resulting from not trusting Reinhardt when it was most needed, Bertus now trusted him. He knew it was a terrible thing. He knew he was making a terrible demand on Reinhardt. But there was no other way. Bertus could think of nothing else but this choice. "I''m sorry... I''m so sorry, my sister..." In the midst of Bertus''s apology. Within that first embrace, Charlotte, who believed that death, not survival, awaited her, lowered her head. "No..." With a strained, cracked voice, Charlotte struggled to speak. "It''s me... I''m even more sorry..." She could at least say that much. "Until now... truly, truly... thank you." And not only did she lean into the embrace, but she also moved her slender arm and, with all her strength, hugged her brother back. She could do that much. CH 466 The execution of the princess could solve quite a few problems for the empire. First and foremost, it would temporarily appease the anger of the crowds searching for a scapegoat. By diverting the negative attention from the Five Great Holy Religions through the princess''s execution, they could shift that scrutiny elsewhere. The vassal kingdoms, unaware of the truth, had also grown distrustful of the empire for harboring the cursed princess. Now, that mistrust could be resolved. Ultimately, the empire could dispel any suspicions that the royal family had been involved with the Demon King due to their protection of the princess. Although the execution of Charlotte de Gardias could not physically resolve much, it did address a number of political issues. Of course, this was only a temporary measure. As long as the symbol of hatred, the Demon King, remained, only a temporary truce was possible. These issues would inevitably fester and erupt once more. Even if the empire were to actually execute the princess, it would only buy them time. It might merely delay the empire''s inevitable decline and fall, and the fracturing and collapse of the empire could already be predestined. Only the emperor knew the true intentions behind this event within the empire. The people were excited about the simultaneous execution of the Demon King''s two minions, oblivious to the real intentions behind it. However, there were a few who could guess the true motives without the emperor saying anything. "¡­Do you think Reinhardt will come?" "Yes." Ellen couldn''t find anything to say in response to Bertus'' words. Would Reinhardt come, or would he not? He must come; he has no choice but to come. Ellen believed that. But knowing that such a thing would happen, was it right to use Reinhardt like this? Was it acceptable to exploit Reinhardt so blatantly now that those who once distrusted him have come to trust him? Even though it wasn''t her concern, Ellen couldn''t shake off these doubts. Reinhardt would come. As he always had, he would try to save Charlotte this time as well. Was she envious of that? "¡­" She knew it was shameless to hope for that. But Ellen couldn''t help but harbor those thoughts. ¡ª--- The opportunity to bring Charlotte back was created by Bertus, not me. Moreover, it was an unexpected chance to reclaim Lucinil and Sarkegaar as well. If I were to take Charlotte, I would have to reveal myself in this situation. This would involve taking risks and potentially damaging the empire''s reputation by having an important figure snatched away by the Demon King during an execution. Bertus was willing to take on that situation, and I had to take on the risk of rescuing the princess, Lucinil, and Sarkegaar from the heart of the empire. Three weeks later, on Sunday. Naturally, the empire''s elites were busy trying to resolve the Gate situation. As a result, the guards protecting the crowded execution grounds and the massive scaffold didn''t seem to be of particularly high caliber. It was undoubtedly an intentionally lax security system. It was a laughable play. The emperor orchestrated this event to make the princess flee the empire, and the Demon King agreed to it. It was amusing that such an agreement had been reached without Bertus and I exchanging a single word. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡± However, the crowds, excited by the news of the princess''s impending execution, were screaming and cheering. The scenery of the empire had changed dramatically since I had last seen it. The people''s faces remained the same, but they were all enthralled. As if something would change when the princess died. I wondered what they would think if the princess was kidnapped by me. Would they remember Charlotte as an innocent, ignorant girl who was kidnapped twice by the Demon King? Or would they remember her as the Demon King''s accomplice, so important that the Demon King himself had to come to her rescue? What did Charlotte think of me now? I didn''t know. All I knew was that I had a job to do. As I always had. Bertus wouldn''t have too many guards in place for me to take Charlotte, along with Lucinil and Sarkegaar. If the best of the best were leading this staged execution, some of them might end up dying in a forced fight. That would be a comedy that wasn''t even funny. I would break through the executioners and guards, knock them down just enough, and disappear with a mass teleport. There was no need to see bloodshed. I could kill a few people if I had to proclaim myself as the Demon King and unite humanity in fear of me, but I still didn''t want to kill people for no reason. After all, it wasn''t an operation that required a large army. I brought Antirianus and Harriet with me. Liana, who hated the empire, was not suitable for this kind of job, and neither was Olivia. "Kill her! Kill the princess!" The three of us watched from afar as the crowd shouted. A massive throng of people was engulfed in madness, shouting for the princess''s death. And there they were. Three figures tied to stakes on top of a pile of wood, dangling from poles. On the left was the silver-haired girl, Lucinil. On the right was Sarkegaar, bound with black-feathered wings, taking the form of a demon. And in the center. Charlotte, her hair dyed pitch-black, hung her head weakly, tied to the stake. Not only Sarkegaar, but the thick black mist emanating from the princess''s body made everyone realize that she had become a sinister being. Look at that. They claimed the princess was cursed. It wasn''t the princess who returned from the Demon King''s realm, but a demon disguised as the princess, and now her true form was revealed. Such cries came from the people. I didn''t know if Sarkegaar and Lucinil understood the situation. But Charlotte hung her head in resignation. It wasn''t that she was afraid of the people''s hatred for her. It seemed that she was afraid to meet the eyes of the people. I would save the three of them. It was an easy task. All I had to do was break through the crowd, split the stakes, and use the mass teleport to escape. That''s all. A very simple task. As I was about to make my move, watching the crowd from afar. "We have a problem." Harriet grabbed the hem of my robe. "A problem...?" Harriet''s face, visible through the inside of my robe, turned pale, indicating a serious issue. "The spatial coordinates of this entire square are distorted." "What? What does that mean?" Similarly, Antirianus, who was also wearing a robe, looked at me and showed a faint smile. "Your Greatness, it means that a barrier has been formed across this entire square, blocking spatial movement." "...What?" What on earth... What kind of nonsense is this? If a space-blocking barrier is set up across the entire area, I can''t choose to break through, save the three of them, and then immediately escape using a mass teleport scroll. I have to break through the crowd ¨C Somehow, they had to break through this crowd. Why on earth did Bertus set up such defenses? Could it be that Bertus really intended to kill Charlotte? There''s no way he would do that, right? Antirianus began to chuckle. "Heh... it seems we were not the only ones who had various thoughts during the time given to us." Another power. "Is it not possible that others sensed the Demon King would appear here?" Did completely unrelated people interfere in this situation? "O great one, what will you do?" Antirianus laughed. When he told me this story, had Antirianus already sensed that something like this would happen? He deliberately didn''t tell me. "This... crazy old man..." As if he had received a compliment, Antirianus only laughed even more deeply. The Emperor did not go to the execution ground. He simply watched the scene from the high spire of the palace wall, magnifying the view. There was no reason for him to carry out the execution himself, and he did not have the confidence to face Reinhardt at the site. From a distance, the only thing Bertus could do was watch Reinhardt save Charlotte. The angry and hateful cheers from the boiling crowd in the plaza were audible to Bertus. So much hatred. Why do they hate this much? Why? Bertus clenched his teeth as he watched the scene. Waiting for Reinhardt to appear. If he didn''t show up, waiting to execute the next plan. "Your Majesty, there seems to be a problem." "...A problem?" "We don''t know who set it up, but a spatial movement barrier has been formed throughout the area around the plaza." "...What?" Bertus''s complexion turned ashen at the words of the royal magician guarding him. Reinhardt''s thoughts and Bertus''s thoughts were not very different. Bertus knew that Reinhardt had many highly skilled magicians. That''s why he thought it would be a simple matter of breaking into the scene and escaping via teleport. If Reinhardt appeared, everything would be resolved. There was no need for a big fight, a conflict, and Bertus was certain Reinhardt wouldn''t cause a large-scale massacre. However, the presence of the spatial movement barrier meant that even if Reinhardt appeared, he would have to break through the crowd to escape beyond the barrier. If Reinhardt tried to force his way through the crowd, a massive slaughter would ensue. Bertus knew Reinhardt wouldn''t want that. "Who are these bastards..." "I apologize, Your Majesty. At this distance, we can''t determine who installed it or for what purpose." The distance was too great. Reinhardt wouldn''t do such a thing, and Bertus hadn''t ordered it. That meant another power had interfered. "What kind of bastards... realized that the Demon King would come here..." In the end, placing Charlotte and two of the Demon King''s subordinates on the execution ground had become bait to lure the Demon King here. "Do they... want to kill the Demon King... Reinhardt?" Installing the spatial movement barrier meant they wanted to kill him without giving him a chance to escape once he revealed himself. Just as Bertus noticed, if Reinhardt was really there, he would have no choice but to realize this situation. Although it wasn''t a trap he set, the situation had effectively become a trap. It was impossible to know who they were, but the moment the Demon King revealed himself, the ambush would begin. Considering the enemy had likely made thorough preparations, it would be a wise and natural decision for Reinhardt to retreat from this place. Bertus clenched his teeth. Only a handful knew that today''s execution was a ploy to lure the Demon King and take the Imperial Princess away. Naturally, the executioners were not aware of this intent. If Reinhardt withdrew, the execution would proceed as scheduled. Even if they did not die in the flames of the pyre, the executioners would surely find a way to end the lives of the Demon King''s two minions and the Imperial Princess. If Reinhardt stepped forward, he would be ambushed. But if Reinhardt retreated, the Demon King''s two minions and Charlotte would die. "Who the hell... are these bastards...?" With his eyes wide open, Bertus observed the boiling rage and madness that filled the square. ¡ª--- ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± ¡°Kill them! Kill them!¡± ¡°Kill the filthy demons!¡± Amidst the madness and anger, I silently stared at Antirianus. Herriet''s face was pale, and she could only bite her lips. "Did you know it would come to this?" "How can I casually predict the future, oh great one?" "You knew this would happen, but you didn''t tell me, did you?" "Of course, but..." He didn''t even try to hide his malice. What I thought was a simple problem turned out to be a terrible fork in the road, presenting two dreadful choices. Knowing that the planned ambush would start, should I dive into the scene, save Charlotte, break through the crowd, and flee? Or should I stand by and watch as Charlotte, Lucinil, and Sarkegaar die? Antirianus enjoys putting me in such situations. That monster would be satisfied with whatever choice I made. He would take pleasure in watching me die from foolish attachment if I chose the first option. He would also be delighted if I succeeded in rescuing the three of them by choosing the first option. And he would enjoy watching me despair in the reality where I had to exchange my life for theirs if I chose the second option. He enjoyed driving me to the extreme, regardless of what I did. Antirianus did not advise me on the aspects I hadn''t considered. He wanted me to arrive at this place without knowing, so he could enjoy it. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaah!¡± As the angry crowd roared, the execution was about to commence. Would I die if I went in? If I, an Archdemon, were to die for the sake of saving Charlotte and the other two, what would become of Edina Archipelago? Without an Archdemon, the Edina Archipelago''s control system would not be sustainable. No, I might not even be able to save the three of them, and the Demon King could die like a fool alongside them. I don''t know who''s planning to ambush me. I haven''t even reached the Master level yet. So, I shouldn''t do it. I know. I shouldn''t save them. Too many lives and destinies are at stake for the sake of just one life, mine. I would be weighing the lives of millions against saving only three. Even if I could actually save them, a ruler should not risk their life in such matters. A ruler is meant to command, not to wield a sword. This is reckless. But. If I hadn''t done those reckless things, if I had lived like that, I would never have been able to stand up to my seniors. I wouldn''t have fought a duel with my senior. From that point on, countless reckless acts had led me here, ultimately reaching the seat of the Demon King. Had I not acted in such a way, this great achievement could not have been mine. I would not have had the numerous relationships that I did, and consequently, I would not have had relationships that I had to lose. There would have been no relationships I wanted to regain. It is right not to engage in reckless acts. However, standing atop the mountain built upon my recklessness, I cannot help but think that refraining from something due to its recklessness is merely an excuse for complacency. That would be cowardly. It would be nothing more than defeatism. I, who had been reckless, had completed the person I am now solely through recklessness. I cannot say that I must not do this because it is too reckless. A ruler should not engage in such acts. A ruler bears too much responsibility to risk their life in such affairs. One must abandon what needs to be abandoned. And take what needs to be taken. That is the only way. However, I have never believed that I was a fitting ruler. I have never done anything because I thought I could. I did it because I had to. I have always thought that I must do it. I never believed that everything would work out somehow. It was not because I thought everything was possible that I undertook every task. ¡°Waaaaah!¡± The scream continued. "I''ll go alone." As I look at the enraged crowd, I take a step forward. "Harriet, neutralize the teleportation interference." "Yeah... I''ll try." "Antirianus, provide long-range support." "Yes, Your Greatness." Charlotte de Gardias. Sarkegaar. Lucinil. Today, I will save you all. This time, and the next. Always. I will save you all. That is the path of the ruler I choose to follow. CH 467 Ellen Artorius was also watching the situation unfold. Worried that people might recognize her, she wore a robe that covered her face and clenched her fists as she observed the events. However, Ellen was unaware of the spatial teleportation barrier that surrounded her. There was only one thought in her mind. Would Reinhardt really appear? If he did, she had no intention of pretending not to know him. She had no right to ask him to take her with him. So she couldn''t. Ellen knew she was shouldering too much to simply abandon the people around her. Knowing that her disappearance alone would already be an enormous sin, she couldn''t choose to move past her guilt toward Reinhardt. She wished she could at least see him from a distance. That would be enough. That would be sufficient. All the while hoping that no one would get hurt in the process. So, amidst the frenzied crowd, she stood still, watching the execution platform. Charlotte bowed her head, simply waiting for her death to approach. Charlotte knew nothing. She knew nothing of what would happen next. If she were the one tied up there, would Reinhardt do the same for her? Though choosing such an option was impossible now that she had become the hope of humanity, she could still fantasize about it. Because she could still think about it. Ellen watched Charlotte from afar. If Reinhardt came, Charlotte would be saved and forgiven. Amidst the deafening screams, the executioners prepared for the execution at a slow pace. In truth, the act of burning them was more of a show. None of the three tied up were beings who should die in the flames of burning wood. They should have been stabbed with a spear, or had their heads chopped off with an axe. However, if Reinhardt appeared, that wouldn''t happen. The three of them would be rescued. As the executioners'' torches touched the three piles of wood, flames began to rise at a terrifying speed. ¡°Aaaaaaah!¡± ¡°Kill them! Kill them!¡± ¡°Kill the demons!¡± ¡°Kill the demons!¡± Amidst the ear-splitting noise, Ellen could see it. Someone making their way through the crowd. Pushing the crowd aside with ease, and walking up to the base of the execution platform. Thud! With a single kick, that person blew away the burning pile of wood as if causing an explosion. And so. Thud! Thud! The other three piles of wood were shattered with a single kick each. Suddenly, the intruder appeared. As that person removed their robe, a young man with the appearance of a horned demon was revealed. Although it was her first time seeing him, Ellen knew it was Reinhardt. "These three are rightfully mine to reclaim..." The Demon King snapped his fingers. "I will take them." Rumble! Instantly, a ferocious firestorm erupted around the three stakes. The executioners and the surrounding guards, pale-faced, were forced back by the sudden flames. "Rein...hardt..." The...the Demon King! It''s the Demon King! The Demon King has appeared! Naturally, the cheers of the people turned into chaos as the unidentified demon made his entrance. Those who had despised the Demon King and the demons now fled in terror as the real Demon King appeared. And then. Screeeeech! With a fierce sound tearing through the air, dozens of fireballs rained down from the sky, striking the wall of fire. "What... is this?" Judging by the direction of the attack, it seemed as if it was not the minions of the Demon King who were responsible, but rather someone targeting the Demon King himself. -Boom! The rain of fireballs began to sweep not only those inside the barrier but also the executioners and countless people beyond it. Ellen stood with her mouth agape, staring at the scene in disbelief. The Demon King had appeared. And someone, as if waiting for this very moment, began to attack him. As if it didn''t matter what happened to the crowd gathered at this place. The panicked people tried to flee from the sudden destruction. People trampled over each other, tangling and falling. In an instant, those trying to escape were crushed underfoot by the others. And then, Ellen saw it. -Crash! -Bang! Breaking through the windows of the surrounding buildings, numerous unidentified individuals clad in black robes rushed towards the scene, not away from it. "What is... what on earth is this?" -Rumble! Ellen watched, horrified, as countless destructive spells rained down, not only beyond the fiery barrier where the Demon King stood, but also mercilessly sweeping away the civilians caught in the crossfire. -Roar! Suddenly, the barrier of fire disappeared, revealing Reinhardt within. Somehow, Reinhardt had managed to rescue all three individuals from the execution platform. Amidst the chaos, Ellen saw Reinhardt observing the fleeing crowd, those caught in the magical crossfire, and the unidentified attackers. ¡°The Order... It was you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We could never have been eternal friends.¡± Ellen didn''t understand what they were talking about. However. Reinhardt handed over the unconscious Charlotte to Sarkegaar. "You and Sarkegaar should escape first. Their target is most likely me. They''ll probably try to kill only me." ¡°Archdemon, but¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness, we cannot¡­¡± ¡°Go, this is an order.¡± Now freed from their bindings, the demon-like figure and the silver-haired girl hesitated. However, they obeyed the weight of the Demon King''s command and began to disengage from the battle. As if they knew they couldn''t avoid the fight. Lightning rained down from the sky, accompanied by falling fireballs. But it wasn''t just magic. Individuals wielding swords and spears charged at the Demon King, wrapped in blue magical energy. Their identities were unknown, but they were clearly no ordinary fighters. "Stop." Although one of the attackers did not stop at Reinhardt''s command, Ellen clearly saw the hesitation in their movement. -Tsk! Alsbringer cut the attacker''s throat, easily shattering the enhanced defense and barrier provided by their Magic Body Strengthening. A ferocious strike that made use of the war god''s relic, which empowered its user the stronger the opponent they faced. In this very moment, the Demon King could maximize the power of Alsbringer. He wasn''t a Master Class. Yet, the overwhelming barrage of magical attacks couldn''t penetrate the fiery magical barrier that flowed around the Demon King, extending for about two meters. The sight of such immense magical output was overwhelming. And his incredible strength. ¡°Gasp! Aaagh!¡± With his right hand, he sliced through both the spear and the spear-wielder at the waist, while with his left fist, he shattered the man who was about to thrust his sword, merely by clashing with the weapon. A Master Class wouldn''t wield their power so brutally. Instead, they would simply unleash their tremendous output as it was. The unrefined destructive power it emitted prevented the Demon King from making a single concentrated attack. Knowing that an unlimited charge would not be enough to pierce the Demon King, the mysterious assailants broke through the fleeing crowd and kept watch over him. The Demon King looked at the countless dead. The densely packed crowd had already suffered the deaths of thousands due to the Black Order''s magic. They were dying not by the Demon King''s hand, but by the hands of those who sought to kill him. "If you can kill me, it doesn''t matter what happens, right?" The Black Order didn''t respond to the Demon King''s murmur. "Yes, there are many things in the world that cannot be helped." "Like my own situation." "Yours too, I suppose." "I understand." "I understand completely." The Demon King walked slowly. "So, let''s kill and be killed by each other, as helpless people do." The Demon King''s eyes bulged with anger. Roar! The Demon King charged. And the Black Order''s operatives blocked his path. ¡ª--- Epinhauser saved me, regardless of his affiliation with the Black Order. So, like Antirianus had warned, I knew that the Order was no longer on my side. But I never thought they would be willing to kill me at the expense of so many civilian casualties in this situation. The Black Order. Though I don''t know much about them, they are a group that will endure evil for the sake of justice. It''s laughable, but in the end, they seem like those similar to me, in that they are willing to do what it takes to achieve their goals. What''s important is not arguing about each other''s morality. We are both helpless. I must save my people. And the Black Order seeks to remove me, the seed of a massive conflict. As our helplessness clashes, someone must die. I cannot be the one to die. So, I must kill. Screech! The opponent''s sword, which had clashed with my Alsbringer, wobbled heavily. Clang! "!" I tried to reach out and choke my opponent¡¯s neck in the gap, but a sudden chain of magical energy wrapped around my left arm. Whether it was another attacker''s magic or not, the chain of magical energy gripped my arm and refused to let go. The attacker who had wobbled heavily from my strike lunged forward to pierce my throat. Squelch! The opponent¡¯s blade, stopped by my Magic Body Strengthening defense, failed to penetrate my neck. "Gasp!" Crash! As I pulled my left arm hard, the magical chain shattered, unable to withstand my strength. Most of the enemies specialized in close combat, could strengthen themselves with Magic Body Strengthening, and even knew how to use spells. Close combat experts, mages, and even magic swordsmen. Of course, it had to be this way, but the Black Order was a group of insane monsters. As soon as I appeared, it was clear they were determined to kill me. There were not only those who simply fought in close combat, but also those who sniped from a distance. The square was still filled with people. Many were trying to escape, but the crowd was so packed that they couldn''t. The number of people dying under the Black Order''s magic was far exceeded by those who were crushed by the panicked crowd. Among them were not only those who could merely strengthen themselves with Magic Body Strengthening but also master-class fighters. I already knew that the Black Order was not a group made up solely of mages, thanks to the case with Master Epinhauser. There were those who watched me from afar, waiting for the most crucial moment. Having lured me into a war of attrition by sending their pawns, they must be waiting for a clear opening to strike or cut me down. Attacking with weapons imbued with aura would be the most certain method. Since they know they can''t penetrate my Magic Body Strengthening barrier with destructive spells, they seemed to be trying a different approach. Whump! Suddenly, vines sprouted from the ground, wrapping around my arms and legs at an incredible speed. And from those vines, countless insects crawled out, covering my body. Black Order. They had many forbidden techniques. Just seeing them in action was revolting. "Burn." I didn''t know what kind of insects these were, but I had no intention of letting them burrow into my body. Roar! The flame of Tuesday burst into light, pouring out ferocious heat. The vines and insects enveloping my body turned into black ashes and disappeared in an instant. I don''t need to kill them all. All I need to do is escape the square. I don''t know what Antirianus is up to, but as long as I confirm that Lucinil, Sarkegaar, and Charlotte safely escape, I can leave my position. Of course, they''re watching me from all directions, and the Order is not using their full power right now. It was clear that they were trying to gauge my strength. They were just watching, waiting for a sure opportunity to kill me. Long-range support was a certainty. Thwack! Thwack! Bats flew all around, tearing apart and killing the magicians who were attacking me from a distance, turning them into bloody messes. I could clearly see it all. That old hag Antirianus. I didn''t know he could use a technique similar to cloning. Fortunately, the magicians attacking from a distance were too distracted by Antirianus. People were fleeing, but they were clearly watching the spectacle. That''s why the Empire can''t help me, and they shouldn''t. I have to get out of here on my own. Still, something is strange. I quietly watch those keeping their distance. There were a few of them who were certainly at the Master Class level, and while it''s not certain, there should also be some on par with Archmages. The magicians who wouldn''t easily fall for Antirianus were waging a guerrilla war. "But why are you only this strong?" But why is the Black Order only this strong? It''s true that they have considerable power, and many things are difficult for me to handle alone. But if their goal is to kill me, it means that the Black Order''s power must be concentrated in this place. While they are certainly not to be taken lightly, Considering what I had imagined to be the Black Order''s elite, they were too shabby. "The Empire and you weren''t the only ones dealing with the Gate incident on your own." Someone who had been watching me from a distance walked towards me. "That''s it." The Black Order only appeared once in the original story, and there was no mention of them afterward. That means they must have been dealing with the Gate incident and monsters in the background of the story. Two years after the Gate incident. The Black Order must have fought and fought to deal with the Gate incident themselves. In doing so, they naturally weakened. Losing their warriors one after another. It''s true that they have considerable power, but to gather this much to eliminate me, the most crucial seed of conflict, is not enough. The Black Order was waiting for me at a location where they could predict I would have no choice but to come. The person walking towards me removed his hood and revealed his face. Naturally, it was a middle-aged man I had never seen before. I couldn''t tell his actual age just by looking at him. Although he was middle-aged, his white, grizzled hair made it difficult to guess his age. As he approached me, the other members of the Black Order who had been confronting me began to slowly retreat. This suggested the approaching man''s rank to some extent. "Are you the leader of the Order?" He shook his head while looking at me intently. "Well... I wouldn''t quite call myself the leader. The Order is traditionally governed by a council of the highest-ranking members." I couldn''t read anything from his eyes. "However, now that all the top-ranking members have died, except for me... I suppose the term ''leader'' isn''t entirely inaccurate." He spoke, holding his sword at the ready. "Archdemon, how about you die here for the sake of humanity?" "¡­You want me to die?" The middle-aged man nodded in response to my question. "I know that you love humanity, no, all beings, deeply and profoundly." "That''s why Epinhauser, who had been watching you the longest, died for your sake." "Because he knew you." "Because he knew your love, he had no choice but to do so." "You know that with your death, humanity can achieve a great deal." "Overcome mutual distrust." "Overflowing despair." "The current situation where humanity is seeking a scapegoat to overcome its despair." "While I can''t say that everything will be overcome, this phenomenon of humans seeking human scapegoats other than the Demon King due to insatiable desires for revenge will cease." "But if you die, humanity will gain hope." "Of course, we know that hope doesn''t hold much value." "We are not ignorant of the fact that nothing can be accomplished through futile hope." "However, we can''t live without hope either." "You are a symbol of hatred and despair." "Look." The man pointed at the terrified crowd, trampling and killing each other. "Sadly, your existence is causing despair and fear." "¡­" "No matter what you think of humans, they only see fear and despair in you." "¡­" "When you reveal yourself, you cause panic in humans due to fear and despair; when you don''t, vengeful and hateful humans fall into panic." The fact that very few people understood my intentions. I couldn''t deny it. I am merely a symbol of hatred, despair, and pain. My existence is nothing more than a symbol of fear for humanity, an enemy that must be eliminated. Visible to people. Or invisible. The driving force behind emotions may differ, but I only drive people mad. "You love humans, but you don''t trust them." "You probably don''t think that the deep misunderstanding, which seems impossible to resolve, can be resolved in a beautiful way. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have entered the temple while hiding your appearance." "Like how our forces have dwindled as a result of us trying to handle the situation in our own way, you must have tried to handle this situation in your own way as well. Moreover, you must have come here to save those who couldn''t trust you." "The situation hasn''t been completely resolved, but what happens after it is resolved is my concern." "Sooner or later, there will be a war." In a situation where these wounds have not yet healed, the humans insisted that they must vanquish the Demon King, the root cause of this calamity. "Even if you don''t want it, even if the Empire doesn''t want it, even if the Emperor doesn''t want it." "War is inevitable, I can feel it." "People would rather hope for the death of the Demon King than to kill the monsters roaming the continent." "Today, you tried to save Charlotte de Gardias." "I believe that to be a great love and understanding." "Oh, Demon King." "So, can you not die now?" "Before more blood is shed." "Before more despair and sadness consume the world." "With your death, save humanity." "Please." Regardless of what stood in my way, it was clear that he admired my existence. Regardless of my intentions, my very existence is already a disaster. Thus, he said that if it were for the sake of humanity, I should die here and now. I knew that a war might break out after the Gate incident was resolved. The Gate incident is the ending of the original story. But after that, a war will break out. A war because of me. Here and now, if I die in front of the countless humans watching, there will be no war. People will cheer at the news of the Demon King''s death. Starting with the Five Great Faiths, the witch hunt for scapegoats related to the Demon King and his forces will no longer continue. It doesn''t matter what I want. In life, I bring only despair, fear, and hatred. In death, I can save many. So, he said to die here, before more sacrifices are made. He asked me to die, showing respect. "What''s your name?" At my question, the middle-aged man lowered his head. "I cannot tell you. A vile being like me has no right to say my name to a great existence like you." I could feel that he respected me immensely, despite our age difference. Regardless, he stood in my way because I had to die. "However, we are the Black Order." "If we must commit evil to do good, then we are the ones to do it." "We won''t justify it. We have no interest in that." "With our evil act of killing you, we only seek to perform the good of saving humanity." A sophistry, perhaps. But I didn''t particularly want to argue. Everyone has their own justice they believe in. That justice is their own sophistry. The man in front of me simply stood before me because he lived for it. "If my death means fewer people die, that''s certainly true." Yes, that could be justice. That could be good. I may have to die. There may be more I can achieve in death than in life. From the start, if I had died and disappeared, none of this would have happened. As long as the world''s malice is directed at me, the more I struggle to do something, the more it may turn into a greater tragedy and disaster that stands in my way. But still. "I want to say this, though." I put more strength into the hand gripping my Alsbringer. "I want to live." I want to live. Somehow, by gritting my teeth and living. Not a life that is fulfilled in death. Not succumbing to resignation and despair. "I will save them, alive." Definitely. Alive. Not in death. "Whatever it is that I need to save." I will prove that I can achieve something through life. "Alive." I don''t want to feel relief in death. "Alive, I want to see with my own eyes what I have saved and what remains." Even if the path I must take in life is a thorny road of despair, I want to live. "I will see it with my own eyes." I want to find happiness while living. Alive. Though I might not be able to recover all that has been broken. I want to mend the relationships I can, somehow. I want to be happy. I know it''s foolish and miserable to dream of such a thing at this moment when the world has fallen into ruin and so much has been destroyed. But I still want to be happy, I genuinely think so. Dreaming of that can''t be wrong, can it? No, could it be wrong? It might be wrong for a being like me to wish for such a thing. Yet still. I wish for it. Upon hearing my words, the middle-aged man looked at me and nodded. "Yes. So it is." He aimed his sword at me, and the blade was engulfed in blue magical flames. An unknown black energy swirled around his empty left hand. "I will remember you." As if he would remember how great a being I was for the rest of his life. "If I die, will you remember me too?" The leader of the Black Order left those words behind as he pointed his drawn sword at me. "That much, I can do." To the first enemy who tries to kill me not with hatred but with respect. That much I can do, can''t I? At my words, the nameless middle-aged man smiled. "Neither the strongest nor the most wicked nor the most ominous." "The best Demon King." "I pay my respects to you." There was no more conversation after that. CH 468 Common Sense There is such a thing as common sense. It is what is universally accepted among people. However, common sense is not the truth. Sometimes, common sense can be wrong, and there can be exceptions. One such common sense: It is impossible for someone with Magic Body Strengthening to stand against a Master Class. Ellen struggled to keep herself from being trampled by the crowd while witnessing her own common sense shatter before her eyes in real-time. An unidentified middle-aged man was swinging a menacing Aura Sword, yet Reinhardt managed to fend it off with only his Alsbringer. -Clang! Moreover, he was dominating. As the swords clashed, shockwaves tore through the ground, and Reinhardt was not only blocking the Aura Sword but also repelling and overpowering it. The Aura Sword is not simply a sharp blade. Depending on how the magic within it is wielded, it can reach the pinnacle of sharpness or deliver tremendous impact using magical shockwaves. A Master Class, therefore, is akin to wielding a massive blunt weapon. And such a thing typically not only pulverizes the weapon it comes into contact with, but also shatters the arm and wrist that attempts to block it. It has to be that way. Even if one''s physical abilities are drastically enhanced through Magic Body Strengthening, a Master Class''s use of magic is far more intricate and efficient. Thus, Reinhardt should not be able to stand against a Master Class. However, Ellen saw that Reinhardt was not on the defensive; rather, he was pushing his opponent back. -Groan! Grumble! The winds from the shockwaves generated by the clashing swords even reached Ellen''s face, who was a considerable distance away from the scene. A Master Class was being pushed back by someone who could only do Magic Body Strengthening. There could be only one reason for this impossible event. Reinhardt was simply too strong. Though he should not have been able to withstand the force, he was overpowering his opponent with sheer strength. Reinhardt''s immense Magic Body Strengthening, which appeared to be engulfed in blue flames, demonstrated that his magical power was immeasurable. His magic was not delicate, so its efficiency suffered. However, its output was overwhelming. Lacking the finesse of a Master, Reinhardt''s overwhelming power, agility, and sheer magical quantity relentlessly pushed his opponent back. What should she do if Reinhardt was in danger? Would she have to go help him, disregarding misunderstandings and the criticism of others? Though she had been pondering this, there was no need for such thoughts. Reinhardt was simply too powerful. Moreover, Reinhardt''s opponent was not just any Master Class. -Rumble! As the mysterious man stretched out his left hand, pitch-black flames erupted from beneath his feet, engulfing Reinhardt. The enemy Reinhardt was facing was a monster who had reached the level of an Archmage while also being a Master Class. From within the dark flames that could melt the earth, Reinhardt emerged unscathed and continued his fierce assault. Amidst the lightning and black flames from the man''s hands, and the extreme cold that could freeze the very air, Reinhardt relentlessly pressed his attack as if such things had no effect on him. Ellen guessed that just as Reinhardt''s physical abilities were overwhelming, his magical resistance had already surpassed the level of an ordinary person. The crowds, being pushed back and fleeing, were astonished by the sight. No one knew who the person trying to kill the Demon King was, but everyone could see from afar that he was incredibly skilled. However, the Demon King was stronger. Not only that man, but the other assailants continued to attack the Demon King relentlessly. Despite their use of all sorts of enchantments, magic, and curses, they were unable to inflict any harm upon the Demon King''s body. The amassed enchantments proved futile against the Demon King. -Groar! Grrrrrr! With a mere glance, the Demon King obliterated them. The Demon King, shrouded in blue magical energy, manipulated flames. He even created massive explosions by igniting the infinitely condensed flames. The crowd could only watch in terror as the Demon King, single-handedly slaughtered groups comprised of Swordmasters, Archmages, and Magic Swordsman. The Demon King was simply too powerful. ¡°We''re... all going to die...¡± Numerous individuals trembled and collapsed, unable to move. Who could possibly challenge such a Demon King? Who could harm the absolute being immune to magic and Aura Blades? The Demon King''s existence was even more terrifying to those who hadn''t reached the Master Class. Even now, they wondered. What kind of calamity would the Demon King become once he reached the Master Class? The fear of those witnessing the Demon King, who hadn''t fully matured, only grew. Of course, not all attacks were ineffective against the Demon King. When those who had reached the Master Class began their joint attack, there were cases where they pierced through the Demon King''s flaming magical defenses and inflicted damage. No matter how strong the Demon King was, he couldn''t easily withstand the combined assault of the Master Class. Countless offensive spells rained down upon the Demon King, and Reinhardt was soon cornered. -Whoosh! ¡°!¡± Ellen''s eyes widened as she saw a spear imbued with Aura pierce through Reinhardt''s heart. A critical opening. They succeeded in inflicting a fatal wound without missing their chance. ¡°A-ah, no, no... no, it can''t be.¡± Though Ellen began to tremble and sob, the retreating crowds stared in disbelief. The Demon King had died. An unnatural silence descended upon the chaotic square. However. The Demon King grabbed the spear that pierced through his chest with his left hand. -Whoosh! With his heart impaled, he pulled out the spear using his full strength. Then, the Demon King raised his hand. -Whoooom! In the other hand of the Demon King, who had only been wielding Alzbringer, another sword with a milky-white blade was summoned. The Divine Sword of Purity, a sacred relic of Tu¡¯an. Tiamata. -Whooosh! A holy white light flickered around Tiamata, and the wound in the Demon King''s chest began to regenerate. ¡°Ah... ahh... ahhh¡­¡± Those who had anticipated the Demon King''s death could only tremble in terror at the sight. ¡°He won''t... die¡­¡± Piercing through the tremendous barrier of magical energy was physically difficult, and magic had little effect. Even if they managed to break through, the Demon King, who wielded the divine power of Tu¡¯an, would instantly heal his wounds. ¡°The Immortal... The Demon King is immortal¡­¡± An invulnerable barrier. Overwhelming physical strength against the Master Class. The relentless release of an imposing amount of magical energy with no end in sight. And then, regeneration. ¡°This... this is impossible¡­¡± With immeasurable power, the ability to borrow divine power from relics to regenerate at will, and the Sword of the War God that grew stronger with more and stronger enemies, who could possibly defeat such a Demon King? Who, and how? Who could slay such an absolute being? Who could confront the seemingly immortal existence? It wasn''t just the crowd that was taken aback by the sight of a man pulling a spear from his pierced heart with his bare hands. Reinhardt charged at the stunned middle-aged man without giving him a chance to react. Swish! Then, in one swift motion, he grabbed the man''s white hair and slammed his head to the ground. Thud! With a fierce crashing sound, Reinhardt struck the man''s head, which was now embedded in the ground, with his Alsbringer. Screech! The Aura Armor did not shatter under the Demon King''s blow. Clank! However, if it didn''t break in one hit, he would strike again. Crack! Three times. Bang! Four times. Bang! Five times. Crash! Six times. Swish! And on the seventh strike, the sound of something shattering echoed chillingly throughout the square. Reinhardt had crushed a Master Class warrior clad in Aura Armor through sheer strength. It was more fitting to say he had smashed him to death rather than impaling him. Their leader was killed without even a chance to respond. Quite literally, he was crushed to death. An Archmage and a Master Class warrior. The leader of the Black Order. He was mercilessly and pathetically killed by the Demon King. The Demon King, still exuding the same overwhelming power as before, stared at the remaining Master Class attackers. Those who had stood against the Demon King until now began to slowly retreat. It seemed as if they believed that if they couldn''t kill the Demon King like this, any further attempts would be futile. People began to despair as they watched the attackers flee. They couldn''t identify who they were. A group of highly skilled individuals had ambushed the Demon King. Yet, they had failed. That simple truth alone was etched into the minds of the people. This had happened right in the middle of the Imperial Capital. Who on earth could stand against the seemingly immortal Demon King? ¡°Runnnnnnn!¡± Those who had been hesitating, hoping that the Demon King might be killed, began to panic and run again at the sight of the attackers fleeing. "Make way! Move! Move!" Many people who ran past Ellen hit her shoulder, pushing her aside as they screamed for their lives. Thwack! So it was that Ellen, who had been staring blankly at Reinhardt, was jostled by the fleeing crowd and eventually fell to her knees. The deep hood she had been wearing was knocked off in the process. "Ah¡­" "Uh¡­" The fleeing people saw her. They looked at Ellen''s face and stopped in their tracks, as if they were frozen. There were hardly any people in the Imperial Capital who didn''t know Ellen''s face. Even if they hadn''t seen her in person, her face was well-known due to portraits and other promotional materials. "The Hero¡­?" People stopped and stared at the dumbfounded Ellen, who was now sitting on the ground. Ellen was suddenly engulfed by a foreboding sense of doom. "It''s the Hero!" Someone shouted. ¡°The Hero?¡± ¡°Is Ellen really here?¡± ¡°The Hero?¡± ¡°The Hero is¡­¡± Ellen felt the blood in her body turn ice cold. Her fingertips trembled, and her lips quivered. ¡°The Hero has come to save us!¡± Cheers began to spread. Through the gaps between people, and in the midst of the clamor. Ellen saw Reinhardt, who stood far away, looking at her. "Hero! Please, please! Please defeat the Demon King!" One of the fleeing people cried out to Ellen in desperation. The expressions of others were no different. A hero should be different, or so Ellen wished to believe. "I, I am... I, I am... I am..." I am. What am I? How? Why? Her mind shattered, Ellen could come to no thoughts or conclusions. People helped her up as she lay on the ground. Those fleeing implored Ellen, facing her back, to defeat the Demon King. Some wept, cowering and trembling in prayer. Please, defeat the Demon King. Ellen was pushed into the square by the crowd. Reinhardt silently watched Ellen Artorius emerge from the people. Not knowing what to do themselves, but begging her to do something. They pushed Ellen toward the Demon King who had committed a massacre, and then fled. But there were those who tried to watch the scene from afar. The Demon King and the hero. They were far apart. Reinhardt stared silently at Ellen. Ellen trembled, her face drained of color. Why? Why in this way? Why must they reunite in such a situation? Reinhardt''s face was expressionless. Why? With that look. With a look devoid of any emotion. Why are you looking at me like that? "I, I am... Re, Reinhardt... I am..." I don''t want to fight. I don''t want to fight with you. Killing. Dying. I don''t want any of it. Ellen swallowed those words, her lips trembling. Reinhardt approached the trembling Ellen. Toward Ellen, who had not summoned Lapelt or Lament. "...Hey." Leaping forward, Reinhardt whispered to Ellen. "Get a grip..." "...!" "Will you?" - Thump! "Ugh...!" Reinhardt''s fist plunged into Ellen''s abdomen. - Crash! With a single blow to her stomach, Ellen flew back and crashed into a building wall in the square. Ignoring the crowd''s horror, Reinhardt slowly walked toward Ellen Artorius, embedded in the building wall. "Hu... ugh... ugh... ah..." She had been hit unprepared. "Cough! Gasp! Choke! Hack!" Barely activating her Aura Armor just before the hit, she didn''t die, but Ellen coughed up bright red blood. "Ah... ugh..." He didn''t mean to kill her. But his fist was far from gentle. Ellen looked up at the approaching Reinhardt with a frightened expression. More than the agony of her insides being torn apart. More than the pain of coughing up blood. Reinhardt''s emotionless expression was now Ellen''s greatest fear and terror. That gaze, as if looking at an enemy, instilled immense dread in Ellen. "Ugh... ugh... hu-ugh..." "What will happen if people find out the hero is afraid to fight the Demon King?" Reinhardt spoke calmly, his expression emotionless as he approached. "You can do what I could never do." Becoming a symbol of hope. That was impossible for the Demon King. Only a hero. Only a hero can be a symbol of hope. That''s why a hero trembling in fear before the Demon King would bring only despair to everyone. People in despair would envision a future where humanity is destroyed by the Demon King, and the world without hope would crumble. So she must fight. She must not refrain from fighting. Even if it''s a false hope, it must exist. Only by believing in that false hope can people somehow cling to reality. As long as there is a hero, it is alright for the Demon King to exist. Someday, the hero will defeat the Demon King. Only by believing so can this crumbling world be sustained. "So, pull yourself together." The Demon King gazes down at the hero, who is exhausted from fear and terror. "Get up. If you don''t want to die." The Demon King. Valier raises his foot towards Ellen. -Thump! With magical power imbued in his foot, Valier stomps down where Ellen''s head was, and the building begins to crumble. Frantically rolling to the side to avoid the blow, Ellen looks at Reinhardt. Fear, despair, and exhaustion from terror fill Ellen''s eyes. Why? Why you? "I am... Rein... Reinhardt, I am..." "Shut up." Valier looks at Ellen with cold eyes. "Don''t call me like that." This is not the time for a touching reunion. Too many people are watching. Even though they know that''s why they are acting this way. Ellen, still drained from fear and terror, gazes at Reinhardt, who looks back at her with eyes filled with enmity. Ellen realizes. I can''t. Charlotte can be taken away. But never her, the fact that she is humanity''s hope. Knowing that people project their hope onto her, she must never be taken for the sake of their hope. That harsh reality and truth. Ellen could only see it in Reinhardt''s eyes. She felt like tears would fall at any moment. But she couldn''t cry. A hero facing the Demon King must not cry in front of him. Never, they must not. The solemn-faced Demon King approaches. "You, do what you have to do." "..." "I will do what I have to do." She wanted to collapse. She wanted to fall and cry. Rather, she wanted to die. But people were watching the confrontation and turning their heads away as they left. Staggering, Ellen stands up. And though her expression remains filled with terror, Despite the unbearable reality before her eyes, Just as Reinhardt bears a burden, Ellen too must shoulder one. They cannot escape the roles of hero and Demon King. Thus, the Demon King can take the hated princess, but never the hero. Now, they can never be together, no matter what moment comes. The Sword of the Moon God is held in Ellen''s hand. The Cloak of the Sun God drapes over Ellen''s shoulders. With trembling eyes, the hero stares at the Demon King. Reinhardt. No. Demon King Valier approaches the hero, Ellen Artorius. CH 469 Chapter 469 Ellen''s sword trembled as she faced the Demon King. Her eyes, her body, and her legs were all quivering. Clang! Crunch! Unable to launch a proper attack, Ellen could only stagger back from the Demon King''s fierce assault. The Demon King showed no mercy. His foot, wrapped in a violent whirl of magical power, broke through Lapelt''s counterforce and roughly struck the aura armor enveloping Ellen. Gasp! "Ah...ugh!" Ellen was sent flying and rolled across the ground, having been struck in the abdomen by the heavily weighted kick. Pain. It wasn''t that severe in itself. However, it felt as if her heart was breaking. She knew that this fight was nothing more than a performance. Reinhardt wouldn''t kill her, and she didn''t want to hurt him either. This play was necessary to show people that the hero could stand up to the Demon King. If they hadn''t met, she might not have known, but now that they had... The Demon King was frightening, but people had to believe that the hero could face him. That way, even if people despaired and cursed the world, they would cling to the hope and expectation that the Demon King would someday die. Those who hated the Demon King would try to survive, hoping to someday hear the story of his death at the hands of the hero. So, even if she didn''t want to fight, she had to fight somehow. The Demon King leaped towards Ellen, who had been thrown and rolled on the ground. And then. Thud! Stamping down with his magic-infused giant leg, he crushed the ground where Ellen had just been moments ago. Ellen had already rolled away from that spot. She somehow managed to point her sword at the Demon King, but the tip of her blade trembled severely. The situation spoke volumes. Reinhardt''s expression said it all. Now. There would never be a return to the past. Holding hands as they walked. Embracing each other. Whispering to each other how precious they were and exchanging such words. It was impossible. Humanity''s hope. Humanity''s enemy. Their relationship was divided into such a cruel dichotomy. That''s why, regardless of his true feelings, Reinhardt attacked Ellen. To be precise, he fought to pretend to be defeated. If the Demon King retreated from this place, people would have hope. But Ellen couldn''t wield her lament. The Moon God''s Sword, which reacted to sadness. Ellen knew best the power of the Void Sword Lament. The Void Sword was an absolute blade that could cut through anything. It could easily slice through the aura-covered Swordmaster''s sword, as well as the toughest monster hide. She didn''t know if the Void Sword could cut through sacred artifacts. However, if she swung it recklessly, she might not only cut the sacred artifact but also Reinhardt. That''s why Ellen couldn''t carelessly swing her sword. Because she didn''t know if Reinhardt would be hurt. Or worse, if he would die. The Demon King gazed at the trembling hero, who couldn''t do anything but slowly retreat. "You''re scared, aren''t you?" The Demon King slowly approached the hero. "Scared that I might die, right?" "..." "You..." Ellen almost bit her tongue at the Demon King''s straightforward words, which accurately read her thoughts. "Me." Instead of his Alsbringer, the Demon King aimed his left hand, the Tiamata, at Ellen. "Still..." Ooooh! A white halo began to ripple like waves in the Tiamata held by the Demon King. Something was coming. Ellen didn''t know what it was, but she activated the aura throughout her body. The distance was far, but the surging divine power in Tiamata gave her a very ominous feeling. "Does this remind you of that pathetic time?" Gritting his teeth, the Demon King''s mind was filled with rage. From a distance beyond the reach of a sword, the Demon King directed Tiamata at Ellen. -Flash! A storm of light. Along with the thought that a storm of blinding light seemed to consume everything before her eyes, Ellen felt as if the intense destructive force would tear her body apart. ¡ª--- -Growling The release of divine power that had transformed into energy solely focused on strength, devoid of any intention. The force of that power had clawed the grand plaza, and Ellen barely stood up from the gap between the collapsed buildings. "Huff... huff..." Thanks to the protection of Lapelt and the aura armor, she hadn''t suffered severe injuries. However, without that protection, Ellen would have died from the previous attack. The Demon King was watching Ellen rise from the wreckage of the building, about a hundred meters away. Ellen could clearly feel the Demon King''s anger. Did he feel ignored and therefore become angry? No, that wasn''t it. It''s simply because you''re precious to me. I don''t want to point my sword at you. Ellen wanted to scream that. But, could that be true? Maybe I¡¯m just afraid of hurting you. What''s the difference between saying she can''t give her all because he might die, and ignoring Reinhardt? The reason she didn''t have the confidence to properly play out this drama was the fear that Reinhardt wouldn''t be able to withstand her attack. That''s why Reinhardt was angry. Didn''t she know that he was no longer the same novice from back then? Did she think he was still that kind of person because he had always been on the receiving end? Ellen clenched her teeth. Reinhardt was no longer the Reinhardt of the past. Although he hadn''t opened the door to the Master Class, he had become a monster capable of confronting a Master Class without doing so. Since she had always been ahead of Reinhardt, she thought it was only natural that she still was. She couldn''t deny that she felt that way about herself. Ellen admitted her arrogance. Reinhardt had become strong. Perhaps, even stronger than her. Ellen gripped Lament with both hands. Now, she had to perform the drama. She had to show the people the drama of defeating the Demon King after a fierce struggle. A narrow margin. A dangerous drama where a single mistake could kill them both. But upon reflection, was it really that difficult? Was there any reason to be so tense, fearful, and trembling with terror? Her heart still ached and was full of pain, but Ellen had to admit it. It wasn''t difficult. If she thought about it. They had crossed swords countless times. Every day, until they went to bed. At first, Reinhardt, who could only crawl, wasn''t even worth facing. But then she began teaching him swordsmanship. At some point, he became skilled enough for her to hold back slightly. Every day. Every day, they clashed their swords. At some point, Reinhardt''s skill improved to the point where she couldn''t afford not to take him seriously. So Ellen, too, struggled until her breath caught in her throat. Every day. Every moment. They had stubbornly faced each other. That''s why they knew each other''s swordsmanship better than anyone else in this world. That''s why it should be easy. It had to be done with ease. Ellen pointed the Void Sword she held tightly in both hands at the Demon King. The trembling, it finally disappeared. Fortunately or unfortunately, the Void Sword could not cut through sacred artifacts. A blade that could cut through anything was unable to sever sacred artifacts. However, it had the same effect of neutralizing any other defenses. The Demon King could block the Void Sword Lament, but only with a sacred artifact. He couldn''t block attacks aimed at his body. No matter how strong his Magic Body Strengthening, or even if he could use Aura Armor. In front of the Void Sword, it was all as good as nothing. Clang! Clash! The people watched in fear as the hero, who had been unable to act out of dread, relentlessly pursued the Demon King once she started attacking properly. It was unclear why she had been so frightened, but now was what mattered. Certainly, the Demon King, who had withstood the combined attacks of other Master Classes, was now only able to defend against the hero''s attacks. However, no one knew that Ellen intentionally did not inflict a fatal blow on the Demon King, and the Demon King also feigned a desperate retreat. Reinhardt''s swordsmanship was originally Ellen''s, and Ellen''s swordsmanship was originally that of the hero, Ragan Artorius. Therefore, Ellen had no choice but to know everything about Reinhardt''s swordsmanship, and due to the difference in talent and aptitude, Reinhardt''s swordsmanship could only be an inferior version of Ellen''s. The Demon King fought by exchanging sacred artifacts. He would use Alsbringer, then unsummon it, and if necessary, summon Tiamata to fight. At times, he would summon artifacts in both hands and swing them like dual swords, but to Ellen, this seemed like an act of faith in his outstanding physical abilities, without any tricks. Reinhardt''s swordsmanship was essentially a style of fighting with a single sword, that is, it did not deviate from Ellen''s swordsmanship. There was no one to teach him the unique dual swordsmanship, and even if he had two sacred artifacts, he could not abandon the well-established foundation he had already built for using dual swords. So, Ellen could still read the Demon King''s sword. Of course. ''It''s possible he''s fighting so that I can read him.'' This was nothing more than a performance for show. That''s why he might have deliberately attacked in a way that was easy for Ellen to read and parry. The two had been bitterly crossing swords with each other for a very long time. Thus, it was only natural that Reinhardt could read Ellen''s sword just as Ellen could read Reinhardt''s. Of course, it wasn''t just swords clashing in this performance. -Screech! "Ugh¡­ Huk!" Whenever an opening appeared, the Demon King would genuinely strike Ellen''s head with the flat of his sword or aim for her vital points, sometimes succeeding in his attacks. -Splash! Crash! Ellen deflected Reinhardt''s sword with her Lament and then landed physical blows on the Demon King with her left fist or a kick. It was a fierce battle that no one could think of as a performance. The scale of the fight was different from the old days in the temple when they didn''t even know how to use Magic Body Strengthening. Fountains were shattered, the ground crumbled, and a few buildings collapsed as they were sent flying in the brutal and desperate battle. No one could intervene in the battle between the hero and the Demon King. Not knowing if they would only hinder, the crowd, as well as the knights and mages of the empire, had no choice but to hold their breath and watch the spectacle unfold. Though it was a play, to those unaware of the truth, it appeared as if the Demon King and the hero were fighting for their lives. And in reality, they were indeed risking their lives. It was clear that if one made a mistake, the other would die. Both the Demon King and the hero. Wounded and battered, they aimed their swords at each other. The grand square, meant for the execution of the princess, had become almost indistinguishable from ruins due to the battle between the Demon King and the hero. How much longer? How long would they have to display this mutual harm to the people? Biting her lips hard enough to taste blood, Ellen thought as she charged at the Demon King. She aimed Lament at Reinhardt''s heart. Showing him the sword, she knew that as she swiped Lament with Alsbringer, Reinhardt would attack with his left fist, a kick, or twisting his body and striking with his elbow. If she managed to push him back, she would use Aura Armor to block the attack and prepare a counterstrike. It was an attack made possible because they could read each other. So, trusting that he would deflect her thrusting sword as expected, she lunged. But instead of deflecting Alsbringer, Reinhardt surprisingly stabbed toward Ellen. -Whoosh! -Clang! "!!!!" Ellen''s eyes widened as she saw her sword, as if lying, pierce through Reinhardt''s chest. Naturally, Alsbringer, aiming at Ellen''s chest protected by Aura Armor, could only be deflected. He had allowed the attack on purpose. Ellen''s complexion turned pale, not having expected him to allow this attack. "Gh...uh..." The Demon King retreated a few steps. Slowly backing away from the stunned Ellen, who had let go of her sword in shock, the Demon King pulled Lament from his heart. -Clatter! Lament fell to the ground without grace, and Reinhardt continued to back away slowly. "I, I... I..." Reinhardt glared at Ellen, who was trying to say something. As if to tell her not to say a word. As if to say, hadn''t she seen that he could heal himself with Tiamata? The Demon King, who spoke only with his eyes, held his impaled chest and retreated. The Demon King raised one hand to the sky. As if it were a signal, A crack appeared in the air, revealing someone''s presence. Seeing the sudden appearance of this person, Ellen couldn''t help but widen her eyes. Harriet de Saint Owan. Having torn through space, Harriet appeared and supported the staggering Reinhardt. Harriet and Ellen''s gazes met for a moment. Harriet and Ellen both had much to say to each other, but knowing they shouldn''t, said nothing. Ellen could only blankly watch Harriet escape with the wounded Demon King through instant spatial teleportation. Silence crept into the grand square. Most had fled from the scene where the hero and the Demon King had fought just moments ago. However, there were undoubtedly those who had watched the spectacle unfold. At first, the hero seemed to be consumed by fear, but as she made up her mind to confront the Demon King, she continued to press on, eventually landing a fatal blow. The Demon King chose to flee rather than continue fighting and healing his wounds. He must have felt threatened to have fled. Soon, it became clear that the Demon King was not immortal. ¡°The... The Demon King¡­¡± "The Demon King has fled..." "The hero has... driven the Demon King away..." Everyone knew that the Demon King had not been killed. They were aware that he would recover through the power of healing. However, the fact remained that the Demon King, along with his minions, had fled after deeming himself no match for the hero. "The Demon King has escaped!" "The hero has driven the Demon King away!" Boldly, a few people who had been watching the fierce battle from a distance in the square began to shout. It had turned out just as Reinhardt had wanted. The Demon King, who had been showcasing an almost immortal aspect in the middle of the square, had been defeated by Ellen Artorius''s hand, and it had been done so. The hero had shown everyone that she could indeed stand up to the Demon King, just as they had hoped. However, Ellen herself was filled with fear due to the sensation of her sword thrusting into Reinhardt''s heart. Many civilians had lost their lives, the princess had not been executed, and the terrifying event of the Demon King''s appearance had occurred. But even so, the Demon King had been driven away by the hero. She hadn''t killed him, but she might have been able to. Ellen was trembling with fear. "The hero has vanquished the Demon King!" The people praised the hero. The deeper the despair, the greater the hope. But the more people projected hope onto her, the more Ellen felt engulfed by her own growing despair. CH 470 Chapter 470 At the entrance of the Crineto Forest in the southern region of the Imperial Capital. All of us, including myself, had gathered at the prearranged rendezvous point. -Groan "Are you alright?" "I''m not exactly fine, but... I can endure this much..." As Harriet wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, she asked cautiously. "Still, having your heart pierced twice in a single day. There''s nothing good about having such experiences." It hurt like hell. Being impaled by a spear was an unexpected event, but the second time my heart was pierced by Lament, it was intentional. I knew it would happen. I swear. Knowing it was coming made it even more frightening and painful. Of course, I''ve been healed by Tiamata''s divine power now, but the memory of the pain does not easily fade. Above all else, I couldn''t forget Ellen''s shocked expression after she had stabbed me. It was bound to become a trauma. Not only for stabbing me but also for the hellish feelings today''s experience would bring to Ellen. I couldn''t help but be uneasy knowing this. I had considered the possibility that Ellen might be at the scene, but I hadn''t anticipated that the crowd would force her to fight against her will. Harriet deactivated the spatial teleportation barrier and extracted me at the right timing according to the signal. The leader of the Black Order was dead, and the remnants had retreated. I couldn''t be sure what they would try to do to me next. The Knights periodically cleared the monsters from the gates near the Imperial Capital, so there were no monsters nearby. Of course, that wasn''t foolproof, and there were instances when monsters appeared in the refugee camp on the Imperial Capital. At the moment, there were no monsters visible within the vicinity of the forest. Despite many unexpected events, I ultimately achieved my desired goal. I succeeded in rescuing Sarkegaar, Lucinil, and Charlotte. Although I had to treat Ellen harshly unintentionally. It couldn''t be helped. That''s what I think. At first, Charlotte was unconscious. But now, she was awake. Charlotte, unaware of what had happened to her, was in a state of shock. Charlotte, with her black hair and red eyes. Would she be unable to return to her original form in this state? "Your Highness..." Sarkegaar, with a trembling voice, spoke to me. "I''m sorry. I found you too late. I had too many things to do... No, never mind. I''m sorry. I was too late." "No, Your Highness. Just seeing you safe like this... The gods... The gods..." I quietly embraced Sarkegaar as he sobbed miserably. He appeared somewhat terrifying in his true Dreadfiend form, but what did it matter? I was grateful that Sarkegaar was safe. After the embrace, I also quietly hugged Lucinil. "I''m sorry, my Lord. I was late..." Lucinil laughed faintly and hugged me back. "No, not really? Thanks to your warning, both this gentleman and I fared quite well. We were treated like distinguished guests. We even heard about what might happen at the execution ceremony today." As Lucinil hugged my neck, she patted my back. Finally, I stood before Charlotte, who was still in shock. "Um..." What should I say to start? Just as Charlotte was in shock, I couldn''t find the right words to begin either. "I did this because I thought it was necessary, but..." "..." In front of Charlotte, who had no idea what was happening, I finally sighed. "From now on, you must go with me¡­ um¡­ first of all, I''m sorry for everything so far." As I apologized, Charlotte trembled her lips. "I don''t know if you still hate me¡­ but I couldn''t leave you alone." I didn''t know what Charlotte was thinking. However, I had clearly lied a lot and deceived Charlotte. Even now, Sarkegaar, the enemy of Charlotte''s mother, stands beside us. She may not be able to forgive me. I didn''t know what Charlotte had done wrong to me, but she smiled at me weakly. Thud Charlotte suddenly collapsed, falling to her knees. And then, she bowed her head. With her head almost touching the ground, she knelt before me, her head lowered. "Ugh¡­ uh¡­ ugh¡­ ugh¡­ ugh! Sob!" Charlotte cried out, as if screaming. "No, no, why are you crying¡­ like that¡­" Was she sorry to me? Just like I felt sorry for everyone. Had Charlotte felt guilty towards me all this time? Me, Ellen, Charlotte. Why did we all end up feeling guilty toward each other? Why did we all get stuck with the idea that everything was our fault? "Sob! Hic! Ugh! Oof¡­ oof¡­ oof¡­" Guilt and remorse. Charlotte made an animal-like sobbing sound, like a retching noise. "Uh, uh¡­ uh¡­ sorry¡­ ah, sorry¡­ sorry¡­ sorry¡­ I, I¡­ did wrong¡­" I knelt down in front of Charlotte, who was crying and bowing her head. "I made a lot of mistakes too." "No, no! No! I¡­ I didn''t trust you! It''s all my fault¡­ all, everything, everything is my fault¡­ because of me¡­" I could only pat Charlotte''s back as she cried like a small animal for a long time. ¡ª--- Lucinil, Sarkegaar, and Charlotte. I managed to bring them all back to the Edina Archipelago. Thanks to my warning, Lucinil and Sarkegaar were neither treated harshly nor tortured. Not that nothing happened. The Black Order attacked me, I killed their leader, and I even had to fight Ellen who was there. Many civilians were hurt. However, in the end, I managed to safely bring the three of them back. Charlotte didn''t hate me; she felt guilty. Who was the cause of all this? It seemed inevitable that the Gate incident would happen with our emotions and my lies intertwined. Everyone seemed to think that all of this was their own responsibility. The royal city of Lazak. I felt the need to be alone with Charlotte for a while. It was obvious that Charlotte was too weak, and her condition wasn''t good. Charlotte, who had stopped crying almost like a seizure, hung her head low. She seemed to feel guilty even when making eye contact with me. "It''s all in the past." "¡­" "Let''s end it with each of us having wronged each other, that''s all." "¡­" But I couldn''t erase Charlotte''s guilt towards me with those words. "I¡­ I can''t. I¡­ I don''t deserve¡­ your help. Not even a little¡­ don''t help me this much¡­ I betrayed you. I didn''t trust you. I¡­ didn''t try to understand you¡­" It seemed that she thought it would be better to die at the hands of a monster in some distant wilderness. "People died because of me... All of them... It''s my fault..." Charlotte''s guilt had turned into self-loathing. I grabbed Charlotte''s cheeks as she hung her head and repeated those self-deprecating words, forcing her to look into my eyes. Upon meeting my gaze, Charlotte, with eyes like those of a demon, couldn''t bear it and looked down before finally closing her eyes completely. "Do you remember what I told you before?" "..." "If you''re like this, what do you think I become?" Back when she wondered if it would be better to die since the soul of the Demon King resided within her, I spoke to her with a sorrowful heart. How do you think I feel when you don''t cherish your own life and keep repeating these self-deprecating thoughts? "If you''re like this, what does it make of me who risked my life to escape the Demon King''s castle, who killed my father''s soul to preserve your identity? I had to fight the Black Order and even Ellen to bring you here. If you''re like this... what does it make of me who brought you all the way here?" "..." At my words, Charlotte reluctantly opened her eyes and looked at me. Tears filled her eyes. Seeing those tears, born of guilt, was painful for me. "Live for me, at least. If you''re sorry, work as much as you feel sorry for me." "¡­Work?" "Yeah, to be honest, I brought you here not just to save you, but also... um..." I thought this might be better. She seemed unable to accept living with me because of her guilt and sense of sin. She seemed unable to accept the peace this environment provided her. "I brought you here to work." Like how Eleris destroyed the warp gates to lessen her guilt and sense of sin, Charlotte needed something to do, to focus on, so she could push those feelings aside. And, in reality, I needed Charlotte here for that reason. "There''s a lot you need to do." "Me...? What can I do...?" "Anyway, if you''re sorry to me, if you feel guilty towards people, work. Work to repay them." I''ll accept the debt. Repay the debt for saving your life three times. If saying this could give Charlotte even a bit of determination, then it''s better this way. "I''m... like this... how can I... what can I do...?" Her words, questioning what she could do in her demon-like form, made me chuckle despite the situation. "No, you''re amazing." I gently brushed Charlotte''s blackened hair. I shouldn''t say this, but... "You have an even more impressive visual than me." "¡­?" Honestly, it was true that Charlotte looked more like a Demon King than I did. No one would dare complain about a broken dish or cup to a Demon King representative who looked like this. I pinched Charlotte''s cheeks, still bewildered by my claim that I didn''t save her but brought her here to work. "¡­!" "So, from now on, eat well and take care of yourself. Exercise, too. Got it?" "¡­" "You have to do that if you want to do your job properly, right?" Charlotte looked up at me with her cheeks pinched. "Answer me quickly." As I released her cheeks, Charlotte lowered her head with a blank expression. "¡­Yes." Knowing why I spoke like this, Charlotte cried again. I told her that I would get angry if she kept crying, so she tried to hold back her tears while also holding her breath, gasping for air. It seemed like she might pass out from not breathing properly. I had no choice but to gently pat her back. CH 471 Chapter 471 Night had fallen. I considered watching over Charlotte until she fell asleep, but I thought it would be better not to. The more I cared for her, the deeper she seemed to sink into guilt. So, not watching over her seemed better for her. And I couldn''t talk to Charlotte forever. I headed to the highest tower of the castle with Sarkegaar and Lucinil. There was no better place to look down upon the landscape of Lazak. Sarkegaar appeared as he usually did when he visited me in the past - in the form of a graceful female maid. Did he think I found his demon form burdensome? "Is this... Your Highness... No, the new Darklands that you have rebuilt?" "In a sense." Although not as bright as the Imperial Capital, the streets of Lazak were lit by lanterns, and the refugee residential areas were patrolled by guards holding torches. From the highest point of the castle, which was built on a high plateau, I could see not only the distant sea but also the vast lands and the horizon beyond. The expanding city districts and the vast farmland were visible. It was an incredible sight. What Sarkegaar had wanted was a land solely for demons, where only demons lived. But I chose to integrate with humans and continued to rescue the demons and humans on the continent. Although it wasn''t entirely the way Sarkegaar had hoped, I managed to establish my own kingdom on the land that had avoided disaster. Of course, it was a kingdom achieved through plunder. "I never thought... I would see such a sight before I die..." Sarkegaar confessed, overwhelmed as he looked at the harbor, the wide refugee residential area, and the farmlands. From the open rooftop of the tower, Sarkegaar silently turned in place, taking in the view. It was as if he could keep doing that forever, looking around once, then again, and again. He seemed like a child seeing an incredibly fascinating sight for the first time. "Your Highness... I can die now. Even if I die... I will bless your new world and be happy... Anytime..." Sarkegaar smiled innocently as he cried, like a child. "Why are you thinking about dying? With so many things to do, it might have been better when we had no kingdom." "Whatever it is, I will gladly die under the weight of the work. Just give me any command." Sarkegaar gently lifted the hem of his skirt with both hands and bowed his head before me. "The great, unique, and sublime." "The absolute ruler of Darklands, lord of all demons, and humans." "The immortal Demon King." "I, Sarkegaar, will obey your command at any time." Sarkegaar looked at me and smiled. It was the always wicked and sinister smile of Sarkegaar. But with tears in his eyes, and a happier expression than ever before, he still appeared in the guise of a false human woman. At that moment, he seemed the embodiment of happiness. At first, I was honestly afraid. I thought I might have to get rid of Sarkegaar someday. And at some point, I felt guilty for not being able to fulfill Sarkegaar''s wishes. But as my ambitions failed, I had to do what I didn''t want to do. In the end, I became the ruler of Darklands. Therefore. "Well done." I embraced Sarkegaar. "My most loyal servant." I expressed my sincere feelings that I had been harboring until now. ¡ª--- Sarkegaar went down to the tower, saying that he wanted to see my Darkland more closely with his own eyes. Was it that good? I thought Sarkegaar would be pleased, but I was slightly taken aback because I didn''t think it would be to that extent. "You''ve accomplished so much in just two years." At Lucinil''s words, I gave a bitter smile. Sarkegaar was moved by the reconstruction of Darkland, but Lucinil seemed purely amazed that such a thing was possible in just two years. Sarkegaar, Epinhauser, Loyar, and Lucinil. These four were the ones who confronted the knights of Saviolin Turner and Shanafel when I escaped from the temple. Loyar and Professor Epinhauser died, and it took quite some time before I could recover the other two. "It must have been tough... during that time." "No, really, it was fine." My warning that killing Lucinil and Sarkegaar would lead to a permanent hostile relationship. I wonder if the empire really didn''t treat Sarkegaar and Lucinil recklessly because of that. "Archdemon. Even if I went through a hard time for just two years, how much would that occupy in my life?" Lucinil says that since she has lived such a long time, even if she was suffering, it wouldn''t have had such a significant meaning. Still, the fact that Lucinil risked danger for me didn''t change. Lucinil gazed quietly at the city lights. "You know, Valier, I find this more fascinating." "...What is it?" "This neighborhood, you and I came here together." "That''s right." I once came to Edina Archipelago with Lucinil to meet Airi. Lucinil must have known that the scenery of Edina Archipelago in that winter was very different from now. "What has changed so much in just two years?" Not only there was the super-large cathedral that didn''t exist two years ago, but the scale of the city itself has expanded incomparably. "Why does the time of mortals flow so quickly?" It had only been two years, but this scenery had come into view. Lucinil seemed to find it fascinating. "It''s so cute and lovely." Lucinil said, covering her mouth and laughing. "But that''s why it''s sadder." In the lives of mortals, there is an end called death. Therefore, Lucinil seemed to feel sadness at the same time as the brilliance. "Why did you help me, Lord?" "...Huh?" At my question, Lucinil tilted her head. Lucinil helped me. It was not unreasonable to see her as second only to Eleris on the Council. She even risked her life for me. I couldn''t tell if Lucinil had a reason to do so. I only heard that she received some help from Eleris and repaid the debt. Lucinil looked at me. "When my life was reaching its limit, it was Eleris who helped me become a vampire." "Ah..." I thought I might not know such a thing, but it was Eleris who helped Lucinil when the physical life of Homunculus was at its limit. "So, I was originally from the Tuesday Clan. Of course, I made a promise. I had no intention of leading a clan myself. I was told I could be turned into a vampire, but I wouldn''t be looked after. That''s why the Lord of Wednesday, who was close to Eleris, took me in." "And then you ended up becoming the Lord of Wednesday?" "The previous Lord of Wednesday didn''t have a clan either. I was the only one left to inherit it." Lucinil stretches. "To be honest, I helped you with the thought of repaying my debt of life... But, well? Actually, I''m the type to do anything diligently." That statement somehow made me chuckle. "Being an immortal inevitably leads to laziness. Then, when that laziness turns into boredom and even that becomes tiresome, one gives up on life. I told you before, didn''t I? Most Vampire Lords give up on life voluntarily." "Yes, you did." "So, even though I don''t have much to do, when I decide to do something, I do it diligently. Helping you was in that context." She risked her life to help me diligently. That sounded a bit strange. "Don''t overthink it. Just like Antirianus is very strange, I am also very strange. You can think of it that way." "That kind of strangeness is too convenient for me." "Is it?" Of course, Antirianus'' strangeness is also inconvenient, but it''s convenient for me all the same. "I don''t work hard for just anyone, especially not for those I dislike or those who are insignificant." Lucinil stretches out again, taking a few deep breaths. "You''re quite pretty, cute, and unique. It seems that us immortals inevitably find someone like you adorable when we grow too old." "We''ve grown too old, and now we know too well what can and cannot be achieved." "Even if we didn''t experience it ourselves, we have lived through the history recorded in books." "Beings who dream too big." "We know that it''s fleeting, that it''s impossible, and that it''s overwhelmingly difficult." "Would we mock those who dream such dreams, thinking that they could never be realized?" "Actually, no." "We have seen many failures, but we have also witnessed a few successes." "Even if a hundred or a thousand fail, we have seen the one who succeeds. We have seen the egg that breaks the rock several times. However, the number of broken eggs is countless, and the number of eggs that broke the rock is only a handful even in such a long time." "We have seen countless people fail and die while attempting something that was absolutely impossible, and then someone succeeds." "So, I don''t mock those impossible attempts." "I pity those who fail." "And I think those who succeed are amazing." "Us immortals feel pity, compassion, and sympathy for beings like you." "So, I guess I want to do something for you." "Do you understand, Archdemon?" "So, I don''t want your story to be remembered as a sad one. Instead of watching from the sidelines of history as I always have, this time I want to be by your side and help create that story." "So, the help Eleris gave me isn''t such an important story now." I will make sure it doesn''t turn into a sad story. Antirianus said he was fine with me dying miserably or succeeding. While I couldn''t say Lucinil was the opposite, she seemed to care about me. She would help ensure my story doesn''t end in tragedy. It wasn''t just the words saying they''d do anything for me, but something about the specifics of that statement resonated deeply within my heart. Lucinil stretched languidly. "Even though it was a short time... not being able to breathe the night air outside for two years was a bit stifling." They had been comfortable, but they certainly hadn''t been living a free life. "Reinhardt." "Yes?" First, she called me Archdemon, then Vallie, and then Reinhardt. Lucinil would call me by any name. Smiling, Lucinil looked at me. "Thank you for gifting me the night air once again." Does she consider it a gift? Instead of resenting the fact that I hadn''t paid attention to her for two whole years, she is grateful? If there were only immortals like Lucinil in this world, wouldn''t it be quite nice? In exchange for saving my life, she endured two years of confinement. And she expresses gratitude just for a single breath of the cold night air. I shouldn''t think that it''s a happy moment. It''s not yet a moment when one should be grateful for anything. "I''m the one who''s grateful." Though it was a brief sensation, I was grateful to see Sarkegaar and Lucinil, and Charlotte safe, and I was happy. ¡ª--- After Lucinil and Sarkegaar left, I sat alone on the parapet of the tower, quietly gazing at the streets of Lazak. I had succeeded in what I wanted. There was unavoidable damage, but it was indeed unavoidable. The remnants of the Black Order fled after the death of their leader. However. I looked down at the vast expanse below me. It was an indescribable feeling. There were good things, but there were also terrible things. I had been cruel to Ellen. I thought it was the best choice in that situation. And even if that situation arose again, I believe I would do the same. Ellen must be suffering. It wasn''t a situation where we could have a normal conversation. Her tear-filled eyes, filled with fear, sorrow, and dread, looking up at me, were unforgettable. That gaze. The trembling tip of her sword. The lips that held countless words for me but couldn''t open. All of these were painfully etched into my mind. "..." She must have been suffering as much as I was, if not more. I had created more reasons for her to suffer. I had inflicted wounds. And the experience of physically hurting me must have shocked her even more. Although I had to do it, it''s certain that Ellen is in pain. I wanted to say sorry. But will there be a day for us to do that? I don''t think such a day will come. I stared at the streetlights below. Ellen and I live in different worlds. I built a society of demons and humans here. Ellen must become the single thread of hope amidst humanity''s hate, fear, and anger, and unite them. Right now, Ellen is more important than the Emperor. That''s why Ellen and I live in different worlds. The best thing for both of us is to live like this, without knowing where the other is. If we meet, we must fight, even if it''s forced. And we must display that fight to the people. We are enemies. The hero must be stronger than the Demon King, and people must believe so. The Demon King cannot attack the Empire and humanity out of fear of the hero, and people must believe that someday the hero will defeat the Demon King. That''s why I deliberately allowed Ellen to inflict a fatal wound on me. But I wonder. That fight was necessary, and I had deliberately pretended to lose. Truly coldly. Without emotions. Today, I learned what the outcome would be if I genuinely fought against Ellen. "..." If I were to sincerely fight against Ellen Artorius. If such a day ever comes. I realized the objective truth that, without a doubt, I would be defeated. It was through today''s unintended fight that I came to understand this truth. CH 472 Chapter 472 The state of Lament, as if projecting the universe of the night, demonstrated an absolute cutting power. Even if I were to become a Master Class who can use Aura Armor, it wouldn''t change a thing. It can be defended against by using a sacred relic, but that''s it. Firstly, Lament''s attack power was extraordinary, but that''s not the essential problem. The biggest issue was that my swordsmanship originated from Ellen. In the temple, and later from Saviolin Turner, I learned swordsmanship, but the root of my skills lies with Ellen. I learned everything from swordsmanship to physical combat and suppression techniques from Ellen. I learned the sword from Ellen, who possessed a level of talent incomparable to mine. Thus, in terms of swordsmanship, Ellen is my overwhelmingly superior counterpart. We have clashed our swords innumerable times over a long period. Thus, Ellen knew how I understand and use my swordsmanship, what my habits were, and which sword techniques I primarily use. To be precise, Ellen knew me better than I knew myself. So, in today''s staged duel, we were able to perform such an extreme battle without seriously injuring each other because Ellen read all of my sword moves. Of course, in the end, I purposely allowed her to stab me in the chest in an action close to suicide, but naturally, that was beyond Ellen''s anticipation. That''s why, today''s fight with Ellen ¨C while it plunged me into a miserable state personally ¨C allowed me to reconfirm a fact I had somewhat guessed. I am still weaker than Ellen. Even without the absolute offensive power of Lament, I wouldn''t be able to defeat Ellen. Ellen''s swordsmanship is specialized for opponents stronger than herself. So even if my physical abilities were stronger than Ellen''s, using a sword that only relied on my ¡®Master Class¡¯ strength to suppress her wouldn''t work. The Demon King fled because he was weaker than the Hero. We staged a situation to make people believe that. However, in reality, it wasn''t much different. Even without the two sacred relics, Ellen could defeat me. If Ellen, armed with Lament and Lapelt, sincerely tried to kill me, I would certainly die. Ellen knew me all too well. Like the saying "a pupil surpasses the master," as a disciple, I might be able to surpass Ellen, my teacher, but that only happened in certain worlds. The talent of my teacher far surpassed mine. There''s no way an inferior disciple like me could surpass Ellen. She has been watching over everything I''ve done. That''s why I can''t defeat Ellen. "..." I gaze at the darkness of the street and the torches driving it away, even if just a little. Someday. There might come a moment when Ellen and I have to fight each other in earnest. My defeat would be almost certain. I don''t know in what situation or how we would try to kill each other. But if Ellen sincerely tries to kill me, I will lose, and that will result in my death. I don''t want to kill Ellen. I don''t want to die either. In that case. I must become an existence that can defeat Ellen. Moreover, I don''t want to use Alsbringer in the final battle to destroy the last gate. I don''t want to use Alsbringer by offering my life as a sacrifice. I don''t want to die in a fight with Ellen that might happen someday. To do so, I must become stronger. I must find that way. I must find it. ¡ª--- Ellen sat blankly on her bed in the temple''s dormitory room. "Take a few days to rest. With everything that happened today... there''re no urgent matters to attend to." Even though Bertus'' suggestion wasn''t an order, Ellen was in no condition to do anything at the moment. The Demon King appeared in the Imperial Capital, was attacked by those suspected to be the secret society, the Black Order, and defeated them, and then Ellen repelled the Demon King. As always, stories would beget stories, and rumors would give birth to rumors. The initial story of the hesitant hero would fade, replaced by the tale of a great hero who saved the people in the face of the Demon King''s attack when all hope seemed lost. Ellen was indifferent to such things. Today, Ellen realized various truths. Among them, the most painful truth was singular. There would never be a future where Ellen would be together with Reinhardt. It was not a matter of forgiveness. Like Reinhardt had duties to fulfill, Ellen had tasks to complete as well. Not a matter of emotions but of necessity, Ellen had to live as an enemy of the Demon King. That''s why Ellen realized that there would be no chance of recovery in this relationship. Above all, those cold eyes. The relentless actions of Reinhardt, who attacked without hesitation. The frosty gaze and expression, devoid of any emotion, had brought Ellen sadness, despair, and fear. Unlike Ellen, who couldn''t control the trembling from the emotions, Reinhardt''s ironclad expression and unwavering actions were terrifying. Ellen didn''t deny that it had to be done. Ellen fully understood that Reinhardt had to act this way. But it hurt too much. The ruthless violence of the unyielding grip was just as painful as the physical agony, not fearing to hurt Ellen. Even towards the violence inflicted upon himself, there was no mercy. After choosing to allow her to pierce his heart without hesitation, he feigned defeat and fled. As he hadn''t feared harming Ellen, he hadn''t feared harming himself either. Ellen looked at her right hand. Countless times had something been cut down by this hand. However, the eerie sensation today had left Ellen with no choice but to be terrified. Too easily. Too simply had the sensation of Lament pierced through Reinhardt''s heart, instilling fear in Ellen. Ellen had almost killed Reinhardt. Because of that chilling sensation, Ellen''s right hand trembled violently as if afflicted with convulsions. No matter if Reinhardt had deliberately allowed the attack, Ellen had almost killed him. Ellen buried her face between her knees, shaking silently. "Ugh... Sob..." Would there be more of this in the future? Like today, when Ellen had been forced by the people to fight Reinhardt. Would they one day have to fight to the death, driven by the demands of others? Ellen didn''t want to prepare or resolve for such a thing. She feared dying and killing him was even more unthinkable. But today, despite not wanting to fight, Ellen had been forced by the people to stand before the Demon King. And Reinhardt had cornered Ellen, saying that he too had to fight. It seemed Reinhardt had already accepted that fate. Reinhardt had grown stronger. Ellen didn''t know about other things. But from that cold expression. From that stern gaze, Ellen felt it. Reinhardt''s heart had become too strong. To Ellen, that was utterly sad. And frightening. Once upon a time. During the early days of the Gate Incident. "Ellen." "¡­Mom?" There had been a time when her mother had suddenly appeared. On a day when Ellen felt so exhausted that she thought she might collapse and die. Her mother, who had appeared out of the blue, had said: "Shall we return to our hometown?" "Return...?" "If you want to forget about the world and return to our hometown, let''s do so." Ellen found it hard to accept her mother''s words. She didn''t know what kind of place her hometown was or who her family members and the villagers were. "My daughter, from now on, there will only be difficult times." "There will be pain and sadness that''s hard to endure." "It will torment you, hurt you, and might even kill you." "So." "Think of this as your last chance, my daughter." "If everything becomes too hard to bear." "Before the future, which will only become more and more difficult, swallows you up." "You can leave all the pain and sadness behind." "Keep the things that haven''t happened as things that haven''t happened." "Without even having to know what you have yet to experience." "Then you''ll distance yourself from all the sorrow and pain, eventually forget them, and find peace." "You''ll be able to forget all the responsibilities, guilt, and sadness." "So, shall we return to our hometown together, now?" Ellen didn''t understand what her mother was saying. Her mother''s words were so unfamiliar and mysterious that Ellen felt like she was encountering some absolute being for the first time. If she wanted to turn away from all of this and leave, she should do so. Ellen didn''t say much to her mother. Her mother asked if she would turn away from this. Why was she acting so indifferent to everything in the world? Who were they, really? Ellen didn''t ask anything. She just shook her head. "No, I can''t." "..." "Because it''s my responsibility. I can''t." Her mother''s expression remained gentle. "It''s not right." "All of this happened because of me, and I made the situation like this." "I can''t just abandon people and forget about them. I can''t." "I can''t go. I can''t do it." "I believe." "There''s something I must do, something I have to take responsibility for." "I don''t know how to do it, but there''s someone I need to meet again." "I don''t know what I''ll do when I meet them, but... there''s someone I have to see." "I''m sorry, Mom." "I can''t go." She couldn''t turn away from everything and run. She had to save at least one more person. Even though she knew it was impossible to fully pay for her responsibility and sins, she thought she couldn''t just run away and end everything like that. Her mother didn''t say much. "I see." Just like before. Like when she had draped the cloak of the sun god over Ellen''s shoulders. After lightly kissing Ellen''s forehead and smiling, just like that time. "Goodbye, my beloved daughter." "May the blessings of the moon and sun be with you." Leaving those words behind, she disappeared with the moonlight. Her mother had said there would be pain too difficult to endure. And Ellen felt that time was now approaching. Although it had been an abstract thought, there had been such a time. She had seen with her own eyes, felt with her body, and read from Reinhardt''s expression that they had become a relationship where they had to kill each other. She had thought she must take responsibility for something. But if that responsibility entailed fighting for her life alongside Reinhardt, and if it meant accepting that they must kill and be killed by each other... Neither dying nor killing was something she could bear. Should she have fled instead? They thought that such a choice shouldn''t be made, but now the unbearable things were rapidly approaching. Ellen was afraid. Afraid of people, of herself, and of Reinhardt. She was terribly afraid. Ellen gazed at the moonlight streaming into the dormitory. The cold, pale moonlight offered no answers to her. ¡ª--- The next day. Everyone had to get used to it, including me and the Council of Elders. And... The Four Heavenly Kings. Airi, Liana, Harriet, and Olivia as well. I gathered these core members for breakfast. With Lucinil joining, the Council of Elders was now complete. Sarkegaar was also included in the Council. In a way, Sarkegaar had helped me since I had nothing. So it made sense for him to be part of the Council, which could be considered the founding contributors. The actual powers were the Four Heavenly Kings. The contributors were the Council of Elders, that kind of feeling. In fact, all the powers of the reconstructed Edina Archipelago version of Darkland were gathered here. At the breakfast table, of course, the vampires did not eat. The Council of Elders, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the Demon King. And the newly joined member, who would become another key figure. Charlotte. Charlotte still couldn''t raise her head. Everyone here was my person, or even if they weren''t, they were people who believed in me and came this far. So it seemed that she couldn''t even lift her head in front of those who had accomplished what she couldn''t. Charlotte was, in a way, the most demonic-looking human in this gathering. No, strictly speaking, should she be called a half-demon? Since the soul of an Archdemon had mixed in, Charlotte was neither fully human nor demon. Her body no longer emitted darkness, but her hair was pitch-black, not reflecting any light, and her eyes were red. She looked exactly like a devil. Nevertheless, her original appearance seemed to give her an odd allure, an odd charisma. If only her despondent demeanor could change somehow. "Charlotte will inherit all my authority as the Demon King and take responsibility for Edina''s internal affairs." "...?" The most surprised person at that statement was Charlotte herself. I looked at Charlotte, who was bewildered and rolling her red eyes around, not knowing how to hide her surprise. "Well, what else did you think I''d have the Imperial Princess do here, other than rule?" "..." I couldn''t let her live a life where she couldn''t even raise her head, consumed by guilt forever. There''s a lot that a wise ruler must do in this place, where the throat is filled with grape juice. If she lacks confidence and self-esteem, I must forcibly raise them. I have much to do. Not just managing political affairs, but truly addressing the Gate incident. There''s not much time left. I can''t care for Charlotte''s mental state forever, so she must stand on her own. Too much thinking won''t create anything beyond that. People only move forward when pushed by something. Usually, when reality catches up, there''s no time to wallow in grief. Just as I have been until now, Charlotte will also be like that. "I can''t do that," she said, "I''m not qualified, how can I possibly do that?" I didn''t give Charlotte time to argue. After conveying the most important fact, we had breakfast. Charlotte ate half-heartedly, but when I glared at her, she reluctantly took bites. I seemed to know how to handle Charlotte, who had been broken by her plummeting self-esteem. Rather than gently comforting her, I simply ordered her around, and she mostly complied. If I suggested she eat, she hesitated, but when I told her to eat, she ate reluctantly. If I had tried to persuade Charlotte to take charge of the Edina Archipelago, she would have firmly refused, saying she wasn''t qualified. So, I just softly told her to do as she was told, and she nodded. The once arrogant and proud princess had become someone who, in two years, would do anything I told her to. If only it wasn''t out of guilt. Charlotte, who should have been used to giving orders, had become a person who was only used to receiving them from me. Charlotte was not immediately involved in state affairs. She seemed to already know that Sarkegaar was the culprit behind the kidnapping of the princess and the queen. It was inevitable since Sarkegaar and Lucinil had spent time in the palace. However, Charlotte seemed to have no energy to spare for such things because of her guilt toward me, rather than her fear and anger toward Sarkegaar. Her guilt was so overwhelming that she didn''t even have the luxury to hate her mother''s enemy. The Council of Elders didn''t usually interfere much in state affairs, so Charlotte and Sarkegaar''s paths would hardly cross in the future. Charlotte began receiving information on the overall situation of the Edina Archipelago and what she needed to know from Harriet, who could be considered a secretary. Harriet didn''t seem to have any particular emotions toward Charlotte. Airi, however, was different. The soul of the demon king that had entered Charlotte. Whether she could sense it or not, Airi seemed to feel a strange fear when she looked at Charlotte. Charlotte may be a proxy for the demon king, but she is not merely a proxy. Charlotte is, in fact, the demon king herself. Simultaneously human and demon king. As both a human and a demon, she might have been more suited to rule this new Darkland than me. Charlotte also clearly possessed, albeit not fully, the ability to control demons. Of course, not everyone was happy with this situation. "What can she accomplish with such little power?" Liana, who longed for the empire''s destruction, asked me in a worried voice as she prepared to return to Fort Mokna. "In the long run, she won''t even compare to me." "Tsk... I don''t like it." It was inevitable that Liana wouldn''t like the situation of the imperial princess becoming the deputy ruler of Darkland. In reality, it was Bertus who killed Duke Grantz and destroyed the revolutionary organization, but Charlotte found out about it afterward. "Anyway, I''m leaving." "Prepare the base relocation well. I''ll make my own preparations." "Understood." Liana headed for Fort Mokna. And there was the person who was most likely to dislike this situation. "Will she manage on her own?" Surprisingly, Olivia showed no anger or resistance to the situation. "All we need to do is convey what we know." Olivia looked at me with a chilling smile. "The next time she causes trouble, don''t try to protect her." With a stern expression, Olivia looked at me. "Even if you try to protect her then, I''ll find a way to kill her." Olivia simply gave me a clear warning of what I should be prepared for if the person who had already betrayed us caused problems again. CH 473 Chapter 473 Ever since arriving in Edina Archipelago, Charlotte had spent most of her time with Harriet, rather than the Demon King. "When you''re around, the child becomes restless. Just leave us alone." "Uh... Is that so?" "Yes, so will you let me handle things on my own?" "¡­Alright." Feeling guilty and apologetic even with a mere glance, Charlotte decided it would be best not to see the child for the time being. Despite being smaller in scale compared to the empire, there were plenty of matters to attend to in the island nation. Although Charlotte suddenly found herself in charge of an entire nation, she felt obligated to fulfill this responsibility, as it was Reinhardt''s order. ''What can someone like me do?'' Despite being lost in these thoughts, she couldn''t refuse the task. Reinhardt entrusted her with this duty because he believed in her, in his own way. So, Charlotte spent the entire day listening to various stories from Harriet. The population of the Edina Archipelago. The distribution of the islands. The current situation of each island. The refugee transport ships arriving regularly at the main port, Lazak. The status of stored resources and their suppliers. Fort Mokna, which could be considered a forward base, and its imminent relocation. And then, the demons on the streets. Charlotte blankly stared at the scene of orcs and trolls roaming the streets of Lazak. Initially, she wore a robe with a hood to conceal her appearance, but now she walked around without it. In the colorful scenery of various demons, Charlotte''s figure wasn''t particularly peculiar. In fact, people paid more attention to Harriet, the secretary accompanying Charlotte, than to her appearance. "Isn''t it fascinating? I can''t say I''m completely used to it." Harriet also stared blankly at the mixed crowd of humans and demons on the streets. "Even so, my thoughts have changed significantly just by knowing that such things are possible." Harriet took Charlotte''s hand and led her up a hill in Lazak. "Do you see that over there?" "Farmland...?" "Yes." At a distance where a human figure would appear no larger than a finger, a colossal creature was cultivating the farmland. An ogre single-handedly and rapidly plowed the land, a task that would normally require dozens of people. "Originally, vampire mages do it, but once the basic cultivation is complete, the ogres handle the heavy lifting. They do help, but... um... to be honest, they do the work of dozens of people and eat as much. It''s almost the same, isn''t it? Still, it''s amazing, right?" "¡­Yes, it is." "Fortunately, this scale of production is maintained because there''s a faction of vampire mages specialized in botany, alchemy, and magic. Without them, the refugees might have starved to death long ago." Surprisingly, the one directing the ogre''s cultivation was an elderly farmer with a bent back. Whether this was efficient or not was uncertain, as Harriet suggested. However, they were surviving. They were trying to live together in harmony. Charlotte etched that sight into her memory. "Honestly, the biggest issue in Edina is food. The scale of Edina has grown too much since the Gate Incident. With the help of demon mages and other demons, they are somehow sustaining themselves. But that''s all thanks to the Demon King¡­ I mean, Reinhardt''s power." "¡­I see." In Edina, the existence of the Demon King is absolute. The humans of the island fear the Demon King, and the demons follow him unconditionally, which is why there is no conflict. If the Demon King were to disappear, the demons would not accept living alongside humans, and the humans would struggle even more. The Archdemon commands absolute obedience from the demons. And the humans on the island fear the Demon King. Though this coexistence appears complete on the surface, it would be impossible without the existence of the Demon King. "In Darkland, the Demon King''s existence is more like a god than a king. I heard that demons originally fought and divided among different races. It was like that until the Archdemon appeared and took control of them all." "Yes, I know." Closer to a god than a king. The Archdemon. Charlotte quietly observed the landscape created by this absolute being, a scene never seen before in the world. Charlotte had heard many stories from Harriet. How many refugees had flowed into the island so far. How the demons had made contact and entered the island. How they built houses for them to live in with magic and cultivated the land. How the United Holy Church was founded. While she was locked away in the Spring Palace, blaming herself for everything. What the Demon King had accomplished while trying to do something, rather than wallowing in guilt and self-loathing. "You''ve really... done so much..." The Demon King had saved countless people and created a landscape that seemed impossible to exist in the world. What someone who kept moving forward, even after failing at everything, had managed to achieve. Charlotte looked at it from the perspective of a defeated person. Can I take responsibility for this? Can she, a defeated and traitorous person, bear the weight of someone''s shining accomplishments? "Charlotte, this isn''t pity." Harriet looked at Charlotte and spoke with a serious gaze. "Reinhardt has a lot to do." "..." "Really, way too much." "¡­I suppose." "Reinhardt brought you here because he needs you, not because he feels sorry for you." Harriet wasn''t angry. "If you want to be a sinner and a traitor, keep living like that." "..." "But if you want to live as the administrator of Edina, which Reinhardt needs, then that''s what you''ll become." Charlotte looked up at Harriet. "Do you want to be someone Reinhardt needs or someone who constantly demands his attention even though he''s terribly busy?" Charlotte''s lips trembled. "Of course¡­ I¡­" Everyone here is someone Reinhardt needs. She knew this because she had heard so many stories from Harriet. Liana, Olivia, Airi, and Harriet. All of them had important tasks. Reinhardt had brought Charlotte here for a very important task as well. If she wanted to live as a defeated person, she could continue living as one. However, she would become a burden that required Reinhardt''s endless attention. Harriet patted Charlotte''s shoulder. "If you know, just do it. Don''t overthink it." "It was like that when we first came here." "If we thought too much, we would have stopped in the midst of guilt." "We just thought about taking one step at a time." "Rather than thinking about how many people would die on the continent." "We built houses for those who had lost their homes." "Instead of thinking about whose responsibility the situation was." "We quickly set sail to escape the monster and save the people, bringing them to this island." "Rather than mourning the many lives lost and dwelling on what we''ve lost." "We had to feed those with nothing to eat, so we expanded the farmland." "If we think too much about the distant future or abstract concepts, we become paralyzed and unable to act." "Let''s take it one step at a time." "Let''s move forward one step at a time." "And as time passes..." "Look." Harriet gestures around. She gestures at the world. "Before we know it, this is what we''ve become." "It''s not perfect, it''s incomplete, and there''s still a lot of uncertainty, but we can''t say we haven''t done anything." Charlotte looks at Harriet with wide eyes. There was an endless gap between those who were motionless and those who took at least one step every day. She looks at the landscape created by that difference. Whether she deserve this. Whether it''s okay. Whether she can be forgiven. Whether she has the power to waver in the face of such beauty. Simply being still is just that. Before considering qualifications and rights. As Reinhardt instructed, she took care of her weakened body, nourished her health, built up her strength. Learning more about Edina. Taking that first step, beginning to handle matters from the throne. What is the reason not to take that step? Harriet''s comforting yet persuasive words that there are things that must be done. Eventually, Charlotte gave up on all thoughts. There would be no rights and duties. But there were things Reinhardt asked her to do. Then all she has to do is just that. She takes that step. It is a sin to stand still, thinking about whether she deserves to walk this path. Looking at Harriet''s warm smile, Charlotte grits her teeth. She felt like crying because of those who went to such lengths for her. But. Charlotte cried a lot during those two years. That was all she did. She didn''t do anything else but cry. Therefore, without letting the tears welling up from deep within her heart flow, Charlotte wiped them away with her sleeve while gritting her teeth. Her devilishly red eyes, her eyelids reddening. "Alright. I''ll give it a try, whatever it may be." Her thoughts of wrongdoing did not change. But the sense of obligation to do something. She was able to regain that sense of responsibility to accomplish it somehow. ¡ª--- Harriet''s persuasion was successful. Instead of sinking into thoughts and self-loathing, she had to focus on what was ahead and take one step at a time. Reinhardt didn''t forgive her, but brought her because she was needed, so if she felt guilty, she should respond to that need. So Charlotte had many conversations with Harriet afterward, and tried to understand the situation in Edina by inspecting the area. After a thorough assessment of the Edina Archipelago, Charlotte reached one conclusion. "Um... Can I be honest?" "Yeah, you should be honest." At Reinhardt''s words, Charlotte shook her head firmly. "This isn''t a country." "¡­Huh?" Charlotte''s assessment was harsh. "It''s more like... a national-scale soup kitchen? I''d call it something like that. Calling it a country seems... a bit off." Charlotte determined that the Edina Archipelago was in dire need of a comprehensive overhaul. "The greatest problem is that the people of Edina would starve to death without the demons. Bringing refugees from the continent is good, and providing them with free land and homes to live in is also good, but without magic and the help of the demons, the basic issue of food self-sufficiency cannot be solved." "Although they say they''re continuously expanding the cultivated land, I''ve heard that ultimately, magicians are involved in the process. There is a limit to the available human resources. Even now, the area where the most manpower is concentrated in this island must be related to food resources. But as the scale continues to grow, at some point, the population that can be supported will exceed the threshold." "What this means is that this country does not have a structure where surplus goods produced by the citizens are stored in the national treasury as taxes and then supplied when needed or used for national projects. Here, the national project is for the state to produce food. It''s the other way around. This is essentially a charity, not a government or a nation. The sole purpose of this state is to support the population. And even that is a burden." "Of course, doing such things isn''t wrong. However, there are no measures in place for when the supported population grows to the point where it becomes difficult to handle. In the first place, using magic to farm is an absurd idea under normal circumstances, and the same goes for the merfolk supplying marine resources as food ingredients. We need to establish a long-term food self-sufficiency policy, one that does not rely on this bizarre situation where magicians are farming." "The security issue is the same. The scale of the refugee residential areas has long since surpassed that of the original Lazak city center by several times, but they''re trying to prevent crime in those areas simply by having guards patrol at night. However, there is a limit to the number of troops that can be maintained. That''s why the crime rate in the refugee residential areas is quite high." Food. Security. Systems. Policies. Management of areas outside the capital, and so on. When Charlotte''s story about the numerous problems of the Edina Archipelago ended, Reinhardt''s mouth was wide open in shock. It looked like a country, but in reality, it was a charity. It was a strange structure where the national treasury and the king''s power worked for the citizens, not for inflating the national treasury under the guise of taxes. That was the reality of Edina that the Demon King had built in just two years. After finishing her story, Charlotte looked quietly at Reinhardt. "The reason we have managed to come this far is because the demons under you have extraordinary abilities. No matter the situation, such capable individuals wouldn''t normally do such work." Edina was only able to survive because these exceptional individuals were engaged in work they would not normally do. The people of Edina were merely military dependents at this point. The reality of Edina was that the nation itself could not survive without the Demon King. CH 474 Chapter 474 In the rebuilt Darkland, Edina, Charlotte believed that they were relying too heavily on the Demon King. This was a qualitatively different issue from the fact that Darkland could not exist without Archdemons. "So... what should we do?" "...First, the food problem will inevitably be a long-term policy. For now, we need to address the systemic issues. Petty crimes are rampant, but too many cases that could have ended with simple acts of violence escalate into murder." "Increasing the size of the city guard seems difficult. Honestly, the existing force is already hard to manage." "This isn''t just about the city guards." Charlotte shook her head. "The punishment for criminals is too uniform. It''s either execution or hard labor, and the criteria for punishment is established too simply. And there are more cases of being sent to labor camps than executions. It seems like you tend to avoid extreme punishments, equivalent to the death penalty. Is that right?" "Well... I thought it would be better to use them as labor force rather than killing them..." Charlotte shook her head at his words. "Let''s assume that someone had a grudge against another and a fight broke out. If violence occurs and the opponent is severely injured, the assailant''s sentence to the labor camp is certain. If they kill or beat them down, they still go to the labor camp. Some people just kill because the outcome is the same anyway." "...What?" "Of course, this is just an extreme example, and not everyone is like that. But there are certainly those who would make such choices. That''s why the punishment for each crime must be inevitably detailed." Charlotte discussed the problems that arise if those who deserve death are not punished with extreme measures. "Reinhardt, the purpose of extreme punishments, like execution, is not to penalize criminals but to show the general public the consequences of serious crimes. The fundamental function of extreme punishment, including execution, is to consume major criminals and display them to society." As a leader, Reinhardt thought it was more efficient to use criminals as labor force rather than killing them, so he avoided extreme punishments. He believed it was inefficient. But Charlotte was suggesting the possibility that he might have inadvertently encouraged simple acts of violence to escalate into murder. If the punishment is the same for different degrees of crime, some will choose more serious crimes. "Edina currently lacks proper laws, but first and foremost, there is no system of punishment. It needs to be established. Edina''s situation is completely different from that of a typical country. Inevitably, many outsiders will enter, and the problems between people will only increase, not decrease. Therefore, punishment should be harsher than necessary. The Empire is currently in extreme resource scarcity, making it impossible to reduce crime rates through execution, but Edina is not. So, it''s still possible to handle criminals through punishment." "I see..." "And it''s true that there''s an absolute shortage of city guards. It''s going to be difficult to increase their numbers in the current situation." Charlotte then seemingly reached a conclusion with ease. "Make the refugees organize their own vigilante groups." "Vigilante groups? This is the capital, and we can''t manage the capital well enough, so we''re making them organize vigilante groups... Is that right?" "We don''t have the luxury of considering that right now." "Hmm..." At Charlotte''s words, Reinhardt rolled his eyes as if he couldn''t agree. "But that so-called voluntary vigilante group is like volunteer work. Who would do such a thing for free? If they don''t want to work for free, you have to give them money. But if you do that, you''re financially supporting the vigilante group after organizing it. How is that different from the guards? Then why form a vigilante group instead of incorporating them into the guards? I don''t understand." At Reinhardt''s words, Charlotte shook her head. "Don''t give them money, give them a little authority." "Authority?" "Yes, or in other words, power." Charlotte calmly stared at Reinhardt. "There will be many people who are desperate for even that small amount of power. Money? They don''t need it. There are people who have power itself as their goal." "Ah..." "Give them the authority to appoint a vigilante leader and recruit members. And give them the authority to arrest or interrogate people. Then, even without earning a penny, they''ll patrol the streets at night, thinking they''ve accomplished something. As a result, the vigilantes will patrol the streets at night for free. That''s all you need, right?" Understanding human vanity and hunger for power, Charlotte knew that people could be moved by power alone. Reinhardt broke into a cold sweat at the seemingly wicked policy. "No, I mean... I understand what you''re saying, but... If you ultimately give the vigilantes some power over the refugee area, they''ll inevitably cause trouble, right? Autonomy is relatively free from control, so it''s bound to become corrupt." "Yes. They will inevitably become corrupt, an interest group, and a corrupt power that commits crimes without punishment. No, they can''t make money from vigilante activities, so they''ll want to fill their pockets in other ways. They have to. Vigilante work is busy, but it can''t be turned into money. They have to do it inevitably." "So, that''s what will happen." "Why worry about it?" Charlotte made a gesture of cutting her own throat. "Kill them. Replace them. That''s all you need." "Ah..." "The corruption of the vigilantes is not our responsibility since they are not a government organization, right? The government''s power executes the corrupt vigilante leader. It looks just and good. In reality, the government has handed over security work to the vigilantes, creating an environment where they have no choice but to become corrupt since they can''t earn money. But will the public know that? When the vigilante leader is a worldly figure, and the vigilante group''s wickedness is severe, hanging them will benefit the government''s support." Charlotte spoke with a calm expression, not smiling, yet not looking evil either. Use people just enough and throw them away. Create a group that has no choice but to become corrupt and use it. Moreover, without giving them a single penny. Charlotte knew how to do something that even the Demon King couldn''t. Corruption is bad. So far, Reinhardt had thought of excluding the possibility of corruption. But Charlotte was different. She formed and used an inevitably corrupt power. When that corruption reaches a breaking point, replace it, and make the replacement process beneficial for the government. Pass the blame for the government''s wrongdoing in forming a power bound to become corrupt onto the corrupt individual. Their ways of thinking are fundamentally different. "Reinhardt, there''s something very important you don''t understand." "What is it?" "The purpose of a nation is not the realization of justice or good intentions, but the preservation of the nation itself. There is no justice, relief for the poor, or charity in a vanished nation. If there''s a single absolute priority a nation must protect, it is the nation''s own existence. That''s all." A government does not have to be good and just. A government exists to be maintained. Without fulfilling this basic condition, no further projects or policies can exist. Reinhardt hadn''t been considering things from that perspective. Even if there''s injustice or wrongdoing, a nation must be preserved, and policies and projects must be carried out for that purpose. This was absent in the Edina Archipelago, and Reinhardt hadn''t considered it. The scale was growing, but the system was weak. That''s why Charlotte believed a system needed to be created. Since the current size is becoming difficult to handle, temporary measures are necessary. In terms of national preservation, Reinhardt couldn''t deny that Charlotte''s approach was better than his own. "I''m just beginning to grasp that you''re of royal blood¡­" Reinhardt nodded blankly with a stunned expression. Charlotte looked down, narrowing her eyes. "There''s nothing to be done if you''re disappointed¡­ If this is the only way I can help you¡­ Somehow, I have to do well." "¡­" "So it''s right for me, who will be the regent, to do this. You just need to remain a kind and benevolent ruler for the people. The more people fear my regency, the more certain their support for you will be." And so, Charlotte decided to take all the blame for the cruel rule she would impose from now on. The more people hate the regent. The more they despise the regent. The support for the Demon King becomes even more solid. Like using the vigilante group, Charlotte intended to use herself to strengthen Reinhardt''s rule. ¡ª--- Whether Charlotte had finished what could be called preparation was uncertain. Just as I became king unprepared, Charlotte didn''t sit on the throne after completing full preparation to become a queen. In my unprepared state, I hastily built a country, so it was bound to be a disaster. We can maintain it for now, but it''s unclear how long that will be possible. That''s why I brought Charlotte to consolidate our foundation. Though I tried to make it as plausible as possible, to Charlotte, Edina seemed like a grotesquely constructed structure. It''s uncertain if Charlotte can handle all those issues. But Charlotte could think of things I couldn''t. Sometimes, knowing how to use people for a purpose, even if it means discarding them, is necessary. It''s cruel, but I couldn''t deny the need for it. Charlotte''s approach to issues and problems was on a different level from mine. While it''s not possible to think that everything will improve just because Charlotte takes charge of the Edina Archipelago, it''s at least better than me continuing on the throne. I had long reached my limit in handling the political tasks arising in Edina. Someone to take my place. Someone who can undoubtedly do better than me. And. In some ways, an even more terrifying figure than me, the most fitting person for the Demon King. "Introduce her." In the hall where the nobles gathered, I carefully seated Charlotte, clad in a black dress, on the throne as she looked down on the people. "From today, Charlotte de Gardias will be the regent of Edina." At my words, the tense nobles, already on edge due to the mysterious presence, let out a sigh of relief. Charlotte de Gardias. From that name alone, one could easily tell where Charlotte was from. "Remember that she is my proxy and an existence of equal standing to me." I stood up, and Charlotte, who took my place on the throne, quietly looked down at the nobles. "I will keep it brief." Charlotte didn''t offer any pleasantries or other such formalities. From the first imperial princess of the empire, she had become the queen of Darkland, and she looked down upon the people. "All things..." Her voice was not particularly powerful, nor brimming with confidence. "...will be much different from now on." However, everyone seemed to be overwhelmed by the charisma that emanated from Charlotte''s very presence. ------ Charlotte began addressing the most urgent matters first. The systematization of punishments. And the organization of the vigilante corps. It was a system that made the refugees responsible for the security of their own residential areas. The next day, I saw a scaffold being constructed in the central square of Lajak city. Depending on the severity of their crimes, some people would be flogged there, while those with heinous crimes would be beheaded or hanged. The residents of Edina would witness someone''s death on display and become fearful of committing crimes. The effects of public executions could not be measured, but considering the current situation in the Edina Archipelago, I could not deny Charlotte''s opinion that such measures were necessary. I was not unaware of the necessity either, but perhaps I had avoided making such decisions, citing efficiency. Ultimately, I may have not yet shaken off the petty notion that such acts were barbaric and evil from a modern perspective. From now on, practically everything I had done in the Edina Archipelago would be done by Charlotte. Now, I would step down from the throne for a while and do what I needed to do. ------ Charlotte began governing with an iron hand. The rate of warp gate destruction slowed down. Though we had destroyed a considerable number of warp gates over the past two years, we would not be able to destroy all of them in the near future. So, there was still time before the final battle approached. In preparation for future events, there were things I needed to do. Having brought Charlotte here, I could finally shed the ill-fitting role I had been wearing. Though there were still no outsiders to see, I gathered the people and began to speak. "I will be leaving my post for quite some time." "Leaving your post?" At my words, everyone tilted their heads in confusion. "I''m not sure how long it will take, but if the situation becomes unfavorable, I''ll return. So, don''t worry too much." As an Archdemon, Charlotte also had control over the demon race. Furthermore, she would lead the government more wisely than I would. Therefore, there was no real reason for me to be in Edina any longer. So, I planned to do something I hadn''t been able to do until now. "Are you going to do something dangerous again?" At Olivia''s question, I shook my head. "In a way, it''s to prepare for dangerous situations... But nothing is certain yet, so it''s difficult to say. Still, I''ll be taking plenty of teleport scrolls, so don''t worry too much." "Even so, going alone is a bit... No matter where you go, it seems dangerous..." It was Harriet who spoke. Everyone knew that I would somehow manage whatever it was. I knew that I wouldn''t die so pathetically at the hands of roaming monster hordes on the continent, but it seemed inevitable that they would worry. "I''d like to take someone with me, but it''s not a place where that''s possible." I didn''t particularly want to insist on traveling alone. However, the place I needed to go now was one where I didn''t even know if I could find it by myself. Olivia, Harriet, Charlotte, and Airi. None of them opposed my decision, but their expressions were full of worry. "It won''t take too long." Before the gate situation is resolved, I must become much stronger than I am now. That''s why I brought Charlotte here to govern, and I have to do what it takes to become stronger than I am now. The monster of the last gate, too. And in a possible fight against Ellen. I have to become stronger in order to survive. Airi, seemingly concerned, asked. "Can''t you at least tell us where you''re going?" "...I''m sorry. I can''t tell you." It''s a place where I''m not even sure if I can find it. And even if I can find it, I don''t know if I can obtain what I want. I can''t tell them where I''m going because they''ll surely prevent me from going if they knew. Ellen''s hometown, Rezaira. That''s where I intend to go. CH 475 Chapter 475 I had been staying in Edina because I couldn''t leave, but now that there was someone to take my place, I wanted to leave as soon as possible. I planned to depart the day after completing the preparations. The night before departure. Charlotte came to see me. At first, she seemed extremely flustered when she saw that I shared a bedroom with Harriet, but she didn''t ask any questions. In fact, her not asking anything made it even more awkward. It was as if she was saying that if I decided so, she would accept it. On the terrace outside the bedroom, Charlotte asks me a question. "Reinhardt, can I ask you something?" "What is it?" "I''d like to know the exact scope of my authority." Did she mean she wanted to know the limits of what she could do? In the end, Charlotte is a rolling stone. For two years, she managed to keep rolling, and even though I was confident she would do better than me, she suddenly found herself in the king''s seat. Charlotte calmly looked out the window. "I think I can handle the demons and the humans. But as you know, the council of elders, including the public servants, are your friends and collaborators. So, my commands and control won''t work on them." "...I suppose." "I''m happy you trust me, and I will try to live up to that trust. But if you''re away from Edina for too long at this time, it could inevitably lead to discord between me and others." Charlotte was speaking the truth. The council of elders is not under my control. Liana, Olivia, Harriet, and Airi are my friends. While I can control those below them, they have the power to ignore my orders, as they are practically the founding fathers. In fact, Liana and Olivia seemed to have a negative view of Charlotte. There was a high possibility that they would rebel if Charlotte suddenly began giving orders. Leaving Edina before my rule was stabilized was a risky decision. Charlotte was suggesting that internal strife might occur. In Edina, Charlotte''s only source of power was my declaration of support as the king. With just that, she had nothing else to prove her control over the entire city. "If you tell me that I have no command or control over the Four Heavenly Kings, I won''t say anything about their affairs." She wasn''t asking for authority, but for clarification of her authority. I wanted Charlotte''s rule to completely succeed my authority. However, I agreed that Olivia and Liana, who had worked hard to build Edina until now, might feel uncomfortable with Charlotte suddenly giving orders. Even if they understood it rationally, it would be emotionally difficult to accept. In fact, I never had any problems with them because there was no emotional conflict. They generally agreed with my opinions, and when I thought they were wrong, we discussed them until we were both convinced. In Harriet''s case, she tried to help Charlotte wholeheartedly. In Airi''s case, she seemed to feel the influence of the Archdemon from Charlotte, so there would be no problem. However, Liana hated the empire, and Olivia disliked Charlotte, who she couldn''t trust. I was worried about the possibility of friction between them. What should I do? Four Heavenly Kings. In other words, if I told Charlotte not to try and control the Four Heavenly Kings and the council of elders, she would be left with only half of her power. I need someone who can fully replace me, not just a half measure. So, in essence, I need a queen of the demon realm who can wholly stand in for me, not just a regent. "I know my place. So, I understand that I don''t have the authority to command or interfere with them¡­" "Enough." However, I cut off my words upon hearing Charlotte''s remark. "You are my substitute. A complete one." I look into Charlotte''s eyes and say this. "You should consider yourself another Demon King, not a mere regent. And you must become that." Charlotte needs commands, not persuasion or requests. That''s what I desire. I want you to become my complete replacement. Liana and Olivia. There may be emotional conflicts with them, and political problems may arise. They may even think that Olivia and Liana harbor resentment towards me because of Charlotte. If they are resentful towards me, I will feel sorry. And I may have to apologize. But this is not some political game in a corner; this is the operation of state affairs. Just because Olivia has done a lot for me and Liana has made many sacrifices for me, it doesn''t give them the right to disregard the regent I''ve appointed. If they deliberately ignore and exclude Charlotte, I will inevitably be disappointed with the two who intentionally hinder the operation of state affairs just because of their emotions. From the beginning, I don''t think of them as people who would do just that. They will recognize the necessity of Charlotte. And Charlotte will earn that recognition. She must prove that she has the ability. "So, somehow, get a hold of them." "¡­" Charlotte silently looks up at me. As soon as she becomes the regent, the king, who should support her, leaves his position. Like when I started, Charlotte must lead state affairs among the officials who dislike her. It''s not an easy job I''ve put her in, but she must become my complete replacement, no matter how difficult it is. No, it''s a command. "Yes, I understand." Charlotte nods her head. It''s strange to think this way, but Charlotte''s excessively submissive appearance was, in a way, cute. ¡ª--- The next day. Reinhardt leaves for somewhere. "Why¡­ Where is he going and why doesn''t he tell us¡­" Harriet deeply sighs as she looks at the spot where Reinhardt just disappeared by teleportation. With the king gone, leaving a regent in his place, Harriet, Charlotte, and Olivia remain. Once the handover is mostly completed, Harriet will return to her original duty of magical research after assigning a new secretary. The Demon King appointed a regent not only for his own freedom but also to release Harriet, who had been using her brain on his behalf. Charlotte quietly looks at the spot where Reinhardt left. And naturally, she couldn''t help but feel Olivia''s gaze on her. Charlotte gazes at Olivia hesitantly. "Do you have something to say, Archbishop Olivia?" "¡­" Olivia silently looks at Charlotte, seemingly trying to gauge something. Charlotte couldn''t read any hostility from that gaze. At least, not yet. "Reinhardt is too kind." "¡­" "Too stupidly kind. I was thinking that he shouldn''t trust an untrustworthy person. That''s all." Charlotte silently looks at Olivia, taken aback by her blunt words. "If I were to betray Reinhardt, what could I do?" ¡°...¡± "If I were to deliberately ruin Edina, where could I possibly go afterward?" At that, Olivia fell silent. "Considering that Reinhardt saved me from execution in the empire, there''s no way I could return there." Harriet listened quietly to their conversation. "So, there''s no reason for me to intentionally ruin this place, nor any reason that I should." "Some people would rather ruin themselves than let anyone else be ruined. There seem to be quite a few people like that these days." At Olivia''s words, Charlotte nodded her head. "Yes, that''s true." Olivia had seen many people willing to sacrifice their own lives to kill the Demon King. Such deep hatred seeks destruction, even if it means destroying oneself in the process. "I understand that you can''t trust me, and you have every right to think that way. After all, I have committed sins." "..." "But still, I''ll do my best." Charlotte lowered her tail. She never intended to fight in the first place. It wasn''t even a fair comparison. Olivia was here with these people because she trusted Reinhardt. Charlotte didn''t trust Reinhardt at first, but he had ultimately saved her, so it was different. "Though it may be greedy of me to hope for your support, please don''t think that I would do anything to ruin something on purpose." Charlotte bowed her head deeply to Olivia. "From now on, I look forward to working with you." "..." Once an empress, she now bowed her head to someone who had made a greater decision than her own out of guilt. At that humble bow, Olivia furrowed her brow. "¡­Why is it even more annoying?" Wishing that Charlotte had acted more annoying, Olivia kicked a pebble and stormed out of the castle. ¡°Ah, this is so irritating!¡± One needs two hands to clap. While angry, Olivia left the castle yelling, frustrated that her counterpart didn''t provide a reason for her to be angry as well. Charlotte looked at Harriet. "Thank you for everything so far, Harriet. I hope we can continue to work well together." "Ah, no, why are you bowing your head like that¡­" Harriet, greatly flustered, hastily waved her hands. ¡ª--- I don''t know much about Ellen''s hometown. Kernstadt, at the southwestern edge of the border. A village in the mountains where a considerable number of people don''t even know it exists, according to Ellen. I have a rough idea of its location on the map, but it''s overly vast. The village''s name is Rezaira. Of course, the name isn''t marked on any map. Perhaps, under normal circumstances, there might have been people in nearby villages who knew Rezaira''s location. But since the Gate Incident, such small villages have all been destroyed. Thus, I have no choice but to give up on finding someone who knows the exact location of Rezaira. I have no way of knowing whether Rezaira has remained intact after this incident. However, even though I don''t know for sure, Ellen''s mother is presumed to be a stronger figure than even Saviolin Turner. I don''t know anything specific about Rezaira or Ellen''s mother. Ellen''s mother''s name is Luna Artorious. And she called herself the Lord of the Sun and Moon. Therefore, it is speculated that she might be related to the Sun and Moon (Sunday and Monday) Vampires ¨C the ancient vampire tribes that were said to have disappeared long ago. And she said that it was a principle not to interfere with the affairs of the world. For some unknown reason, it is believed that even now, amidst the Gate Incident, there has been no activity in a place called Rezaira. Could Rezaira have really escaped the effects of the Gate Incident? Is Luna Artorius truly not involved in this situation? Will I be able to find Rezaira? I still know nothing. I cannot directly ask Ellen about Rezaira''s location. It is best to avoid meeting Ellen if possible. Besides, the situation doesn''t permit it. My reason for seeking Luna Artorius is simple. I don''t know how to persuade her, but I intend to ask for her teachings. She possesses a transcendent power that even I cannot fathom. I don''t know the method, and she has little reason to teach me. If things remain as they are, I will have to use the Alsbringer in the final battle. I don''t want to die like that. Perhaps I can resolve the situation without using the Alsbringer, but if I ever have to fight Ellen for some reason, I cannot defeat her in my current state. The unchanging truth is that I must at least be equal or superior to Ellen in skill to have a choice. I must at least reach the Master Class before the final battle. If possible, I need to obtain even greater power. While there are excellent mages around me, none have reached the Master Class. The strongest person I know is Saviolin Turner. However, asking for her teachings in these times would be an absurd impossibility. That''s why I must seek Luna Artorius, who is presumed to be even stronger than her. It is a truly vague task. To find Ellen''s mother and beg her to make me stronger. In this situation. In these times. Isn''t it too ridiculous considering everything has gone awry? Monsters roam the continent, but as I stood before the mountain range in the southwest of Kernstadt, I felt nothing but uncertainty. "What is this...?" They said it was a rural village. Before me lay a mountain range that resembled a natural fortress filled with strange rock formations. When I heard it from Ellen, it seemed like an ordinary village nestled in the hills, but it was a vast alpine region. This region was called the Sren Mountains on the map. Ellen... Calling this place a rural village when it''s hidden in such a mountainous area is a bit of a stretch... Come to think of it, Ellen has always been a bit different from ordinary people. I didn''t expect to find Rezaira easily. I already confirmed it with the map, but this mountain range is incredibly vast. And there is no way a proper road leading to Rezaira could be built in such treacherous terrain. -Aaaahhhhhhh The howls of unknown monsters echo from within the mountains. The monsters that have been roaming the continent have already infiltrated these mountains. How many days, weeks, or even months will I have to wander? In this mountainous region where monsters lurk, can I really find Rezaira? Where will I sleep and find food? Even if it is to prepare for the final battle. I''ve ended up playing a survival game in this mountainous region teeming with monsters. "Sigh..." Well, when have things ever been easy? I have always found and obtained what I sought, no matter the difficulty. A powerful fate is at work within me. I intend to find Rezaira and meet Ellen''s mother. So, I will be able to find her and meet her. I set foot into the vast and treacherous mountain range. To not offer my life as a sacrifice in the final battle. I must become stronger. Without fail. CH 476 Chapter 476 "It''s now impossible to destroy the Warp Gates with only the guerrilla units... is this correct?" "I''m afraid so, Your Majesty." At Savolin Turner''s words, filled with a grave expression, Bertus nodded with a somber look on his face. He already knew that as the number of Warp Gates decreased, the operations to destroy them were becoming increasingly difficult. In the most recent operation, tasked with destroying three Warp Gates, Savolin Turner had only managed to destroy one before being forced to withdraw their troops. The monsters were too numerous and too strong. In that operation, two Swordmasters of Shanafel and four Royal Mages had perished. Such a powerful force could not be easily replenished, making it a painfully severe loss. They were irreplaceable Master-class forces, and their loss was now permanent. As the Gates became more dangerous, the power of the guerrilla units continued to decline. However, the longer the complete destruction of the Gates was delayed, the more monsters would be unleashed upon the world. "What do you think of combining Lady Ellen''s unit with Lady Turner''s unit?" Although the reconstruction of the city continued, it was becoming increasingly difficult to rescue survivors. Now, they would change Ellen''s unit''s mission to destroying the remaining Warp Gates and form a new, highly powerful unit. At the Emperor''s words, Turner lowered her head with a grave expression. "Doing so would allow us to temporarily continue the Warp Gate destruction operations... However, I believe that such losses would still occur in the long run. Additionally, the risk of Ellen Artorious''s death... cannot be completely ruled out." If Ellen Artorious were to die while carrying out the Warp Gate destruction operations, it would be a disaster for humanity unlike any other. People held great expectations and hope for Ellen. If she were to die not from fighting the Demon King but in an attempt to suppress the Warp Gates, humanity would be plunged into despair and lamentation. While it was true that Ellen was already doing dangerous work, Bertus could not bear to push her into an even more perilous situation, especially one with a high risk of death. Yet, he couldn''t simply leave everything to Savolin Turner as before. The situation was dire. It wasn''t as if there were no options at all. "Ultimately... it seems that the time has come to organize a large-scale army." "...Yes, Your Majesty." They needed to operate a massive force for a full-scale war. Large-scale magical transportation was impossible. Thus, the assembled troops would have to rely on magical supplies as they roamed the continent, embarking on an expedition to destroy the Warp Gates. To preserve the forces of the Master-class and Archmages, they would have to sacrifice those of slightly lower rank. It was impossible to predict how many would die in the process. If they were to assemble and deploy such a force, they wouldn''t be able to easily return. They would have to travel great distances to reach the Warp Gates and fight countless battles with the roaming monsters on the continent. They had to organize a suicide squad that could not return until all the Warp Gates were destroyed. Since the guerrilla units could no longer carry out their mission, they now had to truly wage war. To put an end to the Gate crisis, they had to organize a large-scale army. They had to travel an enormous distance on foot, so it was uncertain how many years it would take for the army to return. Would they even be able to return? However, if the Gate crisis did not end, humanity would be annihilated. That''s why it was now something that had to be done. The decision had been made to gather everything that remained and organize a massive army, one that could be called the culmination of human effort. "Your Majesty, what about the Princess¡­?" "Reinhardt has taken her." Turner was aware of this plan as well. "¡­I see." With a crestfallen expression, Saviolin Turner nodded at the Emperor''s words. The Empire had been unable to protect the Princess. That was why they had to stage a play. "Although there were unexpected situations¡­ let''s leave it at that." In any case, things had gone as Bertus wanted. The secret organization known as the Black Order appeared and attempted to kill the Demon King. Although there was an unintended situation where Ellen, who happened to be at the scene, had to fight Reinhardt forcibly, in the end, Reinhardt feigned defeat at Ellen''s hands and fled. Thus, although there were considerable unforeseen civilian casualties, the atmosphere in the Empire was very positive. They could not execute the Princess, and the Demon King''s minions had escaped. But the people saw Ellen Artorius overpowering the Demon King. That seemed to be enough. Though the Demon King had appeared, the Imperial Capital was in high spirits, having witnessed the hero currently holding the upper hand against him. ------ One week had passed since Reinhardt left Edina. Charlotte, who had taken over the reins of the regency, was doing her best to carry out the affairs of the state. Having been entrusted with full authority by Reinhardt, Charlotte not only carried out state affairs but also placed greater emphasis on assessing the current situation. She could immediately organize a police force and systematize punishments to establish a standard for collective responsibility, but first, she had to confirm many things with her own eyes. Edina had originally been a small country, but as it grew in size, it was no different from a child with an enlarged body. Hence, it could not be expected to have the same laws and systems as the Empire. Charlotte initially focused on the issue that had given Reinhardt the biggest headache: numbers. The number of people, the amount of stockpiled food, the number of crimes, and the number of prisoners in detention facilities. What was needed, and what was lacking? Having somewhat memorized the numbers she needed to know, Charlotte carried out the next task. That was, in a way, an even more important task than remembering the numbers: whether the numbers she remembered were accurate. Sometimes, a situation is reported to be abundant but is in fact severely lacking. Sometimes, there is more than the recorded figures. Usually, such numbers are slightly tampered with along the way. And finding the reason for the discrepancy in those numbers was Charlotte''s role. Sitting on the throne, Charlotte stared at the man who was kneeling before her, surrounded by guards. "Explain the discrepancy between the amount of fish brought in for the purpose of producing dried fish and the amount shipped out." Charlotte never thought she would be questioning the manager of a dried fish production facility in her life. But the most critical issue and problem in Edina was food. Food was a matter directly related to the lives of the people. The fish and shellfish collected by the mermaids were vital and essential food resources, and the process of turning those fish into dried fish was one of Edina''s most critical food projects, as it produced long-term preserved food for the winter. There was a difference between the amount of fish brought in and the quantity of dried fish produced. The person responsible for that dried fish production process was now in front of Charlotte. "I, Your Highness¡­" "Address me as Regent." The fearful official, trembling, looked into Charlotte''s red eyes and seemed to bury his head in the ground out of terror. "Your Highness, basically, not all fish that are brought in for production are completed during the dried fish manufacturing process. A significant portion is lost during intermediate steps due to the mistakes or errors made by on-site workers, so the actual yield is not that high..." "Are you saying the yield is low?" "Yes, yes..." "What''s the loss rate?" "Well, that is..." "As the person in charge of the production, you should be aware of the average yield. Don''t tell me you don''t know?" Not knowing what he should know. Even if he didn''t embezzle any dried fish in reality, not knowing what he should know is already a sin. "The actual yield is around 80%..." "That cannot be. Comparing the input and output quantities, the average actual yield is less than 60%. In reality, about 40% of the fish just disappear." Charlotte calmly stared at the official who had provided false reports. "Even if there were errors in the actual figures, those errors themselves are a crime. Issues related to preserved food are critical national projects in preparation for the winter. It is a severe dereliction of duty for the person in charge to be unaware of the situation. Additionally, if 40% of the product must disappear, there must be a technical problem. However, there hasn''t been a single report about the need for technical improvements or any raised issues. Do you only do what you''re told without understanding the purpose of this work?" "Your Highness... But... Various things happen on-site... It''s inevitable... That is..." "Inevitable what?" Charlotte tilted her head slightly. "I have already confirmed that the dried fish you embezzled is being distributed in the Lazak black market. Let me hear more of your excuses." "Your Highness! I have committed a sin worthy of death!" As the official''s face turned pale, he violently slammed his head on the floor. Charlotte smiled. "It''s a lie." "...Pardon?" "I have nothing better to do than to find out if someone like you is distributing dried fish in the market. I just tried saying it." Charlotte laughed while looking at the frozen official. "Nice to see you confess with just one poke." Charlotte gestured to the guards. "Investigate all of this man''s crimes and execute him publicly. Surely there will be accomplices, so uncover them as well. Also, after you are executed, if any accomplices are found, I will execute your wife and children too. So, if you want to make their remaining lives comfortable, confess everything without lying." "Your Highness! Please, forgive me!" "Take him away." Charlotte silently watched as the dried fish production line manager was dragged away by the guards. Crimes occur everywhere. Charlotte was not curious about why he had committed the crime. It could have been for an inevitable reason, or simply for his own desires. But once you start sympathizing, there is no end. So, Charlotte had no intention of even considering such matters from the beginning. "Your Highness..." One of the attendants, who had silently observed Charlotte''s decision, cautiously opened her mouth. "Speak." Seemingly unable to meet Charlotte''s gaze, one of the attendants shivered. "His Majesty the Demon King originally... did not discuss collective punishment when dealing with crimes..." "Ah... I see." Reinhardt''s reign. Charlotte was somewhat aware of how it had been. Rather than killing, they had used them for labor, and even when they committed the most heinous crimes, only the perpetrators were punished. Even those who attempted to assassinate the Demon King were only executed, and their families were not punished. Reinhardt''s view on punishment went beyond the simple question of good and evil, focusing on individual punishment. However, Charlotte''s view on punishment was different. A single punishment serves as a warning to a hundred others. Punishment is not a matter of morality, but a tool of governance. "Didn''t I say so?" Charlotte spoke in a cold voice. "From now on, many things will be different." Crime and its punishment serve to instill a sense of caution in society. "I have been granted authority over the entire administration of Edina and have been guaranteed the utmost autonomy in that regard." "So, if I want to punish, I will punish." "And if I want to pardon, I will pardon." "Especially, the food-related businesses are directly linked to the lives of all Edina''s citizens." "For those in charge of such businesses to seek petty personal gains in the process is a serious crime that shakes the foundation of Edina." "Edina is full of mouths." "Far too many." "So, I plan to reduce as many of those shameless mouths that suck the lifeblood of the nation as possible." "From now on, regardless of their affiliations, anyone caught pursuing personal gains in Edina''s food businesses will be publicly executed without exception, and their families who benefited from such ill-gotten gains will also be disposed of without exception." Charlotte saw the officials shudder. Among them were demon officials, but the demons who had absolute trust in the Demon King showed no fear in their expressions. Those who were terrified were all humans. "It seems there are those who have reason to fear, but if you are clean, you have nothing to fear." Charlotte sat on the throne, resting her chin on her arm, scrutinizing the faces of the officials. "Pray to the gods that your corruption does not catch my eye." It''s not just you who will die; your loved ones could vanish as well. The lenient rule of the Demon King was over. Charlotte''s reign would shed much blood to strengthen Edina''s discipline. Those who cared only for their own pockets in their complacency would have to brace themselves for a harsher reality. ------ "As for the pardons... Reinhardt might not like it." At Harriet''s words, Charlotte nodded. "True. But his rule has been too lenient so far." "..." Charlotte''s reign was strikingly different, even if it had the same goal. Harriet was worried about what Reinhardt would think when he returned, his whereabouts unknown. Did Reinhardt know this would happen when he entrusted the administration to Charlotte? Harriet couldn''t tell. "Even the low-ranking officials are mocking the royal family and embezzling resources. Those in the know understand that the Demon King is actually quite merciful. And a merciful ruler is often seen as a foolish one. We must now eliminate such elements. We need to root out the rotten roots that do not contribute to national affairs. No, we must burn them in front of the crowds." Indeed, Charlotte had once tried to burn herself in front of the crowds to maintain the cohesion of the empire. Harriet didn''t interject because Charlotte''s words made sense. "After all, pardons are for show. It''s not a method we will use frequently. Once we make a few examples like this, discipline will be restored on its own. They need to know that if they get caught, not only they but also their entire family will be uprooted." To kill a man as a display. Though Harriet was a princess too, she could hardly stand the sight of Charlotte making such decisions with ease. ------ Two weeks since Reinhardt had left. There had been several public executions in Lazak''s main square. The heralds recited the charges against the criminals, and the executioners beheaded them. Through the heralds, people confirmed that the way of ruling had changed, and that Charlotte had made such decisions. Rather than being paralyzed with fear, many people cheered. These were mostly individuals who had embezzled public funds or committed unforgivable heinous crimes. As a result, the crowd believed it was only right for such people to die. Of course, there were those who felt fear and voluntarily paid their taxes. Charlotte did not sentence these individuals to death. She forgave them with a whipping or a flogging, and even took care of their wounds. And those who had already been punished were not subjected to retroactive punishment. In this way, Charlotte reorganized the nation, establishing new principles and regulations. At the same time, she diligently examined the overall state of Edina. "..." Charlotte quietly observed the sequence of numbers in front of her. Fort Mokna, an advance base responsible for securing survivors from the continent and sending them to Edina. In a way, it was the most important place for Reinhardt. Liana de Grantz, known as the Thunder King to the people, was in command there. The main forces were the United Order''s knights and numerous magicians. With an ordinary monster horde attack, it could never be destroyed, and it could not easily collapse because of the powerful supernatural Liana. [Requested Supplies List for Fort Mokna] "Is there a problem......?" In response to Harriet''s question from the office, Charlotte furrowed her brow. "Can you show me the complete list of supplies sent to Fort Mokna so far?" "Uh? Oh, sure. I''ll look it up." After bustling about the office for a while, Harriet soon brought the documents Charlotte needed. "And can you also find any documents related to the number of survivors who have come from Fort Mokna to Edina so far?" "Sure, got it." What Charlotte requested was as crucial as any other document, so Harriet was able to prepare it right away. Charlotte laid out the supply request lists by date. Similarly, she lined up documents detailing when and how many refugees arrived on each ship. Charlotte stared at the documents. Harriet quietly watched Charlotte, who seemed to be pondering something unusual. "Weren''t there about two thousand permanent troops in Fort Mokna?" "Yes. That''s correct. There are around fifteen hundred combat troops, and with various other unit members, it''s roughly two thousand. This number doesn''t fluctuate much." "Hmm." Charlotte gazed at the documents for a long time. Harriet broke into a cold sweat. Though she didn''t know what Charlotte was thinking, if there was a problem with Fort Mokna, it would become Liana''s problem. Liana didn''t have any particular fondness for Charlotte. If Charlotte discovered some misconduct at Fort Mokna and tried to rectify it, she would inevitably clash with Liana. The likelihood of it leading to an unpleasant situation was quite high. "Is there a problem......?" "Yes, there is." Charlotte nodded in response to Harriet''s question. "Fort Mokna is demanding an excessive amount of supplies, especially food. It''s not just this time; it''s always been this way." According to Charlotte''s calculations, Fort Mokna was requesting an overly excessive amount of food supplies, and in reality, Edina had been providing them with such provisions. Charlotte noticed something strange between the numbers. CH 477 Chapter 477 Charlotte discovered that, for quite some time now, Fort Mokna had been claiming an unusually excessive amount of food supplies. "Could it be because of the survivors...?" At Harriet''s question, Charlotte shook her head. "Of course, we need to stockpile food for both the residents and the refugees. But even taking that into account, it''s still too much. I understand that we need to provide food for the survivors until they arrive in Edina... but according to the records I''ve seen, Fort Mokna is requesting more food supplies than they actually need, by my calculations. This isn''t just a matter of feeding the combatants well. If we try to estimate how many refugees were in Fort Mokna at any given time, we can predict the scale of the necessary food resources, but the claims and consumption have always been much higher than necessary." At Charlotte''s words, Harriet swallowed hard. It felt like an unwelcome conflict was coming into focus. "So you''re saying... someone at Fort Mokna is embezzling food supplies...?" "Well, I''m not sure what they could possibly do with stolen food in a place that''s practically a battlefield... but it''s true that there have been excessive supply requests." "Could the site manager in charge of demand forecasting have deliberately inflated the numbers?" "It''s possible. But even if so, what kind of greed could they possibly satisfy with that? Even if they accumulated wealth privately in Fort Mokna, they would have to bring it back to Edina. How could they bring back the food? Is it possible to privately use several ships for that? And even if they could, the food would probably spoil by then." Why would anyone embezzle food? They would have to bring the food to Fort Mokna in the first place. There is certainly some corruption happening in Fort Mokna. From the perspective of greed, it doesn''t make much sense. However, as is the case everywhere on the continent, food is a precious resource in Edina. That''s why any corruption related to food is dealt with severely. Charlotte stared at the documents and numbers spread out before her. "Hmm..." Something was amiss. To be precise, something had been amiss for a very long time. Neither Reinhardt nor Harriet had been aware of the problem. They hadn''t known that the food requests were excessively high. Even if they had known, it wouldn''t have made a difference. Because it was a battlefield, and there might be unforeseen circumstances. They would have thought that stocking up on food was a precautionary measure. They had trusted Liana so far. There was no way they could have doubted her. Charlotte wasn''t suspecting Liana''s corruption either. It was just that the numbers were strange. The figures confirmed on paper showed, on average, odd values. If strange values had been recorded consistently for a long time, it was certain that something strange had been happening. Reading corruption and suspicion between the numbers. What was impossible for Reinhardt and Harriet was possible for Charlotte. But the problem was: This investigation involved Liana de Grantz, one of the most important people among Reinhardt''s followers, who might be implicated in the corruption. Even if there were no issues with Liana, investigating Fort Mokna meant investigating Liana''s power base. If necessary, there might even need to be punishment. Did she have the authority for that? "..." That''s why Charlotte had asked Reinhardt before he left. "Clarify the extent of your authority." Reinhardt did not request this of Charlotte, he commanded it. "Find a way to take control." As the Regent of Edina, Charlotte was obliged to do as Reinhardt ordered. Investigate any corruption and carry out punishments if necessary. If Liana refused Charlotte''s instructions and commands, she would have to make her listen. "I must go to Port Mokna." Had Reinhardt not asked her to refrain from meddling in that area, she wouldn''t have made this decision. But since Reinhardt had ordered it, Charlotte felt she had to carry it out accurately. ------ In Port Mokna, the Holy Order¡¯s Knights were stationed, and Liana was the person in charge. Their primary mission was the defense of Port Mokna, and secondly, Liana would personally lead expeditions to nearby areas to rescue refugees fleeing from monsters or hiding. The number of people Liana had saved so far was too numerous to count. However, Liana now believed that the strategic value of Port Mokna had significantly decreased. Therefore, she wanted to establish another base and use it as a forward base. Indeed, initially, they were able to rescue a considerable number of refugees, but now it was becoming increasingly difficult to find survivors in the vicinity. As a result, unlike before, no matter how much they searched and went on expeditions, less than a thousand people were being rescued. It was a cruel fact, but it meant that almost all of those who had barely survived were now dead. The number of people who could be saved had reached its limit, and even if they moved the base, it would be impossible to find as many survivors as before. Port Mokna, now a losing-its-usefulness forward base. Charlotte and Harriet arrived at Port Mokna through the mass teleportation of Lucinil, the Lord of Wednesday, who was staying in the royal capital. "This is... Port Mokna..." Seeing the place she had only known on paper, Charlotte felt a different kind of emotion. A considerable number of people resided in this base, which served as a military headquarters. However, it was more than just a residential area, with temporary housing for refugees and the core military forces stationed there. As battles occurred daily, the city itself had a tense atmosphere. "The refugee shelters... are almost empty." "Yes... It''s getting harder and harder to find survivors." Charlotte''s words were met with Harriet''s nod. There were quite a few refugees who had been rescued one way or another, but the number was only around two hundred. The larger the base, the wider the defense perimeter, so the scale wasn''t too extensive. Barracks for stationed troops, a temple for the Holy Knights to pray, a smoke-filled dining hall, and a huge warehouse were among the necessary buildings in this place. The harbor was also quite large, as it accommodated large ships coming and going. "It''s a place where corruption is impossible." "Yeah, so..." Only after seeing it with her own eyes did Charlotte vaguely feel that there was no room for corruption here. Lucinil, the Lord of Wednesday who had accompanied them for the teleportation, was also quietly observing the scenery of Port Mokna. "I''ll be back after finishing my work. I''m going to take a walk around here." "Yes, my lord." With that, Lucinil began to stroll away. At the temple, she had thought of her as a friendly junior who had become surprisingly close to Reinhardt, only to find out that she was a Vampire Lord of immeasurable age. Charlotte and Harriet both quietly observed Lucinil''s back as she became a member of the Council of Elders. Despite the situation. She looked like a child, but in reality, she was a Vampire Lord. Sometimes she would stop to think, and at other times, she would gaze blankly at something. While absentmindedly following Lucinil''s dazzling silver hair with her eyes, Charlotte seemed to recall what they had come here for, and looked straight ahead. "There''s no need to hide the fact that we''re here. Let''s go to the headquarters." "Alright." Harriet clenched her fist slightly. It was unclear what kind of conversation would take place, but considering Liana''s personality, it was certain that no kind words would be exchanged. Thus, Charlotte''s response was crucial. ------ "Your Highness, the Thunder Lord is currently on a mission. She is expected to return today, but the exact time is unknown." "Then we shall wait until she returns." Upon arriving at the headquarters, Charlotte was informed that Liana was absent. Harriet and Charlotte sat in the headquarters'' reception room, waiting for Liana to return. The thick walls surrounding Fort Mokna were guarded by knights at regular intervals. Since it was unknown when or where monsters would attack, the defensive posture had to be maintained continuously. Being a place where most battles occurred, tension was palpable among all the troops. Beyond commanding these troops, Liana also patrolled nearby areas periodically to exterminate monsters, and even embarked on long-distance expeditions to rescue survivors. Charlotte was good with numbers, but she didn''t think numbers were everything. There were things that could only be understood by seeing them firsthand. Like the overall tension of Fort Mokna, or the determination in the troops'' demeanor. Things that couldn''t be expressed in numbers had to be seen with one''s own eyes. From such observations, Charlotte drew a conclusion. "It seems Liana has too much on her plate." Liana de Grantz''s workload was quite heavy. "That''s true. So sometimes, Olivia takes over Liana''s duties for a few days." "Ah¡­ that makes sense." The Holy Order''s leader, Olivia Lanze. Being quite powerful herself, Olivia would sometimes step in when Liana seemed too fatigued. "So she only gets a few days off?" "Yeah, because Liana wants it that way¡­ She says it''s the only way she can rest and recover." Despite there being others who could take over, Liana practically lived at Fort Mokna. Charlotte crossed her arms and stared at the scenery of Fort Mokna. "Did Reinhardt frequently inspect Fort Mokna?" "No, as you know¡­ Reinhardt had so much to do that he couldn''t visit Fort Mokna very often. But last time, he did go on an inspection." Even though Reinhardt hastily built a house, he barely had time to sleep while establishing Edina''s system. He even faced assassination threats. "Hmm¡­" "Why, do you see anything strange?" "No, it''s not that." Charlotte shook her head. "I was just thinking that, in reality, Liana has full authority over Fort Mokna¡­" "Yeah, that''s true. For most matters, Liana decides and resolves things here. But they still consult each other for extremely important matters." "Extremely important matters, such as?" "Mainly, how to transport refugees, and how to set up new operational zones, those kinds of discussions." At Harriet''s words, Charlotte nodded. "What is the loyalty of the Fort Mokna troops towards Liana?" "Loyalty?" "Yes, loyalty." At Charlotte''s question, Harriet ponders in silence. "It must be incredibly high. Liana always fights at the forefront of the battle, and I heard she tries to minimize casualties when monsters attack in the middle of the night. With a commander fighting at the front lines... how could their loyalty not be high?" "I suppose so." Charlotte continues to gaze out the window. Liana de Grantz devotes all her efforts to the defense of Fort Mokna. To avoid as many casualties as possible, she fights at the forefront. The trust and loyalty towards such a commander couldn''t possibly be low. Charlotte is convinced by Harriet''s words. "What about in comparison to Olivia Lanze?" "Hmm?" Caught off guard by the sudden question, Harriet couldn''t help but feel slightly bewildered. "Could the knights here be more loyal to Liana de Grantz than to the leader of the Holy Order, Olivia Lanze?" "That... is a dangerous question, Charlotte." It was an extremely sensitive question. After all, these knights were originally under the command of Holy Order leader Olivia Lanze, with Liana de Grantz as their commander. If their loyalty shifted more towards Liana over time, it could become a contentious issue. Charlotte stares at the evasive Harriet. "I have to ask dangerous questions." "..." "I need to know because it''s dangerous." Reinhardt wants Charlotte to completely act on behalf of the Demon King. Therefore, she must know everything about Edina. One must know the dangers, no matter how sensitive the matter is. "I don''t know the specific situation at Fort Mokna or the thoughts of the knights. But... Liana has always fought for the people and worked hard to protect her soldiers. I don''t know who the knights would be more loyal to between Olivia and Liana... But, if it''s for Liana... I think they would be willing to risk their lives." The extent is unknown. But the loyalty of the knights is strong enough that they would be willing to lay down their lives. "The Thunder King is a title the knights call her with respect and admiration." They even give her such a title out of respect for their commander, who is much younger and only in her twenties. "...Really?" Charlotte nods at Harriet''s response. Harriet was afraid of Charlotte''s questions, each with an unclear intention. If Liana returns and their conversation goes awry, it could lead to significant problems. And that kind of problem could escalate into a fight. The regency established by the Demon King. And a potential conflict with Liana, one of the Four Heavenly Kings. The likelihood of it becoming an irreversible event is very high. Ultimately, the highest authority in Edina, although absent, is the Demon King Valier. Regardless of whether there was a real issue or not, if it isn''t resolved properly, the decision will have to wait until the Demon King''s return. If a problem arises and the Demon King returns, whose side will he take? Either side presents its own set of issues. If he sides with the regency, it will inevitably cause resentment among Liana and her supporters, who are almost national heroes. If he sides with Liana, the newly established regency will falter from the start. If they can''t handle the hero faction properly, they won''t be able to carry out their duty of fully managing Edina''s politics. "Charlotte, this is... too dangerous to meddle with." "I know that." At Harriet''s cautious words, Charlotte simply responded while gazing out the window in silence. ------ The southwestern borderlands of Kernstadt. The Sren Mountain Range. Kwung! I silently watched as the large tree split in half and tumbled down. "Huff... Hah..." Cold sweat dripped down my entire body. I hadn''t even imagined there would be a monster disguised as a tree. I had just intended to climb up and get some rest, but the tree tried to swallow me whole and devour me as soon as I closed my eyes. I managed to protect myself with the release of my magical power, and by explosively discharging it, I could break free by destroying the middle part of the large tree. However, I couldn''t help but wonder what would have happened if I had actually fallen asleep. It had been about two weeks since I entered the Sren Mountain Range. I hadn''t been able to catch a wink of sleep. And I still hadn''t found Rezaira. CH 478 Chapter 478 It was deep into the night when the Thunder King, Liana de Grantz, returned to Fort Mokna. Charlotte watched the knights and priests return to Fort Mokna from within the command center. Somehow, they had found survivors, and quite a few carriages followed the troops from behind. When they discovered survivors, they would escort them safely back to Fort Mokna by loading them onto the carriages. Not all the carriages were filled with people, but some could be seen carrying passengers. And at the very end of the troops, there she was - Liana de Grantz, riding her white horse, guarding the rear of the battalion. She led the vanguard in battle and took charge of the rear during escort missions. It was no wonder her soldiers respected a commander who always fought in the most dangerous positions. The carriages carrying survivors were unloaded at the temporary refugee housing area, and the people moved according to the troops'' direction. They would first calm the frightened people, educate them briefly about Edina, and then send them to Edina on transport convoys. This was the alpha and omega of the Fort Mokna forward base operations. Harriet muttered blankly as she watched the survivors disembark from the carriages. "Still... there are quite a few." This was Liana''s mission - to continuously scout and bring back survivors. External operations could end within a day, but sometimes they would take several days, venturing far away. The environment made it difficult to find survivors, and although they were considering relocating the base, they could still find survivors nearby. The numbers were just significantly lower than before. Charlotte couldn''t tell how long Liana had been away on her mission, but the survivors they had found numbered over twenty. These people, rescued from a miserable life, were still trembling with fear even though they had arrived at a safe place. Charlotte quietly watched their faces. ¡ª--- "What''s going on without any explanation?" Upon returning to the command center, Liana cocked her head when she heard that Charlotte and Harriet had been waiting for her until midnight. "Whatever it is, just wait a bit, let me wash up." Charlotte didn''t have much time to spare either. She didn''t yet know if there were any problems at Fort Mokna and, in fact, it might be nothing. However, she folded her work for now and stayed there because Liana might be involved in the issue. That''s why she needed to finish her duties as soon as possible and leave. But Charlotte quietly observed Liana''s behavior, which seemed as if she had encountered something unpleasant. ''Is it a fight? No, it can''t be.'' As soon as she thought that, Charlotte shook her head internally. During their time at the temple, she and Liana weren''t very close, but that didn''t mean they didn''t know each other at all. Liana de Grantz. The young heir of the Grantz Duchy and a top-class lightning user among those with supernatural abilities focused on attack. After the death of the Duke of Grantz, her abilities had grown several dimensions stronger. Charlotte knew that Liana''s personality was generally outgoing, and she didn''t pay much attention to trivial matters. At this point, Liana would hate the Empire, so her feelings towards Charlotte couldn''t be good. Liana would just say what needed to be said. Her personality wasn''t one to suppress others through subtle psychological warfare. Liana de Grantz was a different breed of person from Olivia Lanze. While Olivia Lanze would make snide remarks and subtly belittle her opponents, Liana would just bluntly say if she disliked someone. So, her actions now were likely done without much thought. Even if it were not Charlotte but Reinhardt in this place, she would have told him to wait while she washed up. Harriet was tense, not knowing what was going to unfold. How much time had passed? Liana, having changed from her military uniform to casual clothes, emerged in the reception room. Had she not had a proper meal until now? Liana began to nibble on a plate of sandwiches the lieutenant had brought, placing it on the table. Chewing on a sandwich, Liana stared intently at Charlotte. "So, what is it?" Liana was direct from the start. She couldn''t feign politeness or beat around the bush; that just wasn''t her nature. Being overly direct could easily make enemies. However, Liana always led the charge in battle precisely because she was direct in both her actions and her demeanor. In this unique environment, Liana had gained the absolute trust of most of Fort Mokna''s forces, thanks to her seemingly abrasive attitude. "I''ve heard it''s difficult to find survivors, but it seems there are still people left." Harriet quietly observed Charlotte''s trembling voice. The direct Liana. Charlotte, who didn''t immediately address the issue at hand. Only Harriet, watching the situation, felt that the two were very different people. Liana took a sip of water and sighed. "Well, it''s not like there are none. It''s a bit of a crude expression, but you could say the pickings are slim. The efficiency is low. So, we''re planning to move the base. You know about that, right?" "Yeah, I heard you''re planning to move the base to another port." "Why, do you think Fort Mokna should continue to operate? Because there are still survivors in this vicinity?" At Liana''s question, Charlotte shook her head. "No, I''m sure your judgment as the field commander is the most accurate. Since you''ve seen and experienced so much, your opinion must be right." "Actually, whether moving the base will allow us to rescue more people is just a prediction. I don''t really know what the outcome will be. And to establish a new base, we''ll have to clear out all the monsters in the area. It''s dangerous, but we can''t afford to stay put here." We have to save more people. Liana had only shared her opinion and intended to act according to Reinhardt''s principles. People respected and admired Liana. Liana was far removed from selfish desires. Her decision to abandon the relatively safe Fort Mokna and establish a new, riskier base proved that she was not driven by petty ambitions. "How many people are in the refugee residential area right now?" "Well, I don''t know the exact number, but I think it''s about 150, including those we rescued today." When the next transport ship takes them to Lazak, they will become citizens of Edina. "On average, how many days do survivors stay here before being transported to Lazak?" "Well, that''s not really about how long the refugees stay here. It''s more important when the transport fleet, which comes every three weeks, arrives. If the transport fleet arrives the day after picking up the survivors, they stay for three weeks. If they arrived a week ago, they stay for a week, and so on." "I see." Charlotte nodded at Liana''s words and then fell silent, lost in thought for a moment. Having finished her thoughts, Charlotte asked again. "How many people were on the last transport fleet?" "Hmm? I think it was about eighteen hundred." "And before that?" "Huh." Liana narrowed her eyes at Charlotte''s question. Charlotte looked at Liana without any change in expression. "What are you getting at?" "...What do you mean?" Liana glared at Charlotte without hiding her discomfort. "Why are you asking me about such trivial numbers? They''re just numbers written in a report, after all. Why did you come all the way here to ask about them?" Liana put down the sandwich she had been eating, crossed her arms, and stared at Charlotte. "Get to the point. What is it? Why are you here?" At Liana''s hostile gaze, Charlotte calmly looked back at her. "Hmm..." Charlotte had deliberately stirred the pot to gauge her counterpart''s attitude towards her ¨C whether it was friendly, hostile, or neutral. But she couldn''t stand the few indirect remarks and asked directly. Liana was straightforward and didn''t like Charlotte. Charlotte realized that her assumption was correct. "According to my calculations, I think Port Mokna is claiming more food than they actually need." "...What?" "It seems that they''ve been doing this for quite a while. About a year, give or take." Liana''s expression hardened at Charlotte''s words. Harriet''s eyes widened in surprise. Charlotte figured out when Port Mokna had started claiming excessive food just by looking at a few documents. The basic food requirement for Port Mokna is for two thousand people. The additional amount of food required is determined by the number of survivors residing here. For about a year, Port Mokna has been claiming excessive food. "Food is a serious issue, especially for soldiers about to go into battle. They need to eat well and have high-quality meals. Up until now, Edina''s situation required minimal supplies, but we wanted to accommodate better meals at least. Is that really a big deal? Is it something you need to investigate to this extent? Do we, who fight on the front lines, have to listen to this just because we''ve eaten a bit more?" At Liana''s hostile words, Charlotte nodded quietly. "Yes, I thought you''d say something like that." "...What?" Liana''s expression grew colder at Charlotte''s nonchalant response. Liana was blunt. Thus, her words often revealed clues. Charlotte had already obtained one such clue. "I understand that you were aware of this issue and that it was done under your direction." Only then did Liana bite her lip, realizing that she had been caught by Charlotte. Clues often slipped out between words, and Charlotte was adept at catching them. Liana, on the other hand, had no talent for it. "Yes, I did it. So what? Is it really that big of an issue?" "You wanted to provide better-quality meals for the soldiers'' morale, right?" "Yes." "But that''s not really it, is it?" "...What do you mean?" Charlotte calmly began to explain. "You said you provided more food for the soldiers'' morale, but if that were the case, you would have requested higher-quality meals instead of larger quantities. Therefore, you would have needed more meat and processed products. But what you claimed in excess wasn''t meat or processed meat, but basic items like flour." "..." "You wanted not the quality of the meals but the quantity." The expression of Liana de Grantz grew increasingly rigid. With an impassive face, Charlotte calmly explained. Harriet, who was watching, felt an oppressive sensation in her throat as if something was stuck. Liana said she had tried to improve the quality of the meals. But according to Charlotte, while the quantity of food had increased, the quality had not. Charlotte didn''t tell everything she knew from the beginning. She waited for the other person''s mistake and then, as if she had been waiting, she brought out another fact she knew, cornering her opponent. She caught her opponent with their own words. "Considering Edina''s situation, I thought it was important to feed them well. It''s hard to get meat, so we tried to fill the quantity with basic food like..." "The supplies that were originally distributed were calculated for the necessary nutrition of the combat forces, equivalent to two servings for an ordinary person. So there was no reason to supply more flour or rice. They couldn''t even eat it all. No matter how much they ate, Port Mokna''s forces couldn''t consume the excessively claimed supplies from the beginning." Bang! Liana slammed the table roughly, glaring at Charlotte. Spark! Sparkle! Electric sparks flew from Liana''s forehead as she glared at Charlotte with a ferocious gaze. "What are you trying to say?" Charlotte still looked calm, gazing at Liana. "It''s simple. There were more mouths to feed here than the number of people actually reported to Edina." "More...?" Harriet asked, sensing a bad premonition. "..." Liana remained silent. Charlotte continued speaking. "For a few days, or even weeks. Food was needed in larger quantities because they still had to be fed somehow, but for some reason, they never made it to Edina. Many of the survivors who were actually here couldn''t make it to Port Mokna. That''s why more food was claimed than was actually needed. It was for the unrecorded people to eat." At Charlotte''s words, Liana fell silent. "You." Charlotte asked quietly. "What did you do with those people?" "..." "What did you do with the people who couldn''t come to Edina when they should have?" Liana glared at Charlotte, remaining silent. How long was the silence? Charlotte knew Liana was not a person driven by trivial desires. In that case, the excessive claim for food must have been necessary. There must have been a reason to hide it and lie, a need for deception. There must have been a truth that could not be spoken. With a stern expression, Liana slowly opened her mouth. "...I killed them." "What, what did you say?!" Harriet was shocked by Liana''s words, breaking the silence. "I couldn''t endanger Edina any longer." "..." As if she had anticipated it, Charlotte quietly nodded. CH 479 Chapter 479 Lucinil walked quietly near Port Mokna as night fell. The Archdemon. A new world created by the Demon King Valier. A landscape where humans and demons coexist. Lucinil never thought such a thing could be possible. She believed that the long-standing hatred between humans and demons couldn''t be resolved. However, survival was ultimately an absolute issue for all beings. The environmental limitations of an island. The reality that the continent was teeming with monsters. The reality that they had to choose between death or coexistence created this bizarre landscape where humans and demons lived together. Lucinil felt a sad realization that such a thing was only possible after the world had come close to destruction. The fact that such a scene had been created in the end evoked a strange wave of emotion in Lucinil. The reasons and causes were complex, and Valier, who had created this environment, was also the cause of this situation. However, in that situation, he persevered and tried to accomplish something. And in the end, he achieved something. Therefore, Lucinil felt a mix of sadness, pride, and dignity. It was an outer area beyond the fort walls. There were no monsters roaming around, as if they were swept away periodically. But even if there were roaming monsters, Lucinil was a Vampire Lord. There could be no monster threatening Lucinil in such a change. Thus, Lucinil walked through the outskirts of Port Mokna, observing the changed world. In fact, it didn''t seem to have changed that much. It wasn''t as if humans densely populated every corner of the continent, nor were monsters rampant everywhere. All Lucinil saw was a moonlit landscape, with a gentle breeze blowing across the plains. In a world close to destruction, the silver-haired vampire walked quietly through a scene that made him wonder what had really changed. Reinhardt had disappeared in search of something. The regent who filled his void was doing her best to fulfill her role. The many relationships the Demon King had formed changed into peculiar bonds mediated by guilt. Lucinil quietly contemplated Valier''s appearance, which seemed unchanged but had changed too much in a short time. As if there was an obsession with not showing any weakness. The subtly cute charm had disappeared. His existence had become the starting point of a tragedy, so the Demon King''s heart must be broken. However, nothing of the sort could be seen outwardly. He didn''t reveal his true feelings at all. Feeling that he couldn''t show even a hint of comfort, his heart seemed closed off, fearing that if he started to reveal his emotions, there would be no end. As if he had a premonition that an even more miserable fate would befall him now that things had come to this. Yet he acted as if he had to do something. "Poor guy..." Lucinil murmured to himself. The Demon King had become stronger. He merely pretended to be strong while hiding his shattered heart behind a thick curtain. Although he didn''t tell anyone where he was heading, the Demon King must have left to somehow overcome the fate given to him. He could run like a tireless horse. Lucinil had seen many such beings. She had seen those who ran like tireless horses and achieved something. However, she had seen even more of those who, at the end of their run, became exhausted and died. Lucinil didn''t know whether the fate approaching the Demon King would be a path to exhaustion and death, or a path to accomplishment. However, the Demon King raced on, gritting his teeth and not revealing his broken self to anyone. Having experienced a tremendous failure, he was determined not to fall apart, even if it meant being stubborn. It wasn''t that he had grown stronger, but rather, it bordered on obsession. What could the Demon King be doing? Where in which world could that pitiful fellow be wandering? Having escaped from Edina''s grasp, the Demon King seemed to have been waiting to head somewhere. Lucinil stopped walking through the plains as night fell, suddenly halting her steps. -Hisssssss From somewhere, a chilling wind blew. "¡­?" Lucinil gazed at the moonlit hills. Lucinil was a Vampire Lord. Vampires were essentially undead. Though they should be dead, they were living beings. Therefore, though Lucinil lacked a soul, it was easier for her to sense spiritual entities compared to other living beings. And Lucinil had researched souls more than any other being in the world. As such, her ability to sense spiritual beings was far superior to that of other vampires. A strange uneasiness emanated from the wind. Lucinil could intuit that it was some sort of spiritual reaction. Taking a deep breath, Lucinil focused her mind. -Huhuhuhu¡­ -Uuuuuuuu¡­ Lucinil could read the strange cries and despair that blended with the wind. Ghosts. Ghosts entwined themselves around the Vampire Council. They couldn''t affect living beings, but some spirits were attached to the very land itself. Lucinil walked slowly toward the place where the eerie cries echoed, traversing the hills. This was different from the monsters of the Gate. This was a phenomenon native to this world. Yet the eerie cries, as if the wind itself were wailing, drew Lucinil toward a certain place as if he were bewitched. "What¡­ is this?" Lucinil could feel what other beings could not. The anguished voices of despairing and vengeful ghosts painfully resonated in her ears. She was in an outlying area far from Fort Mokna. Beneath a massive rock in the midst of the rolling hills. A huge, deep pit that seemed artificially created. It was a cliff so cleverly hidden that it would be impossible to find unless one deliberately sought it. Lucinil sensed that the eerie cries came from within that artificially created cave. Below that pit. Lucinil saw something dark writhing there. It wasn''t moving. -Huhuhuhu¡­ -Uuuuuuuuuu¡­ But she could sense countless ghosts that couldn''t leave this place, no matter how immense their grudges. Narrowing her brows, Lucinil summoned a sphere of light and threw it down into the pit. It was a pit so deep that its depth was unfathomable. Only then could Lucinil see what the dark things below the pit were. "What¡­ what is this¡­?" All of them. They were the charred remains of human corpses. ¡ª--- Liana had secured more survivors than she had reported to Edina. However, she didn''t send a considerable number of them to Edina. They remained undocumented and became nonexistent people. They were murdered by Liana. Hearing this, Harriet couldn''t help but be shocked, while Charlotte stared at Liana with a dispassionate gaze. "I thought you would find out eventually, but I didn''t expect you to catch on so soon. And not Reinhardt, but you." Up until now, neither Harriet nor Reinhardt had any inkling of what Charlotte had inferred simply by examining a few documents. They were entirely in the dark about what had transpired. Regardless of her personal feelings toward Charlotte, Liana couldn''t help but acknowledge her undeniable abilities. "Liana... what are you talking about? Why... why did you... the people...?" Charlotte remained silent, but the shock that Harriet experienced was immense. All this time, without any report, Liana had been killing the survivors with her own hands. If that were true, Liana would be both the savior of the most people in Edina and the one who had massacred countless innocents. Liana stared quietly at the pale-faced Harriet. "Reinhardt, he has had many close calls with death, hasn''t he?" "..." Assassination attempts on the Demon King were not a rare occurrence. Reinhardt had nearly died on multiple occasions, and sharing a bedroom with Harriet was a recent precaution for this very reason. "We can''t allow any more impure elements into Edina." In fact, there were countless people in Edina who despised the Demon King and wanted him dead. However, up until now, they had managed to suppress them by force alone. Moreover, it was impossible to predict how the demons, who were coexisting with humans under the rule of the Demon King, would react if he were to be eliminated. Liana stared intently at Harriet. "If we educate the refugees about the situation in Edina, do you know what would happen?" "..." "Do you think there would be anyone who, upon hearing about a society ruled by the Demon King and living alongside demons, would not prefer death to living in such a place?" It wasn''t just a simple opposition. These people had lost something. A nation governed by the very cause of their suffering, the Demon King. There were those who would rather choose death than live in a place ruled by such a being. There were those who despised the Demon King enough to want him dead. But beyond that, there were those who hated the Demon King so much that they would prefer death to living under his rule. Harriet''s lips trembled with despair. "Liana... just because they feel that way... does it mean... they need to be killed...?" "Then what?" Liana stared at Harriet. "If they would rather die than go to Edina, forcing them there would put Reinhardt in danger. Do you think it''s only Reinhardt? Harriet, you''ve had many close calls too. I may not like her, but Olivia is in the same boat. I don''t want to fill Edina with extremist elements. But we can''t send them there without education either. That could cause problems. With their numbers already growing into a significant force, do you think I should send even more people who might overthrow Edina? I can''t do that. And if I don''t send them? Should I feed and support them here for the rest of their lives? I can''t do that either. Should I just drive them out to fend for themselves?" The people they had saved would be cast out once again, back to the wastelands where monsters roamed. Driven back to a land of nothing but death. Death or exile. "That''s right, in the past, I actually drove them away like that. If they wanted to die so badly, I didn''t want to dirty my hands, so I told them to go out and die. That''s how I drove a considerable number of survivors back into the wilderness." "I thought that as long as they somehow survived, everything would be fine. But you know what happened? Some of them actually did survive, and that''s the real problem." "Rumors are spreading about a place like this in the south. The rumors are likely spreading through the people I expelled." "What do you think will happen if this reaches the Empire?" "If the Empire learns about Fort Mokna, and that we''ve settled on a distant island in the south, what do you think will happen when the humans find out?" "War, undoubtedly." "I made a mistake. I made a huge mistake by expelling people who opposed Reinhardt and chose death over living under the Demon King''s rule. I made the mistake of letting them live, knowing about our land and our territory." "Ever since then, I''ve tried not to make such a mistake." "That''s all there is to it." The problem wasn''t that the expelled people died; it was that they lived. Rumors about Fort Mokna began to spread from somewhere. People were gradually learning about the southern paradise, even though it wasn''t known as the Demon King''s land. The Demon King, the symbol of hatred, and his realm. Humanity''s attack on Edina may begin someday. If a large number of people learn about Edina, the Empire may be forced into war with them. Just as they were pushed to execute the princess. The wavering Empire might have to wage war against Darkland to restore its authority and unite humanity. That''s why Liana began to actually kill those who would rather choose death over living under the Demon King''s rule. Because if they lived, all of Edina might be in danger. CH 480 Chapter 480 "I haven''t tried not persuading them. I''ve even tried to persuade them with lies. But even if I send them to Edina, they will eventually find out the truth." "I don''t know what you two think about it." "People hate the Demon King much more than we can imagine." "It''s common to hate him enough to want to kill him." "And even to hate him enough to want to die." Both Harriet and Charlotte knew that people hated the Demon King enough to want to kill him. But they could also hate him enough to want to die. Saving someone could bring about someone else''s death. Killing someone to save another. Killing someone to protect something. They had to kill those they had somehow saved with their own hands. Liana had been hiding this story for a very long time. Since about a year ago. As a result of sending those who were clearly going to become dissenters to Edina, there have been numerous assassination attempts on the Demon King. In the long run, Edina could be overthrown as the extreme opposition to the Demon King grew. From the moment she realized that information about Port Mokna and Edina was spreading. Liana had been actually killing people who would rather die than live under the Demon King''s rule. There was an unbreakable, unwavering determination in Liana''s stern expression. No sorrow, no despair. Knowing that if she started getting entangled in such things, she would only flounder in bottomless despair. It only showed that she had decided not to think about such things. "Whatever truth you wanted to know, this is it." Liana says, looking at Charlotte. "So, what are you going to do now?" Charlotte looks silently at Liana. "Why didn''t you tell Reinhardt about this problem?" In response to Charlotte''s question, Liana crosses her arms. "Do you know how Reinhardt has been for the past two years?" "I don''t." At Charlotte''s calm answer, Liana narrows her eyes and looks out the window. "He never showed any sign of struggle, not even once." "..." "The one who should have struggled the most among us spent those two years without any hint of it. Just thinking about what he had to do, moving forward, and never taking a break." Liana looks silently at Charlotte. "He thinks it''s because of him that things turned out this way. But the fact that he doesn''t say anything makes it more obvious. He''s struggling so much that he can''t even speak." "..." When you save someone, you kill someone else just as much. "If Reinhardt had known about this, he would have said that he would take care of the assassination threats and internal problems and to just send them to Edina." "I don''t want Reinhardt to suffer from such things anymore." "I won''t say that this was the best choice." "But." "I don''t think it was the worst choice either." "Do you think I don''t know that there are only crappy choices to solve this problem in any way? That''s why I made a decision as the Demon King''s vice-commander and the commander in charge of the front lines. I decided that Reinhardt should never know about this problem. I have no intention of burdening him with greater concerns and agony by letting him know about this problem when he''s already obviously rotting inside." Liana didn''t want to give the Demon King, who was already clearly struggling enough, another cause for concern. Liana didn''t want Reinhardt or Edina to be in danger. So, out of those she had managed to save, she actually killed those who hated the Demon King enough to want to die. The rumors of the massacre that took place here did not reach Edina. Liana had dealt with people secretly, so even the survivors who went to Edina did not know who had disappeared from their surroundings. Thus. Liana saved people, and because she saved them, she killed them. Ironically, those who were not discovered by Liana might have lived a little longer. Liana did not explain at all how she felt when killing them with her own hands. Just as Reinhardt had not shown any signs of strain for two years. Liana did not speak of the inevitability or pain of the slaughter. She decided to do so, and so she did. The unyielding Liana de Grantz. The demon king''s changer. Charlotte gazes at the Thunder King. "You''re Reinhardt''s friend, aren''t you?" Charlotte asks Liana, still with a calm expression. "Yes." "But before that, you''re aware that you were in a relationship of lord and retainer?" "¡­Yes." Before being friends, they had to consider their lord and retainer relationship first. Although they started as friends, Liana could not argue with Charlotte''s words that they had to abandon that way of thinking to some extent. Charlotte gazes at Liana quietly. "A retainer deceives the lord for the lord''s sake. Is that the argument?" Although it excessively simplifies Liana and Reinhardt''s situations, it is true that their situations are not much different in the end. "Yes. I guess that''s one way to put it." "Then, does that mean Harriet here, and me as the ruler, Olivia as the head of the church, and Airi as the Succubus Queen can also deceive the lord under the same argument?" "¡­" "To ease the lord''s burden and relieve the lord''s sense of responsibility and guilt, the lord must be unaware of the miserable and dirty things happening in the country. Is it okay to deceive the lord?" Charlotte looks at Liana quietly. "By deceiving the lord and covering the lord''s eyes under the pretext of working for the lord, showing only the good, beautiful, and heartwarming things while hiding the dirty things, and if the lord remains ignorant, thinking that everything is going well, what do you call such a lord?" "A tyrant, isn''t it?" Liana looks at Charlotte with a stern expression. "Liana de Grantz." "Your intention may be that of a loyal retainer, but the result is the way of a traitor." "The moment you try to blind the lord with various considerations, you unintentionally turn Reinhardt into an incompetent being." "Reinhardt will inevitably trust you and won''t be curious about what''s hidden behind your words. Why? Because you''re a meritorious retainer, and a friend." "Regardless of your intentions, you carried out a unilateral decision without discussing a major issue with the lord. For a very long time." "Reinhardt trusted you, but you doubted whether he could fall apart." "Ultimately, you betrayed Reinhardt''s trust." "I don''t intend to argue whether your handling of this matter was wrong." "But you should have talked to Reinhardt about this issue, absolutely." "That''s your mistake and your failure." Regardless of the intentions, once the lord is deceived, it can happen two or three times. Liana, who has also deceived the lord, cannot say anything to others who deceive the lord for similar reasons. And so. If it was assumed that each person following Reinhardt had one or two matters they were keeping hidden for Reinhardt''s sake. Reinhardt was an incompetent ruler, unknowing of the very matters he should be aware of. Charlotte looked silently at the quiet Liana. One could be friends, but one should not approach matters from a friend''s perspective. Liana knew that Charlotte''s words were not merely to confirm the hierarchy. "A ruler needs your loyalty, not your consideration." One could keep a friend in the dark out of consideration, but keeping a ruler in the dark for the same reason was no different from treason. "The issues and responsibilities arising from good and evil in the nation are for the ruler to bear. You cannot and should not judge from below, then act as you please, deciding to take responsibility for yourself." "..." In Charlotte''s words, all of this essentially turned Reinhardt into an incompetent ruler. Intention was not important; if such events accumulated, they would only turn Reinhardt into a tyrant. Liana could not find a response to that. She had no choice but to admit that her choice, regardless of good or evil, was a mistake that jeopardized not only the relationship between the military and the ruler, but also Reinhardt''s ability as a ruler. "So, what do you want to say in the end? Do you want to dismiss me from my position? Or do you want to tell Reinhardt that I have committed corruption and punishment is necessary?" Liana calmly replied to Charlotte''s words, admitting her mistake, albeit begrudgingly. "I didn''t know the specifics, but I thought there would be something similar. What I want to say is that from now on, no matter the reason, there must be no more secrets of this kind." Liana did not mention that she had been slaughtering survivors until now. The important thing was that she had acted unilaterally without discussing matters that should be discussed with the ruler. Charlotte was merely pointing out the problems that would arise from it. "I will report this matter to Reinhardt. However, knowing Reinhardt''s personality, I don''t think he would punish you or dismiss you from your position." "..." "And this is my judgment as a regent." Charlotte looked around. "Until Reinhardt returns and issues a command, it would be best to suspend the search for survivors in Fort Mokna." The possibility of securing survivors was not entirely gone. However, securing survivors would inevitably lead to the slaughter of some of them. There could be a choice to continue the search for survivors, as some can be saved. But there could also be a choice not to save anyone, as one might have to kill an innocent person. There was no entirely right decision. There were only decisions. "From now on, all activities other than base defense will be suspended." Fort Mokna would limit its activities to base defense until Reinhardt made a new judgment. That was the new decision of Charlotte de Gardias, the regent. "Can you accept my decision?" At Charlotte''s question, Liana stared silently at her. In the end, Liana had no choice but to admit her mistake. "......Alright, let''s do that." And so, she had no choice but to accept the regent''s judgment. Having finished the conversation, Charlotte stood up from her seat, and Harriet awkwardly followed her. "Hey." Liana called out to Charlotte, who was about to leave. "...Yes?" "You know that I don''t like you, right?" "..." Upon hearing Liana''s words, spoken softly, Charlotte gazed quietly at her. "I have no reason to like you and every reason to dislike you. That''s what I''ve been thinking." And yet, Charlotte simply stared at Liana as if to say, "So what?" "Have you never considered that?" "...What?" Liana bit her lip, her eyes wide open. Before she knew it, Liana''s bulging eyes had turned bloodshot. After a long silence, Liana mumbled as if spitting something out. "That I have no right... to hate you... and the Empire... Have you never thought of that?" "..." Charlotte looked at Liana, whose eyes were bloodshot and red. At Liana, whose empty gaze seemed to stretch out endlessly. She just looked at her. Liana knew the cause of her father''s death. The Empire had killed Liana''s father, Duke Grantz. And they had blamed it on the Demon King. The reason was that Duke Grantz was a key figure in the revolutionary forces. The revolutionary forces could have plunged the entire continent into the whirlwind of war. In fact, the place where Duke Grantz had been was known to be a meeting place with the demon race. The revolutionary forces were willing to join hands with the enemies of humanity if it meant achieving their revolution. To avoid war. The Empire had killed Duke Grantz and disguised it as the act of the Demon King to avoid countless sacrifices. That''s why Liana hated the Empire, and hated everyone involved in her father''s death. She disliked Charlotte because she was a princess of the Empire. But now. For the sake of Edina. To avoid war with the Empire. For the sake of the Demon King. She had killed innocent people. Liana''s confession to Charlotte was tantamount to admitting that she was tormented by the thought that she had no right to hate the Empire and the royal family. The logic behind the Empire killing Duke Grantz. The logic behind Liana''s massacre of innocents was exactly the same. The logic was the same because it was to avoid further sacrifices. Liana now knew that her hatred had lost its legitimacy. Just as Reinhardt had not appealed to his despair, Liana too had been tormented by despair while committing such horrible acts with her own hands. "Well..." The right to hate. The right to despise. "I don''t know if there''s a need for qualifications in hatred and resentment." Hatred and resentment can arise even with weak grounds. After all, isn''t people''s hatred and resentment towards the Demon King based on mere misunderstandings? "So even if you continue to hate me, or hate the Empire, it can''t be helped. Thinking about whether you have the right to do so..." Charlotte gazed quietly at Liana. "The very act of worrying about the moral purity of hatred and resentment... is, well..." Charlotte tilted her head. "Isn''t it a bit too arrogant?" That the previous hatred and resentment were morally pure, but now they might not be justified. At Charlotte''s suggestion that worrying about that itself might be arrogant, Liana bit her lip. "I still don''t like you." At Liana''s reaction, Charlotte let out a faint laugh. "There''s no point in getting along too well with important people like kings anyway. For my sake, for your sake, and for Reinhardt''s." So it would be better for her to be considered as an unwelcome and uncomfortable person who couldn''t be ignored by them. "However, no matter what, you people are incomparably better than me, and that won''t change." The people who had believed in Reinhardt. And herself, who couldn''t believe. Charlotte knew all too well that she could never bridge that gap. Leaving those words behind, Charlotte left the Port Mokna headquarters. CH 481 Chapter 481 The power of a regent must be strong. However, if the regent becomes too close to the Demon King''s people, the kingdom''s affairs would be managed without the Demon King''s involvement. If the regent gains even more trust, the Demon King would become insignificant. Charlotte understands that she can control Edina, but forming excessively close relationships with important figures could be dangerous. Charlotte believes that she is merely a stand-in for the king and should not become the king herself. This is not exactly what Reinhardt wants. Of course, Charlotte doesn''t think that she can earn more trust from the Four Heavenly Kings and the Council of Elders than Reinhardt just because she wants to. She cannot gauge the time they have spent building their trust. She remains cautious of such situations but does not think that either Olivia or Liana would trust her more than Reinhardt. To them, the regent must be an uncomfortable yet indispensable presence. Neither too weak nor too strong a power is acceptable. Charlotte finds herself walking a tightrope of power. Just before returning to Lazak from Port Mokna. "Guys, I think there''s something you need to know..." "Something we need to know?" "Yes." Lucinil had no choice but to tell Charlotte and Harriet about the strange sight she had seen. Upon hearing the story, Charlotte and Harriet could not help but understand what Lucinil was talking about. "Ah, that place must be..." "Probably..." "What is it? What happened?" Charlotte hesitated for a moment before briefly explaining to Lucinil what had happened in Lazak. "Ah..." Only then did Lucinil understand what she had seen. Charlotte wore an emotionless expression, while Lucinil and Harriet could not hide their sorrow. After a moment''s consideration, Lucinil finally let out a long sigh. "We have to do something about it." "For now, we''ve decided to suspend the search for survivors." "No, that''s not it." Lucinil pointed to the outskirts of Port Mokna. "Anyone with enough spiritual sensitivity can feel an intense ghostly energy on their skin." "Ghostly energy...?" At Harriet''s question, Lucinil nodded. "Yes, ghosts may materialize as undead, or unknown curses may befall us, or even some bizarre phenomena may occur." Too many deaths had accumulated too many resentful spirits in this area. Nobody knows how many people have died so far. "We have to do something before it becomes unmanageable." "What will happen if we don''t?" At Charlotte''s question, Lucinil shook her head. "I don''t know." But her expression was grave. "That''s what makes it even scarier." Disasters caused by resentful spirits. A world filled with oppressive deaths everywhere. No one knew what would happen if they didn''t act quickly. ¡ª---- Using a teleport scroll, they could return to Edina, rest for a few days, and come back. However, teleport scrolls are not infinite. A single scroll could not take them back to Edina due to the distance limitations. Harriet, sleepless for days, could barely create a teleport scroll after much effort. They could not waste them recklessly, considering Harriet. If the scrolls were exhausted thoughtlessly, Harriet would be the one to suffer. Monsters appeared in the Sren Mountain Range as frequently as they did throughout the continent. Even so, due to the excessively treacherous terrain, the monsters that made their way here were of a completely different caliber compared to the common creatures wandering the wilderness. As the terrain was so harsh, only the most formidable beings could enter. For this reason, there was a constant risk of being attacked while asleep, which left me unable to sleep at all. I had been awake for a full fortnight. This alone made me feel as though I had become some sort of transcendent being, far removed from ordinary humans. Not that I wanted to realize that in this kind of situation. However, no matter how extraordinary my physical abilities were compared to those of ordinary people, a mountain range was still a mountain range. Scaling rocky cliffs and climbing steep slopes, traversing the bitterly cold mountains at night had its limits. Where on earth was Rezaira? Entering the mountain range in search of a single village was like trying to find a tiny oasis in the vast desert. Was it all in vain? No, it was definitely in vain. "Phew..." I climbed up a rocky peak and gazed upon the endless mountain range. Looking at the mountains that seemed to have once been a vast, undulating ocean that had suddenly solidified, I could only think that the moment I would find Rezaira might never come. If I had known this, I would have accompanied Ellen when she went to her hometown. Despite being a hero''s descendant, I even had the absurd thought that if one were to spend their childhood playing in such an atrocious terrain, they might become a Ragan Artorius. I didn''t think Rezaira had been destroyed by monsters. But if Rezaira still existed, how were they dealing with the monsters? It was entirely possible that the people of Rezaira had left to find a new settlement. In that case, my wandering through the Sren Mountains was nothing more than a fruitless endeavor. I was so angry I could burst; should I set the place ablaze? As long as I had the Flames of Tuesday, I could set the entire mountain range on fire. Then, the bothersome monsters would either be burned to death or flee somewhere else. "..." Of course, if I were to do that, Ellen''s mother would try to kill me on sight. Feeling so helpless, I had all sorts of crazy thoughts. I climbed down from the rock and continued on my way. I was tired. I wanted to sleep. -Screeeeech! However, a flying monster appeared out of nowhere and swooped down toward me. "Seriously?" -Grooooooowl! I gripped the Tiamata I had summoned in my right hand and threw it with all my might. -Sssssss! Kaboom! The Tiamata, which flew towards the airborne monster, released a torrent of divine power in mid-air, instantly causing the creature to explode. "Phew." With the scattered blood of the exploded monster behind me, I descended the mountain. Rezaira. Where on earth are you? ¡ª--- Three more days passed. Due to my lack of proper sleep, my sense of time was dulled to the point that I almost forgot where I was and what I was doing. The preserved food I had brought with me had run out, so I hunted beasts to eat. At least I didn''t have to worry about making a fire, thanks to the Flames of Tuesday. At this rate, even if I found Rezaira, I would be in such a state that I wouldn''t even know what it was. Around that time, I climbed up a cliff. There was a crevice in the cliff just large enough for one person to squeeze into. I crawled in there and fell asleep. Letting things be as they may. When I reached the brink of death, I held onto the belief that my instincts would wake me up. It was a reckless act, but I had no choice ¨C if I didn''t sleep, I might die. I had no idea how long I slept. I didn''t know if I slept for hours or days, but the important thing was that I didn''t die. I crawled out of a crevice, descended a cliff, and found a stream to drink from. Monsters emerged ceaselessly. There were no fatal monsters, but they were no pushovers either. There were some as large as a house, some as big as a deer, and some that flew. Thankfully, I could dispatch the ones that were almost ethereal and immune to physical attacks with my divine weapon. I lost track of how many peaks I crossed. I was wandering through the heart of the Sren Mountain Range. Where on earth was this place called Rezaira, and was Ellen''s hometown really this hard to reach? Or was it somewhere near the beginning of the Sren Mountain Range? But I didn''t know the direction. I didn''t know if Rezaira was closer to the northern, western, southern, or eastern part of the Sren Mountain Range. So, every time I climbed a peak with great difficulty, I could only look around, feeling like I was searching for a needle in a haystack. Sleeping made it impossible to know how much time I spent. I just wandered through the mountain range day and night, cutting down monsters, again and again. One of those nights. "Haah... Haah..." After tearing apart all the approaching monsters, I collapsed onto a rock at the summit, drenched in blood. Could Rezaira be non-existent? Could all this effort be in vain? As I continued to cut down monsters, my accumulated achievement points surpassed 12,000. However, I couldn''t reach the master class with those points alone. -Whooooosh! The gusts of wind at the summit felt like they would tear my face and ears apart. My clothes were tattered. I wanted to wash somewhere. Should I do laundry tomorrow? I thought it would be a waste to bring someone else, so I came alone. Should I have brought someone, anyone else? An unknown, lofty peak. This peak seemed to be the highest I''ve climbed so far. Sitting on a rock, I gazed at the night sky. The full moon shone brightly above. Ellen''s mother. Luna Artorious. She made the full moon look enormous as if she controlled the world and drew a sword from it. It was a surreal sight that I couldn''t believe even when I saw it with my own eyes. I still don''t know if it was magic, supernatural power, or some other force. But. The name Luna. I couldn''t help but repeat the moon-related name in front of the full moon. Where is Rezaira? Where is Luna Artorious? Can I really not find that place? I am not Ellen. I don''t know the way to become a master class with my own strength. Though I realized Magic Body Strengthening with my own power, I am not Ellen Artorious, so I don''t know the way to become a master class by my own strength. So someone has to tell me. Anyone, I''ll grab onto them. I don''t want to die like this. I know that sacrificing my life for the ending is the best option, but I don''t want to do it. I have to find it. Someone who can lead me. That someone. I looked up at the moon quietly. "...Luna." Will she come if I call Will she come if I call to the moon? If I shout towards it. If I appeal to the full moon. "Luna Artorious." Can I find Rezaira and Luna Artorious? Towards the moon, vaguely. "Mother." With a feeling of injustice and rising heat. "Mother!" I cried out. "Come out! You''re watching everything, aren''t you? You see it all! Please!" Desperately. "Mommmmmm! Mother! Please come out! I know you''re watching!" -Mommmmmmm... -Maaaaaa... Damn it. At my age. I quietly listened to the embarrassing echo of my own words reverberating through the mountains. Somehow. It was a relief that no one heard me, or so I thought. "...Why." "!" Suddenly, a gentle voice reached the back of my head. It was a familiar voice. "Why do I have to listen to that?" As I turned around. "Mother?" "So... why do I have to..." There she was, with a weary expression on her face ¨C a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Luna Artorious. Indeed, she had been watching me from somewhere. CH 482 Luna responded to my call. Well, it was more like she responded to a provocation. The madly blowing wind calmed down the moment she appeared. Luna Artorius, just as before, gazed at me with a composed expression. On a night of the full moon. At last, I found her. No, she found me. "What do you want, wandering around this place at this time?" Casually brushing her long, black hair aside, Luna Artorius asked. "I want to find mother." Upon hearing my words, Luna let out a short sigh. "Why should I listen to your talk about mother? Alright, let''s say I will. So, what exactly do you want from me after finding me?" "I want to become stronger." "..." She stared at me in response to my bold and shameless request. What kind of person is this? It seemed as though she was thinking that. Of course. Ellen''s mother would naturally be with Ellen. Since Ellen made me stronger, I came to find her mother, thinking she would make me even stronger. I admit, I seem to be a bit of an oddball. "You don''t know what the Sun and Moon Sect is. But if you''re not a fool, you should know that we, including myself, are a group that upholds the principle of not interfering in the world''s affairs. Didn''t you hear me clearly?" "I heard you." "Then you understand that I have no reason to help you." "Then why did you come? Just ignore me." Upon hearing my words, Luna Artorius stared at me. Ah. Look at her lips sticking out. She''s just like Ellen, isn''t she? She took a step forward. No. She used some strange space-warping technique. Is she really going to leave? "Wait a minute! Wait! Wait! I''m sorry!" "..." At my insistence, she stopped her action to step forward and disappear through space. "I was just trying to ignore you, as you said I should. Didn''t you say that?" "Mother, as you know, I have a bad habit of speaking like that." "Ah, I see. It''s unfortunate that your upbringing didn''t quite make you more polite." "Due to losing my parents at a young age, I couldn''t help but have an unsatisfactory upbringing..." Ah. Come to think of it, isn''t this something we shouldn''t say to each other? My father and Luna''s son were both annihilated. As I tried to say something and then stopped, Luna quietly stared at me. "..." Moreover, she was the first to mention upbringing, so if there was a slip of the tongue, it was on her side. "Hmm... I apologize. That was rude of me." She covered her mouth, coughed lightly, and muttered. "Anyway, I came here to tell you that no matter how much you wander around this place, there''s nothing you can gain from me. Stop wasting your time." Under the full moon''s light, Luna gazed at me intently. "Reinhardt, don''t try to save what can''t be saved. That''s all I can tell you." She cannot help me. So, the only thing Luna can say is to do something worthwhile elsewhere at this time. Really, is that all? "The Gate incident is almost over." "..." "But an unbeatable monster will come out of the last Gate." "Is that so? You know about strange things, so if you say so, it must be true." "Do you know... what would happen if you could unleash the true power of Alsbringer?" "..." She looked at me and She looked at me in silence. That silence was her answer. "You know it." "Yes, the power of the gods can be projected onto the owner''s flesh." Luna knew about the true power of the Alsbringer. "But to dare to summon the power of the gods into one''s body comes at the cost of losing one''s life. Mortals cannot handle such power." Luna gazed at me quietly. "You know it too." "If things continue like this, I will have to use the Alsbringer to destroy the last Warp Gate." "What exactly will appear in the end?" "A dragon." "..." "A dragon from another world." A being that does not exist in this world. The dragon from another world was the last enemy I had to face, the final boss in the original work. ------ "If I don''t use the Alsbringer, I won''t be able to fight that monster." Luna listened to my words calmly, then tilted her head. "But even if you become a bit stronger here, the chances of you being able to face the dragon are slim." "That''s true." Even if I become a Master class, I cannot be sure if I can face the final monster. To be honest, unless I become powerful enough to summon the war god Als into my body, such a thing would be difficult to happen. "But I can''t just wait for a future that can only be achieved through death." "You talk as if you have no choice but to do it." "..." "Why do you have to?" Luna asked quietly. "Why do you think you have to save the world while sacrificing yourself?" "The world''s affairs are the world''s affairs." "The world''s affairs are everyone''s affairs." "Because it''s everyone''s affair, it''s no one''s affair." "But why do you live as if the world''s affairs are your own?" "If you don''t save the world, why do you live as if everything will end?" "Even if you turn away from it, would it be your fault?" "Why do you live in a compulsion that you have to bear all the responsibility?" "The dragon from another world, whatever it is, as long as it is a living being and a monster, it cannot destroy the whole world." "I don''t know what that monster is, but it can only destroy what is in its sight. Therefore, there will be a safe world from that monster." "The world is vast." "So why not avoid the monster and live your own life?" "Why?" "Do you take it for granted that you have to die for the world?" "Why?" "Just like it''s a given, like you have to live." "In the end, why?" "Who died with my son... the Demon King... you, his son..." "At that time..." "With the same eyes as my son at that time." "Saying something similar to that time, that he has to die for something." "Like this, you came to me." I saw a tear fall from her eyes. ------ She said it was a rainy day. Ellen had scolded her brother, and she had been slapped by her father. That was the last time Ellen saw her brother, she told me. That''s why Ellen came to hate rainy days. That day must have been a different memory for Ellen''s parents. It must have been the day they heard their son''s determination to kill the Demon King for humanity. Ragan Artorius left. Ragan Artorius must have believed that killing the Demon King was a righteous act. In truth, the Demon King of the past, Valier, whom I know of, had the goal of creating a world without humans through the Akasha, a parallel universe. War erupted because they couldn''t understand each other''s circumstances. The Great Demon War of the past was a conflict that broke out due to mutual fear and a lack of willingness to understand each other. Regardless of who initiated the attack, it''s a fact that Ragan Artorious died in the battle against the Demon King. Hence, setting aside what''s right or wrong, to Luna, I am the son of her mortal enemy. Luna stares at me silently as I say the exact same words her son said in the past when he went off to die. She sheds a single tear, but no more tears follow. Without even thinking of wiping away the tear, she keeps gazing at me. Her son had died. But now, the son of the Demon King comes saying the same words. However, the meaning is different this time. Why must one die for the world? A sense of responsibility? A sense of duty? I''m not sure anymore. "Honestly, I don''t know either. I don''t know why I have to go this far. I just don''t." "If that''s the case, then..." "There must be people who can turn a blind eye to this. Surely." I interrupt her words. "It''s just that I can''t. That''s all there is to it." I do have a sense of responsibility. And a sense of duty. But when asked why I have to do this, there''s only one thing I can say. I can''t turn a blind eye to this broken world. Though I could ignore it, I can''t. So, at the point when salvation must ultimately be achieved through death, I came here to find other possibilities because I don''t want to die. Ragan Artorious must have said that he would die for humanity. But I said that if things continue this way, I must die for humanity and the world, so I want to find even the slightest other possibility. Luna gazes at me silently. "I don''t know what the dragon of that world is, but you should know that even if you become stronger here, it would still be difficult to face it." "I suppose." "Still, you''ve been crossing mountains for days, just to find that tiny possibility?" "Yes." "..." I don''t know precisely what kind of being she is, but it''s clear that Luna isn''t involved in this situation in any way. Could she help me? If she decides to help, what kind of assistance can I receive? "I don''t know if I should really do this." However, she didn''t seem to harbor any ill feelings toward me for being the son of the Demon King. "But there''s no reason to prohibit you from setting foot in Rezaira." She stares at me silently. "Reinhardt." "...Yes." "Close your eyes." Following her words, I close my eyes. I could feel her cold hand gently placed on my shoulder. "Done. Now, open your eyes." I had only closed my eyes for a brief moment. "¡­?" I could see a small village spread out at the foot of the mountain. ¡ª--- What exactly is the source of the power Luna uses? It''s neither magic, nor supernatural power, nor divine energy. As a Master Class, she uses mysterious powers that go beyond physical abilities. A small land located somewhere in the rugged Sren mountain range. In that land, there was a tiny village with barely fifty households. The wooden houses weren''t that old, but they weren''t incredibly luxurious either. It was a typical rural village scene that could be found anywhere. As it was nighttime, there were no people wandering about. This must be Rezaira. "Is this place... really safe?" "It''s complicated to explain, and even if you understood, it wouldn''t hold any meaning for you. Just know that people can no longer find Rezaira." In the past, anyone could have found Rezaira. But now, unless a villager brought someone here personally, no one could find Rezaira anymore. She gazed up quietly at the sky, where a full moon hung. With a hand stretched out towards the heavens, she cautiously waved it as if manipulating something. I silently observed her slow, but elegant movement. "What are you doing?" At my question, she slightly lowered her head. "You''ll find out eventually." She seemed like someone who didn''t speak more than necessary. "Follow me; you seem like you could use some rest." She quietly walked ahead. Now I could see how she was dressed. She wore a simple dress, one that any rural woman might wear. It must have been her everyday attire. Considering she mentioned she was a leader of Rezaira, it was strange to see her looking no different from any other ordinary villager. She led me to a two-story wooden house. Upon reflection, it was the house where Ellen had lived since her childhood. She was born and spent her youth in this house. The thought stirred a strange emotion within me. And yet, now that Ellen and I were no longer friends, I found myself in her house without her. "What are you doing? Aren''t you coming in?" "Ah, yes." Prompted by Luna, who was waiting with the door open, I entered Ellen''s house. "Honey, we have a guest. Please come out and see." Luna''s voice sent shivers down my spine. What was this? Her tone was suddenly very different, smooth and affectionate. Where had her cold, indifferent tone gone? Her voice was now filled with warmth and love, and I experienced cognitive dissonance. Would Ellen also adopt this tone if she got married? Well... Hmm. As Luna spoke, a man soon appeared. "...So, you''re Reinhardt." He seemed to have known that I would come to Rezaira. He looked somewhat like Ellen, but more accurately, he was a handsome man with a gentle and cheerful appearance. I remembered seeing a portrait of Ragan Artorius once. Naturally, he bore a striking resemblance to that man. He approached me slowly, and Luna stepped aside. It didn''t seem like Luna harbored any hatred towards me, the son of the Demon King. However, Ellen''s father might have different thoughts. But, he extended his hand to me with a faint smile. "I am Ronan Artorius." Unlike Ellen''s mother, his handshake was large, firm, and strong. He looked at me and chuckled. CH 483 "You smell worse than an animal rolling around in a barn. Go wash yourself." Following Luna''s suggestion, I entered the bathroom. I couldn''t disagree. I hadn''t been able to wash for a long time and had been drenched in monster blood multiple times. In the bathroom, there was a large tub filled with water, and I could hear the sound of wood burning outside. It was a strange feeling, seeing people who wielded such extraordinary powers deliberately living in such a primitive manner. Ellen had no knowledge of her own village. Thus, the matter of the Sun and Moon clan was probably a concern only for the adults in this village. Considering that, maintaining such a lifestyle didn''t seem too strange. Would one learn the village''s secrets only after becoming an adult and reaching a certain age? For now, I simply submerged myself in the hot water. "Is the water alright?" I couldn''t help but be startled by the deep voice coming from beyond the wall. It was Ellen''s father. Ronan''s voice. "Ah... Yes. Thank you." What a strange and bizarre feeling, like a boyfriend visiting his girlfriend''s house without her being there. What is this feeling of being taken care of so well that I don''t know what to do with myself? Moreover, Ellen and I aren''t in that kind of relationship at all. But... Father, you see... I actually have the Flames of Tuesday, so I could have warmed the water myself... In fact, I could have done it alone... Should I mention this... Would I get scolded? For now, I''ll just keep quiet. I rubbed the dried blood off my face and hair, washing it away. It had been days since I had properly rested. "Phew..." The realization that I had finally arrived at a safe place allowed my tightly wound nerves to relax. I had wandered through the mountains without proper rest for a long time. Eventually, Ellen''s mother found me, and I was able to reach Rezaira. It had been a long, tedious, and dangerous journey. At last, I had arrived at a safe place. In the hot water, I couldn''t help but feel a profound sense of relief. Whatever happens, I should lie down on a proper bed and get some rest. I managed to achieve my primary goal; I''ll think about what''s next later. Knock knock "Reinhardt." "Ah, yes!" Startled by the knock on the bathroom door, I reflexively replied. Just now, it was Ronan; now, it was Luna. "I left some clothes outside the door. Change into them." "Ah... Yes, thank you." It''s a strange feeling. At first, I was reluctantly calling her ''Mother,'' but now that it''s come to this... This situation... It''s incredibly awkward... ------ As if Luna knew my situation, Ronan seemed to know that I had been lost. After washing up, I changed into the clothes Ellen''s mother had prepared and went out to the living room. I could hear Luna doing something in the kitchen. Was she preparing food for me? To me, Luna Artorius was even stronger than Saviolin Turner. Yet, in such an ordinary household, she was cooking for a late-night guest ¨C it felt surreal. Ellen''s father sat across from me, silently watching. "..." To be precise, it seemed as though he was looking at the clothes I was wearing. Speaking of which... Ellen''s father was quite large. Although I wasn''t short, he was significantly bigger than me in both size and build. Naturally, the clothes I was wearing were for men, and they were not something Ronan would wear. Nor would they belong to Ellen. Thus, I could tell whose clothes they were without asking. I was now wearing the clothes that Ragan Artorius had worn. Hence, Ronan Artorius in front of me couldn''t help but look at me and the clothes I was wearing with a hard-to-describe expression. What a bizarre situation this was. To put it bluntly, I had come to the home of the parents of the warrior who killed my father, and I was wearing the clothes that the deceased warrior had worn in his lifetime, being treated to a meal. Both I, who came to seek them out. And the couple who took me in. We were all entities that had strayed far from normalcy. "Reinhardt." "Yes?" "Have you seen Ellen since the Gate incident?" At that question, I felt as if I was suffocating. I had seen her. We had even run into each other. We hadn''t had a proper conversation, but we exchanged some words. Perhaps reading something from my expression, Ronan nodded his head. "It seems it wasn''t a pleasant reunion." "...Yes." Ronan and Luna seemed to be aware of the relationship and situation between Ellen and me. And the things we would face in the future. ------ Ellen once told me. Her mother often made beef stew at home. Leaving aside whether the food was good or not, there was a limit to what could be cooked in a rural village like this. There wouldn''t be enough ingredients. I wondered where the beef came from, but Ellen''s mother definitely made beef stew. What was strange was that the food Ellen''s mother made tasted new to me. "..." When I hesitated after taking a bite of the stew, Luna stared at me intently. A person who was evidently related to Ellen, or rather, Ellen was related to Luna, anyway. Was the subtle sulky trait also present on this side? "It''s delicious... I mean, it really is." Despite my words, Luna still looked puzzled. "It might not suit your taste. You must have always eaten food made with the finest ingredients and spices." Technically, that wasn''t wrong. I had lived in the Temple Royal Class, the finest environment in the Empire, and then ruled as king in Edina. The quality of food had never been an issue. But, it wasn''t tasteless, was it? "No, it''s just that it''s interesting. I mean, it''s not that it''s interesting, it''s just a new taste... I''m not saying it''s tasteless. Anyway, it''s delicious. Yes." It wasn''t tasteless, just a bit strange since it was my first time tasting such a flavor. In this environment, it''s likely that they used herbs and edible wild plants instead of commonly used spices. So it had a unique taste, but it wasn''t tasteless. However, Luna seemed to have already been offended by my hesitation. She narrowed her eyes and looked out the window. "Well, it''s inevitable that your taste is picky because of your upbringing. I''m sorry, this is all I can prepare." This person. Feeling guilty over such a strange thing! "Ah, come on, honey. What would a city boy know?" "That''s true, I suppose." Ronan gently patted the sulky Luna''s shoulder. Why. Why on earth. Do I have to see this side of my friend''s parents? Ah, I came here on my own accord, didn''t I? ------ After finally finishing the meal through twists and turns, I went up to the second floor. There were three rooms on the second floor. One was a storeroom, and the purpose of the other two was immediately apparent. One must be Ragan Artorius''s room, and the other would be Ellen''s. "This is Ellen''s room. Rest here." "¡­Yes." Luna handed over the bedding, which was laid on Ellen''s wooden bed. "¡­" Although it was unknown how Ragan''s room was being preserved, there was nothing special about the room Ellen had used. Of course, it had likely been empty since Ellen went to the temple and after the Gate incident. Naturally, there were no traces or lingering scents of Ellen. However, this was the room Ellen had occupied for a long time. She would have spent her childhood here and lived here until she went to the temple. There were no extravagant ornaments or accessories in the room. Ellen might have put them away, but it was more likely that her character wouldn''t have had them in the first place. A desk, a wardrobe, a bed. And on the wall hung several old, worn wooden swords. The simplicity suited Ellen''s personality. The room probably hadn''t changed much since she lived here. Her dorm room had also been quite bare, except for a few essentials. And that was the same for me. Upon reflection, Ellen and I shared many similarities. Neither of us had any interest in decorating our rooms. We spent our days training as if something terrible would happen if we didn''t. Neither of us had any personal hobbies, aside from that. "¡­" For some reason, the atmosphere felt strange. I couldn''t sense any trace of Ellen in her room. Naturally, I began to think about what Ellen was like. I wondered how she would react if she knew I had suddenly come to visit Rezaira. Of course, I knew that wasn''t a possibility, but I couldn''t help but be curious. I wanted to restore everything I had lost. Even though it seemed infinitely impossible. So, for now, I had to survive. In the final battle, and in the possible future where I might have to fight against Ellen, I needed to stay alive. I was engaged in the bizarre act of seeking out the parents of the person I might someday have to fight. I didn''t know what I could gain from being here. But I had managed to arrive in Rezaira. ------ The next day, morning. When I opened the window, the morning sunlight and the scenery of Rezaira came into view all at once. No, it wasn''t morning; it was almost noon. It was a cozy landscape. So peaceful that it seemed like nothing would happen for hundreds of years. I could see the villagers going about their day, and children playing here and there. There weren''t many houses, but the residents were living peacefully. "You slept the entire day." "Huh?" "You must have been tired, so it makes sense." Luna''s words made me realize just how exhausted I had been. "I let the villagers know that we have a guest. So, they shouldn''t be surprised to see you." "Ah... Thank you." "Do you want to take a walk around the village? Get familiar with the faces of the people." Somehow. Her words seemed to imply that I would be staying here for quite a while. ------ Rezaira was bound to be a closed-off village due to its environment. Naturally, such a village would be wary of strangers. However, the people of Rezaira showed no such apprehension. "You''re Ellen''s friend? Your name is Rein¡­" "It¡¯s Reinhardt." "Yes, Reinhardt. Make yourself at home." Ellen''s friend. Luna Artorius seemed to have told the villagers that the guest who came under that pretext would stay in Rezaira for a while. Of course, I was the only stranger in the village, so passersby, regardless of their age or gender, approached me and spoke a word. "Ellen''s friend? Hehe... I''m worried about how Ellen is doing." "Is Ellen doing well?" "Are you Ellen''s boyfriend?" "Goodness, you''re quite the handsome one." "Ah... Ellen must have a hard time outside..." "Why did you come alone without Ellen?" Without any particular malicious intent, everyone was friendly. Through the reactions of the children and adults, I could grasp the truth about Rezaira. The children didn''t know that the outside world had turned into chaos. On the other hand, the adults, who knew the situation to some extent, slightly darkened their expressions as soon as Ellen''s story was mentioned. It was only natural to keep quiet, as there was no benefit in the children realizing that the outside world had turned into a mess and countless people were dying. My peers. That is, those who seemed to be friends of Ellen also came. "Hello? Ellen''s friend? My name is Lena." "Uh... hi." "You should tell me your name, too." "Reinhardt." "Yes, Reinhardt. Nice to meet you." She was a lively-looking woman with short brown hair. Intrigued by the appearance of a stranger in this countryside village, she stared at my face for a while. "My name is Arta." On the contrary, a somewhat curt man approached me and offered his hand. "I''ve heard the situation outside is terrible." "Well... it is." They were probably around twenty years old, like Ellen''s friends. Although they didn''t know exactly how the world was turning, they knew to some extent. As I greeted each person and wandered around Rezaira, there was only one thought on my mind. I don''t have time for this. I didn''t come to Rezaira for fun. I didn''t come to greet each and every member of the village, but to receive guidance from Ellen''s mother or father. I shouldn''t be wasting my time like this. For now, I''m meeting people and looking around the village as Luna Artorius instructed. However, people are dying even at this moment. I entrusted Edina''s affairs to Charlotte, but I don''t know if things are really going well. I don''t have time to waste like this. In Rezaira''s peace, I was anxious, thinking about the outside world without peace. From a distance, a group of people descended from the foothills of the mountain range. Someone carried something on their shoulder, and at the very front, I saw the figure of Ronan Artorius descending with a large wild boar slung over his shoulder. Had they gone hunting as a group? Somehow. In this place, unrelated to the affairs of the world. Amidst the ordinary daily lives of these people. I felt a certain cruelty. CH 484 On the night that I exchanged greetings with the people of Rezaira, there was a feast. It was a feast to welcome me, a friend and guest of Ellen. Game was hunted, prepared, and roasted whole, and the village people gathered to eat and drink. The people of Rezaira lived by providing for themselves, and it seemed there were no problems with their self-sufficiency. They welcomed me simply because I was Ellen''s friend. The adults knew that the world was currently in great turmoil, but they did not mention it. And most seemed to know nothing about the Sun and Moon clan. Although everyone worried about Ellen, they seemed to believe that nothing bad would happen to her. Would the people of Rezaira be born here and live here until they die? Did outsiders ever drift into the village? "What''s really going on outside? We''re so deep in the mountains that nothing happens here, and the adults don''t say anything. They just tell us not to go too far from the village." Lena. The one who was introduced as Ellen''s childhood friend asked me this. Arta, sitting on the other side, seemed to be focusing on me as well. These guys didn''t know the details either. It seemed they didn''t realize that it was very strange for Rezaira to have no problems at the moment. "It''s dangerous, very dangerous." "Tsk, you''re not going to tell me properly either?" There was no reason to tell those who didn''t know the specifics that the outside world had turned into hell. I smiled quietly, watching the chattering village adults and Ellen''s parents. There''s no need to die for someone else. Just because one has power and ability, it doesn''t mean they must do such things. However, I couldn''t feel comfortable seeing these people living hidden from the world like this. I didn''t know exactly what kind of power they possessed. But if their powers were combined, wouldn''t the situation be resolved more quickly? In the end, I couldn''t erase such regrets and doubts. -... As if she could read my thoughts, Ellen''s mother, Luna Artoleus, glanced at me from afar. She soon turned her gaze elsewhere, but I could feel that she had looked at me precisely just now. ------ "Follow me, Reinhardt." After the feast ended, she called me aside after tidying up. Without a word, she led the way over the slopes of Rezaira. Soon, we arrived at a clearing with a small storage shed. Luna didn''t bother to explain what this place was. I could tell without an explanation. It must have been the place where Ragan and Ellen practiced swordsmanship. I didn''t know how the two heroes practiced swordsmanship here. Perhaps Ragan taught Ellen the sword. I didn''t know if Ragan learned the sword from Luna or from Ronan. However, I could tell that I was now at a historic site of some kind. What could she teach me? What could I learn from Luna? "You can''t possess the power I use." It wasn''t that she couldn''t teach me, but that I couldn''t possess it. At that definitive statement, it felt as if the air was suffocating. "I may not be able to teach you anything properly." I didn''t know what her constraints were or what her situation was. It just seemed that even trying to teach me something was a great adventure for her. As if I could not turn away from the world. Perhaps she couldn''t turn away from me either, and that was the story. "Just promise me one thing." "What... are you asking?" "Trust me." "..." "Can you do that?" Trust me. I didn''t know what that meant. Why would she say this before teaching me something? Perhaps, it''s a hint that situations where I can''t trust her will continue to arise. But why, as if foreseeing a situation where I can''t trust her, would she say such a thing? Still, she had accepted me, who had abruptly sought her out. Moreover, she intended to teach me something. "Of course, I should." "..." She stared at me quietly. I had to trust her. Only then could I take something away and be prepared for what comes later. I had to trust her. After all, there''s nothing to gain from doubting Luna at this point. What would she think of my words of trust? She didn''t express any particular opinion. She simply nodded her head quietly. "Try Magic Body Strengthening." "Yes." -Zrrrring! Magic Body Strengthening itself had become as easy as breathing. The explosive release of magic flowing through my body, and the enhancement. Could she lead me to the next level? About three seconds had passed since I used the Magic Body Strengthening. "That''s enough, stop." At her command, I stopped releasing the strengthening magic. Could she discern my problems just by watching? Luna turned her body. "Your mana flow is overly emotional." She left me with just that remark and added, "Let''s go back." Trust me. It seemed I now understood what that meant. ------ How much time was left? I thought there was plenty of time before the final battle. However, since the situation differed from the original work, unexpected events could happen at any time. In Edina, I could get a rough idea of the continent and empire''s conditions through the information that Antirianus gathered. But in the isolated world of Rezaira, I couldn''t hear news from the outside. Though I arrived in Rezaira to find a breakthrough, I learned nothing. All I heard was that my mana flow was overly emotional. Several days passed. Luna prepared meals for me and busied herself with village tasks alongside Ronan. It was evident at a glance that their self-sufficient lives were hectic. I couldn''t help but grow anxious watching this scene. I didn''t have time for this. I didn''t have time to waste. Even now, countless people were dying, I didn''t know what was happening in Edina, and I was unaware of the empire and continent''s current state. I should be swinging my sword without pause, but instead, I was forced to watch the rural villagers go about their lives. Mother, don''t you worry about Ellen? I felt the urge to scream this dozens of times a day. But she didn''t even tell me to try Magic Body Strengthening again since that night. Being isolated from the world in Rezaira, I couldn''t even hear about the world''s events. I felt like I was going mad from frustration, and although Luna and Ronan took good care of me, they didn''t provide what I truly wanted. Feeling like I was going insane, I spent the entire day swinging my sword in the empty field. She might have expected me to find a breakthrough on my own. Exhausting my vast magical power, I drew it out until I was on the verge of collapse. When I reached that state, I leaned against a tree, resting blankly. Once recovered, I focused my mind to find the next level of Magic Body Strengthening. There was no progress. ------ A week since arriving in Rezaira. Although I became somewhat acquainted with the people of Rezaira, Luna and Ronan still did not teach me anything. In the end, I had no choice but to make a decision. Breakfast time. "Excuse me¡­ Can I return for a while and come back?" "Return? Where do you mean?" At Luna''s words, I sighed. "I have people and matters I need to look after. I think I need to assess the situation and then return." She looked at me quietly upon hearing my words. "You may return. However, if you do, I won''t allow you back into Rezaira." "¡­" Why? Is it such a big problem to leave for a while and come back? Those words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn''t say them. Luna told me to trust her. But a week. I felt like I was losing my mind in a situation where she didn''t pay any attention. It would be nice if she at least gave me a task, even if it was something I couldn''t handle. But instead, I was just left neglected, doing nothing. No matter how much I struggled alone, I couldn''t grasp a clue. And that was something I could do anywhere, not just in Rezaira. Not knowing what was happening in Edina without me, how events were unfolding and rolling, I felt like I was going crazy. I initially intended to be away for a while, but upon leaving, I realized that it was not Edina that needed me but that I desperately needed information about the world. Unable to know how the world was turning, I felt like I was going mad with anxiety. That''s why, for just a moment. It would only take a few hours to travel back and forth via teleport. If I leave, she won''t let me back in here ever again. I couldn''t understand what Luna was thinking. "What will you do?" As if to say it''s your choice, Luna looked at me quietly. Time was passing. Irreversible events must be happening. Can I really gain something from Rezaira? "¡­I will stay." Luna just nodded her head silently, as if to say, do as you wish. ------ Two weeks since arriving in Rezaira. It had been well over a month since I left Edina. As the end of the gate incident approached, the destruction of the gates slowed down, and we had to be careful when approaching each gate to prepare for the big battle. I had that thought hundreds of times a day, like a fit. Isolation. And anxiety. I was going crazy because of the unknown events happening in my absence. Was Charlotte taking care of Edina''s affairs well? Would there be any trouble with Liana, Olivia, and Harriet caught in the middle? Was Ellen okay? Was she involved in any overly dangerous operations? Not knowing what was happening in the world, my stress caused me to feel nauseous from time to time. At least yesterday, Luna told me to do Magic Body Strengthening once again. This time, she didn''t say a word. As soon as she saw me using my Magic Body Strengthening, she said it was done, then abruptly turned around and left. If it''s hopeless, it''s hopeless. If it''s rough, it''s rough. If it''s severely lacking, it''s lacking. If there''s a problem, at least tell me what the problem is. I wanted to shout that out, but I couldn''t say a word. Something is missing. Wondering if I had to realize it on my own, I relentlessly practiced Magic Body Strengthening in the vacant lot. "Ha... hah..." Even the most powerful magic has its limits. Having exhausted all my magic, I leaned against a tree stump, my entire body drenched in sweat. Through the process of depleting and recovering my magical power, the amount of magic was indeed increasing. But I have to move on to the next stage. This no longer has any meaning. Talent. The talents are ready. No one but Ellen has the optimal conditions to become a master class. I don''t know what the problem is or what''s missing. It seems like I only need to take one step. But I don''t know how to take that step. "Want some water?" "¡­Huh?" Turning my head at the sudden voice, a short-haired girl was holding a water bottle out to me. "¡­Thanks." Without any particular reason to refuse, I opened the canteen Lena handed to me and drank the water. The cold water felt like it was cooling my brain in one gulp. It might be more than just the water being cold; my head had become excessively hot. I had become somewhat acquainted with the villagers while staying here for two weeks. However, I spent almost all day in this vacant field, so I rarely encountered anyone. This was only the third time I had a conversation with Lena, Ellen''s childhood friend. Lena tilted her head as she looked at me. "You''re always here, aren''t you?" "¡­Yeah." "Actually, I''ve been watching you from a distance for a while, and you seem really skilled." "¡­Really?" I could suppress master class opponents with just my Magic Body Strengthening output. My physical ability is exceptional, and that fact remains unchanged. It''s just that it doesn''t suit my nature. I stared at Lena. This is no ordinary village called Rezaira. Could Lena also know how to use weapons, like a sword? "Do you know how to use weapons, too?" "Me?" Lena pointed at herself with her finger, then shook her head vigorously. "Not really? I did learn a bit with Ellen and Arta from big brother Ragan, but I had no talent for it." This villager casually mentions the names of two human heroes. Rezaira is indeed a very strange village. "Come to think of it, you seem to handle a sword better than Ragan or Ellen." "No way¡­" "Is that so? I saw Ragan and Ellen wield swords a long time ago, so maybe that''s why. I wonder if Ellen is amazing now?" Lena seemed to have no talent for handling weapons at all. It was my prejudice against Rezaira, but aside from a few people, the residents of Rezaira might be more ordinary than I thought. Anyway, Lena''s evaluation was wrong. I don''t know what Ragan Artorius''s achievements were when he faced the Demon King, but Ellen is stronger than me just considering her swordsmanship, and I''m no match for her when she uses everything she has. Lena took the canteen I was holding and drank the water, gulping it down. After drinking, Lena looked at me and crossed her arms. "I don''t really know why you came here." "¡­Yeah." "You know, when I watch you, I feel really uneasy." "¡­Uneasy?" At those words, I felt something hit me in the heart. "I don''t know what''s happening outside, or why you, Ellen''s friend, came here without her... but when I look at you, I feel anxious too. I don''t know what you''re doing or why you''re here." Anxiety. Impatience. Was it so evident? "What''s the rush?" It''s entirely possible for Lena, who knows nothing of my circumstances, to say such things. She knows I have some unknown situation, but she doesn''t know the specifics, nor what''s happening outside. What''s the rush? I''m in a situation where I can''t afford to be leisurely. However, I had no intention of explaining my situation to Lena. "If you rush too much, you''ll be unable to do even the things you can." "¡­What?" Lena looks at me as she says something unexpected. "Don''t push yourself too hard. I''ll be going now." As if it were just an offhand remark, Lena left those words behind and got up from her spot, disappearing into the distance. I silently watched Lena''s retreating figure. What should I say? It seemed that Lena wasn''t the only strange thing in Rezaira. "¡­" I sat quietly in the vacant field, lost in thought. Magic Body Strengthening. The master class that surpasses that. And the anxiety and impatience that dominate my entire body. Quietly, I draw out the magical power from my whole body and activate it. The turbulent flow of mana that fiercely enveloped my body was clearly visible even to my own eyes. It''s rough. "¡­" Luna had said something similar as well. ''Your mana flow is excessively emotional.'' Perhaps there''s something fundamentally wrong with my Magic Body Strengthening. CH 485 Luna had warned me that she might not be able to teach me properly. True to her words, she never gave me any guidance after that. An offhand remark by Lena, Ellen''s childhood friend, struck a chord with me. She said that if I rushed too much, I wouldn''t be able to do the things I was capable of. Luna''s comment about me being overly emotional did align with Lena''s remark to some extent. But it was difficult to stay composed in my current situation. There were too many concerns crowding my mind. No matter how much I tried to focus on the future, the fact that all these problems were out of my hands only increased my anxiety. Luna still didn''t teach me anything, and I continued to practice Magic Body Strengthening in an empty lot, surrounded by anxiety and restlessness. "I brought you a packed lunch. Eat something first." "Uh... Thank you." Lena occasionally brought me water or a packed lunch. Her behavior seemed slightly awkward, and I could tell that she was aware of my reaction. "Luna told me to give this to you. Do you think I would have made it myself?" "Ah, I see." No. What I need is guidance, not a packed lunch. Luna must have had her reasons, and I just didn''t understand them. Luna Artorius was providing me with the help I truly needed, but she was taking care of me discreetly. At the crude wooden table in the empty lot, I ate a sandwich filled with stiff bread, ham, and vegetables. Speaking of Luna, though. My first impression of Luna Artorius was of a transcendent, supreme being. But was she no more than the neighborhood lady in Rezaira? Neighborhood lady (world''s strongest, brings packed lunches). "By the way, don''t you think Ellen and Luna look a lot alike?" "I suppose they do." Their resemblance was striking. Of course, upon closer inspection, Ellen had a slightly more youthful look. But now Ellen was twenty years old and an adult. Even so, she didn''t look exactly like Luna. "Ronan also looks a lot like Ragan, or rather, Ragan looks a lot like Ronan. That sounds a bit strange." Lena laughed as if she found her own words amusing. Lena said this and then quietly gazed at the village. "You can feel it too, right?" "Feel what?" "Our village, it''s a bit strange." I couldn''t help but be taken aback by Lena''s words, as I hadn''t expected her to say something like this. Did Lena, who knew even less about Rezaira than I did, really think the village was strange? "It''s weird. When you look at Luna, it''s like she doesn''t age at all." "Ah..." Her youthful face was remarkably unblemished, and there were no traces of time on it. On the other hand, while Ronan Artorius didn''t show many signs of aging, you could still feel it to some extent. The fact that Lena, a fellow villager, also found this strange was quite intriguing to me. "Ever since I was a little girl, Luna hasn''t changed at all." "Is that so?" "Yeah." Lena moved her face closer to mine and whispered softly. "And you know, there are some elderly people in the village who call Luna ''Lady Luna.''" "Really?" "Yeah. They don''t do it when children are around, but when they think we''re not there, they address her as if she''s a very important person." Lord of the Moon and Sun Luna Artorius was well aware that she was a special existence even in the village of Rezaira. It seemed only natural that the elders would show her respect. "I thought they''d tell me more when I got older, but either I''m not old enough yet, or they just don''t plan on telling us at all. They haven''t said a word!" Lena pouted, seemingly hurt and resentful. -Hmph "Lena, don''t talk nonsense to a stranger." Along with the low, muffled voice from the direction of Rezaira, someone appeared. "Huh? Arta. What brings you here?" One of Ellen''s childhood friends, a young man named Arta. A blunt and sharp-featured man. Quite the opposite of the gentle and caring Lena. Arta had shown no particular interest in me until now. "Hey, outsider." "What?" I couldn''t help but respond tersely to his brusque tone. "It''s a bit pathetic to see you alone like that. Let''s practice together." He rummaged through the storage area in the empty lot and brought out two wooden swords. -Whoosh! I easily caught the wooden sword Arta threw at me. "Do you know how to use a weapon?" At my question, Arta narrowed his brow slightly. "No, I''m not very good at it." As he said this, he pointed his wooden sword at me. "Compared to Ragan, at least." Though he claimed to be unskilled, the implication was clear ¨C he was quite proficient. Lena showed no intention of stopping us, watching as we faced off. Arta stared at me intently, wooden sword poised. I didn''t feel any exceptional aura from him. I wasn''t sure to what extent the residents of Rezaira were special, but Lena was undoubtedly ordinary, and Arta didn''t seem extraordinary either. The ability of Magic Body Strengthening was not something anyone could awaken to. It was a power that only a rare few could attain. Even in the Temple, where talents from all over the continent were gathered, only a minority eventually succeeded in Magic Body Strengthening. Ellen and I, who awakened to Magic Body Strengthening at seventeen, were very rare cases. Ellen, who became a master-class at eighteen, could be considered almost unique. And I, who could face a master-class with only Magic Body Strengthening, could also be considered almost unique. Thus, no matter how special the village of Rezaira was, Arta couldn''t be my match. If Arta were around twenty years old, not yet having awakened to Magic Body Strengthening wouldn''t be a special case; it was actually quite common. And so, Even if my opponent were weak and inexperienced, I didn''t want to crush him with the power of Magic Body Strengthening. Skill against skill. After all, I no longer felt inferior to Ellen. Arta took a step forward. -Thud! In an instant, I lost sight of his movement. -Crack! I instinctively defended my side, and the wooden sword made a crisp sound as it struck. "What the-?" As Arta retreated, he swung his wooden sword at me from the front. "Aren''t you underestimating me?" -Whoosh! A threatening sound of slicing air whizzed past my right cheek, coming from the wooden sword. I could feel the extraordinary speed and destructive power against my skin. "You." This guy. "What is it?" How could he move like this without Magic Body Strengthening? -Whoosh! I aimed a knee strike at his solar plexus, which had come too close for comfort, but he twisted his body, dodged to the side, and easily moved away. "Who knows?" Arta tilted his head. "What do you think?" He swung his wooden sword a few times in the air before aiming it at me again. Lena was ordinary, but this guy was anything but. I couldn''t quite put my finger on it, but he wasn''t someone to underestimate. Even without using Magic Body Strengthening, my abilities surpassed the A-rank average. And here was someone, without using Magic Body Strengthening, moving at a similar pace as me. Vroom! Seeing me enveloped in blue flames, Arta grinned. I threw away the wooden sword in my right hand. I didn''t need a weapon that couldn''t withstand my power. "Oh." Arta laughed. "Actually, I prefer it that way too." He also tossed away his wooden sword. I wasn''t an expert in hand-to-hand combat, but I was no amateur either. After all, I had learned more than just swordsmanship from Ellen. Bam! But something was off. Vroom! This was definitely strange. As our fists collided, a threatening shockwave swept through the vacant lot. Arta managed to block my powerful punch by crossing his arms and was thrown backward. Even with my body reinforced by Magic Body Strengthening, it was stronger than steel. Arta had somehow blocked it with crossed arms, shook off the impact, and immediately leaped back into action. Thump! I blocked his high kick with my left forearm, and a dull shock coursed through me. Arta was unleashing destructive power that should have been impossible with his bare hands. This didn''t make any sense. No matter how strong one''s body is, such physical strength that reinforces the body''s durability shouldn''t be possible. That could only be achieved through Magic Body Strengthening. Thud! Screech! Thwack! Screech! His spinning kick missed me, but it shattered a tree behind me, leaving me dumbfounded. Could this really be happening? This should only be possible for someone like me, who has boosted their physical abilities through nearly cheating methods. And yet, Arta was doing it with his bare hands. He wasn''t even clad in blue magic. How was this even possible? How could someone with a bare-handed output stronger than mine, who used illicit methods not found in this world, even exist? Did he possess a legitimate technique greater than my own? As if uninterested in my internal struggle, Arta continued his relentless assault. Bam! Crash! Screech! With each collision between our bare hands and magically strengthened bodies, dust billowed and the dry ground cracked underfoot. His skills were impressive, and so was his strength. But overall, he could never catch up to me. As he lunged toward me, I caught the movement of his left leg, preparing for another spinning kick. I quickly lowered my stance and kicked his left leg out from under him. "!" Bam! As he lost balance and fell, I moved to land the decisive blow. Pat! The moment before I struck, Arta swiftly pushed off the ground with one hand, flipping backward and creating distance between us. "You''re not so easy to deal with. I admit defeat." With a nod, Arta seemingly acknowledged his loss, dusting off his hands. Although the outcome wasn''t entirely clear, he seemed to accept that continuing would only confirm his defeat. But I couldn''t understand. "What are you?" "Huh?" I couldn''t comprehend it at all. "How can you move like that without using Magic Body Strengthening? How can you withstand it?" "¡­Ah. I was wondering what you were talking about." Arta shrugged his shoulders. "Didn''t you keep using that?" "¡­What?" Only then did I notice the blue flow of magic in his body, which had shown no signs of movement before. It seemed that I couldn''t see it unless he did something like this, as if to show it off on purpose. "Do you have to see it with your own eyes to understand?" An intricate Magic Body Strengthening that didn''t even emit the flow of mana outside. It felt as if all the common sense I knew so far had been completely denied. Did they teach Magic Body Strengthening in Rezaira? Are Lena and Arta somewhat different? Even Ellen wasn''t at this level. Was Arta related to the secrets of Rezaira? "Well, in the end, you''re stronger than me, but if I were to say one thing, um¡­ your Magic Body Strengthening is¡­ how should I put it¡­" Arta shook his head as he looked at me. "It''s incredibly inefficient." Luna''s words. Following Lena''s words and now Arta''s. I could finally understand what my problem had been. ------ Two years after the Gate Incident. As I could increase my status points with achievement scores, my physical abilities improved dramatically. Rather than a dramatic improvement, it was more fitting to call it abnormal. I had achieved what ordinary people couldn''t achieve through hard work, using a shortcut. Therefore, my magic rank rose to SS rank due to this abnormal growth. As a result, I boasted of being able to face a master-class opponent with just Magic Body Strengthening. However, only my output had increased, my skills had not improved at all. No, it wasn''t just a lack of improvement. They had actually regressed. "Your Magic Body Strengthening is like a projection of your true nature. The form of your Magic Body Strengthening is very violent and rough." All I could do was nod dumbly at Arta''s words. "I don''t know what''s wrong with your body, but if you do Magic Body Strengthening like that, your body should break down. It''s strange that it doesn''t." My body could withstand my rough method only because of my powerful basic physical abilities. I forcibly released an enormous amount of magic, strengthening my body. It was strange that I could endure it, but my Magic Body Strengthening was essentially destroying myself. It wasn''t always like this, but it had become so at some point. Therefore, although I could beat Arta in terms of output, I couldn''t even follow the tips of his toes in terms of skill. A sophisticated Magic Body Strengthening that didn''t even show a hint of enhancement. If Arta could convert about 90% of his magic power into his strength, I couldn''t even convert half of my magic power into strength. The efficiency was too low, but I didn''t lose because the absolute output was high. I won in practice duels, but I felt a sense of defeat. What''s important in Magic Body Strengthening is not only output, but also efficiency, which is what I can improve now that I can''t increase my output further. The fact that my Magic Body Strengthening took the form of a massive blue flame and burned intensely meant that my magic was incompletely combusting. This method that only suppressed with force. I had to fix this method. "¡­Thank you." Arta taught me something that Luna hadn''t. No, did she know that it would turn out like this? "What''s there to be thankful for?" Arta shrugged his shoulders and said nothing more. CH 486 The thought that the place called Rezaira might not be home to ordinary people, except for Luna, was overturned after seeing Arta. It was unlikely that a village with someone around my age who had mastered Magic Body Strengthening to such an extent could be considered ordinary. That night. "Today, I heard from Arta what my problem was." At the dinner table with Ellen''s parents, I brought up the subject. "What did you hear?" In response to Ellen''s father, Ronan''s question, I dipped my bread in the stew and took a bite. "He said that my Magic Body Strengthening is extremely inefficient." "I see." Ronan nodded quietly, while Luna simply continued her dinner. Too emotional. Why couldn''t she say it more directly like Arta? I would have preferred an accurate statement rather than a roundabout one. Do they both expect me to realize everything on my own? That approach takes too much time. Despite knowing that impatience was consuming me, I couldn''t let it go. "Reinhardt." Ronan quietly called my name. "Yes." He put his bread on the plate and held up his index finger. "The magical power within the body is the flame of the heart." "¡­Yes." I understood the analogy to some extent. From Ronan''s index finger, blue mana began to rise like smoke. I had suspected that just as Luna was no ordinary person, neither was Ronan. "Do you think the emphasis of the phrase ''flame of the heart'' lies on the heart or the flame?" "The heart¡­ I suppose." "Yes, you''re right." The blue mana emanating from the tip of Ronan''s index finger soon began to flicker like a tiny candle flame. "If your heart is calm, the flame of your heart will be calm as well." The flame originating from his finger suddenly grew larger and started to undulate. "If your heart is in turmoil, the flame of your heart will be like this." The burning magical flame, seemingly capable of tearing its surroundings apart, was indeed making the air in the living room ripple. "And if your heart is dark¡­" Instantly. The blue mana transformed as if its very nature had changed, flickering roughly with a dark, ominous hue. "The flame of your heart may respond to your dark side and change like this." -Krrrrr "However¡­" The black flame at the tip of Ronan''s finger disappeared, and the gentle blue mana returned. "If your heart is not in turmoil." "And not dark." "Unswayed by any emotions that cloud your heart." "Beyond tranquility." "Surpassing serenity." "If you advance to the stage called ''clear mirror, still water'' or ''immovable mind''¡­" "Once you have gained an unwavering, strong heart, a peace and serenity devoid of doubt, and absolute certainty¡­" "What will become of the flame of your heart?" No longer smoke or a flame, something else emerged from his index finger. "If the flame of your heart no longer wavers, what will it become?" The mana emanating from his fingertip neither wavered nor flickered. A straight line of mana extended. The line extending from the tip of his index finger grew longer and eventually took on a distinct shape. A shaped flame. A flame that no longer wavered. It soon took on a form akin to a solid object. An intangible sword. A sword forged by the heart. Summoning the Aura Sword, Ronan Artorius sliced a loaf of bread with the blade that extended from his fingertips. "The moment when the flame of the heart can no longer be a flame." "..." "Then, you will be able to attain what you desire." -Thud! After finishing his words, Ronan accidentally sliced through the plate along with the bread using the Aura Sword. "..." "¡­Honey?" Luna stared intently at Ronan. Swallowing hard, Ronan began to look back at Luna. "Well, that was¡­ you know¡­" "Let''s talk for a moment." "Ah, no. Honey¡­" "Come with me." "Yes¡­" Luna grabbed Ronan''s arm and led him away, his face turning pale as he was dragged along. By the way, Luna was one thing, but... It may be obvious, but... Ronan Artorius was no ordinary person either. ------ The magic power within one''s body is the flame of the heart. Since the heart is fluid, the flowing magic also takes on a fluid form. However, when the heart no longer wavers, the magical flame of the heart will not waver either. What I needed to do first and foremost remained unchanged. After Ronan went outside, seemingly scolded, he shuffled into the bedroom. Luna looked at me and spoke quietly. "Let''s go for a walk." "Ah, yes." In fact, some time had passed since I arrived in Rezaira, but I had not had many conversations with either Luna or Ronan. People don''t usually wander around Rezaira at night. The night in the mountains comes early, and the lifestyle here usually starts at dawn and ends shortly after noon. Although the nature of Rezaira is different, the village''s way of life was not much different from rural life. Luna walked quietly beside me. "Do you remember the last time you cried?" Her sudden question made me feel a bit taken aback. Why on earth was she asking me this? "I''m not sure¡­" Have I ever cried? Honestly, I don''t remember. I probably didn''t cry. "I don''t know. I don''t think¡­ I''ve ever cried." As we walked through the village, Luna asked quietly. "Then, when did you feel like you should cry?" "¡­" I''ve never cried, but have I ever had a moment when I thought I should cry? Thinking about it, I felt suffocated. I have failed many times and am still failing. Amidst these failures, I was trying to achieve some success. Was there a moment when I should have cried? Luna stopped walking and looked at me. "Every day is like that, isn''t it?" "¡­" "Right?" For the first time in my life, someone''s words struck my heart. She gently touched my cheek with her hand. "When you can''t cry when you should, those tears fester and rot in your heart." "Reinhardt." "You couldn''t cry when you should have. Every day is a day you want to cry." "That''s why." "In the end, you don''t realize your heart is broken because you lived through those days." Holding back something. Holding back tears. Could it be that it only makes me sick? I looked at Luna and spoke quietly. "Crying doesn''t solve anything." Why didn''t I have any days when I wanted to cry? If shedding tears could solve and relieve something, I would have done so without hesitation. Tears are just tears. There is a limit to the sadness that can be poured out and relieved with tears. Wailing only serves as a reminder of how miserable and painful one''s own situation is. It was only to confirm how sick I was. So, I didn''t cry. I thought that nothing could be solved with tears. I believed that moving forward was the only thing I had to do, so I had come this far. "If having an unwavering heart is the condition for me to advance to the next stage, then there''s no need for me to cry or pour out my thoughts, is there?" If what Ronan Artorius had said was what I needed, then tears were even more unnecessary. Luna shook her head at my words. "You misunderstood Ronan''s words." "¡­" "There''s no way a heart without emotions and an unwavering heart can be the same." Is a heart without emotions not unwavering but indifferent? "¡­" "It doesn''t mean to abandon those emotions." Luna stared intently into my eyes. "I can see despair, fear, abyss, and guilt within you." "Yet, despite that, you must remain unshaken." "Having a clear mind even while facing those emotions." "Isn''t that the mindset you must have?" "There''s a frightening battle ahead." "It will surely bring even greater fear and terror than your current anxiety and impatience." "If you cannot have an unwavering heart due to your anxiety and impatience now, it will be the same in the later battles." Had she left me alone to provoke my anxiety and impatience? If I couldn''t use my power properly amidst my current anxiety, I wouldn''t be able to do so in a greater crisis later. As if giving me preliminary training. That''s why she had left me alone. "You''ll be anxious. Impatient. Your heart will grow increasingly desperate." "Yet, despite that, you must remain unshaken." What I''m feeling now, anxiety and impatience, are all the same in the end. In later battles, I must face even greater fear and terror. Things that I cannot do now due to anxiety and impatience will be even more impossible later. So now, in Rezaira, I must find a heart that overcomes fear, not one that succumbs to it. "And also." As Luna lowered her hand from my cheek, she smiled. "Tears cannot solve anything, but that''s why they''re necessary. I hope you understand that." Tears can''t solve anything. That''s why they''re important. I felt like I knew what it meant in the past. But the present me and the past me had changed so much that I couldn''t understand what Luna meant by that. "I think that the most unnecessary thing for a person is actually what a person needs the most, what makes a person a person, something very important." "I''m not sure what you mean¡­" "Oh dear, have you forgotten?" Luna smiled. "We''ve been talking about the heart all this time." There''s no need for a person to have something called a heart. But can a person without a heart be considered a person? I couldn''t understand Luna''s words, but I couldn''t deny them either. ------ In the end, I had to overcome my anxiety, impatience, and fear. If I continued to embrace a hopeless problem while enhancing my magical power alone, my anxiety would only grow. Rather, I felt that grappling with a hopeless problem alone would only exacerbate the issue. So, I felt the need to distance myself a little. I needed to put some distance between myself and the myriad of problems that had crowded my mind. The more urgent it became, the more urgency remained within me. I needed to clear my head. I had quite a few conversations with Luna and Ronan, but nothing changed significantly. Luna and Ronan still left me to my own devices. They gave me hints but never directly observed me. However, after realizing what Luna and Ronan wanted to some extent, I felt that it was unreasonable to expect them to watch over me. Life in the mountain village was busy. Life in the mountain village began even before the sun rose. Ronan would lead the villagers on hunting expeditions from dawn, and it was impossible to know when he would return. Luna had to wake up even earlier to prepare breakfast and send him off. The villagers who stayed behind also got up at dawn to tend to the fields, and Luna was no exception. After noon, they would do laundry or chop wood; the villagers who stayed behind were not idle. When the hunters returned, they gathered to skin the animals they had caught, dry the hides, or smoke and make sausages to store the meat. They had no time to spare. Their days were peaceful but full. Although I felt anxious and restless, being human, I had no choice but to say this. "Um... Mother." "Hmm?" "I feel like I should be doing something too. Is there anything I can do...?" Being a guest for a day or two was fine. However, after almost twenty days of not helping and clinging to their hospitality, my tiny conscience couldn''t bear it any longer. From being a king in Edina to dealing with the fate of the world and now helping with labor in a mountain village ¨C what on earth was I doing? I wanted to escape this uncomfortable feeling of being overly conscious of the villagers'' lack of scrutiny. "You''re asking sooner than I expected." Luna grinned and handed me a bucket. "Fill it up with water. To the brim." What exactly am I doing here? CH 487 Though I tried to help with the work, I didn''t know how to do tasks like leatherworking or sharpening tools, so I only did simple labor. Because of this, I couldn''t assist in the work all day long. However, this didn''t mean I had completely abandoned my personal training. I wasn''t sure what wavering heart was, but unlike my previous Magic Body Strengthening, I tried to proceed with a feeling of controlling the flow of mana instead of just releasing it. However, it was difficult to call this personal training. Lena and Arta would always come to watch me. "Are you going through puberty?" "..." I had almost forgotten about that, but when I heard such words from Arta, some long-forgotten emotions welled up within me. Does this guy even know how old I am? I was about to blurt that out but swallowed it instead. But, puberty? From the beginning, looking at my current state, I''d already passed puberty! Seeing my expression, Arta snickered. "Why do you get angry so easily? That''s why nothing works out for you." "Don''t I look calm right now?" This guy, I initially thought he was a calm person, but he wasn''t at all. He kept tossing annoying comments from the side. Of course, I could crush him if I wanted to, but this wasn''t like the times at the temple. In reality, he was watching and teaching me what I needed to do, so it wasn''t exactly annoying. In fact, since the erratic flames of my Magic Body Strengthening were reacting to my emotions, I had no retort when I heard the puberty comment. "Don''t try to control your entire mana while releasing it. You''re not at that level yet. First, get used to completely controlling a small amount of Magic Body Strengthening, then increase the total amount." "Damn it, I know that too." "If you know, then why don''t you do it that way?" "What will happen if I do it that way¡­¡­!" I was about to shout in irritation but closed my mouth. Growing a little at a time is currently my best option. But when, exactly, will I be able to perfectly control the immense magic I possess by doing that? In the end, I couldn''t let go of my impatience. As I was about to flare up suddenly, Arta poked Lena and said, "See? I told you he''s got a bad temper." "Stop poking Reinhardt!" -Slap! "Ouch!" Finally, Lena lost her temper. ------ "I am calm." "I attain peace of mind." "I am tranquil." "I attain peace of mind......" "I am serene." As I sat quietly on the ground at the construction site, murmuring those words, Arta''s face turned pale. "......Hey, I''m sorry. I went too far." Apparently, thinking that I had gone insane and was speaking nonsense, Arta kept apologizing. No. I was trying to mix self-suggestion and word magic to forcibly attain peace of mind, not because I had gone crazy. "Don''t you think you should take a break¡­¡­?" Lena, too, thought my actions were a result of madness, and her face turned pale as she suggested that. Well. I couldn''t deny that repeatedly telling myself to be calm might seem like the act of someone losing their mind. ------ The place Lena and Arta took me to rest was on the outskirts of Rizaira. -Whoosh I hadn''t expected there to be such a massive waterfall in this area, so I could only stare blankly at it. Down in the valley, villagers were washing clothes, and in the deep pool where the waterfall cascaded, children were swimming. It occurred to me then that it was summer. I hadn''t been completely unaware, but it struck me how little I had been paying attention to the seasons. "Shall we join them?" "No, not really." I declined Arta''s invitation. "Don''t you like swimming?" "I don''t like kids." "Ah..." At my response, Lena nodded with a slightly deflated expression. -Stop it! -Cut it out! I thought it would be bothersome to swim with the splashing children in the valley, especially if they clung to me. I remembered the time I followed Olivia to the orphanage. Back then, the children had clung to me, causing some trouble, and Olivia had laughed as if she found it amusing. I wondered what had become of those children. "..." The more I thought about everything that had happened in the imperial city, the more despairing my feelings became. Arta clicked his tongue at my dislike for children. "This one seems to be the opposite of Ellen in some ways, but also similar in others, don''t you think?" "Maybe...?" "Did Ellen dislike children too?" At my question, Lena covered her mouth with her hand and tilted her head. "It''s more like she found them difficult to deal with." I didn''t think she''d be lively in her hometown, but perhaps Ellen maintained her stoic demeanor even here. Arta watched the frolicking children. "She wasn''t always like that. She used to play well with kids, and even though she didn''t talk much, she would go out and play with us and the children. But that changed after Ragan left." "Is that so...?" Ellen had changed after Ragan Artorius had left. I tried to imagine what Ellen''s past self, who supposedly wasn''t like that, might have been like, but I couldn''t quite grasp the feeling. A laughing and frolicking Ellen didn''t seem like the Ellen I knew. Yet, if that were true, it didn''t seem like a bad image either. As a child, Ellen must have played in this valley, splashing in the water with the other children. The water appeared to be quite deep. Come to think of it, Ellen was an excellent swimmer. Growing up in a place like this, her swimming skills must have developed naturally. Suddenly, I realized where Ellen''s swimming prowess had come from. "I don''t know for sure, but you think too much." That was Arta''s comment. "Does it show?" "Yes." "Right." Both Lena and Arta nodded simultaneously in response to my question. "We don''t know what you want or what you''re really like." "...I guess so." "If it doesn''t work out, just think of it as a break." "A break?" Arta stared at me. "That''s right, if nothing works out and you can''t do anything, at least take a break. Not being able to rest is a terrible thing." "Yeah, Reinhardt, you really need to take a break. You look like you have no leisure." Both of them didn''t know that I was the Demon King or the ruler of the country of Edina. But they had continuously sensed my anxiety and impatience. That''s why they could tell from my actions that I had no leisure. To take a break. To simply rest without a thought. Was that even possible for me? The days here seemed meaningless, as I gained nothing while time passed. The sense of futility in this situation returned as guilt. However, I couldn''t deny Arta''s words that not taking a break was foolish. For two years, I had run tirelessly, seen more than my share of cruelty, made brutal decisions, and faced excruciating choices. What would change if I took a break? How much rest would it take to bring peace to my chaotic heart? I didn''t know. -Splash! -Stop it! -Ah, enough! Stop! I watched children playing carelessly in the water. -Swoooosh! And I stared at the massive waterfall pouring down. I took a break. But I didn''t know about resting. I wanted to try something bizarre. An action I would never normally take. A deed that could only be done in a place like this, at a moment like this. ¡°Shall we swim?¡± ¡°No.¡± I began to stand under the waterfall, letting the water hit me. Without any Magic Body Strengthening, with my bare body. Lena and Arta started to look at me as if I was a madman, standing suddenly beneath the waterfall. -Swoooosh! -What are you doing? -Brother! What are you doing? Even the children began to stare at me as if I were a strange person. I had thought of the clich¨¦ that enlightened people gain insight by doing such things. Of course, there was no insight, just a terrible pain as if my scalp was being peeled off. It hurt so much, it felt like my body was breaking when I faced the waterfall without any Magic Body Strengthening. Interestingly, the physical pain made me forget the anguish that my heart was about to shatter. After that, I sat in meditation beneath the waterfall whenever I had time. I knew that I couldn''t become an immortal by meditating under a pouring waterfall. On the contrary, it would be a disaster if I became an immortal. I wanted to do what I could in this world, so ascending due to sudden enlightenment would be a disaster. I knew nothing about the meaning of asceticism and didn''t understand its purpose. All I had felt was that physical pain somewhat diluted mental anguish. It was not asceticism based on religion or belief, but simply a physical one. Without using any Magic Body Strengthening, with my bare body, I was hit by the giant waterfall. When I did that all day, I could hardly move due to the pain in my entire body. In that state, I would collapse and fall asleep without any thoughts, like fainting. ¡°...What are you doing these days, coming back soaked all the time?¡± ¡°I''m cultivating the Way.¡± ¡°...?¡± Watching Luna''s confused reaction to my words was quite amusing. Enduring such pain without using magic to protect my body was extremely painful. But the funny thing was, my physical abilities had already surpassed the level of an ordinary person long ago. No matter how painful it was, even if I fell asleep with my body aching all over, my body would return to its original state the next day, with only a slight pain left. It was impossible for me in my current state not to think at all. That''s why I treated my body harshly, making it unable to focus on external matters. It was a simple and crude method, but it was undeniably effective. It wasn''t to the point where I couldn''t think at all, but as I stood there being hit by the torrent of water, I could somewhat understand what a state of selflessness was. Honestly, I didn''t need such grandiose words. It was just painful, so painful that I couldn''t think of anything else. There was a funny incident as well. ¡°You''re acting like an ascetic just because I teased you a little about going through puberty?¡± At first, Arta, who had been teasing me, now sat beside me, taking the waterfall together. "Hmm... Should I give it a try?" Moreover, since Arta did it, Lena also quietly entered the waterfall, wanting to try it herself. "Kyaa!" "Hey! You, why did you come?" Lena, not only in pain but with her clothes half-removed by the pouring water, screamed and dashed out. With a flushed face, Lena pulled up her clothes and returned to the village. Arta was also shivering next to me, his lips trembling. Though it seemed obvious, there was no doubt that Arta liked Lena. I sat with Arta under the waterfall. "I was born and raised here! But you''re the first outsider to do something like this!" "Who else would do such a bizarre thing?" "You do realize it''s bizarre, don''t you?" Arta laughed as he took the waterfall. During the summer, children were always in the valley, and older brothers and older men would take the waterfall, so the children, intrigued, would sneak up and try it for themselves. Usually, they would flee in disarray as the waterfall hit their heads, but some gritted their teeth and endured it. "Bro! Is this fun?!" An unknown village boy shouted at me. "How could it be fun!" "Then why do it?" "I don''t know!" Why do something that''s not fun but only painful? The children asked me, but I didn''t know the answer either. However. Every time the waterfall struck my head and body. I could distinctly feel the layers of grime in my heart being washed away. Swoooosh! Though the roaring waterfall noise shook the air around me. My mind gradually became serene. I could clearly sense the noisy silence, as if nothing existed in the world but the sound of the pouring water. Magic Body Strengthening is a power for battle. I awoke to Magic Body Strengthening during my fight with Oscar de Gardias. I awoke to my supernatural ability of Self-Suggestion, the power of Magic Body Strengthening, and the power of Word Magic, all through combat. Thinking about it, this approach is far from ordinary. I cannot deny that I was given such power due to the fate at work within me. In a normal situation, I would have been severely injured or dead, but instead, I advanced to the next stage. In the end, it felt like cheating. The yoga master teacher, whose whereabouts are now unknown. That teacher must have been quite skilled, as he would have taken on his own role in facing the Gate incident. The yoga master teacher''s lessons were fundamentally similar to hypnosis. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Eventually, we all fell asleep. And when we woke up, we arose amid an inexplicable freshness. After that, once Ellen and I had awakened to Magic Body Strengthening, we received special lessons. The yoga master teacher did not teach Magic Body Strengthening as a means for fighting. The teacher spoke of how to control one''s mind and the flow of mana. Magic Body Strengthening is a power that greatly increases physical output, specialized for battle. But is it really only for battle? The yoga master teacher seemed to approach things like Magic Body Strengthening and the circulation of mana as a way of cultivating the mind. The same went for Luna, Ronan, and Arta. They didn''t discuss the output or precision of Magic Body Strengthening but rather saw it as a matter of the heart. They emphasized will over power. Magic Body Strengthening was not a power that strengthened one''s combat ability; rather, it was a psychological action that reveals the strength of the mind and the sophistication of the mind as the strength of the body. I was not strong of heart. I simply endured, endured, and endured some more. A broken heart truly affects the body. It could cause tears to flow easily, hyperventilation, or numbness in one''s limbs. The collapse of the mind disrupts the control over the body. Of course, the opposite is also possible. The mind and the body share a reciprocal relationship. Forgetting my mental anguish to some extent through physical pain is an example of this. If so, could the opposite be true? When a person''s heart is in pain, could their body actually hurt as well? If the mental fortitude of those with strong hearts affects their bodies, Could a person with a strong heart convert that strength into actual physical strength? Kwarruarruarruarruarru The roaring sound of the waterfall hits my entire body with an intensity akin to a downpour. So far, I have resolved everything through fighting. That''s why I thought that if I continuously used Magic Body Strengthening to exhaust and replenish, exhaust and replenish, somehow, it would work. However, strictly speaking, I was on the path of the wicked. Realizing strength within combat was not supposed to happen in the first place. Such events occurred too frequently, and I gradually came to believe that it was natural to awaken power through such fateful battles. Ellen, my goal and ideal, was also like that. Also, I had been unable to escape the idea that Magic Body Strengthening was a mere tool and a means for fighting. Magic Body Strengthening. A means of channeling the magic within the body to enhance one''s physical abilities. But this wasn''t an issue to approach in such a way. Magic Body Strengthening could be approached as a tool, but it wasn''t necessary to do so. As the yoga master had said. As Luna and Ronan had said. As Arta had mentioned. This was a principle, a way in which the mind and spirit affected the body through the medium of magic. Therefore, I must approach this as an issue of the mind and spirit. At some point, suppressing my thoughts and pushing forward rather than expressing myself, while suppressing countless worries and torments, I thought I would deal with everything when it was over. I decided to grieve after everything was resolved. Next. The next moment. As I postponed and accumulated countless tasks, my spirit grew murky, and the suppressed emotions were left to rot, unable to be expressed. A chaotic mind only led to chaotic mana flames, wildly discharged. My body could withstand it because I was abnormally strong. I was merely driving unrefined, violent power into an excessively strong frame. It was strange that I could bear it. I could not properly control my mind. I simply slammed the vast magic into my body like a flood. Therefore, I could not use my body properly. The problem originating from the mind led to issues with the control of magic and, ultimately, to problems with the control of the body. Now, I must abandon the wicked path. I am a hollow, rotten tree. At first glance, I may appear massive, but my insides have decayed and died so miserably that I can no longer grow. I am a monster of sheer size. I don''t know how to let go of this pain and despair. No, I don''t even know if I should let it go. But I know that the problem was that I only endured it. It wasn''t endurance; it was avoidance. While driving myself with the words "don''t think about it yet," I had been avoiding everything. Instead of enduring the contemplation of unanswered problems, I was avoiding thinking about them. I still don''t have the courage to confront those problems head-on, but gaining the hope that simply knowing what the problem is can make things a little better. The pain has disappeared. No blue light emanates from my body. However, due to the magic wrapping around my body and enhancing my physical strength, I didn''t feel the pain of the water striking me. A pure heart. Pure Magic Body Strengthening. I could take that first step. Yet it was only the first step; this is not the end. I must move on to the next stage. To the next level. I can. I will. CH 488 The power of extreme Magic Body Strengthening, refined to its utmost limit, does not cause mana to be released. Originally, the blue aura that envelops the body of someone using Magic Body Strengthening was a sign of incomplete combustion, caused by improperly condensed mana being released outward. Therefore, a proper Magic Body Strengthening does not result in the release of power. Complete Magic Body Strengthening. I had successfully taken the first step. Though it was only a small part of my mana, I was able to achieve an extremely refined Magic Body Strengthening, compressing the power to its limit without causing a release, within a state of calmness and tranquility. "I thought you might have picked up some strange habits while cultivating your skills, but it seems you''ve made some progress on your own," Luna said, casting a slight smile at me even though I hadn''t spoken a word. She seemed to have read something in my eyes. Strictly speaking, neither Luna nor Ronan had taught me anything. In fact, it was Arta who had given me the hint. "Give it a try." Since I knew what she meant, I immediately activated the Magic Body Strengthening. A very small portion of the mana I possessed. Not for the purpose of releasing a powerful force, but with the feeling of letting my mental state flow as the mana within my body. It wasn''t for battle. It was the sensation of expressing a peaceful mind through my physical form. Although there were no visible changes, the exhilaration of mana circulating throughout my body enveloped me. The output was certainly weaker than when I exerted my full power, but I had a clear sense that it was operating at maximum efficiency. Luna quietly observed me as I succeeded in achieving the extremely refined Magic Body Strengthening. And then. She pointed her thumb and middle finger at my forehead as she looked at me. "¡­Mother?" It was the posture commonly used for flicking someone''s forehead. -Snap! "Ouch!" With the sudden flick, my head jerked back and I crumpled to the ground. What the hell? Why all of a sudden? "What! Why did you do that?!" As I yelled in protest, Luna pointed at me with a smile. "Just look at yourself." "¡­?" Following Luna''s gesture, I noticed a faint blue aura surrounding my body. I understood immediately what she was trying to say. My calmness had been disturbed by the flick, and I had lost control of the mana flow, causing it to be released outward. "It''s still too early for you to use this in a real fight, isn''t it?" "¡­Yes." Maintaining a peaceful mind while controlling the mana flow completely. I needed to use this power in battle. But with a mental state that could be so easily disturbed by a simple flick, it was impossible to use in a real fight. After taking a few deep breaths, the released mana lost its light and disappeared. However, I hadn''t deactivated the Magic Body Strengthening. Luna helped me up. "From now on, maintain this state throughout the entire day." "Let your mental stability be reflected in your physical stability." "Make mana manipulation more natural than breathing, until you can even forget the sensation of using mana." "Do you understand?" Maintaining this complete Magic Body Strengthening all day meant maintaining a peaceful mind all day. It had to become so natural that I wouldn''t even be aware of my own Magic Body Strengthening. If I could reach that stage, it would mean I had achieved the level of maintaining a clear mind all day without any conscious effort or struggle. Even without conscious effort or struggle, a clear and bright mental state is maintained. Soon, one enters the stage of ¡®clear mirror, still water.¡¯ "Yes." I spend the entire day with Magic Body Strengthening activated, doing so very meticulously. Throughout the day, I have to maintain this precise level of Magic Body Strengthening. Is it possible? "Well, for now, enduring a day like this is just the beginning." I had obviously thought about it like that, but Luna''s words about how this is just the beginning sounded daunting to me. ------ The task Luna assigned to me is quite simple. Maintaining Magic Body Strengthening throughout the day. The fact that my magical power is one of the greatest in the world remains unchanged. That is why I can use Magic Body Strengthening for much longer than most people. Even if I were to output at full power in the original way, I could maintain it for at least two hours. That''s quite impressive, considering the efficiency drops so much. Thus, maintaining a day-long Magic Body Strengthening using only a small portion of my magical power should be an easy task. Of course. It was not easy at all. "Hey, what are you doing?" -Thump "Ouch! You little-!" "What, what''s the matter? Why are you suddenly angry?" Seeing Arta approach and tap my shoulder, I furrowed my brow, looking at the blue light of magical power emanating from my body. It''s not just about maintaining Magic Body Strengthening, but also maintaining a state of tranquility. Maintaining that state throughout the day was by no means an ordinary feat. ------ For a week after receiving the assignment from Luna, I was cautious not to encounter any external stimuli. Of course, I knew that this behavior was a misunderstanding of Luna''s intentions. What I needed to do wasn''t just to stay in a corner or sit under a waterfall and maintain Magic Body Strengthening all day long, but rather to maintain the extreme state of Magic Body Strengthening even while going about my daily life. It meant maintaining that state even while eating, having conversations, or helping with farm work. However, I couldn''t even reach that stage. Just sitting on my bed alone, I couldn''t withstand an hour maintaining that extreme Magic Body Strengthening. After about 30 minutes, my whole body was soaked in cold sweat, and eventually, I became exhausted, and the state was lost. It was difficult even to maintain that state alone, without anyone else interfering. Focusing all my nerves on maintaining inner peace made me tired, and I ended up losing it. I was experiencing a strange paradox where maintaining inner peace was destroying my inner peace. If I thought that excessive focus was the problem and tried to disrupt it, the quality of the Magic Body Strengthening inevitably changed, and I had no choice but to return to the original method of emitting mana outward. To begin with, the original method of Magic Body Strengthening also required extreme concentration. It was already a challenging task to become accustomed to this mentally draining Magic Body Strengthening, and now I had to adapt to a new method that required several times more concentration. Two weeks have passed since I discovered the new method of Magic Body Strengthening. "...This is driving me crazy." Even in a state with minimal external stimuli, I could not maintain this state for more than two hours. ------ In the end, feeling that neither this nor that was working and unable to bear the frustration any longer, I met up with Arta and Lena for a day off. "You''ve been whining like a sick person lately, was that what you were doing?" "...Yeah." By chance, Arta had seen me step outside and take a brief break after every step, worried that my focus on strengthening my magic might wane. To the untrained eye, I must have looked like a fool. Arta nodded as if he finally understood why I was acting this way lately. "Magic Body Strengthening all day? Is that even possible?" Lena tilted her head and asked Arta. "Arta, can you do it?" "Well, I''ve never tried, but I''d probably be exhausted before I could." So, does that mean if his magical capacity allowed it, he could maintain this state all day? Maintaining a still mind all day. Ellen would be the one with the temperament suited for this. Saviolin Turner, who had risen to the ranks of Grandmaster, seemed to have almost no emotional fluctuations. Of course, Ellen''s personality was naturally like that, but did people who had mastered magic body strengthening evolve to have similar, steady personalities? But no matter how one looked at him, Arta didn''t seem to be that kind of person. He wasn''t reckless, but he wasn''t steady either. "Hey, what''s your secret to concentrating?" "...Secret?" "Yeah." Arta didn''t particularly seem like someone with extraordinary mental discipline. However, Arta was able to use extreme magic body strengthening in real combat, even though it was just in practice. When I use extreme magic body strengthening and maintain it, I have to be extremely cautious, even with my movements. Naturally, I can''t even dream of engaging in practice duels. If only I could be as good as Arta, I wouldn''t ask for anything more. To my question, Arta hummed and crossed his arms. "Well... I''m not sure if I have any secrets..." It''s true that when it comes to magic body strengthening, he is superior to me and Ellen. But in terms of actual skill, Arta could not compare to either me or Ellen. "I don''t know. I''ve never tried maintaining magic body strengthening all day like you." "Well, why don''t you try it?" Lena said in response to Arta''s words. ------ In the end, Arta joined me in my practice. Instead of standing under a waterfall like in the past, we sat still in an empty field, maintaining our magic body strengthening. The continuous maintenance would end the moment our concentration wavered and mana was released outward. Although we could refocus and return to that state, what Luna wanted from me was to maintain this state all day. "¡­Whew, damn it." After maintaining the state for about an hour, I grew tired. My magical capacity was sufficient, but it felt like my mental strength was being consumed in real-time. On the other hand, Arta sat still, concentrating without a single movement. In the end, I focused, lost concentration, and repeated the process while sitting next to him for about three hours. "Ugh, I can''t do it anymore. I''m exhausted." Having nearly depleted his magical power, Arta collapsed after enduring for about three hours. I felt like my mental strength was being consumed and lasted about an hour. Arta had no problem with his mental strength but reached his limit due to his magical capacity after about three hours. Those were our respective limits. "I don''t really know, but is Arta really amazing?" Lena didn''t even know what we were doing in the first place, so she merely tilted her head in response to the results. "Though I hate to admit it, he is." "Why do you have to say that you hate admitting it?" Arta chuckled while looking exhausted. I don''t know exactly how much magical power Arta possesses, but it''s probably not very high. He just uses that power with the utmost efficiency. This means that when I can fully utilize this method with my own abilities, I''ll be able to wield a strength and endurance incomparable to what I''ve had thus far. "Anyway, I really don''t know. The secret to mental focus? I don''t know. I really don''t." Arta, lying sprawled on the dirt ground, gazed blankly at the sky as he spoke. The secret to good mental focus. When I think about it, I wonder what that could be, just as Arta said. What could there be besides being able to concentrate well? "Hmm, I''m not really sure, but I think I know the difference between Arta and Reinhardt." However, Lena, who had been watching both Arta and me for three hours despite her illiteracy, tilted her head and said so. "Really?" At Arta''s question, Lena nodded. "Arta, you don''t have any thoughts." "¡­Huh? All of a sudden?" Arta was taken aback by the unexpected criticism that seemed to imply he was an ignoramus. "And Reinhardt, you have too many thoughts." "¡­Is that so?" "So, Arta seems sort of relaxed, like he''s just letting things happen, whereas Reinhardt, it feels like your whole body and eyes are straining¡­." Lena looks at me. "When I look at you, Reinhardt, it feels like I''m getting tired too." "Ah¡­" "I''m tired just watching you, so I can''t imagine how tired you must be while doing it." "Isn''t it natural for the mind to lose focus if I just let myself go limp?" At my words, Lena silently pointed at Arta, who was sprawled out on the training ground. A real-life example of someone who can focus well even when relaxed. I was at a loss for words in the face of Lena''s simple observation. "I do think, you know¡­" Arta didn''t seem too pleased with Lena''s comment that made him sound like a brainless guy. CH 489 I tend to overthink things. On the other hand, Arta doesn''t think at all. So, when I pointed out this difference, Arta seemed to somewhat agree and nodded his head. "To be precise, I don''t think a lot. But that doesn''t mean I''m dumb." "No. To be honest, you''re kind of an idiot." "Wha-, what? Why am I an idiot?" "Remember when you played hide-and-seek with Ellen and ended up hanging off a cliff before falling and breaking your leg?" "Ah, no! When did that come up¡­?!" Wasn''t that more insane than idiotic? I barely held back a retort as Arta''s face turned red from the sudden reminder of his embarrassing past. "No¡­! I did that because Ellen always won when we played games, and I wanted to win at something¡­!" "Which is why you''re an idiot. You might have actually died if Ellen hadn''t found you hanging off the cliff. You went as far as dangling from a cliff just to win, and yet you still didn''t win because Ellen found you." "¡­" Even as children, the members of the Rezaira family played spectacularly. Like the one who would hang from a cliff just to win, and Ellen, who would find him through sheer determination. "Anyway, there''s no end to the accidents Arta has had since childhood. Most of them happened because he tried too hard to beat Ellen." "Stop talking about the past¡­" "Do you know what happened before?" As Lena started talking, she became excited and began to recount Arta''s accidents one after another. The story of almost drowning in a river while holding his breath during a diving competition. The story of climbing a tree to steal bird eggs, only to fall and crack his skull. The story of trying to imitate Ellen''s diving from the waterfall I used to frequent, but landing on his stomach instead of his head and passing out. The story of swinging a wooden sword in anger after losing to Ellen in swordsmanship and fainting after hitting himself in a vital spot. Listening to these stories, they were almost all about Ellen. Even in his more ordinary days, Arta was an extraordinary character. Ellen won everything, so Arta tried desperately to beat her at something, only to end up hurting himself in the process. It was quite a novel feeling to hear about Ellen''s past from her childhood friends. Even as a child, a genius was still a genius. At the same time, I could sense the bittersweetness of having such a genius as a friend. Of course, one''s arm bends inward. Just imagining young Ellen playing so boisterously with her friends made me feel a bit... A bit... Ticklish inside. The always stoic Ellen hadn''t always been that way, and I couldn''t help but wonder what she was like back then. It would have been cute, I bet. But such thoughts only made me feel more depressed. No matter how I thought about Ellen or how Ellen thought about me. Our relationship could never return to how it used to be. "Anyway, you''ve hurt yourself countless times trying to follow Ellen or trying to win against her. You should know when to stop." "Stop¡­ just stop¡­" Depending on how you saw it, Ellen could be considered an unlucky childhood friend, but these two didn''t seem to hold any resentment toward her. "Arta really lives in the moment. He doesn''t care about what might happen later; he just wants to beat Ellen and try everything she does, even if it means getting hurt in the process." Arta could not refute Lena''s dreadful declaration. "You''ve always had a lot on your mind, Reinhardt." A lot on his mind. That was something Lena and Arta often told him. A clear mind, calm disposition, and a tranquil attitude. Maintaining these was becoming increasingly difficult. It had been more than a month and a half since he left Edina. He still had no idea when he would be able to leave this place with a satisfactory achievement. A month from now? No way. Two months? Or three months? If he gave in to his anxiety and left Rezaira, he would never be able to return. Now he knew Luna''s intentions. If he could not endure the anxiety and impatience, he would not be able to achieve his next goal. He had to overcome this situation and move on to the next stage. Even if he managed to reach the master class, he would not be able to utilize his full strength if he lost to fear and terror in the final battle. That''s why Luna was training him. If he couldn''t maintain his calm in this situation, the inevitable would happen later. No matter how impatient or anxious he was, he had to reach the next stage and make that power his own. Thus, he was forced to spend anxious hours, cut off from all external information. Nevertheless, his anxiety and fear only grew, never diminishing, due to the unknowns he faced. So, although he could concentrate and achieve extreme refinement of his Magic Body Strengthening, it was difficult to acclimate to the environment due to the ever-increasing anxiety over time. Having too many thoughts was the problem. However, he couldn''t stop thinking even if he wanted to. It felt like hearing the saying "rice isn''t the only thing in life when the throat is full of grape juice." Telling him to calm down when he could barely breathe, as if it was that simple. "In situations like this, shouldn''t we act more like Arta?" "..." "There''s no point worrying about next year''s drought while harvesting this year''s potatoes." Lena''s words were not wrong, and he knew as much. "Thinking too much makes you worry about unnecessary things. So, why not temporarily forget about other matters and focus on what needs to be done?" At those words, it seemed as if a light bulb had gone off in his head. Many people had said the same thing to him. At one point, he had said it himself. After his first murder in Darkland. Ellen, covered in blood, grabbed his face and stared straight into his eyes. Telling him now was not the time to think. Just do what needed to be done. After the Gate incident, Harriet told him the same thing. Now was not the time to think, just do what needed to be done. He had thought the same way and tried to move forward one step at a time. But now that he had left the responsibilities he should have borne, he had lost the mindset he had held up to this point. Worrying about what might not happen, but could. Feeling anxious about the very situation of being cut off from the outside world. Despite knowing that it won''t solve anything, he compulsively thinks. Luna said his heart had become ill because he had endured too much for too long. Lena said there was no need to think about things he didn''t need to think about right now. He didn''t know whether Luna was right or Lena was right. All he knew was that the anxiety and impatience he felt could not solve any of his problems. Arta focused only on the task at hand. His goal was to maintain his Magic Body Strengthening for an extended period of time, so he paid attention solely to that enhancement. I should do the same. Pondering how long it would take to grow accustomed to this power, what the situation outside would be like, and other such thoughts were all meaningless. Worrying would not provide answers. Only action. Since only action could produce results, it was time to abandon fruitless concerns. "Alright, I''ll give it a try." Inner peace. Finding inner peace in a situation where it was possible held no meaning for me at this point. Attaining inner peace even in circumstances where it should be impossible. That was the clarity and unshakable resolve I needed. ------ Thinking that I shouldn''t think. The thought of not thinking was, in itself, a thought. While it seemed like a nonsensical endeavor, I was actually doing it. To stop thinking, one shouldn''t think about not thinking but should genuinely stop thinking altogether. However, for someone whose mind was about to explode with thoughts, the compulsion to stop thinking only induced anxiety. And as I entertained such thoughts, I naturally began to ponder what I shouldn''t be thinking about. This led to a stage where I considered what thoughts I should avoid, only to return to the starting point of thinking that I shouldn''t think about such things. It was a Moebius strip of thought, driving me to the brink of insanity. "Mother, how can I stop thinking?" "¡­?" I had a method in mind, and I intended to try it! Why not just teach me something, anything! "Come with me somewhere tomorrow." Was she finally going to teach me something? ------ The next day. My hope that Luna would finally teach me something crumbled from the morning. -Clang I heard Luna rummaging around in the storage room. "Take this." She emerged with shovels, pickaxes, axes, and a lever. "¡­Weren''t you going to teach me swordsmanship or meditation?" "I don''t think I ever said that." Luna took the shovel while I held the pickaxe, axe, and lever. I silently followed behind her as she led the way. Luna crossed the mountain ridge that marked the boundary of Rezaira and continued walking. Our destination was another mountain ridge. "We need to create new farmland. Prepare yourself for a long and arduous task." "¡­Pardon?" "You asked me how to stop thinking." Luna gestured to the spot in the heart of the forest. "Nothing is better for clearing your thoughts than a seemingly endless amount of work." No way. Is she seriously telling me to create new farmland? Is this just a ploy? "Start by cutting down the trees in the area and transporting them to the village. After that, we''ll have to uproot everything." Not only were we starting from bare ground, but we also had to turn a forest into farmland. "But don''t use any divine artifacts." That''s too much! "Mother¡­ is this really necessary?" "Hmm¡­" At my question, Luna crossed her arms, tilted her head slightly, and looked at me. "If you keep calling me ''Mother'' but don''t actually act like a son, how can I treat you like one?" "Ah." Luna smiled at me. "Son, get to work." I had fallen for it. ------ So, Luna began to give me tasks while telling me to act like a son. In the countryside, it was true that children were considered labor force, so I couldn''t exactly deny her words. Luna ordered me to work and left me in the forest on the outskirts of Rezaira before disappearing in a flash. It wasn''t just a grassy plain; it was a forest. If I cut down all the trees in this forest and split them into firewood, I''d be providing all the wood Rezaira would need for the entire year. Wasn''t this about more than just creating new farmland? Wasn''t she having me make new farmland while also producing a huge amount of wood? On top of that, I wasn''t allowed to use the divine artifact. I looked at the forest before me, the axe, the pickaxe, the shovel, and the sled beside me. I needed to cut down these trees, split them one by one, and carry them to Rezaira on the sled. I had to cut down all the trees and somehow remove the roots. Once that was done, I had to use the pickaxe to overturn the ground, removing all the remaining roots and preparing it for cultivation. But could I finish all of this before winter arrived? I shouldn''t have run my mouth. Now I might not be able to return to Edina within the year. "Hmm..." I had never cut down a tree with the divine artifact, and since Luna told me not to use it, I didn''t intend to. I picked up the axe, intending to start by cutting down the trees. I had slain countless monsters, and though it was gruesome, I had even cut down people. But naturally, I had never used an axe before. I was going to cut down trees. I knew it was a tough task, but who am I? Without Magic Body Strengthening, I had a strength rating of over 26, A+ rank, and with Magic Body Strengthening, I could exert an S rank power or higher. I was a monster. I didn''t know whether this task would make me forget my worries and bring me a serene state of mind. But I had to do something. "Hooooo..." I concentrated my mind and used my highly refined magic body strengthening. I had more than enough strength. The important thing was not just cutting down trees, but becoming familiar with precise magic body strengthening. As I used my magic body strengthening in a highly concentrated state, I cut down the trees. There were many trees. I didn''t know if I would become familiar with this power by the time I had cut down all these trees. I took that first step. With a quiet breath. Amidst the gentle breeze and faint chirping of birds. "Ha!" I swung the axe at the tree. -Crack! It broke. "Uh...?" Not the tree, but the axe handle. CH 490 "It''s broken..." "Yes..." Luna stared blankly at the axe, which had snapped in the middle of its handle. "Son?" "Please don''t call me that..." At the same time, I found out why Luna hates being called ¡®mother.¡¯ It felt so strange! Of course, just like me, Luna pretended not to notice. "Rezaira isn''t a place abundant in resources, you know. Do you have any idea how precious even a single axe or hoe is?" "I''m sorry..." I''m in trouble. It was ridiculous that Luna had almost killed me. The existence of the Demon King posed a great threat to Ellen, and since Ellen could die, Luna had tried to kill me. But now, two years later. I''m being scolded by Luna for breaking the axe handle. Even worse, I''m apologizing with my head bowed as if I had committed a grave sin. What is this? What kind of situation is this? I feel dizzy. In many ways, I can''t help but feel uneasy and disoriented. "So, you must have relied on your brute strength, swinging it around carelessly, and this happened. Is that correct?" "¡­Yes." Her accuracy was chilling. "You''re always restless with anxiety and neurosis, and you can''t even do the tasks you''re given properly. You''re really good for nothing." Since coming to Rezaira, all I''ve done is whine and complain. However, to say that I''m good for nothing... Even so¡­! Outside¡­! There are many things that I need to do¡­! I couldn''t help but keep my mouth shut, knowing that saying anything would only make me sound pathetic. As the king of Edina and an Archdemon. Humanity''s enemy. And here I am, being treated as useless in a remote village for breaking an axe. Luna sighed deeply, went back into the warehouse, rummaged for a while, and brought out another axe. "This one''s a bit old, so you''ll have to be more careful with it." The first axe Luna gave me wasn''t quite S-class, but it was around A- class. However, this one felt considerably older, not only the blade but also the handle. "How am I supposed to cut trees with this...?" "Well, you wouldn''t have to if someone hadn''t broken the other one in the first place." "Maybe an axe with an iron handle or something¡­ Is there anything like that?" "..." "Yes, I''ll go..." You really think there would be something like that? With that all-too-revealing look in her eyes, I had no choice but to take the downgraded, worn-out C-class axe and head back to the forest. ------ Strictly speaking, I didn''t need the axe. I was told not to use the divine artifact, not my body. With maximum Magic Body Strengthening, I could kick down any tree that wasn''t particularly large. But doing that would be a disgrace to the language. I''m trying to get used to a new Magic Body Strengthening through this task, not just following Luna''s order to create new farmland. The moment I do that, my priorities become skewed. I need to focus my mind and let go of distracting thoughts to become familiar with this new power. If I concentrate only on cutting trees and plowing fields, it would be worse than not doing it at all. Holding the axe, I focus my mind. "Huuu..." If I put too much strength into it, it''s not the tree but the axe that will break. The method for cutting trees. I don''t know how to do it, but at least I''ve learned one thing. If you strike too hard, the axe will break. Use the right amount of force. Just right. Swing the axe toward the tree. -Thwack! The tree''s bark peels off modestly. The axe doesn''t break; the force was controlled properly. But now, the tree has only been slightly stripped of its outer layer. How many more times must it be struck before the tree falls? And then, splitting the fallen tree into transportable sizes. Loading them onto the sled to carry them to Rezaira. Cutting down another tree. Splitting it. Carrying it. "......" -Chirp chirp! I look at the vast forest before me. Once all the trees are done, Digging up the roots of the great trees and pulling them all out. Plowing the land and tilling it...... I wanted to become a master class. Why did I end up a lumberjack apprentice? ------ "Damn it." -Thwack! I threw the axe and lay down on the ground. My hyper-focused Magic Body Strengthening has already been released. No, it was repeatedly released and reused while I was using it. A tree? I haven''t felled a single one. My strength isn''t simply immense. My agility and dexterity have long surpassed those of an ordinary person. So, without missing, I could accurately strike the same spot I had targeted. But the crucial factor was power. Not knowing how durable the axe was, I couldn''t hit the tree hard enough, so the notch I made in the wood wouldn''t deepen. I held back the urge to shatter the tree with my bare hands several times. Finally, exhausted, I collapsed. Lying on the forest floor and catching my breath, I heard laughter from somewhere. "I told you he''d be like this, right?" "Well, he doesn''t know any better, so it can''t be helped." Arta and Lena''s voices echoed from afar. Lying there, I saw Arta and Lena''s faces appear above me. "What is it......" "Luna said you''d be struggling, so she asked us to check on you." "Do you want some water?" Lena offered me a water container. ------ The moment I broke an axe, Luna seemed convinced I was incompetent. I drank the water Lena handed me. "Even so, haven''t you managed to fell even one tree yet?" Arta looked incredulously at the shallow notches in the trees and the lack of any fallen trees. "No, I''m worried if I use too much strength, the axe will break." "Do you have to use an axe?" "I thought it would be better to use an axe to get used to focusing my mind as well......" "Hmm... I see." Arta examined the notches in the tree and shook his head. "It''s not a matter of strength; you''re using the wrong method. Who cuts down a tree like this? Let me see." Arta reached out his hand, and I handed him the axe I had discarded. "Watch closely." Holding the axe, Arta aimed it at the tree trunk. "From the top to the bottom." -Thwack! As Arta swung the axe down, a shallow notch formed in the tree, and the bark was slightly stripped away. After one swing, Arta looked at me again. "Now, from the bottom to the top." -Thwack! As Arta struck precisely, a piece of wood fell from the interlocked points of the two hits. All I could do was stare blankly at the triangular piece of wood that had fallen. Only twice. Those demonstration moves made me realize what I had been doing wrong. "You can''t just haphazardly chop down a tree. You really think that would work?" I had been hacking away at the same spot. Felling a tree was more like whittling one down. Arta clicked his tongue as he looked at me with disbelief. "What''s this? You city folk really don''t know how to do anything, do you?" "Ah, no... it''s just..." Me. I mean, I had been pretty good back at the temple. I was considered one of the empire''s best talents, wasn''t I? Though I wasn''t actually from the empire. I hadn''t been called incompetent since the very beginning of my first year! Somehow. Here in Rezaira, I was treated like a fool who couldn''t even properly do the most basic tasks assigned to me. And it wasn''t because of any mysterious secrets or special powers in the village. I was just considered a fool because I didn''t know how to chop down a tree. "No... where on earth would I ever need to chop down a tree?!" That''s right! Before I came here, and after, where would I ever need to chop down a tree? It was only natural for me not to know! Arta chuckled at my protest. "That''s exactly why I said you''re a city boy." "..." I was upset, but he had a point, so I couldn''t argue. "Anyway, good luck. I have to help my grandfather today." "Yeah, Reinhardt. I have to take care of my little sister today too." Leaving those words, Lena and Arta went on their way. Grandfather. Now that I thought about it, it was inevitable for this village with a small number of households and no population change to be comprised of large families. Anyway, thanks to Arta''s demonstration, I now realized what I had been doing wrong. To fell a tree, you don''t just hack at the same spot; you need to adjust the angle and chip away at it little by little. There was actually skill and know-how involved in the seemingly simple task. What Arta had shown me was just the basics, and there were likely more detailed methods of chopping down a tree. Tree-felling techniques. There was no use for me to learn them, and even if I mastered them, there was nothing to gain. Once I left Rezaira, I probably wouldn''t need to chop down trees for the rest of my life. How did I end up doing this? A city boy. Just because I don''t know how to chop down a tree, I get teased, and scolded for breaking an axe. Back in Edina, we struggled to find ways to feed and take care of the few survivors who arrived by boat, dealing with murder cases, and deciding how to handle the criminals. All of humanity seemed to hate me. Even if I survived the Gate incident, and beyond that, I might have to fight Ellen, and there might be war between the Darklands and the Empire. I had only ever talked about death and the thin line between life and death. In reality, I had to kill countless people under the guise of stabilizing the system and society. Now, here I was, chopping down trees in this remote mountain village, trying to create a field. Being called a city boy who knows nothing, having to listen to such stories. Scolded for breaking an axe, and accused of not being able to do anything right. "Sigh..." Somehow. I felt like I had become an ordinary person, and a bitter laugh escaped my lips. I never thought it would be like this. Having left Edina, I was neither the Demon King nor anything special. I was merely a strong but ignorant city bumpkin who knew nothing about rural work. It is said that position makes the person; in a place where I cannot be king, nobody regards me as one. No one admires or worships me, and so, no one hates or despises me either. I wondered if an ordinary life could still be possible for me. Leaving aside whether I could live such a life, I wondered if I could even entertain the idea. Nobody demands that I be their king. Nobody looks to me for hope or despair. I am neither an Apostle of Tu¡¯an, nor a champion of Als, nor the Demon King. I don''t think it''s okay to forget them just because I don''t hear anyone looking for me. However, the very thought that I wasn''t much in reality brought me a sense of relief. Although I am an existence that is almost synonymous with the origin of this world, I am neither omnipotent nor omniscient. Not every matter in the world is something I must resolve, nor can I. It was arrogant of me to have tried to concern myself with everything that happened in the world. I was merely arrogant. I felt anxious in this situation where not every circumstance was under my control. How foolish I was, feeling anxious about everything in the world slipping through my fingers, while not even knowing how to fell a single tree in front of me. I am not in my throne in Edina right now, but in the mountain village of Rezaira. I can think about what needs to be done on the throne when I return to it. Even if everything were in my sight, it doesn''t mean I could resolve it all. Thanks to Luna and Arta speaking about my incompetence, I realized how arrogant my thoughts were. The duties of a king belong in the king''s place. While in the position of a city bumpkin, I should do what city bumpkins do, and learn what I don''t know. At last, my muddled mind seemed to cool down somewhat, and I felt like I had some understanding of what true clarity of mind meant. There may be things I don''t know while I''m here. So what? I do my best in my imagination. Luna Artorius said to trust her. So, I trust in Luna. There is nothing else. If Luna keeps calling me son, I should act like a son. So. The task of a son now is to turn the forest into a field. And the first step is cutting down trees. We will turn the wooded area into an empty lot, and plow the empty lot into a field. I don''t know what this will mean for me in the end. I decided to give up thinking in Rezaira. Since Mother told me to do this, there must be some reason! I don''t know about the rest! I''ve had to take responsibility for too many things up until now, so it''s okay to avoid responsibility this time. "Heh, hehe...." For some reason, I remembered my crazy days at the temple, jumping around like a mad dog, and burst into laughter. Realizing that inner peace comes not from some great enlightenment or a huge event, but from being treated as a useless person. No matter the process, isn''t it the result that matters? I believe that Luna Artorius has a plan. In truth, I am quite useless and don''t know much. So, I will only do what I am told and clear my mind. Although I spent all day tormented by worries and dilemmas as a king, now I am a guest in Rezaira. So, I only need to do what I am told. Using my head unnecessarily won''t improve anything, nor will it increase my knowledge. I pick up the axe. I didn''t know the method before, but now that I know it, it''s easy. There''s no need to exert excessive force. A modest amount of Magic Body Strengthening, controlling that power to the utmost. From top to bottom. -Swoosh! My hand movements are precise, and controlling the power is not difficult. Aligning with the notch created by the axe. This time, from bottom to top. -Swoosh! I look at the wood chips that have been flung away. Only a small piece has been chipped away. However, I have undoubtedly made progress. -Swoosh! -Crack! -Thud! Gradually. More and more. I''m chipping away. I may not yet know what inner peace and a clear mind are. But in emptying my mind, I have undoubtedly succeeded. Within the sensation of only needing to do what I was told, the distracting thoughts that tormented me were falling away like the wood chips being chiseled off. There are many trees. There are as many trees to cut down as there are distracting thoughts to eliminate. I will level this forest, uproot the roots of the great trees, and overturn the soil. I will turn this forest into land suitable for planting something. Like planting new seeds in new soil. I will uproot the despair and anguish deeply rooted in my heart. No, even if I cannot uproot them. I will plant a new spirit within the crevices of that despair and pain. CH 491 Summer rain had fallen. Swoosh! Although the rain pouring in the forest wasn''t torrential, it was enough to discourage outdoor activities. Luna Artorious, clad in a raincoat, listened to the sound of impacts coming at regular intervals through the downpour. Slowly, Luna approached the direction of the sound, cutting through the rain. Crack! And Luna saw a tree trunk breaking and falling to the ground. Mechanically, the young man approached the fallen tree and resumed his axe work. Chopping wood in the rain was dangerous. The handle could slip from his grasp, and the blade might slip and twist, causing serious injury. However, the young man seemed to ignore such dangers, repeatedly striking the axe down at regular intervals. On the first day, it seemed like quite a struggle. On the second day, the old axe handle finally broke, so he had to borrow one from another house to chop the wood. Once Ronan inserted a new handle into the nearly-worn-out axe and provided a new one, the work sped up. Since Reinhardt, who possessed extraordinary strength, had to transport the chopped wood to Rezaira alone, there was no helping the slow pace of his work. Two weeks since Reinhardt began clearing the forest. Luna could see that one side of the forest had been completely cleared. There were still more trees to chop, but progress was undoubtedly being made. Luna approached Reinhardt and spoke quietly. "Reinhardt, it''s raining. Take a break today." Thud! The sound of rain was abundant, but it wasn''t enough to drown out Luna''s voice. However, Reinhardt kept striking his axe at regular intervals as if he hadn''t heard anything. Luna stared silently at his back. His figure seemed to think of nothing else but swinging the axe. Thud! She watched him focus solely on splitting the chopped wood at regular intervals, as he could only accomplish the task with an axe. "Reinhardt." Although Luna called out again, Reinhardt continued his axe work, seemingly unaware of anything else. "..." It wasn''t that he pretended not to hear. He genuinely didn''t hear her. Luna silently watched Reinhardt''s back, then turned and walked away. Thud! As Luna left, she heard the sound of the axe at regular intervals. ------ Late at night. In the gray void, the council chamber. "Lord, how long do you plan to let the boy stay in Rezaira?" A white-haired elder leaned on his cane and asked Luna. Ronan sat beside Luna, who was seated at the head of the table, with the residents of Rezaira in front of them. None of their faces showed discomfort with Reinhardt''s presence in Rezaira. Just curiosity. An unmistakable curiosity was etched on everyone''s faces. More than a month, almost two months. Everyone was puzzled by the situation of the boy staying in Rezaira and the Lord''s decision to allow it. "Until the child gets what he wants." The atmosphere in the council chamber became chaotic at Luna''s calm words. "Lord, if it''s your decision... there must be a greater purpose we don''t know about... but hasn''t this never happened before...?" An old man couldn''t help but shake his head in confusion. "Precedent..." Luna lowered her eyes and remained silent for a moment. For an incalculable length of time, there had never been such a precedent. Luna gazed once more at the faces of those seated in the meeting room. There were elders, those soon to enter old age, and those of middle age. "It was also unprecedented that Ragan was able to leave for the world, knowing of the existence of the Sun and Moon clan." As the leader herself mentioned her already deceased son, everyone''s expressions turned ashen. "My lord... Ragan could go out into the world because he did not learn the mysteries of the Sun and Moon clan... Just like Ellen..." "I spoke of precedent, not mystery." Luna quietly said so. "Through Ragan''s case, we have come to know that it is not unusual for a new precedent to be set in an unprecedented situation." Everyone fell silent at Luna''s words. "So, there''s no rule that says we absolutely mustn''t have such a new precedent either." "But, my lord, what if something goes wrong...?" Luna interrupted the worried words of the elderly woman. "I should be the one prepared for that, not you." A silence settled over the room at Luna''s composed words. "Besides, even without me, will the Sun and Moon clan disappear? You all simply need to serve the Sun and Moon as you have learned thus far and live that way." "My lord... You are the only leader of the Sun and Moon clan." At the elder''s teary words, Luna gently smiled. "Is it not true that there doesn''t necessarily have to be no precedent for choosing a new leader among you?" Everyone wanted to say something to Luna''s words, but no one could refute her decision. After everyone left the meeting room, only Luna Artorious and Ronan Artorious remained. "My lord, do you intend to teach the child the mysteries?" At Ronan''s words, Luna shook her head. "No, doing so would bind the child to the constraints of the Sun and Moon clan. How could I do that?" Luna quietly looked down at the floor. "Whatever the child desires, he must realize it on his own." "So, you will intervene with time instead?" At those words, Luna silently gazed at Ronan. "...You knew." "I didn''t know the details, but somehow I had a feeling you would do so." "...Yes." Luna quietly stared at the passage to the crypt. "All I can give that child is time." "..." "Isn''t meddling with the time of Rezaira interfering with the world? In the world where I intervened with time, outsiders arbitrarily entered." At Luna''s smile, Ronan awkwardly smiled back. "It sounds like sophistry." "Yes, it''s sophistry." "Would it not have been alright to tell Reinhardt that time flows differently here from the outside world?" "I suppose." Unknowing, Reinhardt must spend his time in anxiety and unease. "If he knew that time flowed differently here, the child would gain leisure. He would gain peace and find mental tranquility sooner, and he would have had time to rest his exhausted body and mind." "But an easily acquired peace would inevitably shatter just as easily." "Only when peace is hard-won will its permanence also be steadfast." "If he gains leisure and peace easily and mistakes it for his own strength, when true chaos and fear arrive, he will crumble." Hearing Luna''s words, Ronan slowly nodded. "So you deliberately didn''t tell him anything." "Overcoming limits and achieving goals are different things." Upon hearing Luna''s words that Reinhardt needed to overcome his limits rather than achieve his goals, Ronan fell silent. The sound of the axe chopping through the wood at regular intervals echoed in Luna''s head. "Ronan." "Yes, my lord?" "Do you think you would be sad if I were to disappear?" At Luna''s question, Ronan nodded with a solemn expression. "Of course. I would be." "¡­" "You''ve always been a cheeky one, haven''t you?" "¡­" "However, the life of a human being, forced to live because of you, hasn''t been too bad. No, it''s been quite good, actually." Luna gazed silently down the corridor. "Since I''ve been forced to live a human life, I''ve been having thoughts of wanting to experience the end of humanity ¨C death." "My lord." "It''s just something I''ve been pondering." Seeing Ronan''s serious expression, Luna let out a faint chuckle. ------ Time passed. Reinhardt continued to chop wood. In truth, if Reinhardt were to use his maximum magical output and divine artifacts, he could have cleared the entire forest in a single day. However, he had to maintain an extremely refined Magic Body Strengthening and chop each tree one by one using an axe. Thus, Reinhardt''s work inevitably progressed at a slower pace, with more deliberate movements and using inferior tools than usual. Maintaining a clear mind throughout the day was not an easy feat, of course. Naturally, there were times when his focus waned, and he was often flustered when the axe blade detached from the handle, disrupting his concentration. Nevertheless, there was no doubt that he was improving. His concentration, which was once exhausted after only an hour, soon exceeded two hours, then three, and finally, four hours. Eventually, he could maintain his focused state not only while chopping wood all day but also while taking a break and catching his breath. Around two months after he first started chopping wood, Reinhardt had cut down all the trees in the forest. "I can''t believe you finished all of it." Arta said, looking at the remains of the forest, now only a collection of tree stumps. "But you got faster towards the end, didn''t you? It was incredible." At Lena''s words, Reinhardt silently nodded. He placed the worn-out axe, which had its handle replaced several times, onto the cart. As he stacked the last few logs onto the cart, Reinhardt clicked his tongue. "If someone had told me back then that this kind of labor would help me attain mental clarity, I would have laughed in their face." Grumbling, Reinhardt pulled the cart filled with logs. "What annoys me the most is that it actually works." The abyss-like darkness in Reinhardt''s eyes hadn''t completely disappeared. However. Those emotions were now utterly serene. ------ "You''ve finished chopping all the wood?" "Yes." "It took you quite some time." "I''m not sure if two months is considered quick¡­ but isn''t it decent? I''ve never done anything like this in my life." It took a full two months. Luna looked puzzled upon hearing that Reinhardt had singlehandedly completed the enormous task of clearing the forest. Ronan simply nodded in agreement. "Then, starting tomorrow, we''ll have to remove the tree roots." "¡­" Really? Couldn''t they just say ''well done''? Seeing Luna casually mention that there would be more work starting the next day, Reinhardt felt a sudden surge of frustration. No. Having been here for a while, he sometimes forgot who he was, even though he knew he shouldn''t. It was quite absurd to feel upset about not receiving praise for cutting down all the trees. Could it be that I have become too accustomed to living in Rezaira...? Honestly, there were times when I would suddenly wake up from sleep, fearing that I would eventually collapse from this aimless life. Although I''ve put aside thoughts about the outside world for now, there are still occasions when I have nightmares. However, I''ve noticed that my mind becomes clearer after repeating simple tasks throughout the day. "Your expression has improved a lot." That was what Ronan said. "Is that... so?" "Yes, definitely." No matter what happens or how it happens. Amidst anxiety and impatience swallowing me up, I was getting used to maintaining my composure and sustaining the highest efficiency of Magic Body Strengthening for long periods. "Thanks to you, we seem to have enough firewood to last us until next year." According to Luna''s words, it seemed like I had only done good things for Rezaira. And I don''t see why that should be a problem. After all, it is true that I am living off Rezaira. The villagers would often commend me for my hard work whenever they saw me piling firewood in the village center, and many of them would even leave some snacks for me. Rather than remaining as a burden, I''m doing good deeds for myself while helping the village. There''s nothing wrong with that. Before I knew it, I had become a part of a rural community called Rezaira. ------ As a result of cutting down all the trees in the forest, Rezaira no longer needed to worry about firewood. Looking at the huge pile of firewood drying crisply under the sun, I felt an inexplicable sense of pride welling up within me. If everything wraps up nicely... If all matters are resolved, and the burden on my shoulders disappears... I suddenly thought about trying something like farming. The Demon King, farming. Just thinking about it made me chuckle at the absurdity. Anyway, after a long and arduous time, I had finally finished cutting down trees. Of course, that didn''t mean I was parting with my axe forever. Instead, two more tools were added to my arsenal. A shovel and a pickaxe. The trees in the forest were diverse. There were large Arem trees, medium-sized ones, and even small trees that would break just by me grabbing and shaking them with my bare hands. Let''s set the small ones aside. "Honestly, even I find this challenging." "Do you now?" "Of course, this isn''t an ordinary task." Staring at the sturdy base of a tree, whose roots seemed to stretch indefinitely, my mind felt overwhelmed. How on earth could I uproot this? Don''t I need heavy machinery for this? Isn''t this a job for an excavator? In order not to dig blindly into the ground like when I first started cutting trees, I even brought Arta along, but even he shook his head in disbelief. Ignoring the gigantic Arem tree with an overwhelming base, I stood in front of a slightly smaller tree. Upon consideration, I realized that this task was part of a series of processes. The repetitive practice of cutting trees served to clear my mind of distractions and helped me become familiar with the optimal use of Magic Body Strengthening. So now, I was quite accustomed to it. This time, it''s about that. Increasing the output of the optimized Magic Body Strengthening itself. Uprooting trees with deeply embedded roots doesn''t require equipment; it requires technique. But there''s no way such tools would be available in this rural area. So, I had to rely on my strength to accomplish tasks that required technique. Maximizing the efficiency of magical power and increasing its output, I become accustomed to converting all of the magical power into my strength without releasing any of it externally. When I think about it, there must have been a reason Luna asked me to create a field... No way. It''s like interpreting a dream. I''m simply assigned a task, and I''m the one giving it meaning. "I''ve never done this before either, so I might need to call the adults for help." "No." This isn''t a matter of technique; it requires raw strength. "First, we do it crudely." "...What?" -Thud! I thrust my shovel into the ground. To create a groove deep enough to grip the tree''s base. -Thud! Thud Thud! After a few digs, I expose the tree''s roots to some extent. "...I see what you''re trying to do, but can you really do it?" "If it doesn''t work, we''ll think of another way." I squat down, standing on the tree stump. Then, with my arms lowered, I grasp the battered part of the tree''s base as if it were a handle. Arta''s expression wasn''t very good. "...This doesn''t look good." "We''ll try, and if it doesn''t work, we''ll find another way." Although I don''t know how it''ll turn out with maximum output Magic Body Strengthening, since this is also part of my training, I use Magic Body Strengthening with the highest efficiency and an output that won''t let the magic leak out. I can already feel my magical power efficiency has increased drastically. From now on, the task is to increase the output itself while keeping the control of the magic entirely in my hands. With overwhelming strength, I pull out the deeply rooted tree with my bare hands. "I am a human excavator." "Excavator...? What''s that?" "It''s a thing." Using self-suggestion and word magic as well. "Ugh!" Feeling the blood rush to my head, I attempt to pull out the tree stump with my bare hands. Tensing my thighs, arms, and waist. "Uuuggghhhh!" "You''re crazy..." -Twitch I''m not sure, but there''s movement. It''s happening. It''s about to happen. If there was no movement at all, I wouldn''t know, but I have a feeling it''s working, so I put even more strength into it. I pour out enormous strength, feeling as if the veins throughout my body might burst. Not pulling out the tree, but pushing the earth away with my legs and pulling up the world, that kind of concept. With all my might. And yet, I keep cramming the overflowing-with-rationality mana downward. "Guh." "Ah." "Ah." "Ah!" Screaming, I exert a force I''ve never used before. -Snap! Something broke. "Uh...ugh..." "Hey... Are you okay?!" Certainly, something did break. It was my back. CH 492 My back gave out. As a result, Arta had to carry me to Rezaira on his back. "Ugh..." "Who else in the world would be such a fool..." Luna sighed deeply as she applied a hot towel to my aching back. She must have heard Arta''s story about how I ended up in this state trying to uproot a tree with my bare hands. "Mother... If I use Tiamata... I can heal..." Although anger is necessary to use Tiamata, I''ve become quite accustomed to it. Can''t I draw out Tiamata''s divine power by being angry at myself for my foolish actions? -Ugh -Slap! "Ouch!" As I summoned Tiamata while lying down, Luna slapped the back of my hand. "Did you forget what I said about not using the divine artifact?" "But this is an injury..." Isn''t it okay to use it since it''s an unavoidable injury? As I slightly turned my head to object, Luna shook her head with a stern expression. "No. Reflect on your foolishness and rest for a few days. What would you have done if your back had broken?" "Well... It''s not a big deal since I could recover quickly..." Just moving my body slightly made my back scream in pain, making me feel like I was losing my mind. In response to my objection, Luna gently pressed down on my back, where the hot towel was placed. "Ouch! Stop, stop, stop!" "You might think it''s easy to recover, but it leads to thinking it''s okay to get hurt easily. Isn''t this proof?" "Ouch! Please, save me!" She said so while removing her hand from my back, and then looked at me. "No matter how easily one can recover from injuries, there is no one who should get hurt easily." "..." "Don''t take it for granted that you''ll get hurt in order to achieve something. That''s your weakness." Somehow. It seemed like she was more concerned about my heart than my body. Whether my attitude of enduring pain too easily was pitiful, worrying, or perhaps pathetic. In the end. I followed Luna''s instructions and didn''t use Tiamata, resting for a few days while lying down. I also thought about what it meant to take pain for granted just because it''s too easy to escape from it. Somehow. I kept remembering the day Ellen stabbed me in the heart. ------ I lay there for about three days. It was an unexpected rest, even if it was due to an injury. Although it was an injury that could be healed immediately with Tiamata, I pondered Luna''s words during those three days, that just because I could recover easily didn''t mean it was okay to get hurt easily. Luna, of course, and Ronan also checked on my back. They gave me something similar to physical therapy, which felt like intense pain followed by relief. To be honest. I almost passed out. Perhaps due to Ronan''s treatment and my basic physical strength, my injury was fully healed in just three days. "Honey, go with Reinhardt this time." "Ah, I should." Perhaps they thought my back would give out again, so they sent Ronan with me. From being incapable of cutting down trees to recklessly trying to uproot tree roots and injuring my back - was I now seen as a reckless fool? Somehow, I didn''t mind that treatment. ------ As we arrived at the forest where the logging was completed, Ronan stood at the base of the tree that had caused my back injury. "It''s not about uprooting the entire tree." Ronan silently began digging around the tree stump with a shovel, scraping away the parts where the roots were not entangled. As he dug up a fairly wide area, soon the deeply embedded tree trunks revealed themselves. By inserting a pickaxe and repeatedly digging up the ground, the entire form of the roots, which were terrifyingly deep compared to what was exposed on the surface, became visible. "Do you see how absurd this task you were trying to accomplish is?" "¡­Indeed." Ronan started cutting the even deeper embedded stems one by one with an axe. How much time had passed? Soon, Ronan lifted the bottom part with a pickaxe several times and pulled out the enormous tree stump. "This is how it''s done." "Hmm... I''m not sure if I can do it properly, but let''s give it a try." While logging required some level of skill, this seemed to demand even more. From logging to uprooting tree roots. Having demonstrated once, Ronan tossed the uprooted tree stump aside and dusted off his hands, as if there was nothing more to teach. Honestly, having seen it once, there was no need to see it again. But curiosity arose. "Um... Father?" "Do you want me to show you again?" "No, it''s not that. I''m just curious about something." I pointed to another tree stump of a similar size to the one we had just uprooted. "Can you show me how to uproot it without doing this, just using your strength?" "¡­?" I was genuinely curious. Wasn''t it possible for Ronan? It was clear that he was much more skilled than me. "Hmm¡­ Even if I do it like that, I''m not sure you''ll be able to follow¡­" "Have you never tried?" "¡­" Ronan looked at me blankly in response to my question. Oh, did I cross the line? What he thought of my words, I do not know, but suddenly, Ronan rolled up the sleeves of both arms. Ronan Artorius. Perhaps a simpler man than I thought? Until now, he seemed to have not used any power, including Magic Body Strengthening, and it was impossible to pull out those tree roots with the strength of an ordinary human. It was almost the same as what I had done a few days ago. He dug around the tree with a shovel and grabbed the roots. Like Arta and like the recent power I started using, no blue light was felt around Ronan. However, just looking at him, it was clear that Ronan Artorius was about to use an immense amount of power. Just watching made my skin tingle. "Inhale!" -Grrrr! In my case, my waist would have snapped, but it was different for Ronan. As if the entire ground was being pulled up, Ronan''s feet began to dig into the ground, and the sound of something breaking and snapping echoed in succession. -Whoosh! He pulled out the massive tree from the ground with his bare hands. I could only stare blankly at the huge tree roots with the broken and snapped roots dangling. -Thud! Ronan threw the tree roots he pulled out with his bare hands at me. "Can you do it?" "No, not at all." The human excavator was right here. ------ After showing me twice, Ronan left, and I was alone. I tried it out, wondering if I could do it. To cut to the chase, I was able to do something similar to what Ronan did. Unleashing maximum output by pouring in all the magical power I had. -Thud! "Phew." I tossed the uprooted tree stump and released the Magic Body Strengthening. It was clear that my strength was on par with Ronan''s. However, I couldn''t be satisfied with this level of power. If I could unleash this kind of strength even in this state, how much more could I achieve in an extremely stable state of Magic Body Strengthening, with maximum output? I would possess a power on a whole different level than what I have now. So, I began by uprooting the trees. After logging, came tree uprooting. Then, overturning the ground. Quite a bit of time had already passed. But, once again, I had to melt time away and take the next step. Focusing my mind, maintaining a stable state for Magic Body Strengthening. More stable, more precise. For a more perfect power. Thwack! I drove the shovel into the ground. ------ Uprooting the tree roots took even more time than logging. Due to the nature of the work, requiring deep digging into the soil, and my inexperience, I had to go through a lot of trial and error. But, without a doubt, progress was made as time was invested. And as time was invested, my concentration only improved. At some point, I was able to maintain a refined state of Magic Body Strengthening throughout the entire process, from starting to finishing the work. "Would it be better not to disturb him?" Lena, who had been watching Reinhardt digging from afar, asked Arta. "I''m not even sure I could disturb him if I tried." Lena and Arta, who had come to talk, were watching Reinhardt digging the ground and cutting the tree roots with an ax from a distance. "At first, I wondered what he was doing, but the more I see him, the more relentless he is." Arta shuddered as if he was fed up. As if under a powerful hypnosis, Reinhardt, focused on his work, acted like a blind and deaf person. He couldn''t hear anyone calling him, and he only concentrated on his tasks, regardless of what was happening around him. A terrifying level of concentration and immersion. Arta could no longer keep up with Reinhardt''s focused state. Lena glanced back at the place where Reinhardt was. "What could have made him like that?" Although he had succeeded in focusing his mind, Reinhardt''s actions could not hide his desperation. Both Lena and Arta knew this. In cutting trees and uprooting tree roots, there was no choice but to read a desperation bordering on madness in Reinhardt''s pursuit of the next stage while focusing on his tasks. What story could there be? What kind of event was ahead of him? That made him so desperate. "I don''t know." Arta said quietly. "It''s probably better for us not to know. Definitely." "..." Reinhardt''s desperate madness. Arta believed that it was related to something outside, and if so, it was better for them not to know. Arta shivered as he turned back to Rezaira. "It''s getting cold." "It is." Autumn was approaching. CH 493 The early arrival of night in the mountain village signified that the season had come quickly as well. When the brutal, chaotic, yet delicate and violent task of pulling out every tree root from the forest after logging was complete, an early winter had come to the mountain village. Time had passed. It had passed too much. In such thoughts, all that Reinhardt could do was to simply carry out the tasks he had to do. He had already grown accustomed to maintaining his Magic Body Strengthening throughout the day. It had become a stage where he could maintain his Magic Body Strengthening more naturally than breathing. Reinhardt, who had already entered that stage, could even maintain his Magic Body Strengthening while sleeping. Unconsciously, his Magic Body Strengthening was always maintained. Now that the task of pulling out the tree roots was done, turning over the soil and filtering the remaining roots and stones would mark the end of the work Luna had assigned him for the summer. Yet, not satisfied even at that stage, Reinhardt thrust his shovel into the forest. -Clang! However, the metal blade of the shovel struck the ground, producing an unpleasant sound. ¡°...¡± The early winter had frozen the ground. -Clang! Reinhardt, who had thrown down his shovel, now picked up a pickaxe. -Thunk! Instead of digging into the ground, the pickaxe collided with the frozen earth. Once again. -Thunk! The swung pickaxe struck the exact same spot as before, colliding with the ground. How many times had he swung like that? -Thunk! As he lifted the pickaxe that had dug into the ground, the soil beneath was revealed. ¡°¡­¡± As if entranced, Reinhardt turned over the soil and picked out stones, throwing them away. As if there were no other tasks for him to do. As if he had forgotten all other tasks except for this one. -Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Reinhardt, swinging the pickaxe as if possessed, and the faint blue mist of mana emitted from his swinging pickaxe. And so, one day. Two days. A week. A fortnight. A month. Naturally, as winter deepened, the work of breaking, crushing, and digging into the increasingly solidly frozen ground became more and more difficult. The task of digging and leveling the ground became one of breaking and crushing the frozen earth. Even when snow fell on the mountain village, Reinhardt remained in the forest. Without using his divine artifact or the flame of Tuesday. As if facing his fate, Reinhardt broke the ice in the pouring snow and dug into the ground, even as the snow turned to ice. ¡°The snow is falling too heavily. At least wait until it stops.¡± Unable to bear watching Reinhardt digging with a shovel and pickaxe in the open ground during winter, Luna grabbed his shoulder and spoke. ¡°Ah¡­¡­. When did you arrive?¡± Reinhardt, seemingly unaware of Luna''s arrival, replied with a drained expression. Due to the heavy snowfall, enough to sink one''s feet, Luna was also covered in snow from walking through the knee-deep snowfield. However, upon seeing Reinhardt, Luna forgot her words. Reinhardt did not have any snow piled on his head or shoulders despite the heavy snowfall. The snow that touched his head, face, and shoulders melted away because his body was overheated. ¡°You didn''t answer no matter how much I called.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­. Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you realize how ridiculous you look right now?¡± Luna covered her mouth and laughed as she looked at Reinhardt. ¡°How ridiculous?¡± ¡°You look like an angry teapot.¡± The sight of steam rising from his head was no different from a boiling teapot. "Take a break today. It''s an order from the village chief of Rezaira." "¡­Yes." At Luna''s words, Reinhardt walked along the steep mountain path, carrying a pickaxe and shovel on his shoulders. "It''s not a job for winter. Haven''t you ever thought that?" Luna, who had been walking ahead, spoke up. Reinhardt, of course, knew what she meant. Naturally, leveling the ground was not a job meant for winter. It was something that had to be done when the ground thawed, and it was time for sowing. But as if cursed, Reinhardt had to do the hardest job at the hardest time. "That''s why I like it more." Reinhardt followed Luna, carrying the pickaxe and shovel, and said. If the task was easy, the reward would come easily as well. However, by doing a difficult task during the hardest time, there was more to gain. "I''m glad you think that way. I was worried you might think I gave you this hard job just to torment you." "¡­You didn''t?" At Reinhardt''s words, Luna sighed deeply while walking ahead. "Well, I know you''re a twisted fellow by now. But I can''t say I had no intention of tormenting you at all. I did want to give you a bit of a hard time." "I know very well that you, Mother, can be quite mischievous in your ways." At Reinhardt''s remark, which was quite similar to an attack, Luna furrowed her brow. "¡­You never let anything slide." "Why should I?" "Know when to yield." Luna walked ahead, as if she no longer wanted to engage in the conversation. The snow had piled up to the point where walking was difficult, and as the heavy snow continued to fall, their steps were even more sluggish. After trudging through the snow for a while, Luna spoke softly. "Aren''t you worried about matters outside?" At some point, Reinhardt had become so absorbed in his work that he never mentioned anything about the outside world. Now, Luna had to be the one to ask him about it. "You told me to trust you." "I did. I certainly did." "If something goes wrong, I''m going to think it''s all your fault, Mother." "¡­" Luna stopped in her tracks and looked back at Reinhardt, taken aback by his sudden nonsense. Luna''s gaze narrowed as she stared at Reinhardt. "So, you found peace of mind by deciding to blame me for anything that goes wrong? As long as you follow the path you''re supposed to take, you''ll feel at ease?" "Ah¡­" "I''ll blame you for the rest of my life if something goes terribly wrong later. Just so you know." "Seeing your stubbornness, you must have been in Rezaira for quite some time." At Luna''s words, Reinhardt chuckled. "I have been here for a while." Reinhardt looked at the snow falling off the tree branches. He had stayed in Rezaira for two seasons. "I''d love to have something warm for dinner tonight." "¡­Looking at your growing audacity, it seems you''ve become too comfortable." -Thwack! "Ouch!" Luna smacked Reinhardt in response to his words, clicking her tongue. "Don''t get too comfortable in Rezaira." Luna added as she walked ahead quietly. "You''ll have to leave someday." He had to leave. At Luna''s words, which seemed to draw a line, Reinhardt''s expression hardened. He had to leave Rezaira as soon as possible. But at some point, in a corner of his heart, he realized he didn''t want to leave. Luna''s words had just made him realize something. ------ Although I didn''t know much about rural life, I had come to learn that in the mountain villages, winter was a time when the ground froze and the lives of the residents froze along with it. In places where all four seasons existed, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that life in the mountain villages was dedicated to enduring the winter, a season when everything froze. Preparing preserved food and storing grains were all acts carried out to prepare for the winter when food could not be easily obtained. Thus, the villagers'' activities during this time were extremely limited. There wasn''t anyone else like me, who seemed to be possessed by something and kept at it relentlessly. Winter was both a long period of rest and a time of anxious anticipation for it to come to an end. Of course, since Rezaira wasn''t an ordinary rural village, the villagers had strong vitality, and there was no issue with food. Firewood for the winter? I had prepared enough this summer to last until next year. The village''s firewood storage was filled with an enormous amount of wood that I had chopped and the villagers had dried. People would burn the firewood they had prepared during the past season, nibble at the stored food, and wait for the frozen ground to thaw and the new spring to arrive. However, since it was snowing heavily now, the villagers were busy clearing the snow. "Go up on the roof later and clear some snow." "But you told me to rest." "..." That''s right. Why are you trying to make me work as soon as I come back when you told me to rest? Luna''s lips began to jut out slightly. Look at this. This. Her sulking because she has nothing to say. "Fine, rest. If the roof collapses because of the snow that''s piled up overnight, you, who sleeps on the second floor, will be the one to get hurt the most." "Mother, do you know this? People can be really petty when they pretend not to be." "I know that very well." Her calm admission of it made her seem the pettiest. "I used to think you and Ellen had the most similar faces, but now I see that your personalities are even more alike, right?" "...Our personalities?" At my words, Luna tilted her head as if she had never heard such a thing before. "Yes. You both sulk and jut out your lips when you have nothing to say and subtly say things as they are." "I don''t want to admit it, but if we judge by your usual behavior, you''re insulting both your mother-in-law and your wife at the same time. Truly an extraordinary son-in-law." "See, this is what I mean. This is how you sulk." "Fine, you''re very skilled at making people''s tempers flare. Let''s drop it since you''re in the wrong." The fact that we could have such a casual conversation made me realize how long I had been in Rezaira. We walked along the path the villagers had cleared of snow. The snow kept falling, so we would have to keep clearing it. When would this heavy snow stop? "Did we really resemble each other?" That was Luna''s sudden question. "Yes, you did." People wouldn''t be unaware of the resemblance. Perhaps she was thinking about the fact that I had said their personalities were alike as well. Looking at Luna''s expression, she seemed pleased to hear that she resembled Ellen and smiled. "Isn''t it pretty normal for parents and children to resemble each other?" "Hmm. I suppose so." Luna continued to smile. "But isn''t it all the more mysterious?" "The fact that a being resembling me, yet not me, can originate from me." "The fact that a being, born from me but not me, can be born and live." "How beautiful it is." "Sometimes, I find it too marvelous and endearing." I didn''t fully understand Luna''s words. Perhaps it was because I had no children of my own, or maybe Luna was thinking on an entirely different level. "Why do you like Ellen?" It was a sudden question. Perhaps it was due to the snowfall, but for some reason, Luna and I talked more than usual today. Why do I like Ellen? I had been in Rezaira for quite some time, but she had never brought up the subject. I had been avoiding the topic because I knew that one day I would have to confront Ellen, and so had her father, Ronan. Why do I like Ellen? I thought about it for a long time, and there was only one answer I could give, though I had pondered it alone as well. "...I don''t really know." Honestly, I couldn''t say when or which event had been the decisive factor that made me feel that way. I didn''t know either. There was nothing else to say beyond the fact that it just happened at some point. "A satisfying answer." "I''m not sure if it was a good answer, but I''m glad you think so." "Isn''t it because you''ve spent so much time together that you can''t properly explain it?" "Is that... how it works?" "Of course." Luna walked with a smile on her face. What will become of everything in the future, and what is happening now? It wouldn''t be enough just to have a good past without a good future. -Ah! Ahh! -Save me! People were busy clearing snow, but the children who knew nothing of it were happily playing, building snowmen and throwing snowballs. Snowball fights. And snowmen. Naturally, something came to mind. "I once made a snowman with Ellen." "...Really?" "It wasn''t so much a snowman as a human-shaped snow sculpture... More like a snow person. When I asked her what it was, she said she always made them that way with her brother." "Ha, yes. Both of them had extraordinary dexterity." Luna laughed, reminiscing about a long-lost memory. I regretted mentioning Ragan Artorius only after I had spoken his name. "Arta and Lena tried to imitate it too. Lena gave up, saying she couldn''t do it, and Arta tried so hard to make a better snowman than Ellen that he stayed up all night and caught a severe cold... That''s when Ragan helped Arta make the snowman... Yes... That happened..." Luna spoke with a gentle smile. "Those days... existed..." Her voice was tinged with both sorrow and joy as she recalled memories of the past. "I''m sorry." Luna turned to look at me after hearing my words. "Bringing up a pleasant memory is nothing to be sorry about." Luna continued walking. "Thank you, Reinhardt." I felt as if I had been accepted as a family member by Luna at some point. I couldn''t tell when or on what day it had happened. It simply occurred at some point. As if I didn''t know that exact moment. There was no way Luna could know either. What would it have been like if Ellen had been here? It would have been nice if that were the case. On a winter day with heavy snowfall. I couldn''t help but force a bitter smile as I imagined a scene that could never exist. CH 494 In the end, the snow piled up on the roof had to be cleared. Seeing the dangerously thick layer of snow on the roof, Luna''s words seemed true; one could actually die, crushed by a collapsing roof. Unable to sleep with this realization, there was no choice but to deal with it. Never in his life had he imagined having to clear snow from the roof due to such a heavy snowfall. According to Luna, it was not an exaggeration; roofs really did collapse under such heavy snow, and it happened quite frequently. Clearing the snow from the roof, which was not just a moderate amount but piled up to a person''s waist, was an incredibly daunting task. The process involved cutting through the snow with a shovel and removing it one scoop at a time. When enough snow was pushed to the edge of the roof, it was dumped down below. Whoosh! The sound was so terrifying that one might think it was the noise of the snow falling. As he cleared the snow, he began to understand why roofs collapsed when it snowed heavily during the winter. In the end, he had to clear the snow without a break until the sun went down. It was not only him but also the other villagers who had to do the same. The village paths were blocked, making it impossible to move without clearing the snow. But when there was only one last heap of snow left on the roof, "Huff!" As he quickly pushed the thick pile of snow down, Whoosh! "Reinhardt...!" Looking down, he saw Luna, who had been hit by the avalanche of snow and was staring back up with a frozen expression. "Ah... well, you see..." Thump! Thump! Luna, who had just been bombarded with snow, brushed it off her head and shoulders, narrowed her eyes, and sighed. "...Go eat dinner." For a moment, he really thought she was going to be crushed. ------ Just as they had wanted, dinner was a meat soup with wild vegetables and thinly baked bread. He was slowly getting used to the rustic but warm meals of the mountain village. "I don''t know when the snow will stop," Luna commented. Ronan nodded in agreement. Until the snow stopped and melted, all activities in Rezaira would be limited to those that could be done indoors or within the village. Knock, knock During the meal, they heard a knock on the door. Upon opening it, they found Lena holding a pot. "Ah, Reinhardt. Grandma said to give this to you." "Please tell her thank you, Lena." "Yes, ma''am!" Since the village was like a tight-knit community, it was common for people to share their meals. Luna had often made extra food and asked them to take it to other houses, so he had been on this errand quite a few times. Occasionally, Lena and Arta joined them for dinner, and there were many times when they were invited to Lena and Arta''s home. The pot Lena handed over contained apple pie. Sometimes, the dinner menu expanded to the point where it was difficult to manage. The concept of neighbors, which had become a foreign idea to him, was still alive and well in Rezaira. Naturally, the dinner menu included the additional dish as they ate. Having spent a long time in Rezaira, he frequently encountered the other villagers besides Lena, Arta, Ronan, and Luna. Like Arta''s older brother, Dalen. Or Lena''s younger sisters. Their parents, and grandparents, too. Even if it wasn''t Lena or Arta, they knew almost everyone living in Rezaira. It wasn''t a neighborhood with many people, so remembering names wasn''t difficult. Always too many numbers. Too many names. There were too many names of the departed to remember, but everything in Rezaira was too few. Realizing that the saying about knowing the number of spoons in a neighbor''s house wasn''t wrong in this environment felt strange. A village with too few people to control, resources to manage, and situations to encounter. Someone might dislike the sight of being too close to neighbors. But after living under the long-standing compulsion to memorize and know countless numbers and people, the time spent in Rezaira felt like a final vacation. However, there were still some strange things. There were quite a few elderly people in Rezaira. This place was inevitably a large family due to generations living in the village. Rezaira didn''t seem to reject outsiders, so although it was isolated now after the Gate incident, it didn''t seem like it was always such a village. Otherwise, it would have perished long ago. But what I was curious about was something else. Arta and Lena, and of course, their grandparents had many siblings. A large family. However, the leaders of Rezaira. Luna Artorius and her spouse were the only two. There were no parents for Luna or Ronan. Ragan had died, and Ellen was outside. But even if they were alive, I didn''t know why only they were a nuclear family. Could there be some reason for this? "How is the work progressing?" Ronan asked. "Ah... It seems like we''ll have to wait for the snow to melt, but if we continue like this, it should be done before winter ends." "I see." Winter made things difficult, but it was true that the work was gradually picking up speed. Everything could be finished before spring arrived. Who knows what would happen then? I began to feel like I didn''t want to leave Rezaira, but the fact was that I had to. By the time winter ended, I hoped to have accomplished something. When I first arrived in Rezaira, Luna had said that even if I became a little stronger here, it wouldn''t make much difference. I agreed with Luna''s words. I haven''t reached the Master Class yet, but even if I do, could I face the monster that appears at the end? However, I couldn''t just stand still, and the fact that I hadn''t reached that level yet meant that there might be new possibilities in Rezaira. Even reaching the Master Class, the chances were slim. In the end, I could only rely on the power of the relics. By now, I knew quite a bit about the hidden powers of the relics. Tiamata grants powerful divine power, allowing for simultaneous use of healing and destructive power. Ellen''s Lament wields the power to cut anything. Alsbringer is the ultimate relic that can summon the power of a god, but it takes a life as a price. I didn''t know how the true power of Lapelt worked. Tiamata''s keyword was anger. Lament''s keyword was sorrow. Alsbringer''s keyword was sacrifice. Lapelt''s keyword was hatred. If even reaching the Master Class still left my chances of survival slim, shouldn''t I find some other way? "I have a question for both of you." At my words, Luna and Ronan both looked at me. "Go ahead." "Ask away." If the clue is in the artifact. "Do you know where the Holy Spear, Alixion, is?" I know its shape, having seen it in books. The last artifact shaped like a spear. The relic of Riter, the god of courage. Where is Alixion and what is its true power? These two seemed likely to know. I had only briefly glimpsed information about Alixion while researching artifacts like Tiamata in the past, and I didn''t know much about it. All I knew was that it was an artifact shaped like a spear. Of course, even if it were in my hands, I don''t know how well I, who have only wielded swords thus far, could use it. But the true power of that artifact might grant me a slim chance. Their answers to my question were simple. "We don''t know." At Ronan''s answer, Luna shook her head as if she didn''t know either. Was the fact that the Sun and Moon clan had stored the Lapelt related to its name? But their "we don''t know" seemed a bit different from simply not knowing. Luna cautiously took a spoonful of the meat soup and spoke. "To be exact, no one can find Alixion." "So...does it not exist in this world?" "No." Luna shook her head. The one who answered was not Luna, but Ronan. "Alixion is an artifact that comes to you." "It comes to me?" "Yes. It comes to those who need it. That''s why throughout its long history, Alixion has rarely appeared in the world." The concept of it coming to you, rather than searching for it, felt rather unfamiliar. It was also quite strange that we were discussing an artifact, one of the most important items in the world, in a snowy mountain village. "If I need it, it will come to me... So if I need Alixion, it will appear before me?" "If that were the case, anyone in the world could have used Alixion. Alixion does not respond to ordinary desires." "And what is that extraordinary desire?" Luna took over for Ronan. "It''s a relic of Riter. What do you think is needed?" Ah. "Courage...is it?" "That''s right." So it means that it''s an artifact that appears and reacts to the desires of those with courage, as it is a relic of the god of courage. Courage, huh? Aren''t I on the courageous side, if I really think about it? Wasn''t it a courageous act to actually seek out the person who almost killed me and ask for their help, even if it was a desperate move? Don''t I have the qualifications to be the master of Alixion? I might be overconfident, but I definitely think so. Seeing my puzzled expression, Luna looked at me with a stern face. "Reinhardt, what do you think is the most important thing in courage?" "¡­Pardon?" I didn''t understand Luna''s words for a moment. "What''s the most important thing in courage... What else is there besides courage? Bravery? Confidence? Something like that?" Seeing that I didn''t understand, Luna shook her head. "Suppose there''s a terrifying enemy. For example, let''s say there''s a dragon from another world, like you mentioned. It''s a fearsome enemy that you absolutely cannot face with ordinary means." "¡­Yes." "Suppose you stand up to it anyway, knowing that you can''t face it. You confront it with the mindset that, somehow, you''ll make it." "¡­Yes." "Do you think that''s courage?" If that''s not courage, then what is? I held back from saying that, sensing Luna had more to say. It was not Luna who continued, but Ronan. "That is not courage, but recklessness." At those words, I was at a loss for what to say. "What is needed for recklessness to become courage?" Luna stared into my eyes quietly. Recklessness and courage. The difference between them. I thought about the difference between the two concepts, which I had never seriously considered. Recklessness and courage are, strictly speaking, very similar words. The concept of facing or opposing something is the same in both. However, recklessness inherently includes foolishness. Why is it foolish? It''s foolish to believe that one can face an insurmountable opponent. Then what makes courage different? When recklessness loses its foolishness, it becomes courage. Recklessness devoid of arrogance and foolishness. The recklessness of a wise person who accurately understands their own power. "¡­" Facing something despite knowing it''s impossible, and knowing that it''s difficult. If the foundation of courage is facing something while fully understanding it. I couldn''t help but realize what the most important thing in courage was. "Fear¡­ it is." "That''s right." What makes courage truly courageous is not bravery, pride, or determination. Knowing the opponent. Fearing the opponent. Facing them despite that fear. That was the true condition of courage. CH 495 I am afraid of the final battle. I fear the day when I might have to face Ellen in combat. In my current state, I believe I am no match for either Ellen or the dragon. As it stands, I must rely on Alsbringer to sacrifice my life, which is why I have come to Rezaira, seeking the next step. Regardless of what I achieve here, I will participate in the final battle. Thus, what I possess is not courage but rather arrogance or obstinacy. Because I have the Alsbringer, all my actions are inevitably arrogant. Since I have resolved to use the Alsbringer in the end if everything goes awry, I cannot possess true courage. "Fear and terror, you don''t abandon them. Instead, you face them while embracing that fear and terror. That''s what courage is," Luna said. I slowly nodded my head in agreement. It''s not about letting go of fear or forgetting terror, but embracing them and facing your adversary despite feeling suffocating fear and dread. That was the condition to be chosen by the Alixion. The Alixion is a sacred artifact similar to the Alsbringer. Just as Alsbringer chooses someone who can die for the world as its master, the Alixion appears in response to the desires of those who show true courage. If I can understand and display true courage before the otherworldly dragon, will the Alixion appear before me in response to my desires? But then, what changes? "What is the true power of the Alixion?" I asked. "A sacred spear that seeks those who face insurmountable foes with genuine terror and yet stand against them. What do you think it would grant such a person? What would they need?" Luna replied. It''s a divine gift bestowed upon those who display true courage. Have the conditions already been met? True courage, drawn out by genuine terror. That is what it can and must give. "Power to confront anything, no matter the opponent." Luna''s words were clear. "That''s all." The reckless fighter who overcomes fear and terror and stands against their foe needs nothing but power. The Alixion lends power to confront anything, no matter the adversary. No matter how strong the otherworldly dragon is, if chosen by the sacred spear Alixion, one can obtain power to stand against it. In a way, isn''t the Alixion the ultimate divine artifact? ------ If I were granted the Alixion, all this hardship might become meaningless. But it''s ironic. Knowing about the Alixion has made the likelihood of obtaining it all the more uncertain. Relying on the Alsbringer in the final battle is not courage but arrogance and obstinacy. Hoping the Alixion will find me in the final battle and standing before the enemy is also far from true courage. Rather, because I now know that the Alixion responds and chooses based on true courage, I can''t be sure that my own courage will ever be pure. Ignorance is bliss, indeed. It was a perfect match. It would have been better if I didn''t know. It''s not that Luna and Ronan told me when I didn''t want to know; I asked directly. I shouldn''t expect that the Alixion will definitely be mine. Deliberately fearing the enemy and feeling terror while pondering the nature of true courage is also a foolish act. If the Alixion chooses me, there may not be a situation to warrant it, but if not, I must stand before it nonetheless. Alixion, being a powerful artifact, had not made many appearances thus far. To expect it would be a luxury. Even if some strong fate were at work for me, it was unlikely that Alixion would conveniently appear in a favorable situation. Therefore, I do what I must. The snow had not ceased. Before venturing into the forest, I had cleared the snow piled up overnight in the village and on rooftops, along with the villagers. Not only at Ellen''s house but also the roofs of other villagers'' houses. After all, there were places in Rezaira that needed the help of a young hand. "Reinhardt! Come down and have some ginger tea!" "Yes, Granny!" Having been a guest for so long, I was occasionally treated as one of the villagers. It was quite amusing. Now that I am revealed to be the Demon King, there is no one to treat me as before. However, if it were the days when I was the Temple''s rascal Reinhardt, what would they think seeing me favored by grandmothers and grandfathers in the countryside? No, it is even more amusing that the Demon King does such things. If someone were to broadcast my appearance like this throughout the continent, would they realize I am not that dangerous? The Demon King chopping wood, the Demon King uprooting tree roots, the Demon King going to the fields, the Demon King clearing snow. As my life in Rezaira grew longer, various thoughts began to cross my mind. After the snow clearing was roughly finished, I headed toward the forest over the snow-covered mountain with a shovel and pickaxe in hand. It was amusing that I insisted on going to the fields on a day when the snow piled up so much that it was difficult to walk properly, but honestly, I liked it. The more challenging the task, the more focus is required. Thus, harsh situations were good for me, and there was no reason they would be bad. After all, going to the fields was my goal, but not my purpose. "Damn it." Of course, that''s just talk. Seeing the snow-covered path to the Rezaira border, which was quite far from the cleared land, my foot sinking deep into the snow, and the path disappearing from sight, it was frustrating. If I used the Flame of Tuesday, I could have melted not only the path in front of me but also all the snow piled up in the village. I thought about just closing my eyes and using it, but in the end, I didn''t and began wading through the snow. What I can do, Luna can undoubtedly do as well. I still don''t know what the Sun and Moon clan wants and what they do, but Rezaira fundamentally doesn''t use mysterious powers in daily life. Should I call it naturalistic? Out of respect for the way of life in Rezaira and Luna, I don''t intend to use powers that don''t belong here. Using the Flame of Tuesday would have made many things easier. To begin with, I could have melted the freezing ground and started clearing the land, so the land-clearing work would already be finished. But I didn''t do that. By not doing so, I was now able to maintain the extreme efficiency of Magic Body Strengthening throughout the day and even while sleeping. Now that I''ve come this far, I can''t use the Flame of Tuesday just for convenience. I know now that there is a definite value in inconvenience. "Ugh." Still. It was indeed uncomfortable... ------ Left alone, the fallen and accumulated snow would slowly melt and turn into ice. Scooping out the snow and breaking the frozen layer underneath with a pickaxe, Reinhardt carried on with the tedious and lengthy task of clearing the path. Snow that fell in the mountains during winter hardly melted. Usually, such snow would slowly melt away only when the next season arrived, suddenly disappearing on a warm day. That''s why, even though heavy snow had not fallen for several days, one could still find snow anywhere in Rezaira throughout the winter. Amidst such days, Reinhardt continued to follow the mountain trails even after the villagers had cleared the snow in the village, and the children had stopped having snowball fights. He would only return home when the sun began to set. Thus, another day, two days, a week, and a month passed. His work pace remained slow. No matter how strong his physique, there was a limit to the durability of his equipment, so he had to regulate his strength. Regardless of how much he adjusted, the shovel blade would still bend or the axe blade would break on occasion. In a state close to trance, Reinhardt repeatedly struck the shovel and pickaxe into the ground, prying out rocks. One day, after having mechanically performed such tasks for several days as if he had forgotten what he was doing. That day, as winter passed and the snow piled up in the forest and mountains began to sublimate at the start of spring. On one such day, as the snow waited to melt alongside the signal of warmer weather. Luna had been watching Reinhardt. She had been watching him from just a step behind, but Reinhardt was completely unaware of her presence. Thud! The shovel was easily embedded in the frozen ground. Whack! Luna quietly observed the pickaxe blade piercing the ground as if slicing through tofu, rather than colliding with it. "Congratulations, Reinhardt." "...?" Upon hearing the sudden voice from behind, Reinhardt turned around, dumbfounded. "Congratulations?" "Yes." Luna pointed at the shovel Reinhardt was holding. "Have you not entered the next realm?" A blue mana light shimmered on the shovel in Reinhardt''s hand. "What, what is this?" "..." Reinhardt had been so focused that he didn''t even realize he had surpassed the wall at some point. Luna smiled as she saw Reinhardt staring blankly at the shovel in his hand, wearing a dumbfounded expression. "Stop plowing the earth; it''s a meaningless task for you now." "..." Hearing Luna''s words, Reinhardt looked around, still in a daze. The vast forest had been almost completely cleared. Reinhardt, who had been dumbfoundedly observing the impressive yet humble achievement he had accomplished over a long period, turned his gaze to Luna. "Can''t I just finish the little that''s left?" "..." Rather than being happy about becoming a Master Class, Reinhardt seemed more reluctant to leave the task he had been given incomplete. "If you really want to do it, go ahead..." Perhaps due to the strange antics he had engaged in for such a long time, Reinhardt had developed a peculiar stubbornness. "Then hurry up and leave; you''re in the way." "..." Whack! Whack! After saying that, Reinhardt began to furiously dig into the ground once more. ¡ª--- As I had reached the Master Class, my work speed could not help but increase drastically. Having acquired the strongest shovel and pickaxe, I could now use my full strength. In the end, I managed to complete the remaining parts of the work I had been doing throughout the winter in just one day. Breaking and cutting through the frozen ground. Thus, Luna''s instruction to plow the field in response to my question of what to do to concentrate my mind was now completely fulfilled. The thrill of becoming a Master class. In truth, I am not quite sure. I am not sure when this became possible. Hadn''t I already leaped over the wall, if there ever was one? I blankly stared at the blue mana coiling around the fork I was holding. I couldn''t really feel what had changed significantly, but I had definitely become able to imbue objects I held with magical power. Ironically, I used swords the most, but I reached the Master class while digging and using a pickaxe. Well, if you think of it in terms of martial arts, couldn''t you attach words like "Master of Ten Thousand Streams" or something? "Congratulations, Reinhardt." "Ah, yes... Thank you..." I dumbly nodded at Ronan''s words. "Thanks? We didn''t teach you anything. You figured it all out by yourself." Luna said so while quietly eating bread, and Ronan nodded as well. Perhaps I shouldn''t be grateful. Luna hadn''t really taught me anything directly. She fed me and put me to bed and occasionally spoke vaguely, but strictly speaking, I couldn''t say she had taught me directly. If anything, Arta taught me more. But that didn''t mean I hadn''t learned anything from them. Ronan only talked about the flame of the heart. Luna only spoke a few words about my emotions. Such things were more about a mindset than actual teachings. Had I forgotten my anguish? Not really. Had I reached a conclusion about my complex emotions? No, not that either. Luna and Ronan thus claimed they hadn''t taught me anything. However, I couldn''t say that I hadn''t truly learned anything. The time spent with these two, the days spent in Rezaira. I couldn''t simply think that they had fed me and put me to bed while I was on my personal training. Luna, as she ate bread, spoke to me while I pondered complex thoughts. "We''ll gather the villagers." "..." "Leave tonight." It''s already nighttime; couldn''t I stay another day? That wasn''t possible. To say such a thing would be to admit my fear of returning to the world. I couldn''t postpone facing the changes that had occurred in my absence. With not a day to spare, I couldn''t afford to linger here any longer. So, Luna tried to send me off quickly before I became weak-hearted, having achieved my goal. Sending me off quickly was not for her sake, but for mine. That must be her thought process. Yet. That emotionless statement. It hurt. A lot. Quite a lot. It hurt. CH 496 In the center of Rezaira Village stood the town hall. It was the gathering place for all the villagers when they celebrated feasts, and it was also where everyone had gathered when I first arrived in Rezaira. The town hall was always bustling with people, whether it was the elderly sharing stories with each other in the winter months when there was little work to be done, or children coming together to play. One late night. It wasn''t a feast, but the villagers had all gathered because they heard that I, their long-term guest, would be leaving soon. "We''re going to miss you, our dear child." "Wherever you go, take care. You''re a strong one; you''ll do well no matter what you do." "Leaving in the middle of the night? Why don''t you wait until the day breaks?" The elders embraced me and patted my back. There were some who worried about my nighttime departure, but the majority, knowing it was Luna''s decision, nodded their heads and said nothing. "You''ve worked hard." "It seems like you''re leaving without ever having a proper rest." "Let me grab you some potatoes. Just wait a moment." "I should pack you some jerky. Stay here for a bit." The men and women hurried back to their homes, returning with bags of preserved food for my journey, more than I could possibly carry. "Why are you leaving so soon, big brother?" "We didn''t get to play with you much." "Can''t you just stay here?" "I wanted to marry you when I grow up!" "But you promised to marry me!" "Ugh, you''re ugly, Ulf!" The children bickered amongst themselves, creating a chaotic din. I wasn''t familiar with how to handle children and had never properly played with them. But as the saying goes, "time makes a thief"; I had been forced to play with them and had been pestered by them all day long. I said goodbye to each person and finally stood before Arta and Lena. "Are you leaving?" "Yes, I am." Arta wasn''t the sentimental type, just like me. However, he had accurately assessed my situation and guided me on the path I should take. Arta and I didn''t have a tearful farewell. We simply shook hands. "May the blessings of the sun and moon be with you." In a hushed tone, audible only to me, Arta whispered those words. I had suspected as much, but it was clear that Arta knew about the Sun and Moon Sect, unlike Lena. "You could have stayed a little longer. I''m sure you have your reasons for leaving so suddenly." "Well, yes." Lena blinked away tears as she spoke. In a way, Lena was just like the country girl I had imagined her to be. She had taken care of me from a distance, neither too close nor too far. "I never got to ask why you couldn''t come with Ellen." Lena wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled. "Still, everything will work out." I knew that believing so didn''t necessarily make it true. "If it doesn''t, I''ll make it work." But without that much faith, nothing could be accomplished. Everything would turn out well. I would make it so. Although I had stayed in Rezaira for a long time, my farewells were brief. Because farewells should not be prolonged. ------ The villagers had given me so many things that Luna ultimately packed only the essentials into my backpack. I slung the backpack over my shoulder and fastened the scroll book, which I had unstrapped for a long time, around my waist again. I changed back into the traveling clothes I had I put on the traveling clothes I had worn when I first arrived in Rezaira. Though I hadn''t worn them in a long time, Luna had kept them clean. The villagers waved at me from afar as I departed. The outskirts of Rezaira. Now, only Luna and Ronan stood by my side. "My dear." At Luna''s words, Ronan nodded. Ronan Artorious stood before me. His imposing figure, with an intense scent of masculinity, was more like a grown man than a youth. Though he was a man of few words and stern demeanor, he sometimes showed an incredibly tender side to Luna. Luna wasn''t particularly talkative either, but Ronan was especially taciturn. It wasn''t that he disliked me, it was just his nature. "Reinhardt." "Yes." He placed his hand on my shoulder. "Do you have confidence in making Ellen happy?" At his candid question, I felt a lump in my throat. It wasn''t an easy thing for him to ask. However, as difficult a subject as it was for Ronan to inquire about, it wasn''t an easy question for me to answer either. I had no idea what the future held. "To be honest, not really." "..." Even if I died. Even if Ellen died. We would both be unhappy. How could this twisted relationship be healed? I didn''t know where to start, or what to do. "But I will do what I can. If something seems impossible, I will find a way." I didn''t know how to find a happy outcome for both of us, but I would try. Just like when I found my way into the Master Class and achieved my goal. If there was no way, I would find one somehow. I wasn''t confident, but I always tried to find a way, and I succeeded. That was the best I could do right now. Ronan gazed at me quietly. "Well, the best advice I can give you, the best answer for you that you can hear from me is this." "What is... it?" "After observing you for a while, I give my approval." It seemed like I had gained his acceptance as a son-in-law. "Go, Reinhardt." That was our final farewell. ------ "Follow me." "...Yes." After saying our goodbyes to everyone, Luna Artorious led me over the mountain ridge on the outskirts of Rezaira. It was still winter, and I was only wearing the clothes I had arrived in. Thinking about it, my body wasn''t really affected by temperature, but I should have packed a sturdier coat. Luna stood on the edge of the mountain, looking at me. It was like the night I had met her under the moonlight while wandering the Sren Mountains. Even now, as I was leaving Rezaira, I found myself facing Luna under the moonlight. "You won''t need to set foot in Rezaira again." "...Yes." As she said, I would probably never return to Rezaira for the rest of my life. Considering that it was uncertain whether I would be able to live that long, it was a luxury to worry about ever stepping foot in Rezaira again. Here, I had not been the Demon King, but a mere guest. A place where I only had to fear nature. Life in the mountain village wouldn''t be easy, but for me, who had lived a life full of fear and constant vigilance, Rezaira had been a haven. A place where all I had to do was follow Luna''s instructions. There were times when I wished to live a life like this one. It didn''t have to be in Rezaira specifically, but I often thought that once everything was sorted out, I''d like to live a life where the only concerns were the weather today and tomorrow, and having enough food to last through the long winter. However, this world was not meant for me. I have my own world to live in. That''s why I could only be a guest in Rezaira, never a resident. I must leave. "Is there anything you''d like to say before you go?" Things I''d like to say. There were so many things I wanted to ask and so many things I wanted to say. What is Sun and Moon clan? Who are you? Why do you possess such mysterious powers and yet not interfere with the world? Several complex thoughts crossed my mind. But there was one thing I wanted to say. "I feel resentful." "¡­?" "I said, I feel resentful." It may seem incredibly petty, but my honest feeling at the moment was that I was truly resentful, and I wanted to cry. That''s right! I had been here for months, and as soon as my promotion to the master class was confirmed, they were practically kicking me out. This was really beyond resentment! How could anyone be so heartless? At my sudden outburst, Luna seemed at a loss and pursed her lips slightly. "Well, you''re resentful. So¡­ what do you want me to do about it? What should I do for you¡­?" "It''s not about what you should do for me. You asked if I had anything I wanted to say, so I just told you. I feel resentful. That''s it." "I didn''t expect you to say that. You have a cute side too, even if it doesn''t seem like it." "I know that too." "¡­Huh." At my response, Luna stared intently at me. "I thought you''d ask about the secrets of the Sun and Moon clan¡­ but it seems I overestimated you." "I am only human, after all." Honestly, I was just as curious about that. But at this point, what does it matter? No matter what I ask or say, Luna is a being bound by rules. My questions might satisfy my curiosity, but they won''t change anything in reality. I had no clue about what Sun and Moon clan was. "I think Sun and Moon clan might be¡­ related to the vampires of Sun (Sunday) and Moon (Monday) that disappeared long ago." I figured it out from the flame of Tuesday, and I realized that Eleris was an ancient archdemon. It was hard not to suspect that Sun and Moon clan was a group connected to them, as the name suggests. At my words, Luna stared at me silently. "Do you want to know? About Sun and Moon clan." The existence of Sun and Moon clan. Its secrets. "Of course, I want to know. Naturally." Even if the satisfaction of curiosity can''t change anything in reality. Even if nothing changes, I was genuinely curious. "Follow me." Luna silently led the way. The night in the mountains was pitch black, even with the winter moon overhead. But she walked slowly and steadily, as if she could see through the darkness. I followed her, making sure not to lose sight of her figure. The place we arrived at was one I knew well. During the summer, I had meditated beneath the waterfall. The deep valley where the children used to splash in the water. Since it was winter, the once-magnificent waterfall was frozen in place, and the valley was solidly iced over. Luna stood atop the frozen valley, looking at me. "Let me ask you." "..." Luna opened her mouth hesitantly. "Do you think we''re wicked?" "..." "Do you think we, who hide in the world, who turn our backs on the world''s affairs, and even keep the village children in the dark about what chaos has befallen the world, are wicked?" Luna did not seem to be arguing. "I guess there''s no reason to say we''re wicked." There isn''t necessarily a reason they have to sacrifice themselves for the world. Just because they are strong or wield mysterious powers beyond understanding. Even if their power can help the world, there is no inevitability that they must risk their lives to do so. Still, it''s true that they felt a certain cruelty. Although they knew it in their heads, they couldn''t deny that in their hearts they wished for a little help. "At least, I am curious." "About what?" "Why you must hide. Why you must turn away." I stared at Luna, who was quietly looking up at the sky. "I can''t help but think there must be some sort of inevitability to it." "..." She turned her gaze and looked at me. There was a law in the Sun and Moon Sect, and because of that, they didn''t interfere in the world''s affairs, but rather, they couldn''t. That''s why when she tried to kill me in the past, she looked like someone who had firmly resolved herself. She walked silently towards the frozen waterfall. As she waved her hand, a path appeared as if the space within the waterfall opened up. I had never seen a cave-like space behind the waterfall when I had been on the left side. It must have been revealed by her power. Could it be that such a space existed behind this waterfall where the children had carelessly swum and played? She walked into the suddenly revealed path, and I followed her. As she flicked her finger, pale white magic lights began to glow in the dark corridor. No, I wasn''t even sure if they were truly magic lights. Luna walked between the pale lights of the magic lamps, spaced evenly along the massive corridor walls. What was this place? But I felt like I was getting closer to the secret of Rezaira. "As you said, the Sun and Moon Sect is related to the ancient Vampire Lords named Sun (Sunday) and Moon (Monday). How much do you know about them?" At her words, I nodded. "I only know that they disappeared a very long time ago and that even the Vampire Lords don''t know what kind of beings Sunday and Monday were." Sunday and Monday. Like Eleris didn''t know what they were, neither did I. "The desire of mortals for immortality is inevitable." She walked silently down the corridor. "It has been so since ancient times." As we walked down the corridor, we soon arrived at a massive niche. In the middle of it, there was something like a rag, but nothing was hanging on it. She walked past the niche and continued. The corridor continued once again, and I could see strange patterns engraved on the walls. "Before the age of written records, humans existed, of course. Whether through shamanism, runes, rituals, or forbidden arts, the mysteries have been there since before human history began." "Fearing death." "Desiring eternal life is a universal wish among mortals." Before the systematization of magic, before the practice of strengthening the body and mind under the name of Magic Body Strengthening became widespread, there were countless attempts in the distant past to attain immortality through research and experimentation. "Such mysteries, countless incidents invoking powerful forces without fully understanding what they truly are." "The end of such mysteries." Luna and I soon arrived at another chamber after passing through the corridor. This chamber was much larger than the one we had just left. There were two sculptures in the chamber. On the left, a hue that was both yellow and red, their colors intermingling and swirling together. On the right, it shone with a blue, pure white, and pale yellow light. It wasn''t difficult to figure out what they represented. The Sun (Sunday) and the Moon (Monday.) They must have been symbolic representations. "Granting strength and performing miracles to those who believe and pray, the origin of all beings and the final destination of mysteries." The apex of mystery. "Deity." She approached the sculpture that symbolized the Moon (Monday) and gently placed her hand on it. "In the distant past, when the gods had no names, people worshipped the moon and prayed." "They asked for the eternal life of immortality." "The moon bestowed the blessing of immortality they sought." "However, they did not pray to the sun." "They lived in a world where the dominion of the sun and the moon coexisted, praying only to one power." "The sun may have despised such people." "The reasons were complex, but the outcome was simple." "Having desired immortality, they had to pay a fitting price." "The moon gave blessings." "The sun cursed a race." "An immortal race that could not walk under the sun, and was cursed to continue their existence in a barbaric and despicable manner by taking the lifeblood of other beings." "Do you understand what I''m saying, Reinhardt?" Luna looked at me. "Monday, the first vampire." Vampires were beings that originated from a deity. CH 497 There was a time when even the gods had no names. People only knew that various powers existed in the world, and they believed in different things. Among them, some worshipped the moon, praying fervently for the gift of immortality. Thus, they received blessings under the moonlight, but became beings that could not live in the sunlight. The gods grant power according to one''s beliefs. If one believed in a demon, unholy power would be lent to them. Since they believed in a god while seeking immortality, it meant they were granted immortality. However, they didn''t foresee the curse of the sun. "Some of them must have willingly accepted immortality, while others did not," "There must have been those who despaired, unable to walk under the sun again, and those who were grateful for the chance to live forever under the moonlight." "All vampires originating from the Moon Clan were creatures of the night." "Over time, as immortality grew wearisome, some of the Moon Clan began to think." "Once more, they wished to walk in the sunlight." "Once more, they wanted to see the world in the brilliant light of the sun." "Isn''t it natural for a being living only in darkness to grow tired of the dark?" "They tried to overcome the sun." "The Moon Clan sought to become even more powerful, hoping to defeat the sun with their strength." "But there were others who thought differently." "By seeking the sun''s forgiveness, they wished to stand under the sun''s light once more." "Vampires who worshipped the sun became the Sun Clan." "They were the ones who received the sun''s forgiveness." "Rather than seeking the sun''s forgiveness, some desired to grow stronger and stand under the sunlight by force." "After a very long time, both clans managed to face the sun, albeit with great pain." "They were the vampires who overcame the sun." "They were the Vampire Lords." Luna looked at me. Both had overcome the sun, but in different ways. Vampires were, in a way, sacred beings born from ancient beliefs. They were just strange beings who received blessings from some gods and curses from others. "But this still doesn''t change the fact that it''s only half a solution, does it?" Although they could now face the sunlight, most of the Vampire Lords, like what I had seen, experienced immense pain while doing so. They simply didn''t show it. "As time went on and neared eternity, the true origins of vampires were forgotten, and new lineages of Vampire Lords were created." Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. In the end, the Moon Clan diversified into the Sun Clan and then further diversified into different Vampire Lord families. I couldn''t tell how long a time Luna was talking about, but I knew it was an incredibly long time. "The oldest families among the Vampire Lords, the Moon and Sun Clans, were bound to have an inevitable fate." "An inevitable... fate?" "Yes." Luna looked at me. "They enjoyed everything as immortals, but that led to a deficiency they wished to resolve." "The pain in the sunlight." "And the longing for life." "They wanted to become human again." "To stand under the sunlight." "To conceive new life." "They wanted to regain what they had already forsaken." "By dedicating all their remaining lives to serving both the moon and the sun." "As a living being, if I were to regain my life, I would devote all of my remaining existence to worshipping the gods," they promised the gods. "They longed to return to their human form." The immortal life eventually evoked a yearning for what that very immortality had taken away. She placed one hand on the sculptures of the moon and sun before her. "The vampires of the Moon Clan and Sun Clan borrowed time in order to return to their human forms." "They prayed together." "To both the moon and sun, simultaneously." "They asked the sun for mercy and the moon for forgiveness." "They prayed for a time too long to count." "Even the gods could not ignore the prayers that lasted for such an impossibly long time." "They had granted immortality, yet like petulant children, they cried out for it to be taken back, those pitiful creatures." "They wanted to turn away, but ultimately, they couldn''t." Luna looked at me. "I forgave them." Her words made my head feel as if it had frozen. It was a statement that overturned all the assumptions I had made about Luna''s words so far. Not that they had been forgiven. But that she had forgiven them. "What... What are you... saying...?" Luna gazed at me quietly. "The vampires who returned to their human forms, the descendants of the Moon and Sun Clans, make up the Sun and Moon clan. I am the leader of the Sun and Moon clan, their caretaker." The Lord of the Sun and Moon clan. Not one of them, but the one who guided them. Luna Artorious. She looked at me, with one hand on the moon and the other on the sun. "The will of the gods sent down to the world by the gods of the moon and sun, their messenger." Not the one who had been forgiven. But the one who had forgiven. "I am the embodiment of the moon and sun." She was an even more transcendent being than I had thought. ------ The embodiment of the gods. That meant she was a god herself, and at the same time, she was not. "The Sun and Moon clan is the oldest religious group in the world. They are an organization that is only allowed to worship the moon and sun, and I have lived through the ages as their protector and overseer." It was for that reason that Luna was such a special existence within the Sun and Moon clan. It was impossible to calculate how long Luna had existed. The Sun and Moon clan was a religious group. In exchange for returning to their human forms, the Sun and Moon Clan swore to devote their lives to serving the gods. Not interfering in worldly affairs was a promise the Sun and Moon clan made to the gods. That was the truth of the Sun and Moon clan, which had been passed down through countless generations. And Luna was not a member of the clan, but existed as their protector and overseer. "Wait... Then my father..." "Ronan is human." At this point, I couldn''t tell whether Luna was amazing or if it was incredible that Ronan had married the embodiment of the gods. "Both the Sun and Moon clan and I are bound to the roles given by the gods. Now you understand why I cannot interfere in worldly affairs." It was alright for Luna''s children to venture into the world, but not for Luna herself. Both Luna and the descendants of the Moon and Sun Clans were paying the price for regaining their human forms. "Um... It''s a bit awkward to say this, but you tried to kill me." "If I had succeeded, I would have vanished. I would have had to pay the price for doing something that was not permitted." It was an act that risked not only my life but also her own annihilation. Having lost her son, and now facing the loss of her daughter, Luna had staked her existence on trying to kill me. But because she had given up on that, Luna could still exist. "It''s just a story. Someone who has watched humans for too long, growing curious about what a true human life is. In the end, wanting to live that life, and becoming human... It''s not a grand story." Becoming human after watching humans for too long. Upon hearing my remark that Luna resembled Ellen not only in appearance but also in character, she had seemed surprised but also delighted, her face full of emotion. Luna was a god, yet not a god, a peculiar being. "That''s the end. There''s nothing more to explain, and nothing more you need to know." "How did you meet father?" "..." At my question, Luna furrowed her brow and looked at me. "I have no reason to explain that to you." Luna snapped, as if telling me not to ask such impertinent questions. It was time to go back. I had to return to face what awaited me. What had happened outside? Could it be that something irreversible had occurred? Luna approached me silently. Now, to send me back. "Ragan was lively, and Ellen was calm, but both were well-behaved children." She stood in front of me, speaking about her children. "How fortunate it was that they weren''t disobedient and arrogant like you, throwing tantrums. I often thought that while looking at you." "But I think I listened well too." "How fortunate it was that they weren''t children who made unnecessary remarks." Luna smiled and placed her hand on my shoulder. "But... I''ve come to think that having a son like you wouldn''t have been so bad after all." "Then have another child to set things straight." "Hey!" -Whack! "Ouch!" In the end, I couldn''t avoid a slap. How many times had I been hit by the divine fists so far, and how many times had my back been struck? No one else could have had an experience like mine. I was leaving Rezaira with nothing but strange experiences. It wasn''t because this was a village controlled by the gods'' avatar, but because it was my first time living in such a naturalistic environment. Luna sighed deeply, watching me get slapped one last time. "Close your eyes." Was it really time to go? I had closed my eyes for a moment, and then I was able to arrive in Rezaira. Now, when I open my eyes again, I should be able to leave Rezaira. "Mother." "What?" "Thank you." "..." That was my heartfelt sentiment. Now I understood why she hadn''t taught me anything. If I had given my body to the Sun and Moon clan, I would have been bound by their rules. If I had learned their secret arts, it would have been a terrible disaster for me. She hadn''t taught me anything because she wanted to protect me, and now I understood that. Luna was silent for a long time in response to my words. And then, "Reinhardt." "Yes?" She bid me farewell. "May you..." She whispered softly. "Be blessed by the Sun and Moon." It was a similar phrase to what Arta had told me. But it was slightly different. She didn''t tell me to open my eyes. The weight of the hand on my shoulder disappeared, and the air seemed to change. -Whooooosh! "Where...?" A fierce wind whipped through the mountains. I found myself back on the summit of a mountain where I had met Luna long ago. The time was night. "...What''s going on?" I felt a strange sense of dissonance. The season was winter. In such a place with strong winds, one should feel an intense cold that would make one''s skin feel like it was tearing. But though the wind was fierce, I didn''t feel the biting cold one would expect. Also, there was no snow piled up white anywhere I looked. And most importantly, "What...?" There were the scattered corpses of brutally killed monsters nearby. It was a memory from quite some time ago, but I hadn''t forgotten it. While crossing the Sren mountain range and searching for Rezaira, I had fought many monsters. On one of those days, I had called Luna, exhausted from battling monsters in this place. As if answering my call, Luna came to find me, and I was able to enter Rezaira. But the scene was precisely the same as when I was on my way to Rezaira. The bleeding bodies of the monsters. From that, there was only one thing I could infer. Time had. Barely passed. ''Trust me.'' Only now could I understand the true meaning of those words. CH 498 The moment she entered the village and gazed at the sky with her mysterious gesture, I wondered if she was manipulating the flow of time. Had I been dreaming? Did I really go to Rezaira? But it seemed certain that I had not dreamed, but instead, I had entered and returned from the world called Rezaira. "Ha, hahaha..." I couldn''t help but wonder why she hadn''t told me about this. Perhaps because knowing that time wasn''t flowing might cause it to spread. Knowing that time wasn''t flowing would make it too easy to relax. So she remained silent to stimulate my anxiety and impatience, but also to help me overcome it on my own. I hadn''t left Edina for the length of two seasons. It hadn''t even been a month since I left Edina. I had lived in another world, another time, before returning to this world. -Woosh! In the midst of the harsh wind, I looked down at the scenery of the Sren mountain range. She hadn''t taught me anything. She hadn''t given me anything. What I needed most right now. And what I lacked the most. Time. I had received an enormous amount of time, so there was no way I hadn''t received anything. "Huu..." Although I didn''t shed tears, I wiped away the moisture that welled up in my dry eyes. If I had known that time wasn''t flowing, I could have actually lived more peacefully. I decided not to dwell on such thoughts. Luna had given me what I needed the most, and in the end, I was able to obtain what I wanted. I don''t know how far I can go with this power. However. Though the actual time spent away wasn''t long, I had been away for too long. Now, I must return to where I belong. ------ "To be honest, I don''t think you did anything wrong. Um... I''d even like to give you a pat on the back for a job well done, if I could." "..." In response to Olivia Lanze''s words, Liana de Grantz looked at Olivia with a stern expression and said nothing. Olivia Lanze was not wearing casual clothes, but the priest''s robes she usually wore. In fact, Olivia hardly ever wore casual clothes now, so those robes were virtually her everyday attire. When Olivia heard that Liana de Grantz had been selecting and killing refugees on her own in Port Mokna, she listened to the details and responded that it was only natural. "Personally, I don''t like it, but I can''t say I don''t understand the Council''s decision. After all, you did deceive Reinhardt. Even if you had no choice but to deceive him because he would never have allowed it if he knew, the result is still the result." "..." "Anyway, I personally support your decision. However, our affairs have grown too big to be decided solely by personal judgment, right?" "...Yes." "You''ve deceived Reinhardt up until now, and as a result, you''ve deceived me as well." The majority of the forces in Port Mokna are either the magicians of the Vampire Council or the priests and knights of the Holy Order. They were so loyal to Liana in the Holy Order''s Port Mokna that they deceived Olivia Lanze. Olivia had effectively been betrayed by the priests and knights of the Holy Order. "For someone like you, who by nature has no talent for politics or anything of the sort, to win over the hearts of everyone in Port Mokna and prevent rumors from leaking out while carrying out such deeds... it''s nothing short of a miracle." Liana had no talent for capturing someone''s heart, nor did she enjoy such endeavors. What allowed Liana, as the commander of Fort Mokna, to captivate everyone''s heart was her innate charisma. "Putting aside any trivial emotions or feelings of betrayal, I can be on your side." Olivia lightly tapped the table. "It would have been better if there weren''t these ''strange side effects''..." Olivia didn''t come to Fort Mokna to pursue Liana, nor to punish the Holy Order''s knights and priests who failed to report their duties. The outskirts of Fort Mokna, a pit. She had come to resolve the strange omen discovered by Lucinil. No one in this environment, with plenty of priests and knights, had realized that such signs were present. Only Lucinil, with his strong spiritual sensitivity, could detect the strange omen before it materialized into a sinister phenomenon. That''s why Olivia Lanze came here, bearing the duty of purification and exorcism. Liana, too, had no idea that the massacre she had committed would lead to such events. Feeling the bitterness of her mistake, Liana couldn''t even tell how her actions would bring about any form of disaster. It wasn''t just things within predictable boundaries. Worldly events could cause unforeseen problems in completely unexpected places. But Liana''s enemies were living beings, beings with physical forms. Since she didn''t know how to deal with ghosts and vengeful spirits, Olivia Lanze had to bear the responsibility for Liana''s actions. "The Regent did say it might be better to abandon Fort Mokna without taking risks..." Not knowing what kind of sinister influence this threat could have, Charlotte suggested that it might be better to turn a blind eye. "In my experience, such events can become more dangerous once they''re out of control." Not knowing what could happen meant that even if they left the area, some unknown disaster could still strike Edina. That''s why Olivia Lanze judged it better to take precautionary measures rather than ignoring this level of danger. In the end, Olivia came here to face the danger herself, not knowing what threat could arise for Reinhardt. Her actions to protect Reinhardt from danger created another threat to him. "I''m sorry, sister." At Liana''s words, Olivia chuckled. "I didn''t know you could say that." "Can we... resolve this situation?" "Well..." Olivia twisted her head and bit her lip. "Who in the world would know what could happen when the scale of the problem changes?" Unprecedented events could lead to unprecedented results. Just as Lucinil couldn''t predict what would happen, neither could Olivia. Whether it could be purified or exorcised... She didn''t know. Liana, who read Olivia''s playful but serious attitude, looked at her with a determined expression. "Don''t get hurt, sister." "It''s amusing. You must have disliked me quite a bit." Olivia laughed loudly. "Is it because someone we both dislike has appeared?" That person was none other than Charlotte. "But you know, it''s said that people usually become friends while talking behind each other''s backs." Liana had nothing to say to that wicked jest. "I''ll go. I have work to do." "¡­Okay." Olivia stood up as if she were going for a walk. ------ Upon leaving the Fort Mokna command post, Olivia watched the group of knights and priests lined up outside. Although they were all under Olivia''s command, Liana had been delegated authority for quite some time. These were the people who had deceived Olivia by keeping a secret from her and remaining silent. They were all tense, fearing Olivia''s possible wrath. Betrayal. She couldn''t say it didn''t exist. But she understood why Liana had made such a decision and the reasons for keeping it a secret. Now, she was on her way to deal with the consequences of those actions. "Well... shall we begin?" Olivia smiled as if she had no interest in judging those who had betrayed their faith. "I''ll be the one to clean up the mess you''ve made." Olivia Lanze was known for her coarse language, except during her sermons. ------ In the outskirts of Fort Mokna, quite far from the main area. Olivia, escorted by a large number of knights and priests, headed for the site. Though Olivia was not involved in this matter, most of the priests and knights heading to the site were directly related to it. They had sorted and weeded out people, even taking some to the execution site. "Did you really think nothing would happen after killing so many innocent people? At least you should have performed purification rituals periodically, right?" Olivia calmly spoke as they walked through the outskirts of Fort Mokna. "That''s a reprimand." Even if Liana hadn''t anticipated the vengeful spirits, the priests and knights should have taken such measures. A high priest walking beside Olivia paled and lowered his head at her words. "Your Holiness... It''s not that we didn''t do it." "You did?" "Yes, certainly..." Even though they hadn''t anticipated this outcome, they had been performing purification rituals and offering prayers and blessings regularly, even for those they had killed themselves. Olivia''s playful expression hardened. "So, even with the purification rituals, this still happened." Too many deaths. The overwhelming grudges, vengeful spirits, and injustices that couldn''t be resolved through periodic purification rituals and prayers. Anger and hatred. The fact that this was happening despite the blessings of numerous priests indicated that the severity of the situation was beyond normal. Olivia and the priests she led soon arrived at the site. "It seems like the situation is getting worse..." What only Lucinil could sense a few days ago, had become palpable to Olivia, making her feel a chill on the back of her neck. It wasn''t visible, but there was a sense of foreboding that could be felt on their skin. Cold air. Olivia slowly approached the pit hidden between the rocks that Lucinil had seen before and looked into its depths. "¡­This is terrible." In the dark pit, countless charred corpses were piled up, too many to count. Judging by their burnt appearances, they were all the victims of Liana de Grantz''s lightning strikes. "Did that madwoman kill them all with her own hands...?" Olivia bit her lip as she gazed upon the horrifying scene that could hardly be described as anything but gruesome. Since it was her decision, she couldn''t allow others to dirty their hands, so she killed them all herself. Even though others had selected and brought them here, it was certain that Liana de Grantz had personally driven them into the pit and snuffed out their lives. -Woooooo The eerie resonance of the wind blowing into the deep pit sounded to Olivia like the cries of those who had been unjustly killed. It must have been a delusion, but the strange echo felt as if it was not a delusion at all. Olivia slowly retreated from that spot. Staring at this dreadful scene wouldn''t solve anything. "I''ll create a sanctuary." Thankfully, the power of Tu¡¯an, the goddess of purity that Olivia had mastered, was optimal for solving such a problem. At Olivia''s command, the priests and holy knights began to move busily. What would have happened if they had left this place as it was? If they had been just a little late? If the silver-haired little girl who was the Lord of Wednesday had not detected this omen beforehand, what kind of phenomena would these resentful spirits have caused to harm the Demon King? Hoping that somehow measures would be taken, Olivia summoned Tiamata. -Woong Olivia planted the shining Tiamata in the center of the field. -Thud! Olivia quietly watched the priests arrange themselves according to the proper formation and the holy knights take their positions. -Woooooo Olivia was quite knowledgeable about spirits and the souls of the dead. Tu¡¯an was a goddess of purity that repelled impurity, and thus understanding impure, unnatural entities was necessary. Olivia felt a strange sensation as she watched the wind howling across the field, swirling oddly. She didn''t know how many people had suffered unjust deaths here. However, considering the entire continent, it would ultimately amount to a handful of deaths. It was true that Liana de Grantz had committed an unforgivable sin, and Olivia had no intention of denying that. She simply thought it was a necessary act for Reinhardt. Countless people had died. That was not the only problem. Just as evil spirits cling to places filled with spiritual energy, this place had become a den of vengeful spirits, boiling with resentment and hatred, attracting more spirits. Those who died here. Wandering spirits, ghosts, and paranormal phenomena. Massacres. People who hated the Demon King were slaughtered by his minions. The problem was not only those who died here, but also that this place itself had attracted a tremendous number of vengeful spirits. And now, with most humans believing that everything was the Demon King''s fault, all the spirits would hate the Demon King. Spirits that hated the Demon King were infiltrating this place. Like a magnet or a pitfall trap. If Olivia''s speculation was correct, this place would become increasingly dangerous if left alone. No, it was already far beyond the point of danger. Therefore, Olivia''s decision to take action before the area became more dangerous and expanded was not wrong. It was undoubtedly the correct decision. Measures were necessary, and the ones who could handle this situation were Olivia, the holy knights, and the priests. However, it wasn''t as if there hadn''t been purification rituals until now. Despite the periodic purifications up to this point, the situation was still this bad. The Prayers of the priests. The Summoning. The Exorcisms of the holy knights. Could these really have worked effectively? Olivia quietly thought as she watched the movement of the priests. Praying for the repose of the souls I''ve killed. Though I''ve killed you without reason, don''t be resentful, and ascend peacefully. What kind of deed is this? Do these people have the qualifications for prayer, summoning, and purification? The holy knights. The priests. And herself. Do they have the qualifications? If I were a vengeful spirit. Seeing the murderers who brutally killed me trying to make me ascend. What kind of feelings would I have? Is this the hypocrisy of demons destined to fall into hell? I don''t know what other methods there are, but. Something is definitely wrong. "Wait!" Just as Olivia, who felt that something was seriously wrong, cried out. -Woooaahhhh! From the pit, an abyss surged forth. With wide eyes, Olivia saw the physical manifestation of hatred and resentment. -Wraaaagh! A ghastly scream of pain, hatred, anger, or injustice - it was impossible to tell. No, it was a mixture of all those things, a physical manifestation of resentment, wailing in agony. Olivia clenched her teeth as she watched. "Fine." Olivia pulled out the Tiamata embedded in the ground. "Of course, it wouldn''t be easy." Olivia''s entire body was enveloped in a divine light. CH 499 Olivia Lanze and the priests could only gape at the appearance of the massive horde of spirits for a moment before they had to immediately engage in battle. The fight against these enormous, unidentified ghostly entities took on a form that made them wonder if it could even be called a battle. The overwhelming shapes of immense hatred, which seemed to crush them just by looking at them, suddenly split into dozens of soul clusters in midair, and descended upon the Holy Knights and priests. Aaarrghh! Ah... T-Tu¡¯anis... The spirits swarmed the Holy Knights and priests in an instant, causing them to foam at the mouth and lose consciousness, or to tear at their hair in agony. Ptooey! Pffft! Unable to withstand the burden on their minds and bodies, the priests and Holy Knights began to swell grotesquely, and one by one, they started to burst. Those who didn''t burst began to exhibit strange behaviors. Urrghh! Shk! As if overwhelmed by something, they indiscriminately swung their swords at the surrounding priests and Holy Knights. "Possession..." It was rare for evil spirits and miscellaneous ghosts to possess humans and commit bizarre acts, but it happened. However, it had reached the point where these highly trained Holy Knights and priests were being possessed. That''s how powerful and overwhelming these spirits were. Some even failed to withstand the possession and their bodies collapsed. These were spirits more powerful than any ever encountered before. The fragments of the spirits that burst forth from the bodies of the priests began to frantically search for their next host. She didn''t know how to deal with those who were possessed, but she had to handle them before possession occurred. Olivia charged towards the rampaging spirits. "Judgment upon those who have strayed from the path of purity." Her sacred sword Tiamata responded to Olivia''s words and began to emit a gentle golden light. There was no time to consider the morality of her actions. At this rate, the priests would be massacred. She had to do everything she could. "Peace to those who cannot find rest." Oooohhh! Olivia charged at the spirit trying to enter its next host and violently thrust Tiamata into it. "Power to eradicate all beings that have strayed from the path." Flash! Screeeeech! "In my hands!" Olivia Lanze was the only priest in the world who did not appeal to a god. Rumble! Along with the release of a storm-like golden divine power, the spirits entwined in it were torn to thousands of pieces and vanished in an instant. Olivia and the other priests could clearly see this. Olivia shouted towards the priests. "It''s not invincible! Stand firm and face them! They are just spirits that couldn''t die and have gathered from all over the world!" At Olivia''s rough cry, all the priests gritted their teeth. They were the ones who possessed immense power against these unclean beings. Even if they had spent a long time fighting monsters, confronting and expelling such unclean beings was even closer to the original mission of the priests. They couldn''t succumb to fear. No matter how powerful the spirits, no matter how intense their hatred. They could definitely be eradicated. ------ The Demon King had returned. He had left, saying he might be away for quite some time, but he returned in less than a month. However, the close associates who saw the returned Demon King, Reinhardt, couldn''t help but feel something strange about him. "Reinhardt...?" "It''s been a while. How have you been?" "Ah, it''s you... You said it would take a long time... But you came back early, didn''t you? Why, why are you touching my hair...?" As Reinhardt touched Harriet''s hair, saying he had missed her, his face expressed an indelible joy. His demeanor, gaze, and actions all exuded a feeling that he had spent a very long time in a faraway place. Not just his gaze, but his whole aura felt different from before. It wasn''t anxiety or impatience but rather a sense of composure and tranquility that seemed to fill his heart. "Where is Charlotte?" "She should be in her office." "Nothing happened, did it?" "Ah... Well, about that..." "Why? Did something happen?" "Well... It''s probably better to hear it from Charlotte." Even though the seasons hadn''t changed, time had indeed passed. So, in the absence of the Demon King, various things had inevitably occurred. ------ I knew that there was no such thing as absolute justice in the world. I was well aware that choosing something meant losing something else. Sitting in a position where you make too many decisions would inevitably lead to sacrificing someone, even if you thought you were making the best choice for everyone. I knew that too. However, when the truth that I knew only in my head came crashing into reality before my eyes, I couldn''t help but feel that this position was too much for me. "Liana did...?" "Yes." Liana had been sorting out the refugees. By now, an incalculable number of survivors had died at Liana''s hands. I listened to Charlotte''s calm report and nodded numbly. I had been worried that some significant change would happen in my absence. But the change had already happened. It had been happening all along while I was in my position, and I had no idea. "So, the search for survivors is on hold until you come back and make a new decision. The relocation of the base is also on hold." In the end, I am the one ultimately responsible. Charlotte had paused all decisions and halted progress until my return. Apart from this incident, I couldn''t help but admire Charlotte''s ability. The fact that she had noticed something I hadn''t been able to grasp at all while reading the report. In the end, Charlotte was the one who truly belonged in this position, not me. "By the way, where have you been? I thought it would be a long time before you came back..." Charlotte tilted her head. "And you seem... quite different." "Really?" "Yes, I don''t know how to explain it, but..." Like Harriet, who had looked at me with a slightly puzzled expression, Charlotte also seemed to get a somewhat unfamiliar feeling from me. I wasn''t quite sure how to respond to Charlotte''s comment. I had spent a considerable amount of time in a world where time flowed differently from reality. Would they believe me if I said that no time had passed when I returned? "What were you doing and where?" "Um..." I couldn''t tell her directly about the Sun and Moon clan. Luna hadn''t told me to keep it a secret, but there wouldn''t be any good in spreading it around carelessly. But if they asked me what I did in Rezaira, I didn''t have a particular reason to hide it. It wasn''t as if anything significant had happened, right? When I tried to say it, what I had been doing for the past few months seemed quite bizarre. "I cut wood and plowed fields." "...Huh?" Charlotte seemed to think I was making some kind of joke and tried to force a laugh, but ultimately couldn''t. ------ I had to think about Liana''s problem. It wasn''t just a matter of whether or not to punish Liana; the issue Charlotte brought to me was more than that. Liana had driven people to their deaths in a deep pit somewhere on the outskirts of Fort Mokna. "Vengeful spirits?" "Yeah, the Lord of Wednesday said there might be trouble later on because of the enormous amount of malevolent energy coming from there." Charlotte had already reported the matter to the Council of Elders. I had seen ghosts myself in the Vampire Council. However, I had heard that they couldn''t greatly influence the real world. But Lucinil believed that too many vengeful spirits could indeed affect the real world. "Anyway, this morning, the head of the Holy Order, Olivia Lanze, went on a mission. She should be the right person for the job." "I see." "I wonder if there''s even a need for us to intervene. Abandoning Port Mokna would solve the problem... But it seems they want to eradicate the source." With Olivia''s divine power and her shared connection to Tiamata and me, she should be able to exorcise or purify the massive number of vengeful spirits. While I don''t know what problems these concentrated spirits might cause, Olivia has already been dispatched to handle the situation. "And, the Empire has begun organizing a large-scale expeditionary force to suppress the remaining gates." Suppressing the gates had become impossible with a small special forces unit. Now, the Empire was organizing a large-scale army to destroy the last gates. The combined efforts of humanity were coming together, and a total war would be waged to destroy the remaining warp gates one by one. This would be humanity''s most powerful and final army, formed by staking their lives on it. If that army disappeared, humanity would face its end. "We''ll need our own countermeasures." We may not be able to help openly, but we must consider ways to support them from the shadows. After all, the gate situation is a problem for everyone. "Anyway, thanks for all your hard work while I was away." "Uh, huh? No, it''s... it''s my duty..." Charlotte''s face turned slightly red at my compliment. Although I had come to know things I would rather not know, it was information I needed. Charlotte could see and understand things I couldn''t. That''s why I believe it was a good decision to bring her to Edina. ------ Upon returning from Rezaira, I discovered that not only was the world''s situation far from normal, but Edina''s situation was also quite abnormal. The most urgent matter was the judgment regarding Liana. I could have made a decision through the Council of Elders, but I decided to confront Liana directly. Although she had deceived me until now, Liana had carried out those actions, believing they were for my sake. Regardless of the circumstances, we needed to have a conversation. I wondered if any of the other Vampire Lords, such as Eleris or Lucinil, were present, but they were both absent, and the only one left in the palace was Antirianus, who had gone out to gather information and returned. "Welcome back, Your Eminence." As always, Antirianus appeared sinister on the inside but maintained the utmost courtesy on the surface, which I hadn''t seen in quite some time. I never thought I''d be glad to see this old man. "Things wrapped up faster than I expected." "That is truly fortunate." Although it wasn''t actually resolved quickly, it was a problem that would only become more complicated the more it was explained, so there was no choice but to gloss over it. Just until this morning, I was still in Rezaira. I felt a peculiar sensation, as if all the moments I had spent in Rezaira had suddenly become a distant past. There will be no day when I can return to Rezaira, and I must not hope for it. Even if everything were to be resolved just as I wished, by then, there would still be a great many people for whom I would have to take responsibility. So let''s think of it as having had a very long and lengthy dream. In a situation where I couldn''t even imagine such a life, it could be considered fortunate to have been suddenly thrown into it. "Anyway, you came to find me; do you have a place you need to go?" "I think I should go to Port Mokna." "Ah... that place? I heard some troubling events have been happening there recently." Antirianus smiled as if he knew why I wanted to go there. For now, Olivia went there to deal with it, but since I don''t know the exact situation, I couldn''t gauge the actual level of threat. "Then, let''s prepare right away." Antirianus began casting Mass Teleport. CH 500 The battlefield was a scene of utter despair as they fought against the amalgamation of vengeful spirits. "Defiant beings who have betrayed the order! Perish in the name of Tu''an!" The priests were capable of wielding the divine powers of both Demon God and Gods. However, now they needed the power of the Gods. Olivia leaped towards the possessed-by-a-spirit holy knight, who had begun indiscriminately attacking the priests and fellow knights. These people hesitated to strike, fearing to attack their comrades. "Crack!" Olivia grabbed the rampaging possessed knight by the throat and shouted. "Begone, wicked beings!" "Flash!" "There is no place for you in this world!" "Rumble!" A golden storm erupted from Olivia''s hand, engulfing the possessed knight. "Squeeeaaal!" "Screeeeeeeeech!" Like being consumed by golden flames, the malevolent spirits that had taken over the knight''s body were incinerated, along with the black smoke that erupted violently. Within the golden flames that burned the souls, Olivia could see the light returning to the lifeless eyes of the knight. "Gasp...cough..." But it was only for a moment, as the knight who had regained consciousness foamed at the mouth and collapsed on the spot. It was just a brief suppression of the spirit, but it was clear that his mind had already been shattered. This was the power of just one fragment of the enormous vengeful spirit that had been split into dozens of pieces. The priests, who could be called veterans, were driven to the brink of death by being possessed, those who had the mental strength to resist were dominated, and those who managed to break free from possession already had their minds shattered. Under the protection of divine power, Olivia watched in a daze as the spirits penetrated their defenses and infiltrated the priests. Was this the consequence of their sins? The sins committed by those who wielded the power of the gods were not judged by the gods themselves. So, the anger, hatred, despair, and fear that had accumulated and coagulated in the pit, along with the injustice and sorrow, were now punishing them. Were they being judged by the hatred of the people, as the gods did not judge them? However, Olivia was not alone in this place. For a moment, the dozens of fragmented vengeful spirits swallowed the priests. Seeing Olivia''s form, the priests diligently resisted and fought back. They gathered together and amplified their divine power, creating a powerful barrier that prevented the spirits from entering, gradually pushing them back. They could fight back. However, Olivia felt a change in the atmosphere. A chilling sensation enveloped her entire body. The possessed ones stared at Olivia. As if they had determined who the most threatening enemy was in this situation. "Growl!" One of the fragmented spirits, the mass of vengeful spirits, charged towards Olivia. Olivia smiled in response. "Come on, then." Her weapon, Tiamata, was imbued with immense divine power. "I''ll burn you to ashes." Hatred, despair, and injustice would all vanish, engulfed by the sacred flames that burned the spirits. "Rumble!" The mass of vengeful spirits charging at Olivia was shattered and disappeared, engulfed by the divine power storm released by Tiamata. "Your Holiness! Behind you!" "¡­!" However, whether the frontal charge was meant to divert Olivia''s attention or not, three more amalgamations of vengeful spirits were already charging at her, as a shout warned her to turn around. The possessed knights and priests had been suddenly engulfed by the spirits, leaving them with little time to react. Nevertheless, Olivia was the first to regain her composure, brandishing her sword towards the incoming spirits. -Screech! With a sensation eerily akin to cutting an intangible form, the cluster of spirits was torn apart. But then came the second wave. -Shriek! ¡°...!¡± The spirits assailed the barrier of divine power surrounding Olivia. However, they could not pierce through the divine energy boiling within her. And then, there was a third wave. -Groan! ¡°Damn it!¡± Engulfed by the second wave of spirits, Olivia felt a suffocating pressure. It was as if she had been submerged in a living mound of mud. Her arms, legs, and even her ability to channel divine power into Tiamata had become inexplicably heavy. Despite being surrounded by divine fire that burned the impure beings, the cluster of spirits clung to Olivia, tightening their grip. -Growl! As Olivia''s movements came to a halt, more dark masses erupted from the bodies of the possessed knights and priests. It seemed their sole purpose was to either kill Olivia or possess her. Dozens of spirits broke free from their hosts and charged towards Olivia, who struggled to escape the clutches of the persistent spirits. -Shriek! -Thud! Thud! Thump! Like giant lumps of mud clinging to her, one by one, the spirits began to cover Olivia''s body. ¡°Ugh... Ugh...¡± Golden divine power poured from Olivia''s body, somehow staving off the erosion, but the enormous horde of spirits relentlessly sought to swallow her whole. ¡°Save Her Holiness!¡± Not only that, the priestesses also began to channel their divine power in an effort to save Olivia from the concentrated assault. Would they fall, or would they persevere? There were two paths before them. But Olivia, struggling with all her might, felt a chilling terror within the suffocating mass of the spirits. It wasn''t that she couldn''t defeat them. Olivia could clearly see the spirits burning away within her divine power and the holy fire of Tiamata. The spirits were undoubtedly being incinerated. However, this was not just a single ghost. It was an innumerable collection of spirits. Though they appeared to be fused and gathered together, they were, in the end, separate entities. Countless spirits charged towards Olivia, seeking to swallow her whole as they themselves perished. -Giggle! -Mommy...! -I don''t want to die...! -Why me...? -Why do I have to die?! Their dying words, or perhaps their final thoughts, were filled with despair as they penetrated Olivia''s divine barrier and assaulted her ears in the form of whispers. Despair. -The Demon King. -Must die. -Those who side with the Demon King. -The Demon King himself. -They all must die...! -Why did you kill me? Hatred. Witnessing the vengeful spirits, who had remained in the world even after death, sacrificing their very existence to seek revenge against the Demon King, Olivia watched in terror. The spirits were not powerful. They were numerous. Far too numerous. As they perished under the onslaught of Olivia''s divine power and that of the priestesses, the spirits sought only to swallow her whole. As if to self-destruct. As if staking one''s existence on vengeance. Too many resentful spirits, each a different entity. But the wind was one. The death of the Demon King. The fall of the Demon King. The destruction of those who followed the Demon King. Witnessing humanity''s hatred for the Demon King and the resentment of the dead, Olivia gritted her teeth. "What... do you... know..." You people. What on earth do you know? Do you know even the slightest bit of the truth? "You... know... nothing... nothing at all..." It''s unfair. This is unfair. You people know nothing. In the end, Olivia couldn''t help but react to the resentment and fury of the spirits. And that, in the end, was a crack in her heart. In the end, it was a moment of faltering. -Crash! A crack appeared in the divine power that enveloped Olivia. Like water seeping into the crevices of a rock. As if water gushing toward a hole in a dam would eventually collapse it. -Rumble! Olivia''s body was swallowed by a swarm of black spirits. "Ah... Ah...!" The invading dark souls pierced Olivia''s mind in an instant. Is this what it feels like to have one''s soul plundered? Olivia lost her composure for a moment, and the last line of defense, the barrier of divine power, disappeared, and the golden light of Tiamata also went out. -Groan Olivia was engulfed in the flood of souls, unable to do anything but scream in a voice that could not be described. A single shard caused burdens on the bodies of the knights and priests, even causing some to explode. All the souls rushed to swallow Olivia. Divine magic poured in from the outside, but already inside, souls were running wild to dominate Olivia''s spirit and soul, projecting cursed words not into her ears but into her mind and soul. The body is inherently a vessel for one mind and one soul. Countless souls began to mix and enter that vessel. Even if it were a benevolent soul, the mind of the person experiencing such an event would inevitably shatter. But it wasn''t a benevolent soul; it was a resentful one. Filled with malice, resentment, and hatred, countless souls with only the will to destroy something invaded the mind, and the mind could not help but be torn to shreds beyond collapse. Swallowed by hatred and resentment, one could only become a vengeful ghost, running wild for the common desire of the spirits. However. "Ugh...!" Olivia Lanze would not easily collapse. Born with a divine mind, she had incredible resistance to all interference and harmful effects on her mind from a young age. The divine don''t choose humans who easily break. She was not made to easily break. Now, in the stormy sea of souls, Olivia clung to the last piece of her sanity, like a castaway on a raft enduring a sinking ship. She faced the waves of resentment, like a tidal wave trying to crush her will. Her physical battle had already been lost, but if her spiritual and soulful struggle also crumbled, she would disappear. In the terror that she would be plunged into the deep sea of spirits if she let go of her sanity even for a moment. She strained with all her might not to be drawn into the sensation of plunging, as if the spirits were grabbing her by the hair, her arms and legs, pulling her down, down. In the bizarre and eerie pain, as if someone were sticking tens of thousands of needles into her brain, and in the fear. Olivia''s fragile spirit was like a small boat on the verge of sinking amidst stormy waves. Resentment. And the grudges that stemmed from hatred were trying to engulf Olivia. Due to her resistance against these grudges, Olivia lost her composure and allowed her mind to weaken. And so, now, Olivia struggled to hold on to her sanity amidst the fear that her sense of self might vanish entirely. ¡°Huuu... huuuuuuuuu...!¡± To face these dark beings and vengeful spirits starved for revenge, Olivia desperately tried to recall the name of a god. Tu¡¯an. The goddess of purity. As if by repeating that name, the sinking of her ego and the destruction of her soul would be averted. In order to maintain a pure and strong mind, she tried to engrave the name of the god into her heart and soul. For she needed tranquility to overcome the chaos. To navigate through the turbulent sea, Olivia Lanze remembered the name of the god. -Kiaaaaaaaaah! However, even as she desperately sought the name of the god, divine help did not reach her mental world. In the stormy sea, the names of the gods were too far away. In the depths of despair, Olivia managed to grasp her sinking spirit and made a plea. Oh, the Five Great Gods. The five deities with different names but of the same essence. You cannot abandon me like this. Did you choose me just to let me crumble like this? I may not know what your intentions are, but surely you didn''t create me just to be trampled by mere grudges and obsessions, did you? Even as she desperately cried out the name of the god in her heart, tranquility did not come, and the vengeful spirits continued to flood Olivia''s mind. To break the vessel named Olivia Lanze, and to dominate her broken body. In the chaotic state where too many things other than herself had seeped in, at the edge of her consciousness and body, Olivia thought. If I crumble like this. If I vanish like this. Reinhardt. He would grieve. If this life, saved by Reinhardt time and time again, were to finally sink into this undeserved hatred. Reinhardt, who already suffers from the guilt of trying to save the world only for it to fall apart, would blame himself for Olivia''s death as well. She didn''t want that to happen. She couldn''t cause him that kind of sorrow. For Reinhardt, who was already undoubtedly filled with sadness and pain, she could not be the source of any more despair and fear. Amidst the torrent of souls pouring in. In the end, amidst the words of hatred towards the Demon King that they spewed forth. Olivia finally let go of her obsession with tranquility. In the end. This injustice was infuriating. Why was it Reinhardt''s fault that the world ended up like this in the process of trying to protect it? Why was it Reinhardt''s fault that Liana de Grantz killed people at her whim? Why must Reinhardt bear the responsibility for all of these things? While their deaths might be pitiable and wretched. That pity and wretchedness do not justify misguided hatred and anger, do they? Why, after all. What did he do so wrong. That Reinhardt must be subjected to such hatred? In the end. Abandoning the mindset of trying to maintain reason and composure while floating above the waves that sought to engulf her. A single will. ¡°Thi... these damn demonic bastards...¡± Within the torrent, she discovered a rock to cling to. ¡°It''s really... infuriating, isn''t it "Ugh... really...?" The rock, it seemed, bore the name of fury. -Zap! And in response to the fury, the sacred relic released a crimson torrent akin to Olivia''s emotions. -Whirrrrr! The priests and knights, who had tried to save Olivia in any way they could, witnessed the violent discharge of divine power skyward. ------ -Rumble The crimson pillar of divine power shooting toward the sky soon subsided. The priests, overwhelmed by the sight, were left speechless. Olivia sat down on the open field, staring blankly at the Tiamata stained with the red aura. No matter how much she called upon the gods'' names, no power appeared. However, her anger at the unjust situation obliterated the countless vengeful spirits attempting to consume her mind. Olivia, who had held onto her sanity until the very end, had experienced the horrifying contamination of her mind and soul, but her heart had not broken. "Ugh..." But having already endured the excruciating experience, Olivia was now in a state close to exhaustion. One of the priests hurried over and supported the faltering Olivia. Olivia gazed at the now-quiet field. The swarm of vengeful spirits had attacked her en masse, but they had disappeared due to the power of Tiamata, reacting to Olivia''s raging fury. Olivia didn''t know how many spirits there had been or how they had vanished. It was a feat, a miracle. Having withstood the total onslaught of forces that even skilled priests and knights could not endure, Olivia not only maintained her sanity but also annihilated them all at once. There was no being in the world more powerful in wielding divine power than Olivia. Indeed, it was something only Olivia Lanze could accomplish. The priest supporting Olivia murmured, still dazed. "Is it... over?" Everyone hoped that this terrible ordeal had come to an end. However, Olivia''s expression was grim. As if she had a premonition. Though she had performed what deserved to be called a miracle rather than divine magic. Olivia stared at something, her eyes out of focus. At the bottomless abyss. She gazed at the pit. Olivia felt something that no one else could sense. From the depths of the abyss, something surged. -Rumble! The pit erupted, and once more the abyss gushed forth. -Howling! The manifestation of hatred that had emerged just moments ago, the swarm of vengeful spirits, had been immense. However, what now appeared was dozens of times larger than before. It was as if the swarm of vengeful spirits Olivia had just faced had been divided into dozens of pieces. The first spirit to appear had also been merely a part of the whole. Olivia looked up at the manifestation of hatred with a despairing expression. She had performed a miracle. But the hatred that pervaded the world was far greater. She stared blankly at the priests, who couldn''t even scream in the face of the overwhelming form of terror. "Run..." Olivia couldn''t finish her sentence. How could they possibly escape? How could they escape from such a thing? -Howl! The howling wave of vengeful spirits once again engulfed Olivia. This time, Olivia couldn''t resist. CH 501 Soon, I arrived at Port Mokna. My mind was cluttered. I wondered what I should say when I meet Liana, and whether the purification and exorcism work was progressing well. There were many things to ask and confirm. However, upon arrival, the atmosphere in Port Mokna felt not just calm, but ominously so. "It seems there''s been a problem." "It does look that way." An unusually large number of soldiers were standing on the walls. As if they were preparing for battle. And, whether it was a sign from the spirits or something else, I couldn''t tell, but a sinister premonition ran down my spine, making my skin tingle. I quickly jumped up the wall in a single bound. "Your Highness, the Demon King..." "Rein... Hardt?" Not only soldiers but also Liana, with a grave expression on her face, were standing on the wall. She seemed not to have expected my arrival at this time, and her expression was a mix of confusion and guilt. "What''s going on?" "I... I don''t know... I really don''t know..." Liana''s face had turned pale. In a field outside Port Mokna. Near the horizon, someone was walking towards us in the moonlight. Staggering and swaying. Covered in blood, wearing a magnificent priest''s robe. With both hands drenched in blood, I wondered what she had done. As if possessed by something, Olivia approached Port Mokna from the horizon. "What is... this..." Olivia, who had left to exorcise evil spirits and vengeful ghosts, now approached Port Mokna as if her mind had been overwhelmed by something. From her entire body, an eerie aura flowed out like steam. ------ Olivia possessed the ability of a sacred mind. She had a considerable innate resistance to supernatural interference or disturbance, at least as far as I knew. However, even Olivia seemed to be controlled by something. It was clear that her ability didn''t provide complete immunity. Was this vengeful spirit powerful enough to suppress even Olivia''s mind? Witnessing Olivia''s pitiful return, staggering and swaying after taking on the task of exorcism and purification, the soldiers on the wall seemed to be feeling an eerie sense of terror. I couldn''t tell exactly what had happened. However, Olivia was evidently under the control of something. Liana stared at the scene, her expression hardened. Had the other holy knights and priests who went with her died? By Olivia''s hand? "I''ll handle this. No one interfere." "Alright." At my blunt command, Liana nodded her head with a serious expression. Leaping off the wall, I walked towards Olivia, who was approaching from the horizon. With her eyes clouded, Olivia soon raised her head and looked at me. Her eyes regained focus. Though far away, I couldn''t help but immediately recognize the emotions in her gaze. A twisted face. Trembling lips. Fear. Anger. Hatred. Only negative emotions were visible. From Olivia''s body, which now showed clear contempt and hatred towards me, a dark energy began to boil. Olivia had mastered the power of Tu''an, the god of purity. Although she didn''t use it often, she had also mastered the opposite power, that of Kier. Having been consumed by a vengeful spirit that was already dead, was she now using the power of corruption? Her body wrapped in pitch-black energy, Olivia took a step forward. When had she been staggering? With a powerful stride, Olivia charged at me. Leaping an incredible distance, Olivia leaps once more. With movements akin to a beast, Olivia charges toward me in an instant. My first real battle since becoming a Master-class. I never imagined it would be against Olivia, who''s possessed by vengeful spirits, rather than any other monster. What happened to Olivia? Can she return to her senses? Can I make that happen? Confused as I am, I have spent a long time honing the ability to find unwavering resolve amidst fear and confusion. My mind may be in disarray, but my heart settles down. What I need to do right now, Subduing the berserk Olivia. There''s nothing else I should be concerned about at the moment. "Huuu..." I regulate my breathing. I calm my mind and focus. I control and refine the flow of my mana, compressing the leaking mana to the utmost limit. Compressing and compressing, I use it nowhere else but to enhance my physical strength. As Olivia, her arms dyed in pitch-black darkness, rushes toward me like a beast and stretches out her arms, I deflect them with my bare hands. -Clang! Along with an eerie sound of arms colliding, "Such a vile spirit..." "Kuuh...!" "How dare you touch her." I deliver a powerful blow to Olivia''s vital point. -Thud! With a single punch, Olivia is sent flying like a rock, tumbling dozens of times across the field with a heavy impact. I can''t use my sword. Because I can''t kill Olivia. "Kuuhhhhhhh..." After being thrown a considerable distance, Olivia staggers back to her feet. It was an attack meant to knock her out; should I have hit her harder? "Kk..." Covering her face with one hand, Olivia begins to emit muffled groans. "Kk-hu... Hu... Huk... Kk-huk-huk..." It''s a bizarre cry. Bright red tears flow from Olivia''s eyes. Is it the pain of the vengeful spirits controlling her? Or the pain of unwillingly fighting against me? Or both? Dark smoke rises from Olivia''s body. From within the smoke, figures resembling humans appear and disappear repeatedly. So many vengeful spirits have taken root in her body that it seems unable to contain them, releasing them instead. "Uh... Uh... Uuu..." Olivia''s appearance is pitiful, horrifying, and monstrous. I can''t tell whether it''s Olivia or the spirits who are in pain. "Uhuk... Uhuk!" -Screeeeaaam! -Growl! As the black smoke emanating from Olivia''s body emits loud, dissonant noises, a massive shockwave uproots the grasses of the wasteland. -Die. -Die. -Die. -Save me. -Why me? -I want to live. -Uhuhuhuk... That''s not all. The shockwave doesn''t just cause gusts of wind; it also induces a strange auditory hallucination, as if tens of thousands of voices are whispering in my ears simultaneously. It only lasted a moment. My head. Felt like it would burst. As I momentarily lose my wits amidst the overwhelming whispers, Olivia reaches me. -Crash! As Olivia''s outstretched fist strikes me, I have no choice but to be flung back several dozen meters, accompanied by a heavy impact. -Screech. "..." I blocked it. Yet, despite having blocked Olivia''s punch, the area around my wrist where it struck was turning dark, as if dying. The power of Kier, the God of Corruption. When I killed the corrupted Riverrier Lanze, I used the fallen Tiamata to kill the one who kept regenerating his wounds. Contaminated by the energy of corruption, Riverrier Lanze was unable to heal, and ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Now, Olivia''s attack, wielding Kier''s power, aims to penetrate my mana barrier and rot my body from within. -Ugh! In the end, I summon Tiamata and focus divine power on the wound. Although it is not impossible to heal, it is undeniably slow. Kier''s power suppresses Tu¡¯an''s regenerative abilities. My wrist throbs with pain. Olivia was always strong. -Heh! But now, it feels like I''m fighting not just one Olivia, but tens of thousands of enemies who hate and despise me. The hallucinations don''t stop. The hatred, resentment, and screams of those who don''t want to die assault my ears, muddling my thoughts as if they were a curse laid upon me. I must focus on the battle. I have to subdue Olivia. However, I cannot hear what I need to hear. The agonizing sensation of my hearing being paralyzed and the haunting grudge that confuses my mind feels as if it is trying to invade my very psyche, causing sudden spells of dizziness. -Bam! Crash! Screech! Olivia''s physical onslaught does not cease either. Her attacks, imbued with the power of corruption, penetrate my defenses and rot my body in real time. When used in reverse, the power of Tu¡¯an, the god of purity, becomes a massive force of corruption. It felt like an unholy power that would burn anything it touched. I can only withstand this onslaught because of Tiamata''s power. Perhaps, the vengeful spirits covering Olivia''s body have undoubtedly enhanced both her physical capabilities and Kier''s divine power. Although Olivia''s divine power is inherently strong, it was never to this extent. -Whoosh! "¡­!" Tiamata vanishes from my hand and appears in Olivia''s right hand. Olivia and I share Tiamata. A bizarre situation unfolds as Olivia snatches Tiamata from me. But that''s not the end. -Rumble! A black bolt of lightning descends from the sky, and Tiamata, which was emitting divine power, transforms into the shape of a cursed demonic sword in an instant. Demonic Sword Tiamata. Olivia, wielding it, rushes towards me. There is no time for a struggle for control using Tiamata. -Crash! I have no choice but to block it with my Alsbringer. The days when Olivia was an overwhelmingly powerful warrior compared to me have passed. I have reached the Master Class, while Olivia has not. On top of that, I am different from others who have merely ascended to the Master Class. With the ultimate efficiency in Magic Body Strengthening, I can produce a more potent output with the same amount of magic compared to other Master Class users. Additionally, I possess an overwhelmingly vast amount of magic. So, in terms of power, I am superior. -Clang! "Grrrrrrr¡­." In the clash of swords, Olivia is pushed back, growling like a beast. In terms of strength and output, I surpass Olivia. The problem is not that. "Damn it¡­" The energy of decay flowing from the cursed Tiamata rots my flesh. Is this what it feels like to die in real time? If I were fighting an enemy wielding that power, there would be no problem. All I would have to do is kill them before a prolonged battle. That''s it. I cannot kill Olivia, and if this drags on, my arm will eventually give out. If that happens, it''s over. Swoosh! "Ugh...!" And periodically, the wailing of the vengeful spirits surged like a tidal wave of pain, striking not only my ears but also my very sanity. Physical attacks, the power of corrupted divine energy, and the curses of the souls. An ordinary person would have gone mad or died from just one of those three types of attacks. I cannot kill Olivia. But if I don''t, I might die. Kill... the Demon King¡­ From afar, an echo from the distance carried on by the wind. A group of shadows appeared on the horizon. Screeeech! Phantom horses. Riding on phantom steeds, the knights glided across the plain. Death knights. They all seemed to have died not too long ago. The dispatched Holy Knights, sent for the purification ritual, had perished. And now, revived as death knights by the power of Olivia and the vengeful spirits. Once, Olivia and I had struggled against a single death knight in the capital of the Levaina Kingdom, Rajeurn, where the Demon God cult had appeared. As time passed, Olivia gained the power to create death knights herself. But she only used that power to attack me. Dozens of phantom horses charged toward me. Back then, even dealing with a single one was overwhelming. Moreover, it was Olivia who had defeated the death knight, not me. Time has passed. Just as Olivia has grown strong enough to control death knights. I, too, am incomparable to who I was back then, and even more so to who I was before journeying to Rezaira. "Huff!" Woosh! Slash! I severed both the phantom horse and the death knight before they could even react. The once-holy-knight of Edina, now cut into two halves, vanished in an instant. A chilling thought crossed my mind: I was killing someone who was once an ally, for the second time. But I wasn''t just dealing with death knights. Clash! My true enemy was still Olivia Lanze. Rushing from behind, Olivia''s powerful kick sent me sprawling and rolling across the ground. The impact didn''t feel too severe, but the struck side of my body throbbed with pain. The problem wasn''t the impact; being in close proximity to Olivia caused corruption to spread. Death knights charged with their eerie agility, maneuvering around. I stood back up and gripped Alsbringer. Alsbringer is an artifact that lends me power when facing a stronger or more numerous enemy. I am stronger than them. However, Alsbringer still provides power when my enemies outnumber me. With heightened senses, I tried to figure out how to break through the strange agility of the charging phantom horses and how to subdue Olivia when, in a fleeting moment: Flash! Lightning illuminated the world. Roar! Thunder tore through the world. Crash! Lightning bolts rained down on the death knights. The flesh of the recently deceased death knights burst apart, and their true bodies - their bones - began to glow red-hot and gradually turned to ash. I turned my gaze towards the walls of Edina. Amidst despair, I saw Liana reaching out with a distorted expression on her face. Even though they had died and been revived, I couldn''t shake the feeling that I was killing my allies for the second time. Liana seemed to feel the same way. No, her feelings seemed even more intense. Due to her actions, she had lost the comrades she had spent a long time with and was now forced to deal with their desecrated deaths by her own hand. Despair and guilt were apparent in Liana''s eyes. CH 502 Liana was taking care of the Death Knights one by one with lightning, as if sniping them from a distance and neutralizing their power. I told her not to interfere, but she must have thought I was in danger. Crash! Flash! Everyone probably thought it was because of them. Everyone must have believed it was their fault. Boom! "Arrrrrrrrgh!" Outmatched in strength, Olivia let out a beast-like scream as she was repelled by my sword. The Death Knights charging at me were being held back by Liana. Death Knights are top-tier undead creatures. But so far, Liana had slaughtered countless monsters in Fort Mokna, never failing in the fort''s defense even once. So the Death Knights were also struck by the rough lightning Liana summoned, their flesh burned and reduced to mere bones, which turned a bright red and eventually turned into ash. They may be undead, but they are still freshly deceased corpses. Some of them still have recognizable faces. As the leader of the Holy Order, Olivia hadn''t had many direct encounters with the priests she had dispatched here. However, Liana had commanded them for a long time, went on missions together, and spent a long time with them. Liana would know better than anyone who she was killing for the second time. Due to her sins, she had to summon lightning to strike her comrades'' bodies dozens of times, turning the corpses, who couldn''t die properly, into ashes. Olivia had been dominated by evil spirits, and the holy knights who were sent on purification missions couldn''t die properly and were resurrected as Death Knights. They had to fight those who were once allies, not monsters from the gate. Liana had made a mistake. She committed an unforgivable sin. Then what about me? Judging intentions is a miserable endeavor. Even if the intentions were good, even if we tried to save everyone. In the end, it was because of me that all this happened, so is it really unfair for the vengeful spirits who hate me to possess Olivia, someone precious to me, and try to punish me? As justified as I thought I was. Isn''t the anger of those vengeful spirits justified in its own way? All the problems in the world would not have occurred if I didn''t exist. The hatred they have for the Demon King, the cause of everything, might not be as unfair and unjust as it seems. Even as the Death Knights were neutralized one by one amidst the chain of lightning strikes, Olivia did not stop. The possessed Olivia did not seem to wield her swordsmanship with reason. "Arrrrrrrr..." She let out a low growl like a beast, and swung her demonic sword Tiamata at me like a club. Clang! Clang! Clang! It wasn''t difficult to block her powerful swing. However, the problem wasn''t her rough swing, but the corrupting power Olivia possessed. Taking Tiamata from Olivia''s grasp wouldn''t change anything; Olivia quickly reclaimed Tiamata, only stealing the tempo of the fight. Moreover, unlike me, Olivia could use her divine power even without Tiamata, so fighting for control was a dangerous move for me. Olivia continued to use the powers of corruption and decay even if I took Tiamata. I could not injure Olivia, so all I could do was focus on blocking her attacks, which in turn exposed my body to the growing influence of corruption and decay. Necrosis began spreading across my skin, and my body started to die slowly. As my nerves died, my senses gradually dulled, and even my vision began to blur. I could not use the healing power of Tiamata. If this battle dragged on, I wouldn''t die by the sword but instead be turned into a living mummy by the power of corruption, like a withering plant. In the end, I had to make a decisive move. I had to do something about the malevolent spirits that controlled Olivia. "Grrraaaahhhhh!" Olivia lunged at me again, wielding her sword like a wild beast. Dodging and deflecting would only cause my body to be devoured faster. I made my move. -Clang! I grabbed the blade of the corrupted Tiamata with my bare hand. -Screech! As if soaked in some acidic solution, white smoke rose from my clenched hand, and the skin began to die. But I didn''t just grab the sword. -Thud! "Ugh¡­" With my other empty hand, I seized Olivia''s throat. Now, neither Olivia nor I could escape. -Bang! Thump! Thump! Olivia struggled to break free from my grasp, but ultimately, my physical strength was superior. Though Olivia could devour me with the power of corruption, she could not injure me. Tiamata belonged to both Olivia and me. Olivia held the hilt of Tiamata, while I grasped the blade. Since we both held a part of it, neither of us could take it away or have it taken from us. But my body continued to die. "Tiamata¡­" Facing the Tiamata, which had been turned into a cursed sword by the will of the vengeful spirits and evil spirits controlling Olivia, I said: "Become a holy sword." I gave a command opposite to the one I had given when killing Riverrier Lanze. -Flash! Tiamata, which had been spewing dark, corrupting energy, immediately released a golden radiance and returned to its original form. "Aaargh!" As if the light itself caused immense pain, Olivia, still held by me, screamed in agony. Holding the blade, not the hilt, I refused to let go of Olivia''s throat as she tried to escape from the range of Tiamata''s holy power. Olivia, too, did not let go of Tiamata despite her pain. The will to corrupt Tiamata. The will to restore Tiamata as a holy sword. The vengeful spirits'' will clashed with mine. -Rumble! Tiamata, emitting both light and dark energies, stirred a fierce whirlwind in the field. It was a battle between my single will and the countless wills of anger and resentment. I shouldn''t have been able to win. A single will could not possibly overcome so much hatred and grudge. Yet, I never thought of losing. I would never let go. Not of the massive whirlwind I had created, nor of anything else I held. I was always prepared to let go of myself. However, I was never prepared to let go of someone who loved me, and I had no intention of doing so. Anyone who loved me. Anyone I loved. No matter who they were. If the only way to achieve peace was to abandon someone... I didn''t need that kind of peace. I wanted everything. With everything in my grasp, I would crush these cursed evils and rise again. Gradually, it was being pushed back. The dark energy flowing from Tiamata was slowly being forced back. Indeed, it was being repelled. "Ugh... Aaaahhhh!" Watching Olivia, who was under the control of the vengeful spirits and crying out in pain, I held onto her neck so she couldn''t escape. My already dead and darkened right hand had turned black up to the wrist, but the lifeless hand, beyond my will, wouldn''t let go of Olivia. My hand? It''s just a trifle. I can afford to lose it. If I can reverse it. If there''s even a tiny possibility of recovering it. I can offer more than this. "Begone..." To Tiamata, held in my left hand. To the vengeful spirits that had corroded Olivia''s body. "Disappear... you wretched demons!" I yelled, not with a wish, but with determination. -Flash! The world was engulfed in a red radiance, and I could finally see the spectacle of the evil spirits unable to withstand the divine power and pouring out of Olivia''s body as if escaping. ------ -Groooowwwl! The vengeful spirits ultimately lost the battle for control against me, and they fled to avoid being exposed to Tiamata''s divine power. The expelled spirits clustered in the air, forming a massive, dark cloud. It floated above, huddled as if it had received a great shock, taking on a gigantic form. Olivia lost consciousness and slumped down, and I embraced her. Could that enormous thing have been controlling Olivia''s body? The floating mass of spirits in the air was even larger than the giant stadium I had seen at the temple. Even for souls, could something so huge fit into a human body? There was no way not to know what Olivia had been enduring. How many vengeful spirits were gathered in that thing? -Grrrrrrrrrrrr! It was growing even larger. As if one vengeful spirit was drawing in another. I couldn''t see ghosts with my eyes, but my keen intuition told me that its very existence was absorbing wandering spirits in the world, growing increasingly larger. Like a black hole. The more massive the spirits, the stronger the gravitational pull they would exert on others. The collective souls generated by Liana''s massacre were only the beginning. Now, regardless of its connection to Liana, I could only stare blankly at the increasingly massive swarm of vengeful spirits. I could somehow expel them from Olivia''s body now. If it grew so immense that I couldn''t handle it, would I be able to cope if it ran wild again afterward? How would I deal with that? What method could I use to handle such a massive group of vengeful spirits? Is it even remotely feasible to subdue or purify them? It was an overwhelming scale. Driving them away is possible, but I couldn''t purify them with the divine power I could wield. It would have been impossible for Olivia as well. What would happen if it tried to control someone other than Olivia? Liana, Harriet, Charlotte, Airi. Or if it clung to Ellen? I would have to fight the battle I just fought again. And by that time, the scale of those vengeful spirits would have grown even larger, so dealing with them like now might be impossible. If it tried to kill me again by borrowing someone else''s body. Would I have to see others, wearing the same expression as Olivia did just now, trying to kill me? Holding Olivia, I looked up at the writhing mass of vengeful spirits and said, "Why... Why go to such lengths?" "If you hate me, and want to kill me, why don''t you just try to kill me yourselves?" "Why are you resorting to this?" I want to handle what I have to deal with. I can understand their anger being justified. So they should attack me. If those vengeful spirits attack me directly, that should be enough. There''s no need to involve the hands of those who love me in this matter. Foolishly, or rather pointlessly, I spoke to the mass of resentment that has no reason to exist. I have no idea how to handle this situation. "Why...?" But. I heard an answer. The massive collective of resentment sends a reply. It''s as if numerous beings are saying the same thing. No, it was closer to a resonance than words. With a single, simple word, echoes of countless overlapping voices spread across the field. "You... Only if you die... Will it be enough?" Despair and resentment filled that voice. -Ziiing! I could hear the souls boiling. I could feel the emotional turmoil that could only be described that way. "Why." "My son." "My husband." "My wife." "My siblings." "My daughter." "Mom." "Dad." "My lord." "My love." "My friends." "My hometown." "Our." "Everything." "Was taken." "And why." "Give back only one... Why?" Numerous fragmented words burst out simultaneously, not entering my ears but directly into my mind. It couldn''t be just one will. The common feeling of a collective? As if a collective consciousness. Those vengeful spirits resonate with each other, and with the miserable bond of hatred, rage, and despair, they become one pitiful and sinister being. A collective called resentment. It stares down at me from the empty sky. The enormous vengeful spirits, like clouds, felt like they were staring at me. I felt the resentful gaze of the countless spirits, too numerous to count. "Because you took everything from us." "We''ll take everything from you." "That''s... fair, isn''t it?" "We''ll kill you, take everything you have, destroy and annihilate it." "Since you destroyed us." "We also have the right to destroy you." "Take everything." "We have the right. To take." I heard from Antirianus. What Sarkegaar said to pressure Eleris right before the Gate Incident occurred. Sarkegaar said. Since humanity destroyed Darkland, Darkland also has the right to destroy humanity. The Gate Incident occurred. In the end, the words became a boomerang that returned. Those who were destroyed, those who were robbed, those who were killed. I speak of the rights of those who were broken. Only a handful of people were actually involved in this matter. Most of the vengeful spirits before me were unrelated to almost everything happening in the world. They didn''t make any decisions, nor did they express their opinions. They were merely sacrificed. Even those killed by Liana''s decision. For them. The right to destroy me. Yes. Undoubtedly, it exists. Who else, if not them, has the right to destroy me, hate me, and crush me? It continues to grow larger. If left alone, it will grow bigger and bigger until it becomes an unbearable size for anyone to handle. It will make my loved ones fight against me. If its purpose is to bring me pain and suffering, then it will do so. "It seems I must be terrifying." I speak towards the resentful gaze directed at me. "Since you don''t have the confidence to control me directly, or attack me directly, or to kill me, you must resort to this despicable method of making me kill my own people with my own hands." There was no response, but I felt the writhing of the massive resentment. "How many of you are there? Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Or even millions?" "If the result of your anger and desire for revenge is merely this, is it not..." "Inadequate hatred?" "Inadequate anger?" "Inadequate desire for revenge?" "Is it not too, petty?" I provoke them. "You weak beings." "Because you were weak in life." "Even in death, you are weak." Their grudge may be rooted in injustice, but at the core, it''s because they were weak and died as a result of that weakness. If they had been strong, they wouldn''t have died. If they had been as strong as the hero, Ellen Artorius. If they had possessed power themselves. There would have been no need to flee or be killed. I speak towards the grudge-filled beings, the group of weak spirits. Since they don''t have the courage to attack me, this method of causing me pain is ultimately the way of the weak, and is this group not still weak? The resentful spirits did not answer. However, their rough squirming and threatening rippling told me everything. The spirits were furious. There''s no confidence in winning. But. I cannot leave the growing resentful spirits as they are. I cannot allow such resentment to inhabit others. I don''t want to fight with the ones I love. I can''t let them control others any longer. "Let''s test whose hatred is stronger." "Whose mind is stronger." If they hate me. If those spirits hate me, then I must bear it. I cannot let others bear the burden that I should carry. I don''t think I can endure it, but if it''s something I must bear. Whether it''s just or not, if the hatred, anger, and desire for revenge are directed at me. "Come and inhabit me." Not in others, but I must let their resentment and hatred inhabit me. At my provocation, the resentful spirits watch me. "Why." I throw my final provocation at them. "Are you afraid?" I no longer needed any more words. Despair-filled bodies of the group began to vibrate. Rumble! "Damn the Demon King." "Yes." "We shall." "Curse." "You." "With your own hands, destroy everything you love." The massive darkness, like a cloud, begins to condense. The spirits changed their minds. Instead of making me kill my loved ones, that they possesed, with my own hands, they intended to possess me and force me to destroy my loved ones with my own hands. I spread my arms wide. "Come, you weak beings." To those who had no choice but to be sacrificed, to those pitiful beings. I offer the opportunity to destroy me. CH 503 It''s not that I took them lightly. There was no way I could take them lightly. I didn''t think it was possible for me to endure the vengeful spirits'' erosion, which even Olivia couldn''t withstand. I knew this was a reckless attempt. However, I had no other choice. I had to somehow deal with the army of vengeful spirits that would become an uncontrollable problem if they continued to grow. Since they had dominated Olivia, they could dominate anyone. Port Mokna would be reduced to ashes, and Liana, who was just as despised as me, would die as well. Thus, I decided to imprison the army of vengeful spirits within myself. Not anyone else, but I had to endure it. Their hatred was directed at me, so I had to bear it. No other alternatives came to mind. As the wave of vengeful spirits began to erode me, I felt a strange sensation. The feeling of my soul being attacked. Had Olivia felt this way too? If consciousness were like the moon floating in the night sky. And if the self were the world reflected under the moonlight of that consciousness. It was a bizarre feeling as if the moon named consciousness suddenly became distant and faint like the starlight in the night sky. With just the starlight, the world could not be illuminated. And so, as the distant moonlight failed to illuminate the world. I felt a distant sensation that the self, shrouded in darkness, was fading away. Since they had entered my soul and mind, I could feel their anger and hatred not with my skin, but with my soul. I couldn''t identify who these massive vengeful spirits were. However, the harsh and desperate images that passed by contaminated my mind. A mental retching, or vomiting sensation. Such a chilling feeling dominated my soul, dragging me towards the abyss. If I sink, it''s over. I brought them in not to be dominated, but to be imprisoned. I cannot fall. In the midst of the distant and dark sensation where consciousness recedes and the self is engulfed in darkness. I think. The sacrificed ones can hate and resent me. They are only victims of everything unrelated to what I have experienced and derived from me. They can resent me. Hate me. Be angry. And have the right to destroy me. However. I have no intention of giving myself to them. I plan to endure. To imprison their hatred, anger, and desire for revenge within me, preventing them from drawing in any more vengeful spirits. I said they had the right to destroy me, but I never accepted that they could. I feel sorry for their sacrifices, pity, and guilt. Unfortunately. I cannot die. In Rezaira, I became a Master Class. However. What I learned in Rezaira. From Luna and Ronan, and Lena and Arta. It wasn''t how to wield a sword, but how to wield my heart. The power to control the heart. Becoming a Master Class was, strictly speaking, a result derived from reaching the pinnacle. The world of the mind, soul, and heart. I have mastered the art of controlling them. My consciousness has become distant like a star. My self is shrouded in darkness. But. Stars don''t die easily. Although the far-off starlight is faint, one cannot say it isn''t light. Even if it''s a weak light on the verge of extinguishing, if it''s the light of my consciousness. It will be immortal. Even if the starlight can''t illuminate my self, it is not gone, but merely trapped in the darkness. I have little knowledge of the mysterious power used by Luna Artorious. I cannot wield the strength she displayed as an incarnation in this world. But the mind. And the soul. That is the realm of the heart, And in my heart, I alone am the deity. Under the name of self-suggestion, I have always ruled as the god of my will and heart. Spirits surged into my mind like a torrent, trying to shatter and collapse my consciousness. My awareness and self were fading away. However, that starlight. The power Luna wielded. She magnified the existing moon and drew forth a mystical moonlit sword. It''s not the same method. Instead, with the sensation of reaching out to the distant starlight, The sensation of pulling it towards me, I pulled my drifting consciousness back. Not like moonlight, but shining like the sun. I resist the dark souls trying to swallow my self, who are dragging me into the night of consciousness. I will endure. I will bear it. I imprison the spirits trying to consume me within myself. ¡°Did you think¡­¡± I let them live within me. ¡°¡­it would be easy to consume me?¡± I will return to the world of reason and substance. Eventually, when I pulled my senses back from the depths of my consciousness into reality, ¡°¡­?¡± I found myself lying in bed, in my room at Lazak''s royal castle, embraced by Olivia, not at Port Mokna. ¡°Rein¡­ Reinhardt?¡± Olivia''s eyes widened as she saw me open my eyes. ¡°Why am I here¡­¡­?¡± ¡°You¡­ you''re awake! You''re finally awake! You''re awake!¡± Tears welled up in Olivia''s eyes, and she hugged me even tighter than before. I was certain that I had been on the outskirts of Port Mokna just a moment ago. Why am I here? What I thought was a long time felt like an instant when I left Rizaira. What I thought was an instant seemed to have taken quite some time. ¡°Sob¡­ Rheinhardt¡­ I¡­ I was scared. I thought you wouldn''t wake up. I was afraid you wouldn''t¡­ Waaah!¡± Olivia sobbed and embraced me. Had several days passed? What had happened? I had no idea. I weakly embraced Olivia, who was crying and holding me tightly. I had no strength in my body. Was my energy drained? ¡°Sister¡­ are you alright¡­?¡± At my question, Olivia twisted her lips as tears fell. ¡°Now¡­ now is the time for you to worry about me?!¡± Perhaps upset by my words even in this situation, Olivia wept even harder. ¡°Wait¡­ just a moment¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Do you need something?¡± I tried to separate from Olivia and get out of bed. No, I tried to. However, ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I couldn''t even maintain my balance due to the excruciating headache that felt like my head would split open. ¡°Reinhardt! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Yes¡­¡± I managed to maintain my sense of self. I was sure I could. ¡°You''re not okay. Look at yourself¡­¡± Olivia, weeping, supported me and led me to the mirror. ¡°¡­¡± Looking at the mirror, I saw that my hair had turned completely white. Although I succeeded in imprisoning countless spirits within me, It had undoubtedly affected my mind and body. ------ After the battle between Olivia Lanze, who had been dominated by massive spirits at Port Mokna, and the Demon King. The Demon King, having absorbed all the massive resentful spirits into his body, had been unconscious for a week. Olivia Lanze, who had regained her sense of self, needed rest as well, but she stayed by the Demon King''s side, tending to him while he was unconscious. Upon hearing that the Demon King had regained consciousness, everyone from the Council of Elders to the royal family sought him out. The Demon King, his hair now turned white, looked incredibly frail. It wasn''t just a lack of energy. Living with a collection of wills trying to kill him trapped within his soul was not something a normal being could withstand. Even if one wasn''t a normal being, one couldn''t easily handle it. It was as if he was dying in real-time but holding on through sheer willpower. To prepare for any possible situation, Olivia Lanze, the Holy Order''s leader, continued to watch over the Demon King even after he regained consciousness. ------ The Demon King was clearly conscious. However, everyone could see that his condition was worsening. "Ugh... Uuugh!" "Reinhardt... Are you okay?" Olivia, biting her lip, watched as Reinhardt collapsed in the castle corridor, retching. "I''m fine... I''m okay..." Reinhardt, who kept repeating he was fine, looked anything but. His white hair had returned to normal thanks to the Dreadfiend Ring, but the Demon King was tormented by fever, headaches, and retching. Just as the mind could affect the body, it seemed as though the soul could affect the body too. Olivia supported Reinhardt as he staggered to his feet after finishing retching. The resentful spirits trapped within Reinhardt''s mind were not removed by holy power. Thus, they couldn''t influence the outside world, but they were directly affecting Reinhardt. Olivia could heal the decayed and rotten limbs from the battle. The Demon King''s waning strength could be healed by Olivia''s holy power. But she couldn''t help with the internal issues. She couldn''t purify or heal the resentful spirits embedded within the Demon King''s soul. ------ The Demon King struggled with not only national affairs but also daily life. Therefore, he took up residence in Lazak Castle, receiving care from the Holy Order''s leader. The fact that the Demon King was growing weaker was kept a closely guarded secret. Charlotte, the regent, had already been handling all of Edina''s national affairs, so there were no issues in Edina. However, the atmosphere among the Edina high-ranking officials, who knew the Demon King was growing weaker, was overwhelmingly gloomy. Operations at Port Mokna were, of course, suspended. They were in the process of a large-scale withdrawal since it was unclear whether the threats in the vicinity had been completely eliminated. The responsibility for this entire situation primarily lay with the commander, Liana de Grantz. "..." Reinhardt, who looked too weak even to sit in a chair, sat in his bedroom, leaning on Olivia, and quietly stared down at someone. Liana de Grantz. The commander of Port Mokna knelt before the Demon King with her head bowed. Proud and never having bowed before the Demon King, even though he was her lord in name only, Liana de Grantz now knelt before him, her head lowered. "It''s all... my fault." Reinhardt silently stared down at Liana. The massacre orchestrated by Liana had been the beginning of this calamity. Olivia Lanze had paid the first price. And so, to save Olivia Lanze, the Demon King made the choice to imprison those enormous vengeful spirits within his own soul. Although the Demon King''s soul was his own for the moment, it was gradually dying. Liana could not even take responsibility for everything that had started because of what she had done. Others had to pay the price for the sin she committed. Because she couldn''t bear it. Because it was painful. "If you tell me to die, I''ll die." Liana could only say that to her friend, who paid the price in her stead. Olivia silently watched the scene unfold. Reinhardt looked down at Liana, who was ready to accept death in payment if need be. "You couldn''t have known this would happen." "..." "Of course, you knew it was a sin, but you must not have known that this would be the outcome. Definitely not." Reinhardt''s cracked voice, completely different from his usual tone, filled both Olivia and Liana with an awful feeling just by listening to it. "If unforeseen, unintended events happen due to your actions, and others have to pay the price, and so you have to die..." Reinhardt spoke with difficulty. "Then, shouldn''t I die too...?" "..." Strictly speaking, what Reinhardt and Liana had done were qualitatively different. But if they only considered the results, unintended events occurred, and others had to pay the price for them ¨C that was the same. Reinhardt''s wish ultimately brought about unintended consequences, causing the Gate incident. Liana''s actions, which were meant to protect Edina and Reinhardt, resulted in Reinhardt''s impending death. In the end, they were the same; if Liana had to face a punishment akin to the death penalty for this, then Reinhardt, the Demon King, should receive the same punishment. Reinhardt silently watched the tears rolling down Liana''s cheeks, dripping off her chin and falling to the floor. There was nothing she could do about the problems caused by her actions. Reinhardt knew that feeling of helplessness better than anyone else. "We''ve talked about this long ago, haven''t we...?" "..." "Let''s live and do something." At Reinhardt''s words, Liana''s shoulders began to tremble. His voice cracked, and he was tormented by fever, looking as though he could die at any moment ¨C that was the Demon King''s current state. Reinhardt was bearing the unbearable. Everyone knew that. Reinhardt himself was not unaware of it either. ------ In the end, it was possible that a punishment was needed for the significant problems that arose for the Demon King because of something he did not command. However, nothing could be gained through death. Under the pretense of a hundred-fold retribution, Liana de Grantz was far too important in Edina to be killed. Liana de Grantz was not punished. The weakened Reinhardt was being cared for by Olivia, but naturally, others came to visit as well. "What you''ve done is insane." Lucinil, the Lord of Wednesday, said as much to Reinhardt. "There was no other way." The spirits were too large to be eradicated by divine power and were growing in real-time. However, there was no other solution but to imprison them within the soul''s prison and endure it. "I wouldn''t call this a solution. Did you even think it was possible in the first place?" Lucinil vented her anger in front of the Demon King. "I must... make it possible." The Demon King, with his drained and weary expression, said so. "It''s not that you made it possible. You''re just enduring it." "..." "Have you forgotten about Charlotte''s case?" At Lucinil''s words, Reinhardt fell silent. Charlotte''s soul eventually became one with the Demon King. The Demon King''s consciousness had disappeared, so their personalities weren''t mixed, but the number of consciousnesses now residing in Reinhardt''s mind was overwhelming. "In the long run, your soul will become one with the souls inside you, blending together." Reinhardt showed no reaction to these words, but Olivia, who had been standing beside him, turned pale. "Then... what will happen?" "I don''t know the details since I''ve never conducted an experiment of this magnitude. However, the sense of self will disappear, and one will become a completely different entity." Although he is maintaining his consciousness now, as he gradually assimilates with them, Reinhardt''s existence will vanish like a handful of sand scattered in the desert. He won''t die, but will become a completely different being. Upon hearing this, Olivia''s complexion went from pale to ashen. Lucinil was the magician who had dealt with souls the most in the world. Therefore, she was a being who had conducted numerous experiments related to this. If Lucinil said so, it would be so. Reinhardt, listening to Lucinil''s warning, appeared exhausted but said nothing. CH 504 Charlotte, Harriet, and the Council of Elders, including Eleris, realized that Reinhardt''s condition was far from normal. And as time passed, Reinhardt''s condition gradually worsened. Vomiting, fever, chills. Physical symptoms were consuming his mind and body along with the Demon King''s spirit. That was not all. "Ugh!" Plagued by nightmares, the Demon King would wake up as soon as he fell asleep. Unable to properly sleep, the succubus queen Airi began to stay in the castle at the request of Olivia, who was in charge of Reinhardt''s care. "Valier¡­" "¡­" Airi could not find words to say as she looked at the Demon King''s bloodshot eyes. A demon who controls dreams. Airi tried her best to comfort the Demon King''s dreams so he could get proper rest. However, even with Airi''s power, she couldn''t fully restore the Demon King''s sleep from the torment of the vengeful spirits consuming his mind and body. Everyone knew. The Demon King was dying. ------ Is consciousness like a rubber band? I felt as if the moment the tense string of consciousness snapped, it would be my end. What I thought was a temporary task turned out to be a permanent one. Achieving the impossible by not being consumed was already a feat. But as long as I am like this, the eternal battle against the souls does not change. Is it even possible? I could already feel myself being gradually dominated by the physical symptoms. Crash! "Reinhardt¡­" "It''s alright. My hand just trembled." I stared down at the cup that had slipped from my grasp and shattered on the floor. What fight? Even daily life was impossible. Humanity''s hatred and resentment toward me have been transformed into spiritual pain, affecting my body. As soon as I loosened the grip on my consciousness, the words of hatred invaded my mind. Sleeping scares me. Airi may be protecting my dreams, but how long can she keep doing so? After some moment of falling asleep, will I ever regain consciousness? And what will the vengeful spirits do with my body once they take control? Will they force me to destroy the things I love with my own hands? "¡­" I cannot allow such a situation. I do not want to break like this, nor can I. But how? I could resolve, but no solutions came to mind. ------ A royal meeting was convened, excluding the Demon King. Liana de Grantz, Airi, Olivia Lanze, Harriet de Saint Owan, and Charlotte de Gardias attended. And all of the Council of Elders. Sarkegaar, Eleris, Lucinil, Luvien, Gallarush, and Antirianus. All the most important authorities in Edina, except the Demon King, were gathered. Knowing that the situation was extremely serious, everyone''s expressions were understandably somber. The Demon King was holding countless vengeful spirits within his soul. Though he was enduring with superhuman willpower, if things continued as they were, the Demon King would become a completely different entity. If the spirits of those who hated and despised the Demon King took control of his body and merged with his mind, what would happen? No one knew. But it was clear that it would bring about a horrifying outcome, and everyone wanted to avoid that situation. "We need a plan." Charlotte spoke with a stern expression. Although Charlotte was not as powerful as Reinhardt, she had a similar experience. As a result of merging with a part of the Demon King''s soul, permanent changes had occurred in her body. It was difficult to expect Reinhardt''s mind and body to be safe in a fusion of such a scale, when even one-to-one fusions led to such consequences. "First and foremost, we must separate the vengeful spirits clinging to His Majesty''s soul." Everyone regarded Reinhardt as important, but the one who could least hide their anxiety and worry at the possibility of Reinhardt''s mind being obliterated was Sarkegaar. "Assuming that''s possible, how should we deal with the events that will unfold afterward?" That was Luvien''s question. "From what I''ve heard, when those spirits were separated, they either controlled the minds of holy knights and priests or caused those who couldn''t withstand the control to explode. Is that correct?" Receiving Luvien''s words, Gallarush looked at Olivia, who had witnessed the previous scene. "Yes, that''s what happened." Either being controlled, or unable to withstand the control and having their bodies destroyed. Although Olivia had been able to resist to some extent, it was only a small part. Eventually, when the spirits infiltrated her mind, she couldn''t hold on and succumbed. "If even priests and holy knights, who have mastered divine power, can be controlled, it''s uncertain whether ordinary beings, let alone ourselves, will be safe when such things start to run rampant in Edina." Gallarush''s skepticism was reasonable. To save Reinhardt''s soul, the spirits that had already entered his mind must be extracted. But the problem lay in what would happen next. "So, are you suggesting we leave His Majesty in this state?" Sarkegaar gritted his teeth and glared at Gallarush. "You need to calm down. I just wanted to point out that acting recklessly without proper preparation could lead to even bigger problems." "¡­" Sarkegaar''s anxiety was something everyone felt. But Gallarush''s opinion was correct. Acting recklessly to save the Demon King could lead to the very thing he least desired. In fact, the Demon King himself had absorbed those spirits into his body as a form of self-sacrifice to prevent them from causing further harm. "Is it impossible to separate the souls from Reinhardt''s mind and then either extinguish them with divine power or ascend them?" Harriet looked back and forth between Lucinil and Olivia. Harriet knew that Lucinil had mastered magic dealing with souls, as did all the Council''s Vampire Lords. "Since they haven''t completely merged yet... it''s not theoretically impossible, but the scale is too large. We could try, but... the real problem is what happens after the separation." Lucinil found it difficult to give a definitive answer. "I wish I could say it with confidence, but I don''t believe I can extinguish them. I was even controlled myself because I couldn''t handle them." Like Lucinil, Olivia judged it to be seemingly impossible. "What on earth... What must His Majesty be enduring...?" Eleris murmured blankly with a despairing expression. Charlotte quietly observed the faces of the people sitting in the Council meeting. The Vampire Lords of the Council were some of the most powerful magicians in the world and had accumulated knowledge over a very long time, making their knowledge incomparable to ordinary beings. Olivia Lanze had access to an unparalleled level of divine power, impossible to compare with anyone else at the present time. If they cannot find the answer here, then there is no answer. The possibility of extracting the soul is slim. It is too massive to be annihilated by any method. There is no solution with magic or divine power. Charlotte then thought of another approach. One of the ancient magics, incantations. If it''s a Dettomorian, there might be a way. However, incantations are powers that are difficult to predict in intent and outcome. Not only is it uncertain whether the power of the Dettomorian can help the Demon King, but there is no guarantee that he will help the Demon King. Nearly everyone has lost their homeland, and the Dettomorians are no exception. Their desire to harm may be greater than their desire to help the Demon King. The likelihood of putting Reinhardt in more danger in order to save him is even higher. Therefore, Charlotte could not discuss incantations. "Does it mean that we can only hope for Reinhardt''s mind to remain intact?" At Charlotte''s words, everyone wore a grim expression. Especially Liana, who could be seen as the cause of this situation, had the most disheartened look on her face. Unable to even shed tears, she clenched her teeth and glared at the table. Lucinil opened her mouth. "Reinhardt is already doing the impossible. Originally... as we heard last time, it''s natural for the body to collapse when such a scale of souls mixes together." The priests and holy knights who ended up being dominated already possess tremendous mental strength. Olivia, who could resist it, has even more powerful mental strength, and Reinhardt, who is suppressing it within his soul, is doing something even more impossible than Olivia. Reinhardt has already achieved too many impossible things. "To believe that Reinhardt can do something even more impossible here is too complacent." At Lucinil''s words, Charlotte quietly nodded. Leaving Reinhardt to handle the next impossible task because he accomplished the previous one would be overly negligent. Therefore, something must be done. "What if we release the vengeful spirits that inhabit Reinhardt''s soul somewhere far away on the continent, not in Edina?" It was Airi, who had been silent all along. Conduct a risky ritual in a remote area of the continent, then flee before the vengeful spirits infiltrate someone else. In other words, leave the dangerous bomb in the world and return to Edina. "Those vengeful spirits might roam the continent, absorbing other spirits and growing larger, eventually attacking Edina." Everyone agreed with Eleris''s words that releasing vengeful spirits on the continent would only be a temporary solution that would postpone the current threat to a more absolute one later on. It might be a short-term solution, but in the long run, the even larger army of vengeful spirits will overwhelm Edina and the Demon King. If that happens, there will be no next time. Edina will be destroyed, and the Demon King will not survive. No one has any countermeasures. Charlotte stared blankly at the table. She had always been helped. Reinhardt had always saved her. She even failed to trust Reinhardt, committed what was tantamount to betrayal, and had even cursed him to suffer the worst pain in the world and die. Yet Reinhardt saved her once again. But now, when Reinhardt is in danger, she cannot be of any help. In the end, they could only rely on him for help, but when Reinhardt truly needed assistance, no one could provide it. Charlotte and the others each felt a similar sense of despair, albeit in their own unique ways. Souls. So many souls, on an unimaginably vast scale. How could they possibly purify or remove them with magic or divine power? In that moment of utter hopelessness, an old vampire named Antirianus cautiously put forth a suggestion. "Have you considered soul transference?" "Soul transference?" Regent Charlotte inquired, and the lord of Saturday, Antirianus, smiled faintly. "Isn''t the crux of the issue that if we leave the souls as they are, they will invade the world and the Demon King, or that they will merge with the souls of the Archdemon? Therefore, if we can find an entity that can bear the burden of these souls, we can resolve the problem." The atmosphere in the council chamber froze at Antirianus''s brutally simple and violent conclusion. To save Reinhardt, someone else would have to take on the heavy burden. "Wouldn''t it be better for someone to become a sacrificial lamb than for us to lose our leader here?" His words made sense, but they were sinister and chilling. To find a sacrificial lamb to bear Reinhardt''s burden. "I¡­ I''ll do it," Liana spoke up, raising her head. Since the problem stemmed from her, she seemed to feel it was only right that she bear the burden. She was tormented by guilt and self-reproach for being unable to help resolve the situation. "Not just anyone can bear it. You might die on the spot," Olivia shook her head in response to Liana''s words. It was true that they could find a sacrificial lamb, but how many could actually bear that burden? They couldn''t just choose anyone. Many were willing, but there was doubt as to whether any of them could actually succeed. "I should do it. At least I didn''t die." Reinhardt had managed to endure, and although Olivia had been controlled, she hadn''t died. Thus, her offer to bear the souls was met with silence in the council chamber, and Liana lowered her head again. Olivia had once again been saved by Reinhardt, and she was more than ready to die for him. Seeing her willingness to take back the burden, Antirianus smiled. "Regardless of whether one can bear the transference, the sacrificial lamb cannot remain in Edina." "¡­That''s true." Once the souls were absorbed, one''s self would be distorted, and their soul would merge with the others. They could no longer be the same person as before. "Even so, if I''m the only one who can bear it without dying, I must do it." Determined to save Reinhardt even at the cost of her own life, Olivia was prepared to accept the consequences. Although she would never see Reinhardt again, even if she was left to wander the world with that heavy burden, she was ready. "However, you hold a very important position in Edina. The great one would neither allow it nor permit it, and even if he did, your absence would leave a significant void." Antirianus shook his head as if to say such an idea was extremely problematic. "Even if the Thunder King can manage this, who will then take the lead in our vanguard?" Antirianus asked calmly. "The same goes for everyone else in this room. Each and every one of you is an irreplaceable and vital presence in Edina. There''s no particular need to risk such a devastating loss of personnel." The Four Heavenly Kings, including the Regent, and the Council of Elders ¨C each one of them was essential to Edina. So, regardless of whether they could handle it or not, even if they could, Antirianus believed they shouldn''t. Charlotte stared silently at Antirianus. "Lord of Saturday, what are you trying to say? To resolve this situation, someone has to bear the burden of the vengeful spirits that Reinhardt is carrying. You say that no one in this room should do it. If it''s impossible for those present, it will be impossible for anyone else in Edina. Are you suggesting that there is someone else who can bear it...?" As she spoke, Charlotte''s face turned pale. She had realized why Antirianus brought it up in the first place. Why he said that there was no need for anyone in this room to be sacrificed. "Could it be... Could it be..." Antirianus looked at Charlotte''s pale face and smirked. He laughed as if he could hardly contain his delight. "The hero." At his words, everyone in the conference room turned pale blue. "Wouldn''t Ellen Artorius willingly bear this burden?" Everyone was appalled by Antirianus''s malicious laughter. CH 505 To save the Demon King, no one in Edina need to be sacrificed. For that would entail a loss of Edina''s power. A being who possesses two sacred relics, exceptional beyond measure. Ellen is fated to battle the Demon King eventually. Therefore, she cannot be with him, regardless of what the future holds. It merely solidifies their destined enmity. Whether Ellen is dominated by vengeful spirits or not, she is still destined to fight the Demon King. Hence, nothing significant truly changes. From this perspective, Antirianus''s claim that no one in this room needed to be sacrificed was reasonable. Not everyone here knows the full details about Ellen Artorius. However, they are all aware that she has reluctantly become humanity''s hope as the Demon King''s adversary. Charlotte gazed down at the table with a stern expression. Two years since the Gate incident. Charlotte and Ellen shared the same guilt. Both blamed themselves for not trusting Reinhardt when it mattered most, leading to the current situation. They tormented themselves with endless self-reproach. Charlotte could have been with Reinhardt, but Ellen could not and was fated not to. Charlotte knew that there was no way for Ellen to escape the lengthy guilt and remorse. But now, Reinhardt''s very existence might vanish. Ellen would be willing to give up her life to save Reinhardt. By shouldering the hatred and hope of all the wandering souls, and by being corroded by them, she would try to save Reinhardt. Even if, in the end, her very existence merged with the vengeful spirits and disappeared. Charlotte knew that Ellen Artorius would do so if she could save Reinhardt. She wouldn''t hesitate to make that choice. Later, even if the day came when she truly had to fight Reinhardt for their lives, if the only way to save him now was that choice, Ellen would have no other option. Charlotte knew what decision Ellen would make, having experienced the same guilt and self-blame. Harriet''s face turned pale as she violently shook her head. "Reinhardt would never, ever accept it." Regardless of whether Ellen accepted it or not, Harriet believed Reinhardt would never allow such a situation. And everyone agreed with Harriet''s thoughts. The vengeful spirits within Olivia hated him, and he thought he deserved their punishment, so he willingly accepted it into his body. The present Reinhardt is slowly dying because of the hatred, anger, despair, and vengeance of too many vengeful spirits. So even if Ellen tried to bear that burden for him, it was evident that he would never accept it. "Of course, we must proceed with this matter in utmost secrecy. The great being must never know what we, the lesser beings, are planning." "In his current weakened state, a simple hypnosis or sleep spell should keep him asleep for an extended period." "By the time the great being awakens from his deep sleep, everything will be over." "There is no reason why we can''t deceive him twice." With a sinister smile, Antirianus glanced at a spot in the meeting room. "Thunder King, don''t you agree?" "..." Faced with that malicious gaze implying she should understand his words, having already deceived the king once under the pretext of serving him, Liana clenched her fists and tightly closed her eyes. "This wretched creature..." Lucinil clenched her teeth as she glared at Antirianus. Frustrated by the malicious behavior, Lucinil burst out. "Why on earth do you do this? Why... why do you do this?" "Lord of Wednesday, is what I said incorrect? Or, do you have any other solution besides the one I have proposed?" Finally, Lucinil exploded. "I don''t have one! I know I don''t! You''re right! Yes, you must be right! There''s no other way... there must be no other way! But... why do you only think in such a way? Why do you only think in a direction that causes someone suffering?" "Well..." Antirianus laughed. "Isn''t it... entertaining?" At the bizarrely cruel laughter, Charlotte shuddered. Lucinil, fed up with the malice, stood up and muttered coldly. "You''re like a monster that feeds on tears." Lucinil kicked the door of the conference room in disgust and left, casting one last glance at Antirianus. "I really hate you." "What a pity." -Bang! Not wanting to deal with it anymore, Lucinil left the conference room. Antirianus was right. It had to be the best choice. To deceive Reinhardt once more. In the name of doing it for Reinhardt. Make an offer that only someone with the ability to handle it all can accept. The words themselves were correct. Antirianus, too, had found the option to save his lord as a loyal servant to Reinhardt. Is it acceptable for the process to be like this, even if the conclusion is that of loyalty? If his intentions were merely to seek pleasure. Is that really loyalty? "It seems there is no other way." But. In the end, only such a conclusion is necessary for a true loyalist. "I agree." Sarkegaar, too, agreed with the conclusion. After the Council of Elders meeting, Harriet walked absentmindedly down the hallway of Lazak Castle. The thought of the terrible plan lingered in her mind. Harriet absentmindedly walked to Reinhardt''s bedroom door. When she opened the door, there was Reinhardt, asleep. Three people were by the bedside. Olivia Lanze, holding Reinhardt''s hand with a worried expression. Airi, with her hand on Reinhardt''s forehead. And Liana, unable to look directly at Reinhardt, staring blankly out the window. Olivia continued to restore the weakening body. Airi somehow held onto the crumbling spirit. The two were barely holding on to Reinhardt''s dying body and soul. "How is he...?" Olivia shook her head with a depressed expression. There was no sign of improvement, only deterioration. "His conscious time is getting shorter." "...Is that so?" Airi had been adjusting to make Reinhardt dream peacefully when he lost consciousness, so he wouldn''t be exposed to the despair of the wandering souls. It was possible because she was a demon who controlled dreams, one of the most powerful among them. The fortunate thing was that Airi was adept at using this power for healing purposes, not for bewitchment. Having soothed the dreams of many people for healing, she was able to somewhat handle Reinhardt''s unconsciousness, which was no different from being in the midst of chaos. Harriet stood quietly, looking down at Reinhardt, who looked much worse just by his complexion. Harriet could not even begin to fathom how much pain Reinhardt must be enduring. "Just how... dire is the situation?" Harriet asked Olivia, who was the only one present who knew what Reinhardt was going through. Despite knowing that Airi was controlling the dream, Olivia spoke softly as she looked at Reinhardt asleep in agony. "In my life, I''ve never experienced anything so horrifying." Olivia looked up at Harriet. "Even if I could handle it, even if I could take on Reinhardt''s pain and continue to live... it was so terrifying that I''d be afraid to accept it." At the mention of such terrible pain, Harriet''s expression hardened. She knew how Olivia felt about Reinhardt. Olivia had been saved by Reinhardt numerous times, and she had saved him as well. Harriet knew that Olivia was someone who would die for Reinhardt without hesitation. Olivia would do so if she could bear the burden herself. However, that didn''t mean there was no fear or terror involved. The experience was so horrifying that even Olivia could not help but hesitate to some extent. The countless spirits of hatred were attempting to dominate her soul, causing immense spiritual pain. Not knowing what spiritual pain even was, Harriet felt even more fearful and pitied Reinhardt. Enduring this alone was already an incredible feat, but hoping for Reinhardt to overcome more than this was nothing short of wishful thinking. That''s why the ruler of Saturday proposed a dreadful plan to pass this burden onto Ellen. Olivia, holding Reinhardt''s hand, lowered her gaze. "Is it... possible for that person... to endure this...?" Her tone was a mixture of crushing defeat and a sense of inferiority. Many people would rather bear this burden themselves. Airi, Harriet, Olivia, Liana, and even some of the Elders like Sarkegaar. Many wanted to take on this burden themselves. "Why can''t I...?" Olivia expressed her miserable feelings. "It''s not like that," Harriet shook her head. "What do you mean?" "It''s just that it doesn''t matter if you can''t endure it." "¡­What?" The Lord of Saturday did not suggest this plan because Ellen could handle what Reinhardt was going through. Putting aside Antirianus''s dreadful proposal, there''s no need to discuss what choice Ellen would make if she were to accept such an offer. Ellen would undoubtedly accept it. Ellen would be manipulated by her own sense of guilt towards Reinhardt. Someone must make a sacrifice, and the majority of people there can''t even make that sacrifice. If these people are devoured by the vengeful spirits, the loss would be immense. After all, they''re all needed in Edina. The logic of sacrificing Ellen by Antirianus is simple. It''s not because Ellen Artorius is extraordinary that she can handle these vengeful spirits. Ellen is destined to be an enemy of Edina and the Demon King. So, what does it matter if she becomes an enemy through hatred and assimilation with the spirits? She''s destined to be an enemy anyway, so she might as well take on the burden that Reinhardt carries and become a true enemy. Ellen was expendable to Edina, and she was prepared to be sacrificed. That was Antirianus''s logic for suggesting the sacrifice. "Even if she can''t bear it, even if Ellen collapses and loses her sense of self, it doesn''t matter because she''s an enemy... that''s what this is about..." "..." Putting aside whether it was possible or not, it was simply a matter of cost-benefit analysis. Everyone in Edina was necessary to Edina. It would be a loss for Edina if any of them were burdened with this task and banished. So, if Ellen, who was fated to become an enemy and willing to bear any burden, took on this task, Edina would not suffer any loss. It was just a cruel cost-benefit argument. Ellen might be able to handle it, or she might be assimilated. But as an extraordinary being, she wouldn''t die like the others when her body gave out. At least, she could become as strong as Olivia. If she endured well, perhaps as strong as Reinhardt. Or she might even surpass him, but from Edina''s perspective, Ellen''s fate didn''t matter, and that''s why the plan was proposed. So, Olivia didn''t need to feel inferior or defeated by Ellen. The proposal wasn''t made because Ellen could handle it. Clearly, Ellen was a good person from Edina''s standpoint, but not from Reinhardt''s. So, they had to deceive Reinhardt again. With wide eyes, Olivia tightly grasped Reinhardt''s hand. Olivia didn''t like Ellen. Even more so than before, she didn''t like her. "..." But was it acceptable? Just because Ellen would accept the sacrifice, was it right to make such a proposal? "Instead, let me..." Liana, looking out the window, spoke. "Shouldn''t I be the one to do it?" Ellen was an outsider in this matter, and the responsibility fell on Liana. Instead of suddenly imposing the sacrifice on Ellen, wouldn''t it be right for Liana to bear it herself? Not being controlled by those vengeful spirits, but enduring until her body collapsed from mental exhaustion. Shouldn''t Liana at least attempt to bear it? Liana''s face, as she spoke with determination, was filled with deep guilt and self-blame. It was unclear if Ellen could handle it. Liana couldn''t shake the thought that she should take on the burden and be banished from Edina instead. Liana struggled with the situation where someone else constantly had to shoulder the burden stemming from her actions. Liana was needed in Edina. So Antirianus''s logic was that she shouldn''t be sacrificed, but Liana didn''t necessarily have to follow that suggestion. "Liana." Airi softly called Liana. "Come here, please." "¡­Yes." Airi beckoned Liana to her side as she placed her hand on Reinhardt''s forehead. "I''ll show you the visions of despair and vengeful spirits that Reinhardt is experiencing for a moment." The images of despair and vengeful spirits existing in the depths of Reinhardt''s consciousness. "I only saw it briefly, but I don''t think I could bear it." Airi looked at Liana, as if asking if she was ready, and promised to show her only a small portion of the painful visions. "¡­Yes, show me." If Liana could endure this, she might truly be the one to bear it. If she couldn''t even handle a part of it, Liana would only meet a miserable end. Airi cautiously took Liana''s hand. "¡­!" As a result of seeing just a fragment of that pain, Liana fell into a coma for two days. ------ Shhrrring Ellen, with Lament returned to an ordinary sword and sheathed, stepped down from the heap of brutally slain monster corpses. The soldiers saluted Ellen, who was wearing a silver plate armor. "You''ve done well." "Have all the nearby areas been cleared?" Surveying the plain where the monsters'' cries had subsided, Ellen mounted the horse that a squad member had brought. "Yes, we just received word from Shanafel that securing the safety of the troops'' march has just been completed." "Then I''ll head back. Please take care of leading the squad." "Understood!" Hee-hee-heeng! As Ellen spurred her horse, the white steed began to gallop. The hero, wearing magnificent silver plate armor with the Cloak of the Sun God draped over it and the Sword of The God of Moon at her waist, raced across the plain filled with the corpses of monsters. At the edge of the plain, the bodies of monsters were continuously spread out. After riding for a while, Ellen could see white smoke rising beyond the hills. As Ellen crossed the last hill, a vast plain unfolded before her, where densely packed tents filled every corner of her view. The strongest army of humankind. And for that reason, the last army of humankind. Ellen slowly guided her horse towards the massive encampment where cooking smoke rose from various places. CH 506 Strictly speaking, Ellen had no official rank. Although she occasionally commanded a special unit tasked with handling the Gate crisis and was under the jurisdiction of the Allied Forces'' headquarters, Ellen was not a member of the imperial army. While she held the honorary title of the princess''s guardian knight, that title held little meaning now that the princess had vanished along with the Demon King. Emperor Bertus de Gardias of the empire had not granted Ellen any rank or affiliation. ¡°The Hero has arrived!¡± ¡°The Hero has returned!¡± Despite her lack of rank, every soldier who encountered Ellen saluted her from a distance. This applied to everyone, regardless of their position in the hierarchy. Every single soldier, squad leaders, company commanders, and even those who held the rank equivalent to a general saluted Ellen with respect and admiration. The fact that Ellen had no rank was inconsequential, as it would only have caused her inconvenience. If she were given a mediocre rank, superiors would appear above her. If a rank equivalent to a military authority was given, Ellen, a powerful combatant, would be called to attend various meetings. While an honorary rank could have been granted, Bertus chose not to. Without any affiliation or rank, Ellen had access to all military resources, could requisition supplies, and even conscript soldiers. At that time, she had just returned from clearing out monsters near the marching routes and the areas surrounding the stationed troops. Originally, Ellen did not wear the Holy Swords Lament and Holy Cloak Lapelt at all times. However, since she began living in the military base where people could see her anywhere and anytime, Ellen started wearing Lament''s scabbard on her waist. Partially, this was to prevent soldiers from becoming overly excited upon seeing Ellen in person and rudely requesting to see the Lament and Lapelt. But more precisely, she did it so that people could see her everywhere. Just a glimpse of Ellen from a distance would significantly raise morale. Understanding the implicit desire of the military commanders for Ellen to always wear and display the Holy Relics, even in non-combat situations, she wore them. Those who reached the Master Class often preferred being lightly armed or unarmed, wearing only simple armor or carrying a weapon. With Aura Armor that was stronger than steel for defense, there was no need to wear restrictive plate armor. Wearing the elaborate plate armor was in the same vein as proudly displaying the Holy Relics. Of course, that did not mean the plate armor was entirely useless. Although it wasn''t frequently used, this was a ceremonial armor designed for Ellen to wear during official occasions by Adelia and her researchers. An armor created solely for the Hero. However, being ceremonial did not mean it lacked practicality. The armor itself possessed tremendous magic resistance and numerous enchantments, including lightening its weight. It was a national treasure-grade artifact. Nevertheless, it was still meant for show. Ellen did not enjoy the attention she received. The more people projected their hopes onto her, the more she understood the ultimate goal they desired. The death of the Demon King. Each time she sensed their hopes, Ellen felt as though someone was tightening a noose around her neck. Everywhere she went, there were only soldiers and an army bearing the heavy responsibility of humanity''s salvation. Among all these soldiers, Ellen carried the heaviest burden. Perhaps even more so than Saviolin Turner. And so, Ellen was suffering from even more intense gazes and pressure than usual. Fools, regardless of age, were ever-present. It wasn''t just the soldiers who loitered around her personal tent, wanting to catch a glimpse of Ellen''s face whenever she rested. Not only were there imperial soldiers, but elite troops and commanders from other regions and countries, including the vassal states, were all gathered as well. In the early days of the campaign, there were even more commanders and knights who would come to greet her, boasting of who they were and from where, than there were tactless soldiers. Ellen couldn''t turn them away, so hearing of this situation, Saviolin Turner moved Ellen''s quarters and issued strict orders not to let any outsiders in. From then on, Ellen was not disturbed during her rest in the tent, unless it was for important matters. In such a garrison, where Ellen''s quarters were located. Ellen handed the reins of her horse to a soldier, received a salute from the soldiers guarding the area to prevent outsiders from entering, and went inside. A fairly unique and special area within the garrison''s quarters. Ellen thought this garrison area was better than others. "Ah, Ellen. You''re back?" "Yeah. Adelia." "You''ve worked hard, Ellen." "Thanks, Louis." Ellen nodded her head in response to the greetings of Adelia and Louis Ancton, who were carrying a pile of magical items. This was the residence of the troops borrowed from the temple. And further in, there was a garrison area for the troops of royal class origin. Here, nobody called Ellen a hero. That''s why, sometimes, Ellen felt as if she had returned to a moment in the past that she could never go back to. ------ Not all the temple students were conscripted into the army, as not all of them had majors related to combat. However, nearly all the students of the temple''s royal class were conscripted, and except for the few who disappeared with Reinhardt during the gate incident, all of the royal class second-year students at the time were conscripted. All of them had their own duties and roles, even if they weren''t as prominent as Ellen. "Cayer! I told you to charge the Arc Crystal!" "I''m doing it! Can''t I eat first?!" "How many times do I have to tell you to prepare it in advance, since we don''t know when we''ll need it?!" "Ugh, this tiny thing is always making a fuss." "What? Tiny? Did you just talk back to your senior?" "You don''t even attend temple classes anymore, so what senior? Can''t I call you my older sister?" "Why would you call me your older sister, you brat!" Ellen watched from a distance as Redina and Cayer, who had grown quite a bit in two years but were still like children, bickered with each other. Redina, who possessed the talent of No Casting. And Cayer, with the massive magical power talent. These two had inevitably become battle partners for quite some time. On one hand, Redina could cast magic without casting, but had a tiny amount of magical power, while on the other hand, Cayer had an enormous amount of magical power but couldn''t cast magic. So, ever since Adelia created a giant version of the Power Cartridge called the Arc Crystal, Cayer charged it whenever he had time, and Redina drew out the charged magical power to use magic. They had been maintaining this method for a long time. The Arc Crystal was designed to extract mana from Cayer, who was inept at handling magical powers. It was an artifact that only Cayer could use, and the inherent magical power within it was designed to be easily used by Redina. Adelia had originally created the massive artifact for that purpose. Although it was too large to be carried around by hand, there was nothing better for defending the base against large-scale monster attacks. Only those who had witnessed it firsthand could truly appreciate the spectacle of thousands of fireballs raining down from the sky and sweeping away waves of monsters. No matter how much magical power the Arc Crystal held, Redina could deplete it in a short amount of time. As a result, the Arc Crystal was always in a state of insufficient power. In terms of compatibility of abilities, there were none better than the two of them, but their relationship grew worse the more they spent time together. "Oh? Ellen''s here?" "Yes, senior." Upon seeing Ellen watching from a distance, Redina hurried over and pointed at Cayer. "Could you say something to that guy? I''ve told him countless times to charge up in advance, but he never seems to do it properly!" "Hey, come on!" Cayer glanced at Ellen in the distance, then angrily shouted back at Redina. "I''m human too, you know! Stop treating me like some sort of magic battery charger!" "Well, if you''re not a magic charger, what are you? What else do you do besides embracing the Arc Crystal for a few hours? Is it so hard to contribute to battles like Ellen, or research, or anything else?" Redina wasn''t just teasing or scolding for fun. She was genuinely angry. "Do you know how many people died last time our defenses were breached? Is that so hard? What on earth are you doing? If you had charged up just a bit more, none of this would have happened!" Cayer wasn''t simply defending himself half-heartedly. He was genuinely angry as well. "I almost died several times during the last battle because of mana depletion. Are you even aware of that? You think I''m lazy? That I have nothing to do? Do you think you''d be able to do anything without me?" This was a war against monsters. People were actually dying, and Redina had to witness the deaths of people who couldn''t be saved due to the insufficient power of the Arc Crystal. Cayer, a prodigy of immense magical power, was not an endless source of power either. He had to wait for his depleted mana to recover before he could recharge the Arc Crystal. Both were doing their best. However, they couldn''t help but be upset by the incidents that occurred due to their circumstances. Their relationship was deteriorating. And it was getting worse. Finally, as harsh words began to fly, Ellen cautiously placed her hand on Redina''s shoulder. "Stop it, both of you." "..." "Cayer, let''s go eat. Take a break for now." "...Tsk." With Ellen''s intervention, the two stopped arguing. Redina clenched her teeth and stared at the dirt floor of the garrison. If only they could do a little more. A little bit more. They could have saved those who didn''t have to die. Because of such thoughts, Redina lashed out at Cayer, who could be considered her most crucial supporter. Even though she knew it was foolish. Redina eventually covered her face with both hands and let out a stifled sob. "I''m such... an idiot..." They both knew they were doing their best. Yet they hurt each other with words they didn''t need to say, due to regret In the wake of someone''s death, they exchange unnecessary words, wounded by regret and self-blame. "¡­Redina?" From afar, someone wearing the emblem of a Holy Knight approaches Ellen and Redina. "Adriana¡­" Having left the temple, Adriana had returned to the Order of Tu¡¯an after the Gate incident and was now carrying out her duties as a Holy Knight. Despite facing several issues, including allegations of collusion with the Demon King, Adriana had received a pardon, albeit reluctantly. The truth behind all that had happened remained unknown, and it was both frustrating and saddening. Like everyone else, Adriana had sought a role she alone could fulfill and joined the war effort. "What''s wrong? Did you argue with Cayer again?" "¡­" Embracing Redina, who was suppressing her tears, Adriana looks at Ellen. "Rest, Ellen. You must be the most exhausted." "¡­Yes, senior." Ellen watches silently as Adriana takes Redina to a tent. Ellen knows that there is an indelible shadow on Adriana''s face. A person Adriana cherished, Irene''s hound. Ellen played a direct role in Loyar''s death, and Adriana had been there. Though she thought she deserved the blame, Adriana never held a grudge against Ellen. War. The war against monsters was breaking people. This was no exception for the students of the Royal Class. And Ellen herself was no exception. ------ Every Royal Class graduate had a role, even those who majored in non-combat studies. For example, Adelia, who had a non-combat major, designed the crucial power cartridges for this war using her unique talent. She continually produced improved versions of her invention. In Kono Lint''s case, though lacking combat skills, he teleported critically injured soldiers to the rear or moved troops onto the battlefield using spatial teleportation. Even Ranian Sesor, with her musical talent, was tirelessly engaged in morale-boosting activities, such as conducting military band performances and providing comfort within the garrison. Everyone had a role in the Gate incident, and each performed their duties in this final campaign. Ellen had her meal at the public dining tent in the Royal Class garrison. Though she could have eaten in her private tent, Ellen did not desire any special treatment. As Ellen sat quietly eating, someone sat across from her. "You''re back, I see. Ellen." "Ah... Yes." It was Ludwig. ------ Thanks to Moonshine''s effect, all of the Royal Class close combat students now knew how to do Magic Body Strengthening. However, only Ellen had reached the Master Class. Ludwig was also one of the four who had awakened their Magic Body Strengthening abilities on their own during their first year. Ellen, Reinhardt, Cliffman, and Ludwig. Each had their roles and, although Ellen''s level was so high she usually undertook solo missions, Royal Class students typically formed teams based on the required personnel for their assignments. Being from the temple and possessing exceptional skills, the Royal Class students usually worked together, creating a bond among them. Though there were cases like Redina and Cayer, the students generally had a positive effect on one another when working together. In such student-led combat strategies, two stood out among the close combat specialists. Cliffman, who possessed combat talent, and Ludwig, who possessed physical talent. The soldiers knew that Ellen''s level had become exceedingly high, but they also recognized the incredible skills of the other two. "When do you think we''ll advance next?" In response to Ludwig''s question, Ellen ponders for a moment while chewing on a piece of bread. "Perhaps about four days from now¡­ I think." "Four days¡­ I see." Ellen doesn''t know Ludwig very well. However, she knows him as someone with a cheerful demeanor and a pure innocence that could be somewhat infuriating at times. But at some point, Ludwig stopped smiling altogether. The horrors of war. And the fact that the Demon King had been by their side all this time, unbeknownst to them. Because of this, Ludwig lost his smile. He not only lost his smile, but his expression and eyes were filled with anger and hatred. Not long after the start of their march. During the defense of the garrison, Asher of B-4, a talent in holy power, died. Since then, the light of hatred and anger in Ludwig''s eyes never seemed to fade. CH 507 Someone was bound to die. Countless people had already perished, and the Royal Class students were no exception. A swarm of flying monsters attacked the rear area, where the injured were being treated after the base defense battle. Asher was torn to pieces by the monsters and died on the spot. It wasn''t that long ago. Since Asher''s death, the gloom and sensitivity that pervaded the Royal Class garrison had only intensified. A classmate had died. Everyone knew that death was inevitable in the Gate incident and war, but the death of a close friend was undoubtedly shocking to all. Everyone was consumed by grief, and some still were. But what Ellen felt from Ludwig''s gaze was not sadness. Amidst emotions sublimated by anger and hatred, Ellen could only intuit that Ludwig sought revenge. Although she hadn''t witnessed Asher''s death, Ellen was equally shocked. Instead of resentment and hatred, guilt returned to Ellen from that death. When this final advance ends, who will be dead, and who will be alive? Prak Ludwig put down the sausage he''d bitten into on the plate. "You." "¡­Yes?" "Last time, when Reinhardt came to the Imperial Capital." At those words, Ellen felt her heart tighten. The Demon King''s attack on the Imperial Capital, and the abduction of the princess. No one was unaware of that story. The damage was severe, but the morale of the empire skyrocketed because the story ended with Ellen repelling the Demon King. Ludwig talked about that incident. The one that had inevitably left a deep scar in Ellen''s heart. "It''s not like you...deliberately didn''t fight properly...right?" At that, Ellen''s hand trembled slightly. "¡­" In Ludwig''s gaze, Ellen felt as if she was being interrogated. After staring at Ellen for a moment, Ludwig lowered his head. "¡­No, that can''t be. You wouldn''t do that." "¡­" Ludwig stared at Ellen with deep, dark eyes. "It couldn''t be. Right?" "¡­" "You are the Hero. Chosen by two sacred relics, and chosen by the gods to defeat the Demon King." Ludwig looked at Ellen and said, "Hero." To Ellen, Ludwig''s words sounded like a threat. "Sorry, I overstepped. It''s not my place. How dare I, someone like me, question you." As he muttered to himself, Ellen felt chills run down her spine. "I''ve never defeated Reinhardt even once." As if to say, defeating the Demon King isn''t something I can do. With that, Ludwig gazed at Ellen. "But you''ve always been stronger than Reinhardt. So, it''s kind of...strange¡­" What I can''t do and haven''t done. What you can do but haven''t. It was a piercing gaze, seemingly questioning if that was the case. "Ludwig." "¡­Ah, Scarlett." The red-haired girl, who had been calmly eating next to him, called Ludwig. "Don''t burden Ellen." "¡­" "She should at least be comfortable here. Ellen is the one struggling the most." Ellen was already under tremendous pressure from many places. With Scarlett''s words, cautioning Ludwig not to add to that burden even here, he slowly nodded his head. "Yes. You''re right." Ludwig looked at Ellen. "Sorry, Ellen. I made you uncomfortable." Ellen bowed her head and shook it from side to side. "No... it''s alright." Ellen stared blankly at the bread in her hand, not saying anything more. In the end, she couldn''t bring herself to eat properly. ------ Ellen''s quarters at the Royal Class garrison were not particularly the largest. The largest quarters belonged to Adelia and Christina, who possessed talents in alchemy. Due to the need for equipment for magical research, setting up and dismantling their quarters required considerable manpower. Just their personal research materials alone required several carriages. Adelia did not participate in combat herself, but the artifacts she developed and improved were most important in large-scale battles. Christina and Adelia. If the Gate incident were to be completely resolved and humanity could rebuild its history, their names would have been mentioned alongside Ellen''s. They had many research materials they needed, while Ellen, apart from two relics, didn''t have any personal items she particularly needed. Ellen never had an interest in decorating her room anyway. Therefore, Ellen''s tent was quite spacious, divided into sections, and provided maximum convenience, but it was not extravagant. Night fell over the garrison. Ellen quickly removed her plate armor upon arriving at her quarters. -Clank- The seams of the armor released automatically, floating in midair before reassembling on the stand. Ellen watched the process silently. Armor like this typically required assistance to put on and take off, but the specially crafted silver plate didn''t need that. "Phew..." Although the armor was designed to ensure maximum mobility, it was inevitably uncomfortable. The actual discomfort was less of an issue than the suffocating feeling of wearing such ornate armor. ------ Ellen sat motionless in the bathtub in the tent used as a bathroom. Several times. Ellen submerged her face in the hot water, repeatedly. Pressing her temples with her thumb and forefinger, Ellen took deep breaths. "Sigh..." Again and again. "Sigh..." Again and again. The pressure made her feel like she was suffocating to death several times a day. It was true that she managed to accomplish whatever tasks she could. Being more skilled and capable than others, she was actually handling more burdensome tasks than most. That was a fact. However, people''s expectations were too high and vast. And the ultimate goal of those people was something she didn''t want to do with her own hands. Would it be better to just die? Disappear from the world? Wouldn''t she be free from these emotions if she died during a mission? Ellen had those thoughts dozens of times a day. But she knew clearly that she couldn''t allow herself that luxury. She had to live. Her existence alone prevented people from losing hope. She couldn''t die. Even if there was some end she had to face while alive, she had to be alive until that moment. Even if she didn''t know what to do. She had to stay alive, no matter what. Ellen resolved herself. The future might be desperate, but it was a desperate future only for her. First, she had to finish the march. Destroying the Warp Gates on the continent would only be a good thing for the entire world and was something she had to do. At least until then. She would think about the next thing when it came. "Phew..." Ellen took a deep breath, trying to calm her chaotic and dark thoughts. After sufficiently calming her mind, Ellen finished her bath and changed into fresh clothes. Once her hair was reasonably dry, she wrapped a towel around herself and stepped into the central area of the tent, only to gasp in surprise. "!" Although she was fully dressed, Ellen reflexively tightened the collar of her shirt as she stared at the uninvited guest who had entered without warning. Ellen''s tent was protected by magic, preventing unauthorized entry when the lock was activated. There had undoubtedly been some rude individuals who had tried to barge into the tent anyway. But now, someone had entered her locked tent. A robed figure with a slightly small stature sat as if waiting for Ellen. "¡­Who are you?" Sensing danger, Ellen immediately summoned Lapelt and Lament and aimed them at the mysterious figure. But soon, Ellen found herself involuntarily gaping. The robed person removed their hood. "It''s been a while¡­ or maybe not." "Harriet¡­?" Harriet de Saint Owan gazed at Ellen with a sorrowful expression. ------ Months ago, Harriet and Ellen had crossed paths. During the Demon King''s assault on the capital, Ellen and Harriet had briefly locked eyes. Of course, they hadn''t spoken. Inside Ellen''s tent. Harriet looked at Ellen with a sad expression. Harriet had come looking for her. Ellen had unsummoned Lament, but they stood at a slight distance from each other. They were friends. After Reinhardt''s disappearance and various other events, Ellen and Harriet had become close enough to call each other friends. Harriet had disliked Reinhardt, but when he disappeared, she had cried in the rain. Ellen had thought that her harsh words had driven Reinhardt away. Together, they had searched for the missing Reinhardt. That had brought them together as friends. And now. Because of Reinhardt, they had become friends, but they also couldn''t call each other friends, stuck in a strange relationship. Ellen still didn''t know why Harriet had come like this. But she couldn''t help but wonder. Are we still friends? Ellen cast her eyes downward. Harriet seemed to have similar thoughts, unable to meet Ellen''s gaze. "It''s not the right time, but¡­" Harriet cautiously spoke up. "Do you want to go for a walk?" "¡­" The surroundings had already been cleared. "Yes." "I''ll be waiting for you at the outskirts of the southern garrison." Ellen nodded silently, and Harriet disappeared through spatial teleportation. ------ Following Harriet''s suggestion, Ellen ventured out to the southern outskirts of the garrison. No one stopped her. In the southern outskirts, Harriet was waiting for Ellen on a moonlit plain. Harriet and Ellen walked across the moonlit plain. Monsters'' corpses were scattered here and there. After a brief rest, the troops would clear the surrounding monsters and move on. They would carry out a gate destruction operation at the next destination and then head to the following gate. Humanity''s last army would continue to move until the final gate was destroyed. "It''s not the right time to ask¡­how you''ve been." Harriet seemed about to speak of her well-being but chuckled bitterly, thinking it was too strange. Like Reinhardt, Harriet had been watching over the human world, including the capital, from somewhere. Ellen had many questions she wanted to ask. Where had they been and what had they been doing all this time? Were they all doing well, somehow, in this wretched world? But Ellen thought she had no right to ask such questions, so she couldn''t bring herself to voice her doubts. The two walked for a while without much conversation. The very act of choosing what to say when facing each other already meant that they had grown too far apart. No one else should witness them exchanging words like this. Harriet was not the Demon King, but she was met with a hatred that was nearly equivalent. This alliance army was humanity''s last and strongest force. Therefore, there were both high-ranking officials and magicians at the base. Ellen knew the situation of a high-ranking official who was despised because of his daughter¡¯s betrayal of humanity. He was an outstanding magician, already doing incredible work, but he was treated as a potential spy, prepared to betray them at any moment, by soldiers and even commanders. Harriet must have known that her father and his army were stationed at that base. "How are our classmates... doing well?" Harriet asked about their classmates rather than her father. Ellen felt like she couldn''t breathe at the question. Until now, everyone had managed to survive, somehow. But there was one person. "Asher... has died." "Ah..." Asher was not particularly close to either Ellen or Harriet. Class B, number 4. Asher, who had the talent for divine power. Harriet knew only that he had a gentle face and a timid personality. Ellen knew that, after the Gate incident, Asher had saved many people with his talent, even though he wasn''t directly involved in combat. Though they weren''t close, the death of a classmate. Harriet walked silently, her expression lost upon hearing the news. Their classmates'' deaths were just the beginning, whether by accidents or the overwhelming number of monsters. One by one. They would die. Both Ellen and Harriet knew that it was their fate. Harriet didn''t pray for his soul nor did she cry for his death. She just walked blankly for a while. Usually, when meeting after a long time, they would start with casual conversation before getting to the main point. But there was no such thing as a casual topic in this world. If they brought up their classmates, they had to talk about the dead ones. In the vicinity of the army base, deployed for war, it was difficult to find light-hearted conversation, and even if they tried, it would only make them feel disconnected from reality. Starting with casual conversation before getting to the main point was impossible. In the end, Harriet stopped, as if she had made up her mind. In her eyes, there was depression and sadness. An overwhelming sense of guilt for having to ask someone else to sacrifice themselves for something she couldn''t take responsibility for or handle. "Ellen." "Yeah." When Harriet stopped, Ellen stopped too. "Reinhardt... he might die too." "...What?" For the first time, Ellen felt as if her heart had stopped due to someone''s words. With her face drained of color, Harriet began to tell her story. Harriet couldn''t tell the whole truth, since she couldn''t discuss the most important story, about the Demon King''s country built in the Edina Archipelago. Feeling guilty about it. There were far too many deaths in the world, and the grudges of the dead were gathering, growing larger and larger. Olivia Lanze was once possessed by them, but the story goes that Reinhardt expelled those resentful spirits and absorbed them instead. As a result, the Demon King was said to be slowly dying under the pressure of the spirits filled with hatred and resentment towards him. Ellen was astonished by this fact. She could only gape in disbelief at the incredible story of Reinhardt taking in these spirits, knowing the potential harm and damage it could cause. After finishing her story, Harriet wiped the corner of her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot and red. She wanted to do it herself if she could. She wanted to find another way if there was one. However, the sight of Reinhardt dying in real-time was a stark reminder that there wasn''t much time left. "I can''t save him, so please save him for me." She felt wretched, miserable, and shameless for having to say such words. Someone else could have been sent. Antirianus, who had proposed the idea, could have come himself. But Harriet chose to come herself. She couldn''t relay such a request through someone else''s lips. At least not from a friend like her. No matter how miserable and agonizing it was to say such words, she believed that she had to be the one to ask Ellen. "Please... save Reinhardt. Save his life." "..." Ellen stared at the tearful Harriet. How could she possibly save Reinhardt? Ellen seemed to understand what Harriet was saying. "If I can handle it... Will that work? I don''t know the method, but... I can do it that way?" "..." Harriet silently stared at Ellen. -Nod Unable to say it out loud, Harriet nodded her head while crying. "I''ll do it." Without a moment''s hesitation, Ellen nodded her head. Seeing Ellen agree without any doubts, Harriet was taken aback. "Ellen... I know it''s absurd for me to ask this, but... it''s not a decision you should make so quickly." "I''ll do it." "Ellen..." Harriet had asked for it, but Ellen didn''t know the specifics of what she would have to endure. That''s why Harriet had to explain to Ellen how dangerous it was and what consequences it could bring. "You could die. Your soul might disappear. You might be devoured by those spirits and your existence erased. Or you might become an entirely different being." Death, or the annihilation of existence, or a permanent alteration of the self. "In that case, I have one question." "...Yes." "If I take them into my body, and my body is controlled by those spirits... Will I... hate Reinhardt?" Ellen Artorius would disappear, and a new Ellen Artorius, corroded by the spirits who despise the Demon King, would be born. "Perhaps... that''s what will happen." "To the point where I want to kill him? So much so that I would actually try to kill him... is that what you''re saying?" "Maybe..." The hero who loved the Demon King would disappear. Only a puppet carrying hatred and resentment, wishing for the Demon King''s death, would remain. "Is that an absolute outcome?" At Ellen''s question, Harriet parted her lips. A slim possibility. She asked about the possibility that her self might not be annihilated but survive. "I don''t know... I don''t know the details either... But just as Reinhardt is... holding on somehow right now... you might not disappear. But... I can''t be certain. No one really knows what will happen..." It could not be said with certainty that Ellen Artorius'' ego would not remain intact as she merged with the vengeful spirits. After all, Reinhardt had already accomplished the impossible, so it was possible that Ellen Artorius could achieve even greater feats. There is no absolute. Only an endless approach towards it. Ellen ponders. If she were to lose herself, she would one day have to battle Reinhardt. Her body, consumed by the will to hate the Demon King, would attempt such a thing. She certainly doesn''t want that. However, if she doesn''t act now, Reinhardt will die. There might be another way, but there isn''t enough time to find it now, even if it exists. To save Reinhardt, she must bear the hatred of humans. It is not a conceptual matter, but a tangible one. To truly take in the hatred and resentment, and later become the Demon King''s adversary. If that can save Reinhardt. To save him now, pushing the matters of the future aside. Would it be alright if she disappeared? Would it be alright if she died? Is this how she pays the price of her disbelief? It cannot be a complete atonement. But with her life, she buys a small measure of absolution. There is no guarantee that her existence will completely vanish. Even if the chances are slim, there''s no reason not to take them. There is no guarantee that she will certainly die. And the words she once said: That she could die for him. The time to keep that promise, beyond time itself, has come. The moment to repay, even if only a little, the sin of distrust she committed against Reinhardt has arrived. "I thought I could die for Reinhardt. All this time." "But." "Despite that." "At a critical moment, I couldn''t trust Reinhardt and caused him greater pain than death." "For someone like me, someone like..." Ellen smiles sadly. "I''m grateful that I can at least do something like this." "..." "It''s a relief, isn''t it? That even someone like me, in a situation like this... can do something for Reinhardt." Ellen looks at Harriet, who is on the verge of tears. "I''m thankful that there''s something I can do for Reinhardt." In the end, Harriet, seeing Ellen like this, broke into tears. CH 508 After bidding farewell to Harriet, Ellen returned to the garrison. "In two days, at midnight, I''ll be waiting for you in the southern field of the garrison." Ellen didn''t know exactly what she needed to do, but Harriet had disappeared after leaving those words. She was both fearful and curious about the fate that awaited her. Yet, she might disappear altogether, or assimilate with otherworldly souls, becoming the embodiment of the will to hate the Demon King and killing Reinhardt. Ellen knew that it could be an option leading to her killing Reinhardt with her own hands. However, if she didn''t make such a choice, Reinhardt might die right away. Saving Reinhardt now might come at the cost of killing him later with her own hands. Just as there was no choice for Reinhardt, there was none for Ellen either. Knowing that he couldn''t bear it, Reinhardt tried to contain the grudges within himself, as the whole of Edina might be destroyed. Similarly, Ellen had no choice but to take the path that would lead to destruction at the end, even if she knew it. If her existence merged with another, and she was reborn as a hero who hated the Demon King, people would be pleased. It was a bizarre way to overcome the disparity between reality and ideals. Not that she would be happy about it. Nor would she willingly accept the disappearance of her existence. In the end, it was a matter of not encountering it. Even if she became a hero who wanted to kill the Demon King, if the Gate incident was resolved and the Demon King was never found, she wouldn''t be able to fight even if she wanted to. Ellen walked across the garrison and returned to her tent. Inside the tent, she sat blankly on her makeshift bed. What would it feel like to have her existence vanish? Having never died, Ellen didn''t know what death was. Thus, she didn''t know what it meant for her existence to disappear while her body was alive. She didn''t know how to protect her existence. All she could do was save Reinhardt. Ellen decided to focus only on that. Also. She could see Reinhardt once more. Ellen wiped her eyes quietly. Moisture clung to her fingers. "..." She carefully wiped away her tears, which were gradually flowing. They had to meet as enemies and treat each other as such. The thought of the moment they would meet again being an unavoidable situation where they had to aim for each other''s lives filled her with despair. But that reunion wasn''t to face him as an enemy, but to save Reinhardt. How grateful, thankful, and joyous that was, despite it being their last meeting. ------ Since monsters were rampant on the continent, the army would advance a certain distance, clear the surroundings, set up a garrison, clear the area again, and then proceed. Once a garrison was established, there was usually some time until the safety of the march route was fully secured. It also took time to set up and dismantle the garrison. Hence, there were breaks between the tight marching schedules, and Ellen had some free time before the garrison was dismantled and the advance began. Two days later, when most of the soldiers, except for those on night patrol and guard duty, were asleep, Ellen arrived alone at the time and place Harriet had mentioned. Harriet was waiting for her there. "You''ve arrived, Ellen." Harriet still looked at Ellen with a sad gaze. In the clearing, there was no one but Harriet. Just like how Reinhardt had so calmly sacrificed himself to protect Edina. Ellen, too, was willing to sacrifice herself without a moment''s hesitation when she heard that Reinhardt could be saved. She was prepared for that, and so was Harriet. However, that didn''t mean she could easily accept someone else calmly sacrificing themselves. Ellen was sacrificed to save Reinhardt from being lost. It was a proposal made by the Lord of Saturday, Antirianus. Everyone knew that there was great malice mixed into that proposal. Yet it was also true that everyone had agreed to it. Ellen would naturally be willing to sacrifice herself for Reinhardt, and after all, she was destined to fight the Demon King eventually. No one in Edina could bear the burden. Everyone agreed to the cruel plan of turning someone who was going to become an enemy into a true enemy. From the moment they agreed to Antirianus''s plan, no one could be free from that malice. The pain, guilt, and remorse that others would feel for agreeing to sacrifice Ellen would all be according to Antirianus''s intentions. No one could be free from the sin of sacrificing Ellen. "We''re going to the ritual site." "Yeah." Blue magical lines began to flow from Harriet''s body, and soon, Harriet and Ellen were able to arrive at another location through teleportation. Ellen didn''t know what kind of place it was. It was just a place with a massive magical circle. Five beings stood at the parts corresponding to the axes of the magic circle. The Lord of Tuesday, Eleris. The Lord of Wednesday, Lucinil. The Lord of Thursday, Luvien. The Lord of Friday, Gallarush. The Lord of Saturday, Antirianus. Ellen didn''t know all of their faces, but she could spot two familiar ones. Upon seeing Ellen appear with Harriet, some of their gazes were filled with guilt. And one old man looked at Ellen with a smug smile. Ellen found his gaze somewhat chilling. And that wasn''t all. Not only were Harriet and the other Vampire Lords present, but Liana de Grantz and Olivia Lanze were there as well. Both were faces Ellen hadn''t seen in a very long time. Neither Liana nor Olivia could bear to look directly at Ellen. Liana, because she was the cause of everything that had happened. And because she knew she couldn''t bear even a part of the pain Reinhardt was going through, she couldn''t look directly at Ellen. Amidst the complicated emotions, Olivia couldn''t look directly at Ellen either. It wasn''t because Ellen could bear this, but because it was merely a passing of responsibility. Though she might be an extraordinary being, the risk of her ego disappearing even if her physical body didn''t collapse was clear. Did that fellow know what was happening to her? For the first time in her life, Olivia felt something similar to pity towards Ellen. They didn''t exchange any greetings. It wasn''t a situation where they could do so. Their gazes were inevitably drawn to the center of the magical circle, where the five Archmages stood. Ellen didn''t know what this magical circle and its ritual meant. However, in the center, Reinhardt lay on what appeared to be an altar for the ritual. She couldn''t tell if he was asleep or unconscious. Next to the altar where the unconscious Reinhardt lay, a demon with pink hair gently stroked his forehead over and over. Ellen did not know that the succubus queen had deliberately put Reinhardt to sleep, preventing him from waking up. In this place, there were faces Ellen knew and faces she didn''t. There was no need to exchange pleasantries, the joy or sorrow of reunions, or any other words. "When you''re ready, go to the central altar of the circle." The silver-haired girl, Lucinil, said softly. Lucinil, who had mastered the magic of handling souls, had created the circle. She had never attempted magic of this scale before, transferring souls of this magnitude to other bodies. However, she had squeezed every bit of her knowledge to complete this circle. "Ellen¡­" As Ellen moved towards the circle, Harriet softly called her name. Liana de Grantz and Olivia Lanze also looked at Ellen. None of the three could say anything to Ellen. No one knew how Ellen, who had taken on the burden Reinhardt bore, would change. "¡­I''ll go." Leaving behind that single ambiguous word, Ellen walked toward the center of the circle, leaving Harriet behind. As Ellen arrived at the altar, the pink-haired demon silently stood up and retreated outside the circle. As if entrusting Reinhardt to her. Even at a glance, Ellen could tell that Reinhardt''s condition was very poor. She knew what it meant to be dying from his white, parched lips, pale complexion, and cold sweat on his forehead. "Rein¡­hardt¡­" Ellen sat down at the altar and held Reinhardt in her arms. This encounter was different from before. Unlike the theatrical battle they had fought, Reinhardt was now frail. Ellen didn''t know what burden he was carrying, or how heavy it was. All she knew was that she had to bear it in his stead. She was prepared to do so, no matter what. Reinhardt, who was lying deep in sleep on Ellen''s lap, was now in her care. The ritual begins. Following the silver-haired girl''s words, the five Vampire Lords began to activate something in the circle. Olivia Lanze, too, summoned Tiamata to be on guard for any unforeseen circumstances during the ritual. Within the shining circle, Ellen stared intently at Reinhardt''s face. Was this the end? Was this really the end? She had wished to do something for him and actually had been able to. It might not be the last. But, because it might be the last... Ellen bowed her head towards Reinhardt and pressed her lips to his forehead. How fortunate to be able to hold him like this. How grateful she should be. Thinking so, Since it was the last. Since he was asleep. She could tell him what she had wanted to say. "How much pain you''re in." Until the last moment when the ritual was maintained. She could talk endlessly. Ellen looked at the unconscious Reinhardt with a sad gaze. "All the things that trouble you." During the course of the ritual. "I''ll¡­ I''ll take them all." Ellen whispered her true feelings, which she had wanted to tell Reinhardt countless times. Her guilt and apologies. And her affection for him. "I really, truly love you." She whispered forevermore. ------ He had lost consciousness frequently. He wasn''t unaware that his body and soul were gradually becoming sick and withering. He thought that the task he had to bear was something he had to endure himself. He believed there was no other way. Because someone had to deal with that massive black hole of resentment that grew and multiplied if left alone. So, in his dying state now, he knew he had to find another way, but he couldn''t leave it alone With all her remaining strength, Ellen finally managed to lift the corners of her lips. Ellen smiled at him. As if it were the last time. "Goodbye, Reinhardt." She bade farewell as if this was their last meeting. Along with her words, another spell activated from the circle. -Flash! With a burst of light, Ellen''s figure disappeared. In a space he could not recognize, he slowly scanned the faces of those present. The Vampire Lords. Liana. Olivia. Harriet. Airi. All of them dared not to meet his eyes. Only Antirianus, with a satisfied expression, stared at the spot where Ellen had vanished. ------ Ellen Artorius reappeared in the southern plains of the garrison where she had encountered Harriet. Because no one knew what action Ellen, who had absorbed a massive amount of vengeful spirits, would take, the ritual''s completion involved sending her away as soon as it ended. Ellen stood still in the field as night fell. She felt, with her entire body and soul, the burdens that Reinhardt had been carrying all this time. Hatred. Vengefulness. The echoes of resentment, which seemed to have amplified all the negative emotions in the world by tens of thousands of times, were enough to drive one to the brink of madness just by hearing them. Could she bear this? Could she remain herself amidst this tidal wave of resentment? Was it possible to protect her feelings for Reinhardt, floating like a piece of driftwood in this overwhelmingly massive wave of emotions? Her heart was too small; it would be swept away by the waves and sink, disappearing. Ellen felt her thoughts becoming polluted. The Demon King must die. The Demon King was the root of all problems. There was no use in screaming otherwise. In a situation where too many entities had already entered her soul, the truth Ellen cried out would only be buried under the waves of resentment. These vengeful spirits couldn''t enter the Demon King''s body and kill him. They merely inhabited the body of the hero who opposed the Demon King. What change would that bring about? -Grrrrr! -Roarrrrrr! The distant cries of monsters reached her ears. Monsters were everywhere, so it was only natural for new ones to appear from somewhere, even if the safety of the marching route had been secured. There were about seventy of them. All different in appearance, Ellen saw the monsters swarm toward her. -Swoosh! As she drew out Lament, the Void Sword was dyed with the darkness of the abyss. Like a projection of the night sky, the Void Sword Lament, in which one could see the movement of galaxies and stars within, had changed slightly. The abyss. Only the abyss was projected in the pitch-black Void Sword, showing that the sadness Ellen felt had now killed even the shining stars within that sadness. A sword projecting only darkness, not the night sky. Holding it, Ellen gazed at the approaching horde of monsters. On Ellen''s shoulders, the Cloak of the Sun God draped itself. The Cloak of the Sun God, possessing the power of protection. Its color was somewhat strange. As if projecting the boiling hellfire of the sun, the Cloak of the Sun God shone a deep red and fluttered menacingly. No, in fact, hellish flames began to flicker and burn like tongues from the Cloak of the Sun God. In addition to sorrow. Hatred. Ellen stared silently at the approaching horde of monsters. -Grrr! Grrr! As if alive and moving, the undulating flames actually flowed out from the cloak. The monsters couldn''t even approach Ellen. Boom! Crackle-crash! As if alive, the whips of flame extending from the Cloak of the Sun struck the ground, crushing and incinerating the oncoming monsters. With a single lash, the earth melted and the bright red flames gradually spread out. Ellen watched silently. Fueled by hatred. The hero carried the hatred and sorrow of humanity on her back. The Demon King must die. No, that cannot happen. In the vortex of souls, just as Reinhardt had done. The will of Ellen Artorius began to die as well. However, unlike trying to kill the Demon King''s spirit and eventually its physical form, The vengeful spirits imbued Ellen Artorius with immense power. Being the one who must kill the Demon King, they had to become even stronger. Therefore, unlike when they possessed other beings, the spirits did not try to destroy Ellen. On the contrary, in some ways, they became Ellen''s strength. Ellen reached her hand towards the sky. Boom! Crack-crash! Krrrshhh! The surviving monsters charging toward her were incinerated by the torrent of flames pouring down from the sky. Flames that melted the earth. The fire of hatred. "..." Ellen Artorius had become the master of that hatred. CH 509 Having escaped from the vengeful spirit that was gradually killing him, the Demon King seemed to have regained his vitality as if he had never been ill. Everything had returned to its peak state. However, among the higher echelons of Edina, silence prevailed. Only a very few knew what had transpired. Liana de Grantz had deceived the Demon King on her own. But this time, all his close aides had conspired together to deceive him. Although their intention was to save the Demon King, they had not asked for his consent. As a result, they couldn''t help but hold their breath and be on their guard while trying to save him. It was a situation that warranted anger. Not only had they deceived him once, but now all of his closest aides had joined forces to deceive him again. Everyone was afraid because they didn''t know how the Demon King''s anger would manifest. Harriet, Olivia, Airi, Charlotte, and the Council of Elders. They were all afraid, unsure of what Reinhardt would say about the matter. But. The Demon King didn''t say anything. No anger. No sadness. No hatred. No resentment. Not a single word. The Demon King spent the entire day sitting on the highest spire of Edina, without saying a word. No one knew what he was thinking or what he was feeling. Instead, that very fact made everyone even more afraid. What could the Demon King be thinking? Reinhardt didn''t even open his mouth to address the matter. Everyone nervously watched the Demon King''s every move, holding their breath. ¡ª--- The tall spire of Edina. The castle was built atop a cliff, and the highest spire was a place frequently visited by the Demon King. From there, one could see the entire panorama of Edina. "Reinhardt..." "Yes?" "Have this. You haven''t eaten anything today, have you?" Reinhardt looked at the sandwich Harriet had brought. "Thank you." The Demon King took the sandwich and bit into it. It wasn''t that he was starving. Nor was he ignoring the others. Nor was he holding a grudge against anyone. He just sat on the top of the spire all day. He spent the day looking down at Edina from the top of the spire, lost in thought. He didn''t ignore anyone who tried to speak to him. Since Charlotte was in charge of all state affairs, there was nothing for Reinhardt to do directly in Edina. So even if he spent the day like this, Edina would still run smoothly on its own. Harriet was restless, unable to sit next to Reinhardt or leave his side. Reinhardt hadn''t blamed or scolded anyone after finding out what had happened. He just sat there. Everyone felt guilty and fearful of his actions. "Blockhead." "...Yes?" Reinhardt, who had been silent for a while, looked up at Harriet. Harriet felt a sudden fear in the face of Reinhardt''s gaze. What was he going to say now? What kind of anger, rebuke, or consequence would they face for deceiving him? As Harriet felt her heart tighten, afraid to hear Reinhardt''s words but also wanting to hear them, he said: "I tried it last time. It was pretty good, that dream manipulation thing." "Ah...? Oh, yes." Reinhardt brought up something completely different. "I''m talking about Airi''s ability to control dreams. Is it possible to replicate it with magic?" "Huh? Why all of a sudden?" "Well, I thought I was going crazy, but when Airi watched over me while I was sleeping, I felt a little better." It was a completely strange idea. "Suppose we create an artifact that emits something like magical dream waves, or an aura. Then, wouldn''t it be possible for everyone living within a certain area to have pleasant dreams?" "Uh... Uhm?" Harriet thought that Reinhardt would discuss ¡®that¡¯ matter, but this was not the right situation for such a conversation. However, he was talking about something entirely different, perhaps even trivial, without even mentioning the matter at hand. The Demon King acted as if he had completely forgotten about the matter concerning Ellen Artorius. Of course, venting and being angry about what had already happened would be pointless, but Ellen could not be insignificant to Reinhardt. Yet, out of nowhere, he was discussing artifacts related to dreams. Harriet could not understand what Reinhardt was thinking at the moment. "If we could gradually plant such artifacts throughout Edina, wouldn''t they help with people''s trauma treatment?" "Uh, uhm... That might be true." "I''m not saying we must make them, but let''s consider the possibility if we can." Reinhardt muttered while chewing on a sandwich. Everyone had proceeded with this matter knowing full well that Reinhardt would be furious. But people felt the most terrifying reprimand was no reprimand at all, as they couldn''t tell what he was thinking since he wasn''t showing any anger. In that tense atmosphere, someone eventually had to step forward. A week after the incident. "Your Majesty." Eleris climbed the tower where Reinhardt was killing time. ------ "Oh, you''re here?" Reinhardt nodded slightly and shifted his gaze back to the cityscape of Lazak. Eleris silently stared at Reinhardt''s expression, which showed no signs of anger, sadness, or relief. Unable to determine how to begin speaking to the silent Demon King, Eleris hesitated. "Your Majesty, regarding the incident last time..." "Ah, that." Reinhardt looked at Eleris. "What about it?" His response seemed dismissive, causing Eleris to freeze. It was unclear whether he was indifferent, naive, or suppressing his emotions. Eleris did not know what to say but had to find the right words. "Are you... all right, Your Majesty?" Asking someone who clearly wasn''t all right if they were fine felt dreadful, but Eleris had no choice but to speak up. The suppressed emotions might explode at any moment. Eleris did not know what to do in that case. "Hmm..." The Demon King quietly gazed down at the scenery of Lazak. "You once said something like that, didn''t you?" "What do you mean, Your Majesty?" "You hoped that Ellen and I wouldn''t have a sad relationship. That''s what you said." "Ah..." Eleris recalled when the Demon King had said that. In Darkland, Eleris had traveled with Ellen and Reinhardt under a pseudonym. After finding out that Ellen was Ragan Artorius''s sister, Eleris had spoken as if foreseeing a sinister fate. The son of the Demon King and the sister of the Hero. Eleris had sensed that their relationship would never reach a happy ending. As time passed, the Demon King''s son became the Demon King, and the Hero''s sister became the Hero. It had already become a sorrowful relationship. Beyond sadness, it had turned into a cruel one. "I suppose, it was meant to be this way." "Excuse me...?" "Regardless of the reason or cause, someone intended it." Reinhardt simply gazed down at the city of Lazak. "It seems it was destined to be like this." Eleris could not understand the Demon King''s words. "No matter how hard I struggle or resist, it seems it was destined to be like this." The hero, who feared fighting the Demon King, was burdened with humanity''s hatred. In the end, they had no choice but to fight. "So, there''s no use blaming anyone. That''s what I believe." They could not escape this world where a predetermined outcome was forced upon them. The Demon King truly did not blame anyone. Eleris could not understand what he was trying to say. The logic was something only the Demon King himself could understand. These days, the Demon King was not gazing at the city of Lazak. [Preview has been activated.] He was simply replaying the scene revealed by the message over and over again. The scene of him losing his life to Ellen. And Ellen, blankly staring down at him. Ellen, who stood there silently with empty eyes, gazing down at Reinhardt. In the end. Holding the Void Sword with both hands, reversed, she thrust it into her own chest. And then, she slowly died, kneeling in front of the fallen Demon King. Over and over. Over and over. He would only replay this scene. "So, anyway, I''m not particularly angry. Tell everyone not to worry." Reinhardt said with a faint smile. ------ I think the future shown to me by the preview is like the last evil that I must face. Ellen kills me and then takes her own life. I don''t know when or under what circumstances. But if things continue like this, one day, I will fight Ellen and be killed by her hand. And then, Ellen will take her own life. That was the last future given to me. I cannot know what remains beyond the scene I saw. Whether Edina is destroyed, humanity is destroyed, or both survive. Whether it''s before or after the Gate incident is finished. I don''t know. In the end, my path is somehow fixed. I won''t be able to take back what has been given to Ellen by defeating them. This time, Ellen won''t cooperate. Even if I can take it back, the situation will become twisted, and a future where I fight Ellen in a different way will come. So I accept it. The fixed future. I must fight Ellen. If I don''t kill her, I will die, and if I die, Ellen will die too. I cannot know if the Ellen I saw was possessed by resentment and lost her sense of self. I don''t even know if Ellen is in control of that body. Regardless, no matter how I try to avoid it, the future will come to me. That''s why I wasn''t really angry. Exposed to so much evil, I only felt a sense of emptiness mixed with resignation, thinking that it would end up like this. Can I change this future? The preview is not showing me this to make me despair. It''s showing me this to challenge me to change it if I can. Of course, at this point, it feels like it''s showing me this just to witness my despair. It''s not difficult to change the future I see now. Now, either I die or Ellen dies. Only one of these events needs to occur for that future to disappear. Moreover, giving up one''s own life is such an easy thing to do; that future cannot be deemed absolute. It''s not an absolute future, but rather a future that can easily be changed. However, since I won''t choose those easy ways, that future is inevitably approaching. If this future is truly inevitable and only meant to mock me, then the one who showed me this future shouldn''t have done so. Showing it to me suggests that I should struggle again when such a situation arises. The moment a future is known, it ceases to approach. Just as several futures I''ve seen have not come to pass in reality. In this case, it''s simple. If I''m weak, both Ellen and I will die. So, I just have to be stronger than Ellen. That''s the simple truth it shows me. Everyone must be curious as to why I don''t get angry and why I don''t blame anyone. However, only I can understand the reason for my behavior, and I couldn''t possibly explain this feeling to others. "Did you call for me, Your Greatness?" At the pinnacle of Lazak Castle, I heard the voice of Antirianus, who answered my summons. It was Antirianus who suggested that Ellen should bear the grudge I carried. Always. Offering choices that seem to be for my sake, but are not at all - that insane old man. "Are you angry with me?" "It doesn''t really matter." I spoke without looking at Antirianus. "I thought for sure you would try to kill me." "What good would that do?" I''m not saying I''m not angry. Antirianus is a special case. I can feel the heat of my anger. But what would it mean to be angry? Would killing Antirianus make any difference? I tried to prevent the Gate incident, but it happened anyway. With the world in this state, it''s not like what I want can easily come true. It''s better that it can''t be easily achieved. At least, there''s a possibility, isn''t there? Even the task of reclaiming Ellen. It might be possible, right? No matter how slim the chance. No matter how close to impossible it seems. I don''t think all possibilities are closed. So, I do what I can. "I''m about to make you an offer that''s hard to refuse." "Heh heh... That sounds interesting." Antirianus, seemingly amused, began to listen carefully to what I had to say. CH 510 The Demon King called for a meeting. In the conference room of the Lazak palace. With all the high-ranking officials, including the Elders and the Regent, gathered in one place, the Demon King gave a brief order. "Organize an elite squad." Reinhardt did not mention a word about Ellen Artorius''s actions, as if intending to discuss the future, rather than debating the blame or merits of everything that had happened so far. "The objective is to take preemptive measures against the monsters on the alliance army''s route." Fort Mokna was being evacuated, and Edina didn''t require much military force for defense, leaving a considerable number of troops available. Although a significant number of knights and priests were lost during the previous purification operation, Edina''s power was not limited to that. A considerable number of troops remained. The last human army was now marching to destroy the gates. However, their speed was admittedly slow. They advanced a certain distance, then focused on establishing garrisons and securing the surrounding routes. This process of advancing and setting up garrisons was repeated continually. It was inevitable as the entire continent was in danger. "The faster the troop advances, the quicker we can respond to each gate. This will allow us to end the gate crisis a little sooner." Thus, the Demon King''s army would go ahead and do the same work as the imperial scouts and extermination squads. In other words, they would be an escort force, clearing the path even before the alliance army knew of their existence. "By securing the route, will we also cooperate in the gate destruction operation?" At Regent Charlotte''s question, the Demon King slightly shook his head. "It will depend on the situation. If we encounter them clumsily, they might attack us. There might be situations where we can help and where we need to withdraw." Harriet nodded at the Demon King''s words. "Right, if we''re not careful, it could turn into a three-way battle. That would be worse than not doing anything at all." If the human army detected the Demon King''s forces while the gate destruction was a priority, an unexpected situation could arise. So, they would move in a way that supported the human army from a hidden position. Simply clearing the advance route would be a massive operation in itself. They would leave the gates to the humans, helping only when necessary, but their primary mission was to secure the route''s safety. "If the situation is unfavorable, we can always secretly negotiate with the Emperor." The complete resolution of the gate crisis was necessary for both the Empire and Edina. Therefore, it was entirely possible to conduct such negotiations secretly, keeping ordinary soldiers unaware. "Please take charge of organizing the army, sister." The Demon King spoke, looking at Olivia Lanze. As the Holy Order occupied most of Edina''s military forces, it was better for Olivia Lanze to be in charge of organizing the army. "Okay, I understand." With a firm expression, Olivia nodded her head. "All of you Lords must cooperate in this operation as well. Is that possible?" At the Demon King''s words, the five Lords nodded their heads. The Demon King did not mention anything that needed to be said. Because of this, everyone felt somewhat guilty. So, it was true that they all followed the Demon King''s instructions and commands better than before. In this way, everyone was working together towards the complete end of the gate crisis. "The meeting is over. And Airi, stay behind. We have something to discuss." With the Demon King''s succinct order, the meeting was adjourned, and as instructed, succubus queen Airi remained in the conference room. Airi approached the Demon King with a shiver. Last time, it was Airi who had put Reinhardt to sleep. That''s why she was extremely tense, not knowing what to expect. In their younger days, Airi and Valier had a rivalry. In fact, it was Airi who used to beat Valier. However, as time went by, Valier became the undisputed Demon King, possessing the abilities of one. Having regained her horn and the ability to control her magic, Airi was now incomparably stronger than when she had lost her horn, and she could use various powers. Nevertheless, due to her past actions, Airi couldn''t help but shrink like a mouse in front of a cat when the Demon King told her to stay. Seeing the Demon King fall silent for a moment, Airi nervously opened her mouth. "Um... I''m working on the thing you asked me to do last time..." The implementation of dream magic as ordinary magic, and its artifactization. Although it was an order given to Harriet, Airi had to cooperate, so she was already collaborating with Harriet on the matter. "Really? Do you think it''s possible?" "I''m not sure yet. But the scribe... seems to have a grasp on something." Implementing the unique power of demons as magic, which is not even demonic magic. It was something they had never thought of before, but Harriet seemed to be catching on to what Reinhardt had asked her to do. A country where everyone is guaranteed a comfortable place to dream. It was uncertain whether it had a significant meaning, but it would undoubtedly be helpful to many people if there were many places with wounded individuals. "I''m glad to hear that." Seemingly unaware that things would turn out this way, the Demon King smiled. But as if that wasn''t the main issue, the Demon King looked at Airi. "Anyway, now that there are no more refugee search operations, you won''t have anything to do, right?" "Huh? Oh... Yeah, I guess so." Airi''s primary mission was to take care of the mental state of those who had arrived in Edina, providing counseling and helping them dream. She had been very busy during the early days of Edina''s founding, but as the number of refugees decreased rapidly, Airi began to have more free time. And now, with the complete suspension of Port Mokna''s operation, no more refugees would arrive. So, taking care of existing counseling and dreams could be left to other succubi. In the long run, Airi might have to take on another position. "Remember when you looked after my dream last time?" "Ah... Yeah." "It was quite good. Definitely." The Demon King had never personally experienced what it meant for a succubus queen to take care of one''s dream. The first time he had experienced that power was the last time. Airi''s power had a considerable influence in somehow keeping his dying spirit alive. "So from now on, I''d like you to look after my dreams every day, if possible." Airi seemed to finally understand what the Demon King was saying. No matter how fine he pretended to be, his heart would be filled with confusion and anger. Even though the vengeful spirits that tormented his soul and mind were gone, Ellen had taken them on. So, the Demon King was merely holding back all his negative thoughts and words, and it must have been quite painful. The possibility of still having nightmares even with the vengeful spirits gone was very high. Therefore, asking her to look after his dreams was something she could do without hesitation. "It''s not a reproach or a criticism, but a request for help." "Sure, I can do that. I''ll make you have pleasant dreams." Airi vigorously nodded her head at the thought that she could do something to help. It wasn''t to absorb energy, but to help Reinhardt regain his peace of mind within tranquil dreams. Upon hearing Airi''s words, the Demon King lowered his head. "Hmm... I appreciate the thought, but I want something different." "...Different?" The Demon King looked at Airi. "I don''t want pleasant dreams. I want nightmares." "¡­What?" Airi felt as if her mind was freezing at the Demon King''s calm statement. Not peaceful dreams, but nightmares. To desire such a thing. But why? "Make me dream of Ellen trying to kill me. Every day." Airi couldn''t comprehend what she had just heard. ------ Thanks to Airi''s power, I was able to somehow hold onto my fragile mind. But the vengeful spirits that had tried to break and devour me were no longer within me; they had been transferred to Ellen. So, I no longer needed to pursue that peaceful state of mind. I had already learned how to do that from Rezaira. Succubi are dream demons. Dream demons traditionally enter someone''s dreams to absorb their energy. Reina, the previous Succubus Queen, had prevented countless soldiers from waking up with this method. Soldiers who couldn''t overcome their drowsiness couldn''t concentrate in battle, and once they fell asleep, the Succubus Queen drained their energy, rendering them unable to wake up again. Now, our succubi, including Airi, use their powers in a way that deviates significantly from their original purpose. Originally intended to seduce and absorb energy, their powers are now used to help people find peace of mind. Then the opposite should be possible too. If they can give someone pleasant dreams without absorbing their energy... Then they should also be able to give someone nightmares without absorbing their energy. In the moment when I have to fight for my life against Ellen, I must become accustomed to that very moment. Even if it''s just happening in a dream, I need to become familiar with it, so I can remain calm in that situation, and changing the future can begin from there. From that day on, Airi began to watch over Harriet and me in the bedroom where we slept. Airi and Harriet looked at me with pity when I requested to have nightmares on purpose. They must know what I''m trying to endure through this. There''s no such thing as a predetermined future. There are only futures that can be determined. I will change the future. I''ve changed it many times before. Though I now know that very important futures never change. I will change it. "How... should we do this?" "What do you mean?" Airi looked at me with trembling eyes as I asked. "Do you want to make the pain... and things like that... not be felt, or make them weaker...?" "Make them stronger." "¡­" Airi bit her lip slightly, as if she had expected me to say that, while looking down at me lying on the bed. It''s a fight within a dream, injuries within a dream, and death within a dream. As long as no one is actually harmed, the more pain, the better. Her eyes seemed to ask if I really had to go this far. Airi placed her hand on my forehead. Airi''s touch on my forehead was warm. But that hand would soon plunge me into a deep nightmare I wouldn''t even want to think about. The Succubus Queen If Airi held malicious intent while putting someone to sleep, she could potentially trap them in a never-ending slumber, regardless of whether or not she absorbed their energy. "Sleep well... Valier." Airi''s trembling voice reached my ears. And then, I was plunged into a deep sleep. ------ Dreams, by their very nature, are typically devoid of self-awareness. Once you become aware, your brain awakens, and you are pulled back into reality. Consciously dreaming, or lucid dreaming, is a difficult skill to master, and even harder to control. But the dream I was experiencing now was very special. In a dream controlled by the Succubus Queen, I was essentially experiencing a lucid dream. I found myself in an expansive reed marsh. It appeared to be daytime. Autumn, perhaps. The time, season, and location were all uncertain. I couldn''t tell whether this was Airi''s creation or a product of my own mind. But I thought it was probably the latter. I had asked Airi to make me dream of a nightmare where Ellen tried to kill me. However, Airi knew little about Ellen. Thus, the Ellen in my dream would be based on my understanding of her. The Ellen I imagined¡ªEllen Artorius. Such an Ellen would be driven by the intent to kill me. If Ellen were to lose her sense of self, becoming a puppet driven solely by the desire for the Demon King''s death due to the spirits inhabiting her. The Ellen I would face now, and the Ellen I would face later, would be the same entity, disregarding their actual abilities. A hollow shell of Ellen, devoid of her ego, intent only on killing me. I summoned this entity in my dream. And later, I might have to face such an Ellen in reality. -Swoosh! Amidst the obscuring reed marsh, a figure leaped out. In midair, Ellen, armed with her Void Sword and the Sun''s Cloak, struck down at me. -Crash! Barely dodging, the shockwave of her attack sent a portion of the reed marsh flying. The dream Ellen Artorius, with her empty gaze, charged straight at me. -Clang! As my Aura Blade met her Void Sword, another shockwave erupted, and this time both Ellen and I were repelled by the force. The Ellen I imagined. I had never truly defeated her. How much of a difference was there between the real Ellen and the dream Ellen''s abilities? I still remember the inscription on Lapelt. "Born from hatred, made immortal." An Ellen burdened with the world''s hatred. Ellen could now wield the true power of Lapelt. What that power was, I didn''t know. Perhaps it was related to flames; I could only hazard a guess. So I didn''t know much about the current Ellen. Thus, the dream Ellen would be weaker than the real one. I didn''t know how powerful Ellen would be once she harnessed the true power of the two relics. -Swoosh! The Void Sword thrust from between the reeds, aimed straight at my heart. I parried it with my Alsbringer, aiming for her throat. In this moment, I could strike down Ellen''s neck. Strike it down. Even though it was a dream. But was it right? For me to do this? To Ellen? The moment I discovered my fear of even seeing Ellen die in a dream. My sword slowed, and the strength in my grip waned. The power in my sword weakened, and the dream entity didn''t miss this fleeting hesitation. In my moment of hesitation. Seizing the opportunity, Ellen struck out with her left elbow, spinning around in a full circle. As she swung her void sword along its trajectory, it returned to her. Swish! My head was severed. ------ I had died six times at the hands of Ellen. The real Ellen would be stronger than my imagination, meaning that if a fight were to happen in the future, the predetermined vision of that future would unfold just as it was. The reason I had died six times wasn''t because the Ellen in my dreams was too strong. I had faced Ellen countless times. Even if it was just in my imagination, clashing swords with Ellen was nothing new to me. However, I felt how difficult it was for me to truly swing my sword against Ellen, who attacked me with the intention to kill. It was just a dream, so hurting her wouldn''t be an issue, but the moment my sword seemed to touch Ellen''s body, my body would stiffen involuntarily. The Ellen in my dreams was naturally moving to kill me, but I was afraid to hurt her even in my dreams. Regardless of my own abilities or the strength of the Ellen in my imagination, In a situation where I might sever Ellen''s life, my body would freeze in fear. Since it was a dream, it wouldn''t affect the real world, so I shouldn''t hesitate to hurt Ellen. But what if I became too accustomed to that? Could it result in me actually hurting Ellen or even taking her life? My darkened vision returned. This time, the backdrop was the Demon King''s castle at night. The central garden of the ruined Demon King''s castle. The place where the fight between Ragan Artorius and the previous Valier took place. Across from me, Ellen looked at me, holding her void sword. Snap! In the end, there was no change in the fact that I had to become accustomed to this situation while having such dreams. Clang! The impact of the Void Sword and the Alsbringer colliding sent a shockwave through the air, scattering stone dust. CH 511 After the twentieth time, I stopped counting. I couldn''t subdue Ellen even once. The pain amplified in my dreams was more agonizing than actual wounds, but I didn''t wake up because of it. Airi was controlling it artificially. -Rumble So when I woke up from my sleep, I could see the ominous thunder rolling through the clouded morning sky. Is a storm coming? I could feel Airi''s hand still on me from just before I fell asleep. "Did you sleep well...? Hmm, you probably didn''t..." Airi must have been concentrating on my dreams, so she must not have slept at all either. Perhaps because she kept seeing me die miserably in my dreams, her expression wasn''t great. Putting aside whether this method is good or not, there was one definite side effect when I woke up in the morning. "Anyway... I don''t feel refreshed at all." "It can''t be helped..." I woke up tired. It''s only natural. Dreams aren''t usually experienced for hours on end. But I had nightmares throughout my sleep, so my brain felt numb as if it was overloaded. It seemed like a side effect of my brain doing more work while I was asleep. If we keep doing this, both Airi and I will be exhausted when we need our strength the most. Every day seems a bit too much; we should probably do this every other day or take a couple of days off in between. Across the room, Harriet was asleep, hugging a large pillow tightly. "Uh-huh... Reinhardt..." Airi hadn''t intervened in her dreams, but Harriet mumbled something in her sleep and hugged the pillow even tighter. Our blockhead can sometimes be so cute that I want to bite her. "Is this... going to be effective?" Airi asked in a low voice, careful not to wake Harriet. I was killed dozens of times in one night. The pain in the dream was more terrible than actual pain. Compared to the otherworldly spiritual pain that almost devoured my soul, this pain seemed bearable. But just because I''ve experienced pain doesn''t mean a lesser pain isn''t painful. Luna once said that if you can heal easily, you develop a mindset that it''s okay to get hurt easily too. Since I''ve been in too much pain, I''m trying to endure this level of pain, which is definitely wrong from Luna''s perspective. I know that I can''t buy future happiness with the pain I''m enduring now. I know that for sure. But I can''t think of any other way. To avoid the future where Ellen kills me and then ends up committing suicide, as I saw in the preview. "I think it''s necessary." "...I see." I''m trying to die a lot now. "Anyway, let''s sleep a bit more." "Huh?" "We should still get some proper sleep." Airi placed her hand on my forehead again. Since I didn''t feel refreshed at all, I had to get at least a little proper sleep. It must be painful for my dear one to intentionally make me have nightmares. I could have resisted, but I entrusted my consciousness to her touch. "I won''t let you dream of anything this time." In truth, both Airi and I knew that the best sleep was when you didn''t have any dreams at all. ------ The elite forces of the Demon King''s army, who could be considered the finest, began to gather. The Vampire Council''s leaders and their subordinate vampires. The Priests and Holy Knights of the Holy Order. And an army that included some of the most powerful beings among the demons. Though their numbers were not large, a need for maximized mobility through mass teleportation led to the formation of an elite unit, each member possessing great strength. The elite soldiers were handpicked by the noble families of the Vampire Lords, the leader of the Holy Order Olivia Lanze, and Regent Charlotte. The Demon King would lead them to break through the march for the human armies. An advance guard was being organized, unbeknownst to humanity itself. -Grrrrrr An unexpected storm had arrived in Lazak. The waves grew higher, making it difficult to navigate the ships. At the docks, people were bustling about, securing the ships more firmly to prevent them from being swept away. The mermaids, responsible for gathering marine resources, also reduced their activities. At a villa on the outskirts of Lazak. On the beach in front of it. "My daughter, why are you sitting out here in the rain?" Ellena de Grantz, the Duchess. No, she was no longer the Duchess, but merely Ellena de Grantz, a woman who approached her daughter, who was sitting blankly on the beach in the rain. "..." Her daughter, better known by her nickname the Thunder Queen, said nothing and simply stared blankly at the waves shimmering in the distance. There had been very few opportunities for her to see her mother due to her mission in Port Mokna. At this point, organizing the army was not within Liana''s jurisdiction, so she had nothing to do until the Demon King issued further orders. So Liana was spending a not-quite-vacation in one of the many villas once owned by the Grantz Duke throughout the continent and archipelagos, and now occupied by her mother on the outskirts of Lazak. During her first summer break at the temple, Liana had spent a few days at the villa with her friends. There was no going back to those days. Everything had changed too much. The word "vacation" was unfamiliar to Liana. She couldn''t remember the last time she had properly rested. She tried hard. She tried hard at everything. She thought she had to do something, that there was no time to rest. There had been many moments of critical decision-making, and Liana had made her choices. And as a result of those choices. Liana had brought about another massive disaster in an already tragic world, and she could not be held accountable for it. Olivia Lanze had. Reinhardt had. And ultimately, Ellen Artorius had. They all took on the origin of the sins committed by Liana. Liana had nothing she could be responsible for. Ellena looked at her daughter, who was just staring blankly at the seashore. She had no title or authority in Edina. However, by the command of the Demon King, she maintained a certain standard of living, albeit not as luxurious as during her time as a duchess, and even had security. Of course, Ellena knew what her daughter was doing and what important role she held. Her daughter, whom she had hardly seen, stared blankly at the beach as soon as she returned home. She was sitting in the pouring rain, getting soaked. The mother couldn''t gauge the extent of guilt in her daughter''s eyes, but eventually, she set down her umbrella. And then, she sat down beside her sitting, blank-faced daughter. "Liana." "...Yes." "Is it very hard?" "..." At her mother''s question, Liana turned her head slightly and stared at her mother. "I don''t deserve to be struggling." "..." "If I''m struggling, I shouldn''t say it." Liana says this and then turns her gaze back to the seashore. Ellena carefully places her hand on her daughter''s wet shoulder. "So, you''re struggling that much." "..." "It''s okay to cry if you''re struggling." She''s struggling enough to say that she doesn''t deserve to struggle. It''s okay to cry if you''re struggling. At her mother''s words, Liana shakes her head. "You can say that because you''re my mother." "Because I''m your mother, I can say that." "If it was someone else... they wouldn''t be able to say such a thing." "I don''t even have the right to cry." They were a mother and daughter who had a terribly bad relationship. But after the death of Duke Grantz and the Gate Incident, many things changed. In the end, they are the only blood relatives left in the world. How sad that is. How fortunate that is, at least. Now, they both know that fact painfully well. Ellena doesn''t know why her daughter is struggling so much. "Well, I don''t know exactly. I don''t know why you''re like this, but I guess I can say this because I''m your mother." Ellena doesn''t know what her daughter has done. But she can read one thing in her daughter''s eyes. An indelible sense of guilt. "So, no matter what you''ve done, even if you''ve committed an unforgivable act, even if you''ve made a huge mistake..." "I am your mother." "You are my daughter." "You can cry in front of me." "Even if you can''t forgive yourself." "Even if you think you don''t have the right to cry." "You can cry in front of me." "That''s why we''re family." At those words, Liana looks at Ellena. Liana, who didn''t allow herself to cry because she thought she didn''t even have the right to shed tears. She still can''t forgive herself, and she doesn''t know how to accept the countless deaths and damage caused by her actions. She killed many people with her own hands. And many people died because of that. -Rumble In the stormy beach, Liana finally breaks down in front of her mother''s smile. "Mother..." "Yes." "I''ve committed... an unforgivable sin." "I see." "I thought it would be unforgivable... but it was worse than I thought... worse than I had hoped... so many unimaginable things happened." Ellena silently embraces her daughter, who begins to sob with a pitifully distorted face. "I see..." "Mother... I... I don''t know... what to do..." Ellena couldn''t give her sobbing daughter an answer. "I... I don''t know if hating something, seeking revenge for Father, or being like me is right anymore..." All she can do is embrace her daughter, who is crying with guilt, and cry with her. "I see... my daughter. You were thinking... such thoughts..." Holding her sobbing daughter in the rain, Ellena de Grantz strokes her daughter''s wet hair and back. She can''t provide an answer, advice, or anything at all. She can only hold her daughter and cry together. That''s what family is. "Whimper... sob..." The Thunder King, Liana de Grantz, weeps in her mother''s arms. The supernatural who controls lightning finally lets her held-back tears flow. Then, the sky begins to clear. The clouds that were once dark and gloomy disperse, and between them, a brilliant sun pours down, creating a miraculous sight. Amidst the genuine tears, the heavy heart that wept manifested a heavy atmosphere. The storm conjured by her supernatural powers disappeared within the depths of Liana''s wailing. Both Ellena and Liana had no choice but to gaze upon the surreal landscape, submerged in their tears. It was Liana de Grantz, who had learned to control lightning in her fury. Enveloped by sorrow and guilt, Liana''s abilities took a step further. ------ "Uh... What did you say?" I couldn''t help but be dumbfounded upon hearing Liana''s words. "Remember that sudden storm last time? It just stopped." "Yeah, it did, didn''t it?" The storm had begun out of nowhere, causing chaos for days, only to suddenly clear as if the sky had been torn apart. It was such a strange phenomenon that not only I but also Lazak was quite alarmed. Yet Liana came to me, claiming it was her doing. "So, I''m not sure if the storm ended because of me or if it started because of me in the first place¡­" "¡­" "I know it sounds crazy. I know." Was it because she could read the suspicion in my eyes, that she''d gone mad from the series of events? Liana''s face flushed as she mumbled her confession. "But the timing... What am I supposed to do about that? How am I supposed to handle it?" "What''s wrong with the timing?" "Well¡­ um¡­ that''s¡­" Hesitant, Liana began to explain the events of the past few days to me. In the end, she couldn''t erase the guilt and remorse that clouded her face, and her eyes welled up as she choked back a sob. She must have been utterly miserable. The pain must have been enough to make her wish for death. Seeing this side of Liana, who had always been strong and rough, was truly heart-wrenching. Her explanation was lengthy, but the conclusion was this: The storm had ceased when she had cried in her mother''s embrace. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but the timing¡­ what am I supposed to do about it?!" Liana''s face was bright red, and she yelled, only to suddenly shrink back. "I shouldn''t be angry... Sorry¡­" "Act as you usually do. I don''t want to blame you, nor do I want to see you change." It''s even more uncomfortable seeing Liana so dejected. "Hmm¡­ So, we have to verify whether you can control the weather or if you''re a delusional patient who thinks she can." "Hey! Do you have to phrase it like that?" "Anyway, I can tell for sure that your mental state isn''t normal, since you''re about to get angry but then stop yourself." Seeing Liana, who was about to get angry but couldn''t because she felt sorry for me, I was sure that she wasn''t normal. "Follow me. We need to check." I grabbed Liana''s arm and led her. "If you really can control the weather, would doing it here be fine?" People would go crazy, thinking the sky had gone mad. ------ Liana''s thought could be a delusion. The lump of emotions she held in her heart manifested as a storm, and when it dissipated, the weather cleared. If someone told me such a story, I''d introduce them to Airi, telling them that they clearly had mental issues and should seek counseling. However, the one who told me this story was none other than Liana de Grantz. In the original work, Liana possessed the power specialized in lightning, but as the story unfolded differently from the original, her ability had become something beyond mere lightning. She was now able to strike lightning in a clear sky. Lightning. An electric discharge from the sky. The sky itself. It wasn''t impossible that Liana''s power could evolve into something related to the weather. If Liana''s ability truly evolved to the point of causing weather changes, it was uncertain how she could use it later. But first, it needed to be verified. Naturally, she had to know if she could cause weather changes and to what extent it was possible. It was impossible to do it in Lazak, so they had to move to an uninhabited area. "A deserted island?" "Yes, we need to verify something." So, I took Liana and went to find Lucinil. ------ Initially, the Edina Archipelago was a place with numerous islands, so there were plenty of uninhabited ones. Among them, one nameless island was located quite far from the inhabited ones. Lucinil gathered information about the deserted island from the merfolk, checked its coordinates, and cast a mass teleport spell to travel there together. "The view is nice." This region was known for its emerald-colored sea. Even during the temple era, people used to visit this place for summer vacations. The peaceful scenery made it seem as if my heart was at ease, but the disparity between this and the tasks I had to accomplish, as well as the events unfolding on the continent, felt strange every time I experienced it. "So, what are we supposed to do on this deserted island?" Lucinil tilted her head as if asking what we were going to do after coming here. I looked at Liana. "I suspect Liana''s power might have evolved further, so we''re going to find out now." "Evolved further?" Lucinil tilted her head, wondering what could have evolved beyond her already incredible ability to summon lightning. Yes, I was curious too. We found the deserted island, but it was no different from any other sunny beach resort. "Let''s give it a try now, anyway." Upon hearing my words, Liana scratched her cheek with an awkward expression. "Well, you know..." "What is it?" "No, I mean... before I told you... I hadn''t tried it myself..." Ah. I think I understood the problem. "...You don''t know how to use it?" "...Yes." Liana had some awareness that her power might have evolved, but she didn''t know how to use it properly yet. It was also possible that it was just a coincidence. "Umm..." Liana concentrated her mind while looking at the shimmering emerald-colored sea. -Flash! I could see hundreds of bolts of lightning streaking across the sky and striking the sea. The flashes of lightning hitting the distant sea. And then. -Rumble! With a time lag, the thunderous sound that seemed to tear our ears reached us. In a clear sky, she could strike hundreds of bolts of lightning just by concentrating for a moment. Liana''s power was undoubtedly incredible, bordering on catastrophic. "That''s not it." "...I know." At my words, Liana nodded her head with a nervous expression. It was amazing, but what she needed to do now was not summoning lightning but changing the weather. "It''s a strange feeling... I feel like I can do something, but at the same time, I feel like I can''t." Even the origin and function of their powers were unknown to the users themselves. So, Liana was in a state where she felt like she could do it, but couldn''t grasp it at all. Lucinil, being an Archmage, knew nothing about supernatural powers and could only tilt her head. -Flash! Flash! Flash! In the end, Liana spent a great deal of time striking the sea with lightning. She seemed to want to summon something other than lightning, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t show any sign of manifesting anything other than lightning. -Rumble! About twenty minutes passed like that. "By the way, Archdemon." "Yes, my Lord." "Although lightning falling on the sea surface isn''t a big problem... what if a mermaid pops up out of curiosity and gets struck by lightning?" "Th-That could happen?" "¡­!" There''s always a possibility, however slim. Although lightning falling into the sea doesn''t kill fish, a wandering mermaid might stick her head out and get electrocuted. In the end, the three of us, including Liana, sat down on the beach. "Was it just... a delusion?" Liana began to seriously wonder if she was a delusional person who believed she could cause weather changes. Lucinil, of course, was at a loss. "But when you were able to summon lightning... it was the same." "Ah... yeah." Liana became able to summon lightning amidst her father''s death. And if Liana had truly awakened a new power, it would also be a new power triggered by a certain emotional state. "So, if you can use the new power in that kind of emotional state..." "Does that mean I need to be in a similar emotional state?" It wasn''t Liana who continued my words, but Lucinil. "If supernatural powers respond to emotions, and this time you can... cause weather changes, then all you have to do is be in a similar state to when that happened, right?" Lucinil said, smiling innocently. "Let''s try to get into that feeling." However. It was obvious that she was in a very bad mental state at the time. Isn''t it terribly painful to have to fall into such a state artificially? Liana''s complexion turned ashen at Lucinil''s suggestion. It was obvious that her current mental state wasn''t great, but she had to intentionally put herself in that state. She must have been feeling depressed, or something quite similar. If she unknowingly caused a weather change in that situation, she would have to deliberately dwell on her depression. And, to plunge Liana into the depths of despair. Upon reflection, it''s an incredibly easy task. Liana struggled with a stiff expression, unable to do anything, groaning for about five minutes. "Hey." "¡­Hmm?" "Help me?" At my unexpected words, Liana tilted her head. "Help with... what?" "Never mind the details, just help me?" Liana seemed to have no idea what I was talking about. "If I can help... that''d be... nice." "Um, okay." I grabbed Liana''s shoulder and looked straight into her eyes. "What I''m about to say isn''t sincere. I''m just trying to help you, so don''t misunderstand and listen. Got it?" "Wh-? No, what are you trying to say..." "It''s all your fault." Liana shattered. CH 512 Liana sat hunched on the beach, her head bowed and silent. Rumble - "It doesn''t seem like a coincidence, does it?" "...No, it doesn''t." Dark storm clouds had gathered in the sky that had been crystal clear just moments ago, and thunder echoed from within the clouds. If there was anyone who could kill Liana with words in Edina right now, it would be me. It''s all your fault. At that single sentence, Liana stared vacantly at the sand on the beach with empty eyes. I didn''t mean it. Liana wanted to find out for herself if her extreme emotional state could really cause weather changes, and I had said that without meaning it. But that figure from behind... She had been thinking that all along, hadn''t she? It''s even more painful to see. After staring at the sand for a while, Liana lifted her head to gaze at the gloomy sky above. There was no denying the effects. How much time had passed? Liana, with her lifeless eyes, rose and approached me. "A little more." "...Huh?" "Say something more to me." No. I understand the sentiment, but! "...You two are really twisted." Lucinil looked at Liana and me with lifeless eyes, a disgusted expression on her face. "...Will it be okay?" If she asked for it, I could do it, but wouldn''t it end up completely trampling on Liana''s already half-dead spirit? It feels like she could crumble with just a touch. "It''s not okay. That''s why I want you to say more." She wanted me to beat her harder, knowing the effects. Is this really okay? Wouldn''t Liana end up strangling herself with her own hands? Even though her mental state was already unstable, tearing her apart with words for the sake of ability awakening... I had already done it, but was doing it more really alright? "...Fine." In the end, Liana had requested it herself. In the end, hearing some kind of reproach from me might be a process for Liana to feel relieved. Rather than not hearing anything, perhaps her heart could be at ease after being scolded. I don''t know for sure, but Liana might need my criticism apart from her ability awakening. Because she had been scolded, she had paid the price. Though she might not think that way, there was a small chance that Liana''s heart could be eased by it. I sat Liana down on the sandy beach and took a seat next to her. And then, I spoke of the terrible things that had happened. "To be honest, it''s not all your fault." Once I decided to do it, I wouldn''t hold back. "Because of various events, it ended up like this, didn''t it?" "..." "Well, many people died... Olivia suffered a lot, too. I almost suffocated as well..." "..." "In the end, I had to kill Ellen, or it became a situation where I had to kill her..." "..." "So, for the past few days, I''ve been purposely having nightmares where Ellen kills me, to make it easier to be killed later." "..." "So, all these things..." "..." "It''s not like it''s all your fault that it turned out this way, right?" Liana''s lips twisted. In the end, Liana''s body trembled as she burst into tears. "I''m... I''m sorry... I''m sorry... I''m sorry, Reinhardt..." Even though she knew I was doing this on purpose, Liana had no choice but to be tormented by my words. "I... I... I messed up... All of it, everything... It''s because of me..." I placed my hand on the trembling, sobbing Liana''s shoulder, whispering in her ear. "You said it''s all your fault, but you never said you did anything right, did you?" Never. "Then why are you crying?" "Heu... Euh... Euk! Euk...! Euhuk!" There was no intention to take it lightly. Soon, the rain began to fall. -Rumble The rain quickly turned into a storm. ------ -Swoosh! A fierce storm raged, accompanied by violent winds. The waves leaped ferociously, and within the dark clouds, lightning danced incessantly, scattering sharp thunder on the ground. It was clear by now. Liana had indeed awakened the ability to control the weather. Crying brings rain. I stood motionless on the beach, facing the raging sea and the pouring downpour. "You know that Valier doesn''t really think that way." "Ah, I know... I know... I know. I know, but... Euk... Euhuk..." "Sigh. You should be gentler. She''s completely broken." Lucinil took Liana under a palm tree and tried to console her somehow, patting her back. I was aware that I had spoken too harshly. But perhaps Liana needed that. Liana had never paid the price for her mistakes. And she couldn''t take responsibility for anything that happened because of her mistakes. So, even a little bit. Even if it''s scolding or criticism. Wouldn''t it be better to hear such words in order to pay some kind of price? It wouldn''t be comforting, but wouldn''t there be some meaning to being criticized by me, the person involved? The storm raged, and lightning roiled. The rough sound of the wind on my skin, and the raindrops hitting my face with it, were fierce. Weather changes. Is this it? Is this all? I sit under a palm tree and stand in front of Liana, who is being comforted by Lucinil. "Archdemon. Stop..." Seeing my expression, Lucinil shook her head as if she read some determination. But I have no intention of stopping. "Liana." "...Yes." Liana lifts her head with difficulty and looks at me. "Stand up." "Stop it. You''ve checked, right? What are you trying to do more here? Huh?" As if telling her to stop, Lucinil held onto Liana''s collar as she tried to stand up at my command and shook her head. The ability to change the weather has been confirmed. Liana''s ability has indeed evolved. Liana''s expression, trying to hold back her tears, was miserable and pitiful. "What can you do with this?" "... " "Draw out more." I point to the seashore. "What will change with this bit of rain and wind?" Can you kill monsters with rain? Can you kill monsters with wind? Lightning was an original power. "More." "... " "Show me something more useful." "... " "If you want to take responsibility for what you''ve done, you''ll have to show me something more useful than this." "... " "Do you think this is enough?" "...No." Liana shakes her head with a pitiful expression. I don''t know whether this is her true intention or not. Liana has awakened a new ability, and it''s certainly not an ordinary one. But Liana has found new usefulness within herself and has reported it to me. Then, something more. Something more substantial, more practical, and more useful. Something more destructive. There had to be something like that. I had said things I didn''t mean just to provoke Liana. But not anymore. "Show me. If it''s not there, then bring it forth. Create a power that doesn''t exist and reveal it." I was sincere. "If you''re going to take responsibility for even a speck of what you''ve done, don''t you need to show me something more? Am I wrong?" "Valier! Are you serious?" Unable to hold back any longer, Lucinil grabs my sleeve. "What?" "..." Lucinil, who had met my gaze, froze and couldn''t say anything else to me. "Am I wrong? Answer me." "...Yes. You''re right." One can''t kill monsters with just a storm. So something more, something larger. Something more devastating. "If you know, then do it." Can one take responsibility for their sins? I don''t know. But Liana and I had decided to do something while we were alive. For that, we needed power. If hope becomes power, then we must find hope. If anger becomes power, then we must give ourselves to anger. If despair becomes power. Then we must consume despair. Upon my fierce command, Liana stared blankly at the seashore with lifeless eyes. I didn''t know if my command had drawn forth her power or if her despair and depression had fueled it. -Rumble! From a distance, I could see a massive waterspout rising, sucking up seawater. Lucinil stood with her mouth agape, staring at the disaster that went beyond the overwhelming weather phenomenon. We didn''t settle for just a storm. Digging deeper into that power, we discovered that there was something like this. Power enough to cause a disaster beyond a storm. Liana must be the ultimate supernatural. This should be enough. Though she''d need to become more familiar with this power to use it in real situations. But then. You know what? "That... after all the nonsense so far, I know it''s not the time to say this..." "¡­Hmm?" When I stopped commanding and my tone returned to normal, Liana seemed flustered. No. It''s great that we somehow managed to bring out the ability. -Rumble! The rough storm caused by the giant waterspout could be felt on our skin. "Can you... get rid of that?" I hadn''t thought about how to get rid of it, only how to bring it out. Liana and I locked eyes. "..." "..." It was obvious that I had no countermeasures, and Liana seemed to have none either. No matter how uninhabited this island was. What would happen if that tornado reached the populated areas? In the end, our last card. I had no choice but to turn to the great mage, Lucinil. "Um, Lord. Can''t you do something with magic?" "¡­Do you think I''d know magic to dismantle a naturally occurring tornado? And even if I knew magic to summon a tornado, I couldn''t create one of that scale even if I tried." Lucinil was in the same boat, with no countermeasures. We had no choice but to return to the basic discussion. This was a weather phenomenon created in response to Liana''s gloomy state of mind. That meant if Liana''s mental state recovered, not only the storm but also the waterspout would disappear. "You know that everything I''ve said so far was just talk, right?" "..." At my words, Liana''s face contorted, and she began to cry once again. There it was. The scene of her crying, unable to cry while being scolded by her parents, only to have the tears explode in sorrow when comforted. "Ugh... uh-huh... sob!" "Oh dear, go on, cry. I''m sorry." As I started to vigorously pat Liana''s back, the soaked Lucinil stared at me with a startled expression. "Valier, you really... you''re really a piece of trash." "..." Anyway, Lucinil and I did our best to comfort Liana. Thankfully, her dragon-like outburst subsided quickly. The torrential rain, however, continued to pour. ------ Since there was still quite a bit of time before our departure, Liana, Lucinil, and I were able to devote some more time to our training on the uninhabited island. Of course, we didn''t eat or sleep on the island. There was no need to do so since we were training with an Archmage capable of mass teleportation. "You should go home and sleep tonight." "...Home?" "Go to where your mother is and sleep. Be back here by noon tomorrow." I gave these instructions to Liana, who wore a gloomy expression. Her face remained dark, but she nodded reluctantly as if questioning the necessity of this. "Go hold your mom''s hand and sleep. Just because the power comes out when you''re mentally down doesn''t mean you always have to be miserable, right?" "...Are you doing this on purpose?" "How did you know?" As I chuckled, Liana''s face seemed on the verge of tears again. Is she moved by the usual teasing? "Fine, I''ll go home and hold my mom''s hand to sleep, even if I have to be sad and depressed. Damn it." With a bitter smile, as if joking, Liana left for the castle. "Ah, power that only comes out when you''re sad. Being a supernatural is pretty complicated." "Still, it''s better than not having any power at all." "...True." Lucinil watched Liana''s retreating figure with a pitiful gaze. ------ That night. "Liana?" "Yeah." Since I hadn''t called for Airi today, only Harriet and I were in the bedroom. "Controlling weather phenomena... that''s amazing." Harriet, sitting on the bed, marveled while jotting down notes in her research journal. She could even summon tornadoes. But that wasn''t the end of it; Liana''s ability definitely had more potential. Since she could make the sky cloudy, she should also be able to make it clear, make it snow, and even cause hail. Going further, could she not cause natural disasters like earthquakes as well? The extent of Liana''s supernatural potential was uncertain. Therefore, I wanted to focus on developing Liana''s abilities before our departure. "But Liana''s power only manifests when she''s feeling down?" "Yeah, that''s why I had to say harsh things to her, and it made me feel miserable as well." "Harsh things?" "You know... that incident this time..." "Ah..." Without going into details, Harriet seemed to understand what I meant and nodded her head with a weary expression. It was hard for me to say such things, for Liana to hear them, and for Lucinil to witness the maddening scene. We were all doing things we couldn''t stand. "It must have been tough... for both you and Liana." The thought of having to do this again tomorrow was dreadful. Harriet was repeatedly writing something in her research journal, pausing to contemplate, and then continuing to write. "Um... But if you think about it, do we really have to do it that way?" As if she came up with an idea, Harriet looked at me. "Do we really have to... I mean, say such hurtful things?" "Yeah, do we really have to do that?" "Well, her power seems to emerge when she''s depressed, so there was no other choice..." "No, if being depressed is a condition, you don''t have to... say things you don''t even want to say." "Then how do we make her feel depressed?" The fact that we were seriously discussing how to make a friend feel depressed in itself was bizarre and dreadful. "Wouldn''t drugs be enough?" "...What?" What is she talking about? "Wouldn''t it be enough to use a drug that lowers mood? It''s better than saying things that hurt... " "But... wouldn''t that be bad if we use drugs?" Upon hearing the word "drug," I was initially shocked, making Harriet''s words seem sinister. "As long as there are no side effects." "...Really?" "A depressant, excluding addictive properties or such aspects. If we actually try to create it, it wouldn''t be impossible." Come to think of it, Christina was in charge of creating Moonshine, the essence of alchemy, but Harriet also played a role in the manufacturing of Power Cartridges and Moonshine. That''s why Harriet must have considerable knowledge of alchemy. Harriet quickly wrote something in her research journal, tore out a page, and handed it to me. "Show this to the Lord of Wednesday. She should roughly understand what it is. Mix it as written and give it to her." "But... it''s still a drug... Are you sure it''s okay?" "...Don''t you trust me?" "Well, that''s not the issue..." As soon as the word "drug" came up, I was scared, and Harriet looked at me with a sly gaze. Would it be better to use a drug to create such a state instead of verbally assaulting her to immerse her in depression? Once the drug wears off, her mood should return to normal. If there are no side effects, as Harriet says, what Liana needs might actually be something like this. No. But it''s absurd to receive a prescription for a depressant, not an antidepressant. Is this even right? "All drugs are like this, but remember that long-term use is forbidden. Just keep that in mind." After saying that, Harriet returned her gaze to her research journal. It''s not right to hurt her with words to bring out her power. In the end, it only torments each other. So, use drugs instead. That was Harriet''s prescription. CH 513 Rumors spread throughout the allied forces that the hero, Ellen Artorius, had awakened another power. Everyone who witnessed the vanguard sweeping away the monsters as the main force advanced could not help but be in awe. A massive wave of flames pouring from the hero''s Sun Cloak swept away the monsters. Inferior monsters turned to ash within the wave of fire, while those that withstood the flames met their demise by the void sword that could sever anything. Ellen was the very embodiment of the judgment of the sun and the moon, sweeping away the waves of monsters at the forefront. However, the hateful flames pouring from the Sun Mantle did not discriminate against friend or foe. Thus, no one could intervene in the middle of the battlefield where Ellen single-handedly swept away the enemies. The majority of the allied forces were encouraged by the fact that the hero had grown stronger. However, "majority" implies that not everyone felt the same way. While everyone admired the hero''s prowess, those who knew Ellen from the Temple felt uneasy about Ellen Artorius''s appearance. Something was off about Ellen. She had always been quiet, but now she spoke even less. Her pupils seemed unfocused and hazy, and she occasionally muttered strange nonsense while clutching her head. After the march, they set up camp again. Emperor Bertus and the Archbishops of the Five Great Religious Orders came to inspect the camp. Although the visit was ostensibly to boost the morale of the allied forces and the Holy Knights, the Emperor had a hidden agenda. Having received a report from Saviolin Turner that Ellen Artorius''s condition was unusual, he came to check on her. Inside the camp, Ellen Artorius''s tent. "Ellen." "¡­Yes." Emperor Bertus could not help but feel uneasy upon seeing Ellen''s condition. Seated across from her, he stared at Ellen, who was gazing into the void with her hazy eyes. Saviolin Turner stood guard beside Bertus. Ellen had awakened another power she hadn''t been able to use before. However, aside from growing stronger, it seemed Ellen Artorius faced a serious issue. "You seem to be in pain somewhere." "¡­" Everyone who knew Ellen asked her about her condition. Asking if she was in pain or if she was alright. But each time, Ellen shook her head. She would only say she was tired, as she glanced around with her blurry eyes, as if trying to confirm what was around her. Ellen checked the figures of Emperor Bertus and Saviolin Turner standing beside him. "A while ago¡­ I met Reinhardt." Ellen still maintained her sense of self. ------ Emperor Bertus and Saviolin Turner knew the truth about the Gate incident. So, Ellen decided it was okay to tell them what she had been through. Reinhardt was dying, and she took on his burden. Upon briefly explaining the situation, Bertus and Turner could only be shocked. It was a phenomenon caused by too many deaths. It had struck Reinhardt, and Ellen had inherited it. Ellen''s mental state couldn''t be sound under such circumstances. "I had no choice¡­ I had to do it. That''s what I think." "¡­" "¡­" Ellen mumbled absentmindedly, almost out of her wits, that she had to save Reinhardt. Both Bertus and Turner couldn''t deny it was a reckless act. However, they also understood Ellen''s desire to save Reinhardt in that situation. "My ego will probably fade away gradually. But, I won''t harm anyone... surely." Even if her ego vanished, bearing hatred for the Demon King, she wouldn''t harm humans. She would become a puppet with only hatred for the Demon King remaining. Ellen secretly met with Reinhardt not to tell Berthold and Turner about it, but for a different reason. Now that she had unleashed the true power of Lapelt, Ellen had grown stronger. "So, when the Gate Incident is completely over... please kill me..." After the Gate Incident ended, it was certain that Ellen, having lost her ego, would try to kill the Demon King. "Before I try to kill Reinhardt..." So, she asked them to kill her once her purpose was fulfilled. Ellen pleaded with Turner and Berthold. ------ "What is this?" "..." -Rumble! Following the recipe Harriet provided, Lucinil concocted an alchemical potion. After consuming it, Liana successively summoned three tornadoes on the seashore. They didn''t know if it was right or not, but nothing seemed better for drawing out her abilities. Of course. "..." It was extremely painful to see Liana''s complexion turned pale and lifeless. "Let''s use it only when absolutely necessary." "I suppose so..." As Lucinil spoke, Liana slowly nodded in agreement. The drug was effective but excessively dangerous. Though I no longer needed to provoke Liana to activate her powers. Somehow. Liana''s appearance seemed painfully exhausted. In some ways, it looked as if she was being properly punished. Anyway, one thing was certain. Liana, having taken the depression-inducing drug, was invincible. ------ The drug Liana took had definite effects. Could it be called a drug, even? Not a mood-enhancing drug, but a mood-depressing one. Could a drug with the opposite effect still be called a drug? No, perhaps it''s more fitting to call it a drug because it has effects suitable for the very name itself. Though there were no side effects, the drug''s effectiveness was not much different from side effects, so it couldn''t be used frequently. The more it was used, the more the user would suffer from the drug''s effects. That''s why Harriet warned against overusing it. Liana focused on Harriet''s words, not about avoiding overuse, but that there would be no side effects aside from the drug''s effects themselves. Even without my supervision, Liana was practicing on a deserted island with Lucinil, trying to explore the depths of her abilities. It was good that her ability development accelerated, but was it genuinely a good thing? Liana was tormenting herself. The selection process for Olivia and the elite Vampires, as well as war preparations, progressed smoothly. The moment we stepped in, the army''s march would quicken, and the speed of suppressing the Gate Incident would also increase. Meanwhile, separate from the war preparations, other tasks were progressing one by one. Fighting Ellen in my dreams continued on alternate days. Still, it wasn''t going well. Fighting without a proper mindset to harm Ellen put me at a disadvantage. Moreover, the Void Sword Lament would cleave everything it touched, excluding divine relics. Although I had become a master class, my overall specs were still insufficient, and I was not properly prepared for battle. I had to experience defeat ending in my death, a hundred out of a hundred times. The pain experienced in a dream at the moment of death was nothing more than a mere bonus. "Is it already finished?" "Yeah. It wasn''t that difficult." I stood with my mouth agape, looking at the white obelisk that had replaced the central fountain in Lazak''s square. Passersby would tilt their heads in confusion at the sight of the suddenly erected obelisk, but they had no idea what it really was. Beside me were Harriet and Airi. "Your abilities as a scribe are truly astonishing, the more I learn about them." "Is, is that so¡­¡­" Unaccustomed to compliments, Harriet blushed at Airi''s words. The Dream Obelisk. Not only had Harriet succeeded in deciphering dream magic, but she had also quickly managed to turn it into an artifact. Somehow, she had spent the past few days scribbling in her research notes, and it seemed that she was working to create this. "First, we''ll test it out, and if it seems effective, we''ll consider installing more in other areas." "Sounds good." Although getting a good night''s sleep might not seem particularly significant during this time, I believed that the Dream Obelisk, which could fend off terrible nightmares, would undoubtedly be helpful to people. ------ Technically speaking, dream interference magic wasn''t magic but a unique ability possessed only by succubi. Harriet''s ability to reinterpret that as magic and turn it into an artifact had long surpassed the abilities of most Archmages. Harriet''s capacity had grown incomparably since her first year, which made such a feat possible. From a genius with the greatest magical talent in history, she had grown enough to fully utilize her abilities. Ironically, it was thanks to Charlotte that Harriet could develop artifacts so rapidly. When Harriet had to assist me and act as a secretary, she had no time for her personal pursuits. However, since Charlotte efficiently handled her duties without needing to act as a secretary, Harriet could fully devote her time to her desired projects. But still, it felt strange. It was a good thing that Harriet could devote all her time to her research. It was also a good thing that Charlotte had taken over my duties and was performing them even better than me. But the fact that I had unknowingly been stealing Harriet''s time all along became too apparent, and it left me feeling a bit¡­ How should I put it? A sense of self-reproach, perhaps. "..." "What''s wrong?" That night, as I sat on the bed after preparing for sleep, Harriet tilted her head, noticing my silence. "¡­What?" "Are you angry?" "No? Not at all." "¡­You look upset." I hadn''t thought I''d shown any signs, and there was no reason to be angry. Strictly speaking, I should have been happy that my proposal had been implemented so quickly, not upset. In response to my denial, Harriet stared at me intently. Come to think of it. Ever since I had usurped Edina''s government, I had spent the most time with Harriet. So, due to the long time we spent together, Harriet was the one most sensitive to my mood swings. In other words, I couldn''t fool Harriet, even if I could fool anyone else. In the end, I had no choice but to sigh under her gaze. "It''s just¡­ I''ve been thinking that maybe I''ve taken up too much of your time." "My time¡­¡­?" "Come to think of it, with just this level of concentration, you could create something like this. If I had been able to handle state affairs alone, you could have done something else. Something more constructive and progressive¡­ What should I say? You could have done something that only you can do." Harriet was an overly talented individual to simply serve as my secretary. However, everyone else around me was busy with their own responsibilities. Although Harriet reluctantly took on the role of my secretary, it was undeniable that she was an irreplaceable, exceptional talent. If Harriet hadn''t been my secretary and had focused on her research instead, she might have accomplished even greater things that only she could do. If only I had been a little more capable. Now that Charlotte, who undoubtedly had better qualifications for governance than me, had taken over the administration, I couldn''t help but think about what I could have achieved but didn''t in the time that had already passed. "Wait¡­ Was that it?" "It''s a bit of a foolish concern, but I can''t help but think about it." As I sighed, Harriet smiled wryly. "Well¡­ Hmm¡­" Harriet sat huddled on the bed, lost in thought. "I''m not sure what I could have done if I had taken on a different role¡­ Honestly, I don''t know. I was busy too, just like you." "¡­" "Still, I enjoyed it." Harriet said this as she looked at me. "I enjoyed being close to you." "¡­Is that so?" Her words left me speechless. I couldn''t bring myself to look directly at Harriet''s face. "Even if I might have been able to do something else, the things we accomplished together aren''t erased. Even if Charlotte could do what we did faster and better, we can''t say that what we managed to do was worthless." "¡­You''re right." Yes, that''s true. At some point, age seemed to lose its significance. At some point, I had been receiving too much help from those around me, and in some ways, others were wiser than me. Not to mention saying pleasant things. Pleasant words might not mean anything, but people need such things. Harriet had always been close to me, and she still is. That''s why Harriet said she enjoyed it. Leaving aside practical efficiency and other possibilities. I also truly enjoyed it. At some point, Harriet had become devoted to me. She really tried to give me everything. After finishing her words, Harriet returned to writing in her research journal. Harriet, who no longer needed to act as my secretary, was still busy. She continued to search for things to do. "Still, take it easy. Is there more work left?" "I think I should keep an eye on the obelisk. There''s a lot of other work." "Other work?" "I''m learning about soul-subduing techniques from the Lord of Wednesday." Soul-subduing techniques. In the midst of all this, she was suddenly learning about soul-subduing techniques from Lucinil? At my puzzled expression, Harriet looked at me with a sad smile. "Ellen, we have to find a way to bring her back." "Ah¡­" Her words left me feeling as if I was suffocating. "I had no time, so I had no choice but to do it this way. There might have been another method." "¡­" "I won''t forget that Ellen took on everything." Harriet continues to write in her research journal. "Ellen is also my friend, you know." It wasn''t Antirianus who had suggested to Ellen that she should shoulder everything; it was Harriet. Ellen is also a friend to Harriet. I had forgotten this obvious fact for far too long. After writing in her research journal for quite some time, Harriet suddenly looks at me. "So, don''t try to thank me." "Uh¡­?" "Because then, I''d feel hurt." At Harriet''s words, I was left speechless, unable to respond. CH 514 Ellen pleaded with Turner and Bertus to kill her after the resolution of the Gate Incident. "There''s no way we can do that." "There must be another way, Ellen." Naturally, neither Turner nor Bertus had any intention of fulfilling such a request from Ellen. It wasn''t because Ellen was humanity''s hope, or because she needed to remain as a symbol of hope for the rebuilding of humanity after the Gate Incident. It was because they didn''t believe Ellen had to die in such a manner. Bertus promised to find a solution by any means necessary, whether by gathering the combined forces of the Five Great Religious Orders to perform a purification ritual or something else. He would do whatever it took to restore Ellen to her original state. Bertus immediately arranged a meeting with the Popes of the Five Great Religious Orders, who were currently inspecting the garrison. "You''re saying the hero has been possessed by spirits?" "We don''t know the exact reason, but it''s confirmed that these spirits are devouring the hero''s ego. We must gather all the priests immediately and perform a purification ritual." Bertus didn''t mention that Ellen had willingly accepted these spirits. There was no need to bring up such details. Within this most powerful human army, the majority were priests and holy knights from the Holy Order of the Five Great Religious Orders. By gathering their collective strength, they aimed to purify the resentful spirits lingering in Ellen''s body and soul. Regardless of whether it was possible, they had to try. "Is that really necessary?" "...What did you just say?" Bertus narrowed his eyes at the words of the Pope of the Als Order. "If those spirits are too much for even the hero to handle, and her ego ultimately vanishes, wouldn''t that mean she would be reborn as an even more suitable hero?" This time, it was the Pope of the Tu¡¯an Order who spoke. The one who served the Goddes of Purity was actually endorsing the hero being consumed by the impure spirits. "I''ve heard the hero has awakened a new power and has become even stronger than before. If that''s the case, it''s due to the added strength of those spirits within the hero. If the hero becomes even stronger, what could be better for humanity?" At the Als Pope''s remark, Bertus clenched his teeth. The relics of the Tu¡¯an and Als Orders had chosen the Demon King. Thus, the positions of the two orders were much worse off compared to the other orders. It was only natural for the masses to shun the two orders, while their priests and holy knights had to endure contempt even in this garrison. The Popes of the Tu¡¯an and Als Orders actually desired the Demon King''s death the most. Only once the Demon King was dead and gone would it be possible for them to dream of rebuilding their orders. Although it was true that the emerging religion, the Hero Religion, received the most support, the Gods of the two relics that chose the hero, the Mencis and Shal¡¯am Orders, also had a significant following among the people. The Order of Riter, the God of Courage, was uninvolved with both the Demon King and the hero, so they at least didn''t suffer any damage. As the Demon King gained more power, the Riter and Mencis Orders received more support. The Popes of the Als and Tu¡¯an Orders, who needed the Demon King to die in order to rebuild their orders, were ironically hoping for the death of the very Demon King chosen by their Gods. Therefore, they took the position that it would be better for the hero, Ellen Artorius, to become an empty shell fueled by hatred for the Demon King, regardless of the circumstances. Just as the popes of the Tu¡¯an and Als Orders wished for the death of the Demon King, so did the popes of the other three Orders. When the Demon King dies, and the hero loses her symbolic power after fulfilling her role, only then will the fa?ade of the Hero Religion, a hollow religion, disappear. Only then can the Five Great Religious Orders regain control of the continent''s faith. The popes of the Five Great Religious Orders wished for the death of the Demon King. "Do you all not know what the Demon King intended?" Above all, they were among the very few who knew the truth behind the Gate Incident. The popes of the Five Great Religious Orders were there when they interrogated the Demon King Reinhardt. Therefore, they knew that the Hero Ellen Artorius was an existence that could not truly kill the Demon King. At that, the pope of the Riter Order stared at Bertus. "Was it not the Imperial Family who caused the Gate Incident by refusing to trust the Demon King?" "..." "Now that you know the Demon King is a benevolent being, do you feel a sense of duty to prevent any more sorrowful events from befalling the Demon King and the Hero?" Bertus, grinding his teeth, could not say a word. The words of the Riter Order''s pope were all horrifyingly true. "Your Majesty, there is no meaning in regretting what has already happened." "Whether the Demon King is good or evil is now irrelevant." "Before the Gate Incident, if we had believed it about two years ago, many things would have been different." "It is too late to believe the Demon King''s words now, and even if we were to show him compassion, nothing would change." "Since the Gate Incident, the concepts of good and evil have become meaningless, and the only justice is survival. It has been this way for a long time." "What meaning can good and evil have in a fight for survival?" "The Demon King must die." "Not because it is the right thing to do, but because it is necessary for the survival of humanity, the Empire, and the Five Great Religious Orders." Bertus could not say a word in response to the Riter Order''s pope. Against those heart-wrenching truths, Bertus could not muster a single word of rebuttal. He should have believed sooner if he wanted to believe. Nothing would change even if he believed in the Demon King now. Because everything he said was true, Bertus had no choice but to remain silent in his miserable state of mind. "Everyone in this room knows that the Hero had a very close relationship with the Demon King and that she knows the truth of everything. That she cannot truly harm the Demon King." Those in this room knew the things that most people did not. Those who knew the truth knew that the Hero was not one who could properly embody the faith of the people. They knew that she was an existence incapable of fulfilling the hope of defeating the Demon King. However, the situation had changed. The Hero''s self, who could not hate the Demon King, would disappear, and when the spirits consumed the Hero, she would be able to do what she truly had to do. Regardless of whether it was possible, the popes had no reason whatsoever to help purify the spirits dwelling within Ellen''s soul. "Isn''t that why the situation has turned out like this, which can only be a good thing for humanity?" Bertus looked at the five popes, including Turners. No one seemed willing to help. The Holy Knights Order ultimately acted upon the orders of their leader, Eleion Bolton, and the five Popes of the Orders. And was this situation truly terrible for humanity? Bertus couldn''t possibly refute that claim. And he, himself, was no different than the instigator of all this, for he failed to trust Reinhardt when he should have. During Reinhardt''s interrogation, the Popes were essentially nothing more than lackeys. The claim that the real responsibility lay with the Gardias Imperial Family wasn''t a provocation but a simple fact. Thus, Bertus knew all too well that he had no right to condemn them. In a battle for survival, one couldn''t differentiate between good and evil. The Popes were no longer followers of their deity. Those who fought solely for the survival of their authority and the church''s existence were not worthy of being called Popes. However, in a struggle for survival, it was not humanity''s existence and restoration at stake, but the Hero and the Demon King. To pity the two of them, regardless of humanity''s existence and hope, was to prevent their predetermined future and seek the impossible coexistence with the Demon King. Did he truly deserve to be called humanity''s Emperor? The Popes were not Popes. And the Emperor was not an Emperor either. ------ After the meeting concluded, the Popes began inspecting the garrison once more to encourage the Holy Knights. Bertus sat on one of the many wooden crates scattered around the hilltop command post, gazing down at the garrison. "Your Majesty..." "..." Savolin Turner looked at Bertus with concern. Bertus remained silent, staring at the garrison with a stern expression. The Popes were not wrong. The root of all problems was complex, so complex that no one could say who was truly responsible. However, it was undeniable that the Gardias Imperial Family held a significant portion of the blame. Since he hadn''t believed when he should have, The Pope of the Riter Order said it was now pointless to believe. Bertus knew better than anyone that this was not a false claim. For humanity, it was better for the Demon King to die. And if he must die, it was better for him to die at the hands of the Hero. From the Demon King''s death, people would find hope, and regardless of how bleak reality was, they would believe that only prosperity lay ahead for humanity since the last Demon King had perished. Hope and despair are ludicrous concepts. Both are useless when it comes to actually saving or killing people. However, despair does kill people, while hope saves them. For that hope, two people alone¡ª Reinhardt and Ellen Artorius. Would it be acceptable for them to be engulfed in abject despair? For humanity''s existence and restoration, was it truly right for these two to bear the despair of all others? One would cease to exist, and the other would lose their life. Both were idols. The idol of hope, the Hero. The idol of despair, the Demon King. Sacrificing the two idols to anesthetize people with false hope and scheming the restoration of humanity and the Church was the right decision for an Emperor. There was no one else around. Having stationed all personnel away from the command post and the Popes having left, only Turner and Bertus remained. "Lady Turner." "Yes, Your Majesty." "I thought I had the qualities of an Emperor." "..." "Even if I couldn''t be the greatest Emperor in history, I thought there would be no one better in my time." Bertus chuckled softly. "When Charlotte returned alive, I had quite a few scenarios in my head." "Scenarios¡­?" "Scenarios in which I could become the emperor." Bertus gazed at the distant sky. The clear blue sky seemed ignorant of the world''s tragedies. Despite the sounds of meals being prepared and the pounding of the military camp on the ground. Despite the unending funerals for the fallen soldiers. The sky knew nothing of it. "I thought of every possible situation: when my position would be better than Charlotte''s, when it would be worse, or when it would be so insufficient that it couldn''t be reversed. All of those thoughts were in my head." Although Bertus had already become the emperor, he had been calculating numerous plans in his head before and in order to become the emperor. "When Charlotte came back, I felt a great sense of crisis. Although an emperor isn''t elected by the support of the crowd, it can''t be ignored. The influence of a princess who was captured by the demon king and returned after enduring hardships was bound to be tremendous." The returned Charlotte de Gardias was a very strong rival for Bertus. "Even when she used some scheme to cling to the Temple, even the Royal class, I thought I might lose my position." "¡­I see." "But surprisingly," Bertus grinned. "Ragan Artorius''s younger sister is in the same class as me." If Charlotte hadn''t returned alive, Ellen would have been a name of little significance to Bertus. However, because of Charlotte''s existence, Bertus needed a symbol that could threaten Charlotte''s political position. It seemed that Saviolin Turner knew what Bertus was talking about. "One of my various plans was to marry Ellen Artorius." "I see¡­" A marriage of strategy. Moreover, if his partner was the hero''s sister, it would certainly secure a strong political position. "But, she looked at me as if I were a pebble rolling on the side of the road." Not exactly disregarded. But, not particularly interested either. Ellen Artorius was that kind of person. Indifferent to everyone equally. "I didn''t attach much importance to it, since it was a method needed only when the situation was unfavorable and I had no personal interest. It was just a political necessity." "¡­" "But at some point, she started hanging around with Reinhardt, who came from a beggar''s background." Temple, Royal Class 1st Year Room A. Ellen began to stick with Reinhardt, who had no talent at all. Ellen, who was indifferent to everyone, showed an unusual amount of interest in just one person. At that time, Ellen didn''t know who Reinhardt was. Whether Reinhardt knew who Ellen was or not, Bertus couldn''t know. The hero''s sister, who had no interest in anyone. Reinhardt, a poor, incompetent beggar with a foul temper, but hiding a past as the demon king. The two became close as if drawn to each other. They became close even though there was no reason to do so. "All the plans I had made became useless, and I had no occasion to use them. All the scenarios I had drawn disappeared. But anyway, I became the emperor." In a completely unintended way. The previous emperor had died from overwork, and the princess was unable to succeed to the throne. Bertus didn''t have a chance to try out his many scenarios to become the emperor, but he still became one. "I think there''s some kind of fate between the two of them." They became each other''s closest friends first. Now, they had grown farthest apart. They cherished each other, but they were in a position where they had to be hostile. Bertus sensed a sense of fate in this sinister picture. Each was a part of that fate, and each performed their own unique function, little by little. Bertus quietly stared at the vast expanse of the garrison. "The emperor must act according to what the head accepts, rather than what the heart accepts. That''s how I think." "..." "Especially in times like these, it''s even more so." One must take the rational path, particularly during these difficult times when making an emotional choice would be foolish. In a situation where good outcomes can''t be guaranteed by merely taking the rational path, the result of making an emotional choice is far too obvious. "I know that the words of the Popes, as dirty and filthy as vermin, are not wrong. I also know very well that I have no right to criticize them." The choices of the Popes of the Holy Order may be cruel and malicious. But one cannot deny that it''s a rational choice in the current situation. Bertus knows best that the greatest responsibility lies within the Gardias Imperial family. Saviolin Turner silently watched the emperor''s vulnerable appearance. "What is... the best?" "..." The emperor''s question was short but exceedingly difficult. The best is simple. Leaving Ellen Artorius, now devoid of weakness, to kill the Demon King would be the best course of action. But that is only the best at this point in time; whether it is truly the best or not is unknowable. "When I found out Reinhardt was the Demon King, the best thing at that time was not to trust him. There were too many lies, and if I had trusted the Demon King then, I would have been insane." "...That''s true." "The best thing to accept rationally at that time was not to trust Reinhardt." The best at that time turned out to be the worst now. The best that could be accepted rationally at that time remains unchanged even now. It was impossible to trust the Demon King. So, they didn''t trust him. However, that choice brought about the worst phenomenon in the world. The best choice resulted in the worst outcome, and many people are now responsible for something that wasn''t their choice. That is the Gate Incident. "Is it an exaggeration to think that if leaving Ellen alone now is the best, it may later become the worst?" "..." "It''s an exaggeration." Turner didn''t answer, but Bertus smiled bitterly, as if he knew even without her saying it. There had been a time when the best choice brought the worst outcome. So it''s merely an exaggeration to say that they won''t choose the best now because it might bring the worst outcome later. Bertus knows now. The best at the moment can easily become the worst outcome later. A choice is just a choice, and until time reveals the result of that choice, it''s impossible to know whether it''s the best or the worst. There is neither the best nor the worst. Only choices exist. "I cannot leave those two like this." Bertus could not just leave Ellen like this. It''s not because he believed that this would be the best in the future. It''s just that he wanted to make that choice, and that''s why he chose it. Qualities of an Emperor. That''s why Bertus now thinks he no longer has them. CH 515 The Five Great Religious Orders had decided not to cooperate. Therefore, purifying the vengeful spirits that dwelled within Ellen''s soul could not even be attempted, regardless of whether it was possible or not. In that case, the only option left was magic. Bertus summoned the Royal mage. "It''s impossible¡­" he said. In the process of discussing the matter with the royal mage, Bertus''s expression could not help but harden upon hearing the Archmage''s opinions. "Your Majesty, the spells dealing with souls are exceedingly rare." Magic that manipulates souls. From the beginning, it had been classified as a taboo, and thus, it had not been thoroughly researched. Even the soul-absorbing spell that had been studied to improve the princess''s condition was only a part of the magic dealing with souls. "There are magices who have studied and understood soul-absorbing spells, but... the means to handle them are extremely limited." After listening to the stories of the royal mage, Bertus could not help but feel disheartened. Magic that deals with souls itself is extremely rare. Those who have become Archmages can perform magic that deals with souls, based on their understanding of soul-absorbing spells. However, the number of vengeful spirits dwelling within Ellen is beyond estimation. From the start, the spell that transferred the souls dwelling in the Demon King''s body to Ellen''s was nothing short of a miracle. The royal mage''s response was that only those who had spent an immeasurable amount of time studying magic, like the ancient Vampire Lords, were able to use such magic. The royal mages were not significantly lacking in combat power and magical application compared to the Vampire Lords, as they gathered particularly outstanding individuals among humans. However, the weight of the time they had lived was different. There was a difference in the absolute amount of knowledge. That is why a large-scale soul transfer spell, which was only possible for Vampire Lords, is impossible for the empire''s power. Even if they could do it, it is doubtful whether there is someone who can handle it. The priests will not cooperate. There is no solution in magic. "¡­" Was it a delusion to think that something could be done? Trying to do something because it can''t be left alone. Despite being the emperor, is there really nothing he can do for those two? Bertus just stared at the round table with a hardened expression. Magic. Divine power. Are those really the only way? Is there really no other way? "If there is some ancient secret or mystery that we do not know about... But as for us, there is currently no way¡­" "Ancient secret¡­?" "Yes." An ancient secret. At the mention of that, something came to Bertus''s mind. Rune magic. There was definitely such a thing as rune magic. Bertus could recall that there was someone among his classmates who showed talent in rune magic. ------ No one knew what rune magic was. Although it was learned at the temple due to talent, there was no teacher at the temple who could teach the major of Dettomorian. Just as there were students of the temple serving in the military, there were also teachers serving in the military. The royal class homeroom teachers were no exception. It was primarily the teachers'' responsibility to manage the students, though the commanders also had roles in it. Royal class, second year. Two years had passed, so it should have been the fourth year, but the temple''s curriculum was on hold. Magician Mustlang, who was in charge of the Royal Class''s second-year students and currently serving in the military. After Teacher Epinhauser, who was in charge of Class A, had sided with the Demon King and passed away, Teacher Mustlang was now in charge of all the second-year students in the Royal Class. In front of Bertus, Teacher Mustlang stood upright. At this moment, Bertus was not a student but an emperor. Therefore, Teacher Mustlang stood firmly before the emperor, answering his questions. "Adding spiritual realm to sorcery..." "Yes, Your Majesty. That''s... that''s correct." Although it was a rather peculiar situation to have a student who was now an emperor, Mustlang stood rigidly, sweating nervously. If one possessed talent in both sorcery and the spiritual realm, it suggested that Dettomorian might be able to accomplish what many great mages and clergy could not. Of course, it was not guaranteed, but even the slightest possibility was something Bertus needed to grasp at in his current position. B-8, Dettomorian. "He''s not at the garrison?" "No, he''s not!" Non-combat majors also served in the military. Adelia, with her magic crafting talent, and Christina, with her alchemy talent, were examples of this. Even Ranian Sesor, with his musical talent, served in this garrison to boost morale. However, Dettomorian, who possessed talent in shamanism, was not in active service. This meant he was remaining in the imperial capital. Of course, not all students of the temple had the obligation or need to serve in this war. There was no need to forcibly drag along those who wouldn''t help in the battle or support the fighters. "He served during the initial deployment, and he was eager to do so... but due to other students and soldiers feeling uneasy..." "They''re feeling uneasy?" According to Teacher Mustlang''s explanation, Dettomorian had not been originally intended to remain in the capital, but had returned after serving for some time and being deemed necessary to stay behind. "Yes... That''s... well..." Teacher Mustlang hesitantly began to explain the situation to his student and the highest authority, Bertus. As the explanation continued, Bertus couldn''t help but wear a grave expression. Firstly, Dettomorian did not participate in battles. He did not possess talents that would aid in battle itself. However, he would mutter incomprehensible words all day long and, once the garrison was established, he would lock himself inside his tent, refusing to come out. Even more strangely, he would constantly request bizarre things. He claimed to need live chickens, bones, and even asked for any available rats, whether field mice or house mice. Hearing him muttering unintelligible words, someone peeked inside his tent only to find him bowing to a grotesque idol made of bones, lighting incense, and dancing bizarrely. It was clear to anyone that this was ominous, and the soldiers could not help but feel uneasy about this seemingly heretical summoning ritual that he performed daily. Rumors spread that one of the temple students was possessed by a demon. "What on earth is he doing?" "I''ve asked him several times as his homeroom teacher, and he says he doesn''t know the precise effect... When I ask him to stop because it makes people uneasy, he insists that he can''t sit idly by as this is all he can do... So... that''s why..." "...I see." No one knew the specific meaning behind Dettomorian''s muttered spells and rituals. But he was clearly performing ominous rituals, making use of bizarre offerings. The effects were unknown, but morale was definitely dropping. And morale was a crucial issue within the army. Of course, the scale of the army was so massive that a single Dettomorian couldn''t have a significant impact on the overall morale, but it certainly had a continuous negative influence in certain areas. Thus, after a meeting, the teachers at the temple garrison decided to send the Dettomorian back to the temple. Bertus and Saviolin Turner couldn''t help but feel uneasy as they listened to the explanation of Teacher Mustlang, who was sweating profusely. "¡­Will it be alright, Lady Turner?" Charlotte knew a fair bit about the Dettomorian since they were in the same class, but Bertus hardly knew what kind of creature he actually was. It was clear that someone who followed the army and participated in bizarre, heretical rituals couldn''t be in their right mind. Regardless of whether all other possibilities were blocked, could they entrust the hope of humanity to a being whose identity and ritual were unknown? Turner and Bertus both couldn''t easily come to a conclusion. ------ Staggering! "Ugh!" "Ellen...? Are you alright?" After finishing their meal in the garrison mess hall, Heinrich von Schwartz checked on Ellen, who suddenly clutched her head and bent over in pain. "Ye-yes, I''m... I''m fine..." As if to reassure him, Ellen raised one hand and tried to catch her breath, still bent over. "You have to go out tomorrow, don''t you? Will you be okay?" "I''m fine..." "No, you don''t look fine at all." Heinrich clicked his tongue as he saw Ellen''s serious condition. "I''ll go instead of you for tomorrow''s operation, so take some rest. Even you can''t keep this up without dying." "¡­" Pyrokinesis user, Heinrich von Schwartz. In the blink of an eye, Heinrich''s abilities had grown powerful enough to be deployed in large-scale extermination operations. Thus, he was now among the considerably strong forces of the temple students, capable of accompanying Ellen on her missions. As a result, Heinrich and Ellen had participated in quite a few operations together over the past two years. Ellen wanted to say that she was fine, and that he could go instead, but she was already watching Heinrich''s retreating figure. The pain felt more like her soul was shattering rather than her head splitting. Ellen took several deep breaths in place. Her vision blurred and then cleared repeatedly. She felt like she would lose consciousness more than once from the ringing in her head. "Haah¡­ Haah¡­" Those who didn''t know the details simply thought Ellen was exhausted. Everyone who passed by and saw Ellen''s pale face asked if she was okay, and Ellen barely managed to answer their questions. Heinrich would take over the operation Ellen was supposed to undertake. Knowing how much stronger Heinrich''s abilities had become compared to before, Ellen wasn''t worried about that. However, amidst the strange sensation of her ego fading, Ellen desperately tried to keep her mind clear. Someday it would disappear, but she didn''t want it to vanish now. She wanted to endure as long as she could. Whether that was today, tomorrow, or next week, she couldn''t tell. She wanted to withstand as much as she could. "Ellen¡­?" Through her blurry vision, she saw someone approaching from afar. She couldn''t see them clearly, but Ellen knew it was Cliffman coming towards her. Cliffman. A-5 Cliffman. His talent was combat. And. And¡­ "¡­" As if her clouded mind was obstructing her thoughts, Ellen could only recall Cliffman''s name, number, and talent from the haze. What role Cliffman was playing now. What he was doing. Nothing came to mind. Suddenly. Ellen''s vision was engulfed in darkness. Just for a moment. As if blinking, it was merely a brief flicker in her field of vision. "¡­Ugh!" However, as if being pulled up from deep water, Ellen regained her senses with an odd sense of ascension. "Ugh¡­ Hah¡­" Ellen couldn''t help but be taken aback. It felt as if she had only closed her eyes for a moment. But, Ellen was astonished by the sudden change in the surrounding scenery. "Are you alright?" "Ellen¡­" Only a moment ago, she had been in the barracks, but now, Ellen saw a ceiling above her. It wasn''t a tent, as it should have been. It was inside a building. "Wh-where¡­ where is this?" Ellen opened her eyes to a familiar ceiling, not the canvas of the barracks tent in the open field. Just a moment ago, Cliffman had been approaching her. But now, Emperor Bertus and Saviolin Turner were beside Ellen, and she was lying in bed. "Why am I¡­ in the temple¡­?" As if time had leapt forward when she closed her eyes and opened them. Ellen knew what the ceiling she was looking at was. This was the Temple Royal Class Dormitory''s infirmary. Though she had only closed her eyes for a moment, she had been unconscious for quite some time. Ellen stared blankly at the ceiling, her eyes wide. "Why¡­ why am I¡­ here¡­?" At Ellen''s question, Bertus and Turner could only look at her with pity. ------ Ellen learned from Bertus that she had been unconscious for about four hours. Ellen had fainted in front of Cliffman. After being moved to the barracks, Bertus and Saviolin Turner had taken Ellen''s body under their guidance, and through a mass teleport, they had traveled to the Imperial Capital. Though her mind felt heavy like a waterlogged sponge, her body had no issues, so Ellen was able to get out of bed soon. The Royal Class Dormitory Infirmary. Ellen and Reinhardt had often used this place together. But now, with most students and teachers enlisted, not only the infirmary but the entire dormitory was empty. Of course, non-combat personnel still remained in the dormitory, and a minimum number of staff were managing the dormitory. However, the Royal Class Dormitory, now nearly devoid of students, maintained its grandeur but exuded a dreary atmosphere. Spacious, but its vastness was overwhelming due to the emptiness. The atmosphere was quite different, but the Royal Class Dormitory bore a gloomy resemblance to the Fortress Epiax. Just by people disappearing, it became like this. The eerie and chilly sensation was only momentary. "But¡­ why did you bring me here?" That was Ellen''s question. Closing her eyes and opening them to find time had swiftly passed was shocking enough, but first, she wondered why they had brought her to the dormitory. "We came to meet Dettomorian B-8." Dettomorian. A talent in magic. Ellen had a feeling she knew, to some extent, what Bertus was thinking. CH 516 The only follower that Bertus brought back with him when he returned to the Imperial Capital was Saviolin Turner. There was no point in having too many people who knew about Ellen''s condition. Dettomorian''s quarters were not in a dormitory, but rather in a club building. The Occult Research Club. Dettomorian was the sole member and president of the club, created for the self-study of shamanism. Initially, Bertus had nothing to say about it, and it was true that Ellen was not particularly close to Dettomorian either. As such, she had only just heard about the Occult Research Club that Dettomorian had created. Naturally, it wasn''t possible for a club to function properly at this point in time. Thus, there could be no club activities at a time when the temple was nearly empty, and the area where club buildings were concentrated was even colder than other parts of the temple. Bertus felt a sense of emptiness as soon as he arrived in that area of the temple with Ellen and Turner. "..." Was this the right choice? Was it really right to find a possibility in such a situation? Although they failed to secure the cooperation of the Five Great Religions, the Demon King''s forces, undoubtedly accompanied by Olivia Lanze, could not find the answer with their divine power. The renowned Archmages of the continent had not found the answer either. But just one student. Was it right to bring Ellen here because this student uses shamanism, a power of unknown origin? Facing the desolate landscape of the club building area, Bertus suddenly realized how absurd his expectations were. But they had already come this far. If it was impossible to find a solution, confirming its impossibility would still hold meaning. "Let''s go." "Yes, Your Majesty." Turner followed Bertus, supporting Ellen who occasionally staggered and couldn''t maintain her balance properly. ------ "......isn''t here?" Inside the Occult Research Club. Bertus frowned as he looked at the empty clubroom. It was dark inside, as the blackout curtains had been drawn even though it was broad daylight. However, Dettomorian was nowhere to be found. "And why is it so dark?" Bertus was about to approach the curtains to inspect the clubroom. "Don''t touch it." Ellen stopped Bertus''s attempt to approach the curtains. "Don''t touch it recklessly... I don''t think it''s a good idea." "......Understood." Although it was difficult to see in the darkness, the interior of the Occult Research Club contained bizarre idols scattered around, just as Mustlang had reported. They couldn''t tell if these objects were simply placed there or intentionally installed. However, Ellen thought that nothing in this room should be touched carelessly. No one present knew much about shamanism, but whatever it was, it wouldn''t be good to touch it without caution. "What are these... What on earth are they?" As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Bertus couldn''t help but be taken aback by the strange sculptures, extinguished candles, eerie shamanism circles, and countless unidentifiable traces of research within the clubroom. If he wasn''t a student of the temple, this scene alone would have been enough to have him arrested for studying sinister dark magic long ago. "But where is he?" Dettomorian was said to visit the club building daily, but he was not in the clubroom. Had he gone out for a late lunch? "The basement." Ellen whispered softly. "I think he''s in the basement." "...?" Bertus and Turner couldn''t help but be puzzled by Ellen Upon hearing Ellen''s words, Turner and Bertus couldn''t help but feel perplexed. However, Ellen seemed to sense something, speaking with unfocused eyes. ------ The upper floors of the club building appeared unused, as did the basement. The basement was often used as a storage space for club equipment. Led by Ellen''s strange conviction, the three descended to the basement of the club building. -Thunk! Thunk! "It''s locked." The large door leading to the basement was locked shut. "¡­It seems to be locked from the inside." The fact that they couldn''t enter even though the lock was on the outside meant it was locked from the inside. "It looks like he sealed it off¡­" Since the building was unused, it was possible that the door to the basement had been locked shut. However, Bertus felt an odd sensation. "Let''s go in and see." With a single swipe of her aura blade, which sprouted from her index finger, Turner easily unlocked the door. Upon arriving at the basement''s first floor, Bertus couldn''t help but frown when he saw the state of the basement, regardless of the basis for Ellen''s strange conviction. "What on earth is this?" As soon as they entered the basement, Bertus and Turner couldn''t help but feel a chill run down their necks when they saw the strange symbols drawn on the walls and ceiling. As if the entire space had been turned into a magical circle, odd symbols and lines were chaotically drawn on the walls and ceiling. "There is¡­ something here." Just as Ellen had said, they couldn''t determine a specific function, but it was clear that the basement was involved in some sort of shamanism, and that Dettomorian had locked the door from the inside while doing something. Worried about any possible side effects, Bertus, Turner, and Ellen were careful not to step on or touch the magic circles as they continued deeper into the basement. The basement was designed to have two floors. Both the first and second floors were covered in unidentifiable magic circles and symbols. Bertus let out a somber sigh as he looked at them. "This wasn''t done overnight¡­" "It seems so¡­" The club building had been unused for quite some time. It was almost certain that Dettomorian had locked the basement of the club building and spent a very long time drawing and setting up these magic circles, even before the large-scale military organization moved. Despite not knowing what the magic circles meant, Bertus felt a shiver down his spine just from hearing ominous words. The three of them soon found Dettomorian. In the innermost part of the second-floor basement, there was a large storage room. In the dimly lit basement, they could see numerous lit candles beyond the open door of the large storage room. There were about a hundred large candles haphazardly placed throughout the room, with melted candle wax flowing onto the floor. In the center of those many candles, Dettomorian sat quietly. Amidst the light of the candles, Bertus could see the bone-made idol and numerous blood-drawn magic circles. As if he knew about the visitors, Dettomorian slowly raised his head to look at the three standing in the hallway. "What are¡­" Bertus stared at Dettomorian, who sat quietly as if at the epicenter of a blasphemous ritual. "What are you doing here¡­?" It was frightening if there was no meaning to this, and if there was a meaning, it was clear that it wouldn''t be anything good given the size of the magic circles. With furrowed brows, Bertus shouted. "What are you doing?" The boy with the ever-dark complexion. Dettomorian. He watches them from the faint candlelight. In the midst of the growing eeriness, Bertus asks the young shaman sitting among the candles. "Prayer." Dettomorian replies. "I''m praying for ''peace''." In a place that seems to have nothing to do with peace. Dettomorian says he is praying for peace. ------ The explanation for Dettomorian''s sinister ritual was simple. Praying for peace. Still ominous and suspicious, but Bertus knows nothing about shamanism. So he doesn''t know what function this eerie ritual actually has. Therefore, he can neither punish nor interrogate. He can''t determine whether Dettomorian is lying or telling the truth. "You can come in..." Dettomorian speaks to Bertus, hesitating outside the storage room. Passing between the candles, Turner, Ellen, and Bertus approached Dettomorian. The ritual circle, drawn as if with blood, filled the storage room. Could peace be prayed for with something like this? Could it really work? Bertus doesn''t know. "What is... prayer, anyway?" "I don''t know." "¡­Huh?" Bertus is dumbfounded by the absurdity. "I also... don''t know." Dettomorian was staring at the dwindling candles. "I''m just... doing what I can." "¡­" "I can''t fight. This is the only thing I know how to do..." Dettomorian looks up at Bertus with a sullen complexion. "So, that''s why I''m doing this." The shaman himself doesn''t even know what the ritual is for. "It''s just... praying, in the end, right?" "That''s right¡­" Countless powerless people pray to the heavens, projecting hope onto the heroes. It might be a meaningless ritual, merely an act of faith. "Do you really think... this will be effective?" Bertus looks around the storage room, then back at Dettomorian in disbelief. "It might not be¡­" Dettomorian places a half-melted, large candle on his palm. "But¡­ it might be." Dettomorian stares intently at the dwindling candlelight. Bertus feels suffocated watching Dettomorian''s slow actions. In the end, it might be a meaningless endeavor. "You... how long have you been doing this?" "Continuously¡­" Muttering incomprehensible words. Praying, bowing, and dancing in front of strange idols. No matter where or what he''s doing, Dettomorian continuously prays for peace. Since the Gate Incident, for a very long time. Dettomorian, who doesn''t know how to fight, has been continuously offering prayers to an unknown power. Continuously since the Gate Incident. For over two years. How is this any different from ordinary people''s prayers, besides the scale? From Dettomorian''s words, Bertus couldn''t tell whether he should feel emptiness or greatness in the fact that he continued to pray because it was the only thing he could do. It might not be effective, but it might be. However, Bertus focuses on Dettomorian''s words. Not revenge or destruction, but peace. The words of Dettomorian, who claimed to pray for peace, are etched into his mind. Dettomorian''s personal information has already been received from Mustlang. Originally from a primitive tribe in the North. In a world filled with monsters in the fields and plains, the likelihood of Dettomorian''s homeland still existing was slim. Dettomorian, ignorant of the truth, ought to wish for the Demon King''s death as an act of revenge. However, instead of revenge, Dettomorian wished for peace. "So... if your wish succeeds, let''s say it has meaning. Then, in what way will peace... come about?" At Bertus''s question, Dettomorian shook his head. "I don''t know." Dettomorian set down the candle he had been holding. "If peace isn''t achieved... my wish would have failed..." "..." "If peace is achieved... my wish would have succeeded..." It was a consequentialist way of thinking. "Of course, regardless of the success or failure of my wish... peace might come anyway..." With a nod that seemed to imply he already knew it wasn''t a foolproof argument, Dettomorian continued. "So... it''s simply good in and of itself..." He added that he continued to wish for peace. "Adding the possibility of hope... can''t be a bad thing..." Dettomorian''s wish might fail, or it might succeed. Or it might have had no meaning at all. But in the end, if there was even the slightest possibility in that wish, there was no reason not to try. So he continued to wish for peace. In the basement of an abandoned building, which people no longer sought. He set up strange symbols and magic circles, idols, and continued the endless ritual, praying fervently. Looking at Dettomorian, Bertus felt an inexplicable awe. Just as Bertus couldn''t decipher the meaning of the magic circle, he couldn''t know the value of this ritual that Dettomorian performed. But he felt certain that it was not something to be disregarded. "So... why did you come here...?" Only then did Bertus realize that Dettomorian was speaking to him, the emperor, as if it were a normal conversation. Although Ellen''s case was exceptional, the other students could no longer consider Bertus as a friend. However, Dettomorian showed no particular reverence or fear towards Bertus, the emperor. This shaman acted and moved according to his own principles and values. According to those values and principles, he prayed for peace. "There''s something you need to help me with." Bertus still couldn''t believe in the power of shamanism. However, he decided that he could trust Dettomorian. ------ Bertus spoke about Ellen''s condition. Numerous spirits had taken residence in Ellen''s body, and her sense of self might vanish. A way to remove or eliminate such spirits. Or a way to prevent Ellen from disappearing. "..." Dettomorian looked at Ellen, who was sitting in front of him. Ellen was desperately trying to maintain her consciousness by focusing her eyes. However, her eyesight blurred and sharpened repeatedly, as if it were difficult for her. As if she was breaking down in real-time. Dettomorian examined Ellen''s complexion. The hero, Ellen Artorius. During the time when the temple functioned properly, the two had no opportunity to speak properly. Just as Ellen was a stranger to Dettomorian, he was also a stranger to her. What is peace? Dettomorian tried to achieve that peace through his wishes, but he wasn''t actually bearing it. However, Ellen had been carrying a significant portion of the weight of that peace. "I don''t have the ability to handle ''something like this''." Dettomorian reached a disheartening conclusion as he examined Ellen''s condition. There was no solution. Due to the stories they heard along the way, despair was evident on the faces of Bertus and Saviolin Turner. Dettomorian rose from his seat and walked somewhere. Rummaging through a leather backpack, he retrieved a small bone-like fragment. Dettomorian brought a carving knife and slowly began to grind away at the bone fragment. Chipping, polishing, and grinding. For several hours, Dettomorian carved a symbol into the bone. Bertus, Turner, and Ellen watched Dettomorian''s actions for a long time. Finally, having ground and carved the symbol into the bone fragment, Dettomorian punched a hole in it and attached a leather strap. He handed Ellen the crudely shaped necklace. It was a symbol of the moon drawn within the sun. Though he could not touch such a thing himself, Dettomorian created something for Ellen. It was merely a small symbol crafted without any grand ceremony. "Can this... protect me...?" Ellen asked, staring blankly at the necklace lying in her palm. "Anyone can make a prayer," Dettomorian replied. While he had prayed through a massive magic circle, in reality, prayer was possible for anyone. Setting aside whether it would come true or not. "Just as I pray for peace..." Like how Dettomorian prayed for peace, even though he lacked the power to change the world, he still wished and prayed for a chance. "You, too, can pray... for yourself not to disappear." Ellen could pray for herself not to vanish. In a world where believing in something means someone will lend you strength, Ellen had been chosen by the gods of the moon and sun. Hoping for protection from a greater power than her own, not just from a shaman. Dettomorian carved a symbol of a being that could lend Ellen strength and handed it to her. "I pray that this will become a guidepost for your soul..." He also promised to pray for Ellen. ''May the sun and moon protect you.'' Ellen recalled something her mother had once told her. The sun and the moon. She carefully held the symbol carved from a bone-like substance. "Thank you..." Ellen put the amulet that the shaman gave her around her neck. ------ After receiving the amulet from Dettomorian, Bertus, Ellen, and Saviolin Turner left the temple. Ellen and Turner had to return to the garrison. And Bertus still had inspections to complete, so he planned to stay at the garrison for a few more days. "Will it... work?" In the predicament of not knowing whether shamanism really worked or not, they may have wasted their time. They didn''t know what kind of power Dettomorian truly possessed. Whether he even had any power at all, they didn''t know. Magic proves its existence through its manifestation. Divine power proves its existence by summoning the power of the gods. But the three of them had not seen the essence of shamanism. They didn''t know whether it truly functioned or not. If praying for peace brought peace, then why was there a need for anything else? Wasn''t it just relying on an illusion in the face of an overwhelmingly difficult and desperate situation? The fact that an emperor, a knight known as the empire''s greatest sword, and a warrior hailed as humanity''s hope all sought solace in the uncertainty of shamanism was utterly horrifying. Bertus felt a sense of self-loathing as soon as he left the temple, wondering what he had done. He had been drawn to Dettomorian, engaged in conversation, and received an amulet, but it seemed unlikely that such a thing could protect Ellen. He couldn''t help but think this way, and he felt incredibly sorry for bringing Ellen away from the battlefield and to the temple in the first place. "It might not have any effect," he admitted. However, Ellen, with the thin symbol hanging around her neck, walked quietly. "But it might," she countered. Dettomorian had prayed for peace, knowing that it might not come, but hoping that it might. The mere amulet might or might not be able to protect Ellen. But since it might, she insisted, "I don''t think having something like this can be harmful." Because there might be even the slightest possibility. Just as Dettomorian had said, Ellen would believe in it. If she used it as a guidepost for her soul, if she believed in it, she could avoid disappearing. If simply believing could prevent her from falling apart, then the amulet''s effect was as good as real. Ellen believed. And so, she certainly felt that her clouded consciousness had cleared, if only a little. CH 517 Dettomorian stared quietly at the storage room door from which the three visitors had vanished. ''The ritual has already been performed.'' He knew that the long-held offering had already reached something, and that it had come to fruition. It was a ceremony held in the hope of peace. However, Dettomorian could not be certain whether the ritual had truly reached a power capable of bringing about peace. And even if the outcome leads to peace, the process could not be peaceful. If the ritual had reached a dark power, peace would come through a dark process. If it had reached a benevolent power, peace would come through a benevolent process. If the ritual was weak and had reached a weak power, it would be unable to bring about peace. A shaman cannot know the process or the outcome. All they could do was make offerings and perform rituals, just as shamans had done since ancient times. Dettomorian recalled the abyss he had felt within Ellen Artorius. How could he be sure that it was not the result of the ritual''s influence? It was entirely possible that the influence of the ritual had reached and ultimately taken hold within the hero. The impact of the offering made by Dettomorian on the world was unknown, and nothing strange could happen no matter what the consequences. The abnormally vast collection of spirits within Ellen, which could not have occurred naturally, may or may not have been created by Dettomorian''s ritual. A shaman knows nothing and can be certain of nothing. All they can do is perform the ritual. Dettomorian slowly rose to his feet and began rearranging the candles. The ritual had already been performed. He had seen something that might have been its result. Now it was time for the next ritual. A more intuitive and clear ritual. "..." A prayer for the lost souls. A prayer that this miasma would not grow any larger. This was one of the most common and important roles given to shamans since ancient times, long, long ago. The Soul Calming ritual began. ¡ª--- "One hundred...members." These could be considered the finest elites of Edina. Vampire Council mages. Holy Order knights and priests. And even a handful of powerful demons. Exactly one hundred members. One hundred and five, including the direct squad I personally lead. They were divided into five units, each consisting of twenty members. A Vampire Lord leads each unit. And the direct squad that would accompany me personally. My direct squad consisted of five members: myself, Liana de Grantz, Harriet de Saint Owan, Airi, and Olivia Lanze. Unit 1, Eleris. Unit 2, Lucinil. Unit 3, Luvien. Unit 4, Gallarush. Unit 5, Antirianus. Each unit was led by an Archmage with control over mobility. Five Vampire Lords, one for each unit, capable of using Mass Teleport. We would move separately in our units, securing the path for the Allied Forces. "The main principle is one: when encountering the Allied Forces, absolutely do not engage in battle." There was a high possibility of unnecessary conflict. Our enemy was the monsters of the Gate. Fighting amongst ourselves would only weaken both sides and bring about negative consequences. "Also, when engaging with the monsters, there''s no need to fight recklessly. Keep in mind that our goal is not annihilation." We cannot afford to lose forces while securing the route. There is no need for us to do everything. Our goal is not to destroy the Gate on behalf of the Allied Forces, but to help them reach the Gate more quickly. The difference between the strength of humanity and ours is Our goal is not to destroy the gate in place of the allied forces but to help them reach the gate as quickly as possible. The difference between the power of humanity and our own is still quite apparent. We need to hasten the resolution of the gate situation. By doing so, we can lay the foundation for the world to function properly once again. We may not know what the ultimate outcome we must reach is. But now, it is time for us to move towards the ending. ------ A massive army is, in itself, a massive consumer group. An enormous amount of supplies is needed. During the previous Demon War, the human army carried out large-scale supplies while installing warp gates. However, now that warp gates can no longer be installed, and the continent is overflowing with monsters, maintaining supply lines has become impossible. Thus, most of the resource transportation relies on the mass teleportation of the great magicians. While humanity''s ability to meet supplies through mass teleportation alone is impressive, inevitably, the longer the army is in operation, the more likely it is to encounter limitations. Therefore, if the war doesn''t end quickly, there is a possibility that humanity''s last army will wither and die, not due to the fight against the monsters, but of its own accord. To end the war quickly, this expedition must end as soon as possible. As such, we become the vanguard of the allied forces without them even knowing, clearing the path they must take. The allied forces will eventually realize that there is a vanguard they are unaware of. Soon, high-ranking commanders of the allied forces, including Bertus, will also learn that we are the ones behind this vanguard. Fighting amongst ourselves is foolish, so the commanders will try to avoid conflict as much as possible. Of course, it is naive to think that there won''t be any soldiers or knights who lose their reason and charge at me upon seeing me. So, we must avoid contact as much as possible. And one more thing. We need information about the allied forces. "Be careful, Sarkegaar." "Yes, Your Majesty." Sarkegaar bows his head. As always, Sarkegaar will infiltrate the garrison, gather information about the allied forces'' march and detailed strategy, and pass it on to us. It might be safe to contact Bertus directly, but that would be risky. Not for me, but for Bertus. If someone were to hear about it, the situation would become dire. Also, since Bertus isn''t directly commanding this army and usually resides in the Imperial Palace, our information gathering would inevitably be slow. It''s better to keep our enemies as enemies. As always, Sarkegaar, an expert in disguise and infiltration, will relay information about the allied forces to us. A spy not to hinder the enemy, but to aid them. Leaving aside the reversal of roles, I can''t even tell what''s what anymore. -Krrrkrrrk We all watch as Sarkegaar transforms into a hawk and takes to the skies. "Well, let''s get started." We have now left Edina and arrived on the continent. We will occasionally return to Edina for maintenance, but we will be spending a significant amount of time in the field. Until the gate situation is completely resolved. It was going to be a long battle. ------ The allied forces are also utilizing a vanguard. We don''t know the specifics yet, but they are likely employing a vanguard made up of extremely powerful combatants, like Saviolin Turner and Ellen. A unit that emphasizes mobility, including swift responses in emergencies, infiltration, and withdrawal. If we encounter the vanguard, a headache-inducing situation may arise, so we will carry out our operations from a position further ahead than the vanguard of the allied forces. There is no need for us to annihilate all the monsters on the march, as the absolute size of the allied forces is overwhelmingly large. By handling just what we can, the amount of work for the vanguard of the allied forces will be significantly reduced. There is no need to overdo it. The five divided squads will spread out in their assigned directions, annihilating the monsters. And, the five of us, including me who leads directly, will go even deeper. The current target of the allied forces is the city of Rastran, a large city in the northwest of the continent. However, before reaching that place, we must pass through numerous small and medium-sized cities, starting with the border region. Destroying all the warp gates in the ruined territory of the once third-largest kingdom, Riselen, will end the gate crisis. As it was too vast a territory to deal with, the empire had initially planned to restore this place as the last recovery point when Riselen fell. Therefore, all the warp gates in Riselen''s territory were untouched. In other words, it''s about reclaiming the entire territory of a nation that was occupied by monsters. Rastran was the largest city among those located on Riselen''s border. There were a total of seven warp gates in the city. However, monsters also come out of the gates in the small and medium-sized cities that we must pass through to reach that city. In a way, the smaller cities are points to pass by, and the larger city is the main target. "If the outskirts are like this..." "Indeed..." While the other squads were performing their missions, we were scouting at a much more advanced point. A point so far ahead that whatever we did here would not affect the allied vanguard or our squads. The vanguard of the vanguard, one might say. We stared blankly at the monsters overflowing from the small warp gate in the border area of Riselen. The distance was far, and we were hiding our bodies with Harriet''s concealment magic while observing the situation from a high ground. -Kwooooooo! -Groooaaar! Flying monsters filled the sky, while other monsters roamed the fields and the ruins of the city. Their numbers were too many to count. And the deeper we go, the more there will be. Me, Harriet, Olivia, Airi, and Liana. The range of what the five of us can do is much broader. "Let''s check them out one by one, see which is most effective. If we can suppress a small city by ourselves, there''s no reason not to." I look at Liana. She could summon a lightning storm. And among us, no one can match Liana''s wide-area killing ability. Even across the continent, there is no one like Liana. Not even the magic of the Vampire Lords can match Liana''s destructive power. However, Liana has awakened a new ability, and the scope of that ability is on a different level than before. Weather control. It changes the weather on a regional scale. Literally, it is a supernatural power that reaches beyond the horizon, and even further. Moreover, this supernatural power is not manifested through the consumption of energy called magic. "Hoo..." With a calm expression, Liana quietly looks at the monsters boiling around her. The ability has already been thoroughly tested. It''s not just about storms, nor is it limited to tornadoes. Liana, who had taken a depression-inducing drug, began to manifest her power with a gloomy expression but confident eyes. "It''s going to get cold." It''s only the tenth month. The date is too early for winter. However, the clear blue sky soon fills with clouds, and the air changes. Before we know it, white breaths start coming out of all our mouths. The wind blows. -Whoooooosh! The wind soon turns into a fierce gust. And gradually, flurries of snow mix with the swirling wind, and then heavy snow pours down from the sky, making it impossible to see even an inch ahead. "It''s... impossible..." Harriet, wide-eyed, stood with her mouth agape, seemingly unable to believe what she was seeing. A large-scale weather change. A blizzard rages. -Kiiiiiiiiaaa! -Keeeeeeack! Flying monsters crash as their wings break due to the sudden weather change and gusts of wind. The wind brings down the flying monsters. However, that''s not the real deal. Liana murmurs quietly in the rough gust with a stern expression. "Let''s see how many of them can survive without freezing to death." Freezing and killing monsters that wouldn''t withstand such extreme cold under normal circumstances. That''s the true power of this blizzard. CH 518 Monsters come in all shapes and sizes. Some have symmetrical structures, like proper living creatures, while others have appearances so bizarre that they are difficult to describe with words. There are those that must eat to survive and those that can live without sustenance. Some can withstand the cold, while others can survive extreme heat. There are monsters with exceptional resistance to magic, rendering them immune to it, and those that are impervious to most weapons. Our goal is not to kill every single monster. We aim to cull them. We will eliminate those that cannot endure the cold. But we are not limited to using only the cold. Naturally, we could also dry them out with extreme heat, like that of a scorching desert. Liana creates weather changes across a vast area to thin out the number of monsters. The temperature drops to around minus forty degrees. Considering the raging blizzard, the perceived temperature would be even lower. And it''s not just the monsters that have to endure the cold; we must endure it as well. While Liana uses her powers, we maintain our body heat with Harriet''s magic, seeking shelter. -Keuuuuuaaaah! The monsters'' cries echo all around us as they suffer in the cold. No monsters have approached the shelter Harriet has set up. We spend the day in a safe space, waiting for the blizzard to freeze and kill the monsters. "Wouldn''t the allied forces be shocked when they arrive?" Olivia chuckles, hugging the light Harriet has summoned. Outside, it''s so cold that one''s saliva would freeze upon leaving their mouth, but inside the shelter, it''s warm. "Well... I think by the time they arrive, the snow will have melted." "Hmm, perhaps so?" Olivia tilts her head at Airi''s words. The allied forces would be aware of our existence. We would destroy the gates of a small city with just our power if we could, but we have no intention of overexerting ourselves. "Everyone, get some rest. If the monsters find us, we''ll know because of the alarm." At Liana''s words, we all prepare to sleep in the underground burrow. Airi will help us fall asleep. Not being able to sleep properly in a strange place can lead to issues with condition management. Airi has a role to play as well. Liana''s power is extensive, but so is Airi''s. She will send the monsters that must sleep into a slumber from which they cannot awaken. They will die in the cold and be swallowed by an eternal sleep. By tomorrow morning, how many monsters will still be walking the earth? And more importantly... "Valier." "...Yes." Airi places her hand on my forehead. It''s time for me to dream of Ellen killing me. I''ve lost count of how many times I''ve died. But there is one thing I can count. I haven''t won once. ------ The dreams Airi helps me have are like shadow boxing or more tangible image training, but I always lose. No, it''s not that I lose, I''m killed. Is it because I fell asleep in a blizzard? In my dream, I can see Ellen amidst the frozen landscape and the snowstorm. -Whooooosh! In the blizzard, Ellen''s black hair flutters as she looks at me. In these dream battles, there''s always something that happens. Ellen stares at me for about three seconds. It''s merely an image I''ve created, having nothing to do with the real Ellen. Her hair blowing wildly in the blizzard, Ellen''s calm expression. And eyes without focus. Without ever speaking a word to me, she always tries to kill me. Would the current Ellen be in a situation not much different from this? Or is she somehow enduring it? As long as I am supporting the advance of the allied forces, I might encounter Ellen someday. Will the Ellen I meet then be the same as the Ellen now? Kwoong! The snow surrounding Ellen, who stepped on the trigger, bursts like an explosion, and Ellen charges at me through the wave of snow. Kaang! I deflect Ellen''s sword with my Alsbringer. I''m afraid to see the real Ellen. With the same eyes as now, and the same attitude as now. It seems she would try to kill me without any hesitation. It''s not the fear of death. It was those eyes that I was afraid of. Kwang! Kakang! Kung! Snowstorms are whipped up by the shockwaves from the clashing swords. I''m afraid to face Ellen. Nevertheless, what I must do remains the same. Whether the real Ellen is like this or not. I will. I will reclaim you. By whatever means necessary. ------ The next day. Since the rough snowstorm that fell overnight had piled up a tremendous amount of snow at the entrance of the shelter, Olivia and I had to clear a path to the outside. Phwook! "Ugh... This isn''t something to do often." "Indeed..." Grumbling only briefly, not just Olivia and I, but also the three who followed us, couldn''t close our mouths at the sight that unfolded before us. The snowstorm had already stopped. Even Liana, who created this situation, was present. The whole world had turned a pristine white. Literally, all that could be seen was snow, snow, and more snow. As if the snow had devoured everything in the world. Not a single blade of grass in the field, not a single tree could be seen. Of course, there were monsters roaming the land covered entirely in snow. Large ones, medium ones, small ones. It was clear that there were monsters capable of enduring this harsh cold. "Almost all the monsters... are dead..." However, the number of monsters that once swarmed like a horde of insects had already drastically decreased. "The effect is more than just significant." If it''s more than just this feeling, then it''s more than welcome. What would have been possible only after deploying an army and engaging in a massive slaughter, a single night''s snowstorm had made possible. A feat only possible for Liana de Grantz in the whole world. Since the number of monsters had drastically decreased, all that was left was to destroy the warp gate. "Um... But you know." Olivia tilts her head and points to the snow-covered ground. "Where''s the warp gate?" "..." "..." Indeed. Because everything was covered in snow, we couldn''t tell where the warp gate was. ------ Since monsters continued to emerge from the warp gate, we had no choice but to know that the place where monsters surged was close to the gate. Liana tried to use her power in the opposite way, to melt the snow instead of creating a snowstorm, but I stopped her. There''s no good in frequently consuming something like a depression-inducing agent. From the snow-covered land, we discovered more unexpected effects of the weather change. Most flying monsters had crashed and died. As it was impossible to fly in the harsh snowstorm, their wings broke and they plummeted. Monsters that couldn''t withstand the cold froze to death. These were the expected effects. However, a considerable number of monsters were also crushed under the accumulating snow. In the small border town in Riselen. I had taken on the task of locating and personally destroying the small warp gate. Having struck and eliminated the monster spawning point, the allied forces would be able to quickly arrive here as long as they dealt with the roaming monsters in the field. Although I didn''t need to cause any changes in the weather, I was able to forge a path by melting the snow with my fire magic, so our travel was unhindered. However, the surviving monsters were also struggling, buried in the snow. It would be nice if they just died on their own. "I did destroy the gate, but..." In the vast snow-covered wasteland, we were able to achieve more than our initial goal. Not only did we reduce the number of monsters, but we were also able to destroy a warp gate, even if it was in a small town. "Will this melt by the time the allied forces arrive...?" The weather is still warm, so the snow should melt quickly. We had to ponder an odd concern. ------ No matter how fast the allied forces advanced, there was a limit. That''s why, by successfully neutralizing a warp gate in a small town, we had achieved more than what we needed to do. It would be pointless for us to clear a location far ahead in the current situation, when the allied forces are still quite far from us. Even if we wiped out the monsters now, they would respawn by the time the allied forces arrived. So, we just had to maintain a reasonable distance and timing, clearing the area before the vanguard of the allied forces was expected to arrive. For now, we just had to monitor the movement of the allied forces and assess the operational situation of each Vampire Lord''s squad. We had no immediate tasks at hand. "It seems like we can go back to Edina." Harriet said. Around Harriet''s neck hung a necklace. A rectangular blue cube-shaped pendant, with eight of them strung together forming a rather heavy necklace. Power Cartridges. An invention by Adelia, but Harriet could make them too. As far as I knew, Adelia was continuously improving the power cartridges. She was trying to enhance not only their performance and mana capacity but also change the materials to enable mass production. I heard she had created a new type of super-sized power cartridge called the Arc Crystal. A method of absorbing Cayer''s mana for Redina to use. It struck me as a rather interesting concept. Just as Adelia had modified the power cartridges for her own purposes, so had Harriet. Adelia had modified the power cartridges for others to use, whereas Harriet had modified them solely for her own use. Eight power cartridges. Auto-recharging. When their mana was depleted, they would absorb the surrounding mana to recharge. While Adelia focused on mass-producing power cartridges, Harriet had created a unique set. With their materials and design, even though Harriet had made them, these eight cartridges were the only ones of their kind. They had to be used only at the most crucial moments, and there was a risk of them breaking if used carelessly. Harriet had made them but hadn''t worn them until now. Although Harriet''s mana capacity wasn''t insufficient, it was far less compared to the Vampire Lords, who were comparable to Archmages. That''s why, even though she understood magic, she couldn''t use it. Those eight auto-recharging power cartridges compensated for her lack of mana. Soon. The absence of a Vampire Lord among us, who could be considered Edina''s strongest force, was because Harriet could now perfectly fulfill that role. It was not just teleportation, but mass teleportation that could be used. Was it Harriet who was impressive for creating a unique power cartridge that automatically recharged? Or was it Adelia who was remarkable for improving the power cartridge so it could be mass-produced with low-grade materials? Both were impressive. After all, both of them had only created what the situation demanded. Anyway, we could now return to Edina. We had told the squads led by the Vampire Lords not to overdo it, so they would prioritize retreating if they felt at risk. Since they were conducting their operations separately, the judgment of the field commanders was the most important thing, so they would manage without me monitoring their situation. "Hmm..." We were sitting around a snowdrift, eating preserved food. There was no point in clearing the way ahead before the allied forces arrived here. We could return to Edina. But there was nothing in particular to do when we got back. "Asher... that guy... he''s dead, isn''t he?" At my words, Harriet, Liana, and Olivia''s expressions darkened. Asher had been our classmate, and from Olivia''s perspective, someone she had encountered in the religious club, Grace. Asher from section B-4. A talent for divine power. We weren''t close friends, just acquaintances who had exchanged words a few times. Someone was bound to die. Since the Gate incident, people had been dying, and as the fighting escalated, more people would inevitably die. Wasn''t it our job to minimize those unavoidable deaths? In the original work, the protagonist, Ludwig, dies at the end. Naturally, classmates also died. Even the character Saviolin Turner dies, so it was inevitable that there would be casualties among the students. Ellen, Harriet, Delphin, and Scarlett, among others, survived to the end. But the situation was different from the original work. It was much too different. Asher wasn''t originally supposed to die. The future had changed, altering the nature of the battles, and those who were not supposed to die began to perish. Those who died in the original work might survive. Conversely, those who survived in the original work might die. Asher''s death signified the beginning of such events. It wasn''t only in the arduous and cruel battles that these things happened. People could die in ways that were almost like accidents. We couldn''t save everyone, but for our classmates, if there was a way to help them avoid death, shouldn''t we do it? We couldn''t know who would die in battle. Reducing the scale of the battles our classmates faced and reducing the number of monsters was the only thing we could do right now. There was no more we could do for those who died in battle. However, there were other ways people could die. Because the development and circumstances had changed from the original work, the life and death within the fights were unpredictable and could only be prevented. But there were things that had not changed from the original work. Politics. Deaths due to politics would proceed as planned. If the characters involved in politics were alive, the dynamics related to politics would have to be alive as well. The power structure and the resulting tension would remain the same. As long as their humanity remained the same, the desire to kill someone for political reasons would arise. We couldn''t predict the battles, but political relationships remained. "Heinrich, remember." At my words, Harriet and Liana nodded their heads. Heinrich von Schwarz. A pyrokinesis user and the prince of Kernstadt. He had no influence, but now he was bound to become powerful. "That guy, he''s going to be assassinated soon." Not killed in battle, but assassinated. At those words, Liana and Harriet''s eyes widened. CH 519 The path had been cleared. The allied forces would soon detect the involvement of an unknown power, but not just yet. And if the path was cleared too soon, other monsters would undoubtedly take their place. Therefore, our troops have some time to spare until the allied forces commence their next advance. I need to check the situation at the allied base. Heinrich von Schwarz is to be assassinated. However, the exact timing is unknown. Thus, it was decided to monitor the movements at the allied base. Although information could be obtained from Sarkegaar, who was already infiltrated, it was necessary to verify it with my own eyes. Not only Heinrich''s issue, but there were many things I wanted to see and confirm personally. How the Temple students were faring, and how they had changed. And how Ellen''s situation was progressing; I wanted to see it with my own eyes. The other four strongly advised against it, considering it too dangerous, but I could perform some of the tasks that Sarkegaar could do. I could not transform into a beast, but I could easily transform into a human. The number of allied forces is large. Too large, in fact. Therefore, disguising myself as a member of the allied forces and wandering around the base was not a difficult task. Besides, this war generally does not take any special measures against spy issues, including security. The enemies are monsters that don''t speak our language. As they always challenge us to a head-on battle, there is no need for reconnaissance or surprise attacks. Thus, there is no existence of an information war. Bertus would know that I am not a danger, so he would not be on guard against my power. Knowing that I am watching, he might have even designed the situation to make it easier for me to grasp. Of course, that seems like a bit of an exaggeration. Dressed as an imperial officer, I arrived near the allied base. Harriet had teleported me here. "¡­This is incredible." Even though I had heard about it, seeing the immense scale of the allied forces with my own eyes left me speechless. In case of an emergency, I could escape using a scroll, and if there was no crisis, Harriet would be waiting at the designated place and time to take me back to Edina. The deadline is tomorrow. "Your Highness, do you remember your rank and affiliation?" Sarkegaar, disguised as my attendant, stood beside me. "Lieutenant Lindel of the 4th Training Command, attached to the Education Command of the Imperial 1st Legion." Of course, it was a fabrication. There might be such a position, but there was no Lieutenant Lindel. The reason for posing as an officer was to avoid being questioned about my identity by ordinary soldiers. As for the affiliation with the Education Command, it was because they were in very small numbers at this allied base. Their role was to train the recruits gathered through conscription offices on the Imperial Highway and then deploy them to this battlefield via mass teleportation along with supplies, so there was little need for them to be on-site. However, there were still a few. In fact, there were officers at the base, but their numbers were very small. This meant that there would be very few occasions when someone would question why they had never met a training officer like me before. Other officers would simply accept the explanation that I was a training officer and move on. Hence, a disguise had been created that allowed me to move around the base comfortably without interference. It was Sarkegaar, who had managed to grasp the situation at the base in just two days, who recommended this disguise. From the beginning, even this was not a necessary procedure. With so many soldiers and officers stationed at the garrison, even those belonging to the same army couldn''t possibly know each other. Observing the overall situation of the allied forces was Sarkegaar''s role. There was only one thing I wanted to confirm with my own eyes. The state of the Temple Royal-class garrison. ------ Sarkegaar was generally faithful to his duties. I thought he''d manage on his own, but I had given Sarkegaar a rather daunting task. Without any foundation, I had simply sent him, with the ability to transform, to enemy territory. Collect information, I said. Yet in just two days, not only had he grasped the entire layout of the vast garrison and the distribution of the allied forces, but he had also come up with a plausible disguise for me, who could not transform into animals or insects. No, but doing a good job in itself creates problems. If he does well with nothing in enemy territory, I expect him to continue doing well, which creates a certain expectation. What is an outstanding subordinate...? Does doing a good job mean eventually taking on increasingly difficult tasks? If being outstanding makes one more vulnerable, wouldn''t it be better not to be outstanding? The garrison was so noisy that even if Sarkegaar and I spoke casually, no one could eavesdrop. ¡°Move! Move it quickly!¡± ¡°Emergency assembly! Fourth squad, gather!¡± Of course, shouts could be heard throughout the garrison. Clang! Clang! Claaang! Pusheeek! Sounds like weapons being hammered echoed. "It seems quite busy." "Yes, while the higher-ranked fighters aren''t too busy, equipping the lower-ranked soldiers with weapons takes a tremendous amount of time." "I see..." Master class fighters can use Aura Blades, and high-quality weapons are provided to the higher-ranked fighters. For example, enchanted weapons. The longsword with the automatic repair function that Ellen and I used in Darkland is a valuable item. These high-quality items are more durable due to their original quality, even if damaged in battle. Lower-ranked soldiers don''t even have a chance to hold such weapons. Inferior weaponry is their lot. So, once they are sent into battle, even if they survive, their equipment is bound to be damaged. Hence, countless weapons must be forged by blacksmiths in the garrison until they can withdraw from setting up the garrison. Spears and swords, bows and arrows. Clang! Clang! Sounds of weapons being forged and polished, and the reddened faces of the allied forces'' blacksmiths were visible. Seeing firsthand how many people war requires, and how many more non-combatants, who in some ways are more important than combatants, must be attached, it felt real. I knew in my head that war was not just about swords and spears, but seeing the bustling allied forces'' garrison made the war feel tangible and close. I too am playing a part in this war, but our small group can return to Edina, which can serve as a headquarters, at any time. This army is so large that only a very limited number of them can travel long distances through mass teleportation. Most of them won''t be able to return home until the war is over, and strictly speaking, there will be even more who have lost their homes altogether. I could also hear people''s conversations if I focused. ¡°At least we''re not starving. That''s something.¡± ¡°What''s the point if we die tomorrow?¡± "Have you ever been so hungry you wanted to die? I''d rather be here." In the midst of war, it was said that soldiers were the safest. Some people thought it was better to be enlisted now, able to escape starvation, while others feared the shadow of death. The hatred, fear, and hope of the people were felt as intensely as the war itself. Conversations cursing me came and went, as did those praising Ellen. There were those who worried about whether it was possible to sustain this army until the end of the war. And there were conversations among officers concerned about the fate of humanity if the army were annihilated. "What would happen if the Demon King attacked us now?" "No matter how strong the Demon King is, we have Turner and the Hero here. How could he attack us without going mad?" "Didn''t you hear about the Demon King slaughtering dozens of Swordmasters in the Imperial City?" "But in the end, he lost to the Hero. He was stabbed in the heart. The Demon King might already be dead." I walked through the Allied Forces'' base with a bitter smile. "Wow... it''s huge." The base was vast, and there were many people. So, there were too many conversations of various kinds. Not only chit-chat but also the ever-present sounds of longing for a successor in an army like this were numerous. And then there was something odd. "Wow!" Somewhere, soldiers gathered, admiring something. It seemed that something unexpected was happening there in the midst of war. "Grr! Grr!" "Told you, I can handle dogs." There was a soldier making a scruffy brown dog sit and stand, performing simple tricks, and other soldiers watching. "What... is there a dog here? Is it a military dog?" Judging by the scruffy appearance and obvious mixed breed, it wasn''t a military dog. It wasn''t the kind of war to handle military dogs in the first place. "It seems that surviving wild animals have been drifting into the Allied Forces'' base. Or perhaps humans have found them and deliberately brought them in." Just as humans were surviving this chaos, so were the animals. "As you can see, the commanders seem to have no objections, as it helps boost the morale of the soldiers. There seem to be quite a few units like this." It could have been rescued or sought out by humans, thinking they would protect it. "Wow!" The soldiers praised the simple tricks performed by the wild dog. The survivors protected the surviving animals. It was just a dog. They would probably feed it and take it with them, whether it belonged to a platoon or a company. They would cherish the dog, even though it had no role in this war. It was a meaningless act, but it was precious precisely because it was meaningless. Sarkegaar watched the scene quietly. "Your Majesty." "Hmm." "I wished for the destruction of all humans." Sarkegaar watched the soldiers smiling at the single dog. "But... I don''t think I wanted this." We were broken, so you should be broken too. Sarkegaar had wanted that. So, he watched the shattered humanity. The scruffy wild dog. What was the difference between that dog and humanity? Sarkegaar seemed to have complicated thoughts. It wasn''t about forgiving humanity or anything like that. But seeing the pitifully broken things, it was impossible to simply hate them. It was a sort of inevitable emotion that he felt. It was difficult to sum up our feelings in a single word. All we could do was describe the landscape before our eyes. Broken humanity laughs at a single dog. We try to forget what we''ve lost, as we look at what''s still left. We passed through that scene. ------ "It''s so damn far." "Well, it''s inevitable since the scale of the base is so large." It took a considerable amount of time just to reach the location where the Temple forces were stationed within the vast allied base. It wasn''t for nothing that the officers moved on horseback within the base. Of course, at this point, when we could run faster than horses in full sprint, there was no need for such things. However, if someone with superhuman speed were to sprint through the base, it would inevitably lead to very awkward situations. And since the Temple''s garrison was considered quite important within the allied forces, it was located almost at the very center of the base, making the distance the same from any direction. So, in the end, we managed to arrive at the location where the Temple forces were stationed within the allied base. A significant number of Temple students had been conscripted into the military. And the Temple initially had a student population of over 100,000. Thus, even if the force was made up of students, it was bound to be massive, and the combat prowess of the Temple students, even without Magic Body Strengthening, was on a different level compared to ordinary soldiers. These were students who had either trained professionally in martial arts or had majored in magic. The Temple''s forces were not inferior even when compared to the main force of the allied army. In addition, a vast number of weapons from the Temple had been placed in the hands of the students. Sarkegaar and I entered the Temple garrison. Naturally, the people coming and going, regardless of gender, were much younger on average compared to other garrisons. They were students who had received the same education in the same environment, regardless of their social status. However, many of them had lost their hometowns and countries as well. Social status had become meaningless. There were countless people who had lost their territories, even if they were imperial nobles. So now, it was fair to say that everyone had become equal under the qualification of being a soldier from the student background since social status had truly become meaningless. "They still hold classes in this environment." "I suppose so." I nodded in response to Sarkegaar''s words. Not only students but also teachers had joined the army. They conducted not only combat-related classes but also occasional general education. As if to say that humanity had not yet perished. While they couldn''t frequently hold education for the future, they still held classes. It would be the same for the Royal Class as well. Of course, the Royal Class forces, which were even more important within the Temple''s power, had almost no time for general education. The Temple hadn''t come to a complete standstill. As long as there were students and teachers, education could take place. As if to shout that education could happen outside the Temple as well. With a rather despondent feeling, having witnessed the scenes I had described, Sarkegaar and I continued to walk. At the very center of the Temple garrison, the Royal Class garrison. I had no choice but to face the obstacle I already knew. "A barrier..." Around the area of the Royal Class garrison, a barrier was erected in a circular shape. It was something I had been informed of even before Sarkegaar gathered the information. "As I mentioned before, the Royal Class garrison has strict access control." "...It seems so." It seemed that there were too many people trying to catch a glimpse of Ellen Artorius, even from a distance. There were even some who attempted to infiltrate her quarters. This wasn''t something that happened in the original work. Ludwig was the owner of the Alsbringer, and Ellen was the sister of the hero. Their fame had skyrocketed once their identities were revealed, but the entrance had never been restricted like this before. Could this be because of me? Because of my existence, Ellen''s fame as my rival had multiplied, and as a result, she had received more attention from the alliance. Her achievements in the Gate incident so far were also significant. There were even cases of stalking. Thus, they had set up measures near the Royal-class garrison, and soldiers kept a vigilant eye on any uninvited guests at the entrance. Harriet had entered Ellen''s quarters through spatial teleportation. She wouldn''t have passed through that entrance in the first place. Disguises and fake identities were of no use. With the warning "No unauthorized personnel allowed" posted, no one could enter without a legitimate reason. "From here on, I''ll go inside." "¡­" Sarkegaar could transform into something other than a human, so he should have been able to enter the Royal-class garrison. But I couldn''t. I knew this from the start. Of course, it''s not entirely meaningless to have seen the alliance''s movements with my own eyes, even if I couldn''t verify the Royal-class garrison itself. But having Harriet join me now and teleporting inside together would be even more absurd. If I were to enter in this state, I would be considered an unauthorized person in the Royal-class garrison. It was too risky to enter disguised as an insider. The Royal-class garrison wasn''t that big. There might be two of the same person in the same place, which would be insane. Sarkegaar could sneak in undetected and observe the people inside. But having come this far. Having come all the way here. Sarkegaar prepared to transform between the tents in the dimly lit garrison. He could simply transform and fly in. But still. I wanted to see. How everyone was doing. How everyone was getting by. I knew it would be painful to check, but. Even so. There were things I wanted to see with my own eyes. "Sarkegaar." "Yes." "I want to do it." "¡­Pardon?" I thought of the soldiers laughing at a dog. "People are being controlled, not animals." It''s people who are being controlled, not animals. And while there weren''t many animals, they were present. The mere presence of an animal wouldn''t be considered suspicious. "Can''t we do it?" "Your Highness¡­" "No, I mean, we can at least try, right?" If I were in the form of an animal, I could enter. I had never tried it before. But just because I hadn''t tried it doesn''t mean it''s impossible. ------ Sarkegaar could transform into an insect or a dragon using his shape-shifting ability. But I had never tried it. I didn''t dare attempt it because of the risk of not being able to return to my original form. So, I always tried to maintain a "humanoid" form, whether as a human or a demon. But now, it was impossible to enter disguised as someone else. Although I could have received the information from Sarkegaar''s mouth, I wanted to see it with my own eyes. There would have been no need to come here in person if I wasn''t going to see it with my own eyes, but rather just hear about it. Sarkegaar looked bewildered when I suddenly mentioned I would transform into a beast. However, I believed I would be able to return to my original form. If not, self-suggestion or a spell would work somehow. It would be ridiculous if, after coming this far, transforming into a beast caused the situation to go awry and I couldn''t return to my normal self. After all, there were measures in place for situations where I couldn''t return, like achievement points or something similar. Thus. I found a blind spot where people''s gazes wouldn''t reach in the temple garrison. -Meow I had become a cat. Why a cat? Firstly, cats are small and can hide here and there to eavesdrop on conversations, and even if discovered, people would likely let it slide. People tend to forgive cute things, no matter how suspicious they may be. That''s just how humans are. Transforming into a dog would be risky, as I might suddenly be leashed, and it would be harder to hide. My belongings and clothes hadn''t fallen to the ground. I wasn''t sure, but I thought there might be some function in Sarkegaar''s ring, similar to how he didn''t appear naked when he transformed from a beast back into a human. However, the ring was invisible, hanging from my ear like a piercing. And the problem. Moving my limbs wasn''t easy. It''s hard to describe. The feeling wasn''t that of moving my limbs, but rather like operating a machine I had never used before in my life. It was like having to control a fighter jet I had never flown before... Or should I say, more like a mobile suit? Well, I hadn''t tried either, so there was no point in making the comparison. -Shiver I felt helpless. My limbs wouldn''t move as I wanted them to! No, they weren''t limbs. All four legs wouldn''t move as I wanted! I couldn''t even walk! Were my legs not in sync with the cat''s? How could I extend my claws? Should I have some sort of instruction manual for operating a cat''s legs in my head? I couldn''t do anything but tremble in place, lifting my right front leg and shaking it, then lifting my back leg and shaking it. -Thump! In the end, I couldn''t even stand up properly and collapsed onto my side. I was completely helpless. -Shiver Lying on my side, I could only tremble; my body wouldn''t move properly. Was it always this difficult? How did Sarkegaar manage all this time? I was struggling with a four-legged cat, but how on earth did he manage with insects or winged creatures? -Meow! He could even speak, but I could only make a meowing sound. "..." Sarkegaar stared down at me as I lay on my side, flailing my legs. Why did I bother? It seemed that was what he was thinking. -Swish! Eventually, unable to bear it, Sarkegaar transformed as well. Into a cat similar to me, but slightly larger. -Mew -Boing! Boing! Sarkegaar hopped around in place. It was as if he was asking me to follow his lead. -Swat! Why did the tail go up? -... Sarkegaar, the mysterious cat, stared at me. He shook his head quietly. You mustn''t. Stop it. Return to how you were. It was a gesture that clearly conveyed such determination. No, first of all, forget about changing! I don''t know what it is, but I still don''t know how to control it! If you know, you can do it! Is there no instruction manual? -Waaah, waaah, waaah! As I wailed, Sarkegaar stared at me for quite a while. Then, tapping my foot, it seemed to try to teach me something one by one. But. Honestly. I had no idea what it was trying to teach me. CH 520 Among the temple garrisons, the entrance to the Royal Class garrison is guarded by security guards loaned from the temple itself. Of course, only those of confirmed status and carefully chosen individuals are entrusted with this role. The individual strength of each Royal Class student is important, but the famous hero, Ellen Artorius, resides here as well. Not only do various social climbers gather here, but also high-ranking officials and famous people from various countries come to mingle. Ellen''s fame is truly beyond description. As a result, the gatekeepers of the Royal Class garrison are composed of individuals who can ignore and snub the rude nonsense of high-ranking officials, starting from "Don''t you know who I am?" to "Call Ellen for me at once." Thus, this garrison is strictly off-limits to anyone other than the designated personnel, and if one attempts to sneak in or is caught inside, the level of punishment rises up to the level of the imperial emperor. Of course, knowing this, there are still those who continue to linger. Such strict access control. Absolutely no access for anyone other than designated ''personnel''. The control only applies to humans, after all. "¡­Huh?" As always, the gatekeepers, who were on high alert against the swarming social climbers and clueless officials, widened their eyes as they saw a cat walking towards the entrance of the garrison. "A cat¡­?" "What''s a cat doing here?" "Right?" Only one cat was approaching. However, the black cat that was walking had another small black kitten hanging from its mouth by the scruff of its neck. -Meow The dangling kitten let out a pitiful cry. Boldly, the black cat entered the Royal Class garrison without even bothering the gatekeepers. "Strange¡­ We often see dogs, but now a cat? Did it sneak in with the supplies?" "No way." As the cat was not subject to access control, the gatekeepers merely stared at the small black kitten and the black cat without taking any action. The guards soon witnessed a peculiar sight. The mother cat, who had boldly entered the Royal Class garrison with the kitten in her mouth, carefully set the kitten down in the middle of the bustling base. Then, she dashed away like a shot arrow, climbing the barrier wall of the Royal Class base before disappearing. -Meow! The guards stared at the baby black cat lying on the ground with bewildered expressions. "¡­Did she abandon it?" "¡­Seems like it." Sarkegaar had abandoned Reinhardt. ------ -Meow! The cry of the baby black cat sounded like a simple plea for help from a small animal. The intended meaning was, "Hey, what am I supposed to do if you leave me like this?" but who could understand that? Naturally, the sudden appearance of a small animal in such a place couldn''t help but attract people''s attention. "¡­What''s this? Why is there a cat here?" The first person to discover the cat was the teleporter, Kono Lint. Naturally, as many people heard the cat''s cry, they began to gather one by one. Everyone, except those on duty and away from the base, gathered at the sound of the familiar but strange cry of the small animal. Kono Lint, Adelia and Christina, who were conducting research at the garrison, Louis Ancton, and other Royal Class students couldn''t help but gather as well. After all, not only were there second-year students, but also upperclassmen and underclassmen. It was undoubtedly rare to encounter a beast, especially a young one, in a place like this. "How did a cat end up here?" "Well, there''s a place where they keep dogs, so it''s not impossible for there to be a cat." "I saw a big cat that looked similar running away earlier. Did it abandon this one?" "What should we do? It''s so pitiful¡­" "How can it be this cute?" "Do you think someone was raising it?" "It had a mother, remember?" -Meow! Of course, the original plan was to transform into a cat, stealthily wander the garrison, eavesdrop on conversations, and spy on them. However, he failed to master the transformation technique, and instead became a spectacle. Kono Lint, the first to discover the creature, grabbed the struggling kitten by the scruff of its neck. "Hey, hey! Be careful!" "No, that''s not it¡­" Kono Lint, who had suddenly picked up the small beast, looked at the black kitten and tilted his head. "Hey, does it look like it''s hurt somewhere?" -Purr The black cat, trembling and unable to stand on all four legs, looked to be in bad shape to anyone who saw it. -Meow! Of course, no one understood that it was actually shouting, "Put me down, you bastard!" ------ The pitiful black kitten, seemingly abandoned by its mother, was transferred to the canteen tent. It wasn''t shivering from the cold, nor was it unable to stand on all four legs due to pain. So, even when they covered it with a blanket, the shivering didn''t stop, and casting a healing spell wouldn''t allow it to stand properly. "It must be in a lot of pain." "Why isn''t it getting better?" "It''s so adorable¡­" Naturally, the corner of the large canteen tent was bustling with students. The desolate and brutal atmosphere of war was far from the happiness felt when looking at something cute. That''s why all the students gathered around this poor but precious visitor who had suddenly appeared. They brought a plate of milk from the canteen, thinking the kitten might be hungry, but it just trembled and couldn''t bring itself to eat. "That''s it!" Kono Lint, who had been watching, clapped his hands. "It might be stressed out because too many people are staring at it." Everyone, both seniors and juniors, nodded at Kono Lint''s words. Stress was everyone''s enemy, and it could be a big threat to such a small creature''s life. Even if they didn''t know for sure, they had a gut feeling about it. "Let''s leave it alone for now." Supernaturals and superhumans, who would get involved in anything, were now united in their concern for a single kitten. As they crowded around and then dispersed, the black kitten shivered and watched them. ------ It didn''t take long for the seemingly trivial but huge news of a kitten appearing in the garrison to spread. Thus, the stream of curious students visiting the canteen didn''t stop. Of course, not everyone was interested. "¡­How strange." Redina tilted her head, but seemed to have no interest as her own tasks were a priority. It wasn''t unheard of for surviving animals to be around, and Redina''s shoulders were too heavy to be excited by the appearance of such a creature. However, most people did show at least a little interest. The battlefield was an incredibly tense place. Just as soldiers kept hunting dogs, the Royal Class students in the desolate emotional desert of the battlefield wanted to see the small animal, even if just for a moment. And among them was Adriana, a former temple trainee who ended up joining the royal class. "Where does it hurt...?" -Meow Like other faith students, Adriana cautiously approached the kitten and cast a healing spell on it. "¡­It seems to be more effective when Adriana does it?" The black kitten, which had only been trembling and limp until now, began to stir and lift its head, rubbing its face against Adriana''s finger. "How did it get all the way here¡­? Poor thing." Adriana showed a sad smile as she watched the small kitten nuzzling her finger. Whether it was empathy or something else, it was clear that the kitten seemed to like Adriana very much. After petting the kitten for a while, Adriana received a mission call and hurriedly left the dining tent. "I came here to eat¡­" In the end, Adriana got so distracted by the kitten that she had to go on the mission with an empty stomach. ------ It was unclear whether Adriana''s healing spell had been effective, but as numerous students bustled about and cared for the kitten, it gradually regained its strength. Although the circumstances were entirely different, it definitely appeared that way to the onlookers. The trembling subsided, and the kitten began to move its limbs somehow. Eventually, it managed to stand on all fours from under the blanket. "Look, it''s standing." The students, careful not to startle the kitten, watched it with bated breath, as if witnessing a miracle. Many students watched the kitten move cautiously, one step at a time, as if learning to walk for the first time. The kitten began to walk in circles within a certain range around the blanket, as if practicing something. Although Kono Lint had advised them not to bother it, everyone couldn''t help but be excited by the arrival of this unfamiliar guest. "But did the mother cat abandon this one?" "Seems so." Adelia and Christina whispered to each other, watching the kitten as it had just started to walk. "Aren''t you hungry? Eat this." Christina pushed a plate of milk towards the kitten, but it didn''t even look at the plate. It was as if the kitten wasn''t hungry at all. Milk was, after all, not a common food in this situation. "Aren''t you hungry?" Regardless of whether it was hungry or not, the kitten didn''t seem to want to eat like an animal, but who would know that? The kitten simply made noises as it circled in place, suddenly jumping or wildly swinging its front paws, exhibiting bizarre behavior. It was as if it were testing the functions of its body. ------ As night fell, those who had been on missions began to return one by one, unless they were on long-term assignments. Naturally, as word of the kitten spread, more and more people came to the dining hall to see it. He had thought it was a covert reconnaissance mission, but his bodies didn''t cooperate, causing the targets of his reconnaissance to come to him instead. However, the mission''s objective was ultimately achieved. "A kitten¡­?" Upon hearing that there was a kitten where people were gathered, Ludwig tilted his head and went on to have dinner. "¡­How strange." Indeed, it was strange for a kitten to be in a place like this. Ludwig paid no more attention to the words. Despite seeing the gathering of people, Cliffman showed no interest and sat alone, eating his meal. The black kitten, on the other hand, stared at these scenes for quite some time. "..." Scarlett crouched down in front of the kitten, furrowing her brows as she hesitated whether to reach out her hand or not. "May I... touch it just a little?" She cautiously asked Anna de Gerna, who was standing beside her, as if seeking permission. "Why not...?" Encouraged by Anna''s words, Scarlett carefully reached out her hand to the kitten and succeeded in gently stroking it once. Although the kitten didn''t allow Scarlett''s touch as much as it did with Adriana, it still permitted it. "You''re... you''re so cute..." Scarlett, who didn''t usually show strong reactions, was at a loss, almost stomping her feet in excitement. After confirming that Scarlett had successfully petted the kitten once, Anna reached out her hand with a wicked smile. The black kitten, as if a trauma switch had been activated, slowly retreated and left Anna feeling disappointed. Only the kitten knew the reason for this. If the kitten was really a kitten, being touched by many hands might have been an issue, but since it wasn''t actually a kitten, it didn''t matter. Of course, the tired kitten sat among the blankets, gazing at the passing people as if observing them. "Shouldn''t we give it a name?" Out of the blue, Kono Lint, the one who first discovered the kitten, brought up this topic amidst the gathered students. As if they had already decided to raise the kitten at the Royal Class headquarters. "Right, we need a name." Delphin nodded vigorously, seemingly agreeing with Kono Lint''s words. It wasn''t just Kono Lint who had decided to raise the kitten, which had appeared less than a day ago. "How about Black since it''s black?" "..." "..." "..." "Is... is it bad?" Amidst everyone''s silent gazes, Kono Lint broke into a cold sweat. "That''s not just bad, it''s too careless." "Ah, I see..." For Scarlett, who rarely spoke harsh words, to scold him like that, it was as if everything had been said. "I know." Erich de Lafaeri, who had been watching this, opened his mouth. All eyes focused on him, wondering what he knew. "Name it something awful so it lives a long life. Let''s call it ''Poop.''" -Meow! "It seems it doesn''t like it." "Seems so." "Does it understand what we''re saying?" "And why ''Poop'' when it''s not even a dog?" "I heard that''s how they live long lives..." "Be quiet." "Uh-huh..." Erich''s suggestion received indiscriminate scolding from everywhere, leaving him with no choice but to shrink back. "How about Lily?" Everyone began to look at the rather cute name suggestion from Christina with an approving expression. -Meow! However, the black kitten seemed displeased with both ''Poop'' and ''Lily.'' Of course, everyone thought it was just a coincidence, not that the kitten understood their words. Lily. "Hmm... Lily... Lily..." Kono Lint began to ponder the name, arms crossed. "Hold on." Lint approached the well-behaved kitten and lifted one of its hind legs. "It''s a male!" -Hisssss! At some point, the black kitten had become capable of hissing. ------ Too many cooks spoil the broth. However, when there are too many helmsmen, the boat can''t even make it to the mountain. At the moment, the Royal Class was just like a boat unable to go anywhere due to having too many helmsmen. As numerous cat names were suggested, none were decided upon, as each seemed both right and wrong. After all, for a small creature, the Royal Class base was bizarrely stirred up beyond the numerous depressions and desolations. It might not be a grand hope that''s necessary to suppress despair. Small things. Protecting such small things. Just by encountering the remaining small things, hope might appear. Within this strange excitement, the students experienced various emotions. As the more important the mission, the farther away from the base it occurred, Ellen Artorius returned to the base quite late. Naturally, she couldn''t help but hear the rumors about the sudden appearance of a cat, as she came for a late dinner. Everyone vaguely knew that Ellen was exhausted lately. That''s why, as if everyone received some sort of comfort from the small cat''s presence, Ellen, with a blank expression after finishing her meal, was led by the other students to stand in front of the kitten. "It seems like a mother cat came today and left it behind." "Maybe she wants us to raise it?" "How about it? Cute, right?" "..." Ellen stared at the small animal in front of her with cloudy eyes. A cat. The words of the people and the existence of the small animal in front of her felt distant to Ellen. It seemed like everything was fading away and would disappear completely. As Ellen appeared, the cat lifted its head and looked up at her precisely. As if trying to confirm something. Entranced, Ellen cautiously crouched down and reached out her hand to the cat''s chin. "Oh, it''s licking." The onlookers silently watched the small cat licking Ellen''s hand. Ellen felt that the unfamiliar sensation of her hand being licked was somewhat restoring her clouded mind. "..." Unceasingly. The cat licked her fingers without stopping. Ellen felt as if the small creature''s movements were somehow awakening sensations from the edges of her fading skin. The cat''s low and pitiful cries awakened her blurry vision. Only then could Ellen see clearly what was in front of her. A pitch-black. Small animal. Ellen opened her mouth and spoke softly. "A cat......" Everyone watched the peculiar interaction with bated breath. CH 521 The sudden appearance of a kitten. However, except for Adriana, the cat didn''t seem to be interested in anyone else. It now appeared to take quite a liking to Ellen. "Seems like it likes Ellen." Adelia, who had been watching Ellen and the cat, quietly said. "It hasn''t eaten anything today. Maybe it''ll eat if Ellen gives it something?" At Kono Lint''s words, Ellen turned towards him. As she did, there was a slightly warmed plate of milk that had just been brought over. "Why don''t you try giving it some?" At Adelia''s words, Ellen carefully took the plate. Ellen looked at the cat, which was silently staring at her. She didn''t know how to read the expressions of animals. However, she somehow felt a strange reluctance from the cat. Nevertheless, it hadn''t eaten anything, and she had heard that it seemed a little sick. Ellen gently pushed the plate in front of the cat. While squatting down, Ellen looked at the cat. -...... The cat alternated between looking at the plate and looking at Ellen. As if it were being cautious. Finally. In the end. Reluctantly. The black kitten began to lick the milk from the plate. Even though it wouldn''t eat the milk given by anyone else, it eventually ate when Ellen offered it. -Oh, oh, oh, oh. Everyone could not help but feel, in a rather unexpected way, that Ellen could make the impossible possible. Ellen watched the black cat licking the milk with a clouded gaze. She slowly began to stroke the back of the cat, which was quietly licking the milk. ------ At present, the Allied Forces did not consist solely of the Empire''s direct troops. As such, there was no reason for it to be the Empire''s forces rather than the Allied Forces. This was humanity''s strongest army, which had combined all of humanity''s remaining power. Although they were being underestimated by people, the Grand Duke of Saint Owan Duchy and his magicians were enlisted, and all the remaining forces from the surviving nations had been dispatched to the Allied Forces. Among those nations, the most powerful force, the number one kingdom Kernstadt, had naturally dispatched the second-largest number of troops after the Empire. It was a war and a deployment that would determine the fate of humanity. Thus, the number of troops from Kernstadt, which had succeeded in national survival after the Empire, was quite significant, and they inevitably held a very important position in the Allied Forces. Heinrich von Schwarz, the youngest prince of Kernstadt. His pyrokinesis, a supernatural ability related to combat, was now so formidable that it was comparable to Liana de Granz, who had been handling lightning. Of course, Liana had awakened her weather manipulation ability in a place unknown to them. -Krrrrrrr! Heinrich watched the horrifying wave of fire incinerating the monsters while riding his horse. The troops that had followed Heinrich were also dumbfounded as they watched the scene. Ellen Artorius had also somehow managed to unleash the true power of a sacred artifact that manipulated flames, but it was only natural that Heinrich, who solely wielded fire, was more proficient in using his abilities. The ground monsters were turned to ashes by the terrifying wave of fire. Next, Heinrich watched the swarm of flying monsters that soared through the sky. Just as the ground monsters were diverse, the flying monsters were equally varied. However, since their mobility was more flexible than the ground monsters, the flying monsters could appear anywhere. That was also the reason they had to keep watching the sky and maintain their guard, no matter how much they cleared the surrounding areas. Heinrich concentrated his powers as he observed the approaching swarm of flying monsters. "Brace for impact!" At Heinrich''s shout, the troops tensed up immediately. All the soldiers saw a red flash emanating from a single point in the sky. -Flash! A moment of flickering. -Rumble! And then, a fierce shockwave accompanied by an explosion that seemed to tear their eardrums. Heinrich watched as the approaching flying monsters lost their balance due to the shockwave and crashed into the ground. Flames were not his only weapon. All the additional effects that could be generated by flames were also the power of Heinrich von Schwarz. ------ Each supernatural power was different, but as in the case of Liana, all powers related to destruction and strength were considered very important military assets by the alliance if the ability holders were of a certain level or higher. Heinrich von Schwarz was a representative example, and another example was a person with the power to control wind. Although conditional, Redina''s power was also highly valued. Heinrich, due to the nature of his abilities, often undertook large-scale missions similar to Ellen and frequently had overlapping assignments. Thus, he often collaborated with Ellen or took on her mission if Ellen Artorius was in poor condition. As a result, those who graduated from the Temple Royal class, especially ability holders, were well-regarded and had a significant position within the alliance since the Gate Incident, even if not as much as Ellen. After completing his reconnaissance and annihilation mission, Heinrich returned to the garrison, receiving salutes from the soldiers who recognized him. He was not as renowned as Ellen. Of course, Heinrich could not have the same level of fame as Ellen, who had two relics and was considered the archenemy of the Demon King. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°It''s the prince!¡± ¡°Your Highness! Please, look over here!¡± However, whenever Heinrich passed through the Kernstadt military garrison, he could not help but receive the same heroic treatment as Ellen. Heinrich waved to the soldiers who called out to him. Despite the ongoing massive tragedy, people always manage to find hope somewhere. To the people of Kernstadt, the youngest prince, Heinrich von Schwarz, was regarded as one of those hopes. Whenever people found hope in him, Heinrich felt an immense pressure deep within his heart. But that pressure was never unpleasant. ¡®Heinrich, have you returned?¡¯ "¡­Yeah." Heinrich muttered quietly at the sudden voice that seemed to pierce through his head. Ability holders all had their respective roles, even if their abilities were not directly related to combat. The voice that pierced his mind was the telepathic ability of B-7, Evia, who had been relaying messages. Now that Evia''s ability had experienced a leap in growth, she had taken on the role of relaying the alliance command''s intentions to each unit. Although it was not a combat-related ability, instantaneous long-distance communication might be the most critical ability in a war. Thus, Evia was almost forced to stay near the main command center rather than the Royal Class barracks. In essence, Evia was the sole communications soldier in this vast army. ''Go to the Kernstadt Command Barracks. The Kernstadt Military Commander is looking for you.'' "¡­Got it." The voice felt like a direct stab to the brain. No matter how many times he experienced it, Heinrich could never grow accustomed to it. Telepathy. It wasn''t a power meant for attack or destruction. But could it really remain unassociated with destruction forever? If one had the ability to interfere with someone''s mind from a distance, wasn''t it perhaps the most dangerous superpower in the world? Heinrich always felt a peculiar uneasiness whenever he connected with Evia through telepathy. ------ After completing his mission report, Heinrich, as Evia had instructed, headed towards the Kernstadt military garrison. Heinrich, who was as famous in the Kernstadt garrison as Ellen, was saluted with awe and respect by the soldiers and knights, even if he couldn''t see them from a distance. He couldn''t respond to every salute and cheer, and he was currently on his way to answer the summons of the Kernstadt military commander. Heinrich hurried his steps toward the commander''s quarters. It took him quite a while to walk across the vast garrison and reach the hill where the Kernstadt military commander''s quarters were located. The knights and guards protecting the area saluted Heinrich respectfully and made way for him. Upon entering the commander''s quarters, Heinrich soon saw familiar faces. Two men seated on his left and right. "You were involved in another large-scale operation. Good work," said the serious-faced man. "Still, isn''t it too reckless to use royalty like that? Is it fine for the royal family of the empire to be expended? It seems like a protest is needed," remarked the discontented man. Both were Heinrich''s brothers. "Enough. If we argue like that, there would be no one fit to be deployed on the battlefield." "But brother¡­" "Enough. The youngest, whom we rarely see, has come all this way; how long will you keep him standing?" And the woman seated in the highest position. "You''re here, youngest brother. Sit down." The sharp-eyed woman gestured to Heinrich. "Yes, sister." Heinrich bowed his head to Louise von Schwarz, the Kernstadt military commander, first princess of Kernstadt, and the heir to the throne. The youngest brother. Treated as a sibling. Only after the world had turned out like this did Heinrich receive such treatment from his siblings who had once dismissed him. Eldest daughter, Louise von Schwarz. Eldest son, German von Schwarz. Second son, Alphonse von Schwarz. Fifth son, Heinrich von Schwarz. All the siblings had gathered in one place. ------ Seated at the commander''s table, Heinrich slightly avoided the gaze of Louise von Schwarz, the first princess and heir to the kingdom of Kernstadt. In a situation where the king couldn''t leave his homeland, the position of Kernstadt''s military commander fell to Louise, the heir. Moreover, she was also the captain of Kernstadt''s royal knights. This meant that in addition to her leadership abilities, her personal skills were also exceptional. Heir to Kernstadt, captain of the royal knights, and a sword master at the age of twenty-four. Louise von Schwarz. Heinrich had always been afraid of his sister''s piercing gaze. Heinrich''s older siblings had all graduated from the royal academy of Kernstadt long ago. Louise von Schwarz was even an exceptional talent who had graduated early at the age of eighteen. Just as the Empire had the Temple, Kernstadt also had an academy system. Once upon a time, there was a royal project that was expected to surpass the Temple and attract talents from all over the continent to the Kernstadt Royal Academy. Indeed, the Kernstadt Royal Academy boasted an education system that was slightly inferior to the Temple''s, but was still worthy of being called prestigious. Heinrich''s brothers all attended and graduated from the Kernstadt Royal Academy, not the Temple, because the credibility of the royal project would be undermined if they did not send the royal family members there. It was akin to the Gardias Imperial Family entrusting the education of their royals to the Temple. However. Heinrich von Schwarz was sent to the Temple, not the Kernstadt Royal Academy. It wasn''t because Heinrich was an important person. It was because they wanted to get rid of him. With all his siblings gathered, Heinrich was the fifth son, making him the sixth in line. The fourth and fifth were not present at this gathering. No, they were no longer in this world. In Heinrich von Schwarz''s childhood, when his abilities had just awakened, they had perished in the terror he had caused. That''s why Heinrich, being the youngest, went to the Temple. No, he was chased away to the Temple. ------ "My lady... why have you summoned me...?" "Is there a reason for brothers to gather? Since you''re not in our army, we don''t see your face often, so I called you here to share a meal." As Louise spoke, food began to be placed on the table at the command headquarters, one dish at a time. The brothers began their meal sitting around the table. The atmosphere was not lively, and there was not much conversation. But it was important that they were all sitting together. Brothers. At the mention of that word, Heinrich''s heart seemed to tremble. It had been a very long time since Heinrich had been treated as a brother by his siblings. He had been unable to attend the Royal Academy that all royals went to and had been practically abandoned at the Temple. The Temple''s elementary education began at the age of eight. Heinrich was sent to the Temple at the age of eight under the pretext of education. It was practically exile. The Kernstadt Royal Family may have paid for his education, but they had no interest in how he was doing or what he was doing. From the royal family''s perspective, Heinrich was nothing more than a cursed prince with the power to kill two of his brothers. It was a simple accident and a story from Heinrich''s distant, barely remembered childhood. An accident that occurred when he was too young. A prince abandoned when he was too young. As a result, Heinrich found his brothers, whom he had only recently begun to encounter more frequently since becoming an important figure after the Gate incident, to be unfamiliar. Their faces, attitudes, and actions were all unfamiliar to him. This included his two older brothers, who had once ignored or despised him. His oldest sister, who had always been cold and now seemed even colder. Only now that he had accumulated achievements and become an important figure could Heinrich be treated as a family member. The abandoned prince. Heinrich had only been able to become a brother again amidst the reluctant attitudes of his siblings after becoming an important figure, holding the name and value of power in his hands, with humanity''s fate hanging in the balance. Heinrich had a tendency to overestimate himself. Although he knew intellectually that he was an abandoned prince, he did not accept it. He was a prince of Kernstadt, the second-in-line empire and the first vassal state. That had been Heinrich''s pride and confidence. At least until some madman enrolled in the Royal Class, and it wasn''t long before he was nearly torn to shreds. Now he knew that he wasn''t just a beggar with no real talent but a demon king with a shocking past that was nothing short of extraordinary. Even with this knowledge, nothing would change. Heinrich had heard harsh words he had never encountered in his life, even being struck by him. And in front of his classmates, with whom he had once been fond of, he had made a fool of himself. Heinrich realized he was weak. He had a background to be proud of, but it did not actually support him. He had to accept that he was no better than a beggar and, in fact, much worse. He hadn''t even properly honed the power given to him for free. So, Heinrich tried his best. To turn that freely given power into practical strength. From a ridiculous classmate, Reinhardt had become a terrifying existence. Through him, Heinrich realized what his limits were. Thus, after the Gate Incident, while killing monsters and saving people with his own abilities, Heinrich did not slacken in improving his own skills. Therefore, Heinrich was now a very important person. He could once again be acknowledged as a brother by those who had abandoned him and treated him as if he didn''t exist. In the past, Heinrich had a tendency to overestimate himself. Thus, the Heinrich of that time would have thought this way. Eventually, my worth will be recognized, and my siblings will accept me back into the family. Once these events were over, he would be able to return to the palace, and although he didn''t aspire to become the heir to the kingdom, he could live as a member of the royal family. He would have felt proud and filled with self-esteem. Having been abandoned by his family, he would have been happy and satisfied to be able to return to his place, whatever the reason may be. But now, the arrogant and reckless Heinrich of the past was gone. Thanks to a certain someone, he learned to understand his place. What he could and couldn''t do. Who he was. What he needed to do. Heinrich had become quite capable of objectively assessing himself and his surroundings. "If this situation is resolved, are you planning to return to Kernstadt?" Louise asked softly, slicing meat. If it had been before, he would have answered that he would, of course. He would have said that he wanted to contribute to the rebuilding of the nation and be acknowledged by his siblings and parents. But now, his two other siblings were focused on Louise''s question. He sensed that they were concentrating on his answer. I''ll return to Kernstadt. I miss the embrace of my family. But he thought of the actions he would have to take for the sake of national reconstruction, his siblings'' recognition, and the problems that would arise as his position grew stronger. His older sister was now testing him. How the na?ve desire to return to his family would be understood and accepted. Not only by his siblings but also by the many others who would think of him. How they would view him. He thought about it. The many problems that his foolish na?vet¨¦ would bring about, yearning for the embrace of his family. He sensed that there would be people who would fear this. Heinrich believed that his older sister was testing him. "There is much to do in the world, and it will likely be quite some time before I can return... Even if I do return, I''ll only be able to stay for a few days... If the temple is rebuilt, I''ll have to finish my studies. I''m not sure when that day will come..." Heinrich felt the tense atmosphere around his response relax. "I see." The feeling of being accepted as a brother again was only momentary. He realized that a family forced to accept him because of the situation, his fame, or his power could never truly be a family. Heinrich von Schwarz had no choice but to accept this truth. "What a shame, truly." Louise looked at Heinrich, cutting a piece of meat and putting it in her mouth. Grasping the subject of the conversation. Now, merely mentioning it brought to mind the cursed existence he had become. Ironically, what he had learned because of that fellow was proving useful in the most unexpected places. CH 522 After having dinner with his siblings, Heinrich was returning to the Temple garrison. Night had fallen. On his way back, Heinrich was mulling over the words he had heard from his elder sister. Although she had invited him for a meal, they ended up discussing more than just food. "I don''t agree with Alphonse''s belief that the Empire is only pushing you into dangerous missions, but it''s true they are overworking you." "Considering the circumstances, there''s not much we can do. However, you are a royal of Kernstadt. You are an important talent for the royal family and one of the cornerstones responsible for our future. It''s quite uncomfortable that the Empire is treating you this way." "That''s why I''m thinking of incorporating you into the Kernstadt command structure. This doesn''t mean it''ll continue indefinitely. If necessary, you''ll have to cooperate with the Temple forces, including Ellen Artorious and the general headquarters." "But before being a student of the Temple, you are a royal of Kernstadt and our sibling." "Therefore, I believe we should have authority over matters concerning your safety." "Youngest brother, do you agree?" Cornerstone. Royalty. Sibling. Future. The words spoken by his sister were tickling Heinrich''s heart. How much he had longed to hear those words. Could a few simple words make one''s heart race like this? Despite how much Heinrich wanted to hear those words and how much he treasured them, he felt strangely alienated, as if he had really returned to his family. Heinrich was walking through the garrison, now shrouded in night. Yes. With this much power, he couldn''t help but be recognized. The moment this thought crossed his mind, Heinrich stopped in his tracks. He stopped as if putting a brake on the rising arrogance in his head. Standing still, he looked up at the night sky. That''s all it was. He had merely been that lonely. It was indeed strange for his heart to race at just a few words. He had been abandoned at such a young age, turning him into a strange person. Thinking about it, Heinrich had little memory of living like royalty, even though he was a royal. So, he didn''t know what sibling love was like among royals. That''s why he realized the odd fact that he was yearning for something he didn''t even know. There is no such thing as baseless kindness. This would be the same for siblings, especially those who carry the title of royalty. He was accepted as a sibling again because he had power and influence. It wasn''t him that was needed, but his power and influence. Louise''s words about taking control of his safety from the general headquarters. On the surface, it seemed logical that he should be protected because he was a Kernstadt royal and an important person who needed to contribute to the nation''s reconstruction before being a Temple student and an imperial citizen. However, the truth hidden behind it was different. Louise wanted to make sure Heinrich couldn''t be manipulated without her permission. That meant strengthening Kernstadt''s military influence over the allied forces. He had become useful, so Louise wanted to control him. Sibling love. Not even knowing it, and never having tasted it before, the truth was that he couldn''t get drunk on the sweetness of such an unfamiliar emotion. Once the veil of false emotions was lifted, the truth was revealed. What if he thought about it from Ellen''s perspective? Ellen Artorious was very important to the allied forces. She had both symbolic and actual military significance. The allied forces'' general headquarters could decide which operations to deploy Ellen in. They could order Ellen to aid the operations of the Kernstadt army, the operations of the Holy Knight Order, or be mobilized in the operations of other allied nations. All members of the allied forces would want Ellen to fight alongside them. If the decision-making authority was not with Ellen but with the supreme command, everyone would have no choice but to silently follow the orders and directives of the supreme command. Emotional decisions should not be made, but ultimately, the allied forces are a group of humans. If those who are not in the supreme command''s favor do not receive proper support, many casualties will occur. Ellen is even capable of single-handedly resolving the battlefield. Since Ellen''s body is just one, if two operations occur simultaneously, one side cannot be helped. The influence the supreme command possesses by holding the decision-making authority should not be underestimated. Heinrich''s case would be no different. Ellen, who showed almost the strongest form in close combat, gained a wide range of attack abilities by awakening the Sun God''s Divine Relic. Before Ellen gained such power, Heinrich had even more destructive power. Heinrich''s destructive ability shines when facing a large group of enemies. Therefore, Louise does not want to be swayed by the supreme command''s influence as she is now, but rather, she seeks to have authority over Heinrich''s well-being as an important strategic weapon to gain influence. From the moment Heinrich is incorporated into the Kernstadt army, that influence will come into effect. It is not because they are siblings but because of the usefulness of the weapon. What should be done then? Is it right to follow the words of an elder sister who merely tries to use him under the pretense of family? She wouldn''t even think of him as a sibling, would she? What good ending would there be for a brother with the sole purpose of being used by his sibling? Is it not a grand army marching for the sake of saving the world and rebuilding humanity? Is it right for such conflicts to arise within the army, merely over trivial leadership? Isn''t it foolish? Very much so. Isn''t this a foolish matter? There is not enough time to focus on a single goal; why should such conflicts of interest arise? Heinrich walks, looking at the night sky with a lonely expression. "¡­Hoo." Heinrich knows nothing of brotherly love. He was separated from his siblings too early. He knows even less about politics. He was removed from politics at a very young age. Both were difficult issues for Heinrich. Whether or not to follow Louise''s words. Heinrich could not know. ------ Returning to the Temple base, Heinrich felt a slight commotion within the base. It was because Ranian Sesor was playing the guitar in the very center of the base. The base''s management soldiers, the passing knights, and even the Temple students were gathered around Ranian, quietly listening to his performance. Ranian Sesor, who leads the military band, plays music and sings as he travels to each base. The talent of music. Ranian Sesor was not only capable of playing almost all instruments, but he also had aptitude in composing, conducting, and singing. If it were peacetime and Ranian Sesor could graduate from the Temple normally, he would undoubtedly have become a famous performer, composer, and conductor across the continent. However, at the onset of humanity''s last march, Ranian Sesor plays music and sings for the soldiers who have lost or left their hometowns. Music is a talent utterly unrelated to battle. However, Heinrich knew that the role entrusted to Ranian Sesor was of great importance. Heinrich often felt the value of music, which breathed life into the depressed and soothed the heart with gentle melodies, whenever he listened to Ranian''s performances after the Gate incident. Though it was a talent unrelated to combat, Heinrich thought Ranian''s gift might be what people needed most. Ranian played the guitar with a serene melody, and sang to the people in a low voice. The song carried a message that peace would someday come. Most of the people at the temple garrison were listening to Ranian''s song. Ranian Sesor had composed quite a few songs since the Gate incident. In fact, there were quite a few popular songs about Ellen defeating the Demon King Valier. After seeing Ellen''s face turn pale and her retching when she heard the song about herself, Ranian decided not to create any more songs with her as the subject. Though songs about heroes were the most popular, Ranian had neither created nor sung any songs about Ellen since then. Whether it was due to the pressure or something else, Ranian knew that Ellen was terrified of such songs. Heinrich saw Ellen, sitting on a wooden box in a secluded corner, concentrating on the song. Ellen, burdened with too much weight, was pitiable to watch. Heinrich could not tell what had changed, but he saw a necklace around Ellen''s neck that he had never seen before. And she held onto that necklace with one hand as if it were something precious. Had the fatigue finally been resolved? Heinrich, too, was entrusted with a heavy duty, but he knew the burden Ellen carried was of a different magnitude. It was a weight that one person could not bear. "¡­Huh?" However, Heinrich couldn''t help but notice something slightly different than usual. People were focusing on Ranian''s music, but they kept glancing at Ellen. There was something on Ellen''s lap. "A cat?" A black cat sat on Ellen''s lap, and she continued to stroke its back. "You''re here." Turning his head at the sound of his name, he saw Kono Lint, who always had a playful expression on his face. "Uh¡­ What''s that? A cat?" At Heinrich''s question, Kono Lint shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, you came late, so you don''t know. It was quite a commotion today because of that cat. It suddenly came and was left behind." "¡­Really?" "Ever since Ellen returned, the cat has only clung to her. I don''t know if it knows something or not¡­ But I''m glad Ellen seems to like it." Kono Lint looked at Ellen with a sympathetic expression. Everyone in the Royal Class knew the real danger and pressure Ellen faced. While she was admired and worshipped elsewhere and had expectations placed on her, in the Royal Class, Ellen was perceived as the most unfortunate and vulnerable person in the world. Except for a few. Ellen absentmindedly continued to stroke the cat''s back, and the cat entrusted its body to her touch while looking at the garrison. The cat. An unexpected presence, but there was no law that it shouldn''t be there. "I don''t know if someone is secretly raising the cat or if it escaped from someone who was raising it. But since people like it, I think it''s fine." "......Is that so?" "Yes, more importantly, it seems like Ellen enjoys it too. Maybe she''ll end up taking care of the cat? But does Ellen even have time for that?" "Well, someone else can take care of it." "......True." These days, Ellen seemed extremely exhausted, but she now had something to focus on. Whether it was a source of comfort or not, she was paying attention to something. Maybe that''s all that mattered. The sight of Ellen stroking the cat was quite unusual to Heinrich. He also felt something strange. He had the feeling that the cat was staring directly at him. It was a penetrating gaze. An animal''s gaze, but for some reason, it felt like something was being analyzed, a very eerie sensation. He felt that the creature was looking right at him. ''There''s no way.'' Heinrich laughed softly, thinking he was being oversensitive because of the events of the day. The performance continued, and although Heinrich was fascinated by the cat''s presence, he didn''t want to distract Ellen, who seemed to be focused on something. -Meow As the cat let out a low meow, Ellen blankly nodded and tickled the cat''s chin. Just as the cat seemed to like Ellen, it was unclear, but it appeared that Ellen liked the cat too. No matter what it was, if it could breathe life into this gloomy garrison, Heinrich thought it would be a good thing. It could be the music of Ranian Sesor or the unexpected kitten that appeared. Kono Lint patted Heinrich''s shoulder. "Anyway, a letter came today. The kids and I are going to open it together. What do you think?" "Sounds good." Heinrich nodded at those words. It was a quiet night filled with the sound of a cat''s meow, instruments, and singing. CH 523 In these times, where the grand magic of mass teleportation is essential for supplies, letters are considered somewhat of a luxury item. Still, letters arrive at regular intervals. For the soldiers on the battlefield, receiving letters inquiring about the well-being of their families can provide a significant boost to morale, as it allows them to remember those they are fighting for. Of course, considering the size of the army, the number of letters inquiring about loved ones could be so large that it might disrupt the delivery of other crucial supplies. Under normal circumstances, that would be the case. Regrettably, a significant number of soldiers have lost the families with whom they would have exchanged letters. Therefore, the number of arriving letters is small, and ironically, due to their limited volume, the high command can occasionally deliver them. After Ranian Sesor''s performance had ended, Heinrich headed to Lint''s barracks. The letters had already been sorted by recipient. In the barracks were Kono Lint, Heinrich, Cliffman, and Erich de Lafaeri. As usual, Cliffman was coldly tearing open his letters one by one. "Where''s Cayer?" At Lint''s question, Erich shrugged. "He''s probably hugging the Ark Crystal. He said he can''t come and that he''ll sleep there tonight." The Ark Crystal ¨C a large-scale magical energy storage artifact. Although Redina nagged him daily, Cayer felt responsible for the only task he could do. Although they missed each other, neither shirked their duties. However, they couldn''t help but resent each other, even though they knew that it wasn''t the answer to blame one another in unavoidable circumstances. The best duo, yet they can''t stand each other. "Then I''ll just deliver these to him." Kono Lint picked up a few letters for Cayer, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished. Whoosh! Reappearing from thin air, Kono Lint no longer held the letters in his hand. He had teleported to the Ark Crystal, handed the letters to Cayer, and returned. "Wow, you''ve really grown." At Erich''s words, Kono Lint grinned. "Indeed, I have. Even I can see that." At Kono Lint''s words, both Erich and Heinrich laughed. Gone were the days of the weakling. Having moved beyond the era when only naked teleportation was possible, Kono Lint''s abilities were now free of penalties. "Anyway, you''ve got the most letters this time." At Lint''s words, Heinrich took a seat. Heinrich had received the most letters. An almost suspiciously large number. Most of the letters on the table were not from their families. Neither Kono Lint, Erich, nor Cliffman had any letters from their families. Their hometowns had disappeared due to the Gate incident, so there were no letters from family members. Although they hadn''t all witnessed their families'' deaths, at some point, they had to accept that their families were gone from this world. Their grief and anger were buried deep within their hearts, but they didn''t bring it up. Yet, there were letters in front of Erich, Kono Lint, and Cliffman. Among them, Heinrich had received the most. Erich grinned, arms crossed. "It''s only natural that the guy who saved the most people gets the most letters." These were letters from the people they had saved. "No, if you really want to compare, I''ve saved a lot too! Killing monsters is difficult, but nobody can match me in rescue missions." At Kono Lint''s words, Erich chuckled. "Well, I know that, but it''s natural to be more shocked by the sight of a monster horde being burned to death right before your eyes. You move so quickly that people don''t even realize they''ve been rescued. Wouldn''t Heinrich be the more impressive one?" Kono Lint sighed deeply, picking up an envelope. "...You''re right. Darn." At the Royal Class garrison, Heinrich was the officer who received the most letters. Not Ellen. The number of letters addressed to Ellen was so overwhelming that they weren''t even delivered. Even if Ellen were to receive them, she couldn''t possibly read them all, and if they started delivering the letters, it would cause disruptions in the transportation of other supplies. The letter delivery office even had warnings posted that letters addressed to Ellen could not be sent. That''s why Heinrich, who was next in line in terms of fame after Ellen, inevitably received the most letters. [Hello, Heinrich. You may not remember me, but I''m Seria. You saved me in Aristol last year. I sent a letter before, but I''m not sure if you received it.] To be honest, Heinrich couldn''t remember the faces of those he had saved. There were just too many. However, when they mentioned the region, Heinrich could vaguely recall what he had done there, how many people had died, and how many he had saved. Those who sent letters were children, adults, and even soldiers who had once fought alongside Heinrich. Most of the letters from soldiers were from those who could no longer participate in battle. They had suffered life-threatening injuries and had become disabled due to not receiving timely treatment. They would send letters wishing Heinrich well. Some would send letters periodically, not just a single greeting. Although Heinrich didn''t know their faces, he would remember their names. There were times when he couldn''t spare the time, but when he was based in the Empire, he would occasionally make time to send replies. The contents of the letters varied, but ultimately, they were all expressions of gratitude and well-wishes for Heinrich. Heinrich usually tried to read all the letters that arrived in front of him. Having witnessed so much death, he sometimes felt despair, wondering what the meaning of it all was. These letters would remind Heinrich that what he had done was not meaningless. So, just as they found hope in Heinrich, he found hope in these letters. That they could somehow continue to live. That they could somehow survive. And so, Heinrich would read the letters with a solemn expression. Kono Lint and Erich read all the letters that had arrived. Erich, too, had been someone who was just a little stronger than others at the beginning of his admission, not particularly pulling his weight. But talent. Only a very few people with talent could be admitted to the Royal Class. Talent was rare. Erich had no choice but to accumulate a vast amount of practical experience, in addition to a growth enhancer called Moonshine. As a result, Erich de Lafaeri acquired combat abilities and divine power comparable to those of a high-ranking knight of the Holy Knight Order. They were the chosen talents from across the continent. It might have been natural for such talent to grow so quickly. It was perhaps inevitable for someone to achieve a level that would take decades of bone-crushing effort in a short period. Furthermore, Erich''s growth rate to reach the level of a high-ranking knight in just a few years was actually average within the Royal Class. Compared to Ellen and Reinhardt, everyone else''s growth rate seems painfully slow. After all, these two are beings of a different dimension, incomparable to anyone else. One is a hero, the other a demon king. Excluding those two, there are a few individuals within the Royal Class who have exceptionally fast growth rates. A prime example would be Cliffman, who received the most letters after Heinrich, or B-11 Ludwig. Both of them had awakened their Magic Body Strengthenings on their own before the Gate Incident. With the assistance of Moonshine, they have both reached the cusp of the Master Class. Their refined power and magical abilities indicated that they might reach the Master Class before the year''s end. There are others, like Delphin Izzard, who awakened a completely new power: the Spirit Arts. Scarlett, for example, was highly regarded as a top-level power, although not quite on the same level as Ludwig or Cliffman. With a stern expression, Cliffman read all the letters and carefully tucked them away. "I''ll be going." As Cliffman tried to leave the barracks, Lint called out from behind him. "Hey, how long are you going to keep going solo? It used to work, but now we move with the army. There are limits to acting alone." "..." At Lint''s call, Cliffman remained silent in his place. After a moment, Cliffman spoke tersely. "Alone is better." "No matter how confident you are, that''s not wise. You might really die." "Maybe..." Cliffman murmured quietly. "It''s always worked out somehow. It''ll work out in the future, too." Leaving those strange words behind, Cliffman left the barracks. Kono Lint stared at the entrance and laughed bitterly. "I''m worried he''ll really die in some tough situation like that..." "Leave him be. In my opinion, his talent is supernatural." Erich sighed deeply at Kono Lint''s words. "I do think that, but..." Cliffman, a combat genius. The purpose of his talent is victory. Achieving victory somehow is the function of his combat talent. "I would be scared to lead a unit, too, if I experienced returning alone after all my comrades died several times." "Well, yeah, but..." Combat is always unpredictable. Unforeseen situations may arise, and there are experiences of facing far too many enemies, or encountering extremely unfair opponents. During the long, arduous time dealing with the Gate Incident, countless units were annihilated, unable to cope with these variables. Cliffman killed numerous monsters and saved many people in response to the Gate Incident. And countless times, he faced unexpected situations. His comrades were wiped out, whether they were with him or led by him. There were even operations where he had been with Master Class members. There were times when he faced a large number of enemies and times when he encountered extremely powerful foes. Cliffman faced life-or-death situations numerous times. But each time, he somehow survived. Even when people much stronger than him were slaughtered, Cliffman managed to kill the monsters, crushing, tearing, and annihilating them, emerging alive on his own. As for who killed the most monsters, opinions vary. It could be Ellen, or maybe Saviolin Turner, or even Redina. But when asked who performed the most miracles, the answer was always Cliffman, not Ellen. Both Ellen and Cliffman always achieved victory. However, the process was different. Ellen was always stronger than her enemies. The enemies'' attacks couldn''t penetrate Ellen, and her Void Sword easily tore through the monsters'' flesh. But Clifman was different. Clifman had often faced foes who were stronger than him and beyond his abilities. Yet, he still emerged victorious. He always returned, grasping the gruesome results of victory. But many times, his comrades did not return with him. Thus, Clifman started to move alone at some point. If somehow winning was his talent, and if that talent only protected his own life, there was no need to be with someone else, he argued. If some supernatural power beyond talent dictated this ability to fight and always emerge victorious, he would stand alone on any battlefield. He would somehow bring victory. So, he didn''t need comrades. That was Clifman''s claim. Of course, the royal family and the high command didn''t blindly throw Clifman into any battle, relying on his supernatural power. They wouldn''t risk their certain resources on an uncertain force that might lead to death. Therefore, Clifman moved alone. It was important that he always accomplished what he could with his abilities, but Clifman also managed to accomplish the impossible. In the battlefield where even those far stronger than himself perished, Clifman would somehow resolve the situation and return. Everyone agreed that among the Royal Class, Clifman had an extraordinary talent. Of course, everyone watching Clifman felt the depression and despair that seemed to carry death on his shoulders. Clifman returned to his quarters, and Heinrich read the remaining letters he had received. Kono Lint and Erich chatted together, as they had already read all the letters sent to them. "What should I name the kid?" "...What nonsense are you talking about?" "No, there''s a girl who sends me letters every month. She must like me. I don''t remember her face, but she must be a girl." "...What do you expect me to say?" "Should I say, ''Let''s meet after the war''? If I reply, ''Let''s meet,'' she''ll agree, right?" "She might agree... But why don''t you change?" "People die when they change carelessly." Kono Lint still had some of his old habits. Heinrich chuckled as he read the letters, overhearing their conversation. Wasn''t it a good thing in this situation that they still had their immature, old selves? Before he knew it, Heinrich had only one letter left. It was a strange letter. Most letters had the sender''s name on them, usually names that Heinrich couldn''t remember. The recipient was Heinrich von Schwartz. But the sender: [From a friend.] It simply said, "friend." Heinrich didn''t have any friends outside the garrison. Puzzled, Heinrich tore open the envelope. Curious about the contents, he thought it was sent by someone claiming to be his friend. But upon reading it, Heinrich''s eyes widened. It wasn''t a message of gratitude for the rescue. Nor did it explain who the friend was. [Your siblings will kill you.] The letter contained only that single line. CH 524 Heinrich fell silent before the short letter claiming his brothers would kill him. He wondered if it was a misdelivered letter, so Heinrich checked the envelope once again. From a friend, to Heinrich von Schwarz. Therefore, it couldn''t be a misdelivered letter. "What''s the matter? What does it say that has you looking like that?" Kono Lint, noticing Heinrich''s hardened expression, asked. Should he tell him? That a strange letter had arrived. But Heinrich folded the letter and tucked it away. "Ah, no. It''s nothing important." "¡­Really?" There was no need to mention it if this letter was someone''s malicious prank. If this letter was indeed sent to warn him of danger, then knowing it alone would be dangerous enough, so there was no need to share it. "I should go now. I need some rest." Heinrich gathered the letters, feeling his mood had dampened. With a rigid expression, he walked through the garrison and returned to his quarters. After organizing the letters, Heinrich closed the entrance to his quarters, sat in a chair, and stared intently at the letter from an unidentified sender. It wasn''t a misdelivered letter. And he didn''t have any friends who would send such a letter. It wasn''t impossible for it to be a mere prank, as anyone could send a letter to Heinrich. It was a simple sentence without any proper context, saying his brothers would kill him. He couldn''t believe such a thing. It would be foolish to believe it. But still¡­ "Once this situation is resolved, do you plan to return to Kernstadt?" If his brothers had started to see him not as a brother but as a rival¡­ Could it really be impossible for such a thing to happen? He could dismiss it as a malicious joke, or actually believe it should be that way. But this letter had presented Heinrich with a possibility he had never considered. There was no naive belief that his talented younger self would be welcomed back into the family. However, Heinrich had merely thought that if so, his brothers were trying to use him for their own benefit, using his influence and the influence it would have on the high command. That was how he had understood it. But to go as far as killing him¡­ "What nonsense¡­" It couldn''t happen. This couldn''t be true. Even if his position in this war became much stronger, Heinrich didn''t think he could become Kernstadt''s successor, nor did he have any intention to. The current heir to the throne, Louise von Schwarz, was also a powerful Swordmaster, continually establishing accomplishments. It wasn''t as if she lacked merits. Both Heinrich and Louise were simply earning achievements. Moreover, they were in the midst of a war. This very important war hadn''t ended yet, so even if his brothers truly intended to kill him, they wouldn''t attempt it now. Whether this letter was true or not, it would be a matter for after the war. It had to be that way. Would it make sense to kill him, one of the powerful forces of the allied army, simply because he posed a threat to the throne at this moment? How dangerous and foolish that would be. He might not know much about politics or his brothers, but rationally speaking, it was something that should never happen. Not before overcoming the crisis at hand. Wouldn''t it be foolish to make a choice for the next crisis after that? However, even in this situation, unnecessary politics and power struggles were taking place. Heinrich knew people could be foolish. Even within the army that marched with great purpose, he had seen and experienced the foolish actions of those who looked only a step ahead or too far into the distance. But still. His brothers. His brothers wouldn''t. They wouldn''t try to kill him, would they? That shouldn''t be possible. "Yes, they wouldn''t do that..." Heinrich burned the letter in his hand that had only brought him unnecessary confusion. He watched the remnants of the letter turn to black ash and scatter with a stern expression on his face. ------ It was nighttime when everyone had gone to sleep, and it was time for Ellen, who had no night operations, to sleep as well. For some reason, she had been carrying a cat that seemed to like her for quite some time, and eventually brought it into the barracks. She had initially intended to return it to the dining hall where it had originally been. "Since it''s a kitten, wouldn''t it be nice to stay with it? After all, it''s been abandoned..." Because of Adelia''s words, Ellen had hesitated for a while before finally bringing the cat to the barracks. The cat seemed to struggle for a moment but eventually, as if being pulled in, it entered Ellen''s barracks without leaving her arms. Somehow, her blurred consciousness and heart seemed to have found a bit of stability. As she removed her ceremonial armor, the cat watched quietly as the armor hung on its stand. Was it thanks to encountering this strange, small creature that had no business being here? Ellen found it curious that her hazy consciousness was restored just by the presence of a single cat. It felt as if she had been caught in an unknown spell. Anyway, Ellen now thought about washing herself. She stared at the cat. She couldn''t tell where or how it had come from. It wasn''t particularly dirty, but it was clear that it had been rolling around in the dust of the camp. Although she had never cared for an animal before, Ellen thought she should wash the cat. The dust couldn''t be good for the kitten. She picked up the cat, which was sitting quietly on the barracks'' carpet. Meow Holding the softly crying cat, Ellen headed towards the bathroom area of the barracks. And then, as if it sensed where it was being taken, Meeeeeow! "¡­?" Meow! The cat began to struggle in Ellen''s arms as if it had an intuition about its fate. "We need to wash you." Meow! "Ah¡­" As they entered the bathroom, the cat struggled desperately as if to say it was an absolute no-no, and managed to escape from Ellen''s arms. Ellen watched the cat as it hit the floor and scurried away with its tail between its legs. Unable to hide properly, the cat was shivering in the corner of the tent with its head buried. Would it be tormenting the animal to forcibly bathe it when it clearly didn''t want to? Ellen didn''t particularly want to hurt the small creature. "¡­" Come to think of it, aren''t cats supposed to hate water? Ellen unbuttoned her shirt, thinking the old saying seemed to be true. ------ After washing herself in the bathroom, Ellen swiftly picked up the kitten, which was still frightened and hiding in the corner, and placed it on her lap. While drying her hair with a towel, the kitten sat quietly, shivering. Was it cold? Adelia had mentioned that it seemed to be in pain. Upon closer inspection, its movements were somewhat stiff, as if it were broken. Unlike the image of a nimble cat, it appeared rather scrawny. As she dried her hair, the cat slowly got up and stepped down from Ellen''s lap, beginning to cry at the entrance of the tent. Meow It seemed to be asking for the door to be opened. Ellen''s tent, unlike the others, had a locking mechanism in place. Thus, neither small animals nor people could easily come and go. "Do you want to leave...?" Although it felt strange to speak to an animal, Ellen asked the question. The cat was said to have been abandoned by its mother, or at least that''s what Ellen had heard. So where could it possibly want to go in the middle of the night? Or maybe it knew a way to return to its mother. Since she couldn''t know what it was thinking, Ellen simply stared intently at the cat. The black cat stared back at her. One party remained silent, and the other couldn''t speak. How long did they gaze at each other like that? The black cat seemed to give up, walking back from the tent entrance toward Ellen, and attempted to jump onto her makeshift bed. Thud! Meow! "!" However, it seemed unaccustomed to jumping and hit its head on the edge of Ellen''s not-so-high makeshift bed before falling off. "Are you okay...?" Ellen carefully picked up the pitifully crumpled black cat from the carpet and placed it on her makeshift bed. A cat that couldn''t even jump. Purr The cat sat quietly beside Ellen, shivering. Its appearance seemed almost embarrassed, causing Ellen to stifle a giggle. Then, she was surprised to realize she had laughed. Could she laugh at such a trivial matter? Had she not yet lost her laughter? Ellen finished drying her hair with the towel and tickled the nape of the trembling, embarrassed cat. ------ It seemed that the cat had given up on going somewhere and decided to stay in Ellen''s tent. Now that the operation was over, all Ellen had to do was rest. Proper rest was important. Even if Ellen was strong, the battlefield could snatch her life away in an instant. A restless sleep or inadequate rest would affect her the following day. The fatigue and flickering consciousness she felt lately were qualitatively different from ordinary tiredness. Her combat ability was not diminishing, that much was clear. Even as her consciousness grew dim and her vision blurred, she knew the path her blade must take, and her body moved automatically to strike down her enemies along the optimal route. The strange feeling of being detached from her own consciousness, as if another being was using her body instead, increased. For this reason, Ellen felt as if her body had been hijacked by someone, and that someone was wielding her body on her behalf. For this reason, even though she felt suffocated by fatigue and pressure, her combat ability was not diminishing but rather being strangely elevated. Turning off the lights and lying down on her makeshift bed, Ellen quietly watched the black cat curled up in front of her face. The golden eyes of the black cat, and the pupils within, grew larger as they stared back at her in the darkness. They were very close. If it had been a person, they would have been close enough to see their own reflections in each other''s eyes. Ellen had never raised an animal before. Even in her hometown of Rezaira, there were a few houses with dogs, but none with cats. In Rezaira, animals were generally referred to as prey. She had never thought about wanting to raise one. It wasn''t that she had never seen a cat before, but this was the first time she had seen one up close like this. However, today, Ellen reached out to a cat she had never seen before, one that seemed out of place in such a location. As if it knew something, the cat licked her fingers. The unfamiliar sensation. A strangely familiar feeling seemed to awaken something that Ellen was losing. Before she knew it, she had brought the unfamiliar cat back to her tent, and now it was staring at her from beside her bed. The cat continued to watch her from the shadows. Golden eyes. Eyes that somehow seemed familiar. For that reason, Ellen felt as though the small animal, which knew nothing, understood her. Ellen found herself amused at the thought. "Now I understand why people keep pets... or so it seems." -... It''s not that they keep them despite not being able to speak. It''s because they can''t speak that they keep them. Because they can project any emotion and feel understood. Because they can delude themselves into believing they are understood even when they know nothing. In the moment Ellen felt understood by the cat''s eyes, she realized that it was her own desire for understanding that was projected onto it. The black cat gently rubbed its head against Ellen''s face. It seemed to really understand, even though it was just a delusion that she was being understood. Ellen gently stroked the cat''s head with her hand resting on its back. It was surprising how such a small being could help her hold onto her fading consciousness. Her fatigue, the pressure, and the despair seemed to have diminished somewhat. And so, her mind was now quite clear. Of course, due to fatigue, Ellen''s consciousness was gradually sinking into the depths of sleep. She managed to pull herself together today with the help of that small being, but how long could it last? She could only receive a small amount of help from such a small existence. Eventually, it would disappear. "I don''t want... to disappear..." As Ellen''s eyes grew heavy with sleep, she gazed at the cat. In her fading consciousness. For some reason, Ellen thought she saw tears well up in the small cat''s eyes. Could cats cry? Ellen found the thought amusing. Since when were tears exclusive to humans? Humans can cry, and humans are ultimately beasts. Tears must belong to all beasts, not just humans. So, naturally, cats should be able to cry as well. However, Ellen didn''t know why the cat was crying. The cat was crying when it should be the person crying. "Don''t... cry..." Within her fading consciousness, Ellen gently wiped away the tears streaming from the kitten''s eyes. As for being a heavy sleeper or not, Ellen tended to sleep a lot. Back in her beloved hometown, Ellen was always the child who woke up late, whether she fell asleep early or late. Nobody scolded her for oversleeping, not her mother, father, or brother. The little girl who woke up late became the young woman who woke up late. But it was in the temple that Ellen realized she was a creature of habit. She could wake up much earlier than her usual bedtime to do morning exercises. After growing up, she learned that if necessary, she could reduce her sleep and sleep less in situations that required it. In the temple, she voluntarily reduced her sleep, and now as part of the military, she reduced her sleep out of necessity. And that wasn''t unique to Ellen. Everyone had to start their day early. As the days grew shorter, Ellen awoke in the dark hours of dawn, needing to head to the command center to receive her mission orders. Having made the necessary preparations, Ellen donned her inner armor. Clank! Clank! Clank! As the armor stand activated, Ellen''s ceremonial armor clung to her body, and the seams fit together automatically. The divine sword of the moon god hung at her waist, and the sun god''s cape draped over her shoulders. Though there were no significant missions for the time being, Ellen was in charge of a constant campaign, always ensuring the safety of the march to the garrison, and eliminating any monsters that appeared. After receiving her assignment and mission orders at the command center, she set out for the field. Camping was exceedingly dangerous, so missions were generally completed within a day, but occasionally, they took several days. Meow "You must''ve been disturbed by the noise..." Ellen watched the black cat, who had seemingly been awakened by the sound of her donning armor, rubbing its eyes and yawning on the bed. The black cat stared wide-eyed at Ellen, who was now fully armed. Ellen, clad in her resplendent armor, crouched down in front of the half-awake cat. Then she gently tickled the cat''s neck with her index finger. "¡­Unpleasant, isn''t it?" Ellen wondered if the sensation of metal from her gauntlet-covered hand would harm the cat, so she carefully withdrew her hand. "I have to go." In just a day, Ellen had grown accustomed to speaking with the cat. The cat seemed to understand her words and hopped off the bed to land beside Ellen. Thump! "¡­" The cat, seemingly unaccustomed to jumping, failed to land properly even from the small bed and collapsed onto the ground. How could it be so clumsy? Despite its awkwardness, the cat quickly got back on its feet and meowed at the entrance to the tent. Could it really understand her words? Ellen couldn''t help but have such strange thoughts. When she unlocked and opened the tent, she saw people who had already started their morning routine, bustling about. Ellen wasn''t the only one who woke up early. The black cat that emerged from the tent with her meowed by her side. Meow As if Ellen was going somewhere, the cat seemed to want to go somewhere too. As if she could understand the cat''s words, Ellen felt as though she could understand what the cat wanted to do. It was an odd sensation she''d never felt before in her life. Were cats always such free-spirited animals? Ellen didn''t know much about that aspect. But like Ellen, the cat seemed to want to go somewhere, even though it didn''t appear to be able to run properly. Whatever it was, she couldn''t force it. She didn''t have the confidence to take proper care of it anyway. Ellen looked down at the cat, who gazed up at her, and spoke softly. "Come back again." Meow As if responding to her words, the cat cautiously began to walk away. Ellen had said she was leaving, but the cat went first. Even though she''d asked it to return, would it really come back? That was something she couldn''t know. Even if it was only for a day, having a strange encounter with an unfamiliar cat in her life wasn''t a bad thing. It was quite an extraordinary experience. But if the black cat were to visit her again, that wouldn''t be a bad thing either. With that thought in mind, Ellen walked away. CH 525 Late afternoon. The designated meeting place. "¡­?" At a hidden location on the outskirts of the garrison, Harriet could see a black cat approaching from afar. "¡­A cat?" As the cat came closer, it gradually grew larger, eventually taking on the familiar shape of a person. Harriet''s jaw dropped. "Reinhardt?" "¡­" In just a single day, something had happened that left Reinhardt looking quite disheveled. "What''s going on? You can transform into a cat? Since when?" Harriet couldn''t help but be taken aback when a random cat appeared out of nowhere, only to transform into Reinhardt. "First... let''s head back to Edina. I''ll explain everything there." Reinhardt, his mouth tightly closed, seemed to have a lot he couldn''t say. ------ Edina, the capital city of Lazak. "¡­Ah, so you couldn''t enter the Royal Class garrison in human form, so you transformed into a cat?" "Yes! But then, Sarkegaar just left me there and escaped!" He tried to teach me various things for a few hours, but when I couldn''t grasp anything, he abandoned me at the garrison and fled! He said that as long as I got into the garrison, it would be fine, and that being cute would somehow work out. He claimed that if I was stealthy, I could manage to escape on my own! Sarkegaar... I thought he was a loyal servant. Did he have some grudge against me? It would be strange if he didn''t, right? Considering the long history of our troubled relationship, it''s actually odd if he didn''t hold any resentment. Is it fortunate that he only did this much? "Well, my original plan was to transform into a cat, hide here and there, and eavesdrop on conversations, hoping that if I were caught, my cuteness would let me off the hook..." "But it turned out the opposite?" "¡­You could say that." "¡­" In the end, not only did I attract the attention of the entire Royal Class, but I even spent a night in Ellen''s tent. This actually worked out well in the end. But there were too many memories from the process that I didn''t want to recall. "That bastard Kono Lint¡­" "Kono Lint? What about him?" "¡­Never mind. It''s nothing." "What is it? What happened?" I don''t even want to think about it! "Did he torture animals or something?" "No, it''s not that¡­" "Then why are you angry?" He did help, in a way. I know he tried to take care of me in various ways! If it weren''t for him, I might have turned into a lily! "No, I just really don''t want to talk about it¡­" "¡­It seems like something did happen." Though I experienced a series of unexpected events, I couldn''t help but consider the outcome as positive. I was able to closely observe the demeanor of the Royal Class members, not out of curiosity, but because I was right in front of them. I even got to examine Ellen, who I wanted to scrutinize the most, from up close. I also checked on how Adriana was doing. Ellen is a demigod. Whether it''s because of that or not, Ellen was clearly coping better than I was. The spirits tried to kill me, but they might not have had a reason to kill Ellen. Although I can''t tell how long it will last, it was clear that Ellen was doing better than me. But maybe I should be even more afraid that Ellen, who is a demigod, is gradually being consumed by it. Sarkegaar remained stationed at the garrison, gathering information while I was the only one who had returned for now. "By the way, what about the other units?" "They must still be in operation, considering we finished too early." "True." Thanks to Liana summoning a blizzard that turned the area into a deadly frozen wasteland, our operation ended swiftly. Other units led by the Vampire Lords were still in action. When the allied forces resumed their march, we would start our work once again. I checked the situation at the garrison as well. "What about Heinrich?" And at this point, a matter as important as Ellen''s situation. "I sent a letter through Sarkegaar, but..." Although I warned them, the future remained uncertain. ------ Of course, I knew that letters were being delivered throughout the Royal Class garrison. So, it was no big deal to include one more letter through Sarkegaar. However, I didn''t think it would entirely resolve the issue. "Will a single letter... be enough?" Harriet looked at me anxiously. "We could meet in person and talk... for sure." "Yeah, so wouldn''t it be better to discuss things more thoroughly?" I wholeheartedly agreed with Harriet''s opinion. In fact, although it was an incident I didn''t want to remember, Harriet had a similar conversation with Ellen. "The source of information is important." "..." "Where''s the guarantee that Heinrich will blindly believe what I say? They might think I''m trying to disrupt the allied forces." Only a handful of people knew the truth about the Gate incident. So, very few would trust the sincerity of my words, and Heinrich wasn''t one of them. Contacting Bertus would be dangerous for him, not me, and I could no longer get in touch with Ellen. At best, I could only encounter her as a cat, as I did this time. It was a painful task, nonetheless. And she asked me to come again. I never expected it to turn out this way, but would it be good for Ellen if I visited her regularly? Is there any meaning in me visiting her as a cat? There might be some meaning, but it didn''t seem significant. The situation had become so strange that I began to worry if Ellen would feel neglected if I didn''t visit. Sarkegaar, you were too irresponsible. When I return, really... Really... I can''t say anything because of my numerous sins. It''s now impossible to complain about Sarkegaar because I had received the most hospitality so far. In fact, my information gathering was more successful than necessary. Anyway. It''s best to avoid secret talks with someone from the allied forces in the name of Darkland. "There must have been more than one or two guys among our peers at the temple who wanted to kill you out of resentment. That includes you, Olivia, and Liana." Even if they forgive the cat, they won''t forgive me. That''s only natural. It''s not just because this situation happened because of me. Most of the students lost their homes and families. Unless they were from the Imperial Capital, many of them experienced such incidents. So, to them, I would be an absolute enemy. And as a kitten, I listened carefully to the conversations among the students while in the cafeteria. Of course, most of them talked only about the cat, but I also heard stories beyond that. Hatred for me There were many who didn''t care at all about kittens or such, being entirely swallowed up by it. Ludwig was a prime example. Something had drastically changed since the death of Asher. In Cliffman''s case, it was impossible to know what he was thinking, but the once shy and reticent Cliffman had become less talkative in a different sense. Whenever the topic of the Demon King arose, the atmosphere would become heavy. This was felt even amidst the warmth of the kitten''s arrival. Hearing something and seeing it with one''s own eyes are indeed different. I experienced this firsthand, seeing the atmosphere of the royal class through the eyes of the cat. There are many who will never forgive me. Would knowing the details change anything? What if people find out that Ellen, Charlotte, Bertus, and the responsibility of the Imperial Family are involved? People will hate Ellen, the Empire, and me together. Then, it would only be the beginning of an era of unending hatred until everything is destroyed. Heinrich didn''t lose his family, but he''s among those people. So, if my people or I were to tell him the truth, he''d be more likely to doubt us first. Therefore, it''s better to remain anonymous. If he knew the source of the information was me, Heinrich might be less likely to believe me. If they find out the truth about the Gate incident, it could be an even bigger problem. They would know that the responsibility for the underlying cause of the Gate incident lies with the Imperial Royal Family, including me, and that we''ve been hiding it until now. It''s better not to know the truth. Because knowing it would inevitably lead to divisions within the alliance. "But... how can you be so sure it''ll happen that way?" At Harriet''s question, I stared out the window quietly. I know the future. But that no longer has any meaning. Because now, I don''t know the future. Except for the ''future'' I saw in the preview. "Sometimes, things that happen between people can be painfully obvious." People remain the same, and the dynamics of power remain the same. And then they begin to change. The events scheduled to unfold in the changing landscape will proceed accordingly. Harriet seemed puzzled by my words. Heinrich von Schwarz is a forsaken prince. As a child, he awakened his abilities and accidentally killed his siblings. That''s why he was driven out to the Temple. So, at the beginning of my time at the Temple, I didn''t fear any repercussions when I defeated Heinrich. I knew the Kernstadt royal family had no interest in him. "Still, I can''t predict everything... and this isn''t my area of expertise, anyway..." I merely know the characters and events I''ve created, not predicting the complex dynamics of politics. So, for dealing with what comes after this, I''ll need to consult an expert. As always, there''s the possibility that there''s something else I don''t know. There''s no guarantee that there are no hidden events in this case, too. Charlotte would tell me what else I need to do or learn here. "But you know..." "Huh?" Harriet''s face reddened as she looked at me. "I want to see it too." "What? What do you want to see?" "I didn''t get a good look earlier." Ah. I think I know what she''s talking about. "Well... Why would you want to see that, of all things?" "It''s just so fascinating, isn''t it? Huh? Can you do it?" Harriet, brimming with excitement, approached me and eagerly asked. Seriously, what''s the big deal about a cat? In reality, I don''t like cats that much. There''s no reason to like the cats that make strange noises all over the neighborhood when they''re in heat. Of course, I''ve never raised one. I chose it simply because it''s easier to hide than a dog and wouldn''t need a leash. And kittens are usually cute, so that''s why I went with it. But when the people from the royal class garrison came to see me, I couldn''t help but wonder why they were all so amazed and excited about it! It does seem cute, though. But is it really worth all this fuss? Even if we are in the midst of a desolate and miserable battlefield? That''s how it was. I never even expected Ellen to show that much interest in it! I don''t like turning into a cat! I still don''t know the controls well, so I''m not sure what to do either! I''ve managed to walk and run, but I still haven''t gotten the hang of anything more than that. "Uh, do it! Do it! Please, huh?" This. Isn''t she going to cry if I don''t do it? But why does she want to see it so badly? Seeing Harriet this excited was so unusual that I felt awkward. "¡­No." I couldn''t refuse her when there wasn''t much difference with the other options and Harriet was acting like this. "How did it come to this...?" In the end, I gave in. I couldn''t bring myself to look away from Harriet''s sparkling eyes. I used Sarkegaar''s ring again. After a short while, Harriet looked down at me, now transformed into a small black cat. Uh. But. Now that I''m smaller, the. The angle is that. "¡­Hey! You!" Harriet hastily covered her skirt. -Meow! No! You''re the one who asked me to transform! I didn''t know this would happen! It''s only my second time transforming, so I didn''t think about how things would turn out! With a flushed face, Harriet stepped back and then kneeled down to look at me. "Wow, wow¡­" Harriet approached me with a wobbly gait and swiftly picked up my cat form. -Meow! "Ah! Cute, so cute!" Harriet hugged me tightly. As expected, she has quite the reaction. "I love you!" -Meow! My waist is breaking! ------ Edina''s scribe, Harriet de Saint-Owan, suddenly began wandering around the castle, hugging a cat. "Scribe? Are you raising a cat?" "Yes! Isn''t it cute?" "Ah, yes¡­ It''s, it''s cute¡­" Harriet, holding a black cat with a somewhat sour expression, shoved it in people''s faces, constantly exclaiming how cute it was. Hugging a cat that somehow seemed forcibly cuddled, Harriet proudly showed it off to everyone. Everyone quite liked seeing the always mature and serious scribe smiling like a person her age. There were many who feared the Demon King, but it was clear that the scribe had a good impression on everyone. As she wandered around the castle, it was only natural for her to run into various people. "¡­What''s this? Why do you have a cat?" Olivia Lanze, who had come to the castle to talk with the regent, was no exception. "Isn''t it cute?" "¡­Cute? What''s with the cat''s sour expression? Besides, I don''t like cats. They''re so rude, acting like animals." "Heh..." At Olivia''s words, Harriet wore a sly smile. Seeing Harriet''s enigmatic grin, Olivia furrowed her brows. "Ha, seems like you''re trying to charm me with a cat. But you were disqualified the moment you couldn''t seduce Reinhardt despite sharing a bedroom with him for over six months." "Heh, hehe... Is that so?" As Harriet''s gaze seemed to ridicule her, Olivia''s expression froze. A dreadful suspicion arose in her mind. "What? You couldn''t possibly...?" "Well, I don''t know about that, but watch." Harriet suddenly lifted the cat and pressed her lips to its mouth. -Meow! "Cute, right?" "...What a show-off." And then, Olivia saw it. The cat transformed from Harriet''s hands into a human in the blink of an eye. "Hey! What are you doing?!" Reinhardt, with a flushed face, covered his mouth, spluttering. "????" "What! I wanted to kiss my cat!" "Why am I your cat?!" "What... What... What''s happening? What''s going on here?" Olivia gaped, watching the scene of the transformed cat acting indignant. "You... You damned little brat!" Olivia shouted in anger, and Harriet cackled as she hurried away. "I prefer dogs, too!" "What are you talking about, both of you!" This time, Olivia made a plea that wasn''t a plea for Reinhardt to transform into a puppy. Reinhardt tried to surprise Olivia by transforming into a wolf-sized dog, but Olivia ended up loving it even more, saying the bigger, the better. CH 526 The Lazak Royal Castle was filled with an unexpected argument between the scribe and the head priest of the Holy Order. ¡°It''s a dog!¡± ¡°It''s a cat, okay?¡± ¡°Dog! A dog! Dogs are great!¡± ¡°I said it''s a cat! Do you really not know?¡± Naturally, Liana de Grantz, the Thunder King, had nothing else to do before her next deployment, so she had no choice but to watch this bizarre quarrel. Cats or dogs? What a strange conversation to have in a place like this. ¡°Hey! I''m not doing anything, so why do you two keep fighting and dragging me into it?!¡± Reinhardt, who was in between the two, seemed ready to grab their collars as his face turned pale. He had just returned from scouting the allied army''s garrison. "...What are you guys doing?" Liana approached and asked the flushed-faced Olivia and Harriet. "Liana! What do you think?" "Think about what?" Liana tilted her head at Harriet''s question. Olivia answered. "Ha, she''ll think the same. Obviously, it''s a dog. Dogs are better. She''ll agree, right?" "It''s a cat, I tell you!" Harriet exclaimed with a grin. Olivia and Harriet both stared intently at Liana. Reinhardt tried to ignore the situation, not wanting to hear any more about it. Dog or cat. Liana''s dilemma didn''t last long. "Well, maybe dogs are more edible?" "!" "Wh-what?!" At her brief answer, Olivia gaped, and Harriet was aghast. Reinhardt, too, tried to ignore the situation but couldn''t help turning blue. Liana shrugged at their reactions. "Weren''t we talking about which one would be better to eat during a food shortage?" "You''re crazy..." "Li-Liana..." "...You should stop taking depressants. Your condition is getting weirder." Liana started giggling at the horrified reactions of the three. "Of course, I''m joking." Liana''s taste for humor was deteriorating. ------ "You transformed into a cat?" "...Yeah." After hearing the details, Liana crossed her arms and fell into thought for a moment. Reinhardt had transformed into a baby black cat. He had returned after receiving a lot of affection at the Royal Class garrison. "You''ve gone up a notch." Liana pretended to feel sick, as if she was about to vomit. "I didn''t want to do it!" "Then did someone force you?" "No, not that... but! That''s not the point! The original plan was... never mind. There''s no point in explaining." "So Olivia thinks dogs are better, and Harriet thinks cats are better, and that''s why they were fighting?" "Yep. Obviously, it''s a cat." "No wonder you like a creature that doesn''t even know loyalty. You''re just like the animal you admire." "Ah... so you''re saying you¡¯re a bitch... right?" As Harriet laughed while covering her mouth, Olivia''s face turned bright red. "What?! Bitch... You''ve said enough!" "You said it yourself!" "Stop it! Both of you! It''s my fault for transforming into a beast! Can you please just stop?" Reinhardt couldn''t bear to watch their bickering anymore and shouted, his face flushed. "Hmph!" "Tsk!" Both turned their heads away, clearly not wanting to look at each other. "Dogs or cats..." Liana began to ponder, crossing her arms as if she was troubled. "Actually, dogs and cats are too common." "...I chose it because it''s common." "I want to try raising a reptile." "...?" "How about a snake? If not a snake, then a lizard." "What do you want me to do about it?" "But you''ve had cats and dogs! Why can''t you have a snake?" "That''s why I said no!" Reinhardt firmly refused in the end. "Ha, while pretending not to be interested, you never plan on changing when it comes to not receiving cuteness. You devious creature." "It''s not like that!" Finally, Reinhardt exploded. Having been tormented all day by Liana, Harriet, and Olivia, he couldn¡¯t visit Charlotte until late at night. The debate between dogs and cats is age-old, but Liana suddenly wanted to see a reptile and made a bizarre request. Of course, since Liana appeared, there had been no transformations. If it''s shown too often, it becomes a habit. However... To be honest. ''Here we go again.'' Somehow, it felt like it would be necessary to transform into a cat and visit the allied forces'' base. Although it was unclear, it seemed like the cat played a role similar to a nerve-calming agent for Ellen. If that''s the case, wouldn''t the time spent in animal form become greater than in human form if it''s shown to others out of guilt for only showing it to Ellen? What is this? It wasn''t about finding dignity as a king, but what is this pet-type demon king who can transform into any animal? It''s horrifying. I''ve dug my own grave again. In the end, it was after sunset that Charlotte could be visited. Charlotte, who was in charge of Edina''s rule, was incredibly busy. She was stuck in her office until midnight. "Ah, Reinhardt. I heard you returned." Wearing a black dress, Charlotte stood up from her seat and smoothed her clothes as I knocked on the office door. Strictly speaking, there was a hierarchical relationship, but acting too much like that was, well... a bit... Strange. Anyway, she didn''t hear about my animal transformation, did she? "Are you busy?" At my words, Charlotte shook her head. "Not really. I''ve finished my work today, but there are some things I need to think about." It''s fortunate that she didn''t seem to have heard. I wouldn''t have been able to refuse if Charlotte also asked me to show her. Since she had finished her work, she looked at me quietly, as if asking me to state my business. Black hair and devilish eyes. Honestly. The appearance of a demon comes to mind, but... It''s not as cute and lovely as before. Now, she emits an atmosphere similar to a queen rather than a princess. Seeing it repeatedly, this appearance of Charlotte isn''t too bad. It''s somewhat... Strange... Well. "I have something I need to discuss." "Discuss?" At that, Charlotte tilted her head, as if asking what I could possibly have to discuss with her. And then. -Gurgle The sound came not from my stomach, but from Charlotte''s. She said she finished her work, but did she not eat? "...You should eat while you work." "Th-that''s true..." Charlotte''s face turned red, and she vigorously nodded her head, looking sorry. "It''s not a secret, so let''s talk while eating." "Th-that... Um... Yes." Charlotte silently followed behind me. ------ Edina Castle was not initially a lavish or grandiose space. The structure itself is not a palace, but a castle. It does not have grand banquet halls, court orchestras, or galleries. Compared to the imperial palace, Edina Castle is practically a humble dwelling. "Is it uncomfortable living in a place like this? Did I ask you too late?" As I walked alongside Charlotte, she vigorously shook her head with a dismayed expression when I asked her. "No, no, really. It''s fine, really. Don''t worry about it. You know I don''t care about such things..." Her words trailed off, and I couldn''t help but notice Charlotte''s expression die. Ever since being kidnapped by the demon king, Charlotte became indifferent to not only food but also sleep. Unknowingly, and without either of us realizing it, we touched upon each other''s vulnerabilities, and Charlotte fell silent. After my true identity was revealed, I couldn''t properly converse with Charlotte. Why did I have to do it? Why did it have to happen? Charlotte never heard my story, and it was not a situation where I could explain it to her either. But with only the truth that I genuinely wanted to prevent this situation, we spent the past two years unable to share any conversations. It was the same now. Charlotte felt guilty towards me, and we only apologized for it, but we never revisited everything that happened since our first encounter. Why did I deceive her? Did I deceive her from the beginning, knowing she was a princess? About the truth of her abduction. About the days of exchanging letters. It occurred to me that we still haven''t talked about anything. In the face of major events like the Gate Incident, matters that determine the fate of the world, managing a single country ¨C are these small conversations supposed to be buried? Do we not need to have those conversations? Since Charlotte buried her questions in guilt, do we not need to talk about them? I walked in silence with Charlotte, head down, towards the dining hall. Let''s eat something first. We''ll talk while eating. No matter what. ------ "You want to... do it yourself?" As I intended to enter the kitchen myself instead of calling someone, Charlotte looked at me with an incredulous expression. "There''s no rule saying the demon king can''t hold a knife, right?" "Well... I suppose..." I barely recognize myself as a king, and I have no thoughts about the discipline or dignity I should maintain as one. And, to be honest, after a long time, I wanted to make something with my own hands for Charlotte. If I were to seriously consider it, although I have a hierarchical relationship with them, I don''t know if they regard me as their ruler, but to me, they are merely friends. I have limitations in doing things alone, so I seek help from my friends. I''m not sure if it''s right to think this way as a king, but my mindset doesn''t change from this. Also, the fact is that after training with swords at the temple, the next thing I''ve held the most is a kitchen knife. I''ve made countless meals and eaten them just as tirelessly. Before breakfast and after evening training sessions. Together with Ellen. Sometimes with Harriet and Charlotte as well. "..." I couldn''t help but pause when I recalled my days at the temple. I thought about the things that had changed. Moments that could never be returned to come to mind. Even back then, I had thought about it. That someday, everything would change. I knew it had to be that way. Even in those moments, I kept thinking that a day would come when I would reminisce about those times, and those moments could never be eternal. Those thoughts had ultimately become reality, and I had no choice but to live in the present, unable to return to that moment. But just because I knew it would happen, and even if I expected it, it wasn''t as if I could easily accept it when it truly came to pass. Moments I couldn''t return to. Relationships I couldn''t turn back. I found it infuriating, unfair. And, sad. ------ It was somewhat amusing that the kitchen there couldn''t provide the same environment as a kitchen of a mere school operated by the Empire, but the Empire was inherently on a different level. It wasn''t quite the environment of the Temple, but it was still the King''s castle. There were ample food supplies, and since it was late and Charlotte didn''t eat much, I made a light sandwich. A cup of water and a sandwich. "Thank you, Reinhardt." "It''s nothing." "Still..." Despite it being nothing special, Charlotte seemed touched, her eyes shining as she began to eat the sandwich. Since I made one for myself too, I ate a sandwich as well. "When do you think we''ll set out next?" "Well... That depends on the movements of the Allied Forces, not on my will. We''ll have to keep a close eye on their actions." "Right, I suppose so." The decision of the Allied Forces'' advance wasn''t up to me. Therefore, due to the nature of our work, which required us to follow the movements of the Allied Forces, we couldn''t know when our next departure would be. When the Allied Forces advanced and dispatched their vanguard to secure the route, we would strike a more advanced position. "It''s fortunate that nothing''s happened. The other units should also be without incident." "Probably. We''ve all agreed that if our strength is insufficient, we''ll retreat immediately. There''s no need to push ourselves." The number of personnel deployed was small, so the loss of personnel would be devastating. As long as the Vampire Lords followed instructions, there shouldn''t be any major problems. Maximize restraint in engagements with the Allied Forces. Retreat immediately if personnel loss is expected during a battle. As long as these two principles were adhered to, there should be no major issues for the other units either. On reflection, there was something I needed to tell Charlotte. It wasn''t crucial information for Charlotte, but still. "By the way, we destroyed a Gate. It was a small one, though." "I heard about that from Harriet. But I''m worried that destroying a Warp Gate is a bit reckless..." "We didn''t push ourselves. To be precise, it was pretty much all done by that girl Liana." Although we were a mere five-person squad, excluding Liana, the four of us didn''t even have a chance to exert ourselves. She summoned a massive blizzard, turning the area into a virtual snowfield. Flying monsters crashed, a considerable number of creatures froze to death, and the remaining monsters either suffocated or were crushed under the snow. "Still, it''s best not to rely too much on that method. We can''t know how long it''ll work." Charlotte, who had already received a report from Harriet, nodded quietly. "You''re right. But I think this will be a pretty important card for our strategy moving forward." "Yeah, I guess so." It was a strategy to reduce the number of monsters by exposing them to extreme cold, and once we tried it, we realized it had considerable side effects. As I said, monsters are diverse. If we want to kill them with the environment rather than direct attacks, we need to employ various methods. There are creatures similar to ordinary living beings, but there are also entirely different ones. That''s why, various types of death were required. Death by poison and falling. As I was considering those, I could also see the effects of suffocation and being crushed. I confirmed that a blizzard could be quite a versatile weapon. Of course, the fact that there were monsters that survived in such extreme conditions could be seen as even more horrifying. "With just us, we should be able to advance by dealing with small gates like this. I''m not sure about medium or large gates, and we certainly can''t handle super-large ones on our own." While a blizzard is a very useful weapon at the moment, there will come a time when it will not work against certain enemies. "When the allied forces arrive, they''ll be quite bewildered..." "It doesn''t seem like the snow will melt by the time they arrive, but, well, we''ll figure something out." With Heinrich present, a bit of fire magic would make the snow melt quickly. If that doesn''t work, Liana can step in again. Technically, it would cause large-scale environmental destruction, but it''s not like I care about nature. My priorities lie elsewhere. After finishing her sandwich, Charlotte gazed at me absentmindedly. Right, we agreed to discuss something. Somehow, sitting together like this, eating something we made late at night, I feel like just chatting about various things. Perhaps I should say that it makes me feel sentimental. Even though I know this is not the time for it, it''s been so long since I''ve felt sentimental that it feels rather strange. Still, I must do what needs to be done. I don''t know everything. And there''s a lot I can''t do. That''s why there are many people around me. People who can think about what I don''t know, and people who can do what I can''t. They are all precious to me. "Do you know about the Schwarz royal family?" "Are you talking about Kernstadt?" "Yeah, that''s right." Charlotte tilted her head, as if she didn''t understand why I was asking. "I know as much as I need to know." It''s not some minor country; it''s the second-ranked human nation. In other words, number two among the human countries. That''s why Charlotte knows as much as she needs to. That phrase was quite interesting. Not "I know as much as I do," but "I know as much as I need to." It means that she knows not just the commonly known knowledge, but also the knowledge a princess must possess. In other words, she has knowledge about the undisclosed details as well. "You know Heinrich, right?" "Yes, Heinrich von Schwarz. He was our classmate. I know that he''s been quite active since the Gate incident." "I think he''s likely to be assassinated by his own siblings soon." "¡­What? Assassinated?" It was natural for Charlotte to react with disbelief. CH 527 Upon hearing the rumor that Heinrich von Schwarz would soon be assassinated, Charlotte wore an expression of disbelief. "No, I know it''s unbelievable, but what if it does happen?" "It''s all my fault, really!" "Assume for now that it happens, and tell me about it." "Alright." The problem. One day, Heinrich takes on a mission as usual, but he is killed during the assignment. Instead of an assassination, his death is disguised as having been caused by monsters. At that point in the original story, Heinrich was still an unlucky fellow, but his position had become crucial. As a result, not only would the Allied Forces be severely shocked, but the Royal Class would also be shaken. Ludwig watches Heinrich''s funeral, which is held at an alarmingly fast pace by the Kernstadt royal family, and realizes that something is amiss. Ludwig reports this to Bertus, who grants him permission to investigate the matter discreetly. While the Allied Forces mourn Heinrich''s passing, Ludwig, with the help of several others, uncovers that the Kernstadt royal family is behind the incident. Following the incident, Bertus, furious that such an event could occur due to petty political games, executes the entire Kernstadt royal family and forcefully integrates the command structure under the empire. At the time of the original story, Bertus acted as the regent for the deceased Emperor Nelliod de Gardias, taking on the role of supreme commander of the Allied Forces. However, since Bertus is now the Emperor, he cannot leave his post, and so he must travel between the Imperial Capital and the Allied Forces'' base. Anyway, after this, an immense backlash occurs within the Kernstadt army, and some even attempt to desert. In this situation, Ludwig passionately appeals to the Kernstadt army not to abandon the war that determines the fate of humanity. In the original story, Ludwig is a symbolic figure because he possesses the Alsbringer, a powerful artifact. As a result, the Kernstadt army continues to serve the Allied Forces, following Ludwig''s appeal. If left alone, Heinrich will die. Heinrich is not only a classmate but also a crucial part of the Allied Forces. The loss of Heinrich causes a rift within the Allied Forces, but they eventually reunite due to Ludwig''s persuasion and sense of duty. Nevertheless, tensions continue to exist between the imperial army and the Kernstadt army. It''s a disastrous event with no positive outcomes. That''s why I hope this incident won''t happen. I''ve warned Heinrich in a letter, but I cannot be sure if it will be effective. "Assuming Heinrich is assassinated, I want to resolve this situation without him dying and the Allied Forces suffering significant damage. Is that possible?" Contacting Heinrich directly would likely be a bad idea, as he doesn''t trust me. What if I kill all of Heinrich''s royal siblings? This would cause massive chaos within the command structure. Moreover, if I were to personally take action, it would be like the Demon King himself attacking the Allied Forces'' base and killing the Kernstadt royals. Hatred towards me would skyrocket among the Allied Forces, and unease would spread. They''d constantly fear that the Demon King might attack at any moment. And even if I did kill his family, Heinrich would never forgive me. He wouldn''t know that if I hadn''t killed them, he would have been the one to die. If there''s no proper way, I could choose to kill all of Heinrich''s brothers myself. But I know very well that''s neither the best nor the average choice, and it''s a terrible one at that. No matter what I do, their hatred for me would pierce the sky, so even if Heinrich thinks of me as the enemy of his family, would my burden get any heavier? There''s no particular need to deliberately shoulder more hatred. It''s possible to disguise my actions as someone else''s. Whether through Sarkegaar or directly, by assassination. In the end, an assassination would occur within the allied forces, causing a disturbance and slowing the march of the army. The command structure would be reorganized, and when the allied forces start commanding the Kernstadt army as they used to, problems would arise. Even if subordinate commanders inherit the command, the confusion won''t subside. It''s a problem even if Heinrich, the only heir of Kernstadt, takes over the command. That guy may be strong, but he has no experience or talent in leadership and command. Ultimately, the three trying to kill Heinrich are people who clearly have their own usefulness. The three royal members are doing their immediate duties well, causing accidents if left alone. They are villains who, if removed, cause problems equivalent to the indispensable factors they possess. Getting rid of them is easy. However, the problems arising after their removal lead to even more problems. So, with as little noise as possible. Passing this incident over entirely in a way that doesn''t kill Heinrich or cause significant trouble within the allied forces. Is that possible? I sought Charlotte because I couldn''t think of anything more here. "Um... I don''t know the situation of the allied forces very well, but... I think I have a rough idea of what you''re thinking, Reinhardt..." Charlotte begins to seriously consider my question. "Because Heinrich is forced to stand out suddenly, his brothers will be tense... So, they try to eliminate him beforehand to avoid greater consequences... Hmm... It doesn''t seem entirely impossible." Charlotte tilts her head. "But it''s a matter of probability, can we be sure that such a thing will happen?" There''s a possibility, but there''s no guarantee it will happen. "Perhaps if it''s an assassination, they''ll disguise it as a death on duty... But I wonder if the Schwarzs are really... reckless enough to be that foolish..." A foolish act. I couldn''t help but agree with Charlotte''s words. The Gate incident hasn''t even been resolved yet, and the brothers kill Heinrich, who is a powerful force, just because he is too outstanding. In the original, Bertus couldn''t believe the truth and was beyond furious. At a time like this. At a moment like this. Killing one of the most important forces of the allied army, a brother even, for a mere struggle for the throne. That''s why Bertus loses his sanity and, using his authority as the supreme commander, executes all the Kernstadt royals. Deciding that it''s better to kill them and face some disturbance rather than wage war with such madmen. In reality, the allied forces are on the verge of division, but they are saved from ruin by Ludwig. In the end, Charlotte clearly judged this incident as too foolish to happen. "Right, it might be a possibility. But there''s no harm in preventing it if we don''t know if it will happen, right? The bleeding of the allied forces is also our bleeding." "Well, that''s true. So let''s assume the situation unfolds like that and think about it. Well... If we really consider the possibility of an assassination, by the time this war is properly resolved, Heinrich would be in a position where even the royal family of Kernstadt couldn''t easily interfere with him... It doesn''t seem entirely impossible." "Hmm, that''s true. He would receive treatment almost on par with that of a hero like Ellen." While Ellen''s status is excessively high, Heinrich is no pushover either. Frankly, the original protagonist, Ludwig, can''t even begin to catch up to the reputation Heinrich has now. So by the time the Gate crisis ends and humanity''s reconstruction truly begins, Heinrich will inevitably be treated as an unparalleled hero not only in Kernstadt but also in every place where humans have survived. "In that case, even if Heinrich himself doesn''t want to be king, he might have to become one." "Uh... Indeed. That''s a possibility." The darker the era, the stronger the power of symbols. As the youngest member of the Kernstadt royal family, Heinrich might almost inevitably be pushed onto the throne. The youngest, who, whether they like it or not, would possess enough influence to become king if he is alive. Older siblings who, feeling the injustice and resentment of having the succession taken away from them, would try to kill the youngest before he become too famous to be touched. Charlotte seemed convinced that there was more than enough possibility of that happening. "In the end, the important thing isn''t whether Heinrich''s assassination happens or not, but how to prevent that situation if it does happen..." Charlotte furrowed her brow as she pondered. "It would be easiest to resolve the matter through Bertus, but if Heinrich were to completely become an imperial figure... In other words, severing all ties with Kernstadt. It would just take convincing Heinrich... Then the situation would be maintained. But this carries a risk." "Making contact with Bertus is indeed dangerous... But if there''s no other way, we have no choice." "That''s not the only issue." Charlotte shook her head. "The Schwarz royal family is likely to perceive this as interference in their internal affairs." "...Even if we''re trying to save them, they might take offense and view it as internal interference?" "Of course." Charlotte sighed. "Kernstadt is the Empire''s foremost vassal state." "...Is that so?" "Don''t you remember the Orbis Class?" "Ah." The Orbis Class would also be participating in this Gate crisis, and although the class itself has disappeared, the students remain. So the Orbis Class alumni would still be present at the Templar base. One of the numerous incidents that occurred due to my actions was the collapse of the Orbis Class. In short, the relationship between the Orbis Class and the Royal Class can be described as one of inferiority. A perpetual first and second place. The Empire and Kernstadt have a similar relationship. "Kernstadt is the nation closest to the Empire, and as a result, Kernstadt harbors tremendous feelings of inferiority not only towards the Empire but also its own citizens. But how much greater would the inferiority complex of the Schwarz royal family be?" "Ah... I see." The nation closest to the Empire ultimately has the strongest desire for the Empire. To be precise, the Schwarz royal family of Kernstadt envies the Gardias imperial family more than anyone else in the world and, due to that, suffers from an inferiority complex. The Empire had not remained safe and stable up to this point without struggles. It was just that these conflicts were not recorded in history. There had been countless attempts by the Schwarz family to overthrow the Empire. Mankind had an enemy. The Empire was established under that flag. However, that did not mean there had been no turmoil. As a princess, Charlotte would be well aware of the many unrecorded power struggles and intrigues that had taken place. "That''s why it''s crucial for the Emperor of the Empire to maintain a relationship with Kernstadt that is neither too close nor too distant. Kernstadt is the most important diplomatic target, a potential enemy, and yet, at the same time, the most crucial ally." For the Empire, Kernstadt was also important, whether in a good or bad sense. "Leaving aside the fact that our approach to Bertus is dangerous for Bertus, completely excluding Heinrich from the Kernstadt royal family and integrating him as an official of the Empire could be seen as a gesture that the Empire is trying to swallow the Schwarz family. So, of course, they would consider it interference in their internal affairs and resist." "Shouldn''t they be happy if a strong contender for the throne gives up their claim willingly? Even if they hate the Empire." At my words, Charlotte shook her head. "Reinhardt, with this approach, the issue isn''t just about gestures and possibilities; it actually becomes feasible for Bertus to swallow the Schwarz family through Heinrich." "¡­What?" "Succession rights are just a facade. Even if Heinrich were to give them up, the influence he would wield after the war could still affect the royal succession structure. And if Bertus wanted, he could really make Heinrich the King of Kernstadt. It''s an opportunity to completely replace the Schwarz family, which has been a thorn in their side, with Heinrich as his man. It would be strange if Bertus didn''t do it. Why wouldn''t he do it when he can?" "¡­Hmm." Kernstadt''s perception of interference in their internal affairs is not mistaken. It is actually interference. By severing Heinrich''s connection with Kernstadt entirely to eliminate the possibility of his assassination, the Empire could use Heinrich to swallow Kernstadt''s royal family instead. Charlotte pondered and shook her head. "Come to think of it, this method won''t work; Heinrich would die because of his situation if that happens." "¡­So, it would rather provoke the Kernstadt royal family?" "Yes, the current heir, Louise von Schwarz, is not a fool. On the contrary, she''s quite clever. If the Empire makes such a decision, she would predict what''s about to happen in an instant. Then, not only would they try to eliminate Heinrich even faster, but their relationship with the Empire would also be completely ruined." The solution to deal with assassination creates an even greater possibility for assassination. Severing the relationship between Heinrich and Kernstadt is actually a more dangerous choice. If Heinrich remains within Kernstadt''s sphere of influence, the royal family, feeling threatened by his growing stature, would likely assassinate him. If Heinrich remains within the Empire''s sphere of influence, the Schwarz family, fearing a future where the Empire swallows them through Heinrich, would assassinate him. "A fate that can only lead to death... Is that it?" No matter what is done, Heinrich ends up being assassinated. Is there no way to avoid Heinrich''s assassination through a moderate approach? "Do we have to kill the people of the Schwarz royal family stationed here, no matter the method?" "¡­At least not Louise von Schwarz." "Why¡­?" "Because it would surely lead to greater chaos. Not only is she the supreme commander, but she also has a strong foothold in Kernstadt. What would happen to an army that lost its commander? There''s likely no one within the Kernstadt military with better capabilities. But if we kill the others except for Louise von Schwarz and Heinrich, eventually, Louise von Schwarz will try to kill Heinrich anyway, so it would be meaningless." In the end, Charlotte had the same concerns as I did. This headache is too painful. They are both too important. Both Heinrich and Louise von Schwarz are crucial. If either of them dies, it would be a problem, and if there''s no other way to resolve the issue than death, what should we do? "Let''s bring them in." "¡­What?" For a moment, I didn''t understand what Charlotte was saying. "Heinrich is entangled in too many political schemes within the coalition forces. I think it will be after the war if an assassination happens¡­ But if Heinrich is assassinated during the march, every moment would be dangerous. So, in the end, the only way to protect Heinrich''s life is to have him with us." "¡­Is that so?" I had thought of that kind of plan before. "But there''s no guarantee that Heinrich will willingly join us." "That''s true. With everything that has happened so far, it will undoubtedly be difficult for him to accept us, and you." The likelihood of Heinrich willingly joining my side seems very low. Force or violence might be the only options. "Still, the only solution that comes to mind right now¡­ is this one." Charlotte spoke while finishing her remaining sandwich. Capturing Heinrich. We could try, but would Heinrich accept? To ensure your safety, not to increase our power. There''s no way Heinrich would accept that reason when no assassination attempts have been made. Let''s think about it from my perspective. If in secret, Bertus approaches, and the core forces of Edina, including Charlotte, try to drive me away, conveying the intention to join the empire. Would I believe that? I definitely wouldn''t, right? ------ We''ll capture Heinrich. At the moment, there doesn''t seem to be any other way. After finishing our meal, though late at night, Charlotte and I had a cup of tea on the royal terrace. I like to climb up the tower and look down at Lazak, but the view from this terrace is just as good. I don''t know about other things, but in my opinion, the view from the palace is better than that from the temple. We need to think a bit more about how to capture Heinrich. "The Kernstadt royal family... It doesn''t concern me now, but they were quite the notorious bunch." "From what I''ve heard, they especially seem to have been so from the Empire''s perspective¡­" The number one vassal state and the ruler of all vassal states, the Imperial Royal Family. It made sense when I heard that the Schwarz royal family couldn''t help but envy and be jealous of the empire. They had the potential to become the empire, but the Gardias royal family was too strong. "Though it may be rude to say this to you¡­ The influence of Darkland played a big role in the Gardias royal family remaining intact and the Schwarz royal family not being able to take down the empire beyond a certain point." "It must have been like that." It wasn''t exactly the same, but in the past, Bertus had said something similar. That''s why, when I caused a terror incident in the empire to rescue the demon prisoners, Bertus, despite suffering substantial losses, was rather pleased. He believed that the incident could help prolong the life of the empire. If I hadn''t existed and the Gate Incident hadn''t occurred, There might have been an uprising by the revolutionary forces, or the empire might have been divided under the leadership of Kernstadt. One enormous event had swallowed up everything in the world and reset it to nothing. "Do you know there''s an academy similar to the Temple in Kernstadt?" "¡­Really?" That was the first time I''d heard of it. Kernstadt must feel inferior to the empire. That''s why they couldn''t help but envy the Temple, which was a very important project for the empire, nurturing and securing talent. So, Kernstadt created a system that benchmarked the Temple instead of sending their royal family members there. "I''ve heard that the quality of education there is quite good as well¡­ I don''t know much about it, but they''re quite diligent in trying to catch up with the Temple." Just as the Royal Class wasn''t particularly interested in the Orbis Class, the same was true for the Kernstadt Academy, which was trying to catch up with the Temple in some way. Why bother, when there''s no comparison? It must have felt like that. "And that''s why it was quite surprising to the empire and the Temple when Heinrich entered the Temple. The royal family of Kernstadt''s Schwarz lineage sent a member to the Temple. It must have felt like that." "Well, that''s true." There had been an accident. That''s why he had been sent to the Temple as if being expelled. It was the first time I had heard about the backstory of him not being able to enroll in the internal academy of Kernstadt. I know the circumstances. But does Charlotte know as well? "Hmm¡­ Reinhardt, you might not know, and it might be rude to talk about this behind the scenes, but there''s an incident that made it almost inevitable for Heinrich to go to the Temple." "¡­I have a rough idea." "¡­Really?" Pretending not to know and then acting surprised after hearing it would have been pointless, so I made a gesture that I had a rough idea of what Charlotte was trying to say. Charlotte didn''t specifically ask for the source of the information. "When he was very young, his abilities awakened, and during that time, his two older brothers died¡­ That''s what I heard." "Ah, it was probably something like that." "Hmm¡­" Charlotte took a sip of her tea. "Anyway, it was an accident, and it couldn''t be helped¡­ Even though Heinrich entered the Temple back in elementary school, which was a very long time ago¡­" What is Charlotte trying to say? "While it''s true that the death of the direct royal family members was a very dangerous and significant event, was it really necessary for Heinrich to be almost chased out to the Temple¡­ That''s what I''m thinking now." "¡­Really?" "Yes. After all, it was an accident, not intentional. But¡­ if you think about it, he was sent to the Temple, the academy of the empire they hate so much. Since he''s royalty, they couldn''t execute him just because of the accident. It''s as if they couldn''t stand the sight of him, so they sent him far away. And then, they cut off their interest in him. Well, even now, there''s the perception that supernatural powers are ominous forces, but back then¡­" "That''s true." Ominous power. Supernatural powers The mysterious origins of supernatural powers often led to them being perceived as ominous, with the stigma likely being even stronger in the past. "Doesn''t the punishment seem a bit excessive?" Someone had died, and even siblings had died. But in the end, it was still an accident. It felt like the punishment Heinrich received was somewhat harsh. He was royalty, after all. "I couldn''t help but think... that he was being excessively hated." The Temple was a school attended by the children of influential people, royalty, and nobility from various places. They gathered together, socialized, and received an education. But in the end, it was a school filled with the children of the influential. "If you look at the backgrounds of the students who come to the Temple, you can get a sense of the political situations in various places. The Temple also serves as an intelligence gathering place, sifting through that information to gauge the state of the continent." "Really?" "Why wouldn''t it be?" In the end, the Temple collected information about the students. Of course, it was limited to those from powerful families, royalty, and other prestigious lineages. "Well, they don''t actively pry into the students'' lives, but they simply deduce from the information provided. There''s even a dedicated department in the Temple for that." I had just learned one of the Temple''s secrets. Though it wasn''t a specialized intelligence department, the Temple had no reason not to use the vast amount of information that accumulated there. "So... the information I received about Heinrich von Schwarz... it''s speculative, but there''s one important thing." "What is it?" "Heinrich is hated by the royal family. Quite severely, at that." "I see." "Supernatural powers often awaken in extreme mental states, right?" "Yes, that''s... true." "I wonder what kind of situation Heinrich was in when his powers awakened. However, he can''t remember the process because it happened when he was too young." Supernatural powers awaken in extreme mental states. Heinrich had killed his siblings. Because of that incident, he was hated by the Kernstadt royals and was forced to come to the Temple. What lied beneath that. "I think he was abused." "¡­" "It''s not that he was hated for killing his youngest sibling. The sequence of events is different." Charlotte spoke calmly. "He was hated from the beginning." Due to his siblings'' abuse, Heinrich von Schwarz experienced immense pain at a young age. In the midst of that, he awakened his pyrokinesis and killed his siblings. Though it was a homicide, it was still an accident. His supernatural power awakened after emotional distress due to abuse. And the reason for the abuse. He wouldn''t have been abused for no reason. "There''s a possibility that Heinrich von Schwarz is an illegitimate child." Charlotte made a chilling deduction. "That would explain why Heinrich has received so much hatred from his siblings, and why, as you mentioned, the Schwarz royals stationed here are trying to kill Heinrich in this situation." It was a terrible thing to say about Heinrich. But Charlotte''s cruel deduction revealed another truth about the situation that I was unaware of. The gaps in the story were filled. I couldn''t shake the feeling that we were close to the truth. In that case, Heinrich would be unaware that he was an illegitimate child. CH 528 The notion that Heinrich might be an illegitimate child was no more than a conjecture. However, when viewed in this light, the loose threads of various incidents seemed to tie together perfectly. Why hadn''t Heinrich been sent to the academy within Kernstadt? Why did they have to kill Heinrich, who was gradually becoming a hero in these circumstances? The baseborn illegitimate child might be mentioned as a potential successor to the throne of Kernstadt, surpassing even the noble Louise von Schwarz. This would be absolutely intolerable for the pure-blooded royal family. "If this is true, Heinrich probably doesn''t know about it either." It was impossible to know whether this was the truth or not. "The current Queen of Kernstadt, Solennin, is an extremely fastidious person. Her obsession with etiquette, dignity, and court appearances is no joke. Can you believe if I and Bertus have to learn about it? I haven''t seen her in person very often, though." The queen of a vassal state. A queen with a higher sense of etiquette and dignity than the empire itself. However, this was ultimately a mere facade, and nobody considered the Queen of Kernstadt to be equal or superior to the Imperial Royals. "And an illegitimate child... Just the existence of such a rumor would be enough to make her have a fit. No, if such a rumor were to spread in the world, she would go beyond chills and hang herself with a rope." "So... Instead of an illegitimate child... She might have accepted him as her own child?" "Killing and disposing of him would have been easier, but well, King Constantine von Schwarz of Kernstadt is known for his obstinate personality. He might have been equally obstinate about the treatment of the illegitimate child. But, well, accepting him might have been possible, but loving him would have been impossible. The King of Kernstadt would have been unable to intervene in that aspect." Finishing her story, Charlotte drained the last of her tea and exhaled. "In the end, it''s all conjecture. It might be that he wasn''t an illegitimate child at all, and the royal family simply loved the fourth and fifth children so much that they couldn''t help but hate the youngest." Charlotte said that she was merely suggesting a possibility, a reasonable possibility. She was only telling what Temple had speculated. But it was a brutally cruel possibility. It was a possibility that was all the more cruel because it was close to the truth. Could Heinrich accept or believe this? "That''s all I can tell you. I don''t know how to persuade Heinrich." You are an illegitimate child. You might be killed by your siblings because of that. No, your siblings have to kill you. They have to kill you before you receive even greater hero treatment in order to eliminate the possibility of the throne going to an illegitimate child. An illegitimate child who killed two pure-blooded royals. Wouldn''t it be strange if they didn''t hate Heinrich? He has even become undeniably strong, receiving hero treatment in Kernstadt. He was supposed to live in a corner, out of sight, confined to Temple, but now they had to reluctantly treat him like a brother because of the situation. It would be enough to break their spirits. "Hmm, I guess I have no choice but to tell Heinrich that he''ll die if he doesn''t side with me because he''s an illegitimate child?" "That''s true..." Charlotte laughed weakly. ------ The midnight consultation had come to an end. Although I hadn''t obtained the answer I wanted, I knew what needed to be done. I could deduce to some extent how the fragile pieces I had set up were interwoven. We had eaten and had tea. Yet, somehow, we both felt unfulfilled, Charlotte and I. Perhaps it was because we had had a proper conversation with each other for the first time in a long while. We sat idly on the terrace, unable to do anything. There was something to discuss. "...Shall we go for a walk?" "Huh? Oh. Yeah. Sure." As if she had been waiting for those words, Charlotte nodded vigorously. ------ Charlotte and I left the castle and walked through the plains on the outskirts of Lazak. Following the path, Lazak city was on the left, while the refugee camp formed on the right. As Charlotte had planned, we occasionally saw people who we presumed to be members of the vigilante group, carrying torches and wandering around. They were bound to be corrupted. Charlotte''s cruel plan was to purge these corrupt vigilantes and form a new group when the time came. It was cruel not because Charlotte allowed corruption among them, but because their corruption was a sin caused by their own choices. The corrupt vigilante group, who would later be punished, could not escape the shackle of having chosen their sins. Though they were merely being used, they would be judged without even realizing it. Charlotte knew how humans would behave in certain situations. Because there were people who would crawl into the predicted quagmire without even being instructed, and because they would be replenished by others. That''s why this policy was cruel. I had no idea how far it had gone. We no longer brought survivors from the continent. Thus, Edina''s population would no longer increase due to external influx. We only needed to manage the people remaining in Edina. We saved many people. However, compared to the actual number of people who died, it was ultimately a mere handful. Because of the chain of other events that happened as a result, unthinkable things occurred in the end. Charlotte and I watched the torches moving in the refugee camp from afar as we walked together. "How is the administration going? Is it manageable?" "I don''t know if it''s manageable, but I''m somehow doing it. I''ve come to grasp the overall situation in Edina to some extent now. Things will gradually improve." "That''s a relief." There was no other option but to improve. Although it sounded good, it also seemed as if the situation was so dire that it couldn''t get any worse. Was I too pessimistic? "Most of all, it''s fortunate that there are no complaints from the demons. If it had been a normal situation, the resistance from the demons would have been greater than that of the humans." "True." Although there was no reason for the demons to live with humans, they obeyed without question because the Demon King commanded it. The rule of the Demon King was thus both ideal and strange. In a society made up only of demons, the Demon King could practice lifelong dictatorship without any resistance. Hadn''t Eleris said that when she was an Archdemon, she did just that, only to be defeated and exiled by her only demon son who could resist the Demon King? The Demon King. And the Princess. Charlotte, who is now my regent. When we first met, was this future predetermined? "Charlotte." "Hmm." "I have no memory of living as a prince of the demon world." At my words, Charlotte stopped walking and looked up at me. "I was thrown into the world knowing only that I was the son of Demon King Valier." Suddenly, on the day I spoke of those times, Charlotte gazed at me in silence. "When I met you, I didn''t know who you were." "..." "I won''t bother making excuses for the many lies I told you, saying I had no choice." Charlotte quietly listened to my story. "But... I should apologize." "..." "I''m truly sorry for all the lies I''ve told you so far." I don''t know how to apologize so that my sincerity is conveyed. I don''t think I can be forgiven for deceiving Charlotte with just this one sentence. However, I believe I must tell the story properly. I think this is something I can''t put off any longer, using busyness or having too many tasks as an excuse. Charlotte watches me apologize and smiles quietly. "Three times." "Three times?" "Once in the Demon King''s castle, once in the Spring Palace, and here. That''s three times." Charlotte looks at me. The number of times I''ve saved Charlotte. It seemed that''s what she was talking about. "It feels like the world hates me, and somehow, I have to die, but you keep saving me. I wonder if there will be another incident where I have to die." It was a night when neither stars nor the moon were visible, perhaps due to the cloudy sky. "You''re strange." "..." "You should hate me." "Hate you?" "Yes." Charlotte looks up at the night sky. "I couldn''t trust you even though you saved me several times. Even if I had no choice but to think that way. You saved me with pure intentions, but I couldn''t trust you and cursed you." I thought that could happen. Numerous lies built a tower of misunderstandings, which was more persuasive than the truth. That''s why I thought it was inevitable. I don''t blame Charlotte. "I had no choice but to do that." At my words, Charlotte smiles bitterly. "You saved and protected me so many times, but I couldn''t trust you. If you had cursed me and blamed me, that would have been inevitable too." Blaming Charlotte for not understanding my feelings. That could have been entirely possible for me as well. "I did what I had to do in that situation, but you didn''t blame me in a situation where you had no choice but to blame." "What''s the difference... I think it''s huge." "You did something I couldn''t do. And whenever I feel that you still don''t blame me even a little, it feels strange." "What am I? I haven''t done anything for you, always received help, and even pushed you into the abyss at a crucial moment. But you saved me as if it were a given..." "I don''t know." "That''s why you feel distant now." "I don''t know if I can ever do anything for you. I think I''ll never be able to repay you even in my lifetime." Something that Charlotte must do for me. Not a duty of a servant, but something Charlotte must do for me. There''s nothing like that. I don''t particularly want anything. "Just live a healthy and good life." "I thought you''d say that." Charlotte covered her mouth and chuckled. Should I have said more? I need you, not just for duties like a servant, but for you to be present where my eyes can see. I wish you were always there. Should I have said that? Charlotte was the first life I saved when I arrived in this world. It was true that Charlotte felt a different kind of attachment to me than she did to others. "I want to do something with you." Charlotte quietly spoke to me. "Something you want to do together?" "Yeah, something we can do right now." Something she wanted to do with me at this time? As I looked at her as if asking what it was, Charlotte rummaged through her belongings and pulled out something. "Let''s eat this together." It was a biscuit wrapped in paper. An item that symbolized the time we first met. So she carries this with her? Had she been saving it for a moment like this when we could eat it together? "Sounds good." At my response, Charlotte laughed lightly and unwrapped the biscuit, precisely breaking it in half. It had been the same back then. She had broken the biscuit I offered her in half and handed me a piece. In that moment, when she was starving, I felt a strange emotion as I watched Charlotte, who couldn''t just eat it herself, hand me half. When I handed her the biscuit, had she been thinking the same thing? Though the actual circumstances were different, she had given me all of the precious food in that moment. Charlotte handed me the half of the biscuit she had split and bit into her own piece. She had been carrying this biscuit to give to me someday. She must have wanted to talk to me that much and had always been prepared to do so. In the end, it wasn''t until quite some time after Charlotte had arrived in Edina that we were able to bring up the stories from our first meeting. We sat leaning against each other on a hill overlooking the refugee camp and the city of Lazak, eating biscuits. Of course, these biscuits were not the same as the ones we had then. "It tastes different from that time." "It can''t be helped." Charlotte and I munched on the biscuits as we talked. The situation was different, and objectively, these biscuits were not as delicious as the ones we had back then. Naturally, the biscuits the demon prince had carried were of a higher quality, and the ones available in Edina were bound to be inferior. The luxurious biscuits that we had eaten when we were so hungry that anything would have tasted good. Ordinary biscuits eaten when we weren''t particularly hungry. They couldn''t taste the same. Charlotte had thought that she could never eat anything more delicious than the biscuits she had eaten back then, so she didn''t really care what she ate after that. That had happened in the Imperial Capital. Though the taste wasn''t the same as that time. Still, we could eat biscuits together. In the end, after going around in circles, we could be together. We don''t resent or hate each other anymore. I don''t have to lie to Charlotte anymore. "Reinhardt." "Yeah." "What do you plan to do when all this is over?" As she took a bite of her biscuit, Charlotte asked me. After everything is over. After the Gate incident. If I survive the final battle and somehow manage to settle matters with Ellen. If I''m still alive then. What should I do? "I don''t know." It''s overwhelming to think about the distant future when I don''t even know whether I''ll be able to exist that far ahead, given the current situation. I''m not the kind of person who can think about an uncertain, excessively distant future. Heinrich is in danger of being assassinated, and I haven''t found a solution to that problem yet, let alone thinking about what will happen after everything is over. "War... it will probably be inevitable." "...I guess so." "Yeah, after everything is settled. Eventually, the fact that we have a foothold in Edina will be known throughout the continent. I don''t know when, but it''ll certainly happen." Charlotte is in charge of the preparations. It''s a position that demands thinking about the future. And that is a problem I, as the king, must also think about. After the Gate incident is resolved, humans will deal with the remaining monsters on the continent and lay the groundwork for reconstruction. We could create our own paradise here, far from the continent, hiding in plain sight. But we can''t avoid encountering each other forever. At some point, a collision between humanity and Edina is inevitable. Charlotte''s mention of war isn''t exactly new. I''ve been thinking about the issue as well. But such a war cannot be avoided. As humanity rebuilds and the situation improves, their desire for revenge against me, the cause of this calamity, will want to be appeased. When word spreads that the Demon King has established a base in Edina, the moment will come when we must battle the punitive forces of humanity. It''s something that may not happen in the short term, but is bound to occur eventually. Charlotte gently pats my shoulder, seemingly aware of my dilemma. When I turn my head, Charlotte gazes at me with a slightly tilted head. "Want to hear something interesting?" "...What?" "Because you''re with me, you can claim to be the heir to the Gardias Royal Family." What is she talking about? "Also, you possess two sacred artifacts. You can assert enough influence over the Five Great Religious Orders. Or, you could reform them into the United Holy Church, putting Olivia Lanze at the forefront, and absorb their power. That''s possible too." "What are you talking about?" It was a terrifying idea. "Of course, the demons will follow your rule. That goes without saying." Charlotte looks at me. "Reinhardt." What is she trying to say? I felt a shiver run down my spine. "You could become not just the ruler of an empire, but of the entire world." Not the emperor of humanity, nor the king of demons. The ruler of the world. "Do you think humans will hate and despise you, and therefore won''t accept your rule?" As if she already knows, Charlotte has a subtle smile on her face. "People don''t live as citizens of the Gardias Empire because they support it." "¡­" "Rule is passive. It doesn''t matter if it''s the Gardias Royal Family at the top or the despised Demon King. There''s no need to persuade from the beginning. There hasn''t been any persuasion either." Rule is just rule. It doesn''t require the support of the masses. "A ruler just needs to be strong. As long as you''re so powerful that no one beneath you dares to defy or overthrow you, that''s all. Whether you rule Edina''s people with a protective hand or become humanity''s oppressor under the guise of oppression and fear, it''s the same." The hatred of humanity. If that will eventually overwhelm me, am I allowed to strike at them first? If the war is to happen someday, should I consider confronting it head-on or even launching a preemptive attack? "What about Bertus...? What will happen?" At my words, Charlotte speaks with her head buried between her knees. "I believe¡­ he''ll be saved." Emperor of the Continent. King of the world. It''s not that I never considered such possibilities. I didn''t necessarily think that a ruler of humanity had to be from an empire. But now, Charlotte is saying that I must consider that enormous proposition. "It just... feels like you''re only thinking about what you might lose after everything ends. It seems like you''re only afraid of that." "¡­" "You might not just lose something; you could gain something too." It was a thought that seemed quite far from my perspective. Charlotte looks at me. "I wanted to let you know that you could make up your mind to have everything and not miss out on anything." After the Gate incident ends, war breaks out, and someone dies. Someone from Edina will be lost. But that''s not it. You can try to have everything in the world. That''s what Charlotte was saying. Can a country exist where all citizens dislike their king? Can such a thing be established? Even if it could be established, should such a thing be allowed? Speaking in terms of possibility and impossibility, it''s possible. If hatred is turned into fear, that rule can be established. If the fear is greater than the hatred towards me, no matter how much humanity despises me, I can keep them under my feet. But can I handle that? I, who can barely manage this small island nation and have entrusted it to Charlotte. Do I have even the slightest capacity to pull off such a crazy feat, becoming the ruler of the entire world? "¡­" Just because I don''t want to lose a single thing, is it okay to try and have everything? CH 529 In the depths of night. Charlotte had gone to her bedroom, and so had I. Harriet had apparently dozed off while studying, as she was asleep with a book on her lap, leaning against the bed. Carefully, I placed the book on the study table and laid Harriet down properly. Seemingly sensing my touch, Harriet chuckled in her sleep. ¡°Reinhardt¡­ cat¡­ good¡­ nice¡­¡± So adorable, I wanted to bite her. I too leaned against the bed, preparing to sleep. Since I had told Airi to rest today, she would not be coming. The king of the world. It wasn''t something I hadn''t considered, but I had never really delved deeply into the subject. It was something I couldn''t know until I thought about it now. The problem at hand was the assassination of Heinrich von Schwarz. It was difficult to interfere carelessly, and Charlotte said that capturing Heinrich was the best method. A method. I had a secret method that no one knew about. Although I had stopped using it well since the world began to turn in a way that somehow tried to screw me over, the system function still existed. I couldn''t tell when or how it would screw me over, and its reliability had decreased. After a very long time, I decided to use the rollback function. The assassination of Heinrich von Schwarz would not occur. [Please specify the date range.] Date range. Well, I guess I need to specify a date range since using rollback would ensure Heinrich wouldn''t be threatened by assassination for the rest of his life. I could prevent the assassination for a week. But the assassination could happen the day after that. It''s a temporary solution until I can solve the real problem. For now, how about ten days? [To cause the event, 2,000 achievement points are required.] The required achievement points are 2,000. My total achievement points, including those I had secured while roaming the Sren Mountain Range, amounted to around 30,000. I could do it. I could guarantee Heinrich''s safety for ten days. And then for another ten days after that. However, this campaign won''t end in just a month or two. Naturally, it would span years. But if I continue to postpone it like this, I would eventually run out of achievement points. I already knew that I couldn''t do anything significant with the rollback function. I couldn''t cause extremely significant events, nor could I avoid crucial ones. From the beginning, it was only meant to function as an auxiliary. There was just too much I couldn''t expect from the rollback. So, what about something else? Another long-forgotten system cheat. [Advice of the Oracle - 150 points] The advice of the Oracle had not been of much direct help. It mostly threw me into new situations. It typically provided help and danger simultaneously. Considering that I''m still alive, it must have been helpful, even though I didn''t use it often. One way or another, the first piece of advice from the Oracle led me to Eleris''s shop, which is the root of all these stories. However, I hadn''t used it much since then. It wasn''t particularly necessary, and it often caused confusion. And there was always the possibility that it was a trap. In the current situation, where I must make the best choice in almost every circumstance, relying on the potentially risky advice of the Oracle might be better left untouched. It could just complicate things further. That''s why I didn''t even look at the advice regarding Ellen''s case. I didn''t even try the rollback since it was obvious that it would be useless. What about this time? As the assassination of Heinrich von Schwarz loomed, I wondered what I should do. I hoped it wouldn''t be one of those pieces of advice that only served to further complicate matters. [Absolute Fate Advisor''s advice] [Do nothing.] "..." Just as I suspected. It was advice that only complicated things. Telling me to do nothing. I couldn''t tell if it meant that I should just let things be, or if it would be better for Heinrich to die, or that trying to make direct contact would only make the situation worse. What if I do nothing? So what? Are you saying it''s better to let him die? Or is it better to leave him alone? If you''re going to talk, finish what you have to say! The advice was direct, but the outcome was anything but intuitive, making my head feel like it would explode. In cases like these, ambiguous advice was even more ridiculous. Are you one of them too? [Ambiguous Fate Advisor''s advice] [Why is Heinrich von Schwarz alive?] What kind of nonsense was this now? Was it suggesting that it was strange for Heinrich to be alive in the first place? Achievement points used: 300 There was still quite a lot left, but still, achievement points... "......sigh." My head ached. I should just sleep. "Uh, goodnight... goodnight, lullaby..." What kind of dream was our blockhead having? Was it a dream where a cat-like me was putting her to sleep? In the end, I couldn''t help but stroke the blockhead''s head a few times. ------ Kernstadt Army Headquarters. Late at night, only three people remained in the headquarters, while all the other commanders and soldiers slept. "Sister, I''m not sure if this is the right thing to do." "What are you talking about?" "Is it right to integrate that bastard into our army?" Alphonse von Schwarz chimed in at the words of German von Schwarz, the second and eldest son. "I can''t stand the sight of that brat. Why do we have to command the army alongside that filthy bastard? Just seeing him being treated like a big shot lately makes me nauseous." "Didn''t I tell you not to use that word?" At Louise''s words, German and Alphonse''s expressions hardened. "We apologize." "......We apologize." "Even in private, mentioning such a word so carelessly is a problem. How many times have I told you that people like us should never utter such an ominous word? What will you do if someone hears you?" Bastard. If anyone found out that the Schwarz royalty had mentioned the word "bastard," it would cause a problem. People would sense the implication that there was an issue with a bastard. The siblings picked up the problematic word too easily. Alphonse, the third, broke the silence that followed Louise''s words. "Anyway... I don''t understand why we have to integrate the youngest one into our army. His position will only grow stronger." "That''s right. Wouldn''t it be better to keep him away from our army, perhaps with the Temple or the Allied Forces?" Changing Heinrich von Schwarz''s affiliation to the Kernstadt Army was risky. It might be different in ordinary situations, but the bastard''s position was gradually solidifying. The second and third siblings judged that their positions as heirs could be threatened. However, Louise von Schwarz shook her head. "Whether he returns as a hero, or is treated as one here, it''s all the same. After all, we are part of the enormous system called the Allied Forces. No matter how far apart we are, as long as we belong to the same system, there are no gains to be had by distancing ourselves." "..." "..." "We should utilize what we can, shouldn''t we? Just by bringing the youngest to our side, the Supreme Command will need the approval of the Schwarz Royal Family to deploy Heinrich in future operations. Do you not understand what this means?" The youngest, who had become too influential to be simply dismissed as a bastard. "It doesn''t matter where a useful person comes from or their background. Think about the aftermath of the war." "After that..." Louise von Schwarz''s cold gaze shone. "Do you think the empire will still be the same?" "!" "El, elder sister?" At the mention of the forbidden word, the siblings'' expressions hardened. "The empire will exist." A smile hung on the corner of Louise von Schwarz''s mouth. "But there is no law stating that the Gardias Royal Family must always be the ruler of the empire." "In this situation, Heinrich von Schwarz''s studying at the temple will only serve to prove the empire''s capabilities." "It means he will be treated as a talent nurtured by the empire." "Heinrich must establish his merit. He must rise through the ranks in this Kernstadt army, in the name of the Schwarz Royal Family." "Why should we hand over any achievements we secure to the empire?" "Will we be content living in a mere fa?ade of the Number One Imperial Vassal State forever?" "Where is the law that says the Schwarz Royal Family cannot become the Schwarz Imperial Family?" "At no time has the empire been weaker than now, and if the empire is thinking about the aftermath of everything, why shouldn''t we?" "The person who could change the Schwarz Royal Family into the imperial family is... yes, a bastard." The unspoken word emerged from Louise von Schwarz''s mouth. "If a bastard can help, then by all means. No, even if it''s the bastard''s child, we should use him. Is this the time to care about personal pride?" At Louise''s words, Alphonse and German''s expressions became strange. In this situation, Louise von Schwarz is trying to topple the Gardias Royal Family after the war. Kernstadt will take their place. Receiving Heinrich von Schwarz into their command structure is just the beginning. "But, elder sister... the support for the youngest from the army and the people..." "After the war... we might not be able to interfere with him so easily." In the eyes of the two siblings, Louise von Schwarz read the fear of an uncertain future. As much as they disliked Heinrich, they were afraid of him. "I said we''d use him. Did I say we''d go all the way with him?" Eldest sister. Louise von Schwarz shook her head as if to say not to worry. "The epic of a hero is always created only after that hero has laid down his body on the cold ground." At the cold expression of the eldest sister, as if everything was calculated, Alphonse and German held their breath. ------ Saviolin Turner, who was in charge of the vanguard mission, sat on her horse, quietly observing the surrounding scenery. "This area wasn''t supposed to be part of the operational zone." Saviolin Turner and the soldiers she led silently looked around the surrounding scenery, positioned on a hill. Their role was to wait for the next advance, check the enemy''s monster hordes, plants, and dense areas in front of them, and then strike and annihilate them if possible. Ellen had also taken on a similar role, but she was currently dispatched to a different operational area. Thus, the location where Saviolin Turner now stood had never been designated as a coalition operation area, and no army had ever been dispatched there. "...." However, amidst the silence, what Saviolin Turner saw were the scattered corpses of monsters, as if someone had already swept through the area once. The monsters in this place were not supposed to be exterminated, yet their corpses were strewn about as if a wave had washed over them. Some monsters were seen coming and going, but it was assumed they had migrated from other locations. "Has someone other than us¡­ already swept through and passed this place once¡­?" Saviolin Turner and the other members of the squad sensed that something peculiar had occurred. "Let''s return to the garrison. We need to look into this further." Though not having witnessed it directly, Saviolin Turner couldn''t help but have some inkling of the identity of the mysterious support force. At about the same time, the vanguard led by Ellen encountered a similar scene. Reconnaissance, tracking, and extermination when possible. If the enemy''s numbers were too great, the original directive was to retreat and bring a larger force. However, since Ellen had gained the ability to harness Lapelt''s power, she had annihilated most of the enemies she encountered. In fact, her squad members hardly had to exert themselves. Sweep through once with flames, and any enemies not killed by the fire are cut down with a void sword. No enemy had survived the void sword yet. However, Ellen, who had overcome the limitation of only being able to engage in close combat, was capable of performing feats akin to a one-person army. "...." Ellen and her subordinates saw the same remnants of slaughtered monster hordes that Saviolin Turner''s squad had encountered. They were either burned to death, slashed apart by something, or shattered into pieces. The different manners of death indicated that this wasn''t the work of a single individual but rather several. An unidentified squad capable of using various types of power had already dealt with the monsters. "It seems all the monsters in this area have been wiped out. There are still some, but their numbers are extremely low, suggesting they have migrated from other areas after the extermination." "¡­Is that so?" After confirming the absence of monsters in the area, the squad members who had gone out to scout in all directions returned with the same report. Monsters in the vicinity of the planned march route had been completely wiped out. There were still some monsters, but they were believed to have appeared from other areas after the extermination. There were unidentified collaborators. Ellen stared at the scene, clutching her necklace in her left hand. ''Rein¡­ Reinhardt¡­'' Ellen seemed to know whose work this was. She struggled to hold on to her fading consciousness. Just thinking of that name caused anger and hatred to consume her mind. It wasn''t a cursed name. Every time she thought of the Demon King and Reinhardt, Ellen felt negative emotions devour her entire body, down to the last cell. Sometimes she even lost her consciousness. But it wasn''t a loss of consciousness that made her collapse. For a moment, it was as if someone else was controlling her body, not causing her to fall, but rather taking control of Ellen''s body. It didn''t do anything strange. It simply carried out its mission like Ellen, hunting monsters and following military orders. The only difference was that it wasn''t Ellen. Someone was controlling her body. Although the frequency wasn''t too high yet, Ellen was secretly certain that it would gradually increase. Clutching the necklace in her left hand, Ellen gazed at the plain where the monsters had been slaughtered. "Let''s go back." Ellen turned the horse''s head. Some already had an inkling of the truth about this mysterious situation. Of course. ''Could it be¡­?'' Ellen couldn''t help but wonder if that black, fluffy creature would be waiting for her when she returned to the garrison. The spirits that hated the Demon King did not hate or dislike small animals. That''s why she didn''t feel the agonizing pain that seemed to tear her head apart just by thinking about it. Something that wasn''t pain just by thinking about it. Having such a thing wasn''t necessarily a bad thing. Of course, when Ellen returned to the Royal Class garrison, the black kitten was nowhere to be found. Feeling somewhat disappointed, Ellen spent the entire day brooding for a different reason than before. ------ Upon returning to the garrison, Saviolin Turner shared the current situation with the High Command on a top-secret basis. Unknown individuals were clearing the way ahead. Saviolin Turner didn''t mention that they were suspected to be forces of the Demon King. If that information spread throughout the garrison, it would only cause more confusion. If the information were to spread carelessly, it might lead to soldiers and commanders panicking, thinking that they were entering a trap set by the Demon King, rather than speeding up the march. The fact that the Demon King''s forces were cooperating would actually hinder the army''s advance. The secret must be kept, but if it became known, it had to be presented as if it were part of the Allied Forces'' strategy. After reporting the events on the march route to the High Command, Saviolin Turner sought someone out. Someone who could grasp this situation more quickly and accurately than anyone else. "Frontline reconnaissance¡­?" "Yes, we need your power." It was none other than Kono Lint, a teleportation ability user. CH 530 Kono Lint''s Supernatural powers had mostly been used for rescuing people since the Gate incident. Although his abilities had developed, his personal combat skills remained lacking due to his lack of overall growth as an individual. However, his Supernatural power of spatial teleportation allowed Kono Lint to move not only himself but also others without any limitations. If one were to ask if Kono Lint''s power couldn''t be used for offense, the answer wouldn''t be a definite no. However, to kill a monster, he needed to teleport along with a monster possessing less than roughly 200kg of mass. For example, he could move to an extreme altitude and drop the creature from there. Of course, after experiencing immense pain from air pressure, Kono Lint gave up on using his ability offensively. Initially, while Kono Lint was busy trying to capture a monster his size, Ellen Artorius and Heinrich would commit massacres. That''s why Kono Lint had taken on the role of rescuing survivors from battlefields. At this point, Lint''s power was responsible for evacuating incapacitated soldiers from massive battles to safer areas. His spatial teleportation ability made him akin to a mage who could use magic without casting. Although he couldn''t teleport across continents, he compensated by increasing the number of uses according to distance. Using consecutive teleportations, Kono Lint could return to the faraway Imperial Capital within five minutes. He was a scout that could be deployed and retreated from any situation at any time. The instructions he received from Saviolin Turner were simple. Verify up to which point the monsters on the path of the march had been annihilated. He had heard about unidentified forces sabotaging the allied forces'' march. As a Supernatural who didn''t need to cast, Kono Lint immediately set off. -POP! In less than a minute, Kono Lint reached the point where Saviolin Turner and Ellen had arrived previously. "Unidentified forces, huh¡­" Kono Lint glanced at the traces of the slaughtered monsters and disappeared once more. After some more movement, "¡­Huh? What?" Suddenly, his surroundings were so bright that he had to squint his eyes. -THUD! "Ugh, wh-what?!" He found himself buried in an unexpected pile of snow. His face drained of color as he stared up at the sky, still buried in the snow. "Ah! It''s freezing!" Kono Lint hastily used his teleportation in the suddenly transformed snowy landscape. He didn''t have the ability to fly, but he could teleport into the air. Although he couldn''t stop falling, he could virtually float in midair if he kept teleporting upward. Of course, the sensation of falling was so horrible that he rarely used it. From high above, he gazed down. "What¡­ What is this¡­?" Kono Lint couldn''t help but be dumbfounded as he faced the vast white expanse where nothing but snow could be seen. ¡ª--- "Snow?" "Yes, Commander. There was an immense amount of snow falling. Unnaturally so." An enormous amount of snow had fallen over a huge area, far surpassing a single urban district. Saviolin Turner furrowed her brow at Kono Lint''s report. Kono Lint had already grasped the scale of the area where the snow had fallen. "It''s not the season for snow. It must be an artificial phenomenon¡­" "Yes, perhaps..." "The monsters?" "There were some alive, but most of them seem to have been buried in the snow and wiped out." "I see." Snow had fallen over a vast area. Saviolin Turner quietly stared at the area marked on the map by Kono Lint. There is a top-tier magic called Blizzard. It''s a large-scale weather-changing spell that summons a snowstorm over a certain area. However, there is no magician capable of casting such a spell on this scale. Unless it''s a legendary dragon, there is no magic to bury monsters under the snow and kill them within this range. Is it magic or something else? The advancing army has its limits, so by the time it arrives, the snow will have almost melted. With the drastically reduced number of monsters to deal with during the march, the path ahead will be easier. Reinhardt''s forces are aiding the allied forces'' advance. Not only have the monsters been physically dealt with, but they have also caused a large-scale weather anomaly that eliminated the horde of monsters. The advance will surely become easier and faster. "What... is this situation?" Saviolin Turner shook his head at Kono Lint''s question. "There''s no point in knowing." "Ah... I suppose so." Reinhardt''s name is forbidden in this world. The Demon King is aiding the allied forces. That is certain. "..." If the fact that the Demon King is aiding the allied forces were to be revealed, it would only cause chaos at the garrison. To those who don''t believe in the Demon King''s goodwill, this phenomenon appears as an unknown horror designed by the Demon King for the allied forces. A few, including Saviolin Turner, know there''s no need to fear the Demon King''s assistance. But what if this large-scale weather anomaly occurred at the garrison? It is humanity''s strongest and last army. If this army disappears, humanity will be extinct. So, the Demon King can destroy humanity at any time. Turner knows there''s no need to fear the Demon King. But she confirmed that the Demon King has an undeniable power to be feared. At any moment, humanity could disappear if the Demon King changes his mind even slightly. ''I shouldn''t be afraid... I''m sure I shouldn''t...'' Saviolin Turner, pressing down on her eyelid, let out a deep sigh. ''It''s too scary...'' Humanity exists because of the Demon King''s mercy. However, most humans hate the Demon King. A few who know that humanity''s end comes when the Demon King''s mercy disappears can''t help but fear him even more. ------ Cats are naturally like that. "Originally, it''s like that. You think you''re close, but you''re not. They suddenly disappear and reappear." That was Christina''s explanation. A few days had passed since the cat disappeared. Everyone was missing it. Not only Ellen, but everyone at the garrison had been disappointed when they tried to check on the cat upon returning. The command center had delayed the advance date by a few days to gather detailed information on the events in the forward area. However, since the horde of monsters was nearly exterminated, Ellen had no reason to deploy and remained at the Royal Class garrison. The kitten that had caused a stir in the Royal Class garrison for a day had vanished without a trace. Cats can suddenly disappear and reappear. It could be hiding somewhere in the Royal Class garrison or have gone to another garrison. The garrison was vast, making it difficult to find a single black kitten. It was absurd to search for it as if it were her own after having it for just one day. Ellen knew full well that her situation did not warrant such concern for a mere cat. It was just one day. To be so troubled over a small creature she had only cared for a single day was laughable. Did she like cute things? Ellen wondered about herself but couldn''t quite tell. What mattered was that she worried for the kitten that had gone somewhere. The small creature could hardly manage to climb onto the bed, let alone descend it; it didn''t seem capable of prowling around the garrison. The thought of it getting stepped on by someone unknowingly sent shivers down her spine. The blanket on which the cat had sat in the dining tent remained untouched. Like Ellen, no one had removed it, hoping the kitten would return and sit there again. Ellen quietly ate her meal while looking at the blanket. "Do you miss the kitten?" It was a question from Christina, who sat across from her. Did her expression give it all away? Ellen muttered, staring at her stew plate. Did she miss it? What she truly missed was something else. But just thinking about that name made her head feel like it was going to explode. She had taken it all in, so it should be fine. It had to be fine. Buzzing "¡­" "Are you okay?" "Yeah, just a moment. I''m a little dizzy¡­" Ellen breathed deeply, trying to calm herself from the pain of tinnitus that threatened to take her consciousness. After a few deep breaths, clutching the necklace in her left hand, her mind regained some stability. The feeling of emotions splitting. Hatred and anger, along with affection, manifested simultaneously, creating a bizarre pain that never became familiar, no matter how many times she experienced it. She consciously tried not to think about Reinhardt. That name had become too painful for Ellen, physically, mentally, and spiritually. It was better to think about something else. Something so small and insignificant. It was better to think about a seemingly meaningless existence. Thinking about Reinhardt wouldn''t make anything better. It would only hurt more. "¡­It feels strange." "What does?" "Just, it''s an animal." The strange feeling wouldn''t go away. "I''m worried." Ellen found it strange that amidst a battlefield filled with countless humans in danger and dying, she worried for a small creature that could hardly fend for itself. That night. The image of the small kitten, crying as if resonating with her own pain, did not leave her mind. It was an animal, but it didn''t seem like just an animal. Was it right for her, who should be worrying about people, to be concerned about a single animal? No, beyond worry. Was it even more absurd to feel hurt? There was no promise made, and the kitten couldn''t possibly understand her words. Telling it to come back was just a casual remark, and the kitten couldn''t have understood it. It was strange to have such expectations for an animal. "I''m worried too. I wonder where that tiny thing went?" Christina sighed deeply, as if understanding Ellen''s feelings. She comforted Ellen, assuring her that it wasn''t so strange. The kitten couldn''t even run properly, and soon, they would be leaving the garrison. How could it possibly keep up with the marching army without anyone to look after it? It could hitch a ride on a carriage, but what if something went wrong? Knowing that it was ridiculous to worry, they couldn''t help but be concerned. "Anyway, it''s strange how much it liked Ellen." "..." "Do cats have some kind of eye for recognizing heroes?" "There''s no way." "Is that so?" Many people talked about the guest who had come and gone in the blink of an eye, seemingly disappointed like Ellen at the Royal Class. "Anyway, I heard Anna requested something strange for the supplies?" "Something strange...?" "Yeah, she said it''s something a cat would like, but I don''t know what it is. No matter how you look at it, how can she put such a thing on the research supply request list? We don''t even know if it exists, and the request has already been sent, so we can''t cancel it. Sigh..." Anna, a talent in dark magic, not only went on battle dispatches but also assisted Christina''s alchemy experiments for quite a while during the Temple period. That''s why she still helps Christina''s alchemy experiments when she has time. But it seems she added cat-related items to the supply list after seeing the cat last time. In other words, it''s a kind of military corruption. Although the degree is not severe, it''s not a good action. "...That''s not okay." Even Ellen muttered as much. "It''s not the first day Anna has done something unexpected. Before that too... Hm." Christina tried to say something but then closed her mouth. Ellen seemed to understand what Christina had stopped herself from saying. It was about when they were in the magic research club. She tried to feed Reinhardt some strange potion or something. Ellen took a deep breath and slowly ate the stew. "Adelia stayed up all night making something like a cat house. What on earth is she doing when she has free time? She doesn''t even seem to have time to sleep these days." "...Really?" "But actually, I also tried to find someone who has raised a cat before." "Ah..." Ellen was rather sympathetic. All of the Royal Class were extremely upset. But in the end, the cat didn''t show up after it disappeared. It''s like closing the barn door after the cow is gone. The cow doesn''t even think about coming back, yet everyone is building barns. ¡°So dogs are better than cats, huh?¡± ¡°Whether it''s a dog or a cat, it''s good to have one. Can we afford to choose?¡± ¡°That''s true.¡± There were more students who were more upset than Ellen. There were, of course, talks like "This is why cats aren''t good," or "This is why dogs are better," but there were also stories about how cuteness is the best. There were also stories about how dogs are cute too. It may be sad that they can be so excited about one small existence in this barren and rigid place. The underlying reality where they can''t find joy in anything but that is revealed. In the grand scheme of things, there''s despair and pain, and in the battles before their eyes, they don''t know who will die. If they talk about heavy matters, the atmosphere becomes heavy, and only gloomy stories can be exchanged. So, they talk about small things. Only cute things, only pitiful things, only pitiful things. A small thing that they can be sure they can help and protect. Small beings can be taken care of with small efforts. Saving humanity is more difficult than protecting and feeding one small animal. So, is that why they talk about small things? Ellen realizes why people can only talk about the story of the missing cat in the seemingly warm and friendly atmosphere. Isn''t this close to giving up? Abandoning thoughts of exceeding the limits of one''s abilities and focusing on small things instead. Merely cuteness, of all things. Pouring attention into something that isn''t even human. If that''s not defeatism, what is? Ellen thinks she mustn''t be like that. Others might be able to, but she mustn''t let her heart be stolen by such small creatures. I have more important work to do. Carrying a greater burden than devoting my heart to small animals. People have expectations of me. There are things I must do. In any case, it was just a strange event that happened overnight. While it remains a rather unusual experience, there is no need for such experiences to continue. Cats are like that, after all. Suddenly appearing and suddenly disappearing. Animals without loyalty or affection. So, devoting attention to a single cat in matters involving the fate of humanity is not something Ellen can allow herself. Ellen takes a deep breath and narrows her eyes. "It doesn''t matter if it doesn''t come." "It must be upset. It liked Ellen the most." "So what, it''s just an animal." Ellen says that and scoops up a spoonful of stew. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Huh?! It''s here!¡± ¡°Where have you been?¡± Suddenly, there''s commotion outside. "¡­Huh? Could it be?" Christina tilts her head, looking at the commotion outside the tent. -Thud! Ellen involuntarily leaps to her feet. The wooden chair Ellen was sitting on tips over with a loud noise. From afar. The cat that could barely walk properly comes running as if it''s flying. The cat runs like the wind, entering the dining tent and stopping in front of Ellen. -Meow "¡­" Ellen looks down at the cat gazing up at her. Ellen cautiously crouches down and looks at the cat. "Really¡­ what a creature¡­" Suddenly appearing and suddenly disappearing. Finally, reappearing. Thinking it''s such a strange animal. -Meow Ellen embraces the cat. She called for it again. She definitely said that, and although several days had passed, it returned. "You kept your promise." -Meow Could it really understand what she''s saying? Ellen couldn''t tell anymore. "Didn''t you say it didn''t matter if it didn''t come?" "¡­" At Christina''s words, Ellen''s face, unusually, turns red. This must be resignation. In the end, it''s defeatism. Even so, Ellen couldn''t help but tightly embrace the small cat. CH 531 The allied forces march once more. The high command treated the information that a group, presumed to be the demon king''s army, was clearing a path at the frontlines as top secret. This was enough to be considered a scheme within the alliance. By the time the allied forces reached the area where the heavy snow had fallen, the snow that had once covered the region had already melted away. "It''s a bit chilly." "Indeed." "Has autumn already arrived?" The soldiers passing through the area could only feel a slightly cool temperature, completely unaware that a vast amount of snow had fallen here. The allied forces, which had been sluggishly advancing, now quickly proceeded thanks to the suddenly cleared path. Although groups of roaming monsters appeared occasionally, they were small enough in scale to be dealt with by the reconnaissance squads of the alliance. The alliance advanced, embracing the unidentified ally. Soon, they crossed the border of RisEllen, confirming that the small warp gate in the border area had already been destroyed. At last, after commencing their march, they successfully entered the operation zone. "In the siege of Senkelien, the Kernstadt army will take charge of the right wing." At the words of Louise von Schwarz, Heinrich and other members of the Kernstadt royal family nodded their heads. Heinrich von Schwarz had been incorporated into the Kernstadt army. ------ The city of Senkelien, near the RisEllen border. Although it was not a major city, it was one of the key strategic points with two medium-sized warp gates. Naturally, the vicinity of Senkelien was teeming with monsters around the gates, so the allied forces preparing for the operation had set up a base at a considerable distance from the city, holding their meetings there. Warp gates are fountains from which monsters pour forth. To reach the gates, the forces had to advance while pushing back the monsters that lurked nearby. Once they approached to a certain distance, they would launch an all-out attack on the warp gate, causing it to collapse. However, the destruction of the warp gate was not the end. It was also necessary to eliminate the monsters that had already emerged from it. Previously, the operation had been carried out by a reconnaissance squad led by Saviolin Turner, who would destroy the warp gate after a single breakthrough and then escape. But the warp gates themselves had become increasingly powerful, and the number of monsters pouring out had become overwhelmingly large. A one-shot destruction was now impossible. Of course, it was not impossible to destroy the warp gate while maintaining the previous tactics. However, in that case, not only Saviolin Turner but also the highly valuable forces of archmages and master-class knights would have to face immense risks. Most of them were irreplaceable at this point in time. If Saviolin Turner or Ellen Artorius were to die during such an operation, it would not only break morale but also render future reconnaissance operations impossible. Hence, an army was dispatched. To offset the irreplaceable forces with the deaths of replaceable individuals. "In this operation, we will eliminate the monsters on the right side of the allied forces. After annihilating the monsters with rear artillery support, when the army successfully advances and reaches the outskirts of Senkelien, the reconnaissance squad led by Ellen Artorius and Saviolin Turner will enter the city." Louise explained the operation details received from the high command. "Heinrich. You will be responsible for eliminating the monsters before the vanguard of our army advances." "Yes, sister." Heinrich nodded with a serious expression. ------ Heinrich''s opinion on being incorporated into the Kernstadt army did not matter. Louise von Schwarz wanted Heinrich''s affiliation rearranged, and the grounds and justification for it were clear. Protection for the direct royal lineage. The empire had no reason to refuse and did not particularly object. Refusal alone would have already caused conflict. Heinrich also could not object to Louise von Schwarz''s decision. "Your brothers will kill you." He didn''t believe that. However, recognizing that statement and not recognizing it were different matters altogether. Moving his quarters to Kernstadt Headquarters and acting together with them, Heinrich lived with a sharp sense of unease. He couldn''t pinpoint the exact reason, but he felt as if someone was constantly stabbing him in the back. Up until now, the objective had been the advancement of the allied forces. But ultimately, that was just a secondary issue. Just before the allied forces'' first operation to destroy the warp gates commenced. The garrison was rippling with the tension befitting a unit facing a large-scale battle. It wasn''t about wandering monsters in the wasteland, but destroying the warp gates from which they poured out. If they completed their missions from the first to the last operation, the gate crisis would end. Heinrich looked at the garrison, where fear, determination, and fighting spirit were swirling. "Are you worried?" "¡­Brother." In front of the headquarters'' barracks, Heinrich spoke with a tense expression. Alphonse von Schwarz, his second eldest brother, approached him with a smile. -Tap tap "With your power, you can wipe out all monsters. What are you worried about?" "¡­It''s not always like that. There are many monsters that aren''t affected by fire." "Others will handle that. I''m more worried about when our sister will join the fight." Aren''t you being too optimistic about the situation? This isn''t a war for glory; it''s a war for survival. Heinrich had such thoughts but didn''t voice them. To Heinrich''s eyes, his second brother didn''t seem to take the war very seriously. He overestimated the allied forces'' strength. And he believed that, no matter what happened, he would survive. As if it were an inevitable outcome. So, he made sarcastic jokes that if Heinrich defeated all the monsters, he''d be nothing more than a henchman. Many people are willing to die in their stead. The certainty of survival that comes from knowing others will die instead. Whenever Heinrich saw that, a feeling of discomfort welled up deep within him. He didn''t know his brothers well. However, the aspects of his brothers he saw while staying at the Kernstadt Headquarters barracks were often disappointing. "What a convenient ability, to easily sweep away monsters from a distance. Isn''t it?" Alphonse, with a hand on his shoulder, grinned slyly. Heinrich felt the sarcasm in that expression. A superhuman who can defeat monsters and gain glory without any danger. It was a blatant contempt, not because he was better, but because he was a superhuman. Feeling the sarcasm and contempt in that expression, Heinrich nodded his head. Why is he like this? Why like this? Is he deliberately trying to make me angry? Heinrich wondered. "Yes, brother." "¡­Huh?" "Compared to Ellen or Turner, I do have it much easier." From the beginning, Heinrich himself thought so, thus those words couldn''t provoke him. Compared to those who had to fight directly, Heinrich thought it was true that he was nothing, as he could only annihilate monsters from a distance using his supernatural abilities. "..." Alphonse stared intently at Heinrich''s face, which had no response to the obvious sarcasm. "Are you saying you''re a person who can be compared to the hero or Saviolin Turner?" "...That''s not what I meant." "Our youngest... Quite unfortunate, isn''t he?" "Unfortunate?" "Becoming arrogant enough to cross the line after being with those imperial bastards?" Even though it wasn''t twisted, it was perceived as twisted. Heinrich forgot what to say as he looked at Alphonse, who ultimately took his answer as sarcasm, even though that wasn''t his intention. His brothers didn''t like him. They accepted him, but only because he was useful. Heinrich couldn''t help but know that his brothers disliked him. The accident from his childhood. Since then, his brothers saw him as worse than an insect, and it was no different even after so much time had passed. Heinrich couldn''t help but think that way. Heinrich saw a messenger running frantically. "Urgent news!" "...What is it?" Approaching the messenger who was catching his rough breath from running, Alphonse asked. "Reports from the scouting unit say a tornado has occurred in the current planned operation area!" "...A tornado?" Alphonse, and of course Heinrich, couldn''t help but tilt their heads at the unexpected news. ------ -Vroom Despite the considerable distance, the fierce wind was whistling past their ears. The massive tornado visible from a distance sucked up all the monsters in its path, hurling them into the sky. -Vroom! Vroom! It was not just a ferocious wind. -Zap! Lightning flashed dozens of times per second within the tornado. If sucked into the tornado, one would be torn by the wind and burnt by the lightning. The monsters that couldn''t withstand the wind and were lifted into the sky would die when slammed back into the ground. Liana Harriet, me, Olivia, and even Airi. The five of us were taking preemptive measures at Senkelien, the target of this operation for the Allied Forces. Although monsters would continue to pour out of the gates, reducing their numbers beforehand would make the operation of the Allied Forces easier. Summoning a blizzard like last time would only harm the Allied Forces. That''s why this time, we chose to summon a tornado and turn Senkelien into a wasteland. This place was indeed an outer area of Senkelien but a very important one. -Kwaaaaa! -Huh! Olivia summoned Death Knights to buy time for Liana, who was changing the weather, and block the monsters rushing towards us. This place was in the middle of a swarm of monsters. -Slash! Cutting, cutting, and cutting monsters caught in the Aura Blade covered with blue mana, we held on. Protecting her until Liana completed her mission. That was our role. Harriet also dealt with the approaching monsters using magic, while Airi put the monsters to sleep with her sleep magic, but her combat prowess was also top-notch. -Vroom vroom! How much time had passed as we dealt with the waves of monsters? We could all confirm that another massive storm was occurring in the area opposite the direction where the tornado had formed. Two tornadoes holding lightning. "It''s done!" At Liana''s shout, I stepped on the accelerator. -Crash! As the wave of magical energy erupts, the monsters rushing towards me are simultaneously repelled and engulfed in flames. "Return! Regroup!" At those words, Olivia, I, and Airi rush towards Harriet, who is standing beside Liana. There''s no need to kill all the monsters. The tornado summoned by Liana will take care of that for us. "Let''s go!" The power cartridges around Harriet''s neck emit light, and blue magical lines begin to form all over her body, radiating a blue glow. She may not be as powerful as Redina. However, Harriet has mastered the art of casting magic nearly instantaneously. Mass teleport. -In a flash! We''ve left the operation area. ------ "I think she might be able to manipulate the weather." "¡­ That seems likely." Bertus nods to the report from Saviolin Turner. As the highest-ranking decision-maker of the Allied Forces, Bertus also had no choice but to be stationed at the base garrison, with a crucial operation looming. It''s the first operation. That''s why it''s so important. As it''s the first step in a matter concerning humanity''s fate, the Emperor must be personally involved in this situation. Bertus had already received a report about the situation. He was speculating that the magic used was either by Harriet de Saint-Owan or the Vampire Lords. However, this time the report mentioned a tornado, not a blizzard. Snow and tornadoes. "Is it Liana''s supernatural power rather than magic¡­?" "We can''t rule out that possibility either." Somehow, there''s an excessively large-scale weather anomaly. Whether it''s magic or supernatural power, they can''t tell. But a massive weather anomaly has appeared in Senkelien. It''s a definite boon. The Allied Forces have no magician or supernatural capable of such destructive power. Monsters continue to appear from the Gate. But the tornado should be cleaning them up right now. Naturally, they can''t advance into Senkelien, which has turned into a living hell. "When the tornado subsides, we''ll advance as quickly as possible." They can''t assume the Demon King''s help will always be there. So, they shouldn''t include Reinhardt''s aid within the scope of the operation. However, for some reason, Bertus had a feeling that this help would continue until the Gate incident was completely resolved. ''I don''t know if I deserve such assistance...'' Bertus covered his face with both hands, letting out a deep sigh. The crucial first operation, and the tornado sweeps through the area designated as the battlefield. The Senkelien campaign might end rather anticlimactically. But if there ever comes a time when the Demon King and the Empire are destined to wage war against each other, what will happen then? After the Gate incident, would humanity face annihilation instead? Bertus was already feeling the same kind of fear that Saviolin Turner had felt. "By the way, how is Ellen''s condition...?" "¡­" At Bertus''s question, Saviolin Turner''s expression turned slightly strange. "If you''re asking about her condition... I wouldn''t say it''s good, but it doesn''t seem to be getting worse." "¡­That''s a relief. Does the necklace Dettomorian gave her have any effect?" "I''m not sure about that¡­" Saviolin Turner''s expression was odd, as if it was awkward to speak about something. "She''s been¡­ raising a cat lately." "¡­A cat?" "Yes, I don''t know why, but it definitely seems to be having an effect." Bertus couldn''t understand what Saviolin Turner was talking about. "Your Majesty, can we deploy ''that weapon'' in this operation?" "Ah¡­" Bertus nodded as if understanding what Saviolin Turner was talking about. "It seems it''s not quite ready yet. The Archduke and Adelia are doing their best to expedite the process, but there appear to be many issues since it''s not a stable environment. I heard it would be completed before the year ends, but¡­ I''m not sure about the specifics." "I see¡­" "It would be great if it could be completed sooner¡­" On one side of Bertus''s desk, there was a document titled [Plan for the Development of Strategic Weapons through the Integration and Application of Mana Automation Machinery and Optimization of Power Stones] placed on the table. CH 532 It was two days after the tornado had swept through and subsided near Senkelien. Before the monsters could pour out again and fill the empty plains, the allied forces had already completed their preparations for the march. As soon as the weather anomaly had ceased, the allied forces immediately advanced towards Senkelien. The battle was surprisingly easy. The allied forces, divided into three large units, attacked Senkelien¡ªwhich had been reduced to a wasteland after the tornado swept through¡ªfrom the east, south, and west, as if encircling it. It wasn''t just the monsters that the tornado had reduced. With the entire city in ruins, the exterior walls and debris of the buildings where the monsters could have hidden were all swept away. The allied forces only had to face the newly emerging monsters from the conquered city and the powerful monsters that had survived the tornado. And there weren''t many of these powerful monsters. They were swept away like fallen leaves by the vanguard, composed of master-class fighters. Given Senkelien''s three warp gates, one could not say the number of monsters was small. However, compared to the size of the allied forces, it was pitifully few. The colossal weapons that had been brought along were installed, but they couldn''t fire a single shot due to the quick infiltration of the skirmishers into the city. In the first place, there was no need to fire. These weapons were designed to cause devastation in the midst of a massive swarm of monsters. There was no need to shoot at the already devastated horde, and if they did, there was a greater risk of friendly fire. The allied forces'' first offensive operation ended in less than half a day. Two medium-sized warp gates were taken by the squad led by Ellen Artorious. Saviolin Turner destroyed the barrier of the large warp gate and caused it to collapse, concluding the conquest of Senkelien. It was a surprisingly easy conquest. The number of allied casualties was less than a hundred. These were casualties, not fatalities. The number of monsters had been drastically reduced, allowing the elites to quickly enter the field and strike at the warp gates. Swoosh - Ellen sheathed her Void Sword while gazing at the ruins of the collapsed warp gate. Of course, it wasn''t over just because the gate was destroyed. There was still work to be done to eliminate the surviving monsters, but they were very few in number. "Operation complete. Good work, everyone." "¡­Yes." Ellen nodded quietly. The operation was successfully completed. Casualties were minimal. Ellen had some intuition as to whose assistance had brought about this outcome. She clenched the necklace, steadying her breath. When she returned, she planned to hug the cat tightly and pet it. She intended to tell it that everything had gone better than expected. She wished that everything would continue like this, that every matter would be resolved this easily. Of course, this would only be possible when that cat, who disappears and reappears suddenly, was at the base. ¡ª--- The allied forces successfully occupied Senkelien. The high command of the allied forces knew that the large-scale natural disaster had not occurred by coincidence. A considerable number of commanders in the allied forces believed that it was the empire''s hidden power. Although the battle had ended surprisingly easily, it was a great victory nonetheless. Their first victory since the expedition began. Starting from this, they would reclaim all the small and large cities, as well as the capital of the Kingdom of Riselen, and the gate crisis would be over. There was still a long way to go. However, there was no reason not to celebrate this first victory. After the cleanup near Senkelien, a feast was held at the garrison. There was no reason not to celebrate, as there were hardly any casualties in the battle where a large number of casualties were expected. Though it was not an excessive amount, the Emperor permitted a certain degree of alcohol consumption. Songs filled the garrison, sung by soldiers hoping for the complete end of the war, peace, and the death of the Demon King. It was natural for such a feast to take place within the Royal Class garrison. Some of the capable students had a drink or two, and Ranian Sesor played his instrument while intoxicated. Of course, his skills were not extraordinary, but even in his drunken state, the performance was lively, if not entirely accurate. -Azahaaaa! So far, the Allied Forces had fought many battles, but today was the first time they could claim a victory. So it was only natural for the students to be intoxicated by the sensation of victory. For the sake of maintaining their sharp senses, or because some didn''t believe this was a true victory, a few people didn''t dampen the atmosphere today and listened to the songs of victory. The Allied Forces base was bustling. Of course, not everyone was drunk, and everyone enjoyed the feast in their own way. In a corner of the Royal Class garrison''s banquet hall. -Euueuuueung Some students watched a black kitten twisting its body and rolling around on a pile of blue leaves. "Is this¡­ alright?" Ellen looked back and forth between the kitten twisting its body and the unidentified leaves Anna de Gerna had brought, with a worried expression. "It''s fine¡­" -Euueung The kitten, as if intoxicated by something, sniffed the scent of the leaves and rolled around, twisting its body. As always, the black kitten disappeared somewhere and returned to the Royal Class garrison after the occupation of Senkelien. The Royal Class students had become accustomed to the kitten, which would disappear for a few days and then reappear, and then disappear again for another few days. By now, everyone believed that it would return eventually, even if it disappeared for a week or so. But this time, as soon as Anna de Gerna saw the kitten return, she laid out some mysterious leaves for it and placed the kitten on top. It had been like that ever since. The kitten rolled around. Scarlett, Christina, Adelia, and the other Royal Class students watched the kitten twist its body as if intoxicated by alcohol. Anna said it wasn''t dangerous, even though it looked like it might be. "Is this what you snuck into the supply list last time?" "Yeah... It''s called Catnip." When they wondered why she had slipped something strange into the list of essential alchemical supplies. "It''s like a drug for cats¡­" "!" -Ehng At Anna''s words, a shocked Ellen quickly lifted the kitten from the catnip leaves and glared at Anna. What are you doing to our baby? That was the thought clearly visible in her eyes. "A drug¡­?" "Just a figure of speech. It''s not a real drug." "¡­Really?" Another senior student nodded. "Right. It shouldn''t be harmful to the body. That''s what I know too." "¡­" -Ehng The kitten continued to roll around, still stretched out. It seemed to be completely out of it, as if intoxicated by something, but it certainly looked happy rather than upset. Ellen hesitantly placed the black kitten back on the pile of leaves. -Eung The kitten began rolling around on the catnip leaves once more. Of course, only the cat itself, who couldn''t quite grasp its situation, would know what kind of internal screams it was letting out. ------ A banquet was also taking place in the Kernstadt Army''s command headquarters. A lavish spread was laid out on the table, celebrating the victory of their strategy. "Do you think the Gate incident will soon come to an end at this rate?" "It''s easier than expected. I don''t understand why we didn''t do this earlier." "If it was only going to amount to this, there was no need for such a large-scale military organization." "Once this war is over, all those who participated will have their names etched into history." Heinrich quietly listened to the commanders'' conversation. Alphonse, Louise, and German sat side by side at the clearly designated head seats, with Heinrich seated next to German. But Heinrich felt a palpable distance between them. "Milady, how much longer until we reach the next operation area?" "About a week''s journey." "That''s quite close." "But it''s just a small town. The operation should be easier than this one. There''s only one small Gate, so perhaps a raiding party could handle it." German von Schwarz blatantly turned his back towards Heinrich and conversed with Louise. He was clearly shunning him. But Heinrich was not someone to be ignored. "Prince Heinrich, do you not drink alcohol?" A commander, his face flushed from drunkenness, asked from afar. "Ah... I don''t particularly enjoy it." "But on a day like today, shouldn''t you at least have one drink?" "One drink, I suppose..." "To the prince!" As the man shouted, others raised their glasses and downed their drinks. Heinrich reluctantly took a small sip from his wine-filled glass. Heinrich didn''t know much about the structure of the Kernstadt Army. He simply followed the orders of Commander Louise von Schwarz, unaware of the military hierarchy or even the names of the other commanders. But Heinrich von Schwarz, always at the forefront in battle, sweeping away enemies in the exceptional situation of war, could not have a low status. The one who killed the most enemies saved those who would have died fighting the monsters. No matter what the royal family seated next to him thought, Heinrich had the support of the overwhelming majority of soldiers and commanders. Although they didn''t show it, Heinrich couldn''t help but notice Alphonse, German, and Louise''s expressions harden. The rolling stone was growing larger. So, it was inevitable that the lodged stone felt threatened. Heinrich seemed to understand that now. But why? Why did they treat him like an eyesore to this extent? "Youngest one." "...Yes, sister?" "You must be tired. Go inside and rest." Why? Though the banquet wasn''t very enjoyable, did they want to drive him away, as if he didn''t deserve to be seated there? Was the praise for the youngest prince''s martial prowess so detestable? Why? Why do they hate me so much? "Yes, sister." Suppressing the surge of emotions welling up inside him, Heinrich left the banquet at the command headquarters. The commanders encouraged the departing Heinrich von Schwarz, the hero of the Kernstadt Army, to rest comfortably. In that nauseating scene where praise and disdain coexisted, Heinrich had no choice but to escape. The garrison was shrouded in night. The banquet was in full swing, and although they would stay nearby Senkelien for a few days under the guise of rest, they would soon depart. Not only in the banquet hall but also in various places of the garrison, soldiers could be seen eating and drinking. The banquet hall was stifling, and the air felt oppressive. There was still a little time. Watching the soldiers carry food and drink, Heinrich approached them. "Ah, Your Highness!" "Excuse me for a moment." Heinrich took a bottle of wine from a crate that was about to be moved into the banquet hall. ------ Alcohol. His first time drinking it was at Liana de Grantz''s mansion. After hearing that he had been shocked by Liana for causing a scene, he realized that he had no self-control when it came to alcohol. Of course, the situation at the time was strange in many ways. Since his first experience wasn''t a good one, Heinrich had no reason to seek alcohol. But now he was an adult, and no one could say anything about him drinking. Since he hadn''t had a chance to drink since becoming an adult, this was the first time Heinrich had drunk alcohol since that day. In his own quarters, Heinrich sat on a chair and drank the wine straight from the bottle, without a glass. Was his past sin so great? He had no choice but to accept it. Still, he was doing his best in his position. It was a long-forgotten event from a very distant past. Could his brothers still not forgive him? He was nothing more than an eternal unwelcome guest. "Hoo..." Heinrich had no taste for alcohol, so he couldn''t tell good wine from bad. However, he could feel that the wine''s taste wasn''t particularly good. The empire still had a surplus, but the state of the wine provided to the commander''s quarters showed that it wasn''t abundant. Heinrich knew that this operation had been too easy. Suspiciously easy. If they continued to suppress the gates this easily, the complete end of the gate crisis would come soon. And then what? What would happen next? Not only the commanders who treated him like a hero, but also the soldiers were uneasy. The soldiers returning to Kernstadt would talk about the youngest prince''s prowess, and songs about him would be created. His resentful brothers would hear the songs of their youngest sibling echoing throughout the country. Your siblings will kill you. "Heh... Huh..." Heinrich felt the truth of that statement was not far-fetched. Seeing his siblings, who strangely despised him, made him think that it could happen. Despite being siblings. "..." He tried to suppress such thoughts, but they kept surging. Heinrich didn''t understand politics. He didn''t understand familial love either. That''s why he didn''t understand why he should be hated enough for his family to want to kill him. He didn''t know love or hate. He couldn''t remember tasting something he''d never eaten, so how could he dislike it? Heinrich was merely frustrated. Why do they hate me so much? Do they really want to kill me? Heinrich drained the remaining wine and stood up. If you don''t know, ask. If you''re still unsure, find someone who knows. Heinrich von Schwarz mustered his courage. Since he didn''t know politics, he had to seek someone who did. Borrowing the courage from the alcohol, Heinrich intended to find someone he hadn''t seen in a long time. Bertus de Gardias. He would surely still be at the garrison. CH 533 The garrison was in the midst of a lively banquet, and naturally, there was a feast at the headquarters as well, where Bertus held overall command. Ellen Artorius had been invited to the banquet at the headquarters, but she declined, preferring to rest at the barracks. Of course, she was actually playing with her cat at the time. Heinrich was certainly someone who had the right to meet the Emperor, who was hosting the banquet. Although the Temple had already fallen into obscurity, he was a classmate of the Emperor and was in charge of one of the very important forces of the Allied Army. When Heinrich requested an audience, Bertus slipped away from the banquet hall and brought him to the barracks he used when visiting the garrison. "Have you been drinking? Well, it is a day for celebration, after all..." At Bertus''s words, Heinrich knelt before him and nodded his head. "Yes, Your Majesty, a little..." "Relax, it''s just the two of us here." "...Alright." "Sit down." Heinrich sat down where Bertus had gestured. It was in front of the Emperor. No matter how close humanity was to ruin, the Emperor was still the Emperor. Heinrich found it quite remarkable that he could summon the Emperor with a single word and sit face-to-face with him. If anything, the days of the Temple were even more remarkable. Bertus opened a bottle of wine, poured some into the glass in front of Heinrich, and then filled his own. "It''s a good day. So, there''s really no reason we can''t have a drink together, especially since you''ve already had one." "...Thank you." Heinrich took a sip of the wine the Emperor had poured, and a bitter smile crossed his face. It was the same mediocre wine that had arrived at the Kernstadt Military Headquarters. Was this all that even the Emperor could drink now? Bertus also took a sip of the wine and let out a deep sigh. "It would be nice if things could continue like this." "Yes, it would." Bertus''s gaze, looking off into the distant mountains, didn''t seem to focus on anything in particular. If only every day were like today. If only every battle ahead was as easy as today. But everyone knew that was impossible. It wasn''t the conquest of a large city with a colossal warp gate. In such a case, there would have been casualties on an entirely different scale. The ease of the first operation may cause the Allied Forces to lower their guard. But Heinrich wasn''t in a position to worry about such things. All he had to do was fight where he was told to fight. He didn''t pay much attention to other strange matters. It was presumptuous to look beyond what one could do. Heinrich was now quite adept at understanding his place, unlike before. Of course, today he had done something quite presumptuous by summoning the Emperor while under the influence of alcohol. "So, it''s not just that you wanted to see my face after a long time." "..." "Is there something you''re curious about?" Bertus wondered if Heinrich had come for some other purpose, but Heinrich shook his head. "There''s a problem I don''t understand... I thought you might know." "A problem?" "What would you do if you were in my situation right now?" "Hmm?" Bertus tilted his head at the unexpected question. "It''s such an abstract question, I''m not sure what you''re asking?" "I mean, if you were in my situation right now..." He couldn''t even mention the details of the matter, as it was too cursed to utter. And so, he could only speak in vague terms. Because Bertus was smart and knew about politics as much as an emperor. He felt that by simply thinking, he could get answers he didn''t know. "What do you think is the best choice for me, if you were in my situation right now...? How should I act?" His brothers hated him. But his position would continue to grow, and it had nothing to do with Heinrich''s intentions. He couldn''t figure out what he should do with this unintended power growing within him. He only knew that staying or leaving the Kernstadt army would be problematic. Bertus could only answer based on the assumption that he knew Heinrich''s situation and the internal affairs of the Kernstadt royal family. "I don''t know these things, and I don''t know what the right answer is. It seems like whatever I do will be problematic, and no matter what choice I make, more problems will arise. That''s why... the only person I can think of who would know is you." And so, he committed this rudeness. Heinrich added softly. "Well..." Bertus swirled the red liquid in his wine glass, lost in deep thought. Bertus had already noticed what Heinrich was asking. "Do you know what your sister''s intentions were, when she transferred you to the Kernstadt army...? Louise von Schwarz, I mean." "A little, just a little." "Yes, she intended not to be swayed by the high command. Rather, she wanted to have something to hold and wield." Heinrich knew that too. "Though it''s ridiculous to discuss what will happen after the war has ended... In any case, you''ll undoubtedly become an important figure in the Kernstadt or Schwarz royal family. That''s just the natural flow of things." "¡­Yeah." "I don''t know what you should do. First of all, I don''t know what you want. I don''t know what you should do, but I think I have a rough idea of what might happen to you." "What will happen... to me?" "Yes." Bertus took a sip of his wine, quietly looking at Heinrich. "Your siblings will probably try to kill you. Whether it''s during the war or after." At those words, Heinrich''s eyes widened. He didn''t know who sent the letter, but he knew it wasn''t Bertus. However, Bertus was giving the same answer as the anonymous letter. "Why... Why do they have to go that far? What did I do so wrong? I..." "Heinrich, don''t get angry and listen." Bertus, having finished his wine, breathed out heavily and quietly looked at Heinrich. "You might be a bastard child." If Charlotte de Gardias knew something, it was natural for Bertus de Gardias to know it too. Heinrich could only stare blankly at Bertus with wide eyes, at his words. "That''s... That''s impossible... Don''t lie. Stop lying." That''s why Heinrich had no choice but to deny Bertus''s cruel suspicion with trembling lips. "I said it''s a possibility, not a fact." "Yeah, so. That''s not why I came to you, to hear such an absurd story..." "You know it too." Bertus spoke with a stern expression. "If this is true, it would explain all the hatred you''ve received." "¡­" Hatred, contempt, and loathing beyond measure. Although it was only a possibility, if it were true, he could understand and accept the environment he was in. Heinrich could only stare blankly at his glass with a stern expression. ------ Heinrich stumbled out of the headquarters, trudging along. Bastard. A word he had never thought about in his life had become lodged in his mind, refusing to disappear. Bertus had only mentioned it as a possibility, not stating it as a fact. But Heinrich felt that the puzzle pieces in his mind were starting to fit together. Why he had awakened his superpowers in a childhood he couldn''t remember, under immense stress. Why his siblings had died in the fires he had created in his childhood. Why he had to go to the temple at the tender age of eight, instead of the Kernstadt Royal Academy. Why even now, they looked at him with disdain, as if he were a repulsive war hero, constantly ignoring and belittling him. Was it not an accident, but a murder he had committed unknowingly in his childhood? Was it merely the fact that a bastard had risen to prominence in the Schwarz royal family, and that it was difficult to accept him since he had devoured two of their siblings? If so, why? Why not kill him when such an accident occurred? Why did they keep him alive and banish him to the temple? The cold gazes of his siblings and parents, memories of his childhood that he barely remembered, began to resurface, albeit faintly. Had he not been hated after the accident, but from the very beginning? Or had it been the hatred of his siblings that turned him into a supernatural? Was the root of his supernatural power the abuse from his siblings, dating back to a time he couldn''t even remember? Heinrich walked through the bustling allied territory, staggering back to the Kernstadt barracks. Before he knew it, he heard the sound of salutes and cheers of encouragement, directed at him as he approached the Kernstadt military base. Usually, he would have waved back with a smile, but Heinrich did not have the energy for that now. ''So... what am I supposed to do?'' If it was confirmed that he was a bastard, it was highly likely that the rumors of the Schwarz siblings wanting to kill him were true. It would undoubtedly happen after the war, and there was no guarantee that it wouldn''t happen during the ongoing conflict. ''If you ask me to protect you, I can do that.'' Bertus had told Heinrich. ''But it''s the matter of retrieving the recruit that Louise von Schwarz took, so she''ll probably resist. I''d be overturning her explicit decision.'' ''Really...?'' ''She might doubt my intentions. It''s a plausible situation. It''s only natural for you to become a war hero, and your presence, while not quite as much as Ellen, is still significant. She could say I''m trying to use you for some ulterior motive. And even if I don''t have that intention, she can still make that claim. I''d be handing over the pretext of meddling in internal affairs to them.'' The Emperor''s protection was available. But in that case, the Emperor would have to bear a considerable burden. ''And it would most likely put your life in even greater danger.'' ''...I suppose so.'' ''Staying in the Kernstadt army is also difficult, as you''d be constantly exposed to danger... And if you insist on staying at the temple''s garrison, you''ll be suspected of having ulterior motives of your own... Hmm. Complicated.'' Bastard. If that word was true, there was no path for Heinrich but death. His siblings were trying to kill him. Even with the Emperor''s protection, death was inevitable; staying in the Kernstadt army would also lead to death. As long as he belonged to this alliance, and as long as Heinrich''s position remained unchanged, it was clear that one day his siblings would try to kill him. "So, what should I do?" "Heinrich." "Yes?" "It''s obvious, isn''t it?" Bertus shrugged his shoulders. "To live, you have to kill." "..." "We''re killing monsters because we want to live, right? What''s the difference?" "..." "Of course, if all the Kernstadt royals die except for you, there will be great chaos. That''s why I don''t wish for that situation. Chaos in the alliance is as disastrous as your death." If Heinrich were to kill the royals plotting against him to survive, it would cause great chaos within the alliance. "But to survive, you have to do something, whatever it is." Bertus said he couldn''t help Heinrich himself, but he could keep his mouth shut. This army too was gathered by the will of humanity to live. So, if Heinrich wanted to live, he had to do something. Was he really an illegitimate child? As the anonymous letter stated, and as Bertus predicted. Were his siblings really trying to kill him? Did he have to kill his siblings to live? He didn''t want to be killed, nor did he want to kill. He just wanted to be treated like a brother. But the situation was such that he couldn''t help it. This shouldn''t have happened for just one reason. Heinrich arrived at the Kernstadt army headquarters, walking aimlessly. The banquet was still in full swing, and the sounds of boisterous chatter flowed from within the banquet tent. He didn''t want to see anyone inside, no matter who it was. Heinrich tried to go around to the back of the headquarters and return to his own tent. He didn''t know what he had to do next. Nothing was certain yet, so he had no plans. No, he even thought it might be better to be killed. "Where have you been?" But behind the headquarters, Heinrich had no choice but to turn at the sound of someone calling him. "Brother." The eldest son and the second heir to the Schwarz royal family. German von Schwarz. And the second son, Alphonse von Schwarz. Whether they were out to get some air or had some separate conversation, the two were talking outside the headquarters. Alphonse was the type to pick a fight openly, but German von Schwarz treated him as if he was barely there. "I went to the general headquarters." "What for?" It was a question from German that seemed almost like an interrogation. Because he was an illegitimate child. Is that why he was treated like this? Because his bloodline was only half as good as the others, he had to endure these harsh questions. Was it because he was considered less than others, and had to acknowledge such a person as a family member, that they always looked at him with such cold and stiff expressions? On one side, there was disregard; on the other, contempt. "I went to see a friend." "Which friend are you talking about?" "Who else but His Majesty the Emperor?" In the general headquarters, the only one who could be called friends was only Bertus. When the word "Emperor" was mentioned casually, Alphonse von Schwarz began to laugh maliciously. "Wow, our youngest is amazing. Are you boasting about being friends with the Emperor now?" Heinrich glared at the blatant mockery. "I don''t think so, but it seems that His Majesty the Emperor thinks that way." "¡­Huh." At Heinrich''s seemingly mocking response, Alphonse''s expression hardened. It seemed he hadn''t expected Heinrich, who always listened silently, to respond like this. "You''ve become quite arrogant, little brother." It was German von Schwarz who spoke. "It''s true that you are an important asset, but you fundamentally belong to the Schwarz royal family. Although you claim to be friends, the decision to personally visit the Emperor should be made after consulting with me or our older sister." He was saying that every step Heinrich took should be reported to them. As long as Heinrich belonged to the Schwarz royal family, all his actions could have political implications, so he should be cautious. That statement in itself was correct. But is it only at times like this that they treat him like a brother? And, going to ask them whether they want to kill him or not, would it even be possible to consult with them? "Don''t act recklessly. Even on a good day, as a royal, you must maintain proper conduct. If you don''t want to attract unnecessary misunderstandings, refrain from such behavior." Misunderstandings. What kind of misunderstandings? It''s them who are guarding against him without any thought. German''s cold words, and Alphonse''s sneering attitude. As if their words were finished, they both averted their gaze from Heinrich altogether. They had drunk alcohol. And, Heinrich wanted to know. Heinrich stared at his brothers with a determined expression. "Brothers." "There''s nothing more to say. Go in¡­" "Am I a bastard?" "!" "What?" He wanted to confirm if the possibility he had heard was true. CH 534 Am I a Bastard? Upon hearing Heinrich''s bombshell of a question, the brothers remained silent with their eyes wide open for a long while. Then, German von Schwarz approached Heinrich slowly, glaring down at him with bulging eyes. "Where did you hear such nonsense? Surely, the Emperor didn''t say that?" If the source of the information was the Emperor, German seemed ready to march straight to the Allied Command headquarters to dispute it. Heinrich knew that what he said was a grave issue, and it was certainly not something to be mentioned within the Kernstadt garrison. But the frustration and sadness were unbearable, and he couldn''t remain silent. "When I see how you treat me, I can''t help but doubt whether that''s true." "No, I can''t help but doubt." "Is it such a great sin to wish for a single word of warmth?" "But no matter what I do, what field I excel in, or what tasks I undertake, you always treat me like this, so I wonder if I truly am your blood brother..." Smack! Before he could finish, German von Schwarz grabbed Heinrich by the collar. "There is a time and place for words." German''s eyes were ablaze with anger. "Do you really think this is an appropriate place to discuss such a topic?" This was the Kernstadt military headquarters, where a banquet was underway. It was dangerous and foolish to bring up the topic of illegitimacy when someone might be listening. Furthermore, the youngest prince, who had garnered massive support within the Kernstadt military, discussing the subject of illegitimacy could plunge the military into a great shock, whether it was true or not. "I suppose your fancy academy didn''t teach you that, huh?" Heinrich stared directly into German''s furious eyes. "The academy is a place where commoners and nobles study together. How could I learn something like that there?" "¡­What?" "And you still can''t say that it''s not true, can you?" German''s expression froze at Heinrich''s now icy tone. "Brother, just tell me." "¡­" "It seems like you already know, anyway." Alphonse, who had been watching the scene, approached Heinrich with his usual lazy tone. Then, he whispered into Heinrich''s ear. So that no one else could hear, so that only Heinrich could hear. "You are a bastard, little brother." "¡­" "So, I hope you now understand your place." Heinrich stared at Alphonse von Schwarz with a stern expression. "We were never meant to converse as equals. Do you understand how uncomfortable and unpleasant we have been until now?" "You get it now, don''t you?" "We dislike you because you are either incompetent or too competent." "That''s our position." "So, stop making that disgusting expression as if you''re upset and sad for being treated like a brother, as if you''re wronged somehow." "Our origins are different. We were never siblings to begin with." "Know your place, bastard Heinrich. Do you understand now?" "Hey, look at his eyes. What are you going to do with those fancy abilities of yours?" "¡­" "Are you planning to kill me like you did Cain and Samuel?" "¡­What?" Heinrich''s heart felt shattered as he looked at Alphonse mentioning the two royal family members who died in accidents. Seeing Alphonse trying to cross the line, even German held him back. "Alphonse, stop it. Are you drunk?" "No, but this bastard''s eyes are so arrogant." Despite Heinrich''s disapproving gaze, which seemed to already have twisted into a harsh judgment, Alphonse approached him once more, ignoring his brother''s restraint. "Go on, you filthy bastard. Try it. Are the two of them not enough to bring down the royal family that you need a third?" -Smack! "Ugh!" Alphonse could no longer continue speaking. This wasn''t something German would do. Out of nowhere, Louise von Schwarz strode forward and slapped Alphonse across the face. "Si, sister¡­" Alphonse''s eyes filled with terror, and soon, he began to step back hesitantly. "You''re discussing matters that should not be discussed in a place where they should not be discussed. All three of you. Were the people of the Schwarz royal family really behaving so shamelessly and without dignity?" Just like Alphonse, German was also frozen in fear. Louise''s icy stare. Under the Swordmaster''s intimidating presence, everyone was left breathless. No one dared to speak up in response to Louise''s words. Alphonse von Schwarz was pale-faced upon her arrival as well. But Heinrich was different. Heinrich stared straight at Louise von Schwarz. "Do I, a bastard who can''t even receive acknowledgment from my brothers, have any dignity or face to protect?" "What?" Louise von Schwarz''s eyebrows narrowed at the defiance in Heinrich''s growl. "Where is the decorum that I''m supposed to protect?" Alphonse and German were terrified. The rightful heir and eldest daughter of the royal family. They were shocked to see Heinrich openly defy Louise von Schwarz''s words. A bastard like him had no dignity or honor to protect. Louise von Schwarz looked at Heinrich coldly as if to question whether it made sense to insist on protecting it after having never treated him royally. "Enough. There''s nothing more to gain from this conversation. There will come an appropriate time and day to settle this matter." Louise seemed reluctant to continue the discussion. "Will that time ever come?" "What did you say?" "I asked if that time will ever come." Heinrich''s words further hardened Louise''s expression. "Will you have this conversation with me before this war ends? As it is now, everyone secretly despises me as a bastard and doesn''t even treat me as a proper human being. When will that day come¡­?" "Youngest." Louise interrupted Heinrich''s words and coldly spoke as she gripped his shoulder. "Stop acting worse than a bastard." "¡­" Actions that not even a bastard would do. Arguing over an unsuitable subject with his brothers near the military headquarters. Regardless of whether they were royalty or not, Heinrich could only grit his teeth at the remark that it was a lowly act. It was a conversation that could only bring chaos to everyone. They were discussing an issue that shouldn''t spread at a place where it could potentially reach the entire army. Worse than a bastard''s actions. Those words pierced Heinrich''s heart. Louise looked at her frozen younger brother Heinrich and her two other brothers as well. "Alcohol can be good¡­" Alcohol. It was usually absent, but it was present today. "But it seems to be bad for you guys, so don''t touch it from now on." With those words, Louise left for the command post. German and Alphonse, no longer speaking to Heinrich, quietly returned to their own quarters. Heinrich stood motionless in the same spot for quite some time. ------ After the feast ended, late into the night. Not all the troops were asleep. Even with the ongoing festivities, monsters could still appear near Senkelien, so a few of them remained awake, guarding the area throughout the deep night. The area near the Kernstadt military headquarters, where a somewhat ominous commotion had occurred, grew quiet as if the previous revelry had never happened. Yet, there was still one tent with its fire burning. "My lady, should we not take action?" "I don''t know where he heard that he''s a bastard, but we can''t leave things like this." Alphonse and German sought out Commander Louise''s tent in the middle of the night. Louise sat on a makeshift bed, listening to their story. "So, the youngest may try to kill us, is that it?" "It would be strange if he didn''t." "It''s certain he won''t think of us as brothers now that he knows the truth, and he''ll surely try some sort of scheme." "Yes, why did you confirm his suspicions when you knew he might take drastic measures?" "Huh? That¡­ well¡­" "You could''ve just said no to such an absurd question. Why did you both bring about this crisis by failing to say we''re brothers?" At Louise''s gaze, both Alphonse and German fell silent. "Crisis, you say? Yes, it''s a crisis. Unable to say a few kind words to a sibling with the power to annihilate an entire army with a single gesture. It seems like a crisis, given that you''ve ended up in this mess by trying to belittle and shun him." Neither Alphonse nor German had any words to say in the face of the situation. "Isn''t your foolishness already a crisis for the Schwarzs royal family?" "¡­" "¡­" If they had treated Heinrich warmly, he wouldn''t have felt such sorrow. But it was just their pride. Not wanting to treat a bastard like a brother, their pride and inferiority complex ruined everything. Heinrich von Schwarzs now knew that he was a bastard and that those he wanted to believe were his siblings saw him as inferior to everyone else. The current situation of the Kernstadt army was one where no one knew what sudden actions Heinrich might take. Though she hadn''t personally intervened, as the commander, the person in charge of the military, and the successor to Kernstadt, Louise von Schwarzs had to take responsibility for the mess her foolish brothers had created. "You think the Emperor is the source of this information?" "¡­Yes, my lady." "He said he met the Emperor at the military headquarters. Boasting about being friends with the Emperor, how infuriating¡­" Alphonse tried to add a useless comment, but when Louise glared at him, he closed his mouth. Louise von Schwarzs couldn''t know what conversation took place between the Emperor and Heinrich. But Heinrich, after meeting the Emperor, couldn''t help but ask if he was a bastard. Even without hearing the conversation, it was clear what they had discussed. "I''ll have to meet the Emperor." Louise''s stern expression seemed to suggest she wanted to chew up and spit out the Emperor. But regardless of where he had gotten the clue, the direct cause of the problem was the straightforward response from German and Alphonse. "Don''t cause any more trouble before discussing it with me." "Yes." "Yes, my lady." Action had to be taken. Heinrich and the Schwarz royal family had crossed an irreversible river. Louise''s plan to raise the prestige of the Kernstadt army through Heinrich, exploit it, and ultimately have the Schwarz royal family take the place of the Gardias imperial family after the war, had failed. "I can''t stand the sight of you both. Get out of my sight." "..." "..." Louise silently glared at the retreating backs of the brothers, who had been given a brief expulsion order. ''The Emperor...'' Bertus de Gardias. Louise never imagined she would feel the Emperor''s influence in such a place, in such a manner. The division within the Schwarz royal family. Had they not fallen victim to the Emperor''s schemes instead? To be precise, it was almost as if they were manipulated by the stupidity of the two brothers other than herself, and Heinrich''s recklessness. If they could be predicted to be so reckless and foolish after being born out of wedlock, was there anything left in the Schwarz royal family that the empire hadn''t grasped? Louise couldn''t shake off such thoughts. ------ Heinrich sat on his barracks bed. The night was deep, but he couldn''t sleep. How could he sleep peacefully after hearing such a story? A bastard. When Bertus told him the story, he had no choice but to admit there was some possibility, but deep down, he denied it. There was no way. It was an absurd story. That''s what he couldn''t help but think. But that absurdity turned out to be true. When he finally faced the hidden contempt and disdain in their eyes, Heinrich felt suffocated. Everything until now. That''s why it was like that. The origin of the siblings'' inexplicable alienation and hatred was rooted there. "Heh¡­" Heinrich let out a hollow laugh. Yes, a bastard had killed two members of the royal family. It was rather fortunate that he was exiled to the temple rather than being killed outright. It was clear that the Schwarz royal family was still a magnanimous group. Although they hated him, it wasn''t enough to end it with hatred alone. Now that he knew the truth, Heinrich could feel how much his non-brothers had to endure. They must have seen their actions of openly ignoring and despising him as unavoidable. It was fortunate that they only did that much. However. Your siblings will kill you. Now he couldn''t help but feel the reality of that message. A bastard. The position of a bastard was growing, and eventually, it would even surpass Louise von Schwarz''s influence. They wouldn''t stand by and watch it happen forever, so they would try to dispose of him when the time was right. They didn¡¯t know how he knew, but Heinrich and his brothers had shared a conversation they shouldn''t have. Heinrich knew he was a bastard. His brothers had told him he was a bastard. So, he sensed that he would face another phase different from before. His siblings would try to kill Heinrich, not knowing what actions he would take. When would it be? It could be tonight, or tomorrow, or during a later operation. Even knowing the date, he didn''t know the method. It could be poisoning, assassination, or a disguised death during an operation. Should he just sit still like this? While his brothers might try to kill him? As Bertus said. To survive, he had to kill. It was clear that his brothers would try to kill him, so he had to kill his brothers. But could he really do that? In this desperate situation, even if it''s for the sake of survival, is it really the right choice to kill one''s own siblings in a war that determines the fate of humanity? Heinrich sat motionless in the darkness of his tent. This place was far too vulnerable. No matter how thick the tent''s fabric, it could be easily cut through by a blade, and unlike Ellen''s tent, Heinrich''s had no locks or security measures. Most tents were like this, so there was no room for complaints. From the outset, with monsters as the enemy instead of humans, the safety of the tents themselves held little meaning. This wasn''t a war with assassins or spies running rampant. The entire garrison was an all-too-ideal environment for night prowlers, since monsters didn''t conduct ambushes. "Hey." "¡­!" Just like right now. "Who, who are you!" A man clad in a black robe, who had not been there moments ago, suddenly appeared in the center of the tent. Heinrich summoned a flame in his right hand, his eyes wide in surprise. Were they acting so quickly? Even so, right now? As Heinrich hesitated between attacking and fleeing, the robed man pulled off his hood. He wasn''t an assassin. "Don''t worry. It''s me." "You¡­you are¡­who are you?" But he was something far worse than an assassin. Despite his reassurances, Heinrich was gripped by a fear that felt like his heart would burst. "Re, Re¡­ Reinhardt¡­?" "Did you receive the letter well?" Upon the appearance of the demon king, Heinrich''s eyes widened in shock. "Yo, you¡­you can''t be¡­you''re?" "Yeah, we''re friends, aren''t we?" Reinhardt grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Aren''t we?" Somehow, it seemed as if nothing had changed from before. That''s what Heinrich thought. "Uh¡­oh¡­this is troubling." However, Reinhardt''s condition seemed a bit strange, as if he had been drinking alcohol or something. CH 535 Heinrich was frozen in place as he realized that Reinhardt had somehow entered his tent. The Demon King was a curse upon humanity. Although Heinrich found it hard to believe that Reinhardt, the object of the world''s hatred, was the same being as the Demon King, it was not untrue. Reinhardt was the Demon King. And the Demon King was behind all of this. Knowing this, Heinrich could not help but be confused. How, in this moment, before him, and as the sender of the letter, could Reinhardt be the Demon King? "It must be a thorn in your side," Reinhardt bluntly said, as if knowing the entire situation. "We don''t have much time to talk, so I''ll keep it short." "You know that if you die here, it''s a problem, and if you kill someone, it''s also a problem, right?" "Follow me." "Once you do, I''ll explain everything step by step." "What has happened so far." "What we will do next." "And what you can do about it." They didn''t have the luxury of a lengthy conversation, nor could they afford it. Heinrich could not help but freeze when faced with Reinhardt, someone he never thought he would see again. How did Reinhardt know he would be killed? Had he been watching him? And where had he heard about the illegitimate child? But Reinhardt had appeared after Heinrich confirmed he was indeed a bastard. As if he had been waiting for this moment. The moment when Heinrich sensed he had no place in the coalition forces and would soon be assassinated, Reinhardt appeared and offered his hand. To leave the coalition forces. Heinrich hadn''t thought the day would come when he would face Reinhardt again. But he had imagined it. Amidst the countless deaths and the tragic desolation created by the Gate Incident. Why did you do all this? Did you hate humanity that much? Even if humans destroyed your world, was this really necessary? I may not know you well, but the Reinhardt I saw wasn''t like this. Was everything just a mask and a lie? Did you hide your thirst for revenge behind that mask? But when Reinhardt appeared before him, Heinrich could not ask anything. Not even a thought of becoming humanity''s hero by killing the Demon King crossed his mind. He could not think of anything other than the topic Reinhardt had brought up. Following Reinhardt would mean survival. Reinhardt''s expression suggested there was a reason for everything. Despite still not knowing much about Reinhardt, Heinrich realized one thing. The Reinhardt of the Temple. He may have been a ruffian, but he was never a villain. Heinrich sensed that this persona was nothing but the truth. Had the gods'' choice been wrong? He didn''t know, but there must have been a reason that things had turned out this way. He had come to accept that his siblings would eventually try to kill him. Thus, there was no place for him in the Kernstadt Army. As Bertus had said, even as a member of the High Command, he couldn''t escape the influence of the Kernstadt Army. As long as his origin as a member of the Schwarz royal family and the fact that he was a bastard remained unchanged. His siblings would eventually try to exclude him. That now felt like an established fact to Heinrich. By taking the Demon King''s hand, he would become a traitor to humanity. For some reason, there were already three people who had betrayed humanity and sided with the Demon King. Olivia Lanze, Harriet de Saint Owan, Liana de Grantz. To these three names is added Heinrich von Schwarz. Heinrich knows well the treatment that the Duke of Saint Owan, who is more dedicated to the war than anyone, receives. If he were to side with the Demon King, and if it were revealed that he had sided with the Demon King, the royal family of Schwarz would be treated the same as the Saint Owan ducal family. A family with a traitor among their bloodline. The prestige of the Schwarz royal family would plummet. Revenge. Could there be a better revenge against the brothers who have scorned and ignored him for being a bastard? Regardless of what they dream, wouldn''t the fall of the royal family''s image due to the betrayal of a bastard be the surest revenge for the neglect and disdain Heinrich has endured thus far? "..." Heinrich stares at Reinhardt, who waits silently for his answer. By siding with the Demon King, he would first guarantee his own survival and deliver a tremendous sense of humiliation to his siblings, who have despised him for being a bastard and who value honor more than life. The political blow that the Schwarz royal family would face just by having a traitor among them would be immense. It would be laughable to reveal the truth that Heinrich von Schwarz was not a legitimate child but a bastard. They''ve been using him so far for their benefit, after all. "I won''t rush you to decide. It''s not a matter to decide hastily." Reinhardt leans against one of the pillars of the tent and crosses his arms, falling silent. It''s unclear whether he doesn''t think of attacking or if he''s confident he can handle it if attacked. Reinhardt gives Heinrich time to ponder. He begins to think that following the Demon King might be the right choice. If there''s some unavoidable circumstance for Reinhardt, and if it''s valid. If it''s not out of malice, but a series of events that couldn''t be helped. Reinhardt is only trying to save Heinrich''s life by coming into enemy territory. Even though they weren''t that close, he''s trying to save him. If that goodwill is true, there''s no reason not to join hands with the Demon King. If staying with the allied forces only increases the danger, he should do something else elsewhere, and he can also take revenge on the Schwarz royal family who have shunned him. However. The royal family is the royal family. And the people are the people. The Schwarz royal family and Kernstadt Army make up a large part of the allied forces. The Duke of Saint Owan is being pointed at because of his traitorous daughter, receiving no recognition for his dedication and serving the army as if it were a punishment. The mages of Saint Owan Duchy were also treated the same way. The people must bear the sins of their ruler''s family. If it becomes known that Heinrich sided with the Demon King, not only the Schwarz royal family but also the entire Kernstadt Army would become sinners. Regardless of the Demon King''s situation, that would be a story only known to a few. The Kernstadt Army would also receive the same treatment as the Duke of Saint Owan and his mages. This would soon lead to a decline in morale, beyond that, a division among the allied forces. There would be countless people within the Kernstadt Army shaking with immense feelings of betrayal. It might not be known that he sided with the Demon King, but rather, that he deserted. Even so, the decline in morale would be inevitable. Heinrich is a hero of the Kernstadt Army. Like Ellen, a hero has value simply by existing. There are burdens to bear. Even if one''s own siblings seek to kill them, even if such acts are driven by shortsightedness. One cannot betray others. One cannot abandon those who have faith in them, those who find hope in them. Heinrich does not ask Reinhardt many questions. There were many inquiries, but they have become meaningless. Reinhardt has come to save him. Then, what choice will he make? "As you know, a lot has changed since then." "..." "I''m not the stepping stone you used to mock anymore." At the somewhat arrogant remark, Reinhardt chuckles. "Yeah, you''re not that anymore." Heinrich can now return the words Reinhardt once used to ridicule him. That much time has passed. He is no longer a stepping stone but now possesses a power capable of setting the mountains ablaze. As his power has grown stronger, some fear Heinrich while others find hope in him. "So, my backside is no longer light enough to be swayed by what you say, like it used to be." "Well, you''ve certainly grown beyond your station." Reinhardt, who returns a malicious reply with one laden with malice, seems to Heinrich no different than before. "I can''t go. I''ll handle my own affairs." At that answer, Reinhardt quietly stares into Heinrich''s eyes. "Even if you die, even if you kill, it''s a problem. Do you understand me properly?" "I understand." It''s a problem if he''s killed. It''s a problem if he kills. He will handle his own affairs. In the end, every matter brings forth problems. It''s a problem if he''s killed; it''s a problem if he kills. There will be problems even if he follows the Demon King. If everything is a problem, then Heinrich merely chooses one problem. "Well, if that''s your choice, there''s nothing I can do." If it were the old Reinhardt, he would have used force if things didn''t go as planned. "You''ve changed a bit too, haven''t you?" Heinrich laughs at the sarcastic remark, and Reinhardt chuckles as well. "Did you think it was just you?" Reinhardt returns the sarcasm with sarcasm. And in this desperate situation, facing Reinhardt was surprising but also raised a question. It was different from the truth, and quite out of the blue. "...By any chance, have you been drinking?" Reinhardt seemed to sway and struggle to maintain his composure in the darkness. Heinrich had a strange feeling about it. In response to Heinrich''s question, Reinhardt shakes his head. "Not alcohol, but... something similar... Anyway, never mind." Reinhardt seems to try to regain his composure, his eyes wide open. "Live, if you can." With those words, Reinhardt disappears into the darkness. Heinrich couldn''t tell how he had vanished. "..." Reinhardt had appeared suddenly and disappeared just as suddenly. Only then did Heinrich realize that he had experienced something unbelievable. The Demon King had come looking for him. He had offered help and had been refused. Was this something that had really happened? Heinrich couldn''t help but be stunned for a while. ------ A place far from the coalition forces'' base. The reconnaissance team doesn''t come this far. "How did it go?" "He said he would handle it himself." "Hmm... What does he mean by that?" "I don''t know." Sarkegaar narrows his brow at my reply after escaping the base. I was inebriated and disoriented at the Royal-class garrison due to catnip, and Sarkegaar reported that something had happened. It was an indescribable hellish feeling. It was good, but so good that it made me feel eerie. Who would have thought that in my lifetime, I''d get drunk on catnip? And why on earth did that crazy Anna request such a thing to be supplied to the garrison? Anyway. The story had already surfaced, and the situation was riding a rapid current. And, Heinrich had rejected my offer to join forces. I had worried about how to deal with him if he tried to attack, but fortunately, that didn''t happen. Heinrich, whom I had seen with my own eyes, had changed. Gone was the image of the youngest prince of Kernstadt, who was once arrogant, cheeky, and rude. Whether it was the experiences he had been through that changed him or some other catalyst, I didn''t know. If it had been just an arrogant choice, I would have used forceful means. Heinrich seemed to think about others besides himself. He seemed to believe that he had a role to play in the coalition forces. I don''t know if Heinrich''s choice was just a matter of convenience or something more. But I guess I can handle whatever happens from now on. Don''t do anything. The advice of the oracle was that my actions would be meaningless, as Heinrich would refuse my help even if I tried to help him. "What will you do?" At Sarkegaar''s question, I crossed my arms. Our relationship was already firmly twisted. Heinrich had confirmed that he was an illegitimate child, and his siblings knew it too, so their mutual fear would soon turn into aggression. Heinrich could die, or he might end up killing someone else. Was the division of the coalition forces inevitable? Should I have forced Heinrich to come with me? I don''t know. But Heinrich had changed. He made decisions as someone who could think about more than just surviving. But would that change guarantee Heinrich''s survival? There were variables, but they were too small to change the environment. As long as Heinrich stayed with the coalition forces, those variables couldn''t prevent what was going to happen. No, there could be other incidents where Heinrich kills his brothers, and that would eventually cause more problems. If Heinrich survives and his other siblings die, the chaos in the coalition forces will unfold as planned. Is it right to stand by and watch? I understand the meaning of the oracle''s advice not to do anything. It meant that Heinrich would refuse my help. Then another piece of advice. How did Heinrich survive? That vague advice. I still don''t know what that means. What does that mean? "¡­Let''s watch for now." We must avoid extreme situations. Heinrich rejected my help, but I will continue to monitor the situation. ------ Three days after the occupation of Senkelien. The coalition forces were reorganizing for their next advance, while revising their future plans. The path to the next destination was again affected by abnormal weather, and word had already reached the headquarters that the monsters had been nearly annihilated. Because of these unknown factors, the coalition forces didn''t have to deploy troops for forward reconnaissance, scouting, or extermination as they used to. Thus, a significant number of troops could conserve their strength. The issue of battle fatigue was also a critical matter for maintaining the military''s combat power. Thanks to the cooperation of the Demon King, the alliance''s military forces received significant assistance in maintaining their strength. Among those who benefited from this were Saviolin Turner and Ellen Artorius, not to mention the supernaturals who originated from the Temple. As a result, Heinrich von Schwarz hadn''t received any requests for deployment since the occupation of Senkelien and was taking a break. But could this really be considered a break for Heinrich von Schwarz? He had discovered the unwanted truth that he was an illegitimate child. And he had encountered a being who should never have been in that place. As relations with his siblings grew strained, a tense atmosphere persisted like walking on thin ice. Nevertheless, Heinrich had been doing his best to be as courteous as possible to his siblings. While they maintained cold, disdainful, or sarcastic attitudes, there had still been some conversation. But the silence that flowed between the siblings was brutal. They knew amongst themselves. That a showdown was imminent. It all started with Louise von Schwarz. Five days after the occupation of Senkelien. Just before the march, Louise von Schwarz gathered all her brothers. "The safety of the surrounding area of Senkelien has been ''definitely'' secured. Let''s look around since the march will begin on such a day." "..." "There are matters we need to discuss as well." At Louise''s words directed towards him, Heinrich nodded. They discussed a topic that was difficult to mention casually. Heinrich nodded with a stern expression. ------ There were definitely no monsters near Senkelien. Although there were no people left to rebuild the city, the reduction in warp gates had its own meaning. Without any guards or escort forces, the brothers of the Schwarz royal family rode horses and inspected the area around Senkelien. It was more of a stroll than an inspection. In fact, the purpose wasn''t that important. They had just come out to discuss matters they couldn''t in a place with many ears. Would it really be just a conversation? Heinrich pictured it in his head. While the other brothers could also handle weapons, it didn''t hold much significance to Heinrich. The real threat was Louise von Schwarz. An overwhelming genius with five-star capabilities, and the leader of the Kernstadt Royal Knights. Moreover, she had already reached the master class a long time ago. Could he handle her if she tried to kill him? Heinrich knew that Louise von Schwarz wasn''t afraid to step onto the battlefield and wield her sword. Having watched Ellen and Saviolin Turner fight several times, he knew well how threatening a master class combatant could be. Heinrich''s physical abilities weren''t that high. If Louise von Schwarz were to draw her sword and try to kill him, she could easily do so. However, there were problems after that. How would they explain the sudden death of Heinrich von Schwarz, and how would they solve the issues arising from it, including the drop in morale? A life that''s too important doesn''t disappear easily. That''s why his brothers couldn''t easily harm him. So there was little chance that Louise would try to kill him during their walk. The area around Senkelien had already been cleared. The excuse that monsters ambushed and killed Heinrich wouldn''t be accepted. So Louise von Schwarz couldn''t take action. It might be different in another place or in another way, but not today. However, despite saying they would talk, Louise von Schwarz was merely riding the horse from the front, not uttering a single word. Alphonse and German were also silent, waiting for their sister to speak first. How long had they traveled in silence? ¡°¡­?¡± At the entrance of a ruined building, Louise got off the horse. ¡°Get down.¡± It was a spacious building, likely once used as a farmhouse¡¯s storage. Heinrich and the other brothers were confused, as nothing had been discussed beforehand. With a stern expression, Heinrich stared at the dark entrance of the warehouse. He thought it wouldn''t happen. Was she willing to risk any interference? Did she consider him that much of a threat? Heinrich quietly observed his brothers getting off their horses with meaningful smiles. ¡°Didn''t I tell you to get down?¡± Louise stared coldly at Heinrich. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± If a fight were to break out, how and where would it start? Feeling his heart pounding, Heinrich got off the horse. Should he have followed Reinhardt? Such thoughts were pointless now. Regretting not having acted sooner was simply foolish. To survive, must he kill? If so, wouldn''t it be better to strike first? He had to subdue Louise von Schwarz before his other brothers. She had her back turned to him. If he were to act, there was no better moment than now. Heinrich quietly followed her, preparing to use his power. To avoid death, he would have to kill. ¡°¡­?¡± But upon entering the warehouse, Heinrich couldn''t help but be taken aback. There were people inside the warehouse. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What¡­ what is this¡­?¡± Five people were bound, gagged, and kneeling. Louise von Schwarz drew her sword. ¡°Alphonse. German.¡± Louise stared at them. ¡°Do you recognize who these people are?¡± ¡°Sis¡­ Sister.¡± ¡°Sister, why are they here¡­?¡± Heinrich didn''t know who the bound people were, but Alphonse and German clearly recognized them. Louise pulled out her sword at her waist. Then, she coldly looked down upon the terrified, trembling captives. -Swish! Her sword, imbued with blue mana, mercilessly sliced through one person''s neck. Heinrich could only watch the blood spurting from the severed neck in horror. ¡°Youngest one.¡± Louise, after slicing one person''s neck, calmly looked at Heinrich. Heinrich, as well as Alphonse and German, had no idea what was happening. ¡°You are indeed a bastard.¡± -Swish! The second person''s neck fell. -Ah! Aaaaah! Seeing two people''s necks severed and blood gushing out in an instant, the others began to cry like beasts with their gags still in place. But Louise didn''t stop. Without even looking at those who were dying, she stared at Heinrich. He was a bastard. He had already confirmed that. Why was she bringing it up again? ¡°However, do you know whose bastard you are?¡± As she spoke, she struck her sword into the third person''s neck. ¡°Sis¡­ter?¡± ¡°Sister¡­? What on earth are you talking about¡­?¡± Not just Alphonse, but even German couldn''t hide their bewilderment at her words. It was incomprehensible, strange talk. Strange words that didn''t fit the situation. Heinrich''s face went pale. "You are my illegitimate child." "Wh... who...?" Heinrich''s lips were turning blue. "Not father''s, but my own illegitimate child." Swoosh! Louise, who had just struck the fourth and fifth necks in succession, looked at Heinrich. "You are, my son." Louise then turned her gaze to German and Alphonse. "You didn''t know, did you? I had to hide it from everyone, even you two. It was a promise I made to father... only by keeping it a secret would Heinrich be spared from death. I couldn''t tell anyone. So, Alphonse, German, I had no choice but to follow your lead... I''ve been doing it until now..." Louise looked at her brothers with sad eyes. "But then..." "At last..." "In the end..." "You two cruelly tried to kill my son." The two had been ordering assassins to kill Heinrich in the past few days. "I believed that you wouldn''t do such a thing. No matter how much you hated or despised him, I thought you wouldn''t go that far..." Heinrich remained pale-faced, and Alphonse and German, who had learned the truth about the illegitimate child, turned white as they met their sister''s cold gaze. "If I must kill you two to save the youngest... no, Heinrich, my son... I must do it now. I can''t just stand by and watch any longer." "Sister, something is wrong. Something... something is..." "No, it''s impossible. This is madness! What are you trying to...?" Louise von Schwarz. "I now accept that in order to protect someone, I must kill someone else." The swordmaster approached her brothers. "Even if that someone is my own blood-related brothers." With a pale face, Heinrich watched the cruel execution unfold before him. CH 536 A few days ago. Louise von Schwarz had sought an audience with the Emperor. She wished to raise objections about the decisive blow that had been dealt to the already strained relationships within the Schwarz royal family. "Your Majesty, it seems you take a great interest in the affairs of the Schwarz royal family." "How can I not be interested in matters concerning one of the main pillars of the Allied Forces?" Emperor Bertus de Gardias. Some emperors excel in times of war, while others shine in times of peace. Louise von Schwarz did not know which kind of emperor Bertus was. However, although the empire was not thriving, it still breathed. It had managed to unite the surviving countries and organize the Allied Forces. "I assume, Your Majesty, that you are aware that casually speaking about such a sensitive subject within the Gardias imperial family is a great insult to the Schwarz royal family." Though the empire was clearly superior, Kernstadt was not a nation to be trifled with. If the Kernstadt army were to withdraw from the Allied Forces, it would be tantamount to losing about 30% of their total power. That was how significant the role of the Kernstadt army was within the Allied Forces. Even for a superior nation, the emperor''s remarks about the youngest prince of the Schwarz royal family being an illegitimate child were a grave diplomatic faux pas and a mistake on the emperor''s part. Even if the comments were made in private, not in public. Louise von Schwarz''s icy gaze was met with Bertus''s constant smile, as always. "Why do you think I am not aware that it''s better to remain silent?" The matter of the illegitimate child. Remaining silent would benefit him. "If I had remained silent, Heinrich would have been assassinated by his jealous and inferior brothers, and I would have had the opportunity to eradicate the ever-troublesome Schwarz royal family from the empire." "There may be a considerable amount of turmoil, but we have a greater cause right now, don''t we? We are waging a war upon which the fate of humanity depends. The Allied Forces may be shaken, but they will not collapse. We are fighting a war with a justifiable reason." "Trading Heinrich von Schwarz''s life for the complete overthrow of the Schwarz royal family, whom the empire has always wanted to eliminate, is the exchange. Everything would have fallen into place if I remained silent. Would it not be better to stay silent?" Bertus''s malicious words, contrasting with his smiling expression, only hardened Louise''s expression further. By remaining silent, Kernstadt would have fallen on its own, and Bertus could have used the chaos to eliminate the Schwarz royal family under the pretext of the greater cause, and then swallow the entire Kernstadt army. There would have been tremendous resistance from the Kernstadt army, but this war was not about personal gain; it was for the greater cause. Bertus knew that, despite the immense turmoil, the Allied Forces would not collapse. Kernstadt, a potential major competitor after the war, would fall on its own. There was no reason not to watch it happen. "What are you saying now?" "I merely wanted to say that the reason I caused this diplomatic faux pas was not because I had some hidden agenda, but because I didn''t want to see a friend die... That''s all there is to it." He could have stood idly by. Bertus didn''t have to say anything to Heinrich when he came to seek help. Though Heinrich was an important force, if the empire could exchange his life for its future, it should have done so. But Bertus didn''t do that. Heinrich was not given a direct answer, but was provided with some degree of truth. Not the entire truth, but a certain extent of it. "A terrible thing happens when you do not cherish your friends; I know this much now." Louise could not understand Bertus''s cryptic remark. But if left unattended, Heinrich will be killed. At that thought, Louise clenched her teeth. "Are you so certain that something so unthinkable will happen?" "Your two brothers are worse people than you think." Trust in the name of siblings. No, it is not even that. Trust in humanity itself. In this situation, facing such a battle, they would try to assassinate a more talented illegitimate child out of jealousy. Louise could not understand that such a foolish and absurd thing could happen. Those who possess more rights than anyone else should also bear more responsibility. She had a shred of faith that they would not commit such a reckless act. Louise von Schwarz did not believe that such an unthinkable event could occur. She did not think her brothers could be so foolish. She did not have high expectations, but she thought it would not be that bad. But the deed had already been done. The other brothers had started to argue that they must act first. Alphonse and German seriously believed that if they did not kill Heinrich, they might die themselves. Up until now, it had been a matter of possibility, but from now on, it would be a question of when. And wasn''t it the emperor who started it all with the word "illegitimate child"? If Heinrich had not heard that word, this would not have happened. But was that really the case? Louise had seen, from afar and up close, the scenes of them blatantly ignoring and despising Heinrich. Would it have happened anyway, even without this? In places she cannot see, in places she is unaware of, without even seeking her consent. Would there really be no attempt to kill Heinrich through their own unilateral actions? She did not think they would be so foolish, so naive. Could humans really be that foolish? Louise von Schwarz secretly wanted to grind her fist into the emperor''s face, who was whining after having thrown a bomb so irresponsibly. But had the bomb already been there? Was it just that she did not want to acknowledge that it was a bomb? "It''s honestly a bit disappointing that you, the commander of Kernstadt, have come like this." "¡­ Are you saying that you''re disappointed right now?" Louise narrowed her eyes at the emperor''s remark, which sounded like the pot calling the kettle black. Did he think the emperor''s prestige was as it was in the past? All human forces have diminished, so the emperor no longer has the same prestige and authority as before. Did he delude himself into thinking that he was standing above everyone else, like the days when the empire''s power pierced the sky after the Great Demon War? "The emperor of the empire has committed the rudeness of meddling in the domestic affairs of another country to save the life of the commander''s son, and instead of being grateful, you come here to argue. Isn''t that disappointing?" "¡­!" "Did you think I wouldn''t know?" Bertus de Gardias. At the emperor''s words, Louise felt chills run down her spine. In the Schwarz royal family, only the king, the current queen, and Louise knew about it. The emperor knew. "The commander graduated from the Kernstadt Royal Academy at the age of eighteen." "¡­" Kernstadt Royal Academy. She was a genius, and she even graduated from the Royal Academy early. That''s what everyone knew. "After traveling abroad for about a year under the pretext of a graduation trip, Heinrich von Schwarz was born... I don''t think it was a coincidence." Louise stared wide-eyed at Bertus, meeting his gaze. "Wasn''t it dropping out rather than graduating early?" Louise felt suffocated by the pressure of Bertus''s gaze. "Raphael M¨¹ller." "...!" "Do I need to explain more?" The Emperor already knew the name that Louise had buried deep in her heart long ago. That name was undoubtedly the name of the man she had loved. He had died long ago. ------ "I couldn''t understand why the Schwarz royal family admitted a child, who was presumed to be a bastard, into the royal family... King Constantine was so particular about these things that he wouldn''t have a bastard, and if Queen Solennine knew about the existence of a bastard, she would faint. But for some reason, Heinrich was not only not dealt with but also accepted... I don''t get it. The Schwarz royal family I know is not like this." Louise looked at Bertus with a stern expression. These were people whose character wouldn''t allow for the possibility of a bastard, and even if there was one, they wouldn''t admit the child into the royal family. But somehow, Heinrich was admitted into the royal family. Of course, this is an inference made from the outcome. The youngest prince, who is excessively despised, seems to be a bastard, but if they hated him so much, why didn''t they just kill him? There must be a reason they couldn''t help but keep him alive. Louise von Schwarz, despite her age, has not married. Although she has not yet ascended to the throne, the successor must have a very important heir. Despite this, she hasn''t married and seems to have no intention of doing so in the future. And the Kernstadt Royal Academy is very similar to the Temple. Various classes mix and receive education. Bertus''s words are both politically and personally very rude. It could be a problem if someone were to question it. But Louise couldn''t say anything. That in itself was already a piece of evidence. "I have several conjectures in my head, but I won''t say them out loud. Any more than this would just be tormenting the commander." "..." "That''s the point." Bertus put down his teacup and looked at the frozen Louise von Schwarz. "You can''t protect everything." One has to choose. Heinrich was made aware of the fact that he was in danger, and this led to a dispute. "You have to choose. Before you lose everything by not choosing this or that." Bertus had accelerated the inevitable. So, Louise von Schwarz has to choose something before everything falls apart, thinking that she''ll be fine as it is. "¡­Is it really just because you wanted Heinrich to live?" At Louise''s soft question, Bertus chuckled. "What else could be the reason for enduring such an uncomfortable meeting when I could''ve avoided it by staying still?" He wanted his friend to live. Even though staying still would have cost him some power, he would have gained a significant political advantage. Still, Bertus didn''t do that. Louise von Schwarz risked triggering her own backlash, and Bertus gave Heinrich a hint. So what was that all for? At Bertus''s words, Louise could no longer think that the Emperor had any sinister intentions. "If you wish to protect your son, you must shed blood." It seemed as if Bertus would no longer interfere in the affairs of other countries'' households. ------ "Why..." "Why did you kill Raphael?" "Why, of all things..." "Why did you have to go to such lengths?" It was a long time ago. "You must be out of your mind." "We cannot allow the dirty seed of commoners in the royal family." "We told you to understand their physiology by mingling and studying with commoners, not to give your heart to them." "Despite your wisdom and talent, you couldn''t even make that simple distinction?" "He dared to covet what a lowly commoner like him should not possess, so we gave him a fitting punishment." "Do you think there is room for petty emotions like love in the path to becoming the queen of Kernstadt, surpassing the Gardias royal family and laying the foundation for the empire?" "You were foolish, daughter." "Yes, humans make mistakes. No one is perfect, so you made a mistake too." "Let''s move past this mistake." "Forget everything and start anew." Upon hearing her father, Constantine von Schwarz''s cruel words, Louise''s soul left her body. It was a premature love. It could be called naive, but it was love nonetheless. Their awkward love bore an awkward fruit, and they had to pay a cruel price. For the first time, Louise experienced true emotions, free from the suffocating world where everything was forced upon her. In the real world where she only encountered dignity, hypocrisy, honor, and pretense, it was the first thing she had ever wanted for herself. That was taken away from her. It was brutally trampled upon. "I hate it." It was a trade. "Please, don''t take anything more from me." "What did you say?" "If you try to take more, you''ll lose me." It was a trade for her life. She couldn''t get back what had been taken away, but she didn''t want to lose anything more. That''s why she threatened her parents with her life. "Don''t try to take my child." The king and queen could not give up the greatest treasure of the Schwarz royal family, a treasure that only appears once in history. The child born to their daughter was disguised as the father''s illegitimate child and integrated into the royal family. Very few people knew the truth, including other royals and even the child himself. At the end of numerous lies, deceptions, and half-truths, events unfolded. "..." "Brothers... sister..." Louise von Schwarz, who killed her last two siblings with her own hands, stared at the frightened eyes of her son looking at her. Swoosh She sheathed her sword. "Let''s go back." "Sister, what do you mean... What are you talking about? I just... my brothers..." "I said, let''s go back." Her two brothers had tried to kill Heinrich several times without consulting her. Had Louise not been vigilant, she would have lost her son while wide awake. If the emperor had had a different intention, he could have used this incident to not only implicate her two brothers but also herself, destroying the Schwarz royal family. It was unclear what had caused the change in his feelings, but the emperor had changed his mind. Instead of punishing the Schwarz royal family, he warned Louise to act quickly, or it might be too late. The emperor told her that she must shed blood if she wanted to protect something. Louise shed blood. By killing her own blood, she was able to protect her bloodline. Louise staggered as she walked towards the horse. Her blood-soaked fingertips trembled violently, as if seized by convulsions. Leaving behind the horses that Alphonse and German had ridden, Louise mounted her horse, and Heinrich, his face pale, followed her command and climbed onto his horse as well. She had killed her siblings. How could she reveal this? Louise had no plan. She didn''t even know what to say to her youngest brother, who had just discovered that his older sister was actually his mother, with his face drained of color. She had to make a choice, and she did. That was all there was to it. Hee-hee-hee! Rushing on their horses, they left the abandoned warehouse, their figures disappearing. Confusion and uncertainty. As the two figures, laden with those emotions, vanished from the warehouse, two more appeared from thin air. "..." "..." Reinhardt and Harriet were there, having heard the unbelievable story. "What is... what''s going on?" "I... I don''t know." Harriet lowered her head in response to Reinhardt''s pale words. CH 537 Heinrich refused to join them, but that didn''t mean he would be left to die. Therefore, Sarkegaar continued to report on the situation at the Kernstadt garrison, and I was also keeping an eye on things. Believing that an assassination was likely, I followed them with Harriet. It seemed that Louise von Schwarz would lay a hand on Heinrich, but quite unexpectedly, she ended up killing her own siblings. Moreover, I could hear the shocking truth that the illegitimate child was indeed Louise''s, not the king''s. Charlotte had said this when she heard about the assassination attempt on Heinrich. ¡®Louise von Schwarz couldn''t possibly be involved in such foolishness.¡¯ The siblings conspired to assassinate Heinrich. It wasn''t a conspiracy of all the siblings, but rather the second and third siblings, or perhaps the independent actions of either one. Louise von Schwarz was a person entirely unrelated to the original incident. She lost her son due to her siblings'' foolishness. And whether she knew the truth or not, she was executed alongside her siblings under the emperor''s wrath. In the original work, there were moments that passed too quickly, with reasons and hidden stories that I didn''t know. It was the same this time as well. Charlotte''s suspicion that Heinrich might be an illegitimate child. And the truth that the child was indeed illegitimate but belonged to the princess, not the king and queen. While there were events that hadn''t happened in the original work, Louise von Schwarz did not stand idly by but killed her siblings with her own hands. I don''t know what triggered this: which event, emotion, or circumstance. However, Heinrich survived. Louise von Schwarz, who was thought to be one of the main culprits, was actually the person who had to protect Heinrich. Seeing her devastated after killing her siblings, it seemed she was shocked by her own actions. In the original work, Louise couldn''t choose between her siblings and Heinrich. As a result of her indecision, Heinrich died, and she too perished. But now, Louise had made a choice. I don''t know what excuse she, as the commander of the Kernstadt forces, will make for her siblings'' deaths. Although the deceased had their roles and problems would arise, it was a better situation than Louise or Heinrich dying. Staying put would be enough. It truly was enough just to stay put. The changed world showed a different development, but I couldn''t know specifically how and what had changed to lead to this outcome. Harriet and I left the abandoned warehouse area and hid in a nearby forest. "I don''t know what happened, but¡­ it''s alright, isn''t it?" "Yes, it seems we don''t need to worry any further." Harriet nodded at my words. We knew who really intended to kill Heinrich, and Louise intervened. There would be issues and complications, but Heinrich''s life was no longer in danger. If Louise von Schwarz had been the actual monster, things would have become more complicated. Fortunately, that wasn''t the case. However, we learned of a more complex family situation. The definite advice of the oracle was that the changed world would show a changed ending, so we should just watch. I couldn''t help but understand the ambiguous advice of the oracle as well. "That''s right¡­ The fact that Heinrich has been alive until now¡­ It actually doesn''t make sense¡­" "What do you mean?" "If Heinrich really were the king''s illegitimate child, there would be no need to accept him into the royal family." The queen was not a person of high enough standing to acknowledge a bastard child. Charlotte suspected that it might have been the stubbornness of the King of Kernstadt that had forced the situation. Even some members of the royal family went so far as to try to kill Heinrich. But in the end, all they did was banish him to the temple. It was strange that Heinrich was alive in the first place. "Louise von Schwarz must have tried her best to save Heinrich...that''s what happened." "¡­I guess so." How Louise von Schwarz gave birth to Heinrich and how that secret has been kept until now is unknown. But even the other royals had no idea that Louise had a bastard child. Only the king, queen, and Louise herself would have known for sure. During past incidents, Louise would have pleaded. Please, do not kill him. Just let him live outside of our sight. Perhaps such a deal had taken place. The only reason a bastard who would be better off dead survived this long was because he was the son of Louise von Schwarz, who had the most outstanding qualities in the history of the Schwarz royal family. Just as Louise had tried her best to use her status and position to save Heinrich. Heinrich''s very existence might have been a gag for Louise in some way. They might have held Heinrich''s life hostage to control Louise''s actions. Heinrich would have been used by the current King of Kernstadt to manipulate the first princess. That''s why he survived. If Heinrich died, they couldn''t predict the actions of the kingdom''s heirs. Why did Heinrich survive? If he was just a king''s bastard, he would have died long ago. It''s an obvious situation, so how could he have survived this long? It''s because there was a use and need for Heinrich. Heinrich was precious to Louise. Heinrich was useful to the royal family. If I had realized the truth, I would have known that Louise von Schwarz could not be the culprit, and I could have resolved this matter more easily or just stood by. The oracle''s guidance was of that nature. And the oracle''s guidance had the potential to bring about both good and bad outcomes. The good outcome would be that Heinrich''s assassination had been averted without major bloodshed. The bad outcome would, of course, be the other issues that might arise from this situation. Those issues could potentially lead to more bad outcomes. "What will¡­happen?" "Indeed." Bad things can happen at any time on a battlefield. Therefore, predicting them was meaningless. ------ Heinrich had always thought that his siblings twisted his words, no matter what he said. But, the same applied to himself. ¡®Ah, you''re here, youngest. Take a seat.¡¯ ¡®There must be a reason for the siblings to gather. Your affiliation is not with our army, so it''s hard to see your face. I called you to have a meal together.¡¯ ¡®Will you return to Kernstadt when this situation is resolved?¡¯ ¡®That''s a shame, really.¡¯ ¡®You must be tired. Go ahead and rest first.¡¯ In hindsight, she was just a woman of few words. There was no difference between the other siblings and himself when it came to attributing too much meaning to her words and feeling upset on their own. He just didn''t know. He couldn''t help but face her, carrying complex emotions after such a long time apart. He didn''t know how to deal with someone he had no choice but to face with such mixed feelings. All he could think of were those words, and nothing else came to mind. Naturally a taciturn person, he could only say so much when his heart was weighed down by even more complicated emotions. It was merely a misunderstanding of those few words he could muster from his tangled heart. He was no different from his other siblings. And in the end, unable to bear watching her other two brothers make extreme choices, Louise made another extreme choice of her own ¨C to kill her brothers with her own hands. "¡­" "¡­" On their way back to the garrison. The horses walked slowly, and no conversation passed between Heinrich and Louise. Because she had killed her brothers with her own hands, Louise''s complexion had turned deathly pale, and Heinrich, who had witnessed the scene and heard the shocking truth, was in no better state. No conversation passed between them. It was not a situation for conversation, and nothing had been settled yet. A person who had much to say. A person who had many questions. None could speak a word. "I''m sorry. For everything. All of it." The two horses walked quietly. "It''s all¡­ my fault." In the end, that was the only apology Louise could barely manage. ------ The two princes of Kernstadt had died. Not executed publicly, but assassinated by Louise von Schwarz''s arbitrary decision. It was illegal and procedurally unjust. The information Louise von Schwarz shared with the army was simple. Missing. The two princes had their own forces as well. However, they were no match for Louise von Schwarz. It could be a desertion disguised as a disappearance for the honor of the Schwarz royal family, and most of the high-ranking officers knew there were undisclosed details. But Louise offered no explanation. As Emperor Bertus had said, it was a war for a greater cause. The disappearance or desertion of the two princes. Or their death. It was a significant problem, but Commander Louise von Schwarz was alive and well. The void left by the two princes could somehow be filled by reorganizing the command structure. Ultimately, the two irreplaceable beings had survived, and the two replaceable beings had tried to kill the youngest, fearing their own positions would become unstable. Therefore, the void left by the relatively weaker two princes could be filled easily. Emperor Bertus knew what had happened but made no mention of it. Since the Emperor remained silent, the high command, who were aware of the suspicious circumstances, also kept silent. Though the Kernstadt army was in disarray due to the sudden disappearance of the two princes, it wasn''t enough to cause a rift. Even with two legs lost, the head was still alive, so there was no fighting over who would be the next head. The allied forces left Senkelien and began to march towards the next operation site. Although the situation had settled for the time being, the relationship that had changed could not be turned back. Once a secret is revealed, it cannot be undone. The assassination threat had disappeared, and Heinrich learned that he was the child of his elder sister. "¡­" "¡­" The relationship between the two hadn''t worsened. She had to kill her brothers with her own hands to protect her child and even lie about it. Louise von Schwarz killed her brothers to protect her child. They just didn''t know what to say to each other. Not knowing how to rebuild their relationship from the beginning or what bricks of words to stack. A person who had given birth but never lived as a parent. A person who had been born but never experienced having parents. Neither knew how to rebuild this misaligned relationship from the beginning. Louise and Heinrich had not exchanged any conversation since then. Beyond work-related discussions, there was no personal interaction. Until recently, they at least exchanged customary greetings, but now even that had ceased. Despite knowing that they could never be strangers to one another, for some reason, Heinrich felt as if they had become even less than that. Beside Louise, who led the army and drove the horses without conversation, was Heinrich. Suddenly, Louise tensed her whole body as a voice invaded her mind. ''I have something to report to the commander.'' "...What is it?" Telepathy. Just as Heinrich received messages from the general command via Evia''s telepathy, commanders of each unit also received the general command''s intentions through telepathy. It wasn''t that messengers or communication magic were not used, but telepathy was immediate and fast since it didn''t require magical tools. Of course, many officers found the sensation of this unannounced telepathy quite unpleasant. As a result, a considerable number of people had their adjutants receive the telepathy instead. Louise von Schwarz found the telepathy quite uncomfortable. It felt like an invasion of her personal space. She experienced a strange sensation, as if someone were witnessing something no one else should be able to see. However, Louise was not one to pass this on to someone else. ''The small warp gate in Lagirian, which was the next target, has already been destroyed, so the alliance will continue to advance to the Seta location instead of the next planned garrison.'' "Hmm... Understood. Carry on." ''Yes, Commander.'' Heinrich realized that Louise had received telepathy when he heard her murmuring. Louise looked at Heinrich. "The next operation area has already been cleared. That''s why we continue to advance." "I see..." Though they didn''t engage in personal conversation, they had to have these dry exchanges due to their positions. Heinrich quietly watched as Louise informed her adjutants of the army-wide broadcast. He observed the messengers riding between the marching armies to relay the new operation changes to each unit commander. Louise gazed at the endless procession of marching troops. Not having to face death in battle at the next operation area would be a good thing. But the extended march was just another hardship for the soldiers who had to walk the distance. Louise pondered what would be better and couldn''t help but feel a sense of absurdity. The Emperor, Bertus. It was Bertus who had personally told her that if she didn''t kill her brothers, Heinrich would be murdered. What would have happened if the two had known that their youngest brother Heinrich was actually their illegitimate nephew? ''Perhaps they would have wanted to kill him even more.'' Louise had never married. If Louise von Schwarz died in this war, the eldest son, German von Schwarz, would become the next heir to the throne since Louise had no official children. Deep down, he might have hoped for her own death. Now that she had realized how foolish and short-sighted her brothers were, that suspicion had turned into certainty. If Louise von Schwarz died during the war, German would become the next heir to the Schwarz royal family. If that happened, perhaps Alphonse, who could never have dreamt of becoming the heir, would have been jealous of his brother and tried to kill him to inherit the throne. Without Heinrich, could German have tried to kill her instead? Then, would Alphonse have killed German, and the Schwarz royal throne would have gone to Alphonse? "..." Louise found it amusing that she would even entertain such thoughts. Attempting to weigh the foolishness of her brothers after killing them with her own hands was nothing more than self-justification for their deserving deaths. There were choices and consequences. She killed her brothers because they had tried to kill her child. In exchange, the child survived. All other judgments were meaningless. She never managed to have any real conversation with the child. It couldn''t be right to leave things like this. How she had resisted the urge to abandon everything, knowing what had happened, why it had happened, and what words had been exchanged. How many times her life had been weighed on the scales. How many days she had swallowed her tears, thinking only of how well the child would fare at the temple, while living a life forced upon her. Louise wanted to tell him everything, but she couldn''t bring herself to speak, fearing that it would only come off as an excuse for not fulfilling her parental duties. When the war ends... Will they be able to talk once everything is settled? After the veil of darkness shrouding humanity''s fate has been lifted, will they be able to share all their stories? The battlefield was too heavy a place for sharing stories of sorrow and pain. And so, the only story they could share now was that of the war. "Youngest one..." Louise opened her mouth to speak but found herself tongue-tied. Was it appropriate to call him the youngest? But she couldn''t call him her son. In this situation, with watchful eyes and attentive ears, wasn''t it impossible to raise the subject of her illegitimate child, just as it was for the eldest sister to call the youngest her son? However, it seemed as if Heinrich understood her, looking at Louise. "Yes, Sister." "..." Things they knew but couldn''t say. His expression showed that he understood well enough. Louise felt miserable and bit her lip slightly. But it was a conversation about the war, their current situation. They couldn''t avoid discussing it just because of petty matters. "Do you think you''re close to Emperor Bertus?" At the mention of the Emperor''s name, Heinrich fell silent for a moment. "To be honest... I don''t think I am close to him. However, we did spend time together in the same class at the temple..." "I see." Had it not been for Emperor Bertus'' words, Louise might have failed to weigh her brothers'' foolishness and lost Heinrich. The Emperor knew that Heinrich was her illegitimate child and even knew the name of the man she had once loved. But that wasn''t the issue Louise was currently pondering. "The Supreme Command is hiding something." The excessively rapid advance, the abnormal weather on the level of natural disasters, and the preemption of operational zones. Only good things were happening to the Allied Forces. Ellen Artorius, Saviolin Turner, Shanafel, and the royal mages. They might have achieved this speed by pooling all their resources, but Louise couldn''t shake off the feeling that something was off about the whole process. "What are they hiding? Do you know?" Heinrich stared at the marching route in response to Louise''s question. "...I don''t know." Just as Heinrich didn''t know his mother well. Louise didn''t know her son well either. However, she had now learned one thing. "I see..." Louise discovered that her son was not skilled at lying. CH 538 12th month. Winter had arrived. Starting from Senkelien, the Allied Forces went on to destroy the warp gates of the small cities surrounding Riselen one by one, as if going around its periphery. The small warp gates in the minor cities were already devastated by the vanguard of the Demon King''s forces, and the Imperial High Command had disguised it as the work of the Empire''s vanguard. Only a handful of people knew that the Allied Forces were receiving help from the Demon King. The moment that information became public, the confusion felt by the Allied Forces could have led to enormous divisions, so it had to be kept top secret. It was a given that a massive army would have to go through winter. This war would continue beyond the year. Seven small cities and three medium-sized cities. So far, these were the achievements of the Allied Forces. In the Allied Forces'' headquarters, Bertus stood before a map, his face stern as he watched the situation unfold before the many military commanders gathered. It wasn''t as if all the battles they had experienced so far were minor. But now, the Allied Forces were faced with the largest battle they had ever encountered. Three large warp gates. One super-large warp gate. Seven small warp gates. The largest city in the southern part of Riselen. Serandia. It would be their first time destroying a super-large warp gate. That was the crux of the matter. The chief of operations began the report. "Your Majesty, we anticipate that successfully attacking Serandia will significantly reduce the monster hordes in the southern region of Riselen." "By using the Razi River flowing near Serandia as a water source, we believe we can secure water supplies locally. If we can replace the transportation needed for water supplies with other resources, the Allied Forces will have an easier time enduring the winter." "However, due to the nature of winter operations, a significant loss of combat power is expected while the main force moves to Serandia. Also, once the operation begins, a retreat will be nearly impossible. If we fail, we expect irreversible and severe losses." "We could focus on defending our garrison and spend the winter before starting the campaign to conquer Serandia. However, in this case, it remains unclear whether the army can receive necessary supplies smoothly until spring. The monsters gathered in Serandia will likely launch periodic raids on the Allied Forces'' garrison during the winter, and since they will continue to be replenished, there will be no loss of their combat power." Bertus narrowed his brow as he listened to the chief of staff''s report. Winter was a season when everything froze, and soldiers were no exception. A winter march was even more hellish than a regular one. There would be soldiers who would lose their frozen toes, not just from exhaustion. While the priests of the Holy Order could heal with their divine magic, not everyone could receive such benefits. Since the area around a large city was teeming with waves of monsters, the Allied Forces'' garrison was set up far away from Serandia. Just reaching Serandia, the battlefield, would require a forced march. In the midst of a harsh winter, the monsters would become increasingly more numerous. It was by no means an environment where they could rest for a day and fight. At their most exhausted, the troops would have to face the largest number of enemies. And that would be during winter. ''If only there were a change in the weather that would improve conditions on our way... But we can''t necessarily count on that...'' By marching through the harsh winter, they would proceed with the campaign to conquer Serandia. In the end, immense casualties were expected in the campaign. And capturing Serandia wouldn''t mean the end of the Gate crisis. There were still cities to be destroyed. If they suffered irreversible losses here, the next battle would be even harder. As it becomes more difficult and burdensome, if the loss of irreplaceable personnel continues. In the end, they would fail to destroy the last Gate, and humanity would lose all hope. But what if they held out here through the winter and attacked Serandia in the spring? Armies consume enormous resources. People need to eat, and something must be done to withstand the cold. And while they''re stationed here, there''s Serandia, where monsters pour out of the giant warp gates, albeit far away. They would have to continue their defensive battles throughout the winter, resulting in not only resource but also personnel losses. However, if they managed to successfully conquer Serandia, they could at least secure resources to endure the winter. They would also be able to log the nearby forested area to survive the cold. Would they endure the winter there after risking heavy casualties in a large-scale assault to bring down Serandia? They would lie low here until the weather warmed, engaging in continuous attrition warfare and entering battle in a relatively better condition. "We can''t hold out here through the winter. We''re heading to Serandia." Help cannot always be expected. But there had always been help. That''s why Bertus had no choice but to rely on the Demon King''s forces this time as well. The frozen land where the allied forces were heading would thaw, and an anomalous climate named warm sunlight would appear. The ruler of humanity depends on the Demon King. ''If I can''t get help anymore...'' He couldn''t be confident that he wouldn''t panic. Bertus chuckled to himself. ------ -Meow -Meow -Meow -Meow "..." -Meow! Ellen regained consciousness at the sound of what seemed like a call for her. A black cat, who knows since when, had been pressing its front paws on her thigh. Somehow, the cat looked up with a pitiful gaze, as if worried. Why was it doing this? Ellen was inside a tent, sitting in a chair. Only then did she realize that she had lost consciousness for a moment. She had heard there was a meeting about the Serandia attack. But Ellen didn''t necessarily attend the meeting. Though she did have a say, and it wasn''t taken lightly. However, Ellen never felt comfortable discussing life-and-death issues in such a setting. So, she was contemplating whether to go or not. But when she came to her senses, the cat that had been absent for a few days was crying in front of her. Ellen didn''t bother to lock her quarters in the garrison these days. Royal-class garrison security was strict, and no one in the garrison would rudely enter Ellen''s quarters uninvited. So she left her quarters unlocked so the cat could come in whenever it wanted. Thus, it wandered in freely. -Meow With her left hand, Ellen held the necklace, and with her right hand, she stroked the head of the pitifully crying cat. "I''m fine..." Ellen now knew that pouring her heart into something could help. She felt as if this little being was watching over her. However, even so, the moments of losing consciousness increased. "It''ll be okay..." The cat just looked up at Ellen quietly. Losing consciousness, her existence disappearing. It was a terrifying thing, but Ellen had something more important ahead. The Serandia attack. The Colossal Warp Gate The battle would only grow more arduous and challenging. "Reinhardt..." Ellen knew what the high command knew. Reinhardt would, in some way, support the conquest of Serandia. He had always been helping, and now, he would once again support this battle in his own way. From somewhere. -Meow Undoubtedly, he was watching over her. ------ Ellen''s condition was steadily worsening. He had been aware of her occasional losses of consciousness, and though he appeared as a cat, he had witnessed it before. But losing consciousness was not the right term. It was closer to someone else taking control of her consciousness. Her dark eyes, like an abyss, stared at him quietly. With eyes that he couldn''t tell whether they were looking at him or not. They stared at him only with blurry, unfocused pupils. Nothing could be read from those eyes other than emptiness. It was an eerie feeling that went beyond being unsettling. Not only Ellen but also the Royal Class people had felt a strong sense of unease when Ellen occasionally fell into such a state. Though they did not know how a cat could be of any help, it seemed apparent that Ellen was affected by it. The necklace that Ellen wore was unclear as well, but by now, they had somewhat sensed that it was playing a similar role. If her condition went past the point of no return... Would he only see Ellen with those empty eyes? Although he occasionally visited the Royal Class garrison to check on Ellen''s condition and the situation of the Royal Class people, he could not always stay there. He had to not only break through the march route but also receive sleep training from Airi, and while Charlotte took care of Edina''s work, he still received reports on crucial matters. He is a pet-type demon king. And just like Ellen was steeling herself for a great battle, so was he. For now, the imminent issue was the conquest of the huge city, Serandia. "I assume we''ll advance. They''ll be expecting our help." A council meeting with all of Edina''s core members. "Since enduring the winter would inevitably become a war of attrition, they would have no choice but to make such a decision." I nodded at Eleris''s response. A full-scale battle after a march through the harsh cold. A defensive battle in the bitter cold, followed by a full-scale battle after welcoming spring. Both would entail immense burdens. In the original story, this time was not winter. They faced winter in another metropolis conquest. In that situation, the allied forces chose to endure. But now, we were assisting them, and Liana had awakened her ability to manipulate the weather, which she couldn''t use in the original story. Thus, they would expect our help and choose to advance. We would protect the path of the allied forces not from monsters, but from the weather. We would be able to shield them from the bitter cold on their journey. However, the next problem. "We need to decide what to do when the attack on Serandia begins." It was Luvien''s words. Yes, we had to decide that. In previous gate conquests, we destroyed the warp gates within our capabilities before the allied forces could strike. But for the medium-sized warp gates, we swept away the monsters with a preemptive strike and handed them over to the allied forces afterward. Though we took on the role of a vanguard unit unknown to the allied forces, we had no intention of drawing their attention when the primary operation began. But the scale of this operation was different. At one massive warp gate, there were three large warp gates. Even with the weather changes caused by Liana, there were limits to the monsters that could be dealt with, and even if the monsters were annihilated, they would be replenished at an incredibly fast rate. A preemptive strike could yield significant results. However, if the operation were left solely to the allied forces, we could succeed in the invasion of Serandia, but casualties would inevitably occur as we didn''t fight directly. If we were to join the battle, the number of those sacrificed would decrease, and the allied forces would be able to conserve their strength. From a practical standpoint, it is right for us to participate in the battle as well. "However, our participation may help the invasion of Serandia in the short term, but in the long term, it may be a significant mistake." "¡­That''s true." I had no choice but to agree with Gallarush''s words. Antirianus spoke up. "Our army may be small, but it is impossible not to be noticed on the battlefield. Just look at the large-scale magic that the Lords and Heavenly Kings here can use. The lightning used by the Thunder King, the divine power and artifact used by the Demon Lord and by the Holy Order''s leader, Tiamata, and the Alsbringer used by the Great Being are no exception." Our power was too strong and would inevitably attract attention. Sarkegaar, who had returned to Lazak for the meeting, spoke up. "The current coalition command is aware of our assistance. A small number of people in charge of frontline reconnaissance are keeping quiet. And the personnel of each military command believe that the events at the front are due to the Empire''s power. Of course, many are suspicious, but neither the Empire nor the allied forces seem to be mentioning it." "But if we reveal ourselves in this battle, most of the allied forces, especially the ordinary soldiers, will learn of our involvement, which could lead to unforeseen problems." "Your Majesty, I believe it is a wise decision not to reveal ourselves in the invasion of Serandia." Large-scale magic, Meteor Summoning. There is no such destructive magic among humans. The moment it is used, they will sense the appearance of the Demon Lord''s forces. The moment when meteors rained down from the sky that had turned into a broken mirror and hit the temple is remembered as an unforgettable nightmare for those who saw it in the Imperial Capital. Moreover, there would be no one who had not heard rumors about that magic. Since the meteor shower began simultaneously with the gate incident, the meteor shower crossing the sky became a symbol of the Demon King''s return. If Olivia summons the Death Knights and sweeps the battlefield, the allied forces might panic and try to attack them. Alsbringer goes without saying. If we participate in the battle, we will undoubtedly help the allied forces. There is no reason to help if it is not with power but only with minor assistance. If we want to help properly, numerous allied forces will realize that the Demon Lord''s forces have appeared. Our help may lead to the failure of the operation. To be blunt, if someone were to discover me killing monsters on the battlefield and shout, "The Demon Lord has appeared!" the entire alliance would accept it as "the Demon Lord attacked the alliance during a large-scale battle." Bertus faced a dilemma: whether to march after enduring a war of attrition in the winter, or to march immediately at the risk of significant damage. The same is true for me. If we help in the attack on Serandia, the allied forces'' casualties might be reduced, but our presence might create additional problems. If we don''t help and merely stand by, we''ll be witnessing the deaths of countless people who might have lived had we been there. Among them are the lives of many people I know. They''ll probably find a way to survive on their own. Is that a petty thought I should hold onto while I stand aside and watch the assault on Serandia? There is no such thing as an absolutely right choice. Every choice requires gaining something while accepting something else in return. Throughout my time in this world, every choice I''ve made has been like that. Choices where I gain something and lose something else. I must make that choice again now. I have not exchanged words with Bertus, but our relationship is practically that of allies. However, only a small number of people accept that fact. To the majority, I am still a name synonymous with terror, and no one believes that the Demon King would fight alongside them. If anything, it would only be more confusing. The Demon King, who caused the gate crisis to exterminate humanity, is helping humanity? Only those who have lost their sanity in despair would believe such a thing. What if the other commanders of the allied forces or everyone in the alliance found out that the empire had been receiving the Demon King''s assistance until now? The alliance might collapse after the battle for Serandia. "Someday, we too must fight alongside the allied forces. It''s bound to happen." Everyone in the meeting remains silent, looking at me. The moment when we must join the battle will come. That won''t change. And, the gate crisis is becoming increasingly dangerous. During the early stages of the gate crisis, a guerilla force led by Saviolin Turner could easily destroy cities with such gigantic warp gates. Now that the situation has grown more dangerous, it has become impossible, forcing us to travel with this large army. Serandia is dangerous, but the cities we will face later will be even more so. "We will only carry out a preemptive strike on Serandia, without joining the battle and watching from afar." Whether someone dies or not, now is the time to watch those deaths. Is turning away from those dying right now in order to prevent more deaths in the future the right choice? I don''t know. All I can do, like Louise von Schwarz, is make a choice. "Also, if possible, it would be nice to destroy at least a few warp gates, even if not the gigantic ones." A preemptive strike. If that''s all we can do, then we must do everything we can within that scope. CH 539 In the southern region of Riselen, the largest metropolis, Serandia. Up until now, we had divided our forces into five units to secure the path of our advance. However, now we are initiating a preemptive strike to eliminate the monsters at what can only be called the eye of the storm. Five Vampire Lords. Alongside them, the Holy Knights of the Holy Order, the mages of the Vampire Council, and powerful demons. Olivia, Harriet, Liana, Airi, and myself. Our corresponding armies, hidden within the cloaking barrier created by Harriet, looked down upon Serandia from the high ground. The city resembled a belt, with a massive river called Razi flowing through its center, dividing the metropolis into northern and southern sections. But the city itself was merely a shell, with monsters already swarming nearby. Harriet muttered, her energy drained, "The monsters..." Growl! Screech! Roar! Monsters the size of skyscrapers from my past life roamed, while countless smaller monsters swarmed around their feet like ants. There were also flying monsters that filled the sky in blackness, and among them, monsters boasting overwhelming power. Although we didn''t have to face the dragons from another dimension just yet, a massive monster resembling a dragon had already appeared. The number of monsters was increasing, as was their strength, making them incomparable to what we''d encountered so far. As the Gate Incident intensified, the monsters began acting as if they were guarding the Warp Gates. It was fortunate that the so-called boss monsters were not being produced in substantial numbers. From the high ground, we could see that the number of monsters spewing from the Warp Gates wasn''t particularly high, perhaps due to saturation. However, if the nearby monsters were pushed away, the Warp Gates would start pouring out monsters again at an incredible speed. No matter how elite our forces were, it was impossible to annihilate this colossal swarm of monsters numbering in the hundreds of thousands. A hell of boiling monsters unfolded in the present world. It was a sight that made me think the world had gone pitch black. We had to face this. And it would only become more numerous and dangerous. Everyone gathered here, the non-humans and those accustomed to slaughter, couldn''t help but feel tense as they beheld this hellish sight, myself included. "They''ve detected us." Even though we were on the outskirts, we were in a location with a clear view of Serandia. It was only natural that there were monster hordes nearby, and naturally, there were monsters that could sense our cloaking barrier and detect us. "Let''s begin." At my command, the Vampire Lords and the clan''s wizards began chanting spells. Liana, who had already completed her preparations, began to focus her power as well. Her abilities couldn''t be used offensively when a large-scale army was engaged in a frontal battle; everyone would be swept away if she did. Once again. Whirrrrr! A massive tornado erupted in the distance, near the horizon, sweeping away the monsters. A wave of monsters poured toward us. "All units! Battle formation!" Olivia shouted, brandishing her demon sword, Tiamata. Whirrr Although we were outnumbered, Olivia could summon an army. An army made of the dead. Hahaha! Over a hundred Death Knights began to crawl out of the ground in response to the demon power of Kier, wielded by Olivia, and the demon sword Tiamata. A single Death Knight had been powerful enough to easily subdue me when I was only proficient in Magic Body Strengthening. "Death, lead us." Not only Olivia but also the holy knights of the Holy Order strengthen their own bodies and the bodies of the Death Knights summoned by Olivia. Monsters have no strategy or tactics. However, the best strategy and tactics have always been having more soldiers and a stronger army than the enemy. Strength in numbers is both strategy and tactics. Overwhelming numbers of monsters begin to charge at us. While mages cast large-scale spells together and Liana creates a weather anomaly, the priests of the Holy Order, including Olivia Lanze, and the Death Knights protect them. But that''s not all. "I''m counting on you today, Uggren." "Grrr... Human, lend me your strength." A priest standing on the shoulder of an ogre over five meters tall starts chanting a sacred spell, and the ogre''s body becomes radiant. The ogre''s tendons, thicker than a human finger, begin to bulge and twitch in its arms. Humans, vampires, and demons. "Krrrrr." Lycansloth joins the formation as well. "For the great ancestors and the Demon King!" "Gwoooarrr!" The orcs, too, are covered in a blue aura. They follow Gallarush after me and Charlotte. They must be orcs as well. Gallarush himself seemed to dislike it, but he had lived too long to have a racial identity. Undead, demons, and humans. A small army of only about a hundred. "Gwoooarrr!" The horde of monsters clashes with the strangest army in the world. A massive iron club swung by the ogre is imbued with divine light. "Jjeong!" The head of a giant monster that charges at the ogre explodes, and the ogre roars. "Gwoooarrrrk!" "Ahh! My ears are ringing!" The wave of monsters crashes down, and Death Knights, Olivia, and demons stand their ground to protect the mages and Liana. "Kwaaang! Kwaaang!" Even while causing weather anomalies, Liana summons a lightning storm from the sky, causing the pouring monsters to explode. They''re holding them off. They''re definitely holding on. But as monsters that can detect magic and intercept spells attack us first, those that can''t also start to recognize us and push in soon after. It was a nauseating sight, like waves undulating to engulf us. "Krrrrrrrr!" Flames of Tuesday. I project magical power towards the incoming monsters, the ground erupts in flames and a vast area is swallowed in fire. "Gwoooarrr!" Medium and small-sized monsters that cannot withstand the flames or have no innate resistance begin to die as they try to break through the inferno. Even so, the surviving monsters swarm in, and are crushed by Olivia and the Death Knights. The howls of monsters, the roars of ogres, and the growls of Lycansloths shake the earth. Flying monsters in the sky also recognize us and dive in like arrows. "Ugh!" Blue magical lines boil over Harriet''s body, and space begins to warp around a single point in the sky. "Jjiiiing." Dozens of strange light refractions, as if the world itself is warping, appear. Then. "Kwaaarrrrrrr!" A massive shockwave is generated, shaking not only the air but also the earth from the sky. Shockwave. The wings of the flying monsters diving towards us are torn apart, and their bodies explode. A shockwave originating from the sky tore apart or hurled down the thousand or so monsters that were flying towards us. Our individual strength could hardly be described as a hundred-to-one ratio. But even if we were a thousand-to-one, it would still be insufficient. The numbers were terrifyingly high. Liana''s third tornado began to tear apart the ground. Even though the tornado appeared far away, we could feel the violent wind that tore the earth apart. Even at this great distance, we could feel the pressure from the wind; at the site where the tornado appeared, trees were being uprooted and monsters screamed in agony. Aside from facing fire and lightning, enemies that are too close are crushed by the Death Knight and demons. Is this even possible? The appearance of so many monsters and their constant resurgence as long as the warp gate was not destroyed ¨C is this even plausible? I feel a vague sense of despair at the unfairness I''ve created. Even if they''re killed, they reappear. The warp gate that once benefited humanity has now become the greatest catastrophe to humans. The tragic, no, unjust situation I created with shallow and half-baked thoughts makes me realize how superficial I was. -Growl! In the midst of the overwhelming sight of the creatures'' onslaught. I am here seeking salvation. I know that someday this tragedy will end. But how many must die? How many will be sacrificed? Who will die? Who will survive? -Kwarrururung! A lightning-spewing monster reduced a Death Knight to ashes, and Olivia stepped on the monster''s foot and climbed up its leg, driving her Demonic Sword Tiamata into it as if performing an acrobatic act. "Die, and answer the call of demon power." As Olivia whispered the curse, a black flash from the Demonic Sword penetrated the monster''s brain. -Swoosh! The lightning-spewing monster suddenly turned its head and began to discharge lightning towards the oncoming monsters. -Kwarrurururung! The lightning that once burned Death Knights now began to incinerate the monsters. As Olivia raised Tiamata, the darkness pouring from the sword enveloped the countless dead monsters. Beheaded or torn apart, the monsters came back to life through the power of the divine, now rushing towards the other monsters instead. Biting, tearing, and ripping them apart. As more enemies died, the corpses increased, and the power of death grew stronger. The monsters that once engulfed us like a wave now became a wave of undead, charging at the other monsters. Despair covered by despair. Wrapped in the power of the divine, Olivia Lanze almost dominated the battlefield. As the dead monsters rose and began pushing in from our side, the tide of battle turned. We shifted from protecting the mages from the monsters to pushing back the horde of monsters. The power to revive the dead, including necromancy. Anna de Gerna of Class B also joined the battle in this way. However, Olivia manifested this power through divine might, not magic. The scale and effect were overwhelming. But even so, it was just a small breakwater against a tidal wave. As our battle dragged on, the monsters of Serandia would eventually focus on this minor disturbance one by one, and as the scale of our fight grew, more monsters would be drawn to us. As the scale of the battle grows, we will reach our limits. A hundred people are hardly enough to wage war against hundreds of thousands. Even if we have a thousand-to-one force, there are tens of thousands of enemies, and they will continue to be replenished. But we haven''t come here for a suicide mission. We are buying time. Time for Liana to summon the tornado. And. -Wooong! The five Archmages. And the vampires of the Vampire Council to complete their magic. -Kuruung! The storm of mana shook the earth as if it would cause an earthquake. I have never seen it before. We don''t know what will happen when magic of this level, with this level of mana, is unleashed. When the Archlich Lukren manifested it, numerous shooting stars could be seen pouring out from the void of the torn sky. And now. The magic created by the five ancient beings and the mages they have nurtured. Meteor Shower Summoning. As if a divine fist struck the mirror called the sky. The shattered and fragmented blue sky turns to dark night. The void''s darkness, constellations, and the Milky Way were projected within. And from there, beams of light began to fall. Amidst the life-and-death battle, it was an unreal spectacle that made one stare blankly for a moment. Thousands of beams of light, starting from the distant sky. The white flames of meteors burning as they friction with the atmosphere were so bright that they outshined even the daylight, wrapped in a white light as they fell towards the earth. Though they seemed slow, in reality, hundreds of beams of light were falling to the ground at a speed faster than sound, continuously dropping from the void''s rift. "Is this¡­" Preventing the gate crisis and bringing about the world''s destruction? Isn''t this the saying of burning down the house to catch the fleas? The massive meteors were imposing enough to bring such anxiety. Slow but surely, the meteors falling towards the earth were gradually increasing in speed. It''s not that they were getting faster. The closer they got, the more realistically their speed could be felt on the skin. On the ground, tornadoes raged, and in the sky, meteors rained down. The hell of monsters was covered and crushed by the hell of natural disasters. A meteor exploded near the horizon in the distance. -Flash! A massive explosion occurred with the flash, covering the area. That was the beginning. -Flash! Flash! -Kuruung! With the thunderous noise tearing the atmosphere, the meteors began to evaporate the surroundings of Serandia. I desperately hoped that the flashes would blow away the warp gates as well. At the same time, I couldn''t help but pray that the meteors wouldn''t destroy the world. The meteors struck the world, and the flying monsters were either swept away by the explosion or torn apart and fell. The monsters on the ground disappeared along with the craters. But despairingly, it didn''t wipe out all the monsters. Due to the excessively vast range of impact, there were still monsters overflowing in areas not hit by the meteors, and their numbers were still greater than ours. -Kukwakwakwang! And hoping for a meteor to directly hit the warp gate was no different from wishing for a miracle. We could summon meteors but not aim them. Even if the warp gate was affected by the meteor''s impact, it wouldn''t break. Due to the exceptional durability of the gate itself, it firmly withstood the impact of the meteor collision explosion. Although I hoped that a massive meteor would strike the warp gate directly, it did not happen. But the important thing is, since monsters are everywhere, they were undoubtedly being massacred within the falling meteors. The number of monsters is drastically decreasing, and that is ongoing. However, monsters pouring out from the warp gate is also ongoing. I already knew that hoping for the meteor shower to directly strike and destroy the warp gate was like wishing for a stroke of luck. "Harriet!" "Yes!" At my call, Harriet crossed the space and immediately arrived at my side. "Let''s go." I begin to plunge towards the hellish landscape where meteor showers and stormy rains pour down. I will destroy the warp gate. With my own hands. By the time the allied forces arrive, even if it is not as bad as it is now, the monsters would have replenished enough to be scattered all over the ground. At this very moment, when the number of monsters is drastically decreasing. This is the only time when a small elite force can act. I don''t know how far we can go, but we will destroy as much as we can and then flee. The ones plunging in are Harriet de Saint-Owan and me. Only the two of us. -Kwarururung! The storm of lightning summoned by Liana opened the way ahead for us, who were rushing toward Serandia. CH 540 -Boom! An indescribable roar shakes the ground. As meteors fall and the earth trembles, it''s impossible to maintain one''s balance. The monsters standing on the ground face the same challenge. A tornado has formed far away, but a fierce wind threatens to rip apart anything in its path. The shockwaves and earthquakes caused by the crashing meteors are accompanied by storms. Like the monsters unable to move properly, I find myself in a similar situation. The reason Harriet is with me is simple. Of the falling meteors, she can use her dimensional gates to redirect any that could cause direct harm to us. And she''s prepared for an emergency evacuation. -Growl! But the massive monsters are unaffected by the earthquakes, fierce winds, or shockwaves. -Crash! Rumble! Lightning bolts rain down from the sky, striking a monster with a lion''s head and a serpent''s body. Its flesh twitches a few times, but that''s it. Harriet casts an explosion spell, detonating it right in front of the monster''s face, but it only flinches slightly and remains unharmed. Fire, lightning, magic ¨C nothing works against these monsters. As the situation intensifies, more monsters with immunity to these attacks emerge. -Howl! I thrust my Alsbringer, wrapped in a blue aura, into the giant serpent''s body and tear it apart. Monsters immune to direct physical attacks are rare, especially if it''s an aura blade. Close combat is always the best method of fighting and will remain useful until the end of this battle. Once. -Slash! -Poof! Twice. -Stab! Three times. -Roar! As I cut through the serpent''s midsection, its massive body, unable to support its weight, snaps in half like a broken tree. Monsters around us vanish, swept away by the meteor shower and its ensuing explosions. Flying monsters plummet to the ground. Monsters struck by lightning turn to ash. Yet, the monstrous horde still screeches, coming closer to kill Harriet and me. Harriet, who has created a barrier to protect us from the gales, runs alongside me. -Flash! Shockwaves, explosions, and flames engulf everything. We must break through this monstrous wave to destroy the warp gate. The original world could never be called paradise. Misery was always present in the original world, just like anywhere else. But even if the original world wasn''t paradise, isn''t this hellish landscape a worse alternative? Even if we clean up this hell and end the gate crisis, paradise won''t come. The world can never return to how it was. Nevertheless. Despite all that. I know we can''t achieve paradise, but at least we''ll save ourselves from this hell. -Rumble! A colossal monster that can fly through these fierce winds spews fire at Harriet and me. "Reinhardt!" Harriet''s barrier protects us from the fiery breath. Outside the barrier''s range, the flames melt everything in an instant, including the monsters charging at us. This is just the beginning. Stronger monsters will appear. And eventually, we will have to face the last monster. -Rumble! As the ground heaves and turns into crimson lava, Harriet and I watch the monsters melt away beyond the fiery breath. With a deafening crash, the fiery breath that threatened to scorch the land where Harriet and I stood came to a halt. We watched as the monstrous shadow that loomed over the earth was struck by a meteor, losing one of its wings and plummeting to the ground. Instead of the warp gate, the meteor struck the relatively larger monster, and the resulting shockwave followed as an added bonus. "Kyaah!" "Kuuung!" The slow-falling monster crushed hundreds of other creatures as it descended. Disaster met disaster head-on. "Not much time left." "Right." Harriet froze the molten ground with her ice magic, clearing a path. We resumed our sprint, the goal not far ahead. Soon enough, we found our first target. "Krrrrrr!" Were the monsters emerging or pouring out? No, it was more accurate to say they were spilling forth, a tidal wave of flesh pouring from the glowing red warp gate. The spilled monsters surged forward, most of them crushed to death before they could even stand up properly. But from the overflowing wave of monsters, some took shape and rose, charging at us as if recognizing their enemies the moment they were born. Even before reaching the gate, the surging mass of monsters themselves formed a wall we had to break through. Even if we summoned a meteor shower, conjured a tornado, or created a lightning storm. If we didn''t destroy the accursed warp gate, monsters would overrun the entire area in a matter of days. We had to crush it. We had to erase it from this world completely to break the curse that had befallen it. Paradise wouldn''t come, but we could escape hell. Blue magical lines began to boil from Harriet''s entire body. The shining blue magical lines and the glowing power cartridges on Harriet''s necklace soon turned into a near-white light. Just one chance. One moment to clear the path. Only Harriet and I stepped forward to destroy the gate. The rest of our party decided to provide long-range support only, as it was agreed upon. Because we were enough on our own. Facing the wave of flesh, Harriet concentrated her magic at her fingertips. She compressed her magic to the limit, gathering it all into one point and directing it outward. There was no name for the spell. It was just an attack based on Harriet''s understanding and control of her mana, compressing and refining it into a concentrated burst. A simple, honest release of magical power. "Kuwakwakwakwang!" But the blast of magical energy that erupted from Harriet''s fingertips was a storm of energy in itself. Even monsters with anti-magic properties were swept away and obliterated by the tempest of her power. For a moment, a path opened, and the warp gate, enveloped in a red barrier, remained intact. Could it really withstand such an energy storm? We knew that the reinforced warp gate couldn''t be destroyed by long-range attacks, but was it also impervious to such power? Was there no use even if a meteor struck it directly? There was no time for despair. If the first method failed, we''d try the second, and if that failed, the third, the fourth. We would try until it broke. There was no time for hesitation. Instinctively, I charged down the path we''d opened. Running and running, I aimed for the warp gate that was spewing monsters, pouring all the power I could muster into my sword, Alsbringer. As I plunged Alsbringer into the warp gate''s barrier, I roared. "Shatter!" With that, one. ------ On the outskirts of Serandia. "What... is this...?" Kono Lint couldn''t close his mouth as he witnessed the scene unfolding before him. -Whoom -Flash! -Whirrrrr Three enormous, immeasurable tornadoes were swirling around Serandia, while hundreds of lightning bolts rained down from the sky every second, killing monsters. Meteors were also pouring down from the heavens. Anyone who saw this scene would say that the end of the world had finally arrived; it was a vision of utter destruction. Suspended high in the sky, Kono Lint was observing the ongoing catastrophe that was befalling Serandia in real-time. Kono Lint hadn''t been assigned to scout this area. He was here on his own volition. The high command provided no explanations for the bizarre events happening in the front lines. At first, Kono Lint had set out to scout the initial few peculiar situations, but since then, only a very small number of units had been deployed for frontline scouting missions. Some members of the allied forces were already aware that strange events were occurring, and Kono Lint, who had seen the phenomenon with his own eyes, was no exception. Something too enormous and inexplicable to be the power of the Empire was aiding them. Kono Lint had ventured out to scout on his own, hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever it was before the Serandia campaign began. The sky opened, and meteors rained down. Lightning struck. -Woooooosh! "Ugh!" Although Kono Lint was suspended in the sky, a gust of wind so fierce that it threatened to tear his ears apart blew around him. Struggling to keep his eyes open in the raging storm, Kono Lint tried to take in everything that came into his field of vision. On the ground, battles were raging. Facing the tide of monsters was a tiny dot. A mere speck, but there were those who somehow managed to endure. Though meager compared to the allied forces, they were undoubtedly fighting. Kono Lint couldn''t properly discern the identities of those too distant. While he could approach them at any time, he didn''t dare to. The battle at the city''s outskirts. And within Serandia city. -Flash! Kono Lint clearly saw one of the warp gates shatter in a burst of light. He remembered it vividly. The day the sky opened. The world seemed to have been cursed since that day, and all these calamities began. The gate incident, known to have originated from the Demon King, was also known to Kono Lint. But why was the magic used by the Demon King''s minions cast on Serandia, and why did one of the warp gates vanish? Due to the fierce wind, it was difficult to see who or where the battle was taking place. However, it was possible to guess from the events unfolding. Meteors fell. Lightning was summoned. The Demon King''s magic and the supernatural powers of Liana, who disappeared with him. ''Reinhardt...?'' Why were those known to have caused the gate incident desperately trying to destroy the gates? ''Was it Reinhardt who paved the way for the allied forces until now?'' Kono Lint didn''t know what was going on behind the scenes. However, if the forces here belonged to the Demon King, If these forces, capable of annihilating humanity, were trying to destroy the warp gates, Wasn''t it true that things that should be known were not being revealed? Wasn''t there a truth that people needed to know but didn''t? Something was different. What people know and what is true often diverge. It was at that moment that Kono Lint had such a thought. ¡°Damn rat...¡± ¡°!¡± Kono Lint widened his eyes as a white-haired old man appeared, the air around him distorted. ¡°So you were there.¡± ¡®Damn it...!¡¯ The old man''s hand reached out to Lint faster than Lint could use spatial teleportation. ------ ¡®Reinhardt! We need to get out of here now!¡¯ ¡®Just one more, one more...¡¯ ¡®It''s time! Everyone''s going to retreat! We''ve done enough!¡¯ ¡®Still... just one... just one more...¡¯ ¡®No!¡¯ One large warp gate. One medium. Two small. It was a miraculous feat, and enough to provide significant help to the allied forces. It was fortunate that Harriet was there. If not, attempting to destroy one more gate could have led to an irreversible disaster. Our troops returned to Edina after providing support for the designated time, and I reluctantly retreated upon Harriet''s insistence. Yes, it was a miraculous feat. I retreated after attempting to do something beyond my capabilities, and it was good that our forces suffered no losses. However. I couldn''t help but furrow my brow at the sight of a familiar face hanging limp on the shoulder of a vampire clan mage. ¡°What... is this?¡± ¡°I caught a scout, your greatness.¡± Antirianus had captured Kono Lint, an odd spoil of war. ------ Antirianus had caught Kono Lint, who had been observing the situation. His eyes were sharp. How on earth did he spot and capture this guy in that situation? It was certain that Kono Lint had seen the scene. He probably had a rough idea that my forces, including myself, were in Serandia. I couldn''t know what Kono Lint thought when he saw it. But Kono Lint saw something he shouldn''t have seen. I couldn''t send him back to the allied forces as is. If he says the wrong thing, it could cause a huge accident. So. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± I looked at Kono Lint, who had just woken up upon our return to Lazak. As soon as he woke up, he opened his mouth wide and froze. His eyes rolled around, but he said nothing. ¡°Planning to run?¡± ¡°...!¡± He was so easy to read. Kono Lint could run away anytime due to his abilities. ¡°It''s fine to run, but do you know where you are?¡± ¡°Uh, well... I guess not...¡± But he didn''t know that this place was Lazak, located at the southernmost tip of the Edina Archipelago. It would take years to wander around the continent using spatial teleportation and find the allied forces'' base. He might be a long-lost acquaintance to me, but it hasn''t been that long for me. So I wasn''t that unfamiliar with Kono Lint. On the other hand, he looked clueless, his eyes rolling around. ¡°If you run away half-heartedly, you''ll likely end up as a skeleton when found. Do you get what I''m saying?¡± ¡°Uh... yeah.¡± ¡°I don''t plan to treat you harshly, and there''s no reason to. Let''s talk. After a few words, I''ll send you back to the allied forces'' base safely.¡± Kono Lint couldn''t handle the situation, his mouth only twitching slightly. CH 541 Kono Lint was not imprisoned. In the first place, Antirianus hadn''t ordered him to be captured, and they hadn''t intended to treat him as a prisoner. Initially, Kono Lint didn''t even know where the Edina Archipelago was, nor would he understand anything just by looking at the scenery. Of course, that didn''t mean he was in an open space; it was just a bedroom that could be considered a guest room. There was no exchange of pleasantries like "It''s been a while" or "How have you been?" Neither the situation nor their relationship allowed for such conversations. "So, you didn''t come here on a reconnaissance mission, but rather because you wanted to see the scene for yourself?" "Uh, uh... Yeah..." Kono Lint slowly nodded. Even back at the temple, the three brothers who had looked out for Kono Lint had been quite afraid of me. That hadn''t changed now, if anything, it had gotten worse. From a school bully to a bully that spanned the entire continent... It would be strange if they weren''t afraid, considering I had become something even more than that. Even if these guys had changed from the past, I had changed even more. Given the circumstances, even being kidnapped, it was inevitable that Kono Lint''s complexion would be pale. It was inevitable that the Alliance would become aware of our existence. Of course, I knew that Sarkegaar was watching, and even when I was personally stationed at the Alliance base, the rumors didn''t spread beyond a certain extent. Shanafel, the royal mages, and the very few units in charge of frontline reconnaissance missions. That was about the extent of those who knew the truth, however vaguely. Everyone else would be aware of something like the empire concealing its strength or hiding some important information. Kono Lint acted on his own, without orders from his superiors, to scout Serandia and discovered us. "Whatever you saw, it''s true. We''re also dealing with the Gate incident in our own way. That''s all there is to it." "..." At my words, Kono Lint stared at me quietly. "You''re... the Demon King, aren''t you?" "That''s right." It was a known fact now, but as I calmly nodded, Kono Lint''s complexion turned even paler. "Are you responsible for the Gate incident...?" He stared at me with bated breath. What should I say? In the end, it was true. Various misunderstandings and circumstances had overlapped, but ultimately, it was Eleris who caused the Gate incident. It was something that happened in order to save me, so I couldn''t deny it. "Technically, yes, but it wasn''t what I wanted. That''s why I''m doing this." "..." "There''s no point in discussing the details, and it''s a waste of time. But everything that''s happened from the moment I entered the temple up until now has been to prevent the Gate incident. It''s true that it happened because of me, but it wasn''t what I wanted." Would he believe me? Just because he saw me fighting the monsters of the Gate with my life on the line, could Kono Lint understand me? He had also lost his family. No matter how valid the reasons were, if he focused on the fact that I was responsible for the Gate incident, I couldn''t blame him for hating me. "Why should I... believe you?" Fearful, Kono Lint stammered, but continued with difficulty. "Anyway, the Gate Incident... was caused by you to take revenge on humans... And you also want it to end... So you might be helping the allied forces. Once the Gate Incident is over... You might try to destroy humanity like you did in Serandia... Who knows..." Kono Lint continued to express his doubts about me. Monsters attack both humans and demons indiscriminately. The Gate Incident occurred to bring about the destruction of humans. But if humans were to be destroyed, demons would be next. So for now, they reluctantly help humans, and after the humans resolve the Gate Incident, they might just betray them and annihilate them. In reality, it''s quite a plausible assumption. After all, both demons and humans want the Gate Incident to end. So they help the allied forces. They are only using humans until the whole situation is resolved. "Oh, that''s a good idea." "????" As I suddenly praised him, Kono Lint lost his composure. "It''d be a great excuse later on." "Excuse? What do you mean...?" There''s an old saying, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." If the allied forces learn that the Demon Army is helping humans and become confused, they can temporarily cooperate with the Demon Army, knowing that they will eventually become enemies. With such an excuse, it might be possible to form an alliance with the allied forces openly. No, would the allied forces fall apart at the mere idea of joining hands with the Demon King in the first place? People need a reason to accept the Demon King''s cooperation. A reason that forces them to accept it right away. People have guessed my intentions on their own, and it''s not much different from the reason all of this chaos happened. So there must be plenty of things that they can guess on their own this time too. Kono Lint, who couldn''t understand what I was talking about at all, was simply dumbfounded. Kono Lint is in Razak for now, but he doesn''t know where he is. I originally intended to just let him go. But before that, I need to silence him so he doesn''t spread any unnecessary stories. "First of all, I''d appreciate it if you didn''t tell anyone that I''m clearing the path ahead of the allied forces or that I''m destroying warp gates. You didn''t see anything." "Pretend I didn''t see anything?" "Yes. If this gets out, people will think I have some hidden agenda like you picked up earlier. But I don''t. I just need the Gate Incident to end. There''s no ulterior motive or scheme. My words about wishing the Gate Incident hadn''t happened are true. If you don''t believe me, there''s nothing I can do, but it''s true regardless of whether you trust me." I can explain the series of events leading up to the Gate Incident. However, it''s too verbose, detailed, and there were too many moments where things went awry. "Really... You didn''t want this?" "Yes." "So, like what I saw today... you''re helping the allied forces in this way?" "Yes." This guy has seen it firsthand. He must have watched my army fight fiercely in Serandia. In the end, he saw the destruction of several warp gates and the desperate battle against the monsters. Since he saw it with his own eyes, he should be able to understand the sincerity in my words to some extent. "Isn''t it... If this wasn''t your doing... If this wasn''t what you wanted... Shouldn''t people know about it...?" Kono Lint looked at me and asked. "People believe... that all of this is because of you." "True." "I''ve heard that too, but I still find it hard to believe." "I suppose so." There must be things that are hard to believe even when seen with one''s own eyes. Could one easily believe it when they''re told that, despite being kidnapped and blamed for everything, they''ve actually done nothing wrong? Only a fool would believe such a thing. "So why did this happen... If it''s really not your fault... You must be wronged." "People should know the truth, right? If you''re truly... innocent. It''s not right like this, is it?" "It does sound like you''re just trying to convince me with your excuses, but I don''t understand why you need to justify yourself to me... Convincing me wouldn''t really change anything. Why are you telling me this?" "Well, I don''t know. Anyway." "Let''s assume that what you say is true, although I still can''t believe it." "But if what you''re saying is really true..." "It''s not your fault, but people are blaming you... Is that... okay?" Kono Lint asks. "Would it be okay?" It''s impossible to say it''s okay, even if one were to die and come back to life. It''s not okay, and it never will be. However, one can only accept that there''s nothing they can do. They don''t try to do anything about something they can''t control. "So... shouldn''t they know? If you''re innocent, people are hating you for no reason..." "It''s meaningless." "Meaningless?" "If people know, knowing itself becomes the problem." Ignorance is bliss. If they know, knowing becomes the problem. Those who don''t know the truth hate and despise me. But what if they find out the truth? They won''t discard their hatred and loathing for me, but instead, they''ll hate Ellen and the Imperial royal family. They''ll despise everyone who kept this secret and pinned the blame on me. Hatred will only spread, and nothing else can be gained. It''s not that I don''t want the truth to spread because of some heroic psyche or noble purpose. If it does spread, it will only cause division and chaos. No one benefits from the truth. That''s all there is to it. That''s why I don''t intend to tell Kono Lint what really happened. If they find out, there will only be more people to hate. I didn''t want that. I just wished for the Gate incident to end. All I could say was that I hoped they would understand or trust me, even though it was an old issue. "A truth that divides everyone only leads to everyone''s downfall." "..." "If that''s the truth, it''s better not to know." If this problem could be overcome with just my own injustice, I''d accept the injustice. It''s not okay at all, and I can''t say it''s okay. But if it''s not okay, and that''s all there is to it, I have to accept it. "So, pretend you didn''t see it." The Demon King fights, wishing for the true end of the Gate incident, and doesn''t want anything else. It''s a truth that can''t be understood, and if understood, it causes more problems. Sharing this responsibility with others will only increase the objects of hatred, and the ensuing division will only lead to everyone''s downfall. Kono Lint gazes at me silently. He doesn''t speak for a while. He probably can''t believe what I''m saying. No matter how much he has seen me fighting personally, as he said, I also need the end of the Gate incident. He might accept that I''m only temporarily helping the allied force while postponing the matter of the future for now. In fact, that might be a more credible story. To those who have lost something, my words are nothing but empty tales. Even if it is believable, the fact that I am involved in the Gate Incident does not change. "You... I always thought you were a weird one..." Kono Lint chuckles. "But you''re even weirder than I thought." The word "weird" this time has a slightly different, somewhat positive nuance compared to how it was used before. "Yeah, who would believe it if I said that the Demon King was risking his life in Serandia to destroy the Gate? They''d probably just think I''m crazy from the war and brush it off." He laughs bitterly. After investigating the Royal Class base in the form of a cat, Kono Lint has made a remarkable improvement in his abilities, but he''s still a bit of a fool. Well. If Kono Lint blabbers about this unbelievable story, most people would not only find it strange but would also think it''s a twisted joke. "So, are you planning to continue doing this?" "As much as I can." Since I can''t openly cooperate with the allied forces, I''ll do what I can from where they can''t see me. People might find it suspicious, but I can''t just leave things as they are. Just like I''m doing something now, I''ll continue to do something in the future. Kono Lint stares at me intently. He nods, seemingly understanding my words about not having seen anything. "Alright, then I''ll send you to the allied base..." "Hey, but you know..." "Yeah?" "Um... uh..." Kono Lint tilts his head. His face seems to redden a bit. "It''s not the right timing for this, but..." What is he trying to say? Kono Lint scratches his head, then looks at me as if giving up. "Was that you?" "...Huh?" What is ''that''? What does he mean by ''was that you''? I couldn''t understand what he was talking about in just those two words. No, it felt like I knew, but I couldn''t accept it. Oh. No way. Is it that? No. My response was too slow! My flustered expression gave it away! "Was it really you?!" "No, it wasn''t! No, what, um, no. What''s that and what''s this? I have no idea what you''re talking about. Absolutely no idea, okay?" This. No way. Should I kill him? CH 542 As they spoke about humanity and such, Kono Lint suddenly brought up the cross-dressing contest, a memory that had almost faded away. When did this guy start to suspect me? What''s worse, my delayed response only reinforced his conviction. "You! It was you, wasn''t it?!" Kono Lint''s face paled, and he quickly retreated. "Ye-yeah, I knew you were weird, but not just weird, you''re even weirder!" "No, it wasn''t me! What even is that?! I have no idea! I don''t know anything about it!" "You¡­ Why would you even have that kind of hobby?" "It''s not a hobby! I said it wasn''t me!" "So, you understood what I was talking about? That means it''s true, right? It was you?!" He got me. He didn''t seem to intend to, but he got me. When did he start to doubt me? And why does he still remember it? "Give me back my innocence, you bastard!" Kono Lint''s face turned white, and he yelled angrily. "What innocence?! It was a cross-dressing contest from the start!" "I don''t care, just give it back, you crazy bastard!" Why are we even having this conversation? Finally, I summoned my Alsbringer in my right hand. Kono Lint''s face went white. "¡­You shouldn''t know about that." Why am I only threatening him now? "I''m sorry. Die." But Kono Lint wasn''t scared at all, even with the Alsbringer in my hand. "Try to touch me with one finger. I''ll spread the rumor that the Demon King loves cross-dressing." "¡­" Why? Why is it like this? "I don''t believe that story more than today, you bastard!" Who would believe that the Demon King won a cross-dressing contest?! It''s true, but nobody believes it! I should really kill him. This is not going to work. -Whoosh! As I swung my Alsbringer, Kono Lint moved to the other side of the room. "You really swung at me! I''ll tell Ellen! You crazy pervert!" "¡­" I felt my blood run cold. It was too late. He already found out. Not only Bertus, but now this guy too. "If you don''t let me go unharmed, you''ll hear people singing a song about the perverted Demon King who loves cross-dressing in the Alliance''s garrison starting tomorrow, you perverted bastard." It felt like I was losing my grip on sanity. "¡­You''re calling me a pervert?" "Well, you are a pervert. If you''re not a pervert, then what are you?" I couldn''t refute Kono Lint''s words. There were unavoidable reasons, and I had no choice but to engage in such debauchery. In the end, wasn''t it through those debaucheries that I am here now? Yes. I have to admit it now. "Fine, I''m a pervert." "What¡­?" Upon my calm admission, Kono Lint''s face turned even bluer. "But, do you think that''s all?" "¡­Huh?" "Do you think my perverted acts are limited to just that?" My chilling laughter made Kono Lint, who was stuck to the wall and prepared to run away, tense up. "You." "At the beginning of the school year." "First grade." "Early on." "You were eating dessert at a caf¨¦ with some kids¡­" "And got confessed to by a girl¡­" "Didn''t you?" At my words, Kono Lint''s face went pale. "...What?" "And after that girl confessed, there was no contact, right?" I utilize the ring of Sarkegaar. "Perhaps that girl... looked something like this?" "Uh... uh-uh-uh-uh-uh?" A brief silence. To be honest, there''s no need to go this far in discussing this. I know it''s unnecessary. But. "You, you... you son of a b*tch!" My spirit is broken. Let yours be broken too. ------ ¡°Why did you do this to me...?¡± ¡°Is it because I''m a pervert? That''s why, isn''t it?¡± ¡°I... I...! I thought that maybe, because of that memory, I might be accepted by someone... but now...!¡± ¡°There''s no way that''s true! You''ve been deceived by this guy. We''re done talking. Now, go back to the allied camp quietly!¡± ¡°You demon... no, worse than a demon!¡± ¡°It doesn''t matter since I''m actually worse than a demon, being the Demon King! Hahahahahaha!¡± ¡°What have I done to deserve this...! I''ll curse you for the rest of my life, Reinhardt!¡± ¡°Try it! There are so many people doing that already! Euhuhuhuhahahahahahaha!¡± Kono Lint, with his sanity reduced to zero, could not fully understand the situation. For some reason, Harriet quietly sent the disheartened Kono Lint back to the allied camp. Of course, Harriet seemed to be completely clueless while looking at the slightly deranged Reinhardt. ------ "..." The vast allied camp, filled with a tense atmosphere, suddenly brought Kono Lint back to reality. Listening to the sound of grass being trampled and watching soldiers passing by, and the troops preparing for the march, Kono Lint was unsure if he had truly been with the Demon King up until now. Everyone hates the Demon King. If they knew the Demon King was fighting the Gate Incident more desperately than anyone else, very few would believe it. Kono Lint thought that people like Saviolin Turner, and others in the empire''s upper echelons, might know this truth. Whatever the case, it didn''t matter. A greater truth had deeply penetrated Kono Lint''s mind. Cross-dressing. The suspicion that lingered in his mind had become a fact. On top of that, transformation. Kono Lint, who had learned that Reinhardt could transform, was petrified, only able to slightly move his mouth. He''s a pervert. Not only does he cross-dress, but he even goes so far as to do that. What was his intention, his thought process, when he deceived him? He couldn''t understand why he would do such a thing out of malice, to the point that it was terrifying. It didn''t seem like Reinhardt wanted anything from him, like using him or exploiting him for something. Only to mess with him. Only to make fun of him. ''Insane... bastard...!'' Kono Lint no longer knew whether the Demon King was good or evil. The Demon King was a pervert. That was all. Upon returning to the Royal Class garrison, Kono Lint saw Ellen in full armor. "..." Did Ellen know the truth about Reinhardt? Kono Lint couldn''t tell. But she wondered if Ellen knew about the other truth. Kono Lint was sure that Ellen would never know, even if she died and came back to life. "Um... Ellen." "Yeah?" When Kono Lint called her name softly, Ellen looked at her. Lately, Ellen Artorius seemed a bit more energetic, as if she had something on her mind. Should he tell Ellen that Reinhardt is actually a cross-dressing pervert who also transforms and messes with his classmates? Perhaps not. "No, I thought I had something to say, but I forgot." "¡­?" Ellen tilted her head, then seemed to let it go, looking around. "By the way, have you seen a cat?" "A cat¡­? I haven''t seen one¡­?" "I see." Looking for a cat, Ellen quickly left for another place. A cat. A cat¡­. "¡­" Fortunately, Kono Lint had not yet thought that Reinhardt could turn into a beast. ------ A few days later. The allied forces, having finished preparations, began their advance. It was more of a march than an advance. The path to their destination, Serandia, was a long one. But it was not a leisurely march like any other. They were entering the heart of enemy territory, where monsters continuously emerged. The march itself was already a battle. -Boom! Crash! -Flash! -Rumble! Battles were, of course, breaking out, and the whole army was on alert, prepared for monsters that might ambush them from the side during the march. At the end of the march, rest awaited not, but an even more enormous battle. At the time when the army was most exhausted, they had to face the most arduous battle. The march that penetrated enemy lines was a continuous series of advances and battles, with the sounds of fighting never ceasing day and night. The army had to fight while advancing, and even fight while sleeping. One small blessing was that the weather did not freeze the soldiers amidst the harsh winter. Although it was not quite midsummer, the cool autumn-like climate was optimal. Even so, there was nothing that could be done about the fatigue from the march itself and the consecutive battles. ¡°Thank goodness the weather is good¡­¡± ¡°What would have happened if it had snowed¡­¡± ¡°Heaven is helping us.¡± As they approached the main strategic objective, Serandia, the number of monsters could only increase. ¡°The Empire''s mobile forces have already destroyed one large, one medium, and one small warp gate each through preemptive strikes. This is expected to make the assault on Serandia somewhat easier.¡± The demon army''s strategy had already been confirmed by the high command. This lie would gradually become an increasingly obvious one. Even those who did not know the truth would soon realize that there was a force aiding this war, and they would also come to recognize that it was the Demon King''s army. It was no different from shaking hands with a devil, and if this were to be exposed, the allied forces might crumble. But it was too sweet a temptation. Silence and a few lies now would allow them to preserve their combat strength and save many lives. Everyone sensed that Emperor Bertus of the Empire and the high command were hiding a crucial truth, but no one sought to know it. Because it was true that someone''s help was making the war easier, whoever it was. Among those who remained silent was Louise von Schwarz, who occupied a place in the mobile high command. ------ Was music really necessary in a war? It was unclear whether music itself was needed, but there could be no doubt that sound was essential. -Boom boom boom boom The deep resonance of the war drum instinctively stirred something in people, driving them into a frenzy. It was said that the sound of a drum carried a soul within it. Made from the skin of a living creature, it is perhaps natural to believe that the drums carry such a spirit within them. Whether their sound truly contains a soul is unknown, but there is no doubt that they have a role in bewitching the human spirit. In other battlefields, it may not be necessary, but in this special battlefield, the sound of the drums is even more essential. -Kiaaaaaak! -Growwwwwl! -Kieeeeeeee! Only then can they hope to drive away the monstrous roars that boil up from the waves of giant creatures surging from beneath the hill. They must drive away the fear that stems from sound with sound itself. The allied forces, having completed their long march, finally reach the battlefield and look down upon Serandia, which they must conquer and occupy. The replenished monsters are boiling in a crater created by a meteor shower, regenerating in a place ravaged by tornadoes. -Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The drummers beat the drums relentlessly, as if their hands would split open. As if driving away the monsters'' roars would actually make the monsters retreat. They drive away the pitch-black boiling monsters and shatter the warp gate. The seemingly impossible task isn''t the end; they must move on to the next battlefield. At any moment, in a fate of unknown death from the fangs and claws of the monsters. Onto the next, and the next, and the one after that. Beyond the next and the next. The army of death, which must reach the final battlefield, faces its first despair. There is no need for thought. Despair is worthless. Forget. They must fight. As if to say, think of nothing but fighting right now. -Boom! Boom! Boom! The sound of the drums anesthetizes the soldiers. Within the reverberation that dyes their souls with rage, the soldiers'' eyes hold despair, fear, and a premonition of death. Anger swells. There is nowhere to retreat. Behind, beside, and ahead, there is only death. There is no place for humanity to retreat any longer. So, onward. If death awaits everywhere, let them fall in the direction closest to the survival and victory of all. After all, the march was meant for this purpose. Choose life over death. Rage over sorrow. Despair over... Madness. Give in to it. -Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The sound embedded in the war drum. And then. -"O, Almighty and great Five Gods, grant us protection... watch over us and defend us, grant us peace and safety..." Many soldiers cried out the names of the gods like madmen. -"To our enemies..." The eyes of the soldiers, intoxicated by fear and despair, glowed strangely. -"To the enemies of humanity..." In despair and impossibility, they could only seek the absolute beings. -"Death..." They prayed for protection. It wasn''t only those who had lost their reason, calling out the names of the gods. -"May Als protect us!" -Boom! Boom! Boom! Following the war cries of the Holy Knights of the god of war, a red aura began to pour from the sky, enveloping the vast allied forces. O god of war. O god of war who chose the Demon King. Please lighten our steps today. -Boom! The drummers of despair played the deathly drums, and everyone entrusted their souls to it. The commanders of each army raised their swords. Though they may break, they will not fall. All troops! They may be broken. Charge! They may have fallen. Ahhhhhhhhh! They fight. For they must survive. ¡ª--- Humanity pours down from the hill below. Monsters surge up the hill, streaking across the sky. And the heavens. Rumble! From the rent sky, a rain of deathly flames begins to descend. Atop the massive crimson crystal tower, a small girl reaches out toward the waves of monsters. Standing on the Arc Crystal, Redina speaks. "We can do this." Roar! Hellish fires pour down like lightning upon the monstrous tide. "We can survive." The little mage was summoning disaster from the sky. CH 543 The battle for Serandia Monsters spewed flames and lightning from their mouths, while humans unleashed bolts of lightning and fire from their fingertips. On the battlefield where winter had retreated, there was little difference between the lives of humans and monsters. Flames, impossible to discern whether they came from the monsters or the mages, intertwined and exploded in the sky. In the rear, artillery weapons crushed, burned, or froze the monsters to death. -Screech! A soldier, cleaved in half at the waist by a monster''s jaws, died without even a chance to scream. -Splash! Then, a heavy hammer struck the monster''s skull, shattering it in an instant. -Bang! A monster lunging at the hammer-wielder was met with a blinding white shield, its head smashed against it. -Bang! Splash! After pushing the monster back with his shield, the knight looked around, his hammer dripping with gore. -Groan! White light radiated from the knight''s body, beginning to heal the wounds of the injured soldiers around him. Yet, what good would it do to heal these wounds? Adriana could only watch as a soldier, whose shoulder was miraculously reattached by her divine power, charged at another monster, only to have his head crushed in its jaws. ¡°Huff!¡± The knights were the medics and assault troops of the battlefield. They were the ones who could heal critically injured soldiers, allowing them to flee on their own feet. Not only that, they were the knights who could restore combat strength by healing wounded soldiers on the battlefield. However, the knights also had to witness the most futile loss of lives they had saved. Their hope only intensified their despair. If they didn''t have the power to heal, they could simply focus on fighting after swallowing their tears for the horribly injured. But the knights had to save many lives and watch them vanish before their eyes. They had been watching lives disappear in this brutal battlefield, as they fought and saved people during the Gate Crisis. Why hadn''t they shed tears? They had cried out in grief countless times. But tears couldn''t bring back the dead. Wailing could only serve as a memory for those who had vanished. Only strength. Only fighting. Only this heavy, blunt hammer. This Hammer of Judgment, which she had switched to after realizing that it was easier to crush monsters than to kill them with a sword. This violence, which tore and smashed enemies, was the only line of goodness and the only justice in this cruel battlefield. -Splash! ¡°Hrrraaaah!¡± -Splat! Adriana, who had learned that there was no justice other than killing enemies, swung her Hammer of Judgment. Adriana was powerful. Although not a Master Class, she had joined the ranks of superhumans through Moonshine, and her divine power to strengthen her body made her even more exceptional. Comparing the capabilities of ordinary soldiers with Adriana was impossible. But she couldn''t save everyone. She had witnessed countless lives, saved only to fade away. Through countless battles, she had learned that fighting while trying to protect others was futile. Fighting to protect others had often put her in danger as well. However. Still. Adriana couldn''t turn her back on those who had fallen. Just like when she had reached out to help a despised junior who was about to make a reckless attempt, knowing that there was no need for it. Adriana hadn''t changed. She couldn''t change. -Roar! ¡°!¡± The moment she saw the monstrous creature, as large as a bison, charging towards the fallen soldier with its dark, gleaming fangs, Adriana was already standing in its way, blocking its path to the soldier. - Thud! "Ugh!" Unable to withstand the weight of the charging creature, Adriana was flung back, tumbling across the ground. She had fallen. In the midst of battle, losing one''s footing could mean death before getting a chance to stand back up. Gulping for air from the impact transmitted through her shield, Adriana saw the monster lunging at her with its maw wide open, aiming straight for her neck. She hadn''t regained her proper stance, she couldn''t offer her neck, and her weapon was lost. Adriana thrust her right arm into the monster''s gaping maw. - Crunch! "Argh...ugh!" - Crackle! Crackle! Her plate armor crumpled pathetically. - Creak! Creak! Despite the divine protection imbued in her armor, the monster''s teeth tore into Adriana''s right arm without resistance. Adriana was strong, but monsters were unpredictable in their strength. Some were pathetically weak, but others could pierce through armor with divine protection and Magic Body Strengthening just by biting. At this rate, her arm would be ripped off, and her life would follow. "Ugh...!" - Thump! Even as she lay on the ground, with the monster crushing her arm in real time before her eyes. - Thump! Thump! - Crackle! Crackle! Adriana relentlessly bashed the monster''s head with her shield, which hung on her left arm. It was a battle of whether her arm would break first or the monster''s head. - Crack! "Ugh... Aaah...!" - Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thud! - Gasp...ack... One side of the monster''s head shattered, and its body went limp. Adriana tried to pry open the jaws of the monster that, even in death, refused to let go of her arm. There was more than one enemy. She had to get up. If she didn''t, she would die. Adriana desperately tried to pry open the jaws of the dead monster that seemed to have clenched even tighter. No one would be concerned for her. On the battlefield, everyone was essentially alone. The soldier Adriana had saved had already been bitten in the neck by another monster, blood spurting from the wound, rendering her previous efforts futile. Countless people fought together, but most were preoccupied with their own survival. Those who fought to protect others, like Adriana, were few and far between. - Roar! And then, before Adriana could extract her arm from the monster''s mouth, she saw another monster charging across the battlefield. It was roughly six meters in size. A common soldier couldn''t handle it. It wasn''t coming specifically for her, but with every step, dozens of soldiers were sent flying, crushed beneath its feet. The monster''s path went straight through her. "Ah...ugh! Ugh!" She had to somehow open the jaws of the dead monster to get out of the incoming monster''s path or find a way to counter it. It would be too late at this rate. Should she sacrifice her arm? Losing an arm was better than dying. But how could she cut off her arm in this situation? The monster was already upon her. And as Adriana gritted her teeth, preparing to strike her own elbow with the sharp edge of the shield she had used to crush the monster''s head. - Fizzzz! A spark, akin to lightning, flashed in midair, and something appeared. What emerged from the spatial displacement was a colossal metallic gray mass, comparable in size to a giant. Whoosh! Splash! Adriana stared blankly as the giant''s head collided with the massive gray metal, shattering it into pieces. "Golem..." A giant iron golem appeared and began to trample and crush the monsters. It''s a golem! The Archduke''s golem! Adriana''s life had been saved by the appearance of the golem, and as the other soldiers witnessed the giant golem fighting alongside them on the battlefield, they cheered. Archduke of Saint Owan. Despite his disgrace due to his youngest daughter''s betrayal, no one could deny the skill of the Archduke and the mages of Saint Owan Duchy. In fact, the Archduke, who had participated in the Great Demon War, now used the golem that once trampled demons to crush the monsters emerging from the Gate. Screech! Growl! Adriana watched the golems fighting valiantly in front of her, as she wrenched open a monster''s jaws with her shield. "Ugh...ugh!" She could feel her right arm''s bone completely shattered. Moan! Adriana could heal herself just as she could heal others. With her healed arm, Adriana picked up her fallen hammer and stood up. The Duchy''s golem fought alongside them. The iron golem battled the massive monsters, devastating the battlefield as befitted its huge form. Adriana chased after the iron golem, running. As she ran, she muttered a prayer. "O gods." The young priestess spoke. "The five great gods." "With these tears." "With this blood." "With so many tears." "With so much blood." "What exactly do you wish to accomplish?" In her despair, amidst the blood of monsters and humans, Adriana cried out, her eyes still alive. How beautiful must the paradise created from tears and blood be? Why do the gods desire so much death and tears? Thud! Staring blankly at the battlefield, Adriana struggled to set her bloodstained hammer down amidst the piles of flesh from the fallen and crushed monsters. Clang! Crash! The giant golem swept across the battlefield, opening a path so quickly that the sky suddenly darkened and something fell to the ground like an arrow. Growl "A...dragon...?" A monster with a pair of wings, a massive body, and a lizard-like head. The creature was already three times larger than the huge iron golem, and its impact on the ground caused numerous soldiers and monsters to stagger or fall. The dragon, massive enough to look down upon the over six-meter-tall monster as if it were a toy, opened its jaws toward the iron golem. Roar! Rumble! Crimson flames burst from the dragon''s maw, pouring down on the iron golem. "Ah..." The iron golem, which had seemed capable of breaking through the waves of monsters and pulverizing them all, was turned into molten metal and disappeared under the fiery breath of an even more enormous creature. A powerful monster. A creation of humans, even more potent. But an even more immense and formidable monster. Humans are strong, but monsters can be anything. Adriana could only freeze as she saw the molten remains of the golem and the dragon standing before her like a mountain. Monsters do not fall into despair, but humans do. Adriana gripped her hammer with trembling hands. And she held her shield. Though it was hopeless, she could not fall. Adriana, clad in protective armor, charges towards the dragon opening its jaws wide to face her. Rumble! Seeing the fiery breath that had melted even the iron golem pour down on her, Adriana predicts the path of the flames and leaps to the side. Her small stature is a disadvantage. It might be impossible to win because of her size. But her size could also grant her a little more freedom from the monster''s attacks. Discussing the odds of victory is foolish. If every battle is a roll of the dice between life and death. In war, it is the fate of a soldier to eventually face death''s backside, as they must fight countless battles. Despite knowing that, Adriana dodges the ground-melting flames, and soon reaches the massive dragon''s jawline. She knows that the backside of death will eventually show itself. But she''s decided to fight. Just as she once offered salvation to those destined to die again. She continues this foolish battle. Foolishly determined. "Ha!" Reaching the monster''s face, Adriana leaps up from beneath it, using the dragon''s horns as a handle to climb atop its head. The heat from the dragon''s enormous head, even larger than her own body, was unbearable for any human, perhaps due to the iron-melting flames it spat. Squeal! Holding the dragon''s horn with her left hand, Adriana strikes the dragon''s head with the hammer in her right hand. Roar! There''s no time for doubt about its effectiveness. Even if she can''t defeat it, preventing it from spewing flames will save someone''s life. Even if they die next time, they won''t die now. That''s enough. She can''t do more than that, but if she can protect them now, that''s enough. Roar! Adriana grips the horn with her left hand to avoid falling from the dragon''s violently shaking head, and swings her hammer down with her right hand. Bang! Bang! Bang! Swords and spears wouldn''t penetrate this thick hide. Even most magic would likely fail to harm this monster. To kill a monster with impenetrable skin, Adriana abandoned her sword. She chose the hammer to kill such a monster, discarding her long-trained swordsmanship. Whoosh! In the midst of the disorienting shaking, Adriana raises her hammer. Bang! O gods. Bang! If everything is at your disposal, then what lies at the end of all this? O gods. Squeal! Five Gods. Spat! I despise you. Roar! The hammering of the priest who hates the gods continues in order to shatter the massive rock called a dragon. The world might not belong to humans. But at least, it should belong to the living. Not to these destructive creatures with nothing but their instincts. That''s not something that can be called a world. "Raaaaaaaaaaah!" Towards the out-of-order beings. Towards the beasts of destruction that lack the path of a living being. An intense white light wraps around the hammer that Adriana raises high toward the sky. To annihilate the out-of-order beings. Towards the beast, no different from a machine that lacks the concept of order. Adriana strikes down with her hammer, filled with pure hatred. Squeak! As the hammer comes crashing down, a white bolt of lightning pierces through the sky and penetrates the dragon''s head. Roar! The dragon, which had raised its head with a sound like a dying scream, collapses along with its massive body. Grumble... "Haa... Haa... Haa..." Adriana lands just before the monster''s head touches the ground, staring in disbelief at what she has just done. She cannot understand what has happened. But the monster is dead, its head pierced right in the center by the hammer. It had fallen to a pitiful weapon that, though heavy, was nothing more than a toothpick compared to the monster''s massive body. "Haa... Haa..." Catching her breath, Adriana looks at herself as if she had just performed a miracle and meets the gaze of countless soldiers. -Ohhh... -By the Five Gods... Feeling something from Adriana, who is surrounded by the white light that signifies divine proof, the soldiers show reverence to the divine even in the midst of this brutal battle. Is it a miracle? Is this what they call a miracle? Adriana stares blankly at the sky above the battlefield. The fight is not over just because a giant monster has died. Such miracles happen frequently on battlefields, and countless tragedies unfold beyond measure. As long as the end of the war does not arrive, these monsters will continue to appear. Is there really an end to this fight, where countless creatures like this emerge? A desperate battlefield filled with waves of monsters, fire, lightning, and cold. Is there truly an exit in this hell where slaughter is everywhere? Adriana, who has slain the dragon, falls into despair. Seeing similar-sized or even larger monsters surging in, one can only fall into despair. How many more miracles are needed? Will it ever end? Lost in the despair that follows the miracle, Adriana becomes dazed. The end of this hell. Anyone will do. The conclusion of this hell. Witnessing death, both killing and being killed, is increasingly exhausting. The end of this world. The final destination of pain, despair, and fear. Bring it forth. -Boom! -Ku-ku-ku-boom! From afar. Adriana sees dozens of flashes crossing the battlefield. -Swoosh! -Crack! Those dozens of beams of light cut through, crush, and shatter every monster they touch, racing past the soldiers like arrows. They are not mere flashes. Beings imbued with blue mana throughout their bodies. Superhumans among superhumans. The strongest of mankind, who have reached the Master Class, are coming. Among those beams of light, Adriana sees one of them rushing past her, grazing her. Dozens of flashes trample over the corpse of the dragon that Adriana had brought down. One of those flashes. "...Ellen." Ellen Artorius. Adriana clearly felt the gaze of someone with emotionless eyes briefly directed at her before looking forward again. -Whoosh! Despite being a person, the charge was so rough and agile that it created a whirlwind. The hero, Ellen Artorius, leads a guerrilla unit composed of Master Class fighters and breaks through the battlefield. Every monster in their path explodes, shatters, is sliced, and trampled, disappearing. That eerily calm and composed expression. In that indifference, Adriana finds a sense of relief. It''s no different for the other soldiers. The hero''s emotionless expression is neither flustered, scared, sad, nor overly confident. People trust the hero''s calmness. They place their faith in that composure, in that inhuman expression of the hero. Transcending humanity, a bizarre trust arises in the belief that they will accomplish what humans cannot. This trust soon turns into faith through the impossible feats the hero achieves. The seemingly emotionless hero. The one who will bring an end to all of this. Swoosh! Ellen Artorius leaps high into the air and swings her sword just once at a monster as large as a mountain. Slash! From her vastly elongated Void Blade, a curtain of darkness grazes the colossal beast, and with just one pass, it falls, spewing blood. Adriana had to risk her life to fight a monster smaller than that. But for Ellen Artorius, it seemed that one blow was enough to subdue a mountainous creature. Rumble! And then, the whip of flames pouring from the hero''s sun¡¯s cloak crashes to the ground, instantly burning and killing thousands of monsters. A calm expression, yet an intense power. Overwhelming force. The hero pierces through the waves of monsters and advances. Furthermore, the superhumans she leads cut through the battlefield like beams of light. Overwhelming strength. Overwhelming protection. How could people not find hope in Ellen? The miracle Adriana caused is a part of Ellen''s daily life. The monsters that Adriana could only kill by causing a miracle are slain with a single blow from Ellen. That''s why she is called the hero. Watching the hero and her strike force cutting through the waves of monsters, Adriana feels it. Though there may be no hope. It might be possible with them. If they are that strong, the end of this war might come. That''s why the hero inevitably becomes a matter of faith. They will destroy the Warp Gate. They will bring an end to everything. People believe that they will put an end to the era of sorrow and hatred. "Phew..." Adriana lifts her hammer once more. CH 544 Redina was responsible for providing massive magical bombardment support to the needed areas while overlooking the battlefield. The spot with a bird''s-eye view of the vast battlefield had always been Redina''s, where she had to decide whether to support a particular place based on her own judgment. The situation on the battlefield was always changing, and Redina had to make decisions on her own. She had to decide at all times. To help or not to help. Using telescope magic, she analyzed the situation on the battlefield and helped where it was most needed. Helping where it was most needed meant that some places would not receive assistance. She had to judge between important units and less important ones. She would leave some units to be annihilated while supporting more critical locations and more important troops. Saving some while watching the deaths of others was Redina''s job, and she had to make that choice every minute, every second. Her decisions were based on intuition, not the kind that could be reached through deliberation and review. The fact that her judgment could be wrong sometimes plunged Redina into her greatest fear, and it was inevitable that she had made mistakes. The power of the Arc Crystal was not infinite. Thus, countless situations arose where she had to turn away from someone. The moment Redina chose to exclude someone based on the battlefield''s needs, she couldn''t help but think of those dying because of her decisions, rather than those she had saved. Grrrr! As she spread dozens of shockwaves to neutralize the swarm of flying monsters approaching the rear base, Redina couldn''t help but watch the soldiers being crushed and killed by the falling debris of the defeated creatures. If she had left the monsters unattended, the artillery would have been neutralized, causing even greater damage. Nevertheless, the fact remained that soldiers had died due to Redina''s magic. "..." She might be known as the magician who killed the most monsters. In the end, however, Redina would be the magician who killed the most people. With a heavy heart, Redina looked at the battlefield. She had no choice but to witness countless deaths. ----- It was a chaotic battlefield filled with death and slaughter. Ludwig, too, couldn''t help but have his place amidst that death and carnage. Thud! Thump! Wrapped in blue mana, Ludwig was also killing monsters. A lot had changed since the time when Magic Body Strengthening had just become possible. With the optimized magic power from Moonshine, Ludwig achieved optimal Magic Body Strengthening, just like other Royal Class members. Even if he didn''t reach the Master Class, Ludwig was undeniably a superhuman. Gasp! He stabbed with his sword, struck with a pommel, and kicked. The smaller monsters couldn''t help but be neutralized by Ludwig''s gestures and kicks. In such a battlefield, Ludwig''s talent couldn''t help but shine. "Heugh!" Swoosh! He never tired. Having only the talent of stamina, Ludwig never neglected to hone that ability. However, not even Ludwig could face all the monsters. Grrrrraaah! ¡°Please, save me!¡± The cacophony of monsters'' roars and human screams mixed in a frenzy echoed from every corner of the battlefield. Naturally, not all were fighting. ¡°Ah, ah... ah... ah¡­¡± Some had lost their minds, dropped their weapons in fear, and crawled on the ground. ¡°My leg... my leg¡­¡± There were those who had suffered fatal injuries, unable to receive healing help and slowly dying. In this hell where countless people met their end, treated worse than dogs, Ludwig stood his ground, wielding the swords and spears of the fallen against the surging wave of monsters. Why must such things happen? Why must there be such events? Why must these people die so cruelly? Gritting his teeth, Ludwig does the only thing he can do since he cannot save the fallen ones: he kills monsters. That is the one unique good left in this world. The other good is the root cause of this situation: the death of the Demon King. But, Ludwig cannot face the terrifyingly powerful Demon King. That is the hero''s role. So, killing monsters. Killing the monsters he can, facing those within his capability, that is the one and only righteousness and goodness that Ludwig can enact himself. Some have collapsed, moaning in pain, others have lost their minds, but those who still hold their weapons and haven''t given up must be thinking similarly to Ludwig. They fight against the calamity because it is too bitter and unjust to fall like this, unable to let go of their weapons. From afar, Ludwig saw something leap amidst the waves of monsters. -Whiiiik! Something, a black sphere-like object, flew in and crashed among the soldiers. -Kuwung! It wasn''t a bullet or a shell; it was a monster. The monster, curled up like a ball, unfolded its body, resembling a scorpion. Where its face should have been, there was only a dark hole, brimming with pitch-black tentacles. -Kiiiiiiiaaaaaa! "Ugh!" From the abyss-like hole, a ferocious and eerie screech erupted, causing the surrounding soldiers and Ludwig, who was relatively far away, to lose their balance. The soldiers nearby began to fall, blood pouring from their eyes, ears, and mouths, just from hearing the cursed shriek. -Kiiiiiiiaaaaaa! "Ughhhhh!" In the midst of agonizing pain, as if his head was being torn apart, Ludwig gritted his teeth. Monsters were diverse. Some spewed flames and lightning, while others attacked the mind. It was impossible to know what form of attack they''d use, and some were so illogical. Even with their ears covered, the soldiers could not regain their composure as the shriek of terror seeped through, and Ludwig was no exception. -Thud! Crunch! The approaching monsters trampled and crushed the fallen soldiers. They were on the verge of being annihilated by this irrational assault, and Ludwig was no exception. At that moment, -Kiiiiiiiaaaaaa! With her wild, red hair billowing, someone charged straight into the source of the terrifying scream. Despite everyone else vomiting blood and dying upon hearing the scream up close, the girl with red hair seemed unaffected as she rushed toward the center of the scream. -Whoosh! She thrust her sword into the gaping abyss and twisted it. -Crunch! Crackle! The monster was swiftly dismantled and fell. The girl who had slain the monster approached Ludwig, covered in a blue aura. "Are you alright?" "Scarlett..." "Get up. We don''t have time for this." "Alright." Ludwig got up, feeling the lingering screams echoing in his head, and steadied himself. A talent called immunity. It applied to monsters as well. For some reason, the strange powers wielded by monsters had no effect on Scarlett. Neither flames, nor lightning, nor the terrifying force that dominated the mind. Scarlett was immune to the power of all the monsters, as long as they didn''t launch a direct attack. For this reason, Scarlett sought out and killed monsters that wielded unreasonably strong powers. Without Scarlett, even the formidable Ludwig would have had no choice but to succumb to death. She saved not only countless soldiers but also Ludwig''s life. However, they must continue fighting to avoid the next crisis. Before Ludwig could fully stand, Scarlett had already plunged into the midst of the battlefield. Monsters were everywhere. Scarlett''s immunity protected her from the strange powers of the monsters, but it couldn''t shield her from the physical strength of the monsters that grabbed, tore, and bit. Ddddddd The ground moaned. "An earthquake?" Now, monsters that caused earthquakes appeared as well. No. Ddddddddd! Ludwig, looking at the trembling ground that followed the growing turmoil and rumble of the earth, realized that this was not the result of some special power. In a situation where an unknown enemy could appear, intuition was most important. Intuitive and immediate situational judgment, and then action. When Ludwig realized that the massive rumbling of the ground was not an earthquake but something approaching from underground. And when he saw that the enormous rumbling had reached the ground beneath Scarlett''s feet. "Scarlett! Get out of the way!" "¡­!" Boom! Ludwig watched as a giant, grotesque worm with a gaping maw erupted from the ground, swallowing up Scarlett, along with dozens of monsters and soldiers, as it leaped out. CH 545 The cause of the earthquake was merely the vibrations caused by a colossal monster crawling beneath the earth. And that massive creature burst out of the ground, swallowing vast expanses of land in the process. - Kweeeek! As a result, no matter how fast or well-prepared they were, the gigantic worm that had swallowed soldiers, the monster, and even Scarlett in an instant, bared its hundreds, if not thousands, of thorn-like teeth and roared. Scarlett was swallowed whole. "No!" He couldn''t let Scarlett, who had just saved his life, die such a futile death. He had no idea how to confront this enormous creature. Ludwig gripped his sword and charged toward the giant worm. Scarlett, unlike other soldiers, could use Magic Body Strengthening to enhance her strength. He didn''t know how long she could endure, but she should be able to hold out a little longer than the others inside the belly of that colossal worm. Before that. He needed to dismantle the monster before Scarlett ran out of breath. The sword in his right hand was insignificant compared to the creature''s massive body. But he had no choice. Ludwig ran, watching the giant worm bury its face into the ground, exposing its enormous head and devouring the soldiers whose spirits were broken. He didn''t know how to cut it, but he slashed at it anyway. Determined to pull Scarlett out, even if it meant diving into the monster''s mouth, he charged. - Kweeeek! After dodging its attack, Ludwig thrust his sword toward the monster''s head. - Thud! "Ku...ugh!" It penetrated. The sword wasn''t useless. However, the overwhelming size of the creature made it extremely difficult. Could he dismantle the monster''s body by stabbing it all day? Could he save Scarlett, who was swallowed by the monster? - Whooooong! "Ugh!" As the monster lifted its head, Ludwig, who had been clinging to the creature with his sword impaled in its flesh, was suddenly suspended in mid-air. The monster was attempting to shake off the human hanging from its body with a sword embedded in it. By doing so, it had inadvertently blocked its movements, saving many lives. But it wasn''t enough. He needed to cut through more. He needed to dig deeper into its flesh and pull Scarlett out. Bloodshot eyes filled Ludwig''s vision. - Thud! Thud! Thud! He decided to do all he could, even if it was impossible. Gritting his teeth, Ludwig relentlessly stabbed his sword. If he had been a Master-class. If he had been stronger. Ludwig gritted his teeth, swinging his sword to save Scarlett before her life was extinguished, but it was all in vain. The truth was always cruel. What couldn''t be done, simply couldn''t be done. - Kuwoong! "Gah!" The monster intentionally slammed its head against the ground, shaking Ludwig off. - Kweeeek! It roared at the now vulnerable Ludwig. It seemed intent on swallowing the annoying insect that had been pestering it. At that very moment, when the monster''s terrifying maw was about to descend upon him. - Tukkak! - Kyeeeeek! A massive ice spear, thrown from somewhere, impaled the worm''s mouth, bending it backward with great force. - Bang! Crash! Following that, numerous attack spells began to rain down on the monster''s mouth, which had emerged from the ground without warning. The battle was desperate, but he wasn''t fighting alone. Magicians who had been monitoring the situation from the rear saw the appearance of the monster that required urgent intervention and supported him with their magic. - Kweeeek The worm was disintegrating in real time. Humans were never weak. Nor was the power gathered from the remnants of human strength. The last army of humanity was strong because it was their last stand. And then. "Move, Ludwig!" Ludwig heard Delphin Izzard''s voice amidst the screams of the monsters. When he looked back, there was Delphin, a bow in hand and string drawn. Just as a sword was useless against those creatures, Delphin''s arrows were no different. However, these were no ordinary arrows. The arrows of Delphin Izzard, who had awakened the ancient power of elemental magic, could never be ordinary. -Whoooosh! The arrow, condensed with the force of wind, let out a bizarre cry. As the arrow imbued with the power of the elementals was released, the space distorted. -Boom! With an explosion-like roar, the arrow was fired at the worm. -Blam! Ludwig watched in astonishment as the monster''s mouth was torn apart by the shockwave released by the massive force of the wind compressed within the arrow. In the midst of the scattered blood and flesh, Ludwig saw Scarlett, covered in the monster''s blood. She was alive. Scarlett, who had been holding on with a blue mana barrier around her body, fell to the front of the battlefield. The other soldiers who had been swallowed along with her were already torn to shreds, but Scarlett was unharmed. However, she was unconscious. The blue mana, the Magic Body Strengthening, protected Scarlett, but it was fading away. To make matters worse, Scarlett fell not in the direction of the allied soldiers but towards the oncoming horde of monsters, as if pushed away. "No!" Although the magicians'' support fire and Delphin''s power had helped Scarlett escape from the monster''s body, she would be torn apart by the approaching monsters. She was surrounded. Weaponless, Scarlett lay limp in the midst of the monsters closing in from all sides. Ludwig ran. "Ludwig! No!" Delphin cried out, realizing Ludwig was attempting a reckless charge. But Ludwig ran, gripping a spear he had pulled from a dead soldier''s body. He couldn''t face the giant monster, but he could kill what he was able to. -Thud! Bang! Crash! With a human body that charged like a tank, Ludwig made his way through. He stabbed with the spear, punched with his fist, and kicked with his legs. He ran towards Scarlett, who was being engulfed by the wave of monsters. Many had died in a moment of carelessness, a sudden turn of events, or an instant of injustice. Grinding his teeth, Ludwig picked up the weapons of the dead, discarded them when they broke, and continued his charge with new weapons. Delphin, realizing she couldn''t stop Ludwig, began to support him with arrows carrying fire, lightning, and wind. If Scarlett was swallowed by the wave of monsters, there would be no next time. "Get... away!" Hoping for help from the magicians would be the same as hoping for luck, but luck had no place on a battlefield filled with misfortune. Ludwig ran, piercing through the wave of monsters. -Crash! Even as Delphin pierced the monsters with arrows carrying the power of the elementals, other monsters filled the empty spaces. Stabbing, slashing, and crushing, Ludwig finally reached the fallen Scarlett and managed to lift her up. But it wasn''t over just because they had rescued Scarlett. They had to escape this hellish realm to survive. Naturally, they couldn''t deal with every attack. The only free hand Ludwig had to fight off the monsters while holding Scarlett was his right hand. -Thunk! Crack! -Squeal! -Screech! "Urgh...!" His pace was naturally slower than when he was alone, and his attacks were not as free. The mages were supporting elsewhere, and the soldiers were struggling to fend off the monsters in front of them. -Bang! Crash! Only Delphin''s arrows, which flew towards Ludwig and Scarlett as she approached to save them, provided any assistance. Without that, they would have already been swept away by the monsters and buried alongside Scarlett. Receiving support fire, Ludwig took one step at a time, kicking and crushing the approaching monsters, struggling to escape the swarm. But inevitably, Ludwig had blind spots. There were overly large monsters, but also smaller ones, which were relatively harder to spot. Just when they were almost out of the monster wave. Ludwig noticed a small snake flying towards him from the side too late. A small snake. Ludwig discovered it a little late, but it wasn''t that he didn''t react. "¡­!" -Thwack! Just before the small snake bit him, Ludwig caught it with his right hand. But not by the head, rather a little further down. If a snake''s head isn''t held, it will bite. "Damn!" -Thwack! A small size didn''t mean its attack was less deadly. The sharp fangs of the small snake pierced Ludwig''s Magic Body Strengthening. And then. "Argh!" Ludwig couldn''t help but groan at the intense foreign sensation invading through the wound and the burning pain in his nerves. "Ludwig!" Delphin, who saw Ludwig bitten from afar, turned pale. "Ugh!" -Whip! Ludwig swung the snake like a whip a few times, and it soon fell away, but the bitten wound was already poisoned. "Ugh... Ahhhhh!" Ludwig couldn''t bear the pain from the fangs digging into his palm and the venom seeping in, and he screamed. But he couldn''t stop moving. -Thump! Delphin''s arrow once again tore through the wave of monsters swarming toward Ludwig and Scarlett. From a distance, Delphin shot an arrow while watching Ludwig. ¡°Run!¡± Delphin''s desperate cry rang out. Supporting Scarlett with his left hand, Ludwig endured the burning pain in his right hand and moved one step at a time. Believing that once they reached the rear, they could somehow manage both the wound on his right hand and the unconscious Scarlett. -Crack! Splatter! Ludwig, ignoring the graying poison in his hand, broke through the wave of monsters. The small snake''s venom was clearly having a lethal effect on Ludwig''s body. No matter the cost to his arm. He had to save Scarlett. If he fell here, if he crumbled under this pain, Scarlett would die. Gritting his teeth, Ludwig stomped and jumped on the monsters, not relying on his unresponsive right hand. With Delphin''s support fire, he raced towards the path, soon escaping the swarm of monsters. "Ludwig! Are you alright?!" Delphin''s original role was to provide long-range support, including elemental magic, from the rear. But when she saw Ludwig and Scarlett in danger, she ventured deep into the battlefield. "I''m, I''m fine. We need to tend to Scarlett quickly¡­" "No! Your hand is in bad shape right now¡­!" -Whoosh... Delphin had gone too deep. Far too deep. The moment Ludwig and Delphin felt the sky darkening above them. A massive creature was already leaping towards them. "Ludwig! Behind¡­!" But in an instant, the monster that rushed towards them didn''t target Ludwig. It leaped over Ludwig and attacked, recognizing a more dangerous presence. -Thwack! "Gah!" Ludwig watched as the enormous wolf, with hundreds of eyes, jumped over the wave of monsters and his head, sinking its teeth into Delphin''s shoulder. The blue mana surrounding Delphin''s body shattered miserably as the wolf''s massive fangs dug in. -Sizzle! "Del¡­phin?" Delphin''s body, crushed under the wolf''s powerful bite, disintegrated before his eyes. Ludwig could only dumbly watch the death that unfolded in an instant. ¡°Run¡­¡± Coughing up blood and gasping for her last breath, Delphin Izzard mouthed the words with her final strength. Neither the power of magic, nor Ludwig, nor anything else. Nothing could stop the massive monster''s charge that happened in the blink of an eye. It was just a moment. Merely an instant. But that fleeting moment had taken Delphin Izzard''s life all too easily. CH 546 The Rear Area of the Battlefield. "Your Highness, the final inspection is complete." "We''re done here as well." In a hellish landscape filled with the screams of monsters and humans, the roars of battle, and the sound of drums, there was a relatively peaceful spot. Duke Saint Owan listened to Adelia''s report while looking at the massive mechanical devices scattered chaotically in the rear area. It wasn''t just Adelia and Duke Saint Owan. The mages of Saint Owan Kingdom were also busily inspecting the enormous mechanical devices, moving to and fro. "I''m uneasy since we''ve never tested its operation..." The Duke stared at the devices, which to an untrained eye, seemed like remnants of some colossal building, with a stern expression. "I believe it will function properly." At Adelia''s words, the Duke quietly nodded. Conducting research on the battlefield is an exceedingly difficult task. After deciding to join the allied forces, the Duke and the mages had been working on this long and arduous project, cutting back on sleep. Together with the girl who created the genius artifact called Power Cartridge, Adelia. Talent in magic crafting. The Duke''s daughter had also contributed to the creation of the Power Cartridge, but without Adelia, it would not have been possible. The Demon King, Reinhardt, had gathered Temple Royal-class children to create an impossible object. And in less than a year, the object was created. Moonshine and Power Cartridges. These were now essential supplies for the allied forces. The Arc Crystal that Rudina was currently using was one of the modified versions of the Power Cartridge. Duke Saint Owan had once denied Reinhardt''s idea. However, as the Demon King had said, those two items were created. As if he had known the future. Reinhardt had accurately assessed the abilities of the children. Then, another impossible task. Having created something small, now something immense. Something even larger than the world''s largest artificial object. With faith that it was possible, the Duke had devised a plan. The Emperor approved, and the girl who designed the Power Cartridge fully cooperated. The Duke proposed to accomplish another impossible feat with the child who created the impossible object, teaching her the knowledge and technology of the Duchy. And so, after countless trials and errors, experiments, and sleepless nights, it was finally created. "I hope it can continue to help us in the future..." "I wish for that as well, Your Highness." The Duke held a blue orb, while Adelia held a red one. The weapon was too powerful for just one person to activate. Duke Saint Owan, the head researcher. And Adelia, who could be considered the chief researcher. The artifact would not work unless both activated it together. "Activating." It was an artifact that had never been tested, as they only had time for inspections before the Serandia offensive. No, could this even be called an artifact? Rumble Pieces of the massive mechanical device began to float in the air. It was not a building, but a massive mountain that appeared to be rising. Crack! Sizzle! Sparks flew as the mechanical devices connected one by one. Clank! Everyone could only stare blankly at the massive body that interlocked with a heavy sound. A mountain rose. Amidst an enormous cloud of dust, the massive interlocking components soon formed one shape. A colossal golem, standing on two huge legs, supporting the earth like a towering mountain. The immense figure was so tall that even craning one''s neck back as far as possible, its height was impossible to gauge. Adelia gazed at the massive creation and spoke quietly. "Activation confirmed." "Since the activation time is short, we cannot waste any time. Deploy it immediately." "Yes, Your Highness." -Whirrrrrrr! The blue magic core embedded in the heart of the colossal weapon began to seethe with energy. -Fzzzzzt! As if gradually disappearing, the giant golem''s body began to vanish, starting from the tips of its limbs. The colossal golem''s body, enveloped in energy, was not vanishing. It was teleporting. ------ In the same rear area. Redina witnessed the appearance of something as massive as a mountain in the midst of the monster waves attacking Serandia City from the top of the Arc Crystal. Shrouded in blue energy, something revealed itself. Redina had already heard that it was about to be activated. -Whirrrrrrr! A golem three times larger than the largest monster on the battlefield. "Is that¡­ the Titan¡­?" The ultimate weapon of the allied forces, created through the fusion of Saint Owan Duchy''s technology and Adelia''s genius. The colossal golem, Titan. Incredibly, Redina could barely believe her eyes as she watched the enormous figure perform short-range spatial teleportation. No, actually, the distance the colossal golem traveled wasn''t short at all. It was merely due to its immense size that the teleportation appeared to be sequential, as if the figure was gradually revealing itself after melting into the fabric of space. -Grooooowl! Redina watched, stunned, as the magic cannon that poured from the figure''s hand crushed the monsters. -Groooom! The monsters not pulverized by the magic cannon were crushed and disappeared beneath the footsteps of the colossal golem. -Groooooooooom The Titan turned its gaze towards Serandia City. With each step, the Titan moved closer to Serandia. -Thud! The kneeling Titan aimed its fist, raised high in the sky, towards one of the warp gates spewing monsters, and brought it down with earth-shattering destructive power. -Groooooooooom Redina saw it. The small warp gate shattered and disappeared. Redina, as if discovering hope amidst despair, clenched her fists and gazed at the Titan''s might. It can be destroyed. Even by something not human, the warp gate can be destroyed. At least for now. "It worked! Cayer! Cayer!" Although it was not a laughing matter, Redina, having discovered hope, couldn''t help but exclaim in joy. "The Titan destroyed the warp gate!" Cayer was inside the Arc Crystal''s core, unable to witness the scene. "We can destroy the warp gates with the Titan!" She shouted, hoping to share even a bit of her joy. "Hey! Why aren''t you answering?!" There was no way he wouldn''t hear her, as they communicated through an internal communication system within the Arc Crystal. She shouted a third time, but still, there was no response. Then, Redina noticed that the Arc Crystal''s energy reserves were not recharging. "!" Suddenly, Redina hurried down from the observation deck of the Arc Crystal and headed toward its core. When the girl who descended the tower reached the central power unit of the Arc Crystal, she found Cayer collapsed. "Ca... Cayer...?" Redina''s face turned pale blue. ------ The Titan''s activation time was, at most, a mere seven minutes. Operating a golem of that size required an immense amount of magical power, and the Titan, facing a large-scale battle, could no longer afford to delay its completion and was hastily activated. Because of this, the Titan could only participate in the battle for a very short time compared to the overall scale of the conflict. But seven minutes. During that time, the Allied forces could not help but be awestruck by what the Titan could do. Even in the midst of the ongoing battle, the Titan''s prowess created a majestic spectacle that could be seen from anywhere on the battlefield. A monstrous wave. A mountainous barrier that blocked and crushed the wave. Soldiers, commanders, knights, paladins, and even mages. None could resist feeling a divine power emanating from the massive body of the Titan. It seemed as if the god of magic had descended upon the world in response to the priests'' call, crushing and trampling the monsters. Perhaps there should be an additional god added to the Five Great Gods. If the essence of magic could produce such a thing, surely magic itself deserved to be called the one true god of the world. All could not help but feel a divine presence, even though the crushing force before them was not divine in nature. -Whoosh! The Titan slammed its raised fist into the ground. -Rumble! As if a meteor had fallen, the ground shook, and the monsters were buried and crushed, visible to the soldiers of the Allied forces. But divine miracles are not eternal. -Crack! Crackling! The miracle of magic that had descended upon the world for seven minutes vanished as it appeared, wrapped in blue light. Seven minutes is a short time. However, the efficiency of time varies depending on who is using it. -Charge! Charge! The Titan''s seven minutes were enough to create a massive hole in the wave of monsters. -Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Intoxicated by the miracle, the Allied forces began to charge once again towards Serandia. The monsters had no fear, morale, or tactics. But that did not make them weaker, nor did it make them stronger. Only numbers and size. Those were the two sources of the monsters'' strength. And their numbers had been drastically reduced. So the outcome was inevitable. The Allied forces captured Serandia. ------ "The Battle of Serandia is over, Your Majesty." "It didn''t even last a day... Fortunately." I was listening to Eleris''s report at the top of Lazak. I could have watched the battle, but the place was surrounded by monsters and the Allied forces were nearby. I didn''t want to provoke either the Allied forces or the monsters into an unnecessary battle by clumsily surveilling the area. From the moment I launched a preemptive strike, I had decided not to intervene in the battle. So I stayed in Lazak, with only Eleris sent out. To be precise, I didn''t want to watch countless people die in a situation where I couldn''t even lift a finger to help. I might be driven by impulse and jump into the fray. And if that happened, the situation would spiral out of control. The Battle of Serandia was over. With this, the Allied forces achieved one of their objectives. "Also, it was confirmed that the Titan was activated during this battle." "How was it?" "...It''s hard to describe with words. It was like watching a mountain move." The Giant Titan. It''s a rare sight, even in Royal-class garrisons, and Sarkegaar was there as well. Knowing that the allied forces were working on a war weapon project, one of them was the Titan. Though the war did not focus much on security, magic was inherently mysterious. Therefore, obtaining information wasn''t an easy task. The collaborative work of Adelia and the Archduke. It wasn''t that I didn''t want to see it with my own eyes. The original work never described such a massive weapon. In the end, it was created due to variables. The capital of Saint Owan Duchy, Arnaca, and almost all the security forces in the White Palace of Arunaria had been replaced with golems. Heriett had gone missing, and the Archduke created a huge war weapon called Titan with Adelia, who had been his daughter''s friend. The Titan was one of the derived stories and developments that changed. It was incalculable how many resources the empire had poured into making it. "The activation time is very short, but if improved, it will play a meaningful role in future battles." "I guess so." It was a weapon truly suited for war. We destroyed the warp gates in advance due to our preemptive strike, so the allied forces had relatively fewer gates and monsters to deal with. The battle became easier due to the appearance of the Titan. Considering the power of the allied forces is higher than in the original work, and even we, who were not supposed to exist, joined them, it could only be seen that dealing with the gate situation is easier than in the original work. The war ahead would become increasingly difficult, but the situation would be better than in the original work. However, the incalculable number would still be the same. Just because countless people survived doesn''t mean the number of those who died changed. What if someone I know had died? What if someone had experienced something irreversible? "..." The allied forces had won. But, I was afraid to learn the reality of the allied forces. Above all, I couldn''t help but fear the news from the Royal Class. CH 547 In the southern part of Riselen, every warp gate in the large city of Serandia had been destroyed. In the end, the entire army, including the Titans, was nothing more than a distraction. Ellen Artorius. Saviolin Turner. If the forces led by these two were deployed alone, they would be annihilated within the monstrous waves. Due to the countless factors like magic blocking, including spatial movement, quick deployment and escape through magic became increasingly impossible. Thus, others had to draw the attention of the monsters. Weaker ones, those who could be replenished even if they died, would become the bait. In a cruel dichotomy, those who became bait held the attention of the monsters, which even Ellen or Saviolin Turner struggled to handle. They broke through the weakened monster encirclement and destroyed the warp gates with swift operations. In the end, both the bait and the core forces faced unimaginable dangers. Of course, the battle did not end with the destruction of all the warp gates. They had to eradicate the monsters that had already appeared, securing the safety of the surrounding areas before the occupation of Serandia could be considered complete. There was no rest for powerful individual fighters like Ellen. Even after all the warp gates in Serandia had been destroyed, they had to leave to clear the monsters swarming around Serandia. After a long and arduous march, they faced a dreadful battle and ultimately achieved victory. However, those who had fought the toughest battles still could not rest. The sounds of monsters'' cries and the smoke from burning their corpses still filled various parts of Serandia. ------ Casualties were inevitable in war. However, the Holy Knight Order, which had gathered all of humanity''s remaining strength, was also enlisted. During and after battles, clergy members had no time to rest, as they were constantly treating the injured. Those with the power to heal wounds, like Adriana, had to tend to the wounded without rest, even after battles. The Holy Knights could not only heal themselves but also others who were injured. However, not all wounds could be healed. To heal those whose lives were critically endangered, a priest capable of performing miracles was needed, and there were not many of them. Having the power of regeneration and healing did not mean that they could use their powers as if they were omnipotent. Countless people died in the infirmary. Priests had no time to lament their lack of power before moving on to tend to other injured soldiers, not even having enough time to properly close the eyes of the deceased. "Ludwig!" "..." "What on earth happened?!" Members of the Royal Class began to gather. "Your arm...!" "..." Seeing Ludwig''s right arm wrapped in bandages where it should have been, Christina stifled her tears and began to sob. The snake''s poison was lethal. It slowly petrified Ludwig''s arm. Treatment was delayed for Ludwig, and his arm had to be amputated to prevent the poison from spreading and endangering his life. However, what was important to Ludwig was not that. Someone was missing from this place. Though it was impossible to know who would not return safely, there was someone they knew would not return. There was still time to deliver the news that no one knew yet. "Delphin... she''s dead..." "What...?" Upon hearing Ludwig''s words, those gathered fell silent. A moment of shock. Then, silence. "No... it can''t be..." "He died... trying to protect me and Scarlet..." Ludwig mumbled in a daze. The snake''s venom was lethal. Before finding a priest, Ludwig realized that if the poison spread from his arm to his neck, it would mean death. So Ludwig cut off his arm. With his own hands. Carrying the unconscious Scarlett, Ludwig retreated to the rear of the battlefield in search of priests, his arm severed by his own doing. Unable to even take revenge on the monster that had killed Delphin Izzard. He had no choice but to turn away, tears streaming down his face, as the monster devoured Delphin''s fallen body and rampaged through the battlefield. He couldn''t lose Scarlett too, so Ludwig retreated. No, he fled. Scarlett sat huddled in a corner of a tent, her hands covering her face, sobbing uncontrollably. "Because of me... because of me..." The Royal Class students, witnessing the inconsolable Scarlett and the absent-minded Ludwig, couldn''t help but cry as well. Crying people. And Ludwig, unable to cry, stood still, gazing blankly at the ground. Scarlett had appeared to save Ludwig when he was in danger. Consequently, Scarlett fell into danger, and Delphin saved her. Ludwig had rushed in to save Scarlett, who had fallen in the middle of the battlefield. In the end, Delphin, who had ventured too deep into the battlefield for support, lost her life to a monster''s surprise attack. He couldn''t even fight back. Because he was weak. It was all because of weakness. "It''s... all my fault for being weak..." Ludwig muttered blankly. "It''s all my fault... for being weak..." Ludwig, having lost his right arm, stared blankly into the void. ------ There were priests who could perform miracles to reattach severed limbs, but none who could restore lost body parts. Thus, those who became physically disabled could not be healed. Having lost his right arm, Ludwig could no longer fight. He could force himself to fight using only his left hand, but it would be drastically different from before. A tremendous number of deaths had occurred, including those from the Temple, just as many others had died. The 20,000 deaths might not have been a significant loss compared to the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the alliance. However, the fights ahead would only grow more daunting. Nobody could predict how many more would die in the battles to come. Although the damage had been reduced thanks to unexpected help, in the end, not everyone could survive. There were bound to be casualties among the elite Royal Class students, just as Ludwig had lost an arm and others from the Temple had died. The scale of the battle was just that large. Those who had corpses left behind were fortunate because at least they could have a funeral. No matter how much time passed, some would never return. Accepting their deaths calmly was the reality they had to face. In a medical tent reserved for the relatively important, Redina stared down at the unconscious patient by the bedside, her face pale. The teacher who had once taught magic-related courses in the Temple, including magic sensing and strengthening, looked at Redina and asked in surprise. "Did you not know...?" "No... I had no idea..." "It seems Cayer didn''t tell you on purpose." "..." All Redina could do was stare blankly at Cayer''s ashen-white face. In the aftermath of the battle, the garrison was engulfed by an atmosphere of victory and grim death, and this tent was no exception. How much time had passed? "Ugh..." "..." As Cayer raised his eyebrows and regained consciousness, Redina bit her lip. Cayer had suddenly lost consciousness, and seeing his condition upon waking, he seemed to realize what had happened, his expression growing tense. "Did...did I pass out?" "Yes." "Ah, I did my best, but... Why now, of all times... I didn''t want this to happen..." Cayer had expected Redina, who was always nagging and pushing him, to lose her temper and create a fuss as usual, so his face turned pale. That''s how it had always been. Moreover, he had lost consciousness during a crucial battle and failed to properly use the Arc Crystal. In fact, after sending Cayer to the medical doctor, Redina had used up all the remaining energy of the Arc Crystal, rendering her unable to help any further in the battle. Naturally, there was nothing to say. If he hadn''t passed out, who knew how many more lives could have been saved. Cayer, too, thought that he was pathetic for passing out, and that Redina was justified in being angry. Yet Redina''s expression was unusually stern. Cayer cautiously swallowed his saliva, wondering what she would say. "Why didn''t you tell me?" "...What?" Redina was angry. But this time, it was a little different. "Teacher said that you would die if you pushed yourself too hard." "..." Cayer could not help but close his mouth at those words. However, Redina stared at Cayer and spoke. "Why didn''t you tell me?" Though he possessed a vast pool of mana and an extraordinary recovery rate, there were limits. And Redina, who could use up even the most immense power in an instant, was no exception. Cayer had collapsed from exhaustion several times. But Redina hadn''t realized that it had been at the cost of his life force. She was oblivious to the fact that her constant scolding, demands, and violent behavior had been consuming Cayer''s life. "Did you...really want to make me...such a terrible person? All you had to do was say something. No matter how insane I''ve been to you, if I knew you were doing all that...would I have kept acting like that? Why...why didn''t you tell me?" Redina''s lips trembled as she sobbed. She had only just realized, far too late, the wrongs she had committed and the pressure she had imposed. Cayer had never told Redina that he was dying. He hadn''t mentioned that in order to draw more power beyond his limits, he was consuming his own life force. Cayer silently looked at Redina. "It''s not just you who feels sorrow for the dying." "..." "If you knew this, you would have unnecessary thoughts during battles." He was only doing what was necessary to save someone else who would otherwise die, even if it meant shortening his own life. "It''s just...how it is." If Redina began to realize that the power she was using was not just simple mana, but a force created by chipping away at Cayer''s life, she would undoubtedly start to worry. Even now, some units were receiving support while others were being abandoned. From Redina''s perspective, if the number of people sacrificed due to the aftereffects of magic was deemed smaller than the number of people that could be saved by that magic, then that was the course of action to take. If Redina had to take into account Cayer''s life on top of that, she would have to give up even more. Just as Redina had scolded Cayer for the sake of the people''s lives, Cayer had also withheld the truth from Redina for the sake of the people''s lives. "I''m not going to die just yet." Cayer tried to speak without hesitation, while Redina clenched her teeth, her eyes wide and filled with tears. "Stop talking nonsense..." Their relationship as senior and junior had become deeply strained. Both were absolute to each other, yet they resented each other. "If you die, I''ll become useless. Your life is worth more..." "It''s the Arc Crystal that would become useless." At Cayer''s self-deprecating words, Redina''s eyes widened. "Why do you speak like that?" "You always said it, didn''t you? That as long as there''s a power cartridge, it doesn''t matter if I''m not there. That I''m just an efficient power cartridge." Their relationship, built on resentment and harsh words, had already crumbled. Anger, injustice, and frustration had turned every word spoken in excess into indelible scars. "It''s a good thing, isn''t it, for a lowly person who can''t even use magic to save lives by shaving off a bit of his lifespan?" Amid Redina''s harsh words, Cayer was not alright. He couldn''t be. Cayer''s self-loathing had already reached its peak. Seeing Cayer like this, Redina shed tears of regret. "I... I didn''t mean... I didn''t mean to say that... I didn''t know. I really didn''t. I was... I was bad. I was wrong. I was bad. I went too far with you. I''m sorry... I''ll apologize. So please, don''t talk like that... Don''t push yourself... I''m sorry... I''m so sorry... Oh... I''m sorry..." "Be quiet." "..." "Let''s just continue as we have been." Regardless of what lay between them. Regardless of how they thought of each other. "Like I said, I''m not going to die just yet." Now, it had become irreversible. CH 548 Bertus usually traveled between the Imperial Army and the allied forces. However, this time was special, so Bertus watched the battle from beginning to end. Despite the objections of those who insisted that he should return to the Imperial Army due to the danger, Bertus watched everything. He saw monsters sweeping across the battlefield, numerous spells, and the fallen monsters and humans. "6 minutes and 47 seconds..." And he saw the first activation of the Titan. Standing before Bertus were Archduke Saint Owan, the head researcher, and Adelia, who played a decisive role in the design of the Titan. Both had not yet heard of the incident that had befallen their classmates. "Considering the entire war, it''s such a short time, but it''s amazing how the situation can turn in just that amount of time... No, I wonder if that''s what war is all about." "..." "I will try to extend the activation time, Your Majesty..." Adelia spoke anxiously with a pleading voice in front of Bertus. "I''m not blaming you. It was great. No, it was brilliant. If the Titan is operated for too long and suffers fatal permanent damage, that''s a bigger problem. On the contrary, I think it''s better to operate it for such a short time." "Is, is that so..." "We don''t have the resources to make another Titan. If the Titan is destroyed, there won''t be a next one." It was a project that was no different from betting the fate of the empire. An enormous amount of resources had been invested in creating a war weapon of that level, which would never have been allowed even during the empire''s heyday. Because the fate of humanity was at stake in this war, it was only possible to entrust full authority to a magician who was barely twenty years old, even with great achievements. Regarding magical materials, the reality was that the empire now lacked the resources to create even a golem half the size of the existing Titan. That''s why, if the Titan was operated for a long time and permanently destroyed, it could not be recreated. Adelia, who thought that if the activation time was a little longer, more people could have been saved, couldn''t help but be depressed by Bertus''s words. Materials are more important than people. The Titan is not human. However, in reality, if they had to exchange a division of the allied forces for the Titan, they would have to do so. War weapons are more important than humans in reality. Bertus''s words that it was more important to keep the Titan intact until the end of this war than to save people by operating it for a long time implied a cruel logic that was both a harsh reality and undeniable. Bertus stared at Archduke Saint Owan, not the depressed Adelia. "What is the damage rate?" "About 14% of the external frame was damaged." At those words, Bertus furrowed his brow. "Is it that much?" It had only been activated for just under 7 minutes. No matter how fierce the short battle was, Bertus couldn''t help but find it distasteful that the Titan had been damaged so much. "The Titan was designed to be divided into an inner and outer armor. The Titan is in a state of wearing a kind of buffer frame that covers the core frame with an outer armor. As long as there is no damage to the internal frame, the external frame can be damaged as much as necessary and automatically repaired. You can think of it as wearing a plate armor that can automatically recover." "...Thank goodness it can be repaired." The golem was designed for long-term operation rather than short bursts, and due to its immense size, it was at risk of collapsing under its own weight. This is why the Titan''s exoskeleton serves as a practical buffer zone and can automatically repair itself. Upon hearing this, Bertus breathed a sigh of relief. It was a weapon project that had taken their all, and it would be a loss if it could only be used a few times. "Anyway, I hope both of you continue to maintain and improve the Titan." "Yes, Your Majesty." "Yes, sir!" Hearing their replies, Bertus took his seat. "Your Grace, please have a quick chat with me." "Yes, Your Majesty." Adelia left, and only the Duke of Saint Owan remained in Bertus''s tent. From far away, the howls of monsters could be heard. The occupation of Serandia was not yet over. It would take about three more days for the troops to have proper rest. They needed to secure their surroundings, ensure safety, and establish a garrison. The end of the long march and battle did not come easily. "..." "..." Bertus, who had suggested they talk, remained silent for a while, listening to the sounds outside. The Duke of Saint Owan was also silent. "Your Grace, do you think the Titan could have been built better if Harriet were here?" "..." "What do you think?" At the sudden mention of his youngest daughter, the Duke stared at the emperor. Neither smiling nor frowning, he maintained a neutral expression. Harriet de Saint Owan. It was as sensitive a topic as the Demon King himself, and even more so for the Duke. The Duke had to bear a lot because of what his youngest daughter had done. Neither the Emperor nor the Duke showed any emotion at the mention. The Duke was never very expressive to begin with, but he spoke even less after his daughter disappeared with the Demon King. The Emperor''s question. The Titan. And the presence of the youngest daughter. "I don''t know." That was all the Duke had to say. "I cannot say what you mean by ''built better.'' If you mean that it would have a longer operating time, more weapons, or a sturdier inner and outer skeleton, then perhaps it could be. However, I don''t know if we could call it better built if, as you said, it gets damaged after prolonged use." At the Duke''s words, Bertus laughed. "Perhaps the Titan does not need improvement." "If you think this is an excuse from an incompetent engineer, there''s nothing I can do about it." "Not at all. I have no reason to think that, do I?" Bertus leaned back, crossing his arms. "The reason I bring up such a sensitive matter is that I would like to give you all the medals you deserve." The Emperor clicked his tongue briefly. "I can give them to Adelia, but I cannot give them to you, Your Grace, or any of the mages of the dukedom." "I am aware, Your Majesty." The sin committed. Even though they might wonder if it should be considered a sin, people view it as such. The Titan wasn''t made by Adelia alone, but it would be considered as if she did. Everyone knows that the technology of the Duke and the Dukedom of Saint Owan was involved, but it will be seen as providing technology to repay their sins. The Duke wasn''t resentful or angry about it. He never had any interest in such things in the first place. "Only after the war is over can we discuss rewards and promotions. What meaning is there in having such a conversation now? But I felt compelled to mention that, even with such contributions, we cannot grant you a medal, and if people knew that one of the keys to this weapon lies in your hands, many would be terrified." "I see." At the Archduke''s indifferent response, Bertus blankly stared at the tent ceiling. "Terrified people do strange things. If used and gathered properly, an empire could be formed... But when people know a murderer lives in the neighboring house, they might gather and set fire to it." "Like how we invaded Darkland, regardless of whether they attacked humanity." "Whether or not the neighbor is a murderer, isn''t it possible they''d set fire?" "Similarly." "Whether you are a collaborator of the Demon King or not, people might set fire to your tent, to the Saint Owan Duchy." "The Allied Forces saw the Titan crush the monster today, and they know one of the keys is in your hands." "Your Grace." "Be cautious of terrified people." "I apologize that this is all I can say." Terrified people. Those who once revered the Archduke now fear him. Terrified humans drove innocent people into the Demon God Cult and slaughtered them during the cult''s raid. The Archduke is resented because the Demon King''s whereabouts are unknown, and the whereabouts of his youngest daughter who followed the Demon King are also unknown. The Archduke had no reason or thoughts to explain the many rumors. Until now, the Archduke has been a great help in the war. And today, he was a decisive help. But the weight of that help is too great, and people are now afraid of the Archduke. Titan. They will be afraid of what would happen if it were to step on the Allied Forces. Because the Archduke might have other thoughts. Terrified people, intoxicated with fear, might say or do strange things. The Emperor warned of this. There are no rewards. In the end, it is only a gathering of criminals. "You may return to the Duchy if you wish." "I must leave the key to Titan behind." "...Yes, it cannot be helped." The Emperor cannot grant the Archduke a reward but offers him an opportunity. The opportunity to retreat from this war. No one recognizes the Archduke''s honor anyway. Now it will even become dangerous. Thus, he offers the chance to retreat to those who would only receive fearful, contemptuous, or hateful gazes from others. The Allied Forces would rather welcome it. The Archduke, who created a dangerous weapon, would retreat on his own. Although this would weaken the power, and other mages would steal the achievements of Titan with their eyes wide open in the Saint Owan Duchy. What use is everything in the face of death? Material and intellectual gains are secondary. With a significant accomplishment in history, he can now return home, unable to gain even honor in a life-risking battle. From the Emperor''s perspective, who needs to preserve even a little power, this is a huge concession. The Archduke''s hesitation was brief. "Your Majesty, I know many people resent me." "I also know many people fear me." "Until now, how many countless angers, hatreds, and contemptuous words have I received from such people? I have never refuted, responded to, or explained their words." But it wasn''t as though he admitted to having a sin by not refuting it. Duke Saint Owan looks at Emperor Bertus. "I do not serve in the military to pay for my sins, and I have never thought that way." "..." Many people talk about the Duke''s mistakes, sins, and wrongdoings. But just because he didn''t refute them doesn''t mean he admitted to having a sin. "I don''t have even a slight sense of guilt," the Duke says confidently. "Unjust hatred and blame for sins cannot influence my decisions in the slightest. Honor exists within me, and I alone can judge whether it has been damaged." "Your Majesty, even if they hate and fear me through some delusion, I only act according to my honor and beliefs. I didn''t join the war to repay the sins of my youngest daughter, just as I didn''t create the Titans." "I serve in the military only because I believe it is right." "As long as the purpose of war is not wrong, I and my soldiers will hold our ground." "It has been a long-standing family teaching, and although not always, I only follow it." Walk the righteous path. Because he has deeply established the concept of righteousness in his heart, Duke Saint Owan says he has no intention of being swayed by the world''s words and principles. The Emperor looks at him quietly, with an attitude that cannot be denied as arrogant. As long as one doesn''t admit to one''s own mistakes, they are not wrong, nor are they sins. No matter what the world''s demands, one does not walk the path someone else tells them to walk if they believe it is right. That is the long-standing teaching of the family. This war is just. That is why he serves in the military, holding his ground with no wrongdoing or guilt in his heart. Because it is right. Indeed. No matter how the world looks at him, how it judges his actions. Wasn''t Harriet de Saint Owan, who followed Reinhardt, displaying the exact same attitude? "If that is your decision, I am pleased, but I cannot promise that I will be able to protect you and your soldiers." "It''s fine, Your Majesty." As if it was something he would take care of himself, the Duke showed no sign of disappointment at the emperor''s words. Bertus gave the Duke a chance, but he threw it away himself. It was a decision made based on his own beliefs, so if any consequences befall him, the Duke faces the outcome of his choice. Bertus feels there will be no reason for the Duke to blame himself, no matter what happens. "It seems our conversation has come to an end. I look forward to continuing to work together." "Yes, Your Majesty." The Duke''s business is his own. If one cannot handle their own affairs, they will die blaming their own incompetence. Should he be called a mallet? Or a person with unwavering faith and pride? The Emperor no longer offered any other options to this person who deserved to be called stubborn. From the start, he wouldn''t listen. A truly aristocratic attitude. Bertus found it strangely unfamiliar, having seen it after so long. "One last thing." "..." As the Duke was about to leave, Bertus called him back one last time. "May I ask one more impertinent question?" "Yes." Bertus wanted to ask. "Do you think you raised your daughter wrong, Your Grace?" He was a person who did not mix the world''s opinions with his own judgments. Bertus was curious how the Duke thought about his missing daughter. The Duke claimed he felt no guilt. Did he think that his daughter''s sins were her own and not his? Did he truly believe that his daughter had not committed any sins? Bertus was curious. "..." The Duke was silent for a while, his back turned. Finally, in a calm tone, the Duke spoke. "I might have raised her wrong." Bertus couldn''t help but be slightly surprised by these words, as he hadn''t expected the Duke to say that. "However, she didn''t grow up to be a bad person." But the Duke''s following words were even more surprising. "Ha, haha... Hahaha..." It was not something one should say in front of the emperor. It was a sensitive statement that could cause significant political problems in many ways. It was no different from saying that his daughter, who had followed the Demon King, was right. The Duke believed that what he had heard from his daughter was the truth. She would make the same choice and regret it if she were born again or returned to that moment, just like the day the sky opened. He believed her words wholeheartedly. He was convinced that his daughter, who had grown up to be someone who could say such things, could not have been raised wrong. "In fact... I think so too." After hearing that bombshell, Bertus laughed emptily and agreed with the Duke''s words. CH 549 Four days had passed since the occupation of Serandia. The alliance''s base was an odd mix of elation and celebration for victory, as well as despair and sorrow for the dead. Praises for the victorious and mourning for the fallen resounded simultaneously from every corner. The alliance had no choice but to halt not only to endure the winter but also to deal with the aftermath of the battle. The recovered bodies had to be identified, sent to their respective armies, and given proper funerals. However, Delphin Izzard''s body was not among them. From the outset, it had been a battle where far more bodies couldn''t be found than those that could. -Dagak After securing the safety of Serandia''s surroundings without properly resting, Ellen, Saviolin Turner, and Heinrich, along with the alliance''s elite, finally returned. "Rest, Heinrich. The alliance will spend the winter in Serandia," said Louise von Schwarz. Having reached the Master Class, it was natural for Louise to deal with the monsters and return only now. "Sister... Can I go see my friends for a while...?" asked Heinrich. Louise looked at Heinrich silently. Friends. He wanted to confirm his friends'' safety in this war. It would be difficult to handle even if someone''s death was confirmed. "Sometimes it''s better not to know..." But Louise stopped herself from saying more. She didn''t want to treat him like a child. Whatever had happened, he would find out eventually. What good would it do to learn about it later? "Alright, you need to see for yourself. There''s plenty of time, so you can stay there for a few days." "¡­Thank you." Death was everywhere, and even at the Kernstadt military command, they had to face it. "But, Sister... Won''t you rest?" At Heinrich''s hesitant question, Louise shook her head. "As a commander, I have duties to fulfill." Despite being directly involved in the battle, Louise had many responsibilities and people to take care of. Now that she had killed her two brothers with her own hands, there was even more to do. Louise gazed at the corpses scattered throughout Serandia and its surroundings, even noticing a strange, massive crater. Everyone knew something was off, but no one dared to question the high command. What were those traces? Who had caused the massive destruction that was already present when the alliance arrived? "¡­" Louise returned to the Kernstadt army base with her knights. ------ There were those whose deaths had been confirmed by sight. A second-year student, Delphin Izzard, had died. A first-year student, Cardina Ein, A-10, had died. However, even if someone''s death wasn''t confirmed by sight, if they didn''t return for a long time, they were assumed dead. That was the case for Ard de Gritis, a third-year student. Ard, who had dueled with Reinhardt, now the Demon King, hadn''t returned even days after the battle''s end. The third-year students, including Adriana and Redina, waiting for their long-absent classmate, couldn''t help but cry when they learned of Ard''s death. ¡°He''ll come back! He could be at another base! Why do you think he''s dead! He might not be!¡± ¡°Redina... Please¡­¡± As Redina shed tears of hatred for the world, Adriana also sobbed, holding Redina and choking back her cries. Adriana, who could not accept Ard''s heart, had once left the temple. However, though she couldn''t accept his heart, Adriana valued Ard as both a dear friend and comrade. His death was unbearably painful. The Royal Class was small in number, and most of them were skilled fighters, so there were no further casualties or missing persons. It was inevitable that there would be casualties among the lower grades. Three first-year students had already died in this war, and with the death of Cardina Ein in this battle, their number was now the lowest among all grades. Due to the small number of the Royal Class, the death of someone felt even more devastating. Under the guidance of teachers and priests, the funeral was held. Except for Cardina Ein, the bodies of Delphin Izzard and Ard de Gritis, could not be found. Ludwig knew from the moment he saw her die that he would not be able to find Delphin''s body. Finding Delphin''s torn body would be an even more horrifying task. Delphin, who had awakened the rare power of spirit magic ¨C a unique power in the world ¨C had met an absurdly tragic death. As such, no one was safe on this battlefield. Some wept at the death of someone, feeling the strange fate that they, too, might someday face death. Ludwig, with a bandage where his right arm used to be, stared blankly at the funeral. Scarlett, too, sat down and cried as she watched the funeral without a body. Hiccup! Ugh! Hiccup! Christina and Louis Ancton tried to comfort Scarlett, who was gasping for breath and panting. Scarlett was as miserable as Ludwig. Although the process began with Scarlett saving Ludwig, he lost his arm while trying to save her when she was unconscious, and eventually, Delphin lost her life. It was inevitable that Scarlett would blame herself for everything. Scarlett, overcome with guilt, even attempted to strangle herself in her dormitory, but Ellen rushed in to stop her just in time. And so. There were those who could no longer fight because they had died. There were those who could no longer fight because of irreversible injuries. Ludwig belonged to the latter group. With his arm lost, Ludwig stared blankly at the hollow funeral. Delphin Izzard. She was one of the first friends Ludwig had made, along with Ranian Sesor. Ranian Sesor stared at the funeral, where not even a body was present, with empty eyes. Everyone was precious, but some people were particularly cherished. Ludwig spent the most time with Delphin and Ranian. They had traveled together, and though they had their disagreements, they were ultimately the most precious people to him. He had lost one of them. Because he was weak. He lost her because he was weak. Ludwig and Scarlett would have died in that battle if it weren''t for Delphin. In trying to save each other, someone had to die in the end. Ludwig stared blankly at the faces of the people watching the funeral. Heinrich von Schwarz, who had been transferred to the Kernstadt army, also attended the funeral, looking solemnly at the funeral scene. If it had been Heinrich, he could have saved Scarlett in an instant by destroying the giant monster''s waist with an explosion the moment it appeared. If Scarlett had fallen in the middle of the monsters, he could have obliterated the area and brought Scarlett out with him. No, from the beginning, the monster that oppressed the mind could have been annihilated with a single gesture. It didn''t need to be a supernatural. Even an outstanding mage could do it. This situation only arose because the mages'' support from the rear had ceased. It wasn''t the mages'' fault. They must have been saving people elsewhere since they couldn''t support there. It didn''t even have to be magic. If it were Ellen, she would have swiftly cleaved the monsters with her divine sword. It didn''t need to be a hero with a divine sword. If only he had reached the Master Class. If he could have just imbued his sword with aura or resisted a little longer. It wasn''t the fault of those who didn''t help. Someone died and another was injured trying to save him, so it was all his fault. Because he was weak. Being weak is a sin. Not wielding violence in a battlefield where violence prevails means that the scale of violence he could exert was far too weak to protect anything. Thus, it is a sin. Everything is my fault. Ludwig looks at his empty right arm. Being weak is a sin. Now, even weaker. "..." Without a right arm, Ludwig can still use his Magic Body Strengthening, but he can''t do everything he''s learned and experienced as well as before. He lost because he was weak, and now weaker, he will lose even more. No, now it may even be impossible to participate in battle. Is this the end? He had endured the misery of running away and turning a blind eye to his friend''s death to save his friend. Must he become even more miserable? He tried, but it couldn''t be helped. This is my limit. It''s over because I lost my arm. Now it''s the end. No. Is that really true? Suddenly. Ludwig recalls a phrase he heard long ago. "Doing your best is like preparing an excuse for defeat. Even though I worked hard. I''ll do better next time. Isn''t it creating a way to escape for the defeated self?" The root cause of this whole situation. The days when he thought that guy was just a hard worker. Perhaps, those days when he could even say he admired him. On the day he asked for guidance, fearing a disadvantage in the tournament, the Demon King had said that. Ludwig didn''t know whether the Demon King was hiding his power or not. Revenge for all this was not his to take. It''s the world where there are many more outstanding people than himself. Killing monsters was the only thing allowed, and the only thing he could do, but he couldn''t even do that and lost Delphin and his right arm. The Demon King is a hateful existence, and if he could, he would wish for a chance to take revenge on himself, but he doesn''t hope for that. He hates the Demon King. But those words back then. The truth was not to make excuses prepared for defeat. It''s over because I lost my arm. I am limited. I can''t do any more. Nothing will improve with those words. Believe, even if you don''t get the results, he said. Fight with the determination to win, even if you lose, he said. Only then will a slightly better result come out, he said. Those words, no matter who the Demon King is, cannot be wrong. So what if the right arm is gone? There''s still the left arm. He lost Delphin, but if he gives up now, someone else will be lost and he''ll have to wallow in another sense of helplessness. Ludwig takes his eyes off the funeral and stands up. Then, he headed for the armory, grasping the sword in his left hand. It was an unfamiliar sensation. Without his right arm, his body''s balance was off. He wasn''t sure if he could fight with just his left arm. ''Well then...'' There was no need for words of effort. ''Reinhardt.'' Ludwig, who awkwardly held the cold and sharp sword, aimed it at the empty air. At some point, he had returned to that mindset. To think that someone like me. Someone of my level. All I can do is. Merely this much. He had reverted to the mindset of a loser who lived with the mentality of defeat. As his mindset weakened, he had truly become weak. In the face of great despair and terrifying beings, Ludwig had regressed to the mindset of his past, when he sought only small satisfactions. That''s why he was weak. He knew he couldn''t become strong just by the size of his mindset, but with a small mindset, he could only gain a small amount of power. In that case, he should think bigger. Different from before. Even if the outcome was predetermined, he should aim for something more grandiose. He may not be able to do everything, but he must think he can do anything. The root cause of all this. All this sorrow and hatred, as well as the symbol of despair. He would discard even the thoughts he had given up on, thinking they were Ellen''s role. Having lost his right arm and left only with the left, Ludwig made up his mind. He might not be able to face the Demon King. He might not be able to reach the one who had become a being above the heavens. Following the words from that time, urging him to make a vow for victory, not excuses for defeat, such excuses were impossible. No, it wasn''t even defeat. It was an excuse for running away, as he didn''t even think he could fight. He would discard such excuses, such cowardice, and resignation. ''I will...'' While recalling the Demon King''s words. ''No.'' While recalling the Demon King''s teachings. ''I will.'' Ludwig vowed. ''I will kill you.'' ------ As Ludwig, avoiding the funeral, grasped the sword in his left hand and vowed not to give up, Ellen sat blankly in the barracks. She couldn''t help but learn about the deaths of her classmates and juniors last. She couldn''t help but return the latest, as it was Ellen. The headquarters had declared this battle a great victory. A tremendous victory. Not only did they suffer less damage than expected, but the completion of the Titan had also led to fewer casualties in the conquest of Serandia. If future battles went like this, they might even see the end of the Gate Incident. However, when confronted with the tragic events hidden behind the victory, Ellen couldn''t understand what victory was. "..." Someone would die, and such funerals would happen every time they fought. It was fortunate that fewer had died, an undeniable fact. But someone would die, and it was inevitable that Ellen''s acquaintances would be included. Unable to face the funeral directly, Ellen had retreated to the barracks. It wasn''t just because she was afraid of facing the deaths of her classmates and juniors. "If only..." With both hands covering her face, Ellen muttered quietly. Having witnessed countless deaths and protected many, Ellen couldn''t help but crumble upon facing the news of the deaths of her acquaintances. "If only I hadn''t been there... If I hadn''t been... It would have been enough..." She should have died. She should have been killed by Lydia Schmitt in the snowstorm at Fortress Epiax. Due to an extraordinary talent, she achieved the Master Class on the spot. And so, she survived. And so, this happened. If she had been killed there, she wouldn''t have pursued Reinhardt''s truth, and after exposing him as the true demon king, the situation would have become tangled and the Gate Incident would have exploded. If she had died in the fortress of Epiax, the truth would never have been revealed, and there would have been no misunderstandings. Not being able to trust Reinhardt was a sin. And thus, not dying where she was supposed to die was also a sin. If she had died in Epiax. If she hadn''t gone to the temple in the first place. If she hadn''t loved Reinhardt. If she had been indifferent from the beginning and never paid any attention. Or, if she had only said a word to trust Reinhardt. There were others who believed in him, despite the seemingly unbelievable situation. The son of the demon king who died fighting her brother. It was difficult to trust such a person, but if she had believed in him anyway. This wouldn''t have happened. All this sorrow and tragedy stemmed from her, and people didn''t even know that she was the cause. Scarlett tried to strangle herself, thinking that all of Delphin''s deaths and Ludwig''s injuries were her fault, and Ellen stopped her. She prevented her from ending her life in self-reproach. But Ellen, witnessing this, realized that she was experiencing an even greater self-reproachful impulse than Scarlett. Due to an overwhelming sense of guilt, Ellen eventually came to such thoughts. It would have been better if someone like me hadn''t been born. If I hadn''t been born, none of this would have happened, so perhaps my very existence is a mistake. "If only... If only I didn''t exist... I shouldn''t have existed..." Despite stopping Scarlett''s self-reproach, Ellen cried out in her own unending self-reproach, alone in the barracks. The demon king, the hero, the emperor, the princess. Everyone believed that they were the ones who turned the hourglass of destruction. As the war intensified, self-reproach could only deepen. ------ It felt as if I had been hit in the head with a hammer. "It doesn''t make sense." I couldn''t help but be dumbfounded by Sarkegaar''s report. "Could it be a mistake?" "Your Majesty, I cannot pass on such information carelessly." The situation of the Royal Class that I heard through Sarkegaar. Ard, who I had a quarrel with at the beginning of the semester, went missing. To go missing was to be dead. And first-year student Cardina Ein had died. Delphin Izzard had died. Ludwig lost his right arm. I was afraid to hear news of the Royal Class, but I couldn''t avoid checking. Delphin should have survived to the end. Ludwig was supposed to die at the end, but not with an injury that cost him his arm. I was dumbfounded as I listened to the report. Someone''s death. And a fatal, irreversible injury. I knew that the variables made it impossible to know who would live or die. But to actually feel that through someone''s death and a fatal injury was a different matter. Could something like this happen to Ludwig? Delphin had died. Does that mean Ludwig could also die in battle at any moment? Or has Ludwig now lost his role entirely? Is it okay for that to happen? Is it because I possess Alsbringer that Ludwig has gone through this ordeal? I didn''t steal it. But ultimately, Alsbringer chose me. And because of that, Ludwig lost his arm. The one who was supposed to be the protagonist eventually remained in the background of the story and finally became unable to fight any longer. Have I taken too much away from him? CH 550 Delphin Izzard We weren''t close friends, but we were classmates, and ever since the deserted island mission, she had been kind to me. She was someone who was supposed to survive until the end, but one of the main heroines had died. It was such a futile end. Now that Ludwig had become incapable of fighting, there was a high probability that he would no longer be involved in battles. If, in the original work, Ludwig, who was supposed to lose his life, would survive in a place unrelated to fighting due to this turn of events, would that be a good thing? Since I''ve taken on Ludwig''s role, shouldn''t he be allowed to survive? I couldn''t know how Ludwig''s vacancy would manifest itself or whether, as it stood, he would lose his role in the war. Or perhaps he would still try to fight. But in that case, Ludwig would likely die with a high probability. Trying to fight with his left hand after losing his right arm would be foolish. I hoped he wouldn''t dream of such a thing, but I couldn''t predict how reality would unfold. I had heard the shocking news about the Royal Class, and in the end, I couldn''t be the only one to know. Harriet, Liana, and Charlotte ¨C their expressions couldn''t help but darken when they heard the news about the Royal Class. Upon hearing of Delphin''s death and Ludwig''s injury, Charlotte cried for a long time. To her, they were classmates from the same B-class, so she couldn''t treat their stories as someone else''s. Harriet couldn''t hold back her tears, and Liana was at a loss for words. But we couldn''t just be sad. We had to move on, and there was too much to do to stand still. We had to swallow our tears. I consciously tried not to think or mention the events surrounding the Royal Class. Although it wasn''t as if we had promised not to mention it, none of us brought it up. ------ The allied forces would spend the winter in Serandia. We could have resolved the climate issue, but Liana''s ability took a toll on her heart every time she used it. Since we couldn''t always help the allied forces, it was fine for them to spend the winter in Serandia. Not only the climate, but they also needed time to reorganize and regroup after the large-scale battle. One couldn''t forget someone''s death just because winter passed, but we hoped to overcome it. "For the time being, there will be no activity for the allied forces, so we won''t have any either." It was winter, and if the allied forces didn''t move, we wouldn''t have a reason to move either. It seemed paradoxical, but even during a war, there would be a few months of rest. The allied forces would take this time to reorganize, upgrade the Titan, and try to quell the shock, fear, and sadness caused by the many deaths. "Your Highness, do we not need a countermeasure for the Titan?" "A countermeasure?" "Yes." It was Antirianus who spoke. "Only the Lord of Tuesday has seen the Titan directly, but from what I''ve heard, it''s as big as a mountain and can crush hundreds of monsters with just one step. Isn''t there a chance that it could turn towards us?" "First of all, they don''t even know our location. Even if they did, would the Titan really be able to cross the ocean and come all the way here?" Whether the Titan was big enough to walk across the ocean, I couldn''t be sure, but it probably couldn''t. "Isn''t there always a ''what if'' in the world?" "Hmm..." Even though we''re helping the alliance now, it''s true that we don''t know when a war might break out. Suppose I have to fight a Titan. Me, fighting a golem as massive as a mountain. Just imagining it makes me feel insignificant. Come to think of it, there was a similar game. "I think it wouldn''t be bad if we had a weapon similar to a Titan..." At Antirianus'' words, I sighed. I understood why he would say such a thing. "You don''t just want something like a Titan, do you?" "¡­Well, isn''t it fascinating? A colossal golem that has never existed in the world before." Wow. Looking at the expression on the old man''s face, like he''s been caught, something seemed to come up from deep within him. Is this a joke? No, how can this old man speak of such things with the mindset of approaching a toy, as if he were a child? Has dementia finally set in? I had my suspicions, but is it true? "Harriet, can we make something like a Titan?" "If we have blueprints and materials, there''s nothing we can''t make. But we don''t have blueprints, and even if we did, we don''t have the materials." "What about using the existing Titan''s parts..." "Shut up, old man. I have no intention of making or stealing something like a Titan." "What a shame¡­" Antirianus seemed to be genuinely disappointed by my response. "If you suddenly steal control of a Titan and do something like that, I''ll make sure you truly experience the feeling of having your neck sliced by a divine sword. Stop fooling around." At my harsh words, Antirianus chuckled and nodded. You can''t trust this old man to know what he''ll do next; it''s impossible to feel at ease. "But Your Majesty, Antirianus'' suggestion that we need a countermeasure against the Titan does seem reasonable." Sarkegaar, who had finally returned to Edina, joined the conversation due to Antirianus'' useless remark. "Why should we fight something like that? It''s monsters without intellect that charge at things like that. We have intellect and can think. If a Titan is in front of us, we should flee, not confront it." "What if a Titan crosses the sea and comes here? We can''t abandon this place." "Why are you like this too, sister!" "No, am I wrong? I''m right, aren''t I?" In the end, Olivia also deeply sighed, as if she had a mountain of worries. Although we anticipate that we might clash with the empire in the future, why does everyone accept it as an established fact? But still... What if? Suppose a war breaks out, and the issue of mobilization time is resolved. Let''s say a Titan crosses the continent and attacks Edina. What then? Titans would have defensive measures as formidable as their offensive weapons, right? I can''t do anything like cutting down a mountain, and neither can anyone here. Do we have to smash it with a meteor? My thoughts shifted towards needing a countermeasure against the Titan as well. "¡­ Assuming we can''t use spatial teleportation, a Titan wouldn''t be able to come here either." The one who gave the answer wasn''t me but Charlotte. "¡­ Huh? Why can''t it come?" "I haven''t seen it myself, but the Titan is huge, right?" "Yes, incredibly so." "Could such a massive creature really cross the sea properly? It would be fortunate if it isn''t swept away by the currents and shattered. Don''t underestimate the sea." "¡­Is that so?" "Besides, we have merfolk." "What do merfolk have to do with the titan?" "Merfolk can manipulate ocean currents." "¡­Huh? Really?" "¡­You didn''t know?" I had never heard of this before. Charlotte seemed incredulous that I didn''t know. "I heard that the reason our journey from Edina to Port Mokna has been smooth so far is largely thanks to the merfolk. They couldn''t control the weather, but they helped our navigation by manipulating the currents." I hadn''t met the merfolk directly, so I thought they just caught fish for us, but that wasn''t the case. Charlotte seemed to have learned facts I didn''t know, since she was focused on governing Edina. The demons recognized her as the Demon King, so she must have been treated as my equal. Merfolk¡­ they weren''t just pretty faces. They could use magic-like abilities like the succubi. Impressive. I chose a good ally. Of course, it was my problem that I didn''t know what I should have known. "Anyway, if the titan tries to cross the sea and attack us, the merfolk will subdue it. It probably won''t be able to come via teleportation in the first place." Antirianus seemed to have considered capturing the titan, and Sarkegaar and Olivia seemed relieved that a titan attack wouldn''t happen. "Anyway, let''s prepare ourselves until the allied forces depart. We still have to consider what to do if they suffer a food shortage, though it hasn''t happened yet¡­" The allied forces need to manage a huge group for a long time, so they might face food shortages. If that happens, we don''t know how much help we can provide. While the allied forces are spending time on preparations, we need to find something to do. "Reinhardt, we need to strengthen our forces too." "Strengthen our forces?" It was Olivia''s question. "More like replenishment than strengthening. We used up many Death Knights during the Serandia campaign." Death Knights. Olivia, who could handle Kier''s divine power, could summon Death Knights. They were a significant force during the pre-emptive attack on Serandia. "Couldn''t you summon them anytime?" "¡­What?" Wow. I haven''t seen that expression in a long time. A genuinely disdainful expression. "Of course, replenishing the Death Knights is possible. We can summon them anytime. But ultimately, the base is important, right?" "The base?" "That''s right. Would a Death Knight made from Reinhardt be stronger, or would one made from that little weakling over there be stronger?" "¡­Stop talking nonsense, will you?" "Let''s get to the point. That weak little guy wouldn''t even be suitable for a Death Knight. Maybe a tiny, pale, frail skeleton would come out? It would be cute, though." Harriet squinted her eyes at the creepy sound of that. A Death Knight made from me. A Death Knight made from Harriet. I don''t like thinking about it, but the outcome would be obvious. "Before the Demon God Cult was under our control, some chose the path of becoming a Death Knight themselves. The Death Knight we saw before was one of those cases." "¡­Yes, that must be the case." Indeed, when we brought the Demon God Cult members, several Death Knights also joined. Integrating them into the Holy Order was no easy task, fraught with many headaches. The followers of the Demon God Cult had engaged in many unthinkable and outrageous acts, unacceptable by societal norms. Various measures had been taken to eliminate this noise. And then, a significant number of the Death Knights were purged during that time. Their ominous appearance was one thing, but their excessively long existence made it impossible to change their ways. "So the Death Knights I summon are either those without a sense of self or those who have perished." These beings are, quite literally, undead, with no other purpose than to obey commands. The Death Knights with consciousness were purged, and those that remained, who had lost their consciousness, had become almost machine-like. These were the Death Knights that Olivia summoned. The power of corruption, Death Knights who answered its call. "Anyway, Death Knights don''t just come out of the ground. Well, they do come out of the ground, but if ten of them were used up today, that''s it. They''re gone." "So, we need reinforcements, right?" "Of course. And naturally, it''s better to create powerful Death Knights." Olivia folded her arms and nodded. "Of course, it''s not impossible to create Death Knights by force with Kier''s power, but it''s better to have excellent basic conditions." My sister. She''s starting to sound no different than an evil dark mage. "So we need good ingredients?" Whether it''s the right term or not, if it''s not ingredients, what is it? It''s just a bit creepy since it refers to corpses. "Surely you''re not planning to use the dead from the Serandia campaign as material... to create Death Knights...?" Harriet looked at Olivia with a disgusted expression. The others'' expressions were not much different from Harriet''s. Even Antirianus stared at Olivia with his mouth wide open, which said it all. What a genius idea! They were astonished and puzzled. Many people had died. And many of them were exceptional. It was obvious that using their corpses as material would create outstanding Death Knights. But wasn''t that too cruel, regardless of whether it was possible or not? "Well, I did consider that, but I think it''s going to be difficult." She was planning to do it if it was possible... "First of all, it''s crazy to perform the ritual to create Death Knights in a place swarming with allied forces. And they probably won''t be able to bury that many corpses, so they''ll inevitably cremate them, right? What do you think, Sir Sarkegaar?" Sarkegaar showed no reaction to being called "sir." It was as if he didn''t care. But isn''t Sarkegaar currently in the form of a lady? Why is my sister always so twisted? "Actually, that''s what''s happening. Most are choosing cremation for the funerals. There are cases where corpses are sent to the imperial capital for burial, but it''s rare." Sarkegaar''s confirmation prompted Olivia to nod her head. "How could I raise the ashes of the burnt corpses? It''s possible if forced, but the result would be weak and uncertain. Anyway, I can''t risk my life doing that in a place constantly garrisoned by both the allied forces and the Holy Knights." "That''s true..." Amidst the grieving for the dead, the deceased rise as Death Knights? And there''s someone who would do that? It''s no different than advertising for someone to kill her. Given the environment of the alliance''s garrison, which is forced to resort to cremation, and the excessive number of people, creating Death Knights could be a dangerous endeavor. That''s why it''s impossible to do such a thing in Serandia. "So, do you have a place in mind?" Where on earth does she plan to find the materials, regardless of whether it''s possible or not? At my question, Olivia grins. "The royal mausoleum." What? What did I just hear? "There are many war heroes and great figures resting there. Let''s raise a few and put them to use." "Wha-What?! What on earth are you saying?!" Charlotte''s complexion turns pale as she jumps to her feet. "Well, who would want to raise weak and useless royalty or the imperial dukes? I''m talking about raising the helpful ones." "But still! That''s... that''s just...!" Charlotte''s face grows increasingly pale, unable to accept the idea. "Ugh..." This is like... If you think about it... It''s like looting a war memorial... That kind of story? Not exactly looting, but something more malicious... that kind of... At Charlotte''s horror, Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "Come on, the end of humanity is near, so what difference do heroes or great figures make? They should spring up when called. They''d even be happy about it. Where else can they find the glory of saving humanity even after death? They should be grateful to me." "Crazy... woman..." Harriet shook her head in disgust. CH 551 The royal mausoleum is not only the final resting place for royalty. It is also where those who have achieved great accomplishments worthy of being buried alongside the royals are laid to rest. Being interred in the royal mausoleum, despite not being a royal, signifies tremendous honor and recognition of one''s contributions to the empire. As such, those buried here are inevitably great heroes or renowned figures from history. In conclusion, Olivia''s suggestion to loot the mausoleum to bolster the Death Knights is, in terms of practicality, the best choice. Assuming it is successful, it is a much better location than battlefields such as Serandia. Replenishing the Death Knights is virtually impossible at the allied base, and as long as they avoid being seen at the royal mausoleum, they should be fine. Of course, Charlotte turned pale and trembled at the thought. "If it must be done... I suppose we have no choice..." As much as she wanted to protest against the idea, she believed she had no right to do so and sat down hesitantly. "But will the remains properly become Death Knights?" "I''m not sure, as I haven''t done this sort of thing often. But the important thing is, there are many heroes who haven''t been buried for long." Olivia grinned. My sister... My sister is frightening these days. "There are heroes who entered the royal mausoleum after contributing during the Gate incident, and even before that, there was the Demon War, right? Among the casualties of the Demon War, those who particularly stood out were likely to be buried in the royal mausoleum." "Ah..." "I suppose that''s true..." Charlotte nodded with a miserable expression. It was an era where heroes were bound to be numerous. Thus, Olivia''s claim that there would be an abundance of remains in the royal mausoleum to serve as material for the Death Knights was undoubtedly true. Countless sacrifices were happening, and they would continue until the war ended. The living are dying. But does that justify exploiting someone''s death? It''s uncertain. There''s no guarantee that this immoral act won''t lead to another. However, the necessity of it remains unchanged. No one could deny Olivia''s words that there was nothing to hide considering the lives of the living were at stake. ------ Should what we are about to do be called grave robbing? Grave robbing typically involves plundering the items buried with the deceased. However, we have no interest in those items and are instead looting the remains themselves. Morally speaking, it''s an act even worse than grave robbing. Winter. Just as the allies were regrouping, we too were planning to strengthen our forces by raising the remains in the royal mausoleum as Death Knights. To do so, we would have to leave Edina and head to the Imperial Capital. There would be three members in total. Olivia Lanze, who would be responsible for raising the Death Knights; Harriet de Saint Owan, who would assist with transportation and prepare for emergency escapes; and myself, to handle any physical emergencies. Airi could be helpful, and Charlotte even more so, but there was no real reason to bring them along. What Charlotte would see would be unbearable for her, and Airi, as a demon, would face constraints in her actions. "Tsk, I thought I''d finally get a date alone with Reinhardt, but of course, someone has to tag along." Olivia frowned as she looked at Harriet preparing the casting. "Without me, how do you plan to get to the Imperial Capital?" , "You could just leave us there for a couple of months and then come back to pick us up, right?" "Was it really necessary to take this long in the first place?" "You never know what could happen with people. Didn''t the alliance troops say they''d take a break too? I wanted to take a break with Reinhardt as well." Olivia smirked at me, as if to say that we could spend the time doing various things until spring arrived. What is she trying to say? "Considering the state of the Imperial Capital, I doubt you''d say that." "Hmm... is it really that bad?" "It''s not something I can easily explain, but... you''ll see when you get there." If we really wanted to rest, Edina would be better. The Imperial Capital was not a place where one could entertain thoughts of relaxation. The Imperial Capital in our memories was intact, but the gloomy atmosphere that pervaded the entire city had turned it into an ashen city. After all, we were going there to secure powerful undead. "Don''t talk nonsense when you should be careful not to incur divine punishment, sister." "Technically, since we''re awakening them with divine power, why would we be punished? If it''s a blessing, then it''s a blessing." "Why does this sound right when you put it that way?" Harriet continued casting, seemingly tired of the argument. That''s right. It''s not about incurring divine punishment; it''s because Kier''s power is divine power in the first place. It''s not punishment for raising undead with Kier''s power, but rather a blessing in itself, isn''t it? I''m slowly getting dizzy. "Let''s go." Blue mana lines began to boil from Harriet''s body, and soon, with a flash of light, we left Edina. ------ An alley in the Imperial Capital. As soon as Olivia arrived via Mass Teleport, she pinched her nose. "...What is this smell?" Harriet, who also had a weak stomach, retched as soon as she arrived. The alley was filled with a nauseating smell, a mix of rot, decay, and an indescribable sour odor. Even for an alleyway, this was extreme. Despite the cold winter temperatures, the smell remained potent. "Let''s get out of here." "Ugh, I feel like I''m going to vomit... bleh..." "No! Don''t actually vomit!" "If I do, catch it with your hands..." "Seems like you can endure it since you''re still talking nonsense. Let''s hurry up." The fact that she could talk nonsense meant she could endure it. I also wanted to leave this place quickly, as the mysterious smell was unbearable. Ugh! But then. The sound of someone ''really'' retching came from behind. "...Your Highness?" "...Is she really doing it?" Olivia stared blankly at Harriet, who was shivering with her hand against the wall. -Ugh, ugh... ugh! She was trying to force down the urge to vomit? "Don''t hold it back! Just let it out!" When I think about it, Olivia is from the streets. But our princess, Harriet, was a real princess, not someone who could handle such things. ------ "..." "Vomit girl." "Stop it! Stop calling me that!" At Olivia''s words, Harriet''s face turned tearful and her eyes welled up. It was true that I had exposed our princess to many hardships, but now, on top of everything else, I had to watch her retch and vomit in an alleyway. Harriet''s eyes were filled with tears, which she blinked away. Despite this, Olivia seemed concerned. When she gently patted Harriet''s back, Harriet''s eyes widened, and she seemed to feel much better. "Don''t underestimate the power of the Holy Order''s leader." "That''s not your power, it''s the power of the gods. Why do you act like you''re so great?" "If that power manifests through my body, why is it the power of the gods and not mine?" "Reinhardt, the gods must be crazy. They give their power to people like this. Isn''t that right?" Harriet looked at me, as if seeking agreement. "S-sorry..." "Why are you sorry?" "Ah, nothing... just..." I accidentally apologized. Oh! The gods must be strange because I am strange! Both Olivia and Harriet seemed to have developed a passive disrespect for the divine. Olivia seemed to think she was the amazing one, not the gods. Harriet believed the gods were mad. Anyway, we left the alleyway and entered the street. We wore our robes inside out, and Harriet cast a spell to keep passersby from recognizing us. We arrived in the southern Wenster District of the Imperial Capital. It was a place closer to the temple than the palace. "Shouldn''t we drink something?" "¡­Mmm." Even our thick-skinned Harriet would have cried and made a scene if this had happened in the past. Meeting that brutal person must have been hard on her. A pervasive gloom could be felt throughout the streets, but I decided to buy a drink for Harriet to wash her mouth. "¡­Damn, why is a bottle of water three silver coins?" Not only were there few places to buy, but the prices were also outrageous. It was just water. The price of water in the Imperial Capital had gone mad, costing three silver coins for a bottle. Harriet rinsed her mouth with the water, guilt on her face. "We don''t need to check the other prices." Olivia seemed to grasp the situation in the Imperial Capital from the price of a single bottle of water and clicked her tongue. We walked through the streets, seeing the hungry faces of the people and the clearly starving passersby. Death lurked in the battlefield, but here, death came in the form of hunger. It was winter. Fortunately, we didn''t witness it, but homeless people who had lost their way would freeze to death in the alleys. "This place is relatively better. The situation in the refugee areas on the outskirts is even worse." The Imperial Capital had lost its ability to support the excessive population. Yet, the empire had to maintain a massive army. Those neglected in between perished. "Why are people gathering over there? Is it a distribution?" ¡°Line up! Line up!¡± Following Olivia''s pointing finger, we saw people bustling in one corner of a square. We thought it might be food distribution, but it wasn''t. "It''s a recruitment office." Harriet recognized what it was. Security guards controlled the crowd from above, and above them, people dressed as imperial officers shouted loudly. Their voices were drowned out by the clamor of the people. "In the army, at least you won''t starve." Olivia said with a bitter smile. If they were going to starve to death, they might as well enlist. Dying by a monster or by starvation was the same. It wasn''t for a lofty cause, humanity''s mission, or dedication. Becoming a soldier meant at least not starving. Ordinary, expendable soldiers were replenished in this manner, and it wasn''t such an unexpected thing. Thrown into battle with no proper training in weapons, wearing shabby armor and carrying a single spear, they were mere cannon fodder. These people would avoid starvation only to be endlessly replenished and sent to their deaths. "If we do our job right, the war will end sooner, and that''ll be good for them too. Let''s not waste our time looking elsewhere and focus on where we need to go." At Olivia''s words, Harriet and I follow her lead. Her words were optimistic, yet eerily cold and calculated. But that was the reality of the situation. "Sis... this is kind of scary." "If crying could end all of this, I''d cry for everyone in the world. But that''s not the case, is it?" "..." Nothing could be resolved by shedding tears, so we didn''t cry. Just as I had changed, just as Liana had changed, Olivia had changed too. ------ The royal mausoleum housed the graves of not only the royal ancestors but also the great heroes and prominent figures who had accomplished extraordinary feats alongside them. Before setting out, we received ample information from Charlotte about such matters. Even though we claimed to have no interest in the royal remains, Charlotte had helped violate her ancestors'' mausoleum and facilitated the use of wicked power there. It was a difficult decision Charlotte had made on her own. We were crossing the bridge connecting the southern and northern parts of the Imperial Capital. To the north, the Imperial Palace Emperatos stood atop a hill, and to the south, the Temple was visible. The vast refugee camp on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital was not visible from the city''s central locations. It was perhaps better that way, as seeing it would only bring despair. "It seems things are serious if even the magic train is out of operation." "Indeed." Resources, including magic stones, were so scarce that the magic train, the core means of transportation on the Imperial Capital, was not in operation except for military and administrative needs. So we traveled on foot. We felt the reality that most of the empire''s national power was consumed in constructing and operating the Titans, as we observed the halted magic train on the Imperial Capital. How were they coping with the monsters that occasionally raided the refugee camps? It was better not to see and be plagued with such unnecessary thoughts. Olivia muttered as she looked at the distant castle. "Even heroes have ranks... Well, that''s natural, I suppose." Not every person who achieved glory could be placed in the royal mausoleum. Only a select few war heroes enjoyed the honor of being interred in the royal mausoleum. Generally, such honors were granted to the deceased, and very few living individuals had already secured such distinction. In any case, not all heroes resided in the royal mausoleum. "We could just raid the national cemetery in the northern part of the Imperial Capital instead of the royal mausoleum..." According to Charlotte, the national cemetery in the northern part of the Imperial Capital also contained the remains of individuals who had accomplished great deeds. It made sense since not all heroes could be placed in the royal mausoleum, which would be overcrowded. The privilege of sharing a tomb with the royals was not something everyone could enjoy. Therefore, the national cemetery was naturally larger in scale and housed more remains than the royal mausoleum. The Great Demon War and the Gate Incident. At least those who die in the two wars, the Great Demon War and the Gate Incident, and achieve great feats are more likely to be found in the national cemetery rather than the royal mausoleum. Strictly speaking, those whose remains haven''t yet decayed or who have a higher chance of returning are there. "It''s easier to enter the national cemetery on the outskirts than to sneak into the royal palace. I think we should try going there first," says Harriet. Olivia shrugs at Harriet''s suggestion. "What are you talking about? We''re going to both." "¡­ I thought you''d say something like that." Harriet sighs. "We need to use everything we can. Who knows? Maybe one of the famous heroes will wake up and help us?" The five hero companions. Ragan Artorius. Ragdina Olfi. Seijaria. Mullerun. Sheidin. Their tombs are undoubtedly in the royal mausoleum. "Of course, we''d need the assumption that the corpses are there, and we can raise them." "I can''t not go. I don''t know how helpful the undead versions of the hero companions would be, but still." Of course, it''s only possible under the assumption that there are properly preserved bodies. Charlotte made sure to tell us this. Ragan Artorius''s tomb is in the royal mausoleum, but there is no body inside. Neither Ragan Artorius, who fought and disappeared with the Demon King, nor the Demon King Valier''s corpse is present. Ragan Artorius''s body is gone. So, we can''t revive him. However, the other four heroes'' remains were retrieved. Although some can only be called incomplete remains, they were recovered. So, excluding Ragan Artorius''s tomb, the bodies of the other four heroes are definitely in the royal mausoleum. "Ragan Artorius is impossible, but for the others, we have to try because we never know." Olivia says that, looking at me as if she knows. "Can we call this revenge, Reinhardt?" Technically, we''re reviving those who contributed to my father''s death as undead to fight. "If it helps, it helps. If it doesn''t, it doesn''t. Is there a need for such grand words?" "Sometimes, you seem to have no emotions at all. Especially in this regard." Well, that''s because he''s not my actual parent, so it can''t be helped. If I were the real Valier, I would have hated Ellen, and things wouldn''t have turned out like this. But I didn''t say that. There can be no affection or attachment to the Valier Senior. We''ve never even had a conversation. But there is some guilt. Valier wished for the Gate Incident not to happen. But in the end, I was the cause of the Gate Incident. Valier Senior''s desire was forever destroyed because of me. From there stems a sense of guilt and responsibility. That''s the extent of the feelings I have towards Valier Senior. However, I couldn''t say those feelings were insignificant. CH 552 The Royal Mausoleum is located within the Imperial Palace. Infiltrating the Imperial Palace is almost as difficult as infiltrating the Temple. Of course, now that the Temple is nearly empty, infiltrating the Imperial Palace may be more difficult, but the condition of breaking through the entrance is the same. One must have a pass related to entry, and unauthorized entry is impossible. Naturally, entering through magic, including teleportation, is impossible. The warp gate in the Palace of Spring is inoperative without the activation artifact, and even if it were present, the gate is already broken, making entry impossible. Sarkegaar could change into a bird and enter the Temple, but I cannot do that. Strictly speaking, even if I could transform, I wouldn''t be able to fly. Even if I could, there would be no use in me entering alone. I can wield the power of corruption that resides in Tiamata, but I cannot control it as freely as Olivia can. Charlotte suggested several ways for us to infiltrate the Imperial Palace, but all involved significant risks and were far from perfect. It would be strange if Charlotte knew how to infiltrate the Imperial Palace without permission in the first place. Most of the Empire''s elite, including Shanafel, have left their posts. Even if we somehow infiltrate the Imperial Palace and are discovered, we may be able to cause havoc and escape, but the news of the Demon King''s return would be problematic for both the Empire and the Alliance. People are afraid of me. Just the thought that the Empire might collapse under the Demon King''s attack while I destroy the gate could send the Alliance into a panic. We came here to carry out a daring plan, hoping that no commotion would arise. Infiltrating the Imperial Palace is not solely my responsibility, at least for now... Not yet, since we''re not entering now. So, for now, we''re in a safer place: the National Cemetery in the northern hills of the Imperial Palace. This place is indeed an honorable resting place for those who have made great achievements. Not only those who entered the Royal Mausoleum are heroes. "It''s amazing." We were standing on a plain where the National Cemetery in the northern part of Imperial Palace could be seen from afar. It was more like a park than a cemetery, being a large, well-maintained area. The reason it remains intact despite being on the outskirts of the Imperial Palace is that monsters see no value in destroying this place. Monsters are not interested in corpses, after all. "Surprisingly, there are people coming and going." "They have to be here." Of course, there were troops at the massive entrance, and quite a few visitors were seen. They could be family members or people who came to comfort the deceased warriors. No matter how difficult life is, there must be those who come to pay their respects. In fact, there might be even more visitors during such times. People mourning, remembering, and grieving for the dead. We came here to steal corpses from them. Anyone can come to pay their respects, and anyone can be in this place. There are troops and gatekeepers, but one doesn''t need a special status to enter here. That''s why we were able to enter the National Cemetery without any hindrance, just like the others who came and went freely. It''s more like a massive park than a cemetery. The Royal Mausoleum is, of course, a place where only royalty can enter, while this place is open to the public. One might wonder what the point of having such a massive park-like National Cemetery is for those struggling to survive. Perhaps it was fortunate that the foundation of the royal capital had not crumbled enough for outright tomb raiding to occur in this place. Given that it was a burial site, the people passing by maintained a somber demeanor, regardless of their appearances. As they entered, they did not immediately find a dense collection of tombs, but instead discovered a map indicating various spaces designated for memorial purposes. Looking at the map, Olivia crossed her arms. "The area is divided into sections. It seems the cemetery has been expanded to the east. There''s a section specifically for the fallen soldiers." The areas accessible to them differed according to the level of their achievements. Some were buried in outdoor tombs, while there were temples and underground catacombs for those with great accomplishments. "First, we''ll visit the soldiers'' cemetery, and then we''ll head to the central catacombs." They were certainly strange people, considering they wouldn''t be punished for their actions... While others mourned with somber expressions, they were plotting to steal. No, their intentions were even worse than theft. "There are quite a few people around. It''s still early in the day. We should wait until night to take action." Though time had passed since they arrived at the royal capital due to their walk, it was still daytime. "We have some time. Let''s go there." Seeing where I pointed, Olivia tilted her head, and Harriet did the same. The place I pointed to on the map was no ordinary location. The Unclaimed Graves. Merely looking at it weighed heavily on their hearts, but Charlotte had told them. "...They''re there." Epinhauser and Loyarl. They had heard that their tombs were here. ------ On the day the Gate incident happened. Epinhauser, Loyar, Lucinil, and Sarkegaar had come to rescue me. Epinhauser and Loyar died, while Lucinil and Sarkegaar were captured. Their corpses wouldn''t have been placed in this national cemetery from the beginning. Although the details were unknown, they were buried in the Unclaimed Graves of the national cemetery through some means. Both were seen as humanity''s traitors, siding with the Demon King. Thus, they couldn''t have their names engraved on tombstones. Burying them in the national cemetery''s Unclaimed Graves might have been a form of regret and atonement by the Gardias royal family. Not that it would bring back the dead. Olivia and Harriet knew that Epinhauser, a teacher, had died fighting to save me, and they also knew about Loyar. Epinhauser and Loyar, who couldn''t have their names engraved on tombstones due to their identity, became the owners of the Unclaimed Graves. "..." Nameless tombstones spread out around the memorial tower. I didn''t know which of the numerous tombstones belonged to Loyar and which to Epinhauser. Harriet and Olivia had stern expressions as well. Were they afraid of what I might say? A dreadful imagination. They couldn''t help but think of our purpose here and its connection. They might think I would try to resurrect Loyar and Epinhauser as Death Knights. "Reinhardt... even if they come back, they probably won''t have their consciousness or self-awareness..." "..." "Raising the dead is different from becoming a Death Knight while alive." Epinhauser, who had been a Swordmaster. Loyar, who was believed to have been even more skilled. Naturally, turning them into Death Knights would be helpful. But that wouldn''t be the case. "Why would I do that?" It might be selfish, but there was no other way. "I don''t want to turn someone I know into something like that." I came here to create expendable tools for war. And I have no intention of engaging in the horrible act of using those who were once precious to me. However, creating such things from strangers doesn''t make the act any less horrifying. No, the very idea of considering it acceptable for strangers, but not for loved ones, is even more disgustingly selfish. As horrifying as the thought may be, I must create tools that I can treat as expendable. And these people are beings I cannot consider as mere tools. They are the ones who sacrificed themselves for me. Let''s leave them be, at least. Raising them again won''t bring back their souls. No, if their souls were to return, it would be a horrifying thing. I can''t say for certain how much of a difference there is between exploiting the deaths of strangers and exploiting the deaths of those who mattered to me. But perhaps such favoritism is unavoidable. What did Loyar want? It seemed like she wanted the reconstruction of the demon realm, but it also seemed like she didn''t. She didn''t seem to be very loyal to me, but in the end, she was a loyal subordinate, no different from Sarkegaar. Everyone in the Rotary Club died. After losing everything, Loyar died while trying to protect me, the last thing she had left. I don''t know much about Loyar. And I know even less about Epinhauser. "I still don''t understand." "What don''t you understand?" "Why Epinhauser died trying to save me." Epinhauser''s attempt to save me was not related to the Black Order. In fact, the Order tried to kill me, and the remaining core forces were annihilated. The scattered remnants were not worth worrying about, so in a sense, the Black Order was essentially destroyed. Epinhauser believed in me. I don''t know what he believed, but he tried to save me because of that belief. "Do you remember when I fought against the Orbis-class guys?" "Yeah¡­" The fights against Lilka Eren and Oscar de Gardias. Those events eventually led to the Orbis-class academy crisis. "Epinhauser said something in the disciplinary committee." "What did he say?" "He said that I was the most talented individual in Temple history." I thought it was just a lie to protect me. How could I be called that when Ellen was around? After the disciplinary committee ended, I told Epinhauser that, and he sternly replied that he genuinely believed it. "I know my abilities better than anyone else. But no matter how much I thought about it, I didn''t think I was that exceptional. So, it was a bit¡­ disconcerting." What did Epinhauser see in me? "But looking back now, I can''t say that Epinhauser was wrong." Neither Harriet nor Olivia could respond to my words. I don''t know if I am comparable to Ellen. But at this point, only a handful of people could face Ellen, and I am one of them. If I can defeat Ellen, then Epinhauser''s words would be true. I don''t know why he died protecting me, or what he saw in me. I have no intention of reviving him as a Death Knight, and even if I were to revive him, conversation would be impossible, so I will never know. From the start, I preferred the curt and seemingly uninterested in students, A-class teacher Epinhauser, over the gentle and affectionate B-class teacher like Mustlang. But I was wrong. Epinhauser was not a teacher who lacked interest in his students. I still don''t know Epinhauser. "Let''s stop here." However, it seems he knew me. CH 553 AL_Squad18-23 minutes Chapter 553 Having escaped the Unclaimed Graves, we had to wait for the night. Once night fell, we would cast a curse upon this land and, using the power of corruption, raise the dead to form our army. However, Loyar and Epinhauser would be exempt, and there was no justifiable reason for this. That''s what we had decided, so that''s what we would do. But then. An unexpected situation unfolded. There were many mourners. In particular, there were an excessive number of people wearing military uniforms. And that number was increasing in real-time. It wasn''t strange for those in military uniforms to be in the capital, but their significant presence at the national cemetery was undoubtedly strange. They all seemed to have expressions of having been away and recently returned. Soon, they wore the expressions of those who had been stationed at the allied base. They were soldiers, returning soldiers. "Did they finish occupying Serandia and receive group vacations?" "It seems so." The alliance army planned to lie low until winter. Because of that, not everyone could return to the capital, but some individuals had undoubtedly received the privilege of returning. There were many places that those who had been away from the capital for a long time might visit first, but this national cemetery was likely to have the graves of soldiers, knights, and mages who fought during the Gate Incident. So, it was perhaps only natural that alliance officials would visit the national cemetery. In the original work, the Serandia Campaign was not a winter event, and during the winter in other regions, the alliance army had chosen to endure. That''s why the war of attrition to protect the base continued. However, now that Serandia was pacified, the alliance army had sufficiently secured the safety of the nearby garrison. In a relatively safe environment, while the entire army couldn''t return, high-ranking officials or special individuals could spend the winter in the capital or in their safe homeland. Of course, it would vary from person to person. Now that the monsters in the vicinity of Serandia had been wiped out, the area would be considerably safer. That''s why soldiers returning to the capital through mass teleportation existed. Among the places that the returnees could visit, the national cemetery would be highly likely to be included in their itinerary. It''s where their fallen comrades rested, so many would visit, either in groups or individually. They had been on a long march, so there were those who received vacations. Naturally, ordinary soldiers wouldn''t be able to return to the capital unless there was a significant reason. The ability to move through mass teleportation wasn''t a right that anyone could enjoy, unlike warp gates. So. Only high-ranking officials of each army, imperial high commanders, and nobles. High-ranking knights, priests, or mages. And, the royal-class personnel who could enjoy the privilege. ------ Perception inhibition magic wasn''t infallible. Exceptional knights, as well as high-ranking mages, could detect magic without even casting it. The same applied to invisibility and other types of stealth magic. While it could be an advanced deception, there was no deception that could fool everyone. Even supernatural abilities had rare cases of resistance, and I belonged to one of those cases. Therefore, there was no such thing as magic that could deceive everyone''s eyes. Of course, Harriet could use high-level stealth magic, but casting it carelessly could expose her suspicious movements. Among those who were entering the national park, there would be those who knew nothing about magic, but as a diverse group of people came, there could also be those who could detect our perception inhibition magic. I am capable of near-transformation disguises, but Olivia and Harriet cannot do the same. We can evade the gazes of the unspecified military personnel for now, but we never know when we might be discovered. We haven''t arrived at a dangerous place, but it''s becoming one. "Let''s get out of here for now. It would be a headache if we suddenly caught the attention of one of the royal mages." "Right, we should." We must leave before more dangerous people arrive at the national cemetery. There shouldn''t have been any vacations for the allied forces. But, looking at those entering the national cemetery, it was clear that the allied forces were attributing great significance to this victory. You can tell by their ranks. Not just commanders, but many others as well. This means that the allied forces are giving a wide range of leave. Honestly, there''s no other choice but to give them leave after achieving such a crucial victory. ------ Whether to call it an escape or not, we, Olivia, and Harriet left the national cemetery before attracting unwanted attention. In a nearby quiet park, Olivia and I sat absentmindedly on a half-broken bench. Pop! "I checked, and the allied forces keep returning to the square in front of the Imperial Palace. It seems like they''re using mass teleportation." Harriet, who had quickly scouted the situation of the returning allied forces through short-distance space travel, said so. "The allied forces are really ecstatic about this victory, aren''t they?" Olivia crossed her arms and clicked her tongue at the ill-timed situation. Victory. Yes, there were irreversible deaths, but it was by no means a defeat. No, rather, it is precisely because of such victories that rest is needed. "It must be for morale. There were a lot of sacrifices." The situation has stabilized, and the military will have a long break. That''s why they will send back those who want to return to the Imperial Capital like free tickets. Of course, it will take a long time to reintegrate those who have been sent back into the battlefield. Most likely, not many will return anyway. "But this might make the regular soldiers who can''t go back even more... depressed." Harriet seemed worried about whether this was the right thing to do, regardless of how much it interfered with our strategy, and if it had any meaning for morale. Could it be that she thinks only high-ranking officials can rest in the Imperial Capital and others would feel deprived? At Harriet''s uncertain reaction, Olivia chuckled. "Do you think there are many people with places to return to? Most people won''t want to go, even if they are allowed to. Didn''t you see earlier? This place is considered where they can''t even get a proper meal. If the Imperial Capital is like this, what about the other cities that are still left?" "Ah... I see..." Not everyone''s hometown is in the Imperial Capital. Those who joined the army out of fear of starvation might be afraid to leave the army as well. Many regular soldiers might find the barracks, where they are provided with food and shelter, cozier than their hellish hometowns in the Imperial Capital or various places of the allied forces. To think the battlefield is more comfortable. The reality of the allied forces is that most people can''t enjoy their vacations even if they want to return to their hometowns, simply because they have no place to go. So, only a very small number of people would actually want to return to the Imperial Capital, which is why even relatively low-ranking soldiers can return there. "Anyway, the problem is that we can''t tell who''s going to be where in that joint cemetery now, not just ordinary visitors." The number of people in the capital was increasing, and among them, it was impossible to guarantee that there wouldn''t be a master class or a great mage. "We can''t try again if we get caught or run into any problems the first time. The security will be strengthened. Of course, we could just kill everyone and proceed with the ritual, but you, Reinhardt, wouldn''t permit that from the beginning, right?" "Sis... then the reason for making the Death Knights becomes meaningless..." "I didn''t say we''re not doing it, did I? Anyway, once the allied forces start marching again, we won''t have the time or energy to focus on this. And we''ll be busy too, so actually, we might be the ones running out of time..." "Damn, we should have come a day earlier..." There was nothing to be done about what had already happened, but the situation seemed to be dragging on endlessly. As Harriet had said, the goal of creating Death Knights was to reduce casualties, but killing everyone in the national cemetery to make Death Knights would be a contradictory action, regardless of right or wrong. "For now, there shouldn''t be any visitors at night, so the number of people should decrease quite a bit during that time. But there''s always a possibility of an emergency. And in this situation, we need to realize that the overall combat power of the Empire has increased significantly. If a commotion breaks out... you know?" "...I guess so." High-ranking officials were not just powerful but also had a high probability of having returned, like Shanafel''s knights or the royal mage corps. If an unavoidable battle breaks out, something absurd might happen. We could escape through Harriet, but there''s always the possibility of unforeseen circumstances. It''s obvious that there won''t be many people in the national cemetery at night. However, there might be a few who are strong enough to be dangerous or who can detect our ritual. Perhaps it would be better to find time to come after winter passes and people leave the Empire. The national cemetery is vast. Even if there are one or two people in that vast area, once Olivia begins creating Death Knights through the ritual, someone will see the ground or the coffin lids being kicked open as the Death Knights emerge... "Let''s change the order." "Order?" "The number of watchful eyes in the national cemetery has increased. There''s one place that hasn''t changed much." A place where most ordinary people can''t even enter. "The royal mausoleum. Let''s start there." It''s likely that the place is deserted even now, as many soldiers are on leave. Therefore, even if we loot the place, it will take some time for the theft to be discovered. We will first target the royal mausoleum and then return here. ------ I have been helping Bertus unilaterally, but I never sought his permission for that. This is a matter that goes far beyond crossing the line. After this incident, if Bertus genuinely tried to kill me, I would have no excuse. There''s no difference between the national cemetery and the royal mausoleum. If Bertus knew that I was planning to resurrect the corpses and bones there as Death Knights for our forces, he might bite his tongue and die on the spot. Since it''s unilateral assistance, I''ll also carry out unilateral plunder. The national cemetery seemed easier, but due to the circumstances, it has become more complicated. The more watchful eyes there are, the higher the risk of detection, and those eyes are likely to belong to dangerous individuals. First, we will target the royal mausoleum and then the national cemetery. After securing the Death Knights, we will make our escape. ¡°So, it seems we''ll have to infiltrate the Imperial Palace now¡­¡± We were currently situated north of the Imperial Capital, and the massive, fortified walls of the Imperial Palace Emperatos could be seen to the south. A place fortified both physically and magically. A magical barrier of the same caliber as that surrounding a temple. So impressive that, when the barrier is at its maximum power, it can block a significant number of meteors. And a barrier that prevents the entry of demons. In the case of Sarkegaar and myself, we could pass through after transforming, but Airi couldn''t. Of course, Charlotte, who was half-demon, had managed to live there without any issues, so we assumed that, in some cases, the barrier could be temporarily deactivated or not really matter within the palace. Charlotte had shared a few methods with us. Firstly, there was the option of using the underground waterways. "There''s a way to access the palace''s sewer system by riding through the waterways... The Empire isn''t foolish, though, so the waterways are naturally guarded against people passing through, and while I''m not sure if dispelling the barrier is possible, if it is, then we could enter that way. At least it''s not a place where we would easily attract attention," she explained. There were gaps in the security, indeed. But they were prepared for intruders, and that preparation would certainly be beyond the ordinary. Charlotte had said that alarms were installed and that the floodgates wouldn''t be easy to break through. If we could break through, we''d be able to enter the palace without anyone noticing. The only uncertainty was whether or not we''d actually be able to do so. If Charlotte knew ways for just anyone to infiltrate the palace, she, as a member of the imperial family, would have been in a position where she should have blocked those methods at the source. So, it didn''t make sense for Charlotte to know how to sneak into the palace in the first place. "We could hide in a carriage carrying tribute or other goods into the palace... Of course, we''d have to avoid being detected at the checkpoint. And we''d need to disguise or bribe a tribute carriage, which would put more than just us at risk if something went wrong." "I see..." Harriet sighed. "For me, all I''d need to do is knock out someone with access to the palace and steal their identification, but that''s pointless if I''m the only one who can get in..." Using tribute goods as a cover. Disguising one''s identity. Using the waterways. While there was also the option of posing as someone''s servant, that was impossible since we had no connections to the royal family anymore. Naturally, asking Bertus to open the doors for us to rob the royal mausoleum was out of the question. "If nothing else works, we could dig our way up from the underground waterways beneath the palace. But, of course, that would mean tampering with the barrier. So, ultimately, we''d need some magical defenses." It was too much to ask even a capable person like Harriet to handle this on her own. Magic wasn''t the solution to everything. All the methods Charlotte knew of were already well-guarded against. Despite her best efforts, Charlotte could only inform us of methods that didn''t guarantee success. "How did you plan to get into the palace if nothing works?" Olivia pursed her lips. "It''s not that it''s impossible, it''s just that it''s dangerous." In the end, it was only a matter of possibility. There was no absolute guarantee that it couldn''t be done. It was just dangerous. "And we should be as discreet as possible." "Is it really going to be a mess? If it was a day earlier, I wouldn''t know, but now the scale will be a bit larger?" There is no guarantee that we will die, but there is no guarantee that we can escape either. There''s no need for words like "is there a reason" or anything like that. We were caught trying to dig up the royal mausoleum or trespass without permission at an unexpected timing, so saying that there were various circumstances would only be nonsense. We''re going to do something really bad, and persuasion is pointless. "Magic won''t get us in, right?" "...I don''t know the method, but yes, realistically speaking." Teleporting into the palace is impossible. There are various ways, but in the end, there is only one safest method at this point. "Let''s use psychic powers." If magic doesn''t work, Supernatural powers. "Supernatural powers...? You don''t mean...?" "Yeah, we met one recently, didn''t we?" We need Kono Lint. "I''m not sure if he''s arrived yet... but there''s a promised meeting place. Let''s head there. He might already be there." "A promise? Lint agreed to help with this? When? Did you visit the allied base in the meantime? Did you have time for that?" At my words, Harriet''s eyes widened and she shook her head. "No? I never made a promise with him?" "What? Then who did you make a promise with?" "With Sarkegaar." At my words, Olivia and Harriet''s expressions soured. Didn''t I have time to talk to Kono Lint in the first place? I made a promise with the person I planned to bring along. Of course, without considering their own will. "Wow..." "Reinhardt really never changes in some ways..." Neither Olivia nor Harriet could hide their disgusted expressions. ------ The promised meeting place was none other than the former headquarters of the Rotary Club. It was the underground waterway beneath Bronze Gate Bridge. "You crazy bastard! What do you want me to do!" Kono Lint, who seemed to have been forcibly brought there, was captured by Antirianus. And there was a person who was definitely disguised as a female soldier of the alliance, with a face I had never seen before, but it was undoubtedly Sarkegaar. "There''s something you need to help us with." You and I. The scale is quite different now. As I put my arm around his shoulder, his face turned pale blue. "Don''t touch my body, you perverted freak!" Of course. He was disgusted, but for a different reason than before. "?" "¡­?" Everyone else seemed to not understand the meaning of the word "pervert" at all. ------ "Why should I help you!" Kono Lint''s frightened voice echoed through the sewer. There was no Rotary Club anymore, and the refugees were in evacuation camps, so there were no homeless people living under the bridge anymore. Even if he shouted and it echoed, there was no one to hear it. "It''s because there''s no one else who can help me in this situation." "¡­Is that the attitude of someone asking for help?" That''s right, though. Supernatural powers are almost impossible to block unless one is a few special individuals, and infiltrating the Imperial Palace is a piece of cake for Kono Lint, plus he can bring others in as well. "No, didn''t you come here after hearing about it? What''s the point of not being able to help after coming this far?" "If I had known it would come to this, I wouldn''t have come on my own......" "What? Then what did you think was going on......?" It was only then that I got a clear look at Sarkegaar, who was standing beside Antirianus. Sarkegaar, disguised as a female soldier of the allied forces. With an inexplicably youthful appearance. A beautiful girl at that. "¡­Could it be, am I right in thinking this?" Has this guy fallen for this pattern again? "No! It''s not! Whatever you''re thinking, it''s not that......!" -Chuckle "Uh, what''s going on?" As Sarkegaar transformed from the appearance of an allied soldier into the form of Count Argon Ponteus, a disguise he had once frequently assumed, Kono Lint''s face turned pale. He¡¯s witnessing this kind of thing for the second time. The transformed Sarkegaar grinned and said, "It was easy, Your Majesty. He followed me without question when I asked for help." A pitifully beautiful girl who seems to have been conscripted at an age when she should know nothing of fighting. It was a sight that couldn''t help but wrench Kono Lint''s heart. He mumbled with a lost expression, "I''ve been¡­ deceived again¡­" "¡­There''s one thing about you that never changes." It wasn''t me who said that, but Harriet. "No! I''m the type to help anyone who asks! It''s definitely not that! I swear¡­ damn it¡­" Kono Lint''s face reddened and he shouted. "Yes! I get it! From now on, the only girls who''ll mess up my life are ones like you! Ugh! Damn it! I won''t be fooled again!" In the end, he broke down and wept. Come to think of it, Isn''t he the greatest victim of my misdeeds? "¡­¡­Do you experience this often? What are you talking about?" "What do you mean?" Naturally, Olivia and Harriet tilted their heads at the bizarre remark. "You don''t need to know about that!" I glared at Kono Lint, as if to say I''d kill him if he said another word. CH 554 AL_Squad16-20 minutes Chapter 554 Kono Lint, who had been at the Allied Forces'' stronghold, was lured by Sarkegaar and taken to the outskirts of the stronghold where Antirianus was waiting. After being dragged there, it seemed Antirianus had used mass teleportation while Kono Lint was under a hypnotic trance, bringing him here. Thus, Kono Lint had no idea what was happening. Yet, he did not try to escape, most likely because he had a history, albeit a negative one, with Antirianus. The last time, he was kidnapped by him. So, while their relationship wasn''t a good one, they had a connection. Truthfully, Kono Lint could have escaped easily if he wanted to. However, despite being in a panic, he ultimately didn''t run away. "So, what do you want from me?" Kono Lint knew that I was trying to handle the Gate situation in my own way, although I hadn''t explained everything in detail. He was fundamentally a good guy. To be honest, he was probably here to help not just because he was dragged by a woman, but also because he couldn''t turn a blind eye to someone asking for help. Of course, it wouldn''t be true to say that the fact she was a woman had nothing to do with it. "What could I possibly want from you?" "My supernatural power?" "Yeah, I need to get into a place that''s difficult to enter." Kono Lint was a fool. But, he wasn''t a complete idiot. At this point, with all the great wizards hanging around the Imperial Capital, it was obvious that I had sought him out because I needed to enter a place that couldn''t be accessed by magic. "Temple? What are you planning to do in the temple¡­? Ellen is stationed at the base." He was indeed a serious fool. Even lacking in tact. Oh. It''s not my place to say, but I know I''m a scoundrel! Kono Lint didn''t seem to notice Olivia''s expression turning icy in an instant. "Why would I go to a temple? We''re going somewhere else." "Somewhere else? You can''t mean¡­" Finally realizing where I intended to go, his face turned pale. "You can''t mean the Imperial Palace? What are you planning to do there? Are you trying to involve me? What do you want me to do? I won''t do it! I''m going back!" He tried to shake off Sarkegaar and Antirianus'' grip on his arms. "Mr. Lint, we don''t necessarily need your voluntary cooperation." Antirianus stared at Kono Lint with a smile. Oh no, what nonsense is he going to spout now? "Wh... what?" "If we damage your brain and turn you into a puppet that only listens to me, you''ll be broken as a human, but you''ll be a great tool¡­" "Stop talking nonsense! I won''t do it! I said I won''t!" I was only asking for temporary help, not intending to use him for the rest of his life! However, Antirianus wouldn''t stop. "Even if Mr. Lint escapes from our grasp, where else can he go besides the Imperial Capital and the Allied Forces'' base? The entire world has become a place where humans cannot tread. You might be able to run away for now, but eventually, I''ll be able to find you. Ah. It''s a good time to put a tracking spell on you." "He, help¡­! Please, Grandfather!" "I never said I would kill you. I''m merely going to tinker with your brain a bit¡­" "Ah, stop it already! You''re killing me!" To be fair, Antirianus is evil, but his evil is more like malevolence than wickedness, as he prefers to torment or frighten his opponents rather than kill them. Kono Lint rolled his eyes and his face began to turn pale. I didn''t intend to threaten him, but Antirianus''s threats turned out to be surprisingly effective. Indeed. Although he has the capability to escape from us now, he has limited places to go, we can find Kono Lint whenever we want if we grit our teeth and search for him. Unless he chooses to live as a wild man in the wilderness, it''s certain. It''s useless to flee since we can catch him again anyway. It seemed clear that this had broken Kono Lint''s will to escape. "No... I didn''t mean to scare you. I just wanted to ask for help, politely. Don''t pay attention to what that old man said." "You tried to seduce me with beauty and now you''re talking about being polite? Nonsense!" "Well, I can''t argue with that..." Although I never ordered Sarkegaar to seduce Kono Lint using beauty, I had used a similar tactic in the past, so I have no retort. "Anyway, help us. We need to get into the palace. All you have to do is let us in and then take us out at the designated time." "Why should I do that? It''s a serious crime! If I get caught, I''ll be hanged! It''s treason!" Hmm. I suppose that''s the response I get for asking nicely? "Looks like asking nicely won''t work." "Fine, do whatever you want. I won''t help you... " "Do it." I said shortly, looking at Kono Lint. "Just do it, kid. Do you think I''m a pushover?" "In the end, it comes to this..." Kono Lint grumbled under his breath with a sullen expression. As expected. A king''s request is more of a command than a plea. "Follow my orders, and if you get caught, just use my name! Say you were ordered to do it! Say you did it because you were threatened with death! You don''t think I''d actually kill you, do you?" But... If Antirianus is malevolent... Am I not just a scoundrel? ------ In the end, Kono Lint decided it was futile to run away due to my coercion and Antirianus''s threats, and quietly began to follow me. I sent Sarkegaar and Antirianus back. After raiding the royal mausoleum, the next destination was the national cemetery. Our group had grown by one: me, Olivia, Harriet, and now Kono Lint. Thanks to Antirianus''s useless actions of abducting Kono Lint during the Serandia preemptive strike, we now had his help ¨C or more accurately, coercion. Neither Harriet nor Kono Lint were particularly close to each other. Even with me, they were not close. But now, Kono Lint was traveling with the three main enemies of the empire. "But... Even if we''re wearing hoods, is it okay to walk around like this...?" All three of our faces are well-known on wanted posters. So, it seemed he was worried that if we were caught, the entire imperial capital would be turned upside down. "We have magic to hinder perception and noise-canceling spells. Of course, there might be some magicians who can detect us, but don''t worry about that. There aren''t that many people who are on such high alert." "I see..." The crowd itself serves as a curtain. Wearing a hood may seem strange in a place like a national cemetery, but here, it''s a common sight. One cannot be suspicious of every person on the street. Kono Lint looks at Olivia, who is walking silently this time. "You are... Olivia Lanze... right?" "...So you know me?" "It would be strange if I didn''t." During the time at the temple, it would be strange not to know her, and now it would be strange not to know her as well. In fact, since Olivia often visited our dormitory, Kono Lint must have known her. Even though he knows we''re not doing malicious deeds as known to the world, he can''t help but be scared. It''s inevitable that this guy is nervous, especially since he''s with us, who seem to be their colleagues. "But what are you planning to do in the palace? You''re not going to... Bertus..." "Do you think I would do that?" "Of course not. There''s no reason for you to do that... But then, why are you going to the palace...?" Should I tell him or not? Harriet had a gloomy expression, and Olivia shrugged her shoulders as if telling me to decide. There''s no need to tell him explicitly. If he hears what we are planning to do, he will naturally be shocked. And knowing that he helped with such a task will make him feel guilty. It''s strange to tell him, and it''s strange not to tell him. On the other hand, it seems better to just use him, but it also seems like he has a right to know. I''m not sure. "In the end, it''s a task that will help the war, but many people won''t understand or accept it." I give Kono Lint the choice. "Do you want to live without knowing, which is a good thing? Or do you want to live knowing something you won''t like?" At my words, Kono Lint looks at me from under his hood. He must have guessed that we were not trying to do anything ordinary by infiltrating the palace. How long have we been walking? "I don''t want to be used without knowing anything." Although he seems the same, Kono Lint has changed during the war. "I need to know... what I''m doing." In that case, he should know. "We''re going to enter the royal mausoleum and resurrect the war heroes'' remains as Death Knights." "You''re insane...!" "I knew you''d react like this." I quickly cover Kono Lint''s mouth. ------ Just as we were all appalled when we first heard Olivia''s suggestion, Kono Lint''s first reaction was inevitable. But after screaming once, he was speechless for a while. His thoughts would not be much different from mine and Harriet''s. They''re already dead. They cannot return, and what we use are only the traces of those who have disappeared. If so, if we can save the living with those traces, shouldn''t we do it? Is it really such a terrible thing to do? He must be thinking these thoughts. However, just like I decided not to turn Epinhauser and Loyar into Death Knights, there''s a contradiction. "Do you... think this is right?" Kono Lint''s thoughts seemed to lead nowhere but to lingering questions, and Harriet had no words to offer either, as she too could not come to a conclusion on the matter. Neither did I. I wondered if it was neither hypocrisy nor abomination but merely a terrible thing. Such a thought crossed my mind. "This is right." However, it was not I but Olivia who answered. "War is what happens when people claim to want peace. Such contradictory actions have been a long-standing tradition handed down through generations of humanity." Olivia covered her mouth as if to laugh at something. Perhaps she was laughing at the whole world. But since she would be the one creating the Death Knight, she would be laughing at herself the hardest. "I think this is right. If I''m wrong later, then it''s all my fault. Let''s just go with that." Although Olivia said she would take all the blame, we could never think that way. "We''re almost there." The walls of the Imperial Palace, Emperatos, were getting closer. ------ Near the western side of the Imperial Palace, we entered a narrow alleyway in a sparsely populated area. Although there was no avoiding the stench, it wasn''t as bad as the first place we had entered. We didn''t have a map of the Imperial Palace, but Harriet had a schematic drawn by Charlotte. "Charlotte can draw, too?" Olivia gaped at the overly detailed sketch of the Imperial Capital, considering it was just roughly drawn. Indeed, Charlotte seemed to have a negative opinion about painting. We had discussed it at the Spring Palace. Of course, this had nothing to do with painting, but Charlotte had accurately drawn the map as if she had measured it with a ruler. She knew and could do a reasonable amount of various knowledge that one didn''t necessarily need to know. ...What does it mean to be royalty? When I think about it, there''s something fundamentally wrong with me being a king. It''s natural to be bad at it! Kono Lint flinched at the mention of the missing princess''s name, but it was no surprise since everyone knew that I had disappeared with the princess during her execution. The drawing, as Olivia had mentioned, was very detailed for something roughly sketched. Central Palace Tetra. The seasonal palaces located in the east, west, south, and north. Not only that, but the auxiliary buildings of each palace and their locations, as well as the surrounding areas of our target, the Royal Mausoleum, were precisely recorded, even including the tram lines and the locations of the palace guards'' barracks. "Charlotte drew this...?" "Yes." "Then Charlotte knows too?" "That''s right." Kono Lint looked stunned as he tried to guess what the princess was thinking when she drew the map. That''s right. It''s like asking her to draw a map for grave robbing her ancestors. Actually, it wasn''t a request, but Charlotte had drawn it anyway. What was Charlotte feeling when she drew this? Harriet looked up at the winter sky between the alleys. "It would be better to move when night falls." As time passed and daylight grew short, darkness began to set in. "According to Charlotte, the entrance to the Royal Mausoleum is always closed, and two guards constantly guard the door. Naturally, the guards protect the entrance but can''t enter the mausoleum themselves. It''s not a place that''s open to the public at all times." "So, once we get inside, the place is empty?" "That''s right. It''s not accessible to just anyone at any time. Of course, there are maintenance personnel who come and go periodically, but it''s usually closed. They change the staff once a week, and that''s not today but tomorrow." That''s good news. "The lock isn''t operated by a key but by magic. It seems that the mage in charge of managing the mausoleum knows the spell to unlock it. First, I''ll try to dispel the magic on the door and see if it''s possible or not." "And if it''s impossible?" "Then it gets a bit complicated. We''ll either have to find out the unlocking spell from the mausoleum''s caretaker or sneak in when it opens tomorrow. We''d have to do the job twice, and of course, there''s still a risk." Even if they managed to get inside the palace, entering the mausoleum wouldn''t be easy. "However, the defensive magic on the mausoleum itself shouldn''t be too strong. There''s also the aggressive option of breaking through a window or the ceiling, Reinhardt. You can use your Aura Blade. I''ll disable the alarms and use noise-canceling magic. It should be easier to bypass the building''s alarms than the lock on the door. So, we don''t necessarily have to wait until tomorrow." Since it''s a one-time mission and they won''t be coming back, they can take the risk. The idea that bypassing the building''s alarms would be easier than unlocking the door seemed plausible, according to Harriet. Of course, it''s a bit strange to think that breaking through a wall or window is easier than opening a door. But on second thought, that''s probably true for any building. If they can''t enter quietly, they''ll make some noise and leave traces behind. Harriet now looked at Kono Lint, who had the most critical but seemingly easiest role. "Lint, your job is to get the three of us over that wall. Then I''ll use all the stealth and disguise spells I know. Spatial teleportation magic is blocked inside the palace. I don''t know how long it will take us to work inside, but..." "Wait, just a moment." Kono Lint interrupted Harriet''s explanation. "So... I just need to get you guys in and out, right?" "Yes." "But... from what I''ve heard... wouldn''t it be easier for all of us if I... got you into the... cemetery?" "..." "..." "Well, yes." Harriet and I were silent at Kono Lint''s puzzled question, and Olivia nodded. He''s right. If Kono Lint doesn''t just help us get inside the palace but assists us from start to finish, the job would be much simpler and easier. "It''s true, but putting such a burden on you, Lint... And it won''t be a pleasant sight to see." It was inevitable that Harriet hesitated to ask him to do more. Kono Lint is an outsider, and they brought him along through coercion and intimidation. If he also helps with infiltrating the mausoleum, he becomes not just an accomplice but a key player. He would even have to witness the resurrection of the Death Knights. In essence, Kono Lint would be doing almost everything. It''s ironic not to involve him too much, given that they forced him to join them. If Kono Lint saw the former heroes becoming Death Knights with his own eyes, it might even traumatize him. Initially, we only intended to ask him to help us get in and out of the palace. However, he shook his head. "Once we''ve decided to do this, there''s no difference in doing more or less, right?" "..." "I don''t know if this is the right thing to do." He looks at me. "But regardless of whether it''s right or wrong... If I''m going to play a role in this, I won''t half-heartedly interfere. After all, I''ve already agreed to help." Kono Lint can neither fully approve nor disapprove of this task. That''s why, if he''s going to play a role, he seemed determined to oversee everything rather than assisting half-heartedly and later claiming ignorance. Kono Lint looks at Harriet. "Don''t make me a coward." "¡­I''m sorry. That was rude of me." Harriet apologized, realizing that her consideration to exclude him from crucial tasks was, in fact, impolite. "No, no. It''s not exactly like that... Well..." He stuttered, seemingly not expecting Harriet to apologize. We''re going to plunder the royal mausoleum, resurrect the heroes'' remains as Death Knights. "You do understand that, as you said, this is a major crime that could go down in history, right?" At my words, Kono Lint smirks. "To leave a mark in history, history must continue, right?" "¡­That''s true." Everyone grows. That''s evident, even when it''s not by one''s own will but by the influence of others and the environment. In the end, all we could do was let out a bitter laugh. CH 555 AL_Squad24-31 minutes Chapter 555 Kono Lint was capable of teleporting all three of us, including himself, at once. "Good, we can all move together in one go." Though it was a short distance, we were all able to teleport instantly as Kono Lint activated his ability while holding hands with each of us. "How many people can you transport at once?" Since it was her first time experiencing teleportation through supernatural powers rather than magic, Harriet asked. "It''s not about the number of people, but the weight. I''m not exactly sure, but excluding my own weight, maybe a little more than 200 kilograms? Also, the object''s size cannot be too large. No matter how light, I can''t teleport something incredibly huge." He added that it was an issue determined by mass and volume, rather than a simple number. It appeared that if the combined weight of the three of us exceeded 200 kilograms, he would not be able to transport us. "It seems fortunate, in a way..." Harriet revealed a subtle smile. When you think about it, she was more of a thinker than someone with a high level of physical activity. Watching Harriet breathe a sigh of relief, Olivia puffed out her chest and spoke confidently. "You''re still young, so it''s not a problem now, but if you don''t exercise enough as you age, your body will become flabby. Brace yourself for that." Of course, Olivia was very active, a close combat specialist, and had even become something akin to a necromancer. She was far from being physically inactive. So, as expected... In many ways, she was quite formidable... "What are you talking about, old muscle pig?" "What?! I''m not old nor a pig! Where is this firm body even remotely pig-like, you tiny thing!" "Aren''t you going to age eventually? Regardless, you''ll always be five years older than me. In fact, you already seem a bit saggy, don''t you?" "I''m not saggy! I''m not! My physical age is younger than yours! You''ve been hunched over books in a corner all the time, so you have a bent back and a turtle neck!" "What? That''s not true! My neck isn''t bent!" As Olivia and Harriet bickered, Kono Lint looked at me. "Are those two... always like that?" "Even in a place like this, it seems." "Ah." It wasn''t that we had infiltrated the palace yet, and we were in an empty alley, so it didn''t matter if they argued. The two of them would always fight when they met, and that was no different here. It was embarrassing. My household management skills were clearly lacking. No, it wasn''t exactly about household management. It was more like... managing a nation, or something like that... Uh... "It''s still a long way to nightfall. Let them fight it out." "Should we...?" ¡°Bent! You little turtle! Your spine must be bent too, surely!¡± ¡°What''s with this old muscle pig!¡± ¡°I''m not old! I''m not old! I''m still in my prime! And I''m not a pig!¡± ¡°You said that three years ago, so now you''re old, right?!¡± ¡°Aaargh! I''m going to kill you!¡± If you don''t give in, you lose. ------ Since Kono Lint had agreed to cooperate fully, we had a fast pass to infiltrate the palace and even enter the inner sanctum. He was a possessor of an ability more like a cheat code for infiltration than even Sarkegaar. If only Kono Lint''s combat prowess had reached the level of Erich, history would have been different. The fact that Kono Lint had no talent or skill in battle was like a balance patch. Of course, I was the one who made it so. If Kono Lint had the same combat prowess as me, there would be no one who could stop him, even if he went on a rampage to become an emperor. In a way, I forced a plethora of drawbacks onto him because of his incredibly powerful abilities. With Kono Lint''s help, we crossed the walls of the Imperial Palace. We were just inside the outer wall, hidden in the shadows where no one''s gaze could reach. There might have been guards on the wall, but there were no people on the ground. "It''s so easy, it''s almost disappointing." It was impossible to know how long it would take to find a way over the wall while interpreting and analyzing the Imperial Palace''s barrier, or if it was even possible. However, with his Supernatural abilities, it seemed he felt disappointed that it happened so easily. "Alright. The next location is over there." "Got it." We moved cautiously, making use of blind spots and spaces where intruders could go unnoticed. Although it was not impossible to be detected, the four of us used magic for camouflage and concealment, sticking close to Kono Lint as we moved together. In the center was Tetra. To the north was the Spring Palace where Charlotte lived. To the west was the Winter Palace where Bertus lived. There was no business in the now-empty Winter and Spring Palaces. To the south were the government institutions, including the Autumn Palace. To the west were the royal residences, including the Summer Palace. Our target was the royal residence area in the west and the Cathedral housing the royal mausoleum further inside. We could move quickly using consecutive teleportation, and there were many people in the spacious palace grounds. We could pretend to be palace officials and move around, but there was no need to be unnecessarily bold. -Pop! With Kono Lint''s power, we moved slowly and carefully, sometimes utilizing rooftops and blind spots to move bit by bit. Experiencing it firsthand, Kono Lint''s abilities were so incredible they could hardly be described as a cheat. If I hadn''t done the balance patch, the Gate incident might have been resolved by Kono Lint''s power alone. Soon, we arrived at a garden crevice where the royal mausoleum was faintly visible. It was a massive Cathedral, and as Harriet had said, two guards stood at the main entrance, guarding the door. To enter through the main entrance, we needed to secure a dispelling magic, hypnotize or subdue the guards. If not, we had to deactivate the building''s alarm magic, block noise with noise-canceling, and break into the building through a blind spot. However, with Kono Lint, all those plans were unnecessary. "We''re going straight inside." "Right." -Pop! We instantly moved into the Cathedral housing the royal mausoleum. ------ Naturally, there was no one inside the Cathedral where the royal mausoleum was located. However, the interior was brightly lit. Just in case, all four of us lowered our stance and looked around. The long vertical windows allowed anyone to see inside the Cathedral where the mausoleum was located. In front of the Cathedral''s massive worship hall, there were five giant statues of the gods, and in the middle of the statues was a wide, colossal staircase that led down to the underground. Although I hadn''t expected an overly extravagant atmosphere, the Cathedral overall exuded a solemn feeling with its gray-toned texture. One might think that the royal mausoleum''s Cathedral was almost crude at this level. However, the monotony evoked a sense of solemnity more than a glamorous tomb would. Considering this, the solemn atmosphere of the Central Palace Tetra and the empire itself didn''t seem to pursue extravagance too much. In terms of extravagance, the Cathedral was even more so. Of course, in the end, the Cathedral was an imperial institution as well. "Let''s go down." Crouching low so that no one could see us through the window, we entered the staircase. Now, we didn''t have to worry about anyone seeing us from the outside. The mausoleum remained empty, as no one was allowed inside unless there was a special occasion. But as we descended into the eerily quiet royal mausoleum, we couldn''t help but hold our breath. It wasn''t so much that we were worried about the possibility of someone being there; it was also clearly because of what we were about to do. The underground was just as well-lit. As we descended the long, circular staircase, we entered a high-ceilinged underground space. Just like the ground level, the underground tomb was dominated by gray tones. It was a place where solemnity and grandeur were felt more than glamor. The underground tomb. It wasn''t the creepy and gloomy space commonly known as a catacomb. No tombs were visible as soon as we descended. Upon arriving in a large, vault-like space, we were met with four corridors branching out in all directions. At the entrance of each corridor were stone sculptures with different patterns. "¡­By the way, those things. They''re not gargoyles, are they?" I pointed to the stone statues resembling guards in the catacomb. "I don''t feel any magical energy from them. And if there were gargoyles, I would have told you first." "Really? Wouldn''t they have made something like tomb guardians?" At Olivia''s question, Harriet let out a short sigh. "Considering that the presence of intruders in the royal mausoleum means the palace itself has been breached, there might not have been any need to make them? Of course, we still managed to get in." "Hmm, when you put it like that, it makes sense." "I can''t even imagine that someone with ill intentions who managed to infiltrate the palace would come to the mausoleum. They would go elsewhere." "That''s true as well. But now we''ve come to a place where no one expected anyone to enter, right?" "It seems that way." A relatively unguarded location. It would be impossible to anticipate the crazy things we were doing. If money was the motive, one would rob the royal treasury or the treasure vault; if assassination was the motive, there would be no need to come here; and if information was the motive, there would be no need to come to a place where only the silence of the deceased existed. In a sense, this place had no value to anyone in the palace, except for the royal family. So, we were the strange thieves who came to the easiest place to rob, but where not even a speck of dust could be found. Of course, we had come to steal the remains of people who, though without any particular value, could not be left out in human history. A place with no value but tremendous symbolism. In the four branching paths of the royal mausoleum, Harriet examined the directions and symbols. The north was the burial ground of the royal family, the west for those with great scholarly achievements, the east for artists, and the south for those who had built their reputations in martial arts. What we needed were not those with clever minds, outstanding inspiration, or noble origin. We needed the remains of warriors who had achieved martial arts feats on par with war heroes. Kono Lint, tense or not, held onto my arm. What''s with this guy? "What''s wrong?" "...I, I''m scared." Olivia was scary, and Harriet had changed a bit but still seemed irritable, given her harsh exchange with Olivia earlier. So he was holding onto me. But shouldn''t he be most afraid of me? Ah, right. He still has motion sickness... People seem to change but then again, they don''t. But, if you think about it, shouldn''t you be most afraid of me in this situation? Whatever. Damn. "What''s so scary about this? We came here to do something even scarier." "W-well, that''s true...!" Kono Lint whispered, as if someone was listening. But lowering our voices was a matter for all of us. Our footsteps and conversation became quieter, almost involuntarily. Was it because of the graves or the thought that we shouldn''t be discovered? There was something ironic about those who had come to disturb someone''s eternal rest trying not to disturb the quiet of the grave. "Let''s go." Harriet led the way, and we followed. As this was a royal mausoleum, the structure was not haphazardly expanded, becoming labyrinthine. After walking down a corridor for a while, the space opened up, and we were able to enter the mausoleum of heroes. An open space appeared, with a long, straight area and stairs leading down once more. "The mausoleum starts here on the first floor, and I heard there are five more underground levels. But I heard that only up to the fourth underground level is actually filled." The cemetery for the great heroes of human history. It was quite intuitive. Stone coffins with only the lid visible, buried in the ground, and tombstones symbolizing the heroes'' achievements. And on those tombstones were stone tablets with a phrase summarizing their accomplishments and a brief biography. And behind those tombstones. "Even... statues..." Behind each grave was a statue of the hero, seemingly carved in their likeness. They looked solemn, dignified, and sometimes dynamic, wielding their weapons. The statues differed due to the different periods they were made in. [Emperor Langkruten of the Swift Feet, resting here.] I wasn''t interested in the history of the empire, but of course, there was history in the integrated Temple courses. Thus, among these tombs, I recognized the names of heroes from the history of the empire. Of course, I didn''t know every detail. "All the big shots are gathered here." Looking at the tombstones, inscriptions, and names of the buried heroes, Olivia grinned, seemingly recognizing almost all of them. There were about forty tombs on one floor. With five underground levels, though only four were actually filled, there would be over a hundred tombs in total. Was this number large or small? It was hard to tell. "Probably... the heroes from the Hero¡¯s companions or the Gate incident and subsequent war heroes would be on the fourth underground level. That''s what I heard." "It''s not likely that all of them will rise. The older skeletons might not be able to." "So, we need to go underground?" "Yes." Whether or not these burial arrangements affected the decay of the skeletons, the older ones were less likely to hold any significance. The recently deceased bodies. How many Death Knights could we potentially revive from these tombs? If we could revive them, and the more powerful the deceased warrior was, the stronger the Death Knight would become. Just how powerful could the Death Knights be? We descended the stairs, heading deeper underground. We passed statues and tombstones of heroes, eventually reaching the fourth floor below ground. Upon arrival, we noticed that the structure of the tombs was different from before. "Those five really are treated differently, aren''t they?" Olivia remarked. "It seems so." Harriet nodded in agreement. So far, the tombstones and statues had been on both sides of the walls as we descended the stairs. However, as we reached the bottom of the stairs, we saw five statues and tombs right in front of us. And in the center of them all. There was a statue of Alsbringer, held high in the sky. Similar, yet different faces. [The Savior of Humanity, the Architect of Justice, Champion of Als] [The One and Only, the Eternal Warrior] [Ragan Artorius] [May he find peace] In the center stood Ragan Artorius'' statue, with two statues on each side of his fellow warriors who accompanied him. A mage, Mullerun. A priest, Seijaria. A ranger, Ragdina Olfi. A swordmage, Sheidin. These five, who achieved the greatest feat in human history by slaying the Demon King, were given the most special place in the royal mausoleum, the Hall of Heroes. In front of us were the tombs of the warriors, but there were still tombs on both sides as well. "Looking at the years... there are two tombs added since the Gate Incident." Harriet confirmed as she surveyed the corridor. I saw the names too, but they were unfamiliar. From the Empire''s perspective, those who were buried here must have achieved great feats before their deaths. "Are you suggesting that we... resurrect Ragan Artorius and his fellow warriors as Death Knights...?" As if to question whether this was allowed, Kono Lint looked at me with a pale face. Ragan Artorius was Ellen''s brother, so wasn''t it wrong to do that? It''s as if he was asking whether I would do such a thing. But when you think about it, shouldn''t I be the one to do it? After all, I''m the son of the Demon King. "I understand what you''re thinking, but Ragan Artorius'' remains aren''t here." "Why?" "There weren¡¯t any remains of his body in the first place." It''s understandable that he would ask such a question since he didn''t know that both the Demon King and Ragan Artorius'' body had vanished without a trace. What if it had been there? Would I have agreed to turn Ragan Artorius'' remains into a Death Knight, or would I have opposed it? I think Olivia would have agreed, while Harriet would have disagreed. As for me. Honestly, I''m not sure. Just as we decided not to resurrect Loyar and Epinhauser, I don''t think I would have done the same to Ragan Artorius. But if his remains had been here, wouldn''t commanding the Death Knight of Ragan Artorius, who killed my father, be an incredibly malicious and satisfying revenge? I have no such intentions, though. "There''s no time for idle chatter. We''re going to perform the ritual. I can''t say for sure how many will rise, though." Swish - In Olivia''s right hand, the demonic sword Tiamata was summoned. There was no time to indulge in admiration, nor was there any need to worry about the non-existent remains of Ragan Artorius. They were to resurrect the greatest heroes in human history. Although they would only be shells, it was certain that even those shells would possess great power. Kono Lint''s eyes widened as he looked at the corrupt black energy swirling in Tiamata. "Well... Let''s get started." Olivia showed a wicked smile. In the clutches of the villains of the century, the insult to the heroes of the century begins. ------ The time was night. However, no one entered the mausoleum, and it was deep underground, so there was no way our ritual could be detected from the outside. Though someone outside might be able to detect this energy, that part was being taken care of by Harriet. Seeing that she told us not to worry, it seemed Harriet had her own countermeasures. Olivia was murmuring something in the center of the fourth floor tomb, with the demonic sword Tiamata stabbed into the ground. Dark, sinister energy flowed from Tiamata, seeping into each tomb. It was clear that malicious energy was being infused. Harriet, Kono Lint, and I were watching the ritual silently from the edge of the stairs leading to the third floor. "But I know she''s a priestess of Tu¡¯an... What the hell happened? And what''s that black sword?" Come to think of it, Kono Lint followed us without knowing the details. He had no idea how Olivia Lanze could wield such wicked power. "It''s Tiamata." "Tiamata? Tiamata is a holy relic, isn''t it? That''s... not ominous at all." "Let me explain briefly, gods and demons are essentially the same being." "...What are you talking about?" "That''s Tiamata." "No, no! Explain properly! What are you talking about?" "...I''ll explain." Perhaps sensing that my explanation was too brief, Harriet grabbed Kono Lint and explained everything in detail. The misunderstandings between the gods and the demons. And the phenomenon of the holy relics changing their properties. The ritual went on for a long time, so there was enough time for Harriet to explain everything to Kono Lint. Of course, it was still difficult for him to understand or accept the explanation calmly. "It doesn''t make sense..." "People''s beliefs have been wrong all along." "But it''s strange. If there are no demons, then it doesn''t make sense for that... demonic power to exist... Is that... That power... Holy power? It''s not some kind of dark magic...?" "Think of it this way, Lint: gods are entirely different beings from what we think. In the first place, the gods might not even be the beings called the Five Great Gods. Those names were given by mortals, after all." "It... doesn''t... make sense..." Kono Lint didn''t have a strong belief in the gods. However, no one denies the attributes of the gods as beings. There were the Five Great Gods, and the Demon God Cult emerged. In fact, even that was wrong, and the name of the Five Great Gods might be incorrect as well, since it was merely a title given in relation to some absolute power. In reality, I learned that the origin of vampires was the gods themselves in Rezaira. Gods are unknowable beings, and that applies to me as well. I am unsure if there is such a thing as willpower, and if so, how and when it manifests itself. Thus, discussing the gods may be a futile endeavor. All that exists is power, and it simply manifests itself. Ugh Kono Lint blankly stared at Tiamata, which emitted ominous darkness. There was no need for words like "impossible" or "nonsense." Since such a phenomenon was occurring, it was possible. What one sees is everything. "This can''t be..." The power of the Goddes of Purity. That power manifested as the opposite ability. Olivia was concentrating her mind, only mumbling something without moving. For a very long time. About two hours had passed since Olivia started the ritual. "Uh... umm..." Kono Lint tried to yawn but closed his mouth, thinking it wasn''t the right time. Well, we could at least yawn. I feel like yawning, too. "...Does it always take this long?" The guy tilted his head. "Well, rituals tend to be like that." I''ve never created a Death Knight myself, and I''ve never seen Olivia create one. But when Olivia purified the corrupted Tiamata, it took a whole day. "Hmm... If it takes this long, it might be a bit difficult in the national cemetery..." It was Harriet''s remark. "...Indeed." I didn''t expect it to be easy, but if it took too long, we might have to drastically revise our plans. Here, no one''s eyes could see us. But in the national cemetery, who knows when and where someone could see what we were doing. Even at night, it would be very troublesome if we were caught. No. However, from afar, Olivia shook her head, as if she had heard our conversation. It doesn''t usually take this long. Snap! Olivia plucked Tiamata, which was stuck in the tombstone floor with a furrowed brow. "Is it over now?" Has the Death Knight transformation ended, and it''s now embedded in the Demon Sword, or has it been counter-summoned? As we went down the stairs and asked, Olivia shook her head. "It hasn''t even started." "...What?" "There''s no reaction at all. No matter how much divine power I pour in, it stays the same." Olivia stared at the silent graves. "Did they do something? Whether I purified it with pure divine power or blessed it..." Olivia hummed and crossed her arms. "I''m not sure..." "Is it because too much time has passed since death?" At Harriet''s question, Olivia shook her head. "...I''ve heard stories of Death Knights being created from bones by Demon God Cult. Even in cases where everything has decomposed, my divine power should be enough to scrape together the remnants and forcibly resurrect them." Olivia''s power was immense. It was strong enough to make the impossible possible. But it didn''t work. Harriet''s expression turned puzzled as well. "Did they prepare for such a situation? I haven''t heard anything about it from Charlotte." "Exactly. Even if Charlotte dislikes us, she wouldn''t make Reinhardt take a futile journey." As a member of the royal family, Charlotte would know something about the royal funeral rites. If they were prepared for this, she would have definitely mentioned it. "Could it be that it was too basic to mention? That''s possible. Or maybe she had too much faith in my abilities. Hmm... But honestly, I''m confident I could even resurrect the ashes of the cremated... Is this because of the Empire? I wonder if there''s some special method I don''t know about..." In the end, it was a failure. We couldn''t revive the corpses in the Hall of Heroes. "Since these are special people, it might be possible. Anyway, this isn''t the end; we can go somewhere else, right?" Harriet comforted the unusually sullen Olivia. Harriet was right. This place wasn''t our only option. There were countless tombs in the national cemetery. It was a shame we couldn''t revive the heroes of the mausoleum, but there was no point in lingering here. "W-we''re going... to try somewhere else?" Kono Lint seemed appalled that we had another round of mischief prepared. "Yeah, you don''t have to come along this time. We''d appreciate your help, but it''s not necessary." "N-no... Well... What should I do..." Kono Lint wouldn''t be necessary this time. Though no one could match his help when it came to escaping in case of emergency, it wasn''t a palace or temple, so Harriet could handle it too. Kono Lint seemed to be pondering whether or not to participate in these misdeeds again. It wasn''t grave robbing the royal mausoleum since we tried but failed. There''s no need to join in if you don''t have to do anything bad, right? Just as I was about to say that it wouldn''t be bad for him to bow out here. "No matter how I think about it, this is strange." Olivia said. "What''s strange?" At my question, Olivia bit her lip. "It''s strange." Is it hard for her to accept that we failed? There''s no one with divine power comparable to Olivia''s. But if the Empire had taken some special measures and prepared countermeasures, what could we do? "It''s strange. This." Suddenly, Olivia walked somewhere. Towards the tomb. "What... What are you doing?" Harriet''s face turned pale as she looked at Olivia standing in front of the tomb. Olivia crouched down in front of the stone coffin, grabbing the lid with both hands. The veins on Olivia''s forehead bulged. "Heave!" -Grrr... The massive stone coffin lid, which a normal person wouldn''t be able to move, began to open with the sound of stone scraping. Wait, what is she doing? "Yah! Cha!" -Grrrr... Thud! With the sound of stone scraping, Olivia forcibly opened the closed stone coffin. "I knew it... I had a feeling." A chilling smile appeared on Olivia''s lips as she looked down at the stone coffin. Then, Olivia turned to face us. "It''s empty." "...What?" "?" "Huh?" "There''s nothing in there." Curious about what she meant, I approached Olivia and couldn''t help but be stunned. The inside of the stone chamber was completely empty. There was nothing there. Kono Lint and Harriet both approached with blank expressions, their faces draining of color when they saw the empty chamber. Could this be a case like Ragan Artorius? [Ludena Yen] [The great hero who stood alone against the darkness of Darkland, protecting tens of thousands, rests here.] I don''t know who this is. But if it says that they rest here, there should be some remains. Despite our trio being flabbergasted, Olivia began opening other chamber lids. -Grrrr! -Thud! "Empty too." -Thud! "And this one." -Thud! "Hmm." -Thud! In no time, Olivia had opened five other stone chambers, her expression growing grim. "They''re all empty." It wasn''t that Olivia had failed. From the beginning, there wasn''t a single set of remains to be found. CH 556 AL_Squad15-19 minutes Chapter 556 "They''re all empty." Heroes'' Hall, second floor. Olivia and I opened the various stone coffins and confirmed that the remains were missing. There were too many coffins to open them all, but it was clear that they would all be empty without checking. Not only Harriet, but Kono Lint''s spirit was gone too. "This... this must mean..." Harriet stared at me quietly. "...The idea we had could be something others thought of as well." "Yeah..." Reviving past heroes as undead and using them as a force. Olivia''s idea was bizarre and sinister, but ultimately a product of human thought. There was no rule saying others couldn''t have the same idea as us. "But... for someone else to come in here like we did... and resurrect the corpses before escaping?" Kono Lint''s spirit was drained. "It''s strange that there''s no uproar about this yet. Honestly, if it wasn''t for my ability, we wouldn''t have been able to get in here this easily..." If the royal tomb had been raided earlier, there should have been a huge commotion. While we could avoid getting caught, Kono Lint''s point that others would surely leave traces behind was true. "Where''s the evidence that it had to be another faction doing this?" "...What?" What a foolish child. "If it was the work of the royal family, there wouldn''t be any commotion, would there? Who would know?" The royal family reviving the remains of the royal tomb as undead. It''s a horrifying thought, but it can''t be ruled out as impossible. Only the royal family can confirm that. "No way. The empire doing such a thing? Bertus?" We would do everything we could to survive and win the war, employing all means at our disposal. So, it''s possible that Bertus would make such a choice as well. "It''s not certain yet. We haven''t figured out that the empire is controlling the undead." There might have been other circumstances in the empire, or it might have nothing to do with the undead at all. It''s just a conjecture since the corpses disappeared. Olivia spoke with a stern expression. "We need to check the national cemetery." We can''t know what exactly happened at the royal tomb. But there''s no more business for us here. "This might not be the end." Olivia had her eyes wide open, as if she was imagining something ominous. ------ All the stone coffins in the Heroes'' Hall were empty. Technically, we stumbled upon a bizarre incident while planning a major crime. We don''t have a duty to investigate this matter. But we must find out what happened. The most likely suspect is the empire. However, Olivia believed that this might not be the end. Kono Lint didn''t have to accompany us to the national cemetery after we finished our business at the tomb. But he seemed to want to know the truth about this strange turn of events and followed us. To be precise, he didn''t so much follow us as lead the way with spatial teleportation. We quickly left the Imperial Palace, and together with Kono Lint, we moved to the national cemetery under the cover of deep night. As it was night, the cemetery was naturally dark, and there would be no reason for visitors to be in this place at this late hour. So, while the vast graves were empty, there was a light shining in the chapel. The priests, administrators, and guards who resided there would still be around. Though they couldn''t enter the Hall of Heroes, there was a tomb area designated for those who had distinguished themselves. We arrived at the outskirts of the cemetery, where the light and gazes from the chapel couldn''t reach. "What on earth could be happening...?" Kono Lint looked fearfully at Olivia, whose expression had grown cold and hard. "I won''t know until I see it with my own eyes." Olivia began scanning the tombstones in the darkness, one by one. These were the tombs of fallen warriors. Though she wouldn''t recognize any names, Olivia gazed intently at each tombstone, passing them one by one. "What are you looking for?" "Dates." Olivia replied succinctly to Harriet''s question. Silently scanning the tombstones, Olivia soon stood before one particular grave. Perhaps she was looking for a tomb that had been buried more recently. "We''ll start the operation. Cover us." "...Are you sure?" "We''re not doing anything on a large scale. Even if we wanted to get caught, it would be difficult with just one." Since we were about to undertake a task different from the original plan of a large-scale undead resurrection, concealment would be easy. There was no one coming and going, but it wouldn''t hurt to be cautious. Harriet cast a series of concealment spells, including invisibility, and Olivia began pouring her corrupt divine power into the tombstone, her hand resting upon it. Kono Lint glanced at me with a fearful expression. "Could it be¡­ that you think¡­ even these tombs might all be empty?" If not only the hero tombs but also the national cemetery''s warrior tombs were all empty... What would become of this situation, and how should we accept it? His lips trembled. "I don''t know. Nothing''s certain until we check for ourselves." "..." At my words, Kono Lint hung his head. How much time had passed? -Woosh! The flat, blue grass behind the tombstone began to stir. The stirring meant something was trying to emerge from the ground. Could this place be intact? The fact that something was resurrecting was evidence of that. "Ah, agh...!" Kono Lint''s face turned pale, and he began to shiver. -Gulp! Gulp! -Swoosh! Soon, the grass stirred, and a bony hand, all that remained of the body, pierced through the earth and revealed itself. The resurrection of the dead. To be precise, it was resurrection while still dead. Kono Lint turned his gaze away from the sight, while I watched the half-revived figure crawling out of the ground, its arm extended. -Grooooan With a chilling moan, we soon saw the creature that had crawled out of the ground clearly. The corpse, buried and decaying in the soil, rose up, wrapped in the black aura of corruption. Some flesh still clung to it, making the sight even more horrifying. Kono Lint didn''t dare look, and Harriet covered her mouth as if she were about to retch. Olivia gazed silently at the reanimated corpse. "Uh¡­ at least the corpses here are¡­ still here, right?" "It seems so." Olivia gave a vague response to Harriet''s words. Olivia stared at the skeleton, its hollow eyes staring back at her. It was nothing more than a rotting body that had come back to life without a soul. "We''ll need to raise a few more to be sure." For a while, Olivia stared at the revived skeletons, and she briefly muttered. ------ Instead of a large-scale ritual, Olivia revived the corpses one by one, as if she were stealing in the dead of night. In total, five. Considering the size of the entire graveyard, it was a very small number. "Say something, please. If you know, say you know. If you don''t know, say you don''t know..." As Harriet mumbled anxiously, watching Olivia revive the corpses without saying a word and just staring at them blankly. The revived skeletons mindlessly followed us. "Go back." Ignoring Harriet''s words, Olivia briefly commanded. -Grrrrrr And the skeletons began digging back into the ground from which they had emerged. "Return everything to its original state. Make sure no one notices the disturbance." "Huh?" "Do as I say, I''ll explain soon." Having just revived them, Olivia sent the creatures back to their tombs. With a dubious expression, Harriet blankly watched as the creatures that had crawled out of the ground started digging to return to their graves. Harriet used telekinesis magic to bury the disturbed soil and grass, and patched up the torn grass. Though it wasn''t perfect, it was enough to deceive the eye to some extent. Finally, Olivia looked at me. "I tried five warriors'' tombs, but I couldn''t create a single Death Knight. What could be the reason?" Olivia said she had failed five times to create a Death Knight. This place is a graveyard for those who have achieved military accomplishments, especially warriors. Not mages or others. There should have been at least one or two Death Knights, but all had failed. "It seems like all the corpses have been switched." It was different from the royal mausoleum. There were corpses, but there was a possibility that someone else was buried instead of the tomb''s owner. ------ The undead Olivia had painstakingly raised returned to their tombs. She had brought them back to life, only to let them rest again. "Every corpse I''ve revived has been buried after the Gate incident and after the Coalition Army''s departure." Olivia had been reviving corpses based on the date, not their names. "These were buried relatively recently. According to Uncle Sarkegaar, the Coalition Army mostly cremates corpses. However, the fact that these corpses were buried in the National Cemetery after the Coalition Army''s departure means that they are very important people. Important enough to transport them through the Imperial Capital and hold funerals instead of cremation. You understand the meaning, right?" "...Yes, I understand." "But it doesn''t make sense that I couldn''t create a Death Knight with even one of the five corpses buried in the warriors'' tombs." These were the corpses of those who had established military accomplishments, important enough to be transported through the Imperial Capital and buried instead of being cremated. Their power in life must have been significant. It should have been optimal conditions for creating Death Knights, as the corpses had not been buried long. But to Olivia, they seemed subpar. Of course, it could happen with one or two corpses. But it had happened five times in a row. "In conclusion, it''s simple. In the National Cemetery, there''s no corpse that can be turned into a Death Knight." Olivia coldly reached her conclusion. "Is the Empire really creating Death Knights? Does the Empire also have... someone who can wield the power of a necromancer... like you?" At Kono Lint''s words, Olivia shook her head. "It''s not necessary to assume they''re Death Knights, but attempting to secure the corpses of those who possessed great power during their lifetime could suggest they''re either creating something similar to Death Knights or conducting some sort of experiment. And even without Kier''s power, wouldn''t it be possible to create undead with strength comparable to that of Death Knights? That''s what dark magic is for, isn''t it?" "Ah..." The process may be different, but the result would be similar. Even without knowledge of the power of the Demon King, creating undead is possible. Dark magic and Kier''s power share similarities, after all. If we were to create Death Knights using the power of corrupted divine power, the Empire could create them using dark magic. "As I said, they might not be Death Knights. They could be doing something different than actually creating undead. But the Empire cannot be uninvolved. This place, as well as the royal mausoleum, are all under the Empire''s control, so hoping that it''s the work of a third party rather than the Empire would be overly optimistic." Olivia concludes that the Empire is definitely involved in this situation, and I think so too. The Empire might be using the corpses of the deceased for creating undead, or for something even more sinister. What we''re trying to do is no different than what the Empire has already done. It''s pointless to argue whether it''s evil or not. However, it is shocking. "That means, the act of repatriating corpses to the imperial capital is more likely a ceremonial act created to secretly use the bodies for other purposes." "...That''s probably true." The process of honoring the dead and burying them in the imperial mausoleum is a cover-up. Other bodies are buried while the real corpses are used elsewhere. Sending the corpses to the imperial capital is already an excuse in and of itself. "But we''ve never seen the Empire use an undead army, have we?" "Right... We''ve neither seen nor heard of such an army." Those were the words of Kono Lint and Harriet. "They must be saving it for later, for when it''s needed." Just as our alliance with the coalition forces would be noticeable, if the coalition forces began using a Death Knight army, it would undoubtedly cause chaos. It''s an army that can''t be used unless truly cornered. Olivia looks at me. "If that were to happen, they''d have a plausible excuse. They could just say it''s the Demon King''s army, right? The Empire has too many things they can blame on you." "...That''s true." Let''s say the Empire really needs to deploy a Death Knight unit. They could just claim it''s an unrelated Demon King''s army, and that would be that. The coalition forces would panic, but it''s better than admitting they''re the ones controlling the Death Knight unit. As Olivia said, most people would simply accept the blame if the Empire blamed all the bad things happening in the world on me. The Empire is stockpiling power. The power they''ve stockpiled, even as they resurrect the corpses of fallen warriors, will only be unleashed in the direst of situations. Bertus chose the path of resurrecting the corpses of fallen heroes because he now has the excuse of the existence of the Demon King. It wasn''t in the original work, of course. Back then, there was no convenient excuse of a new Demon King. Even if there had been, it wouldn''t have been used until the very end. There''s no reason or right to blame. If Bertus hadn''t done it, we would have. However, Kono Lint could not close his mouth in shock, as the Empire was actually doing such a thing with their own hands. When we do evil deeds, it''s no different when the Empire does the same. "I can''t believe it..." For a while, he just mumbled blankly. Yes, at least if the Demon King, who is considered an enemy, were to do this, it would be somewhat understandable. But in this case, it''s a betrayal. While calling those who died for humanity heroes, they''re secretly raising the dead as an undead army in preparation for emergency situations. It doesn''t matter if my case becomes known. I am the Demon King, and it''s expected for a villain to create an army of the dead. In fact, I intended to do such a thing regardless of Bertus''s wishes. When a villain does a villainous act, people ironically get angry but ultimately accept it as human nature. I might be like that, but the Empire is not. However, if it becomes known that they''re doing such a thing, the Empire will be torn apart. "Bertus seems to be taking an excessively dangerous gamble." I couldn''t help but say that. A gamble that is too dangerous, even if it is risky. But a gamble that must be taken. "Now we can''t reinforce the Death Knights..." With a complicated expression, Harriet sighed. Raising dead heroes as an army is not a proper thing to do. It''s fortunate that we didn''t do it with our own hands, but it''s clear that others are already doing it. So it''s both fortunate and unfortunate. As Harriet said, we failed in reinforcing the Death Knights and were left with a very awkward suspicion. At Harriet''s words, Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "No? There''s still one more place left." Huh? What''s she talking about? "What''s left?" "There was one more place we intended to go. That''s where we''ll go." Olivia gently placed her hand on Kono Lint''s shoulder. "Lint, can you help us one last time?" "...Yes?" "You''ll help us, right?" "Yes, of course!" Unfortunately, our Lint was not someone who could refuse such a request. "Where are we going?" In response to my question, Olivia squinted her eyes. "If this is the Empire''s doing, then places outside the Empire''s influence should still be safe, right?" "Yes?" "Ah... no way..." I didn''t understand, but Harriet seemed to get the idea and was flabbergasted. "The Tomb of the Saints." The Tomb of the Saints. Naturally, the tomb managed by the Holy Knight Order and the Five Great Religions would be beyond the reach of the Empire''s influence. In the case of someone like Charlotte, she must have thought that we would loot the Hall of Heroes, and even if Bertus had created Death Knights, he wouldn''t have touched the royal family''s remains. But the Tomb of the Saints. I can''t mention it directly, but it''s obvious what''s there. "Is, is it... is it okay to do that?" Olivia''s stepfather. The former commander of the Holy Knight Order and the man who died by my hand. From my perspective, he died as a villain, but he is known to have honorably perished while fighting the Demon King. Surely, the tomb of Riverrier Lanze must be there as well? "I couldn''t fulfill my filial duty while he was alive, so I''ll take this chance to do so." Olivia smiled brightly, and we were left bewildered in the face of that smile. CH 557 AL_Squad14-18 minutes Chapter 557 The Tomb of the Saints was located beneath the headquarters of the Holy Knights. Just like the majority of the allied forces, the Holy Knights and the Five Great Religions had also dedicated all their resources to this war. Consequently, the Holy Knights'' headquarters was operating with a minimum number of personnel. Naturally, there were no defenses like those found at the Imperial Palace or the Temple at the Holy Knights'' headquarters. Besides, I wasn''t an undead, so it wasn''t impossible for me to enter. Thus, compared to the Imperial Palace or the Temple, infiltrating the Holy Knights'' headquarters was relatively easier. The place we needed to go, the Tomb of the Saints, was bound to be an area with minimal human presence. Initially, the infiltration was already easy, but with Kono Lint accompanying us with a "let''s see this through to the end" attitude, entering the Tomb of the Saints was practically effortless. "Damn, I really don''t know what''s right anymore." When Kono Lint had to forcefully help us, he must have had doubts about whether it was the right thing to do. But now that he knew the Empire was doing something like this first, his judgment of good and evil seemed utterly meaningless. The one who does wrong first is the rightful owner of the deed. And so, Kono Lint ultimately decided to help us create a Death Knight in the Tomb of the Saints for the third time. "It''s not as grand as the Royal Mausoleum, but this place is still quite impressive." The Tomb of the Saints. Located beneath the Holy Knights'' headquarters, the tomb was not as vast as the Royal Mausoleum, but it was still filled with a dignified and solemn atmosphere. The overall ambiance was different from the Royal Mausoleum. On the giant walls of the tomb, the divine titles of the gods that the deceased saints had served were engraved at regular intervals, along with the names and brief histories of the deceased saints. It was almost like a memorial hall. The ashes of the deceased saints must be inside those walls. It felt like a columbarium with coffins instead of urns. The coffins within the walls were arranged in over ten vertical layers. However, the spacing was quite wide, so the coffins at the very top were almost seven meters high. The tombs of the great saints, however, were not on the walls but on the ground, with their tombstones erected and coffins buried behind them. "The history of the Holy Knights is not very long. So there aren''t many saintly ashes." "Would there be more tombs in the Basilica of the Five Great Religions?" "Yes, but except for the Basilica of Als in the Imperial Capital, the rest of them have likely been destroyed, so it''s pointless." The Holy Knights were created for the Great Demon War, and their history wasn''t very long. Thus, there were more saintly ashes in the other Basilicas. "Still, as the history is short, most of the saints admitted to the tomb were chosen for their military achievements, not their theological accomplishments. So, we can probably secure more Death Knights from here. I don''t think we need to go to the Basilica of Als." Those who died in the Great Demon War. Those who died due to the Gate incidents. In the end, their achievements were based on their combat, so most of the Holy Knights'' saints would be priests or paladins. Although the absolute number of saints was small, their ashes would be true to the purpose of creating Death Knights. "Make sure you block the entrance well. It''ll be a headache if someone comes in and sees us." "Yes." At the massive entrance to the underground tomb. Harriet takes on the role of guarding the door. "Reinhardt, can you check? It''ll be troublesome if there''s no corpse this time either." "Yes." I head towards the shared wall and place my hand on the entrance to the sealed stone coffin. The stone coffin has no handle because there''s no reason to open it once it''s been pushed into the wall. If there''s no corpse this time, the problem becomes much more complicated. -Grrrr! Thud! I break the stone coffin embedded in the wall with my bare hands and check inside. "It''s here." "Good, that means the Holy Knights have never participated in this undead game." It was quite strange that no one was surprised by me breaking the stone wall with my bare hands. Kono Lint was no exception. Anyway. The moment it was confirmed that the empire was the cause of the disappearing corpses, it was clear that the allied forces were not involved. Otherwise, the tombs of the saints would be empty. What''s happening now is the empire''s unilateral action. In the end, we confirmed that the corpse was still intact this time. -Clang! Olivia stands in the center and plunges the Demon Sword Tiamata into the ground. "Alright, let''s really get started." -Woowoowooong! The power of corruption begins to seep out from the Demon Sword. There will be no failure this time. ------ Olivia had said from the beginning that it wouldn''t take long. It only took a while because we didn''t know that there were no corpses in the royal tomb. Still, it was not something that could be done in a short amount of time. About 30 minutes after Olivia began the ritual. -Thump thump A heavy, pounding sound, as if something was striking the wall, could be heard. "Uh... Uh..." Kono Lint shudders and slowly clings to me. Yeah, it was a moment that would make anyone nervous. As if something was starting this time, strange vibrations continued from the wall of the saints'' tomb. A sound like something was hitting it. -Thud thud Gray dust mixed with stone powder rises from the wall, and the vibrations are felt even on the shared ceiling. The stone statues and symbols of the gods tremble. -Thump! Thump! The vibrations from the wall begin to intensify. The slow tremors gradually become faster. -Thump! Thump! Thump! Crack! And the stone coffin embedded in the wall, the square tombstone, and the lid simultaneously begin to crack. -Bang! With a burst of dust and dirt, a lid flies off, and something crawls out from the wall. The bones of the saint, who had been resting in peace while embedded in the wall, emerge. -Grrrr With pitch-black darkness oozing from its hollow eye sockets and all over its body, the bones squeeze out of the narrow room and fall to the ground. -Thump! The body, which was nothing more than bones, crashes to the ground and slowly gets up. One corpse has been resurrected, and the skeletal saint, with black energy flowing from its body, stands still. -Grrrrrrrr The skeleton, growling in a strange voice, wakes up and slowly walks towards Olivia. The pitch-black energy flowing from its body soon becomes a cloak of darkness, covering the skeleton from head to toe. A skeleton clad in darkness. The most powerful undead. The resurrected saint, now a Death Knight, kneels before Olivia. "Good..." -Thump thump -Thump! Like a bird trying to break out of its egg, the sound of beings awakening from slumber and striking the stone coffins filled the tomb. ------ The ritual took an hour and a half to complete. Seventy-five in total. Now, seventy-five Death Knights had been resurrected. There were certainly some that didn''t rise. However, the corrupted bones of the saints who had become Death Knights were clearly before our eyes. The underground tomb was hazy with the stone dust rising from the shattered coffins. Thanks to Harriet''s noise-canceling, no priests had detected the disturbance and come to investigate. There was no intention of restoring anything. After all, we were to leave this place and never return. The Holy Knights would surely be furious when they discovered that nearly half of the saints'' tombs had been destroyed, but it was none of our concern since we had already achieved our goal. This wouldn''t be enough. But securing a sufficient number of Death Knights was impossible from the start. In this war, a sufficient number of forces was an unreachable figure to begin with. Death Knights essentially took the form of skeletons. Scars from their lives, or missing parts, had been reconstructed by the power of corruption. -Grrrrrr Death Knights, emitting strange low rumblings, had no sense of self from their previous lives. They were merely empty shells. Olivia approached one of the numerous Death Knights. We all watched the scene in silence. One of the seventy-five Death Knights. Behind it was the tomb of Riverrier Lanze. Olivia placed her hand on the cheekbone of the Death Knight, which was dripping with the dark energy of corruption. "You''ve suffered a lot." We looked on, appalled, as the corners of Olivia''s mouth twisted into a creepy smile. The Death Knight, being nothing but a shell, was not Riverrier Lanze. It was merely what had once been Riverrier Lanze. The one who had been close to immortal, met his end by my hand, pierced by the Demonic Sword Tiamata. And now, he had been brought back from death by his daughter''s Demonic Sword Tiamata. Olivia, wearing a sinister smile, stared intently at the dark, smoky tears streaming from the empty eye sockets of the Death Knight. ------ When she had said that we needed more Death Knights, it was clear that Olivia had intended to resurrect Riverrier Lanze. The resurrected Death Knights melded into the smoke and were absorbed into the Demonic Sword, and we escaped the saints'' tomb. "Is this¡­ the end?" "It seems like we could go to the Basilica of Als, but I don''t think there''s much meaning to it. There will only be ancient, useless bones." As if there was no need to do more work just to secure one or two more Death Knights, Olivia shook her head at Kono Lint''s question. Our business in the Imperial Capital was finished. "¡­Can we leave now?" "How about it? Shall I take you to the Allied Forces camp?" "No, I can find my way back on my own." He had been forced to help with something that he would never have experienced in his life, being entangled with the Demon King people. However, Kono Lint carried a larger doubt than witnessing the grotesque process of creating Death Knights. The suspicion that the Empire itself might be doing something like this, or even worse. Everything had become unclear. "Just so you know, don''t try to dig too deep into this matter." "¡­" It seemed that I had hit the mark, as Kono Lint couldn''t respond to my words. "Even if your abilities are optimized for infiltration, there''s no need to take unnecessary risks. And besides, there''s nothing you can do about it even if you find out." "...You''re right." This was the kind of matter that should not be known. If he tried to figure out what was happening on his own and got caught by the Empire, even stranger things might occur. "Anyway, you''ve worked hard." If it weren''t for Kono Lint, things would have been much more complicated, but they progressed smoothly and quickly. It was fortunate that everything ended swiftly and neatly without any conflicts with the wrong people. Kono Lint remained silent for a moment, then cautiously opened his mouth. It seemed like he was debating whether to say it or not, but finally decided to share the story. "Do you know about the kids in our class?" "I have a rough idea." "..." The people who died in this battle and the injured Ludwig. Although it was like informing me that he was scouting the Allied Forces, there was no reason to pretend I didn''t know. I would have known that he was gathering information on the Allied Forces from the beginning. Seeing that sorrow, Kono Lint might have thought that he had to prevent someone else from dying in this war, even if it meant relying on an unjust power. But was it right to use the deaths of those killed in the war? It would be complicated to determine if the Empire itself should be doing this. To prevent someone''s death, they created Death Knights, but they also turned someone who was already dead into a Death Knight. "...It''s enough that you know." Kono Lint didn''t speak explicitly about that sadness and regret. We didn''t really have a conversation either. It was simply a sad, horrible, and cruel topic. Now it was time to go back. However, Kono Lint didn''t leave, and his complexion paled as if he realized something while looking at me. "Hey, but you... it seems like you''ll keep calling me like this whenever you need me... Is that my imagination?" "You know it well." "Why! I hate this! I''m with the Allied Forces!" "Weren''t you already on our side?" You''re already an accomplice! There''s no way out! At my forceful statement, his complexion grew even paler. "Get lost! I won''t help you anymore, even if someone asks me to! I won''t fall for it again!" Pop! Kono Lint disappeared with a resentful expression, teleporting away. With his abilities, he could quickly travel from here to the far-off Allied Forces'' base. If Kono Lint loses his humanity, it will be all my fault. "...Will we need Lint again next time?" Harriet tilts her head. "Well, I don''t know. But I''m sure he''ll fall for the same pattern again. Definitely." "Come on, no way. He''ll suspect that it''s just Uncle Sarkegaar." Olivia tilted her head as if to say that Kono Lint couldn''t be that foolish. "Really? I think he''ll follow us even if he knows it''s Sarkegaar." "Ah." "Ah." Seeing how resigned he was, he might follow us later, thinking that it wouldn''t be so bad if he could become a pretty girl. He might be getting used to the idea that it might not be so bad after all since he''s been fooled so many times! I''m sorry, Lint. It seems like I''ve ruined you. "By the way, wouldn''t it be good to check what''s happening in the Empire?" "True. Although it might not be dangerous for us, we should still know what they''re up to." Harriet and Olivia''s opinions were reasonable. Although I told Kono Lint not to investigate on his own, our situation was a bit different. We don''t necessarily need to interfere in the Empire''s affairs, nor do we intend to. However, we need to know what they''re doing. "We''ll find out eventually." With Sarkegaar and me present, we will gather information and find out what they''re up to. As early as tomorrow, the headquarters of the Holy Knights Order will be in chaos. Our work in the Imperial Capital is finished. "Speaking of which, I had a thought..." When Olivia tried to secure a Death Knight from the tomb in the basement of the Holy Knights Order''s headquarters, I thought of a potential location. "Wouldn''t there be a cemetery or something similar in the Demon King''s Castle?" The very Demon King''s Castle. Like the Imperial Palace, wouldn''t there be a tomb or something similar for past heroes or high-ranking demons in the Demon King''s Castle? "Why are you asking us... Oh right, you don''t have any memories." Harriet reacted as if wondering why the Demon King would ask us about it. "It''s worth checking out." "¡­But Reinhardt, you accused me of doing strange things, yet you''re thinking the same way, aren''t you?" Right? When I think about it, Olivia revived her foster father as a Death Knight, but I''m even worse, aren''t I? What if I resurrect the ancient Demon Kings as undead, using them for my own purposes? I had such a despicable thought. We headed to the Demon King''s Castle in Darkland for the last time. However, there was no tomb for the past Demon Kings in the Demon King''s Castle. Whether there had been tombs that were already destroyed, or if there were no tombs at all from the beginning, we couldn''t tell. Fortunately or unfortunately, in the end, we couldn''t secure a Death Knight from the Demon King''s Castle. CH 558 AL_Squad14-18 minutes Chapter 558 Although we had harbored some expectations for our journey to the Demon King''s Castle, we ultimately returned empty-handed. However, we managed to secure seventy-five Death Knights, which, according to Olivia, are of the highest quality. These Death Knights are far more powerful than the ones we had previously encountered. Though they may not be the war heroes of the Empire, the heroes of the Knight Order who were promoted to become Saints should not be underestimated. After returning to Edina, we shared the results of our operation with the Elders'' Council and other relevant parties. "The tombs were empty?" "Well, not all of them. But it seemed that most of the tombs in the Hall of Heroes were empty." Naturally, Charlotte''s reaction was the most horrified. Upon hearing that the Empire appeared to be doing the very thing we intended to do, Charlotte could not close her gaping mouth. "What on earth are they planning...?" "They''ll probably use that force when they reach their limit. We can''t know when that will be." It''s an incredibly powerful army, but using it would undoubtedly have significant side effects. Unless faced with a truly desperate situation, Bertus would not deploy that army. Ideally, it would be best if that force never had to be used. A cornered rat will bite a cat, and cornered humanity will do whatever it takes. Even if it means spitting on the ethics and morals established thus far. In order to survive, one must be willing to do anything, and this is just one example of that. ------ I had expected it to take several days, but surprisingly, everything was wrapped up in just one day. This was partly due to unforeseen circumstances and also thanks to Kono Lint''s assistance. After sharing the situation, Harriet, Olivia, and I had a late dinner together. Harriet quickly finished her meal and left to visit Lucinil, saying she would learn about soul manipulation techniques from her over the winter. "Sis, you should go rest too." "I don''t get to do this often, so I want to stay with you a bit longer. Is that okay?" Olivia tilted her head cutely, asking if it was okay. Even when she was blatantly acting cute, she still looked adorable. As much as I thought I would get used to this behavior, I never really did. "Well, alright." "Shall we go up there? To that place you often visit." I had planned on taking a walk, but Olivia seemed to have a specific place in mind. ------ Olivia and I climbed to the top of the tower with warm tea in our cups. From this place, I often looked down at Edina. When I had nothing better to do, I would spend my time here, lost in thought. Of course, such occasions were rare. -Wooosh! As it was winter and we were up high, a cold wind blew at the top of the tower. "Wow, it''s chilly." We weren''t greatly affected by the cold, but it was still inescapable. Olivia took a sip of her tea and shivered. "It would be so pretty if it snowed, right?" Olivia gazed down at the landscape of Lazak in the winter night, making that comment. "People would only struggle more in the snow. Wouldn''t it be better if it didn''t snow?" "Maybe so?" If it snowed, people would suffer even more due to the frozen ground. Olivia gazes at me with a subtle glance. "...Why?" "No, it''s just that I find it interesting you''d think that way." "..." I suppose so. Instead of thinking about how beautiful the scenery would become when it snows, I ponder how people''s lives would change when snow falls. At some point, did I lose my sense of appreciation and only think about practical matters? I am not fit to be a king, and I have indeed abandoned that role, but I cannot help my transformed mindset. "You were originally an Archdemon, so maybe it''s natural for you to think that way?" "...Maybe?" "It''s strange." Olivia sits beside me, resting her head on my shoulder. "Looking back on it, you hid so much during your time in the temple." "...I''m sorry." "I''m not saying this to receive an apology. I''m just saying... it was like that." "..." Back then, everything was a lie. Those lies shaped the situation and relationships, and they created this world. "I feel like the you from the temple days is the real you." "..." "This Reinhardt who became the Demon King... somehow feels fake." Olivia looks up at me with a faint gaze. "There are no secrets now, but you, who have lost all secrets, feel even more like a fake." "Whatever." "As if you''re trying to force it somehow." "As if you''re trying to wear clothes that don''t fit you. That''s how it seems." "You''re the Demon King, so this should be your true nature." "I don''t know." "I think you would have been better off just being Reinhardt." "Bad-tempered." "Rough-spoken." "Violent, but..." "When someone asks for help, even if you scowl, you eventually end up helping anyone." "I think that Reinhardt is your true self." "I think living like that, just going on without any problems, would have been better." "Like now." "Only thinking about the pain and trying to endure it... you seem..." "Sad." The essence of being the Demon King. It seemed Olivia knew that it didn''t suit me at all. I wore a mask in the temple, and my current appearance should be my true self. In a way, Olivia''s words were right: everything during my time with a false name should be fake, and everything now, with my true name, should be real. But my real self was in the temple, and this current appearance is just a fake, forcibly imitating something else. I can''t be the Demon King, nor a king. But I have to be, so I''m forcing myself to do it. It was exactly what I usually thought. Everything is burdensome because I''m trying to force myself into clothes that don''t fit. I wasn''t entirely thoughtless, but my self in the temple was closer to my true self. "That might be true." At my simple reply, Olivia giggles. "Did I seem really crazy today?" "...It''s a problem that you don''t think you are, usually." "What?" Olivia narrows her eyes in a challenging way. No, you''re right! You''re always crazy! Not knowing that is even stranger! That''s even crazier! And the fact that I even suggested going to the Demon King''s castle makes me a madman too... "Ugh, you''re only harsh to me. You''re not like that with the brat, Charlotte, Ellen even more so. You know you''re always admiring them, tolerating them, and forgiving them, while only treating me like this? It hurts my feelings, you know? Want me to tell you everything that''s piled up till now? Go on, tell me you want it.¡± "...I''m sorry." "But do you know that?" Olivia suddenly wraps her arms around my waist. "You know, I don''t actually mind it that much?" "Why, why is that?" "Because I think you''re the most comfortable around me. And honestly, I kind of like that." I accept that her slight roughness comes from her being closer to me. "It might not be true, but thinking that way makes me feel a little better." "Uh, what kind of rhythm should I follow?" I can''t figure out what to say as her expression shifts from sullen to cheerful to gloomy. "I''m trying, you know. Trying not to be upset." "..." I have a lot to apologize to Olivia for. Even though she has plenty of reasons to be upset, she still tries not to be. Olivia once said that even if the whole world abandoned me, she would stand by my side, and she has kept her word. Though the whole world hasn''t abandoned me, the fact that Olivia is my eternal ally hasn''t changed. "Actually, it''s kind of weird for me to be upset after you''ve saved my life so many times, isn''t it?" "But I''ve saved you too, haven''t I?" "That''s a separate matter." Isn''t that something you say in the opposite situation? When my identity as the Demon King was discovered, Olivia used her status and influence to cause a commotion and try to save me. And it undoubtedly had an effect. Of course, there were various incidents that led Olivia to realize I was the Demon King. The lingering question of why the Demon King killed Riverrier Lanze and facilitated her own escape. Once that was resolved, it was inevitable that she would trust me more after learning I was the Demon King. In Ellen and Charlotte''s case, it was a situation where they could only feel betrayed, while Olivia was the opposite. "Actually, the fact that you couldn''t attend the Miss Temple Contest because of me, looking back on it now, it was a rather pleasant incident." "No, your life was at stake! How could I attend the Miss Temple Contest in such a situation?" In the end, I couldn''t see Ellen in a dress, but the gravity of the situation was incomparable. Even if I went back to that time, I wouldn''t have been able to attend the Miss Temple Contest, since I would have chosen to save Olivia and Adriana. "Anyway, you came to me. That''s what''s important." Olivia tightens her embrace around my waist. "Looking back, you couldn''t have defeated my stepfather at that time, right? Reinhardt, you didn''t have any hidden strength or anything like that." "That''s right." People on my side naturally know that I didn''t have any hidden strength in the Temple. I was genuinely powerless. Most of the power and skills I''ve gained were indeed cultivated at the Temple. Olivia has never actually seen me fight. "How did you win?" "I used the Demon Sword." He was not only unharmed by the storm of fire and lightning but he was also a monster that regenerated even when his heart was pierced. If I hadn''t used the Demon Sword Tiamata, there would have been no way to kill Riverrier Lanze. "Hmm, even if you used that, it wouldn''t have been enough to beat him." That''s also true. I should not have been able to defeat Riverrier Lanze. Of course, there were many factors and assistance that contributed to my victory, and it wasn''t just me fighting alone. But even with the demonic sword in my hand, Riverrier Lanze was an enemy I should not have been able to face. "Well, it all worked out somehow, didn''t it?" Somehow, it had all come together like this. There was nothing more to say. In the end, I went to face an enemy I should not have been able to face. And I won. It was reckless, but I somehow managed. I risked my life to save Olivia and Adriana. At my words, Olivia sighed deeply. "You''re a strange one." "Like you''re one to talk." "Fine, you did something for me, so I''ll put up with your annoying behavior." Saying it was all because I saved her, Olivia hugged me even tighter. The topic of Riverrier Lanze shouldn''t come up between the two of us. After all, I killed Olivia''s stepfather. But the situation was rather peculiar. Olivia had no choice but to hate her stepfather. She even went so far as to resurrect his own corpse as a Death Knight. "No matter how I think about it, you and your stepfather have some bad karma. Right?" "...Well, looking back, that guy messed with me from the beginning to the end." "It''s almost a wonder, isn''t it?" Riverrier Lanze, the Holy Knight Commander. He was demoted from his position because of the truth I uncovered. Then, he tried to use Olivia as a puppet for his Thousand-Year Empire, and died by my hand. Now, he had risen as a Death Knight and had to fight for us. What a twisted fate. At this point, even if Riverrier Lanze came back from the dead and put a knife to my throat, I wouldn''t have anything to say. I''m not only responsible for ruining his life, but also for using him even in death. "But it''s absurd that all this would have never happened if you hadn''t messed with me." "Isn''t that so?" My entanglement with Riverrier Lanze was all because of Olivia. I saved her twice and once at her request. A ridiculous and eerie connection. Riverrier Lanze was, of course, not a good father. If he had been, he would not have died by my hand in the first place, and Olivia would not have turned him into a Death Knight. Being forced to be a good child, and to live up to expectations, was Olivia''s life. She lived a life where sacrificing herself for others was taken for granted. Of course, Olivia is no longer such a person. The person who was once called the Saint of Eredian has become twisted through various events. She''s become selfish, violent, foul-mouthed, and even suggests committing horrible acts without any hesitation. "My father wanted a Thousand-Year Empire. You know?" "He did. He wanted to make the Holy Knights the core force and completely separate the Church''s power from the Empire." "I didn''t want any part of that. It was disgusting. I lost interest in gods and all that, so why did he try to force that on me?" Olivia gazed down at the landscape of Lazak quietly. "But ironically, after my father died and the world started to fall apart, I ended up becoming the leader of the United Holy Church, which combines the beliefs of the Five Great Religions and the Demon God Cult." "..." ¡°I find it strange sometimes, that I now willingly do what I once refused, when my father tried to force it upon me.¡± "Do you dislike doing it?" "I''m not sure if I dislike it, but I don''t particularly enjoy it either." Olivia looks at me. "It''s similar to you playing the part of the Demon King." I don''t like it, but I do it because I have to. It''s not forced upon me. Both Olivia and I are doing things we don''t particularly want to do, but we have to. It''s like trying to force oneself into clothes that don''t fit. "Sometimes, I think that at this rate, we might end up going to war with the Empire, either destroying or absorbing the Five Great Religions, and becoming the ruler of the Five Great Religions. What do you think?" It wouldn''t be called the Thousand-Year Empire. But it was what Riverrier Lanze wished for Olivia. Somehow, Olivia was getting closer to that goal. Would it really be possible to establish a new faith in this land? Olivia Lanze, who would rule over it all. It wasn''t impossible for Olivia to become something like the first Holy Emperor of that world. "I wonder how happy my father would have been if he were alive to see this?" Olivia says. It was a terrible joke, not a single bit of sincerity in it. "Please stop talking nonsense..." "Why? Isn''t it a common story for someone to not understand their parents'' intentions and disobey them while they''re alive, but come to their senses after their parents have passed away?" "Exactly, so please stop..." No matter what, my sister is definitely not a filial daughter! Even if Riverrier Lanze was a garbage-like father, that doesn''t mean my sister becomes a filial daughter! If anything, she''s worse now! "Anyway." Olivia wraps her arm around mine. "It''s cold." As she said, the wind was chilly. The 12th month. It would only get colder. ------ No matter how much our strength was enhanced, it could never be enough. But we had completed the first phase of our power enhancement, and we began to solidify our foundations in preparation for the next advance of the Allied Forces. Olivia seemed to be considering ways to strengthen the already created Death Knights or permanently turn monsters into undead with the Holy Order''s priests and knights. Charlotte was still handling administrative affairs and focusing on the management of Edina''s government. Harriet continued her usual magical research, sometimes alone and sometimes with Lucinil. And if I wasn''t doing dream training with Airi, I had nothing else to do in Edina. Charlotte already knew more about Edina than I did and had become my perfect superior, so I thought I might be a hindrance if I stayed. That''s why I arrived at the Allied Forces'' base to undertake my next task. -Meow A black cat. To see for myself what had changed and how. To understand the current state of affairs. I''m going to verify it with my own eyes. CH 559 AL_Squad13-17 minutes Chapter 559 Though it would be possible to stay in the form of a kitten forever, that would be unnatural. The onlookers couldn''t help but wonder why this creature never seemed to grow. So, every time it appeared, it had grown a little bit. "It''s alive, this little one." The guards stationed at the Royal Class garrison had grown familiar with the kitten. "Quite a clever one, hiding and following us around like that." Indeed. This charade couldn''t continue until the end of the war. As the guards had pointed out, this army wasn''t stationed in a fixed location and the battles with countless casualties continued. A cat that somehow survived and reappeared was quite a suspicious existence. Quite some time had passed since the end of the Serandia occupation battle. Naturally, the atmosphere at the Royal Class garrison was still subdued. Three had died in the last battle, and with the Royal Class being few in number, the empty spaces left by the deceased were significant. Delphin Izzard. Like Ludwig, she was a kind and good-hearted person. According to Sarkegaar''s report, both Scarlett and Ludwig were in danger, and Delphin died trying to save them. Any death would be regrettable, but Delphin''s death was particularly devastating. After all, she was the most described character in the original work. Elemental magic is very powerful, but in an instant, one could lose their life, and this situation made it all too real that there were no exceptions. Even if I had foreseen my future death after the battle with Ellen, if I let go and waited for death in the next battle, I would die. Changing the future is easy. It''s just difficult to change it to the desired future. I had to check on Ellen''s condition, but for now, I planned to wander around the Royal Class garrison. The first classmate I encountered in the garrison was Cliffman. "..." Within the Royal Class, there were those who were obsessed with the cat and those who weren''t. Ludwig, Cliffman, and Redina were among those who showed no interest. To be precise, they belonged to the group that ignored the cat. As if they had no room in their hearts or minds to care for such a small creature. But now, Cliffman stared at the cat he had ignored all this time. "...You''re alive." He then gently bowed his head and stroked my head once. His gesture, seemingly relieved, felt loaded with meaning. He then left without saying anything else. He didn''t seem to think that more important people should have survived instead of such a small creature. ------ As a cat, I tend to engage in dual thinking. I''m not the cat; I''m just borrowing its form. So when someone strokes me, I think they''re stroking the cat, not me. If I don''t think like that, I won''t be able to stand people touching me all the time. I try to think that I''m just borrowing the cat''s form and that the cuteness belongs to the cat, not me. Of course. Dual thinking, as it is, amounts to nothing more than sophistry. I just feel like I''d go insane from self-loathing if I don''t think that way. As Kono Lint put it, I must be a pervert. Seeing the beast transform like this, it''s truly a bizarre pervert even among perverts. Naturally, not everyone stationed at the Royal Class is a former classmate of mine. There are seniors and juniors as well. Although the atmosphere is somewhat gloomy, they seemed happy to see me (the cat) after such a long time. Honestly, when I''m in cat form, the most troublesome thing isn''t being stroked by someone or having my paws touched constantly. "Are you hungry? Eat this." -... They keep trying to feed me something. I''m not really a beast, you know! I don''t particularly want to eat something like warm milk! Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to stick my head into a plate and eat like that? Real cats probably don''t think about that, but I do! "Aren''t you hungry?" -Meow Moreover, there are those who offer me their leftovers from the dining tent. It''s annoying. I''ve had to close my eyes and eat it a few times, fearing that if I refuse, they might say I''m a wild animal with a refined palate. It''s a struggle having to act like a beast when transformed into one. Amidst the overall gloomy atmosphere, I wandered around the Royal Class garisson. ¡°Are you resting?¡± ¡°You never know when we''ll need it. We should charge it up as much as possible. We haven''t even filled half of it yet.¡± ¡°What''s the hurry? We''re going to be here until winter ends anyway.¡± In the distance, I could see Redina and Cayer arguing. What was different now was that the situation seemed reversed somehow. I had seen Redina always nagging Cayer about charging the Arc Crystal, and I knew their relationship was quite bad. ¡°There are still monsters out there. You were the one who said we should always keep it charged since we don''t know when we''ll need it.¡± ¡°No, I mean, how many times do I have to say I was wrong? Why do you have to be like that...? I admit I made a mistake¡­¡± ¡°How many times do I have to tell you that this isn''t because you did something wrong to me? Why can''t you understand?¡± ¡°I know... I know, but there''s no need to rush like that. Why can''t you understand me either?¡± However, now the situation was odd, with Redina trying to stop Cayer from doing his task. ¡°I can handle it, you know. It''s not always too much. Just leave me alone.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± In the end, Redina, with tearful red eyes, started crying, and Cayer left her alone, walking off somewhere. "That bastard is at it again." As I turned my head at the sound coming from the side, Kono Lint was standing there with his arms crossed, clicking his tongue. He looked down at me and then picked me up. "Where have you been hiding all this time?" ...This isn''t something you say to Reinhardt, is it? He probably hasn''t realized that I can transform into a beast, right? Even if he did, honestly, it wouldn''t make much of a difference. The only change would be Reinhardt, the perverted Demon King, becoming Reinhardt, the crazy perverted Demon King. Kono Lint stared at me intently. As if he was thinking about something. You''re an idiot, right? A total idiot. "¡­Ugh." He muttered something inexplicable and then put me down. After walking alone for a while, he looked back at me. -Meow I tilted my head in response. -¡­Ugh. The rascal hesitated once more and then left. As it seemed like he had some sense, but in the end, he didn''t. He was a fool after all. ------ Of course, there were those who paid attention to the cat, but it wasn''t like it used to be. There were people who were relieved that this small creature was still alive, but inevitably, they could only imagine those who had disappeared with such thoughts. The Royal Class garrison wasn''t just barracks and dining halls, of course. -Kaang! "¡­ Can we try it one more time?" "¡­Yes." I watched Ludwig picking up the fallen sword at the outdoor training ground of the Royal Class garrison. His opponent was Scarlett. With an awkward smile, Ludwig grabbed the sword with his left hand and took his stance. "Sorry, I''m not used to this." "¡­" Ludwig was practicing with a left-handed sword. I didn''t think he''d give up easily, but was he trying to find a breakthrough in a situation where he only had his left arm? Scarlett looked at Ludwig with a tearful expression. "Ludwig, I can help you as much as you need. I can do more. But¡­" "Even with only one arm, I can still use Magic Body Strengthening." Ludwig wasn''t wrong. In that state, he would still have combat abilities far beyond an ordinary soldier. Losing an arm didn''t change the fact that he was a superhuman. But due to Moonshine, Delphin Izzard had also become a superhuman. And yet, Delphin had died. In a battle where anyone could die, Ludwig would likely die with a high probability in that state. It was no different from a suicide attempt. "Ludwig, I''ll fight for both of us. It''s because of me¡­ It''s because of me that you''re like this. Delphin too¡­" "No, it''s not." As Scarlett was about to burst into tears, Ludwig firmly shook his head. "No, it''s not your fault." "¡­" "It''s my fault. It''s all because I was weak." It was an odd statement. If Delphin''s death wasn''t Scarlett''s fault, then it shouldn''t be Ludwig''s fault either. But Ludwig was blaming everything on himself. A pathological level of self-loathing. Had Ludwig succumbed to it as well? "I''m sorry, I didn''t think about how this would be a burden on you, Scarlett. I''m sorry¡­" "No, it''s not. It''s okay." "I''ll do it alone, it''s not like I need swordsmanship for this kind of fight anyway. It''s not about skill when it comes to killing monsters." Saying that being able to wield a weapon with his left hand was more important than needing skill. Ludwig, holding his sword with his left hand, began to practice Magic Body Strengthening alone. Scarlett had offered to help, but Ludwig had refused, saying it would be better for her to focus on her personal training. In the end, Scarlett left the training ground, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. Responsibility. Guilt. It was heartbreaking and pitiful to see those who shared such feelings from afar. Ludwig wasn''t the only one on the training ground. There were many other people, both seniors and juniors, who were practicing duels, Magic Body Strengthening, and other things, all diligently working on their tasks. I sat in a corner of the training ground, watching Ludwig. "Hup!" -Kwoong! Not only the sword in his left hand but also his kicks and heavy blows were part of his training. The training of the superhumans was no ordinary affair, and the straw dummies they practiced on were not ordinary either. These special dummies were designed to withstand powerful blows and physical force. -Thud! Bang! "Kuh!" -Collapse! However, it seemed as though Ludwig couldn''t properly maintain his balance, as he stumbled and fell, trying to swing his sword only to have it bounce back and hit him in the head. Ludwig was right-handed. But, ultimately, swords are often used with both hands, especially in battles against monsters. Having lost his dominant hand, he could no longer use two-handed sword techniques. Losing an arm is not a trivial matter. It''s not just that he lost half his combat ability, but most of it. In essence, Ludwig had lost almost everything, but he continued to struggle with just his left hand, using what remained of his abilities. -Bang! A loud noise echoed. The noise did not only come from the dummy Ludwig was hitting. However, his seniors looked at Ludwig with a slightly bored expression. Despite sustaining injuries severe enough to be crippled, Ludwig''s persistence while covered in cold sweat must have been chilling to witness. Ludwig was fundamentally diligent. This had been evident from the beginning of his enrollment. But could one call it diligence when he lost an arm and continued to strike the dummy in an effort to fight more? This was not diligence, but madness. Ludwig was a superhuman, surpassing ordinary human limitations. But in the end, he was like a cart with one wheel missing. -Bang! "Kuh!" He kept falling, unable to maintain balance, and his swordsmanship was understandably abysmal. Someone''s desperate efforts might inspire admiration, but Ludwig''s plight was nothing but despairing. He was attempting the impossible. Even without an arm, one could fight; if one had no legs, they could fight with prosthetics. But if one''s opponents were not humans but monsters, lacking even one component while fighting in the best possible condition would inevitably lead to death. If Ludwig had been a mage or a supernatural, perhaps things would be different. However, fighting with just one arm was essentially seeking a place to die. So, the seniors, juniors, and classmates alike couldn''t help but be disheartened by Ludwig''s condition. Currently, the allied forces were reviving the dead as Death Knights, but this didn''t mean that Ludwig absolutely had to fight. That was just an obsession. The obsession to try and do something, anything more. It was simply succumbing to evil. Ludwig didn''t scream in pain or throw his sword away. He didn''t kneel and cry out, asking why things weren''t going well, nor did he curse the world. -Bang! -Thwack! -Crash! He lost balance and fell, picked up the weapon that had bounced away, and, despite his attacks lacking proper force, he ceaselessly struck the dummy. As if there were no shaking, despair, or pain. He just relentlessly and pathetically beat the dummy. Never giving up was Ludwig''s characteristic, a trait I had assigned him. But I couldn''t help but feel disturbed by Ludwig''s refusal to give up, even in situations where he should have. At this point, he should give up. He will die in the next battle. Ludwig thought that the world would grant him what he desired, but it took his arm instead. Ludwig was no longer the protagonist. Therefore, there should be no next time, and he should give up now. But he doesn''t. I would rather have Ludwig give up and fade into the background of the story. I hope he doesn''t rush towards an obvious death. But it seemed that nothing could stop Ludwig. That obsession bordering on madness, that longing that compelled him to do something - it seemed unstoppable. There are times when humans must give up. I realized just how inhuman Ludwig''s trait of never giving up was as I saw it with my own eyes. Ludwig''s figure wasn''t sublime. It was despairingly wretched. As the sun began to set and the disheartened seniors and juniors gradually left, someone approached the sweat-drenched Ludwig, still in the training field on this cold day. "Ludwig." "¡­Yes?" "Stop it, now. I don''t know how many days it''s been, but you can''t fight anymore." Cliffman, with a serious, stern expression, stood in front of Ludwig with his sword still sheathed. "Go back to the Imperial Capital. With your accomplishments so far, that''s more than enough." Ludwig shook his head at Cliffman''s words. "No, I can still do more." "No. You can''t." It seemed that Cliffman couldn''t bear to watch Ludwig''s pitiful state any longer and had come to intervene. "If you don''t understand why you can''t, I''ll show you now." As if to invite Ludwig to attack, Cliffman assumed a stance, facing Ludwig, who was wrapped in blue mana. Ludwig quietly nodded as he looked at Cliffman. "...You''re asking for a duel? Then you should use Magic Body Strengthening to..." "I don''t need it." Cliffman was unarmed. "It''s not necessary to deal with a cripple like you." "¡­" It seemed that Cliffman would rather make Ludwig realize reality and disappear from the battlefield than watch him rush toward an obvious death. CH 560 Chapter 560 Ludwig did not react with anger or rage at Cliffman''s comment about his disability. He was not that kind of person, to begin with. Instead, he remained devoted to the duel. -Thunk! -Bam! -Crack! It was painful to watch. Cliffman truly faced Ludwig without Magic Body Strengthening. Ludwig was wrapped in a blue aura of magical energy, but he couldn''t even touch Cliffman properly. Having only one arm, his superhuman agility and strength proved to be obstacles for Ludwig. For starters, he couldn''t charge properly. His balance was off, and even running seemed awkward. Cliffman, without any weapons, used Ludwig''s strength against him, knocking him down or tripping him up by sweeping his legs. He ruthlessly attacked Ludwig''s empty right side. Only targeting his weak points. Even without Magic Body Strengthening, Cliffman toyed with Ludwig. Ludwig''s left-handed sword could not touch any part of Cliffman. Rather, the sword itself seemed to be a penalty for Ludwig, as Cliffman used the trajectory of Ludwig''s sword against him, either grabbing the blade or kicking it away while suppressing Ludwig. Using a weapon was turning into a weakness. "You were already strong... but it seems like you¡¯ve gotten even stronger." Ludwig got up, leaning on his left arm and offering an awkward smile. Cliffman neither laughed nor showed anger. "You know that''s not true." "¡­" "It''s you who''s gotten weaker. Pathetically so." Ludwig couldn''t respond to Cliffman''s brutal assessment. If Ludwig were in his original state, even without Magic Body Strengthening, Cliffman wouldn''t have been able to dominate him like this. "There are people who''ve trained with only their left or right hand, becoming masters in the use of weapons. It''s not impossible. There have been one-armed swordsmen, even among the master class." Cliffman spoke. "But you only have two months at most, maybe three. It''s impossible for you to reach that level in such a short time. It''s just not feasible." He needed to adapt to his changed body and the altered way of fighting. Perhaps after twenty years like this, Ludwig could become a master class capable of slaughtering monsters with a single hand. But time was against him. Thinking he could become skilled enough to fight like this in just two months was not only arrogant and conceited, but also the delusion of an overly optimistic fool. "I have to do something. I can''t give up like this. Even if I die, if I can save at least one person because of me¡­" "Seems to me like Delphin wouldn''t have died if it weren''t for you, right?" "¡­" At Cliffman''s harsh words, Ludwig''s eyes widened. When did the socially inept Cliffman become someone who could say such cruel things? Too many deaths had changed them all. Cliffman was no exception. "If I say Delphin died trying to save you while you were overexerting yourself for Scarlett, is that rude?" "It''s not rude. It''s the truth." Ludwig nodded calmly at Cliffman''s harsh words. No one would have thought about Cliffman''s words more than Ludwig himself. That''s why he would have been reproaching himself. Ludwig didn''t get angry at what Cliffman said. He just quietly nodded. "That''s right. I killed Delphin. It''s all my fault. My weakness¡­" "If you know it''s wrong, you shouldn''t make more mistakes." "Yes. So, I''m trying to find something I can do with this body..." "That''s an even bigger mistake." Cliffman shakes his head. "You think if you die while trying to do something, at least you''ve made an effort and there''s no shame in that?" "Don''t you consider how the people left behind would feel?" "You know how those left behind would feel, yet if you die fighting like this, how do you think they''d feel?" "Ludwig. It seems like you''re planning to beat up dummies until winter is over, but don''t." "Your best course of action is to return to the Imperial Capital." "Stop acting like you''re going to die any moment. Go back to where there''s no fighting." It''s not that Ludwig doesn''t understand why Cliffman would say such things to him. Doing nothing is helping. Dying like this would only cause more pain for others. "You''re very considerate. You''re kind, and you can''t bring yourself to say harsh words to anyone. I know." As if knowing Ludwig''s nature, Cliffman approaches and places his hand on Ludwig''s shoulder, staring into his eyes. Consideration. Kindness. "Right now, you need to be considerate to us." "..." "You''re casting a huge negative influence on the entire atmosphere of the Royal Class garrison." An obsession with fighting that borders on madness. The sight of him gritting his teeth, falling, and getting up again, all while missing an arm. People don''t see the greatness of humanity in that sight. They only see a one-armed man floundering in despair. People now despair when they see Ludwig. "Killing one more monster like this isn''t considering us or anyone else. Your return to the Imperial Capital is what considers us. Saving your life, at least, will give us some hope. So we can think you''re safe, in a safe place. Go back." True consideration. Ludwig probably had no idea that he was becoming a burden to others. He didn''t know how much his self-pity, acting like he''s about to die, was hurting people. Ludwig doesn''t know how to give up. But Ludwig is fundamentally kind and tries to be considerate of others. You''re better off not being here. That''s consideration. So give up. "..." Ludwig couldn''t deny Cliffman''s words. ------ Cliffman hurled a torrent of abuse at Ludwig and left. In the dim training hall, Ludwig was alone. As Cliffman said, there was a strong shadow of death in Ludwig''s actions. In Ludwig''s desperate appearance, one could only feel death. That''s why people not only pitied him but also couldn''t help but think that he would die soon. It was harmful to everyone. If his actions affected only himself, Ludwig would be stubborn. However, Ludwig learned through Cliffman''s words that his stubbornness was harming others as well. For a while, Ludwig stood silently in the training hall, not saying a word. After hanging his sword on the weapon rack, he left the training hall. It was impossible to know whether Ludwig would give in and quietly return to the Imperial Capital, or whether he would still try to fight more. However, it seemed clear that he thought about how his actions, rushing towards an obvious death, would be perceived by others, and how the people left behind would feel if he really did die. ------ After watching Ludwig''s actions, I continued to roam around the Royal Class garrison. "Ah, you''re here." Adriana spotted me and crouched down to gently stroke my head. "I''m glad you''re safe." Within Adriana''s faint smile, a deep sadness lingered. The death of Ard de Gritis. The relationship between Ard and Adriana was an odd one ¨C they were friends, but at the same time, it was difficult for them to return to being just friends. Regardless of whether they were friends or not, the fact that they were comrades who had fought together on the battlefield remained unchanged. It was only natural that Adriana grieved for his death. At first, Ard and I had clashed, but after we exchanged apologies, there was no lingering animosity. In the end, I thought he was a good guy. After stroking my head a few times, Adriana headed off somewhere. Of course, it''s not like people cry every day just because someone has died and disappeared. It is impossible to sob and grieve every moment. One can still laugh, enjoy conversations, and even sing songs. But even if one doesn''t cry every day, shadows of grief accumulate. I saw those shadows of unerasable sadness gradually adding to everyone''s faces, and heavily layered on Adriana''s. ------ I couldn''t find Ellen in the garrison, whether she had been absent from the beginning or not. I couldn''t see her even when I went into her quarters. Strangely, she was nowhere to be found all day. Though I was curious about Ellen''s situation, I came to the Royal Class garrison to grasp the overall situation and gather information. So after checking that Ellen''s quarters were empty, I continued to wander around. The most important thing at this point was the evidence that the Empire was reviving corpses. First, what happened to the corpses in the royal tombs? And what happened to the swapped corpses in the national cemetery? And what was happening with the corpses of fallen soldiers? If such work or experiments were actually taking place, there must be a secret space somewhere in the Allied Forces garrison where it''s being done. Various conjectures had been made, but nothing had been confirmed. In the case of the Titan developed by Adelia and the Archduke, information had been obtained beforehand. While the detailed technology and methods were unknown, the fact that they were building a massive weapon was not a top-secret matter. There was no need for it to be a secret since morale would be significantly boosted once the weapon was completed. Many soldiers who witnessed the might of the Titan felt hope in this war as they watched it pulverize enemies. However, reviving corpses must be kept top-secret. That''s why neither Sarkegaar nor I had any information on it. That was the frightening truth. The deceased of the Royal Class ¨C could they, too, be resurrected as Death Knights? In the cases of Ard and Delphin, their corpses were not found. In the case of first-year Cardina Ein, there was a corpse. The details of the funeral proceedings were unknown. However, it may have been secretly taken away and turned into a Death Knight. What would happen if one knew that a deceased friend had become a Death Knight? And an even more frightening speculation. The likelihood of dark magic being involved in raising someone as undead without using Kier''s power is high. B-6, Anna de Gerna. A person with a talent for dark magic who actually raises dead monsters to fight in battlefields. I saw that her tent was empty. The time was night. She didn''t return even though the night was deep. ------ It''s still uncertain whether Anna is involved in that operation or not. However, it''s pointless to question if they would involve a twenty-year-old mage in such an important and secretive task, no matter how talented she is. The magic research group that created the power cartridge and Moonshine. Anna, too, is as good as confirmed in her ability, having helped Christina create Moonshine. And from the beginning, wasn''t Adelia, despite being only twenty years old and having the knowledge of the Archduke and the Duchy of Saint Owan, instrumental in creating the Titan? Second-year students from the Temple are special even within the Royal Class. Although there was one third-year student included, the inner club consisting of second-year students created two artifacts that would go down in history during their student years. On top of that, they created the Titan. It includes the Demon King, of course, and even the Hero. The second-year students from the Royal Class are now regarded as a very special breed in the long history of the Temple. So, the possibility of Anna de Gerna, with her talent in dark magic, being involved in the secret project currently being carried out by the Empire... must be considered high. I reluctantly gained Kono Lint''s cooperation in creating the Death Knight. There''s no law saying the Empire shouldn''t make such a proposal to Anna either. For the same reason, they could also order Anna to revive the corpses of fallen warriors. Besides, the Temple has a dark magic curriculum and dark mages, so Anna isn''t the only available dark mage. I stare at Anna''s empty tent. Where could she have gone? Will she come back? I entered Anna''s tent, which was open, and looked around, but of course, there were no objects that would yield any useful information. Gagging And, I mistakenly smelled the repellent odor in the tent and got stunned for about 30 minutes. ------ Plague. Anna''s tent was a minefield for me in another sense. Why isn''t my poison resistance talent working against the repellent? I barely escaped Anna''s tent after getting out of the repellent leaves. Considering that Anna doesn''t return even though the night is deep, will she stay somewhere like a laboratory throughout the night? As I staggered out of Anna''s tent, I heard the sound of armor clanking in the distance. ¡°Good work, Hero.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± From afar, Ellen was returning to the Royal Class garisson. It seemed she had been on a mission somewhere until this night. Meow "Ahh..." Hearing the crying sound from afar, Ellen''s pace quickened. Seeing me in front of Anna''s tent, Ellen''s expression changed as if she had remembered something she had forgotten. It must be obvious that she wouldn''t have the time to worry or think about anything, being terribly busy, and having tasks to do even now that the vicinity of Serandia had quieted down. Approaching in her armor, Ellen crouched down to touch me but hesitated. Ellen looked at her gloves. Dried, thick bloodstains covered them. Had she returned from fighting monsters? Hiss She carefully removed her gloves, then gently tickled the tip of my nose. In truth, it wouldn''t have mattered if she hadn''t removed them, but she seemed worried about affecting me. As she took off her glove, Ellen''s delicate, pale hand was revealed. She touched my nose a few times with that hand. "Have you been well..." She stopped talking and closed her mouth. Perhaps she thought that asking if I had been well didn''t suit the reality of this place. Ellen seemed to be in so much mental pain that she had to choose even the words to use with an animal. "You''ve grown a lot." Meow Ellen stroked me a few times and then looked towards her tent. "It must be cold. Let''s go inside." Purr White breath escaped from Ellen''s mouth. The cold weather was undeniable. Ellen led the way, and I followed. There was no point in probing for information about Anna today. Like everyone else, Ellen''s face bore an indelible shadow. How was the issue with the vengeful spirits progressing? As Ellen''s mental state worsened, it became harder to bear. However, there wouldn''t be any significant battles during this winter, so there would be relatively fewer deaths. Entering the tent, Ellen removed her armor and headed for the bathroom. No, she stopped walking and looked back at me. "Do you want to wash..." Meow! "...You still don''t like it, huh." Ellen went to the bathroom alone, as if she wouldn''t force me. According to my double life, I''m a cat, not Reinhardt, so it shouldn''t matter if I join her! That''s not the point! Inside the bright tent, not only Ellen''s gloves but also her armor was stained with dried, thick blood from the monster she had fought. No, it wasn''t from fighting a single monster, but rather from facing a horde of them. Even in the moments when the garrison held its breath, people like Ellen and Saviolin Turner would have no time to rest. I sat on the makeshift bed and waited for Ellen to finish washing. But. I always feel this way during these times... Let''s say everything is resolved in the end. I don''t know if it''ll be reconciliation or something else. Anyway, let''s say it''s resolved. When Ellen finds out that this cat was me, wouldn''t that be like getting killed on the spot? Honestly, I wouldn''t have anything to say in that case, right? This is an exceptionally perverted act even among perverts. I found it amusing as I thought about it. I''m worrying about getting caught when I don''t even know what will happen. If everything could be resolved, it wouldn''t matter if I was caught a million times doing something like this. Amidst such complicated thoughts, I yawned like a cat, and soon Ellen returned. Ellen had changed into comfortable clothes and wore slippers. The only time Ellen could truly relax was when she returned to this tent. Usually, she would be clad in her elaborate armor, which must be suffocating. Wouldn''t it be uncomfortable? No, even if it were uncomfortable, the armor wouldn''t be the most suffocating part¡ªother aspects would be more stifling. Ellen sat on the makeshift bed for a moment, then placed me on her lap. She began to stroke my back, as if scratching it. It smelled nice. I''m not sure if it''s because I''m a cat, but... Well... It''s a bit strange, but anyway, it''s nice, and, um, it''s a very peculiar feeling... If I were caught, I''d be executed for sure, right? Even in her everyday clothes, an unidentifiable charm hung around Ellen''s neck. Could that charm be protecting Ellen? Or is it just that Ellen is strong, that she''s special and enduring everything? I''m not sure. But Ellen is still here. Ellen, who has me sitting on her lap, looks down at me. "I''d forgotten." -Meow Could it be that she had completely forgotten about having a cat like me in her quarters, petting and taking care of me? It''s not so much that she forgot, but rather, she had no time to think about it. She had too much on her mind, and even after this battle ended, Ellen still had many things to do. So, when she saw me in my cat form just now, Ellen''s expression seemed as if she had rediscovered something she had forgotten about for a long time. Ellen lifts me from her lap and looks into my eyes. Ellen tilts her head. "Do I owe you an apology?" -Mew "I feel strange." -Meow "If I think I''m relieved that you''re safe... it doesn''t seem right." In a battle where too many lives were lost, where even Royal Class members suffered casualties, it''s too much to rejoice over the survival of a single cat. How much pressure and responsibility must Ellen be feeling? "It seems there are people who shouldn''t have been born." Ellen holds me and then hugs me tightly. "It seems there are people who would have been better off not being born." Is she even thinking that far? We end up wishing we never existed, seeing everything as our own responsibility. We wish for a world where we never existed in the first place. And so, Ellen and I both. We end up having the same thoughts. "If I had been small like you... that would have been nice." Having too much influence on the world, and that influence being a horribly great evil. But still, having to fix that. It seemed as if Ellen longed for insignificance. If she had been an insignificant existence, she could have only had an insignificant influence, and she wouldn''t have to deal with all of this because of herself. "If I had been a nobody... that would have been nice." Ellen''s words, "That would have... been nice." Sounded unbearably sad. CH 561 Chapter 561 Ellen appeared serene in her sleep, as if she had no worries or concerns. But that peace was short-lived, as she began to suffer, drenched in cold sweat. She couldn''t help but have nightmares. While I was intentionally made to have nightmares by Airi, Ellen would suffer them unintentionally. Whether it was due to the vengeful spirits that tried to consume her, or the countless deaths she had witnessed, or the guilt that weighed on her. "Ugh..." Though the cold sweat on Ellen''s forehead was pitiable, I was not Airi. All I could do was draw closer to Ellen as she was tormented by her nightmares, and curl up beside her. Strangely enough, my mere presence seemed to calm her, as she soon embraced me in her sleep and her breathing steadied. Could this be some form of animal therapy...? Of course, it was a little... Close. Too close, perhaps. Uh... Yes, that was it. ------ The next day. Ellen woke up with bleary eyes and sat up. "..." -Meow Ellen looked down at me. By now, I couldn''t help but grow accustomed to this eerie yet familiar sight. Her eyes were empty, as if her consciousness was being eroded by something. She moved more like a machine than a person. Ellen stared at me for a slow three seconds before turning her gaze away and getting up. It was as if something else was moving Ellen''s body, not Ellen herself. It wasn''t that we couldn''t communicate. In fact, I knew she had gone on missions in that state and had always returned safely. With her eyes still clouded, Ellen entered the bathroom to wash up. Afterward, she donned her armor and activated the armor stand. -Clank! Clank! Her armor seamlessly connected, and Ellen was now dressed in the resplendent armor of a warrior. The Sun''s Cape and the Moon''s Sword were summoned onto her shoulders and waist. Without looking back at me, Ellen left the tent. As these events continued to repeat, Ellen''s consciousness would eventually fade, and she would disappear. There was nothing I could do. It was impossible for me to forcibly extract the souls lodged within Ellen''s body. Only Lucinil could do that right now. Not just her, but all the other Vampire Lords as well. And, of course, Lucinil and the other Vampire Lords would not perform the ritual for me, no matter how much I begged. Antirianus would undoubtedly refuse or sabotage the process. Even if the spirits were extracted, someone would still have to bear the burden of that massive collective. Whether they entered the body of someone who hated me or someone who loved me, it would be a problem. The fact remained that Ellen was the only person in the world capable of enduring it. At some point in the future, I would have to risk everything to do something. Hoping that I could save Ellen then. I watched the figure of something that was not quite Ellen leave the barracks without a single word of farewell. ------ As soon as morning arrived, Ellen left the Royal Class Garrison. Although she appeared mechanical in her current state, she did not harm or hurt anyone. In fact, most people didn''t even realize that something had changed. From the beginning, Ellen was a woman of few words who silently carried out her duties, so only those who knew her well would notice that something was amiss. One day, I might have to fight against Ellen, or perhaps against whatever had consumed her body. I didn''t know which it would be. The future I glimpsed in the preview showed me defeated by Ellen, and Ellen committing suicide in front of my lifeless body. I couldn''t tell if the Ellen in that vision was the real Ellen or one possessed by vengeful spirits. I''ve been doing mental training to avoid losing when that moment finally comes, but I''ve only been experiencing defeat. If the price of winning once in reality is dying countless times in my dreams, I would be content, but there''s no way to know until the situation actually arises. Regardless of who controls Ellen''s body now, I must continue to do what needs to be done, just as she is. I could see that Ellen''s condition wasn''t critical, but it was slowly deteriorating. I headed back to Anna''s tent, but it was still empty. I could tell whether she hadn''t returned or had come back late and left early in the morning. The inside of the tent looked exactly the same as when I had seen it yesterday. Anna hadn''t returned. Given the nature of magic research and experiments, it was common for her to work through the night, and some researchers even slept in their laboratories. And just like yesterday, the royal class students who saw me didn''t discuss where Anna went or express curiosity about her whereabouts. It was strange that Ellen talked to me about various things, but most people simply petted me without saying much or spoke amongst themselves. There''s an inherent limit to gathering information while in the form of a beast. Namely, I can''t ask questions. I can only gather information from the conversations that pass between people. Thus, if I were in human form, I could simply ask where Anna went and the problem would be solved. But as a cat, I can''t know what she''s doing or where she''s gone unless she comes up in people''s conversations. And here''s the problem. "When did this guy come back?" "This one has grown a lot too." -Meow People approach and talk about the cat, but they never discuss what I''m curious about. It''s exhausting to eavesdrop and wait for Anna to come up in conversation while lurking nearby. Should I just call Kono Lint? He might know where Anna is. But I don''t want to reveal that the cat at the royal class base is actually Reinhardt. Well, it''s not like it matters anymore if Kono Lint finds out. If anything, it''s like I''ve already revealed something I shouldn''t have. But I''d rather not be known as a strange pervert here. I could simply continue using my beauty disguise to meet him outside the royal class base. He would understand right away if I say, "You know, there''s only one other woman like me who could mess with your life, besides Sarkegaar." But Kono Lint is a non-combatant, and his skills are in high demand at all times. He can move anywhere in an instant, making him the hardest one to find if I''m determined to do so. Calling him again after telling him not to investigate would make me look inconsistent. Wait, he''s not actually trying to look into this on his own, is he? I don''t want to create trouble unintentionally. It was certain that Anna hadn''t returned to the garrison. However, that didn''t necessarily mean she was involved in this matter. Sarkegaar was collecting information in his own way, so even if my side came up empty, there might still be something from his end. As for me, my limits were clear, and I had only been at the Royal Class garrison. Sarkegaar, who had been investigating the entire Allied garrison, might have obtained some other information. ------ At the designated time and the predetermined rendezvous point. Having returned to my human form, I met with Sarkegaar, and we faced each other in a dimly lit corner of the supply warehouse area of the Allied garrison. "Gathering information is difficult." "¡­As expected, huh." Obtaining information about the Titan wasn''t easy either. But in this case, it was the kind of research or experiment that absolutely couldn''t be made public. So, it must have been equipped with a level of security far beyond that of the Titan case. "Basically, mages have a habit-like tendency to not want to reveal their research to outsiders. That''s why security is more thorough than in other places." "A habit?" "Yes, it''s similar to how dogs bury bones in the ground." Sarkegaar''s words were somehow amusing in this situation. Mages had a pathological dislike for revealing their own research achievements to others. As a result, they tended to obsess over security. This habit-like behavior persisted even when the research in question wasn''t necessarily a secret. "Also, mages tend to encrypt their documents. This is true for joint research, and even more so for individual research." "¡­They sure live a tiring life." "Indeed, I''ve confirmed that there are a large number of confidential documents in each garrison where mages gather, but very few documents could be understood." "So, it''s possible that these confidential documents have nothing to do with this case?" "Yes, Your Highness." The mages'' security obsession and encryption were now obstacles. The Titan case involved a massive project that was extremely difficult to conceal. From the start, each part of the Titan was enormous, so transportation alone required a tremendous amount of manpower. "What about finding the place where the research or experiment is being conducted?" "As I mentioned, most of the mage group garrisons have much stricter access control than the Royal Class garrisons." There were too many potential locations, most of which were difficult to enter, making it impossible to know where to go. The Allied Forces were a mobile army. Nevertheless, within this garrison, the fact that there were areas with strict access control demonstrated the strength of the mages'' security obsession. And, of course, it would be difficult for Sarkegaar to infiltrate the Royal Mage Corps'' garrison area. Even if he were to succeed, obtaining decisive evidence would be even more challenging. In the end, Sarkegaar hadn''t managed to find out anything concrete yet. "Hmm¡­ This situation isn''t that different from the Titan case¡­" "If such a thing is really happening, it''s true that a massive area would be needed to conceal it." An experiment involving thousands of corpses. Although the end product might not be as large as the Titan, the scale of the experiment itself would have to be as massive as the Titan project. A highly secured experiment. However, there were far too many watchful eyes in this environment. Where on earth could the experiment be taking place within the Allied garrison? It was impossible to know. If Anna were involved in this experiment, following her trail would reveal the location of the research facility. However, it was uncertain whether she was staying at the research site or not returning to the Royal Class garrison at all. "For now, we have no choice but to keep looking. Continue your investigation, but don''t take any excessive risks. I''ll do what I can on my end as well." "Yes, Your Highness." Sarkegaar quietly nodded, transformed into a black cat, and disappeared somewhere. Something. Could it really be such a complicated issue? Or was it possible that they were overlooking something very simple? It was a strange feeling. CH 562 Chapter 562 Mages are, by nature, intelligent people. No, to be more precise, it is geniuses who become Mages. Yet, it was amusing how they all shared similar habits. They showed an obsessive compulsion for encryption and security, fearing that their research might be stolen. It''s probably because such incidents were quite common. Naturally, the places where Mages conducted their experiments and research were heavily secured, and there were so many of them that it would take a considerable amount of time to break into each one. Debating whether I should call upon Kono Lint, I eventually returned to the Royal Class garrison. In the end, wandering around trying to pick up on something was the best I could do. As a result, just like the previous day, I couldn''t help but encounter various people from the Royal Class. "Huh? You''re back. Where have you been all this time?" Adelia, carrying a bundle of something in her arms, looked like she wanted to pat me but couldn''t because her hands were full. Instead, she shuffled her feet. Despite being the core developer of Titan, which would undoubtedly play a significant role in this war, she still appeared clumsy. Throughout the winter, Adelia would likely be occupied with the maintenance and improvement of Titan without a moment''s rest. Ironically, people like Adelia seemed busier during these days of rest. Adelia had the talent for summoning magic, but she was, in fact, considered non-combat personnel. Applying magic crafting proved to be more helpful in battle, given the current reality. Eventually, with both hands full, Adelia glanced at me with an apologetic look and left the Royal Class garrison. There was no point in following Adelia, as her work throughout the winter would be related to Titan. As I walked around the tents, I tried to focus on any sounds coming from within. "Ludwig, even in the capital, there''s work you can do." From one tent, I heard the voice of Teacher Mustlang, whom I hadn''t heard in a long time. Could it be a consultation? I sat near the tent and focused on the voices. "You have experience fighting monsters, so you could work as an instructor at a recruit training center, or even teach Magic Body Strengthening to Moonshine users. Both of these would be meaningful, no, very important tasks. You know that, right?" "Yes¡­" Yesterday, Cliffmann harshly told Ludwig to go to the rear lines. He didn''t want him acting like a dead man and ruining the atmosphere. But that was because Cliffmann didn''t want Ludwig to die. He knew Ludwig was a stubborn person, and if he genuinely cared for others, he would disappear from their sight. However, Teacher Mustlang was different. "Participating in battle and killing monsters isn''t the only meaningful work in a war. Quartermasters, instructors, recruitment officers¡ªall of their efforts and support make it possible for the allied forces to move as they do. Who would think their work is not important?" "Yes, it''s important. Of course¡­ I don''t ignore or think that they''re unnecessary¡­" Teacher Mustlang seemed to be trying to comfort Ludwig and convince him that there was plenty of work to be done in the rear, and that those tasks were not any lighter than what was happening on the battlefield. Ludwig was not without options for contributing. "Yes, it''s important. Of course... I don''t mean to ignore those people or think they''re not needed..." It seemed like he was trying to persuade Ludwig with kind words, that there were many things he could do from the rear, and that their tasks were by no means lighter than those on the battlefield. Ludwig was not without capabilities. As Teacher Mustlang had said, Ludwig had plenty of experience fighting monsters. Not only in this war, but ever since the Gate Incident, Ludwig had survived nearly three years of battling monsters. In the end, he couldn''t be called anything but a veteran. Monsters were unpredictable, but Ludwig had seen that unpredictability time and time again, so he could teach it to the rookies and those unfamiliar with fighting monsters. He could be an instructor, teach Magic Body Strengthening, and even join the Imperial Guard. In the vast refugee residential area, just one small monster appearing could result in a massacre. Ludwig, having lost an arm, might have a limited role in the coalition forces facing hundreds, thousands, or even millions of powerful monsters, but in the rear, he could crush such insignificant monsters with his bare hands. "Return to the Imperial Capital, there are many things you can do there." Though he couldn''t see Teacher Mustlang and Ludwig''s expressions, despair could be felt in Ludwig''s silence. The sorrow and guilt of not being able to fight anymore and causing the morale of the people to drop because of his presence. It was impossible not to think it was cruel. In the end, Ludwig lost his arm and Delphin died. But it was a fact that they saved Scarlett. Everyone knew that but wanted Ludwig to live, so they tried to force him back. I didn''t know what was right. Whether it was right to let him continue fighting, even if he had to risk death. Or if it was right to forcibly send him back to the rear, treating him like a burden. "Ludwig, there''s no need to rush your decision. The coalition forces will be staying in Serandia for a while. Going back to the Imperial Capital to cool your head and think slowly might be a good idea." Telling him not to decide right away but to take his time and think. "¡­I''ll think about it." Ludwig wanted to stay on the battlefield, but no one else wished for that. ------ Cliffman''s harsh words and Teacher Mustlang''s persuasion. I watched from a distance as Ludwig left Teacher Mustlang''s tent with a subdued expression. What would become of Ludwig now? It might be better for him to completely withdraw from this fight. Being reckless, he might die in the very next battle if left as is. I agree with Teacher Mustlang''s words that staying in the rear, whether as a trainee, a rookie, or anything else, would undoubtedly be a meaningful task. Is the original protagonist going to leave like this? I continued to explore the Royal Class garrison with Ludwig''s lonely figure behind me. Ellen was gone, and Anna hadn''t returned either. I was planning to call Kono Lint soon, but he was also absent from the garrison. So. As I wandered around here and there, picking up stories. "Pat, pat." Somehow, after some time had passed, he found himself sitting on Adriana''s lap, entrusting his body to the caressing fingers that tickled his chin. "Do you want some?" -Meow. As he accepted and ate the thinly torn jerky that Adriana offered... Am I just a beast now... Somehow, this side of me is slowly starting to feel more comfortable... No, it doesn''t make sense how I''m so cute just by being alive. Honestly, did I save someone or establish some kind of specialty in this form? I receive praise just for not dying, for following the allied forces, and for merely hanging around. How comfortable must the lives of beasts be? Of course, under the premise of being cute. As if everyone in this position did the same, Adriana had me sitting on her lap, caressing me, but she also seemed to have many concerns. Her expression was far from bright. Adriana sat on a wooden box installed near the training grounds of the Royal Class garrison. Next to the wooden box were the large hammer and shield that Adriana had been wielding so far, leaning against each other. Adriana, who used to use a sword, was now using a shield and hammer on this battlefield. Superhumans have abnormal strength compared to ordinary people, so the weight of the weapons themselves isn''t a big problem. There are quite a few people who changed their main weapons to hammers, axes, two-handed swords, or other heavy weapons, including greatswords, as they began to fight monsters, and Adriana was one of them. The hammer Adriana uses is a weapon that an ordinary person can barely lift with both hands, and even then, only if they are strong. Adriana fights with it in one hand. She blocks with the shield, and crushes with the hammer. Ludwig could probably handle such a large weapon with one hand as well. The important thing is not whether Ludwig is used to that fighting style, but his gloomy attitude, which makes it seem like he might die in the process. Everyone tries to dissuade the guy who is bound to become a moth to the flame. Anyway, Adriana had been practicing her combat skills in the training grounds when she found me and decided to take a break. "It''s quiet..." Adriana muttered to herself, looking at the peaceful training grounds. There were people in the training grounds, but it wasn''t bustling. After all, the Royal Class didn''t have many members to begin with. "Adriana..." "Ah, Redina." When Adriana turned her head to the voice coming from the side, there stood Redina. Redina sat down next to Adriana with a gloomy expression, and silently hugged Adriana''s waist. As if accustomed to it, Adriana opened her arms and embraced Redina''s shoulders. Redina snuggled into Adriana''s arms. "..." "..." Ard de Gritis had died. The death of a classmate was as shocking to the third-year students as it was to the second-year students. Without saying a word, the two hugged each other quietly. They knew that merely bringing up the topic would be hard for both of them. Redina cried silently in Adriana''s embrace, and Adriana, with her eyes brimming with tears, comforted Redina''s shoulders. Tears would easily flow at any time. It would only get worse from here. "I don''t know what to do..." "Are you talking about the Cayer incident...?" "...Yes." Cayer. And Redina. Yesterday, I saw the two of them having something like an argument. But the situation seemed to have changed slightly from what had been observed. Adriana seemed to know what was going on. "If I had known that..." "...Did you apologize?" "I did... but I don''t know. It seems like he won''t even listen to me... He says it''s not for my sake that he''s doing this... just saying that..." "Is his life really in danger?" Listening to their conversation, it was inevitable to understand the situation. As he charged the Arc Crystal, Cayer occasionally tried to charge mana beyond his limits. This was shortening his lifespan. It wasn''t a problem during normal times, but in battle, urgent situations were frequent. Even knowing he was out of strength, there were times when Cayer charged his mana until he was exhausted. Moreover, there were many cases where even Redina urged him to charge until he collapsed. However, Redina did not know that it was shortening Cayer''s life, and Cayer did not tell her. If she found out, she would worry needlessly. His attitude was that he would willingly sacrifice a little of his lifespan if it meant being able to help where magic was needed at the moment. Redina no longer had any intention of urging or nagging Cayer. But Cayer wasn''t exhausting himself for Redina''s sake in the first place. So there was no point in what she had to say. If Cayer dies, the Arc Crystal will become useless. Then Redina won''t be able to cast magic as freely as she does now. Of course, it''s not like she''s crying and leaning on Adriana because she''s afraid of becoming useless. "I don''t know what to do..." Can the two of them apologize and reconcile? Even if they reconcile, would anything change? Since Cayer isn''t overdoing it for Redina, her apologies and dissuasion mean nothing to him. So even if they reconcile, Cayer will push himself when necessary. He''s not going to die right away, so it''s okay. Even if he pushes himself for a while, Cayer won''t die immediately, and that''s true. But no one knows when that "right away" will be. War takes lives. And it keeps devouring those who survive. ------ Redina, disheartened, went back after talking with Adriana, who focused on training alone after putting me down from her lap. I left the training ground and wandered around the Royal Class garrison again. Perhaps because of winter, or the atmosphere, the garrison was quiet and desolate. The weather wasn''t that warm, so it was better to rest in a warm barracks, and there was no need to go outside unless there was a mission. Anna hadn''t returned, and Ellen wasn''t there either. Rather than waiting endlessly for Anna, who I didn''t know when she would return, I thought it would be better to wait for Kono Lint. Somehow, I wanted to use the Kono Lint chance again. He was most likely to appear in the place where he was most likely to come if he returned to the garrison. The dining tent. At lunchtime, people couldn''t help but flock here to eat. Both Adriana, who was training, and Ludwig joined the students gathered at the dining tent at lunchtime. And I, too, waited for Kono Lint to appear among the students, as this dining tent was pretty much my usual spot. However, something was a bit strange. The bowl of milk placed before me was just as it was. Let''s say it''s fine that Anna and Ellen are not here. Kono Lint didn''t even appear in the dining tent. Let''s assume that he had some other task and couldn''t come. I was watching the B-class members gathered around a long table, eating their meal. B-3, Scarlett B-10, Ranian Sesor B-11, Ludwig There were only three second-year B-class members in the dining hall. Only three showed up at lunchtime. There were two casualties in the B-class. B-4, Asher; B-9, Delphin Izzard. Dettomorian was known to be in the Imperial Capital. Charlotte couldn''t possibly be here. The telepath, B-9 Evia, practically lives in the garrison. It was then that I realized what I was missing. Since I had only been searching for Anna, I hadn''t thought of who else might be missing. Excluding those who couldn''t be here, there were two more people whom I hadn''t encountered at all in the past couple of days. B-5, Christina B-2, Louis Ancton Like Anna, I had no memory of ever meeting them even once. I had been so focused on Anna de Gerna that I hadn''t noticed the others. Let''s say that Anna is one thing. But what about the other two? Why aren''t they here? ¡°Ludwig, what will you do?¡± As I listened to Ranian Sesor''s cautious question. I finally realized what I had been overlooking. If Ludwig were to return to the rear, he would go back to the Imperial Capital, so it''s obvious where he would be. Shouldn''t he return to the temple? The temple. I need some time to think. With permission, some students would be able to return to and stay at the temple. I completely forgot about the soldiers on leave who were directly seen in the Imperial Capital. I hadn''t thought of such a simple thing. There''s no reason for the royal family to conduct secret research in a base with many prying eyes like the allied forces. The temple is practically empty now. But it was once the cradle of academia and research, even housing a university. The facilities would be more than enough. Rather, it would be incredibly risky to conduct research at the allied forces base, so there''s no reason to do it here. It was a problem that I assumed they would naturally do experiments related to the undead here since they had developed the Titan on-site due to unavoidable circumstances. If they wanted to conduct secret and discreet research, they could simply do it at the temple instead of here. If Anna were a research associate, she wouldn''t be somewhere in this base but at the temple. However. When I thought about the missing people and my speculation, my mind couldn''t help but wander in a different direction. What if they hadn''t returned to the temple simply for a winter break but for research purposes? Let''s say that''s the case for Anna. But why Louis Ancton and Christina? No, in the first place... Louis Ancton wasn''t a researcher on a large project like the Titan. Despite having sufficient skills and knowledge to assist in that research, Louis Ancton wasn''t included in Adelia''s and the Archduke''s project. So what had he been doing all this time? CH 563 Chapter 563 Louis Ancton''s talent was academic. He couldn''t use magic, and thus couldn''t contribute to battles. However, he had been with the allied forces, and had been seen several times at the royal class garrison. Louis Ancton was like a mage who couldn''t use magic, a mage scholar. In fact, he had helped in the design of power cartridges and Moonshines. In the original work, Louis had helped improve the magic level of his classmates, and he was likely doing the same here. Apologies to Louis, but when compared, he was like a lower-tier version of Harriet. However, that was only because the comparison was with our stubborn protagonist. It didn''t mean Louis was incompetent. Although he couldn''t use magic, he had the talent to perfectly understand and design all magic-related aspects. Thinking from that point, there was a problem. Louis Ancton had no connection to the Titan research project that Adelia had been working on. However, if he had been involved, he would have undoubtedly been of great help. Louis Ancton was unrelated to the Titan project. He might have improved and modified the battle magic of other wizards, but he was more than capable of taking on a major project. The fact that Louis was unrelated to the development of Titan meant he had been entrusted with a completely different project. Louis Ancton, quite literally, had talent in understanding dark magic. So if Anna was working on a project related to the undead, Louis Ancton could help or even lead it. As a result, although not yet confirmed, some facts had been revealed. Anna was not eating and sleeping in a research facility somewhere in this garrison. From the beginning, there was no reason for the allied forces'' garrison to conduct research related to dark magic. There would be many more facilities at the temple, and security would be easier to maintain. Coming to the allied forces'' garrison was like barking up the wrong tree. To learn the truth behind the Empire''s activities, one must go to the temple instead. If Anna was really involved, whether Louis Ancton was involved as well. If even Christina was involved, what were they doing? What I thought was related to Death Knights could be very different, and it was impossible to predict what it was. Would I have to see it with my own eyes? If so, how? ------ Only when Louis Ancton and Christina were confirmed to be absent did I realize that my focus had been too narrow. I had thought the desolate atmosphere at the royal class garrison was due to the aftermath of the Serandia battle. It was winter, and the weather was cold, so I believed many people were staying inside the barracks. However, it turned out that the desolate atmosphere was due to the lack of people. During the winter, the garrison was not expected to move, and with the core monster areas in Serandia being suppressed, the threat of monsters had decreased. Royal class personnel received special treatment. It seemed that they were accommodating those who wanted to spend the winter at the temple. I had seen soldiers on vacation from the Imperial Court and hadn''t considered that there would be similar personnel in the royal class. Knowing one thing led me to know only one thing, instead of ten. It was impossible to know if experiments were really being conducted at the temple. However, since it was almost certain that Anna had returned to the temple, the likelihood of the experiment taking place there, rather than at the Allied Forces'' base, had increased significantly. The temple had superior facilities and security, so there was no need to conduct a dangerous experiment at the heavily monitored Allied Forces'' base. It was an ironic situation. Usually, students would leave school during holidays or breaks. In this case, however, the students were granted a break and returned to school instead. I finally took a good look at the desolate Royal Class base. What could be happening there? How could I confirm this? ------ Bertus was in the Imperial Palace. Tetra, the emperor''s office at the Imperial Palace. Bertus began reading the report. For a while, Bertus remained silent. Saviolin Turner also did not speak. After a long silence, the emperor spoke briefly. "Commander Turner, if divine punishment is given to those who have sinned, what kind of punishment should I receive?" It was a horrible affair. It was something beyond words. If the guilt of those who ordered the act is greater than that of the ones who committed it, Bertus would be the greatest sinner in the world. The divine punishment given to such a person shouldn''t merely take their life. Bertus wondered what could be worse than death. "Your Majesty, all of this is for the future and well-being of humanity. You have made a decision for humanity. It cannot be called a sin." "Do you truly believe that?" It was an overly exemplary answer. "..." Just because it was necessary doesn''t mean it wasn''t a sin. Both Turner and Bertus knew that it was merely a comforting statement. That''s why Turner couldn''t respond to Bertus''s overly direct question. One cannot cover the sky with the palm of one''s hand. "Well, divine punishment might not even exist in the first place." If God watched over the world, why does sin exist, and why did the Gate Incident happen? "Come to think of it, divine punishment seems ridiculous whether it exists or not." "Ridiculous, you say...?" "If insurmountable trials are given without sin and judgments are made, isn''t that some unfunny prank?" "..." "If there is no reward or punishment, why did these events have to happen in the first place? What was the purpose of the gods throwing such a thing into the world?" "..." "Well, I now believe that the so-called gods no longer have any interest in this world." Bertus clicked his tongue briefly. "I apologize, Commander Turner. It seems I am agitated. Pointless talk..." Bertus wiped his face several times. Divine punishment. There is no such thing in this world. Then why does sin exist? Who should be held responsible for sin? Who should bear the burden, and who should be punished? "By the way, have you grasped the situation with the Holy Knights?" "......We have not identified which specific group is involved. Also, we have the problem of not being able to investigate the scene." Not long ago, Bertus received a report that the tomb of the saints, located in the basement of the Holy Knights'' headquarters, had been destroyed. The tomb was destroyed, and the remains were stolen. "Eleion Bolton is expected to return to the Imperial Capital soon." "......I see." The matter of the Holy Knights was the Holy Knights'' business. Hoping that this matter would not spark a fire in the wrong place, Bertus glanced at his now cold tea. "One of our classmates has died, and another has been left crippled." "Yes..." The deceased classmate. And the crippled classmate. "I know that Ludwig is a stubborn fellow." "Yes, that''s true." During the time when Saviolin Turner took on the role of a dormitory supervisor for Charlotte''s protection, she had once observed Ludwig''s swordsmanship. Initially, it was just an excuse to observe Reinhardt''s swordsmanship, but she had long watched Ludwig, who kept asking for guidance persistently despite stumbling repeatedly. She had also observed Delphin, though not in as much detail. Delphin was dead, and Ludwig had lost an arm. Naturally, Bertus was aware of his classmates'' situations to some extent, even if not in great detail. And not only during their time at the temple, but Bertus had also been informed of their individual achievements since the outbreak of the Gate incident. Ludwig. One of the four classmates who had gained Magic Body Strengthening without learning it. His comparatives were the hero and demon king, but compared to his peers of the same age, Ludwig was an unparalleled talent. He was a monster. If it hadn''t been for the war, he would have had more than enough potential to join the Master Class within a few years. "I know that he''s not the type to give up easily." "Perhaps, that''s true." And it wasn''t just his abilities but also his personality. His closest friend, Delphin, had died, and he had always chosen the most dangerous battlefields during the Gate incident. Therefore, it was unlikely that he would give up fighting just because he had lost an arm. He had the kind of stubbornness that could get him killed. Bertus could foresee what would happen without seeing it firsthand. To prevent the miserable deaths of his classmates. Before the moth was consumed by the flame. "Tell him to return to the temple." Bertus issued the imperial decree. ------ There are beings in the world who don''t need to persuade or convince others. Beings who simply need to say "come" or "go" to make it so. Bertus was one of them. Even in the current state of the world, at least on human lands, he still held that power. As Ludwig stood at a crossroads between fighting on in rage and despair or not, facing Cliffman''s harsh words, his friends'' persuasion, and his teacher''s advice, he soon faced a single coercion. "Ludwig, His Majesty has decreed that you return to the temple." The emperor''s order was relayed through Master Mustlang. "Go to the warp spot and deliver this document, and you should be able to return to the Imperial Capital." "..." Master Mustlang carefully explained where the warp spot was located within the allied forces'' base and who Ludwig should look for. It was a humbling experience. An imperial decree was not something given lightly. Even though he was a fellow classmate who had been injured and was stubbornly intent on fighting, the direct decree to return to the temple quietly showed how kind the emperor was. He had gone so far as to issue a direct decree to a student who was, albeit of Royal Class, left crippled and didn''t necessarily need his attention. Gratitude was due. There was no need for persuasion from others, facing reality, or for Ludwig to accept their words and return quietly with understanding. Just go back. With a single command, Bertus could force Ludwig''s actions, and Ludwig had no other choice. Master Mustlang''s face was also deeply moved when he saw that Emperor Bertus, having become emperor, was personally paying attention to Ludwig. However, upon seeing Ludwig''s stern expression, Master Mustlang''s face gradually hardened as well. "Ludwig, this is an imperial edict. It''s not something you can refuse. You know that, right?" His attitude seemed hesitant. This was the emperor''s consideration. The moment he refused, he couldn''t complain even if his neck was severed. An overbearing consideration. "Yes, Teacher. I know. Of course¡­" Ludwig nodded quietly. Master Mustlang heaved a sigh of relief, as he didn''t know if Ludwig would make a big fuss about it. Ludwig stared at the document containing the emperor''s decree, holding it in his hand. No matter how much Ludwig didn''t want to leave the battlefield, he knew he couldn''t refuse the emperor''s command. Now there''s really no choice. What must be accepted has to be accepted. There is no place for him on this battlefield, and countless people are trying to send him away from the battlefield out of consideration for him. He can no longer refuse. "When I return to the Imperial Capital, there will be something I can do, right?" "Of course, I told you, didn''t I? There will be many places that need you. You also have friends in the dormitory now, so you won''t be lonely." Master Mustlang smiled brightly and nodded, thinking Ludwig might be stubborn about it. Despite his many stubbornness, obsessions, and desires to fight, Even the short-lived determination and resolution to kill the Demon King with his own hands were eventually broken by others'' intentions. With the emperor''s command as the last straw, Ludwig must leave the battlefield. ------ There was no need for an overly long farewell. The very next day, Ludwig exchanged simple greetings with his fellow Royal Class students, gathered his belongings, and headed toward the warp point. Ranian Sesor and Scarlett followed Ludwig to see him off until the very end. "You have Christina, Louis, Anna, and Dettomorian, right? So you won''t be bored." "That''s true." "Take care, Ludwig." "Thank you." Ludwig lost his arm while saving Scarlett. Ultimately, Ludwig had to leave because of her, so her expression was filled with guilt. "Don''t apologize, Scarlett." "Ludwig¡­" Hearing such words only made Scarlett feel more miserable. He decided to leave the battlefield. So there should be no regrets. As Teacehr Mustlang said, Ludwig believes there will be something for him to do in the imperial capital. Whatever it is, their tasks are not trivial, so he believes he can still do something even if he cannot fight in this war. The emperor''s command is something to be grateful for, not a reason to feel bitter and resentful. If he ever meets the emperor, he should kneel and thank him. Among the people and supplies returning to the imperial capital at the warp spot, the mages in charge of the warp began casting Mass Teleport. From beyond the boundary of the warp spot, Ludwig waved to his friends remaining on the battlefield. "Stay safe. Please." Death is a sad thing. Praying for the wellbeing of his friends from the distant imperial capital upon hearing news from the battlefield is now the only thing left for him to do. It may be sorrowful, But knowing there''s no place for him anymore, Ludwig leaves. "Yes, you too, Ludwig." I will fight on your behalf and survive until the end. Scarlett had said this to Ludwig several times, and Ranian Sesor continued to wave at Ludwig until the long Mass Teleport casting was complete. The casting of Mass Teleport takes time. It wasn''t a spell that just anyone could use, and it was akin to transporting personnel and supplies simultaneously, operating at certain intervals. Moreover, Warp Spots were being used at various locations of the allied forces'' base. Thus, until the Mass Teleport at the Warp Spot was activated, Ludwig could watch as people and supplies were gradually sent back to the Empire. Ludwig had not returned to the Empire since his deployment and had never been to a Warp Spot like this. However, even Ludwig, who had no reason to come to the Warp Spot, couldn''t help but notice that something about the situation was quite unusual. ''¡­Holy Knights?'' At the Warp Spot, there were not only soldiers returning to the Empire for the winter but also Holy Knights. That much was understandable. But there were significantly more Holy Knights than others. ''Is the commander going back as well?'' The Holy Knights Commander, Eleion Bolton, was among them. By now, Ludwig had no choice but to recognize the faces of the leaders of the prominent groups. Seeing the serious expressions on all their faces, Ludwig couldn''t help but feel a strange sense of unease. Had something happened? That wasn''t all. ¡°Ellen¡­?¡± ¡°Are you going back too?¡± ¡°Yeah, I''m going back for a bit and then returning.¡± From a distance, Ellen was approaching, and Ranian Sesor and Scarlett turned their heads upon spotting her. Naturally, the others'' gazes shifted toward Ellen. The Hero, Ellen Artorius, approached the Warp Spot wearing not her usual battle armor but plain clothes. Being an exceptional existence, Ellen would have been able to use the Warp Spot freely with the headquarters'' permission. But this Ellen seemed different from the one they usually saw. She was holding something in her right hand. ''Meow!'' ''Chirp!'' ''Meow, meow, meow!'' In the unexpected cage held in Ellen''s right hand, a bewildered-looking black cat was spinning in circles and meowing. ¡°I''m going to leave it in the Capital, where it''ll be safer.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°Indeed, it does.¡± ¡°Meow!¡± Ellen hugged the cage as if it were precious, and the cat, looking extremely confused, spun around inside the narrow cage with wide-open eyes. CH 564 Chapter 564 I had let my guard down. Having returned to the garrison, Ellen had placed me on her lap and stroked me for a while, lulling me into an unwitting slumber. Honestly, it was impossible to resist sleep with Ellen''s gentle touch, which I had grown accustomed to. When I came to my senses, I found myself trapped in a cage. It was a conspiracy. A scheme. There was a hidden agenda. I had been deceived by Ellen. I couldn''t tell who she had spoken to or what was discussed, but it seemed Ellen had decided it was better for me to be raised at the temple, rather than in this dangerous battlefield. If I were a real cat, it would be nothing short of a miracle that I had managed to survive and follow the allied forces thus far. To be blunt, it wasn''t the monsters that were the problem ¨C I could be crushed to death while hiding in their luggage, and there would be nothing to say. I could see what Ellen was thinking without her saying it. She couldn''t stay at the temple forever. Even if she couldn''t see me, she wanted to send me somewhere safe. Just as she wanted to send Ludwig back to the temple because it was dangerous, she wanted to raise me in the temple because it was dangerous for me as well. -Meow! No matter how much I cried and scratched from within the cage, Ellen appeared to grit her teeth and endure it. She must be sad about parting, but she must have decided it would be better for someone else to raise me in a safe environment. I could break the cage if I wanted to, but that would lead to a situation beyond control. Not only Ellen, but even Scarlett, and Ranian Sesor seemed to agree with Ellen''s words, nodding their heads as if it was the natural course of action. Ludwig, whose return to the empire was decided, had a wry smile but didn''t say it was pointless. Well¡­ Ludwig wasn''t in a position to worry about a single cat right now. -Teleport recipients, please step back! The mass teleport casting was nearing completion. -Meow! -Scratch! "It''s frustrating, I know. I''m sorry. I''ll let you out in a bit." Ellen whispered quietly, thinking I was upset because I was trapped. -Flash! The brilliant light of the mass teleport enveloped us. ------ Ellen was particularly busy, but it was safe to say that there was little danger at the garrison. That''s why Ellen could afford this much time. Rather, Ellen absolutely needed some rest. It was during this precious and rare respite, the length of which was uncertain, that she decided to entrust the cat to the temple. This was a problem. Quite a big problem, at that. If I were to be left at the temple in the future, I would no longer be able to use the cat operation. Although I could disguise myself as another cat, wouldn''t it be suspicious for one cat to disappear and another to appear immediately after? Although a temple stray cat would undoubtedly have a better fate than a garrison stray cat, I am not a cat! Upon returning to the Imperial Capital, Ellen wore a hood to avoid being recognized. She seemed to be heading for the royal class dormitory, and there was someone with her who had no particular reason to accompany her. Ludwig, who had lost an arm and received a rear-guard standby order. Ellen, returning to leave the cat. Looking at it this way, Ellen seemed like a reckless person, but there was no one to scold her for acting this way, given what she had accomplished so far. Ludwig and Ellen were not close friends. However, it wasn''t as if they were on bad terms either. "Are you on a break?" "No, I''ll be heading back soon." Ellen replied softly to Ludwig''s question. Her voice carried a sense of guilt. It seemed like she thought Ludwig losing his arm was her responsibility. As she believed everything that happened after the Gate incident was her fault, she couldn''t help but think Ludwig''s situation was her responsibility as well. And even though it was necessary, the fact that Ludwig, who had lost an arm, was paying attention to a cat seemed like a strange behavior to her. Ludwig, of course, wouldn''t blame Ellen for this. "From now on... you''ll be staying at the temple?" "Yeah. But I won''t just sit still. I believe there''s something I can do at the temple. Even though it turned out like this... there must be something." Ludwig spoke with a hint of cheerfulness. "There must be. Definitely." Ellen responded softly. Ludwig''s strength was his bright nature. Although the darkness within him had grown due to war and countless misfortunes, Ludwig didn''t want his gloom to spread to others. "For now, I''m thinking about things like training new recruits or joining the guard. I can handle small monsters. The refugee areas are said to be quite dangerous, right?" "That''s true." Since Ludwig had no choice but to return to the temple, it seemed like he was trying to find work that needed him there. "Don''t push yourself too hard." Ellen added quietly. In the end, it seemed obvious that once Ludwig became somewhat accustomed to using weapons with his left hand, he would devote himself to combat-related tasks. The dangers he would face at the temple would be less than those on the battlefield. However, there was no guarantee he wouldn''t be seriously injured again while trying to kill a monster. "...I''ll be careful." Ludwig''s right sleeve fluttered emptily. I had already come to the temple. So, a black cat similar to me could no longer appear at the military base. Was the cat operation permanently sealed? Should I try something similar with a dog next time? It feels like I might end up on a leash, though. No, there''s no guarantee that Ellen would find another animal as cute as she found me now, is there? It''s not about being cute, it''s about whether or not I can attract attention! Cuteness isn''t the core issue! Is that... how it is in the end...? In the long run, this could cause significant disruptions to my intelligence gathering. However, in the short term, it''s a good situation. Ellen was taking me directly to the temple, specifically to the Royal Class dormitory. Therefore, I had a high chance of encountering Anna de Gerna and seeing what they were up to. I even frequently came across the B-Class individuals who were back at the temple. So, considering the information gathering I need right now, there''s no better situation. Although it''s frustrating that I can''t scout the military base in the long run. Staying in the Royal Class dormitory for a few days before being taken to some part of the temple shouldn''t make it too difficult for me to leave. But in that case, when Ellen comes back to see the cat later, I won''t be there. What if someone tries to forcibly keep me in the Royal Class dormitory? My head is starting to ache. But what can I do? It''s my fault that the beast became friends with humans and ended up locked in a cage. I have no choice but to go with the flow. The temple is far away, and the magic train has stopped running, so Ludwig and Ellen walk silently towards the distant temple. "Earlier, I saw the Holy Knights gathered with very serious expressions... the Holy Knight Commander was with them too." "Ah." "Do you know what happened?" At Ludwig''s question, Ellen nods as if to say she knows the story. Ellen had access to information going in and out of the general headquarters, so it was inevitable that she and Ludwig would know different things. "I don''t know the details, but... something happened at the Temple Knights'' headquarters." "What happened?" "Well, I heard the headquarters'' graveyard was robbed... something like that." Rumors were bound to spread to the allied forces'' camp, and naturally, it would reach Ellen''s ears as well. No one yet knows how the incident is specifically related to any other events. Ludwig is taken aback by the unexpected grave robbery story. "Why would they do that? Who did it?" "I don''t know. So, the Holy Knights probably returned to the Imperial Capital to investigate the incident." "I see..." Ludwig nods silently. They will likely face a commotion to investigate this unexpected and heinous event, including Eleion Bolton. But our Death Knight has already been replenished. They will never know that the stolen bones were somehow used by us, and even if they did, it wouldn''t change anything. The Holy Knights can''t find us anyway. "Why would they rob the graves? Are there treasures there?" "I don''t know." It was impossible to tell whether Ellen really didn''t know about the situation or was just pretending not to know. I also couldn''t tell whether she knew or didn''t know about what the empire was currently doing. "..." "..." Another awkward silence flows between them. Ellen and Ludwig were not very talkative with each other. To begin with, they were not close enough to be considered friends. As they approached the temple''s main gate: "I wish I were as strong as you." "..." I lost because I was weak. I was hurt because I was weak. Weakness. Ludwig seemed resentful of his weakness and envious of Ellen''s strength, which he could not possess. "You..." Ludwig looks at Ellen. "Do you... plan on getting revenge on Reinhardt...?" Ellen''s eyes widen at the cruel question. Was he hoping that Ellen would take on his role, since he couldn''t do it himself? She couldn''t say no. She shouldn''t give Ludwig that kind of answer. Regardless of what she was thinking, I secretly hoped Ellen would tell him what he needed to hear. "I think... someday... we have to... fight..." In the end, Ellen spoke with a determined expression. Ludwig wouldn''t be satisfied with just that answer from Ellen. "¡­I''m sorry. Someone like me shouldn''t be asking you¡­ I have no right to say anything¡­" But it seemed that he hated his situation more. The fact that he had to rely on someone else for revenge. His own weakness. He hated it more. ------ So, in a way, I fell for Ellen''s scheme. I couldn''t sleep or eat because she kept petting me, and when I woke up, I was trapped in a cage. I ended up returning to the Imperial Capital, still locked in the cage. It was unclear whether Ellen had come up with this idea on her own, or if she had reached this conclusion after discussing it with others. Regardless of who had come up with the idea at the royal class garrison, it was likely that no one would have objected to the decision. Even if they wanted to see and pet me frequently, they would have thought it was better for me to grow up peacefully in a safe environment rather than a dangerous one. While this might pose a problem for gathering information in the future, it wouldn''t be an issue for me to escape. As long as nobody imprisoned me, I could return to Edina. Since I had a teleport scroll prepared for emergencies, I was sure I could do it. However, I had misunderstood again. I thought Ellen intended to leave me at the Temple''s royal class dormitory. In reality, Ellen did return to the Temple with Ludwig. They had to stop briefly at the Temple''s main gate. "Is this the cat that the Hero is raising?" "Huh? Ah... Yes." The guard asked Ellen a rather peculiar question. In any case, Ellen did take me to the royal class dormitory. However, after Ludwig had returned to the B-class dormitory to sort out his luggage, Ellen arrived at the royal class second-year, A-class dormitory. "Is this the cat?" "Yes." Ellen carefully opened the cage and said, "Take care of it." In front of my eyes was Emperor Bertus. Judging from Bertus''s expression, it seemed they had already discussed this beforehand? "Alright, it won''t be too difficult." No. This was too safe! Was it their intention to have me stay not in the Temple, but in the palace, specifically in Tetra?! I wouldn''t be able to go anywhere if it was too safe like this! This wouldn''t do! -Meow! Ellen, surprised by my sudden leap, embraced me as I clung to her chest. -Meow meow meow meow! "Wait a moment, it''s okay." Ellen gently pried me away and attempted to place me on Bertus''s lap. -Meow meow meow meow! "It seems... it doesn''t like me?" "..." Watching me throw a tantrum, Bertus chuckled while Ellen appeared at a loss for what to do. This wouldn''t do! The moment I entered the palace, I wouldn''t be able to go outside, and everyone in Edina would panic, believing the Demon King had gone missing! I wasn''t the Temple''s cat. Ellen was trying to make me the Emperor''s cat. ------- What if I had been a stray cat that somehow infiltrated the allied forces? A stray kitten that managed to infiltrate the allied forces would catch the Hero''s eye for its cuteness, eventually becoming the Emperor''s cat. It would be an extraordinary rise in status for a creature, not a human. Although there may not be history in the world of animals, if there were, it would be a noteworthy event in animal journalism. An overseas topic, yes. But I was not a cat; I was the Demon King who had transformed into a cat to gather information. ...This seemed even more like an overseas topic? Anyway, I appreciated their concern, but this wouldn''t do. The Temple would be fine, but the palace was absolutely out of the question. It wasn''t about being in the palace, but about becoming the Emperor''s cat. I would undoubtedly be completely tied down. Ellen was trying to ensure I could live in the safest place in the world. Moreover, Bertus didn''t seem to have any intention of refusing Ellen''s request. This wouldn''t do. I used every means at my disposal. Ellen tried to force me into Bertus'' arms or make me sit on his lap, but I twisted and writhed like mad, crying and even baring my teeth. "I didn''t know I was such a person who couldn''t be loved by an animal." Somehow, Bertus seemed hurt. No. It''s not like that... "¡­Why is this happening?" Ellen, as if upset, began to stroke the insane cat that was baring its teeth at the emperor, the most dignified human being, while it sat on her lap. It must be because it''s an animal and doesn''t know any better. They both seem to understand it that way. Ellen won''t be able to push me onto Bertus since I hate it so much. If they really try to force me into his arms, I''ll have to escape using my power, even if I have to revert to my true form. What would happen afterward, whether it''s a fight or something else, is horrifying to imagine. In any case, it''s a rare sight. Somehow, I got to see Bertus and Ellen having an exclusive conversation, and there was no doubt or suspicion about it. "I could have gone to the palace." The emperor is someone who calls people, not someone who goes to meet them. Even if Ellen is special, it would have been more convenient for her to come to the palace, especially if she was on her way to entrust the cat to him. "Ah, I had some matters to check at the temple, so I''ve been here for a few days." Is the matter he''s referring to related to the experiment I''m thinking of? Is it true that the experiment is taking place at the temple and Bertus is checking it? But this conversation alone serves as a clue. If Ellen knew about this subject, there would be no need for Bertus to beat around the bush with the phrase "matters to check." "I see." Ellen''s response didn''t seem to show much curiosity about what the matter was, making it clear that she didn''t know. Whether that''s a good thing or a bad thing, I''m not sure. But it was evident that Bertus didn''t think it would be good for Ellen to know about such matters. "Ellen, it''s not like you''re going back right away. It''s okay if you spend the winter here. Serandia''s surroundings can''t be considered absolutely safe, but you''ve suffered the most in cleaning up the nearby area. And you haven''t had a proper break so far, have you? It seems like this cat has no intention of being raised by me anyway. Wouldn''t it be better if you took care of it here for a while?" -Meow Good point. "¡­" Ellen silently tickled the back of my head. You''re saying that after working the hardest, she hasn''t even had a break? After the battle of Serandia, Ellen had been busy cleaning up the monsters in the area without a moment''s rest. But now that it''s mostly wrapped up, there''s no need for her to stay at the garrison waiting for her next mission. It seemed that Ellen had originally planned to entrust me to Bertus and return to the allied forces'' garrison right away. "It''s been a while since you''ve been at the dormitory. Take a break while you''re here." Bertus had met Ellen at the dormitory, not the palace. That was partly because Bertus had been at the temple for a few days, but it also seemed like he intended for Ellen to rest at the dormitory while she was back. "Can I really do this?" "Who else but you can?" On Ellen¡¯s lap, she placed her hand on my waist and looked down at me, speaking quietly. "Do I even deserve to..." The guilt and self-reproach in her eyes were clearly conveyed. Ellen''s relentless activity and refusal to give herself a break were partly due to her guilt and self-blame. For a while, Bertus remained silent. "It feels like everything that''s happened... all of it... is my fault." I knew Ellen blamed herself for Delphin''s death and the incident with Ludwig as well. I silently looked up at Ellen''s eyes, which were becoming translucent. Ellen. Bertus. And me. The people at the heart of the Gate Incident were all gathered here. "If we start debating who''s to blame and who''s the problem, there''s no end to it." "..." "Even if I blame myself, thinking all this might be my fault, it doesn''t end the Gate Incident. Being hard on yourself won''t bring an end to everything." "..." "We''ve seen how weak humans are." We faced humans dying so easily every day. Humans are so easily broken, dying and getting hurt. "You''re strong, but in the end, you''re human too." "..." "You''re breaking too." At Bertus'' words, Ellen tightly gripped the amulet around her neck. "So take a break during the winter. You don''t have to be with the Allied Forces to survive the winter, and if the Allied Forces collapse without you, then they had no meaning to begin with. The Allied Forces need warriors at their best, not on the brink. To be that, you need to rest when you should." "..." "There''s no such thing as a human who doesn''t get tired. Now''s the time for you to rest." "...Yeah." Fighting and throwing oneself into battles, focusing only on what''s directly ahead, humans wear down, and Ellen was no exception. The Allied Forces don''t need a vulnerable warrior. A warrior who recovers body and mind during the winter, returning at full strength. Ellen seemed unable to refute Bertus'' words, nodding her head while still holding the amulet. It had been a long time since I''d heard Bertus speak directly. I knew he had changed, but seeing it firsthand was strange. Bertus, who had been a villain, was now someone I couldn''t see that way no matter how hard I tried. From the beginning, Bertus was hardly ever a villain in my eyes during the time we spent in the temple. The closest moment was just before the Gate Incident, but that didn''t happen because Bertus was a villain. After the Gate Incident, Bertus always seemed to live without the mask he used to wear. From such Bertus, I could feel guilt, self-reproach, and a sense of responsibility. However, what''s even more horrifying is that Bertus, when he was a villain, never did such things. It''s assumed that Bertus, no longer a villain, is now committing even more terrible deeds. "I''ll take a break. I need to talk to Ludwig." "Alright." Bertus left his seat after leaving those words behind. Fortunately, there was no incident of being dragged to the Imperial City of Emperatos. Ellen looked at me with her head bowed. "I wish I could''ve..." Ellen spoke in a voice tinged with sadness. "I can''t... always... be with you." There were several layers of meaning to her words. Even though she had agreed to take some time off, she would eventually have to return to the Allied Forces'' base. It also meant that Ellen didn''t have much time to look after a small creature. And ultimately, it was about her existence disappearing altogether. Ellen couldn''t always be with me, so she found someone who could, and that person was Bertus. -Meow "...What should I do?" In the end, Ellen sighed deeply and embraced me. CH 565 Chapter 565 The Royal Class Dormitory was home to the students who had decided to spend their winter there and had obtained permission to do so. However, not all of them had returned, and some were unable to come back, so the place did not seem crowded. After all, the Royal Class Dormitory had a capacity of only 120 people. There were not many people to begin with, and there were even fewer now, so the atmosphere was quite tranquil. Ludwig unpacked his belongings in his dormitory room, which he hadn''t seen in a long time. He didn''t have many possessions, nor were they particularly valuable. After casually unpacking, Ludwig left his room and encountered someone. "Ludwig¡­" "Ah, Detto. It''s been a while." Dettomorian, who usually looked pale, stared silently at Ludwig''s nonexistent right arm. "¡­I heard about it." "I somehow ended up like this." Ludwig scratched his head with his left arm and gave an awkward smile. Dettomorian was not surprised, as he had already heard the news about Ludwig and Delphin from the others who had returned earlier. "Have you been well?" "As for me¡­ Nothing happened¡­" At Dettomorian''s words, Ludwig nodded his head as if relieved. He looked around the quiet B-Class Dormitory hallway. Only Dettomorian was passing by. "What about the others?" "They seem to be busy with their research." "I see. They didn''t come back for a break¡­" Louis, Christina, and Anna had returned to the dormitory not long ago. Unlike Ludwig, who had been assigned to the rear, the three of them had returned to the dormitory because they had tasks to complete. It was different for him. Unlike Ludwig, who was forcibly left at the temple by the royal command, they would be deployed to the Allied Forces'' frontlines if needed. And then, the owner of that royal command. "It seems you''re back." Bertus raised his hand to Ludwig as he entered the B-Class Dormitory hallway. ------ Dettomorian left for the club building, saying he had things to do, leaving only Ludwig and Bertus in the B-Class Dormitory. After becoming Emperor, Bertus had little opportunity to meet his classmates, except for a few of them. The person Bertus saw most frequently was not Ellen but Evia from B-7, a telepathic ability user, who was stationed at the headquarters as a liaison. Next was Ellen, and then those involved in magic research. So it had been quite some time since Ludwig and Bertus had seen each other''s faces. "Just be comfortable around me. I like it that way." "Ah, um¡­ Okay." As Ludwig seemed unsure of what to do, he scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile. "Thanks¡­ for caring." Ludwig felt he had to say that, as the Emperor himself had ordered his return to the temple. "You don''t look grateful at all." "¡­" To anyone watching, Ludwig seemed more desperate about his situation than grateful. It only looked like he was saying that because he had to. "¡­No, really. I am grateful." "I understand your desire to fight more. I also know that in your current state, you''re still far more capable than any ordinary soldier. But¡­ you''re not an ordinary soldier." "¡­I know what you mean." It was true that most ordinary soldiers were treated as expendable and died meaninglessly in battle. However, even those ordinary soldiers, if they were injured and managed to survive, would not be sent back into battle. Ludwig still had the strength to fight, but as a highly important Royal-class soldier, his death would significantly dampen the morale of the entire Royal class. That''s why he was forcibly sent to the rear, and Ludwig knew this all too well. It was just a bitter pill to swallow. No longer able to fight and being a burden to his peers, he had to retreat to the rear lines. "It''s a shame about Delphin... I didn''t get to talk to her much, but I heard she was a good friend." "..." Bertus didn''t know Delphin well, but Ludwig had countless memories with Delphin Izzard. He had helplessly witnessed the death of such a precious person right before his eyes. It was both Ludwig''s nightmare and reality. "It''s all my fault." "...What?" "Delphin got hurt trying to help me, so it''s all my fault." Ludwig muttered with a blank stare. "I''m weak... It''s all my fault." Bertus silently watched Ludwig blame himself. Everyone was feeling guilty, and like Bertus, Ludwig was blaming himself in this situation. Bertus was about to say that it couldn''t be helped or that they at least managed to save Scarlett, but he closed his mouth. Ludwig was broken. It wasn''t a particularly special or rare occurrence. Like everyone else, Ludwig was going through the same process. Having retreated from the battlefield, he would slowly decay in the depths of his powerlessness. What Ludwig needed wasn''t sympathy or comfort. "There are plenty of things that need to be done in the Empire, and there are many places where you''re needed." He needed to understand that he could find his purpose outside the battlefield. "I''ll find you a place in the guard. It''s not official, but give it a try. We''ll decide later whether you''re suitable for the job or not." He needed to feel that he wasn''t powerless. ------ At the moment, Ellen was the only one in the second-year A-class dormitory. Of course, the number of people residing in the Royal class was small. That''s why meals were not taken in the Royal class dormitory but in the large banquet hall within the general dormitory, where students from different years mingled during mealtime. Ellen used to eat a lot. However, on the battlefield, there was no time, and food was a scarce resource. So, Ellen ate less on the battlefield, where she needed to eat more, than ordinary soldiers did. -Om nom nom Perhaps because it had been a while since she''d been in a comfortable place, Ellen ate quite a lot, though not as much as she used to. The quality of meals in the Temple Royal class had significantly decreased after the Gate incident. Therefore, Ellen didn''t eat as voraciously as she used to. -Nom nom Still, seeing her eat her fill after a long time made him feel good. ...But thinking about it, it''s like a pet feeling happy to see its owner eat well. Isn''t that an absurd situation? Anyway, what could he do with this feeling of satisfaction? She fought on the battlefield, eating like a bird. Was Ellen actually fuel-efficient? "Ellen, you brought the cat?" "Yes." "It''s good for him too, being raised here. Good thinking. Ellen, are you resting here too?" "For the time being." "That''s right. You need some rest." And so, the other Royal-class members he encountered at the allied forces'' base would recognize him, stroke him a few times, or strike up a conversation with Ellen. ¡ª--- I sat beside Ellen, who was sitting at a long rectangular table. Ellen handed me a sausage, perhaps to take care of my meal, and I nibbled on it. It might have a strange shape, but it''s still fit for human consumption. Of course, I hadn''t followed her to the dining hall just to get a measly sausage. I was looking for the B-class individuals. First, Anna de Gerna. Not here. Secondly, Christina and Louis Ancton. Not here either. The only B-class individuals present were Ludwig and Dettomorian. I had thought I would see Anna, Christina, and Louis Ancton if I went to the dormitory, but I couldn''t catch a glimpse of them. I couldn''t lead the conversation, so unless their names were mentioned, I had no way of knowing what was going on. Someone, please talk! Anna, Christina, Louis. Can someone please ask where they are? ¡°Detto, are Louis and the others in the lab? Eating there? Haven''t seen them for a while.¡± ¡°Maybe......¡± ¡°Are they staying there then? Isn''t that too much?¡± ¡°They come back every few days...¡± Ludwig! You''re the best. So they are here! ------ I was just fooling around. Seeing my situation objectively, there was nothing else I could say. A few days after returning to the temple. I had been just playing around. -Tap tap As if to beckon me over, Ellen sat down on the bench and tapped the seat beside her with her palm. I lightly leaped and settled on the bench. -Meow Other than following Ellen on her walks, I had nothing to do. Fortunately, Ellen didn''t hand me over to Bertus and return to the allied forces. It seemed like she was taking a long-awaited break at the temple as well. Originally, I planned to gather information. But I couldn''t, even if I wanted to. Firstly, Ellen always took me with her, and secondly, the B-class individuals, excluding Dettomorian and Ludwig, hardly returned to the dormitory. It was certain that the three were in the temple, but it was difficult to see their faces. I wondered if they were in a research lab or something similar. And I had a rough idea of where that might be. The fact that I couldn''t see the three I was looking for was enough information on its own. The fact that none of them came back one by one, but left and didn''t return simultaneously, meant they were together. So, I knew that all three of them were involved in the empire''s secret research. Secret research related to the remains of a warrior. In Louis''s case, his exceptional understanding of all fields of magic made sense for the project. I could guess Anna''s talent, dark magic. But Christina''s talent, alchemy. I couldn''t understand why an alchemist was needed. What on earth were they doing? For now, I decided to observe the situation instead of blatantly doing something suspicious or returning to human form to investigate or scout. In Edina, it was said that I had plenty of time to gather information, so I didn''t have to worry about that place for now. So, all I did was watch Ellen resting, as I had nothing else to do. Sometimes, she lost consciousness and spaced out for a while, but there was no attempt to leave the temple. When Ellen was like that, she would sit absentmindedly for some time before regaining her senses. "I used to come here often." -Meow The hill of the Temple walkway It was a place often run as a training course. Adriana and I had run there frequently, countless times on my own, and many times with Ellen as well. Ellen gazed down at the scenery below the hill with a faint and distant look in her eyes. It seemed like I didn''t need her to say what she was thinking ¨C I could already tell. She was probably thinking the same thing as me. ------ Rest was also a strategy. Such words were used in the military. Managing fatigue was naturally a very important matter for maintaining the combat effectiveness of the military, so rest also occupied a very important part of military operations. It was only natural. Thus, saying that rest was also a strategy was not just a saying ¨C it was actually a very important strategy. Ellen, responsible for reconnaissance and annihilation in most battles, always took the lead. When occupying somewhere, she went out to pacify the surrounding area, returning last. She was the first to dive into the battlefield and the last to return. Of course, there were days of rest in between, but Ellen would have always dashed out if she received a call from the headquarters, even if she were sleeping. Now Ellen was resting. She had fully accepted Berthus''s words that she must rest. Just as Ludwig had been forced to return from the rear of the battlefield for the sake of others. For the sake of others, Ellen accepted that she must rest. It wasn''t maintaining tension on the battlefield, falling asleep on a makeshift bed. She was safe and sound, unaware of the world in her own room, wearing loose pajamas, and no one looking for her. Ellen not only ate, but also slept a lot. As if trying to catch up on all the sleep she hadn''t been able to get. As if trying to get all the sleep now that she wouldn''t be able to get later. She slept for over twelve hours a day, sometimes missing meal times, and even took naps. Just how exhausted must she have been? It wasn''t just an allied forces issue. Since the Gate Incident, Ellen had been constantly dragged into battles with monsters. From one place to another, from one battlefield to another. Relentlessly thrown into battles and annihilating monsters. It was as if Ellen was taking a proper rest for the first time in almost three years since the Gate Incident. I had been busy since the Gate Incident as well, but I hadn''t been constantly fighting. In fact, I had spent more days dealing with Edina''s internal affairs. Moreover, hadn''t I taken a very long break in Rezaira? But Ellen had to keep fighting and fighting. Ellen was asleep, hugging the blanket as if she were dead. Resting properly for such a long period was probably the first time for Ellen since the Gate Incident. So it couldn''t be helped that she slept like the dead, as if to dissipate the fatigue accumulated in her soul. Ellen''s door was slightly ajar. Because if it were closed, it would feel like I was trapped. After waking from a long sleep, Ellen apologized for seeing me still sitting in the room and has since left the door slightly open when she sleeps. As if to say, come and go as you please. In any case, there was no one in the A-Class dormitory to look for Ellen. She seemed to know that I would be back soon if I go out, so she didn''t intend to confine me. Of course, Ellen probably didn''t know that she shouldn''t actually raise a cat like that. The time was early evening. I should go to the B-Class dormitory once. The three that I was looking for might have returned today. CH 566 In the middle of the night at the B-class dormitory. "Ludwig¡­" "You''re back." There sat Christina, Louis Ancton, and Anna de Gerna. And also Dettomorian and Ludwig. The five of them were gathered around. "I''m fine. I still feel like there''s something I can do." Ludwig had started working for the guard, leaving the temple early in the morning and staying out all day before returning. It was unclear if it was due to Bertus'' influence, but Ludwig had found new work to do, and the despair on his face had largely disappeared. To overcome despair, one must do something. Perhaps, in time, Ludwig would regain some of his former brightness. "Huh? Who''s this¡­?" "Meow." As I approached, Christina''s eyes widened. It was only natural that the three of them would be surprised to see a cat that should have been at the Allied Forces'' base here. "Ellen brought him. She''s resting in the A-class dormitory now. I think we''ll end up taking care of him here." At Ludwig''s explanation, all three of them nodded in agreement. "Ah, I see¡­" Anna stared at me intently before suddenly picking me up and placing me on her lap. ¡­ Somehow. Had I gotten too used to sitting on someone''s lap? I''ve been transformed for too long. Will I struggle to adapt when I return to human form? These three. Seeing that they all returned on the same day, it was clear that they were working on the same project. They all sat together and talked at length about Ludwig''s injury, Delphin''s death, and other matters. I sat quietly on Anna''s lap and listened to their conversation. Ludwig didn''t cry as he spoke. However, just because he didn''t cry didn''t mean he wasn''t sad. Rather than being used to saying goodbye, it seemed as though he didn''t know how to express his sadness. Ludwig believed that Delphin had died because he was weak. Of course, no one said that Delphin''s death was Ludwig''s fault. Cliffman had spoken with a hint of blame toward Ludwig to make him give up on Delphin, but Cliffman probably didn''t really believe it either. Of course, it wasn''t Ludwig''s fault. But if Ludwig hadn''t tried to save Scarlett, Scarlett would have died, and Delphin and Ludwig would have survived. However, if Scarlett had died, Ludwig would still have blamed himself. He would have blamed himself for not saving Scarlett, leading to her death. In that case, he wouldn''t have lost his arm. Blame and responsibility are difficult and ultimately unhelpful. If we were to go by that logic, Delphin wouldn''t have died if I hadn''t existed. To begin with, if there hadn''t been a Valier Junior, the Gate incident wouldn''t have occurred, and none of these events would have been necessary. Because of my incomplete knowledge of the future, I had to face the very future I was trying to avoid. When would these painful stories of self-blame ever end? It''s not possible for everyone to be happy, but can the remaining people at least find a happy ending? I watched as they shared their sadness and consoled each other''s emotions. "So, you joined the guard?" At Louis''s question, Ludwig nodded vaguely. ¡°To put it precisely, I wouldn''t say I''ve become a patrol guard... but I''m helping with the patrol duties. Things like... well, patrols." Ludwig had been assisting the patrol guards for a few days, and given his nature, he would have chosen to go to the most dangerous places. So, he must have seen the reality of the refugee area with his own eyes. "Is the monster issue in the refugee area... really that serious?" "It''s not that it''s not serious... but I heard it''s not as bad as before. The real problem... isn''t the monsters." "If it''s not the monsters, then what?" At Christina''s question, Ludwig''s expression darkened. "It''s not just the starvation... it''s the people." Everyone seemed to understand what he meant, and their expressions soured. Crime. And hunger. The problem in the refugee area was not the monsters, but the people. Ludwig seemed reluctant to say more. He must have seen the truth that life is desperate and miserable everywhere, and talking about it here wouldn''t solve the problem. "Anyway, you must be quite busy? I see you rarely come back to the dormitory." Trying to change the subject, Ludwig mentioned the very thing I had been waiting for. Research. As the topic came up, Christina quietly nodded her head. "Well, yes." Christina said so, but Anna and Louis'' expressions were not good. That alone was enough of a clue. I''d like to ask more questions. Of course, they won''t open up, but just looking at their reactions would give me enough clues. "What kind of research are you doing back at the temple? Are you creating something like a Titan again?" If something like a Titan were to be created, the war would proceed more smoothly, and Ludwig, who could no longer participate, looked excited. No. You foolish child... How could an alchemist and a dark mage create a giant weapon? Don''t you even know the difference between magic crafting and alchemy? "No, that''s not our field... It''s the same as usual. Improving Moonshine and stuff like that." "Ah... I see." It was a clear lie. I confirmed that all three of them were involved in the same research project. And Christina, as their representative, lied, and Ludwig didn''t notice. Naturally, since only a very few people knew the circumstances of the disappearing corpses, Ludwig couldn''t detect such a lie. In the first place, he couldn''t even think of suspecting his friends, so he just nodded. However. The one who had been silent all this time. "......Really?" Dettomorian looked at Christina with a gloomy gaze and tilted his head slightly. "Huh? What do you mean by ''really''?" "It can''t be..." Dettomorian muttered quietly. And not only Christina but also Louis and Anna''s faces turned pale. I felt a chill running down my spine. No, it really felt like the hair on my body was standing on end. This bastard Dettomorian. He doesn''t know anything, but is he guessing this by instinct? Under Dettomorian''s piercing gaze, Christina''s face turned white. "Well... I guess you have your thoughts..." He gave a hint of knowing something, but as if he wouldn''t pry unless she told him directly, he groaned and got up, then headed to his room, mumbling as usual. Ludwig looked confused, glancing alternately between his three friends with pale faces and Dettomorian. "Detto... What is he talking about?" "Well, you know Detto. He''s always been like that, hasn''t he?" As if she''d never been flustered, Christina''s expression changed in an instant. Calm and composed, as if nothing had happened. "True, but..." Indeed, Dettomorian often spoke in vague, cryptic terms, but Ludwig didn''t seem to doubt him. That''s just how he was. With that, they let it go. Dettomorian. He wasn''t a bad guy, but he couldn''t help but seem shady. Ludwig didn''t fully understand the situation, and Dettomorian seemed to have an attitude of letting the three of them conduct their research however they saw fit. After that, Ludwig went to his room, saying he needed to sleep early for work tomorrow. "..." "..." "..." In silence, I watched as Christina, Louis, and Anna exchanged glances. Now, only the three of them remained. Wouldn''t talk about the research begin now? But they only exchanged glances, without having any conversation. "Let''s all go rest." "...Okay." "We should, indeed." Had they decided not to mention the research topic at all outside? After that brief exchange, the three dispersed. ------ At night, when everyone was asleep, I left the Royal Class dormitory in my cat form. I was able to observe the three I sought, and I was sure that their research project was confidential. But my inference was merely a certainty. I still knew nothing about what they were actually doing. Even if those three were core researchers, like the Titan Project, the project would certainly involve a significant number of other mages. In fact, I knew where to go without even following the three. It''s impossible for them to conduct such research outside the temple, which has the most secure protection. It''s not like they would carry out such a project outside the temple. The Titan Project was developed in a moving ally base. It must have been a pretty harsh environment, so the fact that Titan succeeded in its first operation was nothing short of a miracle. However, there was no need for the research environment to be harsh. Titan, being an excessively large, giant weapon, must have had no choice but to develop it on the moving frontlines of the coalition. If not for that, Titan would naturally have been developed in a stable environment. Since it''s certain that the research is underway in the temple, I don''t need to follow the B-class trio to know where the location is. Where would the best research environment in the temple be? The Temple University. Of course, the Magic University Research Building within. It''s obvious that research is underway somewhere there. Knowing this, the reason I haven''t gone there yet is simple. -... The Temple Magic University, which I reached after running through the night, had completely controlled access. Temple guards were present near the facility, and there were also guards monitoring the entrances to each research building. Their numbers were astonishing. Even an outsider would think something was going on inside, given the number of guards. So strict that it almost gave it away. Entering that area is entirely possible. There was no chance the guards would chase away a single cat. The important thing was, in this form, I could only roam around the research facility grounds. Entering the building itself would be impossible. Rather, any stray animal attempting to enter would be chased away. Regardless of whether I seemed suspicious or not, it was only natural since an animal might accidentally tamper with sensitive equipment. Roaming around these grounds wouldn''t yield any useful information. That''s why, even though I knew the project was being conducted here, I didn''t bother coming and instead waited for the three of them to leak information outside. However, whether they''ve been sworn to secrecy or not, the three of them never discuss the research. Somewhere in the Temple Magic University Research Building. A massive project, on par with the Titan Project, is being conducted here. How on earth can I find out what they were doing? I can''t involve Kono Lint. I told him not to investigate it with my own mouth, and this was clearly a dangerous matter. Making him aware of this would only put him in danger. Transforming into an insect was not possible. Well, it might be doable, but controlling it would be impossible. It took me ages to adapt to being a cat, and I have no idea how to become an insect. Should I call Sarkegaar over? However, even the vicinity of this area was under strict security. The area where the research was directly conducted will undoubtedly be under tight control, not only in terms of personnel but also the environment itself. The chances were high that they have created a highly controlled environment, one that would not even tolerate an insect crawling around. Could Sarkegaar find a way even in that situation? Using force was obviously not an option. Of course, if I thought about it, I could enter right away. Christina, Anna, Louis. If I transform into one of the three, I could enter immediately. However, that was obviously the worst of the worst plans. It was frustrating. It was so frustrating that I just wanted to grab Bertus by the scruff of his neck and asked him what he was doing. Of course, if I were going to do that, I would have contacted him earlier, so it was too late for that. It was ridiculous for me to ask him what he was doing when I created the Death Knight in the first place, and even if I grabbed him by the neck and threatened him, he won''t give up on this matter just like the Empire wouldn''t have any reason to give up on the Titan. What can I do? At this point, it wouldn''t be a big problem if I just pretended not to know and assumed that the Empire would take care of it. After all, the research here was likely a project prepared for the current war. However, just as everyone in Edina worried about what would happen if the Titan turned against us, even if it wouldn''t. The research being conducted here could potentially become a threat to us later, and the situation was uncertain. If it were a simple matter like creating a Death Knight as we did, I might not even have to go this far to investigate. But alchemy followed dark magic. These connections didn''t mesh together. It seemed like more complex research was being conducted than I initially thought. And I couldn''t figure out what it was. Brooding over it alone won''t help me find a breakthrough. I gave up. I''ll head back to Edina for a while and then return. CH 567 Deciding on it was the problem; in truth, returning to Edina wouldn''t take long. Sneaking into the temple was entirely possible in my beast form. Not because I was a beast, but from the start, when I passed through the gate, there seemed to be rumors among the guards that I was Ellen''s cat. It felt like I had received some sort of intangible temple pass. Once out of the temple, I could immediately return to Edina using the teleport scroll Harriet had created herself. The scroll was precious, but since Harriet didn''t even know I was taken to the temple, I couldn''t call her here. It was a common occurrence for me to suddenly disappear after leaving Charlotte in charge and then return, so no one was particularly startled. Naturally, the first person I sought out was Harriet. Despite it being bedtime for most, Harriet was in her study, peering at something. If no one told her to rest, she wouldn''t know when to stop. After being absent for a while, I reappeared, and Harriet explained the general situation in Edina, saying nothing particularly significant had happened during that time. "¡­You were dragged all the way to the temple?" "¡­Yeah." Upon hearing about my experiences in the Allied Forces'' camp and my current cat mode, Harriet let out a disbelieving laugh. "Locked in a cage?" "Uh¡­ yeah." "You''ve become a pet¡­" Harriet said, sounding disturbed, and I couldn''t find any words to argue. "So, do you have to stay as a cat for a longer period?" "I already am¡­" "Ah." "In fact, even now, it''s a bit awkward." "¡­Is it that bad?" "Yeah. I wonder why humans are so tall." "¡­Wow." Having spent almost a week in a low perspective, returning to my human form felt like the ground was swaying. Being human felt strange! In Harriet''s study, I shared as much as I had learned about what had been going on. I had thought it was merely reviving the dead through dark magic, but the alchemist Christina was involved in a research project. "Alchemy seems to be involved¡­" "What on earth could it be? What does reviving corpses have to do with an alchemist?" "Alchemy is an area with many prohibitions, almost as much as dark magic¡­ In fact, alchemists are more likely to go mad than dark mages." "¡­Really?" "Yes, remember Aaron Mede?" "¡­Right." Indeed, Aaron Mede, who had been a low-ranking member of the Black Order, was more of an alchemist than a dark mage. "There are many alchemical practices related to dark magic as well¡­ So they''re not incompatible magical systems. If anything, they''re related." So, it was a case of birds of a feather flocking together. It was absurd to dabble in forbidden alchemy without touching dark magic or vice versa. If they were conducting research beyond the morals of the world, they would break all taboos. Hence, there were alchemical practices based on dark magic and dark magic based on alchemy. This case must be related to that. "So, in your opinion, what do you think the Empire is up to?" At my calm question, Harriet''s eyes widened. "How am I supposed to know that?" "¡­Right." I had such faith in her that it seemed as if she would know all the answers as long as the topic was magic¡­ Admittedly, it had been quite absurd for Harriet to act as an answer vending machine up until now. "There aren''t enough clues. Even if alchemy and dark magic are involved, the topics are too broad." They seemed to be doing something nefarious with their magic, but what kind of magic could it be? That was almost the level of the question. "Resurrecting the dead and alchemy..." Harriet tried to think it through but, in the end, no sharp ideas came to mind. "It''s difficult to think about them together. Separately, maybe, but not together." "Do you understand them separately?" "If it''s dark magic, it''s probably related to the undead and a related curse. As for alchemy, we''ve created things like Moonshine and enhancement potions." Harriet also contemplated the lack of connections between the two. "I''ll try to think about it in my own way. Perhaps the Elders will catch on to something." Truth be told, it was a bit ridiculous for me to return late at night and demand answers like some sort of night owl. "Are you going straight back to the Imperial Capital? You''re not Reinhardt right now, but Ellen''s cat. Isn''t Ellen worried about her missing cat?" Harriet spoke with a smirk, covering her mouth with her hand. "¡­Are you doing that on purpose?" "Of course." Harriet chuckled as if she found my transformation into a pet amusing. "Or, can''t you stay with me tonight, as long as you stay in cat form? I''ll send you early tomorrow." "¡­What?" "Why, why not!" ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°It''s my fault!¡± "Quickly. Come on? I''ll hold you tight." Harriet spread her arms wide, as if beckoning me to come and be embraced. You! Did you think of me as a completely separate creature when I was a cat? Why was it you, not me, who has this double standard? "¡­Please, no." "Why, don''t you like me? Is that it?" "No¡­ it''s not that¡­ you know it''s not that¡­" "Then hurry! Hurry up!" At some point, it had become this way. I ended up obliged to most of what our blockhead said. Originally, our human relationship wasn''t like this, but at some point, it completely reversed, and I can''t do anything about it! What went wrong, and when? In the end... Well... That''s how... I ended up receiving a lot of affection. ------ Late at night. The Allied Forces'' base. Kernstadt Army Command Post. Louise von Schwarz was reviewing numerous documents by the light of a single lantern. During battles, Louise von Schwarz was busy with combat and command; in non-battle situations, she was occupied overseeing the overall situation of the army. Both mental and physical labor became more demanding the higher one went, making it difficult for anyone in the Allied Forces to have proper rest. Busy with physical labor were Ellen Artorius and Saviolin Turner. Busy with mental labor was the Emperor Bertus de Gardias of the Empire. But Louise von Schwarz was both a master-class warrior and a commander. Thus, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that she was the busiest person throughout the entire Allied Forces. Heinrich von Schwarz had been watching Louise''s busy state even after the occupation of Serandia. He had already reported on the situation at the Royal-class base, and Heinrich had already witnessed the losses brought on by this war. It was a wretched situation, but those who survived had to do something because they were alive. Now. Heinrich von Schwarz was peering intensely with his eyes, so much so that it seemed blood might appear in his eyes. Although it was long past the time they should be asleep. In the command post tent where only the two of them were present, the quiet sound of flipping through documents echoed. In truth, Heinrich''s examination of the documents didn''t necessarily speed up the work. But those documents provided an overview of the entire situation of the Kernstadt army. The state of the troops, the supplies, the provisioning plan, the minimum required amount of supplies for wintering, and so on. The very act of understanding those documents held meaning in itself. Louise glanced at the documents and then stared blankly at the side. Her eyes were focused, but her gaze was vacant. Louise now knew. Her son was weak at using his head. Dealing with numbers wasn''t just about memorizing them. It was about deciding what was necessary, what was lacking, what was sufficient, and how to manage the limited resources and troops. It was also important to discern whether the reports from each unit commander were genuine. It was a task of reading between the lines of the numbers. Yet, Heinrich''s actions seemed too instinctive, as if he was merely trying to memorize the numbers. His demeanor was too awkward. And, too adorable. Louise occasionally felt as if she would burst into laughter. Of course, she wasn''t disappointed. Wasn''t it enough to have at least one outstanding skill? There were plenty of people who had none. Heinrich wasn''t acting this way because he knew he was the true heir to the Schwarz royal family. Nor was he behaving this way out of ambition or aspiration, as if he had to learn these things. He simply wanted to be helpful. Louise knew that it was just that one intention driving him. That''s why, the sight of him trying to do something he didn''t know how to do was rather endearing. "Why don''t you go in and rest? You must be tired." "...I''m still fine." The lack of personal conversation between them remained the same. But, little by little, something was changing. If things continue to change like this until the end of the war, Maybe they could become a normal parent-child relationship eventually. Louise found that amusing. Neither of them could be considered normal, yet what they both ultimately wanted was something ordinary. And Louise still hadn''t had a proper conversation with her son. "...My youngest." "Yes?" "Your friends'' situation...didn''t turn out well." Louise had also heard about the situation at the Royal Class garrison. Although it wasn''t something she needed to worry about, she knew Heinrich cared about that matter, so she had heard the news. Death and injury were commonplace on the battlefield, but how could one''s heart be at ease when their friends experienced such things? At Louise''s words, Heinrich seemed momentarily stunned before letting out a bitter laugh. "What can we do..." His words were mixed with self-mockery and resignation. Despite doing everything they could, there were still things that were unavoidable. It was sad, but he seemed to avoid thinking too deeply about it. Because the very act of thinking was painful, he turned away as if to flee from it. "Thank you, sister." Heinrich smiled wistfully and went back to examining the documents. In conclusion, Louise felt a sense of pride when she saw this side of her son. Ultimately, it was a cold truth that it wouldn''t be of any help. Just as she hadn''t been able to rest for a long time, her son hadn''t either. This winter would probably be their last respite. "Not everyone is allowed, but you know that there are those who have been granted permission to return to the Empire or their hometowns during the winter." "...Yes." Assuming their hometowns were safe, of course. During this long break, the Allied Forces had been unusually selecting people to take extended leave. "Go back to the Temple for a while." "...Pardon?" As if hearing an unexpected proposal, Heinrich looked at Louise with a stunned expression. "It means you should go and rest. The great battles are over, and you haven''t had a break in a long time. You deserve it." Heinrich seemed rather flustered by this sudden leave order. "I''m fine, sister. There might be an emergency, so I''d rather stay here to be prepared..." While Louise appreciated her son''s thoughtfulness, she knew that he didn''t just want to rest. "The King will be visiting soon." "!" The man who he thought was his father but was actually his grandfather. Constantine von Schwarz would be visiting the battlefield as the situation stabilized. Strictly speaking, Louise von Schwarz was the commander of the Kernstadt army, not the King. "There are things I must explain to His Majesty. Heinrich, it will be an uncomfortable and dangerous situation for you." The moment was approaching when the sister, who had murdered her two brothers under the guise of their disappearance, would have to explain the situation to her father. It was uncertain whether the truth behind the disappearance would be revealed. However, there was nothing good about Heinrich being present, whether the truth was exposed or not. "That''s why you should get away from here." This was a brief escape disguised as a vacation. For both the vacation and the escape. In the end, ordering him to return to the Temple was an act of consideration from Louise. "Sister... Will you be alright?" "...I''ll manage." Although it would be terrible for Louise to either feign ignorance or reveal the truth about the murders of her siblings, she simply said so briefly. But Heinrich understood that forcibly staying by Louise''s side would be of no help to her during the upcoming inspection. "Let me clarify, it''s not about the inspection. I want you to rest." Heinrich had been constantly on the move for a long time, just like everyone else. Moreover, Heinrich wasn''t even among the superhumans who could do Magic Body Strengthening. However, his level of activity was even greater than the others, so it was evident that his fatigue had piled up immeasurably. Louise vaguely thought. The Temple. How wonderful it would be to see it with her own eyes just once. She longed to see the place where her son had spent his entire life. But her desires were like the wind, and she had a daunting number of duties to attend to. This winter. Heinrich would return to a place distant from the battlefield to rest. However, Louise von Schwarz''s place was here. Who knew? After the war was over, there might come a day when she could personally set foot in the Temple. CH 568 Alchemy and dark magic. Undead and alchemy. I couldn''t figure out the relevance between the two, and neither could Harriet. Initially, we decided to call the Sarkegaar from the Allied Forces'' base to the Temple. Harriet planned to deduce any meaningful connections between the clues through a meeting with the Council of Elders. The lord of Saturday, Antirianus. And the lord of Friday, Luvien. Both vampire families had long been studying alchemy. Thus, we could somewhat guess what the empire was planning through the vampire lords. Whether Sarkegaar breaking into the laboratory came first, or a highly probable inference emerged from the Council of Elders'' meeting, we couldn''t know. Ultimately, we needed to find out what possibilities the empire was exploring. If it could help in the war, that would be great, but it was also important to determine whether it would pose a threat to us later on. And then. "Uhm..." After a long night, I returned to Ellen''s room. Caught by Harriet as a transformed cat, I arrived at the imperial palace still in my feline form since I''d have to change back into a cat anyway. It was morning. The warm winter sunlight illuminated Ellen''s face. Lying down, Ellen stretched out as if she were struggling to keep her eyes open. Trying to wake a dead body, her stretching was almost like convulsions. From head to toe, stretched out straight, Ellen began to shiver. -Purr Was she not going to break something while stretching like this? Was she having a seizure? "Uhm...ugh..." After wriggling for quite some time, Ellen glanced around the room with her eyes wide open, still lying down. Was she looking for me? -Meow "..." Without even rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Ellen picked me up from the bedside and placed me on her chest, hugging me tightly. Well... Honestly. I''m getting used to it... This feeling doesn''t even make me flustered anymore... I''m sorry... "Sleep well..." -Meow! No. Hey! Was this the flow of waking up? Ellen closed her eyes and slept for another two hours. ------ Ellen was as limp as a jellyfish. It was good to see her completely relaxed, but... Somehow. It was as if she had died(?). Ellen opened her eyes in a disheveled state and sat me down. She hugged her pillow without even properly washing up and stared intently at me. Despite her total mess, she was still human... and because of that. Seeing her always sharp self now in such disarray... she was just adorable... Without saying anything. Suddenly, she stroked my head and waist for a while. She poked my nose for a while. Suddenly, she opened her mouth wide and buried her face in my neck for a while. It was like she spent the whole day zoning out, staring at a cat, and feeling content. Aren''t you hungry? -Purr She kept making that noise. But it seemed like even eating was a hassle, and Ellen just stared blankly at me. Was she broken? Was she ruined? Was this a sign that the cat should make a gradual exit for a great outcome? Did Ellen become someone who found everything bothersome because of the cat? In the end, they found themselves in a strange situation, observing each other. Watching her suddenly pick up the cat and roll around on the bed alone, it seemed that Ellen still had some of her normal self left, and it was a pleasant sight. She hadn''t completely changed, and if she wanted to, she could act like a child at any time. Still, she couldn''t spend the entire day like that, could she? Grrr Her stomach growled loudly, but she continued to lounge about. "I''m hungry..." She mumbled, but instead of complaining, she should go eat! In the end, finding herself caught between her reluctance to get up and her hunger, she rolled around in an utterly pitiful state. I gave Ellen''s cheek a few playful punches. Smack, smack! "???" Meow! After getting hit a few times, Ellen''s eyes widened as she stared at me intently. Ellen, rather defiantly, stuck out her cheek as if asking for more. It seemed that my "cat punch" had backfired. Want to be scolded? Haaaa! "¡­Fine." Finally, as if understanding something, Ellen grumbled as she got up and headed to the shower. ------ After getting up, washing, and changing into her casual clothes, Ellen emerged into the hallway. Having lazed around for so long, lunchtime was fast approaching. Ellen walked down the hall, checking to make sure I was following. It seemed that she planned to feed me while eating her own lunch. There was something different about the A-class dormitory since yesterday. "¡­Heinrich?" "Ah, Ellen." For some reason, Heinrich seemed to have just arrived. "I decided to take a break here during the winter." "I see." Heinrich glanced at me and nodded, as if he understood the situation. It seemed that a few more would continue to return over the winter. If this trend continued, in a little more time, everyone might come back to the temple to live. Ellen pointed her finger not towards the dormitory dining hall, but down the hallway. "We can eat in the banquet hall. The dormitory dining halls are closed." "Ah... I see? That makes sense, now that I think about it." Heinrich seemed to agree with Ellen''s explanation and followed her to eat. I wonder how things are at the Kernstadt military garrison. Ever since I learned that Louise von Schwarz wouldn''t kill Heinrich, I hadn''t been concerned about it. Heinrich''s expression didn''t seem to be overshadowed by any serious issue, so it seemed there wasn''t anything noteworthy. I don''t know much about it, but Louise von Schwarz seemed quite blunt. Surprisingly, he didn''t seem to be causing any trouble either. Frankly, Heinrich''s problems were none of my concern or responsibility anymore. "You''re the only one in our dormitory, right?" Heinrich probably didn''t know the situation of the Royal Class since he was part of the Kernstadt military. Of course, he should know everything he needs to know. "Yeah." "What about B-class?" "Ludwig, Dettomorian, Christina, Anna, and Louis. There should be five of them. I don''t know if anyone else came." "That''s quite a lot." "Yeah." Heinrich seemed quite surprised that the number of returning B-class members was as high as five. "Anyway... You must have really taken a liking to him?" Heinrich alternated between looking at me and Ellen. "He''s cute, isn''t he?" Ellen walked quietly, then suddenly blurted out. ------ At lunchtime, the banquet hall was devoid of the three researchers. They must have gone to the university research building after breakfast. Naturally, Ludwig, who was on guard duty, was not there either, nor could Dettomorian be seen, as he was probably doing his own tasks. "Hmm?" Heinrich tilted his head when he noticed that none of their classmates were present in the dormitory, despite there being five B-class students in total. "Where did everyone go?" Heinrich asked, sitting across from Ellen as he fetched his meal. "Ludwig is doing guard duty. The other three seem to be working on some kind of magic research. As for Dettomorian... he has his own separate tasks too." Ellen seemed to know what Dettomorian was doing as well. Heinrich narrowed his eyes upon hearing this. "Guard duty? With his condition?" "Yes." "¡­I hope he''ll be alright?" Heinrich muttered quietly, seemingly worried that even as a superhuman, Ludwig might not be well-suited for guard duty with his current physical state. Ellen thought that there would probably be no situation dangerous enough for Ludwig. Although his combat prowess had decreased, as long as he could still do Magic Body Strengthening and was as skilled as before, he wouldn''t be defeated easily. In fact, Ludwig could likely perform the tasks of an entire guard squad with just his left arm, regardless of the overall guard level. His reputation for excellence wasn''t unfounded. From the moment Ludwig was assigned, he would have been treated as an elite among elites. Heinrich finished his meal, and I ate the scrambled eggs Ellen had prepared for me. Accepting food from others had become so natural that it was starting to feel less significant ¨C a dangerous thought. Anyway, Ellen and Heinrich were back. With the return of Erich, Cayer, and others, the atmosphere of the old Temple would slowly be restored. Even if it were just a limited break. "Hmm¡­" Heinrich seemed lost in thought as he paused eating during his meal. "What''s wrong?" At Ellen''s question, Heinrich tilted his head. "Well... I''m just wondering if it''s right for me to be idling here." "¡­?" "Ludwig is doing guard duty with his condition, and it feels wrong for me to just relax¡­" No. If you came to rest, then rest! Why try to follow someone who isn''t resting? Just rest when you need to! If you weren''t going to rest, why did you come back here in the first place? However, "I was actually thinking about getting active soon too." It seemed Ellen had the same idea. I had been wondering why she had been so relaxed today. Ellen, were you also planning on doing something after resting? Apparently, today was Ellen''s last day of relaxation. No wonder she had been rolling around so lazily. Ellen spoke as they bit into a sausage. "I was planning to take a tour around the outskirts tomorrow. If you could take care of half of it, that would be great." "Ah, alright. Let''s do that." The guy who wants to work as soon as he returns. And the person who immediately assigns tasks to such a guy. -Meow! "Do you want to come along too?" -Meow! As an eating and playing animal, I was the most exasperated one. ------ Edina Capital Lazak, the royal city. In the Council of Elders'' conference room. "Dark magic and alchemy. They are, in fact, inseparable." As soon as the clue from Reinhardt was shared, Antirianus, the Lord of Saturday, revealed a sinister smile. There were six present in total. Five Vampire Lords and the scribe, Harriet de Saint Owan. No more were needed. The subject of this meeting was magic - advanced magic, to be precise. At Antirianus''s words, Harriet twisted her lips, humming in disagreement. "Is it really inseparable?" "Don''t you, the scribe, know very well that when any magic reaches its pinnacle, the fields inevitably become entwined?" "I know that, but¡­" "Even summoning a meteor requires simultaneous understanding of numerous magic disciplines; otherwise, it''s impossible to perform. Alchemy and dark magic are just another example of such a relationship." When any magic reaches its extreme, not only do two fields become entwined, but multiple fields also get mixed up. If we were to consider it this way, all magic disciplines might be inseparable from one another. "However, we need to know what the Empire is planning, not theories or concepts. We know that they are stealing the corpses of past heroes and warriors. Similar to how we resurrected the saints'' remains into Death Knights and strengthened our forces. Something like that." At those words, Eleris quietly opened her mouth. "To create an advanced undead like the Death Knights, an alchemist''s power isn''t necessary, scribe. A necromancer alone would suffice. But if alchemy was indeed used¡­ it means that something other than simple undead creation is taking place." At her words, Gallarush grumbled with his arms crossed. "However, it''s too much to assume that just because an alchemist is involved, their work is directly related to alchemy. They could be conducting entirely separate research." Only Christina''s involvement as an alchemist had been confirmed. "And, being an alchemist doesn''t necessarily mean that she can only handle alchemy." Anna had helped with Moonshine production, but Moonshine was not a product of dark magic. Similarly, Christina might be assisting with research in dark magic, not alchemy. There was a clear possibility. Were these two magic disciplines truly collaborating? Or were they entirely separate research projects? Or was it solely the work of dark magic? "We must consider the worst-case scenario." The one who added this remark was Luvien. "Alchemy and dark magic are connected, and bones are being used. What could they possibly be doing with that? Shouldn''t we think about that?" "Indeed." Whether or not such an event actually occurred, they needed to consider the worst possible situation. It was their responsibility to predict whether this would threaten Edina. Being optimistic about the situation held no meaning. "Do the lords of Thursday and Saturday, who are well-versed in alchemy, have any ideas?" "Thursday''s alchemy is mainly focused on plants; it''s mostly related to plant-based alchemy. It''s more pure, you could say. Alchemy close to dark magic or forbidden arts is not our domain... So, to be honest, I have no idea." In response to Harriet''s question, Luvien shook her head. Thursday. Their alchemy, as mentioned, was a remarkably pure branch of the art. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the knowledge of plant-based alchemy occupies a significant portion of Lazak''s current food supply. There is little, if any, knowledge related to the undead and forbidden arts. After all, alchemy is a vast field of study within the magic disciplines. Luvien seemed to have no ideas, and Harriet stared at Antirianus with a tense expression. "Lord of Saturday, you¡­" "Ah, I see you''re expecting quite a lot from me." "¡­It might be rude to say, but I think it''s strange that you wouldn''t know about this area, Lord of Saturday." -Nod At Harriet''s words, everyone unanimously nodded in agreement. Alchemy related to dark magic. If there was anything wicked, malicious, or cruel, it wouldn''t make sense if that perverted, twisted vampire, who couldn''t help meddling, didn''t know about it. CH 569 "Heh... I wonder what everyone thinks of me..." Looking at Antirianus, who was clearly showing signs of discontent, Lucinil frowned. "Antirianus, I think I''m more nervous because I believe you know something worse than the truth." "Ah... That''s... true?!" Hearing Lucinil''s words, Harriet could not help but gain new insights. That mad old man probably knows something more cruel and terrible than what the Empire is currently doing, which makes him even scarier. In fact, Eleris had been pale, almost turning blue before even hearing anything. Harriet wondered if it would be better not to hear what Antirianus had to say. Wouldn''t it be better not to know what bizarre and horrifying possibilities are being presented from the abyss? "Perhaps, it would be best if the Lord of Saturday doesn''t say anything..." Harriet grew more fearful, thinking that a story worse than reality would unfold. "Alchemy... The previous Lord of Saturday did try to create the Philosopher''s Stone." Upon hearing that, the expressions of the other four Lords changed. Antirianus''s predecessor, the previous Lord of Saturday, had undoubtedly pursued it. "The Philosopher''s Stone?" At Harriet''s question, Antirianus nodded. "I thought it was a legend similar to dragons." A legend on par with dragons. In other words, it meant a futile story. "In fact, that''s true. The previous Lord failed to create the Philosopher''s Stone." It was difficult to guess the truth about the previous Lord of Saturday from Antirianus''s ambiguous expression. However, the important conversation now was not about the Philosopher''s Stone. "Of course, my research was slightly different from the previous Lord''s." "What kind of research was it?" "For example, studying convergent evolution of species..." "...Convergent evolution?" "Yes, scribe." Harriet felt like she wanted to plug her ears. "There are quite a few cases where different species acquire similar functions, right? For example, like how demons and humans have discovered their own ways of handling mana, albeit differently." "Ah, yes..." "That was my research. What would humans become if they continued to evolve like this? What would demons become if they continued to evolve like this? As they evolve, they gradually acquire similar functions and might become completely identical beings, despite having different roots. I''ve researched under such assumptions." "...So, what did you do?" "I failed." Everyone, including Harriet and the other Lords, was dumbfounded by the extremely disappointing conclusion. However, the following statement was enough to shock everyone. "To begin with, both humans and demons needed their growth rates to be much faster, allowing for frequent generational changes. But failing to modify both species like that, I couldn''t see the end, could I?" If it had been someone else, they might not have understood what Antirianus was talking about, but everyone present was a mage. They knew the meaning of Antirianus''s words. Lucinil stared at Antirianus with a trembling expression. "¡­So, you tried to improve the species itself, then?" "Yes, that''s right." The plan was to accelerate the generation replacement of humans and demons to observe the evolution of their species, but it failed. In short, it involved biological experimentation. It goes without saying that living humans and demons were used for this. Harriet''s face turned pale. The story Antirianus told was a dreadful one. All the other lords present seemed to react with an indifferent "Oh, I see," upon hearing the tale. Even Eleris seemed slightly taken aback, though not outwardly shocked. Everyone at the gathering was an ancient being and a mage, so they considered such events to be relatively normal. This applied to both Antirianus and the other Vampire Lords. Harriet shuddered to think what her father, who rejected impure and blasphemous powers, would say if he knew she was in the company of such beings. With a trembling expression, Harriet asked, "So¡­ why did you conduct such experiments in the first place? Did you want to become such a being yourself¡­ or something like that?" "I was curious, with plenty of time and nothing to do. Is there any other reason?" "Ah." "So, I tried it, and if I could modify the species with my own hands, it would be unnatural in the first place, and it would be pointless to find an endpoint in such a way. Besides, evolution doesn''t always flow in the direction of progress, so it was a meaningless experiment from the start." In the end, Vampire Lords were immortal mages. Living for so long made them curious about unnecessary things, leading them to conduct strange experiments without any significant reason. Antirianus went on to list several other alchemical experiments he had conducted. He had attempted to create winged humans by combining harpies and humans or artificially imprint magic circuits on animals to make beasts capable of using magic. "I also tried an experiment to transplant the brain of one creature into another." "¡­You''ve done every weird thing possible, haven''t you?" "Well, it failed with different species, but it succeeded with the same species." "¡­Really? It succeeded?" There were shocking success stories, like the time they transplanted the brains of two different humans and they were still able to move. "Of course, even with success, they rarely survived more than a day." There were failed experiments, half-successful ones, and quite a few successful ones. In conclusion, Antirianus was a deranged mage. A mage who had dipped his toes into bizarre and terrifying deeds. That was Antirianus. And none of this was particularly surprising to anyone. Everyone nodded as if to say, "It''s just like Antirianus," and Harriet was no exception. It was only natural for a person like him to do such things. He had committed countless heinous acts that would warrant being burned at the stake. Antirianus''s statement that alchemy and dark magic were inseparable was true. The experiments themselves were hardly different from dark magic, and it was a fact that he almost always employed dark magical means to achieve success. "Of course, I''ve also tried experiments to create beings like Lord of Wednesday." Antirianus looked at Lucinil with a cold smile and said, "¡­A plague." "You don''t seem surprised." "I thought you''d do something like this. No, it would be strange if you didn''t." "I am grateful that you recognize my fondness for the Lord of Wednesday¡­" "Enough." Lucinil stuck out her tongue, as if she hadn''t expected him not to do it. Harriet knew as well. Lucinil was originally one of the products of the Homunculus experiment, a forbidden art among alchemy. When Harriet first found out that Lucinil was a Homunculus, she was shocked. Not only that, but she was also a vampire. The fact that one could be both a Homunculus and a vampire was already a miracle in itself. "Ultimately, what I''m trying to say is that alchemy being a magic that deals with potions and elixirs is a misconception and prejudice from the start." "¡­" "The alchemy practiced by alchemists in the world is nothing but coarse magic." Hearing Antirianus''s explanation, Harriet couldn''t help but understand what he meant. Elixirs and potions. Alchemy was never that kind of magic to begin with. Only a level of alchemy that could be accepted by society was allowed, so the original meaning of alchemy was greatly diminished and faded. "Originally, alchemy primarily dealt with forbidden arts concerning life." Even the word "alchemy" itself overly restricts the essence of the magic. Life experiments. In other words, Chimeras. And Homunculus. That was closer to the essence of alchemy. So, it was only natural for an alchemist to be involved in the magic of dealing with the dead, according to Antirianus. ------ Alchemy was a magic that dealt with life. "You approach alchemy in that way, so you say it''s normal. But Antirianus''s words are true." Lucinil nodded in agreement. "Alchemy is a magic discipline that is even closer to black magic than black magic itself." Alchemy is closer to forbidden arts in essence. Dealing with potions and elixirs is extremely limited and specific in the system of alchemy, and it has overly narrowed alchemy down. "So, you''re saying that it''s highly likely that the forbidden arts, including Chimeras and Homunculi, are involved in what the Empire is doing now?" "It would inevitably be so." Strictly speaking, the undead also belong to the category of things that move and live. So, it was highly likely that the field of alchemy was being applied. "So, do you know or not what the Empire is doing now?" At Lucinil''s question, Antirianus laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "How could I know when I haven''t seen it with my own eyes? I just meant to tell you that it''s not strange for an alchemist to be involved." The question of why an alchemist is involved itself was already wrong. There was nothing strange about being involved. However, they''re back to square one. Although it''s not strange for them to be involved, they still don''t know what they''re doing. "But it seems certain that the Empire is up to something." "Lord¡­ That''s obvious, isn''t it?" To begin with, there was no one in the room who didn''t know that the Empire was up to something. Thus, despite her fear of Antirianus, Harriet''s frustration with his words almost reached its breaking point, as she had returned to square one. "Scribe, did you not hear what I said?" "Lord of Saturday... he''s done... a great number of terrifying things..." Although she had imagined as much, hearing the actual stories made her stomach churn and her spine shiver, as there were countless instances of horrifying experiments. "Scribe, my point is not that I''ve conducted so many experiments. What I wanted to convey was that I''ve ''failed'' in so many of them." "Ah..." Antirianus did not recount these events to flaunt his cruelty and madness anew. Although they were all beings of some capability and not to be taken lightly, the other Vampire Lords merely reacted with a knowing nod. In fact, Harriet was the only one in the room who was genuinely shocked by Antirianus''s stories of his experiments. "Chimera and homunculus experiments generally fail. This is because life is such a precise and intricate system that it''s difficult to approach even with magic." Antirianus had not been recounting his tales to show off, but rather to share his many stories of failure in detail. "Right. As Antirianus mentioned, I''ve researched and experimented with creating homunculi similar to myself for much longer than that fellow. Of course, all of them ended in failure." Lucinil nodded in agreement. Harriet couldn''t help but wonder who had created Lucinil and what had become of them, but that was not the important topic at hand. Chimera and homunculus. These were not only taboo, but also an extremely difficult branch of magic, because they involve life. Harriet pondered silently. Antirianus had lived for a very long time, and Lucinil even longer. Both of them had conducted chimera and homunculus research on various subjects, and while there might have been some successes, the majority had failed. They were now at war. There was no reason to invest resources and manpower into something uncertain. The Titan Project had been a gamble, but it had a solid foundation. The same would likely be true for this endeavor. "So, they''re not conducting research or experiments, but rather a specific ''operation''... Is that what you''re saying?" "Indeed." There was a definite ''method'' to be employed, and the Empire was undertaking the task. It was an effort that could lead to a significant increase in their military power. But this had already been stated repetitively. Of course, the project was ongoing because there was a viable method in place. "However, it''s strange. The Empire, and human lands alike, are very strict about the taboo related to dark magic." "Yes... that''s true." Taboos weren''t just in place for no reason. While individual mages might not be entirely exempt, those who studied forbidden magic were naturally sentenced to the most severe penalties. "Moreover, the Empire has not conducted its own research into taboos. It was a nation with a commendable perception of magic, applying that understanding even to itself." It was an ironic situation for someone who had dabbled in forbidden research and experiments to discuss propriety, but the Empire was not a nation that secretly meddled in the taboo. "A matter involving a taboo, knowledge of it." Antirianus laughed chillingly. The Empire, which had never delved too deeply into dark magic and alchemy, was now involved in a magic operation requiring knowledge of a highly advanced taboo. Naturally, they were engaging in it because they believed they could succeed. "Isn''t the source of that knowledge more important?" While the research itself was important, the origin of the research was even more so. Harriet stared blankly at Antirianus, her mouth agape. Forbidden magic. Two groups possessed vast knowledge about it. One was Cantus Magna. The other one. "Don''t tell me... The Empire has joined forces with the Black Order... Is that what you''re saying?" Antirianus laughed at Harriet''s suspicion. "It would be strange if that wasn''t the case." The suspicion related to the undead went beyond the truth of the suspicion itself and suggested a completely unexpected possibility. CH 570 There was no way the Empire had extensive research materials on dark magic, which they had never explored before. However, if a large-scale project was underway, they must have acquired that knowledge from somewhere. The Black Order had extended their reach across the continent to deal with the Gate incident in their own way, suffering tremendous losses as a result. With their last remaining strength, they poured most of their resources into killing the Demon King. But even the swordsmen who had reached the Master Class and the Grand Magician, who was also the final leader of the Black Order, couldn''t stand against the Demon King. The remnants fled as soon as they realized there was no hope. Since then, the Black Order had been unable to interfere in the affairs of the continent. However, the Black Order''s power might have vanished, but their knowledge hadn''t. There was a possibility that the remnants of the Black Order had joined forces with the Empire, providing them with their knowledge. The Empire, having no choice, would have accepted the knowledge about the forbidden arts. Although they couldn''t know exactly what the Empire was doing, suspicions about other possibilities arose. In the end, this could also be considered a significant harvest. "The Black Order tried to kill His Majesty. Regardless of the Empire''s intentions, if this is true, it can''t be good news for us," Eleris said. Harriet nodded in agreement. The Empire''s willingness to use any means necessary to win the war was not only shared by them but also by Reinhardt. If the knowledge of the Black Order could help end the war, Reinhardt wouldn''t hesitate to use it. Luvien, who had been silent, crossed her arms and looked out the window. "It''s clear that the Empire is not just researching but working towards a specific goal with tangible results, and it''s highly likely that the knowledge of the Black Order serves as their foundation." "The Black Order is an ancient order of magic practitioners. Their knowledge of the forbidden arts and research materials must be more extensive than any magic group in this world. Following the now-vanished Akasha, there''s no other group with such vast resources as the Black Order." "What could the Empire possibly want to accomplish by absorbing such knowledge...?" "Before that, there''s something we need to confirm." Luvien looked at Harriet. "You said that the bodies in the royal mausoleum and the Hall of Heroes were replaced and disappeared?" "Yes, my lord." Harriet nodded. "Did ''all'' the bodies in the Hall of Heroes disappear?" At that question, Harriet shook her head. "I can''t be certain. We didn''t open all the tombs. But all the tombs we checked were empty." "Hmm, I see." As Luvien seemed to be deep in thought, Harriet tilted her head. "Lord, is that important?" "Yes, it is." "Why?" Luvien shrugged. "Although I don''t know specifically who''s buried in the Hall of Heroes, it''s not just heroes who were physically strong." Not only were there individuals who had reached the Master Class, but also those who had made outstanding achievements or left a mark on human history. "Let me be more specific." Luvien asked. "Was the tomb of Mullerun, the mage from the hero¡¯s companions, empty as well?" Harriet''s eyes widened at those words. The Hall of Heroes. Charlotte had mentioned that the body of Ragan Artorius wasn''t there to begin with. That would mean that the other tombs contained the remains. Harriet was certain that she had opened all the tombs of the five warriors that day. "Yes, definitely... they were all empty." Olivia Lanze had said. When creating a Death Knight, the basic conditions are essential. Although it was a rather malicious example, Olivia had clearly said that a Death Knight could not be made using Harriet''s corpse. However, the Empire was not doing the same work as Olivia; it was clear that they were doing something entirely different. "That suggests a rather... frightening possibility." The royal family must have had a plan and anticipated that they could retrieve the remains because of that. "Are you saying that a dead body could use magic as well?" "Is that... possible?" Harriet asked, her face turning pale. "It''s not strange for the undead to use magic in the first place." Antirianus pointed to himself as he looked around. The Vampire Lords present were undead. "Although I have never heard of it and didn''t think it was possible, couldn''t they create Liches?" If they could resurrect dead warriors as Death Knights. Then, resurrecting dead mages as Liches wouldn''t be impossible either. It may be a magic that has never existed in the world, but that doesn''t mean it can never exist. "If the Empire can resurrect numerous heroes and mages from human history and deploy them in the war, the war won''t be the problem." Lucinil spoke with a stern expression. "The Empire will possess greater military power than ever." If this assumption is true. Although humanity has weakened. At the moment the project is completed, the Empire will be stronger than ever. ------ Nothing was revealed in the Council of Elders'' meeting, and the suspicions only grew. So far, they had not paid attention to the identity of the missing heroes'' remains. There is circumstantial evidence that the Empire can create not only Death Knights but also Liches. Only one of the missing mage''s remains, Mullerun, has been identified so far. That means there is a possibility that the remains of great Archmages, who are in various places such as the Hall of Wisdom, were also retrieved. If they all come back to life as Liches, and if they can use magic at the same level as when they were alive? The Empire would possess the most powerful army in history. Eleris spoke quietly. "If the war ends and the Empire disbands that army, then I don''t know... but if they don''t..." "We cannot rule out the possibility that the army might target us." At Eleris''s fearful prediction, Harriet felt goosebumps all over her body. That couldn''t be. There''s no reason for that. Where is the reason for them to give up such a powerful force? Although they are cooperating with each other now, they both know that this cooperation cannot last forever. Gallarush spoke. "Regardless of what the Empire is doing, we may need to destroy it before it''s completed." Ending the war is a common goal. However, everyone knows that peace will not come to the world the moment the goal is achieved. Whatever the Empire is preparing, it may help end the war, but the problem is what comes next. In the end, it''s a foolish act. After all of this ends, fearing what might transpire, we must contemplate destroying the very means that might allow us to conclude it all. If left alone, the war might end more easily. However, the means that easily resolved the war might destroy us afterward. So, should we foolishly interfere with it? The Great Demon War was caused by humanity''s fear of demons. The Gate Incident, too, was due to mutual fear and hatred. And now, once more, everyone is put to the test. Should we watch as our opponent wields immense power? Or should we thwart their plans? If trust had been placed in one another, none of this would have happened. But just as the Empire couldn''t trust Darkland, Darkland, too, couldn''t trust the Empire. ------ One should rest when it''s time to rest, I thought. I thought so, watching Ellen and Heinrich, but it turns out I, too, didn''t know how to rest. Considering Heinrich announced he''d take a lap of patrol around the Imperial Capital as soon as he returned, it seemed like he didn''t come to rest in the first place. Looking at it now, the most dangerous place might not be the Alliance Army''s garrison with troops on constant standby, but the Imperial Capital. The security of this place and the surrounding areas was undoubtedly the worst. In that case, it might be better to secure the safety of nearby areas during the winter. Ellen and Heinrich seemed to be planning to take a lap around the outer districts. Ellen would cover half of the circuit from the northern end to the west. Heinrich would cover the other half from the southern end to the east. It was a simple agreement. "Be careful of the ones immune to fire." "I will." At the entrance to the temple, Ellen and Heinrich exchanged short words before parting. This wasn''t an agreement with the guards, but rather a voluntary mission. They weren''t taking any legal action in the refugee residential area but instead would sweep away any dangerous monsters in the outer districts and return. "Hmm¡­" Ellen stared at me, who had followed her outside the temple. To avoid recognition, Ellen wore her robe hooded. After contemplating whether she could take me along, Ellen eventually embraced me. "Let''s go." -Meow Just as Heinrich could control fire, Ellen could also harness Lapelt''s flames to eliminate monsters from a distance. As if going for a walk, she carried me lightly in her arms and headed north along the Imperial Capital. ------ A few days had passed since Ludwig was assigned to the 17th Refugee Residential Area Guard Unit in the southwest of the Imperial Capital. Ludwig couldn''t be treated as a mere guardsman. And he wasn''t officially a guard now, either. He had even heard that he could quit whenever he wanted to. It wasn''t because he had lost an arm. Beyond being a former Temple Royal Class, he was a superhuman who far surpassed ordinary guardsmen. Furthermore, he was a veteran who had joined the Alliance Army and continued to dedicate himself to the security of the Imperial Capital even after being sent to the rear. Therefore, Ludwig was highly valued for his efforts, despite his current state, rather than being treated as receiving a golden parachute. Ludwig wanted to be treated as a simple guardsman, but everyone treated him with respect regardless of his temporary rank. This included the captain of the 17th Guard Unit to which Ludwig belonged. However, right now, Ludwig was facing the troubled expression of the captain of the guard at the 17th Division Headquarters, one of the few intact buildings in the refugee residential area. "Are you talking about joining the subjugation squad?" "Yes, sir." "Hmm..." At Ludwig''s words, the captain couldn''t hide his troubled expression. Ludwig had been assigned only a few days ago and already wanted to take on a different mission. A subjugation mission. Patrolling the outskirts of the Imperial Capital and fighting monsters directly as a member of the guard. Ludwig told the captain that he wanted to take on that mission. Since the subjugation squad was not under the jurisdiction of the 17th Division but belonged to a completely different command structure, Ludwig was essentially requesting to be transferred to a different unit altogether. "Your help is needed here as well, Ludwig. Don''t you know that?" "...Yes, I''m well aware." "I thought you had understood that the work here isn''t to be taken lightly." "It''s not that I''m ignoring the work here, it''s just..." Ludwig wasn''t saying this simply because he wanted to fight monsters. While all the Imperial Capital guards were short on manpower, it was true that the guards in the refugee residential area were especially lacking, and Ludwig was indeed needed. Ludwig wasn''t disregarding the work on this side. "The work here is... too difficult for me." "..." Crime. When dealing with crimes involving humans, immediate judgment and action were frequently required. It was practically lawless, and even the guards themselves were often attacked. Over the past few days, Ludwig had witnessed several instances where the immediate action taken by the guards was summary execution, without any proper trial or procedure. Because public order was extremely unstable, the autonomy given to the guards was ensured to an excessive degree. In such situations, Ludwig found it difficult to take immediate action. Was his judgment correct? Ludwig couldn''t be sure. In a fight against monsters, such judgment wasn''t necessary. Monsters were evil. So, they needed to be killed. But, whether the refugees who committed crimes were truly in the wrong or not, and whether they should be forgiven because they had no choice, he couldn''t tell. His actions might lead to the death of an innocent person, or a wrongful judgment might land someone innocent in prison. The work wasn''t worthless. It was just too difficult for him. Ludwig knew his judgment wasn''t the best. He might make the wrong decision. That was what weighed heavily on Ludwig. Fighting monsters might be physically exhausting, but it didn''t cause headaches like this. "That''s not possible." "..." "Don''t you know that the higher-ups won''t accept your request, Ludwig?" This position had been arranged by the emperor himself. He couldn''t possibly be allowed to leave the safer position that had been created for him and go to a dangerous place instead. Being placed there was not a form of golden parachute for Ludwig. But he wasn''t entirely free from that position either. So Ludwig couldn''t leave this position. If he continued to reject the emperor''s goodwill, he could even be exiled to a remote chapel. He might not even be able to do this job anymore. "...Understood." In the end, Ludwig had no choice but to stay in his current position and trust his uncertain judgment. CH 571 Ludwig never enjoyed slaughter. To be precise, he feared it. Still, Ludwig fought because he believed it was something he had to do. That''s the kind of person Ludwig is. If there''s a clear and precise goal, he doesn''t hesitate to run towards it, even if it''s frightening. But. In situations where there are no clear and precise answers, Ludwig loses his way. Until now, Ludwig had relied on the help of his friends for such problems. Delphin Izzard. Ranian Sesor. Not to mention Scarlett and Louis Ancton, as well as the other classmates in Class B. Someone else would make the decision for him, and Ludwig would follow that path. But now, Ludwig was alone. And he had to face problems with no clear answers. There are no rules or theories in the vague notion of living a virtuous life. That''s why Ludwig couldn''t tell which among those living in despair he needed to raise his hand against. There had never been a reason to establish such a thing before. Ludwig''s sense of justice was solely about punishing blatant evil. The mastermind of all these troubles, the Demon King. The monsters that seek to destroy humanity. In the presence of clear enemies, Ludwig''s unbreakable will shone brightly. But in places like this. In the refugee zone filled with people fighting to survive in chaos, neither good nor evil, Ludwig couldn''t tell what to choose. Ludwig thought the battlefield was dreadful. "Give me just one more piece! Just one more piece of bread!" But this scene, where people were fighting over a single piece of bread, was truly horrifying. Ludwig walked through the refugee zone filled with shanties, accompanied by a patrol of the security forces. He had to become accustomed to the pervasive poverty, stench, and the smell of hunger that clung to every corner like grime. More than half of the people who hid in the alleys between the shanties did so simply because they saw the uniform of the security forces. If they had nothing to hide, they wouldn''t need to hide at all. Had they all committed some crime, or were they planning to commit one? Ludwig clenched his teeth as he looked at the hidden adults and children in silence. It couldn''t be. In the refugee camp, which was no different from a lawless zone, the security forces punished most crimes with extreme measures. Even if they had done nothing wrong, they would avoid them for that reason. Indeed, Ludwig saw a security force member slap a young boy in the face simply because he had bumped into him while chatting and patrolling with Ludwig. When Ludwig saw the boy trembling on the ground with a bloody mouth, his face drained of color. He didn''t know what to say to the security force member who smiled sheepishly, as if hitting the boy was a gentle act because it happened in front of Ludwig. When Ludwig realized that slapping someone was considered a light punishment, he had even less to say. Witnessing such events was a series of painful experiences. There were two security force members currently accompanying Ludwig. "Hmm..." The one in charge of the senior soldier role, Sontein, stopped in the street and stared at something. "I think we should go over there." One of the security force members pointed in a certain direction beyond the shanties. "Is there something over there?" "It smells like grilled meat." "You''re right. And there seems to be smoke too. But why..." Seeing the bewildered Ludwig, the guardsman shrugged. "Why would there be meat here?" "..." Ludwig wasn''t so clueless as to not understand the meaning behind those words. ------ A short while later. "Ugh! Ugh!" The emaciated group, with only bones remaining, stared at the ground with their sunken eyes. The guardsmen clicked their tongues, watching Ludwig retching. "It''s a common occurrence." The other guardsmen were neither surprised nor shocked. They eat because they''re hungry. It''s a natural thing. In desperate situations, cannibalism sometimes becomes the only choice. The calm attitude of the guardsmen, unfazed by the situation. And the eyes that swallowed saliva from afar, watching the contents the guardsman had spilled. Ludwig gritted his teeth as he saw those gazes. This was beyond difficult. It was painful. ------ Cannibalism was punishable by death. No matter how starving they were, it could not be forgiven. If punishment for that act were not carried out on the grounds that it was an unavoidable choice, people would think not to avoid it in the future, but to avoid getting caught. In that case, cannibalism would become an accepted culture in refugee settlements. It''s not that they''re killed because the crime is heinous and unforgivable evil. Some crimes could ruin the entire refugee settlement. Ludwig knew that help was needed in the refugee settlements. He thought there must be something he could do. He hoped that even through small acts, he could find his purpose in life. "..." But where was the smallness in this? Some people might deem these acts easier than risking their lives on the battlefield. Ludwig found the battlefield easier. It was more comfortable. In this horrifying place, where everyone became each other''s enemy due to the single enemy called hunger, it was the most challenging job for Ludwig. He wanted to run away. For the first time in his life, Ludwig harbored such thoughts. ------ Ludwig saw and felt how absurd it was for the military not to starve in the allied forces'' base. He couldn''t help but understand why the allied forces'' regular soldiers continued to be replenished. Because they wouldn''t starve to death before being trampled by monsters. The soldiers at the Serandia allied forces base would undoubtedly live comfortably during the winter. He couldn''t help but feel how important that ''eating'' was in the matter of sustenance. There was only one problem. Starvation. But the numerous derivative problems caused by that issue didn''t end with cannibalism. "...What is this?" "I don''t know." Looking at the object, something made of bone fragments haphazardly connected, which Sontain had found while searching a shack, Ludwig felt an indescribable disgust. He couldn''t even tell what bones they were. A guardsman who sensed something strange from the murmurs of many people in a corner of the shack had entered and brought out the object. Seven people in the small shack were praying to this bone fragment idol. Naturally, it didn''t resemble the holy symbols of any known gods. Heresy was rampant. It was impossible to treat the Hero Religion, which believed in Ellen Artorius, as heretical. However, not only the Hero Religion but also strange superstitions of unknown origins were occurring throughout the refugee settlements. "Are they worshipers of the demon god?" One of the guards asked as he looked down at the trembling heretics who knelt before him. "Oh, no, we believe in our savior, Estar, who will soon manifest before us..." They were heretics who believed in an unknown deity. "Salvation is near..." Ludwig seemed to lose all his strength. "What shall we do with them?" "There''s no need to kill them all." Did this mean that they would spare some of them? -Thunk! "Kuh... Kukkkk..." It turned out they meant to kill just one. "Do not believe in heresy." The guard left those words behind and turned away. It wasn''t a law that sentenced them to death. Just one guard. People''s lives hung in the balance, dependent on the guard''s judgment. ¡°Damned bastards¡­¡± ¡°Divine retribution will come.¡± As Ludwig and his comrades turned their backs, curses rained down upon them. The other guards didn''t even react, as if they were used to it, and left their posts. ------ ¡°It''s better not to think of them as human beings.¡± The senior guard who had been judging whether to kill or spare the refugees, Sontain, who was equivalent to Ludwig''s superior, said so. "It''s better to think of them as insects." "But still, how can..." So, did I fight and lose my arm to protect these insects? Did the allied forces lose their lives and friends to protect these insects? Is it acceptable for the guards here to easily trample and kill these precious beings they consider insects? Are the allied forces dying for mere insects? Do you have the right to make such a judgment? Ludwig wanted to explode with anger, but he couldn''t bring himself to say those words. What else can be done? Everyone knows that if their hunger were resolved, none of this would happen. But isn''t it because they can''t solve the problem that all of this is happening? The answer is simple. But there is no path to that answer. "If you don''t think like that, you won''t be able to do your job." Sontain looked around. He spoke quietly, looking at the hiding adults and children. "We may think of them as insects, but they see us as monsters." Monsters that kill insects. That''s all the guards were in this place. "Don''t approach them carelessly." "..." "There have been countless cases of people who got too close and ended up dead." The guards are a collection of monsters. The refugees have no reason to like the guards who treat them worse than dogs. Countless guards have died, thinking themselves different from the others, showing compassion, only to be stabbed in return. Just as the guards execute the refugees on the spot, the refugees kill the guards as well. The guards treat the refugees harshly, and the refugees take revenge on the guards, leading the guards to take even more extreme actions. This vicious cycle of hatred was the current situation in the refugee camp. Ludwig nodded to Sontain''s words, his expression heavy. ------ A well-crafted law is not necessarily maintained. As long as there is power to uphold the law, it can be maintained. It doesn''t matter if the standards are vague. It doesn''t have to be fair. Even if the law becomes so vague that it can no longer be called a law, it doesn''t matter. No matter how fair and noble a law may be, without the power to enforce it, a powerful authority, it is not a subject of trust in the first place. And so, the foundation of the law itself lies in power, not in the perfection of the law. The refugee district blatantly displayed this reality. The situation, which merely suppressed the refugees with violence, was bound to reach a breaking point someday. If someday the anger and hatred of the refugees surpass the threshold that can be suppressed by force, the authorities will be overthrown. The law, having lost its only supporting force, will become meaningless, and chaos will ensue. Starvation. Cannibalism. Heresy. Murders by the guards. And. Attacks on the guards. -Whack! ¡°Die, you devil scum!¡± Ludwig caught a fist-sized rock flying towards his face with his left hand and looked at the boy who disappeared into the alley, spewing words of hatred. Startled by Ludwig''s reflexes, Sontain quickly calmed down and stared at the alley. "Shall we chase him?" "It''s alright. I was the one attacked after all." -These days, even a moron can be a guard! Hearing the echo of the boy yelling at him from the alley, Ludwig bitterly laughed. Not only those who attacked directly. Eyes peering from the corners of gambling dens and alleys. He could feel the murderous intent and hatred mixed in those gazes. No matter how arbitrarily the guards beat and killed someone, they didn''t punish the gazes themselves. It wasn''t because they couldn''t make those eyes pay for their sins. It was because they couldn''t kill all those who had such eyes, as it would require destroying the entire refugee district. Ludwig shook his head while holding the rock that had flown at him. If he got used to this job, he would have to kill refugees like the other guards. After his probation period, Ludwig would have to participate in such private punishments. Could he do that? Was it even the right thing to do? No matter how much Ludwig thought about it, he couldn''t handle such a job. Fighting wasn''t allowed, and all he could do was maintain order by beating and suppressing the helpless under the pretext of keeping the peace, and sometimes meting out summary executions. It might be better to return to the temple and stay quietly confined to the dormitory. Or perhaps look for other things he could do elsewhere. In the end, Ludwig couldn''t help but reach such thoughts. But leaving this place wouldn''t make its tragedy disappear. Turning away because it''s hard to endure is not the right thing to do. He couldn''t know what was right, but Ludwig couldn''t help but know that one thing. ------ Patrolling was, quite literally, walking around various places, detecting abnormalities in the streets, and taking action on the spot. The patrol led by Sontain, who guided Ludwig, didn''t only involve violent acts that killed refugees. Retrieving abandoned corpses in alleys and identifying the deceased. Mediating minor disputes to prevent them from escalating into violence. Watching for thieves at locations where food was distributed. Listening to the refugees about the street conditions and checking for overall situations or organized crime groups in the area. There was even the task of safely returning a lost child crying on the street, to their parents. Many refugees were afraid of and detested the guards, but not all of them. ''If only we did tasks like these, it would be fine......'' Ludwig smiled as he watched a child, holding their mother''s hand, wave wildly at him as they walked away. Executing refugees was an extremely extreme situation, and it wasn''t a frequent occurrence. There were trivial matters and important, necessary tasks to be done. Not every task was perilous. Ludwig walked the streets with Sontain until their patrol was nearing its end. "That area is off-limits. No need to patrol there." "¡­There''s a barrier?" Ludwig saw a cordoning line within a certain alleyway. It seemed an entire area had been closed off. Within the cordoned-off area, Ludwig quietly observed gray smoke rising into the sky. A fire was clearly burning. "Is there a reason for the cordon?" "There''s an outbreak of infectious disease." "¡­An infectious disease?" "It''s common. Epidemics break out fairly often." "Isn''t it dangerous? With people densely gathered like this, if an epidemic spreads¡­" Even with the cordon in place, if the disease started spreading, it would create a massive problem. Not just one or two people dying, but thousands would perish. No, the epidemic itself wasn''t even the issue. "Shouldn''t the priests¡­ come?" It was the priests'' role to cure diseases. Even if they lacked the capacity to heal one or two wounds, priests should be deployed for major issues like epidemics. However, the priests did not come, only the area with the outbreak was closed off. In response to Ludwig''s words, Sontain quietly stared at the smoke rising from the sealed-off area. It was undoubtedly the smoke from burning corpses. "The power to heal diseases is the divine authority of the Goddes of Purity, Tu''an." "Then the priests of Tu''an¡­" "Many have died." "Pardon?" "You know what treatment they receive now¡­" "Ah¡­" "People hate not only the priests of Tu''an and Als, but all priests of the Five Great Religions, as the situation worsens." The two gods who granted relics to the Demon King. The persecution of their faiths had intensified since the Gate Incident. Priests would come for epidemic treatment and refugee relief activities, but the hatred towards them had already gone too far. Those in need of help hate those who would provide it. Thus, even amidst raging epidemics, the moment the priests of Tu''an entered the massive refugee area, they had to worry about leaving alive. Ludwig could only learn from Sontain''s words that countless priests had indeed died. That''s why the priests couldn''t easily enter the refugee area. The epidemic was left unattended. "Of course, they must have requested cooperation from the Holy Knights, as it would inevitably become a major issue if left unchecked. So, priests with concealed identities will handle the epidemic purification activities. The response may be delayed, but it''s not neglected." "¡­I see." To save people, one must even hide whom they serve. "Let''s finish our patrol here. You can go straight home. I''ll report to the Captain of the Guard." "Ah¡­ All right. Good work." "Ludwig, sir." Sontain quietly called out to Ludwig, who was about to leave. "¡­You don''t need to do things like this." Implying that he was not suited for such tasks. That someone who had returned from glorious deeds didn''t need to engage in such miserable and repulsive tasks. Ludwig couldn''t respond to those words. ------ Ellen and Heinrich decided to patrol the outskirts, dividing their efforts between the north and south. In short, Ellen couldn''t even step beyond the main street. With a pale face, Ellen hurriedly returned to the temple and gently placed me, who she had been holding tightly, onto the bed. "¡­" -Meow Although Ellen was wearing a hood to conceal her face, everyone had seen her holding a cat. Honestly, it wasn''t entirely unexpected. As they walked along, the children would ask, "Sis, can''t I have that?" "Can I have it?" "I''m hungry." Ellen''s face turned pale blue as the children persistently followed her. At least it was just the children. When adult men and women began to approach with their mouths watering, Ellen hastily turned and walked away. CH 572 Ellen had never imagined that her small and adorable cat could be considered as food by someone else. She wasn''t ignorant of the hunger issues in the refugee camp. However, since the Gate incident, Ellen had been repeatedly deployed and returned from the battlefield through mass teleportation. As a result, she had spent very little time in the Imperial Capital after the Gate incident. Now, she was serving in the allied forces. Judging by her expression, it was clear that today was her first time entering the refugee camp area. Adults and children alike were starving, and she had seen for the first time the sight of corpses left behind not due to monster attacks, but because of starvation. It wasn''t that she was surprised because of it, but because seeing it with her own eyes was too overwhelming and shocking. For a while, Ellen stood there, dazed, after seating me on the bed, seemingly lost in thought. "I''ll go alone." After gently stroking my head, Ellen left the room. Unlike Ellen, I had seen the situation in the refugee camp firsthand, but I could feel that the situation had worsened since then. With the distribution of food to the camp decreasing to barely enough to feed the army, the hunger could only intensify. I wondered if a contagious disease was spreading, as I occasionally saw people who seemed to be sick rather than starving. At a time when the divine power of the Goddes of Purity, Tu''an, was desperately needed, the refugees harbored extreme hatred for both Tu''an and the Als¡¯ Church. The priests probably couldn''t carry out their duties properly. The problem of food, and now winter. Countless people would starve to death, freeze to death, or die from illness. The dense population of the Imperial Capital exceeded 100 million. During the winter, the number of people who would die from starvation or freezing in the Imperial Capital would easily surpass ten million. It was heartbreaking and desperate. But it was a problem that I couldn''t solve. The population of the Imperial Capital alone was ten times that of the entire Edina Archipelago. Edina had better food conditions than the Imperial Capital, but it wasn''t abundant either. Even if there was surplus food, it was the same. There was no way to transport the food needed to save tens of millions of refugees from Edina to the Imperial Capital. I couldn''t solve the hunger problem here. What I could do, or at least try, was to reach the end of the Gate incident. I would have to think about what came next at that time. ------ Heinrich and Ellen, both on patrol, but the first to return to the dormitory was Heinrich. -Meow "Hmm?" He tilted his head upon seeing the little one wandering alone without Ellen. "¡­ Did she plan to take you with her?" Heinrich didn''t seem injured. There wouldn''t be many monsters near the Imperial Capital, and even if there were, they wouldn''t pose a threat to Heinrich. That''s how it was. If a single orc appeared on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital and started causing havoc, dozens of refugees would easily die, but Heinrich could take care of that orc with a simple gesture. "Haah¡­" Heinrich sighed while looking out the window. He would have had to enter the refugee area to patrol the outskirts, and he must have seen the same things Ellen saw today. It was no wonder his expression was like that. About two hours after Heinrich returned. Just as the evening was about to begin, Ellen finally returned to the dormitory. Of course, her safe return was expected, but I couldn''t help feeling relieved. The evening banquet hall. Although there were other students present, the four second-year students were Ellen, Heinrich, the returning Ludwig, and Dettomorian. The three researchers rarely left their laboratories. Dettomorian''s complexion was naturally poor. Ellen''s complexion was poor due to the events of the day. Heinrich''s complexion was also poor, having witnessed a similar scene as Ellen. Ludwig served in the guard, so naturally, his expression was not good, having witnessed even worse scenes or possibly having done something dreadful. Thus, the dinner began with all four of them looking rather unwell. My stomach churned. Ellen hesitated as she tried to scoop some scrambled eggs onto my designated plate. "..." A visible wave of guilt swept across her face. As if considering how extravagant it was to raise animals in a time of such famine. I assumed Ellen couldn''t help but have such thoughts. Ellen looked down at me with a tearful expression. In the end, Ellen couldn''t bear to starve me, and carefully stroked my head after serving me the scrambled eggs. Her hand seemed to say it wasn''t my fault. Ellen didn''t eat as much as when she had first returned. Feeling guilty about providing food led to feeling guilty about eating as well. She probably knew that eating well and resting were right for people. It''s just hard to accept. "How was the patrol? I couldn''t cover the entire area because it''s too wide." It was Heinrich''s question. "It wasn''t a problem, maybe because I didn''t go too far. How about you?" "Same here. I felt a bit empty for not being able to do anything, but I guess it''s rather fortunate." "Yeah." The two had been on the move to check the situation on the outskirts of the wasteland. If the two of them had returned after slaying a bunch of monsters, there would be no reason to rejoice. That would mean the outskirts were teeming with danger. Therefore, it was better to have no results. "It seems we''re not the only ones who thought of this." "...?" Ellen cocked her head at Heinrich''s words. "It looks like the empire wants to ensure the safety of the wasteland during the winter, given the favorable situation at the coalition army''s base. They seem to be operating large-scale extermination squads." "......That''s fortunate." Indeed. The empire would undoubtedly have the same thoughts as these two. While they couldn''t save people from starvation, they could at least secure the nearby wasteland areas to eliminate the threat of monsters. Ellen and Heinrich seemed to be considering volunteering for extermination squad missions, patrolling the outskirts of the wasteland and hunting down monsters. Of course, Ellen shook her head after pondering, saying it didn''t seem possible. Bertus wanted Ellen to rest during the winter, and volunteering for an extermination squad would obviously not be permitted. Heinrich also couldn''t participate in the extermination squad for similar reasons, so both decided to move separately. More help couldn''t hurt. If there were dangerous monsters roaming around, they could eliminate them, and if not, it would mean the wasteland was safe, which couldn''t be a bad thing. Both seemed intent on venturing further out tomorrow. Why couldn''t they just rest a bit? Heinrich clicked his tongue briefly. "The problem is the food supply." Famine, not monsters, was now the imminent threat to the refugees. While the appearance of a monster in a refugee camp would quickly kill hundreds of people, starvation would slowly kill millions. Everyone knew what the real enemy was. However, what cannot be defeated cannot be killed. A monster could be killed, but there was no way to kill hunger. "..." In the silence, Ludwig struggled to eat with his left hand. ------ As the allied forces took a break, King Constantine von Schwarz of Kernstadt went out to inspect the situation. However, what was important to the king was not the inspection but the whereabouts of his two missing princes. Louise did not think lies would work on the king. Even her close aides were suspicious about the princes'' disappearance. And King Constantine von Schwarz of Kernstadt had already received a report long ago. He would have thought about it in his own way and tried to infer the truth. In a situation where only Louise and Heinrich from the Schwarz family had survived, the king could well predict what the king would suspect. Louise didn''t make excuses. They wouldn''t work. She didn''t say it couldn''t be helped. It was an unjustifiable act. So she said it directly. "I killed them." She told the king, who was trying to dig out the truth about the disappearance of the two princes, that she had killed them with her own hands. And she said nothing else. Louise was never talkative in the first place. There was no reprimand, criticism, astonishment, or fear from the king. King Constantine von Schwarz stared at his eldest daughter''s face for a long time and uttered only one word. "Is there anything else to say?" An apology. An excuse. Tears. Sorrow. Guilt. A plea or rage-filled rant for all these things. To her father''s question, Louise nodded her head. "Yes, there''s nothing more." The daughter''s reticence was similar to her father''s. "All right, I understand." Just because the daughter didn''t speak much didn''t mean she didn''t think, and just because the father didn''t speak much didn''t mean he didn''t think either. Louise and King Constantine von Schwarz both had many thoughts in their silence. They were a father and daughter who only exchanged necessary conversations, like Louise and Heinrich now. "Where is Heinrich?" "...I sent him to the temple for a while." The king would have understood what that meant. Knowing that unnecessary trouble might arise, Louise had sent her son away for his safety. King Constantine von Schwarz said nothing about his eldest daughter''s actions, which had killed his two sons. His daughter offered no excuses. Only they could know what the other was thinking. There were relationships that understood each other without conversation, and there were relationships that could not understand each other without conversation. "The princes died because of Heinrich." The two of them had the first kind of relationship. Both had sons. Both had mothers. For Heinrich von Schwarz, four other princes had to die. At those harsh words, Louise calmly said: "If they hadn''t all laid a hand on my son, they wouldn''t have died." A sharp response came back to the sharp words. The two princes who tormented young Heinrich burned to death at the hands of Heinrich, who had awakened his supernatural powers. The two brothers who tried to assassinate Heinrich died at the hands of Louise. They should have left Heinrich alone. As sharp words went back and forth, harsh words might follow, and eventually, something irreversible might be said. But Louise had made up her mind. No matter what she heard, she had decided to protect her son. That''s why Louise looked at the silent king. "I thought you would know sooner." "...Yes?" Louise couldn''t help but be taken aback by Constantine von Schwarz''s words. "I thought it would happen sooner." "..." "I thought you''d intervene with your siblings a bit earlier." Louise had never considered that her father would think that way. Constantine von Schwarz had always believed that it was bound to happen someday. Children do not understand their parents. Parents do not understand their children either. But it is more common for parents to know their children slightly better than the other way around. That''s why Constantine von Schwarz considered it inevitable that this had to happen. He couldn''t accept it as natural, but he couldn''t help but think it was unavoidable. "You were either less wise than I thought, or you trusted your siblings more." Even without Louise explaining, Constantine von Schwarz was already predicting what had happened within the alliance that led to this situation. The ambitions of his children. Jealousy and envy. And their foolishness. And Louise''s guilt and love for her son. It was bound to happen eventually because of all that. "Did you love your siblings?" "..." Louise couldn''t answer. She couldn''t say she loved them, nor could she say she didn''t. As she shed tears, mixed with unutterable sorrow, self-loathing, and guilt, without even making a sound. Seeing her daughter, whose tears flowed down her cheeks but couldn''t be wiped away. Her daughter, who couldn''t help but let the tears she had held back in front of her son flow in front of her father, clenching her teeth. "Well... if that''s the case... that''s enough." The father couldn''t forgive his daughter for killing her siblings. But he had no choice but to accept it as inevitable. ------ Regardless of the real reason, Louise assisted the King with the inspection of the Kernstadt Army, which was the original purpose. They discussed the army''s status, strength, and supply situation. And after the report was over, Constantine von Schwarz said the same thing to Louise as she had said to Heinrich. "Rest." "...Pardon?" "I''ll take command of the army during the winter." Just as the mother had ordered rest for her son, considering his long fatigue, the father ordered rest for his daughter, considering her long fatigue. "I''ll get permission from the Emperor. Since you wanted to go there so badly, spend the winter with Heinrich at the Temple." An unexpected respite. And the opportunity to spend time with her son in a place she had only dreamt of visiting. She would now be able to visit the place where her son had grown up and lived, a place she hadn''t even been allowed to observe from afar. Upon hearing the news of the princes'' disappearance, the king had come to terms with what he must endure and understand. In the end, the throne is a cruel place. Knowing that his daughter might do such a thing, he had no choice but to stand by, as she was to become the queen. What mattered was the heir to the throne. Now that the event he had anticipated but didn''t know if it would occur had become reality, he must have thought that they should at least try to fix what was left. There might be no reason for the remaining people to continue suffering, he might have thought. The king''s actions were not understanding, but resignation. And knowing that, Louise couldn''t help but feel even greater guilt. CH 573 Ludwig headed towards the 17th District Guard again the next day. While Heinrich and Ellen had the freedom to patrol the outskirts of the Imperial Capital on their own, Ludwig could not do such a thing, nor would it be permitted. He might feel a sense of deprivation, but he was not oblivious to the difference in their absolute abilities. He could not dare to overstep the tasks Heinrich and Ellen could do. So Ludwig headed towards the guard. It was a difficult and painful job, but even in that line of work, he could find small tasks he was capable of doing. Even such little tasks as returning a lost child to their parents'' hands were certainly not meaningless. Hoping for such tasks, Ludwig went to the guard. "Ludwig, sir, we have an important mission for you." "¡­An important mission?" "A task suited for you, Ludwig." A task suited for him. Both the archer Sontein and the captain of the guard respected Ludwig. However, they were also aware that Ludwig could not handle witnessing the cruel acts of the guards in the refugee camp. A task suited for Ludwig. "Your task is to escort." With a baffled look on Ludwig''s face, the captain of the guard spoke softly. "An escort¡­?" "Aren''t you aware of the epidemic?" "Yes¡­ I saw it yesterday." "For the purification process, a priest has been dispatched." An epidemic. And purification. Ludwig''s eyes widened. "Please escort the dispatched priest." A task to eradicate the epidemic. A task absolutely necessary to save people. "¡­Thank you for your consideration." They assigned him this task because they knew what Ludwig found difficult and what he wanted. ------ To purify an epidemic, a priest from the Tu¡¯an Order is needed. However, due to the Demon King, the Tu''an Order and the Als Order faced persecution. In such circumstances, it was impossible for priests of the Tu''an Order to move openly, even if they had come to treat the epidemic. Not only the followers of Tu''an faced persecution, but the priests also suffered worse fates. But they couldn''t just ignore the epidemic. If it spread from the refugee district to the Imperial Capital, the situation might become unsolvable even with divine power. That''s why the priests of Tu''an risked their lives to purify the epidemic in the refugee district. They had to move secretly, of course, so they couldn''t wear their priest robes. They also couldn''t receive a large escort. They needed to move discreetly to avoid drawing attention. Even though their purpose was not to cause harm, but to save people. "Priesstes, this is Ludwig, who will be escorting you today." Ludwig bowed his head as he looked at the priestess wearing a gray, weathered robe. "Nice to meet you, my name is Rowan." "Hello." The priestess, who appeared to be about Ludwig''s age, smiled at him. "I know this may not be much, but I will do my best." Ludwig added this, thinking that Rowan might be unhappy with the only escort from the 17th Guard being one-armed. "Thank you, I''ll be relying on you." However, the priestess didn''t seem to mind at all, as she gently smiled and nodded her head. ------ Ludwig and Rowan left the 17th District Guard headquarters together. The task of purifying the epidemic. Ludwig felt a sense of clarity in his mind for the first time in a while. It was a simple task that didn''t require deciding what was right. They weren''t wearing the uniforms of the guards to move discreetly, and Rowan was also wearing a hooded robe, her face concealed. It was a situation where neither her identity as a priestess nor him as a guard was apparent. It was merely a matter of purifying a plague-stricken area. However, if an unforeseen situation arose, they might have to resort to force. Rowan glanced at Ludwig walking beside her and tilted her head. "You''re not an official guard, are you?" "What? Oh... How did you know?" "Because the captain of the guards mentioned it..." It wasn''t a particularly impressive deduction. "Ah... Actually, I haven''t been back from the allied forces'' garrison for long. So..." "You''re a war veteran." "Yes... I ended up in the rear due to an injury, but..." "You''re an admirable person. I respect you." At Rowan''s words, Ludwig seemed to feel his face heat up. It wasn''t embarrassment or shyness, but shame. Ludwig thought he had no right to hear such words, feeling only shame. Shouldn''t people like Rowan, who were truly admirable, hear such praise? Despite the countless people who despised and hated the priests and priestesses of Tu''an, they tried to save others. The truly admirable and great people were them, weren''t they? Ludwig only thought of himself as someone who had failed and been driven away, not deserving of such words. "We''ll be moving covertly, so there shouldn''t be any arguments or disturbances. Ludwig, only step in if it''s an extremely unlikely situation." As if she had performed purification work more than once or twice, Rowan told Ludwig the points to be cautious about. "Ludwig, are you good at running?" "What? Oh... Yes, I''m confident." Running. It was one of the few things Ludwig was still confident in, even in his current state. "What about carrying someone while running?" It was clear whom he would be carrying without even mentioning it. "I''m also confident in doing that well." "If there''s a problem, pick me up and run away as fast as you can." Rowan smiled brightly as she said that. If they ever had a conflict with the refugees, they would avoid the confrontation, not kill them. "Yes, I''ll make sure to do that." Ludwig liked Rowan''s approach. ------ Today, Ellen went on a patrol of the main road with Heinrich again. Listening to their conversation from yesterday, it seemed like they didn''t need to go, but they both left hastily after breakfast, unable to bear the itching feeling. So, there was nothing left to do but roll around in bed for a while. Gathering information within the temple was also blocked for now. How long had he been lying there? -Tap tap Turning his head while sitting on the bed, he saw a single sparrow. A cat and a sparrow. -Tap tap -Chirp! The sparrow tilted its head as it looked at him. -Tap tap -Chirp! It had been a long time since he''d seen that sight. Sarkegaar, indeed. ------ Outside the royal class dormitory. Sarkegaar and I pretended to be returning students as we talked. To be honest, there was no need for camouflage. The temple''s interior was almost desolate. There were people, but they were extremely rare. Those who could be seen were just guards. Our blockhead had found Sarkegaar and sent him here in the meantime. He had also heard the results of the council of elders'' meeting. It was strange that alchemy was unrelated, he said. It wasn''t as simple as creating undead like us. Alchemy is a magic discipline that combines elements of both chemistry and biology. Dealing with corpses, strictly speaking, is a matter of dealing with life. So, it''s not strange for an alchemist to be involved. On top of that, the research list of Antirianus I heard about further confused me, who was already bewildered. The Empire is not conducting research or experiments. They must be in the middle of a task with a clear outcome. There''s no way they''d invest in pure academics in the midst of war, with shortages of supplies and resources. "¡­That''s right, there were no remains of Mullerun either." Additionally, it was important to note that the Empire might know the method to revive a mage as a lich. A lich is originally an undead created by a living mage who undergoes the process themselves. In other words, it''s a procedure the mage performs on their own body while they''re alive. Olivia said that even in the case of a death knight, their ego is maintained. But the work we did this time was to revive a dead hero, or rather, a knight, as a death knight. What if we revive a dead mage as an undead? The range of options would significantly expand, and the force would undoubtedly be immense. Furthermore, the role of mages in war is crucial. Mages who take on large-scale attacks, barrages, and support roles indeed dominate the battlefield. "Your Majesty, the Council of Elders has said that we may need to use force to prevent the Empire from securing such power." "¡­That''s true." "I think so too." I understand what everyone is worried about. There were remains of mages in the Hall of Heroes. However, most of them were warriors. But there are separate tombs for mages who left great magical achievements in the royal mausoleum. And not just there but in many other places as well. What if they revive the remains of great archmages who left their names in human history and command them as an army? It would be as if they had a massive mage force far surpassing the royal mage corps. Reviving the warriors and mages who left their names in human history. All of them would become an army to save humanity. It''s a very plausible scenario, but the problem arises when their blades are pointed at us. There''s no guarantee that there won''t be a war just because Bertus has no intention of fighting us. Wars can break out due to external factors, after all. It''s frightening that master-class forces would be greatly replenished, but the real problem is the addition of archmage forces. Titans can''t cross the sea, but a massive army could invade Edina if the archmages are reinforced to that extent. They may not know the current situation in Edina, but if our location is discovered, such an event could really happen. No. It''s not the army that''s the problem, but the fact that about a thousand archmages equivalent to Vampire Lords might be able to drop a Titan on Edina. I didn''t want the Gate Incident, but it happened because of me. Bertus doesn''t want a war, and neither do I, but there''s no way of knowing why a war might break out. I''m convinced that I have some sort of curse that keeps encountering situations I don''t want to happen. Whether it''s fate or a trickster''s prank. If we leave the Empire''s research alone, we might be able to end the Gate Incident with less damage. But if that destroys the world I''ve worked so hard to build. I cannot be certain that losing everything isn''t my given fate. However, if I ruin all the projects currently in progress just because the Empire is conducting dangerous research, wouldn''t that also serve the trickster''s intent? If I destroy the core project of the Empire with my own hands, war will likely break out because of this very incident. If I attack the Empire now, war will definitely ensue. In fact, my decision on this matter may prevent the Allied Forces from advancing any further. If I leave the Empire alone, the Gate Incident might be resolved more easily, but I could lose everything in the process. I know that both Bertus and I have no hostility toward each other; we just haven''t had a conversation about it. If the situation changes later, it would not be due to Bertus''s will but because of external factors. No, Bertus, who doesn''t want war, might be assassinated, and the new emperor may want to wage war against the Demon King. No matter where I go, I only see a future of waging war against the Empire. If I attack, this incident will be the justification. If I stay silent, the world''s demands will be the justification. If I''m bound to wage war anyway, perhaps it''s better to face a weakened Empire. But if the Empire becomes stronger, I can prevent unexpected deaths like this time. Delphin''s death and Ludwig losing his arm could be avoided. What about the countless Allied Forces soldiers I don''t know? If I leave the Empire alone, hundreds of thousands of people might survive, and if the Gate Incident ends sooner, the extra resources can be used to help refugees. But my people in Edina. I also have a responsibility to a nation. Just because there are more citizens in the Empire, it doesn''t mean that my country should disappear and let them live. I cannot make such a choice. I felt like I was standing at a crossroads of destiny. The choices I make now will greatly change the future. One thing I do know. No matter what choice I make, I will surely regret it greatly. I will suffer from nightmares for many long days again. The issue raised by the Council of Elders is not a false alarm this time. Revived warriors and revived mages. The possibility of reviving mages as liches. The problem starts with all of that. But if this matter helps end the Gate Incident, I must also consider the option of leaving it alone. If that army actually helps destroy the final Gate, I might have to use the Alsbringer against the otherworldly dragons when confronting them because I destroyed the Empire''s new power. In that case, obstructing the Empire''s project would essentially be a suicidal act. "And there is the most important issue." "The most important issue?" "There is a possibility that the Empire has joined hands with the Black Order." "..." I couldn''t help but fall silent at Sarkegaar''s words. The Black Order. Yes, if it involves alchemy and the undead, they would be involved. No matter what the Empire does, the source of knowledge could be the Black Order. Although the power of the Black Order itself has weakened, their knowledge remains, and it''s not impossible that they''ve found a group that can use that knowledge more valuably than themselves. However. The Black Order tried to kill me. They had believed that my death was necessary for humanity. Therefore, the remnants might still desire my death. If a hostile force has joined hands with the Empire, I must see for myself what is happening as soon as possible. There were two ways to do this. Either I risk meeting Bertus directly and dig into the whole story, or I send Sarkegaar to gather information. Having a conversation with Bertus was a very dangerous thing. It was not only dangerous for me but also for Bertus. However, Sarkegaar was not omnipotent. Moreover, the projects the Empire is currently working on might be in a place that is difficult even for Sarkegaar to access. "I have to meet the emperor in person." I had no choice but to conclude that I needed to meet Bertus directly. "Your Majesty, it''s dangerous." Naturally, Sarkegaar could only express his concern. "There might come a time when it becomes dangerous, but that time is not now." Just as Bertus wouldn''t attack me immediately, even if he knew my whereabouts, he wouldn''t try to attack me if we face each other. We could have a conversation. I didn''t know about later, but for now, a conversation was definitely possible. CH 574 The choice to meet Bertus had always been up to me. Bertus knew I was assisting the allied forces'' advance, but he had no idea of my whereabouts. I, on the other hand, could always predict where Bertus might be. Bertus would be staying at three different locations. The central palace Tetra in the Imperial City. The headquarters of the allied forces'' garrison. And now. "Is it definitely the place that stands out?" "Yes, it certainly seems so..." The Magic University Research Building before my eyes. It was certain that Bertus would be moving between one of these three places. The Imperial Palace was, well, the Imperial Palace, and the allied forces'' garrison was, after all, the garrison. And the Magic University Research Building was where a very important research project was underway, so it was obvious he would visit regularly to keep an eye on the situation. "Even the exterior has such strict security. It''s bound to be even more difficult to get inside." Even for Sarkegaar, some things just couldn''t be done. "Still, Your Highness, instead of risking yourself, perhaps I should..." "Forget it. How long do I have to ask you to do everything?" "Well, that''s true, but..." Leaving aside whether it was possible or not, it was also an excessively dangerous task. I wasn''t without some anxiety, but once I heard the Black Order was involved, my heart to send Sarkegaar had long disappeared. That didn''t mean there was nothing for Sarkegaar to do. Sarkegaar would wait until Bertus appeared nearby. "Anyway, just like Bertus won''t attack me, you won''t attack him either. If Bertus shows up here, approach him. Then tell him I have something to say. That way we can have a separate conversation..." Before I could finish my sentence, I could see Bertus and Saviolin Turner coming out of the research building from afar. The fact that I could find them right away meant it was less a coincidence and more a sign that the emperor frequented that place. "You''ve saved some trouble." "Your Highness... Please reconsider just once more..." "It''s fine." Even in unfavorable situations, it could be fine. Leaving a worried Sarkegaar behind, I began to approach the Magic University Research Building. ------ Emperor Bertus did not like to mobilize a large number of troops. He didn''t have an aversion to royal audiences, but Bertus had ascended to the throne during a turbulent era. It was a time when he couldn''t afford to manage every little thing, so royal audiences either disappeared or were significantly reduced. However, this only meant that he did not mobilize ''many'' troops. It didn''t mean he didn''t place importance on protection. Bertus mostly moved around with Saviolin Turner. The protection provided by Turner was more than enough. When visiting a place where confidentiality had to be maintained, it was only natural that he couldn''t bring many people with him. So, when Bertus moved, Saviolin Turner took charge of everything related to security. As a result, in addition to being the leader of Shanafel, Saviolin Turner also took on a role similar to the emperor''s personal secretary. Of course, when the allied forces were advancing or during a battle, others would take over the security duties, but now, with the temporary peace in place, Bertus was moving with Saviolin Turner. So after stopping by the research building, Bertus and Turner were on their way back to the Imperial Palace. Inside the temple, the streets were almost deserted and well-ordered, but it was only Bertus and Saviolin Turner who walked along the eerily quiet street. "Things are going smoothly." "Yes, Your Majesty." "It would be a problem if things were too smooth, though." As Bertus forced a smile, Turner struggled to find the right words, her expression rigid. "I didn''t think those three would produce results so quickly..." Bertus sighed. "No matter how many were gathered from all over the continent, the Royal Class second-years are all remarkably special." Adelia, who created the Titan and Power Cartridge. Christina, who made Moonshine. And Louis Ancton and Anna de Gerna. The Emperor. The Princess. The Hero. And the Demon King. The Royal Class second-year students were full of unusually talented individuals, to the point where one could feel a powerful destiny at play. "By the way, how is Ludwig doing?" "Ah..." Saviolin Turner''s complexion worsened. "Well... It seems he''s having difficulty adjusting." "...I think I underestimated the situation." Considering what Ludwig would face in the security forces, Bertus couldn''t help but wonder if assigning him to the forces was a mistake. Bertus had a lot to do, and although he was concerned for Ludwig, he couldn''t afford to be too attentive. "Maybe it would be better if he was in charge of the training camp instead." "I will ask for Ludwig''s opinion." "Yes, and this time..." -Meow Bertus stopped talking at the sound of a cat coming from somewhere. Both Turner and Bertus had no choice but to stare at the black cat standing silently in the middle of the empty street. "Um... what''s that?" "It''s a cat." -Meow The black cat slowly approached the Emperor. "It''s not just any cat, Turner. It''s that one." "If you say that, then...?" "It''s the cat Ellen takes care of." "Ah..." "I couldn''t help it at the garrison, but I''m not sure if it''s right to let it roam free like this in the temple. I understand not wanting to confine it, though..." "Well, I''ve never raised a cat, so I don''t know..." It would be more strange if Saviolin Turner, who had spent her entire life wielding a sword, knew how to raise a cat. "But it''s come quite far from the dormitory. Will it know its way back?" Bertus encountered the wandering cat in an unexpected place. Had the cat been roaming such a vast area? Bertus didn''t know. But the black cat approached Bertus. It was odd because the last time they met, the cat had desperately tried to escape at the sight of Bertus. Bertus crouched down to meet the approaching cat. The cat might be lost, and Ellen might be worried. "It seems right to take it back to the dormitory first..." The moment Bertus reached out to lift the cat. Suddenly. The cat''s body began to change. -Gurgle "!" "Your Majesty! It''s dangerous!" Saviolin Turner forcefully pulled Bertus away, creating distance. The cat was transforming into something. And in an instant, as they stared at the now-formed entity, both Bertus and Saviolin Turner were dumbfounded. "Well... it''s not exactly a long time since we last met." The black cat. "It''s been a while, hasn''t it?" The Demon King Reinhardt appeared. ------ The cat that Ellen had been raising suddenly transformed into Reinhardt. There was no way to know why it happened, the reason behind it, or the purpose of it. Even if they couldn''t understand the situation, what they saw before them was the truth. With a pale complexion, Saviolin Turner drew her Gale Sword and hid Bertus behind her. "Stop. Don''t come any closer." Saviolin Turner''s expression was full of fear, though she had no intention of being an enemy. It wasn''t just Saviolin Turner who was confused by the unexpected turn of events. "Reinhardt...?" Bertus also swallowed nervously, taken aback by the unfolding situation. "I understand you''re shocked, but I didn''t come here to fight. If I did, I wouldn''t have shown up like this." There were many better ways to kill them if that had been his intention. There must have been a reason for him to reveal himself so blatantly. "I''d like to talk in a quiet place. It''s been a while." As time had changed many things, Reinhardt had changed too. "I can''t stay outside in this form for long, you know that, right?" Although there was not a single person on the street, walking around the temple in Reinhardt''s form would have been insane. Bertus stared at the suddenly appearing Reinhardt with a stern expression. "Your Majesty..." Saviolin Turner also gazed at the Emperor with a bewildered look. "Alright. Let''s go inside somewhere, anywhere." It would be no better for the Emperor to be seen with the Demon King appearing in the temple. ------ Bertus and Turner knew better than anyone that the Demon King was helping humanity. Thus, they also knew that he hadn''t suddenly revealed himself to fight. Most of the buildings in the temple were empty, which was true for both schools and shops. So they entered an empty cafe on the second floor of a nearby vacant building. The door was locked, but that wasn''t a problem for any of them in this situation. Using the Aura Blade, they sliced through the door''s lock, and the three of them took their seats. There was dust on the table and chairs, but none of them paid attention to it. All they needed was a place to talk. "There''s one thing I''d like to make clear. Let''s not bring up the cat issue, it''s not important and I don''t want to talk about it." Looking at the nonchalant face of Reinhardt, Bertus couldn''t help but realize how he had changed over time. He had become more shameless than before. "Alright¡­ Let''s just assume that. I don''t think I have any idea why, anyway." He must have wanted to watch over Ellen. And now they knew why he had had a fit when Ellen tried to entrust the cat to the Emperor. Reinhardt, with his arms crossed, murmured quietly. "Let''s not dwell on the past either. Who did what wrong, where did things go wrong, that kind of talk." Discussions about mistakes were also pointless. Now, with the reality they had to face in front of them, talking about each other''s responsibilities would only worsen the situation. The Demon King had warned that if he wasn''t released, his subordinates would cause the Gate incident, but the Emperor did not release him. And so, the Gate incident occurred. But now, discussing that matter held no meaning. They had issues to face and problems to solve. Everything else was meaningless, save for focusing on that. At Reinhardt''s words, Bertus nodded. "You know we were clearing the path ahead of the alliance forces, right?" "Yes, I knew." Bertus looked at Reinhardt and asked, "Can you really manipulate the weather?" "Only to a limited extent." Reinhardt didn''t explicitly mention that it was the Supernatural ability of Liana de Grantz. Upon hearing that something impossible for any wizard was possible, Bertus and Turner couldn''t help but tense up. "Don''t worry. If I wanted to use that power to destroy humanity, you know what would have happened a long time ago, right?" "..." "..." If the demon king were to cause havoc in the middle of the empire while the alliance forces were fully committed, the empire would be reduced to ashes. However, knowing that it might happen and actually hearing the demon king confirm that he could do it were two different things. Humanity should have perished long ago if it weren''t for the demon king''s mercy. But most people, ignorant of this fact, despise the demon king. If the demon king really wanted to annihilate humanity, it would only take a day, but no one thinks about that. If the demon king threatens the emperor with humanity''s survival at stake, the empire and humanity must listen to him, no matter what he says. But so far, the demon king has never interfered with humanity in that way. "I didn''t come here suddenly to threaten or extort you. I just have a question." Reinhardt asked calmly. "One of our main forces is the Death Knights. We used a lot of them in the Serandia battle this time. So, we wanted to replenish them like last time." At that, both Turner and Bertus listened silently to Reinhardt''s words. "So, we tried to resurrect the corpses as Death Knights from the Hall of Heroes in the royal mausoleum." "¡­What?!" Both Bertus and Turner were taken aback by this. They couldn''t help but be shocked when they heard that he had tried to break into the royal mausoleum for no reason. "The method is a secret, but anyway, we managed to get in." What''s more, they had already infiltrated it without their knowledge. Bertus listened to the story with a pale face. "But... as you know, all the coffins were empty." "I wonder if it''s only the royal mausoleum. We also confirmed that the bodies of the fallen warriors from the alliance forces were replaced and buried in the national cemetery." "Like we tried to create Death Knights, it seems the empire is up to some bizarre things as well... but I don''t know much about it." "We were trying to find out secretly rather than making contact, but it seemed like there was a limit to that. So, I came here directly." "I don''t intend to say that you shouldn''t do such things, or that you can''t do them. I''m doing something similar myself." "But we need to know what''s going on. My people are very uneasy, and you might have even joined forces with those who might be my enemies." "There are only two things I want to ask." The demon king stared at the emperor. "What''s going on at Temple Magic University?" The true nature of the research. "Is it true that you''ve joined hands with the Black Order?" And the suspicious alliance. "I suppose I should explain." The Demon King had two questions. What research was being conducted at Temple Magic University? And whether they had indeed joined forces with the Black Order. Silence ensued. As Turner would not speak before Bertus, the Demon King focused solely on Bertus. If the Demon King had not approached them, they might not have known. But now that the Demon King had come forth to ask directly... It was impossible to remain silent now that the Demon King had appeared, even if they had not engaged in such activities before. "I knew you were watching us... but finding that out was a bit surprising." Bertus said with a bitter smile. "Yes. We''re doing something with the corpses of the fallen heroes and warriors." Bertus slowly nodded. "But I have no idea what you''re talking about regarding the Black Order." "Really?" The Demon King carefully observed the Emperor''s expression. It was difficult to discern the truth from his face. Whether it was ignorance or the truth, it was impossible to tell just by looking at his face. "At least as far as I know, we haven''t cooperated with the Black Order." Saying this, the Emperor shrugged his shoulders. "There''s no need to doubt. You know, right?" "What?" "Considering we''re meddling with the corpses to end the Gate incident, would there have been anything we couldn''t handle, even if it was the hand of the Black Order? No matter how much they tried to kill you." It was strange to think that some things were possible while others were not while they were already engaged in dreadful acts. "So, you''re saying that if the Black Order had approached you, you would have joined forces with them?" "Yes. But that never happened. And if we had joined forces, there would be no reason for me to deceive you in this situation. It wouldn''t benefit me in any way." "Hmm..." As Bertus had said. At the point of touching everything that could help them, there was nothing the Empire couldn''t handle from the Black Order. Seeing the Demon King''s dubious expression, Bertus gave a bitter smile. "People just don''t believe me when I tell the truth." Bertus laughed bitterly, saying that when he told the truth, people doubted him. "First, I can show you what we were doing." At that, somewhat surprisingly, the Demon King appeared slightly taken aback. CH 575 I had anticipated that I would be able to engage in a conversation with Bertus, and I was aware that he would most likely have to comply with my requests, given the situation. I had chosen the option to take a risk and meet Bertus directly. The danger wasn''t that something would happen to me or Bertus when we met, but rather that someone might eventually learn of our meeting, through whatever means. Knowing this, it wasn''t difficult to get to the heart of the matter once I had met Bertus and spoken with him directly. However, I hadn''t expected him to show me exactly what they were working on. Bertus issued an order to Saviolin Turner. He commanded her to evacuate everyone from the Magic University Research Building for three hours. Of course, I would change my appearance, but it wouldn''t be good for anyone to see the emperor entering the laboratory with an unidentified person. After Saviolin Turner left to deliver the order, Bertus and I sat in an empty dining hall and talked until all the preparations were complete. "How is Charlotte... getting along?" Bertus'' expression was complex as he asked the question. There was a time when they had hated each other so much that they had tried to kill each other, but at some point, Bertus began to pity Charlotte. Bertus had decided to execute Charlotte, but in reality, he had called for me. And I had left with Charlotte. Bertus had wanted to save Charlotte. "She''s doing her part. She''s probably better off than when she was in the imperial palace." "Is that so..." Bertus spoke with a sad expression. "Thank you, Reinhardt." Perhaps he was thanking me for appearing to save Charlotte. That meaning might be there, and there might be other meanings as well. My relationship with Bertus was quite different from the past. Now, Bertus was technically my subordinate. He might not be aware of how much power I held compared to him. Guilt. He felt tremendous guilt toward me, and he couldn''t help but feel that way since he was still using me. Upon hearing about Charlotte''s whereabouts, Bertus seemed somewhat relieved. There wasn''t much more conversation between us. Three years might seem like a long time, but in some ways, it wasn''t that long. However, during those three years, the survivors had experienced too many events. Our official conversation was over, and there were too many obstacles to share personal conversations. We couldn''t know what would happen in the future. "Is there anything else I should know about the Gate incident?" There wasn''t much I could say in response to Bertus'' question. "Just keep doing what you''re doing now." The last Gate. That was not Bertus'' responsibility, so that was all I could say. ------ When Saviolin Turner returned, the emperor''s orders had been fully executed. Everyone had left the laboratory without leaving a single trace, and the guards had vacated their positions as well. With my face changed using Sarkegaar''s ring and wearing a reversed robe, I headed to the magic university research building with Bertus. "It seems like it would have been impossible to sneak in here." Passing through several layers of security gates just to enter the underground research lab, it was uncertain whether even Sarkegaar could have bypassed this system. "Dreadfiend might have found a way. While coming to me directly might have been a convenient choice for you, it wouldn''t have been the only one." For nearly two years, Bertus had held onto Sarkegaar. Naturally, he knew all about the Dreadfiend clan. "Anna and Christina suggested it first." "What?" Although I didn''t fully understand the meaning of his words, I couldn''t help but ask. By suggesting, he obviously meant the very matter I was going to witness with my own eyes. "Even if it''s a terrible method, if it helps end the Gate crisis, should we do it?" "Anna and... Christina suggested it first?" "Yes. Louis joined later." It wasn''t Bertus, but Anna and Christina who had made the suggestion first. No one was left unchanged by the war, and comparing the current events to the original work seemed almost laughable. Whether it was due to the terrible things that happened, or something else entirely. Had Anna and Christina really come up with the idea of reanimating the fallen as undead and rejoining the battle, and proposed it to the Emperor? Just like Adelia had created the Titan. No, perhaps not. Seeing Adelia''s involvement in the Titan project, Anna and Christina might have also thought that they had to do something. The Titan didn''t exist in the original work. That Titan must have inspired Anna and Christina, and so they came up with their own way to contribute to the war. "I struggled with the decision. For a long time." Bertus spoke as we descended into the underground laboratory. "Very... very long." It was a disgrace to the corpses of the fallen, to those whose deaths seemed too premature. I could feel how much anguish Bertus went through before accepting and deciding to go through with it. In the end, Bertus must have given his permission. And he must have decided to even use the tombs of the heroes in the royal mausoleum. So, I saw it. What Bertus had been creating next after the Titan. "This is..." A massive culture fluid vat. "Is this... an undead?" "Yes." Inside, there was a perfectly clean human body without a single wound. To the naked eye, it was certainly not the corpse of someone who had died from external injuries. The other vats were no different. It wasn''t hard to find out why the corpses of those who had no choice but to die from external injuries were so clean and intact. "Did you... regenerate them?" "Yes, we are regenerating the missing or decayed flesh and muscles." It meant that they weren''t merely preserving the corpses, but almost restoring them to their original state. Such vats were placed throughout the underground laboratory. "Homunculus is alchemy that creates life." "Yes, that''s right." "That''s why Homunculus is known as magic that creates something from nothing. That''s why the failure rate is high. You can''t create life easily." Bertus gazed at the body of an unknown individual, their eyes closed and still. "Homunculus is magic that seeks the truth of life. But we don''t need to explore the ultimate truth of Homunculus. We need a Homunculus that can be weaponized. So, there''s no need to create something from nothing." "Did you create something from something?" "Yes." To be precise, it was a matter of breathing life back into what was once alive. "Making something that no longer functions as life functional again. They say it''s easier than creating a real Homunculus." Homunculus originally involved creating life forms that did not previously exist, but in this case, it was about reconstructing a known life form. If one understood the structure of humans well, they could create humans, and the raw material had already been human. With the Homunculus technique, they would restore the vanished, broken, or rotten flesh, muscles, and organs. This was different from the undead. The undead were dead things that moved. But this was about granting something life-like to a dead body. "It sounds like you''re saying... you can resurrect the dead." "No, that''s not it. I have no intention of researching that far, and it''s probably impossible. Just because we restore their appearance from when they were alive, doesn''t mean they''re truly brought back." Bertus, Turner, and I walked through the underground laboratory. Unrecognizable corpses were being restored. They could be the fallen soldiers of the Allied forces, people who had died since the Gate Incident, or long-dead heroes of the past. "In the end, this is what it is. We revive the dead''s flesh with the Homunculus technique, attach the false flesh that shouldn''t be compatible with real flesh using Chimera technology, animate them with dark magic, and create something almost similar to their former selves, or even more powerful... I suppose we can''t call them undead." Bertus looked at me. "We''re making golems. That''s what we''re doing." Technically, living golems. Although many forbidden techniques from numerous fields of magic were involved, in the end, their function was that of a living golem. Using the remains of those who were once alive, they create golems to be reintroduced into the war. These golems are more potent than they were when they were alive. "Can you also revive magicians?" "That''s still in the testing phase, but it''s been proven possible." A concern of Edina''s people, and it is also certain. "What about priests?" "...What?" "Clergymen can be revived as well. In a state where they can use divine power. I don''t know why they can, though." At that point, I had nothing more to say about the injustice of this world. "Yeah... I knew the Five Great Gods were not normal." Chimera, Homunculus, and dark magic. In the end, through the harmony of alchemy and dark magic, the empire managed to resurrect the corpses of heroes with their former abilities nearly intact and manipulate them as they pleased. "Do they have a sense of self?" "No, they don''t. It would be troublesome if they did. It''s a relief that they don''t." They were merely dolls, bearing a striking resemblance to the humans they once were. Strictly speaking, it was unclear whether they should be called undead, but ultimately, they were like both the undead and golems. "Not everyone can be revived this way. If the damage is too severe, the regeneration process may not progress, or they may not respond to control even after regeneration." Bertus added that the success rate was roughly 70%. To me, that seemed like an incredibly high percentage. "If control fails... it seems like something terrible could happen. Am I being overly worried?" While Death Knights are strong, they do not restore their abilities from when they were alive. However, in this case, they do restore their previous abilities. Reviving a Swordmaster would give you a Swordmaster, and reviving an Archmage would give you an Archmage. The mere thought of what might happen if they lost control of them was enough to make my head explode. In response to my question, Bertus sneered. "Reinhardt, it''s a war where the fate of all existence hangs in the balance." "¡­" "We can''t avoid taking such risks, can we?" It''s a situation where we would even need to borrow a cat''s paw. If we need to borrow a cat''s paw, is there any reason not to borrow the hand of a demon? As long as that demon''s hand saves me from danger first, what happens next is of little importance. I understood Bertus''s words. Will these things save us? Or will they plunge us into another abyss? "But¡­ it seems that they are not yet ready for actual deployment. I only see those that are still being cultivated." I wasn''t sure what to call these things, but since I couldn''t see any finished products, it seemed they were not yet ready for actual deployment. Would the battlefield change the moment these things came out of the fort? "No." But to my question, Bertus shook his head. "They have already entered the trial phase." "¡­What?" "You''ve seen it too, haven''t you?" Bertus pointed upward with his finger. Above ground. "Didn''t you think there were too many guards at the temple?" "¡­Huh?" "Weren''t there an unusually large number of guards around here?" Come to think of it, the security near the Magic University was very strict. An immense number of guards patrolled the area near the Magic University. "If there were so many extra guards, they would have been sent to places like refugee camps. Do you think they deployed so many to guard the Magic University considering the number of people at the temple?" It turned out that most of the guards near the Magic University were Homunculus Undead. No one would notice, but all the guards wore helmets. That''s why there was no occasion to see their faces. No one is curious about what face is under the helmet in the first place. "They''re testing whether they can properly understand commands. They are exterminating monsters on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital." Only then did I understand why Ellen and Heinrich couldn''t find any monsters near the Imperial Capital. The extermination squad that cleared monsters on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital. They were revived corpses that had nothing to do with the guards in the first place. The area around the Imperial Capital had already become an experimental ground for checking whether the revived corpses could be properly used. No one could join the extermination mission for entirely different reasons. "Once winter passes, they will all be deployed to the field." The actual deployment was already underway. There''s no need to see how much power they can exert or how helpful they can be ¨C it''s obvious. "If we can end the Gate Incident with just these¡­ It might sound ridiculous, but we might not need the Alliance forces anymore." If war could have been waged with just the army of the revived, and their individual abilities were even greater than before, there might have been no need for large-scale troops. The Gate Incident could have ended sooner, and there might have been no further great sacrifices. By doing what should not have been done, we could have prevented further sacrifices. It had been an all-too-sweet temptation. I had been swayed by merely creating a Death Knight, but Bertus had faced a greater temptation. It had been an unavoidable choice, and the thought that it was necessary didn''t go away. CH 576 Reviving a dead friend. If it had been completely impossible, they wouldn''t have even attempted it. However, if it was somewhat possible, the fact that it couldn''t be perfectly successful would only lead people to despair. In this absurd world, it seemed that death was an immutable truth that could not be overturned by anything. If they couldn''t save Asher, they wouldn''t have even tried for Delphin, whose body couldn''t be found. This was merely a restoration that seemed like a resurrection. While they could have their abilities, strength, and appearance from when they were alive, they wouldn''t possess a sense of self. It was nothing more than a moving taxidermy. It could be used for combat, but not for relationships. Although it might be more useful in battle than before, it was useless to those who truly hoped for a resurrection. And it shouldn''t be used for such purposes. The topic of Asher silenced us. I didn''t bring it up anymore. If the dead could return, everyone would think about it. Not only Christina, Anna, and Louis Ancton, but Bertus, and even Saviolin Turner would have no choice but to think about it as well. "Reinhardt." "Yeah." "We can''t justify all of this." "I didn''t know you were the type to worry about that." "I didn''t think I''d be the one to worry about it either." Bertus lets out a bitter laugh. Previously as a prince and a pauper, we now faced each other as an emperor and a demon king. "I have something to apologize for." "If it''s about the past, I don''t need an apology. I told you before." "No, it''s not about that." Bertus takes the lead. "Follow me." As we followed Bertus, larger pods started to appear. They were three times larger than the others, and it was evident that restoration work was being carried out on very important corpses, even if their faces couldn''t be recognized. Bertus stopped in front of a certain culture pod and looked at me. As if to tell me to look inside. In front of me was someone''s corpse. A white-haired old man. "We''ve had this body all along. I somewhat expected it, but even after the restoration was successful, he didn''t open his eyes. In other words... it was a failure. I know he must have been important to you... I''m sorry. I had to use everything I could. Not telling you... not cooperating with the Black Order, it wasn''t me trying to deceive you on purpose. You have every right to resent me, but..." "Who is this?" What was this about in the first place? Why did you apologize for this? As I was confused, both Bertus and Saviolin Turner were taken aback. It was as if they were surprised that I didn''t know. "No, you have to tell me so I can either forgive or get angry, right? Who was this person..." An old man. White hair. Apologies. "Wait a second." I thought I had a rough idea. "Was this... that person?" Who was it? I couldn''t remember the name. "Larken Simonstite." Saviolin Turner answered on his behalf. "The Darkland''s Warlord and my mentor." That was right, that person. Saviolin Turner seemed to recall something and slowly nodded. "Come to think of it, you said you had lost all memories of being the prince of Darkland..." "Ah..." Bertus finally seemed to remember and nodded as well. The person I needed to recognize was someone I couldn''t even recall, let alone their face, but Bertus ended up apologizing as if it were his own fault. And yet... No matter how hard I thought about it. It was strange how I couldn''t recognize the face of the former Four Heavenly Kings. ------ Larken Simonstite. He was the former commander of the Shanafel unit and once the continent''s greatest sword, having reached the rank of Grandmaster. He retired and stepped down from the frontlines, but for some reason, after the outbreak of the demon war, he became one of the Four Heavenly Kings in the Demon King''s army. For that reason, he was hated by all of humanity. After the demon war, Larken Simonstite''s corpse was taken by the empire. There was no real reason not to take it. But after the Gate Incident, Bertus had no reason not to use Larken''s corpse in the process of resurrecting many war heroes. If they could revive him while maintaining his full abilities as a Grandmaster, he would be an incredibly powerful force. However, just as they could not succeed in turning all corpses into golems, Larken Simonstite''s corpse did not revive. It was unknown whether some measures had been taken or if it was just a failure. Anyway, Bertus apologized, thinking that Larken might have been precious to me, and the situation got even weirder when I couldn''t remember Larken at all. No, by now, he should believe most of what I say, but he still can''t believe that I have no memory of Darkland? It wasn''t that he didn''t believe it, but rather he hadn''t considered it. Honestly, I didn''t feel any guilt about trying to use Larken''s corpse. What should I have known to get angry or not? I couldn''t empathize with the feelings towards the previous Demon Kings, so there was no way I could empathize with the Four Heavenly Kings. "Are there corpses of the other Heavenly Kings as well?" Bertus shook his head in response to my question. "No, the reason we originally retrieved this corpse was to study whether magical means were used in Larken''s betrayal." "Ah... I see." The corpse was retrieved to determine if magic had been used to brainwash the Grandmaster. "Of course, Larken wasn''t brainwashed." I knew everything I needed to know. What the empire was doing. What was actually happening. It was an ethically disastrous, dangerous, and potentially threatening later on. There was no denying the need to stop it. But there were just as many reasons to leave it alone. The research has already progressed significantly and is now in the practical application stage. Golems were already being deployed as guards near the Magic University, as well as in the extermination squads patrolling the outskirts of the empire and hunting monsters. They wore helmets so that no one could recognize them. It was only natural for guards to be armed, so no one would suspect anything. "Reinhardt, if this army is deployed, the Allied Forces may end the war sooner than expected. It could even be in the blink of an eye." "Probably." If countless heroes from history were to be resurrected, humanity''s strength would be raised to unprecedented levels. It would be incomparable even to the heyday of the demonic war. No matter how numerous the monsters of the Gate are, would that be a problem? Perhaps even the dragons from other worlds might be hunted down in vain. The end of the Gate Incident seemed genuinely close at hand. The sight I saw was both horrifying and overwhelmingly impressive. Their army might have posed a threat to Edina and me, but ultimately, the last warp gate was our top priority. This army of the dead could have been the key to preventing me from using the Alsbringer at the last moment. What came after was for later. "Sooner or later, I''ll have to pay the price for all of this." "..." "Reinhardt, we need to talk." Bertus spoke with a resolute look on his face. ------ I had a conversation with Bertus. It wasn''t a long one. The price for all of this. Someone has to pay it. There was some other small talk, but that was the main point. So, I decided not to interfere with the Empire and this project. It''s not something I can meddle with anyway. I concluded that I must accept that they were not involved with the Black Order, even if it goes beyond trust. Ultimately, a choice has to be made. Whether it''s a choice that leaves only regret, or a better one, is unknowable at this stage. After the conversation, I went out to the lobby. Saviolin Turner looked at me. She felt strong suspicion and doubt about the decision made by Larken Simonstite and was furious. She considered him a traitor who betrayed humanity and hated him for it. But now, Saviolin Turner may not know what that betrayal was about. "Lady Turner, I don''t know much about who Larken Simonstite is." "..." "But the previous Demon King, Valier, wanted to create a new world through the Akasha he took from Cantus Magna and migrate all demons to that world." I had clearly seen the letter left by the previous Demon King. "Larken Simonstite probably sympathized with the Demon King''s intention." Only the Demon King himself, me, and the Four Heavenly Kings knew the true purpose of the previous Valier. Larken Simonstite would have tried to help complete the Akasha. "Everyone must have hated fighting." If the demons disappeared, the struggle between demons and humans would vanish, and there would be no more fighting. But because Akasha was such a powerful weapon, there could be no dialogue or persuasion between the two sides. They fought without understanding each other, and one side was annihilated. "That... must... have been the case..." Saviolin Turner hung her head and said nothing. In the end, they wanted peace. The desires and hopes of all beings are so simple as to be trivial. To be happy. Not to be hurt. To wish for a peaceful world. These simple and intuitive desires lead to different actions. Some dream of a new world for peace. Some draw their swords for peace. "What happened to... Akasha?" "I''m not sure. We probably can''t use it again." Where Akasha originated from has become unknowable. In the world, only the consequences of Akasha''s misuse remained. We had to resolve those issues, gather what was left in the world, and grasp even a meager tranquility. My business there was done. It had been more dangerous than I had thought, but I had decided to leave the Empire alone. There would be no turning back. "Are you leaving?" "Yeah, I should go. What''s the point of staying here any longer?" Bertus looked somewhat regretful. "Wait, how can I find you if I need to?" As I was about to turn away, Bertus asked. No, he phrased it a bit oddly. "You know exactly what''s going on now, don''t you?" "The dormitory." "...Huh?" "I will be in the dormitory. Probably in Ellen''s room." "...?" "I''ll be here all winter. If you have anything to say, come visit." As soon as I turned into a cat, Turner and Bertus''s expressions became quite amusing. -Meow "..." "..." Now, I couldn''t feel embarrassed anymore. Why weren''t they even slightly shocked by my appearance? -Nyaa "What a crazy... little thing..." When I pretended to be cute and playful, their expressions became even more entertaining. Honestly, I was quite cute. I did look cute when I saw myself in the mirror in that form. ------ Ludwig was assigned a special mission. His task was to protect a priestess who purified the plague that had broken out in the refugee zone. Ludwig and Rowan exchanged various stories as they headed toward the area where the plague had spread. "Will you not receive an escort from the Holy Knight Order...?" It was too dangerous for a single priestess to wander around. Wouldn''t it be safer to be escorted by disguised holy knights? Rowan shook her head at Ludwig''s question. "If we had the manpower, it would be better to send priests to more places." "...I see." In the face of an absolute shortage of manpower, they had no choice but to disperse like this. Ludwig nodded in understanding. Most priests and holy knights were dispatched to the battlefield, making the lack of manpower even more severe. "Excuse me if this is rude, but... how did you lose your arm?" "I was bitten by a snake." "A snake...?" "It was a snake with petrifying venom. It wasn''t a large snake... but monsters aren''t necessarily less dangerous just because they''re small." "I see..." Rowan couldn''t hide her sorrow as she looked at Ludwig''s empty sleeve. "It''s alright. It''s better than losing my life." Was it better to lose an arm and survive than to die and never return? Ludwig couldn''t be sure but thought he had to say something like that for now. The lost arm wasn''t important. It was painful to think of the other things he had lost. "By the way, how serious is the plague problem...?" Ludwig forcibly changed the subject. "The individual plague cases themselves are not that severe. Not all plagues lead to death. Most of them are like minor colds." "Is that so?" "Yes, but the important thing is that a healthy person catching a cold and a weakened person catching a cold are completely different." "Ah... I see." A cold for a healthy person may last a few days, but for a weakened person, it could be a life-threatening illness. "The basic conditions are so poor. Even if they recover from the illness, their weakened bodies will continue to die, and there''s nothing we can do to stop it." Deaths due to weakness were not illnesses and could not be cured. People who were already weakened, even if they were saved from the plague, would still die because their strength was exhausted. That could not be prevented. "And if those corpses are left to rot, it will lead to another plague. It''s a chain reaction." At Rowan''s words, Ludwig''s complexion darkened even further. "At least it''s winter now, so decomposition is slower. That''s why there are fewer plagues than last summer. Of course, we can''t call this a fortunate situation." The cold prevented the abandoned corpses from decaying. However, one could not call it fortunate, as the cold itself was killing people. The epidemic itself was problematic, but the more important issue was the harsh environment. People were dying from diseases they should not have died from. Consequently, Rowan emphasized that even if they purified this epidemic, another would inevitably arise, making this work always a temporary solution. Rowan was someone who had to pour water into a leaking jar, knowing it was futile. "Most importantly, there is a severe shortage of priests. Most of the Holy Knights and priests have been deployed to the frontlines, and the number of priests of Tu''an has drastically decreased. Many have died, but even more have converted to other faiths or abandoned their beliefs altogether." "Ah... I see." "Yes, it''s because of the Demon King..." Countless followers felt betrayed by their god who chose the Demon King and renounced their faith. Would priests have been any different? The number of priests in Tu''an and Als Order had drastically decreased compared to before. Most of the remaining priests and Holy Knights were sent to the frontlines. So, it was only natural that the priests of the Tu''an Order, who had to deal with epidemics, were always in short supply. Moreover, for the priests of Tu''an, the refugee areas, and even the entire Imperial Capital region, were as dangerous as, if not more so than, the battlefield. Ludwig began to think that Rowan''s work, purifying epidemics in Imperial Capital, where no one praised her and everyone hated her, might be even more dangerous and noble than going to war. Rowan was wandering in search of a task that needed to be done in a place where no one praised her and everyone despised her. And she did not give up on her faith in Tu''an. "As a human, I often wonder." Rowan spoke quietly as they walked. Looking down at the ground, Rowan said, "What kind of being is the Demon King?" The Demon King. That word was like a stone stuck in his throat. For most people, the Demon King was a symbol of hatred and despair. Rumors about the nature of the Demon King were rampant. However, Ludwig was not a person who had only encountered rumors. That was why he hated the Demon King even more. Because he had lived with the Demon King without knowing who he was, in close proximity. "He was my classmate." "¡­What?" "I lived with the Demon King at the temple." "!" Rowan stared at Ludwig with her mouth wide open. Only then did Ludwig truly realize that, for better or worse, he could not help but be treated as a special being simply because he had been with another special being. CH 577 Everyone who needed to know was aware that the Demon King had infiltrated the temple. The fact that he even shared a class with the Emperor, Princess, and the Hero revealed his malicious and wicked nature. The Demon King observed the most important people of the empire from up close and studied the empire itself. He even tried to secretly pull the prince and princess to his side. However, in the end, the Demon King''s identity was exposed, and those captured by him dared to betray humanity, rescuing the Demon King and fleeing. No one knew what the Demon King''s true intentions were, but he caused the Gate Incident to annihilate humanity. Those who had betrayed humanity and were loyal to the Demon King. And among the Royal Class second-year students, including Ellen, some had become extremely important figures. Emperor Bertus de Gardias. Hero Ellen Artorius. Adelia, the creator of the Power Cartridge and Titan. Heinrich, the pyrokinetic. Christina, the creator of Moonshine. Ludwig hadn''t been very conscious of the fact that they were his classmates, but upon seeing Rowan''s astonishment, he realized anew that even excluding the Demon King and Ellen, his classmates were formidable figures not easily discussed. Rowan looked at Ludwig with a mix of fear and curiosity, as if she was both scared and unable to resist asking. "What kind of being was the Demon King?" "..." What kind of being was Reinhardt? During his first year, Reinhardt was a member of Class A, but he was a below-average student. Ludwig could not be sure whether this was a genuine representation of his abilities or a false facade to hide his true power. Although not in the same class, Ludwig had seen various aspects of the Demon King. He was violent and rough, but not necessarily evil. However, with the Gate Incident occurring, Reinhardt could not be considered anything but evil. "I''m... not really sure." Because they had spent time together, Ludwig felt he knew even less about Reinhardt than he thought, and he couldn''t help but feel pathetic for it. "I thought I knew him a little, but now that I think about it, I guess I didn''t." "...I see." Ludwig stared blankly at the ash-colored winter sky. "However, the Demon King... eventually... must..." As a weakling and a loser, there was only one thing Ludwig could do. "I just hope he''ll pay the price for everything." A longing for divine punishment that didn''t exist. And a curse. That was all. ------ Rowan and Ludwig crossed the quarantine line and entered the area where the epidemic had broken out. Both Ludwig and Rowan wore masks. The area affected by the epidemic was still under strict control, just like the day before. When Rowan showed some kind of mark, the guards obediently let them pass. "..." "Seeing this all the time because of my job, but I can never get used to it." As they entered the area affected by the epidemic, Ludwig couldn''t help but feel the atmosphere was distinctly different from the outside. Everywhere was gloomy and oppressive, but within the cold air, the smell of death was strong enough to be sensed. Guards pulling carts were loading emaciated corpses and heading somewhere, and smoke rose in the direction the carts were going. Ludwig imagined a horrific and grotesque plague that spread like wildfire, devouring people as soon as he heard the words "contagious disease." However, there were no signs on the corpses that resembled the marks of a plague. People had simply died from being too weak, succumbing to an equally weak disease. Ludwig watched with a somber expression as those who had died from such a trivial illness were loaded onto carts and taken away. The entire area was under quarantine, so even those who were not infected would soon catch the disease and die. This scene would be unfolding in various places across the imperial capital''s refugee camps. Even if they purified this area, it would not be the end. New contagious diseases would continue to emerge, and as long as the root cause remained unresolved, people would keep dying from these seemingly insignificant plagues. "What do we do now...?" "We''ll walk the streets, offering prayers of purification. Just follow me." "Is that safe? If someone sees us offering prayers..." Rowan shook her head at the mention of the potential danger. "Ludwig." "Yes, Priestess?" "Do you think there is anyone here with enough strength left to grab my collar? If there were, that would actually be fortunate." "Ah..." "Extreme situations are typically only a remote possibility. Most likely, there won''t be any need for you to step in." Rowan offered a reassuring smile, saying that although she had encountered problems before, they were far from common occurrences. Most people didn''t even have the energy to express their hatred and resentment through violence. If they happened to encounter such people, all he had to do was flee, carrying Rowan with him. "And it''s not like I''ll be singing hymns loudly. Most people will think I''m just a crazy woman wandering around, muttering to myself." Rowan spoke playfully, trying to reassure Ludwig, and he couldn''t help but let out a hollow laugh despite the situation. However, her words were not a joke but a serious statement. As Ludwig watched Rowan walk through the gloomy streets, muttering prayers with her head bowed, she truly appeared to be nothing more than a deranged woman. ------ There was no brilliant white light, nor a gentle golden radiance. Rowan walked through the spaces between the unprocessed corpses and the shanties filled with coughing sounds, uttering incomprehensible prayers. Her murmurs seemed ominous if only half-heard, but if listened to carefully, they clearly contained the content of purification prayers offered to the Goddess of Purity, Tu''an. The only assurance that something was going right was that the stench that had been wafting through the streets despite the cold weather was beginning to disappear. Rowan simply took cautious steps beside him, reciting her prayers. Later on, other areas might be struck by contagious diseases, but the dreadful illness in these streets would certainly vanish, and the sick would be healed. ¡®O Pure Will that expels corruption, depravity, and nightmares¡­¡¯ Ludwig suddenly found the entire situation strange. The fact that this contagious disease, which caused countless people to die in vain¡ªeven if it wasn''t a lethal illness¡ªcould be eradicated by the prayers of just one person, a single priestess, struck him as utterly remarkable. How could such a thing be possible? Was this the power and miracle of the gods? No matter how much people felt betrayed by two of the Five Great Gods and denied their existence, the gods'' powers were so immense that they brought great benefit to humanity. Ludwig suddenly realized. Regardless of the outcome of the current situation, as long as humanity survived, The power of the gods was eternal, and people would restore their faith to receive the blessings and powers of Tu¡¯an and Als. Divine power was different from all other acts that used mana as a resource. Though the capacity of each priest may vary, divine power did not require any compensation. Apart from other mysteries and supernatural abilities, divine power was a miracle without cost, manifested only through the act of belief. Why did the gods... Bestow such great miracles upon the world? Why did the gods... Choose such beings? The prayer was long. Not only was the area affected by the plague vast, but Rowan also walked very slowly as she prayed. The purification of the entire area was completed by evening. Thankfully, the work was finished without any issues. "Now it seems we have somewhat wrapped up... Hmm. Yes. Huh! Mm!" Having recited prayers for over eight hours, Rowan''s throat was nearly worn out. Her voice was hoarse and tinged with metallic undertones. It couldn''t be helped since she had prayed for eight hours without taking a single sip of water. She could have healed her own throat, but whether it was to avoid conspicuous behavior or not, Rowan only cleared her throat with a few coughs. Wondering if she always had to do this, Ludwig stared blankly at Rowan. She stretched her body languidly. "Ugh! Mm...! Oh dear, what a strange sound... Anyway, it''s fortunate that nothing happened today." "Yes... You''ve worked hard, Priestess." "Anyway..." Looking at Ludwig with slightly drooping, weary eyes, Rowan asked, "What were you thinking about so deeply?" Noticing Ludwig''s troubled expression even during her prayers, Rowan inquired, seemingly curious. There was no particular incident, nor was there any threat. So, while being by Rowan''s side for such a long time, Ludwig felt troubled. He saw the greatness of the gods. And he saw their inscrutability. It invoked fear, despair, and hope all at once. That''s what gods were like, after all. "The gods are so gracious... Why did they choose the Demon King?" The Five Great Gods bestowed such immense miracles without cost. But why did Als and Tu¡¯an simultaneously choose the Demon King, who brought such great calamity and despair to the world? No matter how much Ludwig thought about it, he couldn''t understand. The gods seemed to be benevolent beings, but from a broader perspective, they seemed to desire even greater calamities. As many others had, Ludwig felt both gratitude and despair for the power given by the gods without cost. At Ludwig''s words, Rowan quietly looked at him. "Ludwig, the gods are not beings within our comprehension." "..." "They see what we cannot see, and know what we do not know." Various theories were created within the Five Great Gods'' faith to justify Als and Tu¡¯an¡¯s choice of the Demon King. The gods could not be wrong. Thus, the logic that the gods'' providence would lead to a good outcome for the events unfolding now was a prevalent argument. Even the wicked actions of the Demon King would ultimately result in goodness. It didn''t mean that the Demon King was a righteous being because he possessed the sacred artifacts. The logic was that the Demon King''s arrogance, too, was part of the gods'' plan, and that he would ultimately face ruin. The Five Great God Religion created numerous arguments to say that the gods were right, and the Demon King was wrong, but in the end, that was the central argument. Everything was calculated, and the Demon King was merely being used by the gods. In the end, the Demon King would pay the price for his arrogance and cruelty and face eternal suffering before the gods'' judgment after his death. It was a story of a beneficial outcome for humanity, in the end. No one knew what it was, but since the gods were great, they must have had a plan, perhaps an irresponsible story. "Does it mean that all of this is part of the gods'' plan? That it will ultimately be beneficial for humanity... Is that what you''re saying? Through events like these?" What could be the good outcome that would be achieved or welcomed through such despair and death? Ludwig could not possibly know. At Ludwig''s resentful words, Rowan tilted her head. "I wonder?" "¡­Pardon?" "I''m not sure." Ludwig was taken aback by her somewhat naive attitude. "I can''t presume to know the will of the gods, but isn''t it not an impossibility?" Rowan''s words were similar to Ludwig''s. "Ludwig." Rowan spoke. "Isn''t believing that the gods always pursue goodness an act of daring to judge the gods'' will?" "¡­What?" "Do the gods have a reason not to desire humanity''s extinction?" "What are you... saying?" "The world and humanity are byproducts of the gods." From the innocent smile of the priestess. "Both lending power without a price to those byproducts and disposing of them are acts dependent on the will of the gods." "Yes...? I don''t understand what you''re saying..." "It''s possible that the gods desire the annihilation of humanity." "!" "Isn''t it blasphemy to believe that the gods always pursue goodness? No, to believe that the gods always make choices for the sake of humanity?" "Did the gods ever say that the good they pursue is the same as the good for humans?" Ludwig realized the obvious truth. In that situation. In that environment. In that reality. A priestess who still belonged to the Church of Tu¡¯an and Als. She couldn''t possibly be in her right mind. CH 578 The will of the gods belongs to a realm beyond human comprehension. The gods see further and wider than we do. And. It may be a prejudice or a misconception born from the long history of faith that the gods must necessarily favor humans. The good as perceived by the gods may be different from that perceived by humans. If the gods consider the extinction of humanity as good, they may well desire it. Thus, the gods may desire the destruction of mankind. Upon hearing Rowan''s words, Ludwig could not help but be stunned. There were believers and priests who had abandoned Tu¡¯an and Als. However, it wasn''t only those who left who changed their minds. Those who remained also had to change their way of thinking to endure. They had to revise their mindset to maintain their faith. "But, if the gods really wanted that... why are they helping people?" "That''s just a hypothesis; it''s not the truth." The will of the gods is unfathomable. "I just do what I can in my position." Rowan does her best without knowing what the gods'' will is. If they desire destruction, let it happen. If this leads to a good outcome, just wait for it. "If everything is the will of the gods, then such actions are part of that will. So, I''m just fulfilling the role I think I have." It doesn''t mean that anything I do is okay because it is part of the will of the gods. It means doing the best one can. She wanders around the refugee camp, purifying, and pouring water into a bottomless barrel. Her mindset is that of a madwoman, but her actions are no different from those of a saint. However, there is also the danger of self-justification that anything I do is okay. The logic that everything I do is part of the gods'' will eventually shifts the responsibility for everything I do back to the gods. Ludwig felt both discomfort and sublimity in the priestess before him. "I personally hope that all this will lead to a good conclusion, but if not, there''s nothing we can do." She is close to resignation but does not give up on her actions. If the gods desire destruction, they must accept it without resenting them. It was a pure belief without a single doubt. "I... I don''t know." Ludwig could neither understand the gods, nor Rowan, who held such an extreme and pure belief. Rowan smiled at Ludwig. "It''s a confusing time, so it''s natural to feel confused." The fortunate thing was that Rowan was not a fanatic who would be angry if others did not understand or approve of her beliefs. "It''s cold today. Shall we go back?" "Yes." Their tasks for the day were complete. Somewhere along the way back, Ludwig and Rowan heard the sound of horses'' hooves. It wasn''t just one or two, but a group of mounted soldiers. Ludwig and Rowan pressed themselves against the side of the road to avoid the approaching riders. Dozens of mounted soldiers approached the refugee camp. The patrol guards in the area do not ride horses. Ludwig saw the bloodstains on the horses'' manes, the soldiers'' armor, and their helmets. Those were the traces of battle. People on the streets scurried to hide in the nearby tavern as Rowan observed the scene. "Those are the extermination squads." "Ah... they are...?" "Yes, thanks to them, we no longer have a monster problem. It''s quite fortunate." The job Ludwig had wanted to do¡ªhandling the monsters on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital¡ªbelonged to the extermination squads. Ludwig wordlessly watched as the squad members, who didn''t even glance at the refugee camp, silently rode past on their horses. He would have rather been doing that work. There was no need for contemplation when it came to killing monsters. The extermination squads seemed to be distant from the ordinary duties of the guards, only concerning themselves with their specific task. Even if it wasn''t the work of the extermination squad, anything that didn''t require contemplation would have been nice. If only he could keep doing work like today. With such thoughts, Ludwig couldn''t help but watch as the extermination squads disappeared from view. "Shall we go?" Rowan gently tugged on Ludwig''s sleeve. ------ Rowan and Ludwig returned to the guard post to report the completion of the purification work. It seemed that the quarantine of the plague-stricken area could now be lifted. However, Ludwig couldn''t shake the thought: what good would it do? There were never enough priests, and the plague continued to spread. Even without the plague, people died from trivial colds due to the harsh cold. Ludwig thought he could understand Rowan''s perspective, just a little. She went around the refugee district performing purification work and driving out the plague. She knew better than anyone that her work solved nothing. In her despair, she had to believe that there was meaning in all of this to endure it. But she couldn''t fathom how this despair could lead to any good outcome. So, she began to think that perhaps the gods had abandoned humanity. If the gods had forsaken them, she could maintain her faith only by accepting that, too. Ludwig couldn''t help but feel sympathy for Rowan, who seemed like an odd person but might have been transformed by the depth of her despair. ''Could it be because of that...?'' Is that why she asked? What kind of being the Demon King is? Whether he truly is an evil being? She asked about the nature of the Demon King because knowing that might allow her to glean the will of the gods, even just a little. "Ludwig, would you like to return to the Imperial Capital together? We''re headed the same way, after all." "Ah, yes. If it''s alright with you..." Ludwig felt that the delicate-looking priestess was like a candle flame that could be extinguished by even the smallest winter breeze. ------ As they left the refugee district and returned to the Imperial Capital, Ludwig realized he hadn''t accomplished much today. He had simply walked beside Rowan, watching their surroundings and preparing for any unexpected situations. Yet, he felt more exhausted than the day before. The gruesome sights had been the same as yesterday, but his mental fatigue was greater. The words about the gods potentially wishing for humanity''s destruction. The notion that the belief in the Five Great Gods being on humanity''s side could be misguided. Those words left Ludwig feeling bewildered. "Will you be going to another district tomorrow?" "Tomorrow, I''ll return to District 17 to check if the plague has truly stopped spreading. After that, I''m scheduled to go to District 15. Then District 6. And after that... I''ll have to check. More places will have been added, after all. There''s always more work to do." "Aren''t you tired?" "Priests who can use healing powers are generally distant from the concept of fatigue. Although there''s nothing we can do about mental exhaustion, we can''t indulge in it when there are people who urgently need our help today, can we?" "I see." Even though Rowan didn''t mention it, Ludwig couldn''t help but notice that she barely got proper sleep. Although they had left the epidemic zone, the refugee camp was hardly any different. Despair was visible everywhere. "The work of a guard. It must be unfamiliar to you." Unable to lower his head at Rowan''s words, Ludwig said, "I suppose my expression... gave it away." "Yes, you''re very different from the other guards." Having been escorted by guards who treated the refugees like insects, Rowan probably saw Ludwig as an odd person. "Ludwig." "Yes, Priestess?" Rowan looked at Ludwig. "If it''s not too much to ask, could you please protect me again tomorrow?" "... Pardon?" Tomorrow, Rowan would be going to another district, so she would have to borrow manpower from a different guard unit. "You know, the guards... they kill people too easily." "... I see." "It''s painful to watch." It wouldn''t have been smooth sailing during her visits to the refugee camps so far. Rowan must have witnessed extreme actions taken by her escort guards in extreme situations. Ludwig, on the other hand, was obviously inexperienced and reluctant to kill. He even showed relief at the prospect of escaping with her in case something happened. Rowan asked for his protection because she knew Ludwig would not take extreme actions. Ludwig hesitated. He wanted to nod immediately, but he couldn''t be sure if he could really help Rowan. "I had no problems today, but with this body, I''m not sure if I can protect you when it''s really dangerous..." "You said you were confident." "..." "You can also do Magic Body Strengthening, so isn''t that enough?" It''s not a fight, just carrying and running, so wouldn''t that be fine? Ludwig couldn''t find anything to say in response to Rowan''s words. Manpower was precious, and in a way, Ludwig was precious manpower. And so was Rowan. A priestess who purified epidemics, and the task of protecting her. Regardless of how temporary the solution might be, it was an essential task. It wasn''t fighting dangerous monsters, as Bertus and others worried. The person he was escorting would rather flee if trouble arose. It wasn''t a dangerous task, and there was hardly any room for value judgments. In short. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that it was the most positive task currently allowed to Ludwig. He longed for the work of the suppression force because it didn''t require any room for doubt. Similarly, this task was also indispensable for the people and left no room for doubt. "I''ll need the captain''s permission, but... I have no reason not to do it." "I''m so glad, Ludwig." Looking at Rowan''s bright smile, Ludwig awkwardly smiled back. But. Today. They had shared many conversations. In those words. Did I ever mention that I can do Magic Body Strengthening? Ludwig had a small doubt. CH 579 After leaving the refugee camp, Rowan headed for the church of Tu¡¯an, located in the outskirts of the Imperial Capital. "Will you stay there?" "I prefer to rest at the church closest to the place I have to go the next day, so I don''t really have a fixed residence." As vast as the refugee area was, so was the Imperial Capital. Thus, she traveled around the Imperial Capital without a fixed residence, resting wherever she could find a place affiliated with the Five Great Religions. "Please come here by nine o''clock at the latest tomorrow. If you''re late, I''ll leave without you. Got it?" At Rowan''s playful remark, Ludwig scratched the back of his head with an awkward expression. "Yes, I''ll make sure to be there." Helping Rowan was a temporary measure, but it was absolutely necessary. Just by being able to help her, Ludwig felt that the burden and pressure had somewhat disappeared. If he had been smarter, wiser, could he have known what was right? Facing difficult tasks, Ludwig confronted the limits of his ability to overcome them. In a way, Rowan was nothing short of salvation for the lost Ludwig. The Church of Tu¡¯an. In the church, one could feel an aura of decline. Perhaps thinking that they could catch something evil, there were no passersby around, and the people guarding the church also seemed fatigued. Not only that, but the church''s stone walls were covered in illegible graffiti and many places were damaged. The anger and hatred of the people towards the Tu¡¯an faith were evident in the church''s decaying state and the graffiti. Every church of Tu''an and Als must have been like this. People avoided them, there were hardly any devoted followers, and people even secretly damaged them. "Pathetic, isn''t it?" "Pardon? Oh..." "Sometimes, there are people who try to set it on fire." Graffiti and damage were one thing, but arson attempts? At that statement, Ludwig couldn''t help but be shocked. "To that extent...?" "Yes." Rowan''s calm response carried a deep sorrow. People treated the church of Tu''an as if it were a place of worship for the Demon King. Ludwig approached the entrance of the church. The faces of those guarding the door changed. As if they were tense about something. Of course, it was not Ludwig himself that made them tense. The priests'' gazes turned to Ludwig''s right. "Your Grace, the Archbishop! You''ve worked hard today!" "Yes, you''ve all done a great job too." The Archbishop. At that moment, Ludwig had no choice but to freeze. "See you tomorrow, Ludwig." "Wh-What? Ah... Yes, yes!" After giving Ludwig a slight bow, Rowan entered the church. Come to think of it, she had said she was a priestess, but she never mentioned her rank. Ludwig never asked, either. So, it wasn''t that Rowan deliberately deceived him, she simply didn''t mention what he didn''t ask. He had thought she was just an ordinary priestess. However. He finally realized that a priestess who could purify a vast refugee area''s epidemic just by offering prayers could not be an ordinary priestess. Did the fact that the Archbishop wandered the refugee camp alone without the escort of holy knights mean that the Archbishop was a great person? Or did it mean that the Tu''an Order had declined to the point where it had to be that way? All day, Ludwig had walked alongside a priestess, never imagining that she would turn out to be none other than the archbishop of the Tu''an Order¡ªan individual he would never have expected to encounter under normal circumstances. For a while, Ludwig was completely dumbstruck upon realizing this. In front of the archbishop, Ludwig even dared to question why the gods had chosen the demon king. It was impossible to know if Rowan had shown mercy because of the situation, but under normal circumstances, Ludwig''s sacrilege would have been grounds for being dragged away by an inquisitor. Rowan was not an ordinary priestess, but an archbishop. She was a priestess of incredibly high standing. And yet, Ludwig had been a fool. ''An archbishop... How high-ranking is that?'' Though he was surprised to learn that Rowan was of high rank, Ludwig had no idea of the extent of that position. ------ He knew what research was being conducted at Temple Magic University, having seen it with his own eyes. It wasn''t just about reviving dead mages as liches; they were doing something even greater. They were essentially reviving individuals with half of their former abilities, but without restoring their memories and sense of self. This was on an entirely different level from liches or death knights. He relayed what he had discovered to Sarkegaar. There was no immediate evidence of a connection to the Black Order, and even if there was, he had resolved to accept it. So they decided not to take any action regarding this matter. If resolving the Gate Incident was the only hope for this world, then anything that could speed up its resolution would be a better hope. Therefore, he would tacitly allow and ignore the empire''s actions. Though he had no choice but to meet with Bertus directly, the outcome was not unfavorable. He could not know how this matter and his conversation with Bertus would develop in the future, but this was the best course of action he could think of at the moment. He did not immediately return to Edina. Truthfully, right now, Ellen would tearfully and angrily search the entire Temple if he were to disappear. If she didn''t return to the coalition army''s camp without him, he would be stuck here. It was best not to cause a cat disappearance incident that would affect Ellen''s mental state. If there was an urgent matter, he could reluctantly leave Sarkegaar behind as a substitute. In any case, he had no choice but to remain at the Temple for the time being. At the banquet hall in the late evening, those who had returned late after taking care of business were having dinner. Though the official dinner time had long passed, preserved food was prepared for latecomers, so they could at least stave off hunger. Ellen and Heinrich, who had been patrolling the Imperial Capital today as well, seemed to have found nothing unusual. At least the monster problem seemed to be well under control. From the beginning, there couldn''t be a monster problem. The extermination force on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital wasn''t simply a patrol or a knight squad¡ªit consisted of resurrected war heroes. Their actual mission was not to exterminate monsters, but to verify whether they could be properly controlled for deployment in real battles. It was like using a missile to kill a chicken rather than a knife, so there was nothing for Ellen and Heinrich to do. And now, Ludwig, who had just returned late from his guard duties. There was no particular reason to sit separately, so the three of them gathered and ate their late dinner together. Ellen had hard tack and water. Heinrich had jerky. In front of Ludwig lay a piece of hard bread. Everyone knew that even this much was a luxury, so they tended to eat sparingly. At this late hour, there weren''t many people in the banquet hall. As a cat, I sat on the table, listening to the conversations they were having. Ellen offered me a piece of dried meat she had prepared, but I didn''t put it in my mouth. I wasn''t particularly hungry. I didn''t like to waste food either, just like them. After tapping my nose a few times, Ellen gave up trying to force me to eat and took a bite of the meat herself. "Archbishop?" "Oh, how important is an archbishop?" Ludwig asked, sitting next to Heinrich after quickly consuming the hard bread and a cup of water upon his return. What does an archbishop have to do with the guards? Heinrich chewed on his meat in response to Ludwig''s unexpected question. "Well... there are many cases, you see." "Many cases?" "We don''t know if the archbishop in question is a rank-based one or an archdiocesan one." "...Archdiocesan? What is that?" At Ludwig''s question, Heinrich looked at him quietly. Would Ludwig''s brain overload? Or would mine while explaining? Thinking about it, Heinrich wasn''t as slow-witted as Ludwig, but he wasn''t a fool either. Heinrich carefully opened his mouth. "I don''t know the details, but from what I know, an archdiocesan bishop manages a large diocese. However, not all archbishops manage a large diocese. Some are responsible for archdioceses while others have entirely different roles as archbishops. So, even among archbishops, their tasks can vary, and there is a hierarchy." "..." At these words, Ludwig looked at Heinrich in silence. "Um, sorry, but... what''s a large diocese?" "Ah." It wasn''t a matter of understanding. There was nothing to understand in the first place. Heinrich''s mouth hung open slightly, as if he didn''t know where to begin. "Think of it simply." Finally, our Ellen stepped in. "If a bishop manages a few churchs, an archbishop manages dozens of churchs. Not all of them, but you can think of it like that." "Ah... like a lord?" "Yes. Think of a bishop as a lord and an archbishop as a great lord. In fact, there are cases where clergy like bishoprics and archbishoprics perform duties similar to those of lords. Of course, the meaning has been lost now." Not only similar to a lord, but in the case of bishoprics and archbishoprics, they are actually lords. With Ellen''s considerably abridged explanation that bishops are lords and archbishops are great lords, Ludwig found it much easier to understand. "So, they''re really high-ranking priests?" "Yes, only cardinals and the pope rank above them." "But what do you mean by a hierarchy among archbishops?" Heinrich''s unnecessary words made Ludwig more curious. Ellen silently put a piece of hard biscuit in her mouth and chewed it for a while. Then, she took a sip of water and spoke. "An archbishop who manages all the churchs of the Empire." "In Serandia, which we just conquered, there must have been an archbishop managing all the churchs since it was a big city." "Archbishop of the Imperial Capital, Archbishop of Serandia." "Both are archbishops, but who ranks higher?" At Ellen''s question, Ludwig nodded his head as if he had an aha moment. "The Archbishop of the Imperial Capital, I suppose?" "That''s right." After Ellen observed that Ludwig had understood quite accurately, she nodded her head. "But is there an archbishop managing the entire Imperial Capital?" "...I don''t know since I''m not affiliated with the Holy Knights or the Five Great Churches. However, the Imperial Capital has the most churchs in the continent. So, the dioceses might be more subdivided. There could be multiple archdioceses, and the position of the Archbishop of the Imperial Capital might be altogether different..." As Ellen tried to explain something, she looked at Ludwig. "I don''t know." Ellen quietly said so and took a bite of her biscuit. That''s right. Don''t bother explaining. He won''t understand anyway. All he needs to know is that archbishops are high-ranking, but their ranks are not equal. However, Ludwig seemed to have more questions. "Anyway, Cardinal and Pope rank higher than Archbishop, right?" "Yes." "Then, what rank does the Holy Knights'' Commander hold?" Ah. I see, he might wonder about that. "Higher than Cardinal, lower than Pope." Ellen answered briefly. "Originally, the position of the Holy Knights'' Commander is ambiguous since it''s a non-existent rank. Technically, it''s below the Pope, but in terms of actual power, it surpasses the Pope. So, you could say it''s almost on par with the Pope." "I see..." "Why did you suddenly bring up the Archbishop?" It was Heinrich''s question, and I had been wondering the same thing. Why was he curious about this? Ludwig explained the events of the day. An epidemic-stricken area, and how he had been assigned to escort a single priestess. And then, after everything was over, he found out the person he thought was a regular priestess was actually an archbishop. "An archbishop doing that work personally? And without any Holy Knights escorting her?" "It must be quite a serious situation." Both Heinrich and Ellen seemed shocked by the news of the archbishop taking action personally. Well, given the circumstances, it would be better to distribute the clergy''s manpower to refugee camps and rely on the help of the guards for protection. "It seems like I''ll continue to escort her starting from tomorrow." "That''s good." He had seemed quite confused recently, but his expression brightened, indicating that he found today''s events quite rewarding. It was a task that was needed by the people, and it wasn''t dangerous. And although it wasn''t the best thing to say, it was a task that seemingly had no end. As long as the famine in the Imperial Capital persisted, the epidemic would continue to break out. It was a never-ending cycle. There had been no issues today, but there was no guarantee that there wouldn''t be any in the future. "However, come to think of it, it might not be that strange." It was Heinrich''s words. "Not strange, you say?" "An archbishop moving alone." "Ah... I''ve heard it''s because there are many tasks that require priests." "No, I mean there might be many archbishops. So, they might be moving alone." "Huh?" "Almost all the places worthy of being called archdioceses have been destroyed, right? So, it''s only natural that there would be many archbishops in the allied forces'' garrisons, the Holy Knights, and the Imperial Capital." "It might be possible." Could one still be called a lord if they lost their territory? If so, an archbishop who lost their archdiocese to manage could still be called an archbishop. Heinrich''s point was that it might not be strange for a priest of such rank to move alone since many archbishops were gathered in the Imperial Capital, and I found it quite plausible. High-ranking priests had flocked to the Imperial Capital because there was nowhere safe in the world. As a result, the number of archbishop-level priests, who were usually hard to come by, had increased. Most of them served in the allied forces, and those who weren''t wandered the streets to purify the epidemic. In a way, the power of the high-ranking priests was concentrated. Yet, the situation was still grim as there was a shortage of manpower. In fact, that was only natural. There were more survivors concentrated in the Imperial Capital than there were priests gathered there. Still, an archbishop... -Meow "Why?" This was kind of... A bit cheap, wasn''t it? CH 580 After reporting to the 17th Guard Captain, Ludwig was assigned to escort Rowan. They headed to the 15th district after confirming that the spread of the epidemic in the 17th district had completely stopped. As Rowan had said, extreme situations didn''t happen that often. At most, twice. And it wasn''t because Rowan, the priestess, had been discovered that caused the chaos, but because Ludwig had encountered bandits and carried Rowan while fleeing. Once they escaped, and once they were cornered, Ludwig knocked them out with just his left arm and confidently escaped the scene. The bandits'' mistake was approaching Ludwig, who had only one arm, thinking he was an easy target. Thus, two days had passed since Ludwig began escorting Rowan. ------ Three days of escort duty. During that time, there were no major incidents, and since the two had to be together all day due to the long distance they had to travel, they couldn''t help but share various stories. Rowan appeared frail but was quite a cheerful person. Also, she wasn''t someone who flaunted her high position. She behaved as if there was hardly any formality. Ludwig, who was quite ignorant of formalities, couldn''t help but be grateful to Rowan. And so, they shared many stories during that time. "I was in a place called Cielan in the Kingdom of Lucefena. You probably don''t know it. I was a bishop there, not an archbishop." Rowan''s response to Ludwig''s question about where she was an archbishop. "So... did you become an archbishop after the Gate incident?" "With a shortage of people and many casualties, vacant positions must be filled by someone. So, I ended up taking on a role that was beyond my capabilities." Someone had to fill the vacant positions. That''s why Rowan said she was appointed archbishop even though she didn''t have the ability. "Should I have called you... Archbishop?" "No, just call me normally. And it''s better to call me by my name rather than priestess." Rowan looked at Ludwig and winked. "You know we have to be careful in many places, right?" Only then did Ludwig realize that calling her a priestess for the past few days had been quite a risky move. "Ah... I see. I apologize." "No, it''s fine. Nothing has happened so far." Rowan pointed to the refugee camp visible beyond the Imperial Capital. "Let''s go, we have a lot to do today." "Yes, lady priestess... I mean, Rowan." "You can drop the ''lady.'' I''ll drop the ¡®sir¡¯ too, Ludwig." Rowan grinned and walked ahead of Ludwig. Rowan was the bishop of a city in a country that had already disappeared. After the Gate incident, she somehow survived and made it to the Imperial Capital. And in a situation where someone had to fill a vacant position, Rowan filled someone''s vacant position. She was appointed archbishop after the Gate incident, not originally an archbishop. ''Was she appointed archbishop while doing this job?'' Ludwig tilted his head and followed Rowan. It was the third day since Ludwig had been accompanying Archbishop Rowan. In the refugee camp at the Imperial Capital, there were still many streets that needed purification, and more kept emerging. And slowly. Snow was scattering in the sky. ------ During his first year at the Temple. Around the time of the group mission in the second semester. On the day he was eliminated from the group mission and had to wait. On the first night, I entered the open-air bath with Ellen, who had been eliminated just like me, with only a wall separating us. Ellen asked me if I liked snow. Honestly, I hadn''t given snow much thought. To be precise, I hadn''t had the time to think about such things. But I did go to the open-air bath while it was snowing. There was no reason to do so otherwise. So, at that time, I replied that I seemed to like snow. Yes. I had no particular feelings about snow, but in the end, I thought I liked it. In the A-class dormitory where Ellen and Heinrich were absent, I was the only one in Ellen''s room. Perched on the windowsill, I gazed at the falling snow outside. There are many types of snow. There''s sleet, flurries, and heavy snow, and even the blizzard that Liana can summon. Clearly, I liked snow. I enjoyed the snowfall with Ellen, and I cherished the memory of building a snowman with Harriet and Ellen, those two girls. If it were snow, it would be heavy snow. I loved snow that fell enough to cover the world. I looked at the snow falling outside from inside the window. Just imagining the lives swallowed by the falling snow is painful. The snow falling now is a flurry. I didn''t particularly like that kind of snow because it didn''t feel like snow, and it seemed as desolate as a type of wind. Snow that doesn''t accumulate is not snow. That''s what I thought. But now, I think it''s fortunate that the falling snow is a flurry. If it were accumulating snow, if it were pouring down, many people would suffer as much as the amount of snow that fell. I hope this snow doesn''t accumulate. It doesn''t turn into heavy snow, it doesn''t turn into a blizzard. I stared blankly at the snowy sky outside the window. Should I call Liana? Should I ask her to stop the snow in the Imperial Capital? Not to kill monsters, but to save people. But if I were to ask her, who gets sicker the more she uses her power, to maintain warm weather throughout the winter of the Imperial Capital, then I would also have to ask her to make sure people don''t suffer from the cold because she melted the snow. It''s at least three months from now until winter is completely over. If she has to use her power for three months straight, Liana will surely go mad once winter is over. Liana''s power is for war. It must be conserved. It''s a war to save someone, but we have to turn a blind eye to someone dying for the sake of war. The snow falls. The snowflakes were getting thicker and thicker. Now, I hate snow. ------ Soon, the flurries turned into heavy snow and began to fall all over the Imperial Capital. Fortunately, it was not accompanied by a harsh winter wind. "It''s snowing quite a lot." "This is serious." Having just confirmed yesterday that the progress of the epidemic in the 38th district, which they had purified, was completely over, both Ludwig and Rowan sighed. As the heavy snow fell, both Ludwig and Rowan had snow piled up on their robe shoulders and hoods, turning them white. Most people on the street were huddled up, shivering in the cold snow. Looking at the shacks that couldn''t even properly block the wind, Rowan''s complexion couldn''t help but worsen. "If it stopped after snowing moderately¡­" "Many people won''t be able to withstand the cold, right?" Upon hearing Ludwig''s worried question, Rowan shook her head as if to say that it wasn''t the issue. "When it snows heavily, the cold isn''t the problem; the wooden houses collapse. There were many such incidents last winter." People were crushed and killed under collapsed houses, Rowan explained. It wasn''t the cold caused by the snow that was dangerous, but the very act of snowing itself. The harshness of nature. Ludwig resented the accumulating snow, but he didn''t know where to direct his resentment. The two continued walking toward their next destination. Most of the refugees couldn''t hide their resentment as they looked at the sky, while some children were simply enjoying the snow and playing in it. Because they didn''t know any better, Ludwig thought as he observed the scene. "Before the world turned like this, did you enjoy the snow?" In the current situation, where snow seemed like a symbol of death, it was an absurd question. Ludwig stared blankly at the heavy snowfall pouring from the sky. "...I''m not sure." He couldn''t remember if he liked or disliked the snow. It seemed that all memories from before the Gate Incident had been erased. As if it had become something meaningless, whether it existed or not, he could hardly remember it now. As if an immense misfortune and despair had swallowed up everything about him. He was already overwhelmed with just thinking about the things he could do right in front of him. Ludwig suddenly wondered if Rowan was still someone who could think about those past events. "I used to enjoy it." Rowan looked up at the sky and spoke softly. "Lucefena, where I''m from, was a kingdom in the northern part of the continent, and half the year was winter. So, it was very easy to see snow." A place where half of the year was winter, Ludwig couldn''t fathom what kind of place that would be. "Didn''t you end up disliking the snow then...?" If you saw snow so often that it became annoying, shouldn''t you dislike it? Snow was, in fact, a symbol of extreme cold. Just like how people now feared the snow. "Well, I don''t think there''s a reason to dislike it just because it''s common." "...I see." "Lucefena was a land of winter, and Cielan was located on a high plateau. It was a cold place, and there was a lot of heavy snow. That''s where I was born." Rowan''s eyes seemed to gaze far away, as if reminiscing about her long-gone homeland. "I had countless snowball fights with my friends and made snowmen. I touched snow so much that my hands would freeze and crack, and I was scolded by the priests and healed more times than I could count." Recalling her childhood, Rowan smiled wistfully. She had played with the snow until she got frostbite. "Even after I received my priestly initiation, I had quite a few occasions where I was scolded for having snowball fights with the monastery children, being told it was unbecoming. There was even a time when I made a statue of the goddess out of snow and got an earful from the bishop, telling me not to make such things casually." Rowan looked quite happy as she spoke. "After my promotion to bishop, there really weren''t any more occasions like that. Well... Lucefena was a cold country, but the cold was never an issue, and Cielan was a particularly cold city, but that wasn''t a problem either. The empire was vast, and thanks to the Warp Gate, there were many tourists coming to Cielan, the land of snow. There was a time, just three years ago. "Even in the bitter cold, even as heavy snow fell, no matter how difficult the place was to live." "People could survive anywhere." "Little did we know then, but I think that three years ago was humanity''s last golden age." "Such days may never come again." A time when one could simply find beauty in the snow. Up until just three years ago, humanity could live anywhere, as a distribution network called the Warp Gate connected the entire continent. But now that everything has been destroyed, those days of the past seem like a lie. "Now, humanity trembles in fear at the slightest cold, and countless people lose sleep even when a little snow falls from the sky." Humanity, now diminished, is threatened by even the smallest things. There was no need to worry about heavy snowfall in big, sturdy houses, but now, people must live in makeshift shacks that collapse with just a little snow. The cold winter winds pierce through these shacks without even a fireplace. The golden age has passed, and humanity has much to fear. "Ludwig." Rowan looks at Ludwig. "Do you dislike the snow?" At that, Ludwig nods slightly. "Yes... it seems so." At those words, Rowan smiles sadly. "Now, so do I." The two walk down the street. The makeshift shacks in the refugee village are gradually being covered with a layer of soft snow. ------ Rowan and Ludwig head to the next district, District 42. The snow has started to accumulate, and they can hear the sound of their footsteps in the snow. After reporting to the District 42 guards, the two head to the area of the district where a disease outbreak has occurred. As they always have, Rowan prays as they walk. Ludwig does not often take the initiative, which makes him wonder if he is really necessary to Rowan. Of course, whenever Ludwig says this, Rowan tells him that he is fulfilling his role just by making her feel safe. The refugee village is a place where people should worry more about robbers than attacks fueled by hatred for priests, especially since people don''t know that Rowan is a priestess. Ludwig keeps an eye out for any unexpected situations, but there is nothing unusual. In fact, due to the snow, people are holed up in their makeshift shacks. Perhaps about three hours pass, and the accumulated snow reaches their ankles. ¡°Get out!¡± There''s a commotion in a corner of the refugee village. Both Rowan, who was praying, and Ludwig, who was keeping an eye on the situation, cannot help but look in that direction. ¡°Oh, please save us! We just... we were just¡­¡± As Ludwig watches the people being dragged out of the shack and the unidentified ornaments hanging from their necks and arms, he can''t help but realize what they are. Different from the ones he had seen before, wooden idols are dragged out onto the street and trampled under the guards'' feet. ¡°We warned you last time, if you bring in these worthless idols again, we''ll burn them.¡± The five guards look at the people trembling on the ground, as if this is not their first offense. Ludwig can''t help but look at Rowan. Rowan approaches the scene with a stern expression, heading towards the guards who seem ready to stab the heretics with their spears. "Wait, who are you?" As if to warn them not to come any closer, the guards aimed their spears at Rowan and Ludwig. "I am Priestess Rowan, dispatched for purification work. This man here is my escort, and we have permission from the 42nd Guard Division." "Ah, my apologies, Priestess. We didn''t realize." As Rowan took out the sacred emblem she had hidden in her clothes, the guards lowered their weapons and showed respect. "May I ask what is happening here?" "Ah, well... It''s about... " Rowan''s tone was neither aggressive nor threatening. However, the guard felt an inexplicable pressure from Rowan''s calm smile. Ludwig felt the same way. As if she was wearing a mask, Rowan''s smile was excessively gentle and warm, not fitting the current situation. "Are they heretics?" "Yes... Indeed, they are. But, they probably don''t know any better. They might not even know what they''re praying to..." The guard, who seemed less cruel than Ludwig''s previous commanding officer Sontein, was trying to defend the people he had just been berating for their heretical beliefs, now that a priestess had appeared. Rowan looked at the people shivering and lying on the snow-covered ground. She silently stared at the shabby house they were dragged out of. "May I go inside?" "Yes? Yes! Of course, please do." "Lord Ludwig." Rowan gestured to Ludwig, who was at a loss in this situation. It seemed like a signal to follow her. "Everyone else, please come inside as well." Rowan quietly spoke to the people lying on the ground. Despite it being the guards'' jurisdiction, she spoke as if giving an order. ------ Inside a shanty in the plague-stricken area. There were five people praying: one adult man, two elderly people, and two women. Within the shanty, where it was difficult even to stand properly, Rowan scanned the surroundings, including the blankets. As if searching for something. "Hmm..." In a strange silence, Rowan examined something, cocked her head, stared at a blanket for a while lost in thought, and did not engage in conversation with anyone. After some time, Rowan picked up a small wooden idol lying in the center of the shanty. It appeared to be a crude imitation of a human figure carved from wood. "What prayer were you offering?" Holding the idol, Rowan asked the trembling group. Even if priests were despised, their power only mattered when they faced a crowd of civilians. When the force of authority prevailed, their hatred and resentment held no power. In response to Rowan''s gentle question, the old man shuddered and replied. "Well, we were praying for the plague to end and for everything to be resolved..." "To this wooden doll?" "..." "What is this wooden doll to you?" Rowan asked the old man. "Is this your god? How can this wooden doll solve the plague?" It seemed that Rowan was genuinely curious. Her warm smile mixed with the question induced fear not only in the people but also in Ludwig. "I really don''t know. How can this wooden doll..." Bam! A golden radiance emanated from Rowan''s right hand. "Do you believe that this can bring forth such miracles? Why?" For a moment, the golden radiance emitted by the light dispelled the cold, the weakness in their bodies vanished at once, and they felt vitality filling them. Prayers to an unknown idol. The miracle of tangible healing and purification. Rowan looked at the heretics as if to ask why they didn''t understand the gap between the two. "I''m asking you, what is this wooden doll? What does it represent? What do you believe in, and what do you want to achieve?" Her tone was infinitely gentle, but everyone was afraid. The old man couldn''t even answer, trembling, but someone else spoke up. "It''s... the hero..." "Excuse me?" "It''s... the hero... right here." At the trembling young woman''s words, not only Ludwig but also Rowan''s expression hardened. The wooden idol, resembling a human figure. They said it imitated the appearance of the hero, Ellen Artorius. "The hero... will save us all..." Rowan slowly nodded her head at the words of the trembling young woman. "Ah... I see." Rowan stared silently at the wooden idol. Ludwig had an ominous feeling that some abyss was swirling in Rowan''s gaze. However, after a brief moment of silence. Rowan carefully placed the wooden idol back in the center of the room. "Yes, the hero will save us all." Numerous heresies were rampant. However, the Hero Religion couldn''t be treated as heresy. "Even so, how about carving it more nicely in the future to avoid misunderstandings? After all, it''s a sculpture that represents the great hero." Rowan looked at the trembling heretics and smiled warmly. "The hero is said to be incredibly, incredibly beautiful." Rowan quietly left the shanty. CH 581 Rowan knew that the heretics believed in the Hero Religion, yet she took no action against them. In reality, Rowan had no right to punish or judge them, so there was no reason for her to do so in the first place. However, Ludwig had just sensed fear in Rowan''s demeanor. If Rowan thought it necessary, she seemed as if she would kill without hesitation. Ludwig had been traveling with Rowan for about five days, but this was the first time he had seen such a side of her. In retrospect, Ludwig had never encountered any heretics while traveling with Rowan. The Hero''s Religion. As a priest who believed in the Five Great Gods, Rowan would naturally have a lot to think about regarding the Hero''s Religion. The idol representing the hero. Watching it, Rowan''s expression and gaze had clearly changed. Ludwig could not pinpoint the exact emotion, but he could see that it was far from positive swirling in Rowan''s eyes. "The Hero Religion¡­" "¡­" "Ludwig, do you think those people we saw earlier were truly believers of the Hero Relligion?" "They said so themselves¡­" "The Hero Religion can serve as an excuse." Rowan looked at Ludwig. "Many heretics pretend to follow the Hero Religion to conceal their true beliefs. They wear the mask of the Hero Religion because it''s easy to get away with it." Ludwig could only nod slowly in agreement. The Hero Religion was left untouched. That''s why they claim to be followers of the Hero Religion in times of crisis, hoping that they might be left alone. "Do you think those people we saw earlier¡­ were not really followers of the Hero Religion?" "Well, I don''t know. The Hero Religion is divided among its own believers. What does it even mean to be a true follower of the Hero Religion?" The Hero Religion was not a specific group. It was dispersed like a folk religion, without a standardized belief system. They simply believed that Ellen Artorius would save everyone. Within that, there were dozens, hundreds of variations of derived beliefs. The Hero Religion was not forbidden. However, it was definitely heresy, as Ellen was not one of the Five Great Gods. Of course, going deeper, it was not entirely unrelated, but there were hardly any who knew about that. Now, there were more people who believed in the Hero Religion than those who believed in the Five Great Gods. That''s why the once heretical majority could no longer be considered heretics. It was impossible to root them out, as they had no substance or core. Many heretics were killed by the guards, and some of them were believers of the Hero Religion. But if everyone who believed in the Hero Religion was killed, the refugee camp would be devoid of people. "Strictly speaking, the roots of the numerous heresies spread throughout the refugee camp might be based on the Hero Religion." There was no clear definition of what the true Hero Religion was, even if they wore the mask of it. "But it''s ironic, isn''t it? The Hero Religion is heresy itself, but what difference does it make if heresy wears a mask?" It was just a heresy that had grown too large to be considered heresy. From the perspective of the Five Great Gods, the Hero Religion was an even more uncomfortable belief than the Devil God Cult. Rowan looked up at the sky and sighed. "The hero will save everyone¡­" She looked at Ludwig and smiled. "Ludwig, you must have lived with the hero in the temple too, right?" "¡­Yes." The Demon King, and the hero. Ludwig felt that it was a bizarre and sinister twist of fate that he was able to witness the peculiar and fateful entanglement up close. The Demon King, despised by all. The hero, the hope of everyone. He was one of the few who had watched their once ordinary lives unfold before him. For quite some time, he had observed the false peace between the Demon King and the hero. Even now, Ellen had returned to the temple. If they went back like this, countless people would be eager to catch even a glimpse of Ellen''s feet, yet Ludwig would have dinner with her. He couldn''t believe that such a thing was possible for someone as insignificant as himself. People who wanted to see Ellen''s face would carve her image out of a log and pray to it, but Ludwig could share a meal with her and discuss what had happened that day. Even his questions about archbishops, borne out of ignorance, were calmly answered by Ellen. The hero as people imagined her. The real Ellen that Ludwig could see. The gap between the two was enormous. "I''m not sure about the Demon King, but what is the hero like?" "..." Rowan asked, seemingly curious. It was obvious that Rowan had no small amount of resentment towards the Hero Religion. But the Hero Religion and the hero were different things. Of course, Ludwig knew that people were projecting their expectations onto Ellen, who had nothing to do with the real Ellen. She was not the hero of the Hero Religion, but the real Ellen Artorius. What kind of person was she? During the time when the temple was functioning properly, Ludwig had rarely spoken with Ellen. Even after the Gate Incident, Ellen had gone to extremely dangerous battlefields, so they rarely met. Thus, it was only when the allied forces were advancing which included the Royal Class garrison that Ludwig occasionally had the opportunity to talk to Ellen or watch her. Ellen was strong. Ellen was great. Ellen was self-sacrificing. Many words swirled in his head, but Ludwig felt that none of them could describe who Ellen was. That was a story everyone knew. The Ellen that Ludwig had seen. Ellen spent the most time with Reinhardt. "Ellen is... perhaps... the biggest victim of all of this," Ludwig thought. Victim. That was the only way Ludwig could put it. Ellen spent time with Reinhardt, unknowing of everything. Strictly speaking, Ludwig thought that Ellen might have loved Reinhardt. Maybe even now. But the Demon King had approached Ellen. No, the Demon King had approached others as well. After the situation deteriorated, some followed the Demon King, but Ellen did not. Ellen was betrayed by Reinhardt. Wasn''t that why she was a victim? Thinking of Ellen''s seemingly calm demeanor and the deep sadness in her eyes, Ludwig couldn''t help but say so. "A victim?" "Yes." At Rowan''s words, Ludwig nodded. He had no intention of discussing the details, as it would only bring pain. It was Ellen''s personal story, and it might also damage people''s trust in their hero. Ludwig had no intention of telling Rowan that the hero might have loved the Demon King. Just a victim. All he could say was that she was a victim of it all. That was the thought. "Ah¡­" Ludwig saw the corner of Rowan''s mouth curl up in a smile. "So, you knew¡­" For some reason, Rowan''s strange laughter felt eerie to Ludwig. "¡­Is there a problem?" At Ludwig''s question, Rowan shook her head. "No, it''s just¡­ Just a thought." Rowan resumed her prayers and walked the streets, while Ludwig silently guarded her side. ------ By the time all the purification work was done, the accumulated snow reached their ankles. "Let''s head back. We''ll need to come and check again tomorrow¡­" Rowan couldn''t help but halt her steps before finishing her sentence. In an alleyway of the refugee camp. Although they didn''t seem particularly strong, there were individuals with clear hostility blocking the path of Rowan and Ludwig. When Ludwig looked back, another group of refugees was blocking their retreat. He couldn''t tell who they were or why they were blocking the path. But the hostility was evident. And he recognized a few faces from earlier. "Ludwig." "Yes." Ludwig immediately understood what Rowan was saying. He quickly embraced Rowan''s waist, as if to snatch her away, and hung her on his side. "Ah!" Rowan let out a small scream, as he had grabbed her so tightly. -Thump! Wrapped in blue mana, Ludwig''s body leaped a distance of about ten meters in an instant, jumping over those who were blocking the path. Regardless of their intentions in approaching Rowan and Ludwig, it was impossible to follow them as they disappeared like a shot arrow. ------ "Should we be safe now?" "Yes, probably¡­" Ludwig carefully put down Rowan, who he had been carrying almost like a bag. "Ouch¡­" Rowan groaned as she stretched her waist. "Uh¡­ I''m sorry. I was too¡­" "No, we had no choice." They had managed to escape the crude encirclement in no time. But there were at least ten people who had surrounded Ludwig and Rowan. It was challenging to see them as mere robbers. Rowan scratched her cheek as if she were troubled. "You saw those people earlier, right?" "Yes¡­ Definitely." While not all of them, he had seen some who claimed to be hero priests. It was difficult to consider them reckless. In the first place, Rowan looked fragile, and Ludwig was even unarmed with only one arm. It was only natural for them to be more afraid of the armed guards carrying spears than Rowan and Ludwig. The worst-case scenario that Rowan had always mentioned had just occurred. They had tried to attack a priestess, and Rowan was an Archbishop-level priestess at that. Moreover, the heretics had attempted to kill her directly. "It''s not unheard of for heretics to form dangerous factions. But this time, it doesn''t seem to be that serious." "What happens when such a faction forms?" "Well, who knows? Anyway, the important thing is that it wasn''t that this time, right?" Rowan deliberately changed the subject. "Let''s head back. It''s fortunate no one was hurt." With an attitude as if everything was settled since nothing happened, Rowan led the way, and Ludwig followed her blankly. When they saw the heretics, they had an air of severity about them, but now, after almost being ambushed, their attitude was as if everything was over. Ludwig couldn''t quite grasp Rowan. However, in the end, nobody was hurt, and for Ludwig, it was fortunate that everything passed without further incident. "Wow, Ludwig, you really run well. I''m quite dizzy from watching." "Ah... well... It''s one of my few talents." At Ludwig''s modest response, Rowan smiled softly. "Really? What other talents do you have?" "I''m not sure... Other than having a bit more stamina than others..." "That seems like an understatement, don''t you think? Just being able to do Magic Body Strengthening is already an incredible talent." "Really? Ah..." "Aren''t there many people who despair because they can''t do even that?" Rowan spoke the truth. Even though Ludwig had lost an arm and couldn''t fight properly, ordinary people wouldn''t dare to chase after him when he leaped just once and that far. Ludwig''s status as a superhuman, far from ordinary, remained unchanged. "I thought Ludwig was a humble person, but after spending a few days with him, I don''t think that''s the case." "..." "False humility, without respect, is merely self-deprecation." Humble doesn''t mean thinking oneself as worthless. Ludwig thinks of himself as worthless. That''s why it''s not humility. At Rowan''s words, Ludwig could only find himself at a loss for words. Because he knew it all too well. "Do you really need to do that?" "I''ve lost... precious people." "I see." "If I had been a little stronger, a little wiser, a little better..." Ludwig spoke quietly, his eyes empty. "If I had been stronger, I wouldn''t have lost those who didn''t need to be lost... That''s all I can think about." In the end, he could do nothing but blame his own incompetence. He wanted to die on the battlefield but was driven away because he would only be a burden to others. "Still, I''m grateful that I can still do something... I think that''s a blessing." Ludwig believed he had found a glimmer of hope amidst resignation. This job would eventually end, but it was necessary for everyone. Helping Rowan. The only wise thing he could do. "So I want to thank you, Priestess." "Um..." She tilted her head. "You do know that priestesses of Tu¡¯an are not allowed to marry or fall in love, right?" "That''s not what I meant...!" "Oh, you''re so easily flustered." Rowan laughed for a while, watching Ludwig''s face turn red and hearing him sputter. What a strange person. Ludwig found it difficult to figure out what kind of person Rowan was. Because of this, Rowan seemed strange to Ludwig. At first, he thought she was a saint, but then he discovered her twisted belief in the divine. However, she didn''t seem like a bad person, as she was trying her best within her fanatical beliefs. When facing heretics, he was afraid she might cause trouble, but she never did any harm to them. And she sometimes spoke strange, incomprehensible words. Ludwig could not figure out what kind of person the priestess before him was. She seemed genuinely kind, yet insane, and at times appeared sane precisely because she was mad. A priestess from the cold northern lands. Ludwig didn''t think of himself as smart, but he didn''t easily forget what he heard. As Ellen had said. The bishop is a lord, and the archbishop is a great lord. That''s not always the case, but generally it is. Heinrich said. There may be many archbishops who have taken refuge in the Empire. The ones who have lost the temples they should have governed, now mere shells of their former selves. That''s why it might not be unusual for an archbishop-level priest to be wandering the streets. Rowan said. She had been a bishop-level priest before the Gate Incident but had taken on a higher position to fill someone''s void after the incident. Now that only a very few lands remain safe, there would be no archbishops fulfilling the role of a great lord. That meant Rowan was not an archbishop with the same rank as a great lord. It implied that she had been promoted to the position of archbishop while taking on some other duty rather than governing a territory or an archbishopric. Was she given the duty of an archbishop because of her work in purifying the disease? "Rowan." "Yes, Ludwig?" "Is this work... all you do as an archbishop?" "Ah..." Rowan nodded slowly, as if understanding what Ludwig was asking. "Well, it''s a bit of both." "A bit of both?" "Yes." Rowan calmly walked, exhaling white breaths. "People keep dying in the Empire." "...Yes." "And there are many heretics." "True." "In a place where unsavory and ominous events keep occurring, strange things happen more frequently." Rowan''s expression grew darker as she said this. "You may not have seen it yet, Ludwig, but there are cases where corpses turn into undead." "...Is it that bad?" Ludwig felt chills run down his spine at the mention of undead. "If impure energy is misused, even stranger things can happen. For example, wrongful rituals by heretics or prayers directed towards unknown, possibly non-existent powers." "Ah..." "The reason I appeared a bit strange earlier is that I have seen too many odd things while visiting refugee camps." Rowan was indeed smiling, but she couldn''t hide the chilly atmosphere. Perhaps she was worried about the negative effects that a wrongful ritual might bring. "At a time when relying on the right power is not enough, praying to an unknown and possibly non-existent power is either meaningless or too dangerous, isn''t it?" "I suppose so..." "Confirming whether such events are happening is also part of my job. If it''s something I can deal with, I handle it." It was in the same vein as the disease purification work. She roamed around, finding necessary tasks, and if it was something she could resolve, she did so. "Lately, there has been a very strange incident, and I am mainly looking into that issue." "A strange incident?" "...Ah! We''re here." Before they knew it, they had arrived at the temple of Tu''an where Rowan stayed. "Ludwig, be careful when you enter. You remember about tomorrow, right?" "Yes, should I be there by nine o''clock?" "Um... But could you come a little earlier than usual tomorrow?" "Is there something special...?" "No?" Rowan smiled at Ludwig. "Let''s have tea together before we leave tomorrow. Just the two of us." Rowan winked at Ludwig and then quickly entered the temple. What a strange person. Ludwig couldn''t shake off that thought. He had a strong feeling that she had wanted to say something but stopped herself. A strange matter. He felt as if she had cut off the conversation from her side when he tried to ask about it. And then. ''She said she moves from church to church...'' Though it had only been five days. Rowan hadn''t moved her residence from this shabby church to another church yet. Ludwig returned to the Temple. Today, too, no one had been hurt. Ludwig was satisfied and grateful for just that in this job. ------ -Pop! At a warp spot in the Imperial Capital, a group of people and supplies appeared with a brilliant flash of light. A large-scale transport of personnel and supplies using mass teleportation. "Here is..." Louise von Schwarz was able to arrive at the snowy Imperial Capital late at night. She arrived alone, without a single attendant. Since only she had been granted permission to enter the Temple, she had come alone. She looked around in the dimly lit, snowfall-covered Empire. "¡­?" Naturally. Without a single attendant, Louise had no idea where she was in the Capital. Louise had to go to the Temple. However, in reality, without an attendant, there was no way she could know the way. "Why is it snowing like this¡­" Moreover, the falling snow limited her visibility. And so, she unintentionally arrived at the Imperial Palace, which was in the opposite direction of the Temple, instead of heading to the Temple. CH 582 Louise von Schwarz had received an unexpected vacation during the winter. The one person above her, the king and her father, had ordered her to rest. Throughout the winter, the King of Kernstadt would take over the command of the army. However, she still had to complete a minimum handover, so it took her quite some time to convey the current situation and important matters of the Kernstadt army. Once all the handover was complete and she had delegated full authority to the king, it was late at night, a few days after completing the handover, before she could finally arrive at the Imperial Capital through the allied forces'' warp spot. And so, at this moment, Louise felt as though she understood what it meant for one''s head to spin. For one, it was her first time in the streets of the Imperial Capital, and it was a dark, snowy night. While she had some business at the Imperial Palace, she had never been granted permission to go towards the temple. Thus, she was not familiar with the streets of the Imperial Capital, and the snow-covered night streets made it even more difficult to distinguish one place from another. And right now, Louise was both excited and considerably flustered by this situation. She had no idea how to deal with her father''s anger, but he had initially resigned himself to it. He had accepted the fact that, because of Heinrich''s presence, Louise would eventually have to raise her hand against her siblings like it was a predetermined future. What''s more, a situation she had never even dreamed of had suddenly arrived. She was told to go to the temple. Thus, Louise found this situation to be strangely thrilling, bewildering, exciting, and sad. She had just come to the Imperial Capital on a whim, only hearing that she should go to the temple to rest. Louise truly felt like a child again after a long time. Strictly speaking, she was not particularly good with directions. Though it would be difficult to say that she had a keen sense of direction, it was the perfect environment for her to get lost. In fact, she had even ended up arriving at the Imperial Palace, where she had no business, while trying to find the temple. In the end, she asked the royal guards about the location of the temple, as she was in danger of either facing the morning sun on the streets or becoming a snowman amidst the heavy snowfall. "Here is the north side of the capital, and the temple is located on the south side." "Ah...?" Her mistake was not merely taking the wrong path, but going in the completely opposite direction. Eventually, she trudged her way towards the southern side of the capital. First, she had to cross the river to find the temple. The famous pride of the Imperial Capital, the magic train, had stopped running long ago, so she couldn''t take it. "Even if it was running... I might have gotten more lost..." Louise had never ridden the magic train before. She had only heard of it and seen it from a distance a few times as it made strange noises while moving when she arrived at the Imperial Capital. Anyway, this was Louise''s first-ever experience of trying to find her way alone. Feeling like a lost child, she vaguely walked towards the south side of the Imperial Capital. As long as she could find the right direction, she would be able to find her way through the snowstorm. The problem was just that. Connecting the north and south of the Imperial Capital were more than ten large bridges. She had to cross one of those bridges to reach the south side. "..." However, she couldn''t see anything due to the snow, so she decided to descend to the riverside promenade of Great River Irene. In front of her eyes, she could see the frozen Great River Irene, covered in a thick layer of snow due to the winter cold. Of course, the frozen river could be crossed on foot. Was there any need to find a bridge? She could just walk across the river, right? Why bother? ''As long as I can cross it...'' Instead of searching for a bridge, Louise stepped onto the frozen river. Unexpectedly, Louise began her midnight crossing of the great river. -Crunch, crunch- The sound of the princess of Schwarz stepping on the snow echoed. Louise stumbled a few times as she crossed the frozen Great River Irene. -Thud! "..." Even with her master-class balance, slipping on a snow-covered ice sheet was inevitable if she didn''t stay focused. Louise stood up from her fall, dusting the snow off her bottom and glanced around, wondering if anyone had seen her. There was no one around to see her fall in the middle of the snow-covered ice sheet. Hence, no one had seen her. But still, with a slightly flushed face, Louise walked briskly, as if she were trying to run away. Naturally, she fell a few more times. ------ After crossing the frozen river, Louise arrived on the streets south of the great river. The temple and the imperial palace were buildings that could be seen from anywhere in the city, as they were located on slightly elevated grounds. It was no wonder they were called the landmarks of the Imperial Capital. However, she couldn''t see the temple or the imperial palace due to the falling snow. Louise walked for a while. She asked people in the sparsely populated streets where the temple was, as the snowstorm had made it difficult to find her way. "Go that way, just head in that direction." "Is it... far from here...?" Unable to be outright informal or use an imperative tone, Louise could only manage an awkwardly phrased question. "Um... You''ll have to walk quite a bit." After providing directions, the person hurried off on their own way. Louise found her situation amusing, as she seemed like a lost child. The title of princess and heir to the number one kingdom felt like a distant dream. Of course, besides that, she was a master-class swordmaster, but that skill was of no help in finding her way. Still, she couldn''t help but feel excited. It was the temple, a place she had been forbidden to even look at from afar. The moment she could see the place where her son had grown up was drawing near, and that alone made Louise''s heart race. Of course, Imperial Capital was in a terrible state, and the atmosphere could be felt everywhere. The snowy night streets might have been beautiful, but the city was filled with an air of despair and death. Had she visited Imperial Capital in better times, she might have felt envy, but now it was a city of death. The few pedestrians she saw huddled as they moved along the streets, and the accumulating snow seemed to be slowly smothering the city to death. The situation in the capital of Kernstadt was no different. In reality, no matter where she went, the environment would undoubtedly be worse than Imperial Capital, and yet, the fact that Imperial Capital still maintained its appearance might have been enough to consider it an incredible city. And then. Louise suddenly heard the sound of approaching footsteps from beyond. Louise stepped aside quickly, frightened by the group of people that passed by her on the road. ''...What?'' Louise instinctively knew from their footsteps and behavior that they were different. Those who had received combat training were different from the start, not just in their footfalls, but even in their presence. They disappeared somewhere without so much as glancing at Louise. She didn''t know what could be so urgent, but it was enough to prevent her from daring to ask for directions. What could cause these professional fighters to move with such serious expressions in the middle of the night? Louise snapped out of her thoughts. Her priority now was to find the temple. She couldn''t afford to stand still, or she''d end up a real snowman. ------ As Louise walked in the direction of the temple, the night grew darker and the snow piled up even more. This inevitably led to a problem. ''Where on earth... am I?'' It was inevitable that Louise would become lost. She knew the temple was near, but there was no one left to ask for directions. ''I know I''m close, though...'' Louise walked aimlessly in the direction she had heard the temple was. After a while, she finally spotted something beyond the falling snow. ''A light?'' It flickered like a blue flame. ''What''s that?'' She was bound to get lost and keep going in circles at this rate. Soon enough, Louise couldn''t help but realize what the approaching blue light was. It was a person. A person who had activated Magic Body Strengthening. Someone wrapped in the blue flames of mana, which strengthened their physical body, was approaching. They were not alone, as someone else was with them, pulling something. The approaching person was pulling something that looked like a cart. "Is this the right place?" "Ah, thank you. We made it. Put it here." The figure went into what seemed like a storage area in the darkness, pulling the cart. "I would have been in big trouble without you." "No, I was heading this way anyway. And please, be careful with your back." Louise watched the scene from a distance. The young man pulling the cart, and the old man. It was clear that the young man was helping the elder. However, Louise couldn''t help but notice something else about the young man, besides his ability to do Magic Body Strengthening. "I want to repay you, but I''m not in good shape either." The young man''s right sleeve was loose. "No! It''s okay. I''m fine, really." Louise stayed nearby until the back-and-forth between the old man offering repayment and the young man refusing ended. After the old man went into the house, the young man turned around and inevitably locked eyes with Louise, who was watching him. "Do you need something from me...? Before that... Are you okay...?" "Um... Uh..." Louise von Schwarz. The princess of the Schwarz royal family spoke with an unwittingly pitiful expression. "Can you... show me the way to... the temple?" She didn''t know much about him, but he was someone who didn''t hesitate to help others despite not being in the best shape himself. And right now, Louise desperately needed that kind of help. The young man smiled brightly upon hearing her request. "Oh, I have to go there too. Let''s go together." "Ah, yes... Thank you!" Louise unknowingly hopped in place. ------ Thanks to Ludwig''s guidance, Louise was able to reach the temple quickly. Upon arrival, she couldn''t help but wonder why she had struggled to find the way. Of course, both Ludwig and Louise had turned into snowmen due to the falling snow. Louise was grateful to the heavens for the young man who appeared just in time, a temple student who could even do Magic Body Strengthening. However, that was not the end of it. The temple was not a building but a whole area. As soon as they passed the entrance gate, Louise was dumbfounded by the temple''s snow-covered landscape and vast grounds. She did receive guidance from a temple student. But this student would go their own way, and then she would be lost again. While she could get directions, Louise was half-convinced that she would inevitably get lost along the way. Lost outside the temple would only become lost inside the temple. Should she grab one of the temple guards? Louise''s mind raced. Seeing Louise''s pale face, Ludwig smiled as if he knew what she was thinking. "The inside of the temple is quite vast as well. Where are you headed? I''ll guide you to your destination." "Can I really... really accept your help?" Though her attitude was polite, her face betrayed her joy and desperation. "Yes." It was amazing that someone so in need of help themselves did not hesitate to help others. "I need to go to a place called the Royal Class Dormitory... Do you know where that is?" "¡­?" The young man tilted his head at her question. "You don''t know? Well, it can''t be helped..." "No, it''s just that it''s in the same direction I''m going... I was just surprised." "¡­?" "Let''s go. I''ll guide you there." The person she had asked for directions also had the same destination. The young man in front of her was neither a teacher nor a guard. So, he must be a student. Only then did Louise become aware of the young man''s empty right sleeve, which she had consciously tried not to ask or look at. Louise knew about the incident that had happened to her son''s friends as well. The dead classmates. And the stories of the injured classmates. "Is your name... Ludwig... by any chance?" "How do you know my name?" A friend of her son! "I''m Heinrich''s mo...!" Louise, too excited, almost misspoke and bit her tongue. "!!!" "Are... Are you alright?" She had bitten so hard that she could only taste the metallic bitterness in her mouth. ------ Ludwig led the way, and Louise followed. "I had no idea you were the princess... I apologize. No, I mean, Commander..." Realizing that Louise was Heinrich''s sister and the military commander of Kernstadt, Ludwig was flustered. He had heard about Louise, but this was the first time he had seen her face since he had never had any dealings with the Kernstadt army. Louise vigorously shook her head in response to Ludwig''s words. "No, no, it''s fine. There''s no need for apologies. I''m the one who''s grateful. You''re a friend of Heinrich''s..." Finding out that the person who appeared just in time was not only a temple student but also her son''s friend, Louise''s heart soared even higher. Louise quietly watched Ludwig''s back. His right sleeve flapped desolately in the wind. Louise could not witness Heinrich''s growth firsthand. However, through reports, she had learned about Heinrich''s school at the temple, and how he was living. Heinrich''s classmates in the Royal Class. Thus, Louise inevitably came to know about Ludwig, and after the war began, she became even more acquainted with him. Ludwig. Royal Class second-year student, B-11. Technically, a stone seat with his talent being physical strength. His talent was simple, but he possessed an extraordinary aptitude to grasp Magic Body Strengthening even before learning them. Of course, there were three more cases like this among the Royal Class second-year students, but two of them were the Demon King and the Hero. It was disrespectful to even compare them. If it hadn''t been for the war, he might have risen to the Master Class before graduating from the Royal Class. But the war took Ludwig''s arm. Louise could see resignation in Ludwig''s eyes, and though she couldn''t be sure, she thought he might still be able to fight if he continued training and practicing in that state. For some reason, she knew of Ludwig''s despair when she saw him sitting there, desolate like he had lost everything on a snowy night when the blizzard blew. War kept taking something from someone. "By the way, about the carriage earlier...?" Louise met Ludwig for the first time today. He had lost his arm, withdrawn from the battlefield, and returned to the temple. However, on this snowy day, she saw him pulling the baggage cart of an old man she didn''t know on the street. "Ah, he slipped on the snow and seemed to have hurt his waist. So, I took him to his house..." "I see..." Louise smiled as she watched Ludwig scratch his head with an awkward grin. It was a rule that anyone''s mood would improve when they saw someone with a good heart, especially if they themselves had been the beneficiary of that kindness. And so. Louise found Ludwig''s empty right sleeve all the more pitiful and heartrending. Ludwig was the type who couldn''t turn away from an old man groaning and fallen on the snowy path. He used his own time and strength to help pull the old man''s cart to his house. Louise didn''t know the details of how Ludwig had lost his arm, but she had some idea. She had received a report that he lost his arm while trying to save a friend in danger. In the end, his inability to turn away from someone in need had led him to lose his arm in these cruel times. Louise couldn''t help but feel the brutal truth that, in this era, a caring heart becomes a weakness as she looked at Ludwig''s empty sleeve. "It''s a sad time." At Louise''s sudden remark, Ludwig quietly stared at her. "...Yes, it is." "But even in such times..." Louise exhaled a white breath in the falling snow. "Let''s try our best to live." "..." "Let''s try our best to survive." In a world that only takes things away, you cannot simply accept being robbed. At Louise''s unexpected words, Ludwig quietly looked at her. "Yes, we must." Ludwig smiled, and so did Louise. ------ What''s this woman doing here? Why did she come here? "S...Sister?" Heinrich''s face paled as he saw the unexpected visitor, jumping up from his seat. Startled, Ellen, who had been sitting by the window stroking me, quickly hopped down. Louise von Schwarz. An unexpected person appeared in this place. "I also plan to rest at the temple during the winter." "You too...?" "Yes." Louise spoke stiffly to Heinrich, as usual. No, couldn''t you explain a little more? Regardless of whether Heinrich was taken aback or not, Louise looked at Ellen. "It''s not our first meeting, but I think it''s the first time we''ve seen each other like this..." "Hello." Instead of greeting her as a princess and military commander of Kernstadt, Ellen bowed her head slightly as if to greet a friend''s older sister. Next, Louise looked at me, sitting quietly on the windowsill. "Is this that cat?" Did she know about the cat that appeared at the royal class garrison? Louise didn''t seem too shocked or surprised at the sight of the black cat. "Yes." Ellen held me up to Louise as if inviting her to touch me. What is this? Are you treating me as a means to talk to strangers now? Well, that is convenient. Louise absentmindedly stared at the presented cat (me) and then gently stroked my head. It felt like she did it out of politeness. "..." "..." As Louise stroked me a few times, Ellen stared at her. Not just staring, but intensely gazing. How is it? How''s our baby? Tell me quickly. Tell me it''s cute. Her desire was blatantly apparent in her eyes. Louise seemed slightly embarrassed by Ellen''s gaze. "Um... It''s, it''s cute..." "Right?" Ellen, who was reluctantly acknowledged, vigorously tickled my head. Louise''s expression became quite peculiar as she watched Ellen. Although they were not strangers, they had never had a conversation before, so Louise had no idea what kind of person Ellen was. But a hero who shows off a cat? Was she disappointed or did she think it was human-like? Regardless of Ellen''s behavior, Heinrich was still in a half-panic state. "Sister... What''s going on...?" "I was told to stay in room A-1. Where is that?" Anyway, why is this person here? The temple is not in a situation where anyone can be admitted right now, and Louise von Schwarz is definitely not just anyone. Bertus must have granted her access. What does it mean that Louise was allowed into the temple? Louise was granted permission to stay in room A-1 of the second-year dormitory. Ironically, that room was once used by the emperor during his time at the temple. In exchange for the King of Kernstadt taking over military command during the winter, Louise was to spend a long vacation at the temple. Heinrich was dumbfounded by this unexpected situation, while Louise looked around curiously. "This place is the temple..." Whether comparing it to Kernstadt''s Academy or feeling a completely different sentiment, Louise seemed quite excited, even with her stern expression. Heinrich, offering to guide her around the royal class dormitory, disappeared with Louise somewhere. Meanwhile, Ellen was staring at the snow falling gently outside the window. CH 583 The day after Louise von Schwarz arrived at the temple. There weren''t many people in the Royal Class dormitory in the first place, and Louise was the commander of the Kernstadt army. Thus, some of those who recognized her seemed slightly tense, but it didn''t get noisy. Louise found it intriguing that she was at the temple, whether people recognized her or not. Breakfast time. "¡­You were patrolling the area?" "Yes, sister." "Didn''t I tell you to rest?" Louise''s expression slightly stiffened. "I''m sorry¡­" "I didn''t mean to hear that." Just watching the interaction between the two made one feel awkward. The tense atmosphere between them was almost unbearable for those who knew them well! "Anyway¡­ there was no significant issue. The surroundings of the Imperial Capital seem to be quite safe. We didn''t even catch a glimpse of any monsters. Right, Ellen?" At Heinrich''s request for support, Ellen, who had been quietly tearing her bread, nodded. "Yes, it seems like there''s no monster problem. I don''t think there''s much point in patrolling anymore." The two had been tirelessly active since returning to the temple, but they couldn''t even draw their swords for combat. It seemed it was time for them to rest. However, as they looked out the banquet hall window at the snow, the expressions of both Heinrich and Ellen darkened. Following hunger and cold, the accumulating snow was a major issue. The cause of all these issues was the gate incident and the monsters, but now the monsters had become a secondary problem. Louise, after exchanging various stories, glanced at Ludwig who was eating. "By the way, Ludwig, thank you for yesterday." "Uh? Oh¡­ no, Commander, it wasn''t a big deal." What is she talking about? What could Louise be thankful to Ludwig for? Feeling Heinrich''s gaze, Louise seemed slightly taken aback. She had a look that said she shouldn''t have mentioned it. "He¡­ guided me on the way yesterday." "Guided you¡­?" "Yesterday when I arrived, it was snowing so heavily¡­" Louise''s face turned slightly red. Don''t tell me¡­ "Did you¡­ get lost?" "¡­Yes." What the¡­ Why is this lady so cute? Initially, she didn''t even look like a lady because she was a master-class swordsman. When I think about it, Louise von Schwarz arrived at the temple very late yesterday. Ellen and Heinrich were in the lobby, unable to sleep due to the snow, but it was later than their usual bedtime. She didn''t arrive late, but had wandered off the Imperial Capital? The heavy snowfall made it an unavoidable situation. A princess getting lost and wandering in the snow. "If I hadn''t met Ludwig in time¡­ I would have wandered even more¡­" She had gotten lost and met Ludwig, who guided her to the temple. No, when you think about it, even after finding the temple would have been a problem. The temple''s interior is extremely vast. She might have struggled to find the Royal Class dormitory even after finding the temple. If she hadn''t encountered Ludwig by chance, she might have spent the whole night outside. "Ludwig, were you busy yesterday? You came late, it seems." Heinrich, who seemed to have sensed my curiosity, asked Ludwig, who was in the middle of his meal. "It wasn''t that I was busy with work... I finished on time, but on my way back... I came across someone who needed help, so I got a bit delayed helping them." "Typical of you..." "Heh..." They say old habits die hard. In the end, it led to finding the lost princess, so I guess it was a good thing. Meanwhile, Ludwig''s expression seemed to be gradually improving. It appeared that he was realizing he could still do meaningful work through the purification process. His wound wouldn''t heal completely, but it seemed he would find a way to overcome it, and he was in the process of doing so. Thanks to Ellen forcibly bringing me to the temple, not only was information gathered, but it was also a relief to see Ludwig getting better. "Huh?" -Meow "Hmm." As I sat on her knees, Ellen gently stroked my back. This is... Quite comfortable... If it weren''t for the Gate incident, I might have been content living as a cat for the rest of my life... Of course, I''d have to choose an owner as wisely as I did. Honestly, I think even the blockhead likes my cat form... Heinrich asked Ludwig, "Are you going out for purification work with that priestess again today?" "Yes, she asked me to come early today, so I''m leaving soon. There''s a lot of snow as well." "Purification work...?" Louise tilted her head as if she didn''t understand. "There''s an epidemic spreading in the Imperial Capital, so I''m in charge of escorting a priestess who''s purifying the disease." At those words, Louise''s eyes widened. "That''s a good deed." "No, not really. I don''t actually do much. Most of the time, I just walk beside her and that''s it..." "Even so, it''s a good thing, isn''t it?" "Well... Thank you." Louise nodded quietly, as if she found Ludwig''s efforts to do something despite his condition admirable. It also seemed to make her feel even more pity for him. That lady seems to have already reached the maximum level of affection for Ludwig. Well... If someone dislikes a person who''s only ever kind, then that person is the problem. And I had been unfairly harsh to Ludwig. Yes, I am the problem. When I think about it, everything in the world is my fault, so I am the problem... Suddenly, I feel depressed... Louise stared intently at Ludwig''s retreating figure as he left the banquet hall. "He''s a good kid." It seemed that Louise was relieved to see such a kind-hearted person among Heinrich''s friends. And she couldn''t help but feel pity for the reality of him losing an arm like that. "Yes, he is..." Heinrich showed a bitter smile at Louise''s words. ------ Both Ellen and Heinrich had confirmed that the outskirts of the Imperial Capital were safe, so there was no need to patrol them anymore. And due to Louise''s arrival at the temple, Heinrich couldn''t leave even if he wanted to. After breakfast, Louise and Heinrich stepped outside the Royal Class dormitory. There was no intention of patrolling the outskirts anymore. They had seen with their own eyes that the defenses were well in place for several days already. The reason Heinrich left the dormitory was to show Louise around the temple. Even the usually stoic mother was visibly excited, and even the not-so-perceptive Heinrich could tell. However, there was a problem. "My, there''s so much¡­ snow." "Indeed¡­" The snow that had started falling since yesterday had turned the entire world white, leaving nothing but an endless expanse of white all around them. Fortunately, the snow had been cleared enough so that it wasn''t too difficult to walk around, even though it continued to fall. "The outside world must be in chaos." "Most likely." Just like everyone else, Heinrich and Louise could not find any joy in this snow. To them, it felt like a terrible curse falling from the sky. Heinrich seemed to have an idea and looked at Louise. "Shall we try melting the snow?" "With your power?" "Yes, I''ve never used it this way before, but¡­ I think it''s worth a try." "Hmm¡­ Give it a shot, then." "Alright." Heinrich began to focus his power. "If it works, we could even melt the snow on the Imperial Capital instead of just patrolling, don''t you think?" Heinrich wore a proud smile as if he was thinking about clearing the snow on the Imperial Capital using his power. "Well¡­ Give it a try, for now." Louise decided to watch Heinrich''s attempt silently. -Krrrrrr! Soon, she could see a bright red, boiling sphere of flame high in the sky. "Are you planning to summon the sun or something?" "Well, if I were to do that, it would be disastrous, but for now¡­" The blazing flames emitted an intense radiance in every direction, and the heat could even be felt on their skin. A roaring sphere of fire burned in the sky, melting the piled snow on the ground. Naturally. -Plop, plop. "¡­" "¡­" The falling snow turned into rain and began to pour down from the sky. Inevitably, both of them were drenched in rain instead of snow in the middle of winter. Their clothes were soaked through in an instant. "Ah, this wasn''t¡­" Heinrich quickly extinguished the blazing sphere of fire in the sky, his face flushed with embarrassment. Louise let out a deep sigh. "I knew this would happen." "Did¡­ did you?" "If the snow melts and evaporates instantly from such intense heat, that method might work. But exposing people to that heat would be dangerous. No, the risk of fire would be the main concern. But if you melt the snow this clumsily, the whole street will turn into an ice rink." Louise thought that Heinrich''s grand plan was meaningless, but she decided to let him try it out for himself rather than explaining it to him. "¡­I''m sorry. We''re just soaking wet now." Heinrich''s face grew even redder with embarrassment, realizing what he had done after actually attempting something he should have known better than to try. "I wish you would think more deeply before acting." "Yes¡­" "Still¡­" Louise looked at Heinrich and smiled. "Your heart is in the right place." "Excuse me¡­?" Although his attempt was a failure and his method held no meaning, he tried it out of his desire to help people. "That alone might be enough." Louise added with a smile. Caught off guard by her sudden words, Heinrich could only stare blankly. "Th-thank you, sister¡­" Seeing Ludwig must have affected Louise''s emotions, and she couldn''t help but feel happy seeing a similar side in Heinrich. Of course. Having spoken of something she normally wouldn''t, Louise found herself as pale as Heinrich. And that wasn''t the only problem. Naturally, the two couldn''t help but feel the intense cold in the freezing winter air. For Louise, it wasn''t an issue, but for Heinrich, it was a problem. Seeing Heinrich''s lips turning purple, Louise sighed. "¡­Let''s change our clothes first." "¡­Yes." They had no choice but to return immediately after their walk. ------ After changing into different clothes, Heinrich and Louise set out for a walk around the temple. "Younger brother, there aren''t as many people in the temple as there used to be, right?" "Since the school is not operating, there are probably only a tenth of the usual number of people? No, even less than that." "If there are so few people in the temple that the snow can be cleared, we might not need to worry too much about the outside." "That would be nice." Louise and Heinrich walked around the temple. "Do you know about the temple''s education?" "I do." There is an academy in Kernstadt, and in fact, the Kernstadt Academy had adopted quite a bit of the temple''s approach. From the separate common and specialized education programs to educating children from a very young age and including students from all social classes without discrimination. "That''s the building where we had common education classes." "Ah¡­ I see." Louise looked at the snow-white building where the classrooms were. "That was the swimming pool¡­ and over there was where we did physical training¡­" "Right." Heinrich guided Louise through various parts of the temple, explaining everything. The classroom building where they had Royal Class lessons, the building where they had supernatural ability classes, the places where they trained in mana sensitivity, and so on. And not just the Royal Class, but Louise was also taken to the elementary and middle schools Heinrich attended when he was younger. "This is Main Street. Now the shops are closed, but the temple students used to gather here to go to restaurants or cafes. Almost all of the students came here unless they went out to the main street on weekends." "It''s a very wide street." "That''s right. There were over a hundred thousand students, and this was the street where they mainly gathered. And since students from all over the continent gathered here, you could also taste local cuisine from many places. Well¡­ I didn''t particularly like it." "I see." Aside from the guards who were clearing snow, passersby were extremely rare, but this space once bustled with countless students. People from all over the continent gathered here, bringing their cultures with them. Main Street was not an educational site, but it symbolized the success and prosperity of the temple. However, now there was not a single open store on the snowy street. Louise was familiar with all these places in her mind. The number of students, Main Street, the other schools Heinrich attended. She knew them in her head, but they were places and scenes she had never seen before. "You spent your whole life in a place like this." "Yes." Louise softly spoke those words, and Heinrich nodded. "I don''t know if it''s rude to say this to you¡­ but the temple is a good place." "You don''t have to be considerate. Don''t you think I know that the Kernstadt Academy is not as good as the temple?" Louise quietly looked at the snowy scenery of the temple. The Academy of Kernstadt was never meant to rival the size of Temple, nor could it. Seeing it with her own eyes, she realized that only an empire could have accomplished such a feat. Although the Academy of Kernstadt was modeled after Temple, it could not secure the same scale. First of all, there was no reason to choose the Kernstadt Academy when Temple, the greatest educational institution on the continent, was available. Most students enrolled in Temple came from wealthy families. They had no reason to attend a second-tier academy like Kernstadt. The Kernstadt Academy did provide tuition assistance, but if they were to fully fund their students like Temple did, the nation itself would falter. As a result, the number of schools and their scale were inevitably smaller. Louise was not unaware of this fact, so she did not think that Heinrich was belittling the Kernstadt Academy when he said this. "No, sister, I did not mean it that way." As they stood face to face on Main Street, Heinrich spoke softly. "I''m saying that I have lived a good life in a good place." "Ah¡­" Louise suddenly felt as if the air had been sucked out of her lungs. "It wasn''t exactly happiness, but neither was it misery. Rather, I lived among good people in a good place." "¡­" "So, you don''t have to make that face." Only then did Louise realize the expression she had been wearing. Heinrich had passed through countless places, schools, dormitories, and streets, but Louise had not been able to witness any of it, let alone be with him. She felt immense guilt for having lived her entire life ignorant of the truth about her son. That''s why she couldn''t express her appreciation for each place they visited. With her guilt unresolved and only growing deeper, Louise''s expression remained stiff throughout. Her joy at arriving at Temple was short-lived. In the end, she felt regret, sorrow, and ultimately guilt for not having been able to witness those moments. As a result, Louise''s mood only sank further. Temple is a good place, and I lived in such a wonderful place. So, you don''t have to feel sorry for me. Louise couldn''t tell if she even deserved to hear those words. She had never watched over him, cared for him, or even had a proper conversation with him. Even now that she knew the truth, they hadn''t had a proper conversation. For fear that someone might overhear them, she still called her son the youngest, and he called her "sister." "Thank you... for growing up well." "Oh, if you think that way... thank you." Louise could only resent herself for not being able to say more. Even if her country''s power was intact, Louise could see with her own eyes that Kernstadt could never catch up with Temple. Fortunately. If Temple was a good place where her son could grow up like this, then it was fortunate that Kernstadt could not compete with Temple. Living in a good place, among good people. What a relief that must be. However, as Louise thought this and was moved, she couldn''t help but let out a bitter laugh. Living among good people. What a terrible lie that was. Louise smiled bitterly. "Living in Temple with the Demon King and claiming to have been among good people... Do you think lying will comfort me? Even so... thank you for saying that." "Huh? Ah¡­" Her son must have been one of the most unfortunate people in the world, easily among the top ten. Despite this, to comfort her, he lied. That was the only way Louise could understand it. However, upon hearing her words, Heinrich became silent, as if he had received a great shock. Louise regretted her loose tongue as she looked at her son, who stared at her, wide-eyed. Had she carelessly mentioned the Demon King? It was clear that she had said something unnecessary. He might feel guilty for not having known anything while he was with the Demon King and for not having prevented all this. "My youngest, I just meant¡­" "Sister." Feeling an inexplicable tightening in her chest, Louise nodded in confusion. "Yes. I''m listening." In Heinrich''s terrifyingly stern expression, Louise felt a kind of fear she had never experienced in her life. Heinrich''s face hardened menacingly. He was contemplating. She couldn''t tell what he was thinking, but he stared at her in silence, as if searching for the right words. Would she be able to bear the resentment in the words she was about to hear? Feeling suffocated by the intense pressure, Louise waited for the words to come from Heinrich''s mouth. After a long silence, when the snow that had accumulated on his shoulders seemed to stop falling, he finally spoke. "All this time, I''ve been debating whether or not to tell you, Sister¡­ But I think you need to know." "I need to know¡­ what?" "Yes." The words that came from her son''s mouth were neither of resentment nor of expressing sorrow. Heinrich slowly opened his mouth, his expression still stern. "Actually¡­ before my brothers tried to kill me¡­ the Demon King visited me." "!" CH 584 Heinrich wore a determined expression, while Louise seemed to have lost her soul. It was only natural. The cause of all this chaos and the one who deserved the hatred of everyone in the world¡ªthe Demon King¡ªhad secretly visited his son. And the son had not told anyone about it, not even herself. Heinrich explained everything from the beginning. Before he learned that he was a bastard, he received an anonymous letter when he was struggling with the hatred of his brothers and the ignorance of the truth. "The letter said... my brothers were planning to kill me." "!" "They seemed to know... that I was a bastard. I don''t know how they knew..." Of course, Heinrich thought the letter was a prank and didn''t believe it. However, he later confirmed the truth about being a bastard through the mouths of his brothers, who were, in fact, his uncles. "The Demon King appeared that day. It seemed as if he had been watching me from somewhere all along." "The Demon King... came in person...?" "Yes, he revealed himself without a doubt." The Demon King made a proposal to Heinrich. If he wanted to survive, he should follow him. If he stayed there, he would either be killed or would have no choice but to want to kill his brothers. "And... he said he would tell me everything if I followed him. What had happened until now. What I could do in the future. What my role would be in all of this..." The more Louise heard, the more she felt the hairs on her body stand on end. The Demon King had been extracting information from the allied forces without her knowing, and her son was even being monitored by him. Was this what it felt like to have the blood drained from your body? But she was fortunate. Her son had not followed the Demon King but was here, right in front of her. "The Demon King tried to deceive you." "..." "I''m so relieved, truly relieved. You didn''t follow the Demon King. You made a wise choice." Three people had been deceived by the Demon King''s cunning tongue and followed him. Harriet de Saint Owan. Liana de Grantz. Olivia Lanze. Though there were only three of them, they were all either children of prominent nobles or individuals highly regarded as the future of the empire. No one knew what they were doing or where they were, but it was already a shocking event. The Demon King had tried to take advantage of Heinrich''s fear and confusion. He made an irresistible offer in a situation where it would be strange if Heinrich did not accept it. Louise felt incredibly proud and touched that her son had rejected the Demon King''s offer. He had rejected the Demon King''s proposal in a situation where refusal or resistance was impossible. How cunning and terrifying must the Demon King be? "Sister, I didn''t follow the Demon King because I don''t trust him." Heinrich looked at Louise with a stern expression. "What... did you say?" He didn''t follow the Demon King. But as she saw her son trying to utter the dreadful words that he believed in the Demon King, Louise began to tremble more and more. "I know what you''re thinking, sister. You might think the Demon King lied to deceive me, or that I''m saying this because I was fooled by his lies." Heinrich swallowed and continued speaking. "I have no intention of following the Demon King, even if he returns, nor do I intend to cooperate. You can rest assured on this matter. However, no matter how much I think about it¡­ no matter how much I doubt¡­ I cannot believe that the Demon King¡­ Reinhardt is an evil being." "My youngest, the Demon King deceived everyone. Did he not fool everyone with his gentle and mild disguise? Did you not see those who followed and aided the Demon King up close, deceived by his mask?" Heinrich couldn''t help but lose his composure at these words, even in this situation. Gentle and mild. These are words that anyone who had seen the Demon King during the Temple days could not utter. "¡­Sister. The Demon King was far from gentle and mild. If we were to be precise, he was a madman." "Is¡­ is that so?" "Yes, he was a madman who caused all kinds of trouble. He did everything he shouldn''t have done while infiltrating." The Demon King had done far too many things that shouldn''t be done if infiltration and capture were his goals. However, Reinhardt had become friends with many people and built relationships. But, it seemed like a series of coincidences rather than a calculated plan by the Demon King. If his true goal was capture, there would be no reason for the Demon King to act in such a manner. It''s too outcome-oriented to say that the purpose of the process was the same just because the outcome turned out that way. The Demon King lived his Temple life like a madman. In fact, Heinrich could even be considered a victim of his antics. But, all Louise could feel was fear looking at her son speaking about the Demon King like this. She couldn''t help but be afraid that he had already fallen for the Demon King''s tricks or ploys. "Sister, don''t you think that our coalition forces have been advancing too easily at some point?" However, Heinrich knew what to say to his sister. "¡­You can''t mean." "Despite being winter, the weather has been too good, and the warp gates of small cities have been seized without any strategy. Moreover, didn''t you see the scene in the recent Serandia battle, as if someone had already swept through it once?" Definitely strange circumstances. However, no one questioned these things. "You don''t mean that¡­ that¡­" "It is certain that the Demon King''s forces are helping our advance and fighting ahead of us." Secrets or strategies hidden by the Empire. That''s what she had vaguely thought. But the idea that all this help was coming from the Demon King was something she didn''t want to believe, regardless of its possibility. "Why would the Demon King do that? After causing the Gate incident. Why on earth would he help us?" "I don''t know. Why the Demon King is helping us. Why the Empire is keeping this a secret. I don''t know what the Demon King truly wants, but¡­ there''s one thing for certain." The Demon King had caused the Gate incident to bring about the destruction of humanity. "From the beginning of the Gate incident, there''s something we''re unaware of." Heinrich no longer believed in that placeholder. ------ Ludwig was heading to the Church of Tu''an. The fact that he could do something gave Ludwig a small consolation, but in the falling snow, he couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed. And Ludwig had heard from Rowan that, in her eyes, a collapsing building was a bigger problem than the cold caused by the snow. Ludwig could see people clearing the snow from the roofs, as well as those on the streets. The guards and the royal family were all focused on the snow removal, and the citizens were also working hard to clear it. As a result, for the first time in a long while since the Gate incident, the streets of the Imperial Capital were filled with people. However, there were many in the refugee camp who didn''t have the strength for such work. Purification was important, but was it meaningful in these circumstances? Even though the makeshift huts could not adequately protect against the cold wind, without them, people would freeze to death. Everywhere in this land was now filled with such anguish. Both Rowan and Ludwig knew that the purification of disease was only a temporary solution. What Rowan was doing now had nothing to do with hope. It was merely a temporary measure against despair, unrelated to saving the world or bringing peace. However, it was something that had to be done because they couldn''t not do it. In an era when even speaking of a small hope had become a luxury, the only thing they could do was to struggle to plug the hole in the dam of despair. Moreover, Rowan was not just an ordinary priestess, but an archbishop, and Ludwig, though he had lost an arm, was a superhuman. Even these people could do nothing more than small tasks in the present reality. There was no place for those even smaller. Great deeds were for great beings. Beings like Ellen, Heinrich, and Louise von Schwarz, who had shared breakfast with Ludwig that morning. Individuals with immense power or the ability to command vast armies would be the ones to end this Gate incident. Finding hope was the role assigned to them. Once all this was over, and a time came when even a small degree of peace could be spoken of, these small tasks would find meaning. The moment the survivors, by whatever means, faced the tasks of peace and reconstruction, what Ludwig and Rowan were doing now would have meaning in saving countless lives and giving them a future. That''s why Ludwig kept walking. Embracing the expectation that someday everything would be alright. Rather than despairing and giving up, he kept going because there was still something he could do. Ludwig would not give up. As he walked, he neared the Church where Rowan was staying. ¡°Where can we sell this?¡± ¡°There must be some nobles who''d be interested, right?¡± Ludwig could see people running through the streets with shovels. There were more than just one or two. Groups that seemed to be together, yet not, were moving around as if fleeing in twos and threes. ¡°Damn, it would have been great if it were something to eat.¡± ¡°That was all taken a long time ago. We''re lucky to have gotten this.¡± ¡°But what kind of Church doesn''t have even a glimpse of gold or silver?¡± ¡°They must have sold it already. We''re lucky to have gotten this much from such a poor Church.¡± ¡°Phew, it''s a relief that only a bit of hair got burnt.¡± ¡°We''re better off than those going in now. They''re all going to die.¡± Ludwig could see the smoke rising from beyond the alley. ¡°There''s a fire!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Before he could even fully understand the words, Ludwig was already running. ------ In the pouring snow, Ludwig could see the plume of white smoke, like a Church turned upside down, defying the sky and spewing fiery red flames. -Koo-roo-roo-roo Countless people had gathered around, staring blankly at the enormous shape of the flames. The Church where Rowan had been staying was engulfed in fire. -Crack! The sound of something breaking and collapsing could be heard. ¡°It''s about to crumble¡­¡± ¡°Where are the guards?¡± ¡°Can they even put it out?¡± ¡°It''s divine punishment. Punishment for those who conspired with the Demon King.¡± ¡°What nonsense! Those refugee scoundrels from the slums did this, not divine punishment!¡± Ludwig finally realized what those who had just passed by were up to. Looting. ¡®Sometimes there are people who want to set fires.¡¯ And arson. Someone had set the Church on fire, and others were taking advantage of the chaos to loot its treasures. "Rowan!" Ludwig rushed into the Church as if possessed. The onlookers, who had been casually watching the Church burn, clicked their tongues as they saw Ludwig charge into the flames. However, Ludwig paid no attention to their thoughts or their sarcastic comments about the Tu''an Order. "Ugh!" -Hiss The inside of the smoke-filled Church was a mess. Everything that could burn was ablaze, and it was difficult to see even an inch ahead. -Creak And with the sounds of wood breaking and walls cracking, the Church seemed to be on the verge of collapsing. Who could have done this? Why? Was it really necessary to go this far, even if one despised the Tu''an Order? In the midst of the acrid smoke, Ludwig soon saw it. ''Could it be...?'' There were people dressed as priests whom Ludwig did not recognize, lying in various places throughout the worship hall. Although he did not have the luxury of examining them closely, Ludwig could not help but sense that they were all dead. -Boom! Crack! Lifting burning, collapsed pillars and raising fallen stone columns, he searched for something. Knowing that inhaling smoke was dangerous even for a superhuman, he held his breath while searching. He searched for the person who should be here. How long did he wander through the smoke-filled, burning worship hall? Soon, Ludwig saw someone sitting in front of the Tu''an Order''s stone statue. "!!!" Archbishop Rowan. There she was, not in her usual gray, faded robe, but in a white holy garment. However, the originally white garment was now dyed a bright red. "Rowan...!" There were no words to describe Rowan''s state other than ''tattered.'' Her body had been stabbed multiple times, and the holy garment that should have been white looked better suited to be called a red shroud. Trembling, with wide-open eyes, Ludwig knelt in front of Rowan''s lifeless body. "Priestess! Priestess! Wake up!" But even as he spoke, Ludwig knew that his call could not bring Rowan back. Rowan''s eyes, forever unseeing even in death, had been robbed of something she could never regain. Gripping Rowan''s shoulder, Ludwig poured out tears that could not become a sob, his eyes wide open in the searing heat of the fire. "Why... why did this happen? Why... why?" -Crack The Church continued to burn. -Drip! And with the sound of something breaking that should not have been broken. -Rumble! The Church collapsed. CH 585 Louise had just heard a shocking story from Heinrich. She had already suspected that there was a secret behind the coalition''s excessively smooth advance. She thought it wasn''t necessary to uncover it immediately. However, it was hard to believe the rumor that the Demon King was leading the vanguard. Nevertheless, if it were true, she would understand why the Empire had no choice but to be silent. If this truth were to spread, people would start to doubt the Demon King''s intentions. Just as Louise was feeling confused now, it would be disastrous if this information spread throughout the coalition. That''s why the Empire had to pretend to be unaware of the Demon King''s assistance, even as they received it. ¡°It seems certain that the Empire''s relationship with the Demon King goes beyond tacit cooperation.¡± It was also hard to believe that her son had fallen for the Demon King''s sweet talk. If that were true, Heinrich would have no reason to remain with the coalition. He was in a dangerous situation and had no choice but to leave, yet he didn''t. ¡°The Empire¡­ and the Demon King¡­¡± Her son could have been taken by the Demon King. But, on the other hand, the Demon King might have tried to save her son. ¡°If there''s a truth we don''t know, what do you think it is?¡± ¡°I don''t know. If the Demon King didn''t want the Gate incident to happen¡­ then why did it happen¡­ and why is the Empire hiding the truth¡­ I really don''t know.¡± The Demon King had not mentioned any truth that would endanger Heinrich if he knew it. Heinrich stared at the confused Louise. ¡°I apologize. I didn''t mean to confuse you. But¡­ I felt I had to tell you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Louise couldn''t help but understand why this was happening, even without thinking deeply. Most people believe the Demon King is the root of all evil, and the few who know the truth encourage that belief. But if there was a different truth about the Gate incident. If it were true that the Demon King didn''t want the Gate incident to happen. Then what would become of the world? If the strong bond formed by hatred for the Demon King were to crumble, humanity would be finished. Heinrich bowed his head as he watched Louise''s confusion. ¡°I may be under the Demon King''s spell¡­ but I can''t help but think that way¡­¡± ¡°No, you did well. You told me well¡­¡± Although Louise still couldn''t free herself from the confusion, she had to commend her son for having the courage to talk about his secret meeting with the Demon King. Louise''s mind was in turmoil because of Heinrich''s words. Who is the Demon King really, what is the truth behind the Gate incident, and what is the Empire thinking? She knew nothing. But does it matter if there is a truth unknown to everyone in the world? Regardless of the intentions, the Gate incident happened, and it must be put to an end, and that fact remains unaltered in the face of any truth. Snow still falls. A blizzard pours down. Snow accumulates. Snow covers everything. The earth, buildings, trees, and frozen rivers. It buries everything. The Gate incident is like this snow. When a massive blizzard falls, everything is buried. When a blizzard comes, everything else loses importance. The snow had to be cleared away. It had to be continually cleared away to prevent it from engulfing and destroying everything. Just as one must clear away the snow before it devours the world, eventually nothing becomes more important than the snow itself. Truth too, buried beneath the blizzard called the Gate Incident, had become invisible and unimportant. The Gate Incident must be resolved. That absolute proposition buried all truth and justice. And thus, another absolute proposition: the buried truth is not important. Louise von Schwarz had no choice but to realize this. But if the Demon King really was such an entity. Fighting at the forefront to end the Gate Incident, yet unrecognized by anyone in the world. "If what you say is true... and if it''s really such a situation." How terrifying, powerful, and yet, How sad an existence must the Demon King be. "How sad. All of this." Louise sighed, looking up at the sky. ------ Heinrich and Louise walked aimlessly down the street in the Temple. What the Demon King said to Heinrich might have been a lie. However, it was also difficult to assume that the Demon King had lied. If he had intended to deceive, he should have at least said something. Words like "It''s dangerous, so let''s go together." "I''ll tell you what''s been going on so far if you follow me." He said nothing else and even stepped back meekly when Heinrich refused. Heinrich''s opinions on the Demon King and the events in the allied forces were the result of his own thoughts and judgments. The fact that the Demon King had been watching the Allied Forces'' base all this time was a chilling story to Louise, but in the end, the Demon King had not even attempted to deceive Heinrich. Indeed, Heinrich''s life was truly in danger. An assassination attempt had taken place, but hadn''t Louise dealt with it? If Louise had not intervened, Heinrich would have been killed. The Demon King didn''t want Heinrich to kill his brothers, nor to be killed by them. That''s why he wanted Heinrich to join him. When the Demon King came to find Heinrich, he said nothing other than the fact that an assassination attempt would occur. So, there was only Heinrich''s judgment. Thinking this way, Louise found it strange. He was despised by his brothers, his life was in danger, and he didn''t even know the truth about Louise. "My youngest." "Yes, sister." "Wasn''t it...wrong not to leave?" "It would have been right, at that moment." "Yes, you were in danger, and you didn''t know what would happen in the future. I didn''t even know I would do such a thing either." In a situation where safety was uncertain, it was inevitable to think that Heinrich''s decision to stay was foolish. "There were various reasons... but if I decided to leave, I could see the consequences that would unfold. Our soldiers, officers, royalty, and even Kernstadt would be affected." "Ah..." Louise couldn''t help but be dumbfounded, as she hadn''t imagined that Heinrich had such a mindset. "Even with my limited mind, I could tell that people would receive such gazes and resentment." "..." "So, I decided not to leave." Regardless of the reasons, it would be seen as betrayal. The people from Kernstadt would receive the same gaze as those from Tu''an Order, the Als Order, and the people from Saint Owan Duchy. Knowing it was dangerous to think so, he still did not leave. At those words, Louise felt as if her breath was being taken away. "And if I had left... This would never have happened, and this time would never have existed. Forever... I would have known nothing." Not all of his siblings hated him. He would never have known that some of them were just hesitant, finding it difficult to face him. "I''m glad you didn''t leave." Heinrich looked at Louise. The war had changed many things, and it had plunged far too many people into misery. But not everything changed for the worse. Heinrich had gradually become someone capable of contemplating many things. Overwhelmed with emotion and regret, Louise couldn''t find the right words. Instead of hating her for knowing the truth, her son was grateful, embracing the situation with joy. Louise couldn''t help but be thankful for so many things. How long had they walked in this pleasant silence? "...Huh?" The two, walking quietly, had no choice but to stop when they heard voices in the distance. On the opposite side of the path they were walking, a group of guards was blocking the road. "Is this a restricted area?" "It seems so..." The guards did not speak to Heinrich and Louise, but their stance blocking the road clearly indicated that this was a controlled area. By walking aimlessly, they had stumbled upon a place they would never have entered otherwise. "It seems... this is the university grounds." "Ah, I see. Then it''s understandable." However, a restricted area? Louise and Heinrich looked at the grounds blocked by the guards and the buildings beyond. As if it was not an issue to look, the distant guards paid no attention to the two. But was there a reason to control access? Few passersby were in the area, so there would be no one who would casually venture there. "If it''s a controlled area with no one coming and going..." There must be something happening inside that is considered confidential. And the scale of the visible security force was anything but ordinary. Although they couldn''t know what was happening inside, with that level of security, something of even greater magnitude must be taking place. "It seems to be a magic university." Having seen the sign, Heinrich nodded slowly as if he understood what the university inside the controlled area was. "A magic university... So, they must be conducting some kind of research." Louise agreed, nodding her head, thinking that it must be something the Empire would treat as confidential. "Are they trying to create another Titan? If such a weapon is developed again, it would be good for everyone..." "It''s probably not a Titan. I heard they don''t have the resources to make another one." "Really? Then they must be working on another large-scale magic weapon or something else?" "If it helps the war effort, anything would be good." "That''s true..." The Titan. Upon witnessing its power, Louise felt both shudders and fear. She thought time and time again how fortunate it was that the Titan was on their side. Even those who opposed the Empire, even if they were the Demon King''s army, would have been crushed under the Titan''s feet and vanished without a trace. The Empire was doing something at the Temple Magic University. It wasn''t the Titan, but they were researching something. It seemed that the B-class peers had been included in the research. They were said to be at the temple, but they were hardly ever seen returning to the dormitory from the magic university. Although Heinrich couldn''t know the details, he could guess that Louis Ancton, Christina, and Anna de Gerna would be involved in the research being conducted there. "Wasn''t a girl named Adelia involved in the Titan Project as well? Your friend¡­" "Yes, that''s right." Adelia''s power cartridge was a great invention, but the Titan surpassed it overwhelmingly. But this time, even other peers were involved. What kind of weapon could it be? "All your friends are¡­ incredibly talented, to say the least." The children from the second year of the temple. Louise couldn''t help but think that an unusual number of monstrously talented people were gathered in that grade. Geniuses and disasters were gathered in a strange way. Could it be an all too terrible coincidence? Louise and Heinrich walked slowly through the snow-covered streets of the temple, leaving the magic university behind. ------ Ludwig left the security headquarters with a desolate expression. There was no way the debris from the collapsing church could have killed Ludwig. After rescuing Rowan''s corpse from the pile of stones in the collapsing church, Ludwig encountered the guards who had come to clean up the fire scene. He was then taken to the security headquarters, pledging to fully cooperate with the investigation. However, the answer Ludwig heard left him dumbfounded. "¡­It''s difficult." "Difficult, you say?" "Yes. If they were caught at the scene, it would be different. But if dozens of thugs attacked the church and scattered¡­ if it was a spontaneous crime rather than organized¡­ finding the suspects would be very difficult." "I saw them with my own eyes. People looting the church and running away¡­ I didn''t see everyone, but I saw them clearly. I remember." "Ludwig, the population of the Empire is over 100 million now. And if the crime was committed by people from a refugee village, where even their identities have not been properly determined¡­ catching the criminals is virtually impossible." If the attackers were hiding somewhere in the maze-like alleys of the refugee village, it would be impossible to find them. "And with the weather like this¡­" In the current situation, where they are overwhelmed by dealing with the heavy snowfall, there is neither the manpower nor the possibility of finding the criminals. Ludwig didn''t know what to say. This is the reality of the Empire, where catching criminals is nearly impossible unless the crime happens right in front of you. Spontaneous crimes, spontaneous arson, spontaneous looting. The spontaneous nature of these incidents made it virtually impossible to catch the criminals, and the security forces were already marking it as impossible before even starting the investigation. The deep fatigue on the face of the person in charge made it clear that he was not being irresponsible in his statements. "But¡­ are we just going to let this go? Without any investigation, without doing anything? Just like that?" The security force has the power of summary execution, at least because they maintain some semblance of social order. But if they give up on this case where social order has completely collapsed, what have the security forces been doing up until now? If the guards aren''t doing their job, they shouldn''t have the right to kill people as they please. With a hollow expression, Ludwig looked at the guard captain, who let out a deep sigh. "Ludwig, this case is not within our jurisdiction. Even if we wanted to investigate, we wouldn''t be allowed to." "What do you mean?" "It''s a case of arson, looting, and murder that occurred in the church of the Five Great Religions." Ludwig could somewhat guess why the guard captain seemed to be washing his hands of the matter. "The authority to investigate this case lies with the Holy Knights." The guard captain implied that, while they had no intention to investigate, even if they wanted to, they couldn''t. They had cleaned up the scene, but the Holy Knights would likely conduct their own internal investigation. "We don''t know if the Holy Knights can properly track down the culprits, but we''ll probably have to hand over the case materials to them." After hearing that, Ludwig left the district''s guard headquarters. Rowan was dead. Most of the people who had been staying at the church were dead as well. And finding the culprits was practically impossible. Ludwig walked the streets in a daze. Archbishop Rowan. She was a peculiar woman, but she was never evil. It was unclear if the thugs'' target had been the food inside the church or their anger was directed at the Tu¡¯an Order. But Rowan, who had tirelessly roamed the streets to help people without even getting proper rest, had been brutally murdered. Why? Why did it have to come to this? And they''re not even getting caught? Was a person who could save tens of thousands of lives worth just a piece of bread? That didn''t make sense. This kind of thing shouldn''t happen. Even the guards themselves said they couldn''t find those people and didn''t have the resources in the first place. Ludwig didn''t overestimate himself. He didn''t think he could do what the guards couldn''t. This wasn''t a matter of strength but intelligence. And it required the power to get involved in the case. Ludwig''s thoughts had reached that point. He lacked the power to get involved in the case and the intelligence to solve it. He needed help. Someone''s help. Desperately. Those who committed such acts needed to be punished. With that thought in mind, Ludwig walked the streets, his eyes wide open. CH 586 "Meow." -Meow! I was not sure why she''s been playing this prank lately. She kept opening her mouth wide and pretends to swallow my face. Did she not know that from a cat''s perspective, this was terrifying? Regardless of whether it felt strange or not, it was just scary! I''m glad she didn''t bother with meaningless things like patrolling the Imperial Capital. But, it was getting scary that she didn''t seem to have anything else on her mind other than playing with the cat all day. Ellen mumbled while lying face down on the bed, with me at the head of the bed. Fortunately, Ellen hasn''t been spacing out lately, which was nice. I was glad that animal therapy seemed to be very effective. "You''re so cute." Hmm. You''re not too bad yourself. Of course, even so, when Ellen looked out the window at the still falling snow, her expression darkened. It was coming down terribly. There was nothing Ellen can do when the snow covered everything in the world. After all, snow was not a monster. There was nothing a hero can do in a snowstorm. So all that was left to do is rest. After lazing around for a while, Ellen got up and hugged me. Hmm. Was it already lunchtime? This must be what it meant for time to melt away. ------ Lunchtime. Heinrich and Louise had finished their walk and were sitting in the banquet hall, eating in time. However, the atmosphere was slightly different than usual. Not the atmosphere between the two, but the atmosphere in the banquet hall. ¡°Students who wish to support the Imperial Capital snow removal work, please sign up and report to the dormitory teacher.¡± The servants were announcing this to those entering the banquet hall. The snow removal work must be overflowing all over the Imperial Capital. Although it was not compulsory, there was a sense of responsibility and a sense of mission for those with power. So, the place was crowded with students signing up. Superhumans covered in blue flames of mana were not wielding swords and spears but shovels, clearing snow off the Imperial Capital. Of course, there were not only superhumans but also magic majors and supernaturals. If they were to be mobilized for the Imperial Capital snow removal, they could provide significant help. Wait a minute. Ellen stopped eating and glanced at the bustling area of snow removal volunteers. ¡­She could do it, but. A hero clearing snow. "Ah, Ellen." Heinrich pretended to notice when Ellen sat down with some food nearby. Louise von Schwarz was cutting a sausage next to him. "Are you going to help clear the snow?" "There''s nothing else to do, so." It was not a dangerous job, but¡­ Do you know that clearing snow can make you hate snow? No, it seemed that she already hated it enough. "If you want to do it, go ahead. There''s no rule saying that using your abilities won''t help. Who knows, there might be a good way if you think about it." "Ah¡­ Yes, sister." It seemed that Louise had no intention of forcing Heinrich''s actions and was already halfway to granting permission. Right now, the snow falling on the Imperial Capital was the most urgent issue. If the situation became too serious, I might consider contacting Liana. Still, everyone had something they could do that helped people and wasn''t dangerous, rather than just resting. That''s why the usually quiet atmosphere was slightly exciting. A considerable number of them were nobles and the cream of the crop from the Empire. Faced with a crisis known as the Gate Incident, they fought for the sake of humanity. No matter their origin, no matter how they were raised, their experiences had instilled within them the belief that they must use their power for the sake of others. That was why, whether they were of noble birth or a commoner, they believed they had to take action when people were dying due to the snow. While their thoughts seemed grand, in the end, they were filled with sadness. Suddenly. From somewhere. There was a smell...like smoke. There was a smell of smoke. What was it? Looking around, I couldn''t help but find the source of the odor. Ludwig. "Ludwig...?" Heinrich narrowed his eyes as he looked at Ludwig. The smell of smoke was apparent, and he looked battered. "Guys..." Ludwig slowly approached Ellen and Heinrich. "Help me..." "Hey, what happened to you? Did something happen?" Heinrich got up from his seat, and the others stared blankly at the disheveled Ludwig. "Just...once..." Ludwig mumbled blankly. "Can you help...?" He looked completely out of it, as if he had gone through something incredibly traumatic. ------ As it was clear that Ludwig had gone through a harrowing ordeal, Heinrich, Ellen, and Louise quickly finished their meal. Exiting the banquet hall, they headed to the B-class dormitory lobby. "First, you need to wash up. Are you injured anywhere?" "No, I''m not hurt... I''m not hurt... yeah... I''m not hurt..." As if broken, Ludwig repeated the same phrase, and Louise grabbed his shoulder. "Go wash up first. Cool your head, change your clothes, and then we''ll talk. Got it?" "Yes... Commander..." At the gentle but stern words of Louise, Ludwig nodded slowly, his face pale. We all watched in a daze as Ludwig stumbled to his room. "What happened to him? What on earth did he go through?" "...I don''t know." "It seems like he was at a fire scene..." Ellen, holding me, looked worriedly at Ludwig''s room. ------ Ludwig soon washed up, changed his clothes, and returned to the lobby. He still didn''t seem completely at ease. Ludwig was so distraught that he stammered as he explained the situation. He wasn''t very articulate to begin with, but after experiencing something major, his words were even more tangled. "Raid?" "Uh... people... they set fire to the church where the priestess was... they looted... and killed everyone in the church..." Ellen, Louise, and Heinrich couldn''t help but widen their eyes. "By the time I got there, it was too late. Everyone was dead. The church was on fire. I tried to find the priestess, but she was already... brutally... murdered... and the building collapsed..." Ludwig was trapped under the collapsing building, but a superhuman like him wouldn''t die from that. Ludwig managed to escape from the collapsing temple, along with the body of Rowan. Then, he watched as the arriving security forces and mages put out the fire to control the situation. After investigating Ludwig, the security forces realized he wasn''t involved and let him go. The reason the smell of smoke was so strong on him was because he had rushed into the fire scene. In the end, Ludwig could only return to the temple without being able to do anything. "This can''t... This can''t be right. What did the priestess do wrong? It wasn''t the priestess who did something wrong. What did the church people do to deserve this? People were talking as if it was a good thing that the fire broke out and that the dead were better off. This can''t be right." Anger could be felt in Ludwig''s eyes. "I... I don''t know. I can''t help but think that such things shouldn''t happen. And..." Ludwig looked at Ellen and Heinrich as he spoke. "I understand that the people who did this must be punished. But how to find those people... I have no idea." Ludwig muttered blankly. "I saw the people who pillaged the temple and fled. I want to find them. I want to ask them why they did such a thing. Why they had to do that... I want to at least ask. They were trying to save people, they were good people. Why did they have to kill them...?" Ludwig had even seen the culprits himself. However, he had no authority to investigate, and even if he did, he didn''t believe he could catch them. "I''m sorry. I know I don''t have any right to ask this of you, but I can''t do it..." Sorrow, frustration, and anger swirled in Ludwig''s expression and gaze. Ludwig had neither power nor strength, and he didn''t think he could solve it. That''s why he returned to the temple to seek help. Someone who had power, strength, and wisdom might be able to help him. There was only one person who came to mind for Ludwig. "Can you help me... just once?" Of course, there was no one else but Ellen Artorius. Ellen nodded her head as if it was a matter of course, looking at the desperate expression on Ludwig''s face. "Yes, I''ll help you." Feeling guilty towards Ludwig, Ellen naturally couldn''t refuse his request. ------ The arson, murder, and looting that occurred in the church of Tu¡¯an. Ludwig asked Ellen for help, and without hesitation, Ellen agreed to help. Louise and Heinrich didn''t answer immediately, but they quietly listened to Ludwig''s words. Ludwig explained what he had witnessed as much as he could. "The priestess told me. There were people who desecrated the church and those who tried to set it on fire. Maybe... the people who did such things joined forces and caused this. That''s what I think." Hatred towards Tu¡¯an and Als'' faith occasionally led to attacks on churches. Defacing and desecrating the church was common, and sometimes there were people who tried to set it on fire. And that arson attempt had turned into an actual incident. "Are you sure that everyone inside the temple is dead?" At Ellen''s question, Ludwig nodded his head. "I didn''t see anyone alive when I entered the temple." Ellen, who had agreed to help, remained calm and composed. "And you''re saying this was done by ''ordinary'' people?" "I saw people looting the temple and leaving. They seemed to be saying things like food was better than these items. No, I didn''t just think I heard it, I definitely heard it. Clearly." Hearing Ludwig''s words, Ellen, who had been contemplating for a moment, calmly spoke while looking at him. "There are many priests who aren''t particularly exceptional in their physical abilities. But a high-ranking Archbishop... Is it possible for them to be killed by ordinary people?" Exactly. That''s the problem. No matter how much resentment fuels the attackers, is it possible for an Archbishop and everyone in the temple to be killed? I had the same thoughts as Ellen. However, Ludwig shook his head at Ellen''s words. "I had that thought too. But if Priestess Rowan had been capable of fighting, she wouldn''t have needed me as a bodyguard in the first place. And if something happened during the purification process... I would have fled with the priestess." There''s a point to Ludwig''s words. If Archbishop Rowan had the ability to fight for herself, there would have been no reason to employ Ludwig as a bodyguard. There''s no reason for someone who can protect themselves to do so. "Also, the church wasn''t that big. I think... there were no holy knights. There were no corpses wearing armor either..." The number of priests was extremely low, and the majority of the combat-capable forces were with the allied army. Furthermore, this wasn''t the headquarters of the Holy Knights Order but rather an individual church of the Five Great Religions in the Empire, and it was small in scale. It''s understandable that there wasn''t a single holy knight present. The shabby church was in a state where it could be attacked by bandits, and it''s not impossible for everyone to be killed. Bandits could have invaded the church, killed the priests and believers, and set fire to it. It''s not an entirely impossible scenario. It''s just highly unlikely, considering how much the faiths of Tu¡¯an and Als are persecuted in the Empire. Ludwig seemed to find it hard to bear that people''s anger was being directed at innocent individuals in such a way. "As you said, if this was the work of bandits, neither the guards nor the Holy Knights Order could catch all the culprits. The same goes for me." Ellen doesn''t have any special abilities either. "Is that so..." Ludwig thought that if it was someone other than himself, someone smarter, there might be a better way, so he sought Ellen''s help. However, if this was a bandit attack and looting of the church, there''s nothing to be found, even if it''s Ellen. Ellen seemed to be lost in thought, silently considering the possibility that if what Ludwig said was true, she might not know either. In such a situation, Louise von Schwarz silently looked at Ludwig. It was clear that Louise had a great fondness for Ludwig''s good-hearted nature, and just yesterday she had received his help. Therefore, it was evident that she wanted to help Ludwig in any way she could during his struggle. "There are a few issues we need to clarify, though I don''t know the details." "What kind of...?" "We have to think about this incident in three stages." Louise counts on her fingers. "Murder." "Arson." "And looting." "This incident can be divided into these three stages." "So, the most important thing is the order." "Whether murder comes first, arson comes first, or looting comes first. We need to clarify the attackers'' initial purpose." Louise breaks the case down into segments. "There''s a possibility that plunder was the motive. If they attacked the temple for that reason, they must have been discovered by the priests during the looting and killed them. In that case, it would have started with theft. When the theft was discovered, they killed the priests and later set the fire. I don''t see a clear reason for arson, though." Louise continued speaking slowly. "Murder could have been the motive. If so, they attacked the temple, killed the priests, and then looted the empty temple. Perhaps they didn''t want to leave the temple''s belongings behind. The arson could be an expression of their anger, in its own way." Heinrich was also listening attentively to Louise''s words. "The possibility of arson as the main motive is very low. If they set the fire, the priests would have escaped the temple. But, Ludwig, you said that all the priests were dead when you entered the temple. That means the arson must have happened after the murder." The discussion about the order and purpose of the events. Arson was ranked lower in priority. Her words suggested that the motive was either plunder or murder, and arson wasn''t the main goal. Ludwig seemed to lose his nerve at this. "Why is the order important?" "It''s important," said Louise. "Because the murderer, the plunderer, and the arsonist might all be different people." Louise looked at Ellen. It seemed like she wanted to know if Ellen understood the meaning. "You mean that these three events could have happened at different times, by different people." "Exactly." Louise was suggesting that the events, which seemed to be a single incident, might have actually been caused by different people. "Even if it was the work of bandits, the ones who killed the priests, stole the items, and set the fire could all be different, and the time when these events occurred could also be different." "And," "Like you said, Ludwig, even if the temple''s security was weak. I think this is the right way of thinking." "No matter how many bandits there are, or how incapable the priests are in battle," "The likelihood of a high-ranking priest like an archbishop being killed by bandits seems very low." Both Louise and Ellen seemed to think that this incident was not an ordinary one. In the end, sitting and talking wouldn''t change anything. "Let''s go to the scene." That''s what Ellen said. The crucial difference between Ludwig and Ellen. In the land of humans, there was no door that remained closed before the name of Ellen Artorius. This holds true for the guards and the Holy Knights as well. "Um... Sister," Heinrich cautiously addressed Louise. With her usual stern expression, Louise looked at Heinrich. This person, who seemed utterly cold-hearted at first glance, ultimately killed her two siblings for Heinrich''s sake. It''s hard to fathom how terrible she must feel about Heinrich and how much guilt she carries. "It''s a matter of helping a friend, so there''s no reason for me not to do it. Besides, I could use a little action myself." Both Heinrich and Louise have come to take a break. They haven''t come with a political purpose. "Of course, if it''s deemed dangerous, we''ll have to stop." Louise said this while looking at Ludwig. "So, I''ll come along too." It seemed that, regardless of whether she was helping or not, she intended to make everyone back off if the situation was deemed dangerous. From her perspective, there was no reason to stand by and watch Heinrich get involved in something risky. "Th-thank you..." Ludwig''s expression became flustered when, following Ellen, an unexpected person also offered to help. What was this? The situation was getting bigger. For some reason, this matter didn¡¯t seem like it will end ordinarily. The people gathered here suddenly became involved in a suspicious affair. Somehow, he had a feeling that the outcome wouldn''t be very good. Although he had a strong urge to stop it, as a cat, he could only meow and couldn''t say anything else. CH 587 Heinrich, Ludwig, Ellen, and Louise. The unexpected group of four suddenly left the temple. Naturally, the cat was left behind in the temple. It wasn''t a suitable place for it to go. Among them were people who disliked being the center of attention and those who absolutely shouldn''t be noticed. Thus, all of them wore their hoods up. There was no particular need for them to move covertly, but there was no need to draw too much attention either. However, as Heinrich looked at the snow piled up on the streets and the numerous guards clearing it away, he couldn''t help but wear a guilt-ridden expression. Ellen, who was leading the group, looked at Ludwig. "Tell me everything you know about that priestess." "You mean Priestess Rowan?" "Yes." "Is... that important?" "It might be, depending on the situation." Ellen didn''t bother explaining to Ludwig why the story about Rowan was important. Ludwig began speaking within the limits of his knowledge. Her name was Rowan. As a priest, she held the rank of archbishop. And she was assigned the task of performing purification work while receiving protection from the guards. "It''s quite serious for an archbishop-ranked priest to be wandering the streets alone." "Yes..." "Indeed... It couldn''t be helped. Most of the priests and holy knights would be with the allied forces, and the number of Tu¡¯an priests has significantly decreased..." The number of priests was so low that an archbishop-ranked priest had no choice but to wander alone, despite the numerous places where their presence was needed. Louise nodded, seemingly understanding the meaning. Telling everything they knew about Rowan might help the case. Rowan was already dead, but Ludwig tried to recall how much he knew about her. He didn''t think Rowan deserved to die, but Ludwig didn''t know much about her. After all, they had only spent less than a week together, so there wasn''t much to know. Still, Ludwig recalled what he could. The story about the archbishop. "...I heard such a story." "What story?" "Originally, Priestess Rowan was a bishop, but she became an archbishop after the Gate incident..." At those words, Ellen and Heinrich slowly nodded. "Because there were too many vacant positions, someone had to fill them, so she ended up taking a position that was beyond her capabilities... That''s what I clearly heard." Ludwig''s memory was good, even if his ability to piece clues together and draw conclusions was lacking. Rowan was not a lord who had lost her territory. Rather, she had received the archbishop''s position after the Gate incident. "Performing the duties of an archbishop while managing drastically reduced dioceses means that she wasn''t an archbishop acting as a diocese administrator." Ellen spoke as they walked calmly. "She probably had other duties, and perhaps there were separate responsibilities and tasks she had taken on." They didn''t know what they were chasing yet, but they were certain about what to focus on. And understanding who Rowan was properly was also important. Ludwig couldn''t help but feel strange. Rowan was a dead person. She had been murdered, but Ellen was asking about a completely different victim, not the scene of the fire or the suspect''s appearance. However, Ludwig thought Ellen might be considering something he couldn''t see, so he tried his best to provide as much information as possible. "Before we parted ways yesterday, I asked what exactly she was doing." "What did she say in response?" Heinrich asked at Ludwig''s words. "She said she was performing purification work while also investigating strange occurrences in the refugee camp. She said that strange things happened in places where too many people were dying, and she tried to handle them if possible." "Strange occurrences?" "Yes, I''m sure. She said she was dealing with that too." At Ludwig''s words, Louise nodded slowly from under her hood. "If we don''t attribute much importance to it, it would seem that she tried to handle unspecified situations occurring in the refugee camp. If we think about a slightly dangerous possibility..." Louise spoke quietly. "She was always on high alert for everything that happened in the refugee camp. It has the same meaning." "What does that mean, sister?" Louise stared intently at Heinrich, who asked the question. "It means that her actual role could have been gathering information or surveillance in the refugee camp." It was Ellen, not Louise, who answered. "Are there any organizations related to information gathering within the Holy Knights or the Tu''an Order?" "Um..." The discussion was moving to a stage where they might be dealing with matters they shouldn''t touch upon. "The Holy Knights, where the power of the Five Great Churches is united, hold greater power than most nations." "That''s right." "If such a large-scale force didn''t have an internal organization dedicated to gathering information, that would be even stranger." "Wait... So are you saying that Rowan was like a spy?" Ludwig said, flustered. "And why do we keep talking about Rowan?" Rowan was a victim, a casualty. However, Ellen and Louise talked about Rowan as if she were the key to the case, as if she were a suspect. "Ludwig." "Y-yes?" Ellen looked at Ludwig. "If this is a simple act of vengeance, there''s nothing I can do." "..." "If Rowan had been an ordinary priestess and really just a person doing purification work, she would have been an unfortunate victim." Ellen spoke as Ludwig''s expression grew increasingly tense. "But if Archbishop Rowan wasn''t an ordinary priestess, this case couldn''t be ordinary either." Archbishop Rowan. Depending on who she was, the case would be different. If it were an ordinary case, Ellen would have nothing to do. "If it''s not an ordinary case, I might be able to find something out." Only when the case was suspicious could corners be revealed where information could be found. Originally, the simpler a case was, the more difficult it was to solve, and the more complex it became, the easier it was to find clues called leads. Ellen focused on the victim rather than the suspects to find out if there was even a little complexity in the case. "That''s why I''m asking." There was still nothing for certain. Just in case, she asked for now. Ellen added that as she walked. ------ The group had no choice but to stop at the edge of the road where the burned church was visible in the distance. "It''s only natural that it''s under control." It was Louise''s words, and everyone nodded. "It''s not the guards, but the Holy Knights'' forces." As Ludwig heard from the guard in charge, the crime scene was already under the protection of the Holy Knights'' forces, not the guards. There were onlookers around the burned church, but most of them hurriedly passed by, shushing each other out of fear of the sparks. "I cannot interfere with the affairs of the royal family or the Holy Knights. You know what I mean, right?" "Yes." She had too many responsibilities on her shoulders to act impulsively out of curiosity. While Louise wanted to help Ludwig, she could only do so without crossing the boundaries of her personal sphere. If people began to doubt her intentions, it would create more problems. "I don''t plan on getting close. Little brother, you''re in a slightly different situation than me, but there''s nothing good about getting close carelessly." "Yes, sister." Heinrich nodded his head with a firm expression, as if he understood Louise''s concerns. There would be no benefit to Louise getting involved with the affairs of the Holy Knights due to her political position. She could only offer advice and had no intention of getting directly involved in the matter. Besides, Ludwig was considered no different from a civilian by the Holy Knights, so they would not open the way for him. However, a person with immense, intangible power, capable of accessing any matter involving the royal family or the Holy Knights, was present. Lament and Lapelt. There was no door that would remain closed in front of the masters of the two divine relics. "Ludwig, follow me." And it was entirely possible to bring along a companion. ------ Ellen''s task was simple. "What''s going on?" She approached the Holy Knights blocking the burned church, removed her hood, and asked them. "Y-you''re the Hero...?" The knight who appeared to be in charge froze upon seeing Ellen, who was looking inside the temple. Ellen didn''t hold any official position within the Holy Knights or the Five Great Religions. However, being the master of two divine relics symbolized an authority greater than that of the Pope or the Commander of the Holy Knights. To oppose Ellen''s words was to oppose the will of the gods. "Last night, thugs set fire to this church and massacred the priests. We were dispatched to secure and preserve the site." The Holy Knight nodded quietly in response to Ellen''s question. "May I take a look inside?" "There''s a risk of collapse due to the fire! Hero, if you go in recklessly..." "I''ll be fine even if a building ten times this size collapses on me." "B-but, if you''re alone it would be one thing, but with an outsider..." The Holy Knight frowned at the idea of Ellen entering with Ludwig as well. "He''s my friend." "Even so..." "Is there a problem?" The Holy Knight couldn''t say anything in response to Ellen''s words. Ellen was the representative of the gods. No matter where the order came from, nothing could outweigh Ellen''s words. Ellen didn''t even wait for the hesitant Holy Knight''s response. There was no audacious Holy Knight who could dare to grab Ellen''s shoulder. While she entered the temple with reckless abandon, Ellen could do so without any problems. As long as she didn''t actively use it, Ellen was someone who could be forgiven for any misdeed. The burned temple was in a precarious state, with parts of the roof collapsed and the risk of it crumbling at any moment. Naturally, the Holy Knights guarding the entrance were justifiably concerned about Ellen entering the dangerous area. ''He''s following.'' However, Ellen noticed something else. As Ellen entered the scene, a Holy Knight followed her. His nervous demeanor resembled a mouse in front of a cat. Ellen looked around the interior of the temple. All the furnishings inside, including the chairs, had been burned, and the stone walls were covered in black soot. Ludwig, of course, couldn''t help but have a terrible expression. Although the fire had been suppressed, he had seen countless corpses here. Being back at the scene, the horrifying sight from the morning inevitably resurfaced in his mind. "What happened here?" "We''re still investigating, so we''re not certain yet. It''s presumed that unidentified individuals attacked the church, plundered items, killed the priests, and then set fire." The Holy Knights themselves were uncertain about how the incident had unfolded. "Have the casualties been identified?" "Three lay believers, three priests, and seven church personnel... All of them were found dead." Ellen nodded upon hearing this. ''It''s impossible to know the scale of the thugs... but with that number, proper resistance would have been impossible.'' The church wasn''t that large to begin with, and there were very few personnel inside. It was inevitable, given the decline in the resources of the Tu¡¯an Faith. ''Everyone''s dead... Under these circumstances, it''s not so strange that they were defeated by the thugs.'' This church was too small in scale. As a result, the possibility that Louise and Ellen''s speculation - that an archbishop-level priest couldn''t be easily killed by ordinary people - was incorrect had become much higher. CH 588 "Have all the corpses been recovered?" "Yes, they are currently being transported to the Holy Knights'' headquarters." Ellen silently surveyed the interior of the burnt church. There were no bodies to be found at the scene. It was clear that recovering the corpses quickly was crucial, as parts of the church had already collapsed. Ludwig looked around the interior of the church with a stern expression. Ellen also examined the burnt sanctuary of the church. ''The possibility of a bandit attack is high.'' The church was small enough that it could easily be raided by civilians, and the priests could be killed. Capturing the culprits would be difficult, but the likelihood of something else being hidden behind this incident had increased. "How was the fire situation?" "It is presumed that arson occurred after all the priests were killed. And it seems that those who came to watch the fire entered the church and stole things." "So they looted after seeing the fire?" "Yes. There were multiple witnesses. They tried to enter as soon as they saw the fire." "I see..." At that, both Ludwig and Ellen furrowed their brows. As Louise had said, there was an order to the events. However, arson wasn''t the last. Looting could have been the final act. "So, they didn''t set the fire and then loot, but looted after seeing the fire?" "Yes..." It wouldn''t normally happen, but every penny and meal were crucial in this situation. The church was on fire. Those who were watching the fire attempted to loot, hoping to get their hands on something valuable or even food from inside. Their assumption that arson was the last act was wrong. It was a thought that didn''t take into account the desperation of the people. Looting was the last act. And the looters were not the murderers but mere onlookers. They rushed into the fire scene to steal. Of course, there was also a possibility that the killers had looted and set the fire, and then the onlookers stole what was left. ''If arson was first, the priests would have escaped the church before being engulfed by the flames. Arson happened after the killings. Looting was committed by the onlookers.'' ''The order was: killing the priests, arson, and then looting.'' ''Then, it''s likely that the murderers killed the priests and set the fire. We still don''t know their motive, though.'' ''At least the looters Ludwig saw are not the murderers. They are petty thieves.'' ''But I know one thing now.'' After organizing her thoughts, Ellen looked at the restless knight. "Is there any chance of catching the culprits in this case?" "...I cannot give you a definite answer yet." At Ellen''s question, the knight hesitated and only gave that response. If this was really an act of a crowd turned bandits, regardless of whether Rowan was an actual priestess or not, there would be no corner for Ludwig and Ellen to uncover more information even if they got more involved. Even if they searched, they would only catch a few petty thieves, and they might not be the ones who killed the priests. ''Although there''s a possibility of civilian massacres by the Holy Knights being used as an excuse, the likelihood of the Holy Knights committing such an act in a situation where they are already not looked upon favorably is low...'' Ellen pondered. It was by no means a good thing, but if she said that the incident was as it seemed on the surface, Ludwig would back down. The thugs attacked the church and set it on fire. The culprit was a civilian, and Rowan, with her subpar combat abilities, was mercilessly killed in the face of the slashing blade, unable to save herself through the power of recovery alone. Whether Rowan''s true role was that of a spy or something else, there was no reason for Ludwig to find out. "Hero, please leave this matter to us..." However, Ellen was conscious of the presence of the knight beside her, who was constantly trying to send her away. Like a thief with a guilty conscience, the knight seemed very uneasy about Ellen being in this place. The knight''s unease was preventing Ellen from leaving. ''They''ve recovered all the bodies...'' It was not unreasonable to remove the corpses quickly, as they might be buried under collapsing buildings if left at the scene. But the entire building had not been burned, nor had it completely collapsed. Ellen examined the wall of the unburned building. ''Bloodstains...'' She confirmed the presence of bloodstains in an area where she presumed the body had been. Ellen imagined what the murder scene might have been like. The victim was killed while leaning against the wall. ''Blood splattered on the wall, and a large amount of blood on the floor... They must have died instantly here.'' ''The weapon used was a blade, probably a sword...'' ''The direction of the blood splatter is upwards to the right, which means the attack came from left to right in an upward motion...'' ''Not cutting downward but upward, which isn''t the most effective way to put force into it.'' ''Judging by the amount of blood, it''s not a simple cut, but a severed wound. The bone was cut along with it. Otherwise, there wouldn''t be so much blood.'' ''A civilian who doesn''t even know how to handle a weapon properly couldn''t possibly sever someone''s bone in one go...'' ''Absolutely not.'' Ellen closely examined the bloodstained wall. ''Among the attackers, there must have been someone capable of Magic Body Strengthening.'' Looking at the evidence, Ellen deduced the circumstances of the slaughter, which would have been impossible with the ordinary strength of a normal human. She didn''t know if the knights had failed to find any clues, or if they knew but chose not to say anything. It was unclear whether Ellen was being kept in the dark simply because she was an outsider, because revealing the information would be detrimental, or because they were genuinely unaware of the evidence right in front of them. "Do you... know anything?" As Ellen pondered deeply, Ludwig asked softly. "No, not really." Due to the watchful eyes beside her, Ellen chose not to share what she had discovered. Ellen also inspected other areas beyond the chapel. The church was not intact; some places were in ruins. The area behind the church, beyond the chapel, had collapsed completely, including the rooms where the priests lived and the kitchen. Cold winds blew through the open roof, and snow had already piled up in a pristine white layer. "Hero, there might be more collapses." "It''s fine." It was impossible to tell what lay beneath the rubble that had fallen from the roof. "Could there be more bodies of others buried in there? What''s the search situation?" "Ah... We''ve already recovered all the bodies. The collapse on this side happened in the morning." "I see." Looking at the twisted frame of the collapsed roof, Ellen could tell that the knight''s warning about potential further collapses was true. With the snow continuing to pile up, the church might give way under the weight. Ellen was certain that the knight''s claim of a bandit attack was either a lie or spoken in complete ignorance of the true facts. The assumption that they couldn''t resist armed civilians was wrong. The attackers must not have been civilians. The sequence of events was murder, arson, and looting. Ellen''s conjecture was that the perpetrators at the murder stage were not bandits. Then why? What was the attackers'' motive for assaulting this place? Obviously, there had to be some significance to this location. But what meaning and value could this not-so-large church hold? Though burned down, Ellen couldn''t find anything of great value in the church. If the attack wasn''t simply the work of bandits consumed by rage, there had to be a reason. A reasonable cause and basis. However, the knights seemed to be deliberately withholding information. All the corpses had been recovered, so any meaningful clues Ellen could find, aside from the bloodstains on the walls, had likely already been destroyed. Ellen recalled what Louise had said. Three stages of the incident. Murder, arson, and looting. Murder was the first, and it was certain that they were not civilians. The original goal was probably not looting, but killing the priests. Looting was the last, and the onlookers at the fire scene were merely transformed into looters. Then, the looters were unrelated to the true core of the incident. Louise had suggested that the three events could have been committed by different individuals. This was not a simple case of enraged people causing chaos. Looting was a natural occurrence as some valuable items might be too precious to burn in the fire. So, the looting was incidental, and the core of the incident was murder. Why was the church attacked? There must have been a valid reason. There had to be something more than met the eye. The second stage was arson. Why was arson necessary? It must have been necessary as well. Why was arson necessary? The result of the arson. Ellen looked at the collapsing church. Did they need to burn something? Or, did they need to cause a collapse? It was hard to tell. Ellen was sure of one thing. This church was definitely not an ordinary one. "What was this church for?" Ellen asked. The knight cocked his head as if he didn''t understand her question. "Excuse me? This was the church of Tu''an, dedicated to the Goddess of Purity, Tu''an." "¡­" It was impossible to tell whether the knight truly didn''t know or was just pretending not to know. Ellen looked around. "Ellen." And then, the previously silent Ludwig called out to Ellen. "Yeah?" "Doesn''t it¡­smell?" At Ludwig''s words, Ellen fell silent for a moment. There was undoubtedly a suspicious scent. She couldn''t tell whether the knights were hiding the truth even though they knew it or whether they were trying to send Ellen away because it was truly dangerous. Ellen knew Ludwig wasn''t confident in using his head, but even Ludwig found it suspicious. Anyone could see that the scene was suspicious. No. A smell? Ellen looked at Ludwig. The sight of Ludwig twitching his nose. He wasn''t sensing a suspicious scent; he was actually smelling something. "¡­" As expected, this fool had taken the phrase "smelling something fishy" quite literally. Indeed, there was an actual smell. The scent of burning was unbearable at the scene of the fire, and Ellen was doing her best to breathe as little as possible. "What smell?" "It''s... a foul smell..." A foul smell. The burning scent was noticeable, but the foul smell seemed out of place. The overwhelming scent of burning permeated the surroundings. But mixed within it, there was something else. Subtle yet undeniably present. A foul smell invading their nostrils. To be precise, "It smells like excrement." "Really...?" The smell of feces and urine, in other words, the smell of waste. "There''s also the scent of blood mixed in." A pungent blood scent could be detected from somewhere. It could be a smell emanating from the remains of the dead, but the scent detected by Ludwig and Ellen was not that of a typical scene. It was a very strong scent. It hadn''t been swept away by the flames or buried; it was definitely a smell that was seeping out from somewhere. Ludwig couldn''t help but focus on that scent. The smell of waste and blood. It was a smell they had experienced far too many times throughout countless battlefields. A scent all too familiar to Ellen and Ludwig. And the source of that smell. Ellen rolled up her sleeves. "Ludwig." "Yeah?" "Help me clear away the debris." "Ah, sure! Got it!" "Um, Hero...!" A knight, who seemed determined not to help, blocked Ellen''s path. "One more useless comment, and..." Ellen lifted her robe, tapping the sword hanging on her waist with her fingertips. She pointed at the Sword of Moonlight the Void Sword Lament. "You''re in for quite a sight." Ellen''s patience was wearing thin. ------ The knights, who had been guarding their surroundings, grew increasingly anxious as Ellen and Ludwig unexpectedly began clearing the debris of the collapsed building. Fortunately, the building''s outer walls remained intact, preventing anyone outside from seeing Ellen and Ludwig as they cleared the debris. Clearing the piled-up snow and the mound of stones as large as a house was a simple task for Ludwig and Ellen. After lifting only a few stones, both Ellen and Ludwig were certain. The pungent smell of blood and waste was becoming stronger from within. There was something under the debris. Others watched Ellen and Ludwig''s actions, but no daring knights tried to stop them. Unable to dissuade them or offer help, the knights could only watch as Ellen cleared the debris. After some time spent clearing the debris, "There was an underground area." "...Indeed." The space that had been hidden beneath the collapsed building''s debris. Within it, Ellen and Ludwig could see stairs leading down to the underground. And unmistakably, the smell of waste and blood was flowing from the underground stairs. Ellen stared at the pale-faced knights. "Don''t follow us, don''t go anywhere, just wait here." It was a stern warning for those who had tried to deceive her, implying they should be prepared for whatever she might discover. "Let''s go." "Right." Ellen led the way, with Ludwig following close behind. CH 589 The staircase leading underground was not very long. As they descended through the entrance buried in debris, the stench grew increasingly unbearable, and the pungent smell of blood intensified. "What on earth could be down here..." Ellen, tense, pushed open the door leading into the church''s underground chambers. In the darkness, the Sun''s Cloak draped itself over Ellen''s shoulders, and soon, the blazing flames spewing from the cloak repelled the darkness. As the darkness receded, a long hallway appeared, with rooms scattered here and there. The underground had not been affected by the fire. However, corpses were strewn throughout the hallway, either undiscovered or not yet cleared away. "Even down here..." Ludwig stared blankly at the hallway, his eyes wide. There was a hidden space within the church. The stench rising from the ground was from the blood and filth of the corpses. "It seems the attackers'' main goal was to kill the people here." Unlike the disheartened Ludwig, Ellen calmly walked down the hallway. What did this church and the dead people underground signify? ''From the start, this seems to be the true purpose of this place...'' While there weren''t too many people, it wasn''t a small number either. Ellen walked through the underground hallway, examining the rooms as she went. There were spaces that looked like dining halls, storerooms, and bedrooms. ''The surface was a front, and the underground was the reality. There were more people living here than I had heard...'' Ellen''s eyes spotted scattered weapons, like swords and spears, throughout the area. ''The remnants of a battle, not a massacre...'' ''The attackers fought with the people who were underground.'' However, the crucial issue was that they couldn''t tell which corpses belonged to the attackers and which were the victims. Not a single person was wearing priestly garments. There was another staircase leading further down. And the stench continued to rise from below. Though Ludwig wasn''t scared, the fact that more people had died and that the church was operating for a completely different purpose than its outward appearance made him more confused. Ellen reached the second underground floor. "What is this... what on earth...?" Ludwig mumbled, his face pale and vacant. Ellen gazed at the vast space and murmured to herself. "A prison, perhaps." At a glance, the area appeared to be a large-scale detention facility with iron bars. The prisoners were dead, hanging on the walls. ''The cause of death is a puncture wound... They were impaled by a weapon like a spear.'' Ellen walked around the second underground floor, visually examining the corpses behind the iron bars. ''All the other corpses have the same cause of death. That means they were killed from outside the bars by stabbing them with a spear... It''s likely they were executed.'' ''Considering the scars on each corpse, it''s clear they were not only imprisoned but also tortured. There are quite a few rooms that look like torture chambers as well.'' ''Imprisonment, and torture.'' ''Did the attackers come to rescue the people who were locked up?'' ''If that was their objective, then these people weren''t killed by the attackers, but by the people who were in the church''s underground.'' ''Whether the rescue was the goal or not isn''t certain, but the rescue attempt failed, that''s for sure.'' "Who are these people, and why have they been imprisoned here?" "Ellen..." Ludwig''s distraught voice interrupted Ellen''s thoughts. Ludwig, who had called Ellen, was standing in front of a cell, staring blankly inside. "I... I saw this person yesterday." "What?" At his words, Ellen approached Ludwig''s side. A mysterious prisoner, dead from impalement on the cell''s bars. However, Ellen had no idea who the person in front of her was. Ludwig''s eyes were trembling intensely. "Yesterday... Among the people who tried to ambush me and the priestess... this person was there. I''m sure of it..." "They tried to ambush you?" Ludwig nodded. He briefly explained the situation from yesterday. There was a commotion during the purification work due to a heretic issue, and Rowan, who had shown slightly irrational behavior upon seeing them. However, she gave up attacking when she realized they were hero priests. On their way back after completing the purification work, the hero priests attempted to ambush Ludwig and Rowan. Ludwig escaped with Rowan in tow. One of those attackers was now dead and imprisoned. "I thought we had left those people alone..." "In reality, they captured them from the refugee camp... That must be the situation." In front of Rowan''s death, an enraged Ludwig sought Ellen''s help. However, by now it was almost certain that Rowan was far from a good person. It was unclear if all the prisoners were the same, but there was a high possibility they were heretics. And Rowan''s demeanor, which appeared to have momentarily lost her sanity upon seeing the heretics. The torture chamber. Now, Ludwig couldn''t help but know what this place was and who Rowan had been. "Could it be... This place... And the priestess was..." Ludwig mumbled blankly, and Ellen, quietly observing the prison, spoke briefly. "She must have been an Inquisitor." "..." There was no doubt that this place was where heretics were interrogated, tortured, and re-educated. Then, Archbishop Rowan must have been a priestess corresponding to the leader of the Inquisitors. With his eyes wide open, Ludwig couldn''t help but be soaked in feelings of betrayal and humiliation. It was almost certain that she had captured heretics from the refugee camp and tortured them. Ellen wasn''t unaffected by the shock, but because of it, she searched the underground prison even more diligently. The prison wasn''t only composed of cells and torture chambers. Ellen examined the dead bodies, checking for any peculiarities on their corpses. Seeing their emaciated forms, she realized they were residents of the refugee camp. ''To have the power to conduct heretic interrogations and the combat power to protect this place...'' It was a matter of attacking the Inquisitors'' base. It wasn''t just a simple band of thugs; it was definitely not an ordinary group. ''They attacked to rescue the people, but they had already been killed to silence them. And the entrance to the underground being blocked due to a collapse... It''s still uncertain who did it.'' The attackers assaulted the Inquisitors'' base, killed all the people inside, and then vanished after killing the Inquisitors. ''Anyway, the entrance to the underground being blocked by debris is more likely to have happened before the arrival of guards or looters.'' A fire broke out, and guards were deployed. The guards had failed to comprehend this space, which likely meant that the entrance to the underground had been blocked from the beginning. Before anyone could discover the scene that was not meant to be seen, the Holy Knights were deployed and took over jurisdiction from the guards. ''Preventing me from entering must have been to stop me from seeing what they''re doing here...'' No matter how much it was a heretic inquisition, the sight of capturing civilians, torturing, and killing them was appalling. If Ellen saw this, it was inevitable that something uncontrollable would happen. However, they couldn''t stop Ellen''s steps either, so they reluctantly opened the way for her. Ellen passed the prison cells and torture chambers, heading towards the deepest room. "Ellen..." "Yes, I''m listening." "If they are heretic inquisitors... they''d be similar to the Holy Knights, right? They''d have to fight." "I don''t know for sure, but I guess so." It wasn''t strictly necessary, but since heretics could wield dangerous powers, the heretic inquisitors would likely need practical combat skills. "Then... it''s clear that Rowan must be a high-ranking person among the heretic inquisitors." "She must have been." "Then wouldn''t Rowan... actually be a person who could fight?" The leader of the heretic inquisitors. They would likely need actual combat power. Of course, it wasn''t a given. Those who sat in the Pope''s position in the Five Great Church had tremendous divine power at their disposal, but they didn''t necessarily have to be Holy Knights. "It''s possible, but she was directly involved in external activities, so she must have been." However, Rowan was on the front lines. So, she must have had exceptional combat skills. Perhaps even better than Ludwig. "¡­Why did she need protection?" Ludwig couldn''t help but feel confused, and Ellen couldn''t help but consider Ludwig''s doubts valid. "If she''s a heretic inquisitor, she should be able to fight, and if she''s wandering through the refugee camp to gather information or intelligence on heretics, there''s no reason for her to receive protection from the guards. It would be more convenient for her to move alone. It doesn''t make sense." "Why did she do that?" "I don''t know. Not yet." It was undoubtedly strange. It couldn''t be ruled out that Rowan genuinely lacked combat abilities, but it would be strange for the leader of the heretic inquisitors who engaged in fieldwork to lack them. Ellen passed the prison and arrived at the end of another corridor. When she opened the door there, Ellen saw a desk, chair, and bookshelf inside. The space was unmistakably that of a person in charge. The bookshelf was tightly packed with books related to the Holy Church and theology, and Ellen approached the table. A few documents were scattered around, but most of them were encrypted, so Ellen couldn''t understand their meaning. It was natural for all the documents dealing with classified information to be encrypted. However. There. Ellen found one document she could read. "!" It wasn''t that she had deciphered the document. Ellen carefully picked up the single sheet of paper. "Did you find something?" Ellen handed the document to Ludwig, who couldn''t help but widen his eyes. Although they couldn''t understand the encrypted documents, there was one they could. The photograph contained in that document. "My face... Why is it here?" There was a photograph of Ludwig. "I can''t read the content, but it''s clear that this document contains your personal information." Just because they couldn''t read it didn''t mean they couldn''t deduce its content. "She didn''t need a bodyguard." Ellen looked at Ludwig. "I don''t know the reason, but it seems like she approached you from the start." It was evident that Rowan had deliberately approached Ludwig. For now, Ellen put the document away. ------ In the Tu''an church, the crumbling facade hid a place where people were imprisoned and tortured underground. The stronghold of the Inquisitors. The hidden side of the church could be seen. Most of the Inquisitors were slaughtered by unidentified assailants. A fire broke out, and after the fire, looters ransacked the church. The entrance to the underground was blocked by a collapse after the fire, which was an intentional act. Ludwig was devastated to learn that Rowan had been orchestrating such horrific events. Their business was done. Ellen took the dumbstruck Ludwig and returned to the surface. As Ellen had ordered, the Holy Knights were unable to enter or leave the area. The Holy Knights were supposed to prevent Ellen from witnessing this scene, but they couldn''t stop her. Ellen didn''t know whether these people were involved with the Inquisition or not. However, they must have known what kind of place this was, which was why they had tried to stop Ellen. In this situation, they wouldn''t have any excuses if their throats were to be slit by the enraged hero''s sword. Without uttering a word, the Holy Knights awaited the hero''s judgment. "The number of priests is lacking, you said." Ellen neither judged nor interrogated them. In any case, the likelihood of them knowing the specifics was low. "It seems there are enough priests to take part in killing people." Ellen merely spoke those words as she passed by them. CH 590 Ellen and Ludwig got out of the burned church. "They''ll know I went in there, and the Holy Knights will find out. They won''t be able to touch me, but they might try to silence you." "..." "Stay away from the church for a while." "¡­Alright." Ludwig was in a daze. While helping Rowan, Ludwig had discovered a small glimmer of hope that he could do something. But Rowan turned out to be a heretic inquisitor who gathered information in the refugee village and kidnapped and tortured heretics. And for some reason, she had deliberately approached Ludwig. From the start, Rowan didn''t need Ludwig''s protection. She had intended to use Ludwig in some way, and she did. Only then did Ludwig understand the strange behavior Rowan had shown when she saw heretics. It was because she was a heretic inquisitor. The purification work Rowan claimed to have done might have been a lie from the beginning. "It took a while." "Yes." Ellen and Ludwig joined Heinrich and Louise, who had been waiting in the alley. "¡­You both look like you''ve discovered something you shouldn''t have." Louise sensed that something significant had happened just by looking at their expressions, without hearing any details. ------ In Heinrich''s case, it might be different, but Louise was both the commander of the Kernstadt army and the first in line for the Kernstadt throne. Ellen hesitated for a moment, wondering whether she should tell such a person about something that could be considered a scandal involving the Holy Knights. But she found her hesitation strange. Although she was bound to be involved in everything related to politics, Ellen had no interest in it. She knew that responsibility came with her position, but maintaining excessive neutrality was itself political. Moreover, Louise was more aware of her position''s importance than Ellen, and she had come here not as the commander of Kernstadt but simply to help Ludwig. So Ellen revealed to Louise and Heinrich what she had learned at the church. It had been a heretic inquisition disguised as a dilapidated church, with a vast underground prison and torture chamber beneath the church, and everyone inside was dead. "Heretic inquisition?" Heinrich''s face turned pale upon hearing the story. "It seems they were torturing and killing people." Then Ellen shared another equally important fact. There were documents with Ludwig''s photo in what appeared to be Rowan''s office. "Did Rowan deliberately approach Ludwig¡­? But why?" "I still don''t know." Rowan was a heretic inquisitor. She had deliberately approached Ludwig, intending to use her in some way. Heinrich couldn''t help but feel bitter as he looked at the stunned Ludwig. Ludwig had been improving over the past few days, but now he would be more devastated than ever. He had been used without even realizing it, happily thinking that he still had a role to play. Moreover, Rowan had kidnapped, tortured, and killed heretics she had learned about while visiting the refugee village with Ludwig. "It''s strange." Louise, who had been quietly listening to the story, furrowed her brow and spoke softly. "What''s the connection between the heretic inquisition and using Ludwig?" It was a context that no one present could possibly understand. Ludwig was not a follower of the Five Great Gods, nor did he believe in the Hero Religion. He was initially unrelated to heresy. "Come to think of it¡­" Ludwig mumbled absentmindedly. "She did ask about Ellen¡­" "Me¡­?" Ellen cocked her head at the remark, and Ludwig nodded. "That person seemed to really dislike the Hero Religion. And she asked what kind of person you were. Then, after hearing that I attended the Temple¡­ she asked what kind of being the Demon King was." As Rowan unexpectedly mentioned herself, Ellen''s expression couldn''t help but grow more serious. "Could it be¡­ they were trying to approach you through Ludwig?" "It''s possible." To Louise''s question, Ellen quietly nodded. Louise furrowed her brow, biting her lip as if it made even less sense. "I don''t know what you think about the Hero Religion, but¡­ isn''t it unrelated to you directly?" "Yes." The Hero Religion was a spontaneously formed folk belief, existing independently of the will of Ellen Artorius, who could be considered its object of worship. "The heretical inquisitors would have wanted to eliminate the Hero Religion¡­ So, were they trying to approach and harm you through Ludwig?" Hearing that Rowan might have reached Ellen through him and possibly attempted to kill her, Ludwig''s eyes widened in shock. "No way¡­ There''s no way that could be¡­" "Even though the Hero Religion has nothing to do with me, if I die, it will disappear. They might have thought that way." At Ellen''s explanation, Ludwig''s face grew even paler. If the focus of the Hero Religion, Ellen, were to die, the faith would collapse. Although it was a naturally occurring folk belief, without Ellen, the Hero Religion would inevitably disappear. The Hero Religion would seek another belief. They would either return to the embrace of the Five Great Gods or search for a new faith. They didn''t love Ellen, only the hope she represented. All they needed was someone to provide that hope. Ludwig murmured quietly. "¡­Come to think of it, she said something like that." "What did she say?" Ludwig had said he didn''t know much about the Demon King, and that Ellen seemed like a victim. And then. "When I said Ellen seemed like the victim of all this¡­ she asked if I knew that for sure¡­" Undoubtedly, she had said this with a strange, enigmatic smile. It wasn''t that she didn''t know; it was as if she had different knowledge. "It felt like she was mocking me, as if the truth I know is somehow different¡­ as if she was laughing at something¡­" At Ludwig''s words, Ellen lost her own. Louise silently watched Ellen, who looked as if she had heard something shocking, her eyes wide open. ------ The others did not notice the conversation between Ludwig and Ellen. Through that brief exchange, Ellen realized a truth. ''They knew why and how the Gate Incident happened.'' That''s why they laughed when Ludwig said Ellen was a victim. Ellen had never seen Rowan''s face. But Rowan knew a truth that Ludwig, who was close to Ellen and could meet her anytime, didn''t. And that was both amusing and pitiful to her. And so, that was what had been said. "To get rid of the Hero Religion, it could be that Rowan approached Ellen... It seems plausible." At Heinrich''s words, Ellen felt the urge to bite her tongue. ''No... That''s not it.'' She couldn''t bring herself to say it out loud, but Ellen felt like she knew what Rowan was thinking. ''She wanted to take revenge... on me.'' Having been one of the causes of the Gate Incident, she received the adoration of many people while shifting all the blame onto the Demon King and claiming herself as a hero. Those who believed in the Hero Religion treated those who believed in the Five Great Religions as sinners and only praised Ellen. How disgusting and hateful that must have been. Ellen''s death causing the Hero Religion to disappear was probably a secondary matter. Rowan had also asked not only about Ellen but about what kind of being the Demon King was. That meant that if Rowan knew the truth, she might have even supported the Demon King. She was a priestess of the Tu''an. So, if she knew that the Demon King, the master of Tiamata, did not actually want the Gate Incident and had even warned against it, she would naturally have no choice but to support the Demon King. Conversely, she would have no choice but to hate and despise Ellen. Knowing this, Ellen could not dare to open her mouth, her face hardening like stone. Ludwig, too, could not help but be even more shocked when he realized the possibility that Rowan might have tried to approach Ellen using him. Being close to a special being made one special as well, but Ludwig could not help but realize that it also meant that there was always the possibility of being used, regardless of one''s own worth. "Rowan, the heretic inquisitor, and all the other inquisitors under her command are dead, so whatever their goal was, it''s now impossible... But that doesn''t mean everything is resolved." Louise looked at Ellen. "Who exactly attacked the church? Is it okay not to clarify that?" No matter what Rowan''s intentions had been, there were too many unsettling aspects to simply move on now that she was dead. The idea that Rowan might have tried to kill Ellen was merely conjecture. "To begin with, there''s something strange even if the heretic inquisitor did try to kill you." "Strange... aspect?" "What does torturing and kidnapping Hero Religion followers have to do with you?" "Ah..." Only then did Ellen realize that she had been too shocked by the possibility that Rowan might have known the truth to think about what the events that had already taken place meant. "Not all zealots and madmen are fools. It''s obvious that the rise of the Hero Religion has nothing to do with you. Were there clear signs of torture?" "There was a torture chamber, and the corpses showed signs of having been tortured." At Ellen''s words, Louise slowly nodded. "Torture might be used simply to inflict pain, but its basic purpose is to obtain information." Louise said. "What kind of information about you could they obtain by torturing people who had never seen you even once in their lives or, at most, had seen you from afar?" That was undoubtedly strange. If Rowan had approached Ludwig to kill Ellen, then it was highly likely that the torture of the Hero Religion followers was also carried out for that purpose. But no matter how much they tortured the Hero Religion followers, they wouldn''t know anything about Ellen. They couldn''t have been unaware of that. "Perhaps they intended to force them to convert..." "Youngest. It''s impossible to force all the Heroic Disciples to convert through torture." "I-I see..." "They might have thought that killing the Hero would be the only way to end the Hero Religion. But they couldn''t have not realized that trying to kill the Hero in this situation is madness... I don''t know." It was either the act of a fanatic or there was some other intention. Ultimately, they were lost in a labyrinth. It was possible to deduce Rowan''s objective through clues, but nothing could be confirmed. This was originally Ludwig''s issue. However, as the case was investigated, the likelihood of it being Ellen''s issue increased significantly. Rowan''s true objective remained unknown. They couldn''t even figure out who attacked the church. But if Ellen were to delve deeper into this matter, it would inevitably become dangerous. "Whether it''s the Holy Knights or the Five Great Religious Orders, they must know about this. It couldn''t have been done by that priest alone. And I can''t be certain if that person really intended to kill me. This is just a possibility." "I suppose so." Ellen spoke calmly. "From here on, I''ll handle it alone. It''s my own problem." It was a political issue, and it was dangerous. She couldn''t receive help from Louise, Heinrich, or Ludwig. Louise stared at Ellen''s determined expression. A person who had to shoulder too much at a young age and didn''t hesitate to do so. Ludwig''s words about her being the victim in all cases. And now, her attitude of wanting to take responsibility alone, no matter what was in front of her. Louise knew she shouldn''t get involved in this matter any further. But she couldn''t help but feel sorry for Ellen''s resolute attitude, which meant that she had to take responsibility for everything, whether she had the will to or not. A problem of her own. Louise thought about Ellen''s sad words. "A problem of your own." Louise smirked. For someone who had to shoulder so much, even the smallest issue was inevitably connected to many things. What about being royalty or the heir? In a situation where the Hero''s death could lead to humanity''s demise, the Hero is about to get involved in dangerous matters. "Your problem is everyone''s problem." "..." If Ellen''s death were to ruin everything in the world... Then everything on Louise''s shoulders would become insignificant in front of Ellen''s life. Ellen couldn''t help but feel suffocated in front of Louise''s offer to help her till the end. ------ Even as a heresy inquisitor, she was still part of the Holy Knights or one of the Five Great Religious Orders. Thus, the place Ellen had to go to find out more about Rowan was as good as predetermined. The Holy Knights'' cathedral. Louise, Heinrich, and Ludwig also moved with Ellen. Ludwig had originally asked Ellen to reveal the unjust death of Rowan, but in reality, Rowan had been the mastermind behind countless unjust deaths. In fact, the current situation suggested that the attackers who killed Rowan might have been acting righteously. Rowan was not a victim of injustice. Ludwig had never even considered doubting Rowan''s mask until now. No, he had been watching the suspicious behavior all along. However, it''s possible that he couldn''t bring himself to doubt it because he believed that being with Rowan meant he could do something. He didn''t know what to do, but driven by his frustration, Ludwig wanted to see this matter through to the end. He wanted to know the true extent of this issue and where its roots lie. What on earth was happening? Just as Ellen wanted to know, Ludwig also yearned for that knowledge. Even though he knew that finding out would only increase his frustration rather than bring relief. Did Rowan truly intend to kill Ellen? What was the reason for torturing the Hero Religion believers? Did the Holy Knights know about this? Just as Ellen had been able to infiltrate the attack site guarded by the Holy Knights, there was no difference when it came to the Holy Knights'' headquarters, the cathedral. "I want to meet the commander of the Holy Knights." That single statement was enough. CH 591 Holy Knight Commander Eleion Bolton. After the previous Holy Knight Commander, Riverrier Lanze, stepped down from his position due to the atrocities he committed against his daughter Olivia Lanze, Eleion became his successor. Although he was a pro-empire figure, this was only in comparison to Riverrier Lanze, and it didn''t mean that he was completely loyal to the empire. Riverrier Lanze had dreamt of establishing a Holy Empire by completely separating the Holy Knights and the Five Great Religions'' forces from the Empire. He had intended to establish his daughter as the first Holy Emperor of this new empire. He dreamt of an empire of gods, led by a Holy Emperor who would rule over the five popes of the Great Holy Religions, each representing one of the factions. Of course, very few knew about his ambition, and he had no choice but to put an end to his long-cherished dream when he was killed by the Demon King. Compared to Riverrier Lanze, Eleion Bolton was a moderate figure. He believed that maintaining the current status quo with the power and resources at hand was the best course of action. As such, he was someone who could easily appeal to the existing factions. He had successfully led the Holy Knights since the Gate Incident, and the fact that the Holy Knights still remained strong was proof of Eleion Bolton''s capability to perform his duties as a commander. Ellen was alone in the meeting room with the Holy Knight Commander. However, she was not alone in the visit itself, as she was accompanied by her companions. Ludwig, Heinrich. And Louise von Schwarz. The other three entered the reception hall instead of the meeting room and were waiting separately in another room for the meeting to end. This was Louise''s idea. Ellen asked if it would be better for Louise to wait outside to avoid getting involved in any troublesome disputes, but Louise shook her head. "I¡¯ll come with you, but you¡¯ll have the meeting alone." "Wouldn''t it be better if we go to the meeting together? If we''re going to be separate, it would be better if they didn''t know we were here together." If they were going together, they should either meet the Holy Knight Commander together, or not let him know they came at all. Ellen thought that would be better. She was concerned that coming together like this, but not having the meeting together, might be worse than not coming at all. "Just the fact that you''re not alone puts pressure on the other party." "The Holy Knight Commander has to take my presence into account because we came together, but I have the excuse of just stopping by the Holy Knights'' reception hall with my youngest and his friend." "They may not believe that excuse, but you don''t know how many issues we can avoid with such an obvious reason. What matters is how it appears." "It will be much easier for you to talk if I''m not there." "Do you understand what I mean?" After hearing Louise''s explanation, Ellen nodded her head. "I see. I understand what you''re saying." Just like Ellen said, Louise''s presence alone held significance. The Holy Knight Commander might not have a conversation with Louise von Schwarz, but he couldn''t help but feel her presence. Thus, if the Holy Knight Commander were to harbor any ill intentions towards Ellen, he would have to think very seriously before taking any action. Ellen was not only a hero herself, but also a guest who had come with the heir to the Schwarz royal family. Hence, deceiving Ellen was tantamount to deceiving both the hero and the Schwarz royal family. It is known that excessive display of presence can have adverse effects, and Louise knew well how to utilize her presence at an appropriate level. Thus, Ellen waited alone in the audience chamber, having asked the others in her party to wait in separate rooms. The reputation of a hero is never to be taken lightly. For an ordinary person, requesting an audience would be impossible, and even if someone with the right to request an audience arrived, they would have to wait until the Commander of the Holy Knights was finished with their duties. However, merely because Ellen had come, the Commander of the Holy Knights was obliged to stop his work immediately and go to the audience chamber. When Ellen said she wanted to see the Commander of the Holy Knights, it was no different from saying she wanted to see him right away. It took Ellen less than ten minutes to arrive at the Holy Knights'' headquarters, reach the audience chamber, and lay eyes on the Commander''s face. Thud As the door to the audience chamber opened, and Commander Eleion Bolton appeared, Ellen rose from her seat and bowed her head to him. "Hello." Seeing Ellen''s greeting, Eleion Bolton carefully stroked his neatly trimmed goatee. "Hmm. I didn''t expect to see you here at the Imperial Capital." "Indeed." Although Ellen was very polite, her politeness was consistently impartial. When she had met Louise von Schwarz, she had simply greeted her and said nothing more. She and the emperor had an informal relationship due to their shared past at the temple. Thus, Ellen was not especially polite to anyone. Of course, no one in the world would dare point this out, neither in the past nor now. "Please, have a seat." "Yes." At the invitation, Ellen sat down on the sofa, and Eleion Bolton sat opposite her. The two were quite familiar with each other. In fact, Ellen had often been on the battlefield with the Commander of the Holy Knights, and although she did not always attend meetings, they had seen each other''s faces at such times. However, it was very rare for them to come all the way to the Imperial Capital and see each other at the Holy Knights'' headquarters. Just before the gate incident erupted. Ellen had been present the day Olivia Lanze had caused a scene, arguing over what to do about Reinhardt''s whereabouts. If not for that time, it would have been their first encounter. Ellen was struck by that thought. Neither then nor now had she been at that place for a good reason. Although Ellen was polite, she was not one to beat around the bush. "Do you know why I came here?" "..." Eleion Bolton was silent for a moment. "I received a report that you entered the burned church scene." "Explain everything from beginning to end. What''s what. If you know, tell me, and if you don''t, say so." Ellen spoke calmly, her expression unchanging. "I didn''t expect the hero to come out like this." Eleion Bolton managed a bitter smile, for there had never been a situation like this before. "I do what needs to be done." Ellen knew how to be rude when it was necessary. "If I won''t tell you, what do you intend to do?" At that, Ellen considered for a moment. "I''ll keep asking until you speak." Even if she were to lie down here, there was no one in the world who could lay a finger on Ellen. Even if it were the Commander of the Holy Knights himself. ------ Ellen half-threatened Eleion Bolton as she demanded the truth from him. But the answer was simple. "I don''t know." "¡­" Ellen stared at Eleion Bolton, who had given such a blatantly candid response. "You don''t expect me to believe that, do you?" "I can only say what I know." Ellen pondered over how to break through his infuriatingly calm lie. If he consistently claimed ignorance, what was she supposed to do? "Are you saying that Archbishop Rowan, who was in the church, wasn''t a member of the Holy Knights but of the Tu¡¯an Order, and that''s why you don''t know? Is that what you''re saying?" "No, Archbishop Rowan was a member of the Holy Knights. She was the heresy inquisitor of the Holy Knights and oversaw the heresy inquisitors of the Imperial Capital." As Ellen had suspected, Archbishop Rowan was indeed the chief inquisitor of heresy. "So you''re saying you didn''t know that she was torturing refugees in the church''s basement?" "To be precise, I didn''t know until now." "¡­Are you playing with words?" Ellen couldn''t fathom where to start pointing out the absurdity of the Holy Knights'' commander claiming ignorance of something he should have known. As Ellen glared at him, Eleion Bolton stared down at the table. "I suppose I must make excuses for my incompetence." "Incompetence¡­?" "Yes, incompetence." The Holy Knight commander spoke as he gazed at Ellen. "As the leader of the Holy Knights in the Allied Forces, I have commanded knights and priests until now, and I have only returned to the Imperial Capital a little over a week ago." "¡­" "Is it so hard to believe that I couldn''t help but be ignorant of the circumstances in the Imperial Capital?" The leader of the Holy Knights had been busy. Exceedingly busy. He had been too occupied to pay attention to, let alone know about, the state of the Holy Knights in the Imperial Capital and the situation of the Five Great Religions. He claimed his incompetence stemmed from not knowing because he wasn''t skilled enough to manage it all. Ellen couldn''t deny that, at the very least, Eleion Bolton''s words were honest. The Allied Forces didn''t consist solely of Imperial troops. The army was an amalgamation of the remaining forces of countless nations, including the Mage Guild, the Saint Owan Duchy, the Kernstadt Army, and the resources of numerous groups and countries. Each army was divided, and the direction of the military was determined by the central command. The Holy Knights were a crucial pillar of the Allied Forces, just as the Kernstadt Army was one of the major backbones. Like the Emperor being busy or like Commander Louise von Schwarz not being able to leave the Allied Forces until she received command authority from the king. Eleion Bolton, the leader of the Holy Knights, couldn''t leave the Allied Forces'' base either. "I don''t know if you''ll understand, but the Holy Knights aren''t a simple group." Eleion Bolton spoke with his finger resting on the table. "The Holy Knights are a coalition of the five religions." "I know that, of course." "It means that the Empire was formed by the combination of the five successor nations." "¡­" Although it might sound blasphemous, the meaning was correct. The Holy Knights themselves were akin to a small empire. "But the leader of the Holy Knights isn''t the Emperor." "¡­!" Ellen couldn''t help but widen her eyes at his words. She herself had said the same thing in response to Ludwig''s question just a few days ago. The position of the Holy Knight Commander was above the Chief Inquisitor but below the Pope. At best, it was considered equal to the Pope. When human nations come together to form an empire, an emperor appears, but when the five Orders come together to elect the Holy Order Commander, it does not result in a being greater than the Pope. It is merely a position that represents and commands the group. "Do you understand that as the Commander of the Holy Knight, I commanded the United Army of the Holy Order, and therefore, there must be things about the Orders and the Holy Knight that I am not aware of?" The Holy Knight Commander is a military position, but the five Popes are not. And the Holy Knight Commander has no authority to command the Popes. If the Popes have something they are hiding from the Holy Knight Commander, it is possible that the Holy Knight Commander may not know. Not knowing is not ignorance. Ellen is well aware that it is overwhelming enough to wage war. Indeed, the Holy Knight Commander could have known nothing at all. ------ Eleion Bolton could not have known about the situation in the Empire. This could be because waging war alone was overwhelming, and because the Popes were responsible for the matters of the Empire, there was no obligation to inform Eleion Bolton. Since the Holy Knight''s authority is nominally lower than that of the Popes, there is no reason for the Popes to inform the Holy Knight Commander about the affairs of the Empire, and it is not considered dereliction of duty or anything of the sort. Eleion Bolton did not say that the Popes were suspicious. He is saying that it is not strange in the first place for the current Holy Knight Commander not to know the situation in the Imperial Capital. It just left more room for Ellen''s imagination. "I knew that Archbishop Rowan was performing her duties as the chief inquisitor of the Imperial Capital''s heretics. But I didn''t know she was torturing the heretics." "And I dispatched the Holy Knights this morning after receiving contact. It''s not good for civilians to enter such a place carelessly." "I ordered the control of the site and the concealment of the underground facilities." "As I just said, you know the reason." "But I don''t know what Archbishop Rowan was doing." "I only hid the things that people shouldn''t see." Ellen listened quietly to Eleion Bolton''s words. It was impossible to quietly bury the incident since it had drawn attention due to the fire. If his words were true, Eleion Bolton had ordered the Holy Knights to deliberately collapse part of the building and bury the stairs leading down to the underground beneath the rubble. The incident had already occurred, the massacre had taken place, and the fire had started. It was a small blessing that looters did not carelessly enter the underground and become buried alive. Eleion Bolton did not know about the attackers or why Archbishop Rowan was killed. In a situation where the crime scene itself had to be cleaned up and the truth had to be uncovered, Eleion Bolton had simply done so. The Holy Knights at the scene also knew that the place was a church of the heretical inquisitors, but they did not know what had happened there. If word got out that people had been captured and tortured in the church''s underground, the already volatile public sentiment in the Imperial Capital would worsen. That''s why Eleion Bolton had no choice but to clean up the situation belatedly. And it was Ellen who had gone directly to the scene to assess the situation. Eleion Bolton did not know what Rowan was doing. It was already overwhelming for him to come back to the Imperial Capital and grasp the situation. "Do you really not know anything?" "I don''t know, but I can try to guess." Eleion Bolton looked at Ellend quietly. He was supposed to be at the Allied Army''s camp, but he hadn''t simply returned. "Recently, the cemetery in the Holy Order''s underground was robbed." Although only a very few people knew about it, Ellen had overheard and was aware of the matter. It was a major incident, but she had forgotten it since it was unrelated to her. "Could it be that incident...?" "Yes." Eleion Bolton nodded. "She must have been investigating that matter." Since the Holy Knight Commander of the Holy Order had returned to the Imperial Capital to investigate it, it was clear that the heretical inquisitors who had remained in the Imperial Capital were also investigating the matter. For other factions or individuals, such an incident might be dismissible, but for the involved party, it was a major accident that could not simply be overlooked. "Was it the refugees who robbed the cemetery... Is that what you''re saying?" At Ellen''s words, Eleion Bolton shook his head with a stern expression. "I can''t know that for sure. And there are no treasures buried in the tombs of the saints." Eleion Bolton spoke as he looked at Ellend. "Because what was stolen was not treasure, but the remains." "¡­Pardon?" Naturally, there was no way Ellen could know the truth. CH 592 Ellen had heard from someone on the High Command side that the Holy Knights'' graveyard had been plundered. Naturally, she also knew that the leader of the Holy Knights and the high-ranking knights had returned to investigate the matter. Since a considerable amount of military power was concentrated in the Allied Forces, it was inevitable that the security of the Holy Knights'' mausoleum would become vulnerable. The occurrence of the plundering itself was not considered impossible. However, she didn''t know that the stolen items were human remains. "Why¡­?" Ellen couldn''t understand it. "I don''t know either. But many of the graves were destroyed, and the remains inside had all disappeared." Eleion Bolton was just as puzzled. "It''s natural that Archbishop Rowan would want to investigate this. But I never thought her method would involve capturing and torturing heretics." Eleion Bolton stared quietly at the table. "I also returned to the Imperial Capital and continued to look into the matter. It could be a dissatisfied faction within, or something I''m unaware of, so I''m being cautious in my actions." Who had secretly entered the saints'' graveyard and stolen the remains? The reason, the method, and the culprit were all unknown. And it was clear that the leader of the Holy Knights couldn''t properly get to the bottom of the incident because he couldn''t trust those who had remained in the Imperial Capital. "What does this have to do with the people in the refugee camp?" "If you think that the Inquisitors'' job is to arrest, torture, and kill innocent people, then it can''t be helped. But the Inquisitors are the ones who see the most manifestations of the cursed rituals performed by heretics." "¡­" They had witnessed countless demonic deeds performed by heretics and the impure miracles they caused. So it was an occupational hazard to think that heretics were the cause of such problems. "One cannot absolutely rule out the possibility that the heretics'' curses and prayers have defiled the saints'' tombs." The leader of the Holy Knights couldn''t say for sure that the heretic rituals in the refugee camp were not the cause. In reality, a massive refugee camp had formed in the Imperial Capital, and many of them were followers of the Hero Religion or believed in a distorted form of the religion. It was impossible to say that none of their impure rituals or prayers had brought impurity to the saints'' mausoleums. "Is such a thing really possible?" At Ellen''s question, Eleion Bolton neither nodded nor shook his head. "It could be possible." The leader of the Holy Knights didn''t know what Rowan had been doing so far. But he knew that Rowan had been looking into the graveyard robbery because of the situation in the Holy Knights. Then came an even stranger question. ''Why on earth would Ludwig¡­?'' Ellen thought that Rowan might have approached Ludwig to get close to her. But what did Ludwig have to do with it if Rowan was investigating the graveyard robbery? If Ludwig''s involvement and the purpose of the graveyard robbery were different, it could be possible. But was that really the case? And there was another problem. "Did Rowan know why the Gate incident happened?" Judging by the circumstances and recalling what she had said to Ludwig, Rowan seemed to know the reason behind the Gate incident. Upon Ellen''s inquiry, Eleion Bolton gazed silently at her. "Do you remember that day?" Of course, Ellen knew which day he was referring to. The day the sky opened, and meteors rained down. The day this entire nightmare began. "Do you remember the people who were there?" "...Yes." Many people had gathered at that place. The last moment when they questioned the Demon King about his intentions and desires. The Demon King spoke there. He said he loved humans and wanted to save them. But they did not trust him, and it was already too late, so he told them about the events that would unfold. The people who had gathered to interrogate the Demon King that day. The Emperor and the Crown Prince. Ellen and Saviolin Turner, the leader of the Holy Knights, and the popes of the five major churches. And those who had gathered to prepare for any contingencies. The Royal Mage Corps. Shanafel. The high-ranking holy knights of the Holy Knight Order. "Archbishop Rowan was there too." Rowan was one of the people present when the Demon King made his final plea. He had given up on everything and surrendered. He said he loved humans and wanted peace, but they did not believe him. Rowan was a witness to the Demon King''s despair as he made his confession with a miserable expression, having given up on everything. Archbishop Rowan, the leader of the inquisitors, had watched as the apostle of Tu''an, in despair, fell apart before her eyes. Rowan had been a priestess of Tu''an. ------ On the day the sky opened, many people had gathered in the great hall. There were royal mages, knights from Shanafel, and high-ranking holy knights of the Holy Knight Order. Many of them had become unwelcome guests after the Gate incident, but there were survivors. Rowan was one of them. They didn''t know much about the Demon King, but they had witnessed firsthand his prediction of the Gate incident and his discussion of how to stop it. All of them harbored secrets about the truth that must not be revealed, but in the end, they were all human. They couldn''t help but agonize and suffer over why these things had to happen and what the problem was. Upon hearing that the murdered Rowan had been one of the people present that day, Ellen could only stand there, dumbfounded. She had been close to the Demon King at that gathering. Rowan would have watched the scene from a distance. She was one of the holy knights guarding the area in case of an attack. She had heard the Demon King''s confession. Many people believed that the Gate incident was an act perpetrated by the Demon King to exterminate humanity. People hated Tu''an for choosing such a Demon King. They hated the priests who believed in Tu''an. They hated the followers who obeyed those priests. And those who believed in the Hero Religion prospered. How resentful, sad, and hateful it must have been for those who did not know the truth to spew their hatred and anger. Ellen realized how natural it was for Rowan to loathe and despise her so fiercely. But Rowan was dead, regardless of what she wanted or investigated. It was impossible to know who had killed her. She didn''t even know why she had approached Ludwig. Louise had told Ellen. Your mission is for the sake of humanity. Then, are all matters concerning humanity the responsibility of the hero? Ellen couldn''t help but think that she was responsible not only for suspecting Rowan but also for everything she had gone through. "Who was it that killed her... you''re saying you don''t know?" "¡­Yes." The commander of the Holy Knights could only guess at what Rowan had been investigating. He genuinely didn''t know what Rowan had intended to do or who had killed her. It was impossible to trust everything that Eleion Bolton said. There was always a chance that he was withholding information, caught between ignorance, lies, and truth. "Do you think Rowan was killed while investigating the tomb-raiding incident?" "Most likely, yes." The tomb of the saints beneath the Holy Knights'' Cathedral had been raided. Rowan had been investigating the incident and was killed as a result. That was the only conclusion they could draw at the moment. ------ Eleion Bolton''s claim that he didn''t know what Rowan had been doing wasn''t entirely without credibility. However, there was no guarantee that everything Eleion Bolton said was true. In the first place, there was no way Ellen, an outsider¡ªeven as a hero¡ªwould be welcomed meddling in internal affairs. It was only natural that something would be hidden. The Holy Knights were more concerned with covering up what had happened in the church than with destroying evidence at the scene. That''s why the bodies in the temple''s basement remained. The Holy Knights were in a hurry from the start. Their plan was to conceal the scene first, then deal with the heretic interrogators and their facilities later. Naturally, there was no reason for the empire to interfere in the affairs of the Holy Knights. If Ellen hadn''t suddenly burst into the scene, the incident would have been wrapped up as a robbery and arson attack by bandits on the church. It was the Holy Knights, following Eleion Bolton''s orders, who had concealed the scene. But Eleion Bolton claimed that he had never ordered Rowan to interrogate heretics. The truth of that claim aside, it wasn''t entirely unbelievable. Eleion Bolton had no way of knowing the situation in the Imperial Capital until he returned. It was clear that he was also spending time assessing the situation. Ellen pondered. Did Eleion Bolton know that Rowan had intentionally approached Ludwig? Looking at the situation, Eleion Bolton seemed to be focused on concealing the scene. It was clear that he hadn''t checked the contents of the documents in the church or known that Rowan had intentionally approached Ludwig. He had likely planned to learn about that matter step by step during the cover-up and cleanup process. And Ellen now had the document with Ludwig''s face on it. Wondering whether to reveal this information, Ellen soon made a decision. Eleion Bolton could not yet be trusted. And he wouldn''t trust Ellen either, so they were on equal footing in their mutual distrust. "May I look into this matter myself?" If he insisted that she shouldn''t interfere, it would arouse Ellen''s suspicions. Ellen didn''t have explicitly stated powers, like the authority to investigate. However, because it wasn''t explicitly stated, Ellen could interfere in any matter. Her ability to meddle in the affairs of the Holy Knights¡ªwhich even the emperor couldn''t touch¡ªwas proof of that. In a way, Ellen possessed the most transcendent power. She didn''t know what Eleion Bolton was thinking. All she knew was that he couldn''t refuse her. "I¡¯ll cooperate fully, within the limits of the authority of the Holy Knights'' Commander." Within the limits of the authority of the Holy Knights'' Commander. Ellen understood exactly what that meant. ------ After the meeting with the Holy Knights'' Commander, Ellen returned to the place where her companions were waiting. Ellen had received a promise that the Holy Knights'' Commander would cooperate fully. However, he didn''t mention the Princess of the Schwarz royal family at all. Whether it meant to handle the matter on her own or that it would be fine if Louise got involved in the case, it was unclear. The Holy Knights'' Commander, however, had to resolve the graveyard robbery case. Just as Rowan had solved the case in his own way, it wouldn''t be bad if Ellen resolved it herself. It was ambiguous whether Eleion Bolton genuinely didn''t know or was deliberately withholding information. Nonetheless, the claim that he had no choice but to be ignorant of the situation on the Imperial Capital was not unconvincing. Ellen didn''t explicitly mention that Rowan was one of the few who knew the truth about the Gate incident. Guilt-ridden as she was, some truths had to be kept hidden. Just as Eleion Bolton had crushed the path leading down to the inquisition facility in the underground church, Ellen was also someone who had no choice but to do similar things. "The graveyard was robbed, and the missing items are the remains?" "Yes." "But why...?" "I don''t know either." The three of them couldn''t help but be surprised by what they had heard about the case Rowan was presumed to be investigating. If treasures had disappeared, greed would have been the motive. However, if remains were missing, the likelihood of being involved in a malicious act increased. That''s why it was natural for Rowan, as an Inquisitor, to investigate heretics suspected of being involved in such evil deeds. In the refugee camp, they had captured those who looked like heretics and interrogated them to determine if they were involved in the graveyard robbery case, and killed them. Whether that was right or wrong, she had been faithful to her duties. The missing remains. Why had the saints'' remains been stolen, and where had they gone? Louise frowned, deep in thought. "It seems that interrogating and killing the heretics was the only conclusion the priest could reach¡­" "That being said, finding the suspected culprits and getting killed by them is a relatively likely scenario¡­" "But are there really heretic forces in the refugee camp capable of such acts?" It was impossible to say that such a thing could not happen. However, if Rowan had indeed provoked a powerful heretic group in the refugee camp and suffered a massacre along with the other Inquisitors, there was one puzzle piece that didn''t fit. Everyone''s gaze naturally turned towards Ludwig. "Then why¡­" Ludwig was also confused, unable to understand why Rowan had approached him. "One thing is certain, she didn''t need a bodyguard. She definitely approached you deliberately." Rowan was more skilled than Ludwig; it was clear that she didn''t need a bodyguard. She had only disguised her intentions as such; in reality, she had deliberately sought out Ludwig in his guard unit. However, Ellen was starting to think that these two cases might not be separate incidents. Rowan had been investigating the whereabouts of the missing remains. And in order to destroy the Hero Religion, she had approached Ludwig to reach Ellen. It was clear that the person despised heretics, so she might have pursued two completely separate matters. Knowing that Rowan was somewhat aware of the truth behind the Gate incident, Ellen came to a different conclusion than the rest of the people in the room. Ludwig''s involvement was separate from the heretic and stolen remains cases. The stolen remains case was an urgent matter that had come before Rowan''s eyes. Thus, she had no choice but to investigate it. Approaching Ellen through Ludwig would be an entirely different matter from Rowan''s perspective, undertaken with a long-term view. Circumstantially, Ellen was certain that Rowan had no choice but to hate her. But ultimately, the problem returns to its starting point. Who killed Rowan? "Could there be a heretic force of that size in the refugee camp... capable of possessing the power to attack the Inquisitors'' church?" At Ellen''s question, Louise fell silent, as if nothing came to mind. Continuing to ponder but having nothing to say, Heinrich von Schwarz broke the silence. "What about the Demon God Cult...?" "The Demon God Cult?" Not heretics, but real sects. "Yeah, it''s impossible for there to be no Demon God Cult in the refugee camp where heretics are rampant." In reality, unlike the Hero Religion followers with their half-hearted faith, the Demon God Cult wielded the genuine power of demon gods. The truly dangerous sect had always been the Demon God Cult. "Yeah... I hadn''t been considering that angle." Louise slowly nodded her head. Although the Demon God Cult in the refugee camp was not responsible for the stolen remains case, Heinrich''s speculation was true in a broader context. CH 593 Under the order for full cooperation from the commander of the Holy Knights, Ellen gained the authority to access the case. And although she was not officially assisting in the investigation, Louise von Schwarz was also lending her intellect to the case as Ellen''s aide. Heinrich then expressed his opinion that the heretical followers of the Demon God Cult might be involved in the case. Unlike the Hero Religion members, the Demon God Cult followers used the divine power of the Demon God and many of them possessed dangerous powers. Thus, if there truly were Demon God Cult forces at play, they could have stolen from the Holy Knights'' Cathedral tomb and even killed Rowan, who was hot on their trail. Ludwig spoke with a serious expression. "From what I''ve heard from Rowan... Since the Hero Religion members are not considered heretics... There are cases of real heretics disguising themselves as members of the Hero Religion." "...That''s entirely possible." Louise nodded in agreement with Ludwig''s words. The Hero Religion was not an organized force with roots. Hence, it was not uncommon for their faith to be mixed with other beliefs. It was possible that the Demon God Cult followers were spreading their disguised Demon God faith in the refugee village. And unlike the Hero Religion, the Demon God Cult followers formed an organized force. "If that were possible, the Demon God Cult followers disguised as the Hero Religion might nearly dominate the refugee village." Instead of being a hidden force, there was a possibility that they were already the dominant religious force throughout the refugee village, wearing the guise of the Hero Religion. "In that case... Rowan might have been fighting an unimaginably huge monster." If it were true that the refugee village was infiltrated by the Demon God Cult disguised as the Hero Religion, Rowan might have been wandering the village to expose the true nature of the colossal Demon God Cult followers. It wasn''t about capturing innocent refugees but actually capturing and interrogating real Demon God Cult followers. If so, Rowan could have been a person trying to enforce their own sense of justice. Were the people Rowan captured, tortured, and killed Demon God Cult followers or innocent individuals? It was becoming increasingly difficult to determine whether Rowan''s actions were good or evil. In the end, countless possibilities were presented as no one could determine Rowan''s true intent or the identity of Rowan''s killer. Ellen tapped her finger on the table, surrounded by countless conjectures. "For now, I think we should go to the Saints'' Tomb." The crime scene. Ellen concluded that they should go there first. ------ The theft of the remains from the Saints'' Tomb could not be considered the starting point of all the incidents. Rowan had been an Inquisitor of the heretics in the Imperial Capital for a long time. She must have had her own goals in mind. It was unclear whether that goal was to expose and exterminate the Demon God Cult followers or to completely eradicate the Hero Religion. After the Gate Incident, radical events had always occurred. A bomb explosion didn''t mean the bomb was the cause of everything. In a world where gunpowder was scattered everywhere, massive explosions could occur anywhere. The problem was the gunpowder. There were too many problems in the world: the Demon God Cult followers ran rampant, the Hero Religion surpassed the position of the Five Great Religions, and issues of famine and epidemics arose. Accidents continued to happen everywhere due to the Gate Incident, which was the root cause of all these issues. The stolen remains from the Tomb of the Saints case was simply the result of various problems scattered everywhere converging and causing an explosion. That was what Ellen was thinking. The Holy Knights themselves were also investigating the case internally. "It seems that Rowan did not share the details of the investigation with the Holy Knights. Or, the commander was lying." Rowan would have immediately embarked on the investigation after the incident occurred. The commander of the Holy Knights returned with the senior knights, but he denied knowing anything about the details of Rowan''s investigation. Since Ellen couldn''t be sure if the commander was cooperating fully, she had no way to get to the truth of the case other than seeing and hearing it for herself. The commander could lie to Ellen or hide information, but he couldn''t block her path. Ellen expressed her intention to see the scene, and soon Eleion Bolton assigned a senior knight to guide her. "It''s an honor to meet you, Hero. I will be your guide from now on." "Thank you." Ellen didn''t trust the guide much, as he was likely no different from the commander. Ellen and her party headed to the Holy Knights Cathedral underground. There were many facilities in the underground of the Cathedral, but the Tomb of the Saints was located in the deepest part. The Holy Knights blocking the path stepped aside as soon as they saw Ellen. Louise had also decided to help Ellen and Ludwig, but she kept quiet. It was Ellen''s responsibility to take the lead. "Can you briefly explain the outline of the case?" "The incident occurred on the 3rd of the 12th month, about 17 days ago." An incident that happened 17 days ago. The commander couldn''t return immediately after the incident, so he could only return to the empire after a considerable amount of time had passed. So, it was understandable that he didn''t know the details of the investigation or its progress. The details were clear and simple. On the morning of the 3rd day of the 12th month, a priest in charge of managing the Tomb of the Saints entered and found the tomb destroyed, immediately reporting it to the on-duty priest. When the on-duty priest and Holy Knights arrived to check the scene, they discovered not only that a significant number of stone coffins had been destroyed but also that the remains had disappeared. "How was the security?" "The Tomb of the Saints originally... does not have its own guards. However, in order to go down to the tomb, one would inevitably have to be seen by knights or priests. But..." "Nobody saw the perpetrator?" "That''s correct." "What about the locking mechanism?" "The entrance leading to the Tomb of the Saints is usually locked. Keys are only given to the priests responsible for managing the tomb. However, after interrogating the management priests, it was revealed that they kept the keys in their private rooms." "¡­So there was a possibility of theft?" "Someone could have used it secretly." Thieves who stole something that shouldn''t be stolen from a tomb where there was nothing to steal. The priests in charge of the tomb''s management would inevitably face severe punishment. And they would also be suspected of possibly being the culprits. "According to the priest who discovered the scene, the tomb was locked as usual." "Did the thief lock the door and then run away?" "¡­We cannot be sure about that." What a ludicrous notion. No one had witnessed the culprits as they descended into the underground tomb, and the door had been locked. While negligence in key management or the involvement of insiders could not be entirely ruled out, the most likely possibility was one thing. They may have entered the underground tomb through spatial teleportation. "There''s a possibility that a high-ranking mage was involved." It was highly likely that a mage capable of using teleportation or even mass teleportation was involved in this incident. "The Holy Knights are keeping that possibility in mind. You''ll see for yourself when you get to the scene." As they reached the Saints'' tomb, the leading Holy Knight inserted a large key into the massive entrance and unlocked the door. -Creaking The Holy Knight opened the door, which a regular person could not even properly open, all by himself. It was an enormous door that seemed difficult for ordinary people to push or pull. Soon, the door opened, and Ellen could see the scene that had been preserved exactly as it was at the time of the incident. A massive underground chamber. Not only were the stone coffins embedded in the walls, but the ones buried in the ground were also hollowed out. There were intact stone coffins, but a considerable number of them were broken. And the fragments scattered on the floor. "It''s not just theft, it''s destruction." "Yes... that''s correct." "How could such a commotion go unnoticed above?" "It should have been heard. But none of the priests who were upstairs heard anything." Noise suppression. And spatial teleportation. Louise stared at the scene and murmured, "Noise-cancelling, indeed." It was inevitable that they would be certain that a mage was involved in the incident. ------ "May I go in and take a closer look?" "Yes, by all means." Ellen slowly entered the underground tomb. The Holy Knights didn''t provide Ellen with much information, but they didn''t stop her either. Only those present could discover and judge anything beyond superficial information. The tomb of the Saints. Ellen had no knowledge of nor need to know about such a place. Ludwig, Heinrich, and Louise followed Ellen into the underground tomb. It wasn''t yet certain whether the attackers of the church and the bone thieves were the same. However, it was clear that there was a superhuman among those who attacked the church, and a mage was definitely involved in stealing the bones. Everyone had an intuition that no matter what kind of group the culprits belonged to, they couldn''t possibly be ordinary people. There were stone coffins buried in the ground, and others embedded in the walls as if stored away. Like a cabinet, for example. Whether the thief was alone or in a group, most of the stone coffins were broken. No matter how much they used noise-cancelling to suppress the sound, the destruction was excessive. It was nothing short of devastation. ''There were many ways to do this more discreetly, like stealing only the bones and leaving the coffins untouched.'' If they had done that, the Holy Knights wouldn''t have known about the stolen bones for quite some time. What became clear was that the thieves acted as if they didn''t care whether they were caught or not. ''They were confident they wouldn''t get caught, even with such actions.'' Whether it was a mockery of the Holy Knights, confidence in not getting caught, or both, it was impossible to know. Everyone looked around the scene in their own way, but there was still something unknown. Why did they take them? Why did they steal the bones in the first place? If they had left them damaged, it could have displayed their anger towards the Holy Knights or the Five Great Religions. "Anger...?" Anger towards the Five Great Religions. And that anger was especially directed at two of the religions. Tu¡¯an and Als. Although a considerable number of stone coffins had been destroyed, there were still intact ones. Some corpses had been taken, while others had not. ''Could they have only taken the remains of the saints who believed in Tu¡¯an and Als in their lifetime?'' Ellen reads the part corresponding to the brief history on a fragment of a destroyed stone coffin. ''No.'' Just in case, she skimmed the names, but there were not only the remains of holy knights who had believed in Tu¡¯an and Als in their lifetime, but also those of Riter, Mencis, and Shal¡¯am''s holy knights. ''There''s no clear distinction.'' It might not be an expression of anger or a force that hates all of the Five Great Religions. As Ellen skimmed the names, she couldn''t help but find a familiar one. "This is..." Ellen couldn''t help but widen her eyes. Riverrier Lanze, who had been killed by Reinhardt. As soon as she found the name, Ellen couldn''t help but bite her lip. During the Miss Temple Contest, Reinhardt had not revealed himself. Back then, Reinhardt had fought Riverrier Lanze to save Olivia Lanze. Suddenly recalling the memory, Ellen''s head was wrapped in a severe headache. "Ugh...!" "Ellen!" As Ellen suddenly grabbed her head and collapsed, Heinrich and Ludwig, who had been looking around, as well as the holy knights who had been watching Ellen, rushed over. "Ugh...!" It felt like thousands of needles were stabbing her head. "What''s going on, are you alright?" "Hero, are you okay?!" "Wh-why all of a sudden...?" "Are you okay? Snap out of it!" Surrounded by the echoing voices, Ellen tried to catch her breath with her eyes wide open, feeling overwhelmed by the pressure. Suddenly encountering the name and memory, it felt like her brain was being dug out with an awl. An unknown source of hatred and anger tried to engulf her body. Inside her own soul, the presence of ''that'' which tries to devour her at some point pressured Ellen''s mind. The waves in her soul that had been dormant because her attention was elsewhere surged. Today, she encountered too many things she had been trying to forget, including the Demon King and the Gate incident. That''s why the once-dormant turbulence in her soul tried to engulf Ellen. "I-I''m... I''m alright... just a little dizzy..." It was not something that could be explained as dizziness, but Ellen had to hold her head and catch her breath while sitting down. Not yet. Not yet. She could still endure it. Not yet. She could still be at peace. She couldn''t let go of her body, mind, and spirit yet. She has to think about something else. Just thinking about the Demon King and her feelings for Reinhardt made her feel like her soul was being tormented. Ellen clutched the bone fragment pendant around her neck. With the emotional milestone that Dettomorian had carved for her attached. She must remember. She must forget. She must forget, so she won''t be robbed. She focused on the case. Riverrier Lanze had only been robbed of his remains. She must see the end of this strange murder and massacre case. She must find out where all of this leads. In the midst of such thoughts. Ellen thought of something else. The murder case, the Demon King, the Gate incident, and the stolen remains. A single word to forget everything that confuses her mind. Returning to the Temple. Feeding the cat. Like a lie. ¡°Haa¡­¡­ Haa¡­¡­.¡± The pain that seemed to tear at her head and soul finally stopped. ¡°...¡± And, for such a reason, the cessation of pain left Ellen dumbfounded for a while. ------ ¡°Is there some kind of corrupt energy lingering in this place? It might have affected you¡­¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that. This just happens sometimes.¡± In response to everyone''s concern, Ellen said it wasn''t like that. The investigation was important, but Ellen''s life was the most important. Even the holy knights were pale with shock. Ellen should prioritize herself, and others shared the same thought. ¡°We don¡¯t need to rush. Let''s return and rest for now.¡± Therefore, Louise suggested that they stop here and return to the temple to gather their thoughts. Ellen glanced around the underground tomb. The stone coffins had been destroyed, and some clues about the thieves were obtained by sight. The reason for the theft was still unknown. And Ellen was suddenly frightened. The fear that the vengeful spirits, which had been quiet lately, might completely engulf her. ¡°That¡¯s true. It seems like there¡¯s nothing more to find out here¡­¡­.¡± Therefore, Ellen agreed with Louise. They couldn''t predict where these clues would lead, but they had already completed their examination. ¡°But, uh¡­¡­.¡± However, Ludwig seemed hesitant to leave, as if he had some doubts. ¡°Did you find anything peculiar?¡± At Louise''s question, Ludwig shook his head with an ambiguous expression. ¡°Huh? No¡­ I was just curious about something¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Since he said he had doubts, they all followed Ludwig. Ludwig headed towards the wall of the underground tomb. The place with the broken stone coffins. ¡°How did they break this coffin¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Ludwig''s question left the other three unable to hide their confusion. Like Ellen, and like the holy knights. Everyone had focused on the destruction itself. They wondered why the thieves had chosen to cause such a mess in the underground tomb when they could have stolen the items without being detected. They focused on ¡®why¡¯ it was broken, not ¡®how¡¯ it was broken, and there was no reason to consider that. So what''s the big deal? ¡°Why are you suddenly asking that?¡± At Heinrich''s question, Ludwig looked at the broken stone coffin. The inside of the broken stone coffin looked like a hollow hole. Ludwig gazed at the empty wall and said, ¡°They didn¡¯t clean up the scene, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, they said that.¡± Ludwig peered inside the hollow hole, showing his left fist. ¡°If they broke it like this with a fist or something¡­ shouldn''t there be stone fragments inside?¡± At Ludwig''s question, Ellen finally looked inside the stone coffin. For superhumans, breaking a rock is no big deal. They chose to use a violent method deliberately, and there were no concerns about noise due to noise canceling. They smashed the stone coffin with their fists. The force was applied from the outside to the inside. In that case, there should have been stone dust or fragments inside the coffin. There was a lack of stone dust or fragments inside the stone coffin. It wasn''t entirely absent, but it was definitely peculiar. The traces were too few. The same went for the other stone coffins. However, there were too many fragments of the stone coffins on the ground, and they were scattered far away. Ludwig examined the other stone coffins. ¡°What is this¡­ Should I say it looks like they were broken from the inside out? Doesn''t it?¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°That''s¡­!¡± Louise and Ellen couldn''t help but notice something. The scattered fragments at the scene certainly told them. That the direction of the force applied was from the inside to the outside. ¡°How could they break it like that¡­?¡± ¡°The corpses.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ellen answered Ludwig''s question. ¡°They resurrected them.¡± Ellen spoke with widened eyes. ¡°They resurrected the saints'' corpses¡­ as undead¡­¡± The corpses themselves came back to life and broke out of the stone coffins. There was no reason to think about why they had broken them like this. If they had thought about how it was broken, they could have immediately realized what had happened here. These were not just any corpses, but the corpses of the saints, who were honored by the Holy Knights. Someone resurrected those corpses as undead and disappeared. The bones were not stolen but resurrected. Ellen, Ludwig, who provided the hint, and both Louise and Heinrich couldn''t help but stand still in the face of that shocking conclusion. CH 594 The remains in the Tomb of the Saints were not stolen, but rather, it became highly likely that someone had resurrected them as undead and then disappeared. Thanks to Ludwig''s intuition, Ellen, who discovered this crucial fact, asked the Holy Knight in charge of guiding them. "Did the Holy Knights Order know about this?" "..." "You did know." Silence serves as an answer. However, it wasn''t possible to question them about why they had lied by keeping this secret. The fact that these individuals, who had been elevated to sainthood, had become undead would undoubtedly be seen as an insult and a fatal blemish on the reputation of the Five Great Religions. No one would have wanted this truth to be known, even if it was the hero herself. "It''s not certain. It''s just a conjecture at this point." "I suppose so." Eleion Bolton would not have wanted Ellen to know about this. But inadvertently, Ellen had intended to stop there, but Ludwig unexpectedly got to the truth. The Holy Knights Order knew. But they had to keep it a secret since it couldn''t be publicly disclosed. Eleion Bolton could not stop Ellen, but the reason for hiding the truth must have been that. "Are you hiding anything else?" "No." But Ellen couldn''t believe that either. "Let''s go." There''s nothing more to learn from this place. ------ After leaving the Holy Knight''s Cathedral, the four of them continued walking through the snow-swept streets. "Let''s head back to the temple and think this through. The Holy Knights aren''t going to help us properly." "I might be a hindrance. I''m sorry." It would have been different if it were just Ellen, but Louise von Schwarz was also present. A very serious problem had arisen within the Holy Knights Order, and not only the hero but also the heir to Kernstadt had learned about this critical truth. No wonder Eleion Bolton had been uncooperative with Ellen. "No, you''ve been helpful enough. No one could have easily touched Ludwig, no matter who they were." Ludwig''s safety was clearly secured politically. Even if Louise couldn''t provide direct help, her presence was helpful. Ellen reviewed the situation. "The Holy Knight Order knew from the beginning that they weren''t just ordinary thieves, but a group involving mages. Rowan must have known the same." "The Order''s leader said that Rowan didn''t share the investigation results after he returned and that he didn''t know what Rowan was doing. But I can''t be sure if that''s true." "It''s not entirely impossible that the leader is telling the truth. The administration of the Five Great Religions and the Holy Knight Order was overseen by the five Popes, and if the Pope personally directed it, Rowan wouldn''t have had to report to the leader." "Anyway, Rowan must have investigated the case while knowing about the connection between the undead and the mages. It makes sense that he focused on heretics and cultists." "While pursuing the case, Rowan must have stepped on the toes of those involved, leading to her assassination. That''s at least what we know so far." "We can''t be certain if they are really cultists, though." "And why on earth did they approach Ludwig?... I don''t know. It seems unrelated to this case. They were targeting me, and their intentions are likely unrelated to this case. That''s what I think." There were many truths yet to be discovered. But ultimately, they couldn''t reach the most important core of the matter. They could somewhat deduce why Rowan was killed. They weren''t sure who killed her, but the list of suspects was narrowing. However, where were they? The simpler the case, the harder it was to find the truth; the more complex the case, the easier it was to reach the truth. But now, they only had complex clues, and they didn''t know where those clues pointed. They couldn''t distinguish between meaningful and meaningless clues, so they couldn''t draw any conclusions as they had to consider everything. "Could it be the work of the Demon God Cult...?" Ludwig cautiously suggested. "The fact that they revived the bones and killed the priest...¡± Ludwig hesitated as he looked at Ellen. "Could it have been... the Demon King?¡± "..." At that question, Ellen''s eyes widened, and so did Louise''s and Heinrich''s. Louise had heard from Heinrich today that the Demon King might not be such a wicked being and that there might be an unknown truth behind the Gate incident. The Demon God Cult and the Demon King had an inseparable relationship. Either the Demon God Cult acted on the Demon King''s orders, or the Demon King himself infiltrated the saints'' tomb, revived the bones as undead, and then disappeared. Ellen felt a splitting headache coming on again. Reinhardt couldn''t have done such a thing; Ellen gritted her teeth and tried to endure the pain. "The possibility is low." "Is that so...?" It wasn''t Ellen who shook her head at Ludwig''s suspicion, but Louise. "None of us know where the Demon King is, right?" "Yes..." "Even if we knew that the Demon King did this, could we find where he is and punish him?" At Louise''s words, Ludwig dumbly nodded. "You''re right..." "What reason would the Demon King have to kill the priest? Whether his deeds are exposed or not, no one knows where he is." "Ah..." "So there''s no reason for the Demon King to risk attacking the church and killing everyone there." If the Demon King had revived the bones in the underground tomb. And if Rowan had been killed while investigating the case. The logical conclusion would be that the Demon King killed Rowan. But the Demon King would have to have a reason to kill Rowan. There''s no reason for the Demon King to hunt down and kill Rowan, an Inquisitor who pursued him. The same goes for infamy. Even if it were known that the Demon King had revived the saints'' bones in the Holy Knights'' underground tomb, there would be no harm to him. What would it matter if the story of reviving a few corpses spread when he was already blamed for the Gate incident? There''s no reason or meaning for the Demon King to kill Rowan, so it''s unlikely. The wrong conclusion was reached. The Demon King has no reason to kill Rowan. So he wouldn''t have done it. Those who killed Rowan were the tomb raiders in the underground tomb of the Holy Knights. So the wrong conclusion that the Demon King wasn''t involved in the tomb raiding incident was formed. "That''s right. The Demon King... there''s no benefit for him in killing Rowan. Rather, it''s a risk he would take just by infiltrating the Empire and doing such a thing." Enduring a headache, Ellen barely spoke, sharing the same thoughts as Louise. It wasn''t because they trusted Reinhardt. In fact, thinking objectively, Reinhardt had no reason to kill Rowan. The crime scene was ostentatious. It was as if daring someone to catch the culprit. If that were the only event, it might have been suspected to be the work of the Demon King. But with Rowan, who had been tracking the case, being killed, the possibility of it being the Demon King''s doing became infinitely low. The conclusion Louise and Ellen reached was undoubtedly the most rational judgment. However, the world was often far from rational. That''s why the probability of a rational judgment being wrong was always high. ------ Ellen said that if it were a simple case, she wouldn''t be able to find anything out. Only if it were complicated, strange, and had something hidden, there might be something she could uncover. However, the case concealed far-reaching roots, and those roots were not fully exposed. The priestess performing the purification was the leader of the Inquisitors. That Inquisitor was investigating the whereabouts of the stolen bones and the culprit while capturing and torturing heretics. And the bones were not actually stolen, but there was a high possibility that they were revived as undead. Ultimately, they couldn''t resolve everything overnight. Even though the name of the Demon King was mentioned, Louise and Ellen judged that the possibility of the Demon King being involved in the case was extremely low, and Ludwig, who had raised doubts, had no choice but to agree. On the way back to the Royal Class dormitory after returning to the temple. Ludwig''s expression remained stern. Regardless of who was involved and what the truth of the case was, the fact that Ludwig had been deceived by Rowan all this time didn''t change. He didn''t know what she was doing or what her intentions were when approaching him, and he hadn''t even doubted her. He was terrified and horrified by the guards killing civilians indiscriminately. So, when Rowan appeared, he was overjoyed. Because he thought it was something everyone needed, he did it without any hesitation. And when Rowan asked if he could continue protecting her in the future. Ludwig felt as if he had been saved. But Rowan was an Inquisitor, committing atrocities far worse than those of the guards. There was no telling how many people had been tortured and killed at her hands. Ludwig didn''t know that. Even though he could see from Rowan''s strange behavior that she was a person who deviated from the norm. He still believed she was a good person because she was doing something people needed. To be precise, he wanted to believe that Rowan was a good person, so he believed it. Ludwig was naive. Rowan had known Ludwig even before they met, and eventually, she was killed before achieving her goal through Ludwig. But if Rowan hadn''t been killed, she would have achieved her goal through Ludwig. Whether it was killing Ellen to eliminate the Hero Religion, or something else. If Rowan had approached Ludwig with the intention of killing Ellen? Rowan''s death might have been a blessing in disguise. On the way back to the temple. Ludwig hated his own weakness. Disillusionment with himself. Hatred. Anger. He thought it was getting better as he met Rowan. However, Ludwig could not recognize anything about Rowan and, in fact, ended up being deceived. The comfort and stability obtained through Rowan plunged Ludwig deeper into the abyss. In reality, nothing happened through Rowan, but both Ellen and Louise had an intuition that Rowan was suspicious, even though they knew nothing about her. They even felt that Rowan was not an ordinary priestess, despite having been killed. Ludwig had only thought of Rowan as an unfortunate victim. He was foolish and naive. "..." Now, Ludwig could not help but hate his own foolishness. Walking ahead, Ellen speaks. "We have to assume that there may be a mage among the refugees who follow the Demon God Cult. However, there is also the possibility that dark mages are involved instead. That possibility may even be higher." Depending on who the suspected culprits were, the situation could change drastically. For now, the Demon King was excluded from the list of suspects. The forces of the Demon God Cult, who may be hiding in the refugee camp. Or mages who include dark mages. If the culprits were the followers of the Demon God Cult, they must investigate the spread of these followers in the refugee camp. They wouldn''t torture and kill civilians, but there were limitations in investigations. Leaving aside the cruelty of torture, there was no better way to obtain information. Torture could even extract information that doesn''t exist. If dark mages were involved, they must secure evidence of their involvement. "Will we be able to resolve this before winter passes......?" Ellen sighed deeply as she looked up at the sky. If the Demon God Cult followers were rooted in the vast refugee camp and disguised themselves as the Hero Religion? "Even if the followers of the Demon God Cult are not involved in this matter, if they are rooted in the refugee camp wearing the skin of the Hero Religion, we still need to identify them." "......That''s true." That was the problem. Whether or not they were involved, the followers of the Demon God Cult should not exist in the Imperial Capital. Even if they had nothing to do with Rowan''s case, finding them was a necessary task. Rowan had told Ludwig that she was doing two things at once. While purifying diseases, she would investigate and address the suspicious events occurring in the refugee camp. Rowan''s purification work was not fake. While actually purifying diseases, she would interrogate, torture, and kill any heretics she found. Doing two things at once. While helping people, she intended to eradicate all the followers of the Demon God Cult. Rowan had already subtly revealed that she was a heretic inquisitor, but Ludwig hadn''t known. "It''s a completely different issue, but there''s a problem we need to think about." This time, Ellen looks at Louise as she speaks. It was Louise, not Heinrich or Ludwig. "What is it?" "The Commander of the Holy Knights kept giving hints. I don''t think it''s a misunderstanding." "Hints?" "He was overly cautious with his words. Of course, it could be because I was present, the case is sensitive, and the commander was with us as well, but......" Ellen continues. "If the Pope of the Holy Church has something to hide from him, he said he wouldn''t know anything." "..." Louise remains silent at Ellen''s words. It wasn''t that she had nothing to say, but she was choosing her words carefully. However, Eleion Bolton had deliberately concealed information from Ellen, but ultimately, he left her free to witness the scene with her own eyes, as there was no stopping her. "When countries unite, an empire is formed, and an emperor is created. But in the Holy Knights Order, created by the union of the five major holy religions, he claims he is not an emperor," Ellen noted. Not every emperor in history was stronger than all the kings or feudal lords under their rule. However, the emperor of the Gardias Empire truly ruled all of humanity''s land, wielding more power than any king on the continent. But the leader of the Holy Knights Order, the commander of the order, was just that - a commander, not a king or anything else. "Eleion Bolton is not the kind of person who would make such a statement out of a desire for more power than the Popes." Louise wasn''t particularly close to the current Holy Knights Order Commander Eleion Bolton, but she knew enough about him. His support for the empire was not because he was a slave to the empire but because of his desire to maintain the status quo. He didn''t want significant changes in the first place. So, it''s unlikely that he suddenly developed an ambition for power, held a grudge against the five major religions'' Popes, and spoke to Ellen for that reason. "The Popes are deliberately hiding something from the commander, and he doesn''t have the authority to find out what it is. He hinted that to me." Eleion Bolton didn''t provide any definite information. He merely said that if the Popes were hiding something, he wouldn''t know. "But this is an internal issue within the Holy Knights Order. I don''t see how it relates to Rowan''s case. So I think it will take a lot of consideration before I approach the Popes." While Ellen could intervene in any human power struggle, she didn''t want to meddle excessively in the Holy Knights Order''s internal affairs. It was a political matter, and Ellen knew better than to tamper with it recklessly. In the end, her perspective aligned with Ludwig''s. It''s easy to intervene when people are dying, sacrificed, or monsters appear. But if Ellen suddenly appeared at a conference of the Five Great Religions'' Popes and told them to treat the commander as if he were their superior, predicting the outcome of that would be difficult, regardless of its feasibility. It could be the best course of action, but it could also be the worst. "If this is merely a power struggle between the commander and the Popes of the Five Great Religions, it''s not our concern." "That''s right." "But if the Popes are involved in this case... I don''t know what to do." It was too dangerous a matter to touch. It may be unrelated to the case, but if it were, they couldn''t afford to ignore it. "What a headache..." The Popes of the Five Great Religions might know what even the commander of the Holy Knights Order doesn''t. They were already deeply involved in the internal affairs of the Order, and they didn''t know if they would get entangled in even more complex matters from here on. CH 595 No one could predict where the four pursuers would end up. It was clear that an unusual group was involved. However, if political issues were also tangled up in the matter, it would be even more of a headache. If they were to investigate incidents related to the undead and end up interfering with the Holy Knights, things could become far more complicated. "But, you know, there''s something I''ve been wondering..." While Ellen and Louise were pondering, Heinrich spoke up as if he had a question. "What is it?" "Are we really sure that the skeletons have turned into the undead?" At Heinrich''s question, Louise slowly nodded her head. "We couldn''t confirm it ourselves. It seemed the Holy Knights weren''t certain about that part either." The possibility that the skeletons had turned into the undead. That was merely a conjecture based on the destroyed coffin, but strictly speaking, they hadn''t confirmed the presence of the undead. It was merely a strong possibility. Heinrich''s question drew the attention of Ellen, Ludwig, and Louise, who all looked at him. Feeling the intensity of their gazes, Heinrich began to sweat. "I was just wondering if creating undead is really that easy..." "Hmm...?" At his words, Louise tilted her head. "Didn''t you say that those buried in the cemetery were saints?" "Yes, they were. They must have been the remains of people who achieved great feats during their lifetimes." "The tomb of the former Holy Knights Commander was there too." That was the answer from Louise and Ellen. Hearing it, Heinrich seemed to be choosing his words carefully with a serious expression. "It''s just that I don''t quite understand how the skeletons could become undead in the first place..." They had become undead. The inference itself was reasonable, but Heinrich had been considering a more fundamental aspect. These were the remains of priests and Holy Knights who had undoubtedly achieved great feats in their lifetimes and possessed strong divine powers. Was it even possible for them to be resurrected as undead? "Well... I don''t know much about wicked arts like the undead or dark magic. And for mages who walk the righteous path, it''s an unknown area. So, I''m not sure if the divine powers they possessed in life would continue to protect their remains after death." "I''m not sure either." The possibility of undead created from the remains of saints, which were not ordinary remains. Was it even possible to create so many undead in such a short time? Ellen''s thoughts kept returning to Tiamata. Tiamata had once appeared in the form of a cursed demon sword, creating a massive number of undead. ''No... it can''t be. It''s not Reinhardt...'' Ellen was convinced that Reinhardt couldn''t be the culprit given the circumstances. Ultimately, Heinrich''s question was this: Was it even plausible to create undead from the remains of the saints in the first place? "Let''s ask." Surprisingly, the answer came from Ludwig. "Anna should at least know more than we do." A mage with talent in dark magic. Anna de Gerna. At his words, both Ellen and Heinrich nodded. ------ There was no guarantee that dark magic had been used in the tomb raiding incident of the saints¡¯ tombs. It could just as well be the work of priests of the Demon God Cult, involving a power different from magic. The two were separate powers. However, there might be some common ground in their ability to produce similar results. The priest of the Demon God Cult was nowhere to be found, so Ludwig suggested they try asking Anna first. It seemed like a reasonable idea. "She won''t be at the dormitory. She comes back every few days, then leaves again the next day and doesn''t return for several days." "Where would she be? Let''s go ask her." Ellen thought it would be as simple as finding Anna at the temple and asking her. "Huh? I''m not quite sure..." Ludwig, of course, had no idea where the three of them were conducting their magic research. Naturally, Louise and Heinrich''s gazes met. "The Magic University." That morning, while the two had been strolling around the temple, they had discovered that some research was being conducted at the Magic University. "I''m not certain, but I think she might be there." It was Heinrich who spoke, and Louise furrowed her brow. "I wonder if they''ll let us in..." Louise seemed unsure, having seen how strict the security was. However, they were now accompanied by Ellen Artorius, who could gain entry to practically anywhere. So there should have been no issue getting in. ------ Of course, that was a misconception. "You are not permitted to enter." No sooner had they stepped foot on the grounds of the Temple Magic University''s research building, than a guard blocked Ellen''s path. It wasn''t that the people behind her were attempting to enter. The guard had directly addressed Ellen when she tried to enter. "...Why?" "His Majesty the Emperor has ordered that no one other than those involved in the research may enter." Ellen was included in that order, since the guard was blocking her way. Ellen stared at the eyes of the guard inside the helmet. What kind of top-secret research were they conducting that even she couldn''t gain entry? Ellen would have forced her way in if it had been the door of the Holy Knights. However, the fact that it was an ''Emperor''s order'' mattered. Emperor Bertus was a friend to Ellen. They shared secrets that others must not know, and both bore the responsibility of the Gate incident. They shared an indescribable relationship, bound together by guilt and lingering sadness. If her friend had forbidden even her own entry, there must have been a reason. Ellen accepted that. "I don''t need to go in. I just need to know if my classmate, Anna de Gerna, is participating in the research in that lab. And if possible, could you call her for me?" "I cannot reveal any information related to the research." Even the participants'' identities were classified. Ellen couldn''t fathom why the security was so ironclad. "However, I can report to my superiors that the Hero has come on such an errand." Ellen wasn''t particularly curious about the nature of the research. She simply assumed that it was something helpful to the war effort, and that its secrecy was necessary to prevent potential abuse. That was good enough. Ellen didn''t feel slighted or compelled to force her way in. Whatever research was being conducted here had nothing to do with their current situation. "Then that will do. Can you pass that message along?" "Yes, I understand." Ellen didn''t know whether Anna would be here, but if she wasn''t, they would just have to wait for her to return to the Royal Class dormitory. After a few days, Anna would return once again. ------ With no immediate means to report their findings, the group had no choice but to return to the temple dormitory at the behest of the guard. For reasons unknown, the emperor had issued orders preventing not only others, but also Ellen, from entering the Magic University. Royal Class, second-year, B-class dormitory lobby. Everyone gathered and took a break while sipping the tea Heinrich had brought. Although they hadn''t suffered physically from wandering around in the snow until now, it was inevitable that they would experience mental fatigue. "It seems to be a highly confidential experiment, although we don''t know what it is." "That''s true." At Louise''s words, Ellen quietly nodded. Everyone present was curious about the research being conducted at the Magic University, but they didn''t harbor any further suspicions. That was due to their preconceptions. "Come to think of it, it was strange that the Titan project had been conducted without maintaining confidentiality. That''s why the archduke has been greatly inconvenienced by the mages from the Mage Guild and the Mage Corps." "Inconvenienced?" At Ellen''s question, Louise shrugged. "Mages are individuals who can''t help but be curious about new magic or technology. And for those who have devoted their lives to magic, the Titan must be...shocking to behold, right?" "Indeed¡­" "Yes... That''s right. Definitely." Heinrich and Ludwig also shuddered at the thought of the Titan''s overwhelming power, even though it wasn''t in front of them. The Titan''s appearance in the Serandia battle had been gigantic and overwhelming, visible from anywhere on the battlefield. "Although the higher-ups and mages generally knew that such a thing was being made, seeing it with their own eyes was a different matter. Even I felt that it was unfair that such a thing was possible with magic." Although the Titan was a war weapon created with magic, everyone couldn''t help but feel as if they were witnessing a divine manifestation or apparition in front of it. "So it''s only natural that the archduke, who was the main pillar of that project, is being tormented by the mages. And... it''s not just the archduke." Class A''s Adelia. The archduke is the archduke, but Adelia is a student from the Royal Class. Heinrich muttered absentmindedly. "Adelia must be going through a great ordeal as well." "Of course." Although the Titan project was not strictly confidential, not all of its technology had been disclosed. So it was inevitable that mages, whether out of curiosity or greed for that knowledge, would pester the archduke and Adelia. Mages swarmed like a pack of dogs, asking them various questions, and Adelia, being who she was, couldn''t turn them away coldly. Heinrich couldn''t help but worry about Adelia''s mental state when he imagined the scene. Adelia is a researcher of the highest order. She is not suited for direct combat, nor is she good at it. Of course, Adelia didn''t fight directly, but by completing the Titan, she would be remembered as the mage who killed the most monsters in the world. Magic research is generally confidential. This time was no different, and because of this preconception, no one harbored any significant doubts. Of course, everyone found it strange that even Ellen couldn''t enter the research facility. "I wonder when Anna will return?" In response to Ludwig''s question, none of them could be certain. In the end, the guards wouldn''t tell them whether Anna was at the Magic University or not. They only agreed to relay the message that Ellen had come looking for her. Asking Anna about the dark magic related to the undead wouldn''t provide a clever solution to their current situation. They simply wanted to know if it was easy to create undead from the remains of the saints. Ultimately, they were all feeling anxious, but there was no immediate solution or new idea to be found. They could request an audience with the high priests of the Five Great Religions, but that was a sensitive issue that required further consideration. If they were to join the search for the heretics in the refugee camp, there would be no guarantees. Rowan didn''t work alone; she had dispersed numerous inquisitors throughout the camp to gather and consolidate information. They couldn''t tell if Rowan had discovered the true identity of the culprits. It was a case Rowan had been pursuing, and they had even fewer resources available to them. They couldn''t know whether they would reach the end of this matter before winter''s end. So there was no point in rushing today. "Let''s call it a day." Ellen suggested that they organize the information they had gathered today and rest. "Ludwig, when Anna returns, ask her the questions we wanted to ask, and let us know... No, just call me." Ellen corrected herself, realizing it would be better for her to ask Anna directly. "Alright, I got it." Ludwig nodded with a determined expression. "I don''t think we need to rush too much. Even if we don''t know who killed Rowan, if they find out we''re chasing them..." Louise looked at everyone with a serious expression and continued. "We must always keep in mind that they might try to harm us." They were dealing with the people who had killed Rowan. They couldn''t be sure if the culprits would go after the heroes as well, but they couldn''t rule out the possibility that the same fate awaited them once they knew they were being pursued. Heinrich, Ludwig, and Ellen. They all understood that pursuing this matter came with considerable risk. "I feel like I dragged you into this mess..." Ludwig hadn''t thought it was a simple matter. But when he had asked for Ellen''s help, he couldn''t have known it would turn into such a huge incident. The thought that Ellen might be in danger because of him sent shivers down Ludwig''s spine. Moreover, it felt like causing an irreversible inconvenience. "No." Ellen shook her head at Ludwig''s self-blame. "At this point, we can''t just let it go." She added that it would be better for everyone if they could take action before the situation escalated, regardless of what might happen. It wasn''t a statement meant to console. She genuinely believed it and said it for that reason alone. CH 596 There was no need to act hastily. Their opponents were a mysterious force capable of attacking a church where the leader of the Heretic Inquisitors resided and carrying out a massacre. At this point, it was impossible to be certain if they were a group of mages, followers of the Demon God Cult, or an entirely separate third power. The important thing was that they were the kind of people who wouldn''t leave a pursuer alone, and there was a high possibility that they would target not only the hero but also the princess of the Schwarz royal family. In that regard, even if they didn''t know about the church where the Heretic Inquisitors were hiding under the guise of a ruined church of Tu''an, the Temple itself would undoubtedly be safe. Stirring them up with hasty actions was not a good idea. So, for now, Ellen planned to wait at the Royal Class dormitory, hoping to hear some clues from Anna de Gerna. They also needed to carefully consider how to deal with the internal problems within the Holy Knight Order. For now, they would wait and observe the situation. Ludwig stayed in the B-Class dormitory. Ellen, Louise, and Heinrich were in the A-Class dormitory. Snow was falling, and they needed to sort out their thoughts. Heinrich wasn''t a superhuman; he was tired from wandering around all day and had gone to rest in his room. Louise sat on the lobby sofa, lost in thought, and saw Ellen, who had just taken a shower, walking down the hallway with a towel around her neck. "Is something wrong?" "Ah..." Ellen tilted her head as she looked at Louise. "Have you seen my cat?" "Um... Did it go missing?" Louise had never been interested in pets, but if it was Ellen''s beloved cat, the situation could be serious. As Louise hesitated, unsure of what to say, Ellen shook her head. "No, it usually wanders around by itself. It was the same at the garrison. It''ll be back soon." If the cat wasn''t in sight, Ellen calmly assumed that it was wandering around another dormitory. She sat down opposite Louise and started to dry her hair with the towel, rubbing the ends gently. The hero, Ellen Artorius. Her brother, Ragan Artorius''s fame had already faded. Ellen Artorius''s status as the next hero had grown even more prominent. At times, she seemed a bit clumsy and didn''t talk much. But she was still a girl of her age. "Do you like cats?" "..." At Louise''s question, Ellen furrowed her brow, considering for a moment. "I don''t think I used to." "Really?" "Yes." Ellen checked that there were no cats nearby and gazed quietly out of the window at the falling snow. "Even now, I don''t think I ''raise'' it... It just comes to visit me occasionally." She added that she saw the cat more as a friend who stopped by now and then, rather than her own pet. In fact, Ellen seemed unconcerned about the cat not being in sight, assuming it was simply wandering around somewhere. "I hope it didn''t go outside." It was cold, and it was snowing. So, she hoped the cat was wandering around inside the Royal Class dormitory, not outside. Ellen said that and continued drying her hair. A hero who kept a cat. Louise couldn''t help but smile as she thought about Ellen''s sudden offer to pet the cat the day before. It seemed as though she had no thoughts, yet her appearance today was somehow different. When Ludwig, who had been through a lot, asked for help, she immediately agreed to lend a hand without asking any questions. Despite knowing the danger, she took the lead in unraveling the incident, quickly figuring out where she needed to go with her sharp mind and judgment. Wise, quick to judge, unhesitating in helping others, she was already strong in her own right. She may not look like a hero, but rather, it was the ordinary appearance concealing all aspects that made Ellen a true hero. To Louise von Schwarz, Ellen Artorius was a stranger. Her son''s classmate, a hero, the owner of two divine relics, and the hope of humanity. It wasn''t the first time she had seen her face in person. Louise had witnessed Ellen fighting fiercely. But she had never seen Ellen carrying a cat, conversing with friends, or handling problems. These human aspects of the hero were unfamiliar to Louise. In the end, she couldn''t help but like them. Ellen entered the temple, hiding her overly burdensome brother''s name. She was already the owner of a divine relic, but only a handful of people knew her true identity. After all, a hero is a being that the times require. Just as Ragan Artorius became a hero because of the Great Demon War. Ellen Artorius is called a hero because of the current Demon King and the Gate Incident. Even the Demon King Reinhardt was not treated as a hero until his true identity was discovered. Everyone thought there were two heroes, but one was a Demon King in disguise, a fact that shocked everyone. Because of her son''s words that the Demon King might not be evil, Louise couldn''t decide what to do. Louise wasn''t ignoring Ellen. If none of this had happened. If there had been no Gate Incident, would she have lived a different life? As a princess and heir to the Schwarz royal family, Louise would have lived as a princess even without the Gate Incident. But Ellen was different. Ellen was a commoner. If there had been no Gate Incident, she would have been destined for an ordinary life. Because of the Gate Incident, Ellen became the most important person in the world. If none of this had happened. Ellen would have lived an ordinary life without bearing any heavy burdens. "If none of this had happened." "...Yes?" "What do you think you''d be doing now?" "..." At Louise''s sudden question, Ellen fell silent. "You wouldn''t have wanted to live this life, would you?" "...That''s right." Everyone looked at Ellen only as a hero. But Louise saw the human side of Ellen hidden beneath that title, both yesterday and today. That''s why she was curious about what kind of life Ellen wanted, what dreams she had. Even though she knew there was no point in talking about such things now. Ellen stared blankly out the window in response to Louise''s question. If none of this had happened. "I would have been attending the temple." Although she was still at the temple now, if there had been no Gate Incident, the temple would have been bustling with countless students. Even if they weren''t very close, as time passed, she would have become friendly enough with everyone to exchange casual conversations. It would have been the same then as it is now, a sad friendship that could only be called camaraderie. And. There would have been no one who died amidst these tangled and distorted relationships. There wouldn''t have been anyone who couldn''t come to this place. If that had been the situation. If none of this had happened. Ellen gazes out the window. Her cursed eyes wouldn''t have had to be considered a curse. If everything hadn''t changed and it snowed like this. No. A fragment of memory from that day naturally comes to mind. The mischievous smile of Reinhardt, who shoved a snowball into Harriet''s mouth. The day they sat on the winter terrace on a quiet, snowing night, eating beef stew, comes to mind. It wasn''t a special day. That''s what they thought back then too. That they would later reminisce about these times. That these days wouldn''t last forever, that every ordinary day they spent together had been special. So Ellen had vaguely guessed. That this would be enough. That they wouldn''t ask for more. Friends. And the one they loved. Just being together like that would have been enough. In the end, it''s just that kind of story. They didn''t not know. The days they thought would never return had become days they couldn''t return to. It wasn''t the way they had imagined, but in the end, that''s how it turned out. And they were the ones who had destroyed it all. If they could go back to that time. If everything had been as if it never happened, and they had continued living like that. What would they be doing now? "¡­Maybe we''d be making a snowman." "A snowman¡­?" "Yes." Ellen says this quietly. In the accumulating snow, just as they had done before. Eating or drinking something while watching the snowfall. Or making a snowman. Simply doing things like that. Nothing particularly impressive or grand. They would have been living those ordinary days. Those special days. ------ Anna de Gerna did not return the next day either. Not only Anna, but Christina and Louis Ancton, who were devoted to their research, didn''t return either. The research being conducted at Magic University may not be related to the three of them, so the news might not have reached them. Since they didn''t know where they were researching, everyone had no choice but to wait at the dormitory. More than anything, it was a time to be cautious. The day before, they had stirred up people they didn''t need to provoke while running around here and there. In a situation where they didn''t know who their enemy was, acting hastily for even a day was enough. After waiting at the temple for two days like that. Anna de Gerna still didn''t return. "Does she usually leave her post for this long?" At Louise''s question, Ludwig nods. "Yes, she doesn''t usually come back soon¡­" The four gathered in the Class B dormitory were waiting for Anna to return. "Even if we meet her, there might not be an ingenious solution¡­ How about searching for the dark mage within the temple?" "If it were the time when the temple was still in operation, maybe, but I don''t think we can find them right now." In the current situation, the majority of the mages had been dispatched, and it made no difference whether they were dark mages or not. Most of them were undoubtedly at the allied forces'' garrison. "Hmmm..." Although they had no intention of making hasty moves, they couldn''t help but feel restless as they aimlessly spent their time waiting for Anna, whose return was uncertain. As a result, everyone had gathered in the B-class dormitory and spent the entire day sitting there. Ellen gently stroked the back of a cat that had fallen asleep on her lap. Just when they wondered where it had gone, the cat was found nonchalantly sleeping next to Ellen''s bed this morning. Ellen had left her door slightly ajar so the cat could come and go as it pleased, and it roamed around her room as if it owned the place. "The snow still hasn''t stopped, huh." Heinrich looked outside with a worried expression. Although the snowfall had weakened, it showed no signs of stopping. "It seems the Royal Mage Corps have been deployed for snow removal. I heard a large number of mages have returned to the allied forces'' garrison as well." "That''s a relief..." At Ludwig''s words, Heinrich quietly nodded his head. Through the window, they could see the guards inside the temple clearing the snow. With a considerable number of students dispatched for snow removal support, they all waited for Anna, whose return was uncertain. They only wanted to ask her a simple question, and although they knew that it wouldn''t be a significant hint, it was the only option they had for now. There was also the option of contacting the archbishops of the five major religions, but that was too risky. Louise and Ellen had decided to gather more clues before taking action. They had been sitting in the lobby for quite a while when... -Thud Louise noticed a door of the dormitory open, and a student walked down the hallway, heading somewhere. The student appeared sluggish, walking slowly with a gaunt and emaciated frame. "Ah, Detto." In response to Ludwig''s greeting, the student just gave a slight nod without any other reply and continued to move along. "Hello." Even when Ellen greeted him, the student only gave a slight nod without showing any interest and went on his way. During the two days of waiting in the dormitory, Louise had encountered the gaunt student several times. Louise quietly watched his retreating figure. "Detto... Morian, was it?" "Yes." "Well... um... he seems like an odd kid." Louise chose her words carefully so as not to be rude. Although she hadn''t observed him for long, Dettomorian had a strong, distinct impression. Anyone would inevitably feel a creepy and ominous vibe from him. "He may be misunderstood a lot, but he''s a good friend." At Ludwig''s words, Ellen nodded in agreement. Louise couldn''t help but feel noticeably flustered by that statement. "No, I didn''t mean he seemed like a bad kid..." "Sister, we understand what you mean. I, too... haven''t really talked much with him." Heinrich was still avoiding Dettomorian because of his eerie atmosphere. Dettomorian would carry on with his tasks, showing no interest in Louise, a stranger in the dormitory, or anyone else. He didn''t care who greeted him or who was around. Louise had some knowledge about Heinrich''s classmates. Of course, seeing them with her own eyes was different. "His talent is in shamanism, right?" "Yes." Dettomorian, a talent for shamanism. "What exactly is this shamanism?" At Louise''s question, both Heinrich and Ludwig wore ambiguous expressions. "Well... I''m not quite sure myself." Even Ludwig, who had lived together with her for a long time, had no idea what shamanism was. Something like magic, but not magic. "I can''t be sure how it manifests, but it is certainly a means of harnessing power. I have witnessed it several times myself." "You''ve seen it firsthand?" "Yes." It was Ellen who answered instead. A long time ago, Ellen had witnessed the Dettomorian ritual to awaken the cursed demon sword Tiamata alongside Reinhardt. She also saw the Dettomorian praying for peace with Bertus and Saviolin Turner. The amulet currently hanging around Ellen''s neck was also carved by a Dettomorian. Ellen didn''t know whether the amulet around her neck was really protecting her. Dettomorian had told her to wish for the amulet to be a guide that would protect her soul. So, she did just that. She couldn''t know if it truly harnessed power or not, but she wished for it to be so. Was this the essence of shamanism? Louise didn''t doubt Ellen''s claim that she had seen the shamanism manifest several times. Ellen must have seen it, so she must be speaking the truth. "Fascinating." Louise crossed her arms. "If shamanism manifests power, is it a method of handling mana, or is it a form of divine power?" A more fundamental question. Was the shamanism magic, or was it faith? All three of them could only wear puzzled expressions at this question. "I''m not certain, but I''ve heard that shamanism is the most primitive form of magic." Heinrich''s knowledge was limited to that, and even then, it was a story that most ordinary people didn''t know. He only knew this much because there was a Dettomorian with the peculiar talent of shamanism among his classmates. Before established magic existed in the world, the practitioners of shamanism were the first mages. Thus, shamanism was a primitive form of magic. Ellen knew this as well. However, she had never given much thought to shamanism. It seemed quite peculiar when she thought about it. When Dettomorian performed the ritual for Tiamata and when he prayed for peace. From the beginning, the word "prayer." "But when actually using it, it''s more like... praying." Louise looked at Ellen with interest. "Magic that manifests through prayer? Is that even possible?" Magic was a ''technique'' that refines mana within or outside the body using established formulas and theories. That was the way of mages. However, prayer was simply wishing for the power itself to manifest. That was the way of priests. "That''s true." Upon hearing Louise''s words, Ellen sensed that something was strange. "The shamanism, it seems like a very odd power." It was impossible to determine if shamanism was truly magic or not. There were no established formulas or theories. Thus, it was not a technique. Yet, it wasn''t praying to the Five Great Gods either, so it wasn''t a power derived from the divine abilities of the gods. Where did the power of shamanism come from? If it didn''t come from somewhere else, it should be within the realm of technique like that of the mages. However, shamanism didn''t seem to have any techniques at all. Shamanism was indeed a very strange power. "Isn''t it strange, though...?" As Ellen and Louise were lost in confusion, Ludwig slipped into the conversation. "Isn''t it strange that a power that''s neither magic nor divine actually works?" At Ludwig''s question, Louise tilted her head. "Well, you know how heretics perform rituals that cause strange things to happen. I''m not talking about the believers in the Demon God Cult but rather... people who don''t really believe in anything, yet their bizarre rituals manifest power... Couldn''t such a thing be possible?" Ludwig was merely recalling Rowan''s words. Heretics prayed to strange places, and while their prayers might not always be effective, sometimes they are. They probably didn''t use magic, but something did happen. "Is shamanism not so different from the rituals of heretics...?" "No, that''s not what I meant." Realizing what he had just said, Ludwig became flustered. Ludwig wanted to say that it wasn''t so strange for shamanism to wield power. But by saying that Dettomorian was no different from a heretic, Ludwig almost wanted to bite his own tongue. "No." Ellen shook her head, looking at the bewildered Ludwig. "Come to think of it, instead of Anna, we should have been looking for the Dettomorian." The heretics in the refugee camp, or perhaps the followers of the Demon God Cult. If they were involved in this case, they should be looking for the Dettomorian rather than Anna. Praying to an unknown power and receiving a response. If the cause of the incident was the heretics'' rituals, they might need to look for a shaman instead of a dark mage. Dettomorian had just left the dormitory. "Let''s go find him." "Do you know where he went? Dettomorian seems to be out often." At Ludwig''s question, Ellen nodded. That eerie and grotesque space. The basement of the club building. Ellen knew that the Dettomorian was there every day, offering his prayers. CH 597 The clubhouse had become the complete lair of Dettomorian after the operations of the temple had been suspended. As they entered the underground space, everyone except Ellen couldn''t help but be shocked. "What is this¡­?" Ludwig. "Damn, is that blood?" Heinrich. "What, what is all this supposed to mean?" Louise. The three of them couldn''t help but feel fear as they entered the space filled with unidentified spell circles and symbols. Regardless of personal strength and experience, anyone who faced this scene for the first time was bound to feel an inexplicable fear. In fact, even Ellen had been overwhelmed when she first came here. "Is it alright for us to be here¡­?" Indeed, even Ludwig, who had said that Dettomorian was a misunderstood but kind friend, turned pale and hesitantly asked. Dettomorian deserved special treatment in many ways. Ludwig had seen civilians praying to strange idols and getting killed by guards. However, seeing the idols and spell circles filling the underground space, even the priests who had never harmed others in their lifetime under the belief of embracing and enlightening heretics would ponder if Dettomorian should first be tied to the stake. Dettomorian had managed to get away with being called the heretic among heretics due to being a Royal Class student at the temple. Certainly, even civilians who knew nothing about heresy would think that these were the results of evil deeds committed by heretics when they saw this scene. Despite the ominous and strange sights that they passed, everyone felt uneasy. "It''s okay." As an experienced person, Ellen fearlessly strode down into the underground. ------ At the core and center of the spell circles. Upon arriving at the space equivalent to an underground storage room, Ellen could see Dettomorian still sitting in the center of the spell circles. Independent of the strange and ominous energy felt, the place was originally chaotic. That''s why Ellen couldn''t tell if Dettomorian was still praying for the same thing. It was impossible to recognize if the arrangement of the idols had changed or if new spell circles had been drawn. It had always been cluttered. However. "You''re here." "Yes." Dettomorian spoke as she saw the four of them suddenly appear. The meaning of her words was unclear. Whether he knew they would come or was just acknowledging their arrival. Dettomorian spoke in a way that not only was hard for others to understand but also made it impossible to discern his intentions. Ellen wasn''t particularly close to Dettomorian, and Ludwig had tried to become friends but had failed. Heinrich and Louise were frozen stiff. Louise''s abilities weren''t weak either, and there was no need to mention Heinrich. However, there was something about this scene that overwhelmed people. "Did you think we would come?" In response to Ellen''s question, Dettomorian gazed at the faintly flickering candle before him as it continuously emitted light. "Well¡­" Another ambiguous answer. Without fear, Ellen approached Dettomorian and sat down across from him, with only one candle between them. The hero and the shaman sat facing each other, separated by a single candle. "Have you still been praying for peace lately?" "No¡­" Until Ellen, Bertus, and Turner arrived, Dettomorian had been praying for peace. "What are you doing, then?" At Ellen''s question, Dettomorian answered softly. "Safety." "And peace." Safety and peace. Ellen tilted her head at those words. "I was praying for the safety and peace of your soul." "...For me?" "Yes." Dettomorian said quietly. "Because that''s the same as wishing for peace." Ellen still can''t understand Dettomorian''s words. However, in this strange scene, it sent shivers down her spine to hear that a shaman performing an unknown ritual was suddenly praying for her. "I see." But Ellen lowered her head slightly, looking at Dettomorian. "Thank you." She expressed her gratitude. "..." Just like Ludwig did. Ellen knew that Dettomorian was not a bad person. It''s still the same. The outcome of shamanism was unknown, and it was unknown whether it really worked. It''s unknown whether the symbol given by Dettomorian will truly protect Ellen, and whether his prayers for peace and Ellen''s soul will be effective. But knowing that his prayers were sincere, Ellen was grateful to Dettomorian. Ellen, who expressed her gratitude to Dettomorian, cautiously raises her head. Dettomorian looked at Ellen with an expression that was hard to tell if he knew something or knew nothing. Dettomorian, who already looked rather extraordinary, appeared even more so in this space. If he usually looked gloomy, he seemed indescribable in this dark and dismal space. Did we come to the wrong place? Did we accidentally set foot somewhere we shouldn''t have while chasing an event? The same thought couldn''t help but arise in everyone''s mind. But Ellen spoke quietly, looking at Dettomorian. "There''s a graveyard in the basement of the Holy Knights'' Cathedral." "..." Despite the sudden start of the main subject, Dettomorian listened quietly to Ellen''s words. "It''s a graveyard where priests and holy knights with strong divine powers during their lifetime are buried." There was no need to beat around the bush, so she started with the main point. Since the story was too long to start with, she asked only what needed to be asked. "Someone seems to have revived the skeletons in the graveyard as undead and taken them somewhere." "..." "Is such a thing possible?" As she spoke, Ellen wondered if this question itself might be impolite. Assuming that Dettomorian knew the evil magic of creating undead, it could be rude to have come to him with this question. However, at Ellen''s simple but not-so-light question, Dettomorian fell silent. Dettomorian''s answer was neither possible nor impossible. "Don''t do it." "...Huh?" "It''s better not to..." Again, an incomprehensible statement. But because it was completely incomprehensible, Ellen felt she could somewhat understand what Dettomorian was saying. "Just staying still is... better?" "Yes..." It must have been a suggestion to not delve into this issue and let it be. "Can you explain the reason in detail?" "No..." It was unclear whether he couldn''t explain, whether she wouldn''t understand even if he did, or whether he simply couldn''t tell her. It was impossible to comprehend. Everyone quietly listened to the strange exchange between Ellen and Dettomorian. Their conversation seemed both engaging and completely nonsensical. Ludwig approached the two silently. "Detto." "..." Ludwig sat down beside Ellen. "Do you know something? If you do, please tell us." "..." "I''m not sure. The priestess I tried to help turned out to be a terrible person, and I don''t even know what she was trying to do through me. Now, no matter how wrong that priestess was... I just want to know what happened and what''s going to happen." "You''ll die..." "...What?" Not only Ludwig but also Ellen, Louise, and Heinrich, who had been quietly listening, couldn''t hide their confusion at Dettomorian''s words. Dettomorian, still wearing a gloomy expression, looked at Ludwig and slowly opened his mouth. "Ludwig, if you go any further, you''ll die." At this sudden prophecy, Ludwig''s face turned pale. "Do nothing..." Though they couldn''t understand anything else, Ellen and Ludwig knew that Dettomorian was genuinely worried for Ludwig. ------ A sudden prophecy. Its content was excessively simple. Death. And that prophecy targeted Ludwig. Caught off guard by these words, Ludwig stiffened like a stone, his mouth agape. Ellen was equally taken aback. "What are you talking about? Ludwig would suddenly end up dead?" "..." Ludwig had no intention of arguing or getting angry. Ludwig wasn''t the type to do that to a friend in the first place. "Can''t you say something...... please?" Ellen asked on behalf of the speechless Ludwig. The reason for saying such a thing, and what he saw, if anything. "I can''t persuade you...... and I can''t explain......" That was all Dettomorian had to say. Whether it meant they wouldn''t understand what he saw, or he himself didn''t know why he knew this, he didn''t say. Neither Ellen nor Ludwig could bring themselves to ask Dettomorian, with his gloomy expression, any more questions. "You have to tell us something! What should we do if you suddenly say he''s going to die and don''t say anything else!" Thus, Heinrich, who had been watching from behind, approached Dettomorian and scolded him, looking down at him. "Youngest......!" Louise, who saw her son took action in this unsettling and ominous situation, was also taken aback and gently grabbed Heinrich''s shoulder. Dettomorian silently looked up at Heinrich, his eyes slightly narrowed. A penetrating gaze. And for a moment, he glanced at the anxious Louise behind him. "...!" In that brief stare, Heinrich felt a chilling sensation as if all the hair on his body stood on end. Even though it was just a brief look, it felt as if Dettomorian had grasped some hidden truth. At that gaze, Heinrich unknowingly broke out in cold sweat down his spine, and Louise felt suffocated. Heinrich sensed that he shouldn''t meddle with Dettomorian carelessly. "Dettomorian." "Yes..." Nonetheless, Ellen, who trusted Dettomorian in this situation, called out to him. "Why is this so dangerous, why would Ludwig die, why is it better not to know... If we don''t get a proper explanation, I - no, we - can''t help but look deeper into this matter." "..." "It''s not that I don''t trust your words. But there''s too much at stake in this matter. It doesn''t seem like something we can just leave alone." "You''re right..." Dettomorian nods quietly as if agreeing with Ellen''s words. "My words are small... small and weak, with scant evidence. Trust is lacking. Explanations are insufficient. Persuasiveness is low..." For the first time in a long while, Dettomorian doesn''t hesitate or stutter in his speech. "I speak of what I have seen." "I don''t speak of what I haven''t seen." "But, of course." "My words don''t always come true." "What I''ve said might just turn out to be nonsense." "But, speaking of death in an age where death is rampant isn''t such a difficult prophecy." "Everyone dies someday." "Everyone can die at any time." "In a time when death is as common as the widespread hunger and poverty." "Anyone''s death would seem easily foreseeable." "It''s easier than predicting ordinary fate." "So." "My words aren''t always correct." "What I''ve seen doesn''t always come true." "But this time." "It must be right." "Ludwig." "Don''t do anything." "You''ll die." Death was overly pervasive in this world. That was why, when looking at anyone''s fate, it was easier to see death. That was why it must be true. Neither Ludwig nor the others knew why this matter was related to his death. On their way to inquire about shamanism and the rites of the heretics, they unexpectedly heard a prophecy of death. Ludwig, frozen, stared at Dettomorian. Speaking of Ludwig''s death must be because he did not wish for Ludwig''s death. "Let me ask you one thing." After a long silence, Ludwig spoke with a hardened expression. "Will I die in vain?" "..." "Unable to do anything, as I am now, powerless to do anything on my own. Only receiving help, blaming myself for everything being my fault, for my powerlessness. Just causing trouble for others. Not being helpful in any way. Like that......" Ludwig spoke with a miserable expression. "Will I die like that?" Dettomorian remained silent at Ludwig''s question. "..." He gave no answer. But this time, the silence felt different to everyone. While the meaning of the previous silence was unknown, the current silence was a deliberate withholding of words. Because speaking would bring about some sort of consequence. Though he would die. It would not be a meaningless death. Dettomorian didn¡¯t say anything. The shaman spoke of what he saw. He didn¡¯t speak of what he doesn''t see. For a shaman who cannot lie, not speaking the truth is the only lie. "It''s not like that, then." "..." "Detto, right?" Dettomorian didn¡¯t say anything. "That''s enough for me." It was not a meaningless or futile death. Though they didn¡¯t know what would happen, the mere fact that death was imminent implied that something could be done. Instead, they found hope in the possibility of doing something. Even if death awaited, even if those words were absolute. The hope that it might not be absolute was not entirely absent, either. The very notion of being able to do something was what Ludwig had yearned for, ever since the death of Delphin Izzard and the loss of his arm. After a long silence, Dettomorian finally lowered his head. "Destiny is completed by those who seek to change it." Once, someone had said, ¡®As if they tried to change their fate and ended up like this.¡¯ ¡®As if they had longed for it and achieved it.¡¯ "Am I... the same?" Dettomorian saw the future, but he instinctively knew that by trying to change it, he had fulfilled it. Trying to prevent Ludwig''s death had, in fact, pushed him forward. Though the future was known, people did not know. So, he realized that he had inadvertently propelled Ludwig forward. "Am I unable to escape this fate as well?" No one understood what Dettomorian was saying. But they could sense his self-loathing and resignation in his words. Silent, Dettomorian soon raised his head. "Find Asher." "What?" Everyone was taken aback by this unexpected statement. "Then, you''ll understand." A being with no reason to be mentioned in this situation. An already deceased friend. What does searching for someone who cannot return have to do with this matter? "What do you mean? Find Asher?" "You! You keep making these incomprehensible remarks. What do you want to say?" As Ludwig was bewildered and Heinrich''s old temper started to surface, "Leave." Dettomorian issued a stern command. "I don''t want to change anything more by talking further." The shaman had already begun to fear his own words. With his firm stance and the desperate look on the shaman''s face, they could not ask any more questions. ------ Though Dettomorian often spoke in riddles, he was not known to be harsh. Thus, plainly telling them to leave was almost the first time he had ever spoken to someone in a commanding tone. It didn''t matter who was listening. Everyone was shocked, unable to understand or even guess his intentions behind his enigmatic words. Left alone in the underground storeroom of the club building, with only a few lit candles, Dettomorian sat quietly. Whether he was praying for something, contemplating something, or doing nothing at all, no one could tell. In that silence, as the candles burned down, A small, quiet figure approached. -Meow "..." A black cat. Dettomorian did not even look at the cat. The cat quietly approached and sat across from Dettomorian. After its initial cry, the cat simply stared at Dettomorian. Neither the cat nor the shaman spoke. A long silence ensued. An hour. Or maybe two. After an indeterminable amount of time had passed in the silence between the cat and the shaman, "All I could do was this..." The shaman slowly opened his mouth. "Choosing the lesser danger over the greater one..." The cat listened quietly to the shaman''s excuse-like words, showing no reaction. "But, in the end, knowing everything might just lead to... I don''t even know..." The shaman lowered his head, speaking with a tone of lament. "What if I had known the future completely..." -... "Even if I had known it completely, the future would change according to my actions. Knowing the future is, perhaps, meaningless." -... "Or is it that the very act of knowing the future incompletely... was arranged to fulfill that destiny?" -... "I wasn''t unaware that I was no different..." The shaman stared at the flickering candle. "Wanting to do something, and ruining it as a result..." -... "So, this is how it feels..." Finally, the shaman slowly shifted his gaze to look at the cat. "Trying to change a fate that even the gods could not change..." -... "How foolish." The cat sat quietly, looking at the shaman. "You don''t need my words." -... "You know what you must do." -... "Then, just do it." Upon the shaman''s words, the cat looked at him for a long time before quietly getting up from its spot. The cat left without a word, and the shaman remained seated alone before the candles for a long time. CH 598 The four of them left the club building where Dettomorian was and returned to the Royal Class Dormitory. Their original purpose was to ask whether the heretics in the refugee village could turn the remains of the saints into the undead. However, Ludwig heard a prophecy about his death. And when Ludwig refused to back down from it, Dettomorian seemed to reluctantly give a hint. But the hint was strange. Find the already dead friend, Asher. What connection did this have with the incident? The connection was so weak that it was impossible to know what it means. "That guy, he''s gone completely insane." Heinrich frowned, as if Dettomorian was disgusting. "No, Heinrich. Dettomorian is trying to discourage us. You know that." "If he knew, then he should¡¯ve explained it properly. What''s going to happen? Just ignore him. He''s a madman. You know how many people went crazy because of the war, right? You know too, don''t you?" All of them had been on the frontlines. Everyone knew that it was common for people to lose their minds in the horrors of war. The death of comrades, the horrors of battle, the pain of injury, and the fear emitted by monsters drove many to madness. There were countless people who became disabled, unable to wield weapons or even lead a normal life. All four of them in this place had seen firsthand the madness of war and those who went crazy in it. "Don''t worry about those unlucky words. And what''s with the talk about Asher? I thought that guy was gloomy, but sane." "Youngest." At Heinrich''s rough words, eventually, Louise stepped in. "¡­Yes." "Magic is an unknown power, and mages are beings we don''t know." "¡­" "But even though it''s an unknown power, haven''t you seen the person?" Louise looked at Heinrich. "I didn''t see him as a child who used power wrongly, nor as one who used his heart wrongly." "But¡­ it''s just confusing. Too¡­ rather, why didn''t he tell us properly what''s going on? Why did he say that?" Heinrich''s argument that Ludwig''s impending death was nothing more than a curse wasn''t entirely wrong. "Since we don''t know another mage who can give examples, that kid must have a good reason for doing so." "It''s meaningless for us to discuss why Dettomorian said that now." "¡­" Louise''s restraint and Ellen''s words left Heinrich with no choice but to be silent. Ellen looked at Ludwig. If they pursued this matter, Ludwig would die. No one knows how or in what way he would die. But Ludwig knew that his death wouldn''t be in vain, and he was determined. Would it be okay to destroy that determination? You should stay out of it. Was that the right thing to say? "I don''t believe I''m going to die." As if understanding the meaning behind Ellen''s gaze, Ludwig spoke with a determined expression. "I don''t doubt Dettomorian, but I believe I can do something. If I die in the end, it''s not Dettomorian''s fault, but mine." "¡­" People chose to believe what they want to believe. Even if it was a lie, they believed it, so how much more for the truth? Death wasn''t to be believed, and the process of dying wouldn''t be meaningless¡ªthat was the belief. "Yes." Ellen silently nodded her head, looking at Ludwig''s resolve. Ludwig''s stubbornness could not be broken. If Ludwig, who had already been bent too many times, were to bend again, he would wither away while still alive. That expression seemed like living through something worse than death, surviving in a misery greater than death. "The shaman said you would die, but not when." The shaman had said that he would die, but not when it would happen. Anyone could predict that a person would eventually die, so the prophecy of his death was something even a non-shaman could make. Ludwig decided to deceive the shaman''s prophecy instead. Ellen also decided not to think about Ludwig''s death. It might not be true. Death had become so prevalent that it was easy to predict, but not everyone would die. There was plenty of possibility that the prophecy was wrong. Excluding Ludwig now, he was the type to seek another death. So rather, it was better to keep him in sight. "What on earth does it mean to find Asher?" The next problem. To find Asher. What on earth did it mean that he would find out then? It could be dismissed as nonsense. If Dettomorian was just a crazy person, then it would just be malicious nonsense. However, it was too random. It would have made sense if they were told to find the Five Great Religions Popes or to visit the scene again. It was so unexpected and unimaginable that it was grotesque. Where was he supposed to find Asher, who was already dead? From the story of finding a dead friend, there could be only one conclusion. "Is it... a suggestion to find Asher''s tomb?" At Ludwig''s words, everyone couldn''t help but think they knew even less. The shaman''s words were leading them further into a labyrinth. Ellen slowly nodded her head. "Even if going to see it might be meaningless, it can''t be a bad thing." The person they had sent away. Although finding his tomb might make everyone feel miserable, it couldn''t make the situation worse. ------ All four of them left the temple. Their steps were cautious, as the Holy Knights or some other forces who had detected their pursuit might be watching or chasing after them. Asher, who had talent in divine power. Asher had taken on the role of a priest healing soldiers from the rear. And he was torn to death by a rear attack of flying monsters. It was difficult to even properly look at the gruesome state of his body, which they had barely recovered. The bodies of those who had achieved enough merit in the war were laid to rest in the National Cemetery in the northern part of the Imperial Capital. Most of the Royal Class students were those who had gained merit in the war, and although Asher had not fought directly, he had saved many lives. Since Asher was not affiliated with the Holy Knights, his tomb was in the National Cemetery. "I should have at least tried to find it." Ludwig sighed with self-reproach, drowning in his despair and not even considering the thought of visiting his friend''s tomb. Heinrich and Ellen felt the same. With the magic train not running, they had to cross the large river, pass the north, and even the Imperial Palace, so the journey was long. On the street, there were soldiers clearing the snow, as well as familiar faces to the Royal Class members Ellen, Heinrich, and Ludwig. -Whooosh! A supernatural who manipulated the wind swept away the piled-up snow in an instant. From a distance, they could see their senior at work. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°It''s supernatural power!¡± As the children found the snow-clearing supernatural powers fascinating, they playfully ran around and followed the senior. Despite looking troubled, the senior continued to herd the children, creating a bittersweet scene. This supernatural had once used wind blades to pulverize monsters. Now, the wind supernatural, who had displayed abilities almost matching Heinrich, was nothing more than an unknown person showing off fascinating powers to the children. ¡°Ah! Kids, it''s dangerous. Don''t come any closer!¡± Seeing a war hero struggling with the encroaching children, Ludwig and Heinrich exchanged wry smiles. Once all this was over... Everyone wished for a day when supernatural powers, like controlling fire and wind, were merely fascinating abilities. In a world where their powers were not crucial, it would be a peaceful one. Hoping for peace, the four of them walked. They walked to uncover the truth about the death that had already occurred. Facing the death that would soon come. Heading towards the grave of their deceased friend. They walked through the streets, where snowflakes scattered. ------ All four of them were first-time visitors to the Imperial National Cemetery. Ludwig and Heinrich had only heard later that Asher''s body had been transported to the Imperial Cemetery after a brief funeral at the Allied Forces'' base. They didn''t know that the bodies of the meritorious were buried at the National Cemetery. Ellen, one of the busiest people in the Allied Forces, hadn''t even been able to attend Asher''s brief funeral. As for Louise, there was nothing to say. So they hadn''t known for long where Asher''s grave was. "Is that... the National Cemetery?" The guards standing in front of the massive gate, despite being hit by snow, were diligently protecting the entrance to the cemetery. And in front of the cemetery gate, visitors braved the weather, waiting for their turn to enter. The line wasn''t long due to the weather. Although Ellen could have easily ignored the queue, she naturally stood in line with her companions. Worried about exposing their identities, they remained silent. However, they couldn''t help but think about the various reasons for visiting the cemetery in this weather. Those who came to the cemetery in this weather must have had a compelling reason. What could be the reason for visiting the National Cemetery in this weather, even enduring the snow? They must have been relatives. Visitors related to the deceased must have come to pay their respects. They couldn''t help but watch the diverse group of visitors waiting in line with a heavy heart. After some waiting, Ellen''s turn arrived. "Uh... Hero?" Since Ellen''s face was well-known, the appearance of the Hero amongst the visitors caused a stir among the guards. "I''d like to keep it quiet." "Yes, yes! Understood." With her request to avoid drawing attention, the guards were surprised but warned their colleagues to avoid causing a commotion. Ellen''s face was practically an ID in itself, so the verification of the other three''s identities proceeded rather casually. Ellen and her companions quickly made their way after learning the location of Asher''s tomb from the desk beyond the guards. They all shared the same thoughts. It was natural to feel somber at the thought of going to a friend''s tomb. At the same time, they wondered. What clues could possibly be found in this cemetery blanketed in pure white snow? Probably none. Perhaps Dettomorian only mentioned it to remind them of something they had forgotten. But then, what was the meaning behind the statement that they would learn something once they found Asher? The interior of the national cemetery wasn''t cleared of snow like the other streets, so their feet sank deep into the snow. "It''s vast¡­" Ludwig muttered as he stared blankly at the national cemetery. The national cemetery was located at the northernmost edge of the Imperial Capital. Now, a refugee camp had formed beyond the edge, but in the past, it would have been completely outside the Imperial Capital. "It must not have been this big originally." "Ah¡­" Heinrich let out a small exclamation at Ellen''s words. Even without knowing the exact details, they could predict. The national cemetery in the northern part of the Imperial Capital had inevitably undergone two expansions. The first during the Great Demon War. The second after the Gate incident. War took away countless lives, and inevitably, more tombs were needed for the meritorious dead. That was why Ellen could tell just from the map of the national cemetery which areas contained the tombs of the Great Demon War veterans and which areas had been expanded after the Gate incident. Now, the four of them were heading to Asher''s tomb. To the cemetery area expanded after the Gate incident. "So all these tombs¡­ are from after the Gate incident?" As Ludwig murmured, Heinrich nodded. By now, they weren''t thinking about finding clues at Asher''s tomb; they were simply overwhelmed by the pervasive presence of death. So many had died and been buried here. This cemetery, too, had only a small fraction of the total number of tombs. Yet, its scale was still overwhelming. Countless deaths. But compared to all the deaths that had occurred since the Gate incident, it was but a speck. Even that speck of a cemetery was enough to overwhelm those who saw it. Ludwig muttered blankly. "Just how many people died¡­" "About 95 percent of all cities were destroyed." Louise spoke. "You can assume that about the same percentage of people died." Most cities had been destroyed, so it wasn''t an exaggeration to assume that the population had decreased by a similar scale. In fact, it could be even more. If 5 percent of all humanity had died, it would still be an enormous number of deaths. But the opposite. Around 95 percent had died. It was impossible to count, so they had to speak in terms of ratios. ------ A cemetery was a place where one couldn''t help but think about death. Speculating about the lives of the deceased while looking at their graves. Thinking about one''s own death. In the end, life. One couldn''t help but think about how to live. Ironically, being in a place where death was displayed made one think about life. What is life? What is the reason for living? A cemetery was a space where every human being has to confront the stark truth that everyone died, and as a result, one couldn''t help but think about what it meant to live. Ellen, Heinrich, and Louise. And Ludwig, who heard that death was waiting. Each walked silently, lost in their thoughts. Crossing the snow-covered, vast graveyard, Ellen and her companions soon arrived at Asher''s tomb. Blessed with a talent for divine power, Asher had healed countless wounded soldiers. He had joined the army not to kill, but to save lives, and met his death in the process. "Asher¡­" Ludwig stared quietly at the tombstone. No one wept. Not that they had tried to forget, but they had become unable to think about their friend''s death, swept away by the war. When winter passed and spring arrived, and the army resumed its march, the three, excluding Ludwig, would return to the battlefield. Worry was for those with nothing to do. Ludwig was the one who would stay here, contemplating life and death. Ironically, those who lived closest to death on the battlefield were too busy to even find the time to worry. Ludwig continued to gaze at the tombstone. He wished the prophecy of Dettomorian were true. Rather than feeling guilt for surviving in front of a friend''s grave, he wanted to do something, anything. Even if death lay at the end of it. He wished for a role. It didn''t have to be as significant as Ellen''s. He didn''t need supernatural powers like Heinrich. He didn''t have to be a commander like Louise. Even a pebble on the battlefield would do. For those who had been sacrificed, and for those who would be. He wanted to fight. "¡­" Ludwig sat in front of the tombstone for a while before standing up. Everyone looked frostbitten, but no one was shivering. "So¡­" Louise opened her mouth quietly. It wasn''t something to say in front of someone''s grave, but in the end, there was an uncomfortable conversation that had to be had, no matter the risk. "I don''t understand the meaning of this place¡­" Louise, of course, didn''t know the temple students well. So, she looked at everyone, thinking that if there were any clues, they would be something she didn''t know. Heinrich wanted to dismiss Dettomorian''s words as nonsense. But even if they were nonsense, they were too unpleasant and upsetting. The claim that visiting the tomb of a dead classmate would reveal everything. "No matter how much I think about it, it''s strange. Even if he''s insane, there''s no reason to play such a prank¡­" That''s why Heinrich, finding himself in front of Asher''s tomb, was more suspicious than ever of Dettomorian''s words being too unpleasantly false. What could possibly be the reason for such nonsense? Neither the speaker nor the listeners, who had walked all the way to the northern part of the Imperial Capital for nothing, would find it enjoyable. "Do you figure something out¡­?" Ludwig looked at Ellen as if asking for salvation. Leaving everything else aside, Ludwig had continuously seen Ellen make smarter judgments and moves than himself. Ludwig couldn''t understand anything now, but he thought Ellen might know something, so he kept staring at her helplessly. However, in this case, it wasn''t that Ludwig was too stupid to realize anything. "I have no idea." Ellen couldn''t grasp anything either. "What does Asher have to do with the tomb raiding incident involving the Holy Knights and the deaths of the heretic inquisitors?" As Heinrich had said, they had done something stranger than finding a needle in a haystack. They had only acted on the belief that Dettomorian possessed a peculiar foresight. "We''ll have to go back and ask. If we grab him by the collar and ask why he said such nonsense, he''ll have to say something." Heinrich couldn''t help but get increasingly agitated. Dettomorian should have either spoken clearly or not said anything at all, instead of making vague statements without directly mentioning anything. Seeing Heinrich begin to get worked up, Ellen spoke. "Calm down. Dettomorian... I don''t think he said those things to us with bad intentions. If he didn''t speak clearly, there must be a reason. It''s not like we''re in trouble if we can''t find any clues here." Even if Dettomorian''s clues turned out to be meaningless, they were not in a difficult situation, nor had they fallen into a trap. Heinrich sighed at Ellen''s words. "Ellen... I get what you''re saying. I might be getting angry for no reason, but there was no basis for what he said. There''s no connection between us coming here and the case we''re pursuing. The only commonality is that the Tomb of The Saint was a graveyard, and this place is a graveyard, but that''s it¡­" "¡­?" "There is one commonality, though¡­ isn''t there?" Although they couldn''t figure out the connection, there was indeed a commonality. No matter how it happened, both places were graveyards. CH 599 It all began with the death of Rowan, but the root of the matter was the excavation of the Holy Knights'' underground tomb. Dettomorian had said that they would understand once they found Asher. The meaning of those words was still unclear. However, their destination this time was also a national cemetery. There was that commonality. The tombs of the saints had been plundered. And there was the possibility that the remains had been resurrected as undead. Dettomorian had said to find Asher. Then they would understand everything. If the message to find Asher meant to go to the national cemetery of the Imperial Capital, then it was eventually about finding another tomb. That thought was frightening. Louise murmured quietly. "Could it be that the ones who created the undead have done the same thing here...?" Louise''s words made Ludwig''s expression tense. "But, there aren''t many people who can access the Holy Knights'' Cathedral... This place is so open, would it be possible for that to happen here?" The national cemetery was an open space. If such an event occurred, someone would inevitably see it. "It might have been possible if it was a night with no people. And a mage was involved. If they could use noise-canceling and teleportation, then it would have been possible for them to do such a thing here." The underground tomb of the Holy Knights. And the national cemetery. If the clue Dettomorian provided was a hint that the incident didn''t just occur in the Holy Knights'' underground tomb? "But if that happened, wouldn''t this place be in the same situation as when the Holy Knights'' tomb was disturbed? It''s not an ordinary incident." Heinrich raised the question. It was a natural point. A large-scale tomb raid, or an undead transformation site. Such an event could not be easily overlooked. If something like that happened at the national cemetery, measures would have been taken at the royal level, just like when the Tomb of the Saints was in emergency. However, the snow-covered national cemetery was calm and peaceful. It did not look like a place where something suspicious and ominous, like the undead transformation, had occurred. "You''re right, it seems like nothing happened." As Ludwig said, it was unlikely that such a quiet place had experienced an incident. The commonality of the tombs. Whether there was any meaning to it, or whether they were all just being misled by Dettomorian''s nonsense, they couldn''t tell. "Wait a moment..." But in the midst of it all, Ellen bit her lip slightly. "Did you figure something out?" "Didn''t we wait in line?" "In line?" "Yes." Ellen looked at Louise. "Do you remember waiting in line when we entered here?" "¡­Yes, we did." "Why did we wait in line?" "Why did we wait in line, you ask?" At Louise''s question, Ellen furrowed her brow. "To be precise, the problem isn''t the line, but that they were checking our identities." At her words, Louise nodded as well. It was a brief glimpse of the situation, but it had happened just a moment ago. "Visitors were not restricted based on their identity." Among the visitors were nobles, soldiers, and even those who appeared impoverished. Soon, it was clear that there were no restrictions on entry based on a visitor''s identity. "Although there weren''t many visitors, the fact that everyone could enter means that anyone can come into this national cemetery." "That''s true." "Then why are they checking our identities at a place where anyone can enter?" Why were they checking identities when they were not restricting access? "......It might be to track people down when a crime occurs. There must be many unidentified people around. But...... I''m not sure if this is a place where crimes would take place......" Crimes tended to happen in places where they are possible. Why, in a place filled with nothing but graves, would they need to verify the identities of everyone who enters? What kind of crime could possibly occur here that would warrant such a measure? None of the four knew how access to the national cemetery usually works. But something. Something felt off. "We should meet with the administrator." They still didn''t know what was going on. But Ellen thought differently than Heinrich. Dettomorian''s words must have some meaning. There must be something they can find out here. That was what Ellen believed. ------ Meeting the director of the Royal National Cemetery was not difficult. If they could ask for an audience with the leader of the Holy Knights, then meeting someone at the Royal National Cemetery should be even easier. When Ellen called for the director at the cemetery administration office, the director hurriedly guided them all to his office as if his feet were on fire. "Phew......" It wasn''t until Heinrich entered the room that Louise muttered in a daze, seeing his cold hands and frostbitten nose. "Oh...... You must have been cold." "No, Sister...... I''m fine." Louise couldn''t help but blame herself for having overlooked a problem that obviously needed attention, simply because it didn''t affect her greatly. Of course, Heinrich had just started to warm up, and his days of whining were behind him, so he tried to act as if he was perfectly fine. "It''s an honor to meet you!" "Hello." When the director of the National Cemetery saw Ellen, he couldn''t hide his embarrassment. This was a common and typical reaction, as the guards at the entrance had shown. Sometimes, the hair on Ellen''s body would stand on end when faced with such treatment, but she had no choice but to get used to it. While the director busily prepared tea for them, the four sat idly. What should they say their purpose was for coming here? Was it simply because they were surprised to see Ellen, or was there something fishy going on? They couldn''t tell just by looking. But if this place was related to the incident, the director should know something. Watching the director nervously preparing tea for himself and the four of them, Ellen took a polite sip of the tea. Ellen didn''t know much about tea. But she could feel the warmth and sincerity from the director''s demeanor. His expression was as if he had encountered a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck. What am I? I''m not someone who deserves this kind of treatment. Struggling to hold back such thoughts that gnawed at her mind, Ellen opened her mouth. "It''s not that, but we had to wait in line when we came in." "Ah, I''m sorry. A busy hero like you should not have had to wait. If you had told the guards, you could have come in right away......" "No, that''s not what I meant." Ellen felt that if she misspoke, the middle-aged man before her might have a heart attack. It would be ridiculous to think that way. A hero who came to complain because they couldn''t cut the line? Ellen didn''t think that way, not even a little bit. "They were verifying our identities." "Yes, that''s right." "Is there anyone who cannot enter the national cemetery?" "Huh? Ah..." The administrator scratches the back of his head at Ellen''s question, as if feeling apologetic. "Those with unclear residences or unregistered identities are restricted from entering." Such individuals were not common. However, the reality in the Empire was that there were now many of these people. "You must be talking about refugees?" "Well, to be precise, yes... But, of course, not all refugees are banned. If their identity is clear and their residence is certain..." But for the refugees living in makeshift shelters, proper identification would be nearly impossible. This meant that they would all be unable to enter the national cemetery. The important thing was not their status or property. "Does that mean only those who can be traced are allowed?" "Yes..." If a person could be traced, they could enter; if not, their entry would be denied. The reason was simple. Crime. Refugees might commit crimes in the national cemetery. Hiding and sleeping in a building to avoid the cold, or attempting grave robbery. Thus, controlling their access was not unusual. Ellen narrowed her eyes, pondering her next question. "Of course, refugees have the right to mourn as well. I know they are pitiful and needy people." Upon mentioning the control of refugees'' entry, the administrator misunderstood Ellen''s concerned expression as thinking that the control was unfair. "Yes, that''s true." Of course, Ellen had not come to inquire or challenge about that, so she replied halfheartedly. "Indeed, until recently, the national cemetery was open to everyone. Anyone, including refugees, could enter. Yes, definitely..." "¡­Yes?" Ellen, as well as the other three, had no choice but to react to the administrator''s excuse. "Are you saying that access control has changed?" In response to Louise''s question, the administrator nodded vigorously, even though he didn''t know who she was. "Yes, that''s right. Visitors are very inconvenienced, but there must be a reason for it, right? There haven''t been any problems until now..." "Everyone could enter before, but recently that''s not the case..." "Was there some kind of incident?" "A crime worse than theft occurred... We had no choice..." "What happened?" The administrator spoke with an apologetic expression, sweating nervously. "...Someone desecrated a grave." At those words, All four expressions hardened simultaneously. ------ Among the visitors, someone had desecrated a grave. If they had heard the story without knowing anything else, they might simply think that someone had committed such an act. However, they all couldn''t help but feel that the situation was too much of a coincidence. Grave robbery. Grave desecration. Weren''t they strikingly similar? "How did they desecrate it?" As Ellen''s expression became even more serious, the administrator had no choice but to sweat profusely. "It seemed like someone tried to rob a grave... That was the situation. Although they seemed to have failed in digging it up, the mere attempt was a big deal..." "Did you catch the culprit?" "Well, at the time, there were no restrictions on entering the cemetery¡­" They discovered signs of an attempted grave robbery. However, since the national cemetery was open at the time, they couldn''t catch the perpetrator. After that incident, the national cemetery administration started to deny entry to those with unclear identities. "Is it true that the grave robbery attempt failed?" "Yes? Although the grass was damaged, that was all¡­ We suspect that the attempt failed because the ground was frozen due to the cold weather, and the shovel couldn''t penetrate the soil." Although it was an eerily coincidental situation, it wasn''t impossible that completely different individuals committed the crime. "What could the grave robbers have taken if they had managed to dig up the graves?" Louise focused on a more intuitive aspect. "I don''t know why they would do such a thing¡­ We don''t know that either." "Don''t you?" It was essential to know if there were any valuable treasures buried in the tomb. If there were, it could be a simple grave robber''s act; if not, it might require further suspicion. Momentarily excited by the sudden appearance of a hero, he felt drained as he was interrogated at every turn. "Recently, we have been burying the deceased sent from the allied forces'' garrison according to a fixed procedure. Since the funerals are conducted by the allied forces, we cannot know if there are any valuable burial items." "Ah¡­ I see." At the cemetery director''s words, Louise slowly nodded in agreement. "Burial items¡­?" Ludwig, who didn''t understand the term, asked and Louise answered. "It refers to items buried with the deceased. Things the deceased cherished during their lifetime or items they want to be buried with. Naturally, when a high-ranking noble dies, there are many valuable burial items, and grave robbers aim for those." "Ah¡­ I see." If the cemetery director''s words were accurate, grave robbers had recently entered the national cemetery. Whether their intention was to steal burial items or something else, the attempt had failed. After confirming that, the cemetery administration only allowed entry to individuals with confirmed identities. There was a high possibility of treasure within the cemetery, so it wasn''t strange for there to be grave robbers. It was a plausible but failed attempt. Yet, it was an eerily coincidental situation. Ellen stared at the cemetery director. It felt like something was about to be revealed, yet it remained elusive. "The date." That''s why Ellen asked her final question. "When did the grave robbery incident occur?" "Ah, I''ll check right away." The cemetery director went to his desk and began rummaging through some documents. His attitude was different from that of the Holy Knight Commander, who had been ambiguous. He seemed to fear and respect Ellen and wanted to help her in any way possible. It was clear that he had nothing to do with the incident and wasn''t trying to hide anything. Of course, that could also be a disguise. The cemetery director soon provided an answer. "Ah¡­ We cannot be sure if this happened on the day of the incident. The area is so vast, and our workforce is limited, so it could have happened a few days prior¡­" "Fine, when was it?" "It was discovered on the evening of the 3rd of the 12th month." Upon hearing this, Ellen looked at Louise. "That day, huh?" "Yes." The 3rd of the 12th month The day the grave robbery incident occurred at the Tomb of the Saints. The coincidence surpassed mere chance; the suspicion had now reached a level where it could no longer be considered accidental. CH 600 Dawn, the 3rd of the 12th Month. The scene of the theft at the Holy Knights¡¯ Tomb of the Saints was discovered. On the same day, December 3rd, in the evening. Suspicious activities, seemingly an attempted grave robbery, were discovered at the national cemetery. Since then, access control at the national cemetery had been strengthened to guard against grave robbers. It couldn''t be said that the two incidents were completely unrelated, but the coinciding dates seemed too suspicious. If it were the work of the same culprit, was their attempt at the national cemetery a failure? "So that''s where we just went." "Yes." The four of them left the management office and were heading back to the cemetery. But this time, they were not heading to Asher''s tomb. After confirming the location of the tomb where the grave robbery attempt took place with the manager, they were on their way there. The manager offered to guide them personally, but Ellen declined. They had to see everything for themselves. Of course, with the snow falling and the passage of time since the incident, it was uncertain what they could learn by going there. But, as they had discovered something in the underground mausoleum of the Holy Knights, they thought they might learn something by checking it out themselves. "What on earth... What happened?" Ludwig''s head was about to explode from the complexity of the drastically changed case and its direction. "Whatever happened, one thing is certain." Heinrich bit his lip and spoke. "I thought it was the crazy ramblings of a madman, but it turns out it wasn''t." Heinrich muttered, with a touch of self-mockery, as he wanted to slap himself for ignoring what Dettomorian had just said. "There wasn''t just one commonality, but two." Louise quietly looked around the snow-covered national cemetery and spoke. "Two, you say?" In response to Ellen''s question, Louise gave a short answer. "The cemetery." They had already left the management office and were walking quite a distance to enter the resting place of the fallen heroes. "The places where those with extraordinary power were buried." The commonality of the cemetery. Beyond that, there was another commonality: the selected individuals who were buried there. When there was only one crime scene, all problems originating from that scene had to be considered. But now that another scene had been added, the intersection between the two scenes had to be considered. The more likely clues were those that were common to both scenes. Louise exhaled a white breath and murmured softly. "If they tried to create undead here as well, and the same thing happened in both places... This wouldn''t have happened due to a desire for revenge or hatred toward the Five Great Religions." When the underground mausoleum of the Holy Knights was the crime scene, it had to be considered that the incident might have been caused by anger towards the Holy Knights or the Five Great Religions. The desecration of turning the remains of the saints into undead could itself be an act of revenge. However, the additional scene was the National Cemetery, which had little to do with the Holy Knights. In that case, the motive was not revenge. And the intersection. The tombs of the saints who possessed extraordinary powers during their lifetime. The National Cemetery, where those who had distinguished themselves in the Great Demon War or in the aftermath of the Gate Incident were buried. The commonality of being the resting place for the powerful. "Putting aside all other reasons, if the same thing was attempted here, the criminals'' motive would be surprisingly simple." "¡­I see." Ellen seemed to understand what Louise wanted to say even before she finished her sentence, nodding her head as Louise quietly murmured. When there are too many clues, a case becomes confusing. However, once you find the commonalities between the clues, the process of deduction becomes easier. Through the increasingly vague connections between the case and the clues, they gradually drew closer to the truth. "Perhaps, they just needed powerful undead." Expressions of anger, revenge, and hatred all lost their power as clues. For a moment, the direction of their deductions was lost amidst the complicated relationships and numerous forces involved. It was certain that the criminals had been at the scene, and if their intentions matched those of the events in the underground of the Holy Knight''s Order, the truth would become clearer. The undead were not a means, but an objective. They needed the undead. A powerful undead. Therefore, the criminals might have had a very simple intention: to find the tomb where the powerful were buried. Louise von Schwarz made her judgment. ------ In front of a row of graves, no different from any other, Ellen stopped. "This is it." Among the nearby graves, a total of five were suspected to have been targeted for grave robbery. The grass covering the graves had been overturned, leading to this assumption, but the conclusion at the time was that an actual robbery had not taken place. The cemetery management had no choice but to strengthen their access control based on the assumption that such an attempt had occurred, whether or not the graves had been robbed. It was a national cemetery where war heroes were buried. Although countless in number, each was the grave of a hero. Naturally, if even one grave had been robbed, the head of the cemetery and all related parties would have faced severe consequences. Of course, it was impossible to tell with the naked eye whether or not a robbery attempt had occurred. The gravestones and the ground itself were buried in snow. Ellen looked around. Due to the weather, there were very few visitors. "This place isn''t very noticeable." "Indeed, it isn''t." The area was tucked away in a corner and slightly inside the woods, making it difficult to see from the center of the cemetery due to the trees blocking the view. Whether attempting a robbery, performing a suspicious ritual, or even during the night, no one would notice any strange activities in this secluded area. Ellen brushed the snow off the gravestones, checked the names of the graves suspected to have been targeted, and then turned to Heinrich. "Heinrich, melt the snow." "Got it." Up until now, they had refrained from using their abilities to avoid drawing attention, but this place was hidden from view, and there were no visitors nearby. Furthermore, at this point, it wouldn''t matter if someone saw them. Woosh! The flame summoned by Heinrich radiated heat, quickly melting the thick layer of snow. Ellen, Louise, and Ludwig could all feel the scorching heat from the flame on their faces. After a while, the snow had melted, revealing the bare ground of the cemetery. The grass, withered and brown from winter, lay limp and soaked in the melted snow. Five graves. The flat ground behind the gravestones. An attempted robbery would have involved digging up the ground. Ellen felt the flat grass of the graves where the robbery attempts had occurred, and soon, after grabbing the ground a few times, she tore a chunk of grass from the earth. "Ah, Ellen...!" Ludwig was shocked to see Ellen desecrating the graveyard with her own hands, but she shook her head. "It''s not like I exerted much effort. It was already like this." Grass is fundamentally intertwined at the roots. Even in winter, if the roots of the grass are severed, they won''t reconnect with each other. So Ellen had simply pulled out a portion of grass that had already been severed, along with a mound of dirt. "It seems the caretakers have done their job quite thoroughly. They could have just ignored it." Of course, after discovering the scene, they must have smoothed out the ground and made it look less suspicious. At a glance, it doesn''t appear to have any problems. If it weren''t for a particularly sharp-eyed caretaker, they might have just passed by without noticing. At Ellen''s words, Louise nodded slowly. "Visitors might have discovered it too. If it were the grave of a family member or friend, they would look more closely." "I see." Although the head caretaker said that it had caught the attention of the caretakers, it''s also highly likely that one of the visitors had discovered it and reported it to the management office. The reason they didn''t mention the visitor''s discovery is that the head caretaker could have lied, fearing backlash. And for Ellen, that level of lie is forgivable. Visitors or caretakers noticed the unnatural mound of dirt and grass on the grave. They then suspected an attempted grave robbery. And the scene was restored by the caretakers, making it look normal again. Ellen carefully examined the ground and could see the shape of the unnatural mounds of dirt on the graves. She saw it with her own eyes. She came to see it. And Ellen wasn''t here just to look at the grass. "Ellen..." Ludwig muttered blankly. "Is it okay to do this...?" Heinrich also muttered blankly. By now, they can guess what Ellen is going to do without her having to say it. "It can''t be helped." Blue magic energy enveloped Ellen''s hands. There was only one thing to do if she wanted to know what happened here. To verify with her own eyes. -Thunk! Ellen dug into the ground with her bare hands. To check the grave. Ellen began to exhume the grave. ------ The reason Ellen had firmly refused the offer of the management office head to accompany them was because there was a valid reason. And while they didn''t explicitly say what they had to do, everyone knew that they had to do this. Even though they knew there had been an attempted grave robbery, the management office couldn''t dig up the grave themselves to check ¨C that would be madness. However, Ellen had another possibility in mind, which is why she had to do it herself. There was no need for anyone to help with what Ellen was doing. Ludwig couldn''t just stand idly by and tried to lend a hand, but Ellen told him to stay out of the way, saying it would hinder her. The task, done without a shovel and using only bare hands, didn''t take long. She was a superhuman whose entire body was like a deadly weapon, having reached the master class. So when Ellen began digging with her entire body, she soon broke through the frozen earth and dug a deep pit. "There''s a body." From below the pit, Ellen, covered in dirt, spoke. Sure enough, there was a body. Ellen''s eyes widened as she finally discovered the remains of a corpse at the bottom of the pit. And above that pit, Ludwig, Heinrich, and Louise stared down at the scene with hardened expressions. All of them had experienced death in all its gruesome forms and had seen their fair share of corpses. They felt guilt, but they were no longer terrified or repulsed by the mere sight of a corpse. If this were the underground cemetery of the Holy Knights, there should be no corpses. Yet, the corpse remained. "Wait, so¡­ does that mean¡­ this has nothing to do with the undead?" As Heinrich pointed out, if this cemetery had no connection to the undead, the caretaker''s words were true. Someone had tried to rob the grave and failed. In that case, Ellen had merely desecrated an innocent tomb. She had only insulted the death of someone who should have been allowed to rest in peace. "No, that''s not it." However, Ellen shook her head. From the disturbed earth, she picked up a fragment. "A piece of the coffin?" Louise murmured, looking at what Ellen had picked up. "...Yes, it seems so." The buried coffin had been broken. That was not something that could be done from the outside. "If it were undead, they would have crawled out of the ground while breaking the coffin, and if it were grave robbers, they would have dug at least this far." It would make sense for the undead to have broken the coffin while crawling out of the ground. However, the grave robbers would have primarily aimed for the burial items inside the tomb. Having dug the ground to expose the coffin, they wouldn''t have bothered to noisily break it when they could have quietly taken the burial items. Since the grave robbers wouldn''t have intentionally caused a ruckus by breaking the coffin, it must have been the undead that broke the coffin while crawling out. "...What is this corpse, then?" But if the undead had broken the coffin themselves, it didn''t make sense for the corpse that should have become an undead to remain as is. In the Holy Knights'' underground cemetery, the culprits left the scene undisturbed, but in this case, they concealed the scene and even buried the undead back into the ground without retrieving it. It was clear that they had done something the grave robbers shouldn''t have done, so it wasn''t their work. But if it were the work of someone with undead in mind, they didn''t take the undead with them. "Could it be someone else''s corpse... or something like that?" At Ludwig''s question, Ellen furrowed her brow. "I don''t know. But even if that were the case, I can''t think of any reason why they would do that. If they created an undead and placed another corpse in there, they should have done the same in the Holy Knights'' underground cemetery. But why would they do that here and not there?" It was strange to consider the possibility that they had turned the buried corpse into an undead, took it away, and then placed another corpse back into the tomb. It was an incredibly laborious and meaningless act. There wouldn''t be many people like Ellen who would actually dig up the ground to confirm the corpse. And the moment they tried to confirm it, they would have to consider the possibility that the buried remains had been switched. Therefore, resurrecting an undead and placing another corpse in the tomb would be a worthless and meaningless disguise. It was strange if it was the work of the same perpetrator. In the Holy Knights'' underground cemetery, they showed no interest in concealing their actions, but they did so in this location. They either didn''t take the undead or switched the corpse. "But¡­ something''s odd." Heinrich expressed his doubts. "What is it?" "The person was buried this year... but the decay is so rapid?" "¡­?" Only then did Ellen take a closer look. At Heinrich''s question, Louise finally glanced at the tombstone. "Gordon Shick, a high-ranking knight of Alskien. In the 10th month of this year¡­ how¡­" It was now the 12th. "So it''s been only two months?" "Yes." At Louise''s sigh, Ellen furrowed her brows while standing in the pit. The corpse in front of her had hollowed-out eye sockets. The 10th month was when the weather began to get colder. Ellen didn''t have detailed knowledge about the rate of decomposition, but to her eyes, the buried corpse had already undergone significant decay. There was still some flesh and muscle, but it seemed too far-fetched for a corpse that had been buried after the cold set in. "It seems like it really is a different corpse." "I see¡­" At Louise''s words, Ellen nodded, disheartened. She thought there was no reason to go through the meaningless act of switching corpses, but the corpse had indeed been swapped. So, it was clear that it wasn''t the work of grave robbers. Ludwig murmured, dumbfounded. "Why on earth¡­ would someone do this¡­?" They took the undead. But this time, after taking the undead, they left another corpse in its place. What could be the reason for doing such a thing? Unable to reach any other possibilities yet, Ellen and the others could only assume that the culprits had engaged in a disgusting act devoid of any meaning. "We''ll have to dig up all the other graves as well." In the end, Ellen had no choice but to carry out the grave excavation work several more times. CH 601 Five tombs that had been subjected to grave-robbing attempts. After excavating not just one tomb, but all five, everyone was able to learn the same fact. All of the buried coffins had been shattered. It was speculated that this happened because the undead had come back to life within the ground, breaking their coffins as they crawled back into the world. But the corpses inside remained undisturbed. There were corpses with varying degrees of decomposition and dates of death. Naturally, with countless buried individuals, it was impossible to recognize the faces of the corpses, which have decayed beyond recognition. "¡­These aren''t the corpses of the fallen." At Ellen''s words, after examining all the unearthed corpses, Louise nodded in agreement. All of the corpses had preserved their appearance to some extent, regardless of their level of decomposition. Their very forms indicated that their nutritional states had not been good during their lifetime. This area had expanded following the Gate Incident, and most of those buried here were soldiers who fell after the incident. So, the majority were military personnel. It was unlikely that the corpses of soldiers would be so emaciated. "No injuries either." "¡­Yes." Moreover, most of the corpses here were those who had fallen in battle. Naturally, they were the ones who had died fighting monsters. Their corpses should have had some body parts missing, or even their skulls gone, with traces of fatal injuries. But the corpses appeared malnourished, with all their limbs intact. "These are definitely the corpses of refugees." Hence, these were the bodies of people who had died from disease or starvation. "Then... after resurrecting the corpses, someone replaced them in these tombs with other bodies... Why would they do that?" Heinrich raised this question, but the other three could not provide an answer. Resurrecting corpses as undead was a crazy act. But resurrecting the undead, taking them away, and placing other corpses in the tombs was not just crazy but also bizarre. Their intentions were unfathomable. Ellen carefully dusted off her hands as she crawled out of the pit. "What''s certain is that someone tampered with these tombs. Though we don''t know why the bodies were swapped." There were two groups suspected of being involved: grave robbers or those related to the undead. But even if the grave robbers were responsible, or the people they were currently chasing, swapping the corpses was exceedingly strange. It served no purpose. Usually, extreme acts like exhuming tombs to check the contents wouldn''t happen. It was understandable to smooth over the disturbed earth to erase the traces of the tombs being dug up, but why go as far as to disguise the corpses? "But¡­ shouldn''t we quickly rebury these somehow?" Heinrich grew increasingly anxious, knowing that if someone were to see this scene, chaos would surely ensue¡ªeven if this place was hidden from view. Of course, even if they were to rebury the tombs, the fact that they had been excavated would be evident. "Wait, just a moment." But whether Heinrich was anxious or not, Louise was carefully examining each tomb with a significant expression. They had unearthed a total of five tombs. Five tombs that had been targeted by grave robbers. All the coffins used for burial were broken, and the bodies inside were not the original occupants. "If the grave robbers had forcibly broken the coffins and replaced the bodies, we wouldn''t know why they did such a thing. If the perpetrators of the incident we''re pursuing were involved, it would make sense that they raised the original owners of the graves as undead and took them away, but there''s no reason to put other bodies in their place..." The body-swapping. That part just didn¡¯t make sense and didn¡¯t fit. "Ellen." "Yes." Louise looks at Ellen with a stern expression. "Can we dig up another grave?" "..." "A grave that hasn''t been tampered with." "Alright." Ellen nodded. ¡ª--- The graves that had been tampered with were close to each other. This time, Ellen began to dig up a grave that was further away. Hoping that this would not be an act of desecration, Ellen, as well as Louise, dug up the graves. Soon, they had uncovered a sixth grave. "This time..." "It''s intact." Unlike the other five graves. This time, the coffin was covered in dirt but maintained a decent appearance. It wasn''t broken like the other coffins that had been tampered with. "Nothing happened here, right?" "Probably..." Heinrich and Ludwig sighed with relief from above the pit. Ellen looked at Louise with a stern expression, as if asking whether to proceed with the next step. "Let''s open it." "Okay." Ellen grabbed the lid of the coffin and exerted force. -Thud! With a fairly loud noise, the lid opened, and Louise and Ellen could see inside. The face of the corpse was still unrecognizable. "It''s another different body here..." However, the withered, twisted appearance of the corpse and the intact limbs. The appearance of the corpse, which could hardly be seen as a casualty, made it clear that it was completely unrelated to the name written on the tombstone. Ellen, Louise, Ludwig, and Heinrich were all dumbfounded as they stared at the corpse. "What on earth..." Ellen muttered. "Where did it all go wrong...?" Now. Truly now. What was the problem, and where did it start? They couldn''t even guess. ------ The sixth grave was different from the others. This time, the coffin was intact, but the body inside had been replaced. This led to a horrifying speculation. After confirming this, Louise and Ellen climbed out of the pit. "How did you know?" Louise''s suspicion that the bodies had been swapped in a completely different grave apart from the five graves that had been tampered with. Because of that, they imagined that this case might not be the work of grave robbers or the forces they were pursuing but rather a more fundamental problem. "If this scene is the work of those we''re pursuing, there were things they should have taken and things they wouldn''t have taken." "They should have taken the undead." "And the things they wouldn''t take. To be precise, the things they wouldn''t be interested in." "Funeral items." Items buried with the body. "The bodies were swapped, but there were no funeral items in any of the graves." The people who caused the incident in the underground cemetery of the Holy Knights Order were not concerned with a mere penny. They were confident enough to bring the corpses back to life as undead and take them away, but they certainly weren''t the type to care about treasures buried with the bodies. There was one more common point in all the tombs they had excavated so far. None of the tombs had burial items. "Most of the time, at least the weapons and armor are buried as burial items, if not the warrior''s personal belongings. Especially in the case of fallen warriors. But there were no burial items in any of the tombs, and all the corpses... although they were dressed in shrouds, there were no items buried with them, and all their clothes were the same. And even though the corpses were switched, there were no burial items left in the tombs, meaning it wasn''t the work of grave robbers or those we''re chasing." "..." "It must have been like that from the time they were buried." The switched corpses were not the work of the ones they were pursuing or the grave robbers. From the beginning, the corpses had been switched when they were buried. "The cemetery manager wouldn''t have the influence to make such a thing possible." Everyone began to fearfully imagine the possibilities. Louise quietly looked at Ellen. "Ellen." "Yes." "It seems there are too many things entwined here." The incident that began with the death of the Archbishop was spreading without limit. The Archbishop had been a heretic inquisitor. The Holy Knights had an unknown internal problem. The murdered heretic inquisitor had been chasing the remains of the undead saints. Even in the national cemetery that seemed to be related to the culprits, the buried corpses had been switched. Everything they had discovered so far did not lead to a single conclusion. Each clue revealed entirely different issues. There were too many problems in the world, and all of these problems inevitably showed the tip of another insurmountable issue. The switched corpses in the Royal National Cemetery. The scale of this case was too large to be seen as mere misbehavior by the cemetery manager. He couldn''t have done such a thing. So, the switching of the corpses in the national cemetery must have involved a larger force. The permission or command of a greater power, or at least their tacit approval. Without that, such an attempt could not be made. Although they would have to check other tombs one by one to confirm their suspicions and turn them into decisive truths. Ellen muttered blankly. "Is it... right to assume that the Empire is involved in this...?" "Probably." Louise could only nod with a grim expression. What had they done by switching the corpses? What were they trying to do? "Wait a minute... if all the other places have different corpses buried as well..." Ludwig''s eyes widened with a lost expression. "Asher''s tomb too...?" At those words, Heinrich and Ellen clenched their teeth. Find Asher. He said that they would know everything once they found him. The ones buried in the tomb were not the tomb''s owners but completely unrelated people. That meant they still hadn''t found Asher. It wasn''t enough to open all the other tombs and confirm that all the corpses had been switched. Asher''s tomb. If they could just verify that one more tomb, their suspicions would turn into certainty. "Over there! What are you doing?!" In the end, no matter how inconspicuous the location, someone eventually discovered them digging up the tombs after quite some time. ------ Where did the problem begin? What should be addressed first? The death of the heretic inquisitor. The remains of the saints turned undead. The switched corpses in the national cemetery. No one could be sure anymore that all the clues were pointing in the same direction. Everything could be a problem. If everything in the world was a problem, how should this matter be resolved? Ellen started digging in the snow melted by Heinrich, plunging her shovel into the grave. The cemetery manager and the soldiers watched, their faces pale. The cemetery soldiers, who had suddenly seen the hero digging up the tomb, couldn''t help but be alarmed, and Ellen didn''t offer any explanation or apology to them. She brought the cemetery manager and told him to fetch a shovel as well. Ellen found Asher''s tomb again. The hero dug up her friend''s grave. In front of Ellen''s determined expression, the cemetery manager couldn''t bring himself to stop her, only shuffling his feet nervously. She had once dug up the grave with her bare hands. It was easier and faster with a tool. With every thrust of the covered-in-blue-aura shovel, the earth revealed its insides fiercely. In no time, Ellen had dug down to the depth where Asher''s coffin was. She wedged the shovel blade under the coffin lid and twisted it, breaking it open. Crackle! "..." This time, it should be a corpse they could recognize. As all four of them had anticipated. There was a decaying, unfamiliar face inside. "Hero... Why are you doing this...?" Without saying a word, Ellen crawled out of the pit and handed the shovel to the cemetery manager. "Fill the grave and act as if you haven''t seen or heard anything about this." Looking at the others frozen in place, not just the cemetery manager. "Keep this in mind, everyone. If you don''t want to die prematurely." After digging up a total of seven graves. Ellen was now certain that all the corpses in the national cemetery had been switched. Ellen said so, then gestured to her companions. "Let''s go." There was nothing left for them to do at the national cemetery. CH 602 Ellen didn''t give any explanations to the staff of the National Cemetery, whose spirits had been crushed. They were too insignificant to be involved in these matters. It would be better for their safety if they remained ignorant. After leaving the National Cemetery, Ellen brushed off the dirt that clung to her clothes. Everyone was in a state of confusion. "I still don''t know exactly what''s going on. But there are a few things that have become clear." And the one feeling the most intense confusion was none other than Ellen herself. "The Empire is doing something with the corpses. Or at least they know about it. That much is certain." It was impossible to be sure whether all the problems that had arisen originated from the Empire. However, the likelihood that the Empire was unaware of the events at the National Cemetery was very low. Ellen looked up at the snowy sky. Numerous clues began to move in the right direction in front of the decisive truth. While some things might still be false, the clues that followed the confirmed direction continued to flow. "Now I understand." Ellen looked at Ludwig. "Why Archbishop Rowan approached you." "You understand?" "Yes." The reason Rowan approached Ludwig. There were various speculations on the first day. Rowan knew the cause of the Gate incident. Thus, she approached Ellen through Ludwig to harm her. Such a speculation existed. Ellen thought that the reason Rowan approached Ludwig was related to the annihilation of the Hero Religion and had nothing to do with this case. However, that speculation was overturned in the face of a truth she couldn''t have considered yesterday. Now that she had realized the Empire might be behind these events. Ellen understood why Rowan had approached Ludwig. "She didn''t want to hurt me through you; she wanted to investigate this case through you." All of Rowan''s actions were heading in the same direction. The incident that occurred in the underground tomb of the saints. It was part of her plan to track down that incident. Ludwig could not help but be utterly baffled by Ellen''s words. "How could I...?" Ellen pointed south towards the Imperial Capital. Something beyond the fluttering snowflakes, invisible to the eye. "Your status as a Temple student was important." The Temple. "Because very few people can enter the Temple." Those who can freely enter and exit the Temple did not know how difficult it was to enter the Temple, or how close to impossible it was to infiltrate it. It was not a place that allowed access to just anyone. To begin with, the Temple had strict access control even when it functioned properly. "She must have wanted to learn about the events happening in the Temple through you." Rowan had approached Ludwig for that purpose. She herself could not enter the Temple. "Wait, wait a minute... What does the Temple have to do with this case...?" At Ludwig''s question, Ellen sighed quietly. "Let''s go to the Magic University." Ellen walked ahead in silence. "Then you''ll understand." Now that they knew what had happened and what the events up until now meant in the face of the decisive truth. Numerous puzzles were drawing a picture closer to completion. And so, their destination was clear. The Temple Magic University. One could only wonder what the guards, who had been protecting the University as if guarding a grave secret, had been doing there. Now, they had a rough idea. Following Ellen, Louise''s expression hardened for a different reason. ''Why¡­ Why me?'' If something was going on at the Temple, and entry was strictly controlled, The Empire would have to keep this matter hidden more than anyone else. Why was she allowed to enter the Temple? It was an event where she might learn the Empire''s weaknesses or secrets, and she had come to the brink of actually finding out. Why on earth did they let her in? Louise couldn''t fathom it. But in the end, their path was clear. "Wait." Louise, who had been lost in thought, suddenly stopped. Ellen, Heinrich, and Ludwig looked at Louise''s stern expression. "If, at the Temple Magic University¡­ what we''re chasing is really there¡­ and if the Empire is behind all this¡­ Does that mean the Empire killed Archbishop Rowan?" "¡­Perhaps so." "The Empire killed the priestess¡­?" "Rowan must have found out that the Empire was behind what happened at the Holy Knights'' Tomb of the Saints. And she must have realized they were up to something within the Temple. That''s why she approached Ludwig." Rowan had discovered something and tried to investigate the Temple through Ludwig. "And the Empire caught wind of it, so they killed not only Rowan but also the people of the Inquisition who were close to the truth." The Inquisitor, who was getting too close to the truth, was not to be allowed. The Empire had no choice but to act against her. But it was still incomprehensible why the Empire would take such a risky move as tampering with the Tomb of the Saints. However, the clues now strongly pointed to the Empire as the core of the matter, and there was no room for further debate. "We''re probably already being monitored by the Empire. We visited the Magic University yesterday." "¡­That''s likely." Though for a completely different reason, they had been found out the moment they reached the vicinity of the Magic University in search of Anna de Gerna. "From the moment we decided to look into this matter, the Empire might have known all our actions." "That could be true¡­" If the Empire was at the heart of this incident, they would have been watching their every move and action. The Imperial Capital was under the Empire''s jurisdiction, and the Temple was the core of the Empire. They had talked about being cautious since the monsters who killed Rowan might be after them as they investigated the matter. But from the moment they decided to investigate, the Empire might have already been aware of their every move. Stopping by the burned church. Visiting the Holy Knights'' Cathedral. Going to the Magic University. Visiting the National Cemetery. All their steps had likely been tracked. And now, as they approached the truth, "Was it because you were involved that they couldn''t attack us¡­?" If the monsters were not from some other group but the Empire, they could never touch Ellen. In the end, it was because Ellen was Ellen. The Empire might be utterly unable to do anything about the pursuit of these four people. Was it because Ellen was among the pursuers that the Empire was in a situation where they can''t do anything? Louise had already resolved to get involved in this matter, prepared to face a certain degree of danger. However, it also meant confronting the empire head-on. From the beginning, it was never possible to back out at a convenient moment. The empire had been watching since the start. Investigating the murder case and ensuring the safety of the hero. Although she had thought that to be her utmost priority, Louise now found herself entangled in a potentially monumental affair that could determine the fate of the Schwarz royal family, knowing that the empire was deeply involved in this matter. Seeing Louise suddenly having to make a tremendous resolution, Ellen spoke plainly. "I''ll protect you, no matter what." "You will?" "Yes." Ellen slowly nodded her head. Louise had said that Ellen''s matter was a matter of humanity. Ellen knew full well what Louise had risked to help her. Therefore, with the same mindset, Ellen would protect Louise, who had helped her. There was no choice but to try to protect the Schwarz royal family as well. The four of them held closely related secrets, or suspicions, involving the empire. A massive corruption. They were going back to the temple to uncover it. The temple was their home, but now that they knew that strange and dangerous things were happening in that home without their knowledge, they had no choice but to return to the temple with a completely different mindset. ------ Upon returning to the temple, the group headed straight for the Magic University. Since their destination was clear, they needed to see with their own eyes what was happening at that place. The place, which was restricted for an entirely different reason, was actually closely related to the case. And they couldn''t help but see someone in a space where no one should have been. In the falling snow, a person sat still with an umbrella resting on their shoulder. "Lady Turner." "¡­" Saviolin Turner. She was sitting alone on a bench, quietly watching Ellen and her companions approaching under her umbrella. She silently stood up from the bench. Somehow, she looked as though she had been waiting, knowing they would come. "Did you know I was coming?" "¡­I had hoped you wouldn''t." Saviolin Turner stood still, looking at Ellen. "If you came back here, it would mean you already know something." If they knew nothing, they would not return to this intersection leading to the Magic University. If they learned something and realized that there was something there, they would seek this path again. That''s why Saviolin Turner was guarding the crossroads. While hoping Ellen wouldn''t come. "If I had just told you not to look into anything further, you would have known that the empire was involved in this. So, I wished you would rather not know. But it''s been only three days. Just¡­ three days." Saviolin Turner exhaled a white breath. "You''re too fast, Ellen." Looking at Ellen, who had reached the truth she shouldn''t have known so quickly, Saviolin Turner seemed sad, unable to merely admire her exceptional execution and action. Now, Saviolin Turner looked not at Ellen, but at the person beside her. Louise von Schwarz. "Your Highness." "¡­" "I never thought you would repay the Emperor''s kindness in such a way." Louise von Schwarz stared wide-eyed at Saviolin Turner. The emperor''s kindness. It wasn''t just about allowing her to enter the temple. From the beginning, it was the Emperor who advised that in order to save Heinrich, her siblings had to be killed. Saviolin Turner questioned the audacity of ignoring the Emperor''s favor and digging into the empire''s secrets. At that, Louise furrowed her brow. "I know I''m not in a position to discuss benevolence and guidance." The moment she killed her siblings with her own hands, she had already long abandoned any virtues. "Don''t you know that I''m not here to dig into the empire''s weaknesses, Lady Turner?" Saviolin Turner looked at Heinrich and Ludwig behind him. "Whatever you saw was a coincidence, whatever you knew was a misunderstanding, and whatever you imagined was a delusion." "Accept it even if you can''t." "Since knowing won''t change anything, you''d better live in ignorance." "In this world," "There are things that hurt when you know them." "And there are things that make you sadder when you know them." "Ellen." "Don''t you know that well?" "From now on, there is nothing for you to know." "Just accept it and step back." "Discovering the truth will only make it harder to bear the burden of sin." "Isn''t that unnecessary?" At those words, Ellen''s eyes widened. Things that hurt when you know them. Things that are sadder when you know them. Now there''s nothing but those things left. Living in ignorance is better than knowing the painful truth. It was not that nothing was happening. Something was happening. Something terrible was happening, and it has already happened. If the truth only led to sharing the burden of sin, it was better not to know. But to go back knowing nothing. Ellen, who already knew too many sad truths, couldn''t help but hesitate at Saviolin Turner''s sincere plea. Although her attitude was forceful, Saviolin Turner was clearly appealing to Ellen and the other three. To step back. With all her heart. "We can''t just go back like that..." Ludwig muttered blankly. "What... are you doing with the people who were already pitiful just by being dead...? They couldn''t even die in peace, and now you''re doing this to them even after death..." "I won''t justify it. I have no intention of justifying it, and I''m not the person to do such things." Saviolin Turner''s tone was cold and rational. "So, let''s think about it simply." Saviolin Turner stood in the middle of the street with an umbrella. The one and only being who reached the realm of Grandmaster on the continent. Her own prowess surpasses that of the hero Ellen Artorius, and she was cautiously evaluated as being on par with or even more powerful than Ellen at her peak. Without possessing a single relic, she has carried out operations more difficult or dangerous than those involving Ellen, who held two relics, and remains unscathed. "It''s better not to know these things. Better not to. When all this is revealed later, the fact that you didn''t know anything will be your absolution." "Are you saying that if we know what you''re doing, we''ll have no choice but to keep silent?" "Yes. Because I''m doing something that leaves you with no other choice." Turner nodded at Ellen''s question. It''s better to remain ignorant than to share the guilt of knowing. "This is not for me or the empire, but for you." Knowing about this matter would make them feel guilt and responsibility just by being aware of it. If, later on, when everything is revealed, they want to escape the blame, then they must remain ignorant. Will they become silent accomplices by knowing the truth? Or, having had the chance to learn the truth, will they claim ignorance when everything is eventually exposed? A hero shouldn''t know about such things. Because a hero is the hope of the people. When some evil is exposed, they must be someone who is unrelated to that evil. A hero must be an absolute paragon. So, it''s better not to know. "You know," Ellen speaks quietly. "Even if I don''t know about this trivial matter, I can''t buy my absolution." "I won''t even try. You know that." "If it''s a painful truth to know, I already know many." "Being called a hero by others is more tiring and difficult now than ever before, so how much harder can it get?" "So, knowing a little more won''t matter." "Move aside, Lady Turner." "I need to find out what''s going on." Louise silently listened to Ellen''s meaningful words. The truth that should not be known. Absolution. Things about the Gate incident that people didn¡¯t know. Louise and Heinrich couldn''t help but realize that Ellen was talking about those things. CH 603 Saviolin Turner looked at Ellen with sad eyes. They couldn''t communicate. In the end, there was only one means left for them to connect. "I don''t want to hurt you." The words of Saviolin Turner. "I feel the same way." Ellen''s response. Their words to each other already revealed their thoughts about one another. Both showed that they believed themselves to be superior. It seemed like a childish battle of pride, but these two who had risen to the ranks of the continent''s strongest could not simply be dismissed with a petty fight over self-esteem. Indeed, was Ellen Artorious the stronger one, or was it Saviolin Turner? "..." "..." In the silence, they stared at each other. In the end, they couldn''t help but measure the distance between them. Am I stronger? Is my opponent stronger? "Ellen..." Heinrich looked at Ellen with cold sweat. It was important to know what the Empire was up to, but it was absurd that, completely out of the blue, Saviolin Turner and Ellen would clash swords. "It''s okay. I won''t kill her." At Ellen''s arrogant words, not only Heinrich, but Saviolin Turner too, held a faint smile. "So you know how to provoke." "... It''s not a provocation, just stating a fact." Ellen spoke calmly. "If you don''t move aside right now." Woosh Ellen''s body began to surge with blue aura. "Be prepared to get hurt." "..." Not using the void sword. At those words, which somehow sounded cute, Turner sighed. "So you won''t use the divine artifact?" Void Sword Lament. Sun Cloak Lapelt. As if intending to confront her barehanded, without using either of them, Saviolin Turner seemed taken aback. "I don''t need them." "You should think otherwise." As if to say that without the unfair power of a divine artifact, Ellen couldn''t even touch her, Saviolin Turner''s expression darkened. Though she had intended to block Ellen. The arrogance of trying to face her without even a divine artifact. That attitude truly angered Saviolin Turner. "Take those words back." Saviolin Turner threw her umbrella aside. "If you don''t step back now..." Rumble! The magical storm emanating from Saviolin Turner''s body blew away the accumulated snow in an instant. Her fluttering hair settled down as the magical shockwave created a storm, and her sharp gaze fixed on Ellen. "Until winter passes, I''ll make sure you can''t leave your bed." "Try me." "Really..." Thud! In a momentary charge, Saviolin Turner had already reached Ellen''s face. "You never listen!" Crash! "¡­!" One punch. Ellen, who took the direct hit, broke through the trees and was thrown to the outskirts of the road, while Heinrich and Ludwig, except for Louise, were swept away by the aftermath, tumbling to the ground. "Don''t act so arrogantly for no reason." Saviolin Turner walked toward Ellen, who was embedded in the forest. "Take out your divine artifact." Furious at Ellen''s arrogance, trying to face her on equal terms without even a divine artifact, Saviolin Turner was genuinely enraged. Suddenly, something flew through the broken trees. ''Snow...?'' A snowball flew towards her face, and with a swift motion, Saviollin Turner dodged the incoming attack. "Are you really trying to play games right now?!" But Turner¡¯s scolding was only temporary. She had already seen Ellen, in the midst of the rising dust, bending her waist for a powerful strike. A spinning kick. -Wham! "¡­Ugh!" Although Turner managed to block the attack with her forearm, she couldn''t help but stagger a few steps back from the force of the kick. "There''s no need for this." With a calm expression, Ellen started to charge towards the retreating Turner. Neither of them intended to kill the other, but in the heat of the moment, their emotions took over. ¡°Stop!¡± The sudden shout, familiar to both of them, brought the fight to an abrupt halt. "¡­Bertus." "Your Majesty¡­" The emperor approached, pushing his way through the snowstorm. ------ Bertus, who had suddenly appeared, stopped the unexpected brawl between the two most powerful humans. Without explanation or justification, he seated them all in the lobby of the Magic University, breaking through the strict security. This included Louise von Schwarz. "¡­" "¡­" Ellen and Saviollin Turner remained silent, staring at the floor. "I told you to stop Ellen from entering. I don''t recall telling you to throw punches." "¡­My apologies, Your Majesty." Turner closed her mouth, stopping herself from arguing about her method of stopping Ellen. Bertus looked at the silent Ellen. "You too, didn''t have to¡­ Fine¡­ I didn''t come here for a pleasant reason anyway." Bertus looked at the people gathered there. It wasn''t just Ellen - Ludwig, Heinrich, and even the princess of the Kernstadt were present. After glancing at them, Bertus looked back at Ellen. "Is it absolutely necessary for you to know?" In the end, the emperor repeated the same question that Turner had asked earlier. "I''ll tell you this ¨C even if you tell me not to, I''ll continue pursuing this, and nothing will change." "¡­" "So, it''s a problem only because you have to know." "I must know." Ellen spoke softly. "It is my duty to know." It was not her right to know but her duty to know. Seeing Ellen''s strong sense of responsibility, Bertus couldn''t help but smile bitterly. "If this isn''t just a bad thing, then I want to know even more. What exactly is happening, and why is it necessary? I need to know." Unable to resist Ellen''s unwavering determination, Bertus finally gave in. "¡­Fine." He looked at someone other than Ellen. "Perhaps it''s for the best." Louise couldn''t understand why Bertus was looking at her and saying that. "And, let me make one thing clear." Bertus looked at everyone''s faces. "I didn''t kill Rowan." "¡­What?" Everyone had thought they had reached the end, but Bertus''s words turned everything upside down once more. "It might be hard to believe, but that''s the truth." A series of terrible coincidences had led Ellen to this point. The theft of the remains in the underground crypt of the Holy Knights was not related to the Empire. "Then who¡­ Who killed the priestess?" At this unexpected revelation, Ludwig''s eyes widened in shock. Rowan''s death had led them here, but if Bertus had nothing to do with Rowan''s death, then the matter was far from over. So who had killed Rowan? "I don''t know." Whether he truly didn''t know or were pretending not to know was unclear. No one could tell the truth. ------ ''An emergency meeting?'' ''Yes, the Five Popes have urgent matters to discuss. They are gathering at the Als Cathedral.'' Eleion Bolton was now leaving the Cathedral of the Holy Knights and had arrived at Als Cathedral. Among the five holy religions, only Als religion had a cathedral in the Imperial Capital. The Holy Knights'' Cathedral was a place where the powers of the five holy religions were concentrated. Therefore, aside from Als Pope, the other four Popes resided in the churches of their respective factions, which were relatively less prestigious. Due to their location and circumstances, it was customary for the conferences of the Five Popes to be held at the Holy Knights'' Cathedral. There was no better place, both symbolically and functionally. However, the fact that the emergency meeting of the Five Popes was taking place at Als Cathedral made Eleion Bolton feel rather peculiar. Why would they call him here specifically? Nevertheless, strictly speaking, the leader of the Holy Knights was subordinate to the Popes. It was Eleion Bolton''s duty to attend when called. Despite being extremely busy with his own affairs, he had no choice but to attend. It was uncomfortable not knowing why the Popes had gathered. There were no attendants or performers due to the emergency nature of the meeting. Though Als Religion had lost much of its power, its cathedral was still grand and imposing, and there were no passersby pointing fingers at it. Eleion Bolton arrived alone at Als Cathedral and entered. In the conference room on the top floor of Als Cathedral... ''Everyone... has been dismissed.'' Upon arriving at the empty upper floor, devoid of any priests or knights, Eleion Bolton felt a chill run down his spine. What were they talking about? What were they plotting? What should he do if something unexpected happened? Amidst countless concerns, Eleion Bolton opened the door to the conference room on the top floor, neither too hastily nor too timidly. As with any other conference room, there was a round table. As expected, the five Popes were seated at the table. They looked at Eleion Bolton with stern expressions as he appeared. The Five Popes were present. However, Eleion Bolton could not help but fixate his gaze elsewhere, completely forgetting to pay his respects to the Popes. There was an additional person in a space meant only for the Five Popes. A person sitting in a chair, smiling and watching him, laughed as he made eye contact with Eleion Bolton. Eleion Bolton, who rarely lost his composure, turned pale. "Eleion Bolton." "You...!" "It''s been about three years." There, sitting nonchalantly, was none other than the Demon King, Reinhardt. The appearance he had while disguised as a human. Reinhardt gestured towards the chair in front of Eleion Bolton with his chin. "What are you waiting for? Sit down." He spoke arrogantly, as if he owned the place. ------ The Death Knights we created. The Chimera Homunculus Undead created by the Empire. They were similar in purpose from the beginning. We had to replenish the Death Knights, and for that, we needed corpses. However, at that point, we were unaware that the Empire was engaged in a similar endeavor. It was only after supplementing the Death Knights from the tomb of the saints that I began to learn about the Empire''s activities. There was always a slight concern. What if the Holy Knights, who were investigating this case, inadvertently discovered what the Empire was doing? After hearing the truth from Bertus, we had a brief conversation. "I''m already tracking it. I''m being cautious, but who knows how things will turn out." Of course, the Holy Knights would investigate the incident that occurred in their territory. There was no reason to cover up or hide the scene in the first place. What did it matter if they found out that I was responsible for what happened there? But oddly enough, the case was connected to a secret of the Empire that should not have been revealed. We may have caused the incident, but it was the Empire that risked being exposed. Soon, the bizarre butterfly effect of my actions could lead to the Empire being caught in a trap. But since there was nothing I could do about it, I decided to stay in the temple and watch the situation unfold. Then, Archbishop Rowan died. I, like Ellen, did not believe the claims that the refugees killed Rowan, as Ludwig had insisted. Archbishop Rowan, who had been working with Ludwig on the disease purification project, was dead. Something must have happened. At that point, unlike Ellen, who was just starting her investigation, I was already aware of most of the hidden truths behind the scenes. There was a high probability that Archbishop Rowan''s death was not an ordinary event. Naturally, I went to Bertus first. Thanks to Sarkegaar, I could meet him immediately after setting up the location. Bertus was already aware of the issue. "Not you?" "That''s right, we didn''t do it." Bertus said that it wasn''t the Empire''s doing in the incident that occurred at the church. "We did consider whether we should deal with it or not." "...You considered it?" "She''s a heresy inquisitor, that woman." Unsurprisingly, Bertus knew something I didn''t. "I found out yesterday as well, it seems that she deliberately approached Ludwig. She couldn''t enter the temple, so she tried whatever means she could... I''m just as baffled." Rowan was a heresy inquisitor and was naturally investigating the events within the Holy Knights. Although the reality was different, after discovering the connection between the temple and the missing corpse, she obtained information about Ludwig and deliberately approached him. Bertus was aware of the situation. The heresy inquisitor, who should not have known the truth, tried to use Ludwig. But then she suddenly died. Bertus was just as perplexed by the situation. I, too, believed that there was a high likelihood that the Empire had killed Rowan. Rowan was a heresy inquisitor, pursuing the case, and had the temple in mind, so the Empire had ample reason to silence her by killing her. However, the Empire was not the perpetrator. "I''m not sure of the exact reason, but it could be an internal purge." "...What? A purge?" It was an unexpected claim. "Reinhardt, listen carefully." The story I heard from Bertus was long, but the content was simple. The possibility that the Five Great Religions harbored different intentions. To be precise, the intentions of the leaders of each order. "What... nonsense is this...?" I couldn''t help but be dumbfounded upon hearing these words from Bertus. "They... are preparing to take my side?" "Perhaps." From Bertus''s perspective, it was betrayal. From my perspective, it was either switching sides or submission. "I don''t know which side the deceased priestess belonged to, but now that the matter has surfaced, the flow can''t be stopped." "..." "The Orders and the Holy Knights might split, and a civil war could break out. That would further complicate the situation." "So, what... should we do?" "We have to stop it. Until the Gate incident is resolved, we can''t let anyone bleed for such a ridiculous matter." That was something Bertus couldn''t do. It was something only I could do. "Do you understand what you''re saying?" At my question, Bertus gave a bitter smile. "How could I not?" "..." I was left speechless. CH 604 Chapter 604 It was impossible to know when Ellen would uncover the truth. However, it seemed that Ellen''s attempt to unravel the matter might lead to an unexpected revelation. There was no one who could stand in Ellen''s way. My actions had provoked the Holy Knights, and the one investigating the case had obtained a clue. And then they were killed. It was bound to take a long time to investigate the case without any knowledge of what had happened. Although the real culprits would not be caught, Ellen would discover an unrelated truth. It was impossible to know what judgment Ellen would make in the face of that truth. I could not stop Ellen. So, I did what I had to do. And now. "Why... are you here?" I watched the commander of the Holy Knights tremble in fear. "Well, I didn''t think I''d be sitting here a few days ago either." The first one I contacted was the pope of the Als Church. And at the convened meeting, I confirmed the support of the other four popes for me. And finally. Commander of the Holy Knights, Eleion Bolton. "We are close enough to be honest with each other. Even if my subordinates caused the Gate incident, you know that I never wanted that, right?" "The great and revered Five Popes have come to understand my intentions. They have agreed to support me from now on, both financially and morally. Of course, they can''t do it openly, so... we''re negotiating behind the scenes. At least until the right time comes." "It''s sad that I can only gain their trust after the situation has come to this, but what can I do? That was then, this is now." "Now, we have agreed to establish a strong, close, and intimate relationship." "From now on, there will be no divisions, infighting, or power struggles. Those things are exhausting." "Just trust me, the prophet of all of you, and clear your minds." "The only one left is you, Commander of the Holy Knights." Eleion Bolton''s expression as he listened to the news that the leaders of the Churches had already turned to the side of the Demon King without him knowing was priceless. It was the face of someone who had lost everything overnight. "You know, right? If you refuse, the Five Great Religions and the Holy Knights will be torn apart, and the Holy Knights will be divided between those who support the popes and those who support the commander." "Do you want to gamble with the fate of humanity and the Church?" "Or, do you just want to join me and pretend like nothing ever happened?" "You like that, don''t you?" "Maintaining the status quo." I never imagined I would make such a threatening offer. It was not that Eleion Bolton didn¡¯t have the right to refuse. It was just that if he did refuse, it wouldn¡¯t have only been him who died. A civil war will break out, and a civil war was synonymous with the extinction of humanity. The chaos would spread beyond the Church and throughout the entire empire with rumors of the Demon King appearing. To join me would be to betray humanity. But not joining me might mean the disappearance of humanity. He had to consider something he had never thought about before entering the meeting room. In a short period of time, he would repeatedly weigh many things on a scale. Eleion Bolton did not particularly like change. But, strictly speaking, that was not the main point. Not liking change stemmed from fear and aversion to the chaos that lies beneath. Thus, they desire to maintain the status quo. But if he realized that everything must inevitably change. If they understood that it was impossible for things to remain the same. "...There''s no choice." It was those who have such thoughts who change more easily than anyone else in the world. With a resentful gaze towards the five popes who had carelessly abandoned everything, Eleion Bolton stared at me. "What do you want, Demon King?" "Didn''t I tell you? To maintain the status quo that you love." But once again, my abrupt remark puzzled not only Eleion Bolton but also the five popes. "...What?" "Just keep it as it is." My purpose for coming here was to stop the discord between the Holy Knight Order and the five major religious factions. And to swallow them up in the process. The popes were preparing to side with me, and the Holy Knight Order''s leader was uncomfortable with this development. Then I must choose one of their sides. The Empire cannot side with the leader of the Holy Knight Order. Doing so would provoke a backlash from the popes. However, I can side with the popes. They can suppress the resistance from the Holy Knight Order''s leader. "Well, did you think I would want to annihilate humanity now and order you all to die? That''s not going to happen." "..." "Keep it this way. There''s no need to set up a confrontation with the Empire. Basically, I''m saying that I''ll be the liver or the spleen for you who are trying to cling to one and then the other." Swallowing them up is nothing more than an empty threat. The popes were willing to turn against humanity, but there was only one real reason for doing so. Because they knew that I have no intention of being hostile towards humanity. Because they knew that I have no reason to make any outrageous demands of them. In the end, they were merely using me. "So let''s set this nonsense aside and discuss what''s most important." I can obtain cooperation from the Holy Knight Order and the five major religious factions. And if I want to rule, I can. But that was impossible for now. And these snake-like elderly popes will discard me when I am no longer useful, and if they deem the Empire stronger, they will treat me as the traitor of the century once again. I didn''t particularly find that disgusting or sad. Their allegiance changed like flipping a palm according to the balance of power. If you''re weak, you''ll be ignored, and if you''re strong, you can ignore. Right now, they didn''t know what the Empire was doing. That''s why they''re trying to take my side. They believed that the Demon King and his forces can potentially wipe out humanity at any time. And that was also true. Eleion Bolton had determined that the situation was irreversible, and while he needed to consider it for a long time, he was not given any situation other than making a quick decision. So, regardless of his true intentions, he decided to cooperate with me for now. The more important issue. "Rowan, did you kill her?" The real culprit behind Rowan''s death. I want to know that. Just as Bertus suggested, was she purged? "No." Eleion Bolton shook his head. "I didn''t kill her." The Empire did not kill Rowan. Bertus had suggested the possibility of a purge. But the popes claimed it wasn''t their doing. "It''s strange. The popes here said it wasn''t their doing, and if you''re not the culprit either, who on earth The commander of the Holy Knights also denied his involvement. "I intended to kill her. That''s true." At his words, the expressions of the popes couldn''t help but change. "But, even if the other inquisitors didn''t know, I couldn''t kill Rowan." "Hmm... So that means..." There were several possibilities, but if he wasn''t lying, then one of the more likely possibilities was: "Could it be that she didn''t die?" Exactly, a self-staged drama. "Yes. The corpse was a fake, covered with a cloth." Rowan was not dead. ------ A fire had broken out at the scene. It was strange. It had been bothering me constantly. It was too conspicuous. If it were an execution, it should have been carried out discreetly and all evidence destroyed. However, if the Popes or Eleion Bolton, or the others had tried to execute Rowan, there should not have been a fire. The fire itself drew far too much attention from people. Therefore, if this were an execution, there should have been no fire. But the fire did break out, and many people saw the flames engulfing the temple. That''s why looters swarmed in. And Ludwig saw it, the information reached Ellen, and now Ellen was pursuing the truth. "Yes... It''s as if the fire was started in hopes that someone would finally discover the torture and killing of civilians in the church basement." The fire happened, and civilians entered the temple to loot. The horrible scene in the basement went unnoticed, because there were no looters crazy enough to enter the burning building, and Eleion Bolton responded quickly. But in the end, they couldn''t stop Ellen from seeing the basement. It was an incident designed to draw attention from the start. The possibility that the commander of the Holy Knights and the popes were lying to my face cannot be ruled out entirely. However, the fact that they forcibly drew attention was highly suspicious. And to begin with, Rowan''s corpse was a fake. Inquisitor Rowan was alive. "Why did you keep that fact a secret?" The pope of the Tu¡¯an Order glared at the commander of the Holy Knights and asked. "Have the popes not also hinted at the possibility of such negotiations if the opportunity arose?" At the words implying that they had betrayed humanity and sided with the Demon King, not only the pope of the Tu¡¯an Order but also the other popes'' faces turned red. "Commander... You must understand that this decision was made for the sake of humanity..." "Shut up." The one who spoke wasn''t Eleion Bolton, but me. Disgusting bastards. I didn''t like that they''d come under my command. I have no desire to do any sort of housecleaning. I just wanted to resolve this matter quickly and went back to enjoying the jerky Ellen gave me. "Anyway, it''s true that you tried to kill Rowan, right? Although I don''t know the details, you failed to kill her in the end?" "Yes." At his answer, the archbishop of the Tu¡¯an Order glared at Eleion Bolton. "Commander, why did you try to kill Archbishop Rowan in the first place?" Although Rowan ultimately didn''t die, it was a fact that Eleion Bolton had tried to kill her and failed. "I ordered her to cease all investigations, but she didn''t listen." At his words, the popes had no choice but to remain silent. They knew exactly what Eleion Bolton was talking about. If one carelessly meddled with the Empire, uncontrollable events might occur. After returning to the Imperial Capital, Eleion Bolton must have heard the progress of the investigation from Rowan, who had been in charge of the case. The Empire was suspicious. Eleion Bolton''s command must have been clear. No more digging. "At a time like this, I believe you would think that digging into the Empire is not the best judgement¡­" The five popes showed discomfort, but they didn''t directly refute Eleion Bolton''s words. The popes wanted to win me over, but they didn''t want to fight the Empire. The incident that occurred in the underground chamber of the Holy Knights'' headquarters. While tracking it, Rowan determined that the Empire might be the perpetrator of the incident. So, she approached Ludwig. However, upon learning this, Eleion Bolton decided that if they tried to meddle with the Empire, the entire Church could be destroyed, and he tried to stop Rowan. But Rowan disobeyed the order of the Holy Knight Commander. Eleion Bolton devised a plan to purge his subordinate, who tried to tamper with the powder keg, and carried it out. "I loyally served like a dog, and when there is a clear case of corruption, not only am I prevented from investigating, but there is even an attempt to purge me¡­" She must have seen the spectacle of her subordinates being killed by the Holy Knights with her own eyes. "If her eyes didn''t spin, that is an unusual situation." My words made Eleion Bolton grind his teeth visibly. It was certain that almost all of the other Inquisitors have been killed, and the Holy Knights dispatched by Eleion Bolton to purge them were almost all killed by Rowan. It would be natural for her to feel a sense of betrayal towards the Five Great Religions. Rowan staged a corpse as herself, set fire to the temple, and fled. She faked her death, escaped, and bought some time. It was unclear what she planned to do with the time she bought. In the end, Eleion Bolton''s actions were at the core of this incident. But what if I had been Eleion Bolton? The Empire had nothing to do with the theft of the underground remains at the Temple Knights'' headquarters, but they were utilizing the bodies of the fallen soldiers. Simply digging into the case would create friction with the Empire. Digging into the Empire was already dangerous, and Rowan insisted that she couldn''t stop investigating the case. In the end, Eleion Bolton only partially succeeded in the purge. He killed all of Rowan''s subordinates, but he failed to kill Rowan himself. Half-failure meant Rowan left a fake corpse behind and disappeared. "No matter what happens from now on, the fact that it''s my mistake remains unchanged. Because I wasn''t perfect." The Holy Knight Commander made the choice he thought was best, but ultimately failed to kill Rowan. No one knew what kind of ripple effect this will create. "We don''t know what Rowan will do next, but we¡­ Ironically, you are the one we need most." What does that mean? I''m needed? The one who answered was not Eleion Bolton. "I don''t know what the Demon King will think¡­ But Rowan was a radical." It was the unexpected remark of the Tu¡¯an Church Pope. "A radical?" "Inside the Church, especially within the Tu¡¯an and Als Churches¡­ There are many such priests." "What kind of priests are they?" "Those who believe the Demon King to be a prophet." "¡­?" What did he say? "There are quite a few of them who believe that the Demon King is the true prophet." What on earth did that mean? "It''s not just those two Churches." It was the words of the Riter Church Pope. "That day, at the temple, the Holy Knights and priests who saw you¡­ Surely you know it wasn''t a small number." Even Eleion Bolton said that. "They were high-ranking Holy Knights and priests of the Church. Rowan was among them, too." They believed that I didn''t want the Gate incident to happen. The priests who saw me explaining how to deal with the Gate incident since it was already too late. Only high-ranking priests and Holy Knights with verified skills, as well as divine power, could have been present in that place. Those who could be considered the future of the Church saw me at that moment. That meant that at least they knew I truly didn''t want the Gate incident to happen. "Do you understand now that I didn''t make this choice simply to preserve my position?" Although the lower-ranking priests and Holy Knights might not know, the top-ranking figures of the Church must have known the truth of the Gate incident to some extent. Therefore, they must perceive me differently from how the world perceived me. "Among them, Archbishop Rowan was particularly proactive in supporting you." The high-ranking members of the Five Great Religions were gradually being filled with my followers. Inevitably, there must have been a growing environment where more and more people were supporting me mentally, rather than the Empire. The Popes wanting to side with me was not just their own judgment. It was an inevitable choice. In other words, it was public opinion. CH 605 Chapter 605 I had grown accustomed to being hated and despised by those who didn''t know me. I thought it was inevitable. But this time, it was quite the opposite. Those who didn''t know me were worshipping and loving me. And this was happening within the Five Great Religions. Just as Ellen was revered as a hero, they believed that I was the rightful champion of Als and Tu¡¯an, even if the world hadn''t recognized me yet. Many had witnessed my final plea. Among them were high-ranking clergy and holy knights belonging to the Five Great Religions. They knew that the Gate incident had been caused by my subordinates, but they also knew that I had never wanted this. Therefore, it was inevitable that a faction supporting me would secretly emerge within the Order. Rowan was a radical among them. To begin with, if there were radicals, there must also be moderates. If the moderates believed that the Demon King had his reasons, Then the radicals would claim that the Demon King was absolutely right. Both factions were predicated on supporting me. Did this mean that, at some point, the majority of the upper echelons in the Five Great Religions supported me? Did the popes act not out of betrayal to humanity but in accordance with the trend of the times? Even Eleion Bolton, who had been busy with battlefield matters, spoke as if he was not unfamiliar with the situation. It was as good as settled. The Five Great Religions had been waiting for me to appear, and had essentially become my support base. "What is the argument of the radicals¡­?" "They claim that the root of all these problems is not you, but the Empire and humanity." Those who couldn''t trust me. Assuming that I had done no wrong, they argued that the responsibility lay with everyone who couldn''t trust me. "Some of them even wish for the collapse of the Empire." In the end, it was the same. They sought to hold someone accountable. Only this time, it wasn''t me. Rowan was a person who revered me. And she hated the Empire. Such a person had tried to investigate the Empire''s corruption, only to be hindered by the Holy Knights'' commander, who even attempted to kill her. "Rowan must have despised me for not being able to expose the Empire''s corruption¡­" The fire. Someone had intended to show that scene to others. To an unspecified number of people. "Now, not only do I mistrust and despise the Order, but so does Rowan." The radicals believed that the responsibility didn''t lie solely with the Empire but with humanity as well. This meant that the Five Great Religions couldn''t possibly be entirely clean. After all, their ranks included holy knights, priests, and popes. What if the sinister actions of the Tu¡¯an Order, notorious for its poor reputation, had been revealed to the world? Actions like capturing civilians, torturing, and killing them in their temple? Public sentiment would have run wild. And the Empire wouldn''t have remained silent. Without people, there was no empire, so the Empire would have had no choice but to turn its sword against the Five Great Religions. "Is it not an exaggeration to say that a civil war almost broke out in the Empire¡­?" At my words, Eleion Bolton nodded. "It''s not certain, but it could have happened." Rowan, from the start, was not only investigating this incident but fundamentally believed that the Empire bore all the responsibility. She was an Empire-blaming theorist. Eleion Bolton must have deemed Rowan a threat and sought to eliminate him for that reason. Rowan would have wanted to bring down the empire if given the chance. Therefore, it must have been the best option for the Holy Knight Commander to eliminate Rowan. If left alone, the friction between the Holy Order and the Empire could have escalated into actual bloodshed. Rowan was the type of person who would want to detonate a bomb instead of avoiding it, so Eleion Bolton''s decision was not entirely unreasonable. Leaving Rowan alone would lead to dangerous actions. That''s why they attempted to intervene, but their failure only made Rowan more dangerous. It was absurd to expect Rowan to remain sane after the order she had been loyal to her entire life tried to kill her. That must have been the meaning behind Eleion Bolton''s words about needing me. Rowan considered me a prophet, and by meeting her, I could resolve everything. I needed to find Rowan. Before she tried to do something I didn''t want in the name of helping me. ------ Bertus led Ellen and her party to the underground research facility of Temple Magic University. It was a horrifying sight. They all watched the events unfolding underground. Reanimated corpses and corpses in the process of being reanimated. They saw where and what they were doing now, and how they were intended to be weaponized. Not long ago, the Demon King had witnessed this scene. Now, Ellen, Ludwig, Louise, and Heinrich could see it too. Everyone was at a loss for words. Not only warriors, but long-dead heroes of the past were being resurrected as well. They saw it. "As I said before, I have no intention of abandoning this plan, no matter what you say," Bertus insisted after revealing everything, making it clear that he would continue with the project. "So, from now on, if someone dies, you''re going to keep bringing them back to life like this?" Ellen asked. Bertus nodded at her question. This carried significant implications. Even if Ellen died. If Saviolin Turner died, they would resurrect and deploy them on the battlefield. This shouldn''t be happening. But in the end, what value does a corpse hold beyond its weight? Shouldn''t it be utilized if it can be of use? "Was Asher... resurrected like this too?" Ludwig asked. They looked no different from a living person. If they could talk and remember just like when they were alive, wasn''t that truly coming back to life? Bertus shook his head at Ludwig''s question. "It failed." "So... you couldn''t really bring them back to life...?" "That''s right." This was a half-baked resurrection at best. Nothing more than weaponizing the dead. It was impossible even to attempt with Delphin, as her body couldn''t be found. What if they could genuinely resurrect the dead, not only in their full form but with their complete memories as well? This half-hearted resurrection made people cling to false hope because it succeeded in part. Louis Ancton, Anna de Gerna, and Christina. These three were the core members of the research. Ludwig spoke quietly. "I want to see him." "... It''s better not to." As Dettomorian had said, finding Asher would reveal everything. But they had not yet reached Asher. "How did it fail, then...?" They had not yet seen the full extent of it with their own eyes. "I think we need to see it..." Bertus sighed deeply, looking at Ellen and Heinrich, who seemed to share Ludwig''s sentiment. ------ As it was not necessary for everyone to leave their posts when the Demon King arrived, the four of them observed the mages engrossed in their tasks in the underground laboratory. Their attire did not reveal whether they were alchemists or dark mages. Regardless, they were all intently doing their work with stern expressions. If a single evil mage creates a dungeon and conducts horrifying experiments, then hundreds of mages are involved in conducting terrible research on a national scale. In an isolated area of the underground laboratory, they encountered familiar faces. Christina. Anna de Gerna. Louis Ancton. "You guys... how...?" Louis Ancton''s face paled upon suddenly seeing the three visitors with the Emperor. Christina and Anna were equally surprised. However, there was no need to be surprised about encountering them in an unexpected place. There was only one port in the isolation zone. "Is this... Asher?" Ludwig stared at something in the port with a blank expression. Other corpses had been restored to a seemingly intact state, but what lay before them could only be described as a grotesque mass of flesh. Ellen''s face turned pale, Heinrich''s too, and Louise looked away, covering her mouth. "What is... this...? This can''t be Asher. What... what did you do? What is...?" Anna and Christina were initially flustered by the sudden appearance of the others, but soon grasped the situation, knowing that Bertus had granted them access. Christina had always maintained a cheerful demeanor. But as if all of that was a mask, she shook her head firmly with a stern expression in the lab. "It''s not a success yet." "What... did you say?" "There are still many methods to try. Not long ago, it was able to speak. It just repeated what it was told, but still... it could." Anna and Louis bit their lips, watching Christina''s attitude. They had tried to bring their friend back to life. But they had failed. However, there was someone who would not admit defeat. Inside the port was something that could hardly be seen as more than a trace. Everyone saw it as a failure, but there was still someone searching for a possibility. "Nothing is impossible in this world." Reviving the dead halfway was possible. So why would reviving them completely be impossible? Christina believed that she could do it. An uncertain possibility drives people into despair and fosters false hopes. Christina had lost her reason, immersed in that possibility. "If you want to talk about failure, get out." The Christina inside the lab was a completely different person from the one outside. In the face of the possibility that she might be able to reverse her friend''s death, Christina must have kept touching Asher''s corpse. After failing, she tried again, approaching it in a different way. And if that failed, she tried another method. Again and again. She believed that if she tried dozens or hundreds of times, she could eventually bring her dead friend back to life. The result of those countless attempts had been this grotesque mass, so bizarre that it could not even be called a chimera. And yet, Christina had no intention of giving up. Anna and Louis had already accepted failure, but Christina couldn''t. Ellen stared at the mess with a stern expression. It was probably impossible, but what if they succeeded? Let''s say they could revive the dead. Would such a thing be allowed in this world? Ellen couldn''t make that judgment. However. She could tell that Christina, who had seemed fine at the garrison, had already fallen apart a long time ago. If she were to die before the Gate incident was resolved, she might end up like this as well. The ability to fight even in death. Even after atoning for her sins through death, she could still be a source of strength to others. Should she be grateful for that, or should she despair? But she never wished to become a useless lump of flesh that couldn''t help anyone. Ellen couldn''t bear to watch Christina desperately search for non-existent hope amidst this horrifying scene. "This... This isn''t right..." This couldn''t be right. They shouldn''t be doing this. In the end, both the living and the dead would only experience pain and despair. It was clear to Ellen that Anna and Louis were reluctantly by Christina''s side, not to help with the research, but to try and stop her. Bertus had also tried to stop Christina''s actions but failed. It had to stop. If it continued like this, she would only go mad. Find Asher. Asher was found, but it was only a trace. "Stop... This isn''t..." Ellen spoke the words everyone wanted to say. Christina stared at Ellen, her eyes shifting to meet Ellen''s. "Why?" As if to ask for an explanation, Ellen stared back at her. "You know it won''t work... You''re only hurting yourself..." In the depths of Christina''s dark and bottomless eyes, Ellen could only see despair. There was no way the eyes of someone truly searching for hope could be like this. No one who truly believed in the possibility would have such a gaze. They couldn''t help it, they had to try just in case. There was no way they would have the mechanical eyes of someone clinging to the only thing they could do. Even if they succeeded. Even if they spoke like Asher, even if Asher''s memories were there, could it really be called life? But if they managed to gain those memories in a clumsy way, if they could speak. From that moment on, it would become something that must not be done. Christina was trying to do that right now. At Ellen''s words, everyone remained silent but agreed. The fact that Anna and Louis, who had witnessed this scene all along, were hanging their heads in sorrow was evidence enough. They wished for Christina to stop now but couldn''t bring themselves to say it, so they reluctantly helped. Christina¡¯s stubbornness was tearing her and the other two apart in real time. At Ellen''s words, urging her to stop, Christina''s dark and bottomless eyes grew even darker. "You." ¡°If it were Reinhardt who had died.¡± ¡°Wouldn''t you try to resurrect him?¡± ¡°Just like I did for him.¡± With that single sentence. "...What?" The mere mention of that name caused the air to freeze. CH 606 Chapter 606 No one dared to mention the Demon King in front of Ellen, let alone utter the name Reinhardt. Everyone knew that it was Ellen''s weakness. Just now, Christina crossed that forbidden line. ¡®Wouldn''t you try to resurrect him, just like I did for him, if it were Reinhardt who had died?¡¯ From her expression, from her gaze, it was impossible not to know that Christina already harbored resentment toward Ellen. Nothing remained hidden in this dreadful laboratory. Evil. Hatred. Loathing. All the things that had been concealed were now exposed. "Why would you say that?" At Ellen''s words, the corner of Christina''s mouth curled up. "You and Reinhardt had a special relationship, didn''t you?" "..." "You still think that, don''t you?" Ellen''s eyes widened, and everyone held their breath. Everyone in the Royal Class knew that even hearing Reinhardt''s name was painful for Ellen, and hearing about the inevitable battle with the Demon King was agonizing. No one had ever provoked Ellen directly by bringing it up. Christina was the first to speak so directly. Everything they had been barely enduring seemed to crumble now. Amidst the disgusting, horrifying, and appalling scene. The boundaries of the truths they had pretended not to know shattered. "Christina, calm down." Bertus, unable to bear it any longer, approached Christina, but she shook her head. "I heard a story not long ago." Christina gritted her teeth and glared at Ellen. "All of this happened because of just a few people." "..." "It wasn''t entirely because of the Demon King." "..." "Do you have anything to say about that?" Christina glared at Ellen, as if demanding an answer. There were people who already knew. But there were still those who didn''t know. Ellen was well aware that she had to tell a glaring lie for their sake. "...No." "Really?" There were people in this room who did not know the truth. Ellen could not know how Christina had learned about the story or the circumstances. But she was certain that not many people should know about it. "You''re really shameless..." "Enough." As Christina tried to lash out again, Bertus stepped between them. "Ellen, you''ve seen enough, haven''t you? It might be best if you leave first." "..." Ellen remained silent, her lips tightly sealed. "Lady Turner, please escort Ellen." "Yes, Your Highness." Everyone was thrown into confusion by the sudden tension and the incomprehensible conversation. "Christina, it seems like we need to talk for a moment." At Bertus''s harsh words, Christina smiled and nodded. "Fine." Her attitude seemed as if she had been waiting for those words. ------ Ellen was led out of the Magic University by Saviolin Turner. Until now, the only people who could discuss Reinhardt with Ellen were those who knew the truth. That was limited to Charlotte, Bertus, and Saviolin Turner. Yet, even broaching the subject was painful for them, so they avoided it. But today, Christina suddenly brought up his name. And she gave off an air that she knew everything about the matter. There was no reason for Bertus to reveal the truth that others wouldn''t appreciate knowing. Then how on earth did Christina come to learn that fact? Did Louis Ancton and Anna know the truth as well, since Christina knew it? And, was silence truly the right choice? It wasn''t difficult to see that Louise von Schwarz possessed a strong and unwavering character. However, knowing the truth about the Gate incident was an entirely different matter. It wasn''t merely hypocrisy to cover up one''s own sins, but a problem that, if misunderstood, could potentially divide humanity as a whole. That''s why they believed that remaining silent was the right decision. Dark and obscure emotions welled up within, but they knew well that responding to Christina''s words would be a mistake. They tried to resurrect the dead and used the dead while they remained dead. That must be a sin. But without the Gate incident, there would be no sin. So, wasn''t the origin of all sins themselves, who committed the greatest sin? They shouldn''t judge something as bad, nor should they say something went wrong about someone else''s mistake. Wasn''t it natural for Christina to suddenly react in such a way? To Christina, who might think that if it weren''t for them, Asher wouldn''t have died. They told her that Asher was dead and couldn''t be brought back to life, so she should give up. Hearing such words, she would have no choice but to be furious. However, that wasn''t the intended meaning. It wasn''t meant to tell her to stop committing sins anymore. They said it because the matter was tormenting her, and it was ruining her. It wasn''t said to blame the sin, but because they didn''t want Christina to get hurt any further. However, knowing that Christina would be angry after hearing those words, there was nothing they could do. With clenched teeth, Ellen had no choice but to follow Turner back to the dormitory in silence. They couldn''t learn what they needed to, but only learned about things they shouldn''t have known. ------ Ellen, led by Saviolin Turner, left the laboratory. Bertus took Christina, who seemed to know something but not fully, away to discuss something elsewhere. So, in the isolation area within the lab, Ludwig, Heinrich, Louise, Louis, and Anna remained. The break room of the isolation laboratory. Five of them sat in an awkward silence, unable to speak. No one could bring up any conversation. Those who didn''t want to show their vulnerabilities to others. Neither those who saw what they shouldn''t have, nor those who had their own reasons, could dare to speak a word. Among them, Louise was the most deeply troubled. She had decided to help Ellen, thinking that investigating Rowan''s death might be dangerous for her. However, according to the emperor, Rowan''s death had nothing to do with the empire. Yet they came to know the empire''s secrets that they shouldn''t have known. What troubled Louise was not the shock and fear felt in this scene, but the fact that she ''could see'' this scene. Louise couldn''t understand that fact now. Although the relationship between the empire and the kingdom was in name only, for a long history, the Schwarz Kingdom had always wanted to surpass the empire. Louise knew that the royal family had such ambitions for generations, and the empire was also aware of that. For a long time, the empire had been keeping the Schwarz royal family in check. At this point in time, when humanity faced a crisis, there was absolutely no intention to expose the corruption and decay of the empire as before. However, once everything was resolved, this matter would become the empire''s weakness. Of course, it could be that the emperor had such confidence in the military power he secured through this matter that he left Louise to witness this spectacle. But, was there a need to reveal such a weakness? It would have been better not to show it. The emperor seemed to feel no discomfort about Louise witnessing this spectacle. To begin with, it was strange that she could enter the temple. If she were the emperor, she would have stopped Louise from entering the temple in the first place. There would have been plenty of reasons to deny her entry. ¡®Does it not matter that I see this spectacle?¡¯ The emperor''s intentions were unknown. And the words Christina had just spoken. Louise couldn''t understand the meaning of her seemingly probing words about Ellen. Heinrich''s words to the Demon King inevitably came to mind. There was something unknown to people about the Gate Incident. The Demon King didn''t want the Gate Incident either. It was only natural that the emperor, Ellen, and Christina would know the truth about it. Like Louise, who was lost in confusion, the others were feeling their own turmoil. ¡°Can we really... save Asher like Christina said?¡± It was a cautious question from Ludwig, directed at the silent Anna and Louis. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Their silence and expressions already said a lot. Christina was clinging to an impossible task. ¡°Black magic is involved. Magic that uses impure mana as its source... can''t be a power for the living.¡± Anna cautiously added. ¡°Restoration to a state stronger than when they were alive is possible, but... truly reviving them is unlikely.¡± Anna, who had an incomparable understanding of black magic compared to Christina, already knew that Christina''s desired outcome wouldn''t be reached. No one could say that if they knew, they should stop her. It was enough to guess that these two would have tried to stop Christina even without mentioning it. ¡°Become stronger...? Even stronger than when they were alive?¡± At Ludwig''s question filled with puzzlement, Louis nodded. With a slightly clenched teeth and a sinner''s expression, bowing his head, Louis Ancton spoke. ¡°...Although they may appear alive, they aren''t.¡± ¡°Like golems, like the titan... there''s no difference.¡± ¡°The body is restored to the point when it was whole. It''s not actually alive. So... it can be further enhanced.¡± At Louis''s words, Heinrich asked. ¡°Enhanced...?¡± ¡°You know that if you do Magic Body Strengthening before the magic circuit is fully in place, the body can''t withstand the overload and breaks down.¡± ¡°I don''t know how to do it, but...¡± Heinrich said, looking at Ludwig. ¡°Right. It''s incredibly... painful.¡± Ludwig, who had spent days in agony after awakening the Magic Body Strengthening, vividly remembered the pain of that time. ¡°But pain is no problem for the dead.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± The test subjects didn''t feel pain. Thus, beyond restoring one''s body as it was in life, it was possible to enhance elements necessary for manifesting power within the body, such as magic circuits. In doing so, one could surpass the limits of the physical body and life itself. In other words, it was like modification. A level of power that could not be wielded in life could now be unleashed in death. Strength that would be unbearable for the living could be granted. Though cruel to say, it ultimately became little different from handling an object. Therefore, the goal was simply to make a powerful weapon even more powerful. These resurrected beings became stronger than they were in life. Such an army was being assembled. "Is a corpse absolutely necessary?" Louise asked. Upon hearing it, it seemed like a magnificent magic, save for the fact that it used corpses. It would be perfect if not for the moral issue of using the deceased. "Creating a homunculus might be possible. However, at this point, with that method..." "We won''t be able to mobilize within a short time frame." "Yes..." The homunculus experiment itself was a prime example of a taboo, so it couldn''t be said that there were no ethical issues. Was it inevitable that one would have to resort to taboos in order to overcome miserable times? If selling one''s soul to the Demon could save the world, countless people would be willing to do so. Perhaps it was inevitable. There were those who had sold their souls to the Demon. And they remained silent, witnessing others do the same. The emperor said he had no intention of stopping it, and Louise could not help but realize that she should not interfere. Did the emperor think that there would be no problem with her witnessing this scene because he knew that she could not stop it even if she saw it with her own eyes? The answer remained elusive. During that uneasy and sinful exchange, "So, when you die, you become stronger..." Ludwig muttered blankly, staring down at the table. His sudden remark made not only Louis but also Anna, Heinrich, and even Louise shudder. "Don''t think about such nonsense," Heinrich said sternly to Ludwig. Everyone knew Ludwig still wanted to fight. That''s why his words ignited everyone''s dark imagination. The dead were being resurrected. Moreover, they became stronger than they were in life. Ludwig mumbled blankly. "Right now, I''m useless." Everyone knew Ludwig had been blaming himself, beyond just self-reproach. "I couldn''t do anything. I didn''t catch the people who killed the priestess, but... I didn''t play any role in coming this far either. I was stupid, thinking that there was something I could do. I was just satisfied with that." Rowan died. And the culprit was still at large. But Ludwig had not done anything to get this far. He had merely followed Ellen. Was that all? From the beginning, Rowan was not the kind and noble person Ludwig had thought she was, but rather someone who kidnapped and killed civilians and tortured them. Ludwig had been used by such a person, Rowan, without even realizing it. There had been strange moments, but he never doubted them. He simply thought he was helping to make the world a better place. And eventually, he saw something that may or may not have been related to Rowan''s death. Magic that resurrected the dead. Magic that made them stronger than they were in life. Such things should not exist in this world. But Ludwig couldn''t deny that this was necessary and that it could hasten the end of the war. A useless existence. Still, Ludwig said this with a bitter smile. "It''s alright. I don''t wish for that. To want to fight after dying. I know that making such a choice wouldn''t make anyone happy. It''s just... because of the helplessness..." Although he said that, everyone knew that Ludwig secretly wished for it. There were people who would grieve and despair if he died. Hadn''t they seen Christina''s expression already? He didn''t want to become a corpse and return to the battlefield to help others or because he desired it. As long as there were people who worried about him, Ludwig didn''t wish for that either. Everyone let out a sigh of relief after seeing Ludwig, who had briefly put them all in a tense mood. "Don''t say such strange things." "I''m sorry..." Heinrich was worried for a moment that Ludwig might suddenly be found somewhere having taken his own life. And if Ludwig were to do something like that, it would be up to Anna, Louis, and Christina to bring him back. Like what they did to Asher, their friends might be ruined in trying to genuinely resurrect him. Ludwig had no intention of doing such a crazy thing or asking for it. It was just a possibility that had crossed his mind. However, even when Ludwig said he had no such intentions, Heinrich couldn''t help but feel anxious. The desire to help someone, a character trait bordering on obsession. He was gradually beginning to sense a twisted heart that didn''t appear entirely benign. Heinrich was an A-class student. Relatively speaking, Anna and Louis, who had seen Ludwig up close, couldn''t help but be more worried. Ludwig was kind and considerate of others, but he sometimes engaged in actions akin to madness. He might not have said that he wanted to fight even if it meant dying now, but who knew how Ludwig''s thoughts might have changed later. And they all shared the sentiment of not wanting to lose any more friends. Louis Ancton stared silently at Ludwig and said, "...Ludwig." "Really, I won''t think of anything like that. Don''t worry..." "I have something I want to show you." Looking at Louis''s determined expression, Anna nodded her head as if she understood what he was talking about. "Something you want to show me?" Ludwig couldn''t help but feel apprehensive, wondering if he was about to see another dreadful scene. "We''re not just... working on reviving Asher here." This place was a highly secretive part of the underground laboratory. The three of them were doing different work from the other researchers, and Louis led the way, stating that their work wasn''t solely focused on reviving people. CH 607 Chapter 607 In most areas of the laboratory, they were working on creating an army. But that project had already progressed beyond development and was in full swing, with completed test subjects being utilized as a military force. Christina was searching for a way to genuinely revive people. Neither Louis and Anna, nor Christina herself, were solely focused on that research. They were working on the next phase of the project, its applications, and everything that pertained to its further development. In the isolation zone, there were other labs. Ludwig, Heinrich, and Louise, tense with the thought that they might witness another shocking scene, encountered a sight they hadn''t expected at all. It wasn''t a brutal scene, nor a horrifying one. "A rabbit...?" "Yeah, it''s a rabbit." Anna nodded in response to Heinrich''s words. It was a rabbit, quite literally. The rabbit was inside a fairly large cage. Five adorable rabbits were in the cage. These adorable creatures seemed too out of place in this facility, where terrifying and horrifying experiments took place. They watched the rabbits hopping around the spacious cage, seemingly captivated. So what did that have to do with anything? It wasn''t as if they were suggesting watching the rabbits together simply because they were cute. "Wait... something''s off." However, Louise noticed something strange about the rabbits. While they looked perfectly fine on the surface, there was something slightly off about them. Something was subtly different. "Their legs seem... uneven..." There was no denying the feeling that something was amiss. "Now that you mention it..." Ludwig, who had a keen eye, couldn''t help but notice the oddity when Louise pointed it out. "Their legs are of different lengths." Louise finally noticed that the front and back legs of each rabbit were not balanced. "That''s correct." Louis Ancton nodded. "We''ve transplanted legs from other rabbits." Ludwig''s eyes widened at this revelation. "And none of these rabbits have ever died." This time, it was Anna who spoke. "It''s an experiment conducted on living subjects." There were already three taboo subjects related to this project. Necromancy, the dark magic of animating the dead as undead beings. Then, homunculus. Louise murmured blankly. "Chimera, huh?" "Yes, that''s right." And now, chimera. The field of magic that synthesized only the strengths of various living creatures to create the ultimate being. Although it was mostly used in horrifying ways and thus deemed taboo, it wasn''t necessarily required to be used in such a manner. What mattered wasn''t what type of magic it was, but rather how it was used. Transplanting limbs from other creatures. Everyone present knew what this meant. A lost leg. Or a lost arm. These could be restored. "Ludwig... this is a very basic magic among chimera experiments." Compared to the taboo of replacing everything from the head to internal organs, transplanting limbs was a basic level technique. Since their involvement with the taboo was top secret, they couldn''t tell Ludwig that there was a way to restore his lost arm. But now that Ludwig had entered the laboratory and seen everything, there was no need for them to hide anything from him. Rather, now that they knew the secret, they could do for Ludwig what they hadn''t been able to do before, despite knowing. "I see..." Chimera magic could be developed into a limb transplantation technique for those who lost their limbs in war. Reviving someone was close to impossible. But giving back someone''s lost arms and legs was possible. ------ Instead of raising animals in the lab for no reason, they were experimenting to see if there was a way to restore Ludwig''s lost limbs. It was an easier task than creating an undead army. Ludwig couldn''t help but be excited by the prospect of regaining his lost arm. This wasn''t just beneficial for Ludwig. There were countless people injured due to war, just as there were countless dead. Once all that was over, and post-war reconstruction began, it might not have been a dream for those who had lost their limbs to regain them. However, it would have only been possible after the perception of Chimera magic, which was forbidden, had improved. Chimera could have been helpful to someone depending on how it was used. In the end, it all depended on whose hands wielded the power. But the fact that they didn''t mention the possibility of restoring Ludwig''s lost arm wasn''t only because it was forbidden. "It will be painful." "That''s fine." If he could get his lost arm back, he could endure any amount of pain. Ludwig was prepared to endure anything for that alone. "Ludwig, it''s not just pain. You could die." "...That much?" "Chimera isn''t regeneration, it''s a fusion technique. You''re transplanting a body part that wasn''t originally yours. There could be rejection, and there could be shock." Louis Ancton looked at the rabbits in the cage. Ludwig could only intuit that there were failed subjects, as well as the successful ones that were alive. "The endurance is on you. There''s nothing we can do to help with that." Ludwig was informed in case he chose an extreme method. If he could bear it, he could regain his lost arm through the Chimera procedure. "I''ll do it." Ludwig nodded firmly, with a determined expression. Now that he knew, there was no thought of hesitation. "There''s no reason not to do it if I can do more instead of just standing still." He had touched the forbidden. That''s why Ludwig was able to learn about new possibilities. "And my talent is physical stamina." Since his only advantage was his robustness, he was confident he wouldn''t die. Ludwig nodded resolutely. Louise looked at Ludwig and the others. Applying Chimera research to make limb transplantation possible was considered a shocking yet valuable endeavor. And the one person who was missing from this place, whom the emperor had taken away to talk to. This lab was obviously the most important area. So it was clear that the three of them, former second-year Temple students, were at the heart of this research. There were still unresolved issues, and the mystery remained unsolved. But it was clear that what was being researched in this lab went beyond the gruesome and cruel, as they were dealing with extremely powerful magic. The base was dark magic. On top of that, the research on Homunculus and Chimera was being applied in a complex manner. And then, on top of that, the limb transplantation technique utilizing chimeras. ''How on earth can these kids do so much?'' It wasn''t just a single field of magic but a complex one. And they weren''t just assisting in the research; they were clearly core members. There was an absolute limit to the time available. ¡®Why are these kids, who have barely turned twenty, able to do and accomplish so much?¡¯ Louise couldn''t shake off her completely different set of questions. And, it was not regeneration but transplantation. ''The transplanted arm...'' It probably wouldn''t be from a living person. Louise kept recalling Dettomorian''s words. The ominous boy had said that if he continued to chase this matter, Ludwig would eventually die. The words kept swirling in her head. ------ As you know, I was a person familiar with numbers. Numbers could tell you a lot, assuming there was someone who could read them. So, I had been learning how to decipher the meaning behind numbers for quite some time. In fact, that was pretty much all I had been doing. But you see, Nowadays, the world had become easier for people who didn''t know numbers. As you know, Those days, numbers only seemed to decrease. This time it was how many regular soldiers, how many superhuman-level individuals capable of Magic Body Strengthening, how many master-class fighters, how many mages, and how many holy knights. How many in each refugee camp¡­ Died. How many cities in which country, or how many countries, or the remaining food supplies, supply routes¡­ Destroyed. That was the kind of numbers I saw. Numbers that only decreased didn''t require painstaking analysis. The situation was worsening. Yesterday''s situation was bad, and today''s situation was worse. Knowing the worsening situation in more detail didn''t change much. The only number that brought joy when it decreased was the number of remaining warp gates. Fortunately, that number had now decreased to a countable level. The situation was getting worse and worse. It seemed impossible for it to get any worse, but such a situation wouldn''t come unless humanity disappeared altogether. Gates endlessly spewed out monsters, and there were limits to the surviving humans. What happened when there were no more people who could fight? Wouldn''t that truly bring about a situation that couldn''t get any worse? I didn''t lose sleep every night because I had plenty of mages around me who could force sleep to come. Anyway. Those numbers. Combat power. People who could fight. Those who could still wield weapons. Their absolute numbers were decreasing, and there was not enough time or resources for people to grow. The numbers that had disappeared. Dead people. Dead soldiers. Dead knights, dead mages. When you proposed that you could quantify those vanished numbers back onto my list of documents as combat power, I hesitated a lot. Of course. It wasn''t because I thought it was something that shouldn''t be done. No, it wasn''t that I hadn''t done it at all, but it seemed like I had only done it briefly. Just briefly. The reason I had so many concerns was: It would have been great if it worked. If it did, there would have been nothing more to wish for. But was it possible? If it was possible: Then what was next? Yes, what was next? I was worried about the things that would follow. Let''s assume it worked. Let''s assume the Gate crisis ended. What would happen then? I thought about it, but I couldn''t figure it out. So, I gave up worrying. First, let''s see if it worked or not. So, when I saw your results, I had such doubts. More fundamental doubts. Could it be possible: In such a short time: To accomplish it so perfectly? Adelia also succeeded in creating a Titan, but as you know, Adelia didn''t create the Titan alone. Like you, Adelia was a genius. Ultimately, it required the concentrated technology of the Golem from Saint Owan Duchy. In the first place, the Titan wouldn''t have been created without the Grand Duke of Saint Owan, the ruler of the Empire. Could Adelia have designed the Titan on her own? It might have been possible, but it would have taken quite a long time. Adelia said it would take more than 10 years because of her near-masochistic modesty. Of course, some might say that was still too short. Now: Although I''ve done many bad things, had many evil thoughts, and engaged in many unsavory activities: The Empire did not invest in dark magic. As you already knew, we didn''t dabble in wicked power. In this very special situation, being cornered, it was human nature to reach out reluctantly, and I knew it was my nature too. Soon, the knowledge of the Empire wasn''t much help to you. With three geniuses of Adelia''s level, could it have been possible? Yeah, maybe. A while ago, I had a brief conversation with someone who knew about this issue. They had worried that I might have teamed up with some dangerous people. I had said this: "As far as I know," "I haven''t" teamed up with such people. I didn''t know if the other person understood my words well. I didn''t team up, but someone else might have, so I couldn''t be certain. However: Listening to what you just said: I realized that I didn''t know. Where you heard it: I didn''t know how you found out: But I was good at silencing people, so it couldn''t have leaked from my side. So, it seemed like you found out from somewhere else. Then, the number of candidates was greatly reduced. So, in the end, I had lied at that time. Christina. Let me ask you one thing. Emperor. "It seems like it''s not me, but you, or the three of you, who joined hands with the Black Order." Bertus de Gardias asked, looking at Christina. "Right?" Christina noded her head, looking at Bertus. "Yeah. That''s right." "Is it just you? Or does it include the other two who aren''t here?" At Bertus'' words, Christina shruged her shoulders. "Who knows? What do you think?" Bertus fell silent at her noncommittal attitude. Christina might have joined hands with the Order alone, and it was not certain whether the other two know. However, Bertus was certain the other two would know as well. Accepting the truth he had suspected, Bertus gave a slight nod. Christina had been in contact with the Black Order, and somehow had recently learned the truth. Her sudden change in attitude towards Ellen was evidence of this. "Yes... The research is complete, and we have secured enough data and blueprints. Even without you, the Empire can maintain the project," Bertus said, folding his arms. "You hear stories like that all the time. Discarding a loyal servant, abandoning a hunting dog once the hunt is over, that kind of thing." "..." Titan was created by combining the knowledge of the Saint Owan Empire and Adelia''s genius. The Homunculus Undead was also created by combining the knowledge of the Black Order and the genius of the three. Both the former and the latter could be replicated now that the blueprints were complete. This had been a field of study distinct from ordinary magic. Thus, the blueprints were completed. Christina and the Black Order were no longer of any use. "However." Yet, Bertus, who had uttered those words, furrowed his brow. "You''re not fools. You must have expected this." If Christina and the other two had proposed and carried out this work solely for the Empire or humanity, there would be no need for a purge. They would be great mages who had achieved something extraordinary, even if it could not be revealed to the world. However, the situation becomes complicated with the involvement of the Black Order. Their intentions were unknown, so the necessity of a purge arose. The Black Order must have known this, and so must have Christina and the other two. "There must be some kind of safety mechanism." It was unlikely that they would have carried out such a thing without preparing something for such an eventuality. "You know it well." Christina looked at Bertus and smiled. It was a smile mixed with extreme anger, hatred, and malice. Ultimately, only a very few people who knew the truth about the Gate Incident could understand it. Some ended up hating everyone. Even if it was not intended, there was no reason to forgive them. Where was the reason to absolve someone who accidentally pressed the button that destroyed the world? And it wasn''t even a mistake. What did the truth matter? The number of people responsible has merely increased from one to many. Where was the justification for them not to be punished simply because they were tragic figures? If someone asked why those who committed ambiguous wrongs should have died, What answer would they have to the question of why the innocent had to die? In a world drenched in the blood and tears of those who did no wrong, why should their tears and blood be erased first? Shouldn''t their tears and blood be the first to be shed? No one could justify it. No one was ignorant of the fact that nothing could be saved by death. It was true that there was no need to add death to death. But who could confidently say that such truths should enter the hearts of those who had been hurt and torn apart? "If you tried to kill us, saying that we''re useless now, I was going to tell you that it''s actually the Empire that has become useless." Christina spoke with hatred, anger, contempt, and murderous intent. She expressed her desire for vengeance for everything that had happened. Wasn''t the Emperor doing this for a reason? Didn''t he say he had given it a lot of thought? If this was possible, then what would come next? It wasn''t about considering the morality of resurrecting the dead. "It''s a matter of putting an army, which I cannot control nor suppress, in someone else''s hands. It''s inevitable that I would have my concerns." "¡­You also know what the safety mechanism is?" At Christina''s slightly surprised reaction, Bertus chuckled. "What else could the safety mechanism be but control?" "That''s true." Bertus had long known that the moment the army was created and completed, it could not belong to the Emperor. It was being created with unfamiliar technology. Therefore, Bertus already knew that he could not even control it. He knew and yet he was deceived. It was because he knew that he was deceived. From the moment he faced the success of the first experiment, Bertus had been envisioning the consequences of completing this project in his mind. The Gate Incident would end. The sacrifices would lessen. But the moment would come when he had to pay another price. From the moment he decided to create the army, he knew he could not be the master of the Empire. He knew it. The project itself was a success. But Christina was trying to bring the dead Asher back to life. It wasn''t the end. While making futile attempts, Christina had been improving the project itself. If she could make the dead move as if they were alive and in perfect condition, and even make them speak. Bertus was well aware that someone could do the same to him. Resurrecting a dead knight would allow the use of the knight''s power. But inevitably, resurrecting a dead emperor would grant control over the Empire. CH 608 Chapter 608 Rowan was not dead. She feigned death to buy time. However, all of Rowan''s subordinates were killed by the Holy Knights sent by Eleion Bolton. There might be a few survivors among them, but they would be a small minority. If Rowan was planning something, what was she planning, and what could she possibly do? Rowan disappeared. But she couldn''t have left the Empire, so she must be somewhere within it. But where? I have formed an alliance with the Five Great Religions, and although the Commander of the Holy Knights would be reluctant, he cannot defy the Popes and must cooperate with me. "An encrypted document..." "Yes, we''re working on decrypting it now." One fortunate thing was that not all of the records in Rowan''s church had disappeared. They might be related to the current situation, and they could reveal what Rowan had been doing so far. Right now, Eleion Bolton was in the process of decrypting the records recovered from the church''s underground. Fortunately, there was no way the Inquisitors'' records wouldn''t be decrypted within the Holy Knights. It would just take some time. Yes, that damned time. "There''s no guarantee that nothing will happen until that work is done." Even if it was a document that could be decrypted, it was still a large amount of text. Rowan must not take action until we could deduce what she could do from the meaningful truth within the massive amount of documents. Was there enough time for that? Maybe, maybe not. It was not impossible that Rowan wasn''t scheming something but had simply gone into hiding. "It''s not like we can''t predict what she''s going to do." Those were the words of the Pope of the Tu¡¯an Order. "What are you talking about?" "In the past, perhaps, but now is not the time when heretics can be killed easily. Especially not by the hands of the Holy Knights." "Even so, it seems like you''re doing a pretty good job of killing them." "..." "No, I didn''t mean to provoke you. It''s just my way of talking. Come on, tell me what you mean." There''s no need to say something that would make the old folks angry. The Pope was not wrong. Now that heresy has become the mainstream, it was impossible to completely eradicate heretics. Massacres were bound to occur. "If we could annihilate them, it would be great, but they cannot be fundamentally eradicated. They keep emerging." "I see." "Neither extermination nor conversion was possible for the heretics who inevitably emerged." "But if the Inquisitors were operating in the Empire, they must have been doing something, right?" "If we couldn''t stop the heretics, we at least wanted to know their scale. If there was a core, who it was, and where it extended to. Things like that." It seemed clear that Eleion Bolton had never heard such a story before. This was something happening within the Empire. It was evident that he had not been thoroughly informed about the internal affairs of the Empire until now. I felt like I knew what the Pope of the Tu¡¯an Order meant. Bertus had said it before. The organization of crime is inevitable. The demand for the underworld must be met, and supply arises for that satisfaction, and the supply inevitably becomes organized. Wiping out organized crime would only give rise to new organizations, so it was ultimately better to have control over them, he said. At that time, Bertus had asked me if I had ever considered becoming the master of a thieves'' guild. Could this be the same situation? The fundamental reason for the emergence of heretical factions was the distrust towards the Holy Order. As long as that distrust remained unresolved, capturing and killing the heretics could not be a fundamental solution. Inevitably, other heretical factions would arise. Therefore, the Church leaders'' choice was not to eradicate or remove the heretics. It was to understand their scale and scope. The emphasis was on meticulously grasping the heretical factions themselves. Even if they couldn''t be eliminated, knowing their whereabouts would be helpful. There were too many heretics. So instead of eradicating them, they chose another approach. Bertus tried to gain control over crime itself by owning a criminal organization. Would the thoughts of the Church leaders be any different? "Rowan had control over the heretical factions, especially the key figures." There was no need to win the hearts of all heretics. If they could control the leaders of each heretical faction, it was as good as having everything. Eleion Bolton looked at the Pope of the Tu''an Sect. "...Are you saying that the Holy Religions are essentially the force behind both the heretics and the Hero Religion?" "You could see it that way." The times were chaotic, so the inquisitors of heretics were not working as they used to. The Holy Religions were not judging the heretics, but rather holding them in their grasp. The Church leaders made that decision, and Rowan was the one responsible for it. Rowan was, in a sense, the field manager overseeing it all. She pursued dangerous tasks and was executed for defying the orders of the Holy Knight Commander. In reality, Rowan would detest the faith of the Hero Religion as well as the Demon God Cult. However, due to the inevitability of heretical factions arising, she had been working for a long time to grasp the strength of the heretical factions and control their leaders. In this era, the one who could become the true master of the heretics was not someone who could establish an all-encompassing faith and captivate people. "Isn''t this just like saying that Rowan is the owner of all heretical factions, just with slightly different wording? It''s not exactly the same as being a leader, but isn''t it something similar?" If one could control all the heretics, wouldn''t that make them the de facto leader? Eleion Bolton decided that he had to kill Rowan, who was digging up the truth that could potentially cause a head-on collision with the Empire. But he knew nothing about the actual threat that Rowan posed. The Church leaders were cautious about giving too much information to Eleion Bolton in order to keep him in check. Petty power struggles. And mutual fear. Their actions were leading to catastrophe. The world was so strange that the inquisitors, who should have been killing and converting the heretics, had become the true masters of the heretics. And now, what would Rowan, who had been abandoned by the Holy Religions she had sworn loyalty to, do? Rowan would be in the refugee village. She would try to use the heretics for something. ------ That night. Louis, Christina, and Anna, three second-year B-class students, returned to the dormitory after a long time. It wasn''t for a long-awaited rest. Now that Ludwig knew the truth, they could do something for him that they couldn''t before. The Lost Arm It could be returned. "It''s not as easy as it sounds." However, unlike the other two who said that returning the arm was a basic procedure, Christina immediately brought in Ludwig to convey a negative outlook. Christina was talking to the emperor at the time, so she only heard later what Anna and Louis had said to Ludwig. That''s why she had hurried back to the dormitory like this. "I''ve heard it''s painful. I''ve also heard about rejection reactions. But it''s okay. I can endure it." To regain the lost arm, to be able to fight again. Ludwig wished that he could do something too. Anna and Louis had already explained the issues like rejection reactions and pain thoroughly. However, if he were to receive the Chimera procedure, it would inevitably be Christina who would perform it directly. "Ludwig. That''s not the problem." "Not¡­?" "Of course, in some cases, it can be easy. If it''s just a matter of enduring¡­ side effects and rejection reactions, and bearing the pain, that would be fine." Then that should work. As if she knew what Ludwig was thinking, Christina spoke while looking at him. "They won''t attach a rabbit, deer, or cow leg to you. What you saw was a rabbit. Not a person, a rabbit. It was a procedure that cut off a living rabbit''s leg, then cut off another rabbit''s leg, and attached it." "¡­Yes." "Attaching a right arm to you through the Chimera procedure means cutting off someone else''s arm and attaching it to you. Ludwig, is that still okay?" "¡­!" At those words, Ludwig''s eyes widened. It wasn''t a simple issue. Body parts aren''t created. The Chimera procedure originally made incompatible things compatible. Therefore, the new arm Ludwig would acquire would inevitably belong to someone else. That was what Christina was telling Ludwig. It was to cut off someone''s arm and attach it. "Of course, you wouldn''t want that. But there are many failed restoration corpses in that lab. As you saw. It''s not perfect. So inevitably, you''ll receive an arm from one of the corpses that didn''t resurrect after being restored. A dead person''s arm." "So¡­ that''s how it works¡­" The new arm he would gain would naturally be someone else''s arm, not his own. He couldn''t use a living person''s arm, and the arms left in the lab belonged to corpses that failed to be restored. "Covered in dark magic, alcohol, and enhancement procedures. It''s not an ordinary arm. It may look like a human arm, but it''s not a human arm." It looked like a human arm, but it had already become something else that wasn''t a human arm. "Didn''t you think the restored corpses looked too intact?" "Uh¡­?" "Most of them are warriors. People who died in battle. When you die in battle¡­ most of the time, limbs are severed or crushed." Only then did Ludwig realize that he hadn''t thought about the flawless appearance of the corpses being restored in the vats. There were no severed arms or legs; everything was being cleanly restored. "If they could use such a technique on people, they wouldn''t be transplanting another arm onto you, but regenerating your arm." If they could regenerate a corpse, why couldn''t they regenerate a living person? He should have thought of that question first. "A living person can''t withstand the process. That''s one of the reasons this magic is difficult to use on the living." Christina''s expression was filled with pain. If regeneration were possible, there would be no need for transplantation. Regeneration is not something that can be used on the living in the first place. And what is regenerated cannot be attached to a living person either. "Ludwig, if you ask, I might be able to attach an arm that isn''t from a corpse. Do you want that?" "No... No, I don''t want to go that far." Ludwig could never bring himself to do the insane act of cutting off a healthy person''s arm and attaching it to himself. "Ludwig, I won''t say it''s absolutely impossible. The important thing is, I don''t know what the outcome of such a procedure would be. And I don''t want to do it." After finishing her words, Christina looked at Anna and Louis. They were not lying, of course. If Ludwig underwent the Chimera procedure, he could regain his lost arm. But only if it were the arm of a living person. They mentioned the Chimera procedure because they feared Ludwig might engage in strange behavior. They were not unaware of the risks. But they mentioned the Chimera procedure because they thought Ludwig might try to end his own life. No one knew if the person who receives the transplant could endure it. Transplanting the byproduct of magic meant for the dead onto the living. Ludwig could only wear a hardened expression as hope was given and taken away. Seeing his expression, Christina bit her lip. "Ludwig, if you really want to do it... I can do it for you. But if you die... I won''t revive you. Never." He might think of wanting to fight as a resurrected corpse if he died during the procedure. That''s why Christina firmly drove the point home that Ludwig should not attempt the procedure with the intent to die, unlike Asher. "I under...understand." In front of a dazed Ludwig, Anna and Louis could only hang their heads with heavy expressions. CH 609 Chapter 609 Deep underground, like an intertwined burrow. In a space that should actually be called a tunnel, a faint, dim light flickered. The deep underground tunnels were filled with the stench of rotting corpses and strange idols. Somewhere deep within the tunnels, at the deepest point. A woman sat in the center of the cavity. People surrounding her, lying on the ground, were listening intently to her story. ¡®Do you remember the day the sky opened up?¡¯ ¡®I saw that spectacle with my own eyes.¡¯ ¡®Do you know what my first word was at that time?¡¯ ¡®Wow.¡¯ ¡®Hard to believe, but it''s true.¡¯ ¡®It might seem wrong to say such a thing after seeing that, but honestly, it was amazing.¡¯ ¡®When you see rain made of light falling from the sky, even if it falls on your head, you can''t help but admire it.¡¯ ¡®It was so overwhelming.¡¯ ¡®And it was such a despairing sight.¡¯ ¡®Judgment, I suppose.¡¯ ¡®Yes, it was judgment.¡¯ ¡®The judgment of light falling upon sinners.¡¯ ¡®The judgment of heaven falling upon sinners who failed to recognize the prophet, tortured and threatened him, and tried to kill him.¡¯ ¡®Lightning struck the ground, and warp gates that once benefited people must now be removed from the world.¡¯ ¡®I saw the Demon King for the first time that day.¡¯ ¡®He looked so sad.¡¯ ¡®So very sad.¡¯ ¡®His eyes seemed to have given up on everything.¡¯ ¡®No one believed in him, and he had failed in everything.¡¯ ¡®Yet, the Demon King spoke.¡¯ ¡®He desperately told us how to deal with the upcoming events and how to resolve these issues with less bloodshed.¡¯ ¡®The demonic seed was struggling to survive, threatening that various events would occur if it wasn''t released.¡¯ ¡®Everyone had no choice but to think that way. I also thought so at the time.¡¯ ¡®However, the Demon King''s words were true.¡¯ ¡®We had to pay a heavy price for our sin of not recognizing the prophet.¡¯ ¡®I was one of those sinners.¡¯ ¡®Although many people inevitably died, how many could have survived because of the words the Demon King spoke?¡¯ ¡®As countless as the dead were, so too were the survivors.¡¯ ¡®People don''t know the Demon King''s kindness. They don''t even try to know.¡¯ ¡®Those who know the Demon King''s kindness don''t tell others. They don''t even think about it.¡¯ ¡®Isn''t it strange?¡¯ ¡®Good children should receive rewards, and bad children should be punished.¡¯ ¡®Why did the kindest child in the world have to become the child who committed the worst act, and be known as the worst child in the world?¡¯ ¡®It''s strange.¡¯ ¡®It''s wrong. That''s what it is.¡¯ ¡®The world is like that, so good people can''t receive rewards, and bad people take everything. I know that there''s such a saying because of that.¡¯ ¡®Even though it''s not true, let''s believe it that way.¡¯ ¡®We should live kindly, thinking that the gods might pity us and give us something.¡¯ ¡®Even if we can''t enjoy glory while living, we might enjoy it after death.¡¯ ¡®That''s why there''s a saying that we should live kindly.¡¯ ¡®It''s all a bunch of lies.¡¯ ¡®You all know it.¡¯ ¡®If the good deeds we accomplish while alive aren''t rewarded, then they simply aren''t rewarded.¡¯ ¡®If the good deeds we try to do while alive turn into bad deeds, then the world is just wrong.¡¯ ¡®The Demon King''s minions had been the ones who caused the Gate incident, so perhaps the Demon King had been in the wrong.¡¯ ¡®But could it truly have been said that the fault lay solely with the Demon King?¡¯ ¡®If only they had trusted the Demon King.¡¯ ¡®If those with power and authority had listened to the Demon King''s words, even just a little.¡¯ ¡®None of this would have happened.¡¯ ¡®But no one knew that.¡¯ ¡®This couldn''t be right.¡¯ ¡®To place all blame and punishment on a single person.¡¯ ¡®To keep it hushed among themselves.¡¯ ¡®Someone had been a hero.¡¯ ¡®Someone had been an emperor.¡¯ ¡®Someone had claimed to be a Holy Knight Commander.¡¯ ¡®A pope, they had said.¡¯ ¡®They had claimed it was all for the sake of humanity.¡¯ ¡®For the sake of the people.¡¯ ¡®But they shouldn''t have been swaggering around.¡¯ ¡®All sinners themselves.¡¯ ¡®Placing all the blame on them, saying they were the ones people should hate.¡¯ ¡®Because if people started receiving hate as well, the world might collapse.¡¯ ¡®Forcing the Demon King to bear all the burden for such a petty reason.¡¯ ¡®That was¡­¡¯ ¡®Too unfair.¡¯ ¡®Too infuriating.¡¯ ¡®Sad.¡¯ ¡®And disgusting.¡¯ ¡®The reason I had been saving all of you until now was that I thought there might be at least one thing we had in common.¡¯ ¡®The Demon King had done no wrong.¡¯ ¡®The Demon King had been right.¡¯ ¡®The world had been wrong.¡¯ ¡®We had been wrong, too.¡¯ ¡®You who believed in the Demon God had been wrong.¡¯ ¡®I, who had realized too late that the Demon King was a prophet and started to believe in him, had also been wrong.¡¯ ¡®But did wrong people get born in a wrong world? Or did they become wrong because they lived in a wrong world?¡¯ ¡®I wasn''t sure.¡¯ ¡®But I knew one thing.¡¯ ¡®Mistakes must be corrected.¡¯ ¡®That''s why I had been educating you so well up until now.¡¯ ¡®I was sorry for getting a little rough at first, but after you started listening to me, I didn''t hit you or stick needles under your nails.¡¯ ¡®I had been tolerant of you believing in the Demon God disguised as the Hero Religion.¡¯ ¡®Of course, it had been because the Demon God Cult, which believed in the Demon King, had been better than the Hero Religion.¡¯ ¡®Anyway.¡¯ ¡®The veil that had hidden the truth had been covering reality for far too long.¡¯ ¡®The days when sinners had walked the world pretending not to be sinners had been far too long.¡¯ ¡®That saying, that truth was worthless before reality.¡¯ ¡®That there were things that should be buried.¡¯ ¡®That there were sins that should be overlooked.¡¯ ¡®That reality was harsh, so there were truths to be buried, people to be sacrificed, and people and groups who should avoid responsibility.¡¯ ¡®I had heard it so much that my ears hurt.¡¯ ¡®So.¡¯ ¡®I didn''t want to hear such ear-piercing words anymore.¡¯ ¡®The empire and the holy orders, which had lost their legitimacy long ago, no longer existed for humanity''s sake.¡¯ ¡®They were all just excuses, and they were just monsters existing for their own sake.¡¯ ¡®Those words telling us to stay still, to be patient just a little longer, to think about it after all this passed.¡¯ ¡®I wouldn''t believe them anymore.¡¯ ¡®The world would remain as it was. ¡®It wouldn''t change.¡¯ ¡®The words telling us to endure would continue forever.¡¯ ¡®In that case, I would change it now.¡¯ ¡®Changing it seemed better.¡¯ ¡ª--- Rowan, with cold, determined eyes, spoke to those who had prostrated themselves. "Stand up." The prostrated ones rose to their feet. "Let''s show them the real reality." "To the group that had turned a blind eye to countless sins, lied, and deceived people." "Let''s show those who endured in silence just how sick the world has become." "When chaos of an uncontrollable scale breaks out." "The moment they paid for the sins they had committed thus far." "I want to see the expressions on their faces." "I think it''s time to sprout the seeds of division that have been buried under the pretense of a petty cause, under the pretense that humanity must now unite." Rowan knew that if killing the heretics only made them grow like weeds, it was better to grow trees. Rowan did not hunt the heretics. She couldn''t help but know from the start that the heretics in the refugee camp were not the culprits of the bone theft incident. They couldn''t have done something she hadn''t ordered. That''s why she easily reached the other masterminds behind the empire. Rowan raised the heretics as trees and had their masters in her grasp. Obedient slaves, who could no longer think of anything but submission after enduring torture and pain for a long time, were the masters of those trees. "So now you don''t need to live as heretics anymore." "It must be the will of the gods." "I believe so." Therefore, she did not believe in heresy, yet she was the master of all heretics. ------ I knew where Rowan was. It''s just that the range was too wide. I would soon find out who Rowan had captured. However, most people in the refugee camp didn''t have proper identities. The high priests issued orders, and Rowan carried them out. But the high priests didn''t know about the extensive heretic forces in the refugee camp and their individual leaders in detail. They left it to Rowan, thinking she would handle it. But now that the information had become important, they had to find it. It was not a time-consuming task. At most, two days, and at the longest, four days. That should have been enough time to find out where Rowan was. But time was never given as needed. Destruction was sudden. Just as the world had come to this after the sky suddenly opened, the gates suddenly opened, and the situation turned like this. The reason for destruction was insignificant. A few misunderstandings and overlapping incidents led to destruction. The trigger was often not that remarkable. -Kill! Kill them! "¡­" I was watching a building in the refugee camp burn. Many people trampled on the fallen corpses, throwing them into the fire. It was a common sight. Murders frequently occurred in refugee camps. But this time, the direction was different. The refugees killed the guards. They stole the guards'' spears and stabbed their corpses. The burning building was not a shanty in the refugee camp. The guard headquarters was on fire. In the falling snow, I watched the refugees, filled with revenge and madness, set fire to the guard headquarters. Revenge for the persecution and oppression they had suffered so far was unfolding. It took only a small act of violence to unleash a torrent of hatred. The guards were also mere humans. The moment they realized that their violence wasn''t absolute, the collapse of this flow was inevitable. A large-scale riot broke out in the refugee camp of the Imperial Capital. They killed the guards and set fire to the guard headquarters. The beginning was easy. And the moment it began, the initiator themselves could not have controlled the enormous flow of vengeance. ------ "Your Majesty. We must suppress this." The emperor listened with a stern expression. In the refugee camp district, massive riots had erupted, killing guards and setting fire to the guard station. At first, it was a minor incident. But whoever had initiated it knew that once the hatred towards the guards exploded, it would continue on its own. The number of guards in the refugee camp was minuscule compared to the entire population. They were somehow controlling the refugees, but once that failed, the people would no longer tolerate it. It didn''t matter who started it. Everyone had turned their backs on the guards. All they needed was an opportunity. By turning their backs on the guards, they were also turning their backs on the empire. If left unchecked, the refugee camp would become a lawless zone. And the boiling hatred wouldn''t end with attacking and killing the guards and burning down their headquarters. What if that anger turned towards the imperial palace? What would they do then? The empire had long been a sandcastle on the verge of collapse. The gunpowder was ready, and no matter what the fuse was, it was waiting for a moment to ignite and explode. As long as they could not feed the refugees. As long as they could not alleviate their cold and hunger. As long as they could not provide even the most basic safety and comfort. It was just a matter of time before it happened. The problem was always the gunpowder, not the fuse. But the empire could not collapse. It must not. Not yet. It absolutely could not. "Very well..." The people had been oppressed by the fear of the guards. The riot erupted only when hatred crossed the threshold of fear. They could not provide bread. Because there was none. They could not provide everything the starving, angry mob needed. There was only one thing the empire could give them. Fear. "Deploy the army and the knights. Execute everyone involved in this situation." The only thing that could suppress hatred and rage. Fear. And the violence that evoked fear. Regrettably, the empire was not wealthy, but it was strong. Stronger than ever. ------ Could a country that did not protect its citizens, but rather killed them, truly be called a country? Of course, it could have existed. As long as a country had the violence to sustain itself, it could have continued to exist regardless of its legitimacy. Massive riots had broken out in the imperial refugee camp. Guards had been killed, and the guard station had burned down. The guards had retreated en masse to the imperial city. For a moment, the refugee camp had become lawless. But that violence had not solved everything. The angry mob had needed to redirect their rage somewhere and had had no choice but to find a scapegoat. But that had been temporary. Bloodshed had ensued. The empire had deployed a large army and holy knights, destroying any place that had shown even the slightest sign of violence. The holy knights, composed of superhumans, could single-handedly massacre hundreds of people without mercy. Furthermore, when the monster-slaying task force was deployed to suppress the riots, the uprising was quelled in no time. The swords and spears that killed monsters were even more effective against humans. Violence born from rage had no choice but to cower before the relentless brutality that was almost impossible to resist. The riot was brief. Thousands of guards were killed. But within just a few days, hundreds of thousands of refugees were slaughtered. The empire had trampled on the burgeoning frustration, asserting that violence belonged solely to the state. Fear subdued and repressed everything. But ultimately, all legitimacy vanished. Everyone knew that it was a lie that the empire existed for humanity. The brief riot returned as a massive massacre, and the raging mobs were forced to hold their breath, overwhelmed by fear. While the empire couldn''t support the refugees, they could kill them all within days. Overturning the empire through riots was impossible. The truth hardly mattered. People still hated the Demon King. Only one thing had changed. People hated the empire as well. What was the difference between the Demon King and the empire? Although people held their breath, they began to whisper to each other in hushed tones. CH 610 Only a few days had passed. In just a few days, too many things had happened. A sudden uprising. A sudden massacre. "The fate of the empire has been sealed," Louise said quietly, sitting on the terrace with Heinrich. "Sealed, you say?" "Do you think a nation that is shunned by its people can survive?" "The empire is strong, is it not possible?" "It could survive, but only until its legitimacy loses meaning." Louise gazed at the thickly accumulating snow. "Legitimacy, you mean?" At Heinrich''s question, Louise nodded. "You, too, must think that the empire''s current actions are unavoidable." Heinrich''s eyes widened at Louise''s words. If the empire collapsed now, everything would be over. That''s why he thought that if the actions of the empire, the riots of the refugees, led to the overthrow of the empire, it could lead to the destruction of humanity itself. Cruel and horrifying as it was. It was true that he thought it was an inevitable event. "That''s legitimacy. It makes the actions acceptable, whether it''s war, resurrecting the corpses of the dead, or massacres." The Gate incident. "Right now, the empire has an absolute and perfect reason called the Gate incident. That''s why the empire can do anything to survive." "Even a wicked act like resurrecting the corpses of the dead to create an army was acceptable because there was the reason of ending the Gate incident. No matter how cruel, how brutal, one absolute reason justifies everything." "This is no different." "The empire was able to thrust its sword at the people because it had the reason to end the Gate incident, which triggered this unrest amid people''s justified fear and anxiety." "What would have happened in normal times?" "Creating an army with the corpses of the dead? It would have been a scandal across the entire continent. The empire would have been torn apart at that moment. Even I wouldn''t have accepted the empire as the ruler of the continent if it had been a normal time. Not just refusing to accept it, but taking the opportunity to destroy the empire." "Massacring people because of the uprising? It could have been done. But there would have been a price to pay." "The empire is staking too much on the absolute legitimacy of the ending the Gate incident." "It''s deferring all the consequences to the future." "Someday, this price must be paid." "When the Gate incident ends, all legitimacy will vanish." "The people may still be powerless, but they will hate and resent the empire." At Louise''s words, Heinrich shook his head as if he didn''t understand. "Just because people hate the empire... is it possible for the empire to fall?" "No, it''s not the people who bring down the empire. Legitimacy is not for the weak." "Then what is it?" "Legitimacy is a justification for those who hold power, those who have strength." Legitimacy is meant to be exploited in the first place. Legitimacy is not prepared for the insignificant. "When the Gate incident is over, another legitimacy will emerge." "Another legitimacy?" "The legitimacy that says the empire must disappear." Heinrich''s eyes widened at those words. "A nation that creates an army using the dead, commits countless civilian massacres, and is even incapable of supporting its own people." "And now, people hated and despised the empire." "It means that eventually, someone else will take the place of the Gardias royal family." "No matter who sits in that position, people won''t miss the empire. There''s already too much hatred and anger built up." The hatred and anger people felt towards the empire became justification. However, the masses couldn''t topple the empire. Someone with power, someone who possessed it. When that person used the justification to swallow the empire, people would support the new empire that replaced it. Justification was both the reason and the basis. The basis that people wouldn''t resist the new power when it appeared. As long as the empire was despised, people wouldn''t resist anyone who took the empire''s place. "I used to imagine the empire crumbling quite often..." Louise gazed quietly at the scenery. It had been the long-held dream of the Schwarz royal family to overcome the inferiority they felt towards the empire and become its master. But now that the empire was truly on the verge of collapse, Louise von Schwarz found the situation not as satisfying as she had thought. The empire was accumulating debts. Someday, it would have to pay the price. "Interesting." Louise exhaled. "Regardless of who it is, if they''re hated, then maybe anyone can sit in that position..." "What do you mean?" "Let''s say people hate the Gardias royal family. They already do." "Yes..." "Wouldn''t it be the same if the Demon King sat in that position?" "¡­Yes?" At Heinrich''s dumbfounded response, Louise chuckled. "Rather, since they haven''t experienced the Demon King, they might think it''s slightly better than the already-worst empire." The empire was showing nothing but the worst of the worst. They hated the empire and the Demon King. However, they hadn''t experienced the Demon King yet. So they might think it''s a little different from the empire, that it couldn''t be worse than what they already deemed the worst. "Whether it''s someone who receives everyone''s support or another worst-case scenario in an already worst-case situation, there''s no reason to refuse either." If it''s the best and the worst, people would reject and refuse the worst and want the best. But if it''s the worst and the lesser evil. People would want the lesser evil. The empire was the worst. It was heading towards the worst. So it didn''t matter who sat there. It didn''t matter who took it away. If they had the power to do so. "Now I think I understand why I was able to enter the temple..." With that, Louise took a sip of the cold, stale black tea. ''The emperor is digging his own grave...'' Digging a grave. Not unknowingly, but knowingly. ------ "Is it not ready yet?" "Yes, we need a little more time..." Eleion Bolton couldn''t hide his impatience as he watched the numerous priests wrestling with documents in the Holy Knight Order''s headquarters. All the priests who could decipher the code had been mobilized, but the progress had been painfully slow for an extended period. Eleion Bolton, unable to bear the sight of the busy scene, stepped out onto the terrace. Outside the tall temple of the Holy Knight Order, the snowy landscape still stretched out. The excessive snowfall had long since become a serious problem for the refugee camp. The snow was falling too heavily. However, the bigger problem at hand was what was happening among the people. The situation in the refugee camp had reached an extreme, and the Empire''s response was equally extreme. Naturally, he instinctively knew that this situation had something to do with Rowan. This was only the beginning. Instead of collapsing on its own, the Empire chose to cut its own flesh. There was no guarantee that the next thing to be cut would be flesh. Next time, they might have to cut bone or sacrifice something else. Rowan needed to be found. The fact that Rowan controlled the heretics scattered throughout the refugee camp meant that, in essence, the camp belonged to Rowan. Desperate and exhausted people left with nothing but evil and hatred might resort to even more extreme actions. The riot had been quelled with violence, but the next riot would be on an even larger scale. ''What difference would it make even if we found her?'' What had happened couldn''t be undone. Just as the Gate incident couldn''t be reversed, neither could the refugee camp riot and the Empire''s massacre. Even if Rowan was found and the heretics eliminated, the chaos had already begun. Finding the arsonist wouldn''t change the fact that the fire had grown too big to control. The arsonist and the fire had become completely separate issues. While they could prevent Rowan from starting fires elsewhere, the fire that had already grown would spread embers on its own. The only saving grace was that the much-needed Demon King had made contact. Although it was bitterly miserable and infuriating that the popes had recklessly handed over the Holy Knights and the Five Great Churches, what was needed most at the moment was the Demon King. Rowan was a follower of the Demon King. Therefore, it was certain that she would absolutely obey the Demon King''s words. Just one word from the Demon King. If they could relay a single message to Rowan telling her to stop her self-destructive actions, they could slow down the flow of madness. However, they still needed to find Rowan. They couldn''t publicly announce that the Demon King had appeared in the Imperial Capital to search for Rowan. That would be like causing a landslide to put out a fire. Everything had to be done in secret. Silently and covertly. If they could inform Rowan that the Demon King had made contact and that the Holy Knights and the Five Great Churches had already sided with the Demon King, they could control the chaos. Rowan had to be dealt with. Eleion Bolton felt dizzy at the thought of the repercussions his decision had brought upon them. He didn''t know what the Empire was doing, but it was clear that they were involved in something dangerous and ominous. Rowan, who hated the Empire, would undoubtedly cause trouble if she found out. However, in the end, Eleion Bolton had fallen into a paradox, where he had caused even more dangerous problems in order to stop the dangerous ones. The Demon King was waiting for information from the Holy Knights and was busy searching for Rowan in his own way. But ultimately, the crucial information was inside the Holy Knights. If they deciphered the encrypted documents, they could learn about the heretics'' power and possibly locate Rowan. However, that task... The large volume of information about Rowan that had been collected over time made proper analysis impossible. It had been several days already. Nevertheless, there was time before the next chaos, as the chaos had already occurred once. Even if they deciphered the encrypted document and extracted the information, it was natural for Rowan to know about the data she had left behind. So, there were countless ways to render this information worthless. Just one word would suffice. ¡®The Demon King, whom you so greatly admire and follow, has already come to us.¡¯ If only that one word could be delivered, everything would be resolved. But it was an impossible situation. The Demon King''s approach. Only the Holy Knight Commander and the popes of the five major religions knew about it. As the Gate incident ultimately occurred because of unresolved misunderstandings and lies, was Rowan now trying to turn the Imperial Capital into a sea of flames, not even knowing that what she had so desperately wished for had already come true? Eleion Bolton watched as numerous priests rummaged through documents. Some heretical inquisitors should have been spared. If so, it would not have taken so long. But it was pointless to regret it now. If only the Holy Knight Commander hadn''t been overly cautious about his excessive authority, intentionally not informing himself of what he should know. Then this would not have happened. The checks and balances of the popes and Eleion Bolton''s excessive vigilance had ruined everything. Eleion Bolton glanced at the encrypted documents. Having never served as a heretical inquisitor, Eleion Bolton could neither read nor had any need to read such encrypted documents. Therefore, all the priests in the analysis room had either served as heretical inquisitors or were involved in related tasks. To be precise, since Rowan held the position overseeing all heretical inquisitors, they had all been her subordinates. However, since most of Rowan''s direct subordinates who knew the core of this incident had died, the work progress was inevitably slow. But really. Was that truly the case? Eleion Bolton looked at the priests in the analysis room, suddenly struck by a thought. They turned pages, wrote something, and did something. They were doing something. Eleion Bolton quietly observed their actions. They seemed to be doing something. But the movement of their eyes. The gesture of turning the pages. An indescribable, strange feeling came from that. It seemed like they were doing something, but not really trying to accomplish anything. He felt such an odd sensation. Eleion Bolton finally covered his face with both hands and let out a deep sigh. ''Damn it...'' How foolish. He had been overly naive. These people couldn''t possibly be unrelated to Rowan. And yet. Why on earth. Why did he believe that they would carry out his orders properly? That the Holy Knights would act according to the commander''s orders. Why did he take that for granted? ------ Could one find a needle in a sandy beach? Unless one had an incredible amount of time, it would be difficult. And now, not even knowing how much time was left, they were experiencing the feeling of their blood drying up in real-time. This catastrophe, clearly related to Rowan, was heading toward some abyss. I debated whether or not to use the trump card of revealing the Demon King''s appearance in the Imperial Capital dozens of times a day. An accident had occurred and a certain flow had begun. It couldn''t be stopped. However, shouting at the top of my lungs for Rowan to come out on the main street wouldn''t help me find her, so I had no choice but to wait for information from the Holy Knights. It was the same for Bertus. Bertus had informed me what he had been doing and what he could do so far, but in the end, Bertus couldn''t do anything other than block this catastrophe through the method of massacre. If the situation became more extreme, Bertus might choose to sweep away the entire refugee camp. Hundreds of thousands had already died in an instant. The Empire, capable of controlling a Master-class security force, could make such a thing happen. If the situation became even stranger, it would not be hundreds of thousands, but millions who would be massacred. It would be death not by disaster or starvation, but by massacre. I couldn''t let that happen, but there was little I could do. All I could do was gather more information, even if only a little, and reach Rowan a little faster. I had to find a needle in a sandy beach. I had to find it quickly. Only by telling that demon-loving fellow that, since I had arrived, she should shut her mouth and watch would this madness stop. Als Cathedral was too conspicuous a place. And it was also dangerous to meet the popes directly. So, I had them send a contact person to the designated meeting place. The location was the sewer beneath Bronze Gate Tower. The place where the Rotary Club had been. As I headed towards the meeting place, someone who seemed to be a contact person was waiting for me in the corner of the sewer. A woman wearing a tattered robe smiled brightly at me. Her smile was a bit odd. How should I put it? It seemed overly delighted. A smile that didn''t match the current situation. "Your Majesty, the Demon King." And an overly familiar address. I couldn''t tell what had happened in this situation. "Anyway..." But I naturally realized. Finding a needle in a sandy beach was impossible. "But it seems like you''re Rowan." Was it possible for the needle to come to me? CH 611 For some reason I couldn''t fathom, Rowan was waiting for me in person. What was going on? Had the Popes deceived me? Was there a reason for them to do so? In a situation where the answer was uncertain, Rowan knelt before me. "It is an immense honor to see you again, Your Majesty the Demon King." That gesture signified complete submission. "Why are you here? I clearly remember searching for you, but I don''t recall telling you to come here. We''re meeting for the first time, aren''t we?" "¡­I know everything that happens within the Five Great Religions." Ah. So that''s what it was. The Imperial Capital had its own unique environment. Whether it was the Five Great Religions of the Imperial Capital. Or the Holy Knights within the Imperial Capital. At some point, it had ceased to belong to the Commander or the Popes. Eleion Bolton didn''t know, the Popes didn''t know, Bertus didn''t know. And I hadn''t known either. "From the beginning, I should have met you, not the Popes, to absorb the Five Great Religions." "It seems that way." I had just met the right person to hand over the Five Great Religions to me. "Those who share my intentions are all prepared to support you, Your Majesty." Despite knowing there were many factions within the Order that supported me, including the Popes and the Commander of the Holy Knights, they were unaware that these factions had been sidelined for a long time after unifying. The elite directly under the Holy Knights'' Commander, who tried to suppress Rowan, wouldn''t belong to Rowan. But that was all. The number of people the Commander could control by his own will was limited. The remaining Holy Knights who followed the Commander were stationed at the allied forces'' base. The factions of the Imperial Capital were not the Popes'', but Rowan''s. So now, the Holy Knights hadn''t returned to their base, but were actually in enemy territory. Rowan was able to handle not only the Hero Religion and the Demon God Cult but also the Five Great Religions within the Imperial Capital. "It''s an irresistible offer, I admit. But why should I join hands with you, who clearly don''t seem to be in your right mind?" It was evident from the conversation that Rowan wasn''t a normal person. "Do you think the Popes are sane?" "They might not be, but they seem better than you." No matter how sweet the promised fruits were, I couldn''t help but be hesitant. I had only come to stop the madness. Rowan cautiously looked up at me. It was a gaze that was difficult to endure. It was a gaze that dared to look at me, feeling embarrassed even to do so, yet wanting to make eye contact and converse with me ¨C that intention was clearly visible. An awe that made my insides churn. It was already uncomfortable knowing it was directed at me. "Which is crazier: someone who uses heretics to incite a riot, or someone who plans to kill all heretics? Both are insane, but I don''t know which is more so." However, Rowan''s words were more shocking than his gaze. "¡­What?" The former was Rowan. Then, who was the latter? "Didn''t the Popes tell you?" "What are you talking about?" "Didn''t they mention the heretic purification?" Heretic purification. The chilling phrase made me feel as if my entire body was freezing. "You don''t really think that the five Popes only intended to observe after figuring out the scale of the heretics, do you?" "Yes." That''s what had been said. ''Now'' was a time when heretics could not be killed indiscriminately. That statement ultimately implied that, when the time came when they could be killed indiscriminately, they would be killed without hesitation. And through Rowan, they had been assessing the scale and leaders of the heretics. They had initially attempted to control them because extermination was impossible. And after all these events, they would have tried to eliminate them completely. "Why try to put wine that''s not even as good as vinegar into an old leather wineskin when they say new wine should be put into new wineskins?" Rowan had almost been forced to perform penance. And now, Rowan was talking to me about penance. "Don''t tell me you did all this to save the heretics?" "I wish for the empire''s downfall. And for the Demon King to become the ruler of the new era." "..." "Saving millions of heretics is just a byproduct of the Demon King''s reign." Rowan smiled with a peculiar expression. It was a very awkward and bizarre smile. "And no matter how skilled I am at killing and torturing people, it''s sad when more than ten million people die, isn''t it?" "..." "Such things shouldn''t happen." The heretic inquisitor said that a heretic''s life was still a life. It had an extremely unpleasant resonance, like a serial killer talking about the dignity of life. And that unpleasantness came from the fact that Rowan''s words were not wrong. There was nothing more disgusting than a wrong being saying the right thing. "Did the popes really try to kill all the heretics? And they thought the order would be safe after doing that?" "Do you think it''s impossible?" "¡­What?" "Isn''t it a good thing for the empire if the number of refugees, who are not even worth as much as maggots, decreases?" I couldn''t help but widen my eyes at the chilling possibility. "Do you think it''s impossible to blame the incident in the basement of the Holy Knights for the heretics'' actions and kill them?" "¡­" "It''s a matter of whether they can handle it or not. If they want to, they can obviously do it, you know." The incident at the Holy Knights was my doing. But did the popes try to frame the heretics for it instead of finding the culprit? "Could it be that the policy was set up that way from the beginning?" "¡­They ordered me to investigate in that direction." The popes wanted to control the heretics. That''s why they used Rowan. That''s why the bizarre structure of the Five Great Religions being the mastermind behind the heretics was established. But in the end, the popes were only controlling the heretics because they couldn''t kill them, and they would have pushed them all away whenever they could. The popes wanted to make this incident a heretic crime, regardless of the truth. But Rowan knew almost everything about the heretics in the refugee camp. Even if they captured and tortured the unidentified heretics, they would have known they weren''t the culprits. They could have made them fake culprits, but they could never become the real culprits. And then, she tried to approach the empire as the culprit. There, Eleion Bolton ordered her to stop the investigation, but Rowan didn''t listen. It was clear that the popes were preparing to kill all the heretics someday. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t happen immediately. The Popes had hidden their intentions from me. Of course, they knew I would react sensitively to words like "purifying heretics." They were opportunists who swallowed the sweet and spat out the bitter. Their attachment to me was probably because the public opinion within the church was flowing in favor of supporting me. Had Rowan gone mad? Or had the Popes gone mad? Perhaps both were mad. But now, it was clear whose hand I should take. ------ The atmosphere in the capital was ominous and chaotic, due to the recent riot and the massacre by the guards. Smoke from burning corpses billowed everywhere, and the guards patrolling the refugee camp were not the usual ones. Silent guards wearing helmets that hid their faces filled the streets, walking wordlessly. In this atmosphere of hatred and rage towards the guards, no one dared to lay a hand on the solitary guards. Everyone had seen that these silent watchers were a different caliber from ordinary guards. These strange beings, who seemed human but not quite, roamed the refugee camp. They used extreme measures at the slightest hint of violence. It seemed as if unresponsive machines were patrolling the streets, reacting to neither words nor cries. The guards now controlling the refugee camp gave no words and no warnings. They slowly walked the streets, meting out summary executions at the first sign of unrest before disappearing leisurely. People felt extreme terror at their inhuman appearance. Days passed like this. The four pursuing Rowan''s death remained in the temple amidst the ominous atmosphere. Each needed time to process the shocking truth they had discovered. Ludwig gained hope that he might regain his arm through the Chimera procedure, but he also knew that it could threaten his life, so he agonized over the decision every day. The sudden chaos in the capital forced them to spend days of silence within the temple. But they couldn''t do so forever. Ellen called Heinrich, Louise, and Ludwig together. "I think we need to decide what to do now." Ultimately, the fundamental problem remained unsolved. Who killed Rowan? The Emperor said that Rowan''s death was not the work of the Empire. "The possibility of Bertus lying about that is low. There was no reason to hide it if the Empire killed Rowan, especially after showing us the laboratory." "That''s true." Louise nodded in agreement with Ellen''s words. They were shown a secret even bigger and more important than Rowan''s death. Strictly speaking, the death of one priestess was trivial compared to what was happening in that laboratory. If they had killed Rowan, they would have said it was unavoidable. Since there was no reason to lie, logically speaking, it was highly likely that the Empire did not kill Rowan. Dettomorian had said that they would know when they found Asher, but all they found out was that Rowan''s death was not related to the Empire. However, that didn''t change the fact that they had learned something. They could rule out one of the most likely factions. "It''s likely that Rowan''s approach to Ludwig from the beginning was to investigate the Temple." "Yes, that seems right." "Then the Empire would have a reason to kill Rowan, as she discovered something she shouldn''t have. But the Empire claims no involvement, and there''s no reason for them to lie based on the circumstances¡­" The bandits'' attack was never the case to begin with. The faction that had reason to kill Rowan was the Empire, but the Empire hadn''t killed her. Therefore, the situation itself was trapped in a maze. "Could it have been the heretics who killed her?" Heinrich raised the question. Rowan was initially an Inquisitor, so if the heretics knew of her existence, she would have undoubtedly been a target they would want dead. "It''s entirely possible that she wasn''t killed while investigating, but was retaliated against for her accumulated deeds." Ellen affirmed Heinrich''s statement, as if unable to deny the possibility. "But even so, the refugee camp is an understatement for danger¡­" A large-scale riot had taken place, and the area had been subdued through a massacre. As a result, the refugee camp was not a place anyone would want to enter. Massacre. It was like a bolt from the blue. Moreover, everyone present knew that the army being created to end the Gate incident was deployed to kill people. Nobody was unaware that too much was being justified under the pretext of the Gate incident. But even if it wasn''t dangerous, it wouldn''t be any different. If the heretics were the ones who killed Rowan, they still wouldn''t know where they were. "By the way, initially¡­ there was the incident at the Holy Knights'' tomb." Ludwig, who had been silent, finally spoke. "Was that the Empire''s doing?" "Yeah." "Hmm." "¡­!" Only then did everyone realize that they had not been considering the most immediate matter amidst the shocking truths. CH 612 "It seems that the corpses there had come back to life as undead and escaped. That was our conclusion, remember? But what the Empire does is, they take the corpses and... revive them in that... enormous vat." "Right." "So... the incident that took place there initially had nothing to do with the Empire... At least, that''s what I think... Sorry, I didn''t mean to cause confusion, but that''s what it seems like..." "No, you''re right." As Ludwig trailed off, Ellen firmly shook her head. "We don''t need to ask Bertus to know. It''s definitely a different case. And the Empire has no reason to rob the tomb of the Holy Knights." Robbing the tomb of the saints. Swapping the corpses at the national cemetery. They were two separate incidents. The methods were vastly different, and the Empire had no reason to meddle with the tomb of the Holy Knights in the first place. "So, Rowan had been mistakenly targeting the wrong culprit and conducting the investigation." But they were only trapped in another maze. They had believed everything was the Empire''s doing, but the Empire neither killed Rowan nor had anything to do with the theft at the Holy Knights'' underground tomb. So, Rowan had approached Ludwig to pursue the wrong culprit. Of course, the scene looked enough like the Empire''s doing, with similar incidents occurring. But strictly speaking, they were different cases. Then who were the ones responsible for the incident in the underground tomb? Were they the ones who killed Rowan? "Now, I really don''t know what''s what... I just can''t figure it out." Heinrich started pulling his hair in frustration. "You don''t need to worry about this anymore. It''s not our responsibility to reveal the truth." Those were Ellen''s words. "I had wanted to find out why Archbishop Rowan approached Ludwig and if she had any intention to kill me. But we''ve made some things clear. Rowan approached Ludwig, and her reason was probably to investigate the temple." Not all the mysteries were solved, but they could let go of the case with the questions they had answered. As they learned that Rowan was involved in many bad things, her death didn''t seem unjust. She had done plenty of things that warranted death. Karma, perhaps. If someone had taken revenge on Rowan, it would have been a deserving fate for her. Ludwig muttered weakly. "Yeah, we don''t need to know everything..." The truth they already knew and had discovered was overwhelming enough. It was difficult enough to endure what was already happening. Silencing and overlooking wrongdoings because of reality was painful enough. Digging deeper into Rowan''s case, which was now completely lost in the maze, didn''t seem possible. "But before we give up completely, there''s one last place with potential." Although Ellen said letting go of the case was okay, she looked at everyone and spoke as if it was truly the last chance. "The commander of the Holy Knights told me. If the Popes try to hide something from him, he wouldn''t know." "...Right." "And it''s true that the commander of the Holy Knights was hiding something from me." Ellen said calmly. "We must find out what they were hiding, and even if it wasn''t that, the Holy Knights were investigating the matter internally. If they had discovered anything, they might be able to share the information. If we couldn''t get anything from there, we would end it here." The last ones they had to visit. Once more, to the Commander of the Holy Knights. And to the Popes of the Five Great Religions. They couldn''t know if the truth they held was unrelated to the murder of Rowan. However, if they couldn''t obtain anything from there, it was time to dust off their hands. ------ The case could be considered trapped in a maze. The Empire, a powerful suspect faction, hadn''t committed the act; the only other possibility was the heretics. However, identifying the culprit among the heretics had become nearly impossible. Therefore, Ellen decided to visit the Holy Knights one last time. But it was a sensitive issue. "Commander, you don''t have to help me anymore. You might get into trouble." That''s why Ellen told Louise that she didn''t have to get involved any further. "What''s the point of that now? I''m going too." Having already learned too much that they shouldn''t know, Louise felt that she had to see it through to the end. Could the secret of the Holy Knights be greater than the secrets held by the Empire? Once again, the four of them left the temple. They reached the Cathedral of the Holy Knights after walking endlessly on the Imperial Capital where the magical train had stopped. "The Commander is not here." With such a simple statement, the knights guarding the entrance blocked Ellen''s path. "Then I''ll wait inside until he returns." "He won''t be back soon, as he''s expected to be away for quite some time." "..." Ellen stared at the knights guarding the entrance. Their attitude seemed strange somehow. They had blocked their way when they tried to enter the burned church. At that time, they seemed genuinely troubled. But now, something was off. "Did he return to the Allied Forces base?" "...Yes." It was a lie. There was no way Eleion Bolton would have returned to the Allied Forces base without properly resolving the incident that had occurred on the Imperial Capital. Knowing that he wouldn''t return without a proper understanding of the situation in the Imperial Capital, the gatekeeper was lying. But why tell such a blatant lie? And then... Ellen looked around, not at the knight blocking her path, but at the surroundings. The knights guarding the entrance were all watching Ellen. Ellen and her companions. Ellen approached the knight with a single stride. "...!" As Ellen approached, he stepped back. It was a slightly different look from before. "Why are you trembling?" Despite wearing armor, the corners of his eyes, his face, and his fingertips trembled faintly. It was the look of someone consumed by fear. But why? "We don''t have to meet him right away. We just need to go inside. If the Commander isn''t there, we can meet someone else." The moment Ellen tried to pass by. "You cannot enter." "..." The terrified knight blocked Ellen''s path with his body. They didn''t know what had happened, but one thing was clear. The absence of the Commander wasn''t important. Preventing Ellen from entering was what mattered. "Get out of my way." "...I cannot." Ellen could vividly feel the extreme tension not only from the knight before her eyes but also from the other knights. As the atmosphere gradually grew more ominous, the expressions of the other three waiting for Ellen to finish her conversation began to harden. "It seems I''ve come to the right place." Looking at the frightened knight, Ellen shook her head. "It seems you want to see if I can break through with force. If you want to know, try blocking me again." Ellen took another step toward the entrance of the Cathedral. This time, the gatekeepers could not stop Ellen. * * * Ellen entered the Cathedral. The knights who failed to stop Ellen stared at her retreating figure with hardened expressions. "...Something''s strange." However, a very peculiar sight unfolded in the Cathedral. She had entered with the thought that something was definitely there. "Why are there... no people?" Just a few days ago, there were many knights and priests roaming around. But now, not a single person was passing by, and silence lingered. In an excessively vast space with no sounds, it was natural to feel an overwhelming sense of incongruity. Everyone felt such a sense of incongruity. "Something must have happened." "Let''s go up." The nearly empty Cathedral of the Holy Knights. To confirm the absence of the Commander of the Holy Knights, Ellen led her companions up the stairs. Her heart was pounding with an odd rhythm. What was happening? Or rather, what had happened? The Cathedral was empty. As if someone had deliberately driven everyone away. Ellen, who had been climbing to the upper floor where the Commander''s office was located, couldn''t even reach it. - Thud! Thud! Thump! That was because a chilling sound of flesh being torn started to reach her ears. "What... is that?" The sound of something sharp tearing and cutting flesh. - Bang! Bang! The sound of something hitting the wall. Ellen, who had a much more sensitive sense than ordinary people, could hear it, as could the others. The overly quiet space made the sounds echo even more vividly. Ellen immediately ran to where the sounds were coming from. Near the Commander''s office. The conference room. The sounds were coming from there. - Crash! Ellen kicked open the closed door of the conference room without hesitation. And she couldn''t help but widen her eyes at the scene unfolding before her. Someone was killing people. Ellen looked at the blood splattered in the conference room and the dead bodies. Their flesh was so terribly torn and cut that they were unrecognizable, scattered messily. The massive conference room had become a sea of blood. The person, only seen from behind, slowly turned their head. "I told everyone not to come this way..." The person who turned around looked at Ellen and twisted their lips into a sinister smile. "I guess there was no stopping you." "What... What is this?" As Ellen mumbled in shock, the others arrived as well. "Uh...?" Ludwig couldn''t help but be dumbfounded as he looked at the massacre and the person who seemed to be responsible. "Your Grace...?" "Ah, Ludwig..." Holding a small knife in a reverse grip, she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. As she tried to wipe the blood off her face, it only smeared further, creating a grotesque sight. "I see. Ludwig doesn''t understand anything..." Her expression conveyed a sense of overwhelming guilt. However, the innocent look of remorse only appeared more eerie against her blood-stained body. "Your Holiness...? How can you be...?" Ludwig''s reaction made it clear who the woman before him was. Archbishop Rowan was alive. The priestess, who was believed to be dead, was committing a massacre in the top-floor conference room of the Holy Knights'' order. And the knights blocking the entrance. The empty Cathedral. It was apparent that this wasn''t a solo act. There was a conspiracy. A conspiracy so massive that it was difficult to fathom. And the dead people. Their mutilated bodies made it impossible to recognize them, but their attire gave them away. "Who did you kill?" At Ellen''s question, Rowan shrugged her shoulders. "The Popes." There were a total of five dead. That alone was enough for Ellen to grasp what had happened. "But by any chance, have any of you seen Eleion Bolton?" "...What?" "He somehow caught wind of it and ran away." The absence of the Holy Knight Commander was not a lie. Except for Ludwig, everyone was seeing Rowan for the first time. "Can you just stop interfering and leave if you don''t know anything?" "...What?" "Meddling too much in other people''s business is rude, you know." It was impossible to even guess how the situation had started and what had happened. The priestess, believed to be dead, was alive. And for some reason, she had brutally slaughtered the five popes. It seemed as if everyone in the Cathedral had stepped aside for her. Where did it start? What happened? How did it come to this horrifying spectacle? Should she draw her sword? Ellen''s eyes widened, and her fingertips trembled. "I don''t like that crazy woman either, but for now, I''d appreciate it if you left her alone." Then, they couldn''t help but turn their gazes to the corridor upon hearing a voice from behind. "It''s nice to go around causing a ruckus, but can you back off for now?" All four of them could only gape in shock at the person who had suddenly appeared. "Olivia... Lanze?" One of the three temple students who had disappeared with the Demon King. Olivia Lanze was looking at them. Heinrich, Ludwig, and Louise. They were all aghast, knowing that she should not be here. "Let me make this brief." Olivia stared at them with her arms crossed, whether they accepted her presence or not. "From now on, the Holy Knights and the Five Great Religions are ours. Well... technically, we''re only just getting on track." "What are you saying...?" "So, you should go back knowing that." Olivia was looking directly at Ellen. "You''re smart. You know that if you make a scene here, things will get complicated, right?" Faced with that arrogant and bold threat, Ellen felt like giving up on understanding the situation. CH 613 Eleion Bolton was waiting for spatial teleportation at the warp spot. The Popes were aware that the Demon King''s following was growing. And although Eleion Bolton did not know the details, he could clearly sense the growing atmosphere. However, that was not what was important. The Church''s forces in the Imperial Capital had already been infiltrated by the Demon King''s followers, and it was clear that Rowan was the key figure. But the only forces that had fallen were those of the Five Great Churches and Holy Knights in the Imperial Capital. The Alliance Army. While the Holy Knights and priests that Eleion Bolton had always commanded could potentially support the Demon King, they could not be controlled by Rowan. The bond they had formed through countless battles and shared experiences was not something that could be easily betrayed. Therefore, compared to the Holy Knights and priests of the Alliance Army, the Holy Knights and priests in the Imperial Capital were merely a handful. Although a Holy Knight Commander''s actual rank might be lower than that of a Pope, his authority and power were immense. Rowan had merely managed to get that much control. A Holy Knight Commander could stage a coup at any time if they wished, and this still held true. If Eleion Bolton returned to the Alliance Army base with a large force of Holy Knights, he had enough military power to completely eradicate the corrupt forces in the Imperial Capital and then some. Eleion Bolton was the mastermind behind the insane act of attempting to eliminate the enemy''s leader in the midst of enemy territory. It was only possible because the elite Holy Knights who carried out this order were Eleion Bolton''s people, but even they had been killed by Rowan. He had underestimated Rowan''s combat ability. It was clear that Rowan had been hiding her true strength. Eleion Bolton intended to return to the Alliance Army base after carefully selecting those who could be trained among the remaining individuals and those who had not been caught by Rowan. The priests and Holy Knights in the Imperial Capital were already beyond the control of the Popes and the Holy Knight Commander. Although it was unclear what could be done, he had to return to the Alliance Army base and think it through. Since the place he thought was home had turned out to be enemy territory, he needed to sort out his thoughts in a secure situation. "What will happen... going forward?" "I don''t know." It was infuriating that the Popes had handed over the entire church to the Demon King, especially since they were not the ones who had the authority to make decisions about the church in the first place. Moreover, they had been ordering Rowan''s people to track Rowan down. The priests and Holy Knights in the Imperial Capital were dangerous. He had to leave. That was why Eleion Bolton was waiting for the mass teleportation magic to return to the Alliance Army at the warp spot. "Once we return, we''ll head straight to the base. There''s no guarantee that Rowan''s schemes haven''t reached there as well. We''ll verify that first, then decide how to handle this situation..." He had ruined everything. Eleion Bolton felt like biting his tongue at the thought that he had messed everything up. He would return first. Once he returned, then. What would be next? A civil war could break out if anything went wrong. This place was no different from enemy territory. The Holy Knights and priests of the Alliance Army respected the Holy Knight Commander more than the Popes. While some supported the Demon King, it was merely out of sympathy, and they genuinely followed Eleion Bolton, who had led them in battle. Therefore, they had no choice but to be on Eleion Bolton''s side entirely. Right now, Eleion Bolton was like a commander who had abandoned his army and jumped into enemy territory. As long as he could return as he was, and if he could bring the army with him, control of the situation would be in the hands of Eleion Bolton. He had no intention of usurping the authority of the popes. However, if the authority of the popes became worthless, it was a problem he couldn''t ignore. It meant that the Holy Order had completely lost its function as an order. The issue was that the Holy Order had been privatized by a single individual. He would have respected the decision of the leaders to negotiate and coexist with the Demon King. It wasn''t an unacceptable reason. But if someone other than the leaders was already controlling the Holy Order, it shouldn''t exist in such a way. The popes were incompetent. And so was Eleion Bolton. He thought he was reading the situation, but he was only looking up. The empire, the Demon King, the emperor. He only thought about such things, and didn''t properly examine the changes happening from below. He judged that the movements starting from below might touch on larger issues, but he didn''t know that the movements themselves were already a big problem. He didn''t know where to start, but he would return. The popes were not only incompetent but also incapable. However, Eleion Bolton knew that although he was aware of his incompetence, he was not incapable. A huge number of holy knights and priests still followed his command. After returning, he had to somehow deal with the already broken Holy Order. He would be able to decide what to do next. "Upon our return, gather immediately at the headquarters." "Yes, Commander." Eleion Bolton felt anxious and uneasy, knowing that his return could become the signal for a massive civil war. Whether to adapt to the situation, what would happen with the collusion with the Demon King, and what would happen with Rowan''s situation. Too much was riding on his hands. How long had he waited? -Flash! With a flash, the mass teleportation spell was cast. As his vision flickered, Eleion Bolton opened his closed eyes. "¡­Damn it." And upon seeing the sight before him, Eleion Bolton had no choice but to realize everything. Having teleported from the warp spot, he should have immediately teleported to the Alliance''s warp spot. However. Eleion Bolton had arrived in an unnamed forest. And not a single person of his party was with him. But he was not alone. There were two people in front of him. On a tree stump, the Demon King was sitting. "They decided to call it ''Intercept''¡­ Well, you just experienced its function, so you know, right?" And next to the Demon King was a girl with braided hair. "¡­It''s our first meeting." Harriet de Saint Owan, called the greatest genius in magic history, was guarding the Demon King''s side. "From the start¡­ I couldn''t even return." Eleion Bolton knew that if he returned, a civil war would break out. There was no way others wouldn''t know what the Commander of the Holy Knights himself knew. "It''s really¡­ uncomfortable. We agreed to join hands just yesterday, and now we have to face each other like this." Yesterday''s enemy was today''s friend. Where did that agreement go, when today they had become enemies once more? Going around and around, that was the story. ------ The events that would unfold if Eleion Bolton returned to the Alliance''s garrison. He should have been more cautious, but he didn''t know that, so such an incident was bound to happen. From the moment Eleion Bolton had disappeared, it was only natural for him to try to return to the garrison. "I never intended to kill any of you in the first place." The Demon King spoke calmly. "What''s the point of changing the popes or the commander of the Holy Knights? It would just give me a headache." "I like maintaining the status quo too, you know. Probably even more than you do." "Of course, I don''t want the Gate situation to stay the same." "So, no major changes, the commander of the Holy Knights stays as is, and so do the popes. As long as we can get along without any interference, that''s fine. Let''s not fight each other and spill blood. That was my plan. That''s why I didn''t intend to kill or replace anyone." "But if we don''t make changes, even worse things might happen." "And while you were planning those terrible things, you didn''t even tell me?" "I know it''s difficult for us to have a complete alliance or a superior-subordinate relationship. But the popes tried to kill all the heretics." "I was willing to be used. But I didn''t agree to be attached to the gallbladder and then tear it apart, or be attached to the liver and then tear off the gallbladder." At the Demon King''s words, Eleion Bolton''s eyes widened. "Yeah, you wouldn''t have known. It must have been the popes'' idea. You were so busy fighting monsters that you wouldn''t have had time to think about such things, would you?" "Thank you for not making me come up with pathetic excuses." "I won''t blame you for not knowing. It''s not really a mistake." For Eleion Bolton, the war had been overwhelming. He was too far from the Empire to understand how the situation was unfolding, what the popes were thinking, and how the inner workings of the Church were progressing. It was the same before the Allied Forces set out. Instead of being at the Holy Knights'' headquarters, he roamed the battlefield. He was so focused on the war that he was too far removed from practical matters. That was Eleion Bolton''s mistake. He had tried too hard. He had tried so hard to fulfill his duties and beliefs as a powerful Holy Knight who fought directly. He hadn''t paid attention to politics. "So, I''ve decided to change all the popes. Of course, if I tell them not to do something while holding a knife to their throats, they''ll nod in agreement. But the fact that those damned bastards didn''t tell me about the heretic massacre plan already means they''ve screwed me over enough. It''s better to have someone who listens well and understands my intentions." "Could it be...?" Eleion Bolton stared at the Demon King with his mouth agape. "I met Rowan too late. If it had been before she did her crazy deeds, I might not have known, but if left as is, either all the heretics will die or the Empire will fall apart. One of those things will happen." The Demon King had to make a decision. "The Five Holy Churches will be United, and a new religious system will be established by integrating them with the Demon God Cult and the Hero Religion. So that all heretics can be protected. No, they''re not heretics anymore. They will be incorporated into the Holy Churches." The United Holy Church. "And a sister I know well will become the leader there." Arrows and bombs shot by others exploded here and there, eventually converging into one massive explosion. In the end, it was both a massive unification and the beginning of division. Instead of stopping the chaos at hand, it would later become the core of the divide. "Planting the flag of Darkland... in the heart of the empire..." The perceptive ones all knew that the Demon King''s forces had entered the Imperial City. "Yes." The Demon King had taken action, knowing that everything could fall apart if he didn''t. He had intended to utilize the five Great Religions as they were, but the situation had spiraled out of control. Therefore, it was necessary to undergo even greater fundamental changes to survive. If they hadn''t tried to kill Rowan, the events that would have been postponed to the future were rapidly brought forward by a single decision made by Eleion Bolton. "I honestly didn''t agree with purges like this. That''s why I left you all alone. But it seems that crazy Rowan was right." "..." "It seems like new wine should be stored in new wineskins." If they left the group alone after taking control, the existing interests would remain. In that case, it was no different from not having taken control at all. There would be plenty of opportunities to hide things from the higher-ups and collude with them. "It was impossible to just lend my name halfway." If they were going to do it, they had to do it thoroughly, accurately. And cruelly. So that there would be no backstabbing. Even during times of peace, purges were frequent. At this point, when the whole world was shaking, trying to take control of a group without driving out the existing vested interests was a foolish move. They had realized this. They had thought that capturing the popes and the Holy Knights'' commander meant they had taken control of the Religious Order and the Holy Knights. But in reality, they hadn''t taken control at all. The existing popes had always intended to eliminate the heretics someday, so they weren''t suitable figures for a reformed religious system. And inevitably, it was impossible to hope that they would accept new ideas. If they cooperated, it would be a pretense. The popes, who had deluded themselves into thinking they had power when they didn''t, were eliminated. And now, Eleion Bolton. He had real power, symbolic significance, and many followers. He was, in fact, the core of the Five Great Religions'' military power. If Eleion Bolton had safely returned to the Allied Forces'' garrison, depending on his choice, a civil war might have broken out in the Imperial City. "The popes were despicable, but it seems like you did your best and still ended up with nothing but evil deeds?" In reality, Eleion Bolton had not sold out the order to the Demon King. That had been the popes'' choice. Attempting to purge Rowan had ultimately been an action taken in the belief that it would be best not to cause such chaos at the present time. "But since we''ve decided to support Rowan, we can''t go on together." However, now that the purge had begun, the fact that Eleion Bolton was part of the old power structure remained unchanged. It wasn''t a matter of stepping down because he had done something wrong, but of being forced to step down because he had to. That was what purges were about. And since they had decided to join hands with Rowan, Eleion Bolton, who had once tried to kill her, could no longer be left alone in the Holy Knights. "So, unlike the popes, I want to give you a choice." Eleion Bolton stared at the Demon King with a stern expression. "A choice...?" "Yes, exactly two choices." The Demon King raised two fingers. "First, die by my hand right here." The Demon King folded one finger. "Second, retire peacefully." Retirement. It was a word he never even imagined, worse than death. ------ On the top floor of the main hall of the Cathedral of Holy Knight, an uncomfortable silence persisted. The survival of the priestess who was said to have died. And the scene where that priestess brutally murdered the five popes. The appearance of Olivia Lanze, who had disappeared with the Demon King. No one knew how it all started, but Olivia Lanze''s words were clear. The Holy Knights and the Five Great Religions now belonged to the Demon King. Ellen stood clenching her fists, unable to take any action, and Louise and Heinrich were in the same state. "This... this is just nonsense..." Only Ludwig, in that place, glared at Olivia Lanze with wide, incredulous eyes. "How can you be here? How can the Demon King have the Holy Knights? That kind of thing... that kind of thing shouldn''t happen! How can you all! Like this... like this. So brazenly. Spout such nonsense in the middle of the main hall!" Ludwig''s anger, buried in self-loathing and guilt, exploded. "Don''t you feel even a bit of guilt? Do you know how many people died because of you? And this was all the Demon King''s plan? How can you be so shameless to do this...!" "Hey." "Am I talking to you?" "...What?" Olivia clicked her tongue. "And who are you to begin with?" "!!" To Olivia, Ludwig was merely someone she had briefly encountered and quickly forgotten. CH 614 "Who are you?" At those shocking words, Ludwig couldn''t help but stiffen. Ludwig was at a loss for words, realizing that his opponent didn''t know who he was. "I don''t have time to persuade a small fry like you." Being treated as a small fry. At that cruel comment, Ludwig felt the urge to bite his tongue. "Step back, Ellen. I don''t want to fight you." "..." In that situation, Olivia didn''t speak to anyone except Ellen Artorius. Even Louise seemed to be left out of the picture, as if knowing that once Ellen stepped back, the rest would follow. Ludwig''s eyes shone as he looked at Ellen, who neither drew her sword nor stepped back. That hesitation. That fear. That dread and indecision. Ludwig clearly saw it. In the first place, being a hero was just a facade. Was it impossible for Ellen to stand against the Demon King? Had she still not forgotten the feelings she held in the past? There was a lingering doubt in Ludwig''s mind. If Ellen faced the Demon King, she might not be able to fight. Just as Ellen had shown a sensitive reaction to Christina''s harsh words. Regardless of the truth, Ludwig had thought that Ellen might not be able to thrust her sword at the Demon King. In that situation, Ludwig couldn''t help but confirm it. Not even showing hostility to the people who had disappeared with the Demon King, Ludwig saw Ellen''s inability to act. Ludwig realized she wasn''t the person who could fight the Demon King. -Kuruung! At that moment, Ludwig''s entire body was enveloped in blue mana. He understood Ellen''s helplessness. He didn''t blame Ellen. But if no one else stepped forward, if, for whatever reason, Ellen didn''t try to fight ¨C Someone else had to fight. One should not back down from fear and dread. Someone had to punish those demons. "Ludwig! No!" As Ludwig tried to step forward, Ellen desperately grabbed his shoulder. "You... No, don''t do it. You don''t know anything. Don''t do it. Don''t fight." Why I can''t fight. Why I can''t draw my sword. At those words, Ludwig gritted his teeth. "What don''t I know?" "..." "What can''t you tell me?" At Ludwig''s words, Ellen gritted her teeth. She hated her position and actions, but she knew she had no choice. "It''s better not to know... Not knowing is better..." The words of the Emperor and Turner, saying that it''s better not to know, were returned by Ellen to Ludwig. "It''s all my fault. It''s all because of my mistakes. Just know that... Just know that..." You don''t know anything. It''s better not to know. Even a tiny bit of truth is more cruel than not saying anything at all. It only plants a sense of unworthiness for not knowing the truth. "Right, don¡¯t be stubborn for no reason." With a tone both affectionate and brutal, Ludwig looked at Olivia this time. "I don''t know about Ellen or the princess there, or even the supernatural, but you don''t seem to matter much, do you? If you mess around, I might just kill you." Those words were the raw truth. "There are things in the world that you don''t need to know, and things that only give you a headache when you try to find out. So just live without knowing. Don''t think of throwing your life away with strange stubbornness." It was a violent statement, yet at the same time, it was meant to prevent Ludwig from charging in recklessly. There was no reason to approach the truth that would only bring about uselessness and sadness. My opponent was out of my league, and charging in recklessly would only result in my own demise. I don''t even know who you are. That''s why you''re a petty guy, someone whose death won''t make any difference. Olivia''s words, that it wouldn''t be a big deal to kill you, and that if you made a fuss, she''d kill you, were a brutal truth. In the face of that truth, Ludwig couldn''t even take a single step. If he were to die right here. If he were to be killed. What would happen then? If Ellen were to die, it would be a big deal. She was a hero, after all. Louise von Schwarz was the commander of the Schwarz Army. If she were to die, the allied forces would be plunged into chaos. Heinrich was a very powerful force within the allied forces, displaying a level of prowess similar to Ellen''s. They were all people who should not be harmed or killed. In this situation, only Ludwig was... Someone who wouldn''t be missed even if he died, the most insignificant existence. Ellen firmly gripped Ludwig''s shoulder, preventing him from acting recklessly. "That''s... right..." Because if a person who didn''t matter died, they might actually die. Because Olivia Lanze might really do it. Ludwig couldn''t help but notice that Ellen was desperately preventing him from stepping forward. But the situation itself was already strange. It was strange that Olivia Lanze would care about such a thing in the first place. Why didn''t Ellen attack Olivia? Why didn''t Olivia want to fight Ellen? If Olivia Lanze was on the Demon King''s side, she wouldn''t have to worry about such things. Not Ellen, nor Louise, nor Heinrich. If she were a subordinate of the Demon King, she should try to kill them somehow. After all, all three would pose a threat to the Demon King. However, Olivia had an attitude that she couldn''t touch the three of them, but could kill the insignificant Ludwig. And Ellen seemed to know that, blocking Ludwig. Olivia didn''t want to fight Ellen, and Ellen didn''t want to fight Olivia. Even after hearing the shocking news that the Demon King had swallowed the Five Great Religions, they didn''t draw their swords. The fact revealed by their attitude. Though he didn''t know everything, there was one truth he could understand through this situation. Although they had to acknowledge each other as enemies outwardly, they couldn''t actually confront each other when they met face to face. They didn''t hate each other. They didn''t even think of each other as enemies. Ellen hadn''t foreseen or known this situation. However, though she was taken aback, she didn''t try to fight in the end. No, she couldn''t fight. "From the very beginning... all... all of it... everything that people know..." Ludwig mumbled, as if feeling empty. "It was all a lie, wasn''t it?" Ludwig''s eyes sank, dark and deep. ------ There could be no fight at that place. Heinrich and Louise remained silent, knowing that if they acted recklessly, a catastrophe would occur. There were only those who didn''t draw their swords and those for whom drawing their swords would be meaningless. In the end, they could only watch helplessly as the Holy Knights were handed over to the Demon King, unable to do anything, and had no choice but to retreat from that place. The Empire had been reviving the corpses of fallen warriors to create an army of the undead. For some reason, Rowan, who was thought to be dead, was alive and had taken control of the Order of the Holy Knights as a servant of the Demon King. They only knew the outcome. They had no choice but to watch the outcome. It was only natural for Ludwig, as well as Louise and Heinrich, to be shocked. And the shock that Ellen felt could only have been greater. Those who knew the truth behind Reinhardt''s actions, as well as those who did not, could only feel fear and terror as to why this was happening and why he was doing this. "Ludwig, I¡­" "I don''t know much. I probably don''t even deserve to know. What difference would it make if I found out?" Ellen hesitantly opened her mouth after a long walk, but Ludwig cut her off mid-sentence. The right to know something. The need not to know something. Did such things exist? "But even if I''m an idiot, I know this." "¡­" "If the Order of the Holy Knights already belongs to the Demon King, then you shouldn''t have fought there." Ludwig slowly nodded, as if accepting the reason Ellen couldn''t fight. "It''s not about whether you can or can''t fight the Demon King, it''s just that you shouldn''t have fought¡­ I understand now." Ludwig seemed to finally understand that the situation could have gone disastrously wrong if they had messed up. "It''s probably something nobody should know about, right? That the Order has fallen to the Demon King? If that gets out, even bigger trouble will arise." Ludwig asked Ellen, looking at her. If they should keep this a secret. Ellen couldn''t give any answer. With no answer from Ellen, Ludwig now turned his gaze to Louise. "Because innocent people might die. They might get caught up in a fight that has nothing to do with them. To minimize the sacrifices, it has to be this way." "¡­" Ludwig didn''t blame Ellen. Ludwig had seen with his own eyes that Ellen couldn''t fight the Demon King. It was an unavoidable situation. Ludwig put himself in her shoes. What if his precious friends like Ranian Sesor and Delphin, who were actually the Demon King, had been at stake? He wouldn''t have been able to draw his sword either. It would be unfair, infuriating, and sad. But he couldn''t imagine fighting without hesitation. Therefore, Ludwig thought that Ellen might have wavered too, and that was the truth. He didn''t resent Ellen. There was no reason to. Not being able to fight was just that. It was the world''s demand that Ellen had to kill the Demon King, not her own will. It was a cruelly sad thing for Ellen, who had saved countless people, to be resented for not being able to thrust her sword at the Demon King. But if things continued like this, and they couldn''t do this or that. What would be left other than the words that nothing could be done? With things happening as they were, and new events unfolding as they did. It would be applicable to every moment that they must leave everything alone. And another issue. As they had heard from Christina as well. The Gate incident wasn''t solely the fault of the Demon King. There was some hidden truth. Ludwig didn''t know what Ellen''s words, saying that it was enough to know that everything was her fault, specifically meant. The important thing was that he had no right to know the truth. The reason was simple. He was nothing. He wasn''t important. He was a worthless existence, so it didn''t matter if he died, and he had no right to know the truth. Where did such a thing come from? Who had the authority to grant the right to know the truth? The truth didn''t even matter anymore. Regardless of what it was, Ludwig had come to realize that it held no value. Thus, he wasn''t curious anymore. Ludwig''s expression, having crossed the threshold of powerlessness and emptiness, became calm instead. "It''s difficult." That''s all he said. "It''s too difficult." Having passed the Temple Gate, Ludwig hurriedly left, even though the path he took was the same. "I''ll go ahead." No one was fighting. Even though someone must have done something wrong. If no one wanted to fight, what should they do? Although Ludwig mentioned it was difficult, his dark expression and determined steps were more resolute than ever before. As if he had finally decided what to do. As if he finally understood. Ellen watched Ludwig''s retreating figure, biting her lip. Only the dark and dull figure of a person who had realized there was nothing given to them, because they were so small and insignificant, could be felt. The cruel truth in Olivia Lanze''s insult that his death wouldn''t affect the grand scheme of things. That was the unvarnished truth. Even though the reason for that was to prevent Ludwig from acting recklessly, the fact that her words were true and had pierced Ludwig''s heart like a dagger didn''t change. Louise sighed. "The Demon King doesn''t want the world''s destruction, and the Empire cannot help but waver. That''s how it''s come to be." Louise had no choice but to somewhat understand the past, present, and future just by sensing the massive flow of events, even if she didn''t know the specific details. She could already feel it without Ellen telling her in detail. The raging heretics. The massacre. The Demon King seizing control of the Holy Knights. The hero who couldn''t fight. The Demon King''s servant who didn''t want to fight the hero. And. The silence of the Empire. "I ended up not knowing the things I wanted to know, but I''ve come to know what I must know." Louise couldn''t tell where Rowan''s story had started and where it intertwined. She didn''t need to know anymore. But, quite unexpectedly, Louise had come to know what she needed to know. What had to be done for the royal family to survive. She had come to know in which direction the massive flow of the era was headed. Louise had failed as an individual and had not resolved anything. But as a princess of Kernstadt, she couldn''t have been more successful. Louise looked at Ellen, who stared blankly at the snow-covered wasteland with a hardened expression. She was on the verge of crumbling. But she couldn''t collapse, so her hardened expression didn''t waver. That pale, hardened expression, like a piece of glass that seemed to break at any moment. Louise continued to watch. CH 615 Ellen quietly led her group away. Taking Ludwig, who seemed to have realized something and lost his wits, they disappeared. "We really have bad luck." At Rowan''s words, Olivia chuckled. "I''m sure we have some kind of curse. We always end up seeing the scenes we really don''t want to see. Unfortunate." "Ha ha, maybe all moments are scenes we don''t want to see?" "You might be right." In the conference room turned into a bloodbath, Olivia watched Rowan cleaning up the scene. With a purification prayer, a rag, and a broom, she was wiping, clearing, and organizing the scattered flesh pieces. "If you''re going to clean up so diligently, why did you make such a mess in the first place?" "People like them shouldn''t die comfortably. That''s why I made them suffer a bit." "¡­ What kind of death do you think someone like you deserves?" "I''ll think about it when the time comes." "Nice attitude." "An attitude is all I''ve got." Neither Rowan, who was laughing and cleaning the bloodbath, nor Olivia, who was watching the scene sullenly without any intention of helping, could be called sane. "I wonder what happened to Eleion Bolton?" "If he went back, he went back. If he couldn''t, he couldn''t. There''ll be measures taken." "Good to know." Whether they intercepted Eleion Bolton returning to the allied forces or not, they were prepared. Eleion Bolton couldn''t lead his army back safely to the base and return with the imperial troops. "We''re not going to kill Eleion Bolton. Any objections?" "I''m not sure about objections, but wouldn''t there be repercussions?" "We''ll send him somewhere where there can be no repercussions." "Isn''t it not possible to send someone into exile these days?" "Exile? We''ll provide him with a nice house in a place with good water and scenery, so he can live out the rest of his life comfortably. He just won''t be able to use anyone or be used by anyone. Don''t you think someone like him deserves at least a comfortable death?" "As someone who almost died because of him, I shouldn''t be the one to say, but yes." Eleion Bolton would spend the rest of his life in Edina. Rowan laughed brightly, understanding the meaning of Olivia''s words. "Anyway, it seems you''ve found a new base somewhere." "Do you want to see?" "Of course." "Go see." "I''ll do my best." Even though she seemed like a tasteless writer, and a madman who sends chills down one''s spine, her loyalty to the Demon King was real. It had only been a few days since Olivia had seen Rowan. However, she treated Rowan very warmly. "I understand that you like Reinhardt, but why do you like me?" "When no one believed in the Demon King, you were one of the few who did." "¡­Ah." Rowan claimed to be a follower of the Demon King, but when she first met the Demon King, she thought his words were false. Her thoughts changed when the Gate incident occurred, and everything went according to the Demon King''s foresight. That''s why Rowan could only think of the three people who believed in the Demon King from beginning to end as being almost equal to the Demon King. "I wonder if it was really necessary to kill the Popes." Olivia sighed deeply. "They won''t be able to accept the Holy Order. It''s still difficult for me to accept that the Demon God Cult and Holy Religions actually share the same roots. Can these old popes really accept that?" "I guess not." Before Rowan learned about the Demon King''s contact, her plan was to add two more orders to the Five Great Holy Religions. She would incite chaos in the refugee camp, leading to a massacre, and intensify the resentment against the empire. Then she would take control of the Holy Religions and remodel the Holy Knights Order and the Five Great Holy Religions to include the Demon God Cult and the Hero Religion. She didn''t think it would go smoothly, and she had no concrete plans. However, she knew that the moment the Five Great Holy Religions expanded, enormous chaos would ensue. What Rowan wanted was destruction. But then the Demon King appeared in time. The Demon King didn''t want chaos. Rowan had desired destruction, but the Demon King didn''t, so her objectives changed. Rowan''s plan had been halted midway, but there was no way to undo what had already happened. The massacre had taken place, and resentment against the empire had reached its peak. She would not attempt the next step of indiscriminate expansion and turning the order itself into a bomb to be detonated at will. The Demon King intended to reform the faith. Not like Rowan, who wanted to cause chaos by simultaneously inciting the Hero Religion and the Demon God Cult. He would correct the misunderstandings about Demon God Cult and Holy Religions under the name of the United Holy Church. Of course, that work wouldn''t be easy either. In the end, it might still turn into a bomb. But this time, the designer of the bomb had no intention of detonating it. Therefore, transforming the Holy Religions into the United Holy Church couldn''t happen suddenly like in Edina. They would take their time and gradually progress through stages. "Even if the popes couldn''t accept our plan, it wasn''t impossible to set them up as puppets. Wouldn''t that make the cleanup easier? Who will do the work the popes have been doing up to now? It would be suspicious if five popes were replaced at once. I have no intention of arguing with Reinhardt''s decision, but I''m not sure if it''s the right choice." "Ah... I see what you mean." The sudden appearance of five vacant seats among the popes. Chaos that Reinhardt didn''t want would ensue. Rowan lowered her head at Olivia''s question, which implied that the chaos itself would intensify and the Holy Religions would falter. "Don''t worry, the popes never really did any work in the first place." "¡­They just occupied the positions?" "Of course, when they gave orders, we worked, but they didn''t really do any work themselves. They had no real power either. So, there''s no problem without the popes. It might even run more smoothly." "But if they gave orders as they wished and the people below had to do the work, it means the popes were working and had real power. What are you talking about?" "Do you think those orders came from their own minds?" "Huh?" Olivia tilted her head, seemingly not understanding Rowan''s words. "Did they listen to the advice given by the assistant bishops, make judgments based on their advice, receive analysis, and learn the best choices, or did they just parrot the words like a parrot? Can we really say that the decisions they made came from their own minds?" "Ah." "If you can control the information entering someone''s head, you can control their actions and judgments as well. But that person would think that they''ve made the decisions and acted on their own accord. Surprisingly, it''s easier to manipulate the thoughts of stubborn old people." "Control, you say?" "Did they really worry themselves into thinking that they had to join the Demon King? Was it the Popes'' judgment?" "Ugh..." "Whispers in their ears about the overwhelming power of the Demon King, how his support is abundant within the Order itself. That if things continued like this, the Order might be completely taken over. That a coup might happen within the Order. The trend these days is like this. It''s difficult to change the trend. If such words are whispered repeatedly." Rowan laughed. "What kind of thoughts would arise in the heads of old pigs desperate to preserve their positions?" "Of course, they''d think they made their judgments and decisions based on their own evaluation." "But what if the Demon King''s support wasn''t as substantial as the Popes had heard?" "What if those whispering around them exaggerated, inflated, and even fabricated facts?" "Would their judgment still be valid?" People make judgments based on information. But information isn''t synonymous with the truth. When the information provided leads to a single path, people follow it, thinking it''s their own judgment. They don''t think about who paved the way. They don''t think about who''s showing them the path. That''s why people, believing it''s their own judgment and decision, walk the path led by someone else without realizing it. The Popes were in a state that was no different from being brainwashed. And now, having outlived their usefulness, they were killed. And it wasn''t just them. "What about others besides the Popes?" The same goes for others within the Order. Rumors began to spread about the growing positive sentiment towards the Demon King and his followers, gaining people''s sympathy. It''s possible that it never existed in the first place. It might have been falsely recognized as a trend, and as people jumped on the bandwagon, it actually became one. If Rowan''s words were true, the Order''s fall to the Demon King started with a mere baseless rumor. It''s like becoming a trend because it''s known as a trend. The Order crumbled due to mere rumors. "I didn''t want this outcome, but thanks to the information planted in the Popes'' heads, I got to meet the Demon King. So, I guess it wasn''t a waste of time." "What was your original plan?" "I wanted to make the Order support the Demon King and have them fight against the Empire." "...You do know that you''re the person Reinhardt hates the most, right?" "Wouldn''t it be stranger if he liked someone like me? In fact, if there was someone like that, I''d be scared." "...You really know how to ruin a mood." "Your Majesty." "I''m not yet that, but what?" "Ludwig, he must have been hurt." At the unexpected remark, Olivia furrowed her brow. It seemed as if her memories were slowly resurfacing. During the Temple Tournament, was he the one who had faced Reinhardt? "...It''s quite refreshing hearing that from someone like you. What do you want me to do about it? Who is he to me?" "It''s nothing." Rowan said it more harshly. Ludwig was nothing. Rowan didn''t say anything more. But Olivia thought of Ludwig''s expression. The expression of someone who seemed to have gained a miserable realization. The expression of someone who had unknowingly known the truth and heard it confirmed by others. He was a nobody. But wasn''t all of this happening because of those nobodies? Was it a warning not to hurt those who were nothing? Or was it a warning that no one knew what would happen if they hurt those who were nothing? It was probably the latter. "Because he''s nothing, we should have been more careful?" "Instead of hurting, it would have been better to kill him." When those who were nothing became something to someone, what would happen? That was happening right in front of Olivia''s eyes. ------ The news of the assassination of the Popes of the Five Great Religions did not spread anywhere. It was an easy matter to control the information within the Churches since it did not have frequent external activities. All work was conducted quietly, holding their breath. The change of the Holy Knight Order leader. The control of Olivia Lanze''s brain trust. The sudden appearance of priests with great divine power. Their new teachings. Everything was carried out quietly, covertly. The snow stopped. The sky cleared. Mild weather continued. Suddenly, truly suddenly. The snow, which seemed like it would fall forever, stopped abruptly, and warm sunlight shone on the earth as if it were a lie. It was almost late spring when the warm weather arrived. The frozen atmosphere in the Imperial Palace did not melt, but the fallen snow did. Like a lie. As if the snow had never fallen, everyone in the Imperial Palace could see it all melt. "You know, with this, we can''t stop it, right?" "I know." The Demon King was walking with Liana de Grantz in a quiet park of the Imperial Palace, watching the melting snow turn into streams of water. "We might be able to prevent the massacre now, but later you might have to kill even more people with your own hands." "¡­" "You''re not unaware that postponing the problem will make it bigger." "True." The empire used violence to suppress the riot in the refugee camp. They captured Rowan to prevent the ominous atmosphere from turning into a larger riot. In exchange for capturing Rowan, they gained control over not only the Holy Knight Order and the Five Great Religions but also the refugee camp area. But this was just a temporary solution. Just like the empire prevented its imminent collapse through massacre. Before the Gate incident, no group''s collapse could happen, so these things occurred. The task of bringing down and absorbing the empire that had already lost its legitimacy and cause would be the work after the Gate incident. At some point, when this matter surfaces, the Demon King must repeat the same history. And on a larger scale. "Can you do it?" "¡­" Everyone knows that they are only plugging the holes as they come, and one day the dam will collapse. This time, someone blocks it; next time, someone else blocks it. They know that they are merely postponing the moment the dam collapses. "Did I ever do something because I was able to?" Swinging a sword, too. Becoming the Demon King, too. Everything I had done up until now was not because I could do it. I had done it because I had to. At the end of everything I thought I had to do, all I found out was the truth that I shouldn''t have done anything. Still, I continue to do what must be done. But upon hearing those words, Liana bit her lip as she looked at the Demon King. "In the end, you can''t say you can do it." "¡­" All the Demon King could do was laugh miserably at those words. "Poor thing. Come here, let your big sister give you a hug." "Get lost." A brief spring came to the Imperial Palace. Snow and ice melted, but in the end, nothing really melted. Such was the fleeting spring. CH 616 The snow had stopped in the imperial capital, and for several days, a strangely warm climate had persisted. The new year had already arrived, and while the political atmosphere remained frozen, the weather itself continued to be unseasonably warm. Ludwig was strolling through the streets of the temple, taking advantage of the unexpected warmth. The main gate of the temple was just ahead of him. "Ludwig, it seems we have a visitor." "A visitor?" It was a message relayed by one of the few remaining dormitory building servants. "Yes, she doesn''t have entry permission, so she¡¯s waiting outside." "Ah¡­" As Ludwig left the temple gate, he could see a woman in uniform sitting on a bench in the square in front of the boarding house. It was the uniform of the Holy Knight Order. The woman stood up and smiled brightly at Ludwig. "Ludwig." "¡­" "I''ve been busy with various things, so I''ve only just managed to come and see you. I''m sorry." Rowan, dressed in the uniform of the Holy Knight Order, had come to see Ludwig alone. "What business do you have with me, newly appointed commander of the Holy Knight Order?" Not long ago, he had heard the news that Archbishop Rowan was appointed as the commander of the Holy Knight Order following the sudden retirement of Eleion Bolton. Ludwig''s expression as he looked at Rowan held no hostility or malice. Only the cold attitude of someone who had closed their heart to everything in the world remained. ------ Initially, the Holy Knight Order had the authority to investigate Rowan''s assassination case. It was a matter for the Holy Knight Order and the main religious organization to determine who had died in the burnt church and to make the announcement. Rowan had never been dead, she had only faked her death. Now, she had been appointed as the new commander of the Holy Knight Order following Eleion Bolton''s sudden retirement. The decision was made at a meeting of the Pope level. It was ridiculous to say that a meeting of the Popes had been held when none of them were present. To Ludwig, who had personally witnessed the deaths of five Popes at her hands, the story was nothing but a laughable play. Ludwig could not know whether Eleion Bolton had really retired or been assassinated. But now, he had no interest in such things. Sitting on a bench in front of the temple gate, Rowan spoke to Ludwig, who had no intention of listening. About what had happened, why she had done those things. Why she had almost been killed, why she had faked her death, why she needed time, and why she had approached Ludwig. Having heard all the reasons, Ludwig stared at Rowan. His expression held no shock, horror, or betrayal at learning the truth. "So, what''s your point?" Ludwig simply said that. "¡­Just that. It''s sad if you don''t know anything, right? It''s frustrating." "Are you telling me this because I''m useless? That you caused all this trouble by impulsively attacking the heretics, and that''s why the Empire killed people like that, and that''s why it ended up like this? That no one would believe me even if I told someone because it doesn''t sound like it¡¯s possible?" "Um¡­" Rowan hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded her head. "I can''t say it''s not like that. In an age when rumors abound, people believe them only as much as they don''t believe them. So even if you go around saying that Rowan is actually the mastermind behind the operation in the refugee camp as the new Knight Commander, no one would believe it." "Leaving aside whether they believe it or not, the Inquisitors would try to take me away." "You know that well." It was okay to tell him since it didn''t matter whether he knew or not. Ludwig stared at Rowan with a firm expression. "Anyway, did you think I would accept it when I heard it? That there was such a situation, and that what you had done was for a good cause?" "I wouldn''t have thought so. I thought you''d either scold me harshly or try to kill me." "If I tried to kill you, would you die?" "No, not at all." Ludwig showed no reaction to Rowan''s awkward response. He just continued speaking calmly and coldly. "So, you''re saying that even if I hear the truth, I can''t kill you after hearing it, and if I tell people the truth, they won''t believe me?" "I can''t deny that." "Rather than killing you, the fact that you don''t even kill me means..." "..." "Am I not even worth killing?" "Speaking harshly, yes." Ludwig didn''t get angry even at Rowan''s cruel words. "Anyway, let''s put that aside." "..." "Isn''t it strange?" "What is?" "A few days ago, I was treated like someone who doesn''t need to know because I''m useless. Now, I''m treated like someone who can know because I''m useless. Who exactly decides that?" Some truth. It''s okay if you don''t know because you''re not important. It''s okay if you know because you''re not important. Ultimately, Ludwig found the behavior and attitudes of those who handled the truth more strange than the truth itself. In the end, there was no value in the truth. "I thought about it for a few days." "Yes." "Your affairs, the Demon King''s affairs, Ellen''s affairs, the Empire''s affairs. I thought about all of that..." Ludwig spoke with a deadpan expression. "Even if Ellen can''t say it, saying it''s all her fault is one thing..." "Everyone seemed to have their reasons. I don''t know the details, but it seemed like there were reasons and stories behind it." "Without such things, they wouldn''t say or act like that." "Otherwise, they wouldn''t face each other with such expressions." "Everyone looked sad; no one seemed happy. Everyone probably had a good reason." "But now, that doesn''t seem to be important." Ludwig looked at Rowan and said, "You guys seem to think you''re in a position to decide on such things." "The important thing is that." "That''s the problem." "It''s not about what the truth is or what the story is, but the attitude of trying to control the truth. Pretending to care for people but actually not, allowing people to know something or not know something, it''s that attitude of thinking you can decide on those things that''s the problem." "I felt that from you." "A very unpleasant and disgusting sense of superiority." "You don''t know." "But you''re doing something incredibly great and noble that you don''t know." "So you don''t have to know. Just get out." "You don''t know." "But you''ve done something truly great and noble without knowing it. It may seem bad on the outside, but it''s not really. So you should understand." "So listen. How about that, after listening, I''m right, aren''t I? The action you''ve taken against me is exactly this, right?" "Isn''t this unpleasant?" "Sometimes you don''t tell me, and sometimes you do." "The reason is the same, but the actions are different." "If the reason seems plausible but the actions are opposite, then you''re just doing as you please." "So, the attitude is the same." "You treat people like nothing, like worthless people like me." "Whether you tell me or not." "Going further, you think you have the right to save or kill someone." "Like when you killed the popes based on your judgment, regardless of what wrong they actually did." "You guys are just strange people lost in some wildly delusional fantasy." "The truth?" "I''m not even curious about that anymore." "What you guys are trying to do, what you want, and what you''ve done are no longer important." "What''s important is that all of you are intoxicated by something." "Whether it''s a sense of mission, malice, hatred, or vengeance against the world, or whatever." "Or the illusion that you are making a great sacrifice to save the world." "You''re intoxicated with disgusting delusions." "It''s not surprising that you guys deserve to fall into hell as devils. But I can''t give you that punishment. Yeah, as you said, I''m nothing." "But that doesn''t mean the truth runs away." "The truth doesn''t disappear." "You guys are sinners, right?" "Sinners should be punished, right?" "But you haven''t been punished, have you?" "This is the truth." "It''s not those complicated things that I can''t know, nor do I want to know, about your relationships, emotions, or whatever. Simple and clear things like this are the truth." "With so many people buried by your actions, you keep burying more, whispering the truth amongst yourselves, and taking turns understanding and licking each other''s wounds. That''s disgusting." "The truth should be explainable in a single word." "You guys should be punished, but you haven''t been." "That''s the only truth." Ludwig found a simple truth in the labyrinth of thoughts, judgments, and circumstances. There must be a price for sin. If sinners are whispering each other''s sins and remaining silent? Someone has to take responsibility. "Not long ago, Ellen looked pitiful." "She looked miserable. So I don''t blame her. There''s no reason to blame." "Like Ellen''s appearance, you must have such stories. You might be pitiable and wretched people too." "But." "Among the people who died, was there even one who wasn''t like that?" "They would be pitiful and wronged. They had to die without knowing anything, getting caught up in it all." "So it''s better not to know your so-called truth." "From now on, even if you come forward and tell me everything, I will close my ears." "Feeling sorry for you, understanding you, it doesn''t make the truth that you must be punished disappear." "Because that truth is clear." "Knowing nothing, I''ll become your enemy." "Regardless of the truth, whatever it is, no matter how justified, you must pay the price." "There are so many people who have paid the price without doing anything wrong. No, there are even more people who were forced to be sacrificed, not even paying the price." "You, who are involved in these matters, must pay the price, right?" "Regardless of the reason, you must be punished." "Regardless of the intent, you must pay the price." "That''s the conclusion I''ve reached." There were sins. There were sinners. However, there was no judgment. It was difficult to find the right path amidst the many complicated events that unfolded between the Empire, the Holy Order, and the Demon King''s forces. Only finding the sins was easy. Only finding the sinners was easy. And the unchanging truth that they had not been punished. Whoever they were. Everyone deceived, trampled, and used the little ones under the pretext of saving everyone. Rowan smiled as he watched such a Ludwig. "It''s like looking at myself in the past." A person who was saddened by their own insignificance. And Rowan, who eventually became a monster, looked at Ludwig as if looking back on her distant past. As if it was interesting. As if it was fascinating. "How do you plan to do it? How will you punish these monsters, Ludwig?" A useless existence cannot be punished or punish others. "¡­" "To be friends with monsters, you must become a monster." To be friends with monsters, one must be equal. Rowan did that. "You know that''s the same if you try to kill monsters, right?" To kill monsters, one must also be equal. One must become a monster, after all. If anything, one must become an even greater monster to kill them. "I know." Ludwig stared at Rowan with dark, abyss-like eyes. Rowan felt a different kind of thrill than when she faced the Demon King not long ago, as she looked at Ludwig''s expression. "I''m well aware." It was the thrill of having created a monster with her own hands. Someone who was nothing, now striving to become something. Regardless of the reason, intent, or purpose. Whether succeeding or failing in becoming something, it must be enjoyable. Rowan smiled as she looked at Ludwig. "Good luck, Ludwig." Ludwig stood up from his seat, as if there was no worth in listening to Rowan''s words any further, distancing himself like he was moving away from something filthy. CH 617 "Are you really leaving? Today?" "Yes." "It seems a bit sudden, but... I guess there''s nothing we can do." Ellen didn''t have much in the way of belongings. When she had come to this place, she had only brought a single cage containing a cat. So, when returning to the allied forces'' base, she would simply go back in her everyday clothes, without anything else to take with her. "The snow has just stopped¡­" Louise couldn''t help but feel bitter at Ellen''s decision to leave right after the terrible snowstorm had ceased and the weather had improved. She had come back for a break, only to get involved in some strange incidents, which ultimately left her feeling even more burdened. The Demon King had seized control of the Holy Knights and the Five Great Religions. And there was nothing they could do about it. In this rapidly changing era, there were no purely good factions; they had to choose the ones that could survive. Something drastic was about to happen, and it would undoubtedly lead to countless bloodshed. Dark clouds loomed over the empire''s future, and it was now time for everyone to make a choice. Ironically, the allied forces'' base seemed more peaceful than the imperial capital, and it was a way to avoid getting involved in any more ominous incidents. This was especially true for Ellen. If they couldn''t make a choice, it was better to go somewhere out of sight. There were only unsolvable problems. No one knew how these matters would eventually be resolved. If the empire fell and the Demon King took its place, What fate awaited Ellen, who should have been the Demon King''s adversary? And what position should Heinrich take? No one had the answer. Everyone was doing something, fearing the future. While everyone agreed that the Gate Incident must end, the actions they took while hoping for that made the aftermath even more frightening. Was it truly right to turn the world into hell for the sake of a single absolute goal? If so, what would become of the world after achieving that absolute goal? Ellen believed that staying in the imperial capital was more dangerous. That''s why she was leaving. But she had been thinking about it for a long time. "Take good care of the cat when I''m gone." "¡­I will." However, the cat, which suddenly stopped appearing at some point, was nowhere to be found when she wanted to give it a final touch before leaving. In the end, without seeing the cat, Ellen entrusted Heinrich with its care and left. For some reason, she felt an instinctual premonition that it might have disappeared entirely. She had always felt that even if they were together, it would eventually leave. Like she had always felt that way about someone. She didn''t know why, but she believed that there was nothing she could do if it suddenly vanished. They had briefly spent time together, passing by each other, and she simply wished they would cross paths again someday. It was a shame not to say goodbye. In the end, Ellen couldn''t be overly attached to something so small. "I''m leaving." With the farewells from Louise and Heinrich, Ellen quietly left the temple dormitory. Watching Ellen''s retreating figure, Louise spoke. "It seems like it''s time for us to leave as well." "It seems that''s what we must do." ¡ª--- It was true that danger lurked everywhere in the world, but at that moment, the imperial capital had undoubtedly become the most perilous place in some sense. The heavy snowfall that had been coming down ceased, as if it had all been a lie, and melted away in an instant. Although the snow had piled up for a long time, it took only a few days for it to melt completely. The weather continued to be unusually warm, to the point where one might wonder if it was too warm. Ellen walked along the streets of the temple, where the snow had melted. There was not much to do at the alliance''s garrison, but in the capital, she learned too many things she didn''t need to know. If the goal was to fight anyway, she would rather have lived in ignorance. She thought it was better to spend this winter knowing nothing than to lose her way amidst difficult and hard-to-decide matters. How long could she hold onto her seemingly fragile will? What would become of the world? If she couldn''t go anywhere, if she was being forcibly dragged along some path as if drawn by something, then she no longer wanted to see any path. If the ship was bound to sink someday, should it be abandoned? The empire, as well as her own consciousness. All she was doing was holding onto things that would eventually crumble. While ending the Gate incident was the most pressing task at hand, everyone was already thinking about what would happen afterward. The Holy Knights, the empire, and countless other groups were undoubtedly considering the situation after the incident in their minds. One by one. Louise von Schwarz learned that the Holy Knights, a major pillar of the alliance, had fallen into the Demon King''s clutches. What would happen if the strongest vassal state, Kernstadt, sided with the Demon King as well? With two of its main pillars gone, the empire could no longer be called an empire. The other vassal states would also inevitably face a crossroads of choice the moment this issue became clear. Which side should they join? The empire had already lost its legitimacy, and the Demon King was the mastermind behind the Gate incident. Both factions were groups that should disappear, but there was no other massive force to emerge and replace them. What if the empire became isolated? The empire had an undead army it could use even if it lost everything. There was a more powerful army than ever before. Whether the crumbling empire struggled or sought to slaughter those who sided with the Demon King in order to maintain its strength, war would inevitably break out again. "..." Ellen knew where she stood. Whether victory was assured or ruin was imminent, she would side with the empire. As the will to disappear someday would be replaced by another will desiring the death of the Demon King, it was inevitable. Therefore, she would rather remain ignorant. The path she had to take was already determined, so there was no point in learning anything else. In the end, she was destined to become an existence no different from the undead army, swallowed up by something. Although she could run away now when someone urged her to fight, eventually, she would lose even that ability. Whether she liked it or not, whether someone forced her or not, she was destined to become an opponent someday. So, Ellen returned to the alliance''s garrison, avoiding the atmosphere of division and chaos that enveloped the capital. The only goodness was there. The single, absolute goodness of ending the Gate incident. ¡ª--- Thus, as Ellen walked along the snow-melted street, she reached the entrance of the temple. There were still no people passing by. But there, though no people were present, there was one small animal. "Ah." She saw a black cat sitting hunched in the sunlight that streamed down onto a nearby bench. The cat turned its head to look at Ellen as she approached. -Meow Ellen walked toward the cat, which appeared to be enjoying the long-awaited sunshine on the bench. It was a strange creature. It would suddenly disappear somewhere, and then suddenly reappear. When she gave up and tried to leave, thinking it wouldn''t return, it would be waiting at the entrance as if it knew. It wouldn''t come when she waited. But it would appear from somewhere when she gave up. It was annoying, but somehow, irresistible. Ellen squatted in front of the bench and met the cat''s gaze at eye level. They couldn''t communicate. But for some reason, Ellen always felt like they could understand each other. As if it understood her sadness. As if it understood her pain. As if it felt her agony. She thought it might be a delusion, but it didn''t seem so. Even now, like this. It seemed like the cat was waiting for her at the entrance of the temple, knowing she was about to leave. Did it really know, or was it just a coincidence? Was she just attributing meaning to mere coincidences? Yet, when coincidences piled up, they became inevitable. The cat seemed to understand her heart too coincidentally. "I''m leaving." -Meow Ellen said a simple goodbye. Could she return? What would the temple look like when she returned? It was difficult to think that she could return for a good reason. Would this small creature be safe in the face of the oncoming turmoil? The alliance''s base was dangerous, but so were the temple and the imperial capital. Small beings were always swept away. Just as people were swept away in the Gate incident, the fate of small beings had always been so. But. The small being in front of her. An even smaller being than other small beings. Perhaps because it was so small, when the wind blew, it blew as it pleased, and when the waves crashed, they crashed as they pleased. Perhaps it could be safe precisely because it was so small. Looking at the small black cat staring at her, Recalling the moments when she found great comfort in the small being, "Take care." Sincerely saying that, she gently pressed her lips against the bridge of the cat''s nose. "And come back early." -Meow After playfully pretending to flick its forehead, Ellen headed toward the temple gate. Having passed through the gate, Ellen looked up at the sky. It was an early warm day, as if announcing the end of the bitterly cold winter. But there had been so much snow. With so much snow piled up, could one warm day melt it all? With so much having fallen. There must still be piles of snow in the shady places where the sunlight doesn''t reach. Who would melt the snow in the hidden, sunless places? Ellen held the amulet still. The amulet, which depicted the moon and the sun. Holding it in her hand, she carefully rolled it around. She was exhausted. So tired and weary. Was it time to let go? If she was destined to fight anyway. Would it be okay if everything ended like this? If the evil and hatred of this world inevitably led to a situation where she had to fight. What was the point of trying so hard to endure? No matter what she did, no matter what tricks she used, eventually, she would be forced to fight. In that moment when she felt like giving up. When a crack opened in her weakened heart. Ellen''s eyes sank deep. No, had she already reached her limit long ago? Beyond the limit of her limits, as if she had reached the critical point of her allotted time. The sand dune of her ego was submerged beneath the rising water. -Snap All too easily, the leather strap of the amulet broke with a light tug. As if it had never been precious, hanging around her neck to prevent it from falling. As if finally freeing her from her shackles. As if announcing the beginning of something liberated. Ellen threw away the amulet she had been wearing like garbage and began to walk somewhere. As if she had become something completely different from before. As if she had become an entity unrelated to her past, Ellen left without looking back. -... The black cat cautiously picked up the round amulet that had fallen to the ground in its mouth and disappeared down an alley. CH 618 Ellen had returned to the Allied Forces'' base. On the top floor of the Holy Knight Order''s headquarters, in the commander''s office, I sat. In total, there were five of us seated there, including myself. Olivia Lanze, who had essentially become the ruler of all factions. Liana de Grantz, who was temporarily staying for climate control. Rowan, the new Temple Knight Order commander. And Harriet. "Ellen returned to the Allied Forces?" "...Yes, I suppose she did." I answered Harriet''s question. After all, the Allied Forces'' camp would be quieter now, making it a better place for rest. But I felt that something had changed. It wasn''t that she came back to the Imperial Capital to rest; rather, her return had led her to experience something even more difficult to endure. And I was involved in that matter. Not from the beginning, but eventually, it turned out that way. Although it was bound to happen someday, seeing the back of Ellen, who had become an entirely different person, was not a pleasant feeling. "As you commanded, I met with Ludwig." Following my order, Rowan had met with Ludwig. I asked her to talk to Ludwig. Rowan, the weird newcomer who was certainly efficient at handling tasks. Rowan had full control over the heretical forces in the refugee camp. Rowan was indispensable for unifying the heretics. Like how we had to use Antirianus somehow, even if he was dangerous and sinister, we had to utilize her. "I left him alone, as you told me not to do anything, but I think it would have been better to kill him." "Why is that?" "He gave off the impression that he would stab everyone and slit his own throat too." At Rowan''s eerie description, Harriet''s eyes widened. Everyone in the room, including myself, did not particularly like Rowan. To be precise, we couldn''t like her. We captured her only because her value was too high. "That''s exactly like you. What''s the difference between what you''ve done?" "I wouldn''t want to face an enemy like myself." Seeing her brush off the comment like that, it was absurd to think she knew how bizarre of a character she was. "Anyway, leave him be." "Do you not think he''ll pose any significant threat?" I remained silent at Rowan''s question. Instead, Olivia answered. "Yeah, what could he possibly do?" Everyone seemed to somewhat agree with Olivia''s words. Even Rowan. Ludwig could not be a threat. No matter how twisted an individual is, there''s only so much they can do. He had even lost an arm. The reason Rowan could do so much with her twisted nature was that she had been involved in extensive covert operations. If Rowan had merely been a twisted Inquisitor or Holy Knight, there wouldn''t have been much she could do. But Ludwig was a mere individual with no faction or power. We let Ludwig go because he was powerless. Everyone might think that was my intention, but in fact, it wasn''t. "By the way, if you thought he wouldn''t pose any significant threat, why did you order to meet Ludwig in the first place? We could have just left him alone." If we didn''t consider Ludwig a variable, there was no reason to send Rowan to meet him. And to all of us here, Ludwig was too small a human to ever become a variable. "Come to think of it, you''ve always seemed to pay subtle attention to him. This time as well." Harriet tilted her head as if recalling past events. Although I didn''t care more than necessary, I had been more sensitive to Ludwig''s movements than the others. And sadly, I had been more shocked by Ludwig losing an arm than by Delphin''s death. Ludwig wasn''t on bad terms with me, but we weren''t close either. We were in different classes to begin with. And now, Ludwig, who couldn''t be a variable anymore and had even lost an arm. There was no need to make him meet Rowan again and explain things to him. It would have been unfair, infuriating, and frustrating. But what could I do? There was no reason to care about Ludwig in such a state. If I felt threatened, I should kill him. If it wasn''t a threat, there was no need to meet and talk. Rowan seemed curious as to why I was unnecessarily concerned about Ludwig. Because he was a classmate. The others seemed to accept it that way, and Rowan had no choice but to think the same. And in reality, I didn''t intend to harm my classmates. Even if they posed a threat or tried to kill me. As long as that moment wasn''t imminent, I didn''t plan to kill them preemptively just because they might pose a threat. If they actually had a knife at my throat, the story would be different, but I wouldn''t act preemptively. It might not be my only conscience, but it was my last line of defense. I wouldn''t cross that line. If I started killing someone who was a classmate just because they were predicted to be a threat before actually becoming one, I was certain that more strange things would happen. For personal reasons and the inexplicable absurdity of this world, I had no desire to kill Ludwig or any of the others with my own hands. Until the moment I was forced to face a situation where I had to kill them, never. "There''s no particular reason." There was no need to give a specific reason. They wouldn''t understand anyway. Only I knew that Ludwig was originally the protagonist of this story. They wouldn''t understand, but if they did, it would be a problem. Because then, the conversation about killing Ludwig would emerge. Only I knew that it was strange for the protagonist, who should have been an important person at this point, to lose an arm and be stuck in limbo like this. Incredibly complex and terrible things intertwined, leading to this bizarre outcome. Numerous clues and incidents had already taken place, but the event that connected them was the creation of the Death Knight by them. They had created the Death Knight in the Tomb of the Saints beneath the Holy Knight Headquarters. Rowan began investigating that incident. From the start, Rowan knew that the heretics and the Demon God Cult couldn''t have the scale to do such a thing. So, she conducted minimal investigations, tracking other forces as suspects. Rowan believed that either the Demon King or the Empire was responsible for the incident. The Demon King''s location was unknown, but the Empire was right there on the land she stood upon. In the midst of that, Ellen, Ludwig, and Eleion Bolton returned to the Imperial Capital. Rowan had obtained information about Ludwig, a former Temple Royal class member, who had recently started working as a guard in the allied forces. Rowan had deliberately approached Ludwig, hoping to build trust and gather information about the inner workings of the Temple. However, while doing so, an order came to halt the investigation. Rowan ignored the order, and Eleion Bolton attempted to eliminate her. From that point on, Ellen pursued the case with Ludwig''s help, following the leads she provided. Ultimately, what we had done set other groups and individuals in motion. And in a roundabout way, the result was Rowan offering me control over the Holy Knights, the Five Great Churches, and the refugee camp. It was completely unexpected. When we created the Death Knight, we couldn''t have imagined that things would turn out this way. Now, Rowan knew that we were responsible for the undead incident. Of course, she wasn''t particularly surprised. Every event has a purpose. What had transpired would lead to some sort of conclusion. Rowan understood that this was both an ending and a beginning. I now knew that the world was constructed in such a way. Of course, if I were to say this, others might think I was overthinking things, but I couldn''t help it. The complex series of events that originated from our actions in the tomb of the saints. Was the true conclusion of these events my taking over the Holy Knights, the Five Great Churches, and the refugee camp? Was that the real ending? I sent Rowan to find out what Ludwig was thinking. Ludwig was not someone to be ignored. In fact, I was the only one who knew that he had the potential to become the strangest variable. Ludwig. Ludwig, who had lost his arm. The four investigators eventually discovered what was happening within the empire. And Ludwig found out about the collusion, conspiracy, and lies among the leaders and influential people of various factions. Wasn''t that the true ending? Could the original protagonist really do nothing until the very end? Was it possible for Ludwig to lose his role entirely? The protagonist should get what they want. The world is designed to give the protagonist what they want. In one way or another. I ended up taking what Ludwig was supposed to have: the Alsbringer. If Ludwig were the protagonist of this world, and the world truly worked in such a way, then Ludwig wouldn''t deviate from the course of the story. I thought Ludwig was done for, but when he came back into my line of sight, I thought he wasn''t finished yet. It was impossible for Ludwig to leave the story, assuming that was correct. Ludwig had to get what he wanted, which was revenge, and the means to achieve it would naturally be power. Ludwig had become useless and had even lost his arm. No. From the start, should I have changed my perspective? Had he not lost his arm? I finally understood. I finally realized. "So that''s... what it was..." In order to give something. I had to take something away from the beginning. He didn''t lose his arm. Taking his arm was, in itself, the beginning of giving him something. From the beginning, it wasn''t about being disqualified. Rather, losing his arm was the pivotal event that brought him onto the path. "What''s that, by the way?" As I mumbled words that I didn''t understand, Harriet was looking at my hand. "Ah, this." The object that I had been rolling in my hand throughout our conversation. "I don''t know." "I see." I didn''t know. I didn''t know why I had taken it. I didn''t know what it meant. It seemed like a meaningless object for Ellen, who felt like she had crossed some kind of end. But still, it shouldn''t have been discarded. I put the round, white amulet into my pocket. ------ Nighttime. A dark night when even the researchers were asleep. But in the deep, deep underground laboratory where day and night became meaningless. Even in the isolation chamber at the deepest part of the lab. There were four people there. Christina, arranging the prepared drugs and reagents in order. Anna de Gerna, drawing a magic circle. Louis Ancton, checking the magical tools and ritual equipment. And. In the center of the magic circle. There lay Ludwig, shirtless. Wearing a mask, Christina checked the tools, more suited for primitive surgery than for a mage, and said, "Think it over again." "Please." "I''ve told you dozens of times that you could die." "I''ve thought about it a lot." At Ludwig''s words, Christina frowned. "We can find an arm from a living person, someone who hasn''t been dead long. The success rate would be higher. It wouldn''t be difficult to obtain. Just wait a little longer, and we can find an arm that''s safe and ethically unproblematic." "You know that''s not what I want anymore, Christina." "..." Christina had tried several times to change Ludwig''s mind, but she couldn''t. "Ludwig... Do you really have to do this...?" At Anna''s words, Ludwig nodded his head. "I want to become stronger." "..." "I don''t know any other way, because I''m powerless." Fortunately, they weren''t the only ones who ignored Ludwig and deemed him insignificant. He had friends who didn''t consider him nothing. An extremely dangerous ritual with a high possibility of death. But still, he wanted to undergo the most perilous one. There were also those who could help Ludwig. Anna and Christina both knew they couldn''t persuade him. However, wanting to do it didn''t mean they could do it right away, and they couldn''t cast such a dangerous spell on their friend''s body without proper preparation. So, all three of them carefully checked Ludwig''s condition, gave him medication for several days beforehand, and tried to create the best possible state for him. As a result. Louis spoke from outside the magic circle. "Ludwig, I''ve done a thorough check of your physical condition, and you''re quite different from others. Quite a lot." "Different?" "Abnormal, to be precise." As Louis examined the data he had collected, he wore a serious expression, checking something. Anna and Christina were already aware of this information. At Louis''s words, Ludwig looked puzzled as he lay there. "To put it simply, your talent is really strange." Before starting anything, Louis Ancton had meticulously examined Ludwig''s physical condition and discovered a very peculiar aspect. Other students of the same level had powerful supernatural abilities, or two or three, or even talents that encompassed other abilities. In Ellen''s case, she possessed numerous such comprehensive talents. However, Ludwig had only one talent: physical stamina. A talent corresponding to the B-class of the Royal Class. Ludwig never considered his talent exceptional. But he was the only one with the talent of physical stamina. "A strange talent?" "I thought your talent was related to endurance or physical stamina, but it seems it''s not." "Ludwig." Christina took over Louis''s words. Wearing tight gloves and a mask, she looked at him. "It seems your talent is closer to vitality rather than stamina." He had always thought his only advantage was not getting tired. A talent related to vitality rather than stamina. Ludwig didn''t know the specific meaning of this. Was the one talent he thought he had actually quite remarkable? In any case, there was no need to know the specifics. "Anyway, for now... that''s a good thing, right?" In a moment of success or failure, the talent could provide assistance. He could understand that much. "Yes, your chances of not dying are much higher than others." "That''s a relief." "Of course, that doesn''t necessarily mean you''ll succeed. Keep that in mind." "Understood." Ludwig was born with an abnormally high level of vitality. It wasn''t a simple matter of muscular strength or endurance. The very source of life. As if under the protection of something unfathomable, Louis Ancton had discovered that Ludwig had some strange power. Vitality. Louis confirmed that it was indeed a bizarre and alien talent. After a while, Anna finished the magic circle and stepped back. Louis took something out of the prepared container. It was an arm. Something in the shape of a right arm. As Louis brought the arm, Ludwig asked, "Can I ask whose arm it is?" Louis carefully placed the arm where Ludwig''s right arm should have been. "Larken Simonstite." "I see." Hearing the name, Ludwig slightly closed his eyes. It wasn''t an unfamiliar name to him. Larken Simonstite. The traitor of humanity who had become a Grandmaster. Saviolin Turner''s predecessor, humanity''s strongest. His right arm was placed where Ludwig''s arm should be. Louis stepped back, and Christina approached Ludwig with her gloves and mask on. It was uncertain how much would change by receiving just one arm. However, one thing was clear: something unexpected would happen. It was a simple transplant, but the arm being transplanted had once belonged to a man who was mentioned among the world''s strongest, and had been further enhanced by dark magic and alchemy before being regenerated. If the transplant and adaptation were successful, something unpredictable would happen. With the arm of a traitor to humanity, would he annihilate humanity''s enemies? "Now that it''s come to this, I''ll make sure we succeed, Ludwig." "I''m counting on you." "Together, let''s take revenge on the world." A gleam appeared in Christina''s eyes. "We''ll make everyone pay for all of this." Although she had tried to give up and resign herself, once she had resolved to act, Christina could not help but think of joining forces with Ludwig. Seeing Christina''s eyes flicker with madness and vengeance, Ludwig looked up at the ceiling. "That''s right... a price." "We must make them pay." "I''m stupid." "But no more will I ask others for their opinions, or seek affirmation that my judgment is correct." "I may be wrong, I may be making a mistake, but I won''t look for answers from others anymore." "If I''m wrong, then so be it." "If I''m right, then so be it." "I will follow the path I have chosen." "Everyone must have had their reasons." "There must have been some reason, and perhaps it was something they had no choice but to accept." "But if that''s the case..." "I can do the same." "I can be like this too." "I must accept my own helplessness." "Just as they justify many things by saying they had no choice." "I will justify myself, that in this world they''ve created, I had no choice but to become this person." "It''s allowed, isn''t it?" "If it was allowed for them, I think it''s allowed for me too." "Revenge..." "Well, I don''t think it''s revenge." "This is... yes, in their favorite words." "It''s not revenge or retribution..." Ludwig spoke. "It''s just... an inevitable occurrence, I suppose." Fate disguised as coincidence intertwined and intermingled. The phrase ''there was no choice'' repeated and accumulated. Another inevitability. It had arrived at a destination and starting point. CH 619 Swoosh - The wind blew gently, causing the blue grass to ripple like waves across the plain. Clang! - As the swords clashed, a shockwave exploded, scattering leaves, shattering the ground, and dispersing fragments of the magical barrier. Thud! Bang! Crash! - From the gleaming dark blade, a sharp and thick trace of void darkness was drawn, and I busily danced around it, either dodging or parrying the sword. A few times like this. No, many times like this. I couldn''t even remember the count anymore. I couldn''t count the days and nights I had been dying. It almost felt like a frenzy now. A frenzy on the battlefield. Crash! - Along with the Alsbringer slipping from my grasp, the dark sword approached my throat. Swish! - The Void Sword Lament grazed my neck, and an eerie pain swept through my mind. A blackout of consciousness. "......Phew." And then I awoke. Once again, I stood in the plains, facing Ellen, who stood across from me in the same posture as before. This time, I drew out Tiamata. In the midst of this training to prevent the inevitable death that would someday come. I felt more accustomed to defeat and death than victory. "Please, lose just once." "..." The dream version of Ellen never said a word. She just charged. Shriek! - Ellen, who seemed to ride on the breeze, thrust her Void Sword at me. The dream battles had long surpassed a thousand. I still couldn''t do more than endure against Ellen. ------ "Why don''t you just get some rest? It should be fine to sleep comfortably for one day out of three, right?" Upon waking up, Airi, who had her hand on my forehead, asked me with a worried look. My forehead, and indeed my entire body, was drenched in cold sweat. It was only natural. Dying dozens of times in my dreams, it would be strange if my body didn''t react. On the contrary, I would be scared of how accustomed I had become to death. Sometimes, I wanted to give up this practice, afraid that when it came time to fight for real, I would think it was just a dream and give in. "I can sleep comfortably for the rest of my life when I''m dead." "......Stop saying such ominous things." Airi''s expression darkened when I repeated a phrase I had heard somewhere. Morning. More than two months had passed since the burnt Church incident. The 3rd month. The long winter was over, and spring had arrived. A spring of departure. A spring of marching. ------ "The Allied Forces have almost finished preparing for departure. As you know, their destination is Grenosia." At Harriet''s words, everyone seated nodded. The Allied Forces had completed their reorganization and were now ready to march toward their next destination. For the army that had been marching for so long, was this rest short or long? It might not be an exaggeration to say that it had passed in an instant. However, just as I hadn''t spent that time idly, the Allied Forces had been busy during that short period. Sarkegaar spoke up next. "Your Majesty, I have news that the improvements to the Titan have been completed." "By how much?" "It seems that it can now operate for more than five times the original duration." "So around 30 to 40 minutes?" "Yes, it appears that additional weaponry has also been installed." The Titan could originally only move for about seven minutes. However, Adelia, the Archduke, and his corps of mages had begun work to improve the titan. In just three months, they managed to achieve the impressive feat of increasing the titan''s operating time by five times. Sarkegaar''s reconnaissance report on the Allied Forces had come to an end. Next up was Olivia Lanze. "We''re making good progress." "..." "Alright. We''ve managed to completely infiltrate the high-ranking clergy, and now the indoctrination is primarily focused on the lower-ranking priests. Of course, discreetly." "How is the heretic capture policy progressing?" "It''s a sensitive issue. We''ve been approaching cautiously since the announcement of the heretic policy, as you know. If we act recklessly, the past incidents could repeat themselves. For now, we need to properly arm the priests within the sect with the right mindset. It''s still in progress. We didn''t expect it to be done quickly, did we?" "What about Rowan?" "You know that her mental issues are problematic from top to bottom, but in terms of her work, she''s flawless. Honestly, don''t you think that madwoman will be the most loyal to you here? Just be careful not to let her excessive loyalty lead to strange actions." "That''s true." Absorbing the Five Great Religions had been an inevitable event. However, getting all the priests of the Five Great Religions to accept the Demon God Cult in such a short time was not possible. Moreover, capturing all heretics, including the heretic tolerance policy, would take even more time. Thus, until the firm control and conversion of the Five Great Religions to our liking was complete, we could not afford to act hastily. Although the leaders were all captured by us, the majority of the lower-ranking priests were unaware of this fact. As there was no need to worry about external interference, we only had to be concerned about collapsing from within. Reforming the Holy Knights and the Five Great Religions from the inside out. It was uncertain whether "reforming" was the right word for it. And we didn''t just absorb the Five Great Religions. "How is our Demon God Cult leader?" "The integration process is going smoothly. We can assume that about 60% of the consolidation is complete. Now that the pace has picked up, the majority of the Demon God Cult followers will soon share a unified belief." Antirianus said with a sinister smile. It was fitting, in a way. Since Rowan was the nominal leader of the Holy Knights, Antirianus was in charge of integrating the Demon God Cult followers and the Hero Religion followers in the refugee camp. Regrettably, there was no one as diligent in this malicious task as him, making Antirianus the only suitable candidate. We didn''t initially plan on having Antirianus do it. But when we asked who would do it, the old man raised his hand with a child-like expression. After integrating the Demon God Cult followers, we would integrate the Five Great Religions once we believed it had been adequately modified. In no time, the group would become a nation-like entity on a nearly tasteless continent. "I''ve always told you not to do unnecessary things." "Is there any doubt? Your Greatness." The commonality between Rowan and Antirianus. They were reliable, but there was always a crucial element of uncertainty. Antirianus had a habit of causing trouble at the worst possible time, while Rowan was loyal to me but had the potential to act on her own judgment and engage in strange behavior. There was a saying that one would borrow even the hands of a bracken fern when in need of help. That was wrong. A bracken fern''s hands would not be unstable. In many ways, they were out of options and had to use whatever they could. It felt as if they were not borrowing the hands of a bracken fern, but rather, the hands of a demon. Allied Forces'' preparations for the expedition were completed. Titan''s improvements confirmed. Smooth progress in the Five Great Religions operation. Smooth progress in the integration of the followers of the Demon God Cult and Hero Religion. And then again. Looking at Eleris. "The deployment of the Alliance Immortal forces has been confirmed." "...I see." Immortal. The Empire had secretly decided to call them that. "They won''t be able to deploy openly, but they seem to be planning to move as they did before, scouting the battlefield in advance and eliminating small-scale gates beforehand." "The Empire has decided to deploy only the most elite among the Immortals." "The deployment scale consists of 3,000 Master Class, 10 Grandmasters, and 1,000 Archmages. Strictly speaking, the possibility is high that they alone could be capable of capturing a major city." "Moreover, we have confirmed that they can instantly regenerate from a certain degree of damage." "It seems that they can also be recovered and restored after being severely damaged." Three thousand Master Class, each one able to be considered among humanity''s strongest. One thousand mages, each one capable of casting mass teleportation. And ten Grandmasters, a number not so common throughout history. Some of the Grandmasters were even at the level of Archmages. There had been many geniuses in history. All those geniuses had come back from death. It was humanity''s strongest army. No, it was probably the strongest army in history. Since they were already dead, they could not be injured, and their wounds could regenerate if they were minor. Even if they were severely damaged, they would automatically return to the underground laboratory of the Temple Magic University and be automatically restored. It was an army of disaster. The Gate Incident was as good as over. Frankly, if they found out that they could suppress a super-large Warp Gate with just their army after a test deployment, the Allied Forces could simply withdraw right there. The army was a problem, but they were focusing on another issue. "How about cloning?" "It doesn''t seem possible at the moment, but it''s inevitable that they''ll be researching it. We should keep it in mind, but even from the Empire''s standpoint, it seems they would be hesitant to go that far." They were golems, animated by infusing black magic into alchemy. It was frightening to think about what would happen if the already fearsome army became capable of cloning. They felt the fear of dangerous technology on their skin. They were moving towards the same goal now, but when that power turned towards them. Inevitably, they had to think about that moment. "If, in order to end the Gate Incident, a technology was developed that made the Gate Incident no longer exist... I still don''t know if that''s a good thing." They couldn''t help but agree with Charlotte''s worried statement. It seemed like the Gate Incident would be resolved smoothly as it was. But what would happen if they had taken on too many dangerous tasks to overcome the crisis? They couldn''t do anything about that anxiety. "Maybe there''s no need to think too hard about it. In the end, the Immortals are just machines without free will, no matter how strong they are. If we really need to suppress them, it''s a matter of suppressing the controller, not the machines." There was plenty of truth in Lucinil''s words. To subdue a tank, there wasn''t necessarily a need to create magic that could destroy the tank itself. Magic that could snipe the personnel inside the tank would be more than enough. In the end, the Immortals were just golems in human form, controlled by someone. That control mechanism, or the controller. If only they could get a hold of that, the Immortals would be nothing more than empty shells in human form. But would that be possible? Of course, I knew that the opponent we needed to subdue was not limited to just the Empire. "The important thing is, they know it too." "They probably do. They''re not fools, after all." Whether it was the Empire or those who directly operated the Immortals, they must be fully aware of the weaknesses in the operation of the Immortals. They couldn''t help but consider the weaknesses that we could think of as well. If they recklessly meddled without proper preparation, the Immortals could go berserk. If that happened, it would be the end of everything. "Anyway, the Immortals won''t be used to attack us for now, but it would be good to keep looking into ways to neutralize or counter them." "Yes, Your Majesty." The march resumed. The transformed Allied Forces would head towards the conclusion of the Gate incident within the changed circumstances. Lastly, I looked at Charlotte. Having been adequately informed about external matters, it was time to share the internal situation. "The resettlement of the refugees is almost complete. The overpopulation issue in Lazak will be significantly alleviated now. The establishment of the local administrative branches has been completed, and there seems to be no need to worry about security issues." Distributing the overpopulated population of Lazak to various places in the provinces. It was a task that had not been carried out properly until now, as the stability of the local administrative branches was in doubt. Strengthening control over the provinces would weaken the overall control, which wouldn''t be good at all. But Charlotte had succeeded in properly establishing the local administrative system. She maintained security and created a system that could convey administrative power and report back. With that, it finally transformed into a proper nation. "Keep focusing on the establishment and stabilization of the local administrative branches. If the situation becomes unfavorable, we may have to bring the heretics and Demon God Cult believers from the Imperial Capital here." Work was being completed one by one. They prepared while considering everything. However. They couldn''t help but worry about whether they would end up not preparing anything at all. ------ The Council of Elders meeting had ended. The task we were doing, scouting the battlefield at the forefront and annihilating the enemy through preemptive strikes, was halted for now at this stage. The Immortals would take our place. And it was clear that the Immortals would be able to do the job much more accurately and reliably than us. The scale was enough to make one''s bones shudder just by hearing it. If it wasn''t an attack on a large-scale city, there might be no need for us to participate in the battle any longer. Perhaps we should be quietly holding our breath, thinking about what would happen after the Gate incident. "Reinhardt, do you have a moment?" Following the end of the meeting, Harriet trailed behind me. "Plenty." "¡­Well, I know it''s not what you''re supposed to say when I ask if you have time, but aren''t you not supposed to have too much time?" Oh. That''s true. I''m not supposed to have too much time, am I? "I have plenty of time for you." If I don''t have it, I should force myself to make it. Huh. Not good. As expected, my words made her face flush with anger. "You, you crazy bastard...!" "Argh! Why are you whining even if I have time!" "Now, now you''re saying such shameless things without any hesitation! What if someone hears this!" "So what if they hear! Are we strangers or what? Huh?" Well, we''re not exactly strangers. But to be honest. We''re not exactly close either, right? That kind of relationship where we became strangers when we turned our backs... That''s what it was... "Shut up!" I was struck several times by her. Of course, as always, it didn''t hurt one bit. CH 620 They had spent so much time together, yet Harriet''s chronic condition of habitual flushing had still not been cured. That being said, it was a good thing. The place Harriet dragged me to, with her face flushed red, was her laboratory in Lazak. Every time I saw this place, I couldn''t help but feel genuinely sorry. I couldn''t help but think of the massive research facility that was once located in the underground of the Temple Magic University. Such a facility and scale were available for a single project. Harriet''s private laboratory was obviously not as well-equipped. Even then, Harriet had either made the equipment herself when she needed it or had consulted with the Vampire Lords of the Elder Council to create them together. If Harriet had access to those massive research facilities at the Temple Magic University, what could she have achieved? I knew it was laughable to assume, but I couldn''t help but feel sorry every time I saw it. There was no need to go all the way to the Temple Magic University. Frankly, the magic research facilities in Lazak were not even on par with the club facilities at the Temple Era Magic Research Club. Although, initially, it was a research lab for a professor-level mage. Our Harriet. It felt like watching a daughter with the wrong father, knitting her own socks in a rundown house. In reality, she was a princess. Seeing her trying to do something with whatever resources she had, I couldn''t help but wonder if our Harriet was actually a resilient person. She possessed the greatest talent in history but had met a man who couldn''t support her, leaving her unable to fully showcase her abilities. What should I do? I''m the biggest obstacle in Harriet''s life. While others were creating Titans and armies with the name Immortal, our Harriet, who had no inferior talent and was arguably even more talented, was struggling in this attic-like laboratory because she had met the wrong man! "I''m sorry." "...Suddenly? For what?" "I''m just sorry for everything." "What are you talking about? It''s out of the blue." Harriet pouted as she told me not to say such random things. I felt even more sorry and heartbroken because she had no complaints. "Anyway, what is it?" I admit that this is my nature to speak this way even though I think differently. "Look at this." Harriet pointed to a flat metal plate. Many patterns were drawn on it, and to be precise, it looked like some sort of stand. Given the slightly convex protrusions, it also looked like a machine of some sort. And it wasn''t just one. There were two plates. "Harriet, I''m not a genius like you who can tell what it is just by looking at it. You have to explain it to me." "Make up your mind, am I a genius or a blockhead?" You''re a genius, not a blockhead. Right? That was a strange thing to say. "Uh, Harriet." "...Really!" -Thwack! "I told you to choose one!" "Be quiet!" She hit me even though I did as she asked! Anyway. There would be no end to our bickering. I couldn''t stop because it was fun. Harriet knew this, so sometimes she would only say what she wanted when I kept fooling around. Harriet placed the pair of metal plates on either end of the desk. "Now, if I do this... hmm." As Harriet began to fiddle with them, the thin plates started to move and take shape. From what was once a stand, several metal sheets popped out, and it transformed into some sort of holder. It might be described as a table with three legs turned upside down. Harriet did the same thing again, this time with another metal plate. Something that looked like a pair of brackets. Harriet brought something that looked like a metal rod from among the clutter in the lab. It had been the same at the temple. Our blockhead didn''t really clean up. She said she knew where everything was and didn''t need to put things away. "Look." -Screech! Sizzle! Soon, blue sparks began to fly from a pair of metal plates. "¡­Isn''t that dangerous?" "It''s not dangerous. It''s my first time trying it for real, though." "How do you know if it''s dangerous or not before you actually try it!" "My theory couldn''t be wrong." Ah. It was something like math, wasn''t it? If the formula was correct, then implementing it in reality shouldn''t yield different results. She must have run the simulation in her mind. It wouldn''t work for me, but it probably would for our blockhead. "Then it''s not dangerous." "¡­I really don''t know whether you trust me or not." -Crack! Snap! Screeeech! Soon, sparks began to fly from the sharp edges of the metal plates, and they started to glow blue. The blue light gradually took on the shape of a sphere. A pair of blue spheres. Inside the blue spheres was pitch black. Could this be? "Ready." Harriet inserted a metal rod-like object into the left sphere. And then. -Thump The metal rod popped out of the right sphere, fell onto the desk, rolled around, and then dropped to the floor without any momentum. There was no way not to know what this was. "Hey¡­ this is¡­" "Yep." Harriet smiled. "It''s a warp gate. A new warp gate that''s unrelated to the Gate Incident." Our girl had done it again. In this shabby and crude environment. She had caused another major accident. "Is this¡­ even possible?" "It is possible, that''s why I did it, dummy." "You¡­ you¡­!" -Whack! "Ouch! That hurts!" "You''re really the greatest blockhead!" "What are you even saying!" ------ What are logistics and distribution? Honestly, I still don''t know the details. I only know that it''s very important. And I also know that the golden age of the empire didn''t come from the conquest of the demon realm, but was originated from the warp gates. The golden age of humanity, and the golden age of the empire. It was not because people could travel through the warp gates, but because logistics could pass through them. The development of transportation and logistics brings about rapid urbanization of society. Rapid development of logistics enables specialization. Before the development of logistics, most cities had to be self-sufficient around major cities. In terms of food, commerce, and manufacturing. To some extent, they had to be self-sufficient. However, when logistics and distribution develop to an extreme level, cities specialized in commerce or manufacturing don''t need to produce any food at all. Of course, they can just import it. And that can be done by cities or countries with specialized agricultural environments. For example, let''s say there is a mine containing a large amount of magic stones in a cold-climate city. If distribution is unstable, the city must have a system in place to provide a certain amount of food in the cold climate, making it difficult for people to live there. Consequently, development would also be difficult. But what if there were a warp gate? With imported food, the city could focus on mining the abundant magic stones in its mines. The reason the Imperial Capital, became the largest city in the empire was because it had the most warp gates. People flocked there, along with goods and resources. Naturally, the Imperial Capital became the largest city. The food problem in the Imperial Capital was initially due to the fact that it wasn''t an agricultural city. With distribution cut off and unable to sustain itself, the city had to produce its own food. So, the empire forced farming and land reclamation, producing and supplying food in secure areas of other regions. However, without the overwhelmingly convenient distribution facilities of warp gates, all tasks had to be solved through the mass teleportation of archmages. Not only was production itself insufficient, but if production took place outside the Imperial Capital, highly-skilled archmages would be wasted on mere resource transportation. After the Gate Incident, warp gate technology became completely worthless. The reason was simple. Monsters from the gates had taken over the so-called imaginary dimension as it turned into a real dimension. Of course, it wasn''t that they couldn''t create warp gates. They could. It was just that monsters would pour out of them. "So, you created a secondary imaginary dimension?" "Yeah." "I don''t know much about it, but people didn''t do it before because they couldn''t think of it, right?" "Probably not?" It was one of the few times I had such a thought. I wanted to hug Harriet tightly and give her hundreds of kisses. "So, you were able to do it because you''re incredibly amazing, right?" What others couldn''t do even with the best facilities was accomplished by her in this bare-minimum place, right? At my words, Harriet''s face turned red, and she fidgeted with her fingers. "¡­I, I don''t want to say it like that." "Right or wrong. Just say it." "Uh¡­ right¡­" She knew how great her accomplishment was. Despite accomplishing a huge feat, she looked embarrassed, twisting her body. She looked a thousand times cuter and more amazing than usual. "Let me hug you, our genius." "No, I hate it!" "Why not!" "It feels like you''re praising a dog or something!" "No, who''s treating you like a dog?" In the end, even after doing something great or not, we ended up bickering as always. What was it like to create a new imaginary dimension? I didn''t know much, but warp gates were not an invention created by a single mage. According to what I heard from Archduke of Saint-Owan, it was a project pushed forward by the emperor a long time ago, almost risking the fate of the empire. The best mages of that time would have been involved, and it would have been the result of the collective efforts of the top mages of the time over a very long period. Warp gates were the result of accumulated research and experiments over a very long time. Harriet had done it alone, something that wasn''t just the achievement of one person. And she did it here, without proper facilities or equipment. From the beginning, Harriet had gone through all the research materials related to warp gates while claiming to study dimensional magic when I couldn''t grasp the cause of the Gate Incident. Harriet already had the accumulated knowledge in her head, so the stage before developing warp gates wouldn''t be exactly the same. However, the fact that Harriet accomplished what no one else could remain unchanged. Anyway, unlike the original, Harriet''s purpose was not to engage in battles, although she did participate in them. She wasn''t always on the battlefield. So, in the end, even though it was crude, she had time to think and found her own way to revive warp gate technology. Of course, it seems clear that Harriet''s research on warp gates, which she originally should not have known about, played a significant role due to my involvement. The truth before my eyes. Harriet had succeeded in devising a new warp gate system. "How far can you go with this?" "Since I tested it just to see if it works or not, it¡¯s certainly short. The distance will naturally increase when it''s scaled up. It''s difficult to use it for any purpose at this level." "Assuming we have the resources to scale it up?" "It wouldn''t be much different from the existing warp gates. You know warp gates connect with all other warp gates within their reach, right?" "I know." "And, do you remember that I configured the network between warp gates, creating gate passages directly to the destination without wandering around?" "Somewhat." The existing warp gate system, in other words, was like a randomly built subway line with too many transfer stations ¨C like spaghetti code. It was like the very first subway stations that were built were terribly outdated. Although the outdated aspect was not visible. But Harriet designed this from scratch. There was no need to disembark at gate waypoints and board again, disembark and board again, as with long-distance travel in the past. "So, to travel long distances, we need a waypoint in between, right? Building a Nexus to connect the gates?" "Nexus...?" "We need a connection point for amplifying warp gate signals. It serves as a waypoint among the warp gate functions, but people don''t actually pass through it." "Did you develop that as well? That quickly?" "¡­Of course not. It''s just that if you make only half of a warp gate, it becomes a Nexus." "¡­Huh?" "Don''t you understand?" "Of course not." Teacher, I don''t understand what you''re saying. Harriet draws a diagram. 1 - 2 - 3 "Let''s say it''s a straight path." "Yes, senior." "¡­What are you saying?" "No, go on with the explanation." "So, normally, you have to complete all the warp gates for points 1, 2, and 3 to be connected." "That''s right." "But now, since most of the cities are destroyed, there''s no need to build warp gates in every location. Right? There''s not even a city at point 2. But we want to connect points 1 and 3. However, points 1 and 3 are too far away. Let''s assume that." "Uh-huh." ¡°At first, there is no need to fully complete the warp gate at point 2; it is only necessary to build half of it to serve as a transfer point. Do you understand what I''m saying?" "Like a stepping stone?" "Exactly." I finally understood the meaning. "In the previous warp gate technology, we had to build a warp gate at point 2 as well. However, that would mean that unnecessary resources would be invested in building a warp gate at point 2, which would only be used as a transfer point. By shortening that process and recognizing that there''s no actual need for people to come and go at point 2, it would suffice to have a structure there that only performs certain functions of the warp gate. The term ''Nexus'' is a convenient name, and if you just build a small part of the warp gate, it can serve as a Nexus. If later on it seems necessary to build a warp gate at point 2 as well, we can complete the half-built Nexus into a warp gate since they''re fundamentally the same structure." Hmm. I still couldn''t fully understand, but I grasped enough of what was being said. It was like setting up a temporary station, connecting it first, and then completing it into a proper station when needed. And more importantly. The cost of connecting the entire continent with warp gates could be astronomically reduced. The inefficient technology that had persisted since its development had completely disappeared, and now a completely efficient operation was possible. Harriet smiled at me, who had half-understood what she was saying. "Do you know why I''ve been telling you this long story?" "How should I praise you?" "¡­What do you think of me?" Harriet narrowed her eyes, saying she didn''t say all that just to get a compliment. "The point is that it''s not impossible to connect the Empire and Edina with warp gates. It can now be done at a much lower cost." I couldn''t help but widen my eyes at her words. Connecting the Empire and Edina with warp gates was an extremely dangerous thing to do. The Empire still didn''t know where we were. That''s why we could be safe. But Harriet certainly wasn''t saying this because she wanted to destroy Edina. "We can bring the anti-Imperial forces on the Imperial Capital directly to Edina. Then, nobody would have to get hurt." "¡­" "Weren''t you thinking about leading all those people out of the Imperial Capital when the situation explodes? You know that''s impossible." The seeds of division had already been sown and sprouted, and they were growing. At some point, when this division became apparent, a huge number of people would die. There was an option to topple the Empire. And another option. I could lead those who followed me away from the Imperial Capital, heading endlessly south toward Edina. Would it be war or a great journey? Both options would clearly result in the sacrifice of a great number of people. Driving people into the jaws of death in an attempt to avoid war would be foolish. But would it be wise to start a civil war in Imperial Capital the moment this division became apparent? I hadn''t chosen what to do. I was just thinking that I might have to do it. Connecting the Empire and Edina with warp gates was undeniably a very dangerous thing to do. However, if tens of millions of people could be divided without fighting because of it, it would be better than the great journey. "It doesn''t have to be that way." "..." "But we''ve gained a new possibility, and even if it''s not this way, we''ve obtained a necessary means to rebuild the world." Depending on its use, the warp gate could be a technology for war or for prosperity and reconstruction. "And for now, I''m focusing on connecting the archipelago. If the travel time between the islands is reduced, not only will unity increase, but the central administration''s control will also grow stronger. You know there was a reason the empire''s authority was absolute after the development of the warp gate, right?" First, reconnect the whole islands in Edina Archipelago with the warp gate. The next task would be the next task. It was amazing that such a world-changing technology had come from such a small, cute head. "I''ll grant you one wish. What is it?" With this mood, I could do anything! Even if you asked me to bite my tongue and die, I could do it! What do you want! I''ll do it all! "Don''t be so serious... Well..." "No, it''s not just one. Just say it! Anything! Just! Whatever! I''ll do it all!" "That''s too much pressure!" Harriet seemed to not have expected my passionate response, and after hesitating for a long time, she sighed. "Never mind, just turn into a cat." Wait. What? Suddenly? "But I did that last time too...!" She, too, was a severe cat syndrome patient, just like Ellen? She kept asking me whenever she get the chance! And was that all? "Is that a no?" She looked at me as if to say, you acted like you''d do anything, but you can''t even do that? Well. If the price for creating a new warp gate was that... It might feel like too much of a bargain... "Are you going to do it?" "...Of course." In the end, that night. I had to fall asleep with her holding me in the form of a cat. Honestly, wasn¡¯t this just basically a win for me...? I thought that, too. CH 621 The next day. "¡­I know now." -¡­ "You actually enjoy this quite a bit." As I was being carried in Harriet''s arms, passing through the corridor, Charlotte, who bumped into us, said that with a slightly troubled expression as she looked at me in my cat form. -Meow! "And pretending not to enjoy it like this makes me even angrier." No! I didn''t enjoy it that much! In the first place, it was Harriet who asked for it! "Why? It''s cute." Of course, Harriet was vigorously stroking my head. Yeah. How could I not do it when she liked it this much? Huh? "It''s not that I disagree, but this will only make a bad habit worse." That''s a bit harsh. Not that it will worsen the habit, but that the bad habit was already there and would get worse. Anyway, my habits weren''t exactly good to begin with. "Anyway, lend him to me for a while. I have something to talk about." "Uh? Oh, okay." Harriet hesitantly handed me over to Charlotte. Of course, our (former) princess showed no mercy. -Thud! The princess grabbed me by the scruff of my neck. -Hiss! "Hey, hey! You can''t do that!" "It''s not even a real cat, so what''s the problem? And besides, what does it matter if it were a real cat? It''s a world where people treat each other like that anyway." Harriet fretted, asking Charlotte not to be so rough, but Charlotte paid no attention. "I''ll come to pick him up later." "Uhh..." -Meow! Meow! "Quiet." -¡­ If I made any more fuss, I felt like I''d be swung around a few times, so I hung there quietly. Not everyone likes cats. Of course, it seemed less like disliking cats and more like disliking me pretending to be a cat. Charlotte took me to her office and sat me down in a chair. I naturally returned to my human form. Charlotte sat opposite me, resting her chin on her palm and gazing at me intently. "There''s a lot I''m grateful to you for, and I really like you, but you''re such an exceptionally weird pervert. I didn''t think it''d be this bad." That''s true. I never thought I''d have this kind of taste. But isn''t this enjoyable? Do you know how many people just pass by if you''re cute? Even those who know who I am laugh at me. To what extent? Even Gallarush didn''t have a bad reaction, right? Isn''t it all said and done if I''m eaten by an orc vampire? No, was it because it was unbelievable? "Since you like me, please like this part of me too." "¡­" "¡­I''m sorry." I got goosebumps all over my body when Charlotte suddenly looked serious. Let''s not go overboard with everything. Charlotte''s red eyes stared at me. "By the way, is there something you couldn''t say during yesterday''s meeting?" "It''s not that I couldn''t say it, but it wasn''t something to be discussed in that setting." "What is it?" "Olivia Lanze wants to make use of Eleion Bolton." "Ah¡­" "It''s a shame to leave such a valuable person idle, isn''t it? He''s skilled and a veteran." Eleion Bolton had handed over the position of Holy Knights'' Commander to Rowan with a very simple transfer of authority. Therefore, when the Allied Forces began their march, Rowan would be in charge of commanding the Holy Knights There was some noise surrounding the matter. Naturally, the members of the Holy Knight Order in the allied forces couldn''t help but know that Eleion Bolton''s sudden retirement wasn''t voluntary. They couldn''t help but realize that there was some political intrigue involved. However, Eleion Bolton''s closest associates had already been silenced. Though they knew that the top brass of the Holy Knight Order had defected to the Demon King, they were well aware of the repercussions that would come from exposing that fact. Everything couldn''t go smoothly. Eleion Bolton was a person who couldn''t be left alone, and the inevitable noise had to be accepted in order to swallow the Holy Knight whole. Thus, if Rowan failed to take control of the Holy Knight Order of the allied forces, Eleion Bolton might be reinserted into the mix. That would ultimately be both Rowan''s and my failure. Anyway, although Eleion Bolton had retired as the former Holy Knight Commander quite unexpectedly, he was spending his retirement in the territory of the Demon King. That wasn''t entirely without significance. Eleion Bolton''s closest associates knew the ins and outs of the incident, and that Eleion Bolton had come under my influence after his retirement. They didn''t know about Edina Archipelago, however. For that reason, those loyal to Eleion Bolton were essentially held hostage by their current master. There was a reason why they couldn''t act rashly. Suddenly, Olivia Lanze wanted to use the retired Eleion Bolton. "How? It''s absurd to deploy him in the war, isn''t it?" "She''ll figure it out. The important thing is that it seems she wants to make him agree with the banner of the United Holy Church." "Ah... She wants to convert him?" "That''s right." There''s really no such thing as a Demon God. In the end, there were only other names given to the Divine. Moreover, the powers they manifested were not consistent. Olivia Lanze wanted to turn the former Holy Knight Commander into a member of the United Holy Church. "To be honest, I''m not sure about that..." I half-agree with the saying that a position makes a person. To be precise, a position creates arrogance. If I were captured by the empire and forced to participate in some affair, I couldn''t help but feel miserable. Even more so if it were against my will. Of course, Eleion Bolton had no say in the matter, but I didn''t want to force such a thing on a person of his stature and create resentment. Even if Eleion Bolton developed some resentment, it wasn''t a situation where he could do anything significant. "Reinhardt, what would happen if Eleion Bolton were converted?" "He''d become one of our priests or holy knights, I suppose...?" The United Holy Church is not a cult of the Demon Gods. It''s just a new form of faith that agrees with the notion that both the cult of the Demon Gods and the Five Great Religions share the same roots. It''s different from both the Five Great Religions and the cult of the Demon Gods, and it''s closer to the essence. Eleion Bolton would be converted to the United Holy Church, not the Five Great Religions. What could that mean? "His thoughts on the cult of the Demon Gods would change, and then what would happen?" "He''d be able to use the divine power of the Demon Gods... Well, it depends on how he does it." Priests of the Holy Order sometimes used opposing holy powers. Of course, not all of them could do this, but it was not so rare either. Prominently, the Holy Knights of Tu''an wielded both healing and corrupting powers. Olivia Lanze was one such example. "That''s the important part." "Do you want to empower Eleion Bolton? It might help, but as long as they have immortals, aren''t the chances high that we won''t participate in the war? And I''m not sure if he''ll be on our side properly. It seems better to leave things as they are." "..." Charlotte widened her eyes. "...Sorry, can you tell me which part was stupid and how?" "I thought you just habitually said you don''t fit in and can''t do well in politics and governing, but... it seems to be true." King''s annoyance. Everyone knew that I disliked that. "If Eleion Bolton could use the holy power of the demon god, and if he truly becomes influenced by the United Holy Church, not only would there be backlash within the Holy Knights, but it could also cause huge waves within the main Holy Order, provided we show it publicly." "Ah... so this was about politics." I hadn''t thought about that aspect since I had been focused only on the war. The conversation was not about the individual strength of Eleion Bolton. Not about strengthening Eleion Bolton with the demon god¡¯s divine power, but the influence that the fact of his conversion itself could bring. That was what they were talking about. "Even if Rowan has taken control of the forces in the capital, it''s inevitable that she''ll struggle to control the Holy Knights of the allied forces. Depending on the situation, we may need to reinstate Eleion Bolton. However, it would be better if we could change Eleion Bolton''s way of thinking a bit before doing so." Reinstating Eleion Bolton assumed Rowan''s failure. But in that case, if Eleion Bolton had already been influenced by the Holy Order, he would take over the tasks Rowan should have done but failed. In fact, many people at the allied forces'' garrison were suspicious and resentful about the sudden change of the Holy Knights'' commander. Rowan was experiencing the same situation Eleion Bolton had faced in the empire. Rowan was a parachuted commander who appeared under suspicious circumstances of a sudden replacement. There were bound to be difficulties, and those difficulties would grow. Olivia Lanze had predicted such a future and was considering the idea of converting and reinstating Eleion Bolton as a commander while he was idle. Rowan had control of the capital, and Eleion Bolton controlled the Holy Knights of the allied forces. "Capturing Eleion Bolton completely and converting him would indeed be the best option..." It made sense why Olivia thought that way and why Charlotte positively assessed Olivia''s proposal. "Hmm... it would have been better if this was done earlier." Back then, we had a lot to do, like overhauling the structure of the Five Great Religions and keeping it hidden from the outside. But now, I thought it would have been better if we had done it much earlier. "No, if we had done it hastily, it would have only caused resentment." Charlotte shook her head. "Rather, now is the perfect time." Approximately two months. It had been enough time for me to organize my thoughts and feel the change in my emotions. ------ Could Eleion Bolton be considered a prisoner of war? The empire and us were at war, but it wasn''t a war where we were pointing our swords at each other. Should I say that we were secretly forming an alliance against a common enemy? When faced with my question of whether to die or retire, Eleion Bolton didn''t insist on fighting to the death. In a way, he was a general who had unknowingly entered enemy territory without realizing that it was, in fact, enemy territory and had been captured. He hadn''t defected, but he was in my hands. While he couldn''t exactly be considered a prisoner of war, Eleion Bolton''s situation was virtually no different from being one. In fact, considering the position he held, he could be said to be a prisoner of a higher status than a king. So, even if Eleion Bolton didn''t have any authority at the moment, it would be appropriate to treat him with the respect due to his status. Furthermore, we were going to try to persuade him. That''s why Charlotte, the regent of Edina, and I, the actual ruler of Edina, decided to meet with Eleion Bolton together. "But, you know, I''m not sure if this is right." "¡­Right?" "Even though we''re both nobles¡­ Even if Liana says it''s fine¡­" "Living there?" "Yeah." Eleion Bolton was neither a noble nor a royal, but he had held the very special position of Holy Knights'' Commander. It had been difficult for us to find a place suitable for such a prominent figure to retire and receive proper treatment. Initially, Lazak, the royal capital, was not large enough to be called a capital. It was inevitable for a small country''s capital, but to Charlotte, who had been a princess, it must have felt like a shabby provincial lord''s castle. We had forced Eleion Bolton to retire, but we didn''t want to treat him poorly. However, we didn''t have a suitable place to treat him. Charlotte and I were walking along a quiet path on the outskirts of Lazak. "Lady Yelena said it''s fine, and Bolton himself said it''s okay. What''s the problem? Liana doesn''t seem to have any issues with it, so it doesn''t seem dangerous." "¡­Is that so?" So Eleion Bolton had ended up staying at the mansion of Yelena, Liana''s mother, on the outskirts of Lazak like a guest. That place. The vacation house of the Grantz family, where we had stopped by after returning from Darkland during our first-year summer vacation. When we were worrying about what to do with Eleion Bolton''s lodging during the council of elders meeting, Liana casually suggested that he could stay there. One of the countless ducal vacation houses built during the heyday of the Grantz Ducal family, we couldn''t have provided a better environment for him. In fact, both Eleion Bolton and Duchess Yelena seemed to get along well without any issues. But¡­ Somehow¡­ It felt odd! I couldn''t exactly say what was wrong! I knew it wasn''t strange at all! I might be a little conservative, but still! It felt a bit off! "What are you thinking about all the time?" "¡­" Charlotte looked at me with a disgusted expression and then walked ahead with large strides. Right? Was I the strange one? ------ Strictly speaking, the residence of the Duchess of Grantz, Liana''s mother, was a more luxurious building than the Lazak Royal Palace. The Grantz Duchy had held a power incomparable to that of the southern archipelago''s minor kingdom, the Edina Royal Family. In a way, it was only natural. There was bound to be a difference between the imperial nobility and the royal families, even among the top tier. Not all royals were necessarily above the nobility. Some were both nobility and royalty at the same time. Harriet, the daughter of the Archduke of Saint Owan, was a noblewoman but in fact not much different from royalty. Now the Grantz Ducal Mansion, which should be called the main residence rather than a villa. As we approached the mansion overlooking the beach after passing through a secluded path, someone''s back came into view. A familiar figure. "¡­What brings you here?" Upon hearing footsteps, Liana turned towards me and asked. She then glanced at Charlotte, who had come with me. "Considering you brought the regent, it''s not a personal matter." "Well, that''s true." There was no particular reason to come here for personal matters. I rarely visited this place; I usually called her when there was work to be done. "We came to see Sir Bolton." "Ah, that gentleman." The once prestigious and powerful Holy Knight Commander had now become a guest gentleman. Well, Liana would probably have called Bolton "that gentleman" even when he was the active Holy Knight Commander. Liana gestured towards the beach. "He''s taking a walk." "A walk?" "He went with my mother. They should be back soon?" Hmm. "¡­Ouch!" As I was about to say something, Charlotte pinched my side. "¡­What are you doing?" Liana tilted her head, looking at Charlotte who suddenly pinched my side. "Huh? Oh, it''s nothing." Charlotte shrugged her shoulders with an awkward smile. CH 622 Although the allied forces were about to set out, we were no longer necessary to them. Hence, most people were on standby, but Liana had a special mission. Absolute stability. Exactly as it sounds. Liana, who had gained the attribute of bringing rain when she cried, had to take a special drug to control the weather. It was similar to a depression inducer. Thus, Liana had to exhaust her mental energy, not her magical or physical strength, to unleash her powerful ability. What was usually demanded of Liana was to maintain her composure. She constantly took depression inducers, so that she would not lose her ability to use her power when it was truly needed. So Liana usually spent her time at the mansion as if she was recovering. The last time she had used her ability was to melt the heavy snowfall that had fallen in the Imperial Capital. We drank tea until Eleion Bolton and the Duchess returned. Although not as much as before, this villa still had servants. It was one of the few places where one could live like a noble in Edina. "Are you going to convert him completely?" "If we can." "Hmm... Do we really need to go that far? He doesn''t seem like he would cause any trouble." That''s right. Unlike Harriet, who was teased as a blockhead just by words, Liana was more of a true blockhead. And like I couldn''t understand the meaning of converting Eleion Bolton, nor the intentions of Charlotte and Olivia, Liana couldn''t understand it either. Moreover, she even perceived the attempt to convert Eleion Bolton as a form of mental reconditioning, since she didn''t know if he would cause trouble. "Would we teach an old retired man''s mind just because we have nothing else to do?" "You don''t have anything else to do, though." "That, that''s true..." Although a blockhead, she still didn''t get along well with me! "Depending on the situation, we may need to recall Bolton. We''re just preparing for that." Instead of me, Charlotte spoke up. "Recall...?" "Sending him back to his position." "¡­Do you think I asked because I didn''t know the term ''recall''?" "Could it be that you actually know it?" At my words, Liana slightly opened her mouth. This... "What do you really think of me? Seriously?" It seemed like she had tried to act knowledgeable, but ended up losing face. Why do you know that? What are you anyway? "You¡¯re just a lucky girl who got comfortable abilities for both your head and body." "¡­" "¡­" Did I go too far? Sparks began to fly from Liana''s furrowed brow. -Sizzle! Sizzle! "Do you really want to fight?" "Want to try?" "Stop it! Why are you acting like children?" Charlotte sighed, looking at Liana and me taking turns with disdain as we bickered during a serious conversation. Liana tilted her head, looking at Charlotte. "But, technically, we''re still children." That''s true. But I''m not a child. I''m definitely not a child. "¡­" "Why the sour face?" "No... I was wrong." At my apology, both Charlotte and Liana looked puzzled. Trying to win against a child at this age and scratching at them. I couldn''t believe how pathetic I was! "Why haven''t you fixed the habit of saying unnecessary things?" "That''s true." That''s right? Why can''t I grow up? Is it too late? "Reinstating that old man? What are you talking about?" "It''s not yet decided. Although the Imperial Capital¡¯s power has been seized, there may be some resistance from the Holy Knight division of the Allied Forces command. Our goal is to convert the entire Holy Knights into the United Holy Order. If Eleion Bolton, who will act as the leader, can use the divine power of Demon God, the process will become easier." "Ah... So that''s what it is." Only then did Liana seem to understand, slowly nodding her head. Even if the popes had been alive, Eleion Bolton would have had no choice but to cooperate with me. However, by choosing Rowan, I now had the option to convert the entire Five Great Religions into the United Holy Church. Even if I reinstated him now, he wouldn''t dare oppose me, as it would bring about a greater crisis. But it was even better if we agreed to the United Holy Church''s banner after Rowan had failed, if she failed at all. Charlotte took a sip of her tea. Her appearance had changed a lot from the past, but her elegance was still felt even in the way she drank tea. Watching Charlotte made me realize that elegance was a very subtle thing. It seemed similar to grace, yet it was entirely different. It wasn''t ostentatious but subtly revealed. If one tried to imitate elegance and overdid it, it would look ridiculous. The person just acted as usual without any thought, and it felt elegant. The essence of elegance. That was probably what it was. If you look closely, something would make your heart flutter. Anyway, there was something like that, right? "Hm? Guests have arrived." We hadn''t been talking for long when the duchess and Eleion Bolton returned to the mansion. Duchess Yelena de Grantz. And former Holy Knight Commander Eleion Bolton. "Hello, Duchess. It''s been a while since I''ve visited." "It has been quite some time since I last saw Your Highness, the Princess. The Demon King was also very polite." "Ah, yes..." Charlotte stood up and greeted her properly, while I awkwardly rose and scratched the back of my head. Elegance. I didn''t know exactly what it was, but I was sure I wouldn''t have it until the day I died. "Did you come to see me?" As soon as he saw us, Eleion Bolton seemed to know the reason and looked at Charlotte and me with a stern expression. Yes, it was time to get to the main point. Charlotte looked at me. "Reinhardt?" "Yeah." As I looked at her with a determined expression, Charlotte smiled brightly and pointed outside. "You should go out." "...Huh?" "It''s better if you''re not here." "But I can also fight while being invisible... When needed, I can hide...!" Liana is my friend! I wouldn''t say that to Eleion Bolton! At my protest, Charlotte''s expression turned cold. "Leave." "Yes..." In the end, I was kicked out. ------ As it was a crucial moment for the discussion, Charlotte and Eleion Bolton were left behind, while Liana and the duchess tactfully left the mansion. And I was kicked out. Liana laughed at me. "Does it feel good? Why did you say something unnecessary and reduce the little trust you had?" "Shouldn''t I see it as trusting Charlotte enough to leave such an important position to her?" Wasn''t it? "I know it didn''t look that way at all." Yeah, I knew it wasn''t the case. Negotiation, politics. I neither knew well nor had any taste for them. I was only grateful that Charlotte took care of such matters and thought more diligently about them than I did. Huh? But then, why did I come here? Wasn''t it enough to leave it to Charlotte? Ah, if I hadn''t wasted time arguing with Liana, I would have been sitting there. Being scolded by a subject and kicked out as a king, something felt strange about it. Of course, I did hope for this. Rather than an overly hierarchical relationship, I hoped for one where we could treat each other more comfortably. Leave. That was a bit too much... I''ll definitely tell her later how hurt I was... It''s not just a saying; I''ll really tell her... Anyway, in the end, I had nothing to do until Charlotte finished talking, so I strolled along the beach. I, the duchess, and Liana. I didn''t know about Liana, but I didn''t see the duchess very often. "The Allied Forces will begin advancing again, right?" "Yes? Ah... Yes. They seem to be leaving in a few days." The duchess must have heard from Liana, so she knew to some extent how the world was turning and asked me about it. After becoming a king from a friend of her daughter, and after coming to this place, the duchess treated me disdainfully. Honestly, she wasn''t very pleasant at first sight. Of course, she openly showed her disapproval of her daughter mingling with low-born people, and even went so far as to invite only Harriet to breakfast. She was extremely sensitive about status and was a very worldly person. It was clear that she had a very bad relationship with the now deceased Duke of Grantz. However, in the end, the Duchess of Grantz seemed to have undergone a significant change of heart after the death of the duke. She reconciled with her daughter and even informed her that the real culprit who killed the Duke of Grantz was not the Demon King, urging her to take revenge on her father. People change. A worldly person cannot be worldly all their life. A person who was pure can become worldly. A wicked person can become good. A good person can become wicked. People change. Whether the change is big or small, people cannot help but change as they live. The Duchess of Grantz changed, I changed, Liana changed. And Charlotte and Eleion Bolton changed as well. We would continue to change and change again. "Will you also go to the battlefield like last time?" "I think we need to watch the situation for now, but I''m not sure what will happen. If the situation isn''t bad, we may not need to fight ourselves. I can''t say for sure." "I see..." At my words, the duchess sighed. It was a sigh of relief. Only then did I realize something I had completely overlooked, buried in my thoughts. The duchess was sending her daughter to the battlefield. A place of death and terror where horrendous monsters roamed. No matter how strong a supernatural her daughter was, no parent would be happy about it. Moreover, her daughter''s mental state deteriorated as she used her abilities. Regardless of whether she survived the war or not, she must have known the suffering. From the duchess''s point of view, I was the one who kept taking her daughter to the battlefield. Therefore, I must have been an unwelcome person. I hadn''t seen it often, but the mere fact that the duchess hadn''t shown any signs of her feelings to me was enough to know she was good at hiding her emotions. A person who constantly sends their child to the battlefield... What would I have done in her shoes? If I had a child and their friend kept taking my son or daughter to the battlefield, claiming their abilities were necessary. They had returned safely so far, but there was no telling how long that would last. It was fortunate that they hadn''t been caught yet. Liana was too valuable a person. A parent''s worry, sorrow, and fear had to be ignored. "May I ask why you spared Sir Bolton?" I couldn''t help but be taken aback by her sudden question. I thought they were on good terms since they took walks together, but was that not the case at all? Liana''s expression hardened at the duchess''s unexpected words. "Did Sir Eleion Bolton cause any trouble?" I hadn''t thought he was the type to cause mischief, but if he had secretly stirred up trouble, I couldn''t just let it go. "Not at all." I didn''t sense any anger or similar emotions towards Eleion Bolton from the duchess''s expression. "He may not be the best conversationalist, but he is an honorable man with high principles, understanding, and consideration." While I couldn''t say she was fond of him, her words conveyed that she respected Eleion Bolton enough. Then why ask the reason I had left him live? "It''s not Sir Bolton''s importance that I''m curious about, but rather the reason you spared him." Was it a question unrelated to Eleion Bolton''s attitude or actions? It was a question aimed at me from the start, not Eleion Bolton. "...I didn''t think it was necessary to do that." By not killing him, as I did now, I might have discovered a new use for Eleion Bolton. The duchess looked at me with a stern expression in response to my words. "Necessary... necessary... you say." With that, she murmured to herself and walked silently. The atmosphere had become tense. "When all this is over, what do you plan to do with the empire?" "The empire... you ask?" "Yes." At the duchess''s words, I felt a lump in my throat. Bertus had killed Duke Grantz. Liana wanted revenge, and the duchess likely felt the same. Bertus was a royal of the empire. As such, he was not only responsible for keeping the greatest threat to the empire, the Demon King, in check, but also for eliminating revolutionary forces that could shake the empire''s foundation. That was Bertus''s duty and something he had to protect. Bertus had to kill Duke Grantz. However, the duchess had lost her husband, and Liana had lost her father. It was only natural for them to hate the empire and Bertus. These natural occurrences. What must I do, and who am I to do it? Especially if it leads to someone''s natural desire for revenge. Where did the problem begin, and who is truly at fault? If everyone does what they believe they should, and all that builds up is hatred, anger, and a desire for revenge, is there something fundamentally wrong with the world? "If I say I won''t destroy the empire, will you hate me?" "Can you hate me more than you do now?" She was blunt, this woman. "Mother, please." "I have many things to be grateful for from the Demon King, but you must understand that I cannot help but feel this way." "¡­I suppose there''s nothing to be done." "You don''t need to understand my dislike of you." "¡­Excuse me?" "Why should you understand why I dislike you?" Her unexpected comment left me somewhat dazed. "In this chaotic world where even your own survival is difficult, why are you trying so hard to understand so much?" "¡­" "Why should someone who bears the burden of an entire nation and countless lives prioritize understanding others?" "¡­" "You should hate those who hate you." The Duchess looked at me as she spoke. Her words were not advice or criticism, but rather a scolding tone. "You must kill those who try to kill you." "¡­" "Is that all?" I had nothing to say in response. "Sometimes, you have to kill those who don''t want to kill you. You have to hate those who don''t hate you, and there will be times when you must take the lives of those who don''t resent you." "¡­" "Even those who have loved you all their lives, and who have never thought of betraying you, must be killed if necessary. That is the life of an emperor. Watching coldly as someone dies in tears and wails, with their face stained with a sense of betrayal, is the life of an emperor." "¡­" "Do you think there has ever been an emperor in history who ruled with mercy, warmth, and understanding?" "¡­There probably hasn''t." "No country has ever been built without taking something from others. Those who are not accustomed to taking cannot maintain or possess anything." "¡­" "So why are you trying to be an emperor as a human?" With love, understanding, and mercy. There couldn''t have been a history of uniting the world through such things. To build a mountain, one must take and take again. A tower of gold built from the stolen items, and atop the highest peak sits the throne of the greatest thief in the world. That is a nation. A hat made of stolen gold leaf is placed on the head, called a crown, and the one who wears it becomes the king. Steal a little and you''re a thief, steal a lot and you''re a great thief who goes down in history. Steal everything in the world, and no one will call you a thief. The beginning of all this was my plundering of Edina''s throne. I, too, started by taking. "Those who only topple those who deserve hatred, those who deserve to be hated, may become avengers or righteous bandits, but they cannot sit on the throne of dominion, and they must not." Yes. It''s not about toppling those who deserve hatred. It''s about turning the fallen into those who deserve hatred. That''s what it means to be an emperor. That''s what history is about. At times, I must kill even those who love me and calmly look into their eyes, filled with betrayal in their dying moments. Trying to be a king as a human is arrogant. The Duchess was pointing out my arrogance. Are you so great that you can be a king as a human? Can you protect everyone while acting so carelessly? You, who only uses my daughter, can you really protect her? She was scolding me. "He may have gained neighbors through this approach, but weren''t neighbors the most terrifying beings in the world?" Neighbors could always become our allies. But it was always the neighbors who took something away from us. Neighbors were equal beings. Thus, a king didn''t need neighbors. For a king, all beings in the world should be beneath him. As Bertus had once said, All were equal beneath me, in that kind of arrogance. A different kind of arrogance was necessary. That attitude had to be present. Duchess Grantz looked at me. "I dislike the un-cruel you." Her dislike of me wasn''t solely due to bringing her daughter into war. My approach of sparing the enemy commander, allowing him to live peacefully like this. Though sparing Eleion Bolton might have its uses, she pointed out that I hadn''t spared him for his usefulness alone. She didn''t dislike Eleion Bolton. She seemed to consider my approach of sparing him dangerous. A king who takes his daughter to war would be unwelcome. But a king who has no intention of truly killing his enemies, who lets his kingdom be swayed by acceptance and wholeness, would be even more unwelcome if her daughter had to live in that land. Wars would eventually end, but a king who was indecisive and compassionate would permanently endanger the kingdom. "A king must kill even the harmless. Sometimes, he must even devour the dog he raised." This approach of not killing someone unless they reveal their teeth. Not killing someone who doesn''t show me their teeth. Only trying to kill the despicable ones. It seemed she didn''t like my approach of only trying to kill those who were definitively my enemies. Duchess Grantz spoke to me as if scolding a child. "Do you intend to convince the sheep inside the fence that the hunger of the wolves and foxes outside is inevitable? Even when you don''t know whether they''re wolves in dog''s skin, do you plan to let them in simply because they haven''t shown their teeth to me?" I had no answer to the Duchess''s words. Eleion Bolton was not a wolf. The Duchess knew that. But she was scolding me for bringing someone into the fence without knowing whether they were a dog or a wolf, thinking there was no need to kill them. Someday, I would bring a wolf in dog''s skin into the fence. That''s what she was saying. "That is the most dangerous tyranny." A king who dispenses death lightly is a tyrant. A king who values death too highly is a dark lord. "Your Majesty." The Duchess knelt before me. And desperately, She implored. "Please become a cruel sovereign." A king and a saint were different. If you tried to be a king with the ways of a saint, you could neither have nor protect anything. Duchess Grantz begged. CH 623 On the way to persuade Eleion Bolton, I found myself not speaking with Eleion Bolton at all, but instead listening to the soft yet firm rebuke of the duchess. Foolish pride does not make one a tyrant or a despot. No, there were simply too many foolish things a person seated on the throne could do. There could be a tyrant who killed people without proper principles or one who waged endless wars of conquest without justifiable reasons. However, paying too much attention to the circumstances of outsiders and refusing to kill enemies who hadn''t bared their teeth against me could also be tyrannical in its own right. The duchess pointed out that the scope of my definition of who needed to be killed was far too narrow. It could be a threat. In this dangerous age, when merely the possibility of a threat was enough to warrant annihilating someone, I had been criticized for prioritizing not killing those whose allegiance was unclear. Wasn''t it enough to just kill the enemy? Was that too human a way of thinking? Once an enemy was confirmed, the foe would have already bared their teeth, and battle would be inevitable. There was also a way of killing before they became an enemy. I was no born king. But how long could I use that as an excuse? Now that I was already a king, it could not be justified or excused that I lacked the qualities necessary to be one. I had nothing to say to the duchess who felt uneasy and thought my way was dangerous. I agreed with her. While it would take all my strength to protect the sheep within the fence, I had been living my life thinking that the pack of beasts roaming outside the fence might also be sheep. A king should protect the inside of the fence and consider everything outside the fence as the enemy. I had not been doing that. If the land where I and my children lived was ruled by a monarch with such a disposition, I would dislike that country too. It wasn''t about killing Eleion Bolton. She had asked if I intended to continue this way and if I knew how dangerous it was. No one had built a nation on love, understanding, and mercy. A throne could only be built upon what had been taken. And that throne had to be maintained with blood. If asked whether I knew this truth, I couldn''t say I didn''t. It was just hard to accept. The duchess hadn''t told me something only she knew. She had told me something everyone around me knew but didn''t dare tell me. It could be because they were sorry, or because they knew I would struggle with it, or because they didn''t want to burden me further. The duchess had told me something everyone knew but no one said to me. That, too, was ultimately an act of courage. Our walk was neither long nor short. We just walked silently in the heavy atmosphere. Upon returning to the mansion, Eleion Bolton and Charlotte were already outside. Had their conversation ended? "Reinhardt, Sir Bolton would like to speak with you for a moment." "¡­Really?" I wasn''t sure how the conversation had unfolded. However, judging by Charlotte''s expression, it didn''t seem to have had too terrible an outcome. ------ I had a private conversation with Eleion Bolton. Not inside the mansion, but outside. The footprints on the beach where we had just walked remained undisturbed. I wasn''t sure what they had discussed, but my heart felt even heavier. "I don''t think I''ve ever had a choice." "¡­Really?" Originally, in the novel, the leader of the Holy Knights was Riverrier Lanze. And it hadn''t changed. Olivia Lanze had exited the story in the margins. Eleion Bolton was also one of the marginal characters. I didn''t know Riverrier Lanze''s personal affairs, let alone Eleion Bolton''s. I only knew about his public affairs. Eleion Bolton became the next leader of the Holy Knights due to the downfall of the radical Riverrier Lanze. It probably wasn''t his will. The empire wanted Eleion Bolton to be the leader of the Holy Knights. And whether the popes had received their influence or not, they must have wanted to keep Riverrier Lanze, one of the main protagonists in the Demon War and a war hero, in check. They wouldn''t have wanted the influence of the leader of the Holy Knights to grow too much. Eleion Bolton became the leader of the Holy Knights due to various circumstances. Whether he wanted to be the leader of the Holy Knights or not was irrelevant. Even in the situation just before the Gate incident, he had been swayed by the opinions of the pope, Ellen, and Olivia. And as time passed, the popes chose to turn the Order into the Demon King¡¯s clutches on their own accord. Just a few days later, he was forced to step down. And now, he had been offered to become a Holy Knight of the United Holy Order due to the possibility of returning to his position as the leader of the Holy Knights. Looking at it this way, he was a person who had been pushed around to an almost cruel extent. Despite having considerable authority, strength, and power, he was a person who showed that one could still be swayed by greater powers and wills. "And now, even the gods I''ve believed in so far have all been lies." That''s right. From the beginning, the teachings about the five gods and the demon gods were all in vain. There was no truth anywhere, and even faith had been arbitrarily reinterpreted. "Moreover, Tiamata has two forms." "¡­Yes." "Can you show me?" Perhaps just hearing about it wasn''t enough. Or maybe he needed to see with his own eyes that the power of the gods was truly arbitrary, as the United Holy Order said. I didn''t know which one it was, but I summoned Tiamata to my right hand. The pure white sword spirit of purity, Tiamata. But this wasn''t what he wanted. -Kurung! I didn''t even need a command anymore. Tiamata''s sword spirit, reacting to my will, began to darken and ooze darkness. "¡­The aura of corruption." Eleion Bolton stared at the demonic Tiamata in silence. "Is that enough?" "That''s enough." As I dismissed the demonic Tiamata, Eleion Bolton gave a bitter smile. "Are the gods malicious, or have we misunderstood them all this time?" Even here, gods were considered beings beyond human understanding. However, they lent their power even when misunderstood. They lent their power because they thought they were properly believed in, but in fact, they lent their power even when they were misunderstood. What were the gods? Eleion Bolton seemed to be lost in such a fundamental question. "I don''t suppose the United Holy Order has a complete understanding of the gods either." The Demon Gods and the Great Gods were the same beings. It was even questionable whether the five Great Gods were truly the five Great Gods. "Although I can''t reveal the source, I''ll share an interesting fact." "Is there anything more surprising for me here?" "Vampires were originally derived from the Sun God and the Moon God." The truth that Luna Artorious had shared. Vampires were actually born of the gods. Those who sought immortality prayed to the Moon, and they received the Moon''s blessing while simultaneously being cursed by the Sun. That was the beginning of vampires, or so he had heard. After longing for forgiveness from the gods for a long time, they were finally granted it. But in exchange, they became beings forever separated from the world. "It doesn''t sound like a joke." Eleion Bolton laughed bitterly, as if realizing that something that didn''t even qualify as a cheap joke was actually the truth. "Actually, saying I never had a choice is a lie." "...?" "I just didn''t have an opinion." If that''s what he meant, then perhaps that was the case. "If I didn''t want to be the commander of the Holy Knights, I could have refused. But I didn''t do that." "If I had decided to kill or save the Demon King, I could have done so. But I didn''t make any choices." "If I wanted to object to the Pope''s decision to support you, I could have said so. I didn''t do that either." "When you requested retirement and I didn''t like it, I could have drawn my sword. But I didn''t do that either." "I just went along with the tide. Always." "Looking back, there''s no life more cowardly than this." It wasn''t that he didn''t have a choice. He simply didn''t choose the less likely options, always going with the flow. He had power and authority but always lived a middle-of-the-road life, following the flow. It wasn''t about what was right or wrong. Who were the majority? Where was the trend? He followed that flow. Neither an absolute supporter nor an absolute opponent. Was it a life swept away or a life freeloading? Eleion Bolton seemed to think that his previous statement about not having a choice was just a pathetic excuse. "So now, will you try making a choice with your own will?" "There''s no reason to. The tide hasn''t changed." There was no resistance. "Isn''t it better to live as a coward to the end if one has been a coward once? At least, I''ll be able to maintain the principle of consistency." A life without faith or pride. He might have thought he had such things once, but Eleion Bolton had long since admitted that he was too pathetic to speak of them now. So, if he lived as a coward forever, he would at least maintain that one consistency. Not the consistency of being good for a lifetime, but the consistency of being a coward for a lifetime. Now, rather than making choices and finding his own direction, Eleion Bolton''s attitude of choosing to be a coward for life seemed utterly despairing. "Considering that the rare choice to kill my subordinate turned out to be the worst choice, it seems like I''m not the type of person who should make choices. Or perhaps, this too is just an excuse." Eleion Bolton laughed. He laughed for a long time. As always. Bitterness was bound to mix with an old man''s self-mockery. Upon reflecting on his life, he realized that all that remained was his cowardice. The sorrow mixed with his self-mockery felt unbearably sad. ------ Eleion Bolton and I talked briefly afterward. "For several months, I''ve traveled around this country." "It must have been quite a bizarre sight for you." The coexistence of humans and demons sometimes felt grotesque to me as well. "Yes, it was." This place was sparsely populated, but it seemed he had wandered around Lazak while staying here. He must have been with the duchess. Whether the duchess had offered to guide him first or Eleion Bolton had asked her first was unknown. "All I could think was how strange this land is." "It certainly is strange." He must have had many thoughts while observing the landscapes created in Edina Archipelago. "Ogres tilling the fields, trolls constructing buildings, orcs standing guard, succubi comforting orphaned children as they slept together, and mermaids appearing on the beach, exchanging jokes with humans..." "A strange land." "Was this even possible?" "If this was possible, why have we been living the way we have until now?" "Why did we..." "Fear each other, hate each other." "Kill and be killed?" "Why were we so adamant that there were no other options?" "Where did such claims originate, and how did everyone come to believe them?" "I''ve become curious." Eleion Bolton looked up at the blue sky that signaled the arrival of spring. "Demo... No. Reinhardt." "Yes?" "In a way, this country is a disaster." A disaster. I still thought it was much better than the Empire. But I didn''t misunderstand the meaning of his words. "Do you know how many people will despair just because they''ve learned that the long history of hatred between us was actually meaningless, and that this could have been possible?" "I suppose it could be seen that way." All the wars up to this point were meaningless. The history of hatred and animosity, what we believed was right, was denied by what we saw before us. We could coexist and cooperate. The Great Demon War was not a glorious war. For many people, the result that overturned human values and historical views could bring despair rather than hope. "Did you despair?" "Yes." More than anything, the one who despaired amidst the peaceful and bizarre scenes was Eleion Bolton himself. The beings he killed, the beings who died. None of them had to suffer that fate. He must have felt it. "If I had known that this was possible... No, if the world had been like this from the beginning, the Gate Incident would never have happened." The current reality is the result of mutual distrust. If we had a society of coexistence and cooperation, there would have been no hatred, distrust, or fear of the Demon King in the first place, and the Great Demon War, the cause of all this, wouldn''t have happened. And then, humans invaded the demon race. Lack of faith and trust caused all the problems. In fact, that was the root of everything in the world. It was ridiculous. The duchess had told me to hate everyone beyond the fence. Eleion Bolton realized that all the blood and tears shed until now had been meaningless. Those who do not know war speak of slaughter, while those who know war speak of peace. They speak of the futility of slaughter. "It''s not like humans were the only ones who feared demons." Demons felt the same way. For a very long time, demons had also been afraid of humans. Eleris, an ancient Archdemon, had once dreamed of the extinction of humanity. The previous Demon King, Valier, had also been afraid of humans. That was why he had wanted to create a world without them. Both sides feared each other equally. "I hate this country." Eleion Bolton said this with a stern expression. The moment he realized that peace had been possible, he understood that he could not justify any of the past events. He had not triumphed over humanity''s ultimate enemy, but merely succumbed to fear and committed massacres. Facing the despairing truth, Eleion Bolton could not help but hate this peaceful scene. "However, it''s a scene that must be protected because it''s detestable." In the end, this scene showed a possibility that had been deemed impossible. Although feeling despair was inevitable, it was not a sight that should disappear. The truth did not disappear just because it was denied. The truth could not be erased from one''s mind just because it was unpleasant to know. The truth that had been imprinted in his mind could not be erased. It seemed as though he believed he had no choice but to protect this truth. ------ After talking with Eleion Bolton, Charlotte and I headed back to Lazak. "What did you talk about with him? We agreed to cooperate." It seemed that Eleion Bolton had already decided to cooperate when he talked to Charlotte. It must have been difficult for him to accept his life of cowardice, and to commit to living a cowardly life forever. "Nothing much, really." I didn''t know if Eleion Bolton had talked about his cowardice with Charlotte, but I hesitated to discuss his personal matters further. "He called it a strange country." Eleion Bolton was shocked. A strange country. Well, it was a scene that would have been shocking to the demon hunters. "Indeed, it is a strange country." Charlotte chuckled in agreement. Actually, I had come from a world that was essentially no different from humans and had no such thing as demons. The strangest thing to me was this scene. Like most wars, the Great Demon War was no different. There was no one who deserved to die. "You got what you wanted, but you don''t look very happy." "No, I am. I''m happy." "Then smile a little." At Charlotte''s words, I awkwardly smiled. Thoughts kept swirling in my head. The Duchess''s words that in order to protect peace, one must not hesitate to kill. Eleion Bolton''s words of despair upon realizing the meaninglessness of the war he had thought was justifiable. The Duchess''s words were not wrong. However, if I were to live by her words, I would become Eleion Bolton. We must fear our neighbors. Knowing that the end of this fear was the present, we were forced to repeat the same history. CH 624 Somewhere on the continent, a city had turned to ruins. On a street in the desolate city that had become a no man''s land, a few figures wearing robes gathered. "The Immortal has already finished deploying the frontlines. The Allied Forces will move again, and we''ll all head to the frontlines as well." Christina, wearing a robe, spoke to the others who, like her, were dressed in black robes. "Is the reverse summoning device functioning properly?" "We''ve already confirmed its functionality in several preliminary tests. Even with a high failure rate, it won''t be a major issue." "Excellent." The people in black robes nodded their heads in agreement with Christina. "We didn''t have much time, but you''ve done well so far." At the compliment-like remark from the black-robed figures, Christina nodded her head. "What''s next?" "The next step..." The black-robed figures fell silent at Christina''s question. "It''s absurd to discuss this before the Gate incident has ended, but isn''t it time to talk about it?" The black-robed figures remained silent at Christina''s question. What should be done after the Gate incident? One of the black-robed figures spoke up. "The Empire has reached its end." The Empire, which committed numerous atrocities for survival, had lost its justification and legitimacy. Although it was being maintained due to its current cause, once the Gate incident was resolved, people would demand accountability from the Empire. "To survive, the Empire must find its next cause." "The Demon King?" "Yes." If the Empire was being maintained by the absolute cause of the Gate incident, it would need to find the next cause after that cause had disappeared. The cause of killing the Demon King, the root of all evil. "That was the cause the Empire used to unify all of humanity. It wouldn''t be impossible to reuse it." Long ago, the Empire had been able to unify all of humanity because of the existence of the Darklands and the Demon King. There was no cause greater than this: with the Demon King still alive, why should we fight among ourselves? This cause had prevented attempts at division and the rise of discordant forces. The establishment and maintenance of the Empire had been possible because of the Demon King''s existence. So once the Gate incident had ended, all they had to do was return to the cause of the past. "But the owner of the Empire doesn''t have to be the Gardias royal family. We can erase the past mistakes of the Empire along with the Gardias royal family and give birth to a new Empire." The Empire must exist for the unification of humanity, but its ruler could change. At the words of the black-robed figure, Christina silently looked at him. "If the Demon King is used as the cause to maintain the Empire, I assume the Demon King is not among the candidates for the next ruler?" The story was about uniting humanity against an enemy, and that enemy was the Demon King. So the black-robed figure had not considered the possibility of the Demon King becoming the ruler of the next Empire at all. "Of course. The majority of people would find it unacceptable to be ruled by the Demon King. The chaos that would ensue would be incomparable to what''s happening with the current Empire." "Hmm... Right. The problem isn''t so much what the Demon King has actually done wrong, but how people perceive him..." Christina slowly nodded her head, wearing a meaningful smile. "So, who should be the next ruler of the empire? Surely not you guys?" "¡­Of course not. Our principle is to not step forward." Despite their dwindling numbers, the individuals in black robes seemed resolute, as if they had no intention of abandoning their principle. "Yeah, I''m curious about that. Although your Order is now in decline, your knowledge and magic remain intact. That''s why you were able to create the Immortal. So, why do you need to only work from behind the scenes?" "Because there are tasks that can only be done from behind, and we are a group created to handle those tasks." The principle of working for the sake of humanity. The Black Order would even betray humanity if it was for that principle. The moment they stepped forward, the meaning of the group would fade. Therefore, they worked on tasks that only they could perform from the shadows of history. "There are many who could potentially become the next ruler of the empire. First, they must be somewhat distant from the empire, have made significant contributions in resolving the Gate incident, and be a person with a proper disposition as a leader of humanity." "Louise von Schwarz of Kernstadt might be a possibility. Simultaneously being the second most powerful force after the empire and possessing a character and disposition that isn''t too extreme or overly compromising, she has the proper qualities of a leader. Her contributions are also impeccable. However, it''s almost certain that she killed her own siblings with her own hands, which could become a weakness someday." "Archduke Raphael de Saint-Owan cannot be ruled out either. His contributions alone, in creating the Titan, are incomparable to anyone else. Furthermore, he has been faithful to the longstanding principle of the Saint-Owan family, which is to walk the path of righteousness. Although it is the opposite of our position, which allows us to use even the power of the apostles if it helps, the attitude of the Saint-Owan family and the current Archduke deserve people''s respect and admiration. However, in this case, his daughter is too great a risk. Despite his contributions, he hasn''t received proper recognition from the people." "There are a few other candidates, but ultimately they lack power, contributions, or the capacity to embrace other major forces." "Therefore." "In the end." "Ellen Artorius." "She''s the right choice." "Her power, symbolism, and the support of the people all point to her." "If she can lay the cornerstone of the next empire, it would be the best outcome." The enormous weight of the title "Hero." At a time when the empire has lost its legitimacy, and the enemy that should be exterminated is apparent. The hero becomes a more significant name and symbol than any noble or king. After the resolution of the Gate incident, for the unity and prosperity of humanity and a united will, the old empire must fall, and a new one must emerge. Ellen Artorius becoming the ruler of the new empire. The Black Order''s judgment was that it was the best conclusion in the current situation. Christina silently listened to the story. The one who broke the silence was a man who had been leaning against the wall on the edge of the assembly hall, silent all this time. "In the end... is it coercion again?" At the sudden remark, the gazes of those in black robes turned in that direction. "You intend to tell Ellen, who is struggling just to bear the title of Hero, that she must now become an emperor." His unkempt black hair hung raggedly down to his neck, and a bandage was wrapped around his exposed arm beneath the cloak. "What I''m curious about is..." Between the tangled strands of hair, his deep, abyss-like eyes stared at those in robes. "What qualifications do you guys have to make such decisions?" At his words, silence enveloped the room. "What are you guys, that you can talk about how the world should be and have the confidence to insist on it?" Ludwig, the man with the bandaged right arm, seemed to pierce through everyone with his hollow, deep eyes. "Because it''s the path for everyone." At that, the corner of Ludwig''s mouth curled up roughly. "Right... That''s the most magnificent justification." "The one and only absolute justification to escape all misdeeds, sins, and responsibilities." "That disgusting claim, that it''s the path for everyone, was the driving force that brought you here, and it was the words you used to rationalize yourselves." "For everyone?" "No... No." "That phrase exists for you." "That phrase is for those who serve it." "Only for you, and your excuses." "Aren''t you guys also accomplices in the Gate Incident? Right?" "You just want to manipulate the world as you please." "When the outcome goes wrong, do you plan to say, like anyone else in the world, that you never actually wanted this?" "In front of this miserable result, do you plan to say that you never actually wanted this?" "Then again, without facing the problems you got wrong this time, do you intend to control the world as you please?" For the world. For humanity. For everyone. Those words were nothing more than excuses prepared for those who wanted to do such things. "So, what do you propose?" The ones in black robes asked. "Do you have the best answer? Who should be the next ruler of this world, and what needs to happen to completely eradicate the seeds of conflict and slaughter, and achieve peace?" At that question, Ludwig shook his head. "Is your statement that everything will be solved if Ellen becomes the emperor the right answer?" "..." "The Holy Knight Order has already sided with the Demon King, so if Ellen becomes the emperor, will they just support the Hero-turned-emperor and call it a day?" "...There will be some interference, of course." At that, Ludwig chuckled. "What you''re proposing is just one of the many methods. Whether the empire continues to exist, the world falls to the Demon King, or Ellen becomes the emperor, problems will arise somewhere, and someone will die somewhere." "I used to think there was a right answer while living. That I was too stupid to reach that answer. That''s what I thought." "But now I know." "That there''s no such thing as a right answer - that was the only right answer." "Didn''t you guys each bear a little responsibility for all this?" "No matter who became the next ruler of the continent, everyone would have a bit of the right answer, and a bit of the wrong answer." "In other words, there''s no such thing as a perfect answer." "Even without you, the world will move on with slightly incorrect yet slightly correct other answers." "I don''t care about that." "I don''t need to think about the right answer." "It''s not about the answer, but the punishment." "You who caused all this trouble, trying to be judged for your intentions rather than the outcome. People like you, who constantly push your own answers by claiming it''s for the greater good." "Removing people like you from the world." "That''s my job." I don''t know the answer. It doesn''t even exist. But those who keep trying to control the world by claiming they''ve found the right answer after writing the wrong one. Those who keep moving the world, claiming they have good intentions and trying to sacrifice someone without ever facing the consequences of their wrong answers. Ludwig believed that such people must disappear from the world. The words of the Black Order claiming that Ellen should become the emperor. That could lead to a good ending. However, the very existence of those who try to manipulate the world with such words from behind the scenes is disgusting. Threatened by Ludwig''s intimidating attitude, the others began to rise from their seats one by one. "Christina, was this your purpose from the start?" In response to the question of whether she had intended to bring Ludwig to the Order''s gathering place from the beginning, Christina shrugged her shoulders. "Although there are differences in the details, you could say that." Christina sent a cold gaze towards those wearing robes. Something began to creak. Actually, it was planned. Christina returned the words the emperor once wanted to say to these completely wrong people. "If the world rolls on as you say, it''s too disgusting." In Christina''s eyes, filled with hatred and anger, madness swirled. Similar to Ludwig, but slightly different. It was vengeance. The ones who should be held responsible survive by claiming it''s for the greater good. As if she couldn''t bear it any longer. "So, you''re no longer needed." "You should know it''s not just something you can say." Their usefulness to each other. From the beginning, the fact that they were using each other was a known truth. The Black Order''s mages prepared for something. "Why, to summon the Immortals?" "¡­!" The moment her intention was read, Christina shrugged her shoulders while sitting. "Didn''t you know that you gave me the knowledge without any safety measures?" There was no change in the fact that they had cooperated only temporarily under the pretext of the Gate Incident. "Well, it''s obvious. If I try to betray, you''d try to seize control of the Immortals. You would have already prepared for that." "¡­" "It would be strange if you didn''t do such a thing." At Christina''s words, the mages fell silent. The Immortals were controlled by magic. Therefore, it was inevitable that they would have such a means while entrusting the related technology to Christina''s hands and completing it through the resources of the Empire. In the absolutely necessary moment, the Immortals would inevitably become the Black Order''s property. Just as the emperor had permitted it while sensing the events that would occur when the Immortals were created, Christina had not thought they would be without such intentions. Christina laughed. She scoffed at the Order''s mages. "Do you really think it''s too optimistic to assume that we followed your instructions exactly when creating the Immortals?" "Do you think we could not tamper with the magic you provided?" The knowledge the Black Order provided was vast and incalculable. Merely implementing the method to create Immortals was already the realm of geniuses far beyond ordinary ones. However, finding and modifying the hidden magical formulas within the Black Order''s knowledge was impossible. The Black Order had naturally anticipated their opponents'' attempts. They had provided the knowledge as if to say, "Try it if you can." "You secret society people didn''t anticipate how many unreasonable geniuses there are in the world, huh?" This was a gathering of the continent''s greatest geniuses. Only those with talent knew just how unreasonable talent could be. "¡­What, not working well?" "¡­" From their expressions, Christina could tell that her own schemes had worked, and she flashed a bitter smile. The Black Order was not foolish. It was simply that someone''s genius had overwhelmingly surpassed someone else''s expectations. The Black Order had declined. Their leaders had all died. Even the last of their talented members had perished in the battle against the Demon King, turning to ashes. What remained were the less remarkable members of the Black Order. Sadly. Just remnants. They had a wealth of magic, visions, and secrets built up by their great leaders, but they could not even properly assimilate them. The leftovers. It was inevitable that they would be ignorant of the thought processes and dangers of geniuses. All they could do with their remaining sense of mission was approach the geniuses of the empire and the Temple who wielded the empire''s power. That was their last option. Those with power and talent had already died fighting the monsters of the Gate or the Demon King. This was the limit of those who remained. "In the end, this is how it turns out¡­" One of the Order''s mages finally lowered his head. Who wouldn''t have known that the situation would turn out like this? They had tried to do something despite the premonition that everything would not go their way. Those who had tried to manage the world from behind the scenes had become too weak to do so. Still, they reached out to those who despised them and ended up joining hands. It was a simple story. They had tried to exploit each other, but in the end, the weaker side was exploited. "Ludwig." At Christina''s soft call, a dark energy surged from Ludwig''s right hand. The black magic burst forth, taking the shape of a sword. Ludwig slowly approached the mages awaiting their deaths. CH 625 On a street in a ruined city. "It''s surprising that they didn''t even try to run away." Christina murmured quietly as she gazed at the Order''s mages, who had been brutally slain. It seemed like just a moment ago that Ludwig had summoned his ominous and eerie dark aura blade, but now his right arm was still intact, wrapped in a bandage. The Order''s mages were all slaughtered by Ludwig. They didn''t even attempt to flee. "Did they know that trying to escape would be pointless?" "I don''t know." Anna de Gerna, who had been waiting at a distance, approached, crossing over the rubble. "There are no life forms detected nearby. This is... all of them." Anna looked away from the lifeless bodies with a stern expression. Even if they had tried to flee, they would have been caught by Anna''s magic, and the waiting Immortal archmages were maintaining a barrier further out. "There might be remnants left, but it''s pointless. They won''t be able to take the Immortal from us anyway." With this, the Black Order had completely vanished from the world. One or two might have been missed or survived, but their existence would be meaningless. "It''s a bit frightening to think that if it wasn''t for Louis, we might have lost the Immortal altogether." Christina forced a bitter smile and wet her lips. The intention of the Black Order had been clear from the beginning. That''s why Louis had focused on uncovering the Black Order''s schemes. If it hadn''t been for Louis, the Black Order would have tried to control the world by force, using the Immortal. It wasn''t even a contest of strength. It was a battle of genius and strategy, with genius emerging victorious. The Immortal, which the Black Order had wanted to turn into their army, had now become Christina''s army. "Ludwig, what do you think?" "About what?" "About Ellen becoming the Emperor, the Demon King becoming the Emperor, or everything remaining as it is." Christina asked. "What do you think is better?" In response to Christina''s question, Ludwig replied shortly, as if there was no need to think. "I don''t know." It was a concise answer without any hesitation. "Whatever it is, it''ll work out somehow." It was good to be ignorant of the unknown. If there was something to be done, it would be done. The affairs of the world were left to the world. Ludwig answered as such and stared quietly at his right hand. The Grandmaster''s arm had granted Ludwig immense power. Ludwig had obtained a power that had skipped several steps. However, he could not get used to the foreign sensation in his body. It was a procedure that a normal person couldn''t endure. ''At most, a few years...'' The words of Dettomorian, predicting death. Now, Ludwig truly understood what that meant. He had endured a pain that was almost worse than death, and only recently had been able to properly move and function. The limits of the flesh would eventually catch up. The price for connecting what should not have been connected was being paid in real-time. "Are you alright...?" With concern, Anna examined Ludwig''s complexion. Ludwig nodded with a stern expression. His body was still holding up. He was able to fight once again. Until his body broke apart. Until he finished what they had to do. He only had to endure until then. "Uh huh. I''m fine." For now, at least. ------ "Report the status of the army''s preparation for departure." Emperor Bertus sat quietly in the General Headquarters tent, with only the telepath, Evia, before him. Evia sent telepathic messages to each of the commanding officers of the army, and she reported the situation back after compiling their responses. "The army is ready, Your Majesty." Telepathy made the communication process more efficient. Thus, Evia was able to act as a messenger without leaving her seat. "We will begin our advance toward Grenosia tomorrow. It is predicted that it will take ten days to reach Grenosia. Our vanguard troops that have already set out will eliminate small-scale warp gates in advance, so we will engage in battle as soon as we arrive at Grenosia. Make sure that each commander is well-informed." Handling small and medium-sized warp gates was now within the scope of the Immortal''s capabilities. Full-scale warfare would only be necessary when targeting large city-sized warp gates. The struggle to conquer large cities would become increasingly difficult, so if the attack on Grenosia was not smooth, future battles would become even more challenging. If conquering Grenosia was difficult even with the unparalleled army of the Immortal, the remaining battles would become even more daunting. The days had become warmer, and the army had enjoyed a long rest during the winter. "Starting tomorrow, the army will not stop until we see the complete end of the Gate situation." The emperor calmly issued his command, and Evia quietly relayed his words to all military commanders. ------ The atmosphere in the garrison, just before the departure, was more serene than bustling. With a minimum amount of necessary supplies, including tents, prepared, they were about to embark on a long march. It was as if a beast, having slept a long winter slumber, was ready to awaken. From now on, there would be no such long rests. Either the war would end, or humanity would be annihilated. The army would march on until one of those paths was reached. In such a quiet garrison, those who had been at the temple until now were also prepared for departure. Christina. Anna. Louis Ancton. And even Ludwig. Naturally, everyone was astonished. Ludwig, who was supposed to have lost his arm, had regained his right arm, though it was still wrapped in bandages. "Ludwig? No, that arm...?" At Ranian Sesor''s question, Ludwig gave a clumsy smile. "There was an experimental procedure, and I was the first subject." "Are you alright...?" "Yeah, surprisingly, it moves pretty well." Ludwig demonstrated the normalcy of his arm by clenching and unclenching his fist, moving his arm up and down. There was some procedure that could restore a lost arm. No one had any idea what it was, so they were at a loss for words, watching Ludwig''s nonchalant demeanor. Getting his arm back was a good thing, but was he really in a state to fight? Just by looking at his bandaged arm, Ludwig did not seem to be in a condition to fight. As if aware of their concerns, Ludwig lowered his head. "I won''t be going into direct combat. I''ll be assigned to a rear support unit. So you don''t have to worry." "Oh, I see..." It was a lie. Ludwig had been assigned to carry out a mission with the Immortal. In a way, it was the most dangerous fight since the beginning of the Reclamation War. Ludwig felt no need nor reason to discuss such matters with his friends. News of Ludwig''s sudden return and his restored right arm had quickly spread throughout the Royal Class garrison. Scarlett had no choice but to immediately seek out Ludwig upon hearing the news. "Ludwig...?" "Scarlett, it''s been a while." Scarlett stared at Ludwig''s new right arm, her mouth agape in disbelief. Ludwig told her, as he had explained to others, that he didn''t know how his arm had been restored, and that he wouldn''t be engaging in direct combat, so she shouldn''t worry. "Well, that''s a relief..." However, everyone felt uneasy upon seeing Ludwig''s return. Setting aside the restoration of his arm, they couldn''t help but notice the change in Ludwig''s demeanor. There was a dark, gloomy energy surrounding Ludwig''s eyes. Something was amiss in his disheveled appearance. Anyone with a keen eye could see it. The length of Ludwig''s left and right arms was slightly off. His right arm was a little longer. Just enough to be unnatural. They couldn''t know what kind of experimental procedure had been used, but it was obvious to everyone that it wasn''t a normal one. They couldn''t help but feel a subtle sense of unease at the dangerous aura surrounding Ludwig''s return. "..." "Cliffman, long time no see." Ludwig also encountered Cliffman, who had previously urged him to withdraw from the battlefield. Ludwig, who had left the battlefield as Cliffman advised not to cause trouble for others, had ultimately regained his right arm through some means and returned. As Ludwig greeted him with an attitude not much different from before, Cliffman stared back with a stern expression. "You stubborn bastard..." As if he had a premonition, Cliffman looked at Ludwig with a mixture of disgust and shook his head. After exchanging greetings with familiar faces upon his long-awaited return, Ludwig prepared for the march and walked through the garrison as night fell. Ludwig wouldn''t fight alongside the Royal Class garrison or the main force of the alliance. In fact, he would spend more time fighting alongside the Immortal than staying at the garrison. He only exchanged greetings to avoid making his presence at the garrison seem strange. However, not everyone believed Ludwig''s lie. "Hey..." Heinrich von Schwarz. Upon learning what was happening in the imperial capital, Heinrich couldn''t help but harden his expression as he saw Ludwig, who had regained his arm and returned. "Is it what I think it is?" Heinrich immediately knew how Ludwig had regained his arm. It was clear that he had received an arm reconstructed through black magic. He had risked his life to regain his arm. And they didn''t know how he was overcoming the rejection reaction and other issues. Heinrich, however, couldn''t help but know that Ludwig was in a very dangerous state. So, Heinrich knew that Ludwig''s claim of not fighting was a lie. "Did you really have to go that far?" "I don''t know." At Heinrich''s question, Ludwig gave a bitter smile. "Perhaps even a nobody can do something..." "..." "I wanted to find out." It had already happened. It couldn''t be undone. Heinrich could say nothing to Ludwig, who had already committed the act. With gritted teeth, Heinrich spat out the words. "So you plan to fight and die, huh?" Now, Heinrich seemed to understand what the prophecy of Dettomorian foresaw. And so. On a secluded hill near the royal-class garrison, Ludwig spotted someone silently observing the garrison from above. Ellen Artorius. Under the full moon''s light, Ellen stood still on the hilltop, gazing down at the garrison. Ludwig wordlessly looked up at Ellen on the hill. Ellen, who had pursued the case without questioning Ludwig''s plea for help, eventually fled back to the garrison. This was their first encounter since then. Ellen''s eyes slowly moved towards Ludwig. There was no emotion in her gaze. She said nothing. She didn''t ask how he returned or what happened to his arm. She was neither bewildered nor frightened. She just acknowledged that there was a person there, with no thoughts or emotions revealed. "You''ve changed somehow." Looking at Ellen, who seemed to have become a completely different person, Ludwig said so. She had changed more than he had, to the point where she seemed rather strange. Something had changed. Everyone changes. They become changed. "..." The lifeless-eyed Ellen gave no response or reaction. She merely stood in the moonlight, silently gazing at Ludwig. Ludwig asked no more questions of the still life in the moonlight. ------ The alliance forces moved. Maintaining an army for a long time was a risk. Ending it quickly was the only virtuous act in war. With sufficient power, the empire would now wage a swift war to destroy the warp gates throughout Riselen. The empire had to pass through several small and medium-sized cities to reach their next destination. Thus, it would have taken a long time for the march, as it had been so far. "They''ve swept through..." But now, I was looking at a city devastated by smoke and flames. "¡­ I anticipated it would be terrible, but..." What was the city''s name? I couldn''t remember, but it was a city with one medium warp gate and two small warp gates. However, all Eleris and I could see were the remnants of destruction and slaughter. Small towns and medium-sized cities could be swept away in less than half a day, even by the Immortals alone. I wanted to see the Immortals fight, but we arrived late, fearing that getting caught in their sight would cause trouble. Eleris, who was always pale, looked even paler now. Eleris couldn''t help but be frightened by the strength of cornered humans. The gate incident might have lost its meaning now. "Depending on how the Grenosia occupation battle proceeds, the alliance forces might completely withdraw." "That''s a possibility." If it seemed that the gate incident could be managed with only the immortals, the alliance forces might even disband. "But each gate is becoming more dangerous. It would be foolish to hastily disband the alliance forces. Like it or not, they can''t leave until all the warp gates in Riselen are destroyed." The gate incident wouldn''t be over until the last warp gate was destroyed. If they hastily tried to withdraw the alliance forces only to find out that the immortals alone couldn''t end the gate incident, they would have to reassemble the alliance forces. That would be a ridiculous endeavor. In the end, the alliance forces had to exist until the complete end of the gate incident. The Immortals were a large-scale unit and, at the same time, an army with incredible mobility advantages since the entire army could move using mass teleportation. That was why the Immortal can wipe out these small and medium-sized cities by going back and forth across Riselen with a super-large mass teleport as if intercepting the enemy''s stronghold. "For now, we have to watch how the Grenosia battle unfolds." As the war intensified and deepened, it was gradually coming to an end. CH 626 Originally, until they reached their destination, Grenosia, the Allied Forces had to engage in several small-to-medium scale city sieges. With the Immortals taking over the tasks of the Demon King''s army and quickly and accurately neutralizing key points, the Allied Forces advanced vigorously. However, the Allied Forces did not encounter any battles as they moved forward. There were no monsters on the path they followed. At best, only the remains of monsters that had already been reduced to pieces were left. Regardless of the reason, it was a situation that anyone would gladly welcome. Naturally, rumors spread that the Empire was operating a massive vanguard force. But in the end, wasn''t it a good thing that there were no battles? Although the fact that the Empire was operating a powerful large-scale unit, which was now replaced by the Immortals, was not explained in detail, it was also something that the heads of each military had foreseen to some extent. They couldn''t know what kind of power the vanguard force had, but the fact that they were annihilating small-to-medium scale cities was undoubtedly a good phenomenon for the main force. However. Roaaaaar Grenosia, where a large-scale battle was scheduled, had already been reduced to ashes by the vanguard. "¡­What is this?" Kono Lint couldn''t help but see the scene before anyone else. An unknown large-scale military force had not only destroyed small-to-medium scale cities but also the large city of Grenosia, and even the gates and monsters were completely wiped out. ------ No matter how much an army is a group prepared for war, there would be no one who truly enjoys battle itself. Therefore, there was no reason to dislike the fact that the small-to-medium scale cities were already destroyed and that there was no need to fight in those places. However, should they be happy that the major strategic point had already been destroyed? Regardless of the reason, the fact that the expected major battle had already been won meant that there was no shortage of military resources. But wasn''t it strange? Wasn''t it strange that something of this magnitude was possible? Surviving was good, and it was good that a large-scale battle didn''t occur. Despite the good news, a peculiar sense of unease and anxiety spread throughout the Allied Forces, and there was nothing they could do about it. Instead of being excited about the disappearance of the planned large-scale battle, a strange sense of unease pervaded the Allied Forces'' base. At the high command''s meeting place. "Your Majesty, won''t you tell us now?" One of the commanders leading each army, who had gathered in the high command''s tent, cautiously opened his mouth. "Everyone knows that the Allied Forces have been operating a vanguard unit until now. We also know that neither Lady Saviolin Turner nor the hero is affiliated with them." Those who knew that the role the Immortals had taken over was previously handled by the Demon King''s army, but the majority didn''t. Hence, they could only guess that the Empire was hiding a very powerful military force. "If we have such a powerful ally and such an army, we should welcome them with open arms." Why would they need to hide the existence of such a powerful ally? Wouldn''t it be better to reveal the presence of such a powerful force to boost the morale of the Allied Forces? It wasn''t a wrong argument. However, everyone felt uneasy in a situation where the army advanced without knowing the reason. "Your Majesty, I believe it is now necessary to inform the commanders at least about what is going on." Bertus quietly listened to these words. It was inevitable that the commanders of each army would feel confused in this situation, where the need for an assault on Grenosia had disappeared. In the joint military command headquarters, where representatives of each army were gathered, seats were assigned according to rank, as if the emperor himself were sitting there. And, of course, the one sitting closest to the seat of honor was none other than the commander of Kernstadt, Louise von Schwarz. ''How will the emperor respond?'' Naturally, she who had witnessed the experiment at the temple knew the meaning of the current situation of the allied forces. Louise had no choice but to intuitively know that the army was on the move. And because this army alone was powerful enough to capture a major city, she couldn''t help but be tense. It was a powerful army. However, its origin was unknown. Despite the good news that the empire possessed an unidentified powerful army, the commanders under the emperor''s command were showing anxiety because they did not know the truth. Would he tell the truth or keep it hidden? Neither side could predict which would lead to a greater crisis. Louise, too, could not determine which choice was better. Secrets tended to spread as more people became aware of them. Thus, simply by revealing the fact that they were creating an army of the dead at the command center, it was inevitable that the entire allied forces would eventually learn about it. An ominous and uneasy silence continued. At that moment, when the emperor was about to make a decision and speak up. "I''d rather not know." The voice that broke the silence did not belong to the emperor. The woman sitting very close to the high-ranking seat in the joint command headquarters'' conference room, just like Louise von Schwarz, had a melodious voice filled with laughter that was almost irritating in the anxious atmosphere. "Am I the only one who thinks that?" It was the newly appointed Holy Knight Commander, Rowan. ------ Everyone was taken aback by the sudden remark of the new Knight Commander, who said she would rather not know anything when everyone demanded the truth from the emperor. Everyone was aware that a significant political change had occurred within the Five Great Religions, since the former Holy Knight Commander had suddenly been replaced, and a new Holy Knight Commander had taken office. However, only a few knew what exactly that internal situation was. Those who knew kept their mouths shut, so no one knew what the change in the Holy Knight Commander''s position meant. Even if she was new to the position, there was no one in this place who could ignore the Holy Knight Commander. Since the Holy Knight Commander''s rank in the alliance was higher than that of most royalty, her right to speak was stronger than that of many kings. Therefore, Rowan''s words were not something that could be easily dismissed. "Commander, what do you mean by that?" In response to the question from the one who had demanded an explanation, Rowan tilted her head. "It means that His Majesty must have had good reasons to keep it secret until now." The emperor remained silent, and a suspicious hush filled the room. "Everyone here must have noticed to some extent that there is a hidden force within the allied forces, right?" "But the fact that we haven''t been told what it is or what this hidden force consists of means that there must be a reason it can''t be disclosed." "If it''s so difficult to talk about despite everyone''s unease, doesn''t it mean that it''s something we shouldn''t know?" "That''s why I''d rather not know." "Because I believe there''s a reason it''s being kept secret." At the words of the Holy Knight Commander, who claimed to trust the emperor, Louise felt nauseous. She didn''t know what the Demon King was really like, but Louise knew that Rowan harbored extreme hatred for the empire. Moreover, she was the mastermind behind the massacre orchestrated by the empire. Seeing her feign trust in the emperor so nonchalantly made Louise''s anger boil. ''She must know, of course...'' Knowing that Rowan was acting like that while being aware of the truth made Louise feel as if her insides were turning. "But if we know about the secret force within the allied forces, it would certainly... be more helpful for planning future operations." "Even if it''s a truth that would cause more problems if known?" "What... do you mean?" "You see, knowing it doesn''t necessarily resolve our anxiety. Instead, it might reveal a truth that would make us even more anxious. Don''t you understand what I''m saying, considering there''s a reason it can''t be revealed?" Rowan spoke with a sweet, slow smile. "Let''s say it''s a force that shouldn''t be exposed externally. Can any of you confidently say that you shouldn''t use that force anymore? It''s a force so helpful that we don''t even need to engage in the Gresonia campaign, which was expected to result in a massive loss of power." If it were an ominous magic or a cursed force that was rightly powerful. If the hidden force within the allied forces were something that could only be obtained through the hands of someone who should not be dealt with or something that would inevitably receive external criticism. Would anyone here be able to assert that they should not use their power and end this war solely with the power of the allied forces? "I don''t know exactly what it is, but we all have to admit that we need the hidden power of the allied forces, or more precisely, the hidden power of the empire in this war." "Of course, if it''s a power that must be kept secret, it''s not a righteous one, right?" "But if we know about such a force and still choose to remain silent, what would we become?" "Accomplices." The emperor''s involvement with some kind of power was unknown. However, knowing about that ominous, dark, and evil power and the emperor''s involvement with it would be problematic. The emperor leads the war with evil power. But if they knew the truth and remained silent because they needed that power, they would become accomplices of the empire and the emperor. "Shouldn''t you all appreciate that His Majesty''s silence is for our sake?" At the words of the Holy Knight Commander, everyone swallowed hard with a stiff expression. Ignorance is bliss. In any other situation, they might not have agreed, but at that moment, everyone felt that the saying was true. There are things in the world that one should not know. "Isn''t trying to share the burden when His Majesty is willing to bear all the responsibility alone both meaningless and a blatant disregard for His Majesty''s consideration?" The Holy Knight Commander sought to protect the Emperor''s secret. But everyone present could feel that it wasn''t out of respect for the Emperor. A single crime. Ignorance was best for the rest. Whatever the matter, whatever wicked scheme was involved. The Emperor''s silence in response to the evidently malicious words of the Holy Knight Commander was evidence in itself. If the Holy Knight Commander''s words were baseless conjecture, the Emperor had no reason to stay silent. The insinuation that the Imperial Emperor had committed an unforgivable, heinous crime was a great insult to the Imperial Family, the Empire, and the Emperor himself. No matter how mighty the Holy Knight Commander was, she couldn''t best the Emperor. Despite the Holy Knight Commander''s grave impropriety, the Emperor said nothing. Everyone knew that his tolerance of the affront was a sign of his acquiescence. Would they knowingly become accomplices? Would they remain ignorant and prepare an excuse of not knowing anything later? Looking at the silent crowd, now fearful of learning the truth, the Emperor slowly nodded. "Thank you, Holy Knight Commander." The Emperor looked at the Holy Knight Commander with an icy gaze. "You''re welcome, Your Majesty." Rowan smiled at the Emperor, her eyes wide open. ¡°¡­¡± The Duke of Saint-Owan silently observed the cold standoff between the two, sitting close to the throne. ------ When they had successfully captured Serandia, the Allied Forces were simultaneously elated and grieving. Many had died, but the people held onto hope that they might finally be able to put an end to the Gate crisis, and for now, they had won the battle. But gathering the monsters of the ruined Grenosia and burning them repeatedly was all the Allied Forces had to do. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Didn''t the hero do something?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°It seems there is an enormous force.¡± The soldiers had their own conversations, while the commanders had theirs, each unable to help but comment on the bizarre and incomprehensible situation. Once the cleanup of Grenosia was over, the Allied Forces would announce a new plan. No one knew if they could pass through without any combat then, too. ¡°If this continues, won''t we be unnecessary?¡± ¡°If we''re unnecessary, what will we do when we return? Starve to death?¡± ¡°Yeah, it''s better to stay in the military.¡± ¡°Anyway, it''s a good thing.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± In the end, everyone was grateful for the safety of the day. In the Allied Forces'' base, the atmosphere was more perplexed than celebratory. "In the end, we couldn''t test the new equipment for Titan." In the tent where the Duke''s troops were stationed, Adelia murmured softly. "Are you disappointed?" "No, no! No! That''s not what I meant!" As Adelia waved her hands, the Duke of Saint-Owan lowered his head. "¡­¡­It''s not a big deal. I''m also somewhat disappointed that we couldn''t confirm Titan''s second operation." "Ah... Yes, me too¡­¡­." The second operation of Titan was supposed to be confirmed in this battle at Grenosia. They could have checked the improved Titan''s condition, collected data, and determined which aspects needed to be refined. The story could sound regrettable that the battle did not take place, depending on how one listened. Of course, Adelia and Duke of Saint Owan, along with the duke''s mages, had devoted as much time as possible to improving the Titan. It wasn''t just the battle at Grenosia that disappeared. There were no battles in any of the intermediate locations either. Even Adelia, who was busy with research and uninterested in external affairs, could not help but feel that something was strangely amiss. "But really... what could it be?" Adelia felt the same doubt everyone else did. Important battles had vanished into thin air. And nobody knew what had happened. Even those who attended the high command meeting knew only the fact that it was dangerous to inquire. Moreover, that was said not by the emperor but by the Holy Knights'' commander. The emperor barely spoke at all. Duke Saint Owan also did not know what was happening. "Adelia." "Yes, Your Grace." Duke Saint Owan, seated and looking down at the Titan blueprint, spoke. "If you could sell your soul to a demon and end this war, would you do it?" "¡­?" Adelia could not help but be bewildered by the duke''s unexpected question. To sell one''s soul to a demon. There were quite a few legends about great demons lending power to dark mages through such contracts, but no one knew now whether those stories were true or not. They could be tales created to inspire fear in demons, or there could have been actual cases. It was a mere figure of speech. To sell one''s soul to a demon. To end this war in exchange. Adelia fell deep in thought at the duke''s question. It was a tragedy, too great. A tragedy had occurred, far too great. To end this war, only her soul was required as the price. But standing before her was Duke Saint Owan. He was the father of Adelia¡¯s friend, and the family of righteous mages who were famous for never dabbling in wicked powers. It was by no means wise to speak of selling one''s soul to a demon in front of him. "¡­I think I wouldn''t." Nevertheless, Adelia could only give such an answer. Wasn''t the price too cheap? If my soul, my life, was the price to stop these tears and bloodshed, wouldn''t there be countless people who would make such a choice? Adelia couldn''t help but cautiously gauge Duke Saint Owan''s reaction after speaking. Duke Saint Owan gave a bitter smile. "¡­I think I would do it." "¡­" Even Duke Saint Owan, who had lived with a long-held belief, would say that. It was such a terrible war that he would make such a choice, even if it meant abandoning the honor of his long-standing family and his own beliefs. ''The emperor must have made such a choice.'' Knowing that he would do the same, Duke Saint Owan could not help but realize that the emperor had reached out to some evil, even if he did not know exactly what had happened. CH 627 "Ugh...ugh...ugh!" "Ask for help." "Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!" -Creak! In order to endure the pain, Ludwig bit into a gag and broke it. Louis Ancton watched this with wide eyes. "It''s going to hurt." -Hisss! As Christina poured an unidentified liquid onto Ludwig''s shoulder, black smoke began to rise accompanied by a burning sound. "Gulp! Cough...ugh!" Ludwig''s exposed right arm was boiling with dark shadows. He tried to suppress his groans somehow, but his eyes were bloodshot with the stifled groans that continuously leaked out. Dead, black blood constantly flowed from the connection between his right arm and shoulder. With a stern expression, Christina took some measures on Ludwig''s arm, while Anna used magic to restrain his entire body to prevent him from struggling. -Snap! Crack! But the magic binding Ludwig was repeatedly destroyed and recast by the simple physical force emanating from his body. Louis Ancton, who could not use magic directly, provided the necessary reagents, medicines, and scrolls to Christina and Anna in a timely manner. "Huff...ugh...ugh!" "Just a little more, it will be over soon." It was unbearable pain for a human. Even in a state where it was difficult for an ordinary person to react to pain due to a lethal dose of analgesics, Ludwig''s mind was being driven to the extreme. There would have been rejection even if he had received a normal, healthy arm. However, it was not an ordinary human arm, but rather one that had been enhanced with dark magic, which, to be precise, had become a massive magical entity itself. Ludwig had managed to survive the shock of receiving the arm only because his vitality was extraordinarily tenacious. As if receiving the protection of some unfathomable power, Ludwig endured the agonizing rejection that would have killed an ordinary person hundreds of times over. Once Ludwig''s condition finally stabilized, Christina, Anna, and Ludwig, all drenched in cold sweat, could breathe a sigh of relief. "Are you feeling a bit better now?" Christina asked, looking at Ludwig, who was shirtless and drenched in sweat. "Yeah...it''s bearable now." The three of them knew that his words were false. The pain only subsided, but it never disappeared completely. It was just that the pain was no longer at a level where he had no choice but to scream. Ludwig was in a situation where he could only constantly feel pain surpassing throbbing in the connection of his right arm. Ludwig''s dark right arm hardly looked like it belonged to a living person. Moreover, all the blood vessels that sprouted between his right arm and shoulder were dyed pitch black. It was as if the right arm was corroding the flesh. In reality, the poison of the dark magic-enhanced right arm was eating into Ludwig''s flesh. The arm of the Grandmaster. In exchange for obtaining it, Ludwig gained immense power. After wiping Ludwig''s wet body with a towel treated with medicine, Christina began dressing his right arm. The bandage itself was no ordinary item. Not only was it treated with special medicine, but it was also a long magical scroll. The long magic scroll that Louis had created and Anna had realized was designed to control Ludwig''s rejection reaction and prevent the dark magic energy from leaking out. While there were issues with its appearance, the bandage itself played a role in protecting Ludwig''s body. Anna looked at Ludwig with a pitiful expression. "Ludwig... the rejection reaction cycle is getting shorter." "¡­There''s always a price to pay for cheating." The power he obtained was not earned through effort. Therefore, Ludwig bitterly smiled, thinking that it was only natural for him to endure this much pain. Ludwig had been the only living human who had participated in the battle of Grenosia on his own. In that battle, not a single person had been sacrificed. Wasn''t that proof enough of his usefulness? With that alone, he was no longer an insignificant person. He had accomplished something. So even if he died in vain, it wouldn''t be a meaningless death. But just a little more. While his body still moved, just a little more. He could still do something. His body felt like it would break, but it wasn''t broken until it was truly broken. If they could end the war without anyone fighting like this, could it not be considered a life with some meaning? The limit would come someday due to the rejection reaction, but it had not yet arrived. Enduring the pain was not difficult. Pain was but a fleeting moment. He was just afraid of his body breaking apart. Amidst the pain, Ludwig''s eyes were bloodshot as he breathed heavily. ------ Being the commander of the Holy Knights was a very strange position. By now, even though their power had weakened, they still possessed enough strength within the alliance to be considered in the top five, and among those, they were a group with the most important power on the battlefield ¨C the power of healing. There was no force within the alliance that could ignore the Holy Knights. There was no one who could point out the commander''s rudeness. And rudeness did not matter much. Trying to find out could lead to getting hurt. Seriously hurt. How did they think they had obtained the power that was on par with the main forces of the alliance? It was clear that it was not an honest power since it was kept secret. It was also clear that they could not easily give up on this very powerful force. Just how wicked were the means involved to make such a thing possible? No matter what they imagined, the fact that they should not find out about it did not change. As the commander of the Holy Knights had said, they should be grateful that the emperor had kept it a secret thus far. If they knew, they might have to bear joint responsibility. That''s why they realized they had to close their ears to the truth. And another fact that everyone came to know. The new commander of the Holy Knights was an extremely unpleasant person. And, separately from that, she seemed to know the truth. "It''s rather annoying that someone like her is in that position." "What can we do about it? It''s the same for me and Reinhardt." After the meeting, Bertus sarcastically smiled at Saviolin Turner, who looked very uncomfortable in his tent. Although Bertus himself had little to say, Saviolin Turner was filled with the intention to cut off the new commander''s neck immediately if an order were to be given, without caring for the consequences. If Reinhardt had not appeared just in time, Rowan would have been the one who tried to turn the Imperial Capital into ashes. It was difficult to bear the sight of such a person, acting as if nothing had happened, sitting in the position of the Holy Knight Commander with a calm expression on her face. "Simply moving as I intended is enough. It''s difficult to expect her attitude to be satisfactory as well." In the end, regardless of the Holy Knight Commander''s attitude, it was enough that she had managed to steer the situation so that people would no longer raise suspicions, according to Bertus''s intention. Moreover, rather than moving his chess pieces as he wished, it was a better situation when the opponent moved as he intended. Rowan eventually spoke and moved as Bertus intended. Whether she spoke according to her own intentions or not, it was within the expected range. Subduing Grenosia with only Immortals was bound to cause a great ripple in the allied forces. Would they wage war without expending forces, causing noise instead? Bertus chose between saving Immortals for the decisive moment or causing a disturbance. "By the way, what was the damage rate?" "It was about 8 percent." Since there couldn''t be no casualties, there was no choice but for the Immortals to suffer a loss of power. "It''s an interesting army. Even if they''re damaged like that, they just need to be repaired and sent back to the battlefield..." Humans were modified into golems. That''s why it''s not death, but damage. Immortals are a force that cannot die, but they are also an army that can be repaired even if damaged. As long as the war can be carried out with only Immortals before the main force is needed, they would continue to wage war with only Immortals. "It really seems like there''s not much time left." Turner knew what was running out of time. However, was it really just the end of the Gate incident? Saviolin Turner Turner looked at the emperor with a sad expression. "Speaking of battle data... I wonder if this makes sense." In the Grenosia campaign, only one human participated. Excluding that one person, the rest were all Immortals. Ludwig. Bertus knew, of course, what had happened to Ludwig. Ludwig had gained a power that far exceeded his original abilities. "Is it possible to do this just by receiving one arm transplant?" Bertus narrowed his eyes as he scanned Ludwig''s body and combat data. It was already too late when Bertus tried to stop it. It was after Christina had performed the procedure on Ludwig. "Strictly speaking, it''s not an arm transplant, but rather an implantation of dark magic, they say." The arm of a human who was strong even in life, strengthened further with dark magic. More powerful and robust magic circuits were embedded, of course, and alchemy was used to infuse even greater power. It was not a concept of an arm transplant. It was more like having received a massive magic itself. "...Is that even possible?" "It is said to be impossible." "¡­What? So, they made something impossible possible?" "No, Your Majesty." Saviolin Turner Turner shook her head. "They''re just barely enduring something impossible." They forced themselves to possess something they couldn''t originally have. Thus, they would soon be ruined. However, Ludwig''s problem was ultimately a personal one. It wasn''t a choice forced upon by someone else. Ludwig had chosen this path for himself. The real issue lay elsewhere. The true problem of the Immortals. At the moment, the Immortals belonged to the Emperor, but that could change at any time. The true masters of the Immortals were the three mages who created them. The Empire''s mages couldn''t manage the Immortals either, given the situation. There was no need, as the foundation was already complete. The Immortals were a force for war. Thus, they would be unnecessary once the war ended. However, those who wielded the Immortals were already thinking about their use after the war. How to deal with this. Importantly, though the three mages who led the research had received knowledge from the Black Order, the Empire''s mages had also taken part in the experiments. It was impossible to wrest control of the Immortals, but they had learned what would happen if they carelessly interfered with the three mages. The results of the Empire''s mages'' analysis lay before Bertholdus. "Intuitive and obvious, but that makes it all the more difficult." Although the contents were complex, the crucial information was brief. Saviolin Turner''s eyes widened at the Emperor''s reaction. "Is there a way to neutralize the Immortals?" During the ongoing war, it was unfortunate that they had to search for a way to neutralize such an efficient weapon rather than admire its usefulness. But at that moment, it was of the utmost importance. "No, if we try to neutralize them, even stranger things will happen." "Stranger things, you say?" "If Christina is killed, it seems that the Immortals will become indiscriminate slaughter weapons thereafter." "What?!" Christina had created a safety measure. If someone tried to meddle with it, the Immortals would become slaughter weapons without any ally recognition. Saviolin Turner clenched her teeth. Who was this method for? "Why would she do such a thing...?" "She knows that we cannot interfere, and she probably allowed us to learn about it on purpose." "..." It wasn''t to slaughter people. "I can feel her intent, clear as day. ''Don''t meddle in my affairs, and when everything is over, just quietly die.'' That''s what she wants." She was doing this to save someone. She was planning this for the sake of peace. In the past, neither the Demon King nor the Emperor knew that the Gate incident would occur if they continued on this path. That was why the Gate incident happened. Christina knew about the events that befell the two of them. So, she was showing them the right answer this time. The Immortals would be the greatest threat after the Gate incident. Killing a petty alchemist who intended to kill them with the Immortals wouldn''t be difficult. It would be an easy task, something they could do right away. However, since they couldn''t know what would happen if they killed Christina, they couldn''t make that choice until the Gate incident was over. Now they knew the right answer. If they killed Christina, the rampaging Immortals would destroy the world in place of the monsters. Then, it would be impossible to dismiss the notion that they were doing these things for a specific purpose as mere hypocrisy. If the Immortals rampaged, the strong would survive. They could use teleportation or escape to a place far beyond the reach of the Immortals'' attacks. In the end, only those who couldn''t possibly possess such powers would die mercilessly. The group that claimed to have done all this for a purpose couldn''t choose to kill the Immortals for their own survival from the start. The moment they made that choice, they might survive, but their justification and purpose up to that point would vanish. This was a malicious taunt and provocation. If they cared so much for the world and the weak, they should prove it. Killing them would be easy. They wouldn''t run away. If they killed them, they could live. But could they make that choice? If they chose that path, Christina would laugh mockingly at their hypocrisy until her dying breath. If they couldn''t choose? Then, they would be hunted by the Immortals after the Gate incident. It wasn''t that they were being forced down a single path. There was a way, a very comfortable one, but it was a path that denied everything they had done up to that point. But the moment they took that path, they would negate all their past actions. Christina had presented them with two options. "So, in the end, it''s a simple choice." Die. Only they would die. Live. Only they would live. CH 628 Grenosia had always been in ruins, but now it was completely devastated. Thousands of Master-class warriors, over a thousand Archmages, and ten Grandmasters. The scene of the massive destruction they had caused could be seen from a distant mountain range. "The Black Flame Dragon of the right arm..." "...What? Black Flame?" "...You don''t need to know." "You sometimes say things I can''t understand at all. What are you talking about?" Harriet tilted her head at my mumbling. The right arm¡­ that thing. When did such a thing become fashionable? No, was it ever fashionable? Although not an actual dragon, Ludwig had ended up wearing something similar. I had never seen Ludwig fight in person. But when I had predicted that some kind of grafting would be done on his right arm, I expected something like this would happen. "Do you think he''s trying to graft his legs and left arm too?" Rowan asked with a disgusted expression. "... It doesn''t sound plausible, but considering it''s Ludwig, it''s scary to think he might actually try it." It wasn''t just any arm, but the arm of Larken Simonstite. That was a rather malicious development. If I were the real Valier, I would have been furious, running around in anger. How dare you use my master''s arm? I would say. But, strictly speaking, Valier Junior had never properly learned swordsmanship in the first place. I wondered if Airi would be very sad. Having enjoyed the right arm, he wanted to graft the other side as well. That was just a rumor. Ludwig''s condition was worrisome, but the power he had actually obtained was real. "I have a feeling he''s gained power comparable to a Grandmaster. I haven''t fought him myself, though." "Can he achieve that just by grafting one arm?" "I''m not sure. I don''t know the details, but it seems like it''s more than just attaching a new arm." "Hmm¡­" Although Harriet had a vast understanding of magic, she had never seen the magic that created the Immortals. "Immortals are one thing, but a Grandmaster¡­" In an unstable state where he could explode at any moment, Ludwig had obtained real power. "At this point, it''s not easy to mess with him. I can''t help but think it would have been better to deal with him sooner." He hadn''t just become slightly stronger; he had gained power that surpassed several levels at the cost of his life. It was possible because he was the protagonist, but being the protagonist also led to greater suffering. "Just observe and leave him be. If we wanted to eliminate him because he was dangerous, we would have started with the Immortals." There were too many things they had left alone to be sensitive about Ludwig now. If they touched Ludwig, more strange and bizarre things would happen. Rowan informed me of the Allied Forces'' situation. With the Grenosia campaign no longer necessary, chaos had erupted within the Allied Forces. There were even commanders who demanded an explanation from the Emperor himself. And Rowan had managed to draw the aggro and block the questions in her own way. Judging by the way she spoke, it wasn''t pleasant, but she had achieved her goal by keeping the secret. "How''s the seizure of the Holy Knights'' Order coming along?" "I can''t say things were going smoothly. Everyone knew that Eleion Bolton was forced into retirement. Naturally, the resentment towards him was focused on me. That''s why I wish the Battle of Grenosia had really happened. Then I could have seen who listened to me and who didn''t." In battle, one could discern who trusted the commander and who didn''t. It seemed that Rowan regretted it, as if she wanted to taste the thrill of the fight. "If you keep acting like you crave bloodshed, it won''t end well for you." "¡­Understood." Having a mad dog that only listened to me was both a blessing and a curse. Eleion Bolton remained silent. If Eleion Bolton had been the Holy Knight Commander, he wouldn''t have said anything this time. Then, perhaps, the secret would have been shared among the top brass. Rowan acted brazenly. It was clear that she was doing so out of necessity. As a result, they could keep the secret as Bertus wanted, but the Holy Knight Commander''s image became detestable. "If you behave strangely, it''s not you who suffers, but me. You''re already a nuisance to humanity by existing, do you want to cause me trouble too?" "Is, is that so¡­" Rowan hung her head at my harsh words. This mad woman had a wicked disposition. Of course¡­ In the end, the one who should die first was me. Whenever I felt unqualified to judge someone''s right or wrong, I wanted to bite my tongue. "I''ll be more careful in the future. I am your face, after all." "¡­Why does that make me feel worse?" That''s right. No matter what a detestable person does, they remain detestable. Look at this. Even if she listens well, it still feels off. Just look at our idiot. She''s cute just by being still. "¡­Why are you looking at me like that?" No, I wasn''t doing that just now! Isn''t it wrong to feel even worse when showing goodwill? "I know there''s nothing I can do about being mean, but try to live well on your own." "I''ll bear it in mind." "If you mess up and get caught by the wrong person, you''re done for." Rowan worked well and produced the desired results. And the problem wasn''t Rowan''s personality, but also her character. From now on, Rowan''s duties would inevitably earn her the hatred of many and create numerous enemies. "Do you know how dangerous the work you''ll be doing is?" "Of course." She seemed clueless. "Who should we capture first?" "You know." No matter how off-putting or worrisome, Rowan''s loyalty never wavered. "Louise von Schwarz." "I knew it." That''s right. It''s just like an overdose Antirianus. ------ "No matter how I think about it, this is strange." At Erich de Lafaeri''s words, everyone sitting in the makeshift barrack fell silent. Cayer Voiden, Erich, Kono Lint, Cliffman, and Heinrich. The four of them felt that the situation was turning odd, partly because they hadn''t experienced the anticipated large-scale battle. "If we don''t have to fight, that''s a good thing. I don''t really care." Cliffman lay on a makeshift bed in the barrack, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Ellen kept moving with us, didn''t she? It wasn''t even Ellen''s troops that moved. No, even if they did move, could such a thing be possible?" Erich''s question was valid. The coalition''s strongest force was, of course, Ellen and Saviolin Turner, with the elite troops they led, the Shanafel and the Royal Mage Corps. However, Ellen hadn''t moved, and yet Grenosia had been annihilated. No matter how good things may be, an inexplicably good event is bound to feel unsettling. "Could the Empire have developed some incredible secret weapon?" Cayer furrowed his brow as he muttered. "Could there be another Titan?" "It''s probably not a Titan. I asked Adelia, and she said that the Titan hadn''t been activated." "Then it must be some other weapon, but why would they need to keep it hidden? And if it''s powerful enough to conquer a metropolis, wouldn''t it make armies obsolete?" "We won''t know for sure until something is definitively revealed." The main conversation was between Cayer and Erich. Cliffman seemed uninterested. Kono Lint and Heinrich, on the other hand, remained silent. "Lint, do you have any suspicions?" "Uh, um... I don''t know." "...Why are you reacting like this? Aren''t you curious?" "Uh? No, no! Of course, I''m curious. I was just thinking about it, wondering what it could be..." Kono Lint didn''t know all the details. However, he knew that the Empire was using the corpses of fallen soldiers for something, having been dragged around by Reinhardt. It was definitely something related to the undead. And he knew that Reinhardt was fighting on the battlefield. However, he also had a sense that Reinhardt''s forces weren''t large enough to single-handedly conquer a metropolis. Kono Lint knew that what happened in Grenosia was related to the undead weaponry being developed by the Empire. That''s why he couldn''t join the conversation carelessly. He might accidentally let slip information he shouldn''t reveal. Because of Kono Lint''s unconvincing answer, Erich turned his gaze to Heinrich. "Heinrich, did your sister tell you anything?" "Not really? I haven''t seen her since I''ve been here. I doubt she knows anything either..." Heinrich had seen it with his own eyes. What kind of army was being created, and what power they possessed. And that their classmates were deeply involved in the Empire''s secret weapon this time as well. Heinrich knew the most secrets that should never be revealed externally in this place. Not only about the Immortal, but also the fact that the current Holy Knights were essentially the Demon King''s army - Heinrich was the only one present who knew this. Although he didn''t know that the Empire had decided to call that army the Immortal, he intuitively knew that the Immortal had been deployed to the front lines and were proving to be a formidable force, as expected. It was a truth he couldn''t speak of even if his mouth was torn open. "Isn''t it a problem we can¡¯t easily think about?" Curiosity breeds trouble. To quell that curiosity, Heinrich looked at everyone and opened his mouth. "Even if the Gate incident comes to an end, the empire has much to prepare for. Thus, even if they possess overly powerful weapons or technology, there''s no need to disclose them to the entire coalition. They could be misused." Issues such as human conflict, power struggles, or the Demon King''s problem were inevitable. It was not as if the empire was being overly cautious or secretive; they were simply being prudent and crossing the bridge after checking its sturdiness. "¡­When you think about it, that makes sense." The universal desire of a group to keep a powerful weapon to themselves might not be so strange that it warranted being treated as top-secret information, even among allies. After the war was over. Was it hopeful that they could think about that? Or should they be worried about the issues that would arise after that point? Heinrich was thinking about the latter. It was a powerful army. But excessively powerful strength was dangerous in and of itself. Moreover, the Demon King was slowly corroding both the coalition and the empire, unbeknownst to the people. "True, the Demon King... Reinhardt might try to seize the empire''s secret weapon, so it''s appropriate to keep it a secret..." Erich''s quiet speculation mentioned the Demon King''s name, and naturally, the atmosphere froze. The Demon King and the Gate incident were magic words that justified everything. The Demon King. The empire kept its secrets because of the Demon King. But of course, both Kono Lint and Heinrich couldn''t help but feel a lump in their throats when the Demon King''s name was mentioned in such a way. "Isn''t it strange, though?" Cayer picked up on Erich''s suspicion. "If the Demon King... wants to destroy humanity, couldn''t he do it anytime?" "How would he dare? There''s the coalition, the Titans, and now it seems we even have some sort of secret weapon. How can he touch us?" Erich''s words made Cayer silently look at his friend. Although he had become incomparably stronger, a seasoned warrior, and a holy knight compared to the past, his friend''s naivete seemed incurable. Cayer was a gentleman, even when disappointed. Kono Lint and Heinrich didn''t even expect anything in the first place, so they didn''t feel disappointed. You''re just like that. In a similar vein. "¡­Are you crazy? Why would the Demon King attack here?" "To destroy humanity, right?" "Do you think people only live here?" "¡­Huh?" "The whole thing would end if the Imperial Capital were attacked." At Erich''s reaction, which suggested that he had never even considered that possibility, Heinrich and Kono Lint couldn''t help but be surprised, beyond not expecting anything. Even Cliffman, who was absentmindedly staring at the ceiling, shifted his gaze towards Erich. To have that expression only now. Everyone was astounded by Erich''s naivete in their own way. "The Demon King... If that bastard Reinhardt really wants to destroy humanity, why would he attack here? If he takes away our place to return, that''s the end of everything. We''ll all die out once our supplies are cut off. It''s simple. Is this a difficult concept?" It wasn''t a thought or idea that only someone with great intelligence could come up with. The Demon King had continuous opportunities to destroy humanity. Even now, in reality, there was always an opportunity. However, the Demon King did not destroy humanity. It was such an obvious thought, yet one that nobody entertained. They merely assumed that he was biding his time for a more sinister reason or scheme. Inferring the thoughts of a demon was impossible, so they were certain of his intentions but not of his methods. Erich''s perplexity was evident in his expression at Cayer''s rebuke. "So, why doesn''t he?" "¡­" "¡­" "¡­" Seeing Erich finally have a thought that everyone else had considered to some extent, the three remained silent. What could they do about this? "Enough." Cliffman, who had been lying quietly, spoke softly. "End it there. There''s nothing good to come from talking more." With a stern expression, Cliffman spoke. "After all, our duty is clear." They were an army to put an end to the Gate incident. "We only need to focus on that." There was no need to defend, criticize, or speculate on the Demon King''s intentions. As the mere act of discussing it was dangerous, Cliffman cut off the topic altogether. Heinrich silently stared at Cliffman. It was a dangerous subject and one that shouldn''t be raised. However, Heinrich knew that a moment would come when they could no longer avoid addressing it. CH 629 Nighttime. -Thunk A wooden cup struck the table, emitting a dull sound. -Thunk Again. -Thunk, thunk And twice more. -Thunk The owner of the cup was tapping it against the table. Sitting across from her was Rowan, the Commander of the Holy Knights, conspicuously showing off the fact that she had snuck in wearing a robe with the hood flipped over her head. And the owner of the barracks. Louise von Schwarz was idly tapping the wooden cup on the table. It was an incomprehensible act. Though she had invited the Commander of the Holy Knights who had suddenly shown up in the middle of the night, Louise only engaged in this inexplicable behavior. "Shall I come back later?" As if to say that she would return when it was more convenient for Louise if she wasn''t up for conversation, Rowan looked at Louise with a bright smile. Silently, Louise pushed the wooden cup towards her instead of answering. "¡­?" Rowan couldn''t help but look puzzled as Louise suddenly pushed the cup toward her. "Is this for me?" "Take it as you please." Louise saw that there was some liquid in the cup she had pushed in front of herself. It contained an opaque, milky liquid. A cup offered out of the blue, with an unidentified liquid inside. Rowan picked up the cup and downed its contents in one gulp. Louise quietly observed Rowan emptying the cup with a clatter. "Ugh¡­" After emptying the cup, Rowan placed it back down and covered her mouth, taking a few deep breaths. "¡­I drank it, thinking I wouldn''t mind if it were poison. But I''d rather it be poison. What is this?" Gagging, She pretended to retch. "It''s incredibly thick, sour, and sticky. It''s very unpleasant¡­ What is this¡­?" Rowan, whose expression didn''t usually change easily, appeared uneasy. "Is this alcohol?" In conclusion, It was a strange liquid that couldn''t be called anything other than alcohol, even though it was unidentifiable. Louise nodded silently. "The priests of the Tu¡¯an have a rule about abstaining from alcohol too." Malicious. The taste of the alcohol itself was a problem, but the fact that she had offered it was as well. "There''s also a rule about not killing." "That''s true." Rowan nodded calmly. It was strange for an inquisitor who had tortured and killed countless people to bring up such a rule in the first place. "There must also be a rule about chastity." "You''d be surprised how well I keep that one." Louise stared intently at the composed face of the Commander of the Holy Knights. "Anyway, it seems the Commander enjoys this kind of alcohol? There are various local traditional liquors, so if my reaction earlier was rude, I apologize first." There must be a village somewhere in the world that drinks such vile alcohol. Therefore, Rowan apologized first for frowning at the sight of the princess of Kernstadt drinking this repulsive liquor alone in the barracks. However, Louise shook her head. "I wouldn''t know about any vile traditional liquors like that." "Um¡­ So it''s not?" "That''s right, it''s not." "Then may I ask why you''re drinking such a vile liquor?" Rowan couldn''t understand why Louise would drink such a strange liquor, especially since it wasn''t a traditional one. "It''s a secret brew." "Ah¡­ I see?" "Yes, I''ve confiscated the liquor the soldiers brewed themselves." That''s why she wasn''t emptying the glass, but rather, staring blankly at the liquid inside. "It''s quite incredible. People''s blood and tears are wrung out to support the army, and someone is brewing liquor with those blood and tears. Should we call that effort...?" Louise bit his lip. "Isn''t it pitiful...?" Even the horribly foul-tasting liquor was considered liquor, and they went through the trouble to brew and drink it. "How do you think we should deal with the soldiers who brewed the illicit liquor?" Louise looked intently at Rowan. "They should be killed." "Why should they be killed?" "Because food is precious." "Why is food precious?" "Because without it, people starve to death." "Are you saying they should be killed because they harmed resources related to life and death?" "Exactly." Louise continued to look at Rowan. But she just looked, Louise said nothing. When the moon was pointed out, one should have looked at the moon. One shouldn''t have scolded the finger pointing. But that was impossible and meaningless. Anyone could make empty talk. So why was the moon, which everyone could point at, so important? It didn''t matter who pointed it out, the moon had no meaning to begin with. "Do you want to save them?" At Rowan''s innocently asked question, Louise shook her head. "What are you talking about? They''re already dead." "Then why did you ask?" There was no meaning to the question and answer from the beginning, as the conclusion had been reached and executed. There were soldiers who brewed the illicit liquor. The soldiers who somehow made it. The soldiers who secretly shared and drank it. Louise ordered them killed. And she confiscated all the illicit liquor they brewed and took a sip of it. It was just a horribly tasteless and unpleasant white liquid. They died while making this worthless thing. "For these petty thieves who stole rations, we cut off their heads..." Louise looked at Rowan. "But the woman who stole countless lives and even the entire Order is parading around as the Commander of the Holy Knights, stirring up trouble here and there..." "And." "I, to such a despicable and evil thief..." "Can''t even pour a bucket of cold water, let alone a sword." The small thieves were punished. The heaviest punishment of taking their lives was imposed on the small thieves. But she couldn''t even question this great thief about her theft. Then why did the small thieves have to die? Why did they have to die? Why were they killed? Only the small ones were trampled. No, only the small ones had been trampled. In the end, Louise wanted to bite her tongue. From the moment she killed her brothers with her own hands, she had no right to blame anyone. In the end, what was the difference between having a different kind in front of the mirror and cursing at it? Louise was miserable whether she spoke or remained silent. Filled with self-loathing, sorrow, and indignation, Louise von Schwarz stared at the Holy Knight Commander with blurry eyes. "Enough. Whatever it is, tell me your purpose." Seeing Louise take on a posture of conversation, Rowan whispered quietly in the barracks filled with the bitter smell of the illicit liquor. "The Demon King has chosen you." "..." Louise was silent. She had suspected that she would face such a situation. No, it must have been a messenger''s choice, not the Demon King''s. The bright expression on the face of this Demon King worshiper, as if she was telling her to be grateful and happy, revealed that fact. For a very long time, Louise did not respond. How much time had passed? Louise opened the barrel beside her, scooping up a bowl of the illicit brew. And she drank. As if she couldn''t bear it without drinking. As if she was downing a cup of poison. ¡®Moonshine.¡¯ Drinking the liquid that had been robbed of its name by something else. Not poison but a strange brew. After drinking a bowl of such a concoction, she wiped her mouth and muttered quietly with her clear eyes, "Terrible¡­ taste." How could a drink made of blood and tears be sweet? ------ "Having Kernstadt is as good as half of the coalition forces coming over." I couldn''t help but tilt my head at Charlotte''s words. "¡­Isn''t it less than half?" "Don''t you think I know that the actual scale is not that much? Yes, the real power of Kernstadt within the coalition forces is less than half, and strictly speaking, it wouldn''t even be a quarter." "So." Charlotte and I were sitting alone in the Lazak Elder Council Chamber, talking. "But look, say a small, provincial country with a force of about a thousand soldiers sided with us. What would happen the moment that insignificant ruler declares he will side with the Demon King?" "¡­If they don''t want to die, they wouldn''t do such a thing. But if they do, they''d be lucky to die quickly, I guess." "They would be killed instantly, right?" "Yes, that''s right." It was obvious that the moment those with little power or influence unexpectedly declared support for the Demon King, their heads would roll. Were they talking about something like too big to fail? "If a small country''s ruler does such a thing, people would think it''s crazy and move on. But if a great power like Kernstadt makes that decision, people will naturally think. Why would a country like Kernstadt suddenly support the Demon King at this timing? Would they think the same way or not?" "¡­Would they?" If it isn''t so, would there be smoke from a chimney? If a great power like Kernstadt were to suddenly make such a decision, fierce criticism would surely follow, but of course, a tremendous shock would also accompany it. Why on earth would Kernstadt? What was it lacking? "But would only Kernstadt stand up? We also have the Holy Order, don''t we?" "That''s right." Let''s say that at the same time as Kernstadt, the Holy Order also declared their support for the Demon King. The number one vassal state, Kernstadt. The Holy Order. Not one madman, but two. Kernstadt was the largest nation, excluding the empire. The Holy Order was a force that transcended nations. If both groups began to openly support the Demon King, everyone would naturally feel that something serious was going on. "Everyone will have to choose, whether to support the Empire or the Demon King." It''s absurd for humanity to support the Demon King in the first place. However, the moment these two major forces reveal it openly, people will have to seriously consider whether or not to support the Demon King. Of course, the deliberation would be carried out not by the majority of humanity, but by the leaders and the top brass of the powers. They would have no choice but to do whatever it took to survive. There would be forces that claimed they could never side with the enemy, even if it meant a desperate struggle. Survival was the ultimate good, and there would be factions claiming to be on my side for that very reason. The victory of the Demon King, or the victory of the Empire. Those who wished to survive had to start making predictions. Thus, Charlotte''s statement that more than half had crossed over was not wrong. The moment the other powers realized the two great powers were on my side, their leaders would begin placing their bets amidst immense chaos. In reality, although Kernstadt was not exactly half, more than half of the shaken and rearranged power structure would be filled by those on my side. "It''s funny, not long ago everyone was frustrated that they couldn''t kill me, and now this has become possible." "How common is it to serve a king you hate enough to want to kill, just because he''s a king?" "¡­Well, if you put it that way, it doesn''t seem like such a strange thing after all." Just as there would be those who would fight me even at the risk of their own lives, there would also naturally be those who would crawl under the Demon King to survive. Whether the former were the majority or the latter were, it was impossible to know, but it was clear that the latter would not be a small number. "Anyway, all these assumptions are based on the precondition that Louise von Schwarz supports me¡­" "That''s right." Louise von Schwarz. Charlotte was the one who suggested that the first person I needed to bring on board for the upcoming events was her. It was a ridiculous thing. If I had done nothing, Louise von Schwarz would have died at the hands of Bertus, falsely accused of the Heinrich assassination. In the end, both Louise and Heinrich survived. And so, it became possible to consider the likelihood of Louise joining my side. Ultimately, though the Holy Knight Order and the Five Great Religious Orders alone could shake the alliance, it would be impossible to secure any significant power without capturing Louise von Schwarz. The precondition had to be met first, even if only to sketch out a plan. I had left it to Rowan, but until I heard the confirmation, there was no way of knowing what would happen. "Last year, I wouldn''t have known, but now the situation has changed a lot, and Louise has learned quite a bit." What the Empire was doing. And that I had taken control of the Religious Orders. I still didn''t know if she knew about the Gate incident. Louise knew that it was not strange at all for her to join my side at this timing. There was no reason for her to fight me to the death. And she knew that the scales were tipping in my favor. However, in truth, it did not matter whether Louise knew such trivial facts and truths. Putting everything else aside, Louise knew that she had to join my side to survive. "Louise von Schwarz will join our side. She must." Louise knew what the Emperor was thinking. With that alone, Louise would join my side. Because she already knew which battle would be won. Because she knew that this wasn''t even a fight in the first place. ------ Good and evil depended on who recorded them. That was why the one who held the power to write history could always define something as good and something as evil. So, the meaning of good and evil itself disappeared, and in the end, only who could hold the pen of power mattered. So, who was the real good? So, who was the real evil? Talking about it would only fill the sleepless nights. Those who held the pen in life would become the ones who wielded justice and righteousness. Thus, surviving was the only justice and the true righteousness. Losers would be recorded as evil. Not because they were evil, but because they had been defeated. "..." Louise von Schwarz didn''t have a long silence to contemplate. The conclusion was reached, and the choice that had to be made was clear. The question was whether she could handle it. The situation had twisted in such a way that Louise von Schwarz had unexpectedly seen and learned things she should never have been able to see or know. This had unexpected effects in unexpected places. Everything would belong to the Demon King. Louise knew that. Kernstadt, and the Holy Order. By the time the Gate Incident was fully resolved, more than half of the allied forces would have sworn allegiance to the Demon King. At the forefront stood Rowan, the commander of the Holy Knights. For the heretical inquisitor, who had enforced order through evil, trampled on doctrine, and protected the order of the Church, establishing order through blood and deceit was nothing new. Manipulation, extortion, conspiracy, intrigue, torture, brainwashing. Such vile and filthy deeds were her lot. Rowan stared silently at the princess of Kernstadt. King Constantine was frail, so her decision was virtually the decision of Kernstadt. After a moment of silence, Louise spoke up. "I have a condition." "A condition?" "If you accept it, I will stand with you." Louise didn''t simply decide to join their side. "I can convey that. What is the condition?" "There''s no need to seek the Demon King''s permission. Your agreement will suffice." "¡­Do I have the authority to decide?" "Of course." Louise''s condition was simple. "The condition is, your life." "¡­What?" Taken aback by the sudden request, Rowan furrowed her brow. Asking for her life out of the blue. "¡­I can''t deny you that, but did you hate me that much?" "I do hate you, and I do wish you were dead. But this is an entirely different matter." "How is it different?" Louise seemed to enjoy Rowan''s perplexed face, taking a sip of her wine and smirking. "Does the Demon King intend to rule through oppression or govern wisely?" "I don''t know the actual outcome, but I assume he would try the latter?" "Then your life is all the more necessary." "¡­?" Louise began to laugh at Rowan''s apparent inability to understand. "Isn''t it obvious?" It was indeed, a reckless laugh. "How could a madwoman who incited riots, encouraged massacres, and killed countless people as a heretical inquisitor help the Demon King''s reign? "¡­" "Considering that there are many people who know these facts, do you think the commander''s secret will be kept forever?" "¡­Probably not." "Even if you can help now, the last act of loyalty the commander can perform once the Demon King''s world is complete is to stand on the scaffold of purging. No, that is precisely how the commander''s loyalty will be fulfilled." At those words, Rowan''s expression hardened ominously. Rowan''s role was only for now. Rowan had done too many things up to this point, regardless of her actual character. Because of the sins she had committed so far, she would have to face judgment once the reign began. When peace began, her very existence would become a burden. Therefore, Rowan would have to die, ironically, the moment the world she wished for arrived. She had to die to complete her loyalty. Rowan''s death was not necessary for Louise, but rather for the Demon King. That''s why Louise offered Rowan''s death as a condition, even though it had nothing to do with her personal feelings. Using the uncertainty of the Demon King''s power in the future as an excuse, she convinced both Rowan and the Demon King that Rowan had to die. "Having lived in the shadows, an existence of darkness met chaos and wore a badge, but did you really think you could live in the light? That''s impossible." Louise looked at her with an unbearable, grim smile. Louise von Schwarz was the princess of Kernstadt. She was the first princess of the first vassal state, and the successor to the second-largest country in the world. It wasn''t as if she wouldn''t gain anything from a losing deal. Deception, conspiracy, and intrigue were obviously more familiar to Louise. "New commander, the situation may change and your position may differ, but will your nature change?" No matter how much she was the envoy of the Demon King right now. No matter how strong her immediate power was. Her nature would not change. Louise was a princess and heir of a great nation. While she had to live in the shadows. Like a cheap drink made by lowly people with inferior ingredients, forced together by circumstances, her ¡®moonshine¡¯ could only be repulsive. Cheap is cheap. "How could moss grow in the light?" If a creature of darkness foolishly ventured into the light, it was bound to wither and die. CH 630 "Haah..." Rowan let out a deep sigh as she left the Kernstadt military garrison. Royalty was indeed royalty. Not just any ordinary royalty. She knew they couldn''t be mere chess pieces that could be moved at will, but Louise von Schwartz was beyond her expectations. Even though she knew she had to shake an unwilling hand, she ultimately got what she wanted. No, to be precise, she didn''t even say she wanted it. Louise didn''t tell Rowan that she wanted her dead. She said there was a ''need'' for her to die ¨C not for herself, but for the Demon King. The reason Louise''s negotiation and demands were eerie was because Rowan herself had been convinced by her words. A dog had no use in troubled times. Cute dogs were not needed. All that was needed was a large, fierce dog to bite the enemy. But once the troubled times were over, the use of hunting dogs diminished, and mad dogs must be eliminated. It was clear that the Demon King had ambitions, and while Rowan might be needed for now, there was a possibility that her past actions could come back to haunt her once the situation stabilized. For the sake of the Demon King''s world, Rowan had to die along with all her sins the moment that world was completed. She had to confess that her sins were unrelated to the Demon King and take her leave. She was already a villain, and the dice would continue to roll every day, determining whether her villainy would be exposed or not. The longer she lived, the more responsibility the Demon King would bear for condoning Rowan''s sins. "..." Louise von Schwarz had achieved a great success. Even if she withdrew her demands now, she had made Rowan prepared to die the moment the world she desired arrived. The fundamentals did not change. Noble-born royalty would remain royalty until death. Although she might appear to be submitting miserably to the Demon King for now, once the Demon King''s world began, Kernstadt would become one of the top nations in the hierarchy. Despite the gossip that Louise von Schwarz was a traitor to humanity or a despicable person who had submitted to the Demon King, she would still live as royalty, and that would not change. However, Rowan believed that her past actions would eventually catch up with her. She had to disappear because her very existence was a burden to the one she served. The fundamentals did not change. The words spoken and the deeds committed remained unchanged. Rowan was a creature that should never have stepped into the light. If she hadn''t, she could have continued to live in the fog and shadows. But as a consequence of stepping into the light, she must wither and die, rather than return to the darkness. The shadows that hid her. The tree called the Pope. For a creature that had lived in the shadows they created, cutting down the masters of those shadows and occupying their place was a transgression that must be punished with death. Rowan didn''t feel particularly sorrowful or sad about it. It was just unpleasant that a spoiled royal brat had made her realize something she should have known all along. But it made her think. What if she hadn''t lived as a heretic inquisitor? Like the children left in the monastery, she too had been an abandoned child. Some of these children would grow up as abandoned, then demonstrate their talent for holy power and enter the Temple. Adriana had done so. Or, they could catch the eye of the Holy Knight Commander and be groomed to become the next Holy Knight Commander. Olivia Lanze had said so. Someone who happened to have a similar talent but was raised in a monastery that trained heretic inquisitors. So, she was raised as a heretic inquisitor. "..." Who defines one''s origin? Was it something I decided? Would it have been different if I was raised differently? In that harsh country, where the snow of the four seasons fell. In a gloomy and desolate monastery built away from people''s eyes. Not learning terrible techniques to torture, brainwash, and fabricate nonexistent crimes. Not being educated on how to convince myself to betray my teachings even before I learned them. Wouldn''t it have been different if I had grown up in a place like a temple, not knowing how to hate others? Olivia Lanze. The person who had lived with the Demon King and the temple. The position of the leader of the Holy Order and the future Holy Emperor of the next Holy Empire. Could that position have been mine? Originally twisted and with a dark heart, Rowan became even more entangled by the words Louise had thrown at him. "...Nonsense." The good thing was, Rowan only knew Louise''s intention. She clearly understood her intention not to interfere and to watch the grave. So, thinking too much about it was just falling for Louise''s malice. The position of Olivia Lanze was Olivia Lanze''s position. There was no reason to desire it, nor to regret it. If dying and disappearing would help the Demon King, then so be it. Twisted loyalty is still loyalty. And the Demon King didn''t even like her. She just had to think about what she had to do. Louise von Schwarz had been captured. Now, it was time for the next. The current goal was to carefully make those with a high likelihood of capture come over, one by one. The most important person, Louise von Schwarz, had asked for a price but had crossed over. In fact, it wasn''t even a price. It was necessary from the beginning. Rowan didn''t need to capture everyone. ''Is it the Duke next......?'' Now it was the Duke of Saint Owan''s turn. ''He said there was no need for me to go there......'' The person who should step forward to capture the Duke of Saint Owan. Wasn''t the most suitable person right next to the Demon King? ------ The report that had been sent from Rowan to the side of Sarkegaar arrived for me around noon the next day. As I read the report, I couldn''t help but feel a taste that was both bitter and not. "Hmm......" Louise von Schwarz wanted Rowan''s execution. Not right now, but after everything was resolved. Harriet, Charlotte, and I gathered in the office and read the report together. "It''s a necessary task. Of course, it seems certain that she asked not because it was necessary, but because she wanted to see it happen." Charlotte nodded her head as if acknowledging the intentions and necessity of Louise von Schwarz''s request after reading the report. She agreed that Rowan should be killed. She agreed that an execution was necessary. But, if you think about it, how many people in my group should not die? "It''s scary......" Harriet, who was not familiar with such matters, trembled slightly at the tips of her fingers. "Execution is a necessary task. It''s not just Rowan who needs to die. If there are too many heroes, the country will be ruined." "What do you mean?" I asked. It was true that heroes should be treated with respect. However, excessive respect could lead to a dispersion of power, and when it went too far, it would become the seed of division. Therefore, as a ruler, it was necessary to make a decisive choice to purge heroes after successfully completing the conquest. It wasn''t just about killing Rowan. It was also about killing Charlotte. "Do you understand what I''m saying?" At my words, Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. "If necessary, I should be killed too. No, actually, it would be better to kill me." "What?" It wasn''t me who was surprised by Charlotte''s calm words, but Harriet. "Because if you employ me while sparing my life, my existence itself would become the seed of the Gardias royal family''s revival. Logically, I should be killed." Yes, I wasn''t unaware of that. "Would I do that?" "That''s why I''m worried. Because you absolutely won''t." "How many times have I saved your life by now? If I have to kill you later, I''ll bite my tongue and die first." It sounded absurd. Countless times, I had tried to save Charlotte. But now, after everything had finally stabilized and I wanted to strengthen the foundations of the nation, would I just hang her out to dry? I would rather die than live to see such a thing. I understood that such a decision was necessary for a ruler, but if that was the life of a ruler, I would rather not live as one. That didn''t mean I didn''t acknowledge the necessity of a purge. A purge was necessary. But if so, who should be purged and to what extent? Even though I didn''t plan on it, I would have to sift through the heroes who had been with me since before we arrived in Edina. If necessary, even Olivia and Liana would have to be killed. I absolutely couldn''t carry out such a purge, and this report was written by Rowan herself. It wasn''t just about Louise von Schwarz''s demands. Rowan had written in detail about why she should die. She was prepared to die at any moment. "I really dislike this guy. It''s too burdensome." It was overwhelmingly burdensome. "I don''t know. Purges and all that stuff aren''t problems to think about right now. Just promise to do it. We can change our minds later." After all, even if Louise received a promise for a purge, she would only collect the price later. We could say that we couldn''t do it later on. When the situation actually came to that, we could think differently based on the necessity at that time. But ultimately, it was about promising to give in to everything she wanted for now since we could just back out later. "What should I say... it''s a bit... difficult." Harriet couldn''t help but have a troubled expression. "People in these positions usually have to lie a lot, you know?" "That''s true." "And if the situation unfolds according to our wishes, do you think Louise could turn against us for not keeping our promise? She absolutely can''t." "Right, right. Of course." As Charlotte and I bickered in agreement, Harriet scowled at us as if we were both trash. We decided to go ahead with the purge. Whether or not we would actually kill Rowan would be determined later. It was a garbage-like logic, but Louise probably knew that my guarantee wasn''t very reliable. A purge. I was already worrying about something that wasn''t an issue at this stage. Let''s focus on the task at hand. Charlotte seemed to have sorted herself out and stretched. "Now it''s time for the next step." Louise von Schwarz agreed to join our side, with the condition that the payment would come later. The Holy Knights, the Five Great Churches, and Kernstadt. Next. The Saint Owan Duchy. And the leader of the duchy, the Archduke of Saint Owan. "I''ll do my best." With a determined expression, Harriet nodded. Look at her. How adorable. "What exactly are you going to do well?" "Uh? That would be... persuading...?" Harriet seemed to think it was obvious that she should go to persuade the Archduke of Saint Owan. "Why would you go? I''m the one going." "Huh?" "What are you talking about? Why are you going in person?" Charlotte seemed just as confused. "Honestly, I don''t think it''s a bad idea for you to go either. But don''t you think you should consider the feelings of a parent?" "Um?" "Ah..." "If you go and ask for help, it might be easier to say, but the Archduke might think... won''t I look despicable?" Although not a hostage, the daughter''s happiness might depend on following my words. If I were a parent, I would find it very despicable. I should visit in person. "Even if the Archduke understands your actions, I''m ultimately the scumbag who stole his daughter, right? He may understand you, but understanding me is a completely different matter." "¡­Huh?" "That''s why this time, I should go and bow my head." "Is, is that so?" "Certainly, it would be fortunate if he didn¡¯t slap Reinhardt as soon as he saw him. No, Reinhardt should be slapped at least once as a courtesy. It seems that way." Harriet appeared puzzled, and Charlotte seemed to agree with my decision. That''s right, as Charlotte said. I should have been slapped at least once. I was despicable. I didn''t even go to get slapped until now. But then. What should I say? Let''s say I get slapped. What should I do next? Father-in-law, please. You¡¯ve already taken my daughter, you bastard! Not the daughter. I''ve already taken your daughter. Then what! What else do you want, you brat! Father-in-law. Don¡¯t call me father-in-law. Do I have to say that... is that the situation? The Archduke could use teleportation. So, there was no need to meet at the Allied Forces'' base. If the Archduke wanted, we could meet in the Saint Owan Duchy, and if he wanted to meet at the Allied Forces'' base, that would be fine too. Unlike Louise, the Archduke wouldn''t refuse a proposal to meet and talk since his daughter was with me. "What if... my father... tries to kill you...?" Harriet''s eyes were brimming with tears. Harriet had actually visited Saint Owan Duchy once before to meet the Archduke. At that time, the Archduke said he understood Harriet. But that was one thing, and wouldn''t it be natural for the Archduke to have the urge to crush me? "I think it''s best if I go with you." "...No, that would be even weirder." It would really look like we''re going to ask for permission to get married! CH 631 Capturing the Archduke of Saint Owan held a qualitatively different significance than taking over Kernstadt. Kernstadt was about securing ''scale'' in terms of overall power. However, the Archduke was the person in charge of the Titan, which was one of the main pillars of the allied forces'' strength. Of course, the Archduke couldn''t operate the Titan on his own when it came to the finer details, but the Titan held immense power within the allied forces. It was strong enough to turn the tide of a battle in a major city within just seven minutes. Although the Immortals currently possessed tremendous might, the Titan was not far behind and was being continuously improved in real-time. Having the Archduke on my side didn''t mean I could possess the Titan. It meant that I could neutralize them. Just as I hoped that the Immortals wouldn''t be used in such a situation, the Titan should never be used in a manner other than fighting against monsters. As long as I pursued this direction, I had to thoroughly neutralize both the allied forces and the empire. Capturing Kernstadt had already weakened the allied forces by about half, and by neutralizing the Titan, I could render one of the main pillars of their strength unusable. No matter how I met him, I would go to the meeting with the Archduke alone. Sarkegaar would make contact with the Archduke first, and I would be the one to speak with him. I left the decision of where to meet up to the Archduke. We could meet in the capital city of Arnaca in the Saint Owan Duchy, but that might be very uncomfortable for him. I didn''t want to appear threatening to the Archduke in any way. That''s why I chose to go myself instead of sending Harriet. The allied forces had already left Grenosia and started their retreat. There wasn''t any battle in Grenosia, anyway. Sarkegaar, who had returned to Lazak with Lucinil, returned sooner than I had expected. "What''s going on? Why did you come with the Lucinil instead of Harriet?" Harriet, who was in charge of transportation, usually brought people back from designated locations quickly. But why did Lucinil come instead of Harriet? "I don''t know. The scribe wanted to take him, but he insisted on going with me." "Really?" "Yes, Your Highness." Did Sarkegaar have a preference for people? He disliked humans in general, but I didn''t recall him specifically disliking Harriet. Why now? "Anyway, did you decide on a place?" "¡­We haven''t had a chance to meet with the Archduke yet." What''s going on? Why did you come back if you haven''t finished the task? I had grown accustomed to his sinister and gloomy expressions. But this expression of Sarkegaar''s was new to me. There was something strange about both sending Harriet back and bringing Lucinil along. "That¡­ It might not be very important, but I thought Your Highness should know¡­ I didn''t want to involve the scribe for a reason¡­" It was a rare sight to see Sarkegaar flustered and rambling. "¡­Why are you suddenly like this? What''s going on?" Sarkegaar hesitated uncharacteristically, and even Lucinil tilted her head as if something was odd. Did something happen? Did something not go well? "Actually¡­ The person who developed the Titan¡­ Your Highness''s classmate¡­" "Adelia? What about her?" What on earth was he trying to say? Adelia did what now? "That girl...seems to have...hmm..." "...?" Is this what I''m thinking? "No way." Lucinil also opened her mouth wide and started to tremble. "Adelia is...likely to have...fallen for the Archduke of Saint Owan..." This was completely out of the blue, extremely bizarre, not particularly meaningful, and had no impact on the overall situation. "What a crazy..." A massive, insane accident had occurred. No, it had already occurred. But wait. Wasn''t this? "The Archduke...The Archduke is?" The Archduke isn''t, right? Then, it''s true. Big trouble! What about our blockhead! What about me! "The Archduke...of course, wouldn''t be that kind of person..." I''d had several near-death experiences before. But this was the first time I felt like I had actually died and come back to life. ------ Sarkegaar was waiting for a moment when the Archduke was alone, lurking in various forms nearby. "He never seems to be alone." "The Archduke is busy...it makes sense when you think about it." He was a public figure who couldn''t help but fail in his endeavors. Louise von Schwarz was quite busy as well. However, the Archduke was both a commander and the head of research. Although the scale wasn''t comparable to Kernstadt''s army, the Archduke probably didn''t have any proper downtime. That''s why it was extremely difficult to make contact with him when he was alone. Sarkegaar''s failure to make contact with the Archduke as per my instructions was not without reason. But right now, that wasn''t important. Sarkegaar was visibly flustered by the situation, and Lucinil listened to the story with a bewitched expression. "It seems...the Archduke often sleeps in the research quarters rather than his own quarters. There are other researchers there, but...Adelia is also almost always present." Titan was a war weapon created by combining the ancient golem technology of the Saint Owan Empire and Adelia''s genius for magicrafting. In other words, the Archduke was the head of the laboratory, and Adelia was the chief researcher. So, they would inevitably see each other''s faces all the time, every day, every hour. Still. I was still thinking about the slightest possibility. That it was a misunderstanding or a mistake on Sarkegaar''s part. It had to be. It absolutely had to be! It''s too confusing! "When the Archduke skips a meal, Adelia seems to bring him food, and when he falls asleep, she covers him with a blanket...those kinds of things seem quite..." "Seems like it''s reversed somehow..." Lucinil murmured with an uneasy expression at Sarkegaar''s explanation. That''s true. It should be a heartwarming scene of a daughter''s friend following him to the battlefield to develop war weapons, the daughter¡¯s image overlapping with her, and the Archduke covering the daughter with a blanket when she falls asleep in the lab... It''s the complete opposite! "Well, isn''t that...possible?" But honestly, isn''t it not that strange? Covering with a blanket, bringing bread when one seems to be starving. You can do that. It doesn''t have to be because Adelia has those feelings. It could be because she respects the Archduke or pities him. But... What about that? Feeling pity and compassion, I constantly found myself paying attention to them, wanting to take care of their needs. Before I knew it, I was only looking at that person... That... Surprisingly, it was a plausible possibility. However, Sarkegaar responded with a very troubled expression to my assertion that it could happen. "It might be possible, but..." "Yes, that''s just how Adelia is. She can''t bear to say harsh words, and when she thinks someone is kind but troubled, she can''t help but worry about them. I''m not sure if that''s really the case, but she''s kind-hearted. Right..." "So you''re saying she has a similar way of thinking as you, but her personality is more upright?" "Your Highness, I''m not in the mood for banter right now." "Ah, my apologies. It''s just that I always seem to choose the worst things to say, and it''s not helping the situation..." "Enough! Silver-haired brat, leave!" "What? Did you just call me a brat?" "Silver-haired granny, leave!" "You!" Sarkegaar watched Lucinil and me bickering with a mature expression. It was an expression that said we were truly pathetic. Anyway, let''s get back to the main topic. "So... are you sure about this?" There was no evidence! If merely providing blankets and meals was an indication of affection, then the world would be filled with baseless confessions! "It''s not evidence, but... I am certain." "How can you be certain without evidence?" "The way she looks at him..." At those words, I felt my breath catch in my throat. The way Adelia looked at the Archduke. Her expression. That... It didn''t seem like evidence at all, but in truth, there was no better proof. In fact, it was such a lack of evidence that it made me wonder what other evidence there could be. "Damn it." So that''s what it was... The kidnapped graduate student, who had been living in the professor''s lab, began to see the professor as a man after only looking at him... ------ One cannot imagine what they have never experienced. The Archduke is a modest person. Therefore, he would not be able to imagine that Adelia might like him. So, whether or not Adelia had such feelings, the Archduke would be completely oblivious. He would not even have considered the possibility in the first place. In the end, Sarkegaar finished his brief report and returned to the allied forces. When the opportunity arose to connect with the Archduke, he would deliver my message. The fact that Sarkegaar discovered this while seeking the opportunity was not a significant issue. Even if Adelia harbored... such feelings toward the Archduke, it wouldn''t cause any major problems. The Archduke''s children are all well and healthy. His missing daughter is safe and sound now. It doesn''t affect the overall situation, and strictly speaking, it''s not a big deal. Frankly, what does it matter if the Archduke and Adelia were having some bizarre, embarrassing affair? The important thing is the war, not romance. I should have remained ignorant! Knowing it only makes me feel like I''m going insane over a problem I can''t solve, and it has nothing to do with the overall situation! ¡ª--- "Have you decided when to leave?" "Not yet..." "Really? Then why did Sarkegaar come by earlier? He seemed to have an odd expression. Is anything wrong?" "It''s not that..." "Also, when I was trying to take him there, he asked me to call you. Did I do something wrong to him?" "No, no, you did nothing wrong. Absolutely nothing wrong." Our blockhead did nothing wrong! "Then who is at fault? What''s going on?" "No! Nobody, uh, nobody did anything wrong." So, was it Adelia''s fault? No way. There''s nothing wrong with liking someone... It''s not like something bad happened! "¡­What''s going on? It seems like something''s up." "No, nothing. There''s no problem¡­" Obviously, Harriet suspected there was an issue. As Harriet innocently asked various questions, I felt like my tongue would go numb. Harriet and Adelia became friends when they met at the temple. Upon hearing the news that Adelia had developed Titan with the Archduke, Harriet seemed delighted by her friend''s historic achievement. Your dear friend has fallen for your father... How am I supposed to tell her this! ------ Several maddening days passed. The Allied Forces left Grenosia and set off, and of course, the Archduke had some time during the march. The report from Sarkegaar. I made contact with the Archduke safely, and the meeting place he proposed was the capital of Saint Owan Duchy, Arnaca. The White Palace of Arnaca, Arunaria. Meeting at the Allied Forces'' garrison was risky. Moreover, the Archduke could travel anywhere from the start. So, he seemed to prefer meeting in his own territory. "¡­" Actually, I should be extremely nervous. I didn''t know what the Archduke really thought of me, and I had no excuse if he became angry about how I handled Harriet as I pleased. But, after realizing something strange... The problem was that it became a completely different kind of tension. Anyway, the task was set. Meet the Archduke. And trap him. That was all I had to do. I didn''t know anything else. Neither Harriet nor the Archduke knew. I hated making things more confusing by saying unnecessary things! ------ Saint Owan Kingdom''s capital, Arnaca. I had been to Arnaca twice. During my time at the temple, I went there because of Adriana''s sudden withdrawal. The monastery where Adriana grew up was in Saint Owan Duchy. Back then, I knocked on the gates of the duchy''s palace to obtain priority to use the warp gate. Thinking about it, I must have been quite insane. At that time, I met the entire Saint Owan royal family. I had met the Archduke once before. He and Harriet almost thought they were going to get married. The second time was after the gate incident when I came with Harriet. I didn''t enter Arunaria, only Harriet did. And now, for the third time. The fortified magic towers of Arunaria were still impressive. People''s expressions were still gloomy. They must have thought that once the war ended, the empire would retaliate. Would they consider it a relief that the Saint Owan Duchy sided with the Demon King, or would they say they knew the Archduke would betray them after all? I couldn''t tell what decision the Archduke would make. If the Archduke sided with me, the misunderstanding of the world would eventually become true. There was no way to make any excuses. He would have to endure the criticism that his family had conspired with the Demon King for a very long time, ever since his daughter followed him. It wasn''t true, but there was no way to clear their name. I wondered what the Archduke would think when the false accusations became accepted as fact. It was not Harriet who brought me to Arnaca, but rather Eleris. I didn''t want to come here with Harriet for no reason. And I found out about something rather absurd. I walked through the desolate streets of Arnaca towards the massive palace at its center, the White Palace of Arunaria. It was a towering palace, seemingly carved out of a colossal mountain. The palace was still beautiful. As I gazed upon the palace''s towering spires, various thoughts crossed my mind. In her childhood, Harriet had told me that she used to climb those tall spires to watch the children playing in the streets below. Imagining a young Harriet, watching the children play from atop those lonely spires, it seemed somehow pitiful and cute. With those thoughts, I arrived at the square where the entrance to Arunaria came into view. "Your Highness, be careful." "Nothing will happen, but I should be cautious." Naturally, I was the only one entering. There was no need to involve anyone else and make the Archduke anxious. Eleris sternly warned me to be prepared for any situation. At the entrance to Arunaria, human-shaped golems guarded the gate. Human-shaped golems. It was eerily similar to the real human-made golems, and I couldn''t help but feel a chill. "State your business." "Speak." The same question as when I first visited Arunaria. "I am Reinhardt." Only a name was needed to enter. "I bear a message for His Grace the Archduke." The golems gave the same response as before. "Enter." However. "Demon King." They addressed me as the Demon King, even though I introduced myself as Reinhardt. -Grumble Grumble The grand gates of the palace began to open, revealing the tall, white stone steps leading up to Arunaria. There was no need to go all the way to the palace. At about the midpoint of the ascending staircase. Archduke Saint Owan looked down at me from there. The Archduke held a staff in his hand. Naturally, it was not a walking stick used for a disabled leg. It was likely the Archduke''s weapon. The Archduke, dressed in a suit, silently stared down at me. It was different from the typical robe-wearing mages. The Archduke exuded a dignified and aristocratic aura, a prime example of a noble mage. To be honest, I was intimidated. Had I come to a place I shouldn''t have? Should I have just let Harriet go instead? Had I foolishly insisted on doing this myself and ended up in a mess? "Uh... Well..." I had to take the submissive approach. Fighting the Archduke would ruin my life! I had no confidence in handling that! "May I come up...?" When I encountered the Archduke during the temple days, he seemed like nothing more than a doting father. However, now that the war continued, the Archduke had returned to his true self. A mage who rightfully deserved the title of the world''s strongest. Raphael de Saint Owan. The Archduke looked down at me and spoke. "Come up." Honestly. In many ways. I was scared of the Archduke. CH 632 Originally a tranquil palace, the White Palace of Arunaria was now even more silent. A stillness far from gloom. Silence often invoked a certain degree of fear, but the stillness in Arunaria was closer to solemnity. As the Archduke had said, it was a lonely place, and that loneliness persisted. The Archduke had accompanied me as I climbed the stairs, reaching a spot where Arunaria was visible in the distance. The Archduke said nothing. He merely walked a little ahead, and I followed quietly, wondering if he had anything to say. I somehow felt like I was being punished. To be honest, I was in a position where I had to be cautious. Having no words to say, I had come here to ask the Archduke to take my side. If my insolence had gone this far, wouldn''t I have to understand if the Archduke wanted to strike me down? The Archduke had suffered tremendous damage because of my existence. His reputation had hit rock bottom because his daughter had disappeared with the Demon King. The people of the duchy were hated, and they were treated coldly by the allied forces. The long-established and honorable Saint Owan family''s reputation had been thrown into a gutter in an instant. What is honor? For most people, it might not mean much, but for someone like the Archduke of Saint Owan, it must have been very important. And it had all evaporated because of my existence. The Archduke remained silent for a long time, and I couldn''t help but think about such things as I continued to gaze at the palace. Were they all doing well? Harriet''s mother and her brothers. I knew that all of her brothers were mages and were serving in the allied forces. And I knew they were safe. But being safe and doing well were worlds apart. I didn''t even have the right to ask if they were all well, so I couldn''t say a word. For over an hour. The Archduke said nothing, and I was as mute as if I''d eaten honey. It wasn''t just the feeling of being punished; it was clear that I was actually being punished. At the end of that long, drawn-out silence. "How strange." The Archduke suddenly said that. Strange? The Archduke stared at me intently. "You seem to be quite restless." In fact, I was. Wouldn''t it be even stranger to be confident in this situation? Am I supposed to stand tall and be forthright? "Well, I... I..." "..." I wanted to say something, but my lips wouldn''t part. I had nothing to say to the Archduke, of all people. He must know that I didn''t kidnap Harriet and that she followed me of her own accord. But what would that mean? Hiding secrets and becoming close with his daughter was already a despicable act. The Archduke looked at me. "Do you think you''ve wronged me?" No. If this isn''t wrong, then what is it? "...Yes." I had no idea what the Archduke was thinking. "Hmm..." After some contemplation, the Archduke slowly nodded. "Well then, tell me." Was he asking me to be honest? "What do you think you''ve done wrong so far?" Leaning on his cane, The Archduke stood before me like a judge and calmly spoke. "Whether it''s what you''ve done to me." "Or what you''ve done to my daughter." "Or, for example..." "To the world." "To humanity." "If you think you''ve done wrong, then what is it?" The person who had never once dabbled in evil power or cunning. The one who had pursued the righteous path with righteous power, living for noble and just causes. The person who had done nothing wrong, but because of me, lost far too much. Yet, without ever expressing a hint of sorrow or resentment, he carried out his duties and continued to do so. Archduke Saint Owan. "Speak about that." He was perhaps the only person with the right to judge me. ------ It was a long story. But ultimately, it was a story that culminated in an attempt to save everyone, leading to the current situation. What was Akasha, who was Cantus Magna, why the Tomb of the Lich was created, and what was the original purpose for using Akasha. By the time everything was revealed, it was already too late. For too long, I had lied, and no one could trust me. The ones who felt the greatest betrayal couldn''t help but hate me. The story of trying to change the future but instead fulfilling it. The story that if nothing had been done, nothing would have happened. "It seems you''ve received a curse from the gods, not their blessing." The Duke, having heard the entire story, spoke simply. Were the two divine relics I possessed not a blessing, but a curse? "Rather, it''s humanity that has received the curse." But, as if reading my thoughts, the Duke corrected himself. A curse on humanity? "If the Demon King had no intention of harming humanity and intended to use Akasha to escape to another world, there would have been no reason to fight." Valier wanted not war but escape. Humanity, fearing the threat of demons, invaded Darkland, slaughtering not only the Demon King but most of the demons as well. They did not try to understand; they were afraid. It all happened because of a misunderstanding. "Isn''t it that humanity is on the brink of destruction because of the misunderstanding that led to the annihilation of its neighbors?" The Gate Incident, too, occurred ultimately due to misunderstanding and miscommunication. "Whether or not you wanted revenge, the truth that the Demon King has taken the most decisive and certain revenge on humanity does not change." In the end, it was both revenge and not revenge, and I couldn''t deny that. I played the biggest role in the extinction of humanity. That truth would never change. "How can this be anything other than the curse of the gods?" Receiving back what was given, through misunderstanding. The Duke seemed to think that this was the judgment and curse of the gods upon humanity. ------ Was this disaster a curse of the gods? The Duke looked up at the gloomy sky. "Of course, whether this is truly the curse of the gods or a horrible coincidence, we cannot know." How could one possibly calculate the probability if it were just a terrible coincidence? "But even if this is the curse of the gods, your guilt does not disappear, and it doesn''t mean you''re guiltless. In the end, the fact that all of this originated from you remains unchanged." Yes. I don''t even want to say that I did nothing wrong. Guilt and responsibility do not disappear. The Gate Incident happened in order to save me. Antirianus had impulsively charged, Sarkegaar had argued fiercely, and Eleris had activated Akasha. That, too, was an undeniable truth. "However, isn''t it too cruel to say that you should have rather died?" "..." "When I regained consciousness, having lost all my memories, I found that my kingdom had been destroyed, my father, who was once the absolute ruler and king of a world, had perished alongside the hero, and I was left with nothing but an empty title, unable to be anything more than a mark of shame. The only thing I knew was that the world would soon be destroyed¡­" "..." "You''ve come so far, haven''t you? No, how you even managed to come this far¡­ isn''t it miraculous?" The fact that I was the last Archdemon of the destroyed Demon Realm was an extremely unfavorable condition for my survival. It would have been better if I were just some random human, a nobody. Yet, in the end, I managed to reach the brink of destroying the world, I reconstructed Darkland, and now humans live there alongside us. Countless coincidences saved me, and countless coincidences led me to this point. But in the end, I became the king of the rebuilt Demon Realm. How did I do it? The Duke found it strange, and as I traced back my steps from the beginning, I couldn''t help but wonder how any of it was possible. If someone had hinted at the beginning that I would end up like this in a few years, I wouldn''t have believed them either. "You may not be the most powerful Demon King in history, but you will be the most extraordinary." So that''s how it would be. The reconstruction of a destroyed kingdom. I had accomplished the reconstruction of Darkland. That''s why I could call myself a Demon King, not just Reinhardt, and face the Duke. And then, destruction. I succeeded in taking revenge on humanity. I didn''t achieve everything I set out to do. But, the things that a Demon King should do were all successfully completed. "Now you stand on the brink of annihilating humanity and ruling the entire world. You''ll be the most extraordinary and perfect Demon King in history." And then, becoming the ruler of the world. "Isn''t it ironic that you, who never wanted to be a Demon King, have become the closest being to fulfilling the demons'' long-held wish that no one has ever achieved?" I never wanted to be a Demon King. I didn''t want to be anything like a king. "It seems that Archdemons are cursed to never live the lives they want." Yes. If Archdemons are a race cursed like that. I didn''t want to rebuild Darkland, but I did. I didn''t wish for humanity''s destruction, but humanity was destroyed. Perhaps, in the lineage of Archdemons, I was the only Demon King who didn''t want to become one and didn''t harbor hatred for humans. That''s why I destroyed all of humanity, rebuilt the ruined kingdom, and now have the opportunity to own the entire world. Is there really such a curse? Is that why Demon Kings have been failing? "Then, we''re in big trouble." "Big trouble, you say?" If there is such a curse, it''s a big problem. "The Gate Incident won''t end." If Archdemons have such a curse, the Gate Incident won''t end. Then this, too, would become yet another farce. I shuddered at the thought. "Ha-ha... I suppose so." The archduke laughed weakly at my words. Whether such a curse existed or not was unknown. What mattered was that the archduke seemed to understand how desperately I wanted to put an end to the Gate incident. "So in the end, you''re saying it''s all your fault?" The archduke asked me to point out any wrongdoings. So I told him about everything that had happened up until now. "That... Hurting Harriet... that was my fault as well..." Even though she had chosen to follow me, it was ultimately a wrong I had committed against the archduke. "I didn''t contact you all this time... You must have been worried. Anyway... it''s all my fault. The state of the world, everything..." "The state of the world?" "Yes." "Why would that be your fault?" The archduke looked at me. "You said it yourself. The state of the world resulted from my actions. So it''s my fault..." "It could be your sin, but why would it be a mistake?" Is there a difference between sin and mistake? I couldn''t quite grasp what the archduke was trying to say. "Let''s say you really caused the Gate incident with the intention of destroying humanity. Let''s assume that." The archduke spoke softly, tapping his staff on the marble steps. "Even so, wouldn''t that be acceptable?" "¡­What?" What was he talking about? "Darkland never considered waging war against humanity, but humans invaded the demon realm, destroyed your kingdom, killed your father, and even turned people you considered family into slaves." Ah. "If, after suffering all that, you sought to destroy humanity, who could say that your feelings and actions were unjust or mistaken?" Many people had died. If I had truly wanted it and caused it to happen, it would be a sin. But it wouldn''t be unjust. The archduke was talking about revenge. Killings and massacres driven by vengeance can''t be justified, and thus are sins. However, the feelings of revenge can be justified. There might be sin. But it could be permissible. You had the right to do so. That was what the archduke was saying. I was allowed to do so. Therefore, although there might be sin, there was no mistake, according to the archduke. From the beginning, the archduke had asked me to point out any mistakes I thought I had made. The archduke had never said I had made a mistake. "The mistake was what I did to you." "¡­What?" "If the war in the demon realm was fundamentally wrong from the start, then the mistake lies with me, who wronged you first." The archduke had participated in the war in the demon realm. So if the war was fundamentally flawed from the start, and the result was the destruction of Darkland, the one who committed the unforgivable sin was not me, but the archduke. "Even if it were a just war, for the heir of a ruined country to seek revenge against all who participated in the war in the demon realm would be, in a way, a natural course of action." "¡­." From the moment I found out I was a demon king. The archduke had believed that everything I did to humanity, while sinful, was justifiable. Since I had the right to take revenge on all humans, he had accepted everything I did. In a strict sense, the archduke was one of my enemies. As the archmage, the archduke had undoubtedly achieved tremendous accomplishments in the war against the demon realm, which inevitably meant that he had killed numerous demons. If I were truly Valier, the archduke would have been one of the people with the highest positions on my list of those responsible for the massacre. "Why have you come to your enemy''s dwelling with the expression of a sinner, seeking to apologize?" Although he had worn the mask of a human in the past, there had been no change in his demeanor even in situations where it was only natural to remove the mask, now that it was known I was the demon king. "I... I don''t understand." The archduke seemed unable to comprehend my arrival at his place with the attitude of a sinner, watching his every move. "I see..." The archduke looked up at the sky. Beyond not possessing the vengeful feelings I should have had, I was only thinking about what I had done wrong to the archduke, without even a single grain of hatred. "My daughter was right." The archduke spoke in a voice laden with deep guilt. "You may be sinful, but you did nothing wrong." The archduke muttered blankly. "I have both sinned and made mistakes." Once he learned the truth about the war in the demon realm and the truth about the previous demon king Valier, the war had been nothing more than a massacre. Humanity hadn''t achieved salvation through the extermination of the demons. Instead, they had brought about the Gate incident as a consequence. It wasn''t just me who should have remained still. From the beginning, it was an issue where humanity should have remained still. I wasn''t Valier. Therefore, I couldn''t have any feelings of revenge towards the archduke. The archduke was simply misunderstanding. The fact that everything ultimately stemmed from me wasn''t solely because I was the cause of the Gate incident. This injustice had been created by my hand from the very beginning. Thus, there was no room for feelings of vengeance or resentment, only deepening guilt. Just as the archduke felt guilty towards me, I, too, could only feel guilt. CH 633 As the Archduke had said, I was a strange existence without a sense of vengeance. There were plenty of people who hated me, blaming the Demon King for all their troubles. However, some believed that if I were the prince of the demon world that had been destroyed by humans, it was only natural for me to harbor such feelings. The right to destroy humanity. If not me, then who else could possibly have that right? It would be stranger if I didn''t want that. That''s why people thought I naturally desired humanity''s destruction due to my perfect and overflowing motivation. But it was unexpected. The Archduke was prepared for death. "Even if you kill me, please spare my daughter," he had intended to say. It wasn''t anger towards the thief who had taken his daughter that caused the Archduke''s grim expression. He had been prepared for death. The Archduke was my enemy. He had someone who should rightfully try to kill him, yet that person also held his precious daughter. Therefore, he thought he would have to give up his life if it were demanded of him. Having learned that even the Great Demon War was unjust, the Archduke had come to feel guilty towards me. "If I were to do such a thing, how could I face her in the future?" "Is that so?" The Archduke nodded with a faint smile. It was a bizarre situation. The Archduke must have been constantly thinking about a problem I had never considered. Harriet had followed me. The Archduke must have wondered if I was using Harriet or if I truly cherished her. If I cherished her, did I also value the daughter of my enemy? What would I think of that enemy? He must have been contemplating that all along. That''s why he thought I would finally come to the point of requesting contact. Would he have to make a miserable choice, trading his life for his daughter''s safety? But in reality, I had come with the face of a thief who had taken his daughter, nervously glancing around. That''s right. From the Archduke''s perspective, he was prepared to die when he met me. Yet the person who should have rightfully killed him was trembling with a face that seemed deserving of death. It must have been a bizarre feeling. Soon. The silence that had lasted for over an hour was due to the fact that the Archduke and I had nothing to say to each other. Both of us felt guilty towards each other. So, the Archduke was astonished when he realized I didn''t harbor the slightest bit of vengeance. "It''s quite strange; it''s as if you don''t even have a sense of identity as the Demon King." That''s true. Even from the perspective that a Demon King should at least have some desire for vengeance, it was strange that I didn''t even have that much. "In fact, it''s not much different. I have no memory of my time as the prince of the demon world, and it''s more accurate to say I was born anew on the day the Great Demon War ended." "And the fact that you knew the future as well." "It''s a matter that has lost its meaning now." There was no need to mention that I was the Creator. They wouldn''t believe it anyway. "Right¡­" As if to say that he wouldn''t try to understand what he couldn''t, the Archduke slumped onto the bench. I wondered if he was feeling as though ten years had passed. Honestly, I had not come to this place with a light heart either, but the Archduke had decided to meet me with a much heavier heart than mine. More than I had imagined, the leaders of humanity had no choice but to fear me. At the same time, they realized that they had no choice but to acknowledge the legitimacy of my desire for revenge. I realized that my actions, which were not to annihilate humanity but to subjugate them, could be seen as a form of forgiveness by the leaders in some sense. Could this be considered good news? Revenge was not within my realm of imagination, so I couldn''t even consider it. Instead, those who feared the Demon King, not me, justified, interpreted, and rationalized my actions. I was fine with that. The one who had the right to annihilate humanity chose to forgive and rule them. Some might tremble under that oppression, but others might be grateful for the Demon King''s mercy and magnanimity. Just like the attitude the Archduke was showing now. "...I think I know what you want." The Archduke knew what I was going to say even without me saying it. "Do you need my power?" The Archduke''s knowledge. The Archduke''s authority. And the Archduke''s territory. There, the citizens. "Yes." In other words, everything of Saint Owan Duchy. "All right..." The Archduke nodded. "If it can be even a small atonement for all the sins I''ve committed against you and the demon race, I suppose I should do it." "People''s finger-pointing will become worse." "That doesn''t matter at all." The Archduke faintly smiled. "There is a code of conduct for beings, and I simply follow that code." The Archduke, who thought he was sinless, had become a sinner. "I thought I was following that code, but in the end, all those thoughts were nothing but arrogance." The person who always thought they should go the right way, and who believed they had come the right way, eventually realized they had come down the wrong path. In the end, the Archduke admitted his arrogance. "Then, I should do what I can now." He acknowledged that his belief that he could discern the right path was overconfidence. "From now on, my power is yours." No one is always right. Everyone is like that. The Archduke was one of those people. ------ Saint Owan Duchy decided to stand by my side. It was completely different from what I had thought. I was worried about what would happen if the Archduke tried to kill me. The Archduke believed he had to cooperate with me because of the sins he had committed. The process was different from what I had imagined, but I achieved the desired result. "It would be nice to have a meal before leaving, but I guess it''s not ready yet." "Ah... yes." He was probably talking about a different kind of preparation, not the meal. Had the Archduke told his wife that he was prepared to die? Whether he had told her or not, if I met the Archduke''s wife now, she might have a heart attack. She had seen Harriet safe with her own eyes, but the Archduke''s wife would also be afraid of me, just like the Archduke. "I¡¯ll explain it. When you come again later, we can meet like before." I would be able to see the Archduke''s wife after he had explained everything to her. Just like before. When I first came to Arunaria, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of nostalgia as I thought about how the Archduchess and Harriet''s brothers had treated me back then. At that time, it was incredibly burdensome. Could we go back to the way it was before? The Archduke''s words somehow made my heart ache. We could go back to the way it was before. Yes, we could do that. Even if there were things that couldn''t be undone. Surely, what could be undone would be undone. "By the way, you must have found something of your own. Is there a place in this land where that is possible?" "There is. It''s not huge, but..." It was either surprising or impressive that there was still a safe place to plant a flag in this harsh land. The Archduke slowly nodded his head. The Archduke should be fine. He''s not an outsider anymore. No, he never really was to begin with. "If you wish, you can visit the place." Upon hearing this, the Archduke''s eyes widened. "¡­Really?" He was clearly excited about the idea of seeing where his daughter had been living with his own eyes. I was the ruler. If I wanted to do that, I would do it. What''s the problem? However, I recalled the words of the Duchess I had heard a short while ago. What would you do if you let a wolf in without knowing whether it''s a wolf or a sheep? The Archduke wasn''t just anyone. But exposing Edina to many people would be dangerous. Even now, Rowan had never been to Edina. "I''m sorry, but I think this is not something I can decide on my own..." It felt somewhat terrible to disappoint him after raising his expectations, but it didn''t seem like a matter I could decide on my own. "Anyway, Harriet can visit here from time to time... That''s possible..." "Yes, I understand what you''re saying. Perhaps it''s better for me not to know. I understand." The Archduke seemed to understand why I was being cautious and nodded his head, as if to say there was no need to apologize. And it seemed that he was already satisfied with the fact that I didn''t make decisions about my world alone. Oh, seriously. No wonder Adelia went crazy. That''s right. Due to the heavier and more serious atmosphere than I had expected, I only just remembered it. Adelia. The issue with Adelia stuck in my head and wouldn''t leave. "¡­Didn''t you say it was okay? There''s no need to apologize." "No... That''s not it. Thank you for understanding." The Archduke had misunderstood. What should I do? I already knew that the Archduke of Saint Owan was a doting father, but I also knew that he was a proper noble and a good person. I wasn''t going to say anything. But I couldn''t help it. Did the Archduke really not know? Should I at least give him a hint? "Anyway, about the Titan." The Archduke crossed his arms at my words. "Whatever you do in the future, I can fully cooperate, but giving you the power of the Titan is impossible." No, that wasn''t what I was talking about. But I would have to discuss the use of the Titan eventually. "As you and I both know, the operation of the Titan is a magical weapon that must be jointly operated by Adelia, who was once your classmate. I cannot operate the Titan on my own because the device called Master Orb requires both of us." I knew that already. However, the conversation naturally led to the topic of Adelia. "And if you plan to use the Titan in a war..." It was evident that the thought of immense damage crossed his mind. Of course, as a duke, he would have no choice but to comply if I wished to do so, but ultimately, he wouldn''t want large-scale bloodshed. "No, that''s not it. Why would I use it for that?" "Ah... I see." "If it''s not used in critical situations, that''s enough." "True. If you really need to use the Titan, it would involve that child in danger as well... Frankly, I don''t want that." Yes. The Titan could be activated with both the Duke and Adelia. Although it was close to a safety mechanism, it could also be considered the Titan''s weakness that it could be operated without anyone''s permission if only those two were captured. Adelia might be a genius, but from the duke''s perspective, she was still a child. He wouldn''t want to involve her in the power struggle between Darkland and the Empire. Anyway. Now that Adelia''s name had been brought up rather smoothly, it was an opportunity. "Let''s set the Titan aside... Since it came up... You know, Adelia." "Oh, right." "How is she... Doing well?" Cautiously. Without raising suspicion. I wanted to hear what the duke thought. I had no intention of informing him if he didn''t know. I just wanted to check if the duke was really unaware. At my question, the duke sighed, "Hmm..." "Yes, Adelia was very close to our youngest, as you said..." He seemed to think I was asking because of a request from Harriet. This was good news. "Although following the battlefield cannot be considered living well." It was a bit strange to ask if she was doing well. "Apart from her well-being, I suppose she could be considered safe." I didn''t want to know if she was safe or not; I wanted to know what the duke thought of Adelia. What should I do? "What do you think of Adelia, Your Grace?" I don''t know! Just ask! "I remember what you said once." "...Me?" "Didn''t you say you''d create something that would astonish the world at the Magic Research Club meeting that you guys formed?" Ah. That''s what he was referring to. "I realized my perspective was much narrower than yours." In the end, the Moonshine and Power Cartridge were created. The result I predicted, even though I wasn''t a magician, came true. "Was that also an item that belonged to the future you knew?" "...Yes." "How interesting that someone who knows the future talks about it, but at the time, nobody believed... Or perhaps, that''s just the nature of the future." Who would believe someone talking about trivial events happening in the future? "There are people who create miracles. Adelia is one of them." People whose existence itself is a miracle, almost a blessing for humanity. That was probably the highest praise the duke could offer. But... Apart from that... What should I really say? Pretending not to care and asking such questions was incredibly difficult. Does she seem like a girl to you? I couldn''t possibly say that! "I''ve been thinking that if everything goes well and she''s alright, I''d like to ask her to become a member of our family... What do you think?" "...Pardon?" Uh... Excuse me? No way? "She was a good friend to our youngest, so wouldn''t that be a good thing?" No, that''s not what I meant? Could it be? "It seems our third child is quite fond of Adelia, too." I wanted to die. ------ Somehow, after exchanging the remaining words with the duke, I came out to the plaza feeling dejected. Honestly, I didn''t remember much of what we discussed afterward. "Your Highness...?" From afar, Eleris, wearing a hood, rushed over with a surprised look. "It didn''t seem like anything was wrong, but..." No... Nothing''s wrong with me... "Mom..." "...Yes? Y-yes?" "Mom, I want to die..." "Your, Your Highness...?" Mom! Mother! Although Eleris wasn''t my mother, she was something like a great aunt! Waaah! I''d rather become a newborn and forget everything that''s happened. Seeing me suddenly wail like a baby, Eleris embraced me with a flustered expression. "C-calm down. I don''t know what''s going on, but..." Eleris patted my back. I felt dizzy. I was already dizzy. And now I''ve heard something even more disorienting. "Curiosity... Curiosity doesn''t kill cats, it kills people..." "...What?" I resolved not to say anything when I went in! Why did I ask such a pointless question when I was inside! Ugh! I''m an idiot. Yeah. CH 634 I had returned to Lazak with Eleris, not to the royal castle but to a quiet place nearby. "Well, that''s quite... a difficult situation to comment on..." Even though I had done my job well, I had to explain why I was in such a state. Eleris''s eyebrows twitched as she listened. Adelia liked the Archduke. However, the Archduke regarded Adelia as a daughter-in-law. And Adelia was liked by Harriet''s third older brother. "It seems like I''m being punished..." "Do you mean the Archduke is being punished?" "No... not him..." It felt as if not the Archduke, but I was the one being punished! In my previous life, I had written too many trashy dramas. Now, I had to witness an even worse drama in the midst of a war! It felt like I was the one being punished, not the Archduke! I couldn''t bring myself to say anything to the Archduke, who was struggling with this situation. "I don''t know, what can I do about that?" "We can only watch..." That''s right. It wasn''t something I could interfere with. I was merely curious, and it only caused me to suffer. Somehow, it would work out! Right? As long as everyone survived safely, who cared about a trashy drama? Even rolling in a dung heap, being alive was the best thing. After all, you needed to be alive to experience a trashy drama. For the sake of the next episode of this trashy drama, I would protect the world, somehow. Although it made me feel somewhat like a dog. I didn''t want to watch that drama anymore. "By the way, it seems the dukedom has agreed to cooperate?" "Yes... It turned out that way. It didn''t go as smoothly as I thought." "It didn''t go as planned?" "I thought the Archduke would treat me like a thief who had kidnapped his daughter, but he didn''t. Instead, he seemed to feel guilty towards me." "Ah..." It was the one situation I knew the least about myself. To be precise, others could think of things I couldn''t because I wasn''t Valier. "Once he learned that the Great Demon War was a meaningless war, it seemed to affect him even more." The story of the former Demon King Valier creating a new world through Akasha and attempting to migrate there. The Archduke was the most shocked by the truth. If it hadn''t been for the Great Demon War, the demons would have quietly disappeared from this world. However, humans invaded Darkland and slaughtered the demons. As a result, the Demon King died, but the prince, Valier, survived, leading to the Gate incident. The idea that if nothing had been done, everything would have been fine applied not only to me but also to the humans. The Archduke seemed to think that humans had received their just retribution. Eleris''s expression was understandably dark. "If we could go back to before the Great Demon War, could we undo everything?" Could we make it so that there were no wars, no fears, and no invasions? Knowing that the Great Demon War would lead to this, could we go back to the past and prevent everything? "I don''t think so." I was pessimistic. "Even if the Demon King or someone else said they were migrating to another world and not to interfere, who would believe that? No one would believe it, even if the Demon King said it." Akasha was a powerful artifact in and of itself. For instance, it was like trying to convince someone that a nuclear weapon was being developed for peaceful use, and they should rest assured. Anyone who believed that was a fool from the start. Rather, the moment humanity became aware of Akasha''s existence, war would break out to either steal or destroy it before its completion. That''s why Valier kept the existence of Akasha a secret. The Great Demon War was ultimately a result of fear and hatred reaching a critical point. As long as the accumulated history of fear, distrust, and hatred didn''t disappear, nothing would change even if they returned to the past. The expression of Eleris, who once bore the brunt of that fear, distrust, and hatred, couldn''t possibly have been good. Eleris was the ancient demon king who had been betrayed by her own son and was exiled with her horns severed. Eleris had personally activated Akasha. Hence, she couldn''t help but feel the greatest sense of responsibility and guilt for all that had happened. Eleris had traded the entire world and her own life for me. Because she loved me that much. I couldn''t even begin to fathom how much Eleris cherished me. "The time when everything comes to an end is approaching." "..." Even if the Gate incident came to an end, the responsibility and guilt would not disappear. However, it was clear that the time when everything would come to an end was approaching. "Let''s think about everything else after that." "Yes... Your Majesty." Meanwhile, after having a dizzying conversation, the Archduke had said such words. "Do you remember the events at the Lich''s Tomb?" "Yes. I remember." At that time, Antirianus and Archlich had fought. I was astonished to find the Archduke suddenly at that place. "There was a very strange person among those we saw then." "Ah..." I knew who the Archduke was talking about. Because I, too, had seen someone for the first time that day. Someone I couldn''t have even imagined I''d see. "Do you know?" "Probably... Ellen''s mother." "...I thought they looked alike." Chronologically, the Archduke would have noticed Ellen after meeting Luna. That''s why the Archduke would have been surprised that a girl who resembled the strange person he had met during the Lich''s Tomb incident was a hero. The Archduke hadn''t seen me fighting Luna at the time. He would remember that she had suddenly disappeared. There was no doubt that the Archduke had also received a strong impression from Luna. "The hero is a hero, but I think that person called Luna has an even stranger background. I wanted to seek her help if I had the chance......" It seemed that, just like I thought, the Archduke had been considering asking for help from Luna, who was clearly not an ordinary person. "In fact, I''ve already received her help." "...What?" "She had her own circumstances, so she couldn''t help me directly." The Archduke couldn''t help but be surprised by the fact that I had already sought Luna''s help and received it. Since I couldn''t give a detailed account without Luna''s permission, I glossed over it. However, it seemed that the Archduke had accepted that the strange person was even stranger than he had thought. Well, that''s true. She was someone who could create this world with her own hands and control its spacetime. An incarnation. Not just one, but the incarnation of gods. Although my visit to Rezaira wasn''t an incredibly long time ago, it felt like a distant memory from the distant past. For instance, Luna and the people of Rezaira - I wondered how they were doing. That thought crossed my mind briefly. I had received enough help from Rezaira, and I didn''t expect anything more from them. I told Eleris about the conversation I had with the Archduke. We had discussed various things, but the result was simple. We had secured the support of three major powers. The Holy Knights and the Five Great Religions. Kingdom of Kernstadt. And the Saint Owan Duchy. "With just a few words, we''ve managed to gain control of half the world," I mused. It was too easy. "Too frightening, really." It was so easy that it felt like my blood was drying up. Swallowing them was easy. The important thing was whether I could digest it all. If I couldn''t, both I and the world would die. Eleris cautiously embraced me. "Everything will be alright." "¡­Really?" "Of course. Didn''t the Archduke say so?" As Eleris hugged my head, she said, "You are the greatest and most perfect Demon King in history." "¡­" "I think so too." Greatness and perfection. I, who had once been furthest from such attributes, was now closer to them than ever before. The cold body temperature of a vampire, as always, seemed to bring a measure of peace to my fear-stricken heart. Eleris really was the best. "Thank you, Ancestor." "¡­Just call me Mom." "Ah!" Eleris pulled my ear. ------ The Saint Owan Duchy wasn''t a large nation in terms of scale, but it held significance as a pillar of the empire''s power. In an uncertain future, being able to blockade one of the empire''s main weapons, the Titan, held immense value. If we managed to capture Adelia as well, we could even turn the Titan to our side. Losing control of the Titan was a simple matter for the empire. Could this have been Bertus''s intention? I couldn''t be sure of that. I convened a council of the Elders. All but Sarkegaar, who was stationed with the allied forces, and Liana, who was recovering, attended. Five Vampire Lords. Olivia Lanze. Harriet. Charlotte. Airi. And myself. "Now that we have Kernstadt and the Saint Owan Duchy under our control, we can effectively dissolve the allied forces whenever we wish," said Luvien, the Lord of Thursday. Yes, although it was impossible to take control at this point, we could dissolve the alliance immediately. We could simply withdraw Kernstadt and the Archduke, as well as the Holy Knights, from the allied forces. The allied forces would fall into panic, and a panicked army wouldn''t function properly. "However, even if we were to dissolve the allied forces, the Immortals remain the backbone of the war. As long as they remain unscathed, the empire''s forces will hardly suffer any losses," said Gallarush. As Gallarush pointed out, we couldn''t affect the Immortals, who could be considered the empire''s ultimate power, under the current circumstances. "Of course, we''re not saying that we''ll dissolve the allied forces. We''re just saying that we can if we want to," said Lucinil. As Lucinil said, Luvien mentioned that it was possible, not that we would do it. It was merely a way of confirming our influence. Control was impossible, but dissolution was possible. And the allied forces represented the combined armies of humanity, with decision-making power held by the remaining leaders of humanity. In effect, we had gained control over half of humanity. Assuming the war ended as it was, we would have been able to divide the continent in half. Antirianus wore a chilling smile. "It''s not just the Allied Forces. We currently have control over the major forces in the Imperial Capital, including the Five Great Religions, the Demon God Cult, and the Hero Religion. This means that everyone who believes in ''something,'' regardless of the type, is under our control." All humans related to faith were under our influence. Most of them didn''t even know that we were above their heads. "You already rule over half of humanity, not just within the Allied Forces. A truly great existence." Whether humans accepted our rule or not. Whether they tolerated it or not. I had already become their ruler. "How is the United Holy Church doing?" "We''re teaching selected individuals from the Five Great Religions in the Imperial Capital how to use the power of the Demon God. It''s difficult to see the effects in a short time, but the important thing there is faith, not power. We should consider the effects to be ongoing." The converging of the Five Great Religions and the Demon God Cult was steadily progressing. A few words. A few conversations. Was that all it took to rule the world? However, laying the groundwork itself could only be easy. What mattered was the moment when conflicts and collisions became apparent. "If we could only find a surefire way to deal with the Immortals, we wouldn''t have to fight the Empire." It was Lucinil who spoke. There was still no need to use the countermeasure even if we had one. But if we reached the end of the Gate incident without knowing it, many difficulties would arise. "Right, about that countermeasure." Not long ago, new information had arrived through Rowan. To be precise, it was information that Bertus sent through Rowan. "Do we have a sacrificial method?" Since the most important issue at the moment wasn''t any other project but dealing with the Immortals, our expressions couldn''t help but become serious. "It''s not a sacrificial method. Absolutely not." Such a thing could not be called a sacrificial method. "The ones controlling the Immortals are Christina and her two partners." Everyone knew this because I had already told them. Christina. Anna. Louis. Those three were the core. Harriet, who had already heard the story with me, didn''t look very good. "If we interfere with them carelessly, the Immortals will become indiscriminate slaughter weapons that can''t identify their allies. They''ll go berserk, quite literally." Silence filled the room at that statement. This was not a sacrificial method. Only Antirianus faintly smiled and tilted his head. "If I understand correctly, it sounds like the controller will eventually disappear." "¡­I suppose so." Yes. This wasn''t a sacrificial method, but the fact that it was still a way was the most horrifying thing. A madman with a rabid dog wants to kill me. If I kill the dog''s owner, the rabid dog will not come after me. Instead, it will bite and kill everyone it sees. If I don''t want to die, I can kill the dog''s owner. If I can ignore others being bitten to death, I can do that. "Although it''s an easy choice, the moment we choose it, everything we''ve done so far to end the Gate incident becomes meaningless, and it would even mean that we, with our own hands, bring an end to humanity." As expected, Antirianus. The mad old man began to laugh as if he were ecstatic. We had been claiming to save humanity all this time. But the moment we killed Christina, Anna, and Louis out of fear that the Immortal would hunt us down, the rampaging Immortal would wipe out humanity instead of monsters. The rampaging Immortal wouldn''t be able to reach Edina Archipelago. Soon, the continent would be shattered, humanity would be destroyed, but Lazak would be safe. Claiming to protect humanity all this time, in the end, we would destroy humanity just to save ourselves. Antirianus seemed to chuckle, imagining me choosing the option of trampling what I tried to do with my own hands. There were times when I really wanted to kill that crazy old man. This was not about stopping the Immortal. It was possible to make the Immortal unable to kill me or my people. In fact, it was too easy. It wasn''t that there was no answer. There was an answer, but I just couldn''t choose it. As if he knew I would never choose it. No, perhaps he even hoped I would choose it. If I chose it. Of course. In the end, isn''t your life the most precious? Laughing while saying such things, did he plan to die? Dying at the hands of the Immortal led by them wouldn''t be revenge. The moment I killed Christina, Anna, and Louis just to save my own life and the lives of those I loved, revenge would be complete. That would be a greater hell than death. "I''m telling you this now," I said, looking at everyone. "The moment you touch Christina or those kids to save me, I''ll slit the throat of the bastard who did it and then kill myself." The Gate incident happened to save me. This time, I couldn''t let it be. It wasn''t meant to blame Eleris, but seeing her lower her head, I couldn''t help but bite my lip. It was something I had to say. "Your Eminence, why not bring those children here and try tampering with their brains? As long as you don''t kill them, isn''t that fine? Or there''s the method of torture." "In a situation where we don''t know the extent of ''touching,'' we should be cautious about acting hastily. You couldn''t have not imagined that much." Antirianus laughed, as if he liked my cautious attitude. Really. What was it with that old man? He seemed happy when I struggled. Yet, he didn''t play any tricks, and he only did what he was told. "Don''t do anything. We''ll deal with it after the Gate incident is over." Antirianus, who would surely be up to something, surprisingly wasn''t, making it hard to suspect him. Rather, there was a possibility that someone else would cause trouble in order to protect me. A prime example would be Sarkegaar, who was not here. And the new lunatic, Rowan. I had to talk to both of them as well. "Right, it''s not like there absolutely has to be no other way." Harriet also spoke, as if to say that there wasn''t only one path to take, looking at me. "That''s right, there''s no such thing as an absolute magic in this world. Just as there''s no absolute barrier magic or sealing magic, there is a way to break them. We just haven''t found it yet." Gallarush nodded in agreement. However, Gallarush''s expression wasn''t as hopeful as Harriet''s. It was surprising to myself that I could now read the expression of an orc. Gallarush''s nuance wasn''t about finding another way. "If we had time, we could find another way, but I don''t think we have enough time for that." "..." That''s right. Time always held us back. Surely, there must be a way to neutralize the Immortals without resorting to force. But could we avoid a confrontation with the Immortals until we found that method? I didn''t think so. There would be a way. But it would take time to find it. Would that time be enough? Harriet seemed to have a sudden idea and raised her head abruptly. "Right. The Immortals are golems in the end." "...Technically, yes?" "Maybe... my father might know something?" The Immortals were golems. And the Archduke of Saint Owan was an expert in golems. "Even if he doesn''t know right now, my father might know something more." The situation had changed from before. Now we could gain the cooperation of not only the Saint Owan Duchy but also the Archduke. So, we could rely on the possibilities of the Archduke of Saint Owan, who had mastered the same field of magic. That''s right. The Archduke of Saint Owan. "Yes, speaking of which, there''s something I need to ask." A problem I couldn''t decide on alone. "I''d like to show the Archduke this place once. Is that okay?" At those words, Harriet jumped up, startled, on the spot. CH 635 If the Archduke were to visit Edina, that would be helpful. The Council of Elders responded, telling us to do as we saw fit. However, Lucinil suggested limiting the number of Archdukes who could come to Edina to just one, as it might be dangerous. Naturally, Harriet and I agreed. We couldn''t be sure if the Archduke would truly be able to provide us with any leads, but if not, it would simply be unfortunate. Perhaps if we discussed the matter together, we might find a solution. A few days later. "Dad!" -Warak! From a distance, I watched Harriet run towards the Archduke and embrace him fervently. Time can change many things. I wondered when the daughter who used to be annoyed by her father had become like this. It seemed like just yesterday when I had to secretly visit Arunaria to discuss heavy matters and then return. Now that the Archduke had decided to be on our side, Harriet could meet her family as much as she wanted. It wasn''t a tearful reunion. Instead of crying, Harriet was filled with excitement, and the Archduke looked content. After holding each other for a while, the father and daughter finally released their embrace, and the Archduke looked at me. "Thank you, Reinhardt." "I should be the one thanking you." Seeing the Archduke''s gratitude somehow made the back of my head itch. It didn''t seem like something worthy of being thanked for. Was it really a matter of receiving gratitude for doing something obvious? Just like the hatred one receives for being the Demon King, I felt strange whenever I experienced the favor and gratitude that came with being the Demon King. The Archduke stood at the entrance of the royal palace, looking down at the scenery of Edina, spread out beneath the hill. Now that the Archduke knew where this place was, he could come here whenever he wanted. "I see... if it''s an island... yes, it makes sense that it could be like this..." The Archduke seemed to feel an odd, intense emotion as he stared blankly at the peaceful seaside village of Lazak. "I can''t believe there are still places with such scenery..." Due to the vast barrier of the sea, flying monsters from the mainland couldn''t reach this place. Edina Archipelago itself was a tourist destination, so the weather was nice, the sky was clear, and the sea was transparent. It was a beautiful landscape. But that wasn''t all. "I never thought such a place could exist..." From a distance, one could see demons and humans living together. Of course, there were still humans who feared demons, but there were also humans who spoke with demons without hesitation. The Archduke''s eyes widened as he watched them coexist. It was as if he was trying to properly regret the moments of the past when he hadn''t known such a thing was possible. As if he was trying to think about how pointless the war in the Demon World had been, without avoiding the topic. "During the initial stages of the Gate Incident, I focused on coming here and stabilizing this region. That''s why the damage wasn''t too severe." The moment the Gate Incident occurred, I immediately came to Edina and saved Airi. Then, I destroyed all the warp gates in the archipelago. "That''s right, after that, we established a base on the mainland and evacuated humans and demons from there to here. We''ve been doing that ever since." Harriet began to explain to the Archduke what we had been doing here since the Gate Incident. During their last meeting, there had been stories she couldn''t share, but now, with no more secrets to keep, she explained everything from beginning to end. Harriet seemed more excited than ever before. She had done something. She had tried to do what she could. And that''s how she had been able to create such a world. The Duke looked down at his daughter, who was excitedly talking about this and that. With a faint smile on his face. Not only what she had done, but also what others had accomplished. How Olivia Lanze, with whom she had such a poor relationship, had helped people. How many succubi had been truly loved by people. How Charlotte was now stabilizing the once-chaotic Edina. Harriet spoke incessantly, as if she wanted to share not only her own achievements but also those of others. It was strange. The Duke was supposed to be moved, but somehow, I felt myself being swept up in Harriet''s enthusiasm. Harriet loved this country a lot. She took pride in it. Seeing Harriet sincerely considering others and feeling proud, my mood somehow turned strange. Perhaps the Duke felt the same way. The Duke, unable to stop his talkative daughter, placed his hand on her head. "It reminds me of the old days." "¡­Old days? All of a sudden?" Harriet cocked her head as if wondering what this had to do with the old days. "You used to crave praise a lot." "Wh-why are you bringing that up now¡­?" With her face turning red, Harriet glanced at me. "Whenever you learned a new spell, you would demonstrate it and look up at your father with those eyes, just like you are now." "¡­Did I?" In Arunaria, where there were few people, Harriet had been a genius, so she must have known magic from a young age. I imagined a young Harriet flipping through magic books to earn praise from her father, mother, or older brothers. The thought was suffocatingly adorable. "It wasn''t just magic. Whenever you learned something new, you''d brag about it. You recited poetry and novels you''d memorized more than once." It was natural for children to want to be praised by their parents. From that perspective, there was no way a daughter who proudly studied hard wouldn''t be lovable. And she was a genius, so she must have lived with words of praise on her lips. But in the end, a child was still a child. "Our youngest¡­ When you were so young¡­" The Duke looked down at the hill below and spoke. "Now you''re bragging about saving countless lives¡­" The child who used to bring home perfect test scores had grown up and was now boasting about saving numerous lives. Before he knew it, the corners of the Duke''s eyes had reddened. "D-Dad¡­?" With that look in his eyes, the Duke wrapped his arm around Harriet''s waist and lifted her up. Holding his daughter, who was no longer a child, the Duke spoke as if handling a young girl. His daughter, who was once only smart, inconsiderate, and arrogant. Seeing her take pride not in her intelligence, brilliance, or abilities, but in saving someone''s life. Watching her feel proud of it. What parent wouldn''t be moved by that? "You''ve done well. My daughter." It was like when Harriet was young. However, it carried a weight that couldn''t possibly be the same as when she was young. It was the highest praise and expression of gratitude a parent could offer. As the duke''s eyes reddened, Harriet''s eyes welled up with tears too. "Dad... did I do well?" "Yes, you did well." "I... I tried my best. I really... worked hard with Reinhardt... I couldn''t do everything perfectly, but I still did my best. It was hard... not being able to save everyone. It was painful. But... sniff! Still... still..." Harriet''s sobbing eventually turned into wailing. "Still... I did well, right? I did a good job, didn''t I?" When she thought of the people she saved, she couldn''t help but think of the people she couldn''t save. "Of course, you did." "Sniff... sob! Sob! Ugh! Ugh!" The duke carefully embraced his youngest daughter, who was wailing. In the end, their reunion was a tearful one. ------ "...I''m so embarrassed." Harriet''s eyes were swollen from crying, and her face was flushed. "Go on, go for a walk with your dad." "Uh, um... what are you saying now?" "If you''re not a baby, then what are you? Anyway, go and cry some more, the duke won''t have much time." "You''re unbelievable!" The duke had taken time off from leading the allied forces to be here. He had a lot to do, and in reality, he was practically on unauthorized leave. He would have to return soon, so they needed to talk while they still had time. Harriet briskly led the way, holding her father''s hand as they walked down the hill. A daughter going for a walk, hand in hand with her father. She was acting like a baby. The duke followed with a smile as Harriet led the way. "I never thought I''d see such a sight in my life. Ugh." Olivia Lanze appeared next to me, seemingly out of nowhere or perhaps she had been watching from afar. Pretending to be disgusted, Olivia made a gagging gesture. "What''s wrong with that? It looks nice." "I was an orphan, so I never had a father. The one I did have beat me with a whip, so I can''t sympathize at all." "...You were beaten with a whip?" Was Riverrier Lanze that cruel? "It''s just a figure of speech. It wasn''t that bad. But being whipped would''ve been better." Why would she lie about something like that? But I knew what Olivia meant. Harriet had devoted herself to magic, not because of her parents'' pressure, but because she enjoyed being praised and studied on her own. Olivia had lived a forced life. She never received praise. No matter what achievements she made, she would always hear that it wasn''t enough. After living under near-brainwashing pressure, Olivia had become an empty shell of a person. Olivia continued to watch Harriet and the duke walk away. Her gaze seemed to be filled with longing for something she never had. "I didn''t realize it, but I must be a twisted person." For some reason, Olivia looked at me and laughed heartily. "...You''re just realizing that now? That''s what''s really twisted." "What did you say?" "That''s why it''s good." "Hmph. Fine, then." Olivia crossed her arms, gazing down at the landscape of Lazak. "Actually, I''ve been really scared lately." I knew what she was afraid of without her having to say it. "It''s probably too late to say that staying like this wouldn''t be so bad and that we should stop this madness, right?" "...I suppose so." If we hadn''t grasped it yet, it might have been possible. But there were things we had already seized. They wouldn''t return to their original state just because we let go. Instead, they would fall to the ground and shatter. ------ The phrase ''breaking through the bamboo'' means advancing while pushing aside dense bamboo groves. But could the advance of the Allied forces truly be described as breaking through the bamboo? The Allied forces were undoubtedly advancing without hesitation, but they did not fight anything or anyone. The commanders of the various armies had come to know that an unknown, powerful force was fighting ahead of them, and that the Empire was using some evil power. It was inevitable that this information would spread, albeit cautiously. A power that could not be revealed to anyone. An evil power. And a powerful force. People naturally thought of one thing. Had the Empire joined hands with the Demon King? People could only naturally imagine what was within the realm of their imagination. People didn''t think about the Demon King when he was helping the advance, but now that he was not actually leading the vanguard, they thought about the Demon King. That was because the Demon King that people imagined was a very frightening existence. In fact, the Demon King and his forces were even stronger than people imagined, so people were more likely to have such thoughts. The rumors that spread in fear and dread had no basis. How the Demon King had joined hands with the Empire. Why the Demon King was helping the Empire. Why the Empire had joined hands with the Demon King. Filling in the unimaginable parts with delusions of some unknown basis, they simply imagined. The Demon King might be lurking somewhere. What would the Demon King take in exchange for helping humans? The seed of confusion and anxiety had sprouted in everyone''s hearts, even though they were told to watch their words because spreading groundless rumors could cause chaos. In the end, the Allied forces had not fought for a long time, so their minds were busy rather than their bodies. Nothing was certain. As time passed, it was the 5th month. The Allied forces canceled all other routes to major cities and moved in one direction. The capital of Riselen, Diane. The conquest of the other major cities was not yet complete. But the Allied forces were moving straight to the site of the final battle. "It''s amazing that Rosentine could be dealt with just by the Immortals..." Bertus muttered as he blankly read the battle report from the Immortals. The port city of Rosentine. Two major cities built nearby were in close proximity, effectively creating a situation where three cities were attached. Thus, when entering Rosentine''s territory, they had to conquer three cities in a row. Considering the gates were becoming increasingly dangerous, if they left this place as the last point of conquest, they might not be able to end the Gate Crisis. Soon, it was an even more difficult place to capture than the capital. In effect, they couldn''t just conquer one city, so they had to subdue all three cities at once. That''s why the Immortals decided to conquer the area around Rosentine before it became too dangerous to suppress, and they succeeded in pacifying the area with the Immortals alone. "However, about 80% of the Immortals were damaged. It seems impossible to carry out battles for the conquest of major cities with just the Immortals now." "So we can''t rely solely on the Immortals anymore." "Yes, Your Majesty." Both the Titan and the other Allied forces had to fight. They had destroyed all three major cities near Rosentine, where the biggest chaotic battle had been anticipated. The Allied forces now advanced towards the capital of Riselen, Diane. There were a total of three major cities along the route. The remaining small and medium-sized cities would be dealt with by the Immortals during the march. If the Allied forces could capture all three cities, the Gate Crisis would be over. There were three battles left. The end was in sight. They could put an end to this tedious flow of destruction. The Immortals could not be hidden forever. Soon, when large-scale battles began, the Immortals would have to fight alongside the Allied forces. CH 636 The warp gates had reached a level incomparable to their initial state, and could no longer be compared to the early stages of the allied forces'' advance. Each warp gate had become a fountain spewing monsters, endlessly vomiting them into the world, and their number had become incomparable to the past. However, many things had changed from the direction the world was originally supposed to follow. In the original story, the gate crisis eventually came to an end. Compared to the original timeline, humanity''s power was overwhelmingly superior. For starters, there was Titan, a massive weapon that didn''t exist in the original story. That alone was overwhelming, and there were also the Immortals, the army of the undead. The gate crisis itself had not changed. Strictly speaking, even without Titan and the Immortals, the gate crisis was supposed to end eventually. It would take a little longer than it did now, but a weaker humanity could not have failed to overcome this disaster. 6th month. The allied forces began their assault on Wallen, a large city on their way to the capital city of Riselen, Diane. It was the first large-scale battle since the battle of Serandia, which had taken place at the end of the previous winter. There was Titan, which had grown much stronger since Serandia. And there were the Immortals, who hadn''t even existed during Serandia. And then there were the original allied forces. "Unbelievable¡­" The overwhelming power that made Shanafel and the Royal Mage Corps pale in comparison. The allied forces wouldn''t know what the mysterious army, suddenly appearing and slaughtering monsters with their Aura Blades while clad in full-body armor, was. However, they were at the forefront of cutting down and killing the monsters. The mages who didn''t actually participate in the battle: Adelia, Christina, Louis Ancton, and Anna de Gerna. They were effectively in control of the battlefield. Humanity had become stronger than in the original story. The gate crisis would no longer be a problem. I couldn''t help but be certain the moment I saw the allied forces'' battle. I didn''t need to watch until the end. Wallen would fall. Now there were only two cities left. Not much time remained until the fate of everyone, including me, would be determined. ------ As Titan disappeared into a flash of light and retreated, the battle was already over. The rain of fire and ice that had dyed the sky red ceased, and the thunderous roar of war machines and artillery fire also stopped. The strange army''s help had indeed expedited the battle''s conclusion, but that didn''t mean the others hadn''t played their part. In a place where the corpses of gigantic monsters formed a mountain. After destroying the massive warp gate with a single strike, Ellen drove her final blow into the mountain of remaining monsters, then slowly stood up from atop the mountain. "Hero¡­" Those who could follow Ellen this far into the heart of the battlefield were naturally not ordinary people. However, even they could not help but look up at Ellen with eyes as if they were gazing upon a god. It was Ellen''s first appearance since Serandia. But those who had fought alongside Ellen all this time couldn''t help but feel that the hero was very different now. Even when entering battle, Even during the battle, And even now, when the battle had ended, There was something about the emptiness in her eyes and expression. "Hero... Are you all right?" The knight who had accompanied her cautiously asked Elen, who had leaped down the mountain of corpses with a few swift jumps. Elen slowly nodded her head, saying nothing more. Her emotionless fighting style had become more refined and sharper. As if she had paid the price by sacrificing everything unrelated to battle. Elen had grown stronger since Serandia. However, those who saw her couldn''t help but feel a tremendous sense of incongruity. Somehow, it seemed like her every move and action lacked a soul. Everyone couldn''t help but feel that way. ------ Despite the cities becoming more dangerous, the Alliance''s casualties were fewer than during Serandia when they had conquered Wallen. Everyone knew that the enhanced power of the Titans played a crucial role in this. And another thing. A force too powerful to be overlooked had appeared. All of them wore iron helmets with face-covering masks as the vanguard. And in the rear, an immense number of archmages, all clad in black robes. Everyone knew that it was because of them that Wallen had fallen faster and easier than during Serandia. Who were they? They appeared suddenly to help in the battle, and then vanished as if evaporating, along with their massive teleportation. After the conquest of Wallen and the establishment of an outpost on the outskirts, the Alliance could only stay there for a while to deal with the aftermath of the battle. In the Alliance Command headquarters, "¡­I have finished reporting the casualties." The combined casualties of each army and the measures taken had all been discussed. "Once the wounded are treated, we will march immediately to the next target. Since the casualties are fewer than expected, we can prepare to move out quickly." The Emperor did not mention what should have been discussed. Everyone knew that the hidden vanguard of the Empire had been the army that had appeared today. They were numerous master-class fighters and archmages. There had never been a nation in history with such a level of power. It was no wonder that archmages and master-class fighters were called the strongest of humanity. Even combining all of humanity, there were only around one to two hundred archmages and master-class fighters in one era. There were some unknown hermits, but they were not numerous. That number surpassed the standard of the era by more than ten times. The Emperor insisted on maintaining his attitude of not explaining anything. However, those sitting in the command headquarters could not help but feel uneasy about the Emperor''s silence. The Holy Knight Commander said that since the Emperor wanted to bear all the responsibility alone, they should not demand an explanation and just follow along obediently. The responsibility lay entirely with the Emperor. But after witnessing the might of the army that had finally revealed itself, everyone couldn''t help but be terrified. Was this a matter that could be taken responsibility for? Was such a powerful army really without any problems? Could it be that they had really joined hands with the Demon King? If what they had just faced was the Demon King''s army, How did the Emperor plan to take responsibility for that? "Your Majesty... Have you truly joined hands with the Demon King?" In the end, someone who couldn''t overcome their anxiety mustered the courage to speak up. The Emperor quietly looked at the person who had spoken those words. "Of course not." The emperor calmly denied the conjecture. "It seems I can no longer hide it." Emperor Bertus slowly shook his head, and finally, a faint smile appeared on his face. "I have acquired the dark magic that revives the dead, making them even stronger than when they were alive." Everyone''s eyes widened as if they were about to burst at this explosive declaration. Only two people had different expressions. Holy Knight Commander Rowan showed a faint smile. Louise von Schwarz bit her lip, as if she had been expecting this. "It''s an army of immortals, stronger than when they were alive, and capable of being redeployed on the battlefield through a slight regeneration process after dying once." "A lot of material was needed for this." "Once-great heroes of humanity, warriors, knights, and mages. All of them, who had slumbered amid our praise and admiration, have been resurrected to fight for humanity." "Moreover, after the Gate incident, we have revived numerous casualties and once again enlisted them." "Until now, you believed that those who died as heroes were properly laid to rest after the funeral proceedings. No, that''s not the case at all." "I secretly took their corpses, resurrected them as undead, and redeployed them in this war." "I call this army the Immortals." "This is the truth you all have been curious about." "Joining hands with the Demon King." "How could I join hands with the Demon King, an enemy of humanity?" The emperor laughed. "Such a despicable act would be impossible." Indeed, it was a terrible laugh. "So, don''t die carelessly." The emperor spoke with a cold tone. "Unless you want to become an Immortal." Everyone had no choice but to freeze before the emperor''s smile. "And..." Once again, the emperor showed a meaningful smile. "Isn''t it one of you who joined hands with the Demon King, not me?" The emperor dropped a bombshell. Not just one, but two. ------ Is it worse to join hands with the Demon King or to revive dead comrades and send them back to the battlefield? Undoubtedly, both were terrible, and no one could deny that. As the emperor suddenly revealed secrets, the commanders of each army had no choice but to panic. Moreover, the emperor did not reveal just one secret. There were those among the allied forces who were in collusion with the Demon King. As if to ask when he had kept such a secret, the emperor revealed two shocking truths that would make everyone gasp. An army of undead called Immortals. The existence of those who betrayed humanity. Everyone now had to consider this. Who exactly betrayed humanity? Who sided with the Demon King? If the truth had been revealed one by one, accidents that would not have occurred would happen. The empire and the emperor resorted to dark magic to end the war. While there are levels of dark magic that are tolerated in the world, dark magic involving the undead is, of course, forbidden. And the details go beyond just commanding the undead. It is an insult to the physical bodies and souls of those who died honorably. For now, the justification of ending the Gate incident would protect the emperor. However, there is no guarantee that what can be justified now can also be justified later. The empire laid hands on a power that should never have been touched. Firstly, they insulted the deaths of the greatest heroes in human history. Once allies to someone and family to another, these people were revived as undead and used ¨C this was the second offense. Although they couldn''t be held accountable right away, eventually the empire would have to pay the price for dabbling in forbidden powers. Under the assumption that there was a force capable of doing so. Those among humanity who learned of this now possessed a justification to topple the empire at any time after humanity''s reconstruction. After everything had improved, after humanity''s reconstruction. With a justification to topple the continent''s highest power, there would undoubtedly be those who would use it. Thus, from the moment the empire reached for that power, it was as if it had already been handed a death sentence. In a normal situation, if there were those who had betrayed humanity and sided with the Demon King, vengeful individuals would have fervently sought them out. But the situation was different now. The emperor had gone mad. The empire might be able to maintain its existence through force for now, but it would soon be shunned by everyone. Already, word had spread within the allied forces about the mass slaughter of civilians committed by the imperial royal family. The presence of those on the Demon King''s side meant there were those colluding with the Demon King. Soon. The collusion between the Demon King and humans suggested the possibility that the Demon King intended to use humans and spare their lives. The Demon King could also be an alternative. The fall of the empire was certain. Amidst this, someone had bet on the Demon King''s victory, and the Demon King intended to use them. Choosing the Demon King could also be one of the ways to survive. The identity of the Immortals. And the human traitors. By throwing both truths together, Bertus caused a massive confusion in people''s minds. To what extent had the Demon King reached out? What were their choices? Would it be the empire, which had wielded a powerful force but committed unforgivable deeds? Or the Demon King, the origin of all this chaos and who might devour humanity? Both were horribly unpleasant. However, if they didn''t choose a victor, they might face another annihilation after barely surviving this one. The time to choose was approaching. And then. "Oh my¡­" Holy Knight Commander Rowan faintly smiled as she received an internal report on the current situation of the Imperial Capital. "It seems quite an interesting event is unfolding¡­" In front of Rowan''s eyes was a half-torn piece of paper. A roughly scribbled wall poster. "So, this is what''s posted on the streets of the Imperial Capital?" "Yes, Commander." Rumors were circulating in the Imperial Capital. [The Emperor caused the Gate incident.] The absurd rumor that the Gate incident occurred because of the Emperor. Such a rumor was slowly. But surely. Spreading. CH 637 Two days after the fall of Wallen. "At this rate, all the Immortals will be restored within five days." In the underground laboratory of the Temple Magic University, Christina slowly nodded as she watched the damaged bodies of the Immortals being slowly restored at the port. The most terrifying aspect of the Immortals was not their strength, but their automatic recovery. They were like golems, machines that could be reactivated with just some repairs. Thus, the true power of the Immortals came from their resurrection. An army that could not die. The only living being in that army was Ludwig. Naturally, Ludwig participated in the battle of Wallen as a member of the Immortals, wearing a helmet and a face guard. Although all the Immortals had outstanding strength, Ludwig was particularly exceptional among them. He had to endure even more powerful dark magic and undergo Chimera procedures to resist dark magic. That was why Ludwig was inevitably stronger than the other Immortals. As a result of enduring the unbearable, he was stronger than the other Immortals. The coalition forces had only fought once since the Serandia battle, but Ludwig, who moved with the Immortals, had hardly any time to rest. As long as Ludwig fought alongside the tireless dead soldiers, he had no choice but to be deployed on even more battlefields. Occasionally, seizures would occur due to the rejection response, but his condition after the Wallen battle was relatively good. "Ugh..." Ludwig clenched his mouth shut as he gulped down the dark liquid. "Ugh! Ugh!" After retching for a moment, Ludwig barely managed to swallow the liquid and let out a deep sigh. Even Ludwig, whose only strength was endurance, had sunken eyes from experiencing countless exhausting battles. By his side, Louis Ancton and Anna were checking on Ludwig. What Ludwig had just drunk was an alchemy potion to alleviate the rejection response. "It''s definitely effective. But I''m sorry to say this... Why does it taste so bad...?" Ludwig covered his mouth while trying to steady his breath, as if he was about to throw up. Ludwig was not retching due to the rejection response but because of the terrible taste. "I wouldn''t mind if it was just bitter, but there''s something nauseating about the smell... The taste is just as bad, it feels like my tongue is rotting..." Ludwig, who had endured pain that would have shocked ordinary people, shuddered as if he couldn''t bear the taste of the sedative. Seeing Ludwig look even more miserable because of the terrible taste, Christina shrugged her shoulders. "Actually, there''s no reason for it to taste so disgusting." "...Huh?" "I made it that way on purpose." "What?" At that remark, not only Ludwig, but also Louis and Anna, who were checking Ludwig''s condition, looked shocked. She had deliberately made it taste disgusting. "If it tasted bearable, you''d keep seeking it out. So I made it that way to ensure you''d only drink it when you really need to." "...So, is this bad for my body?" "Of course it''s not good." Although the sedative was preventing Ludwig''s body from collapsing or causing a rejection response, it was ultimately a very dangerous substance. "Even if it''s fine now, it won''t be good to drink it often." So when she said she had deliberately made it taste disgusting, Ludwig nodded with a bewildered expression. "Anyway... People saw the Immortals during this battle. Is that alright?" Louis Ancton cautiously brought up the topic. Up until now, the Immortal had operated in secret, but in this battle, it revealed itself to the entire allied forces. Everyone knew that the atmosphere was becoming more unstable by the minute. "The situation is bound to get complicated, but it''s not our concern." As Christina said, politics was for those who played political games. "If people find out about the true nature of the Immortal, things will get really... complicated." "It''s good if it gets complicated." Christina looked at the bodies undergoing reconstruction from a distance and spoke. "As things get more complicated, the hidden ones will start to crawl out one by one." "¡­Ah." "Once everything is over and they''ve gone into hiding, we''ll never be able to find them. They''ll show their faces one by one." Christina had no interest in politics, nor did she care about how things unfolded. But chaos inevitably bred opportunities. Opportunists would always appear when opportunities arose. Those who had been hidden and could not be found so far would also poke their heads out among such people. That was all they needed to know. There was no need to know more. Those who caused chaos. Those who exploited chaos. "All we have to do is wait." And those who waited for everyone to gather amid the chaos. With different thoughts in mind, the Gate Incident was heading towards its end. "Let''s start heading back." There was no need for them to stay in this already automated facility. In the end, they all had a single goal. They would all go there together. ------ There were those who conspired with the Demon King. As the allied forces continued to move toward their next destination, they whispered among themselves, and fierce mind games unfolded. "How could this be possible? We must find and judge the evil ones who conspired with the betrayers of humanity as soon as possible." Some insisted on this. "The weapon of the Empire is too dangerous. Of course, conspiring with the Demon King is a serious matter, but blindly supporting the Empire is also very risky." There were those who disliked both sides. "¡­" There were those who swallowed what they wanted to say and said nothing. In the absence of the Emperor, Louise von Schwarz quietly watched the influential people from various places gather at the Kernstadt Army Headquarters and discuss. The influential people tried to find a focal point in this chaotic situation. Unable to gather under the Emperor, who had tampered with an excessively dangerous power, they chose Louise as an alternative and gathered in front of her. Noise-canceling had been deployed, so the conversation would not leak outside the barracks. However, the Emperor had said something that should not have been said in a place with too many people. Too many ears heard it, and too many mouths knew of it. The story of the Demon King''s conspirators within the allied forces. The story that the army that appeared in the Wallen battle was actually made from the corpses of war heroes would soon spread throughout the entire allied forces. The secret would only be kept temporarily. The whole world would learn of the Empire''s madness and the existence of numerous human traitors. And Louise was one of those traitors. Louise watched those who believed they should be wary to both sides, those who were excited to slaughter the Demon King''s conspirators, and those who silently observed the situation. In the end, not everyone was needed. "What do you think, Commander?" There were commanders from various armies present, but the only person who could be called the Commander in this gathering was Louise. After all, she had the largest army. Everyone looked at Louise von Schwarz. The current number two of the allied forces. Her words carried considerable weight. That was why the Emperor had sought her out, not someone else. Surprised by the sudden downpour, they had gathered to find shelter. Knowing that the great tree, named the Empire, which had protected them until now, was on the verge of rotting and collapsing, they flocked to the shade of the relatively healthier-looking tree named Kernstadt. The Demon King, the Emperor, the Empire. Wondering how it had come to this. Saying they should kill the traitors of humanity, yet still uncertain. Louise closed her eyes, feeling the attention focused on her. "Hmm..." The Emperor had thrown the dice. "I..." It was a signal. A signal that she, too, must now throw the dice. "I support the Demon King." Should she have expected cold water to be thrown on her? Or should she have expected to be frozen? Despite the situation, the sight of the people turning to stone as they sat was quite amusing to Louise. ------ What people had hoped to hear from Louise''s mouth was an analysis of the current situation, a prediction, and the direction humanity should take. They had been waiting for her to show them the way. Whether there was still a future for the Empire. What attitude to take toward the Demon King''s collaborators. Whether to take action right away or not. They had expected such a discussion. They had hoped for some insight or prediction. Of course, in their minds, there was no scenario where the commander of Kernstadt would say she supported the Demon King. There was certainly no one who had predicted that she, of all people, was the collaborator. "What the hell...?" For a long time, numerous people were frozen in place, unable to say a word, and when they finally opened their mouths, that was all they could say. "It''s not that difficult to understand, is it? I am the Demon King''s collaborator." The people''s faces turned ashen at her next, even more explosive declaration. Supporting him, and beyond that, saying that she was the collaborator. None other than her. The commander of the second-largest army, excluding the Empire, had boldly declared her support for the Demon King. There was no one in the room who could stand up, drag out the traitor of humanity, and hang her. There was only one thought in everyone''s mind. Since when? Had Kernstadt, not another country, been in collusion with the Demon King? Why had no one known until now? Those who had been shouting until their throats were raw that they had to punish the Demon King''s collaborators would have rather bitten their tongues and died right there. The rage of those people gradually turned to terror. They had been shouting to kill the Demon King''s collaborators in front of one of them. "Do you think I''m the only collaborator?" In the blink of an eye, the great power of Kernstadt had fallen into the hands of the Demon King without them realizing it. Do you think it''s just Kernstadt? Can you even guess how many forces have fallen into the hands of the Demon King without your knowledge? Louise thrust another thought into the confused minds of those present. What should one do if there were numerous collaborators of the Demon King? Should they join their side to survive? Louise didn''t reveal everything. She didn''t say that the Holy Knights and the Five Great Religions were on the Demon King''s side or that the Archduke of Saint-Owan had sided with the Demon King. She didn''t reveal everything. There was absolutely no need to. "Think carefully about why I said this. Where my confidence comes from. Why I chose to support the Demon King." If they were to imagine on their own, fueling their inner fear, they would inevitably build even larger delusions than reality. Fear grows uncontrollably. "Those who will join my cause, stay." "Those who won''t, leave." "But I can''t guarantee that the door to my headquarters will be open next time." Just as the name of the Demon King once created a more significant infamy than the actual power he possessed. This time, the fear within them would make them submit to it themselves. "I''ll give you 10 minutes." A mere 10 minutes. It was an excessively short time to determine the fate of the world. But the pressing time brought anxiety, and the mention of no next opportunity plunged humans into fear. The words "no next chance" were nothing short of coercion. When those anxious 10 minutes had passed, there were empty seats in the headquarters. Certainly, some had left their seats. But there were far more seats that remained occupied. "¡­" In the end, even when adding all the rage and hatred, did it collapse before the absolute desire to survive? Louise could not feel any satisfaction in the sight before her eyes. CH 638 "Your Highness, Titan''s maintenance has been completed." "Good job." As he received Adelia''s report, the Archduke was reading a book in the research tent. "Your Highness, it seems that further maintenance or upgrades to the Titan will be difficult at this point. We anticipate that we will reach the next planned battle site sooner." "I suppose so. Maintain the existing equipment, and there''s no need to consider further attachments." "Can we consider Titan complete as it is?" "I suppose so." As planned, Titan would only participate in two more battles. "In the future, Titan will be used only twice more. After that, it would be better if there were no need for Titan." "I see." Adelia nodded at the Archduke''s words. It was better if such a massive war machine had no use. After the Gate incident was over, it should only be used to deal with the remaining monsters, not for any other purpose. Therefore, there was no need to improve Titan beyond this level. So both Adelia and the Archduke could free themselves from the time spent focusing on Titan and maintain its current state. It meant they were finally free from their heavy responsibilities. Adelia looked at the Archduke sitting in his chair. Perhaps because he no longer needed to research Titan, the Archduke was reading a book instead of research documents. They had hardly ever discussed anything beyond work. So, Adelia couldn''t help but be curious when she saw the Archduke reading a book unrelated to Titan. "May I ask¡­ what book are you reading?" Judging from the complex content and diagrams, she could roughly guess it was a magic book. "It''s the family''s grimoire." "What? Ah, I apologize. ¡­That was not my intention." She dared to glance at the grimoire of the Saint Owan family while he was reading it. Knowing how important a grimoire was, her face turned red with embarrassment for asking such an inappropriate question. The Archduke faintly smiled at the flustered Adelia. "¡­¡­I misspoke. I apologize. I meant that you would not find the content interesting. You already know it." The Archduke closed the book and showed her the title. [Magic Automaton - 27] "¡­?" Magic Automaton. Of course, Adelia knew what it was. "Is it a book about golems?" "Strictly speaking, it''s a book about all devices that use magic as a power source. Golems are one of those things, so I can''t say it''s not about them." It included magic trains, warp gates, and golems. Adelia''s talent, Magic Crafting, was specialized in this field. It was a very comprehensive field of study, but the fact that there were at least 27 incredibly thick volumes meant something. Adelia had learned and understood almost everything about golems while building Titan. Most of this knowledge came from the Saint Owan family, so even if she hadn''t read it directly, it was as if she had read it all. The Archduke''s remark that she would not find the content interesting was for that reason. However, Adelia marveled at something else. The Saint Owan family did not embrace dark and unlawful powers, but that meant they were interested in all other magic fields. The scale of the grimoire that the Saint Owan family had accumulated over a long period of time was truly impressive. There were more than 27 volumes of books on magic devices alone, each with considerable thickness. Adelia wondered how many other visions there might be. Adelia felt the overwhelming weight of time. Without such accumulated knowledge, she believed that the Titan could not have been created. However, it was strange. The Archduke said that there was no need to improve the Titan now. Yet he was reading the vision of a family related to golems, which he should remember quite well. As if understanding Adelia''s doubts, the Archduke shook his head. "It has nothing to do with the Titan. The story written in this book is not about that." "Ah... I see." "More precisely, it records research on a remote control neural network that goes into a magic device." "You mean... the system within the Master Orb?" "It''s part of it." The Archduke and Adelia used the Master Orb to activate and control the Titan. A remote control neural network. Adelia could not understand why the Archduke was looking at it now. Naturally, the Archduke couldn''t explain why he was looking at it either. He couldn''t say that he was thinking about how to neutralize the Immortal due to the Demon King''s request. The Immortal was an unknown magic to the Archduke. Therefore, he did not know how to neutralize it. He could only imagine it. At that moment, he was in the process of finding a clue. "Have you ever been to Arnaca?" The capital of the Saint Owan Duchy, Arnaca. It was the Archduke''s hometown and also Harriet''s. At that question, Adelia shook her head. "I apologize. I have not yet..." At Adelia''s words, the Archduke laughed. "What''s there to apologize for? It''s understandable. We can visit it after the war." Lately, Adelia had felt that the Archduke was acting a bit strange. He was always stern and solemn, yet at the same time, kind and gentle. But recently, something was different. She felt that he smiled more often. Was it because the end of the war was approaching? As if he had been a man of unyielding pride despite his sternness and solemnity. Now, he seemed like someone who had made up his mind about something. In the end, the Archduke appeared to have brightened up compared to before. Adelia couldn''t know the details. "Anyway, in Arunaria, not a single guard is used. There are very few attendants." "Ah... I''ve heard. You''ve replaced them with automated golems." "Yes." As it wasn''t a secret, Adelia naturally knew that much. In the capital Arnaca, the White Palace Arunaria was guarded by automated golems. It was natural for those with great power to prioritize protecting their possessions. In Arunaria, human variables were perfectly controlled. That''s why it was a very safe but very lonely place, Adelia recalled hearing such a story once. "These visions describe the method of automating those golems and building a kind of neural network for remote control." "Ah, I see." Now, the largest golem in the allied forces was the Titan. But of course, the golem force was not limited to the Titan. Steel golems made of iron chunks fought on the battlefield, moving instantaneously over short distances with teleportation magic. Before Titan was deployed, and even after its deployment, golem forces continued to provide significant support. The Archduke was now looking at a book that contained information on how to create an army of golems. How to automate golems. How to control them. How to connect the golem army to a magical neural network, allowing remote manipulation. It was all written there. Thus, it was already applied technology, being used in actual combat. Since the family''s vision had already been applied, the Archduke was likely not seeing this book for the first time. In a way, the Archduke was reviewing the material. Adelia wanted to help the Archduke if she could. "Have you found anything that needs to be improved?" Magic crafting was also Adelia''s talent. So, with the work related to Titan now complete, she felt a desire to do more. Whatever it was. If she could help, she wanted to help. "No, not exactly." However, the Archduke looked at Adelia as if that was not the case. Was the Archduke re-examining the knowledge he already had because he had nothing else to do? Adelia saw the Archduke as if he was contemplating something. "I just wanted to consider the possibilities." "Possibilities...?" "The lack of guards in Arunaria could be a vulnerability." "Vulnerability...?" "Adelia, let''s assume you could interfere with the neural network controlling the golems in Arunaria." "Yes...?" "Then, while outside of Arunaria, you could control the golems and essentially open and close all the doors of Arunaria, right?" Seizing control of the golems. "If that were possible, wouldn''t the security of the palace be in the hands of a single mage?" "If that were the case... it seems dangerous." Arunaria''s golems were connected by a network. If the network were hijacked, all the golems would be taken away. "I was thinking about whether such a thing is possible or not. It''s just an untried idea... that''s what I was thinking." Arunaria was just an example. The Archduke was talking about something entirely different. But Adelia, who had no way of knowing that fact, contemplated. There was already an established network of golems. The act of intercepting and seizing control of the golems. Was that possible? "I''m not sure. But no one has ever tried it... that much seems certain." "In the past, dispel-like methods were used to neutralize golems. But as I said, that''s a thing of the past. There''s no reason to create golems that can''t resist dispel." Golems were created because there were ways to deal with dispel. Resistance to magical interference is also part of golem technology. However, not to neutralize but to interfere with the golem control neural network altogether. The direction is different. The Archduke was considering a magic that had never existed in the world before. If such magic existed, it would be dangerous. Not just a problem for Arunaria, but also for the golems currently operated by the Archduke, and even for Titan, which could be hijacked by someone. An unthought-of idea has never been researched. So, it suggested the possibility that this method might be surprisingly easy to achieve. Adelia wondered if the Duke was thinking about this to strengthen the defenses of Arunaria. In any case, even if the Duke''s worries were unfounded, they were still concerns. She wanted to help if she could. "Then I''ll think about it as well..." "Your Grace, Archduke." Just as Adelia was about to say something, a voice called out to the Duke from outside the research facility. "What''s going on?" One of the mages who entered the facility pointed outside with a serious expression. "There''s something you need to check." It was not so much an urgent expression as it was an ambiguous one. ------ The Duke''s sons were also at the scene. "Father, you have arrived?" "What''s happening?" Everyone seemed to be clueless. "It''s a golem." "Yes." A medium-sized iron golem lay in front of the gathered mages. The only inherent magic it possessed was the short-range teleportation ability, Blink. However, it dominated the battlefield with its explosive physical strength. Although there were recently monsters that spewed superheated breath, this was one of the countless golems in the Duke''s forces that reliably performed its duties. Golems, like Titans, could be recovered and redeployed if their core system remained intact. That''s why the numbers of the Duke''s golem forces did not decrease significantly. "As you can see, it looks fine on the outside, but it won''t reactivate at all. We recovered it after it was left behind in the last battle without its return magic activating, but we couldn''t restore it." "I see." There was hardly any external damage. In fact, it seemed as if it had barely engaged in battle. So, they recovered the seemingly intact golem that had stopped functioning and was left on the battlefield. However, they called the Duke after they had brought it back and tried countless times to reactivate it without success. The Duke examined the golem as his eldest son spoke. But the Duke also furrowed his brow. "The internal magic circuit is completely destroyed. No, not destroyed. The components are all intact." The Duke seemed to understand why the other mages had called him. "Is it possible for the embedded magic to simply ''evaporate''?" He could understand if it was completely destroyed. But not only was there no external damage, even the internal components, such as the magic stones and devices, were in perfect condition. Only the applied magic had been cleanly erased. So, the Duke was now looking at a golem that had been destroyed in the strangest way possible. "It seems like it was hit by a powerful dispel magic..." The Duke had just said that his golems couldn''t be affected by dispel-type neutralization magic. Naturally, the monsters wouldn''t use dispel magic. And even if they did, the Duke''s golems wouldn''t be affected by such neutralization magic. Do the monsters now use magic as well? Powerful dispel magic that can disable the Duke''s golems? Then what about the Titans? What if it was not the golem but the Titan that had been affected by this unknown method? If such an event had occurred, all the mages might have been in despair. "May... may I take a look?" While the Duke''s expression was frozen, Adelia cautiously opened her mouth. The other mages, as well as the Duke, stepped aside, and Adelia began to inspect the golem. As the Duke had said, it was strangely and neatly damaged. The crucial components and magic stones were all intact. However, the magic circuit that allowed the golem to function as a golem was completely destroyed. No, not destroyed. If it were destruction, there would be no traces to be found among the destroyed circuits. It had disappeared as if someone had cleanly ripped out the entire magic circuit. Was it possible for such a sophisticated and precise dispel, especially one that could neutralize a golem that already had countermeasures against dispels? It had to be absurd for the Duke and his mages. The most intact golem among the recovered ones was the most severely damaged. Everyone was terrified at the thought that the monsters might use powerful dispel magic. "Ah... I think I know what happened..." But only Adelia had an intuition about what was going on. ------ After assuring the Duke that it wasn''t a significant concern if her suspicions were correct, Adelia headed somewhere. It was none other than a temple garrison, a Royal-class garrison. Adelia had no choice but to know who the culprit was. "The golem...? Me?" "Do you remember?" It was the red-haired girl, Scarlett. CH 639 Adelia sought out Scarlett and asked her if she had ever neutralized a golem during the Wallen battle. In the midst of battle, it was impossible to know everything that was happening around them. However, occasionally, when Scarlett needed to terrify the soldiers or neutralize the magic-like power that the monsters used, she would utilize her own power. Thus, Scarlett''s Supernatural ability was more of a supportive ability rather than one that provided a direct advantage in battle. Adelia thought it was entirely possible that a golem had appeared somewhere on the battlefield and had been disabled by the neutralizing wave that Scarlett had released. ------ When Adelia returned a short while later after saying she would bring someone, a red-haired girl accompanied her. The girl had unique and beautiful flaming red hair and eyes. However, the red-haired girl now bowed her head profusely. "I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry." Not only the Archmage but also the other wizards were bewildered. "I apologize... I made a mistake. I''ll be more careful next time!" Everyone was confused as they watched Scarlett trembling like an aspen tree, repeating her apologies. Scarlett was not one of the well-known Supernaturals in the Temple. While Supernaturals capable of large-scale destruction could easily gain fame on the battlefield, Scarlett''s ability was not very efficient at destruction. Of course, it was an undoubtedly unique ability. Therefore, within the Royal Class, they had even tested if Scarlett''s ability could neutralize a gate. Although the result was a failure, Scarlett indeed possessed an ability that went beyond the realm of neutralizing magic and Supernatural powers. "Adelia. What happened?" "Well... This is my friend, Scarlett... She''s a Supernatural, and her ability is quite unique." "What kind of Supernatural power is it?" "It''s an ability that nullifies all magic and Supernatural powers." "¡­?" It was an exceptionally peculiar ability, but their opponents were monsters. Magic was not their main force, so Scarlett''s ability did not receive much attention. And those who knew even a little about Scarlett only knew that magic and Supernatural powers didn''t work on her. "Neutralization..." The Archmage stared at Scarlett, who kept apologizing. Supernatural abilities were inherently bizarre and grotesque, but a neutralizing Supernatural ability was undoubtedly a very strange one. "You can rest assured that it wasn''t the monsters who used Dispel." Adelia had brought Scarlett to reassure the anxious Archmage. It was meant to convey that they didn''t need to worry since the monsters hadn''t neutralized the golem. However, Adelia couldn''t help but notice a strange look on the Archmage''s face. It was an expression as if he had discovered an unexpected answer in an entirely unexpected place. "I''m sorry! I''ll make sure this never happens again!" "It''s alright. The loss of one golem isn''t a significant loss to our current forces. And golems are not human. Even if one was damaged, you didn''t cause significant harm to anyone." "But, still... still..." "Didn''t I say it''s alright?" The Archmage cautiously patted the trembling Scarlett''s shoulder, assuring her that it was okay. Of course, due to the Archmage''s comforting gesture, Scarlett''s expression gradually became more and more pained in real-time. However, they had to be certain of what had transpired. Snap! The Archduke flicked his finger. With that, a golem was summoned from thin air. The Archduke looked at Scarlett and asked, "Can you neutralize it?" "Yes... Yes?" Not just Scarlett, but the other mages and Adelia were taken aback by the sudden proposal. "We need to know the extent of your power, so we can be cautious when using golems in the future." "Ah... I see..." As if she found the Archduke''s words persuasive, Scarlett hesitated before approaching the summoned golem. Scarlett cautiously approached the golem and placed her hand on its body. It didn''t take much time at all. Thud! The magic stone that powered the steel golem lost its light, and the golem came to a complete halt. It wasn''t destroyed or shattered into pieces. The golem had simply stopped moving while still standing. Snap! The Archduke flicked his finger again. He sent a few signals to the golem, but there was no response. "I will check it." Adelia approached the halted golem and started examining it. "It''s exactly the same." "So, I really am the culprit..." The golem, equipped with dispel countermeasures, had stopped functioning with just a touch of her hand. It was an inexplicable sight even for the mages. "Do you have to touch it to stop it?" However, the Archduke asked something different. "No? Ah, no... I don''t think I necessarily have to." The Archduke listened to Scarlett''s story with a serious expression. In the meantime, the Archduke''s eldest son, who had been silent, cautiously chimed in. "But, if she misuses her power... could it neutralize the Titan as well?" The atmosphere froze at his words. This was the Archduke''s workshop. Not only Titan''s components but also the Archduke''s golems were stored here. If Scarlett misused her power even once, it meant that the Archduke''s entire force could be neutralized in an instant. Just like the deactivated golem, the Titan could suffer the same fate. An overwhelming dispel ability that indiscriminately erased all magical power within its range. Scarlett''s ability should be regarded as such a bizarre type. Scarlett, as if she had heard something unimaginable, began to tremble with a shocked expression. Of course, it would only be possible if Scarlett intended to do so. Not just the Archduke''s mages but also Adelia started to feel uneasy, realizing what kind of being they had brought into the workshop. "I''ll disappear quickly!" Adelia watched dumbfounded as Scarlett turned around and sprinted away from the Archduke''s workshop. "Upon reflection, it was indeed a grave mistake... I apologize..." Of course, Scarlett wouldn''t do such a thing, and the Titan wasn''t nearby either, but it was undeniably dangerous to bring Scarlett here. Scarlett''s power was, in a way, more dangerous to their allies than to monsters. "I never imagined that Scarlett''s power had already reached that level..." They had witnessed a golem being neutralized right in front of them. No matter how powerful the magic, no matter how great the magic. Scarlett could erase magic if she so wished. It was only after Adelia saw it with her own eyes that she realized how powerful and dangerous that power was. ------ ¡°Huff, huff...huff...¡± Scarlett hurriedly rushed back to the royal-class garrison in one breath. Scarlett didn''t particularly rely on her Supernatural powers. They had hardly ever been helpful in battle anyway. However, there were rare instances when she used her powers during combat to save allies who had been mentally subdued by monsters. But an incident occurred where the Duke''s golem became useless after being caught in her power. Scarlett couldn''t help but be surprised and flustered by this event. Golems certainly roamed the battlefield, and until now, there had never been a case where a golem was caught in Scarlett''s power. There was no need or reason for Scarlett''s Supernatural power to be activated at all times during battle. In a way, both the golem and Scarlett were unlucky for this to happen. It was an event caused by terrible timing. Not only did she run hastily, but Scarlett was also so shocked that her whole body was drenched in cold sweat. She had unwittingly rendered a golem powerless. Alright, let''s call that an accident. ''But... if this child misuses her power... wouldn''t it be possible for the Titan to be neutralized as well?'' But as Scarlett recalled the last words she heard, her mind seemed to grow distant. The Titan was an indispensable force for the allied forces at the moment. Scarlett couldn''t help but be grateful that such an event hadn''t happened so far when she thought that if she had used her power incorrectly, the Titan could have become a literal mountain-sized tin can. The Titan had only been deployed twice on the battlefield so far, and since the Titan was not initially on the allied side but rather dropped in the middle of enemy territory, there was no possibility of such an event occurring. However, the mere fact that such an event was possible was a huge shock to Scarlett. If her mistake led to the Titan''s neutralization, her life wouldn''t be enough to atone for that sin. Only then did Scarlett realize that she possessed a power that was more dangerous to her allies than to her enemies. A Supernatural who is more dangerous to allies. She had already caused significant trouble by neutralizing a single golem. The possibility was slim, but still, just the possibility of having a negative impact on the Titan led Scarlett to a decision. ''I shouldn''t be here.'' Once she became aware of the danger of her abilities, Scarlett''s best choice was to withdraw from the battlefield as soon as possible. Before causing an irreversible accident rather than having the potential to help. It''s better not to have a dangerous power on the battlefield at this point when the end of the Gate incident isn''t far off. It was not a cowardly decision to survive. She couldn''t cause more harm. First, she needed to find Teacher Mustlang. He would surely send her back if she explained the situation. Just as Scarlett was about to look for the command post of the royal-class garrison with that thought in mind. ¡°What''s wrong? Why are you sweating like that?¡± Anna approached with a serious expression, seeing Scarlett, who was not only pale but also drenched in sweat. "Should I give you a fatigue recovery potion? I have some that Christina gave me¡­" Christina, a master of alchemy, always kept simple remedies such as fever reducers, pain relievers, and fatigue recovery potions on hand in her barracks. Anna looked at Scarlett, as if to say that she would give her one if needed. In response to the question about whether she wanted one of those potions, Scarlett shook her head. "No, no. Anna, it''s not that. I''m fine." "You''re fine¡­? Is there something else going on?" Anna looked at Scarlett with a serious expression, as if she were worried. "Um¡­ well¡­ I think I shouldn''t stay here any longer¡­" "Why is that?" Not knowing what to say to anyone. "In fact, during the last Wallen battle¡­" Scarlett began to tell a story that should not have been told, to a person who should not have heard it. How she had unwittingly disabled a golem. She had been called to the Royal Barracks just now and confirmed that she had disabled the golem, and on a whim, she had destroyed another one. She couldn''t stay here any longer because, if she made a mistake, she might even destroy Titan. When Scarlett finished her explanation, "Ah¡­" Anna looked at Scarlett with a meaningful expression and nodded quietly. "That could happen¡­" Scarlett saw the look in Anna''s eyes. "That could happen¡­" Anna De Gerna, always gloomy, somehow made Scarlett feel uncomfortable whenever they conversed. The talented girl in dark magic grabbed Scarlett''s shoulder. "Scarlett¡­" "Yes?" "Don''t tell anyone about this." "Yes¡­? Don''t tell?" "Don''t tell, especially¡­" Anna looked around as if she were biting her lip. It seemed dangerous, as if she were trying to hypnotize Scarlett. "Don''t ever tell Christina." "What? Anna, I don''t understand what you''re saying¡­" Scarlett couldn''t help but be confused by Anna''s unexpected words. When Scarlett asked why, Anna moved her face closer. As the deep, dark black eyes approached, Scarlett couldn''t help but swallow nervously. It felt threatening. "If I say don''t tell, don''t tell." Scarlett felt cornered by the sudden pressure. She didn''t provide any explanation or reason, just insisted on not telling. However, Scarlett could feel the fear hidden in the depths of Anna''s eyes. "What are you two doing?" And then, someone''s voice came from behind. Anna''s face turned pale at the familiar voice. When they turned around, Christina, wearing a colorful apron stained from working with alchemy potions, was approaching. "What''s going on? What secret conversation are you having that you''re whispering like that?" Christina smirked ominously and playfully tapped Anna''s side. "Oh, it''s not that. It''s just that¡­ Scarlett didn''t look well¡­" "Huh? Scarlett, you''re not feeling well? That''s right, why are you sweating so much?" Scarlett had no idea what was happening. Christina approached Scarlett and touched her sweat-drenched forehead. What did the fact she just learned have to do with Christina? Christina''s touch, asking if she was in pain or if she should bring medicine or call a priest, only conveyed concern for her friend. But Anna was trembling. She didn''t know why. "Anna, what''s wrong with you? You look even worse." Naturally, Christina found Anna''s appearance more peculiar. Christina stared intently at Anna. There seemed to be no problem with Christina''s calm behavior and attitude. The one who looked strange was actually Anna. Scarlett couldn''t understand why she was acting like this. "No¡­ I think I might be catching a cold¡­" "A summer cold that even a dog wouldn''t catch? You should cover yourself properly with a blanket when you sleep." "Uh-huh¡­ I should¡­" "Wait, I have a tonic I made. I''ll give one to both of you." Christina headed towards her barracks with a brisk walk. What could possibly be the problem with her offering a tonic to her sick friends? "Anna¡­? Why are you acting like this¡­?" "Go back." Without any explanation, Anna tightly held Scarlett''s hand. "Hurry, go back quickly. Don''t tell anyone about what just happened, don''t tell anyone at all. Hurry and go back." Scarlett was already planning on doing that even if Anna hadn''t told her. "You shouldn''t be here." Scarlett couldn''t understand why Anna was acting like this. She couldn''t figure out the reason, and Anna didn''t say anything more. CH 640 Anna told her to leave without saying anything, but there was no one who could simply turn back from the battlefield without reason. Unless one had suffered an injury as severe as Ludwig, they couldn''t receive permission to leave. Leaving forcibly would naturally result in desertion charges. Anna had merely told Scarlett that she shouldn''t be here without providing a proper explanation. Fortunately, Scarlett knew very well that Anna, despite her gloomy and dark side, was not a person of ill character. There was no way Anna would say such a thing without reason. Therefore, Scarlett spoke to her teacher, Mr. Mustlang, who was in charge of her education and now served as her military officer. She said she was too exhausted and tormented, that she wanted to give up on everything. She asked to be sent to the temple. She said she felt like she would cause an accident if she stayed on the battlefield any longer, like a bomb that would only explode among her own troops. Scarlett never mentioned Anna''s reason for saying such things. She believed there must have been a reason Anna had told her not to tell Christina. There had to have been a reason for Anna''s desperate look in her eyes. Of course, Mr. Mustlang couldn''t help but be taken aback. Scarlett, who had silently done her duties without complaint, suddenly said she was tired and wanted to be sent home. Naturally, he was surprised. It was like playing hooky. A soldier asking to be sent home in the middle of a war¡ªhow would that ever work? In reality, there were countless soldiers who appealed with such feelings. And if all of them could return home as they wished, the alliance would cease to exist. While some may want to stay for the sake of the military-provided meals, those who had experienced the fear of death would naturally want to give up on everything. That''s why Scarlett couldn''t just ask to be sent home without reason. But the important thing was, Scarlett was not an ordinary student. As a member of the Temple Royal Class, she had accumulated much more experience than ordinary soldiers. And Mr. Mustlang misunderstood Scarlett. He thought that although she had been silently doing well up to this point, she was still burdened and struggling like everyone else. He guessed that, even though she hadn''t expressed it, her heart ached so much that it had finally burst forth like this. "Alright, Scarlett, you''ve been through a lot. I''ll speak to the higher-ups on your behalf. With everything you''ve done, you should be able to go home and rest. Leave the remaining work to the others. Don''t feel guilty. You''ve done enough. You''ve been through a lot." "Teacher..." That''s why Mr. Mustlang comforted Scarlett with such words. Although there was a proper reason, she couldn''t say it. So, in response to her seemingly childish request to go home, Mr. Mustlang embraced her warmly. In his arms, Scarlett couldn''t help but burst into tears. So, in the end... Scarlett was able to return to the Imperial Capital via the warp spot without giving a proper explanation. Because of that, she couldn''t even say a proper goodbye to her friends. Only Anna''s words. Her words telling her to leave quickly without saying anything. She believed there had to have been a meaning behind those words. ------ Ordinarily, the return of a single soldier from the military wouldn''t have been such a significant event. However, in the Royal Class, where the numbers were small overall, the sudden absence of someone could not go unnoticed. Thus, it was inevitable that there would be some commotion when Scarlett, who had performed her duties well thus far and seemed to have no issues, left without a word or greeting. The marching troop halted momentarily for a meal break. "Scarlett''s returned? All of a sudden?" Ranian Sesor, eating a hardtack, cocked his head upon hearing the news from Kono Lint. "She wasn''t around, so I thought something happened, but it turns out she went back." Kono Lint, who curiously observed everything happening around him without much significance, was the first to notice Scarlett''s absence. "Is something wrong?" "Well, I don''t know. She doesn''t talk much, so she might have been keeping it all inside." Erich, who could never have a good relationship with Scarlett due to past grudges, also looked displeased. Both had crossed too many lines to discuss their past torment. They had both become very different people from their past selves. However, the lingering guilt and grudges did not simply disappear. Erich ate his hardtack with a stern expression upon hearing the news of Scarlett being escorted back. As it was a rest during the march, they had to eat preserved food in a bivouac without a mess hall, so everyone huddled together, sitting closely. "I thought she looked sick, but if even the priests have a hard time treating her, isn''t it serious? If she has to go all the way back to the capital..." Christina remembered Scarlett''s pale appearance just yesterday and sighed. If even the holy power of the priests couldn''t heal her, it was understandable why Scarlett had to leave. Anna remained silent, quietly eating her bread without adding or contributing anything to the conversation. After all, there weren''t many people left. Ludwig and Ellen had been taking their meals separately for a while now, not showing up at the table. Heinrich had been moving more frequently with the Kernstadt army lately. In Evia''s case, she was serving as a messenger for the command post, so it was the hardest to see her face compared to the others. Thus, nearly all the Royal Class second-year students were missing. All that remained were Louis, Anna, Christina, Adelia, Kono Lint, Erich, Cayer, Cliffman, and Ranian Sesor. The twenty-two students, who once combined classes A and B, were now reduced to this small number. "Where did she feel sick?" Lint asked. Christina nodded her head. "It didn''t look serious, so I gave her a tonic, but it must not have worked?" Anna tried to silence Scarlett. And indeed, Scarlett had followed Anna''s incomprehensible instructions to the letter. Unfortunately, Scarlett had only spoken about the archduke''s golem, not who had taken her to the archduke''s fortress. "Hm? It''s probably not because she''s sick. You don''t need to worry about that." Anna was unaware that she would also have to silence Adelia to keep the secret. At Adelia''s sudden remark, Anna''s eyes widened. Anna stared at Adelia with a desperate gaze. But no words could be spoken through her eyes alone. "If it''s not because she''s sick, then what is it?" "Ah, well, the truth is..." Anna could only bite her lip and watch as Adelia opened her mouth to speak. After Adelia had finished explaining everything, Christina''s eyes were wide with shock. The others shared her astonishment. Scarlett''s power of immunity could neutralize other powers. Upon realizing that Scarlett might have accidentally neutralized Titan, everyone couldn''t help but be flabbergasted. A power that was potentially more dangerous to their allies. Everyone nodded dumbly, unable to argue with Adelia''s claim that Scarlett had to hastily retreat. "That''s why I joined the march today to see if Scarlett really returned." Everyone accepted this explanation. It couldn''t be helped if that was the reason, rather than her being injured. Louis, too, listened to the story with a drained expression. However, Christina''s reaction was slightly different. "Ah... I see...?" As if she had discovered something. As if she had confirmed something. Adelia didn''t know what it was, but the look in Christina''s eyes was enough to send shivers down her spine. With a meaningful smile, Christina shifted her gaze from Adelia. At the end of her gaze was Anna. "I wondered what the secret talk was about..." Anna''s eyes were downcast, trembling. Louis Ancton stared at her blankly as well. "Secret talk? What''s that?" At Adelia''s question, Christina smiled. "No, it''s nothing." "..." Adelia felt a strange sense of unease from Christina''s demeanor, but she couldn''t pinpoint its origin. ------ A short while later. Just before the army set out, Christina sat on a rock. Louis was at a loss for words in this situation, and Anna stood before Christina. "Christina, it''s not like that..." "Like what?" Christina cocked her head. "You purposely hid facts we should know?" At Christina''s words, Anna couldn''t say anything in response. "Did you think I would do something bad to Scarlett if I knew? So you just trembled?" Anna shuddered even more at Christina''s blunt words. Christina got up from the rock and approached Anna, who was bowing her head. Standing in front of the bowed Anna, Christina bent down even further to forcefully meet Anna''s downcast gaze. "I can''t help but think you''re treating me like a madwoman, but you know I didn''t do all this on my own, right?" Watching Anna tightly close her eyes, Christina whispered. "I don''t know whether it''s stranger for the one who did the crazy things and went mad, or for the one who did the crazy things and pretends like they''ve done nothing. Anna." They created the Immortal together. Deciding to join hands with the Black Order was also a joint decision. "You''re not going to say you want to stop now, are you? You''re not going to say you want to quit after coming this far...?" "..." "Why do you seem to be pretending like you have nothing to do with this lately...?" "I... Christina..." "Isn''t that the worst thing...?" As Anna seemed to be on the verge of tears, Louis pulled her towards himself and away from Christina. "Enough. Anna must have... had her reasons too." "Why, do you think I would try to harm Scarlett if I found out about this? Because Scarlett can neutralize the Immortal?" The anger, malice, and madness in those eyes made Louis feel as if his heart would skip a beat just by meeting them. "Christina, that''s not what I meant." "..." "Calm down. We need to calm down." At Louis'' serious and restrained words, Christina clenched her teeth. As if trying to suppress something. As if forcibly pressing down something that couldn''t be pressed down. After a brief moment, Christina exhaled her breath as if spitting it out. "...Fine, I might have been too harsh. I''m sorry." "I''m sorry, Christina. I just... I thought it would be bad if more people found out..." However, Anna had insisted that Christina must never find out about Scarlett. Knowing she was lying, Anna couldn''t help but tremble at her fingertips. "I don''t want to hurt Scarlett. There''s no way I would do that. It doesn''t make sense for me to do this if I were to hurt Scarlett in the process. If I were to hurt my friend, that''s impossible. It would be absurd. Of course." It was because she might be able to save her friend. It was with that thought that she had taken on these tasks. If she ended up hurting her friend by being consumed by the task, it would be no different than denying everything. At Christina''s rational words, Anna eventually began to shake and cry. "I''m sorry, I was so scared... I was just so, so scared and anxious..." Christina carefully approached Anna and began to comfort her. "I know. I know I''ve lost it a bit. No, not a bit, quite a lot. I admit it. I do. I don''t think I''m sane either. Of course, it''s no wonder you''re so worried. It''s inevitable. Yeah. Yeah." "Sniff... Sob... Ugh..." "I admit it. I must have been a weak person. Not strong like you, who can still think properly after going through all this. I''m weak... It''s because I''m weak that I became like this." That she had gone mad because she was weak. Christina knew that Louis and Anna were stronger than her, which is why they could still be rational. She was broken because she was weak. She had gone mad because she was weak. What someone else could endure was something she couldn''t. The truth that someone else could accept was something she couldn''t. However, being mad didn''t necessarily mean being irrational. "But... You know. There are traitors in the Alliance." "..." "..." "It''s been several months since the Holy Knight Order switched sides. Wouldn''t the other side have switched too? That would be too optimistic." Through Ludwig, they had learned that the Five Great Religions had become the Demon King''s. At this point, several months later, the Demon King would have increased the number of traitors. Perhaps a third. Perhaps half. Or maybe everyone except them. It was possible that they had already become enemies. "We may not be the only ones who know about Scarlett''s power. There''s bound to be people who will try to use Scarlett somehow. And the Demon King already knew about Scarlett''s abilities from the beginning." The fact that Scarlett''s abilities could be used in that way. From the start, Reinhardt had known about Scarlett''s abilities. But if they discovered that her power could neutralize the Immortal in the same way it neutralized the golems? "I don''t want to hurt Scarlett." "..." "We have to protect Scarlett." The Demon King would try to use Scarlett. So they had to protect her. "That''s why I was angry. Not because I hated you." Anna tried to wipe her tears and looked up into Christina''s eyes. To apologize for not telling her an important fact because they had to protect Scarlett. "You understand my feelings... right?" However, in those eyes, it was hard to say that it stemmed from concern for a friend. They were too dark and revealed ominous shadows. CH 641 It didn''t take long for Scarlett to return to the Imperial Capital. A large-scale warp spot was always in operation for supplies, so as soon as she received permission, Scarlett was able to return to the Imperial Capital immediately. Though the distance was incredibly vast, with a mass teleport cast by several Archmages, people and supplies could come and go at any time. Some had returned to the Imperial Capital during the winter, but it was Scarlett''s first time returning to the temple since the coalition forces had set out. In fact, most of the battle-capable personnel from the temple had been roaming the battlefield, so there were hardly any cases of them returning to the temple. "Hoo..." -Thunk After coming back and taking a shower, Scarlett collapsed onto the bed as if crumbling. Scarlet could feel that the end of the Gate incident was not far off. Her sense of crisis grew bigger as well. The anxiety of whether she could survive until everything was over was always present. Scarlett was incomparably strong compared to ordinary people, but because of that, she had faced countless life-threatening situations. Therefore, she had no certainty that she could survive until the end. However, everything suddenly came to an end. She wasn''t injured, and the Gate incident hadn''t ended yet. Her abilities posed a danger to her allies. So, she didn''t know if staying on the battlefield would actually cause more problems. "..." Lying face down on the bed, Scarlett lay there as if dead, staring blankly. Scarlett knew that the coalition forces wouldn''t have a significant problem if she were gone, just as it had been in the past. There was theTitan, and some strange armies with unknown identities. Would the battle end like this? Though many unresolved issues remained, was the battle against the unidentified monsters coming to a conclusion? Scarlett knew that all of this would eventually end in either death or survival. However, it was sudden. She had never thought that her battle would end so abruptly, and honestly, Scarlett was in a daze. It didn''t feel real. Truly, without any warning, everything happened so suddenly. Now she could rest. And those words. The ones she had heard from Anna. What was the story that she should never tell Christina? What did it mean? For now, she did as Anna asked because her gaze looked so desperate, but Scarlett couldn''t help but feel uneasy. Trusting Anna meant that she didn''t trust Christina. Once everything was over, she would ask about it. It might not be a big deal after all. Scarlett suddenly realized while lying on the bed. The smell of the soft quilt was unfamiliar. How long had she been wandering outside for the dormitory bed, quilt, and the room''s scenery to feel so unfamiliar? Her days of roaming the streets as a beggar now felt like a distant past. The war had swallowed everything, and everything before the war had faded. Everything felt like a distant past, and all the things that had once been familiar now seemed strange. She had clung to the temple because she couldn''t survive outside of it. But now, Scarlett could live outside the temple as well. Even if the war ended, there would still be work to do in clearing out the remaining monsters on the continent. There was a use for Scarlett''s sword wherever it was needed, and it was needed everywhere in the world. Scarlett could now survive even without the temple. Scarlett rose from the bed and gazed quietly at the familiar yet unfamiliar scenery. Temple Royal Class Dormitory, second floor. The landscape turned green as summer approached. Could the temple start anew? Too many had died, with countless students among the deceased. Scarlet should have been in her fifth year. However, everything had come to a halt during her second year. The dormitory, the education, the scenery. Everything had stopped and refused to flow. "..." Could humanity ever regain its original tranquility? Suddenly, Scarlett felt a profound sadness. It seemed nearly impossible for the temple to operate again. Even if it did resume operations, those who had already vanished would never return, no matter what happened. Asher. Delphin. The two could not come back. Even if the temple miraculously resumed classes, their empty spots would remain empty forever. Even if peace returned to the world, the countless empty spaces left by such people would never be filled. Scarlett finally bit her lip and began to cry softly. In the end, Delphin''s face, who had died in her stead, surfaced in her mind, and Scarlett buried her face between her knees and wept for a long time. Was it okay to be alive? Scarlett felt she could somewhat understand the feelings of Ludwig, who had been forced to retreat from the battlefield. It didn''t seem like this was the end. It felt like there was something more she could do. Ludwig, who had finally undergone some sort of treatment and returned to the battlefield with an unhealthy body, wrapped a bandage around his arm, insisting that rear support was enough. Scarlett could somewhat understand his feelings. While others were still risking their lives, it weighed on her heart to be back here, regardless of any justifiable reason. However, Scarlett''s situation was quite different from Ludwig''s. While Ludwig''s situation was due to insufficient strength, Scarlett''s presence on the battlefield would cause problems. She had even more reason to withdraw from the battlefield than Ludwig did. Scarlett knew better than anyone that it was inevitable. But like Ludwig, Scarlett was not someone who could become complacent, claiming she had no more battles to fight. Somehow, her heart felt tormented and uncomfortable. Scarlett stared intently at her own hands. She thought about her supernatural ability. What a useless power it was. In fact, it wasn''t exactly a useless ability. Her power had its uses ever since monsters began using strange powers. However, the number of monsters that used magic-like powers wasn''t very high among the various types of monsters. And since most of them possessed overwhelming physical strength, her ability often lacked significance. Thus, her supernatural ability was merely a supplementary tool, and she couldn''t rely on it alone. Moreover, her ability had now reached the point where it could neutralize even the magic equipment affected by her powers. Her ability''s development had become a problem. Fortunately, she could control it consciously. It was an immense relief that her ability didn''t completely nullify magic, allowing teleportation spells to still function. If it had been that extreme, she would have had to walk back alone from the faraway location to Imperial Capital. To the enemy, it was a meaningless ability, a supernatural power that neutralized the allied golems and magical equipment. If it had been a battle between humans, Scarlett knew her power would have been of immense help. The enemy''s mages would not have been able to lay a finger on Scarlett. However, in a battle against monsters, it was of little significance. Of course, that didn''t mean Scarlett wanted to participate in such a fight. It was a useless power, but it was good to be useless. A power that neutralized magic and supernatural abilities. Scarlett sneered to herself. Her childhood, when she had been ostracized as a witch, now seemed absurd. In reality, she was the furthest thing from a witch. She couldn''t even use magic, nor was she affected by it. Having red hair and red eyes had subjected her to ridicule and torment, and now those days seemed ridiculous and lonely. In the end, Scarlett left the battlefield. Her ability was harmful to her allies, but upon further thought, there was nothing she could do about it. ''Yeah¡­¡­'' Scarlett thought quietly. ''For someone like me, it''s better to be useless¡­¡­.'' Depending on one''s perspective, it was a strong ability, but it was better if it wasn''t used too much. Such power. She wished for the war to end and for a world where people could live in peace, even if things couldn''t go back to the way they were before. That''s what she hoped for. As she thought so, she decided to sleep deeply for the first time in a long while. -Meow "¡­?" Scarlet turned her head at the sound coming from beyond the window. It was definitely a cat''s cry. ''What is it?'' A cat''s cry. Outside the window. A cat was sitting on the windowsill outside Scarlett''s dormitory, crying. It was a cat that Scarlett knew. The cat was looking at her and crying. "Ah." Scarlett finally remembered the forgotten existence. Ellen had gone back to the dormitory for a moment, claiming she had left a cat behind. Since then, Ellen had hardly left her barracks, so they hadn''t had a chance to talk, but it seemed certain that she had left a cat. So, that black cat must have been living in the dormitory all this time. -Meow -Knock Knock The cat knocked on the window with its paw as if asking her to open it. Ellen had a cat. Scarlett had seen Ellen take it with her. She had seen it struggling while locked in a cage. It wasn''t strange for a cat to be around. -Meow -Knock Knock But there was something strange. "This is the second floor, isn''t it¡­¡­?" This was the second floor of the dormitory. And the floor height was higher than that of an ordinary building, so the second floor of the dormitory was much higher than that of a normal building. How on earth could a cat be up there? Scarlett couldn''t help but be baffled as she looked at the cat. Anyway. She didn''t know how the cat had managed to get up there, but if it jumped down carelessly and got hurt, that would be a big problem. Could that be the case? The cat had managed to climb up there, but it didn''t know how to get back down and was in trouble. But that cat. Scarlett had seen it since it was a kitten, but why hadn''t it grown at all? Was it a slow-growing breed? Scarlett had various thoughts as she cautiously opened the window, worried that it might be dangerous. -With a start Along with the sound. With a leap, the cat dashed into Scarlett''s room. However. -Thunk! As it happened. ¡°...!¡± The cat that entered Scarlett''s room had transformed into a human. ¡°Ah...?¡± That''s what happens with humans. If they''re too shocked, they can only stammer incoherently and their mouths gape open. Utterly speechless. ¡°Ah... Ah...? Ah...¡± Scarlett was too shocked. Afraid. And, appalled. As she struggled to find words, ¡°I''ll ask quickly. I''m in a hurry.¡± The cat turned human. ¡°You, before coming here. So, from yesterday until now.¡± To be precise, the cat that had taken on Reinhardt''s form asked, ¡°Christina.¡± ¡°Louie Ancton.¡± ¡°Anna de Gerna.¡± ¡°Ludwig.¡± The cute cat was gone, replaced by the stern-faced Reinhardt. That despicable and bad-tempered Reinhardt. ¡°Have you met any of these four people?¡± He skipped any explanation and went straight to the point. Naturally, Scarlett wasn''t in any condition to respond, let alone think. -Thunk ¡°Ah... Ah... Aaah...¡± Unable to say anything, Scarlet collapsed on the spot. ¡°Please... Spare me...¡± As if understanding why she was reacting this way, Reinhardt furrowed his brow while looking down at the cowering Scarlett. ¡°Hey, I don''t know if you''re aware, but we''re in a damn hurry. Hurry up!¡± Though it was urgent, Still, he didn''t explain. However, the Demon King''s face turned red as he looked down at Scarlet. Certainly, there was no trace of anger that might indicate he was furious. ¡°If you can''t answer quickly, at least put on some clothes first!¡± ¡°!!!!!¡± On top of that, Scarlett had just finished showering and fallen onto the bed, so she was in her underwear. ------ Scarlett almost fainted. The world-renowned intruder who broke into Scarlett''s room turned red and urged her to put on clothes if she couldn''t answer the questions. Trembling, Scarlett hurriedly dressed herself. He barged into her room without permission and even gave orders. The Demon King really was a bastard. Scarlett wasn''t even embarrassed; she was just bewildered by the situation unfolding before her and curled up in the corner, shaking. What was with the cat? And the Demon King? What about the questions? What had happened up until now? If the cat was actually the Demon King, What on earth had been going on? Scarlett shivered, huddled in the corner, unable to open her mouth. Regrettably, the problem wasn''t only with Scarlett. ¡°I... I didn''t mean to look on purpose. But, um. Anyway. I''m in a hurry. I''m sorry. I''m also in a rush. I know there''s no excuse, I know...¡± The Demon King seemed to be aware of what he had done and was rambling on. What did it matter if he saw her in her underwear? Considering the state of the world, this was nothing. And here he was apologizing for it. Scarlett was only scared by the fact that the Demon King had suddenly appeared in her room. Scarlett had seen her fair share of hardships after the war. However, in this entirely bizarre moment, with the Demon King she should never have encountered right in front of her, her mind went blank. The Demon King was frightening. However, as much as she looked, the rambling Demon King appeared embarrassed and awkward, but not murderous. "Are... are you not going to kill me?" "Why would I kill you!" Reinhardt snapped back, almost madly. "I know you must be feeling confused, scared, and curious about why I''ve been doing all of this, and you probably don''t trust me. I get it, I understand. But try to calm down, even though it''s confusing." He was even more so than before. But, Scarlett couldn''t help but think as she looked at Reinhardt. He seemed even crazier than before, but he looked just like he did back in the temple. He was always a ruffian, then and now. Scarlett''s trembling slowly subsided. He didn''t intend to kill her. If he didn''t have that intention, then why on earth was he here? "What on earth are you doing...?" "Hey, when I hear something like that, there are so many things that come to mind that I can''t figure out what exactly you''re curious about. You need to be more specific." Was she talking about the gate incident? Was she asking what he had done up until now? Or was she asking about the current situation? He had done so many things that it was impossible to tell what she was asking if she asked ambiguously. Scarlett gestured toward the window. "The... cat?" "Yes..." Though there were certainly more pressing matters, Scarlett was disoriented and wanted to know what was going on. Regardless of the importance of the matter, the fact that the Demon King was masquerading as a cat was the most intriguing. "This is... um... actually the most complicated part...?" And for Reinhardt too, explaining the other matters was quite complex and difficult, but explaining the cat impersonation was the hardest. From the original intention to how it had come to be, it would take at least 30 minutes to explain. As Reinhardt stuttered, Scarlett quietly asked the most important question. "Does Ellen... know...?" "No, she doesn''t." "..." Despite the terror of the situation. Despite the fear of the other party. "You crazy... perverted bastard..." Scarlett couldn''t help but frown. "I... I mean, you''re right! You''re right, but I should be getting scolded by Ellen, not you! Why should I be scolded by you?! Call me a pervert for that other thing instead!" "You shameless... piece of trash..." Regardless of anything else, the act of deceiving people as a cat was an indisputable perverted act, even if he had ten mouths to speak with. "...Fine, I deserve to die." The Demon King had no choice but to admit it. CH 642 Scarlett cursed at the Demon King and then found herself surprised by her own actions. This was the first time she had ever cursed in her life. That''s why she couldn''t help but be startled. She would never have said such a thing if the person before her had been the Demon King. And so, she realized that she was thinking of the person in front of her not as the Demon King, but as Reinhardt. No matter how she looked at it, he hadn''t changed much from the Reinhardt she knew from their time at the temple. Except, perhaps, that he had become more of a rascal. Of course, she had been afraid of Reinhardt even back then. It was a fear mixed with admiration, to be precise. But in the end, Scarlett couldn''t understand the situation at all. At this very moment. Why did this happen to her? What did she do to deserve this? Just as Scarlett was confused by the unresolved situation, so was Reinhardt. He seemed to understand that the situation was bizarre and that Scarlett had no choice but to be flustered, which Scarlett could sense clearly. Setting aside all other emotions, Scarlett could distinctly feel one thing. The Demon King was extremely anxious. He tried to calm Scarlett down while constantly glancing out the window. "Alright... No, it''s not alright, but just ask quickly. I know that you won''t believe me just because of what I''ve said. I''ll try to explain as much as I can. I''ll tell you everything..." "No." Scarlett was bewildered and afraid. She slowly calmed her startled heart and took several deep breaths. However, she asked about the cat first because that was what she was most curious about. But she didn''t really need to ask about the other problems. "I called you a pervert and shameless, but I didn''t say I didn''t trust you." "...Huh?" She was bewildered, surprised, and afraid. But when it came to trust, Scarlett didn''t distrust him. On the day the Gate incident occurred. Scarlett wasn''t there. But in another place. In the underground prison where the Demon King was imprisoned. "I remember it clearly." Scarlett remembered the Demon King, who was pouring out all the truth with sorrow back then. Not knowing if the Demon King would use a curse, Bertus had brought Scarlett along to interrogate Reinhardt. The Emperor, Saviolin Turner, and even Scarlett hadn''t believed the Demon King''s words at that time. I wished for peace. I wanted to save everyone. I knew the future. All those words had sounded like the ramblings of a madman. Even back then, when the Demon King claimed to have created the world. "I trust you." Scarlett remembered it clearly. ------ Those who knew the truth were silent because they knew the truth. Scarlett was one of those who knew the truth but had dismissed it as nonsense at the time. However, now she knew that the emptiness and sadness in his eyes, which seemed as though he had lost everything, were not a pretense but the actual truth. Even the Demon King had said that if they couldn''t trust him, they should kill him before everything went wrong. If they had followed the Demon King''s words and beheaded him, then hung his head in the street, would the Gate incident have been avoided? That was something they could never know now. But she knew that if they had trusted and released the Demon King, the Gate incident wouldn''t have happened. She knew that the despair and sadness she felt from the Demon King were not feigned but as genuine as they appeared. Scarlett knew then that all the words of the Demon King, which had been considered lies at the time, were true. She knew about Akasha as well. But even if Scarlett believed the words of the Demon King, there was nothing she could change. She was only there according to the needs of important people. And after everything had happened, she was one of the silent ones, knowing that telling the truth to people would have no meaning. Scarlett did what she could. She believed that silently killing monsters and saving people was the best she could do. So, without saying a word about the Demon King, Scarlett simply did what she had to do. Revealing the truth to people was not her domain. She grieved and sympathized with the Demon King''s existence. She was simply where she needed to be. So, Scarlett had no reason to ask about things like the Gate incident from the beginning. She already knew. The Demon King didn''t need to ramble on, saying it would be difficult for her to believe him. She already believed. It was just that trusting the Demon King and fearing him were two different matters. "Don''t tell me... you think I came to seek revenge on you?" "Um... yes..." It was possible that he had come to take revenge on those who didn''t believe him back then. The Demon King might have held a grudge against those who didn''t believe him, as their disbelief led to the world turning out this way, and Scarlett was one of them. Only then did she realize why she had been trembling, even though she believed in him, fearing that she might be killed. "Why would I do that? It was only natural that you didn''t believe me back then. I have no intention of doing that, and I don''t resent you." "I see... Alright..." From the way he insisted he wouldn''t kill her, Scarlett couldn''t help but know that he didn''t hold any grudge. Reinhardt was still the same. He was the Demon King but not very much like one. He was still just a person with few opportunities. He was still just as bewildering. Believing in him was one thing, but she wasn''t an important person. Why had he come to see her? Why did he ask if she had seen her friends? Reinhardt struggled to figure out how to persuade Scarlett, only to realize there was no need to persuade her in the first place. Scarlett was just too surprised. She just needed time to calm down. There was no need to go into great detail. She had already heard everything before. Scarlett just needed time to calm down. "Now that I''ve calmed down a bit, please tell me slowly what''s so urgent..." "Wait." Just as they were about to have a proper conversation, Reinhardt''s expression hardened as he looked towards the window. "I don''t think we have time to talk." Reinhardt roughly pulled the curtain, wondering what he had seen. "Pardon?" "I''m grateful and relieved that you believe in me. But let''s do this for now. I''ll tell you everything later." Reinhardt stared straight into Scarlett''s red eyes. As if to say never forget. "From now on, never leave my side." "¡­Pardon?" Scarlett''s face paled at the strangely confessional words. "Did you understand? Whatever happens, stick with me. Just remember that. Even if someone tries to tear me away from you, we must never be separated. If you understand, answer quickly." "Huh? Yes... Ah, yes. So..." Attempting to sever the connection? Scarlett soon understood the meaning behind Reinhardt''s sudden words. -Whoosh! Suddenly, Reinhardt shrank. -Meow "..." The message was clear: take him wherever she went. She trusted him, that much was true. Although she didn''t understand the situation, she could guess that Reinhardt wasn''t there to harm her but to help her instead. However. The sight of the black cat''s round, shining eyes overlapping with Reinhardt''s dirty, sly gaze made Scarlett feel nauseous. "I feel sick..." -Meow! Looking at the cat, who seemed to say it wasn''t happy either as it waved its paws, Scarlett''s nausea grew. And then. Soon. -Knock, knock Scarlett''s muscles tensed as she heard someone knocking on her door. "Scarlett, it''s me." It was Ludwig''s voice. ------ If cats could have expressions, this one would certainly have a very serious face. He had missed the timing and now couldn''t discuss the important matter at hand. The Demon King had become a cat with its mouth sealed shut. However, it was clear that the Demon King had no intention of harming Scarlett, and Scarlett herself pitied Reinhardt. Why had the Demon King come here? And. Why had Ludwig come here? -Knock, knock "Scarlett? If you''re there, can you open the door?" Scarlett felt an odd sense of fear creeping through her body. It was certain that unknown events were unfolding and spreading around her. Scarlett looked at the cat. -Nod As if to say it was okay to open the door, the cat nodded its head. -Gulp As she opened the door, Ludwig stood there. With a bandage still wrapped around his right arm and unkempt hair, Ludwig looked much different than before. His expression had somehow become sharper, and his face much darker. "Ludwig...?" "Ah, you''re here." Ludwig offered a faint smile. Scarlett hadn''t been told what was going on, so she knew she had to pretend to be calm. "I thought you had gone somewhere else." Scarlett felt uneasy at Ludwig''s words. He was a superhuman with senses far superior to ordinary people. There was no way Ludwig couldn''t have sensed someone on the other side of the wall. "I thought I might have to go looking for you." Ludwig would have known she was inside, deliberately not opening the door if she hadn''t. Somehow. Scarlett couldn''t help but notice Ludwig''s blatant lie after just a few words. She had to pretend to be calm right now. As she didn''t know what was going on and hadn''t heard anything, she had to act as if she knew nothing. She had to pretend as if nothing had happened. "Have you... returned as well, Ludwig?" "No, not exactly. I''ll be leaving soon." Ludwig gestured outside with a nod. "The weather''s nice. How about we take a short walk?" Under normal circumstances, Scarlett would have agreed at the sight of Ludwig''s gentle smile. Though they weren''t very close, all of the Temple Royal Class members were comrades in arms. The camaraderie that came from crossing the line of life and death together was in a different league from ordinary friendships. Each of them was incredibly precious to one another. Though they might not have been intimately familiar with every aspect of each other''s lives, they could die for each other. Camaraderie was a very peculiar form of friendship for that reason. Moreover, Ludwig had saved Scarlett''s life at the risk of his own. As a result, Delphin had lost her life, and Ludwig had even lost his right arm. Of course, Scarlett had saved Ludwig first, but in the end, they were in a relationship where they owed each other their lives. That''s what it meant to be comrades. Fear in this unknown situation was inevitable. "Alright. Sounds good." Nevertheless, Ludwig was incredibly precious to Scarlett. As he was to all his other friends. Scarlett could still die for Ludwig. So, there was no reason they couldn''t go for a walk. "Um, just give me a moment." "Sure." Scarlett hadn''t forgotten what the Demon King had said. Ludwig watched as Scarlett disappeared into the room for a moment, only to reappear with a trot, holding the black cat in her arms. "Ah... there you are?" Ludwig grinned as he looked at the black cat, as if seeing a familiar face after a long time. Afraid of being misunderstood, Scarlett forced a smile on her lips. She felt extremely awkward knowing what she was holding. "Sh-should the... the cat... come along... for the... walk?" Scarlett tried to say something without feeling awkward, but her tongue got twisted. -Meow! Fortunately, the black cat''s sharp cry interrupted Scarlett. Ludwig might not have known, but Scarlett understood the meaning of that cry well enough. It meant to shut up. "This one, always sticking around girls, huh?" Ludwig cast a meaningful smile at the black cat. -Meow! The black cat desperately avoided Ludwig''s gaze. CH 643 6th month. "It''s getting warmer, feels like winter was just yesterday." "You''re right." Ludwig and Scarlett walked along a path near the Royal Class dormitory. As if the heavy snowfall that had tormented them was a distant memory, summer had arrived, and it was time to worry about the heat. Could the war end before autumn came? The coalition forces had reached a point where they could finally discuss the true end of the conflict. Nevertheless, it wasn''t yet the season of unbearable heat, so the weather was, quite literally, at its best. Beyond the Temple domain, the desolation and starvation of the wastelands were not felt here. The well-kept streets, neat shrubbery, and beautiful, elegant buildings could still be seen below the hills. The Temple remained vast and beautiful. Only the students were missing. The massive campus that once gathered the continent''s top talents for studying was now empty. Either dead or on the battlefield. There were still a few students left, but their numbers were minuscule, and the majority of the teachers who should have been educating them had gone to the war. Though still beautiful, a space without what should be there was nothing but dead. Only a very limited number of people could see this place, as the Temple still maintained strict access control. Scarlett walked quietly beside Ludwig, holding a black cat in her arms. And then, she glanced at Ludwig''s bandaged right arm. Ludwig had said that he could regain his arm through some experimental procedure. It moved well and caused no discomfort, but he couldn''t fight, so he was doing something in the rear lines. Although they were comrades, they all had their own pressing matters to deal with. Scarlett had vaguely thought Ludwig''s situation was fortunate. But then... If Ludwig was with the rear support unit, which unit was it, and what was he doing there? Scarlett had no idea what Ludwig was doing and had never asked. From the beginning, after Ludwig returned to the coalition forces when spring started, he had only briefly visited the Royal Class base and was hardly seen. She had thought his work with the rear support unit he''d been assigned to must have been busy. Ludwig was so busy working with the rear support unit that he didn''t even have time to see his friends. But now that she thought about it, it was strange. After their spring departure, the coalition forces had fought only once, in Wallen. Their first destination, Grenosia, had already been crushed by the vanguard. The main force had nothing to do but move, so why was Ludwig, supposedly in the rear, even busier? Scarlett didn''t know what the rear units did, so they could indeed have more work than the main force, but she couldn''t figure out the reason. Ludwig had said that although he had regained his arm, it was unsuitable for combat. Could such a person easily use an essential warp spot to return to the wasteland like this? Using a warp spot required procedures and permission, like Scarlett had. Unfortunately, Ludwig was no longer that important. Yet, he had calmly returned to the Temple during the coalition forces'' advance and sought out Scarlett. With the end of the war approaching and the upcoming battles, there was no time to focus on other things. However, now those things started to catch her attention. From one to ten, everything seemed strange. Ludwig''s arm. Anna''s warning. Suddenly, the Demon King came for her. And then, her power to neutralize. Naturally. Scarlett had an intuition that she had somehow become the core of these inexplicable events. "Ludwig, that bandage on your arm... When will you take it off?" "I probably won''t be able to for a while." "Is it... painful or something?" "I can''t say it''s not, and it looks quite unsightly." That right arm. She couldn''t help but realize that it was very strange as well. She merely hoped that somehow she could use her arm again. But upon closer inspection now, something odd stood out. Compared to Ludwig''s left arm, it was unnaturally long. And the size of his hand and thickness of his forearm were also slightly larger. Strange. It was as if it belonged to someone else. Scarlett''s imagination filled her with fear. What on earth was that arm? "When the war is over, will we be able to live in the temple as we did before?" Ludwig was talking about something entirely different. "It would be nice if we could...." "Right? Even if the Gate incident ends, there are still many monsters on the continent, and everything won''t be completely over until all the monsters are dealt with." Ludwig chuckled. "And when the temple is operational again, will we be second-year students or fifth-year students?" "I''m not really sure...." If the temple started operating as it had before. It wasn''t just Scarlett who considered that possibility. Ludwig was thinking about it too. "By the way." "Yes?" Was he finally getting to the elusive main point? Scarlett tensely awaited Ludwig''s words. "This cat." However, instead of the main point, Ludwig pointed at the black cat nestled in Scarlett''s arms. "Isn''t it a bit strange?" "Huh?" At that, Scarlett flinched greatly. The cat, trying its best to appear as if it didn''t understand anything, desperately feigned composure. "Strange...? Wha...What do you mean?" Scarlett bit her tongue due to the sudden timing of the unexpected question, but Ludwig didn''t seem to mind. "No, it just doesn''t seem to be growing at all." "Ah...." "It''s been quite some time now, shouldn''t it have grown a bit by now?" Scarlett felt the same doubt that Ludwig did. The black kitten. By now, it should have grown into a full-grown cat, but it was still tiny. The default appearance of the shape-shifter, who found being small cute, hadn''t changed. "Maybe... there''s a breed...? I don''t know, but maybe that''s not the case...?" "Hmm, could be? I don''t know much about cats either. That might be possible." Fortunately, both Ludwig and Scarlett could pass it off as not knowing. Scarlett sighed with relief in her mind. From behind Ludwig, who was walking slightly ahead, Scarlett glared at the black cat cradled in her arms. ''You invite suspicion by transforming thoughtlessly!'' Her gaze was so intense that it conveyed that meaning, but the cat maintained its ignorance and yawned. "Scarlett." Then, Ludwig''s voice suddenly became solemn. "Yes, Ludwig." Now, at last, was he going to tell her the reason he had come? Instinctively, Scarlett could only feel it. Ludwig turned to Scarlett and spoke. "Have you ever considered living outside the temple?" "¡­Huh?" It was an utterly unexpected question, and Scarlett couldn''t help but be taken aback. Leaving the intact temple behind, there seemed to be no intention of staying outside. The attitude conveyed that it was natural for him to provide such a place. "The temple is, well, not as safe as you might think." "Not safe...?" "Yep." Ludwig quietly looked at Scarlett. "I think it''s better to stay somewhere safer than the temple. That''s why I''m suggesting it." "..." At those words, Scarlett quietly looked at Ludwig. "Ludwig." "Yeah?" "You know that this situation is strange, right?" The temple was dangerous. Therefore, he would find a safer place for her to stay. It was definitely strange that Ludwig, of all people, calmly returned to the temple and said this. However, Scarlett didn''t ask anything, and Ludwig didn''t provide any explanation. Ludwig slowly nodded to Scarlett''s observation. "You''re right, it must feel strange. That I can come and go from the Imperial Capital as I please, and that I can provide you with a safe place. Even my bandaged right arm would seem suspicious." "..." No matter how one looked at it, Ludwig didn''t seem to be anyone other than someone plotting something. "Still, can''t you trust me?" At Ludwig''s words, Scarlett bit her lip. "I trust you, Ludwig. Of course I trust you. You''re precious to me. I definitely... think highly of you, and I''d be willing to die for you." It wasn''t because Ludwig saved her life that he was precious to Scarlett; all her friends and comrades were precious to her. The war had changed so much that everyone she knew had become as precious and important as her own life. Even Erich de Lafaeri, who had tormented her. As the moments spent crossing the line of life and death piled up, she could risk her life even for him. And she was confident that, conversely, Erich could risk his life for Scarlett. That''s what comrades were. It was a request to trust from Ludwig, one of those precious people. Of course she trusted him. "But Ludwig, I don''t know anything. What''s going on? I don''t know anything. If you don''t tell me anything... suddenly hearing this, I feel so frustrated and scared." Anna''s warning. The Demon King''s question. And Ludwig''s suggestion. Something was happening, but Scarlett had not a single definite piece of knowledge. "What on earth... is going on for things to be like this?" That question was directed at Ludwig and, at the same time, at the Demon King she held in her arms. What am I, that you suddenly come looking for me? What can my abilities do? Ludwig''s expression became strange at Scarlett''s question. "Ah..." As if he had realized something. Ludwig, with a bizarre expression, began to laugh. "Ha... ha... ha... haha... haha..." Whether he was drained or disillusioned, Ludwig laughed with an indiscernible expression, almost as if he had gone half mad. "Ludwig...?" As Ludwig suddenly started laughing, Scarlett felt chills run down her spine and called his name. "Ah... this, this... haha... it''s like this... it''s like this... haha... that''s right... haha... I''m no different... haha..." And so it was. For some time, Ludwig laughed a hollow, listless laugh, but at some point... "..." He suddenly stopped. "I''m sorry, Scarlett." "..." "Sometimes, it''s better not to know." Realizing that he himself had become the kind of person who would say such a thing, Ludwig knew how absurd it was, and he laughed for a long time. ------ To make someone aware. To keep someone ignorant. As much as he despised those who made such decisions, Ludwig found himself saying these words to his friend. It''s better not to know. But while Ludwig might ridicule himself for this, he had no intention of stopping what he had to do. On the contrary, wasn''t it a good thing? To befriend a monster, one had to become a monster. To kill a monster, one had to become a monster. Wasn''t this proof that he had become a monster? If so, then he could truly kill monsters. To have such power, to wield such authority. No longer would he hear that he was worthless, that he was nothing. At least in that respect. Even if he were to fall and die, wouldn''t he no longer be miserable? In response to Ludwig''s words that it''s better not to know, Scarlett looked at him with a determined expression. "Even if you can''t explain anything to me, are you saying it''s safer for me to stay outside the temple?" "Yeah. If you know something, it''ll only become more dangerous." So trust me, Ludwig said. Scarlett didn''t doubt Ludwig''s intentions at all. However... "I''m not sure..." "What do you mean?" "Ever since a certain moment... it seems like you''re not the Ludwig I used to know." The change in Ludwig, who had returned with a new arm, was not only in his appearance. Though she couldn''t focus on it properly, Scarlett couldn''t help but feel that Ludwig had become an entirely different person. From the moment he returned and even now, as he spoke these unfamiliar words. Not just his words, but his attitude, gaze, and actions. Even his aura. To Scarlett, the Ludwig before her felt like a completely different person. "I don''t want to say this, but... you scare me, Ludwig." "Scary...?" "Yes." And so, faced with the changed appearance of her friend, Scarlett couldn''t help but feel fear. "Scarlett, I had no choice but to change." "..." "When Asher died, when Delphin died. No, from the moment the Gate incident happened until now, how could I not change?" Ludwig''s words were true. So much had happened that change was inevitable. Without change, they couldn''t bear it. Not just Ludwig, but Scarlett as well had changed, albeit to varying degrees. The only ones who hadn''t changed were the dead. Rather, it was more peculiar that the Demon King, who still bore some resemblance to his former self after all that had happened, maintained even a trace of his old self. "You''re right. I''m sure that''s true. But... to tell me to do as you say without knowing anything... it''s so unlike the Ludwig I''ve known." It wasn''t that he had changed; he seemed like an entirely different person. "If I were to refuse to do as you say, what would happen? What would you do?" "..." If it had been the old Ludwig, he would have accepted Scarlett''s refusal and said there was nothing he could do. Had it not been for that, he would have tried to explain and persuade her with all his reasons. Nevertheless, he would not have been upset or resentful at Scarlett''s refusal. But now. What would he do if Scarlett were to reject such a proposal from Ludwig? It seemed as if he would force her to listen, whether she wanted to or not. Ludwig gazed at Scarlett with deep, dark eyes. "Scarlett, there''s one thing I can tell you." "..." "There are people who want to use you. You might not know it now, but someday, they will definitely try to exploit you." "They... want to use me?" "Yes." To use her. Was that the intention behind the Demon King''s visit? To exploit her? But the Demon King, who was nestled in Scarlettt''s arms in the form of a cat, could not say anything. "Scarlett, there are those within the alliance who are colluding with the Demon King." "!" Upon hearing that, Scarlett could not help but widen her eyes. It was already a shocking and strange situation that the Demon King was nestled in her arms. Did it mean the Demon King''s influence had already reached within the alliance? "And their numbers are not few." Contrary to what the alliance soldiers and people thought, Ludwig knew that a considerable part of the alliance had already fallen to the Demon King and that many more would continue to fall. "The Demon King already knows about your power and will soon discover that your abilities have grown stronger than before. No, he might already know." As Ludwig said, the Demon King already knew. Scarlett could not help but realize it upon hearing it from Ludwig''s mouth. Was it just that he knew? The Demon King had been faster than Ludwig. "The Demon King... wants to use my power... my abilities?" "Probably." She did not know in what way her power would be used. But the Demon King could not say anything now. Although the Demon King had come first, Ludwig was the first to explain. Scarlett could not help but feel terrified upon seeing Ludwig''s grave expression. "It''s strange... that you, Ludwig would say such a thing..." Ludwig was Ludwig. "It''s like... you have to... be the one to confront the Demon King... as if you can..." The Demon King was too great and heavy a name. He might be a small cat now, but the Demon King was no ordinary being. On the other hand, Ludwig was an ordinary being. He was not Ellen, nor the Emperor, nor Saviolin Turner. But now Ludwig spoke as if he had to confront the Demon King himself, as if it was possible for him to do so. He spoke as if he was someone capable of doing so, or as if he belonged to a group that could do it. The Ludwig Scarlett knew was not that kind of person at all. "I don''t know whether I can do it or not. What''s important is that someone has to do it." Without knowing whether it was possible or not, he said it had to be done. That was not Ludwig, but Ellen. Scarlett swallowed her rising words. The Demon King is not the person you think he is. He is not that kind of being. He only wished for peace but could do nothing. He wanted to save the world, but instead, he made it this way. He was nothing but a pitiful and wretched being. I heard that miserable and tragic confession firsthand. And so both the hero and the Demon King were ultimately just pitiable people. Scarlett wanted to say that. And so, whenever Ludwig occasionally expressed hatred towards the Demon King or made such remarks to Ellen, Scarlett would stop him from doing so. She would tell him not to torment Ellen. As it was, she hoped he would not cause the already struggling hero any more pain. Subtly dissuading those who criticized the Demon King, those who spoke such words around Ellen, was the best Scarlett could do. Although she wanted to argue on behalf of the Demon King while holding him in her arms, she couldn''t. Scarlett couldn''t help but feel it from Ludwig''s expression. No persuasion would work on the changed Ludwig. The changed Ludwig merely spoke. The Ludwig who always sought others'' opinions and listened to their stories was gone. "Scarlett, anyone will try to use you. They will put you in danger. So let''s stay somewhere else. Somewhere no one can find you. Stay safe until everything is settled. Can you do that?" Before someone tried to use her, before it became dangerous. She would hide from the world. "Then, wouldn''t you, Ludwig, be... using me instead?" If someone tried to use her, there might be an opposite case as well. It could also be a situation where Ludwig was actually trying to use Scarlett. It might have been a statement that could greatly hurt Ludwig''s feelings, but he simply shook his head. "That won''t happen." "..." "I won''t put you in danger." Although she didn''t know much, Ludwig had no intention of using her. The Demon King and others coveted Scarlett''s power. Was Ludwig merely thinking of stopping someone from using her before they could? Scarlett couldn''t figure out why Ludwig was saying this or why the Demon King was looking for her in the first place. Ludwig, who said nothing but claimed this was the best course of action for her. The Demon King, who promised to explain everything later and told her never to leave his side. Which side was right? As someone who had witnessed the Demon King''s despair firsthand and knew the whole truth about him, Scarlett trusted the Demon King. And she trusted Ludwig, who had saved her life and even sacrificed his arm for her. She trusted both. But she was forced to choose. Would she follow Ludwig and leave? Would she reject Ludwig''s offer to hear the Demon King''s explanation? But was there really a need to make a decision right now? "Ludwig... Can you give me... some time to think?" At Scarlett''s words, Ludwig fell silent. In his silence, an unmistakable sense of urgency was evident. His every action seemed to suggest that there was no time. But the fact that time was passing even as he remained silent did not change. "I can''t give you much time." In his words, it was already clear that he was not considering Scarlett''s refusal. Scarlett couldn''t help but know from Ludwig''s words that if she refused, he would take her away by force. CH 644 Ludwig''s anxiety was, in fact, meaningless. His anxiety stemmed from the fear that the Demon King or other forces might approach Scarlett, but at the moment Ludwig arrived, the Demon King was already with Scarlett. When Scarlett asked for time, Ludwig had merely said that he could wait for a few hours at most. At Scarlett''s request to be alone, Ludwig told her to gather her thoughts while he went for a walk and left for somewhere. Scarlett didn''t know that Ludwig had gone to the Temple Magic University. Ludwig had changed strangely at some point. She knew the truth, but she couldn''t know what the Demon King had been doing and where he had been all this time. Ultimately, both were frightening to Scarlett. She trusted both, but she couldn''t help but fear them now. She managed to return to her dormitory room. "What... what happened?" The cat had transformed back into the Demon King, and Scarlett demanded an explanation from him. Though she was afraid, she had to know how the situation was unfolding. The Demon King cautiously peered out the window. He was checking if Ludwig was nearby, possibly watching Scarlett''s movements. With no eavesdroppers nearby, the Demon King began to speak. "Do you remember the strange army we saw during the last Wallen battle?" "Yes, clearly..." Everyone had witnessed the peculiar army''s might. They all had some idea that it was the true power the Empire had been hiding all along. "To explain it properly, it''s a bit gruesome, but that army was actually similar to golems." "Golems... you say?" "Yes." Reinhardt nodded quietly. "Golems made from corpses." At those words, Scarlett couldn''t help but gasp for breath. ------ Just as Ludwig didn''t intend to give Scarlett much time, the Demon King also didn''t have much time to explain things to her. What power the Empire had tapped into, who those revived people were. And who were responsible for those experiments. Hearing all these stories in such a short time left Scarlett dumbfounded. There were too many horrifying revelations. And the ones responsible for those experiments all along had been Christina, Louis, and Anna, who had been calmly conversing with her. "Recently, Ludwig received one of those arms as a transplant." "Ludwig... underwent a chimera procedure?" "Yes, what else could it be?" At the Demon King''s question of whether there could be any other magic capable of that, Scarlett had no words. War made too many things possible. Scarlett couldn''t help but feel her heart sink at the thought that Ludwig wanted to return to the battlefield so much that he needed such magic. But at the same time, she couldn''t help but wonder. It was a brutal and horrific army, but in the end, it was a necessary one. As an army created to end the war, wasn''t it an immediately needed force? "But... why would I be important if I can neutralize that army?" Before she could finish her sentence, Scarlett naturally realized. After the Gate incident. The Demon King was talking about what would come next. Someone might try to use her, Ludwig had said. "After the Gate Incident is over¡­ Do you want me to eliminate that army for you¡­?" It was not only the strongest force in human history but also the most powerful in all of history. Scarlett could easily neutralize that army with her abilities. Just as she had turned the golems into scrap metal in an instant, she could do the same to that army. The most powerful force in history would be rendered powerless with ease. "Yes." The Demon King nodded his head. "Ludwig is right." With no intention to deny, the Demon King spoke. "Ludwig really came back to protect you, and I intend to use you." There was no point in excuses or rationalizations. No matter how suspicious it appeared, Ludwig''s words about protecting Scarlett were true. No matter how well disguised, the Demon King''s reality was that he had to use Scarlett. Ludwig had hurried back to the temple to protect Scarlett from the Demon King''s grasp, and the Demon King had arrived even earlier for the purpose of using her. Unable to help herself, Scarlett trembled at the Demon King''s candid admission. "Do we¡­ really have to fight?" "¡­" "We don''t have to, do we? You¡­ never wanted this. You''re not the kind of person who wants this." "¡­" "Many people have already died or been injured because of the Gate Incident, and now, even before it''s over, we have to think about the next battle?" At Scarlett''s desperate plea, the Demon King leaned silently against the wall. "Yeah, maybe we don''t have to fight. Who knows?" "Then, after everything is settled, can''t we just live in our own places? If there''s no battle, the army has no meaning." "That''s true, definitely." No matter how powerful an army, it holds no meaning outside the battlefield. In this vast land, where most of it had become empty from countless people dying, shouldn''t they be able to live in their own places? Scarlett couldn''t understand why they needed to prepare for the next battle right after one had ended. "The situation has changed too much from before." "Changed¡­ how?" "Do you even know the situation in the Empire? You know even less about the situation of the allied forces." Scarlett had been away from the Empire for a long time and therefore didn''t know how it functioned. She naturally didn''t know the atmosphere of the allied forces either, as she wasn''t in a position to make such decisions. "We''ve come too far to stop now. We''ve done too much to just call it quits and live separately in our own places." This wasn''t a toy that could easily be reset after having enough fun. The world was too big to play with. That''s why things remained as they were once set in motion. Not everything could be nullified. "I don''t know. In the end, my actions might cause even bigger problems this time. It''s possible." Just as all the actions taken to prevent the Gate Incident ultimately completed it, a similar outcome might be in store this time. But at least, Scarlett knew that the events unfolding in the world were not part of the Demon King''s conspiracy. This was not the Demon King''s conspiracy, but his failure. Even after experiencing that miserable failure, the Demon King had built something once again. "It might be a selfish act. My attempt to do something again after failing once might seem repulsive to someone, even unforgivable. And there are indeed people who feel that way." "..." "But I''ve come too far to stop now. I don''t know what kind of outcome my actions will lead to, but stopping now, as if nothing ever happened, would be the biggest mistake I could make." If he hadn''t wanted to do it, he shouldn''t have done anything at all. If something had been started, it should be seen through to the end. Everything that had been built up would collapse the moment he gave up halfway. The Demon King didn''t know the perfect answer either. However, he did know one thing for sure: the perfect wrong answer. At this point, where half of the Imperial Army and half of the Allied Forces had been swallowed up. Running away from everything, pretending as if nothing had happened. That was the perfect wrong answer. "I won''t deny that helping me is a very risky choice. And I won''t say that helping me is the right choice, either. After all, I might be wrong." "..." "I don''t know the answer either. And I know that there are legitimate reasons for those who want to kill me, and I have no excuse for their anger towards me. Anyway, all of these things happened because of me." Those who sought to kill the Demon King also had their own reasons, and no one could deny them. However, the Demon King had a path he wanted to follow. He had come too far to turn back. Now, he had to follow that path, make it safer, and ensure its certainty. That was the only reality, and all other options had become unavailable. "Scarlett." "..." "Help me." The Demon King looked at the red-haired girl. "I need you." In her life, Scarlett had never heard such a short yet sincere request. Scarlett stared at the Demon King, her body tense. No. She looked at Reinhardt. Memories from long ago brushed past her. Memories that seemed to have been forgotten and vanished amidst wars and countless deaths. But those memories, hidden somewhere deep in her heart, were undoubtedly resurfacing. The Demon King. Reinhardt was an odd fellow. An A-Class, he was rumored to have abilities even weaker than those of B-Class mages, yet he was always getting into trouble. Not only within the A-Class but also in the B-Class, there were rumors that he was a strange guy. A person who shouldn''t be involved with. Reinhardt was definitely that kind of person. But to Scarlett, Reinhardt had a slightly different meaning as a strange person. One day. "What''s wrong with being red?" He had said those words out of the blue when he saw her being bullied by Erich de Lafaeri. Strong guys were the bosses, he said. It must have been after he had won a duel against a senior. After achieving victory through a strange miracle in what was surely a reckless fight, Reinhardt had said that. In truth. At that time, Scarlett had been more afraid of Reinhardt than Erich. Their paths hadn''t crossed much. But Scarlett had always watched Reinhardt from a distance. If only I could be like that. If only I had that kind of courage. To Scarlett, who had been cowering in fear of being expelled from the temple, Reinhardt had been a shocking figure in many ways. Before she knew it, She was always watching Reinhardt. She wanted to be like him. And so, Reinhardt became her idol in her heart. In that way, Recalling the past naturally brought other memories to mind. As the memory of that time surfaced, Scarlett couldn''t help but smile in this situation. No, rather, she couldn''t help but laugh at herself for having such thoughts in this situation. "Do you remember the tournament?" "Huh... suddenly?" The Demon King nodded his head with a flustered expression at Scarlett''s question. "...I remember." Reinhardt couldn''t help but remember that moment when Scarlett, who had no connection to him, had told him that he was her idol. Those times and events from the past had been buried in countless deaths and sorrows. Yet, because they were so insignificant, they had become precious moments. After all, the days when everything was peaceful and there were no problems could never return. "I told you back then. There are people who dislike you, but there are also people who like you." "That''s right... you did say that." Due to Reinhardt''s strange personality, there were many people who disliked him. But even then, strangely, there were people who didn''t dislike Reinhardt. Even if it wasn''t Ellen or Harriet, there were quite a few people who got along well with Reinhardt. There were many who disliked him, but there were definitely those who liked him as well. Why would anyone like that guy? Why would anyone hang out with someone like him? There were many people who talked behind their backs. Seeing that, Scarlett realized. "Just as I can''t make everyone like me, I can''t make everyone hate me either. I realized that by watching you." "Right... you did say that." Scarlett had come to that realization. If it was impossible to be loved by everyone, then it must also be impossible to be hated by everyone. "Strangely enough, a lot has changed... too much has changed..." Scarlett looked at Reinhardt. The being now called the Demon King. "You''re still in the same situation." Just as there were people who hated Reinhardt but also those who liked him back then. The same was true for the Demon King. Some may hate the Demon King so much that they want to kill him, but some cannot hate him. Or perhaps, some still love the Demon King. Only the scale had grown from the temple to the whole world. "¡­Is that how it''s going to be?" As if understanding what she was saying, the Demon King smiled bitterly. In the temple of the past, Scarlett was one of those who had liked Reinhardt. It was different from the others in that she liked him not as a romantic interest but with a sense of admiration. Reinhardt, who was once her idol, had now become the accursed Demon King, whose name was hardly even mentioned. No, he had been the Demon King from the beginning. Such a being had sought her out across a vast expanse of time. And he sincerely asked for her help. To help him. That he needed her. What should she do? The Demon King had his own circumstances. He said he hadn''t wanted this to happen, but who among those who knew his situation could say that he deserved to stand on the blade of judgment? But what about the opposite? How could the cries of those who claimed that the Demon King had to die be unjust? There was a justification for righteousness, but there was also a justification for death. The Demon King was a contradictory existence. Just as the Demon King had his own reasons, Those who desired the Demon King''s death and destruction have their own reasons as well. If everyone was justified and everyone had their own reasons, then what should she choose? "I..." At the crossroads of choice, Scarlett slowly opened her mouth. CH 645 A short while later. Ludwig returned after a brief stroll. To be precise, he had stopped by the Magic University, but it hadn''t taken much time. He couldn''t leave his post for long due to his anxiety. Scarlett was in a very dangerous situation. It was only natural for her to be flustered since he had told her to follow his words without properly explaining the situation. It was only right to give her time to think, but he couldn''t afford to give her much. Upon returning to the temple dormitory, Ludwig cautiously knocked on Scarlett''s door. "Scarlett, it''s me." Standing in front of the door, Ludwig quietly waited. There was no response. Was she pondering somewhere else rather than in her room? Knock, knock. "Scarlett." He knocked again, but Ludwig didn''t hear a response. Ludwig silently waited in front of the door for an answer. Knock, knock. And then, for the third time. Ludwig''s expression had hardened. He knew as well. There was no sign of life in the room from the beginning. He had only knocked on the door just in case. Ludwig knew that Scarlett wasn''t in the room. "¡­" Could it be? No way. It couldn''t be. Absolutely not. It couldn''t be. Scarlett couldn''t be like that. Ludwig hypnotized himself as if trying to convince himself. As he thought that, Ludwig''s eyes sank deeper into the abyss. In that case. What should he do? How could he? How could Scarlett? No. How could he help Scarlett? What should he do? "¡­" As the ominous shadow of his thoughts shifted toward an ominous decision. "Ludwig." It wasn''t the door, but unexpectedly, he sensed a presence in the lobby. Ludwig turned his head. Scarlett was walking towards him, dragging a large trunk from the lobby. "I had to pack some things." Ludwig barely heard her words. He walked straight towards Scarlett. Seeing Ludwig approaching with a terrifyingly hardened expression, Scarlett couldn''t help but be flustered. Unknowingly, she took a small step back. "Ludwig¡­? Why that expression¡­?" Bang! "!" Ludwig suddenly and roughly embraced Scarlett. Naturally, Scarlett was flustered by his sudden embrace. "Why¡­why all of a sudden¡­?" "I''m relieved." "¡­Pardon?" "I''m relieved." Though it wasn''t hers, Scarlett could vividly feel Ludwig''s heart pounding as if it would burst while embracing her. What on earth was he relieved about? What was he so relieved for? "I''m relieved¡­ Truly relieved¡­" Scarlett didn''t know, but somehow she felt like she knew a little. She couldn''t help but tremble slightly. "Ca-calm down. I¡­I won''t go anywhere." As she embraced Ludwig back, Scarlett gently stroked his back. As they were embracing, Scarlett couldn''t see how violently Ludwig''s eyes were shaking. "I''m relieved¡­ Scarlett¡­" Since he didn''t have to think about anything. Since he didn''t have to imagine anything. Ludwig muttered the same words endlessly like a madman. Contrary to Ludwig''s ominous imagination, Scarlett hadn''t suddenly disappeared. However, it seemed that she had gone somewhere to get something, as she returned dragging a large trunk. "We don''t have much time. Let''s go now." "Ah... All right. Let''s go, Ludwig." As if to calm him down. Although she had said didn¡¯t go anywhere, Scarlett held Ludwig in her arms, soothingly stroking his back. Scarlett was now busy packing, no longer asking or questioning anything. Yet, Ludwig couldn''t shake the thought that Scarlett might have disappeared. He wondered what he should do if that were the case. If Scarlett had disappeared, if she had other thoughts in mind. What should he do then? He imagined what he should do with Scarlett. For a brief moment, he doubted Scarlett, who seemed willing to follow him. He even had fearful imaginings beyond doubt. "I''m sorry, Scarlett. I''m sorry..." "It''s all right..." As she heard Ludwig''s sudden apology, Scarlett hugged him even tighter. It seemed as if they couldn''t see each other''s trembling eyes as they held one another. ''I''m... I''m sorrier...'' Ludwig also couldn''t see Scarlett''s twisted expression. ------ Ludwig and Scarlett walked out of the Royal Class dormitory. Regardless of Ludwig''s relief that his ominous thoughts didn''t come true, he couldn''t help but be curious. "What did you go out to get?" If there was anything to pack, it would be clothes. But the clothes were in Scarlett''s room, yet she had appeared from the lobby. "Ah, I got some books from the library. I thought... since you wouldn''t say, I might be staying for a long time." "I see..." It seemed as if she understood they would be away from the temple for quite some time, even without him saying anything. Ludwig had no choice but to accept her reasoning for bringing books to pass the time. "You''ll return them for me, right?" Scarlett looked at Ludwig with a mischievous expression as she spoke. Returning books. It was such a trivial matter, but since Scarlett pretended not to know on purpose, Ludwig let out a bitter laugh. "...I''ll return them, and if you need anything, I''ll get it for you, no matter what." "So, it doesn''t have to be a book, right?" "Of course." Although there wasn''t much he could do in this world, he intended to provide anything within his capabilities. Naturally, she could only be grateful. Who wouldn''t be, when she obediently followed his request to find a hiding place, despite possibly exploiting her power? "But what about the cat? It seemed like we could bring it." Ludwig found it strange that Scarlett hadn''t brought the cat she had taken for a walk just a while ago. Wouldn''t the cat be all right, even if a person wasn''t? It would certainly be a boring life without it. "It was just playing with me for a while; I''m not its owner. Wouldn''t it be better off staying at the temple dormitory?" "Ah... I see. You just came back, too, Scarlett." "That''s right." Scarlett silently watched as the temple entrance drew closer. A person who said nothing. A person who told bold lies. Who was the worse person? Obviously, it would be the latter. Scarlett thought so. ------ As soon as Scarlett stepped out of the temple, she was confronted by a mage wearing a robe. The mage wore a plain, gray robe with no distinguishing features. Scarlett didn''t ask anything of Ludwig, and Ludwig was secretly grateful that Scarlett didn''t question him. However, Scarlett knew who the figure before her was. No, it would be more appropriate to say she knew ''what'' it was. An army composed of the dead. When she didn''t know its true nature, it was mysterious, but now that she knew, she couldn''t help but feel creeped out just facing it. In order to end the war, they had dabbled in dangerous magic, and what stood before her was only a small part of the outcome. In a flash, along with teleportation magic, Scarlett found herself in a room she had never seen before. The place where Scarlett arrived wasn''t a street, but a room in some building. Scarlett looked around the spacious, yet unfamiliar room. She immediately noticed a particular feature of the room she was in. There were no windows. She couldn''t tell whether it was above or below ground. "Ludwig, where... where are we?" Scarlett couldn''t even tell whether they were somewhere within the palace or in a different city. In response to Scarlett''s question about their location, Ludwig quietly grabbed her shoulder. "Scarlett." "...Yes." "Just wait a little longer. I promise, I won''t keep you here long." Instead of answering her question, he made a promise. Ludwig''s words said it all. It implied that she would essentially be imprisoned here. Ludwig explained various things to Scarlett. If anything was lacking or needed, or if anything happened, she should speak to the person guarding the door. There was plenty of food and other necessities prepared. "I''m not allowed to leave... am I?" In the end, at Scarlett''s direct question, Ludwig cast his eyes downward. "I''m sorry, it''s all to protect you..." Ludwig tried to say that, but closed his mouth. It seemed unbearable for him to say such words while confining his friend. "I''m sorry." "...It can''t be helped." The words of resignation that came from Scarlett''s lips carried a similar resonance to what Ludwig had once said. ------ Ludwig left. The army known as the Immortals. Scarlett now knew that the rear support unit he had mentioned was that army. Ludwig would not have been in the rear support, but fighting at the front lines. It was clear that he must have been fighting in the most dangerous places. Both the Demon King and Ludwig were doing what they could. And Scarlett, too, had chosen what she thought she should do. A room without windows. The room itself was spacious, with a bathroom and seemingly no inconveniences for living. However, Scarlett found the appearance of the large room strangely unsettling. It wasn¡¯t like there were iron bars. All the furniture seemed to be made of high-quality materials. Yet, the lack of windows, the overall structure of the room that made it impossible to tell whether it was above or below ground, and the soundproofing made her feel a certain way. It didn''t look like a prison, but it was a room made to be one. A prison designed to hold those difficult to treat as prisoners. Before the Gate incident, who was this kind of room meant to imprison? Scarlett didn''t know. All she could do was accept what had already happened and endure it. Scarlett began to unpack her clothes from the trunk. She would have to stay here for a while. The trunk contained more books than clothes. Among the miscellaneous books were specialized texts, novels, history books, and even dictionaries. She brought them to pass the time. That''s how Scarlett explained it. In all honesty, it seemed like it would take years to read all those books. In a room with no one but herself, Scarlett took out an ordinary novel. But the content of the novel wasn''t written there. Scarlett flipped through the pages one by one. What was written there were formulas and diagrams. [Teleport] [Mass Teleport] [Noise Canceling] Inside the novel was not a novel, but a magic scroll. "I''m sorry, Ludwig." Scarlett carefully closed the scroll book disguised as a novel and tucked it into a pile of books in the trunk. Ludwig had locked Scarlett in an unknown prison. No, to be precise, he was under the illusion that he had locked her up. One item she received from the Demon King, the scroll book. And the second item. Scarlett fiddled with the purple brooch she had tucked away. When the time came, the Demon King would send a signal. Then all she had to do was carry out the agreed-upon action. "¡­" Before she knew it, Scarlett''s palms were damp with cold sweat. ------ ''¡­I''ll help you.'' After much contemplation, Scarlett decided to help me. To be honest, I didn''t expect Scarlett to be on my side. But, as Scarlett had said, there might be people who understood me just as there were people who didn''t. And Scarlett was one of the former. After returning to Lazak, I spoke with Charlotte and Harriet. "Wouldn''t it have been better to bring her with us?" Harriet furrowed her brow, perhaps worried about leaving Scarlett behind. She seemed uneasy, having given Scarlett the scroll book and signal device and then leaving her behind. Leaving Scarlett behind was dangerous, regardless of whether or not she could be used. "I thought so too." "¡­You didn''t tell her to stay behind, did you?" "Yes." Charlotte bit her lip. Charlotte had been the closest to Scarlett in Class B. "It''s dangerous, but at this point, Scarlett made the wise decision." Despite her anxiety, Charlotte had to admit that Scarlett''s decision had been the best one. ''If I disappear, won''t the situation become even more dangerous?'' Scarlett had said that clearly. "Immortals automatically recover when destroyed. Scarlett is the person who can most perfectly neutralize Immortals without any harm at this point. If Scarlett suddenly disappears¡­ something even more dangerous might happen." Provoking those who had control over the Immortals, including Christina and Ludwig, was a very dangerous act. Scarlett''s disappearance had already excited the others, so the best decision to reassure them was for Scarlett to be captured for now. Scarlett had chosen to become a prisoner herself. She was grateful for the help she had received, but she had found herself in the most dangerous situation. That''s why I had given her not only the scrollbook I always carried, but also a signaling device I had prepared in case our conversation with Scarlett unfolded in an unexpected way. If Scarlett was in danger, or if we needed her on our side, we would send a signal. In the end, Scarlett had to deceive her friends. A friend who had to imprison another friend. A friend who had to deceive a friend trying to imprison her. "¡­How sad." Charlotte murmured, her expression bleak, as if the reality her former B-class classmates now faced was unbearable. The possibility of Scarlett''s power that had been conveyed through the archduke. I had moved immediately upon hearing the news, so I was able to reach Scarlett more quickly than Ludwig. What would have happened if I had been late? If I had arrived at the Royal Class dormitory after Ludwig had taken Scarlett and disappeared? If I couldn''t find out where Scarlett had gone? What would have happened then? This time, I was fast. That''s why I could use Scarlett. However, as I said with my own mouth. Using Scarlett ultimately put her in danger, and that fact remained unchanged. After all the twists and turns. Because of me. The two original heroines. Delphin had died. Scarlett had to deceive Ludwig. "¡­" "Everything will be fine." I wasn''t sure what my expression was like, but Harriet cautiously wrapped her arm around my shoulder. "That''s right." Charlotte, who was watching the scene, nodded with a determined expression. "Everything will be fine." Please. It has to work out. We said it, but we didn''t know if it was conviction, an assertion, or a prayer. Or just a mere hope. We could no longer tell. CH 646 Nighttime. "That''s a relief." Having heard Ludwig''s story, Christina closed the book and silently nodded. Almost everyone in the camp had fallen asleep after the day''s march. Inside a portable tent, Christina was talking with Ludwig and two others. Everyone, except Christina, had grim expressions on their faces. Ludwig, in particular, seemed unable to forgive himself for what he had done and hung his head. They had essentially decided to confine their friend, until everything was resolved. No matter how much they did it for Scarlett''s safety, she had to endure confinement without any explanation, not knowing where she was or how long she would be there. The expressions of Louis, Anna, and Ludwig were grim, but Christina''s was slightly different. "Hmm¡­" There was definitely a hint of suspicion in her eyes. "Scarlett agreed to do as we said, so what''s the problem?" Louis Ancton asked Christina with a slightly sharp tone. After all, it was Christina who had suggested confining Scarlett, and everything had been carried out according to Christina''s will. "Don''t be so sensitive. This was necessary." Louis Ancton gritted his teeth. Eventually, someone had to make a decision. Christina was merely playing that role. "Did Scarlett seem off to you?" "If it was off, then what?" Ludwig couldn''t hide his discomfort at Christina''s seemingly suspicious question. "No, I mean, anything at all." "Nothing." Ludwig cut off Christina''s question as if it wasn''t worth considering. At Ludwig''s words, Christina sighed. "I know I''m a bitch, but why do you guys seem more emotional than me?" Christina''s gaze turned cold. "Do you think this is a time for petty arguments or emotional fights? The Immortals may be the most powerful army, but Scarlett is the only person who can instantly and perfectly neutralize them. With the Immortals alone, we can kill the empire and the demon king, but they can''t even inflict a minor wound on Scarlett." If Scarlett wanted to, she could erase the Immortals as easily as erasing with a rubber eraser. "So what are you getting at? That we should suspect Scarlett?" At Louis''s words, Christina clenched her teeth. "I''m grateful that Scarlett followed our instructions, but is it so strange for me to say we should be prepared for anything?" "¡­" "We''re not the only ones who know about Scarlett''s power. Adelia knew from the beginning." "No way¡­ now even Adelia?" "Who do you think Adelia is with right now!" "!" "Have you already forgotten who the daughter of Duke Saint Owan is?" When Christina raised her voice, the others finally realized that what she was saying was true. It wasn''t Adelia they were doubting. It was the other three who were emotional, not Christina. Feeling wretched for confining their friend, they hadn''t been thinking about what they should have. "The Holy Order has already fallen to the demon king. The Alliance is slowly turning everyone to their side, but don''t you think Duke Saint Owan is an exception? Duke Saint Owan has undoubtedly, almost certainly, sided with the demon king. He may have even joined that side before the Holy Order!" As the Demon King began to show signs of movement, it was inevitable that he would make contact with Archduke Saint Owan. It was a matter that could be understood without seeing it with one''s own eyes. Discussing the possibility of Archduke Saint Owan not siding with the Demon King was a ridiculous endeavor. "The Demon King must be diligently searching for a way to neutralize the Immortals. Even if he knows the method right now, he won''t use it immediately, but he will definitely want to have it in his grasp." The side that absolutely had to use Scarlett''s power. The side that absolutely had to block Scarlett''s power. All of them must have started to move as soon as they confirmed that information. It was rather strange that Archduke Saint Owan did not side with the Demon King, and it was only natural that the Demon King would have acted. However, the result showed that Ludwig was faster. "If we were faster, that would be a strange situation in itself." Though the other party could have moved faster, the side that obtained the information later ended up being faster. "No matter how quickly Scarlett returned to the temple, if those bastards were in collusion with Bertus, entering the temple would be no problem." Everyone realized from Christina''s words that they were more emotional than Christina herself and had failed to reach the obvious conclusion. "But in the end... Scarlett is... being... protected... by our side..." Anna said, her face distorted as if using the word "protection" left her with a miserable feeling. Was it truly protection? Wasn''t it more like imprisonment and surveillance? However, there was some truth to Anna''s argument that there was no need to doubt, since Scarlett was ultimately in their custody. "Yes, it''s definitely fortunate. It''s a lucky thing. But... that''s why I''m asking. We must eliminate even the slightest possibility." Christina looked towards Ludwig. "Didn''t you feel anything strange?" Ludwig was the only one who had faced Scarlett directly. If something was off, he was the only one who could confirm it. Ludwig pondered. Was it strange, or not? Scarlett was undoubtedly terrified in the midst of an unknown situation. She had said she needed time to think. Then, after a brief moment of thought, she decided to follow Ludwig. And so, in the end, Scarlett was taken. Ludwig had a dangerous thought, wondering if Scarlett might have disappeared during that brief moment. However, in the end, Scarlett had merely gone to the library to fetch a book and had not vanished. She returned, dragging a large trunk. Was that strange? "..." Should he be suspicious of such behavior? It couldn''t be called strange, but there was something. He hadn''t checked what was inside the trunk. But should he have opened it and searched it, even though it probably only contained clothes or books? Scarlett, who had accepted being confined without any explanation, was for her own good. Was it really right to doubt her? "No, there was nothing." Ludwig''s answer remained the same. Christina asked. "Are you sure?" If they had to doubt Scarlett any further, it would be better to be betrayed. "I''m sure." Ludwig came to that conclusion. However. "That has to be the truth." Under Christina''s threatening gaze, Ludwig no longer had any response. ------ The Imperial Capital. Imperial City Emperatos. Central Palace Tetra. "Now, it seems that everything is slipping out of my hands." "Your Majesty." "I may be able to control the Immortals for now, and the Allied Forces as well¡­" The distance between the heart of the empire and the Allied Forces was great. But that physical distance could be reduced at any time. The Allied Forces could always be observed and manipulated as if they were in the palm of one''s hand. However, after the Demon King revealed his demonic power, the situation changed rapidly, and the Allied Forces were moving into an area beyond the Emperor''s sight. It was a natural phenomenon. From the beginning, it was a situation induced not by the Demon King but by Bertus. He had given the signal that it was time to start, and they had begun to move accordingly. However, since the beginning of that induction, the situation was slipping out of Bertus''s hands. The Allied Forces were now physically and politically distant from the Emperor. The leadership of the Allied Forces was in turmoil, and they would gradually be devoured by the Demon King. The Immortals followed the Emperor''s orders for the time being, but once everything reached its destination, they would no longer belong to the Emperor. The empire was gradually losing power. Saviolin Turner looked sternly at the Emperor, who had designed and orchestrated the situation to deliberately lose everything. The Emperor was constantly losing something. No. To be precise, he was letting go of something. One by one. One by one. He was not designing and arranging the situation to gain something, but to let go of something. The Emperor had not yet lost everything. "Your Majesty still holds Shanafel and the Imperial Mage Corps. You have not lost everything." The Emperor had too much to let go of all at once. The Immortals were a very powerful army, but the empire had Shanafel and the Imperial Mage Corps. Those two forces were also formidable armies that could not be ignored. Upon hearing Saviolin Turner''s words, Bertus stared at her. "That''s the problem." It was not a relief. Rather, it was a problem, as the Emperor said, and Turner bit her lip. "Why do I have to drag so many people down with me, even though I don''t want to?" The Emperor smirked. The Emperor had too much, and some things could not be let go of, even if he wanted to. The Emperor had a lot. Some things could not be abandoned. So. The Emperor could not die alone, even if he wanted to. "Lady Turner." "¡­" "If I asked you to disappear with the Imperial Mage Corps and Shanafel, would you do it?" At those words, Saviolin Turner clenched her eyes shut. "I don''t understand¡­ why it has to be like this. Why¡­ you have to do this¡­" Saviolin Turner had been a knight who had dedicated her entire life to the empire. She had no other way to live. She was someone who knew nothing of a life beyond that. The Emperor''s last command to such a knight was to abandon the empire. In the end, clear tears began to flow between her tightly closed eyes. "Your Majesty is too young. I don''t understand why you have to bear such a burden¡­ why it has to be you¡­" What did being young and mature have to do with being an emperor? An emperor must be an emperor. Saviolin Turner, who had served the empire closely for a long time, knew how absurd her words were. It was just regrettable. He had dreamed of becoming an emperor, but he had not become one in the way he had wished. Bertus had suddenly become an emperor without a proper coronation amidst the chaos of war. The crown prince, who had longed to be an emperor, had fulfilled his wish to become one. However, he had only become the emperor of an empire on the verge of collapse. The last wish of such an emperor was singular. To become the last emperor of humanity. "Do you really need a reason to stay on a sinking ship until the end?" When everyone was abandoning the ship, why did she have to stay on it until the end? The last emperor of a vanishing nation. Where could there be a reason to become a loyal subject in that grave? The last emperor of the Gardias Royal Family. He would be remembered as a dark tyrant in history, never to be repeated. CH 647 ¡°The day I saw with my own eyes the scene of an Immortal being created.¡± Bertus spoke. ¡°Someone had to take responsibility for all of this.¡± For a brief moment, Bertus and I had a conversation. "We''re not just talking about the responsibility for the Gate incident." "Then, what responsibility?" "The responsibility for the Great Demon War as well." ¡°Since everything began with the Great Demon War, we had to take responsibility for it from that moment on.¡± That''s what Bertus said. From that conversation, it was clear who Bertus was referring to when he spoke of responsibility and its subject. If the true cause of the Gate incident was the Great Demon War, then who was responsible for the Great Demon War? It would be humanity. However, not all of humanity was bearing responsibility; they were paying the price. Someone had to take responsibility for everything. So, humanity, who was the origin and beginning of it all. The Gardias Imperial Family, who decided on that war. The royal family must take responsibility, Bertus said. "Did you start the Great Demon War?" Obviously, the occurrence of the war was not a matter decided by Bertus. And had that war ultimately occurred due to the unilateral decision of the Gardias Imperial Family? Although the royal family started the war, it was bound to happen eventually. If it had been a war that no one wanted, the royal family would not have been able to mobilize such a large force in the first place. "Do you remember when I said this long ago?" "What did you say?" "That everyone is equal beneath me." Yes. He had said that. "But, I''m not here because I actually did something. I won''t deny that." "..." "Just as you''re the Demon King because you''re an Archdemon, I was able to do that because I''m the son of the emperor." Indeed, Bertus said he was above everyone else, but it wasn''t because he was great that he said he was above everyone. It was inherited. Whether wise or incompetent, power is granted to the royal family. It was not a matter of right or wrong, but simply how things were. "If you''re born holding glory unrelated to your own achievements, you must also bear responsibility unrelated to your own achievements." "..." "If you enjoy glory and power, but claim that responsibility is not yours, isn''t that a rather ridiculous and disgraceful act?" If one was to deny responsibility, they should not have enjoyed inherited power and glory in the first place, since both were not derived from oneself. "Now is the time to take responsibility. After all, I can''t say that I had no role in all of this." Being treated as a noble existence from the moment of birth was not due to one''s greatness, but because it was inherited. Therefore, one had to take responsibility for everything that happened due to the unrelated Great Demon War. If one inherits power, one must also inherit responsibility. In front of Bertus''s solemn expression, I couldn''t find the words to say. If you have enjoyed glory unrelated to your own achievements, you must bear the responsibility. Wasn''t this story applicable not just to Bertus but to me as well? Everything I had enjoyed because I created this world. Then, shouldn''t the responsibility for everything that happened in this world be mine, rather than Bertus''s? In the end, no matter how much was said, Bertus was a victim of my actions. The fact that I was the perpetrator of all this remained unchanged. "There''s no need to make such an unfortunate expression." I wondered what kind of expression I had been making. Nonetheless, Bertus said so. "Is it harder to let go of the world or to swallow it? Do you have to compare them to know?" What Bertus had to do was difficult. Then, was what I had to do easy? "It might sound ridiculous, but just as I bear my own responsibilities, you''ll have to bear yours too." Yes. That was right. Letting go of the world. Digesting the world. Both would be difficult tasks, but the latter would be even harder. There was a way for Bertus to take responsibility, and a way for me to take responsibility. Bertus wasn''t giving me the world. He was passing the world on to me. If I could manage the aftermath of the violence brought on by the emperor, the world would become mine, and I could survive. But if I failed, even if the world didn''t perish, everything I had and myself would be destroyed. "I think you should be angry." Bertus snickered, seemingly unable to comprehend why I was making such a strange expression. "How odd." Then, Bertus laughed. He laughed as if he couldn''t bear it without laughing. I couldn''t laugh in front of Bertus. ------ -Grrrrrrrrrr! Back on the battlefield once more. I swung my sword in the midst of hell, where flames, ice, and lightning boiled. I didn''t use Tiamata or Alsbringer. -Kyaaaaaaak! I vaporized a liquid-form monster that charged at me with just a glance, along with the flames. Flames of Tuesday. Many people mixed on the battlefield. So they didn''t know that everything happening originated from me. I picked up a broken spear, its owner unknown, and charged toward the enemy lines. -Kwajik! The spear accurately pierced through the head of a huge monster that had been trampling soldiers on the battlefield. -Krooooooo! But it didn''t fall. There were countless times when what appeared to be the heads of differently-shaped monsters were not their weak points. While not as much as Ellen. I had killed countless monsters. I dashed toward the still-standing monster and, at the same time, struck it with my fist. -Ppoong! The sound wasn''t from my fist. Strictly speaking, it was the sound of the magical shockwave I detonated the moment my fist made contact. As half of the monster''s body flew away in an instant, I passed by the bewildered soldiers who stared blankly at me. There was a benefit to the Immortals appearing. If I wore a helmet with a faceplate, I would be roughly considered one of the Immortals. Even if a soldier they didn''t know slaughtered monsters and advanced, they wouldn''t think the Demon King was participating, but that it was a hidden force of the empire. That''s why it''s better to wear a helmet than to move around with a transformed face. Soldiers gawk at me but don''t doubt me, and likewise, the Immortals don''t doubt me either. In the midst of the battlefield''s noise and clamor. As I watched the trajectory of the Void Sword cutting down monsters and advancing in the distance. I, too, ran toward the Warp Gate as a part of the battlefield. It wasn''t just me. Within the Immortals, there were also mages. Golden light filled the battlefield, healing the wounded and casting blessings. Among the lights were the shots fired by Olivia Lanze. And then. -Flash! In the rear of the battlefield, among the lights flying towards the city, there were those shot by Harriet. -Rumble! From the lightning pouring down from the sky, some were summoned by Liana. How should one bear responsibility? Just as one''s life alone could not bear all responsibility, there must be various ways to bear responsibility. Was this the right way to bear responsibility? However, I did not want to bear the responsibility of death. So, to pay the price or responsibility in another way. I swung my weapons as if possessed. ------ Before arriving at the next major city after Wallen, Ruboten, the allied forces paused at a distance. They waited until Immortal had taken care of all the warp gates in the smaller cities. After Immortal had completed their mission, the allied forces advanced to Ruboten. The battle was more intense than the one in Wallen, and the fighting itself took longer. But in the end, there were fewer casualties than in Serandia. The expressions of the allied forces as they looked upon the ashes of Ruboten were somewhat different from when they had successfully captured Serandia. While it was a great victory with fewer casualties, it wasn''t because the atmosphere was heavy with sadness. There was only one left. Now, the end was truly near. Everyone knew this, and on their faces, a sense of solemnity was felt more than joy in victory. Knowing that the moment they had longed for and wished for was not far away, the allied forces cleared the battlefield with a solemn atmosphere rather than being intoxicated by victory. The clearing of the battlefield was the responsibility of the allied forces. They returned to Lazac. Liana shrugged her shoulders as she looked at me. "But, did we really have to fight ourselves?" "It''s better than nothing." "Well... You''re not wrong." At my words, Liana nodded with a gloomy expression. He wanted to fight directly rather than just watch the battlefield from afar. He could have disguised himself as one of the allied soldiers using the Dreadfiend ring, but he did not participate in the battle since having an unknown but very powerful soldier would be strange. However, after the appearance of Immortal, it was no longer strange for the allied forces to have an unknown but very powerful ally. So, he had planned to join the battlefield wearing a simple helmet. He just had to avoid wearing the eye-catching Tiamata and Alsbringer. But when he tried to go alone, Harriet, upon hearing it, decided to join as well. As a result, not only Olivia but also Liana joined. In the battlefield, they could fight with their faces hidden by helmets or robes, and even the Holy Knights were theirs, so it was easier for someone like Olivia to operate. Moreover, Eleris and Lucinil joined the battle as well. While it may not have been a significant number, it was better than nothing. There was no harm in killing the monsters faster. Whether or not it was meaningful to insert themselves anonymously into a battle they were bound to win, they did not know. It was a victorious battle, but in the end, there were still deaths. Some were injured, and some had died. It was not I who killed the most monsters in today''s battle, but rather Liana and Harriet. Harriet stood silently on the open field in front of the Lazak Castle as night fell, staring down at the valley below with a stern expression on her face. She must have had a lot on her mind. -Eek! Eek...! Eek! Meanwhile, Olivia sat on a rocky ledge in front of the castle, grumbling as she struggled to remove her plate armor, stained with monster blood. ¡°Ugh, so annoying!¡± -Clang! Olivia cursed as she threw her armor to the ground. It was more like she tore it off than merely removed it. "Can you believe I find her cute sometimes? Am I going insane?" Liana laughed softly as she watched Olivia''s antics. Well, calling that cute might have been a stretch. From a distance, Olivia glared at me with narrowed eyes. ¡°Reinhardt! Stop staring and help me out, you idiot! I couldn''t even put this on by myself!¡± "Alright." I approached the grumbling Olivia and untied the knots in her armor. "Why did you wear full plate armor instead of a simple breastplate like me?" "Rowan, the commander of the Holy Knights, kept pestering me to wear it, so I did." She must have sought out Commander Rowan right before the battle began. "It''s enchanted armor, so it does have some effects. Do you think the Holy Knights would wear something like this if they were fools?" Olivia explained that the armor, blessed with divine power, enhanced physical abilities and sometimes magical power as well. Since she had disguised herself as a Holy Knight, like how I had disguised myself as a soldier, she had no choice but to wear plate armor. Her platinum hair was tangled in every which way, making her look rather ghostly. It was an inevitable consequence of close combat. Although Liana and Harriet appeared slightly exhausted, they still looked radiant. Eventually, Olivia was left in her undergarments once all her armor was removed. Because she had to wear armor, her inner clothing was light and simple. "..." "..." Uh. Well. Um... "If you''re going to look, either look properly or don''t. You''re making it even more indecent by looking like that." Olivia glared at me with cold eyes. "Ah, I didn''t... I mean, I did look, but not like that...!" "And I smell like blood right now. Don''t come any closer." "But you asked me to help you take off your armor!" She tells me to come closer, then to go away! What''s with her? "That was then, this is now." But really, Olivia did reek of blood, just as she said. She glanced enviously at Harriet, who was still looking down at the valley from afar, before standing up. "If I''m reborn, I''m going to learn magic... So annoying... Damn it..." Leaving her armor strewn about, Olivia hobbled back into the castle. As soon as she disappeared inside, Charlotte emerged. "I heard the battle ended well." Although our group''s combat abilities were quite impressive, Charlotte''s role was not on the battlefield. She was dressed in her most modest gown. "Well... Fortunately." We did participate in the battle, but ultimately, it was the Titans and the Immortals who played the biggest roles. Charlotte crossed her arms and took a deep breath. "Now... Only Diane remains." "Yes." At those words, I couldn''t help but feel a cold sweat break out on my hands. Now, the end was truly in sight. The Immortals had taken care of all the other locations. The capital of Riselen, Diane. This was really the last one. Only the final assault remained. Everyone couldn''t help but become solemn. CH 648 The battle had ended. As was always the case after an assault on a major city, they needed to clean up the monsters'' corpses and kill the surviving creatures. However, now the Immortals were carrying out that task. They were an army that never tired and resurrected even when they died. Thus, at that moment, the outskirts of the garrison were being patrolled by Immortal knights and mages, who were dealing with any remaining monsters. Soon. The outskirts of Ruboten were not only a coalition army garrison but also the domain of the Immortals. It was a place where the living could not see. Now it was impossible to tell whether a person was alive or dead. Thwack! Splat... Gurgle! Ellen, who had been hiding, precisely decapitated the mole-like monster that had charged at her while it was leaping towards her. However, black blood spewed from the beheaded mole monster towards Ellen. The color of the blood itself clearly showed that it was a dangerous substance that should not be touched. The claws and teeth were not the only dangers of a monster. But the blood didn''t even touch Ellen. Sizzle! Before the blood could even reach Ellen''s body, or her Aura Armor, a curtain of fire from the Sun Cloak evaporated the mole''s blood. "¡­" Even without the two sacred relics, Ellen was strong. However, the Void Sword Lament and the Sun Cloak Lapelt completed Ellen. The Void Sword Lament, shaped like a piece of the night sky, cut through everything it touched. And the Sun Cloak, now capable of unleashing fire, was originally a defensive weapon meant to protect its user. The Lapelt detected ''threats.'' Even those who had reached the Master Class and were among the strongest of humanity were occasionally sacrificed to the unpredictable threats of monsters. But the true power of the awakened Lapelt, whether Ellen knew it or not, protected her from all attacks that posed a threat to her. It was as if the will of an all-knowing deity protected the user. If a monster''s breath was dangerous, it blocked the breath; if its blood was dangerous, it blocked the blood. It blocked anything that was a ''threat.'' A sword that cut through anything. A shield that blocked anything. The perfection of both offense and defense was what made Ellen Artorius a true hero. That''s why, even in the most dangerous places on the battlefield, Lapelt could protect Ellen against monstrous threats beyond common sense. Because she could cut through anything and withstand any attack, Ellen went to the most dangerous places. However, she didn''t always just cut down giant monsters. Small monsters, like the one now, were dangerous to someone else as well. That''s why, even after the battle ended, Ellen roamed the outskirts of the battlefield as if she were possessed, searching for monsters without anyone ordering her to do so. She was always the first to enter the battlefield and the last to return. Even now, as if she had become someone''s puppet, Ellen repeated the same actions she had always done. That''s why, even though everyone knew Ellen was strange, they didn''t know ''how much'' stranger she had become. She had always been a woman of few words, and her actions were no different from before. "What''s the point of you doing this? The Immortals can handle it, you know?" came a voice from behind her. Ellen slowly turned her head. "Why don''t you take a break?" It was Christina, who had brought along two soldiers and two mages. "¡­" Ellen silently stared at Christina. Christina tilted her head. "You''re really mysterious. I know the taste of battle.¡± "..." "What happened?" Ellen didn''t respond to Christina''s question. "Have you gone mute?" Despite Christina''s urging for some sort of reaction, Ellen remained silent. Christina narrowed her eyes as she stared at Ellen, who was as unresponsive as a lifeless doll. "Did you lose it in a different way than me?" "..." It was ordinary for people to fall apart after enduring horrible experiences. It was unusually strong for those who remained intact. Ellen, who had spent time in the most dreadful and perilous places, might have naturally fallen apart. And so, Christina thought that must be why Ellen had ended up in this state. Despite Christina''s continuous taunting, there was no reaction from Ellen. There was no sign of displeasure. It didn''t even seem like Ellen was ignoring her. Christina frowned as she looked at the unresponsive Ellen. Yet, Ellen didn''t leave her spot. She simply stared at Christina. "You''ve become unlucky in a very different way than before." "..." "Well, I actually came to make a proposal to you." Ellen remained silent. "You know about the Immortal, right?" Finally, for the first time, a semblance of a response appeared. -Nod "Oh, so you''ve been listening?" Though it was a simple expression of intention by nodding, Christina recognized that Ellen was indeed listening. "I won''t explain in detail since you''re busy." Christina smiled. "Be my hostage." Ellen stared silently at Christina''s malicious grin. "If I have you with me, he''ll surely show his face." He would try to reclaim her by any means necessary. If Ellen was with her, a certain being would definitely come looking. He was hiding somewhere, plotting in secret, and his whereabouts were unknown. No one could search the entire world thoroughly enough. He could hide forever and never be found. That''s why she needed to secure a sacrifice to summon the Demon King. "Ellen, you''ll have to be the bait to catch the Demon King." "..." Christina smiled. She would take her as a hostage. But she had no intention of stopping there. "Of course, when the Demon King comes looking for you..." Christina started laughing, as if the mere thought delighted her. "It''ll be too late to turn back." The moment the Demon King revealed himself to save his hostage. What he would see wouldn''t be a living Ellen Artorius, but Ellen who had become an Immortal. What would the Demon King say, seeing the Ellen who had been revived by an irreversible death and turned into a mere shell? The feeling of having something taken away. The feeling of facing something irreversible. She intended to make him feel the same way. "Capture her." Christina ordered. Unaware that they were trying to turn an already empty shell into an empty shell once more. ------ It didn''t take long. About 30 seconds. An Immortal wielding a sword and an Immortal casting magic. All it took was that much time for the four Immortals to be neutralized, either by having their heads severed, their bodies split in half, or their waists broken. The Void Sword cuts through everything it touches, leaving nothing behind. And all attacks were neutralized by Lapelt. Even the aura armor of Master Classes was nothing more than a blood stain in front of the blade of the Void Sword. Nothing could withstand the cutting power of the Void Sword unless it was a sacred artifact. That was why Ellen simply swung and defended. Christina stared wide-eyed as the fallen Immortal vanished with a flash of light. Was this not enough? The Immortals that Christina had summoned wer among the top tier of all Immortals. Ancient heroes who have reached the rank of Grandmaster couldn''t withstand Ellen for even 30 seconds. If these four were so easily neutralized, summoning more Immortals would not change the outcome. "What is this...?" Ellen simply stared at Christina after cutting down two Grandmasters and two Archmages. Only then did Christina realize how unfair a divine artifact could be. Not only Ellen but also the divine artifact. She couldn''t help but feel how irrational the Void Sword Lament was. Ellen clearly reacted to the attacks directed at her. Now, after suppressing the Immortals, Ellen slowly began walking towards Christina. In front of the approaching Ellen, Christina retreated while casting a spell. She summoned an Immortal. Flash! In response to Christina''s will, dozens of Immortals began to block Ellen through short-range spatial teleportation. However, it was meaningless. Swish! With just one swing of the Void Sword, the Immortals were cut down along with their aura armor. Boom! Lightning and electric strikes were blocked by a wall of flames. An impossible situation where fire blocked electricity was created. "How... How can this be...?" Crash! Neither swords nor magic could penetrate the fiery barrier surrounding Ellen, let alone her aura armor. But the Void Sword cut through everything in its path. It was a mistake. The Demon King wasn''t the problem. Ellen was the problem. Holding the Void Sword and wearing the Sun Cloak, no force or magic would matter in front of Ellen Artorius. The only reason they could underestimate Ellen so far was because she still had humanity left in her. It was impossible to bring Ellen Artorius, without any hesitation, to her knees through force alone. Only then did Christina realize. In the end, an alchemist was still an alchemist. Her life had revolved around the laboratory and her desk. She had no experience in actual combat or even witnessing a battle. Yet, having the ability to command over a thousand Archmages and Master Classes as if they were her own limbs, she believed nothing could stand before her. Why a hero was a hero. What kind of object a divine artifact really was. She knew it in her mind, but she had never seen it with her own eyes. The twenty Immortals summoned by Christina were neutralized and disappeared as quickly as the first ones. Christina blankly watched Ellen approach. Not in a hurry. As if to say, try to escape if you want. Slowly closing in. Just as Christina finally tried to dodge. Swoosh! Ellen, who had approached without being noticed, grabbed Christina''s neck with one hand. Ellen''s movements were not something a deskbound person like Christina, who had never experienced real combat, could perceive and understand. "Gah...ugh!" A skilled battle mage might be able to cast spatial teleportation despite the pain of having their neck gripped, but that didn''t apply to Christina. Battle mages had chosen their path because they had lower talent and potential among magicians. Among mages, there was no reason for the elite class to have real battle experience. So, it was only natural that Christina couldn''t see Ellen''s movements, react to them, or use magic while in pain. The formulas she had been thinking about became twisted and went awry in the suffocating situation. She couldn''t breathe. It hurt. It felt like she was going to die. How could one calmly use magic with only these thoughts in mind? How could battle mages do that? Christina realized how difficult the task she once looked down upon really was. How powerless she was. It was too late to realize how arrogant it had been to stand in front of Ellen. Ellen had shown her, without a word, how foolish it had been for an alchemist who wasn''t even a battle mage to rely on the power of immortals and act so arrogantly. Just by being gripped at the neck, all her magic had been sealed, and she could no longer call forth immortals. After all, calling immortals was also magic. "Ugh..." In the suffocating situation, Christina struggled to free herself from Ellen''s grip on her neck. But even with all her strength, she couldn''t move even one of Ellen''s fingers. Everything was meaningless in the face of such an overwhelming difference in power. The immortals themselves had been swept away by the void sword, so there was no way Christina could control even one of Ellen''s fingers. "If you kill me... you''ll... regret it..." In the end, Ellen just watched Christina as she made such a pathetic threat. Just before Christina ran out of breath, -Thud Ellen suddenly let her go. "Cough! Gasp! Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!" Christina, gasping for air on the floor, was still being watched by Ellen. Her gaze was emotionless. Not even a contemptuous look, as if looking down on trash. "Hic! Hic! Hic!" Gasping for breath, Christina still couldn''t escape. She needed to run. She had to run. But the thought filled her head, and her magic continued to fail. Even though she wasn''t being choked anymore. The pressure and fear made it impossible to use magic. How could one do this? How could magic be used in battle? How could anyone do that? How could a human be so strong? Christina couldn''t help but tremble in fear as she experienced these things firsthand. No matter how justified her anger or hatred, The weak were weak, and the strong were strong. Those who did not know how to fight couldn''t understand it. One could plan and scheme, but one should have known their place and acted accordingly. If one recklessly stepped forward without knowing their place, they would suffer. Ellen watched Christina, who was gasping for breath and crumpled like trash, completely powerless just because her airway had been blocked for a moment. Then, Ellen''s mouth, which had never opened before, opened. "You still have some use." "Ugh...!" -Ziiiiing! Christina couldn''t hear the words coming from Ellen''s mouth at all. It was a small voice. However, it had a strange resonance, as if it was a mix of tens of thousands of voices. Amidst the pain that felt like the voice itself was tearing her brain apart, Christina writhes. It was just a fraction of what Ellen had endured. But Christina couldn''t bear even a single voice, the overwhelming resentment of the souls, and had no choice but to crouch and tremble. "I''ll spare your life." "Ughhhhh!" To Christina, Ellen had become something unimaginable. Even simple violence. Even just a simple voice. Christina couldn''t handle it. The only saving grace was that Christina didn''t have to pay the price of her arrogance with her life. Ellen left the unconscious Christina on the ground, littered with monster corpses, and returned to the alliance''s garrison. CH 649 The allied forces would be stationed for about three days to regroup. A few days passed as they continued to wrap up the aftermath of the battle. Royal Class garrison, Cliffman''s barracks. "Why does it feel like we''re busier after the battle is over?" Late at night, Erich brought a piece of bread from somewhere and lay down on a mat, mumbling to himself. "Are there many wounded?" At Lint''s question, Erich looked over at him. "When have there not been many?" Erich, who could use divine magic, had been working tirelessly to heal people. In the barracks were Erich, Cliffman, and also Cayer and Lint ¨C the four of them. As always, Cliffman lay on his makeshift bed, staring blankly at the tent. With Heinrich added to the mix, they almost always gathered like this. Of course, Cliffman had never once suggested using his barracks as a sort of hideout. At some point, Kono Lint began to frequent Cliffman''s barracks, followed by Cayer and Erich who came looking for Lint, and Heinrich sat down after searching for the others. Cliffman never had much to say about it. "Where''s Heinrich?" At Lint''s question, Cayer tilted his head. "He''s usually with his sister. There''s probably a lot for him to do as royalty." Erich stared at him, still lying down, at Cayer''s words. "¡­Even if Heinrich is with the temple, his sister is the commander of Kernstadt and the future queen. Is it okay for us to call her ''sister'' so casually?" "¡­Is it?" Suddenly faced with this question, not only Cayer but also Erich tilted their heads. "Is this disrespectful?" Could commoners and royalty address each other so informally if they were friends with the royal siblings? They all began to ponder this unexpected dilemma. They decided to ask Heinrich when he returned. "Only one more left." Word had spread that all other regions had been pacified. Everyone knew that the capital of Riselen, Diane, was their final destination. At Lint''s words, everyone''s expressions turned solemn. "When the war is over, I want to visit all the people who have sent me letters." Lint''s words made Erich''s expression uneasy. "¡­Do you remember all those people?" "I''ve kept the letters, so I should be able to find the ones with addresses, right?" "Why would you bother going to see them in person?" "Well¡­ I''m curious about how they''re doing¡­ and if they''re safe¡­" As Lint stumbled over his words and Erich asked why he would go to such trouble, Cayer clicked his tongue. "This guy probably wants to see if there are any pretty girls." "Ah¡­" "Ah, no! I have! Pure! Intentions!" It was hard not to see through Kono Lint''s flimsy cover. Of course, no one knew what his true intentions were, but Kono Lint began to chuckle. "If there happens to be something like that¡­ and if there''s someone I want to see¡­" Smack! "Ouch!" Before he could finish his sentence, Kono Lint received a powerful blow to the back of his head, causing his eyes to bulge as he rolled on the ground. The one who had suddenly struck Lint''s head was Cliffman. "Why did you hit me out of the blue?" Kono Lint shouted, having received an unexpected blow to the back of his head. "Shut up, people who talk like that always end up dead." "Huh? What kind of superstition is that?" "Anyway, let''s talk about it after everything is over." At that moment, everyone looked at the suddenly serious Cliffman with wide eyes. Rustle "Oh, everyone''s here." Heinrich entered Cliffman''s tent. Kono Lint looked at Heinrich, rubbing the back of his head. "Have you finished your business?" "Yeah, more or less." Heinrich sat down on one of the chairs inside the tent. Since Heinrich had arrived, the topic they were discussing earlier had to come up. In the end, it was a pointless conversation. Whether they should treat Louise, their friend''s sister, as a close friend or respect her as a noble, and whether Louise would be upset if they called Heinrich casually in front of her, and so on. Hearing the question, Heinrich furrowed his brow. "...Why on earth are you curious about that?" "Just because." "Yeah, just because." There was no grand reason or purpose for asking, they were just curious. What kind of meaningful conversations could friends have, anyway? Most of their talks were casual and without any particular reason. "Come to think of it, except for Erich, everyone else here... is a commoner." Everyone in this place, except for Heinrich and Erich de Lafaeri, came from commoner backgrounds. "You just realized that now?" "I didn''t just realize it, it just feels strange." Heinrich had almost forgotten his background, so thinking about it felt odd. "I think my sister wouldn''t mind how you treat me... And her as well..." Heinrich thought that Louise wouldn''t care much about such things either. He didn''t know their mother well, but Heinrich didn''t think Louise was strict about social status. "Well, come visit Kernstadt after the war is over. There won''t be much leisure time, but we won''t treat you poorly." Heinrich said. "..." "..." "..." Everyone fell silent and looked at Cliffman. Kono Lint had just been hit in the back of his head for talking about the end of the war. "...So what?" Cliffman replied. "Why do you let him off the hook when you hit me so hard!" Naturally, Lint couldn''t help but be angry after being hit for just one wrong word. "Is it because you can''t hit royalty even though they don''t say anything? Huh?" "Be quiet. I didn''t hit him because he was too far away." In fact, Kono Lint was sitting next to Cliffman''s makeshift bed, and Heinrich was too far away to hit him in the back of his head. "...What on earth are you guys talking about?" Naturally, Heinrich couldn''t understand the situation and didn''t know what they were discussing. "No, they say that those who talk about what they''ll do after the war before it ends will die!" "...Ah, that''s what you were talking about?" It was impossible to know if the superstition was true or not. "It''s not a good attitude to talk about the next thing before it''s over. There''s nothing good about relaxing." Heinrich nodded as if he understood what Cliffman was saying. The moment they relaxed because the end was approaching, they could lose everything and their lives. And Diane was their final destination, as well as the most dangerous place. An incomparable number of people would die compared to before. Thus, it was absurd to discuss what would come after everything had ended. After hesitating for a moment, Heinrich cautiously added more. "And, even if the Gate Incident comes to an end, it won''t be the end of everything..." At Heinrich''s words, Erich looked at him. "What do you mean? It''s not the end even if the Gate Incident is resolved?" "..." Heinrich fell silent in response to the question. For quite some time. As Heinrich suddenly remained quiet for so long, everyone had no choice but to look at him. It wasn''t a look of having nothing to say, but rather, it was clear he was choosing his words carefully. "Now, there''s something you all need to know." This wasn''t a signal for casual chatter among friends, but for a very important conversation. Heinrich was the only one in this gathering with remaining royal authority. Thus, Heinrich, although a friend in this setting, was the only person who could access information from the high ranks of the allied forces. Heinrich looked around. "Lint, take us somewhere far away from the allied base." "¡­Suddenly?" "I''ll tell you later; just don''t ask anything for now." For everyone present, it was their first time seeing Heinrich so serious. ------ Due to the sudden change in Heinrich''s demeanor, everyone felt that it wasn''t a situation for jest. As Heinrich requested, Kono Lint brought each person to a place very far from the allied base. A place where the lights of the base could be seen from afar. Naturally, it was a conversation that others couldn''t overhear. There was nothing to illuminate the surroundings, except for the uneasy moonlight. "Hey, why are you acting so scary?" Even Cayer asked with a stern expression due to the changed atmosphere. Everyone focused on Heinrich. "As I said, everything won''t be resolved just because the Gate Incident comes to an end." Everyone was only looking at that. Once the Gate Incident ended, people would finally be liberated from the fear of monsters. But that wasn''t the case. "Of course, everything won''t end just because the Gate Incident ends. We still need to deal with all the remaining monsters on the continent. That''s an uncertain task as well." Lint''s words were true and undeniable. "Yeah, you''re right. But I''m talking about something else right now." While Heinrich was pondering how to broach the subject, "Are you talking about the Demon King?" The previously silent Cliff cautiously opened his mouth. Seeing everyone else fall silent, and Heinrich staring at Cliff with wide eyes, "That''s the only thing it could be." Cliff had some idea about what topic would come up. "..." And, Kono Lint, who had been pretending not to know, couldn''t help but harden his expression. The topic of the Demon King had to be addressed at some point, and the Demon King''s affairs would inevitably surface. With the Gate Incident resolved and the remaining monsters dealt with, the undeniable reality was that they would have to think about the Demon King''s business. "That''s right." Heinrich finally broke his silence. "Right now, more than half of the allied forces have sworn loyalty to the Demon King." "...What?" "What did you say?" However, everyone couldn''t help but forget their words at Heinrich''s shocking revelation. ¡°My sister had also decided to follow the Demon King.¡± Upon hearing his next shocking news, everyone couldn''t help but want to deny reality. ------ There was no one who wouldn''t be surprised by the news that a considerable number of the coalition''s high command had already sided with the Demon King. Even within the coalition, obtaining information from the headquarters was difficult unless one was a special case like Heinrich or Ellen, despite the fact that the members of the Temple, especially the Royal Class, received special treatment. However, to understand why the coalition had chosen to side with the Demon King, there were several things that had to be considered first. The massive riots and massacres in the Imperial City. The army of the dead, the Immortals. The increasingly precarious position of the Empire. And the movements of the Holy Knights and the Five Great Religious Orders. Heinrich explained everything he had seen and heard upon his return to the Imperial City, the events he had been involved in, the secrets he had discovered, and the overall situation that had unfolded so far. ¡°That army¡­ is made of¡­ undead warriors?¡± Cayer muttered blankly. ¡°Not just warriors, but also the deceased heroes of the past.¡± Historical figures had been resurrected as undead and were fighting alongside them. The true identity of the mysterious allied forces turned out to be a more terrifying and formidable army than anyone could have imagined, leaving everyone speechless. However, Kono Lint''s reaction was bound to be different. Although he didn''t know the specifics, Kono Lint was aware that the Empire''s scheme was related to resurrecting the heroes of the past as undead. That''s why he had some idea about the true identity of the Immortals. It was just that he couldn''t tell anyone. There was one new piece of information. Christina, Louis Ancton, and Anna de Gerna were deeply involved in the creation of the Immortals. Not just deeply involved, but practically core members. ¡°What have they been doing¡­¡± They were B-class, but they were classmates. He had thought they didn''t do much on the battlefield, but they had been working on the most important tasks while hiding it from everyone. ¡°So, did Kernstadt side with the Demon King because they thought the Empire might collapse after the Gate incident?¡± At Cliffman''s question, Heinrich fell silent for a moment. ¡°Yes, whatever reason you attach to it, you''re right. Now, people within the coalition are wondering whether they should side with the Empire or the Demon King to survive. And my sister has already made her choice.¡± It was no longer a matter of right or wrong, but survival. After the Gate incident, they would have to choose between the Demon King or the Empire. Such a choice could be made by the leader of a group or, in some cases, even by each individual. Erich muttered blankly. ¡°This¡­ this doesn''t make sense¡­ The Demon King wants to rule the world? Is that even possible?¡± There was a mix of horror and disbelief in Erich''s words, as if people wouldn''t just stand by and let it happen. ¡°Whether it''s possible or not, it''s already halfway done. People just don''t know it yet.¡± ¡°While the high command may be able to make that decision, whether others can accept it is another issue.¡± At Cliffman''s words, Heinrich nodded. ¡°That''s a problem for that time. Anyway, what I want to say is, now is the time to make a choice.¡± The Demon King or the Empire. A choice had to be made. Now that the end of the Gate Incident had arrived, they had to recognize that another problem existed and think about it as well. "It''s impossible." Then, the silent Cayer Voiden quietly opened his mouth. "All of this happened because of him, the one who we couldn''t find nor know what he was doing all this time. He''s trying to swallow humanity and is actually succeeding? That can''t be." In front of Cayer''s restrained anger, Heinrich fell silent. "Creating such an army might be a problem. It was a mistake. It must be a sin, indeed. But if the Gate Incident hadn''t occurred, none of this would have happened. Yet, you''re saying we should follow someone who wants to live and take everything away after just watching from the sidelines? That''s... That''s impossible. It can''t be..." "He didn''t do nothing." The one who cut into Cayer''s words wasn''t Heinrich. Only two in the room had met the Demon King directly after the Gate Incident. Heinrich von Schwarz. And there was Kono Lint as well. "To be honest... I met Reinhardt last time." Heinrich, who had surprised everyone, was now the one who couldn''t help but be astonished. ------ Just as Heinrich had something hidden from everyone, Kono Lint also had something he concealed. The deployment of the Immortals to the frontlines was recent, and even before that, suspicious events continued on the march. Cities that were destroyed after suffering preemptive attacks. Kono Lint found those incidents suspicious and went on reconnaissance, where he saw unidentified people fighting far ahead of the allied forces. And he learned that they were the Demon King''s army. He was then kidnapped by one of Reinhardt''s subordinates and woke up in Reinhardt''s castle. Afterward, he briefly spoke with Reinhardt. There was no detailed explanation, but he had been moving because he wanted to stop the Gate Incident. Now that everything was in disarray, he was doing his best to end the Gate Incident. It couldn''t be a lie. Lint had really seen with his own eyes Reinhardt leading his army and fighting ahead of the allied forces. "So all those things that happened last year... were all done by the Demon King''s army?" "That''s right. Now, it seems like they aren''t moving because of the Immortals." Cayer, who had been furious, couldn''t help but lose his anger at Lint''s explanation. "The Gate Incident happened because of Reinhardt. But he never wanted it. That much is clear." He hadn''t been just standing by and watching. He had been doing something in places where people couldn''t see. "But back then, he said that if others knew his truth, it would cause more problems, so it was better to leave it alone... He asked me to keep this a secret. That''s what he said." Clearly, if the truth was something that would lead to the ruin and division of people, it was better for it not to be revealed. So, Kono Lint remained silent. "But now the situation has changed. If the empire were prosperous, it wouldn''t matter, but with the empire on the verge of collapse and the situation worsening... I guess there''s no choice but to step in." "That''s probably true." This was the first time Heinrich had heard a detailed account of the background, so he agreed with Cliff''s speculation. "Anyway, he sent me here safely. We did meet one more time afterward, though..." "One more time?" "Ah, umm..." Kono Lint''s face couldn''t help but turn red. After that, Lint met Reinhardt again. He had asked for help with an issue related to the undead, but there was one reason his face turned red. "I was... deceived... by the beauty." It wasn''t because the Demon King had asked him to come, but because he had been tricked by the situation in which Sarkegaar, transformed into a beautiful girl, had lured him into seeing him. That was the problem. CH 650 Everyone was shocked by the tale of the deceiving beauty, but the following content was even more astonishing. The Demon King''s army had attempted to rob the royal mausoleum in order to replenish their Death Knights. To infiltrate the palace, they needed the assistance of Kono Lint. Lint had helped the Demon King. However, all the coffins were empty. So they went to the imperial national cemetery, but all the corpses there had been replaced. It was clear that something sinister was happening within the empire. After replenishing the Death Knights from the underground tombs of the saints of the Holy Knight Order, the Demon King warned Lint not to investigate further as it might be dangerous, and then disappeared. Heinrich couldn''t help but widen his eyes at Kono Lint''s words. "That... was it you who did that?" The incident that involved Ellen, Heinrich, Louise, and Ludwig. In the end, the real culprit behind the case remained unknown. Heinrich couldn''t help but open his mouth at the revelation that the incident at the saints'' cemetery was actually the work of Kono Lint and the Demon King. He had somewhat suspected the Demon King. However, it was shocking that Kono Lint was involved. "So... it wasn''t a good thing... but I thought it was necessary. I don''t regret it." Lint looked at Cayer. "That brat is the cause of everything, but he didn''t do nothing. He tried to do something. Like this now... unlike what I said last time. Reaching out to the allied forces like this... there must be a clear reason for it." "Such a thing..." Cayer couldn''t see for himself that the one who did nothing tried to swallow everything. Moreover, Kono Lint had even helped the Demon King to some extent. Cayer was at a loss for words. "You, but... huh..." Erich, who had been still, stared blankly at Kono Lint. Kernstadt''s choice was for survival. But Kono Lint spoke as if he trusted the Demon King. It was a qualitatively different issue. It would be cowardly to join the Demon King for the sake of survival, but trusting the Demon King and joining him could be seen as just madness. "Surely, trusting the Demon King... is a bit strange. Yes. It can''t be helped but to think that way..." At Lint''s words, Erich lowered his head. "No, not that..." As if it wasn''t that perspective, Erich looked at Lint. "How could you not have said anything until now?" "¡­Huh?" At Erich''s unexpected words, not only the dumbfounded Cayer but also Heinrich nodded. "I also find that the most surprising right now." Even Cliffman said so. Certainly, Kono Lint''s ability itself was an ability, so he had many stories picked up here and there. So whenever something happened, he habitually relayed information about what had happened and what was happening where. It was inevitable to be astonished that such a person had kept such a big secret until now without any hint or expression. "Are you saying... I''m tight-lipped now?" Kono Lint was confused as he looked at his friends who were flustered by something that they should not have been. "Didn''t you know until now?" "I can''t stand it anymore, you bastards! What do you think of me?" Kono Lint couldn''t help but be outraged at being treated like a pushover. A surprising fact to everyone. Kono Lint was a man who knew when to keep his mouth shut. Seeing the spectacle, Heinrich let out a bitter laugh. Kono Lint had his own secret. "I''ve met him too." "...What?" He thought he had disappeared without a trace, but that wasn''t the case. Surprisingly, Reinhardt had been sneaking around here and there. It was just that those who had met Reinhardt were keeping the secret. "You too?" Kono Lint couldn''t help but be shocked as well. "It''s different from you. I didn''t help him... rather, I received help." "You received help?" Kono Lint had to cooperate with the Demon King, half willingly and half unwillingly. However, Heinrich''s case was different. But in this case, it was a very difficult subject to mention. "...If it weren''t for Reinhardt, I might have died." Yes, because he had to talk about his brothers'' deaths. ------ The topic Heinrich brought up couldn''t help but be heavy. Because he had to talk about a very distant past. The story of when he was so young he couldn''t remember, awakening his abilities and burning his brothers to death. And being expelled to the Empire''s temple as if driven out. That''s why he couldn''t help but earn the hatred of his other brothers. So that his friends could understand the situation in which his brothers tried to kill him, he had no choice but to tell the dark past entirely. And the brothers who became jealous and hated him for becoming a war hero. The letter from an anonymous friend, warning that he would be killed by his brothers. The suspicion he heard from the Emperor, that he might be a bastard. In the end, when the conflict reached its peak, Reinhardt came to find Heinrich. He suggested they leave together, as he might be killed as things were. He said that he could explain everything and discuss what they could do together. Heinrich didn''t follow Reinhardt. As he pondered whether to tell the truth about being a bastard, Heinrich couldn''t help but tell about his mother, although he felt guilty. Now was the moment to tell everything. When his sister killed their brothers with her own hands, Heinrich learned that his older sister was actually his mother. All of his friends who heard the story couldn''t help but be shocked. "Although Reinhardt didn''t save me directly, he tried to save me. The actions I took because of that letter... ultimately made it possible for me to survive." In fact, Heinrich was almost killed. Only Louise, who had spoken with the Emperor, knew that such an attempt would happen and stopped it. Although Reinhardt didn''t save Heinrich directly, if it weren''t for that letter, Heinrich would have died. "I don''t expect you to understand, but the reason my sister... no, my mother, sided with the Demon King is... because she knows that." She knows the Demon King tried to save her son. That''s why she could save him. It''s true that she made the choice for survival in a situation where she had to live. But the fact that she knew the truth, that her son could survive to this day thanks to the Demon King, also played a significant role. Because Louise had undoubtedly experienced something that could not be denied as the Demon King''s grace. Just as Louise thought. Heinrich thought the same. He had truly been loved. The reason he had not died. The fact that he had been able to live, and knew the truth that the woman he had believed to be his older sister, turned out to be his mother, and had pleaded with the king to spare his life, was all due to a letter sent by the Demon King. It was difficult for everyone to bring up certain words. The people he had believed to be his brothers were actually his uncles. These uncles had tried to kill the boy they had mistaken for the youngest, who was in fact the son of their sister. And the mother protected her son. "I don''t know how Reinhardt anticipated the circumstances under which I would die, but he... he certainly didn''t want me to die. He might have tried to use me, but... No matter how I think about it, that doesn''t seem right. And considering his actions towards you, Lint, he just... wanted us to be safe. He wanted everyone to be happy. Even though things didn''t go exactly as he wished, he still hoped for it. That much is certain." In the end, it was Heinrich who had first brought up the entire story, looking at everyone. "Whether the real cause of the Gate incident was due to Reinhardt or not... Yeah, Reinhardt might have been wrong. Even if the Demon King does something, it''s not certain that it will always lead to a good outcome. I know that too." Whether the Demon King was right or wrong. As in the past, it was still something they could not know. Everything would be revealed by the outcome, and so it was meaningless to predict the result now. "So, I never thought I would say this, but..." When he had been treated like a stepping stone or a mere bonfire, Heinrich had sincerely wanted to kill Reinhardt. That''s why, it was most unbelievable for Heinrich himself to say these words now. "I trust Reinhardt." He had not revealed his name, but he had received a worried letter from a friend. Now, he had to send a reply of trust in the name of friendship. It was still unknown whether the Demon King was right or wrong. But, he believed. There had been too many incidents where he could not help but trust Reinhardt. And so, he followed. In order to survive, K?ernstadt had chosen the Demon King, an explanation that could not be taken any other way. But now that all the stories had come to an end. Heinrich said he followed not to live, but because he trusted Reinhardt. How long did the silence last? "Me too." Among those who had been silent, Kono Lint spoke. "I also want to trust that bastard." Someone, somewhere, as a prince, believed in the Demon King. Someone, somewhere, as an ordinary person, believed in the Demon King. Although people have their own statuses, does faith have a status? ------ Although those gathered here were special soldiers, they were ultimately no more than soldiers. It was unknown how much their belief or disbelief in the Demon King would affect the overall situation. However, the time had come when they needed to share such stories. At this moment when everyone was choosing sides, regardless of their will, they had to stand somewhere. Would they trust the Empire, or trust the Demon King? Would the Empire survive, or would the Demon King survive? It was merely a matter of choosing based on faith or survival. "Regardless of whether we believe or not, are we saying that another war will break out after the Gate incident is over...?" At Cliffman''s words, everyone fell silent. What Reinhardt wanted, whether they believed or not, was a separate matter. In the end, as one cataclysm came to a close, there was no time to catch their breath before another storm began anew. Not everyone could side with the Demon King. Nor could everyone side with the Empire. "Must we choose one of the two...?" At Cayer''s words, Heinrich shook his head. "We can choose neither as well." "...What?" "Exactly as I said." Choosing nothing at all. "There are people who wish for both the Empire and the Demon King to disappear." Choosing nothing could, of course, still be a choice. "Then... what should we do?" Erich asked. What should they do? Did they hope for the demise of everyone, whether they were cowardly or not, and regardless of their choices? At Erich''s question, Heinrich laughed bitterly. "There''s no way to know what to do." It was merely retribution. It was merely judgment. Everyone would have to figure out what to do afterward. The guilty had to be judged and punished. Heinrich knew that those who thought this way were their biggest enemies right now. Cliffman, who had been silent, spoke. "Heinrich, I have a question." "...What is it?" "Ludwig''s arm." "...Ah." Cliffman asked. "Is it related to the Immortal?" He had undergone some sort of procedure. Christina, Louis Ancton, and Anna, who were involved with the Immortals. Something about Ludwig''s atmosphere had changed. At last, the pieces of the puzzle that had been missing seemed to fit together. "Undoubtedly, it must be." Heinrich nodded at Cliffman''s question. As long as they knew what an Immortal was, Ludwig''s restored arm must be related to it. So it couldn''t be an ordinary arm, and Ludwig was not in a normal state either. Everyone here would eventually have to make a choice. The difference was whether they would choose to survive or choose out of faith. Unlike the two who had already made their decisions, he was one of those who couldn''t help but agonize over the choice. "Could you, by any chance, relay a message for me?" Cliffman said that. ------ Charlotte and I sat facing each other in the King''s office, which had become the Regent¡¯s office. "Hmm..." "Um..." Both Charlotte and I had ambiguous expressions. It was Charlotte who opened her mouth first. "In truth, there isn''t really a problem. Many unspecified people already know that we are involved in the allied forces, and there are factions that do not side with us. Our involvement was bound to spread throughout the allied forces." "I knew that." As Charlotte said, there were those who had reasons to keep the secret, but there were also those who had no reason to do so and knew about the involvement of the Demon King''s allied forces. Until recently, I thought that if such a fact spread throughout the allied forces, it could collapse. In reality, just because the commanders cooperated with me to survive didn''t mean everyone followed the commanders'' decisions. However, with the final battle looming and the majority of the actual forces being Immortals, even if the allied forces collapsed, there might not be a significant problem. It was a matter of whether suspicion and discord would lead to division first or reaching the final battlefield first. The current situation was the impossible coexistence of the Demon King''s followers and the Empire¡¯s forces Fortunately, they were not far from the capital city of Riselen, Diane. The divide would only come after the fall of Diane. And the rumors of the Demon King''s involvement had not spread too far. One of those involved in the upper echelons had spread the rumor. "I don''t know about the rest, but this Heinrich guy, he didn''t get beaten by his mother, did he?" "...Perhaps." Charlotte seemed to agree with my harsh expression, nodding her head. In a sense, Heinrich had caused an accident. "And what''s with reporting the accident to his mother?" "...Indeed." Heinrich obviously knew that Kernstadt had decided to be on our side. In fact, it was neither me nor Rowan who brought in other small countries or minor factions, but Louise von Schwarz. Because of that, she was exposed to considerable danger. She was essentially in a more dangerous position than Rowan, playing the role of a frontman on the front line, so it was only natural that she would be plagued by assassination threats. Louise took all of that into account and continued to serve as our frontman. In the midst of all this, Heinrich told his friends about Kernstadt''s betrayal. "Like you said, Charlotte... It''s not a big accident since it was bound to happen eventually..." "I can''t say I don''t understand. And Heinrich did it with your best interests in mind. The outcome seems to be good, too." "That''s true." I couldn''t say that I didn''t understand Heinrich''s feelings, nor could I say that his actions were necessarily foolish. In the end, he was thinking of both me and his friends. Heinrich probably wanted to prevent a situation where his friends would have to be hostile when they learned that the situation was rapidly changing. And he likely wanted to represent my position as well. Heinrich did what he did because he didn''t want me to have to kill my classmates. We shouldn''t fight amongst ourselves. But Louise would be flustered when her son directly informed her of what he had done. Did he really get slapped by his mother...? "The important thing right now isn''t that." Heinrich''s actions were problematic in their own way, but as Charlotte had said, it was something that would be revealed eventually. What Charlotte and I were worried about was not the fact that Heinrich had caused an accident. I had received a message. Since Louise had never met me in person, she had to go through Rowan to deliver a message to me. In other words, her son had leaked the secret to his friends, and he went to his mother to ask if she could deliver this message to the Demon King. That was what he said. And the person who needed to deliver the message was none other than the Holy Knight Commander Rowan, whom Louise personally despised. The fact that I received this message meant that Louise had swallowed her pride and humiliation, asking Rowan to deliver the message. "If he were my son, he would have really been slapped." "..." Charlotte seemed to agree with my words, nodding her head. Heinrich... You were lucky to be alive as a son... You should have known what you were asking your mother... So the message went from Heinrich to Louise. From Louise to Rowan. And from Rowan to me. Heinrich''s actions might have been a blunder, but the message had tremendous significance for me. According to Heinrich''s confession, it seemed Kono Lint had decided to side with me. This was huge. From Louise''s perspective, her foolish son had caused an accident without any discretion, but for me, it was fortunate. Kono Lint''s decision to side with me greatly expanded the scope of the accident. There were many more things I could do. Erich and Cayer seemed to be contemplating. And finally, Cliffman. He had delivered a message to us. It was not a politically significant message, nor one that would have a significant impact on the overall situation. "It''s not a problem for us to decide, is it?" "Yeah, that''s true." But the judgment of the message was not something either Charlotte or I could make. And whether it influenced the overall situation or not, it was by no means a light message. I want to meet Liana. That was the message Cliffman had sent. CH 651 The message sent by Cliffman was, to be precise, a request or perhaps a demand. He wanted to meet Liana. From the beginning, it wasn''t a matter for me or Charlotte to decide. Of course, we could have told her to meet him, but we didn''t want to do that. Did Cliffman have the right to say he wanted to see Liana? It wasn''t as if Cliffman would be on our side if we let him meet her. Even if he did join our side, would Cliffman''s power hold any great significance for us at this point? Cliffman had undoubtedly grown stronger and significantly improved his skills. However, in a situation where Master-class and Archmages were prevalent, Cliffman''s power would have little significance. He could not be a variable like Kono Lint. Such things could be considered. But we decided not to take those factors into account. We didn''t even want to think about them. Relationship issues were important. Maybe they were the most important thing in the world. That was what I believed. The world had come to this point because of those damned relationships and emotional issues. If I hadn''t been the Demon King Valier. If Ellen hadn''t been Ragan Artorius''s younger sister. If Charlotte hadn''t been the emperor''s daughter. Becoming close without properly resolving those issues was the root cause of all problems. We should not treat such issues lightly. Therefore, in the end, this was not a matter for me to decide. It was up to her to decide. ------ "Me¡­?" Liana wore an indescribable expression upon hearing Cliffman''s message. Her dilated pupils told just how surprised she was. During the Temple days, Cliffman had been a timid fellow. No, even that was an understatement. He didn''t know how to handle women or men, and it took months after countless encounters in the training arena for them to exchange their first words. Moreover, when girls like Ellen or Harriet spoke to him, he would stutter and sink into silence. In other words, he had a day''s worth of social skills, and his capacity was as small as a soy sauce dish. He would often become dazed while interacting with someone and collapse. On the other hand, Liana had no problem with strangers. Although she seemed quite irritable on the surface, she was actually quite easygoing and didn''t take things to heart. She was always proactive, and it was always Liana who suggested going somewhere to have fun after becoming friends with the others. Someone who discriminated against everyone. Someone who discriminated against no one. Although they were opposites, I believed that people with completely different personalities got along better than those with similar ones. In fact, Liana had always been dragging the passive Cliffman around since some point in time. Although I was the one who decided to let Cliffman participate in the Mister Temple contest, Liana was the one who supported him the most. Eventually, the two became close. When Duke Grantz died, they pledged to avenge me together. But on the day the Gate incident occurred, Liana appeared to save me without saying a word to Cliffman. She hadn''t told him the real cause of her father''s death or her decision to rescue me. Could that be called a betrayal? Although the events of the Temple days had taken place a few years ago, they felt like something that had happened decades ago. Everyone had changed. Both Liana and Cliffman had changed. Cliffman, who had always been passive and struggled with dealing with people, requested to meet Liana. And then. Liana, who had always been active, bold, and acted as if she didn''t know the word ''shyness.'' "..." Liana''s face turned pale, and she trembled. ------ Was Liana''s behavior a betrayal or not? Liana wouldn''t have wanted to take Cliffman on the dangerous path. At that time, I really had no significant power. Following me and trying to save me, who was imprisoned by the Empire, was insane. The only one who had decided to act with Liana that day was Harriet. Liana didn''t even know that the Vampire Lords were trying to save me. It was a life-threatening, crazy act, and Liana must have expected death that day. So, she couldn''t tell Cliffman about it. She couldn''t take Cliffman with her on a practically suicidal mission. But even if it wasn''t a betrayal, there could be a feeling of betrayal. I don''t know how Cliffman felt about Liana''s actions. Of course, Liana wouldn''t know either. Cliffman only said he wanted to meet Liana, not how he felt about her. I also don''t know what Cliffman thinks about me. Like Christina or Ludwig, he might have wanted to question my responsibility. We''ve been through too much to imagine it would be like our time in the temple. Neither Liana nor I could know what purpose and with what feelings Cliffman wanted to meet. So, Liana''s face turned pale and she trembled. She didn''t know what to expect. After all, she could be attacked. Because so much had changed, Liana wasn''t the old Liana, and Cliffman wasn''t the old Cliffman. It was only natural to be afraid. Not because the meeting was dangerous. Seeing and hearing firsthand how things had changed, the moment of confirming it, could be terrifying. Charlotte and I couldn''t judge this message. At the very least, we had to inform Liana. "You don''t have to meet him if you don''t want to." "..." All things considered, it was better not to meet. Whether Cliffman sided with us or not, it didn''t matter in the grand scheme of things. But Liana was one of the most important people on our side. There was even a slight possibility that Cliffman could harm Liana. So, it was better not to meet. The potential gain was minimal, while the potential loss was enormous. With a simple calculation, this meeting wasn''t even worth considering. However, I could make a calculation, but I had no intention of involving the result in the decision. There was only one important thing. Did Liana want to meet or not? Liana could make such calculations without me even telling her. If she didn''t want to meet, she didn''t have to. Whatever the reason. The decision was up to Liana. Just as the outcome and reality of this world were not the results of a cost-benefit analysis. In the end, what''s important is not the gains and losses. Liana was terrified. It was strange. During the temple days, Liana was undoubtedly a superhuman with enormous potential. But her power at that time wasn''t that strong. However, Liana had always been brimming with confidence and self-assurance. What about the Liana now? It wasn''t an exaggeration to call her the most powerful Supernatural in the entire world. Now, Liana''s power had reached a level that not only Supernaturals, but even the most powerful mages couldn''t rival. As Liana grew incomparably stronger, her personality, ironically, became the opposite. She easily became depressed, struggled, and suffered. She had changed to be more passive. Upon hearing Cliffman''s desire to meet her, she was paralyzed with fear, not knowing what to expect. As Liana became stronger, she also became weaker. Liana spoke. "¡­Yeah." "Uh." Liana''s eyes were trembling. "I''m, I''m too scared¡­" She hadn''t even met him yet. She didn''t know what Cliffman was thinking. But Liana''s eyes were filled with hot, red tears. "I''m so scared¡­ I feel like I might die¡­" There was only one reason for such an intense reaction. It was because Liana cherished Cliffman. She was afraid that someone so precious to her would treat her differently than before. That fear was so overwhelming. It was so terrifying that she couldn''t help but say she felt like dying. Yes. It was a similar context to how much I hated and feared facing the changed Ellen. Liana bowed her head and trembled for a long time. She had shown vulnerability many times before. But this was the first time she had ever appeared this weak. "Still¡­ I have to meet him, don''t I?" She thought that as Liana de Grantz, a human being, regardless of her position as the Thunder King, she couldn''t refuse. "You don''t have to meet him if you don''t want to." Was it absolutely necessary to meet? I wasn''t sure. Instead, after meeting, there''s a chance she might be hurt physically or emotionally, but she might not get hurt as well. "Let''s think about it later." "Later?" "Yeah. I don''t know what will happen, but let''s consider it for later." The future was uncertain. But now, she was in a situation where she could make a decision about meeting Cliffman. Later. "If you decide not to meet now, do you think you''ll regret it later? Or do you think you won''t?" She didn''t know whether she would have another chance to meet Cliffman later. But if, at this moment, she said she wouldn''t meet him. If she delivered such an answer to Cliffman or completely ignored him. What would happen? What would Cliffman think, and would Liana regret it later or not? Setting aside whether she should or shouldn''t meet, she thought only about regret. Would she regret not meeting him, or would she not? "I''m scared to death right now... But¡­" Liana raised her head. "If I decide not to meet him now¡­" Tears finally fell from her flushed eyes. "I feel like I''ll live with this feeling for the rest of my life¡­" She didn''t know whether this situation was an opportunity or a crisis. However. If she didn''t meet him, she felt like she would regret it for the rest of her life. That''s what Liana seemed to think. ------ Were there things that one must face, even if they were frightening and scary? Couldn''t they run away, avoid it, or pretend not to know? But there were such things in the world. Things that would definitely be regretted later. However, if one avoided something out of fear, they would inevitably regret it later. Thus, there were things that were frightening and scary, but had to be done to avoid regret later on. For Liana de Grantz, this was that very task. "I can go with you," Reinhardt had said. Liana shook her head. "No... I think it''s better to meet alone." She didn''t want to give any hint of preparation for a possible confrontation, so Liana chose to face it alone. Although she would need someone''s help to come and go, they should be alone in the moment they faced each other. Even if it couldn''t atone for the time when she had left without a word, it was, at the very least, a matter of courtesy. Liana thought as much. There was no reason to accept Cliffman''s request in the first place. The messenger Heinrich who relayed the message to Louise. Louise, who had heard the absurd request. Rowan, who had passed on the message. Charlotte and Reinhardt as well. Liana was no exception. And finally, Cliffman himself, who had made the request. None of them could have imagined it would come to this. However, through each person''s judgment, the message was passed on and, by Liana''s own decision, the meeting was arranged. The world had changed, the era had transformed, and people were different. Although they used to be close enough to meet by simply knocking on the door of a dormitory hallway, now countless people had to be involved to convey even the simplest of messages. Just to see each other once, so many people were involved. Merely passing on a single word had become much more difficult. A meeting that had been arranged in such a way took place deep in a forest, beyond a field strewn with the corpses of defeated monsters. Had the time that had passed been long? However, due to the characteristics of the era when one could only feel the passing of more time than had actually elapsed, psychologically, it felt as if decades had passed. Cliffman could have the meeting he desired at a certain tree stump in that place. "..." There was the face Cliffman had wanted to see. Always confident, sometimes even overbearing. The person who used to firmly grasp Cliffman''s arm and drag him around, confidently swinging the young boy around as she told him to trust and follow only her. Now she stood with her hands together, her eyes downcast. As if she didn''t even deserve to make eye contact. As if she had committed a great sin, making it impossible to look the other person in the eye. "¡­Hello." Her voice was barely audible, struggling to get the words out. And so, "It''s been¡­ a while¡­" Cliffman was able to see Liana de Grantz, who had shrunk to a size she could not possibly become any smaller. CH 652 There were times in life when one''s heart seemed to pound so fiercely that it might burst. It could be due to extreme shock, fear, excitement, or overwhelming emotion. At that moment, Liana was experiencing such a heart-pounding sensation. It was because of fear. But it wasn''t just fear. These heart-pounding moments could be caused by a mixture of emotions. As overwhelming as the fear was, Liana''s heart felt like it would burst. There were moments when the sound of one''s own heartbeat seemed audible not just within the chest, but also to one''s own ears. It was that overwhelming. But, unable to guess what words would come from those lips, Liana could not look him in the eye, her gaze lowered in front of her friend whom she had not seen in so long. There had been a moment when they had vowed to kill the Demon King together. That thought had been deeply appreciated. But the two who made that resolution were too young back then. They were too small to consider the great name of the Demon King as their enemy. There had been a time when it seemed laughable that they, as well as their friend, could even consider seeking revenge. But at some point, the days when that name weighed heavily had passed. The determination for revenge lost its direction, and Liana, who had intended to kill the Demon King, had become his most loyal servant. One of the Demon King''s most important minions. To be precise. She had become one of those who should only be called the Four Heavenly Kings. It would take days and nights to explain all that had happened in the meantime. But in the end, conversation could only begin if they wanted to exchange words. Despite Liana''s hesitant and strained greeting, Clifman only stared at her silently, saying nothing. Even in the past, Clifman had not been particularly talkative. Whether or not he was dealing with Liana, Clifman was always a listener, giving short answers when prompted to speak, or rambling when he had more to say. He had been terribly inarticulate. Just like then, he was silent now, but Liana couldn''t help but notice that it was different from the past. The Clifman of the past had been short on words because he couldn''t find anything to say. But now, he wasn''t unable to find something to say, he was simply choosing his words. It wasn''t that he didn''t know what to say. He was just considering where to begin. Time had passed. People change. Just as Liana had changed, Clifman had naturally changed as well. "You really came to see someone like me." The boy who had once been timid had become a cynical man. ------ You really came to see someone like me. There was so much meaning in that single sentence that Liana felt dizzy. In those few words, all of Clifman''s thoughts, self-loathing, and disillusionment up until now were contained. "What¡­ are you saying¡­? Someone like you¡­?" Liana looked at Clifman with trembling eyes. "I''m weak, aren''t I?" "¡­" "That''s why you left me behind, right?" "!" That was a harsh statement. It wasn''t an insult to Liana, but a self-deprecating remark. "I was only able to activate Magic Body Strengthening back then. Someone like me would have been useless if you had taken me with you. It was only natural for you to leave me behind." Unable to bear Clifman''s self-deprecating words, Liana had no choice but to interrupt him. "No, that''s not it..." "Then what?" "...Huh?" "Was there another reason?" Cliffman inquired. Liana could only bite her lip with a sorrowful expression. "...If you had come with me, you would have gotten hurt. No, you would have died. I didn''t want you to get hurt because of me." "So you''re saying, even if I had gone with you, I would only have been hurt or killed, and my presence would have been of no help to you." "..." Essentially, he was saying that she knew that he would be useless and meaningless by her side. Would the situation have been any different if Cliffman had been there? Probably not. He would have only been a burden. She didn''t want him to get hurt, so she didn''t take him with her. She didn''t take him with her because the chances of him being a negative factor were high. In truth, both statements were the same. Only the way they were expressed was different. Liana had spoken in the former way, and Cliffman had understood it in the latter way. And the truth remained that the latter interpretation was true. But wasn''t that too harsh a way to put it? Wasn''t the sentiment more important? It hurt that her actions, born out of concern for him, were interpreted as being dismissive. Liana''s intentions didn''t matter. He was discarded because he was useless. He was too weak to go with her. That was how Cliffman took it. And ever since the Gate incident, Cliffman had continued to think that way. "Liana, I''m not saying that I''m bitter or that you shouldn''t have done it. You had to do it. And it was the right thing to do. I wouldn''t have been any help. I''m sure of it." "..." "I don''t think much has changed even now." Cliffman, who once couldn''t even choose his words properly, was now able to coldly organize and express his thoughts. But the direction of all his words was still sad. It wasn''t resentment towards Liana. It was disillusionment with his weak past self. A self-assessment bordering on self-hatred. Cliffman was just stating facts. He listed the facts without any sign of resentment towards Liana. All the resentment and disillusionment were directed towards himself. If he had been strong enough to be of help, Liana would have sought his assistance. Resentment for his weak past self. Disillusionment with his weak past self. Cliffman had continued to feel what the armless Ludwig had felt. And that was why Cliffman couldn''t leave Ludwig alone. Liana was definitely afraid. Afraid that Cliffman would pour curses on her, resent her, or blame her in his feelings of betrayal. She was afraid, thinking that way. But now, Liana faced an unexpected scene. Cliffman didn''t blame anyone. Not Liana. Not the Demon King. No one. "Thank you, once again." "..." "For coming to see someone like me." He just resented himself. Liana was more afraid of this side of Cliffman. Seeing the broken Cliffman, Liana gritted her teeth and trembled. "It''s my fault. I... I''m sorry..." As Liana finally burst into tears, Cliffman still gazed at her with a hardened expression. "It''s not your fault, Liana." "It is. It''s all my fault. I..." "You didn''t do anything wrong." He didn''t blame the person who should have been blamed. Liana couldn''t help but know that it was the hardest thing to bear. ------ Cliffman was not angry, nor did he feel betrayed. He seemed to accept it as a matter of course. He hadn''t been taken along because he wouldn''t have been of any help. In that case, it was his fault for not being helpful. It was simply because he was weak. And even now, he still thought he was weak. That was all he thought. Cliffman waited quietly in front of Liana until her tears stopped. With the same expression as before, Cliffman just stared at Liana. "Are you calmed down now? Shall we talk?" "..." He didn''t blame her, but he wasn''t affectionate either. He didn''t hug the crying person or pat her back. He wasn''t that kind of person to begin with, but now it seemed he didn''t even want to try. Hearing him say that she wasn''t at fault only intensified her guilt. Liana found Cliffman unfamiliar. He had become a completely different person, in a different way than she had imagined. After Liana stopped crying, Cliffman asked her various questions. Since he genuinely didn''t blame her, Cliffman conversed with Liana rather calmly. In the end, the one who had done wrong was the only one who was restless. Liana had no choice but to watch Cliffman''s reactions throughout, and Cliffman asked what he wanted to ask. "Your father''s death... It wasn''t because of the Demon King, right?" "...Yes." "So, it was the Empire after all?" "..." "I see." When Liana vanished without a word with the Demon King, Cliffman had no choice but to grasp what had happened to some extent. If Liana, who had known the Demon King as her enemy, suddenly saved him and disappeared, there would be no other reason. "Actually, I thought I was going to die that day. It was reckless. I moved with Harriet, but even she was prepared for that. But I didn''t want to involve you." The overlapping situations allowed Reinhardt to escape the temple, and Liana had intended to fight a losing battle. It was a place where death was certain. That''s why she couldn''t take Cliffman with her. But in the end, it was true that she had conspired with Harriet but hadn''t taken Cliffman. Harriet could be helpful. Cliffman couldn''t. Wasn''t that the truth? "I understand." Liana clenched her teeth at the resignation in his tone. "No... you don''t understand at all..." "I understand well enough that I was useless..." "I hated the idea of you dying because of me more than I hated the idea of me dying!" "..." In the end. Liana''s expression twisted miserably. Cliffman stared at Liana in silence as she raised her voice. "It wasn''t because you were useless, or because you were weak..." Tears welled up in Liana''s eyes again. "It was because you were precious to me..." At Liana''s miserable confession, Cliffman''s eyes widened. "You were important to me. I wanted you, at least, not to die... That''s why I did it... It wasn''t like that. It wasn''t that kind of meaning. I''m sorry. I''m sorry for doing that. I was wrong. I know I was wrong. It''s just... I was wrong, and it''s true that I left you behind. It''s true, but..." "..." "Please, it wasn''t because you were meaningless, or useless, or unhelpful, or weak... It wasn''t like that... Please believe me. I''m telling the truth." She had left him behind. But the reason she had left... In the end, it was a story about him. Liana''s words, as she tearfully spoke of her emotions to a Cliffman who was now accepting her feelings differently, were closer to a plea than a confession. "Just... just hit my cheek. Curse at me. Ask why I left you behind. Call me a traitor... That would be better..." She was terrified of being scolded, her breath caught in her throat as if she were about to die. However, seeing Cliffman''s state, Liana thought it would be better if he hated her instead. It was better for someone to find the cause of their problems in others. If one only sought the cause of their problems within themselves, they would become ill. Those who lived believing that everything was someone else''s fault could at least continue to live. Those who lived believing that everything was their fault would rot from the inside out. Liana found it more painful to see Cliffman wallowing in self-pity than to bear his anger. It wouldn''t matter if it were anyone else living that way. But Cliffman wasn''t just anyone to Liana. Seeing Liana crying, Cliffman stared blankly at the sky. In the forest. Sunlight streamed through the leaves. "I cherished you too." "..." "But I couldn''t be of any help to someone precious." "..." "I didn''t want to think you were bad. There must have been a reason for everything, a reason for not speaking, a reason for not taking me with you, a reason for the gate incident. I thought there must be a reason for it all." Cliffman spoke of thoughts he''d had for a long time. "I didn''t want to resent you." Out of countless choices, there was just one. Cliffman did not want to choose resentment towards Liana. "To not resent you, there was no other way." Because Liana was precious, he tried to think that all her actions were justified. Why she didn''t take him with her, why she didn''t say anything. To do so, he had to find the cause within himself. If only he had been stronger. If only he had been more useful. If he had been reliable enough for Liana to seek help and tell him everything. That would have been enough. To believe that Liana had done nothing wrong. To not resent Liana, he had no other path but self-hatred. Watching Cliffman make such a wretched confession, Liana tried to hold back her tears. "Really..." With red-rimmed eyes, Liana looked up at Cliffman. "You''re still such a fool..." He could have simply resented Liana. It would have been an easier path to think she had gone mad and followed the Demon King, and resent her for not saying anything. But if not a fool, what was he, choosing to resent himself in order to understand her? Liana grasped Cliffman''s hand. Liana held on tightly, her grip nearly crushing, but Cliffman felt the strength in her grasp was pitiful. A powerful supernatural, but her physical strength was still lacking. They had changed. Both Liana and Cliffman had changed. But there were things that remained unchanged. After countless incidents, the fact that they still cherished each other had not changed. "Being a fool has its good points." "What are they...?" ¡°I knew I am still useless and weak, but... even if it was utter nonsense, I did the foolish thing of saying I wanted to see you¡­¡± Cliffman squeezed the hand of Liana, who was holding his own. "Like this, I got to see you again." There was no reason for Liana to come see Cliffman. He knew that too. But he said it anyway, knowing that it made no sense. That he wanted to see Liana. Logically, he knew it was impossible. There was no reason for Liana to come see him. Yet, he said it just in case. It was foolish, but there was a slim chance. In the end, the other party responded to his strange request. And so, they got to see each other again. Ultimately, they realized that even though they were both broken, they didn''t blame each other. One was blaming themselves, and the other felt sorry. They both knew that. Foolish acts don''t always lead to bad outcomes. "Really... truly..." At Cliffman''s words, Liana''s lips trembled slightly. "You... as you''ve grown older... truly..." Tears welled up in Liana''s eyes again. "You''ve become sentimental..." Saying it made her want to throw up. Her body shook as if she couldn''t bear it. But in the end, Liana laughed. A laugh of pure joy. It was her first laugh in three years. ------ "..." "..." My eyes met with the blockhead''s. "It... turned out well, right?" "It went so well that I feel nauseous." "Uh... yeah, it''s a bit... like that..." Cliffman. That guy had become incredibly sentimental. He hadn''t been like that when I watched him as a cat. No, maybe it was because Liana was in front of him that he was acting like that. We didn''t mean to eavesdrop in the first place. Well, it was eavesdropping, but Harriet and I were watching from a distance just in case something went wrong. In case Cliffman did something unexpected, we needed to stop him. But seeing Liana''s tearful appearance and Cliffman''s excessive chatter... Since we had been listening to their conversation through magic, both the blockhead and I felt quite nauseous. "Anyway, it''s fortunate... really fortunate." Yes, as the blockhead said, it was truly fortunate. What''s the big deal if he''s become sentimental? It''s a great relief that nothing went wrong. At first, I thought the situation was going awry, but in the end, Cliffman had those thoughts because Liana was precious to him. So, he was grateful to Liana, who had come to see him after hearing that he wanted to see her. Although it was sad for Liana to know that Cliffman wasn''t blaming her but blaming himself, she couldn''t help but be moved. In the end, Cliffman confirmed that he valued Liana even more than she thought. It was impossible to know what he was thinking when we watched him as a cat because he was so quiet. But eventually, he spoke his true feelings in front of Liana. "Actually, I was a bit nervous..." Harriet''s face turned red as she watched Liana, who was now comfortably chatting even with tear stains on her face, and the two who had started a somewhat normal conversation. Nervous? "¡­ Do you like that sort of thing?" "¡­?" Do you like sentimental stuff? "Why, do you want me to do it?" At my words, the blockhead''s brow furrowed. I had never tried something like that before, but there wasn''t anything I couldn''t do if asked. "Don''t do it, seriously." As my expression began to suggest some mischief, Harriet glared at me with narrowed eyes. But then again. It was a bit difficult to deliver a cheesy line without any buildup. What should I say? "Meeting you was the greatest fortune of my life." That was the only thing I could think of! However, Harriet tilted her head, not entirely satisfied with my unexpected statement. "That''s true, isn''t it?" "???" "Am I wrong?" No, that wasn''t it. I didn''t know how to respond since it came out so abruptly. "Ah, no... I mean, you''re right, but..." "Hmm..." Well, I couldn''t deny it was the greatest fortune... But wouldn''t it be a bit... strange for you to admit that with your own mouth? Harriet approached me and crossed her arms. Then, looking up at me, she grinned broadly. "Isn''t our adorable baby cat happy to have an owner like me?" No. No! Excuse me! Why are you better at this than I am! "I... I was wrong..." "Why are you acting up, then?" Cheesy and embarrassing. My heart almost stopped. CH 653 The tense atmosphere between Liana and Cliffman had eased somewhat. It was enough that they still cherished each other. "Your ability¡­ it''s that powerful?" "Yes." "I heard there was some strange weather last winter¡­ Was that really?" "Yeah, it was me." Cliffman couldn''t help but be taken aback when Liana revealed that she could now not only summon lightning but also cause weather anomalies. That''s why, knowing that the weather anomalies that had occurred thus far were Liana''s doing, he could only nod blankly. "That''s amazing¡­" "Still, I can''t use it just any way I want. It''s a bit peculiar." "Peculiar how?" "Well¡­" Liana sat down on a rocky ledge and sighed deeply. "I guess I should say¡­ the worse I feel, the stronger the effect." "Hmm¡­?" "I think my power reacts to my emotions. Weather anomalies, for example¡­ seem to react to negative emotions." A power that responded to dark, negative emotions. Initially, it hadn''t awakened through positive experiences. As long as she couldn''t control her emotions at will, there were bound to be limitations if those were the activation conditions. "It''s a strong ability, but¡­ it doesn''t seem easy to use." At Cliffman''s words, Liana lowered her head. "It''s not exactly like that. I can use it whenever I want." "¡­But you said you have to feel bad to use it?" "There''s a way." Liana pulled out a potion from her belongings. From Cliffman''s perspective, it was just a bottle containing an unknown drug. Liana gave a bitter smile. "If I take just one of these, I''ll become so depressed that I''d want to hang myself right away." "A depression-inducing drug¡­?" "That''s right." "And you take that?" "There are no side effects. It''s safe. And so what if there are some side effects? If I can kill hundreds of thousands of monsters in exchange for feeling a bit down, I should do it." It wasn''t a matter of life or death, just a significant decline in her mood. At that point, Cliffman could only nod blankly, thinking it was a no-brainer. Some people couldn''t even kill a single monster despite risking their lives, so if the price was just that, they should do it. However, Cliffman noticed that Liana, as she spoke, had a trembling hand holding the crystal potion. Undoubtedly, Liana was afraid of the drug in her hand. She would know best the horrible feelings she would experience when she drank it. It wasn''t without cost, but she mentioned hundreds of thousands. Cliffman felt dizzy at the scale. Even if he combined all the monsters he had killed so far, would he even reach ten thousand? But Liana made it possible with just one use of her ability. Though Cliffman had become stronger compared to the past, Liana was on a completely different level. With just one battle, Liana could annihilate tens of times more monsters than Cliffman had killed throughout his life. As Cliffman''s expression hardened, Liana took his hand. "Why are you making such a face¡­? Don''t look like that." "No, it''s not that. You and I just have different things we can do. I was just thinking about it for a moment." "Right¡­" Cliffman knew that everyone had different abilities. While Liana possessed an excessively powerful ability, the fact that Cliffman had killed over a thousand monsters up to this point was already an incredible feat. It was just a matter of comparing with the wrong person. Could there be a Supernatural more powerful than Liana? The moment Liana had gained the ability to summon lightning, Cliffman couldn''t help but recall that memory. In front of her father''s coffin, Liana had screamed and awakened her ability. Although he didn''t know much about Supernaturals, Cliffman clearly remembered the moment Liana had awakened to her new Supernatural power after a shocking experience. And now, she possessed an even greater power. Had she naturally gained such power? Or... "Liana." "Yeah?" "Did something... happen?" Her father''s death. Had she awakened another power through another, similarly significant event? From Liana''s sudden change in complexion at his question, Cliffman could tell that something had indeed happened. After a brief silence. "I committed a sin." "..." "A sin so great, it couldn''t be undone." It was difficult for Cliffman to understand that it was not a sad event, but something she had brought upon herself. Liana briefly explained. She had killed people, not monsters. Countless people. She didn''t elaborate any further. "Why... did you do that?" There was no way Liana would do such a thing without reason, so Cliffman had to ask. "There was a reason. Definitely." "..." With a stern expression, Liana gazed at the wild grasses growing beneath the bare ground in the forest. "But I realized too late that there are things that shouldn''t be done, even if there''s a reason." She had thought it was something that absolutely had to be done, but in the end, it was something that shouldn''t have been done. As a result of doing what shouldn''t have been done, someone else was paying the price. "So now, I don''t think about revenge anymore." Having become someone for whom talking about revenge was laughable, she said that revenge no longer crossed her mind. Liana had merely stated that. ------ Liana had returned. No matter how long they talked, their reunion would always feel too short. Cliffman had left, and Liana was waiting for us at the location we had agreed upon. "How was it? Did you talk well?" "Weren''t you hiding and listening to everything anyway?" At Liana''s words, Harriet and I couldn''t help but flinch. "...How did you know?" "You wouldn''t do that, would you?" Me. Was I unexpectedly an obvious person? No, thinking that I wasn''t obvious might have been a bit absurd. Liana''s expression had lightened. Cliffman''s probably had as well. If that was the case, Cliffman might later be able to support us, but that wasn''t the reason Liana had met with Cliffman. There were things to be resolved before the final battle, apart from political meaning. "Do you feel relieved?" "A little?" Liana smiled and nodded at my question. There was still much to be done. "Let''s go back; there''s no point in staying around here any longer." Harriet started casting after she finished speaking. Liana had certainly been afraid. Cliffman might have changed. Certainly, Cliffman had changed, but not in the way that Liana feared. I had certainly taken on a different appearance, but I checked on how everyone was doing. However, I couldn''t tell what their reactions would be when they actually faced me. Just as Cliffman didn''t resent Liana, there might be people who don''t really resent me. Scarlett was one such case. Like Christina, who didn''t show it on the surface, they could be harboring hatred within. Cliffman wasn''t someone Liana absolutely had to meet. But Liana, who faced Cliffman, seemed considerably more at ease. I too wished to meet someone in that manner. There wasn''t much time left. There was just one person I wanted to meet so badly. Besides Ellen, there was only one person. ------ The day before the march, Adriana found herself in a barracks she had never visited before. She wasn''t scared, but she couldn''t help feeling tense in an unfamiliar situation. The owner of the barracks was sitting on a desk, not a chair, with her arms folded, silently watching Adriana. She had a youthful face. Her actual age was unknown, but she looked like someone who couldn''t be more than six years older than her. She had a consistently smiling face, giving a good impression wherever she went. But this was Adriana''s first time dealing with her, and somehow she couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease from her smiling face. Although she was smiling, her smile seemed too plastered on her face. Despite the other person smiling, Adriana felt strangely that she didn''t look like she was smiling at all. There was Adriana, a Holy Knight. And there was the highest commander of the Holy Knights, the Holy Knight Commander, Rowan, right in front of her. Suddenly, indeed. Adriana had received a summons from the Holy Knight Commander. As a Holy Knight who moved with the Temple Army rather than the Holy Knight Order, Adriana was not under their direct control, even though she was technically a member of their order. Thus, she rarely had any reason to see the newly appointed Holy Knight Commander, which made her feel both puzzled and tense when she was summoned. The sudden replacement of the former Holy Knight Commander, Eleion Bolton, was strange news even for Adriana, who did not move with the Holy Knight Order. The exact circumstances of what had happened still hadn''t been made clear. Even Adriana couldn''t make sense of the situation, so the confusion within the Holy Knight Order must have been even worse. And that confusion was still ongoing. There were rumors about Rowan''s background being quite unusual amid the controversy and suspicion. There were whispers of his involvement in the darker aspects of the Holy Order. Rumors of being an inquisitor of heretics or a member of an assassination squad. Someone who shouldn''t have come out into the open had done so. Was that even allowed? Adriana felt the weight of the circulating rumors filled with suspicion. And now, the new Holy Knight Commander, Rowan, shrouded in suspicion, had summoned Adriana. She was someone who had never seen her before and had no reason to be interested in her. Adriana was not even a high-ranking Holy Knight. While her skills were beyond reproach and she already possessed abilities equal to or greater than those of a high-ranking Holy Knight, she had no actual position or obligations. And so, the summons from the Holy Knight Commander felt strange to Adriana. Moreover. Having called her and made her stand before her, she didn''t sit on a chair but rather on a desk, staring intently at her. She was a smiling woman, but somehow, it was uncomfortable. Rudely, she couldn''t help but think her gaze was unpleasant. "Commander, did I do something wrong...?" Eventually, Adriana couldn''t help but cautiously speak up first. At Adriana''s words, Rowan tilted her head. "...No?" "Then, is there something I need to do...?" "Hmm..." Rowan remained silent in response to Adriana''s question. She was an inscrutable woman. People can usually guess the mood of others from their expressions and reactions to some extent. However, Holy Knight Commander Rowan, who was right in front of her, was not someone from whom she could feel any such thing. She was smiling, but she didn''t seem to be in a good mood, and she couldn''t tell what she was thinking. As if she had received some sort of special ''training.'' When conversing with someone whose intentions and emotions were indiscernible, people tend to feel discomfort. However, if that person also held greater power and authority than oneself. Especially if they held the power over life and death, it was only natural to feel fear instead of discomfort. Adriana couldn''t help but feel that Rowan was accustomed to such situations. Someone who was accustomed to instilling fear in others just through their attitude. Naturally, Adriana couldn''t help but sense that one of the floating rumors had a high likelihood of being true. Even though the Holy Knight Commander used polite language with Adriana, a low-ranking subordinate, she couldn''t tell if she was being respectful or not. How much time had passed? Just as Adriana was thinking that she had become stiff as a board, "Adriana, your career seems quite impressive." "...?" She couldn''t help but be more puzzled by the unexpected words. An impressive career. Did she have anything that could be described as such? "Isn''t being a Temple Royal Class graduate itself an impressive career?" "Ah..." It was that story. Adriana cautiously nodded her head. The Temple, which gathers talents from all over the continent. Only those with exceptional abilities were granted admission to the Royal Class. Neither status nor power matters. Only talent determines admission to the Royal Class. That''s why being a Royal Class graduate alone could be considered an impressive career. "Other people might not know, but I... I''m not so sure." Adriana wasn''t being humble when she said that. Indeed, powerful Supernaturals and mages definitely possessed the firepower that suited their background and talent. Comparing herself to those with such formidable talents, Adriana thought she was rather shabby. "Why? Are only mages and Supernaturals considered talented? Your record in monster extermination is quite extensive, even compared to high-ranking Holy Knights and priests of the Holy Knight Order." "...Is that so." She couldn''t remember how many times she had been on monster extermination missions. Not only with the allied forces but also during the ongoing Gate crisis, she had continuously gone out to exterminate monsters. Thus, unbeknownst to her, she had amassed a career worthy of the Holy Knight Commander''s attention. Rowan began reading the document laid beside her on the desk. "Originating from the Artoon Monastery in Saint Owan, the Duchy of Saint Owan... Birthplace unclear... Received education at the monastery, displayed talent, and entered the Royal Class at the Temple..." It seemed to be a document containing Adriana''s background. Adriana watched as Rowan quietly read through it. "Left the Temple around the second year... Joined the battle after the outbreak of the Gate incident, returned to the Order... Afterward, enlisted in the Temple Army and served until now..." As expected, the document contained not only her withdrawal from the Temple but also her return to the Temple and enlistment in the army after the Gate incident. Rowan didn''t read further, which was likely all about her combat experiences. In the end, what was the purpose of having her background prepared and what was she going to say? Rowan stood up from his desk and approached Adriana. "Our backgrounds are similar." "...?" "I also come from a monastery. An orphan left there." At those unexpected words, Adriana couldn''t help but be taken aback. Both Rowan and Adriana were children abandoned at a monastery. Their ages seemed similar, although Rowan seemed slightly older. "Our talents also seem to have been similar." With Rowan''s words, Adriana became increasingly confused. Both were orphans from a monastery, of similar age, and even had comparable talents. But she was the Commander of the Holy Knights, and she was merely a Holy Knight in the Temple Army. Was she taunting her about their differences? Adriana didn''t understand why the Commander would make such pointless jabs at her. Rowan brought her hand to Adriana''s cheek. Adriana felt a chill from Rowan''s touch on her cheek. It wasn''t due to her discomfort. The touch was genuinely eerie. Contrary to her innocent and clean appearance, Rowan''s dry palm was excessively rough and firm. Adriana''s hand was similar, but the touch of that dry hand undoubtedly expressed some hardships Rowan had experienced in her life. The Commander of the Holy Knights looked at an ordinary Holy Knight and said, "What difference is there between you and me that..." It wasn''t disdain or mockery. "I am like this, and you are like that..." In her tone, there was unmistakable jealousy and envy. Adriana couldn''t comprehend the emotions she sensed from Rowan. Why had the Commander of the Holy Knights summoned her, and what did her incomprehensible words mean? "There is someone who wants to meet you." The Commander of the Holy Knights simply said that. ------ In the end, the Commander of the Holy Knights only spoke cryptically. She just informed her that someone wanted to meet her and provided a location and designated time. The time was set for night. It was an inexplicable command, but she couldn''t refuse it. Therefore, Adriana headed alone to the southern region of the garrison, a place where no one ventured. Why had the Commander of the Holy Knights given such an order? Someone wanted to see her. Could someone make such a request to the Commander of the Holy Knights just to meet a Holy Knight of Adriana''s rank, who wasn''t even a high-ranking Holy Knight? Who could that person be? Why would such a person want to see her? Amidst the uncertainty, Adriana left the garrison and continued walking south. A meadow far from the battlefield, with no traces of combat. In the moonlight, Adriana soon saw someone sitting in the grass. "Ah..." She still couldn''t understand what was going on. She didn''t even know how it had come to this. However, Adriana couldn''t help but have some suspicions. What was happening? Why had the Commander of the Holy Knights given such an order? What had happened to the Holy Knights? She couldn''t know everything, but she couldn''t help but guess what was happening and what had happened. And why would anyone want to see someone as insignificant as her? The person who had been sitting quietly stood up when he saw Adriana. It wasn''t a face she could describe as one from her dreams. It wasn''t a face she had been longing to see. Their relationship wasn''t like that. They weren''t that close. But undeniably, still, deep in her heart, there was someone she cherished, standing right in front of her. "Rein...hardt...?" "It''s been a while." Under the moonlight, her ill-tempered junior smiled sadly, as he always had. "Senior." And he called her by the same title as before. Spellbound, Adriana knew she couldn''t understand everything, but she knew one undeniable truth. "You''re safe...!" As if enchanted, she rushed forward and tightly embraced her terribly ill-natured junior. "Well, who am I?" Just like before, her wicked junior spoke arrogantly. CH 654 In truth, it was a very shocking and complicated moment. However, when Adriana saw Reinhardt, all other concerns and situations flew out of her mind, leaving it completely blank. All other thoughts had vanished. So, she couldn''t help but rush to Reinhardt and embrace him. She had heard that he was safe somewhere, and she knew that he had appeared in the Imperial Palace. She knew he was safe. But when she saw his face, she couldn''t help but embrace him, overwhelmed by a sense of relief that pushed everything else aside. And then. Gradually, thoughts began to fill her once-blank mind. She had hugged him too tightly. And Reinhardt, in turn, hugged Adriana tightly as well. It was a joyful reunion, but. "..." "..." Gradually, it became awkward. The embrace had been so intense that it felt as if they were siblings separated by war, making the situation even more uncomfortable. Had they ever been this close...? It was inevitable to wonder. Although she had hugged him impulsively out of joy, they didn''t know when to let go, so they hesitated until Adriana carefully released her arms first. "Ah... um..." "Yes... well..." Their faces turned red as they stepped back and stammered awkwardly. Adriana couldn''t help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation, even though she found it somewhat ridiculous herself. For some reason, a surge of emotion welled up from deep within her chest. He had been an annoying junior who often made irritating noises. But still, the expression she saw most often on him was this one. When he couldn''t run properly, when he knew nothing about fighting. That was the expression he always wore back then. "You haven''t changed, junior." At those words, Reinhardt gritted his teeth. It was as if he was trying to suppress a surge of emotions. Although she knew he was the Demon King, to Adriana, Reinhardt was still the clumsy junior who knew nothing but was full of confidence. And yet. Later, he had risked his life to save her. It was only much later that she found out that it had been Reinhardt who had done so. Even later, he had become the protagonist of terrifying events. He was now synonymous with terrifying events, and seeing that he had summoned her through the Holy Knight Commander, Adriana knew that something she couldn''t understand was happening. She still didn''t know what had happened or how things had come to this point. But Adriana couldn''t help but know. Junior. With just that one word. What exactly he felt with that one word. As his eyes reddened and he tried to suppress something from bursting out. That the person before her was not the Demon King, but Reinhardt of the Temple, the real person she had always wanted. She couldn''t help but know that. Otherwise, that one word wouldn''t have turned his gaze so nostalgic. At first, Adriana had been so surprised and overjoyed that she had hugged Reinhardt fiercely. This time, she carefully embraced his head. "Junior, you''ve had a hard time." "..." The second embrace was filled with different emotions than the first. Not joy, but worry and comfort. Adriana was a more special existence to the Demon King than she could have ever imagined. It was a time when there were secrets, but no power to conceal them. In those days, he was truly weak and knew nothing; his only defining feature was his foul temperament. Before anyone else in the world, before Ellen Artorius, was Adriana. She had seen the frail side of the Demon King and was the first to guide him. Without hesitation, she took the hand of a person who was utterly detestable, with a bad temperament and an even worse first impression. That''s why, more than she could imagine, the Demon King couldn''t help but see Adriana as someone special. To the Demon King, Adriana was the only one. "Yes," the Demon King spoke, wrapped in Adriana''s embrace. Adriana was the only person in the world who could see his vulnerable side. "It was hard," he admitted. At his honest answer, Adriana held back tears and embraced her junior, who was stronger than anyone else but, in truth, also more fragile, even more tightly. ------ Their reunion wasn''t tearful, but it almost was. In a moonlit field, Reinhardt and Adriana sat side by side. Although the awkwardness between them had somewhat subsided, Reinhardt hesitated. "Uhm... There''s so much to say that I can''t seem to say anything." "Actually, I feel the same way," Adriana confessed. Like Reinhardt, she didn''t know where to start because of the many things they had experienced. Both the Demon King and Adriana had gone through more than a few trials. But among all of their stories, there was not a single one they could share with laughter. "In the end, there was so much I didn''t know. I didn''t even try to learn." She had become someone who moved according to the orders of the Demon King, through the Commander of the Holy Knights. There were countless things that could be imagined from that alone. Adriana couldn''t help but know the significance of the sudden fall of Eleion Bolton. "So, Lord Bolton..." "He''s alive." "Ah, that''s... good." Adriana sighed in relief. Just as Adriana didn''t know much about Rowan, she knew little about Eleion Bolton. Nevertheless, Adriana couldn''t help but think it was fortunate that someone was still alive. Watching Adriana sigh in relief, Reinhardt grinned bitterly. "But all five popes are dead." "...What?" "I didn''t kill them, but I ordered their deaths." "I see..." Adriana lowered her head, her expression complicated. The death of the popes was a significant event. If such news had become public, Adriana would have known. The confusion caused by the change in the Holy Knights'' commander was still ongoing, but somehow the popes'' deaths remained hidden. Of course, this meant that the upper echelons of the religious order were all puppets moving according to Reinhardt''s commands, and their influence was so great that they could even cover up the deaths of the popes. Adriana had expected Reinhardt to go through various trials, but she never thought he would have to decide someone''s death. All of these tragedies were unwanted by both of them, Adriana knew. But in the end, deciding who lived and who died in these unwanted circumstances was inevitable. That''s why Adriana couldn''t help but be sad. To Adriana, who considered it fortunate that Eleion Bolton was alive, Reinhardt confessed that he had ordered the deaths of others. It must have been a warning not to harbor any illusions. Adriana did not ask for the reason. For speaking of it and hearing it would be a painful affair. And naturally, when confronted like this, there was someone who could not help but come to mind. Irene''s wild dog. That''s what she had been called. They hadn''t known each other for long. But entangled with the Holy Knights and the Five Great Religions, Adriana became a hostage and was later rescued. With nowhere to go, Reinhardt entrusted Adriana to the Rotary Club. And Adriana could not help but become very close to Loyar. But that Loyar was actually Lycantrop. Lycantrop, who had urged Adriana to flee at that time. In the end, Loyar, who died saving Reinhardt, and the people of the Rotary Club, could not help but come to mind. They all died. Loyar thought she was keeping her secret well, but most of the club members already knew that Loyar was Lycantrop. Of course, the club members must have implicitly known that Reinhardt was not an ordinary person. If any of them had carelessly opened their mouths, neither Loyar nor Reinhardt would have been safe. Neither Reinhardt nor Loyal knew that they were keeping the secret, not until they all died. Loyar''s name, too. And the people of the Rotary Club. Neither Adriana nor Reinhardt mentioned each other. But the long silence itself made it impossible for them not to know what the other was thinking. Neither of them brought up the sad stories, on purpose. Now was the time to think about the future. "Can everything be alright?" It wouldn''t be. Adriana could not help but realize that something else would come after the Gate incident. The Demon King and the Empire. Something was already happening between them. "As it always has been, it might not be," Reinhardt did not offer a positive outlook. "Still, I''m trying to do as much as I can." "¡­Right." Adriana looked at Reinhardt. The junior, who had always been far inferior to her, was now in a position of incomprehensible strength and unreachable status. "Junior, am I stronger than before?" At Adriana''s seemingly playful remark, Reinhardt smiled. "I suppose so." "I don''t use a sword anymore, but a hammer?" To kill monsters, she now wielded a massive hammer instead of a sword. A giant hammer that ordinary people could barely lift. With it, she had not sliced but crushed countless monsters. Reinhardt nodded at her words. "I know." "¡­Huh? How do you know?" "I, I was watching¡­." Reinhardt, who had been hesitating to say something, finally gave up and sighed deeply. "The cat. Do you remember?" "¡­Cat?" At the unexpected remark, Adriana tilted her head. In this place, mentioning a cat out of the blue could only mean one thing. Adriana''s eyes widened with a sudden intuition. "Oh, no way." "That was me." "¡­" At the shocking revelation, Adriana could only stand there with her mouth agape. The black kitten that had suddenly appeared. Disappearing and reappearing, staying for a while and then vanishing again. Eventually, the black cat was taken away by Ellen to the temple. "To be honest, it wasn''t exactly like a dog... Well, fine, I admit it. It was a bit perverted. I know that. I know, but..." "Somehow." Adriana interrupted Reinhardt''s attempt at an explanation. Reinhardt quietly stared at Adriana. Despite the bizarre story, Adriana was laughing. Smiling, she pinched Reinhardt''s cheek. "Somehow, that cat really liked both Ellen and me." Strangely enough, the kitten was particularly fond of Ellen and Adriana. The kitten would sit on Adriana''s lap and eat jerky, and it wouldn''t resist when Ellen took it to her room. That was definitely the case. If the cat was Reinhardt, it made sense that it behaved that way. That fact revealed a lot. The cat''s behavior showed that Reinhardt hadn''t changed from before. He still liked Ellen and cared about her, which was why he visited her in that form. And not just in front of Ellen, but also in front of Adriana, the cat was well-behaved and tried to stick close. "Junior, you must have really missed not only Ellen, but also me, huh?" "..." At Adriana''s teasing words, Reinhardt, or rather, the Demon King who was now in an almost unreachable position, blushed. Embarrassed that his true feelings had been discovered, he seemed unsure of what to do. In the end, even now, it was because he wanted to talk to Adriana that he had summoned her like this. "You''re so cute." "What do you want me to do about it..." Watching her junior blush, Adriana laughed for the first time in a while. And then, she was surprised at herself for laughing. She couldn''t remember the last time she had laughed like this. The realization that there had been days when she could laugh like this made her inevitably calm down again. "So, is there no particular reason?" "Reason?" "Yeah, if there''s something you want to talk about, it should come out by now. But it doesn''t look like there is." They had embraced passionately, worried about saying something they shouldn''t, and had a little conversation. So if there was something to say, it should have come out by now, but Reinhardt hadn''t said anything about his purpose. "In a way, the reason was that there was no reason." "Huh?" Reinhardt looked at Adriana. "Since the Gate incident, there has been a reason for everything I''ve done." "..." "So, it means that none of it was done because I wanted to." It was because something was needed. Because he had to become stronger. Because he had to form an alliance. Because he needed information. Because he wanted someone''s power. To prevent some disaster. To prevent someone''s death. Or, to kill someone. All of them were reasonable actions. Rather than reasons, to be more precise, they were necessary actions. Things that the Demon King had to do. He had been acting to achieve certain goals that he had to accomplish in order to achieve his desired objective. Even matters related to Ellen were necessary, as observing the hero''s situation would help predict future events. But. There was no need for him to meet Adriana. "Before everything ends, I just wanted to do something for the sake of doing it. Something that wasn''t necessary or had no reason, but I just wanted to do it." "..." Adriana faintly smiled at his words. He had simply wanted to see her after a long time. The Demon King had sought out Adriana just for that. "Was that the reason you came to see me?" "...Is it strange?" "No, it''s not strange. In fact, I''m grateful." Adriana suddenly stretched her arms towards the sky, yawning. "But it does make me feel a bit miserable, knowing that I''m not someone of any real use." "...That''s not what I meant." "But it''s true. I don''t have much influence, and whether I''m on your side or not doesn''t really matter, so meeting me would be a waste of time from your perspective. I know I''m weaker than you now. Do you think I''m stupid?" "..." Ultimately, Adriana was not someone directly involved in the grand scheme of things. Although she was much stronger than ordinary people, she was still infinitely weaker compared to those who made the big decisions. She had no power or authority. That''s why the Demon King had no need to make time to seek out Adriana. While keeping an eye on other more important figures had its own significance, Adriana was not one of them. Adriana was someone he didn''t need to use. "Still, thank you for putting it nicely, my junior. Saying that you wanted to see me for personal reasons. That makes me happy." "..." In the end, it''s all about perspective. It could be considered a waste of time. But it could also be said that he had left important matters behind to see someone he truly wanted to see. Adriana couldn''t help but be happy that she was the only person he sought out for personal reasons. Reinhardt quietly looked at Adriana. "To be honest, I was scared." "...Scared? Of what?" Just as Adriana thought Reinhardt hadn''t changed much from before. The Demon King couldn''t help but think that Adriana treated him the same way as before, based on her attitude. "I was scared that you might have changed." "...Ah." "Everyone has changed, you know." That''s why he hadn''t faced Adriana until now, because her attitude and perspective might have been different from before. Someone had drastically changed, and it would be strange if they didn''t change at all. Since he was the only one reminiscing and remembering the past, meeting Adriana again could lead her to curse the Demon King who had created the world as it was now. The Demon King said he was afraid of that. Not death or anything else, but the fear that Adriana might look at him with a twisted face and curse him. "It''s just that you were scared of." "..." "It''s just that... and you''re still scared..." Adriana, as if feeling pity, bowed her head and shed tears. The Demon King didn''t cry. He just talked about his fear with a stern expression, saying he was scared of just that. As if trying to throw away any weak appearance today. He talked about the fear he had never told anyone before. "I didn''t have any particular purpose." "Right." "But, when I came here and saw you in person, one emerged." "Purpose...?" Reinhardt looked at Adriana as they spoke, wondering what had come to mind when he said he had come without a specific purpose. "Escape from here." "...Huh?" "Stop fighting." Adriana''s eyes widened at the unexpected remark. "Return to the Imperial Capital, or follow me. I''ll take care of everything else, and so will the others." Now, there was only one battle left in the Gate incident. Thus, the purpose of urging her not to fight the last battle emerged when the Demon King faced Adriana. "My junior." Adriana''s expression hardened. "Are you telling me to be a coward?" "Yes." He didn''t beat around the bush, insisting it wasn''t about cowardice or offering other reasons. It''s because she could survive the final battle or die. Run away in cowardice and live. The Demon King had no intention of using Adriana, but he said such words because he wanted her to survive. "My junior, the power I have may be weak. I may be weaker than you, infinitely weaker compared to other strong people, and it might not mean much." "..." "But that doesn''t mean my desire to do something is insignificant." The desire to save someone. The desire to help, even a little bit. The size of one''s power doesn''t determine the size of their heart. At Adriana''s words, the Demon King bit his lip. Everyone had their own determination. To try to break that because of his own desires was arrogance. If Adriana wanted to fight, did he have to forcibly remove her from the battlefield because it was dangerous? "Still, I can do more than my fair share." "..." Reinhardt could no longer pressure Adriana. It was already selfish enough to ask someone to step aside out of fear for their death. He couldn''t force someone to leave if they didn''t want to. However, as if he couldn''t stand it, Adriana could clearly see the expression that showed he wanted to do so, even by force. "Promise me." "...What?" "Promise me you''ll survive." In front of her junior, who said those words with a sad expression, "Who am I, then?" Adriana smiled and threw back the same words her junior would often say when he acted like a fool. CH 655 In truth, it wasn''t necessary for Liana to meet Cliffman. Whether Cliffman sided with us or not, it wouldn''t make much of a difference. However, Liana had met Cliffman. Seeing that, I thought the same. At least once, I did. After all, up until now, I had always pursued a purposeful goal. Perhaps it wouldn''t hurt for me to meet someone I just wanted to see, even if it were only once. As Liana had been afraid, I too was scared. I feared that Adriana might unleash her anger towards me. But like Cliffman, Adriana didn''t resent me. I wanted to take Adriana off the battlefield inappropriately, but she refused. I knew she would refuse. In fact, if someone shouldn''t fight for such a reason, there shouldn''t be a single soldier in the allied forces. There wouldn''t be anyone who absolutely had to fight. So it was only natural that Adriana rejected the words I selfishly uttered. I wished for survival. For Adriana, for myself, and for anyone else. A promise of survival wouldn''t guarantee one''s life. Regardless of such a promise, someone would eventually die. Because that''s what war and battles were about. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, I''m fine." After returning to Lazak, I nodded in response to Harriet''s question. "Your expression has worsened." Had it? With a worried look, Harriet touched my cheek and scanned my face. Liana seemed somewhat relieved. After meeting Adriana, my heart felt even heavier. There was no quarrel, and Adriana was even worried about me. I should feel better, but my mood sank further. Still, I didn''t regret meeting Adriana. "I just want to do better." "¡­?" "That''s why I''m like this." At the end of a brief break, I resolved to do better. I might not be able to protect everyone. But isn''t it right to want to protect everyone? ------ "Christina, what''s wrong with you?" "¡­" To Louis Ancton''s question, Christina remained silent with a rigid expression, seated in front of the desk. It was Christina''s sole decision to try to use Ellen as a hostage. Louis Ancton, Anna, and Ludwig had no idea that Christina would attempt such a thing. Therefore, to the others, Christina appeared suddenly pale and speechless. Christina couldn''t speak of her involvement in the matter. "What''s going on?" "No, it''s nothing." "It doesn''t seem like it''s nothing. Why have you been like this for the past few days? You should eat something." Ellen Artorius. To overthrow the Demon King, Ellen had to be used. Christina was confident in that idea. That''s why she believed it was just a matter of execution. She didn''t think it would be easy to suppress Ellen. That''s why she led the elite Immortals and waited for a moment when they wouldn''t be watched. However, instead of subduing Ellen in a place without watchful eyes, the Immortals were brutally slaughtered. And after overpowering Christina, Ellen hesitated for a moment before she put Christina down and walked away. Christina hadn''t even managed to put up the slightest resistance. It was true that the Immortals had suffered because Ellen was strong. However, it wasn''t Ellen''s strength that rendered Christina unable to resist. Christina felt in her bones that she had underestimated the nature of combat. Even a fellow battle mage was unnecessary. There was no need for Magic Body Strengthening. Simply fighting against a robust soldier would have been enough for Christina to realize how weak she was, vulnerable to death. Creating an Immortal didn''t make Christina herself stronger. She had been under the illusion that wielding great power made her powerful. But there were more important things than regretting her miserable arrogance. For several days after that day, the moment when Ellen was choking her haunted her dreams, but even that wasn''t the most important thing. ''It''s not human... That''s not a human.'' She had discovered something very strange while trying to take Ellen hostage. Ellen''s voice. A bizarre voice that could never belong to a human. A pain unlike anything she had ever felt before, as if tens of thousands of people were speaking simultaneously, tearing her soul apart just by listening. Ellen wasn''t simply a formidable opponent. It wasn''t something that could be described to that extent. Ellen had become something other than human. Dangerous, terrifying, and horrifying at the same time. Something that seemed to possess its own will. ''It''s dangerous... This, this is dangerous.'' Originally, Christina intended to capture Ellen to kill the Demon King and lure him out. However, she had made the mistake of stepping forward and provoking Ellen while intoxicated by her own arrogance. But now, that mistake seemed almost fortunate. The most dangerous thing wasn''t the Demon King, the Empire, the Immortals, or even the Gate Incident. The sword that cut through anything. The cloak that blocked any attack. Ellen Artorius, who wielded those two relics, had been swallowed up by something strange. Christina had paid the price for her arrogance and error. And she learned a crucial fact as a result. The most dangerous existence now was none other than Ellen Artorius. Having suffered such a humiliating defeat, Christina wouldn''t step forward again. She didn''t plan to become a battle mage, unfamiliar as she was with fighting. As she had been doing, she would simply command from behind, using the Immortals in a manner befitting her status. Christina believed she had already addressed the threat of Scarlett. But what about the other threat? How should she deal with Ellen, who could cut down the Immortals like a scythe through wheat? Was there anyone in the world who could face Ellen? What had Ellen Artorius become? What did she want? But one thing was clear. Ellen, who had become something unknown, had definitely said this. She wouldn''t kill Christina yet because she still had a use for her. Ellen could break through the barrage and attack of the Immortals'' army. She was the only one who could actually do that. It meant she would kill Christina, regardless of what happened to the Immortals, once everything was over. Ellen represented neither the Empire nor the Demon King. Thus, Ellen was the only one who could try to annihilate the Immortals without regard for the world''s interests and kill Christina without hesitation. Only then did Christina truly understand the strength of Ellen Artorius, which she had only heard of before. People naturally assumed that the hero was on their side. And so, they simply praised the hero''s strength. But they couldn''t imagine what would happen if Ellen Artorious, the hero, became their enemy. However, Christina had seen it with her own eyes. If the hero became an enemy, nobody could stop her. She had seen that no army, sword, or magic could stand against her. Ellen was better when she still had some semblance of humanity. Ellen Artorious, who was crumbling under the weight of guilt, could still communicate as a human. That''s why it was possible to make her retreat by touching upon that guilt. But now, there was no dialogue to be had. Suppose the hero had become a monster-like existence. What should be done then? Humankind had developed weapons to end the Gate incident. They were neither Titans nor Immortals. The strongest weapon of humankind had always been in human hands since the Gate incident. Ellen Artorious was that ultimate weapon. But now, only the aspect of a weapon remained in her. Although the hero without humanity was still on the side of humankind, she was not on Christina''s side. From the beginning, she was not a being that could be treated like bait. It was unclear whether Ellen would be a threat to humanity, but she was definitely a threat to Christina. ''I have to kill Ellen.'' The unknown itself was the biggest threat. If Ellen was not eliminated, everything might be ruined. Christina began to become consumed by this thought. "Christina, what''s wrong? There''s obviously something going on. Don''t worry by yourself, talk to me." But it was clear that no one would agree to the idea that Ellen had to be killed. So Christina couldn''t bring herself to voice that thought. ------ The allied forces had now begun their advance towards their final target, Diane. Would the Gate incident end, or would humankind end? Under normal circumstances, the military''s combat power should weaken as they advance. However, strangely enough, the allied forces'' combat power was exponentially increasing as they fought. Firstly, it was because of the Titan''s involvement, and secondly, it was after the Immortals joined. As the Gate incident became more dangerous, the allied forces grew stronger. Everyone knew the identity of the Titan. It was a gigantic golem created under the leadership of the brilliant mage of the Archduke of Saint Owan and the Temple. However, nobody knew what the second power was, even though they had all seen it. It might have been fortunate that the horrifying military force was part of the allied forces, but ultimately, everyone was bound to feel fear as long as they didn''t know what it was. But the truth couldn''t be kept secret forever by those who knew it. Inevitably, stories began to spread throughout the allied forces, starting from an unknown source. The mysterious and powerful army was said to be an undead legion created by the empire, using the corpses of fallen soldiers. That''s why all the soldiers wore helmets with face-covering visors or robes that covered their faces. It was said that they covered themselves so thoroughly because someone might recognize the face beneath the helmet or robe. Rumors spread that the emperor had turned to forbidden power to end the war. The truth, which was too hard to believe, spread like a groundless rumor. The rumors didn''t end there. Whispers spread that there were traitors within the allied forces, individuals who had sworn loyalty to the Demon King. The Emperor had intervened that week. Those who pledged loyalty to the Demon King were emerging from the allied forces. Heading towards their final battle, the allied forces were shaken by two bizarre rumors that threatened to disrupt their unity. And lastly, Another piece of news spread through those who had no choice but to travel to the Imperial Capital for supplies and other reasons. In the Imperial Capital, a preposterous rumor circulated that the gate crisis wasn''t the doing of the Demon King, but rather the Emperor himself. That''s nonsense. What would the Emperor be lacking to do such a thing? Naturally, there were very few who believed the rumor. There were many starving people on the Imperial Capital, so they have no one to blame but His Majesty. Yes, there was a huge disaster last time, and many people died, right? It must be because of that. Whenever something went wrong, people assumed it was their fault. The majority didn''t believe the rumors. However, rumors have a way of growing and becoming entwined. The first rumor. An army made of the dead. The second rumor. Those who swore loyalty to the Demon King. The third rumor. The bizarre notion that the Emperor was the mastermind behind the gate crisis. There were those who didn''t believe the rumors, but there were also those who were susceptible to them. And those who were weak to rumors often combined them. But... if it was true that the Emperor caused the gate crisis... then what exactly is the Demon King? Don''t say such crazy things. It''s a dangerous claim. No... it''s strange... don''t you think it''s weird that the Demon King hasn''t attacked us so far? The Demon King''s inaction in attacking humanity thus far had already become a foundation for speculation. The assumptions people had never made before were now becoming solidified within the unbelievable and bizarre rumors. Think about it. If the Demon King really wanted to eradicate humans, he could have done it already. He just needs to target a different place instead of here. So why doesn''t he? Ordinary thinking would have deemed it impossible that humanity was still alive. But no one had ever thought of it that way, and even if they had, they hadn''t voiced it. However, once the name was mentioned, it became unstoppable. Conversations about the Demon King circulated throughout the allied forces. Could it be that the Demon King doesn''t really care about destroying humanity? That''s nonsense! Didn''t the Demon King attack the Imperial Capital last time? During... the princess''s execution ceremony. It was said that he turned the Imperial Capital into a wasteland then. No, from what I heard, he just took the princess and disappeared. There were very few casualties. I heard thousands of people burned to death. Are there any witnesses from the Imperial Capital? In the end, rumors gave birth to speculation, and conjecture disguised as truth became yet another rumor that haunted the allied forces. Eventually, everyone couldn''t help but arrive at the greatest suspicion. Why was the Demon King leaving humanity alone? It was an undisputed fact that the Demon King had caused the gate crisis to eradicate humanity. But why were there no further actions taken? Though the Demon King had seemingly vanished, there was a clear record of his appearance not too long ago at the execution of the princess. There were those who had witnessed the battle themselves. Whether it was the Imperial Army or another force, the Demon King had appeared at that time, mercilessly slaughtering the Swordmaster and the Archmages. In the end, the hero who emerged struck the Demon King''s heart, and he disappeared. Did the Demon King actually die then...? There''s no way he died just like that... Rumors began to circulate, suggesting that the Demon King had actually died at that moment. Had the Demon King already died long ago? If the Demon King had died, what about the traitors who now claim to have sided with him? Right? Rumors spread, and it was impossible to tell where the truth ended and the lies began, plunging people into confusion. That''s why rumor-mongers were created. It was only natural for people to gather scattered stories and create their own version of the truth. The Demon King never intended to annihilate humanity; the fact that he hadn''t attacked humans so far was evidence of that. The Gate incident was a conspiracy or accident orchestrated by the emperor, who then pinned the blame on the Demon King. Upon discovering the truth, some of the alliance''s leaders, who learned that the true culprit was the emperor, began to side with the Demon King. Feeling threatened, the emperor started to secretly remove the corpses of fallen warriors and created an army of the undead to protect the empire and himself. This story had no real connection to the facts, and the cause-and-effect relationship was arbitrary. There was no explanation for what the emperor would gain from causing the Gate incident, nor why he would organize the alliance to end the Gate incident if he was responsible for it. Even the background of the Immortals and the emergence of the Demon King''s supporters had a reversed cause-and-effect relationship. In the end, fabricated stories that were more believable gained credibility. At any rate, stories that began with the assumption that the Demon King was evil garnered people''s trust. Now, stories that began with the assumption that the emperor was evil started to gain credibility. Some stories were easier to believe when there was someone who had clearly done something wrong. Naturally, there were many who dismissed these stories as nonsense. The important thing was that confusion began to spread among the people regarding what to believe. When rumors became too exaggerated, even though only a few people believed in the overly inflated rumors, some small parts of the rumors could not help but be treated as the truth. Those who believed in the fabricated truths were few. However, people began to believe in the sources of those rumors as the truth. The emperor had created an army of the dead. The Demon King was interfering with the alliance. There were leaders within the alliance who had sided with the Demon King. Since the Gate incident, the Demon King had not attacked humanity even once. These four truths became deeply ingrained in people''s minds. The exaggerated and baseless rumors made people recognize the foundations of those rumors as facts, regardless of whether they trusted the rumors themselves. Really, did the Demon King cause the Gate incident? If the Demon King didn''t cause the Gate incident, it made sense that he hadn''t attacked humanity thus far. On the contrary, if the Demon King was indeed responsible for the Gate incident, it became incomprehensible why he had allowed humanity to continue existing until now. In reality, there were no stories of the Demon King personally slaughtering people or destroying human cities, aside from the Gate Incident. And so. The Allied Forces advanced toward Diane in confusion. With an inherent chaos of not knowing who to hate. Thus, the path to the final battlefield. "There''s no need to do more. It¡¯s already reached the maximum charge." Redina spoke as she looked at Cayer Voiden, who was sitting in the Ark Crystal Chamber. "I know." Redina''s role was to extract and use the magical power from the Ark Crystal, which stored Cayer''s magic. However, since Redina found out that Cayer''s physical condition had become extremely weak after the continuous battles, she hadn''t been pressing him about the Ark Crystal-related issues. It was then that Redina realized. From the beginning, Cayer had been doing what he was supposed to do, whether Redina asked him or not. Therefore, even when Redina didn''t push or rush him, Cayer continued to do his part, ignoring her pleas to stop. "I told you not to come in here when there''s no need to charge. Sitting there will only drain your magic." When magic was depleted to an extreme degree, a person dies. It was the depletion of the source of life. By now, Redina knew better than Cayer himself how weakened his body had become. But as the battles continued, their already strained relationship completely fell apart. With only this task available to him, he questioned what else he could do. As Redina''s harsh words chipped away at Cayer, he had no choice but to obsess over the only task he could do. Even when Redina apologized and begged in regret, Cayer wouldn''t listen. "That''s not what I''m trying to do." "Then what are you doing?" What could he do in front of the already fully charged Ark Crystal? Redina, who had warned him not to leave the chamber, now felt the most uneasy, knowing what kind of effect that action would have on Cayer''s body. "I have a magic manipulation deficiency, but I can put magic into the Ark Crystal. So, I was trying to see if I could control the speed of magic infusion." "..." The only thing he could do. Cayer seemed to be trying to see if there was something else he could do. I ruined him. With wide eyes, Redina could only watch Cayer''s actions. "But it doesn''t work. The Ark Crystal doesn''t receive the magic from me; it takes my magic." It wasn''t transferred by his will but was taken by the Ark Crystal. In the end, Cayer got up from the chamber with a bitter smile, admitting he didn''t know. "Adelia must be amazing for creating something like this." An incredible talent said to be born with immense magical power. However, the inability to wield that magic. Seeing Cayer, who had nothing but made himself useful thanks to his gifted classmates, Redina bit her lip. Cayer''s self-deprecating words were all things Redina had once said. That aside from having a lot of magical power, he was a useless, foolish child. She would snap at him to charge the Ark Crystal instead of fooling around whenever their eyes met. The sight of those who couldn''t be saved due to a lack of magic during battles. Because of the sight of people dying, not just one or two, but in the hundreds. She couldn''t help but think it was all because of a single person''s negligence. Until now, she had hurt Cayer. Cayer didn''t deny the wounds he received. Now, he even said the words Redina had said with his own mouth. I am useless. This is all I can do. Now, he says those words to himself instead. Looking at Cayer like that, Redina lowered her gaze. "Can we talk for a moment?" Always giving orders and scolding was now a thing of the past. Redina tried her best to treat Cayer with utmost respect. Ironically, Cayer himself didn''t care about things like tone. CH 656 "Don''t recharge the Arc Crystal?" Upon hearing Redina''s words, Cayer furrowed his brow. "Yeah, we can just use it as it is for the battle in Diane." Once the battle in Diane was over, the gate crisis would come to an end. Redina''s suggestion was to leave the crystal as it was and use the Arc Crystal just once more. "We don''t need to use it continuously during the battle." As Cayer pointed out, they had been using the Arc Crystal during battle by having Cayer recharge it and Redina draw out its magical power. "But you collapsed last time." "..." Cayer''s condition was terrible. Regardless of the fact that there was only one more battle left, there was no guarantee that Cayer would be safe if they used the Arc Crystal in the same manner. The Arc Crystal was currently fully charged. Redina suggested using the crystal without recharging it for the final battle and to have Cayer stay out of the fight. Redina nodded, looking at Cayer''s stern expression. "I understand what you want to say. With you, I''d be able to use more magic. That would definitely be helpful." "..." "But you know it too. There''s that... strange army." At her words, Cayer''s eyes widened. Now Cayer knew what that army was. "People say it''s some kind of... undead legion made of fallen warriors. I don''t know how much of that is true. But, anyway, it seems that our importance isn''t as great as before due to that army. So, I think using the existing Arc Crystal should be enough." There was no need to use magical power extracted by sacrificing lifespan. That was what Redina was saying. Cayer knew about the Immortals. Certainly, Redina wasn''t wrong. As long as the Immortals existed, the importance and necessity of Redina unleashing magic from the Arc Crystal were less than before. Soon, the need for Cayer to bear a huge burden would be lower. But was it alright to proceed like this? Before Cayer could say anything. -Thud Redina knelt before him. "Please." Redina looked up at Cayer as she knelt. "Don''t push yourself any further." "..." "Until now, I''ve... been too much for you. I''ve wronged you. I didn''t know anything. I only thought about myself. I acted selfishly." Cayer silently watched his younger senior pleading on her knees. "I don''t know what to do. I want to apologize, but I don''t know how. I don''t know what a proper apology is. I''m sorry..." As Redina began to sob, Cayer Voiden forced a bitter smile. It wasn''t just Cayer who had been broken. Redina, who had to decide the death of countless people with her own hands, couldn''t remain unscathed either. But even though she was broken. She apologized while looking at what she had destroyed. Not knowing what to do, she hung her head, trembling. Cayer had coldly told her there was no need to apologize. To just keep doing what she had been doing. But now, someone else could take their place. If that was the case, there was no need to continue acting coldly. Persisting that they could still do more because they hadn''t died yet would be a rather despicable behavior, wouldn''t it? Risking one''s life in a situation where it was not necessary was not for the purpose of ending the Gate incident, nor was it out of a desire to save people. Even here, telling them to just do what they had been doing, like before, was merely petty vengeance. It was like coercing a miserable wretch who had always been oppressed and belittled by them, saying, "You made me like this, now try to save people with the power you created by sacrificing my life." Regardless of right and wrong, it was simply a mean act. It was only meant to torment Redina. And so, Cayer knelt down before Redina, who was apologizing. "I really wanted to see you regret it for the rest of your life after I died." "Please¡­ Please¡­" "What a pity." Although his words were filled with malice, in the end, he was saying that he would do as Redina had suggested. There was no reason to obsess over something meaningless. Risking one''s life in a situation where death was avoidable was simply a foolish act. "¡­ Sob, sob!" Cayer carefully patted Redina''s shoulder as she finally burst into tears. "I''m sorry¡­ It''s my fault. I¡­ I went too far until now." "Don''t cry. It''s just unfortunate." Cayer gently comforted his unfortunate and impudent senior. ------ Reconciliation might be difficult, but once it was done, it felt like nothing special. In the end, it was the Immortal that brought about the reconciliation between Redina and Cayer. Since the appearance of the Immortal, Redina had felt that her existence, as a user of the Arc Crystal, was no longer as important as before. Cayer had no choice but to realize that being obsessed with charging the Arc Crystal while feeling an unwarranted sense of responsibility was meaningless. Of course, in the end, it was Redina who tried to persuade Cayer, acting as a mediator for their reconciliation. Only those who have experienced reconciliation can understand. Before reconciling, it feels like the hardest thing in the world, but what''s truly important comes afterward. "¡­" "¡­" An awkward silence, so tense that it caused cold sweat to run down their bodies. If they had been very close to each other originally, it might have been possible to reconcile and return to how things were before, but these two didn''t have such a past worth mentioning. The Arc Crystal was a giant power cartridge. Originally, the project related to the Arc Crystal was not thought of by Cayer or Redina, but by Adelia. A person with immense magical power but unable to use it. A person capable of near-superhuman speed in magic casting but with extremely low magical power. Adelia, who knew of their existence, created the Arc Crystal. Thus, although Redina and Cayer were senior and junior, they were initially acquainted through work. Their relationship wasn''t even about being on good or bad terms; they had simply met through work. So, there was no returning to how things were before. At first, they tried to cheer each other up, but that was only for a brief moment, and their relationship only accumulated dissatisfaction. Since they had never been close and had only grievances against each other before reconciling, their relationship became even more awkward than when they had only been expressing their complaints. "¡­" "¡­" Redina fidgeted with her fingers, and Cayer was no different. "It''s¡­ a little¡­ awkward¡­ right?" Redina''s words, forced out with difficulty, were merely that. "¡­ Yeah." That was all Cayer could think of. At times like this, a new topic was needed. The advancing army had halted near the Arc Crystal Tower. Redina gazed up at the summer night sky, which seemed to be showered with stars. "By the way, there have been a lot of strange rumors lately." "Ah... that." "It seems like all sorts of stories are emerging now that the war is coming to an end." Redina dismissed all the ominous rumors circulating among the allied forces as baseless. People were just excitedly spouting various stories, she thought. Indeed, many of the stories were hard to believe. As Redina spoke, Cayer said softly, "Most of those are probably true." "...What?" "I said, most of them are probably true." Redina, looking flustered, heard Cayer''s words. "What... do you mean? What rumors are true?" In response to Redina''s question, Cayer stared intently at her astonished face. "The ones about the empire using dark magic to create an army of undead from fallen soldiers." "And that there are people who have sided with the Demon King." "That the emperor is involved in the Gate incident." "All of them, probably true." At Cayer''s words, Redina''s eyes widened. "Just because the war ends doesn''t mean everything will be over. Something else will start." Cayer gazed intently at Redina. "Even if I don''t know, you''re an important person. So, you should know too." The truth was not important. One had to decide which truth and facts to choose and follow. ------ In her tent, Redina sat blankly. It was long past bedtime, but sleep eluded her. Most of the baseless rumors were true. An army of undead. Traitors to humanity. The emperor''s involvement in the Gate incident. If the Demon King was to be hated or not, Redina had never thought about it. She couldn''t equate the Demon King in her head with the one known to the world. However, she couldn''t completely separate them either. She couldn''t tell which side was the real Demon King. There were monsters before her eyes. So, she had only dealt with the monsters before her, not thinking about the cause of it all or whom to hate. Even if she had thought about it, she couldn''t judge what was wrong. However, now that the topic had been raised, she had to confront the concerns she had been holding back. Where had all this started, and whose responsibility was it? Had the traitors to humanity not actually betrayed them? Were there actually others who deserved judgment? Like many others who were confused, Redina also struggled to find her bearings amid the chaos. What was important was that the things she had believed to be true were crumbling at a rapid pace. Was the Demon King truly evil? Had humanity truly been the victim? As the boundaries of truth collapsed, everyone was thrown into a whirlwind of judgment. In the end, Redina couldn''t help but cautiously leave her tent. Perhaps it was because sleepless nights were becoming more frequent as the end approached. Redina could see someone else, who also couldn''t sleep, sitting in a dark corner of the tent. "Adriana...?" It was none other than Adriana, who was absentmindedly staring up at the starry sky. "Ah, Redina." "What are you doing up so late?" Redina cautiously sat down beside Adriana and asked. "Just like that?" Adriana smiled cautiously and said yes. To Redina, Adriana had always been like an older sister, or rather, something even more significant. When Adriana suddenly decided to leave the temple, Redina felt as if she was parting with life. Seeing Adriana leave with a cold but sad expression, Redina felt overwhelmed. Looking back, at that time¡ª Redina clearly remembered how Reinhardt''s expression had also turned serious when Adriana said she would leave the temple. Adriana never returned to the temple after that. After the Gate incident erupted, she suddenly joined the temple''s military. Adriana still hadn''t shared the details with Redina. "Can''t you sleep?" "Uh-huh..." Redina nodded at Adriana''s question. It would be a lie to say that Redina had no connection to the Demon King. Strictly speaking, it was more like a cursed relationship. However, upon reflection, it seemed ridiculous to call it a cursed relationship. And undoubtedly, the connection with Reinhardt was much stronger for Adriana than for Redina. "Adriana, have you heard the rumors?" "Rumors? Ah...you mean that." There were more than a few rumors, but the atmosphere among the allied forces was tense. Even those who were indifferent to gossip could easily pick up on the stories. The subject related to Reinhardt was a taboo between Adriana and Redina. That''s why, even though it had been several years, it was almost the first time that the topic had come up, albeit indirectly. "Adriana, what do you think?" The unfounded rumors. It was unclear how Cayer Voiden knew, but most of the rumors were said to be true. Redina still had her doubts, but what should she do if it was indeed true? No matter how much Redina thought about it, she couldn''t figure it out. After a long silence, Adriana looked at Redina. "I think it''s a sad thing." It sounded like an insignificant remark. But to Redina, it felt like a statement made after deep contemplation. "Redina." "Yes?" "Let''s make sure we survive." Adriana firmly held Redina''s hand and spoke quietly. It was a statement that carried more determination and hope than ever before. In truth, not much needed to be said. Even though there were many unknown truths and countless unpredictable events, the goal was always the same. To survive. To live on in this world. In the end, all the words were simply an extension of that. Looking straight into Adriana''s determined eyes, Redina ultimately¡ª Forgot all her worries. It was too late to ponder the truth. She had fought to survive. She had fought to save. Now, to put an end to it all. "Yes." All they needed to do was survive. "Let''s make sure we do." Upon hearing that simple response, Adriana tightly embraced Redina. ------ Amidst the chaos, the allied forces, showing signs of division, advanced towards the already fallen capital of Riselen, Diane. As they approached the location where the last gates were clustered, monsters appeared even though they hadn''t yet reached the operation area. Therefore, once the allied forces crossed a certain point, they had no choice but to maintain a constant battle-ready stance. As they closed the distance to Diane, it was inevitable that the number of emerging monsters would increase. The Immortals were constantly deployed, not only breaking through the advance route of the allied forces but also suppressing the monsters that circumvented the route and attacked from the rear. The battle fatigue of the allied forces was not that high, as the tireless Immortal army was handling most of the surrounding combat. Thus, the allied forces proceeded cautiously, bit by bit. They were about to put an end to this long and arduous journey. Allied Forces Command Center. -Grrrrrrrrrr! -Rumble! The howls and screams of the colossal monsters, along with the booming sounds, could be heard in the distance. "Tomorrow is the day." Emperor Bertus quietly declared, looking at the gathered military commanders. The expressions of the commanders varied. There were those who had already chosen to side with the Demon King. There were those who still stood by the empire. And there were those who, somewhere in between, looked at the emperor with eyes full of suspicion. Individual judgments and opinions did not matter. As long as they were here, they had to fight. No matter whose side they took, or who they supported. They all needed to put an end to the Gate Incident to survive. "Currently, the Immortals have set up a defensive line near the base, and from tomorrow, the entire army will advance towards Diane." "Each force will move according to the detailed instructions given. There won''t be much difference from the previous operations, but make sure to be familiar with it." "Retreat is impossible." "The rear areas beyond the reach of the allied forces are already teeming with monsters." "Keep in mind that our forces are surrounded by monsters." The allied forces, led by the Immortals, broke through the horde of monsters and penetrated into Diane. However, as the monsters continued to replenish, the path the allied forces had cleared was once again swarming with monsters. The battle would not be fought in a linear fashion; it would unfold in every direction. The number of people who could escape through teleportation was extremely limited. Humanity''s last army now stood in the absolute territory of death. It was an attack that could not even be attempted without enduring such a dreadful ordeal. Now that they had come this far, the allied forces had to achieve a single goal. Destroy all of Diane''s Warp Gates. If the allied forces were annihilated without achieving this goal, humanity would perish. With hardly anyone left on his side, everyone had no choice but to listen solemnly to Emperor Bertus''s words, regardless of their feelings. "Three colossal gates, five large gates, seven medium gates, and fifteen small gates." "These are the last remaining Warp Gates in the world, and the Gate Incident will end once they are all destroyed." "It took all of humanity''s strength to get the allied forces this far." "There is no next time." "If even one Warp Gate remains while the army is annihilated, not only humanity but the entire world will come to an end." At this solemn declaration, everyone''s expression became somber. The same was true for Rowan, the Holy Knight Commander. There wasn''t much left to convey. In the end, they had to go and fight. In the silence, someone spoke up, as if to acknowledge that this was the end. "Your Majesty." There was something that could only be said now. Because it was the last of the last moments. "Did Your Majesty truly cause the Gate Incident?" At these words, the atmosphere in the room became tense. There had been a time when just uttering those words would have been enough to warrant hanging. However, the situation was quite special in many ways, so it was possible for such words to be spoken in front of the Emperor. Emperor Bertus stared quietly at the person who had raised the question. It was a question boiling in everyone''s minds. It was just that someone had finally spoken it as their representative. Bertus looked at him with a stern expression. "Is that important now?" Neither a confirmation nor a denial. However, strictly speaking, it was a statement leaning towards confirmation. The Emperor closed his eyes as he spoke. "May the gods bless us all." That was probably. The Emperor''s only sincere wish. ------ The roars and explosions of countless monsters could be heard not too far away. The offensive was to start the next day, but the battle was ongoing. The weapons of war would be assembled and begin firing as soon as they arrived at the operational area, and once the offensive began, they would have to clear the way. As it had always been with city sieges, the battle itself wouldn''t last long. If the battle dragged on, it would mean annihilation from the start. While their forces wouldn''t be replenished, the enemies would continue to pour out at an unimaginable rate. After the final meeting, the Emperor waited for the return from the warp spot. There was no need for the Emperor to stay on the battlefield. It was now uncertain whether the allied forces would follow the Emperor''s orders, so the Emperor''s presence had no real meaning. The Emperor would only need to receive reports on the outcome of the battle from the imperial capital. If the allied forces were annihilated, he would simply wait for the impending doom of humanity. If the allied forces were victorious, he would wait for what was to come later. While waiting for the teleportation spell cast by the royal mages at the warp spot, Saviolin Turner stood guard beside the Emperor. Due to the unsettling rumors circulating among the allied forces, the Emperor''s presence at the allied base was actually the most dangerous place for him. That''s why Saviolin Turner kept a close watch on their surroundings while guarding the returning Emperor. There was no telling if someone, swept up by the strange rumors, would try to harm the Emperor. Only the Emperor and a few attendants would return. Of course, Saviolin Turner was not only an excellent commander of Shanafel, but also an extremely powerful combatant, so she would participate in the final battle. The future was uncertain. However, Saviolin Turner was determined to bring victory in the battle to come tomorrow. Whatever happened, she would make sure the wishes of everyone were fulfilled. She vowed to deliver that news without fail. "Your Majesty." "Yes, Lady Turner." Saviolin Turner wanted to resolve a lingering doubt, which might be their last. "I have a question." "Yes, please ask." "That rumor...." Saviolin Turner bit their lip, lowered their gaze, and spoke. "Is it true, Your Majesty... that you are responsible?" The rumor in question was, of course, that the Emperor was the mastermind behind the Gate incident. It couldn''t be anything other than a baseless rumor. Saviolin Turner felt it when she first learned of the strange rumor spreading. Reinhardt, the Demon King, wouldn''t have done such a thing. Rowan, the Holy Knight Commander, might have acted rashly, but she wouldn''t have permitted it either. In the end. There could be only one source of the rumor. At Saviolin Turner''s question, the corner of the Emperor''s mouth rose subtly. "Well." "..." The Emperor did not give a straight answer this time either. However, just as his previous answer at the headquarters was as good as an admission, what was different this time? As Saviolin Turner gritted her teeth in bitter frustration, not knowing what to do in that moment. "Lady Turner." "Yes, Your Majesty." "You will not participate in the battle tomorrow." At the Emperor''s unexpected words, Saviolin Turner''s eyes widened. "Pardon...?" "You have a different task to fulfill." It was the final battle. And the most important battle. But Saviolin Turner had forgotten what to say in response to the shocking news that they were suddenly being pulled out. "We''ll discuss the details when we return." "Your... Your Majesty...?" Before Saviolin Turner could say anything further. -Flash! The flash of the mass teleport swallowed up the Emperor and Saviolin Turner. CH 657 As dawn broke, the allied forces had spent the day defending their garrison. Now, they were about to welcome the morning of their advance. And so, the morning arrived in Lazak. Just like during the last battle, I had disguised myself as one of the soldiers in the allied forces. In this guise, I would enter the battlefield as a single soldier and participate in the final battle. However, just like last time, Harriet, Olivia, Liana, as well as the Vampire Lords, had all completed their preparations. The Holy Knights and priests of the Holy Order, our full force, were already unknowingly deployed among the allied force. Thus, as much as the allied forces were putting forth their full strength, so were we. The five Vampire Lords, as well as the mages from each family, had also completed their preparations. "I can go alone." "By that logic, why should you go?" "¡­Fair point." In truth, there was a high possibility that our power wouldn''t be needed. That''s why I could go alone. However, if I were to argue that way, I couldn''t explain why I needed to go in the first place, so everyone else had planned to follow. But that wasn''t all. Not only Olivia Lanze, clad in the armor of a Holy Knight, was waiting for the departure. "It''s been a while since I fought instead of commanding." Eleion Bolton had decided to participate in the siege of Diane as well. No one had urged him, but he had volunteered. Though he was a retired Holy Knight commander, he argued that nobody would recognize him if he wore a visor. Like Olivia, who disguised herself as a Holy Knight, Eleion Bolton seemed to follow suit. Charlotte offered to fight for a day as well but withdrew when I frowned. Charlotte had combat capabilities, but she didn''t know how to fight. That''s why Charlotte, with an uneasy expression, only came to see us off. Airi also had tremendous combat power as a Succubus Queen, but since her horns made it impossible to disguise, I had told her not to come at all. Our forces weren''t as large as the allied forces. But our army was already within the allied forces, so practically everyone capable of fighting in Lazak was heading for the battlefield. The number wasn''t great. It made me wonder if this was really the full force of the Demon King. However, with just this small group, I had come so close to swallowing the entire continent. Anyway. Before departure. As a king, I should say something. Not everyone was going to fight, but everyone was here. Harriet. Olivia Lanze. Liana de Grantz. Eleion Bolton. Eleris. Lucille. Gallarush. Luvien. Antirianus. The vampires of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday family. Charlotte de Gardias. Airi. Sarkegaar. "I don''t know how to make grand speeches." There was only one thing I could say in front of these people, who could be considered my full strength. "Everything we''ve done so far has been to survive." That''s right. We had done all of this to survive. "So, let''s survive." There was nothing else to dream or wish for, other than survival. Not only for these people but for all those who sided with me. And for those who didn''t side with me. I prayed for their lives and survival after this. ------ In truth, the final battle had begun long before we reached Diane. The seething monsters had been roaming beyond the city''s boundaries for quite some time, and they continued to appear. The day of battle was merely the moment when Diane arrived within a day''s distance. In truth, the final battle had essentially begun two days prior. The allied forces cut through the waves of monsters. As always, Ellen Artorius led the vanguard. She sliced through the monsters with the edge of the void sword, donned the cloak of the sun god that burned all attacks, and relentlessly pushed forward. -Waaaaaah! -Kwaaaaaa! The cries of the angry soldiers and the howls of the monsters tore through the world with terrifying intensity. This was the final battleground. Of course, the number of colossal monsters was incomparable to the previous battles, and the allied forces not only had to push forward, but also had to fend off the tidal wave of monsters coming at them from all directions. It was a fight to see whether the annihilation of the allied forces would come first, or the destruction of all of Diane''s warp gates. To put it very cruelly, even if the allied forces were annihilated here, as long as the objective of destroying all warp gates was achieved, it would be enough. The remaining monsters in the world could be slowly exterminated. As long as no more monsters appeared. Magic and flames, swords and claws clashed. Poison, flames, and lightning poured from the mouths of flying monsters, scorching the ground. In response, magic cannons and lightning strikes fired from the ground, tearing apart and burning the flying monsters in midair. Countless lives were lost, both human and monster. They all approached the end of this evil. ¡°Is the Titan here yet? Is the Titan coming?¡± ¡°The Titan will be summoned when the attack on Diane begins!¡± The final battlefield, drenched in blood and covered in flesh, was incomparably brutal compared to the previous battles. ¡°Huh!¡± -Kwaaaaarrr! As sparks flew around Heinrich''s eyes, a swarm of monsters that had been surging forward was swept away by a torrent of crimson flames. Thousands of monsters were incinerated in an instant, and those that survived the flames broke through and slaughtered the soldiers. There were monsters immune to fire. Heinrich was familiar with that fact. But he could never get used to the sight of people being killed by monsters that his powers couldn''t handle. -Flash! -Boom! However, when Heinrich saw the monster that had broken through the flames get struck by a bolt of lightning from the sky and explode, his eyes widened. Lightning. It was undoubtedly possible through magic. But then. -Kwoooooong As the sky suddenly darkened, lightning began to churn between the black clouds. Soon. -Flash! Heinrich couldn''t help but squint his eyes at the blinding light. In a very brief moment, dozens, no, hundreds. No. -Kwoooooong! Heinrich could only stare blankly at the scene of thousands of lightning bolts sweeping the battlefield and annihilating the monsters. It didn''t end with just one strike. -Flash! Thousands of lightning bolts per second rained down on the battlefield. Even the highest-level magic spell, Thunderstorm, couldn''t achieve this level of destruction. The shower of lightning strikes dyed the battlefield in white light, erasing the monsters as if they were being wiped away by an eraser. And it was happening across the entire battlefield. ¡°Liana...?¡± Naturally. Heinrich couldn''t help but know who was in this place. ------ A storm of lightning struck from the ominous, overcast sky. Like targeted shots, they pierced into the monstrous waves. "Are you alright?" "I''m so miserable I want to die." Liana, with her dark eyes, grimaced and retched in response to Harriet''s question. In a corner of the allied forces'' battlefield. Only a few people knew that the downpour of lightning throughout the entire battlefield originated from Liana, who was retching in this very spot. Despite the chilling depression, Liana continued to focus on her power. More lightning. More thunder. With it, she erased the monsters and cleared the path. "But now that I think it''s all over, it''s a problem because I feel like my mood is improving." At Liana''s dark joke, Harriet forced a smile. Although they were surrounded, the allied forces were stronger than ever before. And while their numbers were small, the Demon King''s forces that had joined them could not be ignored. If Liana''s existence alone enabled her to perform tasks far beyond what several military divisions could accomplish, the same was true for each of the Vampire Lords and their kin. It was premature to be optimistic already, but they couldn''t help but see the situation as favorable. Was this truly the end? Worried about what would come next, Harriet began to wonder if the Gate Crisis could really end like this. -Flash! "Uh...?" Flashes of light began to appear all over the battlefield. It wasn''t the light of destruction. Where the flashes appeared, destruction didn''t occur. They vanished. Both Liana and Harriet were in a position to overlook the entire battlefield, so they could see the simultaneous white flashes amidst the explosions and flames. It wasn''t a light related to destruction. "Teleport...?" It was undoubtedly the flash emitted by a spatial-based magic. But through that light, no one was arriving. They disappeared. Along with the flashing lights, someone vanished. It wasn''t ordinary soldiers who disappeared. It was soldiers wearing full-face helmets. Liana mumbled in a daze as she witnessed the unbelievable scene. "Are the Immortals... disappearing?" Harriet, too, was wide-eyed at the spectacle. "No way... It can''t be. No way... It can''t be..." Harriet couldn''t help but freeze in her terrible imagination. But the reality unfolding before their eyes told them the truth. The Immortals were withdrawing on their own accord. ------ "...Huff!" Ludwig abruptly found himself forcibly teleported elsewhere, along with a cluster of white light, in the middle of slaying a monster. "What...? What''s going on...?" Just as he had jumped into the battlefield and brought down a giant monster with a single blow, Ludwig was caught up in a recall spell without understanding why. When Ludwig opened his eyes, he found himself in a familiar place. The destination where the Immortals were recalled upon being damaged. The underground research facility of Temple Magic University. Although the Temple couldn''t use spatial magic, limited teleportation was now possible within the underground facilities of the Magic University. The Immortals had to return here for repairs if they were damaged. Ludwig blankly stared at the vast hall lined with recovery ports and large vats. Naturally, even if the Immortals weren''t destroyed, they could easily be resummoned. With a flash, it was not just Ludwig. Alongside the flash, the Immortal mages and soldiers were being recalled at an incredible speed. Seeing the mage casting the recall, Ludwig could not help but understand what was happening. The Immortals were leaving the battlefield, and he too had been forcibly summoned by the recall magic. There could only be one person capable of such a feat. "Christina...?" Ludwig let out a sigh as he spotted Christina, standing calmly amidst the gathering Immortals. Nearby, in a makeshift healing station, Anna and Louis Ancton were leaning against a wall, fast asleep. It was clear they had been forced to sleep. There was no way the two of them would agree to something like this. "Don''t panic, Ludwig. It''s all part of the plan," Christina said with a stern expression, looking at the bewildered Ludwig. "Christina? What are you... What are you trying to do?" Ludwig couldn''t accept the situation. It was the final battle. Just one step away. But leaving that last step behind and withdrawing the most important force, the Immortals, from the battlefield was nothing short of madness. No matter the intention, no matter how reasonable the purpose. This was something that should never be done. Seeing Ludwig''s expression, Christina faintly smiled as if she knew what he was trying to say. "You may not know, but most of the allied forces have sided with the Demon King. If the Gate crisis ends without any trouble, the entire alliance will fall under the Demon King''s control." "So... what do you intend to do?" "If the alliance becomes the Demon King''s, humanity will become the Demon King''s as well." Ludwig asked with his mouth, but he already knew. He couldn''t help but understand why Christina was doing this and what would happen next just by thinking about it. "We can''t leave it like that, can we?" "No, Christina... No. This... This is not right! This is madness!" Even if those who betrayed humanity and sided with the Demon King were despicable, and even if they couldn''t be left alone, did that justify doing something like this? In the end, it would be the powerless ones who would die first, and they had nothing to do with this situation. Christina calmly said she would sacrifice them. "It''s not about annihilating the alliance. It''s about reducing their numbers. We have enough Immortals to handle the situation." If there was an army destined to fall under the Demon King''s control, it was as good as already being his. So, they would weaken them. Using only the Immortals to choke them until they could no longer breathe. "In the meantime, there''s no better fortune than our enemies dying while fighting monsters, right?" Ludwig''s eyes widened as he stood up from his seat. He couldn''t stand idly by. He just couldn''t. With a thud, Ludwig grabbed Christina by the collar. "Stop this madness. Send the Immortals back to Diane immediately." Ludwig may have crossed a line himself, but not to the extent of Christina. He could never have imagined she would do something like this. It was nothing but madness. It was an insane act, one that couldn''t be understood or accepted. Despite Ludwig''s cold voice, Christina smiled while being held by her collar. "Really? So we should just deploy the Immortal like this and assume the Gate incident will be resolved?" "Exactly! It''s not too late to think about it once everything is over! Doing this, doing this isn''t for anyone''s benefit!" "Then what about revenge?" "¡­What?" "More than half of the Allied Forces have fallen to the Demon King, and the Emperor is trying to abandon the empire. In the end, to exact revenge, you''ll have to kill the Demon King, the Emperor, Ellen, and everyone else. Do you think it''s possible to just kill the Demon King and leave everyone who sided with him alone? Do you believe it''s possible to sift through the massive entity of the Allied Forces and only kill those who did wrong?" "You¡­ what are you¡­ talking about¡­?" "In the end, it''s just the Gate monsters killing those who should die instead of the Immortal. The only difference is whether the Immortal kills them or the monsters do." One faces not a person, but a group. If the war ended without any major damage like this, it would only result in strengthening the Demon King''s army even more. It was better to weaken them beforehand. Whether it was later or now, the Immortal had to kill a tremendous number of people. "Ludwig. It''s actually by doing this now that we can prevent a war between the Immortal and the Allied Forces later on. If the Immortal and the Allied Forces fight, even more people will die, right?" "That''s just sophistry, Christina. It''s not even a reasonable argument!" If the Gate incident ended with the Allied Forces in good condition and the Immortal then turned against the Allied Forces, who had become the Demon King''s army, even greater damage would result from the ensuing battle. "By reducing their numbers in advance, won''t the Allied Forces just surrender to the Immortal? They''ll know they can''t win. Think about it, Ludwig. This is the way to save lives." To avoid killing even more later on, one condones the deaths now. It''s true that if the secondary battle between the Immortal and the Allied Forces, who had become the Demon King''s army, resulted in the annihilation of the Allied Forces, then more people would die if the war ended like this. However, if the Allied Forces suffered significant losses in the Gate War, they might unconditionally surrender to the Immortal, whether they had sided with the Demon King or not. In that case, fewer people would actually die. If things went as Christina said, it would be true. "People won''t just wait to die. The Immortal won''t be away from the battlefield for long either." "¡­What?" "Whether he''s hidden somewhere watching the situation or disguised as something else. When they think the Allied Forces will be wiped out, those we need to kill will reveal themselves one by one." "Are you saying¡­ we should wait for that now?" "Of course." Someone had to fill the gap in power caused by the absence of the Immortal. So if he was watching from somewhere, the Demon King''s forces would reveal themselves. Whether as individuals or groups, in some way or another. "Once they reveal themselves, we''ll deploy the Immortal again. The Immortal will kill those monsters and them too." "¡­" "Don''t worry. If the Demon King reveals himself sooner, the Immortal will be redeployed to the battlefield just as quickly." When the Demon King reveals himself to support the Allied Forces, the Immortal will go to the battlefield to kill him. The plan was to exploit the Demon King''s desire for the survival of humanity. Ludwig believed that the Demon King should also be held responsible for this situation. But was that really the case? "This isn''t... this isn''t revenge... No, it''s not. It''s not! People are dying because of us, not the Demon King. If anything, we''re the ones who should be killed, not the Demon King or the Emperor! Why do people have to die? Why should they be sacrificed for your whims? That''s not why we''ve done all this! That''s not why we created the Immortal!" Ludwig couldn''t help but cry out in anguish at the thought of spilling the blood of innocents to summon the Demon King for the sake of revenge. "What are you talking about, Ludwig...?" At Ludwig''s question, Christina twisted her head, her collar gripped tightly. "I''ve never once said... I''m doing this for the people..." "What?" "You''re the same. You didn''t want to do this for the people, but to make those who deserved punishment pay, didn''t you?" Ludwig had certainly said that. "I just want revenge." Christina had never claimed to represent the sacrificed or to be the voice for their grievances. This was simply revenge on the world. Nothing more than venting. For someone. They had never said they were doing this for a grand and happy ending. The Immortal was created to end the Gate incident and use that power for revenge. It was all about making those responsible pay. Christina had never said she created the Immortal for the weak or to represent them. "Weren''t you the one who was mistaken?" "..." "Ludwig, your intentions. To kill the Demon King, to make people pay for these events. Weren''t you secretly thinking it had something to do with justice or something grandiose?" It was a determination unrelated to the judgment of good and evil. Yet now, he was questioning why they were sacrificing the weak and invoking something akin to justice. "If you thought this was a good or righteous thing, Ludwig... then you''re still... still..." With a horrifying smile, Christina said, "You''re still a fucking idiot." It had always been about revenge. They had started with vengeance in mind, seeking retribution. And now, claiming that there were limits to what they could do, that they must maintain their morality, was laughable. At Christina''s words, Ludwig stared into her dark eyes, now filled with the abyss, his own eyes wide with disbelief. "Maybe you''re right... but... if this is what revenge is, if we have to do something like this to achieve it... if we''re actually becoming the ones who should pay the price..." Ludwig tightened his grip on Christina''s collar. "I won''t take part in this so-called revenge." Christina, who had become a monster, couldn''t understand or accept it. She had become an existence that shouldn''t be in this world. However, killing Christina was not an option either. "Send me back. At least just me." Upon hearing Ludwig''s cold declaration, Christina''s eyes widened. "¡­Are you serious?" Christina had somewhat sensed that he would say something like that. "Yes." "¡­" "Whatever you do, I can''t stop you with my power, and you won''t listen to me. So, there''s only one thing I can do." Ludwig knew he couldn''t persuade Christina. Both had gone mad, each in their own way. Persuasion was impossible from the start. He knew that killing Christina would only cause greater chaos. So, they decided to part ways. They had to do it as quickly as possible. That way, he could fight a little sooner on behalf of those who would die due to Christina''s decision. Christina had decided to let people die. Ludwig, however, hadn''t gone that far yet. "Send me back." Without the Immortal, the likelihood of dying on the battlefield was extremely high. As if it didn''t matter, Ludwig asked Christina to send him alone, and she stared at him silently. Just as Ludwig couldn''t persuade Christina, the opposite was also true. He wouldn''t say anything more about her actions, and she couldn''t break his resolve to be sent to the battlefield. "¡­Fine." At Christina''s command, the Immortal mages began casting. "Don''t die until the Immortal returns." Somehow, Christina''s words sounded amusing to Ludwig. Was there still someone precious to her? Even in this state. Even while doing this. Could she still say she didn''t wish for anyone''s death? That was madness and, perhaps, the epitome of selfish human nature. "Christina." Just before the teleportation casting was completed, Ludwig looked at Christina and spoke. "In the end, our choice was also the wrong one. The most terrible wrong one." He couldn''t find the right answer. He realized that the so-called right answers were individual wrong ones created by everyone''s thoughts. In the face of the choices he had made, Ludwig had to admit that not only himself but also Christina and the whole world had made the wrong choices, just as they had always suspected. Everyone had chosen the wrong answer. Those who had chosen the wrong answers were fighting each other, claiming their wrong answer was closer to the right one. That was what was happening now. Amid Ludwig''s words, filled with self-mockery and contempt, "Still, this wrong answer feels refreshing." Rather than insisting that her wrong answer was the right one, Christina simply wanted to resolve everything. -Flash! Soon, Ludwig disappeared with a flash of light. Without the Immortal, alone. Ludwig wouldn''t die easily. He had been given a charm to not die easily. All she had to do was wait. Until the battlefield revealed those who had to be killed. Then the Immortal would return to the battlefield and begin hunting. Hunting monsters, as well as the Demon King and the Hero. If they felt sorry for the dying people, they just had to reveal themselves sooner. As Christina waited in silence for the situation she desired, Ludwig had left, and in the quiet underground laboratory filled with Immortals, where Anna and Louis were sleeping, -Step -Step Soon, somewhere, quiet footsteps began to be heard. -Thud! -Rumble! And then, the sound of the sealed laboratory''s barrier being destroyed began to resonate. Christina''s expression hardened. The laboratory was in lockdown. After the development of the Immortal was complete, no one was allowed to enter. All of the royal mages had been expelled, and in case anyone managed to break in, Immortal soldiers guarded the laboratory at various locations. The sounds she was hearing implied that the Immortal forces were being defeated. "..." Christina stared intently at the entrance to the underground research wing. Someone was coming. Someone powerful enough to defeat the Immortals and break through the barrier. A very powerful. Entity. -Kwagagang! With an explosion close to a massive blast, the sealed entrance to the underground research wing shattered, and someone revealed their presence. Christina looked at the person emerging from the rising dust. It was a familiar face. And someone who was not present in the allied forces'' battlefield. "...Saviolin Turner." Christina muttered the name quietly as she gazed at Turner, who had appeared alone. She was a woman who held the title of the world''s strongest swordsman, yet she had not been able to participate in the Great Demon War. And even now, as the world''s strongest swordsman, she was unable to join the final battle. She suddenly thought. Perhaps this was a destiny or a curse laid upon her. Unable to fight in the places where everyone remembered. In the most glorious of places, where she could not stand. It might be the fate of Saviolin Turner, the continent''s greatest swordsman. Not in the most glorious places of the Great Demon War. Nor in the final battle that marked the end of the Gate incident. There was no place for her. The emperor had sent his sharpest sword to this place. A cursed genius who was born with a destiny unable to fight where glory and honor resided. Saviolin Turner closed her eyes quietly. "Is this..." In a place that no one in the world would remember. In a dark underground devoid of glory and honor. "my final battlefield?" She had to face her most challenging battle. CH 658 An Immortal, struck by a blue flash, turned to ashes and disappeared on the spot. "...What?" Christina stared at Saviolin Turner with a dumbfounded expression. Christina didn''t understand fighting. However, that didn''t mean she lacked common sense. Saviolin Turner was undoubtedly known as the continent''s top swordsman or the strongest knight on the continent. But what Christina saw couldn''t be considered a swordsman''s battle. Woosh! The blue aura swords floating around Saviolin Turner proved it. No, they didn''t even take the form of swords. They merely seemed like shapes formed by condensing mana into sharp edges. In other words, they took on the shape of an aura closer to that of a ''spear.'' Since the start of the battle, Saviolin Turner had not drawn the Tempesta sword even once, fighting only by throwing aura blades. That figure resembled a mage rather than a swordsman. Christina knew this much at a common sense level. Those who could strengthen their bodies with the power of magic were individuals who had reached the pinnacle of Magic Body Strengthening. If they could go beyond that and enhance their weapons with magic, they were called the Master Class. Going even further, those who could create weapons from aura alone, a level that few in human history had ever reached, were called Grandmasters. "It''s strange." Saviolin Turner spoke while looking at the Immortal she couldn''t easily approach and at Christina beyond it. "I''ve been at the realm called Grandmaster for several decades now¡­" As Saviolin Turner snapped her fingers, blue flashes collided with the Immortals attempting to attack her. -Boom! With an enormous explosion, several portals, along with the Immortals who couldn''t react, disappeared. "Why does everyone believe that I couldn''t take even a single step forward from the realm of the ''Grandmaster''...?" Last winter, Ellen Artorius had challenged her to a duel. That battle didn''t become intense, so the outcome was unknown. However, the Saviolin Turner that Ellen Artorius imagined was different from the actual Saviolin Turner. It wasn''t just the beginning of the Grandmaster realm. She had been at that realm for several decades, and her body was as youthful as in her heyday. It was far too careless to think that she would remain stationary for decades, satisfied with that realm. She was a person who had lived knowing nothing but the sword. As she lived, she realized that she had nothing but the sword hanging from her waist. That time. That age. The strongest person in the world, who earnestly realized the necessity of power after the Gate incident and devoted herself to refining herself once again, couldn''t be the same as before. Why would one who reached the peak stay in place? Those at the peak continued to climb toward another goal. It was a misjudgment to think that she could be reached with just a bit more effort. No matter how hard those below diligently break through and pioneer the realms to climb up, The peak might have already disappeared from where it stood decades ago, possibly having ascended even higher. Thus, Saviolin Turner had become an existence where the title of a swordsman now felt strange. She didn''t need a sword. It wasn''t because she didn''t need a sword when she had a physical sword or an aura sword. She simply didn''t need one anymore. The reason for truly wielding a sword and fighting had vanished. Saviolin Turner was a being who had reached the ultimate state, where everything was ultimately interconnected. Those who had confronted Saviolin Turner and disappeared after being pierced by that unfathomable spear were all individuals who had reached the Master Class. Even those beings vanished with a single blast of aura. The mental manipulation magic used by Archmages was also completely ineffective. Anti-magic training was an essential part of a knight''s training in order to counteract magic. Therefore, it was only natural that magical control methods did not work on Saviolin Turner, who represented the pinnacle of knights. The sword didn''t work, nor did the magic. Christina gritted her teeth and said, "Fine... I get that you''re strong. But can you handle everything that''s coming?" "..." The full force of the Immortals had gathered in this underground area. It was the force that should have been fighting in Diane. No matter how much of an extraordinary powerhouse Saviolin Turner was, there were still impossibilities. The fact that she was now surrounded did not change. It was as if a lone tiger had been cornered by a pack of cats. But if those cats could keep attacking the tiger until it was exhausted and collapsed, the tiger would eventually die. So, no matter how strong Saviolin Turner was, she had merely entered the enemy territory unarmed. Her inevitable demise might be delayed, but it would eventually come. The reason Saviolin Turner could hold on now was because the battlefield itself was limited. The destruction of the laboratory itself would affect the existence of the Immortals. Therefore, the battle hesitated to escalate, as the entire laboratory could be destroyed if it became too intense. The space was narrow, and the Immortals could not attack properly because they had to protect the laboratory. No matter how much stronger Saviolin Turner was than what was known to the world, the fact that she had entered the enemy''s territory willingly did not change. Despite Christina''s words, Saviolin Turner summoned a few more spears of aura. "You''ll know when you try." At that confidence, which was almost arrogant, Christina had no choice but to grit her teeth. ------ -Flash! With a flash of light, Ludwig reappeared on the distant battlefield. There were no Immortals. ¡°The monsters are coming!¡± As the sudden appearance of a strong ally vanished, the sight of the confused allied forces entered Ludwig''s eyes. The collapse of the allied forces was imminent. The existence of the Immortals was important, but not absolute. The allied forces could fight without the Immortals. However, the crumbling morale would bring everything down like dominos. Christina was wrong. No, she hadn''t even tried to find the right answer in the first place. Knowing it was the wrong answer, she had declared she would do something crazy just for revenge. Slowly, Ludwig took out a crystal vial from his pocket. Then, he uncapped it and drank the contents. "Ugh..." It was an artificially created, terrible taste that he couldn''t understand how it was made. Having taken the stabilizer, Ludwig roughly wiped the drool from his mouth. -Growl! Ludwig had no army. All he had was his own body. He couldn''t fill the gap left by the missing Immortals alone. There was much he could do with his stronger body. But in the end, the fact that he had only one body didn''t change. Amidst the battlefield filled with screams and monstrous roars, Ludwig could kill the monsters before him, but it still had nothing to do with the outcome of the war. He simply fought. -Boom! With several leaps, Ludwig plunged into the midst of the monsters, his right hand holding the Aura Sword, which was formed by black magic. -Whoosh! With a single, seamless spinning slash, a torrent of dark aura surged forth, sweeping away the surrounding monsters. Ludwig could clearly hear the soldiers'' awe from afar as they watched his overwhelming, albeit ominous, power. Although still unrelated to the outcome of the war. There was definitely a role for Ludwig in localized battles. Someone wielding the pitch-black Aura Sword in the form of a greatsword strode unhesitatingly across the battlefield. Instead of retreating, others followed upon witnessing that overwhelming presence. Everyone had not been like this originally. Neither Christina nor the others who had changed. The days when they could laugh and chat happily together had all turned into illusions. Some became the villains who needed to be killed, while others became villains themselves in their attempts to kill the villains. And Ludwig, who watched all this, had also become an entity dreaming of his own evil while claiming to judge something. Those they loved had gone to places where they could no longer be loved. Those who survived had fallen to unworthy existences. But one thing remained unchanged. Fighting for the people. Fighting to save someone. Because they had not abandoned that one absolute path. Because they could not turn away from that. "Kuh...ah...!" -Boom! He fought. Enduring the burning agony in his right arm. Resisting the eerie sensation of the dark magic invading his flesh and thoughts. Without even thinking about wiping away the blood tears in his eyes. Ludwig swung his sword. "Uwaaaaaah!" Like a beast engulfed in black magic, turned into a lost, black predator. The black beast massacred the monsters and moved forward. ------ The Immortals had left the battlefield. In an instant, they all disappeared. The majority of the Allied Forces knew what the Immortals were. Even those who didn''t believe the rumors knew they were powerful allies. They vanished entirely. ¡°Where... Where are they going?¡± After the Immortals were deployed, all battles were planned with their involvement in mind. The Immortals had demonstrated more power than expected. That''s why, even for those who knew the true nature of the Immortals, no one questioned their absolute necessity, though there might be issues with the process. Think later. For now, they were necessary. Because they were needed, they remained silent. They knew it was something that shouldn''t be done, but it was too necessary. The Allied Forces recognized and depended on the Immortals'' effectiveness. I was no exception. -Growl! -Boom! Shattering a monster''s head with a fistful of magical energy, I could only stare blankly at the waves of monsters rushing into the void left by the Immortals. Did it have to come to this? Did it have to come to this extent? I believed that at least a minimum of rationality would remain. They wanted to kill me, and they wanted to punish the mastermind behind the Gate incident. But did they want me dead so much that they''d suddenly abandon everyone like this? Where is the necessity for going this far? Despite knowing that too many people were relying on the Immortals, they suddenly disappeared. Suddenly, the Immortal vanished, and the advancing army hesitated, starting to clumsily retreat. With the thousands of Master Class warriors who had been sweeping the path ahead, and the destructive magic that the Archmages in the rear had been pouring down, the army''s hesitation was inevitable. It was only natural that the vanguard disappeared, and they had no choice but to follow. They gritted their teeth and forged ahead, but in the end, there was only one body. In areas where I could not take charge, the battlefront was gradually pushed back. Confusion and fury, bordering on nausea, welled up from within, but there was no stopping. The Immortal was gone. Gone. ¡°The vanguard is gone!¡± ¡°Run away!¡± It was dangerous. The Immortal certainly made up a significant part of their power. However, in the original work, the last battle could still be fought even without the Immortal, even without the Titan. It was possible. They could definitely do it. The evaporation of the Immortal also evaporated their morale. Commanders and soldiers alike began to make fearful speculations. ¡°He abandoned us!¡± Broken morale was as contagious as a plague. Others who followed the terrified soldier''s cries began to emerge. It was possible. The battle would be more difficult without the Immortal, but it wasn''t impossible. More people would die, but they wouldn''t be annihilated. It was possible even without the Immortal. In the final battle, the Immortal may have left, but the allied forces'' strength was more than enough. They had come this far with plenty of intact forces. However, the Immortal held too much significance for the alliance, and its sudden disappearance brought with it immense betrayal and a tremendous drop in morale. Once the front line began to crumble, the rear line would follow suit. If the entire alliance lost its morale and collapsed, it would be the end. The entire alliance was currently advancing, surrounded by monsters. If they collapsed, they would be swallowed up and annihilated with nowhere to retreat. ¡°The Emperor has abandoned us!¡± At some point, the soldiers'' screams about the Immortal''s disappearance had turned to this. The Empire''s secret weapon. The Immortal was gone. That meant the Emperor had abandoned humanity. In fear and terror. Those following the Demon King began to appear among the allied forces. That''s why those who believed the Emperor had abandoned the alliance were retreating and yelling. It wasn''t the Emperor who abandoned them. It wasn''t Bertus who abandoned them. But it held no meaning. There was no way to persuade and convince soldiers who were shouting out of fear and despair. There was no time to be angry about the madness that forced the Immortal to retreat. However. If they retreated like this, everything would be over. They had relied too much on the Immortal. That''s why the void left by the Immortal seemed dozens of times larger than it actually was. ¡°We''re all going to die! We''re dying!¡± ¡°Run away!¡± There was nowhere to run. Crying out that they were surrounded was pointless. Retreating would only cause them to trample their allies, eventually collapsing and being crushed to death. Then, the waves of monsters would come crashing down, and it would be the end. And so. As the betrayal of the Emperor swept across the battlefield and plunged the alliance into panic. -Krrrrrrrr! The sky shattered. Dark cracks appeared in the heavens. Not just one, but dozens of them. Not just above the heads of the allied forces, but all over the battlefield. Cracks like spiderwebs, projecting darkness, appeared in the blue sky, as if it were a broken mirror. "Ah¡­" It was the sky. Naturally, everyone could see the sky. The soldiers who threw down their weapons and fled, the countless superhumans who didn''t know what to do and kept looking back, and the mages who gritted their teeth and poured magic from the rear would all have seen it. A torrent of light pouring from the shattered sky. They saw a meteor shower raining down on the battlefield. It was a magic that had become trauma for everyone. The day the sky opened up. That was when it all began. That''s why it was a cursed magic for all humanity. "The Demon King¡­" Everyone gazed blankly at the sky and uttered those words. "It''s the Demon King''s magic!" The falling meteors. It had become a magic symbolizing the Demon King for humanity, for all those who remembered that day. For everyone who had witnessed that day on the Imperial Capital, it was a magic that meant the end of the world. "The Demon King''s magic is coming!" The reason people''s voices, shouting at the sight of magic that was no different from the symbol of the Demon King, were not desperate was because¡­ "Kwaaaagg!" It was raining down on the monsters, not humans. "Yes¡­" If there was something to be done. In this situation. If there was something to be done in front of those who betrayed and ran away. There was only one thing I could do. I took off my helmet. I returned to my original form, which I hadn''t taken for a while. With a pair of horns. An Archdemon. In the form of Valier. And I summoned them. "Woong!" Tiamata in my right hand. Alsbringer in my left hand. No words were needed. Everyone just had to watch. I could no longer be a Demon King disguised as a mere soldier. "Oh, oh¡­" "Ah¡­" Those nearby began to gasp in horror. No words were needed. "Woong!" The Fire of the Tuesday, reacting to the magic power pushed to its limit, began to rip and burn the sweltering monsters drawn in by the reaction. I ran. Into the waves of monsters. I charged in, using all my strength now. The golden Tiamata wasn''t strictly necessary. "Woong!" The devastating power of corruption pouring from the dark demonic sword Tiamata tore the monsters apart, and the blue magic power pouring from Alsbringer crushed them. And the flames emitted by the Fire of the Tuesday opened the path by burning the monsters. The talk of the emperor''s betrayal disappeared. "The Demon King¡­" "The Demon King has appeared!" People began to shout about the appearance of the Demon King. And the fact that there could be such a hopeful resonance in the words "Demon King" spoken by humans. In this situation, somehow. It felt ridiculous. CH 659 In the midst of the battlefield. Olivia Lanze, too, was fighting while wearing the armor of a Holy Knight. The thousands of meteorites pouring down from the torn sky shook the ground with their impacts. And Olivia could clearly see the huge waves of flame and flashes of light that engulfed the monsters. "Reinhardt..." The Immortal had disappeared, and the Demon King''s troops had invaded. Everyone would know that the Demon King''s troops were not aimed at humanity, but at the monsters. Would this misunderstanding end? However, this story was only about covering one misunderstanding with another. Covering the misconception that the Demon King wanted to exterminate humanity with the misconception that the Emperor had abandoned humanity. Reinhardt may not have intended it, but the situation was flowing in that direction. However, covering one misunderstanding with another was only possible if the Allied Forces survived. Destroying all the warp gates and ensuring everyone''s survival. The annihilated Allied Forces couldn''t return to humanity with any truth or misunderstanding. First, they had to survive. That''s why Reinhardt had removed his mask and revealed himself as the Demon King. He showed the magic that killed the monsters. To support the collapsing Allied Forces caught in their own trap. The mask had to be removed. Any strong power would do. Although the Immortal was gone, everyone needed to know that there was a powerful ally who would not bow to the monsters. So. Flick! Olivia also threw off her helmet. As she untied the band that held her hair, Olivia''s brilliant platinum blonde hair fluttered in the wind of the battlefield. In such a miserable battlefield, there was a presence that couldn''t help but draw attention, and it was Olivia Lanze. Even before the Gate Incident, Olivia Lanze had gained enormous fame under the name of the Saint of Eredian. She had participated in the Great Demon War, and although she had taken a supporting role, she had gained an uncharacteristic nickname of "Deathbringer" for killing countless demons. However, even that fame was meager compared to the infamy she gained after the Gate Incident. A traitor of humanity. She became more famous as a villainess rather than a saintess, and wanted posters for the traitors who betrayed humanity were posted in every city where humanity still existed. Those who had even a bit of hatred towards the Demon King, of course, would have no choice but to know the faces of the three traitors of humanity as well as the Demon King''s face. Olivia Lanze. Harriet de Saint Owan. Liana de Grantz. One of the three, Olivia Lanze, revealed herself. Olivia Lanze... The Demon King''s Saintess! Those among the soldiers in the battlefield who recognized her face could only be horrified, while those who didn''t know her could only look at her following the horror of others. Even the Holy Knights were appalled at the fact that she was wearing the armor of a Holy Knight and fighting alongside them in the battlefield. But it was the middle of the battlefield. There was no time to discuss their horror and fear now. They had to fight. It was the same for Olivia. She killed monsters. The Empire had raised warriors to create an army to kill monsters. In the end, what they needed was power. The power to kill monsters. It didn''t matter what the source of that power was. The power to kill the enemy. The power to end all of this. People wanted that. Rumble! The power that extended from Olivia''s hands was clearly, not benign. It was not the white and golden power used by the saint of purity, but rather, dark and sinister energies that emanated from Olivia''s body. For a moment, people were aghast at the sight of the seemingly malevolent dark power. Grrr The ground, imbued with this dark power, began to tremble, and something started to emerge from beneath the earth. One by one, ominous beings appeared, oozing an inky black aura of corruption that was not found in simple low-ranking undead. Countless Death Knights erupted from the ground. But that was not all. Screeeech! As the skeletons rose from the ground, they waved their hands in the air, and one by one, they mounted translucent phantom steeds that were nothing but bones. The Death Knights began to grasp the reins of the phantom horses. Olivia Lanze, too, leapt lightly onto a phantom steed. The saint, now turned wicked, looked down upon the terrified humans. "Let''s go." Snap! With a harsh crack of the reins, the phantom horses didn''t run but slid at an incredible speed towards the wave of monsters. Led by Olivia Lanze, countless Death Knights followed behind, mounted on their phantom steeds. Screeeech! The piercing cries of the phantom horses drowned out the monstrous wails. Crunch crunch! The phantom horses'' procession trampled the monsters ruthlessly as they advanced. It was as if a ship was breaking through a tidal wave. Everyone stood dumbfounded as they watched the phantom horses trample the horde of monsters. And then, as if it was a signal, Several of the Holy Knights who had been fighting on the battlefield suddenly mounted the phantom horses and joined the procession. "What... what on earth..." Olivia Lanze, who had disappeared as a saint, now wielded the powers of darkness and corruption, just like her altered reputation. What''s more, a few of the Holy Knights of the Order used the very power of corruption they were supposed to oppose. The Demon King''s forces were within the Order. Their use of the cursed power was clear. However, Roaaarrr! Screeech! It was also clear that they were attacking the monsters, not humans. ------ Everyone was in their place, doing their part. They were all doing their best to fill the void left by the Immortal. Everyone''s power was different, so they couldn''t all fight together in the same place. Reinhardt had his place. Liana had her place. Olivia had her place. And the Vampire Lords and their followers had their place as well. Of course, Harriet had her place too. The Vampire Lords were summoning meteors to repel the monsters. Both Reinhardt and Olivia were at the forefront, revealing themselves to keep the morale of the allied forces from crumbling. Harriet was by Liana''s side, who was concentrating her mind to summon even greater power after the Immortal''s disappearance. Harriet seemed to know why the Immortal had been withdrawn. She must have known that it would come to this. It was not unthinkable, but she had never expected such a move. Did she hate us that much? Why did she hate us so much? Even knowing that the Demon King would take such actions to save everyone, the fact that they were being used meant they understood what the Demon King was thinking. Why on earth did she have to go through all this, Harriet didn''t know. She couldn''t understand it either. But now was not the time for anger, confusion, or tears of injustice. She knew that rather than complaining about the unfairness and irrationality of this situation, she had to support the crumbling alliance. That''s why, knowing she was trapped, she tried her best. "..." Harriet de Saint-Owan. The magical genius, known as the greatest talent in history, had already accomplished numerous miracles. However, those miracles had little to do with war. Now, Harriet de Saint-Owan''s genius was needed. This time, more than ever. She had to demonstrate her genius in destruction. Quietly, Harriet took out a pair of earrings she had been keeping in her pocket. Small, matching earrings. "''Tranquility magic is permanently engraved into this artifact,'' they said. ''I don''t need it, and Ellen doesn''t either. So, it''s for you. If you can maintain your composure while using magic, casting will be easier, right?''" Earrings imbued with mental stabilization magic. A treasure brought back from the Darklands by Reinhardt and Ellen. As an apology, Reinhardt had given them to Harriet, who was feeling down, watching the pair create a secret she couldn''t be a part of. No, from the beginning, he had intended to give them to Harriet, regardless of the apology. Although it was undoubtedly a valuable item, it might not hold great significance to Harriet anymore. In reality, it didn''t. Even without wearing these earrings, Harriet had reached the point where she could maintain her composure during battle. That''s why she carried them around but didn''t bother wearing them. She believed that obtaining composure through magic manifested by an artifact was far from a way to become stronger on her own. However, now was the time when she needed to borrow any power she could get. She couldn''t know how much help this small pair of earrings would be, but they held great significance. They were Harriet''s treasure. A possession brought back by her loved one and her precious friend. Silently, Harriet put on the pair of earrings. The subtle green glow of the earrings provided minimal tranquility effects. But it was not the magic imbued in the earrings, but the meaning behind them that calmed Harriet''s heart. She would succeed. No matter what it was. Reinhardt, fighting in the front. And Ellen, fighting even beyond him. And everyone on this battlefield. For her loved one and her precious friends. And for everyone. So their end wouldn''t be brought by such monsters. To reach a proper conclusion for the two of them. She had to succeed, no matter what. Although objects couldn''t hold feelings, believing they did. "Even if it''s the second, it''s okay. No, even if it''s the third. Even if it''s the last......" Knowing the meaning behind the earrings, not the magic, Harriet gained the help of her heart, not magic. "Even then, it''s fine......" Now, there was no confusion or sorrow in Harriet''s calm eyes. There was no room for emotions such as resentment, sorrow, or pettiness. A time when even surviving was an overwhelming challenge. In that final battle. Wishing for happiness for everyone was a luxury. Just survive. Let''s finally reach the end of everything. So, it''s alright if my place is a little far away. As long as I can survive. If only she could reach the end. Then, whatever it took would be fine. -Grrrrrrrrrrrrr! In a place on the battlefield filled with the agonized screams of flying monsters. Harriet de Saint-Owan began to take a deep breath. "Whoooo...." Blue magical lines appeared all over Harriet''s body. On her earrings as well. And from the power cartridge hanging around her neck, light surged. The method of instantly activating magic by infusing mana into her body, like a magical scroll. Harriet conceived this idea in her first year at the Temple Royal Class and realized it. She also developed a power cartridge that allowed her to use external mana as if it were her own internal mana. Time passed. Harriet didn''t live her life in battle and strife, but used her magic primarily to support Reinhardt. Although she had shown her power in battles up to now, she had never been the main character. However, just because she wasn''t the main character in a fight didn''t mean she didn''t think about it. It wasn''t for nothing that she scribbled something every night beside the sleeping Reinhardt. Magic that was beneficial to people. Magic that took care of the wounded. Magic that created new warp gates. Among them, how could there not have been magic for destruction? After all, she spent her days where strength and fighting were the most important. How could she not have conceived such magic? Now, she had to show it. Something she had never tried before. Something she hadn''t even thought was possible. Something that had never succeeded even once. Magic that existed only in her imagination. Now, she had to bring it into reality. What she could achieve if her talent was used not for creation, but for destruction. It was time to show it. The blue magical lines drawn on Harriet''s body soon began to fall off her skin. The magical lines that had been engraved on her body were now leaving her flesh. The blue magical lines that materialized in the air, floating like threads. "Harriet...?" Liana blankly stared at Harriet, who was doing something. "..." With wide eyes, Harriet bit her lip, seemingly concentrating on something. She was so focused that she didn''t even notice her bitten lip tearing and blood flowing. Magic that used her body as a magical scroll. This was only possible for Harriet de Saint-Owan. But now, those magical lines had left her body. A power cartridge that allowed her to use external mana like her own internal mana. All the principles of the power cartridge were in Harriet''s head. However, even with the multiple improved power cartridges hanging around Harriet''s neck, there was still not enough mana to realize the magic she wanted to implement. No matter whose mana it was, they wouldn''t be able to implement the magic that Harriet imagined. What is magic? Harriet had pondered this for a long time. Even now, magic is the domain of geniuses. However, in the distant past. There was a time when even the most brilliant geniuses could not touch magic. There was no method of using internal mana. No way to accumulate mana within the body. When magic had to be used by controlling external mana. There were so few mages like that in the world that they could be counted on one hand. Even those few mages could only perform tiny miracles with their genius. In the distant past, magic was such a thing. ''How is it?'' ''You... can actually do this...'' ''It''s not much, but that''s all I can do.'' The Lord of Tuesday. Eleris knew some methods of harnessing the mana of nature. When asked if one could use the mana of nature as their own, Eleris demonstrated a small but magnificent miracle. It was an easy task for modern-day mages, but the magic was performed using ancient methods. She could summon flames, lightning, and even a fireball, although it took a long time to do so. "Could I do it, too?" Even for a being who had lived hundreds of times longer than herself, it was barely possible. To the ancient entity, the young mage''s question could only be seen as a childish boast. A mere twenty-something, like her, could have been scolded for daring to dream of such heights. However, Eleris understood the longing in Harriet''s question. "Of course, Harriet. You''ll be much better at it than I am." Thus, the Lord of Tuesday didn''t mock Harriet, instead teaching her everything she knew. Reinhardt always felt sorry for not being able to provide a better environment for Harriet. But that was a misunderstanding born from ignorance. Harriet had an environment that was unmatched on the entire continent. She was in the company of the Five Vampire Lords, who had existed for an unfathomable amount of time. To simply call them archmages would be an understatement. Beyond their magical prowess and skill, they possessed countless spells and arcane knowledge gathered over a long time. Harriet was in the company of great mages who could not only possess this knowledge but also put it to practical use. Whenever she had a question, she could ask them, and they would impart vast amounts of knowledge she had never known before. Having lived for so long, their magical achievements had essentially stagnated. They had all reached their individual limits. Yet, they did not hesitate to pass on their knowledge to Harriet, who was willing to try anything. All of the Vampire Lords were curious about how far someone with an unparalleled talent could go. So, ever since Harriet arrived in Edina, she had been like a disciple to the Five Vampire Lords. Most mages couldn''t even have a single archmage as their mentor. But Harriet had five Vampire Lords, who had existed for an incredibly long time, as her mentors. Sometimes, she learned from Eleris. Sometimes, from Lucinil. Sometimes, from Luvien. Sometimes, from Gallarush. And sometimes, from Antirianus. She received countless knowledge and inspiration from them. So, Harriet wasn''t in a poor environment, but in the best one possible. The greatest genius in history had been studying magic in an unprecedented environment. Harriet de Saint-Owan had been spending moments bound to push her talents to their limits. Now, it was time to show the world the fruits of her labor. Her vast knowledge and wisdom. The knowledge that had accumulated since ancient times, transformed into wisdom, would now be manifested by a young mage barely in her twenties. Harriet developed a system that allowed her to use magic almost instantly by turning her own body into a real-time magical scroll. Harriet created a power cartridge that allowed her to use external mana as if it were her own internal mana. And Harriet sought the ancient magic ¨C the method of using the mana of nature. In fact, Harriet had once created a magic circle on the spot and, with her own mana depleted, called down lightning through the mana of nature. Already, Harriet had discovered a principle similar to drawing magic circles on her own body and implementing magic at high speeds. However, once the magical power contained within the vessel known as the body was depleted, and once the power contained within another vessel called the power cartridge was depleted, magic could no longer be implemented. Thus, a vessel approaching infinity was necessary. She would use the vessel called nature. If she could implement magic using a vessel that was nearly infinite, she could use magic beyond her limits, approaching infinity. But using a vessel that transcended the physical realm was by no means an easy task. "What would be the difference between that and the Akasha?" "Pardon?" Upon hearing Harriet''s idea, Antirianus spoke with a meaningful smile. "Isn''t it essentially the same thing, a magic that can contain all other magics and a magic that can implement all other magics?" Hearing his words, Harriet realized how grand her dream was. However, the old monster hadn''t said that to discourage her from dreaming. "Wasn''t Akasha just a magical tool? Why wouldn''t it be possible for magic to implement the vision of a scribe?" He said there was more than enough possibility for Harriet. "Akasha was a magical tool that recorded and reproduced the principles." "I''ve heard so." "Then, who can say that you cannot create magic that is the origin of all principles?" In the end, Harriet''s dream was more magnificent than she had imagined. While the principles might be different, ultimately, she would create magic similar to Akasha. But it didn''t need to be exactly the same as Akasha. There was no need to reproduce everything. Only the implementation of magic was enough. Hence, the magic she dreamed of was one. "Everything." More precisely, "the origin of magic that can become anything." Just like Akasha. As the Akasha that was used for destruction created and unleashed anything upon the world. If she could create magic that could implement any other magic, she could create all the magic in the world. In other words, the seed of all magic. The fundamental magic that changes depending on how the seed is germinated. Akasha was a tool that recorded all principles. Harriet didn''t intend to create Akasha, nor did she think it was possible for her. There was no need to record and know all the principles. No need to create anything. She would create an Akasha capable of implementing only magic. An absolute principle that could become all principles. With just that one thing, all magic could be created. Gathering everything in the world and making it one. That was Akasha. So then, The one that could become everything. Wasn''t that Akasha as well? Even if the methods were different but the results were the same. It might be smaller in scale. But it could also be called Akasha. Akasha became the world. But Harriet couldn''t dream of that much. To create countless "ones," a vast amount of magical power was needed. Therefore, Nature''s mana. She must draw upon the world''s magical power. That was not possible. No one even tried. But there was someone who had definitely said that such an absurd thing could be possible. Why not give it a try? You can do it, can''t you? "Didn''t you say it''s impossible without even trying?" "Do you think people are foolish enough not to use that method? The modern magical theory created by people smarter and more talented than you after making great efforts..." "Could all those people be idiots?" "¡­What?" At that time, she had thought that the words were spoken just to torment her. But they were not. The speaker had been sincere. "What if all those people are dumber than you, and that''s why they created the current magic theory?" "W-what¡­ What the hell are you talking about?" "All the mages who have ever existed could be more foolish than you." Despite her being far from even the rank of a great mage at that time, he spoke with unwavering confidence. "Are you¡­ serious?" "Of course, I am." He had spoken so boldly about something no one would believe. "How much of a genius do you think I am? On what basis do you think so highly of me?" "You''ll become the greatest mage on the continent, no, in the history of all races. You know my ability?" "Uh, yeah¡­" The ability to believe in oneself and make that belief a reality. It was a bizarre power, but ultimately, it was the driving force that had brought him this far. "I believe in you like that." With that power, he had clearly stated his belief without a hint of doubt. Reinhardt had no doubt in his mind. Harriet didn''t believe that all mages in the world, or throughout history, were more foolish than herself. But there was someone who believed so. Someone who believed in her and told her she could do it. So, in response to that faith. That absurd faith. She had to answer. Even though she didn''t think that way. ¡®If you think so.¡¯ ¡®I will believe once that I am such a being.¡¯ ¡®I will hope that I am such a being.¡¯ ¡®Yes.¡¯ ¡®The greatest in history.¡¯ ¡®Unprecedented.¡¯ ¡®I will show the world what the strongest mage can do.¡¯ ¡®With infinite mana.¡¯ ¡®I will become the mage of infinity.¡¯ -Krururung! Harriet''s hair fluttered, and the power cartridges around his neck jostled. She used her own magical power and the power of the cartridges as ingredients. In other words, it was like a spark. A spark to ignite a massive flame had to be created by Harriet''s hand. Blue lines of magical power emerged from Harriet''s body and shot into the air, taking shape. The blue lines of magical power pouring from Harriet''s body soon became visible to the other mages far away from her. -Krurururung! No one but Harriet herself knew what was happening. Blue strands sprouting from Harriet''s body began to take shape in the sky. Though no one had ever seen or attempted anything like it, the mages couldn''t help but recognize what it was. Lines drawn in the air. Shapes. Symbols. Characters. Their interconnections. ¡°A magic circle¡­?¡± ¡°Is that¡­ a magic circle?¡± Most magic circles take on a two-dimensional form. However, Harriet was drawing a magic circle in the air with lines of magical power, a form that had never existed before. A three-dimensional drawing. And beyond that. In order to detect and absorb the real-time fluctuations of mana, the shape of the magic circle that absorbed the mana of nature also had to change in real time. A four-dimensional magic circle that didn''t have a fixed form but changed its shape in real time depending on the situation was drawn in the air. No, it was woven. -Krururung! The lines of magical power pouring from Harriet''s body shot into the sky, taking the shape of a massive sphere. It appeared as if a giant star made of magic was being formed. Liana, too, watched the bizarre transformation occurring alongside the storm of magical power with wide-open eyes. When the storm-like anomaly came to an end, All the nearby mages could see something manifested in the sky. A blue, glowing spherical magic circle. No, a magical star. The origin of principles capable of implementing all the laws of magic. Therefore, it could be said to represent the very laws of the world itself. The myriad phenomena of the universe. CH 660 "What... what is that?" Lucinil could not hide her astonishment as she gazed at the magical star that suddenly appeared in the sky above the gathering of the Vampire Lords'' mages. It was a form of magic she had never seen before, and she couldn''t comprehend what it was. "It seems our adorable scribe has caused quite an accident," Antirianus chuckled as he looked at the enormous sphere. Lucinil glared at Antirianus as he cast a large-scale destruction spell. "Harriet? What is that thing in the first place?" "I don''t know." "Why do you act like you know something..." -Flash! But before Lucinil could finish speaking, a flash of light shot from the massive magical sphere and struck the midst of the monster horde. It was simple. A single beam of white light. -Rumble! However, the result was anything but simple. An explosion more extensive than a falling meteor wiped out the monsters. Lucinil''s face drained of color at the sight of the overwhelming destruction. "Who could have known this would happen with an unknown magic?" "What on earth...?" They might have been the inspiration, but they couldn''t have possibly predicted that it would be completed in this manner. The flash of light wasn''t a one-time event. -Flash! The blue magical star was firing its destructive light not only at the ground but also towards the sky. "What is that thing, using an unknown destructive magic at that speed?" "Is anything impossible in magic?" Antirianus'' words were nothing more than a fantasy held by novice mages or those entirely ignorant of magic. Mages knew all too well what magic could not do. Therefore, the Vampire Lords, who could be considered the oldest mages in the world, knew better than anyone what magic couldn''t accomplish. So Antirianus'' statement was nothing more than a malicious joke. But that joke had become reality. -Crackling! The sparks shooting from the magical star intercepted the flying monster swarms and unleashed flashes of light. It wasn''t just that the scale of the large-scale destruction spells had increased more than before; they were also being cast at an immeasurable speed and in countless numbers. "Living for so long..." Antirianus smiled. "You get to see so many things." Even a lunatic who enjoyed the heat of battle couldn''t help but purely admire the miracle achieved by a single star. The Immortals were gone, but inexplicable things were happening on the battlefield. Meteors rained down, sweeping away monsters, the Demon King appeared and pushed through the monster waves, and an unidentified giant star provided support fire from the rear. Not only destruction spells, but a blue barrier also appeared around every charging soldier. It provided both destruction and protection. Though they couldn''t understand the situation, everyone knew it had appeared to help the allied forces. The crumbling morale of the allied forces was barely maintained, and even the retreating soldiers began to feel they needed to find their place. -Roar! On the other side of the battlefield, a presence that could fully restore the collapsing morale began to reveal itself. As the space opened up entirely, a massive figure appeared. Titan...! The Titan is here! At the sight of the colossal weapon that could be seen anywhere on the battlefield, despair seemed to disappear, and the entire allied forces began to cheer. "Ho¡­ The Titan is already being deployed." At Antirianus''s words, Lucinil bit her lip. "This isn''t a good thing." "I suppose not." The Titan was originally planned to be summoned after the allied forces had made some progress. However, it had been deployed earlier than planned out of fear that the allied forces might collapse before even reaching Diane. Deploying the Titan to boost morale meant that it wouldn''t be able to play a significant role when entering the depths of Diane. ------ "Will it be alright¡­?" Adelia asked, to which the Archduke shook his head with a stern expression. "It probably won''t be." The Titan should have been used later. However, it couldn''t be helped given the situation where, if not used now, the allied forces might destroy themselves. But when it was truly needed to destroy the warp gates deep within Diane, the Titan would be recalled. At that moment, when the Titan disappeared, the allied forces'' morale might hit rock bottom once again. Whatever happened, today was the last day. Whether it would be the destruction of the continent or the end of the monsters. Everything was at stake in just one day. The Archduke looked at the blue star floating in the distant sky above the battlefield. It was a massive miracle with an inexplicable meaning. A miracle of destruction that shouldn''t exist in a time of peace. Following the Titan and the Immortal, there was now even this. It was an era where all talents were used only for destruction. Everyone wished for the end of that era today. ------ -Kihihihihi! With the eerie laughter of the phantom horses, the Death Knights'' army swept across the battlefield. Riding the irregularly moving phantom horses, the Death Knights trampled over the monsters as if defying the laws of the world. The Death Knights and the Death Paladins, who ran wildly, leaping over the giant monsters as if they were mere obstacles, were too fast and unpredictable for the monsters to reach. It was a terrifying sight to any human, but that terror now belonged to the humans. And at the very front of them, Olivia Lanze, wielding a massive spear, pierced, smashed, and crushed the monsters. To save her Tiamata for Reinhardt, who would face the most challenging battle, Olivia didn''t use it. However, for Olivia, who had already mastered the power of the divine, Tiamata''s power wasn''t that important. As she swept through the battlefield and raised her hand towards the sky, a vast light poured down from the heavens, enveloping the wide battlefield. -Oooooh! The wounds of the injured and the dying began to heal. The warm divine light itself was a healing light and the source of life. The power of purity. Olivia, now more potent than when she was called the Saint of Eredian, scattered healing light across the entire battlefield in an instant, healing everyone. The dramatic healing was spreading unbelievably far and wide. To those who experienced this miracle of life, the matters of the Demon King or the Emperor didn''t matter. Such a sacred presence. Such a beautiful presence. A being that manifested such a warm light in the world. The very existence that had chosen to follow her could not possibly be evil, could it? In fact, wasn''t she the very embodiment of purity, a manifestation of the divine within? However, Olivia Lanze was not interested in the thoughts of such people. As if to deny the changing thoughts of those people, her right hand, which had been riding the phantom horse through the battlefield, was suddenly filled with dark, murky shadows rather than the power of purity. Atop the phantom horse, Olivia stood as if performing acrobatics and soon leaped towards the monstrous creature, as tall as a bell tower. Whoosh! Compared to the massive creature, the spear in Olivia''s right hand was nothing but a toothpick. Roaaar! However, the black energy pouring out of the spear exploded like lightning, slashing through the gigantic monster. Gah...! As the monster seemed to be about to fall from the single fatal blow, it instead stood up straight. But the expression in the eyes of the massive monster, which had been spewing flames just moments before, had changed. It was as if something had contaminated it. In the depths of the monster''s huge pupils, a dark, murky darkness was smoldering. Those who had been watching Olivia Lanze''s battle finally realized. The monsters that had been pierced and killed by Olivia Lanze''s spear, which had been sprinkling the light of life, were not dying but rising back up. No, they were rising up despite already being dead. And they were now charging towards the other monsters. As if controlled by something, the giant monster turned its body away from the human army and towards the other monsters, spewing forth blazing flames. She had sprinkled the healing light of life and wielded the corrupting power to control death. The saintess of life and death. Olivia Lanze had raised the dead monsters to kill the other monsters. Climbing back on the phantom horse, Olivia ascended the massive monster''s back and made her way to its head. She didn''t stop there. Rumble! A giant dragon-shaped monster, which had been spewing flames to burn the allied force, began to dive down, claws bared, towards the head of the monster. Olivia aimed her spear towards the dragon, from the ground to the sky. Crash! With a sound like thunder, the dragon-like body was pierced by the spear she had thrown. Boom! The falling dragon crashed into the ground, crushing countless other monsters beneath it. Olivia, riding the phantom horse, raced towards the dragon pierced by her spear. The dragon was already dying, but it was forcibly resurrected by the power of corruption. A smile appeared on the lips of Olivia Lanze as she rode the phantom horse. "Yes..." Until now, she had to hide her true self, unable to fully reveal her power. But now, she had to do everything she could. "I''ve always wanted to ride one of those!" Riding the phantom horse, Olivia had leaped onto the back of the dragon, which was now covered in the power of corruption and rising back to life. The phantom horse disappeared, and Olivia had gained a new mount. Whoosh! With a gust-like flap of its wings and a single leap, the dragon, returned from death, soared into the sky. Rooooaaar! Rumble! The dragon spewed lightning and flames from its mouth. Crash! Clang! And on its back, Olivia Lanze, with the energy of death and healing in both hands, formed the shape of a spear and began to deliver death to the flying monsters. The flying monsters that fell, dead, began to rise again before hitting the ground and took to the sky once more. In her right hand, the light of healing. In her left hand, the spear of death. The monsters killed by Olivia returned from death to slaughter other monsters, while the humans touched by Olivia''s sprinkling healing light came back from the brink of death. The saintess of life and death. Everyone on the battlefield could see the light of death and life being cast by Olivia Lanze, now mounted on the dragon. CH 661 As fierce battles unfolded in Diane, an equally intense battle was taking place in the underground of the Temple Magic University. It was just that there was no one to remember this battle. Undoubtedly, the battle was intense. However, the intensity wasn''t due to Saviolin Turner. "..." Saviolin Turner silently watched as the Immortal knights were skewered and killed by aura spear. She had not moved a single step since the battle began. All approaching Immortals were intercepted. "This... monster..." Christina muttered in a daze, grinding her teeth. She was unmistakably human. She wasn''t a revived Immortal who had become more powerful, nor did she possess anything beyond a human body. However, Saviolin Turner, maintaining her initial stance, effortlessly blocked all of the Immortals'' assaults. She hadn''t even drawn her sword. Even among the Grandmasters of the Immortals, who were considered the elite, it was impossible to make Saviolin Turner draw her sword. It was a battle of thousands against one. Even if the narrow space didn''t allow for thousands to attack simultaneously, how was such a feat possible? Ellen Artorius at least had the power of the Divine Relics. However, Saviolin Turner completely blocked the Immortals'' assault without any such assistance. If anything, she was the more unbelievable monster. The nickname of "the strongest in the continent" was attached to her, but Saviolin Turner''s reputation was weaker compared to that title. Before the Great Demon War, there was the commander of Shanafel and her mentor, Larken Simonstite. Just before and during the Great Demon War, there was the hero, Ragan Artorius. Currently, after the Great Demon War, there was Ellen Artorius. There was always someone mentioned before her. Only when those individuals disappeared did she briefly become known as the strongest on the continent. That''s why some considered Saviolin Turner to be the strongest of the non-champions before the appearance of the next world''s strongest. However, that was just the opinion of the world. She was always the second one mentioned, but whether she was truly second or not was unknown to anyone. Strength wasn''t determined by the evaluation of the world. Strength was just strength. Only those who saw and experienced it could know how powerful it truly was. Ellen Artorius was powerful, but it was Saviolin Turner, who had ascended to that realm without even the help of a Divine Relic. It was Saviolin Turner, who had steadily accumulated strength over a long time and had reached that position, who was the truly magnificent existence. But that magnificent existence was blocking her path. A shield that would shatter the spear if she tried to pierce it. If the battle escalated, the laboratory would be destroyed, and the Immortals would be unable to regenerate. That would be playing into the enemy''s hands. Trying to launch a large-scale offensive to kill Saviolin Turner, only for the entire laboratory to be destroyed. Saviolin Turner would want that. ''Wait...'' But as her thoughts reached that point, Christina felt puzzled. Just as Christina had predicted the self-destruction of the Allied Forces and the Demon Army and withdrawn the Immortals, Saviolin Turner likely had the same intention. The entire laboratory collapsing while attempting to break the unbreakable shield with an all-out assault. She would want that. ''No... That''s not it either.'' Saviolin Turner would surely know that Christina wouldn''t make such a choice. Destroying the entire laboratory just to kill one Saviolin Turner was a choice Christina had no reason to make. Since the battle had started, Saviolin Turner had not moved an inch. Christina thought it was a display of confidence. It seemed like a show of strength, as if she could block all the attacks of the Immortals without even moving. No, that was not just a display. It was an indication that she had no intention of actively attacking the Immortals. In fact, while Saviolin Turner continued to neutralize the Immortals, she made no move against Christina, nor against the Immortals that did not approach her. Despite all the Immortals in the laboratory being within range of her magical spear, she did not attack or move against those who did not come within about thirty meters of her. Though she appeared to be concentrating on defense and maintaining distance, she deliberately refrained from attacking the Immortals. It was simple. If she began to attack everything in sight, the Immortals would launch an all-out offensive. Saviolin Turner knew that facing all the Immortals was an impossible task for her. That''s why she only dealt with the approaching Immortals while maintaining a stalemate. There was only one reason. "Was it... to buy time?" It was because she knew what Christina planned to do when she sent the Immortals back into battle. It was to prevent the Immortals from being redeployed to hunt down the Demon King and his forces. That''s why Saviolin Turner did not actively attack. She maintained the stalemate, keeping Christina''s Immortals tied to the spot and preventing any choices from being made. Saviolin Turner had not come here to annihilate the Immortals. Nor had she come to kill Christina. She had come only to keep the Immortals tied up here. To prevent the Immortals from returning to Diane. "Ha, haha... hahaha... All you wanted to do... was that?" "..." "Don''t you see? You''re no different from me." If the Immortals didn''t return, there would be more casualties among the allied forces. Both Saviolin Turner and the Emperor had decided to allow the deaths of others in the hope that the Demon King would not die. With a sneer at how they were no different from herself, Christina listened as Saviolin Turner spoke softly. "That''s how it is." "...What?" With a stern expression, Saviolin Turner gazed at the alchemist who had gone mad amid the frenzy and despair of war and spoke softly. "Killing the citizens of the empire while claiming to protect it." "Killing people who are just like them, only with different appearances, while claiming to protect others." "Only killing and destroying in the name of standing for something and protecting it." "Claiming to do it for everyone, but in the end, not being able to help anyone." "Forgetting the original purpose and intent, and in the end, going down a path that is no longer the right way, even though they know it, simply because they can''t let go of the path they''ve walked." "That''s how it is." Saviolin Turner had walked that path. For a long time, as the sword of the empire, she had killed anything and everything. She had killed more humans than demons. It was uncertain whether her actions had truly protected anything. She might have had to kill, or there might not have been a need to kill at all. There had simply been countless slaughters. "And so, the Gate incident, as difficult as it was, was a clean war." "Monsters were evil." "There was no room for dialogue." "And so, killing them was the right path." There was no reason to hesitate in a fight against an enemy that could not be compromised with or was impossible to negotiate with. Therefore, the Gate incident was a war where there was no reason to question the slaughter itself, regardless of the war''s difficulty. But now, Saviolin Turner found herself in a place where such an absolute line did not exist. She was in a place related to people, not monsters. Whether her actions were to protect something, Or to destroy something, she could not tell. She was there to carry out his orders. "Yes, that''s how it is. When it comes to protecting something, eventually even that reason for protection is lost." At the end of orders and commands, Saviolin Turner was no longer there to protect the empire. She merely stood there as the last sword of the crumbling empire. "Like how you, who wanted to bring your dead friend back to life, ended up driving your other friends to death." "¡­" At Saviolin Turner''s pointed remark, Christina bit her lip and glared at her. She had wanted to bring her dead friend back to life. But the truth she learned during that process taught her that her anger should be directed at everyone. She had dreamt of revenge. But Christina, by withdrawing the Immortals and leaving her friends in a life-or-death situation within the Allied Forces, had caused countless deaths. Not only would many people die because of Christina''s actions, but her friends could die as well. Of course, Christina knew that too. Saviolin Turner had merely spoken a fact that Christina was already aware of. "Christina." "¡­" "Do you still want to bring your dead friend back to life?" She thought there was a way to do it. The Immortal was only a half-hearted resurrection. If she could find a more complete, more perfect method, She believed she could achieve a true resurrection. Had that thought changed by now? "I can do it." She still believed it was possible to find a way, even if she hadn''t found it yet. Christina thought that way. There must be a way. It wasn''t impossible, she thought. But Christina understood Saviolin Turner''s words correctly. She didn''t ask if she could do it. She asked if she wanted to. "But I no longer have the right to do so." Even if there was a way, she had no right to bring Asher back to life. The moment she drove countless people, including her friends, to death in the name of revenge, she lost any reason or right to search for a way to bring her dead friend back to life. She didn''t have the right to try and reclaim what she had lost after throwing even the remaining people into the fire. That''s how it was. The original intentions and thoughts, What seemed like the cause, Ultimately became meaningless. Asher''s body was in a pod somewhere in this laboratory, but Christina hadn''t gone there in a while. There was too much work to do. Thinking that she would deal with it after everything was over. In the end, the things she originally planned to do, the dreams she once had, had disappeared. "Do you think I didn''t know that I would end up becoming this kind of person?" Saviolin Turner''s words were ultimately something that even Christina knew. She had not been ignorant. She knew that everything would come to this, and that the thought of saving Asher would eventually fade from her mind. Once she had decided to dream of revenge, she knew it would all flow like this, with the whole world as her target. Christina had the most powerful army at her command, but in reality, she had to face her greatest enemies. The Empire. The Demon King. The Hero. In a way, these enemies were even more dangerous and formidable than the Gate Incident itself. After all, taking revenge against the whole world wouldn''t be easy. That''s why such extreme measures were necessary, and the opposition was responding in kind. The Gate Incident would come to a safe end. The Empire would disappear. The Demon King would dominate the entire world. That was the conspiracy the whole world was plotting. Those who sought to thwart the truth of the Gate Incident with lies and deception would once again attempt to wrap the world in lies and deception. No complex thoughts were necessary. Christina would kill all those who tied the knots of lies and deception. Not for someone else. For no one else, as words like "for a friend" had all become meaningless. In the end, for the smallest unit. For herself. She would take revenge. She wished for destruction upon everyone. "She wants to buy time." The space was narrow, and since it was difficult to attack, Saviolin Turner could hold out. Someday, her stamina would run out and she would collapse, but her role was to prevent the Immortals from returning. However, Saviolin Turner''s actions had a significant weakness. "What if we do this...?" As Christina signaled, the Immortals surrounding Saviolin Turner began to retreat one by one. Instead, they cleared a path. "..." Saviolin Turner watched the scene with a stern expression. As if to keep an eye on the situation, she surrounded herself with a multitude of Aura blades. But the Immortals no longer charged or attacked. -In a flash! Rather, they disappeared one by one. With a hardened expression, Saviolin Turner watched as Christina began to laugh. The Immortals vanished somewhere along with the flash. Surely, the Immortals were returning to the battlefield. If they returned to the battlefield to hunt monsters and the Demon King''s forces revealed themselves, they would hunt them as well. Saviolin Turner had no choice but to watch. She had no way of stopping their movement. "Why should I deal with you?" In an instant, all the Immortal forces had disappeared, and the research facility grew cold again. If Saviolin Turner charged, Christina could do nothing. "Look." But, in the first place, there was no need for forces to protect Christina. "After all, even without the Immortals, you can''t kill me, can you?" If Christina were killed, the Immortals would go berserk. They would not only hunt the Demon King and monsters but also indiscriminately attack the allied forces. However, Christina couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease in Saviolin Turner''s expression. She was neither flustered nor surprised. She slowly walked towards Christina. In a situation where no one could protect Christina. -Step by step Slowly. But as Christina''s eyes widened at the sight of Saviolin Turner approaching with certainty. She merely walked forward, not uttering a single word. "Surely, surely not..." Stumbling backward, Christina continued to retreat. She couldn''t read any intentions from Saviolin Turner''s expression. "You know what will happen... if you kill me, right?" Naturally, she couldn''t help but be terrified. She knew her opponent''s intentions and desires, so she understood what choice she should make. People would try to protect her, so she believed they would never kill her. But as the stony-faced Turner approached, a myriad of possibilities raced through Christina''s mind. There were people who had gone mad. Was there any rule that said Saviolin Turner couldn''t be one of them? Exhausted by hatred and malice, she might just twist Christina''s neck without a second thought, right? In the end, Christina collapsed in the very spot she had been retreating to. Christina knew nothing of fighting. She had sent away all the Immortals. She had never been slapped in the face, not even once. She had brazenly talked big in front of a being with the status of a Grandmaster. "Don''t, don''t come closer..." Looking at Christina, who was terrified even though she hadn''t been exposed to any violence, Saviolin Turner, now close by, gazed down at her. It was neither a sneer nor a look of contempt. Saviolin Turner''s clenched eyes were filled with sadness. "How could someone like you... someone like... someone like you..." "..." "Have to end up like this..." She had shouted confidently from afar, but the moment the being who might kill her came close, she collapsed in fear. Once the thought of possibly dying crossed her mind, she began to tremble. Such a pitiful and wretched existence, dwarfed by the fear of death. She had dreamed of an overly grand revenge. Saviolin Turner could only find the wretchedness of Christina, who cowered and looked up at her, unbearably sad. She was neither the villain of the century nor an immortal absolute being. Just a slightly intelligent alchemist. Saviolin Turner, suppressing her sadness, reached for Christina''s collar. However, before she could grab it, Christina thrust her hand into her pocket. "I told you not to come!" In Christina''s hand, pulled from her pocket, was a teleportation scroll. Flash! Along with a flash of light, Christina, Anna, and Louis Ancton disappeared. Christina might be small and insignificant, but her life was far from worthless. She knew better than anyone what would happen if she died. She acted as if she would die if they tried to kill her, but when death approached, she ran away. Turner looked around the now empty laboratory, left alone in an instant. Christina had fled. But Saviolin Turner was curious. Had Christina run away out of fear of death, or had she fled because of what would happen if she died? Regardless, it was in the past. That wasn''t Turner''s concern. Saviolin Turner''s original goal was not to kill Christina. Rather, it was to protect her. Christina had misunderstood and fled on her own. A blue curtain of light spread from Saviolin Turner''s body. And then, Saviolin Turner took something out of her pocket. A signal-emitting artifact. Saviolin Turner pressed it. She was not trying to stall for time. Rather, she had known all along that this would happen. She knew that if she pretended to stall for time, Christina would send the Immortals back to the battlefield. It wasn''t to protect the Demon King. She had left the fight between the Immortals and the Demon King to them, and had come to send the Immortals back to the battlefield. And the moment it was confirmed that the Immortals had returned to the battlefield... To blow up the entire laboratory that resurrected the Immortals. That had been Saviolin Turner''s purpose for coming. Click Saviolin Turner pressed the button. There was an explosion. CH 662 On the outskirts of the Imperial Capital. -Flash! "Gasp... Huh..." Christina, drenched in cold sweat, found herself in a remote location after using a mass teleport scroll. She had almost been killed. Saviolin Turner had tried to kill her without a second thought. Christina glanced at the unconscious bodies of Louis and Anna, feeling a tightness in her chest. "Insane..." She knew she was in over her head, but she never expected Saviolin Turner to take such drastic action. Did she even think she could handle it? However, Christina couldn''t help but harden her expression. As someone who had to issue numerous remote commands, Christina was connected to many facilities and immortals. Among them, there was no response from the laboratory. Saviolin Turner was not the only one who had lost her mind. The underground laboratory of the magic university had vanished as soon as she disappeared. "Could it have been... from the very beginning?" With a pale face, Christina mumbled to herself. Once destroyed, the immortals could no longer be repaired. Without the massive support of the empire, the facilities couldn''t even be built. While the immortals were intact, they were now irreparable once destroyed. With a hardened expression, Christina stared blankly at her two unconscious friends. Now, she had to see the end with the remaining immortals. No matter what happened. How much time had passed? "Ugh... Huh..." "Ugh..." Christina watched her friends slowly regain consciousness. "Wha... Where are we?" Knowing that they would undoubtedly object to her actions, Christina had drugged them to sleep at the laboratory before the battle at Diane began. However, it was only natural for them to be shocked when they woke up outdoors after falling asleep in the laboratory. Where should she begin to explain? Christina bit her lip as she watched her friends slowly get up. ------ -Rumble All that remained in the place swept by a dazzling flash of light was a massive crater. Not only had one of the Temple Magic University''s research buildings been blown away, but the surrounding buildings had also collapsed due to the impact of the explosion. In the middle of the crater, where everything seemed to have evaporated, there was a person at the edge. Saviolin Turner and the area where she had activated her aura field remained intact as if the explosion hadn''t touched it. ''I buried explosives in the underground of the magic university.'' ''Explosives...? Are you serious?'' ''If the immortals return to the battlefield, detonate it. However, those three must not be killed.'' That was the emperor''s order. ''There''s no reason for the immortals to exist after this battle anyway.'' The immortals were only needed until today. Thus, facilities to repair immortals were meaningless after today. No, not only were they meaningless, but their existence was also dangerous. The problem that would arise from killing Christina wasn''t the same as the problem caused by blowing up the laboratory. With the explosives Saviolin Turner had planted, they couldn''t kill the immortals, and they could have actually responded to the explosion. That''s why the laboratory could only be destroyed once all the immortals were gone. ''But... if it''s as His Majesty said, then the immortals...'' ''They will try to kill Reinhardt.'' That was undoubtedly what would happen. The Immortals would hunt monsters once they returned to the battlefield, but if Reinhardt and the Demon King''s forces revealed themselves on the battlefield, they would engage in battle with them as well. The Emperor''s response to this concern was simple. "Reinhardt will have to deal with that." "¡­Right." "Isn''t our job already done just by preventing the destroyed Immortals from recovering?" If Saviolin Turner hadn''t come, Christina would have sent the Immortals back to the battlefield anyway. However, if Saviolin Turner hadn''t come, the Demon King''s army and the allied forces would have had to fight the recovered Immortals as well. The Immortals would no longer revive. From now on, the people on the battlefield would have to resolve the situation. Saviolin Turner could return to the battlefield and continue to fight. The Emperor did not issue any further orders. He told her to live her life as she pleased. That''s why she did not head to the battlefield. She had not died in the last battle. She was heading somewhere to do her last task. Not because of someone else''s command. But to do what she had decided on her own volition. ------ On the battlefield, countless unpredictable events were bound to occur. However, in this final battle, the Battle of Diane, there had been an excessive number of unforeseen situations. The first was the sudden disappearance of the Immortals, who were believed to annihilate the monsters at the vanguard. The second was the sudden appearance of the Demon King. The third was the emergence of an unknown magic. The fourth was the earlier-than-expected deployment of the Titan. The fifth was the appearance of a brave soldier who simultaneously demonstrated the miracles of both healing and death. And the sixth. The Immortals, who had disappeared, suddenly started returning to the battlefield. It was inexplicable, but the Immortals had disappeared and then returned. They rejoined the battlefield and continued to annihilate the monsters, advancing relentlessly. Morale, which had been plummeting, slowly began to rise, and once the Immortals returned, it soared. The unstoppable advance into Diane had begun. In the end, neither the soldiers who could only see the monsters in front of them nor those who could observe the entire battlefield could know everything happening on the battlefield. The Immortals'' march tearing through the battlefield seemed to be breaking the waves of monsters. In reality, however, they were chasing the Demon King who had paved the way beyond. -Rumble! The Immortals were not heading to Diane by breaking through the monsters. They were heading there to kill the Demon King. -Growl! However, it was clear that the path was still covered with monsters, so they were undoubtedly making their way through. It was just that their destination was different from their actual goal. The Demon King had leaped into the midst of the monsters, heading forward, while the Immortals chased after him, killing the monsters. The allied forces advanced along the path the Immortals had cleared. The Demon King and the hero joined forces to clear a path to Diane. The Immortals followed them. Then the allied forces followed the path they had opened. To those who did not know the truth, it appeared that way. However, for the parties involved, the situation was entirely different. The Demon King was not breaking through the monsters. He was fleeing from the Immortals. ------ Harriet and Liana could also see the return of the Immortals from their location. "The Immortal¡­ has returned?" And they could see the entire horde converging towards the location of the Demon King. Though the Immortals clearly killed monsters, they would undoubtedly attack not only the forces of the Demon King, but also Liana and Harriet. The distance between Reinhardt and Harriet was too great for any assistance to be provided. Too far away. Harriet was in the middle of the coalition forces, repelling the waves of encroaching monsters from all directions through the magic star. Helpless. And the Immortals increasingly rushed towards the Demon King, prioritizing his death above all else. Too many. If things continued like this, even Reinhardt would eventually be overwhelmed. Too far away, and if they recklessly activated large-scale destructive magic, Reinhardt might be swept away as well. However, the Immortal mages summoned throughout the battlefield had already begun their magical barrage against Reinhardt. The Immortal mages didn''t care if the other Immortals were caught up in the crossfire. Not only were the pursuers a problem, but the mages were too. The best course of action in this situation. Harriet lifted her head. All around, the air was filled with explosive sounds, screams, and monstrous roars. An excessively clear sky. Harriet''s eyes widened. "Liana! Rain!" "Rain?" "We need to make it rain!" "Understood!" Without asking for a lengthy explanation, Liana, who had noticed the unusual situation, immediately used her power. While they couldn''t provide much help to the distant Reinhardt, they had to ensure that at least the mages'' spells wouldn''t reach him properly. And Olivia Lanze, who was spreading the light of healing across the entire battlefield, was also too conspicuous. Both Reinhardt and Olivia would be targeted by large-scale magic if things continued like this. Blocking the mages'' line of sight was the only way to secure their safety, even if just a little. Rumble In the blink of an eye, the clear sky was shrouded by ominous clouds at an astonishing speed. Drip, plop Soon. Raindrops began to fall, one by one. Whoosh! Then, a torrential downpour began. It was not magical, but it was the most effective way to block their vision. With this, Reinhardt would hopefully be able to hold out a little longer. However, the problem was that the pouring rain not only blocked the Immortal''s sight but also severely limited everyone else''s vision. There was no issue in discerning friend from foe. But now, they could no longer tell what was happening deep within the battlefield. Although this might create an unfavorable situation for the coalition forces, they had to prevent the worst-case scenario of Reinhardt''s death. Whoosh! Rumble As the downpour continued, lightning struck from the dark clouds, and meteorites continued to fall. Hell itself had arrived. It was a scene that seemed like the end of the world. But they couldn''t stop. They couldn''t focus solely on Reinhardt. Despite successfully activating powerful magic, it was a spell they were not familiar with. Harriet concentrated her mind once more, believing that she must do everything she could. At that moment, Harriet saw something rushing towards them beyond the torrential rain, near the limit of her visibility. It was not from the direction of the monsters, but a soldier wearing a plated helmet and armor, running towards the coalition forces. Chills ran down Harriet''s entire body. The Immortal didn''t just attack the Demon King. Rather, with their vision obstructed and unable to pinpoint the Demon King''s location, some of the Immortals began to hunt down the visible forces of the Demon King. Naturally, that would include Harriet and Liana. There was no time to scream. As the Immortals'' gazes were divided, the burden on Reinhardt, who was being pursued by the most Immortals, would be somewhat alleviated. "Liana..." "I see it." Liana had clearly seen the charge of one of the Immortals. -Zap! Dozens of lightning bolts poured down from the sky in an instant, striking the charging Immortal. -Rumble! Along with the shockwave that tore through the air due to the explosive lightning, the charging Immortal tumbled across the ground several times like a torrential downpour. However, it charged again despite being hit with a level of lightning that would have blown apart any ordinary monster or human. It was the charge of a monster that had reached the Master Class. Its speed was not that of an ordinary human''s full strength, but rather that of a battle horse running with all its might or even more. -Roar! Roar! The Immortal charged again, taking Liana''s lightning strike. Unbelievably, it deflected the lightning with its sword and kept on running. It wouldn''t fall. "Huff...!" -Rumble! If the attack couldn''t be blocked, then press it down by applying pressure to the ground. However, as if the force pushing down on the ground had no effect, the Immortal only slowed down a bit and continued running without hesitation. Most knights received anti-magic training. And the Immortals were war heroes or ancient heroes who had become even stronger after death. Naturally, those who reached the Master Class possessed an enormous level of anti-magic abilities. Not only physical strength but also lightning was blocked by their aura armor. "Oh, no..." Harriet gaped, watching the Immortal that dodged dangerous magical barrages, deflected lightning, and resisted interfering spells while charging. It was just one creature. They couldn''t even stop the charge of a single Master Class-level Immortal. It was a fact that everyone had inadvertently forgotten because the number of Immortals had suddenly surged when they were created. The Master Class was originally considered a strategic weapon even if there was only one. The Master Class, equipped with the ultimate anti-magic capabilities to become a strategic weapon, was no exception for Harriet, who had completed the most powerful magic. If only they were a little more familiar with this magic. They couldn''t stop a single one. And right now, Reinhardt was being pursued by thousands of such strategic weapons. Worrying about Reinhardt in this situation was foolish. They had to survive. Only by surviving could there be a next time. Both Liana and Harriet tried their best to stop the Immortal''s charge, but it wasn''t coming through the monsters; it was leaping over the allied forces. They might be able to stop it with ground-shattering, destructive magic, but that would also kill a huge number of allied troops. That''s why they couldn''t stop a single Immortal. There were countless ways if they were alone, but the Immortal seemed to use the humans as bait, preventing Harriet from using her powerful magic and continued to charge. A decisive moment. In the moment when they thought a decision was needed. The Immortal soldier, who had been running at a furious speed, raised his sword and thrust his aura blade toward Liana, who stood in front of Harriet. "Liana...!" The moment Harriet, who had decided that she couldn''t let her die, reached out to cast a spell. -Whoosh! Someone flew in from somewhere and fiercely collided with the Immortal''s flank. "Cliffman...?" Cliffman had appeared, having run from somewhere. Neither Liana nor Harriet had time to be taken aback. There was no time for a long conversation. Liana threw herself toward the fallen Immortal. And before it could regain its posture, she grabbed its nape. -Rumble! Fierce lightning began to pour down on Liana''s body from the sky. The lightning seemed to flow through Liana''s body and into the Immortal''s flesh. It was as if she was trying to forcibly insert the lightning. -Zap! Harriet had to cast a shock resistance spell on everyone nearby. -Rumble! If it wouldn''t fall after dozens of lightning strikes, she would shoot hundreds of times. Beyond the limits of its limits, the Immortal was already convulsing, unable to even stand up. "Die...!" -Crack! With a fierce flash that could no longer be called lightning, the Immortal turned to ashes. "Huff... Hah..." A concentrated lightning strike at close range. Cliffman had created an opening, and Liana had finished it off. CH 663 They had nearly failed to suppress a single Immortal Master Class entity. If it hadn''t been for Cliffman''s timely arrival, the situation would have been undoubtedly dangerous. "I had a feeling you were here." "Thank you, thank you... That was close. Really." Breathing heavily, soaked from the rain, Cliffman looked at Liana and Harriet. In the midst of the battlefield, Cliffman, who had been fighting somewhere, saw the lightning striking down in the middle of the allied forces and knew Liana was there. And he realized that they were about to be attacked by something within the alliance, rather than a monster. Liana staggered to her feet. It was just one. Despite being a Master Class, it was only a single entity among the thousands of Immortals on this battlefield. Both Harriet and Liana had exhausted tremendous energy trying to stop that one entity. Even though there was a torrential downpour, many had noticed the numerous lightning strikes and explosions resulting from their tremendous use of power. Cliffman, who had been somewhere on the battlefield, had seen this and hurried to protect Liana and Harriet. Naturally, if Cliffman could see it, so could the Immortals. Liana and Harriet looked around with despairing expressions. "More are coming..." They had felt the threat to their lives by just stopping one entity. But now, Immortals who had pinpointed Harriet and Liana''s location were approaching from all over the battlefield within the heavy rain. This time, it wasn''t just one. Seeing the Immortals approaching from all sides, Harriet clenched her teeth, having struggled to handle even one. "We might have to move." "To where?" At Liana''s question, Harriet bit her lip. This place was a battlefield, and the allied forces were already surrounded by monsters on all sides. If they were to flee, they''d have to flee completely. And fleeing completely would mean leaving the Immortals to be dealt with by someone else. Was survival more important? Or was it more important to reduce the number of Immortals? At this critical juncture, Cliffman spoke to Harriet. "Cast all the enhancement magic you can on me." "You''re going to face them...?" "Yeah. I''ll try to hold them off somehow. If it doesn''t seem possible, then run." Cliffman took a deep breath. They had to do as much as they could. They had to hold out to their limits. That was Cliffman''s conclusion, and neither Liana nor Harriet disagreed. The Magic Star still unleashed a fierce barrage of light against the monsters. If Liana and Harriet fled from this spot, the number of sacrifices would only increase. They had to hold on. It was up to Cliffman to protect the two of them. The forces of the Demon King were strong, but their numbers were not overwhelming. And none of the allied forces fighting had an obligation to protect them. Protecting or killing was up to each individual. Harriet''s protective and enhancement spells coursed through Cliffman''s body, invigorating him. He had escaped from the place where he had to fight. But how many of them could hold their ground on this battlefield? It was a battle to protect something. That''s why Cliffman had rushed to protect what he had to. But did he have the ability to do so? He didn''t know why the Immortals had suddenly disappeared, only to return and try to kill them. In fact, there was no need to know. It was natural for Cliffman to stand here, in a battle to protect something, in order to protect what was most precious to him. "Phew..." The movements approaching from all over the battlefield, clearly indicating the presence of Immortals, were unmistakable. The Demon King was being pursued by thousands of Immortals deep within the battlefield. Everyone was already overwhelmed by the tasks at hand. There were no reinforcements. The saving grace was that, except for the Master Class, the mages'' attacks were being neutralized by Liana and Harriet''s long-range sniping. The real threat was the Master Class, who charged with overwhelming magic resistance and defensive power. Liana and Harriet had a significant impact on the entire battlefield. Their deaths would bring about an irreversible, tremendous loss for the entire battle. Cliffman''s best course of action was to deal with the immediate enemies. The two of them had become far too significant. Master Class Immortals were approaching from all sides, and he had to protect them despite not being at the Master Class level himself. Wasn''t that too presumptuous? Wasn''t that impossible? Could someone like him really accomplish such a feat? But it wasn''t because he could that he stood there; it was because he had to. So, he went for it. He rushed in before the enemies could reach them. He hadn''t reached the Master Class level. But at that moment, Cliffman''s body was enveloped in a blue magic barrier, and even his sword radiated an ominous aura. Rumble! Fierce flames and lightning surged, and the sword glowed with a thick, blue magic light, much like an Aura Blade. Harriet had cast the most powerful spells she could. The most powerful mage provided the most significant support. With this much support, it was possible. Cliffman thrust his sword at the charging Immortal. Squelch! Thud! The sword should have been deflected or shattered the Immortal''s body upon impact. But the body remained intact, as did the weapon. It was possible. While there were limits to his physical abilities, the limitless magic had his back. Flash! Liana''s powerful lightning strike also provided support. The distance was too close, and he would inevitably be electrocuted, but Harriet''s protective magic prevented the lightning from having a significant impact. Clang! "Urgh...!" Bang! After repelling the charging Immortal, Cliffman swung his sword wildly, as if he had lost his mind. His body and mind quickly adapted to the unfamiliar state. Crack! He repeatedly struck the Aura Armor on the Immortal''s body. Liana''s lightning and Harriet''s efforts to restrain the Immortal''s legs and create an opportunity for a decisive blow provided support. Screech! Finally, the sword penetrated the Immortal''s chest, and the powerful Aura enchantment within the sword itself exploded, reducing the Immortal''s body to dust. "Ha... Haa..." One. He had defeated one. With the support of the most powerful magician and the strongest supernatural, Cliffman had succeeded in facing a Master Class being. However, even after exchanging just a few blows, his body felt as if it was falling apart. And more approached. He had barely managed to handle one, but as the battle intensified and became more visible, more Immortals discovered the trio and approached. Could he do it? Cliffman wiped the rain from his face and took a deep breath. Could he do it? Obsessively gnawing on his thoughts, Cliffman clenched his teeth. He had never won a battle because he was capable; not even once. After the Gate Incident, every battle had been like that. There were countless variables. More enemies than expected, or unexpected foes. It had become almost routine for his fellow soldiers to die, and he frequently returned from the battlefield alone, with everyone else dead. People considered Cliffman strange. Many had fought alongside him, even those more skilled, but only Cliffman always returned alive from battles where everyone else perished. And it wasn''t cowardice. He would complete the mission alone and return. A peculiar power. Wasn''t a talent for combat, in truth, closer to a supernatural ability? Even his friends started to say so. But Cliffman didn''t deny their opinion. Instead, he merely thought his talent was closer to luck than supernatural ability. He had been lucky. His life had been such that he could only think that way. Even in battles where Master Class fighters died, Cliffman somehow survived. The one who found that most bizarre was Cliffman himself. Eventually, he started to think that he might have survived by sacrificing the lives of others. He hadn''t survived because he was strong. Hadn''t he survived by stealing someone else''s luck? There had been times when he killed the remaining monsters after the most dangerous ones and stronger fighters perished. That''s why Cliffman considered his talent to be in the realm of luck. He knew better than anyone that he hadn''t survived by fighting well or being strong. And in a battlefield, someone''s luck becomes someone else''s misfortune. He had survived through someone''s misfortune. Seeing it with his own eyes and experiencing it countless times, Cliffman had no choice but to be extremely reluctant to fight alongside someone. If his talent was to achieve victory and survive through others'' misfortune... It was almost a curse. So, he continued to push himself into harsh battlefields. He wanted to fight alone in the most dangerous places. In some sense, it was a defiance towards an unknown someone. If it was his talent to win in any battle... Let them see if he could survive again. Let them see if he could survive even without allies to sacrifice in a dire situation. In that way... He had volunteered for suicide-like missions and yet survived in the end. He wasn''t even that strong, but he always won. He always survived. But not once had he taken pleasure in that victory. What he thought was dangerous turned out not to be, and it was just a battle he could easily win. His luck had followed him in every aspect of those battles. It was a cursed life of victories and survival. Cliffman now knew that his talent was not a power for strength, but a power that brought about some coincidence. A coincidence of survival and return. Then, because he was here, they might win the battle, but perhaps Liana and Harriet would die. However, he couldn''t not come. He couldn''t choose to keep his distance, thinking that his presence might cause their deaths. He looked at the approaching Immortals throughout the battlefield. Now, he was not alone. So, he had to fight to protect them. That''s why Cliffman prayed. His body had been strengthened through immense supportive magic, enough to face a master class. But in the end, he had to be strong. He had no choice but to be strong. If he didn''t surpass his limits, he would only fall. So. At least for today. For just this one day. The talent that had only guaranteed survival and living. This time, he hoped it would grant him strength. Dodging the enemy''s sword by chance, someone else taking the hit instead of him. He didn''t need such cursed luck anymore. A sword that could pierce through enemies. And manifesting as a shield that could protect his friends. So. The talent called battle. He wished for its direction to change now. The countless protective and enhancing magics that Harriet had cast upon him. Whether it was the effect of stabilization magic that acted upon his mind, he didn''t know. Or perhaps, his damned talent had responded to his desire. Regardless, in the face of the impending crisis, Cliffman''s mind became incredibly calm. "Huuu..." As Cliffman steadied his breathing, the boiling magical power within him soon stabilized. And the magical power gathered in his hand holding the sword gradually flowed along the blade. "You..." Liana stared at Cliffman''s transformation with wide eyes. He couldn''t hear her. He could only hope. He could only wish. Hadn''t he already had enough coincidences and luck? Wasn''t it time for that to bear fruit? How much longer must he rely on absurd luck to scrape by with a miserable life? A life built on coincidences is still a life. A life gained through luck is still a life. There was no doubt that he had accumulated experiences over time. Coincidences eventually pile up and become something that can no longer be called a coincidence. When luck continues, the experiences gained from that luck must eventually create something. Even if it had been cursed misfortune up until now, it undoubtedly remained in the form of combat experience, and Cliffman himself had carried out those battles. Never. No one else had fought in his place. The experience of those moments had definitely accumulated. The lucky experiences gained at the cost of the blood of comrades and colleagues who had stood on the battlefield together had definitely piled up in the form of combat experience. Overflowing. Cliffman''s body disappeared in an instant. And then. Swoosh! The Immortal that charged to a close distance was cut in half with a single strike. A sudden awakening. "¡­What?" "What, what is it?" Harriet and Liana, who had seen his transformation, were rather flustered. Cliffman rushed towards the Immortal that was charging directly at Liana and Harriet and swung his sword. His body had surpassed its limits, and the most powerful mage in the world had cast immense enhancement magic upon him. The only thing lacking was himself. Now that this insufficiency was filled, it was only natural that the Immortal wouldn''t notice Cliffman''s approach. No. At this stage, Cliffman might not even need Harriet''s help anymore. -Clang! Crash! Clash! After three swift sword clashes, Cliffman''s sword pierced through the Immortal''s neck as it found an opening in its chest armor. Cliffman neither gasped in surprise nor marveled at his own feat. With endlessly calm and cold eyes, he assessed his next target and immediately moved. Although he had surpassed his limits, he hadn''t merely opened the path to becoming a master class. Cliffman''s transformation was a bit different. In the end. The cursed luck that had always been with him was meant for this very moment. By luck, by chance, he had survived. Now, there was no longer any need for it. No more need for chance, fortune, or luck. Through the experiences built upon them. The things accumulated by chance and luck had already reached a critical point. From then on, at the end of coincidences that forced survival. At the end of accumulated experiences. It was only natural to become a being whose victory was inevitable. Thus, reaching the state where there was no longer any need for luck, fortune, or chance for survival, rejuvenation, and victory. Reaching a destiny where victory was the only possible outcome. That is why it was inherently a growing talent, straddling the boundary of superpowers and destiny. So. The bloody fate built upon countless sacrifices and deaths. The talent called battle. It had just been completed. ------ "Shaaaaa!" The sudden downpour must have been due to Liana''s power. He understood the intention. Indeed, the mages'' barrage had become very inaccurate. However, the immortals within sight relentlessly pursued him. "Kugugung!" "Uh...ugh!" With the Flames of Tuesday, Tiamata, and Alsbringer, he pushed through the monstrous waves. Although torrential rain fell, the Fire of Tuesday explosively evaporated the rainwater, turning it into steam that obscured the pursuers'' vision. In that sense, it was rather helpful. His focus was more on moving forward than killing the monsters. There was no other way to describe the situation except as absurd. The disappearance of the immortals. It was hard to accept, but he knew what the situation was leading to. That''s why he knew that the moment he revealed himself, such a situation would soon follow. The immortals returned and pursued him. If the immortals succeeded in killing him, they would now try to kill Olivia, Harriet, and Liana, and hunt down the vampire lords. His death would be the beginning. If he died, the immortals would try to find those who followed him. So he couldn''t die. In a way, the situation wasn''t all bad. The immortals followed him. "Kwooaaar!" "Whew!" "Thud!" All he had to do was keep moving forward. The immortals followed he, breaking through the waves of monsters. Monsters in front. Immortals behind. Was this what it was like? He was actually doing something that seemed ridiculous, like fleeing towards the enemy lines. Should he call it an assault-like retreat? Rather, he didn''t need to worry about attacking, he just had to step on and kick the monsters aside while moving forward. The immortals would sweep them all away. "I''m, here, you, sons of bitches!" Instead, he strained himself, swinging the Flames of Tuesday and Tiamata''s radiance. While doing so, he evaporated the puddles of water with his flames, blocking their vision. Should he call it a decoy tactic? It was a good situation for him, whether the monsters died or the immortals were destroyed. As long as he wasn''t caught. The moment he was caught, he would be surrounded by thousands of immortals, and there was no cunning way to survive in that situation. While running, he had no choice but to look back to see how far the pursuers had reached, as he stepped over and evaded the monsters trying to grab and tear him apart. Throughout his life, he had seen countless terrifying scenes, and after the Gate Incident, he had faced countless horrifying sights. By mere appearance alone, there had been countless hideously grotesque monsters. "Insane..." However, he had never felt ''fear'' as intensely as he did in that moment. The torrential downpour and the waves of monsters could not stop them. Clad in blue aura armor and wielding weapons like spears, axes, and swords, each adorned with aura blades, about a thousand Master Class warriors pursued him with single-minded determination. Some broke through the monsters, killing them in their path, while others, like him, leaped over the monsters and charged forward. The Master Class warriors were beings who had reached the peak among superhumans. These beings, numbering in the thousands, furiously pursued him with the intent to kill. Sure, the grotesque monsters were disgusting and terrifying. However, those who could literally crush and shred the terrifying monsters, leaping tens of meters in a single bound, were coming after him. And they were not just a few hundred, but thousands. Kwoooo! Monsters were shattered by the aura shockwave, not even from being hit by a weapon, but merely from the impact of their bodies. They swarmed in droves. There was no option to confront them. He ran. He had to, in order to survive. It was the only thing to do if he wanted to live. But, very regrettably, Sssssss! Kukkak! "Ugh...ugh!" The Immortals also had a large number of Archmages capable of long-range support. They blanketed the area above where he was running with large-scale destructive magic. That way, the monsters would die, and he would die along with them. Since they couldn''t properly locate him due to the rain, they indiscriminately unleashed large-scale destructive magic. Ice spears, lightning bolts, and sudden explosions. And then, Plop! "Damn it...!" Suddenly, the ground turned into a swamp. Thousands of Swordmasters followed me, and the blinded by the rain Archmages rained destructive magic upon him. As if it didn''t matter if the Immortals were swept away. Gururururu! "Ugh!" He grabbed onto the horns of a sinking monster, stood up, and continued forward, trampling over the floundering monsters in the swamp. Perhaps that was even better. "Damn it!" But they leaped after him, trampling over the other sinking Immortals in the swamp. Those who sank also managed to struggle and escape. If any of them touched him, it would be the end in an instant. The Immortals were scarier than the monsters. Kukkak! "Kuh... ugh!" Direct destructive magic struck his head as well. Thanks to the aura armor and magic resistance protection, it couldn''t be a fatal blow. The magic that struck him was powerful enough to kill an ordinary person hundreds of times over. At that moment, when he thought he might be caught by the Immortals due to the interference of the magic, Kwooooooo! With a deafening roar that tore through the sky, a breath of fire and lightning struck the Immortals chasing him from behind, and for a moment, a gap was created between him and the Immortals. Gururururung! With a speed similar to crashing down to the ground, a massive body landed right in front of my eyes. A distinct golden figure could be seen atop the massive creature. ¡°Reinhardt! Get on!¡± Olivia, who had mounted the dragon, gestured to him. Had she come to save him? Was that dragon? He was so disoriented that he couldn''t grasp what was happening on the battlefield. The result was clear: Olivia had ridden a dragon to save him. But the answer was predetermined. "No! Go!" What?! "Go quickly! I have to stay here!" His role was to lure the Immortals while destroying Diane. If he were to flee, the Immortals would instead attack others. And they might already be under attack. He couldn''t forget the worth of his ability to lure the Immortals. The quicker he took risks, the sooner the war would end. So he couldn''t leave. If he hesitated any longer, the Immortals would attack not only him but also Olivia. Then, both of them would die. He alone would bear the risk. "Just go!" At my shout, Olivia hesitated no longer. ¡°You...! You idiot...!¡± Olivia gritted her teeth and yelled. ¡°Don''t die, you fool!¡± Kugugung! The dragon, which had appeared before him, leaped roughly and soared back into the pouring rain. It was clear that everyone was doing more than their fair share. So, like them, he had to do more than he was capable of. Once again, in the place where lightning and fire had swept through. He simply ran. Luring the Immortals. Toward Diane, the core of this battlefield. CH 664 The enemy of my enemy is my ally. At that moment, I was putting this saying into practice, but the biggest problem was that my enemies were closing in on me from both the front and the rear. The moment I faltered on the tightrope, I would be devoured by both enemies at once. It was a bizarre sight, as if I was doing a weightlifting act on the front line, but ironically, I wasn''t in the deepest part of the battlefield. The heavy rain made it hard to see, but I could spot the flashes of the Void Sword''s trajectory from a distance, and I saw the corpses of the monsters cut down in one blow here and there. Ellen, who had jumped into the battlefield from the beginning, was far ahead of me. She had already entered the midst of the battle, cleaving through the waves of monsters with the Void Sword and Lapelt, completely obliterating them. Ellen, who had recklessly plunged into those depths without a single escort, was indeed reckless, but she had Lapelt and Lament to back her up. In contrast, I was in greater danger with the Immortals attached to my tail. As I delved deeper into the heart of the battle, not only did the number of monsters increase, but it became increasingly difficult to choose between breaking through the Immortal behind me or the monsters in front of me. Ironically, I was able to get this far because of the concentrated fire aimed at me. Thousands of archmages were still unleashing massive spells above my head, just to kill me. -Kwakwakwang! However, because they couldn''t properly secure their line of sight, the destructive magic was sweeping away the monsters blocking my path. -Kurrrung -Syaaaah! The magic that was trying to kill me was killing the monsters that were trying to kill me as well. Flashes of indistinguishable magic, explosions, cold and fire, and lightning. It was an immense relief that no spell managed to bind my feet, whether it was because they couldn''t see me or due to my magic resistance power, but they didn''t directly affect me. I was a walking, indiscriminate bombardment zone, so I actually had to move forward, pushing through the flames and heavy rain. While Ellen trusted the Void Sword and Lapelt to lead her forward, the attacks that sought to kill me ironically became the spearhead of my advance. That being said, I couldn''t afford to slow down. If I didn''t run, the Immortals would catch up to me. Due to the rough pursuit of the Immortals and my breakthrough, the Allied forces were quickly advancing towards the heart of the battle. I already had the locations of the Warp Gates in my head, even though the visibility was low. All I had to do was lead the Immortal towards the direction of the Warp Gates and keep running. Although it seemed simple at a glance, I had to run through the most dangerous areas of the battlefield without being caught by the enemy. Something was protecting me, but there was no telling how long it would last. -Grooooaar! And then, I saw a massive explosion of fire erupting in one area of the battlefield. "What... is that?" An explosion occurred in the distance. The sheer amount of raindrops that were instantly pushed away allowed me to see the spectacle. The raindrops displaced by the massive explosion soon turned into steam and soared into the sky. The shockwave of fire that erupted from Lapelt crushed the monsters, and I could see the darkness flowing from the Void Sword accurately bisecting the Warp Gate. In an instant, one of the Warp Gates in the heart of Diane was destroyed effortlessly, and the origin of the monsters had been reduced to an empty plot. Ellen was doing on her own what I intended to do with the Immortals. I knew Ellen was strong, and having awakened two divine artifacts, she was even stronger. But in the final battle, could she really do that alone, without the knights of Shanafel that she usually brought along? I had heard that Ellen had grown stronger since her condition became irreversible, but I didn''t realize she was this powerful. Like a ghost rampaging through the battlefield, Ellen destroyed a warp gate and disappeared into the downpour once more. If I encountered Ellen in her current state, would she attack me first or deal with the monsters? I couldn''t be sure. But it was dangerous to get too close to Ellen. And the Immortal might even attack Ellen instead. While pondering these thoughts, I started running in a direction opposite to Ellen''s. -Kurruring! In another location, a strange black energy surged. As with Ellen, me, and the Immortals, it was close to the heart of the battlefield. I wasn''t sure if the expression "darkness burns" was truly accurate, but the burning shape of darkness was undoubtedly sweeping through the monsters in Diane''s core. It wasn''t just me at the vanguard; the allied forces had multiple fronts. Something penetrated one of the fronts and the allied forces followed suit. It didn''t take long to figure it out. It was definitely Ludwig. I didn''t know the limits of the power he gained through dark magic. However, like me and Ellen, he was at the forefront of the battle. Regardless of his thoughts, unlike Christina, I could feel a firm resolve in Ludwig''s steps. A strong determination to end all of this somehow. There was a warp gate in Ludwig''s direction as well. And, like how I could see Ludwig through the downpour, he was dangerously close to me. I had to avoid him. Just as encountering Ellen on the battlefield was dangerous, so too was encountering Ludwig. Everything else could wait. Destroying Diane''s gate was the priority. -Kurruring! With every swing of Ludwig''s greatsword, the dark magic energy created a path by crushing the monsters. The ominous aura emanating from Ludwig''s form reminded me of a berserker. The allied forces advancing in the wake of Ludwig''s opened path must have been equally frightened by the sight of the berserker wielding such sinister power. I couldn''t see every part of the battlefield due to the heavy rain. Even if it wasn''t raining, there wouldn''t be time for that. -Kwakakak! I leaped over a monster that caused the ground to tremble and finished it off. -Kwang! Kwarung! Finally, I arrived at the warp gate while avoiding the monsters and the Immortal. It was medium-sized. Monsters were pouring out of the crimson dimensional hole. It seemed as if it was the end, with monsters pouring out like water gushing. I didn''t need to deal with the monsters myself. -Kurruring! The destructive forces targeting me shattered, ripped, and burned the encircling monsters. It felt as if I had become a god of destruction. As various types of destructive magic rained down upon my location, it was as if I was deliberately wielding such power. I achieved my goal using the power of those who sought to kill me. It was quite amusing, yet a plausible situation. The battlefield was chaotic and brutal, but all I needed was to achieve my objective. To survive. To do so, I had to destroy the warp gates. "Ugh... hah!" Vrooooom! As if a whirlwind was condensing, the power of destruction and corruption gathered in Tiamata, which had turned into a demon sword. The maximum aura. And holding Tiamata, imbued with the maximum power of destruction, I ran between the monsters that were being pulverized by the barrage of destructive spells. I thrust it into the maw of the dimension that spewed out the monsters. Kwa-d-d-d-d! I could clearly see the warp gate being destroyed as soon as the power was released. I may not be able to cut it in one stroke like Ellen, but I could still destroy the warp gate with my power. Vroooom I couldn''t be sure that the Immortals wouldn''t ignore the gate and chase after me, so I destroyed the gate with my own strength. However, as one warp gate disappeared, the Immortals pursuing me became faster. There was no time to rest. "Damn it...!" No matter how helpful the Immortals'' attacks were, the fact that they were trying to kill me remained unchanged. I ran, and I ran again. It felt like a game of tag where everyone around me was trying to catch me. I didn''t know how long I had been running. There were so many spells and monsters altering the surrounding environment that I couldn''t rely on my barrier alone. I ran away, I ran away, and I ran away again until I reached the warp gate, which I then destroyed. And I ran away once more. I had no idea how much time had passed. As the warp gates were destroyed, the number of monsters decreased, and the allied forces had already entered Diane. The Immortals were still chasing me, just out of reach, while slaughtering the monsters of Diane. Ellen, acting alone, and I, luring the Immortals, destroyed the warp gates one by one. And the allied forces that had reached Diane were also destroying the gates one at a time. My heart raced like mad. It wasn''t because of the fear of the Immortals catching up to me. It was truly. It was really the end. We were almost there. Somewhere, I heard the sound of phantom horses galloping as if in a hallucination, and I saw the sight of massive monsters crashing down and crushing the armies. The warp gates of Diane were shattered one by one. The moment when I could talk about what happened next. What should I do next? Would there be a time when I could talk about such things? So. The allied forces that had reached Diane were on the verge of destroying the last gate, which was everyone''s ultimate goal. As the number of warp gates decreased, the number of monsters pouring out from a single gate increased. However, the total number of monsters had to decrease as the number of gates decreased. The allied forces had gone beyond being surrounded by monsters and had now encircled Diane, dealing with even the monsters on the outskirts. The number of monsters had decreased significantly. So. The number of monsters blocking the Immortals also dwindled. As I approached the end of this task, my life hung in the balance. The moment I began to consider how to deal with the Immortals after enduring this long, I saw something in the distance amidst the downpour. "Ah..." I knew what that phenomenon was. They had destroyed warp gates all over the battlefield. Now, there was only one left. No, it was already over. Only a single warp gate remained. Then, when that happened... The gate crisis would end. Although the gate crisis would be over, they still had to face what came out of it. Rumble! The last remaining gate ceased to spew monsters and instead grew larger. The red hole of the warp gate, now hovering in the sky, expanded like a burning sun. From there, something appeared. No. It poured out. Thud! A massive creature fell to the ground from the red hole of the warp gate, which had swelled to its limit. As the last warp gate remained, after spewing the final monster, the gate vanished. There had been many monsters in the form of dragons, but none were as massive or as alien as this one. The final calamity. A grotesque dragon with a body resembling the projected night sky, adorned with six pairs of enormous wings. In the original work, it was merely referred to as the final monster, without even a name, but I called it the Dragon from Another World. It was so massive that, even in the pouring rain, its overwhelming presence could be seen from anywhere. Roar! Rumble! With a deafening sound that could shatter the world, The Dragon from Another World roared. Now, the gate crisis was over. If they could somehow deal with the Dragon from Another World, they could all move on to the next matters. The Dragon from Another World opened its maw towards the world. And then. Whoosh! From its gaping maw, it unleashed a void. There was no explosion. Simply, as the void passed by, The world was erased. ------ The unexpected appearance of the final monster. The irrational violence it unleashed left the battlefield feeling cold. Hiss In the midst of the downpour, everyone could see the alien, pitch-black mass from afar. The sudden appearance of the grotesque mass. And the pitch-black breath that wiped away everything it touched. Whoosh! Thud! With each breath the mass released from its gaping maw, there was no impact, no explosion, no blast. Things simply vanished. "What is... What is that...?" Harriet, at the rear of the battlefield, stared in horror at the irrational destruction caused by the sudden appearance of something. Cliffman, who had just finished off the last Immortal around them, and Liana were no different. Many mages were already hurling magic at the dangerous-looking figure. But their attacks passed through it. Lightning, fire, and explosions. It was as if they could not even reach the night-like figure. The flashes from the magic spells could not reach it either, they simply pierced through it and exploded behind it. It had form, but not substance. Perhaps it was an ethereal enemy. That''s why Harriet unleashed a powerful light imbued with the power of exorcism, but even that merely passed through it. Though they couldn''t see it clearly, it was a monster using a power completely different from any they had faced before. "What... is it?" Monsters were diverse. There were monsters immune to fire, and monsters immune to magic. But this one exhaled a breath that erased everything it touched and effortlessly deflected all attacks. As if it existed in a place unrelated to the principles of the world. Harriet widened her field of vision to observe the creature more closely. Even upon closer inspection, its form was incomprehensible. And she clearly saw it repelling all the magic being cast upon it. The projection from the otherworldly dragon''s body was similar to the projection of the void sword held by Ellen. If the void sword Lament could sever everything it touched with its blade of night. Then that creature could do what the void sword Lament did on a larger scale. That was why Harriet had no choice but to realize what power Ellen''s sword possessed in reverse. The void sword didn''t merely cut everything it touched. It erased everything it touched. They had merely mistaken the thinly spread void blade for cutting things away. That creature could realize what the void sword did by spewing its breath. A dragon with the form of the night. Therefore, it was untouchable by the principles that existed in the world. But it could destroy the world. How could something like that exist? How were they supposed to kill it? The moment Cliffman awoke to the path of the Master Class and overcame the crisis of the Immortals'' assault, that creature appeared. It felt as if, at the very last moment, all that they had done had been rendered meaningless. As if it had appeared to mock the entire world. -Zzzzzzap! Then, in front of the creature, a crack in space formed, revealing another massive figure. A titan, a colossal weapon that could rival the size of the overwhelming dragon. In the brief moment it had left the battlefield and recharged minimally, the titan appeared, ready to do anything to stand against despair. -Hwoong! This time, the creature swung its tail instead of its breath. And the titan''s waist vanished. Not destroyed, but the part of its trajectory where the dragon''s tail touched disappeared. The morale that had been holding the allied forces together up to this point crumbled as the titan fell apart. Even though not everyone could properly see the spectacle, they could hear the titan collapsing and feel the vibrations. That tremendous tremor was the despair felt by all the members of the allied forces. "How¡­ what¡­ how are we supposed to¡­?" The Immortals had disappeared. And reappeared. The titan had been deployed. What difference did it make in the end? With a creature like that appearing at the very last moment. What were they supposed to do? Were all these events. In truth. Unending? Liana and Harriet both felt a sense of emptiness beyond despair. -Swoooosh! Rain continued to fall. CH 665 The Titan had fallen. And with one breath, a part of Diane was wiped away. I knew it. Attacks with weapons other than relics would not be effective. In the original story, only Ellen and Ludwig could fight the dragon. The others had to leave the dragon to them and exterminate the other monsters. The others couldn''t even attack it in the first place. Back then, Ellen didn''t have the Sun''s Cloak, and Lament wasn''t a Void Sword. In the end, no one could match it. Ludwig used the Alsbringer to summon a divine incarnation and faced the dragon in mutual destruction. I had entertained the idea. The situation was much different from the original story. So, new events could unfold due to the different circumstances. Ellen''s Lament transforming and obtaining the Sun''s Cloak were situations that didn''t exist in the original story. So, I thought that perhaps we could confront the Void Dragon in a different way than in the original story. I thought that perhaps we could overcome this final situation without using Alsbringer. But it was a foolish thought. The moment I saw a part of the army erased by a single breath, other possibilities vanished from my mind. We could fight. Surely, Ellen and I could fight it. But even if we could kill it without using Alsbringer, there would be nothing left afterward. -Roar! It was an overwhelming violence. A dragon from another world. This situation was the last injustice I had to face. Suffering from the unfairness I had created. Paying the price myself. What needed to be done had been decided from the start. Killing that final monster on this spot using Alsbringer. From the moment Alsbringer was in my hand, that was my fate. Some doubts lingered in my mind, but now wasn''t the time to think about them. If it had to be done, it had to be done. That''s how it had been so far. The only difference was that what needed to be done now was the last thing to be done. Everything I had done to survive, because I didn''t want to die, had vanished. When the violence I had described in writing became reality and confronted me, all other thoughts disappeared. But still, the Immortals were chasing me from behind. All the warp gates were gone. There were still a huge number of monsters that had already been expelled, but no more monsters appeared. All I had to do was deal with that dragon. I looked back. The Immortal''s army, which had suffered tremendous losses but was still powerful and trying to kill me, followed me. I was annoyed by what was behind me. It wouldn''t matter if that thing followed me, but it was time to finish it off as well. The Immortal wouldn''t be of any help in fighting that thing. The remaining monsters could be dealt with by the Allied Forces alone. So now, the Immortal was just a threat. So, there was no need to run anymore. No one had to risk their lives to face the Immortal. "Now..." I pulled something out from my belongings. -Click As soon as I pressed the button on the artifact. -Pop! Two people appeared before my eyes. "We don''t need the Immortal anymore." And in an instant. The Immortals who had been slaughtering monsters and following me all this time. -Crumble! Turned to dust and disappeared. A wave of neutralization. The Immortals shattered as if they had all hit an invisible wall. Two people appeared in response to my signal. "Should we take care of all the immortals now?" "Please." One was Scarlett. "Let''s go, Lint." The other was Kono Lint. The two had been waiting for my signal. Scarlett had been holding her breath, waiting for this crucial moment. After Kono Lint had brought Scarlett, who had been imprisoned, to this place, they watched the situation and waited for me to send the signal. It was obvious that the immortal would attack me, so they were waiting for this moment. I had been running away until the moment the immortal could disappear. Somewhere on the battlefield, my people were fighting the immortals as well. That too, would soon end. From the moment I gave the signal, Kono Lint would transport Scarlett around the battlefield in an instant, neutralizing all the immortals. Scarlett could turn an immortal to dust with just a little bit of strength, and Kono Lint could quickly move her all over the battlefield. As long as Scarlett was present, the immortal could not kill me. Of course, there were many dangerous moments to see. I had to erase all the immortals before they could do anything more out of the ordinary. "Hey... Can you do... that?" Kono Lint muttered, staring at the massive dark figure in the distance with anxious eyes. "We can." Yes, that was no lie. "There''s no time for long conversations." Scarlett spoke with a resolute expression, but one that showed unwavering determination. "Survive." It wasn''t a plea to save humanity. Nor was it a plea to save everyone. It was a plea to survive. I couldn''t bring myself to say that it was harder than saving everyone else. I erased all other thoughts. How absurd it was to think that I wouldn''t use Alsbringer in this situation. Even if I could fight it, what would be the point if everyone else died in the process? As I dodged its attacks, more and more people died. The dragon''s screams and body were getting closer and closer. As I approached the proximity of the otherworldly dragon rampaging through the rain, I saw someone running towards me from the opposite direction. It was Ellen. Roar! Ellen reached it first. With the Sun''s cloak draped around her, she leaped high into the air, through the extended curtain of night. She swung her Void Sword towards the dragon''s head. And then. Slash! The dragon''s head was severed. It was incredibly easy, almost anticlimactic. The next moment, it vanished with a deafening noise. "What... the?" What had I just witnessed? ------ Because of the downpour, there might be some who had no idea what had just happened. Those who were too far away might not even know that the otherworldly dragon had appeared. However, those who had witnessed the spectacle from a distance would have been shouting in a mix of awe and jubilation, as they saw the dragon, which had neutralized the titan in a single blow, being sliced away in just one stroke. The final boss had appeared. And it had been sliced away by Ellen. But there would be no one in the world more shocked than me. That was not a monster that could die like that. Not so anticlimactically. Not so easily vanished. It wasn''t even a fight. Ellen had merely swung the Void Sword, cutting down the monster as easily as any other. The Void Sword, capable of cutting down anything. If the powers of the dragons from the other world and the Lament were essentially the same, could the dragons from the other world also be cut down by it? Only I was aware of the absurdity of the situation that had just unfolded. I had intended to use the Alsbringer. However, Ellen had easily dispatched the enemy I had struggled with, agonizing over every decision, in a single stroke. Regardless, I didn''t use the Alsbringer. After Ellen''s Lament took on the form of the Void, was that final monster destined to vanish so futilely? I simply couldn''t be sure if the Void Sword would work on it. I knew the Void Sword could cut down ''anything,'' but not divine relics. However, the dragon from the other world was not an exception to the Void Sword. Should I be happy about it? Yes. I should be happy. But I knew it wasn''t that simple. The dragon had disappeared. The Gate Incident would end once the remaining monsters in the area were dealt with. The Immortals could be handled by Scarlett. But. My remaining tasks had just begun. That''s why I couldn''t be happy. Thud! Ellen, who seemed to have flown through the sky, landed lightly on the ground. Roar! In the now-vast clearing where the dragon from the other world had appeared, Ellen, soaked in rain, was looking directly at me. "..." About a hundred meters, maybe? The distance wasn''t that great. The dragon from the other world had vanished all too easily. I had to confront something here anyway. It''s just that it changed from the dragon of the other world to another being. I had to face the hero. Somehow, the moment I saw the dragon from the other world, I thought I had to use the Alsbringer. And I had actually tried to use it. But if I did, what would happen to the future I had seen? The future where I die, and Ellen dies. What was that all about? The thought crossed my mind for a moment. It turned out like this. There could never have been a situation where I would have to use the Alsbringer to hunt down the likes of the dragon from the other world. Ellen looked at me from the rain. No, that wasn''t Ellen. A gathering of souls that controlled Ellen''s body. An aggregation of vengeful spirits, perhaps even more massive and enormous than before. It definitely had a will of its own. When we first met, I had a conversation with it. Could I win? I had fought countless times in my dreams. I had died countless times. But could I win in this battle that had become reality? It was destined. As long as I was the son of the Demon King and Ellen was the sister of the hero. It was bound to happen someday. From the moment I got closer to Ellen, I sensed that this moment would eventually come. Even knowing that it would happen someday, I didn''t hesitate to get close to Ellen. This was the price. If I had shunned Ellen from the start? If I had kept my distance without any help or interaction between us, perhaps. None of this would have happened. Even knowing I would regret it, I had grown closer. I wanted to avoid this moment somehow, but deep down, I knew. One way or another, I would have to fight a life-and-death battle with Ellen. It was a predetermined course. I had overcome the last trial with ease. With that, there would be no more sacrifices of others to the dragons of the otherworld. Instead, the trial was bestowed upon me alone. A cruel trial, only for me. I had to defeat Ellen. No, merely defeating her was not enough. I had to reclaim her without taking her life. Somehow, I had to subdue Ellen, who was determined to kill me, without killing her, and even take her back. I had to face a battle with slim chances of victory, without even being prepared to kill. Was it even possible? But there was one thing I knew for certain. If the future I had seen was correct¡ª If I lost, it wouldn''t be just me who died. Ellen, who would have killed me, would take her own life. I could have sacrificed my own life to kill that creature when facing the otherworld''s dragon, but this time, I couldn''t even die. I couldn''t even fight with the resolve to kill. If I were to die, Ellen would die as well. The Gate incident was over, and the last monster was dead. But, could there be a day as cruel as today for me? The torrential rain poured down, running down its face and eyes. It looked like it was weeping helplessly, without any expression. No, it was a being that was undoubtedly crying for real. ''It'' pointed its sword at me silently. "O Demon King...." A voice that seemed like a blend of multiple voices. It was a bizarre resonance that felt as though not only the eardrums but the soul would be torn just by listening. Just hearing that voice seemed to recreate the pain and fear I had felt when it had swallowed my body. How long had Ellen endured that? A culmination of hatred towards me. A collective of anger and sorrow from those who had to lose so much without any fault. It had definitely told me before that it would take away everything I loved. ''It'' spoke. "Now, let us end this." With a brief and concise declaration of war, it slowly approached me. In the depths of the evaporated Diane, there was only Ellen and me. The battlefield''s deafening noise and the monsters'' screams had grown distant. -Swoooosh -Splash. The sound of footsteps splashing in the puddles amidst the rain was loud enough for me to hear. No one would likely be watching this place, which had become a massive crater. -Splash -Rumble Calm footsteps were neither desperate nor impatient. The distance was certainly closing. The atmosphere was different. Ellen, who had reached the Master Class, was not only clad in blue aura armor but was also emanating an unknown pale white smoke from her body. Countless vengeful spirits must be exerting their power. Their true objective was not to end the Gate incident, but to kill me. So, they would exert their most powerful force. They would do everything they could to kill me. -Grooooooow An indescribable eerie resonance and faint melody flowed from Ellen''s body. The Hero. Perhaps, Ellen at that moment could be considered the strongest among humanity. Such a being wore the sharpest sword and the sturdiest armor in the world. The vessel called the Hero contained the anger of all those who had died because of the Demon King. It would be strange if the last enemy the Demon King had to face in order to rule the world wasn''t the one right in front of him. Amidst numerous unfavorable conditions, the one fortunate thing was that I was different from the otherworldly dragon Ellen had slain in a single strike. I had previously confirmed that the Void Sword couldn''t cut through divine relics. -Splash! With a light sound of splashing through a puddle, Ellen approached me and casually swung the Void Sword. Her light and calm leap, along with the trajectory of the approaching Void Sword drawing an arc, almost appeared beautiful at a glance. The Void Sword definitely couldn''t cut through divine relics. -Screech! "Ugh...ugh!" However, just because it couldn''t cut through them didn''t mean I could withstand it. A single stroke of the Void Sword. I managed to block it. And my wrist broke. [TL note: The long promised battle finally arrived] CH 666 In a forest on the outskirts of the imperial capital. Christina did not tell Anna and Louis Ancton everything that had transpired. Saviolin Turner had attacked the underground laboratory. She could only flee with them, and now the laboratory had been destroyed. That was as far as she explained. She deliberately withdrew the Immortals, or that she re-engaged them to kill the Demon King. She didn''t bother mentioning those things that wouldn''t make them feel any better. Anna and Louis were both astonished by the fact that they couldn''t stop even one Saviolin Turner. The empire had interfered with the Immortals so they could no longer be restored, but in the end, it was Diane''s situation that mattered most. Christina had watched the entire battle of the Immortals. She tried to prioritize killing the Demon King, but he kept eluding them like a rat using the monsters. Neither could she kill Harriet nor Liana, not with the sudden appearance of the unexpected monster, Cliffman. It was a blood-curdling feeling. The Immortals continued to be destroyed, and their losses couldn''t be recovered. As if knowing this would happen, she only used the Immortals to escape. And then. Christina saw it. The arrival of an unknown, colossal monster. Its overwhelming and unfathomable presence. But before she could truly feel fear from the destruction and disaster it caused, she saw it being cut down by Ellen Artorius. Christina had a hunch. The Gate incident had ended. However, before that, something more shocking happened to Christina. Seeing Christina with wide-open eyes and blood on her lips from biting them so hard, Louis Ancton cautiously asked. "Christina, what''s wrong?" "¡­Scarlett." At those words, not only Louis but also Anna''s expression hardened. "Scarlett, and Kono Lint¡­ They''re destroying the Immortals." Scarlett, who should have been safely evacuated somewhere in the city, was breaking the Immortals alongside Kono Lint as they moved through the battlefield. There wasn''t even a fight. As Scarlett used her power where the Immortals were, they simply turned to dust and disappeared. Her power was absolute against the Immortals. Scarlett could do what was impossible for Ellen or Saviolin Turner. It was certain that Scarlett was on the side of the Demon King. But since when? "Scarlett¡­?" "Yes." Louis Ancton asked with a puzzled expression, and Christina slowly nodded her head. "Scarlett betrayed us." Christina spoke in a low, twisted voice. There was no way to know the reason or circumstances that led Scarlett to be there. Ludwig''s words that they could trust Scarlett had turned out to be nonsense from a naive fool. They should have killed her. But the Immortals could never kill Scarlett. No, from the beginning, no one, not even the Immortals, could kill Scarlett now. Kono Lint was with her. Catching them, let alone touching them, would be impossible. When Saviolin Turner attacked the underground laboratory, Christina thought her intention was to buy time so the Immortals couldn''t return. So, she sent all the Immortals back to the battlefield, knowing they couldn''t hurt her anyway. But then, Saviolin Turner destroyed the laboratory without killing her. The Emperor had read everything. The Immortals, who had returned to the battlefield, were hunting the Demon King. However, the Demon King, instead of fleeing from the pursuing Immortals, had manipulated them, making it appear as if the Immortals were leading the vanguard, throwing the entire Diane forces into chaos. And when the monsters that had been used to fend off the pursuit were finally depleted, and the Demon King was caught, he seemed to have been waiting, summoning Scarlett and starting to crush the Immortals in return. The Immortals were exploited to the extreme by the Demon King. They had been read by the Emperor. They had been used by the Demon King. Now, the Immortals would be rendered powerless as Scarlett and Kono Lint tore through the entire battlefield. The research facility that could revive the incapacitated Immortals had been destroyed. At this rate, all of the Immortals would disappear. "We have to remove the Immortals from the battlefield." The absolute number of Immortals had been rapidly decreasing even as Scarlett and Kono Lint appeared. It was a desperate situation. If all the Immortals disappeared like this, there would be nothing they could do. First, they had to preserve the power of the Immortals. They had to find another way. More than half of the Immortals still remained. At this rate, the Immortals would be annihilated. They had to recover the remaining Immortals and find another way. First, they had to find a way to deal with Scarlett somehow. Using the Immortals as a means to devise something could come later. "Is the Gate Incident over?" In response to Anna''s question, Christina stared at her. Yes. It was right to discuss it from the Gate Incident. "It seems so. We may have to kill the remaining monsters, but Diane will fall. However, if we don''t take the time to reorganize the Immortals first, we''ll be in danger..." -Thump! "...What?" Christina couldn''t help but let out a bewildered sound. "Anna!" And then, Louis Ancton shouted in the sudden turn of events. Anna''s blackened hand was lodged in Christina''s heart. Christina couldn''t even feel the pain. The events unfolding before her eyes were just something... A dream. Should she call it that? She couldn''t think of anything other than how surreal it was. Anna de Gerna spoke calmly. "The pathetic villain act is over." "What...?" -Thump! Anna pulled her hand out of Christina''s chest. Bright red blood flowed from the hole in her chest. Anna stared at Christina with dark eyes. "Let the Immortals disappear." "You... What on earth...? Why...?" Christina was dumbfounded, unable to say anything, while Louis Ancton stood pale, unable to comprehend the situation. "Wh... Why...?" As Anna calmly watched Christina''s lips twitch in disbelief, she spoke. Christina knew magic. But she didn''t know people. "You''re no longer useful." Anna stared coldly at her dying friend. "Bertus said to tell you that." She left a cold farewell message. ------ Christina died. Her eyes didn''t even close. It was only moments before her breath completely stopped that she realized what had happened to her. Tears streaming down her face, her eyes wide open, and biting her lips, she died. Louis Ancton couldn''t understand what had just happened before his eyes. "Anna... Anna, what have you done? If Christina dies...!" "The Immortal would start killing indiscriminately." Now, the Immortal would completely lose control and run amok. "But if we recall the Immortals like this and start planning the next move, no one will be able to stop Christina." No one could respond if that terrifying army began guerilla warfare against the entire continent. Scarlett or Kono Lint? Before they appeared, it would be enough to carry out destructive operations or assassinations and then disappear. It might be impossible to recover, but if they induced local battles, the Immortal could not only endlessly hinder the Demon King''s world from being established but also destroy it at any time. Just as the Demon King had been able to destroy the human world until now but had not done so. It was clear that if Christina couldn''t kill the Demon King now, she would attempt such a thing in the next stage, and she could actually do it. The Immortals were in one place, and Scarlett was there, who could certainly neutralize such an Immortal. If not now, the chance to completely erase the Immortals would never come. "So I killed her." Asking if the Gate incident was over was to confirm that. If the Gate incident was completely over, it was now the Immortals'' turn to disappear. Timing was crucial. If Christina was killed too soon, the Immortal would crush the allied forces. If she was killed too late, they wouldn''t be able to deal with the rampaging Immortal. So Anna had been holding her breath. Until the most certain and safe moment to kill Christina came. Anna had been receiving Bertus''s instructions. It was impossible to know when Bertus had approached Anna. She had been waiting until the last moment, until the moment when it was okay to kill Christina. A friend had died. There was someone who, in trying to save that friend, had ultimately put their friends in danger. There was a friend who had killed that friend with their own hands. There were things between friends that only ended with death. In the end, Christina was killed by a friend''s hand, unbelievably. That''s why Christina was a third-rate, no, not even a third-rate villain. She had been unable to doubt her friend until the end. Such a third-rate villain. Anna, carrying Christina''s corpse, looked at Louis. Anna''s back was soaked in bright red blood. Anna had fulfilled Bertus''s command. Anna had not received Bertus''s orders in exchange for a promise. Bertus had no intention of giving anything to Anna, and Anna had no intention of receiving anything. It seemed like something she had to do. So she did it. Like Christina had done this because it was something she had to do. Anna had also done this because she felt she had to. There wasn''t really anything she wanted. Bertus hadn''t expected any more from Anna. After all, the empire would disappear, so even if Bertus promised something, it would be meaningless now. "Let''s go." There was no place they had to go now. Louis Ancton, a silent observer and collaborator of all situations, muttered blankly at Anna''s words. "¡­Where to?" Did they have a place to go? A place they could go? Was there one? After all, since all three of them were criminals who would go down in history, there was no place for them to set foot. "I don''t know¡­" Carrying the friend she had killed with her own hands on her back. "There must be a place¡­ where we need to go." With dead eyes, Anna smiled faintly. CH 667 -Clang! Countless times, his wrist had shattered. Just enduring the sword pressure carried by the Void Sword caused his wrist, shoulder, and arm to break. If it hadn''t been for Tiamata''s regenerative power, he would have died the moment they crossed blades. He was accustomed to pain. Having died thousands of times in his dreams, he was familiar with death, and pain was no stranger to him. -... Ellen slowly approached him, having been flung away. She wasn''t hasty. Her movements took into account that he couldn''t avoid this battle. Thus, she approached neither leisurely nor hastily. Her slow and calm advance suffocated him on its own. A blue aura and a faint gray energy flickered all over Ellen''s body. He hadn''t even been able to defeat the Ellen he had imagined in his dreams. He had thought the real Ellen would be different, and the Ellen who had even acquired the power of the vengeful spirits would be even stronger. He had never underestimated her. He had thought she would be stronger than anything he could imagine. But he couldn''t bring himself to kill Ellen. He dared not even entertain such a thought. And so, he couldn''t give his all. But that was arrogance. Even if he put in all his effort. Even if he employed every means possible. He realized that he couldn''t defeat Ellen. Ellen, who had been walking slowly, closed the distance in just a few strides as it narrowed. -Crash! The moment the Void Sword and Alsbringer clashed, the ground was torn apart by the shockwave. -Bang! Clang! Two consecutive strikes. And then. -Thud! "Ugh... Hngh!" She knocked him away with a knee strike to his solar plexus. His rib was shattered. -Uuung! He recovered with Tiamata''s power. He had pushed his magic regeneration to its limit. Even so, the moment he withstood a single exchange, he was destroyed by the overwhelming force. The gap was too large. He had thought he had grown strong enough to rival anyone. But Ellen was too strong. The gap wasn''t as wide as it used to be. It wasn''t like he would lose his grip on his sword while blocking Ellen''s attacks. However, each time their swords clashed, the bones and muscles protected by his aura shattered and tore. The gap was still that wide. Ellen in her right mind. This was not the Ellen who had felt guilty for even pointing her sword at him, the one who had only taken hits during Charlotte''s execution ceremony. If she weren''t in that state, could he not even land a single effective blow on Ellen? The one born with all kinds of talents had the strongest weapon and the strongest armor, and even possessed countless vengeful spirits. Was it impossible for him to defeat her when all that was pitted against him? It wasn''t just close combat. -Whoom! A flash of flame, like lightning, grazed his cheek. The flames emitted from the Sun Cloak, not just the Void Sword, penetrated his defenses. -Sizzle The sound that should not have come from human skin accompanied the healing of the wound. The only thing he could rely on was his regenerative power. And the power of Alsbringer, which heightened his abilities against stronger opponents. Ellen had grown stronger through the power of the divine relic, but without a divine relic, he couldn''t even engage in this battle. His wrist would have broken and he would have dropped his sword in the first exchange, and his neck would have flown off with the third attack. If not for Tiamata, he would have died long ago. The Void Sword and Tiamata clashed. -Clang! As the Void Sword and the holy sword collided, producing sparks, his attempt to push Ellen to the right was thwarted as she twisted his wrist, causing him to stumble. No, to be more precise. From the moment he lunged, she knew exactly how he would react. She had read him like an open book. -Thud! "¡­!" In an instant, his chest was pierced, and his lung was skewered before he could even react. Before her sword could cut through his body, he kicked Ellen''s body and retreated. "Ugh¡­ugh!" -Woosh! Tiamata''s divine power healed his fatal wound. Without a divine relic, one could not block the attack of the Void Sword. Although he was used to pain and his concentration did not waver, the sensation of a sword entering his chest was always unsettling. She attacked relentlessly. -Bang! Crash! Clang! In the suffocating onslaught, one misstep would lead to a fatal injury and death. The problem was not just that. Ellen had no weaknesses. In fact, she had too many. Ellen, who focused solely on offense, did not defend at all. -Screech! "Kuh¡­ugh!" But when I tried to exploit that opening, I only felt a pain so intense that it seemed as if my whole body would shatter due to the powerful backlash. It wasn''t because of the aura armor Ellen wore, but rather the backlash created by the Sun''s Cloak itself. It wasn''t that she didn''t defend. She didn''t need to defend. Even an all-out attack couldn''t get through. There was a reason she had been slaughtering monsters alone at the deepest parts of the battlefield. A sword that could cut through anything. A shield that could block any attack. He knew Ellen was strong. But to this extent? He couldn''t even touch a single hair on her head with his all-out attack. On top of that, the difference in the level of their divine relics was too great. Against Ellen, who wielded two relics specialized in offense and defense, he had no chance of reaching her. -Bang! Crash! Clang! He was barely able to dodge Ellen''s relentless attacks. There was a fundamental gap between them. His attacks couldn''t touch her, and even one wrong move against her attacks would cost him his life. -Screech! "Kuh¡­!" With a single powerful kick, he felt as if all the bones in his body were breaking as he was sent flying helplessly backward. At least he could recover from non-fatal injuries. The power of healing. Tiamata''s divine power that allowed him to regenerate no matter how injured he was. But in this situation, it only prolonged his life a little. With an emotionless expression, she stared at him as he was flung far away. -Swoosh! Her emotionless gaze was heart-wrenching. Could he not defeat her? From the day they met, was this destined to happen? Was he fated to be defeated here? What had he been doing all this time? In the end, he couldn''t surpass her. Was the story of the Demon King being defeated by the Hero always waiting for him? He didn''t endure all this pain and struggle just to die here. And it''s not just him who will die, but her as well, if she killed him. He didn''t know. Somehow, he had managed to avoid fatal injuries, but soon his life would be lost. Luck wouldn''t last forever. ¡ª--- As it measured the distance, it silently opened its mouth. "Is it unfair?" "..." There was clearly a will within it. I didn''t know exactly how it worked. But I knew that conversation wasn''t impossible. "I saw you trying to protect the humans." So, it must have seen everything. "Now, we also know that you tried to protect the humans." It must know that I was doing all of this for a reason. It just turned out this way. It knew my intentions were not directed towards evil. It asked me. "Even so, is it unfair that it ended up like this?" How could it not be unfair? Many people had died, but due to the altered progression of events from the original story, the allied forces'' losses were relatively minor in comparison. There was only one step left. Just one more step. All I needed to do was reclaim Ellen. If I could do that, I would have no more wishes. No more greed. But in the end, I didn''t reclaim Ellen and died. I couldn''t even match my opponent in battle. How could that not be unfair? I just needed to take one more step, but I couldn''t. I might have to lose everything because of my defeat in the final battle. "Of course." I didn''t want to say it wasn''t unfair. I couldn''t bring myself to say it wasn''t unfair. All these things. All the days I''d spent so far. I thought I might be able to find her. And sometimes. After everything returned to normal, occasionally living as we used to. Really, just occasionally. I had imagined that. All those days. It was heartbreaking. Was that all? "By the time I came to my senses, I was the frail prince of a demon race, on the verge of extinction." "With no memory at all." "Knowing only that the world was soon to end." "Desperately not wanting to die, relying solely on a weak disguise magic that could be undone with a single dispel, I fell to the Imperial Capital." "Until now¡­" "Trying somehow to save everyone, the world ended up like this because of me." "Still, I clenched my teeth and came this far." "Now, you just need to come to your senses." "But you''re on the verge of death, and I can''t bear to see it." "Isn''t it unfair?" In fact, everything happened because of me. It seemed like I would die with only the last step remaining in the conclusion of everything. Wouldn''t it be strange if I didn''t feel this was unfair and heartbreaking? I was angry, indignant, and heartbroken. How did I come this far? To die after coming this far. Amidst my appeal of unfairness, which didn''t fit my current situation, it didn''t ridicule me. "How pitiful......" It neither reproached nor criticized my confession. It just. Closed its eyes in the rain. The rainwater flowed down its eyes, endlessly. Countless raindrops fell onto its head, streaming down its face and eyes, pooling in puddles. Were those tears? It should be the downpour summoned by Liana. -Ssaaaaaaah -Urrrrrrr I felt as if this torrential rain was the tears it shed. If the whole world was crying, and its tears became rain. In this miserable downpour that seemed like that. It spoke amidst the world''s sobbing rain. "Then, what shall we do?" I couldn''t tell how many of "we" there were anymore. "Weren''t we pitiful?" "Simply swept away in your stories, we had to disappear." "We." "We had no role to play. We couldn''t resist." "By monsters." "Sometimes by humanity." "Sometimes." "By you." "Because of your reasons alone." "The ''I'' that had to disappear." "Our trampled lives." "Shouldn''t we feel more wronged than you?" "With just the words ''it couldn''t be helped.''" "Should we accept that?" With eyes closed, the mingled voices spoke dispassionately, not shouting in rage and despair, but conveying a profound sadness. They had not dreamed of anything. They were crushed and vanished because of the dreams of others. More precisely, because of the dream I had. No matter how much I say that wasn''t my intention, the deaths that occurred because of me are undeniable. Their grief and anger are natural, and undoubtedly justified. For me to complain about my own grief to them would be unbearable and unjust for them as well. "There''s nothing we can do about our sadness." "There''s nothing we can do about our grievances." "Just like how we died amidst those words." "Your Majesty." "If you cannot restore our lives to us." "If you cannot return everything you took from us." "In grievances and sorrow, and within anger." "Embrace your inevitable death." "Only by dying like that." "Will you at least receive the minimal recompense." "For all the deaths that have occurred because of you." Restoring lives was impossible. Both it and I knew that. So, I had to die too. One step short of achieving everything, with only one step left. In agony and despair, in grievances and anger. Only by dying amidst sorrow could it be the slightest atonement. I shouldn''t be alive. Trying to live is excessive greed. It looked at me with its eyes open. "But your heart, we understand." ¡ª--- Had time refined it somehow? It didn''t appear as if it was engulfed in intense emotions like when it first appeared. Or had it, in Ellen''s body, come to resemble her calm demeanor? Its gaze. Its eyes, once filled with emptiness and abyss, now. Looked like a frozen, deep lake. Not warm. Not without animosity. Just serene. "We have no intention of forgiving you, nor of sparing your life." "But at the very least, out of respect for you." "Let''s make a deal." It acknowledged me but couldn''t spare my life. I had to pay the price. Knowing my intention didn''t change the outcome, and the dead didn''t come back to life. I had to pay the price. But it seemed to have a proposal. A deal, it said. "Just die." It was a simple and cruel statement. "Your loved ones." "Your precious people." "Everything you want to protect." "We will spare everyone except you." "Even from this child you loved, we will depart." "And then, disappear." "You will never see with your own eyes how everyone you loved lives on." "To such a world of insensitivity. Come with us." "Filled with sorrow, resentment, and rage." "Becoming a being like us." "Vanishing from the world." So that''s what it was. I finally understood. What that ''future'' meant. The scene where I was killed, and Ellen committed suicide. That future wasn''t a future of defeat. It wasn''t about losing a battle. It wasn''t about dying in combat. I saw the scene after this deal. Since I could solve everything with my life, I would have accepted this deal. Even if I fought, I''d lose. I knew I would die anyway. If I hadn''t seen the next scene. I would have definitely accepted this deal. ------ What I saw in the preview was my lifeless body and Ellen taking her own life. It wasn''t my appearance after defeat. It was the aftermath of accepting the deal to die and end everything. If I didn''t accept the deal, it wouldn''t just kill me. Not just me, but everyone, including Harriet and Olivia. It would start killing everyone who sided with the Demon King. And eventually, it would kill Ellen, who it was possessing. But if I died quietly now, it would vanish. If I hadn''t seen that future, I would have accepted the deal. Because that would have been the best choice I could make. Dying in a meaningless struggle, and everyone I loved dying too. Or just me dying. It was obvious which one to choose. There was no need to die with others for nothing. It wasn''t lying. It was sincere when it said it would kill only me and then disappear. The reason Ellen took her own life in the future I saw was because she realized she had killed me with her own hands. The promise would be kept. But there was one truth I knew because I knew the future. It wasn''t just me dying, but Ellen, who killed me, would also die. This wasn''t a deal where only I died. Demon King and the Hero. If, in the end, only the two of them die, would peace come to those who remain? Would vanishing with it be the only ending allowed for me? I might have been able to beat Ellen if I used the Alsbringer, but even if I did, Ellen and I would die together, so it would be pointless. Whether Ellen killed me and then committed suicide or I killed Ellen with the power of the divine artifact and died as a result, it was ultimately the same thing. The future I saw was not a matter of the result of the battle but a matter of choice. If I refused, I would have to fight it, and if I lost, it would kill everyone I loved. If I accepted, only Ellen and I would die, and everything else would be left to those who remained. Even without me, everyone would somehow survive. Some would grieve, and most people would cheer that the Hero had defeated the Demon King. How ridiculous. The Great Demon War ended with the mutual annihilation of the Hero and the Demon King. And even now, beyond time, were the Hero and the Demon King destined to vanish together? Was it always the fate of the Hero and the Demon King to die together? I proved that I have done all this not to destroy something but to protect something. By giving up everything and dying at its hand at the very end, I prove it. Even when reaching the end of everything, I shouldn''t have anything. If I were alone, it would be fine. If it were just me. It would be alright. In the end, I saw the image of Ellen, who killed me with her own hands and looked confused as she regained her senses. And then I saw Ellen, who ultimately chose death. Numerous times. Dozens of times. Hundreds of times. Whenever my will weakened. Whenever my determination wavered. I saw that sight and clenched my teeth. I didn''t accumulate this time to see such a future, I vowed and did something. I was killed by Ellen in my dreams. I tried desperately to hold up the collapsing world. But in the end, I have to choose the future I never wanted to see? I''ve talked too much about things that can''t be helped. It can''t be helped. So let''s do it this way now. I must accept it. Those unavoidable things. This time, I want to try somehow. I don''t want to choose the obvious option, at least not this time. I might lose, but I won''t necessarily lose. I won''t necessarily die. There isn''t only the possibility that I''ll lose. Just as I can''t buy my happiness with someone else''s misfortune. I can''t buy someone else¡¯s happiness with my misfortune, can I? It''s a horrible and cruel thing to say. But can''t I be happy now too? In the end. I don''t want to die. Dying is scary. I''m afraid of the situation after my death. Ellen, who will take her own life, and those left behind. ¡ª--- Though I''ve only seen Ellen''s appearance, I''m afraid and trembling at the thought of imagining the thoughts and emotions of those I haven''t seen. That''s why. This time, I will make a choice that shouldn''t be made. I''ll choose, even knowing that it''s an option that shouldn''t be chosen. "No." I shake my head. Yes. Let''s think of it simply. "I made a promise." I definitely made a promise. There were countless days when I almost died. I''ve encountered enemies I couldn''t defeat in battle. There was a time when I survived in front of such an enemy, just because of a single promise. "I won''t make you sad." Luna Artorious. The only reason she saved me was that. I wouldn''t make Ellen sad. I said I''d try to do something about the later events. "I made a promise with your mother." She didn''t believe my words. Just as I knew this would happen, Luna knew too. But in the end, if I die by Ellen''s hand and Ellen takes her own life, that promise will be broken. She was not an ordinary being. It''s a promise I made with the gods¡¯ incarnation. So, I must keep it. No, I want to keep it. "So, even if I want to die for you, I can''t." The moment I said that. Suddenly. Really suddenly. The world stopped. And turned red. "What... is this?" Everything stopped, and only I could move. Even the falling rain had stopped. In a world where time had stopped, something had changed. The sky, which had been full of dark clouds, had cleared. And there was a huge hole. A black hole pierced through the center of the sun, which had become dozens of times larger than usual. No. It wasn''t a hole. Something was blocking the sun. The sun, which was dozens of times larger than usual. And the moon, which covered it. "A solar... eclipse?" The world stopped with an unexpected solar eclipse. And then. Between the suspended raindrops, something that had never been there before appeared in front of me. "You haven''t forgotten the promise." At the sudden appearance of someone''s voice, familiar and yet nostalgic, I turned my head. I couldn''t help but doubt my eyes. The person I thought I would never see again in my lifetime was there. The moon. And the sun. I knew someone related to those two. And as far as I knew, there was only one person who could cause such a miracle. "Mother...?" Luna Artorious. The person who had appeared in the moonlight now stood before me, accompanied by a massive solar eclipse. "Didn''t I tell you?" The words she said when she let me go back then. "The blessings of the moon and the sun will be with you." Was that not a promise, but a prophecy? CH 668 Luna Artorius. She revealed herself as the eclipse occurred. Had she been watching from somewhere? When she spoke of the blessings of the sun and the moon, I had assumed it was just a customary phrase to wish for good luck. Was it important that I had refused the deal, or was something else more important? I didn''t know. The promise to not sadden Ellen. Was my determination to keep that promise what caused Luna to intervene? I couldn''t know the exact reason. As far as I knew, the person closest to the Absolute in the world had appeared. It was impossible for me to defeat Ellen in her current state. But Luna might be able to. Alsbringer summoned an avatar. However, she was the avatar of two gods. She could undoubtedly do it. "How were you able to come this far?" she asked, seeming both pitiful and proud. Luna looked at me with a wistful smile. "I''ll take care of ''that'' for you," she said, plainly stating her purpose. Take care of it. "So Ellen will..." "Return to her original state. In the form you desire, the form you''ve been longing for. Completely whole." At those words, my heart raced like mad. I could have Ellen back, whole again. Back to her original state. All the vengeful spirits would vanish, the Gate Incident would end, and I would gain everything I desired. That would be enough. That would do. Had the time I spent traveling to Rezaira to meet Luna not been about making me stronger, but instead about causing a change that would allow Luna to intervene in the world? "I''ll leave the matters of the future to you," she said. Luna walked silently toward Ellen. It seemed there was no need for further discussion. Was this the end? With everything resolved. There would still be other issues, but would they simply be matters of the world that could be resolved if only we tried? That''s how it was. That''s how it was. In this damned world. There could be nothing but good fortune. "What about you, mother?" "..." At my call, Luna''s steps halted. If it had been so simple, there would have been no reason not to do it by now. There had to be a reason for Luna to appear only now. If it had been as easy as turning her palm, she should have done it sooner. Watching, watching, and watching. It was clear that she had no choice but to appear. "Will you disappear?" "..." "That''s what''s going to happen, right?" There would surely be a price to pay. If there were no price, Luna would have intervened long ago. In the Tomb of the Lich, Luna had tried to kill me. She had said that if she killed me then, she would have disappeared from the world as the price. The same was true this time. By doing this, she would disappear. That''s why she had appeared only now. She wouldn''t want to disappear either. She appeared because I still wanted to keep my promise. She must have wanted to help in any way she could. "I was never a being that belonged to this world in the first place," Luna said, stopping and turning to face me. "I''ve existed without origin for a long time, performed actions without origin, and experienced happiness without origin. I have no regrets." "..." "If I have no regrets, what reason do you have to feel sad for me?" Would that be enough? If Luna sacrificed herself to restore Ellen, would that be enough? I didn''t know. I didn''t know how to defeat Ellen. Even if I won, I didn''t know how to extract those vengeful spirits from her and extinguish them. Luna said she would take care of it all. Was that enough? That was... Such a convenient conclusion that it was difficult to accept. I think I knew the reason for the future too. I would have rejected Luna''s intervention as well. If Luna intervened, she would disappear. I would have rejected her intervention and made the deal. And Luna couldn''t prevent Ellen''s self-destructive actions. I wouldn''t have wanted Luna to sacrifice herself when I could solve everything on my own. But things had changed. I knew the outcome after accepting the deal. The predetermined future where I knew nothing and the present were clearly different. Leaving Luna to sacrifice herself was the best solution I could find through the future I saw? Was I really... Incapable of doing anything and playing any role? "What about father?" "..." My question might have been too irrelevant in this desperate situation, as Luna seemed a little taken aback. As if it were pathetic for me to ask such a question in this situation. "I finished talking with Ronan." As if to say that I didn''t need to worry about it since they had talked enough. But... Contrary to the image in Rezaira, I had a rough idea of what their relationship actually looked like. The wife, an incarnation of the gods. A human husband. Of course, Ronan wouldn''t have had any say in the matter. "So, it''s not because you decided to do that, that you told him, right?" "..." "You''re right." I had no choice but to know that Ronan had been informed, as Luna only stared at me without speaking. Luna, who was about to approach Ellen, eventually came to me with a very annoyed expression. -Poke Luna pushed my forehead with the tip of her index finger. "In a situation like this." -Poke "A good child." -Poke "Should be shedding tears of gratitude." -Poke "And staying quiet." -Poke! "That''s what manners are." -Slap! "Ouch!" I fell back from the final slap of her reprimand. Despite the situation. I couldn''t help but laugh. "I don''t want that." "..." "I promised not to make Ellen sad, but it''s not right for you to die either." "I''m not dying. I''m just returning to the will and power I originally belonged to." "If I can''t see you anymore, how is that any different from dying?" "..." In the end, it was just replacing one sorrow with another. If I exchanged Ellen for Luna, wouldn''t Ellen still end up being sad? Whether I died to get Ellen back, or Luna disappeared. In the end, something important would be lost from Ellen all the same. The irritation disappeared from Luna''s expression. Her face turned cold. The first time she saw me. It was the expression she had when she tried to kill me in all seriousness. Just facing that expression sent chills down my spine. "Then, do you have any other options?" "..." "If I disappear like this, you''ll die in a reckless fight, and that thing will go mad." "..." "Even though there''s no other way but for me to disappear, you''re just throwing a tantrum because you don''t want me to?" "Yes." Luna''s brows narrowed at my words, which had come out without any hesitation. "How can you be so... so..." Luna heaved a deep sigh. "Could you be any more stubborn and foolish..." Her words weren''t just empty; she seemed genuinely disappointed. Even in this situation, when everything could have been easily resolved by someone else, I was throwing a tantrum without any solution. It seemed unbearable to her that I was so pathetic. There was no way, no method. I was just being obstinate. I wanted to get Ellen back. But I didn''t want Luna to disappear either. Was there no better outcome? Why did something always have to be sacrificed? "That''s how it always was." "..." "You know." Looking back, it had always been like that. There had never been any clear way. I didn''t know how to become stronger. I didn''t know the cause of the Gate incident. I didn''t know how to find Rezaira. I had never had a complete solution for any problem. But I had faced them head-on. While I had failed countless times, miraculously, I had found some way or somehow resolved the problems. Though not absolute, I had become stronger. The Gate incident happened, but I eventually found out why. I didn''t know the way to Rezaira, but I had found it somehow. That was why Luna appeared before me now. "You think I don''t know that? But how everything worked out until now was truly miraculous." "That''s why." "Shut up and listen." "..." "Where''s the guarantee that it will be like that this time?" "There isn''t one." It was reckless. Refusing the only solution while having no alternatives was undeniably foolish, even by my standards. But what could I do? I didn''t want to lose anything. If I accepted Luna''s sacrifice now because there was no other choice. What about next time? Since Luna had accepted her fate, she would eventually make another sacrifice when she deemed it necessary. I knew that compromise was necessary to survive. But if I grew too accustomed to compromise, I would eventually sacrifice everything I held dear. I was afraid of taking that first step. It might be impossible to live a life without compromise. But I didn''t want to live a life accustomed to it. I had clenched my fist tight. And I didn''t want to let go of anything. Neither Ellen nor Luna. I didn''t want to grow accustomed to the idea that I had to give up one thing to have another. "You foolish boy." Finally, Luna turned her head away from me, grinding her teeth. She was clearly furious. Considering everything she had done for me, it was only natural that she was angry when I stubbornly refused her help despite having no alternative. "Don''t think I''ll help you twice." That was the truth. After much deliberation, she had made up her mind to help me. But I had chosen a path that could only lead to death, rejecting the easy way out. She wouldn''t appear to help me twice. It had been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. With Luna''s help, I could have gotten Ellen back, and it would have been the solution to everything. But I had refused, so there wouldn''t be a second chance. Since I had no intention of accepting the deal with the vengeful spirits, I was highly likely to die. I would probably regret not accepting Luna''s help as I faced death. But the decision was mine to make. I didn''t want to get Ellen back from a world where Luna had disappeared. A mother died for her daughter, and I didn''t want to rejoice that the daughter had returned. Luna turned her back on me and walked toward Ellen. With a disgusted expression, Luna looked down at me lying on the ground. She waved her hand in the air. Then, in her hand appeared a sword. A cloak was draped over her shoulder. "¡­What?" "This is all I can do." What she held in her hand was unmistakably the Moon Sword Lament and the Sun Cloak Lapelt. The Void Sword and Sun Cloak that Ellen had held in the stopped world had disappeared. Luna had stolen Ellen''s divine relics, which had been the biggest problem. This was something that hadn''t been in the preview. The changed future had produced a different result due to my changed words. I didn''t know what had changed. But something was definitely different. "See, there is something." "Hey!" -Smack! "Ouch!" In the end, I got hit. That probably wasn''t something for which she needed to pay the price of disappearing. Right. In the end, there was something. There was something she could do without paying the price of disappearing, without compromising. I wouldn''t have known this if I had just stayed put. I would have had to console myself with the words "I had no choice" and just relayed the message to Ellen that her mother had saved her and disappeared. My thoughts must have been written all over my face. "Even in this situation, you''re annoying to the very end." Luna looked at me, gritting her teeth. I was so detestable that it seemed to drive her mad. Yet, she couldn''t bear to see me die like this. She couldn''t just leave me be. "If you still can''t do anything after all this, you might as well die. You''re such a worthless guy." She cursed at me while looking at me. Her expression was angry, annoyed, and incredulous. She wasn''t the type to reveal so much in her expression. Come to think of it, Ellen was the same. I must have had a talent for infuriating people with similar personalities to Ellen. "Weren''t you the one who asked if I had plans to have another child?" "Uh? Oh¡­ yeah." Could it be that she really tried¡­? "I never want to give birth again." Luna clenched her teeth. "If I have a child who''s as high-maintenance as you, it''ll be a disaster." Luna and Ronan were Lucky with Ragan and Ellen. What if their luck had run out and they ended up with a child like me? That''s why she felt anxious and scared to give birth again. "But still¡­" She said those words. "Live." Even though she had told me to just die, she ultimately said that. "Whether you are a good son, or a bad son." "Whether you are a strong son, or a weak son." "I don''t need any of that." "I¡­" "Most of all, I like my living son." "Like how you want me to be alive, not the me that helps, but the me that you can meet anytime." "I feel the same." And so, Leaving behind those sad words that stemmed from her experiences, As she always had, She disappeared with a single step. CH 669 As Luna disappeared, the world began to move again. With the sky growing cloudy once more, the raindrops that had been suspended in the air came pouring down to the earth. -Whoooooosh! Deafening thunder roared and lightning flashed, while all around, the battle between the monsters and the allied forces raged on. Deep within the chaos. Hidden in the torrential rain, the final battlefield. The being beyond. It was the only one, besides myself, who had noticed the sudden anomaly. Lament and Lapelt had vanished unexpectedly. "A strange trick, indeed." It must have thought that I had done something, not realizing that the world had stopped. The cloak of the sun god and the sword of the moon. It was only natural that Luna, the incarnation of the sun and the moon, could take them away from their owners. Giving me the maximum possible assistance without paying the heavy price of disappearing. Or, perhaps she had taken on a cost for this, but she hadn''t said, so I couldn''t know. Luna didn''t want me to die. Look. Mother. I was acting like a stubborn child, she said. Being stubborn, she still helped in ways other than disappearing. If I hadn''t known the future, I would have acted like I was going to die and told my mother to leave, and Luna would have eventually given in to my stubbornness. Then I would have died, and so would Ellen. If I had just stayed still, Luna would have solved everything, disappeared, and Ellen would have lost her mother. I chose the third option. Not accepting the deal. Not taking the hand Luna had extended at the cost of her own existence. I would find a way. So I told her to step back. As a result. Luna didn''t disappear, but the two relics that made Ellen the most powerful being in the world were gone. The absolute attack of the Void Sword. The absolute defense of Lapelt. She had lost both. And I still had two relics. It would have realized that the two relics that had suddenly vanished were no longer responding to its will. The hero had lost her relics. So, it might have thought that I could now be a worthy opponent. And Luna said. She would no longer help. The price for refusing the favor of an incarnation was great. She really wouldn''t help anymore. If I still lost after all this, it would be better to die, she must have meant it. Absolute attack. Absolute defense. Both were gone. It wasn''t an equal condition. I still had two relics. Now, rather, the conditions were in my favor. If I still lost. If I still faced defeat. Yes. As Luna said. I might as well die. -Rumble Thunder rumbled in the distance, somewhere far away on the battlefield. -Whoooooosh! In a massive puddle formed from the heavy rain, the being that had lost its relics looked at me. "The disappearance of the relics must mean that the gods have abandoned us." "It means the gods want you to win." "They must want our deaths to be forgotten." "Yes..." "Then we shall reject the gods." It did not demand the return of the lost relics. Instead, it declared that if the gods had forsaken them, it would no longer seek their names. It moved slowly. -Swish Between the wreckage of a collapsed building or some other unidentifiable ruins, something was there. Something sprouted out from that corner, and she grabbed it. It was a rusty sword, with only half its blade remaining, so broken and old that it was impossible to even know who it belonged to. It was a sword of such poor quality that it couldn''t have been much better even in its prime. It was likely the sword of someone who had fought here long ago, during the initial Gate incident at Diane. For the first time, an expression appeared on her face. Undoubtedly, it was a smile. "Rather... isn''t it better this way?" Ellen laughed, holding the broken sword. "It''s not some grand artifact." "It''s the sword of some nameless person who got swept away in your story." "A trampled, broken weapon of a nobody." "Isn''t it more fitting to pierce your heart?" A nothing sword, trampled and forgotten. Countless such swords, spears, and bows would have been discarded in the world. While it may not have been the most powerful weapon to kill me, it was a weapon that had the right to do so. A gray aura began to surround the broken sword. Woosh - The ominous gray aura enveloping the weapon began to emit a shape reminiscent of death like smoke. A weapon of nothingness. Rather, the ancient and fragile sword seemed as if it would break with a mere touch. Something within that sword. Neither magical nor divine, but something else. A culmination of hatred, anger, and despair. Surely, it was resentment. "Behold, Demon King." "Can our resentment reach your heart?" "We''re curious too." Could it really be called a weak weapon? Rather, being the weakest in the world, the most dangerous and, the saddest weapon of all. ------ After the Gate incident, there were countless people who had died, and countless moments when they had to fight monsters with nothing more than mundane swords and spears. There must have been as many broken weapons as there were people who died. How many moments did powerless people have to fight with powerless weapons? How many people fell without even a weapon in hand? As if all those weapons were combined and refined, the sword of resentment exuded a dangerous aura. The moment that sword collided with Alsbringer. Clang! - "Ugh...!" I felt indescribable pain. Not from the flesh, but from the soul. It was precisely the same kind of pain I felt when the vengeful spirits tried to swallow me and entered my soul. The mere collision of the swords brought on an unbearable spiritual pain and fear that felt like my brain would be torn apart. Sweating coldly, I retreated, and she smiled at me. It wasn''t a weapon like the Void Sword, where one misstep meant death. However, the eerie power within that sword caused a chilling pain in my body without even touching me. It was the same kind of pain I felt when my soul was almost swallowed. The fear and pain I never wanted to remember again. That''s what I felt with just one exchange of sword strikes. "Ha... ugh..." Physical wounds could be regenerated by Tiamata''s divine power. But the pain inflicted on the soul accumulated. It could not be healed. If the Void Sword could kill me at any moment, that weapon was one that slowly whittled me down. Not as sharp, but it attacked another part of me. When it entered my body, I had experienced unconsciousness several times. Although not as powerful as the Void Sword, a massive gap emerged when my mind wavered. - Kwaang! - Kkiaaak! The broken sword couldn''t pierce my Aura Armor, but the powerful impact and the horrifying sound it emitted pierced my brain, threatening to tear my soul apart. - Jjeok! ¡°Ku...euk!¡± Ellen''s body was not only a weapon but also a lethal instrument itself. Even without a weapon, she could tear monsters apart with her bare hands. Hadn''t the situation actually worsened, allowing her to perform both physical and spiritual attacks? Hadn''t stealing the divine artifacts only led her to find an even more dangerous weapon? Excuses were pathetic. The future had already changed. Luna had given all the help she could. What mattered was that although she had found another weapon, she hadn''t found another shield. That was crucial. ¡°O flame.¡± - Kururung! With the will-infused incantation, a massive wave of fire erupted from the Flame of Tuesday, causing a huge explosion beneath Ellen''s feet as she charged towards me. - Kwakang! However, as if she had known about the flames even before they appeared, Ellen evaded and lunged at me simultaneously. The explosion of water vapor created by the evaporating water was meant to obstruct her view, but her heightened reflexes remained unchanged. As if she already knew without seeing, she charged through the steam, aiming straight for me. - Kakang! ¡°Euk...!¡± Just by blocking the sword, it felt as if my mind was being torn apart. In a split second. My unwavering spirit was disrupted. The Aura within Tiamata and the Aura Armor protecting my body wavered. Just for a brief moment. ¡°...!¡± - Squeak! But in that short gap, the broken sword pushed out the protective aura and cut into half of my neck. Thankfully, my wavering spirit lasted only for a brief moment. - Bang! I managed to create some distance by kicking Ellen away as she attempted to land the finishing blow. Tiamata healed my bleeding neck. If the cut had been any deeper, I would have died. No, it seemed like the cut was deep enough to have severed an artery. That sword disrupted my will. Even if just for a moment, I was rendered powerless. If it hadn''t been for the special training in Rezaira, my spirit might have been shattered at the first clash with that sword. No, I wouldn''t have even made it this far, devoured by those vengeful spirits instead. My fingertips trembled. Dangerous in a different way than the Void Sword. That broken sword attacked me directly. The longer the battle lasted, the more my mind would deteriorate. Once I lost consciousness, it would all be over. - Kadeuk! Kang! Kaang! As the onslaught continued, I felt a pain that seemed to tear my soul apart throughout my entire body. Beyond the physical limitations of the broken sword, it deflected and countered all my attacks. ¡°Heuk... Heu... Heu-eok...¡± After dozens of exchanges, I finally realized. The problem wasn''t the Void Sword. It wasn''t the Sun Cloak. It wasn''t even the broken sword. We had crossed swords multiple times. For days, weeks, months. There were times when we spent entire nights fighting. Although Ellen''s body was controlled by vengeful spirits, I was ultimately facing Ellen. She had no will of her own, but she fought in Ellen''s style. That was the problem. The fight from my dreams was reenacted. I had learned the sword from Ellen. Therefore, Ellen not only knew everything about me when it came to the sword, but she was always ahead of me. How to slash. How to stab. How to measure distance and close it. How to use angles. How to utilize joint techniques. How to use counters. How to counter a counter. I learned all of this from Ellen. Of course, Ellen, who had taught me all of this, was incomparably better at everything than I was. Now, I had to fight the person who had taught me everything. Without surpassing my master, I had to fight against her. Even though she held a broken sword. Even with a divine weapon, I couldn''t win. -Click! Suddenly, Ellen charged and struck her sword directly downward from above. As I tried to deflect the sword diagonally, at that moment. -Swoosh! ¡°Ugh¡­Ah!¡± I was hit by her knee, which she raised while maintaining the same speed as her charge, and I was sent flying into the sky. I rolled several times on the ground while feeling the agony of my innards being crushed. As I landed and rolled several times in a puddle, I barely managed to get back on my feet. She feigned a downward strike, drawing my gaze upward, but in reality, she didn''t put any strength into the sword at all. She read everything about me. She knew my weaknesses all too well. Ellen, having taught me everything, couldn''t lose to me even if she wanted to. Ellen Artorius was my arch-nemesis. As a result of learning the sword from Ellen, I quickly grew stronger. I learned how to fight, and thus, my skills were no longer inferior to anyone. However, because of this, I became someone who could never defeat Ellen. It was similar to the old days. I kept getting hit, falling, and rolling. But I didn''t feel any nostalgia. I wasn''t dead because of Tiamata''s divine power. I should have died several times by now. I could only recover because the injuries weren''t absolutely fatal. And now, an unbearable mental pain was accumulating. My vision blurred, and I felt like I was about to lose consciousness. Even channeling magic through my entire body was becoming increasingly difficult. Despite having come this far. Without Lament and Lapelt. Am I still losing? Can''t I win even after all this? Or am I just weak? Then how? What should I have done? I thought I had done everything I could on my own. The pain accumulating in my mind weakened me. Negative and self-destructive thoughts rose up. I knew that these thoughts were forcibly induced by the whispers of the vengeful spirits. An urge to give up everything and let go welled up within me. If there were no broken swords. Then what? Would it be better? If she held a truly ordinary sword instead of that grotesque one. No, if she had no weapon at all, would anything change? It was a fight against someone who knew everything about me. Now, it felt like I would lose even if Ellen fought with her bare hands. No, without the penalty of that broken weapon, I felt like I would be defeated even more overwhelmingly. There was no reason for my opponent to watch such a mindset of a loser rise up. Lightly, as if leaping, Ellen charged at me. I raised my sword to block her charge, but I already knew as I held the sword. I wouldn''t be able to stop her this time either. My spirit was broken. Certainty of victory couldn''t guarantee victory. However. Certainty of defeat. That would surely bring about defeat. In the midst of the pain that once again enveloped my soul, as Ellen struck my listlessly raised sword. At the same time as I was completely disarmed, Tiamata left my hand. -Splash! The moment Ellen swooped down on me, the water in the puddle spread in all directions, creating a rough spray. Was I going to die? I lost my grip on the sword, and Ellen pounced on me, crushing me underneath her. My entire body was entangled and crushed, leaving no chance to escape. I knew it. It was simple. I had fallen for this several times before. While charging and deflecting her sword, she would send her whole body flying at me, crushing me beneath her. Looking down at me from above. Aiming her sword at my neck. Always. "You''re dead." Yes. Always. Like this. She had said. CH 670 What I heard was unmistakably Ellen''s voice. I couldn''t help but be surprised. And it seemed the same was true for my opponent. With lifeless eyes wide open, it shook as it aimed its sword at my throat. It was something we had done many times before. Although Ellen''s will was absent, it was as if we were fighting in Ellen''s style. After numerous habitual battles, instead of thrusting the sword into my throat, Ellen stopped. I had always been defeated. Ellen had always won. Just as it had become a habit for me to lose to Ellen, it had become a habit for Ellen to win against me. So that habit of stopping at the last moment carried over. Even those familiar words involuntarily escaped my lips. "Uh... Ugh... Ugh...! Hic! Hic!" Tears that couldn''t be contained flowed from Ellen''s lifeless eyes. Tears mixed with rainwater streamed down endlessly. The one who shouldn''t cry was crying. These were not tears of bitterness or anger. They were simply tears of sadness. "Ellen...?" "Hic...! Ugh! Ah, ah... Uh..." I didn''t know what was happening. However, I could sense the violent struggle within the silence. Ellen hadn''t disappeared completely. Somewhere inside, Ellen was still there. Yes. Luna had said she could bring Ellen back. Although I didn''t actually borrow Luna''s power, it meant I could recover Ellen. And from the beginning, it had said it could bring Ellen back as well. Ellen hadn''t vanished. I was just too weak. I was so weak that I couldn''t recover Ellen. Luna could bring Ellen back, and it could return Ellen on its own. I just couldn''t find the way. Ellen could be restored completely, and Ellen was still somewhere inside it. Biting my lip, I tried to do something, but the sight of Ellen sobbing helplessly told me it was painful. A wave of pale energy erupted from Ellen''s body. "Gh...ugh...!" Clutching its head, "Hu... Hic... Hu... Uh... Ahhhhhhh!" With a roar like a lost soul and a shockwave that could tear apart not only the surrounding earth but my body as well, I was swept away for dozens of meters. Barely managing to stand after being thrown back, Ellen clutched her head amidst the torrent that seemed to pour down. A tremor like an earthquake resounded as something erupted from her body. "I''ll kill... Kill... Must kill... You too... The hero too... Everything you love. Everything precious to you... Must be taken away... That''s... Fair... That''s the only way..." Holding a broken sword, she glared at me with a bizarre appearance as vengeful spirits emanated from her body. I couldn''t tell if her condition was bad or good. If her condition worsened, would that be good for me? I didn''t know if the torrent of vengeful spirits surging from Ellen''s body was because they were leaving, or if they were going berserk. However, the rough gray torrent erupting from the broken sword certainly told me that not only was it dangerous for herself but also for me. Approaching carelessly might have killed me. But there was a strong conviction that now was my only chance. It was clear. The method to repel that thing. I didn''t know. The method to kill that thing. I didn''t know. But there was one thing I did know. Having been consumed by it, I learned one thing while my soul was being attacked by the strange power of the sword it wielded. It could kill a living being, but it couldn''t kill a soul. It could possess a body, but it couldn''t kill the soul''s original owner. If it could, it would have killed my soul the moment it possessed me from the beginning. The fact that it couldn''t meant that, although it was a collection of souls, it could never kill or eliminate a soul. I, who was swallowed by it and yet not killed, was the proof. The fact that Ellen''s soul still remained somewhere out there proved it. So. I went. -Krrr! Facing the thing that rushed at me, clad in a tumult of vengeful spirits. I didn''t back away, but instead approached it. -Kwaddddduk! Not only attacking my mind, but I felt a tremendous physical pressure from the colliding swords. -Krrr! The raindrops pouring down in the shockwave were pushed away by the sheer physical force, never reaching us. From the broken sword that collided with Tiamata, a fierce flame erupted as the pressure of the surging spirits and Tiamata''s divine power clashed. I didn''t know if it was the flame of the spirits being burned away or a physical flame. The flames of vengeance engulfed me, and my sanity seemed to fly away from the pain that felt like it could tear my brain apart. In the turbulence of vengeful spirits, it tried to kill me somehow, as if squeezing out the last flame. The pain that felt like my soul was being torn apart and the otherworldly pain trying to rip my heart apart both loomed. But. I knew the pain could weaken my soul, but it couldn''t kill me. The Void Sword could cut my flesh. The dark sword of resentment could attack my soul. But it could never kill my soul. I just had to not crumble in the pain and fear. -Kaddddduk! I knew. I couldn''t win. I had never won, not even once. In the days when I learned the sword from Ellen, who knew nothing, hiding the fact that I was the Demon King, it had always been like that. I didn''t learn the sword to fight and win against Ellen someday. But in the end, we ended up fighting like this. Whenever Ellen was serious, losing miserably was my fate. Defeat was all I had. But it wasn''t always the same defeat. Collapsing in one round, later in two rounds, three rounds, four rounds. At some point, I could even fight for about ten minutes. ''It''s hard.'' Once I got Alsbringer, Ellen had even said those words, exhausted from facing me. I always lost. I always fell. But I was a loser who progressed. Knowing I couldn''t win, I clenched my teeth and tried to win anyway. I didn''t become strong to fight Ellen, but I tried for the things that would happen someday. ¡ª--- I lost to you all my life. -Krrr! As I faced Ellen''s gaze, filled with hatred and rage, trying to push my sword away in the midst of the turbulent spirits and aiming for my neck. I said. "Just once...." Since the Gate Incident, for the first time, tears that had never been shed until now. "Only." In the end, I couldn''t hold back any longer. "Really, just once..." I knew that tears wouldn''t change anything, but still, I cried. "Even if it''s only once." I was so desperate. So helpless. Tears streamed down my face as they were swept away in the raging torrent of vengeful souls, in the midst of a soul-rending storm. "Can''t I... win... just once?" Just once. For this crucial moment, I wished for victory. I could lose to you for the rest of my life, as long as I won now. Because if I lost now, I wouldn''t have any chances to lose to you in the future. Because I was willing to spend the rest of my life being defeated by you, just like in the days of the temple. "So..." That eternity. That endless time would be enough if I could just get it back. I pleaded with my own self-suggestion. My own word magic. Just this once. Only once. "I... will..." For this moment alone. "I... will... defeat you." No matter what happened. "I will win." Kwarrururung! "Ahh... ugh... uhh... aaaaaaah!" As it reached some kind of limit, it began to release power wildly, its actions becoming more and more erratic. Bang! Instead of blocking the upward swing of the sword, I stepped back to avoid it. No matter what power was imbued in a weapon, there was always an absolute limit. The broken sword. It had its limitations. This time, I deflected the thrust of the sword that lunged towards me. Fighting with Ellen''s senses, it was clear that the thing controlling her body was feeling confused. It had become dull. Ellen Artorious knew my swordsmanship better than anyone else in the world. But, in the end, That''s why, The person who knew Ellen''s swordsmanship the best in the world, Was also me. As I deflected the sword that was aimed at me, she tried her best to target my neck this time. I dodged the swing aimed at my neck after my sword was pushed aside. Lowering my stance, I avoided the knee that was thrust upwards towards my face. Her twisted face, filled with confusion, anger, and despair, was just inches away from me. "Uh... ugh... ugh!" The sword pierced through pain and despair. But knowing that this gap would not come again, I took the hit. Thud! "¡­!" I did not block the sword that pierced my heart. An eerie pain shot through my brain, but this level of pain was nothing compared to the pressure on my soul at this moment. Instead, I pulled. I pulled the arm that had stabbed me. Thump! I grabbed her neck. "Aaaaaaaaah!" Kurururung! There was no escape. I would gladly be stabbed in the heart countless times for a single victory. Dozens, hundreds, even thousands of times. I could do anything, I had done everything to get her back. I could endure so much more than this. The torrent of vengeful souls exerted physical force on my body, but my body regenerated as it shattered. As long as she didn''t kill me in one blow, I would regenerate forever. I still had the divine relic, so I could do it. For a single victory. For just one opportunity. I had endured this moment of weakness. Without sacrificing Luna. Without sacrificing myself. I had clenched my teeth and let go of countless opportunities, not knowing if this moment would ever come. It had to be done now, or never. ¡ª--- Reaching towards the creature that flailed about, as if to free itself from the grip on its neck. Towards Ellen. I had only been accumulating everything up until this point by killing monsters. All of the achievement points I hadn''t used, even the tiniest bit, for this moment. I used them now. To get you back. And perhaps. This would be the last time. [Using all 287,620 achievement points.] I perform a ''revision.'' "Ugh...uh...ha...aaaaah!" From now on, there was no need for power like word magic. No need for power like self-suggestion. These powers could disappear after this last use, for all I cared. Because they were no longer necessary. More than any other time. More than any other moment. With the most intense desperation. With the most powerful intention. I wish (self-suggestion) I command (word magic) With these words. "Disappear!" CH 671 Rumble Countless events were taking place on the battlefield, and anomalies continued to occur in the heart of Diane, where the otherworldly dragon had appeared. However, very few people could witness these anomalies firsthand. Whoosh A torrential downpour obscured the scene, and a massive cloud of steam, caused by explosions, also hid it from the people''s eyes. Even without that, it would have been impossible for the alliance forces to focus on that area. Battles with the remaining monsters were happening, and the frenzied immortals indiscriminately slaughtered both the alliance forces and monsters, causing tremendous chaos. As a result, no one was watching what was happening deep within Diane. But suddenly, a swirling white torrent shot up into the sky and then subsided. Yet, the anomaly happened again. A massive cloud appeared. It was a dark, thick cloud with a color similar to that of storm clouds scattering heavy rain. However, it was too close to the ground to be considered a cloud. And within that cloud, despairing human faces appeared and disappeared continuously, writhing as if alive. Very few people knew that it was a collection of souls of those who had died so far. Still. Wail The ominous, strange, and sorrowful wails emitted by the massive cloud whispered into the ears of everyone on the battlefield. Some people unknowingly shed tears due to the despair embedded in those sounds. Right below the giant cloud. Whoosh There was a man holding a dazed woman in the pouring rain. "Ah¡­" The man gazed up at the sky with a blank, despairing expression as rain fell on his face. He had done everything he could. In the end, he managed to regain what he had lost. But it wasn''t a complete success. The curse he had shouted, hoping for the spirits to vanish, only brought half the success. The curse disappeared from Ellen Artorius''s body. But it did not vanish from the world. It still had a physical form and wailed eerily. It could find another body to dwell in next or bring about the destruction of everything by scattering curses throughout the world. The Demon King held the girl he had finally regained in his arms, looking up at the sky with a hardened expression. If he couldn''t make it disappear, the calamity it caused would continue. It could dwell in someone else. Or return to Ellen Artorius''s body. Or even possess the Demon King''s physical body. Poof! Suddenly, someone appeared next to the Demon King. "An extraordinary event has occurred." It was an old mage. He was a vampire named Antirianus. As always, he wore an expression that suggested he was scheming something sinister. Though they had achieved their first victory, the girl had fainted, and the Demon King had no energy left. The Demon King, sitting and embracing the precious girl, pointed shakily at the sky. Even that gesture was weak. "Will you be alright?" "¡­" "I don''t know what will happen next." "¡­" The Demon King raised his head with difficulty and looked at the old vampire, who wore an expression of unbearable delight. Unable to muster the strength to speak, the Demon King''s vision began to blur. "At last, you succeeded in reclaiming everything. At this moment when you possess it all, I want to relish the exhilaration of twisting your neck without necessarily having to swallow that thing." "..." Intense despair. The old vampire enjoyed such things. "But even now, if I were to swallow that thing, wouldn''t I naturally try to kill you as you are now?" The Demon King proposed to the old vampire. When he transferred the spirit to Ellen Artorius, and when he learned that it was Antirianus who had suggested it. And when he saw the future in which he himself would die. The Demon King didn''t kill the old vampire, but made a proposal instead. ''I''m going to make you an offer that''s hard to refuse.'' ''Hehe... How intriguing.'' That irresistible offer was a story that even the old vampire could not help but be surprised by. ''So, what is it?'' At the very end. Wouldn''t you like the chance to become my final adversary and destroy everything I have? If that thing somehow escaped from Ellen''s body and couldn''t be completely annihilated. Before it wreaked havoc on the world, how about you try to consume it? By becoming my final enemy. Not lurking on the outskirts of the story, but becoming the ultimate evil in the story, what do you think? If it wandered around without a host, it would become an even bigger problem. If it can''t be annihilated, someone has to bear it. So, at the moment when it was driven out of Ellen''s body. Next, someone has to bear it. ''If I were to consume it, what would you do?'' ''I''ll subdue you somehow and annihilate you. If I can''t, I''ll imprison you.'' ''So you cannot do that to Ellen Artorius, but you''ll turn me into that?'' ''Exactly.'' ''Hehehe. How candid of you.'' ''If you don''t want to, say so.'' Witnessing the final despair. Or, creating the final despair with his own hands. Which one did he desire? The Demon King made such a proposal to the despair-enjoying vampire. ''Originally, this old one enjoys watching everything from behind, not leading in anything.'' The old vampire didn''t enjoy excessively decisive behind-the-scenes actions. He liked twisting stories, but he didn''t enjoy cutting off their lifelines. He might intervene and make suggestions, but determining the end of the story himself wasn''t a hobby. If there was a happy ending, he would enjoy it. If a story ended in despair, he would enjoy that too. He preferred stories that flowed naturally and found their fitting conclusions. He might add a little commentary, but he wasn''t one to insist on a story ending in despair or happiness. He had always had the opportunity to end this story in despair, but he chose not to, as evidence. But this time, the situation was different. ''However, as a loyal subject, how can I, Antirianus, refuse my lord''s command?'' There was a request not to sit idly by, but to become the final despair. If he lost the final battle, it would still be a great story. If he won, it would be overwhelming despair. The old vampire was not one to refuse such opportunities. And so, in the end. At the end of an impossible battle, the Demon King reclaimed the hero. And his thoughts remained unchanged. As if commanding to carry out the agreed-upon task, the weak gesture pointed towards the massive cloud of vengeful spirits. The one who swallowed it would no longer be themselves. Even Antirianus didn''t know what would happen next. No one could predict the events that would unfold. -Groooowl Antirianus gazed up at the massive cloud of vengeful spirits that let out a grotesque howl. In truth, the elderly vampire might have come to this place even without the Demon King''s request. He was a being that reveled in despair. How immense must the despair contained within that thing be? To take it into his body and savor it to the limit. To truly feel the countless tears of countless individuals as if they were his own. "How..." "Could this be..." "So tempting..." Thus, Antirianus seemed to be driven mad with ecstasy. He would likely die from consuming it. Even knowing he would die from eating it, the mad vampire decided to consume it. There was no reason not to eat it. Having lived for far too long to live for the sake of living, seeking twisted pleasure had become his purpose in life. To lose his life in exchange for tasting it seemed almost too cheap a price. He would pay even more if needed. The elderly vampire reached into his chest. Then, a deep crimson gem revealed itself. He was willing to die from consuming it. But he wanted to savor it a bit longer. Therefore, he had been secretly preparing since he received the proposal. Preparing to properly consume it. The red gem was not originally Antirianus''s. It belonged to another vampire, older than Antirianus, who no longer existed. Others believed he pursued the philosopher''s stone, but the truth was different. It was a gem containing a failed wish, created to give a soul to a certain girl. This was a vessel to contain a soul. The wish had failed. It was a simple truth. A soul could not be created. What did not exist, did not exist. Thus, after completing his long research on the failed wish, he left only the gem behind, accepting the truth he had always known and returned to the void. A vessel to contain a soul. A great thing, but at the same time, an utterly useless object. A miraculous stone that could offer no help to those who needed it most. That, too, was despair. The elderly vampire never told the Demon King about the existence of the stone. He couldn''t grant a simple resolution, like sealing away the thing or making it vanish from the world, with this stone. Just as he didn''t actively interfere. He didn''t like providing crucial help either. But now, it was necessary. To properly seize it. To become the ultimate despair. The Demon King had requested it, so he intended to do his best to become the greatest despair. "Come...lost souls..." The crimson gem floated in the air above the elderly vampire''s right hand. "I want to feast upon your despair." -Woooong! The crimson gem emitted light, and dozens of circles began to appear around it. A grand-scale soul absorption took place. It was something the elderly vampire had never attempted before. It didn''t matter if it couldn''t withstand the process and shattered. If that happened, he would simply absorb it with his bare body. -Groooowl! The massive cloud of vengeful spirits seemed to react, gradually beginning to move. No. Rather than being led, it was more accurate to say: Keuuuuuuuuuuuuh! They were being dragged. As if being forcibly pulled by something, the cloud of resentful souls was drawn into the crimson gem. Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! The scream-like wailing clearly showed that the cloud of souls was resisting the pull. However, the gem that was made to contain souls began to devour the cloud of resentful souls as if swallowing them whole. Kururururururu! Despite the souls'' raging torrent resisting, the vessel of souls sucked them in violently like the eye of a storm. As it absorbed them, the crimson gem grew increasingly murky, but it continued to swallow the cloud of souls that enveloped the area, seemingly without limit. "Oh... Maximilia... How did you create such a magnificent thing!" The elder vampire cried out the name of the vampire who created this, as the soul stone began to devour all the souls without end. How much time had passed? The razor-sharp wind that shattered the ground and tore through the air gradually subsided. In the middle of it all, an old man holding a red gem stood quietly. Uuuuuuuuuuuuung! However, the gem was in turmoil. Due to containing too many souls, it seemed as if it would shatter at any moment. It was a magnificent object, but it was only natural that it couldn''t withstand the pressure. The elder vampire simply... Gulp! Swallowed the stone. "Heh." "Heh heh." "Hee... Hee hic. Hic..." "Uhuhuhuhuhuhu! Uhuhuhuhuhu!" The half-mad vampire burst into laughter. Tears filled with sadness welled up in Antirianus'' eyes. With a sickeningly joyful smile on his face... "How... How can there be so many sad things...?" "How can there be so many in this world...?" The elder vampire laughed for a long time. As if his soul had left his body due to the overwhelmingly sweet despair, the vampire''s expression soon turned cold and bitter. "Ah." "To feed..." "There was something else I needed to do first..." With a bizarre voice that overlapped and echoed, the existence of Antirianus, who had swallowed the stone of souls, began to fade away. However, this time was different. Until now, it had merely taken the place of the physical host. But in this case, they would become one. Antirianus'' will and the will of the souls would merge. The elder vampire would assimilate and dissolve with the souls. He was both Antirianus and the collective embodiment of the despairing souls. Antirianus looked at the Demon King, who was still crouching, and the girl in his embrace. There was no final battle. The Demon King had fainted. He had achieved an impossible victory and exhausted all his strength. So, it was only natural. The monster, no longer a vampire nor a collection of souls but something else entirely, quietly gazed at the Demon King who, even unconscious, desperately clung to the girl he had saved. Ssoaaaaaaaaaaaa In the rain pouring down like despair, the monster quietly spoke towards the unconscious Demon King. "I assume you didn''t wish for something like this." "Killing you when you can''t put up any resistance is no fun. I will return later." "Maybe you envisioned a scenario where I would appear to kill you when you are fully prepared." "But... that''s not the case." "I enjoy stories that are so despairing they''re great, and stories that are so hopeful they''re sacred." "Of course, I also like stories that are so dreadful they''re empty." The monster slowly approached the fallen Demon King. There was only one dilemma. Whether to kill the Demon King first or the hero he loved. In any case, both would die an empty death at the hands of the monster, having reached the end of everything on this spot. A miserable and pathetic ending would be bestowed upon them. To put an end to the story that had gone beyond great despair and great hope and ended so emptily. Since it was the Demon King''s choice, he had to endure it. Thinking so, a pale resentment arose in the monster''s hand when... "...Hmm." The monster, about to approach, sensed something and retreated. Bang! Then something blocked the space between the Demon King, the hero, and the monster. A gigantic dark sword pierced the ground between them and disappeared like a mirage. The monster turned its gaze to where the sword had come from. There, a single ghost clad in bloodied armor, whose blood had been turned so much that it couldn''t be known, stood. The ghost''s right arm burned with a strange darkness. In the ghost''s right hand was the dark sword made of darkness, which had blocked the space between the monster and the Demon King. The ghost standing before the monster muttered in a trembling voice. "I still don''t know... what the answer is." "But..." "I think I know the most definite wrong answer..." "Here..." "Here, these two dying..." "That, at least, seems to be the most definite wrong answer..." "Since I don''t know the answer." "As much as the definite wrong answers." "As much as the worst possible endings." "I have to stop it." "I don''t know who you are." "I don''t know what you are." "I don''t know what you want." "But step back." Rumble! The dark sword in the suddenly appeared ghost''s right hand aimed at the monster. The human-turned-ghost said, "These two must not die here." Upon seeing this, the vampire-turned-monster cocked its head. "Who might you be, suddenly appearing before me?" Regrettably, the monster didn''t know who the ghost was. He was still too small a person for anyone to remember. But there was no need for an explanation. Knowing that his name was too small to be remembered by history, He no longer mentioned his name. "You don''t need to know." And he wasn''t sad about it. CH 672 Only a handful of people could see in detail what was happening deep within the battlefield. Among those who were close to the heart of the battle was Ludwig. He slashed through monsters in the rain, cutting and cutting his way through them. As he built a mountain of monster corpses while crossing the battlefield, Ludwig also witnessed the strange occurrences on the field. The dragon that suddenly appeared seemed to contain the universe within its body. The moment Ludwig saw the dragon destroy a Titan up close, he, like the others, felt despair. However, before that monster could wipe out the entire allied forces with its overwhelming destruction, Ellen brought it down in a single blow. And soon, Ludwig witnessed the beginning of the battle between the Demon King and the hero. It was a series of incomprehensible events. Although the battle between the Demon King and the hero was natural to the people, it was something that should not have happened from Ludwig''s perspective. The two fought. Ludwig watched from afar, but even just felling the monsters pouring from all directions was challenging. The fight between the Demon King and the hero. However, what was even more unbearable was what happened next. The Immortal suddenly began indiscriminately killing not only monsters but also the soldiers of the allied forces. The screams and resentful cries from all over the battlefield told of this. Ludwig knew exactly what this meant. Either Christina, who should have controlled the Immortal, had gone mad, or she had died. Ludwig did not know how the situation would unfold. What was important was that the evil monster had appeared but then vanished. With all the warp gates destroyed, all that remained was to deal with the remaining monsters, and humanity''s last enemy had become the Immortal. ¡ª--- The Immortals left the battlefield. And as it re-entered, everyone saw it trying to kill the Demon King who was fighting for humanity. Ludwig saw that scene as well. The Demon King lured the Immortals while turning Diane into a wasteland. Ludwig saw the Demon King fighting for humanity more desperately and in a more dangerous place than anyone else. Even when humanity''s weapons tried to kill him, he continued to fight for them. Could the Demon King be forgiven? Could the Demon King avoid paying the price? Such concerns were not possible. From the moment the Immortals began slaughtering the allied forces, people would think that the Immortals'' actions were the Emperor''s orders. All the causes were, in fact, Christina, but people didn''t even know of Christina''s existence. Therefore, all the responsibility and arrows of sin would be directed at the Emperor. The Empire was not in danger. The Empire would not disappear when this war ended. The Empire had already vanished. When the Immortals disappeared irresponsibly, and now that their swords were aimed at the allied forces, the Empire ceased to exist. Everyone in the allied forces had already seen the Demon King fighting for humanity, even if the rest of the world didn''t know. Everyone saw him trying to kill monsters by using the crisis of being hunted by the Immortals. He couldn''t even feel betrayed as he watched Scarlett appear all over the battlefield, neutralizing the Immortal. Who knew what horrors would have happened if it weren''t for that act of defiance? To Ludwig, Scarlett''s betrayal was actually a blessing. The Empire was gone. The war was over. In this world, there was a need for someone to take up the next baton, and that person was the Demon King. But if the Demon King were to die in this place. In just one day, the Demon King had transformed from humanity''s enemy to its savior. If he were to die here, humanity would once again be plunged into chaos. It didn''t matter if the being was good or evil. Without someone to hold the baton, humanity would be torn apart. If the Demon King were to die in this place. To whom would the allied forces pledge their loyalty, and how would they proceed? It wasn''t a matter of whether the Empire or the Demon King was right. The problem was the division between those who believed in the Empire and those who believed in the Demon King. If the Demon King died, that rift would intensify. Someone had to ensure everyone''s safety, even in the name of oppression. The price shouldn''t be paid by the Demon King alone. The responsibility of not stopping Christina. The responsibility of not persuading her. That''s why Ludwig himself had to take responsibility for this moment when the Immortals were slaughtering the allied forces. No. In truth, it didn''t matter. Ludwig saw, as he cut through monsters and vaulted over them. The Demon King''s desperate struggle. The sight of him, who was using some unknown power, trying to save Ellen. What he had tried to protect, what he had tried to regain. He saw how it had all been ultimately restored to him. Ludwig could not protect her. He couldn''t persuade her either. But the Demon King, in his desperate battle that could be seen even from a distance, succeeded in retrieving Ellen from something unknown. That victory. The Demon King who succeeded in protecting something after that desperate battle. Reinhardt. He couldn''t leave the victory of the Demon King, who had reached something he himself couldn''t do, to end in a futile death. He had seen it already. He had said that he must pay the price. He had said that he must bear the responsibility, without knowing anything about Reinhardt. He didn''t understand what Reinhardt had been dealing with, as he watched him being chased by the Immortals from afar. He still couldn''t know everything. He didn''t know what had happened or what was going to happen. But this victory. Reinhardt''s victory shouldn''t be reduced to nothing in the midst of miserable futility. Finding the right answer was impossible, and that thought hadn''t changed. He couldn''t think that the arrival of the Demon King''s world was truly the right thing. However. The Demon King dying in this place. And Ellen, who the Demon King had somehow managed to protect, dying. That was the wrong answer. It was something that shouldn''t happen. Because the path he had intended to take was also one of the worst wrong answers, Ludwig no longer had the right to demand someone else to pay the price of the wrong answer. Then, the minimum good. In the end, he returned to his original mindset. He had to fight for someone''s life. Not for the death of something. Not for the price of sin. In the end, he fought for life. -Kkwa-Ga-Ga-Gang! That''s why Ludwig fought. No one would remember it. Even those who were saved wouldn''t remember. The final battle. "What a strange power." A strange gray light flickered in the eyes of the old mage, whose identity was unknown. Ludwig could tell that the old mage had taken away something that had burst out of Ellen''s body. He had thought the old man might be Reinhardt''s subordinate, but he actually intended to kill Reinhardt With a mere outstretched hand, the old mage blocked the massive dark sword that Ludwig swung. The black magic-infused sword, which had been tearing through monsters'' flesh until now, was blocked all too easily. "That right arm doesn''t seem to be yours." The old mage pointed at Ludwig''s right arm, burning with darkness. "I feel like I''ve heard your story somewhere before..." The old mage tilted his head. "Well, I can''t remember it clearly. It''s a common thing for an old man like me..." Although he couldn''t explain it properly, the old monster he faced was an unpleasant presence. "But in the end, I was disappointed that no one was in my way. Perhaps it''s for the best." The old monster was satisfied with the fact that someone had eventually stood in his way, despite the emptiness he felt. So, he had no intention of killing the Demon King before defeating Ludwig. That was the story, after all. He still didn''t like ruining the story with petty tricks. There was a final enemy. Therefore, overcoming each other first was beautiful. "Ugh... Ack..." Although he tried to approach the two, Ludwig had already crossed the line several times. Like Reinhardt, who reached his limit and collapsed, Ludwig was already at his limit as well. Furthermore, Ludwig didn''t gain his strength through normal means. -Grrrr! "Ugh... Argh!" The torrent of black magic gushing from his right arm was not only uncontrollable, but the pain engulfing his whole body was also invading Ludwig''s consciousness. He had come this far after a fierce battle. So, by the time he arrived here, Ludwig''s stamina was nearly depleted. The Demon King had a healing method called Tiamata, but Ludwig had nothing like that. Moreover, Ludwig''s condition couldn''t be healed with holy power. He couldn''t control the rampaging power of his right arm properly. He didn''t know who the enemy was, but the situation was at its worst, even though he had to face the most powerful enemy he had encountered so far. The old mage, watching Ludwig''s agony, quietly stretched out his right hand. "Young man..." -Zzzzzzz "Great price follows easily acquired power." He lightly swung his hand towards Ludwig, which he had lowered towards the soaked ground. Despite being more than twenty meters apart, Ludwig saw a rift in space. The blade of wind created by compressing the atmosphere was swung towards Ludwig. "¡­!" -Kwakakang! "Kuh!" The mage, who sent Ludwig flying with just a swing of his hand, was already at Ludwig''s nose in the next moment with a short-range spatial leap. -Uwooooo! From the mage''s right hand, an eerie grayish storm, not made of mana, was raging. -Kwarrrr! The torrent of vengeful spirits engulfed Ludwig. "Ugh... Uh... Huhuhuk!" He was invaded by spiritual pain, not physical torment. Ludwig, who had become accustomed to pain through the chimera procedure, couldn''t help but scream at the unfamiliar pain. Swallowed by the torrent and rolling across the ground, Ludwig couldn''t even stand up properly as he trembled. He didn''t know what it was, but the Demon King had certainly fought something like this. Thus, there was no way Ludwig could not realize that he was now feeling the pain that the Demon King had felt. Beyond the pain, an innate fear surged forth. It wasn''t just the level of pain and suffering; it was a sensation as if his soul was becoming sick. Despair filled his mind. I can''t do it. How can someone like me? This is not my place. Such thoughts filled his brain. The Demon King, lying there defeated. Did Reinhardt fight something like this? How could the Demon King fight something like that? What was even stranger was the monster before him. Why did it seem so happy, harboring such a thing inside its body? For the first time in his life, he experienced an unfamiliar pain. And fear. The rising sense of despair. The monster approached the trembling Ludwig with a sinister smile. "Isn''t it more beautiful, a power that cannot kill someone?" "Ugh..." "I enjoy the expressions made by broken-hearted humans." He gritted his teeth, trying not to back away, but Ludwig unknowingly stepped back, afraid of the pain he had just felt. -Splash Trembling with fear, Ludwig soon stumbled and fell into a puddle, sitting in the water. "Ugh... ugh..." "Since I cannot witness the despair I truly wanted to see, how about you show me that expression instead?" He couldn''t make an expression while unconscious. How much despair would he feel? How much pain would he suffer? It was impossible to know. So the monster would extract that expression from the nameless someone who had appeared to protect him. Fear crept over Ludwig''s entire body. The first time experiencing such pain. The first time encountering such a being. A creature worthy of being called a true monster approached, not to bring death, but to deliver pain and fear. Yet, he could not back down. He mustered strength he didn''t have. Supporting himself on his trembling legs. He stood up. "Ugh!" Biting his lip until it bled, he offset the pain of his soul with physical pain. Taking a step forward, Ludwig swung his sword of darkness. -Clang! The greatsword was blocked by the barrier the monster had spread. If once wouldn''t work, then twice. -Clang! Clang! And if that didn''t work, then thrice. -Screech! The barrier shattered, but in that moment, the monster was already preparing its next barrier. What on earth was this thing before him? How could it possess such power? Or had he become too weak? The old mage waved his hand. "How about this?" -Rumble, rumble, rumble! "¡­!" The ground trembled as chunks of earth began clinging to Ludwig''s body. "¡­What!" And then, they tightened around him as if to shatter his body. -Rumble, rumble, rumble! Pieces of the torn earth enveloped Ludwig''s body, compressing him without end. Soon, the rocks became transparent, gradually turning into crystal. Trapped inside a prison of crystal, Ludwig''s eyes bulged. An ordinary human would have been crushed by the pressure. However, Ludwig was far from ordinary. Though he had no noteworthy title or reputation. He didn''t belong to the realm of the ordinary. With a crack, fissures appeared in the crystalline prison that held Ludwig, soon causing a massive explosion. "Kwakakang!" Crystal shards scattered, and Ludwig, who had been trapped within, fell to the ground, gasping for breath. "Ssaaaaaaaaa" Drenched and stretched out like a wet rag in the rain, his appearance alone made him a defeated man. "Hooo¡­" However, as if admiring his effort to escape, the monster watched Ludwig, who lay collapsed and gasping for breath, as he somehow tried to stand up. Once again, Ludwig''s hand held the great sword of darkness. The fight continued. Ludwig was undoubtedly strong. The great sword of darkness was a powerful magical weapon in and of itself, threatening enough for the old mage, and could easily destroy any defensive barrier. It was truly a monstrous power. However, his opponent was an all too unfamiliar being. The old monster, who had absorbed even strange powers, was too alien an enemy for Ludwig to face. Magic that transcended space. And Ludwig had neither a way to block nor dodge the torrent of vengeful spirits. The monster did not have to face him. Ludwig knew that he was merely being toyed with. He could somehow dodge and shatter the incoming earth spears, explosions, and lightning strikes, but he could not block the torrent of vengeful spirits wielded by the old mage. Just touching them would erode his mind with fear and pain so intense that it felt like his sanity would collapse. "Kuh¡­ugh!" Antirianus delightedly watched Ludwig writhing in pain. It was the power that the old monster had never desired. A power that did not kill humans but could break them. A power that could twist anyone''s face in despair, fear, and pain. Although he had never coveted it until the Demon King suggested it, once he grasped it, it was as if the very power he himself had always desired. Only Antirianus, the sole being in the world, could use this power joyfully. His opponent before his eyes was nothing. The pupils of the trembling opponent were filled with fear from pain. Antirianus did not know who was in front of him. However, merely being here meant that he was not an ordinary human or a being with ordinary willpower. Thus, the monster was curious. How far could this power break a human? "Show me, boy." "Kurururung!" The torrent of vengeful spirits emitted from Antirianus''s grip engulfed Ludwig. "Kuuuuuuuugh!" Ludwig, who had collapsed, began to scream as his whole body trembled. "I wonder what expression one who has been broken and bent, with no will left to stand, would wear¡­ I am curious." Although it did not kill humans, it could break them to their limits. Antirianus intended to test the extent of this power. What a splendid toy to verify the power he possessed. It would provide good entertainment until the real toy awoke. "Kurururururung!" "Kuheuaaaaaaaaaak!" Like tearing off the legs of an ant before crushing it, Antirianus looked down at Ludwig, who was slumped and convulsing. And he watched. To see if he would stand. If there was any strength left to stand, any mental fortitude. After one storm had passed, Antirianus saw Ludwig, still on bended knee, struggling to stand on trembling legs. The dark greatsword still remained in his right hand. "You''re getting up." "Ugh...ugh..." Ludwig knew that his opponent was merely toying with him. He also knew that he couldn''t win. Nevertheless, he tried to buy time. If the unconscious Demon King were to awaken, the situation might change. He himself might not be capable, but Reinhardt might be. He had always failed, but Reinhardt had always succeeded. He had to hold on. Until Reinhardt rose. It''s not that he agreed with the Demon King, but there had to be someone who could find a new answer. And it wasn''t him. It was the Demon King. Just like Christina. It was wrong to kill and destroy things solely with malice. In the end, everyone dies, and someone gets sacrificed against their intentions. If such incidents occur regardless of who is in front, if anyone only brings about sacrifices, if there''s no right answer for anyone, then at least a being without malice should exist. He had seen with his own eyes that Reinhardt had no malice. He had to protect him. Running away, fighting, and in the desperate moments of battle, he had seen him fighting to protect even the malice directed at himself. He had to endure. Until Reinhardt rose. He also knew that the monster in front of him was interested in him for the time being. He didn''t know what kind of monster it was, or what kind of pain he was going through, but all he had to do was not fall. If he could just get up, if that could change the situation even a little, he had to get up. Antirianus smiled as he saw the life still remaining in Ludwig''s eyes. That was, perhaps, what the monster loved most in the world. It didn''t matter if his will was extinguished or not. He enjoyed the process. -Kurururung! Once again, a torrent of vengeful spirits formed in the monster''s right hand. CH 673 Swoooosh! The rain continued to pour down. Antirianus''s expression had already hardened. "It''s happening again." He silently watched Ludwig, who managed to withstand the onslaught of vengeful spirits once more, staggering to his feet. The dark flames that once flickered on his right arm had gone out, and saliva absentmindedly dripped from the corner of his mouth. But Ludwig, like someone who wouldn''t collapse due to the fact that he couldn''t be killed, rose once more. A normal person would have lost their sanity upon encountering the attack of these vengeful spirits, yet Ludwig endured it. Even the Demon King had fainted from being attacked by them, but Ludwig gritted his teeth and stood up, fully aware that he was being toyed with. All he could do was buy time. Despite knowing that his existence held no greater value than that, he refused to fall. Could an iron-willed soul truly exist? Was there such a thing as an unbreakable human? Once again, the raging torrent of vengeful spirits engulfed Ludwig. Rumble! At first, Ludwig had screamed as if he couldn''t breathe, but now he no longer let out pain-filled cries. It wasn''t because he was enduring it. He simply no longer had the strength to scream. Still, he managed to rise once more. He was sure to fall this time. This was no longer amusing for the monster. If he killed the boy who somehow resisted, it would be a defeat of its own. He needed to break him and trample him. Wouldn''t it only have to kill the boy once he could no longer rise? If an unbreakable being existed, he wanted to see it with its own eyes. If such a being truly existed, he wanted to know. That had been Antirianus''s long-held curiosity. He had to see if he would break. If he didn''t, it would be astonishing. If he did, it would confirm the truth that existence is always swallowed up by despair. So now, it was a defeat for the monster to kill the boy himself. In that moment, as he watched to see if the boy would rise again... Swish! "!" Crack! The dark greatsword, piercing through the storm of vengeful spirits, shattered the barrier the monster had created and grazed his right ear. Antirianus''s right ear disappeared, along with the storm of dark magic. "Ha... ha... ha..." At the spot where the torrent of vengeful spirits had vanished, a boy sat, gritting his teeth and gasping for breath. "So you still had that much strength left." The boy''s face contorted with despair as his crucial, desperate, but ultimately single surprise attack failed. He had waited for the monster to let its guard down, conserving his last ounce of strength. It must have been his final, desperate ambush. But it had missed. The miraculous attack had indeed found an opening, but in the end, it couldn''t inflict more than a scratch. Antirianus smiled at the sight of Ludwig''s expression as his one chance evaporated. The boy hadn''t been trying to hold on. He had been waiting for the right moment. "What a wonderful expression." There was no such thing as an unbreakable being. Didn''t that expression say it all? "Is that right arm your hope?" Ludwig''s deeds were of little importance to Antirianus and thus hadn''t reached his ears. At a glance, the right arm appeared to be transplanted from another being. Something sinister related to dark magic Perhaps it was related to the Immortal. The boy had endured in order to seize a single moment of reversal with that arm, which must mean that the arm was everything to him. Antirianus waved his hand. Sharp blades of wind flew through the air. Swish! "¡­!" All too easily, the foundation of strength that the boy had been desperately clinging to was severed in vain. "Ugh¡­!" Having lost his arm for the second time, Ludwig groaned while gripping his bleeding stump. There was no more power left to attempt a reversal. The toy''s sting had been removed. "Now all that remains is pain." Rumble! A storm of spirits formed in the monster''s hand once more, rushing towards Ludwig. Since his hope had been broken, he would finally break. Without the ability to seize a moment of reversal, he had only to enjoy the sight of his despair-filled expression. But. Rumble! "Ugh¡­ugh¡­" Rumble! "Ugh¡­" "¡­" "¡­" No matter how much time passed. Ludwig managed to stand up again, albeit staggering. Holding onto his injured right arm, he struggled and definitely. Stood up. Antirianus''s expression hardened. His eyes. As if to declare that as long as his will remained, he would continue to rise. He stared at Ludwig''s eyes that kept getting up. The light did not fade. Even while writhing in agony. Even though now all he could do was buy time, and he knew he was merely being toyed with. A worthless enemy. No, not even an enemy anymore, he kept getting up. "Why do you keep getting up?" "You, who are nothing." "Knowing you can do nothing." "Without any basis." "Why do you keep getting up?" Even though he had no power. He kept getting up just to buy time. Did he believe there would be some variable when the Demon King awakened? Ludwig, battered and barely able to stand on his two legs, spoke. A boy with fading eyes muttered blankly. "Because this is all I can do." "Because I know nothing else." "I have to do this, at least¡­" "I don''t regret losing my right arm." "It wasn''t mine to begin with." "That''s right¡­" "Getting up even when I''m knocked down." "That''s what I was able to do." "I was good at nothing but this." "All I could ever do was this." "Being stupid and having only stamina was my advantage." "Always running, always holding a sword. Thinking that if I did something, I''d become something. That''s how it was¡­" "In the end, I couldn''t become anything." "I could only become something by attaching someone else''s arm." "That''s right¡­ I''m nothing." "I have no power at all." "But this must be my true self¡­" "If you could kill me at any time, but you''re keeping me alive because it''s fun¡­" "Then let me try a little more." "I''ll keep getting up, as long as I can¡­" "Play with me a bit longer¡­" "I''ll keep getting up." "Because that''s the one thing I''m good at, even though I''m nothing." Terror, despair, and pain battered his body, but he resolved that his will would never break. He was determined to keep getting up, if only to buy time. For the first time in his life, Antirianus felt an odd emotion. It was discomfort. Was there an existence that would not break? He wanted to see it. However, when faced with an actual unbreakable human, Antirianus felt an unbearable discomfort. How could one be so foolish, and yet so persistent? Knowing full well their own insignificance. Defying the odds, refusing to fall. Antirianus felt it. That one would not fall. Rather, unconsciousness due to blood loss would come first. As long as the will was there, he would continue to rise, and when he finally fell due to blood loss, Antirianus would experience something: An overwhelming sense of defeat. When he lost consciousness without breaking, he would only be acutely aware that he had failed to destroy the unbreakable human. The fading light in Ludwig''s eyes told him. It wasn''t the collapse of his spirit, but the blood loss that would cause him to lose consciousness. "You say you are nothing." Not knowing who stood before him, how could he be so self-deprecating? "In my immeasurably long life, I have seen many humans - as insignificant as they are great." "There were those so strong as to be inconceivable." "And there were those of noble blood who acted more disgracefully than the lowest of creatures." "I have seen countless despairs." "And countless hopes." "All of them, in the end, reduced to the emptiness of inevitable death." "I have seen many great and insignificant beings." "But never have I seen someone as insignificant, yet as tenacious, as you." "Indeed..." "How can I not call that greatness?" "Among all the humans I have known, you are the most uniquely great." "How can I call such a person nothing?" The boy was not strong enough to surpass the old monster. But he was utterly unbreakable. Unbroken by pain that could not kill him. He just kept rising. Even knowing he could do nothing, only hoping for what he desired. Not because it was the right answer, but because the death of the Demon King was an absolute wrong. He had to do whatever he could, no matter what. It was the first time Antirianus had faced such determination. "I have lost," he said, lifting his right hand. This time, it wasn''t a force to torment or cause pain, but a blade of wind. He had tried to break him, but he would not break. Acknowledging defeat, he would take the boy''s life. If he would not break, then he would be shattered. That was the highest compliment and respect Antirianus could give to the nameless human before him. ¡ª--- -Woosh! Ludwig looked at the wind blade forming in the monster''s right hand. It had been a hopeless fight. All he could do was rise, but even that was now meaningless. The opponent had lost interest in the unyielding enemy and now sought to take his life. Next would be the fallen Demon King and Ellen. He didn''t even know what was before him. He didn''t know what was happening. However, in the end, he had tried to change his mind and protect the Demon King, but even that had failed. Like despair. Like emptiness. Swoosh! The rain. Fell. "¡­" His life had been a series of failures. Protecting someone, becoming stronger, everything. Repeating failures, losing everything, making wrong decisions, and finally, losing his life. Was it to end like this, a life of a loser? Was this the only outcome prepared for someone as incompetent and foolish as himself? Pathetically persistent. Would it all end like this? He had confidence that he wouldn''t crumble, but not that he wouldn''t break, and he had no means to attack the enemy before him. Could someone like him not dream of victory? He had done his best. It was his best, up to this point. It was sorrowful and infuriating that his best only went this far, but he had done everything he could. He couldn''t ask for more than this. Wasn''t this enough for someone like him? Considering his status, hadn''t he done enough? The moment he thought that, Ludwig couldn''t help but recall a conversation from long ago. In the rain, he glanced at the unconscious Demon King, and Ellen who had fainted, held by the Demon King in his arms. He had respected, hated, and decided to kill that being. But in the end, he had resolved to protect them. He had definitely heard those words from the Demon King. Those words had spurred him on, it was no exaggeration. Was it the night before the Temple Tournament semifinals, at the training ground? Feeling a sense of defeat, Ludwig had asked Reinhardt. "Reinhardt, I have a question." "What is it?" "Have you ever fought knowing you''d lose?" "¡­Yes, I have." "But you won them all, didn''t you?" The Demon King, who had always fought recklessly, hadn''t been hiding his strength but was genuinely weak. He had hidden his identity but not his power. He hadn''t pretended to be weak; he really was weak. Insignificant. Despite that, he had always fought impossible battles. He had entered the battles knowing he would lose. But he had always won. "How do you think that was possible?" Ludwig had been curious. Why fight when you knew you''d lose? And how on earth had he won? "You have to believe." "Believe?" "Yes." He had definitely heard those words. "Even if I''m going to lose, even if I have no choice but to lose, I still have to believe." "That you can win?" "Yes." There was no victory in any battle where defeat was assumed. "I''ll find a way to win, and I have to believe I can win." "But what if you still lose in the end?" "What does it matter?" The Demon King had rejected Ludwig''s mindset. "''I''ll do my best even if I''m going to lose'' is just an excuse prepared for defeat. It''s like saying, ''I still tried my best. I''ll do better next time.'' Isn''t it just a way to create an escape route for yourself after you''ve been defeated?" The resignation of having done one''s best is ultimately just an excuse for oneself. The same was true now. The moment he thought his best was only up to this point, it was over. He had already given up. The Demon King had said. Instead of making excuses for defeat, one should make resolutions for victory. Because then, perhaps. By some chance. There might be a different outcome. However, even in this impossible battle, the Demon King gained something through an impossible resolution. As always, the Demon King, who had seized something in such battles, proved himself once again. After all, who could confidently claim that they could not achieve such a victory? Why was I giving up? Claiming I had done my best. Accepting this as my limit. Why was I meekly accepting death? Rather than continuing to lose and ending up as a good-for-nothing who could do nothing, I desired a single victory. I wanted to seize it just once. I hadn''t died yet. Life was not over until my breath had completely stopped. Although I had lost my right arm, which had given me indescribable strength, I still had my body. My legs trembled, and I lacked the strength to stand properly, my consciousness blurred, But it seemed like there was still a drop of power somewhere. If death was approaching, I would not wait for it idly. Even if I couldn''t reach it, I tried. ¡ª--- That was the driving force that allowed Ludwig to come this far, despite constantly failing and losing on all those days when he was exhausted and fell asleep. Not giving up. Stubbornly moving forward. Ludwig finally realized that this was his only weapon and his most absolute weapon. Thus, before the blade of death approached, he took a step towards it himself. Oooh! He drew upon the magical power that might have been left somewhere in his body and strengthened his physique. Even with the arm of the Grandmaster that had been transplanted, he had been unable to bring down his opponent. But if death approached, he should at least try to confront it. He had always walked forward with the thought that it might not work, but one never knew. With the determination to see his lifelong compulsion through to the end. "Are you... trying to fight?" A look of discomfort beyond annoyance appeared on the old monster''s face. It was astonishment. With a faint blue magical aura around him, the boy who shouldn''t have had the strength to move a single finger took a step forward. It wasn''t much, but there was still power left. Even if it was a light that seemed to flicker out any moment, It was definitely a light. Even a weak light could dispel some darkness. He poured that strength into his weakened body. "Yeah. I have to fight." If it was a fight in which he was bound to die, If an insurmountable enemy was trying to kill him, He was afraid. It was despairing. But if he was going to die either way, Oooh! "And if I fight," Why shouldn''t his heart''s compass point towards victory? "I should... hope for victory." Even if the desire for victory didn''t bring victory, "Because..." Why should he submit, broken, and wait for death? So, he wished. "I will." A declaration for victory. "Defeat you." Here. "Bring it on." Rumble! A portion of the sky, which had been covered in dark clouds, opened up. A single ray of golden light struck the ground. Boom! Something was thrust into the ground in front of Ludwig, accompanied by a fierce shockwave. It definitely had the shape of a spear. "Oh... that is..." The old monster stared blankly at the spear that appeared in the sky with a flash of light and let out an exclamation. It had always been the weapon of the weak. The simplest form. The most deadly form. It had always been the weapon of the weak. A simple shape and a sharp edge. That most deadly straight line was precisely The form a weapon should take for the weak when they faced insurmountable opposition. The old monster knew the name of such a weapon. The weapon of the weak. The artifact of courage. The Divine Spear. "Alixion..." It certainly had such a name. CH 674 The Immortals had begun their indiscriminate slaughter, but the damage was minimal. This was thanks to the efforts of Scarlett and Kono Lint, who had focused on neutralizing the Immortals as they moved through the battlefield. However, the allied forces had all witnessed the Immortals attacking them. None could properly see the battle taking place deep within the heart of Diane. Even those who fought nearby only knew that a series of incredible events had occurred there. Thus, the outcome and the process of the final battle remained unknown to all. No one had seen the series of events that unfolded after the otherworldly dragon had disappeared. Not even the monsters dared to approach the depths, so it was Olivia Lanze, wielding the power of death to dominate the skies, who had penetrated into the depths of Diane, annihilating the remaining monsters. What Olivia saw was Reinhardt, unconscious and holding Ellen in his arms at the site of a fierce battle. Olivia had carried the two of them on the dragon''s back as they returned. The Immortals were wiped out. All of Diane''s warp gates were destroyed. And the remaining monsters either scattered or were defeated by the allied forces. The rain had stopped. The war was over. ------ Smoke rose from various parts of Diane, where the corpses of monsters were being burned. The gate incident had been completely resolved, and although there would still be countless monsters remaining throughout the continent, no more would pour in from the other world. Humanity had survived. However, the atmosphere among the allied forces, which should have been more hopeful than ever, was gloomy. Firstly, the sacrifices were greater than in any previous battle. The Immortals, who had been able to wage war effortlessly until now, had suddenly attacked the allied forces in the final battle. It seemed as if they were being made to pay the price for their easy advances. Confusion, distrust towards the empire, and anger were rampant. Then, the forces of the Demon King suddenly appeared, and the chaos that ensued was because they fought harder than anyone else. Not everyone on the battlefield saw the Demon King fighting, but those who did witnessed him desperately killing monsters while luring the Immortals, who sought his death. And it was vague, yet certain, that the Demon King was involved in the battle against the unknown final monster and the events that unfolded in the depths. Distrust towards the empire. And whether or not to trust the long-despised Demon King. Amidst the complex situation, the allied forces were at a loss, establishing a base but unable to find their bearings. Nevertheless, the situation was somewhat better for the commanding officers. From the beginning, they knew the Demon King was involved with the allied forces, and there were even those who decided to support him. And now, even those who opposed the Demon King realized they had no choice but to support him. Knowing that the empire had betrayed them at the most crucial moment, they were convinced that the empire was no longer on humanity''s side. The empire would rather kill them than join the Demon King''s army. The situation that unfolded during the battle in Diane could not be accepted by anyone. Thus, the allied forces'' command had already decided to support the Demon King wholeheartedly. And so, the top brass of the Demon King''s army had no choice but to enter the Allied Forces'' general headquarters nonchalantly, and even though they received fearful glances from everyone, they took their seats close to the top. However, the person occupying the highest seat in the Allied Forces'' headquarters was a very unexpected figure. "Has the damage report for each army been compiled?" This person was no longer a citizen of the Empire, and this person¡¯s appearance was similar to that of a demon. But that person couldn''t be considered not human. Charlotte de Gardias was sitting in the highest position in the Allied Forces as the representative of the Demon King''s army, in place of Emperor Bertus. Something had changed. But it was a strange shift in power, as it seemed that nothing had really changed. ------ In the vicinity of the heavily guarded general headquarters. Due to the presence of beings that shouldn''t be casually exposed to others'' eyes, the security around the headquarters remained strict even as the extermination of the remaining monsters was underway. But everyone would eventually find out. That the entire leadership of the Allied Forces would be replaced by the Demon King''s forces. "Shouldn''t you be attending the meeting, Sister?" Looking at Olivia perched on a wooden crate near the headquarters, Harriet cocked her head. "I hate dealing with headache-inducing discussions." "¡­Won''t all the tasks ahead be headache-inducing? What will you do if you already dislike them?" "What can I do about it? Just let me be today." "Hmm... I can''t argue with that, but..." In reality, Olivia was the one responsible for all issues regarding the organization moving forward. There was much more for Olivia to do in the future than Rowan, the Holy Knight Commander, who was likely inside the headquarters, busily discussing matters. With that in mind, Harriet couldn''t help but find it unsightly that Olivia avoided the meeting, claiming she disliked thinking about such matters, and was outside sighing heavily. Of course, Olivia had made significant contributions, leaving no room for criticism even if she took a break. She revived the legions of monsters and had them fight against the other monsters, and she flew across the battlefield on a dragon, saving countless people from death. When the dragon adorned in a brilliant radiance passed by, those on the verge of death were resurrected. It was such an overwhelming and miraculous sight that it left a deep impression on everyone, including Harriet. The Holy Maiden riding a dragon. That was already the talk among the Allied Forces. Everyone was safe. It was a miracle. They all fought in the most dangerous places, but none of the Demon King''s closest confidants were killed or injured. Everyone played a crucial role, and each one had a decisive impact on the course of the battle. In the battle of Diane, even the absence of just one person from the Demon King''s forces would have caused casualties in the tens of thousands, so important were their roles. Among them, Harriet, Liana, and Scarlett stood out for their significant impact. Without Scarlett, the Allied Forces might have been annihilated while dealing with the rampaging Immortals. Olivia looked at Harriet with exhausted eyes. "Has Reinhardt not woken up yet?" "It seems so." "¡­What on earth happened?" "I don''t know." But even those who had played such crucial roles didn''t know the true nature of the ongoing anomalies at the heart of Diane. The overwhelming monster. The sudden evaporation. By the time Olivia had arrived, everything had already ended. She knew that Ellen and Reinhardt were safe and brought them back, but she still didn''t know what had happened. "What about that person?" In response to Olivia''s question, Harriet shook her head. "She doesn''t seem to remember anything." Obviously, she was talking about Ellen. "Did something go well? Where did the thing that was cast on her go? If it''s gone, that''s fortunate, but was there a way?" Ellen couldn''t remember anything, and Reinhardt was unconscious. It was a peculiar conclusion, seemingly resolved yet leaving an uncomfortable aftertaste. "Still¡­ I''m glad everyone''s safe." At Olivia''s sincere grumbling, Harriet''s eyes widened in surprise. "Yes, it''s a relief." "¡­" Embarrassed, Olivia pursed her lips with her face flushed, while Harriet looked at her and smiled. ------ In a makeshift barracks near the headquarters, Ellen sat quietly on a chair in front of a cot, looking down at the unconscious Reinhardt. There was no way to tell when he would regain consciousness. "Ellen?" "¡­Yeah." Harriet entered the barracks and checked Ellen''s complexion. Ellen knew what Harriet was worried about. When Ellen had just come to her senses, she had cried so much she could hardly breathe, and it took a while for Harriet to comfort her. "It''s okay. It''s gone. I can feel it." "I''m glad¡­" Harriet smiled with relief and embraced Ellen''s neck. They never thought a moment like this would come again. Yet, miraculously, such a moment had arrived. A moment when they could embrace each other without any worries. That moment had come again. Touched by the overwhelming moment, Harriet began to sob, and Ellen comforted her for a long time. Ellen didn''t know what had happened. It was crucial to know how the final battle had gone, but Reinhardt was unconscious, and Ellen couldn''t remember anything. Olivia had just brought the two of them back after finding them lying on the battlefield. And she had heard everything about how the battle in Diane had gone. The departure and return of the Immortals, the rampage. Even the annihilation. It wasn''t difficult to imagine what would happen next. The empire had disappeared, and everyone would be wronged. The demon king would rule over humanity. "Let''s stay together from now on. Everything is over¡­ The sad times are over¡­ Just like before. Okay?" "¡­Yeah." Ellen nodded slowly, tightly holding Harriet''s arm as she embraced her. She couldn''t erase what had already happened. She couldn''t say there wouldn''t be hard times ahead. However, there were things she could regain and return to. Ellen looked down at the peacefully sleeping Reinhardt. She couldn''t know what he had done, but Reinhardt must have saved her in some way. Although she couldn''t remember, she could clearly recall hearing a desperate voice from beyond her faint consciousness. She knew he must have fought a difficult and desperate battle. That''s why he was sleeping so deeply now. Swish Ellen summoned the Cloak of the Sun. She didn''t know that the relics had left her hands for a while. The flames of hatred that had once flickered in the Cloak of the Sun were now gone. It was natural for the flames, which had burned on the fuel of hatred because something overflowing with hatred had taken root in her, to be gone now. Hate had vanished, and so the flames of hatred no longer flickered upon the cloak of the sun. This time, Ellen summoned the Moon Sword Lament. However, the dark night sky was still reflected on the Moon Sword. Hate had vanished. But sorrow had not. Thus, the Moon Sword, which responded to sorrow, still projected emptiness. -Swish- After returning the sword and the cloak, Ellen gently touched the forehead of the sleeping Reinhardt. Hate had vanished, but sorrow had not. This was because she knew they could not be together, whether she returned or not. With tearful eyes, Ellen gazed at Reinhardt, who had ultimately saved her but whom she would never see again. She stroked the forehead and hair of the one she loved. Endlessly, Ellen continued to caress, as if it were the last time. ¡°I love you.¡± Forever. Though she wanted to whisper those words in his ear eternally. A hero and a demon king could not coexist. The existence of one always repelled the other. In a world where the hero triumphed, there should be no demon king. In a world where the demon king triumphed, there should be no hero. ¡°Really¡­¡­. I love you so much.¡± Thank you. I love you. Ellen whispered those words several times. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­.¡± Finally, she burst into tears. ¡°I¡¯m so¡­¡­. so sorry¡­¡­.¡± Her heart wrenched with the agony of not being able to be together, she wept endlessly. ------ Nighttime. When Ellen cautiously emerged from the tent, Olivia Lanze, leaning against a wooden crate, quietly watched her. They were not on good terms. They had made each other uncomfortable, and had even come close to a fistfight. But Olivia Lanze had brought back not only Reinhardt, whom she had found on the battlefield, but also Ellen. ¡°Thank you, for taking me here¡­¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± However, Olivia asked a question before even receiving Ellen¡¯s gratitude. Olivia noticed the dried tear stains on Ellen¡¯s cheeks. Olivia knew what Ellen was trying to do. ¡°¡­¡± Unable to utter a word, Ellen just lowered her eyes. Olivia continued to watch her silently. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but stay put. It¡¯s all over now.¡± Ellen lifted her head with difficulty. ¡°Since it¡¯s all over¡­¡­. I shouldn¡¯t be here¡­¡­.¡± Just because it was over didn¡¯t mean everything had truly ended. Something else would now begin. She had to travel a long, uncertain road. In the new history written in the name of the demon king, a hero should not exist. Just by existing, countless discord would be created. Those who rejected the oppression of the demon king would pin numerous hopes on the name of the hero. That could only lead to division. Didn¡¯t the enormous force called the Hero Religion already exist? No one could say that the process of the demon king engulfing the world would be smooth. There would be tremendous bloodshed. And the existence of the hero would only absolutely increase the amount of blood that would flow. However, she couldn''t discard the life that was ultimately saved. She had to hide and live somewhere in the world. The idea that the hero and the demon king would join forces to create a new world was laughable and unbelievable. Those who supported the hero and the demon king would be divided and at odds. In vain, hope would be created, only to tear the world apart and bring about countless deaths as a result. Thus, in a world where the hero had triumphed, there would be no Demon King. In a world where the Demon King had triumphed, there should be no hero. That was why, like the empire that had destroyed itself, the hero had to disappear. Olivia also understood what Ellen was saying. It wasn''t that it was better for her to be gone. She had to be gone. It certainly wasn''t wrong to say that. "I don''t deserve to be here." Ellen had betrayed Reinhardt. In the end, that truth remained unchanging. "I shouldn''t be here. Just being here is a problem. And I don''t deserve to be here." Being saved was already more than enough. To receive anything more from Reinhardt would be an insult to those who had believed in him from the start. She couldn''t afford to be greedy. "I''m not ignorant of that." "¡­" "Do you think I want you to stay with us?" "¡­" "Do you think I''m saying this because I like you?" From Olivia''s point of view, Ellen had always been a thorn in her side. If she were to disappear, Olivia would gladly welcome it with open arms. But Olivia didn''t want to let Ellen go. Not even for Reinhardt, who had been waiting for this moment ¨C she couldn''t let her go like this. "If it weren''t for you, Reinhardt would be dead." "You saved Reinhardt, and it''s because of you that he''s alive. That''s enough. Don''t worry about anything else. Is that so difficult?" "Stop acting like an idiot and say something!" -Thwack! "¡­" Olivia roughly grabbed Ellen''s collar. She returned the gesture Ellen had once given her. Tears welled up in Olivia''s eyes. "Just stay put. Is that so difficult? Just be with us. It won''t be easy, but we''ve managed so far, and we''ll find a way!" "I want that too¡­ I want to be with you all¡­" Tears filled Ellen''s eyes at Olivia''s outburst. "I want to be with you¡­ like before¡­ to live that way¡­" Of course, with the others as well. And with Olivia Lanze. Though they would bicker and get on each other''s nerves, she wanted to return to those moments. As Ellen sobbed and trembled, Olivia clenched her teeth and stared at her. "But I can''t¡­ So many people have died because of me¡­ Because of my selfishness¡­ I can''t let people die just because I want to be with Reinhardt¡­ Just because I want to be with all of you¡­" There were those whose very existence justified their actions. Since the Gate Incident, Ellen had lived under such scrutiny. Having received expectations that differed from her own resolve, things would remain the same even after the war. Simply by being alive, Ellen would ignite the sparks of war, and they would grow into a massive wildfire. That was why she couldn''t stay here, even if her heart ached to do so. As heartbreakingly joyous as the situation was, once the Demon King set his plan to engulf the world in motion, Ellen couldn''t occupy the place beside him ¨C it was a predetermined course. If the Demon King led a simple rural life, there would be no problem, but as he had grand plans, Ellen couldn''t be by his side. Ellen was the biggest obstacle in the world the Demon King sought to create. In truth, death would have been preferable. Olivia could no longer insist. She knew. She understood that it would be best for Ellen to leave due to the problems that would arise simply from her existence. Olivia wanted Ellen gone, too. But, wasn''t it heartbreaking? In the end, they had succeeded in what had seemed impossible. Ellen had finally returned to her original state. After waking up, the first thing Reinhardt would face was the fact that Ellen had left. That couldn''t be allowed. That''s why Olivia wanted Ellen to leave, yet she couldn''t let her go. "Then, at least wait until he wakes up." That''s why Olivia had no choice but to say those words in the end. However, as if even that was not possible, Ellen shook her head while sobbing. "No... I can''t do that. If I do, I won''t be able to leave...¡± The moment she exchanged even a single word with the awakened Reinhardt, she would collapse. If she were to just slightly embrace him, she would crumble with the desire to stay in his arms forever. Even now, she could hardly take a step away. If she exchanged even a few words with the awakened Reinhardt, she felt she would never be able to get up from that spot. So, it was right for her to leave. If not now, she would never be able to leave. That''s why Ellen wanted to leave while Reinhardt was still asleep. "You really are a stupid, foolish girl...!" Just as Olivia was about to slap Ellen''s cheek in frustration, "Let her go." Her hand stopped at the sound of the voice from behind. "What...?" There stood Charlotte, the former royalty with jet-black hair, and the second Archdemon, who seemed to blend into the darkness. "Ellen is right." Charlotte slowly approached and carefully released Ellen''s collar from Olivia''s grip. "It''s not the end; it''s just the beginning. If we button the first button wrong, everything will collapse before it even starts." "..." "So, you have to let her go." The Demon King had only swallowed the Allied Forces. The work of returning to human lands and uniting all powers under the name of the Demon King had just begun. Even if the hero had surrendered to the Demon King, people would still project their hopes onto the hero simply by knowing that the hero existed. The hero, being too significant a symbol, could not be with the Demon King while alive. Either die or live the life of a fugitive. Those were the only two options. So, if Ellen wasn''t going to die, she had to disappear. Charlotte looked at Ellen. Both had not trusted Reinhardt. However, Charlotte, who had transformed into the appearance of a demon, could be with the Demon King for that very reason. Charlotte had become a completely different existence in too many aspects to be the basis of legitimacy by her mere existence. "As there''s no eternal struggle." Charlotte quietly embraced the sobbing Ellen. "There won''t be an eternal farewell either..." "..." "Let''s believe in that, for sure." Believing that it was only a promise for the future, not an eternal separation. Charlotte tightly embraced Ellen. CH 675 Ellen had left. Olivia gritted her teeth as she watched her retreating figure. Although she didn''t like Ellen, she still thought it wasn''t right to send her away like this. The mere thought of imagining Reinhardt''s expression when he woke up was agonizing. Olivia couldn''t understand why she had been asked to let Ellen go. She thought that if it were anyone else, Charlotte would have wished for Ellen to stay. But beyond just telling her to leave, Charlotte''s attitude felt cruel. Charlotte had been responsible for Edina''s internal affairs. So when the era of the Demon King began, it would be Charlotte who would actually rule the world. In the end, Charlotte would become the de facto emperor. With an immeasurable number of big plans to devise, she couldn''t afford to be caught up in petty feelings. So, was it because it would be better without Ellen that she could tell her to leave so easily? With such thoughts in mind, when Olivia looked back at Charlotte, she couldn''t help but hold her breath. ¡°...¡± With her eyes tightly shut, and her lips sealed, Charlotte was crying more sorrowfully than anyone else. How could her heart be at ease? Charlotte, who had betrayed together with Ellen, felt the greatest guilt for saying that Ellen shouldn''t be here. So, watching Ellen''s retreating figure, Charlotte cried silently, unable to even make a proper sound. She knew very well that they were in the same situation. And because she made Ellen leave with her own words, she couldn''t bear it. Although everything seemed to be resolved well, not everything could end well. That''s why Olivia did something she would never normally do. ¡°Crying your eyes out on a good day like this.¡± ¡°Ugh... Ugh...!¡± Olivia hugged the silently crying Charlotte, and gently comforted her. ------ Ellen, with her hood pulled down, walked through the chaotic allied camp. There were those tending to the fallen warriors, those checking on the damage, those crying, and those sitting somewhere, staring blankly. The extent of the damage was the greatest among all the battles thus far. The fight was over, but there was no one filled with joy. More people were filled with fear of the new world that would come now that a certain fear had ended. No one knew what would happen from now on. The Demon King, who was defined as absolute evil, and the Hero who was designated as the one to defeat him. The Demon King saved humanity, and the Hero fled from the allied camp as if running away. People would never know who was truly in the wrong. Those who encountered the manipulated truth would only learn another manipulated truth. As one chaos ended, another began. The fight against monsters wasn''t completely over either. But now that all the warp gates had been destroyed, civilization could be rebuilt. As time passed and passed. Someday, civilization would return to the era when it spread across the entire continent. And although it couldn''t be certain, if the Demon King did his job well, there would be no fighting between demons and humans in that world. A world where demons and humans coexisted. Could such a world be created in its entirety? Could the hatred between them be overcome? No one knew. However, as Ellen was the last remnant of the ancient era, she could not join the new world. She had to live somewhere quiet. As if she existed, yet did not. There were still two relics. Monsters remained. So Ellen still had much to do. The people must not know that the hero was still alive. From a lowly position, on the edge of the world. She would live, killing the remaining monsters. If she could take responsibility for her actions in such a way, she had to do it. Charlotte said they would meet again someday, but Ellen didn''t think it would be possible. She couldn''t even hope for it. After such a long time, wouldn''t it be too shameless to return and ask if her place was still available? As time passed, her name would remain a memory of the past for Reinhardt. Therefore, it was enough to watch from afar. Hoping that the new world would be a good one. It was enough to do what could be done for the people from a lowly position. And so, as the chaotic allied forces'' base was left behind, a dense cloud of smoke arrived at the outskirts. Where should she go? In the vast, desolate field, she was about to walk aimlessly, following the stars, when¡ª "Ellen...! Ellen!" Unable to ignore the tearful voice from behind, Ellen clenched her teeth and looked back. "Where... Where are you going! Where are you going...! Where are you going!" Harriet de Saint Owan, with a distraught expression, was running desperately toward her, crying. Barely able to run, stumbling on the rocky ground, she approached, wailing. Although she had become a great mage, her physical strength was still poor. Gasping for breath as she arrived in front of Ellen, Harriet clutched Ellen''s sleeve. "Don''t go... Where are you going... You said we''d stay together. Together... You said we''d be together..." It''s all over now. We can be together now. Her face reddened as she sobbed, gasping for breath. "Don''t go... Please. Don''t go... It''s all over now. Sad things, they''re all over. You don''t have to go, right? Huh? Why, why are you doing this... What about Reinhardt? What will Reinhardt do... Huh?" She didn''t want to see this. It was painful enough for others to hold her back. But seeing Harriet was especially painful. She told Ellen everything would be fine now, and only good things would happen in the future. Seeing Harriet cry her heart out after hugging her when she woke up, and then smile brightly while saying those words, Ellen felt pain. That''s why she had tried to disappear while Harriet was briefly away. Why were they doing this? People who should be happier without her were holding her back from leaving. Even those who should wish for her absence more than anyone. With Reinhardt unconscious, those who should hope for her departure were holding her back. As Harriet clung to her, crying as if determined to never let her go, Ellen looked down at her silently. Harriet had been her friend, second only to Reinhardt since their time at the temple. But they couldn''t fully like each other. From the beginning, they knew their hearts were heading in the same direction and became friends despite that. As such, they couldn''t help but resent each other to some extent, as much as they liked and cared for one another. And that resentment had always manifested itself, to some degree, as Harriet''s jealousy towards Ellen. But now, Harriet was pleading with Ellen not to leave. Asking what Reinhardt would do. Talking about such things. "Don''t go. Okay? I don''t know why you''re doing this, but... if you don''t have to go, then you shouldn''t. Let''s stay together, alright?" It was probably because Harriet de Saint Owan valued herself as much as she loved Reinhardt. Come to think of it. It had always been that way. At some point, Harriet had always been that kind of person. Always yielding, always wanting to be together, but always giving up so much to Ellen. When her jealousy and sadness had reached their peak, she would merely say, "How pathetic." That was the harshest thing a friend could say to another. "Actually, I might not... have to go." In truth, there might not have been a real reason for her to disappear. She could have just stayed by his side somehow, for whatever reason. Whether people said the Hero had surrendered to the Demon King, or that she had betrayed him. Leaving people to their own imaginations, pretending not to know what was happening, and simply enjoying happy days together. But she had been selfish enough up until now. She had betrayed Reinhardt and received far too much in return. In the end, she had crossed an uncrossable river and somehow been saved. Having received so much, she couldn''t be any more selfish. Blind to the problems that would arise because of her. Longing for love, longing to be loved. Wishing for more than that would be a cruel thing. She couldn''t allow herself such a thing. She couldn''t accept such happiness. Such safety. She couldn''t convince herself that such a life was coming her way. The compulsion to live in despair. The compulsion to live for atonement in the midst of guilt. Casting aside all other reasons. The dark compulsion to leave, just for that reason, was recognized. "So don''t go... if you don''t have to, it''s right not to go..." Looking down at Harriet, who was pleading through her tears, Ellen didn''t cry. Instead, she smiled. "Reinhardt is right." "Huh...?" At the sudden words, teary-eyed Harriet looked up at Ellen. The words Reinhardt always used to call Harriet. Wishing only for everything to go well, not wanting anything good just for herself. Not knowing how to act selfishly. Pleading for Ellen to stay for Reinhardt''s sake, even though his biggest problem was willing to disappear on its own. "You''re a blockhead." "Huh...?" What else should one call such a person, if not a fool? Harriet may have been the smartest person Ellen knew. But in the end, she was the biggest fool. Harriet stopped crying and stared blankly at Ellen, confused by her sudden words. "I''ve already received so much, haven''t I? An overwhelming amount, too much." There was also a sense of anxiety that if she were any greedier, she would be punished severely. "..." "If you continue to act so kindly, you won''t be able to have anything." Being kind alone won''t let you have anything. After yielding, yielding, and yielding again, in the end, your place will disappear. In order to have it, one must take it. If you dream of a too perfect situation, by the time you come to your senses, you might find that everything else has been taken away. "Don''t let Reinhardt take you for granted." "..." He may cherish you, but if you let him take your presence for granted, he won''t feel desperate. Then you will always be pushed to second place, or even third. Without Ellen, Reinhardt was desperate for her. Because Ellen''s life was in danger, Reinhardt thought only of her. Ellen didn''t know Reinhardt''s heart either. The heart is neither absolute nor eternal. After so much time had passed, everyone''s feelings had changed, and the same was true for Reinhardt. They might not even realize it themselves. Upon reflection, Ellen had never yielded before. She hadn''t even thought about it. She didn''t know if what she was doing was yielding or if she had the right to say such a thing. However, having received so much, it was time to step aside for those who deserved it more. Any more greed would only bring about more pain. That''s why, even if only a little, such a kind person must come to their senses. Looking at her friend, who didn''t even know what she was hearing, Ellen smiled sadly. As her precious friend said, she was pitiful. It had always been that way. "I''ll go." In the end, she would disappear pitifully and selfishly. ------ It was an unfamiliar ceiling. "..." The moment he thought that, his body sprang out of bed. Somewhere, there was a pungent smell. He could instinctively tell that it was the smell of a battlefield. A simple bed. And a barracks. It meant he was in a tent. What had happened? "Uh... huh!" Then, as he turned to the sound from beside her, there was someone who had been startled awake by his sudden movement. Harriet. "You''re awake...!" -Wow! He was relieved to see Harriet was unharmed. "What... What happened?" He had passed out at the last moment. After giving the final order to Antirianus, he didn''t know what would happen next. Being alive meant that Antirianus either hadn''t killed her or had failed to do so. Harriet gently patted Reinhardt''s trembling back, filled with anxiety. "Don''t worry... It''s all over." In Harriet''s voice, he could sense many things. A sadness mixed with relief. That told him that many people were safe. However, the sadness in her voice. He couldn''t help but sense what it meant. ------ He had been unconscious for three days. Soon, three days had passed since the end of the Diane battle. He heard about what had happened afterward from Harriet. Charlotte was reorganizing the allied forces and quelling the chaos in his stead. It must have been an exhausting situation, dealing with the chaos and division of each army. At the end of various stories, he heard the words that Harriet uttered through her tears. Ellen had left. "I''m sorry... I couldn''t hold her back... I wanted to stop her somehow... somehow..." As Harriet sobbed, struggling to speak about something that had happened three days ago, Reinhardt carefully embraced her. Ellen had left. Her heart felt heavy. But she was safe, wasn''t she? In any case, she had returned to her original state and left on her own accord. There were several reasons why it was shocking but not utterly devastating. Perhaps it was because he had somewhat known that Ellen would do such a thing. He only thought about getting Ellen back. Just thinking about how to do it was overwhelming. After getting Ellen back, he hadn''t considered at all how to proceed with Ellen in his arms. He didn''t know how to handle it and couldn''t even fathom it. As Ellen had said, her existence in the world they would create was a seed of great discord. So. Rather than being relieved, he was almost frightened. He had an inkling that he could only become a different being in the path he had to take now. Things he once cherished became worthless in the face of reality. There would be moments when he would have to let go, and even destroy things with his own hands, and now he would have to accept them as a matter of course. Ellen had returned. She was alive. Wasn''t that enough? Their relationship had been one of luxury for both of them. They had no future other than one of them dying, or both of them dying. It had been impossible for them to face the future while both were alive, so shouldn''t they be grateful for this situation where it was somewhat possible? Wishing for more than that was too much, wasn''t it? With such thoughts, he couldn''t help but let out a bitter laugh. She probably left with those thoughts too. Thinking that anything more would be a luxury. Just like he did. She must have felt the same way. "Don''t cry. It''s okay." "Sniff... Sob! Ugh...!" That''s why he quietly patted the sobbing Harriet''s back while holding her in his arms. CH 676 He had won. He had gained much and would continue to gain more. Yet, even in victory, there were things he had to lose. It was inevitable. There was still much he did not know. What had become of Antirianus after he absorbed the vengeful spirits? How he had managed to survive remained a mystery. Ellen had left. She must have had her reasons for leaving him. He could no longer dwell on such things. The end of everything led to a new beginning. Now, there would be even more tasks to undertake. He had to truly begin the journey of becoming the ruler of the entire world. If he crumbled over the disappearance of a single person, he would not be worthy of ruling the world. He got up from the bed and straightened his clothes. He was not a superhuman. But he had to walk the path of a superhuman. At the very least, he had to imitate what he could. Harriet looked at him as if he were a completely different person. He was neither shocked nor saddened by Ellen''s departure. There was no time for self-pity. What had been recovered was recovered. What had been lost was lost. He did not cling to it. "Harriet." "Yes?" "Let''s go see Charlotte." From now on, he had to become an entirely different person. His existence had to be so thoroughly different that even he would eventually forget himself. He would become the ruler of the continent. ------ Charlotte had been overseeing everything happening in the vicinity of Diane, from consolidating the damage reports at the alliance''s command center to treating the injured soldiers. As a result, the highest-ranking officers of each army were coming and going around the headquarters. It was strange to think that he now sat at the head of the table in a place where previously he could only enter through subterfuge. He called Charlotte aside and listened to her report on the current situation of the alliance. "The scale of the damage is quite significant. And the confusion is still severe. Most of the soldiers don''t even know that we''ve taken control of the alliance''s top brass. If they find out, the chaos will only increase. That''s why we''re enforcing a gag order on the top brass of each army." The top brass was uncertain whether their actions were right or wrong, and they were unsure about the fate of the empire. They couldn''t properly direct their hatred. It would be absurd to tell them that the alliance had been swallowed up by the Demon King. Although noise and confusion were inevitable, there was no need to deliberately amplify them. "We need to decide whether to make a big fuss or keep it quiet." "In broad strokes, yes." Would they publicly announce the Demon King''s rule or conceal it ambiguously? Concealing it would bring the fear of repercussions, while revealing it would invite immediate chaos. "More importantly, we need to think about the return of the alliance''s forces. The alliance''s troops were gathered from various places and marched from the Imperial Capital. Considering the time and food needed to return safely to the Imperial Capital, this is also an issue. And once they return to the Imperial Capital, it''s not the end. Sending those troops back to their respective regions will consume a tremendous amount of time and resources." True. A vast amount of resources had been invested to bring humanity''s combined forces this far. The war may have ended, but in reality, it wouldn''t be truly over until these troops safely returned home. They all had to be sent home. How would they move and how would they be disbanded? Returning the allied forces to the first return point, the Imperial Capital, would take nearly a year. During that time, we would have to feed the army. Just thinking about one of these issues was enough to make my head ache, and I was already running out of breath. "Um... " As Charlotte and I discussed these daunting problems, Harriet cautiously interjected. "I think... I might be able to help with that." "...Huh?" I remembered that Harriet had invented a new warp gate system. "But didn''t you say that you needed a nexus or something like that?" We would need to create a warp gate. We couldn''t make one that would take us directly from here to the Imperial Capital. But considering the time it would take to restore all the destroyed gate facilities so far, wouldn''t that also take an enormous amount of time in the end? "No, I can send the entire allied forces not only to the Imperial Capital but anywhere in the world in an instant." This kid, again. What kind of trouble had she gotten herself into? ------ During the battle at Diane, I hadn''t known what was happening in various places. I had used all my strength to escape from the Immortals. So, I had only heard about the strange magical sphere that had appeared in the rear of the battlefield. It was magic that manifested by drawing mana from nature. For example, it was magic that drew mana from the atmosphere to activate. I couldn''t understand the specific principles even if I heard them. However, I knew that Harriet had managed to make my old nonsense a reality. The important thing was that through this magic, a massive spatial teleportation capable of returning the entire allied forces from this place directly to the Imperial Capital was possible. With a nervous expression, Harriet fidgeted with her fingers and continued. "I don''t know what to call it... but I''ve become able to use such magic." "You really... " "Ah..." As if anticipating what was about to happen, Harriet''s face turned pale, and she slowly backed away. "You''re my top genius!" -Wham! "I knew you''d do something like this!" I hugged Harriet tightly, and as always, she grimaced. This magical genius had reduced astronomical military expenses with just one spell. Charlotte watched me hugging Harriet, who didn''t know what to do, with a warm expression. "Really... what a relief. Just sending this army back was suffocating. So, what do we do now?" The greatest, most sublime, noble, beautiful, and even cute genius of the universe had blown away all our problems at once. The rough way? The secretive way? Neither was needed. "The allied forces will withdraw. We''ll tear it all apart." All the troops would return to their homelands in an instant. In the end, whether one became king of the world or sat at the top, what soldiers wanted was to return alive. Wouldn''t they be unable to hate us unconditionally for opening the path to their survival? ------ The allied forces withdrew. And as I was preoccupied with resolving the postwar situation, I walked through the busy allied forces camp, heading somewhere. There were things I needed to see with my own eyes. My destination was the Temple Royal-class garrison. The moment I entered, I couldn''t help but feel the atmosphere change drastically as people recognized me. The Royal Class members must have already known that I had seized control of the allied forces'' command. However, encountering me in person was quite a different matter. Amid the frozen atmosphere, I faced the fearful gazes directed at me. Yet, among them, there were bound to be those who looked at me without fear. "You''re here." Kono Lint. He approached me and extended his hand. Just as he approached me without hesitation, I firmly grasped his hand. "Yeah." If it hadn''t been for him and Scarlett, the allied forces might have been annihilated by now. In a sense, Kono Lint and Scarlett had done even more critical work than I had. There were casualties among the Royal Class members, but none of the people I knew had died. Adriana, Scarlett, Erich, and Cliffman were all safe. As were the rest of the people. It was a miracle, but it was also inevitable. Although the situation had changed considerably, our forces were much larger and stronger than in the original story. Thus, the absolute number of casualties was extremely low compared to the original. "What about the others?" "Well¡­ They''re just¡­ standing around, dumbfounded." But Kono Lint''s expression was not good. "What about Cayer?" "¡­He still hasn''t woken up." "¡­I see." While everyone was safe, there was one exception. I heard that Cayer Voiden had fallen into a coma. ------ As I opened the tent and entered, I saw a familiar face. "Ah, um¡­" "It''s been a while." Redina, who had grown up so much that I could no longer call her a little girl, saw me and jumped up from her seat. She seemed to want to say something, but couldn''t find the words, and her mouth just twitched. Even if they didn''t see me as an enemy, everyone probably felt the same fear of me. Only a very few people, like Kono Lint, could approach me first. "I just came to see how things are." "¡­" At my words, Redina lowered her head. Cayer lay on a makeshift bed in front of the chair where Redina had been sitting. It was a relief that everyone was safe, but someone had to be hurt. Cayer was not a fighter himself. Redina clenched her teeth and slowly explained. The Immortal had taken over their role, and Redina had promised Cayer that she would use the Ark Crystal only sparingly in the final battle. "But the Immortal disappeared¡­ I had no choice but to use the Ark Crystal." But the Immortal suddenly vanished. So, Cayer, who had been on standby, had to charge the Ark Crystal immediately. He fought by charging the Ark Crystal, which he had used to its limit, in real-time, and he charged it beyond his own limit. As a result, even before the battle was over, Cayer had already fallen into a coma. Harriet couldn''t have used her magic everywhere on the battlefield. With their immense power, and Redina''s ability to wield it, many people were saved thanks to the pair. But as a consequence, Cayer was in a coma, with no indication of when he might regain consciousness. Redina began to sob. "You must¡­ You must promise." "¡­" "That you''ll create a world where everyone is happy¡­ Promise." A world where everyone is happy. What a na?ve phrase. It was a naive thing to say, knowing that even children understood it was impossible. Redina, who was no longer a child, begged with tears. There was no world where everyone was happy. One couldn''t promise such a thing. In front of Redina, who cried with a disheveled face. "I will... I will do it that way." I couldn''t bring myself to say otherwise. ------ "It''s all over." "Yes." Adriana''s expression seemed more overwhelmed than moved. It was the moment they had been running towards, with the sole goal of ending the Gate incident. It was an absolute goal, an absolute good. That absolute good had been achieved. Adriana and I, who had vowed to survive together, were able to meet again, intact. Now there was no more absolute obligation to follow. From now on, it would be a time of choices and decisions. In this process, we might again summon irreversible events through wrong choices and wrong decisions. There might have been people among us whom we would never see again. Someone had actually died. Adriana and I had survived. "Now, are you going to become the Emperor of the Continent?" Adriana looked at me with a strange smile. The Emperor of the Continent. Yes, I had to become that. "Perhaps." "Hmm¡­" "¡­Why?" At my response, Adriana looked at me with a lukewarm expression and slapped my shoulder. -Slap! "Why, why did you hit me?" "If you use ambiguous words like ''perhaps'' when you''re trying to become such an important figure, will others, including myself, find it trustworthy? Can''t you say it with more conviction?" Adriana''s expression, as she forced her eyes wide open, was quite fierce and also adorable. So that''s it. Ambiguous words were no longer allowed. No, on the contrary, it seemed like people in such positions often used ambiguous words. Of course, there was no need to follow that. "Then, I will definitely become it." "That''s right, it should be like that." Finally, Adriana smiled as if she was satisfied. ------ As I walked around the Royal Class garrison, I encountered several familiar faces. Those who knew me only looked at me from a distance with fearful eyes. It was only because of Cliffman that I could endure until I called Scarlett and Kono Lint. Miraculously reaching the Master Class, I heard that he played a crucial role in protecting Liana and Harriet. The talent for combat. Cliffman didn''t seem particularly thrilled about it. He just seemed grateful that he could protect Liana and Harriet. "You''ve worked hard." "So have you." Despite the long time that had passed since we last met, the conversation between Cliffman and me was limited to that. But it had always been like that with him. There wasn''t much conversation. It always felt like this was enough. The fact that it was still the same was quite fascinating. In this way, I met people while walking around the garrison. And then, I realized something. "Reinhardt... have you seen Ludwig, by any chance?" Ludwig was nowhere to be found. "No... I haven''t seen him." "I see¡­" Scarlett lowered her head with a desperate expression. The rampage of the Immortals meant there was a very high possibility that Christina had died. And Ludwig had been moving with Christina. However, I saw Ludwig in the deepest part of the battlefield. I was sure he was moving in a different direction from the Immortals. Christina must have been dead. I had no idea what had happened to Anna and Louis. After the battle ended, Ludwig might have joined them. But the possibility of his death was also high. It seemed right to assume the possibility of death, as he had fought in the most dangerous place. Could Ludwig have died so meaninglessly? I couldn''t have any certainty about that. No matter how much time passed afterward, I never heard any stories of finding or sighting Ludwig. CH 677 The allied forces were like a massive beast. Their mere existence required a vast amount of supplies every day. Thus, it was best to disband them as quickly as possible once their purpose was fulfilled. Fortunately, thanks to Harriet, we could disband the allied forces in the shortest amount of time. This had several effects. It dispersed the remaining human forces across the continent, making it impossible for them to unite. Harriet''s power was, in itself, the ability to transport legions, rendering an enemy attack on us impossible, while allowing us to attack the enemy forces. After dividing humanity, we exerted influence on each of them. We were too strong an enemy for them to resist, and even if they had the intention to rebel, realizing that would be an impossible feat. This reinforced the effectiveness of our rule. After gaining their loyalty, we disbanded the allied forces. The fact that the soldiers could return to their homes without a lengthy march was satisfying in itself. And the knowledge that it was possible thanks to the Demon King would have some positive effects. Of course, we couldn''t win everyone''s hearts. Divisions would arise, and the seeds of it were scattered everywhere. But before we could disband the allied forces, there was something to be done. At the headquarters of the supreme command. Charlotte sat on my left, and Olivia Lanze was on my right. The last of the empire and my left arm. The symbol of the Holy Order and my right arm. And in front of me were the representatives of all the remaining human factions. "Welcome, everyone." I said, looking at the frozen audience. From the moment they sat in this place, they might have cast uncomfortable and fearful glances at me, but none of them could resist me. They couldn''t even rise from their seats. "I am the Demon King, Vallier." This scene already signified that I had become the ruler of the continent. ------ So far, Charlotte had acted in my place, so they knew that the rule of the Demon King had begun, but it seemed that they really realized that everything had fallen into the hands of the Demon King when they saw me in this form. In this place, countless people who had already decided to join me were seated. Louise von Schwarz of Kernstadt, who had led the event, was sitting close to the head seat, and naturally, Rowan, the commander of the Holy Knights, was present. Of course, the Archduke of Saint Owan was also in this place. It was amusing that his seat, which had been close to the last, was now closer to the head. He had been pushed to the very last seat because his daughter sided with the Demon King. Naturally, it wouldn''t have been his will to sit there. But now that his daughter sided with the Demon King, he found himself sitting closer to the head. This, too, would have been irrelevant to the Archduke of Saint Owan''s will. From being a traitor to humanity, he was now becoming a meritous figure in the new empire. The Archduke of Saint Owan''s stern expression clearly revealed that he had no interest in his changed position. How should I put it? He seemed like a pillar, regardless of how I looked at him. He appeared to be someone living in a place unrelated to the world''s interests. A doting father, that is. A strange person, too. In fact, when I had passed out, the Archduke of Saint Owan was the first to find Harriet and held her in his arms. Anyway, a considerable number of representatives in this place had decided to join me even before the war ended. Louise von Schwarz had taken on the role. The imperial forces affiliated with the coalition were already in our grasp. Naturally, not only was the emperor absent from this gathering, but there were also a considerable number of imperial commanders present. They had already turned their backs on the empire due to the massive betrayal that occurred during the Diane battle. And Charlotte had completed the process of capturing all the imperial officers and commanders. They were no longer part of the imperial forces. "The Gardias Empire shall disappear, and I shall be the ruler of the continent from now on." "I hope that this will not be taken as an oppressive and rigid relationship of absolute domination and loyalty." "Indeed." "Let''s think of it as a ''promise''." "I will help you when you need me." "So, help me when I need you." "There won''t be much change." "The important thing is that monsters still roam the continent." "Rebuilding a broken civilization will require an incalculable amount of time and resources." "Of course, the chasm of distrust and resentment built up between us is deep, and our races may even be different." "So, whatever thoughts you may have inside, I cannot do anything about it." "The first thing you need to do is not to show excessive loyalty to me or offer me something." "Do your best for yourself in your own position." "Rebuilding the civilization and restoring the collapsed livelihood." "That should be the task you must perform before showing loyalty to me." "You don''t need to offer me anything." "I don''t intend to force anything from you." "Just accept me." "And above all else." "Live well." "That is the greatest loyalty you can show me." They were not capable of giving anything to me. Living well while scattered in every direction. Rebuilding a broken civilization and rising again. Reconstructing and revitalizing a ruined civilization was my goal. So, the loyalty they could show me was not a few tributes, but rather to establish a foundation on which they could stand on their own again. Had they expected some terrifying words to come from the mouth of a being called the Demon King? You are all finished now. Pay back what you received. Foolish humanity shall now pay the price of defeat. Or perhaps, if you defy me, a tremendous blood vengeance will ensue. Were they waiting for such words? But when the words came to live well in their own positions, they all wore a bewildered expression. "Do not think that this is an easy command." "In this despairing era, I am giving you the most difficult command." Is living well easy? To the people who had to live in a broken world, it was, in fact, the most difficult command. In this reality where monsters still roamed and most of the civilization had been destroyed, living well was undoubtedly the most brutal command. As I added more, only then did they all start to think about how to live well, and their expressions darkened. It seemed that they now understood that this was indeed the most difficult and harsh task. They were all tired of discussing death and blood. There was no need to warn those who did not serve me or those who betrayed me. Such matters could be discussed later without being too late. "I said I would help you." It was a joyful day. "The first thing I can give, I will give." The war was over. "First of all, everyone, go home." Go home, clean your feet, and rest. No exceptions for anyone. ------ No one was surprised by the news that the allied forces would prepare for withdrawal as soon as the cleanup of the battlefield was completed. It was probably because they thought it was a procedure similar to the return to the capital and the occupation battle. But when I explained that the withdrawal I mentioned was literally just that, everyone''s expressions became puzzled. When they heard that they could instantly return to their respective hometowns, their mouths gaped open. In just one day, they could return to their hometowns. Though there were those who had lost their hometowns, everyone had a place to return to. And it wasn''t only the soldiers who wanted to go back. Everyone looked as if they had been struck by a bolt of money while they were asleep. There was no need to fight the empire. All they had to do was return as they were. There, they could simply live. Everyone was astonished that accepting my rule came with such a condition. No, this wasn''t a reward but a sweet fruit that could be received by accepting the Demon King''s rule. It was a price so sweet that it was worth doubting whether it was a poisoned chalice. "Didn''t I say? Go back and be faithful to your own tasks. But there will be no more supplies to feed you. Surviving on your own will not be easy." It was definitely not an easy task. Only then did everyone start to worry, realizing that being able to return wasn''t necessarily all good. "There is nothing more to say. Prepare for withdrawal as soon as you''re ready, and report when your units are prepared. I''ll send you back immediately." Among those sitting, there were those with determined expressions. They seemed to have prepared some incredible words and looked as if they were ready to face death at this place. There certainly seemed to be those who wanted to say something about dirty tricks or the like. However, due to the meaning contained in the words I had thrown, they couldn''t bring themselves to open their mouths. They were overwhelmed by the mere fact that they could return immediately, and seemed to have forgotten what they had wanted to say. Their wide-eyed expressions were quite refreshing. "Go back, and live well." That was the first decree of the new emperor of the continent. But among them, someone suddenly raised their hand. "Excuse me... Demon King..." I didn''t know who it was. "What is it?" He had a flustered expression. "If the allied forces withdraw... How do you plan to... occupy the empire...?" Judging by their curiosity about whether it was possible to do so with only the remaining imperial and Demon armies, it seemed like they were supporting me. Occupying the empire, huh? "May I speak on that matter?" Before I could say anything, Rowan opened her mouth. "The emperor has already fled." I had already heard this. But the fact that the emperor had fled. With that word, even the last loyalists of the empire, who might have still been in their seats, vanished. The throne and the palace were empty. All we had to do was enter the empty palace. ------ Inside the swaying carriage moving at a steady pace, Bertus gradually regained consciousness. "...Ugh!" In the dim carriage, Bertus hastily sat up. Where was this place? His entire body felt as heavy as waterlogged cotton. He couldn''t even tell how long he had been asleep. He was simply lying in a dark carriage, moving somewhere. Bertus tried to recall his last memory. The battle of Diane had ended. And so, Bertus prepared. He prepared as the last emperor of the disappearing Gardias Empire. He prepared to pay the price for betraying humanity and being the root cause of everything. A sacrifice was needed for the new era. Thus, the empire would vanish alongside the absolute evil of the emperor as the symbol of hatred. With the true source of all evil, the emperor, hanging on a scaffold, all hatred would burn away and a new era would begin. He had been accumulating all these actions for that purpose. So, Bertus prepared. He prepared to transfer everything to the new power. And he prepared for the proper attitude that the one who needed to die should have. However, Saviolin Turner returned. The order Bertus had given her wasn''t just to blow up the underground of the magic university. She no longer needed to obey his commands. She was no longer his knight. She was told not to return and to survive. He had said to leave the empire and to quit being a knight of a country that would disappear. She was told to live according to her own will. So, cutting off the vow of loyalty that bound her was also part of his command. However, Saviolin Turner returned after the battle of Diane and a few days had passed. "Lady Turner...?" The knight who was told not to return had put the emperor to sleep. "I''m sorry, Your Majesty." That faint voice was the last thing he remembered. In the dim carriage interior, Bertus felt his body. His clothes had been changed. In the dim light, his clothes were clearly not very luxurious. Thump thump! After knocking on the driver''s seat of the carriage a few times, the carriage stopped with a slight jolt. Soon, there was movement at the driver''s seat. Clunk! As the door opened, there was, of course, "Your Majesty." "Lady Turner..." Saviolin Turner''s face. "What... what are you doing?" He had told her to live freely and to survive. The emperor''s knight had done the unthinkable act of kidnapping the emperor. Saviolin Turner''s expression was miserable because she knew what she had done. "This... this can''t be. This shouldn''t be." Turner had to know what Bertus was trying to do. She had to know what the emperor was doing and preparing, even if he didn''t say it. The emperor had dug his own grave. All he had to do was enter it. The moment was right in front of him, and he had already made up his mind. Having prepared for the new era by embracing everyone''s sins and dying as the symbol of evil, In the final moment, Saviolin Turner''s actions had thrown off all his calculations. Bertus didn''t know how far the carriage had come or where it was heading. It was obvious what Saviolin Turner was trying to do because of the ordinary clothes and the unadorned carriage. "We must go back." It was time for that, and it was all a part of the conspiracies and schemes for that purpose. "Why must it be like this?" Tears finally filled her eyes. "I must die. Someone has to take responsibility." The death of the emperor wouldn''t extinguish all the sparks of hatred, nor would it erase all the sins. But at least some of it would disappear. Everyone resented the emperor, and wouldn''t the number of people resenting the new era decrease at least a little if the emperor, who was the symbol of that resentment, died? "That is not courage, Your Majesty." "..." From a very young age. The knight who had been with him since his infancy, who occasionally played with him when he was young, finally shed tears that he had never seen before in his life. "That is ultimately, running away." It was passing the world onto someone else and escaping into death. If I have paid my own price. To die satisfied, it was not about taking responsibility but avoiding it. "Do you have the courage to die but not the courage to live a disgraceful life by running away? Why... why must it be like this?" Death does not complete everything. Death does not solve everything. Why insist on dying? Wasn''t it courageous to endure the life of a disgusting and dirty fugitive? In the end, wasn''t his desire for death just a way to find his own honor? If he sought solace in dying with a false accusation on him. What reason was there not to live a truly despicable and dirty life as a fugitive? Wasn''t it better to survive, even if it meant wearing the real disgrace rather than seeking fake honor? "Lady Turner... I... I don''t want that. I..." Thud Saviolin Turner finally knelt down and lowered her head. She had always been a loyal knight, but this was the first time he had seen her throw herself so completely and kneel like this. No matter how much of a subject she was, she had dignity. Even the emperor could not dare to demand such a level of submission from her, with her head pressed to the ground. And yet, there she was, sobbing with her head pressed to the ground. "Please... Please..." "I have lived a life of following orders." "Although loyalty does not require a reward." "I, Saviolin Turner, the Emperor''s Sword." "A servant of the empire, I have dedicated my entire life to the empire." "Your Majesty." "Please live." "Even if it''s a disgraceful life, even if it''s a coward''s life." "I beg you to live." "That is the only reward... I desire." "Didn''t you tell me to live according to my own will now?" "This is my will." With wide eyes, he looked at his knight, who was not kneeling but lying down, crying. She had devoted her life to the sword and her life to the empire. She had lived her entire life solely for the empire. She had been a knight of the empire even before he was born. No, she had been a knight of the empire even before his parents were born. She had never asked anything of the empire. She was the oldest loyalist of the empire, the person who had served the longest, and served the royal family from the closest position. She had done dirty jobs, and any necessary tasks. She had lived like that without any complaints. Although it was a knight''s virtue not to expect a reward for loyalty. If it was her. If it was someone who had served as long as she had. She would undoubtedly have the right to demand a reward. She was even afraid to use the word "reward," so she called it a repayment. The only thing she wanted in return for her long-standing loyalty was just one thing. To live. "Please... Your Majesty... Please..." A cowardly life. Would it be better for the last emperor, who had betrayed humanity, to hang from a gallows? Or would it be better for him to run away and survive somewhere? Focusing hatred on the dead Demon King was impossible. When Bertus learned that there was a surviving successor in the demon world, he was delighted. He had said that without even realizing he was speaking to the Demon King''s successor. The existence of the Demon King was actually necessary for the unification and maintenance of the empire. The last Demon King was alive somewhere. Just by that fact alone, people trembled in fear and focused all their hopes on the empire. All of humanity''s power was concentrated in the empire. They had used the Demon King as a symbol of hatred. Was it now time for the emperor to perform that role? The life of a fugitive, a life of a despicable and disgraceful loser. The reality that the emperor had run away rather than the reality that the emperor had died. Would that be better for a new era? Bertus could not know. However. His knight was wailing. A person who had lived their entire life for the empire. Now, having lost the empire, she was begging him to live, throwing her whole body into protecting the last remnant of the empire, the emperor. With gritted teeth, Bertus looked at Saviolin Turner, who was desperately pleading. He stood there, blankly, unable to hold onto or push away the last knight of the Gardias royal family. CH 678 The words that needed to be said to the Allied Force Commanders were not long. Withdraw all the allied forces and send them back to focus on reconstruction. Effective control was not immediately possible, nor was it meaningful. It would come after they became self-sufficient in their own lands. For now, it was better to disband the allied forces, scatter them, and ensure they couldn''t regroup or disperse without our strength. My decision to rule over you does not bring actual control. The more problems we solved, the more they seemed to increase, rather than decrease. After ordering the withdrawal preparations for the allied forces, I entrusted all these matters to Rowan, Louise, and Harriet. The rest of us had to deal with more pressing issues. The vacant Imperial Palace. We needed to fill the emptiness of the Imperial Throne as soon as possible. Since there were no battles scheduled anyway, only Charlotte, Olivia, and I arrived at the palace. The palace guards seemed to know that we were coming, and they naturally cleared the way as I appeared. I could not see the expressions of the guards inside their helmets. However, all preparations for a bloodless takeover of the palace had been made. Of course, it must have been done by Bertus. The palace was almost empty, except for the guards at the entrance. In truth, people were not needed for the palace''s defense, as the magical barrier did the job. Nevertheless, the most important people remained. "Your Highness, you have returned." "I can''t be called that anymore, but yes, I have returned." The master of ceremonies was there, the person in charge of all internal management of the palace. Though he wasn''t someone who went outside, he remained in his position, taking care of the palace''s operations. ------ The empty palace became mine with just a single step. To be precise, from here on, it was Charlotte''s responsibility, not mine. Charlotte, naturally, was well-informed about the palace''s situation and would quickly grasp the palace''s operations. So, I had nothing to do. Olivia and I walked through the central Imperial Palace, Tetra. The central palace was solemn, quiet, and vast. Olivia gazed at the high ceiling of the central palace. "It doesn''t feel... real." "I agree." We had raced towards the end of the war. But the events that unfolded after the war''s end were so consecutive that it felt like a dream. I had only thought about getting here safely, and the tasks that followed seemed overwhelming. The emperor''s palace, which was once unapproachable, was now mine. But it didn''t make me happy. "Is it... overwhelming because I''m too small?" Olivia seemed to feel more overwhelmed and distant than accomplished, looking at the huge palace. "I feel the same." This palace alone was huge, but the world was incomparably larger. Our words would make the world turn, and a single mistake could be irreversible. There would be divisions, mergers, and conflicts at times. Just as I took on a central role, Olivia also held a massive responsibility. She bore the heavy mission of unifying all those who believed in the Five Great Gods and carrying out religious reforms. So both Olivia and I couldn''t help but feel the pressure. "Still... we''ve managed to come this far." Olivia hugged me quietly. "We can''t lie that there will only be happy moments." "...Yes." "Still, let''s believe that we can do well. We''ve managed somehow so far. We''ll manage somehow in the future too." The girl who had once rejected religion was now forced to do what she had never wanted to do. It was all because I had wished it upon her. I had always been the one to receive. Even now, I could only give her, "Thank you. Always." Having no reason not to be grateful to her, I hugged Olivia tightly. As if I was trembling a bit. Olivia, who was hugging me, was definitely trembling too. Still, we had to believe that things would turn out well. Just as a sense of defeat would inevitably lead to failure. Because a despairing vision would bring only despair. We had to believe that things would turn out well. ------ How much time had passed? Summoned by the attendants, Olivia and I headed to the Emperor''s office. Charlotte tidied up the piled documents on the desk and placed them neatly on the right side. "You just need to come and sit down." "...Is that all?" "Yes." Though Charlotte knew most of the matters, Bertus had made sure to hand over everything properly before he left. "It seems like most of the core bureaucrats knew what would happen next. You can just summon them and have them continue their work. Of course, there will be those who are scared and run away, but even in those cases, it''s already arranged who to appoint as successors." The administration was not left in a void. Bertus had arranged everything in advance so that the situation would be maintained just by my presence. "That doesn''t mean the situation is good. The absolute famine issue is still severe, and of course, there''s the resentment against the empire, as well as the opposition and uprisings that will occur when you ascend the throne. Those aren''t problems Bertus can solve for us. We''ll have to figure it out ourselves." As the war continued, people became increasingly exhausted. We could take over the empire. But the crumbling empire embraced countless problems. We were not drinking from a poisoned chalice, but swallowing the poison itself. Taking over the empire wasn''t easy, nor was managing it. We had inherited a sandcastle on the verge of collapse. Although we could operate the empire through the remaining bureaucrats, the challenge of stabilizing the imperial capital remained. Would everything be over once the imperial capital was stabilized? There were still issues with the imperial territories and the vassal states. We would have to begin winning their complete obedience and providing assistance for them to become self-sufficient. "The one silver lining is that when the allied forces withdraw, we can use the resources that would have gone to the military for the imperial capital. Originally, this situation would have lasted for about another year. It''s a blessing in disguise, I suppose." The quick withdrawal of the allied forces meant the preservation of resources. The existence of Harriet was of great help to us and to everyone in the world. Truly, Harriet had become the greatest mage in history, not only for humanity but for all races. Charlotte stared blankly out the window after finishing her words. I couldn''t help but know what she was thinking. She must have been thinking about Bertus, who had disappeared. After completing all the preparations, Bertus disappeared. No, he had fled. However, neither Charlotte nor I had expected Bertus to flee. Somehow, it seemed like he had resolved himself in a different way than we had anticipated. "Actually, this might be better. People will hate the emperor who ran away, and then they can easily let go of their attachment to the Gardias royal family." If the emperor had been executed, there might have been those who believed in his innocence. But the fact that the emperor had fled would lead to the disappearance of any last lingering attachment to him. So, Charlotte would have thought it was fortunate that Bertus had escaped and was still alive. Just like I was thinking now. However, neither Charlotte nor I could be certain whether Bertus had really thought that way when he fled. "We can''t pinpoint the whereabouts of Christina, Louis, and Anna. We probably won''t be able to find them. We''ll have to check on their situation eventually. The facilities for creating immortals have all been destroyed, and it''s impossible for individuals to rebuild them, but we can''t know for sure." We needed to find out if Christina was really dead, and if she was, whether the other two were dead as well. We couldn''t rule out that possibility either. And what had happened to Ludwig? On top of that, there was the issue with Antirianus. Not everything had been resolved yet, and I didn''t know everything. The list of things to do kept growing, as did the responsibilities I had to bear. ------ Two weeks had passed since the battle of Diane. During that time, Charlotte had managed the overall affairs of the empire. The allied forces began to return slowly under Harriet''s guidance. As soon as they returned, word would spread across the continent that the Gate incident had ended in victory for the allied forces. And the story of the empire''s betrayal and the Demon King would also spread. The people of each region would deal with the ensuing chaos on their own. Conflicting claims would arise between those who rejected me and those who had seen me directly in the allied forces, which would lead to numerous conflicts across the continent. I couldn''t handle everything at once. I hoped that the leaders of humanity would carry out my words properly. For now, I didn''t know about anything else, but at least they should eat well and live well. Governing them in practice would come later. It was already difficult enough to manage the affairs of the empire. After the withdrawal of the allied forces, the complete end of the Gate incident was announced in the empire. All forces had returned to the empire. And then. The story of the Demon King swallowing up the empire would spread simultaneously. A joy so great that it would quell all the confusion that had arisen thus far. And a strange story that would suddenly make that joy seem bizarre. The betrayal of the empire and the reign of the Demon King. It was a story that would inevitably be revealed someday. A black propaganda campaign began. The Gate incident was actually caused by the emperor, and the Demon King had been trying to protect humanity. That was the gist of the content. In the central palace Tetra''s conference room. Me. Harriet. Charlotte. Olivia. Airi, who had been summoned from the Edina Archipelago. Liana. Sarkegaar. The Vampire Lords, excluding Antirianus. Rowan, the commander of the Holy Knights. And finally, Louise von Schwarz. In other words, all those who would have to take on the role of the real power in my regime from now on were gathered together. If only Archduke Saint Owan had been here, but he had returned to his duchy with his army, leaving behind the words that he would entrust everything to his daughter. "...Honestly, I wouldn''t believe it either." At my words, everyone gathered in the room slowly nodded in agreement. The black propaganda. To be frank, it was too obvious. It was nothing more than a new regime attempting to justify its rule by slandering the previous one. "But we can''t just not do it, can we?" At Olivia''s words, I nodded. Whether people believed it or not, it was a good thing for me if even a few more people believed it. "The testimony of those who saw you fight in the allied forces will serve as evidence." The unbelievable black propaganda. Real combatants would testify to it. That would give it some degree of persuasiveness, and I agreed with Charlotte''s opinion that it would be enough. Charlotte began her explanation. "The affairs of various parts of the continent are not yet at the stage where we can intervene. First and foremost, our goal should be to support and stabilize the Imperial Capital." "Over time, a significant portion of the forces that returned to their homeland will likely harbor different intentions." "Many of them may refuse to accept our rule when we start functioning as an empire. This could be the position of the rulers, or a result of representing the oppressed." "However, there isn''t a single force in the whole continent that can invade the Imperial Capital with military power. So, their resentment can only reject our rule but cannot pose any substantial threat to us." "Securing political legitimacy will be difficult. However, once they become dependent on us, obedience will follow." "Dependence doesn''t always require force; it could come from our strength, resources, or technology." "In the long run, we can subdue the entire continent under the empire through economic means rather than political or military ones. Once they are well-fed, denying our rule would mean creating a situation where everything falls apart." "Everyone may hate us, but if we make them realize that everything they enjoy would disappear without us, we can rule them." "Fortunately, we have the blueprint for the new warp gate." With those words, Charlotte looked at Harriet, who nodded in response. The new warp gate. It was the second button for us to rule the entire continent. "First, let''s focus on stabilizing the Imperial Capital." "Then, we''ll restore and redesign the warp gates throughout the continent to economically integrate it. If we control the warp gates, no one can defy us." Living a peaceful life by miserably submitting to the Demon King. So, we would subdue them economically rather than militarily. In the end, economic prosperity would accelerate the reconstruction of civilization. The moment we possess the warp gate, the leash of the entire continent would fall into our hands just by having control over it. We briefly discussed the path we should take in the future. "There might be situations where we actually have to use force. Food supply is tight, and we need to worry about Edina''s issues. So, let''s stay in the Imperial Palace for the time being. We never know when or where a situation may require our presence." The Imperial Capital was like a boiling pot. With the potential for an emergency to break out at any time, we had to stay within the Imperial Capital for now. CH 679 On the terrace of the third floor of the Central Palace, Tetra. Even though a turbulent political climate was about to begin, the chaos didn''t reach the Central Palace. It had been quite some time since Harriet and I had shared a cup of tea together. "Haah¡­ I still can''t believe it. I don''t even know what''s happening¡­" Just as Olivia felt bewildered, Harriet too seemed to be in the same state as she let out a deep sigh. Despite saying that, Harriet had shortened astronomical costs and time by using her magic. In fact, she had annihilated a tremendous number of monsters with that magic and saved countless people. If one were to list the great mages in history, Harriet would be among the first. As time passed, it would only become more evident. From now on, practically all decisions would be made by Charlotte. My role was to approve or disapprove of them. During the war, we were the busiest, but now Charlotte would be the busiest. Although Harriet was exceptionally talented, she lacked experience in politics. It was best for mine and Harriet''s powers not to be used now. Of course, once the political situation stabilized, Harriet would have to step forward to construct new warp gates. In many ways, Harriet had become an indispensable presence. With her arms crossed, Harriet gazed out the window. Where had the arrogance and disdain in her eyes gone? Now, they were filled with worry and deep thoughts. Concern and fear about what would happen next and what had already transpired were evident. How much time had passed while we drank tea? Harriet''s gaze seemed to gradually settle. I couldn''t tell what she was thinking. "Reinhardt." Suddenly, Harriet called my name. "¡­Huh?" "We need to talk." At that single sentence, I unknowingly felt chills run down my spine. "Uh, um¡­ uh¡­" I awkwardly got up from my seat, watching Harriet rise from hers. Somehow, Something about that phrase¡­ It was damn scary! We were talking in the first place, but saying we need to talk made me feel like I was going crazy! Was she talking about something other than this? Right? Trembling with an inexplicable fear, I followed Harriet as she walked somewhere. ------ Was it not appropriate to talk in the place where we were sitting? Harriet led me to a door, flung it open, glanced around, and gestured for me to enter. It was a bedroom, but I couldn''t tell who it belonged to. It wasn''t the emperor''s bedroom I had been staying in since arriving at Tetra. It was one of the many empty rooms, just like the countless others that were vacant. -Creak As I entered, Harriet closed the door and locked it. Wait¡­ Wait? Why lock it? Was she trying to prevent me from escaping? Leaning against the door, Harriet looked at me. "¡­" And Harriet silently stared at me who was paralyzed with fear. We need to talk. I realized anew that this short phrase was more terrifying than any declaration of war. Was there a problem? Did I do something wrong? What should I do? I racked my brain to figure out if I had done anything upsetting or wrong in the midst of the hectic recent events, but I couldn''t figure it out. When I thought about it, there were countless things that might have upset her. I had not attended to what I should have, and it wasn''t that I hadn''t done anything wrong. Rather, there were too many wrongs to even guess at. My heart pounded. "¡­Are you scared?" "Huh¡­?" Harriet asked, seemingly reading my expression. Scared, of course. In my life, I couldn''t count how many times I had been scared. But experiencing an unknown fear like today was a first for me. I didn''t know why I should be scared, but I just was. Not exactly scared, more like¡­ Tense. Incredibly tense. Couldn''t she just tell me what I did wrong? I was confident I would kneel! If I admitted my wrongdoing and knelt, I would be asked what I had done wrong! With such a history of wrongdoing, I wouldn''t know where to start if a resentful word came out of that mouth! "Aren''t you going to answer?" Harriet asked quietly. Why was she doing this¡­ Why did she suddenly start acting this way? Wasn''t this what I used to do to other kids during my days at the temple? "I''m, I''m scared¡­ I''m scared¡­" In response to Harriet''s question, I could only nod with a flustered expression. At my admission of fear, Harriet tilted her head. "Why are you scared?" I felt like I was going crazy. Like I was losing my mind! "Well, you¡­ you''re not usually like this¡­" From a certain point on, it became impossible for me to be harsher than necessary with her! I felt both apologetic and grateful. And so. And so¡­ "Shouldn''t I be like this?" "No¡­ It''s not that you shouldn''t¡­" Harriet approached me with a subtle smile. As she came closer, I backed away until I had no choice but to sit down on the bed. Harriet looked down at me, sitting there. With that subtle smile. "Are you scared of being scolded by me?" Scolded. The word was cute, but the thought of it was terrifying. Harriet had never been truly angry with me, save for the beginning of the first semester when we were not yet close. It wasn''t just that she didn''t get angry. From some point on, she always understood me, accepted me, and did something for me. The thought of that Harriet getting angry and pointing out all my wrongdoings made my vision blur. I didn''t even know what to say to apologize. "Uh¡­ I''m scared." So, I had no choice but to nod my head. If she came at me like that, I might really bite my tongue and die. Harriet asked again. "Why are you scared when there''s nothing to be scolded for?" It seemed like I was the only one taking this seriously. What did she want to say? Of course, there must be a reason to be scolded. But still¡­ It''s scary when someone who never got angry gets angry. Like that. It wouldn''t matter if someone completely unrelated got angry at me¡­ "Because it''s you." Not just anyone. Because it couldn''t be. Wouldn''t it be scary if such a person got angry? Did she like the words that slipped out in a panic? Harriet straddled the bed, sitting on top of me. Pressing her body close to mine, she stared into my eyes, our noses almost touching. Why was it like this...?! However, actions and words were so different. "I''ve been away from my family for too long." "Is that... so?" "So, now that I''m almost done with what I have to do..." Harriet glanced out the window for a moment. "I want to go back to the kingdom for a few years. You don''t need me right now either." Those words felt like a stone dropped onto my heart. I understood. Certainly, I knew what she meant. She had no choice but to feel that way. I knew Harriet really loved her family and missed them. But so suddenly? Not just for a short while, but for a few years? Harriet asked, "Can I do that?" "..." She had already done more than enough. She had done so much that it couldn''t possibly be more. And what Harriet had done for me was something no one else could do but her. To ask for more... Wasn''t it too much? She wasn''t leaving forever. When needed, she would return. But of course, she wouldn''t always be by my side, as close as she was now. She had always been within reach. She had always been in a position where I could talk to her, as if it were natural. She had been the first to listen to my stories and watched my struggles up close. It meant she wouldn''t live like she had all this time. Is that okay? She wasn''t trying to scold me. She was asking for permission. Harriet spoke of parting at a distance so close that we could feel each other''s breath. Harriet asked, "Do you hate it?" Of course, I hated it. That... I hated it. But demanding more, asking her to stay by my side as if it were natural, wasn''t that too much? However, in the end... "I hate... it, of course." My answer was pathetic, but that was all I could say. It was an acknowledgment of something. At my response, Harriet smiled. I wondered if she could smile like this, a smile I had never seen before. Harriet pressed her body closer to me. And before I could say anything more, Harriet overlapped her lips with mine. In that overwhelming moment, how long did we kiss? Harriet pulled away from me. She looked at me and smiled. "I knew, actually." "What...?" She whispered quietly into my ear, smiling. "That if I did this... you wouldn''t be able to push me away." "From some point, I knew that if I spoke a little firmly, you couldn''t stay still." "I thought it was because you were sorry, but..." "It''s not just because I''m sorry. I knew that from some point." "I knew how to do it long ago." "But... that''s cowardly." "It''s cheap." "So, I didn''t do it." "But... I don''t want to do that forever." "Now I want to be cowardly and cheap too." "Now, I''ll do things my way." I couldn''t understand what Harriet was saying while listening. "Marry me." Harriet whispered into my ear. "Otherwise, I will never see you again." Was that what she meant when she said she knew what to say? Marriage. The moment she said that, my feelings became strange. If I didn''t agree to marry her, she would leave. Was this... her way of threatening me? "But, wait..." "Don''t tell me, you don''t want to?" Harriet''s expression began to change. No, it wasn''t that. It wasn''t about whether I wanted to or not. "...Would you have not done it if I hadn''t agreed?" "...What?" At my question, Harriet was clearly flustered. "No, I mean... would you have not done it?" I had been scared for a moment when she mentioned leaving. But now I was the one feeling perplexed. "Of course, we have to do it." At my words, Harriet''s face turned red, as if she couldn''t understand the situation. Marriage. Wasn''t it something we were destined to do? "So... it was... that kind of... thing?" I wasn''t sure what she had been thinking. Had she thought that maybe we wouldn''t go through with it? Gathering her courage to ask, Harriet''s lips trembled. Just as if she had forgotten her bold move moments ago. "Of course, we have to. We must." "Uh, ah... um, yes..." At my affirmation, Harriet''s face finally flushed. Our blockhead. Finally. You. This girl finally. Made me say such words. And even worse ones. "And... this might be a strange thing to say, but..." "...What?" "Will I... only be doing that with you...?" It seemed she finally realized it was a little different than she had imagined. The blockhead''s expression hardened. "With, with you and... uh... Charlotte and... Olivia too... are you going to do that?" Of course! I''m an emperor! I have to create power through marriage if necessary. I might even have to do more than that! Whether or not I did it wasn''t up to me. It was bound to happen! Now it would be strange if I didn''t! "Ah... I see... that kind of... thing... I see... of course..." Harriet nodded blankly. Then her expression gradually cooled. In the end, it was still a piece of trashy talk. In front of her, who had mustered the courage to suggest marriage. Yeah, I''ll do it with you and with others too. I said such a thing. In the end, Harriet, who was on top of me, had a resentful expression. And finally. Thud! "Uh... ah..." She began to choke me. "Ye, I knew it...! You, you! I hate you so much!" Tears welled up in her eyes. "I really hate you the most in the world!" In a situation where there were no words to say even if I had ten mouths, I had no choice but to let her choke me. "Then! Do it with me first! I said do it with me first, you trash!" Harriet screamed as if she would die on the spot if she didn''t do it like that. CH 680 Central Palace Tetra, the Emperor''s office. "¡­You''ve got to be kidding me." Harriet and Reinhardt, who had arrived first thing in the morning. That was all Charlotte could say in response to Harriet and Reinhardt''s words. At Charlotte''s icy response, not only Harriet, but also Reinhardt turned pale. "Well, I guess we have to do it. It''s the right thing to do. It''s obvious. Marriage is your duty, your job, your state affair. I''m glad you understand that." Marriage. Just as Reinhardt had insisted the day before, it had to be done. There was no longer an option not to. The only uncertainty was how many more times it would have to be done. Charlotte, too, was fully aware of this and might have thought she needed to do even more than agree. "You, of course, have to do it with Olivia Lanze, and with Airi, too. It might be a bit difficult, but you might have to force yourself to do it with Liana, too. It''s a situation where even if we created nonexistent people and forced them into a marriage alliance, it still wouldn''t be enough¡­" "What are you talking about! Li, Liana is not included!" "If it needs to be done, it will be done." Reinhardt was startled by Charlotte, who was adding fuel to the fire, and Harriet''s face began to turn blue. "But¡­ still¡­ still¡­!" "You''re saying you''re going to pick and choose your duties now? According to your circumstances?" As Charlotte''s expression grew colder, Reinhardt froze. Just as she said, Reinhardt might now have to marry someone he hated so much he''d rather die, regardless of whether it was a good or bad match. So Reinhardt never really had a choice. If it had to be done, it would be done, and if it shouldn''t, then it couldn''t. "Th, that¡­ that''s¡­ not it, but¡­" "Well, Liana was just an example. There''s no need to go that far. Anyway, you have to get married. Quite a lot." Charlotte didn''t say she was shocked because Reinhardt said he was going to marry them. The part that shocked Charlotte was something else. Charlotte''s cold gaze was directed not at Reinhardt, but at Harriet. "But what, you want to go first?" "Is¡­ is that not okay?" Harriet hesitated and cautiously added to Charlotte''s words. Marriage. She could bear the idea of him marrying this person and that person. But she wanted to be the first one he married. That was, arguably, Harriet''s last shred of pride. "Didn''t I just say marriage is a state affair?" "Ye, yes, you did¡­" "A ''ceremony'' of state affairs, right?" "Yes¡­" "Of course, ''expenses'' are involved in such ceremonies, right?" At that point, both Harriet and Reinhardt had no choice but to understand what Charlotte was getting at. "Do you think we can afford to hold this event multiple times, considering our circumstances? Do you want to ruin a country that hasn''t even begun by holding separate weddings?" "Then, how about a simple¡­" Charlotte''s expression distorted at Reinhardt''s cautious suggestion. "¡­Do you think the wedding of the Emperor of the New Empire can be held in a simple way? Do you want rumors to spread that we''re a frugal empire, a worthless empire?" "Is¡­ is that how it is?" "Fortunately, given the current circumstances, it''s not a flaw to hold such an event on a smaller scale. It''s fine even if it''s modest. However, the reason the Emperor''s wedding is a national affair is not because it signifies the union of two individuals, but because it announces the alliance of two powers. It''s all about making that known. Do you think an Emperor or a King would hold a wedding ceremony in a modest manner, inviting only known individuals, or secretly on a small scale? What do you think this is, some covert operation?" Charlotte sighed, as if even thinking about it was giving her a headache. "How many years do you think we''d need to hold a proper wedding ceremony with each and every one of you?" "I have no idea......" "We''d first need to restore the economy to a state where the Emperor''s wedding ceremony wouldn''t impact the national economy, right?" "Are you saying... we''d die of old age while preparing for the wedding?" "You got it." Charlotte gave Harriet and Reinhardt a frosty look. Saying you want to go first means you want to do it separately. But that wasn''t possible in our current situation. "Well, good. Since it''s been brought up, we need to sort this out now." Charlotte pulled out a blank piece of paper and began to write something. After completing the writing swiftly, she handed the paper over to Reinhardt. As expected, it contained a list of names. "Go and deliver the message." "Message...? What message?" "...Stop playing dumb." At Charlotte''s threatening demeanor, Reinhardt asked again, his face pale. "So, you''re saying... right now... announce the wedding? Go find these people? Right now?" Reinhardt bulged his eyes, looking at the names written on the document. As Charlotte saw the bewildered Reinhardt and Harriet, she tilted her head in confusion. "Are you two getting married?" "Well, uh......" "Are you marrying me as well?" "Well, uh... yeah... yes." "And others as well?" "Uh......" The wedding was inevitable. And it was going to be with many others. And the parties involved understood and accepted this. And having separate ceremonies was incredibly challenging under the current circumstances. So what exactly was the problem? "Then, if we''re going to do it anyway, we should do it all at once." All at once, with everyone. At that statement, Harriet and Reinhardt''s mouths slightly dropped open. "No, but... that''s......" Seeing their expressions, Charlotte smirked. Charlotte pointed at the door with her finger. "Once you understand, go and deliver the message to the people listed there." "We''re all getting married on the same day, at the same time, at the same place." "Let''s make the day of the ceremony the founding day." "Especially, tell this to Olivia Lanze." "If she wants to grow old and die while preparing for separate weddings, she can refuse." Charlotte''s bold decision to hold the wedding and founding ceremony simultaneously left not only Harriet but also Reinhardt unable to think of anything else but that this was absurd. Even so, holding the multiple weddings of the Emperor, which were necessary, separately during this perilous time would only waste national resources unnecessarily, and it wasn''t even possible. The economy would collapse because of the wedding. Charlotte''s judgement was economic and rational. The problem was only that it was inhumane. Reinhardt and Harriet came to discuss the future wedding plans of the Emperor, but all they got was a response asking if they wanted to die waiting for separate ceremonies. "We''re all getting married at the same time on the same day." That was Charlotte''s response. "But... that means..." "What?" "No matter how you look at it..." Certainly. Reinhardt''s gaze was stuck on one of the names written on the document, unable to look away. Watching Reinhardt''s shock, Charlotte''s expression turned icy. "What did I tell you about marriage just now?" "You said it was a state affair." "Do you want to neglect your duties?" The newly appointed emperor, who came to discuss marriage and ended up receiving a list of people he needed to marry, left the office looking as if he''d lost his soul. Looking at the bewildered Harriet in the face of the oncoming storm-like situation, Charlotte smiled. It was a subtle smirk. "Hmm, if the financial situation had been better, you could have monopolized him for a year. What a pity." "Well..." Harriet couldn''t help but blush even more at Charlotte''s blatant comment. "You''re cheeky. But you certainly have the right to be." "..." Harriet knew that the emperor, who was not just a simple king, would inevitably face such situations, and even Reinhardt had directly discussed it. However, neither Reinhardt nor Harriet expected all of these things to come crashing down at once. However. The reason for Reinhardt''s pale face. "But... is this okay?" Harriet had also seen the names written on the paper. That''s why Harriet was also looking pale. This seemed a bit out of line. Because there was such a name. "It''s a duty, so we have to do it. What can we do? This might be the end? Depending on the situation, we might have to do it a few more times." Not three times, not four times, but several times. They couldn''t know how many more marriages they would have to have in the future. Of course, it was a necessary thing to do. But because there was also a side where it seemed like she was being mischievous. "Shall we follow him around and watch in secret?" "Don''t do that!" Charlotte laughed for a while, imagining the scene. ------ Under the command of Charlotte de Gardias, who was virtually acting as the emperor, the new emperor, Reinhardt, roamed aimlessly around the central palace Tetra. He had to get married. A lot. Often. Quite a bit. For anyone else, marriage for the emperor had to come with those qualifiers. He knew it, and he knew it was something he had to do. But without any mental preparation, all at once. All together. The emperor hadn''t anticipated that. The first person the emperor visited was Olivia Lanze. "..." "..." When his half-dead-looking, babbling explanation ended, Olivia Lanze''s expression had turned icy. "I''ve often thought that I might not be able to marry you. But I never imagined it would happen like this. Group marriage? What is that?" She looked like someone so upset that she wanted to break something. For the first time in a long time, Olivia Lanze was truly angry. "Since I''m going to tear apart and rewrite the doctrine of the Holy Order according to my taste, whether or not I get married is up to me." As long as she understood that the gods and doctrines were just accessories that could be used as earrings or nose rings, she could easily do away with the old-fashioned custom of the High Priest of Purity not being able to marry. Reinhardt was apprehensive, wondering if he was about to receive a resounding slap on the cheek. Olivia scanned Reinhardt''s face quietly. "Do you feel sorry?" "¡­" "Why are you sorry? In fact, it''s inevitable, isn''t it? I''m just in a bad mood. There''s nothing we can do about it......" It was, in the end, a matter of fate. "Haah¡­ Yes. It''s lucky that it turned out this way, no one died. We shouldn''t be too greedy... And, if I refuse now, I might grow old and die¡­? Is this some kind of nonsensical threat?" Upon hearing Charlotte''s message, Olivia scowled as if displeased. If she insisted on doing it separately, she might be able to do it later when they could afford it. "By then, the child might have even enrolled in the temple......" Olivia seemed to imagine what would happen if she did not accept this proposal. It was not something that Olivia could stop by asking him not to do it, nor was it something that could happen just because she asked for it. But it was inevitable to feel bad. Even though she accepted it as something inevitable. It was a fact that Olivia Lanze was in a very bad mood at the moment. "I''ll be watching how you handle this." Olivia Lanze looked at Reinhardt with a chilly gaze. Although it was inevitable now. "If you upset me in the future, I''ll make you regret being alive. Got it?" "Uh, yes... I understand..." The cold look in Olivia Lanze''s eyes told him that her words were far from false. She would make him the most tired and difficult person in the world. Even before they were married, Olivia had declared she would scratch him at every opportunity. ------ The Demon King, who had been half-dead in the morning, was squashed by afternoon, knocking on Airi''s door. "Demonkind may follow the Archdemon, but that doesn''t mean we''re devoid of feelings." As if it were a matter of course, Airi commented and nodded her head at Reinhardt''s explanation. "So, if your wives are filled with humans only, it will also work as a dissatisfaction for the demons. So, it''s certainly meaningful that I''m included." Airi nodded lightly as if she understood what it meant. "Are you... making this decision too easily...?" Reinhardt was at a loss for words at Airi''s reaction, which seemed to be not accepting the marriage but justifying it. "Charlotte''s right. You need to get married more. But filling it with humans alone isn''t balanced. Wouldn''t it be better to consider looking for suitable people among the demons?" "Huh...?" "What about Sarkegaar? Since the fall of Darkland, he''s been playing a decisive role, so there''s nothing to criticize. He can transform into any form you want anyway." "Uh, uh... Sarkegaar...?" Reinhardt''s face turned pale at the mention of a name unrelated to the one Charlotte had written down, an utterly unexpected name. That side might respond too fiercely, which could be a problem. "Or how about looking for the surviving Dreadfiend clan? If you gather the demons left in Darkland, it should be good. The Mermaid Queen too... though physically it might be a bit difficult? I''ve heard that there are some mermaids who can live on land occasionally..." "Um, uh... Excuse me...?" "There was an Archdemon who married an Orc." "Just... Just swear at me!" "Come to think of it, there''s Eleris too." "¡­What?" "Valier, aren''t you technically the closest to Eleris among us?" In actuality, only a handful knew that Eleris was an ancient Archdemon, and Airi was not one of them. Reinhardt could only turn as pale as a vampire. "Do, don''t talk nonsense! That, that''s... That''s absolutely not possible!" "...Because she''s undead, it''s not possible?" "No, no, it just can''t be!" "¡­?" In the end, Airi made a comment that made the Demon King want to vomit blood. ------ ''I''ll slowly look for a suitable demon bride for you.'' Reinhardt, as if fleeing, escaped from Airi''s room and headed to the next location. In truth, he thought that what was bound to happen later had just come a bit earlier. But he never expected this. Reinhardt could say that for sure. Why did it have to go this far? Why did it need to go this far? However, in the end, he couldn''t avoid it. -Knock, knock Reinhardt knocked on someone''s door. A moment later, the door cautiously opened. -Squeak "¡­Is there a meeting?" Louise von Schwarz tilted her head as she looked at the Demon King. "Uh... um..." If there was a suicide button, he would''ve pressed it right then. "Should, should... should we... uh, ta, talk...?" Reinhardt thought so. "Yes, anytime." Louise nodded her head. CH 681 Louise von Schwarz remained in the Imperial Palace as a pivotal figure in the Demon King''s army. Though she needed to return to her homeland as soon as possible, her essential role in the Demon King''s army meant she had to familiarize herself with all the necessary aspects of the Imperial Palace. Louise quietly observed Reinhardt, who sat frozen in his chair. Despite their lengthy period of cooperation, Louise''s interactions with the Demon King were mostly conducted through Rowan, leaving her without much personal acquaintance. The first time she saw his face directly was at a general command meeting, just before the withdrawal of the Allied Forces. Since then, she had seen him a few times after entering the Imperial Palace, but this was the first time they had met alone and conversed. Despite being a vital and closely tied collaborator, Louise was practically a stranger to the Demon King. In comparison, Heinrich probably knew him better. "This is our first meeting like this," she noted. "Yes... it is," he agreed. Observing the frozen Demon King, Louise cocked her head. "Why don''t you speak more comfortably? You''re set to become the Emperor of the entire continent, and I am clearly here to serve you," she suggested. She wondered if Reinhardt was cautious around her because he considered her a friend''s older sister. Could it be that a being above all should freeze just because the person in front of them is slightly older? Had the stories about the Demon King she heard from Heinrich been somewhat distorted? He seemed far from the ruffian Heinrich had described, appearing instead somewhat pitiful, which was amusing. With a temperament like this, the future of the new Empire seemed uncertain. While she might not like Rowan, Louise held no animosity towards the Demon King. On the contrary, she was grateful to him, for he was the one who attempted to save Heinrich from the brink of death. And since he was the one who ended the Gate incident and brought them to this point, she couldn''t help but view him as a grand figure. Still, why was he trembling with such anxiety? She couldn''t understand why. Contrary to what she had heard, could it be that the Demon King was actually quite timid? Louise wondered if she needed to revise her perception of him. Finally, after much hesitation, the Demon King spoke. "Um... about that." "...About what?" "Well... I have something... I want to tell you..." She felt a strong urge to urge him to speak already. Considering he was set to become an Emperor, she found his lack of confidence astonishing. This Empire felt incredibly precarious. "About... marriage..." With that single word, Louise instantly grasped the situation. Why the Demon King had been so frozen. Why he was so hesitant. As soon as she heard the word he had finally managed to blurt out, she had no choice but to understand. Louise stared at the Demon King. She didn''t need much time to deliberate. The new Empire could hardly be considered stable. Therefore, they needed to build alliances with numerous groups, sometimes placing them beneath their feet to establish a foundation. Thus, it would be beneficial to establish more than just an alliance with the Schwarz royal family, which was the number two nation. And intertwining with the royal family of the new Empire was a necessary task for the heir of the Schwarz royal family. For the new Empire. For the survival of the royal family. And with this single choice, Louise, who would become a citizen of the Empire, would separate from the Schwarz royal family, confirming Heinrich''s ascension to the Schwarz throne. Louise was joining the Empire with a legitimate and certain justification. And likewise, Heinrich became the king of Kernstadt with a valid and sole reason. A situation she had imagined, but wasn''t sure how to make possible, had become achievable quite effortlessly. For her, it was more than a good thing, it was something she simply had to do. "There''s no reason not to do what''s necessary," Louise declared, nodding her head. "Thank you in advance." Somehow, with a very business-like demeanor, Louise extended her hand. The Demon King grabbed it with a flustered expression. "I, um! I, I! I should be thanking you!" Louise looked at the Demon King with wide eyes, incredulous at such a character. But that was only for a moment. She took a moment to take a deep breath. There was something the other party needed to know, even if it was something she had to do. "But there is something you should be aware of." "Ah..." "It''s about Heinrich." The Demon King, swallowing nervously, nodded with a stern expression. "I, know... about it." "Ah... I see." Louise said nothing more. ------ Could this be what it feels like to have your soul sucked out? No, it seemed more like it was shattered. "...You really did it." Upon hearing that the mission was completed, Charlotte looked astounded, her eyes wide and her hand covering her mouth. "You told me to...!" "I didn''t think you''d actually do it. How shameless can you be?" This. This! After asking me to do it, how could you be surprised that I did! Regardless of anything else. Regardless of anything else! I couldn''t believe the day had come when I had to do such crazy things... What the hell is an emperor! I don''t want to do it! I already feel like I''m going crazy not wanting to do it! "So, she accepted?" "...Without even hesitating." I am getting married. And quite a lot, at that. Even with someone I never even imagined. And I''m going to have to keep doing this sort of marriage. I agree with Charlotte''s saying that for someone like me, marriage is a job. But ending up married to everyone in the end. I knew that day would come eventually, but now that it''s suddenly right in front of me, I feel like I''m going crazy. It''s too scary. What''s going to happen to me? I''m already dizzy, how much more dizzy will I get? "Don''t worry about the preparations, I''ll handle everything." Charlotte seemed to say she would take care of scheduling or other issues. For some reason. She seemed to enjoy tormenting me. Charlotte looked at me and grinned. It''s been overflowing with malice since this morning. "So, only the last hurdle remains, right?" "The last...? There''s more...?" "No, as for the people you have to marry, it ends here for now. But as a matter of courtesy..." As Charlotte approached me with a sinister smile, she whispered softly in my ear. "You should tell Heinrich yourself, out of courtesy, right?" "Uh...?" "You should tell him you''re marrying his mother." "!!!!!" I bit my tongue, but unfortunately, I didn''t die. ------ After the Allied Forces returned in large numbers, all the temple-origin fighters had gone back to the Temple, and Heinrich was no exception. With the end of the Gate War and the aftermath spreading, the whole continent was boiling over, and the Temple was no exception. Anxiety, despair, fear, and a faint glimmer of hope. These emotions intertwined, everyone striving to navigate their opaque futures and unsettling realities in their own ways. And so, I had called Heinrich to the Imperial Palace. Not in the bedroom or the reception room of the central palace Tetra, but in the garden at the front of Tetra. Without a single escort. "¡­Should I address you as Your Majesty now?" Heinrich, who had responded to my summons, wore an ambiguous expression. "No¡­ Just¡­ Continue as before." "Is something bothering you? Why the long face? Well, I guess it''s just the beginning for you. I can''t be of much help anymore, being a guy whose only asset is superpower. Do you need something from me?" "No, it''s not that I need something. I just have something I need to say¡­" I felt like I was going to vomit. I wanted to die. I had considered how to break the news, but there were no answers to be found. There couldn''t possibly be a right answer to something like this. I abruptly stood from the bench and walked over to Heinrich. And then, I grabbed his shoulder. There was no way to do this other than just say it! "I''m getting married." "¡­?" At my blunt declaration, Heinrich tilted his head in confusion. "Oh, uh¡­ Congratulations. With whom? Harriet? Charlotte? The Saintess? Or¡­¡­ could it be¡­ all three¡­?" "¡­." If one could die from embarrassment. That time would be now. ------ -Vroom! "Look, look at that! Harriet!" "Ugh¡­ What, what should we do¡­!" Charlotte dragged a reluctant Harriet to the window to observe the sudden explosion of fireworks in the garden in front of Tetra. They were too far away to hear the conversation, but they could clearly see Heinrich, his face flushing red, furiously chasing Reinhardt. ¡°You, die! Die you bastard!¡± Heinrich''s furious shout was loud enough to reach the windows of Tetra. "Isn''t this¡­ dangerous?" "It''s fine, he won''t die from that." "You really¡­" Few had ever witnessed a war hero trying to kill an emperor, and yet here they were. "Sigh, at this rate, the grass will burn. What should we do?" "This isn''t the time for that kind of talk!" Charlotte was laughing and joking as she watched the spectacle. Everyone was falling apart in their own ways, and Charlotte was no exception. Finally, the main person of the story, who had been oblivious to the commotion, appeared and personally restrained Heinrich, and only then did the uproar cease. ------ In the end, Heinrich was taken away by Louise. I still felt nauseous. The realization that the guy I used to tease, who could barely make a campfire, could try to kill me, gave me a chill down my spine. The second floor of Tetra. After the situation had calmed down, Liana, who had been clueless about the situation, detained me and asked what had happened. I was drinking a cup of tea. "¡­Ah." Having heard the whole story, Liana nodded with a nervous expression. The absurdity of the situation was enough to startle even Liana, who would usually have been amused. "But, uh¡­ whether it''s necessary or not, it''s definitely necessary, so¡­" I couldn''t say for sure that Charlotte had no ill intentions, but it was clear that this would have happened regardless. The strongest nation is, of course, the empire, and the second would be Kernstadt. If these two forces combined, in reality, there would be no power capable of opposing the new empire. Liana, of course, understood that reinforcing this union was a crucial matter. It was just a little difficult to accept. "Speaking of which...so, you''re going to marry five people at once?" "...Yes." Harriet, Charlotte, Olivia, Airi, and Louis. He had to marry all five at once. As Liana counted on her fingers, she suddenly pointed at herself. "What about me?" "What?" "Why am I not included?" What. What did she want to do! She was... Wait! Liana furrowed her brow as if she was displeased. "Do you not need me anymore because you will taste the sweet honey of marrying your friend¡¯s mother? I''m hurt." "What are you saying! And, don''t phrase it like that...!" "Then what should I call it?" "But still...!" Her words were too blunt! He was already dizzy, did she need to make it worse? "By the way, I wasn''t against the idea of marrying you if you insisted." "Stop, stop...just stop." "Well, I guess I wouldn''t enjoy the life of a concubine, waiting for an emperor with many wives and staring at doors that never open." With that, Liana took a sip of her tea. "In reality, I don''t have anything other than my superpowers, so there''s no real political benefit." The grandeur of the Grantz Duke family, which had once ruled the entire continent, had vanished with the death of the Duke of Grantz, Liana''s escape, and the Gate incident. But she was a supernatural who could, perhaps, shake the world at her will. The reason Charlotte hadn''t forced a marriage with Liana was probably that there were no political gains to be had from it. Of course, if it was beneficial, she''d probably push for it, which was the problem. Wait. Why was Charlotte making decisions about my marriage? Why was I obediently doing as told? Wasn''t this the puppet emperor situation? Was this right? As she sipped her tea, Liana looked out the window. "But, I don''t necessarily have to become your wife to help you." She would continue to be one of the Four Heavenly Kings. With that, Liana gave a sly smile. Right. This was the perfect distance between her and him. And that was fine in its own way. CH 682 Time had passed. As per Charlotte''s plan, the wedding would be a simple affair. But it was a ceremony laden with profound implications. It signified not only the proclamation of a new empire but also the formal acknowledgment of humanity''s subjugation beneath the Demon King''s feet. The Gardias Imperial family had finally and completely bowed down to the Demon King. The Emperor had fled. The last successor of the Gardias Imperial family, Charlotte de Gardias, marrying the Demon King as a demi-human, embodied this surrender. Louise von Schwarz of Kernstadt, the second most powerful state, also became the Demon King''s bride, thus declaring that the Schwarz Kingdom too had come under the Demon King''s rule. Olivia Lanze, too, was to become the Demon King''s bride, betraying the teachings of the Saint of Purity, signifying that the five major religious orders had pledged allegiance to the Demon King. The presence of a demon bride implied that the era of humans and demons would soon unfold. While the case of Harriet de Saint-Owan might not carry the same weight as the others, those who had seen or heard of her feats in battle knew what it meant. The world''s most powerful mage was to become the Demon King''s bride. With the wedding, a new empire was to be announced. Chaos was bound to follow. And whether prosperity or something else lay beyond the chaos, it marked the start of another long and arduous journey. The night before the wedding. I was sitting alone in my bedroom. I wanted to be alone. "..." A bottle of whiskey, taken from the display case, sat on the table in front of me. Drinking the night before the wedding may seem insane, but it held no real significance. I could sober up whenever I wanted. I pondered the things I had lost. It didn''t seem much, but it wasn''t as if I had lost nothing. Epinhauser. Loyar. The folks from the Rotary Club. They had become victims of the war, regardless of my victory or defeat. There was no turning back. I wondered if they would be happy with the present day. I wasn''t sure. Next, I thought about the things I didn''t know. Bertus and Saviolin Turner had disappeared. Shanafel and the royal mages had scattered. I couldn''t find Christina and Ludwig, or Anna and Louis Ancton either. The Immortal was gone, but the magic that created the Immortal must still exist. I didn''t know what had become of them either. And then there was Antirianus. I didn''t know whether Antirianus was hiding somewhere, biding his time to strike at me. The deal had been made, and Antirianus would have tried to kill me. But I didn''t die. I didn''t know why that was. And then. Again. That remark about surviving until after the ending. I didn''t know what it meant. Was it not after the ending now? The Gate Incident had ended. So, what was this ending supposed to be? If they left me alone for the rest of my life, that would be enough. What mattered was that no more notifications, like event announcements, were popping up. There was no information, challenges, or rejections. I couldn''t see any of those things anymore. Ever since the last rejection, such abilities seemed to have disappeared. Perhaps just living like this was the only reward I could receive. If that was the reward, it didn''t seem too bad. It would have been more terrifying if they had tried to take me somewhere now that everything had ended. The system had disappeared. As if after the ending, disappearing without a word was some kind of virtue. The world that remained was entirely mine. Cheat-like aids, messages, previews. None of those would exist in my life anymore. The last preview wasn''t malicious. I had perceived it as a sort of ''get ready to die in vain'' sensation. In reality, it was to inform me that this would happen if I accepted the last deal. Yes. That damn candy peddler. He helped at the decisive last moment. Things lost remained lost. Things unknown remained unknown. Things that ended remained ended. I had to live the next moment. After taking a sip of whiskey, I looked out the window. The pale full moon reflected faintly in my dark bedroom. Perhaps. I wasn''t sure how much longer I could live. But in every moment of my remaining life, I would inevitably think of two people when I saw the moon. Luna. Ellen. Even if I could never see them again, I would inevitably think of them when I saw the moon. Ellen had left, and there was nothing I could do about it. Being with me was more dangerous. I knew she left thinking of me. One day, I would forget. Just having been pulled out of the pitfall Ellen fell into to save me was already a miracle. I should be satisfied just for having succeeded beyond the boundary of countless possibilities. Another sip. When I swallowed the whiskey, hot breath rose up my throat. I couldn''t remember the last time I had a drink. Time would cover everything. Even now, my situation was abundantly rich. So, there was no reason to think about those who were not here. They would do something in their place. The guilt would still torment them, they might be hunting monsters. They would try to do the maximum they could without showing off. I reached into my pocket and pulled something out. A round, ivory charm. A charm engraved with the image of the moon and the sun. It seemed to have been made by grinding some kind of bone. Ellen had taken it off, and I had picked it up. Now it had no meaning. Whether it actually helped Ellen, she was now free from its constraints. Of course, it meant nothing to me. I would never see Ellen again. I should let go of this foolish attachment for the days to come. Should I throw it out the window? Should I break it with a little force? I pondered for a long time. A long time. A long time. And then I laughed at myself. I had spent hours deciding whether to discard this trivial thing. I had no choice but to realize it. It was a meaningless object. I couldn''t even discard this. Such a sloppy charm, which had lost all its value. "¡­Damn." I realized under the cold moonlight that letting go of my regrets would be impossible for a lifetime. So, I took another sip, and another glass. By the time I had downed two glasses, three glasses, four glasses. -Knock, Knock There was a knock. I wonder if I would hear the voice of a guard announcing a visitor in the future. Upon opening the door, a familiar face was there. "Should I call you Your Majesty now?" "Forget it." It was Eleris. ------ "Drinking the night before the wedding, you don''t look good." "What does it matter?" "I guess so." Under the moonlight by the window, Eleris and I sat facing each other. "As per your command, I tried to find traces of Antirianus, but..." "As expected, there were none?" "That''s right." Eleris had searched for traces of Antirianus at my behest. The final battle in Diane. After that, Antirianus''s whereabouts were unknown. It was clear that there had been a battle after I had fainted, both in terms of time and circumstances. Could it have been Luna? But Luna had said she wouldn''t help anymore, and she would have meant it. Still, I couldn''t conclusively rule out Luna. She might not have wanted to leave me to die so miserably. After taking the souls, Antirianus had fought someone. And then he disappeared. It was unknown whether he was dead or alive. There were places I could guess, but I had no certainty. "Fine. The fact that I''m alive is what matters." Ellen would feel the same. It was a long journey. A long and arduous time. Meeting Charlotte in the Demon King''s Castle. Fleeing to Imperial Capital. Wandering aimlessly there, overwhelmed. Through the advice of a monk, I ended up meeting Eleris. The beginning was the Demon King''s Castle, but everything started when I met Eleris. Facing Eleris on the night before the end of everything felt like destiny. Eleris silently gazed out the window of the palace. "I never imagined I would see such a sight from here." "Me neither. I never wanted to." "It''s strange. A seat that so many would want to occupy, and the person who least wanted it ends up sitting there..." We both chuckled at that. Eleris did not want war. Neither did I. Neither of us wanted the throne or the reconstruction of Darkland. I told Eleris to quit being a servant of a ruined country, and Eleris was moved by my aversion to war. Yet, we were the root cause of all this. I had explored the Gate incident that wouldn''t have happened if I had stayed put. Eleris had activated Akasha. There was a war. And I ended up sitting in a place I did not wish for or want. If a tragedy occurred because of a person who did not want it, was it all their fault? Was it okay to avoid responsibility? Whose sin was it in the end? Was it me, the root cause of everything? Was it Eleris, who directly activated Akasha? Was it Ellen and Charlotte, who dug behind my back instead of trusting me and talking to me? Was it Bertus, who directly ordered my arrest? Or was it Antirianus, who insisted that activating Akasha was the answer? I don''t know. I don''t even want to know now. It''s a problem that can''t be solved by thinking about it. And if we knew, then what? What would it matter if it became clear who was most at fault? Nothing would change. Just that everyone shares the guilt. While it''s unclear who is at fault, everyone is saying it''s their fault. And so, everyone met their own end. I had become the emperor. Ellen had disappeared. Charlotte was to become the regent of the new empire. Bertus had fled. "...." Eleris was silent, and I drank a glass of whiskey. Everyone had reached some sort of conclusion. Those who held a degree of responsibility for these events each met their own end. But Eleris had not yet faced any ending. "Don''t go." "...." However, there was no way I couldn''t know why she had come to see me in the middle of the night, just before my wedding. She was obviously intending to leave. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be wearing such a sorrowful expression. "Your Majesty... No, Your Highness... um.... No." Eleris shook her head. "Valier." If she left, Eleris would no longer be my subject. So she wouldn''t need to serve me anymore. "You don''t need me anymore." Eleris, wearing a sad expression, spoke those words. There was a time when the presence of Eleris was absolute. Without Eleris''s help, my range of action would have been severely limited. No, life itself might have been impossible. Whenever magic was necessary, Eleris was always there to assist me. But now, that role could be taken over by Harriet, and if not Harriet, then anyone else. "As you know, I originally spent a long time in a place unrelated to Darkland." "...." "So, it''s just a return for me." Indeed, there was no real need for Eleris to continue staying by my side. "Plus, few know that I operated Akasha, but there''s no good in having me, who did such a thing, by your side." That too was correct. After leaving Darkland, Eleris spent a long time in a place unrelated to it. "So, may I go now?" She was not originally a being of the demon world. She probably never intended to get so deeply involved in Darkland''s affairs. She was merely passing through. However, contrary to her intentions, she played a much larger role than expected, took on decisive tasks countless times, and had innumerable deep sins. So, I could understand, to a degree, why Eleris, trying to leave for my sake, made that choice. It wasn''t a return. She was probably trying to do something to deal with her guilt in some way. So, she would seek another harshness that pushed her mercilessly. She would attempt something no different from self-torment. Just as Ellen had chosen to do. "Eleris, you were driven into a corner." "....Yes, I was." Eleris, with a sorrowful expression, silently nodded her head. "If you hadn''t believed me when I said I didn''t want war, and killed me then, none of this would have happened." "..." That''s right. If she had killed me then. None of this would have happened. "If you found my actions suspicious, couldn''t trust me, and killed me, none of this would have happened." "..." Eleris had constantly doubted whether she could trust me. But in the end, she couldn''t lay a hand on me. I was the first to tell Eleris that I knew the future. "And if you hadn''t operated Akasha to save me, none of this would have happened." "..." Antirianus''s proposal. Sarkegaar''s pressure. Eleris had operated Akasha and caused the Gate incident. She didn''t want to lose me. That''s what Eleris had said. Even if it meant swapping with the world, she didn''t want to lose me. She said she hated war. She said she hated fighting and death. In the end, during our time together, Eleris came to value me more than the world itself. Just like that. So much so. We had an argument. "So, despite all that, you want to be resolute in the end?" "..." At the words that were nearly a rant, Eleris silently bowed her head. "No." I shake my head. "Don''t go." Eleris laboriously lifts her head to look at me. Seeing my eyes, the whites of Eleris''s eyes turn bright red. It must be the same for me right now. It was inevitable that Eleris, seeing me like this, would feel the same way. "I guess I can do without you now. Who wouldn''t know that?" There were many who could replace Eleris. There was Lucinil, there were other Vampire Lords, and there was Harriet. "We''ve argued to this point." "..." In the end, Eleris sheds tears. It was impossible to replace someone with someone else. An empty place is an empty place. "Who can replace the part Eleris occupies in my heart? No one can do that." Someone could sit there, but while the void could be filled, the loss cannot. "Don''t go." "..." ¡°I wish Eleris wouldn¡¯t go, having pushed back until the very end, listening to the words telling her not to go.¡± Loss is loss. Roles could be replaced, but the place in the heart could not. "I can''t handle doing it twice when I don''t have to do it in the first place." It was not a criticism. Because we argued and ended up like this. We argued till the end. I hope she doesn''t leave at these words. Upon hearing those cruel words, Eleris rose from her seat. "Alright. I understand......" Then, she gently embraced me. "I won''t leave. I''m sorry. I... I''ve hurt you more, haven''t I..." As if she thought she had caused harm, Eleris held me in a comforting embrace for a long time. The cold body temperature of a vampire. Although cold, it was always warm. Just as it was now, as it had always been. This was what made me who I am now. Without this, I wouldn''t have been able to start at all. It may not have been a happy ending, nor a pleasant journey. But we arrived together in the end. Thus, I didn''t want to be torn apart without reason. We''ve come this far. I want to go beyond this point with you. Maybe my grip, tightly holding onto her, pleading her not to leave, conveyed this message. Eleris, trembling, spoke carefully. "Even if I''m here, not much will change..." "If my absence hurts you..." "If it hurts that much..." "Alright..." "To watch over you forever in this immortal life, as a final act......" Wasn''t it said that Vampire Lords had their own desires? "Let''s conclude it that way." Eleris seemed to have decided when to put an end to the countless, long days of her existence. "I''ll be with you forever." With an arm wrapped around Eleris, I thanked her for promising to be with me until the end. "Thank you, Eleris." For that promise to be with me at the end, just as she had been there at the beginning, I was simply grateful. ------ The scale of the wedding, suitable for the one who was to become the ruler of the new continent, was by no means grand. It wasn''t a public wedding. Not only was it due to the circumstances, but it was also an impossible luxury for humanity on the brink of collapse. Therefore, only the leaders of humanity from all over the world, and the influential people, were invited to the wedding. The truth about the marriage and the proclamation of the new empire were to be announced to the empire. Although modest due to the circumstances, everyone understood and accepted the situation. Still, the number of invitees was not small. Not only the leaders of each army belonging to the coalition, but also the surviving kings and nobles from various regions attended. It was nothing compared to the golden age of the empire. If compared to that time, the current situation was more like a modest banquet in the imperial palace. And, of course, the attendees were filled with more fear and anxiety than anticipation. Should we trust this empire? Can humanity truly be rebuilt? Is it right that the reconstruction is left in the hands of the Demon King? The sensitive ones already knew. Those who were thinking of rebelling against the new empire did not come. Naturally, among those who attended, there were those who harbored thoughts of rebellion and attended with the intent to probe. In such an unsettling atmosphere where music was flowing nonetheless. The one holding the baton was Ranian Sesor, who always comforted everyone with music in the coalition forces. During the war and even after it. Music was needed. The band followed the conductor and played cheerful music, while people mingled. Of course, it wasn''t just nobles and royals present here. ¡ª--- "Scarlett." "Ah, Evia." Of course, Scarlett, with her red hair, was quite noticeable among the attendees. "The dress suits you well. Where did you get it?" "Well... Charlotte gave it to me. She said I might need it." Scarlett blushed at the seemingly envious gaze of Evia. Telepathic ability user, Evia. She was also one of the hidden heroes of this war. Evia''s telepathic ability greatly accelerated the speed of command transmission in the headquarters. It wasn''t just those who fought who were heroes. Among those who didn''t fight, there were countless heroes. Those who came from the temple were numerous, all deserving of the title of war hero. The musician Ranian Sesor. Telepath Evia. Adelia, who was quietly dining next to the Archduke and his sons. And the countless others who could no longer be here. All those who died in the war were worthy of the title of hero. Evia quietly pointed to Ranian Sesor, the conductor of the orchestra, and spoke to Scarlett. "It seems Ranian will become a bard." "A bard...?" "Yes." Ranian Sesor''s contributions were also considerable. He could sit in the court orchestra of the palace, and there would be plenty of wealthy people still willing to employ Ranian. However, to become a wandering bard across the continent. Especially at this time. "He said he''ll sing about what he saw and heard in the allied forces. Whether that''s a good or bad thing, I don''t know. But he seems to want to tell the truth." How hard the fight was. How tragic it was. Yet how heroic it was. Upon hearing that Ranian would wander the world singing such songs, Scarlet nodded. "I still don''t know. My ability... it seems to have lost its meaning now." Speeding up communication. While it was a highly necessary ability in the army, now that the allied forces had disbanded, Evia didn''t know what she should do. With the war over, the responsibility for survival now fell on individuals. The Empire was not wealthy enough to provide eternal rest and meals to the war heroes. The command from the new Emperor, to live and eat well, was a harsh one. It was a way of saying, you''ve done enough, now take care of yourself. Perhaps in the future something could be given to the veterans of the war, but right now it was difficult. Everyone was starving. Therefore, Evia, uncertain about her immediate future, had a somewhat gloomy expression even while attending the Emperor''s wedding. "Scarlett, have you thought about what you''ll do?" "Um..." Scarlett bit her lip slightly at Evia''s question. "I think I might become a knight." "A knight? You''re skilled, Scarlett. That seems natural. As a knight, would you stay here?" Evia pointed to the ballroom floor, namely, the palace. "Yes, I might... I might become one of His Majesty the Emperor''s bodyguards." "Really?" Evia could only open her mouth in surprise. There were those who had faced the Demon King directly, but among their peers, there were also those who feared the Demon King vaguely, like Evia. Especially those who had not been close even during the days when he lived under the name of Reinhardt. Scarlett was to become the Emperor''s bodyguard. "Charlotte... she said that my power is strong in protection... she asked how I would feel about being in that position..." "That was Charlotte''s suggestion," said Scarlett. In the case of a supernatural like Scarlett, her power was used in a unique way, often for destruction and neutralization. However, her strength was, in fact, originally specialized in protection. With a knight capable of neutralizing all magic and superpowers by his side, the Emperor''s safety would be ensured in any situation. "Of course... I think I''ll likely end up in a more pitiful situation, requiring protection more often..." Regardless of her superpowers, Scarlett was convinced that she would rarely need to protect the Demon King, who was incomparably stronger than she was. She even had a grim prediction: in case of an emergency, she feared that the Demon King might risk his life to protect his own knight. She was almost certain of this grim future. Thus, as Scarlett and Evia watched the wedding banquet, the room was filled with countless guests. The Duke of Saint Owan and his family, having dinner at one side of the room, were among them. ¡ª--- "It''s... hard to describe this feeling in words." "I see." They were watching their beloved youngest daughter''s wedding. But it was a joint wedding. The Demon King was marrying five brides, and their youngest daughter was one of them. Adelia, who was dining with them, still couldn''t quite believe that Harriet had ended up in this unusual situation. They had recently met and talked for a long time, but it still felt surreal. The Duchess was sobbing silently, and the Duke couldn''t bring himself to reprimand her. Their confusion was inevitable. And in one corner of the table, Heinrich von Schwarz sat with a vacant expression, his mouth agape. Around him, including Erich, Cayer, Kono Lint, and Cliffman, were seated, wearing expressions identical to Heinrich''s. They were all in a state of shock. "What is this? Shouldn''t we be celebrating? Your mo... no, your sister would be very happy if she saw you like this." "Shut up, Liana..." "Huh! Huh!" Cliffman, usually a reserved man, had to forcibly shut Liana''s mouth. Everyone, including Heinrich and his friends, was too shocked to accept this astonishing situation. Soon. The wedding ceremony began. All the attendees stood up. The Demon King and his brides were instantly in their places. Centered around the Demon King. In the closest spot, on his right, stood Harriet de Saint Owan. There were no complex and lengthy procedures, no long wedding speeches, no moments spent discussing the new Emperor''s vision for his new empire. Louise von Schwarz, Harriet de Saint Owan, the Demon King, Charlotte de Gardias, Olivia Lanze, and Airi. Each dressed in a dazzling dress, they stood side by side as the Demon King, positioned between the five, quietly opened his mouth. "Those who know me, know that I hate long speeches." "Surely no one''s come this far without knowing who''s marrying whom? So, I''ll skip the explanations." "We''re getting married." "Also, today is not only our wedding day but also the day we declare a new empire." "From this moment, we declare the new empire." "We''ve announced the wedding and the declaration of the empire, so we''ve done everything we need to do." "In these times of poverty, it would be shameless to linger and chatter." "Thank you for making the time." "Obviously, not just for me, but for all of you who are busy." "I don''t want to keep you for too long." "So, eat moderately, get moderately drunk, and leave when it''s appropriate." "Now I hate anything that drags on." "The war and rebellion were too long." "So now, let''s keep everything short." "Let''s proceed swiftly and wrap this up." Everyone was stunned by his radical speech. There was no formality. It was rude. There were no procedures. It was chaotic. This was the new empire? They were getting married. It was a new empire. In just a few sentences, everything was over. Could this be the behavior of the new Emperor, the new ruler of the continent? Was this kind of rule really correct? Regardless of what everyone else thought, the new rule had begun. What could they do? The man who called himself Emperor had decided so. CH 683 Epilogue - The Red Thread There were words that can only be written in blood. There were pictures that can only be drawn in blood. Such was the empire of the Demon King. After the Gate incident, the Demon King proclaimed a new empire. There were those who believed in the Demon King, and those who did not. Thus, division arose. The division scattered, and each seed began to sprout. There were several wars. The seeds of division did not disappear, but were scattered somewhere once again. What was important was that the Demon King''s empire never lost a single time. If asked whether there was no prosperity or reconstruction, that was not the case. Even as division and conflict continued, the world was recovering its civilization. Thus, sometimes staggering, but eventually moving forward in the flow of history, the fifth year of the new imperial era arrived. -Desolation In a forest that had become a sea of blood. Ellen was surveying the scattered corpses. She stared quietly at the pieces of monsters, neither human nor beast. As if deep in thought. As if trying to guess their original form. Ellen took out a notebook and started writing. She wrote, and although it was simple, she also drew. She had no need to draw in her lifetime, but Ellen had grown accustomed to even this. But why did she need to draw? Monsters sometimes mirrored each other, but ultimately, each looked different. Many had appearances that could only be described as bizarre, grotesque, and unfamiliar. Recording each individual monster by drawing them was, in truth, a meaningless task during the Gate incident. Despite that, Ellen did it. Ellen, who had spent a while in the blood-stinking forest, closed her notebook, put it in her backpack, and walked somewhere. The sun was setting. Ellen knew that the night of the forest and the mountain was approaching unusually fast. ------ -Tap, thump The night had fallen, and Ellen sat in front of a bonfire. The fire drove away the beasts and sometimes drove away the monsters. But in truth, that didn''t mean much either. Just as there were monsters that feared fire, there were monsters that were fascinated by fire. The fire at night might be dangerous because of its light, but in reality, there were monsters whose vision was not dependent on light. Therefore, having a bonfire at night in a no-man''s-land could be dangerous or not. It could be meaningless, or it could have meaning. So, the conclusion was simple. Since a bonfire has the clear advantage of warding off the cold, it''s better to keep it lit. That was one of the insights Ellen had gained during her long wandering life. In the end, staying alert and falling asleep was all the effort she could make. Living a life of killing monsters in the no-man''s-land. Ellen could kill the monsters but couldn''t exterminate them. The days when monsters poured out of warp gates were over. But that didn''t mean there hadn''t been dangerous days over the past five years. Many monsters had dangerous attack methods, and these were sometimes fatal to Ellen. She was more often lost after the Gate incident. It was hard to say it was just because of the monsters. There were more times when she was lost because she was starving, or she ate something wrong. So now, Ellen realized that she had a body that wouldn''t die even if she ate something fairly toxic. Of course, even so, she never once did something as foolish as roasting and eating the meat of an unknown monster. Ellen pulled out a notebook from her backpack. Naturally, it wasn''t just one but several. She flipped through the pages under the light of the campfire. She pondered over some pages for quite a while, while she dismissed others as meaningless. Occasionally, she would add annotations to the contents she recalled. Could it be called a journal? Ellen had been writing this since a certain point in time. She had a strong intuition that it was something she needed to do. Hence, she occasionally visited places where people lived, to acquire notebooks and pens. Of course, due to her rugged lifestyle, the edges of the notebook had become frayed. After checking the notebooks for a while, Ellen neatly packed them back into her backpack. "Phew..." Ellen pulled out some kind of root from her bosom and chewed on it thoroughly. She had no idea what it was. She simply ate it because she knew it wouldn''t harm her. Somehow, Ellen had come to know a good deal about things she didn''t even realize could be eaten. She couldn''t even remember the last time she had a proper sleep. She didn''t know when she last had a proper meal. Minimal food, minimal sleep, minimal water. She was surviving with just that. There were times when she got lost for days when she ran out of all her food upon entering a place where she couldn''t find any. It wasn''t a fight against monsters, but a fight against hunger. If she hadn''t been surprisingly robust, any ordinary person would have died of starvation long ago. What about going back to where people lived and taking a few days off? Even though she was completely disconnected from civilization, Ellen occasionally visited towns or cities where people lived. Obviously, she had to conceal her identity. Her food supply was running low, that was true. But for now, there was a task that needed to be done. And even if she were to return, there was no real solution. First and foremost, the most critical problem. She had no money. Living in the uninhabited wilderness was primarily about killing monsters. So, there was absolutely no room for making money. She knew well that if she spent enough time in human cities, there were countless ways to earn money, but that in itself was risky. Ex-emperor Bertus de Gardias and the hero, Ellen Artorius, were the empire''s most wanted. Whether willingly or not, the emperor had no choice but to designate the hero and the ex-emperor as the empire''s greatest enemies. Regardless of the emperor''s will, those who supported the emperor despised the runaway ex-emperor and Ellen Artorius. So, she could not afford to do anything while staying in human cities for more than a brief visit. Even anti-imperial forces were no different. These were places that would certainly try to apprehend Ellen for various reasons. In some places to arrest him, in others to plead for the salvation of humanity. No matter where she went, Ellen was in a precarious position. Of course, there was no issue of her identity being exposed by just passing through. As long as she reasonably hid her identity and appearance, she just couldn''t stay for long. Although she couldn''t always observe, Ellen occasionally saw signs of civilization gradually reviving. The adventurers'' guild that Ellen once briefly experienced still existed. But instead of exploring the vast darklands as before, it had shifted to a form similar to mercenary work: slaying monsters and getting paid for it. It was a fact that security was unstable everywhere, and there couldn''t possibly be enough forces to clean up the entire continent. Therefore, individuals undertook the task of killing monsters and received compensation from the empire. That was the current changed form of the adventurers'' guild. If Ellen had been paid for killing monsters, she might have been buried in money. No, one should first doubt whether the empire even had the ability to pay her that much money. However, living in the wilderness to avoid the empire''s eye, it would be absurd if she suddenly registered as a new adventurer because she needed money. Since her face was too well-known, it was impossible to create a false identity. So, while there were ways to earn money, they involved taking great risks. In truly desperate times, she had disguised herself as an anonymous adventurer, brought in heaps of proof of monster extermination, and collected money. Given the nature of the adventurers'' guild that paid for monster extermination, they had no choice but to give money if there was an overwhelming amount of proof of monster kills. Of course, when she did that, the guild would be in an uproar, wondering who that person was. She had often fled with the money before the commotion grew too large, and it was genuinely dangerous. In the end, wandering through the wilderness was a perilous and harsh ordeal. Returning to human habitation was just as dangerous, if not more so, as wandering in the wilderness. There were still villages friendly to wanderers, who didn''t care about the Demon King or the empire. In such places, she sometimes received a little food and a place to sleep in return for helping with minor tasks. Leaving aside what Ellen looked like, there were people who didn''t know who Ellen Artorius was. Places cut off from the world still existed, after all. Having finished chewing the root she had been gnawing on, Ellen leaned back against the tree stump, drained, and looked up at the sky. In her days at the Temple, she had food aplenty. She could survive on so little now, she wondered if it hadn''t been wasteful to eat so much back then. "..." Finding her thoughts amusing, Ellen faintly smiled. There was someone who used to chide her for eating so much, yet always cooked for her when she expressed a desire to eat something. With her head bowed, Ellen took a moment to catch her breath. She found it hard to stave off the intrusive thoughts about the life she had abandoned of her own accord. What if she had stayed? But her present reality told her otherwise. Bounty hunters lurked around every corner, hoping to capture Ellen and Bertus, while on the other side, there were still those who hailed Ellen as a hero, praying she would one day save humanity. Her mere existence was the spark of war. Even in her absence, wars had erupted several times. Had she remained, larger wars might have ensued. The empire might have crumbled even before it could be fully established. There should only be one sun. The existence of two suns would set the world aflame. And in truth, the past held no meaning. Her status as a wanted person held no meaning either. Reality existed regardless. The Demon King was married. And a lot of time had passed. "..." She had never entertained the thought of interfering with that. She couldn''t reclaim the time that had flowed on since her departure, clutching at fragments of past memories. Their story would have filled up and overflowed by now. She was merely imagining. What if everything had been fine? She was merely reminiscing. Back then, she should have eaten more. The food that Reinhardt had made for her. The moments when they could touch each other. That time. A bit more. Even a little bit more. "..." Finally breaking off her thoughts forcefully, Ellen closed her eyes. The wind was cold. ------ The next day. Ellen rose from her spot by the dying fire she had kindled, and slung her backpack over her shoulder. The confusion of the night faded with the morning. In a situation where there were things to be done, distractions did not find her. The creeping sadness and self-ridicule always found her just before sleep. She did what needed to be done, as she always had. She had decided to kill monsters in the wilderness. Unable to live in any place where civilization existed due to her condition, she roamed only where it did not. It was hard and painful, but it was a path she had chosen for herself. So Ellen walked through the forest. Reaching the signs she had found last night was not difficult. Ellen had learned to do things she had never known how to do before. Not only drawing pictures but also tracking. The shape and position of broken branches. Footprints. Excrement. Signs of predation. All these allowed her to estimate things like the size of the absent monsters, their range of movement, and their location. If Ellen had been an adventurer, she might have been the most outstanding adventurer of her time. Ellen had been doing this job since before the Adventurer''s Guild changed its policy to reward monster hunting. Sometimes, Ellen found it amusing. Her older brother, Ragan Artorius, had been a legendary adventurer. He had become famous as a legendary adventurer, then a hero. But the sequence was different for Ellen. She was first known as a hero, then became an adventurer. Ellen examined the traces, gauging which direction the missed group had headed. She checked the faintly pressed bushes and footprints, then consulted her notebook. The contents of the notebook matched. And so she walked, tracing the remnants. The traces sometimes disappeared, but once she had the overall direction, they could be found. There were times when she would just mindlessly kill monsters. Wherever she went in the continent, monsters were there, so she just had to kill, kill, and kill. Because then, someday, she would be able to hunt the final monster. She saved people from monsters. That goal, at least, she could accomplish. But the process was not easy, and eradicating each hidden monster was an extremely difficult task. Therefore, the number of monsters would gradually decrease and become harder to find. That''s why Ellen gradually realized how to track the monsters. Overall, it wasn''t much different from hunting. But it was just hunting with a different prey each time. For giant monsters, they were easy to spot from afar. Regardless of size, however, every monster was lethal. So, if she saw a giant monster, she would rush in and kill it, and certainly deal with smaller and medium-sized monsters too. She would find and kill hidden monsters. In those days, for the past few months. Ellen had been feeling a constricting fear. Despite the extreme shortage of food, she was prioritizing searching for monsters over finding food. That''s why she was pulling out her notebook more often than usual. Ellen moved cautiously, but quickly. Passing by footprints and broken branches. Footprints. Footprints that matched the drawings in her notebook. She followed them. Monsters usually looked different from each other. There were even many monsters that could not be recognized as living creatures. Of course, there were similar ones. Those with wings, or giant monsters. There were many similar ones. But it was very rare for them to match perfectly. Not that there weren''t any, but the colors, or the horns, were slightly different. But a few months ago. Ellen had come face-to-face with monsters that had identical forms. Of course, they weren''t strong monsters. They all fell scattering blood, double-sided by her lament. But at that moment, Ellen had dry heaved in fear. Since then, Ellen has been continually searching. Comparing the traces, wandering and scouring the vicinity. Looking for something. Hoping that it didn''t exist. Hoping it was just a delusion. Drawing, collecting traces, searching. Searching and searching again. Hoping it was just one of those occasional things. Hoping there were monsters of that form too. How much time had passed? When she had been wandering the forest for over five hours. From a crack in a certain hill. -Grrrr! Ellen heard the low, gruff cry of a monster. "......" -Srrrr! Pulling out her Lament, Ellen kept her eyes on the cave. The monster was silently glaring at Ellen with its red eyes from the crack in the hill. A threat. A threat that meant it would kill if she approached. But Ellen did not retreat. She slowly approached the monster. -Grr! As Ellen approached, the monster extended its clawed front paw out of the crevice. The warnings and threats grew more intense. Yet, Ellen advanced further, her eyes wide open. Please, no. Please, let it not be. She hoped. And with another step forward. "Rawwwwr!" The creature that lunged at Ellen, its massive mouth lined with hundreds of teeth, charged at her. "Swish!" The monster, charging at her, was sliced in half from mouth to tail by a stroke of the Void Sword, its momentum burying it deep into the forest. Instant death. The monster was exactly the same as the ones she had been chasing. It wasn''t the first time she had killed such a beast. She had slain this type of monster countless times. And yet, she kept encountering the same kind of creatures. She had no interest in the slain monster. Ellen had not been chasing it. She had been searching for this monster, but it wasn''t truly what Ellen was after. Why had it threatened her? Monsters typically exhibit indiscriminate aggression towards everything except their own kind. But just a while ago, it had been growling, hidden in its cave. As if warning her to stay away. Ellen cautiously approached the cave from which the monster had emerged. It couldn''t be. It must be a delusion. Such a thing shouldn''t exist. With these thoughts, she had roamed this area for months. Obsessively. Because there were monsters that replicated by dividing and multiplying. She kept telling herself that it must be something like that. But even before entering the cave, Ellen had already sunk into despair. "Squeak." "Squeal." From inside, faint whimpering sounds could be heard. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Entering the cave, Ellen was left speechless. Six or so little things, each about the size of a grown man''s arm. Something that looked like miniature versions of the monster she had just killed, squirming around, their eyes barely open. ¡°Ah, ah¡­ ah¡­¡± Thump. Ellen sank to her knees before their feeble wriggling. Something she had never encountered in any other creature. Ellen had found the monster, but the monster wasn''t her true target. She had been searching for the monster''s offspring. The offspring were, in and of themselves, evidence of reproduction. Not duplication or division, but the most ordinary form of reproduction. The existence of multiple monsters with exactly the same form suggested this possibility. Monsters that reproduce had appeared. Whether they were originally present or emerged as an adaptation, she couldn''t tell. Therefore, there must be other creatures among them that reproduce. Of course, there could even be monsters that crossbreed with entirely different species. She had left this as a mere possibility as she had never seen such a case with her own eyes. If one was possible, there was no reason why two would not be. Not only this species in front of her, but other species could also be capable of reproduction. She didn''t know when this had started. But one thing was certain: the number of monsters wasn''t decreasing, it was still increasing. Somewhere in the world. They weren''t just appearing from gates, they were increasing through reproduction. This implied only one thing. The monsters would never disappear from the world. The moment of killing the last monster would never come. ¡°No¡­¡± Ellen could see nothing but despair. CH 684 "Are you ready?" "Of course." At his nonchalant reply, Charlotte looked at Reinhardt with a warm expression. "When I ask if you''re ready, it means something entirely different from your understanding. Are you ready?" "Didn''t I say I am?" He was still incorrigible. His outfit had been checked, his demeanor posed no problem. All he had to do was proceed as planned. But as always, the problem was something beyond his outfit. After inspecting the emperor''s attire one last time, Charlotte placed her hands on both his hips. "Do you remember the reprimanding we got because of how you handled our wedding?" "¡­Ah, yeah, I remember." He had wanted to proceed quickly, in his own way, but he had still been scratched at for mishandling their wedding, which was already a contentious event. Especially when the topic of the wedding came up, Harriet would still be on the brink of causing a scene. "If you don''t want another such incident, do it right." "I understand¡­" "I agree with your usual theory that speeches don''t need to be long, but they don''t need to be rubbish either. Your speeches, they''re undoubtedly rubbish." "I''ll do it well¡­" "You always say you will, but never do." "I''ll really do it well this time¡­" "I''ve heard that before, you know?" Despite the reprimanding, he would still babble nonsense in front of people. The emperor''s habit of incurring great debts with a single word hadn''t changed. "¡­Then, can''t you do it?" "What?" "Ah, of course, I should do it! Yeah!" The emperor quickly shook his head, sensing imminent danger from her gaze alone. Until the end of the preparations, or more accurately, until the moment it was about to begin, the emperor continued to be berated. After enduring such hardships, -Creak- The door of the waiting room opened, and a knight with red hair entered. "Your Majesty, it is time." "Ah, yes." The emperor''s knight, Scarlett, took the lead, and the emperor followed behind. As if to watch how he would handle it, Charlotte''s scrutinizing gaze trailed after him. ------ In the vast square of the Temple, countless people stood with tense expressions. The first thing the Empire did was reopen the Temple. Due to the drastic decrease in the human population, it wasn''t as grand as before, but a staggering number of new students had enrolled in the Temple. While it didn''t offer as many benefits as before, the tuition was no longer astronomically high. The Temple was operational. That alone was enough. Since the Empire no longer belonged to the Gardias Royal Family, the Temple was no longer called the Gardias Temple. The emperor did not bother to prefix the Temple with any other adjectives, stating that the Temple should just be called the Temple. And so, The elementary division was its own, as were the middle and high school divisions. Moreover, it wasn''t just humans now. Though they were few, there were definitely demons as well. Some demons resembled humans closely, while others had somewhat unfamiliar forms. Any sentient being capable of receiving education and understanding could enroll in the Temple. It had been a while since demons began to mix into the Imperial Capital, so the spectacle wasn''t exclusive to the Temple. However, naturally, not everyone felt comfortable with this sight. Despite this, In the square filled with freshmen of various races, everyone was focused on one spot. The place where the Emperor would appear. With the blast of a colossal horn, a tune signaling the Emperor''s entrance began to play. The voice of the royal mage, who was serving as the master of ceremonies, echoed throughout the hall. Some revered him. Some feared him. Some hated him. "Presently..." "The representative of the gods." "The ruler of the Divine Empire." "The conqueror of the Gardias Empire." "The founder of the Council of Mage." "The protector of the Human Autonomous Territory." "And at the same time, the one who ended the Gate crisis." "The Archdemon." "Thus..." "The ruler of all demons." "The legitimate ruler of all mankind." "And also the savior of the world." "The Apostle of the God of War." "The Invincible." "The Immortal." "The Demon King of Flames." "Emperor Reinhardt makes his entrance." Emperor Reinhardt. That was the name of the emperor. The Continental Emperor revealed himself before the people. There were no flashy robes or crowns. The emperor, dressed in simple attire, stood on the platform, looking down at the excited crowd. Behind him, Scarlett, the Emperor''s knight escort, stood at attention. The speech for the Temple freshmen was an annual event. Every time he stood on this stage, the Emperor encountered various meaningful glances. There was hatred. Admiration. Awe. And fear. This signified that the Emperor had not yet united the continent, let alone humanity. "Hmm..." The Emperor''s voice echoed across the square. "Um... I''ve been doing this every year." "Probably, um, Gardias Te... no, I shouldn''t say Gardias anymore. Yes, just Temple." "When we reopened the Temple and accepted the first batch of freshmen, I had to make a speech." "I can''t make long speeches." "So, back then, I said only one thing." "Devote yourselves to study." "That was it." "But then, um... I regretted it a lot..." As the Emperor looked somewhere, subtly checking the atmosphere, he cleared his throat a few times. Then, he looked at the faces of the people. Some people were taken aback by the Emperor''s tone. "So, since then, I''ve been trying to squeeze out a little more. But I guess it doesn''t suit me well, it never works." "Me, um, that... the long prefix that comes before my name... it makes me uncomfortable." "It''s unnecessarily long." "It feels shameful to brag about myself." "But then, well, apparently, that''s part of being an Emperor." "You all need to know what I''ve been doing so far, what kind of being I am, and it''s not a lie." "Ruler of all demons, right." "Ruler of all mankind, yes, that''s true." "The owner of the Divine Empire, this is also true." "Since I still possess two divine relics, I am also a representative of the gods." "So, even though it''s a bit embarrassing to recite it like that, it''s true, right?" "Why should I feel ashamed of telling the truth? After I thought about it like that, I stopped feeling ashamed." "Yes... Those prefixes like ''invincible'', ''immortal'' that come before my name, they all have a reason." "It''s a long explanation of how great I am." "You all should know how great the being that welcomes you. That''s what it means." "I''m listing the reasons for my greatness." "Indeed, there might be children here who wouldn''t understand what this means." "Young ones might not yet comprehend terms like ''Council of Mage'' and such, right?" "So, let me simplify it for the children." "I am, extremely grand." "You are currently facing the grandest and most dignified being in the world." "Hence, you should feel very honored." At these words, the atmosphere in the hall paused momentarily. Even if he was the Emperor, that was a bit much. They understood, of course. But to say such things himself? Whether the Emperor was great or not, the fact he spoke such words... It was quite off-putting. In that atmosphere, the Emperor looked at the silent crowd and spoke. "What are you doing, you lot?" "You should be clapping." At that command-like statement, everyone started clapping as if forced mechanically. "Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!" Everyone clapped, wondering what this was all about, their expressions increasingly perplexed. "Have you seen it?" However, the mischief that had been on the Emperor''s face vanished amidst the clapping. "Greatness is like this." "Among you, some despise me." "Some among you probably hate me." "There might be those among you who would like to stab me in the back." "But when I say clap, you all have to clap." "No matter what feelings you harbor towards me." "You cannot defy me." "Just like the remnants of mankind who opposed me had to kneel before me, living miserably within the Autonomous Territory I established, surviving on the scraps I give them." "Even though they still hate me, they have to bow their heads to my feet, like the representatives of the Autonomous Territory begging for my help." "You cannot defy me." "Those who have opposed me have either died or became beasts begging for food." "That is why I am great." How did hate, resentment, and anger matter? They clapped when told to clap. They would kneel when told to kneel. Domination is complete with just that. Having loyalty is good, but it''s sufficient to have obedience. The Emperor knew that now. However, this speech didn''t fit this place at all. Even though it was true. So, what was he getting at? This wasn''t a speech to be given after conquering mankind, it was merely a temple initiation. Bragging about his greatness at a temple initiation was bragging in the wrong place. "However, there is one way to be greater than I, the grand, noble, and absolute Emperor." "The one who rebuilt the fallen demon realm, conquered mankind, ended the Gate crisis, accomplished the impossible feat of rebuilding civilization." "There''s one thing that even this great Demon King, who achieved these monumental tasks, hasn''t done." Everyone was puzzled when he suddenly mentioned something he hadn''t done after bragging about all he had accomplished. "Graduation." "I still haven''t graduated from the Temple." Everyone was taken aback by the sudden nonsensical statement. The Demon King couldn''t have attended the Temple in the first place. All students at the time would say the same since its operation was entirely halted. But in the end, the fact was the fact. The Demon King didn''t graduate from the Temple. And with the Temple reopening, there were quite a few among those who had served in the Allied Forces who attended the newly operational Temple and graduated. Among the classmates of the Demon King and the students from the Temple in those days, there were those who had returned to graduate. In any case, the fact that the Demon King did not graduate was as true as the modifier that came before his name. "Soon, you will be able to do what I could not." "At least, I can live a life that is just one step better than this great Demon King." "I can say that there''s at least one thing I''m better at than the Demon King." "How grateful is that?" "I stand before a life where I can confidently say that I graduated from the Temple, something even the Demon King couldn''t do." "I can live a life where I can say that the Demon King is a fool who couldn''t even graduate from the Temple!" "So, study hard." "Graduate safely." "End of speech." Everyone was staring blankly at the fading figure of the Demon King, who was also the emperor of the empire. There was no applause or cheers for the departing Demon King. Everyone was taken aback. Regardless of how they thought about the Demon King, one thought was stuck in everyone''s head. Reinhardt the Great was a very strange individual, a thought engraved in everyone''s mind. ------ "I told you not to do that!" "No, but this time it was longer!" "Did I tell you not to make it short? I told you not to make it like a dog! Today was the worst, no, not the worst, but the second worst! The second!" "Is it really that bad? I didn''t do well..." "Aaahhhhh!" Charlotte''s hysterical voice could be heard from the waiting room, as Scarlett stood at the door listening. It was a familiar scene to Scarlett, who had been with the emperor longer than the empresses. Of course, since it was not an ordinary day but an event, there were several imperial guards with the emperor. As the captain of the royal knights and the emperor''s personal guard, all of them were Scarlett''s subordinates. One of them asked, "Captain, what if there was a script?" Wouldn''t it be better to have a script rather than having Charlotte fret like this? "...If there is a script, he won''t read it." Scarlett''s habit of being ¡®respectful¡¯ to everyone was still the same. The Emperor had tried to correct that habit several times, but it never changed. "More precisely, he can''t read it." "He can''t read it?" Of course, the emperor was not illiterate. "If there is a script, he will read it like... ''My beloved people...''" "Ah." "Surprisingly, he gets very nervous." He didn''t seem nervous at all. But the fact was that he was so nervous he couldn''t read the script properly, and his speech would become nonsensical. So, Charlotte had been trying to fix that strange chronic problem for five years, but after failing every time, she would scold him after everything was over. "Why are you like this? Should we just die? Should we die together?" "Why are you so angry about not doing well?" "You haven''t improved at all! You''re not growing!" "At this age, growth is a disease...!" "You can''t even keep a single word?" The other imperial guards listened to the emperor''s voice from behind the door as well. No one was surprised since it was a common occurrence. Scarlett spoke with a faint smile. "Still, isn''t an emperor who can''t give a speech better than an emperor who loses?" At her words, everyone made ambiguous expressions and nodded their heads. Undefeated. Invulnerable. Immortal. Those titles had been earned since the day he single-handedly suppressed an army advancing for rebellion. The emperor had never been defeated. He didn''t even need an army. After the proclamation of the new empire, there had been several wars. These wars were inevitable, breaking out after all attempts at dialogue and compromise had failed. The emperor took only Scarlett with him to every battlefield. No one else was allowed to join. Scarlett, too, didn''t participate in the fighting; she was instructed to wait on the other side of the battlefield. "Must you really go alone?" The emperor stood alone against the advancing enemy army. "I must instill fear in those who don''t obey." "They need to know that I can''t be killed." "If they understand that even I, alone, cannot be killed, they won''t be able to raise their flags against me or the empire anymore." "Then there won''t be any more incidents like this in the future." "Is it presumptuous to be certain that there won''t be?" "At least, the number of such incidents should decrease." In order to subdue those who refused to accept his rule with terror, The emperor set out alone. And the emperor''s enemies learned why he was known as the Apostle of the War God. CH 685 Even if he wanted to listen to nagging all day, the Emperor had no time for it. After finishing his entrance speech, the Emperor returned to the imperial palace. Charlotte was by his side as he sat on the imperial throne. The heated ministers began their respective reports. "Your Majesty, I bring news that the warp gate in the Autonomous Human Territory has been destroyed." "¡­Again?" The Emperor, seemingly fed up with the repetition, closed his eyes and pressed his temples with both hands. "What do they want to achieve by destroying the warp gate, which is the lifeline of our aid? Are they asking us to transport supplies by carriage? Could it be that they want to starve to death?" "It wasn''t the autonomous government that destroyed the gate, but as always¡­" "The citizens, right?" "Yes, Your Majesty." The gate incident had come to an end. However, warp gate phobia was widespread across the entire continent. People believed that warp gates were massive ticking time bombs. It was only natural for people to feel vague fear and anxiety about the reintroduction of something that had nearly driven humanity to extinction. As a result, not only in the Autonomous Territory but also across the entire continent, warp gates were frequently destroyed by terrified citizens. Thus, it was not an issue unique to the Autonomous Territory. Nevertheless, the benefits of the warp gates were not something people could give up out of fear. So, compared to the previous era, the area surrounding the warp gates was under strong military protection. "Although we continue to proclaim that the gates are unrelated to those of the previous era, many people still refuse to believe it¡­ In particular, citizens of the Autonomous Territory view the warp gates as entrances to invasion and feel uneasy." Especially in the Autonomous Human Territory, which could be considered a gathering place for the anti-demon king forces that rejected his rule, warp gate phobia was bound to be more severe. "Did we cover the cost of repairing the warp gate after the last destruction?" "Yes, we did." "Really? They must have thought they could get away with being lax since we rebuilt it for free. It''s time to change their mindset." The Emperor began to speak with a cold tone. "From now on, the Autonomous Territory government will bear the full cost of repairing the warp gates. That way, they''ll protect them with their lives. Deliver this message to the Autonomous Territory government." "Yes, Your Majesty." There were many humans in the Autonomous Territory. Those who had rejected the demon king''s rule and the followers of the Hero Religion. Instead of killing them, the demon king had allowed them to live together in one place. As a result, rebellions occurred from time to time, but they were all ultimately suppressed. Furthermore, they could not survive without the aid of the new empire. Although it was a gathering place for those who hated the demon king, the reality of the Autonomous Territory was that they couldn''t even survive without him. This was Charlotte''s plan. The Emperor issued orders while receiving various reports. Occasionally, he would listen to advice from Charlotte, who was standing beside him. Although the tasks at hand weren''t very different from what he had been doing in Edina, the scope he had to manage was vastly larger, and the number of lives involved was on an entirely different scale. With a bored expression, the Emperor maintained his focus as he made one decision after another. There were important matters to discuss, but there were also trivial ones that seemed hardly worth mentioning. However, there were undoubtedly topics that, although insignificant, had to be reported to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, we have caught the person who damaged your statue installed in the Aligar district last Monday. He is a 67-year-old man living nearby and is currently in the custody of the guards." "¡­Why did he do that?" "The reason is not important, Your Majesty. Damaging a statue modeled after you is a challenge to the imperial authority in itself. I believe he should be sentenced to death." "And on Monday? I don''t remember well, how did he damage it?" The official reporting to the emperor looked pale in response to the question. The emperor heard so many things in a day that too many of them disappeared from his memory. "Um, he¡­ he urinated on it¡­" "Urinated? Ah¡­ yes. I think I heard about that." "Yes¡­" Hm. The emperor crossed his arms. The emperor may have forgotten, but his officials remembered the shocking incident. An attitude of not understanding why he should be angry about it. He had reacted like this at the time. "I never ordered the installation of that statue in the first place." The demon king seemed to be searching his memory, lost in thought for a moment. "I don''t know who it was, but some sculptor said he wanted to dedicate it to me and made it¡­" "It''s Ernak." As the demon king''s assistant Charlotte whispered the name, the demon king nodded as if he remembered. "That''s right, it was that fellow Ernak who carved it as a tribute to me or something. Aren''t all the statues and images of me like that?" "Yes, Your Majesty." "Why is it a challenge to the imperial authority when a citizen damages an object they sculpted without my permission?" In fact, such things existed throughout the empire. In some form or another. Artists and groups praising the demon king created various works of art idolizing him. "It is because a statue bearing your likeness symbolizes the emperor''s authority." "Shouldn''t we stop people from making statues of the great and dignified emperor at their own discretion? That could also be seen as a challenge to imperial authority¡­" Charlotte interrupted the emperor before he could finish suggesting that if problems arise from unauthorized work, they should not allow it in the first place. "If we start censoring in that way, we''ll end up prohibiting even the poets from singing praises of Your Majesty''s achievements, creating a needless atmosphere of fear. Undoubtedly, inevitably, you will find that situation more tiring later on." "Is¡­ is that so?" "Forbidding idolization in fear of idolization, Your Majesty, is in itself a very powerful form of idolization. And if you issue a ban and later find it more troublesome, leading to its repeal, the citizens will only feel unnecessary confusion. Inevitably, people will think that the imperial family lacks consistency." "I see. Well, let''s just forget about it¡­" If left alone, people would idolize the emperor as they pleased, arguing whether it was right or wrong. If told not to, an endless list of things to prohibit would only create a meaningless atmosphere of fear, fueling resentment. In the end, repealing the ban itself would mark the climax of the emperor''s pointless meddling. So, leaving it alone was the best solution. "Anyway, just let the old man off with a warning. He must have been drinking. When people get drunk, they sometimes do unpleasant things in places they shouldn''t." "Yes, Your Majesty." The minister sighed and nodded, knowing that the Emperor rarely punished anyone in such cases. "At least give a warning. Tell them if they pull that stunt again, they''ll have to fight in front of the Emperor himself. I''m curious if they can manage that." The old man was released along with the Emperor''s bizarre warning. After that, many reports came in. When the Emperor''s judgment seemed to verge on mistake, Charlotte would quietly discuss with him and make decisions. Everyone knew Charlotte was the true power behind the new royal family. The reason she was respected even as a remnant of the Gardias royal family was because everyone knew she never acted against the Emperor''s will or ordered others to do so. And soon, the ever-present topic arose. "Your Majesty, there have been sightings of a hero in the Olland region of the western Kernstadt area." The atmosphere in the royal chamber, which had been quiet, became heavy. In the royal chamber, and throughout the empire, there were two extremely sensitive subjects. One was the hero, Ellen Artorius. "Also, there have been sightings of the deposed Emperor Bertus in the Olland region about two months ago." The other, of course, was the topic of Bertus de Gardias, the previous emperor. "When we look at these two matters together, it seems that the deposed emperor and the hero are once again acting together..." "Can you take responsibility for that?" "..." "Can you take responsibility for that statement?" The minister who reported the matter lowered his head even further before the Emperor''s cold gaze. "Every time we''ve heard about the hero and the deposed emperor, we''ve dispatched forces. But as far as I remember, not once has the information been true." Most of the sightings of these high-priority fugitives were false. No one knew whether any of the reports had been genuine. Regardless, all pursuits had ended in failure. The Emperor stared at the reporter as another sighting was reported. "Your Majesty, I am merely reporting the information that has come in." "Isn''t it your ''opinion,'' not information, to ''infer'' that the deposed emperor and the hero are together based on two sightings?" "That... that is..." "How much longer must the empire''s power be wasted on false sightings, most of which have proven to be lies? Some of the people who provided the information didn''t even know the appearances of the hero or the emperor. There have even been instances where sightings were reported simultaneously at the southernmost and northernmost ends of the continent." However, it was not the reporter who answered, but someone else. "Your Majesty, the deposed emperor and the hero are the greatest threats to the current empire. The moment they reach the autonomous region, humanity will rally again, and those within the empire who harbor impurities will be tempted. We must closely monitor even the smallest piece of information regarding those two individuals." The other officials did not hesitate to agree, as if acknowledging the truth in those words. It was true that the people in the autonomous region were essentially slaves and that their resentment remained. If the wars so far had been the resistance of those who could not overcome their anger, a real war could break out the moment the vanished emperor and hero reappeared. Those who remained in the empire, hating the Demon King, might also follow that turning point. Thus, the deposed emperor and the hero were real threats to the empire. There were still those who believed that the two were hiding somewhere, plotting in secret to save humanity from the Demon King''s oppression, and the believers of the hero in the autonomous region continued to have faith. Thus, for those who pledged loyalty to the Emperor, the only way to eliminate the root cause of the empire''s unrest was to find and kill the hero and the deposed emperor. Everything they said was for the sake of the empire''s eternity and peace. There might have been incorrect information in their words, but there was no reason to doubt their loyalty. That''s why a tremendous bounty was placed on the heads of Ellen and the deposed emperor, and the Emperor could not deny its legitimacy. In order to justify the rule of the Demon King, the hero and the deposed emperor had to be captured, and the propaganda continued. Now, they revered the Demon King as the savior of the world, and hated the hero and the deposed emperor. In reality, civilization had achieved some level of reconstruction, the absolute problem of hunger was almost resolved, and people were expanding their foundation of life by restoring the ruined cities and buildings. It was not an era of peace, but it was approaching that time. Most people believed in reality and substance. Many people''s lives had improved after the rule of the Demon King. So people believed in the Demon King. However, ironically, no matter who held power after the end of the Gate Incident, things could only improve. The Demon King just happened to be the one holding the reins. It was a situation where things had to improve, and it was unknown whether things got better because the Demon King took power or not. However, things were improving, and in fact, the Demon King did not commit unnecessary atrocities against those who accepted his rule quietly. Not all policies went smoothly, but there were obviously no senseless acts of tyranny or slaughter. Nowhere on the continent were people gathered and burned to death. The Demon King was actually taken aback by the fact that so many people had been terrified imagining such a thing. Moreover, he even created autonomous regions for humans who refused his rule and claimed to be their protector. Of course, everyone knew that the title of protector was just a name and in reality, he was a watcher. In the end, unlike the early days of his rule, a considerable number of humans now supported the Demon King due to improved living conditions. Thus, they naturally came to hate the hero and the fugitive deposed emperor, who were on the opposite side. It was a natural phenomenon. So it was an unavoidable reality that the entire continent was pursuing the two, even if the Emperor did not. However, the Emperor still felt uneasy, even though he understood this. "Yes, that''s true. But not all the information is false. How long do we have to listen to stories from murderers who kill innocent people and then demand money, claiming they killed the deposed emperor or the hero?" Every time such a story came up in a report, the Emperor felt suffocated. "Your Majesty, just because some accidents happen, we cannot stop the attempts to find the deposed emperor and the hero. They might have hidden in the autonomous regions." "We should strengthen the surveillance of the autonomous regions, enforce curfews, and of course, prohibit gatherings to prevent people from assembling, and reinforce the guards more than they are now." "Your Majesty, the cunning humans of the autonomous regions are merely taking advantage of your compassion." "Not only should we identify the ungrateful and reckless people who have received your forgiveness many times but do not know gratitude, but also the fact that the leaders of the past rebellion are included in the top echelons of the autonomous regions is a very serious security risk." "The problem is not just the autonomous regions. We need to significantly increase the activities of the intelligence agency to identify the subversive elements within the empire as well." "Yes, Your Majesty. There are countless subversive elements who have deliberately chosen not to be affiliated with the autonomous regions in order to operate within the empire." Once someone opened the floodgates, words poured out from all over, and the Emperor silently looked down at his ministers. The Emperor glanced at Charlotte, who was standing quietly by his side. ''Please save me.'' That was the underlying meaning of his gaze. Looking down at the Emperor, Charlotte gave a faint smile and nodded her head quietly. "From now on, I will receive the political reports." In the end, Charlotte took over. "Let''s leave out the useless conversations and start by organizing the reports according to each department." As always, this was the flow of events. They were all individuals loyal to the Demon King. There was no doubt about their loyalty. It was just that their expressions were aggressive. Their loyalty was so strong that they didn''t hesitate to say that they should kill the deposed emperor''s half-sibling, Charlotte, right in front of him. Some of them were even former members of the empire. This was because they were either irreplaceable personnel who had not been replaced even after five years or had proven their loyalty to the point of not being replaced. That''s why Charlotte, although doubting their intelligence, did not doubt their loyalty. CH 686 The Emperor exited the meeting hall and walked down the corridors of the central palace. The major matters had been dealt with, so Charlotte would handle the remaining affairs of state. Once they exchanged summaries and discussed matters, the bulk of the day''s work would be completed. As always, Scarlett was by the Emperor''s side. In fact, Scarlett had spent more time with him than anyone else. "Is only the evening event left?" "Yes, Your Majesty. As I mentioned earlier, the banquet of the meritorious will be held in the Spring Palace tonight." "I see..." "It''s been a while since all five empresses gathered together." "...Indeed." The Emperor had five wives, and their ranks were equal. All five were empresses. Although there were concerns that this could cause confusion within the ranks, the Emperor had decided to proceed in this way. Of course, among the five empresses, their influence varied individually. The most influential was, naturally, Charlotte, who handled the overall state affairs. However, that did not mean the other empresses were without influence. Airi controlled and ruled the demon forces that had become a massive pillar of the empire. Louise, as one would expect, ruled over Kernstadt, the second-largest power after the Empire. The current King was Heinrich von Schwarz, but until King Heinrich became accustomed to state affairs, Louise was virtually the King, assisting him. Kernstadt had a larger territory than the direct territories of the Empire. Even Edina Archipelago, which had been the base after the incident with the Demon King''s gate, had already become part of Kernstadt. The empire couldn''t attempt much restoration or expansion due to the excessively dense population in the imperial capital. The Empire focused on reducing the size of the imperial capital, which had become almost like a deformed city-state due to its immense size, and relocating its people. And there was more. "The Holy Empress has already entered the palace." "Ah... Is that so?" Olivia Lanze, who had completely reformed the Five Great Religions into a new group and became the ruler of another vast empire, also held tremendous power. Of course, there were those who had become too famous for their power. A person who had never existed in history: the most powerful mage. An unparalleled entity capable of using infinite magic. Harriet de Saint Owan. For her, a new title had to be created. A different position for a being of different stature. The current leader of the Council of Magic, the highest decision-making and intervention body for all things magic. "The Archmage was also heading there." Harriet had become synonymous with that title. ¡ª--- Since everyone was to gather at the banquet in the evening, the Emperor headed to the Spring Palace in advance. The banquet had not started yet, but the preparations were bustling. The Spring Palace, where Charlotte once resided as a princess, was still blooming with flowers. Charlotte, who often had state affairs to deal with, had moved her residence to the Autumn Palace, where the institutions handling state affairs were concentrated. In the courtyard of the Spring Palace now stood two people. Holy Empress Olivia, her platinum hair braided up, and Adriana, with her black hair, standing next to her. "It''s been a while, Your Majesty." "Greetings, Your Majesty." Adriana, standing next to Olivia, was now the Holy Empress''s knight. Looking at the Emperor who had come to visit, Olivia Lanze, her mouth covered, wore a gentle smile that belied any trace of her once venomous demeanor. If anyone had changed the most since getting married, it was undoubtedly Olivia. Despite her declaration of being a thorn in the emperor''s side, her demeanor had softened considerably after marriage, as if she had finally found contentment. The reason was simple. Empress Olivia was incredibly busy due to the establishment of the Holy Empire. Consequently, she rarely had the chance to see the emperor. And so, whenever she did meet him after a long absence, she found it a waste of precious time to quarrel and bicker. Since their time together was so scarce, she cherished every moment, speaking only sweet words and behaving kindly. "When did you arrive?" "Just now. Not long ago." She even responded to the emperor''s inquiries with the utmost respect. It was surprising how much a person could change. To be precise, she had regained the demeanor and speech pattern reminiscent of the time when she was known as the Saintess. For that reason, those who knew Olivia felt a sense of unease at this new behavior. ''It''s like... I''ve confirmed that she''s fundamentally a very good person, but I kind of hate to admit it. Where''s the fun in that?'' That was how Charlotte evaluated the gentler Olivia. Of course, there were many days after the wedding when she cried her eyes out, lamenting that she couldn''t see Reinhardt as often as she used to. "Why don''t you stay a few days while you''re here?" "I would like to, but I''m too busy. The same goes for you." "...That''s unfortunate." Olivia was beaming as if she couldn''t ask for anything more. ¡°Oh, Reinhardt is here too.¡± Everyone turned their heads at the sound of a voice from afar. Approaching them was the Archmage Harriet, dressed in casual attire, as if she had just arrived at the palace. Olivia''s expression hardened. "Doesn''t that person ever take a hint? Always showing up at the worst possible time. Or does she do it on purpose?" Of course, many things had changed about her, but her intense dislike for Harriet remained unchanged. "What is it?" The approaching Harriet looked at Olivia with a cold gaze. "What about you?" "When you see someone after a long time, shouldn''t you at least pretend to be pleased?" "And shouldn''t you have the decency to disappear when I''m having a rare chat with His Majesty?" "I haven''t seen him in a long time either." "Well, it''s been longer for me." Knowing that he would be the first to bear the brunt if he stepped into their quarrel. "..." The emperor could only break out in a cold sweat, remaining silent. ¡ª--- Harriet had a minor spat with Olivia but claimed to be tired and entered the spring palace ahead of everyone else. Despite her words, she knew Olivia didn''t have much time and was showing consideration. Given that Olivia had to establish a new nation, her responsibilities, in some ways, were even greater than the emperor''s. She even had to undertake the dangerous task of religious reform, which was bound to provoke intense backlash. Her days were filled with risk and busyness. "How have you been these days?" At the emperor''s question, Olivia sighed. "As always. There''s still a long way to go." Due to the nature of religion, the territory of the Holy Empire wasn''t limited to the empire''s land. The temples, monasteries, and shrines of the Holy Order all over the world could all be considered part of its territory. She had to govern over areas and people that were scattered across the entire continent. The existence of the Demon God was, in fact, a fallacy. It had taken an incredibly long time to convince people of this single truth, and even so, the majority remained unconvinced. It was difficult to upend common sense. "However, these days we have Demon Priests, making things a bit easier than before." The Demon God was the deity of the demon race. If the divine beings truly rejected the demon race, there shouldn''t be anyone amongst them capable of wielding divine power. However, recently, the presence of Demon Priests has caused people''s perceptions to change when they see demons wielding divine power. "From the start, it seems right to just believe, considering that I possess Tiamata, but absolute numbers could be important too." "That''s true. Numbers are quite significant." Having somewhat finished his conversation with Olivia, the emperor shifted his gaze to her side. The Holy Empress''s guardian knight, Adriana. By the Empress''s appointment, Adriana had become a knight to protect the Empress, much like Scarlett. Adriana had initially refused, insisting she was not capable, but Olivia had practically forced her into the role. And as the saying goes, the role makes the person. Given enough time, Adriana, already a formidable holy knight, had grown into a fitting guardian for the Holy Empress. "You''ve come in a dress today. What''s the occasion?" "I was ordered to dress appropriately for the occasion¡­" Adriana, with an uneasy expression, was clad in a dress more splendid than the Holy Empress Olivia''s. It was clear that Olivia had intentionally dressed her in such a manner. Olivia covered her mouth and laughed at the sight of Adriana. "Now that we''ve abolished the law forbidding priests and holy knights from marrying, there''s no need to hide your charm, is there?" "¡­" From the moment the Holy Empress married, it was as if all old laws were discarded. Of course, all Adriana did was fiddle with the uncomfortable hem of her dress, her face filled with discomfort. The Holy Empire itself wasn''t that large. However, the areas under its jurisdiction included all the lands where people lived. The Holy Religion was a deeply rooted religion and naturally existed wherever its followers were. Therefore, the Holy Empire was not only a state but also the intelligence agency of the current empire, gathering information from across the continent. This was not intentional; it was an inevitable phenomenon. As such, the temples and shrines scattered across the continent inevitably became aware of everything that transpired on the continent. "What about the autonomous region? I guess things are still okay there, considering there hasn''t been any news." Thus, even in the autonomous region where the official governance of the Demon King''s Empire could not penetrate, there were churches of the Holy Religion. Naturally, these were very small, but they couldn''t not exist, as there were still people who believed in the divine beings, even in places where the Hero Religion was dominant. "Hmm... According to Rowan, they seem to have lost all will to resist since the last war. But who knows? It wasn''t too long ago that they rebelled, thinking they could overthrow us. However, I believe we''ll be safe for at least five years." The Commander of the Holy Knights, Rowan, had not been purged. After the war, she returned to where she belonged. The realm of shadows, where her existence rightfully belonged. Her work had changed not to heresy interrogation, but to gathering intelligence. She was the head of the imperial intelligence agency. Her role was to collect scattered information across the continent to detect threats to the empire. Especially, her main duty was to monitor the autonomous region. Ironically, it was Louise who suggested this, the one who desired Rowan''s purge. Rowan accepted the proposal gladly. Saying that she couldn''t stay in an overstepped position for long. She didn''t hesitate to return to the realm of shadows after completing her work, arguing that the work she was good at suited her talents better. In the end, it turned out to be a better outcome when the former Holy Knight Commander, Eleion Bolton, returned to his position and declared his support for the Holy Empire. Of course, the Order of the Holy Knights has now become a completely subordinate institution of the Holy Empire. If the Holy Knights originally gathered the power of the Five Great Religions, it was natural for the Holy Empire to be a collection of the Five Great Religious Orders. "Slowly, one by one, they are arriving." Olivia smiles as she sees two people approaching the spring palace. The emperor springs up from his seat as if seared by fire. Both Adriana and Olivia smile at the sight of the emperor. "Adriana, isn''t this picture always interesting to look at no matter who sees it?" "Sh, shut up..." "...Yes. I won''t say anything." Since a certain point in time, a man whose face looks like he''s chewing on rotten feces every time he sees the emperor. And a woman who always has a cold expression. The two of them are walking towards the spring palace together. Not only the frozen Emperor, but Olivia also rose from her seat. The master of the empire is Emperor Reinhardt. And the real power of the empire is Charlotte de Gardias. However, there is someone else who is most respected in the royal family. The regent of Kernstadt, Empress Louise. Empress Louise was not very close to the emperor. Those who knew, knew. But to those who did not, it was because of some unknown reason. Those who did not know, only knew that Empress Louise was the person the Emperor found most difficult. That was why ironically, the person who the emperor found most difficult and feared the most was the most respected in the royal family, creating a peculiar situation. "Oh, you, you''ve arrived. Teacher." The Emperor bent his waist to ninety degrees to greet her. "...I still don''t understand why I''m the teacher. You''re so formal, Your Majesty." Louise looked at the stuttering emperor and clicked her tongue briefly. When standing in front of Louise, the Emperor became like a mouse in front of a cat. So everyone thought that the dreadful Emperor Reinhardt was afraid of Empress Louise, and they were also afraid of Louise. In reality, Louise von Schwarz was a swordmaster, a tremendous talent in reality, and she herself is a war hero. If someone was afraid of her, there was enough reason. Of course, to those who knew the circumstances, it was just a ridiculous event. Despite the change, the still jealous Olivia found Reinhardt''s actions in front of Louise simply amusing. "...I will go in first, sister." The current king of Kernstadt, Heinrich von Schwarz, rushed into the spring palace as if he were fleeing. After the proclamation of the empire, Olivia knew that Reinhardt and Heinrich had become a relationship that never meets in private. Whenever they locked eyes in a formal setting, they''d avoid each other as if they had seen something they shouldn''t have. Just like now. "Um, would you like some tea...?" "I already had some on the way." "Then, how about a meal...?" "Isn''t the banquet about to start soon? Why would I need to eat beforehand?" "Oh, right. I wasn''t thinking clearly..." His flustered state, unable to do this or that, was akin to a puppy in desperate need of the bathroom. Empress Louise often stayed in Kernstadt due to her duties there, but occasionally she would return to the imperial palace for a few months. During such times, the emperor would be on edge, unable to sit or stand, living each day in anxiety. This was true even when Empress Louise wasn''t in the same room. From his perspective, he wanted to do well by her in any possible way, but from the outside, it was hard to tell if he was trying to be good to his wife. "Your Majesty." "Yes, um... Yes? Yes, ma''am." "How many times have I told you to stop acting like an old undutiful son who''s anxiously trying to make up for his neglect of his aged mother?" That strangely detailed explanation accurately described the emperor''s behavior towards Empress Louise. It didn''t look like he was trying to treat his wife well; it looked more like he was trying to please a parent. The evidence was that he might forget the gifts he gave to his other wives, but he always remembered to send gifts and greetings to Louise. "Well, I... I''m sorry." In the end, the Emperor hung his head. He wanted to treat her well, but he didn''t know how, leaving him helpless. "It seems like I''ve become not an empress but an empress dowager." It wasn''t just the Emperor. Olivia also respected her to some extent, as did Charlotte. And there was one more person who froze just as much as the Emperor. Another empress who had first entered the palace but had rushed back out upon hearing of Louise''s arrival. "Oh, oh, oh, you''re here, Louise?" The Archmage. Her stammering was on par with, if not worse than, the Emperor''s. "Yes, have you been well, Archmage?" "Y-yes! Would you like some tea...?" "I''ve already had some." "How about a meal...?" "Isn''t there a banquet soon?" "Oh, right. Right? I wasn''t thinking clearly..." She echoed the Emperor''s exact words. She too sent gifts and greetings every birthday and every season. "Haah..." Louise didn''t have high expectations for the marriage, given it was something she had to do. In fact, she had assumed there might be difficult times ahead. She thought that, due to the lack of a strong foundation or a deep connection with the Emperor, she might be ignored or treated as lesser. But this, this was an utterly absurd marriage life gone awry. CH 687 Epilogue - The banquet of the meritorious As it was a banquet to gather the meritorious contributors of the Gate Incident, the scale of the arriving attendees was quite considerable. Numerous people had gathered, and naturally, the spring palace was bustling with activity. As it was a gathering for those who had achieved significant accomplishments, influential figures from various regions were present, and even individuals who were not influential but had accomplished great feats were invited. Since most of the people who formed the backbone of the empire were invited, the scale of the banquet was, of course, large, and all five empresses attended after the Emperor. The last of the five empresses to arrive was Airi. Her mere appearance caused the people to unknowingly fall silent. The Succubus Queen. She was of a bloodline of great demons that ranked among the highest even within the demon race. As she belonged to the race of great demons among succubi, who were known as the enchanting demons, it was only natural that she attracted attention. "You have arrived?" "Yes." Airi, who had ascended to the second floor where the Emperor was, nodded quietly. The people, who were momentarily enchanted, eventually regrouped and engaged in conversations or danced. Among them, some covertly glanced at Airi. Airi was originally a great demon who had married the Emperor as the representative of the demon race. That''s what she had thought. In reality, Airi governed the demon race and was mainly in charge of finding the remaining demon groups in Darkland and integrating them into the empire. Although Charlotte was also an Archdemon, she lacked the ability to manage the entire empire, leaving Airi to take on the task. "Even after all this thinking, the fact that you''re the most supported empress among others... isn''t it strange?" Airi responded to the Emperor''s words with an ambiguous smile, "You never know how the world works." Airi, who had been given the nickname "Demon Empress," had the highest recognition among humans. The Archmage. The last princess of the Gardias Royal Family. The regent of Kernstadt. The ruler of the Holy Empire. Each of them played a significant role, but Airi was the only demon. Humans supported Airi for one simple reason. The most beautiful empress. It was simply engraved in people''s minds that she was a great demon of enchantment. The change in people''s perception of demons due to just that one aspect was so significant that it was impossible to know how much it would have cost to achieve the same effect through propaganda. When Charlotte realized that such a perception was spreading among people after the demon empress revealed herself to the public, she didn''t just stand idly by. As she had done in Edina. She mobilized succubi to provide psychological counseling and used the empress as a figurehead for activities like relief work for the poor. The only demon among the Emperor''s empresses helped people from the lowest social strata. Of course, not only Airi but also other succubi had been doing this for a long time in the Edina Archipelago, and they enjoyed doing it. Ironically, unlike other empresses who had many responsibilities and struggled with external activities, Airi was the empress closest to the people of the Imperial Capital. A large-scale civil project to improve the perception of demons. There was no one more suitable for the job than Airi. Thus, Airi was the most famous and most supported empress, being the only demon among the empresses. There were even people who disliked the Emperor but supported only Empress Airi. In the simplest and most certain way, Airi had captured the hearts of the people. "Perhaps the Shadow Walkers will join us this time." "Really?" "Yeah, they''re a somewhat gloomy race by nature. They''re good at hiding, so they must have survived well. They prefer dark places and have keen ears. Don''t worry, they don''t practice cannibalism. They could work in the intelligence department. It won''t matter if they live in the empire." "Sounds good." Of course, that didn''t change the fact that she was the spokesperson and protector of the demon tribes. While the majority were humans, ultimately, it was a place where demon races had to coexist as well. Shelter had to be provided for the demon races who couldn''t survive on human lands, and a foundation had to be created where only they could live. The Emperor looked down at the banquet hall. There were familiar faces and unfamiliar ones. There were faces he hadn''t seen in a long time. They greeted each other warmly, as it had been a while since they had seen one another. The Emperor watched them quietly. The Emperor then looked in the opposite direction. It was not Airy but Scarlett, who was always by his side. "Go down." "Your Majesty? But I..." In the banquet hall where everyone was wearing dresses or suits, Scarlett still wore her armor. "Go on, you should greet Evia after such a long time." It wouldn''t do to refuse a warm welcome and greeting from a familiar face while she vowed to protect him here. Scarlett hesitated before descending the stairs, as the Emperor quietly watched her. ------ The entire Spring Palace was virtually a banquet hall, with countless people eating and drinking everywhere. Naturally, people gathered together in groups, and there were clusters of people all around the hall. There were many private conversations, and the content of those conversations ranged from personal to public matters. Among the stories buried in the flowing music, there were people who rejoiced in their long-awaited reunions. However, there were also many cases where familiar people gathered in one place. Harriet and Adelia, who had been apart for a while but now met frequently like they did in their temple days, were an example. The two were mumbling together at a table in the banquet hall with papers spread out in front of them. "If we make it according to this design, I''m not sure about the efficiency, but wouldn''t it lack versatility? It would be nice if it could be used in ways other than harvesting." "No, you can do it like this. There''s a joint at the front here, so when you replace it, it looks like this." "Okay, and then?" "Then it can also act as a plow, and you can dig as much land as you want." "Ah... I see. By simply replacing the parts, it can be used for multiple purposes, making it efficient. Since the core is the same, it should be easy to change its functions." "Exactly." Watching Adelia and Harriet discuss such matters in the banquet hall, Liana, who had emptied her champagne glass, put it down with a sound as if she had lost her appetite. -Clank! "Damn it, do you have to talk about that stench of compost here, ruining my appetite?" "Huh?" "What...?" "Do I have to listen to you talking about making farming golems all the way here? You two might not know, but it''s disgusting to me." At Liana''s words, Adelia and Harriet hastily tidied up the design drawings they had carelessly laid out on the table. It all started when Adelia began to stutter, pulling out the blueprint she had casually mentioned earlier, as Harriet responded to the topic. It was no wonder that Liana, who had dressed up in a long time with fancy earrings, necklaces, and a splendid dress, frowned upon the subject. Cliffman snickered beside her. "...Is it funny?" "Sorry..." Naturally, without any thought, Cliffman bowed his head under Liana''s sharp gaze. It couldn''t be helped that Liana had an outburst when it came to farming. Liana was the one in charge of the vast farming district of Saint Owan, which could be called the lifeline of the empire. She oversaw everything from agriculture to livestock, forestry to fisheries, and even the processing that came after. Liana de Grantz was responsible for all matters concerning food. Her supernatural power, which had wielded absolute power in war, now bore the responsibility of feeding the entire empire. In a way, she had taken on a more important task than before the war. The area under Liana''s jurisdiction far exceeded the size of an average nation, as it produced food for the entire continent. That was why a tremendous military force was stationed there, second only to the Emperor. And Liana was one of the few unique beings with the authority to summon the Archmage in an emergency. Naturally, the Emperor was one of them, making Liana the only person other than the Emperor who could summon Harriet in an emergency. Therefore, all discussions about food were extremely important to Liana, but at the same time, they were also an irritating topic that she didn''t want to hear about anymore. There was a reason why the empire''s massive food warehouse was established in the Grand Duchy of Saint Owan. And there was a reason why Adelia laid out the blueprint and Harriet showed interest in it. "But once the automation golems are complete, not only will food production skyrocket, but we can also distribute them across the entire continent, reducing your burden. This is a good thing for you, right?" That was what Harriet said, and Adelia nodded in agreement. The technology used to create golems for war was now being transformed into technology for production. They made automated machines for agriculture. In fact, a large number of golems were being deployed in agricultural projects, and they were now dreaming of full automation. Thanks to the golem technology of Saint Owan Duchy and Adelia''s cooperation, the knowledge used to create Titans was now being partially used in agriculture and even mining. Of course, everyone knew the uncomfortable possibility that if the production line were to be slightly altered, agricultural golems could turn into terrifying war golems. Depending on the components installed, they could be used for production or destruction. In the end, Liana narrowed her eyes at the mention of it being something done for her convenience. "Who said not to do it at all?" Liana''s beautifully painted nails trembled, her carefully drawn eyebrows furrowed, and she opened her red lips. "Just not now." "Do you guys know what I do normally?" "Do you think I sit in a fancy salon, talking about whether it will rain, or snow, or stop?" "I''m in overalls, rummaging through compost bins, staring at rain falling heavily all day in the places where it''s needed." "I''m asking farmers questions all day long, not knowing why the crops are lagging." "I''m comforting and taking measures for depressed people, wondering whether wild boars have eaten the roots, monsters have ruined the crops, or pests have become rampant, huh?" "That was me." "After a very long time." "I wore a dress, put on makeup, painted my nails. I fussed about it. Huh? I came all the way to the palace, huh? That''s what happened." "Do I have to hear that story today too?" "Let''s forget about that story for today, we can listen to it tomorrow..." "You guys who are always locked up in the lab studying don''t know me..." "You guys who only like studying don''t know me..." "You guys who say it would be nice if we could just study, do you know my heart...?" Adelia and Harriet really said such things. They questioned why it was bad to be able to study. They didn''t think of it as work in the first place. "You guys don''t know how much I want to play..." Eventually, with eyes empty with despair, she muttered blankly. "Well, we can talk about this later at the Council of Magic..." Perhaps Adelia and Harriet sensed the mood, they looked at each other and nodded. In the end, it was Cliffman who led Liana, the novice dancer, to the dance floor. "Did you know he could dance?" At Harriet''s question, Adelia blankly stared at Cliffman and Liana dancing together. "Doesn''t he know by now? That kid, seeing his persistence, sometimes makes me dizzy." The one who answered wasn''t Adelia, but Cayer, who had approached from afar. "Ah, Cayer." Cayer wasn''t alone. There was a wheelchair Cayer was sitting in, and behind it, a woman who had pushed him forward. "It''s been a long time. Adelia, and Archmage." "Hello, senior." "It''s been a long time." Redina was behind Cayer. Cayer Voiden had awoken from a coma about two years ago. ------ Redina had taken care of Cayer, who had fallen into a coma after the war. Naturally, since they were both war heroes, priests would visit periodically to check on Cayer''s condition, providing assistance in daily life as well. But Redina was always by his side. In fact, Redina didn''t have to take care of Cayer to that extent. However, Redina stayed by Cayer''s side for all three years he was in a coma. There was no way to know if Cayer would regain consciousness. She looked after Cayer, whose heart was beating but nothing more. And one day. Cayer opened his eyes. From then on, the two continued to be together. She helped with his rehabilitation and they lived together. If his rehabilitation went well in the future, he might regain his strength and be free from the wheelchair. Redina always told Cayer that. "Come on, eat this." "Is alcohol...okay? It would be better if you didn''t drink." "What do you want to eat?" "Do you want to take a walk for a bit?" Harriet and Adelia quietly watched them. While it was a miraculous thing that Cayer regained consciousness, and they both visited occasionally to see how Redina took care of Cayer. And although it seemed like Cayer actually regained consciousness due to Redina''s devotion touching the heavens. There was no limit to her persistence. "..." "..." If the persistent man was Cliffman, the persistent woman was Redina. It was good that things were going well, but in the end, they thought there was no need for such persistence. For a while, Redina fussed over Cayer, asking if he was uncomfortable or needed anything. When Cayer excused himself for a moment to chat with his friends, Redina finally caught her breath. Redina smiled at Harriet. "By the way, I''ve read the book you wrote, Archmage." "Ah... that one...?" "Yes, the ''Treatise of All Creation''. Only the introduction has been released so far, right?" "Yes." The magic that had turned Harriet into an Archmage. After the war, Harriet had tried to organize her enlightenment into writing. Redina was quick with magical calculations, but her overall magical power was insufficient. If she could only grasp the magic Harriet had discovered, she might be able to solve her chronic problem. So, she had tried to understand the book written by Harriet, even if it was just the introduction. "I wonder if there''s anyone who can understand it? I couldn''t understand anything, not even a little bit." It wasn''t a book that any mage could easily access. Like Adelia, Redina was also a member of the Council of Magic, which allowed her to read the introduction of Harriet''s book. "As expected... I see..." "You don''t need to be disappointed. In fact, I think you should write more." "True. Honestly, I couldn''t understand it either." But there was a reason why they said Harriet could continue writing although they couldn''t understand the content of her book at all. Only the highest-ranking mages could even have a seat in the Council of Magic. When Harriet, the leader of the council, said she would organize her greatest enlightenment into writing, everyone in the council objected. It was because the magic was too powerful, something that shouldn''t spread easily. So, Harriet had written only the introduction for now. She then told the people of the Council of Magic to read it if they wanted. However, Redina and Adelia couldn''t understand it at all. So far, similar answers had come from the other members of the Council of Magic. Harriet explained the magic she had discovered and understood. But the mages didn''t know why it was possible. There were those who couldn''t understand how the magic itself functioned. Even if they understood how the magic functioned, they questioned whether it was something humans could achieve. The theory existed, and it worked. But the simple conclusion was that there was only one person in the world, Harriet, who could activate it. "So, you should write that magic book. After all, no one else can use the magic." No one would understand it even if they tried. However, for the sake of future generations, the great magic must be recorded. So, leaving behind a magic book containing magic that no one of that era could understand would have great significance. "Speaking of which, you''re not just an Archmage for nothing, writing a magic book before even turning thirty." It wasn''t even a simple magic, but rather one that could rightfully be called the greatest in the world. At Redina''s teasing words, Harriet couldn''t help but blush. "By the way, I heard Adelia is getting married soon?" "Ah, that... Yes." Adelia was soon to be married to the third son of the Duke of Saint Owan. Somewhere in the distance, the Duke of Saint Owan, who was also a member of the Council of Magic, was conversing with someone, and his three sons were also in attendance. "So, we''ll be family now?" "Ah... that, I suppose..." Seeing Adelia blush and lower her head, Harriet couldn''t help but smile warmly. CH 688 The banquet hall was filled with countless people, among whom most of the participants from the temple were included. Those who were second-year students at the time of the Gate Incident were particularly remarkable. Not only were there the Demon King, the Emperor and the two Empresses, but others as well, all of whom had distinguished majors and held significant positions. "Evia, how is your studying going?" At Scarlett''s question, Evia nodded her head. "Yes, lately I''ve been gaining some practical experience. It''s not something completely new to me." Evia, who was unsure about what to do after the war, ultimately chose the path that best utilized her abilities. In the reopened temple, she was now majoring in military science. Although she was not yet in charge of any practical work, it was already confirmed that she would join the imperial army upon graduating from the military academy. And while it was still in the distant future, the Emperor planned to make Evia the commander-in-chief of the imperial army. Her ability to communicate with everyone within her reach while seated would undoubtedly be more efficient when she was in command. Naturally, under the full support of the royal family, Evia was given an environment where she could focus solely on her studies. Scarlett and Evia surveyed the banquet hall together. The second-year students at the time of the Gate Incident were all important people, but it was not possible for everyone to attend or even survive unscathed. In particular, most of the B-class students were absent. "Almost none of our classmates are here." "¡­Yeah, that''s right." There were only three B-class alumni present. Charlotte, Scarlett, and Evia. Asher, number 4, was dead. Delphin Izzard, number 9, was also dead. Excluding Ranian Sesor, number 10, who had become a bard, all the others were missing. Dettomorian, number 8, who had remained at the temple, was carrying out the Emperor''s secret mission after the war. Occasionally, they would hear stories about Ranian Sesor, who was confirmed to be alive along with Dettomorian. Excluding those five, everyone else was missing. Ludwig. Christina. Louis Ancton. Anna de Gerna. Their deaths were almost a foregone conclusion. Since they could not witness their deaths firsthand, going missing in battle meant death. Ludwig had gone missing on the battlefield, so from the moment the final battle ended, he was considered dead. Trying to search for them would be futile. Two were missing from Class A. Bertus, the former Emperor. And Ellen Artorius. Both were missing and wanted at the same time. "Where did they all go...?" Scarlett recalled the faces of those who were now impossible to find amidst the lively atmosphere of the banquet. Hoping that they were all alive somewhere, was it too dangerous a wish? Was it a frivolous wish? Evia, Scarlett, and Charlotte, who watched from afar, were all thinking about the people they could no longer find. ------ As the entire palace was the venue for the banquet, the groups were divided into several smaller gatherings. Naturally, the temple alumni gathered together in small clusters. Although they kept a slight distance from one another, they shared a bond as they had fought and won the war together. Even the politicians and other officials who were not involved in the war could not easily enter the groups where temple personnel were mixed, even though they were not explicitly excluded. Of course, they were relatively young, so it was difficult for them to join in the conversation, and the attendees from the temple were originally unrelated to political gains, so they were not particularly interested. That didn''t mean everyone there had nothing to do with politics. Excluding the Emperor and empresses, the person with the most influence was undoubtedly King Heinrich von Schwarz of Kernstadt, who held the most actual power and political strength. "..." "Your eyes are going to fall out, kid." "What''s going to change if you keep looking at that?" Naturally, the esteemed King of Kernstadt was being reprimanded by his friends for staring intently at something instead of focusing on the banquet. He couldn''t help but be scolded by Kono Lint and Erich, since he didn''t eat or drink, just kept his mouth shut and stared at something, even though they had gathered after a long time. However, in response to the scolding, Heinrich twisted his mouth and glared at his friends. Heinrich''s gaze was fixed on the Emperor. The Emperor was now talking to Empress Louise, who had approached him. The contrast between the Emperor''s awkward appearance and the Empress''s disdainful gaze was striking. "Can''t you stop looking?" "Can''t help it, can you?" "Have you ever been in a situation like that?" Heinrich''s brow furrowed at the irresponsible answers from Lint and Erich. Cayer, who had seen his expression, chuckled. "I know it''s not something you can achieve just because you want to, but sometimes I think it''s fortunate I wasn''t born into royalty or the imperial family. Thanks to you." Everyone realized that power sometimes brings about situations too difficult to handle with a normal mentality, as demonstrated by Heinrich''s case. It was something that had to be done, and it was necessary. But it made everyone dizzy. Kono Lint shook his head. "Why are you so worried? He hasn''t even held hands with her so far, has he?" In fact, that was true. The relationship between Empress Louise and the Emperor was extremely formal. They treated each other like work because it was a marriage arranged for political purposes. Especially Louise. That''s why they should treat it like work, but Heinrich, hesitating, sighed. "If it stays like this, you don''t need to worry or be afraid of anything in the future, do you?" As Erich said, regardless of what Heinrich thought, if there was only an official relationship between them and nothing else, he could just ignore it. "I don''t know... I just don''t know..." It had been five years. A whole five years. Heinrich''s thoughts were somewhat different now compared to before. Was it right for his mother to age like that her whole life? He couldn''t know for sure. Naturally, as a Master Class, there was no significant difference in appearance between Louise and other empresses. Occasionally, seeing himself severely discolored, Louise would say such words with a sad expression. "... Don''t worry about it, I won''t have that happen in my lifetime. I wouldn''t do something you hate." Heinrich felt as if he had been struck on the head at her words. Naturally, Louise must have felt pressured by Heinrich''s every action and attitude. Unable to withstand such scrutiny, Louise had spoken those words herself. He felt as if he was being cruel. After that, Heinrich had no idea what to do. "By the way, was it official that... Reinhardt was Heinrich''s father...?" "I''m not quite sure about that..." "Enough, let''s just drop it. Please." Heinrich, who was the king of Kernstadt, was full of cold sweat on his forehead as he made the request. Fortunately, the perfect timing to change the atmosphere arrived. Cliffman, who had been dancing with Liana, seated her at Harriet''s table and, after listening to some conversation, began to approach their table. "It''s been a while." Everyone expressed their delight as Cliffman pulled up a chair and sat down. Although they all belonged to the same empire, each had their own tasks to attend to. So it was rare for all of them to gather in one place. "How''s everything going for all of you?" At Cliffman''s question, everyone nodded their heads modestly. As the king of Kernstadt, Heinrich naturally resided in the capital of Kernstadt. Erich de Lafaeri had become a knight and was now a member of the Holy Empire''s Holy Knight Order. Cliffman was in charge of guarding Liana, the empire''s agricultural district supervisor, at all times. The agricultural district was important, but above all, Liana de Grantz was an irreplaceable figure, so the overwhelmingly powerful Cliffman was assigned as her guard from among the empire''s master-class warriors. "Well, if you count rehabilitation as work, I''m doing that too." Cayer, who was still in a wheelchair, laughed and nodded his head. Naturally, Cayer relied on Redina''s help to get by, as he couldn''t leave the wheelchair yet. "But I''m worried about what''s next." Even when his rehabilitation ended, there was no specific position prepared for Cayer. His talent for immense mana and his incompetence in magic manipulation remained unchanged. If there were a war, he might have to use the Arc Crystal again, and at that time, he would have work to do, but it was better if that didn''t happen. At Cayer''s words, Kono Lint shook his head as if he couldn''t believe it. "Hey, you can live your whole life without any problems just on your pension." "That''s true. But the same goes for you." "Yeah, you''re right." Although very few received the highest level of pension based on their contributions, all of them had achieved such high accomplishments. Of course, there were those who declined the pension based on their contributions. "By the way, are they really going to give pensions to all the war veterans?" Currently, only war heroes received pensions, but the long-term plan was to expand the pensions to all veterans. The likelihood of this happening was quite low, though. At Erich''s words, Heinrich furrowed his brow with a cautious expression. "Even if we can''t give it right away, we plan to eventually. But it''s still uncertain when it will be realized. We''re also considering giving land as an alternative, but Reinhardt seems to be against that idea." "Why would he oppose giving land? Isn''t that better?" "There''s plenty of empty land out there. But if we just give any land as a fief, they''ll have to do the pioneering work themselves, right? Is that fair? They don''t even need any particular accomplishments to be granted land if they''re willing to develop empty land. If we give them land and then say ''that''s it,'' resentment will only arise. It''s even worse than not giving anything at all." "Ah, I see." Although they couldn''t yet provide pensions to all veterans, there were certainly some who received them. And gradually expanding the scope of those pensions was one of the empire''s long-term tasks. In the end, they each did significant work in their own right or held important positions. "Have you heard anything new lately?" Cliffman looked at Kono Lint. "Not really?" Kono Lint shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it''s best if you don''t have much to say." At that, everyone nodded their heads, except for Lint. Kono Lint, of course, held his own place among them. "It''s quite fascinating how each of us is doing something, especially Heinrich becoming the king. To be honest, I find it more surprising that you''re involved in such work." "True." "Yes." "It is. How could that happen?" At Cliffman''s words, the others vigorously nodded their heads in agreement. "¡­What''s with you guys?" Lint glared at them with an uneasy expression. "Come on, someone like you being an executive in the Imperial Intelligence Agency? That''s just unbelievable." Kono Lint was one of the high-ranking officers in the current empire''s intelligence agency. "It was even more chilling that you pretended to be unemployed for three years." He had even thoroughly concealed his involvement in such work from his friends. Despite their subtle concerns about whether he should be doing something now, he had cheekily dodged the question, saying he would live off his pension as a lifelong unemployed person. "This guy is sinister, isn''t he?" "I''m just a person whose professional ethics involve keeping secrets¡­! Sinister¡­!" A man who surprisingly kept secrets well. A man who was even thoroughly meticulous, to the point of being creepy. The friends were most shocked by the truth that Kono Lint was not actually a ne''er-do-well. Heinrich sipped champagne and snickered. "But the way you were actually caught¡­ was very you." "What do you mean, ''like me''? What''s so ''like me'' about it?" As Heinrich pressed the panic button, Kono Lint''s face turned red, and he let out a suppressed yell. Everyone else snickered, knowing the situation, and Kono Lint bit his lip in anger. Kono Lint, who had hidden his affiliation with the Imperial Intelligence Agency from even his closest friends, was eventually exposed in a rather absurd way. "My detective skills shined." Kono Lint, who had been so thorough, was actually exposed as being a member of the Intelligence Agency by Erich, who had the least functional brain in the group. This was how it went. Erich occasionally visited the unemployed Kono Lint. And then he saw it. Kono Lint on a date with a charming woman from the Demon Realm. Unable to intervene right away, Erich left in shock and later asked Kono Lint who the woman was, to which Kono Lint briefly replied. His girlfriend. Of course, Erich didn''t believe that. Erich sought Cliffman''s advice about the urgent and unbelievable fact. Was such a thing possible? And he heard it from Liana, who was with them. That it was probably the shape-shifting archdemon Dreadfiend, Sarkegaar. And since Sarkegaar was part of the Intelligence Agency, wouldn''t Kono Lint be a member as well? So, they weren''t on a date but discussing work. In reality, Liana didn''t have much connection with the Intelligence Agency either and didn''t know much, but both Sarkegaar and Kono Lint were high-ranking officers of the Intelligence Agency. The long-kept secret had been exposed all too easily. "Of course, it could never be." Though it wasn''t exactly a deduction, Erich had unraveled Lint''s secret through an absolute faith that such a thing could never happen to his friend. "Why...? Why couldn''t it be me...?" "Why would an ordinary beauty be on a date with you?" "It could happen...!" "No. Unless it''s a demon coworker, there''s absolutely no way such a thing could happen." Cayer shook his head, saying it wasn''t in Lint''s luck. Infuriated, Lint quivered with resentment. "Guys...! I''m telling you now, it wasn''t about work back then...!" Finally, Lint''s words filled with frustration made everyone''s expressions become strange. "!!!!" And then Lint, realizing what he had just said, froze. "...?" "Uh..." "So, is that...?" Amid the sudden silence, "I don''t understand... No, it''s not." "Ah, no. It, it was about work... Work." Trying to recover, but it was too late. Everyone had already heard too much and couldn''t find anything to say. "Um... Well, as long as you''re happy, right? Uh, isn''t that right? She''s, she''s not a bad person... No, not a bad demon, as I''ve heard... No, does that sound wrong...?" Heinrich broke into a cold sweat as he spoke, and everyone nodded with a bewildered expression. Erich mumbled blankly. "This guy, since marrying a beauty is impossible, he''s with a demon who could be any beauty..." "No, it''s not...!" Just as Lint was about to vehemently deny it. "Mr. Lint." "...!" Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Lint''s eyes widened. There, one of the maids in the banquet hall looked at him with a gentle smile. Suddenly, one of the maids who had been quietly observing the banquet, filling glasses, and clearing plates reached out to a guest. Doing such a thing out of the blue meant the maid in front of him had the qualifications to do so. "If not, what isn''t?" Under her gaze, Lint froze with a pained expression, just short of biting his tongue. And everyone else seated also froze. They didn''t know what was going on. A situation where they couldn''t understand what was going on but inadvertently found out. "Again... were you... watching... me...?" The reason Lint had been so strict about keeping his secret was not because he was sly and calculating. It was because he couldn''t tell when or where Sarkegaar, the demon, was watching. "I told you, Mr. Lint...?" The beautiful lips of the maid curved up into a smile. "Always watching." Whether it was affection, obsession, or surveillance to ensure he didn''t say anything carelessly, no one could tell. "You couldn''t be careful with your words, so you''ll have to be scolded again like last time, right...?" "I''m, I''m, I''m sorry..." But one thing was clear: Sarkegaar enjoyed Lint''s reaction very much. CH 689 "Please stop teasing him." "But the reaction is too good, Your Majesty, I can''t help myself." Holding the champagne glass brought by the maid, the Emperor sighed deeply after taking a sip. The Emperor was still laughing as he watched Kono Lint and his classmates shivering in the cold. "I appreciate the amusement, but at this rate, he might start claiming that he has something embedded in his ear." "Something embedded in his ear...? I don''t understand..." "Never mind, it''s just one of those things." The Emperor sometimes spoke in a way only he understood, and no one could figure out what he meant. After the war, the captain of the newly formed intelligence unit was Rowan. Rowan was appointed captain because there were many others more specialized in fieldwork than her. People like Sarkegaar and Kono Lint were more suited for field tasks. That''s why they were assigned based on their abilities, not just their merits. Sarkegaar seemed to have a great interest in Kono Lint''s behavior. He often teased him, but it was evident that he cared for him a lot. The Emperor quietly observed the banquet hall. Numerous people shared countless stories. Without mingling, the Emperor calmly looked down upon the conversations and gatherings. "You seem too young to be enjoying alcohol, young lady." The Emperor quietly watched as a middle-aged gentleman approached a silver-haired girl. The middle-aged gentleman tilted his head as he approached the girl, who was wearing a dazzling dress. "Oh... what is that wine, as red as blood? I''ve never seen such a brilliant color before." "It is blood." "Pardon?" "I said it''s blood." As the girl casually swirled her wine glass, the eerie red hue of the liquid confirmed her statement. The girl revealed her chilling fangs as she moistened her lips with the red liquid. "Uh, uh...!" "Is this your first time seeing a vampire?" "You don''t mean... that''s human blood, do you?" "Of course. Want a taste?" "No, no! I''m good, thank you!" "Really? I could give you a little bite, you know. It might feel surprisingly nice." "No, I''m fine! Excuse me!" The Emperor chuckled as he watched the enchanting smile of the girl and the middle-aged man fleeing in terror. The woman with dark red hair approached the girl as she watched the man run away in astonishment. "Lucinil! I always tell you not to scare people like that!" "It''s not my fault, he asked me first." The Emperor quietly watched Eleris and Lucinil bickering. Although many demons joined the empire, most of the vampires who had been with Edina from the beginning left. Gallarush and Luvien led their clans and left the empire. They were tired of the noise and decided to return to the quiet life with their people. The only ones remaining were Eleris, the head of the Tuesday Clan, Lucinil, the head of the Wednesday Clan. And the members of the Saturday Clan who were left behind due to the disappearance of their leader, Antirianus. Eleris took them in and temporarily acted as their leader. So, Eleris was not only the head of the Tuesday Clan but also responsible for the Saturday Clan members in her care. Originally, the Vampire Lord clans did not try to expand their numbers, so there were very few vampires. However, they all played significant roles in the early empire. They even created an institution called the blood-purchasing organization for the legitimate existence of vampires. What was absurd, though, was that there were cases where humans, who learned of the existence of Vampire Lords, were fascinated by the idea of a vampire that could withstand the sun. There were often headaches due to those who outright asked to become vampires. So it wasn''t for the humans, but for the vampires that they created territories where they could live quietly, strictly prohibiting the entry of outsiders. There were also those who outright knocked on the door, wanting immortality and eternity. That was always a sweet proposition. During the ongoing raucous banquet, the Emperor saw Empress Louise approaching. "Your Majesty." "Ah... yes." "I have something important to discuss with you." "What?" Without even asking for the Emperor''s opinion, Empress Louise grabbed his arm with a serious expression and started dragging him somewhere. Heinrich von Schwarz, who witnessed this, stood there with his mouth agape, dumbfounded. ------ The place where the Emperor was led by Empress Louise was an empty guest room somewhere in the Spring Palace. The Emperor''s heart was pounding like mad. Had the time come? Was it finally happening like this? But why today of all days? Why now? The Emperor was afraid of many things, but now he feared Louise more than anything else in the world. A fear mixed with guilt. That''s why he froze whenever he met her. "Ah, I''m prepared. Teacher, I just need a moment... just five minutes... five minutes please." "..." "No, it''s not that I don''t want to! Absolutely not! It''s okay! Fine! Fine! But just for a moment..." "Really!" -Smack! "Ouch...!" In the end, Louise, who couldn''t stand listening to his nonsense, dealt a tremendous blow to the Emperor''s head. Louise looked down at the Emperor, whose eyes were spinning with an icy gaze. "Sit down." "Yes." At Louise''s concise command, the Emperor immediately sat on the bed. Her gaze became even colder. "Not there, here." What Louise pointed to wasn''t the bed, but a chair. Only then did the Emperor realize that the situation he had prepared for wasn''t happening, and he clumsily got up and sat in the chair. It was only natural that the Emperor''s face turned beet red. Only then, having regained some composure, did the Emperor notice that the Empress was not empty-handed, but holding something. -Startled Empress Louise took out the items one by one and set them down. "What is this...? A book?" What was in the case was books. Or rather, it was more like notebooks. A bundle of tattered and dirty notebooks. It was placed in front of the Emperor. "I think you need to see this." Perplexed, the Emperor carefully opened the notebook as the Empress suggested. ------ The worn notebooks had frayed edges and were even torn in many places. It wasn''t torn on purpose, but rather, it showed traces of being torn accidentally. "This is material sent from the Kernstadt Adventurer''s Guild headquarters." "...Is that so." At first, the Emperor hesitantly opened the notebook, and then he looked puzzled. Most of it contained drawings. "Is this a drawing of a monster?" "Yes, it seems so." "Why would someone draw a monster?" Perhaps there was someone who wanted to record the aesthetic form of monsters, as it did exist. In a world with countless variations, it couldn''t be said that such a person didn''t exist. Louise didn''t answer, as if urging him to take a closer look. The drawing wasn''t particularly detailed, but it did have intricately drawn characteristic features. It wasn''t a very well-drawn picture, but it wasn''t excessively crude either. It was a picture drawn quickly and accurately, as if done in one stroke. Each page not only had a drawing of a monster, but also faint writing at the bottom. "[Kernstadt, northeastern border area near Aireden, hilly terrain]" The Emperor glanced at the memo and frowned. "The location of discovery... is it?" What could be deduced from this: This wasn''t a product of imagination or something else; the monsters had been seen and drawn in person. It was an era when money was given by the adventurer''s guild for killing monsters. "Isn''t there a policy of paying for drawings instead of monster corpses?" "It''s not unheard of, but that''s generally the case." Although there were no exceptions, they didn''t usually pay for drawings. Therefore, these couldn''t be evidence drawn to receive payment. And above all, there was too much content. The Emperor decided to examine the notebook more carefully, rather than expressing doubt. He didn''t know whose it was, but he cautiously handled the old, worn, and dirty notebook, fearing possible damage. There was a conviction that, regardless of their condition, these notebooks were extremely valuable. As the Emperor turned the pages and checked other notebooks, his expression grew more serious. Louise quietly observed the Emperor, who even reopened notebooks he had already seen. "What is this?" The depicted monsters weren''t entirely identical. However, strikingly similar monsters were found multiple times within the notebooks. The locations were all different. And they were discovered in places more than a thousand kilometers apart. As the Emperor looked through the notebooks, he began to understand why the original owner had drawn these monsters. As the final volume approached, the Emperor''s expression grew increasingly grim. Eventually, there were consecutive drawings of monsters that were identical in appearance. The discovery locations were similar as well. When the Emperor saw the last page of the notebooks, his eyes widened. Small monsters were drawn. And there were brief notes written. The once neat handwriting was now quite distorted. As if reflecting the trembling heart of the notebook''s author. "[Definite immature specimen.]" "[Was under the protection of its mother.]" "[Monsters are breeding.]" "[Through this case, the possibility that the subspecies of monsters discovered so far are actually the same species, rather than just similar-looking specimens, has increased.]" "[A significant number of monsters are likely to have already developed reproductive capabilities.]" "[Among the monsters discovered so far, the number of species estimated to have reproductive capabilities is 24.]" "[There are likely more.]" For a while, the Emperor said nothing. Louise, too, watched the Emperor''s silence. "We need to call everyone." "¡­Yes." At the Emperor''s words, Louise nodded. CH 690 The banquet had not been interrupted. After all, suspending the banquet wouldn''t make the situation any better or solve the problem. And nothing was certain yet. They had merely gathered the people who needed to have a quiet discussion. The conference room in the Spring Palace. Scarlett was positioned at the entrance to prevent anyone from entering casually. The five Empresses and the Emperor were all gathered in one place. The Emperor had waited patiently for everyone to confirm the contents of the notebooks. Their expressions and reactions were not much different from the Emperor''s. Some species of monsters were reproducing. It was impossible to know which species, how many, or where they were multiplying. The recovery rate of the entire continent was less than 30% of what it was in the previous era. Thus, eradicating all monsters on the continent was impossible at that stage. They had been postponing that task until they had the resources. However, if this was true, the age of monsters disappearing would never come. Although the situation wasn''t as dire as during the Gate incident, there would be a perpetual battle against the monsters. There might be a day when they could eradicate the monsters completely, but that day was postponed to a distant future. Dark clouds settled over the faces of those who realized this fact. "We can''t say it''s too late. From the beginning, searching the entire continent to kill all the monsters was an impossible task," Charlotte said. She was right. This was just another disaster that occurred after the initial catastrophe, and there was no way to prepare for it. The fledgling Empire, struggling even to stand, couldn''t possibly take to the sky. They had prayed that such a thing wouldn''t happen, but in the end, it had. It was something everyone knew, even if Charlotte didn''t say it. They had done their best, but there were things beyond their best efforts. "It seems that the monsters have established themselves as a species in the ecosystem of the continent. We can''t predict how the changes they cause will affect all of us. We should be more afraid of the unpredictable events that will occur as the ecosystem changes, not just the monsters attacking humans," Charlotte continued. Changes that occurred when a new species appeared in a stable ecosystem. The appearance of monsters had already caused widespread devastation. There were many places that had become barren lands, beyond recovery. "We need to change the way the Adventurer''s Guild operates. We should offer greater rewards to those who discover breeding groups of monsters like this." Everyone nodded at Charlotte''s words. Regardless of whether they could address the issue immediately, it was crucial information. Knowing that monsters were breeding would help prevent future crises and disasters. Destroying the breeding nests of monsters would eliminate thousands of potential monsters before they were born. They needed to invest more funds in the Adventurer''s Guild and increase the compensation for adventurers. Even if things were going smoothly, there was an absolute lack of military force to maintain security. The Emperor forced a bitter smile. A government that relied on adventurers for maintaining security. He remembered the day when he had scoffed at such a government, questioning its very existence. The Holy Empress, who had been silent, flipped through the notebook. "Of course, this is an important issue, and it''s a big deal, but..." Olivia, holding the notebook, looked at Empress Louise, its source. ¡°Empress Louise, you said this information came from the Adventurers'' Guild?¡± ¡°Yes, that''s correct.¡± ¡°And where is the adventurer now? To reward them for this kind of information, we would have to take away one of the pillars of the Empire. Are they waiting patiently¡­?¡± ¡°After handing over this information to the Vellodosia branch in the northeastern part of Kernstadt, the adventurer disappeared.¡± Olivia, who asked the question. The other Empresses. And the Emperor. They all knew such an answer would come. But no one had brought it up first. ¡°All the place names written in this notebook¡­ they are all areas that we haven''t reclaimed yet¡­¡± ¡°They are all records of uninhabited areas.¡± ¡°And considering the vast amount of information, it couldn''t have been recorded in just a few months.¡± ¡°Since the handwriting is the same, it was all recorded by one person.¡± ¡°It''s clear that this information was recorded over a period of years¡­¡± ¡°Although I''ve heard that adventurers sometimes hunt monsters in dangerous areas, this must have been recorded by someone who lived in those dangerous areas, right?¡± ¡°If such a high-level adventurer was registered with the Adventurers'' Guild, there''s no way we wouldn''t know their name¡­¡± ¡°And yet that person handed over such valuable information and disappeared without even waiting for a reward¡­¡± ¡°It must be someone who can''t receive a reward.¡± ¡°And in that state, that person would have had to be quite a savage to do this sort of thing for several years in an uninhabited area¡­¡± ¡°A normal person wouldn''t have the ability nor the reason to do this.¡± ¡°Someone who did something that nobody else had a reason to do, but someone had to do it, without anyone telling them to¡­¡± An adventurer who wandered the dangerous, uninhabited areas where people did not live, and survived. An adventurer who handed over valuable information that deserved a huge reward and then disappeared. A powerful person who could survive in the land of monsters for such a long time, collecting and recording this information. But even after collecting that information, they simply threw it away and disappeared. It was likely because even the land of humans was a dangerous place for that adventurer. So, that person didn''t just disappear, that person must have fled. Everyone knew this the moment they saw the notebook. Olivia had just brought it up first. The eyes of the Holy Empress narrowed. ¡°It must be Ellen, right?¡± Everyone knew that the author of this notebook was Ellen Artorious. ------ ¡°We could do a handwriting comparison.¡± The Archmage carefully spoke to the Emperor. In the temple, there were still items that Ellen used during her time at the temple, including test papers and other documents. So, if they compared the handwriting, they could find out if it was really written by Ellen. ¡°Yes, it''s better to be sure, so let''s do the handwriting comparison.¡± However, both the Archmage who brought up the idea and the Emperor who approved it knew the result without hearing it. They didn''t remember the handwriting, but they knew that such neat writing and concise yet accurate drawings could hardly be anyone else''s but Ellen''s. Her usually calm demeanor was apparent in her handwriting and drawings. Ellen Artorious must have known that her identity would be discovered. But she had deemed it more important to convey the urgent matter first. The results of the handwriting comparison would come out soon. And for now, they had to think about what they should do under the assumption that Ellen was the one who wrote this. The Emperor spoke quietly. "She must be on the run." He would never entertain the optimistic thought that her identity would remain hidden. And even if her identity was not exposed, as the most wanted criminal, Ellen had to get out of human territory as quickly as possible. "When, where, and how did this information come to light?" the Emperor asked, looking at Empress Louise. "Last Saturday, these documents arrived in Vellodosia, a stronghold city in the northeastern part of Kernstadt. After reviewing the contents of the notebook at the guild, they determined its importance and sent the documents to the adventurer guild headquarters in Kiel, the capital of Kernstadt, on Sunday morning. Normally, the documents should have gone to the adventurer guild''s main headquarters on the Imperial Capital, but the Kiel adventurer guild master, recognizing the urgency of the matter, seems to have reported it directly to the Kernstadt royal family." The documents, which arrived on Saturday, reached the Imperial Palace on Monday night after passing through Sunday. It was unusual for information from the adventurer''s guild to reach the Imperial Palace, so they had made a quick decision about its importance. In order to report to the Emperor even a little faster, they had ignored the usual chain of command to some extent. The report that should have gone to Heinrich, the king of Kernstadt, came to the regent first. It was not reported to Louise, the regent of Kernstadt, but to Louise, the Empress. That was why Louise von Schwarz was the first to obtain the information. As it was an urgent matter, they chose the route that would allow them to report to the Emperor as quickly as possible. The response of the Kernstadt adventurer guild headquarters could not be considered slow; they had dealt with the situation flexibly. But in the end, there was a two-day gap. "In two days, she couldn''t have left Kernstadt yet," said Louise. Charlotte nodded at her words. "Vellodosia is the most important stronghold city for the northeastern reconstruction of Kernstadt. Of course, there are small and medium-sized cities around it, as well as a significant number of strongholds, including forward bases." "Since the information could have been discarded or lost if it was handed over to a small local adventurer guild, Ellen had no choice but to enter the stronghold city," Harriet agreed, as if it was certain that Ellen had to take the risk of entering deep into human territory. If it had been a local city''s adventurer guild, the information could have been discarded by an official''s judgment of low credibility or lost during transfer. She would naturally want to avoid such risks. "Regardless of which direction she escapes, two days is too short a time. Ellen Artorious is still within the borders of Kernstadt, Your Majesty." "¡­I suppose so," the Emperor nodded quietly. Since the Gate Incident, her whereabouts had been a mystery, and there had been countless sightings due to misconceptions or mistakes. For the first time in such a situation, Ellen''s location was almost certainly revealed. If they lost her now, they would not know where she had gone. Even this small trace had only been left because she felt it was necessary to deliver extremely important information herself. The world was too vast. This was essentially their first and last chance. "Will anyone else know that these documents were written by Ellen, besides us?" the Emperor asked, posing an unexpected question. "These notebooks had passed through many hands before reaching this point. The likelihood that others would have the same thoughts as we did was quite high." The information had already been reviewed by countless people. It had undergone verification by many, which allowed it to be presented to the Emperor. From low-ranking officials at local adventurer guilds, to high-ranking officials at the headquarters, guild masters, and even the dignitaries of Kernstadt. Only because it had been approved as credible information could it be brought here. Everyone knew that an ordinary person could never gather information of this scale. Thus, it was not difficult to deduce that the person who had submitted this information was the vanished hero, Ellen. It was impossible for the people present to be certain, but they could make as many conjectures as they liked. The Emperor felt as if he was already hearing hallucinations. The voices of numerous officials shouting that the hero must be hunted down seemed to echo in his ears. There were tasks that had to be done even when he didn''t want to do them. There were tasks he wanted to do but couldn''t. This matter would ultimately be forced upon him as well. Find the hero. Kill the hero. The hallucinations that already filled his head told him of the future. "Wait... just for a moment... I need to think." The Emperor stood up from his seat. ------ In the dim hallway of the Spring Palace''s upper floor, where even the banquet attendees did not venture, only the faint sound of music could be heard from afar. The Emperor stood still, gazing down at the people coming and going in the courtyard. That area was also, of course, bustling with people enjoying the festivities. Under the moonlit night, the Emperor silently watched them. The Emperor was fiddling with something in his grasp. An object he still couldn''t let go of. He rolled it quietly in the palm of his hand. Soon, someone approached the Emperor''s stiff figure with a rustle of clothing. "Reinhardt..." "...Yes?" The Archmage, Empress Harriet, stood quietly beside him. "Do it." "..." At her simple words, the Emperor remained silent, offering no response. "I wish you would." The Emperor did not respond to the Empress''s words. No, it was more accurate to say he couldn''t. "We may never have another opportunity like this. We''ve prepared so much for this moment, haven''t we?" The proliferation of monsters was a desperate truth, but the current situation was also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They might not get another chance if they let it slip away. The Emperor quietly opened his mouth. "I''m sorry." "...For what? So suddenly?" Harriet tilted her head, looking at the suddenly apologetic Emperor. The Empress remained the same. She didn''t even know why she was being apologized to. In the end, the Emperor carefully embraced the flustered Empress. "I''m sorry for making you say such things." "Ah..." "It wasn''t because I needed time to think about it." Within the strong embrace of the Emperor, Harriet quietly smiled. "I didn''t want to hear an apology." "...Don''t make me feel even more sorry." "...What do you want me to do?" The grumbling Empress also tightly embraced the Emperor. There was no time to hesitate. Nor was there much time to ponder. "Alright, let''s do it." However, everyone knew that a moment like this would eventually come. And so, they were always prepared. ------ The Emperor soon returned to the conference room. His contemplation was over. His resolve was firm. He was ready. The hero was one of the last remaining sources of trouble for the Empire. ¡°We''ve left her alone for far too long.¡± The hero was an entity that, if recklessly dealt with, could cause a chain reaction. But now, they had reduced the danger significantly. Even if it exploded, it would only emit a brief flash of light. Killing the hero would no longer cause any significant consequences. In the early days of the Empire, when there were many who supported the hero, carelessly killing the hero could have caused an enraged faction to rise up against the Empire. That could have made the establishment of the Empire itself impossible. Therefore, the Empire could not play around with the hero''s name. Instead, the Empire relied on the hope of the anti-demon king factions who believed in the vanished hero. Someday, the hero would appear and save us all. In other words, until the hero appeared, they would do nothing. In that situation, if the hero carelessly died or rumors of her death spread, those people would be more likely to explode with anger than to fall into despair. Thus, while those who believed in the hero as their savior wasted their time waiting for the hero who never came, the demon king diligently established the Empire. During that time, there were several instances of humanity''s resistance against evil, all of which were thoroughly crushed. And now. The anti-demon king factions were still trapped within the fences of their autonomous region, waiting for the hero who never came, clinging to their threadlike hope. The hero''s death would bring about complete despair for the autonomous region. Even if they were to become angry, they would now be nothing more than a candle that could be easily snuffed out. In the end, the despairing autonomous region would submit completely. Much time had passed. Through numerous political situations, circumstances, and several wars, a long time had passed. Those who believed in the hero were now like candles in the wind. Even if they were to grow, they could no longer burn with a flame larger than that of a candle. And so, now. ¡°As of this moment, the northeastern border of Kernstadt will be completely sealed off.¡± The hero could be killed. CH 691 That night, the results of the identity verification came out straight away. As everyone had expected, it was Ellen''s. However, since action had already been taken, the identity verification results only served to reconfirm the facts. The border closure had already begun, and the Emperor had nearly finished preparing for his campaign. The news came as a sudden announcement to the people of the Imperial Capital, as well as to all the high officials and imperial nobles. The New Imperial Family confirmed Ellen Artorius'' appearance in the northeastern region of Kernstadt. All borders in the northeastern region of Kernstadt were sealed off. And the Demon King himself set out to hunt down the hero. A name that was both irritating and an enemy of the empire. The fallen emperor and the hero. The Emperor himself declared that he would hunt down one of the two. Indeed, it was a massive movement. All those who could be considered the Imperial Family''s greatest force were summoned, and not only the Kernstadt army but also the entire standing army of the Imperial Capital was called upon. Many people watched as the enormous army vanished from the Imperial Capital in an instant through the grand-scale mass teleportation created by the Archmage, who had become a living legend. Just by witnessing the Archmage''s magic with their own eyes, the people were overwhelmed. Naturally, this massive movement not only put the entire Imperial Capital on edge, but also spread throughout the continent in a flash, thanks to the people traveling through the warp gates installed in the Imperial Capital. Within a few days, word of the Emperor''s hunt for the hero had spread across the entire continent. This time, unlike before, the Demon King himself took action. Something that had never happened before. Therefore, everyone knew that this time it was real. The long and bitter enmity between the two was finally coming to an end. However, something had changed from the past. Nobody thought the Emperor would be defeated. The hero, who had nothing. The Emperor, who had everything. The outcome of their battle seemed obvious. Naturally, the rumors spread even to the autonomous region. The followers of the hero rejoiced at the news that their vanished hero was still alive, but they also wept. They knew the hero had no chance of victory because they, who hated the Demon King, knew best. They were the ones who had either watched from afar, heard about, or experienced the Demon King''s massacre, known as the Godless. A single Demon King had routed armies, which had fled and gathered in the autonomous region. Amid the learned fear and despair, the autonomous region and the believers of the hero religion could not help but acknowledge that without the Demon King''s mercy, their existence would have been impossible. So, while they believed in the hero, they ultimately knew that the fortune granted to her by the heavens had reached its end, and they could not help but lament. ------ "Ten silver coins." "Yes, here." Ellen took an apple from the market and bit into it. With a crisp sound, the sweetness spread. It had been so long since Ellen had tasted sweetness that she shivered and felt goosebumps on her spine. As she walked down the street, she shivered at the sensation she had not felt in so long. Only those who have been away from civilization for a long time know how to appreciate it. Being able to eat an apple that was neither grown nor harvested by oneself. Being able to do so just by paying a few silver coins. One might think about eating an apple in the wild, but actually searching for one would be nothing more than foolishness. Finding a tree or a root to eat would be a blessing, but an apple? That would be absurd. However, in the city, a few copper coins made it possible. Feeling a sudden, unexpected gratitude, Ellen didn''t neglect to survey her surroundings. Wearing a hood or hiding her face didn''t particularly arouse suspicion. There were many others like her, after all. Compared to the previous era, the New Empire was still unstable, and the crime rate was incomparably higher. Consequently, there were many fugitives and people hiding their identities. Ellen was able to enter the city boldly due to the New Empire''s instability. Of course, if she were stopped for a random check, it would become a big problem. Ellen walked along the edge of the street, crunching on an apple. She had no money. But, fortunately, Ellen encountered a thief on the way into the city. For others, it would have been misfortune, but for Ellen, it was a stroke of luck. The thieves who approached her like a windfall handed over their money without knowing who she was. One gold coin, ten silver coins, and thirty copper coins were all the thief had, but they became Ellen''s funds. Since the thief had been knocked out without discovering her identity, there was no risk of being exposed. Thus, Ellen could gratefully munch on an apple, which she had bought using the money received from the thief who had attempted to rob her. The reason she had come to the city instead of the outskirts was that she needed information. ¡ª--- ¡®I heard a hero appeared in the northeast.¡¯ ¡®Eh, it''s probably another lie. Weren''t there one or two people in this neighborhood who claimed to have seen a hero or the Fallen Emperor?¡¯ ¡®No, they say it''s different this time. It seems even the Demon King has gone on an expedition.¡¯ ¡®The Demon King?¡¯ ¡®Yeah. If the Demon King, who never moved before, has taken action, something must be going on.¡¯ ¡®Huh... What''s going to happen then?¡¯ ¡®I don''t know. The Royal Knights and the Archmages are all out searching for the hero, bloodshot-eyed. They say the entire border has been sealed off. Not even an ant can move. They''re conducting thorough searches, of course.¡¯ ¡®Geez... Something big must have happened¡­¡¯ ¡®Still, the hero is a hero, right? She won''t be caught so easily, right?¡¯ ¡®The Demon King is a god, you know. Haven''t you heard the story of the battle at the Meran Plains?¡¯ ¡®Do you really believe that? It''s all lies.¡¯ ¡®Of course it''s true! The survivors of that battle can''t sleep just by hearing the Demon King''s name.¡¯ ¡®You have to make sense, man. No matter how great the Demon King is, how can he wage a war alone?¡¯ ¡®That''s why he''s the Demon King!¡¯ ¡ª--- Among the numerous stories she heard on the streets, Ellen picked out the information she needed. She had an idea of what her actions would bring about. But even if it gave a hint of her appearance somewhere, she deemed it crucial information that had to be shared urgently. If the nation didn''t take measures and establish countermeasures, the situation would undoubtedly worsen beyond control. As a result, the northeastern border of Kernstadt was completely sealed off. She couldn''t know how far the Empire''s blockade would extend, but it was probably impossible to pass through there. The important thing was that Kernstadt''s territory had expanded beyond the Empire''s. If the Imperial Army and the Kernstadt Army were deployed, they could establish a complete blockade along the northeastern border. However, Ellen judged that they wouldn''t have the capacity beyond that, and it was indeed true. Despite the circumstances, Ellen had entered the city for a reason of her own. It was impossible to gather information in the uninhabited area. She couldn''t know whether her true identity had been discovered or learn about the military''s movements. Thus, she had to enter the city to assess the situation. And secondly, Ellen wasn''t in the northeastern part of Kernstadt. She wasn''t trying to leave Kernstadt, but rather, she was going deeper into it. She was heading toward the southwestern part, which was the exact opposite of the area with a blockade line and frequent inspections. So, the army was blockading the wrong place. ------ After submitting the information to the adventurer''s guild in Vellodosia, Ellen hurriedly left the city. And she ran like mad. Not toward the northeastern direction where she had entered Kernstadt, which was the closest nation to the uninhabited area, but toward the southwest. Anyone could see that the information was suspicious, regardless of its validity. If she clumsily tried to escape through the entrance to Kernstadt, she could get stuck between the blocked borders. Ellen had anticipated this situation. She couldn''t be caught now after evading capture for so long, no matter what the intention was behind the pursuit. That''s why Ellen chose to go deeper. In the opposite direction of the blockade line. And as a result of risking her life to enter the city, she found out that the blockade line had indeed been set up in the northeastern region, as expected. Of course, if nothing was found at the blockade line for a long time, they might predict that she had actually gone deeper into Kernstadt. So, she couldn''t rest. She just needed to reach the southwestern border as quickly as possible. That border might have been blocked as well, but she didn''t have to cross it. She had obtained the necessary information. There was no need to stay in the city any longer. So, Ellen left the city, trying not to look suspicious but moving quickly. And when she finally escaped the city and bit into her last apple: -Crunch "..." I should have bought one more. And. Ellen regretted it for just a moment. ------ Ellen ran in places where there were few people. Running on the road would obviously be suspicious if anyone saw her, so she ran through the forests and mountains where there were no people. She had no time to spare, and the empire was no fool; they would surely realize that she wasn''t where the blockade line was set up. So, she had to move quickly through Kernstadt whenever she could. She was undertaking the incredible task of almost crossing the entire nation to escape. Focusing solely on moving, not hunting monsters or evading pursuers. She had to pass through some cities, but there were some she had no choice but to enter. She had to keep track of the empire''s movements, which could be changing in real-time. While Ellen fled in the opposite direction, rumors of the hero''s appearance had already spread throughout Kernstadt. Not only Kernstadt but the entire continent was now paying attention to the northeastern part of Kernstadt. Whether the hero would be caught or not. Whether the Demon King could finally put an end to the tiresome relationship with the hero. Debates raged everywhere. Though within the territory of Kernstadt, there were undoubtedly those who said that this time, the Demon King would be killed by the hero. Ellen had no interest in individual opinions. The truth hidden within those opinions. The fact that the empire was still setting up barricades, and the hero was waiting to escape. The fact that she had not yet fully grasped her own location. That was enough for her. Ellen purchased only the minimum amount of food in the city and quickly left after checking the movements of the imperial army. Her desire to sleep in a bed was immense, but she could not even attempt such a luxury. She could move without a horse over distances where one would normally need to ride. Even though she couldn''t properly sleep, Ellen, the extraordinary among the extraordinary, couldn''t afford to let her guard down. If the imperial army had discovered her movements, she had to change her escape route now, and she couldn''t afford to be negligent in gathering information. Thus, she fled in the opposite direction, passing through the center of Kernstadt and arrived at a certain city. In that city, Ellen didn''t find any frightening information that the imperial army had caught onto her movements. However, she obtained completely unexpected information. "The hero was caught?" "¡­?" That was a story Ellen couldn''t have even guessed. ----- The hero had been captured. Ellen, who was the hero herself, couldn''t help but be bewildered by this sudden story. I''m here, so who exactly was captured? It could be a misunderstanding, a mistake, or even a false rumor. Many people have picked up false rumors created by individuals and spread them without thought. However, everyone passing by was talking about it. "It was an incredible battle, but it seems the hero is still a hero." Moreover, a battle had even taken place. "How can anyone stand against the demon king?" "Hmm. Even if she¡¯s a hero, she can''t reach the demon king who has the archmage with him, can she?" "There''s even a rumor that the archmage is stronger than the demon king these days¡­" "That''s true¡­" "Ugh. So, it came to this." Some praised the greatness of the demon king, while others lamented the hero''s defeat. Ellen hurriedly left the city. Something was off. The situation was going awry. She was certain she had been heading towards the southwest of Kernstadt. But the hero was captured. An enormous battle had taken place between the demon king and the hero. Who fought with whom? Ellen had no choice but to visit the city and confirm the situation while speeding up her steps due to the strange rumors. Numerous armies had witnessed the battle between the demon king and the hero, and they had boldly fought one-on-one. The archmage hadn''t even lent a hand. In the end, the demon king had forced the hero into submission and sent her to the imperial capital. That''s what the story spread. It couldn''t be a false rumor. Far too many people were saying the same thing. They even said it was truly Ellen Artorius. That was the word going around. Ellen couldn''t understand what had happened. As time passed, and in the next city, she heard discussions about Ellen''s fate while she was there. "They''re going to execute her publicly." "People will flock to the imperial capital." "They''re apparently building a massive execution platform." The hero had been defeated by the demon king. She was sent to the imperial capital. A public execution was planned. Who was captured, and what was the intention? Ellen gave up trying to figure it out. First, she had to get out of Kernstadt. Fortunately, there were no suspicious checkpoints or heightened security anywhere due to the news of the hero''s capture. They could safely escape like this. Thus, in the last city she stopped in before almost reaching their destination. ¡®The hero has been executed.¡¯ Ellen couldn''t help but realize that the strange show orchestrated by the empire had finally reached its conclusion. ¡®In the end... the Demon King is victorious.¡¯ In the midst of these strange circumstances, Ellen walked absentmindedly through the streets. What was the purpose of all this? Faking the capture of the hero and publicly executing an imposter. But Ellen was still alive. No one would search for a dead hero, so there would be no one left seeking salvation from Ellen. Was it their own kind of consideration? Did they never plan to capture Ellen in the first place? If Ellen were to accidentally reveal herself, it would be exposed that the public execution was a sham. That would be nothing but bad news for the Demon King''s Empire. The imposter hero''s execution might have a powerful effect for now, but Ellen''s very existence was a potential threat. ''Is this... telling me to leave where humans live... forever...?'' It could be both mercy and a warning. They would let Ellen be considered dead, as long as Ellen never showed up again. The emperor''s army was initially for the purpose of suppressing and intimidating the fake hero, and even staging the execution as a show. But why now? Why did they remain silent for years and choose to act now of all times? It was the most dangerous timing for the Empire''s self-directed play to be exposed. In fact, Ellen was currently within Kernstadt''s territory. If Ellen had known what was happening, she would have fled far away from human lands, in case the empire''s fake execution show was exposed. Ellen would have hesitated to hand over the documents she had been recording so far. The exact reason was unknown. What mattered was that the hero was believed to be dead. Though Ellen never intended to reveal herself in the first place, she now had to live even more quietly. She couldn''t help the empire that Reinhardt had established, but she also couldn''t harm it. Would the empire set Ellen free like this? With that, Ellen walked through the city. This city was her last stop. The border of Kernstadt was still far away, but she would soon arrive at her destination. Ellen was never headed for the border region of Kernstadt in the first place. The southwestern edge of Kernstadt. In such a situation, with only one step left. As Ellen walked the main road, she saw something in an alley. Small animals crouching in the warm sunlight. -Meow -Cheep Four cats were basking in the sun at a corner of the road. "..." In the midst of a series of bizarre and grotesque events, Ellen couldn''t help but faintly smile. Cats. At some point, they had become special animals to Ellen. Because they were animals that had helped Ellen endure difficult and painful times. Cats were urban animals, so there was no chance of seeing them in the fields. So whenever Ellen rarely visited a city, she could see various cats. Each time, Ellen would involuntarily smile as she remembered those difficult yet oddly comforting times. Was he still doing well? Such worried thoughts naturally surfaced. Ellen hadn''t seen him since leaving him at the temple. He would occasionally visit, then disappear. The cat would return just when it seemed he was gone forever. Ellen had never given a name to that black cat. Undoubtedly, his fur had been glossy and black like that. Naturally, among the cats, Ellen''s gaze was drawn to the black one. There was something around the black cat''s neck. Could it be a domestic cat? Or was it abandoned? But what was hanging around the cat''s neck was neither a bell nor a collar. Ellen''s eyes widened. "¡­!" A round, ivory-white object. It looked like a piece of the moon embedded in the sun. It was unmistakably the same as the amulet Ellen had received from Dettomorian. It wasn''t just similar. It wasn''t just alike. Both the cat and the amulet were the same. The image in Ellen''s memory was not even slightly different. "You, you¡­ you¡­ are¡­ why¡­ are you here¡­?" Ellen''s lips trembled. In an impossible place. An animal that couldn''t possibly be there. Wearing an impossible necklace, right in front of Ellen. -Meow It cried softly. CH 692 If human thoughts were like tangled threads, Ellen''s thoughts were now a complete mess, twisted and knotted together. It was impossible to know where the tangle began, and therefore, it was impossible to untangle it. She couldn''t make sense of anything. There was no way she could understand why the cat, still wearing the necklace she had thrown away, had appeared not in the temple but in a city thousands of kilometers away in the southwest of Kernstadt. Ellen ran away. She fled without even knowing why. Without thinking, she turned into an alleyway and ran like a madwoman. What had happened? How did everything come to this? She thought about it, but couldn''t find any answers. In this state of confusion, Ellen ran aimlessly. She just sprinted through the narrow alleyways. The tangled maze of alleys was exactly like the confusion in Ellen''s head. Her whole body was covered in cold sweat, her breath was labored from the running, which she was painfully accustomed to. "Haah... Haah..." It was terrifying. Frightening. Eerie. She felt like something had happened to her. Like she had been tricked. Even now, she felt the fear of running away from someone''s grasp. The cat that had always been with her. The cat that had been her refuge. The cat, which had remained a fond memory from her difficult past, had become the object of her fear in a completely unexpected situation. Running through the alleyways, Ellen no longer knew where she had come from or where she was going. Was she running in circles? Or was she actually getting somewhere? Should she scale the walls and buildings to escape the city quickly? "Huff... Huff... Huuah..." Overwhelmed by an unknown fear, she glanced behind her, but nothing was following her. She ran without even knowing what she was fleeing from. Though nothing pursued her, the thought that something was chasing her filled her mind. She couldn''t tell what it was. But it felt like someone knew everything. She thought she was running away. But in reality, she was still in their grasp. There was no other way to explain everything that had happened. "Haah... Haah... Haah..." -Kaang! Thud! At the end of her aimless escape, stepping on and tripping over garbage and boxes in the alley, Ellen saw the surroundings gradually becoming whiter as she ran through an unfamiliar alley, not knowing where she had gone wrong. "What... is this?" Suddenly, there was fog. It was impossible in the bright weather. But unable to stop, Ellen continued running, turning corners in the alley. However, as the fog closed in, Ellen couldn''t help but feel the strangeness that had come upon her once again. She had definitely been running through an alley blocked on both sides. But as the fog invaded her space, everything disappeared. Even the walls of the buildings that had been supporting her on either side. Even the ground she had been stepping on was obscured by the fog around her ankles. Fog surrounded her in all directions, and every nearby landmark vanished. No matter where she walked in the open space, she could see or feel nothing other than the fog. A chill crept over her. She couldn''t tell what kind of magic had befallen her, if it was magic at all. Although she wasn''t immune to it, ordinary magic could neither harm nor interfere with Ellen. But somehow, she had fallen into the maze of some unknown magic. Ellen ran, lost and aimless. In a strange space where one couldn''t tell whether the end would be visible if they ran, she ran recklessly. Was it going in circles? Was she going anywhere? Ellen couldn''t find a way out of this maze. Just running vaguely, running and running. "Haah... Haah... Haah..." At the moment when the thought of collapsing from the breath that filled her up to her chin came to her mind- -Whooosh! "Hu, huu...!" Suddenly, the fog cleared. And then, Ellen saw it. The tall, burning sun and the bright blue sky. The white sandy beach that appeared out of nowhere. -Swoosh And the waves. -Splash Ellen had arrived at a coastline where transparent emerald waves rolled in. What happened? Where was this place? Was it a real place that existed in reality? With those thoughts, Ellen looked at the beach with trembling eyes. There he was. As if by fate. At one corner of the beach, Reinhardt was there. The amulet she once wore. The amulet that had just hung around the neck of a black cat. "Have you run away now?" Now, it hung around Reinhardt''s neck. ------ After wandering through an unknown maze, Ellen arrived at a beach. She couldn''t help but know everything. What had happened so far? The black cat was Reinhardt. She was not tied down by anything, nor restrained. -Swoosh The waves that rolled in and the distant cries of seabirds were the only things that invaded the silence between them. As Reinhardt approached, Ellen could only tremble. All she could do was watch Reinhardt come closer while shaking, and slowly back away, little by little. Although she couldn''t tell where she was, it was clear that he already knew her location. "H-how... How..." As Ellen''s words, scared by the incomprehensible situation, reached him, Reinhardt shrugged his shoulders. "You''re not a fool. You wouldn''t try to escape the same way you entered." He had read her. "That place was the last city." He even knew where she would end up. From the moment she entered Kernstadt, he knew she would head southwest. Kernstadt southwest. "The last city before entering the Sren Mountains." There was a massive mountain range there. "Did you think I wouldn''t know that you were trying to go to Rezaira?" Ellen''s hometown. The Demon King knew that Ellen would flee in the direction of Kernstadt''s southwest, where her hometown, Rezaira, was. He had long known that Ellen wouldn''t disappear beyond the southwestern border, but would head to the Sren Mountains. "Of course, I thought you''d go that way." Entering from the northeast and heading to the southwest. Once the route was known, it was obvious which cities she would pass through and where she would end up. There was a high possibility that her whereabouts had been known from the middle. While retreating step by step, Ellen eventually cornered herself. The Demon King gripped Ellen''s chin and peered into her eyes. "Do you think it would have made a difference if you had arrived at Rezaira without being detected?" "..." "You may not know, but I''ve been there already." "What...?" That was a story Ellen had never heard before. Ellen had only briefly mentioned Rezaira to Reinhardt a long time ago, in passing. She hadn''t expected him to remember that. That''s why she thought he would have no idea at all. But not only did he remember, he had even been to Rezaira himself. When exactly? Even if Ellen had finally reached Rezaira, Reinhardt could have come to Rezaira and found Ellen. From the moment Ellen entered Kernstadt, the Demon King knew where she was heading. Even if she had escaped safely, he could have entered her final destination. Escape had been impossible from the start. Ellen swallowed, her chin held firmly in his grip. In Reinhardt''s piercing, scrutinizing gaze, Ellen couldn''t even move. She felt a vague fear. A vague pain. Reinhardt released her chin and stepped back. Just moments ago, she had been in a city in Kernstadt, but suddenly, she had arrived at a tropical beach. "Where... where is this...?" Reinhardt shrugged his shoulders, pointing behind Ellen. Not at the beach, but toward the interior of the island. As Ellen turned around, there was a mansion. It was a bizarre sight. A beach out of nowhere, a mansion out of nowhere. The mansion was certainly not present in any of her memories. "You really don''t know?" Reinhardt asked. The scenery was similar to the Grantz Duchy''s villa on the Edina Archipelago she had visited once, but the mansion was clearly different. Ellen gazed into the distance. A landscape that could only be called a tropical forest stretched out before her. She wondered where such a place could be. There was only one landscape in her memory. "Could it be... here... we... before..." "Yes." Reinhardt nodded. "The uninhabited island we visited during our group mission in the past." An unknown uninhabited island. A place where they had once conducted a group mission. It wasn''t a place that didn''t exist in reality; it was definitely real. But now, there was a newly built mansion that hadn''t been there before. She didn''t know how she had gotten here or what the mansion was. She couldn''t even understand why he had brought her here. In that place, which was a pleasant memory from a difficult but ultimately good period, Ellen and Reinhardt had returned. She didn''t know why he had brought her here. She didn''t know what he wanted to do. Reinhardt offered no explanation. If he were to say something resentful, could she bear it? A traitor. A runaway. In reality, she had no excuse to offer Reinhardt. Without any explanation, she had left for her own reasons. She couldn''t refute any sorrow, anger, or resentment she might hear. She didn''t have the confidence to persuade him. Fearing what she might hear, Reinhardt said nothing to the trembling Ellen. He simply picked up a thick branch from the scattered branches around them. Swish! Without realizing it, Ellen caught the branch he suddenly threw. "I don''t know about the rest." Reinhardt also picked up a branch. "Let''s have a sword fight, like old times." For some reason, Reinhardt wore a playful smile reminiscent of their time at the temple. Holding the branch like a training sword, Reinhardt slowly approached Ellen, aiming at her. However, just thinking about those days made Ellen''s heart ache. And so. "Ah... ugh..." Facing each other like this was overwhelming, and tears burst forth. However, even though Reinhardt''s attitude was playful, there was no playfulness in his grip. "Tsk." Seeing Ellen sobbing, Reinhardt lightly kicked the sand and rushed at her. "You''re wide open." -Smack! "Ah...ow!" Distracted by sadness and longing, Ellen was hit on the head by the branch, and she crumpled to the ground. "Ugh..." Reinhardt looked down at Ellen, who was crying and collapsed, and laughed. "Are you not going to snap out of it?" "..." "Who do you think you''re up against right now?" The Apostle of the War God. The Demon King of Flames. The ruler of the continent. She was facing Reinhardt, the great emperor. Of course, he was holding a tree branch at the moment. "Get up, we''re going again." Sniffling, Ellen staggered to her feet. The tip of the tree branch she was barely holding trembled. What was the point? Would things go back to the way they were if they fought like this with just a branch? So much had changed, and they had spent so much time apart. This wouldn''t bring them back, she knew that. What did he want? His heart, his attitude. It was too heartbreaking and sad, Ellen couldn''t concentrate. Ellen wanted to go back more than anyone. But she couldn''t because she couldn''t allow herself. Because she was a sinner, and she couldn''t do it due to her guilt. "Reinhardt... I... I can''t... I can''t do it..." So, her fingertips trembled. "Is that so?" "Uh...yes... I can''t... I can''t do it... I''m sorry... I''m sorry. It''s my fault. I''m sorry..." Seeing Ellen crying and barely standing, Reinhardt''s eyes changed. "Then." The playfulness disappeared. Aura gathered around the tree branch. "Die." It wasn''t a light leap. The moment she came to her senses, Reinhardt was already close, and the ordinary tree branch had become an Aura Blade that pierced Ellen''s side. She was going to die. At that moment. Swoosh! Ellen''s tree branch, also infused with aura, barely deflected the fatal thrust. "Ha...haa...ha..." Pushed back by the tremendous impact, Ellen took a few steps back, wide-eyed, and caught her breath while looking at Reinhardt. Reinhardt smiled again, draping the aura-infused branch over his shoulder. "See, you''re doing just fine." Don''t make excuses if you can do it. Reinhardt added that and aimed the branch at Ellen again. She didn''t know what he wanted. But nothing would end until she fought back without complaint. So, Ellen held back her tears, and aimed her tree branch at Reinhardt. He smiled, seemingly satisfied with her attitude. CH 693 For the two whose bare bodies were weapons, even a tree branch could become an excellent weapon. The importance of a weapon with aura imbued in it wasn''t significant unless it was a relic-level item. As Reinhardt requested, Ellen imbued the tree branch with aura, and sometimes they fought using only the branches. Ellen lost most of the time. It was too difficult for her to compose herself emotionally, and she couldn''t concentrate because the unbearable guilt from just meeting Reinhardt''s gaze. So. -Smack! "Ugh!" -Thwack! "Argh!" -Whack! "Uh...." -Crash! "Gasp!" She had been hit for a long time. Reinhardt didn''t really intend to kill Ellen, but he didn''t go easy on her either. Ellen was at her limit with exhaustion and fatigue from her long escape, and she couldn''t even remember the last time she had rested properly. She couldn''t remember the last time she had eaten properly either. It was nothing short of a one-sided beating. She couldn''t control her emotions, and her body had already reached its limit. Her mind felt rather at ease. The pain, the suffering. It was better to be hit like that than to hear verbal criticisms. It seemed like words would hurt more, so being hit like this was less painful. It felt like she was receiving punishment for what she had done up until now. Thinking like that, although it hurt, her heart felt at ease. However, the pain accumulated. Her body and mind had already reached their limits long ago. In the moment when her vision blurred not from sadness but from the pain and the limits of her consciousness, Reinhardt approached and delivered a knee strike. -Thump! "Uh...ah!" Hit by that, Ellen finally lost consciousness. ------ -Whoosh Ellen woke up when the sun had set, and night had already fallen on the uninhabited island. "Uh...!" As soon as she regained consciousness, she sat up abruptly, realizing the situation in which she had fainted. Fainting was a rare occurrence for her. Fainting in an uninhabited area was akin to death. Her body had never been pushed to such extreme conditions before. Her entire body ached and hurt. "Are you awake?" Hearing the voice, she turned her head and saw that Reinhardt was still there. In front of Reinhardt, a campfire was lit. -Crackling And something skewered on a stick was being roasted over the campfire. It was a huge lobster. A few shells were scattered around, indicating that some had already been eaten. Chewing on tree roots and eating a proper meal in the city seemed like a distant memory. There was hardly any meat to cook in the monster-infested area. That''s why she was always so hungry, not just now. "Eat." "..." At his nonchalant attitude, Ellen couldn''t help but hesitate. It didn''t feel right. It felt like it shouldn''t be like this. It seemed wrong to just dismiss everything so casually. Ellen couldn''t approach or distance herself from Reinhardt, who frowned at her indecision. "Don''t make this difficult, just eat." "Okay... I''ll, I''ll eat..." In the end, fearing Reinhardt''s anger, Ellen hesitantly approached the campfire. Ellen couldn''t help but be cautious, as if it was only natural. Had he caught it himself? At a glance, his clothes appeared as if they had been soaked and then dried. It was evident that he had caught it himself. It was unknown how long she had been unconscious. But during that time, some vitality had returned to her body. Reinhardt didn''t say a word. Ellen tore off a cooked lobster claw, separating its tail as well. It was quite hot to touch with bare hands, but that didn''t matter. Somehow, it was a little pathetic. It wasn''t sad or desperate. She had failed to escape, even though she had tried. It wasn''t a tearful reunion nor listening to criticism. If Ellen had heard resentful words that made her want to die, she wouldn''t know. But with no words spoken, it felt like she was going mad. Swinging around a tree branch, she had eventually been struck and lost consciousness. And now she was trying to eat the lobster with her bare hands. Moreover, at the moment, Ellen appeared filthy and disheveled, like a beggar. Looking like a beggar, she had to eat like one. And she had to eat in front of the person she least wanted to see her in this state. But since Reinhardt had prepared it, she couldn''t refuse. It might not have been as significant as her previous mistakes, but refusing would also be a mistake, wouldn''t it? Even in this state, on this occasion. She was so hungry her tongue stung. This situation. Too much. Too much. Extremely. It wasn''t sadness or pain. She was ashamed to the point of wanting to die. "¡­" "What''s there to be sorry about? Isn''t this too trivial to feel sorry for at this point?" As Ellen hesitated, Reinhardt frowned, as if suspecting there was another reason. It wasn''t that. It wasn''t because she was sorry or sad. It was because she was ashamed. She was too embarrassed to eat. She couldn''t possibly say it. "No, no... that''s not it..." But in this situation, telling someone she was ashamed or embarrassed was too absurd, so the words couldn''t escape her lips. "Just eat it." In the end, Ellen couldn''t resist Reinhardt''s urging and bit into the lobster''s tender flesh. The moment she took a bite, various thoughts flooded Ellen''s mind. It was so delicious she thought her tongue would melt. It was so sweet. Why was it so sweet? It was strange. There shouldn''t have been any sugar in it. The sweetness, like her brain melting as it passed her tongue, almost made her lose her reason. She wanted to stuff her mouth with it right away. But doing so would be too embarrassing. However, with the juices from the bite splattering around her mouth, she looked like a beggar no matter how gracefully she tried to eat. And the thought of wanting to eat gracefully was the most pathetic of all. As Ellen stood there, unable to do anything while holding a bitten piece of lobster, Reinhardt quietly observed her. With a sour expression, Reinhardt spoke. "From the very beginning, when you didn''t even bother to wash properly and roamed around the Kernstadt territory, you were worse than a filthy, wild dog. Just eat comfortably." "!!!!" It wasn''t that she didn''t know. She knew what he was thinking. In the end, tears welled up in her eyes. It wasn''t because she was too sad. It was because of the sorrow. "Ah... Hic..." "¡­You''re making a fuss." It wasn''t that she hadn''t washed, but rather that she couldn''t wash. She held back the urge to say such words, knowing full well that it was likely intentional. Adding any unnecessary comments wouldn''t help the situation anyway. With a heavy heart, Ellen held back tears and ate her food reluctantly. And when it wasn''t enough, she went into the sea and caught a few more fish. Reinhardt watched, gritting his teeth and turning his head away with a laugh. It was nice that he laughed. And she was grateful he didn''t get angry. But it wasn''t a laugh of joy; it was a mocking one. That mocking laugh made Ellen sadder, and she cried a little more. ------ Though she tried her best to eat modestly, it was impossible when she had to eat with her bare hands. Reinhardt looked at Ellen''s messy state and distanced himself slightly, as if he was looking at something filthy. It was indeed sorrowful, sad, and depressing. But she never imagined that she would feel such sorrow in this way. She had thought she would receive criticism or blame for running away. Instead, she was treated like a dirty person, someone so filthy it was hard to associate with, and this brought her sadness and sorrow in a different way. It wasn''t about blaming her. It was about her being disgusting. Hearing such things made her mind a mess. Worse still, Ellen knew better than anyone how dirty she actually looked, which made her even more upset. "Are you done eating?" "Uh, um..." At Reinhardt''s question, Ellen cautiously nodded. After putting out the campfire with a few kicks, Reinhardt began walking somewhere. "Follow me." "..." As if he wouldn''t accept any objections, Ellen hesitantly stood up and cautiously followed him. When Ellen got close enough, Reinhardt suddenly quickened his pace. And then he turned around and laughed slyly. As if he had thought of a mean prank. "¡­Ugh." "¡­" But after seeing Ellen''s expression, he closed his mouth. It was because he saw a pitiful expression that made it seem like Ellen would strangle herself and die if he said another word about hygiene. That was how cornered Ellen felt at that moment, in a way she couldn''t have predicted. Reinhardt led her to something that didn''t originally belong on the deserted island¡ªa mansion. He opened the gate, went inside, and turned on a lantern. "You''ll find everything you need here. Wash up and rest." "¡­Huh?" "I have a lot to do. I''ll come back tomorrow. Or maybe the day after." Reinhardt left those words behind and exited the mansion. Wondering what on earth was happening, she opened the door to find that Reinhardt had already disappeared. It felt as if she had been bewitched. What was this mansion? She couldn''t even be sure if this was the place they had visited during their group mission on a deserted island. She had no idea what Reinhardt wanted to do. But the important thing was, she had been caught. She couldn''t run away. "Ah¡­" That was it. Ellen realized. This was a deserted island. She couldn''t swim from an unknown deserted island to the mainland. With no knowledge of navigation or anything like that, even if she managed to build something like a raft, it would be suicidal to rely on it and head out to the open sea. There was no escape. This place was a prison. Knowing that Ellen couldn''t run away, Reinhardt left. "So... that''s how it is..." Ellen realized that she was, in a way, trapped in the largest prison in the world. She could break all the physical iron bars. But the vast natural barrier called the sea was something Ellen couldn''t overcome. A deserted island prison. There was no better place to imprison Ellen and make her resign herself to her fate. Ellen cautiously looked around the mansion. Though she couldn''t be sure, it seemed to be set up for her to live alone. As if to explain that it wasn''t a hastily built mansion, there were magical tools that Ellen had never seen before. Was this really allowed? It didn''t seem right. But in the end, the thought that she couldn''t escape erased all of Ellen''s other concerns. This must have been expected. It seemed that they had anticipated her eventual resignation. Perhaps they had anticipated the day when Ellen would be found and had known that she would try to run away like last time. Was that why such a place was prepared? Regardless of whose plan it was to create this place, Ellen resigned herself, as the planner intended, and headed to the bathroom. Clothes to change into were already prepared. After taking off her dirty clothes, cape, and boots, Ellen washed her body with hot water. Meticulously. As if she intended to wash every single strand of hair thoroughly. After spending a long time busily washing, it still wasn''t the end. She filled the bathtub with water and immersed her body in it. "..." She wanted to rest. She hadn''t had a proper rest in years. Feeling overwhelmed by this extravagant sensation, she wondered if she was allowed to experience it, as strange thoughts engulfed her. She lay down in the bathtub as if she were sinking. She couldn''t understand what was happening or how things were turning out. Would it be okay for everything to go by in such a haphazard way? She couldn''t reach any conclusions. However. It was too warm, so warm. It was supposed to be a prison. Feeling guilty and tormented for receiving such a warm place. "...Huh." Ellen cried again. CH 694 How long had it been since she slept in a bed? How long had it been since she fell asleep without worry of ambush, completely relaxed? When Ellen woke up, she was startled by the sensation of the pillow touching her face and sat up. Her instincts, honed by her lifestyle thus far, made her fear comfort. -Chirp! The sound of birds from the jungle beyond the window and the distant sound of waves told her that yesterday''s events were not just a dream. "Ah¡­" Everything had felt surreal since yesterday. From the reunion with the black cat to this very morning, every moment felt like a strange lie. Perhaps it was a dream she had after falling asleep from exhaustion in front of the campfire. Or maybe it was a vision right before death due to her body''s limits. But no matter how hard she tried to come to her senses, she could only accept it as reality. Usually, she would have been busy packing her things and setting off as soon as she woke up. Walking, sometimes running. Killing monsters. Chewing on tree roots. Sleeping rough, hardly even lying down. Waking up on a soft, fluffy bed after spending such monotonous days felt incredibly unfamiliar. Unfamiliar, but... "Uh..." Ellen rolled around in her pajamas, hugging her blanket for quite a while. She felt foolish, but she just couldn''t bring herself to get up. ------ Ellen took a shower, feeling grateful for the availability of water wherever and whenever. After changing into a prepared white cotton dress, she sat blankly for a moment. -Gurgle She was hungry. She was always hungry. To be honest, even what she had eaten yesterday hadn''t satisfied her completely. The hunger carved into her bones over the years seemed like it would never be filled, no matter how much she ate. Ellen headed to the kitchen. Not only were there plenty of ingredients in the food storeroom, but the kitchen was also fully equipped with all necessary systems and cooking tools. It had been difficult to afford the luxury of cooking food in the field. But she had learned a lot from watching Reinhardt during her time in the temple. Once you know the basics, applying them isn''t hard. As long as she had the ingredients, she could cook anytime. For the first time in a long while, Ellen picked up a kitchen knife instead of a combat knife and began to cook. Not that she made anything particularly amazing. She had intended to make the meat stew she used to love. It wasn''t anything extraordinary, but she planned to make a lot of it. She wanted to relieve the pent-up frustration from the enforced fasting she had endured. So, she made an enormous amount. She made so much that she couldn''t possibly finish it all, thinking she''d indulge herself. With that thought, Ellen took out a huge pot from the kitchen and began to prepare the stew. It didn''t need to be well made. With her dulled taste buds, anything she ate tasted exquisite. The aroma and flavor of the lobster she had eaten yesterday still seemed to linger on the tip of her tongue. And so. Ellen began to eat almost an entire pot''s worth of meat stew. No one was around to judge her for eating so much, as she might have yesterday. How long had it been since she lost her self-control like this? She ate for almost two hours. Her mind was so focused on eating that she didn''t notice anything else until suddenly. -Thud "!!!!" The mansion''s door abruptly opened, and Reinhardt entered. Unfortunately, from the door, Reinhardt could see straight into the kitchen. He saw Ellen, without properly setting the table, scooping up the stew straight from the pot beside the table. It was then that Ellen noticed the splattered stew on her white dress, making it slightly dirty. Reinhardt saw her as well. "..." "..." A brief silence passed between them. Ellen then realized that Reinhardt was not empty-handed. It seemed like he had brought something similar to a tray. Judging by its size, it was clear that he had prepared a significant amount, considering how much Ellen would eat. Undoubtedly, Reinhardt had brought her something to eat. However, she couldn''t wait and had been scooping up stew from the pot. If she had only been patient, he would have served her a proper meal, but she was hungrily eating away. "Ah..." Reinhardt sighed. It was not a sigh of contempt, but rather one of sympathy. How hungry must she have been? It was undoubtedly a sigh of sorrow. That sigh pierced her heart deeply. "..." She had thought that when they met, she would cry. Because Reinhardt would be afraid. Because he would feel sorry. So, it seemed like she would cry. However, she wondered why she kept feeling embarrassed, and why crying was the only reaction she could muster. Ellen cried again. ------ Various foods of different dimensions were placed before her. Reinhardt laid out a plethora of food in front of Ellen, who sat with the expression of someone who had been caught rummaging through the kitchen on the first night of their diet. "...I guess I was a bit harsh yesterday." "Huh? What?" Out of nowhere, she didn''t understand what he was talking about. "I told you to wash, not to scrub your skin off." "Ah, right......" In fact, Ellen''s fair skin was still reddened from scrubbing too hard the day before. The visible parts looked like this, but the hidden parts were probably even worse. Despite feeling like she could collapse from exhaustion, she had meticulously cleaned every part of her body, even her nails. It wasn''t as if she was preparing for something in particular. But somehow, it felt like she was getting ready. She found herself ridiculous and unbelievable, yet she had done so. Ellen, unable to respond, lowered her head as her face turned red for a different reason. Imagining the sobbing Ellen scrubbing herself after hearing that she looked like a stray dog from a slum, Reinhardt offered a subtle smile. "How about it, do you want some noodles?" "Uh... uh... uh..." "Sorry, no, hey, I won''t do it. Hey, I won''t do it. I said I won''t!" "..." Seeing Ellen on the verge of breaking down in sorrow again, Reinhardt vigorously shook his head. What he really wanted to talk about was not that. But he kept teasing her with completely irrelevant things. His words were so light and trivial, only talking about insignificant matters. He was clearly doing it on purpose. Right now, she wasn''t angry at his words. She was so happy, yet so sorry and guilty. It felt as if everything could go back to the way it was before. It seemed as if she only needed to accept it. But she just couldn''t. All she felt was sadness and guilt. As if understanding her feelings just from her expression, Reinhardt eventually got up from his seat with a bitter smile. "Eat up, I''ll be going." "..." Reinhardt, once again showing consideration to not make Ellen miserable, left the mansion. She couldn''t not eat. Ellen ate the prepared meal. Every last bite. Of course, regardless of her feelings, it was delicious. ------ Such days continued. Reinhardt didn''t come every day. He would skip a day, and he wasn''t always there. There were many times when he would just show his face and leave. He never really spoke. He didn''t get closer than necessary. He simply kept a little distance. It was Ellen who became impatient. She wished he would say something. Would he keep her imprisoned like this forever? Would her acceptance of this life be enough? But she couldn''t bring herself to ask. Guilt took precedence over her questions. It was unbearable to keep her mouth shut and meet his gaze, let alone ask anything. She managed to sleep and eat well only for a few days. She stayed awake through the nights. This couldn''t be the way to live. She shouldn''t be like this. Even a little bit. To atone for her sins, to repay even a little of what she had done in the world. She shouldn''t be standing still here. Such obsession began to surge. Days were spent in self-reproach and agony. She thought she would settle into it, but she didn''t. The self-reproach only grew stronger. The more comfortable she was. The more peaceful. The more painful it became. Her body felt better, but her mind seemed to wear away even more. After about half a month. Time passed as Ellen grew impatient and anxious. Naturally, her mental problems were secondary, and it was enough time to wash away years of accumulated fatigue. Her innate resilience and stamina were excellent. Regardless of everything, she ate well and slept well. During those days, on a still sunny day. "Come out." Reinhardt called Ellen outside. ------ Wearing a white dress, Ellen put on sandals and followed Reinhardt to the beach. "By now, you should have returned to your original condition, right?" "Huh? Ah... Yes. Uhm..." "Then, let''s really give it a try." Swoosh In Reinhardt''s right hand, a sword appeared instead of a tree branch. Ellen''s eyes widened. The sword of the war god. Alsbringer. It was in Reinhardt''s hand. "Do you think I''ve been feeding and resting you all this time just to raise a useless pig that won''t gain weight no matter how much it eats?" At those harsh words, Ellen nodded her head with a desolate expression. "... I guess not." Leaving her alone without saying much up until now was ultimately an extension of the first day. He had left her alone until she recovered her original condition, both mentally and physically, after pushing her to her limits. Half a month. There were days spent with mixed emotions, but it was ultimately enough recovery time for Ellen to be in her best condition. "Lament, do you have it?" Do you have it? Why would he ask that? Had it disappeared? At Reinhardt''s strange question, Ellen quietly nodded her head. "Then take it out." As if he wouldn''t permit something like a tree branch again, Reinhardt coldly spoke. What would happen if she said no? Hesitating, Ellen cautiously spoke while clutching the hem of her dress as if to protest. "I... am wearing... a skirt..." "So what?" "..." Ellen had no choice but to feel embarrassed in front of Reinhardt, who spoke as if her clothing choice was none of his concern. "I already have five wives, do you think I care about your underwear?" "..." "Shut up and draw your Lament." At his harsh, almost sad words, Ellen quietly held her breath. That''s right. She had no right to argue. Though she couldn''t do everything, she had to do as much as she could. On the first day, it was hard to bear emotionally, mentally, and physically. And so, she was beaten until she fainted, quite literally. Her sword wavered, and so did her heart. But now, half a month had passed. It was still difficult, but she had grown a little used to seeing Reinhardt''s face after five years. Her condition had improved. She felt so refreshed, as if the dirt and grime from her body and mind had been stripped away after a long rest. She couldn''t remember the last time she had been in such a perfect state. She had rested well. She had rested long. She had eaten well. The lack of conversation was not because of his worry for Ellen or having nothing to say. It was merely his intention not to speak until Ellen had fully recovered. Ellen still didn''t know what to do. Whether she deserved forgiveness or if she deserved this kind of life. This didn''t seem right, but there were still things she could do. Reinhardt wanted to confirm something, and Ellen had now become as prepared as Reinhardt had wished. Then, she just had to show him. What Reinhardt wanted to confirm. That was obvious, wasn''t it? Her confusion and hesitation finally began to subside a little. As her fear, sorrow, and guilt from being trapped on a deserted island subsided, Ellen''s expression finally calmed. Ellen carefully removed her sandals. She neatly placed her sandals next to her and stepped onto the white sandy beach with her bare feet. Reinhardt silently watched Ellen. After a moment of deep breathing, Ellen looked at Reinhardt. A calm expression. A serene gaze. She returned to the same expression and gaze she had always shown when facing Reinhardt. "Do you really want to defeat me?" At Ellen''s question, Reinhardt nodded. "Isn''t that obvious?" On the first day, Ellen had been too weak to be worth fighting. Reinhardt wanted to check. How strong had she become? Comparing him to Ellen, how would it be now? He intended to prove it by fighting Ellen in her prime condition. Did he surpass his teacher? If so, she would oblige. Ellen gave a faint smile. There was anger, resentment, and rage. But he had waited, without showing any emotion, until he was at her full strength because he planned to face her with all her might. So, putting the next matter aside for now. She just needed to give it her all. -Swish In Ellen''s right hand, the Moon''s Sword, Lament, appeared. Ellen couldn''t help but notice the change in her divine weapon. At some point, the Void Sword Lament, which had always been pitch-black as if reflecting the night sky, had returned to a cold silver blade. "Ah..." The Void Sword was no longer a Void Sword. Ellen knew that Lament reacted to sorrow. Just by being in the same place as Reinhardt, Lament lost its form as a void sword. Sorrow disappeared all too easily. It disappeared just by being together. Am I no longer sad now? "How about that? Your divine weapon seems to be in poor shape," Reinhardt sneered as if he knew it too. "And what about Lapelt?" Reinhardt asked about her not summoning the Sun Cloak. Ellen smiled brightly. At her best. "...Is it really necessary?" And then she provoked him. "How embarrassing would it be to summon it later?" "That''s something for later." Reinhardt aimed Alsbringer and slowly measured the distance between him and Ellen. There had always been days like this. It had always been a series of such days. She couldn''t know if it was okay. For now, she had decided to give it her all, so she wouldn''t wait for him to come. So, she went first. Swish! With the skirt of her dress flapping roughly, Ellen''s eyes widened as she thrust Lament towards Reinhardt''s chest. Seeing the sharp gaze and the sword''s trajectory, Reinhardt smiled. It was a smile and gaze that seemed to say he wanted this. Clang! As Lament and Alsbringer collided, a storm of magical power erupted, and the sand of the white beach was scattered roughly. From bottom to top. "I don''t know about other things..." Ellen pushed up her sword and looked up at Reinhardt with a cold gaze. "You''ve gotten quite arrogant, Reinhardt." Ellen Artorius. The hero, who was already known to the world as dead, pushed aside the demon king''s sword and murmured coldly. I wronged you. I betrayed you. I ran away from you. But your victory over me is an entirely unrelated issue. You wanted the best of me, so I''ll show you the best of me. No, it''s still okay to give in a little. Ellen Artorius said with just a glance. As he pressed down on the sword with force from below, the demon king spoke. "Isn''t this much acceptable?" Reinhardt pushed back Ellen''s sword and grinned maliciously. Rumble! The storm of magical power exploded, and the two were thrown back as violently as they had clashed. Both of them landed properly on the white beach without rolling around. Clutching Lament, Ellen charged fiercely. Reinhardt also charged in the same manner. The skirt of the hero''s white dress and the demon king''s shirt fluttered violently in the wind. CH 695 The skirmish was short-lived. It lasted a total of thirty-five exchanges. As Ellen, holding the Lament, parried Reinhardt''s sword with her half-swording technique, she pierced through the gap in his dynamic movements, burying his entire body in the white sand. Thud! With Reinhardt half-buried in the sand, Ellen climbed on his chest and ended the fight by placing the blade of Lament against his throat. The blade and their faces were so close, they were almost touching. "You''re dead." "¡­Yes, it seems so." At Ellen''s words, Reinhardt nodded. He even smiled, as if he had wanted to hear those words while being overpowered. Though the skirmish was brief, the two combatants, who had already turned into monsters, left the white sands utterly devastated. "Are you going to do more?" Ellen asked while keeping Lament pointed at his throat. "No." Some things can be known from the moment swords are crossed. Reinhardt hadn''t thought he could win from the beginning, and Ellen couldn''t help but realize this. Ellen knew it too. A hundred times out of a hundred, she would win. She knew she would prevail. So, Reinhardt must have known as well. Ellen got up from Reinhardt''s flattened body and helped him to his feet. "Sure enough, I can''t beat you." Reinhardt couldn''t defeat Ellen with the swordsmanship he had learned from her. That much remained unchanged. "Do you really need to beat me?" "Actually, I don''t really want to win." Reinhardt laughed. "It''s just nice like this." "¡­" "Winning and losing don''t matter." Reinhardt gazed at the waves rolling in. Waves that surged, broke, retreated, then surged and broke again, only to retreat once more. As he watched the seemingly eternal ebb and flow. "What matters is that we can do this." It wasn''t about winning or losing; he had wanted the very fact that they could cross swords like this. There would always be a next time. And a time after that. He had yearned for that eternal moment, independent of victory or defeat. That succession of moments, Reinhardt said. Ellen still didn''t know how Reinhardt had managed to overpower her. How had he done it? He couldn''t even defeat her now. How could he have overpowered and saved her back then when she was stronger, possessed by a vengeful spirit? Ellen still didn''t know. And it seemed Reinhardt had no intention of explaining it to her. In the end, Reinhardt had confirmed what he wanted to know. Between Ellen and himself, who was stronger? Ellen was stronger. The gap remained insurmountable. Even if he were to lose eternally, he wished to win just once. He knew that after that single victory, he would return to a continuous string of defeats. "You may not know, but you''re officially dead." Finally, Reinhardt said what he had wanted to say. Hearing those words, Ellen felt as if her breath had stopped. The thought of the real conversation frightened her. She felt suffocated and scared, not knowing what she would hear. The Demon King had captured the fake hero and executed her. The exact method of the staged play was unknown. However, the hero was dead. It was done. "We forcibly brought the autonomous region''s representatives and made them watch the public execution. They seemed to enjoy it." Reinhardt chuckled. It was a wicked sense of humor. He couldn''t help but think so. He had forced the representatives of the human autonomous region to watch their hope being executed mercilessly. Cruel, but undoubtedly effective. The one who died must have been something like a puppet. Creating such a thing wouldn''t be difficult. "With this, the annoying hero religion should quiet down, and the autonomous region will slowly dissolve." "..." "There won''t be anyone left who will project useless hope onto you. You won''t have to feel burdened by it anymore." Those who prayed for Ellen to save humanity, groaning under the Demon King''s oppression, would disappear. Since the symbol of hope, the hero, had died, such an act was now impossible, even with the slightest hope. "Now, you don''t exist in the world, there''s no one who needs you, and there''s no one who will ask you to do impossible tasks. The hero lost to the Demon King and died. That''s the end of the story." "..." "People will forget you." Reinhardt looked at Ellen. "So, what excuse will you use to run away now?" "..." "Even if you can''t escape, you still want to run away." At those words, Ellen bit her lip and bowed her head. "Just being with me seems unbearable to you." It was clear from her expression. She didn''t need to say it. She was suffering in this very moment. Finally, with those painful words, Ellen couldn''t help but open her trembling mouth. "I''m sorry... I... I''m sorry..." Regardless of the reasons, how justified or necessary it was. It was true that she left without even having a conversation with Reinhardt, who had saved her. It was also true that five years had passed since then. That time had changed many things. "..." "If you''re sorry, can you be with me now?" Ellen couldn''t bring herself to say it. Is there still a place for me? Is there any part left to spare for me? She wanted to say yes, but she couldn''t. It was too shameless. Having left on her own accord, and now caught trying to run away again. Claiming that everything was resolved and that they could be together now, so casually. To change her attitude as easily as flipping the palm of her hand. To accept everything while trapped in this peaceful prison. Wasn''t it too much? Wasn''t it too selfish? "Can''t you do it?" "Sob... ugh... ugh..." In the end, Ellen began to cry, gritting her teeth. She couldn''t say it was possible or impossible. She felt sorry to say it wasn''t possible. And she felt guilty to say she wanted it. Making excuses, she had been running away at some point. In the end, she felt pathetic for being caught and only crying. It was too hard. It was too lonely. It was too desolate. She wanted to say that every day had been painful. But she couldn''t bring herself to say those words. Finally, after a fortnight of rest, they had a proper conversation. A conversation filled with nothing but tears. "I... I don''t know... I don''t think... I don''t think I deserve... to be like this... I don''t think... I don''t think I can... I don''t think I have... the right..." "Who gives such a right, anyway?" "I don''t know. But... I don''t think... I don''t think I should be like this... I shouldn''t be... I shouldn''t be... I shouldn''t be like this... I did things... to you... to the world... But what right... what audacity do I have..." Reinhardt grabbed Ellen''s chin as she sobbed, forcing her to look up at the cold eyes. "I thought so. In the end, you couldn''t bear to be with me." "Whether it''s guilt or remorse. Or the fact that we''ve been apart for too long." "From the beginning, you could have done anything for the reason you left me." "The reason you left me five years ago was just an excuse. You just couldn''t bear it yourself." "You didn''t leave because you had to." "You just left because you wanted to." "If you wanted to be by my side, you could have. There were countless ways to do it. You know that." There must have been a way for Ellen to be with him if she wanted. It was just that Ellen couldn''t allow herself to do so. That''s why she left. Even now, when all the other reasons for leaving had disappeared, wasn''t the proof that she didn''t allow herself to be together? "You just can''t allow yourself." "You think you''re the cause of all this." "You think the betrayer, you, don''t deserve it." "Even though you know I don''t want that, even though you know I don''t blame you. You just can''t forgive yourself." "That''s why you''re crying like this. Even now, when it doesn''t matter if you''re with me, you''re just forcing yourself to suffer for vague guilt." "Even though you''re torturing yourself, nothing gets better. Nothing changes." "Where is the reason or inevitability for that?" "There''s none." At Reinhardt''s words, Ellen squeezed her eyes shut. "I know... I know too..." "I know that doing this... doing this doesn''t help anyone or anything... I know it just hurts you and me... I know." "I know I''m pathetic, and I know I''m stupid and foolish for doing this..." "But I don''t know... I can''t erase the thought that if I had done better back then, if I had believed... I can''t forgive myself. So, I can''t do anything because of my actions, I don''t want to forgive myself because of my actions..." "I don''t think I should be with you. I don''t know how to break this vicious cycle..." "I know not everything is my fault, but I can''t say it''s not either. If I''m even a little comfortable, a little happy, I can''t bear myself..." "I can''t even imagine that..." "I know I''m a fool for feeling this way, I know... I know that nothing can bring back the dead... I know that guilt won''t help me live or change anything... But I can''t let go... I just can''t..." "I know that the more I feel this way, the more I hurt you... I don''t know. I think I''ve gone mad at some point... I can''t think straight... I feel like I''m falling apart..." "I''m sorry. I''m sorry for running away, for betraying you. I''m sorry for not trusting you. And I''m sorry for wanting to run away again, for not being able to say I want to stay together... But... But..." "Stop. That''s enough. I understand your feelings." "..." Reinhardt held Ellen as she sobbed, spewing guilt-ridden nonsense. Feeling guilty even to meet his gaze, Ellen cried with her eyes tightly closed. The Demon King spoke calmly. "Do you know what the meaning of the mansion you were in until today and this uninhabited island is?" "...Yes." A prison created to make escape impossible. Placing her in a location where escape was utterly unattainable. "I prepared this place because I knew you would be like this." If your mind cannot be changed, I will imprison you in a place where you can never escape. That was the reality of this place. "When I found you again, I had all sorts of thoughts on what to do." "I knew you would be like this, unable to bear yourself." "This is the result. Harriet and I came up with this." At the mention of that name, Ellen shuddered. "I''m not a mage, so how could I have sent you here in the first place?" The bizarre trap she had fallen into and the undetectable teleportation. Ellen had no choice but to know that it was Harriet''s doing. "I knew you would say something like this. You would whine and try to run away." "That''s just the kind of person you are." "It may be cruel, but-" "If left alone, you would treat yourself even more cruelly." "It seemed like there was no other way." Whatever the reason, Harriet had sensed the moment Ellen left that she would spend the rest of her life running away, and the Demon King knew it too. Even now, she''s crying, saying it shouldn''t be like this. She''s just cruel to herself. How could he offer the choice of happiness to someone who thinks they don''t deserve to be happy? The Emperor knew that Ellen would eventually try to run away because her fundamental attitude wouldn''t change. So he tried to force her. To imprison her. To confine her. To bind her forcibly in a place where she couldn''t escape, and this was the result of that thought. A small island in the vast sea and a mansion. Imprisoning her in a place where she couldn''t even tell which direction to run was believed to be the way to stop Ellen''s self-deprecation. Essential supplies could be provided, and she would have no choice but to accept this life, even if she couldn''t come to terms with it. Eventually, she would accept it out of resignation. Reinhardt, who could clearly see what she was thinking, spoke. She couldn''t refute his words that she would keep trying to run away. No matter the reason, Ellen now knew she would always find some excuse to flee. "But, you know," "When I actually tried it..." "It seems... strange." "No matter how much I think about it, tying you up like this, imprisoning you, confining you." "It shouldn''t be like this." "So... I created this place, and watched you living here..." "But when it comes to this," "With you trapped before my eyes, in a place like this," "Seeing you unable to sleep properly, and constantly sobbing," "I think this is not right." "It shouldn''t be this way." "In the end, this will only hurt you more." The Demon King released Ellen''s chin. Hadn''t she been suffering since being put in this environment? He shouldn''t accept this. Although she knew she couldn''t escape, she was just numb. All she did was suffer. She engaged in another self-deprecation. A foolish self-deprecation that she didn''t deserve happiness. Although she would resign herself to being trapped and accept it, It was clear that she would eventually fall ill. The Demon King silently watched Ellen as she cried. If he confined her, he could keep Ellen in this place forever. However, Ellen would fall ill while huddled up, unable to forgive or accept herself. This could be a lesser evil, but it could never be a better option. It was nothing more than a story of caging a bird in a cage, taking it out and touching it whenever needed. Thus, the Demon King couldn''t help but come to the conclusion that this wasn''t right as he observed the reality that had become as he imagined. "After the destruction of Darkland and the death of the previous Demon King, I couldn''t live as a demon since arriving in the Imperial Capital." "There were limits to disguising myself with magic." "Living as a demon was impossible." "To live among humans, I needed a human form, and that''s the Reinhardt you know." "So." -Shwoosh On the shore where waves crashed, In a prison named an island made for only one person, The Demon King carefully removed something from his left ring finger. Despite her tears, Ellen stared blankly at his actions. "The ring that allowed me to live while blending in with the world is the most important item that made all of this possible." The ring. Ellen had never known that Reinhardt wore such a ring. Since it was a ring for disguise, even its shape could be concealed. Reinhardt, who had returned to his Demon King form, quietly grasped Ellen''s left hand. "I''ve created a world where I can live as a demon, so I don''t need it anymore." "As you know, you can''t live anywhere in that form." "It''s not right for someone who looks exactly like the deceased hero to roam the world." "Now that I can live as I am," "You can''t live as yourself anymore." "So, I''ll give it to you." "From now on, you''ll need it more than I do." "And I''ll send you back." The Demon King carefully slid the ring onto Ellen''s left ring finger. The ring, which seemed a bit too large at first, fit perfectly on Ellen''s finger. Ellen stared blankly at the Demon King, trembling as she asked, "What is... this?" "This is the object that allowed me to become Reinhardt and even a cat." "..." The ring of Dreadfiend. As the last Archdemon, this ring had made everything possible. But now, it was no longer needed. So, it was given to someone who could not live in the world without it. Having intended to keep her imprisoned for the rest of her life, the Demon King finally admitted that it was a mistake. "It''s a good thing for me too." "Having someone like you rot away in a place like this is, in a way, a subtle loss." "Like this time, informing me of vital information. You''ll do something else. Something in your own way." "It''ll be good for both you and me." "I won''t hold you back." "So." "You''re free." He granted her complete freedom, the opposite of imprisonment. He ultimately chose to let go of the opportunity to keep her captive forever. "With this, people won''t know that you''re Ellen Artorius, and you won''t have to keep seeking places with no one around. You can just blend in with the world as an ordinary person, living as if nothing ever happened." If she lived as someone else, Ellen would truly disappear from the world. She could stroll through cities as an ordinary person, gain a new identity, and live a completely new life. "Do you understand what I''m saying?" Ellen stared blankly at the mysterious ring on her finger. "If you leave here and want to get away from me, if you want to hide, I''ll never be able to find you. If you decide to run away, I won''t be able to see you for the rest of my life." The Demon King, who had found the hero, gave her the means to escape from him forever. If Ellen decided to hide, the Demon King would never be able to find the hero again. "But at the same time, it''s also an object that allows you to find me whenever you want." It was an object that allowed her to escape forever. But used differently, it could also be an object that allowed her to meet Reinhardt whenever she wanted. As Ellen Artorius, it would have been impossible for her to wander the world, but with the power of the ring, it was possible. Whether she used it as an escape route for eternal running away, or as a key to a meeting she could always have, it was entirely up to Ellen. The Demon King gently held the tip of the hero''s left finger, which had lost its color. "So..." "Instead of confining you in a place like this." "And not forcing anything else on you." "I''ll give you complete freedom to go where you want, and do what you want." "Just one favor." "Once every few months." "Or once every few years." "That''s fine." "Sometimes." "Really, just sometimes." "Come to see me." "That''s enough." "That''s enough... that''s all I need." "I won''t ask for more." "It''s not like you and I absolutely have to do something incredible together." "Like practicing swordsmanship like now." "Or making something to eat." "Or just gathering everyone and chatting like before, talking about nothing in particular." "Even just doing those simple, trivial things would be fine." "Sometimes, we can be together, right?" "There''s no longer any desperate reason not to." "You know it too." "You know how strange it is." "I only ask for that much from you." "So, at least allow yourself that much." "So..." "Let''s stop our mutual torment and self-flagellation... now." At those words, the tears that had barely stopped began to flow again. "Ugh...uhu...hic! Sob!" That was all he asked for. It wasn''t too much to ask. "It''s not such a difficult request, is it?" The Demon King gritted his teeth too. He too held back his anger and passion. With teary eyes, he met Ellen''s gaze, both of them straining to see each other. "So... will you do it?" After finally capturing the hero, he locked her up and then set her free again. He gave her the gift of living freely. He would give her the means to leave forever. He pleaded for her not to leave forever. Instead of holding her, he let her go. They made just one promise. A thread that may not be thick or strong, but wouldn''t break. They connected a single thread between them. If facing each other was too difficult and guilt-ridden, they didn''t always have to. But sometimes, they would meet. Could they not at least allow themselves that much? To not even allow that much would be too cruel to both of them. They didn''t need to be that cruel. It was over now. Couldn''t they allow themselves that much? That''s what the Demon King said. Knowing that if he forcefully embraced her, she would die in his arms, he created an environment where she could live fully in the world. He sent her back to the world. As she had been doing until now, let her live by doing things only she could do. She could find her place for whatever reason, to atone for her sins or anything else. But sometimes, when she was tired or lonely, she could come back and rest. At least allow that much. If she wanted to live with eternal punishment, she could. But moments of atonement would never come. So she could at least allow herself that tiny respite. In front of the Demon King, who had finally chosen to let go despite wanting to hold onto her, she could no longer force herself. With gratitude and appreciation in her heart. She had to answer. So, Ellen tried her best to turn her grimace, which had been unbearable up until now, into a smile. "Ugh...uhm...yes..." And in the end, her tears and laughter mixed together, leaving her with an even more disheveled expression. On the beach, where waves crashed and broke eternally. On a beach where waves would roll in and shatter forever. They promised another eternity. And so. The hero. "I will...I will..." With the Demon King. Although thin. An unbreakable bond. "I will do it." They shared a tiny, eternal covenant. CH 696 Epilogue - Beyond Civilization At the farthest northern tip of the continent. Even further to the west of that remote place. There was an unnamed snowy region that lay beyond a vast mountain range, where no one had lived even before the Gate incident occurred. A polar region where no other season existed but winter. "Hey...! Over here!" At the sound of the shout somewhere in the blizzard-swept plateau, a group of people hurried towards it. The six tall men soon discovered a fallen beast and the person guarding it in the midst of the blizzard. "Phew, this is quite a catch. I haven''t seen one this big in three years." A massive reindeer lay collapsed, an arrow lodged precisely in its forehead. "Let''s tie it up quickly. If the snow keeps piling up, we might be stuck in the shelter for days." Everyone began tying ropes around the dead reindeer''s body. If the blizzard worsened, they might not be able to return and would have to spend days in the cabin. "Even if we''re stuck, our friend Betton here will have to go back, even if the snow is taller than him." "Of course. I''ll go back even if there''s an avalanche today." At someone''s remark, the others began chuckling and laughing. "If you don''t want to see Betton frozen to death without even knowing what happened to his child, let''s move quickly!" The man called Betton smiled at the joke and began tying ropes around the reindeer''s body so that everyone could pull it along. All of them were dressed in thick clothing and each carried a bow. The man who appeared to be the leader of the group playfully patted the back of a blonde man who was tying ropes with him. He was the man who had discovered the reindeer and shot it with an arrow. "Anyway, Radeus, you''re a real master archer." "Haha... You''re too kind." "It''s beyond that, really. You kill the reindeer with a single arrow, and none of us could even see it because of the snow. Honestly, we thought you were just shooting randomly and talking nonsense." No one in the group had even seen the reindeer. However, Radeus had aimed his bow somewhere in the blizzard, shot an arrow, and then walked confidently towards his target. At the scene, a reindeer lay collapsed. He had an uncanny ability to find prey, and his arrows always struck vital spots. "He''s a nobleman, a real nobleman." All the hunters nodded in agreement with the leader''s words. Betton, whose wife had begun giving birth, thanked Radeus several times. They tied up the reindeer''s carcass, and everyone began leading it back. "By the way, Radeus. Hasn''t it been a long time for you as well?" "What do you mean...?" "I mean having a child." "Ah..." "Betton is becoming a father today, but you still haven''t had any luck, right?" As one person began to tease him, others chimed in. There was a right time for such things, and it could be getting late. It might be fine for his wife, but wouldn''t it be difficult for him as he got older? They said it was always best to prepare for anything before one''s strength began to wane. Radeus, the young man in question, could only offer an awkward smile. "By the way, Violet said she''s going to help with the birth today, right?" "I don''t know much about it, but she said she''d help as much as she could..." "Hehe..." Radeus''s wife had volunteered to help Betton¡¯s wife with her childbirth that day. However, the man seemed to be in a difficult situation upon hearing the offer. "¡­Is there a problem?" "It''s not an ordinary task for delicate people like your wife¡­" -Thump thump Another man patted Radeus'' shoulder. "She must be terrified." "¡­?" "Fortunately, you are a steadfast man. How could you bring such a frail wife to a place like this?" Upon hearing that, Radeus forced an awkward smile with a mixture of irritation. "Ahaha... I must have pushed her a bit too hard¡­" Every time Radeus heard that, he felt as if a lump had lodged itself in his throat. A place where people didn''t live even during the era of a thriving civilization. A remote area, so far removed from civilization that there were no warp gates, and even the monsters of the gates couldn''t easily enter. The fallen emperor Bertus and Saviolin Turner lived under new names, beyond the reach of civilization. Therefore, whenever Bertus heard that Saviolin Turner, who was pretending to be his wife, was a delicate woman, he couldn''t help but feel an indescribable, bizarre emotion. ------ The village in the snowy wasteland wasn''t that small. Considering the extreme environment it was situated in, a community of just over three hundred households was quite large. One thousand kilometers in all directions was uninhabited land, and beyond the massive mountain range to the north lay a frozen sea that stretched as far as the eye could see. Bertus and Turner had deliberately come to this place. They hadn''t initially intended to seek out such an environment. It was impossible to hide in any place where civilization existed. No matter where they went, they were always pursued. Occasionally, they were discovered by adventurers in the poorly hidden deep wilderness. Although they had fled to survive, they didn''t want to kill anyone. So they decided to go to a place where the very foundation of civilization couldn''t exist. The deep wilderness that even monsters didn''t seek. A place where it was difficult for humans, beasts, and monsters alike to survive. Believing that they could hide their bodies there forever. Bertus and Turner crossed over to the far side of civilization. And they reached a place where someone was living in an environment that no human should be able to survive. To the strangers who appeared in an environment where no outsider could come, everyone in the village was kind and warm-hearted. They were astonished at how Bertus and Turner had arrived, but still took care of them. They provided them with a place to sleep, clothes to wear, and food to eat. No one asked them why they had come. To these people, the world was nothing but a snow-covered wasteland. There were no countries, history, or nations. They only knew that strangely-shaped beasts had begun to appear at some point. The small but resilient civilization of the snowfield was solid even in the face of the occasional monsters. To them, monsters were treated as "inedible things" or "things that looked like they would cause trouble if eaten." Thus, Turner and Bertus encountered a very small community that shouldn''t have existed in a place devoid of civilization, and they settled down there haphazardly. A harsh but endearing place, cold but not lonely. A place so far removed from the world that nobody knew about it. Bertus learned a lot. How to live and survive in the snowfield. When isolated in the snow, one had to know what to do. How to find the beasts that managed to survive even in this harsh environment. The locations of temporary shacks hidden for the hunters. He had transformed hunting, which had once been a mere hobby, into a genuine skill for making a living. "Phew... it was worth moving quickly. We''ve already arrived." The group, led by a reindeer hunted by Bertus, arrived at the village on the snowy plateau. Of course, one didn''t go hunting on a snowy day. The village hunters went out because of the insistent requests that Betton, whose wife was about to give birth, should throw a feast. "Ellaaaaaaaaaa!" As soon as he returned, Betton rushed home, screaming his wife''s name. Leaving his wife in labor to go hunting, his worry must have been immense. "Radeus, will you try this time?" Bertus knew what the leader of the hunters meant. Butchering. It was something Bertus still couldn''t get used to, so the leader tried to make him do it whenever the opportunity arose. At some point, the leader''s ultimate goal became turning the outsider Bertus into a perfect tundra man. "Ah, no, I''ll leave it to those who''ve been doing it." "Tsk. You''re good at everything else, but you just can''t seem to get the hang of this." "I''m... sorry." He had good manual skills, a keen eye, and quick actions. He was almost perfect, but he just couldn''t do tasks like butchering or skinning. A man who was almost perfect but always lacking in something crucial. To the tundra men, Radeus was an unbelievably talented man, but always lacking in strange ways. "Haha, I thought we''d see Radeus turn pale today, but it''s a shame." One of the men holding the rope behind the leader chuckled. Hahaha! "..." In truth, he didn''t avoid it because he didn''t want to do it, but because he tried several times and couldn''t. The first time the leader entrusted him with butchering, Bertus, who didn''t know any better, grabbed the knife and rushed in, only to see a gruesome sight. Upon seeing the blood spilling out with the innards, Bertus ran out of the butchering area and vomited. He could handle seeing disgusting things, but something so filthy was unbearable for Bertus. Rather, the villagers looked at Bertus and laughed, thinking what a strange man he was. After vomiting, the rumor spread throughout the village. The newcomer had a peculiar constitution that made him vomit at the sight of blood. Of course, that misunderstanding was now gone, but there were still some things Bertus couldn''t do. Bertus now knew. In this kind of life, there was no need for one specific overwhelming strength. It wasn''t enough to be good at hunting or tracking. One had to be capable of everything. From hunting to butchering, cooking, starting fires, and even gathering firewood in this extreme environment, there was no end to what one had to learn. That''s why, initially, he was treated like someone who didn''t know anything. Now, Bertus realized he had much to learn from everyone in the village, including men, women, and especially the elderly. Somehow, by capitalizing on his strengths and having others resolve his weaknesses, he was able to accomplish the tasks at hand. "Anyway, Betton has gone ahead, but you should hurry as well." "Yes." Bertus also headed in the direction of Betton''s house, where Betton had rushed off. -Thump Then, the door to Betton''s house opened, and someone came out. It was Saviolin Turner. In this place, she was known by the name Violet, and she staggered out of the house. Her short hair, which had always been just long enough to reach her neck, had grown past her waist and had to be tied with a hairband. As people said, She now looked just like a frail woman at first glance. "...?" -Plunk And then, Bertus saw Saviolin Turner, whose face had turned pale as if her soul had been drained, stagger and collapse onto the snowy ground. It was a delicate and fragile appearance that didn''t suit the well-known Saviolin Turner at all. -Ah... -Ah-ah... Had something terrible happened? "Vi- Violet...?" Bertus hastily approached the collapsed Turner. Turner looked up at Bertus blankly. Her face was pale beyond white, turning a shade of blue. "Ah, ah... ah..." "Wh- What happened?" "Ah, ah... no." -Eugh-ugh-eugh! Ugh! Behind the trembling Turner, the groans of a woman in the throes of childbirth could be heard from Betton''s house. -Thump The door to Betton''s house opened cautiously, and the midwife poked her head out. "It''s nothing serious. She''s just in shock. Take her home, give her some warm water to drink, and lay her down." "Yes...?" The old woman closed the door after leaving those words. Only then did Bertus notice Saviolin Turner''s pupils shaking violently. What had she seen? "Th- That... Vi- Violet... the baby... th- that... ha, ha-ha... ha-ha... ho- how... how... how? Huh? Huh?" She seemed to be trying to explain something but was just trembling, unable to articulate it. Nothing was wrong. But it was clear she had seen something incredibly shocking. Only then did Bertus understand why the other hunters had been more concerned about Violet than Betton''s wife, who was giving birth. It was because they knew that witnessing the process of childbirth would leave her in a daze. Just as Bertus had no resistance to blood, Turner had no resistance to certain things. In this place, the hunters were convinced that Violet, who had a somewhat naive image, would surely be like that. "I am... useless again..." In the end, looking at Turner with her head hung low, shivering, Bertus gave a bitter smile. "Let''s go home first." "Yes..." Supporting the trembling Saviolin Turner, Bertus headed for their home. ------ Bertus sat Turner down on the bed and handed her a cup of warm water. He smiled as he watched her sipping the water that wasn''t too hot. Not long after Turner and Bertus arrived, the villagers built a house on their own. Despite the scarcity of resources, the people worked diligently to gather materials and quickly constructed a house. Then, they pushed the couple inside, telling them to live there. They had never said that they would settle down or even explained why they had come here. Yet, as if everyone already knew without being told, they built a house for them without asking any questions. So, Turner and Bertus had no choice but to awkwardly settle down. After that, Bertus tried to help out with various things in the village, only to realize how much he lacked. And what he didn''t know, he learned. But in Turner''s case, it was worse. She didn''t know how to cook, let alone how to handle meat. She couldn''t sew or work with leather. She didn''t even know how to start a fire. Of course, she had absolutely no idea how to make preserved food, which was most important in such an environment. She couldn''t even play with the children. With a troubled smile, she didn''t know what to do in front of the children. Even when given menial tasks around the village, she would look tearful, not knowing what to do or how to do it. A beautiful woman with a gentle disposition and demure manners, but utterly useless. Still, people found her adorable and felt a strange sense of satisfaction watching her perplexed expressions. She was an amusing woman to observe. The village women secretly envied her hands, which were excessively fair, clean, and soft, as if she had never experienced hardship. She was confident in her ability to do physical labor, but everyone, young and old, discouraged Turner from trying. Because it was clear that someone so delicate would certainly get hurt if they tried to do strenuous work. So, even when she wanted to do what she was good at, they never gave her the opportunity. Due to the accumulated perception, when she said she wanted to be a hunter, people laughed. Everyone waved their hands, telling her not to joke around. In truth, it was only natural. She had spent her entire life holding a sword. Her daily life and everything else had been provided by the imperial court. Everything other than the sword had been taken care of, and it had never been her concern. That''s why Turner didn''t know anything outside of the sword and had no practical skills. She had spent her life doing only what she was good at and had become a person completed by that. It was fortunate that she didn''t cry out in confusion when suddenly asked to do work in an unrelated field. Even when shown a task, she still asked, "What is this?" The same was true even for tasks she had been taught once. Despite being taught, she just couldn''t do them well. Turner was much more incompetent than Bertus, who had been the emperor. That was the reality for Saviolin Turner, who had once been the empire''s strongest knight and the continent''s greatest swordsman. "Have you calmed down a bit?" "Yes......" This time, facing the major event of childbirth in the village, she had tried to run errands, but after being told to go back and rest by the midwife, she had come outside and sat down hesitantly. She had seen countless deaths and killings and had witnessed innumerable gruesome scenes. But there was no way she could have ever experienced the spectacle of a new life being born and the shock it brought. How? How could it be like this? It was a relief that she didn''t faint with her head full of question marks and exclamation points. Bertus didn''t say anything as he watched Turner, who was trying to catch her breath, fiddling with a cup of water. Bertus knew better than anyone how much she agonized, realizing how incompetent she was. Bertus smiled faintly as he looked at Turner. "It''s not easy." "¡­Yes, it isn''t." The villagers always laughed, finding the couple adorable as they addressed each other with respect, even though they were married. No one asked why they were so formal with each other. No one questioned if they were a real couple. At least Bertus was doing his part now, and his hunting skills greatly benefited the village. However, Saviolin Turner still didn''t know how to do anything, and to people, she was just a fragile and naive woman. Yet, no one excessively criticized Turner''s incompetence. Although some teased her playfully, no villager seriously scolded her. That was because everyone had seen them on the day they arrived in the village. Piercing through the harsh snowstorm, barely distinguishable as human or snow, they were on the verge of collapsing. Everyone remembered Saviolin Turner''s determined expression as she gritted her teeth, eyes wide open, carrying the unconscious Bertus when they arrived. When asked how they had come this far, Turner had said that she had thought there was a village here. She had heard the sounds of people living. However, she had walked for more than ten days after hearing those sounds. She had heard the inaudible sounds and found her way through the snowstorm to this village. That''s why everyone said it. She was naive. She didn''t know how to do anything. She caused accidents no matter what she did. But she was a great person. That''s why no one could ignore Saviolin Turner. CH 697 "Honestly, it''s fun." "Fun, you say?" At Bertus'' words, Turner tilted her head. "Seeing you like this." "Ah..." "I''ve never been treated this way in my life." "That''s true... but..." The emotions Turner felt in this village were unlike anything she had experienced in her life. She had always been a person mentioned in the lower ranks of the emperor wherever she went. Moreover, her position was not earned through blood ties or anything else, but through her own skills. That''s why she was the farthest from incompetence. Even if there were mistakes in the orders she received, there were never any mistakes in her execution. In fact, she had perfectly executed the impossible orders of the last emperor. Her life had been without failure. But ever since she arrived in this snowy village, she had become a person who failed at everything she did. Now, even the four-year-old children in the neighborhood would offer to help her when she carried a heavy burden. Turner sighed. "Ah... I think the people in this village are more capable, wise, and versatile than anyone I''ve ever seen." "I feel the same way." Sustaining life through one''s own power. Those who had once managed the world marveled at the cooperation, self-sufficiency, and survival of a community of just over 300 households in this extreme environment. Each villager knew what they had to do and did it. Someone always had to be able to take on someone else''s role. That''s why everyone had to know how to do everything. Previously, all Turner had to do was wield a sword. That''s why she became fatally incompetent in this small community. "If only monsters appeared more frequently, I would have something to do, but that''s not the case. Although it''s strange to hope for such a thing..." "It''s a good thing." "Yes..." In reality, monsters were very rare in this remote area. The occasional monster found would be buried in nature as a corpse, or hunted by the village''s hunters if discovered. In any case, others knew how to exert effort, and there was no need to stand out. To the children, she was a pretty aunt. To the women, she was a naive and innocent neighbor. To the elderly, she was a cute and clumsy young wife. That was Turner''s reality. "Still, it''s hard to bear being treated like a child by children much younger than me. Of course, the hardest part is having nothing to say." In fact, Turner had lived longer than the oldest person in the village. Everyone was like a child to her, but she was treated like a child who didn''t know anything by those children. And in reality, she didn''t know anything. Because of this discrepancy, Turner''s days were filled with sighs. Holding a cup of cooling water, Turner looked out at the falling snow. "Still... I''m grateful that a place like this exists." She had tried to avoid people''s eyes by living in the extreme wilderness. But still, she lived among people. And she could continue to live. Turner said so with a smile, and Bertus also smiled. The snowy plains. A nameless village. ¡®A boy, you say?¡¯ ¡®Oh, that''s right!¡¯ News of a new life had just begun to spread in that place. ------ A healthy baby boy was born, and the mother was well. Betton, in anticipation of his wife''s childbirth, had insisted that the hunters go hunting even though it was snowing, all for the sake of holding a feast once the birth had been safely completed. Of course, neither the new mother and child nor Betton, who had been by their side, could attend the feast. At the village''s central meeting hall, various meat dishes made from the reindeer that Bertus had hunted were prepared, as well as an array of other dishes to celebrate the village''s joyous occasion. It was only natural that Turner and Bertus attended the feast. ¡®It should have been a daughter, you know.¡¯ ¡®Why does it have to be a daughter?¡¯ ¡®If it''s a son, won''t he be just like that reckless Betton? Wouldn''t it be better if it''s a daughter resembling gentle Ella?¡¯ ¡®They say daughters take after their fathers, so wouldn''t she be a reckless daughter like Betton?¡¯ ¡®Oh dear, that would be quite troublesome then.¡¯ ¡®Hahaha!¡¯ People were chattering about the birth of the new life in various ways. Drinking fermented deer''s milk, they shared different stories with each other. Though not abundant, it wasn''t extremely scarce either. It wasn''t a situation where a single feast would deplete their resources, as there were many skilled hunters in the village. So, on a happy day like this, they could eat and drink as much as they wanted. Bertus and Turner, being used to rough food, could eat without any burden. However, Turner''s expression was not great. It was because, on such a day, she would inevitably hear a certain question. "So, what''s the plan for your little one?" "Uh...?" Today''s midwife, an elderly woman, approached Violet with a kind smile and asked. If there was something to ask about their plans on a day like this, it must be about a child. When would you have one? That was the question. Naturally, Turner''s face turned pale. "Don''t be scared because of what you saw today. We''ve all been through it. It''s not a frightening thing. It''s a magnificent and sacred event." "Ah..." Turner was older than the elderly woman. When a younger elder asked her when she was planning to have a baby, Turner could not help but feel as if she was going mad. Turner hesitated and opened her mouth. "Well, we''re... trying our best..." Of course, they hadn''t even tried yet. "Hehe... You two seem like a perfect couple with no problems. Why won''t the child come...?" The elder squinted her eyes and turned to look at Bertus. "Are you a sterile pretty boy?" "What?!" A pretty boy with no substance. "No! No, we''re not! He''s... He''s fine! He''s healthy! Plenty! Every, every day! A lot!" In the end, Turner, who was annoyed, yelled with her face turning red. Her nature was to be more upset about Bertus''s story than her own. But once she yelled, she realized what she had said and her face turned pale. What did she mean by plenty? "What do you mean by every day...? Uh, incredible..." What did she mean by every day and what was incredible about it? "Sit down, honey." Turner, who had unknowingly stood up, sat down as if collapsing when Bertus cautiously pulled her back to her seat. "Hehe... It seems like this side has more energy..." Of course, the elderly laughed, as did the others seated at the table. After all, it was amusing to tease this naive and pretty young bride. She knew nothing and always seemed bewildered. What was the harm in that? In this frozen village, she always responded like a flapping fish, no matter the topic of conversation. The mischievous elderly women found one of their greatest joys in life teasing this young bride. Her husband was also amusing, but he was such a well-mannered gentleman that he always responded courteously, no matter what prank was pulled. In a way, he was the model student. He understood and remembered everything he was taught, executed tasks perfectly, and was serious in all matters. He was useful but not fun. In contrast, his wife was clumsy and always tried her best but failed, making her perpetually distressed and uneasy. She was not useful, but she was fun. In their own ways, both had become indispensable to the village. "How strong is he on a daily basis?" "That friend may seem weak, but he''s quite the fighter. He once went out alone and carried back an entire bear! Catching it is one thing, but carrying it back requires what kind of strength?" "Strong bones?" "Well, of course." "Then, his back?" "Right. His back is extraordinary." "Heh... I never thought of him that way..." "Appearances can be deceiving." Whispers and jokes filled the air, and Turner''s face turned increasingly red. The polite Bertus''s hand holding his glass trembled as well. "I, I''m sorry, honey..." "It''s alright..." The fact that they cherished each other so much had already been proven by how far they had come together. However, the sight of them addressing each other so formally made onlookers feel peculiar. It was as if they were a young couple dating rather than married. Everyone had their opinions, but ultimately, they were a pleasant sight. That''s what everyone thought. The feast continued. Bertus soon saw the village chief, who had been sitting at the head of the table, having a conversation with someone who had entered the hall. The nameless village chief was also the leader of the hunters. He had directed the group that had gone to catch a reindeer just a while ago. After a brief conversation, the village chief left the hall. Although it was a normal occurrence, the chief''s expression was slightly unusual, causing Bertus to watch the scene intently. "..." "..." It seemed that Bertus wasn''t the only one noticing, as Turner''s eyes met his with the same concern. It was a matter they didn''t quite understand. Bertus shrugged his shoulders slightly, and Turner smiled softly. The feast continued. After a while, Betton appeared at the hall, saying that his wife had fallen asleep. As the star of the event, he received many congratulations before sitting down next to Bertus. "Brother Radeus." "Yes, Betton?" "Could you speak more casually...?" "I''m comfortable like this. Congratulations on having a baby boy." At Bertus''s congratulatory words, Betton scratched his head. Both Betton and his wife, Ella, were much younger than Bertus. But because of that, Bertus learned more about the village''s affairs from Betton than from the older villagers. Bertus had always been grateful to Betton. "Yes, he''s healthy. We were worried for a while, but Ella seems to be doing well too... By the way, is your wife alright?" At that, Turner''s face turned red. "Huh? Oh... Yes, I''m sorry." Ella must have been worried enough to suggest going to see her helper. "Please, convey my apologies..." The person assisting with the birth was trembling in fear more than the one giving birth, so the midwife had to send the helper away to rest. "Anyway, brother." "Yes, Betton." "Our child doesn''t have a name yet." With a serious expression, Betton asked Bertus. "Could you give our child a name?" At that question, Bertus couldn''t help but be taken aback. "Me? Name the child?" "Yes, I''d really like it if you could name our child. Normally, the village chief would do it, but when I asked, he said it would be fine..." It was an absurd request for both Bertus and Turner, who overheard it. Neither of them had ever imagined they would be asked to name someone''s child. Besides, they were still practically newcomers to the village. Could they really take on the significant task of naming a child who would become a village resident? Although they had already received permission from the village chief, they couldn''t help but be flustered. "I feel something from you, brother." "What is it...?" "Well... I can''t quite put it into words, but you seem different from people like me. If you were to name my child, I feel his future would be bright..." Bertus thought he understood why Betton was saying such things. A fundamentally different person. The atmosphere that couldn''t be clearly defined by their speech or behavior. Although Bertus thought he understood what Betton was saying, he still hesitated. Naming someone''s child. It may seem like a trivial task, but it determines someone''s life. Did he deserve such responsibility? Could he, who had abandoned everything and fled, take on such a task? As he struggled with these thoughts, unknown to others. -Swoosh A thick hand landed on Bertus'' shoulder. "Just do it." "Ah... Chief." The leader of the hunters and village chief. With a smile, he had placed his hand on Bertus'' shoulder, though Bertus didn''t know when he had returned. "In a village where nothing is new, what could be more special than receiving a name from a newcomer?" Since the chief was even suggesting it, refusing without a clear reason would ultimately be disrespectful to the newborn and their new home. "Yes, I''ll think about it." "Thank you, brother!" Naming someone''s child was not a decision to be made lightly, so some thought was necessary. However, even after promising to consider a name, the chief''s hand did not withdraw. "Also, come outside for a moment." "Yes? Ah... Yes." "Violet, could you come outside for a moment as well?" "...Ah, yes." Did he have something to say? Following the chief out of the gathering hall, he walked ahead with his back turned, then stopped and spoke quietly. "Someone is looking for you two." At that plain statement, both Bertus and Turner couldn''t help but feel their entire bodies freeze. How on earth? Who had come? Had pursuers penetrated this remote area and come all the way here? What should they do then? Although the chief had said it as if it wasn''t a big deal, this was no ordinary matter. As Turner and Bertus arrived at this nameless village in the snowfield, it was as if a great event had taken place. Just as they had made their way here, it was by no means an easy task for the guest who sought them to reach this place. "If you need help, let me know. I''ll be watching." It seemed that the village chief knew it was no ordinary matter, and so he spoke. It couldn''t be helped. Anyone who had come this far must know that the person they sought and the person searching for them were not ordinary people. Could they be of any help? If neither of them could handle the person who came searching, then no one''s help would be of any use. While Bertus was one thing, Turner was treated as less than half a penny here. However, the two of them had spent a long time in this nameless village. Because of that, even though they didn''t know if it would actually be helpful or not, they had already trusted the enormous back of the village chief, who was also the head hunter. They trusted him without even knowing why. Just as he had taught them hunting, slaughtering, finding their way in the snowfield, and the ways to survive. It seemed like he would show them the way in this uncertain situation as well. Both Turner and Bertus found themselves already trusting the village chief without reason or basis. So the village chief, Turner, and Bertus left the meeting hall together. On a snowy night, the entire village was quiet, save for the bustling sounds coming from the meeting hall, as all the villagers were inside. They followed the village chief as he walked towards the outskirts of the village. At the place they reached after clearing the piled snow, there were two people wearing black robes. Two black robes covered in a light layer of snow, perhaps from the falling snowflakes. "Let''s have a talk." After leaving those words, the village chief turned around and communicated with his eyes alone. If they needed help, he would provide it in some way or another. The fact that they were waiting like this, rather than ambushing them, meant that they didn''t want to harm the village or had some other purpose. The two people in the snowstorm, wearing black robes. The person on the right cautiously removed their hood. "...!" "You, you are...?" Both Bertus and Turner were shocked. Long, black hair like darkness itself. And a pale face. "It''s been a while." "Anna...?" The disappeared dark mage, Anna de Gerna, was there. The person on the left also removed their hood. "Louis..." The person on the left was none other than Louis Ancton, who had disappeared along with Anna. The remnants of the long-lost Gardias Empire and its lost civilization reunited on a plateau where civilization had vanished after five years. CH 698 Anna and Louis had arrived at a place that could not be found. Their connection had ended when the Gardias Empire disappeared. Although former Emperor Bertus was wanted, Anna and Louis were different. All information about individuals related to the Immortals had been buried beneath the surface. Hence, Anna and Louis were not wanted. However, it seemed as if they too had vanished from the world. Anna¡¯s promise to Bertus had been to kill Christina. They had not spoken of anything beyond that. Bertus had wanted to die but could not. After Anna and Louis disappeared, time passed before they finally found Bertus and Turner hiding in the wilderness. But their reunion could not be simply joyous. Just as a long time had changed Bertus and Turner, they could not know how Anna and Louis had been changed. And they didn''t know how they had found their way to such a remote place. Thus, both Turner and Bertus kept their distance, tensely. Neither Anna nor Louis approached carelessly, as if they knew of the other''s wariness. However, Anna''s expression was calm. No anger, hatred, or sadness was visible. Her intentions were completely unknown. "I won''t talk for long. I''ve been gathering the scattered Shanafel and the royal mages of the Gardias Empire." Shanafel and the royal mages. The Emperor had disbanded them just before the empire disappeared. Their fate after the final battle in Diane was left to them. None of them had joined the new Demon King''s Empire. They couldn''t have joined in the first place. As the responsibility of the royal family was also theirs, the Demon King could not take them in. The maximum power of the Gardias royal family was, of course, a group that should have been completely liquidated along with their empire. So, the Shanafel and the royal mages scattered after the battle in Diane. Some would have found their own paths, while others would have hidden their past and lived somewhere. Like Bertus and Turner, living as fugitives. Some of them, after a long time, had even entrusted themselves to the new empire. And some had entrusted themselves to the human autonomous region, which was anti-Demon King. The scattered remnants of the past went their separate ways. However, most of the Shanafel and the royal mages had gone into hiding. Anna said she was now uniting the scattered royal mages and Shanafel. "Why are you doing that?" Anna silently looked at Bertus in response to his cautious question. "I''m creating an organization." "What...?" "Like the Black Order or Cantus Magna. I''m trying to create something like that. No... It''s already been created." Bertus could not help but widen his eyes. After the empire disappeared, Anna had gathered the scattered Shanafel and royal mages. She had gathered the group disbanded by the Emperor. And it had already become an organization that could be called a union. "Why are you creating that? What do you want to do?" "Well," Anna looked at the snowy wilderness on a snowy night. "The people who couldn''t join the new empire are scattered." "People who have too much to do to just live in hiding, they''re just holding their breath scattered. That, in itself, is a loss to humanity... No, to people." "Among those people, some were waiting for death in the hopeless, futureless autonomous region, which was a meaningless act." "Rather than achieving things individually, there would be more to accomplish together." "For now, we''ve gathered." "There must be plenty to do." "We may be able to eliminate monsters lurking in places untouched by human hands." "Just like the Black Order did, we might be able to achieve things the new empire cannot from the shadows." "However, in most situations, we will become bystanders if the task isn''t necessary for everyone." "In our generation, there''s a high probability that we will only form this alliance and pass our work onto the next generation." "It would be best if we don''t end up doing anything." "But just in case, somewhere, at some moment." "We might be needed, so we''ve gathered people." "That''s all there is to it." "I don''t want to hear whether this is right or not." "This was the best I could do." "Just like you did your best, that''s all we can do." Powerful individuals were stronger together than apart. That''s why, although there was no specific purpose for their power, it was a waste for them to live scattered and separate. Anna gathered them. The Black Order was gone. But a new Black Order was created. The knights and mages of the vanished empire became a secret alliance for the new empire. Right or wrong, that was irrelevant. Just as Bertus had fled. Anna had done something. Bertus might have been bewildered, but he wasn''t angry. The emperor''s authority over the Shanafel and the royal wizard corps disappeared when the empire vanished. Their decision to gather around Anna was their choice. Now, Bertus was just curious. "So, why did you come looking for me?" What reason did they have for seeking the deposed emperor who chose the life of a fugitive? What did they want from someone who had given up everything? Bertus couldn''t read Anna''s expression, but he had an idea of what she would say. "We lack legitimacy." "¡­Legitimacy?" "Yes, legitimacy." Anna said calmly. "Most of the scattered people still follow you. They believe that living quietly under the new empire in accordance with your will is an act of loyalty to a non-existent country." "Some of them have decided to join us, but many more have rejected the idea of forming a group, believing it goes against your will." "We know where they are, but there''s a significant number who don''t want to join us." It was as he expected. "If I join you, you''ll be able to rally them all, right?" "Yes, and Lady Turner is here as well." A new alliance was formed. But Anna de Gerna lacked legitimacy and qualifications. There were those who shared their cause, but more refused to join, believing Bertus''s final command was silence. The vanished emperor of the empire. And the emperor''s knights. If the two joined, they could absorb all those hesitating in joining the alliance in one swoop. If the Shanafel and the royal mage corps were reassembled, it would be an immense force. They must already possess a level of power worthy of being called an alliance, but if Bertus joined, someone with both legitimacy and qualifications would be in the alliance, making it easy to gather the scattered individuals. Gathering the loyalists of a ruined nation was the task of a mere magician of the fallen nation, but the emperor of the fallen nation was on an entirely different level. "And, I don''t think I''m suited for this kind of thing. Neither is Louis." Anna had created a new power. But she didn''t consider it her own. "It''s not just cooperation I want. It''s not that I need you just for appearances." "..." "Take on all of this, please." At those words, Bertus stared at Anna with a stern expression. "You want me to become... the leader of this sworn group?" "Yes. We trust your judgment." "..." "A lot has gone wrong, but I think you''ve done your best in your own way. And the fact that it wasn''t the worst choice is proven by the world as it is now." "..." "Lead us." Anna hadn''t set out to create a sworn group just to wield it herself. She had created the group to offer it to the emperor of the fallen nation. For it might be needed someday. She had gathered people who were too valuable to be buried alive and found someone who could do more than just survive. Anna''s intended role ended there. Gathering the scattered people. She had come to entrust the rest of the matter to Bertus. And she intended to remain as one of the members of the sworn group. Bertus, quietly and unknowingly, gazed at Turner''s face. Whether it was due to the cold or fear, her complexion was pale. "..." In her uneasy expression, Turner cautiously and gently gripped Bertus''s fingertips. No conversation was exchanged. It was just that the trembling in her fingertips said a lot. Her desperate expression also said a lot. Seeing Turner''s expression, Bertus smiled faintly. "Anna... I have no intention of blaming you. I don''t have the right to do so." "..." "You granted my last request. I''m grateful to you for that." In the last moment. Kill a friend. Bertus had made a cruel request, and Anna had granted it. It was not a trade. Bertus had nothing to offer. "But the thing is, just running away is already cowardly and despicable enough." Turner had thrown herself into it with her one and only request. That request was to live. Seeking personal honor in death is a cowardly act. But why couldn''t he make the truly cowardly and despicable choice? A fugitive''s life began because he couldn''t shake off those words. But that choice was not forced. In the end, Bertus had chosen it himself. He had become a coward on his own. "I abandoned everything and fled, so I can''t wear the other crown you''ve created." "Leaving aside cowardice and despicableness..." "It''s just petty." "From the moment I abandoned all responsibility and ran away, I have no right to anything." "No matter who in the world comes to give me any rights or power, I don''t intend to accept it, and I can''t accept it." "The moment I left everything behind, it was already over." He had discarded his responsibility. And he had chosen the life of a fugitive. So, in his life, there can be no rights anymore. That''s fair. That was Bertus''s conclusion for choosing to run away. "So I have no responsibility, no rights, and no intention of seeking any honor from now on." "Just surviving." "Other than that, I have no intention of doing anything." Bertus tightly gripped Turner''s hand, which she was holding gently. Turner, startled by Bertus''s strong grip, flinched. "I''m sorry, Anna." "I don''t intend to judge whether it''s right or wrong, and I don''t want any rights or responsibilities related to it." "It''s irrelevant to my will; you created it." "So, its rightful owner should be you, not me." It was unclear whether it was criticism that one shouldn''t pass something made with their own hands onto someone else or that even the deed she did should be her own achievement, and therefore, the glory and responsibility should be hers. Simply, Bertus had no intention of wearing the crown offered to him. Since she made the nonexistent crown, she should wear it. At that remark, both Anna and Louis fell silent. "I thought you''d say that." Neither criticizing nor attacking, Anna seemed to have known the outcome of this conversation beforehand, and she simply nodded her head. "But are you satisfied with this?" Anna pointed to the quiet, snow-covered village, asking if this was his sanctuary. "It''s more than enough." Bertus replied briefly. "Let''s go back, Louis." "¡­Yeah." Louis Ancton bowed his head towards Bertus and Turner. Anna turned away without a word. That was the end of the reunion. ------ Anna De Gerna became the leader of the new organization. It might have been Anna''s plan to create the organization and entrust its leadership to Bertus. But Bertus didn''t accept it. Anna would have realized that it was pointless to force it upon an unwilling Bertus. So, she left quietly. From then on, Anna had to consider what to do with the new organization. How to lead them and in what manner. Somehow managing and resolving internal disagreements and conflicts. She had to lead them in one way or another. The guests who visited the village with no reason to receive visitors had quietly left. Although there was no commotion, Bertus and Turner''s expressions were hardened. Anna and Louis had left. But someone had already discovered their whereabouts. So, it was inevitable that others would find out too. It was unknown what the other members would say to Anna and Louis, who returned with this result. The two had quietly left for now, but they might return later. And there was no guarantee that they would try to persuade with words like they did now. "We should leave." "¡­Yes, probably." At Bertus''s words, Turner nodded sadly. They had to leave in order not to harm the village. There''s no place where fugitives can stay forever. They could only stay for a while, not settle down. In the end, this remote place was also within someone''s reach. So, they had to leave again for a distant place, not knowing where they were heading. The only saving grace was that the visitors who came today were not hostile. For the sake of the kindness this village had shown them so far, the only way to repay it was to disappear as quickly and quietly as possible, ensuring no harm came to them. On their way back from the outskirts of the village. In the snow-covered distance, a massive shadow was waiting for Turner and Bertus. "...Chief." The village chief, who had promised to help them as much as he could, was waiting for them. "So, who was the visitor?" As always, the chief asked with a sly smile. "An old friend...," Bertus replied. "A friend, huh? Nice." The chief laughed heartily. The sound of the chief''s hearty laughter echoed faintly throughout the snow-covered village, and the noise of the bustling crowd at the ongoing feast in a distant hall could be heard. Leaning back, the chief spoke quietly from a place overlooking the village. "Do you have a story?" Bertus was at a loss for words at the chief''s sudden question. During the considerable time they had spent together, neither the chief nor anyone else in the village had ever asked such a question. "¡­I can''t say there isn''t one." "Yes, I suppose so." How could someone who had to travel beyond this civilization not have a story? And yet, even after coming this far, there was a visitor looking for him. How could there not be a story? The chief put his hand on Bertus''s shoulder. The thick arm of the chief rested on his shoulder, while Turner watched the scene with a slightly anxious expression. "So." "¡­?" "Does this village not have a story, too?" For those who had fled beyond civilization, there must have inevitably been a story. There was no way a village in the far reaches of the world, at the edge of the earth, would be without a story. "Just as you didn''t ask, neither did we." Bertus and Turner knew the village was strange, but they never asked. The villagers didn''t ask them either. "We don''t know who you are." "¡­" "But you see." While holding Bertus''s shoulder, the chief pointed at the village. "It''s not necessary to know exactly who someone is to be their neighbor." Bertus and Turner didn''t know what the village was about. But to repay the kindness and goodwill of the villagers, they were planning to leave the village so as not to cause any harm. It was because they considered them their neighbors. Even though they didn''t know each other, they had become neighbors. There was a story. It wasn''t necessary to know and understand each other''s stories to accept them. From the moment Turner had carried a faint Bertus across the snow-covered mountains and arrived here. The villagers had accepted Turner and Bertus as their neighbors without wondering why. They understood Turner''s desperation, her urgency. "The reason this village can exist is that we know that the colder it gets, the closer we have to stick together to survive." In the cold, people had to live close to each other to survive. This was such a community. "No matter how small this village is, how scarce the food, how harsh the weather..." The chief smiled. "We can''t turn away a handsome young man and a beautiful old woman whose eyes are suspiciously pretty." "¡­!" -Hahahahaha! The chief laughed uproariously, and not just Bertus, but Turner''s face turned pale as well. Where on earth was this place? Who were these people? Who on earth was the chief? Although they knew nothing. In the end. Just as the chief had never asked anything so far, Bertus never asked anything either. The chief spoke. "So, you don''t have to leave." Bertus and Turner felt as if those words were like a promise of divine protection. "¡­Yes, Chief." And so, they could only answer like that. ------ Turner and Bertus returned home. Anna and Louis had come to visit. And they came to realize that the place they had been staying in was an unknown village. "What is this place?" Although they had both been curious so far, now the space began to feel mysterious, like some enigma. "I don''t know." The village chief hadn''t told them not to leave. He said they didn''t have to leave. Somehow, the chief''s words without any guarantee reassured both Bertus and Turner that everything would be fine no matter what happened. The chief promised to continue sheltering them, just as he had done so far. An opportunity had come, and Bertus had refused it. Whether that was right or wrong would never be known. They had chosen the life of a fugitive and had been promised protection by someone. So, in some unnamed village of this vast snowy expanse, Life here would be what remained for Bertus and Turner. "Did he... know who I am?" "I''m... not sure." The village chief had long known that Turner was much older than she appeared. Did the other villagers know as well? If the villagers had been playing along knowing this whole time, that would have been a really terrible joke. Turner clenched his teeth, feeling both flustered and wronged. They decided to stay in this village. Honestly, they couldn''t say that they hadn''t been swayed. Was there another chance? An unexpected opportunity. Just by imagining sitting in a place created by someone, they could plan for decades'' worth of things they could do. Since they could think of anything as long as they still had things to do. But. All those imaginings crumbled in an instant. Turner''s trembling fingertips, filled with anxiety. The moment she barely touched his own hand, everything disappeared. Some desperate will, asking not to do so, was conveyed through that single tremble. It was no longer his place. It could no longer be his. All the fantasies about it vanished cleanly. He had abandoned everything and left. But, there were still things that remained. There was some sanctuary in the place he had arrived at after running away. And he hadn''t arrived there alone. There was no reason to fantasize or dream about something new. He had chosen the life of a fugitive, and someone had always been with him along the way. So, rather than putting on a new crown, he should cherish what remains. Spending time with the remaining people and the remaining time was enough. As he had told Anna. Hadn''t he answered that it was more than enough when she asked if he was satisfied with this? More than enough. An emperor who had lost everything. The person who stayed by the side of the emperor who had become nothing. Together with an overly generous person. In an overly generous place. Under the protection of some overly generous being. How could he not feel a sense of excess that went beyond satisfaction? Feeling guilty for being permitted such excess. There was no need to hurt the world any further by dreaming of something more. "Turner." "...Yes?" As Bertus approached, Turner''s eyes filled with confusion. Because it was a look he had never seen before. "We..." "..." From that hesitant approach alone, she understood everything. What he was trying to do. What he wanted. It felt like they knew. "Ah, it''s not possible... How, how could I dare..." "...Why not?" "Well... you, compared to someone like me... are much younger... and with such a person..." As Turner''s face turned pale and she stuttered, Bertus furrowed his brow. "...Does that make sense?" "...Excuse me?" "If we''re planning to live here for the rest of our lives, we have to pretend to be a married couple anyway." "Ah." It wasn''t a situation where she could argue that wasn''t the case. "In this small village, are you suggesting we should have affairs?" "No, not that... I mean..." Bertus quietly sat down in front of Turner. "We were asked to live, weren''t we?" "...Yes." They had accepted that request. And so, they had come this far. "Then, can I ask you just one more favor?" "Y-yes...?" "I''m tired of hearing you say such things." When would they do it? When would it happen? The message was clear enough just by asking those questions. "...It''s not impossible, you know." They had spent years together. Bertus, of course, knew that Turner was in many ways healthy. "B-but! That''s... that''s... n-not... impossible, b-but... I''ve seen you since you were a baby! How could I...?" "I don''t care about that anymore." "U-uh... You can''t... you can''t do this... please..." Turner was on the verge of tears. She couldn''t push him away, nor could she not push him away. She just started to choke up with a pale face. If she pushed him away. Since they wouldn''t leave the village, they would have to pretend to be a fake married couple for the rest of their lives, and she couldn''t force him to live celibate. They said they loved each other. Their love was so strong that those words were unnecessary for both of them. There was no reason not to do it. They had only pretended until now because Turner wanted to keep some sort of conscience intact, and Bertus respected that. But now, Bertus didn''t want to respect Turner anymore. So in truth, it was the end of the story. "I don''t know, just stay still for now." "B-but... that''s... that''s...!" After that, like what she had just shouted with a red face at the banquet hall. Every day. In large quantities. It was a huge mess. CH 699 Epilogue - The Edge of the World Since the new empire had proclaimed a law recognizing the landownership of the farmers who had cultivated the ruined land, groups of pioneers began to leave the city. There were still many vacant lands where wild grasses swayed in the wind, and cautiously growing crops began to raise their heads in small farming villages. While people from the rural areas had reasons to visit the city, there was no reason for city dwellers to visit these small villages. On the southwestern edge of the continent. It was an area that belonged to the safe zone, but it was neither a strategic stronghold nor a hub city. It was a medium-sized city, far from the empire''s gaze. Directly under imperial jurisdiction, Leonda. In a small village, the residents consumed the crops they grew themselves to sustain their livelihood, and any surplus was sold in Leonda. Such villages had sprung up like mushrooms after the war. In a nameless small farming village on the outskirts of Leonda, there was a stranger. More of a vagrant than a guest, a certain man. That man had been staying in an abandoned barn, empty ever since a cow raised in the village had died, for quite some time. Beside the rotting straw, leaning against the barn wall, a man lay motionless as if dead. "Mister!" A girl with long, wavy brown hair came running towards the man. "..." The man slowly lifted his head, like a dying tree, to look at the approaching girl. The girl, who had run all the way, extended her hand towards the man. "Mister, you haven''t eaten, have you?" "..." "Here, eat this. Mom said to give it to you." In the girl''s hand were three cold, steamed potatoes. Mom said to give it to him. That must have been a lie. There was no village that would welcome a stranger like him. The man stared at the girl for a moment and then took a potato and put it in his mouth. "Here, I brought some water too." A bite of potato. A sip of water. The man performed these actions slowly and deliberately, as if performing a ritual. The girl watched curiously as the man ate the potato and drank the water. The man, wearing a ragged cloak, ate the potato and drank the water with only his left hand. His empty right shoulder, hidden beneath the tattered cloak, told the story. The man had no right arm. ------ The girl patiently waited for the man to eat the three potatoes, one small bite at a time. "Thank you." With a brief word of gratitude from him, the girl took the empty water bottle with a bright smile. In the distance, people carrying farming tools looked at the man in the barn and the girl talking to him, clucking their tongues. ¡®Tsk. She won''t listen no matter how much we talk to her.¡¯ ¡®Shouldn''t we give Sandy''s mom a good talking-to?¡¯ ¡®As if she would listen to any of that.¡¯ ¡®Well, that''s true¡­¡¯ The muttering of the villagers reached not only the man''s ears but also the girl''s. "Don''t worry about it. Adults are scared of strangers, that''s why they act like that." "...I suppose so." The man responded to the girl''s words, which seemed more mature than those of the adults. It was natural for the adults to be afraid. A mysterious vagrant, lying in the streets. Sandy had been the one to find the vagrant. She screamed at the top of her lungs, called the adults, and brought him back to the village. The one-armed vagrant. Despite the villagers'' various questions, the stranger refused to reveal anything about himself. He moved sluggishly, as if he were dying, or rather, as if he were already dead. His eyes lacked focus as well. He appeared ominous, or perhaps afflicted by some terrible disease. So, it was odd for Sandy to approach this menacing drifter. While the village wasn''t entirely inhospitable, nobody wanted to get close to the stranger. After regaining consciousness in Sandy''s home, the stranger complied with her mother''s polite request to leave and took up residence in an abandoned barn on the outskirts of the village, spending his days sitting there. Since then, he had been subsisting on potatoes, sweet potatoes, or pieces of bread that Sandy brought to him in secret. Was he planning to just sit there indefinitely? The villagers cast such glances at the drifter, who sat motionlessly in a corner of the barn. The man barely moved throughout the day. No one visited him except Sandy, and passersby wondered if he had died in that position. Sandy was certainly an oddity. None of the other children in the village approached the sinister drifter. They speculated that he might be a ghost that devoured humans, or even a ghost itself. Despite the children''s warnings and the adults'' scolding, Sandy continued to care for the stranger. In this way, the stranger had occupied the village''s barn for about two weeks. By now, the villagers'' patience was wearing thin, and they wished he would leave. Of course, Sandy had no interest in such concerns. The stranger, whom people suspected of being mute, had begun to utter very short sentences to Sandy. After finishing her meal, Sandy smiled at the silent stranger and asked, "Do you know?" "..." "This barn smells like when it used to house cows." "..." "Even though there are no cows now, it still has a terrible smell." His disheveled hair and messy beard made it inevitable that he would emit a foul odor, and the barn in which he was staying began to smell as bad as when cows were kept there. "I suppose so." The man responded simply to Sandy''s words. It smells terrible. I see. At this simple exchange, Sandy''s eyes widened in surprise. "¡­I meant that you should take a bath." "¡­" "There''s a stream nearby." The man didn''t respond to all of Sandy''s words. By now, Sandy had somewhat understood. The man was nearly deaf. So when Sandy said something, the man would nod or shake his head without fully understanding the meaning of her words. It wasn''t just his hearing. Sandy could now see that most of the man''s senses were considerably dull. The villagers didn''t know. It wasn''t just his missing right arm. His missing arm was the most noticeable, but his entire body was plagued by illness. Sandy gripped the man''s arm. Their conversation was not hindered by his inability to understand. "Let''s go. I''ll help you wash." "¡­" As Sandy pulled him with force, the man rose slowly but steadily from his seat. It wasn''t that Sandy had forced him up, but rather, he had no choice but to rise. The man was suspicious, silent, and ominous. In truth, upon closer and longer observation, Sandy knew that there was no one who listened as well as this man. ------ Sandy had always been considered an oddball in the village. She would always go to places she was told not to, and do things she was warned against. If she was told she absolutely had to do something, she would refuse to do it. She was like a contrarian frog. The village children would grit their teeth at the mere mention of Sandy, having been victims of her pranks and tricks countless times since they were young. Thus, it was inevitable that Sandy''s parents had essentially given up on her. However, this time seemed a bit more dangerous. Sandy couldn''t provide any concrete evidence as to why it was dangerous, but she had started to take care of a mysterious wanderer who was undoubtedly a risk. Everyone tried to dissuade Sandy, but as always, her stubbornness only intensified her care for the wanderer. She had even brought him to the riverbank and was washing him vigorously. The wanderer submitted to Sandy''s touch without resistance, as if he were an object. She lathered his coarse hair with soap, scrubbing not only his head but also his face and beard. It was as if a small mother was taking care of a big baby. Take off your clothes. ...... Seeing Sandy trying to undress the man, a villager intervened, scolding her for going too far. Only then did Sandy stop her outrageous behavior. "Aren''t you ashamed, relying on a child to wash you because you can''t do it yourself?" The village woman yelled, recognizing that both Sandy and the man had their own issues. "...I see." But the wanderer only said that much. "What a nasty fellow." "Leave it, Auntie!" In the end, the village woman could not continue her scolding and had to leave due to Sandy''s persistent cries. The next day. Somehow, Sandy saw the man wearing clean, freshly washed clothes. ------ The next morning. The man had washed and hung the dirty clothes out to dry. He was leaning against the wall of the barn. "What, did you do it yourself?" "...Yes." At his brief response, Sandy gave a subtle smile. Then, she vigorously patted the man''s head. As if to praise him. "Good for you, mister, knowing how to wash yourself." "...." "...Did you not hear me teasing you?" "...." "I can''t tell if you can hear me or not." Sandy couldn''t figure out what the man was thinking either. Certainly, he had washed his clothes and body somewhere during the night, as the terrible stench was gone. But his worn-out clothes and the unkempt, bothersome hair and beard remained the same. Today, Sandy brought him some thin, baked bread. "Don''t hate my mom too much. She''s just really scared." "...." "Since I''m not the one bringing food, she''s even helping with your share, you know?" "...I see." Neither liking it nor disliking it. Everyone has feelings they can''t quite put into words. Of course, Sandy''s odd behavior and the mysterious wanderer were both disliked and feared. It was pitiable to leave him to starve to death. Sandy''s mother couldn''t stop her daughter''s strange behavior, nor could she let her daughter go without food so she could give it to the vagrant. So, she reluctantly prepared enough food for Sandy to give the vagrant his share. The villagers hoped the vagrant would disappear, but they didn''t wish for him to die within the village. So even though they were afraid of the vagrant and disapproved of Sandy''s actions, they couldn''t help but be impressed. They had thought Sandy was just a reckless troublemaker, but they discovered another side of her ¨C one that was kind and gentle. And Sandy hadn''t just brought bread. Suddenly, she took a knife from her pocket. "Sir, hold out your chin." Sandy blinked her eyes and brandished the knife threateningly. "..." "I''ll shave that ugly beard for you." Of course, the man didn''t seem frightened or flustered. He just stared at Sandy with dull eyes. "I''ve seen my dad do it often, so I should be able to do it well." Sandy grabbed the tip of the man''s chin, and even when she pressed the knife against it, he showed no reaction. "¡­Is this right?" The girl, who had never shaved a beard before, hesitantly tilted her head as she tried to shave the man. The man seemed indifferent or numb, just standing there blankly. "Oh¡­ It seems to be working somehow¡­" Of course, the first-time shaving would not be smooth, and the knife was not even meant for shaving. So it was bound to be clumsy. As Sandy approached the man''s face to shave his chin and neck, she soon discovered something strange. "¡­Huh?" It was only then that she noticed something hidden beneath the man''s clothes on his neck. A small silver chain connected to a loop. At its center was a necklace with a crimson gemstone embedded. It was clear at first glance that it was not just an ordinary gemstone. Instead of a simple crimson hue, the color swirled like a whirlpool within the gemstone. "Sir¡­ What is this¡­?" Just as Sandy''s curiosity led her to reach for the necklace. Thud! "Ouch!" The man, who had been sluggish like a tortoise until now, roughly grabbed Sandy''s wrist. The man''s previously blurry eyes found focus. And he stared intently into Sandy''s eyes. "Don''t touch it." At that near-commanding, powerful warning, Sandy dumbly nodded. "Uh, um¡­ Yeah." Even the rebellious Sandy couldn''t help but nod furiously under the weight of the pressure in the man''s words. The man hid the exposed crimson gemstone necklace back under his clothes. With a shaky feeling, Sandy resumed shaving the silent man''s beard. Of course, she was still clumsy. "Hey! What are you doing?" "Ah! You startled me!" A villager, who had mistaken Sandy holding the knife to the man''s neck for something else, shouted in shock. Startled, Sandy accidentally cut the man''s cheek with the knife. "Uh, um¡­ Sir, I''m sorry¡­" "¡­" "Ma''am! You scared me!" "Sandy! What dangerous thing are you doing? Can''t you stop?" Even as blood began to flow from the cut on his cheek, the man seemed to feel nothing, staring blankly into space. In the end, Sandy had to call upon the village elder to disinfect the wanderer''s wounds and apply a bandage. She also used a knife to trim his excessively disheveled and tangled hair, tidying it up somewhat. "Hmm..." Sandy stared intently at the man after shaving his face and arranging his hair. "...You''re not an old man, but a younger brother?" Seeming amazed, Sandy continued to gaze piercingly at the man''s face. However, what was even more astonishing was something else. The man, who had reacted sensitively to the touch of the necklace without even touching it, remained unfazed despite his injuries. What was that necklace? Sandy couldn''t help but grow more curious. The man, who appeared to have nothing, wore a necklace that seemed mysterious and precious at a glance. "Is that necklace some kind of incredible treasure?" At Sandy''s question, the man slowly turned his eyes to look at her. "...No." He didn''t entirely ignore her question. "Absolutely not." With his eyes closed, the man leaned against the wooden wall of the barn. "But it''s more important than anything else in the world..." That was the longest answer the man had given Sandy so far. The most important thing in the world. But it wasn''t a treasure. Sandy couldn''t understand the man''s words. How could something be important but not a treasure? If it''s not a treasure, why is it the most important thing in the world? Sandy laughed mockingly. With a smile tinged with malice. "Why would someone like you have the most important thing in the world?" How could a dying wanderer on the side of the road have such a thing? Having taken care of the wanderer up until now, Sandy felt entitled to make such a malicious joke. At Sandy''s words, the man stared blankly at the sky. "...I don''t know either." Clearly, the man wore a faint, bitter smile. Although she was taking care of him, she thought he was a very strange person. Thinking this, Sandy gently stroked the man''s hair, which appeared somewhat sad. ------ Swoooosh On a day when the world seemed to be submerged in a torrential downpour. There was a dreadful and miserable battle that nobody witnessed. ''For an old monster like me, this end is fitting...'' The last monster, his heart pierced by a golden spear, was actually delighted. ''In the only era when all five relics appeared, to die by having my heart pierced by the last relic... What an undeserved conclusion...'' Ludwig watched the last monster, which seemed happy to be killed, with wide eyes. As he was dying. The old monster crushed his own chest and took something out. The old monster was smiling. ''Young man...'' ''If you truly wish to become a hero...'' ''You must take this...'' ''This, if left alone, will bring ruin to the world...'' ''But if you bear it, it will only bring ruin to you.'' ''As long as you do not fall, as long as you endure, the world will be peaceful.'' ''The Relic of Courage.'' ''The relic that is said to grant the power to confront anything.'' ''It will grant you the strength to bear it.'' ''But it will never bestow upon you the power to surpass it...'' ''Perhaps for your entire life, bearing this...'' ''That will be the glory you must shoulder.'' ''Destruction will befall you.'' ''Perhaps, do you understand?'' ''Whether you will find a way to completely annihilate this...'' ''But such a day will probably never come.'' ''O master of the final relic.'' ''O apostle of courage.'' ''You have won, but...'' ''By winning, you are burdened with eternal destruction...'' ''Carrying the yoke of sins committed by others, sins you have not committed, for your entire life.'' ''That will be your fate...'' ''And no one will remember you...'' ''How can this be...'' ''So bittersweet and...'' ''Glorious and...'' ''Miserable of an ending...'' The last monster vanished as if melting into the raindrops with a seemingly satisfied smile. He had no choice but to take the crimson jewel that remained in the monster''s place, even though he didn''t know what it was. The moment he took it, the man had an intuition. That bearing this for the rest of his life would be his destiny. He had won, but. He knew that there was a price for victory. From then on. Every day was hell for the man. CH 700 The man awoke from his dream to find the day already bright. He had merely endured. He had lived for five years after that time, during which he had to bear the weight of a lifetime. Not crumbling. Not falling down. The man, whose life''s work had been to never fall, now lived a directionless life within the last mission of never crumbling. Not knowing where to go. Unable to settle anywhere. He walked an endless path, unsure whether it was flight or advance. A wanderer in search of the unattainable, the eternal wanderer. The role given to the Apostle of Courage and the owner of the last relic was just that. Although everything was fading away, the flame had not yet been extinguished. As long as it didn''t go out, it could burn. Holding in his arms the most important and dangerous item in the world. Without revealing to anyone that he possessed it. He walked aimlessly and sometimes rested. The man quietly looked up at the sky. Amidst countless hallucinations, he strained his ears to hear what was now barely audible. As if trying to listen to the sound of the world. How much time had passed? "Mister!" He saw the innocent, mischievous, and gentle girl running towards him. How many days had he been in this nameless village? He couldn''t remember clearly. However. It was time to leave the village where the cute, lovable, gentle, and mischievous girl lived. "Today, I brought sausages too." The girl, with a bright expression, held out a sausage sandwich. The man shook his head. "Sandy." "¡­Yes?" For the first time since he arrived in the village, the man called the girl by her name. The dying man''s gaze returned, and the revitalized man stood up from his seat. The man, who had always crouched down, had always been at the same eye level as the girl. But now, the difference in height between the standing man and the girl was significant. As the girl straightened her bent back, she looked up at him, mouth agape, surprised by his height. To Sandy, the man seemed to have become an entirely different person. The man looked down at the girl and spoke. "Tell the villagers." "Tell them...what?" She wondered what he meant. "Tell them not to come outside until the sun sets, no matter what happens." The man was strange. Sandy knew he was strange. But, really. She had no idea just how strange he was. The man began to walk somewhere silently. From somewhere, the sound of horse hooves reached the man''s distant ears. ------ Sandy did not know what the man''s intentions were when he said those words. But, for some reason, he seemed serious. Just as she had shouted in all directions when she had to save the fallen man, Sandy shouted the same way this time. Sandy didn''t simply tell them, "The wandering man says not to come outside." That would have been just a strange statement, and no one would believe it. So, Sandy devised a plan. She said a monster had appeared near the village. And that they shouldn''t go outside. She screamed loudly. Fortunately, even the notorious little mischief-maker Sandy had never joked about monsters before. At the mention of a monster, the villagers closed their doors in fear. Some people asked Sandy what kind of monster had appeared. Sandy didn''t know exactly but said it was a terrifying and vicious-looking monster, and they should stay quiet until it passed. However, Sandy''s mother and father thought Sandy was playing another cruel prank. At the moment when they were determined to give Sandy a good beating this time: -Thump thump thump thump thump! From afar, an indiscernible thunderous sound began to reach them. They didn''t know if it was a monster or not. But knowing that something terrible had happened, Sandy''s parents took Sandy and hid inside their house. The villagers didn''t know precisely what was happening. However, the thunderous noise grew louder and closer to the village. As it grew closer and closer, From the moment something seemed to have arrived at the village: -Whinnying! A dying horse''s sound. -Arggh! "What, what is that thing...?!" The sound of people dying. Soaked everyone''s ears in fear. ------ Around the time the screams had subsided, naturally, it was Sandy who burst out of the house first, pushing past her restraining parents. Night had already fallen. Sandy, who had rushed frantically to the place where the screams and sounds of death had been heard, saw it from the edge of the village, already shrouded in darkness. Dead horses. Dead people. And scattered military flags. In between them, a one-armed man stood, bathed in pale moonlight. The golden spear in his left hand. The man, who looked too weak to break even a single tree branch, had killed dozens of mounted soldiers. "Mister...?" Even with a strong heart and a high tolerance for unusual things, Sandy couldn''t help but collapse upon seeing the scene. At Sandy''s call, the golden spear in the man''s left hand disappeared like a mirage, as if it had never been there. The man slowly approached Sandy, who was trembling as she sat down. "Ah, ah..." Then, the man crouched down carefully to meet Sandy''s eye level. With their eyes locked, the man said, "They were bandits." "..." "I saw the village further west from here being plundered by them. Then they brutally killed everyone in the village. Children, the elderly, everyone." "..." "I didn''t intend to care about it. A bandit''s business... It''s not my concern." One cannot concern oneself with all the matters of the world. But the man stayed in this village. Even when people gave him hints. And sometimes threats. Without a word. He sat in the corner of the barn, waiting for something. It wasn''t because the man was unable to see the existence of the bandits with his eyes open. "Sandy." "In goodness... there is no given reward." "Living kindly or living virtuously." "Doesn''t bring happiness, nor is a reward given." "That''s why there are more cases of suffering." The man placed his hand on Sandy''s head. As Sandy had done occasionally when she felt sorry and pitiful for the man. The hand that seemed like it belonged to a dead person was now so big and warm. Sandy stared blankly at the man. "But sometimes there is a reward for being good." "For being kind." "Sometimes there should be a reward just for that reason." "Though it''s not always given." "If you live that way, sometimes there should be good things." "So people can, at least a little, affirm goodness." "On the road, there lay a dying, filthy beggar. A young girl couldn''t bear to watch, and she helped the man." "Apparently, that beggar repelled all the thieves who were planning to attack the village..." "Well, there''s no harm in such an unbelievable story." A person who could be ignored. Someone who could be left to die without concern. A girl who couldn''t bear to see such a person and went around the neighborhood shouting loudly. And that strange girl took care of the beggar wholeheartedly. She provided him with meals. Washed him. Shaved his beard. And became a companion to him. It was a repayment for the girl''s kindness. The man had no interest in thieves. However, he had no choice but to repay the kindness the girl had shown him with what he was capable of. Knowing that the thieves would come to this place, he did not succumb to the villagers'' hints and quietly guarded the stable. In the end, the villagers were also kind. Though they gave hints, they did not chase him away with a club. The heart of everyone in the village, that they could not help but feel. And Sandy''s mischievous yet gentle kindness. In order to repay her, the beggar stayed in the stable for a long time, without any hint of leaving. "Sandy..." "I''m sorry." "For making you witness such a horrible scene..." "That''s why I told you not to come out..." But there was nothing that could be done about the girl witnessing the scene. The man carefully reached out his hand to Sandy''s cheek. "Thank you." "You don''t have to be this kind in the future." "But your kindness... It made me feel joy for the first time in a long while..." "I hope you understand." After caressing her cheek a few times, the man slowly stood up. Sandy still did not know what had happened. She didn''t know who the man was. However. Because Sandy had saved someone. Through some people¡¯s death. The village was saved. The girl spoke to the back of the wanderer, who was about to leave without a word. "Mister." At the girl''s call, the man stopped. "Where... are you going?" Without turning to the girl''s vague question, the man replied. Somewhere, he was searching for something. Unable to know where that place was, he wandered aimlessly. "A place of eternal rest." And so, while walking. To the most important, yet saddest beings in the world. The wanderer of eternity set off to find the land that could provide eternal rest. ------ The eternal wanderer walks aimlessly, searching for the land of rest. Without even knowing where it is or if it even exists. In front of the man who started walking out of the village edge without any plan. Under the moonlight, there were two shadows. One was standing, and the other was sitting on the edge of a rock. The man stopped quietly in front of those shadows. "It''s been a long time, Ludwig." A blurry face seen through the dim sight. A distant voice. Ludwig remembered that face and voice. Her red hair, even visible in the moonlight. "Scarlett?" His dear friend was waiting for him under the moonlight. And behind her. A being whose identity could be recognized solely by the pair of horns. "It''s been a while." The ruler of the continent. The Demon King. "Reinhardt..." The being with a name that could be heard everywhere sat on the rock''s edge, looking at Ludwig. "What brings you here?" Almost instinctively, a golden spear appeared in Ludwig''s left hand. "...Is that Alixion?" "..." "Relax your face. Do you think I came here to fight?" The emperor raised both of his arms to show he had no intention of being hostile. How did he find me? Although Ludwig was curious, in reality, it might not have mattered. His opponent was the ruler of the continent. Eventually, whatever he sought would be found. If he spread the chain of coincidences wide enough and waited for someone to get caught in it, he would eventually find what he wanted. In the end, Ludwig was simply caught in that chain. "It was you after all, wasn''t it?" The demon king spoke quietly. More precisely, he was staring intently at the necklace hidden beneath Ludwig''s clothes. "..." Ludwig didn''t respond. But the opponent''s gaze seemed to know everything without even hearing an answer. "Having saved my life, why did you disappear, even if you couldn''t show any respect?" "Because I didn''t save you because I thought you were right." At Ludwig''s words, Reinhardt sighed. "Right, you saved my life, so if I waste it, you''ll come back to take it." Suggesting that since he was alive thanks to Ludwig, Ludwig had the right to take his life. Reinhardt added such words. "But can you endure that?" At Reinhardt''s words, Ludwig stared at the emperor with a hardened expression. It had never occurred to him that he could endure it. Every moment was like hell, but he hadn''t collapsed. "It seems I should be the one to take it." "..." "You have no reason to hold on to it." "..." "No matter how I think about it, it''s right for me to have it." Someone had to bear the burden of the Soul Stone, which would turn into a disaster if left alone. Ludwig was constantly fighting against it in real time. It was the heaviest burden in the world. Ludwig was bearing the sins of others. So, it was reasonable for the emperor to argue that he should bear it rather than Ludwig. "I can''t let you, whose life is so valuable, have something like this." It wasn''t because the emperor was right that Ludwig had saved him. But he couldn''t let the emperor bear such a burden either. As if knowing that Ludwig would give such an answer. "So, are you going to live like this for the rest of your life, wandering around the world like a nomad and dying?" "It''s none of your business." "How about at least giving up this lifestyle? It''s not difficult to make your life more comfortable, and if you won''t concede that, I wish you''d recognize your own importance." There was no need to wander around. Not too long ago, he had almost died collapsed on the road. At the emperor''s suggestion to live more comfortably, Ludwig shook his head. "I have to search." "..." "They are not monsters... They are just sad beings who had no choice but to become monsters." "..." "So, I have a duty to find a way to give them rest. And that task is mine to undertake." They were not beings to be exorcised or burdens to be borne by someone else. They were simply pitiful figures who couldn''t find rest. He had to find a way to give them rest. That''s why Ludwig searched for a place he didn''t even know existed. Scarlett sadly looked at Ludwig, tormented by his obsession. The emperor stared intently at Ludwig. "You''re still as stubborn as ever." The emperor had anticipated Ludwig''s rejection of all his suggestions. "Let me make another proposal." "I have no intention of accepting anything." "Have you ever thought about finding the ''End of the World''?" "What?" The End of the World. Ludwig''s eyes widened at the unexpected suggestion. He had no intention of accepting anything, but this was a proposal he never could have imagined. "I''m currently trying to find out the extent of this world." "We don''t know if this continent is the only one, or if there are others." "That''s why I''ve been preparing an expedition for a long time to find out." "We''re about to set sail." "Who knows?" "Maybe you''ll find what you''re looking for there." "Divinity, magic, and supernatural powers." "Beyond those, there may be another power that could make the impossible possible." A land of rest. Would such a place truly exist? Could there be another world beyond this continent? Having become the ruler of the continent, the Demon King sought to discover if there was another world beyond the known existence. The margins of the story. Just as there had always been margins, something might exist in the margins beyond the ocean of this continent. He wanted to find it. Ludwig stared at the Demon King. As if not expecting an answer, the Demon King took something out of his pocket. It was a magic scroll. "Use this if you decide to go." Ludwig couldn''t fully understand that the scroll was for teleportation to a specific location. The Demon King looked at Ludwig silently. "We don''t have the kind of relationship where we enjoy seeing each other''s faces. Go." Indeed, they weren''t close enough to engage in a lengthy conversation. "And if it''s really too hard for you to bear, leave it to me. I''m not asking for it forever, just a few months. If you die, it''ll be a loss for me, you know?" "I''ll think about it." There had been a purpose. Ludwig received three suggestions, two of which he refused. "Lastly..." The Demon King looked at Ludwig with sad eyes. "I''m sorry. For everything." Ludwig didn''t know why the Demon King was apologizing. Shouldn''t he be the one to say thank you? Why was he saying sorry? But the Demon King didn''t say anything else. Scarlet, with a sad expression, lowered her head as she looked at Ludwig. Flash! With the flash of the teleport, they disappeared as if they had never been there. Ludwig stared blankly at the scroll in his hand. The End of the World. The Demon King was not content and sought to do something. Beyond that, there might be nothing, or there might be something. However, beyond the world known so far. There would be other possibilities. What couldn''t be found on this continent might be found beyond the world. It would be better than wandering aimlessly. Ludwig didn''t take long to decide. Flash! He unfolded the scroll, and light enveloped his body. When the light disappeared and he opened his eyes. Ludwig found himself on a hill overlooking a massive harbor. Ships were setting sail. It was a fleet heading towards the End of the World, the extent of which was unknown. It was bound to be on a scale never seen before. Among the gigantic ships akin to otherworldly vessels, Ludwig saw mermaids swimming in the sea. And then, he saw it. A familiar face. A face he didn''t think he''d see again. "You''ve come, Ludwig." The disappeared shaman. "Detto...morian?" Dettomorian was there. The shaman, whose knowledge and intentions were always inscrutable. It only made sense that a being wielding power beyond the understanding of the world would pave the way, venturing into an unknown place, searching for something unknown, in a direction where an unknown power awaited. "To the other side of the world." Dettomorian would go with Ludwig beyond the boundaries of the unknown. "Let''s go together." Overwhelmed by the vast ocean and the abyss beyond, Ludwig gazed at the massive fleet that would head towards the direction of dawn and dusk. CH 701 Chapter 701 Epilogue - The Spring Palace At some point, a cat began to live in the Imperial Capital. A cat with fur as white as snow. The reason it was known as a cat living in the Imperial Capital rather than the emperor''s pet was that no one in the palace claimed to be raising the cat. There was no dedicated maid to care for the cat, and neither the emperor nor the empress, or anyone else, seemed to be feeding it. Its appearances were unpredictable. Sometimes it would sit on the emperor''s lap and yawn, other times it would snuggle in the archmage''s arms while strolling through the palace. It was also found dozing on the desk in the minister''s study, and even discovered atop the chandelier in the main hall of the central palace''s Tetra ¨C no one knew how it had gotten up there. The cat was even found in places other than the central palace, such as the Spring Palace and other seasonal palaces. Thus, it was a cat that considered the entire Imperial Capital its home. Though the cat had the considerable privilege of being able to climb onto the emperor''s lap whenever it wanted, it was unclear whether the emperor was truly raising the cat. After all, the emperor never gave any specific orders regarding the cat''s care. Moreover, the cat appeared very infrequently. Although it clearly lived in the Imperial Capital, there were times when it would not be seen for days or even months. Since the Imperial Capital was vast, everyone assumed the cat must be somewhere within its confines and didn''t bother to look for it. Then, every few months or even once a year, the cat would reappear. Neither the emperor nor the empresses would search for the cat when it disappeared. That''s why it was known as a cat living in the Imperial Capital, not the emperor''s pet. The palace''s only wild animal that would disappear and reappear on its own accord. Though it was somewhat of a palace attraction, time passed without it being considered an important creature. During that time, several significant events occurred in the empire. One of the empresses became pregnant and gave birth. With various incidents happening, time passed. As time went by, the famous cat was eventually forgotten. This was because the cat hadn''t been seen for almost four years. Rumors circulated that it may have died somewhere within the palace or got stuck between buildings or on a rooftop, but since neither the emperor nor the empress ordered anyone to look for the cat, no one searched for it. However, the cat, which had disappeared so suddenly, reappeared once again. The gradually forgotten cat began to roam the palace, looking exactly as people remembered it, leaving everyone wondering where it had been and what it had been doing all that time. Around the same time, the emperor did something strange by bringing home an illegitimate child from somewhere. The palace was briefly abuzz, but the commotion subsided when the archmage willingly accepted the child without any fuss. After that incident, more time passed. "¡­ Priscilla, haven''t I told you more than once?" "Yes¡­" The second princess, Priscilla, was being scolded. And it was her mother, the empress, the archmage who was doing the scolding. Yet, even as the archmage reprimanded Priscilla, she couldn''t help but look at the child sitting beside the princess. The sight only made the archmage''s expression more troubled. The child had skin as white as snow, clear eyes, and shimmering, neatly braided black hair. The face was as delicate as porcelain, carefully crafted by a master artisan. Clad in an adorable frilly dress, the figure was so endearing that it became unbearable not to hug it. However, Empress Harriet composed herself. "How many times have I told you? Rune doesn''t like this sort of thing." "But still..." Second Princess Priscilla pouted. Among the Emperor''s children, she was known to have inherited his unexpected and stubborn personality the most. Everyone prayed that she would not inherit such traits, but they were in vain. She had inherited that stubbornness that wouldn''t be satisfied unless she did what she wanted. "I didn''t do anything wrong." "What...?" "What did I do wrong?" Second Princess Priscilla. In the end, she pointed to her younger brother, who sat vacantly as if his soul had left him due to their mother''s scolding. "It''s Rune''s fault for being so adorable, even though he''s a boy." "¡­!" Without realizing it, the Empress bit her tongue at those unexpected words. Prince Rune merely sat there blankly, as if he was accustomed to his sister''s outbursts. In the end, Priscilla had to endure a three-hour-long scolding from her mother. ------ In the past. Ellen, who had been out of touch for four years and whose whereabouts were unknown, entrusted her child to the Emperor. The reason for her absence was that she had returned to her hometown, Rezaira, for some time. The Emperor had no choice but to understand the reasons for her return and her silence. After a long-awaited reunion and conversation, the Emperor returned to the palace. ''...So it''s Ellen''s child. Of course, it''s also mine.'' The Archmage, surprised by the sudden appearance of the child, couldn''t take her eyes off the little one. The child, slightly frightened, huddled up and clung to the Emperor''s hem, timidly revealing only the face. The sight was so endearing that she wanted to embrace the child right away. ''How could... she have hidden such a beautiful daughter all this time?'' ''...No.'' ''...Huh? You knew?'' ''I didn''t know... that''s not it...'' ''If that''s not it, then what?'' ''It''s not... a daughter.'' ''?'' It was then that the Empress finally understood why the Emperor had such an expression. It was also around that time that the white cat reappeared in the palace. ------ Three years had passed since the four-year-old prince arrived at the palace. Empress Harriet, who was also an Archmage, accepted Rune, the illegitimate child the Emperor had brought, as her own son. This was not only because she had the most experience in childcare among the royals, but also because she had strongly desired it. However, the problem was with Second Princess Priscilla. Everyone thought that she might have issues with her sudden new sibling due to dislike or jealousy, but it was quite the opposite. She adored him too much, which was the problem. However, her way of expressing her affection was quite peculiar. She tried to dress him in girl''s clothes whenever she had the chance and refused to be apart from him all day. Just as Priscilla had inherited her father''s eccentricities, Prince Rune had inherited his mother''s taciturn nature to an extreme extent. It was clear that he disliked Priscilla''s actions, but his expressions were not strong, so Priscilla ended up doing as she pleased. Thus, when the palace''s inhabitants took their eyes off them for a moment, Priscilla would transform Prince Rune into a little girl so adorable that anyone would want to hug at first glance. "¡­Tch." Having been scolded a lot and told not to approach Rune for the entire day, Priscilla, visibly irritated, walked down the corridor of the spring palace. Priscilla was in a terrible mood. Since tomorrow was Monday, and she had to go to the temple, the only day she could play with Rune, who was too young to go to the temple, was Sunday. But since her mother would undoubtedly be by Rune''s side all day today, she felt utterly defeated. In this disconcerted state, a high, sharp voice pierced Priscilla''s ears. "Judging by that scrunched-up face, you must''ve gotten scolded by the witch again, huh?" A little taller than Priscilla, with dazzling platinum blonde hair and a beautiful face, but an annoying sneer that was far from that beauty. Priscilla''s expression filled with irritation. "What do you want?" "You don''t want me to tell the witch again, do you?" The daughter of the Holy Empress and the First Princess, Amelia, was there. Amelia sneered at Priscilla, who was clearly in trouble. "You should be careful what you say about my mother, too." "What else should I call a witch but a witch?" If there was one thing Priscilla loved more than anything else in the world, it was Rune. The one thing she hated most was Amelia, the wicked woman with a pretty face but a malicious personality. "Why is my mom a witch, you idiotic wench!" "What...? Idiotic? And wench?" "Yeah, you idiotic, empty-headed wench!" It was due to their long-standing arguments that Priscilla''s language had become so coarse at such a young age. The palace maids passing by didn''t even bother to intervene. It was common knowledge in the palace that whenever Priscilla and Rune were together, they''d end up playing dress-up, and whenever Priscilla and Amelia crossed paths, they''d always fight. Here we go again... With that thought, they sighed deeply and continued on their way. But their childish fights were by no means polite. Infuriated by being called an idiotic wench, Amelia rolled up her sleeves. She was the daughter of the Holy Empress. She inherited not only her looks but also an incredible talent for combat that bordered on ignorance. "You''re going down." Amelia charged, and Priscilla gritted her teeth. -Thwack! "Ouch! Let go?!" "Will you let go?" Amelia, gripping Priscilla''s hair roughly, began to wring her. In a fistfight, Priscilla stood no chance against Amelia. However, she wouldn''t give in. Admitting defeat would only lead to that insufferable pretty face being filled with even more mockery and arrogance, which would make her even angrier. "Ah! Let go! Let me go, you crazy wench!" "Call me your sister. Sister. Do it, you insolent wench." "No way!" "Then suffer." -Aaaah! "Aaaah! Ouch! Ouch!" As the daughters of the most respected beings on the continent brawled like street thugs, the passing maids sighed and continued on their way. It was that common an occurrence. -Stop it! Can''t you stop?! Finally, the Archmage, having heard the commotion, rushed into the corridor, and only then did Amelia let go of Priscilla''s hair. "Mom! She did it again! She hit me again!" Priscilla hid behind the empress and cried out, causing Amelia''s expression to contort even more. However, Harriet looked at Amelia with a sad expression, biting her lips. "Amelia... I always tell you to get along well with each other." "..." At the empress''s rebuke, Amelia''s expression only grew more twisted. "And she called Mom a witch again!" "Be quiet, Priscilla." One of the main reasons Priscilla hated Amelia was that she was so brazen and called her mother a witch, yet her mother never scolded Amelia. She couldn''t understand why. Instead, her mother seemed even sadder when she looked at Amelia. She couldn''t tell why, but she felt as if her mother was somehow apologizing. "Hmph...!" In the end, Amelia bit her lip and turned away with those words. Priscilla could think of countless instances of being bullied by Amelia since they were young. That''s why Priscilla almost had a fit whenever she saw Amelia, who had been relentlessly tormenting her for reasons she couldn''t understand. From a very young age, Amelia would pinch and hit her for no reason, and often blamed Priscilla for her own accidents. Priscilla had always been the victim, but now she could no longer be silent and began to stand up to Amelia and shout. "Priscilla, can''t you please... get along with Amelia?" Her mother looked at her with a sad expression and said those words. "How can I get along when she starts it even when I''m just minding my own business?" "..." As Priscilla said, Amelia was the one who always picked fights for no reason. From Priscilla''s perspective, the injustice and sorrow she felt was inevitable. The accumulated resentment had led her to pick fights with Amelia as well. Amelia had always tormented her without reason. Not only did Amelia dislike her, but she also showed her dislike for their mother by calling her a witch. While it might be because Amelia resembled her birth mother, the Holy Empress, there were still inexplicable aspects to her behavior. One day. Priscilla had seen it from afar. In a hidden corner of the spring palace''s garden, Amelia was sobbing while being held by her mother. Even then, just as now. Her mother, with a sad expression, held the weeping Amelia in her arms. Priscilla couldn''t understand why Amelia behaved that way, or why her mother was so tender toward the insolent Amelia. ------ There were two ways to keep Priscilla from tormenting Rune. Either someone was always by Rune''s side, or someone was always by Priscilla''s side. The archmage took a walk to soothe the angry Priscilla, and naturally, Prince Rune became free. A total of four people lived in the spring palace, which had become the archmage''s residence. The owner of the palace, the archmage, Empress Harriet. And all the emperor''s children. Amelia, who stayed in the Imperial Capital instead of the Holy Empire due to the Temple, Priscilla, and Rune, who had become Harriet''s son, all lived together in the spring palace. That''s why the spring palace was bustling every day. Prince Rune sat at a table in the peaceful tea-time hall of the palace, without his sister around. It wasn''t that he was particularly interested in drinking tea. "Meow." However, Rune simply sat at the table, his face close to the white cat, gently stroking its back. The cat, as white as snow and quite pretty, basked in the sunlight, slowly swishing its tail with its eyes closed. And Rune absentmindedly petted the cat. Since the white cat had reappeared, it had often been by Rune''s side, who had appeared around the same time. First Prince Rune had always kept the cat with him. As if it were family. "Hmm¡­" During this leisurely time, a voice from behind made Rune slowly turn his head. First Princess Amelia, her arms folded, gazed at Rune. "What, brat?" Although she had been the one to look at him first, Amelia responded grumpily to Rune''s gaze. "¡­" Rune, without saying a word, turned his head back towards the cat. Amelia quarreled constantly with Priscilla, who, in turn, followed Rune around, doing all sorts of bizarre things. Amelia didn''t particularly torment First Prince Rune. Nor did she follow him around like Priscilla. Amelia acted as if she didn''t pay much attention to First Prince Rune, treating him as if he were nothing more than a chicken or a cow. Neither acting as if she disliked nor liked him. However, Amelia approached Rune, who was preoccupied with the cat, and sat down in front of him. Then, she looked around. As if checking to see if anyone was nearby. Upon confirming that no one was passing by, Amelia quietly grabbed Rune''s hand. "¡­?" "Come here." Amelia sat Rune on her lap and embraced him tightly. "¡­" "You''re good¡­ Yeah." Then, she said nothing more. As if just doing that was enough. With a faint smile on her lips. Rune, as if accustomed to it, continued to stroke the cat while embraced. Neither striking up a conversation nor engaging in one. Amelia, who wasn''t expressive, adored the First Prince very much. She was just clumsy in showing it. The First Prince, who was naturally quiet. The First Princess, who didn''t know how to properly express her affection. Priscilla kept Amelia from getting close to Rune. Worried that Amelia might torment him as she had done to her, Priscilla sought to protect Rune. And Amelia didn''t force herself to take Rune away from Priscilla, who blocked her as if trying to protect him. Priscilla growled whenever Amelia passed by, unable to bear the thought of Rune suffering like she had. Because she hated seeing that, Amelia avoided getting close to Rune when Priscilla was around. She had no intention of tormenting such a cute and lovable youngest sibling. However, when the Second Princess wasn''t around, Amelia expressed her affection for her youngest sibling in her own way. Embracing Rune, Amelia wore a happy smile on her face. The white cat watched them quietly, swishing its tail. Just then, Amelia sensed someone''s presence and carefully detached Rune from her embrace. She couldn''t understand why, but she found the scene too embarrassing for someone else to witness. In front of others, she treated him like a mere chicken or cow. Amelia''s expression couldn''t help but harden upon seeing the person who entered the tea-time hall. "Amelia." "Your¡­ Your Highness¡­" Amelia''s mother. The ruler of the Holy Empire, Empress Olivia. Dressed in her priestess attire, Olivia exuded an air of sacred authority. Although Priscilla and the Archmage were strikingly similar, Amelia and Olivia resembled each other as if cut from the same cloth. "Shall we have a talk?" "¡­Yes." Hesitantly, Amelia followed her mother at a slow pace. Her steps felt unusually heavy. "¡­" And Rune quietly watched Amelia''s retreating footsteps as if being pulled away. "Can''t everyone¡­ get along?" "Meow." At Rune''s murmur, the white cat swished its tail quietly. CH 702 Empress Harriet walked the palace grounds with Priscilla, having left the Spring Palace. Indeed, Priscilla was a troublemaker, but the root cause was the persistent torment she suffered at the hands of Amelia since her early childhood. "It doesn''t make sense in the first place. If she hates Mom and me so much, why doesn''t she just stay at the temple dormitory or live with her mother in the Holy Empire?" As Priscilla pointed out. It was Amelia''s choice to live in the Spring Palace, even though she always claimed she couldn''t stand the sight of them. There were plenty of places to avoid them if she didn''t want to see them. Therefore, Priscilla could only think that Amelia was staying in the Spring Palace solely to torment her, nothing more, nothing less. Listening to her daughter''s complaints, the Archmage silently gazed at the distant sky. "Priscilla." "What?" "Do you remember when Rune first arrived?" "¡­Yeah." Prince Rune was the Archmage''s daughter, but in reality, he was the Emperor''s illegitimate child brought in. However, the Archmage accepted Rune without question or hesitation. At the time, Priscilla was seven years old. "I¡¯m glad that you adored Rune. But has there ever been a time when you were upset with him? Even just once?" "¡­" Priscilla had been both surprised and delighted by her sudden new sibling, finding him utterly adorable from the start. He was simply too lovable to hate. But was there never a time she felt even a little jealous? Watching her mother constantly following Rune, taking care of him, paying attention to him, and doting on him. Could she truly say that she never felt a strange sense of unease? "¡­I guess I did feel a bit like that." "How so?" Priscilla quietly looked up at her mother. She didn''t want to admit it, but she had no choice but to accept a certain kind of bitterness, akin to sorrow. "I felt like¡­ Mom was stolen away from me." "I see." Empress Harriet smiled faintly and gently stroked her daughter''s head. "Thank you for enduring it so well until now." At the sudden praise, Priscilla''s face turned red. "¡­But what does that have to do with Amelia?" How did her jealousy towards Rune have anything to do with Amelia? Priscilla pouted her lips, and Harriet carefully knelt down to be at eye level with Priscilla. "You see, when the Holy Empress gave birth to Amelia, she was so busy with many tasks that she couldn''t raise the child herself." "¡­" "So, for a while, I raised Amelia." Only then did Priscilla understand what her mother was saying, and her eyes widened in realization. As the Holy Empress of the Holy Empire, Olivia had far too many responsibilities. Not only did she feel threatened for her own safety, but she also struggled to raise her child properly amidst her numerous duties. That''s why Amelia was raised not in the Holy Empire''s central palace, but in the safest place¡ªthe imperial palace, by Harriet. "So, in fact, Amelia has two mothers: the Holy Empress and me." "¡­" "When Amelia turned three years old, I became pregnant with you." Harriet gently caressed Priscilla''s cheek with a sad expression. "After giving birth to you¡­ the Holy Empress finally had some free time and took Amelia back to the Holy Empire." As Harriet''s expression turned sorrowful, recalling that time, Priscilla felt an indescribable heaviness. "It''s not your fault, but Amelia must have felt¡­ that you had taken her mother from her.¡± Olivia had longed to spend time with the daughter she couldn''t raise herself. After giving birth, Harriet couldn''t bear to be apart from Priscilla. However, from Amelia''s perspective, she had suddenly been separated from the mother who had raised her. That''s why Amelia couldn''t help but think that Priscilla had stolen her mother from her. There had been a reason for Amelia''s tormenting of Priscilla since the days she couldn''t remember. It wasn''t Priscilla''s fault, but Amelia couldn''t help but resent her. Amelia was young, and still quite immature. She couldn''t let go of that resentment. "Then, why does call Mom a witch?" "It''s because she feels left out. It''s not that she hates me... she just loves me too much." If she did that, she would get attention. Because she would be noticed. Finally, Priscilla seemed to understand, at least to some extent, why Amelia had been sobbing in her mother''s arms, pretending to hate her so much. "So, don''t take Amelia''s words about Mom too seriously. Amelia doesn''t hate Mom." In the end, Priscilla discovered the reason Amelia stayed in the Spring Palace. She couldn''t help but find out why she didn''t live in the Holy Empire, and why she stayed in the Spring Palace instead of the Temple dormitory. She didn''t want to be apart. "I don''t know, I want to get along, but she started it first, so I don''t know what to do." "..." Just knowing the reason for hatred doesn''t mean it can be resolved. That''s why Harriet could only smile sadly. "And when Mom and the Holy Empress finally meet, you two always fight." Priscilla''s sharp observation made Harriet''s expression contort with discomfort. In reality. Although they respected each other when apart, when they met, they still bickered constantly. While it didn''t go as far as the petty squabbles between Amelia and Priscilla, their relationship was similarly inherited. "Is... is that so...?" "Mom, are you telling us to get along when you can''t even get along with each other?" "I''ll try to get along, too! Then it''ll be fine...! And I want to get along, but the Holy Empress always acts like that! What can I do?" "That''s what I just said. But try to get along anyway." "Ugh..." "How are you going to get along with the Holy Empress? Do you know, Mom?" Harriet''s face turned beet red and began to tremble. "Why don''t you take after your father and not speak a word?!" "What?!" In the end, the mother, like her daughter, exploded with a bang. ------ At the same time. Holy Empress Olivia sat side by side with her daughter in the Spring Palace''s garden. "Are you getting along well?" "...Yes." Amelia sat beside her mother, fidgeting restlessly. Olivia looked at her daughter, who couldn''t sit still. "Do you still fight these days?" It was obvious who she was asking about. "Well... She started it..." "...Is that so?" "..." At the Holy Empress'' questioning, which seemed to know everything, Amelia eventually bowed her head. "Why do you hate Priscilla so much?" "..." Amelia couldn''t answer. But even without saying it, she already knew. Why she hated her so much. However, she couldn''t blame her daughter, knowing that it was her own fault for not being able to be with her when she needed her most during her childhood. In fact, after returning to the Holy Empire, Amelia cried every day. She wanted to see her mother. She wanted her mother to take her back. And so, the Empress reluctantly had to bring Amelia to the Spring Palace from time to time. When that happened, the same situation would unfold. She didn''t want to go back to the Holy Empire. With a newborn Priscilla in her arms, Empress Harriet didn''t know what to do, and Olivia couldn''t help but be dismayed. As they repeated these unwanted goodbyes, Amelia came to believe that Priscilla was the cause of everything. She began to believe that none of this would have happened if it weren''t for Priscilla. "Priscilla is your family, too. Even if you can''t cherish her, you shouldn''t hurt her." "... She''s not my family." "..." "My father is the only connection we have. Why is she my family?" "I see. So that''s how you think..." At Amelia''s words, Olivia gave a bitter smile. She didn''t even consider Priscilla her family. No, she was envious of Priscilla. Because Priscilla was the true daughter of the Archmage. That''s what she envied. ''Is it because I''m not your real daughter? So now that you have a real daughter, you don''t like me?'' ''It''s not like that, Amelia... It''s not... I''m sorry. I''m sorry... But if you act like this... If I act like this... I will be sad... Amelia...'' Olivia had seen her crying in Harriet''s arms, shouting these words from afar. As she cried and didn''t know what to do, Olivia could only watch from a distance. And still. Amelia did not call Olivia "Mother." It was as if the word just wouldn''t stick to her tongue. When she finally managed to utter it, her own face would contort with discomfort. Having spent such crucial time apart, there was a part of Olivia that she couldn''t make up for. And so, both mother and daughter found each other difficult. They didn''t want this, but it happened. That''s why, when her daughter said she wanted to go to the Temple and live in the Imperial Capital, Olivia reluctantly agreed. Knowing that Amelia''s true desire was to stay in the Spring Palace, not to go to the temple. Still, now that they knew why things had turned out this way, Amelia also felt guilt and remorse towards Olivia. That''s why Amelia froze like this whenever Olivia came to visit. Their relationship was filled with nothing but guilt and remorse for each other. Olivia didn''t scold or blame Amelia. Olivia stared at her stiff daughter''s face and gave a sad smile. "Actually, even if you had always been with me in the Holy Empire, I don''t think things would have been any better than they are now." "...What?" "Just... that''s what I think." Olivia looked up at the sky quietly. Due to circumstances, Olivia had no choice but to leave her daughter in Harriet''s care. But would everything have been fine if she hadn''t? Olivia sometimes thought about it, but now she was more pessimistic. "Do you know that the Archmage is from the noble family of the Duchy of Saint Owan?" "Ah... yes. I heard she was from a famous noble family..." "And what about your mother''s background?" "..." Amelia couldn''t answer her mother''s question. It wasn''t that she didn''t know. She just couldn''t bring herself to say it out loud. ¡°You know, I, your Mom was an orphan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was adopted by a foster father when I was young, but he wasn''t a good person. He was someone who tried to accomplish something great by using me. I always had to live up to his expectations. I always had to be kind, gentle, and exceptional.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It felt like¡­ I was living a life that was forced upon me without reason.¡± Amelia didn''t understand why her mother was telling her this story. ¡°So, I don''t really know what a warm family is like or the proper behavior parents should have towards their children.¡± Somehow, Olivia smiled like an innocent child. ¡°So, even if you had spent your childhood with me, there''s no guarantee that it would have been better. I might have treated you terribly or failed to do the things I should have. You might have hated me even more than you do now.¡± ¡°I... I don''t... hate you, Your Highness...¡± ¡°Really? That''s a relief. Maybe we managed this much because we lived apart?¡± Hehe. Olivia laughed mischievously. Without realizing it, Amelia''s mind wandered as she looked at her mother''s face. She was the most difficult person in the world, but Amelia often thought her mother was also the most beautiful. ¡°Anyway, unlike me, an orphan, the Archmage was the youngest daughter of a great and noble family.¡± ¡°A good father, a kind mother.¡± ¡°And she had three older brothers who adored her.¡± ¡°So, I heard she used to be a very arrogant, ill-mannered, and haughty child...¡± ¡°Well, she eventually learned, you see.¡± ¡°What good parents are.¡± ¡°How good parents should behave, what a good mother is, you know.¡± ¡°I tried studying and learning about it, but I could never truly understand. But she knows.¡± ¡°So, she, the Archmage was probably a much better mother than me.¡± ¡°That''s why you cried and wailed for days, wanting to go back to her.¡± At Olivia''s sad words, tears welled up in Amelia''s eyes. ¡°I''m sorry...¡± Amelia knew her mother hadn''t done anything wrong. That''s why, looking back on her own words and actions, she couldn''t help but feel guilty. ¡°No, it''s because the Archmage cared for you and loved you so much. I''m grateful for that. Why would I resent her, or you?¡± ¡°Did you think you were the only one crying?¡± ¡°She cried a lot, too.¡± ¡°She said it felt like she was forcibly taking someone else''s daughter away, watching her cry.¡± ¡°Anyway, that much...¡± ¡°She must have loved you like her own daughter.¡± ¡°She''s a very grateful person.¡± ¡°How much did she cherish you that my own daughter treated her real mother worse than a stranger? Huh?¡± At the teasing words, Amelia finally began to shed tears. If I had raised her from the beginning... She had thought about it countless times, but now it seemed ridiculous. Not even knowing what a good parent was, if she had raised Amelia herself, things might have turned out even worse. That''s what she had come to think. ¡°I''m sorry. I... I was wrong...¡± As Amelia began to cry, realizing that she was causing her mother the greatest pain, Olivia silently watched her daughter. At the point of feeling apologetic, she already knew what had gone wrong. Olivia knew that was enough. While talking about someone''s tears, more than you cried, more than Archmage cried, she wouldn''t say that she cried the most. In places where no one could see, she cried alone. Because such words would not make anyone happy. "I''m not scolding you, Amelia." "..." "I don''t want to say I''m hurt either. I mean, I haven''t exactly been great to you either." Olivia looked up at the sky. "Do you appreciate Archmage?" "..." "You should." "I do... appreciate her..." Despite her almost tantrum-like remarks and even betraying her by calling her a witch, Harriet couldn''t do anything but smile awkwardly and sadly. On the days when Amelia would explode, she would, without Priscilla¡¯s knowledge, secretly come to her at night and stroke her hair until she fell asleep. But it wasn''t enough. And it was still sad. Amelia had never been sincerely scolded or reprimanded for her constant tantrums and making life difficult for her own daughter. She knew she should be grateful for that alone. It''s just that it hadn''t been expressed in actions and words. "Archmage loved you like that, even though you''re not her real daughter, right?" "...Yes." "She loved you, who''s not even her family, that much." If Priscilla, who only shared a father with her, wasn''t family, then naturally, Harriet and Amelia weren''t family either. She wasn''t her real mother either. Yet, she loved her like a real daughter. "So, Amelia." "...?" "You have to return the love you received to Priscilla." Because she received that kind of love. Instead of trying to repay Archmage for her love, loving Archmage''s daughter as a real sister was the repayment. "Then, she will love you even more than she does now." "..." She would love her even more. She would smile not because she was thankful and happy, but because she was really happy, and so she would love her even more. However, in the end, it was the Holy Empress herself who spoke the sad words. While hiding her own feelings, Olivia playfully smiled and patted her daughter''s head. "I''m not asking you to love me, but if you want the love of the woman you consider your mother, will you refuse my request?" At Olivia''s mischievous and sorrowful question, Amelia finally wiped the corners of her eyes. It wasn''t a demand to love her. If you want the love of the person you consider your mother, you must do as she says. In the end, Amelia knew too. Even though they hadn''t spent much time together, her mother truly loved her very much. "I''m sorry... I''m sorry... I''ll do as you say..." So, Amelia forced her trembling lips to move and speak. "I''ll... I''ll do as you say, Mother." At those words, Olivia smiled brightly as if satisfied. "Good, that''s my daughter." "..." Olivia carefully embraced Amelia. "But." "You know." "If we don''t kill off the temper now, it might crawl back later." "Just like someone." "So, don''t let your guard down too much." "Because she''s your sister." "You have to treat your sister properly, right?" At the Holy Empress''s words, which were spoken with a playful laugh, Amelia couldn''t help but feel taken aback. "Yes...?" "Be affectionate most of the time, but if she''s acting up, scold her. You must establish a clear hierarchy." It was impossible to tell whether she was saying to scold or not to scold. "Understood?" "Uh, yes..." She knew that she herself was a bit strange. But Amelia couldn''t help but think that her mother was truly an odd person. [One more chapter...] CH 703 That evening. At the Central Palace Tetra. The Emperor, who had been more active outdoors lately, had returned from a long-overdue inspection of the continent. Leaving most of the state affairs to Empress Charlotte, he had been roaming around outside. On his way back, the Emperor called all of his children for dinner. It was a simple meal with his three children, without their mothers. A solemn silence flowed through the dining hall. Prince Rune was naturally quiet, and Amelia and Priscilla merely exchanged glances, as they had heard something earlier that day. The Emperor cut a few pieces of steak and put them in his mouth, quietly observing the silent atmosphere. "My precious little ones¡­" "Judging by the ominous atmosphere here today." "Again, it seems like you''ve been fighting quite a bit." "Amelia, is it you again?" "¡­Hmph." Amelia pursed her lips at the look. The Emperor glanced at Priscilla''s hair. "Priscilla, you''ve been bitten quite hard again." "No, not too much¡­" For some reason, when Priscilla spoke hesitantly, the Emperor widened his eyes in confusion. "Wasn''t it your turn to say that your hair was almost ripped out¡­?" "No, it wasn''t that bad¡­" Somehow, Priscilla seemed more docile than usual today. Watching her, not only was the Emperor flustered, but Amelia too looked at Priscilla with confusion. She wasn''t usually like this. On a normal day, she would immediately run to the Emperor''s side, crying and complaining. It was a daily occurrence for her to exaggerate that, even when her toes were stepped on, she''d act as if a wild boar had broken her foot. But today, she was unusually quiet. The Emperor observed Rune, who was silently enjoying his meal with a fork and knife. The youngest son, who was the only one among the children who didn''t cause trouble. However, his future was a great concern. Since trouble-free individuals usually end up causing significant issues later, the Emperor was more worried about his quiet and gentle son than his two daughters, who already showed rowdy tendencies. Rowdy tendencies could be corrected over time, but a late-learned thievery could be frightening. It seemed like he would end up causing significant trouble. In other words, a too-pretty youngest son. "¡­?" At his father''s intense gaze, the prince tilted his head, looking at the Emperor. The Emperor''s feelings were a mixture of love, adoration, and an urge to go crazy in various ways. "Sigh¡­" Not knowing what to worry about, but feeling extremely worried, the Emperor sighed deeply. The prince continued to eat his meal while also cutting small pieces of meat to feed the cat. However, that was a matter for later. The Emperor looked at his two daughters. "Anyway, my precious daughters, I called you because I have a request that I hope you''ll listen to." "¡­A favor?" "¡­What is it?" "I know that you two leak secrets like a sieve. Whose daughters are you? Of course, you do, and it can''t be helped. You must have taken after me. I know that even if I leave you alone, you both leak secrets separately, but when you''re together, it''s not just leaking, it''s completely shattered." Amelia, because of the life and death separation she experienced in her childhood. Priscilla, because of Amelia. Both of their personalities had become severely twisted. "It''s understandable for princesses to fight with each other, grabbing each other''s hair." "After all, children grow up by fighting." "It seemed a bit excessive for such a thing, but... Anyway, I''m saying it''s alright." "If we''re inside the palace, we can manage our mouths. Everyone seems to accept that now." "But..." "Please, just..." "Is it necessary to fight in the Temple...?" "It''s not like I¡¯m asking you to hold hands and pretend to get along." "Can''t you just ignore each other like watching cows and chickens...?" "What''s with the constant stories of you two fighting in the Temple, crossing the boundaries of different school years? How do you keep running into each other?" "Rumors are spreading throughout the Empire that the two of you, grabbing each other by the hair, are on such bad terms that you fight." "Rumor has it that the First Princess Amelia is a madwoman who beats her younger sister like a rat." "And the Second Princess Priscilla is rumored to have a sharp tongue when speaking to her elder sister." "Now, it''s even spreading across the continent...!" "Is it alright that every time I meet someone, I hear rumors about how troubled my children are?" "Everyone says that...!" "This wretched father is so ashamed that he can hardly bear it!" "As both your father and the Emperor, I implore you!" "To my precious and noble princesses, my daughters, I beg you!" "Please... don''t fight outside!" "If you must fight, do it inside!" The emperor trembled with anger. The two princesses remained silent with their mouths tightly shut at his words. In truth, anyone could see that if they happened to run into each other at the Temple, their arguments would escalate into full-fledged fights. "Furthermore, Amelia, it''s not just the two of you. You go around hitting other children, don''t you...?" "¡­They deserved it, I guess." "You did hit them, after all...! And Priscilla, you keep forcing strange medicines on your classmates, don''t you?" "¡­It''s good for the body." "How can you be so sure! You can''t give them that...! It''s illegal!" "Father, you used to make your friends create such things without any issue back in the day." "That was... that was different..." The emperor looked at his troublemaking daughters with a drained expression. There were so many sins committed that he couldn''t persuade them even when he was right. "¡­Anyway, I don''t ask for anything else, just behave inside the palace. Let''s not advertise that the imperial family is in shambles by fighting in the temple. Is that too difficult a request?" The emperor knew that saying it wouldn''t help; his words fell on deaf ears. It wasn''t the first time he had said such things. Priscilla pursed her lips. "¡­What right does a father, who isn''t even our mother, have to say such things?" "¡­!" Amelia also let out a hollow laugh, as if she couldn''t believe it. "Father, you used to beat up kids when you attended the temple, didn''t you? And you said it wasn''t even comparable to what I do." "¡­!" The only perfect exception was the first prince. The emperor was not an exception either. No, in fact, it was even worse. "I did, but...! Your father had reasons for it back then...!" "I had reasons for hitting them, too. Why do you think I didn''t?" "That, that is..." "I also made sure the things I gave them were harmless, you know?" "¡­" The daughters were aware that the scolding was baseless and showed no understanding of the situation. "So, why did you beat up the kids when you were at the temple? And I heard that those who got hit by you back then are now all successful in various places." "Right, I''m curious. Just how much did you beat them up for you to become a legend in the temple? You didn''t even graduate. I even heard you hit your seniors, too." At the mention of the emperor, the two sisters who didn''t get along united in a rare display of camaraderie. "Yeah, mom told me. She said you even tried to hit her when you were at the temple. I heard it all." Upon hearing this, not only the emperor but also Amelia''s face turned pale. "What? You tried to hit the witch... I mean, the Archmage?" "Yeah, for real. You can ask her later. You tried to slap her cheek." Amelia was so shocked that she opened her mouth wide. "How could you... try to hit such a kind person...?" "I didn''t hit her! I didn''t!" "So, you''re admitting that you tried to hit her...?" "Well, Amelia... there was a situation... it was the turbulent times... at that age..." "It seems true. How could you... that''s too much... no, why did you marry her...?" Amelia''s eyes were unfocused, and she mumbled to herself. In fact, it was no lie. He had actually threatened to slap her cheek if she said something wrong. "Hey, kids... that''s not the kind of story I wanted to tell..." "Just mind your own business, what are you talking about?" "¡­So." The emperor tried to admonish them but ended up being verbally beaten by his daughters. The emperor was actually not to be trifled with, but what could he do? Emperor Reinhardt was not treated like a proper father. -Nyang nyang The white cat was eating the meat that Rune cut for it. Its softly swaying tail seemed to be finding something very amusing. ------ The emperor tried to scold his daughters without knowing the subject and was pushed out. It happened all the time. But he couldn''t just leave his daughters'' misbehavior unchecked, so he repeatedly mentioned it, only to receive an upshot and say nothing more than to mind his own business. On their way back after finishing their meal. The emperor''s three children were riding a magic tram heading to the Spring Palace. As always, Priscilla had Prince Rune sitting on her lap, tightly hugging him, and Rune was hugging the cat just the same. Amelia was sitting on the opposite side, looking out the window. Although they would bicker every time they met and eventually end up in a fistfight, today neither of them had such thoughts. After hearing about Amelia''s childhood experiences, Priscilla realized that there was a reason for her previous misbehavior, even though she couldn''t fully understand Amelia. Amelia felt the same way. She knew that what she had done so far only worsened the situation. Her mother had made such a request, and she knew that making the situation worse would not make anyone happy. In the end, Amelia knew she was wrong. So Amelia decided to do something she had never done before in her life. "Hey." "¡­What?" "You didn''t whine as much as I thought you would when you got hurt." "¡­It didn''t hurt that much, you know? Do you think I always just make a fuss?" Amelia held back the response that naturally tried to come out, agreeing with her sister. "What... well, thank you." "...?" Priscilla''s eyes widened at Amelia''s words. She had never imagined hearing such words from Amelia''s mouth. "What did you just say?" "Do you really want me to repeat it?" Amelia averted her gaze. Priscilla could be sure she hadn''t misheard by Amelia''s slightly reddened face. However, their long-standing emotional baggage led to misunderstandings in this situation. Did she take some kind of drug? One couldn''t help but wonder why Amelia would suddenly act like this. "...What are you thinking?" "I''m not thinking about anything." In the midst of an awkward silence, the tram slowly moved along. Priscilla gave up on trying to understand. Amelia was as fickle as she was crazy, so Priscilla simply assumed Amelia felt like acting this way today. If she continued to behave like this, getting along wouldn''t be so difficult. Lost in her thoughts, Priscilla looked at Rune, who was nestled in her arms. Although Amelia was trying to avoid looking at Rune by staring out the window, she couldn''t help but glance over, as this was the first time she had ever said such a thing. And of course, she saw it. Priscilla''s expression as she smirked, looking at Rune. It was clear that she was indulging in some perverted thoughts. Admittedly, Rune was cute and pretty, and even Amelia''s heart would flutter when seeing Rune dressed up like that. But when it came to Priscilla, she was undoubtedly insane. Rune was so quiet and timid; it was obvious that he didn''t like Priscilla''s behavior. "Hey." "...What now?" "Everything about you is fine, but can''t you stop dressing up the kid in those weird clothes?" At Amelia''s words, Priscilla''s brows furrowed. "What''s with you? You didn''t care before, so why pretend to care now?" "No, the kid obviously dislikes it." Amelia found Rune adorable, but when she tried to increase her affection for Priscilla, it waned whenever she saw her engaging in such antics. "How would you know?" As if to say, "Don''t interfere," Priscilla pulled Rune closer to her. How would she know? It was clear just by looking. "Hey, kid." "..." "If you don''t like it, say so. Your silence is making her think you enjoy it." "What! Why are you suddenly talking to Rune instead of me? Don''t speak to him!" Ignoring the increasingly irate Priscilla, Amelia looked at Rune and asked. Amelia was partly to blame for this situation. Priscilla forced Rune into such ridiculous acts because he always remained meek and submissive. "Kid, if you don''t like it, say so. If you like it, say so. What do you think?" Priscilla swallowed hard. Rune had never once openly said he didn''t like it, even though he clearly didn''t enjoy it. Encouraged by Amelia, Rune hesitantly spoke. "...I don''t like it." "See? He doesn''t like it." "..." At Rune''s small reply, Priscilla couldn''t help but bite her lip. However, Rune''s answer wasn''t the end of it. "But... if sister likes it... then I like it too." "...What?" Amelia couldn''t help but be taken aback by Rune''s response. Neither could Priscilla. He didn''t like it. Although he clearly disliked it, the reason he kept silent was not that he was a man of few words or expressed little emotion. He was just being well-behaved because his older sister liked it. No, if his older sister liked it, then he liked it too. Amelia and Priscilla could not help but be taken aback by the unexpected response. What a deep and lovely child he was. Amelia''s face flushed, her lips trembling sweetly. She wanted to hug him right away, as if she couldn''t bear it. On the other hand, Priscilla became triumphant. "See? It''s fine! It''s good that he likes it! You understand, don''t you?" "You crazy girl¡­ Even after hearing that answer, you still plan to do that nonsense in the future?" I don''t like it, but it''s okay because my sister likes it. Shouldn''t that be enough to make her stop? Amelia''s expression couldn''t help but contort at Priscilla''s response, which implied she would continue because he liked it. Human beings were truly disgusting. As expected, she was not wrong. It was impossible not to think that the second princess, Priscilla, was a vile person. "What? I won''t do it anymore. That''s good enough, right? It''s funny that you pretend to know without knowing." ¡ª--- Of course, naturally, Priscilla was also moved by Rune''s words and had no intention of forcing him in the future. In reality, Priscilla did more than just torment Rune as she hung around with him. It was quite significant that she always stayed with Rune, whose reputation was inevitably bad because he was a bastard. She taught him about life in the palace and always played with him. After Empress Harriet, it was Priscilla who helped Rune adapt well to the palace. So it was absurd for Amelia to act like this now. When Rune found the palace unfamiliar and scary, she had done nothing. This was outrageous. Amelia''s attitude, pretending to care for Rune now after never having shown concern before, was infuriating. Humans were truly disgusting. As expected, she was not wrong. Regardless of her circumstances, the first princess Amelia was always like that. "From the beginning, Rune never had any interest in you. It''s too late for you to pretend to care now." "What did you say¡­?" "Am I wrong?" The friendly intentions of the two were bound to crumble after just a few words. "Rune, it¡¯s funny don¡¯t you think? What does she think she¡¯s doing, pretending to be a sister? Hmph." As Priscilla asked a question seemingly looking for an answer, Rune hesitated and opened his mouth. "I... like... my elder sister..." At that single sentence, Priscilla''s eyes lost focus. "What did you say¡­?" ¡°What did she ever do for you up until now?¡± Naturally, Amelia only expressed her affection for Rune when they were alone, so Priscilla had no way of knowing. Amelia laughed at Priscilla''s reaction. Her flustered appearance was delightful. Very delightful. "Where on earth did you get the confidence that he would only like you? Huh? On what basis? You tormented him by putting him in strange dresses. He was just being kind and patient, but in reality, he probably doesn''t like you that much." "Is that true, Rune¡­?" Priscilla looked at Rune with a pale face. "Is it... really... that you don''t like me? You like... her more?" He had just been kind and patient until now. Had he been fed up all along? "Both... I like... both..." Upon hearing Rune''s words, Priscilla felt as if her fallen heart had been reattached. But she was still angry. He liked that one too. Amelia smiled with interest at his words. She then stood up from her seat and approached Rune, sitting down in front of him. It seemed like a wicked question had come to her mind. The corners of Amelia''s mouth curved up maliciously. "Tell me, little one." "...Huh?" "Do you prefer me or her?" "What kind of question is that!" It was a ridiculous question. Surely it was obvious that he would choose her. She had taken care of him so much. But the fact that she was forcing Rune to do something he disliked didn''t change. That''s why Amelia thought it was a gamble worth trying. If Rune preferred her, who had done nothing, Priscilla''s soul would crumble to dust and disappear. How satisfying that would be. "Of course, it''s me!" "Well, I don''t know what the little one will answer." Amelia didn''t mind if Priscilla were to be chosen, as long as he was honest. After all, she felt happy that Rune had told her he liked her too, even though she had only occasionally hugged him. It made her want to hug him so much that it was unbearable. Amelia''s deep blue eyes stared intently at Rune. "Quickly, who is it?" "¡­" Amelia grinned wickedly as she looked at Rune, while Priscilla watched Rune with desperate eyes, hoping he would choose her. In the end, as was always the case with such questions. "¡­Sob." "!" "Ru-Rune¡­?" The young prince couldn''t bear the situation and burst into tears. "Sob¡­sniff¡­" As the youngest sibling shed tearful pearls, the two sisters were at a loss for different reasons. Priscilla''s brow furrowed. "Hey! Your stupid question made Rune cry!" "Ah, no. I, I didn''t¡­" Amelia didn''t know what to do, as she hadn''t expected the child to cry. While Priscilla and Amelia were at a loss for how to console the sobbing youngest sibling. He muttered through his tearful voice. "I like both of my sisters¡­sob¡­why can''t you get along?" "¡­Huh?" "¡­" "Do you have to fight¡­?" Upon hearing his heartfelt words, Amelia and Priscilla stared blankly at each other. What were they doing in front of a child? It was a young sibling pleading for his sisters to stop fighting. Even going so far as to make him cry with a question about who he liked more. Was this really right? Was this what a person should do? Both Amelia and Priscilla thought to themselves. They didn''t know about the other. But for now, it seemed like neither of them were human. Both had the same thoughts. "Ah, we won''t fight. We won''t¡­yeah." Priscilla hastily spoke and glared at Amelia. "Uh, um¡­little one. We won''t fight. We should get along." "Then hold hands¡­" At Rune''s words, the two instantly grabbed each other''s hands. Holding hands awkwardly, they vigorously shook them, as if showing Rune. "We, we''ll get along from now on, right? Th-that''s enough, right?" "Y-yes! Of course! We''ll try! Yeah! Rune, I''m sorry." As the two of them awkwardly held hands and forced a smile, Rune wiped the corner of his eyes with his sleeve. Then, he smiled brightly as if he had never cried. "We should continue getting along like this, right?" Seeing his smile, the sisters thought to themselves. Whatever else might be uncertain, if they could see Rune''s smile like this every day by just getting along, "Of course!" "Absolutely!" They could get along well even with a distance of a thousand miles between them. ------ The tram arrived at the Spring Palace, and Run walked a little behind his sisters, who had moved ahead. The two of them were still holding hands as they walked toward the palace. Seemingly unable to bear it any longer, they glanced back, trembling. They were checking on their youngest sibling. With Rune''s watchful gaze on them, making sure they held hands until they entered the palace, the two sisters finally resigned themselves to walking hand-in-hand. Rune watched them until the very end, as they let go of each other''s hands and went their separate ways the moment they entered the palace. Rune hugged the white cat and smiled quietly. "You''re right, Mother." -Meow "It''s incredibly easy." -Meow As if to praise him, the cat licked Rune''s cheek a few times. Why couldn''t they get along? To answer his question, the cat, who had transformed back into his mother, cautiously embraced her son and whispered, ''Rune.'' ''Yes, Mother.'' ''If they ever fight in front of you again, just cry.'' ''...?'' ''Then everything will be resolved.'' Rune didn''t understand why crying would resolve everything. ''Why should I cry?'' Unable to comprehend his mother¡¯s question, his mother replied, ''Rune''s sisters may be very different from each other, but they have one thing in common.'' ''The same thing...?'' ''They both love Rune very much.'' ''...'' ''Seeing Rune cry will hurt their hearts, so they won''t fight anymore.'' It was a simple answer, and Rune couldn''t understand his mother''s words. ''And Rune is adorable.'' ''What does that have to do with it...?'' Responding to Rune''s question, the cat who had become his mother stroked his head and said, ''Sometimes, just that alone can solve problems in the world.'' Rune didn''t know what his mother was talking about. However, just as his mother had said, the situation was resolved when he simply cried. From then on, if it seemed like they would not get along, he could just cry. Whether or not they understood each other, the youngest''s tears resolved everything, and would continue to do so. "Being cute is a good thing." However, the youngest prince discovered that he could use his cuteness as a weapon. -Meow? The white cat felt a chill as it seemed to see a shadow flickering in the prince''s smile. "Right, Mother?" -Meow Perhaps she had taught her son something she should never have taught him. The white cat couldn''t help but tremble in fear in her son''s arms. No one knew what would happen later. Nevertheless, the spring palace, which used to echo with the sound of the sisters fighting, pulling each other''s hair, was undoubtedly going to be peaceful for the time being.